《The Lord of Void and Real》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Prologue Chapter 1: Prologue In a lofty hall enveloped in mist, at the end of a flight of dozens of feet long Green Jade Stairs, a man in a golden robe sat upright on a giant chair as white as jade. The dazzling hall was now in disarray! Not only were there many broken weapons such as axes, hooks, and forks discarded on the ground, but various rare treasures were scattered everywhere, and several of the enormous dragon columns on both sides had shattered, leaving only half of the column bases. The grandeur and majesty of the hall was dead silent. Aside from the man in the golden robe sitting alone, there were no other figures. The man in the golden robe seemed oblivious to this, merely staring blankly at an item on the ground not far in front of him. On a big signboard that was almost half missing, the two huge golden characters ¡°Lingxiao¡± emitted an endless aura of majesty. ¡°Boom!¡± went a loud noise! Following a slight tremor of the hall, numerous Silver Spirit Patterns appeared from every corner and spread rapidly. Layer upon layer, more and more, within moments they spread across the entire hall like a giant net. The thunderous noise outside was incessant, the Silver Spirit Patterns in the hall flickered incessantly, while the ground cracked and the ceiling emitted a creaking sound. ¡°Finally, this moment has arrived!¡± The man in the golden robe finally lifted his head, muttered a phrase, looking towards the ceiling of the hall, a faint layer of white light covering his face, making it impossible to see his features. At the top of the purple-golden hall, it suddenly shattered with a ¡°bang,¡± amidst countless flying fragments, a Giant Demonic Hand the size of a mountain ruthlessly reached for the man in the golden robe. ¡­ A golden mountain, over ten thousand feet high, cocooned by the Green Demon Flame, had been continuously echoing the voice of chanting from the temple at the top of the mountain. At the same time, countless Golden Sanskrit characters were flying out, desperately resisting the approach of the nearby Demon Flame. As time went on, fewer and fewer Sanskrit characters flew out from the mountain, and the voices of Buddhist chants gradually faded. Soon they were drowned out by the rolling green flames, leaving no sound at all. ¡­ In the gloomy netherworld, at the gate of the Sinister Black City, countless bizarre ghost creatures rushed out, some fierce ghosts either rode the strange wind or burrowed into the ground to escape, disappearing like a flood into the Gray Wilderness outside. ¡­ In the human world, at noon time! The sky was pitch black, with no sunlight to be seen. Both cities and wilderness appeared as if it was deep night, with only faint lights visible. In some towns, amid the lights, countless people could be seen looking up towards the dark sky, either dumbfounded or extraordinarily panicked. From the black sky came waves of low humming, growing louder and sharper with time, as if countless people were quietly weeping. The sound was infinitely sad, provoking tears in those who heard it. Almost simultaneously, the high altitude sky flickered with numerous red lights. Following this, crimson meteorites of various sizes pierced the dark veil, the larger ones resembling mountains, and the smaller ones as big as houses, thunderously falling down towards the human world, spreading over the Four Continents. In the Great Tang era, when the demonic beings swallowed the sky, the Heaven wept, and Heavenly Fire descended upon the world, causing heavy casualties among the people. ¨C Records of Devil Tribulation. Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 1 Shen Family Chapter 2: Chapter 1 Shen Family ¡°Cough, cough,¡± ¡°Cough, cough¡±¡­ Subconsciously aware of his abrupt fit of coughs, Shen Luo woke up abruptly from his bed. He hastened to take a few deep breaths before swiftly pulling out a small bottle from under the pillow, pouring out a yellow pill about the size of a bean and swallowing it. He sat motionless on the bed for quite some time, feeling the stifling feeling in his chest and the chill gradually dissipating before he finally breathed out a long sigh of relief. After letting out a bitter smile, Shen Luo slowly put on the neatly folded clothes on the chair next to him. Then, out of habit, he glanced at the desk in the corner of the room. On the table, a pale yellow, worn-out book lay quietly, its cover inscribed with the neatly aligned black small characters that read ¡°Chronicles of Unusual Spring Stories¡±. Shen Luo furrowed his brows and withdrew his gaze. He then opened the door slowly and walked out of the room. ¡°Young Master.¡± A young servant boy about twelve or thirteen years old was standing guard outside the door. Upon seeing Shen Luo emerge, he hurriedly came forward to pay his respects. In the distance, a large group of connected residences with red tiles and white walls could be vaguely seen, with all kinds of buildings adding up to about forty to fifty rooms. ¡°How many times did I cough last night? Were there any other sounds?¡± Shen Luo looked at the young boy and asked indifferently. ¡°Young Master, you coughed thirteen times last night. There were no other sounds,¡± replied the boy, his eyes slightly shadowed from lack of sleep. He faced Shen Luo with a hint of apprehension. Shen Luo nodded his head and did not ask anything more. He brushed past the boy and continued forward. The little servant wisely followed closely behind him. After passing through several long corridors and a garden covering about an acre, Shen Luo came to a building that looked like a main hall. The two maids standing in front of the hall hurriedly came forward to salute him, their faces also showing some fear of Shen Luo. ¡°Luo¡¯er, you¡¯re here. How did you sleep last night? Come in and have some ginseng soup. I just had the servants prepare it for you,¡± a concerned male voice came from inside the hall. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Father. I had a good rest last night,¡± Shen Luo replied, his expression slightly changing, then he entered the hall. Inside the hall, a round table laden with fine food was surrounded by several people. The man in the main seat was a middle-aged man in his forties, his hair slightly graying and showing signs of premature aging. The middle-aged man was Shen Luo¡¯s father, Shen Yuange, who was watching Shen Luo with joy at the moment. ¡°Luo¡¯er is awake! Little Cui, quickly bring the ginseng soup, didn¡¯t you hear the Master¡¯s command?¡± A beautiful woman with a head full of precious jewelry sitting next to Shen Yuange saw Shen Luo and forced a smile on her face. ¡°Thank you, Second Mother.¡± Shen Luo nodded indifferently at the woman. ¡°Big Brother.¡± ¡°Big Brother.¡± Next to the woman, a young boy and a young girl also rose to greet Shen Luo. They appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, their faces bearing a distinct resemblance to Shen Luo. They were his half siblings who shared the same father but different mothers. One was named Shen Ci, and the other Shen Mumu. Although twins by birth, their reactions to Shen Luo were starkly different. His younger brother, Shen Ci, avoided Shen Luo¡¯s gaze, and his expression bore an uncomfortable resemblance to that of the servants. His sister Shen Mumu, on the other hand, seemed restless with curiosity after greeting him. She appeared eager to ask her ¡°big brother¡± Shen Luo something, but a glance at their father, Shen Yuange, made her hesitate. After sitting down and finishing the ginseng soup served by the maid, Shen Luo ate a few bites of food, then frowned and put down his chopsticks, no longer eating. ¡°Luo¡¯er, since you are done eating, come to the study with me. I have some business matters to clarify,¡± Shen Yuange said upon seeing this, his voice reflecting his growing worry. Shen Luo nodded, casually excused himself to the woman, and followed Shen Yuange out of the hall. The woman watched them leave, her face turning sour. Shen Ci couldn¡¯t hide a look of envy on his face, while Shen Mumu pouted her little rosy lips, clearly dissatisfied that Shen Luo and their ¡°big brother¡± had finished eating and left so quickly. ¡­ ¡°Luo¡¯er, is everything really fine after last night?¡± As soon as they sat down in the study, Shen Yuange asked Shen Luo with concern. ¡°Father, rest assured, nothing happened last night. The ¡®thing¡¯ didn¡¯t occur again, but my body is deteriorating even more now. Even with the ¡®Golden Fragrant Jade¡¯ pills which I personally formulated, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to hold on for many more years, and this body can¡¯t be healed with normal medicine,¡± replied Shen Luo, shaking his head. ¡°Ah, Luo¡¯er, you¡¯ve really experienced a lot of sickness and misfortune. Originally, you were weak and often sick ever since your mother had a difficult pregnancy. Then last year, you contracted an evil spirit, and as a result, developed a serious illness. If anything were to happen to you, how could I face your deceased mother? After all, I promised her that I would take good care of you,¡± Shen Yuange sighed heavily, a hint of bitterness showing on his face. ¡°Father, you should see the bright side. If I was never ill, how could I have used my knowledge as a doctor to create the ¡®Golden Fragrant Jade¡¯ pill, which built the success of our Shen family business? Our family, indeed, has been blessed in disguise, ¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s true. Nowadays, when people in Chunhua County mention the Shen Family Medical Hall and Shen Family Pharmacy, everyone knows our name. Even Lord Wang, the regional head, has a higher opinion of our family,¡± responded Shen Yuange, lifting his spirits at these words. ¡°That¡¯s also because you, Father, are excellent at dealing with people. You gave a bottle of ¡®Golden Fragrant Jade¡¯ to Lord Wang, which cured his only son¡¯s stubborn illness. Otherwise, with our current wealth, the Shen family would have run into trouble long ago,¡± Shen Luo replied, tactfully praising his father. ¡°Haha, I only managed to build our family¡¯s wealth because we worked in unison as father and son. It¡¯s a pity that you chose not to publicize yourself, so I had to attribute the creation of these miracle drugs to an ancient recipe we ¡®accidentally¡¯ discovered. This secret is only known to you and me; I haven¡¯t even let your stepmother or your brother and sister know about it. So, if your stepmother offends you in any way, due to her humble origins and lack of experience, I hope you won¡¯t take it too much to heart for my sake,¡± Shen Yuange chuckled, pleased yet pensive. ¡°Father, why would I ever care about what my stepmother does! Moreover, if something were to happen to me, it would be up to my half-brother to support the Shen family. My biggest wish right now is to exorcise the evil spirit from me. If I can¡¯t get rid of it, I probably wouldn¡¯t survive, even for a few years,¡± Shen Luo replied after remaining silent for a while, inducing a bitter laugh. ¡°If you say so, then I feel relieved. Anyway, family harmony is essential. How is your health now? As I recall, your last episode was seven days ago,¡± said Shen Yuange, his facial expression relaxing momentarily before the worry returned. ¡°Yes, the last time I had an attack, I nearly choked ¡®Master Huang¡¯ to death. Last year, the so-called ¡®Golden Light Monk¡¯ who claimed to be the reincarnation of a Luohan, was also beaten half to death by me during an attack. They have no real skill at all; they¡¯re just charlatans,¡± replied Shen Luo, his face darkening. ¡°But Master Huang and the Golden Light Monk are already known as the most famous exorcists in the nearby counties. Others are even more deceitful. How about I send people to the State City to find better exorcists?¡± Shen Yuange also felt somewhat helpless. ¡°No need. State City is too far away, and how would we find a legitimate exorcist in a city where we don¡¯t know anyone? Even if we did find one, nine times out of ten, they would likely just be similar charlatans like Master Huang. My attacks are coming faster and faster; there¡¯s no way I can wait that long,¡± replied Shen Luo decisively. ¡°So, Luo¡¯er, you¡¯re implying¡­¡± replied a slightly shocked Shen Yuange who was well-acquainted with his eldest son¡¯s demeanor. Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Luo Daoist Chapter 3: Chapter 2 Luo Daoist ¡°I recently found an ancient local record, which documents some weird and unusual phenomena that have happened in Chunhua County over hundreds of years. Based on the research carried out by my men, these records are mostly true, but for unknown reasons, they are little known to ordinary people. Among these anomalies, a place called the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is frequently mentioned. According to the records, this Daoist temple is located within Chunhua County, and the priests there should know the real art of exorcism.¡± Shen Luo replied with bright eyes. ¡°That¡¯s news! Where is this Spring and Autumn Pavilion? I will send someone to invite them immediately.¡± On hearing this, Shen Yuange, agitated, stood up with a ¡®bang¡¯. ¡°Father, do not worry. I have already sent people to invite them, paying them handsomely. If everything goes according to the letter, the people of Spring and Autumn Pavilion will arrive today.¡± Shen Luo replied with a slight smile. ¡°Great, I will tell the servants to prepare immediately so that there won¡¯t be any issues with our hospitality.¡± Shen Yuange was not concerned about the actions taken by his eldest son; instead, he rubbed his hands together and said contentedly. At this time, from outside the study, Shen Yuange¡¯s personal assistant delivered a respectful message: ¡°Old Master! Young Master! A Daoist named Luo has arrived as scheduled with the Young Master.¡± Upon hearing this, both father and son looked at each other in surprise and joy. ¡°Father, you stay here and have some tea. I¡¯ll personally meet this Daoist from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± Shen Luo decisively suggested. ¡°This matter concerns your life and death. How can I stay here and have tea? Let¡¯s meet Master Luo together.¡± Shen Yuange waved his hand, and people hastily ran towards the entrance. Seeing this, Shen Luo revealed a slight smile. In the side hall of the Shen Family. Shen Luo carefully inspected the middle-aged Daoist who introduced himself as ¡®Luo Daoist¡¯. He had a date-red face filled with worldly wisdom, wearing a light blue Taoist robe, a wooden sword slanting from all sides on his back, a small white cloth bag hanging around his waist. Other than the figure straight as a long spear, everything else seemed rather ordinary. ¡°Master, please have a seat. Serve the good tea.¡± On seeing the middle-aged priest, Shen Yuange greeted him with full smiles. ¡°There¡¯s no need for tea. Master Shen, did you send someone with a token to invite people from our temple for exorcism?¡± The red-faced Daoist named Luo completely ignored the extremely enthusiastic Shen Yuange, instead choosing to give Shen Luo a serious stare and asked. ¡°Master, you know me?¡± Shen Luo asked back in surprise. ¡°Hehe, I made some vague inquiries about Master Shen before paying a formal visit. But how does Master Shen know about our temple, which has been closed for many years, and where did you get the token?¡± Daoist Luo asked impolitely, staring at Shen Luo. It seemed like he was ready to get angry if he didn¡¯t get satisfactory answers. ¡°Did the Master come here to question us?¡± Hearing this, Shen Yuange¡¯s smile faded a bit, and he became a little unhappy. ¡°Master Shen, don¡¯t blame me. Although our tokens are not rare, none of them is associated with the Shen family. Since Master Shen sent someone with a token to come to our temple, I naturally have to ask clearly first.¡± Daoist Luo finally turned to Shen Yuange and said indifferently. ¡°Closed for many years? That¡¯s why few people in the county know about your pavilion now. Rest assured, Master. I learned about the Spring and Autumn Pavilion from this book. As for the token, I bought it with a heavy gold from a descendant of a settled family.¡± Shen Luo took out something from his sleeve and handed it over, looking somewhat enlightened. It was the copy of the ¡°Chunhua Strange Occurrences Chronicle¡± previously placed on the desk. When Shen Yuange saw this, he could not help but take another look at the dilapidated book. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Daoist Luo took the book with a slight surprise. After browsing a few pages, his expression relaxed considerably. ¡°This book records some tales of exorcism and demon-slaying of our sect from years back, and the details suggest that it was written by someone who had genuinely been in contact with our temple. Could the young master gift this book to a poor Daoist like me? I would like to take it back and let the others have a look. Regarding the token, as long as what Master Shen said is true and it was voluntarily transferred by others, our sect will not mind.¡± The red-faced Daoist read the book, then casually tucked it into his bosom and spoke with a straight face. Seeing this, Shen Yuange frowned slightly. However, Shen Luo did not mind. He chuckled and asked, ¡°It¡¯s good if Master Luo likes it. Could you rest and have something to eat now, prepare for a while, and then perform an exorcism on me?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for any rest or preparation. As for the evil spirit on your body, hehe ¡­¡± The red-faced priest gave Shen Luo a deep look, suddenly flashed, and charged directly to the front. With a ¡®slap¡¯, he tightly grabbed one side of Shen Luo¡¯s arm. ¡°What are you doing? Come here!¡± On seeing this Shen Yuange took two steps backward, called out sharply. In an instant, seven or eight burly men rushed into Hall from outside, ready to pounce on the priest under the angry command from their master. ¡°Everybody, stop! Father, don¡¯t worry, Master Luo has not hurt me. He is performing an exorcism for me!¡± However, it was at this moment that Shen Luo spoke. He felt a wave of warmth flowing into his body from the seized arm. Wherever it passed, the constant chill in his body was melting away, and he felt beyond comfortable. Upon hearing this, Shen Yuange carefully examined Shen Luo¡¯s expression, finally relaxed, waved at his men, and had them leave the side hall again. ¡®Woosh¡¯ A plume of faint gray air shot out from Shen Luo¡¯s chest, swirling around, then rushing straight at Shen Yuange, who was nearby. ¡°Humph, back to me.¡± The red-faced priest seemed to have foreseen that, flinging his big sleeve towards the gray air, a yellow talisman paper hit the gray mist in a flash. ¡®Pop¡¯ The talisman paper instantly turned into a fist-size fireball and tightly wrapped the gray air. The gray air seemed alive, twisting urgently in the flames. But soon after, it disappeared without a trace in the crackling burning sound. The fireball also vanished after a moment, leaving behind a slightly charred smell in the hall. Shen Yuange watched in astonishment. ¡°The Yin Qi in Master Shen¡¯s body has been stripped out, leaving only the need for some recuperation of his body. If that¡¯s the case, I will leave first.¡± The red-faced priest only let go of Shen Luo¡¯s arm at this point and spoke calmly. ¡°Yin Qi? Is Luo¡¯er not possessed by an evil spirit?¡± Shen Yuange finally came back to his senses, asking subconsciously. ¡°If it were a real evil spirit, how could it be so easily exorcised? Even I would treat it like a formidable enemy. Your young master seems to have gone to an unclean place, and some Yin Qi has entered his body, causing his current predicament.¡± Daoist Luo replied indifferently. ¡°But, Master Luo, every now and then I turn pale and weak, and I become incredibly strong, to the point that even three or five sturdy family servants can¡¯t get close to me. Afterward, I have no memory of it. What¡¯s going on? And Master Luo, what did you infuse into my body just now?¡± Shen Luo, still feeling the lingering warmth in his body, asked with a surprised look. Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Registered Disciple Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Registered Disciple ¡°Yin Qi itself does not have any spiritual wisdom. It is formed by the residual breath gathering in cold places after some living beings die. However, if left untreated, it might possibly form the lowest-level Evil. As for what you mentioned about turning blue all over, becoming incredibly powerful, and even forgetting what happened during the incident. These are just symptoms of Yin Qi rebounding to the head every once in a while. This is because your body was originally too feeble. If you came across some robust men, these Yin Qi would be directly suppressed as soon as they entered their bodies and they would be no different from normal people. As for what I infused into your body earlier, it was a kind of Small Transformation Yang Skill power that I have cultivated for many years, which at best restrains things like Yin Qi.¡± Master Luo explained. ¡°I see. I am really grateful for Master Luo¡¯s help this time,¡± Shen Luo said, seemingly understanding but not fully comprehending, thanking him nonetheless. ¡°Since you had a token and gave a heavy amount of gold, it is only right for me to make a bit of effort. It¡¯s a pity though, after this ordeal with Yin Qi, I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have much time left,¡± Master Luo said, nodding his head and suddenly adding this piece of information. Shen Luo¡¯s expression dimmed on hearing this, but he quickly remembered something and bowed again to Master Luo, asking: ¡°Master Luo, being a true Highly-skilled Daoist priest, must surely know how to extend a life. I won¡¯t mention anything else, but the Yang Gang power that Master gave earlier, I feel it should be highly beneficial to the body.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Please show mercy, Master Luo, save Luo¡¯er. As long as it can extend my son¡¯s life, we can negotiate any terms. The Shen family has some wealth, if nothing else,¡± Shen Yuange looked suddenyl enlightened and repeatedly bowed to Master Luo. ¡°Heh, heh, for a complete cure, I¡¯m afraid I cannot help. But if it¡¯s about improving the constitution of Master Shen and extending his life a little, we in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion do indeed have some ways,¡± Master Luo said, responding half-jokingly and half-seriously. ¡°I hope Master Luo can show me the way!¡± hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed, again bowing. Shen Yuange also looked at Master Luo with anticipation. ¡°Firstly, we in the pavilion have a secret medicine known as ¡®Red Snow Powder¡¯, which has marrow-cleansing properties. If taken for a long period of time, it can gradually improve your constitution. However, this medicine is made from rare ingredients and is not easily prepared. It¡¯s not something an ordinary household can afford. Secondly, like Master Shen mentioned, the power of the Small Transformation Yang Skill is indeed beneficial to health. If you cultivate it to its peak level, I cannot guarantee anything else, but living another two or three decades is no problem at all. I wonder, Master Shen, which one would you prefer?¡± Master Luo looked at Shen Luo, asking leisurely. ¡°Of course both. I hope Master will fulfill my request!¡± Shen Luo immediately replied without hesitation. Shen Yuange on the side kept nodding his agreement. ¡°Ha, ha¡­ Alright, we can let go of the ¡®Red Snow Powder¡¯. As long as you can afford it, selling some is not a problem. But the Small Transformation Yang Technique is a secret technique of our pavilion, we can¡¯t just casually introduce it to outsiders. Master Shen, you should just let your son buy some Red Snow Powder. It can likewise prolong his life somewhat,¡± Master Luo said, laughing heartily. The countenance of Shen Yuange changed somewhat, and he repeatedly made a huge number of pledges, but Master Luo still shook his head repeatedly. After listening for a while, Shen Luo suddenly said: ¡°Since your pavilion¡¯s secret techniques are not passed on to an outsider, then they can certainly be taught to a disciple within the pavilion, can¡¯t they?¡± Shen Yuange changed his expression upon hearing this, intending to speak but stopping again. ¡°Are you joking, Master Shen? Are you willing to abandon your current glory and wealth to become an ordinary disciple in our pavilion?¡± Master Luo¡¯s laughter abruptly stopped, his gaze swept across Shen Luo¡¯s face, and he took on a serious demeanor for the first time. ¡°If I don¡¯t even have the life left, what¡¯s the use of more glory and wealth? Now I just want to ask Master Luo if he¡¯s willing to take in this good-for-nothing disciple. The rites for receiving a Master, I believe, will certainly not disappoint the Master,¡± Shen Luo said smilingly to Master Luo. ¡°Accept you as a disciple directly?¡± Master Luo seemed even more surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right. I do not know much about the other high people in Spring and Autumn Pavilion, so there is no certainty that they would accept me. Naturally, it¡¯s most appropriate to take Master Luo as my teacher now. Moreover, I have personally witnessed Master Luo¡¯s skills just now, and I believe that I have not chosen the wrong Master. Master should also have the qualifications to accept disciples, right?¡± Shen Luo said earnestly. Master Luo remained silent after hearing this, but there was a hint of interest in his facial expression. Shen Yuange¡¯s face showed a wide range of emotions, but he did not voice any objections. ¡°Master Shen, there are several things I need to clarify first, I would only consider accepting you as a disciple if you can agree to all of them. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion might not be a great sect, but not anyone can join just like that,¡± Master Luo looked at Shen Luo for a while longer, before finally speaking resolutely. ¡°Master, please speak,¡± Shen Luo said decisively. ¡°Firstly, considering your health condition, it, needless to say, does not match the entrance requirements of our pavilion. Therefore, if you come into the pavilion, you can only be a registered disciple, you would not be able to get the secret teachings and treatment of our true disciples. But as for ¡®Small Transformation Yang Technique¡¯, I can ask our sect master to consider making an exception and teach it to you.¡± ¡°Agreed, thank you, Master!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed to hear this and even changed his form of address immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry. There¡¯s more. Listen well, as the price for me making an exception to bring you into the pavilion, I need the Shen family to donate two hundred taels of gold to me at once, and afterwards give the pavilion one thousand taels of silver every year in order for you to continue staying in the pavilion. If any year doesn¡¯t see enough silver being given, the person in question must leave the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Also, as for the ¡®Red Snow Powder¡¯, I will also help you apply for it, and one packet will probably also cost around a hundred taels of silver.¡± Although Shen Luo anticipated this, he was still startled by Master Luo¡¯s outrageous demand. He weighed the pros and cons for a moment, intending to say something else, but it was Shen Yuange who spoke up next, the things he said also making Master Luo¡¯s face glow with joy. ¡°Master, you need not worry about the money. The Shen family is willing to pay ten years¡¯ fees at once. I only hope that the Master can ensure that Luo¡¯er will not be subjected to any serious grievances in the pavilion.¡± ¡°Father, why go to such lengths! Such a large sum¡­¡± Shen Luo was startled. ¡°The current wealth of the Shen family originally includes half of your share. As long as it allows you to live longer, what count are these?¡± Shen Yuange dismissed the concern with a wave of hand. Shen Luo fell silent. ¡°Good, good, good! Since the Shen family is willing to pay such a price, I will take Master Shen as a registered disciple,¡± Master Luo clapped his hands together, laughing heartily. ¡°Shen Luo pays respects to the Master.¡± Shen Luo let Master Luo sit on the main seat, kowtowed thrice, and then offered him a cup of tea with both hands. ¡°Disciple, from now you are a disciple under my door. You will also have a senior brother, who I will introduce to you once you reach the pavilion. You already know the location of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. As long as you bring the token and arrive within a month, you will be able to hold the official initiation ceremony. Remember, only one person can go, and you just need to bring simple clothing. Also, having drunk your disciple-acceptance tea, I cannot leave without giving you anything. I just happen to have a packet of ¡®Red Snow Powder¡¯ handy here. You can start taking it first and see how the effect is.¡± After Master Luo had drunk his tea, he pulled out a light green small box from his person, and after explaining its usage for a while, he left the Shen Residence, floating out of the hall. Shen Luo escorted him to the gate of the residence. Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Initiation into Huayang Chapter 5: Chapter 4: Initiation into Huayang The news that the Young Master had been rid of the evil by the High People, and was even about to become a Taoist priest, spread throughout the Shen family, causing quite a commotion from top to bottom. From the main mother of the family, the ¡°Second Mother¡±, to the junior servants and maids who swept the floor, their faces were full of excitement. It wasn¡¯t long before even half of Chunhua County was abuzz with chatter about this news. Everyone knew that the well-known wealthy family in the county, Shen family¡¯s ¡°sickly Young Master¡±, a perfectly good Young Master suddenly wanted to become a Taoist Priest. ¡­ About half a month later, Shin Luo was found in an unnamed and somewhat desolate small mountain just outside Chunhua County. Dressed in an Azure Robe and carrying a Small Parcel on his back, Shen Luo, who was looking rosy, stood in the pavilion, constantly looking around as if he was waiting for something. In the center of a decaying Stone Table in the pavilion, was a palm-sized Triangle Plate embedded, cast from what seemed to be high-quality iron and lightly emitting white light, which looked quite magical. ¡°Are you the Junior Brother Shen mentioned by Master?¡± A deep male voice suddenly sounded from behind Shen Luo, startling him to turn around immediately. He saw that there was a burly young Taoist Priest with thick eyebrows and big eyes in the pavilion, smiling at him. ¡°I am indeed Shen Luo, may I ask who is the Taoist master ¡­¡± Shen Luo cautiously asked with a salute. ¡°I am also a disciple of Master Luo, my name is Tian Tiesheng. Master Luo asked me to take you to the Pavilion.¡± The young Taoist Priest touched his head and said in a simple and honest manner. ¡°So it¡¯s Senior Brother Tian.¡± Shen Luo saluted again. ¡°You can just call me Tiesheng. Although I am wearing a Taoist Robe, just like you, I am not a real Taoist Priest. The same goes for others in the Pavilion.¡± Tian Tiesheng replied while casually patting the Stone Table with one hand. With a ¡°bang¡±. The Stone Table shook slightly, and the iron plate in the center immediately popped out and landed steadily in his hand. Then, Shen Luo followed the young Taoist Priest out of the pavilion and walked along a seemingly remote path. ¡°Senior Brother Tiesheng, your action of patting the Stone Table just now was so powerful, it seemed like your palm was larger for a moment, what kind of skill is this, is it very powerful?¡± ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s Qingyang Hand. It¡¯s a type of external power, most of the disciples in our sect have practiced it. It is said that if it is practiced to a profound level, it can make you invulnerable to blades and guns, and even able to Cut Gold and Jade.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. It sounds like there are a lot of people in the Pavilion, am I right?¡± ¡°Not too many, add up the Inner and Outer Sect Disciples, there are around a hundred or so, plus some senior uncles and the like.¡± ¡°Inner and Outer Sect Disciples? What is that, am I an Inner or Outer Sect Disciple as a registered disciple? And Senior Brother must be an Inner Sect Disciple, right?¡± ¡°I am currently an Outer Sect Disciple, it¡¯s not so easy to become an Inner Sect Disciple, there are only three slots in the Pavilion, and I¡¯ve missed it by a bit several times¡­ In fact, most of the disciples in the sect are Outer Sect Disciples, there are also not many registered disciples like you, I think you might be the only registered disciple in the Pavilion right now. Also, I should tell you that we have an ancestor in our sect who has secluded himself for years and is said to have lived for several hundred years.¡± ¡°Just one person¡­¡± ¡°Junior Brother Shen, why aren¡¯t you speaking? I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like we get along really well, I want to tell you everything, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get along well in the future.¡± Tian Tiesheng¡¯s rugged voice echoed among the small mountains. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡­ Two years later. On a grey-white rock, a young man who seemed to be in his twenties sat cross-legged, facing the slowly rising crimson sun, with his eyes slightly closed, his hands in a circle, his body motionless. After an unknown amount of time, a seemingly invisible red thread started to materialize in the space between his cupped hands. At first, it was only an inch long but gradually grew to an inch and a half, two inches, two and a half inches. When it reached three inches, it could no longer grow any longer, and instead seemed like it would crumble and disappear amidst mild flickering. The young man suddenly took a deep breath, and the red thread in his palms instantly turned into a red mist, which was directly absorbed into his nose and mouth. Only then did he lower his arms, open his eyes, and his face momentarily shone with a crystal-clear red light. ¡°I guess this means I¡¯ve made it past the entrance level,¡± mumbled the young man, feeling the warm sensation spread throughout his body and a smile of joy spread across his face. As a matter of fact, the young man was Shen Luo. ¡°Clap. Clap.¡± ¡°Props to our junior brother Shen. Everyone betted you couldn¡¯t master ¡®The Minor Transformation Yang Technique¡¯ within three years. Only I believed that your diligence would definitely make it possible. You sure didn¡¯t let me down.¡± A young man in a blue robe with a clear complexion suddenly walked out from behind the stone. There was an exquisite white jade cicada pendant hanging from his waist. He clapped his hands, smilingly towards Shen Luo. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, how did you get here? You bet on me with the others again.¡± On seeing the young man in the blue robe, Shen Luo immediately felt his head spin. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call it betting. It¡¯s more like winning a bit of ¡®copper-smelly¡¯ stuff, certainly cannot be compared to your wealth, Young Master.¡± The young man in the blue robe, Brother Bai, responded, swaying his head as if the only thing missing was a folding fan in his hand. Shen Luo rolled his eyes at this comment. Others may not know, but wasn¡¯t he aware? If you were to rank the wealthiest amongst the hundreds of disciples in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, his ranking as a registered disciple would fall in the top three. The first would possibly be Bai Xiaotian, who joined the Pavilion around the same time as him. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the pendant hanging around Bai Xiaotian¡¯s waist alone would be a rare novelty worth a hundred gold. These thoughts were not suitable for open discussion. Therefore, Shen Luo did not dwell on it. ¡°Since this money was won because of me, if not splitting half on meeting, at least you could treat me to a good meal, right?¡± He raised his eyebrows, laughing while addressing Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be a problem. But the food in our Pavilion is difficult to stomach. If you want to taste something good, we¡¯ll have to go downhill. The senior brother guarding the mountain gate might make things difficult¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian looked hesitant, struggling to respond. ¡°Cut the act. When you snuck down the mountain to buy wine earlier, I did not see you complaining about the trouble of going out,¡± Shen Luo pulled the plug on Bai Xiaotian¡¯s excuse. ¡°The gatekeeper, our Brother Niu Dadao, is truly ruthless. He would ask for half of my belongings every time before he allowed me to return. Thankfully, I found a secret path down the mountain where I could bypass the gate. I can take you there one day¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian initially looked disgruntled, but soon started laughing. ¡°It¡¯s fine for you, as an inner sect disciple, to sneak out of the Pavilion without getting in trouble. But as a registered disciple like me, I¡¯ll certainly be in big trouble if I dare to do so,¡± Shen Luo raised his hands to answer. Others might come to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to learn martial arts or mystics, but not him. He was here to prolong his life, how could he risk it? ¡°I have a favor to ask, since you¡¯re going to the town, could you go to the pharmacy and paper store and get me some cinnabar and yellow paper,¡± Shen Luo remembered something urgent, caught up with a few steps, and seriously said. ¡°You want to make talismans? Did Master Luo teach you?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, surprised. (Dear Daoist friends, the new book has just been uploaded, please support it with your recommendation tickets^^) Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 5: Making Things Difficult Chapter 6: Chapter 5: Making Things Difficult ¡°No, I¡¯d like to try it myself.¡± Shen Luo smiled and said. He still remembered that over a year ago, he asked for Luo Daoist to teach him the talisman technique. Normally gentle Master Luo directly refused him, even when he offered an astronomical price of 200 gold coins, the other party was still unmoved. Master Luo made it clear, the talisman technique taught in the Pavilion was not a swindling trick used by the fraudsters in the world outside, but a real secret technique that could only be learned by inner sect disciples who possessed mana. Even an official outer sect disciple could hardly dream of learning it, let alone a registered disciple like him. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring some for you.¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded after hearing him out. ¡°If possible, see if you can get some chicken blood and black dog blood from the restaurant.¡± Shen Luo added as he saw him about to leave. ¡°I know you often read some miscellaneous books, but don¡¯t take too seriously the things written by those literati¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian frowned and said. Being one of the only three inner disciples, naturally, he could get access to the real talisman technique. However, due to the stringent rules of the sect, even if he had a good relationship with Shen Luo, he would not reveal even a bit of it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my limits and won¡¯t mess around.¡± Shen Luo yawned and vaguely replied. Knowing that persuasion was useless, Bai Xiaotian just raised his hand and turned to leave. Watching his figure disappear into the forest, the smile gradually faded from Shen Luo¡¯s face. He knew that the other party was concerned about his missteps out of good intentions, but only he understood his own predicament. It¡¯s not that he wanted to engage in these devious ways, but his limited lifespan forced him to seek another way out. The Yin Qi invaded his body more than two years ago, which had damaged his vitality. These two years on the mountain, he relied more on the ¡°Red Snow Powder¡± taken every three months to sustain his life. Even so, he still felt that his body was deteriorating. Walking a little more than usual would cause him to pant. Especially last winter, even when he was wearing a fur coat, he still felt chilly inside, with his limbs icy cold. The reason why he took the medicine only once every three months was not that he couldn¡¯t afford that hundred taels of silver, but that it could maximize the effectiveness of the medicine. More frequent consumption would be not only wasteful but also possibly counterproductive. Master Luo did not allow it. As for cultivating the Small Transformation Yang Skill, his progress was too slow. Up until today, he had just entered the beginners¡¯ phase. But even with this rate of cultivation, he was inferior to the outer disciples with the worst foundations in the Pavilion. Moreover, as Master Luo said, even if the technique was mastered, it would increase one¡¯s lifespan by at most 10 to 20 years. But given his cultivation speed, he¡¯s afraid he might not have a chance to master it and might die first. He had paid a heavy price to come to this mountain daoist temple, not just to prolong his life for a few more years. Shen Luo silently pondered while slowly heading down the mountain. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion nestled back against Qinghua Mountain and was built on the mountain side. Apart from the mountain gate close to the mid-mountain, the rest of the buildings such as Lingguan Hall and Jade Emperor Hall are distributed up the slope. The most important San Qing Temple is at the top of the mountain. Apart from the inner disciples, the living quarters of the other disciples are concentrated on the mountainside cliffs on both sides of the mountain path from the mountain gate to Lingguan Hall. Because the terrain here is still relatively open, almost everyone can have a room to themselves. The Pavilion has few restrictions on the cultivation of its disciples. Except for the teaching days when all disciples are required to go to San Qing Temple to listen to Master Luo and other elders explain the Taoist classics, they do not need to do morning lessons together at other times. After all, the Pavilion has already given the Small Transformation Yang Skill to every disciple. Everyone then practices according to their own abilities. The place where Shen Luo cultivated was not far from the Jade Emperor Hall, and he had already returned to the square in front of the hall. As he approached the palace door, he didn¡¯t enter. Instead, he kowtowed outside the palace, took a break, then turned around and was about to leave towards the downhill direction by the stone steps. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Junior Brother Shen? Have you returned from your cultivation? How is it? Have you made it into the Small Transformation Yang Skill?¡± At this moment, a familiar voice came from inside the hall. Shen Luo sighed inwardly and turned around. As he had expected, it was Brother Ding who didn¡¯t get along with him on usual days. The man hadn¡¯t even stepped over the threshold and a bulging belly had already poked out of the door. Behind him were two young men dressed in green cloth Daoist robes. One held a broom in his hand and the other held a water bucket, looking as if they had just finished their cleaning duties. ¡°I greet all Fellow Senior Brothers.¡± The amiable smile had returned to Shen Luo¡¯s face as he greeted the others. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, it¡¯s not that I want to belittle you. When cultivating the Small Transformation Yang Skill, one mustn¡¯t be too hasty for success. Despite the fact you haven¡¯t made any progress in two years, you shouldn¡¯t be too anxious. After all, there¡¯s plenty of time in the future. The issue with your aptitude¡­ there¡¯s no point rushing, just continue to work hard¡­¡± Brother Ding found Shen Luo polite and so first comforted him with false pretenses, then began to lecture him in a senior brother¡¯s tone. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I¡¯ve managed to luckily enter the threshold today. Brother Bai has confirmed it too.¡± Shen Luo blinked and casually responded. ¡°Wha¡­What, you¡¯ve entered the threshold? Bai Xiaotian also knows?¡± Brother Ding was taken aback, his face immediately looking slightly unwell. The other two teenagers also looked at Shen Luo in astonishment, surprise filling their eyes. After all, they knew about Shen Luo¡¯s situation. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have struggled to make progress after two years of hard cultivation. According to their private guess, given Shen Luo¡¯s physical condition, even if he continues to cultivate for another three or five years, he might not be able to enter the threshold. Shen Luo had anticipated their reactions, but did not say anything more, just smiling and nodding. Brother Ding¡¯s eyes flashed with frustration. If Bai Xiaotian didn¡¯t know about it, he could first conceal it and then try to cancel the bet. But since the other party already knew, he really lost the bet. ¡°If there is nothing else, then I won¡¯t disturb the Fellow Senior Brothers duty working.¡± Shen Luo smiled and bowed to the three of them again. ¡°Wait a minute, Junior Brother Shen, don¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave. Although Bai Xiaotian has confirmed it, he¡¯s only just entered the threshold, and he could have been mistaken. How about letting your Senior Brother confirm it once more?¡± Brother Ding¡¯s eyes slanted, he said with a smile yet not a smile. At his words, Shen Luo¡¯s heart immediately became a bit displeased. This Brother Ding didn¡¯t really have any grudge with him, but he had a big conflict with Bai Xiaotian. The reason was simple. Ding Yuan, the biological younger brother of this Senior Brother Ding, was also a disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Like Bai Xiaotian, he was one of the three core disciples of the Pavilion. Ding Hua was apprenticed to the Pavilion Master, Bai Xiaotian to Luo Daoist and another to Elder Master Wang. The three of them were the highest ranked in terms of cultivation talent in the Pavilion and naturally competed with each other openly and secretly. ¡°I think there¡¯s no need for it. Senior Brother Ding is busy with his cultivational duties, you don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± The smile on Shen Luo¡¯s face faded. Although he was courteous to people on usual days, he was not a pushover. He knew clearly when to show some hardness and when to make concessions. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, how can you speak to Senior Brother Ding like that? He¡¯s being nothing but kind,¡± said one of the men behind Ding Yuan sternly. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 6: Seeking Chapter 7: Chapter 6: Seeking Shen Luo gave the speaker a cold glare, but said nothing more. The aptitude of these three wasn¡¯t much better than his. On normal days, they got by on their relationship with Ding Hua, which was why others were mostly polite to them. However, at this moment they found themselves at a loss when met with Shen Luo¡¯s demeanor. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± At this moment, a frosty voice unexpectedly resonated. Shen Luo turned his head and saw a slim young man, dressed in a green robe, with a sallow complexion. He was standing with one hand behind his back, and was walking towards them with an icy expression. ¡°Brother Ding¡­¡± Upon recognizing him, everyone bowed in respect, including Ding Yuan, whereby the young man was none other than Ding Hua. Although they were brothers, their appearances and aptitude varied greatly. To anyone unaware of their kinship, these two would never be associated with each other. Upon being asked, Shen Luo briefly described the situation without expressing any signs of dissatisfaction. ¡°Betting¡­¡± Ding Hua elongated his final word, slightly furrowing his brows. Cold sweat instantly broke out on Ding Yuan¡¯s face. He was nervous, fearing reprimand. Despite being the elder brother, in front of his younger brother, he dare not assert his authority or even mention the word ¡°Brother¡±. From a young age, he had learned not to provoke him. ¡°Bai Xiaotian is also quite bored to make such a bet with you.¡± Commented Ding Hua, with an obvious tone of disdain. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes. Ding Hua, the favorite disciple of the Pavilion Master, didn¡¯t care about his disagreement with Ding Yuan. He was solely concerned with Bai Xiaotian, a fellow Inner Sect Disciple. As for them, including Ding Yuan, none seemed capable enough to capture his attention. Upon realizing this, Shen Luo excused himself and then walked away. Before he went too far, he managed to catch Ding Hua¡¯s icy voice: ¡°Aiming to compete with a waste, you¡¯ve got big vision, but my face is thoroughly lost because of you¡­¡± The word ¡°waste¡± reached his ears, resulting in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes turning icy. However, he did not stop his steps. Given the fact that he was a Registered Disciple who could cultivate the Small Transformation Yang Skill, he certainly wouldn¡¯t be among anyone¡¯s favorites. The fact that he was the ¡°rich kid¡± among disciples, the only ¡°big, fat sheep¡± who entered the sect by relying on a wealth of gold and silver, made it no surprise if he was bad-mouthed behind his back. Little did they know, what he was using was money, but what he was cultivating was not skill, but life. He was open-minded about the issue of money. He would occasionally let these senior brothers benefit from him, hence his relationship with almost all the disciples was not bad. However, besides Bai Xiaotian, Tian Tiesheng, who was also a disciple of Luo Shi, was the only one who he would actually consider a friend. The thought that he might not have long to live made Shen Luo¡¯s mood take a turn for the worse. He felt a chill creeping up from within, involuntarily quickening his steps. Exiting the Jade Emperor Hall and heading downhill, he encountered many of his senior brothers. Shen Luo always took the initiative to greet each one of them, occasionally even exchanging a few jokes with those he was familiar with. About half a moment later, he arrived at the Qingchipo area, near the Lingguan Hall. His chamber was located there. However, Shen Luo didn¡¯t return to his chamber immediately. Wiping the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve, he left Qingchipo and headed towards a cross mountain path in another direction. The path leading this way was narrower than the rest of the paths on the mountain. On normal days, hardly anyone passed by, leaving it seldom cleaned. The road was littered with a considerable amount of dried leaves, some of which had already decomposed and softened, creating a soft underfoot. Occasionally, single-room houses, built either of stone or wood, could be spotted on either side of the road, most of which were in a decrepit state. Shen Luo seemed to be quite familiar with this place. After a long walk, he finally saw an old house surrounded by wild grass, half a man¡¯s height, on the side of the road. This old house had clearly been abandoned for a long time, unattended to for many years. The red paint on the wall had severely dried out, having peeled off in many places, giving it a mottled appearance. The white paper pasted on the doors and windows had also suffered significant damage, even the window frames bore traces of worm infestation. Shen Luo looked at the house a few times, nodded, then parted the wild grass, walked under the veranda, and pushed open the drafty wooden door. Accompanied by a ¡°squeaking¡± sound, a musty odor of dampness immediately hit his face. He turned sideways, one hand covering his nose, the other waving in the air. After acclimatizing for a moment, he shifted his gaze and began to scan the interior of the house. The room was not big, and it was filled with all sorts of damaged, ragged furniture, as well as worn-out brooms, water buckets, etc. They were all haphazardly piled up in various corners of the room. ¡°Considering this mildew smell¡­ I¡¯m afraid¡­ it would be impossible to read anything anymore.¡± Shen Luo quietly muttered. Although his words carried a hint of disgust, he didn¡¯t show any hesitation in his action. Shen Luo stepped forward and removed the battered chairs and benches stacked on the desk one by one. He then neatly piled them up on the other side of the room. About a quarter of an hour later, he finally managed to clear the majority of the decrepit tables and chairs to the other side. Shen Luo was panting slightly. Seeing all the tables and counters that had been underneath the heap revealing themselves, he finally let out a long sigh of relief. after stepping into the Small Transformation Yang Skill, he could feel that his physique had significantly strengthened compared to originally. However, just doing this bit of cleaning work, his back was already drenched in sweat. It was only after he had taken a short break that Shen Luo finally approached and pulled out the drawers of the tables and counters, searching them one by one. ¡°Empty¡­¡± The first drawer was utterly devoid of anything. ¡°Empty¡­¡± The second one was similarly empty. ¡°Empty¡­¡± ¡­ After rummaging through seven or eight desks, just when Shen Luo was starting to feel frustrated, thinking that all his hard work had been in vain, he finally found something. ¡°Found it!¡± The ninth tattered desk, which was left with only two legs, finally revealed an old book with a green cover in its drawer when opened. He put in so much effort to clean up these worn-out desks and chairs not for just for the sake of tidying up the house, but to find these books left behind by the previous owner. Aside from the basic Taoist classics like ¡°Tao Te Ching¡± in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the collection of books wasn¡¯t extensive. Most of them were private collections of the senior disciple, which were not easily accessible. Shen Luo had a fondness for reading all kinds of miscellaneous and anecdotal books since childhood. Afterward, in search of a self-cure, he read even more books. The incredible remedies available in his family pharmacy were a result of his extensive reading and critical review of the prescriptions from various sources. This habit of his developed into reading late into the night for several years. With the Spring and Autumn Pavilion being closed for a long time, and not wishing for books to be delivered from home, he had to search for books in various corners of the Pavilion. In the past, he had accidentally found some magazines and travel logs left in other abandoned houses, which were quite useful to him. This time, he thought he might try his luck again, and unexpectedly, it paid off as he found another book. ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡­¡± Shen Luo held up the old book which was a bit damp, carefully scanned the few vertical lines on the cover, and read it out loud. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Demon-hunting Chronicles Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Demon-hunting Chronicles Looking at the title, it seemed like a travelogue recording the experiences of the Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s demon subduing adventures. It should not be much different from some of the storybooks he had read before, most of which were fabricated stories of oddities and wonders. Shen Luo didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, he brushed off the dust on it and put it into his sleeve pocket. Later, after looking behind the remaining chairs and tables, he found nothing else of worth, so he had to stop and returned to Qingchipo. The meditation room of Qingchipo was a two-story row building, each floor had about twenty smaller rooms, and some of the disciples from the temple lived here. Shen Luo¡¯s room was on the first floor, right next to the cliff. All the disciples¡¯ rooms were small, besides a bed and a pair of table and chairs, there were no other objects, Shen Luo¡¯s was no exception. As he pushed the door open, a strong pine scent hit him in the face, causing Shen Luo to scrunch up his nose. The temple had plenty of scented items like sandalwood and pinewood, and didn¡¯t prohibit disciples from using them. Because, while meditating, these items assisted in calming and focusing the mind and made it easier to enter a tranquil state. However, most people only light up one stick, which would give off a faint scent. Unlike him, who made the scent so strong that it was almost suffocating. But there was really nothing he could do about it. Shen Luo¡¯s room was blocked by a crooked Welcoming Pine by the cliffs, which created a cold and damp atmosphere. On the desk in the room, he had dozens of old books that he had collected from various parts of the temple, and most of them were moldy, one could imagine the smell. If it were not for the pine scent suppressing it, the room would be inhabitable. Shen Luo had grown accustomed to this. He sat down at the desk against the wall, took out the newly bought ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡± from his sleeve pocket, and placed it on the table. The book looked decent from the outside. Apart from the moldy spots on the cover that appeared a bit disgusting, the rest of the book was still intact, even better than most of the books in Shen Luo¡¯s collection. First, he took a big gulp of water from the teapot on his desk. After resting for half an incense stick, he finally regained some strength. He opened the cover of the ancient book and revealed a yellowed page featuring a chubby Taoist priest in a lotus crown and a seven-star robe. One hand was making a spell, and the other holding a sword, all in an aggressive manner. It probably was a portrait of Zhang Heavenly Master, but the lines were rough, and it seemed more abstract than realistic. After all, if a real person looked like this, it would be more terrifying than any ghost or monster. Shen Luo laughed, flipped the page, and started browsing the content. Upon reading it, Shen Luo immediately became engrossed in the book. It indeed was a tale of strangeness and novelty, narrating many interesting anecdotes about Zhang Heavenly Master subduing ghosts and demons in the Lingnan area. The book did not mention the time of these events, so it was impossible to investigate further. However, the names of the places were clearly written and they were all places that could be identified, suggesting that they didn¡¯t date back too far. Zhang Heavenly Master, a Daoist immortal, mastered the secret techniques of the Dao of Alchemy and the authentic tradition of talismans. He could refine golden cores and make talismans. In this book, he subdued more than a dozen ghosts, and many monsters like rat-spirit and fox-demon. Shen Luo had read many books like this, and the content was not particularly original. The ghost and monster techniques mentioned were even less diverse and exciting than those in other novels, merely common plotlines involving haunted individuals and enchanted hearts. What made Shen Luo unable to put the book down was the detailed description of various techniques for fighting evil ghosts. There was one story in which a Wealthy Gentry was plagued by a fox-demon. Unable to withstand the annoyance, the Wealthy Gentry was given a whisk by Zhang Heavenly Master to hang over his door, and he was thus rid of the fox-problem. Additionally, the book mentions various bizarre methods such as using black dog blood to write talismans, using butcher¡¯s knives to suppress ghosts, and ancient coins to exert dominance, etc. Even at the end of a few stories, drawings of the talismans used in the stories were attached. Looking at the beautiful and energetic brush strokes that seemed to have been created in one breath, it surprisingly appeared to have a unique atmosphere. However, after carefully examining them, Shen Luo seemed to find something fishy. He had seen some of the talismans posted on the lintels in the temple and also in some other books, and although the styles and names appeared identical with the ones depicted here, there were clear differences in the intricacies of the brushwork used. After taking a glance at them, Shen Luo immediately started rummaging through the pile of old books stacked on his desk, quickly pulling out an even more dilapidated old book with its cover completely worn off. This ancient book only had about a dozen thin pages left in the front that were readable. Most of the pages in the back were so corroded that they had stuck together, and would crumble into dust with the slightest tug. The book was called the ¡°Secret Techniques of Talismans Authentic Manual¡±, specializing in documenting talismans that had been passed down since ancient times. It mentions many rules and taboos about making and using talismans. According to the book, based on the function of a talisman, they are broadly categorized into three types: ¡°Calming, Town, Attack.¡± Talismans like the Calming People Talisman and Hundred Solutions Disaster Relief Talisman belong to the Calming category, while the Peace Talisman and House-Protection Talisman, etc. belong to the Town category. As for the Attack type talismans, they are hardly mentioned in the text, but there is a mention of the Burning Gas Talisman and the Small Thunder Talisman, etc. Of all types of talismans, Shen Luo was most interested in the Attack type ones. The scene of Master Luo using a Yellow Talisman to control the Yin Qi left an impressive mark on him, its memory still vivid. It¡¯s just that the literature he has access to hardly touches upon these types of talismans, enshrouding them in an aura of mystery. If he encounters unfavorably susceptible entities in the future, carrying Peace Talismans or other types of Town Talismans could ensure safety. However, if he encounters a real ghost, carrying an Attack type talisman would undoubtedly be safer. Unfortunately, the parts of the book he could browse were generalized content. The actual descriptions of the uses and drawing methods of talismans were in the latter part of the book, which was almost entirely inaccessible. Upon flipping through the first part of the book, Shen Luo found that the Peace Talisman was preserved. Considering it was also in the Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle, he immediately took it out to cross-reference. ¡°Eh, it really looks the same.¡± He inhaled slightly and voiced his thoughts. ¡°Dong¡­¡± At that moment, the evening drum rang, waking Shen Luo from his thoughts. He lifted his head, glanced at the sky outside the window, and realized without noticing that it was already evening. Since he came to the mountain, he was intrigued by these ghostly oddities. Apart from practicing the Small Transformation Yang Skill, for now, he could not cultivate aggressive skills like the Qingyang Hand. So most of the time, he spent it reading these books. Unexpectedly, he had spent most of the day reading them today. He shook his head, chuckled at himself, tidied up the books on the table, stood up, and head out of the room. About a hundred feet to the right of the San Qing Temple, there is a flat plateau, upon which a few independent courtyards were built. Inner sect disciples of the temple live here. Each person has a private courtyard that¡¯s not too big, and they don¡¯t live mixed with other disciples. By this time, the sky was already quite dark, and there were three figures gathered outside one of the courtyards. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 8 Yuan Stone Chapter 9: Chapter 8 Yuan Stone ¡°Senior Brother Tian, Junior Brother Shen, are you both dogs in the Chinese zodiac? I¡¯ve just returned and you¡¯ve already cornered me.¡± One of them was busily unlocking the door while chuckling at the other two. The one unlocking the door was Bai Xiaotian, the Junior Brother Shen he referred to naturally was Shen Luo, and that Senior Brother Tian was the same Tian Tiesheng who was assigned by Master Luo two years ago to bring Shen Luo up the mountain. A fair while after Shen Luo arrived at the mountain, he felt that this person was quite honest and simple, only his personality was a bit too timid. Even though he arrived at the mountain earlier than most of the disciples, he was often teased by Ding Yuan and his group. Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo had both helped him out of his encirclements before, and because the three of them were disciples of Luo Shi, their relationships became increasingly close. ¡°Let¡¯s go in first, go in first¡­¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. The two of them urged Bai Xiaotian to open the room, lit the lamp, and then they all took their seats at the circular table in the hall in turns. Bai Xiaotian placed what he was holding onto the table which turned out to be four oil-paper wraps soaked in oil and three green porcelain pots. ¡°Oh my, this fragrance¡­ it¡¯s from Hongyun Building, isn¡¯t it?¡± Upon seeing the oil-paper wrap on the table, Tian Tiesheng swallowed his saliva. ¡°Good eye.¡± Bai Xiaotian responded as he unwrapped the oil-paper packages. There was a layer of lotus leaf wrapped inside the oil-paper. As soon as it was unwrapped, a rich aroma of meat immediately filled the room. Immediately after, he chuckled and took two green porcelain pots from the table and stored them in a lacquer wooden box at the corner of the bed, leaving only one pot on the table. Bai Xiaotian loved to drink, which Shen Luo was accustomed to. Tian Tiesheng, on the other hand, was solely focused on the roast goose and braised pork, and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Today, Junior Shen has finally made a breakthrough in the Small Transformation Yang Skill, so let¡¯s drink to celebrate.¡± Bai Xiaotian filled three porcelain cups, each with a full serving of White Jade Scorch and held up his drink. ¡°Junior Shen has made a breakthrough? Since when? We brothers should indeed celebrate.¡± Tian Tiesheng was initially surprised by the news but then rejoiced. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, I just recently made a breakthrough with my Small Transformation Yang Skill. Brother Bai spent two months before mastering this skill, whereas I¡¯ve spent two whole years, what is there to celebrate!¡± Shen Luo said with a bitter smile. Not to mention Bai Xiaotian who was an inner sect disciple, even an average outer sect disciple would have mastered the ten levels of Small Transformation Yang Skill in two years. ¡°The path to cultivation is long, what difference does it make if we are early or late, we have succeeded in the end. Furthermore, Junior Shen you are a person of great perseverance, your future achievements may not be less than mine.¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head with an indifferent look. ¡°Brother Bai is right¡­¡± Tian Tiesheng echoed while his eyes never left the roast goose and braised pork, as if he was calculating which to start with first. Shen Luo heard the words, smiled, and let it go. Although the path to cultivation is long, if one step is slow then all the steps are slow. Who would say it¡¯s that easy? Moreover, his own cultivation is for the purpose of extending his life, how dare he really slow down? However, all these words, he can¡¯t really share them with them. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s still good news, let¡¯s drink this cup first.¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a casual smile. ¡°Indeed, congratulations Junior Shen!¡± Tian Tiesheng echoed. ¡°Thank you, my two Senior Brothers.¡± Shen Luo thanked them then the three of them did a toast and drank together. The outside moon hung on a western branch, the indoor laughter gradually rose, without realizing it was already late at night. Being aware of his weak body and average tolerance for alcohol, Shen Luo didn¡¯t drink too much. Bai Xiaotian, on the other hand, had a very good tolerance even though he always drinks the most with the pretext of punishing himself and yet showed no signs of drunkenness. Tian Tiesheng¡¯s alcohol tolerance is quite poor. After a few glasses, his face turned red. With his belly full of roast goose and braised pork, he drifted off to sleep on a couch in the side hall with the help of the two of them. The two of them sat back down at the table in the hall. From the side hall came the sound of Tian Tiesheng¡¯s snoring. Upon hearing the sound, Bai Xiaotian chuckled and took out a stack of yellow papers and three white porcelain bottles from inside his sleeve and placed them onto the table. ¡°Thank you Brother Bai.¡± Shen Luo clearly knew what he had brought, and quickly thanked him. ¡°I¡¯ve brought you the things, and there are some things I need to say to you again.¡± Bai Xiaotian¡¯s face was rarely not filled with laughter as he spoke. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°The matter of crafting talismans is related to the rules of the sect, so I cannot say much about it. However, I believe that sincerity brings success, and you, Junior Brother, are persistent, so you might be able to figure it out yourself. It¡¯s just that without real Mana, how to activate the talisman you probably wouldn¡¯t know, right?¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo was overjoyed. Knowing that Bai Xiaotian was going to help him, he quickly shook his head. ¡°The talisman stores spirits and Qi, and it can connect to Heaven and Earth and ghosts and spirits. When using it, you need to ignite the Talisman core with Mana to make the talisman powerful. But if you don¡¯t have Mana and want to activate a talisman, you can only use external objects, such as the Yuan Stone.¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°What is a Yuan Stone?¡± Shen Luo asked doubtfully. He had never seen this mentioned before in the ancient books. ¡°It¡¯s this.¡± As he spoke, Bai Xiaotian rummaged around in his pocket a bit and took out a few grey-white jade stones about the size of a pigeon¡¯s egg, putting them on the table. Upon seeing them, Shen Luo noticed that these ¡°jade stones¡± seemed quite ordinary in material, the surface lacking any gloss and even had a few brown spots upon a closer look. The only unusual thing was that under the light, he could faintly see a small cluster of white gas slowly circulating within. ¡°Use this to ignite the talisman?¡± Shen Luo picked one up and asked. ¡°Of course not just that, it also needs to be combined with one¡¯s own Yang Gang Qi to be activated. Now that you¡¯ve made a breakthrough in the Small Transformation Yang Skill, you should be able to manage it as long as you pay attention to the way to activate.¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head. ¡°It also requires Yang Gang Qi¡­¡± Shen Luo pondered aloud. ¡°It¡¯s not that surprising, Yang Gang Qi may not be Mana, but for people with plenty of Yang Qi, creating talismans is much easier than for ordinary people. Remember, creating talismans consumes both spirit and Yang Qi. You must not push yourself too hard.¡± Bai Xiaotian reminded him. ¡°Thank you, Brother Bai for your guidance.¡± Knowing that Bai Xiaotian had told him so much already was being very kind indeed, Shen Luo immediately bowed to thank him. ¡°What are you thanking for, just pick up the Yuan Stone first¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian pointed to the table with his chin. Shen Luo didn¡¯t refuse this time and put the Yuan Stones away, because he knew that without Bai Xiaotian, he would hardly be able to get these things. ¡°I will repay your great kindness in the future, when I have the chance.¡± Shen Luo stated seriously. ¡°Alright, if you get the chance, just treat me to a few more meals. The flower wine from Chunhua County town is also good, haha¡­¡± After giving serious advice, Bai Xiaotian went back to his usual frolicking manner. Given that Tian Tiesheng was in no state to leave, Shen Luo had to return to the Quiet Room of Qing Shi Ping alone. The stone steps amidst the mountains, under the clear moonlight, emitted a hazy white light. The sound of insects could be heard around them, making people feel refreshed. Caressed by the cool nocturnal mountain breeze, Shen Luo¡¯s minor inebriation gradually faded. By the time he returned to the Quiet Room, he didn¡¯t feel the least bit sleepy anymore. Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 9 Drawing Symbols Chapter 10: Chapter 9 Drawing Symbols Shen Luo lit the lamp at a corner of the desk, took out the three little porcelain bottles and sheets of yellow paper from his pocket, and laid them before him. The amount of yellow paper wasn¡¯t much, just a few dozen sheets, intended for talisman inscription. They were correctly sized, but the texture of the paper was somewhat coarse, feeling grainy and abrasive to the touch. Next, Shen Luo inspected the three porcelain bottles, frowning slightly. In the little bottle that was filled with rooster blood, the blood had already coagulated into a lump, making it impossible to pour out. The black dog blood, although not yet fully coagulated, had turned quite viscous. ¡°This won¡¯t do, if it isn¡¯t used right away, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be wasted by tomorrow.¡± Shen Luo frowned. Having said that, he pulled open a drawer under the desk and took out a little awl made of hard hair and a jade inkstone. The awl was made out of wolf hair and the jade inkstone was carved from a whole piece of Han Baiyu. Neither of these things were particularly valuable. They were all things he brought with him when he went up the mountain. He first poured the black dog blood into the inkstone, instantly filling the air with a faintly metallic smell. Shen Luo grabbed the pen barrel of the awl and stirred it in the black dog blood for a moment. The pen tip immediately soaked up the blood, turning a dark red color. He turned a sheet of yellow talisman paper and laid it in front of him. As he picked up his pen, he suddenly stopped. ¡°I better take a look again.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. Having said that, he once again pulled out ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡± and ¡°Secret Techniques of Talismans Authentic Manual¡±, two tattered ancient books, opened them and placed them on the side. The summary section in the front of the ¡°Secret Techniques of Talismans Authentic Manual¡± recorded, ¡°A talisman is an agreement, a trust. It marries my spirit with that of others, my Qi with others¡¯ Qi. Spirits are formless, yet they take shape in talismans.¡± The book was explaining why talismans possessed eldritch powers: they acted as conduits for channeling the Qi of Heaven and Earth through human spirit, thereby infusing the formless spiritual power into the physical talisman paper. Therefore, while drawing a talisman, one must concentrate and clear one¡¯s mind of errant thoughts. The inscription must flow naturally like a dragon or a serpent, this ensures that the Qi remains continuous, and thus, achieves a spiritual fusion. Knowing is always easier than doing. Shen Luo was doubtful about whether the talisman inscriptions in these books were genuine, and it would be very hard for him to give his undivided attention and suppress all extraneous thoughts. At this moment, holding his pen, his mind was still in turmoil. In fact, he was not inexperienced with drawing talismans. He had practiced countless times on white paper before, but this was his first time inscribing them on yellow talisman paper. ¡°Talismans, the harmonious agreement of Yin and Yang, can only be utilized by the sincere¡­ Shen Luo took a deep breath, stood up from his chair, assumed a horse stance, and began to write on the yellow paper while reciting the text from the book. With the words ¡°Imperial Edict¡± as the starting point, the runes glided across the paper like flowing water. Soon, a talisman inscribed with ¡°Ward off Hundreds of Evils¡± for protection was completed. This talisman was, according to Shen Luo, the simplest one in the book. Shen Luo looked at the undried traces of blood on the paper and compared it with the talisman sketches in ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡±, his brows involuntarily wrinkled. Although the two were quite similar, he felt something was off at first glance. ¡°I changed the brushwork, like shown in the book, but why does mine look like it¡¯s losing breath¡­ It doesn¡¯t have that naturally perfect feel like in others¡¯ works,¡± Shen Luo squinted his eyes and muttered to himself. After contemplating for a moment, he suddenly wondered if it was because he took several pauses while drawing the talisman, failing to achieve the consistency mentioned in the book. Thinking of this, he eagerly took a deep breath and started to write again. As a result, his discomfort from holding his breath made his concentration worse, and the talisman he drew was even worse than the first one. Shen Luo didn¡¯t get discouraged. After a short break and some deep breaths to regulate his respiration, he once again picked up his pen to inscribe a talisman, one after another. In his view, the art of drawing talismans couldn¡¯t escape the rule of ¡®practice makes perfect¡¯. He had previously practiced other unknown talismans thousands of times on white paper, so at this point, he should just be slightly short of proficiency. More than two hours whizzed by. Shen Luo¡¯s face seemed a little pale, but his eyes were flashing with a hint of excitement. He held a finely drawn yellow paper charm in one hand, while the other hand held open the ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡±, his gaze moving back and forth between the two. ¡°Not bad, not bad at all. This one finally looks somewhat right.¡± Although it still looked different from the book, that feeling of disconnectedness was clearly gone. With this progress, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. The exhaustion he had previously felt was wiped away, completely replaced by excitement. The amount of black dog blood left in the inkstone was scarce. Shen Luo grabbed a small porcelain bottle and poured out all the remaining black dog blood inside. Just as he was about to continue drawing, he suddenly stopped. ¡°I wonder if this protective charm really works?¡± Shen Luo was hesitant, silently pondering to himself. Although this protective charm was simple, alike to house-protection talisman and peace talisman, it belonged to the type of talismans that attract good luck and ward off evil, with no obvious attacking effect. If you kept it on your person or had it in your home, even if it worked, it would be hard to notice. ¡°Aha, I¡¯ve got an idea! Why not test that one?¡± Shen Luo suddenly had a flash of insight as he remembered a tale from the ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡±. The story told of the time when Zhang Heavenly Master encountered a troublesome Rat Spirit, and when numerous house-protection and disaster-averting talismans failed to drive it away, he resorted to using a talisman named ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡±, a type of attack talisman, that shattered the transformed Rat Spirit into pieces. He quickly flipped the ancient book to that page, indeed finding the illustration of the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± attached to the back. Although there were many stories contained within the entire book, only half of them involved the usage of talismans, the majority of which were exorcism charms or house-protection talismans. The only attack-style talisman he could decipher was this one. ¡°Heh, here it is¡­¡± Shen Luo grinned, carefully observed it for a moment, and then picked up his pen to draw again. Unlike the protective charm, this Small Thunder Talisman didn¡¯t start with the characters ¡°Imperial Edict,¡± but rather, it began with an ancient style written ¡°thunder¡± character, which wasn¡¯t easy to write. Shen Luo had never practiced this before, and in the beginning, he wasted several talisman papers. Although he felt sorry for wasting the papers, he had no plans to stop himself, eventually managing to draw an acceptable ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± after using more than ten pieces of talisman paper. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee the ¡®Qi is full while Spirit is sufficient¡¯ now, we can only leave it to the will of heaven¡­¡± Shen Luo looked at the talisman in his hand and murmured excitedly to himself. Capitalizing on the refreshment in his hand, he went on drawing, though out of the ten he finished, only one or two were presentable. Soon, the black dog blood in the inkstone was almost used up. After giving it some thought, Shen Luo opened the bottle containing the cinnabar, poured out some of it, and stirred a few times to quickly mix the two together. The method of mixing cinnabar with dog blood wasn¡¯t Shen Luo¡¯s fanciful idea; it was a technique used by the Heavenly Master Zhang in the book. Otherwise, he would not have dared to waste materials recklessly. When he was left with only a few sheets of talisman paper, and after drawing another two small thunder talismans, the black dog blood was also exhausted, leaving him with no more resources. Shen Luo exhaled a long breath, then weakly leaned on the armrest of the chair and slumped down, feeling a bit drained. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Test of Symbols Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Test of Symbols Shen Luo wasn¡¯t sure whether he had stood in the horse stance for too long or held his breath too many times. At this moment, he was feeling an all-over body ache and a dull headache, as if he had done a whole day¡¯s hard labor. ¡°I can¡¯t go on, I need to rest immediately. Otherwise, my cultivation tomorrow will be delayed.¡± Shen Luo hurriedly tidied up the items on the table, gathered the written talismans together and placed them neatly before crawling back to his bed and falling asleep immediately. He didn¡¯t even pull up the blanket before a light snoring sound could be heard. In the early morning, the chirping of birds gradually started, ringing clear and melodious like a bubbling spring. Despite not having fully recovered from his fatigue, Shen Luo still woke up at the same time as usual due to his strong self-discipline. After he got up, he looked at the talismans on the table. A rush of excitement welled up in his heart and he carefully put them into his bosom. Shen Luo put on his clothes and came outside. After washing at the spring pool below the cliff, he started climbing towards the direction of the Jade Emperor Hall. No matter what, the morning cultivation could not be delayed. Three two-hour periods later, Shen Luo had completed his Small Transformation Yang Skill practice of the day. Standing up from the giant rock, he didn¡¯t go to the dining hall for a meal. Instead, he took out some dry food from his bosom and ate hastily, then turned towards the back mountain. He wanted to test these talismans to see if they truly possess the magical effects described in the books. Shen Luo quickly arrived at the back mountain, walked some distance into the depths of the mountain along a small path. Only after he had moved away from the main peak did he stop in a secluded valley. He did not have the permission of the sect. If someone found out he was testing the talismans, and thought he had learned them through dubious means, that would be bad. Shen Luo strained his ears to listen, carefully surveyed the surroundings and confirmed no one was around. Then, he took out the talismans he had painted from his bosom and placed them on the ground. Then, he rummaged in his bosom for a while and took out six grey-white jade stones the size of pigeon eggs with care, placing them carefully at another spot. These jades allowed a view of the white gas flowing inside under the light. They were the Yuan Stones Bai Xiaotian had previously given him to activate the talisman. The white gas inside must be the key to activating the talisman. I wonder what it is, it¡¯s really exciting.¡± Shen Luo muttered a few words to himself, pushing down his curiosity, he picked up a talisman and spread it out on a relatively flat rock in front of him. Then he placed a grey-white Yuan Stone on top of the talisman. He slightly squatted down, made a hand sign with his left hand, placed his right palm against the Yuan Stone, and gradually started his Small Transformation Yang Skill. A warm current arose from his lower abdomen area, slowly spread upwards along the meridians of his body, passed through his right chest, right arm, and finally flowed into his right palm. As the warm current gathered in his right palm, his palm became slightly reddish. Shen Luo did not hesitate and continued to perform his skill, triggering the Yang Gang power from his lower abdomen and continued to pool it in his palm. After repeating this several times, his right palm turned a little red and between his fingers and palm were faint traces of tiny streams of heat. Sweat started to appear on Shen Luo¡¯s nose. He exerted himself to keep his right hand still. After learning the Small Transformation Yang Skill, this was his first formal activation. However, it was going to be used to trigger the Yuan Stone. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to practice beforehand, but he only had six of these Yuan Stones, which might have been hard for Bai Xiaotian to obtain. He could only carefully carry out the practical work while summarizing the experience. He tried to guide the small streams of heat in his palm to gradually concentrate at one point and forced it out little by little. In a short while, a red thread, no more than three centimeters, formed in his palm and was injected into the Yuan Stone below. The originally dull Yuan Stone instantly underwent a slight change. A faint red glow appeared on the surface, and from outside to inside, the entire stone looked as if it had been dyed pale red. It appeared somewhat translucent. The clusters of white gas inside the stone also changed from a slow rotation to a violent roll. Suddenly, the Yuan Stone cracked with a ¡°crack¡± sound, and the white gas inside turned into a small ball of white light. Though it may seem long, everything from the red thread entering the stone to the Yuan Stone exploding took place in just a breath or two. Shen Luo stared fixatedly at the ball of white light, no bigger than a fingertip, which looked like a firefly. He was somewhat excited. He was successful in triggering the energy concealed within the Yuan Stone on his first try. It seemed he was really lucky! With the faint sense of perception awakened after mastering the basics of the Small Transformation Yang Skill, Shen Luo could vaguely sense the energy this ball of gas contained, which gave off a very pure feeling. Shen Luo understood that he had only succeeded halfway at this point. The real critical step was just beginning. As soon as the ball of white light left the Yuan Stone, it was as if it had been set free, and it didn¡¯t enter the talisman below but attempted to disperse outward. Fortunately, Shen Luo¡¯s slightly reddish palm seemed to have some restricting force, which temporarily prevented it from flying out. The white light started to move swiftly between his palm and the talisman. Only by guiding it into the talisman below could he ignite the core of the talisman with it and activate the talisman. Shen Luo took a deep breath, continued to activate the Small Transformation Yang Skill, and a faint red thread formed again in the palm of his right hand. Yet trying to guide the ball of white light with this faint red thread was as laborious as a child trying to move a large bucket of water. However, Shen Luo had indeed learned a knack. When the white light was close to the center of his palm, he gave a low shout, and the faint red line suddenly shined before flashing through the white light. The white light instantly linked with the red line and the red line pierced into the Small Thunder Talisman below with a whistling sound. Because of the red line, the ball of light also touched the talisman. The talisman, like a sponge, quickly absorbed the white light. The area where the talisman¡¯s core was located lit up immediately. The light continued to spread from the rune patterns of the Small Thunder Talisman to the two ends of the talisman, and soon, the entire Small Thunder Talisman became somewhat bright. But the change stopped here. The light flickered twice and then dimmed, and the talisman regained its previous appearance. ¡°Did I fail?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself with a feeling of disappointment. The ways he activated the Small Transformation Yang Skill should not have been wrong. He had watched the whole process, which was almost exactly as Bai Xiaotian had explained. From this, it seemed that the problem lay with the talisman itself. Either he drew the talisman wrong, or the materials for drawing the talisman were wrong, or this talisman itself was a sham, and contained no power at all. Shen Luo felt depressed for a while but soon cheered up again. ¡°The activation of the Yuan Stone should have no issues if I¡¯m careful, and if I practice the Small Transformation Yang Skill further, the entire process can be much more accurate. Although the talisman didn¡¯t successfully activate, the rune symbols on the surface were indeed triggered.¡± Shen Luo stroked his chin and mumbled to himself for a while. He felt that he hadn¡¯t completely failed. So, he replaced the previous talisman with another one and continued to perform his skill. Accompanied by a ¡°crack¡± sound, the Yuan Stone shattered and the ball of white light emerged. Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 11: White Light Chapter 12: Chapter 11: White Light With the experience from before, this time he succeeded in infusing the talisman with white light in half the time. However, this time, although the rune on the Small Thunder Talisman also lit up, it was only for a moment, shorter than the first one. ¡°I still have three left.¡± Shen Luo gritted his teeth, grabbed another talisman¡­ A moment later, only two Yuan Stones were left in Shen Luo¡¯s hands, with just one Small Thunder Talisman remaining. All of his self-made talismans had failed, with the best result being his first attempt, which at least activated the yellow paper with rune patterns and made the talisman glow for about a breath¡¯s duration. The light lasted shorter with each trial, and the fourth one only activated less than a third of the patterns. Clearly, there was a problem with the rune patterns. Even though Shen Luo had prepared himself mentally, he still couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment. After all, he had prepared a lot and paid a considerable price for these attempts. If this was the result, it was somewhat disheartening. At this point, his cheeks were flushed slightly sickly. Casting the talisman put a significant strain on him, and after four consecutive attempts, he felt somewhat exhausted. ¡°My constitution is really not up to par.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, put the talisman and the Yuan Stone aside, sat down cross-legged, and started to operate the Small Transformation Yang Skill, inhaling and exhaling. A faint red light emanated from his abdomen, slowly circling around his meridians¡­ Time passed little by little, and half an hour later, Shen Luo opened his eyes. His flushed cheeks had faded, leaving a faint hint of color. On second thought, Master Luo did not deceive him. After learning the Small Transformation Yang Skill, his recovery speed had indeed significantly improved. In just half an hour, he managed to regulate his Qi and blood, restoring his energy to its initial state. If it had been the past, it would not have been possible to recover this quickly without a full hour. Shen Luo got up, looked around, and took out the last talisman. This talisman was slightly different from the previous ones as it was drawn with Black Dog Blood mixed with cinnabar. ¡°Please work as you should!¡± Shen Luo examined the talisman in his hand, holding the last glimmer of hope, placed it on the giant stone, picked up a Yuan Stone and placed it on top, casting as before, one hand forming the seal, and the other operating on the stone. If there was anything to be gained from his four previous attempts, it was his ability to store the Yang Gang power within his body through the Small Transformation Yang Skill and use it to operate the Yuan Stone. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. The experience of activating the Yuan Stone four times had not only improved his control over the Yang Gang power, but also made him understand how to use this type of stone. Now, as long as he focused, he had a higher probability of activating the Yuan Stone. With the familiar ¡°crack¡± sound, the Yuan Stone shattered. Soon after the white mist inside the stone turned into white light, a red thread formed in Shen Luo¡¯s right palm, then with a flash, took the white light and infused it into the talisman. The entire process was done in one breath, without the slightest hesitation or delay. Shen Luo held his breath, staring intently at the talisman with bloodshot eyes, not daring to miss any small changes. However, after the white light entered the surface of the talisman, it vanished as if it had entered the sea, without causing a single ripple. Shen Luo¡¯s face turned red again, feeling that time passed incredibly slowly, hearing his own rapidly beating heart¡¯s ¡°thump, thump¡± sounds. ¡°It seems the method of mixing Dog Blood and cinnabar is not working. The ¡®Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯ appears to be quite unreliable. He¡¯s indeed leading people astray!¡± This thought flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but bitterly smile. But in the next moment, a sight that made him ecstatic appeared! Out of nowhere, a bright white light suddenly lit up in the middle of the still talisman, and it spread rapidly along the rune patterns to both ends, filling the entire talisman in an instant. Shen Luo stared at the dazzling talisman in front of him, his heart filled with excitement and anticipation, and quickly retreated seven or eight steps away from the talisman. This was the Small Thunder Talisman, dreaded by demons and ghosts alike. If it activated successfully while he was too close, he would be out of luck. The white light on the surface of the talisman had already submerged the talisman itself and was becoming brighter and more violent, casting light onto the surrounding area, ready to explode at any moment. Although Shen Luo found the white light a bit dazzling, he kept his eyes on it, his heart inexplicably excited, his heartbeat in his throat. ¡°Is it going to succeed?¡± Just as this thought crossed his mind, all the light in front of his eyes suddenly dimmed, and the talisman underwent another change. All the white light surrounding the talisman suddenly receded and disappeared without a trace, leaving only the yellow paper with the Small Thunder Talisman rune lying silently on the giant stone. Shen Luo stared blankly at what was happening in front of him, unwilling to believe it was real. He rubbed his eyes hard and looked again. The Small Thunder Talisman was still lying there, as if everything that had just happened had never occurred. Shen Luo¡¯s heart dropped! All five talismans had resulted this way, it should not be an issue with the drawing of the talismans, but a problem with the talismans themselves, right? No wonder, after all, the talismans were found in a travel novel, so it was very likely all smoke and mirrors. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I should think of another way to contact the magic, time is running out¡­¡± A few thoughts of unwillingness spun in Shen Luo¡¯s heart. He was about to clean up when¡­ A ¡°hiss¡± sound. The sound wasn¡¯t loud, but in the quiet back mountain, it was particularly noticeable, startling the somewhat dazed Shen Luo. On the stone, the talisman, and the ¡°Àס± character in the rune suddenly activated. Then, a soft white halo silently bloomed from the surface of the talisman, covering the surroundings in a radius of four or five feet, as if a full moon had suddenly appeared. Shen Luo moved and ¡°stomped¡± back ten steps. He was both surprised and delighted. It seems that this Small Thunder Talisman is indeed mysterious, and not a fake talisman fabricated out of nowhere! Zhang Heavenly Master, I misunderstood you before. Please don¡¯t take it to heart! However, he quickly noticed something wrong. The hissing sound from the talisman was incessant, like burning. The white light continuously emitted from the talisman indeed looked quite magical. However, this spectacle did not seem like the effect a ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± should have, right? Shen Luo¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but fluctuate between delight and worry. As Shen Luo was thinking to himself, suddenly startled, he quickly looked around. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 12 Stone Ball Chapter 13: Chapter 12 Stone Ball The white light orb in front of him was extremely noticeable. If someone nearby happened to pass by and saw it, it would cause major trouble. Although it was rare for people to come to the back mountain at this time, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for a disciple who had eaten too much and wanted to take a stroll to digest. It was still eerily quiet all around, but this wasn¡¯t a place to linger for long. Shen Luo quickly stuffed the wasted talismans and the last Yuan Stone into his pocket, then tidied up the fragments of Yuan Stone at the scene, making sure no traces were left behind. Only then did he raise his head and look towards the talisman emitting a soft white light. After thinking for a moment, he bent down, picked up a dry twig about a foot long, and slowly walked towards the white light. When he was near the white light, Shen Luo stopped, his gaze flickered a few times, then carefully probed the edge of the white light with the dry twig¡­ The front end of the dry twig slowly disappeared into the white light. There was no change whatsoever. Shen Luo, who had been prepared to run at any moment, finally relaxed. After some thought, he discarded the dry twig, touched the white light with one palm, and then slowly immersed his whole arm into it, waving it inside. Shen Luo didn¡¯t feel anything abnormal about his arm, so with a determined heart, he walked completely into the white light and returned to the giant stone that held the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡±. The talisman emitted a gentle white light, very different from the effect described in the books when the Small Thunder Talisman was activated. Shen Luo didn¡¯t know whether to feel happy or disappointed. Talking about happiness, none of the five Small Thunder Talismans that he painstakingly painted were successful, and they consumed five precious Yuan Stones. Talking about disappointment, the talisman in front of him was genuinely activated and could be considered as his first successful talisman, which greatly boosted his confidence. ¡°Although this talisman can¡¯t attack, it should be good for illumination at night. But the cost is indeed too high.¡± Shen Luo murmured. Having said that, he bent down to pick up the talisman with two fingers, hesitated for a moment, and then went deeper into the secluded valley instead of taking the original path. The white light radiated by the talisman formed a soft halo within a radius of four or five feet around Shen Luo, making everything in its range clearly lit. At first, Shen Luo was quite curious about this never-before-seen scene, constantly looking around and guessing how long the talisman could stay lit. Unconsciously, he reached the deeper part of the secluded valley, in front of a mountain wall covered by lush green vines. There was no road ahead, and going any further would lead to a cliff. Shen Luo glanced at the talisman in his hand, which was still radiating a soft light. Just as he was about to observe it further, he suddenly exclaimed in surprise. The lush green vines that originally covered the mountain wall rapidly withered under the white light emitted by the talisman, revealing the original appearance of the mountain wall which hadn¡¯t been clear before. The surface of the mountain wall was as smooth as a mirror, as if it had been forcibly cleaved from top to bottom by someone and then polished again. What surprised Shen Luo even more was that under the projection of the white light from the talisman in his hand, the mountain wall became somewhat transparent, as if its surface had turned into colored glaze, allowing him to faintly see objects within a range of one to two feet. Shen Luo had never seen such a miraculous sight. Amid his admiration, he approached the mountain wall unconsciously, intending to take a closer look. Just then, an unexpected change occurred! The talisman suddenly became scorching hot, and the temperature where it made contact with his skin rapidly rose. Shen Luo was startled and waved his arm wildly in an attempt to throw the talisman away, but it was firmly stuck on his fingers and couldn¡¯t be shaken off. At the same time, a heart-piercing pain emanated from his palm, as if it was being roasted by fire, and his arm started to feel numb, making it hard to exert any force. ¡°Damn it!¡± In a state of anxiety, Shen Luo quickly grabbed the talisman with his other hand and tried to tear it apart. At this moment, the talisman suddenly turned into a puff of ashes and disappeared from his hand without a trace. The surrounding white light circle also silently shattered, turning into countless large and small light orbs floating around. Shen Luo froze for a moment, then quickly looked at his hand. There were no signs of redness or burns, and the agonizing pain also suddenly disappeared. He finally breathed a sigh of relief. Everything he¡¯d just experienced felt like an illusion. Just as Shen Luo was doubting himself and standing silent, an even stranger thing happened! Those light orbs floating around seemed to be attracted by something and suddenly all drifted towards the mountain wall. When they touched the surface of the mountain wall, they disappeared into it like rats entering a hole, one after another, rushing in without hesitation. With more and more light orbs disappearing into it, that part of the mountain wall became increasingly transparent, revealing a pitch-black interior that seemed to be a hollowed-out space. Seeing this, Shen Luo took a few steps to the side of the mountain wall and picked up a small stone to knock on it. ¡°Thud,¡± ¡°thud,¡± there was a bit of an echo. ¡°It¡¯s hollow.¡± He murmured to himself, swept his gaze around, then brought over a larger stone from the nearby grass and hit the mountain wall hard with it. After hitting it a few times, the mountain wall finally cracked and a hole the size of a bowl appeared. Shen Luo hit around the hole twice more, greatly enlarging the entrance. Inside was indeed a small cave, but only about four or five feet deep. The light orbs that had previously disappeared into the mountain wall were nowhere to be found. In their place, there was a round object like a stone ball with a diameter of two feet lying in a corner of the cave. ¡°Could it be this thing that attracted the white light from the talisman?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before reaching out to retrieve it. He was once invaded by Yin Qi in a concealed place. This item, hidden so deep and causing such weird movements before, who knows if it¡¯s an impure object? Of course, it¡¯s more likely to be the treasures often mentioned in various books and travel notes! Fortunately, he now had the Small Transformation Yang Skill, and ordinary Yin Qi could no longer invade his body. Shen Luo stood at the entrance of the cave and thought for a long time. Finally, he took off his robe and wrapped his hands in it. He took out the four discarded talismans from before and stuffed them into his palm, adding a layer of padding. At the same time, he was fully running the Small Transformation Yang Skill inside his body to protect himself. Only after completing all these preparations did Shen Luo extend his hands to hold onto the object inside the cave. The object was surprisingly light, and there were no other abnormalities. He relaxed slightly, exerted a little strength on his hand, and easily lifted the ¡°stone ball¡± out, put it on his chest, looked down, and carefully examined it. It was gray and had numerous small holes on the surface. No wonder it was so light. It seemed to be naturally formed. Shen Luo rotated the ¡°stone ball¡± a little bit and didn¡¯t discover anything else. He shook it subconsciously. There was a ¡°gululu¡± sound from inside the ¡°stone ball¡±. Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Jade Pillow Chapter 14: Chapter 13: Jade Pillow Shen Luo¡¯s spirits were instantly uplifted. There was a mystery hidden in this object! Shen Luo placed the stone ball on the ground. He took out the talisman from his palm, removed his robe, and gently caressed the ¡°Stone Ball¡± a few times before applying a slight pressure. The surface of the stone ball felt somewhat rough due to the small holes, but it also had some elasticity and didn¡¯t seem to be extremely hard. After thinking for a moment, Shen Luo picked up a fist-sized stone from the nearby ground and gently scratched the surface of the ¡°Stone Ball¡±. There was a ¡°swish¡± sound. A large amount of gray powder fell down, revealing a deep indentation on the body of the ¡°Stone Ball¡±. The ¡°Stone Ball¡± was as soft as flour. He was first taken aback, then overjoyed. Immediately picking up the ¡°Stone Ball¡±, he sat on the nearby grass and began to ¡°grind¡± it bit by bit with the stone in his hand. After about the time it took to finish a cup of tea, the stone ball had disintegrated into a pile of powder and vanished. In its place, a new object appeared in Shen Luo¡¯s hand, giving him a rather strange look. This object was over a foot long at first glance, and no more than half a foot wide. It was rectangular in shape and presented a pure and profound yellow color. It seemed to have been carved out from a single piece of material. Both ends were slightly curved upward, forming a small arc. The edges at the eight corners looked pretty rounded. When Shen Luo caressed it with his hand, it felt cool but not icy, chilly but not freezing, smooth and delicate. It seemed to be made of jade or a similar material. The surface also had some delicate striated engravings, which seemed to be wave-like patterns, giving it the look of an exquisitely carved jade. But this object seemed to be quite old. Its surface luster was somewhat dim, and there were one or two cracks at the edges, giving it an antique and quaint feel. ¡°This thing¡­why does it look like a pillow? A jade pillow?¡± Shen Luo gave it a thorough look and murmured to himself. The Shen family ran a traditional Chinese medicine enterprise, which had enabled him to meet people from various backgrounds and see a good deal of the world. At one point, he saw a jade pillow in a local pawn shop. The object in front of him now was quite similar to that. The art of healing advocates for a ¡°cool head and warm feet.¡± The jade pillow was derived from this concept. If one sleeps on it over a certain period, it can benefit the brain and makes one¡¯s intelligence clear and lucid. Hence, some ministers, and even the emperor himself, would use jade pillows to promote physical wellness and longevity. However, a jade pillow has a high requirement for the jade used, thus not just any jade can be used for making one. As a result, it is quite valuable and not something an ordinary wealthy family can afford. How did a jade pillow end up in this remote mountain, hidden within this strange cave and stone ball? Shen Luo studied the jade pillow from all angles but didn¡¯t find anything unusual. However, since it could attract the white light radiated by the talisman, it was clearly not an ordinary object. The thought of having potentially stumbled upon the ¡°adventures¡± often written about in books, and genuinely finding a ¡°treasure,¡± filled Shen Luo¡¯s heart with both excitement and nervousness. After considering it, he wrapped the jade pillow in his robe, tied a knot, and carried it on his back. He then blocked the split opening of the cave with stones and covered it with vines from nearby, ensuring no one would notice anything unusual. He then cleaned up the surroundings and made sure there were no other people around or any signs left behind before turning to leave the valley. At this time, the disciples in the pavilion were all practicing in their rooms, and no one was walking outside. ¡­ Not meeting anyone along the way, Shen Luo quickly returned to his residence at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Not until he entered the house and closed the door did he truly let out a sigh of relief. He poured a basket of clean water and found a clean cloth. After thoroughly wiping off the slight dirt on the jade pillow, he held it in his hand and studied it again. For a long time¡­ a long time¡­ he couldn¡¯t figure anything out. Helpless, Shen Luo remembered the bizarre methods of identifying treasures recorded in the miscellaneous books and travel notes. Although he felt uneasy about such methods, he could only try a few of those now. With this thought in mind, he first soaked the jade pillow in the previously drawn clean water for a while. Then he took a match and fanned it under the jade pillow for some time, but there was still no change. This situation only made Shen Luo even more certain that the material used for the jade pillow was extraordinary. After all, under the roasting of a fire, the surface of ordinary jade should at least change color slightly. Next, Shen Luo found a small knife, and forcefully cut his own finger, squeezing out a few drops of fresh blood to fall on the jade pillow. After a little while, seeing that the jade pillow had no abnormal changes, he boldly used the small knife to try to scratch the surface of the jade. By the time he had finished his meal, Shen Luo, sweating profusely, looked at the small knife in his hand, its blade now rolled and curled from use, his mouth practically agape with astonishment. The jade pillow remained unscathed! Having tested it for such a long time,, Shen Luo was somewhat exhausted, and had to temporarily give up on any further attempts. He casually put the jade pillow by the bed, planning to go to the pavilion the next day, and look through those books recording information about jade materials to see if he could find out what material the jade pillow was made of. If that still didn¡¯t work, he was prepared to make a few more ¡°Small Thunder Talismans¡± to see how this jade pillow was attracting white light. In short, although he hadn¡¯t found the anomaly of this thing yet, the previous tests had already confirmed that it was indeed ¡°extraordinary¡±. Just as Shen Luo put down the ¡°jade pillow¡± and was about to start thinking, he picked it up again and placed it on a table next to him. Then, he sat cross-legged on the bed, with his hands forming a circle, his body motionless, breathing in slowly as he began to practice the Small Transformation Yang Skill. Without finding any other suitable methods, practicing this technique matters to his lifespan, so he naturally dare not slack off in the slightest. And so, he continued practicing into the deep night. After inhaling the red thread held in his arms into his mouth and nose, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, his expression somewhat gloomy. As for the Small Transformation Yang Skill, he was still only at the first layer, but his progress was obviously slower than before. At this rate, reaching the second layer seemed a long ways off, and achieving great success was even more so. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ve made some headway in my talisman research. In the future, I¡¯ll focus on both deciphering talisman law and diligently practicing the Small Transformation Yang Skill. I refuse to believe that I won¡¯t find a way out.¡± Shen Luo comforted himself, and his mood lightened a bit. At this moment, it was deep into the night, and he yawned, rolled over and lay down on the bed to rest. After a day of running around, his body was exhausted, and he soon fell asleep. The summer night was still, with the sound of insects rising and falling. The moon was in mid-air, shedding bits of bright light outside the window, while the room remained pitch black and extraordinarily dim¡­ ¡­ Shen Luo was sleeping soundly, but suddenly felt a chill, and he shivered unintentionally. He curled up and reached out to pull the blanket beside him, thinking that he had kicked it off while sleeping. However, his hand came up empty, instead he touched something cold and damp. Still groggy, he didn¡¯t react, but mumbled something and reached out with his other hand blindly, this time grabbing a soft, slimy thing. His fingertips felt an intense chill, and his nose caught a strong scent of grass and wood. The sound of insects near his ears was also especially loud, as if it was right next to him. ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± Shen Luo was startled awake, and he quickly sat up, bringing the objects in his hands in front of him, and took a quick glance. His eyes suddenly widened in astonishment. ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Wandering Toad¡±, a new book by my friend called ¡°Exiled from Immortality¡± Seeking immortality for eternal life, living free with hot blood, stepping on lotus leaves and scribing on sword bones, shaping the soul with the wind! The original introduction was ¡°Exiled from Immortality, a genius for freeloading.¡± Now it¡¯s changed to ¡°I¡¯m Kuaishou Xiaoma, relying on my iron fists, I defeated a second-gen immortal surnamed Wang, which allows me to be born into this world uprightly.¡± Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Mysterious Mountain Village Chapter 15: Chapter 14: Mysterious Mountain Village What he held in his hands turned out to be half of a moist vine and a clump of damp soil, on which clung a few inches of oily green grass. ¡°What on earth is happening?¡± Shen Luo hastily threw the objects in his hand away, quickly scanning his surroundings. The residual sleepiness instantly vanished. He was not on the bed in his own house, but sitting on a patch of barren, muddy land. Shen Luo grimaced and climbed to his feet, looking around helplessly. He noticed that the place where he had been lying was flanked by thickets of weeds with insects chirping intermittently. A muddy path that could barely fit one person was vaguely visible. It was unclear where the path led. The surrounding area was entirely covered by a faint mist, obstructing his view, making it impossible to discern anything. With both hands, Shen Luo forcefully slapped his cheeks. The burning pain informed him that he was not dreaming. ¡°What happened? I was clearly sleeping in the house. How did I suddenly end up in this place? Was I kidnapped from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion without a sound?¡± On this thought, Shen Luo hastily checked his clothes, then raised his sleeve to look carefully at the emblem of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion on his sleeve. He slightly relaxed after moving his limbs and realizing that everything was alright. He remembered going to sleep in his clothes because he was exhausted, and things seemed the same as before. There was nothing odd about his body either. Shen Luo was filled with bewilderment, knowing that the urgent task at hand was to figure out exactly where he was now. He forced himself to calm down and re-examined his surroundings again. The nearby air was filled with an eerie coldness. Even though it was summer, it was as cold as late autumn. He felt inadequately dressed and wrapped his outer robe tighter around his body. Shen Luo suddenly thought of something and abruptly lifted his head to look at the sky. The sky resembled a boundless black curtain, with nothing but a crescent moon hanging in the air, casting a rather dim light. Clearly, it was still night time. Then, the sound of the wind, like the wail of a ghost, blew from the distance in several gusts, scattering the and lifting the nearby fog, allowing him to see some blurry scenery. After inhaling deeply, he pursued down the narrow path with caution. Before long, both sides of the road began to reveal patches of flat earth; some even had rows of crops growing on them, appearing to be fields. The soil in the fields without crops was fluffy ¡ª it seemed that they had recently been tilled in daylight. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt somewhat relieved. Since there are fields and signs of habitation, he should not be in any danger. Although he had no idea how he ended up here without reason, there was no time to delve into it now. Picking up his pace a bit, he continued down the country road. ¡­ The night fog grew thinner, and the landscape in the distance gradually revealed itself. A mile straight ahead, he could vaguely see some sparse houses built against the mountain, with occasional flickering lights which looked somewhat blurry. At the sight of this, Shen Luo felt a surge of joy. He would surely understand where he was if he went to one of the houses over there. Buoyed by this thought, he felt warmth from the distant lights, and his step unconsciously accelerated. Soon, he was less than a hundred feet away from the source of the light. This place was indeed a small mountain village. The village was small, with only about a dozen houses. However, it was already late at night, the village was quiet and pitch-black, with the exception of a house in the middle of the village emitting a little light. Shen Luo walked to the entrance of the village and froze momentarily. After confirming there were no villagers moving around, he walked into the village. However, just after taking a few steps, a ¡®bang¡¯ reverberated, and a pain shot through his toes. He had accidentally bumped into something. That thing rolled out about a foot away. He lowered his head in shock, only to see that what had rolled out was a dirty half-stake. Not far from his foot, there was another half. Upon closer inspection, these two half-stakes were not ordinary objects. On their surface, there were familiar ancient patterns carved. Only upon careful inspection did Shen Luo realize that these patterns were comprised of runes. He furrowed his brows, bent down and picked up the half-stake at his feet, moving it closer to inspect. The runes on the stake looked very crude and haphazard, far less complex than his own talisman, but they were twisted abnormally on the surface of the stake, giving off a highly uncomfortable feeling. He had only taken a quick look when he suddenly felt dizzy, quickly looking away in horror. The runes on this stake had such an odd ability. What would happen if they were drawn on talisman paper? Shen Luo quietly speculated whilst silently using the Small Transformation Yang Skill. A Yang Gang Qi emerged from his Dantian, travelled to his right hand, and made his palm slightly warm. He then reached out and touched the runes on the surface of the stake. Noticing nothing unusual, he quickly withdrew his hand. After some hesitation, Shen Luo tossed the half-stake back to where it came from and walked briskly toward the house with the light on. Right now was not the time to dawdle. Once he figured out his situation, he would have time for research. When he came to the open ground in front of the house, he stopped again. Surprisingly, there was a collapsed god niche in front of the house. Under the faint lamplight from the window, Shen Luo could clearly see that the god niche was more than one person tall, pitch black, and had no name plaque. There was only one fallen incense burner, and incense ashes were scattered all over the ground. What caught his attention were the runes engraved on the god niche, which were very similar to those on the stakes at the entrance of the village. However, the runes here were blood-red, as if drawn by fresh blood and rather discomforting to see. Shen Luo stared at the god niche, his face changing uncertainly. Just then, gusts of cold night wind blew, rustling the leaves of several big trees near the house, blowing leaves all over the sky. The wind also swept in a thick fog from outside the village, making the already dim light in front of the house dimmer. The other houses in the village also became hazy, as if they could disappear in the fog at any moment. Shen Luo felt the air around him become colder, and his body temperature was dropping rapidly. His limbs were somewhat numb in the wind, he took a deep breath, temporarily cast away his concerns and walked to the front door of the house. Just as he was about to knock on the door, his hand stiffened, and he slowly withdrew it. Shen Luo looked uncertain and after sniffing a couple of times, he looked down, and his pupils constricted. A stream of black blood was seeping out from the door opening, almost spreading to his feet, giving off a pungent bloody smell. Shen Luo¡¯s face turned pale, and he immediately turned around and ran back where he came from. The sound of the wind was deafening to his ears, the breathings in his mouth, feeling exceptionally frigid, as though several knives were scraping inside him. Shen Luo felt like he had never run so fast before, it was as if his chest was going to burst open. In the blink of an eye, he had reached the entrance of the village, but he didn¡¯t pause, and was ready to plow right out of the village in one breath. With a ¡°bang¡±. He suddenly froze, and his body fell straight to the ground, dragging out a deep trace half a foot long. Shen Luo felt his whole body stiff and freezing, and something cold seemed to have been added at his chest, moving against his skin. Shen Luo let out a low, struggling growl in his throat, his hands clutching tightly in an attempt to recover some strength. He suddenly ripped open his coat to look down. On his chest, two clear black handprints had appeared at some point. They were the size of a regular person¡¯s hand, pitch black as ink, moving upwards quickly. Everywhere they passed over was exceptionally cold, making his hairs stand on end. In the blink of an eye, they crawled up to his neck, starting to constrict as if they were real¡­ Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Ghost Hitting the Wall Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Ghost Hitting the Wall Shen Luo was both frightened and angry, yet he was gradually unable to breathe. In his mind flashed all the various books and classics he had read over these two years at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and this situation seemed to have been mentioned in one of those books. He gritted his teeth, mustered the last bit of his strength to cross-legged sit properly, with his hands wrapped around, he desperately operated the Small Transformation Yang Skill. A warm current surged from his Dantian, quickly spreading throughout his body. A faint red light seeped out from his neck, making the black handprint blur for a moment. Shen Luo felt the force strangling his neck loosen a little, and his heart instantly rejoiced. But before he had time to do anything else, a sudden and sharp scream sounded in his ear, piercing into him until his eardrums trembled and his mind was stunned. The activation of his Small Transformation Yang Skill stagnated. Almost at the same time, the handprint on his neck again became pitch black and profound. Around him, the howling sound intensified, and a large group of grey cold fog quickly emerged, swirling and dancing tirelessly around him. He felt like his body was submerged in icy water, unbearably cold. The warmth within his body was of no help. His limbs lost consciousness instantly, unable to move at all, and once again, he felt difficulty in breathing. Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank into the deepest depths, unable to float up any longer¡­ A loud ¡°boom¡± sound could be heard. Rain poured down like a torrent, turning the entire mountain village into a swamp. In the white cascading rain, a figure laid motionless in the muddy water. ¡­ Shen Luo slowly straightened his body amidst the cacophony of insects and opened his eyes, looking blankly around him. The narrow muddy road, the damp air, the strong scent of grass and trees, the overgrown ground, the fog in the distance¡­ ¡°Where is this??¡± Shen Luo suddenly widened his eyes and subconsciously picked up a handful of wet mud from the ground. Upon confirming it was indeed real, he couldn¡¯t help but swallow a few times. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± He threw away the mud in his hand, quickly got up from the cold ground, and after confirming once again his surroundings, his face was filled with shock. ¡°Could it really be¡­¡± After hesitating for a while in doubt, Shen Luo raised his head again to look at the dark sky and the crescent moon. He gritted his teeth and continued down the narrow road. When he saw the cultivated fields on both sides again, as well as the dim mountain village built against the mountain in the distance, especially the somewhat blurred light in the mountain village, he immediately stopped in his tracks. What on earth is going on ¡­ have I returned to the original place? Did I not really die? Or was everything that just happened, just a dream? Shen Luo was also becoming slightly confused. He clearly remembered that he appeared in this place before, and the scenery was exactly the same as it was now. However, not long after he entered the mountain village, he was¡­ At this thought, Shen Luo trembled, quickly reaching for his throat with his hand. Finding nothing unusual, he finally let out a little sigh of relief. He was perfectly fine now. What had happened before must have been an illusion. But if it was a nightmare, it was far too realistic. He had once felt the nearly infinite fear of death. Or was it really not a dream? Black blood, God Niche, and those two handprints¡­thsomething must be off. Gazing at the distant small mountain village, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes twitched twice, and he finally made a certain decision. After pondering in silence for a while, he raised his hand, bit his index finger to draw blood, and then drew a rune pattern on the chest of his shirt with his fresh blood. It was copied from a Demon Expelling Rune he had read from some miscellaneous records. In the records, it was stated that even people without mana could drive away demons with their essence blood if they were filled with positive energy. He did not know if this was true, but he had no other options now, so he had to give it a try. After doing all of this, he turned around and ran towards the wilderness in the opposite direction from the small mountain village. This place was obviously not a refuge. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t foolishly barge in again. It was wise to avoid it from afar. The so-called ¡°wise men never stand under the dangerous wall¡±. Everything else could wait until he had left this strange place to plan. As Shen Luo ran, he felt the mist around him becoming denser and denser. His vision quickly became blurred, and he could hardly see the road ahead. However, he did not dare to slow down his pace, running with all his might, there was only one thought in his heart right now, and that was to get as far away from that eerie mountain village as possible. After running for a while, the fog in front of him suddenly thinned, and his vision immediately became clear. Shen Luo was delighted and was about to speed up his pace. His expression suddenly froze, and he stopped in his tracks. At the end of the road ahead, a small mountain village built against the mountain appeared dimly, with a light coming from the village. ¡°No¡­ Impossible, I remember turning around!¡± Shen Luo looked around in confusion, his face full of disbelief. He gritted his teeth, abruptly turned around, and once again dashed into the depths of the fog¡ªonly to quickly disappear within it. After a short while, the mist in front of him dissipated, and the familiar scene once again appeared before him. That bit of light in the mountain village, which made him feel somewhat warm before, now seemed a bit creepy. Shen Luo was getting somewhat frantic. After looking at the bushes beside the path, he suddenly sprinted into them. The fog surrounded the entire village, covering all directions. Despite not taking the small path anymore, he still quickly disappeared into the fog. It was hard to move in the bushes. Shen Luo stumbled several times but did not dare to let up. He ran full speed ahead without a care. After running for a while, the fog ahead suddenly thinned. Shen Luo slowed his pace and swallowed a mouthful of saliva before continuing on. The scenery ahead quickly became clear, but what came into view next made him feel like his entire being was about to collapse. A small path appeared in front of him, and at the end of the path¡­ there was the small mountain village! ¡°Could it be¡­ a ghost wall?¡± After calming his mind, Shen Luo struggled to recall some of the things he had read in the classics, and suddenly felt somewhat enlightened. Just then, the night wind suddenly increased, the nearby fog violently rolled and drifted towards the village. The surrounding trees swayed, making a rustling noise. The chill in the air intensified greatly, all the hair on Shen Luo¡¯s body stood on end, and a chilling feeling rose from the bottom of his heart. That feeling was like being stared at by a poisonous snake, as if he was being watched wherever he went. Shen Luo took a deep breath, his face solemn. After retreating a few steps, he suddenly turned around and ran wildly into the depths of the fog. However, this time before he could get far, he tripped over something on the ground, and with a ¡°thud¡±, he fell to the ground. Before Shen Luo could react, he felt a cold sensation on his neck and two black handprints appeared silently, their fingers constricting rapidly. Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 16: Moving Forward, Not Back Chapter 17: Chapter 16: Moving Forward, Not Back ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± In his heart, Shen Luo thunderously roared, frantically operating the Small Transformation Yang Skill. A layer of red light emanated from his body, attempting to resist the invisible entity assaulting him. At the same time, a surge of Yang Gang power crazily gushed into the rune on his chest. Although this was his first time attempting to use the exorcism talisman, desperate times called for desperate measures. To his disappointment, besides feeling a slight heat where the talisman was drawn on his chest, nothing happened. But immediately after, Shen Luo felt a slight warmth in his eyes, following which his vision darkened as a figure in black appeared before him. The figure was about a zhang tall, with extremely long hair that trailed down to the ground, covering its face and rendering its features indiscernible. He could only vaguely make out two red eyes projecting a chilling malicious intent, as well as a greed for life. Meanwhile, its long and vapory dark arms were strangling his neck! ¡°A real ghost!¡± Shen Luo was filled with terror. Despite his difficulty in breathing, he subconsciously kicked out at the ghost. Without waiting for him to land a hit, the ghost let out a piercing, ear-splitting howl. Shen Luo felt a buzzing in his head, the red light covering his body shattered dramatically. A burst of heat welled up from his eyes, ears, and nasal cavities. He could only see through a red filter, his senses greatly impaired. The icy cold hands strangling his windpipe tightened their grip. Shen Luo¡¯s conscious became fuzzy, his outstretched leg stiffened in mid-air before feebly falling. He vaguely heard the roar of thunder in the sky. Following that, a torrential downpour poured down, and then he knew no more. ¡­ In his trance, Shen Luo felt as though he was surrounded by endless darkness, in still silence. He tried to open his eyes, but it felt as if he had no control of his body. He could not lift his eyelids nor move his limbs. He had a vague sense that something was wrong, but considering the deep fatigue emanating from within, he had a desire to give in to it, just lying there, doing nothing, and rest. Just then, the sound of an insect broke the quiet. Shen Luo jerked up and opened his eyes suddenly. The next moment, he discovered with a gasp of shock that he was back on that small country lane. The familiar lane, fields, night fog, crescent moon¡­ The mountain village shrouded in the distant fog and faint, blurred lights. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! A dream cannot be this real, and reality cannot be this repetitive! Where am I actually?¡± Shen Luo scrambled to his feet, thoughts whirling inside his head. Suddenly remembering something, he squatted down and dug deeply into the ground. Although the ground was slightly moist from the dew, deeper down it was still dry. When he¡¯d lost consciousness, he had clearly seen a heavy rain but this ground condition indicated otherwise. Looking around, he saw no signs of footprints on the country lane, despite the fact that he had run up and down numerous times before. ¡°Did this place constantly repair or repeat everything?! Was I not killed by the ghost, but brought back from death and returned to the time when I first entered this place?¡± Having read many strange and baffling tales, coupled with his nimble mind, Shen Luo swiftly derived a vague hypothesis. He then remembered something else and raised his hand. His index finger, which had been bitten and broken earlier during the talisman drawing, was now smooth and unscathed. ¡°Just as I thought, it¡¯s beyond belief!¡± A hint of horror flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. Having some understanding of the situation he encountered today, his tense mind relaxed a tad, also becoming somewhat calmer. However, Shen Luo immediately remembered his previous encounter. Knowing that the ghost would attack again, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his eyebrows. Although knowing that he seemed to be able to be reborn here and wouldn¡¯t fear the ghost as he did before, if he was continuously strangled to death by the ghost, he certainly didn¡¯t want to experience that. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t confirm if after having been revived twice that he could still ¡°resurrect¡± for a third time? What if he can¡¯t resurrect again? He has only one life, he couldn¡¯t risk it! Since this is the case, he has no option but to fight bravely! Shen Luo pondered silently and as the fear subsided, a sense of anticipation filled him. He began to recall all the methods of exorcism he had read in the classics. He suddenly removed his shirt, bit his finger, and with fresh blood, he directly began to draw various talisman patterns on his skin. He drew a total of eight before he stopped. It¡¯s not that Shen Luo didn¡¯t want to continue drawing, but after each stroke, for unknown reasons, he could feel his strength waning, as if it was being slowly drained from him. After just eight runes, he was already quite tired. If he continued, it might affect his performance, so he stopped. All of these were the various talisman patterns he had traced and studied previously, including the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± that he had tested last time. He wasn¡¯t clear about its specific effects, but it¡¯s better safe than sorry. Shen Luo quickly put his clothes back on. Having previous experience of the ¡°Ghost Wall,¡± he didn¡¯t take any other directions, but directly headed towards the small mountain village. He wasn¡¯t someone who easily got scared. The previous events were too bizarre, and now that he had a clearer understanding, he intended to get to the bottom of this. He was also interested in knowing whether escaping from the ghost or even destroying it would help him to leave this place. In the blink of an eye, Shen Luo reached the entrance of the village. The village entrance was barricaded with two wooden stakes, just like the first time he entered the village. Seeing this, Shen Luo was even more convinced of his speculation. He was about to enter the village when he seemed to think of something. He bent over to pick up the wooden stakes and stuck them in his waistband, then ran towards the house with the lights. When he arrived at the front of the house, he first grabbed some incense ashes from the tipped-over god niche. He then leaped to the front door, and without waiting for the blood to seep out, he lifted his foot and kicked the wooden door. With a ¡°bang¡±, the wooden door swung open. But the sight behind the door left him slightly stunned. A skinny little girl in grey short clothes who was seven or eight years old stood there, trembling. She held a wooden bucket full of black blood, and she seemed to be about to pour out the bucket. Seeing Shen Luo suddenly burst in, the little girl¡¯s face showed a frightened look, and she stepped back two steps. Shen Luo quickly regained his thoughts, ignoring the little girl, his eyes scanned the room and landed on a corner. There lay a stiff black dog¡¯s carcass, not a single hair on its body out of place. ¡°Black Dog Blood.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the wooden bucket in the girl¡¯s hands, frowning slightly. His gaze shifted again and glanced around. Next to the black dog, there was a wooden bed with a white-haired old man lying on it. His eyes were tightly shut, and he appeared to be unconscious. In the middle of the room, there was another god niche. There was a candle lit, and a miniature statue of a humanoid with a dog¡¯s head was being worshipped. In addition, the walls around the room and on the doors and windows were coated with black bloodstains, which must have been intentionally smeared there. Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Fearless in the Face of Danger Chapter 18: Chapter 17 Fearless in the Face of Danger ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m not a bad person.¡± Shen Luo quickly averted his gaze, looking at the little girl who was staring at him in surprise, and spoke in a gentle voice. The little girl blinked, but she carefully looked Shen Luo up and down, especially at his shadow, and her nervous expression slightly relaxed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the wooden bucket in the little girl¡¯s hand and asked. ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­¡± The little girl put down the wooden bucket in her arms and made some gestures towards Shen Luo, indicating she was mute. Shen Luo did not understand sign language, his brow furrowed, and he was about to say something. A cold Yin wind silently blew from behind, making one of the runes on his upper body feel warm and emit a faint red glow. ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± Shen Luo had already fought the ghost twice. Without turning around, he threw the incense ashes in his hand backward and jumped into the house. Almost at the same time, a mournful shriek came from behind him. Shen Luo instantly turned around, only to see a tall black figure appearing two yards behind where he was standing. His pupils contracted and he took two steps backward subconsciously. It was the same ghost! The ghost seemed to have become visible because the incense ashes stuck to its body. A painful look appeared in its blood-red eyes as if it was hurt by the incense ashes. ¡°As the book said, incense ashes have the effect of warding off evil and can be used to exorcise ghosts. It really wasn¡¯t nonsense.¡± Keeping an eye on the ghost, Shen Luo thought to himself. While Shen Luo was considering his options, the ghost turned into a black shadow, rushed into the house, and lunged towards him. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± Shen Luo moved forward, and when he was close to the ghost, he suddenly squatted down to dodge the ghost¡¯s grasp, sweeping his right leg towards the lower body of the tall ghost. As soon as he had seen the little girl and the wooden bucket in her hand, he had silently begun to activate the Small Transformation Yang Skill, leading the Yang Gang Qi to his right leg and right palm, waiting for this moment! But to Shen Luo¡¯s surprise, the ghost¡¯s body was like a specter, and his right foot, which was enveloped in a faint red light, passed directly through the ghost¡¯s body. His subsequent palm strike failed to connect, and because he exerted too much force, he stumbled and almost fell forward. Taking advantage of Shen Luo¡¯s unstable stance, the ghost swiftly reached out with its pitch-black ghost hands and reached for Shen Luo¡¯s neck. Shen Luo inwardly cursed, but he had yet to steady himself and it was too late to avoid it. At this critical moment, a sudden strong wave of foul smell came, and a large amount of black dog blood splashed over from the side. It seemed that the little girl saw that the situation was not good, and she threw the black dog blood in the wooden bucket over. The ghost was hit squarely by the black dog blood, issuing a painful scream. The black Qi on its body was evaporated quite a bit, and its figure also became a lot more transparent in an instant. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shen Luo rolled on the spot and dodged to the side of the little girl, a cold sweat on his back. However, the little girl¡¯s actions showed signs of angering the ghost. Its eyes were filled with murderous intent, and it swiftly turned around and rushed forward, stretching its hands swiftly one after another. With a ¡°swoosh¡±. Its two arms shot out like ropes, covering a span of two or three yards in an instant, and like lightning, respectively grabbed Shen Luo and the girl¡¯s necks. Shen Luo only felt his throat was grabbed by five cold fingers, followed by an overwhelming force. Instantly, his feet lifted off the ground. He and the little girl were lifted up in the air. Shen Luo tried to reach out and grab the ghost hand around his neck, only to grasp the empty air again. Immediately after, he felt a cold Yin breath transmitted through the ghost¡¯s hand, pouring into his body, as if countless icy bugs suddenly entered his body. At this time, Shen Luo only felt his breathing became difficult, his whole body was extremely cold, and even his bones seemed to be freezing stiff. With the last bit of strength, he held his breath and activated the Small Transformation Yang Skill, trying to mobilize the Yang Gang power at his Dantian to flow towards the eight runes on his chest. This was his last hope. Although he had miraculously survived twice when confronted with death before, and even returned to the previous point in time, who knew if such a situation would occur again? He didn¡¯t want to place his bet on something he had no control over. While he was pondering, a stream of Yang Gang Qi was led to the first ¡°exorcism charm¡± on the upper left of his chest, but this rune seemed to have no reaction to the Yang Gang Qi. Shen Luo was mentally prepared for this and quickly initiated his skill, guiding the Yang Gang Qi towards the second ¡°subduing curse charm¡± in the middle of his left chest. As a result, there was a slight heat at the place where the rune was drawn, and it looked like there was a response. However, before Shen Luo could rejoice, the warm sensation disappeared without a trace. And the ghost¡¯s hand tightens while he himself is running out of the breath he has been holding on to and can only hold for another two or three breaths. Shen Luo was not discouraged, and forcibly led the Yang Gang Qi towards the third rune on the upper right of his chest. This stream of Yang Gang Qi, which was concentrated in haste, was weak from the start. After passing through the first two runes, it was less than half of its original strength when it reached here. That is to say, if this rune still cannot be activated successfully, the remaining Yang Gang Qi could probably only be used to try one more time. This third drawing was a ¡°warding off evil charm¡±. In fact, Shen Luo had already thought it through when he was drawing it, and the reason why he chose these three runes first was that these three were the most effective against ghosts among all the runes he knew. The others, except for the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡±, were some household protection or purification runes, which were not related to ghosts. However, this third one was the same as the first one, with no response to the Yang Gang Qi. At this time, Shen Luo¡¯s face had turned red, and with his last bit of willpower, he led the now very weak Yang Gang Qi towards the final ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡±. Although the Small Thunder Talisman is not known for its extraordinary effect on suppressing ghosts, and there is a risk of backlash if not operated properly, he had practiced drawing it skillfully, and even actually tested it on yellow paper. It is better than the other runes that are likely to be activated. As a thin red thread, barely visible, entered the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± rune in the middle of his right chest, the entire rune began to emit a faint white light. However, it only flickered twice and immediately went out. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart. Just as he was about to give up, an astonishing scene occurred! The originally dim Small Thunder Talisman rune lit up again, emitting white light which grew brighter and brighter. In the blink of an eye, the entire Small Thunder Talisman began to glow with bright white light, and small electric arcs could even be faintly seen dancing in the white light. Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 18: Battling Ghosts (Part 1) Chapter 19: Chapter 18: Battling Ghosts (Part 1) Shen Luo only felt a scorching sensation in the middle of his right chest where the Small Thunder Talisman was drawn, like being pressed with a red-hot iron, and he could even smell the charred scent of his flesh. But at this moment, he was suspended in the air, his throat strangled, barely able to breathe, naturally he didn¡¯t care about this pain. ¡°Hurry up and activate! Hurry up!¡± he roared furiously in his heart. The Small Thunder Talisman, lit up once again, rekindled a glimmer of hope in his heart. But the next moment, he discovered something else that terrified him. Where the Small Thunder Talisman was, a powerful absorption force emerged, madly devouring the scarce Yang Gang power in his body. Not only that, he even felt that the blood in his entire body was heating up and flowing towards the right side of his chest, making the scorching sensation there hotter and hotter. Shen Luo felt dizzy and parched, as if all the blood in his body was burning up, and his right chest was about to be burnt through. Fear crept into his heart. If this continued, before the ghost could choke him to death, he would either be drained by the talisman or burn to death. But even if he wanted to stop, he couldn¡¯t prevent the rune from devouring his inner vitality. Fortunately, at this moment, the Small Thunder Talisman seemed to have absorbed enough, and the white light it emitted suddenly converged and stopped devouring. A fiery sting pierced Shen Luo¡¯s right chest, causing him to groan involuntarily. The next instant, the Small Thunder rune suddenly lit up, and a dazzling white lightning burst from his chest, tearing through the surrounding darkness and Yin Qi, and hit the arm of the ghost that was strangling his throat like a lightning bolt. All this happened in the span of one or two breaths, from the moment Shen Luo tried to activate the first chest talisman. The ghost¡¯s arm that was strangling Shen Luo¡¯s neck, together with the ghost claw on his throat, was easily torn apart by the white lightning, turning into nothingness, like ice and snow melting in fire. Shen Luo felt his neck loosen, before he even had time to take a deep breath, his feet hit the ground heavily. His body staggered, and he knelt on one knee to stop himself from falling. After piercing through the ghost¡¯s arm, the white lightning continued to shoot forward, and instead of hitting the ghost, it struck the ground inside the house about a meter away. There was a loud ¡°boom¡±, and it was like a thunderbolt on a dry day. The ground quivered violently, and a pit about a foot in diameter was blasted out. The surrounding area was scorched black, fragments of stone and soil splattered all over, and a wave of intense heat stirred up in the air, causing the figures of the two humans and the ghost to wobble slightly. Almost at the same time, a burst of yellow light suddenly shot out from the little girl on the other side, hitting the other ghost hand strangling her throat. It was a fluffy yellow dog¡¯s tail. With a ¡°boom¡±, a ball of yellow flame ignited on the ghost¡¯s hand and it was burnt to nothingness. The little girl fell on her butt, covering her throat with both hands and coughing continuously, her little face had turned completely red. The ghostly creature¡¯s arms destroyed, issued a bitter scream. Then its figure blurred and disappeared. Shen Luo looked at the pit in the house blasted by the white lightning, and a surprised look flashed in his eyes. Unexpectedly, he somehow managed to successfully trigger the Small Thunder Talisman under such circumstances. Although it didn¡¯t hit the ghost fully, the power it showed was far beyond his imagination. ¡°Hiss¡­.¡± Only then did Shen Luo feel a sharp pain in his right chest. Looking down, the place where the Small Thunder Talisman was drawn had turned black and some flesh was blurred. ¡°Something¡¯s not right, that evil ghost shouldn¡¯t have left!¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized something. Without thinking about how he managed to successfully trigger the Small Thunder Talisman, he quickly stepped into the house and stood before the God Niche. He scooped out two handfuls of incense ashes from the incense burner and flung them around him. Immediately, the incense ashes scattered across the room. The little girl suddenly screamed, pointing behind Shen Luo. Shen Luo turned around abruptly, his pupils shrinking. The tall ghostly creature had alarmingly appeared behind him. Its arms had regrown, its fingers solidifying like black daggers, aiming to fiercely scratch him. In his urgency, Shen Luo ducked down, rolling to the right. Although his reaction was fast, his right arm was still caught by the ghost¡¯s claw, leaving three long scratches from which fresh blood spurted out. Shen Luo glanced at the wound on his arm, a fierce expression flashing across his face. He understood that if he did not put an end to this evil ghost this time, he might have to face death once again. ¡°There¡¯s still a chance I can be revived, I¡¯m going for it!¡± He immediately took a bold risk, pulling out the two sections of the wooden stake stuck in his waist, biting his tongue, and spraying a mouthful of blood onto the runes on the two sections of the wooden stake. The runes on the wooden stake lit up instantly, emitting a bright bloody light. Such inscribed wooden stakes standing at the entrance of the village were mostly used for exorcism, and this one seemed to have indeed been blessed by the High People. Even though it was broken, it could still exert some power when stimulated by the essence blood containing Yang Gang power. ¡°Take this!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed, and he shouted as he rushed forward, brandishing the wooden stake in his hand, and fiercely smashed it towards the ghost. The tall ghostly creature seemed to be quite wary of the two sections of the wooden stake in Shen Luo¡¯s hands and was about to dodge. A shadow flickered in the house. It was the little girl who threw the last bit of black dog blood from the wooden bucket in her hand, blocking the ghost¡¯s escape path. The ghost was equally fearful of the black dog blood, and it quickly floated back, but was directly hit by the wooden stake in Shen Luo¡¯s hand that immediately followed. Shen Luo only felt a shake in his palm. He had actually hit the ghost¡¯s body with the wooden stake, and it did not pierce through. Not only that, the red runes on the wooden stake made a sizzling sound like fresh meat on a hot iron plate when they came into contact with the ghost¡¯s body, and a large amount of black qi was evaporated. The tall ghostly creature¡¯s originally semi-transparent body became somewhat more transparent, and it shrieked as it retreated backward. Shen Luo¡¯s spirits were greatly boosted. He swirled the wooden stake in his hand, creating a shadow of strikes towards the ghost. Although he did not learn any formidable external skills within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, he did learn some basic stick and baton techniques for fitness. At this moment, he was fighting for his life, his potential was fully triggered, and he was able to perform the techniques properly. The ghost was tall, but being indoors seemed to put it at a disadvantage. The room was filled with incense ash, preventing it from becoming invisible. The little girl also demonstrated quick wit. Although the wooden bucket was empty of black dog blood, she occasionally grabbed a handful of incense ashes from the god niche and threw them, mimicking Shen Luo¡¯s previous actions and hindering the movements of the ghost. Although the ghost was extremely ferocious, it was unexpectedly falling short under the cooperation of Shen Luo and a mute little girl. During this time, it was repeatedly hit by the wooden stake in Shen Luo¡¯s hand, becoming increasingly transparent. However, while the wooden stake did cause significant damage to the ghost, the red light emitted from the runes on it was rapidly dimming. Shen Luo had noticed this situation early on, but considering the current urgency, he didn¡¯t have time to consider other things. He continued to swing the wooden stake in his hand, aiming for the ghost¡¯s lower abdomen. The black ghostly creature twisted its body and moved sideways to the left, narrowly avoiding the attack. Shen Luo glanced at the god niche to his right and thought that if the ghost had dodged to the right just now, it would have been able to avoid it easily. Turning this thought over in his mind, he recalled his previous encounters with the ghost in the room. It seemed extremely wary of the god niche, always trying to avoid it and not daring to come close. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± A thought flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s mind. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 19: Battling Ghost (Part 2) Chapter 20: Chapter 19: Battling Ghost (Part 2) While Shen Luo was contemplating, the disheveled hair on the head of the tall ghostly creature suddenly fluttered, revealing a pale, rotten face. It seemed as if it had been soaking in water for a long time, the lips and cheeks were mushy and rotten, and incomplete flesh and skin turned outward, hanging loosely on its face. The flesh within its eye sockets had mostly rotted, oozing pus continuously. Only some blood vessels remained connected to two trembling, inflamed eyeballs, on the verge of falling out anytime. Despite Shen Luo¡¯s courage, the face of the ghostly creature gave him a start. The ghostly creature opened its mouth, emitting a loud shriek. Two intangible Yin winds gushed from its mouth and shot straight towards Shen Luo and the little girl, like two arrows. At the same time, the ghostly creature stretched its arms sideways, and a chilling Yin wind rose in the house, swirling away all the small artifacts. Yet the God Niche remained unaffected, not a speck of incense ashes were blown out. Having suffered from the ghostly shriek before, Shen Luo threw himself to the ground at its first glimpse, dodging the frontal hit from the Yin wind by rolling to one side. But the little girl, lacking the same experience, was hit right in the face by the Yin wind, her eyes rolled up and she fell unconscious. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo tried to rise, but only found flying artifacts everywhere. Cups and pieces of wood flew past him constantly, along with bouts of Yin wind, forcing him to roll to a corner of the house. However, the Tall Ghostly Creature did not strike at Shen Luo, instead, it floated backward while waving its hand towards the outside of the house. Whoo¡­whoo¡­whoo¡­ The outside air vibrated, bringing in waves of dirty, cold Yin Qi, wreathed within plenty of fog which poured in and infused into the ghostly creature¡¯s body. Its body began visibly regenerating at an alarming rate and quickly solidified; the Black Qi on its body also surged dramatically. The seaweed-like hair on the ghostly creature¡¯s head suddenly grew wildly alive, shooting out like tendrils towards Shen Luo on the ground. Shen Luo, shocked and regretful at the transformation of the ghostly creature, hastily attempted to dodge upon jumping up. However, the shooting hair was too much, and the room was small. His body and his hands and feet were soon entwined by the lengthening hair. The remaining four runes on his body were impossible to reactivate, and the two wooden stakes were restrained by the hair, making them immovable. In desperation, Shen Luo tried to activate the Small Transformation Yang Skill. However, he was already exhausted. Earlier, the activation of the Small Thunder Talisman had deplete his innately accumulated Yang Gang power, leaving him impotent for the moment. Time was against Shen Luo, as the hair entwining him gradually tightened. Soon, his body was yanked to the ground. The tall ghostly creature twisted and transformed into a snake-like shadow, attaching itself to Shen Luo, enveloped by the growing hair. At the same time, it opened its mouth and sucked in the air around Shen Luo¡¯s face. Shen Luo felt a chill creeping over him, followed by a shudder, as he felt waves of heat leaving his body, drifting outwards. ¡°It¡¯s sucking my Yang Qi! Am I really going to die again¡­¡± Feeling his body growing colder, Shin Luo gradually lost his strength, unable to move. Despite his frustration, he understood it was too late to revert the situation. Meanwhile, a streak of lightning flashed across the pitch-black sky outside, followed by a peal of thundering roar and the downpour started. The little girl, lying beside the bed, got a jolt and woke up because of the thunder. She sat up with effort and saw Shen Luo¡¯s predicament. A sense of panic flashed in her eyes as she hurriedly pulled out a small wooden bucket from under the bed. The wooden bucket was filled with a thick, black, sticky fluid¡ªBlack Dog Blood. The little girl bit her finger hard, her fresh blood dripped and mixed into the Black Dog Blood in the bucket. The ghost that had possessed Shen Luo seemed to sense something. It twisted its body abruptly, attempting to soar out from Shen Luo¡¯s body. But the little girl, already swaying, managed to lift the wooden bucket and flung it outward. With a swishing sound, the black dog blood splashed over the ghost protruding from Shen Luo¡¯s body. Having done all this, the girl seemed to have expended all her strength and collapsed onto the ground. The ghost failed to dodge and was sprinkled thoroughly with the unexpected black dog blood. It made hissing sounds while large clouds of black Qi scattered. Its form, which had just formed, became transparent again, seemingly severely injured. It let out a shrill scream that could tear the eardrums, its figure floated to the side, only to crash into the wall nearby. The wall had been splattered with a lot of black dog blood. Instead of going through it, the tall ghostly creature was flung to the ground, causing a great thud and making the whole house shudder. The hair entangling Shen Luo loosened, and Shen Luo¡¯s body relaxed. Although his limbs felt weak, he still struggled to get free. At this time, he was breathing heavily, his chest heaving. He felt as though he was about to faint. Yet he gritted his teeth, discarded the wooden stake in his hand, turned around and snatched the dog-headed statue from the god niche behind him into his arms. Then he quickly stepped forward and threw his whole body onto the ghost writhing in pain on the ground. The little girl watched in shock as Shen Luo made this move, her mouth agape in surprise, but couldn¡¯t utter a sound. However, this time, Shen Luo¡¯s body and hands did not go through the ghost but held it in a firm grip. Without delay, the statue in his arms began to burn, emitting a bright yellow light, shining onto the ghost. The ghost¡¯s body sizzled under the yellow light, strands of black Qi rose from its surface, and it let out a series of mournful screams. Its ghost claws flailed in a desperate attempt to break free from Shen Luo¡¯s embrace. Shen Luo, however, held onto it as if he were hanging onto his last ray of hope. His arms, summoning strength from some unknown source, gripped the ghost tightly and wouldn¡¯t let go. As wave after wave of black Qi rose from the ghost¡¯s body, it began to blur rapidly and started shrinking. Shen Luo¡¯s face had turned pale to the point of blueness, his lips also devoid of any color. The ghost was ice-cold, the Yin Qi passing through, freezing his blood and causing his teeth to chatter uncontrollably. The last trace of consciousness he had told him that this was a matter of life and death, he would lose everything if he let go now. The little girl finally snapped out of her shock and struggled to get up. She dragged herself towards Shen Luo and poured the last bit of black dog blood from her bucket onto the ghost¡¯s head. At this point, the tall ghostly creature already exhausted, this last bit of black dog blood, was the final straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. After an ear-piercing scream, the ghost that had shrunk to half its size, exploded into a large cloud of black Qi and dissipated into the air. Once the black Qi had cleared, Shen Luo¡¯s body appeared again; his face completely drained of color and his cheeks turning purple. His eyes were tightly shut, and he had already fallen unconscious. He took short breaths but exhaled longer ones, looking as if he wouldn¡¯t last much longer. The little girl, after seeing the ghost eliminated, felt a wave of relief washing over her and her body slumped to the ground. But upon seeing Shen Luo¡¯s condition, she gritted her teeth, got up again, and reached out to gently push Shen Luo, only to feel his cold body. Her eyes turned red out of helplessness, as she tried to lift Shen Luo up. Yet, at this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s face became alarmingly strange, and his body, starting from his feet, became blurry and transparent. A few moments later, he vanished silently from where he stood as if he had never been there. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Senior Leiyin Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Senior Leiyin The little girl stood still, looked at her empty hands, her eyes wide open. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± A groan came from the bed in the room, it was the old man, taking a big breath. When the little girl heard the movement, she crawled to the bedside using both hands and feet, her face filled with surprise. The old man¡¯s eyelids fluttered a few times before slowly opening his eyes. ¡­ The night passed by quickly, the day began to dawn, and the red sun rose, the fierce wind and rain outside had already stopped. The door creaked open. The warm sunlight poured in, the outside world was clear and bright, most of the fog near the mountain village had already dispersed, only some remained in the far distance. The little girl was wearing a set of bleached red clothes, carrying a patched bundle, supporting the old man with difficulty as they slowly walked out. The old man was dressed in a somewhat shabby gray robe, his complexion seemed to be better than the night before, but he moved with some difficulty, leaning on a polished walking stick that gleamed in his hands. The two of them left the house and headed towards the entrance of the village. The old man seemed very weak, and he began to gasp for breath as soon as he reached the entrance of the village. ¡°Ah ah¡­¡± The little girl made a few sounds and made a few gestures with her hand. ¡°Grandfather¡¯s fine, although the long-haired ghost was destroyed, the ghostly Qi around the village hasn¡¯t dispersed yet. It will attract other monsters sooner or later, so we need to leave immediately,¡± the old man in the gray robe rubbed the little girl¡¯s head and spoke. The little girl obediently nodded her head. The two of them continued walking, after a few steps, a blue light dropped down from the sky, landing not far from them, revealing a slender figure. Surprisingly, the new arrival was a white-robed priestess, around thirty years old, with an oval face, white skin, quite beautiful, but her face was cold, giving out a sense of fierceness rarely seen in women, in her hand was even a white dust whisk. ¡°Such thick ghostly Qi, it almost forms a ghost fog, but how come there are no ghosts infesting the place?¡± the white-robed priestess gazed around and muttered to herself. The old man and the little girl were stunned as they watched the white-robed priestess who had descended from the sky. ¡°Are you villagers here?¡± The white-robed priestess came over, took a close look at the two of them, and asked. ¡°Old man pays respects to the Immortal,¡± the old man finally recovered from his shock and intended to kowtow to the white-robed priestess in surprise and joy. However, he felt unwell, and as soon as he bent over, he started coughing. The little girl quickly freed one hand and patted the old man¡¯s back, but she was too young and weak to support the old man with one hand. ¡°Elder, there¡¯s no need for formalities. I¡¯m Lei Yin from the floating clouds mountain. I happened to pass by here and sensed the gathering of ghostly Qi, so I came down to check,¡± the white-robed priestess waved her hand to support the old man, raised one hand in a salute and spoke. ¡°Yes, yes, if there¡¯s anything the immortal wants to ask, old man will definitely tell the truth,¡± gasping for breath, the old man nodded quickly. Clutching the old man¡¯s sleeves, the little girl hid behind him, her big eyes curiously observing the white-robed priestess. ¡°Looking at the situation, you two are likely villagers here. Was this place attacked by fierce ghosts?¡± After glancing at the bundle of the little girl, the white-robed priestess asked. ¡°Yes, my surname is Sun, everyone calls me Old Sun. This is my granddaughter, we both were born and raised in Zhang Family Village. The villagers used to worship the Yellow Tail King for protection. Though our lives were hard, we were safe and sound from monsters or ghosts. But the Yellow Tail King suddenly died in a thunderstorm a month ago, after that, a long-haired ghost came, killing people in our village every night. The other villagers either had fled or been killed one by one by that ghost. Only the two of us survived,¡± Old Sun sighed and said sorrowfully. ¡°The Yellow Tail King?¡± the white-robed priestess raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s a yellow dog that became a demon,¡± Old Sun hesitated for a moment, then uttered in a low voice. ¡°Oh, if a demon from the demon race could protect the people, it would be a virtuous act. If it died in a thunderstorm, it means that it failed to withstand the Heavenly Thunder and fell during the transformation,¡± the white-robed priestess slowly nodded. Hearing this, Old Sun was puzzled but didn¡¯t dare to question the priestess. ¡°The two of you, an old man and a young girl, are not strong, how come you¡¯re the only survivors while others in this village were killed?¡± The priestess looked at them, sharpness flashing in her eyes. ¡°This¡­ The Yellow Tail King had placed the God Niche near my home when he was alive, maybe his lingering might has been protecting our house, and also, I have some black dog blood at home, that¡¯s probably why we have endured until now,¡± Unprepared by the question, Old Sun replied hesitantly. The white-robed priestess shook her head, obviously not agreeing with his explanation, she swept her eyes over the two of them, then her gaze landed on the little girl. ¡°Huh!¡± The priestess¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold. She took several looks at the little girl, then pointed at the void. A beam of refined white light shot out of her fingertip, flashed and disappeared into the little girl¡¯s forehead. The little girl¡¯s body jerked, her eyes immediately became a little woozy, a faint, luminescent white light appeared on her little face, flickering non-stop. ¡°She¡¯s actually born with the White Tiger Aura Body! No wonder she could resist the ghostly Qi for such a long time, very good, very good¡­¡± There was a slight hint of joy in the eyes of the white-robed priestess. The light on the girl¡¯s face faded quickly, but her cheeks turned rosy, her body softened and she fainted onto the ground. ¡°Great Immortal!¡± Old Sun was taken aback. He intended to help the little girl, but found it difficult to stand firmly. ¡°Do not panic, elder, she¡¯s only asleep, no harm done,¡± the white-robed priestess reached out to support the old man and explained with calm voices. Old Sun let out a sigh of relief after hearing this. ¡°Daring to kill all the villagers, this fierce ghost is indeed brazen! Do you know where the long-haired ghost hides during the day? I¡¯ll go and eradicate it to give peace to the souls of Zhang Family Village,¡± there was coldness on the face of the white-robed priestess, which exuded a kind of terror, accompanied by an eerie green light. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Immortal, but according to my granddaughter, a young man who was passing by eradicated that ghost last night,¡± Old Sun said gratefully. ¡°What did that person look like? Were there any particular features?¡± After a pause, the white-robed priestess shifted the dust whisk from her left hand to her right one and asked curiously. ¡°Old man had been bedridden for a few days and was unconscious last night, didn¡¯t see him. When the girl wakes up, Immortal can ask her,¡± old Sun shook his head and spoke. The white-robed priestess nodded, no longer dwelling on this matter before saying: ¡°Although the ghost has been eradicated, this isn¡¯t a suitable place to stay any longer. You two should leave with me, and we¡¯ll look for another place to live.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Immortal,¡± Old Sun thanked her with joy and gratitude upon hearing this. The white-robed priestess waved her dust whisk, a patch of white clouds appeared out of thin air, lifting the three of them into the sky, they soon disappeared into the horizon. Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 21 - A Dream Chapter 22: Chapter 21 ¨C A Dream In the early morning, a chorus of birds chirping arose, a ray of the morning sun penetrated through the branches of the Welcoming Pine, squeezing through the half-open window gap, and casting onto the face of the person in the bed. Shen Luo¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly, squinting, and then opened a little bit immediately, just then hastily raised his hand to cover his own eyes. ¡°Sss¡­¡± As a result of this action, a wave of muscle exhaustion and pain akin to spasms immediately overcame him, and his consciousness also instantly awakened. An intense panic immediately arose from the bottom of his heart, Shen Luo sat up on the bed, shrinking his body and hurriedly surveyed his surroundings. Situated not far from the wall in front of him, there was a narrow desk cluttered with a stack of old, ancient books. Not too far away from the desk, a window and door stood side by side. Everything was extraordinarily familiar. An ecstatic expression emerged on Shen Luo¡¯s face. Lowering his head, he inspected his own body. His clothes were intact, and although his body was sorely aching, there were no wounds at all. The feeling was more like the discomfort brought about after excessively strenuous exercise. A familiar smell of mildew mixed with sandalwood suddenly overwhelmed his nostrils, causing him to sneeze involuntarily. At this moment, Shen Luo finally believed that he was in his room at Spring and Autumn Pavilion, rather than the eerily gloomy Ghost Village. ¡°What happened last night was just a nightmare!¡± Shen Luo touched the veritably real wooden bed beneath him, took a long sigh of relief, the occurrence from last night fresh in his mind, for a time, it provoked in him a sense of despair. Shen Luo rolled up his sleeve, wiped his forehead, and only then did he discover his forehead and temples were soaked in cold sweat, and even his back was damp, some glued to his back, it was very uncomfortable. He sat in a somewhat trance-like state on the bed for a while before he realised his regular wake-up time had already passed and even his morning practice session was about to be compromised. ¡°It¡¯s just a dream¡­¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself twice, seemingly trying to forcefully persuade himself. Then his body moved, and he got off the bed. But as soon as his feet touched the green cloth shoes, as he tried to stand up, his legs felt weak and he simply fell forward. When he tried to support himself with his arms, he found that they were also weak, and so he fell straight to the ground. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shen Luo cried out in pain, struggling to get up from the ground and slowly resettling himself at the edge of the bed. At this point, he noticed that there actually was something wrong with his body. Although his body wasn¡¯t particularly well-built, now it was clearly extremely weak. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± He started to feel somewhat horrified, it wouldn¡¯t be like this if it were simply a case of waking up from a dream. In fact, ever since the intrusion of the Yin Qi into his body, Shen Luo had had many nightmares. He had encountered all kinds of odd and bizarre dreamlands, but now that he thought about it, the feeling was completely different from what he experienced last night. Moreover, if it was really just a dream, then why were his memories of the dream so clear and realistic? And why was his body so exhausted? It felt as though he had actually gone through an intense battle. But then if it wasn¡¯t a dream, how could it be explained? Could it be that he really sleepwalked down the mountain, went to some village below, and then sleepwalked back up? But that doesn¡¯t make sense either, last night in that mountain village, he had suffered near-death experienced and his body was covered with wounds. His clothes were torn to shreds, it certainly shouldn¡¯t look like the way it was now. Thinking of this, Shen Luo¡¯s face showed signs of uncertainty, and the more he thought, the stranger the events of the previous night seemed. It felt as though his head was expanding. He rubbed his forehead with his hand, inclined his body backwards and simply lay down on the bed again. ¡°Thump.¡± Shen Luo felt as though his head had hit something hard and immediately sat up again, quickly turned around to take a look. He saw on the head of his bed, a long, narrow yellow object¨C the ¡°treasure¡± he had found earlier¨C, the ancient jade pillow. The original rattan woven pillow had been squeezed to one side, against the wall. Shen Luo was dumbfounded! Last night, he had actually slept the entire night laying on this jade pillow without noticing it himself! He was sure that he had placed this object next to the ancient books on the desk before he slept last night, how did it end up on his bed? ¡°Could it be¡­ last night¡¯s nightmare was related to this? Or could it be that there¡¯s something unclean within this jade pillow?¡± He remembered in Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle, one story mentioned a scholar from Lingnan Qian¡¯an County who, during a spring outing, found a bronze mirror by a river. Seeing the words ¡°Free and Easy¡± inscribed on the mirror in gold, he kept it as he thought it was antique. As it turned out, the Free and Easy Mirror contained a female ghost who would come out on the night of full moon to absorb his Yang Qi. If it weren¡¯t for Zhang Heavenly Master passing by, who helped him, the scholar would have lost his Yang energy, and he would have died without knowing the cause. Thinking of this story, Shen Luo disregarded his exhaustion and hurriedly got off the bed, grabbed the wolf hair awl from the desk, used the handle to prod, and lightly prodded the jade pillow on the bed. The jade pillow moved a bit backward. Neither was there any unusual glow, nor did any Yin Sha or ghost emerge. It seemed no different from ordinary objects. But Shen Luo was still somewhat uneasy. He took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out some cinnabar, rubbed it between his hands to cover his palms, then carefully extended a finger and touched the jade pillow with his fingertip. Besides the icy cold touch of the jade pillow, there was still no anomaly. ¡°Could there be some sneaky and silent possession¡­ ¡± Shen Luo drew back his hand, still slightly frowning, not quite at ease. After considering for a moment, he glanced at the jade pillow, then quickly walked to the door, sat cross-legged on the mat, embraced the ball with both hands, focused his mind, and began to run the Small Transformation Yang Skill silently. However, his concentration was somewhat affected by the nightmare from last night. He was unable to settle his mind for a long time and it took him two hours to finally complete a small cycle of the Small Transformation Yang Skill. The skill ran very smoothly, and the Yang Gang Qi inside his body filled every part of it. After the skill operation was over, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a light breath, and then did he feel relieved. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 23 Return to Original Place Chapter 24: Chapter 23 Return to Original Place After some deliberation, Shen Luo wrapped the jade pillow in a cotton cloth and walked into a nearby grove. He started to gather dried grass and dead tree branches among the trees, setting up a large stack of firewood. After clearing the surrounding ground of any plants, he placed the jade pillow, still wrapped in cotton, atop the pile. His thought was straightforward: since the jade pillow couldn¡¯t be broken with an ax, he would try burning it with a large fire. The fire he used last time was not strong enough and didn¡¯t burn long enough. This time, he was determined to burn it harshly, just like boiling in a large pot. The ancient book mentioned that most of the ominous objects were afraid of flames. If there was anything unusual in it, perhaps burning it for a more extended period could destroy it. Shen Luo took out a flint from his bosom, removed the lid, blew on it a few times, and immediately, tiny threads of fiery red sparks along with a wisp of blue smoke wafted out. Just as he was about to light the firewood, he thought of something and pulled out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve pocket. ¡°If there truly is any evil hidden in it, it would be safer to use some cinnabar¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered, pulled out the bottle stopper, and poured out some red powder from the bottle onto the cotton cloth wrapped around the firewood stack along the gaps. Then he used the flint to light the firewood stack. As the smoke rose, flames gradually surrounded the jade pillow, radiating intense heat. Shen Luo looked up at the sky seeing the thickly enclosed trees and the vigorous fire, hardly any smoke was emitted, he didn¡¯t have to worry about catching the attention of his Senior Brothers. The firewood he was using, mostly pine branches, were rich in oil. They crackled as they burned. Shen Luo squatted down by the fire, continually adding wood to the fire, fearing the flames wouldn¡¯t be strong enough. Soon, the cotton cloth was reduced to ashes, revealing the jade pillow inside. There was no sign of scorching on it, not even a blackening. It still maintained its original dark yellow color. Shen Luo was not in a hurry, he continued adding firewood while recalling the events in his dream. He intended to find some clues, such as the location in his dream, and whether he had been to that place before. However, after pondering multiple times, he still couldn¡¯t find any valuable leads. After burning for half an hour, Shen Luo, feeling his face drying from the heat of the flame and having used up all the firewood within a ten-foot radius, finally put out the fire. He picked up a fire-burning stick he had set aside, pushed away the glowing embers and burned grass, revealing the jade pillow covered in ashes, its original appearance hidden completely. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s heart filled with anticipation. He picked up the axe and struck the jade pillow again. ¡®Thud!¡¯ The mute echo echoed. The force of the blow was not light, and his arm was numb from the impact. Yet the jade pillow was unscathed. Only some of the ashes on its surface were brushed off, revealing its original color again. Shen Luo sighed. He was not surprised anymore. He used a fire-burning stick to nudge the jade pillow bit by bit, blowing off the ashes on it. The jade pillow still looked the same as before; there was no sign of burn marks. Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows, slightly pondering before experimenting by poking the jade pillow with his fingertips. As expected, it was still cold? Even after being torched by such intense flames for half an hour, the jade pillow was still as cool as before, showing no signs of heating up. Even a stubborn stone exposed to such prolonged heat wouldn¡¯t be this cool. It was truly too strange. A chill ran down Shen Luo¡¯s spine as he thought about this, prompting him to look up at the sky. He saw the dazzling sunlight, which comforted him slightly. He circled around the jade pillow a few times, then tried tapping the middle and the edges of the jade pillow, but the feel was identical to what it was before. ¡°Impossible to cut with a knife or axe, and unaffected by intense heat. Could this be the magical instrument Bai Xiaotian mentioned when he was drunk?¡± Shen Luo muttered, his face filled with uncertainty. If indeed the jade pillow can induce such realistic nightmares, it may itself be the enigmatic magic weapon spoken of in the ancient book, possessing unusual supernatural power. Perhaps the Yuan Stone could cause some changes in it. As for the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± that originally led him to the jade pillow, due to the exhaustion of the materials, it was impossible to create another in the last few days. At this thought, Shen Luo felt as if he had made a certain decision. He rummaged in his sleeve pocket and took out the only remaining Yuan Stone. But when he held the Yuan Stone in his hand, he hesitated. This Yuan Stone was of great value and not easy to come by. He only had this one left, should he really use it here? ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s just a Yuan Stone. No matter how precious it is, it is still not as precious as my life.¡± Having made up his mind, Shen Luo placed the Yuan Stone on the jade pillow, adjusted his breath, and began to silently circulate the Small Transformation Yang Skill. A moment later, a hot current flowed along his arm and slowly gathered in his palm, finally condensing into a faint red thread less than three inches long, seeping through the palm of his hand. As his hand slowly approached, the faint red threads flowed into the Yuan Stone on the jade pillow dot by dot. A faint red glow immediately lit up on the Yuan Stone, revealing a translucent crystallinity. The white qi inside it also began to churn violently. Shen Luo took a few steps back, swallowed, and watched the Yuan Stone and the jade pillow nervously. A ¡°cracking¡± sound was heard, and the Yuan Stone shattered, a white light burst out from the inside, enveloping the entire jade pillow, making its outline a bit blurry. However, this change only lasted for a moment. The white light collapsed and extinguished in a flash, and the jade pillow remained the same without any noticeable changes. Shen Luo was completely out of ideas. He distractedly buried the remaining embers of the fire, cleaned up the other remnants nearby, hesitated for a long while, then sighed, picked up the jade pillow, and left the grove. Half an hour later. Shen Luo appeared in front of the mountain wall where he had found the jade pillow before. The small cave entrance was opened again. ¡°No matter what weirdness you possess, I apologize for disturbing your peace. Now I¡¯ll return you back. Let¡¯s part ways here and never interfere with each other again.¡± Shen Luo muttered as he put the jade pillow back into the cave. He didn¡¯t forget about finding a deep pool or throwing the jade pillow off a cliff to solve the problem. But in the ancient books he read in the past, there was always one sentence: ¡°Respect the spirits from a distance.¡± Shen Luo was worried that if he hastily threw it away, it might cause bigger trouble, especially if it got tangled with such inexplicable things. Since the jade pillow was originally dug out from here, it should be okay to return it to its original place. He gathered rocks to cover the entrance of the cave. Seeing the marks were still visible, he pulled some vines from under a shady tree nearby and re-covered the entrance of the cave. After doing all this, he got up, dusted the mud off his hands, and took a deep breath. He seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden and turned to leave. Late at night. Although Shen Luo was still somewhat worried, after all the running around of the day, he felt sleepy early. Before going to bed, he took out all the talismans he had written before and posted them around the house. When he lay down on the bed, he didn¡¯t have time to ponder before he fell into a deep sleep. Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Is It a Dream Again? Chapter 25: Chapter 24: Is It a Dream Again? Having spent the night without dreams, Shen Luo awoke early the following morning. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to exhaustion or the relief of returning the jade pillow object to its original place, but he slept particularly well for the night. Upon waking, he felt refreshed and full of energy. After washing up, he headed to the Jade Emperor Hall to cultivate, his condition excellent throughout the day. The only drawback was that he had trouble falling asleep that night for some unknown reason. However, on the third day, after another good night¡¯s sleep, he finally managed to put his anxieties to rest. Several days later, it was nightfall. Shen Luo lit an oil lamp and sat at his desk, flipping through the ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡±. Next to his hand were a stack of Xuan paper and a small hard-tipped awl. The previous nightmares seemed to have departed from him now. But the life-saving wonder of the talismans in the book had made a deep impression on Shen Luo. So, since the day before yesterday, he had taken to copying the talismans from the book onto the white paper each night. Among them, the one he focused on the most was the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡±, an offensive type talisman that he valued most. He hadn¡¯t practiced this talisman much before, as he hadn¡¯t had the demon-subduing book for very long. But the act of drawing talismans and practicing calligraphy had some similarities, so constant practice never hurt. However, drawing talismans relied on integrating Qi into God¡¯s Power, so if one merely sought to achieve a physical likeness, it wouldn¡¯t be too challenging. But if one wanted to capture some semblance of the divine charm, it would be quite draining. After drawing over a dozen talismans, Shen Luo began to feel fatigued. Rubbing his slightly aching brow, he packed away his brush and ink. Not long after lying down, he felt waves of drowsiness washing over him, and his consciousness sank abruptly. ¡­ After an unknown amount of time, when Shen Luo was in a half-awake, half-asleep state, a mournful howl suddenly rang out beside his ear, and a strong smell of blood filled his nostrils. A chill ran through his heart, and he abruptly opened his eyes, only to find a face covered in fresh blood. It was staring back at him with wide, horrified eyes, and was almost pressed up against his own face. ¡°Ah¡­¡± With a shout of fright, Shen Luo shoved his hands forward, pushing off the corpse that was pressed up against him. Before he could figure out what was happening, a nauseating smell of blood suddenly assailed him from above. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils dilated as he saw a huge gray wolf¡¯s head lunging towards him, its mouth wide open, ready to bite into his neck. Strands of bloody flesh hung from its jagged fangs. His mind was greatly shaken and his thoughts blanked out. Operating on instinct alone, he twisted his body and rolled to one side, the foul smell of the wolf¡¯s mouth brushing past his nose. Immediately after, he felt a sharp pain in his legs. The large body of the gray wolf, having pounced on him, was now pinning him down. He had seen wolf carcasses brought in by hunters in Chunhua County. They were a size bigger than the largest hunting dogs in the city. But the wolf that was on top of him was one-third larger than those carcasses. Forcing himself to remain calm, Shen Luo had no time to think about what was happening, he could only struggle to break free from the weight of the wolf. However, the gray wolf was extremely heavy. In his panic, Shen Luo was unable to shake it off. Instead, the wolf managed to stand up after violently dragging its body back. Before Shen Luo had the chance to make his escape, he felt another nauseating smell of blood, and the gray wolf turned its head around to bite at his neck again. Shen Luo, who had managed to calm down, was quicker this time. He rolled to avoid the wolf¡¯s jaws, wrapped his arms around the wolf¡¯s neck, and scrambled onto its back. But the Gray Wolf didn¡¯t give him a chance, its body pushed downwards, causing both of them to fall to the ground. Shen Luo was heavily pressed under the wolf this time. However, his hands didn¡¯t let go, desperately strangling the wolf¡¯s neck. He strained his shoulders upwards, seemingly attempting to snap the wolf¡¯s neck. The Gray Wolf naturally didn¡¯t just surrender. It abruptly stood up again, violently swinging its head side to side, trying to shake Shen Luo off. Shen Luo knew that once shaken off, he would have no chance of avoiding its lethal jaws. As his hands remained firm, his legs also clung to the wolf¡¯s abdomen. He was dangling from the wolf¡¯s body like a monkey. The Gray Wolf continuously growled lowly, its body leaping up, repeatedly smashing into the nearby walls, endeavoring to throw Shen Luo off. Now that Shen Luo had finally found points of leverage with both his hands and legs, he was unwilling to let go. He also released a beast-like growl from his mouth, his arms¡¯ veins bulging as if about to burst. Now he was using all his strength to strangle the Gray Wolf. The Gray Wolf struggled violently, slamming its body, with Shen Luo still clinging onto it, onto the ground repeatedly. Shen Luo gritted his teeth, burying his head into the wolf¡¯s neck, making up his mind that even if he were to die, he must not let go. As he continued to apply more force, the Gray Wolf was severely choked. It exhaled more than it could inhale, and its breath gradually became heavier. From its nostrils came constant ¡°huffing and puffing¡± sounds. A moment later, the Wolf¡¯s steps gradually became weak, and it collapsed against a nearby wall. Shen Luo¡¯s forehead and cheeks were soaked with sweat. Not knowing whether the Gray Wolf was dead, his hand gripping the wolf¡¯s neck remained firm. His left hand tightly held onto his right arm, causing dark purple bruises to emerge on his arm. It was not until the Gray Wolf in his arms ceased to tremble entirely that he slowly released his hands and crawled out from under the wolf¡¯s body. The Gray Wolf was indeed dead. Its crimson tongue hung out from its mouth, with large patches of bloody foam spilling out. Having narrowly escaped death, Shen Luo was somewhat dazed. His heart pounded furiously in his chest. It was only at this moment that he finally had a chance to look around and try to figure out what was happening. But after one look, his face became even more grave. At this moment, he was standing at the edge of a broken city wall. On the city¡¯s pathway were numerous young and middle-aged men armed with weapons, fighting a fierce battle with dozens of huge Gray Wolves. The clothing and weapons of these young and middle-aged men varied. Some wore crude armor made of iron, some wielded finely made iron spears, while others fought bare-chested with bronze hammers in their hands, forming groups of three or five to fight a single wolf. ¡°Is this another dream?¡± Shen Luo thought blankly. With this thought, he felt a severe pain in his thigh, and when he looked down, he discovered that his leg had been wounded during his fight with the Gray Wolf, and that half of his trousers had been stained red with blood. Shen Luo grimaced in pain, just as he was about to find something to bind the wound, a gust of rancid wind blew from his side and another Gray Wolf rushed out ferociously, and crashed heavily into him. Shen Luo was caught off guard and felt a sharp pain in his waist. His body was flung out like a ragged sack, and he tumbled off from the nearby broken wall, plummeting towards the city¡¯s outskirts. On his descent, Shen Luo saw that outside the city walls was a massive cluster of wolves. They lined up and advanced from across the moat, not only filling the river channel, but also densely piled up to attack the city, covering the entire outer wall of the city. Among these wolves, sprinkled here and there were Black Wolves that were twice the size of the average Gray Wolves. With tusks like hooks and eyes radiating a ferocious glow, they truly lived up to the name of fierce beasts. Before he could see more, his body crashed heavily into the pack of wolves. The Gray Wolves surrounding him, which had been vying to climb to the top of the city, immediately turned around and rushed over, ferociously tearing at him. Shen Luo had no chance of struggling. His legs, arms, shoulders, and neck were all fiercely bitten by the foul-smelling wolf mouths. All he felt was an intense pain throughout his body. His vision blurred, and once again, he plunged into endless darkness. Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 25 The Friend in Adversity Chapter 26: Chapter 25 The Friend in Adversity From above the ramparts, a cry of alarm was heard. A young man sprung open his eyes, pushing away the headless corpse in front of him. It was Shen Luo. ¡°Resurrected¡­again. Could it be¡­¡± When he woke up again, the second time he saw that gruesome face smothered in blood, he was first astounded, then realized the fact: he appeared to have fallen back into that perilous nightmare. ¡°Roar ¡­¡± The stench of blood surged forth abruptly, accompanied by noise ringing in his ears. Shen Luo quickly remembered something. His body immediately rolled to its left side, narrowly avoiding the oncoming gray wolf. Before he could rise, he caught sight of a long narrow knife soaked in blood under the city wall not far from him. Taking advantage of the situation, he rolled once again, grabbing hold of the knife hilt and clutching the knife in his hand. The gray wolf, having missed its initial pounce, twirled its body around in an instant, its hind legs pushing off the ground, lunging toward him once more. Having already killed ghosts with his own hands and dying multiple times, Shen Luo¡¯s courage surpassed the imaginations of common people. Far from dodging, he fixed his gaze upon the gray wolf, waiting until its head was almost touching his nose and its pungent, offensive breath fanned his face, before abruptly dodging, causing the gray wolf to bite at empty air. Seizing this opportunity, he grasped the knife with both hands and thrust it upwards fiercely. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound¡­ The long knife tore straight through the gray wolf¡¯s throat, piercing out from the back of its neck and creating a large wound due to the momentum of the wolf¡¯s pounce. Blood gushed out from the wolf¡¯s neck, splattering half of Shen Luo¡¯s face with blood. The gray wolf collapsed heavily onto him, twitched for a moment, and then lay motionless. Shen Luo took a deep breath, half of his body soaked in wolf blood. He pushed the wolf corpse aside and, using the knife as support, stood up. But before he could steady his position, a man¡¯s voice yelling ¡°Watch out!¡± rang out from not far away. At the same time, he felt a chill breeze from behind. His heart tightened, but before he could react, there was a ¡°whoosh¡± sound by his ear as something shot past close by. ¡®Thud¡¯ Shen Luo whirled around and couldn¡¯t help but gasp. He saw a gray wolf pinned in a distorted position against a crenellation, whimpering. Blood was gushing from its left eye, where it had been shot through by a crossbow bolt emitting a faint golden glow, pinning it to the stone bricks behind. The bolt was swift and powerful, hence it was doubtful whether he could have avoided the vicious wolf¡¯s ambush without it. On the red bolt shaft, a golden charm pattern was revealed as the faint golden glow gradually faded. He looked towards where the warning had come from. About ten feet away, a man of average build with tiger-like eyebrows had just tucked a small, black crossbow back into his waist. The old quiver at his side was empty, and it seemed the bolt just now had been his last one. The man saw Shen Luo looking at him, gave a slight nod, and swung the broad horse-chopping saber in his other hand. With a flash of cold light, another gray wolf that was sneaking up on him had its head separated from its body, and died on the spot. The entire process went smoothly, without the slightest hesitation. Not far from the man, there were three or four sturdy young men in armor, each holding the same type of horse-chopping saber. They seemed to be his retainers, fighting back to back and on guard against wolf attacks. The man with the tiger-like eyebrows, however, was running high on killing intent. He charged alone at a group of gray wolves, his followers trailing behind with their own sabers, but constantly being entangled by other incoming wolves. Shen Luo shifted his gaze, wiped the blood off his face, and with a deep breath, started walking cautiously towards the corner tower along the inner side of the city wall with the knife in hand. But before he could take a few steps, a head came rolling to his feet. He looked down, half of the face was a bloody pulp, full of anger and unwillingness, which startled him enormously. ¡°My son ¡­ beasts ¡­¡± a wailing cry rang out. Shen Luo turned his head and saw: about fifteen to eighteen meters away was a tall old man, around fifty, full of sorrow and indignation. The man clutched a red tassel spear and, with a determined demeanor, charged out. He thrust his spear, piercing straight through the neck of a gray wolf. But before he could withdraw his spear, another wolf lunged at him, bit his throat, and he slumped over onto the ground. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo quickly gripped his single-bladed sword and rushed toward them, hoping to save the tall, old man. However, he was stopped in his tracks by another man. Looking up, he saw two, thick, upward-curving eyebrows¡ª It was the man who saved his life earlier, the man with the tiger-like brows. ¡°It¡¯s too late,¡± said the man in a grave tone. Just as he finished speaking, another gray wolf slammed forward, struggling for food with its kin. In moments, it tore the old man¡¯s body into several pieces. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, unable to bear looking at the scene any longer. ¡°Young priest, is this your first city defense?¡± The man with the tiger-brows asked, on guard as he scanned his surroundings. Shen Luo was unsure of how to respond and vaguely affirmed with a sound. Attire he wore was that of a Spring and Autumn Pavilion disciple. Even though it was somewhat ragged, one could still make out that it was Taoist clothing. ¡°Not bad, fending off a wolf alone on your first try. What¡¯s your name? As long as you survive this, I¡¯ll buy you a drink later,¡± The man with the tiger brow spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, asking. ¡°Shen Luo.¡± ¡°Good, Brother Shen! My name is Yu Meng. If you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Brother Yu,¡± said the man with the tiger brows, chuckling. ¡°Brother Yu,¡± Shen Luo replied immediately, without any hesitation. If it weren¡¯t for this man¡¯s earlier arrow, he would already be dead¡­ again. ¡°Straightforward! Just stand behind me in a bit and watch my back from attacks. I¡¯ll be blocking in front, I¡¯ll make sure you get that promised drink,¡± Yu Meng roared with laughter. Shen Luo then stood behind Yu Meng, knife in hand. The two of them stood back to back, relying on each other¡ªit was as if they were seasoned soldiers on the battlefield, fighting side by side. At this moment, Shen Luo really wanted to ask where he was and what was going on with these giant wolves. But, given the circumstances, there was no room for such questions. Not long after he had positioned himself, Yu Meng blocked an oncoming gray wolf with his knife. The wolf¡¯s sharp claws met the blade of his knife, producing a grating metallic sound that made one¡¯s teeth ache. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately stepped forward. Gripping his long knife with both hands, he forcefully jabbed from above Yu Meng¡¯s right shoulder, stabbing the wolf¡¯s left eye. The wolf let out a blood-curdling howl, and the pressure on Yu Meng¡¯s arm immediately eased. Unlike Shen Luo, Yu Meng was a seasoned warrior and would not miss such an opportunity. He suddenly crouched down, kneeling and rushing under the wolf. With both hands, he swirled the horse-chopping saber above him, creating a swath of blood that sprayed out as the wolf¡¯s head was hacked off. Being right in front of the wolf, Shen Luo was instantly covered in blood. ¡°Good job, little brother!¡± Yu Meng crawled out from under the wolf¡¯s corpse, giving a thumbs up in praise. Just as Shen Luo was about to reply, he noticed some commotion nearby. An enormous black wolf suddenly sprang onto the city wall, turned, and slammed into the breach in the city wall a few times. After creating an even larger gap of about nine to twelve meters, it spun around, pounced, and slit the throats of four or five city defenders with just a few swift movements of its claws. Contrary to the blood-lusting gray wolves, it did not feast on the corpses. Instead, it flung the bodies aside with a swipe of its claws, and leapt towards several more young men. With this unexpected move, the city¡¯s precarious defenses were broken through, immediate chaos ensued. Several dozen more gray wolves took this chance to rush to the city walls, partaking in the battle. The black wolf, however, vanished without a trace amid the turmoil. Various scattered wolf beasts have effectively separated Shen Luo and Yu Meng from the others. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Immortal Master Chapter 27: Chapter 26 Immortal Master Shen Luo, seeing this, tensed up. He was about to turn his head and say something to the Tiger Eyebrow Man, but his expression drastically changed and he let out a loud cry. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Yu Meng also instantly felt a shadow cast over his head. By this time, it was too late to turn around. He could only grip his sword in his hands and desperately stab upwards behind him. ¡°Clang¡± a sharp ringing sound! The giant Horse Chopping Saber in his hands was held frozen by the jaws of that huge black wolf that had somehow jumped over here. The grating sound of metal on metal made one¡¯s teeth feel sour, no matter how Yu Meng tried to pull it, the blade did not move an inch. ¡°Crack¡± was heard as the black wolf violently shook its head. Its steel teeth gripped and the Horse Chopping Saber was bitten in half by it. At the same time as the sword was broken, Yu Meng had already somersaulted forward, avoiding the black wolf¡¯s claw and yelled to Shen Luo, ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo watched as the huge claws of the black wolf, gleaming black at the tips, cast a blurred shadow and were scratching towards the heart of Yu Meng¡¯s back. He gritted his teeth and instead of retreating, he rushed forward in two steps. His single-edged sword was also turned into a cold light as it hacked down. The blow he delivered was with all his might. His single-edged sword directly hit the black wolf on the shoulder and penetrated several inches deep. Only, this black wolf¡¯s muscles were way too strong, much stronger compared to those grey wolves. Shen Luo¡¯s heavy blow was directly embedded in the wolf¡¯s shoulder bone, unable to move even an inch further in or out. However, under the pain, the wolf¡¯s claws did slow down. Yu Meng took this opportunity to roll sideways and then stood up with a kip up. Seeing this, Shen Luo also decisively let go of his dagger and retreated, standing shoulder to shoulder with Yu Meng. ¡°This black wolf is too strong, and now that I¡¯ve lost my Horse Chopping Saber, I can only barely hold it off. You take this chance to break out.¡± Yu Meng gratefully glanced at Shen Luo and said. Without waiting for Shen Luo¡¯s reply, Yu Meng immediately grabbed a single-edged sword from the ground and slashed at an approaching grey wolf, once again starting a fight with the black wolf. In no time he was at a disadvantage, facing danger again and again. In desperation, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze suddenly caught sight of a banner on the ground, and an idea suddenly flashed in his mind. Since this black wolf is so fierce and ordinary weapons are having difficulty hurting it, why not try the Small Thunder talisman? Even though he had never succeeded in real life, under these circumstances, there¡¯s no time to think too much. It was necessary to try to do something, whatever it may be. He quickly bent down, tore the banner off the flagpole, and was about to start drawing a symbol on the banner with the wolf blood on his fingers. But then, he thought of something. Seizing the moment, he wiped off the wolf blood from his hand, and directly bit his own finger. He took a deep breath, didn¡¯t bother to take the horse stance and start drawing runes on the banner. Thanks to his constant practice, the runes for the Small Thunder Talisman were not a problem for him at all, and he drew them in one breath. As soon as the rune was completed, he immediately picked up the banner, turned around and looked towards Yu Meng¡¯s direction. Only then did he realize that the situation in the vicinity had changed drastically in just seven or eight breaths of time. As more and more grey wolves climbed onto the city wall, mixed with black wolves among them, the defenders were increasingly pushed back towards the corner towers on both sides. Yu Meng and Shen Luo became increasingly isolated. A large number of grey wolves had already begun to change direction and joined the array of wolves that were attacking Yu Meng. ¡°Young master¡­¡± A sharp cry came. Shen Luo followed the sound and saw that each one of Yu Meng¡¯s four attendants was blood-soaked. They were fighting fiercely from the corner of the tower towards this direction, but there were too many wolves on the city wall. Even if they fought to the death, they simply could not get through. He and Yu Meng were now in a desperate situation. ¡°Roar ¡­¡± An earth-shattering roar sounded! Shen Luo suddenly withdrew his gaze, only to see Yu Meng being cornered by a black wolf, pressed against the inner wall of the city¡¯s battlement. Behind the black wolf, there were two gray wolves keeping a close eye on Yu Meng, ready to pounce at any instant. Yu Meng¡¯s situation was precarious. ¡°If I die, I die!¡± Shen Luo steeled himself and lunged towards Yu Meng. Nearing the wolf, he leapt from the city wall, bringing the flag adorned with the Small Thunder Talisman down over the head of the black wolf. At the moment of release, he activated Small Transformation Yang Skill, infusing his Yang Gang Qi into the talisman. From the blood-drawn charm patterns on the banner, a white light erupted from the character for ¡°thunder¡± at the top, spreading downwards until it abruptly cut out halfway and extinguished. ¡°It¡­ failed¡­¡± Shen Luo already had landed and his heart dropped. Yet, in the next instant, a loud ¡°rumble¡± echoed from the sky above! A dazzling white thunderbolt plummeted from the sky, striking the skull of the black wolf, which was shrouded by the flag. The head of the black wolf immediately burst apart like an overripe watermelon, and from within it, a dense cloud of green smoke emerged, accompanied by a charred stench. The headless wolf corpse immediately lost its strength and collapsed, pinning Yu Meng underneath. The huge noise scared the gray wolves, who originally intended to pounce, keeping them at bay for the moment. ¡°Did it work? This power¡­¡± Shen Luo was somewhat dumbfounded but his eyes shone brightly soon after. ¡°Boom, boom boom¡­¡± But before he could rejoice, the thunderous rumble echoed from the sky. White lightning, thick as a man¡¯s arm, frequently illuminated high altitude, fell from above in succession, striking the wolf beasts on top of the city wall. Everywhere the lightning dropped, white electrical threads exploded, striking the nearby wolf beasts, tearing them apart. Along with the lightning, there were flashes of fire. Balls of crimson flames, as large as a peck measure, fell from the sky. As these fiery spheres landed on the wolf beasts, they splashed crimson flames everywhere, swallowing entire bodies in an instant. Among the flames, sounds of sizzling along with the agonizing howls of wolf beasts filled the air. Just within a few breaths, all the wolf beasts on this section of the wall had been slaughtered. Looking up, Shen Luo could see seven or eight individuals levitating in the air above the city¡¯s wall. Some were wearing Taoist robes, some clad in monk robes, and others draped in armor. They all looked different, but they all seemed to be enveloped in a splendid treasured light. Those individuals continued casting their magic, attacking the wolf beasts at several other parts of the city¡¯s wall. ¡°The immortal masters are here, the immortal masters are here¡­¡± Cheers broke out among those on the nearby walls. ¡°We¡¯re saved, we¡¯re saved¡­¡± ¡°We held on, we held it out¡­¡± Some people were crying tears of joy. ¡°Immortal master¡­ are these¡­ gods?¡± Shen Luo was completely startled. Were there really flying gods? Snapping out of his trance, he took a good look at the figures. Some were wielding Seven-Star Treasure Swords made of coin-like links, some were holding gleaming purple-gold bowls, and others held bronze long halberds, each implementing their own magical methods. Among them, a short and chubby old man wearing a golden silk dress was the most conspicuous. Below his chin, he had a long gray beard, and he was dressed like a wealthy town gentry yet he was the most eye-catching among them all. All he saw was the old man forming hand seals with one hand, and continuously releasing yellow paper charms with the other. As soon as the charms flew out, they lit themselves on fire in mid-air and exploded into a pillar of white thunder and lightning, striking the wolf beasts. The old man was casting his magic incredibly fast, so fast that Shen Luo could not make out whether he was making hand signs or chanting spells. All he noticed was that the old man definitely did not use any Yuan Stone. Only then did Shen Luo understand that the thick thunderbolt that saved Yu Meng just now was not from his Small Thunder Talisman but the result of the fat old immortal master¡¯s intervention. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Life After the Calamity Chapter 28: Chapter 27: Life After the Calamity With the addition of these few Immortal Masters, the situation on the city wall was instantly turned around. Thunder and lightning, along with huge fireballs, were taking turns flying down, interspersed with imperceptible waves of qi and flashes of sword light. The wolf beasts that had reached the top of the wall were suddenly heavily wounded or killed. They had no choice but to start retreating. Yu Meng finally managed to crawl out from under the huge corpse of the Black Wolf. He came over to Shen Luo, leaning on his huge sword, patting his shoulder gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡± Shen Luo was still in awe of the Immortals, barely managing a smile. After a few steps, he walked to the edge of the wall and gazed into the distance. The wolves below were fleeing away like a tide from beyond the moat. But amidst the dense pack of wolves, one place stood out. He narrowed his eyes, carefully looking towards that spot and saw on a small hillside beyond the moat, amongst hundreds of Demon Wolves ¨C none were Grey Wolves, surprisingly they were all massive Black Wolves. Mounted on the largest Black Wolf in the middle, was indeed a person. To be precise, it should not be called a ¡°person¡±, but a terrifying creature with a ferocious wolf head and a humanoid body. Wrapped in coarse clothing, its arms were bare. As Shen Luo was staring at this sight, this wolf-headed humanoid turned its head, its eyes flashing green, revealing its terrifyingly sharp teeth through a wolfish grin. Chills ran down Shen Luo¡¯s spine at the sight! This creature seemed to be laughing, although its laughter was truly frightening. However, the creature only looked back once before it turned again. It raised one arm and waved it forward as if commanding something. Immediately after this, the entire army of wolf beasts soared into motion, speeding away into the distance. Just as Shen Luo was about to look away, he suddenly noticed something unusual and promptly took a closer look. In the middle of the black wolf pack, there seemed to be two wolves covered in a strange green hue. They were not as large as the Black Wolves, just about the size of Gray Wolves, but as they ran swiftly, their bodies kept blurring and flickering, appearing and disappearing, making it hard to make out what they really looked like. However, before Shen Luo could see them clearly, the wolf pack had already fled far away, disappearing from his sight. The tension that Shen Luo had been holding onto finally relaxed, only for him to immediately feel an all-encompassing weakness and waves of pain from all over his body. He quickly propped himself up against the wall, his eyes falling on the area below the outer wall of the city. What he saw was a mountain of wolf corpses stacked there, and all along the wall to the moat were the decimated remains of both the wolf beasts and the defending city¡¯s youth; they were piled upon each other each layer heavier than the other. Even within the moat, there was a large mass of floating corpses of both men and beasts, so many that the bloody water no longer flowed. Clearly, there had been vicious fighting at the foot of the city and even in front of the moat before everyone withdrew to hold their position at the top of the wall. This was truly a scene right out of hell on earth. All around the city wall, cries of anguish filled the air. There were cries born out of sheer relief from those who had managed to survive, there were cries of bereavement for loved ones lost in the battle, and all this was intermingled with the sounds of gratitude directed towards the Immortal Masters. Shen Luo, inhaling deeply the smell of thick blood in the air, felt dizzy and nauseous, and clutched his chest. He leaned weakly against the wall and slid down, shaking uncontrollably. His gaze scanned over the lifeless bodies and the survivors on top of the city wall. The expressions of shock, joy and despair on their faces were so vivid; so intense! Was this all just a dream? Just then, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze flickered as he suddenly realized he had overlooked something. Earlier, when he was fully focussed on the life-and-death battle with the wolf pack, he had failed to notice that the dress and attire of the people on the city wall seemed unfamiliar compared to what he was used to seeing on a daily basis. While most of them were still wearing round collared robes, the front and back of their robes seemed to have been significantly shortened. He didn¡¯t know if this was for the convenience of battle, or they were originally like this. ¡°Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± Yu Meng saw that Shen Luo looked unwell, and he walked over to ask. At this moment, Shen Luo felt too exhausted to even speak, and could only shake his head. ¡°As long as nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± Yu Meng laughed. ¡°Brother Yu, you seem quite happy about what happened?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t muster up a smile. ¡°Life goes on this way. To survive is already fortunate. Moreover, we have just escaped death by the skin of our teeth, isn¡¯t that something worth celebrating?¡± Yu Meng raised his brow, his gaze drifted to the distance. Shen Luo could only return a bitter smile, but in his heart, a string of doubts remained unsettled. He had clearly returned the jade pillow, but why did such a strange dream still occur? Moreover, when he first appeared on the city wall this time, his clothes and even his injuries were exactly the same as when the previous dream ended. The only difference was, after he joined forces with the little girl to kill the evil ghost last time, he was completely exhausted at the end. However, when he woke up from the dream this time, he still had all his strength and was unaffected. This place was extremely dangerous, so naturally, it would be wise to return to reality as soon as possible. However, he had no idea how to wake up. Last time in the Ghost Village, he also died several times, and only after killing the ghost did he return. So did he have to die several more times this time, or kill all these wolf beasts to wake up? Thinking about this, Shen Luo felt a headache as if his head was about to explode, and his wounds seemed to ache even more. Just then, three armored men carried a man over on a plank. When they got closer, he saw that the man being carried had a bloody hole in his chest that was torn open by a wolf claw. All around it was dried and coagulated filthy blood. Seeing this, Yu Meng¡¯s fists clenched tightly, and he strode over to them. Shen Luo recognized the three men. They were Yu Meng¡¯s attendants, and the one who had already died was the one who had been at the forefront trying to rescue them when the two of them were surrounded by the wolf pack. Yu Meng¡¯s hands shook slightly as he helped to wipe the blood from the deceased attendant¡¯s face. He then bent down to pick up a blood-stained flag nearby and slowly covered him with it. ¡°This is my brother, Tian Chong¡­¡± He turned back to speak, his eyes already teary. Shen Luo had a solemn face, barely managed to stand up, and respectfully bowed to the others. The other three also solemnly nodded to him in return. Meanwhile, on the other side of the city wall, the immortal masters who had chased the wolf beasts out of the city for more than a hundred miles, confirmed they had truly withdrawn and had flown back, landing on the city wall. Among them was an old man who looked like a wealthy elder, leading several people patrolling the city wall, while two Taoist priests were examining the injuries of the survivors across the city wall. For those who were severely injured and whose lives could not be saved by ordinary healing medicine, the powdered medicine and elixir pills they distributed could save them. However, these elixirs were clearly limited and precious, not everyone could receive them. Most of those treated were strong young men, as for those aged or whose limbs had been severed, they could only rely on ordinary herbs. It really was up to fate whether these mortals survived or died at this moment. Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 28: The Depressed Market Chapter 29: Chapter 28: The Depressed Market ¡°Brother Shen, it seems we won¡¯t be able to drink today. Let me know where you¡¯re staying, and I¡¯ll come visit you another day for a good drink,¡± Yu Meng took his eyes off the view, patting Shen Luo on the shoulder. ¡°No need to hide it from you, Brother Yu. I just arrived in the city. As for where I¡¯m staying¡­¡± Shen Luo deliberately gave a bitter smile, speaking vaguely. ¡°Oh? Brother Shen is not a local, yet he¡¯s willing to risk his life defending the city. That¡¯s some daring spirit, a true brother!¡± Yu Meng was taken aback by this and gave Shen Luo a thumbs-up. The accompanying three men also looked at Shen Luo with friendlier eyes after hearing this. ¡°You are too kind, Brother Yu. I am only doing what I can for self-protection,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly waved his hand. ¡°Haha! There aren¡¯t many men with character like Brother Shen in this world these days! If you don¡¯t have somewhere to stay in the city, why not come with me to my house?¡± Yu Meng laughed heartily, then seemingly thought of something and asked. ¡°I indeed haven¡¯t had a chance to find a place yet, so I will take advantage of your kindness, Brother Yu.¡± Shen Luo has been filled with curiosity, so he readily accepted the invitation. ¡°Bother about what? We¡¯re brothers. No need to talk such formality. Let¡¯s go!¡± Yu Meng raised his eyebrows, draped an arm over Shen Luo¡¯s shoulders, and set off. The group came to the corner tower of the city wall along the roadway. About to step down the city ladder, they saw several soldiers in uniforms, supporting a stout middle-aged man, struggling step-by-step up. Shen Luo looked down to see the man had fair skin, short yellow mustaches by the mouth, and the clumsy suit of armor he wore made him look like a chunk of fat meat stuffed into a turtle shell, quite incompatible. The middle-aged man and his party also saw Yu Meng descending the city wall and stood where they were. ¡°Give way to the heroes,¡± the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes fell on Tian Chong¡¯s body, his face slightly changed, and he ordered. The soldiers immediately moved him aside to clear the path. ¡°You first take Tian Chong back,¡± Yu Meng instructed the remaining men. The three aides responded, picked up Tian Chong¡¯s body, and proceeded down the city ladder. As they passed the stout middle-aged man, seeing the blackish bloodstains on the flag, the man¡¯s brow broke out in a cold sweat. Shen Luo followed Yu Meng down the city wall to the man¡¯s side. ¡°Lord Liu,¡± Yu Meng greeted with a fist and palm salute. ¡°Yu¡­ Cousin Yu,¡± The middle-aged man hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°The beasts that attacked the city wall left many bodies behind. We must get rid of them as soon as possible. We can let the people in the city continue to portion and preserve them. Additionally, the parts of the city wall that were damaged need to be repaired soon.¡± Yu Meng looked back at the city wall and said. ¡°Cousin Yu, rest assured. I have already sent people to do it,¡± Lord Liu replied hastily. Yu Meng nodded and did not say anything more, taking Shen Luo further down the city. Lord Liu wanted to say something but seeing Yu Meng walking away without looking back, swallowed his words, wiped his sweat again, and continued his way to the city wall with the support of others. ¡°Who is this Lord Liu?¡± Shen Luo asked as they descended the city wall. ¡°Deputy Liu Fu of Donglai County,¡± Yu Meng replied casually. ¡°So he¡¯s the officer in charge of military and political affairs in the area,¡± Shen Luo said with some confusion in his heart. At first glance, Yu Meng didn¡¯t look like an ordinary city guard, but he also didn¡¯t seem like someone of an official status. Why did this ¡°Lord Liu¡± appear somewhat nervous in his presence? ¡°What kind of parent official? Simply a weak scholar, perhaps apt at resolving minor disputes, but a joke in times like these. The military preparations in Donglai County are slack. If not for the young and strong men in the city holding out, relying on those old soldiers would have been hopeless.¡± Yu Meng sniffed disdainfully, declaring. Hearing this, Shen Luo instantly understood why Yu Meng was displeased with this man. ¡°But having said that, although this man is timid, at least he did not abandon the city and flee. He even knew to ascend the city walls to comfort the people after the battle. That¡¯s more commendable than the officials in neighboring counties,¡± Yu Meng sighed, adding. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement, feeling a bit more understanding towards Deputy Liu. At the brink of life and death, how many people could truly face death unflinchingly? However, a question arose in his mind. In his memory, Donglai County Town was located in the southern part of Chishui Prefecture. He had never visited, but neither had he heard of such terrifying wolf pack sightings in that area. Wasn¡¯t it? If such a thing truly happens, it wouldn¡¯t take long for the news to spread all over the world. ¡°Brother Shen, let¡¯s go,¡± Yu Meng saw Shen Luo deep in thought and urged him forward. ¡­ While he didn¡¯t feel much when he was atop the city wall, now that he had walked into the city, Shen Luo felt the majesty of Donglai County, with the city walls nearly one zhang higher than Chunhua County¡¯s. The city wall, extraordinarily high and broad, protected the city like a mountain range. Though the wall¡¯s surface eroded from wind and rain, its grand facade was still somewhat evident despite the damage it bore. A vast main road beneath their feet directed straight into the city, wide enough for four carriages to drive side by side. However, perhaps due to long-term lack of maintenance, the road was full of potholes. The street-side shops on either side were larger and taller than those in Chunhua City, but they appeared somewhat dilapidated for some reason. The architectural style here was different from Chunhua County. While the latter had simple and grand structures, the buildings here were quite tall with more decorations on the eaves, walls, and door frames. ¡°My home is near the Confucius Temple. Brother Shen, please follow me.¡± Yu Meng led Shen Luo deeper into the city. Shen Luo followed behind Yu Meng, surveying his surroundings. The more he looked, the stranger he felt. It was nearing sunset but still daylight, yet there was hardly anyone on the streets inside the city. Most of the shops along the street were closed. A once-bustling inn at the corner of the street didn¡¯t even have its doors shut, but inside it was deserted, the floor dust-covered, suggesting it had been out of business for some time. Only a few shops selling necessities like rice and flour were still open, with hardly anyone around. The clothing style differed as well. The men here mostly wore turbans and robes that were shorter than what Shen Luo was used to. The women wore short top garments that revealed their necks and chest area, paired with long skirts, a stark contrast to Chunhua County. For some reason, the people here seemed somewhat numb, especially their eyes. There was an indescribable feeling of fear and confusion. Occasionally, Shen Luo could see some poorly dressed people, old and young, begging passersby, but their pleas were largely met with indifference. The depressing scene made one feel heavy. ¡°Could it be that this Donglai County isn¡¯t the Donglai County in Chishui Prefecture that I know? Where am I exactly? Am I still within the Great Tang territory?¡± Shen Luo wondered to himself. But Yu Meng seemed accustomed to all this, striding briskly towards the heart of the city. Shen Luo had to suppress his doubts in his mind and quickened his pace to follow Yu Meng. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Is it really him? Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Is it really him? ¡°Brother Shen, please wait for me a moment,¡± Yu Meng suddenly stopped as he passed a small alley, speaking to Shen Luo. ¡°Please do as you wish, Brother Yu,¡± Shen Luo said. Yu Meng quickly walked into the alley, his figure soon disappearing within. Standing and examining his surroundings, Shen Luo pondered over the various things he had observed so far, considering how to bring up his queries once they arrived at Yu Meng¡¯s house. ¡°Big brother, could you spare me some food? I haven¡¯t eaten for two days,¡± A crisp voice broke Shen Luo¡¯s reverie, coming from beside him. Upon hearing the voice, Shen Luo turned to see a little girl of around seven or eight shyly standing not far away. The girl was dressed in a dirty hemp short shirt full of patches. As the shirt was oversized, her arms and legs were exposed. She held out a broken bowl with both hands, her gaze filled with desperation as she looked up. ¡°I don¡¯t have any food or silver on me¡­¡± Shen Luo felt a softness in his heart under the little girl¡¯s gaze. He reached into his clothes, pretending to fumble around, indicating that he didn¡¯t have anything. ¡°What happened, Brother Shen?¡± Yu Meng¡¯s voice came as he briskly emerged from the alley. There were two black long knives added to his waist, narrower in the spine and longer in the blade than the horse-chopping saber he was using before. Placed obliquely on his back waist, and his bosom bulging with something he was carrying. Seeing Yu Meng, especially the weapons in his hand, a hint of panic flashed across the little girl¡¯s face and she quickly turned and fled. ¡°Ah, the world is cold, the people are suffering¡­ let¡¯s go,¡± Seeing this, Yu Meng sighed. Watching the frail figure flee into the distance, Shen Luo felt a lump in his throat, a sensation that he couldn¡¯t quite describe. They continued their journey, quickly leaving the neighborhood. Ahead, the roadside was lined with an appreciable number of trees and the path became narrower. Residential courtyards started appearing on either side of the road. There were fewer pedestrians here, every household was locked tight. The road was scattered with fallen leaves due to lack of cleaning and they rolled about with the wind. Before long, Shen Luo arrived with Yu Meng at the front of a grand mansion. The plaque hanging over the main gate read ¡°Yu Residence¡±. This mansion was built north-facing south, with a wide main gate, large enough for four or five people to walk through side by side. Although most of the gold lacquer on the two gate doors had peeled off, there was still an imposing majestic aura emanating. In front of the entrance were a pair of two-meter-tall red lacquered stone-carved lions. In comparison with other households, it stood out as a crane among chickens. ¡°So you¡¯re of a wealthy family, Brother Yu,¡± Shen Luo commented lightly, with a slight smile on seeing this. ¡°These are all my father¡¯s eccentricities. Nowadays, with evil rampant and the world in chaos, what¡¯s the point of keeping up such grand appearances?¡± Yu Meng replied. Just as he was about to push the gate open, some footsteps sounded from the side. It turned out to be the three escorts coming back in strides. Yu Meng withdrew his hand and went up to them. ¡°Young Master, We¡¯ve sent Tian Chong home and also delivered the consolation silver,¡± the dark-faced escort reported with a salute. ¡°Good, Thank you all for your hard work. Go and rest first,¡± Yu Meng replied with a nod, his eyes filled with solemn respect. The three escorts gave their acknowledgments, nodded at Shen Luo as their form of greeting, and went their separate ways back home. ¡°Brother Shen, I¡¯ll be back shortly,¡± After the group left, Yu Meng hesitated briefly before speaking to Shen Luo. ¡°Feel free to attend to your affairs, Brother Yu,¡± Knowing that Yu Meng wanted to go to Tian Chong¡¯s home, Shen Luo would naturally not hold him back. Yu Meng gave a slight bow, then hurriedly left in the direction that the escorts had come from. Shen Luo watched as Yu Meng¡¯s figure disappeared in the distance, sighing inwardly. He waited outside the gates of the Yu Residence, meanwhile carefully observing the surrounding environment, which kept him from getting bored. A moment later, Yu Meng hurried back from the direction he had gone, his eyes slightly puffed up. ¡°Apologies for making Brother Shen wait, let¡¯s head inside,¡± he said a bit remorsefully. Then, he moved a few steps ahead and knocked on the big gate. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re back.¡± The heavy gate creaked open, and a chubby teenager of about fifteen or sixteen came out greeting with a pleasant smile. However, when he saw Shen Luo behind, a hint of surprise crossed his agile eyes, but he wisely refrained from asking further. ¡°Is Father home?¡± Yu Meng, who had now regained his calm, asked. ¡°Master has come home. He¡¯s in the study.¡± The chubby boy brought his gaze back and replied. ¡°This is my new acquaintance, Brother Shen Luo. Little Shunzi, get a room ready for him,¡± Yu Meng instructed the chubby lad, and then led Shen Luo through the gate, heading towards the inner courtyard. The courtyard was a three-compartment structure, with a rigorous layout, towering eaves, and large courtyards, quite magnificent indeed. However, what surprised Shen Luo was the absence of any servant about, given the vastness of the courtyard, which resulted in a rather quiet atmosphere. He had seen only Little Shunzi since he had come in. Compared to this, his own residence in Chunhua County, although of a similar scale, was bustling with servants and maids. They passed through two courtyards and arrived at a spacious hall. The floor was paved with large blue stones as polished and smooth as a mirror, tough as iron. The furniture was all made of deep rosewood, and some antique ornaments were placed beside the walls on both sides, the whole arrangement being quite luxurious. However, at the far end of the hall, in front of a sculpted screen, stood an imposing statue, which was not of the Three Purities or the Six Imperials, but of a middle-aged scholar holding a writing brush. With three tufts of long beard hanging down to his chest, he looked quite refined. In front of the statue was an altar covered in incense and a variety of other offerings, with spirals of incense smoke curling upward. The statue, the altar, and the rest of the sumptuous arrangement did seem oddly mismatched and rather out of place, making the whole setting appear somewhat comical. Seeing the decorations in the hall, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but show an unusual expression. As someone who belonged to a wealthy family in the county, he understood the love people of affluence had for grandeur and keeping up appearances. Everything in the main reception hall where guests were entertained was usually arranged carefully down to the last detail. So how could it be in such a mess? ¡°Forgive the disorder, my father is a man of Dao and does things according to his own whims, hence the somewhat chaotic arrangement at home,¡± Yu Meng smiled and explained upon seeing Shen Luo¡¯s reaction. Obviously, Shen Luo wasn¡¯t the only one who found the layout here strange. ¡°Not at all. Uncle Yu¡¯s unorthodox ways show his stature amongst scholars. Is he available now for me to pay my respects?¡± Shen Luo laughed and became somewhat interested in the man who had turned the hall into a Daoist temple. ¡°Actually, you have met him already,¡± said Yu Meng, winking and continuing in a mysterious tone. Shen Luo was taken aback, about to press for details. ¡°Meng Er, you little devil, where have you been messing about again? You¡¯re late, and I¡¯ve been waiting for you for half the day! Did you buy the things I asked for?¡± An aging, slightly hoarse voice sounded from outside, followed by a short, plump figure entering the room. Shen Luo turned around at the sound of the voice and was stunned when he saw the man¡¯s face. It was him? The man who walked in was none other than the short plump old man amongst the Immortal Masters on the city wall earlier, the one dressed in a golden silk dress who had rescued Yu Meng. The old man was then holding a vermilion wine gourd with rosiness on his face and a bleary look in his eyes, already somewhat tipsy. He looked like an ordinary old tippler, bearing no resemblance at all to the high and aloof Immortal Master he had appeared to be on the city wall. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Talisman Inscription Dao Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Talisman Inscription Dao ¡°Bought, bought! High-quality Crane Top Cinnabar and this Green Frost Paper.¡± Yu Meng instantly dropped the smile on his face, hurriedly took out a jade bottle the size of a bowl, and a stack of green papers from his bosom, held them high and handed them over. His expression was slightly nervous, his eyes sneaked a peek at the old man through the gap in his hands, as if observing the old man¡¯s expression. Shen Luo casually scanned the items in Yu Meng¡¯s hand, and his heart moved. He was very familiar with the paper, which was used for drawing talismans. Only this kind of green talisman paper was thicker than the yellow paper he used, and obviously the grade was much higher. The elderly man in the golden robe made a single gesture, and the items in Yu Meng¡¯s hand rose up as if by magic, crossed a distance of three to four feet under the pull of an invisible force, and directly fell into the old man¡¯s hands. ¡°Taking objects in the air!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened a little, and he muttered to himself secretly. He had read about this method of taking objects in the air through mystic arts in a journal in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and he had been yearning for it at the time, but he didn¡¯t know whether it was true or not. Now he was excited to observe a real person perform it in close proximity. The old man didn¡¯t look much at the green talisman paper, but he cared quite a bit about the jade bottle. He pulled out the stopper and looked inside. Then he picked out a little bit of the red powder inside with his pinky finger, sniffed it, and finally tasted it with his tongue. Only then did he say ¡°hmm¡± in satisfaction. Seeing this, Yu Meng couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°The cinnabar you bought this time is pretty good, stick to this standard from now on, and don¡¯t bring me inferior goods, otherwise, see how I will deal with you¡­hmm, who are you?¡± When the old man was halfway through his speech, he finally noticed Shen Luo who was standing behind Yu Meng. ¡°Father, this is Brother Shen Luo. Today he stood with the me on the City Wall to resist the wolves. He has just arrived at the city and has not found a place to settle down. I invited him to stay at our house. Brother Shen, this is my father, Yu Yan. You met him during the day.¡± Yu Meng hurriedly introduced. ¡°Shen Luo has met Uncle Yu.¡± Shen Luo stepped forward respectfully and gave a bow. Yu Yan glanced at Shen Luo out of the corner of his eye and casually nodded his head, tucking the talisman paper and jade bottle into his bosom. ¡°Today, I had the good fortune to see Uncle Yu and several Immortal Masters making moves on the city wall. It was truly eye-opening. Especially Uncle Yu¡¯s talisman technique, it is astonishing. I greatly admire it.¡± Shen Luo was keen to build a closer relationship with the Immortal Master in front of him. Seeing Yu Yan¡¯s cold expression, he shifted the topic to talismans. ¡°You understand the talisman technique?¡± Sure enough, once he talks about talismans, Yu Yan¡¯s eyebrows moved and he looked at Shen Luo¡¯s ragged Taoist robe from Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°I only know a little. I am a dullard, despite years of practice, I haven¡¯t made any progress in the Dao of Talisman Inscription and cannot be compared with Uncle Yu¡¯s God¡¯s Power.¡± Shen Luo said humbly, with his hands in a gesture of respect. ¡°The Talisman Technique is different from other mystic arts, it¡¯s abstruse and dull, and it requires a great deal of time. Only continuous hard work will lead to accomplishment. If you can really persist till now, your tenacity is indeed commendable.¡± Yu Yan nodded slightly and glanced at Yu Meng while talking. Yu Meng scratched the back of his head and turned his gaze away a little guiltily. Seeing this, Yu Yan snorted heavily. ¡°Uncle Yu flatters me. I was once possessed by Yin Qi and I couldn¡¯t find a cure after seeking medical advice everywhere. Fortunately, I was saved by a Talisman from a high person. Since then, I¡¯ve been attracted to the Dao of the Talisman Inscription, hoping to achieve something.¡± Shen Luo saw the expressions of the two, and spoke humbly. ¡°There are countless mediocrities in the world, most of them are short-sighted, thinking that the Talisman Technique is a time-consuming, tough, and thankless minor subject. They don¡¯t know that once the Talisman Technique is learned, the power to summon spirits, punish ghosts, suppress demons and subdue demons is absolutely superior to most of the mystic arts of the world.¡± Yu Yan seemed to be stirred by Shen Luo¡¯s words and said somewhat indignantly. Shen Luo had only been in contact with talismans for a short time, and knew nothing about the world of cultivation. Hearing about the status of the Talisman Technique in the world of cultivation, he was somewhat surprised. On his face, however, he showed a perfect hint of agreement. ¡°The Talisman Technique posits that practice makes perfect. Continue to work hard in the future, your accomplishment will be boundless.¡± Yu Yan vented a lot, and his expression quickly returned to calm. He patted Shen Luo on the shoulder and encouraged him. ¡°Yes, thank you for your guidance, Uncle Yu.¡± Shen Luo nodded solemnly. ¡°Nephew Shen, you plan on staying here tonight, right? Once you¡¯re here, consider this your own home, there is no need for formalities.¡± Yu Yan said with a hearty laugh, a stark change from his previous aloof behavior. ¡°Meng Er, I still have some matters to attend to, please make sure to take good care of Nephew Shen for me.¡± Yu Yan instructed Yu Meng. ¡°Yes, father, you can rest assured.¡± Yu Meng quickly replied. As Yu Yan turned to walk into the inner hall, Shen Luo took a few steps forward saying goodbye, then stopped. ¡°Not bad, little brother. You¡¯re the first one who¡¯s managed to make my father this happy! You have no idea, whenever I bring friends around, he barely even glimpses at them!¡± Yu Meng rapidly transformed back into his spirited self once Yu Yan had left. ¡°I genuinely admire Uncle¡¯s knowledge in the Dao of talisman, I really didn¡¯t anticipate you being a son of an immortal master.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, thinking back to the godly powers that Yu Yan and other immortal masters used atop the city wall, envy filled his heart. Spring and Autumn Pavilion might have these similar mystic arts, but unfortunately, his qualifications were insufficient, regarding the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡±, he¡¯s barely managed to get a foot in the door, let alone practicing it, he wasn¡¯t even able to touch it. ¡°What¡¯s there to envy? Drawing talismans is insanely boring, I just can¡¯t do it; wielding swords and shooting arrows suit me better.¡± Yu Meng quickly declined with a wave. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s a true pity.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. ¡°Alright, enough of this, look at us drenched in sweat and blood, let¡¯s go change.¡± Yu Meng, seemingly not wanting to carry on with this topic, waved his filthy sleeve and changed the subject. ¡°I lost my bundle in the chaos before.¡± Shen Luo after examining his clothes, knit his brows. ¡°It¡¯s just clothing, you can wear mine for now, why the need for politeness.¡± Yu Meng waved his hand nonchalantly. The two of them went to the back room. While Yu Meng went to take a bath, Little Shunzi led Shen Luo to a neighboring room. A bathtub already filled with hot water awaited them there. Little Shunzi held a leather bag, pouring a light-green liquid out of it into the tub. The bathwater quickly turned a light green. ¡°This is a medicinal liquid concocted by the young master, using it for bathing is extremely beneficial for the body.¡± Little Shunzi explained, seeing the surprised look on Shen Luo¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo replied calmly, but was noticeably impressed. ¡°Master Shen, in our residence we only have one maid, Little Flower, who is currently helping the young master bathe. If you need assistance, you can wait for a moment, our young master is quite fast.¡± Little Shunzi asked again. ¡°No need, I can manage it myself.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and replied. Little Shunzi answered obediently, placing a set of clean clothes to the side before leaving the room. The moment his clothes were off and he jumped into the tub, while scrubbing his body, Shen Luo started thinking about the incidents from earlier. The place he saw in his dream this time compared to the mountain village he saw in his dream before, despite the two being vastly different in nature, he felt that there seemed to be some link between them. As for what that link exactly was, he hadn¡¯t figured it out yet. While his mind was filled with these thoughts, Shen Luo¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop scrubbing, he quickly finished washing, dried himself off, and changed into fresh clothes. He took a look at himself in the mirror; he appeared handsome and glowing with vitality, fully embodying the features of a prime young master of turbulent times, and he seemed to have a hint of spiritual aura compared to his real self. Not only that, Shen Luo¡¯s fatigue seemed completely washed away, leaving him feeling miraculously refreshed and relaxed. He remembered the medicinal liquid that Little Shunzi had poured into the water, understanding dawned on him, afterward, he left the room. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 31: A Dream of Thousand Years Chapter 32: Chapter 31: A Dream of Thousand Years ¡°Tsk, tsk, I really didn¡¯t realize until now, Brother Shen is indeed very handsome. You must be careful, there are many girls but few men in this world. The moment you step out, I can¡¯t imagine how many young ladies will have their eyes on you.¡± Yu Meng was already waiting outside, walking around him and commenting. Shen Luo just chuckled, not taking Yu Meng¡¯s jests to heart. ¡°Dinner will take a while to prepare, come, let me show you around our place.¡± Yu Meng wrapped his arm around Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder and started walking out without further ado. This was the residence of an Immortal Master, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t wait to look around. Naturally, he would not refuse. The Yu Residence covered quite a large area, about twenty to thirty acres, with over a dozen large houses, a sizable garden, and a big pond. It felt slightly worn out, but the scenery was rather pleasing. In addition to that, there was a significantly large training ground, a myriad of weapons like swords, spears, and halberds were on display. Yu Meng was a hospitable man. He gave Shen Luo a full tour of the house, constantly introducing his surroundings. ¡°Brother Yu, that place looks rather special. May I ask what it is?¡± Shen Luo pointed at the lone ancient tower next to the pond, and asked. ¡°That¡¯s my father¡¯s study. I¡¯m not boasting, but we definitely have the largest collection of books in the whole county. Come on, let me show you around, you might find some books you like.¡± With that, Yu Meng banged on his chest and said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about this¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a bit before responding. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just a look. He always wants me to come here every day, and I¡¯m reluctant in usual times.¡± Yu Meng wasn¡¯t bothered a bit, and he led Shen Luo into the study. Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to follow Yu Meng inside. The study was rather large, nearly fifty steps square, surrounded by shelves that were taller than most people. The shelves were filled with books and in the center was an eight treasure auspicious table, a white jade paperweight, and a green jade brush holder, all high-quality goods. ¡°What an extensive collection of books. Your father surely loves acquiring all sorts of knowledge. No wonder he has pursued talisman techniques to such high levels of mastery.¡± Shen Luo praised. ¡°It¡¯s just okay.¡± Yu Meng replied with a tinge of indifference. Shen Luo noticed the change in Yu Meng¡¯s countenance and moved his attention to the books on the bookshelf. The study was filled with a number of books, a lot more than in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. However, the books were quite disorderly and improperly classified. It looked like they had been acquired by a nouveau riche to display for aesthetic purposes and to enhance their reputation. Shen Luo remembered Yu Yan¡¯s ostentatious appearance and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself as he soon took a geographical record off the shelf. This dream world bore a striking contrast to the world he lived in. He was beginning to suspect if this indeed was part of the Great Tang. To investigate this, browsing through the geographical record was the most convenient method. ¡°Dengyun Province, Qingzhou, Chishui¡­Donglai County.¡± As he laid eyes on the familiar names, Shen Luo felt ever more confused. After flipping through this geographical record, he quickly found the location of Donglai County, which was quite far away from Chunhua County and across several provinces. However, it was exactly like what he remembered! ¡°The geographical position is correct, it¡¯s not wrong, this is definitely Donglai County,¡± Shen Luo affirmed. But if Donglai County is so far away from Spring and Autumn Pavilion, how did he get here? ¡°Huh!¡± Shen Luo lightly exclaimed as he skimmed through the record. The part explaining Chunhua County revealed some place names that were different than what he knew. For instance, a large river in Chunhua county which had always been named ¡°Bailian River¡± since he could remember and where he often played as a kid, was referred to as ¡°Yupu River¡± in the book here. Moreover, ¡°Tianping County¡±, which lay east of Chunhua County and where he had made countless trips, was referred to as ¡°Fengrao County¡± here. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He pondered silently. ¡°Brother Shen, are you interested in this geographical record? This is not worth researching. These days, even the court doesn¡¯t care about these details anymore. That book was published in the 20th year of the Guanghua era, it is over a hundred years old. Instead of that, Brother Shen, how about checking out this sword manual?¡± Yu Meng took a glance at the book Shen Luo was holding, shook his head and then passed him a green book. Shen Luo responded, placed the geographical record aside, accepted the sword manual, only to freeze in his movement. ¡°Brother Yu, did you just mention when this book was published?¡± Shen Luo picked up the geographical record again, looking at Yu Meng intently, he asked. ¡°Yes, in the 20th year of the Guanghua era. Just take a look at the back of the book, the year of publication is written there. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yu Meng pointed at the backside of the geographical record, speaking in a somewhat puzzled manner. Shen Luo quickly flipped the book around, and sure enough, he saw the words ¡°Printed in the 20th year of the Guanghua era¡± at the back of the book. Shen Luo stood still for a while, put down the two books and quickly walked forward, swiftly flipping through books from the shelves. ¡°Brother Shen, are you looking for something? Should I help?¡± Yu Meng was taken aback, then asked. Shen Luo didn¡¯t reply but merely continued rifling through the books on the shelves. After a while, he finally stopped with a thick royal calendar in his hand. ¡°You¡¯re searching for the royal calendar, what for?¡± Yu Meng walked over, chuckling as he asked. Shen Luo¡¯s face was etched with gravity. He started from the last page of the calendar and quickly flipped forward until he came to a halt nearly halfway through the book. The year written on that page of the royal calendar was the 29th year of the Kaiyuan era. Shen Luo looked at the royal calendar, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The 29th year of the Kaiyuan era was the year he was in. According to the royal calendar, there were nearly a thousand years between that and the 20th year of the Guanghua era Yu Meng mentioned. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve dreamed my way a thousand years into the future?¡± Shen Luo pondered to himself. Such a hypothesis would easily account for the change of the place names in the geographical record, the architectural style of the city, the difference in clothing style, and so on. Yu Meng saw the change in Shen Luo¡¯s facial expressions. Not really understanding why, he scratched the back of his head but didn¡¯t disturb him. ¡°Young Master, dinner is ready. The master invites you and Master Shen over.¡± Just at that moment, Little Shunzi came to the entrance of the study room and called through the window. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re coming.¡± Yu Meng turned around and responded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just remembered something and searched for this royal calendar to check the date, it seems I have delayed us a bit,¡± Shen Luo put down the royal calendar, his demeanor returning to its usual calm as he explained a little apologetically. ¡°Oh, not at all. I really envy your ability to concentrate on reading books. My father always forces me to read books and draw talismans. I¡¯m a simple man and prefer playing with my weapons. If I had your fondness for reading, I wouldn¡¯t have had such a tough time growing up.¡± Yu Meng laughed heartily in response. Shen Luo also laughed, but said nothing. ¡°Alright, enough with all this talk. After an entire day of fighting, let¡¯s go and have a proper meal. My father likes you, there should be plenty of good food tonight.¡± Yu Meng rubbed his hands and said. Shen Luo put all the books back where they belonged. Only then, under Yu Meng¡¯s urging, did he finally leave the study. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 32: Demon Wolf Besieges the City Chapter 33: Chapter 32: Demon Wolf Besieges the City Under Yu Meng¡¯s guidance, Shen Luo quickly arrived at the dining hall. ¡°Getting to eat chicken in the evening! Shen brother, we¡¯re fortunate because of you.¡± Said Yu Meng, drooling as he looked at the dishes on the table. A variety of dishes had been spread across the table, mostly vegetarian, but there were three meat dishes, two plates of slightly black meat chunks, and a whole, braised chicken. However, these dishes looked rather ordinary in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. Back in Chunhua County, any meal would be far more sumptuous than this. It seemed that food was rather scarce in this era! Just then, Yu Meng¡¯s big hand reached impatiently for a chicken leg. ¡°You brat, you don¡¯t eat first before the guest moves their chopsticks, nor do you use such a method. Aren¡¯t you any different from the barbarians of the Nanli Prairie?¡± A cold snort sounded from the side, and the angry form of Yu Yan came strolling out. ¡°Father, you¡¯re here.¡± Yu Meng quickly withdrew his hand, saying awkwardly. ¡°Uncle Yu, just now when Brother Yu and I walked past your study, we went in to read a bit. We lost track of time, please forgive us!¡± Shen Luo quickly stood up and bowed in greeting. ¡°So my dear nephew was reading. It¡¯s rare for someone to enter my study. Did you find anything useful?¡± Yu Yan turned towards Shen Luo, his attitude changing. ¡°Thanks to Uncle, this junior did indeed gain a little knowledge.¡± Shen Luo replied softly. ¡°That¡¯s good that you found it beneficial. As for you, my rebellious son, you can¡¯t learn anything and are always jumping around. If only you had half of Shen¡¯s patience and could read some books, you might have learned a little more from me.¡± Yu Yan first nodded approvingly, then scolded Yu Meng. ¡°Those books in the study, Father, you don¡¯t read much either, right? They¡¯re only for show¡­¡± Yu Meng rubbed his nose, muttering vaguely. ¡°Impudent!¡± Yu Yan slapped the table in a fit of anger. Yu Meng fell silent, not daring to say anything further. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve worked hard in defending the city. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Yu Yan saw his son staying silent, though his face still held a stubborn look. Sighing, he waved his hand for the two to sit down and started to eat. Having fought for half of the day, Yu Meng was starving. He sat down without hesitation and began to eat heartily. Although Shen Luo was a bit hungry too, as a guest, he couldn¡¯t help but be more modest. But as soon as he sat down, Yu Meng put a chicken leg into his bowl. ¡°Here, eat some more! Eat up so you have strength to kill those Demon Wolves!¡± ¡°Are those wolves likely to attack again?¡± The image of the wolf-headed humanoid and the flitting figure of the Cyan Strange Wolf appeared in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. ¡°From what we¡¯ve seen in the past, they won¡¯t easily give up. What do you think, Father?¡± Yu Meng, his mouth already full of food, looked toward his father, asking in a muffled voice. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The government has dispatched people to scout the whereabouts of the wolf pack, but the lead monster has grown more sly and we can¡¯t figure out their next move.¡± A layer of worry flashed across Yu Yan¡¯s eyes. ¡°In that case, I should stay at the city gate tonight to guard against unexpected situations.¡± Standing up, Yu Meng proposed. ¡°I¡¯ll go as well, to lend Brother Yu a hand.¡± Shen Luo also stood. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You¡¯ve been defending the city for days and are already weary. Rest well at home tonight, you can take your shift another day.¡± Yu Yan waved them off. ¡°Alright, if the local government has any arrangements, Father, please let me know ahead of time.¡± Yu Meng advised. Yu Yan waved them dismissively, telling the two to sit down and continue eating. ¡°Father, when I went to buy Talisman Paper and Cinnabar for you today, I ran into something interesting¡­¡± Yu Meng kept on chatting throughout dinner, regaling his family with the day¡¯s exploits. Yu Yan looked at his son, a stern face belying deep affection in his eyes. Shen Luo occasionally added a comment or two, and they soon finished their enjoyable meal. ¡°Given the city¡¯s siege by the Demon Wolves, may last quite some time. Brother Shen, if you¡¯re willing, stay at my place.¡± Yu Meng suddenly offered with a laugh. Shen Luo found Yu Meng¡¯s offer enticing. He had not yet found a way back to reality and staying here did seem like a good idea. He could continue to gather information and unravel the truth behind this dream, and perhaps learn more about Talisman Techniques from Yu Yan. ¡°Dear Nephew Shen, where are you from?¡± Yu Yan also put down his chopsticks, took a sip of tea, and asked. ¡°I am originally from Chunhua County in Deng Ping.¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t lie about his origins. Seeing that Yu Yan was well-traveled, he might have already guessed Shen Luo¡¯s origin from his accent and attire. Lying would be counterproductive. ¡°Chunhua County in Deng Ping? I heard that place was destroyed by a beast wave a few years ago.¡± Yu Meng exclaimed, surprised. ¡°I lived on the outskirts of Chunhua County, which is relatively safe.¡± Shen Luo could only reply ambiguously. ¡°In these troublesome times, with all the demons and beasts running rampant, why did you leave your home to come here?¡± Yu Yan put down the teacup he was holding and asked. ¡°I left home a while ago due to certain reasons and got lost on the way, accidentally entering the territory of Donglai County, and ended up trapped in the city as soon as I entered.¡± Shen Luo had already thought up an excuse. ¡°You¡¯re indeed lucky to have made it to the city alive¡­ The world is in turmoil, people are suffering, and we can only hope that the immortals and Buddhas will come soon to end this chaos and save the people.¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s natural responses, Yu Yan put aside his slight doubts and began to pray quietly with a hand clasped in front of him. Yu Meng bowed his head and said nothing, seeming to quietly offer his prayers as well. ¡°Uncle Yu, Brother Yu, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wondered about. Why are there so many wolf beasts attacking the city?¡± After a moment of silence, Shen Luo brought up his question. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it always been this way that every once in a while, large groups of beasts and monsters attack human cities?¡± Yu Meng touched his head, puzzled. ¡°Actually, what I really want to know is, where are these wolf beasts coming from?¡± Shen Luo made his question straightforward. Upon hearing this, the Yan father and son exchanged glances and turned to look at Shen Luo with strange eyes. ¡°Brother Shen, don¡¯t you know the legend of ¡®Demons Swallowing the Sky, Heavenly Fire Descending¡¯?¡± Yu Meng asked in return. ¡°To be honest, the village where I used to live was very remote, almost completely isolated from the outside world, so I really don¡¯t know much about the outside world.¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°I see, no wonder I found Brother Shen¡¯s dress a bit strange earlier.¡± Yu Meng finally understood. ¡°Since you know nothing about the world, dear nephew, I will have to start from the beginning.¡± Yu Yan remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m all ears!¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Demon Calamity Day Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Demon Calamity Day Hundreds of years ago, a supreme demon devoured the Sun, Moon, Heaven, and Earth, plunging the whole Human World into darkness, with Heaven and Earth weeping¡­ Thereafter, countless burning meteorites fell from the sky, scattered across the Four Continents, causing countless casualties. This was known as the Demon Calamity Day.¡± Yu Yan sighed as he began to recall the past events. ¡°Demon Calamity Day?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°After the Demon Calamity Day, the Human World greatly changed. Countless Demonic Beings and ghosts roamed freely, indulging in the slaughter of all living creatures, while the immortals and Buddhas were nowhere to be seen. Initially, the court was able to resist the invasion of the Demonic Beings, but the strength of these demons and ghosts grew year by year, leaving the court essentially powerless. Hundreds of years have passed, and the court has long been reduced to nothing more than a name while the Great Tang and even the entire Southern Sub-Central Continent, have fallen into a state of various forces banding together for survival.¡± Yu Yan continued. After hearing all this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened, and it took him a while to digest what Yu Yan had said. ¡°Actually, I heard about these matters from my father since childhood, but I have never witnessed them personally; it all seems quite unbelievable.¡± Yu Meng stroked his chin, commenting thusly. ¡°You little brat, if you were to actually witness it, would you be able to stay alive?¡± Yu Yan raised his hand to smack Yu Meng¡¯s head, reprimanding him angrily. Yu Meng quickly ducked to avoid his father¡¯s hand, laughed awkwardly a few times, and didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore. ¡°Uncle Yu, you just said that the Demon Calamity Day was hundreds of years ago, but when exactly was it?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°Regarding the specific time of the Demon Calamity Day, for some reason, it isn¡¯t clearly recorded in the major classics, and it¡¯s the same on the official historical records.¡± Yu Yan shook his head, responding. ¡°So many years have passed, is there really no way to eradicate these demons?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask again. ¡°We mortals are powerless, perhaps the disappeared immortals and Buddhas could do it. All living beings in this world continue to endure day by day in the Demon Calamity, not knowing if they can wait until the immortals and Buddhas descend to the world again.¡± Yu Yan sighed as he spoke. Yu Meng also wore a solemn expression. Seeing this, Shen Luo fell silent. ¡­ At midnight, all noises stopped. The moonlight filtered through the window, illuminating a room in the Yu Residence. In the room, Shen Luo lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. The loud snores of Yu Meng could faintly be heard coming from a room not far away, indicating that he was sound asleep. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t sleep, not because of Yu Meng¡¯s snoring, but because of the words Yu Yan had spoken earlier. He was still unsure if the dream world was really a thousand years later. The prophecy was already mystifying enough, let alone directly arriving in the future world. If this was true, then this future world was clearly filled with all kinds of suffering. Even ordinary people found it a luxury just to have a stable meal. Even a capable Immortal Master like Yu Yan appeared powerless in the face of all this. The only thing that gave Shen Luo some comfort was that there seemed to be plenty of time before the Demon Calamity happened in his era, and he might not even live up to that time¡­ Different thoughts jumbled in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. After lying for a while and still unable to sleep, he sat up and put on his clothes. After sitting silently in the darkness for a while, he got up and opened the door, stepping outside. A bright moon hung in the sky, but there was a thin layer of black fog drifting in the sky, enveloping the earth, omnipresent, like the Demon Calamity. Shen Luo stared at the black fog for a while, withdrew his gaze, and walked towards the outside. A moment later, he arrived before a small pool. Numerous white stones were piled around the pool, reflecting a faint halo under the moonlight. The cool night breeze blew against his face, bringing moist vapor and refreshing his spirit. However, the anxiety in Shen Luo¡¯s heart did not decrease. The matter of Demon Calamity was like a heavy stone in his heart, making him feel suffocated. He must find something to do to relieve this feeling. Shen Luo breathed slowly, closing his eyes to concentrate. After a moment, he opened his eyes, and his mind had returned to calmness. He took out from his bosom a Dip Wolf Hair brush that he had taken from the desk in his room, dipped it in the water from the nearby pool, and began sketching the Small Thunder Talisman on a flat stone. The talisman had perennially unsuccessful and had always been a worry of his. The runes of the Small Thunder Talisman were quite familiar to him. From the moment he started drawing to the moment he finished, it could be said to be done in one go. Shen Luo looked at the complex runes on the stone that began with the ancient character for ¡°thunder¡±, his face was expressionless. After a moment of silence, he dipped his brush in water again and started drawing on another stone. In the following time, Shen Luo was engrossed in sketching around the small pond. The strokes of his brush were becoming faster and faster, seeming as graceful as a dragon flying and a phoenix dancing. As a result, in just the time it took for an incense to burn, he had drawn a dozen or so Small Thunder Talisman runes of various sizes on the stones around the pond, and each rune looked almost identical, all drawn in one stroke. Shen Luo wiped the sweat from his forehead, took a deep breath, and did not continue. Even drawing Small Thunder Talismans on large stones put a considerable strain on his body. Just now, he was merely frustrated and wanted to vent his feelings. He vaguely felt that he was only one step away from truly understanding the Small Thunder Talisman. But he had no clue how to take this step. He shook his head, no longer thinking about it, put away the Dip Wolf Hair brush, and walked along a small path. ¡°Huh?¡± Shen Luo suddenly looked up in the direction where he felt an inexplicable ripple of air coming faintly. This feeling was as if a stone had been thrown into calm water, causing ripples to spread out. Curious, Shen Luo lightened his steps and approached the source of the ripple. Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Encountered Under the Moonlight Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Encountered Under the Moonlight Shen Luo turned a corner, a rockery coming into view. The highest peak of the rockery had been leveled quite smoothly, forming a platform several feet wide. A figure was seated cross-legged on top of it, it was Yu Yan. His hands were now joined together, in the shape of a Treasure Vase, his eyes closed tightly, his breath moving in and out slowly, each exhalation and inhalation extremely drawn out. Between his mouth and nose, one could faintly see two strands of milky-white gas, roughly the thickness of a finger, moving in and out. Moreover, there was a faint trace of white light haloed around the top area of his skull. ¡°This is the true cultivation of immortality!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened, unable to resist a surge of excitement. The reason he had spent heavily to join the Spring and Autumn Pavilion that year, was in order to seek out real Daoist magical techniques, such that he could undergo a complete transformation, thereby prolonging his life span. However, the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡± could only nurture Yang Gang power, strengthening the body, and was utterly incomparable with a real Daoist technique. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but stand in place, blankly looking at everything in front of him. As time passed bit by bit, the moon began to set, and the moonlight started to wane. The white halo over Yu Yan¡¯s head dispersed and his hands formed a finishing gesture in front of him. The milky-white gas around his nose vanished abruptly, signifying the end of cultivation. Shen Luo came back to himself in a startle, hastily retracting his body into the shadows, intending to quietly leave. However, unbeknownst to him, he had been standing for too long and his legs were now entirely numb, unresponsive. His body swayed, hitting the nearby wall, making a muted sound. The sound wasn¡¯t loud, however, it was particularly noticeable in the silent environment. ¡°Drat!¡± Shen Luo cursed himself under his breath, hoping in his heart that Yu Yan hadn¡¯t noticed this disturbance. ¡°Nephew Shen, is that you?¡± Unfortunately, Yu Yan¡¯s voice slowly drifted over, defying his wishes. A chill ran through Shen Luo, he turned around and found Yu Yan ¨C he had no idea when he had come down from the rockery ¨C standing not too far in front, giving a superficial glance. ¡°My apologies, Uncle. I accidentally saw you practicing and found it to be quite fascinating. I could not resist watching for a while, and am sorry if I caused any inconvenience.¡± Shen Luo gave a bow and apologized. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Unlike others, I don¡¯t abide by so many annoying conventions. It¡¯s just a little observation. In fact, I can¡¯t fall asleep as well. Why not accompany me over there to sit for a while.¡± Yu Yan said nonchalantly, then walked towards a pavilion by the pond. Shen Luo limped and followed him. Subtly, he started to use the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡±, after promoting the circulation of Qi and blood in his body, the discomfort in his feet gradually disappeared. The two sat down in the pavilion. Yu Yan flicked his sleeve and miraculously, two plates of side dishes, a pot of wine, and two wine cups flew out. The liquor flowed into his stomach, the rich aroma of the wine spread out, resonated in his internal organs, and refreshed his spirits. Shen Luo felt the Yang Gang power he had condensed while practicing the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡± be stimulated by the wine, and it began to revolve in the meridians of his body on its own. Not only that, a cool sensation surged out from his internal organs, melding into the Yang Gang power. The strength of the Yang Gang seemed to have increased by a bit, practically surpassing half a month¡¯s diligent cultivation. Shen Luo was exhilarated and greedily eyed the wine pot, wishing he could snatch it and drink it all. ¡°Hey, hey, how¡¯s the wine?¡± Yu Yan, too, threw back a cup, his peripheral vision caught Shen Luo¡¯s change in expression, and he asked with a hint of laughter. ¡°Such splendid wine! I have enjoyed plenty of fine wines before, but compared to your Spirit Wine, they are like plain water. Which ingredients did you use to brew this exquisite wine?¡± Shen Luo conscientiously filled Yu Yan¡¯s cup and asked. ¡°What, you think my wine is good, and now you want to pry into its recipe to brew it yourself?¡± Yu Yan glanced sideways at Shen Luo and laughed. ¡°I can¡¯t hide anything from uncle.¡± Shen Luo chuckled a little awkwardly, feeling exposed. ¡°Even if I reveal the recipe, it won¡¯t help. Have you ever heard of the Snow Mountain Spirit Snake? It appears once in a thousand years and is priceless. Its gallbladder is even more rare. It¡¯s not something one can easily get,¡± Yu Yan said, taking a sip of his wine. ¡°Moreover, even if you did have the recipe, it would be useless. Brewing this wine requires soaking it in the gallbladder and refining it with the Spirit Fire. Although you are wearing a Taoist robe, it¡¯s apparent that you haven¡¯t cultivated any Daoist techniques. How can you harness the Spirit Fire?¡± He seemed rather fond of wine, as he drained his cup once again. Shen Luo merely responded with a few polite chuckles. His actions didn¡¯t falter, he quickly accompanied Yu Yan in another round, all the while quietly circulating the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡± to refine the refreshing Qi in the wine, slightly enhancing his Yang Gang power. ¡°Uncle Yu, you are deeply proficient in the art of Talismans. I have been practicing one for a while now, but am not sure if I am doing it correctly. May you provide some guidance?¡± Shen Luo filled Yu Yan¡¯s cup once more and asked hesitantly. ¡°Oh, which talisman? Draw it and let me see.¡± With a casual flick of his sleeve, Yu Yan produced several green talisman papers, a small white cup filled with a deep red liquid that resembled blood but didn¡¯t smell rancid, and a white jade brush. Several runes were engraved on the jade pen, and its end was packed with golden hair, each strand emitting a faint luster. Clearly, these were not ordinary hairs. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Shen Luo took a deep breath. He picked up the jade pen, dipped it in the red liquid, concentrated his mind, and began to draw the Small Thunder Talisman. The hair of the jade pen was soft yet firm, making it ten times better than any pen he had used before. Furthermore, the red liquid was not like the Black Dog Blood he used before. Besides not coagulating, he could vaguely sense an invisible Qi flowing within the liquid, allowing him better control over the talisman drawing process. In less than half a moment, the runes on the Small Thunder Talisman were complete. Shen Luo felt this was the best talisman he had ever drawn; it might even be successful. Unfortunately, he did not have a Yuan Stone to activate it. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s a Small Thunder Talisman. It¡¯s considered a quite complex low-level talisman, it indeed poses some difficulty for you at your current stage.¡± Yu Yan glanced at the talisman paper in front of Shen Luo and casually remarked. ¡°I would appreciate uncle¡¯s guidance.¡± Shen Luo bowed in respect. ¡°Although your brush strokes are smooth, they lack harmonized spiritual energy and the talismanic force is intermittent. At best, it¡¯s a pseudo-talisman.¡± Yu Yan picked up the talisman paper; a flash of light shimmered on his fingertip. With a ¡°hiss,¡± the talisman paper shattered into a brilliant white light upon command, but did not transform into thunder and lightning. Shen Luo stared blankly at the spectacle, scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°The Daos of Talisman inscription are vast and profound. In order to succeed in making any talisman, one must grasp its essence. For instance, the essence of this Small Thunder Talisman lies in using human energy to connect with the energy of Heaven and Earth. The runes that are inscribed on the talisman paper are crucial. During the talisman-drawing process, you must unify your spirit, Qi, and essence as one, infusing them into the talisman. There must be unobstructed harmony from beginning to end for the talisman to be successful.¡± Yu Yan looked at Shen Luo seriously and with profound emotion. ¡°How can I achieve the unity of the three and integrate them as a whole?¡± Shen Luo listened attentively, unable to help asking. There was a similar mention in the ¡°Secret Techniques of Talismans Authentic Manual,¡± but at the time when he read it, he had no one to guide him and he felt confused. Yu Yan¡¯s explanation today was much more straightforward and easy to understand. Chapter Thirty-Five Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Glimpse of the Path Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Glimpse of the Path ¡°As easy as it sounds, the actual execution is pretty tough. Everyone has their individual circumstances and the difficulties they need to overcome in order for the three elements to harmonize are also varied. In your case, Shen Luo, you seem to be in the prime of your youth and your energy and spirit are abundant. However, your vitality seems to be lacking a bit, have you fallen seriously ill before?¡± Yu Yan looked Shen Luo in the eyes and pinpointed his problem. ¡°Uncle, your observation is spot on. I was attacked by Yin Qi a few years ago and it took me several years to recover from my illness¡±, Shen Luo responded by nodding his head in agreement. ¡°That explains it. When you drew the talisman earlier, your energy and spirit were well integrated but the combination of your spirit and Qi was lacking. The talisman you drew ended up being merely form without substance; naturally, you were bound to fail.¡± Yu Yan took a sip of his Snake Gallbladder Wine and grinned. ¡°So, what should I do? Do I need to nurse my body back to health and replenish my vitality before I can draw talismans?¡± Now that Shen Luo finally understood where his problem lied, he asked anxiously. He even remembered to pour wine for Yu Yan. ¡°Of course, replenishing your vitality is necessary. However, it doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t draw talismans right now. You should just pay more attention to the integration of your spirit and Qi when you draw talismans.¡± Yu Yan was rather pleased with Shen Luo, who seemed eager to learn. ¡°How can the spirit and Qi be integrated?¡± ¡°In order to make your spirit and Qi merge as one, you must let it arise from your heart and not force anything. When you draw talisman, you have to stabilize your spirit, and distribute your Qi in your chest¡­¡± As Yu Yan was drinking, he gave Shen Luo some pointers on how to merge the spirit and Qi. Shen Luo was holding his breath and listening attentively so that he wouldn¡¯t miss any single word. Yu Yan was well-versed in talisman and his casual remarks already helped to clear half of the doubts in Shen Luo¡¯s mind, enlightening him greatly. After Yu Yan finished talking, Shen Luo closed his eyes, recalling the points Yu Yan just taught him. A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, picked up his White Jade Talisman Brush, and started to draw the Small Thunder Talisman on a new talisman paper, with strokes as vigorous as a dragon and as graceful as a snake. As instructed by Yu Yan, he calmed his spirit, gathered his energy, spirit, and Qi together and infused them into the talisman through the brush in his hand. In just a moment, a Small Thunder Talisman was completed. It was flawless from beginning to end without any breaks. Shen Luo flicked his wrist. The final stroke was drawn down in a vigorous stroke, full of the spirit it seemed as if it was about to fly off. The entire Small Thunder Talisman suddenly shone slightly, made a ringing sound, and only dissipated after a while, with the light on the talisman disappearing along with it. ¡°Well done, give it a try.¡± Yu Yan smiled approvingly and waved his hand. A grey stone fell onto the table. It was a Yuan Stone. Shen Luo expressed his thanks, placed the Yuan Stone on the talisman, activated the Yuan Stone with the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique,¡± and poured the white Qi from within into the talisman. After many practices, he could make use of the white Qi in the Yuan Stone with ease. A faint red light flashed by. The Yuan Stone cracked open in response, the white light on the talisman surface grew brighter, then shattered. ¡°Hiss¡± A bolt of white lightning appeared out of nowhere, shot out, and struck the pond in front. A wave of white water exploded in the pond, splashing up to several meters high. Countless water droplets scattered and splashed onto Shen Luo¡¯s face, causing a stinging sensation. Shen Luo seemed oblivious to it, he clenched his fists tightly, and kept them clenched so hard that his nails dug into his flesh, just to suppress the excitement in his heart. Today, he had finally mastered the art of creating his first talisman, which moreover was quite an offensive and useful talisman. Most importantly, he was one step closer to the world of immortality. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Uncle!¡± Shen Luo concealed his excitement, turned, and gave Yu Yan a bow. ¡°It¡¯s a small matter, you do have a good knack for talismans, catching on pretty quickly. Ah, if only my stubborn son had your aptitude¡±, Yu Yan said dismissively, sighing lightly. ¡°Brother Yu Da¡¯s martial arts skills are profoundly deep, I am far from his level,¡± Shen Luo only could say nice things about Yu Meng. ¡°Hmph, what use is being good at martial arts! I don¡¯t know any body refining techniques, so I can¡¯t teach him,¡± Yu Yan said grumpily. ¡°Body refining techniques!¡± Shen Luo intended to learn more but, seeing Yu Yan¡¯s displeasured expression, he wisely didn¡¯t probe further. ¡°You¡¯re quite talented, which is really rare. It¡¯s a pity our ancestors made a rule that talisman techniques couldn¡¯t be passed on to those outside the clan, It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem to give you more pointers¡±, Yu Yan glanced at Shen Luo and chuckled. Although Shen Luo hadn¡¯t been expecting to learn more, he was still somewhat disappointed hearing this. Nonetheless, he still expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you for the kindness, Uncle. I just don¡¯t have the luck. Your talisman technique is a heritage art of your ancestors!¡± Immediately, he asked with a hint of curiosity. ¡°Of course, the Yu Family¡¯s techniques are all passed down from a very famous Heavenly Master a thousand years ago. Even in the cultivation world back then, he had a formidable reputation.¡± Yu Yan seemed proud as he mentioned this. ¡°Sadly, the disaster of demons occurred. Our ancestor died in battle against the demons. Although his techniques were passed down, they were incomplete. Over the years, the Yu Family lost many high-level cultivators and a lot of our legendary skills gradually faded away. Now that the inheritance has passed down to me, there¡¯s only a smidge left. I even have to combine it with talismans to practice. We really have failed our ancestors!¡± Yu Yan¡¯s voce grew increasingly mournful as he spoke, he gulped down another mouthful of wine fiercely. Shen Luo looked at Yu Yan, who was drowning his sorrows in alcohol and already slightly tipsy, and fell deep into thought. A thousand years ago? Wasn¡¯t that the era he lived in? ¡°Every family has its ups and downs, just like the changing phases of the sun and the moon. You possess grandeur skills, Elder, and as you progress in your cultivation over time, you might not be much inferior to your ancestor,¡± Shen Luo comforted after pulling himself out of his thoughts. ¡°Only young calves like you dare to say such words. With the pitiful amount of skills I possess, what sort of cultivation can I actually achieve? Over the years, I¡¯ve come to realize that wanting to achieve great success by hard work alone is useless. The key is to have opportunities. Take our ancestor for example, initially, he was only a ferryman of the Luan Shui River outskirts of Song Fan County Town. But he was blessed with deep luck and fortune that he found the ¡®Nameless Heavenly Book¡¯, which helped him to cultivate and gain God¡¯s Power. Without opportunities, no matter how hard you work, everything would be in vain in the end.¡± Yu Yan drank another cup of wine, his face was flushed and he was already somewhat drunk. ¡°Song Fan County, Luan Shui River¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes twinkled. Isn¡¯t Song Fan County just nearby Chunhua County? It should not be too far from Chun Qiu Pavilion. And he vaguely recalled having heard of the name Luan Shui River somewhere. ¡°Master Yu was born into such a humble background, and yet he achieved such great success later, he truly was a man blessed by heavens. Do you know the details of the unusual encounter he had back in his time?¡± Shen Luo impulsively asked, pouring wine for Yu Yan. ¡°Why are you asking so detailed? Are you thinking of going there to try your luck? It¡¯s useless. Our Yu family members have already searched there countless times over generations, practically turning it upside down,¡± Yu Yan glanced cynically at Shen Luo and chuckled. ¡°Oh, Uncle, you¡¯re kidding. I just want to widen my horizons,¡± Shen Luo scratched his head and smiled. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 36 Night Raid Chapter 37: Chapter 36 Night Raid ¡°That all happened nearly a thousand years ago. It¡¯s no harm to tell you, but as for this matter, there are no detailed records in our clan¡¯s documents, only the oral statements of our ancestors. That year, Song Fan County experienced a flood that had not been seen in a hundred years. The Luan Shui River swelled up. The place where our ancestor was operating the ferry was precisely at the narrowing of the river, where the water flow was even more rapid. The ferry boat was carried away by the torrent, hitting a pile of chaotic rocks in the river, almost capsizing. Coincidentally, the bow of the boat got stuck on a lake stone in front of the rocky beach. The boat didn¡¯t flip, but it knocked our ancestor into the water. However, our ancestor was very lucky and came to no harm. In fact, he benefited from the calamity. He obtained the Nameless Heavenly Book from beneath that pile of chaotic rocks and embarked on the path of cultivation,¡± Yu Yan (ÓÚìÍ) said, his tone filled with envy. ¡°I see, Master Yu, indeed, is a person of deep fortune and favor,¡± Shen Luo said slowly, his mind turning, about to ask some more details. Just at this moment, accompanied by a shrill scream, several fireworks suddenly burst in the sky above the city gate in the distance. ¡°What is that?¡± Shen Luo, noticing the fireworks in the sky, stood up in surprise. ¡°Emergency flares! Those wolf beasts dare to attack the city at night!¡± Yu Yan¡¯s drunken expression also disappeared instantly, and he said with an exceptionally serious expression. Shen Luo¡¯s heart suddenly chilled upon hearing this. ¡°You quickly wake up Yu Meng and immediately go to the city gate to aid them. The leading demon wolf has opened its spiritual wisdom and is extremely cunning. If these beasts dare to attack the city at night, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not as simple as a plague!¡± Yu Yan quickly said, his body taking to the air. He took out a talisman paper and crushed it in his hand. With a ¡°whoosh¡±, a gray cloud appeared beneath him, carrying him swiftly toward the city gate. Shen Luo enviously watched as Yu Yan rode off on the clouds. He was just about to turn around and wake up Yu Meng. His gaze fell on the stone table in the pavilion and stopped. The wine pot, talisman pen, and talisman paper that Yu Yan had just used were all there. He had left hastily and forgot to take them with him. ¡°Brother Yu! The magical beasts are attacking the city at night! Get up quickly!¡± Shen Luo shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the mansion. As he shouted, he grabbed the talisman pen and quickly began to draw the Small Thunder Talisman on the talisman paper. Yu Meng was trained in martial arts and had superhuman hearing. He should be able to hear his voice. Going to him would actually waste time instead. Indeed, not long after Shen Luo¡¯s voice fell, a figure came running in the night, it was Yu Meng. He hadn¡¯t even dressed properly, but he brought his crossbow and the two pitch-black long knives with him. ¡°Really? The wolf beasts are attacking the city?¡± Yu Meng asked anxiously. Shen Luo was focusing on drawing the talisman. The talisman paper was almost completely filled, and with a final few strokes of his wrist, it was finished. The entire talisman paper emitted a faint white light, which then quickly dimmed down, returning to normal. ¡°It¡¯s true! Uncle and I were drinking here just now when we saw the distress flare blazing at the city gate. Uncle has already gone over and has asked us to go aid as well,¡± Shen Luo said quickly as he put the finished talisman paper into his bosom. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry,¡± Yu Meng handed one of the black long knives to Shen Luo and were about to run out, ¡°Do you have a Yuan Stone on you? Can I borrow one?¡± Shen Luo reached out and stopped Yu Meng, asking. He didn¡¯t have any Yuan Stones on him, and even if he had successfully drawn a Small Thunder Talisman, he wouldn¡¯t be able to activate it. Yu Meng was puzzled, but then he remembered Shen Luo drawing the talisman paper. He understood, reached into his pocket, and threw a Yuan Stone over. Shen Luo caught the Yuan Stone that flew over. Although Yu Meng did not practice the Daoist arts, as his father was proficient in the Daoist Art of Talisman Inscription, he certainly carried Yuan Stones, which ordinary people needed to activate talisman papers on him. The two of them were rushing shoulder to shoulder, quickly reaching the streets, galloping nonstop towards the city gate. Many residents within the city had heard the sound of the distress alarm. The lights in their homes were shining brightly, and every once in a while, one or two people who were off-duty would dash out of their homes, rushing towards the city gate. In no time, there were about twenty to thirty people gathered. Everyone was silent, and a heavy atmosphere pervaded the area. The group was moving quite fast, and arrived at the city gate before most people did. But upon seeing the situation there, everyone changed their expressions. There was a dense cloud of darkness hanging in mid-air, obscuring the sky above the city wall, exerting an oppressive pressure that left everyone feeling short of breath. Atop the black cloud, there stood a towering figure, the wolf-headed monster that Shen Luo had spotted from a distance during daylight. Its body had grown several times larger, morphing into a terrifying beast seven to eight meters tall. Its skin had turned pitch black, and thick blackish-red fur had grown out from its chest and arms. Through the fur, one could faintly see mysterious, dark red patterns emerging on its body, which were completely unlike spiritual runes. Yu Yan and five or six other Immortal Masters were hovering in front of the black cloud, making hand seals and casting spells. Flashes of lightning, fireballs, and sword qi flew out from the Immortal Masters, raining down relentlessly on the wolf-headed monster. The wolf-headed monster moved its two hands, with black clouds churning below it. Dozens of tentacle-like black qi flew out from the black clouds, confronting the flashes of lightning and sword qi. Red, white, black, and other colors of lights fiercely collided in the air. Every collision sent out a burst of light too intense to look directly at, and deafeningly loud sounds echoed. Below on the city wall, the sounds of fighting could be constantly heard. The young and strong guards on the city wall fought with all their might against the gray wolves that had climbed up the wall. It was clear that countless gray wolves were trying to climb over the invisible outer wall of the city. The city wall could still be defended for now. But the most urgent crisis was at the city gate. The seemingly impenetrable city gate had astonishingly collapsed in part, the edges were charred black as though corroded by something. One after another, huge wolf beasts crawled from inside the large hole in the city gate, all being those ferocious black wolves. At this moment, already twenty or thirty black wolves had entered the city, pouncing towards the city. Meanwhile, more black wolves were still crawling in from the big hole at the city gate. These black wolves were twice as large as the gray wolves on the city wall and far stronger. They were not enemies that one or two people could fend off. The hundred or so guards who were on night duty had gathered near the city gate. Fortunately, the equipment of the guards here was much better than that of the people on the city wall. These men were dressed in iron armor, holding large shields, and using their bodies to form a wall, desperately blocking the black wolves. The people on the wall had also realized the urgency of the situation below. Spears and arrows were raining down from the sky, stabbing into the black wolves¡¯ bodies. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze swept over them, causing a shiver to run through him. These black wolves looked somewhat strange. Their eyes were blood-red, saliva flowing through their interlaced wolf teeth, appearing to be in a state of frenzy. Their bodies were clearly pierced with spears and arrows, blood gushing out, but they seemed to feel no pain at all, frantically attacking the surrounding guards, and impacting the city¡¯s defense team. These black wolves were already terrifyingly powerful, and now that they had unexpectedly become reckless and frenzied, they were, naturally, even more terrifying. The guards at the city gate were numerous, but they too were struggling to deal with the wildly rampaging black wolves and their defenses seemed on the verge of collapse. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 37: Hidden Wolf Chapter 38: Chapter 37: Hidden Wolf ¡°Kill, defend the city gate!¡± Seeing the situation, Yu Meng immediately shouted and urged everyone towards the City Gate. At this moment, a large dark shadow suddenly fell fiercely from the high altitude, carrying a violent wind with it. ¡°Quickly, scatter!¡± Yu Meng shouted and leapt to the left. Shen Luo rolled to the other side, narrowly avoiding the attack while clutching the Small Thunder Talisman in his palm. But the dark figure was too fast and still several people failed to avoid it. A sound of crushing bones rang through the air, and those who were hit spat out mouthfuls of fresh blood. They lost consciousness without even a scream, their life and death unknown. The descending dark figure was a huge black wolf with a broken forepaw hanging at an odd angle on its body. The skin at the broken end was torn, revealing a chilling white leg bone. It seemed indifferent to the pain. With a leap from its hind legs, it pounced aggressively at the nearby crowd, not losing much speed. The man nearest to it could not dodge in time and had his throat bitten off by the black wolf. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A shrill scream resonated, then abruptly stopped. Fresh blood trickled from the black wolf¡¯s mouth and the man¡¯s struggling ceased, visibly doomed. ¡°Beast!¡± Yu Meng stood close to the black wolf. Seeing the grisly scene, his brows furrowed into a frown as he roared, charging ahead. The others seeing Yu Meng¡¯s actions followed suit and rushed forward. The black wolf¡¯s blood-red eyes reflected a murderous light. It flung the man from its mouth and swung a huge paw at the approaching crowd, instantly knocking two people off their feet. Yu Meng leaned his upper body backward violently, his back almost touching the ground, barely ducking under the black wolf¡¯s giant claws. His knees were still on the ground as he slid rapidly forward, attacking the black wolf. He shook his right arm as the Black Blade turned into a fan-shaped black light, slashing the black wolf¡¯s abdomen. The Black Blade was exceedingly sharp. A ¡°puchi¡± sounded as a deep wound was cut into the black wolf¡¯s abdomen, with fresh blood spraying out. Through the injury, the red innards inside were all too visible. Suffering a severe injury, the black wolf abruptly turned its head and pounced on Yu Meng. Before Yu Meng¡¯s eyes, a bloodied enormous mouth was inches away from his face. The smell of blood rushed at him, and the tusk almost touched his face. Fortunately, his martial skills were not ordinary, and he tumbled backwards, evading the black wolf¡¯s giant mouth. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, a big wolf paw descended from the sky, carrying a screeching wind pressure, and hit him. If the blow landed solidly, Yu Meng, no matter how tough his body was, he would meet his end. But having exhausted his strength, he was not fast enough to dodge. He slapped the ground, his palm emitted a red light, and he moved his body to the side. Even so, his movement was not swift enough, and he was about to be injured under the black wolf¡¯s paw. At that moment, a strong light beam shot from the side and hit the black wolf¡¯s head directly. An explosive thunder sounded! The black wolf¡¯s head exploded and turned into a shower of blood that splashed everywhere. Its giant body was also blown away, hitting the ground gravely. Fortunately, where it landed was an open space, and no persons were hit. Several meters away, Shen Luo held a shattered talisman paper in his hand, slowly putting it down. Upon seeing the swift and cruel demise of the black wolf, everyone present gasped, their eyes all landed on Shen Luo, filled with disbelief. The chaotic scene was quiet for an instant. Yu Meng sprang from the ground, a hint of surprise flashed across his face. The situation was urgent and he didn¡¯t have time for a thank you. He nodded at Shen Luo, brandished the Black Blade, and rushed towards the City Defense Team. Everyone else also regained their senses and joined the great battle for the city. Shen Luo discarded the broken talisman paper in his hand with a calm face, but he was very excited in his heart. This time, the Small Thunder Talisman he had provoked was a true talisman paper, not the semi-finished product he used to draw on his skin with essence blood. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze returned to the fierce battle in front of him. He gripped the Black Blade at his waist, ready to join the battle. But after only taking a few steps, he paused and looked back at the corpse of the black wolf. Shen Luo examined the corpse of the black wolf carefully, looked around, but found nothing unusual. ¡°Did I imagine something¡­¡± A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. Just then, something unexpected happened! An azure shadow flashed in the void nearby, a blue wolf the size of a regular gray wolf emerged silently, its elongated eyes cunning almost human-like. Seeing this, Shen Luo was greatly surprised and tried to roll away, but it was too late. The blue wolf was a step faster. Its body hair suddenly stood up, its stomach bulged, and it let out a roar. A huge green wind blade appeared at the edge of its mouth and disappeared with a ¡°whoosh¡±. After Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank, he felt a severe pain in his waist, and his body slowly fell. At the same time, the people who were originally guarding behind the city gate, in the blink of the green wind blade, fell one after another like cut grass. Shen Luo¡¯s vision quickly became pitch black. The last thing he saw was a large number of wolf beasts roaring and rushing into the city, then he plunged into endless darkness. ¡­ After an unknown amount of time, Shen Luo felt awakened by a sudden commotion of battle. He seemed to be half-awake and did not realize what was going on for a moment. He almost believed the noise to be his own illusion. Then a shrill scream rang in his ears, making him tremble. With that, he came to his senses because the scream, though short-lived, was familiar. Shen Luo felt a bright light before his eyes, and the surroundings came into view. The young and strong men defending the city gate, fighting against the black wolves, and the figures on the city wall engaged in a fight with the gray wolves, were visible not far away. ¡°Did I resurrect again?¡± This thought only crossed his mind before he realized he was gripping the unactivated Small Thunder Talisman Paper. Not far in front of him, a black wolf with a broken leg had just hurled the body of a middle-aged man from its mouth. After Shen Luo took in the scenes before him, he was slightly taken aback. During his past resurrected experiences, he would always return to the time when he had just fallen asleep. However, this time was obviously different. But now was not the time to investigate this condition. He quickly took off his clothes and grabbed several handfuls of dry ashes from the ground, wrapping them in his clothes. A few people around noticed Shen Luo¡¯s action, and their faces exposed their surprise. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 38: Making a Last Stand Chapter 39: Chapter 38: Making a Last Stand Shen Luo ignored the others, and focused intently on the Black Wolf, his eyes suddenly gleaming after a moment. He scoffed coldly, holding a knife in one hand and a bundle in the other, and strode towards Yu Meng. Seeing the middle-aged man tragically killed, Yu Meng was filled with righteous anger. He roared and charged forward, avoiding the swipe of the Black Wolf¡¯s paw and brandishing a black blade in return. There was a ¡°hiss¡± sound! A black shadow flashed through the air, leaving a gaping wound several feet long on the Black Wolf, blood splattering. Shen Luo, prepared for this moment, jumped forward, wielding the black blade and thrusting it into the void in front of Yu Meng. He put his all into this stab, causing the air to throb around the blade. Those around him were taken aback by Shen Luo¡¯s actions. The Black Wolf, infuriated by the injury to its abdomen, turned its head sharply towards Yu Meng. Unexpectedly, a black long knife appeared in its line of sight, with its tip aiming straight at its forehead. Unable to halt, it moved forward, effectively putting its own head onto the blade. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the black blade penetrated the Black Wolf¡¯s head, going in until the hilt. The giant beast roared in madness, shivering uncontrollably, and after stumbling forward for a few steps, its enormous body fell to the ground with a thunderous thud. Despite retracting his hand early, Shen Luo was hit by a powerful force that sent him staggering backwards a few steps before he could regain his footing. However, as soon as he regained balance, he immediately lunged in another direction, throwing the bundle in his hand with all his might. There was a ¡°thud¡± sound. The bundle, as if it has hit something midair, exploded and a cloud of dust spread, revealing a blurry image of a wolf beast on the spot. It was the Green Wolf that had previously killed Shen Luo with its ability to turn invisible. The Green Wolf, caught off guard and forced out of its invisibility, seemed surprised, pausing for a split second. Shen Luo was waiting for this moment. He quickly flipped over his both hands, holding a Small Thunder Talisman and a Yuan Stone, infusing the power of the Yuan Stone into the talisman. A ¡°pop¡± sound could be heard! White lightning shot out, crossing several meters in an instant, arriving in front of the Green Wolf and striking down. The Green Wolf¡¯s eyes filled with fear and rage, it growled, its body materialized immediately. At the same time, all its hairs raised, each one emanating a bright green light. In the blink of an eye, a green light shield formed around it. A loud bang resonated! The nearby void instantly turned blistering hot! The green shield twisted continuously, with countless tiny sparks flickering on its surface, but it did not shatter completely. A feeling of dread settled in Shen Luo¡¯s heart, this was beyond his expectation. At this moment, a shrill shriek came from within the green shield. Shen Luo only saw a flash of green light, and a green wind blade an inch long was tearing through the air towards him. ¡°No good.¡± He dodged in a panic but the wind blade was too fast, and a mortal¡¯s body simply couldn¡¯t evade it easily. A ¡°squelch¡± sound was heard! His left arm was severed from the elbow, and blood spurted out like a fountain. ¡°Ah!¡± The intense pain from his lost limb twisted Shen Luo¡¯s face, and with a scream, he fell to the ground. At that moment, the blue light shield and electric light in the distance vanished almost simultaneously, and the figure of the Green Wolf reappeared. The monster, upon seeing Shen Luo fall, glowed more fiercely in its eyes. It opened its mouth wide, intent on ending the human who had interfered with its plan. ¡°whoosh¡± A long black object shot from the side, wrapping around the Green Wolf¡¯s neck, securely binding it. It was a black whip. On the other end, gripping the whip, was none other than Yu Meng, who was tugging with all his might. The Green Wolf was pulled upright so swiftly that the Green Wind Blade it was about to unleash shot off into the high sky instead. ¡°Leave this to me, you lot needn¡¯t worry. Quickly, go to the City Gate!¡± Yu Meng roared. Hearing this, the nearby people quickly prioritized and headed for the City Gate, joining the fight against the Black Wolf Group. Although their numbers were small, their timely arrival brought a temporary respite to the precarious battle situation. ¡°Hold on Brother Shen, let me deal with this beast first!¡± Yu Meng¡¯s eyes were tinged with red. He shouted towards the fallen Shen Luo, forcefully tugging the black whip with one hand while taking out two objects from his bosom with the other ¨C a Blood Talisman and a Yuan Stone. He quickly recited spells, and as the Yuan Stone shattered, a dazzling blood light emanated from the Blood Talisman. It grew more and more intense, quickly shrouding half of Yu Meng¡¯s arm in the blink of an eye. Sensing the astonishing fluctuation of the blood light on Yu Meng¡¯s hand, the Green Wolf showed a hint of fear. Its body shrunk instantly and, with a whoosh, it struggled free from the black whip. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a green shadow that shot away into the distance. ¡°Beast, don¡¯t run!¡± A peculiar red glow covered Yu Meng¡¯s face. He crushed the talisman and threw a punch into thin air towards the Green Wolf. A piercing screech echoed! A blood-red light arrow, as thick as a bowl and several feet long, erupted from his fist, vanishing into thin air with a flash. At almost the same time, the Green Wolf, which had flown dozens of feet away, let out a death cry. Like a small bird shot by an arrow, it fell from mid-air. ¡°thud¡± The massive wolf¡¯s body hit the ground hard. A gaping bloody hole appeared in its neck and blood quickly soaked half of its body. The Green Wolf¡¯s eyes revealed a fear of death. It struggled to raise its head to look at the half-human half-wolf creature in the sky, but before it could lift its head, its eyes went blank. After twitching twice, it was motionless. Seeing the Green Wolf slain, everyone cheered excitedly. However, at this moment, Yu Meng¡¯s cheeks were flushed and his breathing was extremely rapid. He looked extraordinarily weary, his legs swayed a bit and he dropped onto the ground. ¡°Young Master, are you alright?¡± Yu Meng¡¯s three guards ran over from who knows where. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me. Quickly, check on Brother Shen. He¡¯s badly injured. Give him this to take!¡± With difficulty, Yu Meng pulled out a small blood-red bottle from his bosom and threw it to one of the men with a dark complexion. Blood was still flowing from Shen Luo¡¯s amputated arm, turning half of his body red. He was on the verge of passing out. ¡°Young Master, this is a Small Returning Pill. If you give it to him¡­¡± The man with the dark complexion¡¯s expression changed when he recognized the bottle in his hands. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Brother Shen, who discovered the Demon Wolves¡¯ trick in time, the City Gate would have fallen by now. Stop wasting time!¡± Yu Meng said sternly. On hearing his words, the man paused, then seeing the seriousness on Yu Meng¡¯s face, he hurriedly nodded and approached Shen Luo. He tore a strip of cloth from the hem of his clothing and tightly bandaged Shen Luo¡¯s wound. Then he poured out a blood-red pill from the little bottle and administered it to him. Shen Luo felt a gradually increasing coldness spreading over his body as if he was sinking into the icy depths of a cold lake. His consciousness was becoming blurry. ¡°I can¡¯t hold on any longer! Are I going to die again¡­¡± he thought, somewhat unwilling. Just then, a warm current suddenly entered his body, his blurred consciousness began to clear, and his body felt as if it was being lifted up by a force. Regaining consciousness, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Brother Shen, are you okay?¡± Yu Meng had been sitting by his side, his face showing deep concern. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Another Battle Chapter 40: Chapter 39 Another Battle ¡°Thank you, Brother Yu, for your timely rescue.¡± Shen Luo strugglingly sat up, his body wavering weakly before being steadied by another attendant at his side. His head was still spinning, but he understood that it must have been Yu Meng who used some kind of method to rouse him. ¡°Your injuries are too severe. It¡¯s better not to force yourself,¡± Yu Meng sighed. Shen Luo took a deep breath, and his head cleared a little. He looked around. The fierce battle at the city gate was still ongoing, with flashes of swords and knives, intense shouts of killing, and sounds of fighting continuously reaching his ears. As the able-bodied men within the city hurried over, the offensive of the Black Wolf Group had been stopped, and the situation was beginning to tilt in favor of the city defenders. Seeing this, Shen Luo took a sigh of relief and turned to look at Yu Meng. ¡°Brother Yu, your complexion doesn¡¯t look so good. Was it because of the talisman just now?¡± Shen Luo asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°That was the Blood Arrow Talisman passed down in my Yu Family. It needs to be activated with the blood of the Yu family, but it consumes half of one¡¯s vital energy.¡± Yu Meng¡¯s flushed face hadn¡¯t faded yet, and he explained with some panting. A look of realization crossed Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t say anything more, instead looking up into the sky. The key to the fate of Feng Chi City was no longer the situation at the city gate but another battlefield in the sky. In the high altitude, the confrontation between Immortal Masters like Yu Yan and the wolf-headed monster was still going on. Various colors of light fiercely collided, obscuring the figures of several people in the sky and making it impossible to see clearly from the ground. The sounds of impact were as dense as rain and stirred up a series of storms, which were much more intense than before. ¡°Black Wolf King, your subordinates are nothing more than this. So much effort has been wasted, and the result is still found wanting!¡± A clear voice rang out, accompanied by hearty laughter, very pleased. ¡°Hmph! As long as I kill you all, Feng Chi City will still be mine. I intend to use the essence blood of your city¡¯s people to refine my Inner Dan.¡± From within the dark clouds, a rugged voice retorted coldly. Before the voice fell, a deep red light flashed in the swirling dark clouds. In an instant, the dark clouds surged wildly, expanding several times in size. They transformed into a mountain-sized black giant wolf that almost covered half the sky. The giant wolf stood with its four feet on the ground, howling up at the sky. Its massive shadow plunged the vicinity of the city gate into darkness where one could not see their own hand. A gust of wind started from nowhere around the city gate, causing windows to rattle and dust to blow everywhere. Upon witnessing this scene, shock surged across Shen Luo¡¯s face, and his heart was filled with worry. The wolf-headed monster¡¯s magical powers were incredibly powerful. Such a heavenly and earth-obliterating power, even in books, he had never seen before. He wondered if Yu Yan and the others could resist it? At that moment, the black giant wolf crouched and pushed off the void with its four feet, charging towards them with tremendous momentum. Yu Yan and the others quickly retreated, simultaneously firing balls of fire and lightning at the black giant wolf. The sound of loud explosions echoed as the black giant wolf¡¯s front claws and head were blown apart. But even with its seemingly severely damaged form, it didn¡¯t stop and continued to advance towards them. An invisible force surged from the incomplete wolf-shaped dark clouds, attacking like a collapsing mountain, causing ripples in the air ahead. Yu Yan and the others were taken aback. The several of them, who had originally been grouped together, quickly scattered. The wolf-shaped dark cloud was huge and far less agile than they were, so they all managed to evade the charge of the giant wolf¡¯s wreckage. Yet, just at this moment, a triumphant sneer echoed from within the black cloud. Three black lines flashed from the cloud, shooting towards one person, targeting Yu Yan. The three black lines were but three black-backed centipedes, full of dancing claws, pitch-black, like a piece of iron, three feet long. These could fly in the mid-air, obviously derived from some kind of demonic refinement. A faint green glow flickered between the claws, clearly hinting at lethal poison within. The black centipedes moved with such speed that they were on Yu Yan in the blink of an eye, biting sharply at his throat, one hand, and one foot. Yu Yan appeared to be caught off guard, seemingly about to suffer injury under this ferocious insect. Witnessing this sight, Shen Luo¡¯s expression turned grave. Yu Meng, standing at his side, trembled and was about to cry out in alarm. But a muffled noise from above interrupted them. The three black-backed centipedes were knocked into the air, causing Shen Luo and Yu Meng to freeze in shock. Yu Yan¡¯s body radiated a red glow, condensing into a shell-like light shield that enveloped him completely. Without warning, a small red flag appeared in his hand, and the red light of the shield emerged from this flag. ¡°What kind of treasure is this little flag? Is it the legendary magical instrument?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. Having resided in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion for two years, he vaguely understood a bit about the ways of cultivation. Magical instruments were treasures refined by profound cultivators with immense powers, capable of amplifying the wielder¡¯s powers manifold. While Shen Luo was still immersed in shock over Yu Yan potentially using a magical instrument to ward off the sneak attack by the Black Wolf King, the situation high in the sky was rapidly changing. All those Immortal Masters who were fleeing in panic a moment ago suddenly halted, forming a circle surrounding the dark cloud. Aside from Yu Yan, all the other five too had a small red flag in their hands, emanating fluctuating red lights. Six flags seemed to be connected to each other. With a flicker, the red light they emitted intertwined in mid-air, forming a red light shield, encapsulating the wolf-shaped dark cloud within. ¡°Array!¡± As the wolf-shaped dark cloud was enveloped by the red light, it seemed trapped, unable to move. The furious howls of the Black Wolf King echoed from inside the cloud. The surface of the cloud swirled with black light, madly surging in an attempt to break free from the red light¡¯s restraints, causing it to tremble incessantly. ¡°Activate the Six Harmonies Fire Array quickly, do not let it escape!¡± One of the six Immortal Masters, a green-robed old Daoist, shouted, his hands executing seals at incredible speed. The other five too made seals towards their flags without pause. The red light radiating from the six banners suddenly grew brighter. Inside the light shield, a red light group appeared and started spinning. ¡°Now!¡± The green-robed old Daoist waved the flag in his hand, pointing towards the spinning red light group in mid-air. A streak of red light shot from the flag, penetrating the red light shield and merging with the red light group within. The other five did the same, with five streams of red light flying in from all sides, merging into the light group simultaneously. The red light group expanded twofold, like it had consumed a powerful pill, emanating a thunderous rumbling sound. With a ¡°boom¡±, the red light group burst open, turning into a crimson flame that shot out, striking the wolf-shaped dark cloud right on its head and, with a flash, disappearing inside it. An explosive sound echoed from the dark cloud, followed closely by a shrill, agonising howl. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Leaving and Returning Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Leaving and Returning The wolf-shaped dark cloud burst into disintegration, transforming into countless amounts of black Qi that surged in all directions, fiercely crashing against the surrounding red light shield. After emitting that frenzied red flame, the red light shield formed by the six small flags seemed to have consumed most of its energy, becoming much dimmer. At this moment, it was hit hard by countless black Qi and broke open with a ¡°sizzle¡±. Yu Yan and the rest were propelled backward by an invisible force. The black Qi continued to roll and spread, intermixed with a wave of intense heat. Even on the ground, Shen Luo and the others felt a scorching hot wind rushing towards them, causing their faces to burn. It was evident how high the temperature was when the red flame exploded. At that moment, a figure flew out from the spreading black Qi, escaping towards the distance. It was the Black Wolf King. At this moment, the Black Wolf King had returned to his previous wolf-headed humanoid form. However, half of his body was charred black and his left arm was missing, apparently destroyed in the red flame just now. At this moment, two lights, one gold and one silver, raced up from below. They were the Gold and Silver Swords, cutting across the sky, bristling like dragons, slashing towards the Black Wolf King. The Black Wolf King turned his head sharply and spat out a fist-sized sphere from his mouth that emitted dazzling black and red light, smashing it against the Gold and Silver Swords. A loud ¡°boom¡± sounded! A massive storm swept out, and the Gold and Silver Swords were repulsed with a single hit. However, a crack had formed on the black and red sphere and the light it emitted had dimmed significantly. The Black Wolf King gave a ¡°wa¡± sound, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood, and flash of black light transformed his lower body back into a pair of wolf legs. His eyes flashed with resentment, but he dared not linger any longer. He spat out a cloud of black Qi to cover himself, creating a whirl of black demon wind around him. His speed instantly doubled, disappearing into the horizon. Seeing the Wolf King escape, the Gray Wolves below attacking the city, and the Black Wolves that had invaded the city, lost all their will to fight and scattered in disarray, soon disappearing into the wilderness outside the city. Two figures flew in from outside the city. They were a middle-aged man in a red robe and a bald old man. Although Shen Luo did not recognize these two, he had seen them during the daytime defense of the city yesterday. The two had obviously been ambushing outside, coordinating with Yu Yan and the others, in an attempt to decisively slay the Black Wolf King. Unfortunately, it managed to escape. However, with the heavily wounded Black Wolf King escaping and the wolf pack repelled, the great crisis in Feng Chi City had also vanished. Seeing this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. The moment he relaxed, his accumulated fatigue erupted, and before he could do anything, he blacked out. In a daze, Shen Luo felt as though he was hovering in a bizarre space, surrounded by colorful but blurry surroundings, making it impossible to see clearly. He attempted to rub his eyes but realized he couldn¡¯t move his limbs at all. Suddenly alarmed, he tried to yell out, only to find that he could not make a sound. Then, an intense pain shot through his limbs as if he was being pulled in different directions. The agony rapidly spread from his limbs to his entire body, as if he was being torn to pieces. He wanted to struggle but was stuck, only able to endure the torture in pain. After what felt like an eternity, everything around him suddenly shattered like a mirror, breaking into countless fragments. ¡­ Inside the Spring and Autumn Pavilion disciple¡¯s room, Shen Luo trembled and bolted upright, his eyes wide open. His whole body was covered in sweat, his chest heaving, panting heavily. The familiar ceiling gradually came into view as the warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his bed. The room was bright and peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos he experienced in his dream. He shook his head, looking around to confirm that he had completely left Dreamland and returned to reality. Only then did he sigh with relief. Shen Luo placed his hands on the bed to sit up, but a penetrating pain shot through his arms. His hands went limp, and he fell back onto the bed. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Shen Luo felt somewhat relieved. He dared not move again and closed his eyes to assess his body¡¯s condition. Like his arms, other parts of his body sent waves of agonizing pain. His body was feeling chilly, indicating his condition this time seemed to be worse than the last time he woke up from Dreamland. Shen Luo was somewhat worried and quickly started practicing the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡± in an attempt to heal his body. As a surge of Yang Gang power rose from his Dantian and circulated around his chest and abdomen, the internal coldness subsided a bit. He became slightly relieved, then seemed to realize something, raising his eyebrows. In Dreamland, he had drunk Yu Yan¡¯s Snake Gallbladder Wine, which increased his Yang Gang power somewhat. However, the Yang Gang Qi in his body had returned to its previous state. ¡°So, a dream is just a dream.¡± Shen Luo murmured with slight disappointment, quickly adjusted his mindset, and continued to practice the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡±. Driven by the Yang Gang power, the chill in his body gradually dissipated, and his aching body slowly recovered. Seeing this, Shen Luo quietly breathed a sigh of relief. The previous encounters in Dreamland were bizarre yet incredibly realistic, coupled with numerous sudden changes, leaving him no time to consider this dream entry. Now back in reality, he calmed down and couldn¡¯t help but ponder over a question. He had definitely put the jade pillow back in its original place, so how could he enter the dream again? Could it be that the jade pillow wasn¡¯t far enough away and could still affect him on the back mountain? At that thought, Shen Luo tilted his head and glanced at the side of his pillow with the corner of his eye, his eyes widened in surprise. On the bed to the left of the pillow, a black and yellow object sat quietly. It was the mysterious jade pillow that he had supposedly returned! This time, Shen Luo was genuinely startled. The jade pillow was back? However, after experiencing two bizarre yet very realistic dreams, his state of mind had greatly changed from before, and he quickly regained his composure. ¡°Could someone have entered the room?¡± Shen Luo thought in surprise, looking towards the door and the window. The door and the window were tightly shut, with no signs of having been opened. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was not an ordinary Daoism Pavilion. To prevent accidents, the doors and windows of disciple¡¯s rooms were specially made, intricately designed, impossible to open from the outside unless forced open, let alone entering and leaving without a trace. ¡°Did it come back on its own?¡± Shen Luo shivered, feeling the jade pillow become more mysterious. Numerous thoughts were swirling in his mind, which he couldn¡¯t organize for the time being. He thus temporarily set this matter aside and sat in meditation, practicing the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡±. More than half an hour later, after the pain in his body had almost completely subsided, he stopped practicing, sat up, looked at the jade pillow again, and fell into deep thought. The scenes from last night¡¯s dream constantly flashed in his mind, making it hard for him to concentrate. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes roved over the numerous classics on the desk beside him. Suddenly, he recalled what Yu Yan had mentioned about Master Yu¡¯s adventure in the dream. After a brief moment of silence, he walked over, pulled out a thick book from the pile ¨C a geographical encyclopedia of the county. He flipped to the page about Song Fan County, which Yu Yan had mentioned. The book contained a map of Song Fan County, which he began to scrutinize carefully. ¡°Luan Shui River! It really exists!¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 41 Master Fengyang Chapter 42: Chapter 41 Master Fengyang Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, staring intensely at the map. According to the records in the book, the location of Luan Shui River was even closer than he had anticipated, about two hundred li from Chunhua County. Shen Luo put the book down and fell into contemplation. ¡°Junior Brother Shen.¡± Just then, a heavy knock on the door sounded, and simultaneously, a voice came from outside. Hearing this, Shen Luo rose from his seat and opened the door, to find a stout young man standing there. It was Tian Tiesheng. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, your Qingyang Hand is nearing perfection. My door is made of wood; it will not withstand your pounding,¡± Shen Luo greeted with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t mock me, Junior Brother Shen. My talent for martial arts is lacking. Even if I practice Qingyang Hand for another ten years, I wouldn¡¯t achieve perfection,¡± Tian Tiesheng hadn¡¯t spoken yet, when he was pre-empted and teased by Shen Luo. He couldn¡¯t help but respond with a bitter smile. ¡°Senior Brother, you¡¯re too humble. Did you come to see me because you needed something?¡± Shen Luo asked, inviting Tian Tiesheng into his room. ¡°A few days ago, Junior Brother Bai told me you were feeling unwell. Today after finishing my morning practice, I couldn¡¯t find you at the Jade Emperor Hall, and Lin from next door said you haven¡¯t left your room all morning. So, I came to see how you were. Eh, your complexion doesn¡¯t look too good, are you ill?¡± Tian Tiesheng, noticing Shen Luo¡¯s poor complexion, asked. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I didn¡¯t sleep well last night, but it¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Shen Luo temporally didn¡¯t want to tell anyone about the jade pillow and, thus, answered vaguely. ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, make sure to get plenty of rest. It¡¯s almost time for lunch, shall we go together?¡± Hearing that Shen Luo was well, Tian Tiesheng seemed genuinely reassured. Glancing at the time, he suggested. Shen Luo was feeling a bit hungry, so he agreed to go to the dining hall with Tian Tiesheng. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, our Master has been gone for several days now. Do you know when he will be back?¡± Shen Luo asked Tian Tiesheng. His health was back to normal now, but the conditions he¡¯d been in after waking from two dream episodes made him anxious. Luo Daoist should be able to tell what state his body was in. Without clarifying this matter, he couldn¡¯t be at ease. ¡°This time the Master went down the mountain to help a wealthy family in Dingyuan City exorcise a ghost. The trip isn¡¯t a long one. Given the time, he should be back soon. Did you need him for something?¡± Tian Tiesheng asked. ¡°I have some questions about cultivation and wanted to ask for his advice¡­¡± Upon hearing that Luo Daoist would be back soon, Shen Luo was quite pleased and casually replied. As he was speaking, the strength in his body suddenly vanished. The world before his eyes spun. Then, with a ¡°thud¡± sound, he fell backward onto the ground. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, what¡¯s wrong?¡± At his side, Tian Tiesheng was greatly startled and quickly held his shaking body. Shen Luo was trembling all over. It felt as if a large hole had opened in his body, devouring his life force at an alarming rate. The pain was unbearable. Not even the agony he had felt in the dream world compared. Yet, he was unable to utter a scream. His existence was worse than death. Fortunately, at that moment, everything in front of him blurred and rapidly became obscure. In the blink of an eye, endless darkness swallowed all his senses, and he lost consciousness. ¡­ Unaware of the time, Shen Luo¡¯s consciousness gradually came back. He felt a warm current flowing slowly in his body, which provided extraordinary comfort. Slowly, he opened his eyes. An unfamiliar ceiling appeared above him. In the center of the ceiling was a giant ¡°Dao¡± character, surrounded by a circle of cyan patterns, and outside of them was an even larger purple square. In each corner of the square was a painting of one of the Auspicious Beasts: the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. Having just regained consciousness, Shen Luo was somewhat confused to see this unfamiliar ceiling. His mind was in a daze, and he had no idea what had happened. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, you¡¯re awake?¡± At that moment, a face entered his field of vision, looking down at him, It was Tian Tiesheng. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, what happened to me?¡± Upon seeing Tian Tiesheng, the incidents from before immediately came back to him and he struggled to sit up. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± An authoritative voice rang out, halting his movements. Shen Luo turned his head to look, only to see a tall, grey-haired elder standing by his side. This man was wearing a dark green Daoist robe, wearing a lotus crown, his face was stern, his eyebrows slanted downwards, looking somewhat frightening, not unlike a hanging ghost. ¡°Master!¡± Shen Luo recognized the gray-haired elder, and was taken aback, and stayed still as instructed. This gray-haired elder was the master of Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Master Fengyang. Only then did Shen Luo clearly see that Master Fengyang¡¯s left hand was pointing somewhere on his chest. A red light was flickering at his fingertips and a warm current was continuously flowing into his body. Suddenly, he felt a slight sting around his waist, and when he looked sideways, he saw that two of Master Fengyang¡¯s right hand fingers were holding a golden needle with a flickering red light. The needle was inserted into a vital point on his waist and was slightly twisting. Then, he saw something that almost made him cry out. Between his waist and abdomen, there were already seventeen or eighteen gold needles inserted, all emitting a faint red light. Shen Luo quickly realized that Master Fengyang was probably performing some kind of secret acupuncture technique on him. He dared not interrupt, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling worried. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my body? Never mind, there¡¯s no point thinking about it now. Since Master Fengyang is treating me, it should turn out alright.¡± Thinking so, he glanced around and found that this hall was quite spacious. The walls were painted white, and it looked very simple without much decoration. In front of the wall directly opposite the entrance, a large offering table was placed, with the sacred deities of Yuan Shi Tianzun, Lingbao Venerate, Daode Venerate. Their images were dignified. In front of the god positions, there were six large sandalwood chairs, three on each side, presumably for discussions. The wooden bed he was lying on was located at the left side of the hall, against the wall. Besides these items, the hall was empty, it looked somewhat vacant but at the same time imposing. Shen Luo recognized this place as the Jingjing Hall in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, where the Master handled affairs. He had only been here once during his initiation, but he never got the chance to come close to it again after that. Master Fengyang ignored Shen Luo¡¯s glance around and continued his acupuncture. He stuck another five or six needles around Shen Luo¡¯s waist in a short while. Shen Luo felt a gradual rise in warmth around his waist and abdomen, which spread throughout his body in no time. He felt incredibly rejuvenated. His bodily weakness gradually faded, and some color returned to his pale face. Master Fengyang glanced at Shen Luo, retracted his left hand, and waved his right hand in the air. A red light appeared in his palm. The twenty or so gold needles flew out of Shen Luo¡¯s body with a ¡°swish¡± sound and disappeared into his sleeve. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s body was still somewhat weak as he forced himself to sit up and bowed to Master Fengyang. ¡°I have heard from Luo Daoist about your poor health, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be this bad. I don¡¯t know how you have been cultivating. Even the ¡®Small Transformation Yang Technique¡¯, you can cultivate it incorrectly and cause backlash. That you were still able to reach the entry level for this skill is really a strange thing.¡± Master Fengyang looked at Shen Luo for a moment and snorted. ¡°What? Backlash from the technique?¡± Shen Luo was shocked, froze on the spot. ¡°Master, is Shen Luo¡¯s health situation very severe?¡± Tian Tiesheng standing beside, his face changed as he anxiously asked. ¡°What do you think? His pulse disorder, severe energy deficiency, clear signs of backlash from the cultivation technique!¡± Master Fengyang glanced at Tian Tiesheng and responded with a counter question. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, if there¡¯s anything unclear about your cultivation, why didn¡¯t you consult Master? How can you be reckless? The inner energy is not something that can be supplemented easily, sigh¡­¡± Tian Tiesheng stomped his foot and sighed. ¡°Master, can deficiency of vitality affect a disciple¡¯s lifespan?¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath, tried to calm his chaotic mind, and asked Master Fengyang. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 42: Sword Fight in the Forest Chapter 43: Chapter 42: Sword Fight in the Forest Shen Luo walked slowly along the mountain path, pondering how he could replenish his inner vitality and extend his lifespan. According to Master Fengyang and his own deductions, one method was to take elixirs like the life-saving pills that could replenish his inner vitality, but of course, the effect had to be significantly better than that of the life-saving pills. The second method was to quickly cultivate the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡± to perfection and then cultivate more advanced skills. Although the Spring and Autumn Pavilion should have these two things, Shen Luo had already spent a considerable amount of the Shen family¡¯s gold and silver just to become a registered disciple. Better elixirs probably couldn¡¯t be simply obtained with some gold and silver. As for cultivating the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡± to perfection, it was also impossible for him to achieve this within two years given his talent. As Shen Luo pondered over feasible methods, he unknowingly arrived at the back mountain. The back mountain was full of dense trees, the view filled with vibrant greenery. The distant and near sounds of insects and birds chirping somewhat loosened his tense heartstrings. At that moment, a low booming sound came from a dense forest ahead, resembling the sound of swords clashing. Shen Luo stopped to listen. After a while, another booming sound echoed, accompanied by a sharp whine. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He wondered. The back mountain was seldom visited by people, so why were there such noises? Could it be that someone was fighting there? After a slight hesitation, he tiptoed closer to the noise. He soon arrived at its source. ¡°This is¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank, and he subconsciously hid behind a large tree. Two figures were standing in the dense forest ahead, they were Bai Xiaotian and Ding Hua. The two were standing about five or six zhang apart, motionless. Two red sword shades, several feet long, were intertwined and stabbing at each other in mid-air, their agility resembling writhing dragons and snakes, producing a series of clanging sounds. The surrounding dense forest had trees felled and branches broken, looking like a mess. A large open space was cleared, and wherever the sword shades passed, whether it was thick trees or stones in the forest, all were cut into two; the broken parts were left with charred traces, as if they were burnt. ¡°Flying swords!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. Although these two red sword shades were moving much slower than the swords controlled by the two Daoists in Donglai County he saw in Dreamland, their sharp sword Qi was indeed similar. They were undoubtedly flying swords. The two flying swords were wrapped in red light, and only their rough shapes could be vaguely seen. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s flying sword looked like a bronze coin sword formed by a string of bronze coins. With its peculiar shape, it moved really flexibly, roaring like thunder and lightning. A streak of sword light flashed, and the bronze coin sword kept chaining moves, forming a dense sword net that trapped Ding Hua¡¯s flying sword within. However, Ding Hua¡¯s flying sword just seemed like an ordinary wooden sword, exceedingly nimble and elusive. Although it was trapped within the bronze coin sword¡¯s sword net, it defended perfectly, without the slightest disadvantage. Moreover, it occasionally launched offenses like a poisonous snake lashing out its tongue, attempting to tear the sword net, but unfortunately, they were all blocked back. As time passed, the red light on Ding Hua¡¯s wooden sword gradually dimmed, and it didn¡¯t move as nimbly as at the beginning. Ding Hua¡¯s expression was grim. He urged the flying sword with all his might, but he still couldn¡¯t turn the tide. ¡°It seems Brother Bai is still superior.¡± Shen Luo said to himself from a distance, moving a little closer and hiding behind another tree. This was his first opportunity to witness a close-up sword fight, and he didn¡¯t want to miss this rare chance. ¡°Brother Ding, your Qingtuo Lignum sword has just been developed, and if you continue to fight, it might get damaged. Let¡¯s call it a day?¡± Bai Xiaotian restrained the wooden sword but didn¡¯t press further. Instead, he spoke up to stop the fight. Upon hearing this, a hint of annoyance flashed in Ding Hua¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t stop, and suddenly shouted, forming a sword finger with both hands, pointing into the void. With a flash of red light on his fingertips, an eerie blood light also appeared on his face. The wooden sword within the sword network suddenly shone brightly, as if it had taken a strong elixir. The original sword light, which was a few feet long, suddenly increased and took the shape of a crimson giant sword, powerfully cleaving through the air. With a ¡®chi la¡¯ sound, a gap was forcibly cut into the sword net formed by the Bronze Money Sword. The wooden sword shot out from the gap, without stopping, turned into a red sword shadow with a ¡®swoosh¡¯ sound, directly attacking Bai Xiaotian¡¯s face. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s countenance slightly changed; it was a cardinal sin to let the opponent¡¯s flying sword approach during a sword fight. He hurriedly beckoned with one hand. The radiance of the Bronze Money Flying Sword also greatly intensified, shooting back with incomparable speed. It caught up with the wooden sword in the blink of an eye, winding around it once more. But at this moment, with a ¡®clang,¡¯ the red light on the wooden sword suddenly shattered and transformed into a dozen small sword lights, all hitting the Bronze Money Sword. In a series of crisp ¡®clang clang clang¡¯ noises, the Bronze Money Flying Sword was knocked away, tumbling several times in midair, seeming unhurt. Upon seeing this, Ding Hua furrowed his brows, and with a low shout, urged his wooden sword to quickly follow, intending to break through at once. But at this moment, the tumbling Bronze Money Sword abruptly halted, encircling in the air and catching the wooden sword. This skillful move excellently caught the weakest part of the wooden sword. With a ¡®clang¡¯ sound, most of the crimson light on the wooden sword was scattered, it was struck and flew a few tens of feet away. Ding Hua¡¯s face changed color, and only after urging his inner mana repeatedly was he able to steady his sword. After a moment of changing expressions, he raised his hand and beckoned, causing the wooden sword to fly back to his hand, without attacking again. Seeing Ding Hua had ceased his attacks, Bai Xiaotian also withdrew his Bronze Money Flying Sword. ¡°Junior Brother Bai¡¯s sword controlling technique is indeed remarkable. I¡¯ll take my leave now!¡± Ding Hua clasped his hands in salute, turned around and left. After taking a few steps, he glanced at where Shen Luo was hiding, scoffed, but didn¡¯t stop. He soon disappeared into the distance. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, you can come out now.¡± Bai Xiaotian watched as Ding Hua left and spoke with a stern face. ¡°Brother Bai, you guys have such sharp ears to have noticed me from so far away.¡± Shen Luo walked out from behind a distant tree, laughing. ¡°I was wondering why you weren¡¯t in your room. Why did you come here?¡± Bai Xiaotian frowned as he saw Shen Luo walking towards him. ¡°I had some problems with my cultivation. I thought I¡¯d come out for a walk to clear my mind, but I didn¡¯t expect to run into you guys having a contest.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just gain entry into the Small Transformation Yang Technique? How could you have run into issues?¡± Bai Xiaotian said, looking surprised. ¡°So, you also think that even if one¡¯s talents are lacking, practicing the Small Transformation Yang Technique shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Shen Luo spread his hands, showing a bitter smile on his face. ¡°Sigh, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ Oh well, come for a walk with me in the back mountain.¡± Bai Xiaotian, noticing Shen Luo¡¯s gloomy mood, looked at the sky and suddenly said. Shen Luo would naturally not refuse and immediately nodded his head. Both of them walked shoulder to shoulder towards the depths of the forest, passing through a patch of low shrubs, arriving at a beaten path hidden in the tall grass. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 43: Talismanic Instruments Chapter 44: Chapter 43: Talismanic Instruments ¡°When you were having a contest of magic with Brother Ding just now, you both managed to fight using your own weapons. The power of the Bronze Money Sword and the Peach Wood Sword could easily break wood and destroy forests, are these supposed to be the rumored magical instruments?¡± Shen Luo asked as they walked along. ¡°What you¡¯re referring to? It¡¯s not a magical instrument,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head. While speaking, he pulled out the Bronze Money Sword from his sleeve and handed it over to Shen Luo. Shen Luo did not stand on ceremony and took it, giving it a careful once-over. This Bronze Money Sword was not more than two feet long and rather delicately made. It was made of ninety-nine slightly rusted ancient coins woven together with a red string. These ancient coins all had the same design, with images of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals encircling a square hole on one side and the four characters for ¡®long life and prosperity¡¯ inscribed in regular script on the other. They were eighty-one rare pieces of ancient coins. These coins were also minted by the government but were generally not used in commerce. They were often used for certain rituals such as the opening of a furnace, securing a treasury, and prayers for blessings. Their number was nowhere near as great as that of common coins. So, there is something mysterious about this red string? Could it be that there¡¯s something unusual about this red string holding the ancient coins together? Curious, Shen Luo rubbed the red string with his fingers and sniffed it. He detected a faint smell of cinnabar but could not tell what material it was made from. When Bai Xiaotian saw how fascinated he was, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Enough, stop analysing it. The key is not on the Bronze Money Sword; even if you tore it apart, you wouldn¡¯t understand it,¡± he said, and took the sword back from Shen Luo. He then pulled a ¡®Yellow Paper Charm¡¯ from his sleeve and stuck it to the handle of the sword. As he pinched a magic spell with one hand and begun chanting softly, a faint red light lit up on the charm, enveloping the entire sword, just like when they were dueling earlier. Bai Xiaotian flicked his fingers, making the Bronze Money Sword tremble slightly before it suddenly shot up into the air, started spinning, and began hovering around them. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling a sincere sense of admiration. Bai Xiaotian had no intention of showing off. After a brief demonstration, he called back the Bronze Money Sword, removing the charm from it. ¡°As you saw, this Bronze Money Sword requires a charm to activate it. The power comes primarily from the charm. It¡¯s a pseudo-magical instrument known as a ¡®talismanic instrument¡¯. Its power is way less than that of a true magical instrument,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, tucking the Bronze Money Sword and the charm back in his sleeve. Shen Luo understood that Bai Xiaotian had no problem demonstrating the talismanic instrument to him, but the charm on the Bronze Money Sword was not meant to be shown to just anyone ¨C a rule of the sect, and a principle of conduct. No matter how close their relationship, they could not overreach. Shen Luo did not harbor any ill feelings over this. Instead, he admired him even more and felt that Bai Xiaotian was indeed someone worth knowing. ¡°If a talismanic instrument is already so amazing, how wondrous could a magical instrument be?¡±Shen Luo asked with a longing look in his eyes. ¡°Not only are the real magical instruments extremely powerful, but they also require a highly skilled user. Only monks at the Grain Avoidance Stage can use them. Even in our entire Spring and Autumn Pavilion, I¡¯m afraid only the Pavilion Master and that Elder Ancestor possess one. Even Master Luo and Elder Master Wang do not have them,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a yearning expression on his face. ¡°I can understand the Pavilion Master having one, but what about this Elder Ancestor, have you ever seen him?¡± Out of curiosity, Shen Luo asked the question. This Elder Ancestor was somewhat of a mystery within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. While everyone had heard of him, few disciples had ever actually seen him, making him seem particularly enigmatic. Some people speculated that he had lived for hundreds of years. Others said that he had already attained immortality. Still others claimed that he had actually passed away long ago, and that the Pavilion was just keeping it a secret to maintain a strong facade. From the bottom of his heart, Shen Luo would rather believe that his Senior Ancestor indeed has a long lifespan and is still alive to this day. ¡°Although I have never seen him, Master Luo told me that our Senior Ancestor is indeed in seclusion. He rarely shows himself, and probably only the Pavilion Master and Master Luo have the chance to meet him,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Does this mean that the path of cultivating immortality can indeed prolong one¡¯s lifespan?¡± Shen Luo asked, clearly delighted. ¡°Naturally. As long as one can pass through the various stages of cultivation, with each advancement in realm, one¡¯s maximum lifespan will significantly increase. Our Senior Ancestor already is several hundred years old,¡± Bai Xiaotian affirmed, nodding. ¡°To think it¡¯s possible¡­ Judging by the levels of cultivation, I suppose I am currently at the lowest level, right?¡± Upon receiving this affirmative answer from Bai Xiaotian, a surge of enthusiasm welled up in Shen Luo¡¯s heart, his desire to survive growing even stronger. ¡°Well¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian said, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face. ¡°I understand. I take it that I¡¯m not even considered at the lowest level,¡± said Shen Luo, who seemed to understand immediately. He twitched the corner of his mouth slightly as he spoke. ¡°The lowest level of cultivation is the Qi Refining Stage. As long as one can cultivate mana, they are considered to be in the Qi Refining Stage, which is the level that I am at now. The next stage above this would be the Grain Avoidance Stage, which both Master Luo and the Pavilion Master are at,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained reluctantly. ¡°I see. What about our Senior Ancestor? Do you know what his cultivation level is?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Master Luo hasn¡¯t mentioned it, but judging from Senior Ancestor¡¯s estimated lifespan, he has probably already reached the Soul Condensation Stage, which is a level above the Grain Avoidance Stage,¡± Bai Xiaotian guessed, shaking his head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately committed it to memory. Today, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s words felt like opening a door in his mind, showing him a glimmer of hope for survival, while also making him more aware of his own insignificance as an ordinary mortal. It triggered a flurry of mixed feelings in his heart. Ordinary people¡¯s lifespan merely spans a few short decades. After taking into account the time spent in childhood and old age, how much time is actually left in between? Yet he was not even guaranteed this brief interlude. How could he be content with that? ¡°Brother Bai, the technique you used during your bout with Brother Ding was the ¡®Pure Yang Sword Technique¡¯, wasn¡¯t it?¡± asked Shen Luo after collecting his thoughts. Bai Xiaotian was slightly taken aback, seemingly surprised that Shen Luo knew about the Pure Yang Sword Technique. ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. Although I am only a registered disciple and can¡¯t access other techniques, it isn¡¯t too hard to gather some information if one spends a bit more money. I know that the Small Transformation Yang Skill is simply a foundational technique used by mortals to train their bodies, in preparation for cultivating the Pure Yang Sword Technique. And the Pure Yang Sword Technique is the true technique that allows one to cultivate magical abilities within our Pavilion, correct?¡± explained Shen Luo, seeing the confusion written on Bai Xiaotian¡¯s face and responding with a small smile. ¡°You certainly are well-informed. Correct, the Small Transformation Yang Skill is indeed a foundational technique. Only disciples who have achieved perfection in this can attempt to cultivate the first layer of the Pure Yang Sword Technique,¡± replied Bai Xiaotian, after hesitating for a bit, finally deciding to stop beating around the bush. ¡°In other words, as long as I perfect the Small Transformation Yang Skill, I can begin to cultivate the Pure Yang Sword Technique and truly start on the path of cultivation?¡± Shen Luo asked seriously. ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as that. Having the qualifications to attempt the first layer of the Pure Yang Sword Technique doesn¡¯t mean one can understand the Dao. Only after reaching this state of understanding can one be considered a Qi Refining Cultivator and officially step onto the Immortal Path,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Understanding the Dao?¡± This time, Shen Luo was truly surprised. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 44 The Difficulty of Cultivating Daoism Chapter 45: Chapter 44 The Difficulty of Cultivating Daoism ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I explained¡­ well, let me tell you anyway. The so-called ¡®Understanding the Dao¡¯ is, in simple terms, the process of generating the first strand of mana in the body through the stimulation of Yang Gang Qi and the cultivation of the first layer of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. If you can¡¯t overcome this, then you will have no chance of cultivating immortality in this lifetime.¡± Bai Xiaotian, seeing Shen Luo¡¯s eager expression, said this. ¡°If I understand correctly, this is like a key point. Only when this point is unbolted can one continue to cultivate. Is it a kind of enlightening sensation?¡± Shen Luo, deep in thought, nodded and asked. ¡°You¡¯re not completely wrong, but not completely right either. Understanding the Dao is not an enlightening sensation, but rather a transformation from within the body that needs to be assisted by external forces to succeed.¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°What external forces?¡± Shen Luo inquired further. ¡°Are you seriously thinking about cultivating the Pure Yang Sword Technique? Honestly, instead of overthinking, you¡¯re better off focusing on improving your Small Transformation Yang Skill and figuring out how to get more elixirs from Master Luo¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian rolled his eyes and said. ¡°Who in the world only speaks half-sentences?¡± Shen Luo glared back in response. ¡°There¡¯s no getting through to you. As for what specific external forces are needed, I can¡¯t say too much, but they generally include spiritual pills, miraculous medicines, and other such things. These are items that you stumble upon rather than seek. And even with the help of external forces, only one out of a hundred can succeed.¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed and said. ¡°The success rate is that low?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why in recent years, the sect has recruited so many disciples, but to this day, there are only three Inner Sect Disciples. The difficulty of Understanding the Dao is self-evident.¡± Bai Xiaotian chuckled. ¡°Is it possible to tell me more about the Pure Yang Sword Technique? If it touches on taboo rules of the sect, you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± ¡°Ha, as long as I don¡¯t touch the specific content of the skill, it doesn¡¯t hurt to tell you some things. Actually, these things aren¡¯t worth keeping secret. The Outer Sect Disciples know a little, but they tend to generalize or exaggerate. The Pure Yang Sword Technique, in summary, has twelve levels. The most difficult ones are the first level and the last two levels. The first level is difficult in Understanding the Dao, and the last two levels are hard because of the skill itself. If you overcome the hurdle of Understanding the Dao, for the next nine levels, even if you are not talented and progress slowly, you will eventually succeed after a few decades.¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°To spend decades, by the time one succeeds, wouldn¡¯t one be nearing the end of his lifespan?¡± Shen Luo smirked. ¡°I forgot to mention just now, as soon as you manage to Understand the Dao and enter the Qi Refining Stage, your lifespan will increase by about sixty years, which is generally enough for practicing these skills.¡± Bai Xiaotian clapped his forehead and said. ¡°If I cultivate to the ninth level, how much would my lifespan increase?¡± What Shen Luo cared about the most was this matter. ¡°If you can¡¯t break through the Qi Refining Stage, the increase of sixty years in your lifespan won¡¯t change much. But if you can perfect the tenth level of the Pure Yang Sword Technique, you can attempt to break through the Qi Refining Stage and enter the Grain Avoidance Stage. Once you¡¯re in the Grain Avoidance Stage, your lifespan can increase by at least two hundred years.¡± Bai Xiaotian responded with a smile. ¡°Two hundred years¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. ¡°You should focus on extending your lifespan for now, and then consider the matter of two hundred years. Young man, don¡¯t aspire to things beyond your reach. Ha ha ha.¡± After Bai Xiaotian laughed, he suddenly switched topics and asked, ¡°Are you still fiddling with talismans?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still studying, but there hasn¡¯t been any significant progress.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. Earlier, after receiving guidance from Yu Yan in the dream, his comprehension of talismans had indeed deepened significantly. However, he hadn¡¯t had time to practice and verify his skills, so he couldn¡¯t talk about any major progress. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t give up easily. I can¡¯t use these things anymore, so you take them.¡± Bai Xiaotian, with a satisfactorily predicted look, threw over a small closed cloth bag. Shen Luo caught it and shook it, finding that it felt heavy in his hand. He opened the cloth bag with a puzzled look and found seven or eight Yuan stones inside. His heart instantly rejoiced. ¡°Brother Bai, you¡¯re like rain in a drought to me. I just ran out of these treasures. This time you can¡¯t let me go away empty-handed, tell me, how much?¡± Shen Luo asked cheerfully. ¡°Talking about money between brothers, that¡¯s damaging to our relationship. In a few days, invite me to a good meal at the restaurant in town. Everything else is negotiable as long as you supply enough alcohol. The alcohol worms in my stomach have been calling for days.¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°No matter how you look at it, all your deals seem to be at a loss?¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment and then said. ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re feeling guilty, give me a hundred or a thousand taels of gold, I won¡¯t refuse extra weight to my coin purse.¡± Bai Xiaotian put on a grin, and rubbed his hands together. ¡°The alcohol will be enough.¡± Without another word, Shen Luo nodded, and then turned and walked forward with his hands behind his back. Bai Xiaotian laughed heartily and followed behind him. ¡­ In the tranquil summer night, under the light of the bright moon, the insects chirped like a bell, crisp and pleasing to the ear. A lone figure was making his way to the top of the mountain along a path. After passing by the Jade Emperor Hall, he soon arrived at a solitary courtyard. The outer door to the courtyard was open from which the candlelight from the two-story stand-alone loft inside was visible. ¡°Master Luo, your disciple Shen Luo wishes to see you.¡± Shen Luo stood in the shadow by the door, respectfully bowed toward the inner courtyard and shouted. ¡°Come in and talk¡­¡± After a moment of silence in the room, a voice was heard. Upon hearing the voice, Shen Luo hurriedly stepped into the inner courtyard. Before he could get close to the door, there was a creaking sound, and the two black doors swung open by themselves. Daoist Luo, dressed in a Daoist robe, was seated on the Grand Master Chair in the hall. Beside him was a pot of freshly brewed tea, from which thin wisps of white steam rose along with the aroma of tea. ¡°Disciple heard from Brother Bai that Master has returned to the mountain, so I came to pay my respects.¡± Shen Luo looked at the weather-beaten face of Daoist Luo, bowed respectfully with lowered eyes. After parting with Bai Xiaotian, he had been pondering for a long time and finally decided to come and meet this master who had just returned from outside the mountain. Daoist Luo, holding his tea cup, glanced over this registered disciple of his, his brows furrowing slightly. ¡°It seems that your Senior Uncle was right, you really did make a mistake while cultivating the Hua Yang Technique. Your vital essence, which at best is a tenth of what it should be, is even more apparent in its decline, and death is imminent.¡± Daoist Luo put down his tea cup and spoke bluntly. This statement struck Shen Luo hard, fully extinguishing his last bit of hope. ¡°I beg Master Luo to save me and teach me how to extend my life.¡± Shen Luo bowed deeply again. Daoist Luo watched him, his wrinkled and reddish face not changing much. He simply picked up the teapot beside him, filled his tea cup, and positioned it near his mouth to gently blow the leaves floating on the surface. Shen Luo rose slightly, stepped forward, and produced a heavy purple-red wooden box from his chest. He placed it with both hands on the tea table next to Master Luo, then bowed again and spoke: ¡°Master Luo, this is a token of my appreciation. I¡¯d be grateful if you could keep it. If there is a way to extend my life, I¡¯m willing to exchange it for a substantial amount.¡± Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Unspeakable Chapter 46: Chapter 45 Unspeakable Daoist Luo slightly turned his body and glanced at the wooden box on the table, and then he sighed and said: ¡°Alas, when I was with your family, I had already told you the methods to extend your life. Breaking precedent, I gave you the Red Snow Powder and the Small Transformation Yang Skill. However, you have zero talent for cultivation. Even these basic skills can pose problems for you to practice. I wonder if taking you as my disciple was rescuing you or hurting you.¡± ¡°Master Luo, you are too harsh. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I¡¯m afraid I would have been dead a long time ago. I always remember the kindness of your rebirth.¡± Shen Luo shook his head repeatedly. Upon hearing this, Daoist Luo¡¯s expression softened; it was clear that these words had affected him. ¡°Master Luo, I wonder if there are any other methods. No matter the cost, I am willing to pay.¡± Shen Luo said once more, putting heavy emphasis on his last few words. ¡°Fine, for the sake of you, I¡¯m willing to break the rules one more time. As long as you can perfectly cultivate the Small Transformation Yang Skill within three years, I can ask Pavilion Master for favor again, to allow him to teach you the first layer of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. At that time, we can discuss what price you need to pay. However, the chances are slim,¡± said Daoist Luo after a moment of silence. Within three years? But didn¡¯t Master Fengyang determine that I won¡¯t live for more than two years? Shen Luo felt doubtful in his heart but continued to thank him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me in a hurry. I can tell you frankly that I don¡¯t have a positive view of this method. After all, with your aptitude, it¡¯s almost impossible to perfect the Small Transformation Yang Skill within three years. So, I advise you to recuperate more and put some effort into finding spiritual medicine and immortal herbs to extend your life. That¡¯s the right path.¡± Master Luo waved his hand and said wisely. ¡°Where can I find such life-preserving items? Are there any in the pavilion?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°If we had such items in the pavilion, why would I make you go elsewhere to find them? Even for ordinary cultivators, real life-extending spiritual medicine is a great hope but usually out of reach. Once it appears, it will be snatched by various cultivators, and mortals can¡¯t even get a glimpse of it. Even if you are fortunate to see it, you may not be able to buy it even if you spend all your gold and silver,¡± said Daoist Luo as he stood up, hands behind his back. ¡°Why can¡¯t it be purchased with gold and silver?¡± Shen Luo was a bit puzzled. Over the past few days, he claimed to have survived through the Small Transformation Yang Skill and the Red Snow Powder. But weren¡¯t these bought with real money? The 200 gold coins spent when entering the pavilion, and the 2000 taels of silver sent by his family every year, weren¡¯t all these his life-extending items? ¡°You haven¡¯t set foot on this path yet, so naturally, you don¡¯t know that in the eyes of cultivators, these real gold and silver are no different from ordinary stones and rotting wood. Even among them, if there is a need for barter, they use the legendary Immortal Jade,¡± Daoist Luo said. The moment Shen Luo heard this, it was like being struck by lightning. He knew of Immortal Jade. Bai Xiaotian had mentioned it to him, and he had also read about it in some books. It¡¯s the real money of immortals. Not to mention his Shen family, merely a merchant from a county town. Even the tycoons in State City may have never seen it. ¡°To buy the life-extending immortal medicine, they naturally expect immortal money¡­¡± Shen Luo felt powerless. It seemed that he had lost even the last bit of financial support. Seeing his eyes gradually dimming, Daoist Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of compassion. As Shen Luo¡¯s mind was churning, he suddenly thought of something. The root cause of his vitality loss was that weird jade pillow. Perhaps he could find a solution from this object and find a way to save himself. Besides, just because he couldn¡¯t do anything with the jade pillow, did it mean that others couldn¡¯t as well? This thing is now reducing his lifespan. No matter how precious it is, survival is the top priority. If there¡¯s really no other way, maybe he could first exchange this for some benefits from the pavilion. ¡°Master Luo¡­¡± After some hesitation, Shen Luo finally made up his mind and tried to probe some information about the jade pillow. However, just as he opened his mouth, there was a buzzing sound in his brain. A sharp sound that he had never heard before came rushing into his head like a tidal wave. His vision suddenly blacked out, and he fell sideways. Daoist Luo was startled, but he quickly caught Shen Luo by the shoulder and hoisted him onto a chair. While Shen Luo¡¯s head was throbbing, Daoist Luo furrowed his brows, grabbed his wrist, and carefully checked his pulse. A moment later, he shook his head and released his hand. ¡°Your pulse is weak and powerless, indeed a sign of backfire from the cultivation. Your vitality loss is not light. How did you cultivate to end up like this?¡± Shen Luo was drenched in cold sweat. He struggled to explain his usual cultivation practices. ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, when he wanted to mention the jade pillow again, the violent humming sound in his brain suddenly rang again, causing him to cry out in pain. Daoist Luo¡¯s face turned serious. He supported Shen Luo¡¯s back with one hand. A red light emerged from his palm, and warm currents flowed into Shen Luo¡¯s body, comforting him. The lingering buzz in Shen Luo¡¯s head gradually disappeared. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Could it be¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s clothes were soaked in cold sweat, he was anxious and disturbed. However, when he had the thought of mentioning the jade pillow again, the sharp hum reappeared in his head. This time, it was even more intense than before, making him unable to speak. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Daoist Luo also noticed his abnormality and asked. ¡°My¡­my body feels a bit weak, it might be¡­the backfire from the technique,¡± Shen Luo said with some difficulty, wei breathing heavily. He dared not let his thoughts dwell on the jade pillow any longer. ¡°Take a break from cultivation for these few days, take this Red Snow Powder home with you. Don¡¯t take it all at once, divide it into three doses, otherwise, your current body can¡¯t bear it.¡± Daoist Luo took out a paper package from his arms and put it into Shen Luo¡¯s hand. At the same time, a red light appeared again in his other hand, and he patted a few acupoints on Shen Luo¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you, Master Luo.¡± After a long time, Shen Luo finally recovered a bit, and he hurriedly thanked him. He didn¡¯t dare to delay anymore. After bidding Daoist Luo farewell, he took his leave. Daoist Luo watched Shen Luo¡¯s somewhat staggering figure disappear outside the door, rubbing the gold ingot hidden in his sleeve, his brows furrowed. ¡°Speaking of which, this kid is actually quite good. What a pity¡­ It looks like I¡¯ll need to find another disciple from a wealthy family in a couple of years¡­¡± After mumbling to himself, he waved his sleeve, and the doors inside and outside of the house closed on their own. ¡­ The night was deep. The quiet room by the cliffside at Qingchipo still had a candle alight. Shen Luo was sitting next to the desk. The strange jade pillow was placed in front of him. His gaze fell on it, but his eyes seemed somewhat absent. The thing that happened at Master Luo¡¯s place was too unbelievable, Shen Luo simply couldn¡¯t understand what kind of power was stopping him from revealing the secret of the jade pillow? Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 46: Take a Gamble Chapter 47: Chapter 46: Take a Gamble Shen Luo, returning to his room about an hour earlier, had already tried talking to the empty wall next to his bed regarding the jade pillow. However, the moment he tried to speak, a fierce and sharp buzzing noise resonated in his mind, rendering him incapable of uttering a single word. After only two attempts, Shen Luo already felt as if his head was going to split apart, and dared not to try again. At this point, he had a clearer understanding of the peculiarities of this jade pillow and genuinely believed from the bottom of his heart that it was a ¡°treasure¡± imbued with substantial power. However, this treasure not only induced terrifying ¡°nightmares¡± twice but also significantly impaired his vitality and affected his lifespan. This made his heart increasingly filled with worry. ¡°I can leave the jade pillow for now. The most important thing is to extend my life,¡± said Shen Luo as he stood up to walk around his room, pondering the matter. Let alone Master Luo, even Shen Luo himself didn¡¯t believe that he could perfect his Small Transformation Yang Skill within two years from its minor completion hence not qualifying to cultivate the Pure Yang Sword Technique as per the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s rules. ¡®Asking for help is not as reliable as helping oneself. It seems I have to take a gamble,¡¯ thought Shen Luo decisively as he abruptly halted his pacing. Several days later. On the mountain path of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Shen Luo was descending the stone steps with a slightly frowned expression implying a sense of anxiety and distress. He didn¡¯t engage in conversation with any brothers he met on the way. He offered a slight salute and hurried past. As he approached the vicinity of the dining hall, he finally halted upon sighting a familiar figure. ¡°Senior Brother Tian¡­¡± Shen Luo called out. Hearing the voice, Tian Tiesheng turned around quickly. Seeing Shen Luo, he flashed a big smile, and quickly walked towards him. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, were you looking for Master Luo¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Shen Luo grabbed his arm and pulled him aside towards a less crowded and quieter area. ¡°Senior Brother, I was intending to find you. To my surprise, I ran into you here,¡± Shen Luo began talking. ¡°Looking for me? Is there something?¡± Tian Tiesheng scratched the back of his head in confusion at Shen Luo¡¯s words. ¡°Nothing in particular, I am going back home to visit my family for a few days. I came to bid you farewell,¡± replied Shen Luo with a smile. ¡°You can go down and visit home? Has Master Luo approved it? Throughout my years here, Master Luo has never permitted me to go home,¡± said Tian Tiesheng, his voice laced with surprise and a tinge of envy. ¡°This morning I asked Master Luo, and he gave his permission,¡± said Shen Luo, his heart unconsciously filled with a bitter feeling. Indeed, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion had held its mountain sealing for many years. As per the sect¡¯s rules, disciples couldn¡¯t leave at will without achieving in cultivation. The reason Master Luo agreed was probably that he felt Shen Luo¡¯s remaining days were few and that he wanted to reunite with his family. Therefore, he made an exception and agreed. Looking at Tian Tiesheng¡¯s past behavior, he probably won¡¯t think of this, and Shen Luo also didn¡¯t want to explain himself. ¡°Have you told Junior Bai about your home visit?¡± asked Tian Tiesheng. ¡°I looked for Brother Bai at his small courtyard after leaving Master Luo¡¯s place, but he wasn¡¯t there. I also went to his usual practice location on my way back, but still couldn¡¯t find him. It seems that he has sneaked down the mountain again to drink wine. If you come across him afterward, could you please tell him for me?¡± youBy Shen Luo asked, shaking his head. ¡°Sure, you can go back with ease. I¡¯ll tell him,¡± assured Tian Tiesheng by slapping his chest. Shen Luo slightly nodded, bid his farewell, and left. Tian Tiesheng watched Shen Luo¡¯s receding figure and for some reason, felt an inexplicable feeling. Only then did he suddenly realize that he was distracted while talking to Shen Luo and forgot to ask about Shen Luo¡¯s health and what Master Luo had said. Shen Luo returned to his room, took off the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s disciple uniform, replaced it with his own clothes from before, packed his belongings, and tied up a bundle. Afterward, he glanced at the jade pillow on the bed, thought for a moment, wrapped it in a cloth, and hid it in a concealed corner under the bed. Only then did he walk over to the desk. The stack of ancient books was still there, but on the cleared space next to the stack, there were three brand new yellow paper talismans. The patterns on them were that of the ¡®Small Thunder Talisman.¡¯ Although he successfully drew the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± in the ¡°Dreamland¡± with Yu Yan¡¯s instructions, but after returning to the Pavilion, he had to miserably fail two to three dozens of times before he could barely produce four correct ones, one of which was used up during testing. He folded the three talisman one by one, tucked them in a book titled ¡®Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-subduing Chronicle¡¯, and put them all in the bundle along with his remaining silver money. Shen Luo put on the bundle, locked his room, took a deep breath, and headed towards the mountain gate. Along the way, many siblings at the Pavilion looked surprisingly at his attire. None of them cared to ask, not even the usual greetings; most simply whispered a few words after he had walked a bit far. Shen Luo ignored them all and arrived at the mountain gate a short while later. From a distance, he saw three to four people eagerly talking to Senior Brother Niu, who was guarding the mountain gate. The flattering smile on their faces was glaring. Niu, the senior brother, was around forty years old, sharing a resemblance to a piece of charcoal. A circular birthmark on the center of his brows made him look like Judge Bao of the mortal world. But in reality, he was an extremely greedy man. Since he always lived at the Pavilion since a young age, although his capability was average, his seniority was older than many other disciples. As a result, he got the job of guarding the mountain gate. Often, anyone who wanted to sneak down the mountain and have some fun was inevitably extorted by him. Even Bai Xiaotian, an inner sect disciple, had suffered many losses, let alone others. Those who couldn¡¯t resist had no choice but to please him, and this is exactly what these people were doing. Seeing Shen Luo approaching, everyone quickly straightened themselves and showed a posture of seeking advice from Senior Brother Niu. ¡°Greetings Senior Brothers,¡± greeted Shen Luo, aware that the must deal with Niu, the senior brother, to exit the mountain. ¡°What do you want?¡± Senior Brother Niu gave Shen Luo a once-over. ¡°Following Master Luo¡¯s instruction, I am returning home to visit my family,¡± answered Shen Luo, maintaining his straight body posture. ¡°Our Spring and Autumn Pavilion has been sealing the mountains for so many years. When have we ever heard of going home to visit family?¡± Senior Brother Niu crinkled his black face in question. The others also looked surprised to hear this. At this, Shen Luo calmly took out a letter from his sleeve bearing Master Luo¡¯s personal seal and handed it to Senior Brother Niu. The latter¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he accepted the letter. ¡°Really going to visit family¡­with no time limit?¡± After looking at the letter several times, he shifted his gaze back to Shen Luo, his eyes filled with nothing but doubt. ¡°Senior Brother Niu, can I go now?¡± asked Shen Luo, with a nonchalant smile. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Descending the Mountain Chapter 48: Chapter 47: Descending the Mountain Just as Senior Brother Niu was about to speak, a flurry of footsteps could be heard from not far outside the mountain gate. A figure had appeared there at some point and was now walking towards them. Surprised, everyone looked over in that direction, including Shen Luo. They saw a young man in the attire of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, wearing a woven bamboo hat, rhythmically ascending the stone steps, slowly approaching the mountain gate. The man had jet-black hair, a somewhat thin figure, and his face half concealed by the bamboo hat. Yet, the semi-visible contours hinted at his extraordinary attractiveness, exuding an air of transcendence. ¡°Who is that?¡± Someone whispered. ¡°Why is he in our Spring and Autumn Pavilion robes? He looks unfamiliar¡­¡± another person expressed their doubt. ¡°Could it be him?¡± Shen Luo had a guess in his heart, but he didn¡¯t voice it. ¡°That¡¯s Gu Hualing, Brother Gu.¡± Senior Brother Niu, who¡¯s been guarding the mountain gate for many years naturally recognized him and answered with a slight change in expression. ¡°Gu Hualing?¡± Upon hearing this name, everyone, including Shen Luo, was surprised. He was one of the three prominent inner sect disciples, on par with Ding Hua and Bai Xiaotian, but the most mysterious among them. He was rumored to spend most of his time secluded in meditation, rarely appearing on the mountain. His master was none other than Elder Master Wang, a peer of Master Luo and Master Fengyang. Although Shen Luo has been on the mountain for more than two years and has never met him, Bai Xiaotian has mentioned him quite often. At least in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes, Gu Hualing was more noteworthy than Ding Hua. ¡°It was rumored that the Pavilion had allowed him to go down the mountain alone to conquer demons; I never thought it was true.¡± An elder disciple couldn¡¯t help but sigh in a low voice. ¡°Alone¡­ Even Brother Ding hasn¡¯t gone down the mountain alone, yet he has¡­¡± Another disciple said. As the group was whispering, and the man was now close by, they halted their conversation, bowed respectfully, and said: ¡°Greetings, Brother Gu¡­¡± ¡°Brother Gu¡­¡± Gu Hualing stopped in his tracks, lifted his bamboo hat, revealing a face so beautiful that even women would envy, and returned the salute. ¡°All the brothers gathered at the mountain gate to greet me, that¡¯s really overwhelming.¡± He laughed gently, as if joking. Seeing him, everyone felt a mix of admiration, envy, and embarrassment. For a moment, no one knew how to respond. ¡°Hmm¡­ For Brother Gu¡¯s first excursion, how fruitful was it?¡± Senior Brother Niu, who was slightly more familiar with Gu, coughed lightly and asked with a smile. ¡°I killed a yellow rat monster that had just begun to acquire spiritual wisdom. It¡¯s not much of a harvest.¡± Gu Hualing patted the sack on his back and laughed. Upon hearing his words, everyone was startled. On his first journey, he hadn¡¯t faced some dark spiritual entity, but a monster that had gained spiritual wisdom! Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but gave him a few more glances. ¡°Brother Gu is truly heroic, I admire you, I truly do,¡± Senior Brother Niu said sincerely. The others finally recovered and started to flatter Gu, each nodding and speaking their approval. ¡°Brother Gu is exaggerating. As long as we persevere in our cultivation, regardless of the speed of progress, there will be achievements in the future. I need to go back and report to Master about my journey now, I won¡¯t delay you guys anymore.¡± Gu Hualing gave a slight bow to everyone, his manners were extremely courteous and fitting. Everyone felt as if they were on top of the world and hurriedly returned the greeting. Shen Luo had to admit, compared to the unruly Bai Xiaotian and the arrogant Ding Hua, Gu Hualing, one of the three great inner sect disciples, was certainly more popular among these ordinary disciples. Even though his figure had long disappeared, everyone still felt refreshed. But when they came back from their excitement, Shen Luo had quietly left the mountain gate. After more than two years of confinement in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, even someone of Shen Luo¡¯s temperament couldn¡¯t help but cherish the newfound freedom. Upon reaching Tuji Town, Shen Luo first ordered a table full of food and wine at Hongyun Building and enjoyed a hearty meal. Next, he went to the market and spent twenty taels of silver on a sturdy black-maned horse. After packing up water and dry food for the journey, he rode out of Tuji Town, leaving a trail of dust behind him. ¡­ Dengping Prefecture administers over a dozen counties, both large and small. Among them, Chunhua County, with its flat terrain and plentiful farmland, is relatively wealthy. Tianping County, located to the east of Chunhua County, is affected by the terrain of Jiu Liang Mountain and has less land, so it¡¯s the poorest. Song Fan County, which adjoins Chunhua County to the west, has become a small transit point for water transport due to the passage of Luan Shui River. Although the arable land there is less than in Chunhua County, trade is noticeably more prosperous. At this moment, within the well-known Qin Yang Wine House in the town of Song Fan County, Shen Luo, clad in an azure robe, was sitting at a window seat on the second floor. In front of him were some exquisite dishes, wafting steam into the air. However, after traveling non-stop for three days on a bumpy road, he didn¡¯t have much of an appetite. He picked up his chopsticks only to put them down again, opting to take a sip of the tea sitting next to him instead. Right then, a bustling waiter who was passing by his table was halted by Shen Luo¡¯s call of ¡°waiter.¡± The waiter looked at the untouched food on Shen Luo¡¯s table, unconsciously raising his eyebrows. ¡°Yes, sir, how may I assist?¡± He leaned over, all smiles. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Of course, sir. I¡¯ll answer anything I know.¡± The waiter relaxed upon realizing that Shen Luo wasn¡¯t raising a complaint, and smiled. ¡°Do you know of any ferry crossings on the Luan Shui River in Song Fan County?¡± asked Shen Luo. The waiter paused for a moment at the question, then laughed, ¡°Sir, that¡¯s a strange question. In Song Fan County alone, there are three ports for water and land transport. As for ferry crossings, there must be over a dozen.¡± ¡°So many¡­,¡± said Shen Luo, frowning slightly at the answer. Shen Luo¡¯s reason for leaving the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to make a beeline for Song Fan County was not for family matters, but for the ¡°Nameless Heavenly Book,¡± which Yu Meng¡¯s ancestor had discovered in the Luan Shui River. If all in the dream was true, then, according to the timing, this heavenly book would most likely still be undiscovered by Yu Meng¡¯s ancestor and could very well still be lying beneath a mound of rocks in the Luan Shui River. Given the slight chance that Shen Luo would be able to attain the ¡°Pure Yang Sword Technique¡± from within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and his chances of obtaining life-saving elixir were even slimmer, his final hope lay in finding this heavenly book describing immortal arts. Even if he can¡¯t master the techniques outlined in the book, he could use this book to exchange for immortal jade or other elixirs that might refill his vitality from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°Waiter, do you happen to know of any ferry operators with the surname Yu?¡± thought Shen Luo, and he asked. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 48 Yu Dadan Chapter 49: Chapter 48 Yu Dadan ¡°This¡­¡± The clerk¡¯s eyes turned, a look of difficulty appearing on his face. Seeing this, Shen Luo understood. He reached into his sleeve, pulling out a piece of silver and placing it on the table. The clerk glanced at it, his eyes brightening immediately, and he reached out to take it. ¡°First, tell me.¡± Shen Luo raised his hand to lightly cover the silver, a gentle smile appearing on his face. ¡°Ahem¡­if I¡¯m not mistaken, there is only one family with the surname Yu who works as boatmen on the Huangwei Dang section of the river. The water area spans more than ten miles with many hidden reefs and chaotic rocks, and the water flow is rapid. Only that man from the Yu family can navigate the boat there.¡± The clerk cleared his throat and withdrew his hand, looking somewhat disgruntled. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was pleased inside. He picked up the silver and placed it into the clerk¡¯s palm, but he didn¡¯t let go immediately, continuing to ask: ¡°Where is Huangwei Dang, and is it easy to find?¡± ¡°Easy to find, easy to find. Just go out of the western city gate and head southwest for about fifty or sixty miles. If you can¡¯t find it along the way, just ask anyone. Say you¡¯re looking for Yu Dadan,¡± the clerk said quickly, his face beaming as he felt the chill of the silver in his palm. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said, letting go and smiling. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. If there¡¯s anything else you need, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. Recently, the city gate closes early, generally by night watch. You have to be mindful of your return time when you¡¯re out sightseeing.¡± The clerk¡¯s face was full of smiles as he thanked Shen Luo again and tucked the silver away. Shen Luo waved him off, and the clerk bowed and backed away. After eating, Shen Luo led his horse out of the city and headed southwest. Approximately half an hour later, he arrived at the river bank. There are many tributaries in the upper reaches of the Luan Shui River, so the river is rather wide. On the banks built by people and the tidal flats next to the river, tall and robust elm willow trees grew everywhere, their dense branches hanging down, swaying non-stop with the summer breeze. Shen Luo continued along the river bank, and after walking a dozen miles, he noticed that the riverbed of the Luan Shui River began to shrink bit by bit. The originally wide river surface gradually narrowed to several tens of feet, making the once gentle waterflow become increasingly rapid. The further he went, the more sandbanks appearing above the surface of the river, all covered with dense reeds. Their leaves were green and rustled when blown by the wind. Water birds would occasionally rise and fall among them. After riding for another ten miles, Shen Luo finally saw a tall old elm tree not far from the river bank ahead. Under the shade of the tree, there was a simple thatched shed. Not far from the shed and by the river bank, a black canopy small boat was moored, with a bamboo pole of about ten feet long inserted beside it. He dismounted not far from the elm tree and, holding the reins, walked over slowly. ¡°Is the boatman there?¡± Shen Luo as he stood outside the house, shouting loudly. ¡°Oh, someone¡¯s here¡­¡± A response sounded soon after, the voice deep and rugged. Following that, a strapping middle-aged man walked out of the thatched house. Shen Luo looked him up and down. Other than his skin being sunburnt, this man¡¯s facial features actually bore a three to four points resemblance to Yu Meng. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but marvel inwardly, wondering if this man could be one of Yu¡¯s ancestors. ¡°May I ask if you are Yu Zhousi?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Haha, what is this young master talking about? Within a few hundred li upstream and downstream of the Songsong County section of the Luan Shui River, is there a second Yu Dadan?¡± The middle-aged man laughed heartily, seeming quite pleased with himself. ¡°I came here because of Brother Yu¡¯s reputation.¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile upon hearing this. ¡°Is the young master looking to cross the river? But crossing with a horse isn¡¯t easy. I¡¯m afraid our boat won¡¯t be able to accommodate it.¡± The middle-aged man, self-proclaimed as Yu Dadan, looked Shen Luo up and down, looking a bit troubled. ¡°If not crossing the river, I¡¯d like to borrow a boat from you. As for the price¡­ everything is negotiable.¡± Shen Luo blinked and said. Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Yu Dadan scrutinized him once again, feeling befuddled about what this young man, who looked like a rich young master, actually wanted to do. Shen Luo just looked at Yu Dadan with a smile, waiting for him to speak. ¡°This customer, you appear to be a stranger here. This Huangwei Dang is not a good place for swimming and frolicking. You may see the reed beach scenery as good, but the river bottom is full of undercurrents and reefs, there¡¯s also a large area of rubble beach in the middle. Even an experienced boatman can crash into it if not careful. Renting a boat yourself isn¡¯t a good idea,¡± Yu Dadan furrowed his brows and advised. ¡°No worries, I have some swimming skills. I just want to go into the reed beach to take a look, enjoy the scenery and come back.¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Customer, if you want to enjoy the scenery, it¡¯s also fine. I can take you there by the boat, just charging for a round trip, which would cost less than renting a boat, and there won¡¯t be any danger. Isn¡¯t it so?¡± Yu Dadan still felt it wasn¡¯t right. ¡°Sir, don¡¯t listen to this fool¡¯s words¡­¡± but before he could finish, and before Shen Luo could respond, an urgent female voice came from the thatched hut. Following that, a middle-aged woman, wearing a brown cloth wrapped headscarf and pregnant, came out from the hut. The woman¡¯s face was dark with a hint of red, it was obvious she was used to working in the wind and sun. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s such a handsome young man¡­¡± The woman let out a sigh of admiration when she saw Shen Luo. Shen Luo slightly smiled but did not take it seriously. ¡°Why did you come out, you should not catch a cold.¡± Seeing this, Yu Dadan hurried back with a concerned look on his face. Seeing this, the woman glared at him, swept away his hand that was reaching towards her, and said: ¡°You simpleton, do you know what elegance is? This young master wants to enjoy the scenery alone in the reed beach. Perhaps a poetic moment might occur, and he could write a world-famous poem. What are you doing joining in, don¡¯t you find it annoying?¡± Shen Luo of course knew that the woman was trying to earn the boat rental silver, but he didn¡¯t expose it and laughed, ¡°Big sister-in-law is joking, I just wanted to be alone and clear my heart, where do I have any poetic talent¡­¡± Hearing Shen Luo say this and with his wife giving him meaningful glances, Yu Dadan could only keep quiet. ¡°Hehe, how long does the young master want to rent, although our boat isn¡¯t big, business isn¡¯t bad. Young master, you can¡¯t treat us unfairly.¡± The woman said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll rent it for three days. Starting from now until this time in three days, I¡¯ll give you ten taels of silver, how about that?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his chin and asked. ¡°How much¡­¡± The woman was taken aback, she had not expected Shen Luo to be such a big spender. ¡°Ten taels of silver.¡± Shen Luo repeated. ¡°No, no¡­ That¡¯s too much.¡± Yu Dadan kept shaking his head. ¡°Um¡­ this is indeed a bit too much. It¡¯s more than enough to buy our boat. Let alone ten taels, one tael is not a small amount.¡± Even the money-loving woman felt it was inappropriate to take so much. ¡°Big sister-in-law need not worry, I get along well with Brother Yu, consider these ten taels of silver as paying for a friendship. I will rent this boat.¡± Shen Luo said, leaving no room for rebuttal. ¡°The young master has an impressive demeanor and is generous, he is bound to have a long and prosperous life¡­¡± The woman couldn¡¯t help but smile, the more she looked at the young man in front of her, the more she liked him. Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 49 Exploring the River Chapter 50: Chapter 49 Exploring the River After the agreement was settled, Shen Luo handed over the horses to Mr. and Mrs. Yu Dadan, and rowed the small boat into the river himself. When he was about to set off, Yu Dadan did not forget to give him detailed instructions, fearing that he might encounter any accidents. Shen Luo naturally took this seriously and noted down the details of each section of the river and the matters needing attention. The woman even provided him with clean drinking water for the boat, and brought out some pancakes and pieces of jerky from their home. She wrapped them in a hemp cloth and insisted Shen Luo take them with him on the boat. Shen Luo, unable to refuse their kindness, laughed and accepted the package. The awning boat drifted down the rapid river. Shen Luo stood at the bow of the boat with a bamboo pole in his hand, not to row, but to feel for the reefs in the water on either side of the boat. Soon, the boat bypassed clusters of reeds as tall as humans, and entered a reed beach. According to Yu Dadan¡¯s description, this section is the most turbulent in the Luan Shui River. The boat was not going too fast when it first hit the water, but as it went downstream its speed increased rapidly. This forced Shen Luo to start using the bamboo pole to feel the bottom, reducing the speed of the boat. However, he was quite unfamiliar with rowing. Even though he was fully concentrated, he couldn¡¯t avoid bumping around in these rapids. ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡± The boat swayed from side to side, continuously hitting hidden reefs beneath the surface of the water, scaring away the ducks and geese in the reeds on both sides, and causing water birds to take off. When encountering some large whirlpools and hidden reefs, he had to use all his strength to push the boat aside, otherwise if it was drawn in and he was not careful, it would capsize. Before long, Shen Luo was already sweating profusely and seeing stars, but the pressure of the water did not allow him to rest. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep going All along the way, he paid special attention to the banks on both sides, checking for any narrowings in the river. However, because the reeds in the river were so tall and dense, his line of sight was affected and he couldn¡¯t see clearly. He could only judge as much as possible based on the changes in the water flow. After all, where the river channel narrows, the speed of the water flow will also speed up. In this way, Shen Luo drifted for seven or eight miles. Along the way, he didn¡¯t encounter any rubble beaches, but there were quite a few sandbanks in the middle of the river. His boat ran straight into two long, narrow sandbanks. The sandbanks were all covered with green reeds, as if they had created a natural waterway. As soon as the boat entered, its speed suddenly increased, and it shot out with a rush. There was a muffled ¡°bang¡±, and the small boat suddenly shook when it rushed out of the reeds. Shen Luo stumbled, almost falling from the bow of the boat. He held on to the bamboo pole to steady himself, looked ahead and saw that in front of the bow, there was a rubble beach several dozen feet in diameter. Fortunately, the material of the small boat was solid, so it didn¡¯t break from the impact. Unlike the sandbanks seen along the way, the rubble beach was full of gray-white cobblestones and mud, and the place where the bow struck had a much larger brown river reef than the other rocks. Not only was this rock rugged and strange in shape, but only two feet of it was exposed above the water, with most of it submerged beneath the surface. The bow of the boat, as luck would have it, was stuck in a groove of this strange rock, but fortunately, it didn¡¯t get damaged. Shen Luo glanced at both sides of the riverbank for a moment, and found that the river bank here had narrowed quite a bit. A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Narrowing of the river, rubble beach, underwater river reef, it seems to be here,¡± Shen Luo murmured. According to Yu Yan¡¯s account, their ancestor found the Nameless Heavenly Book under a rubble beach. Now, this place seemed perfectly aligned with the description. He originally thought that it would take a lot of searching, but it turned out that he didn¡¯t have to spend much effort at all. Shen Luo threw the bamboo pole onto the rubble beach, bent down and tied the rope from the bow of the boat around the river reef. He tugged on it forcefully, made sure the boat wouldn¡¯t drift away with the water, and then sat down in the cabin, falling back exhausted. After rowing the boat all the way, he was already exhausted. At this moment, he didn¡¯t even have the energy to jump off the bow to find the heavenly book, let alone get into the river to look for it. After a long rest and eating some provisions, it was only then that Shen Luo finally caught his breath and stood up again. He fetched a bundle of hemp rope thick as a thumb from the ship¡¯s cabin, securely tied one end around the river reef, looped the other end around his waist for a few wraps, and then jumped out of the ship and onto the rubble beach. The rubble beach, almost elliptical, aligned with the direction of the current, ran longer east-west and slightly narrower north-south. The river reef stood at the west end of the beach. Shen Luo stood next to the stone, looking into the river. He saw the river water dark and muddy, giving off a faint muddy smell. Nearby, white foam danced at the edge of the beach, while farther out, different-sized whirlpools floated on the river surface. He couldn¡¯t see what lay beneath the water at all. He steadied his mind a bit, extended one leg, and cautiously started stepping towards the water. However, the stones at the water¡¯s edge were loose, and slipped suddenly downwards with the slight exertion. Shen Luo missed his footing and with a ¡°plop¡±, fell into the river. The river here was quite deep, his whole body was submerged, and he was violently swept into a giant rock by the rushing water. He couldn¡¯t help opening his mouth, swallowing several big gulps of muddy river water. In a panic, he struggled to turn around, grabbed onto the giant rock to climb upwards, emerged his head from the water, and took a big gulp of air, followed by violent coughing. ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡± It took Shen Luo quite a while to recover. He wiped the river water from his face, his heart was still somewhat in shock. ¡°This place really is dangerous. But if it weren¡¯t so, the Nameless Heavenly Book wouldn¡¯t have stayed here for so long, undiscovered,¡± Shen Luo thought, his desire for the Nameless Heavenly Book growing even stronger. This time, he took a deep breath, pinched his nose, and boldly sank underwater, with one hand leaning on the giant stone behind, he slowly explored downward. Once submerged, he gradually opened his eyes, only to find the water in the river was somewhat cloudy, he couldn¡¯t see much, and couldn¡¯t look far either. He could only rely on the reef to guide him, groping as far as possible towards the river bottom. To his surprise, this river bed was quite deep, and by the time his feet touched the sand at the bottom, he was already out of breath. Suppressing the sensation of suffocation, he tried hard to widen his eyes to look into the riverbed beneath the rubble beach. In the misty view, he seemed to see some depthless mud puddles and stone caves. He quickly extended his hand to grope around. However, after only a little bit of exploration, breath-holding for a long time already made his head spin and his chest oppressive, forcing him to climb up slowly and return to the surface with the help of the stone. Shen Luo gasped for air, his chest heaving heavily. Once his breath was somewhat steady, he dove back into the water and sank towards the riverbed again. This time, in order to stay longer at the river bottom, his descending speed was much faster. As soon as he reached the bottom, he began immediately to probe underwater. Yet the bottom was dark and murky with sediment floating around, his eyes could help very little. Shen Luo could only fumble randomly, like a headless fly. Not long after, his breath was exhausted, and he had to return again. As soon as he¡¯d recovered a bit, he eagerly dove back to the river bottom to explore the area under the rubble beach. After several such attempts, when Shen Luo surfaced to get some air, he was both weary and cold, his lips turning somewhat purple. He huddled against the reef, and looked up at the sky in the west to find the sun already beginning to slant westward. ¡°Let¡¯s try again¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes focused sharply, he took another deep breath, and his whole body dove downwards, plunging down towards the riverbed again. He had already felt around each mud pool, stone hole under the reef, he then swam past the stone, and headed down to the southern part of the rubble beach, with his palm on the riverbed probing inwards. This time, as his right hand squeezed into a rather small hole, his fingertips suddenly touched something completely different than a stone. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 50: The Bag Chapter 51: Chapter 50: The Bag The object felt like coarse sackcloth to the touch, its outline resembling a bulging sackcloth bag, uneven on the inside as if filled with various items. ¡°Could it be the heavenly book?¡± A thought crossed Shen Luo¡¯s mind as he hastily seized a corner of the sack, attempting to pull it out. Yu Yan hadn¡¯t mentioned what the heavenly book looked like, so it might possibly be inside this bag. Unfortunately, the riverbed hole was only about the size of a bowl, and the sack within was expanded, almost the size of a small jar, firmly stuck inside and impossible to take out. After several attempts, Shen Luo remained helpless. At that moment, his breath ran out once again, forcing him to reemerge out of the water. Shen Luo lay on the river reef, his chest heaving dramatically. The excitement was hard to conceal in his eyes, and he could even hear his own heartbeat pounding rapidly. Previously, when he saw Mr. Yu Dadan, he became fairly certain that what Yu Yan had said in Dreamland was true. Now this opportunity seemed to be only a step away from him, how could he not be excited? After catching his breath, Shen Luo didn¡¯t immediately dive back into the water. Instead, he climbed onto the rubble beach and returned to the cabin. In a short while, he came out with a two-foot-long black iron awl in his hand, jumped off the bow, and plunged back into the water. After locating the narrow hole, Shen Luo stuck the iron rod in, carefully avoiding the items inside, and then began to pry it back and forth. The river reef was massive and its weight was considerable. Shen Luo dismissed the idea of prying it up completely. He aimed to enlarge the hole by prying back and forth so that he could retrieve the items inside. A quiet scraping sound continued underwater. The silt stirred up by Shen Luo¡¯s movements continuously floated up, forcing him to keep his eyes shut tightly, and only opening them briefly after a while. The river reef, although eroded over a long time by the flowing water, still retained an unexpected solidness. Shen Luo put a great deal of effort into prying for a while, only managing to slightly enlarge the hole. He still couldn¡¯t fully extend his fingers inside. However, the sense of urgency couldn¡¯t dampen Shen Luo¡¯s enthusiasm. He was charged with energy at the thought that the bag might possibly contain the ¡°Nameless Heavenly Book.¡± Each time he emerged for breath, he would immediately dive back down. Fortune favors the diligent. After nearly half an hour, he finally managed to enlarge the hole by a decent amount. With his palm tightly gripping the sack and pulling it outward, he couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly, praying in his heart that it is the heavenly book. It must be the heavenly book. After Shen Luo pulled the sack out completely, he discovered it was surprisingly heavy in his hands. Not daring to take a look yet, he quickly floated back to the surface. Once he climbed up the rubble beach, he sat down exhausted, back leaning against the river reef without bothering to untie the rope from his body. He gasped for breath, holding the sack tightly in his hand. After regaining some of his strength, Shen Luo took a sidelong glance at the item in his hand. Was this really some sackcloth bag? The reason the bag felt coarse, like sackcloth, was because it was woven out of a kind of metal wire. Covered in mud and water weeds, its original golden color had become significantly dimmer. The bag¡¯s opening was tied with a golden rope, a palm-sized piece of gold foil hanging from it. Shen Luo took it off, wiped away the mud on it with his right hand, and discovered there were engraved characters on it. He swallowed hard, casting a nervous gaze at the somewhat blurred inscription. ¡°Imperial Edict¡­¡± On the top of the gold foil, Shen Luo recognized the first two familiar characters, which were normally the first ones he wrote when making talisman. So, this gold foil was itself a talisman? However, the characters below ¡°Imperial Edict¡± were too faintly engraved to decipher. He couldn¡¯t recognize them, let alone understand them. Shen Luo casually stored the gold foil talisman into his sleeve, before starting to unravel the golden cord wound around the bag¡¯s opening. Once the golden rope was removed, the mouth of the bag opened wide. Shen Luo glanced inside and immediately felt a chill run through his scalp. The bag woven from golden thread contained a pile of stark white bones! ¡°These are human bones¡­¡± Shen Luo recognized them at first glance. After a brief pause, he swallowed down the discomfort in his heart and tipped all the bones out of the bag. When he saw the bones scattered all over the ground, Shen Luo finally gave up hope. There was no heavenly book within. However, when his gaze fell on the bones, he couldn¡¯t help but utter a soft, ¡°Huh.¡± He used the iron awl in his hand to prod the bones and examined them more closely. Only at this point did he notice that there were very few whole bones left in the pile, almost all of them were crushed, and there were varying depth of tooth marks on them. It was as if someone had been gnawing on them to suck the marrow. The thought of such a scenario sent a chill down Shen Luo¡¯s spine. After much hesitation, he retrieved a piece of worn-out cloth from the cabin and, placing it under the broken bones, collected them one by one and placed them back into the bag. In the process of collecting the bones, he found another peculiar condition: there was no skull amongst this pile of bones. However, Shen Luo didn¡¯t have the inclination to investigate this. It just felt a bit unlucky, not finding the heavenly book and instead, uncovering such a pile of stuff. After collecting the dry bones, he found a few broken wooden beads in the stone crevices, severely decayed, and crumbled to residue at the slightest touch. ¡°To the dead, all is forgone: the fact that I could find you is a destiny in itself. I will construct a grave here for you, may you rest in peace.¡± Shen Luo always deemed matters of life and death significant. He couldn¡¯t just abandon these bones. Soon after, he dug a stone pit in the center of the rubble beach, placed the bag of bones in, then filled it up with stones, building a grave that stood slightly taller than the surroundings. By the time he had finished all this, the sky had started to darken. Shen Luo felt a wave of fatigue wash over him. He lay down on the rubble beach, placing his hands behind his head, and gazed at the stunning sunset in a daze. ¡°Finding this Nameless Heavenly Book is really not easy.¡± This rubble beach was neither big nor small. After spending an exhausting day, he had only managed to explore the riverbed area surrounding the reef. It would probably take more than three days to explore the entire rubble beach. It seemed he would have to rent Mr. and Mrs. Yu Dadan¡¯s boat for a few more days. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a heavenly book of the immortals, how could it be easily discovered?¡± Upon reflection, Shen Luo felt a bit relieved. But just then, something suddenly occurred to him, and he sat up abruptly. The heavenly book is said to be an immortal treasure, and the jade pillow seemed unusual too; If he had found the jade pillow simply by using a ¡®fake Small Thunder Talisman¡¯ before, why couldn¡¯t he try again this time? Even if it doesn¡¯t have a major effect, it can be used for underwater illumination! Regrettably, he only had three Small Thunder Talisman on him. Thinking of this, Shen Luo hurriedly untied the ropes around him and prepared to sail upstream crossing the river. Unfortunately, he had just stood up when he saw spots before his eyes, his legs trembling uncontrollably. He crawled back into the boat, drank some water, took a Life-saving Pill, changed into dry clothes, and rested for a while before starting to row back. By the time he finally returned to the ferry, it was already dark. Mr. and Mrs. Yu Dadan who were waiting anxiously by the bank, looked a bit concerned. Upon seeing Shen Luo return safely albeit a look of exhaustion; the couple seemed relieved. Shen Luo paused for a while, reported to them that he would come again tomorrow, then he rode his horse away, heading straight to Song Fan County Town. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Ignorance of Human Affairs Chapter 52: Chapter 51 Ignorance of Human Affairs When Shen Luo arrived outside Song Fan County Town, it was past the hour of Xu and the city gates had already been closed. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t enter the city, he directly urged his horse to a small town to the east of the city. Song Fan County was prosperous in commerce, and this small town was located on the main road leading out of the city. The town was lined with shops, forming a sizable market, most of which were inns, specifically catering to the various traveling merchants for accommodations. All these inns were manned by a clerk at their entrances, their calls to attract customers overlapping one another. ¡°Dear guest, would you like to stay? We have hot water in our store, and stewed beef shank that is just freshly cooked and very delicious, and we also have stewed goose, we guarantee your satisfaction.¡± ¡°Guest, come to our De Yueju, our self-made ¡®White Sun Fragrance¡¯ wine is renowned near and far, we guarantee that after you have tasted it once, you¡¯ll wish for a second time, please stay.¡± Seeing Shen Luo approach, the clerks from several nearby stores swarmed over and called out to him simultaneously. Shen Luo paid no heed to these clerks, he swept his gaze over the surrounding inns and drove his horse to a plain, relatively secluded small inn, causing those clerks to be greatly disappointed. After all, Shen Luo was dressed quite extravagantly, and the horse he was riding was a good one, clearly marking him as a wealthy client. There was also a young clerk guarding the entrance of this small inn who seemed to be only about fifteen or sixteen years old, his large eyes spinning round and round, appearing quite clever. ¡°Guest, do you want to stay? Although our place is not large, it is quiet and the price is quite fair.¡± Seeing Shen Luo coming over, the young clerk pasted a smile on his face and stepped forward to welcome him. ¡°Give me a quiet upper room, and also some food, make it abundant.¡± Shen Luo had been feeling under the weather in the river for almost half a day, he was already extremely hungry. ¡°Alright.¡± The young clerk showed an excited smile on his face and took the horse¡¯s reins hospitably, leading the way into the inn. The clerks from other nearby inns were looking over with envy and jealousy mixed in their glances. Shen Luo dismounted, but as soon as his foot touched the ground, he felt a sudden wave of weakness throughout his body. It was as if a void had appeared inside him, sucking away all the strength from his body. His ears were ringing, his vision went black in intervals, and he fell to the ground with a thud. ¡°Guest, are you alright?¡± The young clerk got a fright and quickly went over to help Shen Luo up. Shen Luo tried hard to look at the clerk, opened his mouth to say something, but he didn¡¯t even have the strength to speak. Not a word was uttered, his face quickly becoming pale. ¡°What happened? Did he fall off the horse?¡± ¡°No, I just saw him dismount from the horse and suddenly faint, he must have fallen ill suddenly.¡± ¡°Xiao San, it seems like the guest you attracted this time is a troublemaker.¡± People outside seemed to have noticed the commotion here, gathered around and started discussing. Clerks from other inns also huddled over, starting to make sarcastic remarks, a few of them who were previously rejected by Shen Luo showed a look of schadenfreude. Seeing that there were more and more people gathering around, the young clerk was so anxious that he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly called for help inside the inn. At this time, there were no other guests in the inn, only two waiters, and a thin middle-aged man wearing a civil officer hat who was looking through an account book at the counter. The three of them also noticed the situation outside and hurried out. They were taken aback upon seeing the situation. ¡°Xiao San, what happened?¡± The thin middle-aged man asked in a low voice. ¡°Manager, what are we going to do?¡± Xiao San quickly explained the situation and asked dejectedly. ¡°Oh, this guest must have been fatigued from his journey and fainted. There¡¯s no need to make a fuss. You two, carry him inside. Xiao San, you go to Liu¡¯s pharmacy and ask Doctor Liu to come over.¡± The innkeeper thought for a moment and immediately issued his orders out loud, allowing the onlookers to hear clearly. The two waiters beside him obeyed his command, quickly lifting and carrying Shen Luo inside, while Xiao San shuttled off into the outside. ¡°Everyone, the guest merely overexerted himself, there is nothing serious, you can disperse now.¡± The innkeeper took down a bundle that Shen Luo had hanging on his horse¡¯s saddle, saluted the crowd of people at the entrance with a fist, and turned to walk into the inn. The bystanders, realizing there was no further excitement to watch, slowly dispersed. Two waiters carried Shen Luo to a guest room in the backyard, carefully placing him on the bed. Although Shen Luo was not heavy, they were pretty tired from carrying him for so long. ¡°Master, this man doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s fainted from exhaustion. He still has his eyes open, and his body seems quite cold. Could it be some major illness?¡± one shorter, fat waiter wiped the sweat from his forehead, wondering. ¡°Don¡¯t speculate unnecessarily. Let¡¯s wait for Doctor Liu to check first.¡± The innkeeper frowned, reproaching. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The shorter, fat waiter realized his faux pas and quickly acknowledged. ¡°What was all that commotion outside just now?¡± A voice came from outside, accompanied by heavy footsteps. A middle-aged woman walked in. She was fat, her face pressed into a slit by her obesity, her skin was rather dark. She wore a bright red silk dress, a gold hairpin on her head, and her attire was garish and ostentatious, making people uncomfortable at first glance. ¡°Madam.¡± The two waiters hurriedly saluted, seemingly quite afraid of this woman in red. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in the kitchen? What are you doing here?¡± The innkeeper looked at the woman with some discomfort. ¡°What, is this inn only yours? Can¡¯t I come out?¡± The woman in red raised her eyebrows, standing hands on hips. ¡°We have guests here. Hold your tongue.¡± The innkeeper¡¯s expression froze slightly, whispering. Only then did the woman in red notice Shen Luo on the bed, her expression slightly softened. ¡°What happened to him? Why is he lying still?¡± She gave Shen Luo a once-over and asked. The shorter, fat waiter stepped forward, briefly explaining what had happened. ¡°What! You brought an invalid like him into the inn! Ensure he is carried out through the back door!¡± The woman in red commanded shrilly as soon as she heard this. The two waiters looked hesitant, turning to the innkeeper. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! This young man came to our inn but fainted at the front door. Can we ignore that? If we get a reputation for turning away the infirm, can we still operate this inn?¡± The innkeeper retorted, frowning. ¡°You are the one spouting nonsense! What happens if he dies here? Who would dare stay here then!¡± The woman in red countered, her voice rising. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent Xiao San to call Doctor Liu. I will handle this matter; don¡¯t create further chaos!¡± The innkeeper revealed irritation, his voice cooled. ¡°Hou Liangcai! Are you going against me? Don¡¯t forget, without my dowry from my maiden home, could you, a country bumpkin, have managed to start this inn!¡± The woman in red thundered in anger, like a shrewish wife. ¡°You¡­¡± Manager Hou choked in rage. ¡°Master, Doctor Liu is here.¡± Just then, Xiao San¡¯s voice came from outside. Before the voice fell, two figures walked in. Xiao San was leading the way, with a man in a white robe following. This man looked over forty, his facial features were delicate, under his chin was a black beard several inches long, which gave him an elegant look. ¡°Master Hou, where is the patient?¡± The man in the white robe looked around the room, pausing for a moment, before asking hesitantly. ¡°Doctor Liu is here. We¡¯ll discuss this later. Don¡¯t make a spectacle here!¡± Manager Hou cast an embarrassed glance towards the woman in red and quickly greeted the man in the white robe. Watching the innkeeper¡¯s retreating back, the woman in red didn¡¯t continue her tirade and kept her silence for a while. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 52 Time is pressing Chapter 53: Chapter 52 Time is pressing ¡°The patient is here, Doctor Liu, can you tell what ailment he is suffering from?¡± Mr. Hou led Doctor Liu to the bedside and fetched a stool for him to sit on. Doctor Liu carefully examined Shen Luo¡¯s complexion, then took Shen Luo¡¯s wrist to take his pulse. Soon a soft sound of surprise escaped from his lips. ¡°Doctor Liu, is this young man¡¯s condition very serious?¡± Mr. Hou hurriedly asked. ¡°His pulse is weak and erratic, the three burner syndrome is out of balance, indeed quite severe. This kind of pulse is often found in dying elderly people, it is really strange that such a young man has this condition.¡± Doctor Liu said with a grave expression. ¡°Dying¡­¡± Mr. Hou¡¯s thick brows couldn¡¯t help but frown. The same expression was on the faces of the three clerks, especially that of Xiao San, who was wearing a mournful face. The woman in red at the back, with her arms folded across her chest, was looking at Mr. Hou with a mocking gaze, seemingly expressing her previous dissatisfaction. ¡°Doctor Liu, this young man is a guest in my shop, please do your best to save him,¡± Mr. Hou said reverently. ¡°Brother Hou, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to shirk responsibility, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never seen a condition like this young man¡¯s, I really don¡¯t know where to begin,¡± Doctor Liu said helplessly. Mr. Hou was silent for a moment, then sighed. Doctor Liu is the best doctor in town. It seems that this handsome young man is really beyond help. ¡°If he can¡¯t be cured, just let it be. You three, quickly take this man out of the back door for me, don¡¯t let him die in the store. Bad luck,¡± the woman in red said. Mr. Hou¡¯s face darkened, just about to speak. ¡°Needle¡­ Celestial Pivot¡­¡± A weak voice suddenly sounded. Everyone in the room looked over, only to see that it was Shen Luo who had barely opened his mouth. They were all taken aback. ¡°What did you say?¡± Doctor Liu stood up and leaned his ear closer to Shen Luo. ¡°Celestial Pivot¡­ Celestial Pivot¡­¡± Shen Luo spoke again. This time his voice was slightly louder, and everyone in the room heard it. ¡°Are you saying that you want me to acupuncture your Celestial Pivot acupoint?¡± Doctor Liu hesitated a bit, then asked. Shen Luo slowly nodded his head. Doctor Liu frowned, turned his head to Mr. Hou and said, ¡°Brother Hou, this young man is a guest in your shop. What do you think should be done?¡± ¡°Doctor Liu, this young man doesn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary person, perhaps he understands the method of treatment. Just give it a try,¡± Mr. Hou, after a moment of silence, said, gritting his teeth. ¡°What if something happens,¡± the woman in red in the back said coldly. ¡°Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, I, Hou, cannot stand by and watch someone die. Doctor Liu, please,¡± Mr. Hou said. The woman in red wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn¡¯t say a word. Doctor Liu nodded, undid Shen Luo¡¯s clothes, then took out a set of acupuncture tools, drew out a silver needle, and inserted it into Shen Luo¡¯s abdomen at the Celestial Pivot acupoint. ¡°Water division¡­¡± Shen Luo spoke again. Doctor Liu looked at Shen Luo once and followed the procedure to perform acupuncture. ¡°Conception Vessel¡­¡± Shen Luo slowly voiced, listing eighteen acupoints one after another. Those happened to be the eighteen places where Master Fengyang had treated him before. Being sick from a young age, he had a deep understanding of the body¡¯s acupoints, although he didn¡¯t study thoroughly, remembering these eighteen acupoints was a small matter to him. Following the procedure indicated by Shen Luo, Doctor Liu performed the acupuncture, quickly creating a forest of needles on Shen Luo¡¯s chest and abdomen, which trembled lightly. Shen Luo¡¯s complexion improved significantly, no longer as pale as before, and some of his strength returned as he could barely lift his arm. Doctor Liu¡¯s face turned to astonishment as he took Shen Luo¡¯s wrist to check his pulse again, finding that the chaotic pulse had almost completely restored itself. ¡°It turns out the miracle doctor is here. I had my doubts about your medical skills at first, please pardon me!¡± Doctor Liu stood up, bowed respectfully towards Shen Luo. Everyone else in the room was stunned by the situation before their eyes. Originally a scholar, Doctor Liu had turned to medicine after repeatedly failing in the civil examinations. His medical skills were exquisite and he carried the haughty demeanor of a scholar, never having bowed to anyone before. Yet today, he was showing such reverence to a youth. ¡°You needn¡¯t be so formal. If it weren¡¯t for your help, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to recover at this moment,¡± Shen Luo said, his speech much smoother than before. ¡°My name is Liu Baichuan, may I know the miracle doctor¡¯s name?¡± Doctor Liu inquired. ¡°Hardly a miracle doctor, I am Shen Luo,¡± he waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°Shen Luo? Are you the distinguished young doctor from the Shen family in Chunhua County? Your Shen¡¯s Pharmacy¡¯s Golden Fragrant Tonic is renowned for enhancing a person¡¯s vitality and spirit without harming the body; they say you invented it after studying ancient texts. Admirable, truly admirable!¡± Liu Baichuan looked even more respectful. Mr. Hou and others, who were not involved in the medical field, were unaware of the fame of the Shen family in Chunhua County. However, seeing Liu Baichuan¡¯s demeanor, they guessed Shen Luo was no ordinary person, and their gazes towards him changed instantly. The young woman in the red skirt felt particularly uneasy, as she had spoken ill of Shen Luo just a moment ago. She wondered if he had heard her. Upon hearing Liu Baichuan¡¯s words, Shen Luo was taken aback. He had asked his father to keep the matter of Golden Fragrant Jade secret, yet it appeared to have leaked out. ¡°Brother Liu, you flatter me. The Golden Fragrant Jade was produced by the combined efforts of me and several pharmacy owners of the Shen family, not just my own work,¡± he calmly replied, despite his inner bewilderment. By acknowledging his identity like this, Liu Baichuan looked pleasantly surprised. ¡°Master Shen lives in Chunhua County. If you need any help here in Song Fan County, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I have many friends in the nearby area,¡± Liu Baichuan offered. ¡°It¡¯s a private matter, there¡¯s no need to bother you,¡± Shen Luo declined with a shake of his head. He was a little curious about Liu Baichuan¡¯s eagerness; it seemed excessive, even for a famous doctor from Chunhua County. ¡°Master Shen, please don¡¯t misunderstand. Your Golden Fragrant Jade has saved the life of someone close to me. I merely wish to express my gratitude,¡± Liu Baichuan explained, noticing Shen Luo¡¯s puzzlement. ¡°I¡¯m here for something minor which I can handle myself, so there¡¯s no need to trouble you. I won¡¯t hesitate to ask if I need help,¡± Shen Luo smiled. ¡°I understand, Master Shen. Since you¡¯re feeling unwell, I won¡¯t overstay. I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± Liu Baichuan didn¡¯t linger and stood up to leave. ¡°I¡¯m returning your silver needles,¡± Shen Luo said, pulling them out and handing them back. Liu Baichuan accepted them and left. ¡°Brother Liu, take care,¡± Mr. Hou stood up to see him off. The three shop assistants and the red-skirted woman also took the opportunity to leave the room, quickly leaving Shen Luo alone. Shen Luo reached for the bundle near him and checked its content before sighing in relief. He then took a white jade bottle from it and consumed a white elixir. This pill was the Life-saving Pill. As it melted down his throat, it turned into a warm sensation, slightly easing his sense of weakness, allowing him to sit up. He sat cross-legged and began circulating the Small Transformation Yang Technique. As the Yang Gang Qi emerged from his Dantian, blending with the warmth produced by the Life-saving Pills, it circulated throughout his body. After a while, Shen Luo opened his eyes, the feeling of weakness inside him had disappeared. Rather than rejoicing at his recovery, his expression darkened like a deep, cold pool. His condition just now was similar to his previous fainting spells after waking up from dreams, clearly due to a depletion of his vital energy. Over the past two days, he had been taking Life-saving Pills and diligently practicing the Small Transformation Yang Technique to avoid relapses. He had believed that as long as he didn¡¯t enter the dream again, he would be safe for the time being. However, it now appeared he had been na?ve. If he had not deduced the acupuncture method used by Master Fengyang to save him that day, the consequences would have been inconceivable. The dangers of his depleted vital energy were becoming apparent. Even though it did correlate with the exhaustion from treasure hunting during the day, he realised he didn¡¯t have much time left. He even had an intuition that his lifespan might not be able to reach the two years predicted by Master Fengyang. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 53 Treasure-hunting Talisman Chapter 54: Chapter 53 ¡®Treasure-hunting Talisman Shen Luo shook his head, temporarily setting aside his rampant thoughts, and rose to order a meal at the door. Shortly afterward, Xiao San came in with a tray topped with a meal of two kinds of meat and two kinds of vegetables. Shen Luo, who was already hungry, immediately started eating, quickly finishing all the dishes. When Shen Luo was done eating and Xiao San started to clear the dishes to leave, he was stopped by Shen Luo: ¡°Wait, young man, are you a local from Song Fan County? Are you familiar with the conditions in the city?¡± ¡°I am from the nearby Xu Family Village, but I often go into the city to make purchases. I am quite familiar with the city. Is there something you need, young master?¡± Xiao San asked respectfully. ¡°Do you know where I can buy yellow talisman paper and cinnabar in the city?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yellow talisman paper and cinnabar? We have both of these items in our store.¡± Xiao San thought for a moment, then said. ¡°These two items are not commonly used, does the store really stock them?¡± Shen Luo asked with some disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that just last month, our manager had invited a Daoist priest to perform a ceremony in our store for blessing and attracting wealth. There¡¯s a lot of leftover talisman paper and cinnabar piled up in the backyard. If the young master needs it, I can ask the manager for some?¡± Xiao San said with a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡± Shen Luo said. He then took out a small piece of crushed silver to give to him as a reward. ¡°Thank you, young master. Besides talisman paper and cinnabar, is there anything else I can find for you? This small piece of silver is worth two to three taels, equivalent to my salary for three or four months.¡± Xiao San replied with great joy. ¡°Had you not mentioned it, I would have forgotten. Could you also find me some fresh black dog blood and a set of writing materials like brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Oh, and some tung oil.¡± Shen Luo said after a slight pause. ¡°There is a slaughterhouse in the town that provides dog blood. The nearby grocery store sells tung oil, and our store has writing materials. Please wait for a moment, I will bring these for you right away.¡± Xiao San said and left in a hurry. Half an hour later, he came back, holding a tray with Shen Luo¡¯s items. Upon checking and confirming that the items were correct, Shen Luo dismissed Xiao San and immediately began trying to draw the Small Thunder Talisman, which had the ¡°Treasure Hunting¡± ability. He picked up the brush, dipped it in the talisman ink but didn¡¯t immediately start drawing as he appeared to be deep in thought. Although he had mastered the method of drawing the Small Thunder Talisman, he had drawn it half-heartedly when he found it on the jade pillow. Now, trying to create it again was not easy. He tried to remember the circumstances under which he drew the treasure hunting Small Thunder Talisman, but a lot of time had passed since then and many things had happened. He struggled to recall, but could only remember thirty to forty percent of the process. Shen Luo went over this thirty to forty percent of the memory a few times and then started to try to draw it. For the parts he couldn¡¯t remember, he tried his best to imitate the previous technique. ¡­ After an unknown length of time, a thick stack of ¡°Small Thunder Talismans¡± appeared on the table in front of Shen Luo. ¡°This much should be enough. There should be at least one that works.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. He then began to soak each treasure hunting talisman in tung oil. The talismans were quickly soaked in the oil. Shen Luo skimmed out the talismans one by one. After wiping off the surface oil stains and carefully drying them by the lamp flame, he made a stack of oiled talismans. He then put one of the oil talismans into a basin full of clear water. The talisman did not become wet and soft, and the runes on it remained as vivid as before. Shen Luo planned to go treasure hunting in the river the next day. To prevent the talisman from being damaged by water, he thought of this method. When he was at home, he once saw a servant using tung oil to make waterproof paper. He imitated this method, and it turned out to be effective. He took out the three Small Thunder Talismans he had on him and treated them in the same way. Having completed his preparation, Shen Luo was extremely tired. He dozed off and was soon fast asleep. When he woke up, the sky outside was already bright. Sunlight came in through the window, cutting golden lines in the room. Shen Luo got up and opened the window. The sky was as blue and tranquil as a clear mirror, occasionally adorned with a few scattered, pure white clouds. It seemed that today would be a fine day. After quickly freshening up, instead of setting off immediately, Shen Luo picked up his brush and began to write a letter. A few days ago, he had received a letter from home at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. However, he had been too occupied with various matters recently and had forgotten to reply. The encounter with Liu Baichuan yesterday reminded him. My dear father, upon receiving your letter: I have been doing well at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. My cultivation is also quite smooth and my physical condition has greatly improved; I am no longer as weak as before. How are things at home? How are Second Mother, Second Brother, and Little Sister? In the previous letter from father, you mentioned about the epidemic in the Niu Yue town west of the city. It¡¯s most probably due to the flu. After careful deliberation over the past few days, based on the Lotus Flower Clearing Fever soup from ancient times, I came up with a prescription. A medicine made from lotus, ephedra, almond, patchouli, rhodiola, mint, and licorice should have some relieving effects. The specific dosages will be mentioned at the end of the letter. Shen Luo then wrote about his experiences at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion but did not mention his current illness to prevent his family from worrying. While writing, he detailed the formula of the ¡°Lotus Flower Clearing Fever Soup,¡± dried the ink, and put the letter away. Since Shen Luo was eager to go treasure hunting, he got up and went to the inn lobby after finishing this task. ¡°Master Shen, are you planning to set off so early?¡± Manager Hou saw Shen Luo walking towards him with his bundle and immediately greeted him enthusiastically. ¡°Manager Hou, this was yesterday¡¯s room charge, and Doctor Liu¡¯s consultation fee. I forgot about it in a rush yesterday. Please help me pass it on to them.¡± As Shen Luo was saying that, he took out two pieces of crushed silver and placed them on the counter. ¡°It¡¯s just one night¡¯s stay, it doesn¡¯t take that much.¡± Hou, the inn manager, waved his hands repeatedly. ¡°I fell ill yesterday and it was thanks to you that I could quickly recover. The extra is a token of my gratitude.¡± Shen Luo cupped his hands in a salute and walked swiftly towards the outside without waiting for Manager Hou¡¯s response. Manager Hou raised his hand, seeming to want to say something, but upon seeing the slightly anxious expression on Shen Luo¡¯s face, he swallowed his words. Outside the inn, Xiao San had already brought the horse over. Shen Luo swiftly mounted the horse and urged it to leave quickly. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Searching in the Rain Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Searching in the Rain Shen Luo first went to the city and mailed the letter back home from the post station. He then immediately rode out of the city and quickly returned to the Huangweidang Ferry. The summer sky can change quickly. What was a clear sky a moment ago was suddenly covered in dark clouds, with strong winds blowing, giving the prelude to a storm. Shen Luo glanced at the sky, tied his horse to a tree near the ferry, untied the Wupeng Small Boat that was tied to the stump, and jumped aboard. ¡°Young master, it¡¯s not safe to take the boat today. Look at the sky, a heavy rain is about to fall. The river here is narrow, and when it rains heavily, the river water rushes extremely fast. Even an experienced boatman wouldn¡¯t dare to go on the water in such conditions.¡± Yu Dadan came out from the thatched hut with an apron around his waist as if he was cooking, and hurriedly stopped Shen Luo from taking out the boat. ¡°Thank you, Brother Yu, for your reminder, but I can handle this,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand to Yu Dadan, poked his bamboo pole on the riverbank, and the small boat smoothly shot forward, heading downstream. According to Yu Yan¡¯s account, it seemed that Master Yu found the Nameless Heavenly Book on a stormy day. Perhaps, this kind of weather could be an opportunity. Of course, if the water condition was too dangerous, he naturally would not risk his life. ¡°Young master, there are many hidden reefs downstream. If the water flows too swiftly, even a solid boat cannot withstand the hit. Come back!¡± Yu Dadan was anxious and called out repeatedly. But Shen Luo did not respond. With the wind and the current, his small boat sailed away quickly. His boatman skill had improved since yesterday and he quickly arrived at the rubble beach he explored before. Although the sky was gloomier than when he set off, it had not yet started to rain. Shen Luo steadied the small boat next to the brownish river reef and was about to start his journey. Suddenly he stopped. He looked up and down at the jagged river reef that rose about two feet off the water. ¡°Let¡¯s start with you!¡± As Shen Luo spoke, he picked up a prepared rope and tied it around his waist. He then took out a ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± from his body and applied a Yuan Stone on it, carefully stimulating its power. Soon, the White Qi within the Yuan Stone was surging and some of it spilled out. Under the guidance of the red threads in Shen Luo¡¯s palm, it was injected into the ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡±. As the runes on the ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± lit up forming a faint layer of white light, Shen Luo quickly controlled the red thread to stop the injection. The surging white qi within the Yuan Stone calmed down. The remaining white qi was slightly less than before, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Although he didn¡¯t fully activate the talisman, the talisman¡¯s performance indicated that it did not tend to form the white light group from before. He only has a few Yuan stones on hand, so he had to use them sparingly, hence he thought of this clever method. However, the subsequent attempts all failed. A fifth of the white qi contained in the Yuan Stone had already disappeared. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t surprised. After all, the last ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± was made randomly in a fluke. Now, it¡¯s not that easy to reproduce. He let out a sigh, then took out a new Treasure-Hunting Talisman and activated it with the Yuan Stone. Failure¡­ Failure¡­ Still a failure¡­ In a blink of an eye, only a few of the thick stack of Treasure-Hunting Talismans that Shen Luo had prepared were left, and a once full Yuan Stone was almost depleted. Despite knowing this could have happened, experiencing failure dozens of times in a row still made him doubt himself. Could it be that this ¡°Treasure-Hunting Talisman¡± really depends on luck? If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯d be trouble. This section of the river is full of chaotic stone piles, it would be nearly impossible to find the Nameless Heavenly Book somewhere in there, this would be no easier than finding a needle in a haystack. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work today, then I¡¯ll try tomorrow. I don¡¯t believe that after a hundred or a thousand tries, it still won¡¯t succeed once!¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself. The Nameless Heavenly Book was his only hope now. No matter what, he could not give up. With that thought, a normal expression returned to his face. He took out a new Treasure-hunting Talisman and continued to induce it. ¡°Hum¡±. With the last bit of mana from the Yuan Stone flowing into the talisman, a soft white light burst out from the talisman, forming a white light group the size of a washbowl. He was stunned for a moment before realization hit him. A look of excitement appeared on his face! It was this white light group! There was no mistake. Except for being a bit small, it was identical to the ¡°Treasure-Hunting Talisman¡± he had randomly activated that night! However, Shen Luo immediately remembered something, his joy slightly diminished, moving the talisman in his hand closer to the brown river reef beside him. Since the mana infused into the talisman was merely a trace, he could not truly activate it. The white light emitted from the talisman began to dim, but the soft white light group still enveloped the river reef. The white light in the light group faintly flickered, and the river reef quickly turned semi-transparent. But this scene only lasted for a breath or two. After the white light group flickered twice, it completely disappeared with the extinguishing of the talisman. Shen Luo did not immediately activate this talisman, instead, he cherished it and brought it back in front of his eyes, carefully examining it. While he made a mental note of every detail of the rune, he also carefully recalled the process of drawing the talisman, his understanding of the differences between the ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± and the Small Thunder Talisman deepened slightly. Just as he was about to continue examining it, he suddenly noticed that the dark clouds in the sky were pressing lower, seemingly indicating that a downpour was imminent. Shen Luo looked up at the sky, abandoned his plans to continue his research, took out a Yuan Stone, and activated the talisman. A ¡°buzz¡± resonated! Bright white light burst from the ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡±, forming a white light group about a yard in size, covering a nearby brown river reef. The entire river reef quickly turned semi-transparent. The white light also enveloped the nearby river water, but the murky river water did not turn transparent like the stone, nor was it illuminated at all. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo crushed the talisman in his hands. The white light group shattered upon command, turning into countless white light balls of varying sizes, flying towards the surroundings, like fireflies dancing in the sky. Some of the light groups directly submerged into the water and disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes quickly moved, attempting to take in all the light balls, observing their trajectories. The numerous light balls quickly spread out to a range of dozens of yards around, appearing quite conspicuous in the dim environment. At this moment, a large group of white light floating to the left seemed to be attracted by something. After a slight tremble, it suddenly sank and completely submerged into the river. A gleam of joy flashed across Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. Regardless of rowing the boat, he leapt into the river and dived towards the direction where the light ball had sunk, not daring to delay for an instant. Despite speeding up his movements as much as possible, his pace was still slower than the speed of the light ball converging. By the time he dove to the river bottom, those light balls had already disappeared without a trace. He could only vaguely deduce that the light balls were heading towards a small stone pile on the river bed near the reed group on the south bank. Shen Luo quickly swam over, but when he arrived, he was taken aback. By the dim light, he discovered that this river bed stone pile was composed of black stones about the size of a millstone. These black stones had smooth surfaces, completely different from the stones in other places, and there were more than a dozen of them. However, the way these black stones were arranged didn¡¯t seem random and vaguely formed a pattern. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. This pattern was unmistakably the shape of a skull! At this moment, his held breath was almost at its limit, and he got such a fright. He immediately blew a large string of bubbles, hurriedly swam to the surface of the river, and just barely surfaced on the edge of running out of breath. He took deep breaths for a while before he regained his strength. ¡°Why is there such a bizarre sight at the bottom of the river? Is it a coincidence or someone¡¯s deliberate arrangement?¡± Shen Luo thought, his mind still somewhat shaken. At this time, the leaden clouds in the sky almost pressed down overhead, the wind on the river surface was rolling, the small boat was rocked from side to side by the wind, making clanging noises as it hit the big rocks. ¡°May the heavens help me, I hope this rain doesn¡¯t come too soon.¡± Shen Luo muttered, glanced left and right, memorized his current position, then turned around and swam back to the boat. He moved the Wupeng small boat a short distance forward, wedging it between two large stones on the rubble beach. He secured it firmly with a cable to ensure that it wouldn¡¯t be swept away when the river water rushed later. Shen Luo used his eyes to calculate the distance. Just as he was about to jump into the river again, he hesitated for a moment, turned around, and took out all the remaining Treasure-hunting Talismans, two Small Thunder Talismans, and the last three Yuan Stones from his bundle in the boat. He put them on his body and then jumped back into the river. At this moment, a dazzling white light flitted across the sky and the loud rumble ¡°rumble¡± of a thunder echoed. Countless raindrops the size of beans poured down, enveloping everything. ¡°Does the heaven not want to help me?¡± Shen Luo muttered under his breath, he had just found some clues, but the timing of this rain was really inconvenient. But there was nothing he could do now. He jumped into the river and frantically dove towards the area he had identified earlier, regardless of everything. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 55: Things within the Formation Chapter 56: Chapter 55: Things within the Formation Although the sky was extraordinarily dark at this time, and the river bottom was almost pitch black, Shen Luo quickly located the general position of the black stone cluster, using his excellent memory. He was well-prepared and directly took out a ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± and a Yuan Stone from his chest. Even though he was at the bottom of the river, the talisman that had been treated with Tung oil and affixed to his palm showed no sign of fading in its rune color. Shen Luo breathed a silent sigh of relief and activated the Small Transformation Yang Skill. The light on the ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± flickered, but it failed to form the desired white light group, clearly indicating a failure. A few breaths later, Shen Luo tried all the remaining ¡°Treasure-hunting Talismans¡±, but unfortunately, good luck did not strike again, and the familiar scene did not reappear. Shen Luo was not discouraged. After all, this black stone area was not large. If there really was a treasure here, it would be much easier than searching every chaotic stone pile in the river without any clues. Just as he was about to stuff the several waste talismans back into his chest, a vortex suddenly emerged in the surrounding river, causing him to stagger a bit, and the talismans slipped out of his hand and were swept away by the surging river water. Shen Luo ignored those wasted talismans, resurfaced to take a breath, and then continued swimming towards the black stone cluster. One of the wasted talismans made a few circles in the river water and just happened to drift over the black stone cluster. Just at this moment, a sudden change occurred! A faint blue glow suddenly sprang up from a dozen black stones, forming a dark blue light curtain several meters in size and enveloping all the stones. When the talisman collided with the blue light curtain, it silently shattered into pieces. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes bulged out, and he immediately stopped in his tracks. The scene before him reminded him of the array set up by Immortal Master Yu Yan to stand against the Wolf King in Dreamland. Of course, compared to the Six Harmonies Fire Array formed by Yu Yan and others, the scope and power of this blue light curtain were incomparable. With his eyes fixed on the blue light curtain before him, he picked up a bowl-sized stone from the river bed and threw it after a moment of contemplation. The stone followed a curved trajectory in the water and hit the blue light curtain. With a ¡°bang¡±, the stone shattered the moment it touched the light curtain, turning into a scattering of fragments. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart. He picked up another stone from the riverbed, this one the size of a human head, and hurled it with all his might. This much larger stone shattered upon contact with the blue light curtain. On the other hand, the blue light curtain did not move at all, not even flashing for a moment. Without trying again, he swam toward the surface of the water, took a few deep breaths after emerging, and soon calmed his emotions. The heavy rain was pouring down on the river surface, and the large raindrops hitting his face were quite painful. Fortunately, the speed of the river water did not change much for the time being. After a short rest, Shen Luo dived back to the bottom of the river. However, the blue light curtain over the black stone cluster had, unknown to him, disappeared. All that had just happened seemed like a fleeting illusion. Despite Shen Luo feeling strange, he didn¡¯t rashly approach considering the power of the blue light curtain. After a moment¡¯s thought, he picked up another stone from the river bed and threw it forcefuly. The moment the stone fell over the stone cluster, a faint blue light flashed on the several black stones, and several rays of light flew out, instantly forming the blue light curtain again. The stone hit the light curtain and, once again, shattered silently into several pieces. Shen Luo felt a shiver in his heart, a chill of fear. This blue light curtain only concealed its traces upon disappearance and would immediately reappear if disturbed by external forces. Shen Luo retreated a little distance under his feet, with his eyes fixed on the blue light curtain. This black stone cluster had someone¡¯s Array set up in it; definitely strange. The ¡°Nameless Heavenly Book¡± might just be hidden here. With this thought, he took out a ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± and a Yuan Stone from his chest pocket. The blue light curtain seemed invulnerable to common methods. The only means at his disposal now was the Small Thunder Talisman, which might be effective. Shen Luo activates the Small Transformation Yang Skill, stimulating the Small Thunder Talisman. The Small Thunder Talisman cracks open with a ¡°sizzle¡± sound, and a bolt of white lightning emerges. Shen Luo¡¯s body immediately paralyzes, his hands and feet uncontrollably trembling, his entire body feels as if it has been cruelly stabbed with countless tiny needles, the pain is unbearable. ¡°Damn it, I forgot that the power of thunder and lightning can be transmitted in water¡­¡± Although he¡¯s still conscious, he¡¯s extremely annoyed at himself. However, Shen Luo doesn¡¯t suffer for long. As soon as the white lightning appears, it immediately shoots forward, and the pain in Shen Luo¡¯s body significantly decreases. The white lightning instantly covers a distance of seven or eight yards, hitting the dark blue light curtain, like a white snake, ferociously drilling in. The dark blue light curtain immediately begins to tremble violently, flickering incessantly. The already thin light curtain becomes visibly thinner at a rapid pace, seemingly about to completely dissipate. However, at this moment, the white lightning exhausts its energy and vanishes without a trace. Shen Luo squints his eyes, stretches his still trembling hand into his bosom, takes out a second Small Thunder Talisman, and immediately channels his energy into it. The Small Thunder Talisman shatters upon command, and another bolt of white lightning materializes out of thin air. Shen Luo¡¯s body paralyzes once again, his hands and feet start to shake uncontrollably, but he pays no attention to these, his eyes are still fixated on what lies ahead. The lightning shoots out, once again hitting the dark blue light curtain. The already thin dark blue light curtain is hit by another bolt of white lightning and immediately begins to tremble once more, rapidly becoming even thinner. At last, with a ¡°boom¡± sound, it disintegrates into numerous dark blue sparkles which dissipate into thin air. However, right at this moment, a faint white light appears on the central black stone amongst the dozen or so, the black stone precisely located on the nose of the skull pattern. But this light swiftly fades away. Although the appearance of the white light was exceptionally brief, it did not escape Shen Luo¡¯s eye. Shen Luo does not recklessly approach, picks up another stone from the riverbed, and throws it over. This time the stone does not shatter, it lands on a black stone, rolls a bit, and falls onto the river bottom. A gleam appears in his eyes. When he had caught his breath after emerging to the surface, he returns to the original place, swims carefreely towards the black stone that emitted the white light, and starts to search around it, examining it bit by bit. Perhaps it was due to the heavy rain, the speed of the river¡¯s current suddenly becomes rapid. Shen Luo stumbles due to the force of the current, quickly grabs onto a black stone to steady himself. He feels a chill in his heart and hurriedly accelerates the pace of his search. At this rate, he can at most spend half an incense stick¡¯s time searching before he must retreat, otherwise, the risks would be too great. Besides, the protective array that he had destroyed himself cannot be guaranteed to maintain its original form under the rapid currents on the second day. Moreover, with the continuous heavy rain, it was uncertain whether it would stop on the second day. Before long, he comes across a stony cave the size of a bowl next to a black stone. This cave is different from the mud and stone caverns he had come across before, the entrance is smoothly curved, clearly not formed naturally, but seems to be man-made. A joyous feeling springs up in Shen Luo¡¯s heart, and he promptly stretches his hand into the cave. The inner wall of the small cave is also very smooth, extending towards the underground in a cylindrical shape, filled with grit and sand. Luckily, the grit and sand aren¡¯t compacted so his hand can fully explore inside. After a detailed search, he finds nothing and continues to reach deeper into the cave. The cave is quite deep. Shen Luo has to press his body against the riverbed to barely touch the bottom, where his fingers suddenly touch something hard and smooth. Without any hesitation, he instantly grabs hold of the thing and yanks it upward with all his might. However, the object is hidden too deep and the top is filled with grit and sand, so it offers a lot of resistance, he can¡¯t pull it out with the first yank. By this time, the current of the river has increased considerably, he¡¯s almost unable to maintain his balance. ¡°I¡¯m going all out!¡± Shen Luo steels his heart, leans the upper half of his body on the ground, barely managing to stretch both his hands inside, grabs the object, and pulls with all his might. With a ¡°plop¡± sound, he finally manages to pull the object from the cave. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Mysterious Stone Box Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Mysterious Stone Box The light at the bottom of the river was dim, and the water surged so fast that Shen Luo could hardly make out the object in his hand. He could only barely determine that it was an elongated thing. He was so focused on the object in his hand that he lost his footing. A strong tide swept towards him, causing him to stumble and nearly get washed away. ¡°I got it!¡± As he muttered with relief, he quickly tucked the object into his embrace and swam vigorously towards the surface. However, Shen Luo had not swum upward for long before a dark shadow appeared in front of him ¨C a large stone at the bottom of the river. With a ¡°bang¡±, he couldn¡¯t avoid it in time and was swept up by the current, crashing heavily into the stone. Shen Luo grunted, half of his body in severe pain. To make matters worse, he had banged his head on the stone, causing his vision to go dark, and temporarily losing his thinking capacity. He spat out a long trail of air bubbles as he was completely carried away by the river. At that moment, the rope tied around Shen Luo¡¯s waist suddenly tightened. The length of it had reached its limit and had fortunately halted his drifting body just in time. However, the current was too strong, and a tremendous force gripped his waist, causing a severe pain in his ribs. His scattered consciousness also snapped back into reality due to this, and he hurriedly began to swim to the surface of the river using his hands and feet. Shen Luo swallowed a few big mouthfuls of river water, but finally managed to surface before he was utterly exhausted. He gasped heavily, his heart still filled with lingering fear. If he had regained consciousness a moment later, he would¡¯ve been drowned in the river by now. Shen Luo took a few deep breaths to gather his strength, grabbed the rope around his waist, and made his way back to the side of the boat with great effort. He climbed onto the small boat using his hands and feet, with the last bit of his strength finally sucked dry. He lay flat on his back under the canopy, panting heavily. It took quite a while before some strength returned to Shen Luo¡¯s body. He sat right up and reached into his bosom. His taut face immediately relaxed. The object was still there, it hadn¡¯t been lost. Shen Luo took it out, it was a white stone box about three feet long and the width of a palm. There was still a lot of dirt on it. The stone box seemed large but felt incredibly light to the touch. He held it in his hand, weighed it, and then shook it next to his ear. He could faintly hear something moving inside. By this time, the rain was coming down harder, and the swelling river still rocked the small boat. Fortunately, Yu Dadan¡¯s boat was quite sturdy, and he had reinforced the ropes beforehand, so it hadn¡¯t been washed away. He couldn¡¯t return for the moment though. Shen Luo wiped the water off his face, cleaned the dirt off the stone box and placed it on a low square table in front of him for a close look. The color and texture of the stone box were akin to jade, but the pattern on it was unlike any types of jade Shen Luo had seen before. Moreover, there were no locks or any obvious engraved patterns on the box. It looked just like a piece ¨C only where the box lid met the body of the box, one could faintly see a thin line. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment and used his nail to hook onto that thin line, and then tried to pry it open with some force. A light ¡°crack¡± sounded as his finger slid across the lid of the box. The sharp pain made him inhale deeply. He shook his hand to alleviate the pain while turning the box over, trying to open it from the other side. However, the result was the same, he couldn¡¯t open it at all. That line on the box seemed to be just a line, not the seam of the box lid. So, Shen Luo flipped it over and examined the sides of the box closely, running his finger over each edge of the box, looking for any hidden mechanisms. But no matter how he searched, he could not find any abnormalities. ¡°This is going to be difficult¡­¡± Shen Luo stared at the box, feeling at a loss. He hesitated for a moment, then his eyes hardened as though he¡¯d made a resolution. He rummaged around in the cabin and sharply pulled out a short-handled iron axe from a pile of fishing nets and held it in his hand. The short axe was what Yu Da used to chop wood; due to the moisture in the cabin, there was some rust on the axe head. However, it was just a thin layer, and all of it was wiped off by Shen Luo with a cloth. Holding the handle in one hand, he brought the blade close to the indentation on the stone box. He didn¡¯t dare use too much force at first, just gently chopping a few times, seeing that the box showed no signs of opening or getting damaged, he gradually increased the force. ¡°Clang¡­¡± With Shen Luo¡¯s ¡®s heavy chop, the sound of metal striking stone resounded from the stone box. The small table in the cabin shook violently, as the stone box rebounded and jumped, almost flying out. Shen Luo quickly dropped the axe and grabbed the box, examining it carefully. As it turned out, there wasn¡¯t a single mark left on the stone box. Instead, it was the small table in the middle that now had an indentation from the forceful chop. ¡°It really is a treasure, matching up to that jade pillow.¡± Shen Luo wasn¡¯t surprised that he couldn¡¯t open the stone box. Instead, he felt this was to be expected. He gently stroked the stone box for a while, a notion flashed through his mind. Since this immortal artifact could not be opened using mundane methods, why not give a talisman a try? A ¡°small thunder talisman¡± might just crack it open. However, as soon as the idea surfaced, he became somewhat hesitant. The power of the small thunder talisman was significant. What if it accidentally destroyed the object inside? Wouldn¡¯t that be a case of the cure being worse than the disease? But he had no other methods at the moment, and considering the sturdiness of the stone box, it was highly likely it would withstand the blast. Thinking as such, Shen Luo took out the last small thunder talisman from his bosom and placed it on the stone box, setting the Yuan Stone on top of the small thunder talisman, preparing to draw a little lightning power from the talisman to give it a cautious try. But before he could even channel his Yang Gang Qi to ignite it, the small cluster of white gas inside the Yuan Stone began to churn violently on its own, releasing a bright white light. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he watched the smooth surface of the stone box, under the illumination of the white light, suddenly develop thin light marks that intertwined and crisscrossed, like a vine mat. Only at the center of that ¡°vine mat¡± was there a depression about the size of a fingertip, where the light was dimmer than the surroundings. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 57: Tooth Mark Chapter 58: Chapter 57: Tooth Mark Shen Luo looked at the sunken area on the stone box, moved slightly in his heart, and extended a finger. He tentatively reached into the white light range, sensing a set of cold breath wrapping around his finger, as if probing into river water, and felt no discomfort at all. Then, he extended his finger a little further down, bringing it closer to the stone box, and the cold sensation became clearer, seeming to emanate from the stone box. A feeling of dread filled Shen Luo¡¯s heart at the chilly atmosphere, and he hesitated. However, it seemed like the energy from the Yuan Stone was about to be exhausted, and the white light it emitted began to shrink, gradually dimming. Shen Luo gritted his teeth and, just before the light disappeared, jabbed his finger down forcefully, directly touching the center of the ¡°depression¡±. The white light that was originally receding seemed to freeze at his touch, becoming motionless. At this moment, it was as if Shen Luo himself had turned to stone, even his breathing and heartbeat suddenly stopped. Amid the sound of the pouring rain, a faint, sharp noise, like a gear snapping back into place, reached his ears. The lid of the box under Shen Luo¡¯s finger suddenly flipped up with a slight friction sound, and slid forward. ¡°Yes!¡± Overjoyed, Shen Luo quickly looked inside the box. Sudden change! Inside the stone box, a stream of black smoke suddenly ejected and rushed towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo was shocked, and with a brutal shove against the short table in front of him, his body fell backward, hitting the cabin¡¯s dark canopy. The black smoke didn¡¯t hit Shen Luo, but it didn¡¯t dissipate either. Instead, it became denser, and a specter ghost face the size of a car wheel appeared from it, reaching from the top of the dark canopy to the cabin bottom. The ghost face was dark green, with disheveled hair on the top, eyes as big as copper bells twinkling with gloomy cold light, and a mouth full of jagged tusks, looking ready to pounce and bite. Shen Luo had no time to figure out what was happening, he could only force himself to remain calm. With a quick sway of his body, he grabbed the Small Thunder Talisman and the Yuan Stone on the short table with both of his hands. ¡°Hee hee¡­.¡± The specter ghost¡¯s uproarious laughter seemed to have been provoked by Shen Luo¡¯s movement, and charged towards him. The cabin was cramped, and there was nowhere for Shen Luo to dodge. He could only hold the Yuan Stone in one hand, urge the Yang Gang Qi within his body to pour into it, and slap it onto the Small Thunder Talisman in his other hand. The ghost face, however, flickered and forced itself in front of him in a flash, disgorging a stream of black and green breath from its bloody mouth. Shen Luo could only feel a pungent, rank smell rushing at his face, and his head felt like it had been hit by a cudgel. He saw shadows everywhere, his body softened, and he collapsed to one side. ¡°Hee-hee-hee¡­¡± The ghost¡¯s creepy laughter echoed in the small cabin. Shen Luo¡¯s vision became increasingly blurred, and all he could faintly see was the specter of the ghost¡¯s face slowly shrinking, eventually turning into a fist-sized white bone skull. The white bone skull was extremely luminous, its surface even glowing slightly. It directly pounced on its shoulder and bit down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Shen Luo groaned in pain, and his body stiffened abruptly. He only felt a strong cold stream spreading from the bitten area, and in an instant, it flowed into every corner of his body. A layer of fine, white frost, blossoming with frost flowers, spread rapidly from his shoulder, covering his entire body in just a few moments. Shen Luo blacked out instantly and passed out completely. However, what was strange was that the white frost only froze Shen Luo¡¯s body, despite the intense cold, it didn¡¯t affect anything around it at all, not even the cabin floor underneath him showed any difference. Who knows how long had passed, the sky had already cleared, and the shadows of the day were slanting to the west. A ray of sunlight shone in from outside the boat along the inner canopy, casting on Shen Luo¡¯s face. The frost on his body, had unknowingly melted. At this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s eyelashes twitched slightly, and he slowly lifted his eyelids. The intense light stung, making him involuntarily squint his eyes. After a while, he shielded his eyes with one hand, and propped up his body with the other, slowly sitting up. Shen Luo only felt that his body was weak and his clothes were sticking to his body, it didn¡¯t feel like the river water hadn¡¯t dried, but rather like he had just sweated profusely. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Shen Luo coughed dryly, feeling like his throat was on fire, and as if he were surrounded by a sweltering heat. He couldn¡¯t help but rip open the front of his shirt, hoping to dissipate some of the heat. He licked his dry lips and turned to look beside him, only to find the clay pot storing the boat¡¯s water had been knocked over and the water had drained out. Shen Luo¡¯s throat moved slightly and he crawled towards the back of the boat, his head still feeling extraordinarily heavy. After crawling with great difficulty to hang his body out of the boat, he was startled by his own reflection in the water. At this moment, his hair was disheveled, his face was flushed, veins were popping from his forehead, and he looked somewhat sinister. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but recoil, then he extended his flushed hands into the Luan Shui River, scooped a handful of water, and splashed it onto his face. With both his hands and face touched by the cold river water, Shen Luo immediately felt refreshed, and his heavy-headedness also cleared up a bit. He slipped his body forward, grabbed the side of the boat with both hands, and plunged his whole head into the river. He didn¡¯t care whether it was clean or not, and took several big gulps of river water. Only then did the burning sensation in his throat ease, and the heat on his body subsided a little. Shen Luo took a deep breath and felt that the clothes sticking to his body were uncomfortable. With a flip, he plunged his whole body into the river, immersing his entire body in the water. As the cold river water continuously washed over his body, Shen Luo finally felt that the heat wasn¡¯t as unbearable, but there was a prickling pain in the meridians all over his body. The pain wasn¡¯t continuous, it came as intermittent pricks, like being jabbed by a sharp needle. The location of the pain was different each time, but the pain wasn¡¯t strong, and Shen Luo felt that he could bear it. Only at this point did the sense of heaviness in his head start to recede, and he suddenly thought of the ghost face he saw when he opened the stone box, sending a shiver down his spine. Shen Luo quickly ripped off his right half of the shirt and saw a dark red tooth mark on his right shoulder! Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 58 - Leap One Zhang High Chapter 59: Chapter 58 ¨C Leap One Zhang High Shen Luo quickly stood upright from the water, scanned his surroundings, and peeked into the cabin for a while. He then slowly sank his body back into the water, his face somewhat gloomy. It seemed that he accidentally caused a disaster, releasing something that should not have been released. Shen Luo knitted his eyebrows and gently stroked the tooth mark on his right shoulder, finding that there was no sense of pain. Moreover, the skin there did not break and bleed, as if the tooth mark was drawn on. But he clearly remembered that before he fainted, his right shoulder was indeed bitten by the phantom skull from the Specter. He could even remember clearly the chill he felt when the teeth touched his skin. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then scooped up some river water and sprinkled it on the tooth mark. He rubbed it with a little force, but only managed to rub the surrounding skin a little red. Apart from that, there were no other changes. The dark red color on the tooth mark seemed to be caused by blood stasis. He wondered if it would eventually fade over time. After thinking about it for a long time, Shen Luo could not make head or tail of it, so he had to give up for the time being. He waited until the hot sensation on his body gradually faded away. Grabbing the edge of the stern, he flexed his arms forcefully, intending to use his strength to climb back onto the boat. Who would have thought that as soon as he exerted force, the whole stern sank as if it had been hit by a giant rock, burying directly under the water. The bow, along with half of the hull, life high in the sky. Inside the cabin, various objects clattered as they slid back due to the abrupt tilt of the boat. Fortunately, Shen Luo had quick reflexes and quickly lifted the stern, allowing the risen bow to fall back into the water. The impact created a splash of water, causing waves to ripple across the surface. ¡°What just happened?¡± Shen Luo gently steadied the rocking boat, staring at his hands in disbelief. Straight after, he turned around to face the raging river on the other side, raised one palm and gave a fierce strike to the water surface with slight effort. A dull sound echoed from the river¡¯s surface. It was as if a rock weighing hundreds of pounds had been thrown into the river. The water churned violently and the waves surged, contrary to the water flow, pushing a wave as high as several feet upstream. The wave only lost its momentum several feet away before it fell back into the river. A deep vortex remained at the spot where he had struck which slowly disappeared a few breaths later. ¡°Why has my strength become so great?¡± Shen Luo stared at his palm, still finding it hard to believe. He circled the boat and climbed onto the rubble beach. He saw that the mooring rope used to secure the boat had been snapped due to the sudden rise of the bow earlier. To prevent the boat from drifting away, he quickly tied it up again. Shen Luo turned around and looked around on the rubble beach. Seeing a stone the size of a human head with a fairly flat surface on the ground, he crouched down next to it. He extended his palm and gestured on the stone, then suddenly shouted and slapped down. With a crisp ¡°pa¡± sound! Shen Luo frowned, his palm was a little painful and he quickly withdrew it. He looked down at the stone. A clear palm mark had been left on it where a layer of dust had been smacked off, but the stone itself had not changed at all. Shen Luo rubbed his palm, slowly stood up and showed an embarrassed smile. ¡°Crack¡± But just as he was about to turn around and return to the boat, a faint sound suddenly came from under his feet. He frowned slightly, stooped down and gently touched the stone. The seemingly intact stone showed spider-web-like cracks and immediately crumbled into pieces. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. He picked up the stone crumbs from the ground, lightly rubbed them, and the corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but hook up. When he first entered the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Tian Tiesheng demonstrated his ¡°Qingyang Hand¡± in front of him. The scene of his palm hitting the stone table left a deep impression on him. His current strength was definitely not inferior to that. ¡°What exactly happened? What happened when I was unconscious?¡± Shen Luo was increasingly confused. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s mind suddenly jumped to a guess that he wouldn¡¯t have dared to think of before. To verify this guess, he quickly sat down, crossed his legs and started to chant the mantra of the Small Transformation Yang Technique. The Yang Gang power in his body was mobilized and started to circulate on its own. The moment he started to cultivate, a red light surged between his hands, forming three-inch-long solid red threads that intertwined with each other like dragons, forming a large sphere. The red sphere emitted waves of warmth, even a bit of scorching aura. In just a few breaths of time, it vaporized all the moisture on Shen Luo¡¯s body and dried his clothes with its thermal energy. After a dozen or so breaths, Shen Luo took a deep breath, the red threads in his hands whirling back, directly entering his mouth and nose, making his entire face glow red. When the red light on his face disappeared, Shen Luo lowered his arms and slowly opened his eyes. He unveiled a smile that was hard to suppress, and with a sudden leap, he jumped up to a height of several feet. When he landed, he stepped on a cobblestone, making a dull ¡°boom¡± sound. ¡°Full of strength, light bones, condensed Yang Qi externally is like the red sun, while the Gang Qi is retracted internally and reflects a red glow on the face. This is the state of perfection.¡± Shen Luo clenched his hands, chanting the contents of the ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡±. All the changes in him at this moment proved one thing, his Small Transformation Yang Technique had actually reached perfection! ¡°Perfected, perfected¡­ haha, it¡¯s actually perfected!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but jumped up again and cheered. However, the moment he moved, he felt a faint pain in every meridian of his body. This pain forced him to suppress his excitement and begin to wonder why he suddenly went from just beginning the Small Transformation Yang Technique to reaching perfection overnight. ¡°Could it be because of that Specter illusion?¡± Shen Luo instinctively looked at the tooth mark on his shoulder again. It was after being bitten by that Specter that he fainted, and when he woke up, he became like this. The most likely reason he could think of was this. But as for why it happened, he had no clue. However, no matter what, the perfection of this Small Transformation Yang Technique is excellent news. According to Master Fengyang¡¯s speculation, this means that he has several more years to live. As long as during this period, he could learn the Pure Yang Sword Technique or learn something from the Nameless Heavenly Book, he is very likely to extend his life again. He may even have a chance to embark on the path of cultivating immortality for real! Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 59: The Ability to Shrink Objects Chapter 60: Chapter 59: The Ability to Shrink Objects ¡°The heavenly book, I still haven¡¯t found the heavenly book!¡± Shen Luo fiercely slapped his forehead, finally remembering the most important purpose of this trip, and hurriedly jumped back onto the Wupeng small boat. All the things on the boat were piled up at the back of the cabin, and all the clay pots and jars were shattered, even the low-legged square table had a broken leg. After moving away the table, Shen Luo found the stone box under a pile of fishing nets. The stone box remained half-open as before. After Shen Luo picked it up, he gently pushed it, and the cover was opened. Inside, he saw a bamboo tube that was about a foot long and a thick, yellowed ancient book. The bamboo tube was only as thick as an arm and had only two sections, which were lush and green, looking as if it had just been cut not long ago. The ancient book, on the other hand, was slightly rolled into a tube shape and placed below the bamboo tube. ¡°The heavenly book?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, and he was about to reach out to take the ancient book, but suddenly remembered his previous rash act of opening the stone box, releasing the skull of the ghost. He quickly withdrew his hand, opened his bundle, and took out several talismans he had drawn a long time ago, affixing them to his chest and arms. Among these talismans, there were exorcism charms and warding off evil charms, and even two peace talismans. Whether they worked or not, he had no confidence yet, but he felt better having them on him than not. Although he was cautious, Shen Luo wasn¡¯t particularly worried. The reason was nothing more than that Master Yu, a mere mortal, could safely obtain this Nameless Heavenly Book, which indicated that there shouldn¡¯t be fatal dangers inside. It¡¯s just that when Yu Yan mentioned this past event, he was too brief. Shen Luo didn¡¯t know whether he had left out something after drinking or whether Master Yu didn¡¯t tell his descendants everything. He didn¡¯t mention the skulls and bamboo tubes at all. After sticking another exorcism charm on the back of his right hand, Shen Luo finally reached out slowly and cautiously grabbed the rolled-up ancient book and took it out. When he held the ancient book, he didn¡¯t dare to use too much force for fear of crushing this seemingly aged ancient book into pieces by accident. However, when his palm touched the ancient book, he realized it was not made of paper but was a tough and sturdy leather-bound book. Then, a more bizarre scene occurred. The scroll, which was originally only two inches long, suddenly flashed with white light the moment it left the stone box, instantly growing twice as long. The previously rolled-up pages also unfurled, turning into a book with both length and width of about four inches. Shen Luo was shocked and didn¡¯t react to what had happened for a moment. Holding the suddenly enlarged ancient book, he looked back and forth between the stone box and the leather-bound book several times. ¡°This¡­¡± He was in doubt, so he first put the ancient book aside, picked up the green bamboo tube again, and took it out. The bamboo tube, which was originally only about a foot long, also flashed with white light the moment it left the stone box. It directly grew three times longer, becoming about three feet long and hefty in his hand. Shen Luo gently shook the bamboo tube. A ¡°gurgling¡± sound came from inside, hinting the presence of a liquid flowing inside. The bamboo tube was, by volume, obviously much larger than the stone box at this point. ¡°So big¡­ How was it put back in?¡± Shen Luo frowned, pondering to himself. Having said that, he skeptically moved the bamboo tube in his hand closer to the stone box, intending to put it back in. The bamboo tube, the moment it got close to the stone box, was pulled by a gentle, invisible force. Under a swath of white light, it shrank back to a third of its size, returning to about a foot in length, and laid back down into the stone box. ¡°This stone box¡­ could it also be a treasure?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart jumped with excitement. He quickly placed the bamboo tube alongside the rolled-up book, then turned around and pulled out the broken-legged low table. He grabbed the two legs of the table, inverted it, and approached the stone box, wanting to see if anything more than the original contents of the stone box could fit in, such as this ordinary table. To his surprise, the moment one corner of the table neared the stone box, a white light again emitted from the box, and an unseen force gently tugged at the table, pulling it out of his hands and drew it into the stone box. Shen Luo quickly peered inside and saw the table lying ¡°upside down¡± in the stone box, shrunken to many times its original size, now only palm-sized. Witnessing this, the color of joy in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes became more prominent. Three steps in a bound and he jumped off the ship, picked up a head-sized round stone from the chaos of the rubble beach and loaded it into the stone box. Immediately after, he retrieved the bamboo pole used for paddling the boat, lowered it into the stone box, and likewise, it was shrunken and stored inside. Shen Luo then tested all sorts of odds and ends by his side such as clay pots and pieces, fishing nets and axes, all of which could be stowed away without exception. ¡°It seems that ordinary items, as long as they are placed at the mouth of the box, can also be shrunken and placed inside.¡± Shen Luo held the stone box with both hands, placing it before his eyes to inspect. He still found it unbelievable. The stone box not only could store objects many times or even tens of times larger than itself by shrinking them proportionally, its weight surprisingly remained almost unchanged. Moreover, through the shrinking comparison of different objects, Shen Luo found that, seemingly, the larger the original object, the more it would shrink when entering the stone box. However, how large an object the stone box could ultimately hold, he couldn¡¯t verify at the moment. ¡°With such a magical function, could it be a magical instrument as stated in the legends?¡± The thought occurred to him and gave him quite a shock. A magical instrument? That was something only Pavilion Master Fengyang and the reclusive Mysterious Ancestor could possess. He would never have thought, his quest to find the heavenly book, would bring him all these unexpected surprises! But then again, if he hadn¡¯t accidentally found that peculiar jade pillow and thus dreamt about the chaotic world of demons and horrors a thousand years later, he wouldn¡¯t have learnt about the existence of the Nameless Heavenly Book from Yu Yan. Perhaps he would still be in the pavilion painstakingly practicing cultivation for self-preservation? This was the first time Shen Luo felt that being plagued by nightmares from the jade pillow might not be entirely a bad thing. His mind drifted for a moment, and when he came back to his senses, he cleaned up the sundries in the stone box one by one, then picked up the yellowish scroll and started browsing through it again. Just as Yu Yan had said, the outer cover of the ancient book was blank, without a title. Perhaps that¡¯s why his ancestor referred to it as the ¡°Nameless Heavenly Book¡±. Shen Luo flipped a few more pages and couldn¡¯t help frowning. It¡¯s not that there was something wrong with the contents of the book, but that the texts in the book were all a very ancient type of silver seal script. Despite having seen many old books, Shen Luo barely recognized any of them. After a long while, he failed to understand any of it, so he gave up and put the ancient book back into the stone box. ¡°Snap¡­¡± Just then, a faint sound suddenly came from his side. When Shen Luo looked down, he saw that it was the bamboo tube lying next to him. The evening wind that was rising on the river had rolled it over, bumping it into a wooden plank. He bent down to pick up the bamboo tube, and was just about to study it carefully, when suddenly a crack appeared at the top of the tube. A stream of yellow liquid squirted out of it, shooting straight towards Shen Luo¡¯s face! Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 60 "Tiny Chapter 61: Chapter 60 ¡°Tiny Shen Luo was startled and subconsciously let go of the bamboo tube, hurriedly putting both hands up to shield his face. Just as the yellow liquid was about to hit his hand, a sudden light enveloped it, and it congealed in mid-air into a round object about the size of a fist, which Shen Luo promptly grabbed in his hand. The moment he gripped it, he discovered its surface was incredibly smooth and cold, yet very soft to the touch. With just a slight squeeze from his hand, it immediately softened like mud seeping between his fingers. Feeling it slip from his palm, Shen Luo quickly closed his hands together, cleverly managing to keep it grasped within his hands. Just then, the object erupted with a considerable force, squirming and struggling within the confines of Shen Luo¡¯s hands. Only then did Shen Luo realize it was a living creature. Despite his astonishment, he didn¡¯t release his grip on the creature but instead kept it firmly under control within his palm. The little creature seemed to understand that its struggles were in vain. After a period of futile resistance, it finally calmed down. Only then did Shen Luo slightly relax his grip, opening a small gap to take a closer look at the true appearance of this creature. What he saw astonished him ¨C the creature in his hand was unlike any living thing he had seen before. It was limbless, with only an orb-shaped body and two big black eyes. Its entire body was tenderly soft, exuding a faint glow. At first glance, it appeared as a small glowing meatball. Upon noticing Shen Luo examining it, the little critter looked at Shen Luo with its round watery eyes, its small hands tightly drawn under its head, showing an expression of timid fear that could melt anyone¡¯s heart. This made kittens and puppies look inferior in cuteness in comparison. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s astonishment, the little creature blinked its large eyes, looking both dazed and endearing. Just as Shen Luo was consciously trying to appease this seemingly panicked and terrified little creature, a small mouth opened beneath the black eyes of the creature, emitting a puff. A ball of white light was expelled, swiftly hitting Shen Luo¡¯s face, bursting open into countless white specks, almost covering his entire body. Shen Luo only felt a chill enveloping his body and a sense of apprehension tightening his spirit. At the same time, the tiny creature he held in his hand suddenly inflated in size, almost like a massive pink bubble, overwhelmingly prying open his hands and bouncing onto the deck of the boat¡¯s stern. Shen Luo hurriedly tried to catch up but was too late. The creature once again leaped from the boat¡¯s stern, astonishingly vaulting several feet into the air and, following a high-arching trajectory, plunged into the river, causing a small splash. By the time Shen Luo rushed to the boat¡¯s stern, all that was left were ripples on the water¡¯s surface. The little creature had entirely vanished. He scanned the surface of the water and the shoreline for a while, finding no hint of movement, and reluctantly gave up. Shen Luo then looked down at himself, finding that the white light that the creature had sprayed onto him earlier vanished, leaving no traces on his clothes or skin. ¡°Wait, something¡¯s wrong¡­¡± Shen Luo abruptly changed his expression. He quickly sat down on the boat¡¯s deck, eyes slightly closed, encircling his hands in his lap and once again initiating the Small Transformation Yang Skill. After only a moment, he finally opened his eyes, a look of disbelief on his face. To his surprise and joy, he found the burning sensation within his body and the erratic stinging pain in his meridians were entirely gone. Even more miraculously, even the persistent fatigue that had piled up over the past few days had completely dissipated. Shen Luo abruptly rose to his feet, standing at the stern with a clenched fist and a vigorous sweep of his arm, his sleeves rustling in the air, he looked robust and full of vitality, as if completely renewed. ¡°Who would have thought that the white light would have such an amazing effect? Such a pity¡­¡± He clenched his fists, looking into the distance, a tinge of regret in his words. Shen Luo naturally knew that the change within him was tied to the adorable little creature. However, it had already escaped, and any further regret was meaningless. By now, the setting sun hovered close to the distant mountains, teetering on the edge of the horizon. He placed the bamboo tube and the Nameless Heavenly Book back into the stone box, stored it in his bundle, tidied up the cabin briefly, before grabbing his pole to return the small boat to the ferry dock. The storm had made the waters of the Luan Shui River much more turbulent, making it more challenging to row the boat upstream. However, the Shen Luo of today was no longer the same as yesterday, his body was filled with power, making his return voyage even smoother than the ride downstream. Halfway through his journey, Shen Luo encountered Yu Dadan, who had been following along the river bank to find him, and promptly took him onboard. From their conversation, Shen Luo learned that Yu Dadan, seeing the torrential rain and Shen Luo not returning, was afraid something bad had happened, leading him to search along the river bank. When the two men arrived at the ferry, the pregnant woman was waiting at the entrance to the hut. ¡°You young ¡®un! How could you be so reckless? What if something had happened during the storm?¡± She scolded with a sense of relief evident in her eyes. ¡°I am sorry for causing you to worry.¡± Shen Luo expressed apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back safe. Good that you¡¯re back safe.¡± The woman sighed as she saw Shen Luo¡¯s remorse, then turned to get two large bowls of hot water with ginger from the stove. After drinking, Shen Luo began, ¡°The storm was fierce, and the boat was banged up quite a bit, damaging many things. I still have some crushed silver here to compensate for the damages.¡± With that, Shen Luo handed over more than ten taels of silver, which he had already prepared, to the woman. Upon seeing this, the woman raised her eyebrows in surprise and hesitated. No need for compensation. Your ten taels of silver is enough.¡± Yu Dadan quickly interjected. ¡°I am leaving today. I am grateful for your accommodation in these past days. Please accept this money; use it for the unborn child.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the woman¡¯s round belly and suggested with a smile. At his words, the woman¡¯s eyes misted, she and Yu Dadan could handle some hardships, but she didn¡¯t want her unborn child to suffer. ¡°Then¡­ thank you for your kindness.¡± The woman bowed and gratefully accepted the silver. Shen Luo brought the horse over, bid the couple farewell, then climbed onto the horse. As he was about to leave, something occurred to him, he pulled on the reins and turned to the couple,¡± Brother Yu and sister-in-law, if you ever run into trouble, come to find me at the Shen Family Pharmacy in Chunhua County Town.¡± Both of them nodded in agreement, waved him goodbye, and watched as Shen Luo rode off in the direction of Song Fan County Town. ¡°He comes from a family that deals in medicinal herbs, no wonder he has such a kind heart. Surely, he has an auspicious future, filled with wealth and longevity.¡± The woman tightly gripped the pouch of silver and murmured to herself. Yu Dadan didn¡¯t say anything; he only gave a knowing smile and nodded. The setting sun cast a golden glow on them, and in the vicinity of the Huangweidang Ferry dock, two figures standing side by side were reflected. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 61: Cant Figure Out Chapter 62: Chapter 61: Can¡¯t Figure Out When Shen Luo returned to Song Fan County Town, it was even later than the previous day, and the city gate was once again closed. ¡°It seems that I and Song Fan County Town are really not in sync,¡± Shen Luo smirked to himself, turned his horse around, and headed to the nearby town. Because of his fainting episode from the previous day, the innkeepers in the town naturally remembered Shen Luo and avoided him like the plague, not to mention soliciting his business. Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind this, and he felt relieved instead. It seemed that Liu Baichuan and Manager Hou did not reveal his identity. This trip was kept secret from everyone after all. If he were too ostentatious, it was hard to guarantee that the news wouldn¡¯t reach Chunhua County or Spring and Autumn Pavilion, attracting unnecessary trouble. Shen Luo arrived at the same small inn where he had stayed before. The boy who was attracting customers in front of the door was still Xiao San. ¡°Master Shen, welcome back to our humble inn!¡± Xiao San¡¯s eyes sparkled when he saw Shen Luo, and he hurried forward to take Shen Luo¡¯s reins. Shen Luo nodded, dismounted, handed the reins to Xiao San, and walked into the inn. Business in the inn was still very quiet, with few people sitting in the main hall. ¡°Master Shen, your presence truly graces our humble establishment with honor and happiness!¡± Mr. Hou, who was inside the inn balancing the books, showed an irrepressible joy in his face upon seeing Shen Luo. He immediately dropped the account book and greeted him. ¡°Mr. Hou, you¡¯re too kind. Please arrange a quiet room for me,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°No problem, please follow me, Master Shen. Xiao San, look after the place.¡± Mr. Hou agreed and personally led the way, causing the few guests in the main hall to feel surprised and begin gossiping about Shen Luo¡¯s identity. The two of them walked through a corridor behind the hall of the inn and came to a room at the very back. In front of this room there was a large, lush banyan tree leafy producing a vast shadow, casting a shroud over the whole room and giving it a sense of tranquility. ¡°This room is far from the main street and is very quiet. The furnishings inside are the best in our inn. What do you think?¡± Mr. Hou said, opening the door and ushering Shen Luo in. The furniture and furnishings in the room were made of rosewood and were carefully ornate, giving an antique feel. They were much higher-end than the room Shen Luo had stayed in before. ¡°It is good. We will take this one,¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t care much for the inside furnishings, but seeing that the place was indeed quiet and secluded. He nodded in agreement. ¡°May I ask how long you plan on staying with us this time, Master Shen?¡± Mr. Hou asked, rubbing his hands together with joy. ¡°Perhaps two or three days. There¡¯s no need for service unless I call for it. Plus, please don¡¯t tell anyone about my identity or my stay here, including Liu Baichuan,¡± Shen Luo added after a thought. ¡°Master Shen, rest assured, if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m good at, it¡¯s keeping a secret. As for Doctor Liu, he¡¯s out visiting patients and might not come back for a few days,¡± Mr. Hou immediately slapped his chest and guaranteed. ¡°That sounds good,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Master Shen, you look weary from your journey. Why don¡¯t you rest for a bit, and I¡¯ll send someone to bring you your dinner later,¡± Mr. Hou suggested. ¡°There¡¯s no need for dinner, I want to rest early,¡± Shen Luo waved him off. Now that his Small Transformation Yang Skill had reached perfection and his Yang Gang power was abundant, he felt very spirited and not at all hungry. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t divulge this to others. ¡°Alright then, have a good rest, Master Shen. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± Mr. Hou nodded with a smile, excused himself, and left, quietly closing the door behind him. Shen Luo found Mr. Hou¡¯s enthusiasm a bit strange, but after pondering over it he didn¡¯t notice anything inappropriate. He attributed Mr. Hou¡¯s behavior to his mild fame back in Chunhua County and decided not to dwell on it any longer. After the sound of Mr. Hou¡¯s footsteps faded, Shen Luo immediately locked the door from the inside, secured the windows ensuring that no one could come in, then got down on the bed and eagerly took out the stone box. He opened it and took out the old scroll. Just as he picked up the book and was about to unroll it, he noticed something odd and took a closer look at the scroll. There were visible traces of tearing apart at the end of the last page. When he had previously looked at it, he was mainly concerned with reading the ancient seal script inside and didn¡¯t pay attention to this. ¡°Could it be that this scroll is only half complete?¡± Shen Luo slightly frowned. However, he didn¡¯t dwell on this for too long. If he could only find half then half it would be. If he only found this half, this would also mean that the boatman on the river, who had finally become ¡°Master Yu¡± according to Yu Yan, could also only find this half. So Shen Luo steadied his mind and began to read through the scroll page by page, word by word, trying to understand its content. Time ticked by and in the blink of an eye, half an hour had passed. Shen Luo, his eyebrows tightly knit, lifted his head from the scroll and gave a sigh. He tossed the scroll onto the bed and laid sprawled out on the bed. Although he wanted very much to understand the text in the scroll, he knew too little of the ancient seal script; he could only distinguish four or five characters on a page at most. As far as he knew, this kind of ancient seal script was extremely old and complex. He had only seen a few scattered records of it in some miscellaneous notes. It was impossible for him to guess the words he didn¡¯t know. Wanting to understand the secrets of the scroll with his current level of knowledge was simply wishful thinking. ¡°Do I need to learn ancient seal script first?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. But where could he learn it at the moment? At least when he was in Chunhua County, he had never heard of any scholars in the city who were proficient in ancient seal script. Even if he could find someone who knows this kind of script, the content of the book might be leaked. After all, seeing such a good thing that could lead to enlightenment, anyone would likely succumb to temptation. After thinking it through, he couldn¡¯t think of a safe solution. ¡°I wonder how ¡®Master Yu¡¯ solved this problem back then? He was a boatman on the river who should not have known ancient seal script.¡± ¡°Well, worst case, I will spend a year or two learning the ancient seal script. After all, now that my Small Transformation Yang Skill is complete, I can afford to take some time¡­¡± Shen Luo sat up, grabbed the scroll, and froze, alertness flashing in his eyes. Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 62: So Thats How It Is Chapter 63: Chapter 62: So That¡¯s How It Is Shen Luo quickly placed the book on the bed, quietly walked to the door, slightly opened it after unlocking the door, and looked out a few times. The narrow corridor was quiet, with no one in sight. He scratched his head, locked the door again, went to the windowsill, and opened the window. The verdant banyan tree in the courtyard immediately appeared before him, and likewise, no one else was seen. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I definitely heard someone talking just now¡­¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself as he latched the window. Just a moment ago, he had heard a resonant voice in his ear, seeming to recite something like ¡°Wrong then Right¡±. It echoed in his mind like a bell tolling, making his consciousness feel momentarily blurred. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve been too tired these days and I¡¯m hallucinating?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his temples, returned to the bedside, and reached out to pick up the half-rolled book from the bed again. Then all of sudden, he heard a voice again: ¡°Qu Zequan¡­¡± The voice was still loud and clear, deafening. Shen Luo only felt a buzz in his head, subconsciously covering his ears, and the book slipped from his hands and fell onto the floor. He remained in this posture, standing still on the spot, his eyes fixed on the half-rolled book on the ground. After a while, Shen Luo swallowed dryly, squatted down, cautiously extended the index finger of his right hand, and touched the cover of the book. The parchment of the book remained unchanged, and no other voice appeared in his ears. ¡°Strange¡­ Could it not be from this book?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. During his consideration, he picked up the book by holding the edge of the parchment with two fingers, holding it up and carefully scrutinizing it. Aside from the nearly unreadable silver ancient texts inside, this scroll showed no distinction from ordinary books. ¡°Could that suddenly appearing ghost thing be attached to this book?¡± Shen Luo seemed to remember something, his heart shivered, and he subconsciously touched his right arm with his left hand. But, after he blacked out, the Small Transformation Yang Skill unknowingly reached Perfection, which seemed to be related to the Specter, and apart from feeling a bit hot when he woke up, he didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with his body till now. Thinking of this, Shen Luo calmed down a bit, held the book in his left hand with two fingers, and subconsciously thought to brush the dust off the pages with his right hand. But the moment his fingers swept over the book, his mind was again filled with echoes of a series of voices, ¡°Do not self-praise, hence have achievements¡­ speak naturally¡­¡± His pupils contracted abruptly, his right hand stilled as he stared at the place his three fingers had touched. There were clearly three silver ancient characters. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± A thought flashed across Shen Luo¡¯s mind, he took a deep breath, his three fingers left the book by an inch, and then fell again. ¡°Speak naturally.¡± This time, the expression on Shen Luo¡¯s face wasn¡¯t restless, but delighted. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, that¡¯s how it is! I understand now, no wonder, no wonder¡­¡± A faint smile of comprehension stretched on Shen Luo¡¯s mouth. So, this Nameless Heavenly Book actually allowed him to read by touch. It¡¯s no wonder that even an ordinary boatman like Master Yu could understand it without a teacher. Because you don¡¯t need to understand any ancient texts at all, all you need to do is touch. Now that he got the hang of reading, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t wait to start from the beginning, placing his finger on the first character. This ancient character was one of the few characters he knew, a ¡°husband¡± character. As soon as his finger touched it, the word ¡°husband¡± flashed past his ear. Shen Luo nodded slightly, quickly moved his finger and started reading the second character¡­ But he had barely moved past ten characters when a wave of dizziness came over him, and he felt his body sway. He shook his head, thinking he was just tired. He wanted to move on to the next character, but as soon as he tried, he felt the world spin, and his vision blacked out. Shen Luo quickly grabbed the edge of the bed, which prevented him from falling over. This time, not only did he not hear any voice, but his head ached painfully. Shen Luo didn¡¯t dare to neglect it and quickly put the Heavenly Book beside his bed and sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. He was proficient in medical skills and after a brief contemplation, he realized that his symptoms were a result of excessive mental exertion. As Yu Yan said, the human body¡¯s essence, Qi, and spirit are one and the same, complementing each other. Now that his mental power has been greatly exhausted, stimulating the Small Transformation Yang Skill should accelerate the recovery of his mental power. Shen Luo quickly began to feel heated all over, as if immersed in hot water. The flow of his Qi and blood also sped up, and a red light appeared on his face. Sure enough, when he started this operation, the pain in his mind eased significantly. He breathed a sigh of relief and continued to operate the skill. ¡°It seems that although reading in this way is good, it is very exhausting mentally.¡± A quarter of an hour later, Shen Luo opened his eyes and thought so. Having said that, he did not hesitate at all, picked up the book again, and deciphered about ten characters by sliding his fingers on the page, until he felt dizzy again, then he stopped to meditate and recover. ¡°The Heavenly Dao is formless and divides the yin and yang, and spawns all things. If people want to attain immortality, they need to transmute yin to yang, and transcend the mundane to become a saint, only then can they gradually enter the true Dao¡­¡± This was the short section of the text Shen Luo understood after meditating three times. Based on these texts, the parchment seems to contain a cultivation technique. By now, Shen Luo was completely sure that this book was indeed the Nameless Heavenly Book mentioned by Yu Yan. There was absolutely no doubt about it! Shen Luo took a deep breath and his eyes returned to calm while exhaling. Now is not the time to get excited, the important thing is to fully decipher this half of the Nameless Heavenly Book, but that would be an extremely long process. At this moment, his eyes caught a glimpse of the stone box beside him, and a hint of emerald green entered his vision. It was that emerald green bamboo tube with the crack. This stone box and parchment were both extraordinary items. The emerald green bamboo tube placed with them might as well be a treasure? With this thought, Shen Luo reached out to take the bamboo tube out, carefully observed it for a while, and weighed it, finding it to be no different from an ordinary bamboo tube. He got up, took the scissors from the bedside oil lamp, and gently scraped it on the bamboo tube. With a ¡°swish¡±, a mark was immediately scratched on the bamboo tube. He stopped hastily and frowned. Could this emerald green bamboo tube be so fragile, it was just a mere ordinary item? Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 63 Black Skeleton Chapter 64: Chapter 63 Black Skeleton Shen Luo fell silent for a moment, then stood up and brought the emerald green bamboo tube close to the flame of the oil lamp. The dim yellow flame licked the surface of the bamboo tube, and the area in contact with it quickly started to turn yellow. He squinted his eyes but did not immediately remove the bamboo tube, continuing to roast it with the flame instead. The yellowing surface of the bamboo quickly turned black, a few red sparks appeared within, threads of smoke began to rise as though it was going to ignite. Shen Luo quickly removed the bamboo tube and blew out the sparks on its surface, a look of disappointment appeared on his face. It seemed that this emerald green bamboo tube was truly just an ordinary object. He sneered at himself. Not only had he found the Nameless Heavenly Book he came for this time, but he had also obtained a treasure box that had the ability to shrink things, the previously stagnant Small Transformation Yang Skill had directly achieved perfection. It was truly too greedy of him to wish for more treasures. Shen Luo solemnly lectured himself in his mind, however, he still could not bear to discard the bamboo tube and placed it back into the stone box. He returned to the bed, sat cross-legged, picked up the Nameless Heavenly Book, and started to ¡°fondle¡± it again. In the following days, Shen Luo ardently studied the Nameless Heavenly Book day and night. When his spirit grew weary, he would sit down and recuperate, when he had recovered, he would continue to read the book, occasionally he had Xiao San bring him some food to deal with hunger. After several days of relentless effort, he finally finished the first half of the Nameless Heavenly Book by noon on the fifth day. That day, Shen Luo was seated cross-legged on the bed. His face was mostly covered in stubble, and he appeared to be extremely worn by fatigue, but his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and excitement. Just as he had previously suspected, the Nameless Heavenly Book recorded a set of cultivation tactics, which were far more profound and mysterious than the Small Transformation Yang Skill. Truly, it was a genuine Immortal technique. The magic spell described in this book had no name. According to the general outline at the beginning, it was divided into eighteen levels and could be cultivated from Qi Refining Stage all the way to Becoming Immortal. In addition, he understood the six stages of cultivating immortality that precede Becoming Immortal: the Qi Refining Stage, Grain Avoidance Stage, Soul Condensation Stage, Nascent Soul Stage, Great Mahayana Stage, and the True Immortal Stage. The Nameless Heavenly Book offered no detailed explanation of these six major realms, only a brief mention that once one has attained a deep enough level of cultivation, not only would their lifespan be significantly extended, but they could also wield immense power, even being able to call the wind and summon the rain, move mountains and fill seas with but a thought. As for the final True Immortal Stage, they could truly ascend to immortality, shining with the sun and the moon, sharing the same lifespan as Heaven and Earth. Even though the book contained only a few sentences describing the immensely powerful states, Shen Luo¡¯s blood was still boiling as he read them. In the preceding years, he had read many incredible stories about ¡°Immortals¡±, especially those about vanquishing demons and performing righteous deeds. These tales always fascinated him. However, with his once frail body, living as an ordinary person was nothing short of an extravagant wish, to speak of pursuing immortality was out-and-out fantasy. But now, things were different. The unexpected perfection of the Small Transformation Yang Skill had significantly improved his constitution. Although the vitality loss caused by the previous Yin Qi affliction could not be completely compensated, he was, at last, eligible to practice the skills of immortality. Unfortunately, the back half of the ancient scroll had been torn away, and it only recorded the tactics of the first nine stages. Meaning, he could only reach the Soul Condensation Stage once he had completely mastered all the instructions. Shen Luo did not feel disappointed about it. According to the book, along with the information previously discussed with Bai Xiaotian, the cultivation of immortality was an act of defying the natural order, and cultivating each level was exceedingly difficult. If one¡¯s aptitude was poor or their comprehension lacking, they could not even reach the most basic Qi Refining stage. Among the hundreds of disciples in the Chun Qiu Pavilion, only three had truly entered this stage and had mana of their own. Although Shen Luo was very eager to attain the high levels mentioned in the Nameless Heavenly Book, he had no delusions that he could easily reach them. If he could reach the Qi Refining stage and extend his lifespan by sixty years, he would be satisfied. Of course, if his luck were good and he could achieve a higher stage, then so much the better. Moreover, after this treasure hunt, Shen Luo no longer doubted the strange events that occurred in the mysterious world of dreams brought about by the jade pillow. That was truly a glimpse into the Future World a thousand years later! Which meant, in just a few hundred years, Apocalypse Day, when the disaster of demons would descend¡­ Shen Luo collected his thoughts and sighed deeply. Everything he had seen about the future was still far away, and pointless to ponder on. The task at hand was to diligently cultivate the Nameless Heavenly Book, and worry about the rest later. After making this decision, he put the ancient scroll back into the stone box, hid the stone box under his pillow, then buried his head into the bed and fell into a deep sleep. ¡­ After who knows how long, Shen Luo gradually woke from his sleep. The fatigue that had accumulated over the past days was wiped out, and he felt invigorated. Shen Luo got out of bed and stretched his limbs, then opened the window. Outside, everything was pitch black, through the abundant branches and leaves of the banya tree outside, one could vaguely see the western crescent moon. The quiet courtyard was occasionally interrupted by the chirping of insects, but other than that it was dead silent. It seemed that it was already the latter half of the night. ¡°Could it be that I¡¯ve slept for a day and a half?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, then turned to walk towards the bed. This quiet and deep night was a perfect time for cultivation. Shen Luo reached under his pillow to retrieve the stone box, put it into his bosom, and then quietly stepped out the door. Interestingly, the Nameless Law Formula had a peculiar method of cultivation, from the very beginning, it required the practitioner to sit in a pond, or brook to cultivate. But that wasn¡¯t an issue, not far from the town was a small brook, he had passed by when he had come. Shen Luo rounded about from the corridor at the entrance to a corner near the courtyard wall. He lightly leaped, his body seemingly weightless, he jumped over ten feet from the ground, right hand supporting against the wall, and he quietly landed in a small alley outside ¨C the place where he had tested the talisman a few nights ago. Shen Luo looked back, taking a glance at the courtyard wall, the corner of his mouth slightly upward. After the Small Transformation Yang Skill reached perfection, his leaping ability was greatly enhanced. Unfortunately, he had not learned any light body techniques, otherwise he¡¯d not even need hands to get over this small courtyard wall. He quickly identified his direction and swiftly moved towards the end of the alley. After a while, he left the small town and arrived at a small brook a few miles outside. This brook bent around the outside of the town, it was only three to four meters wide, the water was quite clear, and the place was full of water grass. Shen Luo found a secluded spot on the brook, took off his clothes, just leaving a loincloth on. Just as he was about to enter the water, his gaze trailed over his shoulder and his eyes suddenly widened, staring unwaveringly. Where there had been a dark red tooth mark, there was now no trace of it, replaced by a black skull pattern the size of a bowl! Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 64: The Harmonious Union of Yin and Yang Chapter 65: Chapter 64: The Harmonious Union of Yin and Yang Shen Luo looked at the skull tattoo pattern on his shoulder and could only feel a chill running down his back. This black skull tattoo was incredibly lifelike; at first glance, it was as if a real skull was biting onto his shoulder, as if it could fly off his body at any moment. And yet, the tooth marks from before were gone without a trace. Having encountered bizarre occurrences in Dreamland before, his endurance was considerably stronger. However, seeing this scene in the dead of night still sent a shiver down his spine. Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm his mind and began to closely examine the tattoo pattern. The black lines forming the pattern resembled the charm patterns of a talisman and gave off a hint of mystery. Apart from its terrifying appearance, this tattoo didn¡¯t hurt or itch, displaying no sensation at all. If he hadn¡¯t just happened to see it after taking off his clothes, he likely wouldn¡¯t have noticed it. ¡°Could it be related to the white skull from before? Could it be that this skull tattoo is a transformation of that white skull?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his chin, speculating in his mind. He reached out and touched the tattoo, finding that that area of his skin felt just like the surrounding skin, with no bumps or indentations, as if it was truly just a tattoo. He then tried scraping it aggressively with his fingernails. Outside of causing the skin to sting a bit, the pattern was completely unaffected as if it was naturally a part of his skin. After a moment of consideration, Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the ground, activated his Small Transformation Yang Skill, and led the Yang Gang Qi rising from his Dantian to his shoulder. Before long, his entire shoulder was enveloped in a faint red light. His skin surface also emitted a touch of red light. However, other than the eye sockets and the nasal cavity of the black skull tattoo glowing red, the rest of it remained pitch black with no anomalies detected. ¡°Now that my Small Transformation Yang Skill is perfected, the Yang Gang Qi I can summon is incomparable to before. If it were an evil object, it wouldn¡¯t stay this calm.¡± Shen Luo did not stop there. He tried a number of other methods, like punching and slapping, biting and drenching, in an attempt to remove the black skull tattoo, but all efforts ended in failure. ¡°Never mind. It seems that there¡¯s no immediate danger for now. Anyway, without these peculiar experiences, the Small Transformation Yang Skill would be as difficult for me as reaching the sky. Hopefully, this Nameless Technique won¡¯t be as tough,¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t lose himself over it and refocused on the Nameless Technique. According to Master Fengyang and Master Luo, if one could master Small Transformation Yang Skill, they could extend their lifespan by two to three years. Whether this timeframe would be enough for him was another matter altogether. Regardless, at this point, there was no way he would back down now. With those thoughts in mind, Shen Luo stood up, stretched out his arms, and stepped into the brook. He sat cross-legged where the water was shallow, allowing it to rise to his chest, stopping just below his neck. He then closed his eyes in concentration, recounting the cultivation mantra of the first level of the Nameless Technique. Once he confirmed he got it right, he started breathing in and out as instructed by the technique. Unlike the Small Transformation Yang Skill, this Nameless Method put more emphasis on connecting with the Heaven and Earth. As he breathed in and out, he was also concentrating on sensing the world around him. It took Shen Luo some time to adjust initially, stumbling through the first breathing exercises, but he gradually got the hang of it. The Yang Gang power in his Dantian began to slowly circulate within his body under the guidance of his technique. After one circulation cycle, it returned to his Dantian, feeling slightly warm. At the same time, threads of cold breath penetrated his body from the surrounding water, accumulating in his limbs without spreading to his chest and abdomen. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, this cold breath was none other than the Water Spirit Qi. Shen Luo continued to operate the Nameless Technique, over and over again. He quickly completed thirty-six circulation cycles. With every cycle, the Yang Gang Qi in his Dantian became hotter, and after thirty-six cycles, his Dantian felt as if there was a raging fire burning within. Under the surge of the Water Spirit Qi, his limbs became remarkably cold as if they were frozen in a block of ice, on the verge of losing consciousness. Such alternation of cold and hot put Shen Luo in a state of agony, as if he were caught between ice and fire. However, with immense determination, he clenched his teeth and endured. To step into the Qi Refining Stage, transforming from a mortal to a real monk, the most crucial step is to understand the Dao. In other words, only after understanding the Dao can one truly embark on the path of immortality. According to Bai Xiaotian, every cultivation technique has its own method to understand the Dao. The method cited in the Nameless Law Formula is to mobilize the foundational Yang Gang Qi, while simultaneously drawing the Water Spirit Qi into the body, allowing the technique to circulate through the thirty-six celestial circuits, putting oneself in a state of balance between water and fire. In this state, if one can continuously try and perceive, successfully guiding the harmonization of both Qi, reaching a subtle cycle of Yin and Yang, it can help the physical body integrate into Heaven and Earth, enabling the spirit to concentrate highly. Through this transformational opportunity, one can understand the Dao. The so-called perception is somewhat elusive, like flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water ¨C visible but not necessarily tangible. Even the feelings of individuals may vary. Still, constant attempts can increase the possibility of success, though some people, limited by their qualifications or understanding, may not be able to touch that key point even after lifelong diligent practice. Shen Luo silently recited the method recorded in the Nameless Law Formula whilst mobilizing the Yang Gang Qi in his Dantian and the stored Water Spirit Qi in his limbs. The cold and hot Qi intertwined and collided within his body, causing his complexion to fluctuate between pale and flushed. This confrontation between cold and heat persisted for only a moment. The chilly Water Spirit Qi was significantly weaker than the Yang Gang Qi. It began to dissipate quickly, culminating in a rapid collapse. Shen Luo sighed inwardly, knowing he had failed. It seemed that like the Small Transformation Yang Skill, this Nameless Law Formula was not easy to cultivate, or perhaps his talents were simply not up to par. But it was only his first attempt, aimed merely at experiencing the cultivation of the Nameless Law Formula, thus he had not held high expectations to begin with. Consequently, he could not say he was disappointed at this failure. But at that moment, a sudden, unexpected change occurred. Shen Luo felt a slight chill sweeping over his right shoulder, a giant surge of cold qi rushing into his body. His body tensed up, his skin once again coated with a layer of fine white frost, which quickly spread to cover his entire body in the blink of an eye. Just like before, this aura of coldness had no effect on the surroundings. The water in the brook continued to river along, its temperature unchanged. As soon as this cold Qi entered Shen Luo¡¯s body, it immediately rushed towards the Yang Gang Qi in his Dantian, and the two violently collided. Boom! A muffled noise resounded within his body, causing his internal organs to tremble. Pain pierced through Shen Luo¡¯s meridians, leaving him unable to move or even exert control over these two conflicting forces. He could only let them rampage inside his body. However, these two powerful energies didn¡¯t conflict for long. They soon intertwined, transitioning from clashing against each other to harmoniously blending together. In that moment, Shen Luo felt as though he had pushed open a mysterious Big Gate. A profound sense of exhilaration rose within him, allowing his mind to bask in its delight. At this time, he could feel the Water Spirit Qi continuously entering his body from his limbs, and the Yang Gang Qi from his Dantian intertwining with it. This process occurred naturally and didn¡¯t require his intervention. It was as if all of this was meant to be. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 65: The Universal Law Chapter 66: Chapter 65: The Universal Law Shen Luo had no idea how long it had been before his consciousness gradually recovered. He opened his eyes and found that his body from the neck down was still immersed in the brook. He was startled at first, then bewildered. Despite that it was already summer, the brook¡¯s water was still chilly and piercing in the early morning. If one were to soak in it all night, even a strong and hardy person would freeze, let alone himself in his current physical state. But why couldn¡¯t he feel the chilliness of the brook¡¯s water at all, but instead, found it rather comfortable to be immersed in it? Shen Luo, slightly confused, slowly stood up from the water. At this moment, the sky was already bright, with the morning sun casting golden brilliance onto everything. But in his eyes, the world at this moment seemed utterly different from before, as if it was brighter and clearer than it had ever been. Shen Luo as if realized something, glanced around, and was pleasantly surprised to find that his eyesight seemed to have improved tremendously! He could easily see every vein in the leaves on trees dozens of feet away, and even ants scurrying up and down the trunk, and insects hiding in thick leaves, inching their bodies forward ¡ª none of them escaped his sight. He composed himself and looked off into the distance. He could clearly see the town several miles away, the winding blue stone road, houses on either side, some of the early morning vendors starting to set out their wares, and children playing in front of their homes¡­ Not only this, his ears also became incredibly sharp: the sounds of insects and birds around him ¡ª of course, but he could also hear many strange sounds, such as a mouse rustling in a not-so-distant field, two butterflies flapping their wings among the flowers on the brook¡¯s bank, a crab digging soil in a cave nearby, puffing bubbles with popping sounds from its mouth¡­ His sense of smell also improved significantly: the smell of the soil, the fragrance of flowers and grass, the smell of rotting leaves, and around 20 to 30 other various kinds of smells rushed up his nostrils all at once. ¡°What is this revolting smell?¡± Shen Luo muttered, covering his nose with his hand. Just now, he had smelled a strong stench up his nose, as if it was right under his nose. He hadn¡¯t noticed it before. As a result, when he touched it, he felt something slippery. He looked at it closely and found some black stuff, seemingly like a mud stain. This previous stench exactly came from this. Shen Luo quickly wiped his face and found a layer of black mud on his entire face and neck. He had to wash it off with the water from the brook. After washing off the stuff from his face, Shen Luo felt refreshed and was overjoyed. The capabilities of his five senses have changed beyond recognition. This feeling far exceeded his expectations after reaching perfection in Small Transformation Yang Skill. It was a qualitative leap! At this point, he vividly remembered the events of last night. He seemed to have been trying to cultivate the technique recorded in the Nameless Heavenly Book, and later he lost consciousness all of a sudden. ¡°It seems that I only followed the steps described in it and practiced the circulation of Qi for 36 times, could this technique be so magical that just practicing it for the first time could greatly enhance the five senses? Regardless, it¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± he thought. Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm his emotions, and then stepped out of the brook towards the bank. However, halfway there, he suddenly stopped, with his right foot hovering in mid-air. He paused there without moving. Just now, he found that in addition to his improved senses, he also had an added mysterious sensation, seemingly able to perceive an elusive thing that he had never noticed before. This elusive thing exists in the surrounding air, Earth, flowing water, grass, wood, and all the things between Heaven and Earth, in various amounts and forms¡­ Even in his own body, it exists in his Dantian. Shen Luo dared not move rashly, for fear of disturbing this mysterious sensation. He slowly closed his eyes, calmly sensing this ¡°elusive thing¡± in his Dantian. It seemed to be a thread of faint cold air flow circulating in the Dantian, emitting a faint fluctuation, and the original abundant Yang Gang power retreated as soon as it made contact with the air flow. ¡°This¡­ this is Dao¡¯s seed! I¡¯ve channeled it!¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes, his right foot stomped in the water violently, splashing a huge amount of water. The fluctuation emitted by the cold air flow, as well as the white aura inside the Yuan Stone, and the aura fluctuations emitted by Yu Yan and other Immortal Masters were very similar; it could be confirmed as Mana. Ever since he encountered cultivation, and knew that mana and God¡¯s Power truly existed in this world, he had always been longing to take this step and reach this realm. However, this step is almost unreachable for most people, and for him, it is a delusion. Perhaps it was the pressure of nearing the end of his lifespan, or the persistence to the slightest hope in his heart. He didn¡¯t give up and paid a lot for it. But what he least expected was that he would reap the rewards so quickly! He had channelled Dao seed in a daze, developed Mana, and truly stepped into the world of cultivation! Shen Luo¡¯s hands unconsciously clenched his fists, his nails piercing deep into his flesh, yet he didn¡¯t feel it at all. After a good while, he forced himself to calm down and reminisced the whole affair, suddenly feeling something was not quite right. According to what Sky had told him, channelling Dao seed was an important checkpoint on the road to Cultivating Immortality and was extremely hard to breakthrough. Many talented people had reached perfection in their foundational cultivation technique and relied on elixirs and miraculous medicine to help, but they were still unable to take this step. There were quite a few such examples in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. It took him two long years to learn the Hua Yang Technique, and his spirit root could not be considered good. He even made the worst plan to invest the remaining few years fully to hope for a breakthrough in this checkpoint. However, he channelled Dao seed during the first attempt of Nameless Cultivation Technique last night, which seemed unthinkable. Even if this cultivation technique was more sophisticated than the Pure Yang Sword Technique of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and had a more significant effect on channeling Dao seed, he should not have been able to breakthrough so easily. It was as if he was getting assistance from Heaven! ¡°Heaven¡¯s help¡­¡± Thinking of this, Shen Luo suddenly recalled the cold stream that suddenly appeared last night. At that time, the Water Spirit Qi he had absorbed from the brook had already dissipated, and it seemed to be the sudden appearance of this cold stream that led him into a state of trance. ¡°I remember that the cold stream seemed to come from my right shoulder. Could it have something to do with this?¡± Shen Luo was mulling over this, his glance subconsciously fell on the Skull Tattoo on his right shoulder. The tattoo still looked lifelike, with no changes from before. For some reason, the tattoo pattern that initially seemed creepy now looked more pleasing to his eyes. ¡°Perhaps, this is what is meant by ¡®fate and fortune,¡¯!¡± Shen Luo scratched his head subconsciously and thought to himself. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 66: Walking on Water Chapter 67: Chapter 66: Walking on Water Shen Luo looked around, moved his body, and hid himself in a lush water plant nearby, then sat down cross-legged again. He had just embarked on his path to cultivation, understood the Dao seed, and he was eager to continue cultivating. He would try to complete the First Level Technique as quickly as possible to see what made him different from ordinary people. It was daytime, and although the brook was not far from the small town, he wasn¡¯t worried about someone coming. With his current spiritual senses, he would be aware of anyone entering within three miles of him. Shen Luo closed his eyes and repeated the formula of the first layer of the Nameless Cultivation Technique in his mind. The cultivation method of the Nameless Heavenly Book was different from foundational techniques like the Small Transformation Yang Skill, focusing largely on internal practice. Men nourish Yang Gang Qi, and women nourish the Yin Qi within their bodies. The Nameless Heavenly Book combined internal practice with drawing spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth into one¡¯s body, supplemented by Yang Gang Qi or Yin Qi, refining them into one¡¯s own mana, and then storing them in the Dantian. After a short time, he murmured softly and slowly opened his eyes. Just as he had begun to circulate his Qi for the first time, pushing the Yang Gang Qi down to the Dantian and then directly to the bottom of his feet, he noticed something odd. The faint trace of mana in his Dantian was moving with his Yang Gang Qi down the Yin Qiao Mai to his feet, creating a tingly sensation in them. The entire process was completed smoothly, without the slightest delay. ¡°Strange, why is this happening?¡± Shen Luo mumbled, somewhat puzzled. After a brief thought, he turned his mind and the trace of mana flowed back up from his feet to his Dantian. The numbness in his feet disappeared simultaneously. As he continued to circulate the Qi and brought the Yang Gang Qi to his Yutang Acupoint in his chest, he noticed that his mana was moving up, along the Hand Three Yin meridians to the palms of his hands, and then returned to his Dantian as his mind moved. ¡°The Qi is flowing through the limbs and back to the Dantian¡­This is the accomplishment of the Qi flowing through the limbs and back to the Dantian! The Five Senses Connected and Cleansing Essence and Cutting Marrow, doesn¡¯t this mean¡­the Nameless Cultivation Technique First Layer is complete? How is that possible?¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized something and his eyes widened in surprise. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, the first layer of the technique served as the foundation of the entire method and was crucial. After understanding the Dao seed, one needed to continually cultivate it, building mana bit by bit, trying to deliver the mana through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians to the limbs, the so-called ¡®Flow Qi through limbs¡¯, in order to complete it. If one could achieve this, he could use his own mana to trigger talismans and even drive magical instruments, without needing to rely on Yuan Stones anymore. However, this was no easy task and couldn¡¯t be done overnight. He had managed to achieve it comfortably and effortlessly, which was a far cry from the difficulties described in the book. Thinking this, he was slightly unsure and made another attempt. He found that his mana indeed freely moved between his limbs and Dantian as he cultivated the technique. Shen Luo took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, his face showed a pondering expression. ¡°The Qi is indeed flowing through the limbs and back to the Dantian, and the Five Senses have indeed undergone a drastic transformation. As for Cleansing Essence and Cutting Marrow, could it be¡­¡± Suddenly, he remembered the dirt on his face and neck when he woke up. Wasn¡¯t this the impurity expelled from his body after Cleansing Essence and Cutting Marrow as mentioned in the book? As for the impurities expelled from his body, most of them had probably been washed away while he was soaked in the river water. ¡°How unexpected, I¡¯ve actually completed the first stage of the Nameless Cultivation Technique!¡± Shen Luo realized the crux of the matter, couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud, yet he managed to hold back. ¡°Now that it¡¯s so, I can try this¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, stood up from the brook, his hands clasped in front of him, each making a magic spell, while uttering incantations. The Mana at his Dantian once again flowed through both his legs and directly to his feet. After a short time, a soft blue glow appeared on the soles of his feet, and unprovoked ripples about the size of palms emerged in the brook near his feet. An unimaginable scene occurred! As these two ripples slowly rotated, they created an upward force that lifted him from the water through his feet, making him float above the water surface. Shen Luo clearly didn¡¯t expect this to happen, and he nearly toppled backward, waving his arms for stability. Although he broke out into cold sweat, his face showed a look of surprise and joy. Shen Luo slowly lifted his right leg, and as soon as his foot left the water surface, the ripple beneath it disappeared, but the faint blue glow on the sole of his foot remained. After gathering his focus, he cautiously stepped about half a foot distance and slowly lowered his leg. As a result, the palm-sized ripple surfaced and supported his foot as soon as it touched the water surface. Seeing this, a deeper joy spread across Shen Luo¡¯s face, steadily stepping forward on the water¡¯s surface, just as if it was flat ground. ¡°It actually worked!¡± Overjoyed, Shen Luo quickened his pace, only for the ripples under his feet to disappear due to a slight delay in the flow of his Mana, causing him to fall with a splash into the water. Seconds later, he regained his balance after gulping down a few mouthfuls of water. Although he was coughing uncontrollably, his eyes revealed excitement. Among the cultivation skills recorded in the Nameless Heavenly Book, there were some magic spells. What Shen Luo just tried was the ¡°Water-Stepping Art¡±, a spell attached to the First Level Technique. The so-called Water-Stepping Art, as its name suggests, is a spell that allows one to walk on water as if it were a road. Although it is not a powerful divine ability, it is very practical. Moreover, once one practices to the fourth level and enters the Grain Avoidance Stage, the ¡°Water Repelling Technique¡± can be learned, allowing one to breathe freely under water, free from the harm of water disasters. Upon reaching the seventh level and entering the Soul Condensation Stage, one can achieve the ¡°Water-splitting Technique.¡± Unlike the Water-Stepping Art and Water Repelling Technique, the Water-splitting Technique is a true divine technique. According to the method, as long as one¡¯s Mana is sufficient, one could let rivers and lakes split and stop flowing with a wave of hand or foot. In addition to these spells, the book also comes with a Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, which can command a variety of aquatic clan demons. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, this Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits is the most powerful means of the entire set of magical tactics. Also, it doesn¡¯t require as strict a realm as the Water Repelling Technique and Water-splitting Technique, and can even be practiced when Mana is low. Of course, with low Mana strength, one can only control weaker members of the aquatic clan, but as the practice of skills progresses, stronger aquatic clan demons can be gradually controlled. However, the book does not clearly record which aquatic clan demons can be controlled. It may be recorded somewhere in the latter half of the book. This technique is significantly more complex than the Water-Stepping Art. Shen Luo initially scanned the related verse in haste but found it profound and had not had time to comprehend it, let alone put it into practice. In fact, not only the technique of taming beasts but also this Water-Stepping Art is quite an advanced technique. According to the heavenly book, even people with good aptitude and high comprehension need a substantial amount of time and repetitive attempts to succeed. His unprepared trial succeeded easily, it was indeed somewhat unexpected. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Someone Had Been Here Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Someone Had Been Here ¡°Could it be because of this again?¡± After the excitement, Shen Luo gradually calmed down, glanced at the skull tattoo, and muttered to himself in his heart. The continuous surprises made him worry a little. Even the Small Transformation Yang Technique took him two full years to just enter, but within a day, his Small Transformation Yang Technique had become perfected. The Nameless Cultivation Technique also advanced to its first level, and even the ¡°Water-walking Decision¡± almost came naturally¡­ There¡¯s no smoke without fire! His early life experiences taught him that there is a cause for every effect. If it weren¡¯t for his medical knowledge gained from long bouts of illness, and the various spiritual medicines he concocted like the ¡°Golden Fragrant Jade¡±, would the Shen family have risen in fame in just a few years? These things happening to him are both a blessing and a curse, making it tricky to determine which right now. But in the short term, this good fortune was incredibly beneficial to him. Now that his mission was accomplished, it seemed he should return. Shen Luo was silently thinking, heading back to the shore, putting his clothes back on, and soon found himself on the official road outside the town. The hot sun was overhead at midday, and the official road was scarcely populated. Shen Luo, under his subconscious, gently sniffed. Various smells were leaving traces, they emanated from the people passing by. He suddenly discovered an interesting thing ¨C by smelling these odours, he could determine how many people had recently passed by, and even guess what they were doing. For example, this smell was mixed with bean scent, likely a soy milk and tofu seller. That one was full of sweat, probably a hard labourer who had just returned from the county. Oh, this other scent, it should be a person selling night-blooming incense¡­ Shen Luo chuckled inside, finding that his enhanced sense of smell had an unexpected benefit, something he had never considered before. Entering the town, Shen Luo headed towards the inn. With nothing else to do, he slightly pricked up his ears to test his hearing. Suddenly, sounds from far and near came clearly. There was the voice of a woman haggling with a vendor, the whispers of two old men gossiping at a corner, and even the clear shouting of a waiter from a restaurant not far away. Shen Luo smiled slightly, closed his eyes, and tried to hear more distant sounds. The sizzling sound of cooking from the kitchen of a nearby large inn, the sound of someone snoring in a room on the second floor, and from even further away, there was¡­ About a teacup¡¯s time later, Shen Luo slowly walked back to the small inn he was renting. Dining time in the inn, the lobby was packed. Even in this secluded little inn at the time, there were four or five tables of customers. ¡°Master Shen, you had gone out. No wonder no one answered when I knocked a few times,¡± Xiao San, busy greeting customers at the lobby, quickly came forward when he saw Shen Luo coming back. ¡°Bring me a meal in my room. No chicken or duck, no greasy trotters, just something light.¡± Shen Luo gave a noncommittal nod, gave a casual order, and turned to return to his room. But after taking a few steps, he turned back to Xiao San, beckoned him over. When he got close, Shen Luo lowered his voice and said, ¡°Also get me some talisman paper, cinnabar, black dog blood, and a set of ink, brush, paper and inkstone, and send them to my room.¡± Without revealing any emotions, he slipped a piece of crushed silver into Xiao San¡¯s hand and then left the lobby quickly. Xiao San looked at Shen Luo¡¯s hastily departing figure, feeling a bit strange. Still, he didn¡¯t dig deeper and happily pocketed the silver and headed towards the kitchen. ¡°Eh, how did Master Shen know about the trotters being served for lunch at the kitchen?¡± After walking a few steps, he suddenly exclaimed and mumbled to himself. Numerous tables at the lobby were filled with chicken and duck dishes, but no one had ordered trotters. ¡­ Shen Luo arrived back in his room, about to pack his things, sniffed, and his eyes narrowed. There was an additional smell in the room. Judging from the spread of the scent, the person had recently left. The owner of this smell was none other than Mr. Hou, the innkeeper ¨C not a stranger to him. ¡°What was he doing in my room?¡± Shen Luo wondered, then closed his eyes and tried to discern the person¡¯s movements in his room by the intensity of the smell. Gradually, a vague image appeared in his mind. A figure entered the room from the door, took a walk around without doing anything, and then left. ¡°He came in, took a look around, and left. It doesn¡¯t seem like he was looking for something. Could he have come to check on me out of concern?¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes, perplexed. At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps reached his ears, which quickly arrived at the door. Then, the sound of knocking followed. ¡°The door¡¯s unlocked; please come in,¡± said Shen Luo, his nose wrinkling as he spoke. The door was pushed open with a ¡°squeak¡±, and in stepped a figure, carrying a large wooden plate. One side was piled with a meal, while the other side was stacked with a brush, talisman paper, cinnabar, and other items. The person was not Xiao San, it was Mr. Hou, the innkeeper. Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Manager Hous Request Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Manager Hou¡¯s Request ¡°Hehe, Xiao San is currently busy in the main hall, so I brought these over for him.¡± Manager Hou exclaimed with a friendly smile. ¡°Oh, thanks for the trouble, Manager Hou.¡± Shen Luo did not feel surprised by Manager Hou¡¯s appearance, just as he reached out to take the wooden plate, he was prevented by Manager Hou. ¡°Master Shen is a distinguished guest, how can we let you do this yourself.¡± Manager Hou said, positioning the food on the table neatly, then stood aside, waiting to collect the bowl. Shen Luo was already hungry, so he didn¡¯t bother going through the formalities, quickly finishing the food. After wiping his face, he picked up the yellow paper, cinnabar, dog blood, and other things from the wooden plate. After giving them a quick glance, he noticed many things he hadn¡¯t recognized before. The crimson cinnabar contained traces of fiery Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, the black dog¡¯s blood bore a type of positive energy similar to Yang Gang Qi, and though the talisman paper didn¡¯t contain similar vital energy, it gave a sense of being rich in substance, unlike ordinary paper. Although the spiritual Qi contained within the cinnabar was extremely weak, the Yang Qi in the black dog blood was also quite thin, the quality of the talisman paper was not high, there were quite a few broken points on the surface. These materials can barely be used to make low-level talismans like Small Thunder Talisman. If they are to be used to create more advanced talismans in the future, I¡¯m afraid it would be somewhat difficult. ¡°These materials are all used for talisman inscription by the Taoist priests. Master, could it be that you are proficient in this Dao?¡± After putting away the bowls and chopsticks, Manager Hou asked tentatively without leaving. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to say proficient, I know a bit or two.¡± Shen Luo put down a box of cinnabar in his hand, responding casually. ¡°Master can draw talismans? I have a parchment here. Could Master help me draw it? I am willing to thank you with a heavy reward,¡± said Mr. Hou, his face lighting up, immediately pleaded. ¡°Manager Hou, did you come to my room not long ago for this reason?¡± Shen Luo looked at Manager Hou, asking with a half-smiling expression. ¡°You¡­.how did you¡­¡± Manager Hou¡¯s face turned red, he stammered in response. Intruding into a guest¡¯s room without permission far surpasses theft. If this were to get out, the reputation of his inn would be ruined. With this thought in mind, Manager Hou¡¯s face turned pale again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Manager. I won¡¯t spread this around. Now, about my previous question, could you please answer it honestly?¡± Shen Luo, upon seeing Manager Hou¡¯s flustered state, chuckled. ¡°Thank you for being generous, Master Shen. My previous actions were presumptuous. However, when I came to your room, I had no other intentions. It was only because Xiao San said that you hadn¡¯t shown up all day, that I was somewhat concerned. I impulsively entered your room. Please forgive me,¡± said Manager Hou, relieved, he bowed and hastily explained. Shen Luo saw that his tone didn¡¯t seem false, so he nodded his head: ¡°Manager, you have saved me before. So, if it¡¯s within my means, I¡¯ll do my best to help. However, I should say that I don¡¯t have a deep understanding of the Dao of Talisman Inscription. If it¡¯s too intricate, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to help.¡± Upon hearing these words, Manager Hou hurriedly took out a palm-sized brocade bag from his jacket. Upon opening it, it was a yellowed parchment, neatly folded. ¡°Please take a look, Master.¡± Manager Hou unfolded the parchment and laid it out in front of Shen Luo. Shen Luo looked up and saw the parchment with jagged edges, like it was torn from a book. There was a drawn talisman on it. Judging from the runes on it, it seemed more challenging than the Small Thunder Talisman. This moved his heart, but when he saw the line of small characters under the talisman reading ¡°Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman¡±, he couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. The reason he agreed to help draw the talisman was not only to repay the favor of being saved, but also to see what talisman the other party wanted him to draw. ¡°Master Shen, is there a problem with this talisman?¡±, seeing the change in Shen Luo¡¯s expression, Manager Hou asked cautiously. ¡°No problem.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, his expression returned to normal. Manager Hou was just an ordinary man, what he wants and hopes for are naturally peace, house-protection, wealth attraction etc, which naturally is different from what he aspires to, this can¡¯t be helped. Shen Luo continued to examine this talisman drawn on the paper, soon, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes. Wishful Talismans, House-Protection Talismans, Wealth-Attracting Talismans etc are the most common talismans. He had read countless books looking for clues to the Dao of Immortality. Many books contained traces of talismans, just for the Wealth-Attracting talisman alone, he had seen at least ten different versions. It was hard to tell the real from the fake, but none of those Wealth-Attracting talismans were as complex as this one in front of him. Moreover, the runes on this Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman were numerous and complicated, but they seemed to implicitly conform to certain principles, giving the impression that it wasn¡¯t a randomly fabricated fake talisman. Seeing Shen Luo staring silently at the talisman for a long time, the old man, Manager Hou, did not dare to interrupt him and could only wait quietly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of Wealth-Attracting Talismans, but this Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman of yours, Manager Hou, is ten times more complicated than an ordinary Wealth-Attracting Talisman. I have no confidence, I can only try my best.¡± After a while, Shen Luo finally turned his gaze away and said. ¡°No trouble, no trouble. Master, please try. If these talismans and cinnabar are not enough, I will go fetch more.¡± Manager Hou quickly said. Shen Luo grunted in affirmation and started to prepare. Soon he had prepared the Talisman Ink, then he picked up a talisman paper and spread it on the table, picked up the pen and dipped it in ink. He didn¡¯t start drawing the talisman right away. With his eyes closed, he carefully recalled the method of drawing the Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman twice before he was sure that there were no mistakes. Then he lowered his pen to the green talisman paper and started drawing. One by one, patterns quickly spread on the talisman paper, making the sound of a spring silkworm spinning silk. Now that he was more aware of vitality and spirit, drawing talismans no longer felt as puzzling as before. As the pen moved, the vital energy in the talisman ink was being fused with the talisman paper beneath it under his mental energy. He faintly felt that the vital energy in the talisman ink, coupled with these mysterious runes, seemed to summon some kind of power. This undoubtedly involves many laws and some secrets of the world¡­ Manager Hou stood aside, watching the bright red runes spreading on the talisman paper, a complex and mysterious rune pattern gradually being perfected, He couldn¡¯t help but rub his hands together, his face full of anticipation. What he didn¡¯t know was that the complexity of this Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman greatly exceeded Shen Luo¡¯s imagination, and so far, he has only completed nearly seventy percent of it. The expression on Shen Luo¡¯s face gradually revealed signs of fatigue, and his breath became somewhat rushed. Drawing talismans consumes a certain amount of mental energy, the talismans he previously drew, like Small Thunder Talisman and exorcism charms, their runes are not as complicated as the Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman, hence the effect was not as pronounced. Fortunately, he is now a Qi Refining Cultivator. If he were in the past, he might not even be able to persist. After about half an incense stick¡¯s time, Shen Luo drew a plump semi-circle on the paper with his wrist, then turned his fingers, and the tip of the pen drew the last stroke. It was only after lifting the pen that he let out a long breath. Manager Hou¡¯s face lit up, he was about to speak, but he saw Shen Luo closing his eyes, sitting cross-legged in place, and immediately swallowed his words. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 69: Triumphant in the Spring Wind Chapter 70: Chapter 69: Triumphant in the Spring Wind Shen Luo¡¯s current state was not good, he felt like his body had been drained dry, especially his mind, with his mental strength nearly depleted, indescribably uncomfortable. After breaking through to the Qi Refining Stage, his inner vitality was abundant, it could be said that he no longer had the lifespan constraints as before, but his mental strength didn¡¯t increase by much. Shen Luo silently circulated the Small Transformation Yang Skill, to accelerate the recovery of his mental strength by catalyzing the Yang Gang Qi. After a short while, his face showed a red glow, his whole body was radiating heat as though he was a furnace. Manager Hou standing beside him, felt a wave of warmth transmitting towards him, his whole body felt as warm as basking in the sun. His fatigue seemed to fade swiftly. A look of awe appeared on his face instantly: ¡°Immortal skill, Master Shen is indeed a cultivator!¡± A few nights ago, he accidentally noticed Shen Luo activating a talisman in the backyard, he speculated that the other party might be a legendary cultivator. Thus, he thought of asking him to inscribe talismans. What he has observed now indeed confirmed his speculation, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit excited. Manager Hou cast a glance at the talisman on the table, feeling an eagerness to pick it up and take a look immediately. However, without Shen Luo¡¯s permission, he didn¡¯t dare to touch the table, he was left standing silently, not even daring to breathe heavily. A quarter of an hour passed, the red light on Shen Luo¡¯s face fluctuated and retreated into his body. He slowly opened his eyes, though his complexion was still somewhat pale, it was much better than previously. He got up and picked up the talisman from the table, examined it with care for a while, and nodded slightly. No matter whether this so-called Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman was effective or not, it was still the first talisman that he drew after entering the Qi Refining Stage, also the one he considered to be the most perfect talisman he had drawn thus far. ¡°I have done my best. This Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman is a Town Talisman, its talismanic power is profound I can¡¯t judge whether I have succeeded in inscribing it.¡± Shen Luo handed the talisman in his hand to Mr. Hou. ¡°There¡¯s no way that the talisman you drew could fail. I hereby express my gratitude!¡± Manager Hou was very confident in Shen Luo. He took the talisman and carefully studied it with growing joy upon his face. He took out a fine sandalwood box from his chest and carefully placed the Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman inside of it. Next, he took out another wooden box, opened it and placed it onto the table, inside of it were two large silver ingots, sparkling and shining brightly, at least a hundred taels. ¡°Our business has not been doing well recently, I really cannot offer more. Here are one hundred taels of patterned silver as a token of my respect, I hope you¡¯ll accept it, Master Shen.¡± Mr. Hou said with a bow. ¡°Gold and silver are not what I desire, Manager Hou, you need not overspend. I¡¯ve already stated before that this talisman is meant as repayment for your kindness.¡± said Shen Luo, waving his hand. ¡°That won¡¯t do. You, sir, being a guest of our establishment, it was only right that you called a doctor for me. Now, you have even put in tremendous efforts to draw a talisman for me, how could I possibly not repay you?¡± caeed Manager Hou, looking anxious. ¡°How about this, wait until you really become rich in the future, then I¡¯ll ask you for some rewards.¡± Shen Luo smiled and said. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s firm attitude, Manager Hou had no choice but to take back the silver. He knew Shen Luo still had things to do, he didn¡¯t dare to delay him any further, so after thanking him profusely, he took his leave. Shen Luo sat by the table for a while, then picked up a piece of talisman paper and began to draw a new talisman, this time, he was inscribing a Small Thunder Talisman. He was already well-practiced at this talisman, but its success rate remained low. Even after advancing to the Qi Refining Stage, he could only succeed once in five or six attempts. A moment later, Shen Luo picked up a successfully drawn Small Thunder Talisman and examined it for a while. He held it in his hand, quietly channeling his internal mana, guiding a strand of mana to his palm, and then infusing it into the talisman. The runes on the surface of the Small Thunder Talisman immediately radiated a faint white light. Feeling delighted at heart, Shen Luo quickly cut off the supply of mana, lest the talisman was truly activated. The room of the inn wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the power of a thunderbolt. The light from the runes on the Small Thunder Talisman gradually dimmed, and soon returned to its original state. ¡°After cultivating mana, one doesn¡¯t need to use the Yuan Stone to activate the talisman as before!¡± Previously, Shen Luo had asked Xiao San to bring items such as talisman paper and cinnabar, in order to confirm his suspicions. As expected, everything turned out as he had anticipated. After putting away the small thunder talisman, he picked up a pen and wrote another letter to his father, informing him that he no longer needed to worry about his short life expectancy, so as to ease his mind. Of course, he did not mention in the letter that he was now a Qi Refining Cultivator. He only stated that he had successfully practiced the Small Transformation Yang Skill at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and was able to resolve his lifespan issue with the gracious gifting of a miraculous medicine by the Pavilion Master. As for the matter concerning the Nameless Heavenly Book, he did not mention a single word to avoid any possible leaks. After putting away the letter to his family, Shen Luo gathered his travel gear and the stone box, left his room and headed for the inn¡¯s lobby. By this time it was past lunchtime, and there were hardly any customers in the main hall. Several attendants were listlessly standing or sitting around, and Xiao San was even taking a nap on one of the tables. ¡°Master Shen, are you leaving?¡± Manager Hou, who was busily counting on an abacus behind the counter, saw Shen Luo carrying his bundle and hurried forward. ¡°Thank you for your care these past few days, Manager Hou.¡± Shen Luo took out the room charges and placed them on the counter. ¡°Master Shen has done so much for me. How can I still accept your money, my conscience wouldn¡¯t allow me.¡± Manager Hou¡¯s face turned red as he took the money and forced it back into Shen Luo¡¯s hands. Seeing his resolute attitude, Shen Luo did not insist. Manager Hou personally led Shen Luo¡¯s black horse out the door, repeatedly urging him to visit the town again when he had the chance, before letting him leave. Shen Luo first went to the post station in town to have his letter sent home, and then he left town riding his horse. The area around Song Fan County Town was flat, and the fields near the official road were lush with green grass. As the wind swept through, the grass rippled like waves, giving one a sense of openness. Gazing at the scenery before him, Shen Luo¡¯s spirits lifted and he urged his horse to charge towards the direction of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. This journey could indeed be said as a fulfillment of his wishes, not only had he removed a huge burden from his mind, stepped into the Qi Refining Stage and found a new direction, he felt extremely exhilarated ¨C the wind whistling past his ears and the scenery swiftly retreating by his sides. As the saying goes, when the spring breeze is successful, the horse hooves are swift ¨C how apt indeed. Two hours later. On a small country road in Song Fan County, Shen Luo was riding his horse at a moderate pace, occasionally looking around as if to survey the road conditions. Since he was unfamiliar with the roads within Song Fan County, he had impetuously galloped at full speed for a while and unfortunately lost his way. This place was very desolate and he had been driving his horse down the road for half an hour, but he hadn¡¯t encountered a single soul, making it impossible for him to ask for directions. Now, the sky was dark and the wilderness was spread out before him, with not a single light visible. All he could hear was the howling wind, reminiscent of ghostly wails, rather unsettling. Had it been a more timid person here, they would likely be scared witless. But now that Shen Luo had achieved some success in his cultivation, he wasn¡¯t bothered. After traveling another seven or eight miles, the sound of rushing water could be heard from the front. Shen Luo urged his horse to follow the noise, and a moment later, a wide river came into view. It was three times the width of the Luan Shui River, its roaring waves and surges also surpassed the latter. ¡°Eh, what river is this? Could it be that I took the wrong direction?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows. Despite him recalling the map of the Song Fan County he had previously seen, he could not remember the name of the river before him, which made him feel somewhat troubled. If he were alone at this time and with the Water-Stepping Art, he could attempt to cross even a wide river. But he also had his horse. He didn¡¯t think he had the skills to take a horse across with him. If he discarded the horse and crossed the river, he wasn¡¯t sure where the road would lead. In case he had taken the wrong path, it would not be viable for him to be trudging along in the wilderness, right? (Dear Daoist friends, please support me by voting and recommending ^^) Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Discussion About Demons Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Discussion About Demons ¡°First, let¡¯s look around for any bridges or other paths nearby.¡± Muttering to himself, Shen Luo dismounted from the black horse, tethering it to a tree at the riverside. He then walked forward, surveying the surroundings along the riverbank. At this moment, the moon was high in the sky, casting down a silver radiance. Combined with his now greatly enhanced vision, Shen Luo could see as clearly as if it were daylight. However, the winding and twisting river was lined with lush trees that hindered his line of sight, preventing him from seeing too far ahead. Shen Luo deliberated for a moment, deciding to go to the open-view center of the river. He subsequently channeled the Water-Stepping Art inwardly as a layer of blue light began to form under his feet, allowing him to tread upon the water¡¯s surface. Two whirlpools of water appeared beneath his feet, supporting his weight. His last use of the Water-Stepping Art had been on the calm surface of a brook, but this time he was faced with a turbulent river. Dark eddies nearby made it even more difficult to perform his beginner level Water-Stepping Art. His body started to sway left and right with the waves, looking as though he¡¯d fall into the river at any moment. He hurriedly infused his feet with a continuous stream of mana to maintain the Water-Stepping Art. Simultaneously, he outspread his hands to adjust his body posture and balance against the river¡¯s current. As he progressively adapted to the river¡¯s flow, his body gradually became steadier. ¡°It seems that practicing the Water-Stepping Art on various rivers is necessary ¨C particularly learning how to maintain balance in various complex water conditions. Then it will be truly useful when I need it.¡± With a sigh of relief, Shen Luo steadied his mind and continued stepping towards the center of the river. ¡°What a marvelous Water Manipulation Technique!¡± Just then, a clear voice suddenly rang out from the distance. Although the sound wasn¡¯t loud, it managed to overpower the roaring of the waves, sounding as if it was right next to Shen Luo¡¯s ear. Shen Luo, who had been focusing entirely on executing the Water-Stepping Art, was shocked by the sudden voice, disrupting his concentration. His mana flow stagnated slightly, the blue glow at his feet dissipated instantly, and with a ¡°plop¡±, he dropped into the river. Shen Luo thrashed about in the water, hastily forming a magic spell with both hands. The surrounding river water stirred into a spiral whirlpool around him, and a buoyant force propelled him from beneath his feet, raising him back to the surface. Completely drenched, he looked towards the riverside where he¡¯d left his horse. A tall young man had appeared near the tree where he¡¯d tethered his horse. He didn¡¯t know when the man had arrived. Under the moonlight, the young man¡¯s distinguished face was clearly visible. His sword-like eyebrows tilted into his temples and his eyes shone brightly. His prominent nose was like a mountain range, and his slightly thick lips wore an evident smile. The young man was clad in a round-necked robe with a half piece of fish scale armor draped from his right shoulder to his rib. A long antique longsword was slung across his back. From head to toe, he exuded an aura of bravery and martial valor. ¡°May I ask, is Your Excellency an Inner Sect Disciple of the Weak Water Sect?¡± Before Shen Luo could speak, the young man greeted him with a fist-cupped salute, preemptively asking. ¡°Where does that assumption come from?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, replying. Of course, he was not the same Shen Luo who had just entered the Spring and Autumn Pavilion as a merchant¡¯s son two years ago. He knew that there was more than one place for cultivation in the world, but he had never had a chance to learn about other Cultivation Sects, hence had no knowledge of the Weak Water Sect. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t it? I thought that within Dongping Prefecture, only an Inner Sect Disciple of the Weak Water Sect could command water techniques so proficiently. You appear so youthful that I assumed as such,¡± the young man raised an eyebrow, voicing his confusion. ¡°It seems you have misunderstood. I am simply a freelance cultivator who practices without much guidance, and not someone with Sect inheritance,¡± Shen Luo said nonchalantly, his eyes flickering. Saying so, he stepped forward towards the bank, intending to take his horse and leave, wanting to avoid any further complexities with this stranger of unknown origin. ¡°As fellow cultivators, let¡¯s use the term ¡®Daoist friend¡¯ for now. I am called Lu Huaming, and I come from Chang¡¯an. May I ask your name?¡± The young man swiftly introduced himself as he noticed Shen Luo step back onto the shore and walk towards his horse without turning back. ¡°I am¡­ Shen Jiacheng, a local. Since Daoist Lu is from the capital city, why have you come to this remote Song Fan County?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then turned around with a smile to reply. He was cautious towards this sudden stranger, and decided not to disclose his real name. ¡°So, you are Daoist Shen. I¡¯m just a courier visiting Dengping City. On my way back, I happened to see you practicing here and curiosity led me to come over and greet you. I hope you don¡¯t find my approach rude,¡± Lu Huaming stated apologetically, seeing Shen Luo¡¯s drenched condition. ¡°No, not at all. It¡¯s my lack of skill that has given you a laugh,¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile, observing that the man¡¯s eyes were clear and sincere¡ªnot at all like a person harboring ill intentions. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to witness your Water Manipulation Technique today. Pardon my boldness, but the technique you practiced just now, was that the Water-Stepping Art from the water techniques?¡± Lu Huaming hurriedly gestured a denial and asked. ¡°Oh? Daoist Lu, do you also study this?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise as he asked in return. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve just heard that this technique consumes minimal mana, yet allows cultivators to hold an invincible position over water. It¡¯s particularly suitable for battling some aquatic demons; it¡¯s admirable,¡± Lu Huaming laughed and shook his head in denial. ¡°I am a mere freelance cultivator with little exposure. I¡¯ve heard about the existence of demons and ghosts, but haven¡¯t seen them personally. Could you share some of your knowledge?¡± Shen Luo grew curious upon hearing this. His first encounter with the invisible green wolf and the wolf-headed humanoid monster in Donglai County during his dream had left a profound impression on him. ¡°There¡¯s not much to say about the demon race and ghosts. Like us humans, they rely on absorbing the spiritual power of heaven and earth, adhering to the changes in Yin and Yang and the Five Elements in order to awaken their spiritual wisdom and increase their magic and Dao-practice. However, generally speaking, demons and ghosts of the same level possess all sorts of natural divine powers, making them inherently stronger than us humans by a fraction. Of course, we human cultivators also have the assistance of various external objects like talismans. So when it comes to a real fight, it¡¯s hard to say who would win. Moreover, Daoist Shen, there¡¯s something you may not have heard of. While the world appears to be peaceful on the surface these days, underground currents are surging. Our Great Tang Dynasty not only has roaming monsters, but also frequent incidents caused by demons and ghosts. The local officials are struggling to deal with these occurrences. Even just half a year ago, the court officially issued an edict to reward heroes with heavy gold to address the situation,¡± Lu Huaming explained earnestly. ¡°Is that so!¡± Shen Luo was a little surprised. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 71: A Heartless Request Chapter 72: Chapter 71: A Heartless Request ¡°As fellow practitioners, I thought I might share more with you, as it¡¯s hardly a secret anymore. These days, it¡¯s not just the Great Tang dealing with such issues. Everywhere across the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, there¡¯s unrest. There is even a rumor that Heaven and Earth Calamity might descend upon the world soon,¡± Lu Huaming said, hesitating slightly before sighing. ¡°Heaven and Earth Calamity? Daoist friend, could you please elaborate?¡± Shen Luo asked, a tremor in his heart. He remembered clearly that not too long ago, the Yan father and son had mentioned a great calamity where demonic beings would engulf the world in his dreams. ¡°This matter is yet unknown to the masses. Yet, there have been whispers in some hidden corners of the Great Tang. Though there were initially few believers. some secluded Cultivating sects began to take it seriously. Some even sent their disciples down the mountains, either to investigate the matter or something else, which only made the rumors more confusing,¡± Lu Huaming explained, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Hearing this, Shen Luo grew silent. A moment later, he suddenly asked: ¡°Where precisely do you hail from, Daoist friend? A typical cultivator wouldn¡¯t know this much, would they?¡± Lu Huaming was taken aback by the question, but then he laughed heartily, removed a palm-sized token from his waist, and passed it over, saying: ¡°Impressive observation, Brother Shen! Since it¡¯s like this, I have nothing to hide. Please have a look.¡± Shen Luo took the token and inspected it under the moonlight. It had a heavy feel to it, seemingly made from something other than ordinary copper or iron. On one side was a carving of a closed Door Pattern, while the other bore the Great Tang Imperial Seal. ¡°My apologies, Daoist friend! It turns out you are a government official. It¡¯s only normal that you would know so many things.¡± Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart and handed the token back. ¡°Currently, the court needs a great many talents. Brother Shen, you are young, and your Water Techniques are remarkable. Given that you have no allegiance to any sect, why not join the government? I¡¯m willing to introduce you,¡± Lu Huamin said, tying the token back to his waist. ¡°Your praise is misplaced, Daoist friend. My Water Techniques have merely scratched the surface; I¡¯m nowhere near worthy enough,¡± Shen Luo replied, shaking his head. Having yet to resolve the issue with the Mysterious Jade Pillow, he dared not attract the attention of monstrous beings and ghosts with his insignificant skill. For now, he only had one life ¨C unlike in his dreams, he couldn¡¯t revive repeatedly. ¡°Daoist Shen, you¡¯re underrating yourself. Joining the court has many benefits. Not only will it save you from many worldly troubles, but you¡¯ll have the resources to thrive. Furthermore, you¡¯d be protecting the people of the Great Tang. Wouldn¡¯t that be a win-win situation?¡± Lu Huaming smiled, continuing to persuade him. ¡°With great respect for your affection, Lu Daoist, let¡¯s consider this matter some other time, when my magical powers have progressed,¡± Shen Luo politely declined. Seeing this, Lu Huaming stopped pushing and instead asked: ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this in the future. However, I do have a favor to ask. Would you be so kind as to help?¡± ¡°Please go ahead, Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo answered, relieved that the other party was no longer insistent. ¡°Brother Shen, I wonder if you could teach me the water-walking technique you just demonstrated?¡± Lu Huaming asked hesitatingly, to Shen Luo¡¯s surprise. ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Luo was about to refuse instinctively. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯m not asking you for all the details about your technique, just the part about stepping on water. If you agree to teach me, I¡¯ll give you a valuable offering in return,¡± Lu Huaming quickly added upon seeing Shen Luo¡¯s reaction. ¡°Earlier, Lu Daoist, didn¡¯t you mention that you were not proficient in Water Techniques? Why are you so interested in this water-walking technique?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask, filled with curiosity. ¡°While I might not have command over Water Techniques, I can see the excellence in your water-walking method. Mastering some of the technique would indeed be useful when navigating water bodies in the future,¡± Lu Huaming replied, scratching his head with a smile. ¡°While I am not bound by any sectarian rules about not sharing techniques, I am somewhat hesitant about this water-walking method¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be concerned. If you agree to teach me this technique, I¡¯ll offer an item in exchange,¡± Lu Huaming interjected, seeming to understand Shen Luo¡¯s reservations. ¡°Oh? What kind of item?¡± Shen Luo asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Please have a look,¡± Lu Huamin replied, reaching into his robe to retrieve a small, ash-grey fork wrapped in a Yellow Paper Charm, which he proceeded to wave at Shen Luo. The fork, only about a foot long, was very similar to the common two-pronged fish forks but appeared delicate. It was wrapped in a Yellow Paper Charm around its handle, revealing it as a Talismanic Instrument. ¡°What do you think, Brother Shen? Are you satisfied?¡± Lu Huaman asked, seeing Shen Luo¡¯s eyes fixated on the small fork. ¡°With Lu Daoist being so generous, how could I possibly refuse?¡± This time, Shen Luo had no hesitation. Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 72: First Acquiring the Talismanic Instruments Chapter 73: Chapter 72: First Acquiring the Talismanic Instruments ¡°Haha! Fantastic, Daoist friend, you really are a straightforward person.¡± Lu Huaming clapped his hands and laughed heartily, causing numerous leaves on the nearby trees to fall. Next, Shen Luo shared all the key points of the Water-walking Decision technique with the other. ¡°Good! A truly exquisite technique¡­ Haha, this Talisman Fork is now yours, Brother Shen.¡± After a brief contemplation, Lu Huaming¡¯s face lit up with a smile, and he started addressing Shen Luo as ¡°Brother Shen¡±. ¡°How should I use this Talismanic Instrument? I request Brother Lu to enlighten me.¡± Shen Luo, too, changed his form of address for Lu Huaming, and inquired. ¡°Talismanic Instruments draw their power from talismans, so when you use them, you simply have to activate the talisman with mana. However, the usage differs from other talismans in the sense that you can¡¯t simply ignite the talisman core, but you need to continuously guide it with your mana to control the attack of the Talismanic Instrument.¡± After rattling off a long speech, Lu Huaming saw that Shen Luo still looked puzzled. He waved his hand magnanimously and said, ¡°Let me demonstrate, so you can see for yourself.¡± Saying this, he immediately formed a magic spell with one hand, and a green light promptly appeared in his palm, which flowed like water into the talisman embedded in the handle of the gray-white little fork he was holding. Immediately, there was a flash of light on the talisman, and a white glow spread forth, enveloping the entire fork. Lu Huaming immediately lifted his hand and tossed the fork. The surface of the little fork started to blaze with a gray-white light, and it grew three or four times in size. It whirled and danced in the night sky, leaving circles of white light marks, then, suddenly transformed into a white light and shot towards a robust willow tree a dozen yards away. With a flash, the white light disappeared into the tree, and a loud thud echoed through the area. The robust willow tree began to shake furiously, the hanging willow branches danced, and the willow leaves whirled about incessantly. Shen Luo watched this display with his heart burning with excitement. Lu Huaming, excited by his own display, suddenly formed a sword technique with one hand, pointed towards the sky, and thundered: ¡°Rise!¡± With a resonant clang, a sword light rose from behind him, soaring into the night sky like a roaming dragon, transforming into a long green rainbow that danced across the sky. Immediately after, Lu Huaming made a leap, his form rising a dozen meters in the air, landing perfectly on the green rainbow above. The green rainbow gradually collapsed to reveal the true form of an ancient sword. Standing on top of it, Lu Huaming, with his robe dancing in the night wind, was truly the image of a noble swordsman. Watching this, Shen Luo could not help but sincerely praise ¡°What a spectacle.¡± ¡°Shen Brother, our meeting tonight must be fate. If one day you come to Chang¡¯an, feel free to look for me at Cheng Manor.¡± With these words echoing in the air, Lu Huaming¡¯s form melded with the sword into a green rainbow and vanished into the distance. For a while, Shen Luo stared at the green rainbow gradually disappearing into the night, and after some time, he released a long breath, laughing to himself, ¡°Find Lu Huaming at Cheng Manor, in the vast Chang¡¯an City, how many Cheng Manors could there possibly be? Where to search? How to find?¡± He took these as words of courtesy and did not really consider them. He now had a certain understanding of Lu Huaming¡¯s power, and in his estimation, Lu Huaming seemed to be even stronger than Immortal Masters like Yu Yan whom he encountered in his dreams. Collecting his gaze, Shen Luo suddenly gave his head a whack, then turned and sprinted towards the robust willow tree a dozen yards away. The little fork had not been picked up yet! Approaching the tree, he saw a bowl-sized hole in the robust willow tree, and there seemed to be something on the edge of the hole reflecting a translucent gloss in the moonlight. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo gasped in surprise. A ring of light black ice crystals had formed around the edge of the hole in the tree. ¡°Even this kind of effect? Isn¡¯t this more formidable than Bai Xiaotian¡¯s Bronze Money Sword?¡± Shen Luo was filled with elation. The portion of the spell for a basic technique from the Nameless Cultivation Technique, the ¡°Water-walking Decision,¡± had been exchanged for a Talismanic Instrument with considerable power. Wouldn¡¯t the ones behind it that were even more profound be even more valuable? While pondering this, Shen Luo fumbled amidst the woodchips and debris behind the tree, and eventually joyfully picked up the Talisman Fork, which had returned to its original size. He weighed the little fork in his hand, and found it to be significantly heavier than he had imagined. The feel was also quite peculiar, neither metal, nor wood, and certainly not made from stone. He couldn¡¯t discern its nature just yet. Considering it was unsuitable for him to stay at this location for long, he focused his gaze on the talisman attached to the fork handle. He found the charm patterns on it to be unfamiliar. They were far more complicated than the exorcism charm and the Thunder talisman that he was familiar with. He couldn¡¯t even understand where to start the strokes or where to move the brush. After a bit of hesitation, Shen Luo could not resist his excitement, he wanted to try out the Talismanic Instrument he had just acquired. He held out one hand flat, placed the talisman fork in his palm, and with his other hand formed a spell, began to operate the skill. A thread of mana rose from his Dantian, passing through his arm and pouring out of his palm into the talisman on the fork handle. There was a flash of light on the talisman, and a layer of white halo radiated, enveloping the entire fork. Shen Luo immediately felt a special pull of mana between him and the talisman fork. He moved his thoughts slightly, and the talisman fork began to tremble slightly, floating about a finger¡¯s width above his palm. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. But the moment his concentration faltered, the talisman fork fell back into his palm. He steadied his mind and once again infused mana into the talisman. This time he kept his mind focused, not allowing his attention to wander, while doing his utmost to control the talisman fork. However, either due to unstable control of mana or some other reason, the talisman fork exploded uncontrollably into the night sky, breaking his connection with it and plunging straight down from the sky. Had it not been for his quick reaction, he would have been pierced through from above, it was a close shave! After a few attempts by Shen Luo, none of them went smoothly. He failed to successfully fly the talisman fork even once, exhausting his mana, which was not much to begin with. Knowing that further attempts would not yield any results and feeling mentally exhausted, he had to give up for the time being. His plan was to return to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion as quickly as possible and get a good chance to study it. ¡°Aiyah, I was so engrossed in the conversation that I forgot to ask Daoist Lu where this place is¡­¡± Only then did Shen Luo come back to his senses, grinning, realizing that he was stranded in this desolate wilderness, with no village in sight and probably had to spend the night out in the open. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 73: Things Remain the Same, But People Have Changed Chapter 74: Chapter 73: Things Remain the Same, But People Have Changed Three days later, at noon. At the entrance of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s mountain gate, Senior Brother Niu was idly sitting on the stone steps inside the gate, basking in the sun. He held a cup of tea in his hand, humming a little tune, and was very relaxed. At that moment, he saw someone approaching from a distance on the mountain path and quickly stood up to take a closer look. The person wore an azure robe, had a grey bundle hanging on his body, and was carrying a cloth bag. He was walking on the mountain path, his body slightly leaning forward. Although his pace was not fast, he looked steady. ¡°Eh, why is it this kid?¡± When he recognized the approaching person¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but let out a slight gasp. The person was none other than Shen Luo, who had traveled back from Song Fan County to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Early in the morning, Shen Luo had arrived at the town of Tuji at the foot of the mountain but didn¡¯t rush back. He first sold the black horse, then went to Hongyun Building to buy wine and roasted goose, and finally bought some cinnabar and talisman paper, only then did he ascend the mountain. ¡°The mountain gate is sacred ground, no idlers are allowed.¡± Just as Shen Luo reached the gate of the mountain, Senior Brother Niu¡¯s lazy voice echoed from inside. ¡°Brother Niu, you¡¯re joking, I was sent to visit my family by my master and now I¡¯m returning.¡± Shen Luo frowned, ignoring him, and walked straight into the gate. ¡°You little brat, how dare you talk to your senior brother like that? Have you no manners?¡± Senior Brother Niu retorted, his wrist suddenly flicking, splashing the tea in his cup towards Shen Luo¡¯s head. Shen Luo quickly took a step back, effortlessly evading the incoming tea. Senior Brother Niu¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise as he stepped in front of Shen Luo, blocking his path. But just as he was about to retort angrily, his nose wrinkled, taking a glance at the cloth bag on Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder. He then began to chuckle. ¡°For the sake of my large heart, I won¡¯t argue with you. I assume you¡¯re aware of the rules?¡± ¡°The roasted goose and wine from Hongyun Building are for Brother Bai and Senior Brother Tian.¡± Shen Luo replied grinning, as he took a look at the cloth bag in his hand. Upon hearing his words, Senior Brother Niu burst into a rage: ¡°You¡¯re taking advantage of my goodwill, hand them over!¡± Saying so, he lunged at Shen Luo, intent on grabbing the gifts himself. But Shen Luo seemed prepared for this. His left foot moved forward and precisely stepped on the tea spilled on the ground. His Nameless Cultivation Technique was already in motion, a sliver of his mana flowed through the sole of his foot, secretly manipulating the tea into tiny swirling droplets. As Senior Brother Niu stepped on the water droplets, he lost his balance and lurched towards Shen Luo. ¡°Whoops, be careful Brother.¡± Shen Luo sidestepped, and reached out as if trying to steady Senior Brother Niu. However, his palm seemingly brushed against Niu¡¯s stomach, subtly and slightly lifting Niu¡¯s body with the energy within his hand, causing Niu to fly in an arc and roll out of the gate and downhill. Wails of agony echoed from outside the gate as Senior Brother Niu tumbled seventeen or eighteen steps downhill. Without looking back, Shen Luo continued onwards. But after two steps, he retraced his steps to extract a piece of paper and a pen and wrote: ¡°Today, I noticed that Brother¡¯s forehead is dark, steps unsteady, signs of kidney deficiency. Goose buttocks can replenish this, please accept.¡± After writing, he removed the roast goose he had bought from the town and selected a piece of the goose buttocks. He then placed the piece together with the note on the stone steps where Niu had been sitting earlier. After doing all of this, he dusted his hands, and confidently stepped into the mountain gate. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m finally back, although people and things have changed.¡± Looking at the familiar scenery of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he continued walking forward. On his journey, he encountered quite a few fellow disciples, most of whom only nodded by way of greeting. For some reason, he always felt that when these people looked at him, their eyes showed a hint of peculiarity. Shen Luo, lost in his musings, reached the mountain path below the Lingguan Hall. Just as he was about to follow the path uphill, he looked up to see a chubby figure approaching from fifty or sixty steps up the mountain path. If anyone within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion were ranked by plumpness, Ding Yuan would naturally be at the top. He was followed by three or four disciples. When they saw Shen Luo climbing the steps, surprise flashed in their eyes, and the corpulent Ding Yuan in the middle exaggeratedly rubbed his own eyes with his greasy hands. ¡°Hey, am I seeing things? This boy disappeared for so many days, I thought he got kicked out, how did he come back?¡± One person who often trailed Ding Yuan couldn¡¯t help but mutter under his breath. Although Shen Luo was far away, he heard everything clearly. He seemed to understand something but didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°Shen Luo, you vanished without a trace for so long, why did you think to come back now?¡± Ding Yuan blocked Shen Luo with one hand and asked. ¡°I just went home to visit my family, how can I stay away for too long?¡± Shen Luo replied unhurriedly. ¡°I think you were swept out, how dare you still have the nerve to come back? Don¡¯t think we are not aware. You, a sick reed, came to our pavilion to extend your life, don¡¯t tarnish our Daoist purity with your Copper Smelly Things.¡± Ding Yuan spat, disdainfully. The rest of the group watched Shen Luo with various expressions. ¡°What I do in the pavilion, what does it have to do with you?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened, and he glanced sideways at the group. Ding Yuan and the others could only feel a sudden change in Shen Luo¡¯s aura which gave them an indescribable sense of oppression, causing them to unconsciously look away. Not one of them dared to meet his gaze. Shen Luo, however, ignored their reactions and walked past them. For a moment, Ding Yuan was at a loss. Seeing the looks on the faces of the others, he felt like he just couldn¡¯t save face. ¡°This piece of trash dares to disrespect his senior brother. You¡¯re turning against me, aren¡¯t you!¡± Ding Yuan chased after Shen Luo in anger, lunging two steps at a time. He summoned the strength of three or four layers of the Small Transformation Yang Skill in his right hand, spreading his fingers and enlarging his palm before striking towards Shen Luo¡¯s back. ¡°Brother Ding¡¯s Qingyang Hand technique is indeed well-honed!¡± ¡°Really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him!¡± The rest of the group cheered when they saw this. Shen Luo had his back to Ding Yuan and did not turn around. He raised his left hand and grabbed the little finger of Ding Yuan¡¯s right hand, pulling it gently to the side. ¡°Hey, stop, stop, it¡¯s killing me¡­¡± Ding Yuan¡¯s scream sounded like a pig being slaughtered. But since his right little finger was gripped tightly by Shen Luo, he had to bend down with the pull of Shen Luo¡¯s hand, so much so that tears came out due to the pain. The cheers abruptly ceased, leaving everyone dumbfounded on the spot. They clearly hadn¡¯t expected Shen Luo, who had only just begun learning the Small Transformation Yang Skill, to have such competent martial skills and actually hit Ding Yuan¡¯s weak spot with one light move. ¡°Shen¡­ Shen Luo, don¡¯t mess around. If I get injured, my master¡­ oh¡­¡± Ding Yuan gasped for breath, even though he was still bent over. He spoke menacingly. But before he could finish speaking, Shen Luo asserted a bit more force, leading to Ding Yuan wailing again. ¡°Brother Ding, your Qingyang Hand technique is profound and unpredictable. I, as a junior, have just started learning the Small Transformation Yang Skill, so don¡¯t scare me,¡± said Shen Luo leisurely while casting a glance at the others. At this point, Ding Yuan was in so much pain that his face twisted and cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He was in such agony that he couldn¡¯t even voice it out. The rest of them also lowered their heads, not daring to meet Shen Luo¡¯s gaze directly. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Accidental Encounter in the Back Mountain Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Accidental Encounter in the Back Mountain ¡°What are you doing?¡± A stern voice suddenly came from the mountain path above. Upon hearing the voice, a smile creased the corner of Shen Luo¡¯s mouth. He slackened his grip, and Ding Yuan staggered as if he had been pardoned, barely being caught by someone else before he fell on his bottom. Immediately afterwards, a white figure flickered next to Shen Luo, and a person dropped from the sky. Shen Luo knew from the distinctive voice that the newcomer was Bai Xiaotian. However, upon looking at him, he found that Bai was not wearing the martial arts school uniform today but had changed into a white robe, looking more dashing and suave than ever. ¡°The original¡­ It¡¯s Junior Bai. You guys slowly¡­ Keep chatting, we have something to do and will leave first.¡± Ding Yuan, clutching his right pinky and dripping with sweat, dared not to say much. He hurriedly begged for forgiveness and led the others in a hasty retreat as if they were fleeing. ¡°Hmph, a bunch of cowards.¡± Bai Xiaotian looked at the receding figures and cursed angrily. ¡°Young Master Bai, why are you so fiery today?¡± Shen Luo was not bothered and joked. ¡°You¡¯re finally back¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian turned his head to size up Shen Luo, his face finally softened into a relieved smile. ¡°What, did you assume I wouldn¡¯t come back?¡± Shen Luo chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re really a goner. I can¡¯t believe you wouldn¡¯t tell me about something as significant as cultivation backlash. Do you even regard me as your senior brother anymore?¡± Bai Xiaotian feigned anger. ¡°I was going to tell you before I left, but I left in a hurry and didn¡¯t get a chance to see you. I¡¯m back now, aren¡¯t I? With the wine and roasted goose, let¡¯s call up Senior Brother Tian later and have a good chat,¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°Of course, drinking is fine, but unfortunately, I have to go down the mountain soon.¡± Bai Xiaotian slightly hesitated upon hearing that. ¡°Then we will wait until you come back,¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave first then.¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded. Having said that, he turned and sprinted towards the mountain gate. Shen Luo suddenly remembered something and called out, ¡°Bai Xiaotian, when will you be back?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going home, it might take half a month. Save some wine for me¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian¡¯s figure had already disappeared on the winding mountain path, and only his voice echoed distantly. Shen Luo watched Bai Xiaotian leave, then turned and continued towards his residence at Qingchipo. After returning to his residence on the right side of the first floor and tidying it up, he went to report to Master Luo as usual. But he didn¡¯t get to meet him and instead ran into Tian Tiesheng on his way back. Tian Tiesheng was very happy to see Shen Luo back. The two men ate a roasted goose together, neither of them drinking, saving all the wine for Bai Xiaotian. He then learned from Tian Tiesheng that Master Luo had been called away from the mountain a couple of days ago and had not yet returned. During that time, Tian Tiesheng had inquired about Shen Luo¡¯s health condition, showing obvious concern in his words. Shen Luo was unsure of how to explain the situation to him. After all, if he were to tell the truth and mention the Nameless Heavenly Book, inevitably he would also have to discuss the jade pillow and the weird dreams, something he didn¡¯t dare to speak up about. In the end, he simply claimed that he had taken the life-saving pills given to him by Pavilion Master Fengyang and that his condition had stabilized, assuring Tian Tiesheng there was no need for concern. Tian Tiesheng seemed to truly believe what Shen Luo had said. Late in the evening, Shen Luo returned to his dwelling. Sitting by the bed, breathing in the familiar scent of the room, looking at the somewhat messy layout, he suddenly felt nostalgic. Even though he had only been away for seven or eight days, he still felt as if he had been away for an eternity. What had happened in these few short days was so more grotesque and bizarre than the experiences he had in the two dream sequences. Not long ago, he had been a pitiful man nearing death, but now, he was a cultivator who had opened up his Dao seed. After sitting quietly for a while, Shen Luo got up and fetched the jade pillow hidden under the bed. ¡°Should I try it again?¡± He placed the jade pillow in front of him, stroking the surface of the pillow, feeling the cool touch of the jade under his palm, his eyes displaying a hint of hesitation. Now, he wasn¡¯t as repulsed by the jade pillow as he had been initially. In fact, he was quite intrigued by it. If not for this item, would he have met Yu Yan in his dream? Without Yu Yan¡¯s unintentional disclosure of a story from his past while drinking, how would he have found the Nameless Cultivation Technique and subsequently successfully comprehended the Dao? Now that he was a magic-wielding cultivator, if he attempted to activate this item with his magic power, would he make some unexpected gains? Shen Luo thought about it and decided that it would be prudent to draw a few protective talismans first, then give it a try. He went over to the table, took out the yellow talisman paper and cinnabar, focused his spirit and Qi, and started drawing talismans on the paper. The first one he completed was the Small Thunder Talisman, which he was most proficient in. After intermittently creating two successful pieces, a thick stack of yellow talisman paper was already reduced by a little half. This was already a significant improvement in his success rate compared to before. Shen Luo put the two Small Thunder Talismans aside to dry, picked up his cinnabar brush again, and started drawing exorcism charms, which he was also fairly familiar with. After using up another small stack of talisman paper, he managed to draw three charms with complete spirit energy. Afterwards, he put down the brush, didn¡¯t continue drawing, but leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to recharge his spirit. Even though his current physical state was far from what it used to be, drawing talismans still drained considerable mental energy. After almost half an hour of resting, he felt his spirit had fully replenished, so he picked up the brush again and drew several other talismans such as the Wishful Talisman and Warding Off Evil Talisman. Because these talismans had never been tested before, and he had no successful experiences to draw upon, they were drawn swiftly. Whether they were successful or not could only be known after testing. Shen Luo originally wanted to attempt to reproduce the talisman on the talismanic fork, but after taking it out and glancing at it, he put it away again. It wasn¡¯t for any other reason, except that the talisman wrapped around the fork handle was incomplete, and he didn¡¯t dare to recklessly peel it off, for fear of ruining the talismanic instrument, so he had to give up. In the end, he brought all the completed talismans over and placed them next to the jade pillow, ready for use at a moment¡¯s notice. After all this was done, Shen Luo began to operate the Nameless Method, to divert the mana from his body to his right arm, and reached out towards the jade pillow. When his fingertips touched the jade pillow, a stream of mana, glowing with a blue light, flowed out as if it had been pulled, flowing towards the pillow. Shen Luo frowned slightly, carefully controlling the flow of mana, paying full attention to the changes in the jade pillow. After waiting for a while, he had already injected quite a bit of mana, but the jade pillow showed no movement at all. Shen Luo didn¡¯t immediately withdraw his hand, but persevered, continuing to inject mana into it. Yet, even when he himself felt somewhat drained of mana, the jade pillow had not shown any changes from beginning to end. ¡°It seems I overthought it, or rather, this amount of mana is not enough to trigger a reaction from this thing¡­¡± Shen Luo gave a bitter smile, had to withdraw his palm, feeling a faint sense of loss in his heart. After days of travelling and now using up a considerable amount of mana, he simply packed up the jade pillow and talismans, and went to bed early. ¡­ The next day at early dawn. After Shen Luo woke up and freshened himself up, he took the talismanic fork and the drawn talismans, and headed in the direction of the back mountain. As of now, he had started cultivating the nameless technique from the Nameless Heavenly Book, naturally he didn¡¯t have to go and cultivate the Small Transformation Yang Skill as part of his morning tasks. However, because of the special nature of the techniques in the Heavenly Book, he needed to find a pool or a creek to continue his cultivation. Although he often visited the back mountain in the past, and knew the locations of a couple of mountain streams and deep pools, unfortunately, all those places were too conspicuous. If a disciple from the Pavilion passed by those locations, he would surely be discovered. Shen Luo did not want the fact that he¡¯d obtained the Nameless Heavenly Book to become public knowledge. He thought about finding a more secluded and tranquil place for cultivation, while also intending to try controlling the talismanic fork once more. It was past high summer and approaching autumn; the morning winds on the mountain had clearly become colder. Shen Luo walked along the mountain path, these eyes filled with eagerness as he looked at the breaking dawn atop the mountain peak. He rubbed his palms together, anticipating the day ahead. The terrain of the back mountain of Spring and Autumn Pavilion was quite complex. In addition to a large area of dense forest, there were also steep cliffs protruding outward. Some of the deep pools formed by rainfall in the mountains were located beneath these cliffs. Shen Luo avoided the regular routes and went through a densely shrubbed forest. He made a small path through thick thorns and wild grass, and arrived on top of an outstanding cliff. The cliff had many rugged strange stones, appearing barren, but the view was extremely open. He intended to use this high vantage point to look down and find a suitable and concealed place for his cultivation. At the front of the cliff, there was a large rock protruding from the side of the mountain. Over time, it had become smooth and slippery with moss growing on it. After some difficulty, Shen Luo managed to climb on it. He carefully approached the edge of the rock, intending to look down, when he suddenly heard voices arguing faintly from below. It seemed like two people were in a conversation. When he leaned over to look down, he saw two figures, one old and one young, standing opposite each other at the bottom of the cliff, dozens of feet below. As Shen Luo spotted the two people, they too noticed him. They immediately stopped their conversation and looked up in his direction. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 75 A False Alarm Chapter 76: Chapter 75 A False Alarm Even though they were at a considerable distance, Shen Luo was able to clearly make out the features of the old man and the young lad. The younger one was dressed in the uniform of a disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, his black long hair not tied up in the usual topknot of a Taoist, but instead wound up tightly into a bun, casually held in place with a wooden hairpin. With a lean figure and extremely handsome features, it was one of the three Inner Sect Disciples, Gu Hualing. Standing opposite Gu Hualing was an elderly man, tall in stature with a complexion as dark as dusk. Around his lips was a well-kept ring of greyish-white whiskers. He wore a seamless Taiji Daoist Robe and on his head was a Lotus Crown identical to that of Master Fengyang. He appeared meticulous, with an imposing aura. This man was also known to Shen Luo, he was Gu Hualing¡¯s Master, Wang Qingsong. Shen Luo had seen him several times before on lesson days at the San Qing Temple. He always gave very detailed lectures, even clearer and easier to understand than Master Luo or Master Fengyang, but he was so strict and solemn that the disciples were somewhat wary of him. ¡°Are they in the middle of a transmission of power¡­¡± Shen Luo paused, a nagging suspicion forming in his mind. If it truly was elder Master Wang teaching Gu Hualing certain techniques, then his current actions may have strayed into the realm of stealing forbidden knowledge. However, Wang Qingsong cast him a glance, seemingly recognizing this uniquely positioned Registered Disciple of his, and with a cold huff, turned away and walked into the distance. Gu Hualing, however, revealed a smiling face, he waved from afar, as if to say a brief hello. Shen Luo, feeling embarrassed, waved back at him, his opinion of this rarely-seen Senior Brother Gu becoming slightly more favorable. After greeting Shen Luo, Gu Hualing turned around and chased after his Master, soon walking side by side with him. When the two had walked a fair distance, Shen Luo turned his gaze elsewhere, looking towards a farther away place in hope of finding a different location. However, at that moment, his ears twitched, his expression changed, and he again turned his attention to the disciple and his master who were gradually departing. ¡°Does his presence here mean he heard what we were talking about? Shall we just kill him and bury him here? It¡¯s a perfect spot since hardly anyone comes here.¡± While pacing, Gu Hualing said. Shen Luo¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and disbelief glinted in his eyes. Even if he had heard any secret techniques, it wasn¡¯t necessary to commit murder and dispose of the body, was it? ¡°How could he have possibly heard our conversation from so far away, especially since he is an Outer Sect Disciple whose mana has not yet opened? Your reaction might be a little extreme. Next time, we should select a more hidden location.¡± Elder Master Wang shook his head and spoke. ¡°Still, it¡¯s better not to leave any loose ends. No one would care about a guy who is not even considered an Outer Sect Disciple. I know plenty of places around this back mountain that are suitable for burying bodies.¡± Gu Hualing¡¯s face maintained a gentle smile as he spoke, yet his words were chillingly ruthless. ¡°Don¡¯t complicate things. Although he¡¯s only a registered disciple of Daoist Luo, this makes him special in the Pavilion. Moreover, he is well-liked by Bai Xiaotian. His sudden and inexplicable disappearance might attract unwanted attention.¡± Master Wang stopped in his tracks and talked seriously. ¡°Alright, I understand the priorities.¡± Seeing this, Gu Hualing had no choice but to let the matter lie, while expressing his regret. At this point, he turned around suddenly and looked towards Shen Luo again. Seeing that Shen Luo was still looking at him, he smiled and nodded. Shen Luo felt a tightening in his chest. His face, however, remained calm. He responded with a fist and palm salute from afar, as if bidding farewell to his elders. It was not until the two had completely receded into the distance and out of his line of sight that Shen Luo truly relaxed, a sudden chill running down his spine. He had simply come out to find a path and almost ended up in a disaster. That was a close call! If it had been the less perceptive Shen Luo from the past who had not come to understand the Dao or possessed superior sensory abilities, he might have still considered Gu Hualing as someone benevolent, and wouldn¡¯t have known even if he had been sold. As it turns out, the world is indeed dangerous, and one always has to be on guard! These two certainly have some great secret; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t go about burying people willy-nilly. Should I find an opportunity to secretly inform Luo Daoist? Regardless, I must avoid this master-disciple pair as much as possible in the future. Shen Luo¡¯s face fluctuated between darkness and light for quite a while before finally calming his thoughts and continuing his search for a suitable place to cultivate. To his surprise, he found a quiet valley. The place wasn¡¯t big, but it was very secluded, situated between two towering ridges with a winding brook inside. From a high vantage point, only the upstream part of the brook was visible, with the middle and downstream areas hidden from sight, making it difficult for others to discover. Shen Luo hurriedly descended the cliff and sprinted towards the valley. He entered the valley and followed the brook uphill. After about three or four li, he stumbled upon a shallow pond created by the rushing stream, flanked by boulders about a zhang high, acting like two natural barriers concealing the pond inside. Unless viewed directly from above, it would be impossible to see inside. ¡°What a great place!¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. Instead of jumping in, he sat cross-legged on the shore, closed his eyes, and manipulated the magic spell. A cool energy emanated from his Dantian, circulating through his meridians. A moment later, he opened his eyes and extended his index and little finger with the other fingers curled. He began to manipulate the scattered spiritual energies in the water as if controlling a talismanic instrument. Upon pointing his finger towards the surface of the pond, the calm surface immediately rippled. These ripples differed from normal waves created by the wind. They presented an inwards circular pattern, as if a stone had fallen into the water, creating a wavy shape. The circular ripples expanded evenly from the center. After spreading about four feet, they disappeared. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly flicked his wrist, and his hand shot upwards. The water at the center of the ripples churned and a water ball the size of a head emerged from the surface. It rose up to a height of about a foot before falling back into the pond. There was a ¡®dong¡¯ sound. When the water ball hit the surface, messy ripples were created, quickly disturbing the original waves. Shen Luo immediately stood up, a joyous smile forming on his face. Previously, he was already able to control a bit of water with his natural water techniques, and had once used a similar method to teach Senior Brother Niu a lesson. However, this was the first time he had managed to control such a large amount of water at once. Now, rather than continuing to sit and meditate, he raised his hand to manipulate the spell with the same posture. However, the mana circulating inside his body had suddenly and dramatically increased twofold. ¡°Rise,¡± he muttered, as his hand raised upwards. ¡°Splash, splash¡­¡± The once calm water surface started to churn like boiling water. A giant water ball the size of a car wheel emerged from the center of the waves and hung in mid-air, not coming down for a long time. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 76: Self-regulation of Water Control Chapter 77: Chapter 76: Self-regulation of Water Control The joy in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes deepened, as his mind resolved, his palm slightly turned. The suspended stream of water immediately shattered with a ¡°pop,¡± and seven or eight long heads peeked out from the water splash. After twisting left and right a few times, they came rushing out with their bodies. Those were seven or eight crystal-clear steeds, the size of hunting dogs. Their four hooves began to run side by side in the void. The steeds circled around Shen Luo, colliding and merging with each other. The resulting splashes of water didn¡¯t fall back into the water but instead fused to form a larger, fulsome figure. Ultimately, they combined to become a mature steed. The steed was robust, with visible mane patterns on its neck. Inside, it was crystalline and transparent, with traces of the water liquid flowing as if sculpted from crystal, exquisitely unmatched. However, right after that, Shen Luo¡¯s mind stirred again. The galloping pony suddenly created a splash under its hooves. The whole body seemingly plunged into the water and gradually sank. But its head gradually elongated, no longer having a mane and erect ears. It gradually turned into a crystal-clear water python. After its head went down, it didn¡¯t sink into the water, but skidded left and right along the water surface. The python¡¯s movements were startlingly like a live one. Shen Luo, with a single hand, flicked upwards, and the water python twisted its body, snaking upwards. Suddenly, two water waves rose on its back, gradually forming two crystal-clear water curtains that looked like wings. The python¡¯s body grew smaller, and the head became sharper until it eventually transformed into a large peng with outstretched wings, soaring into the sky. The peng¡¯s claws bent like silver hooks, with every feather on his body detailed and distinct. It was transparent crystal-clear, yet vibrant and realistic. However, its flying height was quite limited, just over ten feet high before it fell straight down as if exhausted, ultimately hitting the water surface, causing ripples and then calming down. ¡°Strange¡­ it¡¯s so easy?¡± Shen Luo, who consumed a considerable amount of mana, stopped chanting his magic spell but was brimming with amazement. This was his first attempt in water control after cultivating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. How come it was so successful? Water is known for its fickle nature, most prone to¡ªthe yet hardest for¡ªtransformation. To guide the water flow according to one¡¯s will is not hard in water control technique; still, to transform its form requires long-term practice. Earlier, Shen Luo casually controlled the water flow to change and create many transformations, which is not easy in itself. Moreover, his transformations were lifelike, even embodying some of the original animal charm. He suspected that an ordinary person would likely need millions of practice attempts to achieve this level. ¡°Could it be that I have some unique talents for water-type techniques? Or does my physique have some special characteristics that naturally resonate with Water Spirit Qi?¡± Shen Luo marveled privately. However, with a little thought, he doubted it. If he truly were of extraordinary gifts, it should have manifested earlier, instead of always lagging behind. He even took a full two years to cultivate the Small Transformation Yang Skill. Most likely, it has something to do with the cold stream that was injected into his body by the skull earlier. With these thoughts, he strolled back to the shore, found a larger smooth round stone, and closed his eyes while sitting. After resting for a while, Shen Luo reached into his bosom and fumbled around. He took out a fork about a foot long. It was the grey-white Talisman Fork that he had obtained from Lu Huaming. The day he got it, he had tried to activate it but ended up failing. Today, he wanted to try again. This time, he placed the talisman fork flat on his open palm. After making a hand seal, he turned his inner mana and channeled it into the talisman fork. The talisman on the fork handle lit up slightly, and a layer of grey-white light immediately spread out, covering the entire talisman fork. Shen Luo did not rush to stimulate his mana to let the talisman fork fly, like last time. Instead, he carefully controlled his mana to keep it in a stable state and poured it into the talisman fork. As wisps of mana continuously flowed into the fork, the white light on it became brighter, and it began to hover slightly, floating leisurely in the air about three inches above his palm. Simultaneously, the fork¡¯s light flashed again, and suddenly it became three times larger, just like when Lu Huaming had activated it. Shen Luo¡¯s spirits lifted, and he immediately shouted, ¡°Rise.¡± The light on the talisman fork flashed, and it shot forward immediately, soaring up from the ground, quickly flying higher than the large rocks on both sides of the shallow pond. As Shen Luo looked up and was a little distracted, the talisman fork began to sway, and it seemed about to fall stubbornly. His heart tightened, and he hurriedly steadied his senses, carefully using his mana to draw the talisman fork. It wasn¡¯t difficult to make the talisman fork rise. However, controlling its movements was not so simple. Although Shen Luo was consciously guiding it to fly forward, the talisman fork did not obey at all and rushed straight into the sky. As the talisman fork rose to around two Zhang high, the connection between it and Shen Luo started to gradually weaken. The white light on it also became somewhat unstable, flashing on and off. When it rose to about three Zhang high, its light flashed more rapidly and all at once it lost control, fell straight down into the not very distant stream. Seeing this, Shen Luo rushed forward, still holding onto his magic spell, poured all his mental energy into the talisman fork and shouted, ¡°Rise!¡± The talisman fork, just before it was about to fall into the water, the white light on the surface steadied again and it suspended in mid-air over the water. Shen Luo wiped off his forehead sweat, his hand slowly lifting the talisman fork. It gradually rose from the water surface moving slowly towards the shore. However, as soon as the talisman fork had left the water surface, the light on its surface began to tremble again. This time, its light suddenly decreased, and with a ¡°plop,¡± it fell on the ground. Simultaneously, Shen Luo also felt that his Dantian became emptier as his mana was used up more than half. He walked over to the talisman fork, picked it up sat on the ground, his back soaked with sweat. ¡°Who would have thought that controlling a talismanic instrument would consume so much? Bai Xiaotian seemed so relaxed that time when he was fighting with Ding Yuan. Being an Inner Sect Disciple, he sure has some skills,¡± Shen Luo murmured as he caught his breath. At this moment, he recalled Lu Huaming¡¯s Sword Flight scene, increasingly drawn toward it. After resting for a short awhile, Shen Luo started to practice with the talisman fork again. About half an hour later, a sharp sound of ¡°clank¡± suddenly echoed in the valley. The talisman fork was seen shooting from the void, about three Zhang high, crashing down onto a boulder, scraping up a string of golden sparks before sticking diagonally into a rock crevice. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Testing the Spell Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Testing the Spell Shen Luo stood not too far away, watching this scene before him, and a relieved smile finally appeared on his pale face. Through the practice of more than half an hour, he was finally able to barely control the flight of the Talisman Fork, however, his movements were still awkward and difficult. They couldn¡¯t be compared with what Lu Huaming demonstrated. Even the power of the Talisman Fork attack he had just used was vastly different. Shen Luo understood that this was largely due to the difference in the strength of Mana. At present, with the Mana of the first level of his Nameless Cultivation Technique, he couldn¡¯t make the Talisman Fork fly too high or too far. It could at most only move within a three-feet radius around him. Any further, and he would lose control. Moreover, controlling Talismanic Instruments consumed too much Mana. He could at most only make the Talisman Fork fly for the duration of brewing a cup of tea. This was only just simple flight control. If it were to truly enter a battle, the consumption would only increase and speed up. Shen Luo walked forward to retrieve the Talisman Fork lodged in the crack of a stone and then sat down leaning against a rock. It was then that his gaze suddenly fell on the Talisman affixed to the Talisman Fork. His brows furrowed involuntarily. He had drawn many Talismans daily, which made him sensitive to the changes of a Talisman Paper. He noticed the problem the moment he glanced at it. The color of the runes on the Talisman Paper had faded, and the patterns on it had become blurry. Before he left the house today with the Talisman Fork, Shen Luo had carefully examined the Talisman on it. Although the color wasn¡¯t as vivid as a newly drawn Talisman, the cinnabar color was rich enough and the charm patterns were clear. Upon comparison now, obvious changes had occurred. Moreover, once a general Talisman is ignited and the Talisman core is used, it would burn into ashes. However, the Talisman affixed to this Talismanic Instrument didn¡¯t directly burn into ash after the Mana was infused. There must be something extraordinary about it. A hunch rose in Shen Luo¡¯s mind, he guessed that the Talisman on this Talismanic Instrument could burn, but unlike a general Talisman, the burning process was slower. However, after repeated use, it would eventually be consumed completely. Based on the number of times he tried to use it and the changes in the color of the Talisman Paper, this Talisman could probably only be activated three to four more times before it completely loses its effectiveness. Thinking of this possibility, he felt a little regretful, he decided to wait until Bai Xiaotian returned and ask him about the Talismanic Instruments and see if there¡¯s any way he could remediate this. Having put away the Talisman Fork, Shen Luo rested for nearly half an hour more before he started to feel some recovery of his Mana in his Dantian. Then he began to pull one Talisman after another from his sleeve. They were all drawn yesterday. When he hadn¡¯t understood the Dao, he could only experiment with Talismans with Yuan Stones. Every time he used up a Yuan Stone, it caused him distress. Now that he has his Mana, it¡¯d save him this expense. Hence, he planned to try out all the types of Talismans he could draw to see what they could do. Before obtaining the Small Thunder Talisman and the exorcism charm, the Talisman that Shen Luo had repeatedly practiced drawing the most was named ¡°Eliminate Evil Talisman¡±. As its name suggests, it¡¯s a Talisman used to dissolve the Yin Sha Qi. That year, when Luo Daoist tried to cure Shen Luo¡¯s illness, he used this Talisman to neutralize the Yin Qi extracted from him. He frequently mentioned learning this Talisman afterwards. Although Luo Daoist didn¡¯t directly teach him, he reluctantly gave him a sample diagram for him to practice with. At this moment, Shen Luo was holding an ¡°Eliminate Evil Talisman¡±, A bit of mana in his Dantian followed his will and flowed down his arm¡¯s meridian channel and entered the Talisman. A blue light flashed on the Talisman Paper, a soft ¡°hiss¡± sound could be heard from where the charm was drawn, the area covered in cinnabar instantly blackened, a weak blue glow emerged like smoke and then disappeared. Seeing this, Shen Luo shook his hand, threw the Talisman Paper clutched at its tip onto the ground. He then picked up a House-Protection Talisman and infused a bit of Mana into it. According to the records in the ancient books, mansions with a genuine House-Protection Talisman affixed would appear ordinary during the daylight, but at night, they¡¯d be enveloped in a blurry Treasure Light, invisible to mortal eyes, effectively preventing evil spirits and any yin anomalies from invading. Although Shen Luo had mana, he wasn¡¯t an ordinary mortal, but he also didn¡¯t know what the scene would look like once mana was infused into the House-Protection Talisman, so at this moment, his heart was filled with curiosity, mixed with a touch of anticipation. However, the House-Protection Talisman, like the Eliminate Evil Talisman, shone with a blue light, then the talisman paper was torn by the mana, ending in the same failure. Although Shen Luo had anticipated this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel disappointed. He sighed lightly, twisting another exorcism charm between two vertically raised fingers of his right hand. He had used this exorcism charm successfully in Dreamland for the first time, but once back in reality, he hadn¡¯t had a chance to verify its effectiveness. As he moved his mind, a strand of mana bubbled up from his Dantian, flowing into the talisman. This time, there was a change. First, there was a flash of blue light on the talisman, the talisman paper did not rupture, the drawn runes lit up, and a gentle white light rose from it instantly. As this white light came on, Shen Luo suddenly found that his eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of cloudiness, causing the colors of the surrounding stones and the pool to become much lighter. Confused, he hastily turned his gaze towards the distant, only to find that everything he saw was the same. As Shen Luo¡¯s eyes left an unremarkable corner of a mountain wall on the opposite bank of the stream, he suddenly felt an odd feeling in his heart and hurriedly turned his head to stare in that direction. He saw that the corner of the mountain wall, which rarely saw sunlight and was damp from the adjacent water, had a foot-high dark green moss growing on it, and on the ground close to the moss, there was a cluster of faint black fog. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo quickly picked up the other talisman papers on the ground, waded across the river, and ran over. When he got close, yet before he had even reached out the exorcism talisman, the clustering black fog in the corner seemed to sense the talisman¡¯s power, suddenly expanding and surging wildly. ¡°It really is Yin Sha Qi! It turns out that this exorcism talisman indeed has the ability to reveal the Yin Sha anomalies.¡± Shen Luo also simultaneously felt a sense of chill and unclean breath from the black fog. As he spoke, he held the glowing exorcism talisman in his two fingers and moved it closer to the Yin Sha Qi. The black fog seemed to be quite fearful of the talisman, frantically retreating, but with the mountain wall behind it and nowhere else to go, it desperately surged upwards along the wall. But this Yin Sha Qi seemed to be very weak, only daring to climb up a foot before it stopped, fearful of continuing upwards because once it got out of the range where the moss grew, it would be exposed to the midday sun. When the exorcism talisman got within three feet of the Yin Sha Qi, it suddenly ignited into a white flame, going up in smoke towards the Qi. Shen Luo did not want to eliminate the Yin Sha Qi immediately, so he quickly pulled his arm back, moving the exorcism charm away. Soon, the exorcism charm was burned out completely, and after twinkling with its last spark, it was completely extinguished. Almost at the same time, the shadowy feeling that had been in front of Shen Luo¡¯s eyes also disappeared. When he opened his eyes wide again to check the corner of the mountain wall, it was already empty. There was nothing left. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Startling Soul Chapter 79: Chapter 78: Startling Soul Shen Luo pulled out two more talismans from his arms that both started with the word ¡°Imperial Edict.¡± They were exorcism charms. He pinched one of the talismans and infused mana into it. As a flash of white light shot up from the talisman, his eyes heated up a little and that sensation happened again, however, his sight was somewhat blurry compared to before. Shen Luo quickly looked towards the corner of the mountain wall, only to see a blurry black shadow, extremely unclear. Before he could figure out what was happening, the glow on the talisman paper in his hand had already extinguished, and his vision returned to normal. Clearly, the exorcism charm he thought he had successfully drawn, was of poor quality and thus had limited effect. ¡°Practice makes perfect, it seems drawing talismans is not something that can be mastered overnight,¡± Shen Luo sighed, grabbing the last exorcism charm. As his words dropped, a streak of mana flowed into the talisman paper, the light on the talisman momentarily brightened, finally emitting the same white light as the first talisman, the feeling of shadows blocking also returned to his vision. The black fog at the corner of the mountain wall also reappeared. This time, he didn¡¯t get the exorcism charm closer to the Yin Sha Qi, instead, he took out an Eliminate Evil Talisman from his arms, planning to test whether it could neutralize this Yin Sha Qi. However, after using three talismans consecutively, not a single one could be successfully activated, all of them were duds. Shen Luo, somewhat unwilling to accept it, used every other talisman he had on him, including the Wishful Talisman, House-Protection Talisman, Hundred Solutions Disaster Relief Talisman, in an attempt to see if they could have any reaction to this Yin Sha Qi. However, without exception, every attempt ended in failure. This ball of Yin Sha Qi had essentially become the litmus test for the success or failure of his talismans. Ultimately, it was only with a Small Thunder Talisman that Shen Luo managed to eradicate that ball of Yinsha Black Qi. ¡°In the end, only the Small Thunder Talisman and the Exorcism Charm can be used!¡± Shen Luo sat back down at the shore, muttering to himself. What he couldn¡¯t understand was why the current situation arose? Presumably, his cultivation level was now at the early stage of Qi refining, so his control over the essence and spirit when drawing talismans was obviously much different than when he was at the beginning of the Small Transformation Yang Technique. With the successful experience of the Small Thunder Talisman, he should have known what to pay attention to when drawing talismans by now. In terms of proficiency, he got the method of producing the Small Thunder Talisman the latest and didn¡¯t practice the most times. Rather, it was the Wishful Talisman and the Eliminate Evil Talisman that he practiced the most, yet except for the Exorcism charm, all these talismans turned out to be useless. Although there were doubts about the genuineness of these talismans, the Eliminate Evil Talisman should at least have been fine. Both the Small Thunder Talisman and the Exorcism Charm were ones he had drawn successfully in the Dreamland, the former even receiving guidance from Yu Yan, while other talismans had no such experience. ¡°Could it be¡­ Only the talismans that have been drawn successfully in the dream can also be used in reality?¡± Shen Luo mused. At this moment, he glanced upward, and found that unnoticeably, noon had already passed, so he immediately stood up and returned to the front of the mountain. After having lunch in the dining hall, Shen Luo took care of himself and went back to his residence at Qingchipo. When he returned to the room, he closed the door, sat quietly for a moment, lifted his hand to rub his right shoulder, pulled down the clothes on his shoulder, and revealed the black skull. This thing had been on his shoulder for several days and seemed like it wouldn¡¯t disappear on its own. He glanced casually and saw the remaining yellow talisman paper from yesterday next to the pile of ancient books. He suddenly had an idea. He immediately took out his brush, dipped it in the cinnabar, and started drawing on the talisman paper. Half an hour later, after using up all the remaining talisman paper, he had just managed to draw two exorcism charms. After resting for a moment, seeing that the cinnabar marks on the talisman paper had dried out, he picked up a talisman and stuck it on the skull pattern on his shoulder. A stream of mana was immediately infused into the talisman. A flash of light on the talisman paper was seen and a burst of white light lit up. A shadowy veil was cast over Shen Luo¡¯s vision again. He cast his gaze to the pattern on his right shoulder, fixedly staring at the skull for a while, wanting to see if there was any dark evil existence inside. However, there was no change there at all. Shen Luo furrowed his brows and shifted his gaze to the jade pillow at the head of the bed, but nothing else out of the ordinary happened. He could only shake his head, slowly sat back down at the desk, and took out the Nameless Heavenly Book from the stone box. He didn¡¯t know if it was because he had experimented with so many talismanic instruments and talismans today leading to excessive mana consumption, but he had only used his hand to read a line of words and already felt dizzy. So, he immediately closed the heavenly book and put it back into the stone box. Shen Luo, rubbing his somewhat swollen brow, fell asleep heavily on his bed. ¡­ The night was profound, and the moonlight was cold. Outside the cliff of Qingchipo, the mountain wind passed through the gap in the valley, causing bursts of ¡°mournful¡± sounds, like a woman crying softly on and off, echoing around the cliff courtyard. On the window of a room closest to the cliff, dark shadows flitted back and forth, cast by the pine and cypress branches, looking like the claws of death as if seeking life, giving a sinister feeling. On the wooden bed in the room, Shen Luo slept heavily, dressed. He was sleeping profoundly, not noticing at all that the rattan pillow under his head had been pushed aside unknowingly and replaced by the yellow jade pillow. He muttered something in his dreams, turned his body to face the direction of the door, subconsciously grabbing the jade pillow under his neck with his right hand. Just then, a gust of chill wind suddenly blew in from outside the house, rustling, it blew open the window and swept in a rolling black fog, heading straight for the bed. Shen Luo was immediately shocked awake from his dreams. His eyes opened wide suddenly, and he instinctively tried to sit up. But at this time, he felt a huge tearing force coming from below him. He quickly looked down, only to see a scene that made his scalp numb! Many little hands, resembling that of a child, were ¡°growing¡± out from the bed frame, firmly grabbing various parts of his body! Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 79: The Unusual Change of the Jade Pillow Chapter 80: Chapter 79: The Unusual Change of the Jade Pillow Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened, as if a cold snake was crawling up his spine. The tiny hands were swollen and rotting, their color frightfully pale, looking like bodies that had been in the water for quite a while, each with a long black nail on top, some of which had even pierced through his clothes and into his flesh. Shen Luo opened his mouth to scream, his mouth wide open, but found himself unable to make a sound, terror taking over his heart. But then, he noticed something strange. He didn¡¯t feel any pain at all! ¡°Stay calm, stay calm¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s mind eased a bit, forcing himself to stay calm. He tried to activate the Nameless Cultivation Technique, attempting to mobilize the mana in his body to see if he could push back these ghastly ghost hands. However, as the energy in his Dantian begun to move, he immediately felt a chilling sensation at the back of his neck, an overwhelmingly powerful Yin energy seeping out, making his whole body hair stand on end. ¡°It¡¯s the jade pillow!¡± Shen Luo immediately noticed the change at the back of his neck. Before he could react further, a powerful force of absorption emerged from the jade pillow behind his neck, making him feel as though his blood and essence were boiling, turning into plumes of white steam that were being sucked out. His eyes bulged, and he could only watch as his chest caved in bit by bit, and his exposed hand rapidly became thin, turning into a ghostly claw, the spark of life diminishing. Shen Luo¡¯s mind was muddled, fear, confusion, a resentment¡­ all kinds of emotions mixed together, he used his last ounce of strength to scream, ¡°No¡­¡± In the next instant, he jerkily sat up from the bed, his chest heaving, gasping for breath. In his panic, he quickly checked the mattress underneath him, only to find a circle of sweat stains, but where were the ghostly hands of a child? Next, he inspected his palms and back of his hands over and over again, they were all intact, there were no traces of his blood and energy being drained, turning his hand into a withered ghost claw. ¡°Was it just a nightmare?¡± Shen Luo looked around somewhat blankly, and found that all the doors and windows were closed, the furnishings in the room were as usual, and the pillow under his head was still the common rattan one, whereas the jade pillow was sitting peacefully on one side. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, sleepiness completely dispelled, he got up, lit a lamp, changed into clean clothes, and sat down at the table. The moonlight outside the window was hazy, it seemed to be late at night. Shen Luo thought of the horrifying scene in his nightmare, he still felt somewhat terrified, he unfathomably picked up an exorcism charm, sticking it onto himself, and channeled a bit of mana into it. As the light on the talisman paper lit up, his eyes became blurry again, he carefully inspected the corners of the room. However, as soon as his gaze shifted, his brows twitched suddenly. There was indeed something strange in the room! His sight retraced, and he saw fine shadows hanging down from the roof to his bedside, flickering in and out of sight, extremely vague. If it weren¡¯t for his heightened senses and concentrated attention, he would not have noticed. Shen Luo felt a tightening in his heart, hurriedly brought the lamp over, trying to get a closer look. However, when the light moved, the things he had barely been able to see, disappeared. Without hesitation, he immediately blew out the oil lamp in one breath. As the light in the room went out, the barely visible things finally reappeared, turning out to be strands of transparent light, all falling like rain from the ceiling. Shen Luo traced the light down, only to see a layer of translucent light covering the jade pillow on the bed. The light strands falling from above all landed on it, being absorbed completely without leaving a trace. ¡°What is this thing¡­¡± Shen Luo felt even more astonished, stepping closer to the side of the bed. As he got closer, he glanced at the exorcism charm attached to his chest, finding it unburnt, and the queer luminous filaments were not struggling or squirming. ¡°It seems that it¡¯s not related to a Yin Sha (evil spirit)¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s mind slightly relaxed. He extended a palm, like catching rain in a cupped hand, reaching out towards the almost transparent light threads. A dim white light immediately shrouded his palm. However, he quickly discovered that as soon as these luminescent threads fell onto his palm, they seemed to pass right through it, like they were nonexistent, and gathered towards the jade pillow again. Yet, he didn¡¯t feel any discomfort in his hand; those light threads truly seemed like mere illusions. Shen Luo instinctively looked up at the ceiling, noticing that those light threads appeared to be grown from within the ceiling, fitting in perfectly. An idea crossed his mind; grabbing the jade pillow, he exited the room. The moonlight was serene outside, bringing stillness all around, interrupted only by the sporadic chorus of insect calls. Shen Luo carefully checked his surroundings. Seeing that the only sound besides his neighboring Senior Brother¡¯s snores was the absence of any human noises, he lightly toed off the ground, his body floating up gracefully to land onto the rooftop of the second floor. He stood on the ridge of the roof, looking up at the high sky, watching the crystal clear strands of light pursue the jade pillow, like an endless waterfall of light hanging from the sky, seemingly infinite and continuous. He observed the night sky for a long while until he finally figured out that these crystal light threads were actually cast upon them from the stars spanning across the sky. ¡°What kind of connection is there between this light and this jade pillow?¡± Shen Luo was greatly puzzled. He¡¯d slept a little bit earlier, but after being woken up by a nightmare, he was unable to sleep again. So, now he found the view of the descending light threads interesting. Clutching the jade pillow, he laid there watching the starry sky. The light threads continued to fall all night, and Shen Luo watched all night. When it was dawn, and the sun was about to rise with the sky starting to turn a fish-belly white, the light threads that were falling from the starry sky gradually became scarce. By the time the daylight truly brightened up, they completely disappeared. Until the very end, Shen Luo didn¡¯t notice anything unusual about the jade pillow. He then jumped from the roof holding the jade pillow and, still full of doubts, walked back into his room. ¡­ In the afternoon, after Shen Luo had eaten in the Dining Hall, he took a lazy stroll to the back mountain. As soon as he got to a place where no one was around, he immediately quickened his pace, heading straight for the hidden valley. Shen Luo reached the edge of the Shallow Pond, and with a leap, he dived right into the water. The Shallow Pond was splashed all over, an instant sense of refreshing coolness surrounded him from all sides, making him feel extremely comfortable, as if his sleeplessness from the previous night was instantly eradicated. However, he did not come here today to relieve his fatigue, but to try another mystic art from the Nameless Cultivation Technique: The Art of Communicating with and Controlling Demons. According to the Classics, if there is an overachiever in the Beast Taming technique, they tend to successfully communicate with the spirit only by cultivating the first level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique. However, if their talents are inferior, they are likely to be unable to communicate with the Demon even if they have cultivated five or six levels. Shen Luo thought, ¡°The first level of the Nameless Technique was able to reach perfection as if water flows to lower ground, perhaps his own talent isn¡¯t that bad. Maybe it¡¯s just because his nature is more akin to water, that it manifested so after encountering the Nameless Heavenly Book.¡± He walked to the central part of the Shallow Pond, kneeled down, and the pool water precisely reached his chest. He then closed his eyes, gently forming magical tactics with one hand while adjusting his breathing, and silently began to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique. In no time, a cooling sensation began rotating in Shen Luo¡¯s Dantian, circulating along his body¡¯s meridians. There were also waves of cold Water Spirit Qi zipping around in the pond, converging towards him from all around. As his thoughts gradually became void, he started to mutter the mantra of the Art of Communicating with and Controlling Demons. Suddenly, everything around the mountain valley began to feel oddly different. At first, Shen Luo could vaguely hear the chirping of a few birds, but he quickly only could hear the sound of wind passing through the woods. Then, he could only listen to the sounds of insects lurking beneath the earth and fish paddling in the pond¡­ Until at last, all he could hear was the sound of the stream gently flowing. Simultaneously, Shen Luo¡¯s mind became completely void, his half-closed eyes saw nothing but darkness, as if he had crossed a different space, appearing in another¡­void. Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Connecting with the Sea of Knowledge Chapter 81: Chapter 80: Connecting with the Sea of Knowledge ¡°Could this be the so-called Sea of Knowledge?¡± thought Shen Luo. The ancient book mentioned that people¡¯s collection of consciousness and ideas is known as the Sea of Knowledge, a place of projection for thousands of thoughts. A thought sprang up in his heart, but he hastily suppressed it, focusing all his effort on operating the Art of Spirit Communication. ¡°Ding dong¡± A faint sound, like a drop of water, abruptly rang out in this void of pitch blackness. Shen Luo¡¯s heart thumped abruptly. He hurriedly looked towards the source of the sound, only to see a blue light spot the size of a grain of rice appearing in the void before him, flashing dimly. Before he could take a closer look, the ding-dong sound echoed again and again. Surrounding him, numerous blue light spots appeared. Some were closer to him, seemingly just several yards away. Others were farther away, appearing to be dozens of yards from him. Some spots were as small as grains of rice, others were as big as broad beans¡­ Each one of them flickered with blue light, like a swarm of fireflies dancing around him, a splendid sight. Although marveling at this in his heart, Shen Luo knew well that this was not the time for appreciation. Those blue light spots must be the key to his use of the Art of Spirit Communication. His gaze fell on the blue light spot that first appeared and was closest to him. He consciously guided his Divine Sense to slowly approach it. However, the moment his Divine Sense got closer, the flow of his mana became disrupted. Sharp pains, like needle stings, shot through his meridians. Shen Luo opened his eyes abruptly, his face filled with agony. He clutch his head with both hands, and involuntarily flipped back, falling directly into the water. After coughing out a few mouthfuls of water, he finally sat up again, hands on his forehead, still feeling a splitting headache. He was practicing exactly as instructed by the heavenly book, why would this happen? After resting for quite some time, the chaotic movement of the mana within his body gradually subsided, and the excruciating headache also eased somewhat. After some hesitation, he slowly closed his eyes, deciding to give it another try. As his thoughts calmed down, the pitch-black void appeared once again. With the soft ¡°drip¡± sound, the grain-size blue light lit up. Shen Luo carefully controlled his Divine Sense to approach it again. However, the moment he saw the blue light, the intense pain in his meridians surged like a tide once again. His eyes flew open, and he felt as though the world was spinning. His body fell backward again. Shen Luo stretched out his hands to support his body, preventing himself from completely falling down. The excruciating headache made him groan in agony, with a sweet metallic taste in his mouth and nose, his blood spilling out. This time, Shen Luo was horrified and he dared not continue trying. He staggered out of the water, walked to the shore, and slowly laid down, gazing at the spinning sky, his mind in chaos. After a long time, Shen Luo felt a bit better. He got up and returned to his residence. Once home, he collapsed onto his bed and slept until late at night. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t awakened by nightmares this time, but woke up naturally after his spirit had recovered. After lighting the oil lamp, he got out the Nameless Heavenly Book, and again carefully reviewed the records about the Technique of Ghosly Beast Domination, but still failed to find the problem. ¡°Could it be because I¡¯m ordinary, and my mana is insufficient?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. If that was the case, he could only wait until the second level of Nameless Cultivation Technique was successfully cultivated, then try this Technique of Spirit Communication again. ¡°Regardless, the first level technique has reached perfection, now it¡¯s time to practice the second level.¡± He looked down at the Nameless Heavenly Book in his hand and made up his mind. Shen Luo opened the section about the second level of the Nameless Heavenly Book. Just as his finger was about to touch the characters on the book, he suddenly remembered something and promptly took out an exorcism charm to attach to himself. His gaze then shifted to the jade pillow on the bed. Sure enough, the light threads that appeared last night were still there tonight. They hung down like rain from the rooftop and integrated into the jade pillow. After watching it for a while, Shen Luo collected his thoughts and began studying the second level techniques with undivided attention. ¡­ The next day, it was nearly noon when Shen Luo arrived at the back mountain. He stepped directly into the stream¡¯s shallow pool and sat down cross-legged. Shen Luo made a magic hand seal, and the mana in his Dantian started to move. It first reached the Yongquan at the sole of the foot, then returned to the Dantian and flowed up to the palm, and then circulated back to the Dantian. He didn¡¯t rush to cultivate the second level technique, but instead circulated around like this twice. After the first level technique in his body was fully activated, he truly started advancing toward the second level technique. The Nameless Heavenly Book guides the Water Spirit Qi into the body, transformed by Yang Gang Qi until it turns into mana and circulated throughout the body. When the first level has reached perfection, it can reach the limbs; when the second level has reached perfection, the Qi can reach the Ren and Du meridians. Ren and Du meridians, as the yin and yang meridians in the human body, extend from the Baihui Acupoint at the top of the head down to the Huiyin Acupoint in the lower abdomen. Once they are open and connected, the efficiency of Water Spirit Qi¡¯s circulation in his body will greatly improve. By then, the mana stored within his Dantian would also increase several folds. Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts flickered, the magic spell in his hand slightly changed, and he silently chanted the spell of the second-level technique in his mind. The surrounding stream water around him started to ripple. Strands of Spirit Qi in the water, like swimming fish, swam toward him one by one. A faint blue halo subsequently lit up under the water. At the same time, a strand of mana stored in Shen Luo¡¯s body started to rise from the Dantian, rushing straight up through the Ren meridian in front of the body, passing through Shen Que, Zhongwan, and Danzhong, all the way to the Yutang Acupoint. As early as when cultivating the first-level technique, Shen Luo was able to draw Yang Gang Qi into the Hand Three Yin meridians from Yutang. And now, he needed it to push all the way, pass through Zigong, break through Celestial Pivot, and reach Baihui Acupoint. However, after his mana surged out of the Yutang Acupoint, it came to a halt at the first barrier it encountered. That Purple Palace Acupoint was like a well-defended gate. However hard Shen Luo¡¯s mana tried to break it, it just couldn¡¯t crack open its gate. Shen Luo was somewhat surprised, and the mana in his Dantian also poured out, charging directly at the Purple Palace Acupoint. Soon, a turbulent breath caused by the collision of mana swirled inside his body, making him tremble and causing ripples to spread across the pool water around him. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly shot open, his face full of disbelief. When he cultivated the first level technique, he achieved perfection with just a single try, but with this second level technique, he instantly hit a brick wall. The gap between the two was more than significant. Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Descending the Mountain with the Master Chapter 82: Chapter 81: Descending the Mountain with the Master Shen Luo quickly recalled the mantra of the second level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique and seriously reconsidered his earlier method of cultivation. However, upon reflection, he found nothing amiss. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be so difficult¡­¡± he muttered, puzzled. He closed his eyes once more and started to practice silently. After a few moments, Shen Luo opened his eyes again, his expression now shifting from doubt to frustration. This time, he still failed to break through the Purple Palace Acupoint. The mana within his body couldn¡¯t flow through, let alone completing a full circle, even half was impossible to achieve. ¡°The Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits failed earlier¡­ Can it be that my aptitude is really poor? No, I have to keep trying¡­¡± Shen Luo bit his teeth, unwilling to give up, and once again started his cultivation. After several attempts, he gradually acknowledged a reality. The second level technique was much more difficult than he had imagined. Smooth progress was unlikely. He had to break through step by step, as if breaching a fortress. Based on his current speed, it would probably take four to five years to achieve Perfection in the second level Nameless Cultivation Technique. Even those ordinary people mentioned in the Nameless Heavenly Book could reach Perfection in two years, making his progress excruciatingly slow. The first level technique was cultivated very smoothly, and the Water-Stepping Art was like a breeze, which made Shen Luo think that his talent was not bad. He was even somewhat complacent. Now, it was like a bucket of cold water drenching him. It seemed that Master Luo¡¯s assessment and others of Spring and Autumn Pavilion were not wrong. Indeed, he had no special talent in cultivation techniques and mystic arts. Although recognizing this made Shen Luo feel a great loss, he was not entirely discouraged. Before acquiring the cultivation methods, he had been living under constant death threats. Despite the odds, he was still advancing fearlessly. Now, his situation was just a bit worse than expected, so he decided to continue his cultivation. No matter whether it would take four years or five, as long as there is a chance of success, he wouldn¡¯t miss it. In the coming several days, Shen Luo would practice by the Shallow Pond during the day and observe the changes of the filament absorbed by the jade pillow with the exorcism charm attached to him at night. Perhaps because of entering the Qi Refining Stage, despite the day and night cultivation, he didn¡¯t feel tired at all. One night, as ever, Shen Luo was sitting on the bed, unblinkingly staring at the jade pillow. He was confused. The light filament has been continuously blending into the jade pillow for several days, but the pillow did not show any changes. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Shen Luo was startled. With his current heightened senses, he should have noticed someone¡¯s presence outside the door, let alone not detecting anything at all. Moreover, why would anyone visit in the middle of the night? He quickly removed the exorcism charm from his body, hid the jade pillow under the bed then got up to open the door. There was a figure in a green robe outside. It was Daoist Luo. ¡°Master Luo, why are you here? Please, come inside,¡± Shen Luo quickly welcomed Daoist Luo into his room. ¡°No need. I was just passing by. Your complexion is quite good. You seem to have recovered well from your trip home,¡± Daoist Luo said, standing at the doorway whilst examining Shen Luo from head to toe. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Master Luo. I am indeed feeling much better,¡± Shen Luo said, with a respectful expression. ¡°Good. Now that you¡¯re mostly recovered, gather your belongings and come with me down the mountain,¡± Daoist Luo nodded, suddenly giving the order. ¡°Down the mountain?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°We¡¯re going to catch a ghost. Bai Xiaotian has not returned from his trip down the mountain, and Tian Tiesheng was sent on an errand by the headmaster yesterday. So, you¡¯re in luck,¡± Daoist Luo explained, glancing at Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo began to consider the pros and cons, keeping silent for a moment. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to go?¡± Daoist Luo frowned. ¡°It would be an honor to be of service to you, Master Luo. It¡¯s just that my mastery of the Small Transformation Yang Skill is far less proficient than my Senior Brothers. I¡¯m worried that if something goes wrong midway, I might hold you back,¡± Shen Luo said, after calming his nerves. If it were in the past, he would have gladly taken up such an opportunity. However, he now harbored many secrets and didn¡¯t want to stay too close to Daoist Luo, who possessed formidable mana. The risks of exposure were high. ¡°You¡¯re afraid of dying, aren¡¯t you? We¡¯re simply going to capture a ghost. You won¡¯t need to do anything, just stand by my side,¡± Daoist Luo thought he had guessed Shen Luo¡¯s hesitation and said with a slight smile. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Master Luo. Allow me a moment to get ready,¡± Shen Luo knew he couldn¡¯t refuse at this point and agreed. ¡°Hurry up and pack your things. We¡¯ll leave immediately,¡± Daoist Luo instructed, before turning to leave. Shen Luo respectfully trailed behind him for a few steps and then watched him leave. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of worry. However, he quickly regained his composure, collected his thoughts and prepared to tidy up his stuff. He packed a change of clothes, the Small Thunder Talisman and exorcism charms he drew earlier, to be on the safe side. After all, his talisman making skill was already half-exposed. He didn¡¯t have to worry about being discovered. Shen Luo glanced at the stone box on his hand, hesitated for a bit, but finally put it into his bundle. Although carrying this stone box would increase the risk, he felt even less secure leaving it at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Fortunately, the box gave off no energy fluctuations. As long as Luo Daoist didn¡¯t see it, he wouldn¡¯t notice it. Even if Daoist Luo did notice, Shen Luo already had an excuse prepared. He would say that inside the box was an auspicious life-saving item he got when he last went home. The box should never be opened casually. Given Luo Daoist¡¯s disposition, he wouldn¡¯t insist on touching his belongings. After preparing everything, Shen Luo quickly went out and headed towards the residence of Daoist Luo. ¡°Why did it take you so long? Hurry up,¡± Daoist Luo was already waiting outside his residence. When he saw Shen Luo, he chastised him. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo responded, quickening his pace to a jog. ¡°Stand next to me,¡± Daoist Luo pointed at the space beside him. Shen Luo looked confused, but did as instructed. Daoist Luo took out a white handkerchief from his pocket. There were rune-like patterns on it, emitting a gentle white light, which was quite conspicuous in the darkness of the night. On seeing the white handkerchief, Shen Luo had an inkling of what was going to happen. Daoist Luo took out a blue talisman from his other hand and put it on the white handkerchief while muttering an incantation. Immediately, the blue talisman began to emit a blue light, infusing into the white handkerchief. The runes on the surface of the White handkerchief lit up, emitting a ball of gentle white light. The item started to float in front of Daoist Luo, resembling a white lantern. At the same time, waves of cold air gathered from the surrounding atmosphere, blending into the white handkerchief, which in turn made the emitted white light even brighter. Shen Luo recognized this cold air. It was Water Spirit Qi. Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Judging People through Snobbish Eyes Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Judging People through Snobbish Eyes As the handkerchief¡¯s glow reached a certain limit, with a ¡°poof,¡± waves of white clouds gushed out from the white handkerchief, swirling around it without dispersing. In a few breaths, a white cloud the size of a house emerged, gently bobbing up and down in mid-air, like a piece of wood floating in water. Shen Luo was amazed by these rapid changes. With a casual wave of his hand from the Daoist Luo, the white cloud immediately flew down and hovered in front of the two. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He stepped on it and stood firmly. Looking at the hazy cloud, Shen Luo gritted his teeth and also leaped onto it. The cloud appeared to be filled with fog, but when stepped on, it had a force that lifted a person up, giving the feeling of standing on solid ground. The white cloud carried the weight of both individuals without even a hint of a sway. Shen Luo relieved his breath, reached out to touch the cloud, and it felt like a cool patch of cotton, something he could not grasp with his hand. ¡°Master Luo, what kind of treasure is this?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask, growing more and more amazed. ¡°This is the Water Cloud Pouch, a talismanic instrument I use for travel. Stand steady,¡± the Daoist Luo said casually, and began to manipulate the cloud. The white cloud shook lightly, then drifted in a distant direction, constantly rising in height. The cloud started off quite slowly, but its speed gradually increased, eventually reaching several times that of a galloping horse, racing forward. Now, the bright moon was hanging high in the sky, it was very bright. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion below quickly reduced in size, soon becoming the size of a fist, and the entire Qinghua Mountain also quickly reduced, turning into a low mound of soil. Shen Luo had never been so high before, his legs felt weak, and with the strong wind hitting his face, he could hardly breathe or even open his eyes. He quickly retracted his gaze and sat down cross-legged. After a while, his feelings slowly stabilized, he gradually got used to the speed, and when he looked around again, he was no longer so shaky. Instead, he started to feel a sense of excitement. The sky above him was a vast starry night, below him was the vast earth. Flying between heaven and earth, wasn¡¯t that what he always longed for? ¡°This is the true path of cultivating immortality! One day, I, Shen Luo, will use my own strength to travel between heaven and earth like this!¡± Looking at the vast heaven and earth, Shen Luo clenched his fists, making a silent oath. Daoist Luo saw Shen Luo¡¯s expressions, and with his experience, naturally guessed what Shen Luo was thinking. He didn¡¯t say any words of encouragement, and quickly looked away. In his view, Shen Luo was mediocre and short-lived and not likely to achieve anything. This time, he brought him out to broaden his horizons, considering this as his final act of kindness. With these thoughts in mind, Daoist Luo silently operated his mana, urging the Water Cloud Pouch to speed up. Two hours later, the sky began to brighten, and the outline of a city gradually became clear in front of them. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes brightened a bit, recognizing it as his hometown, Chunhua County Town. He had learned from Daoist Luo on the road that their destination was a town near Chunhua County called Baihe Town. Looking at the city getting closer and closer, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel in his heart. From Spring and Autumn Pavilion to Chunhua County, even for a fast horse it usually takes about a day to get there. Now it only takes a short time, and judging from Daoist Luo¡¯s nonchalant manner, it seemed like he hadn¡¯t yet exerted his full effort. If he had a talismanic instrument like the Water Cloud Pouch, traveling would be so convenient! Daoist Luo drove the Water Cloud Pouch directly towards the northeast direction of the County Town, and soon reached a town by the river. This was Baihe Town, named after the Bailian River outside the town. It was famous for its fabric dyeing within a hundred miles. Shen Luo had heard of it, but had never been there. So as not to cause a commotion, Daoist Luo landed down in an uninhabited place outside Baihe Town and entered the town on foot with Shen Luo. Baihe Town was several times bigger and more prosperous than the small town where Shen Luo had stayed outside Song Fan County. There were various shops lined up, especially fabric shops. Near the river, there was a row of dyeing workshops, with dozens of them. At this moment, although it was early in the morning, the shops on the street had already opened their doors, and the fabric workers in the riverside workshops had already started their work. Rolls of fabric and silk were hung up, fluttering in the wind, like countless fluttering flags, which was spectacular. The two of them asked around and quickly came to a high gate courtyard in the town. Even through the courtyard wall, you could see the high-rise pavilions inside. The crimson gate of the courtyard was tightly closed, and the plaque hanging at the entrance read ¡°Ma Mansion¡± in gold lacquer. This was their destination, the home of a Ma surname cloth merchant in Baihe Town. Looking at the high gate courtyard in front of him, Shen Luo had a feeling in his heart. The morning sun rose, casting its bright brilliance, bringing everything back to life. However, the mansion in front of him still gave him a gloomy feeling, as if the area around the mansion was covered with an invisible fog, so much so that the sunlight couldn¡¯t shine here. ¡°Sure enough, there is ghostly Qi.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, feeling slightly smug at the same time. But after glancing a few times, he quickly lowered his head to avoid getting noticed by Daoist Luo. Presently, Daoist Luo was carefully observing the Ma Mansion in front of him. Obviously, he had also noticed the anomalies here, but his expression remained the same, seemingly quite used to it. ¡°Go and knock on the door.¡± After a moment, said Daoist Luo casually, then turned his back to the mansion, gazing into the distance. Following the command, Shen Luo stepped forward and hit the copper ring on the door. After knocking for a while, the big gate finally creaked open, and a middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe and hat with sleepy eyes came out. ¡°Hmph! Early in the morning and we have two beggars come by. These few days we have things going on in the mansion, if you want alms go somewhere else. Leave, now!¡± The middle-aged man glanced disdainfully at the two of them and reprimanded impatiently. Shen Luo was new to this place and was originally planning to negotiate politely for Master Luo. However, this man¡¯s words were disrespectful and he looked at people disdainfully through the corner of his eyes, which annoyed him. He immediately shouted angrily: ¡°You insolent servant, are you blind? This man here is Daoist Luo from Spring and Autumn Pavilion, invited by your master, Official Ma. Hurry up and report this matter, if you delay the time, be careful of your legs being broken!¡± Upon hearing these words, the middle-aged man shuddered, and his sleepiness was instantly half gone. He looked at the old and younger pair again, quickly changed his expression, apologizing while bowing and nodding, then he half-closed the door and quickly ran back to the mansion. Not long after, the mansion gate reopened, and a potbellied wealthy-looking middle-aged man came out quickly, accompanied by a housekeeper-like old man in a green robe. This man was in his forties, wearing a brown wisp hat, and a wide robe of silk. With a round face and small eyes, his eyes flickered with a shrewd light. ¡°Are the two of you the immortals from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion? My subordinate was rude and did not welcome you properly, please forgive us.¡± The middle-aged man saw that Daoist Luo was still standing sideways with his hands behind his back, he quickly bowed his hands in courtesy to Shen Luo, his attitude was exceptionally respectful. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Haunted Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Haunted ¡°This is my Master Luo Daoist, the Elder of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and I¡¯m Shen Luo,¡± Shen Luo introduced himself without picking on the gatekeeper. ¡°So, it¡¯s Daoist Master Luo and Daoist Master Shen.¡± The middle-aged man bowed again. ¡°Are you Ma Simo, who wrote the letter to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion? What¡¯s your relationship with Ma Xingming?¡± Luo Daoist finally turned around and asked. ¡°Ma Xingming was my great-grandfather,¡± Ma Simo answered, shivering under the gaze of the Luo Daoist. ¡°Do you have a genealogy?¡± The Daoist asked again. ¡°Yes, Master Daoist, please have a look,¡± said Ma Simo, who seemed well-prepared, handing over a black silk-covered book. Shen Luo quickly took the book and handed it to Luo Daoist. Daoist Luo grabbed the book with one hand and casually flipped through it before tossing it back to Shen Luo. ¡°Ma Xingming once studied at Spring and Autumn Pavilion and though he didn¡¯t achieve much, he did contribute to the Pavilion, and so we bestowed upon him a token. Now that you have proved to be his descendant, according to our Pavilion¡¯s rules, you have one opportunity to request assistance from Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Luo Daoist said, turning to face them again. ¡°Thank you, Master Daoist.¡± Ma Simo was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed before inviting them into the house. Upon entering the main gate, they were greeted by the sight of a square courtyard about an acre in size, with a two-yard-wide bluestone road leading to the grand central hall. To the left of the bluestone road was a garden full of flowers and trees, while on the right was a pond with several water pavilions connected by bridges. The pond was covered with a layer of green lotus leaves, dotted with a few pink lotus flowers. There were also courtyards on both sides of the main courtyard, with numerous buildings and pavilions, but they couldn¡¯t clearly see inside from behind the courtyard wall. As they walked across the courtyard to the main hall, two pretty young maids brought them tea. ¡°Mister Ma, in the letter you sent to our Pavilion, you briefly mentioned there were hauntings within your mansion but didn¡¯t detail what kind of spirits are these? Has anyone seen them?¡± Master Luo asked after taking a sip of tea. ¡°Old Wang, our night guard, saw it. He said it was a red-dressed female ghost, but he didn¡¯t get a good look and fainted on the spot. He fell ill the next day and hasn¡¯t been able to get out of bed since. Then, our guard dogs started to die one after another, they bled from all their orifices when they died¡­ Also, every morning, there are inexplicable bloody and stinky puddles in different parts of the house, sometimes in the front hall, sometimes in the backyard, and once even in my bedroom,¡± Ma Simo explained, wiping sweat from his brow, his face turning pale. While listening to Ma Simo¡¯s tales of the strange happenings, Shen Luo looked around, feeling a peculiar gloom in this luxuriously decorated mansion. ¡°So far, only several dogs have died, and no human lives were taken, but who knows what happens next. Daoist Master Luo, I am willing to offer a hundred taels of gold to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. I beg you to exorcise the demon and save the Ma Family,¡± Ma Simo said, his voice trembling, and he stood up to bow. ¡°Mr. Ma, you are too kind. If there really is a malicious spirit, I certainly won¡¯t stand by,¡± Daoist Luo said calmly, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. Ma Simo thanked him again and again, finally calming down a bit. ¡°Mr. Ma, based on what you¡¯ve told us, we can¡¯t determine what kind of spirit it is. Can we speak to the guard who is bedridden?¡± After a moment of silence, Daoist Luo asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unfortunate. Old Wang was originally recuperating in the mansion, but his family came to take him home yesterday due to concerns about his health,¡± Ma Simo responded, hesitantly. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. You mentioned smelly, unpleasant stains appearing every night. I could find some clues from those stains, did those stains appear last night?¡± Daoist Luo asked. ¡°Yes, they were in the backyard. But the smell was too terrible, so I had them cleaned up,¡± Ma Simo replied, looking down in embarrassment. ¡°Do you still have the bodies of the deceased dogs? Please tell me they weren¡¯t disposed of?¡± Daoist Luo, without saying a word, paused and then continued to ask. ¡°The black dogs are here!¡± Ma Simo immediately looked up and said joyfully. Luo Daoist also breathed a sigh of relief, waved his hand, and asked Ma Simo to lead him there. A moment later. In a storage room in the backyard, Luo Daoist was half-kneeling on the ground, examining the bodies of the three dead black dogs. Shen Luo was standing respectfully behind Luo Daoist. Ma Simo was scared and stayed outside, not daring to come in. The dogs had been dead for a long time. Their bodies were shriveled, the fresh blood flowing from their seven orifices had dried up. From their twisted dog faces, one could see they were filled with extreme terror, as if they had seen something extremely horrifying. Seeing the death state of the three black dogs, Shen Luo¡¯s eyelids twitched. The image of the long-haired ghost that he encountered in the Dreamland Mountain Village involuntarily appeared in his mind. Luo Daoist touched one of the dead dogs and then pointed between its eyes with his bent finger. A moment later, he withdrew his hand. ¡°Master Luo, these black dogs died in a peculiar way. How did they die?¡± When Shen Luo saw him stop, he quietly asked. ¡°The seven orifices bleeding is a sign of death due to the extraction of essence. Ordinary ghosts all have this ability. There is no need to be overly shocked,¡± Luo Daoist said nonchalantly. Upon hearing his words, Shen Luo felt a sense of relief in his heart. It¡¯s good that Master Luo was confident. Luo Daoist seemed to have understood what he wanted to know. He paid no more attention to the dead dogs, turned around and walked out of the backyard. Shen Luo quickly followed. ¡°Master Luo, did you find anything?¡± Outside the courtyard, Ma Simo came to greet them and asked. ¡°Everything is under control, but we still need to verify it further. Mister Ma, could you please take us around the mansion?¡± Luo Daoist said. Ma Simo would naturally not refuse, leading Luo Daoist and Shen Luo on a tour around the Ma Mansion. Shen Luo knew that Luo Daoist was looking for the hiding place of the ghost. As he followed along, he kept watch discreetly. But they searched everywhere from the backyard to the main yard, and then to the courtyards on the left and right. They couldn¡¯t find anything in the entire mansion. ¡°This isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Luo Daoist furrowed his eyebrows, muttering to himself. ¡°Master Luo, could the ghost have come from the outside and escaped since it¡¯s daytime now?¡± Shen Luo guessed. ¡°No, the entire Ma Mansion is surrounded by Yin Qi. The ghost is definitely hiding here. It seems to be hiding very well and not easy to find,¡± Luo Daoist shook his head and said. ¡°Master Luo, is it not possible to find the ghost? The previous priests I invited also ended up like this. What should I do?¡± Ma Simo was disheartened. ¡°Mister Ma, don¡¯t worry. This mere ghost trick is nothing. I have methods to make it show itself,¡± Luo Daoist said disdainfully, feeling slightly offended. He then instructed Ma Simo to prepare incense, candles, and a offering table, and asked for some yellow paper and cinnabar. Ma Simo had invited a few priests in the past, so all these items were already prepared. When he heard the instructions, he immediately had someone bring them in. According to Luo Daoist¡¯s arrangement, he placed the offering table in the center of the main yard. He then arranged incense, candles, melons, and fruits on it to build a Dharma Platform. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Seven Star Formation Chapter 85: Chapter 84: Seven Star Formation Daoist Luo asked Ma Simo to bring seven burning candlesticks and place them around the altar, forming the shape of the Big Dipper. For a moment, the courtyard was filled with floating sparks, making everyone feel a sense of awe. Seeing Daoist Luo¡¯s well-organized arrangement, Ma Simo¡¯s expression also became slightly calmer. Daoist Luo solemnly stood in the middle of the seven candlesticks, bit his finger, silently activated his Skills, and shot seven drops of blood onto the flames of the candlesticks. ¡°Puff!¡±, the flames of the seven candlesticks suddenly enlarged several times, burning fierily. Ma Simo couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes at the sight. The mages he had invited for the last few days were merely dabbling around, performing as if in a drama, but this is the first time he had seen such authentic God¡¯s Power. His family was indeed saved at last. Ma Simo was thrilled, his eyes looking at Daoist Luo were filled with newfound respect. ¡°Phew¡­ stimulating the Seven-Star Array drains a lot of essence blood. After this, Poor Daoist will need at least three years of quiet cultivation to recover.¡± Daoist Luo wobbled a bit, took a deep breath, and spoke. ¡°In return for your great insight, I¡¯m willing to donate an additional two hundred taels of gold to make up for your loss. However, please make sure to eliminate that ghost.¡± Ma Simo said immediately upon hearing this. ¡°Mister Ma, rest assured, with the Seven-Star Great Array laid out, no matter how powerful that ghost is, it won¡¯t be able to escape from Poor Daoist¡¯s hands!¡± Daoist Luo revealed his teeth with a slight smile; his pearly-white teeth, reflected by the surrounding firelight, were dazzling. Shen Luo, standing on one side, quickly lowered his head and suppressed his laughter. The aura on Daoist Luo had not diminished in the slightest. Where had his great loss of cultivation come from? With respect to the sudden increase in the flame, it happened when Daoist Luo shot out his blood and simultaneously triggered seven strands of Mana. If it were not for his status as a Qi Refining Cultivator, he would have been fooled, just like Ma Simo and the others, and would have considered this a divine miracle. It appeared that Daoist Luo, who usually seemed cold, was indeed adept at making money. After taking a short rest, Daoist Luo dove into drawing charms. Shen Luo observed Daoist Luo drawing a type of exorcism charm similar to those he¡¯d seen before, and carefully watched. However, with Daoist Luo¡¯s swift and dazzling Brushwork, one charm was quickly followed by another without intermission. In a matter of moments, he had drawn more than twenty charms. ¡°Stick these charms in all the rooms of your mansion, including the courtyard. Make sure not a single spot is missed and call everyone in the mansion here!¡± Daoist Luo left one charm on the altar, handed the rest to Ma Simo, and instructed him sternly. Without any deliberation, Ma Simo immediately ordered several servants to paste the charms. The entire household, including the servants and his seventy-year-old mother, who was carried out on a palanquin, were summoned. There were around twenty or thirty people altogether. Daoist Luo waited until everyone had gathered, then he unsheathed the sword that had been hanging on his back. It was a Peach Wood Sword. The red body of the wooden sword had clear patterns, and from a distance, one could feel a strong righteous Qi emanating from it, used for exorcising evil spirits. ¡°What a superb Peach Wood Sword!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes sparkled. He had read many miscellaneous books and had a good understanding of the Peach Wood Sword, a common Daoist tool for driving out demons. Peach wood, also known as ¡°Dragon-Slaying Wood¡±, had the effect of exorcising evil spirits and ghosts. The older the tree, the deeper its color, and the stronger its power to exorcise evil. The color of ordinary peach wood is usually light yellow. Only after 30 years can it possibly turn pink. To achieve a deep red color, however, it must come from a hundred-year-old peach tree. What¡¯s more rare was that Daoist Luo¡¯s Peach Wood Sword did not have a single scar, and the exorcising power of the hundred-year-old peach wood was not damaged in the slightest, decidedly making it a top-class instrument for eliminating ghosts. Daoist Luo took out a red charm from his chest and stuck it on the sword handle. The body of the Peach Wood Sword suddenly bloomed with a layer of red light. The power of the Peach Wood and the charm fused together, raising its capacity several times. A strong surge of Mana radiated from the sword body, causing the surrounding air to hum faintly. The audience in the Ma Mansion gasped at this sight, each one transfixed. Shen Luo was silently impressed. Compared to the others, he had a better sense of the astonishing aura that the Peach Wood Sword emitted, vastly more powerful than when he activated the Talisman Fork. That being said, this was due to his current lack of Mana, which was far from unleashing the full potential of the Talisman Fork. Having stimulated the power of the Peach Wood Sword, Daoist Luo didn¡¯t immediately proceed, and suddenly waved at Shen Luo. ¡°Master Luo.¡± Shen Luo was slightly surprised, but immediately stepped forward. ¡°Hold onto this and stand aside.¡± Daoist Luo took an object from his chest and handed it to him. It was a three-foot-long yellow banner. There was a Taiji Diagram on both ends of the banner, with seven pentagonal stars drawn in the middle, formed into the shape of the Big Dipper. It was a commonly seen Seven-Star Banner in Daoism, and a yellow talisman was attached to the top, radiating faint Mana waves. Obviously, it was another Talismanic Instrument. Shen Luo was inwardly surprised by Daoist Luo¡¯s wealth. He responded aloud, reverentially accepting the Seven-Star Banner and standing next to Daoist Luo as instructed. At this moment, the servants returned, reporting that all the charms had been pasted. ¡°Withdraw to the side. You can just watch quietly.¡± Daoist Luo nodded, waved everyone to retreat, and then started moving his feet accordingly to the step method. He spun around a few times, then with a huge scream, the Peach Wood Sword in his hand twirled around and pierced the charm on the altar. The runes on the charm immediately lit up, emitting a bright red light. An unseen wave burst from the charm, rippling quickly in all directions, and the candles around the altar flared up. At the same time, dazzling red lights bloomed in various places around the Ma Mansion. Those were the charms pasted in the rooms lighting up. For a moment, the entire Ma Mansion was bathed in clusters of red light. Seeing this scene, everyone in the courtyard held their breath, afraid to even gasp for air. Just then, the charm affixed in the central area of the left courtyard suddenly shot up, landing in a corner of the courtyard. There was a lush bamboo forest there, with a big locust tree deep inside, its verdant branches and leaves indicating it had been there for at least forty to fifty years. The charm hit the ground under the locust tree, ignited without any wind, and turned into a crimson fireball which then smashed to the ground like lightning. With a muffled ¡®bang¡¯, the fireball exploded spectacularly, turning into a shower of sparks, scattering dry bamboo leaves and twigs, revealing a pitch-black abandoned wellhead. The sound of gushing water resonated from the well, then a black mist slowly emerged, exuding an aura of cruelty. In the main courtyard, Daoist Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. He opened his mouth and spat out a breath of white Qi, which entered the Seven-Star Banner. The yellow light on the banner swelled enormously, illuminating the seven starlight patterns that shot seven yellow rays, enveloping the ground in front. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Slaying the Demon Chapter 86: Chapter 85: Slaying the Demon Shen Luo felt that the Seven-Star Banner in his hand suddenly became unusually heavy, as if it had instantly transformed from a fabric banner into an iron one. He could hardly hold onto it. He quietly activated the Small Transformation Yang Skill to increase his strength, managing with difficulty to lift it up. At that moment, Luo Daoist gave a low shout. The Peach Wood Sword in his hand was released, morphing into a meteor-like red light. It moved at an astonishing speed, covering a distance of dozens of feet in an instant and stabbing into the Seven-Star Banner. The yellow glow on the banner fluctuated, and the Peach Wood Sword surprisingly disappeared inside it. However, a crack suddenly appeared at the spot where the sword struck, and pitch-black darkness could be seen within the crack, as though it linked to some dark place. Almost at the same time, a mournful scream came from the left wing of the courtyard. It was a woman¡¯s voice, as if she had suffered some kind of injury. This caused everyone in the Ma Mansion to shudder, drawing closer to each other, none daring to make a noise. Shen Luo, who had gained courage from his previous dream experiences, stayed put. But his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Although the scream was mournful, there was no sign of weakening. It was clear that the person was injured but not dead. ¡°That¡¯s not right! Taking a hit from the sword and still not dying!?¡± Luo Daoist exclaimed, his face filled with surprise. At that moment, the scream suddenly transformed into a sharp roar. The expression on Luo Daoist¡¯s face solidified. He made a series of hand seals and waved his hands continuously as though he was controlling the Peach Wood Sword in the air. A pounding collision sound echoed from the dried well inside the bamboo forest of the left wing, as if someone was engaged in battle below. Clusters of dirty black energy gushed out from the wellhead, instantly engulfing the courtyard with a chilling atmosphere. The temperature also plummeted in the main yard as a wave of coldness quickly spread out. All the people from the Ma family were shocked. Someone shouted loudly, causing everyone to run in horror towards the right wing. Some of them were so panicked that they tripped over, creating a scene of wild disorder. Glancing at the flustered Ma family members, Shen Luo was about to reassure them not to be afraid when- At that moment, bubbling noises came from the crack inside the Seven-Star Banner in his hand. A surge of black energy gushed out, entwining itself around him in an instant. He instantly experienced a chill followed by piercing pain all over his meridians, and half of his body went numb. Startled, Shen Luo was about to counteract it with his magic techniques, but the Yang Gang Qi inside his body automatically reacted to the intrusion of the ghostly Qi, providing a protective shield around him. A brilliant red light radiated from his body, pervading his entire being. It promptly isolated the black energy, dispelling most of the numbness. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart jumped as he remembered Luo Daoist was nearby. The Small Transformation Yang Skill he was displaying was far beyond the level of a novice. However, acting on instinct, Shen Luo did not reduce the Yang Gang Qi. Instead, he let it circulate around him, guarding him against the ghostly Qi. He cast a sideways glance at Luo Daoist. At that moment, Luo Daoist was performing a series of intricate hand seals as if he was in an intense battle himself. He seemed to be oblivious to what was happening here. ¡°Sinful creature, do you really believe I can¡¯t exorcise you?¡± Luo Daoist suddenly shouted, his two hands coming together. He made a swift swipe across his palm with some kind of sharp object, causing blood to rush forth and dye both his palms red. A brilliant red light burst forth from both hands. However, the red light emanating from his left hand was more vibrant, filled with masculine energy, while that from his right hand was more composed, exuding a feminine softness. With a ¡°snap,¡± the two hands clasped together, forming a sword-finger hand seal. He began softly chanting a spell. The red light from both hands immediately intertwined and merged into one. As the sound of the sword echo from next door¡¯s courtyard started, a red light shot out from the well in the bamboo forest, which was exactly the Peach Wood Sword, but it was tightly wrapped in strands of black Qi like tendrils. Black Qi was surging in the well below, and more black Qi shot out from the well, swirling towards the Peach Wood Sword. The Peach Wood Sword made a spinning movement, and two strands of red light suddenly rose from the sword¡¯s body, intertwining with each other. ¡°Zing¡­¡± A clear sound, like metal clashing, an enormous red Qi Sword about a dozen feet long was condensed and emitted a bright and warm red light. The black Qi entwining the Peach Wood Sword instantly evaporated, turned into nothingness. The swirling black Qi, emitted by the Qi Sword, was touched by the warm red light and immediately melted quickly as if it were ice and snow under a scorching sun. ¡°Yin Yang Law Sword, Exorcise Ghosts and Demons!¡± Luo Daoist dramatically widened his eyes, raised his hands high, and then fiercely brought them down in a slashing motion in the void. In the courtyard next door, the red glow of the Qi Sword suddenly brightened, illuminating more than half of the yard in a red shimmer, then it struck down heavily, in sync with Luo Daoist¡¯s movements. ¡°Hiss.¡± The black Qi floating in the courtyard was effortlessly sliced in half and quickly evaporated, disappearing. The red Qi Sword disappeared without a trace in a blink, the next moment it appeared out of nowhere in front of the abandoned ancient well before striking down with a force that could shatter the heavens. ¡°Boom!¡± A thunderous noise! The entire mouth of the abandoned well exploded, debris and dust flew into the air, and the ground was blown into a pit about a dozen feet deep. The old locust tree next door was also blown down to the roots, falling to the ground. ¡°Ah!¡± A shrill, ghastly scream rang out, causing a painful piercing sensation in the eardrums, but it quickly faded. The Yin Qi that had enveloped the entire Ma Mansion was now slowly dissipating, the sunlight shining down made the mansion indescribably bright and warm, giving a feeling of seeing a clear sky after moving away the clouds. No more black Qi was pouring out of the Seven-Star Banner, Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief, quickly circulated the Small Transformation Yang Skill, and completely dispelled the black Qi within his body. The Mao family members who had fled in disarray from the courtyard also gradually noticed that the crisis had been lifted, all of them stopped running, and looked towards Luo Daoist and Shen Luo. The red light enveloping Luo Daoist¡¯s hands had now disappeared, his face looked slightly pale, but there was some excitement in his expression, he raised his hand and beckoned. Just heard a ¡°swoosh¡± and a red light flew back from the courtyard next door and landed in front of him. It was the Peach Wood Sword that had disappeared. The red charm on the Peach Wood Sword was much less bright, it had clearly been greatly consumed, the Qi Sword around it had disappeared but on the tip of the sword, there was a red ghost shadow about three feet tall, which was a woman dressed in a red skirt. The woman¡¯s flesh and skin on her hands and feet were rotten and in many places revealed stark white bones, which was very disgusting. Her face was relatively intact and pretty looking with a bright red mole between her eyebrows, but her eyes were filled with ferocious and violent light. She roared furiously at Luo Daoist and struggled vigorously, trying to break free from the Peach Wood Sword¡¯s restraint. However, this female ghost had no ghostly power inside her body which had become almost transparent, as if it could dissipate at any moment. No matter how hard she tried, she could never leave the Peach Wood Sword even a bit. Shen Luo curiously examined this Red-Skirted Female Ghost, and quietly compared it with the long-haired ghost in the dreamland. Indeed, the ghost in the dreamland was much more terrifying. But judging by power, the ghost in front of them was naturally more formidable. ¡°Sin barrier, surrender yourselves! Collect!¡± Luo Daoist shouted, and with a flick of his hand, he took out a Small Black Cloth Bag from his chest, pinching spells with the other. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 86: The Whole Story Chapter 87: Chapter 86: The Whole Story The small bag immediately flew out of his hand, and a circle of black light emerged from the opening, a force of attraction instantly engulfing the ghostly figure. With a flash of black light, the red-skirted female ghost was sucked into the bag, and all the ghostly Qi in the courtyard disappeared at once. ¡°That¡­That ghost is already exorcised?¡± Ma Simo walked over tremblingly, his lips turning pale with fear. He had never known that such a terrifying ghost had been hiding all along in his own courtyard. ¡°Mister Ma, rest assured, the ghost is exorcised, and your mansion will no longer be disturbed,¡± said Luo Daoist, putting away the black bag and the Peach Wood Sword, and took back the Seven-Star Banner from Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you, thank you, you two are truly like living immortals, but how did that ghost come to my house?¡± After hearing this, Ma Simo breathed a sigh of relief but still asked with confusion. Shen Luo was taken aback upon this realization and looked towards Luo Daoist. Luo Daoist also paused, seemingly hadn¡¯t thought of this question before. After a moment of thought, he headed towards the side courtyard, and Shen Luo quickly followed. Ma Simo announced to the Ma family members that the ghost was exorcised and instructed them to return to their rooms, then quickly followed himself. Luo Daoist arrived at the old well in the side courtyard. After some investigation around, his eyebrows were still slightly furrowed so he gained no leads. After a moment of ponder, he lightly stepped forward, his figure floating onto the rooftop of a nearby large building. He looked around and soon, a look of sudden realization appeared on his face and he floated down. ¡°Although Baihe Town is situated on fertile land with convenient transportation, the Feng Shui isn¡¯t very good. The river flowing from outside the town is bow-shaped, and from that bow, a small brook flows into your town. This type of terrain is called ¡®Bow-shaped land,¡¯ and it tends to gather Yin Qi. Fortunately, the ¡®Bow-shaped land¡¯ of Baihe Town is not significant, and the gathered Yin Qi is not much. Moreover, the locals are thriving, and their vitality is strong enough to dispel these Yin Qi. However, this well in your home connects to underground water veins, and there¡¯s an old locust tree next to the well. The locust tree attracts Yin Qi and ghosts. The dispersed Yin Qi all gathered here, forming a Yin cave, hence the ghost took refuge here. It¡¯s fortunate that the ghost was nearing its breakthrough in its cultivation and didn¡¯t cause much harm, otherwise, I fear your family might have suffered some terrible fate,¡± Luo Daoist explained. ¡°Feng Shui, Yin gathering¡­ So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Shen Luo listened with great interest and memorized all these pieces of knowledge. ¡°Will other ghosts come to my house? Do we need to move?¡± Ma Simo, not showing the same enthusiasm as Shen Luo, asked anxiously. ¡°No need to, now that the ghost is gone and the locust tree is destroyed, the gathered Yin Qi will gradually disperse. You just need to fill up the well. If you are still worried, you can negotiate with the townsfolk to fill up the brook, which will break the Yin-gathering Feng Shui of this area,¡± Luo Daoist waved his hand and answered. ¡°Yes, yes, on behalf of the residents of Baihe Town, thank you for your guidance. ¡± Ma Simo thanked him gratefully, contemplating on how to fill up the troublesome brook. ¡°Now that the fierce ghost is gone, we should take our leave,¡± Luo Daoist announced his departure. ¡°Why are you two immortals in such a hurry to leave? I have ordered my servants to prepare a feast so we can treat you properly,¡± Ma Simo hurriedly said. ¡°We need to return to our mountain for cultivation; there¡¯s no need for you to go through such trouble,¡± Luo Daoist shook his head in refusal, seeming to be in a hurry to leave. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t persuade them to stay, Ma Simo personally saw them off. Naturally, he didn¡¯t forget to offer the previously promised reward, even overpaying a significant amount. Luo Daoist and Shen Luo didn¡¯t stay long in Baihe Town, leaving quickly. Once they were in a deserted place outside of town, Luo Daoist used the Water Cloud Pouch again, carrying both of them towards Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Shen Luo looked in the direction of Chunhua County Town, wanting to go home, but he had just left Spring and Autumn Pavilion not long ago with the excuse of visiting his family, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to mention going home again so soon. He involuntarily sighed and withdrew his gaze, looking over at Daoist Luo instead. At this moment, Luo Daoist was sitting cross-legged on the Water Cloud Pouch, holding a small black bag in his palm. His fingertips glowed and seemed to be performing some refining rite. A layer of obscure black light emerged from the bag and occasionally pulsated intensely, as if something within was agitating. However, as the glow from Luo Daoist¡¯s fingertips flowed slowly, the black light gradually stabilised. Shen Luo watched this scene quietly, recalling the female ghost, who had been taken into the bag. He guessed that it was likely this ghost struggling inside. He just didn¡¯t know what Luo Daoist was doing. Was he taming this ghost? Upon this thought, he reconsidered the earth-shattering sword move from before and understood more about the power of Luo Daoist. He didn¡¯t dare to interrupt. After a long while, the obscure light on the black bag finally stabilised. Luo Daoist then stopped chanting, took out a talisman and stuck it on the black bag. Only then did his face relax. ¡°After we get back to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, don¡¯t mention what happened today to anyone.¡± He solemnly stored the bag away and instructed Shen Luo. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo did not ask for the reason and immediately complied respectfully. Luo Daoist was quite satisfied with Shen Luo¡¯s discretion and nodded. ¡°Master Luo demonstrated his power today, and I am in awe. May I ask about the awe-inspiring sword move you used at the end? What kind of power is that?¡± Seeing that Luo Daoist seemed to be in a good mood, Shen Luo complimented and then asked the question he had been wanting to ask. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the secret technique of my Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the Yin Yang Law Sword. It¡¯s extremely powerful against ghosts.¡± Luo Daoist said rather proudly. ¡°Yin Yang Law Sword¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, recalling the elegance of this skill, and could not help but feel envious. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Brother Bai and Senior Brother Tian mention that most of the time when their Senior Brothers leave the mountain, they¡¯re involved in exorcising ghosts. Is our Sect good at dealing with ghosts?¡± He then asked. ¡°Your guess is correct. The Daoist techniques of our Spring and Autumn Pavilion originate from the Little Straw Mountain lineage, which is particularly good at exorcising ghosts and capturing demons.¡± Luo Daoist nodded and said. ¡°Little Straw Mountain?¡± A light bulb went off in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. He vaguely remembered seeing this name in a book, seemingly a divine location mentioned in some legend. ¡°Although the Yin Yang Law Sword is powerful, it¡¯s not the most powerful technique of our Spring and Autumn Pavilion. We have a technique which is considered the foundation of our Pavilion, the Great Unsealing Technique. The Yin Yang Law Sword can, at most, exterminate ghosts and banish demons but the Great Unsealing Technique can even reverse life and death. After mastering this technique, even if gutted or decapitated, one can survive with no harm, and even regrow everything.¡± Luo Daoist spoke quite passionately and proudly. ¡°Ah! Does such an unimaginable power really exist in this world?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He had never heard of anything like resurrection in wild histories and miscellaneous records. ¡°Of course, the profundity of immortal techniques is infinite; it¡¯s beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.¡± Luo Daoist glanced at Shen Luo and said disdainfully. ¡°Does Master possess this technique?¡± Shen Luo asked, eyes filled with admiration. ¡°My cultivation level is still insufficient to cultivate the Great Unsealing Technique. Within our Pavilion, your Senior Ancestor might be the only one who possibly had access to this technique. But whether he has succeeded is another matter.¡± Luo Daoist shook his head, seemingly a bit dispirited. Feeling enlightened, Shen Luo had many questions he wanted to ask. But seeing Luo Daoist¡¯s demeanor, he held his tongue. ¡°Earlier at Ma Mansion, when faced with the ghost¡¯s harassing Qi, your inner Yang Gang Qi was unusually vigorous. How did that happen?¡± Luo Daoist suddenly asked. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 87 Jia Lan Temple Chapter 88: Chapter 87 Jia Lan Temple ¡°I was about to tell Master Luo about this. On my recent return home, my father spent a fortune to purchase an unusual vermilion fruit from a foreign merchant. He claims it¡¯s a great nourishment. After consuming it, the Yang Gang Qi inside my body greatly increased, and I¡¯m close to reaching the state of Perfection.¡± A chill ran down Shen Luo¡¯s spine, and he muttered under his breath that it¡¯s finally happening. However, he showed an excited look. As he spoke, a strong red light emanated from his body. Luo Daoist wanted to reach out to sense the condition inside Shen Luo¡¯s body. But seeing the red light on him, he lowered his hand, carefully observed the red light, and showed a surprised expression. ¡°Master Luo, once my Small Transformation Yang Skill is fully cultivated, I entrust the Pure Yang Sword Technique matter to you.¡± Shen Luo noticed Luo Daoist¡¯s movements and quietly heaved a sigh of relief, but spoke as such. ¡°I¡¯ve promised you, naturally I won¡¯t go back on my word. But what type of Vermillion Fruit did you consume?¡± Luo Daoist stared at Shen Luo and asked. Shen Luo had prepared a suitable response long ago and described a mysterious fruit that was oval, fiery red throughout, and had fiery patterns on its surface. The description of the vermilion fruit wasn¡¯t entirely fabricated by him. It was based on a spiritual fruit he had read about in a book named ¡°Fire Origin Fruit¡± which was known to have the effect of strengthening foundations and fostering vitality. However, he didn¡¯t entirely describe it as Fire Origin Fruit either. He made some changes with 70% truth and 30% lies, so that Luo Daoist wouldn¡¯t think he was lying and would be unable to confirm whether it was the Fire Origin Fruit therefore not seeing any inconsistencies. ¡°Based on your description, the fruit you ate could possibly be Fire Origin Fruit or even a different species. However, I can¡¯t confirm it. Either way, you are quite lucky. It must be your destiny,¡± Luo Daoist remarked with surprise. ¡°All thanks to your vast blessings, Master Luo¡± Shen Luo laughed and replied. ¡°Since you had such a fortunate encounter, you must put more efforts into refining the Small Hua Yang Technique to achieve Perfection as soon as possible. Then, break through and advance to the Qi Refining Stage to solve your lifespan issue.¡± Luo Daoist advised, not delving too much into the matter. ¡°Yes, I will certainly work hard and won¡¯t let you down,¡± Shen Luo promptly and earnestly promised. Afterward, Luo Daoist didn¡¯t ask further about Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation and drove the Water Cloud Pouch to continue the journey. Seeing this, Shen Luo dared not speak and stood respectfully by the side, both of them continued their journey and returned to Spring and Autumn Pavilion in the afternoon. Luo Daoist went to report back to the head of the pavilion, while Shen Luo went back to his residence by himself. After being busy for half of the night and one day, he was mentally exhausted. Upon returning to his residence, he immediately hit the sack. He slept for a long time. When Shen Luo woke up, it was already pitch black outside, a bright moon hung halfway in the sky, signalling it was the second half of the night. He stretched lazily and felt well-rested, his spirits unusually lifted at the moment. ¡°Is there any change to the jade pillow?¡± Suddenly remembering something, Shen Luo took out the jade pillow from under the bed and put an exorcism charm on himself. Activating the charm with mana, his eyes became a bit blurry. Shen Luo then looked at the jade pillow and gasped softly. Now, there was nothing on the jade pillow, the transparent light silk threads did not appear. ¡°How come there¡¯s nothing? Could it be¡­¡± A conjecture sprung into Shen Luo¡¯s mind and he stared intensely at the jade pillow, hoping to spot any changes. After observing for a while, his eyelids began to feel heavy, and sleepiness overcame him. ¡°How can I suddenly feel sleepy when I just woke up?¡± Shen Luo was shocked and hurriedly slapped his cheeks, attempting to shake off the sleepiness. But instead of disappearing, the sleepiness welled up even more intensely. He strained to resist, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t fend off the sleep demon. Softly collapsing onto the bed, he pressed the jade pillow under his body and drifted into Dreamland. After who knows how long, Shen Luo groggily opened his eyes. He rubbed his somnolent eyes, suddenly feeling a cold wind assail him. He couldn¡¯t help but shiver, waking up immediately and sitting upright. When he lifted his eyes, he found the surrounding sky dim lit, unable to distinguish whether it was dawn or evening. All he saw was a dilapidated and desolate ancient building standing not far in front of him. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened, and he quickly looked down at himself, only to discover he was wearing only a thin inner garment, stained with dried blood. The dress was clearly what he had worn when he was in Feng Chi City. He still remembered clearly that his outer robe had been taken off when he had used it to gather ash and hide from the Blue Wolf. ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve entered Dreamland again¡­¡± Shen Luo immediately understood his predicament. He hastily opened his clothes and carefully checked his body, finding that the injuries from the battle with the Demon Wolf had healed, which slightly reassured him. At this moment, a look of disbelief flashed in his eyes, and then he quickly pulled down the shirt over his right shoulder to take a look. ¡°Why is it gone?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed. His voice was not loud pero it still startled a few crows perched in a nearby dead tree, and they all flew away, ¡°fluttering¡±. Shen Luo was so surprised because he found that the skull pattern on his shoulder had mysteriously disappeared, and the talisman fork that he always carried with him was also not by his side. It was understandable that the talisman fork was missing, but why did the tattoo-like skull pattern also disappear? ¡°Could it be that the mana also¡­¡± With a feeling of anxiety, Shen Luo hurriedly activated the magic spell, operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. A moment later, when he discovered that the strand of mana in his Dantian was still responsive, he finally let out a sigh of relief. He dressed himself, steadied his mind, and carefully scanned his surroundings. The wilderness was full of wild grass, the air was damp, condensing into a thick fog. Beyond several feet, it was impossible to see clearly. Beneath his feet seemed to be an ancient green brick road, with many damages on the surface. Weeds grew from the cracks and the road extended towards the old building in front. Shen Luo walked a few steps forward, only to find that the old building was indeed the mountain gate of a temple. The roof tiles on the gate were covered in wild grass and the vermilion lacquer on the gate wall had also fallen off due to weathering. He could still vaguely see the four large characters ¡°Bao Xiang Zhuan Yan¡±. The half-closed mountain gate was almost toppled. Hanging crookedly above it was a plaque, with ¡°Jia Lan Temple¡± engraved on it. ¡°Given its dilapidated state, it must have been abandoned for at least a hundred years, right?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. He had read many strange tales in which ancient temples in deserted mountains often housed enchanting ghosts using illusion techniques to lure scholars traveling to the capital for examinations, always written extremely romantically. While these couldn¡¯t be taken literally, it was also mentioned in ¡°Zhang Heavenly Master¡¯s Demon-Subduing Chronicle¡± that places like temples and Daoist temples, as well as land deities, if thriving with incense fire, have divine protection. However, once the incense fire dies out and becomes a ruin, it is easier for such places to attract ghostly specters compared to ordinary ones. Considering his previous two dream encounters involving ghosts and demons, he was now somewhat hesitant about whether or not to enter this temple. Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Shocking Change in the Temple Chapter 89: Chapter 88: Shocking Change in the Temple At that moment, a muffled sound suddenly came from the sky, and a strange yellow wind blew up from nowhere, which quickly whipped up, completely blocking the sky in a few moments. The already dim sky was now completely dark, almost indistinguishable from night. The surrounding mist was swept up by this strange wind, like a rolling wall of gas approaching, its force was so strong that Shen Luo could hardly walk normally. Left with no choice, he had to brave the wind, taking one step at a time into the ancient temple. Just stepping into the mountain gate, Shen Luo was confronted with a headless obese corpse seated in front of him. His heart tightened, and he subconsciously began to activate the Yang Gang Qi to protect himself. However, when he saw clearly, he found that the corpse was clutching a string of Buddhist beads in its hand, which was unmistakably a clay Maitreya Buddha statue. Going around the back of the Buddha statue, Shen Luo saw a figure all in black, holding a demon subduing pestle, standing with his back to him. It was naturally the dharma protector Wei Tuo. Only, where its eyes should be there were empty holes, making it look all the more fierce. ¡°Excuse me ¡­¡± Shen Luo raised one palm and murmured. As a cultivator, one should always show respect to both Buddha and Dao Shen Luo crossed the courtyard, where sutra banners had fallen among the fallen leaves, and immediately spotted the Mahavira Hall inside. From the outside, it seemed relatively intact, except that there were many broken windows and doors, and there was even a faint glow of fire inside. ¡°Someone?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows raised as he cautiously approached. When he arrived at the hall entrance, he didn¡¯t immediately enter, but leaned against the broken door and peeked inside. Inside the hall, the floor was covered with withered grass. Placed on the central divine seat was not a statue of Buddha or Bodhisattva, but an odd-looking three-headed statue holding something like an iron shovel, which somehow looked rather comical. But this wasn¡¯t odd, as local communities have the tradition of worshipping their local deities, possibly some kind-hearted man who did good deeds while alive and was enshrined as a flesh and blood Buddha after death. Underneath the statue, a pile of dried grass was simply spread into a bed, on which lay a beggar with messy hair and ragged clothes, snoring soundly on his side. Not far from him sat a short, ugly man with scabies on his head, wearing a short brown shirt and carrying a black short axe at his waist. Beside him were two bundles of firewood, he appeared to be a woodcutter. In the corner of the hall near the wall, many floor tiles were broken, creating a large pit filled with a pool of greenish rainwater. Shen Luo watched from outside for a while, when he saw that the two inside had not noticed him, he pushed the door and walked in. The ¡°squeak¡± sound of the dilapidated palace door was very loud when it was pushed open, and as soon as it was opened, a gust of yellow wind blew in, causing the fire to flicker. The woodcutter only noticed Shen Luo then. Seeing the blood all over him, he recoiled, his face full of fear. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, elder brother, the wind outside is strong, I¡¯m just coming in to take shelter. As soon as the wind stops, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Shen Luo laughed, turned around to close the door, then wrinkled his nose. The smell inside the hall was not pleasant, the entire place filled with a damp, rotting smell. Seeing Shen Luo had no ill-intent, the woodcutter slightly moved his lips, revealing a timid and flattering smile, and stretched out both hands in a gesture to invite him to sit. Shen Luo glanced at the beggar and saw that he was still sound asleep, seemingly unaware that someone had come in. He kept his hands folded in his sleeves and silently walked to the right side of the fire, sat down there. The woodcutter stole glances at Shen Luo, then hurriedly looked away, behaving cautiously, not daring to speak a word. Shen Luo has no intention to speak, after scanning his surroundings, his gaze fixates on the fire, lost in thought. At that moment, his gaze suddenly turns towards the direction of the palace door. Then, with a ¡°crash¡±, the two wooden doors of the great hall were forcefully pushed open, and seven or eight guards, dressed in martial gear and with swords hanging from their waists, stormed in. Under their protection, a dark-faced youth wearing scale armor covering his chest and back, alongside a grey-haired old man in a brown satin robe, walked in. Behind them were about a dozen men dressed as servants. As these guards entered the great hall and saw that there were already people inside, they drew their swords without hesitation, their faces tense as if facing a formidable opponent. The grey-haired old man quickly darted behind the dark-faced youth who looked like the leader of the guards, peeking out timidly, his face full of unease as he sized up Shen Luo and the woodcutter. Shen Luo followed their figures with his eyes, glancing outside, he vaguely saw vehicles and horses in the front yard, it seemed like a small passing merchant caravan. ¡°Who are you?¡± The dark-faced youth narrowed his eyes slightly, pointing his sword at Shen Luo, he demanded to know. The bloodstains on him were indeed quite conspicuous. Seeing this, Shen Luo was stunned, thinking about how to explain, but the woodcutter beside him had already knelt on the ground, his face deathly pale, trembling like a leaf. ¡°Master, master¡­ I¡¯m just a woodcutter from the village, I don¡¯t have any money, please spare me¡­,¡± he pleaded continuously, bowing and kowtowing non-stop, obviously mistaking these people for bandits. However, the beggar, who was in a deep sleep, despite such upheaval in the hall, continued to lie motionless on the spot, seemingly still submerged in his dreams. The dark-faced youth listened to the woodcutter¡¯s words, ignoring him completely, his eyes focused on the three of them, his gaze lingering more on Shen Luo. ¡°I was robbed on the road, barely escaped with my life, that¡¯s how I ended up here,¡± Shen Luo explained helplessly. ¡°My apologies,¡± the dark-faced youth showed no change in his expression, and gestured with his hand. A guard from his side immediately brought a palm-sized round compass and handed it over to him. Shen Luo, after a quick glance, noticed that this compass had a simple and ancient design, seemingly forged from brass. A thumb-sized grey-white jade stone encrusted at the center of the needle, where one could vaguely see a bit of white gas inside. ¡°Yuan Stone¡­¡± muttered Shen Luo to himself. The dark-faced youth then gripped the sword handle with one hand and held the compass with the other, swaying it towards Shen Luo¡¯s direction and all eyes moved with it to focus on Shen Luo. The compass pointed at him for a moment, the needle didn¡¯t move, showing no apparent abnormality. The dark-faced youth¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as he moved the compass towards the beggar who was sleeping against the deity seat. Similarly, nothing happened. Seeing this, the faces of most of the people in the merchant caravan relaxed. However, when the compass was aimed towards the kneeling woodcutter, the needle suddenly began to spin out of control and the encrusted Yuan Stone on it exploded with a ¡°pop¡±. At the same time, a white light shot out from the compass and hit the woodcutter. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 89: Joint Effort to Surround and Kill Chapter 90: Chapter 89: Joint Effort to Surround and Kill The woodcutter was struck by this white light, causing his body to tumble a few times. With a hefty ¡°thud,¡± he was flung against the left wall of the grand hall, making the Earth quiver slightly. Shen Luo looked towards the woodcutter and couldn¡¯t help but draw in a breath of cool air. He saw the woodcutter had already turned over and was sprawled on the ground, his arms seemed to twist and warp as he propped himself up. His neck jutted out eerily, and his gruesome face was etched with pulsating veins. His eyes had turned scarlet, and drool dripped incessantly from the corners of his mouth. The sight immediately terrified the convoy members, rendering them frozen in their tracks. ¡°Gurgle, Gurgle, Gurgle ¡­¡± The woodcutter emitted strange sounds from the depths of his throat. His body made continuous ¡°cracking¡± noises, and his form was visibly enlarging at a rate that was detectable by the human eye. He eventually burst out of his clothes. Shen Luo saw the skin that was exposed, it astonishingly held a greyish hue. Large patches of black, like markings of decay were blooming across the surface, it looked as though he had been dead for quite some time. As his form continued to inflate, the skin tautened and swelled until with a ¡°ripping¡± sound, from behind his back, it was completely torn apart. Revealing a grey-furred rat monster standing on its hind legs, which stood around seven or eight feet high. This sight not only scared the convoy people but even the guards seemed somewhat flustered. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, it¡¯s just a rat monster. We will kill it together,¡± the dark-faced youth seemed more composed readjusting quickly and gave a joined command. The guards heard his command and each reached into their pockets and took out a small bottle. Pouring a silver liquid over their blades, they then quickly advanced on the rat monster from both sides. Shen Luo stayed in the original place, warily observing his surroundings, with his right hand secretly concealed within his sleeve. Just as he was surveying, a spine-chilling shriek suddenly erupted. The chest of a guard, standing very near to the shrine, was pierced by two bony palms and hoisted helplessly into mid-air. It was only then that everyone was shocked to realize that the beggar, who had been lying on his side, had somehow managed to stand up. With a swift twist of his body and a mighty swing of his arms, he violently hurled the corpse of the guard hanging from his arms. The body was flung directly towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo quickly sprang up from the ground and leaped backward to evade the attack. He looked back at the beggar, only to clearly see his real appearance, his eyes had rotted away, and the skin on his face was dry and wrinkled. There were dark green patches of decay all over his face. He was unmistakably a Zombie! The guards who initially were advancing towards the rat monster became completely disoriented by this sudden Zombie and were scattered in all directions. ¡°Everyone else, get out! The guards, stay with me and kill this monster and zombie,¡± the dark-faced youth immediately roared out seeing the commotion. The grey-haired old man must have been the Chamber of Commerce Manager; he hurriedly began shouting, ¡°Get out, Get out,¡± and led the way out of the palace door. The other clerks also rushed out in a hurried confusion following the old man. But right after, piercing cries of agony echoed from outside the hall. It seemed like more monsters were lurking outside; the inside and outside of the hall were now caught in a dangerous pincer attack. ¡°Everyone, stay close, gather around me,¡± cried the dark-faced youth in horror. The remaining guards immediately withdrew, standing back to back to each other in an effort to form an outward defense circle. However, before their circle could fully form, the rat monster¡¯s eyes flashed with a green glint. Without warning, it lunged forward, and its forepaws hooked to the floor, propelling itself swiftly towards a weak point in the defense line, much like an arrow shot from a bow. ¡°Watch out¡­!¡± Before the scream could fully escape, the rat monster had already transformed into a blurry shadow and plunged right into the midst of the guards. Two of the guards grunted and were immediately flung into the air. One of the guards was lucky enough to be directly thrown away, while the other had his leg bitten off as he descended, by the rat monster that lunged its head upwards with its mouth wide open. Chaos ensued within the great hall, the zombie dressed up as a beggar, abruptly spun around, unexpectedly lunging forward, not attacking the guards but heading straight for Shen Luo. Its stiff form leapt into mid-air, with both arms straight ahead, moving at an extreme speed. Seeing those fresh red flesh strips hanging from the zombie¡¯s claw-like nails, Shen Luo¡¯s scalp tingled, and he hastily retreated. Unfortunately, the corpse of the guard who had just been impaled by the zombie was nearby. Shen Luo was tripped up by one of its outstretched legs, stumbling and retreating several steps, then bumped into a palace pillar. The zombie¡¯s bloodshed fingers swiftly reached his eyes, on the verge of penetrating his skull. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he expertly thrust his head to the right. The zombie¡¯s claws grazed past his ear and were lodged into the palace pillar. A muffled ¡°thud¡± resonated, causing the great hall to tremble slightly. The zombie¡¯s fingers penetrating the pillar. Even the entire palm was buried within, unable to extricate for a moment. Shen Luo immediately lifted his right hand, which he had been hiding in his sleeve, and his palm began to burn. A ¡°boom¡± echoed loudly! A snowy white thunder light appeared from nowhere, piercing through the roof of the great hall and striking the beggar zombie. In a flash, the zombie¡¯s entire body burst out with sparks, crackling and hissing, while ceaselessly screaming hoarsely, and black smoke rose from its body. Shen Luo had been cautious all along, secretly drawing a Small Thunder Talisman in the palm of his hand using fresh blood, which he then easily used under the activation of his mana. But he was a bit surprised that the power of this Small Thunder Talisman was much greater than he had anticipated. ¡°There¡¯s a cultivator¡­¡± Someone shouted. Upon seeing this, the guards were suddenly rejuvenated. Despite the Rat Monster holding a human leg in its mouth and looking ferocious, they all raised their weapons and charged towards the Rat Monster. The silver liquid poured on their swords, not known what it was, each time it cut the Rat Monster, a wisp of green smoke would emerge from the wound. The Rat Monster shrieked and screamed as if it was severely wounded. ¡°Move away first¡­¡± The Dark-faced Youth yelled, suddenly picking up a black object from behind his waist and throwing it up towards the Rat Monster. Everyone immediately withdrew their swords and dodged. That black object suddenly unfurled in mid-air, turning into a black net that fell down, covering the Rat Monster beneath. The lightweight net seemed to have an incredible weight as it directly pressed the Rat Monster down, preventing it from moving. Seeing this, the guards no longer hesitated and rushed up together, continuously chopping down on the Rat Monster. The screams of agony within the great hall were like those of a pig being slaughtered. Shen Luo glanced at his palm, seeing that the blood markings of the rune were still there, just a little fainter. He started channeling the mana inside his Dantian, and in one breath launched four or five blows at the zombie. ¡°Rumble¡± His palm kept having the burning sensation, and the void kept resonating with thunderclaps. One after another, the snow-white lightning fell from mid-air, repeatedly striking the zombie. The sound of thunderbolts echoed constantly. When the first few lightning bolts fell, the zombie was still screaming. But by the time the last bolt fell, the zombie¡¯s body was burnt black, completely turned into charcoal, and fell to the ground with a thud. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Fighting Demons Chapter 91: Chapter 90: Fighting Demons Seeing that it had stopped moving completely, Shen Luo finally let out a breath of relief, leaning against the pillar and raising his hand to check. Only to find that his palm was entirely black, and the runes that had been drawn on it had disappeared. He turned his head to look at the other side, seeing the Rat Monster under the black net, it had been hacked into a heap of meat sauce by the guards. Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a sinister voice suddenly came from outside the hall. ¡°A few mere mortals, plus a novice cultivator, dare to run wild on my territory and even killed my trusted subordinate. You will all die.¡± The last word ¡°die¡± was dragged out extremely long, as if filled with extreme resentment. Shen Luo¡¯s expression tightened and he quickly looked in that direction. A pale figure stepped over the threshold, holding a bloody human head in his hand. Judging by the appearance, it was the head of the Chamber of Commerce Manager who had fled the hall earlier. The break at the root of the neck was uneven, unlike a cut from a weapon, but rather like it had been forcibly ripped off by someone. This brutally terrifying scene truly frightened the guards in the hall, causing them to involuntarily back away. The pale figure had two pointed ears on top of his head. Looking at his face, one could vaguely discern the likeness of a young man, but most of his face was covered by messy hanging yellow hair, making it difficult to see clearly. With a casual toss, the severed head fell to the ground, rolling right to Shen Luo¡¯s feet. ¡°That Immortal Master, if we work together, maybe there¡¯s still a chance.¡± Unlike before when facing the Rat Monster, the dark-faced youth seemed a bit scared, speaking with a trembling voice. Shen Luo didn¡¯t answer. He just stared at the silhouette in front of him, bringing his hands together inside his sleeves. ¡°Foolishly hoping for a last-ditch effort? What a delusion!¡± The demon with the appearance of a young man spoke indifferently. When he opened his mouth, one could vaguely see a full set of sharp, white teeth. Yet, his voice had regained its calmness, impossible to ascertain any emotional changes. As soon as the man finished speaking, the light inside the hall suddenly dimmed. The previously desolate scene instantly transformed. The pillars and walls of the hall disappeared, replaced by rugged, protruding boulders, turning into a gloomy cave. Shen Luo looked down and was startled to find that beneath his feet, where broken bricks and dry grass once lied, was now covered in a layer of white human and animal bones. The wooden palace door had also turned into a monstrous black iron gate. The iron gate was covered in sharp spikes, with horrifyingly twisted corpses skewered on them, their faces of death were tragic. Inside the cave, only the strange-looking three-headed statue remained in its original form. ¡°What kind of power is this?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a chill. To deal with the zombie just now, he had expended five or six Small Thunder Talismans in one breath, using up more than half of his already limited mana. The demon in front of him, whose details were still unknown, was definitely far stronger than the previous Rat Monster and zombie. ¡°Come forth and pay with your lives!¡± The young demon shouted lowly, casually swinging his arm. Shen Luo¡¯s heart beat ferociously. He faintly heard some subtle sounds in the void, but his eyes couldn¡¯t see anything. Then, a bizarre scene unfolded! The several guards that were a little far from him had no defense at all. Their heads fell off like ripe fruits on a tree, all cleanly cut off by something unseen. Only the dark-faced youth who was leading had a charm suddenly light up with a white light on his arm-guard, transforming into a slightly blurred small shield shadow that blocked front of him. However, in an instant, the small shield shadow broke into two pieces and dispersed. The dark-faced youth barely escaped with his life. In his panic, Shen Luo hurriedly began to draw the Exorcism Talisman within his sleeve, but before he could finish, he heard a faint wind sound suddenly approaching. He didn¡¯t even have a chance to dodge! At the critical moment, a thin water rope condensed out from the side, wrapped around Shen Luo¡¯s waist and abruptly pulled him to the side. The rugged stone pillar behind him made a loud noise, and a deep crack directly appeared on its surface. Shen Luo looked at the water rope around his waist, which was only as thick as his little finger, and sighed in relief. Just now, in his panic, an idea flashed through his mind. Unconsciously, he used the Water Control Technique, hurriedly extracting the water from the accumulated puddle in the corner of the great hall and condensing it into a water rope which saved his life. But the young monster¡¯s method was so strange that he didn¡¯t have time to draw another exorcism charm. With a sudden shake of both sleeves, the water rope immediately shot up, and he scattered it with one palm, splashing it in all directions. Countless tiny water droplets immediately scattered in all directions. Not all fell to the ground, but many hung in the air, some even formed a line, suspended as if about to drip. Shen Luo looked intently and finally saw that those water droplets were strung together by surprisingly long hairs that shot out from the young monster. It turned out that the culprit responsible for killing all the guards was this very thing. The hair was extremely thin and almost transparent. Without the water droplets hanging on it, it would be very hard to discern with the naked eye. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s response, the young monster was somewhat surprised, then he ¡°hehe¡± chuckled and twisted his palm in the void. All the emitted hairs immediately retracted and converged together in the air, turning into two pale yellow giant blades, each slashing down towards Shen Luo and the dark-faced youth. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have any weapons at hand, so he could only swiftly bring both hands together in front of him, controlling with all his might the scattered water droplets to form a round water shield two feet in radius, and struck towards the falling giant blade. There was a dull ¡°peng¡± sound. The water shield exploded directly, splattering countless water droplets, but it could not stop the giant blade at all. Shen Luo could only roll away to the side. But in his heart, he felt somewhat desperate. Given the monster¡¯s terrifying ability, even if he could resurrect again, there¡¯s no chance of survival. The dark-faced youth on the other side, although he had a longsword in his hand, he had no intention to confront the giant blade. He was only desperately dodging while shouting: ¡°Commander Wu, save me!¡± ¡°Useless¡­¡± A sighed sound came from nowhere. Fire instantly appeared! Two three-foot-long short spears wrapped in flames suddenly shot out from the nearby void. ¡°Dang¡±! They hit and knocked off the giant blade, drew an arc in mid-air, and fell back to the side of the dark-faced youth. From the void near his body, ripples like the surface of water came, and a tall-armored soldier emerged. The two short spears just fell steadily into the quiver on his back, side by side with the other five short spears, like a peacock spreading its tail. Shen Luo retreated to a corner and looked over, he saw the man¡¯s armor was dark black, the short spears on his back shone brightly, he had a square face with thick, drooping eyebrows, short whiskers and large ears, and a wide mouth. Despite this, he wore an expression of immense worry. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter Ninety-One: Three-Eyes Fox Demon Chapter 92: Chapter Ninety-One: Three-Eyes Fox Demon ¡°So, it¡¯s you? You¡¯ve actually tracked me down to this place. I assume all these people were your bait?¡± The young demon, upon seeing this man, immediately summoned back his twin giant blades and questioned in surprise and anger. ¡°Three-Eyes, if this coward hadn¡¯t been so desperate to live and allowed me a bit more time, I would have had a greater certainty of eradicating you. But even so, this is enough. Your illusion technique seems to have weakened. Is it because your injury from last time hasn¡¯t yet healed?¡± The square-faced knight gave the dark-faced young man a brief glance, and spoke regretfully. With that, he flicked his wrist, drawing out a gust of wind from his sleeve. A crimson charm rushed out like an arrow, striking the top of the cave. Instantly, a burst of fire appeared, transforming into a net of red flames that enveloped the entire area. Shen Luo noticed the intensely burning charm. The talismanic patterns on it were indistinguishable, but the Yang Gang Qi contained within was brilliantly visible like the sun, causing surprise to well up within him. As the net of fire spread, the originally ominous and terrifying cave started to show its original appearance of a great hall, with the black light of the walls fading away and a layer of white bones on the ground melting like ice and snow. Upon witnessing this, the young demon named ¡°Three-Eyes¡± flew into a rage. With a wave of his hand, he tossed a human head against the wall, causing it to explode loudly. ¡°Wu Pojia, I only devoured a few hundred stubborn humans from the nearby villages. Yet, you persistently chased me down, all the way to my lair? Since you refuse to let go, don¡¯t think you¡¯ll leave here alive this time.¡± Three-Eyes bristled. His fur stood on end as he snarled. In response, the square-faced knight only sneered without saying a word. Suddenly, he pulled the unguarded dark-faced young man towards him. He slapped a spell charm, glowing with a yellow light, onto the young man¡¯s back. ¡°Wu¡­¡± The dark-faced young man could only utter a single word before he stiffened entirely and stood straight as a pole. However, Shen Luo noticed that his eyes were still darting around, showing his sheer terror, while his limbs remained immobile. Wu Pojia seized his chin, forcing a black pill, the size of a corn kernel, into his mouth. He then drew several crimson short blades, glimmering with talismanic patterns, from his sleeve and swiftly pierced them into several critical spots on the young man¡¯s body. It was impossible to tell if these short blades were Talismanic Instruments themselves, but they penetrated the young man¡¯s armor as easily as a knife through tofu. Strangely enough, there was no trace of blood where the blades had entered. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The dark-faced young man let out a long scream. Screen by screen, his black eyes turned red, and his facial expression slowly shifted from agony to rage. As the talismanic patterns on the short blades shone a red light, numerous lumps began swelling up all over his body. His skeletal frame snapped and crackled as his body grew taller and taller, transforming him into a small giant more than 10 feet tall. Roaring, he rushed towards Three-Eyes. Three-Eyes let out a long howl, the hair on his head standing upright. His forehead stretched forth, revealing an amber eye the size of a dragon¡¯s eye in between his brows. He turned his face, and a flash of light shot out from the amber vertical eye. A beam of yellow light aimed directly at the small giant transformed from the dark-faced young man. The small giant, with a stiff body, made no attempt to dodge. He went straight ahead and swung a punch. The yellow light hit the scale armor on his chest. Immediately, it sizzled and smoked, as if corroded by rust. The clothes underneath the armor melted into a foul, yellowish liquid alongside the decayed armor. However, after the iron armor corroded and the skin underneath was exposed, it had an eerie crimson color. The yellow light shot by the demon¡¯s single eye could only do as much as scorch the skin, leaving black scars but failing to penetrate deeper. Its effect was minimal. Seeing the small giant¡¯s punch coming straight at him, Three-Eyes hastily retreated. Forming hand seals, the hair on his body grew wildly and twisted into a yellow giant blade that he held in front of him like a shield. With a muffled ¡°bang¡±. Three-Eyes was sent flying by a punch, but it swiftly rolled over and rose up. Its third-eye on the forehead emitted a continuous yellow light, aiming to destroy the eyes of the little giant. The little giant shielded his face with one hand while the other hand formed a fist and smashed down at Three-Eyes again. Seeing this from the side, Wu Pojia¡¯s smile widened. He swung his arms, casting a magic spell, and leaned forward. A red light flared up behind him, and the seven flame short spears wrapped in blazing fires were launched simultaneously. The seven flame short spears transformed into seven red rainbows, not aiming directly at Three-Eyes, but instead circling around, stabbing towards its vital points from different directions. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Three-Eyes sensed danger and let out a roar, causing a gust of bloody wind to fill the palace. Suddenly, its clothes exploded, and its body was covered with yellow hair that rapidly grew and twisted into eight or nine yellow giant blades, swinging around its body like an octopus dancing with its tentacles. The fists of the little giant and the seven flame short spears were all blocked temporarily. Yet, Three-Eyes still had spare energy to manipulate its vertical eye on the forehead, continuously shooting out yellow lights. However, because it was distracted, it missed the aim and almost hit Shen Luo several times. Shen Luo naturally didn¡¯t dare to resist and could only dodge in a panic by using the environment. His gaze unintentionally swept over Three-Eyes¡¯ body, and he found a red demon pattern that looked like an eyeball appearing on its chest at some point. As a result, once Shen Luo¡¯s gaze met the demon pattern, he couldn¡¯t look away anymore. He only felt as though someone had hit him with a club, making his vision dizzy. He saw a spiral pattern appearing in the eye position of the demon pattern. The spiral pattern spun around and around, as if it would never end. The spiral pattern spun faster and faster, and Shen Luo¡¯s vision became increasingly blurred. His stomach churned, inducing an extremely nauseous feeling that rushed to his chest, almost making him vomit. However, it was this brief and intense discomfort that allowed him to regain some of his senses and immediately look away. After barely escaping the control of the demon pattern, Shen Luo¡¯s body suddenly softened, almost collapsing to the ground. He supported himself on the ground with one hand, panting heavily, his mind filled with horror. If a single demon pattern could have such a terrifying effect, this Three-Eyes demon must be a formidable existence above the Grain Avoidance stage. And since Commander Wu could fight against such a demon without falling into a disadvantage, he must be a monk of the same level. Considering his use of so many ordinary people as bait and his ruthless treatment of the dark-faced youth, he may not be a good person. As Shen Luo thought this, he quietly moved towards the palace door. However, as he approached the palace door, there was another sudden change! The great hall, which had returned to normal, suddenly darkened again. It transformed back into the previous appearance of a ghost cave with bones scattered all over the ground. The heavy black iron gate also closed on its own. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 92: Joining Hands to Fight Against Demons Chapter 93: Chapter 92: Joining Hands to Fight Against Demons A chill ran through Shen Luo¡¯s heart as he gathered all his strength and charged at the black iron gate. Several clanging sounds echoed as he crashed against it, but the black iron gate didn¡¯t budge at all. Just as Shen Luo hesitated whether to attack the gate with his Small Thunder Talisman, Wu Pojia¡¯s voice quietly reached him: ¡°Kid, save your energy, it¡¯s useless. The creature in front of us is a Three-Eyed Demon Fox. Its innate ability is the path of illusion, and this is its lair which it has modified extensively using its abilities. Over the years, it has consumed countless humans, its cultivation level has greatly increased, and its illusion technique has reached the point of creating substance from emptiness. The only way to truly break the illusion is to help me slay this demon.¡± ¡°Elder, what should I do?¡± Shen Luo, knowing the truth of Wu Pojia¡¯s words but having no alternative, agreed. ¡°Accumulate your Water Techniques, wait for the right moment, and just follow my instructions.¡± Wu Pojia¡¯s voice was steady, as if he held the winning hand. With that, a change occurred in the magic spell on his hand. The flames on the seven short spears flared up and started to rotate like a spiral, forming a powerful fiery cone continuously thrusting towards the Three-eyed Demon Fox. The small giant that the dark-faced youth had transformed into seemed to have received an order as well. No longer expressly protecting his eyes, both his large hands swung out, smashing the incoming giant blades, and he launched a close combat attack against the Three-eyed Demon Fox. Of course, the Demon Fox was unwilling to comply. Nine giant blades whirled wildly around the Fox. The Fox¡¯s eyes shot out continuous yellow light and it spurted out fine hairs that were too thin to be clearly seen, aiming at the vital parts of Shen Luo and the two others. Shen Luo could only dodge the hairs flying towards him from time to time, while using the water control technique to continually draw accumulated water from the pools within the hall, keeping an eye on changes in his surroundings as well. If there was an opportunity for escape, he still wanted to prioritize his survival. To his surprise, there turned out to be quite a lot of accumulated water in the pool. As he kept using his technique, the water gathered around him. Because of this, Shen Luo¡¯s speed inevitably slowed down and it became difficult for him to roll or dodge. Just then, a shriek of agony suddenly echoed out. As Shen Luo looked over, he saw that two of the giant blades lodged in the small giant¡¯s chest, piercing through it and protruding out of two shoulder blades from behind, soaked in blood ¨C an appalling sight. After the small giant screamed, he did not retreat but pushed forwards allowing the blade to pass through his body. He ran towards the Demon Fox, and with a sweeping motion of his arms, caught hold of the Fox in a crushing embrace. ¡°Now! Trap them with your water techniques.¡± Wu Pojia roared aloud. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo shook his sleeves and two huge orbs of water shot out at once. They turned into a barrier of water that enveloped both the Three-eyed Demon Fox and the small giant. As soon as the barrier was formed, a sharp whistling sound suddenly erupted. From where Wu Pojia¡¯s sleeve was shaking, a streak of snowy white light shot out, revealing a crystal spear about a foot long. The spear was radiating intense chill and it directly lodged into the water curtain barrier. In a flash, a white frost spread out and the entire water curtain instantly solidified into an ice mountain, trapping the Demon Fox within. Wu Pojia did not give the Demon Fox a chance to break through. He hastily formed a magic spell with his hands before yanking it downwards. The seven flame short spears twinkled and suddenly doubled in size. Like javelins, they flew in from all directions, intersecting and piercing through the bodies of the Demon Fox and the giant man, pinning them firmly on the ground. Shen Luo watched this scene and his heart tightened. The dark-faced young man ¨C taken advantage of by Wu Pojia ¨C had finally met such a tragic end. As soon he could escape from here after breaking through the illusion, he planned to run as far as he could to avoid any more contact with Wu Pojia. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m unscrupulous?¡± Wu Pojia, his back turned to Shen Luo, moved forward to check the corpse of the Three-Eyed Demon Fox, and suddenly asked. Shen Luo didn¡¯t know what he meant by his question and, fearing to offend him, dared not answer rashly. ¡°As cultivators, I just want to remind you not to be merciful while killing demons and exorcising monsters,¡± said Wu Pojia as he drew out his chilling crystal spear. ¡°Thank you for your advice,¡± Shen Luo mustered the courage to reply, regardless of whether he agreed or not. At this moment, the light around them began to shine again, the ghostly scene started to recede like smoke, and the great hall reappeared. Seeing this, Shen Luo sighed with relief. ¡°Wu Pojia, you interrupted my cultivation, I swear we¡¯ll both go to the Netherworld¡­¡± Suddenly a mournful howl sounded, and chaos broke out. The eyes of the Three-eyed Fox Demon spirit suddenly brightened, and its body expanded immediately. With a ¡°bang¡±, it exploded. Wu Pojia, who was too close to avoid the impact, was sent flying, hitting the shrine¡¯s deity seat with a thud. He spat out blood, clearly seriously injured. Although Shen Luo was a bit farther away, he was also sent flying by the shock wave, causing the pillars of the hall door to crack. A broken magic talisman short blade flew past his neck just narrowly missing his throat. He felt chest tightness, and the burning pain on his back was unbearable. Suppressing the metallic taste in his throat, he struggled to stand up. He then saw that both the corpses of the fox demon and the dark-faced youth, had been entirely blown up, and a pale yellow fox demon spirit rushed out from the pile of flesh and blood and slammed directly into an unusual statue on the divine throne. Immediately after, Shen Luo was horrified to discover that the clay statue¡¯s eyes opened, and a blurry yellow light surrounded it. Its face had transformed into the face of the Three-eyed Demon Fox! ¡°A demon soul possession¡­¡± Wu Pojia¡¯s face changed drastically. With a flip, he rolled to the palace door. With a flick of his wrist, the crystal spear shot out from his sleeve again, aimed directly at the statue¡¯s forehead. But before the spear could reach it, the statue¡¯s three large hands had turned into huge yellow fox tails, and they smashed onto the ground. Shen Luo only felt a gust of wind hit his face and sensed the impending danger. The next instant, with a ¡°rumble¡±, the ground in the entire hall cracked open, revealing a dark hole. An astonishing suction force burst out from it, and everything on the ground fell in. Shen Luo, who was already next to the door, clung to the door pillar, attempting to escape. However, the suction force was so strong that even Wu Pojia couldn¡¯t resist it, let alone Shen Luo could. He gritted his teeth as his fingers started bleeding, but in the end, he too, was sucked in. ¡°Am I going to die again?¡± Shen Luo felt a strange force squeezing him from all directions. His vision darkened, and he lost consciousness. ¡­ After who knows how long, Shen Luo woke up slowly. As he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but darkness, save for faint white light that streamed in from the side. A strong smell of mud also filled his nostrils. He slowly sat up and found many stones and mud on him, almost burying him. He felt pain in many places, luckily none were severe wounds. Shen Luo struggled to stand up and looked around. He realized he was underground, surrounded by milky-white stalagmites that emitted a soft white light, barely illuminating the surroundings. ¡°Where am I? Where are the fox demon and Wu Pojia?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, his memories prior to fainting rushing back. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Finding a Way Out Chapter 94: Chapter 93: Finding a Way Out He hurriedly got up from the ground, looking around but seeing no sign of the Fox Demon or Commander Wu. He felt slightly relieved, and then took a closer look at the surroundings. Although the light in this place was dim, it was enough for Shen Luo. His eyes quickly adapted to the environment, realizing that he must be in an underground cave. From the cave¡¯s upper side about tens of meters away, a long crack was visible, releasing streaks of white light. It seemed like this was the ground above, and the other end of the cave extended into the depths of the underworld, its interior dark and unknown in depth. Shen Luo recalled what had happened earlier. The demon fox had possessed the statue, struck the ground with its tail, creating a large hole, and then a suction force emerged from it, sucking everyone in. This place was likely deep inside that big hole. Since he was here, the Fox Demon and Wu Pojia must also be here. Shen Luo took a deep breath, finding that the air still contained their scent, trailing deeper into the cave. However, the smell of the earth here was unusually strong, masking other odors, making it impossible to distinguish them clearly, as he could outside. Shen Luo looked into the depths of the cave, quickly withdrawing his gaze. The Fox Demon and Wu Pojia were much stronger than him, and he believed he was far from their match. It would be better to leave as soon as possible. As for what was in the depths of this eerie cave, he had no interest in finding out. Shen Luo looked up towards the upper side of the cave, trying to find a way out. This place was about tens of meters high from the surface, and the cave walls were smooth on all sides. If it were an ordinary person, it would be impossible to climb up. Thankfully, he was no ordinary person. His gaze quickly fell on a stone wall with the gentlest slope. He jumped upward vigorously, a flash of red light blinking under his feet, and he soared into the air. He caught a protruding stone with both hands, dangling in mid-air. He did not hesitate any longer, swinging his body while exerting force with both hands to pull himself up. In an instant, he surged upwards again. In no time, Shen Luo was climbing the steep mountain wall with agility, as fast as a monkey, soon reaching the top. A glint of joy appeared in his eyes and he quickened his climbing speed. Just at this moment, the air in front of him started to hum and flash golden from emerging lines of light shooting out from the nearby stone wall. They quickly interlaced together, forming a giant Eight Trigrams Light Array that slowly rotated. Shen Luo¡¯s face changed dramatically, but he could not stop his momentum and hit his head against the light array. There was a dull thud as the golden light on the surface of the Eight Trigrams Light Array flickered. A tremendous yet dull force surged from the array, acting on Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s head didn¡¯t hurt all that much; it felt more like hitting a soft wall. However, his body was rapidly falling. Shen Luo quietly shouted, catching a protruding stone with both hands. His downward force was too strong, and the stone that had been eroded over time was rotten and broke off in an instant. It broke off, but it managed to decrease Shen Luo¡¯s descent speed. He immediately seized the next protruding part of the mountain wall and finally halted his descent. Shen Luo looked at the light array above, climbed again until he was about half a meter away from the array. He bit his finger and drew a Small Thunder Talisman in his palm with his blood. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, pouring his mana into the Small Thunder Talisman. A thunderous explosion reverberated, and a white thunderbolt shot out from his hand, striking the Eight Trigrams Light Array. The powerful white thunder hit the array but had no effect, just like a dragonfly shaking a pillar. The array didn¡¯t move in the slightest, its rotation speed hadn¡¯t even slowed at all. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo cursed under his breath; helpless, he had no choice but to retrace his steps down the mountain wall. His gaze turned again towards the depths of the cave; after a long hesitation, he stepped up and went there. The path above was evidently unpassable; rather than wasting time here, it was better to go deeper into the cave and hope there was a way out. Worried about the Three-eyed Demon Fox and Wu Pojia, whose whereabouts were currently unknown, Shen Luo didn¡¯t walk fast, his gaze constantly sweeping around, ready to detect any movements in his surroundings. He had only walked some distance when he suddenly stopped and turned his gaze towards the mountain wall to his side. There was a deep scratch, and it looked charred, as though it had been burnt by fire. ¡°This mark¡­ was caused by Wu Pojia¡¯s Fire Spear!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart clenched, and he instinctively pressed his body into the shadow of the mountain wall. Looking cautiously ahead, his ears perked up, listening for any movements. There was nothing unusual ahead, and there were no sounds from around him, just dead silence. Shen Luo slowly relaxed his tense body and continued to tread lightly forward. The further he walked, the more such charred marks were seen on both sides of the passage. On the ground, on the stone wall, there were holes, the largest of which was about three feet deep. Occasionally, he could see some splatters of blood; obviously Wu Pojia and the fox demon had had a fierce fight here. Shen Luo was surprised, but did not stop. Instead, he moved more slowly, careful not to make a sound. About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, there was a bend in the road ahead. Shen Luo paused, then moved slowly along the inside of the bend. He poked out half his head and looked at the corner, then quickly withdrew, his internal mana instantly raised. Then, a puzzled look flashed in his eyes, he poked out his head again, and then he stepped out completely. Not far in front, there was a figure lying on the floor. Looking at the man¡¯s clothes and appearance, it was Wu Pojia. Wu Pojia at the moment was motionless, covered in blood. It was unclear whether he was dead or alive. A look of surprise came onto Shen Luo¡¯s face. He listened carefully for a while, then confirmed that Wu Pojia indeed no longer breathed, then finally let out a sigh of relief and walked over. When he saw Wu Pojia¡¯s face, he drew in a sharp breath. Wu Pojia¡¯s face had become half-human, half-fox. His right side still looked as before while the left side was covered in yellow fur, with long eyes and elongated ears ¡ª the features of a fox demon. Not only that, his eyes were wide open and slightly bulging, from his ears, nose, and mouth, a trail of blood was visible, a bit disturbing to look at. It seemed he had suffered greatly before his death. ¡°Could it be that the soul of that fox demon attached itself onto Wu Pojia, and after a struggle, they killed each other¡­¡± Shen Luo guessed, his heart finally easing somewhat. Around Wu Pojia¡¯s corpse lay numerous things: Seven Flame Spears and the clear Cold Gun were scattered on the ground nearby. Besides that, there were also the three Crimson Short Blades he had seen Wu Pojia use before and a golden rope about a zhang long that looked as if it were made of golden thread, and it seemed quite extraordinary. Shen Luo was not modest; he picked up all of these items and sat down nearby to examine them closely. Apart from the grey talismans stuck to the three short blades, there were no talismans on the other items, which still emitted waves of mana. ¡°No talisman, but such strong fluctuations of mana, could these be magical instruments!¡± His excitement rising, he picked up a Fire Gun and tried to infuse his mana into it, just like he would do with the Talisman Fork. The Fire Gun didn¡¯t seem to work in sync with his mana. After a while, there was a faint ¡°pop¡± sound and the tip of the gun emitted a flame-like red light. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 94: Unexpected Gains Chapter 95: Chapter 94: Unexpected Gains He operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and swung the talisman in an attempt to command the Fire Gun to rise. However, the Fire Gun didn¡¯t respond, regardless of how much force he exerted; there was no sign of it lifting off. ¡°It seems this Fire Gun is indeed a magical instrument; it requires the cultivation level of the Grain Avoidance Stage to activate it.¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t continue the attempt. He swung the Fire Gun twice in his hand and the tip of the gun crossed over the nearby stone wall. The burning tip of the Fire Gun easily left a charred trace on the stone wall. The hard rock was as fragile as mud before the Fire Gun. ¡°Nice, very nice!¡± Shen Luo, overwhelmed with joy, took the Fire Gun in front of him to take a closer look. An intense heat emanated from the muzzle, causing Shen Luo¡¯s face to feel a pricking pain, as if he was facing a red-hot piece of iron. He moved his arm, and the Fire Gun transformed into a red light that stabbed the front stone wall. ¡°Hiss¡± Almost half of the Fire Gun was lodged inside the stone wall, with only a small segment remaining outside. ¡°The power of a magical instrument is undeniable. Although I only activated a bit of its surface potential, it can already cause such formidable destruction!¡± Shen Luo forcefully moved his arm to neatly withdraw the Fire Gun and couldn¡¯t help but let out a hearty laugh. Speaking of its attack power, the Fire Gun already surpassed that of the Talisman Fork bestowed by the Sword Voizer. As his own mana was not plentiful, he did not activate the Fire Gun for long. Soon, he put it down and picked up the glistening Cold Gun. The Cold Gun was entirely white and had an icy touch. Even though no mana had been infused inside to activate it, there was still a layer of blurry white frost around it, making it look exceptionally gorgeous. Out of all the items, this glistening Cold Gun was undoubtedly the most dazzling. Shen Luo held the Cold Gun in his hands, relishing it for a moment, and then gradually channeled his mana into it. Unlike the Fire Gun just now, as soon as he infused mana into it, a bright white light erupted from the Cold Gun, and an icy aura immediately began to spread, causing the surrounding temperature to drop. A hint of astonishment appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s face, but he quickly comprehended the reason. The Nameless Method he cultivated was of the water attribute; it was quite compatible with this Cold Gun. The earlier less-responsive short spear was a Fire Attribute magical instrument, which was counter to his mana attribute; naturally, it was harder to activate. Having understood these aspects, Shen Luo developed a deeper fondness for this Cold Gun that was compatible with his mana attribute. He poured all his mana into it, and the glistening Cold Gun immediately radiated a brilliant white light, significantly more intense than before. The nearby temperature plummeted again, and a white mist began to ruffle in the air. Shen Luo waved his arm, and the Cold Gun transformed into a white light, stabbing into the nearby stone wall. With a soft ¡°pop¡±, the head of the glistening Cold Gun stabbed a few inches into the stone wall before stopping. But a layer of white frost began to spread on the surrounding stone wall. The more Shen Luo saw of the Cold Gun, the more he liked it. However, he didn¡¯t continue activating it and instead put it aside. Then he picked up the Golden Rope and infused his mana into it as well. As a result, a bright golden light appeared on the Golden Rope, but beyond that, there was no other change. ¡°It looks like a restraining type of magical instrument, but I have no idea about its effectiveness.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, placed the golden rope to one side, and glanced towards the last three Crimson Short Blades. He picked up one of the blades, infused his mana into it, and the Crimson Short Blade immediately floated in the air, radiating a dark crimson glow. ¡°Go!¡± With a flick of Shen Luo¡¯s induction, the short blade immediately shot forwards, traversing dozens of feet in an instant, and with a ¡°puff¡± sound, it was embedded into the stone wall, leaving just the hilt exposed. With another induction, the crimson short blade instantly leapt out from the stone wall and shot back, hovering in front of him. ¡°Controlling this short blade is much easier compared to that Talisman Fork,¡± Shen Luo inwardly noted. Just now, when he was controlling this short blade, he felt as if it were an extension of his own body, unlike before when he tried to manipulate the Talisman Fork with trepidation, fearful that it would malfunction and fall if he was the least bit careless. Shen Luo found it somewhat incredulous, once again activating the short blade with his induction and letting it circle and dance around him, soaring up and down, as if he was merely directing his own arm, extremely effortless. His body¡¯s mana was not plentiful, and after continuous testing, it was already at its limit, so he retracted the short blade. ¡°Strange, why has my control over talismanic instruments suddenly become so easy? And before, when I was battling that fox demon, my use of the Water Control Technique was way easier than in reality. And there¡¯s also the Small Thunder Talisman¡­¡± He was puzzled, but did not think much of it, storing away the short spear, golden rope, and short blade, glancing at the corpse of Wu Pojia in the process and setting the short spear and other items down again. ¡°Commander Wu, you died due to being possessed by a demon, your corpse left to the elements. I¡¯ll help bury you, and consider these magical instruments as your repayment,¡± said Shen Luo as he carried Wu Pojia¡¯s corpse and placed it into a nearby large pit. Just then, with a ¡°plop¡± sound, a cloth bag dropped from Wu Pojia¡¯s body. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s this?¡± Shen Luo first put down Wu Pojia¡¯s corpse, then picked up the cloth bag and opened it to see what was inside. Inside the cloth bag were three medicine vials: white, blue, and yellow. On the white medicine vial was a label with the words ¡°Pigu Dan¡± written on it. ¡°Pigu Dan!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion did have this type of elixir. He had heard from Bai Xiaotian that reportedly, if you consumed one, it could stave off hunger for a day and was even better than eating grains. Shen Luo opened the vial and saw that inside were white, fingertip-sized elixir pills, numbering in the tens. A fragrant smell of the elixir immediately hit him. Unsure of how much time had passed since his descent into this underground cave, he was getting a bit hungry. He poured one out and swallowed it directly. With his research on elixirs, he knew from the fragrance that it was beneficial and harmless, and so he had no qualms about consuming it. As soon as the Pigu Dan entered his stomach, it instantly dissolved into a warm sensation that spread out. Immediately, his hunger disappeared, replaced by a slight sense of fullness. ¡°Good stuff, it indeed is a miraculous elixir,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself in delight, closing the vial. There were no labels on the other two vials. After Shen Luo opened the caps of each one, he found that the blue vial contained a thumb-sized, fully translucent blue elixir that emitted a rich fragrance, distinctly different from the light fragrance of the Pigu Dan. In the yellow vial were two silver-grey pills bearing a slightly spicy scent. Based on Shen Luo¡¯s knowledge and experiences, he speculated that these two elixirs were far more precious than the Pigu Dan. However, he was unsure of their specific effects. Inside the bundle, in addition to the three vials of elixir, there were also four talismans, some silver, and a purple waist badge. Two of the four talismans had the same grey runes as the ones on the crimson short blade, the symbols bright and vibrant, obviously unused. As for the other two talismans, one was the red talisman previously used by Wu Pojia to break the illusion of the Three-eyed Fox Demon, and the last one was a golden talisman, the runes on it were quite profound, making it unclear what the talisman¡¯s purpose was. Because many talismans were one-time use and his body was currently out of mana, he did not attempt to use any of them. As for the silver, he just glanced briefly at it before ignoring it. Finally, Shen Luo picked up the purple waist badge. One side of the badge was engraved with the image of a tiger¡¯s head, while the other bore the two seal characters: ¡°Dingguo.¡± Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Mysterious Skeleton Chapter 96: Chapter 95: Mysterious Skeleton ¡°Tiger head¡­ and this word ¡®Dingguo,¡¯ could Wu Pojia be a public official?¡± He held the waist tag, murmuring to himself. He flipped over the waist tag and quickly put it back, unceremoniously claiming the entire package. After completing these tasks, he piled dirt and rocks on Wu Pojia¡¯s corpse, burying it nicely. Shen Luo picked up the Fire Gun and other items, preparing to press onward, when he suddenly looked back at the way he came. The Eight Trigrams Light Array re-emerged in his mind. The newly acquired Fire Gun and the Cold Gun had exceptional power, could they possibly break the Light Array? However, Shen Luo immediately shook this thought from his mind. Although his insights into the matter of cultivating immortality were still shallow, he could discern that the Eight Trigrams Light Array was laid out by a high person. He couldn¡¯t even truly activate a magical instrument yet. Rather than making futile attempts, it would be better to move forward. There might be an exit up ahead. Shen Luo withdrew his gaze, picked up the crystal-clear Cold Gun and the other Fire Gun, and continued on his way. The deeper he went into the cave, the lower the terrain and the murkier the air became, as if it were leading to the underworld. ¡°Hmm!¡± Shen Luo suddenly stopped and glanced around. It wasn¡¯t that he felt any strangeness in his surroundings, but he suddenly noticed that the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him was much denser than in the places he had been before. He closed his eyes to have a feel of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi surrounding him and subtly sensed that the Spiritual Qi ahead was even denser. ¡°Could there be some natural treasures ahead?¡± This idea came to Shen Luo¡¯s mind, and he subconsciously wanted to speed up his steps. However, his rationality stopped this reckless act. As a result, he advanced about thirty steps forward and observed that the number of white stalactites started to decrease. The light became dimmer, but as he guessed, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi became denser and denser. After walking for a bit more, a soft green glow suddenly appeared in front of him, standing out in the dark. ¡°Could this be the end?¡± Shen Luo was moved by this thought, but instead of approaching recklessly, he positioned one of his guns in front of him and the other behind. Taking care, he walked forward. True enough, the passageway ahead culminated into a stone wall blocking his path. It seemed that there was a different world behind the stone wall, since the gentle green light was seeping through a crevice in it. Shen Luo peered into the crack and could only see a blur of light and shadows, but a strong spiritual energy emanated from it. Apparently, the source of this so-rich Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was behind this stone wall. A flicker of curiosity crossed his eyes. He lifted his hand to knock the stone wall twice, and it echoed back with a ¡°thump, thump.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo lifted one hand high, infusing the remaining mana in his body into the Fire Gun in his hand, causing a red light to reflect on the body of the gun. He shipped the Cold Gun aside, gripped the Fire Gun with both hands, and stabbed forward. The Fire Gun turned into a red shadow and stabbed into the stone wall. With a ¡°crack,¡± the Fire Gun was thrust into the stone wall, up to its handle. Just as he had speculated, the resistance he felt in return indicated that the stone wall was at most a foot thick. Shen Luo withdrew his hand to pull back the Fire Gun and then stabbed it out again. This process was repeated seven or eight times, and seven or eight holes were pierced into the stone wall. Yet, at this point, his limited mana was finally completely depleted. Fortunately, the stone wall was already bearing the brunt. Shen Luo turned around and quickly retrieved a huge stone from inside the cave. Channeling his Small Transformation Yang Skill, his hands emitted a layer of red light. He lifted the stone and smashed it with all his strength into the hole in the stone wall where the gun had been lodged. With a thunderous ¡°thud,¡± a hole the size of a millstone was blasted into the stone wall. Just as he was about to pick up the large stone and smash it again, the crack on the stone wall suddenly expanded rapidly. Followed by a rumbling sound, the entire stone wall collapsed, large chunks of broken stones rolled to both sides, raising clouds of dust. Shen Luo had already retreated far in advance to avoid the falling stones. Looking through the dust that had not yet completely dissipated, he discovered a wide-open space ahead. This empty underground space has an area of about fifty to sixty feet, surrounded by huge white stalactites touching against the ceiling of the cave. Soft white light was emitted, and in the center of these stalactites was a square pool seven to eight feet wide filled with clear emerald green pond water. The soft green light was radiating from the pool, filling the entire underground space. The most bizarre thing was that a golden humanoid skeleton was floating in the air above the pool. Each bone was crystal clear, like golden colored glaze, emitting bizarre rays of golden light. This skeleton was a mere object of death, unknown for what reason it could float in mid-air like this. ¡°Water!¡± After staring at the golden skeleton for a long time, Shen Luo shifted his gaze towards the emerald-green pool, feeling a sense of joy. As long as there was water, he could recover his mana quickly through cultivation. It must be said, the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth in this place was extremely rich, almost ten times more than outside, undoubtedly an excellent place for cultivation. After carefully observing the space in front of him and confirming that there was no danger, Shen Luo stepped inside. He didn¡¯t immediately go to the pool, but explored the area thoroughly. His brows furrowed. Aside from the pool and the golden skeleton in this underground space, there was nothing special. The surroundings were just an ordinary forest of stalactites and there were no exits on the nearby stone walls. ¡°Could it be that there is really no way out from here?¡± said Shen Luo quietly. However, he wasn¡¯t overly worried. He was only in Dreamland right now, it wasn¡¯t his real body that was trapped. According to his previous dream-entry experiences, he could leave this place after some time and return to reality. But this meant that during this dream-entry, he would have to stay in this underground space all the time. Shen Luo quickly calmed his mind. Looking at the golden skeleton next to the pool, he shifted his gaze to the emerald-green pond water. Regardless, he needed to recover his mana first. But upon closer inspection, the emerald-green color of the pool water seemed a bit odd. He picked up a stone and threw it into the pool. With a ¡°plop¡±, the stone sank to the bottom without any abnormality. But Shen Luo was still not completely at ease. After some hesitation, he squatted down and extended a finger of his left hand towards the pool water. The other hand held a crimson short blade tightly, ready to sever his finger to save his life if anything went wrong. The emerald-green pool water felt slightly cool to the touch, seeming no different from ordinary water. Shen Luo maintained this position for half an incense stick¡¯s time. Seeing no abnormalities, he finally relaxed, put his magical instruments and belongings aside, and stepped into the pool. Just at this moment, the golden light emitting from the golden skeleton hanging in the air above the pool suddenly brightened a bit. The golden light fell on Shen Luo, a mysterious repelling force suddenly appeared, pushing him away. However, this repelling force was not strong, and he could withstand it. Shen Luo looked up at the golden skeleton, slightly surprised. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Great Increase in Talent Chapter 97: Chapter 96: Great Increase in Talent Even as he tentatively probed the pond with his fingers, the bulk of his attention was focused on the golden skeleton. He had even perked up his ears to listen carefully, but he did not notice anything amiss from start to finish. ¡°Perhaps someone has set up some kind of array using this skeleton as the center?¡± A thought flashed across Shen Luo¡¯s mind as he once again stepped towards the center of the pond. Hum! The golden light on the skeleton suddenly brightened again, causing the resistance to surge. Shen Luo swayed slightly but quickly steadied himself. ¡°Sure enough, there is something strange!¡± Shen Luo murmured as he gazed at the golden skeleton and took another step forward. The golden light on the skeleton escalated violently, accompanied by a howl, as if responding to a provocation. A colossal push force radiated from the golden light, acting on Shen Luo¡¯s body. Shen Luo¡¯s complexion changed slightly. Unable to resist, he involuntarily took a step back. As he stepped back, the golden light on the skeleton immediately dimmed significantly, and the radiating pushing force drastically weakened. Shen Luo steadied himself and a wave of curiosity ignited in his heart. The skeleton that didn¡¯t allow people to approach it must certainly have its reasons; it might be the key to escaping from here, or perhaps something precious was hidden in the pond underneath skeleton? However, he had no mana in his body at the moment, thus he decided not to venture closer. He exhaled lightly and then sat down cross-legged at the edge of the pond. Closing his eyes, he started to circulate the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Bang! The dense heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi around him fluctuated violently as if a dam had broken, rushing into his body at an astonishing speed. Shen Luo was greatly surprised. The speed at which the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi converged was hundreds of times faster than when he was cultivating in the real world! However, he swiftly recovered and accelerated the operation of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, trying his best to absorb the dense heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi, converting it into mana. The process was surprisingly smooth. Once the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi was absorbed into his Dantian, it was easily transformed into mana. His initially empty Dantian quickly filled up, returning to its peak state in no time. ¡°Even if the spiritual Qi here is dense, it shouldn¡¯t be this fast, right?¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes with a look of astonishment on his face. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes once again landed on the golden skeleton hovering in mid-air. After some hesitation, he reached for the crimson short blade by the edge of the pond and initiated the control incantation. The crimson short blade leapt from his hand and started to vibrate faintly. ¡°Go!¡± With a point from Shen Luo, the crimson short blade immediately transformed into a dark red light shadow, heading straight for the golden skeleton. In the blink of an eye, it was less than two feet away from the skeleton. ¡°Hum!¡± The golden skeleton immediately reacted as if it had sensed something, emitting golden light. The crimson short blade seemed to have fallen into a quagmire, with its speed reduced drastically. After moving about a foot forward, it stopped in mid-air and could not move any further. However, the repelling force emitted by the skeleton seemed to only affect objects in close proximity to it. Even though Shen Luo was sitting at the edge of the pond, in the golden light, he did not feel any pushing force. Shen Luo activated the control incantation again, and after some humming vibration, the crimson short blade flew an inch further forward. Then a loud ¡°bang¡± could be heard, followed by the short blade rolling like thunder, appearing to have been hit hard before it fell onto the ground. The glow of the blade was dim, seeming to have suffered not a little damage. Shen Luo¡¯s head throbbed with pain, as if someone had hit him with a stick. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a grunt, and his vision blacked out. He hastily closed his eyes and quietly circulated his skills, finally regaining his composure after a while. After he took a deep breath, he looked up again. The golden skeleton was just floating there, its light gone, as if nothing had happened. Upon some contemplation, Shen Luo plunged a single hand into the water, silently invoking the Water Control Technique. At the surface of the water directly below the golden skeleton, there came a ¡°swoosh¡± sound as a gigantic green water hand of about three meters broke out of the water, rapidly shooting upward toward the golden skeleton. As soon as the green water hand appeared, there was a flash of golden light around the golden skeleton. It effortlessly crushed the giant water hand. Shen Luo¡¯s face fell. He plunged both hands into the water. Swoosh! All around the pond, the surfaces of the water split open. Green hands, water ropes, water snakes and other objects shot out, rolling towards the golden skeleton from all directions. The golden light on the golden skeleton surged up, and under the ripples of light, all of the water hands, water ropes, and other objects were destroyed like dry hay against a fierce storm. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo revealed a wry smile. His strength was just too weak. If only he had the cultivation level of Wu Pojia or Luo Daoist, he wouldn¡¯t be so helpless. He stared blankly at the golden skeleton, then after hesitating for a long while, he gritted his teeth, picked up the two Fire Guns and a Cold Gun from the ground, and started to walk towards the direction of the entrance. Half an hour later, Shen Luo reappeared by the side of the pond, his face dark and gloomy, with a few scratches on the corners of his mouth and on his arms. ¡°Am I destined to be trapped here?¡± Shen Luo muttered looking at the golden skeleton floating in mid-air. Just now, he had tried to break through the Eight Trigrams Light Array while his mana was still abundant. After much struggle, he had still failed to make any progress. Shen Luo sighed, returned to his cross-legged position at the center of the pond, and closed his eyes. Since he couldn¡¯t leave, he might as well make use of the incredibly abundant spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth to try and break through the second realm of the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Even in Dreamland, being able to personally experience this could only be beneficial for his future cultivation. However, not much time passed before he opened his eyes, widened them in disbelief, his face full of surprise. Just a moment ago, his Purple Palace Acupoint had unexpectedly relaxed significantly under the impact of his mana. Previously in reality, he had tried his hardest, exhausting all his mana but was not able to shift it at all. The difference between then and now was simply too big, wasn¡¯t it? Despite his surprise, Shen Luo didn¡¯t stop cultivating, he continued to channel his mana to impact the Purple Palace Acupoint. After vibrations back and forth a few times, the Purple Palace Acupoint finally opened up! Shen Luo was overjoyed. He continued to channel his mana to move forward within the Ren meridian, quickly reaching the next Heavenly Breakthrough Acupoint, and began to impact it. The Heavenly Breakthrough Acupoint became loose with the impact of the mana. After repeated impacts, this acupoint also broke open. Shen Luo took a deep breath, unable to hide his excitement. It could have been a coincidence that the Purple Palace acupoint was impacted, but the fact that the Heavenly Breakthrough Acupoint was also so easily breached, could not be explained as a coincidence. ¡°Could it be that my cultivation talent has greatly increased after entering Dreamland?¡± Shen Luo speculated quietly. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. The first time he successfully drew the Small Thunder Talisman and the exorcism charm was in the Dreamland. The Water Control Technique he used earlier was also ten times more flexible than in reality. Not to mention when he previously drew in the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth into his body, it felt effortless. All these factors indicated that his cultivation talent was much better in Dreamland compared to reality. Though the sudden improvement of his talent was unbelievable and nearly impossible, the matter of entering dreams was shrouded in mystery. Anything could happen within the Dreamland. While Shen Luo was lost in his thoughts, he did not pause the circulation of mana within his body. He continued to impact each and every acupoint as directed by the Nameless Cultivation Technique. ¡­ Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Rapid Progress Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Rapid Progress The entrance of the underground space was damaged, and the rich heavenly and earthly spiritual qi suddenly accelerated and overflowed into the cave passageway, soon spreading to the cave entrance. A small mound made of fragments of stone and earth near the cave entrance suddenly trembled a few times, causing grit and small pebbles to roll down from it. ¡­ Completely absorbed in his training, Shen Luo became oblivious to the passage of time. It was only when hunger became unbearable that he stopped to consume a Grain Avoidance Pill, which instantly alleviated his hunger. After nearly a whole day of hard cultivation, his success in striking the acupoints was impressive. About thirty percent of the acupoints in his Ren meridian had been opened up. At this rate, he would be able to completely cultivate the second level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique in another ten or so days. Even though this speed couldn¡¯t compare to the astonishing speed of breaking through the first level in one night, it was already a world apart compared to the speed of cultivation in reality. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Shen Luo once again closed his eyes. In this manner, Shen Luo spent the following days immersed in his cultivation, tirelessly absorbing the heavenly and earthly spiritual qi from the water in the pond while operating his mana to strike the acupoints in his body. He could clearly sense the increase in internal mana. In the blink of an eye, more than ten days passed. Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes, involuntarily letting out a loud howl. The howl was strong and continuous, making the whole underground space reverberate. It took him half an incense stick¡¯s time to completely release the breath he had been holding. Just as he had estimated before, after practicing for this period, he had opened up all the acupoints in his Ren and Du meridians, successfully cultivating the second level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique to perfection, with the mana in his body increasing several times. The second level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique corresponds to the fourth, fifth, and sixth levels of the Qi Refining stage. He leaped past these levels in just over ten days, which is considered astonishingly fast. Feeling the surging mana in his dantian, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but reveal a small smile. He casually picked up a crimson short blade beside the pond and activated the magic spell. With a buzzing sound, the crimson short blade jumped up from his palm as if it were alive. The talisman at the end of the blade shone a grey light, much brighter than before. A layer of grey light also appeared on the blade, making a hissing sound as it cut through the air. ¡°Go!¡± With a flick of Shen Luo¡¯s finger, the crimson short blade shot out instantly. With a flash of grey light, it bridged a distance of dozens of feet in an instant, skimming over a large white stalagmite. The white stalagmite, several tens of feet high, made a cracking sound as its upper half slowly slid off, crashing onto the ground and raising a cloud of dust. The cut surface of the stalagmite was extraordinarily smooth, somewhat like a mirror. Shen Luo nodded in satisfaction and recalled the crimson short blade. Just as he was about to put it back, he suddenly paused and stared straight at the edge of the pond. There was a half-foot of pond wall exposed above the surface of the water. ¡°Why has the water level decreased?¡± Shen Luo clearly remembered that when he had submerged himself in the pool earlier, the water in the pond had been almost at the brim. Over the past ten or more days, he had been fully absorbed in his cultivation. He had only hastily consumed Grain Avoidance Pills when he was hungry, and had not noticed any changes in the water level of the pond. ¡°Could it be because of my cultivation?¡± Shen Luo touched his chin, somewhat puzzled. At the moment, he was not willing to dwell on such matters. He quickly closed his eyes and began to recall the magic spell for the third level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique in his mind. The first level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique fills the four limbs with qi, the second level requires a full connection to the Ren and Du meridians, while the third level requires opening up all the remaining meridians and acupoints in the body, achieving the realm of qi flowing through all meridians to perfection, which lays the foundation for advancing to the Grain Avoidance Stage. The cultivation of the third level involves a vast number of meridians and acupoints. The meridians and acupoints that need to be opened up are very scattered. The difficulty of cultivation is much greater than the sum of the first two levels. However, with his current cultivation that seemed to have divine assistance, Shen Luo had no fear at all. He carefully recalled the spell for the third level twice. After confirming there were no mistakes, he began to cultivate directly. In the blink of an eye, more than two months passed. Shen Luo was still sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed in the pond, while the water in the pond had significantly reduced, leaving only a thin layer, almost dried up. His face was illuminated by flowing blue light, glowing brightly. Suddenly, his body trembled, and a series of muffled sounds like popping beans rang inside his body. Then, blue light spots bloomed all over his body, densely covering every inch of his skin. Among these blue light spots, there were thick and thin blue lines connecting them, also spread all over his body. The lines also bloomed with bright blue light, shining clearly through his clothes. However, the phenomenon was fleeting. In just two or three breaths, the blue light on his face disappeared, and the abnormal phenomenon of his body¡¯s meridian acupoints glowing also vanished. He slowly opened his eyes, his eyes full of vigor, far surpassing his previous state. After more than two months of dedicated hard work, he finally perfected the third level of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, making his qi flow through a hundred meridians and reaching the ninth level of the Qi Refining Stage. In Shen Luo¡¯s body, the mana flowed like mercury through the many meridians, emitting a strong fluctuation, and had increased by three times! With a flicker in his eyes, Shen Luo waved his hand. The remaining thin layer of water in the pond was suspended in the air with a flash of blue light from his palm. Its shape did not change at all, and there were not even any water stains on the stone walls at the bottom of the pond. If any High People proficient in Water Manipulation Technique were here, they would be greatly shocked. Lifting water with control is a common technique, but to keep a pool of water intact, without leaving a trace of water on the ground, requires extremely exquisite control, which even those in the late Grain Avoidance stage or even Nascent Soul Stage, may not be able to accomplish. At this moment, the golden skeleton hanging above the pond emitted a large amount of golden light, generating a repelling force. The pool of water suspended in mid-air was shattered by the repelling force of the golden light, instantly breaking down into thousands of droplets, spraying in all directions, about to splash on the surrounding ground. With an unhurried wave of his hands, a blue light flashed from his palms. The splattering water droplets stopped immediately, each droplet, each water trail, and the mist formed by completely shattered droplets, all suspended in mid-air, creating a unique scene. He then raised his hand and made another move. The water droplets and trails quickly converged, forming several long streams of water that flew past the golden skeleton and slowly circulated around his body. Shen Luo pointed a spell, and one of the water streams shot out instantly. Its edges thinned, faintly forming the shape of a blade, and rapidly swept across a stalagmite. With a sharp sound, a deep scratch appeared on the stalagmite, almost cut in half, as if it had been scraped by a sharp blade. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt joy in his heart once more. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 98: Spirit Communication Chapter 99: Chapter 98: Spirit Communication Although he could previously use water control to create water snakes and water eagles to attack his enemies, these water creatures were not powerful due to the softness of the water. Now that his water control technique has improved greatly, the creatures he forms with it are much more formidable. However, he also knows that the power of his Water Manipulation Technique is due to the significant increase in his cultivation level and his recent growth in capability. If he were in reality, even if he advanced to the Qi Refining Peak, he probably wouldn¡¯t have such water manipulation power. ¡°I wonder if I can use the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits?¡± A thought struck Shen Luo, and he suddenly remembered the Art of Spirit Communication. He had tried many times to use the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, but all attempts had failed. Now that his cultivation level had made a rapid improvement, reaching the Qi Refining Peak, and his Skill level had advanced greatly, perhaps he might be able to do it. Thinking of this, Shen Luo felt a surge of excitement. He carefully manipulated several streams of water to return to the pond, placed his palm on the surface, and softly operated the Spirit Communication Technique. His vision immediately darkened, and his Divine Sense appeared in the pitch-black Sea of Consciousness space. He heard a continuous pinging sound, and one by one, blue light spots appeared. They were of different sizes and densely packed, resembling countless stars in the night sky. Shen Luo was somewhat surprised because the situation in front of him was slightly different from before. Firstly, the number of blue light spots was much more than before, and secondly, the size of the light spots had also changed. When he used the Art of Spirit Communication before, the blue light spots that appeared in his Sea of Consciousness were at most the size of broad beans. Now, the largest spot was as big as an egg. Shen Luo directed his gaze at one of the largest blue light spots nearby, silently operated his Skills, and guided his Divine Sense to transfer over to it, while his body was tense, preparing for the pain caused by the mana disturbance that would occur if he failed. However, the outcome was beyond his expectation; his Divine Sense extended smoothly, and effortlessly entered the blue light spot. The blue light spot suddenly expanded hundreds of times, instantly filling his sensory range. Shen Luo¡¯s vision blurred, and by the time he reacted, he found himself in a vast, bluish space. Blue light like waves flowed everywhere in the space, giving the impression of a vast blue sea. Within the blue sea, there were numerous life forces hidden, dispersed in various places. Probably due to the long distance, these forces were not very clear. Looking around, Shen Luo was tremendously excited. The Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits had been half successful. The Nameless Heavenly Book had recorded that his Divine Sense was connecting him to some water area, and the forces under the water should be the demons in that water area. However, to summon these demons, he needed first to subdue them and sign a Soul Contract. Shen Luo immediately spread his Divine Sense to find the other party to subdue. As he spread his Divine Sense, his perception of the Sea of Consciousness¡¯s demon forces immediately became clearer. These demon forces varied in strength. Most were stronger than him, and a few were particularly powerful, their strength towering like the sky and thick like the earth, countless times stronger than him. Even Luo Daoist, Wu Pojia, the Three-Eyed Fox Demon, and others at the Grain Avoidance Stage, seemed extremely weak compared to these powerful forces. ¡°I wonder what level these powerful demons are at? Soul Condensation Stage? Nascent Soul Stage? Or even¡­¡± Upon detecting these powerful forces, Shen Luo immediately moved his Divine Sense away in fear, lest they noticed him. Of course, not all the demons in this blue water area were stronger than him. There were also some that were about his level or even weaker. Shen Luo ignored those weaker than him, focusing only on finding a demon slightly stronger than himself. According to the records in the Nameless Heavenly Book, the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits can generally only subdue demons of similar strength or those weaker than oneself. However, if one can master the technique to perfection, they can also subdue demons that are a bit stronger than them. At this moment, he felt invincible, operating the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits with an incredible ease. He aimed to subdue a formidable demon. After searching for a while, Shen Luo quickly locked on a target. Its breath was slightly stronger than his, but not by much. He operated the power of his divine sense just like before, slowly projecting it towards the target. In a flash, a powerful demonic aura transmitted over, not weaker than the previous Three-Eyed Fox Demon, and much more formidable than those he sensed before. Shen Luo hesitated a bit. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, if this Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits succeeds, all¡¯s well. However, if the subjugation fails, the consequences are severe. Not only will it drain a large amount of mana, but the mana and divine sense power within the body will also backlash against oneself. This backlash is far more severe than the allergic reaction caused by the failure to communicate with the blue light in the Sea of Consciousness. All the meridians in the body would suffer damage, and it would take at least a month of bed rest to recover. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, but he decided to continue. Slowly, he began to operate the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits and attempted to communicate with the demon in front of him. After all, he was currently in a dream state. Even if the spirit communication failed and caused harm to his body, he figured there was no big deal. As Shen Luo operated the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, the demon¡¯s breath fluctuated a bit but then quieted down again, seemingly too lazy to pay him any mind. Shen Luo continued to release his divine sense. After a few attempts, it seemed the other party finally could no longer resist responding. ¡°Who dares to disturb me while I am cultivating!¡± A deep voice transmitted over, causing Shen Luo¡¯s Sea of Consciousness to tremble slightly. His heart shuddered a bit, and his estimation of the demon¡¯s strength couldn¡¯t help but increase slightly. ¡°I am Shen Luo, a cultivator from the Little Straw Mountain lineage. I am currently trying to practice the Art of Spirit Communication. Dear Aquatic Daoist, would you consider signing a soul contract with me?¡± Shen Luo boldly associated himself with the reputation of Little Straw Mountain. ¡°Soul Contract? Human cultivator, you insult me!¡± The deep voice was suddenly filled with rage, and the roaring sound caused his divine sense to tremble. Shen Luo was not surprised. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, most of the Demon Races are unruly and rebellious. The Art of Spirit Communication would restrict their freedom and make them feel enslaved. Those demons who have not yet opened up their spiritual wisdom might not mind, but most of the Demon Races that have awakened their spiritual wisdom would be unwilling to become someone else¡¯s spirit beast. ¡°You need not be angry, Daoist friend. I can assure you that I will not put you in danger. Also, every time I summon you, I can offer some reward that you desire.¡± Shen Luo quickly stated his conditions. ¡°Young one! Out of respect for the ancestor of Little Straw Mountain, I can ignore your offense. Leave immediately!¡± The demon on the other end roared in a stern voice. ¡°Are you really not going to consider it, Daoist friend? There are also some benefits to becoming my spirit beast. Here, we are on land, and there are many spiritual materials that water areas do not have, which would definitely benefit your cultivation.¡± Shen Luo spoke with a soft voice. ¡°Roar!¡± The demon on the other end did not reply in words but responded with an ear-piercing roar. This roar was not an ordinary howl. A shock wave transmitted from the roar, like a great hammer, hit hard on his Sea of Consciousness. Shen Luo¡¯s Sea of Consciousness hurt severely and his eyes dimmed. He couldn¡¯t help feeling a little angry in his heart. ¡°Fine, since you are so uncooperative, let¡¯s see if you can withstand my Art of Spirit Communication!¡± He snorted coldly and operated the forceful subjugation method in the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Summoning the Beast Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Summoning the Beast He chanted spells in his mind, black runes following his divine sense, penetrated invisibly towards the demon on the other side. The demon immediately let out a roar full of pain. However, the next moment, a shockwave was counterattacked towards Shen Luo¡¯s sea of ??knowledge. Shen Luo was prepared, and the divine sense power in his sea of ??knowledge suddenly retracted, forming an invisible barrier. With a ¡°bang¡±, his sea of ??knowledge trembled violently, but there was no pain. Shen Luo sneered, accelerating the operation of the technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, and more black runes flew out and penetrated to the other side. The demon on the other side did not scream in pain again, clearly putting up a defense. ¡°Boy, with your cultivation level, you also want to forcefully tame me. Haha~¡± After a while, the demon sneered, full of disdain. Shen Luo did not respond, but continued to operate the art of spirit communication, and a large number of black runes were constantly born and kept penetrating to the opposite side. The demon on the other side stopped talking, and did not roar back. It simply focused on resisting the art of spirit communication. The surroundings became quiet, and a confrontation began to vaguely form between the two. In the blink of an eye, the time for a meal went by. The black runes released by Shen Luo haven¡¯t reduced at all, but instead continue to increase, however, the resistance of the demon on the other side did not weaken, becoming rather tenacious. He was not surprised at this. According to his estimation, the opposite party is a Grain Avoidance Demon, and it definitely cannot be easily tamed. He had already prepared for a protracted battle. Shen Luo held his breath and concentrated, running the art of spirit communication with all his might. Operating this technique requires full concentration and does not allow for distracting mind and energy to absorb heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi for recovery, but can only withstand it supported by his own mana. Luckily, his mana was profound enough to maintain the operation of the technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits for a long time. At this time, Shen Luo was also determined to see who would exhaust their mana first, him or the demon on the other side. Time slipped by, after an hour, the black runes released by Shen Luo remained densely packed, and the resistance of the demon on the other side remained stiff. After two hours passed, everything remained the same¡­ After three hours, more than half of Shen Luo¡¯s internal mana had been consumed. However, after operating the art of spirit communication to its fullest for so long, his understanding of the technique gradually deepened, and he became more proficient. The deterrent effect that originally required the operation of full mana could now be achieved with only seventy percent of his mana. This discovery made Shen Luo secretly delighted and he even more attentively operated the art of spirit communication while studying quietly. Upon passing yet another two hours, as his understanding of the art of spirit communication continued to increase, he only needed approximately half of his mana to maintain the previous method of spirit communication, while the demon on the other side¡¯s resistance had obviously begun to weaken. ¡°Impossible! You are obviously far inferior to me, how on earth do you still have reserve energy!¡± The demon on the opposite side roared incredulously. ¡°The sophistication of my Little Straw Mountain spirit communication secret technique is not something you can understand. Surrender immediately and obediently become my spirit beast, the previous conditions remain unchanged!¡± Shen Luo replied coldly. ¡°No way! Let¡¯s see how long you can hold on!¡± The demon roared back with all the strength it had left, amplifying its resistance. Shen Luo was not surprised but happy. Being impatient was big taboo in such a consumption battle. Everything should be done according to the most suitable steps for him, neither rushing forward nor fearing retreat, in order to last longer. As expected, it didn¡¯t take long for the demon¡¯s resistance to quickly decrease to its previous level and start to emit low groans. As time passed, the demon¡¯s resistance weakened continuously, its groans gradually turned into screams, its resistance of will became almost nonexistent, but it still stubbornly resisted. By the ninth hour, the howling on the other side was almost non-existent, and if not for still able to sense the demon¡¯s breath, Shen Luo would almost think it had fallen. But Shen Luo was also in a bad situation, with less than ten percent of his mana left in his body, he had obviously reached his limit. However, the black runes he released remained as dense as before, but the demon on the other side still showed no sign of surrender. ¡°Since you¡¯re so stubborn, I¡¯ll have to erase your spiritual wisdom!¡± Shen Luo concealed his anxiety and threatened, prompting the remaining mana in his body, the black runes he released suddenly flourished and swarmed towards the other side, full of an intimidating aura. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t, I¡­ I surrender, I¡¯m willing to be your spirit beast¡­¡± At this moment, a weak voice came through. All resistance completely disappeared. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo quickly operated the technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits with his remaining mana, and mixed the power of his divine sense into it. Soon a spirit mark formed, transmitted over, and successfully integrated into the body of the demon. An instant mental connection formed between him and the demon on the other side. With that, Shen Luo¡¯s tense heartstrings relaxed. He immediately stopped the art of spirit communication. His vision blurred as his divine sense was withdrawn and returned to the underground space. He had no mana left in his body at the moment, his Dantian was completely empty, his head was muddled, and there was a severe loss of spiritual power. Such a heavy expenditure was never experienced by Shen Luo before. His body had a sensation of being completely hollowed out. Just as he was about to sit cross-legged, he finally could no longer stay upright and fell straight back to the ground, slipping into unconsciousness. After some time, Shen Luo slowly came to. His Dantian was still completely empty, and his stomach collapsed, as if he hadn¡¯t eaten for three days and three nights. Shen Luo steadied his mind, took out a Pigu Dan and took it, then immediately sat cross-legged. Without any movement from him, the thin layer of water at the bottom of the pond immediately flowed gently towards him, causing no reaction from the golden skeleton above. It quickly gathered all around him. Shen Luo closed his eyes and operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, beginning to absorb the pond water and the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi in the surrounding space. After the pond water diminished, the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi in the underground space also began to decrease, but it is still quite dense at this moment. After fifteen minutes, when he opened his eyes again, his pupils sparkled, and his mana was completely restored. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t wait to get up, go to the outside of the pond, scoop up a green bunch of pond water, point it with another hand, and chanted a spell. The water immediately started rotating from his palm, forming a palm-sized water vortex. The vortex flew out of his hand while spinning, progressively growing larger and was the size of a millstone in the blink of an eye, with a faint, dull growl coming from the center. ¡°Open!¡± Shen Luo snapped his fingers and a pitch-black water hole appeared suddenly in the center of the vortex, a strand of bluish demon Qi shot out from it, obscuring a shadow inside that had its figure stretched out. With a ¡°bang¡±, the shadow fell heavily on the ground, the demon Qi retracting and revealing an orange-red beast that was half human half shrimp and four feet long. Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 100 Orange-Red Shrimp Monster Chapter 101: Chapter 100 Orange-Red Shrimp Monster Its head was a hard shrimp head, with two long antennae bending backward from the top of its head. Its body was humanoid, with arms and legs, clad in an orange-red armor. It even had a bow-shaped shrimp tail trailing behind its buttocks. In one hand of the shrimp monster surprisingly held a golden hammer roughly the same height as Shen Luo. Its shape resembled that of a winter melon with several large spikes on it, looking quite ferocious. On top of that, a layer of blue light radiated from within, indicating that it was not an ordinary weapon. When the shrimp monster revealed itself, the vortex created by the water flow flickered for a couple of times and quickly closed, as if the pond water was consumed. Shen Luo had already taken a few steps back, maintaining two to three feet of distance from the shrimp monster and curiously examining it up and down. The shrimp monster didn¡¯t say anything either, its pitch-black eyes staring at Shen Luo with a vague hint of fear. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Shen Luo examined the shrimp monster for a moment and then retracted his gaze, opening his mouth to ask. ¡°Zhui Tou,¡± replied the shrimp monster reluctantly, after a few moments of silence. His voice somewhat resonant. ¡°Zhui Tou? just because your head looks like a cone?¡± Shen Luo did not mind the shrimp monster¡¯s attitude. He glanced at the sharp head of the shrimp monster and felt a bit like laughing. Upon hearing this, Zhui Tou involuntarily tightened his grip on the golden hammer in his hand, the long tentacles on his head trembling, seemingly a little angry. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, Brother Zhui Tou. As long as you keep an open mind, what should you fear with a pointed head? Rare appearances may indicate a rare person! In the future, if you assist me, I promise I will not treat you badly.¡± Seeing the shrimp monster¡¯s misunderstanding, Shen Luo chuckled and tried to coax him. ¡°The Human Race is full of no-gooders! They only use us from the Demon Race. I won¡¯t listen to your nonsense!¡± Zhui Tou snorted and looked at Shen Luo disdainfully. He then turned his gaze towards the Golden Skeleton in the pond without paying attention to Shen Luo. Shen Luo saw this and the smile slowly faded from his face. ¡°We have a contract, time to teach you some form of discipline.¡± Shen Luo calmly said, a layer of black light faintly appearing in his eyes. Streaks of black light radiated from the eyebrow center of Zhui Tou. Suddenly, he fell to the ground holding his head, letting out painful howls, and his body convulsed. Shen Luo calmly watched Zhui Tou, who was lying on the ground. The black light in his eyes slowly faded away a moment later. The black light in Zhui Tou¡¯s eyebrow center disappeared and his shaking gradually ceased. He gasped heavily with his mouth open, looking at Shen Luo with a hint of fear in his eyes. ¡°Stop, stop, stop.¡± Zhui Tou slowly stood up, looking beaten, his arrogant demeanor now vanished. ¡°Brother Zhui Tou, we wouldn¡¯t have known each other, if it wasn¡¯t for the situation at hand, now that we are bonded by the soul contract, let¡¯s not continue antagonizing each other, shall we? The promises I made previously still stand. In case I need your help in the future, there will certainly be a reward. If Brother Zhui Tou needs spiritual materials from the land, you can also let me know, I will do my best to find them for you.¡± Shen Luo also put on a slight smile and said graciously. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re the boss here, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Zhui Tou looked dumbfounded, seemed a bit unaccustomed to Shen Luo¡¯s changing attitude. After being silent for a moment, he agreed. ¡°Of course, I am also very interested in various spiritual materials in the Water Area. If Brother Zhui Tou has surplus materials, you can also show them to me. We can exchange what we have. Wouldn¡¯t that be great?¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°I want a mate; can you make that happen?¡± Zhui Tou looked at Shen Luo again and asked. ¡°Don¡¯t give me a hard time. I hope our cooperation will be pleasant. Shall we shake hands?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s smile thickened. He raised his hand. Zhui Tou reluctantly raised a pincer. Shen Luo gently put his hand in the pincer. Seeing Shen Luo do this, the atmosphere between them subtly improved. ¡°Brother Shen, why did you summon me today?¡± Zhui Tou asked. ¡°Nothing in particular, I just want to meet Brother Zhui Tou and get to know your powers, so we can fight side by side in the future.¡± Shen Luo said with a slight smile. Upon hearing this, Zhui Tou didn¡¯t say anything else. He gripped the golden hammer in one hand and swung it around. As the golden hammer shadow danced, it quickly brought up a vigorous wind, shooting out several feet. Shen Luo had already taken a few steps back when Zhui Tou swung his hammer. He only felt a strong wind coming face to face, causing a slight pain on his face, as if being cut by a knife. He quickly retreated again, not only marveling at Zhui Tou¡¯s power but also feeling relieved. ¡°Yah . . . Heh!¡± Suddenly, Zhui Tou dashed and jumped, gripping the iron hammer with both hands, and smashed a gigantic white stalactite that reached the top of the cave not far away. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the three-foot-thick white stalactite was instantaneously smashed into rubble, with fragments flying everywhere. Despite being seven to eight feet away, Shen Luo felt as if the ground was shaking and the mountains were swaying. ¡°I have no other skills, just super strength, and in a fight, I rely entirely on this Wave-breaking Hammer.¡± Zhui Tou put away his great hammer, turned around, and said proudly. ¡°Brother Zhui Tou has extraordinary strength, which is truly admirable. What level of cultivation have you reached with such strength?¡± Shen Luo praised, then asked. ¡°Early Stage of Grain Avoidance, not far from the middle stage.¡± said Zhui Tou. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, it was almost as he had guessed. ¡°Does Brother Shen have any more instructions?¡± asked Zhui Tou. ¡°Nothing for now; I¡¯ll send you back. I¡¯ll call you if there¡¯s anything and remember, I¡¯m a good person.¡± After Shen Luo finished speaking, he darted a glance at the emerald green liquid, which was already dwindling in the pond. He gestured to cast the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits to open the Water Cave Passage. Just then, a sudden hum came! Shen Luo was shocked and quickly looked towards the source of the sound, only to see that in the airspace above the pool, the golden light on the skeleton¡¯s surface began to shake for some reason, and the sound was getting louder and louder. Even the skeleton inside the golden light began to make a ¡°gurgling¡± sound and started shaking. Shen Luo gasped. Ignoring everything, he hurriedly took a few steps back with his gestures, staring intently at the Golden Skeleton. ¡°Bang!¡± The golden light suddenly shattered and disappeared. The entire skeleton fell straight from the sky, smashing upon hitting the bottom of the pond and erupting in numerous sparks, which instantly turned into ashes. Shen Luo hurriedly kept a vigilant watch over the pond, but nothing happened. At the bottom of the pond in the central area, only a small cluster of gold light was flickering. It was a bone fragment remaining after the decay of the corpse. As Shen Luo was considering whether to go over and take a look, suddenly a voice saying, ¡°watch out,¡± came from his ear. Following that, a gust of wind picked up from behind Shen Luo. Zhui Tou abruptly leapt in front, blocking his back. A streak of yellow light shot rapidly from behind Shen Luo, hitting Zhui Tou¡¯s swinging iron hammer, instantly making a ¡°hissing¡± corrosive sound. At the same time, white smoke rose up, giving off a strong rotten smell, Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Borrowing the Body to Resurrect the Soul Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Borrowing the Body to Resurrect the Soul About a dozen feet away, a tall figure clad in dark black armor stood there, hunching forward slightly. The once square face was completely distorted, the nose shortened and darkened, the chin sharpened, and the ears lengthened. He looked just like a fox. More eerily, in the middle of his forehead, the flesh split open, revealing an amber vertical eye. ¡°Three-eyed Demon Fox, you¡¯re still alive!?¡± Shen Luo blurted out. The demon fox ignored his question, its gaze fixed on the pond behind him, seemingly preoccupied with the golden finger bone. ¡°His aura is somewhat strange?¡± After retreating two steps and standing shoulder to shoulder with Shen Luo, Zhui Tou said, somewhat bewildered. ¡°It¡¯s a Three-eyed Fox Demon that has possessed a monk¡¯s body. I thought they perished together¡­¡± As Shen Luo spoke, he signaled to Zhui Tou. The Three-eyed Fox Demon caught a glimpse of this, a hint of mockery flashed in its eyes, it broke out in a gritty voice. ¡°Speaking of which, I have to thank you. If you hadn¡¯t buried me underground, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to absorb the abundant spiritual power and fully merge with Wu Pojia¡¯s flesh and blood. So I advise you not to resist aimlessly. Submit to me, and I might spare your life.¡± Shen Luo made no reply; he looked at Zhui Tou with questioning eyes. ¡°His aura is unstable; it should be that the soul hasn¡¯t fully integrated. His strength should be considerably affected.¡± Zhui Tou said in a hushed voice. ¡°Do we stand a chance?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The odds are not great, but it¡¯s not impossible either.¡± Zhui Tou answered with a wicked smile. Having heard these words, Shen Luo¡¯s heart was relieved, but just as his eyes flickered, he swiftly crouched. The next moment, a cool breeze swept over his head. A few strands of his hair were sliced off, falling before his eyes. From Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve, a faint white light emanated, it was an exorcism charm that he had silently inscribed with fresh blood as soon as he saw the demon fox, to defend against a furtive attack by the demon fox. ¡°Come and fight!¡± Seeing its sneak attack had failed, the Demon Fox no longer disguised itself. It let out a harsh scream, and three thick, fox tails, as tall as itself, suddenly appeared behind it. Its body flashed with a yellow light, two of the fox tails instantaneously expanded by several meters. With gusty winds following their sweeps, they lashed out at Shen Luo and Zhui Tou. Shen Luo dared not receive them head-on, so he leaped to dodge the attack. But Zhui Tou wasn¡¯t retreating, he took a bold step forward, his hands dragging the golden hammer. He rounded and swung the hammer with a violent wind toward the fox¡¯s tail. A loud ¡°boom¡± sound echoed, like a thunderclap! The fox¡¯s tail was hit directly and rolled back. The Three-eyed Demon Fox was thrown off balance. After his hammer strike, Zhui Tou vaulted into the air, raised his hammer above his head and smashed it down toward the Demon Fox. The Fox Demon hurriedly pulled back its three tails, crossed them in front of it, and blocked the attack from above. The impact caused the Demon Fox¡¯s body to shake, but it did not break through the tail¡¯s defense. The Fox Demon let out a nasty laugh. All three tails simultaneously swung outwards, launching Zhui Tou into the air. Suddenly, a burst of blood light flashed from the vertical eye on its brow, and a beam of red light shot out. The red light moved extremely fast. Zhui Tou, who was suspended mid-air, had no time to react, and it looked like he was going to take a direct hit. At that moment, a bright emerald light suddenly flared up. It was a crystal-clear liquid, bright as jade, shooting towards him, blocking his chest like a shield. With a ¡°thud¡±, the red light hit the water mass, instantly causing countless splashes. However, the water mass that was hit didn¡¯t immediately disintegrate. Instead, it stalled momentarily with the red light, before being pierced through. Zhui Tou managed to twist his body to avoid the vital point, but was still knocked over with a ¡°thud¡±, emitting a mournful cry. When Shen Luo rushed forward, he noticed that Zhui Tou¡¯s armor had been corroded and pierced through, a blue liquid similar to blood was leaking from the wound, it was evident that he was injured. The Demon Fox, successful in its attack, shot another blood light from its vertical eye. Zhui Tou sprung to his feet, swinging the iron hammer in his hand to block the blood light. Shen Luo raised his hand, and the emerald green liquid drawn from the pond, under the effect of the Water Control Technique, transformed into a water wolf carved from jade, and lunged at the Demon Fox. The Demon Fox merely swiped its tail, directly shattering the water wolf into droplets of water, and its figure rushed through the droplets towards Shen Luo. But the scattered droplets converged in mid-air, yet again forming a water wolf which dove at the Demon Fox¡¯s back. The Demon Fox, caught off guard, was bitten at the back of its neck, it roared angrily, with a backhand grip on the water wolf¡¯s head, and squeezed hard with its five fingers. The water wolf couldn¡¯t bear the grip and burst open, causing water to splash all over. Under the subsequent sweep of the Fox¡¯s tail, it transformed into a large mist of water, no longer able to aggregate again. Before Shen Luo could react, the Demon Fox trembled slightly, and its fur shot out furiously, transforming into seven or eight nearly transparent giant blades in mid-air, hacking towards Shen Luo. Zhui Tou¡¯s figure flashed, blocking Shen Luo, the iron hammer in his hands spun like a Gyro, creating a blue vortex which knocked down three or four giant blades. After Shen Luo dodged a close combat slash, he rolled and picked up two flame short spears from the edge of the pond, crossed them in front of him, fending off the attacks from the last two giant blades. Just as Shen Luo and Zhui Tou managed to ward off this round of attack, three huge fox tails swept at them with a powerful gust. One tail swept across, disrupting the vortex Zhui Tou had created, then another tail followed up and smacked him, sending him flying five to six yards away, landing right into a pile of magical instruments by the pond. The remaining tail was thrust out, targeting Shen Luo¡¯s head. Shen Luo crossed the two short spears in front of him, rings of fire enveloped the bodies of the spears. The fox¡¯s tail retracted just before it could touch the spears, but immediately followed by a ¡°whooshing¡± sound, it turned into seven or eight transparent giant blades, attacking Shen Luo with a sweeping force! At the critical moment, Shen Luo frantically danced the double spears in his hands, he was in a flurry, his figure swaying. Although he managed to block most of the giant blades, one managed to slice his thigh, he grunted and knelt down, but his eyes intentionally or unintentionally swept quickly towards the direction of the pond. ¡°Overestimating your abilities!¡± The Demon Fox sneered. With a sweep of a fox tail, it wrapped around Shen Luo¡¯s waist and pulled him to its front, as the blood light in its third eye prepared to shoot through his skull. Shen Luo suddenly raised one of his palms at the Demon Fox, squeezing out all his strength, he shouted, ¡°Down!¡± A thunderous rumble echoed through the underground cave. A white lightning bolt as thick as an arm shot out from his palm, accurately hitting the vertical eye on the Demon Fox¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± The Three-eyed Demon Fox howled painfully, retreating several steps. Its three tails flailed wildly, Shen Luo was flung hard by a tail against a white stalagmite. With a ¡°Gah¡± sound, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 102: Strange scenes in a dream Chapter 103: Chapter 102: Strange scenes in a dream Just then, a figure flickered in mid-air behind the fox demon. It was Zhui Tou, who had appeared unknowingly with a golden hammer in his hands, fiercely smashing towards the fox demon¡¯s skull. A dull ¡°thud¡± echoed. At the crucial moment, the fox demon swung one of its tails to block its skull, but it was still dizzy with the residual force. The tail holding Shen Luo loosened, and Shen Luo fell to the ground. Half kneeling, Shen Luo ignored his injuries, raised his hand, and his palm flashed with white light again. He released a streak of white lightning, striking the fox demon¡¯s face, causing an explosion. Large strands of white electricity filled its face in a blink of an eye, the fox demon let out a sorrowful cry and its body, along with three tails, paused rigidly. ¡°Daoist friend Zhui Tou! Now!¡± As soon as Shen Luo¡¯s words fell, behind the fox demon, Zhui Tou waved his hand, and a blue light flashed. The exquisite Cold Gun obtained from Wu Pojia shot out like an arrow, directly piercing through the vital area of the fox demon¡¯s chest. Shen Luo looked up as he panted heavily, only to see a large hole torn open in the fox demon¡¯s chest, the wound instantly freezing over, without a single drop of blood flowing out. Following that, the fox demon¡¯s body fell straight backward. The three large fox tails behind it seemed to lose their magic-power support and quickly shrank back, returning to their original state. Shen Luo saw it fell to the ground motionless but didn¡¯t immediately go up to inspect it. Instead, he looked at his own palm, seeing the mark of the Small Thunder Talisman still present, he again raised his hand, striking its head. After two thunderous sounds, the skull of Three-eyed Demon Fox was charred and black smoke wafted off it. Meanwhile, the last bit of mana inside Shen Luo was completely exhausted. He felt weak all over and almost fainted. ¡°It¡¯s already dead. If you¡¯re still not at ease, I can give it another hit.¡± Zhui Tou limped over with the hammer, his leather armor was cracked in many places, clearly, he too was severely injured. ¡°Thank you for your help this time.¡± Shen Luo gestured with a pale face. ¡°Since I¡¯ve established a Soul Contract with you, if anything happens to you, I will be implicated. It¡¯s surprising that this fox demon, merged with a human body, is still so powerful. It must have brought the demon pellet with it to maintain its full strength. It must be situated in the Dantian of the corpse.¡± Zhui Tou¡¯s gaze landed on the corpse as he said this. Hearing this, Shen Luo sat there for a while to recover, before getting up and walking forward. He picked up the ice gun and undid the clothes on the body, he gently cut open the abdomen of the corpse, and indeed found a smooth pink bead inside. The thing was the same size as normal pearls and similar to it as well. However, emanating from it were waves of demonic energy fluctuations. ¡°The environment here is not conducive for healing, I need to return right away.¡± Just as Shen Luo was about to ask about the usefulness of the demon pellet, Zhui Tou spoke. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send you back now.¡± Seeing that, Shen Luo had to swallow the question that was on the tip of his tongue. He squeezed a magic tactic with both hands, summoned the small amount of remaining emerald green liquid to his side, operated the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, and created a vortex in the void with a single hand motion. Zhui Tou didn¡¯t say a word, his figure instantly turned into a blue light, disappearing into the vortex, the blue vortex then gradually shrank and vanished. After resting at the original spot for a while, Shen Luo walked to the edge of the pond, watching the golden finger bone in the pond, his face tinged with hesitation. Despite knowing that this thing was extraordinary, he didn¡¯t dare to rashly pick it up. At this instant, the pond suddenly flashed with golden light and the finger bone suddenly shot up, piercing directly towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo was shocked and quickly sidestepped to avoid it. However, when the finger bone was about to pass by him, it turned abruptly and pierced directly into his body. He only felt a sharp pain in his chest and his vision immediately became blurry. Shen Luo shook his slightly dizzy head vigorously, weakly grabbing at the void in front of him as if trying to hold onto something for support. However, his vision darkened and he fell straight down. ¡­ ¡°Thud¡­¡± After an unknown amount of time, Shen Luo suddenly heard a melodious bell sound echoing in the distance. His eyelids twitched slightly, and slowly opened his eyes. The cloudy feeling in his head was still present, and his vision was still blurry. He couldn¡¯t help but rub his somewhat aching eyebrows. Shen Luo propped himself up and sat up, looking around in surprise to find hundreds of people sitting densely around him. They were all dressed in the same white robes, each looking solemnly towards a three-foot high platform in front. On the platform was a lotus zafu, on which sat an elderly man with long white hair and a benevolent face. His long eyebrows hung down on both sides of his cheeks, and he was wearing a large feather robe, apparently preaching a sermon. ¡°Where is this place? How did I get here?¡± Shen Luo looked around in surprise, realizing that this place was neither the underground cave, nor was it inside the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. He suddenly stood up to ask the people around him, but they seemed completely unaware of his strange behavior, and no one glanced at him at all. Shen Luo quickly leaned over to tap on the shoulder of the person next to him, but his palm seemed to pass through the person¡¯s body as if it were translucent. ¡°Could it be another dream? A dream within a dream?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He turned and looked further around, only to find that he was standing on a white stone square in the mountains. The surrounding mountains were like an emerald jade belt wrapping around, with jade-like waterfalls and misty clouds visible in the middle, creating a fairy-tale landscape. On many of the mountain peaks, he could see jade pavilions being hidden by green trees, and on many of the mountain crevices, he could see suspended rope bridges connecting them. The sounds of monkeys and cranes echoed around the mountains and clouds. ¡°Could this be an Immortal land, and the elder is the Immortal giving teachings?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t hide his excitement, he wanted to approach the preaching elder to listen carefully to whether he was spreading Immortal teachings. But he had only just taken a step forward when the surrounding scenery dissolved away like a mirage. Shen Luo just felt a moment of dizziness, and everything in front of him became blurry again. But a moment later, when his vision stabilized, the surroundings had already changed entirely. At this moment, he was standing on the top of towering mountain peak, facing a suspended cliff. Below him was a rolling sea of clouds like waves of the sea. Not far from him, there were several low tables, each with a person sitting behind them. The one in the main seat was still the elder in the feather robe. The others sitting down had greatly different appearances and attire. They were burning incense and sipping tea, discussing Dao while sitting, as if they were old friends of many years. Although Shen Luo was not far away and could see the details of each of their faces clearly, he couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about clearly. And when he intended to approach them, the surrounding scenery blurred again. Immediately after, he found himself in a big red hall. He saw the feather-robed elder and several disciples-like people conversing¡­ Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 103: The Old Man in the Cave chapter 104: chapter 103: the old man in the cave like this several times, the scene kept changing, allowing him to see some images of the old man¡¯s daily teachings. shen luo felt like a spectator, watching silently, but utterly disconnected from it all. just as shen luo thought he had fallen into a nightmarish loop with no end, the situation changed slightly. this time, he found himself back in the white stone square, watching everyone sitting quietly around, listening to the feather-robed elder imparting his teachings. the sky, clear before, suddenly turned as dark as night, shrouded by an enormous shadow. the entire sky seemed to be ablaze, turning a fiery red. looking up, shen luo saw huge red meteorites, seeming to come from the outer world, leaving crimson trails across the sky, bringing with them rolling black smoke as they fell in all directions. one of them headed straight for the square. shen luo felt a jolt of fear at first, but then his face turned pale as a realization hit him. he had only read about this phenomenon, akin to the heavenly fire descending, in miscellaneous records. most of them attributed it to volcanic eruptions, but he had never witnessed it. now, as he watched the red meteorite fly towards him, from initially the size of a millstone, gradually growing as large as a house, when it was about to fall directly above, it had grown as giant as a mountain peak. naturally, he was terrified. the surrounding white ¨C robed disciples were equally panicked, fleeing in all directions. although shen luo felt afraid, he knew that no matter what happened around him, it wouldn¡¯t affect him, so he didn¡¯t flee and stayed in place to watch. the feather-robed elder remained calm throughout, without any extra movement. he just raised his palm towards the sky, and the ground trembled violently around him. accompanied by a ¡°rumbling¡± sound, one of the green mountains outside the square began to rise, like a long spear, heading towards the oncoming meteorite. a loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! the mountain shattered under the meteorite¡¯s impact, stirring up a wall of dust and debris that blocked out the sun. but the meteorite was stopped by the roots of the mountain, preventing it from directly falling onto the square. watching this scene, shen luo was incredibly shocked. there were indeed beings in this world who could move mountains at will. before his shock could settle, whirlwinds rose from the rolling dust clouds, as if something was falling from the meteorite. as he looked on with curiosity, he heard roars from within the dust and had a glimpse of countless monstrous creatures jumping off the meteorite. covered in rolling demonic flames, they advanced towards the square. watching this, the feather-robed elder, made a hand gesture, like a magic spell, waved into the empty space. from the mountains, streams of hundred-feet-tall waterfalls surged wildly, transforming into hundreds of feet long sparkling water dragons. slithering from all sides, they plunged towards these monsters. as the water dragons rushed in, they swallowed countless monsters, and their tremendous force tore many of them to shreds. following this, some white-robed men, who looked like elders, joined in on the fight against the monsters. the initially scattered disciples quickly regrouped and followed their elders into the battlefield. in an instant, the whole square was ablaze with fire and echoing with the sounds of battle. the entire land shook violently as giant mountain-guarding auspicious beasts began to rush in from all directions. among them was a tiger as large as a house, a cheetah wrapped in flames, and a qiu yu, an armor-scaled beast, even bigger than the giant tiger. as soon as they charged in, they quickly pushed back the monsters¡¯ front lines, with more and more white-robed monks gathering around, gradually surrounding the monsters with the meteorite at the center. seeing the monks¡¯ side gaining the upper hand, shen luo¡¯s heart inexplicably eased for a moment. but at that moment, the surrounding scenes blurred once again, and the once lush green mountains had been reduced to ruins, leaving nothing but broken walls and raging fires in shen luo¡¯s field of view. the numerous disciples under the feather-robed elder had suffered countless casualties, with piles of corpses resembling mountains scattered everywhere¡ªthe entire land seemed to be washed in blood. shen luo watched all this, his heart overwhelmed with astonishment. focusing his attention, he saw the feather-robed elder, covered in blood, fleeing into the sky, only to be caught up by a gruesome creature with three heads and six arms after only several hundred feet. the two of them performed their mystic arts in mid-air, causing the heavens and earth to tremble and sending thunder booming into the distance. shen luo wanted to follow but sadly, he lacked the ability to fly and could only watch helplessly as their figures disappeared into the horizon. at that moment, the scene before his eyes shifted again, and he found himself back in an underground cave. as he glanced around, his heart shook violently. the environment within the cave was incredibly familiar¡ªit was the very place he had been in earlier. ¡°what in the world is going on?¡± shen luo was filled with doubts. as he pondered, a figure suddenly walked into the cave. the figure¡¯s hair was disheveled, its gait unsteady, its snow-white feather robe soaked in blood¡ªit was the feather-robed elder. shen luo subconsciously wanted to go over and support him, but the elder walked straight through him and staggered into the depths of the cave, sitting down with his back against a stone wall. shen luo quickly followed and saw three circular holes broken open in the elder¡¯s chest, from which no more blood could flow. the elder¡¯s body trembled uncontrollably against the stone wall, his complexion as pale as gold foil, and his eyes had become extremely dim. the elder¡¯s injuries were obviously too severe, beyond redemption, and his life was almost spent. after resting for a moment, he seemed to have regained some strength, stood up again, and began to set up an array in the cave. all shen luo could see was a stream of radiant light emitting from the feather-robed elder¡¯s hand, flying towards the cave entrance, but he couldn¡¯t discern what was within the light. after those lights landed on the rock wall, they quickly dissipated and vanished. then, the elder took off his feather robe, threw it in front of him, and struggled to manipulate a magic spell, reclining his palm towards the robe. a mysterious charm pattern emerged in the center of his palm, followed by a round light curtain that lit up in front of his palm, with blue mana trailing out, gathering towards the feather robe. the strings of mana fell upon it and instantly reduced the already tattered feather robe to ashes, transforming into a blue battle formation map attached to the ground. the blood stains on the feather robe didn¡¯t disappear though. instead, under the stimulation of mana, they started to pulsate slightly. as the mana continuously flowed out, the life force of the elder was also rapidly draining, and the blood stains began to glow faintly. the originally bright red color started to fade, and bits of emerald green liquid began to condense on the ground. as more and more emerald green liquid accumulated on the ground, bubbles began to pop up at the center like a spring, eventually transforming into a green pond filled with spiritual energy. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 104: Insights in Dreams chapter 105: chapter 104: insights in dreams after completing the creation of the pond, the feather-robed elder had exhausted his last bit of mana. he stumbled toward the center of the pond and sat down cross-legged. at that moment, shen luo felt a jolt in his heart. he naturally understood that he had seen the spiritual pool in the cave, and the corpse protected under the golden light was probably that of the feather-robed elder. shen luo came to the edge of the pond with a complex expression, seeing the feather-robed elder staring tragically into the void. his face showed a trace of sorrow and anger. at this moment, the elder suddenly flicked his wrist and a flying dagger shot straight up. after colliding with the top of the cave, the blade turned and fell directly towards his own head. this was obviously an act of self-destruction before dying of serious injuries! shen luo¡¯s heart tightened. he subconsciously lunged forward, trying to catch the flying dagger. but in the air, his body became light, his divine sense blurred, and he lost consciousness. when he woke up again, he found that he was back in his room on the qingchipo in the spring and autumn pavilion. bright sunlight shone in from the outside window, and birds chirped near and far. it was early morning. shen luo tried to sit up, but found that he was so weak that he couldn¡¯t move at all. he lay back down, with scenes from the dream constantly appearing in his mind. he was a bit lost. he felt all over his body and quickly discovered that the flame spear and the ice spear magical instruments he had obtained in the dream were not on him, including those pills and the demon fox¡¯s inner dan. ¡°it seems that things in dreams can¡¯t be brought back to reality,¡± shen luo murmured. having said that, he subconsciously operated the nameless cultivation technique, trying to mobilize the mana in his dantian. but as soon as he tried, he felt a blockage in his meridians, and a dull pain in his chest, almost spitting up a mouthful of blood. when he tried to operate the third level nameless technique, the mana available to mobilize in his dantian was pitifully small. but when that bit of mana was mobilized and raised along the ren meridian to reach the purple palace acupoint, it was actually blocked there and could not advance at all. this situation was exactly the same as when he first began to practice the second level nameless technique. shen luo struggled to sit up and tried again to operate the nameless practice to mobilize the mana in his dantian. the result was still the same, his mana was really only at the level of first complete circle. ¡°it seems i was dreaming. how can the realms achieved in dreams be brought back to reality?¡± shen luo slapped his forehead and laughed bitterly. although he said that, his experiences of breaking through the second and third levels of the nameless technique in his dreams were still fresh in his mind. especially the experiences and insights during practice were vividly imprinted in his mind. then, as if he had thought of something, he quickly tore off his shirt and looked carefully at his chest. but the skin on his chest was as smooth as ever, without any scars. upon careful inspection, there was nothing unusual. after a brief thought, shen luo understood. the bone fragment and magical instruments, as well as his cultivation realm, were all things from the dream, and would not return to the real world with him. suddenly, shen luo felt a wave of sleepiness. he was so tired he couldn¡¯t help but fall back asleep. almost at the same time. far away from the spring and autumn pavilion, in a mountain, a brand-new temple had just been built. a large number of monks and believers gathered on the square in front of the mahavira hall, all praying with their hands clasped and eyes closed. inside the hall, there was a clay statue six feet tall, still covered with a red cloth. once the auspicious time arrived, the revered abbot would uncover it and consecrate the golden body of the buddha. standing in front of a huge brass furnace outside the hall, a fat official in brocade was waiting to be the first to burn incense, his heart filled with excitement. inside the mountain gate, a vajrapani statue, gripping a vajra, glares with wrathful eyes, scrutinizing all evil in the world. its face to the back, a statue of the maitreya buddha holds buddhist beads, smiling to welcome people and spread positive karma. outside the gate, two bamboo ladders have already been set up. four young monks are laboriously lifting a large placard, preparing to hang it above the gate. the placard, made from sandalwood, has a red lacquer base with gold-lacquer script. it boldly displays three large characters: ¡°jia lan temple¡±. ¡°dong¡­¡± at this moment, the auspicious time has just arrived, a resonant bell rings from within the temple, echoing towards the distance. not far from the temple, two hunters stand in front of a wilderness mountain cave. from an animal trap set up a day earlier, they remove a large fox with a mottled coat that has been pierced by two arrows, blood still dripping from the wounds. the fox still has a fat field mouse clutched in its mouth, refusing to let go even in death. the two hunters excitedly discuss the prospect of selling the fox¡¯s skin at the market for some grains, while the meat will be taken back for their children¡¯s meals. unknown to them, deep within the cave, a newborn fox with a yellowish coat is sound asleep. suddenly, as if hearing the sound of the bell from the temple, the cub slowly opens its innocent eyes. its fluffy pointed ears also stand upright, lively and alert. ¡­ the second day, early morning. after sleeping for one day and one night, shen luo regains his energy. when he goes to the dining hall for breakfast, he runs into tian tiesheng. after a brief conversation, shen luo realizes something. previously, he was engrossed in cultivation in dreamland for quite some time, but when he returned to reality, it seemed as if only a night had passed. it felt as though he had just had a long dream. shen luo remembers the previous two times he entered the dream, he also fell asleep at night and woke up in the early morning of the second day. in his mind, he begins to wonder, could it be that no matter how much time he spends in dreamland, in reality, it amounts to only a single night¡¯s deep sleep? after breakfast, shen luo quickly returns to the back mountain shallow pond. he closes his eyes and resumes his cultivation of the second level technique. in his mind, he carefully recalls his cultivation in dreamland, the details of how mana flowed within his body start to emerge bit by bit. it¡¯s only now that shen luo understands, at the beginning of his cultivation, he couldn¡¯t open the purple palace acupoint not because he had a lack of mana, but because he lacked control and wasn¡¯t able to guide his dantian power to simultaneously strike the acupoints. with his hands shaping the magic spell and mentally chanting the mantra, in his sea of consciousness, he imagines the mana within his dantian as a flock of arrows. with the intention to succeed in one attempt, he impels it to rush upwards with all his might. suddenly, it¡¯s as if a relaxing and cool qi surges rapidly upwards from his ren meridian, passing his chest¡¯s yutang acupoint, shooting directly towards the purple palace acupoint. after repeating this process several times, a soft ¡°thud¡± resonates. ¡°i made it¡­¡± a wave of joy fills shen luo¡¯s heart. the purple palace acupoint opens wide, taken over by the rushing mana. once this acupoint is opened, his confidence immediately surges significantly. even if the realm reached in dreamland cannot be brought back to reality, the experiences and feelings he had are still there. with these things, wouldn¡¯t the pathways to breaking through subsequent acupoints be smoothly paved! shen luo suppresses his excitement, recites the magic spell again, and continues to channel his mana to rush upwards towards the huagai acupoint. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 105: Reality Call chapter 106: chapter 105: reality call this acupoint, compared to zigong, is even larger. ¡°as large as car hood¡± is the origin of its name. it¡¯s not difficult for mana to rush into it, but to pass through it, it needs to be first filled with mana. when it overflows, mana can naturally pass through and reach the xuanji acupoint. however, although shen luo has perfected the first level of the nameless cultivation technique, the amount of mana stored in his body is very limited, so he can only temporarily stop attempting to break through, and continues to circulate the first level technique to refill his dantian. only after a full four hours did he finally accumulate enough mana to break through huagai acupoint after another strenuous attempt. shen luo put away his magic spell, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and temporarily stopped his cultivation practice to avoid mental exhaustion. moderation is the best policy. with the help of the experiences in his dreamland, he was already extraordinary in being able to pass through two acupoints in a day. compared with his original speed, he has naturally sped up a lot, even surpassing most ordinary people, and it might take less than a year, or perhaps less than two years, to perfect the second level technique. however, compared with his cultivation speed in the dreamland, which was nearly a day¡¯s march, there is a world of difference. ¡°my cultivation aptitude in the dreamland seems far superior to reality¡­ i wonder why?¡± shen luo felt a bit lost, and also puzzled. after taking a break for a moment, he closed his eyes again and started to operate the nameless cultivation technique silently, while adjusting his breathing and tuna, with his hands forming a magic spell. but this time, he was not continuing his cultivation but was operating the technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits instead. in the dreamland, he was already able to establish communication with the shrimp soldier ¡°zhui tou¡±, so naturally he wanted to try again to see if he could still succeed. before long, strands of water spirit qi gathered around shen luo¡¯s body, and his thoughts gradually became vacant. the vision before his slightly closed eyes gradually turned pitch black. small and large blue light spots started to shimmer in the void. after a slight hesitation, shen luo didn¡¯t go looking for the biggest blue light spot, but instead tried to lead his divine sense to a smaller light spot closest to him. the difficulty of contract signing with ¡°zhui tou¡± in the dreamland was still fresh in his memory. with his current aptitude and mana, he certainly couldn¡¯t compare to his dream self. therefore, he cautiously tried to communicate with weaker aquatic clan demons, which seemed more reliable. as soon as his divine thought descended, it flowed smoothly into the light without any hindrance. immediately after, his vision blurred, and he once again entered a blue space. it was as if there were water waves surging around him, shimmering with sparkling light. shen luo quickly discovered that the blue space this time was clearly much smaller than that in the dreamland, indicating that the connected water area was not the same as the previous one. also, the creature¡¯s aura he could feel in this space was pitifully weak. among these auras, the strongest one seemed to only possess the strength of the early stage qi refining. after pondering for a moment, shen luo began to operate the art of spirit communication and projected his divine sense power. his current cultivation level is already around the third and fourth levels of qi refining. he calculated that if the demon emitting the aura was unwilling to sign a contract with him, he would forcibly summon it with the beast taming technique. unexpectedly, as soon as his divine sense projected, it connected with the other side, and the other party didn¡¯t show any intention of resistance. shen luo immediately began to use his divine sense mixed with mana to form a spirit mark and transmitted it. it quickly integrated into the body of the demon, and he established a subtle communication with it via his mind. afterward, he quickly exited the blue space, his eyes slowly opened. next, he pressed his hand into the shallow pond, silently chanting spells. he quickly started a vortex of water, spinning in the palm of his hand, within the stream of the pond. ¡°rise!¡± shen luo shouted lowly, and the vortex in the palm of his hand ascended promptly, suspended in mid-air, reached the size of a millstone, within which emerged a spinning blackwater tunnel. shen luo watched the water tunnel intently, with a hint of expectation in his mind, not knowing what kind of demon would be summoned through spirit communication? however, after waiting for half an incense stick worth of time, just when shen luo thought that there was a problem with the spirit summoning technique, a huge head, slightly pointed at the front and flat at the back, leisurely extended from the water tunnel, followed by a long neck, that had irregularly distributed leather patches. ¡°is this¡­ a water python?¡± shen luo frowned, saying with a hint of doubt. but looking at its slow movement, it did not resemble the swift water python at all. before shen luo could understand, he saw a green-black turtle fin, slowly protruding from the water tunnel. then, the hard shell attached to its long, protruding head had also appeared, it was unmistakably a big sea turtle. shen luo¡¯s heart, which was filled with expectation just a moment ago, grew extremely cold. judging by its slowly crawling speed, if they encountered danger, he wouldn¡¯t be able to summon it before meeting his own death. ¡°come out quickly¡­¡± the moment this thought crossed shen luo¡¯s mind, subconsciously, he wanted to hurry the big turtle. who would have thought that the turtle seemed to have understood him, its fins suddenly powered forward, its body suddenly sprung forward, leaping into the air and smashing down towards the water surface. shen luo saw this and leaped back instantly, stepping on the water surface and retreating a dozen or so steps to avoid it. the big sea turtle splashed into the water with a ¡°plop.¡± because the pond was not deep, only one-third of its body was submerged in water. its four fins were flapping up and down like a boat¡¯s oars, but the body was unable to move forward at all, creating a particularly comical sight. shen luo walked forward somewhat helplessly, circled around the sea turtle, and noticed that its body was about five feet long. the back of the turtle was protruding like a car hood, with hexagonal patterns on each plate, and the surface was covered with a layer of slippery green moss. ¡°do you have a name?¡± shen luo asked, standing in front of the turtle. in response, the turtle merely stretched out its long neck, sniffing around shen luo, looking him up and down without uttering a word. its eyes were large and round, shining with an amber gloss. along with the two upward-facing nostrils and a giant triangle-shaped mouth, it exuded a sense of innocent and cute charm¡­ ¡°can¡¯t speak? and seems not too intelligent.¡± shen luo said with a bitter face. in the dreamland, he had to sweet talk and risk his life to win over an early stage grain avoidance water demon shrimp. but back in reality, why could he only summon a dumb, adorable big sea turtle? the difference was so vast that it was impossible for shen luo to not feel disappointed. having glanced at shen luo once, the turtle seemed dissatisfied. it slowly retracted its head, the four fins sank to the bottom of the water, supported its massive body to rise again for a bit. turning its head, it slowly crawled towards the shore. ¡°this¡­ it can¡¯t be that it has no spiritual wisdom, right?¡± seeing this, shen luo was slightly taken aback. Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 106 Big Sea Turtle chapter 107: chapter 106 big sea turtle although the sea turtle was unable to speak, it seemed to have retained a faint spiritual connection which enabled it to sense shen luo¡¯s simple emotional fluctuations. ¡°what if i call you ¡®little sea¡¯ if you don¡¯t have a name?¡± shen luo, mildly curious, went forward, patted its shell and said. upon hearing his words, the big sea turtle paused for a moment, then continued to crawl towards the shore. ¡°you don¡¯t like it? how about calling you ¡®little gui¡¯?¡± shen luo followed and asked again. upon hearing the name ¡®little gui¡¯, shen luo could distinctly feel the fluctuations in the sea turtle¡¯s emotions, showing a form of satisfaction. ¡°do you display any abilities?¡± asked shen luo. upon hearing this, the turtle stopped crawling. it twisted its head to look at shen luo, then turned its head back and stared ahead at a stone not far away. suddenly, it opened its mouth and spouted something. shen luo¡¯s sight dimmed for only a moment before a white light suddenly shot out from the turtle¡¯s mouth. in the next moment, a sharp ¡°clang¡± rang out from the stone. shen luo rushed over and found that the stone several yards away was punctured, revealing a thumb-sized hole. ¡°what was that? how did you do it?¡± shen luo asked, surprised and delighted. no sooner had he spoken than another white light shot from the turtle¡¯s mouth and struck the stone. immediately, another identical round hole appeared next to the original one. this time, shen luo saw clearly that what little gui had spat out was an approximately one-foot-long transparent water arrow. shen luo thought to himself that he could also shoot out similar water arrows using the water control technique, but he could definitely not achieve the same speed and precision. the force exerted by the sea turtle¡¯s water arrow was comparable to his full-force blow. ¡°impressive, little gui. do you have any other abilities? show me,¡± shen luo said merrily. upon hearing this, little gui retracted its head and slowly crawled towards a sunny spot ashore. there, it lay still, basking in the sun. after threatening and coaxing little gui for a while, shen luo realized that it seemed to only have the ability to shoot water arrows, and that it didn¡¯t have any other talents. after basking in the sun for a while with little gui, he summoned a water hole through the art of spirit communication and sent it back. according to the nameless law formula, his shallow mana is perfectly adequate for communicating with this sea turtle. to contract more powerful aquatic clan demons, he should not attempt to take the risk, otherwise backlash may occur. ¡­ in the following days, shen luo continued his cultivation routine at the back mountain shallow pond. with the added benefit of his dream experiences, he found his progress with the second level technique to be even faster than he¡¯d anticipated. however, it would still take quite some time to achieve perfection. today, he finished his cultivation early and returned from the back mountain. instead of returning to qingchipo, he went straight to master luo¡¯s courtyard. upon arriving at the courtyard¡¯s entrance, he saw master luo with his eyes slightly closed, standing in a horse stance in the middle of the courtyard. master luo kept this position, seemingly engaged in a certain form of standing meditation. as he stood outside the door, hesitating whether to make a noise, master luo opened his eyes, glanced at him, and asked, ¡°what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°master luo, there¡¯s something your disciple wants to ask,¡± said shen luo, bowing hurriedly as he spoke. ¡°come in and talk,¡± said master luo. he ceased his standing meditation, turned back with his hands behind his back and walked into the house. shen luo stepped across the courtyard, following master luo into the hall. ¡°judging from your breath, walking gait, and complexion, it seems like your training of the small transformation yang skill has made significant strides. have you already mastered it and now want to learn the pure yang sword technique from me? i told you before that the main authority on this matter lies with the pavilion master. don¡¯t get your hopes too high,¡± said master luo, sitting down in the chair in the hall. ¡°master luo, there seems to be a misunderstanding. the mastery of my small transformation yang skill is still somewhere in the future. this time i am not here for that. i just want to learn one of our pavilion¡¯s defensive martial arts skills,¡± explained shen luo, waving his hand hastily. following his fight with the demon fox in the dream world, he felt deeply that not having learned real defensive martial arts left him short of adequate means to handle many dangerous situations. right now, his nameless cultivation technique was still in its early stages and consequently limited in its power. drawing talismans on the spot was too time-consuming. if he could acquire a martial arts technique, he wouldn¡¯t feel so flustered while facing creatures like the zombie rat monster. ¡°martial arts techniques?¡± master luo, eyebrows raised in surprise, inquired. ¡°correct. i request master luo to offer the incantation for practicing ¡®qingyang hand¡¯,¡± shen luo said, bowing deeply. ¡°you¡¯d like to learn qingyang hand? that¡¯s not impossible. this technique isn¡¯t particularly demanding. as long as those who practice it possess yang gang qi in their bodies, they can practice it,¡± master luo said, pondering for a moment. seeing master luo¡¯s consent, shen luo quickly spoke, revealing a smile. ¡°my physical strength has been recovering quite well. grateful for master luo¡¯s and the pavilion¡¯s care, i¡¯ve sent a letter home. my father will soon present a small gift to the pavilion, i hope master luo will accept it,¡± he said. upon hearing this, master luo stroked his moustache, revealing an amused smile on his face. he stood up and walked into the inner hall. soon, he returned with a thin blue book in his hand. ¡°qingyang hand isn¡¯t difficult to practice, but be careful. if you don¡¯t understand a part, you can ask senior brother tian. he has been practicing for many years and has gained some experience,¡± uttered master luo, passing the book to shen luo. ¡°thank you, master luo. i¡¯ll bear that in mind,¡± shen luo quickly replied, taking the book with both hands and thanking him pretentiously. ¡°one more thing you should be aware of: although qingyang hand can maximise the power of yang gang qi, it also consumes a not-so-small amount of it. use it wisely,¡± master luo reminded. ¡°master luo, have no worry. i¡¯ll behave within my capability,¡± shen luo answered respectfully. ¡°actually, i¡¯ve always valued your diligence. otherwise, i would not have said so much to you today. it¡¯s a pity you lack innate qualities,¡± said master luo, looking at shen luo and nodding. ¡°thank you, master luo. i deeply appreciate your kindness. there is something i want to verify with you,¡± shen luo replied. judging by master luo¡¯s manner, he saw that he was not about to dismiss him, so he went on. ¡°go ahead,¡± master luo said as he sat back down. ¡°master luo, are there really such things as great cultivation prodigies in this world who can make extremely swift progress?¡± asked shen luo. ¡°naturally there are extraordinarily talented individuals who cultivate at an astonishing pace. however, such people are very rare; you may well go hundreds of years without encountering one. they are either the reincarnations of educated elders who chose to start over, or they possess what legends refer to as a ¡®dao body¡¯,¡± explained master luo, though he seemed a bit surprised. ¡°dao body, is there really such a thing in this world?¡± shen luo asked in amazement. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 107: The Unexpected Guest Chapter 108: Chapter 107: The Unexpected Guest ¡°You know about Dao Body too?¡± This time it was Master Luo who got taken by surprise. ¡°I came across it while browsing through some random books in the past. They mentioned it as something possessed by ancient people. When they found techniques that are compatible with their Dao Body, they managed to cultivate from a mortal body to immortality in just a decade or so. I initially thought this was just a legend, but it seems that I have got it confirmed from you today.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°It is rumored that cultivators with the highest grade of Dao Body indeed have this heaven-defying cultivation speed, but since it remains a rumor, its authenticity is naturally hard to verify.¡± Master Luo said. ¡°The highest grade¡­ Does the Dao Body vary in grades?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Of course, it varies. Speaking of the lower grade Dao Body cultivators, their talent does outstrip ordinary people, but they only cultivate slightly faster in comparison. On the other hand, the highest grade Dao Body cultivators can cultivate several times faster than ordinary people and even up to dozens of times. Moreover, they possess a variety of talents, almost like god-like powers. The difference between them is enormous.¡± Master Luo explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo silently pondered the speed of his cultivation in his dream. It seemed to be even faster than what Master Luo described as the top-grade Dao Body. However, he didn¡¯t notice any special talents in himself. ¡°Why do you suddenly ask about this?¡± Master Luo asked, seeing Shen Luo lost in thought. ¡°Master Luo, I was simply curious. I thought if I had such a qualification, maybe cultivation for a longer life wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°A cultivator possessing the highest grade Dao Body appears scarcely once every five or six hundred years. You really don¡¯t need to fantasize about it. In the future, you should stay grounded and focus on your cultivation.¡± Master Luo¡¯s expression became more solemn as he spoke. ¡°Master Luo, I will remember your teachings. I¡¯ve disturbed you for a long time today, I will take my leave now.¡± Shen Luo bid his farewell respectfully. ¡°You can leave.¡± Master Luo nodded. Shen Luo, still thinking about his dream, turned and walked towards the door of the courtyard. Yet, he had barely reached the main hall when he saw two figures outside the courtyard door leaping in. One of the men was tall and had a dark complexion. A short grey moustache lined his lips and he was dressed in a unique Taiji Daoist Robe and wearing a Lotus Daoist Crown on his head. His face was stern, serious. It was no other than Elder Master Wang Qingsong. Standing beside him was a handsome young man, Gu Hualing, his personal disciple. ¡°I greet Elder Master Wang, Senior Brother Gu.¡± A sudden chill rose in Shen Luo¡¯s heart, but he still saluted the two respectfully. When the two saw him, surprise flashed in their eyes, obviously, they did not expect him to be there. Seeing that the two did not respond, Shen Luo circled around them, intending to exit the courtyard. Just then, Master Luo¡¯s voice rang out from behind, ¡°Senior Brother, what brings you to my courtyard today?¡± It seemed that he also was surprised by the arrival of Master Wang and his disciple. Since the incident on the back mountain where Shen Luo accidentally overheard Gu Hualing¡¯s words, he has been extremely wary of Gu Hualing. At this moment, all he wanted to do was to leave as soon as possible, avoiding any interaction with him. However, just as he was about to open the door, the two wooden doors creaked and closed right in front of him. Shen Luo was taken aback. As he turned around, he saw Elder Master Wang¡¯s sleeve moving back and forth as if he was waving. It was evident that he had closed the courtyard doors using his mystic arts. ¡°Senior Brother, what are you doing?¡± Master Luo furrowed his brows, asking. ¡°Master Luo, I don¡¯t have time for idle chatter today, quickly hand over the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯.¡± Elder Master Wang said coldly. ¡°Pure Yang Scripture? Is that some kind of skill? Shouldn¡¯t it be the Pure Yang Sword Technique?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he heard this. He had a vague feeling that his presence here was very ominous. ¡°Elder Master Wang, do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Master Luo looked extremely surprised, his face changing slightly. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re not planning on handing it over?¡± Elder Master Wang¡¯s gaze became even sharper. Shen Luo felt an eerie tension in the courtyard. He tried to quietly open the door, but as soon as he moved, Gu Hualing¡¯s frown flickered in his direction. Shen Luo instantly froze, feeling like he was being stared at by a venomous snake, spreading a chill throughout his body. ¡°The ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯ you are talking about is the fundamental scripture of our pavilion, and even if you want it, you need to ask Elder Master Guant, coming to me seems like you have the wrong person.¡± Master Luo¡¯s face also turned serious. ¡°Luo Yuanzhen, do you really think I don¡¯t know that you are the guardian of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion in this generation? Feng Yang is nothing more than a decoy.¡± Elder Master Wang slowly stated. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you came up with such huge nonsense.¡± Master Luo laughed, shaking his sleeve coldly. ¡°Whether you admit it or not, I will find out soon.¡± Elder Master Wang sneered. ¡°Wang Qingsong, are you planning to force it, in the end?¡± Master Luo straightened up. ¡°Hehe, true, in terms of cultivation level and strength, I¡¯m not as good as you, Master Luo. However, times have changed.¡± Elder Master Wang enigmatically mused. ¡°Oh, so you think with your beloved disciple added to the equation, you¡¯re sure to win? Not to mention just one, even if there were ten more, I wouldn¡¯t be bothered.¡± Master Luo glanced at Gu Hualing and said. ¡°Where does Master Luo get such confidence? How dare I, as a junior, act rashly in front of you? However, Master Luo, why does your brow seem a little dark today, oh no, even your face is starting to darken.¡± Gu Hualing smirked and commented respectfully in response. Just as Master Luo was about to retort, his expression suddenly stiffens, and he quickly used his right hand to perform several quick punches at several major points on his body. At the same time, he turned over his left hand, removing a talisman and attaching it to his left chest. The talisman flashed green, and a few green lights were shot out, quickly absorbed into his body. Then, a faint green glow began to emanate from his face. However, Shen Luo still clearly saw that a faint black halo suddenly appeared on Master Luo¡¯s forehead, while his face began to turn black. his veins bulging visibly. Although Master Luo¡¯s face flashed green as if resisting the change, his skin was still rapidly turning black at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Master Luo has been poisoned!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can last. If you want the antidote, exchange it for the scripture!¡± Elder Master Wang laughed and shook his sleeve vigorously. From within, as if there was wind, a thunderous bang sounded, and a flash of lightning shot towards Master Luo. Master Luo didn¡¯t utter a word. Two beams of light shone on his legs, and with the Seven Stars Firmament Step, his figure suddenly disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the courtyard, just missing the lightning. With a vigorous flick of his sleeve, a talisman was thrown towards the sky. With a ¡®whistle¡¯, the symbol shot into the sky like a firework, just about to explode high above. At this moment, a figure suddenly flashed in the sky. Someone had flown up there and grabbed the warning arrow talisman in their hand. Shen Luo looked up, his expression changed, shocked to his core. The man in the sky had a handsome face, a gentle smile ¨C it was none other than Gu Hualing. Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter One Hundred and Eight: Taking Charge in a Crisis Chapter 109: Chapter One Hundred and Eight: Taking Charge in a Crisis At this moment, he was surprisingly wearing a purple dress, his long black hair had turned into short purple hair that just grazed his ears. His eyebrows were like distant mountains in spring, his eyes reflected like autumn waters shimmering, a circular purple mark resided between his brows, making him resemble a charming and lovable girl. What shocked Shen Luo even more was that there were small bone wings on her back, they were flapping up and down. ¡°Demon Race!¡± A shocked cry erupted from Master Luo¡¯s mouth, his eyes filled with disbelief. Shen Luo took a closer look and realized that where Gu Hualing¡¯s eyebrows met was a skull mark the size of a fingertip, not a flowery ornament, and she was indeed emitting an incredibly strong demon aura. ¡°Too late to warn¡­¡± Elder Master Wang gave a low shout, with a swing of his sleeve a short halberd shot out straight towards Master Luo¡¯s chest. Swinging his own sleeve, Master Luo also released a bronze coin sword that collided with the halberd. An endless cacophony of clashing rang out in the courtyard, it was hard to tell which talismanic instrument was gaining the upper hand. At this moment, the soil beneath Master Luo¡¯s feet suddenly loosened, a ghostly white skeletal claw suddenly burst from the ground. ¡°Shriek!¡± went as the claw slashed the skin on his leg, leaving visible bloody gashes. Already poisoned and caught off guard by the ghost claw, Master Luo was thrown into chaos. Taking advantage, the halberd easily knocked away his sword and quickly shot toward his skull. At the critical moment, a rumble of thunder echoed through the compound. A white lightning bolt, the thickness of an arm, suddenly crashed down from mid-air, immediately causing the halberd to shake violently. It veered off course and embedded itself into the ground. For a moment, you could hear a pin drop in the courtyard, everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on Shen Luo. No one imagined that this registered disciple, considered trash by everyone, would surprisingly display a thunder technique talisman. Nervously looked down at his raised right hand, Shen Luo gave a bitter smile. ¡°Kid, you hid it well, I underestimated you!¡± Wang Qingsong¡¯s eyes turned icy. Black fog unleashed from his palm, it quickly condensed into terrifying ghost faces that lunged towards Shen Luo. Seeing this, Master Luo blurred into motion, moving in front of Shen Luo. He quickly formed signs with his hands, then pushed forward with his palms. Pure Yang power surged out from his signs creating a splendid light that obliterated the eerie black fog. But once the light dissipated, Master Luo staggered backwards, his face awash with black Qi. ¡°Master Luo, are you okay?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo asked anxiously. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to self-learn talisman techniques. It seems I have underestimated you. Today, I will officially take you as my personal disciple, are you willing?¡± Master Luo looked at Shen Luo with a strange expression, pulled out a Dharma plate from his sleeve and said solemnly. ¡°Of course, I am willing. But shouldn¡¯t we be trying to escape right now?¡± Shen Luo replied with a bitter smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since I have taken you as a disciple, I will naturally find a way to save your life. I have a plan!¡± Master Luo chuckled, and suddenly spat out a mouthful of essence blood onto the Dharma plate in his hand. As the Dharma plate fell to the ground, it burst into a brilliant white light that shot up into the sky forming a hazy column of light. ¡°Go!¡± As he spoke, he slapped Shen Luo¡¯s back, causing him to stagger into the light pillar. Caught off guard, Shen Luo felt his body stiffen, completely bound by the white light and unable to move. ¡°Not good! Stop him quickly.¡± Elder Master Wang ordered sternly as he noticed this, as a surging black fog rolled out from his both sleeves. Gu Hualing had already landed on the ground, she lifted her wrist and several white bone skulls sprang violently from the underground and pounced towards Master Luo. At this moment, Master Luo did not speak, but his voice suddenly rang in Shen Luo¡¯s mind: ¡°Take the token and seek your senior ancestor, quickly ask him for help.¡± Before Shen Luo could understand what was going on, Master Luo had already thrown a palm-sized jade pendant into his arms. The next instant, he felt a sensation of vertigo, the white light that enveloped him suddenly shrank, making him feel as if he had been compressed into the Dharma Plate, and his body disappeared from its original place. Just as Master Luo breathed a sigh of relief, he was attacked by the surging black fog from behind. Stepping on the Firmament Step again, he sprang forward, leaving his Taoist robe, which he had taken off, behind. As soon as the black fog spread over it, the robes quickly rotted and turned into ashes. ¡°You go and kill that youngster.¡± Elder Master Wang said, his brows furrowed. Gu Hualing hesitated slightly, swung her bone wings behind her, and was about to fly away. ¡°Monster, you shall not flee.¡± Master Luo shouted, waving his hand outward. A light group flew from his hand, directly hitting the Eight Trigrams Mirror hanging over the head of the main hall door. The mirror immediately rotated downwards and reflected a ray of light which returned to the other bronze mirror inside the gate tower of the front courtyard. There was immediately a light reflected from this mirror, which fell in the other parts of the courtyard, and the whole courtyard was wrapped in a field of light. Under the light, a huge Eight Trigrams phantom emerged on the ground. As Gu Hualing was about to take off, she hit an invisible light curtain that was difficult to discern with the naked eye, and she fell back. ¡°Prohibition?¡± She said, her expression changing slightly. ¡°Forget it, a registered disciple is insignificant. We should deal with Luo first.¡± Wang Qingsong¡¯s face was grim as he approached Master Luo step by step. ¡­ Shen Luo only felt a sense of vertigo, as if his body was continuously falling downwards, and everything in front of him was a vast white light. However, an instant later, his feet touched solid ground again, and the white light in front of him dimmed, but the intense sense of dizziness still hadn¡¯t subsided. He took a step forward, but he couldn¡¯t remain steady, stumbling forward. He quickly reached out to brace himself against the front, and his palm touched a rough stone wall. Once he steadied himself against the wall, the dizziness finally subsided and his vision returned to normal. He then realized that he had appeared in an unfamiliar, dimly lit stone chamber. Several oil lamps hung on the four walls of the stone chamber. The flames, kindled by some unknown oil, emitted no smoke, just a faint, sweet scent. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze shifted, falling on a corner of the stone chamber, and his body immediately tensed. Two strange figures in tattered black robes were seen there. They were enveloped in thick black fog, their bodies inclined and hovering in mid-air. Both of their arms were stretched forward as if they were going to pounce on something. Shen Luo became alert and took a step forward. Peering through the gap between the two figures, he saw a thin old man in a gray-white Taoist robe with a Five Peaks crown, holding a magic spell in both hands, facing them off in the corner of the wall. Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 109 Senior Ancestor Chapter 110: Chapter 109 Senior Ancestor In the void before the old man, a peach wood law sword entirely in crimson was suspended, its surface inscribed with a series of charm patterns that Shen Luo could not understand, but a mere look was enough to identify its extraordinary nature. What was peculiar, however, was that not just this levitating sword, but also the three figures confronting each other, were all inexplicably frozen in their places currently, as though a freeze spell had been cast upon them all simultaneously. Shen Luo dared not make any reckless moves. Instead, he cautiously approached some more from the side. Only then did he get a close enough look to identify the faces of the two people suspended in the air ¨C they were frighteningly the green-glowing empty eye sockets of two dried up ghouls. At the same time, a ¡®zeng zeng¡¯ sound, similar to a tense string on the stringed instruments, also reached his ears intermittently. Shen Luo observed carefully, and only then did he finally notice that the thin old Daoist had almost invisible black silk threads wound around him. Covered by the thin layer of green light glowing from his Taoist robe, however, it was hard to detect. Those two dried up ghouls were indeed gaping wide, emitting black silk threads from their mouths, tying down the suspended red magic sword tightly. Amidst the intense billowing thick black fog around it, continuous movements of densely clustered crimson runes bumping and attacking the ghoul¡¯s body could be seen. The two seemed to act as one attacking and one defending army, locked in a close combat that couldn¡¯t be separated. ¡°So the three are not immobile, but have formed a peculiar balance where every party can¡¯t do anything against the other,¡± Shen Luo realized this, hesitated no more, formed a magic spell with both hands, and violently swung his sleeve, commanding, ¡°Go!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than a big wind blew, and a white light as fast as an arrow shot out from within his sleeve with a ¡®whoosh¡¯ sound. A dull thud ¡®peng¡¯ followed. The one on the left of the two ghouls had a talisman fork that was enveloped in white light and shot into the back of its head, causing the whole skull to be flung out, smashing against the stone wall and shattering. As bone fragments splattered on the stone wall, a twisted and blurred green ghost shadow appeared under the exposed talisman fork. Under the white light emitted by the talisman fork, it let out an extremely sharp scream and quickly diffused into a dense fluid. The residual body also dispersed like smoke instantly, leaving only a battered black robe to fall on the ground. The balance between the old Daoist and the two ghouls in the corner was disrupted by Shen Luo, significantly reducing the pressure on the thin old Daoist. A sharp look flashed across his eyes, he pulled the black thread wrapped around his body with one hand, directly pulling the remaining ghoul in front of him. His other hand formed a flower-picking finger and pointed at its forehead. Just as the old Daoist¡¯s finger touched it, this ghoul immediately let out a shrill shriek. Its body was swiftly surrounded by large red runes and the black ghost fog swirling violently around it dissipated rapidly. The old Daoist let go of the hand that was pulling the thread, and with his other hand, he beckoned the crimson law sword in mid-air to fly back into his hand. He slashed at the ghoul. His whole movement was flowing like a cloud, done in one go. A faint ¡®chirping¡¯ noise rang out! A red crack appeared from the top to the bottom of the ghoul, dissecting it into two halves. Its body immediately erupted into blazing red flames and quickly melted into ashes. Seeing the old Daoist free himself, Shen Luo quickly rushed forward. The old man, however, stared at him and pointed his law sword at him. Shen Luo frozen mid-action, was about to speak when he saw the old Daoist¡¯s other hand slightly bend its fingers and reach towards him out of thin air. He only felt a formidable pull suddenly coming at him. Something not by his will flew out from within his clothes around his chest. Shen Luo looked carefully and realized it was the jade token that Master Luo had thrown into his arms hurriedly before sending him here. The old Daoist glanced at the jade token, and his brows furrowed: ¡°What happened to Yuan Zhen?¡± It seems he didn¡¯t find it strange that Shen Luo was here? Shen Luo was stunned at his words, then realized that the ¡°Yuan Zhen¡± the old man was referring to was Master Luo. ¡°Senior Ancestor, Master Luo he¡­¡± Shen Luo immediately recounted the events that had just happened in Master Luo¡¯s courtyard in detail and swiftly to the old Daoist. When the old Daoist heard Shen Luo say that Master Luo had called Gu Hualing, after her transformation, a member of the ¡°Demon Race¡±, his face immediately turned incredibly grim, and he sighed, saying: ¡°I can¡¯t believe Gu Hualing, who has been a disciple for many years, had been a demon in disguise¡­ It seems the Demon Race had their eyes on our Spring and Autumn Pavilion for a long time, and they were even willing to quietly infiltrate us for such a long period.¡± ¡°Senior Ancestor, the situation at Master Luo¡¯s side is critical, so could you please hurriedly go to aid him?¡± Shen Luo said anxiously. The old Daoist shook his head, a bitter expression on his face, and then opened up his Taoist robe. Shen Luo looked at him, confused, and was taken aback. Under the old Daoist¡¯s robe, on the right side of his abdomen, was a fist-sized bloody hole, with a ring of black crystal around it, emitting waves of foul odor. ¡°I, like Yuan Zhen, was poisoned early on, and earlier got ambushed by those two ghosts from the netherworld, which caused me severe injuries. Now, my cultivation level is almost completely gone, and only a small portion of my mana remains, so I can barely look after myself.¡± The Senior Ancestor said bitterly. ¡°Could it really be that bad? In that case, Senior Ancestor, we should first escape, and then figure out what to do later.¡± Shen Luo mumbled. The old Daoist shook his head, then suddenly asked: ¡°I know all three inner sect disciples of the Pavilion, don¡¯t I? It seems like you are not among them?¡± ¡°I am disciple Shen Luo. Just now, Master Luo has already accepted me as an inner sect disciple! Senior Ancestor, this is not the time to talk about this, let me first get you out of here.¡± Shen Luo said even more anxiously. ¡°Never mind, since you are a true disciple cultivated by the Pavilion and you have cultivated mana, and also since Yuan Zhen was able to send you here, you must be someone he really trusts. I ask you, would you be willing to inherit the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s ¡°Pure Yang Scripture? And allow our Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s lineage to continue?¡± The Senior Ancestor¡¯s demeanor suddenly became solemn. His eyes stared unwaveringly at Shen Luo, as he asked. ¡°Senior Ancestor, of course I am willing to inherit the Pavilion¡¯s secret manual. The succession of the Sect is a matter of great importance, it should all be discussed after you have turned safe.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was greatly surprised and for a moment was not clear of its pros and cons. He could only respond vaguely. ¡°There is no time. The injury on my body is more serious than you see, and I¡¯ve also been marked by a spell from the ghosts of the netherworld, so now I can¡¯t leave this stone chamber. Just now, you and I killed two ghosts from the netherworld, I¡¯m afraid stronger enemies will soon come¡­.¡± The Senior Ancestor suddenly coughed viciously, and a trace of dirty blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s face was full of hesitation. ¡°Stop hesitating! If we delay any further, not only will you and I die here, but the inheritance of our Spring and Autumn Pavilion will also be cut off!¡± The Senior Ancestor grabbed Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder and said forcefully. ¡°I agree.¡± Shen Luo suddenly made up his mind, swiftly lifting his head, and decisively replied. ¡°Good, Shen Luo, from now on, you will be the new generation guardian of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯.¡± The Senior Ancestor appeared to relax, nodded and said. After saying that, he took Shen Luo¡¯s palm and placed the jade pendant, the token, in his hand. Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 110 - Last Words and Testament Chapter 111: Chapter 110 ¨C Last Words and Testament Shen Luo¡¯s gaze fell on the ordinary-looking circular jade pendant. After a brief inspection, a look of disbelief suddenly lit up in his eyes. ¡°Senior Ancestor, could this be the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. The old Daoist nodded his head, his hands consecutively forming mysterious magic spells, continuously imprinting them onto the jade pendant in Shen Luo¡¯s palm. Following a flash of white light from the jade pendant, a light curtain emerged, projecting large and continuously changing text. The content of the projected text was the verses of the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯ technique. Right when Shen Luo was about to clearly read the text, the white light on the jade pendant suddenly flashed and abruptly shrank back. The changing text disappeared instantly. ¡°Shen Luo, there is one last thing you need to do to inherit the scripture.¡± The Senior Ancestor said solemnly. ¡°Senior Ancestor, please elaborate.¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath and replied. ¡°I need you to take a venomous oath using your Daoist heart and in the name of the Three Purities. Regardless of whether it¡¯s for yourself or for finding others, you must ensure the continuation of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. And, you must absolutely never teach the techniques and spells contained in the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯ to anyone outside the Little Straw Mountain lineage.¡± The thin old Daoist looked at Shen Luo, a hint of barely-detectable murderous intent appearing in his eyes. Shen Luo shuddered slightly, deducing from the situation that if he didn¡¯t agree, this Senior Ancestor would probably rather kill him and destroy the scripture than let it be passed on outside. ¡°What, are you unwilling to make the venomous oath?¡± The old Daoist¡¯s voice turned sharp when Shen Luo didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I, disciple Shen Luo, am willing to make the oath.¡± Shen Luo solemnly vowed. Only then did the old Daoist¡¯s expression soften a bit, a smidgen of kindness flickering in his eyes. Then, under strict scrutiny from the Senior Ancestor, Shen Luo made a grave and evil oath in the name of his Daoist heart and the Three Purities ¡ª breaking it meant obliteration, a turn to cinders and ashes. After Shen Luo recited the last word of his vow, the old Daoist finally relaxed completely. ¡°This is the mantra and magic spell to activate the jade pendant, you should remember it carefully.¡± After saying this, the old Daoist repeated the mantra twice and demonstrated how to activate the jade pendant twice. After memorizing it, Shen Luo packed up the jade pendant and his Talisman Fork carefully. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not delay any further, you should go now.¡± The Senior Ancestor took a deep look at Shen Luo and spoke. ¡°Senior Ancestor, I bid you farewell!¡± Shen Luo bowed solemnly. The old Daoist nodded his head, forming another set of spells with his hands. The red magic sword catapulted out immediately, shooting directly towards the top of the stone chamber. Wherever the sword¡¯s edge passed, the stone ceiling crumbled like tofu, creating a large fissure about a foot wide that revealed the sky above. ¡°Go!¡± The old Daoist formed a spell with one hand, shook his sleeves, and pushed his palm upwards. Shen Luo immediately felt a wave of heat rising under his feet. When he looked down, he noticed a red glow under him. It was like a cloud supporting his body, carrying him upwards. The whistling of wind in Shen Luo¡¯s ears grew louder and louder as he soared up through the hole in the ceiling and flew out of the fissure in the cliff, finds himself in the high altitude. Shen Luo glanced downwards and, having found the scenery of the forest below somewhat familiar, looked closer. He then realized that he was currently hovering above Qinghua Mountain and the stone chamber he was in just now was actually constructed inside the mountain. Just as he was perplexed, a swooshing sound abruptly broke the silence. As Shen Luo looked in the direction of the sound, a streak of black Qi had already arrived and struck the red light at his feet. The red light crackled and immediately dispersed. Shen Luo¡¯s body tilted and fell from mid-air, heavily landing on a horizontal branch of an old pine tree. After a brief buffering, he fell onto the ground. Struggling to sit up, he saw a large cluster of pitch-black shadows whizzing overhead, with a malicious ¡°hehehe¡± laugh, it then swooped towards the stone chamber on the other side. Immediately, the entire back mountain trembled with a loud blast! Shen Luo¡¯s face abruptly changed color. Without further hesitation, he leaped from the ground and dashed off into the distance. Continuous thunderous noises echoed from the direction of the stone chamber. Clearly, the Ancestor had started fighting the intruder. Fortunately, the black shadow seemed not to have noticed him, and Shen Luo sighed in relief. Shen Luo ran about three to four miles before his emotions gradually calmed down. Only then did he have the leisure to look around him. However, his face turned pale again, stopping dead in his tracks. He saw that the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and its location, Qinghua Mountain, were astonishingly covered by a colossal gray light barrier. Gray clouds rolled atop the barrier. Countless gray runes pulsated within the gray clouds. The Yin winds carrying clouds of gray flew over the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the air filled with chilling Qi. Gradually, a layer of gray frost appeared on the surrounding leaves. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he vaulted onto a large tree and rapidly climbed up. Seeing the gray light shield, his face instantly darkened. The gray light shield was closed on all sides, encasing the entire Spring and Autumn Pavilion tightly. From his perspective, he could see no openings. Moreover, with the abundance of Yin Qi and the countless pulsating runes on the shield, it was utterly impossible for him to break the barrier with his current limited abilities. Shen Luo felt heavy-hearted. He didn¡¯t stay on the tree top; instead, climbed down rapidly with furrowed brows. Although he didn¡¯t know who had invaded the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, their method was ruthless and thorough; they had directly set up a huge restriction. So, how could he escape with the Pure Yang Scripture? Shen Luo was silent for a while then stomped his foot, turning around to head for the blue stone square on the eastern side of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. He no longer concealed his power; leaping and flying through the mountain forest. From a distance, he looked like a spirit ape darting forward. He soon arrived nearby the eastern side, his footsteps suddenly stopped. Cries of fighting and screams echoed from ahead, mixed with exhilarated growls and blood-thirsty roars. It¡¯s unclear what made those sounds, but they were certainly not human. Shen Luo¡¯s eyelids twitched a couple of times, he held the Talisman Fork in his hand, then continued forward. He quickly arrived at the eastern mountain, holding his breath. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was already thrown into complete chaos, the clean and tidy sect was now filled with blood. Many disciples¡¯ bodies were scattered about the blood pools. Many evil demons were wreaking havoc here, including the Zombies he saw in his dream, as well as Corpse Wolves with rotting bodies but glowing red eyes, and Monster Dogs enveloped in black Qi. Remaining disciples of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion were resisting in various places. However, those Zombies and Monster Dogs were strong, and not afraid of common swords and injuries. Except for a few strong old disciples who could still resist, the other disciples were no match for them. There were frequent casualties, and shrill screams echoed from all directions. Fortunately, the number of Zombies and Monster Dogs was not high; otherwise, the disciples of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion would have been slaughtered. Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 111: Three Corpse Wolves Chapter 112: Chapter 111: Three Corpse Wolves When Shen Luo heard the sounds from afar, he began to guess the possible situation over here. But when he saw it in person, he still felt shocked. He immediately bypassed the crowded area, carefully evading the beasts, and made his way towards his residence along a small path. Shen Luo was familiar with the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡¯s surroundings. He chose to walk down the remote and desolate lanes, and thanks to his sharp senses, he was able to effectively evade those demons. He soon reached Qingchipo. Shen Luo did not take the main road in front of Qingchipo. Instead, he ran towards his residence along a small path behind the disciple¡¯s room. Before he had walked a few steps, a shadow flashed beside the disciple¡¯s room ahead. A monster dog, half a human¡¯s height, leaped out, holding a corpse in its mouth. It seemed to be hiding in this secluded spot, planning to feast quietly. ¡°Argh¡­¡± The monster dog spotted Shen Luo and immediately dropped the corpse, leaping towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo swiftly bent down, dodging the demon dog¡¯s pounce and casting a quick glance at the corpse on the ground. The corpse was a young man with a square face and thick eyebrows, and his body was a bloody mess. ¡°Fang Ping!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed. This was a disciple from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion who lived near Shen Luo. He was a local farmer, and the two had encountered each other a few times. They were relatively familiar with each other. ¡°Beast!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes turned cold, and with a flip of his right hand, the grey-white talisman fork appeared out of nowhere. It transformed into a white light and fired at the monster dog. The monster dog got a fright, quickly leaped forward with its four hooves and tried to dodge to the side. However, the little white fork suddenly made an agile turn, not only did it not fall behind, but it also caught up with the demon dog in the blink of an eye, striking its chest and abdomen with lightning speed. With a dull ¡°puff¡± sound, the talisman fork pierced through the demon dog. A large hole was punched through the monster dog¡¯s chest and stomach, nearly splitting its body in two. But no blood flowed out. The wound was frozen by a layer of pale black ice crystals. The monster dog didn¡¯t even have time to scream. Its body shook a few times and soon went still. Shen Luo waved his hand to recall the talisman fork, a look of unexpected joy flashing in his eyes. He had never been able to manipulate the Talismanic Instruments in such a smooth and effortless way before; yet, just now, he had accomplished it so naturally as if guided by an unseen hand. ¡°Could it also be related to the insights I¡¯ve gained in the Dreamland?¡± But the situation was urgent so he didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. He put away the talisman fork and continued on his way towards his residence. As for Fang Ping¡¯s corpse, he could only leave it there. Shen Luo soon arrived at his residence, which was located in a remote area and hadn¡¯t been invaded yet. As soon as he entered his room and closed the door, he immediately took out the stone box and the jade pillow from under the bed. He opened the stone box and tried to place the jade pillow inside. As the jade pillow approached the stone box, it was immediately covered with a light shield and rapidly shrank into a piece of jade the size of a fist, which was then successfully placed inside the stone box. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo quickly stuffed the jade pendant, his usual talisman drawing tools, several useful books, and two sets of clothes into the stone box. Afterwards, he packed the stone box and carried it on his back. After finishing these tasks, he didn¡¯t linger in the room, he immediately walked out of his door. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, I knew you would be here, thank God!¡± A figure hurried over, it was Tian Tiesheng. He held a steel knife in his hand, half of his body was soaked in blood, and he was panting heavily. It was obvious that he had just been through a fight. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo quickly greeted him. Seeing the blood on his body, he asked with genuine concern. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just the blood of those monsters.¡± Tian Tiesheng waved his blood-soaked sleeve, saying nonchalantly. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, how did so many demonic entities suddenly appear in the Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but these demons are powerful. Ordinary disciples are not their match. I was worried about you so I came over. Ah, Master Luo, the head of the Pavilion, and the Senior Ancestor¡­ why haven¡¯t they taken any action? If they continue to delay, all the disciples in the Pavilion will be killed by these monsters.¡± Tian Tiesheng anxiously stomped his foot. ¡°Looking at the situation, it seems like they want to wipe out our Spring and Autumn Pavilion in one fell swoop. I suspect that Master and the others can¡¯t split their attention.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s lips moved slightly as he tried to disclose Master Luo and the Senior Ancestor¡¯s situation, but he swallowed his words just as they were about to be spoken, and changed the subject instead. Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Tian Tiesheng¡¯s face stiffened slightly, as if he had just thought of this. ¡°What should we do then?¡± he quickly asked. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, you joined the Pavilion much earlier than I did. Does the Spring and Autumn Pavilion have any secret passages for escape?¡± Shen Luo asked in a hushed voice. ¡°No, I have never heard Master Luo mention anything about a secret passage.¡± Tian Tiesheng shook his head. ¡°The Pavilion is now full of demons, and we are no match for them. Master Luo and the others have not shown up for a long time, I¡¯m afraid they can¡¯t take care of this side. We should first find a way to save our lives.¡± A shadow fell upon Shen Luo¡¯s heart as he spoke. Tian Tiesheng¡¯s eyes lit up at Shen Luo¡¯s words, he was about to speak¡­ A howling noise sounded, and two Corpse Wolves swooped out of the nearby intersection. Seeing Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng, they immediately growled and pounced. ¡°Run!¡± Shen Luo, not wanting to reveal that he had cultivated his Mana, hurriedly pulled Tian Tiesheng to escape towards the back of their residence. The Qingchipo was close to the cliffside, and the two Corpse Wolves had blocked their main escape route. The pair had no choice but to try and escape in another direction along the cliff edge. They had not escaped far when another Corpse Wolf suddenly leaped down from somewhere in front of them, blocking their path. With three Corpse Wolves closing in from both directions and sensing the pair¡¯s predicament, they constantly howled. ¡°Junior Brother, we¡¯ll have to fight these three beasts!¡± Seeing there was no way out, Tian Tiesheng raised his steel knife, ready to fight the Corpse Wolves to the death. ¡°There¡¯s a way, follow me!¡± Shen Luo hastily pulled Tian Tiesheng back, and pointed towards the steep mountain wall next to the cliff. The slope here was slightly gentler and barely walkable. However, the gentle slope in front was quickly blocked by a giant stone from below the cliff, and it was unclear what lay beyond it. Shen Luo vaulted down the cliff, pushed against the stone with his hand, and slid down the slope. His figure was quickly obscured by the cliff. The three Corpse Wolves saw Shen Luo¡¯s figure disappear suddenly, their speed dramatically increased, and they rushed over. Tian Tiesheng gritted his teeth, and like Shen Luo, vaulted down the cliff, jumped onto the slant, and cautiously moved forward feeling the stone wall. After a few steps and maneuvering around the obstructing rocks at the lower part of the cliff, the view in front of him suddenly opened up. The slope here was gentler, and he could faintly see the ridge of the Mountain Gate below. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, over here.¡± Shen Luo had already moved some distance along the slope. Seeing Tian Tiesheng come down, he waved for him to follow. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, how did you know there was a path down the mountain here?¡± Tian Tiesheng quickly walked over and asked. ¡°I live next to this cliff. I used to wander around here when I had nothing to do, and I found this place by accident.¡± Shen Luo sped forward, responding without looking back. ¡°Thank goodness, thank goodness!¡± Tian Tiesheng quickly nodded and followed closely. The three Corpse Wolves did not chase after them from behind, as if they had given up on the two. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Pursuit Chapter 113: Chapter 112: Pursuit Shen Luo led Tian Tiesheng down the gentle slope, and soon a towering Stone Forest appeared ahead. ¡°This place is well hidden, Junior Brother Shen, maybe we should hide in this Stone Forest for a while.¡± Tian Tiesheng unexpectedly suggested. Shen Luo looked around, the surrounding mountains made the light dim, indeed it was a good place to hide. The demons attacking the Spring and Autumn Pavilion in such a high profile should not dare to stay for too long, hiding here might be a good idea. ¡°That would be fine¡­Hmm¡­¡± He nodded, his gaze suddenly moved to the Stone Forest, and he stopped talking. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Tian Tiesheng noticed Shen Luo stopping and asked. ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Luo continued to move forward. After the two of them entered the Stone Forest and walked a little further, a figure suddenly appeared next to a large rock ahead. It was the silhouette of a middle-aged man with a dark face and a sword, who was none other than Senior Brother Niu, the gatekeeper of the mountain. ¡°It¡¯s you guys! How did you find this place?¡± said Senior Brother Niu, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes, quickly followed by a wary inquiry. ¡°Senior Brother Niu!¡± Seeing his fellow disciple, Tian Tiesheng became overjoyed. Shen Luo had heard someone hiding here just now, so naturally he was not surprised. The sound of footsteps came from the adjacent Stone Forest, two more men walked out, one of them was Ding Yuan, the other one was a pointy-mouthed young man that Shen Luo did not know. ¡°We found this place first, you two get lost!¡± Ding Yuan shouted. Both Senior Brother Niu and the pointy-mouthed young man revealed a cruel glint in their eyes, and held their weapons. ¡°Gentlemen, this Stone Forest is vast, even if ten more people were to hide it would still be sufficient. We are all fellow disciples in a shared tribulation, we should work together to overcome this crisis.¡± said Tian Tiesheng, frowning. ¡°Pah, one more person here means one more risk to be exposed, get lost!¡± Senior Brother Niu glanced at Shen Luo, spat out, and waved his long sword a little. ¡°If you don¡¯t know your place, don¡¯t blame us for being impolite!¡± The pointy-mouthed young man also coldly said. Seeing such treatment, even with Tian Tiesheng¡¯s good temper, his face turned bleak and he was about to fight back. It seemed a fellow-disciple brawl was imminent. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, forget it. If they don¡¯t welcome us, we should move on.¡± Shen Luo glanced back and suddenly spoke, then quickly moved forward. Although Tian Tiesheng was still somewhat angry, he followed Shen Luo¡¯s advice and followed him. The two of them moved quickly, their figures soon disappeared into the distance. ¡°Hmm, at least you knew your place.¡± Senior Brother Niu smirked triumphantly, sheathed his longsword, and was about to retreat back into the Stone Forest. At this moment, a roar sounded from behind. It turned out that the three Corpse Wolves rushed down the gentle slope and were charging towards the Stone Forest. ¡°Demons! Damn it, those two useless men must have led them here!¡± Senior Brother Niu¡¯s face turned, he cursed angrily. ¡°Senior Brother Niu, what should we do?¡± Ding Yuan and the other looked at the three Corpse Wolves, their faces filled with panic as they asked. ¡°What to do, run! As long as we run faster than them, we¡¯ll be fine!¡± Senior Brother Niu snorted coldly, as he broke into a run in the same direction as Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng. Ding Yuan and the pointy-mouthed young man didn¡¯t dare to dawdle, quickly followed suit. At this point, Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng had exited the Stone Forest, walked some distance along the gentle slope, the slope ahead suddenly became steep, making it impossible to go any further. Shen Luo didn¡¯t pay any attention, he swerved slightly to the left and arrived in front of an upward-facing mountain wall. This mountain wall was quite steep, but there were many protruding rocks and some trees growing among them, so climbing wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡°If we climb up from here, we can reach the mountain path leading down. Let¡¯s go to the mountain gate below and see. Perhaps there might be a way out there,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Ha ha, thankfully Junior Brother Shen, you are familiar with this place, we can rely on you,¡± Tian Tiesheng laughed, then, the two quickly climbed upward. Halfway up, Tian Tiesheng heard a sound from behind, turning to look, he saw Senior Brother Niu and his two companions running over embarrassingly, with three Corpse Wolves hot on their heels. Senior Brother Niu and his companions didn¡¯t see where Tian Tiesheng and Shen Luo were. They also seemed unfamiliar with the path here. Seeing nowhere to go, they abruptly panicked, and it looked like they would soon be caught by the three Corpse Wolves. ¡°The three of you, over here!¡± Tian Tiesheng was a man with a warm heart, even though Senior Brother Niu had previously treated him badly, he still couldn¡¯t bear to see the three losing their lives to the wolves and shouted out loud. Shen Luo sighed faintly but didn¡¯t try to stop him. Hearing the sound, Senior Brother Niu and his companions hurried towards the mountain wall where Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng were located and began to climb upwards desperately. ¡°Ah!¡± A piercing shriek of terror. The pointy-mouthed young man, being the weakest, was the slowest to climb. The biggest Corpse Wolf caught up to him, leaped four or five Zhang high, and bit into his calf, pulling him down from the mountain wall. The other two Corpse Wolves pounced immediately, and in a blink of an eye, they tore the pointy-mouthed young man apart. Seeing this scene, Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan shuddered, and desperately accelerated their climbing speed. The three Corpse Wolves weren¡¯t good at climbing steep slopes, they roared at the four from a distance, then turned around and ran back in the direction they came from. The four heaved a sigh of relief and climbed with all their might, soon reaching the platform at the top. There was a mountain path winding downwards, the very path leading down from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. This section of the mountain path was quite secluded, there was no trace of humans or demons. Becoming conscious of Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng¡¯s presence, Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan felt a bit awkward. However, both of them were proud and although they felt uneasy, they didn¡¯t apologise. Shen Luo didn¡¯t pay any attention to the two, he looked uphill and then followed Tian Tiesheng towards the mountain gate below. ¡°Senior Brother Niu, what should we¡­ ¡± Ding Yuan asked in a low voice. Senior Brother Niu looked uphill, where the screams had subsided a lot, but the roar of the demonic ghosts was still heavy. He couldn¡¯t help feeling a chill in his heart, and his legs started shaking. ¡°Go, let¡¯s go to the mountain gate with them.¡± He made a firm decision and said in a deep voice. At this moment, Ding Yuan seemed to have lost all his ideas, and quickly followed Senior Brother Niu down the mountain. Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng quickly reached the mountain gate, the enormous grey light barrier that enveloped the entire gate was right in front of them. The grey Qi on the light barrier surged and a cold Yin Qi dispersed from it, chilling their bones even from a distance. However, Tian Tiesheng didn¡¯t care and roared, hurling himself at it. The steel knife in his hand transformed into a shadow and heavily slashed onto the grey light barrier. The grey light barrier merely flickered slightly, before reverting to its original condition. However, the grey Qi on the barrier counterattacked, wrapping around the steel knife. As the cracking sounds echoed, a layer of grey ice crystals formed on the knife, spreading along the steel knife to Tian Tiesheng¡¯s arm. Tian Tiesheng¡¯s face changed suddenly, and he quickly withdrew the steel knife. But it seemed as though the knife was frozen to the barrier and couldn¡¯t be pulled out with just one tug. He growled lowly, and his arm suddenly swelled up, with a vigorous yank, he managed to withdraw the steel knife. However, most of the knife was already enveloped by the ice crystals. Shen Luo looked upon the scene, his face was somewhat gloomy. This grey light barrier was even more formidable than what he had imagined. Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Crisis Lurks Everywhere Chapter 114: Chapter 113: Crisis Lurks Everywhere At this moment, a flash of golden light burst from atop the mountain, a golden sword light shooting out from a grand hall, with a shadow hidden within it. ¡°It¡¯s the Pavilion Master¡¯s Golden Dragon Sword!¡± Tian Tiesheng was overjoyed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes also lit up brightly. However, immediately after, a rich black Qi shot up from below, rushing to catch up with the golden sword light. In the blink of an eye, it caught up with the sword light and the two began to fight intensely. The golden sword light was dazzling and imposing, the black Qi in comparison was inconspicuous but possessed a remarkable divine power. Amidst the storm of sword Qi, the black Qi remained solid, retreating and then recouping. Not only did it not fall behind, but it actually forced the golden sword light to constantly retreat. Seeing this scene, the joy on Tian Tiesheng¡¯s face suddenly froze. Shen Luo standing beside him also furrowed his brows, secretly thinking that there, indeed, were troublesome opponents tangling with Master Fengyang. ¡°He, he! Master Fengyang, your Golden Dragon Sword only possesses so little power, which is disappointing.¡± A raspy, sharp voice echoed from the black Qi. Before the voice could fade, a black light shot out from the black Qi, smashing into the golden sword light at an unimaginable speed. A resounding ¡°clang¡± echoed in mid-air, and the golden sword light was shockingly sent flying backwards. The black light did not disappear after repelling the golden sword light but instead clung to the retreating golden sword light like a blood-sucking maggot. The sound of hissing could be heard constantly. The bright golden light, similar to a raging fire meeting water, was contrarily extinguished significantly. However, the black light eventually faded away as well. The golden light gathered on a nearby mountain wall, revealing a silhouette. It was Master Fengyang. In his hand was a three-foot golden sword, emitting a vibrant golden light. However, his face turned red, his chest rose and fell continuously, and there was a wound on his shoulder with blood pouring out, staining a significant area of his Daoist robe. ¡°Xuan Yin Ghost Qi! Who are you to know such an ancient, sinister technique?¡± Master Fengyang asked in a stern voice. The black Qi produced a series of strange, eerie laughter, avoiding Master Fengyang¡¯s question, and surged forward, once again rolling towards him. Master Fengyang¡¯s face changed slightly, and he hastily retreated, coincidentally flying towards the mountain gate. He made a sword gesture with his hand. The golden flying sword in his hand immediately shot out, attacking the rushing black Qi. The golden light on the flying sword surged, turning into a golden flame. The black Qi seemed to be wary of the golden flame from the sword and didn¡¯t confront it head-on, instead swiftly dodging it. But at this moment, another golden light shot out of the golden flying sword. It was a golden talisman, hitting the black Qi at an incredibly fast speed. The talisman suddenly radiated a golden light, emitting a righteous aura. The black Qi, hit by the golden light, dissipated rapidly. ¡°Pure Yang True Talisman!¡± A pained cry came from the black Qi. The black Qi violently rolled around, and a layer of gloomy black light shone through, resisting the golden light of the talisman. With a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, the golden flying sword arrived like lightning, ruthlessly slashing at the black Qi. ¡°Hiss¡± The black Qi was cleaved in half, and a black figure appeared. This person was entirely pitch black, his body covered in a layer of fine black scales. His face was also covered with black scales, his eyes blood red, his mouth full of interlocking canine teeth. It was a zombie. However, this zombie was different from the others below. Its eyes were lively, and it appeared to have spiritual wisdom. Moreover, it had a pair of black wings on its back, making it look especially strange. ¡°Oh no, could this be the legendary flying zombie!¡± Tian Tiesheng cried out in horror upon seeing the black zombie. Shen Luo¡¯s complexion also changed slightly; he had read about flying zombies in the books. They were anomalies among zombies, immensely powerful, capable of flying and traversing underground, and far superior to ordinary zombies. ¡°Dare to destroy my Corpse Cloud, you will pay with your life!¡± With its eyes radiating a brilliant red light, the flying zombie spread its wings and instantly turned into a black shadow, propelling unimaginably fast towards Master Fengyang. It opened its mouth wide and sent a black light pillar charging at Master Fengyang¡¯s chest. Master Fengyang was taken aback, and it was too late for him to dodge. He quickly flashed his sleeves, and a burst of golden light flashed from them, rapidly expanding into two solid curtains, blocking the incoming black light pillar. The two curtains sank in with a muffled ¡°boom,¡± In response. While seeming as though these sleeves were treasures and didn¡¯t tear despite being stretched to their limit, they resiliently resisted the black light pillar. However, before Master Fengyang could let out a breath of relief, a black and ghostly wind swirled around the black light pillar, forming a black vortex. Suddenly, a massive black ghost claw shot out from the vortex, brutally piercing the fabric curtains. The fabric curtains could no longer hold up and were penetrated with a ¡°ripping¡± sound. The black ghost claw ruthlessly slapped Master Fengyang¡¯s chest. Master Fengyang coughed up a mouthful of blood, gasping. He was brutally slammed to the ground from mid-air, hitting the grey light curtain near the mountain gate, plummeting from the air and landing near Shen Luo. His Daoist robe was covered with a layer of grey ice crystals. From Master Fengyang¡¯s appearance to his defeat occurred in what felt like an instant, and was over within a few breaths. ¡°Pavilion Master!¡± Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng rushed over to help Master Fengyang to his feet. Master Fengyang glanced at the two of them. His eyes lingering on Shen Luo for a moment, a glimpse of surprise flashed passed his eyes but disappeared immediately. A black shadow flashed within the ghostly vortex, and the flying zombie emerged, exuding an air of victory, laughing heartily. After laughing, it spread its wings, ready to swoop down and finish off Master Fengyang. Suddenly, it sensed a disturbance and swiftly evaded to one side, only to find the Golden Dragon Sword silently attacking from behind. As the Pavilion Master of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Master Fengyang has a deep cultivation level. Despite being severely injured, he was still not hopeless. Under the support of Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng, he single-handedly controlled the Golden Dragon Sword and fiercely counterattacked the flying zombie, forcing it to keep its distance. Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan also arrived at the mountain gate. Seeing this, their expressions changed greatly. Instead of standing together with Shen Luo and Master Fengyang, they retreated to the side. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The fate of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is sealed today. You need to leave quickly and ensure the survival of our Pavilion!¡± Master Fengyang pushed Shen Luo and Tian Tiesheng away with all his remaining strength and raised his hand. Seven or eight golden talismans shot out from his sleeve, bursting into fragments upon impact and turning into several golden fireballs the size of watermelons, emitting a strong pure Yang Qi. They were aimed at the grey light curtain not far away. Bang! Bang! Bang! Each golden fireball that hit the grey light curtain caused a thunderous explosion, making the light curtain shake violently. The Pure Yang Qi in the golden fireballs seemed to be the nemesis of the light curtain. Each fireball that hit it made the light curtain grow thinner. The last golden fireball hit the grey light curtain, which couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and cracked, creating a hole about a dozen feet in diameter. The grey clouds on the nearby light curtain seemed to have sensed the damage here, and they rushed over, converging here. The broken hole¡¯s grey light flickered, steadily shrinking. Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 114: The Traitor Chapter 115: Chapter 114: The Traitor With his mind racing, Shen Luo quickly gave a bow to Master Fengyang and leaped out of the hole, fleeing towards the distance. ¡°Master, you should escape with us.¡± Tian Tiesheng hesitated for a moment, grabbed the sleeve of Master Fengyang and said. ¡°Stop your meaningless chatter, go now!¡± Master Fengyang swung his sleeve, a force wrapped around Tian Tiesheng, throwing him out of the hole. ¡°Master, take care of yourself. We will find a way to continue the tradition of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan saw an escape route, immediately rushed over and escaped through the light shield hole as well. Master Fengyang paid no attention to the two, standing in front of the hole, staring at the flying zombie in mid-air, a look of resolve crossing his face. ¡­ Having escaped from the light shield hole, without any cause to delay, Shen Luo and three others ran continually forwards. The group avoided main roads, choosing only lesser-known paths. After running for more than ten miles, having already left Qinghua Mountain far behind, they finally stopped near a small river. Shen Luo didn¡¯t want to stop, but Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan lacked the stamina, they begged without caring for their pride. The two men were now completely terrified and dared not stay behind alone. Being soft-hearted, Tian Tiesheng suggested a short rest. Shen Luo, not wanting to refuse, stopped. The surrounding area was a wasteland, with only the faint silhouette of a village in the far-off distance. Exhausted, Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan fell to the riverbank to drink water and wash their faces. Shen Luo didn¡¯t feel tired. Looking back, he could still clearly see Qinghua Mountain, the mountain peak was still covered by the grey light shield. Only from this distance could one truly comprehend how massive the light shield was, standing like a towering gray giant in the distance. ¡°With enemies so formidable, it seems like the Spring and Autumn Pavilion really cannot escape this disaster¡­¡± Tian Tiesheng, looking towards Qinghua Mountain in the distance, murmured, a painful look on his face, and his eyes filled with hot tears. ¡°These are things we cannot change, we can only accept. Senior Brother Tian, you don¡¯t need to take it so hard. What are your plans for the future?¡± Shen Luo patted Tian Tiesheng¡¯s shoulder, to comfort him, before changing the subject. ¡°I will go back home to hide for a while. Junior Brother Shen, what about you?¡± Tian Tiesheng took a deep breath, put away his sadness and said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go home as well.¡± Shen Luo said, his eyes slightly unfocused. He was now on the path of cultivating immortality, a whole new world was before him. Living a normal life like marrying and having children was unlikely, but he still wanted to go home once. As for what would happen afterward, he hadn¡¯t thought it over yet. ¡°After all, those demons can fly and escape through earth, here isn¡¯t considered safe either. We should part ways here.¡± Shen Luo quickly collected his thoughts and said. ¡°Yes, my Senior Brothers, let¡¯s go our separate ways from here.¡± Tian Tiesheng nodded, calling out to Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan. ¡°That¡¯s fine too, you two go ahead. I¡¯m sorry for how I treated you in the past!¡± Senior Brother Niu had run so long and hard after experiencing the sudden change at the gate, he felt safe here and relaxed. Completely out of strength, he could barely move and said weakly, ¡°I have no energy left, I want to rest a little longer.¡± Shen Luo was already slightly disgusted with Niu and the other senior in his heart. Hearing that they wished to rest, he was clearly not going to wait. Without further delay, he gave a fist and palm salute to Tian Tiesheng to bid him farewell, then turned around and started to stride off. Just as he¡¯d taken two steps, his face changed dramatically. His shoulder slid sideways, and he quickly moved three feet to the side. The instant he moved aside, a green palm appeared out of thin air, grabbing at the place where he had just stood, the air making a ¡°swish¡± sound as if an explosion had just occurred. This palm was three to four times bigger than a normal palm, covered with bulging muscles and coarse green hair. It looked both terrifying and disgusting. Cold sweat broke out on Shen Luo¡¯s back. Had he not fought many fierce battles in his dreams and become much sharper than an ordinary person, he would surely have been caught by the green palm just now. He shot forward two steps, then turned back around, freezing in place. A short distance behind him, Tian Tiesheng slowly retracted his hairy right arm, looking surprised. Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan, who had been drinking water by the river, were now lying motionless on the ground, clearly devoid of breath. ¡°Senior Brother Tian, what¡¯s going on? You¡¯re not Tian¡­ who are you?¡± Shen Luo quickly recovered and asked coldly. ¡°Hehe, Junior Brother, you are very good, no wonder Master Luo gave you the Pure Yang Scripture. Come now, hand it over willingly. For the sake of our few years as brothers, I will try to make your death less painful.¡± Tian Tiesheng didn¡¯t answer Shen Luo¡¯s question, but scoffed. As he spoke, his other arm also quickly grew bigger and was covered with thick green hair. These two arms were as thick as his waist, they looked extremely disproportionate. However, the muscles on them were well-defined, giving a chilling impression to those who saw them. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Upon seeing Tian Tiesheng¡¯s transformation, a hint of surprise flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes as he spoke in a cold tone. ¡°Why bother pretending? I paid a great price to get this Yang-sensing Talisman, specifically to sense that Pure Yang Scripture, there¡¯s no way I could be mistaken. If it wasn¡¯t for the need to avoid drawing attention, I would have taken it back at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± As Tian Tiesheng spoke, he opened his other hand to reveal a white Talisman etched with a faint white spiritual light. Without performing any spells, the white Talisman suddenly brightened. Shen Luo immediately felt a warmth from the stone box at his back, threads of red light seeping from within, his heart sank at the sensation. ¡°So it¡¯s in that bundle, hehe, those fools, only thinking about fighting those with higher powers. The people of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion are not fools. How could they entrust the Pure Yang Scripture to those people to keep it safe at a time like this? It was worth spending so much effort to infiltrate the Pavilion early. Once I bring the scripture back and present it to that person, I want to see what they have to say then. Haha, haha¡­¡± Tian Tiesheng looked at the bundle on Shen Luo¡¯s body, a glint of greed in his eyes, laughing arrogantly as he did so. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo was taken aback and immediately turned to run towards the nearby river. ¡°Trying to escape? Do you really think you can get away?¡± With a grim smile, Tian Tiesheng¡¯s legs also quickly sprouted green hair as he took strides to chase after Shen Luo. His movements were surprisingly agile. One step was able to cover tens of feet in an instance. In the blink of an eye, he had caught up with Shen Luo. His two green arms brought two gusts of wind with them as they slapped down towards Shen Luo¡¯s head. But Shen Luo, seemingly stepping onto a rope-like white shadow, suddenly increased his speed several times, evading the green giant hands once more, dove into the river with a ¡°splash¡±, and disappeared. Tian Tiesheng exclaimed in surprise, taking two steps forward to look at the churning river water, but he didn¡¯t go in after Shen Luo. ¡°Want to hide in the river to escape? Tsk tsk, it¡¯s a pity that this river is too small, and there are no weeds or reeds on the riverbank for you to hide. I wonder how long you can hide in there?¡± Tian Tiesheng sneered, his hands grabbed two rocks, about the size of a bowl, and held them ready. His eyes scanned the river¡¯s surface. A few breaths later, the water of the river began to churn and a dark shadow emerged from the bottom. Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 115: Green Hair Zombie Chapter 116: Chapter 115: Green Hair Zombie Tian Tiesheng¡¯s eyes brightened, he leaned slightly backward, lifting his right hand before swinging it with all his might. Whiz! The rock in his hand turned into an ash-grey shadow, barely visible to the naked eye. Emitting a piercing shriek, it crossed several feet in an instant and landed on the dark shadow. A loud ¡®bang¡¯ resounded. The rock shattered like a wave breaking upon a reef, yet the dark shadow remained unaffected and continued to rise, revealing a green-black tortoiseshell the size of a millstone. ¡°A turtle!¡± Tian Tiesheng was taken aback. At this moment, the water surface before him suddenly surged, raising a wave higher than a man, and came crashing down upon him. The wave came so suddenly that Tian Tiesheng couldn¡¯t dodge, and he was hit squarely, causing him to stumble. Tian Tiesheng exclaimed in surprise, leaping backward hastily. But as soon as he leaped, his whole body fell heavily from mid-air and landed on the ground. He found his legs bound each by a crystal chain formed from river water that was as thick as a wrist, seemingly forged from the river water itself. And the other end of the chain was connected to the stream. ¡°Water Manipulation Technique! You¡¯ve actually cultivated mana!¡± Tian Tiesheng¡¯s face changed slightly. He sat up swiftly, reaching out to tear apart the water chains around his ankles. At this point, the green-black tortoise¡¯s shell fully surfaced ¨C it was Little Gui. Slowly opening its mouth, a white water arrow shot out from within and, in a flash, it appeared in front of Tian Tiesheng, bringing with it a surge of sharp energy. Tian Tiesheng didn¡¯t have time to break the water chains around his ankles, he quickly put his arms up in defense as green scales began to sprout on his skin. With a ¡®clang,¡¯ the water arrow struck his arms, producing a loud collision as if metal had been struck. Tian Tiesheng swayed, falling flat on his back once again. His arms were badly mangled, each bore a bowl-sized bloody hole that revealed white bones beneath. Luckily, he had managed to block the blow. ¡°Howl!¡± He roared angrily, a layer of green light emanating from his body, causing green hair to grow all over him. His muscles also quickly swelled, and fresh granulation tissue sprouted from the wounds on his arms, making them heal at a visible speed. In the blink of an eye, ¡°Tian Tiesheng¡± transformed into a nine-foot-tall, muscularly robust, green-haired zombie. His eyes, however, were clear, reminiscent of the flying zombie. He stood upright, his thick legs trembled and a great force sprang from them, causing the nearby ground to shake. The water chains around his ankles shattered into countless droplets. ¡°Water Manipulation Technique, and this sea turtle is a spirit beast, right? You¡¯re not following the orthodox skills of Spring and Autumn Pavilion! Who exactly are you? Which sect do you belong to? Come out, we can make a deal!¡± Tian Tiesheng looked towards the river shouting loudly. His voice, considerably amplified after his transformation, echoed over the river surface. But the river remained calm. Apart from the sea turtle which lay there motionless, there was no sign of Shen Luo. ¡°Hmph! Do you really think you¡¯re safe hiding in the water?¡± Tian Tiesheng snorted coldly, his muscles suddenly inflated, and the green hair all over him straightened like green needles. He vibrated his arms, causing all the green hair on his body to explode outwards, producing dense breaking sounds as it enveloped around a couple of dozen feet area of the river surface. A figure burst out of the water near the black turtle. It was Shen Luo, his lips moved a few times. Little Gui seemed to have heard some instructions. It quickly retracted its limbs and head into its shell, half standing on the water surface, it rolled forward shield-like, blocking in front of Shen Luo. The breaking sound intensified! Countless green needle-like hairs rained down, causing ripples to appear across the water surface instantly. The nearby riverbank was also covered with green hairs. The stones on the shoreside were pierced causing holes and created a series of cracking sounds, turning into tiny crushed stones. Little Gui¡¯s back couldn¡¯t dodge in time. Hundreds of green hairs stormed in, piercing into the turtle shell and sinking deep within. Little Gui let out a whimper, its body trembling uncontrollably. Tian Tiesheng saw this and a cruel smile was revealed on his face. He leaped forcefully, diving towards Little Gui like an eagle pouncing on its prey. His arms swelled again as he launched his fists hard onto Little Gui¡¯s shell. The punch tore through the void, emitting a muffled boom like thunder! As Shen Luo reemerged from beneath Little Gui, he saw the situation and reached for the talisman fork to block the opponent¡¯s attack. At this moment, an emotional wave transmitted from Little Gui¡¯s mind suddenly suggested for him to infuse his mana into its body. Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts spun quickly, he immediately placed his hands on Little Gui¡¯s belly, letting the mana in his body pour out. However, his face changed the next moment. A massive suction force emerged from within Little Gui¡¯s body, draining half of his mana in one go. A humming sound emerged, and a layer of black light instantly radiated from Little Gui. The green hairs embedded in its back were all repelled out. At the same moment, Little Gui¡¯s body bizarrely inflated like it was being pumped full of air, its original green-black shell quickly turned into a bright black color, exhibiting a metallic luster, looking invincible. Surprised at the changes taking place in Little Gui, Tian Tiesheng could not stop his momentum and his fists heavily landed on the black turtle shell, transferring all his violent fist energy into Little Gui¡¯s body without any loss. Bizarrely, the expected loud noise did not materialize, the black turtle shell did not move an inch, not even a slight tremble, as if the astonishing fist energy had vanished without causing any effect. However, the black light on the turtle shell began to flicker. The black light that had densely covered the entire shell suddenly dispersed, overshading the edge of the shell. The next moment, the black light seeping from the turtle shell slackened, then it reversed its course like a whale sucking water, a tremendous rebound force surged out directly impacting Tian Tiesheng¡¯s fists. ¡®Boom!¡¯ Tian Tiesheng¡¯s large body was sent flying, his brawny arms cracked audibly as though they were broken. He fell a good distance of seven or eight feet into the river. Seeing this, Shen Luo was both surprised and delighted. He performed a hand seal and plunged his fingers with glowing blue light into the water. The river water near where Tian Tiesheng fell began to surge up, swiftly swirling around his body, forming a large water ball, spinning wildly. Tian Tiesheng hadn¡¯t had the chance to get up, and was swept up by the raging current of the water ball. His body spun with the water, unable to find his footing. In this fleeting pause, the sound of tearing the air approached, then a slender white light shot out from Shen Luo¡¯s hand. In a flash, it arrived near the water ball, heading straight for Tian Tiesheng¡¯s chest. Wrapped in the white light was that Talisman Fork! Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Corpse Shadow Ghost Chapter 117: Chapter 116: Corpse Shadow Ghost Tian Tiesheng¡¯s form became unstable and vision was obscured. He only realized when the talisman fork reached his chest, that it was too late to dodge. In the urgency, his body was covered in a surge of green light. His chest area sprouted out green fur, which interwove in an instant, forming a hazy green barrier to cover his vital parts. The surface of the talisman fork shone with a brilliant grey color. Runes flashed on its surface, and it enlarged three to four times in an instant. With a ¡°bang¡± sound, the green barrier formed from Tian Tiesheng¡¯s green fur was punctured by the white talisman fork as if it were made of paper, directly striking Tian Tiesheng¡¯s chest. The green glow was shattered and fragmented. With a ¡°spurt¡± sound, the talisman fork, stained with fresh blood, pierced through his back, leaving a bloody hole as large as a bowl. Tian Tiesheng¡¯s struggling body suddenly stopped, the light in his eyes quickly dimming. He was carried by the water ball, spinning ceaselessly. Shen Luo knew about his powerful recovery ability and dared not let his guard down. With his hands forming a rotating sign, the white light on the talisman fork brightened, erupting a wave of extreme cold. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the water ball enveloping Tian Tiesheng was instantly frozen, turning into a huge ice ball floating on the surface of the river. Tian Tiesheng was frozen inside the ice ball in a twisted posture, motionless. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned to check on Little Gui. Little Gui had returned to its initial size, its head also peeking out, only its mouth was lined with blood and its eyelids drooped, looking a bit weak. Shen Luo hastily soothed Little Gui through a telepathic link and put his palm on its shell, channeling mana into its body. With the nourishment of mana, Little Gui¡¯s spirits slightly picked up, as it affectionately rubbed its head against Shen Luo¡¯s body, seemingly expressing gratitude. ¡°Little Gui, what was that ability you used just now to break his arms?¡± Shen Luo stroked Little Gui¡¯s head and asked. Little Gui proudly made a light sound and sent through a broken, telepathic message. It seemed to suggest that it was its innate ability. As long as the force doesn¡¯t exceed its range, its shell can absorb and reflect it back with twice the power. The divine power, however, drained substantial mana and it could not perform it on its own, so it needed collaboration with Shen Luo. Hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed. This shell reflection divine ability has both offensive and defensive qualities and catches enemies by surprise, making it much more valuable than its water arrow attack. He estimated that Tian Tiesheng¡¯s last attack had the power close to the Qi Refining Late Stage. Little Gui, at the early stage of Qi Refining, reflected this attack back and broke his arms. If Little Gui¡¯s cultivation level could be increased, it might even withstand the attack of the Grain Avoidance Stage. Shen Luo wanted to learn more about Little Gui¡¯s innate ability, but as they weren¡¯t far from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, this wasn¡¯t the place to stay long. Encouraging Little Gui with a few words, he sent it away with a technique. His gaze returned to the ice sphere floating not far away on the river. As he prepared to walk over, his mind suddenly spun and felt a wave of exhaustion. The technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits consumes quite a lot of mana, and half of his mana was just drained by Little Gui. His own mana was now at rock-bottom. Shen Luo took a deep breath, mustering all his energy, and approached the ice sphere. He planned to hurriedly tidy up the scene that could reveal traces of his divine power and then leave immediately. Just at this moment, the sound of piercing the air resonated, and a red glow shot over from the distance, arriving in front of him in an instant. ¡°Could this be pursuers?¡± Shen Luo gasped, hardly sparing a glance at the red light before he waved a rune in his hand, which glowed brightly, prepared to counterattack while desperately planning his escape. However, the red light didn¡¯t attack him, but flew to an ice ball not far away. Like a needle piercing rotten wood, it easily entered it and with a ¡°puff¡±, it pierced Tian Tiesheng¡¯s head. Only after that did the red light disperse, revealing its true form, a small Bronze Money Sword. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Shen Luo was startled. ¡°Eeeaaahhh¡­¡± A piercing scream suddenly flowed from the ice ball. It drilled into one¡¯s ears like countless little needles, causing a hum in Shen Luo¡¯s head. It was a black human-shaped shadow coming out of Tian Tiesheng, struggling violently while incessantly screaming. This black shadow¡¯s head was stabbed by the Bronze Money Sword, as if it were nailed there, regardless of how hard it struggled, it was unable to escape. In pain, Shen Luo hastily retreated a few steps, his eyes full of amazement. He didn¡¯t expect that such a creature was lurking inside Tian Tiesheng. ¡°This monster is known as a Corpse Shadow Ghost. While its strength isn¡¯t outstanding, it can stealthily cling to living humans, eroding their bodies and covertly turning them into zombies. Simply destroying the body it inhabits cannot completely kill it, it can easily switch hosts. If you had just moved two steps closer, this monster would have taken the chance to possess you. ¡± Bai Xiaotian, in a crisp voice, appeared in the distance. After a few leaps, he was standing nearby. Bai Xiaotian was covered in blood, making it clear that he had recently been in a fierce battle. But given his bearable condition, one could not sure if the blood on him was his own or someone else¡¯s. Having seen Bai Xiaotian, Shen Luo remembered something and subconsciously took a few steps back, cautiously looking at Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, are you okay?¡± Bai Xiaotian was taken aback by Shen Luo¡¯s wariness. ¡°How can you prove your identity?¡± Shen Luo asked cautiously. After seeing so many strange things today, both Gu Hualing and Tian Tiesheng had turned into enemies, and both had changed forms. He did not dare to trust anyone easily. ¡°Oh, Junior Brother Shen, are you worrying about me being an imposter? Well then, let me remind you of some past events. We joined the Sect around the same time, we first met at Lingguan Hall, the next day, we sneaked off to the back hill and finished off three big jars of wine. On the third day ¡­ ¡± Bai Xiaotian mentioned many past secrets between them. Shen Luo listened to all these, his expression relaxed slightly, but the wariness in his eyes persisted, and he nonetheless gradually retreated. ¡°Even if you are Bai Xiaotian, how did you escape the grey light curtain enveloping Qinghua Mountain right now?¡± Shen Luo paused, and continued to question. ¡°Speaking of it, I need to thank you, Junior Brother Shen. I was fighting with a demon in the Sect Main Hall when I saw you and Senior Brother Tian descending the mountain from afar. I decided to follow you. Finally, with the help of the Pavilion Master, I managed to escape. Unfortunately, the Pavilion Master¡¯s fate is unknown now!¡± Bai Xiaotian spoke somberly. Shen Luo carefully examined Bai Xiaotian¡¯s story and finding no inconsistencies, finally nodded in relief. ¡°We met many powerful demons today. Some of them can change their appearance, so I had to be careful. I hope Brother Bai does not mind.¡± Shen Luo cupped his hands and said. ¡°No matter, now that demons have invaded the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, these demonic beings are skilled with illusion. It¡¯s only right to be cautious,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head, and then glared at the black shadow, killing intent emerging in his eyes. He pointed his Sword technique. The Bronze Money Sword shone with a vibrant red light. Several red sword beams rose from the sword body, stabbed into the black shadow, and suddenly twisted. The black shadow was immediately torn into several pieces and turned into wisps of black Qi, floating away. The piercing screams abruptly stopped. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: Chapter 117: Doubt Chapter 118: Chapter 117: Doubt Tian Tiesheng¡¯s body shuddered, and streams of Yin Qi rushed out. His originally bulky body quickly shrunk and returned to its normal size within a few breaths. Shen Luo looked at Tian Tiesheng¡¯s corpse with a melancholic expression, activated the white talisman fork to shatter the ice ball and retrieved the body. The two of them activated their talismanic instruments and quickly dug a large pit by the river, burying Tian Tiesheng, Senior Brother Niu, and Ding Yuan¡¯s bodies inside. Although Shen Luo didn¡¯t like Senior Brother Niu and Ding Yuan, they were already dead. Being fellow disciples, there was nothing to be resentful about now. He also discovered the cause of their deaths ¨C a few green hairs had pierced through their hearts, no doubt it was ¡°Tian Tiesheng¡¯s¡± doing. After doing these, the two of them didn¡¯t delay any longer and immediately left, their figures quickly disappearing into the distant wilderness. ¡­ Not long after Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian fled, a man and a woman silently stood at their original location. The woman was wearing a purple dress, with two conspicuous small bone wings behind her back. The man was tall and had a swarthy face, it was no other than Gu Hualing and Wang Qingsong. ¡°We are still one step too late,¡± Gu Hualing took a look around, her dark eyes blinked, and she said. ¡°We underestimated Luo Shidi. We were held back by him for too long.¡± Wang Qingsong also spoke with a solemn expression. He was holding a blood-stained long sword in one hand, and a round Dharma plate in the other. The plate was something that Master Luo used before. Gu Hualing stepped forward, glanced at the traces of the fight nearby, then raised her hand. She spread her fingers and grabbed something in the void on the side of the river. Suddenly, the ground cracked, and three bodies were grabbed by a large purple hand and thrown aside. It was indeed the bodies of Tian Tiesheng, Senior Brother Niu, and Ding Yuan that Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian buried not long ago. Gu Hualing quickly glanced over the bodies of Ding Yuan and the others, squatted down in front of ¡°Tian Tiesheng¡¯s¡± body, and started to inspect it carefully. ¡°The Corpse Shadow Ghost¡¯s abilities are strange, especially good at concealing and fleeing. It¡¯s not easy for ordinary Grain Avoidance Cultivators to kill him. With the Pavilion Master and Master Luo taken down by us, and that Senior Ancestor trapped to death in the back mountain, who else in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion could kill him?¡± Gu Hualing wrinkled her nose, expressing her doubts. ¡°There are only a few people in the Pavilion who can wield mana. Even if you count all the disciples, none of them could have killed the Corpse Shadow Ghost alone. Judging from the fight marks here, it seems like at least two Qi Refining disciples worked together. One distracted him while the other sneak attacked him,¡± Wang Qingsong narrowed his eyes and analyzed slowly. ¡°Could it be Bai Xiaotian and Ding Hua? In that case, the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture¡± is likely to be in their hands.¡± Gu Hualing pondered for a while and said. ¡°No matter what, the commotion caused this time was big enough. All the ghosts and demons involved in the attack must retreat immediately, otherwise, it might attract other human cultivators to investigate,¡± As he said this, Wang Qingsong gazed at the sky with a serious look, seemingly very worried. ¡°There are still some disciples in the Pavilion¡­¡± Gu Hualing spoke hesitantly. ¡°Kill them all, and take away all the bodies, try to eliminate all traces.¡± Wang Qingsong said through gritted teeth. ¡°Do we really need to go that far?¡± Gu Hualing looked slightly taken aback. ¡°Are you joking?! Do you know how big of a risk I took in betraying my sect? After today, I need to find a place to hide and lay low for a while. If the matter gets exposed¡­huh, the methods of the human race to deal with traitors are far more ruthless than your demon race.¡± Wang Qingsong laughed coldly. Upon hearing this, Gu Hualing raised her eyebrows and fell silent. But Wang Qingsong suddenly turned his head and looked in a certain direction, letting out a light cry. Just about a hundred meters away, a skull of white bones and a gray-haired rat demon, were pressing an utterly filthy person to walk forward. Upon a glance, Gu Hualing found the man somewhat familiar. When he called him over for a closer look, it was actually Ding Hua. Ding Hua failed to recognize Gu Hualing but spotted Wang Qingsong at a glance. He immediately behaved as if he had grasped at straws to save his life, violently breaking free from the restraint of the skull and the rat demon, and rushed over, shouting: ¡°Elder Master Wang, save me, save me¡­¡± He looked exceedingly destitute at this time, him being usually cold and arrogant, entirely absent. ¡°Is the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯ on you?¡± Upon seeing his state, Wang Qingsong raised his foot and kicked him over, stepping on his chest and asked coldly. Ding Hua rolled on the ground and bumped into the corpses of Tian Tiesheng and the other two. The rushing skull rat demon firmly pinned his hands and feet. He was immediately dumbfounded, staring blankly at Wang Qingsong. His lips trembled a few times but he didn¡¯t speak. ¡°It¡¯s not him. Most of the scriptures should be on Bai Xiaotian, but who did he join hands with to kill the Corpse Shadow Ghost?¡± Gu Hualing walked up and disdainfully glanced at the destitute teenager on the ground, musingly speaking. ¡°It seems that there are still backups in the pavilion that I¡¯m not aware of. Since the things aren¡¯t on him, there¡¯s no point in keeping him alive.¡± Wang Qingsong finished speaking, raised his foot and was about to stomp heavily on his head. ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, I am still useful¡­ I am still useful¡­¡± Although Ding Hua¡¯s body was unable to move, he was still shouting desperately, not caring what he was saying. He previously witnessed the cruel and bloody nature of the demon race and ghost creatures, and this completely scared him out of his wits now. ¡°What¡¯s your use?¡± Wang Qingsong asked flatly. ¡°I know where the thing you are looking for is. If I tell you, can you spare my life?¡± Ding Hua raised his head, his eyes full of fear as he pleaded. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s hear it¡­¡± Wang Qingsong narrowed his eyes slightly and said. ¡°It¡¯s with Bai Xiaotian! I followed one of my brothers out of the mountain gate earlier, and halfway through the journey, one of them turned into a zombie and killed my brother and the gatekeeper. Then, they fought with Shen Luo. Yes, that person was a registered disciple, but I don¡¯t know what technique he learned to become very strong! He escaped into the water, and I was a little far away at that time, but I faintly heard the zombie mentioning something about the Pure Yang Scripture. Later, I didn¡¯t dare to move and just hid in the woods from a distance.¡± Ding Hua glanced at the bodies of Ding Yuan and others on the ground and quickly said. Gu Hualing and Wang Qingsong looked at each other, both slightly surprised. ¡°It seems that in addition to Bai Xiaotian, Shen Luo also has a high suspicion. Hehe, a registered disciple, this kid is really good at hiding, could it be a backup arranged by Master Luo?¡± Gu Hualing speculated suspiciously. ¡°Did you see it clearly, that Shen Luo alone fought with the zombie? And then?¡± Wang Qingsong pointed at the corpse of ¡°Tian Tiesheng¡± not far away, and asked Ding Hua. ¡°Yes, Shen Luo alone fought with the zombie, and then Bai Xiaotian came to kill the zombie. I usually have a grudge against Shen Luo and didn¡¯t dare to show up, so the two of them ran away together in that direction.¡± Ding Hua, fearful of not providing enough details, quickly pointed out a direction. ¡°I¡¯ve been injured, and I must find a place to recover immediately. Gu Hualing, you possess the art of transformation and can conceal the aura of the demon race. Now, you seem to be more suited for walking outside the mountain than me. The task of tracing the two of them can only be handed over to you.¡± After some deliberation, Wang Qingsong spoke. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 118: Tracing the Treasure Chapter 119: Chapter 118: Tracing the Treasure ¡°Do you know how long they¡¯ve been gone?¡± Gu Hualing stared at Ding Yuan and asked. ¡°Not too long, less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.¡± Ding Hua quickly answered. ¡°It¡¯s enough. With my tracking skills, finding them should be no problem.¡± Gu Hualing nodded after hearing this. ¡°You should be more aware than I am of the importance of the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture.¡¯ This time, they¡¯ve sent out so many demons and ghosts to help us complete the task, it¡¯s not just for a simple set of skills. You must bring it back intact. Otherwise, neither you nor I would have a good end!¡± Wang Qingsong¡¯s expression became even more serious, he warned. ¡°Hee hee, looks like you know the secrets in the scripture¡­ But you can rest assured, dealing with two Qi refining stage youngsters is not difficult, I will definitely bring back the scripture.¡± Gu Hualing confidently said. After saying that, a purple light flashed behind her, and the two bone wings immediately retracted, and her body was immediately enveloped in a light purple smoke. When the smoke dissipated, her figure had changed, and she had reverted back to the handsome young man. ¡°Ah, you are Gu¡­ Gu¡­¡± Ding Hua was dumbfounded looking at the handsome young man. But Gu Hualing didn¡¯t pay any attention to Ding Hua. She leaped into the air and flew more than ten feet into a forest. ¡°You indeed lack aptitude, and you¡¯re spineless. I wanted to kill you, but at this moment, I need a obedient person by my side, so you can temporarily follow me.¡± Wang Qingsong looked at her departure and glanced at Ding Hua with a chuckle. ¡°Yes, yes, I will follow all of Elder Master¡¯s orders!¡± Upon hearing these words, Ding Hua was overjoyed and immediately nodded. ¡­ The sky was getting dark, and Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had fled all the way to Tuji Town. They didn¡¯t dare to delay, quickly prepared some food, bought two fast horses, and fled out of the town together. ¡°Brother Bai, the demons are fierce. Even the Senior Ancestor was affected. Master Luo and the Pavilion Master might be gone now. What should we do now?¡± Shen Luo asked as he urged his horse to gallop. ¡°The demons are causing trouble, and the other cultivators will not stand by and do nothing. But now the news can¡¯t get out, and the Spring and Autumn Pavilion can only be isolated. In Dengzhou, the nearest cultivation sect to us is the Weak Water Sect. We should go to them for help.¡± Bai Xiaotian seemed to have made arrangements beforehand and immediately replied. ¡°For now, that is the only option we have. Hopefully, we can still make it in time. But does Brother Bai know where the Weak Water Sect is?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and asked. ¡°Weak Water Sect specializes in water techniques. The sect is built at the common source of the Luan Shui River and Bailian River, which is in Wugong County. Its location is actually easier to find than our Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and their reputation is much louder than ours. We can get there by heading east from the county town, crossing Tianping County, and Dalang Township.¡± Bai Xiaotian answered. ¡°Elder Master Wang knows my identity. We can¡¯t go through the county town. We should leave Chunhua County overnight. We can detour through Song Fan County. The journey will be longer, but it¡¯s safer.¡± replied Shen Luo shaking his head. ¡°Right, it¡¯s safer to detour.¡± Hearing this, Bai Xiaotian nodded in agreement. Afterwards, both of them were lost in thought, no longer speaking. They simply urged on their horses and galloped away. After they left Tuji Town, the sky had completely darkened. ¡°Brother Bai, aren¡¯t you curious about why I suddenly gained mana?¡± After a long silence, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°No matter what kind of fortuitous encounter you¡¯ve had, Shen, that¡¯s your own luck. When you¡¯re ready to talk about it, you will. If you don¡¯t say it, it means it¡¯s not time to talk about it. Besides, you¡¯re now a cultivator yourself. At least you¡¯re not living day by day in fear anymore, and I can worry a bit less for you.¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed and said. ¡°Thank you, Brother Bai, for taking care of me all these years. When the time is right, I will tell you about it.¡± Seeing that he was not bothered at all, Shen Luo let go of his worries. ¡°Although we are friends and our hearts are open to each other, there¡¯s no need to be fully transparent. You¡¯re not the only one with secrets. I have things I can¡¯t talk about on myself, too.¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly turned his head and laughingly said to Shen Luo. Shen Luo knew that although Bai Xiaotian acted carelessly at times, he was always honest with his friends. He couldn¡¯t help but nod again and again. But just at that moment, his nose wrinkled, and he detected an unusual scent. ¡°They¡¯ve actually caught up¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian also frowned and said in a low voice. Both of their expressions became tense. Shen Luo spurred his horse to run faster, turning his head to look back on the road. He saw several dozens of feet behind them, floating in mid-air were clusters of green lights about three feet off the ground, rapidly gaining on them. After no more than ten breaths, the distance between the ghost fires and them had closed to about ten feet. As the moonlight shone, Shen Luo finally saw that it was three completely black monster dogs, with green eyes, chasing after them. They were twice as large as ordinary hunting dogs. Their bodies were wrapped in black fog, their fangs protruding outwards, shining coldly, and their mouths dripped with a repugnantly foul drool. ¡°Shen Luo, an ordinary horse can¡¯t outrun these things. We should take care of them first.¡± Bai Xiaotian shouted. ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Luo jerked the reins hard, causing the black horse to rear up and come to a halt. On the other hand, Bai Xiaotian patted his horse and leaped into the air. His body twisted in mid-air before landing. He moved with grace and ease, creating an indescribable sense of freedom. Shen Luo looked back and followed him, dismounting from his horse. Seeing Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian stop, the three monster dogs barked and rushed forward even faster, lunging at them like wolves out for blood. Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian suddenly lunged forward, stepping out the Seven Stars Gang Step beneath his feet. His figure slightly blurred and unexpectedly charged at the monster dog in the front. The monster was obviously unprepared and was caught off guard by Bai Xiaotian¡¯s closeness. It could only hurriedly open its mouth and bite down. Bai Xiaotian calmly avoided the bite of the monster dog. Immediately, his uplifted right hand was illuminated with a hazy green light. His entire palm suddenly grew by a factor of one, and he launched the Qingyang Hand, slapping the creature in the chest. With a crisp ¡°snap.¡± The monster dog¡¯s chest instantly caved in, as if several ribs had been shattered, and the body was thrown seven or eight meters away. The force of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s palm was much stronger than what Tian Tiesheng had used in the past. But before he could retract his outstretched arm, a black shadow suddenly flashed by from the side. It was another monster dog that had raced close to the ground, leapt towards him, and bit towards his arm. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 119 Night Run Chapter 120: Chapter 119 Night Run Caught off guard, he could only muster his mana to protect his arm, intending to take the hit head-on. However, at that moment, a white light darted from below his arm, hitting the monster dog¡¯s head with a ¡°bang¡±. The monster dog let out a mournful howl, its body flipped backward and rolling on the ground. Turning around, Bai Xiaotian saw that it was Shen Luo who had manipulated his Talisman Trident, saving him from the attack. A smile flashed across his face. He swung his hand, and with a flash of red light from his sleeve, a Copper Coin Talisman Sword shot out, brushing past Shen Luo¡¯s trident and directly stabbing toward the monster dog. Shen Luo, on the other hand, raised his hand and urged his Talisman Trident to spin in mid-air, turning around and plunging straight towards another monster dog that was pouncing on him. This monster dog was larger than the other two, and it had an additional white vertical stripe in the middle of its forehead, which made it look as if it had a third eye. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but think of the Three-eyed Demon Fox. Seeing the Talisman Trident hurtling straight toward it, the monster dog¡¯s faint green eyes flickered slightly. It suddenly opened its bloody mouth and sprayed forth, a dark green hose of Water Arrows shot out with a ¡°swoosh¡±, hitting the trident. The surface of the Talisman Trident immediately sizzled, and instantly started to smoke. Shen Luo¡¯s heart constricted as he found the connection between his mana and the trident became sporadic. The Talisman Trident in mid-air also began to wobble uncontrollably. The monster dog easily evaded the trident, leaped up, and pounced on Shen Luo. It was too late for Shen Luo to redirect the Trident back. He made a snap decision, abandoned the Trident, and as the monster dog pounced, Shen Luo instantly lowered his body, gathered his Yang Gang power and punched upwards at its abdomen. There was a muffled ¡°bang¡± sound, and Shen Luo¡¯s hand was stinging, as if he had smashed it against an iron board. Although the monster dog was blasted away, it was undamaged. After landing, it twisted its body and pounced at Shen Luo again. Knowing he was no match for it, Shen Luo could only dodge. ¡°Boom¡­¡± At that moment, a thunderous explosion came from Bai Xiaotian¡¯s direction not far away. A ball of fire rushed into the sky, illuminating the Wilderness Racing Road. The monster dog seemed to be a bit disoriented by the sudden brightness, and its movements started to slow down as its pupils contracted. Shen Luo took the opportunity to sidestep and glanced at Bai Xiaotian. He saw Bai Xiaotian wielding the Copper Coin Sword, engaged in close combat with another monster dog. A fiery glow lit up the ground beside him, seeming to be the aftermath of some talisman explosion. Next to the flame, another monster dog lay with its body charred black, already blown into two pieces. Shen Luo¡¯s spirits were lifted. He took a glance at his Trident fallen a few steps away, took a deep breath in secret, and decided to rush towards the monster dog, imitating Bai Xiaotian¡¯s tactic. Enraged, the monster dog leaped into the air, pouncing at him. Of course, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t use the Seven Stars Gang Step, nor could his speed compare to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s. However, after taking three steps, he suddenly let out a low yell, exerts force on his feet to leap upwards, and managed to jump higher than the monster dog. Meanwhile, his hand with the talisman, slammed down heavily onto the monster dog¡¯s forehead. There was a deafening ¡°boom¡±! A white bolt of lightning suddenly descended from the sky, and violently struck the monster dog in the head, knocking it straight down. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo formed a magic spell with both his hands, shouting loudly: ¡°Up!¡± The Talisman Fork on the ground immediately lit up with white light and shot straight up into the sky with a ¡°whoosh¡±, piercing straight through the monster dog¡¯s heart. Yet the monster dog did not immediately fall. It instead, due to its severe injury, became ferociously rampant, opening its mouth once again to spray at Shen Luo, a continuous spray of dark green juice. As it fell to the ground, it created clouds of smoke. Shen Luo retreated again and again, constantly dodging. The monster dog struggled to chase a few steps, finally falling down, its body convulsing a few times, then it ceased to move. Shen Luo summoned the Talisman Fork back to his hand, looked at it carefully, and found signs of pockmarks and corrosion on it. The color of the talisman wrapped around its tail had also become increasingly faint, and he felt a pang of distress. He turned to look in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s direction, intending to lend a hand, but saw that Bai Xiaotian had already beheaded the other monster dog and was wiping off the filthy blood from his sword. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, walked over to the monster dog¡¯s side, found its abdomen, stabbed the Talisman Fork in, and tore open a wound, rummaging around inside. ¡°Shen Luo, what are you doing?¡± Bai Xiaotian, who had also walked over by this point, asked in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that the abdomen of all monsters contain demon pellets? I¡¯m looking to see.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort. Such a low level of cultivation, barely any spiritual wisdom developed, how could this creature possibly have a demon pellet?¡± Bai Xiaotian said with mixed laughter and tears. ¡°What do you mean, does the demon pellet require the cultivation of Tao to have?¡± Shen Luo asked confusedly. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure either, but I know for a fact that this kind of monster dog won¡¯t have a demon pellet. How much strength are you hiding, this monster dog was even tougher than the two I killed.¡± Bai Xiaotian looked at the monster dog and remarked. ¡°What was that fire back there? Did you use some kind of Thunder talisman?¡± Standing up straight, Shen Luo asked again. ¡°That was a Burst Talisman, not really a Thunder Talisman, it¡¯s a type of Fire Talisman.¡± Bai Xiaotian said casually. ¡°I see. Are there any more? Could you give me a dozen or so for self-defense?¡± Shen Luo joked. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I only have one left. Let¡¯s not delay any longer, we should hurry on our way.¡± Bai Xiaotian gave him a side eye and remarked. Having said that, the two of them looked around and realized their horse had disappeared. They had to chase for two more miles before they found the frightened horse again. They mounted the horse and continued to head towards Song Fan County. After another ten miles or so, they heard the distant sound of splashing water: they had arrived at the shores of Bailian River. ¡°Bailian is up ahead. After crossing, two more hours and we¡¯ll be out of Chunhua county¡¯s territory.¡± Shen Luo reined the horse, pointing to the distant river bank, and said. Bai Xiaotian also stopped his horse, following his gaze, but his expression changed slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seeing the change in his face, Shen Luo quickly asked. ¡°There¡¯s someone over there.¡± Bai Xiaotian said in a low voice. Shen Luo rubbed his eyes and looked carefully over there, only to see a person standing by the stone arch bridge, wearing a bamboo hat, leaning against the bridge¡¯s stone pillar, apparently waiting for someone. Although there was moonlight at night, the distance was slightly far, and with Shen Luo¡¯s eyesight, he could not see the person¡¯s face clearly. However, he vaguely felt that the silhouette of the person looked somewhat familiar. He exchanged a glance with Bai Xiaotian, lightly shook the reins, and urged the horse towards the bridge. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 120: Merging Chapter 121: Chapter 120: Merging When they were almost in front of him, the man suddenly stood up straight, walked step by step to the front of the White Crossing Bridge, and stood still in the middle of the road, blocking their path. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had a slightly condensed expression, and at the same time, they tightened the reins and stopped. ¡°Two junior brothers, where are you rushing off to?¡± A clear and pleasant woman¡¯s voice came out from under the bamboo hat. ¡°Gu Hualing¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he blurted out. The person lifted her hand, removed the bamboo hat and threw it aside, revealing a lovely and charming young girl¡¯s face. She was dressed in a round-necked white robe with a jade belt around her waist. She was entirely in a man¡¯s outfit. However, her slender body and graceful posture with purple short hair still retained a woman¡¯s appearance. At first glance, it was somewhat unconventional, but on a second look, there was an unusually playful charm about her. ¡°Both of you are intelligent. I¡¯ll cut to the chase. Who possesses the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯? If you hand it over generously, considering our past friendship as fellow disciples, I could spare your lives.¡± Gu Hualing said with a blithe smile. ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother Gu, for not killing us. Is this appearance of yours that of a male demon or a female demon? I don¡¯t know what the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯ is?¡± Bai Xiaotian looked her up and down without any fear. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, what do you say?¡± Gu Hualing¡¯s eyelid twitched slightly, but she didn¡¯t make a move immediately. Instead, she asked him. ¡°Senior Brother Gu, I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What is this ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯? Could you describe it to me!¡± Shen Luo continued to play dumb, stalling for time while calculating the strengths of the two sides. Of course, he didn¡¯t believe in Gu Hualing¡¯s ghostly talk about sparing their lives. His hidden hand in his sleeve was already gripping the Talisman Fork. Seeing this, Gu Hualing gave a soft sigh. Suddenly, a purple light flickered on her body. She instantly returned to her purple dress. Two petite bone wings also spread out from her back, and her eyes gradually grew cold. ¡°People and demons are different. I didn¡¯t expect Senior Brother Gu to be such an alluring demon. Normally, I¡¯m the one who can¡¯t resist temptation, but unfortunately, I don¡¯t have that ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯.¡± Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes lit up, he rubbed his chin with his left hand and praised her. Seeing that Bai Xiaotian was also tactically stalling, Shen Luo was about to signal to attack together, but he noticed that Bai Xiaotian¡¯s right-hand fingers had subtly pointed at something. He then glanced at the back of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s horse and found a yellow paper charm lying there. Shen Luo immediately got the hint. He urged his horse to come to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s side and quietly slipped the ¡°Burst Talisman¡± into his sleeve. Just then, a sudden change occurred! The ground under Shen Luo and others suddenly cracked open, and two white bone skulls popped out from below. They held bone spears and thrust them upwards. The spear tips pierced through the horse¡¯s belly, gushing out blood. Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo reacted quickly. Their bodies tilted back at almost the same time and two bloody bone spear tips pierced out right in front of them. Although they had evaded the fatal strike, the horses they were riding on were pierced through, causing them to be tossed off their backs as the horses neighed and kicked up their hooves. As soon as Shen Luo landed and had not yet stabilized, the two white bone skulls dropped their bone spears and pounced on him. He hastily retreated and had no time to manipulate the Talisman Fork. He could only grab and shake it to fend off the dry claws of the white bone skulls. At this moment, a purple shadow suddenly flashed. Like a ghostly specter, Gu Hualing rushed to his front and clawed at his heart. Seeing the situation was bad, Bai Xiaotian chased after them with a step of Firmament Step. He held the Talisman Sword with the same hand and stabbed directly at Gu Hualing¡¯s heart from behind. Gu Hualing seemed unbothered by Bai Xiaotian¡¯s attack from behind, as if she was determined to take down Shen Luo first. Just as Bai Xiaotian was about to pierce her with his sword, the two bone wings on her back suddenly contracted like two shields, with a ¡°crack¡± sound blocking the Bronze Money Sword. One of her hands had already swiftly clawed towards Shen Luo¡¯s face like a ghost. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not dodge or avoid, but instead, roared in rage and slapped out a hand, striking directly into the palm of Gu Hualing¡¯s reaching hand. ¡°Bang¡±! He only felt a tremble in his body, he flew backwards as if he were tossed like a sack. Gu Hualing did not pursue closely; instead, she gave a light, surprised ¡°huh?¡± and looked at the hand she had just reached out with an odd expression. Her palm was unknowingly affixed with a talisman. ¡°Rumble¡± The explosive sound rang out! As Shen Luo got up, he felt a wave of scorching heat sweeping towards him. He hurriedly retreated a few steps before stopping to look carefully. At the place where the explosion just happened, there was nothing but black scorch marks, even the two skeletons had been blown into powder. ¡°Be careful!¡± Just as Shen Luo wanted to take a closer look, he suddenly heard Bai Xiaotian¡¯s shocked shout. Immediately after, there was a sound of something tearing through the air from behind him. Startled, he abruptly turned around, only to see a dark purple three-pointed claw thorn shooting towards him. The distance was less than thirty feet. Shen Luo quickly flicked his sleeve, a wind blew from the cuff, and a Talisman Fork radiating a white light shot out promptly. In the night, a purple and a white light sped towards each other, ¡°Bang,¡± they collided. The rune on Shen Luo¡¯s Talisman Fork ignited rapidly, blooming like a firework, emitting a final burst of light, and then, with an even more intense explosion, shattered. At the moment of the Fork¡¯s explosion, a strong force was released, blasting the three-pointed claw thorn back. The claw thorn drew a purple arc in the void, landing gently in a hand as white and as delicate as jade. Seeing the Talisman Fork being destroyed in a flash, Shen Luo felt a pang in his heart and was covered in a cold sweat. He looked towards the purple light, only to see that Gu Hualing was suspended in midair, her wings flickering. Besides the large portion of her clothes blown away in the front, there was not a single scratch on her body. At this time, Bai Xiaotian leaped in front of him, shielding him. ¡°Can you continue to fight?¡± He kept his eyes on Gu Hualing and asked Shen Luo in a low voice. ¡°I can fight!¡± Shen Luo answered. ¡°Good! That claw thorn is a magical instrument, it must not be opposed with physical force.¡±, Bai Xiaotian holding a Bronze Money Sword, looked tense. As his voice fell, his pupils suddenly constricted, the Bronze Money Sword in his hand filled with red light, sweeping towards the front. ¡°Ding Ding Ding¡± Accompanied by a clear ringing sound, the Bronze Money Sword was forcefully pushed back, flying back in front of Bai Xiaotian. Shen Luo looked at the sword and saw three thin, semi-transparent bone needles embedded deeply in the sword¡¯s body, and the coins on it were forced through. Bai Xiaotian squeezed his hand into a spell and lightly tapped the handle of the sword. The red light on the sword suddenly brightened and the three bone needles were ejected out. Then he took a blue-colored talisman from his bosom, pinched it between two fingers, and wrapped it around the sword¡¯s handle. Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 121: The First Battle with Gu Hualing Chapter 122: Chapter 121: The First Battle with Gu Hualing ¡°Talisman Fire, Heavenly Thunder, summon the spirit into the sword, hurry like a decree!¡± Bai Xiaotian chanted in a cadence, pointing a stroke on the Bronze Money Sword, a burst of crimson flame suddenly spread along the sword body, enveloping the entire sword. ¡°Go¡± With a soft shout from his mouth, the flaming sword shot out, its flames roaring as it flew towards Gu Hualing. Seeing this, Gu Hualing, with a three-pointed claw stab in her hand, flashed with purple light and shot out. There was a series of loud noises! In just a few moments, the two clashed seven or eight times in mid-air, the Bronze Money Sword, which was merely a talismanic instrument, was actually under the enhancement of the talisman, barely contending with the claw stab magical instrument. Shen Luo looked at Bai Xiaotian and saw that he was already sweating at the temples; it was clear that his mana consumption was not small. With a little hesitation, he stood up and ran wildly towards the rear. Seeing this, Gu Hualing thought he was going to escape alone. She raised her wrist quickly and controlled the three-pointed claw stab to separate from the Bronze Money Fire Sword and shot straight towards Shen Luo. Bai Xiaotian gritted his teeth in secret, and with a sudden wave of his hand, the Bronze Money Fire Sword turned into a red light and caught up with the flying fork again, reluctantly entangling it once more. However, as soon as the Bronze Money Flying Sword left Bai Xiaotian, Gu Hualing¡¯s figure suddenly cut an arc in mid-air, and she floated down in front of Bai Xiaotian. She thrust forward with one hand, and a section of bone dagger emerged from her sleeve, targeting directly at Bai Xiaotian¡¯s heart like a venomous snake. But Bai Xiaotian seemed to have expected this and had already prepared a magic spell in his other hand hidden behind him, and he shouted lightly, ¡°Fast¡±. The unremarkable pendant hanging on his chest suddenly flashed with red light and surprisingly, it acted faster than Gu Hualing. With a ¡°whistle¡±, it turned into a two-inch long slender spike, aiming straight at Gu Hualing¡¯s throat. Gu Hualing was caught off guard and could only instinctively turn her head to one side. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound. The red spike shot out brushing past her throat and spraying a line of blood. Before Gu Hualing could make any other moves, she had already been kicked in the abdomen by Bai Xiaotian and was flung backwards. After much effort she managed to steady herself. As she looked at Bai Xiaotian again, anger was evident in her eyes, and she slowly said: ¡°It seems that you have also been hiding your strength while in the spectator stand. Being able to drive two talismanic instruments at the same time, you must at least have a Qi Refining Late Stage cultivation, right?¡± Bai Xiaotian didn¡¯t say a word, but his expression was solemn. The previous blow had been his trump card, but he didn¡¯t expect that Gu Hualing would easily dodge it. Seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, Gu Hualing¡¯s eyes narrowed suddenly and a murderous intent appeared! The ground beneath Bai Xiaotian¡¯s feet suddenly collapsed, his ankles were tightly grasped by two bone claws that emerged from nowhere, and as they pulled downward, he fell helplessly. At the same time, Gu Hualing followed in pursuit. She flung the bone dagger in her hand, which was enveloped with a layer of purple light, and aimed it straight at Bai Xiaotian¡¯s forehead. At this point, whether it was to recall the Bronze Money Fire Sword or the spike, it was too late for Bai Xiaotian. Just as the bone dagger was about to pierce his skull, a sharp water arrow suddenly shot from a distance and knocked Gu Hualing¡¯s dagger off its course. Following closely was another water arrow, aimed directly at Gu Hualing¡¯s face. Seeing this, Gu Hualing¡¯s palm glowed with a purple light, and with a sideways chop, she dispersed the water arrow with one hand. At this point, a large dark green sea turtle emerged from the darkness in the distance and slowly crawled over, accompanied by a young man holding a magic spell. It was naturally Shen Luo. However, the sound of ¡°splash¡± kept echoing behind him, as a water wave about two fathoms high simply surged, following him all the way from the river to the shore. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes focused intently, he waved both hands forward simultaneously, and the wave behind him immediately swept over, transforming into a tidal wave that rushed towards Gu Hualing. As Bai Xiaotian was astonished, he found the river water below him was also surging, and soon condensed into a spring eye vortex and lifted his body out of the pit. He hurriedly recalled the Bronze Money Sword and spike, slashed off the two white bone skulls hanging on his ankles, and came to Shen Luo¡¯s side. Shen Luo focused his spirit on controlling the waves, when it surged in front of Gu Hualing, the surging water splash suddenly rose into the aforementioned water pythons. They opened their large mouths and pounced on Gu Hualing. For a moment, Gu Hualing couldn¡¯t figure out the authenticity of these water pythons and didn¡¯t risk confronting them recklessly. Instead, she retreated and called back her claw stab to strike down the water pythons. Seeing this, Shen Luo moved forward a step, loosened both hands again, and those water pythons transformed into water wolves and rushed after her even faster. At this point, Gu Hualing¡¯s claw stab also flew back, hitting the first water wolf. ¡°Bang!¡± The water wolf exploded on impact, causing a splash of water. ¡°Such a warming spectacle, but sadly it¡¯s all show with no substance!¡± Gu Hualing chuckled lightly, no longer retreating, and rushed up to meet the water wolves. Seeing this, Shen Luo altered both his thought and hand gestures. Spikes suddenly sprouted from the bodies of those water wolves, transforming into numerous sharp water arrows that shot straight up at Gu Hualing. Gu Hualing jerked her wrist, and the three-pointed claw thorn on it blurred slightly as multiple claw shadows emerged in front of her, easily shattering these water arrows. However, she did not notice that among these water arrows were two that were slightly different. They passed through the illusion of the claw stab and headed straight for her face. ¡°Bang! Bang!¡± Two explosive sounds were heard. The two water arrows spat out by Little Gui hit Gu Hualing¡¯s cheeks and immediately exploded. Gu Hualing was knocked backwards, but it seemed like she was unscathed. But at this time, Bai Xiaotian had already tread the Firmament Step, reached her side, held the Copper Coin Fire Sword with both hands, and heavily chopped it at her neck. As the flame on the Copper Coin Sword in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s hand was about to touch Gu Hualing¡¯s throat, with barely three inches of distance between them, Bai Xiaotian suddenly felt a tightness in his waist. A water rope had climbed up on him, and then a strong force pulled him backwards. He flew back and landed elegantly next to Shen Luo. The sizzling sound was deafening! Almost instantly, a shadow descended upon the place where he had previously stood. It was something like purple crystalline powder. The moment it hit the ground, it began to emit white smoke and started burning violently, burning a large pit in the ground. ¡°Demon Bone Phosphorus Powder!¡± After recognizing what it was, Bai Xiaotian glanced at the faintly tinged purple wings behind Gu Hualing, then swallowed heavily while cold sweat dripped down his back. If Shen Luo hadn¡¯t pulled him back at the critical moment, even a slight touch by that stuff would have probably burnt him to a pile of dry bones by now. Gu Hualing suddenly soared high into the sky, furiously flapped her bone wings, and two whirlwinds whistled out. They enveloped a proportionate amount of Demon Bone Phosphorus Powder and swept toward Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 122: Demon Exorcising Aristocratic Family Chapter 123: Chapter 122: Demon Exorcising Aristocratic Family Shen Luo raised both hands, manipulating the river water on the ground to rise up and form a water barricade between himself and Bai Xiaotian. Unexpectedly, when the phosphorus powder came into contact with the water, it started to smoke and directly ignited within the water, causing the water wall to quickly evaporate, soon leaving a gaping hole through which more phosphorus powder poured in. However, the drifting phosphorus powder didn¡¯t immediately settle on them, instead being controlled by a purple glow, forming a curtain-like wall encircling them. ¡°You have nowhere to escape now, why not just give me the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯? For the sake of our camaraderie, I assure you, I won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Gu Hualing landed gracefully and said with a grin. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Shen Luo determinedly refused and was ready to cast a spell. Just then, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s voice of despair came to Shen Luo¡¯s ears, ¡°Let¡¯s give up¡­ We can¡¯t compete with Senior Brother Gu. Send your spirit beast away.¡± ¡°Just hand over the scripture, and I¡¯ll let you go! I keep my word!¡± Seeing this, Gu Hualing¡¯s face brightened, and she dispersed the incoming blue light and phosphorus powder. Bai Xiaotian slowly moved in front of Shen Luo, lightly touching his shoulder, then said, ¡°I¡¯m handing over the scripture to Senior Sister Gu now.¡± Shen Luo, looking at Gu Hualing, said, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Brother Bai and I hope you keep your word.¡± He drew a circle in the air in front of him with both hands, creating a water cyclone that immediately sent away the Big Sea Turtle. Just as the big sea turtle left, a complex rune suddenly shone brightly on Bai Xiaotian¡¯s chest and then quickly faded. Immediately after, Shen Luo¡¯s ears were filled with a gust of wind. Protected by a green light, he and Bai Xiaotian skyrocketed into the night sky, drawing a long streak of escape light, shooting away at a lightning fast speed. Gu Hualing, too, was taken aback. By the time she responded, the green arc had already disappeared into the vast dark night. ¡­ Shen Luo was aware of the wind flying beside him, the surroundings blurred as they moved backward in haste. He didn¡¯t know how far they had flown or in which direction. As the glow of the rune on Bai Xiaotian¡¯s chest gradually faded, the two of them started descending from the sky and ended up crashing into a thick crooked-neck tree, tumbling to the ground. The two survivors of the ordeal laid under the tree gasping for breath, greatly relieved. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, you had such a treasure, why didn¡¯t you use it earlier? Look at what a mess we are in now.¡± Shen Luo complained. ¡°This Escape Talisman is the last lifeline I have, how could I use it so casually? And who knew Gu Hualing would be so powerful?¡± Bai Xiaotian rolled his eyes and retorted aggressively. ¡°It¡¯s because you were so confident that I almost lost my life.¡± Shen Luo complained. ¡°You also have quite a few last resort techniques, don¡¯t you? Although the Escape Talisman is fast, it can¡¯t maintain its speed for too long. We didn¡¯t fly far, there¡¯s still a chance she could catch up.¡± Bai Xiaotian seemed a bit frustrated. ¡°I¡¯m afraid our intention to seek help from the Weak Water Sect has been exposed. If we keep heading there, the path will only get more dangerous than before.¡± Shen Luo quickly sat upright and said. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Bai Xiaotian also sat up with a serious look on his face. ¡°We can¡¯t go to the Weak Water Sect anymore, we need to seek help elsewhere. Do you know of any other sects nearby?¡± Shen Luo nodded and asked with a frown. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else to go within Dengzhou¡­ Let¡¯s just go back home.¡± After a moment¡¯s consideration, Bai Xiaotian suddenly suggested. ¡°Go back?¡± Shen Luo, thinking he misheard, asked with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Yes, back to our place. You come with me, back to my home, the Bai Family.¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded, seemingly determined. ¡°Why would we go to your house? Aren¡¯t you worried that they might follow us there and put your family in danger?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows, unable to comprehend. ¡°If they dare to come after me to my house, I¡¯d be glad. To be honest, my home, the Bai Family, has been a well-known demon exorcising family since ancient times. Its composite strength surpasses the Spring and Autumn Pavilion by at least threefold. At the very least, the ancestor of my family is a true Soul Condensing cultivator, and with this, we shouldn¡¯t fear any common demonic beings.¡± Bai Xiaotian replied, more energized. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ If your family is so powerful, why did you go to study at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion? Isn¡¯t that missing out on what¡¯s close at hand?¡± Shen Luo had a change in his expression and was very doubtful upon hearing ¡°Soul condensing cultivator¡±. ¡°You don¡¯t know then. Although the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is overall not as powerful as my family, it¡¯s in the lineage of the Little Straw Mountain and its main cultivation, the Pure Yang Sword technique, has a remarkable effect on exorcising demons. Therefore, considering the deep connections between my family and the Pavilion, they offered me a chance to cultivate there.¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°I see, no wonder the demons and Gu Hualing are so eager to obtain the ¡®Pure Yang Scripture¡¯. But I still have one question. In the two years I¡¯ve been at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, including the times I¡¯ve descended the mountain with Master Luo, I have actually never encountered a ¡®demon¡¯. Since your family are demon exorcists, wouldn¡¯t you know about them?¡± Shen Luo nodded and then asked a question abruptly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a joke, but I honestly don¡¯t know what demons really are. None of my elders, including my father, have ever really seen a demon. What they usually do doesn¡¯t actually differ from what people at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion do, which is mostly exorcising demons and trapping ghosts.¡± Bai Xiaotian scratched his head and replied. ¡°Then why is your family called a demon exorcising family?¡± Shen Luo scratched his head and asked with it yet clear. ¡°In fact, during the generation of our ancestors, my family actually exorcised demons. At that time, there were three Grain Avoidance cultivators, known as the ¡®Three Master Bais¡¯ in our family, including my ancestor involved in exorcising the demons. Eventually, only my ancestor survived.¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed and said. ¡°Even with three Grain Avoidance cultivators working together, two were still lost. How many demons were they dealing with?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°How many? Only one¡­ Since my ancestor returned from that event, he refused to talk about exorcising demons and became even more diligent in cultivation, and later broke through several stages and entered the Soul Condensation stage. If it weren¡¯t for this, my family would have collapsed a long time ago.¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Based on what you said, demons do seem to be terrifying. Do you know where they come from?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then asked. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 123: Escape Chapter 124: Chapter 123: Escape ¡°The demons I know are said to be transformed from other creatures. They could originally be human cultivators or powerful members of the Demon Race, or even some powerful ghosts. However, no matter their original form, once they are transformed into demonic beings, they not only become overwhelmingly powerful, but they also become cruel and bloodthirsty, even attacking any other normal creatures that approach them without reason.¡± Bai Xiaotian fell silent for a moment, barely able to explain further. ¡°If that is the case, the harm of these demonic beings is indeed far greater than that of the Demon Race and ghosts.¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but cluck his tongue in awe. ¡°This only refers to ordinary demonic beings. Some powerful demonic beings, it is rumored, even possess the terrifying ability to actively transform other creatures into demons. If they were to wreak havoc, the situation would only worsen.¡± Bai Xiaotian added. ¡°Considering how dangerous these demonic beings are, the world of the Great Tang is surprisingly peaceful. I assume the court and the cultivation sects within the territory are making significant efforts, right?¡± Shen Luo, suddenly thinking of Lu Huaming, asked subconsciously. ¡°From what I understand, I¡¯m not sure how the court deals with it. However, in some important provincial capitals, there are usually one or two demon exorcising families like the Bai family, covertly fighting against the demonic beings. Ordinary people and most low order cultivators are simply unaware of their existence.¡± Bai Xiaotian provided thoughtfully. ¡°The demon exorcising families are so mysterious, I feel relieved going to your Bai family. By the way, you never told me before, where is your home?¡± Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief, then changed the direction of the conversation. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? My home is in Jianye?¡± Bai Xiaotian was somewhat puzzled by Shen Luo¡¯s question. ¡°When did you tell me that? Jianye, I¡¯ve never been there, but I know it¡¯s a long journey from here. Even if we were to ride fast horses, traveling day and night without rest, wouldn¡¯t it take at least half a month to get there?¡± Shen Luo began to worry again. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, we can travel by water first, and follow the Bailian River downstream towards Jiangyu County. From there, we¡¯ll take a fast horse, and it will take at most ten days to reach.¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head in response. ¡°Alright, I practice water techniques, so if any evil spirits pursue us halfway, at least I won¡¯t be entirely helpless,¡± Shen Luo responded thoughtfully, nodding his head. After agreeing to the plan, They looked up at the stars to determine their direction, and moved toward the Bailian River. After purchasing a fishing boat, they proceeded to navigate downstream toward Jiangyu County. Surprisingly, Bai Xiaotian proved to be an expert at navigating the boat, far superior to Shen Luo. The pair took turns piloting the boat down the river, covering a distance of sixty to seventy miles in less than half a day. Just as Bai Xiaotian took over the boat, Shen Luo sat inside the cabin and started to meditate in order to restore his consumed mana. In a short while, the sound of rushing water began to echo from behind. It was a small white-roofed boat, with two boatmen at either side, swiftly closing in. With a twitch of his ear, Shen Luo had a sudden sense of foreboding. He opened his eyes and stood up. Just as he rose to his feet, a grey figure soared into the sky from the back of the small boat, rushing forward like a hawk. Even before the figure reached its peak, a dark purple light was released, piercing the sky towards the fishing boat where Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were. Although Shen Luo could not see clearly what was inside the dark purple light, he found the aura to be extremely familiar. ¡°Brother Bai, it¡¯s Gu Hualing. We need to leave!¡± He shouted, then dived headfirst into the river. Just as Bai Xiaotian leapt into the river, a loud ¡®boom¡¯ rang out, the fishing boat was struck by the dark purple light and immediately shattered into numerous pieces. Before he could stabilize himself in the water, a mass of purple flame descended from the sky, the deadly Demon Bone Phosphorus Fire heading straight for him. The speed was astonishing. With another loud ¡°bang¡±, water around Bai Xiaotian exploded, a column of water several feet high rose and crashed onto the Demon Bone Phosphorus Fire. The ¡°hiss¡± sound grew louder, the phosphorus fire instantly evaporated most of the water waves, but this fire was also knocked away. Twenty or thirty feet away, Shen Luo stuck half of his body out of the river, with his hand slightly raised as if casting a spell. Perhaps due to the urgency of the situation, the hem of his green robe partially covered his face and he didn¡¯t have time to take it off. ¡°Junior Brother Shen¡¯s water control technique is truly impressive. I really admire it. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion is truly a place where crouching tigers and hidden dragons exist!¡± Gu Hualing said in mid-air, her double wings flapping, laughing lightly. She didn¡¯t seem angry at all for her demon bone phosphorus fire being knocked away. At this moment Bai Xiaotian had already steadied himself in the water, suddenly he turned his head and shouted loudly: ¡°Be careful, Junior Brother Shen, of what¡¯s beneath the water!¡± Before his words fell, a narrow beam of purple light shot out from the water surface in front of Shen Luo- it was the three-pointed claw stab. Like an arrow leaving the string of a crossbow, it hit Shen Luo in the chest, piercing right through. There was a ¡°rip¡± sound! Thegreen robe was torn to shreds, but there was no splatter of blood. That ¡°Shen Luo¡± was surprisingly a water clone that looked exactly like him. It disintegrated with a ¡°splash¡± and melted into the river. In mid-air, the smile on Gu Hualing¡¯s face froze. Next to Bai Xiaotian, the water surface ¡°splashed¡± and Shen Luo, wearing only his close-fitting clothes, emerged from the water. He grabbed Bai Xiaotian with one hand and shouted in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Bai Xiaotian quickly activated the escape talisman that he had been pinching in his hand. A brilliant green light enveloped him, and the two soared into the sky, leaving a trail of escape light, and flew away into the distance. ¡°Let¡¯s see how far you can run this time!¡± Gu Hualing spoke, recalling the three-pointed claw stab with a wave of her hand. Her bone wings spreading out, enveloped by a layer of purple light, she also flew into the sky and chased after Bai Xiaotian, albeit at a much slower speed. The two sides chased each other and soon disappeared on the distant horizon, leaving behind two terrified boatmen on the white boat, their faces ashen, trembling. ¡­ Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian flew for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. The green light surrounding them gradually dimmed, and the two immediately dove towards the ground below, landing on an unnamed official road. ¡°That demon girl really clings like a ghost!¡± Bai Xiaotian kicked the ground irritably. ¡°She¡¯s a member of the demon race. She must have some unique tracking technique.¡± Shen Luo speculated. ¡°The key point is she can fly too. Although she¡¯s not as fast as my flying escape talisman, my talisman can¡¯t hold for many times! Let¡¯s go!¡± Bai Xiaotian said, running ahead along the official road. ¡°Judging from the time it took her to catch up with us earlier, her tracking technique might take some time to prepare, or perhaps, her bone wings can¡¯t fly for a long time. Senior Brother Bai, how many more times can you use your flying escape talisman?¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and asked as he caught up. ¡°I estimate I can possibly use it four or five more times, but flying straight to the Bai family is impossible. We¡¯ll have to think of something else when the time comes.¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Both of them raced along the official road, and by the time dawn was about to break they arrived at a small town. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 124 Unshakeable Xiao Qiang Chapter 125: Chapter 124 Unshakeable Xiao Qiang The two of them no longer considered the slower waterway, instead they found a post station and bought four swift horses. Before they left, the two of them thoroughly cleaned themselves in the town and changed into brand new clothes. Shen Luo employed a small trick, secretly stuffing their previous clothes into a cart headed in another direction. After all this was done, they immediately mounted their horses and began their journey, riding one horse and leading the other, swapping every two hours. They sped along the road, covering more than two hundred miles in a very short time, and Gu Hualing still failed to appear. ¡°It seems that Gu Hualing might indeed be using her sense of smell to track us down, we¡¯ve probably thrown her off our trail,¡± Bai Xiaotian said happily. ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± Shen Luo spoke noncommittally, a shadow hung heavily over his heart. Just as he finished his sentence, his body shuddered suddenly. He turned and looked back, his expression immediately turning grave. A small grey dot had appeared on the horizon behind them and was rapidly growing larger as it approached swiftly. Who could this be if not Gu Hualing? Bai Xiaotian also noticed the figure behind them and he couldn¡¯t help but laugh wryly. Having squared off twice already, he understood the sheer contrast in strength between the two of them and Gu Hualing. He immediately drove his horse to Shen Luo¡¯s side, grabbed him, and without hesitation, activated the Escape Talisman, shooting up into the sky. After traveling a mile or two, Gu Hualing¡¯s purple light on her pair of bone wings rapidly dimmed, finally disappearing completely. Her body uncontrollably began to descend, landing lightly on the official road. Her bright eyes flickered as she looked at the four scattering horses in the distance. However, her beautiful face betrayed no sign of irritation. ¡°I wonder how many times you can use that Escape Talisman of yours.¡± Gu Hualing said lightly, taking a stride and rushing forward. Over the next few days, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian employed every trick in the book, changing their modes of travel, hiding within caravans, even hiring a few individuals whose builds resembled theirs, dressing them in their clothes in an attempt to deceive her; but Gu Hualing¡¯s tracking skills were simply too exquisite. Each method was eventually seen through by her. At best, she caught up to them within half a day, and at worst, within a full day. Every time she caught up, Bai Xiaotian dared not engage further. He directly activated the Escape Talisman, fleeing once again with Shen Luo. The two complained incessantly as, even exhausted and starving, they could not dare stop for too long in one place. They pinned all their hopes on getting to the Bai Family as soon as possible. About a thousand miles away from Qinghua Mountain, was a small town called Qingma Town, named after the Qingma Lake located on the outskirts. The inhabitants of Qingma Town lived by farming and fishing, working from sunrise to sunset, leading serene lives. Dusk had now fallen, and the farmers and fishermen by the lake had already returned home, leaving the surroundings quiet and deserted. A bolt of green light appeared on the horizon in the distance, flying rapidly towards them. When it arrived over the lake, the green light suddenly pulsed intensely, gradually becoming dimmer, and after flickering a few times, it finally disappeared completely. Two figures descended from the sky, one stumbling as he landed at the edge of the lake ¨C it was Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. In Bai Xiaotian¡¯s hand was a faintly glowing talisman, the runes on it barely visible anymore. With a hissing sound, the talisman self-ignited, instantly becoming a handful of ashes which disappeared without a trace when blown away by the lake breeze. Though Bai Xiaotian had been expecting this, he still found it difficult to hide his discomfort. ¡°Brother Bai, how far is it from here to Jianye City?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face slightly darkened as he scanned his surroundings while posing the question. ¡°At least three days¡¯ journey without the Escape Talisman. I fear that Gu Hualing will soon catch up with us. It seems we must fight with our lives. As long as we manage to wound her slightly, our chances may improve when we flee again,¡± Bai Xiaotian pondered aloud, stroking his chin as he looked up at Shen Luo. ¡°Alright! Since Brother Bai has spoken, I, Shen Luo, am ready to fight alongside you!¡± Shen Luo promptly responded without hesitation. ¡°There is no time to lose, let¡¯s go!¡± Bai Xiaotian patted Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder, ready to take a step forward, but Shen Luo reached out and stopped him. ¡°Wait! If we continue to rush forward, when Gu Hualing catches up, we¡¯ll be exhausted and passive. It would be better to stay here and rest.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ that sounds good. If we have time, I might be able to set up some preparations.¡± Bai Xiaotian looked around approvingly, a contemplative expression on his face. Under Shen Luo¡¯s watchful gaze, Bai Xiaotian drew from his bosom a dark bag. It was incredibly smooth and bore fish-scale-like patterns, obviously not an ordinary item. He opened the bag and removed some items: over ten silver jade pendants, eight golden flags, two white medicine vials, and about seven or eight Yuan Stones. ¡°Brother Bai, are these things for arranging a formation?¡± Shen Luo recalled the Demon Wolf incident in Dreamland involving Yu Yan and others, and asked intuitively. ¡°Sharp eyes! These are formation flags and discs. There is no time for explanations now; just keep a lookout for me,¡± Bai Xiaotian appraised Shen Luo approvingly. As he spoke, Bai Xiaotian didn¡¯t stop his actions. He secured the jade pendants and flags into the ground, forming a ring with a diameter of around five meters. Bai Xiaotian then picked up six Yuan Stones and placed them on six nodes of the circular array. Standing up, he formed a magical technique with his hands and started muttering incantations. A golden light instantly rose from within the array and slowly circulated around it, causing a gust of wind to swirl around. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, the formation is almost ready. Now I¡¯m going to perform a secret technique inside it.¡± Bai Xiaotian inspected the formation, confirmed everything was fine, and relayed to Shen Luo. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep an eye on our surroundings,¡± Shen Luo replied. Bai Xiaotian nodded, sat cross-legged in the center of the formation, and closed his eyes. His hands moved rapidly in front of his body, like wheels spinning. A red light rose up from him, making the golden light within the formation noticeably brighter and circulate faster. Seeing this, Shen Luo found a broad clearing behind Bai Xiaotian and sat down. Taking out a stone box from his backpack, he opened it and withdrew some talisman papers, a box of cinnabar, and a talisman pen. Gu Hualing would take at least half a day to arrive. He wanted to use this time to draw some talismans. As he lacked Black Dog Blood, Shen Luo cut open his finger to retrieve his own blood, mixed it with cinnabar, and prepared to make talisman ink. The Black Dog Blood drew talismans because of its Yang energy. As a Qi Refining Cultivator who had mastered the Small Transformation Yang Skill, his blood contained Yang energy far exceeding that of dog blood, making it perfect for drawing talismans. Shen Luo quickly prepared the talisman ink, took a deep breath, calmed his mind, then began to draw. Half an hour later, all the talisman paper in front of Shen Luo was used up. In its place were three carefully arranged talismans: two Small Thunder Talismans and an exorcism charm. ¡°Three will have to do,¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly, put the three talismans into his sleeve, and looked up. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 125: Summoned Again Chapter 126: Chapter 125: Summoned Again Bai Xiaotian was still sitting with his eyes closed within the Array, his hands forming endless seals, unaware of when he would finish. Shen Luo didn¡¯t disturb him, instead casting his gaze around, pondering in his heart how to deal with Gu Hualing afterward. After these past few days of pursuit, he had gained a considerable understanding of Gu Hualing¡¯s strength. This woman¡¯s cultivation had certainly reached the Grain Avoidance Stage. She was versed in many bizarre demonic arts and possessed the genuine magical instrument of the Three-pointed Claw Thorn. Her strength far surpassed his or Bai Xiaotian¡¯s, so naturally, he did not think that these few talismans would be of much use. Although Bai Xiaotian likely had some hidden skills, he couldn¡¯t pin all his hopes on Bai Xiaotian anyway. ¡°The mystic arts I currently understand, apart from the Water-Stepping Art, are the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, it¡¯s too few¡­hm, the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly, though his eyes suddenly shifted. ¡°Since there is still time now, why don¡¯t I try out the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits again? If I can tame one or two more members of the Aquatic Clan, it could somehow increase my chances of victory.¡± With his mind made up, he stood up and went to the lakeside, first casting a magic spell to summon Little Gui. Speaking of this big, silly sea turtle, despite its average strength, it had a tough hide and strong healing ability. In the past few days, the previously sustained injuries had almost entirely healed. Shen Luo instructed Little Gui to keep watch around him, then stepped into the lake water one step at a time until the water was past his knees. His hands formed a seal, then he began to activate the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Soon his vision blacked out, and he entered the space of Divine Sense. Ever since he successfully communicated with Conehead in Dreamland, he felt more proficient and smooth in activating this technique in reality, which was one of the reasons he dared to try communicating with spirits at this time. ¡°Ding dong¡±. Countless blue light spots emerged and floated around him. Shen Luo swept his gaze around, hummed slightly, and chose a large nearby blue light spot. His Divine Sense cautiously spread towards it, and instantly, his view changed to a broad blue space. Not smaller than the blue space he entered in Dreamland. Innumerable wave-like blue lights undulated around him, forming a boundlessly extensive blue sea. A wave of formidable Aquatic Clan Demon Qi was hidden within it, no less than the blue sea in Dreamland. ¡°Could this place¡­ really be the Water Area from Dreamland?¡± Shen Luo guessed silently. He then extended his Divine Sense, carefully avoiding the stronger Aquatic Clan demons, in search of an appropriate spirit beast. Soon, he had locked onto a target. Its strength was slightly stronger than his current cultivation, probably at the Mid-Stage of Qi Refining. He didn¡¯t dare to challenge too powerful of an Aquatic Clan member. Even this one was a bit of a risk. Shen Luo infused his Divine Sense into it in an attempt to communicate, but he was immediately greeted with a roar of anger, no words, indicating it was an Aquatic Clan member like Little Gui that had not yet opened its Spiritual Wisdom. Although it couldn¡¯t communicate verbally, its refusal to become his spirit beast was evident. Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind, silently using the intimidating method from the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Countless black runes spread towards the demon. As he activated this domestication method, although it wasn¡¯t as seamless as in Dreamland, he had reached a proficient level. The opposing demon roared continuously in defiance, but the force resisting him was far inferior compared to Conehead, and it was aggressively using its energy, not considering the problem of endurance at all. The two sides dueled for not very long when the demon started frantically trying to escape, it seemed to think it could shake off the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits by doing so. Shen Luo was not alarmed but pleased, this Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits was quite refined, having nearly the entire Water Area within his perception range, how could he let the demon escape easily? Moreover, the rapid escape of the demon has consumed a lot, which only accelerated its own downfall. Indeed, after the time it takes to eat a meal, the roar of the demon turned into a scream. After a while, the desire for surrender emanated from it. Shen Luo quickly operated the beast taming technique, condensing a spiritual communication seal, immersed into the demon¡¯s body, then stop the technique, his sight flickered, and he returned to the lake. He sensed the Mana within his body. He had used only less than half, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. With his current cultivation, he was able to easily subdue a demon at the Mid-Stage of Qi Refining, which was somewhat unexpected to himself. Of course, the more important reason should be that he had cultivated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to the third level in Dreamland, and gained a higher level of comprehension. Paired with the past experience of taming Conehead, he was now able to succeed in reality. He quietly made a determination, that whenever he gets a chance to enter Dreamland again, he should practice more on the Nameless Cultivation Technique and spells like the Art of Spirit Communication there, perhaps it might be more effective when he returns to reality. After all, his aptitude in reality is too poor; merely groping on his own would hardly make progress. Shen Luo immediately discarded these mixed thoughts, closed his eyes and adjusted his breath for a moment. After his mana recovered, he extended his hand into the lake water and silently operated the summoning technique. Soon, the lake water in front of him began to vibrate, forming a water vortex that continued to spin around his palm. A black water hole appeared in the middle. ¡°Open!¡± Shen Luo let out a low shout, the vortex suspended in the air and grew a circle larger. A gray-white demon Qi oozed out, then a gigantic greyish-white python about four to five lengths long slid out from the water hole. The python had a flattened head and a sturdy body as large as a water bucket, covered with gray-white scales as big as a bowl, emitting a faint metallic lustre, seemingly very hard. The only peculiar thing was the fish-fin humps on its back. At this moment, Little Gui was on guard in the nearby lake. Seeing the grey python appear, it showed a frightened look, quickly shrank its head and limbs, leaving only a huge turtle shell on the lake surface. The grey-white python looked towards Shen Luo as soon as it came out, its narrow eyes gleaming with ferocity, obviously unwilling to submit. Shen Luo snorted, did not appease it first like he did with Conehead, but directly clutched his hand and operated the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits. Under the influence of the spiritual communication seal, the eyes of the grey-white python showed a hint of pain, and it kept hissing, its huge body convulsed violently in the lake, causing water splashes all about. The lashing of its tail on the water surface produced rumbling sounds like thunder. Shen Luo glanced at Bai Xiaotian. Seeing that he was still sitting with his eyes closed, undisturbed by the commotion here, he immediately relaxed and continued to operate the Art of Spirit Communication. A moment later, the ferocity in the python¡¯s eyes completely disappeared, replaced with an appeal. Only then did he stop. The pain disappeared from the mind of the grey-white python, its eyes gazing at Shen Luo were full of fear. ¡°Come here.¡± Shen Luo beckoned. The python hesitated for a moment, but still swam over, docilely lowered its head. ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Seeing it bow its head, Shen Luo also softened his tone and asked. The grey-white python raised its head and looked at Shen Luo, flicking its tongue a few times, and a sense of confusion was conveyed through the spiritual communication seal, as if it didn¡¯t understand what he meant. Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 126: Success Chapter 127: Chapter 126: Success Shen Luo was somewhat speechless. It seemed that even though this grey python had higher cultivation level than Little Gui, its spiritual wisdom was even lower. He thought for a moment, then asked what the python excelled at. Understanding this, the grey python flicked its tail and shot forward at an extraordinarily rapid pace, like a white line threading through the water. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes twinkled slightly. The python swam a lap around the lake, suddenly dove into the water, and quickly rose back to the surface with a lake stone the size of a millstone. It coiled around the stone, squeezed tightly, and immediately crushed the stone into pieces. Then, it swam towards the lake¡¯s edge, stretched its head above the water surface, opened its mouth, and sprayed a yellow liquid at a stone on the lakeside. Where the yellow liquid touched the stone, it instantly turned black and sizzled, corroding and dissolving a sizable portion in the blink of an eye. After finishing these tasks, the grey python finally paused and turned to look at Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s expression was calm, but he sighed inwardly. While the abilities shown by the grey python were somewhat strong, they had no distinctive features. It could barely compete with a cultivator of the same rank. Against a Grain Avoidance stage expert like Gu Hualing, it was insignificant, capable at most of delaying her for a little while. After pondering a little, he waved his hand to open the water hole and sent the grey python back, before again employing the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Even though the creatures he had subdued weren¡¯t fantastic, this experience significantly boosted his confidence. As such, Shen Luo decided to take a risk and see if he could tame a more powerful demon. Not long after, Shen Luo¡¯s divine sense appeared once more in the vast Blue Water Domain. The grey python he had previously subdued was marked by his Spiritual Communication Seal, its demon aura standing out amongst the rest like a lantern in the dead of night. Following the instructions of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, he removed the Spiritual Communication Seal placed on the grey python before releasing his divine sense to examine other demons, quickly selecting an aquatic demon in the Qi Refining late stage. He was well aware of his limitations, knowing that he should not even think of trying to tame a demon at the Grain Avoidance stage. After all, subduing Zhui Tou in the Dreamland was a Herculean task, even though he had already reached the Qi Refining late stage at the time. As for why he chooses this one now, it was based on his comprehensive judgement. After all, Gu Hualing has strange divine skills and can fly with her bone wings. If he tames another demon like Little Gui or the grey python, it won¡¯t be of much use. Instead of that, it¡¯s better to risk backlash and take a gamble. As his thoughts processed, Shen Luo directed his divine sense towards the selected demon. ¡°Roar!¡± A slightly emotional roar echoed out, brimming with warning. Inwardly, Shen Luo felt a ripple. Judging by this growl, the spiritual wisdom of the demon before him was far superior to the grey python¡¯s, making it far more challenging to tame. However, having come this far, he was of course not going to back down. In the blink of an eye, countless black runes were being sent towards his adversary. Instantly, the demon on the other side started roaring furiously in resistance. Unlike the foolish grey python, the demon before him was exceptionally clever. After a brief agitation at the beginning, it quickly calmed down and simply resisted the Art of Spirit Communication without making any unnecessary movements. A battle of attrition ensued shortly after. Shen Luo had prepared for such a scenario. All he could do was strive to utilise the Art of Spirit Communication as best he could to suppress his adversary. Time slowly ticked by. His mana had quickly depleted by about 20%, yet the resistive strength of the demon remained as potent as before without any signs of decreasing. As time went on, he slightly increased the strength of the Art of Spirit Communication. When almost half of his mana was consumed, the defiant force from the demon finally began to falter. After an unknown amount of time, the demon on the other side seemed to have reached its limit, its resistance rapidly diminishing and slowly being overwhelmed by the Art of Spirit Communication. However, the mana within Shen Luo was also near depletion. With experience dealing with such a situation, Shen Luo knew that this was the crucial moment that would determine victory or defeat. He could not show weakness, he had to push through and completely crush the will of the opponent. He who dares wins in a face-to-face battle! ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo gritted his teeth, gathered all of the remaining mana within his body and initiated the Beast Taming technique with frenzy. Boom! A torrent of black runes, much denser than before, furiously rushed towards the demon. ¡°Crack¡± a sound lightly rang out! A shattering sound came from the other side, indicating that the Art of Spirit Communication had finally overwhelmed the demon¡¯s resistance. Shen Luo, whose heart had been gripped with worry, finally let out a sigh of relief, continued to manipulate the black runes as they continued to penetrate, ready to completely intimidate the opponent. At this moment, a low growl suddenly entered Shen Luo¡¯s mind. The resistance of the demon suddenly reappeared, more powerful than ever, easily blocking the attack of the black runes. The aura of the demon, previously on the decline, suddenly surged, not only quickly restoring its initial level, but also skyrocketing, quickly breaking through to the Grain Avoidance Stage, reaching the Early Grain Avoidance Peak before finally stopping! ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but be startled. Was it that the demon was deliberately hiding its own strength to toy with him? Or was it that his Beast Taming technique had inadvertently caused the opponent¡¯s cultivation level to surge? However, none of these mattered now. His body¡¯s mana was exhausted and he could not continue to operate the Art of Spirit Communication. The meridians within his body began to ache, and the pain became increasingly intense. A sense of dread crossed Shen Luo¡¯s mind. This was a sign of the backlash from the Beast Taming technique. If it were normal times, he could just rest in bed for a while, but Gu Hualing could catch up at any time. If he collapsed now, it would be certain death. He had some regrets about this risky move, but he was not willing to give up until the last step. At this critical moment, a sudden change occurred! Shen Luo felt a slight chill on his shoulder, followed by a surge of icy cold Qi pouring down his arm into his body. His previously vacant meridians instantly filled up, the painful squeezing sensation quickly subsided, bringing an indescribable relief. With a hint, he immediately recognized this chill as the Cold Stream that had previously flowed from the skull pattern on his shoulder when using the Understanding the Dao skill! Afterward, the Beast Taming technique started to operate automatically and more powerfully than when Shen Luo was controlling it. Countless black runes rushed out, forming a substantial, black tide which covered the demon on the other side. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± A piercing scream came from the demon. Its newly strengthened resistance lasted only a few breaths before it was completely crushed. A feeling of surrender quickly transmitted from the demon, pleading Shen Luo to stop. Shen Luo snapped back to reality, and hurriedly ran the Nameless Cultivation Technique to control the Cold Stream within his body. However, this Cold Stream was not the mana he had cultivated and it didn¡¯t obey his command. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 127: God-descent Technique Chapter 128: Chapter 127: God-descent Technique The anguished screams of the demon opposite grew more and more piercing, and its strength was rapidly weakening, as if it were on the verge of having its spirit completely obliterated by the abruptly unleashed Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits. Shen Luo quickly steadied his thoughts and with great effort, managed to take control of the frosty flux and swiftly formed a Spiritual Communication Seal, passing it over. Without any hesitation, the demon accepted the Spiritual Communication Seal, the dark black runes that had been violently gushing towards it gradually slowed to a stop. Relieved, Shen Luo was about to investigate further when the frosty flux began to dissipate at high speed. In the blink of an eye, it completely disappeared, leaving not even a trace within his dantian. It was as if it had never even existed. His vision blurred, and his Divine Sense withdrew from the blue space, returning to the real world. Shen Luo suddenly felt empty, as if the meridians within his body were barren, his mental strength greatly depleted, sending throbbing waves of pain through his mind. He collapsed to the side. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± A hand extended from the side to support him. It was Bai Xiaotian who, unbeknownst to him, had come to his side. Just then, rough waves began rolling over the surface of the lake not far in front of Shen Luo. A colossal, lid-shaped shadow began to emerge from the water. A water arrow shot out and zoomed towards Bai Xiaotian. Caught off guard, Bai Xiaotian raised his hand urgently, releasing a red flash of light. His Copper Coin Flying Sword collided with the water arrow. With a resounding ¡°clang¡±, the water arrow splintered, but the Copper Coin Flying Sword was also knocked back half a foot, its surface shimmering vibrantly. ¡°Little Gui, he¡¯s my friend, do not attack recklessly.¡± Shen Luo quickly interjected, although his voice sounded weak due to his lack of strength. The shadow in the lake paused and then, with a light chirp, quickly sank back, disappearing into the water. Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian waved his hand and recalled his Copper Coin Flying Sword. ¡°My spirit beast is protective of its master. Brother Bai, please don¡¯t take offense to its actions.¡± Shen Luo apologized. ¡°Your spiritual beast is quite alert. Are you alright?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, shrugging. ¡°I am fine, I just exhausted all my mana casting a secret technique.¡± Shen Luo replied weakly, unable to even turn his head to look at him. ¡°Gu Hualing might come at us any time now. You should recover quickly. I¡¯ll protect you,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Shen Luo thanked him then slowly sat down and started to recover his mana using the Nameless Cultivation Technique. It was unclear how much time passed before his mana gradually replenished, and his mental strength also recovered significantly, no longer feeling a stab of pain in his head. When Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, he was shocked to see faint golden lines, like some sort of runes, forming on the exposed skin of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s wrist, neck, giving off a sense of mystery. He had been too weak to notice it beforehand. ¡°My preparations have finally paid off,¡± Bai Xiaotian saw Shen Luo wake up and raised his hands, looking at the golden lines on them excitedly. ¡°What happened to you? Is it some kind of spell?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity, and asked. ¡°This is the God-descent Technique of the Bai family. It¡¯s my first time using it, so it took this long to complete. If my father saw me now, he would surely chastise me. I wonder when that demon woman will arrive. I¡¯ll show her the power of this technique!¡± Bai Xiaotian said, looking toward the distant horizon with a smile. Seeing that Bai Xiaotian intended to change the topic, Shen Luo did not posh for more information. At this moment, the sky is pitch black. It¡¯s deep in the night. However, a bright moon hangs in the middle of the sky, making the surroundings still quite bright. He looks around and finds that the golden array on the shore has disappeared. It must have been retrieved by Bai Xiaotian. Just as he is about to discuss tactics with Bai Xiaotian, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly sees a grey shadow flying swiftly toward them like a great bird from the distance. He squints his eyes. ¡°Gu Hualing!¡± Bai Xiaotian turns to look when he hears the name. Far from being frightened, his face shows a trace of excitement. ¡°Has she finally arrived?¡± He mutters, flips his hand to take out an object and pushes it into Shen Luo¡¯s hand. It¡¯s a jet-black awl, about two fingers long, with a crimson talisman attached to the end ¨C the same talismanic instrument that Bai Xiaotian had used before. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, your talismanic instrument is destroyed. It is too dangerous to fight against Gu Hualing relying solely on the Water-control technique. Here is the Black Spirit Awl for you to use first.¡± Bai Xiaotian spoke rapidly. Shen Luo is taken aback but doesn¡¯t reject it. He thanks Bai Xiaotian and accepts the awl, silently operating his mana to infuse into it, familiarizing himself with its power. The grey shadow soon arrives and lands not far from Shen and Bai, revealing Gu Hualing. She looks somewhat haggard at this moment, with an air of being battered by wind and rain, clearly having rushed here all the way. ¡°You two juniors, going by your postures, could it be that you have been waiting for me for quite a while?¡± Gu Hualing looks at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian with a playful expression, especially lingering her gaze on Bai Xiaotian. She chuckles lightly, surprisingly not attacking immediately. ¡°Friend Gu is right. Shen Luo and I have indeed been waiting here on purpose. We wanted to have a talk with you.¡± Bai Xiaotian reveals a bright smile and responds. Although Shen Luo isn¡¯t clear about what Bai Xiaotian means, he doesn¡¯t ask, just keeps a close watch on every move of Gu Hualing. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m listening.¡± Gu Hualing slightly raises her chin, her bright eyes are shining like crescent moons, and she prompts them, lips slightly parted. ¡°We can give the Pure Yang Scripture to you. In return, you must swear to let us leave safely.¡± Bai Xiaotian¡¯s words astound everyone nearby, not only Gu Hualing but also Shen Luo. ¡°So, the Pure Yang Scripture is indeed with you, Junior Brother Bai?¡± Gu Hualing¡¯s eyes narrow, showing a hint of cunning, her emotions unclear. Shen Luo looks at Bai Xiaotian while his peripheral vision scans his own package lying on the ground. There¡¯s no sign of the package being opened, the knot on it is still the one he tied. Bai Xiaotian keeps his smiling expression, doesn¡¯t speak but reaches into his bosom. When he removes his hand, it holds a round, milky-white jade piece about the size of a baby¡¯s fist. Seeing this, Shen Luo secretly releases a sigh of relief. Gu Hualing, seeing the jade piece in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s hand, starts to chuckle softly. Her body quivers as if she is holding back laughter, but her eyes are unusually cold. ¡°Why are you laughing, Sister Gu? Could it be that you¡¯re not interested in this Pure Yang Scripture?¡± Bai Xiaotian says lightly. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, having set my heart on the Pure Yang Scripture, how could I miss identifying it, true or false? Do you think you can deceive me by simply showing me anything?¡± Gu Hualing stops laughing, a grim expression suddenly appears on her face, and she moves her foot slightly. ¡°Whoosh¡± ¡°Whoosh¡± ¡°Whoosh¡± Three extremely thin, nearly transparent bone needles are shot out from under her foot. They glide close to the ground, aiming for Bai Xiaotian. These are the three bone needles Gu Hualing used before. Their appearance is so strange and their speed so fast that, after a few indistinct flashes, they are firmly embedded in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s left calf. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: 128 Chapter 129: 128 With a light ¡°ding¡±, a layer of golden light radiated from Bai Xiaotian¡¯s left lower leg. The three bone needles that struck could not penetrate even a hair¡¯s breadth, as if they were jabbing into metal and stone. However, the force contained in the bone needles was not negligible and sent Bai Xiaotian staggering to the side, taking a couple of steps. A yellow glow emanated from the very spot where Bai Xiaotian had just stood, revealing a yellow talisman imprinted with intricate runes, barely inferior to the Escape Talisman. ¡°Ground Binding Charm! You brat, you dare to trick me!¡± Upon recognizing the charm, Gu Hualing straightened her brows, her bone wings twitched, ready to take off. Suddenly, a slender crimson light streaked swiftly towards her from the side, heading straight for her neck with a snake-like strike. A purple light flashed in Gu Hualing¡¯s hand, and the three-pointed claw thorns appeared out of nowhere. With a quick sweep around her neck, they sent the crimson light flying with a loud ¡°bang¡±. It was a red short cone, emitting a red light. More than ten feet away, Shen Luo jolted his arm, which was forming a spell, and received the dark red short cone in his palm. He suddenly felt a great force seeping in from the little cone, making his heart churn with blood and Qi. Gu Hualing, thus delayed, found her lifting motion slowed, but this was enough time for Bai Xiaotian to activate the talisman under his feet. With a humming sound, the yellow light on the Ground Binding Charm suddenly brightened several times and then melted into the ground like flowing water. The next moment, countless thin strands of yellow light shot out from the ground within a radius of more than ten feet centered on the talisman, enveloping all three of them, including Gu Hualing. Shen Luo only felt a sinking sensation in his feet, as if bound by countless invisible ropes, immobilizing him completely despite his best efforts. Gu Hualing¡¯s feet were also enveloped in yellow light. Although she wasn¡¯t in the center of the prohibition, her pretty face turned a fair shade of red as she could not move for a moment, her hands extremely busy forming spell signs, seemingly about to cast some kind of technique. A sharp whistle sounded. A red sword shadow whizzed through the air, slicing towards Gu Hualing¡¯s legs. Amidst the red shadow could be seen a copper coin flying sword. It was Bai Xiaotian¡¯s move from the other side. Not only that, his figure followed the red sword shadow and darted out to attack Gu Hualing directly, apparently unaffected by the yellow glow on the ground. Shen Luo, with his sharp eyes, noticed a Yellow Talisman each affixed to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s ankles. It suddenly dawned upon him. Gu Hualing¡¯s face turned cold, she halted her casting process and swung one hand outwards. ¡°Shoop!¡± The three-pointed claw thorns flew out of her hand, drawing a purple arc in mid-air before releasing a clang as it parried the Copper Coin Flying Sword. By this point, Bai Xiaotian was already close by and swung his sleeve. Four streaks of fire sword Qi shot out, each one exuding a force no less than the Copper Coin Flying Sword. They targeted the vital areas all over Gu Hualing¡¯s body. Although Shen Luo couldn¡¯t move from his spot, he yet again commanded the crimson short cone to shoot towards Gu Hualing¡¯s back. Then, with two ¡°crackling¡± sounds, two white thunder lights produced by the Small Thunder Talismans tore through the air, striking at Gu Hualing from front and back. At the same time, the lake surface nearby started to churn, and a big sea turtle poked its head out, shooting a water arrow towards Gu Hualing. Thus, Gu Hualing found herself surrounded by attacks from all directions, instantly plunging into dire straits. Gu Hualing¡¯s charming face finally lost her smile, but there was no panic. Instead, she opened her eyes and spat out. A ball of white light flew out from her mouth, breaking a small jade emblem with a ¡°bang¡±. Eight large runes emerged, bright white lights revolving around this girl,, forming a light white shield, protecting her within.. A series of ¡°boom¡±and ¡°boom¡± muffled sounds rang out in an explosion! Sword Qi, short cone, thunder and lightning, water arrows all hit the white light shield. The shield just shook slightly a few times, then immediately stabilized. Bai Xiaotian stopped in his footsteps, his face full of surprise. A touch of depression flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. ¡°I originally planned to leave you guys alive, in recognition of our shared past. Now that I have wasted a Jade Spirit Talisman, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± Gu Hualing roared, her hands sealing rapidly. Behind her, the bone wings suddenly emitted a great purple light. Among the ¡°splashing¡± sounds, tiny sparks of purple phosphorus flew out from above, then suddenly ignited into groups of purple phosphorus fire suspended mid-air. This was the Demon Bone Phosphorus Fire. Gu Hualing waved her hands, sending all the Demon Bone Phosphorus Fires flying out like raindrops in all directions. Bai Xiaotian, knowing full well the power of this demon fire, quickly retreated, effortlessly taking Shen Luo with him. After a few jumps, they got out of the envelope range of the ground-binding charm. When the Demon Bone Phosphorus Fire fell on the ground nearby, it continued to blaze fiercely. Under the lick of the flames, the sound of ¡°sizzling¡± was high, and large pieces of yellow light were quickly burned and dissolved. The yellow light of the Ground Binding Charm was visibly diminishing at an observable rate, with the charm set to completely vanish in no time. As soon as Shen Luo left the coverage zone of the Ground Binding Charm, he felt a sudden relief in his feet. He took a leaping step into the lake, first summoning Little Gui, and then pressing one hand on the lake water. He quickly operated the Art of Spirit Communication, attempting to summon the late-stage Qi Refining Aquatic Clan demon he had just subdued. ¡°Grain Avoidance cultivators are indeed formidable, it appears I must use this move.¡± After Bai Xiaotian muttered to himself, he suddenly raised his hands high, took a circle step in the same place, and then bowed to the ground, shouting loudly: ¡°Today, I shall open the heavens, call forth the Six Ding and Six Jia, twelve helmets atop the head, twelve circles of golden armor on the body, where are the various generals now, assist your disciple in showing his might, respectfully summon General Jin Bian of the First Earthly Branch!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi above his head immediately started to churn, a group of golden clouds quietly appeared mid-air, and then a stream of golden light shot out from it, landing on Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s whole body was immediately covered in a layer of substantial bright golden light. With a slight swirl, it transformed into an illusionary image of a golden-armored god clinging to his body. This god had a clear appearance, with peculiar long beards at his five pressure ports. The peculiarity was that each of his eyes had a small hand growing out of them, and his hands each held a golden-colored giant mace. The moment the golden-armored god was attached, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s cultivation level immediately increased, reaching the realm of the Grain Avoidance Stage. The Copper Coin Flying Sword also returned to his hand at this moment. The illusionary mace in the Golden Armor God¡¯s hand immediately enveloped the Copper Coin Flying Sword. The sword light and mace shadow fused together, with a ¡°clang¡± sound, it transformed into a crimson giant mace. ¡°So, this is the God-descent Technique¡­¡± On the surface of the lake, Shen Luo, upon seeing Bai Xiaotian¡¯s transformation, marveled in secret. His summoning technique was also completed. The water in front of him churned into a vortex, a black tunnel emerging from the water. A misty blue Demon Qi gushed out from it, and then an orange-red half-human half-shrimp figure jumped out from the tunnel, landing in the lake with a ¡°plop¡±. It stood on the water as if it had performed the Water-Stepping Art. Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 129: Another Shrimp Soldier Coming Chapter 130: Chapter 129: Another Shrimp Soldier Coming Shen Luo paused. This demon was another shrimp soldier, just like ¡°Zhui Tou¡±. Only this time, the shrimp soldier was a lot taller, its body slenderer, and what it held in its hands was not a single-handle hammer but two lustrously black, large copper hammers. It appeared slightly more powerful, clearly displaying the strength of the Grain Avoidance Stage. Seeing the shrimp soldier turn its head to look at him, Shen Luo felt a bit nervous. Before he could speak however, the shrimp soldier suddenly spoke in human speech: ¡°Langsheng greets Master!¡± Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. He found this shrimp soldier to be quite respectful, different from the great python and Zhui Tou, easing his anxiety slightly. ¡°Your name is Langsheng? This name sounds like one from the Aquatic Clan,¡± he asked. ¡°Reporting to Master, being the eldest, I was originally called Lang Da, but due to causing too many troubles, some of my kinsfolk believed this name was not conducive for cultivation, hence they later renamed me Langsheng,¡± Langsheng replied. ¡°And why has your cultivation level increased?¡± During the spirit communication initially, this shrimp soldier clearly was of the Qi Refining Late Stage. ¡°Reporting to Master, I was previously placed under a prohibition spell by an enemy, and my mana was suppressed to the Qi Refining Late Stage. It was thanks to your Art of Spirit Communication, Master, that forcefully broke the spell within my divine soul, allowing my full strength to recover,¡± Langsheng answered respectfully. Shen Luo was stunned! This time, had it not been for the skull pattern on his shoulder lending a hand, his mana wouldn¡¯t have been able to communicate with a demon of the Grain Avoidance stage, and the outcome would have been disastrous. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss the rest later, I am facing a strong enemy now, I need your help,¡± Shen Luo, without asking too much, immediately ordered Langsheng. ¡°Yes!¡± After Langsheng agreed, he immediately jumped onto the shore, his movements exceptionally agile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Junior Brother Shen to have such a powerful Spirit Beast. Why haven¡¯t I seen you summon it before?¡± Bai Xiaotian had just completed the God-descent Technique. When he saw a valiant shrimp soldier leaping onto the lakeshore, he was in awe. ¡°I didn¡¯t have it before. I just borrowed it from the East Sea Dragon King. I have no idea about its capabilities.¡± Shen Luo, who hadn¡¯t gone ashore, explained from the surface of the lake. As soon as he finished speaking, a muffled ¡°rumble¡± sounded from ahead. It was the yellow light of the Ground Binding Charm being completely destroyed. Gu Hualing broke free and darted out, her pretty face filled with outrage. She was just about to flap her bone wings to move, but upon seeing the situation on Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo¡¯s side, her body suddenly stopped. But at that moment, Langsheng leaped forward, his slightly weak body dashed out incredibly quickly, almost drawing a black line. He reached Gu Hualing in a flash, and hit the white light curtain that was covering this woman¡¯s body with the big copper hammer in his hand. The white light curtain emitted a grating squealing sound and was shockingly beaten into a deep depression, yet it didn¡¯t shatter. Gu Hualing was stunned. But before she could react, the two copper hammers in the shrimp soldier¡¯s hands had turned into two rays of yellow light. They thundered onto the light shield one after another. One hammer was ineffectual, and the other hammer, drawn in a curve, instantly landed on the first hammer, with almost no time between them. A huge explosion erupted, as if a muffled thunder had suddenly sounded in the sky! The white light curtain could no longer hold, exploding with a ¡°pop¡±. Gu Hualing was greatly frightened. Her bone wings instantly spread open, and with a flap, her body instantly flew backward, narrowly escaping the continuous bombardment of the double hammers. However, she hadn¡¯t flown far when a golden light flashed behind her, and Bai Xiaotian appeared there mysteriously, his crimson Giant Mace radiated a red light as he slaughtered towards Gu Hualing from overhead. Gu Hualing¡¯s three-pointed Claw Thorn immediately slipped away from her hand, expanded instantly to the size of a millstone, and fiercely collided with the crimson Giant Mace. With a massive noise of ¡°clang,¡± a dazzling purple light and red glow were emitted. Gu Hualing only felt an incredibly strong force coming from the giant crimson mace. The three-pointed Claw Thorn was repelled with a single strike. With a flicker, she had to avoid it temporarily and immediately began chanting the crude and ancient spell with both hands moving rapidly. The Yin Qi in the void rapidly surged and all converged towards Gu Hualing¡¯s back. In the blink of an eye, a black Qi vortex formed, making a humming sound, as if to employ some secret technique. Bai Xiaotian did not know the art of flight, after a strike, he landed lightly, but in mid-air he let out a clear shout, the crimson Giant Mace also slipped away from his hand to become the Copper Coin Flying Sword again, turning into a red shadow aiming for Gu Hualing. Shen Luo made a fingertip gesture, the red Short Cone shone brightly. With a ¡°bang,¡± it turned into a fine red glow that pierced the sky, shooting towards Gu Hualing like a crossbow bolt. Busy with her spell casting, Gu Hualing seemed to disregard the two¡¯s attacks, but the purple light from her three-pointed Claw Thorn brightened intensely and encircled her body. It whirled into a purple light barrier, blocking the Short Cone and Copper Coin Flying Swords. With the sounds of ¡°clang, clang,¡± the Short Cone and Copper Coin Flying Swords were both deflected by the light curtain. With a ¡°swoosh¡± sound, a figure soared into the sky like a bird, startling Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. They took a closer look and it was the Shrimp Soldier Langsheng. But even with Langsheng¡¯s amazing leap, he was unable to reach the mid-air where Gu Hualing was. Four or five feet away from her, his momentum ran its course, and he began to fall. However, he let out a low roar and swung his right arm around, heaving with all his might, and threw one of his big copper hammers. It turned into a black streak of light, carrying a fierce gust, and landed directly on the purple light curtain in an instant. With a roar like a mountain and sea, a huge force surged forth. With a ¡°rumble,¡± the purple light curtain shuddered fiercely and finally shattered, revealing Gu Hualing behind it. After breaking the purple light curtain, the big copper hammer still had unspent power and continued to shoot forwards, looking to strike Gu Hualing¡¯s frail body directly, her clothes wildly flapping in the turbulent wind. But at this moment, a long-handled big knife wreathed in black Qi materialized in front of Gu Hualing and slashed down mercilessly. ¡°Boom¡± The big copper hammer was swatted out of the sky like a fly. It plummeted down like a meteor towards the ground. After the black Qi knife made another downward slash, a huge blade of black Qi surged towards Langsheng below, who still hadn¡¯t landed. At that moment, a blue light flew in from a distance and landed on Langsheng below, transforming into an unstable vortex. Langsheng fell into the vortex and vanished in a flash. Almost in the next moment, the black Qi blade light shattered the vortex with a flicker, and then slashed into the ground below. In the midst of the giant roar, the earth cracked open inch by inch, revealing a trench that was several meters long. Not far away, Shen Luo lowered his arm, muttering to himself, ¡°That was a close call.¡± Just now, it seemed that he had noticed Langsheng¡¯s danger and hastily cast a spell to send him back first. In the mid-air above, there was a ripple in the void behind the long-handled big knife, and a black figure emerged. It was an Armored Warrior clad in black armor, with a proud and chest-thrusting stance. Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 130: Ghost General Chapter 131: Chapter 130: Ghost General However, its face was pitch-black and the eye sockets, which should have held eyeballs, were void, with only two green beans-sized white flames flickering within. One look was enough to tell it was no living creature. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were both taken aback by this sight. From below, they could clearly see that the Black Armor Ghost General flew out from a vortex that suddenly appeared behind Gu Hualing. It was a ghost summoned by her spirit communication. The two of them exchanged a glance, seeing a bad premonition in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why have you summoned me?¡± The Black Armor Ghost General turned its head to look at Gu Hualing, speaking in a low, inaudible voice. ¡°Ghost Third General, I am sorry to have troubled you. This young lady is currently facing some formidable enemies and can only ask for your assistance.¡± After paying her respects, Gu Hualing said, showing a fair amount of respect towards the Black Armor Ghost General. ¡°Where is this formidable enemy? Let me extinguish them!¡± The white flame in the eye sockets of the Black Armor Ghost General surged as it waved its long-handled big knife. ¡°I will be grateful if Ghost Third General can block this man for me.¡± Without being polite, Gu Hualing pointed straight towards Shen Luo below. The Black Armor Ghost General glanced at Shen Luo and without any further actions, its body turned into a thick black Qi, shooting straight at Shen Luo. Gu Hualing spread her bone wings and dived toward the ground, targeting Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Bring it on!¡± Bai Xiaotian roared, his Copper Coin Flying Sword had returned to his hand, merging with the Golden Armor Shadows into a crimson Giant Mace. He channelled the raging mana within his body into it. With a ¡°whoosh¡±, a layer of crimson flames rose from the Giant Mace, blazing fiercely. Bai Xiaotian swung his arm, and the sword-like crimson flames shot out from the mace, stretching a full five feet as they met Gu Hualing head-on. The diving Gu Hualing abruptly slid to the side like a carp gliding between the waves, barely grazing past the flaming sword Qi to rendezvous with Bai Xiaotian. She raised her hand and swept it in a motion. A purple flash of light shot from her hand. It was the three-pointed claw stab, blasting towards Bai Xiaotian¡¯s chest. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s face darkened, seemingly unaware of how Gu Hualing had done it, but faced with the incoming purple burst of light, he could only strive to block it. He swept out his crimson mace and hit the three-pointed claw stab. ¡°Clang!¡± There was a massive noise! Bai Xiaotian¡¯s Crimson Giant Mace, empowered by the Golden Armor Spirit, was incredibly robust. It sent the three-pointed claw stab flying with one hit, but Bai Xiaotian was also jolted backward, taking two steps back. It¡¯s not that he was pushed back due to the force contained in the three-pointed claw, instead, the moment the mace hit the claw and sent it flying, a purple flash shot out from the claw, hitting his chest. If it weren¡¯t for his Golden Armor Spirit fusion, he would already be severely injured. ¡°Borrowed power is still an external force; you simply cannot control it. What use is immense power?¡± Gu Hualing sneered, her body once again demonstrating the agile motions of a fish as she charged forward. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s face grimaced; he let out an irritated grunt. His crimson Giant Mace transformed into numerous afterimages, flinging towards the front. ¡­ On the other side, the black Qi transformed by the Black Armor Ghost General was incredibly fast, reaching the lake surface above Shen Luo in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo immediately used the Water-Stepping Art to retreat quickly, and at the same time raised his hand with a swing. ¡°Whoosh!¡± A palm-sized water clap sprang from the lake, slapping towards the black Qi formed by the Ghost General. But the black Qi didn¡¯t slow down or dodge; it went straight for the water palm, sliding through it, and lunged in front of Shen Luo. The long-handled big knife shot out from the black Qi, targeting Shen Luo, viciously slashing at him. The black glow of the knife¡¯s body was uncertain, making a ¡°hiss¡± sound. Just when Shen Luo was about to be injured by this big knife, the water in front of him suddenly rolled violently, and a big sea turtle swiftly jumped out from it, standing in front of him. It was Little Gui! Shen Luo placed his hands on Little Gui¡¯s body, and Mana from within his body surged out. Little Gui¡¯s turtle shell quickly turned pitch black, and a layer of black light emerged. But the big knife was too swift, not waiting for the turtle shell to completely turn black, it had already viciously slashed onto the turtle shell. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound, a crack was surprisingly slashed on the turtle shell, and fresh blood gushed out slightly. Little Gui let out a heartbreaking cry of pain, but the black light on its shell flashed in response, rebounding a sharp knife force that was several times stronger. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, the long-handled big knife cracked open, and the black Qi formed by the Ghost General was blown back a step. The black Qi rolled for a moment and transformed into the figure of the Black Armor Ghost General. His right hand, which originally held the long-handled big knife, was missing from the forearm down. However, no blood flowed out. The place where the arm was cut off was surrounded by a thick black Qi, rapidly regenerating a new arm at a speed visible to the naked eye. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly created a water cyclone and rapidly sent away the sea turtle. At the same time, with a ¡°swish¡± sound, an orange figure sprung up from it, with a big copper hammer in his hand, smacking the Ghost General directly on his head. It was Lang Sheng whom Shen Luo had summoned again. The Ghost General shifted his stance, sidestepping toward the side. At the same time, his right hand swirled in black Qi and regrew a long-handled big knife, slashing horizontally toward Lang Sheng¡¯s chest. Lang Sheng didn¡¯t dodge. His silhouette rotated in place to avoid the knife, swinging the big copper hammer behind him in a half-circle, striking the Ghost General¡¯s back. ¡°Boom,¡± a dull sound. A big hole emerged in the back armor of the Ghost General. Half of his body was smashed to pieces, but his left hand reached out, claws digging viciously into Lang Sheng¡¯s chest. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound, Lang Sheng¡¯s armor was torn apart. On his chest, five deep claw marks were present, and blue blood gushed out. Lang Sheng let out an angry roar and swung the big copper hammer in his hand, smashing it from top to bottom onto the Ghost General¡¯s head. With a ¡°boom¡±, the Ghost General¡¯s body completely exploded and transformed into patches of black Qi, but the next moment, it started flocking towards one place again. With a flash of black light, the figure of the Black Armor Ghost General emerged once again, and it looked as if it hadn¡¯t been hurt at all. Seeing this, Lang Sheng was stunned for a moment, then charged again, his double hammer roaring at the Ghost General¡¯s head and chest, one from above and one from below. The Ghost General completely ignored Lang Sheng¡¯s attack, his big knife slashed into the void like a bolt of lightning, becoming a blade shadow, targeting Lang Sheng¡¯s body. ¡°Boom,¡± ¡°boom,¡± two dull sounds echoed! The Ghost General¡¯s body was broken up again, turning into a piece of black Qi, but the big knife in Ghost General¡¯s hand also left a superficial wound on the copper hammer. The black Qi formed by the Ghost General started to gather again after rolling for a bit. ¡°Swish¡± sound echoed from the nearby lake surface, seven or eight water swords shot out from the lake, slashing towards the rolling black Qi. It was Shen Luo¡¯s move. A slender red light flew out of his body, which was the dark red short cone, slashing into the black Qi as well. Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 131: Hanging By A Thread Chapter 132: Chapter 131: Hanging By A Thread But whether it was the water sword or the red light, they both passed right through the black mist without affecting it in the slightest. The figure of the Black Armor Ghost General quickly coalesced again, and with a flash of shadow, pounced towards Lang Sheng. Lang Sheng swung his hammer fearlessly to meet the charge. Suddenly, an orange and a black figure tangled together. The shadows of their weapons whirled through the air, sword glows flickered, black mist hovered and blood splattered everywhere. The body of the Black Armor Ghost General was shattered time and again, but each time it would reform without showing signs of injury. Lang Sheng may have seemed to have the upper hand, breaking the ghost general¡¯s body continually, but his own wounds were multiplying and his movements were gradually slowing down. ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this!¡± Shen Luo was alarmed. His water-control technique and the dark red short cone were of no help and for a moment he had no other means. All he could do was to suppress his anxiety and engage the Black Armor Ghost General. On the other side, Bai Xiaotian was also at a disadvantage. His once-bright golden light had dimmed considerably and several wounds had appeared on his body. Although he had temporarily advanced his strength to the Grain Avoidance Stage using the God-descent Technique, it wasn¡¯t his own power and wasn¡¯t easy to control. If he was facing a physical opponent, it might have been okay. But Gu Hualing¡¯s techniques were extremely elusive, Bai Xiaotian couldn¡¯t even touch a piece of her clothing. Instead, he was forced to retreat by her seemingly casual but extremely sharp attacks. The most critical problem was that the God-descent Technique put a significant strain on the physical body and spiritual soul, and also had a time limit. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s heart sunk. He uttered a loud shout and the crimson giant mace in his hand swept out, red flames swept towards Gu Hualing in a raging tide. But Gu Hualing sidestepped left and right, then dashed forward, easily dodging this attack, and swiftly closing in on Bai Xiaotian. The three-pointed claw thorn in her hand struck towards his chest. Bai Xiaotian made a hasty retreat again, using his long ge to block the three-pointed claw thorn. But Gu Hualing shadowed him closely, taking advantage of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s distraction as he blocked the claw thorn to strike again. Her fingers flicked, and a gust of wind erupted, striking Bai Xiaotian in the lower abdomen. A thin thread of black light shot out from her fingertip, piercing through the golden light on Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body, breaking through and disappearing into his Dantian. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body shook. His face turned deathly pale in an instant, and cold sweat poured from his forehead. He toppled to the ground, and the golden light on his body flickered more intensely, weakening quickly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be ruthless, considering your Bai Family background, but I apologize!¡± Gu Hualing said. Still, she didn¡¯t hesitate in continuing her attack, preparing to strike again. ¡°Who dares to harm my Bai Family, stop immediately!¡± Just at this moment, a voice like thunder echoed from afar. The voice was so loud that everyone at the scene felt a buzzing in their ears. Even before this thunderous voice had ceased, a ball of green light rushed over like lightning, apparently another escape talisman. Before the green light arrived, a yellow light shot forward. Inside seemed to be a round object spinning rapidly, emitting a sharp whining sound and attacking Gu Hualing directly. Gu Hualing let out a soft shout, leaving Bai Xiaotian and shooting out the three-pointed claw thorn which once again turned into a purple crystal iron hand, reaching out to the yellow light. The object in the yellow light suddenly grew bigger and revealed itself to be an earth-yellow copper coin. It expanded to the size of a house in the blink of an eye, crashing heavily on the purple crystal iron hand. With a loud ¡°clang¡±! The purple crystal iron hand was knocked away like a leaf, returning back to its three-pointed claw form. When Gu Hualing grabbed the claw with one hand, she felt a tremendous force rebounding back as if a mountain was oppressing her from above. She staggered back three steps before barely steadying herself, and the mana in her body churned uproariously. Not only that, a faint yellow light began to beam on the surface of the claw, making it far more burdensome and somewhat uncontrollable. ¡°It¡¯s the Treasure Copper Coin! Ghost Third General, that is Bai Jiangfeng, withdraw now!¡± Gu Hualing¡¯s elegant eyebrows furrowed. She mobilized all her mana and managed to put away the three-pointed claw with great effort. Then her figure soared up into the sky. The purple light behind her bone wings thrived as if incinerating. She transformed into a long purple rainbow and streaked away towards the distance, disappearing on the horizon within the blink of an eye. The black-clad Ghost General, who was engaged in a bout with the copper hammer, paid heed to Gu Hualing¡¯s words. With a cold snort indicating his dissatisfaction, he nonetheless retreated and transformed into a black light, chasing after Gu Hualing. The green light in the sky did not chase after Gu Hualing and the others, but dropped beside Bai Xiaotian. After a few flickers, it disappeared, revealing a gray-robed old man. This man appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, short and thin, with a wrinkled face and somewhat gray hair. However, his eyes were sharp and he exuded an intimidating aura. The old man immediately bent over to check Bai Xiaotian¡¯s condition, ignoring Shen Luo in the lake. Being at ease, Shen Luo quickly went to check on Lang Sheng¡¯s wounds. Lang Sheng was currently covered from head to toe in dozens of wounds of varying sizes. Blue blood stained his entire body. He appeared to be seriously injured, his chest heaving as he leaned on his double hammers. Shen Luo hurriedly placed his hand on Lang Sheng¡¯s back, injecting his mana into him. Lang Sheng¡¯s withering spirit slightly rebounded as he circulated the demon qi within his body. A layer of blue light surfaced on his body, and though his wounds did not heal, the bleeding stopped. ¡°Lang Sheng, you¡¯ve worked hard today. Go back and have a good rest,¡± Shen Luo let go of his hand, opened the summoning water hole and sent Lang Sheng back. After doing all this, Shen Luo went towards the shore. The golden light around Bai Xiaotian had already faded, and he was lying on the ground pale as paper. His teeth were clenched and the veins on his forehead throbbed. He seemed to be enduring severe pain. His body still faintly radiated a weird golden light, and the fluctuation of the mana it emitted was both high and low, extremely chaotic. ¡°The God-descent Technique puts great strain on the body, which is why our clan has stipulated that it should only be cast when one has reached the Grain Avoidance Stage. You actually cast this technique while still at the Qi Refining Stage, this is absurd!¡± The gray-robed old man pressed his palm on Bai Xiaotian¡¯s lower abdomen, emitting a yellow glow and chided. A moment later, a faint ¡°sizzle¡± sound echoed. The old man lifted his palm, and a black needle the size of a hair strand surprisingly stuck to it. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa San.¡± Bai Xiaotian¡¯s facial expression of pain visibly lessened and he whispered his gratitude. ¡°This is the Profound Yin Needle, a unique Yin weapon of the secret weapon faction Linglong Sect. It specializes in breaking protective spiritual light and is extremely vicious. Is that woman just now from the Linglong Sect? But she doesn¡¯t seem to be from the Human Race,¡± The gray-robed old man took out a small jade box and carefully placed the black needle inside, then handed a snow-white pill to Bai Xiaotian to swallow. ¡°Grandpa San is observant, that person is a demon, but not from the Linglong Sect. The matter is quite complicated and hard to explain in a few words¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian felt better, he sat up and spoke. ¡°Since it¡¯s complicated, we¡¯ll discuss it later. I¡¯ll help you suppress the aftermath of the God-descent Technique first,¡± The grey-robed old man interrupted Bai Xiaotian, pressing his palm to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s back. A golden light flashed on his hand. Bai Xiaotian quickly closed his eyes, circulated his skills, and his chaotic aura gradually calmed down. Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 132: Returning to the Bai Family Chapter 133: Chapter 132: Returning to the Bai Family Seeing that the two men would not finish their cultivation anytime soon, Shen Luo carried the parcel from the lake back onto his back, then sat down on the spot, crossing his knees, rotating his skills, and restoring his mana. It took them half an hour before the old man in a gray robe and Bai Xiaotian finally removed their hands at the same time. Shen Luo did not immerse himself in cultivation. Noticing the situation of the two, he stopped his cultivation, stood up, and stood solemnly aside. At this moment, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s complexion had largely recovered, and the weird golden light remaining on his body had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Grandfather Three, I was just too busy healing to introduce you. This is Shen Luo, my fellow disciple at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Junior Brother Shen, this is my Grandfather Three, the elder of the Bai Family, Bai Jiangfeng.¡± Bai Xiaotian introduced when he saw Shen Luo coming over. ¡°Nice to meet you, elder Bai.¡± Shen Luo greeted with a bow. ¡°Young friend Shen, you are already remarkable at such a young age. I happened to catch a glance from a distance earlier. It seems you master the art of communicating and controlling demons, truly remarkable for one so young. Are you part of the Shen family from Liuhua City?¡± Bai Jiangfeng slightly lifted a hand and looked Shen Luo up and down, asked with a soft chuckle. ¡°The elder flatters me, I am from Chunhua County,¡± answered Shen Luo, shaking his head. Bai Jiangfeng uttered an ¡°oh¡± and his gaze at Shen Luo subtly flashed an unusual light. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you were able to get here in time, Grandfather Three, otherwise, I would have lost my life.¡± Bai Xiaotian patted his chest, looking rather ruffled. ¡°The clan leader received the cry for help you sent out from your message transmitter array. I happened to be nearby and was ordered to come to your rescue at once. What exactly happened?¡± asked Bai Jiangfeng. ¡°A message transmitter array?¡± recalled Shen Luo. An image of the golden array that Bai Xiaotian had set earlier flashed through his mind. ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed. He gave a brief account of the siege of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, their narrow escape, and the continuous pursuit by Gu Hualing. However, he didn¡¯t mention the Pure Yang Scripture, changing Gu Hualing¡¯s motive for hunting them down as wanting to kill them to keep them quiet, so as not to leak the fact of the extinction of Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Shen Luo heard this and lowered his eyelids, feeling gratitude towards Bai Xiaotian. His interest in the Pure Yang Scripture was not particularly great, because he had the Nameless Heavenly Book in his hand. However, he swore on that day that he would protect the Scripture, and it wasn¡¯t good to go back on his oath. ¡°What! The Spring and Autumn Pavilion has been destroyed!¡± cried Bai Jiangfeng in shock after listening. ¡°When I left, a battle was still going on inside the Pavilion, but the demons were overpowering, and I¡¯m afraid nobody could have survived,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a darkened look. ¡°The Spring and Autumn Pavilion is no small sect. This is a major incident; we must inform the family head immediately. Come, let¡¯s return to the Bai Family first!¡± Bai Jiangfeng nodded. He grabbed Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian with both hands while a strong green light emanated from his body, enveloping the three of them as they shot into the sky, quickly disappearing in the distant horizon. Now that an elder from the Bai family had arrived to support them, Shen Luo and others finally didn¡¯t have to keep their guards up and rush their journey every day anymore. After a few days¡¯ journey, they finally arrived at Jianye City. Jianye City had been built a thousand years ago, and since ancient times, it had been a major city on the south bank of the Yangtze River, next to the coast of the Eastern Sea. Naturally, it was much unlike Chunhua County, where Shen Luo had grown up. From afar, one could see that the city walls were long and the city gates towered; the flags of the Great Tang fluttered on the city towers; the guards were fully armored, their weapons shining brightly. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian shared the same carriage. One sat by the carriage window, pulling open the curtain, keenly observing everything with curious eyes, while the other leaned against the corner of the opposite side of the carriage, closing his eyes to rest. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, what is that five-story pointed tower over there?¡± Shen Luo pointed to the outside of the window and asked. ¡°That¡¯s Bayang Tower, a well-known restaurant in Jianye City. The food is actually mediocre, but most of its clientele are high-ranking officials and nobles. To some extent, being able to enter is a symbol of status. In my view, the reputation outweighs the reality. It¡¯s not as good as the Drunk Immortal House just ahead.¡± Bai Xiaotian lazily glanced and spoke. ¡°Young Master, this is still our Bai family¡¯s business after all, please don¡¯t undermine it.¡± Outside the carriage, the driver ¨C an old servant of the Bai Family, couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°This is your family¡¯s restaurant?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when he heard this. ¡°It¡¯s the business run by our family¡¯s Third Chamber; the head of the family typically doesn¡¯t interfere with these matters.¡± Bai Xiaotian replied casually. ¡°Isn¡¯t your family a demon exorcising family? Why do you also run restaurants?¡± Shen Luo asked, bewildered. ¡°Relying solely on demon extermination to sustain the family isn¡¯t so easy. It isn¡¯t enough to cultivate nephews from the Third Chamber as cultivators, let alone hiring priests, which is a constant expense.¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a laugh. ¡°With a Soul Condensation stage ancestor in the Bai Family, you still need to hire priests?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°Our Bai Family¡¯s own cultivators are limited. To secure the position of the top cultivator family in Jianye City, we have to have both power and wealth.¡± Bai Xiaotian explained thoughtfully. ¡°How so?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way, our Bai family¡¯s First Chamber manages cultivation matters, the Second Chamber serves the government, and the Third Chamber conducts business to make money. Only by pushing forward in these three aspects can we achieve what we have now.¡± Bai Xiaotian glanced at Shen Luo and continued to explain. Shen Luo nodded thoughtfully and felt a bit emotional. Managing a large family was indeed not easy. ¡­ The further into the city they went, the more crowded the bustling buildings on both sides of the road became, presenting an exceptionally lively scene. ¡°The prosperity of this significant city is indeed different. Three-story buildings are rare in Chunhua County, but here, they¡¯re common along the street. There is constant traffic and a steady flow of people on the street.¡± Shen Luo admired. ¡°I¡¯ve lived here since I was young, so I¡¯m used to it. Instead, I prefer the days I spent in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion over the past two years. Cultivating up the mountain, buying wine down the hill, and seeing fewer people made it easy for us to get to know each other. Every time I went to Tuji Town, Chun Sao who sold wine always let me have half a liter of free wine.¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed nostalgically. ¡°Was that because she was familiar with you? Every time you bought wine, wasn¡¯t she sneakily touching your hand? Wasn¡¯t she after Tuji town¡¯s most handsome man?¡± Shen Luo mocked. ¡°Haha, of course! I could be the most handsome man in the Great Tang, but I always kept a low profile and didn¡¯t seek empty fame.¡± Bai Xiaotian didn¡¯t care and laughed heartily. The carriage moved on the spacious streets lined with bluestone, turning around a street corner. Bai Xiaotian suddenly sat up, stopped the carriage, and asked Shen Luo to wait for a bit. He then hopped off the carriage on his own. In a short while, he returned to the carriage, one hand holding an oil-paper wrap and the other holding a white porcelain wine pot. ¡°Last time I came back in a hurry and didn¡¯t get to drink any Plum Wine from Jade Drunk Tower. I¡¯ve missed it so much. Also, try this Fresh Meat Soup Bun from Zhang Ji¡¯s restaurant, the taste is unbeatable.¡± Bai Xiaotian unwrapped the oil-paper wrap to reveal two big, white meat buns that emitted a strong meaty aroma, causing Shen Luo¡¯s mouth to water. Shen Luo didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and took a big bite out of one of the buns. The soup spilled into his mouth, and the taste brought satisfaction to his whole being. Bai Xiaotian didn¡¯t eat the buns, but looked at Shen Luo with a smile and opened the lid of the wine pot. In a flash, a strong osmanthus fragrance that overwhelmed the smell of meat filled the carriage. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Meeting the Parents Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Meeting the Parents He somehow produced two small wine cups from nowhere, poured wine for both Shen Luo and himself, clinked their cups together and began to drink. Along the way, Bai Xiaotian, who seemed to know all the restaurants and eateries on the street, gave Shen Luo an extensive commentary. When they passed a river that ran through the city, Bai Xiaotian, who normally didn¡¯t look out, suddenly leaned towards the carriage window and curiously looked outside. Following his gaze, Shen Luo saw that buildings on both sides of the river channel were densely packed. Most of them were decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, and even in the river water, there were beautifully unique barges. ¡°What place is this?¡± Shen Luo asked in confusion. ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®Mooring by Qinhuai River near the restaurant at night¡¯? This is the Qinhuai River, where people drink Flower Wine. I¡¯ll bring you to experience it another day.¡± Bai Xiaotian draped an arm around Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder, and said with a laugh. ¡°No wonder the perfume is so strong¡­ We are members of the Taoist sect, it¡¯d be best if we keep some distance from this place of lust and wine.¡± Shen Luo said, wrinkling his nose. ¡°You just don¡¯t understand, do you? As the saying goes, ¡®Transcending the worldly desires, the Taoist heart stands like solid rock¡¯. Without experiencing the world¡¯s temptations, how can one clear all worldly distractions?¡± Bai Xiaotian retorted dismissively. The carriage went through the city, and as they moved to the southern part of the city, the streets became emptier, but there were more and more grand mansions. Finally, the carriage stopped before a majestic courtyard. When Shen Luo got out of the carriage, he saw a stone lion sculpture as tall as a person beside him. The lion, stepping on a hollowed-out silk ball, looked majestic. A yard away from the stone lion, three tiers of stone steps rose up, leading to a two-story gate tower. The main gate in the middle was wide open. A huge signboard hung above the entrance, with the words ¡°Bai Mansion¡± inscribed in golden letters on a red background. Looking at the brass lion-head door knockers and forty-nine golden rivets on the vermilion gate, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but admiration from the bottom of his heart. Apparently, they had been informed of their arrival in advance, so there were already a dozen servants and maids standing by the gate, waiting respectfully. Seeing Bai Jiangfeng and Bai Xiaotian arriving, these people immediately greeted them. Shen Luo followed Bai Xiaotian and was ushered into the mansion by the crowd. When they got to the front yard, an elegantly dressed elderly woman with white hair, supported by a maid, came to greet them. As soon as she saw the still injured Bai Xiaotian, her eyes filled with concern and she couldn¡¯t help but berate him. After Bai Xiaotian¡¯s introduction, Shen Luo learned that she was his grandmother, and the biological mother of the current Bai family head, Bai Hecheng. The old woman treated Shen Luo, who was a good friend of her grandson, with kindness and immediately ordered an elaborate feast to be prepared to welcome him. Shen Luo was flattered and somewhat embarrassed. Just then, a middle-aged man dressed like a housekeeper hurried over. He bowed to the old woman and Bai Jiangfeng, saying, ¡°The Family Head is waiting in the study in the backyard and asks the young master and the guest to go there first.¡± ¡°You should all go then. The important matters come first.¡± Upon hearing the words, the old woman nodded her head. ¡°Yes. After paying respects to my father, I will come back to accompany you, grandmother.¡± Bai Xiaotian agreed immediately. Then, the three of them went through a series of courtyards and two gardens and arrived at the backyard of the mansion. In the study, Shen Luo met Bai Hecheng, the head of Bai family. He was expecting a dignified middle-aged man, but turned out to be a thirty-something, good-looking man who was as handsome as Bai Xiaotian. Seeing them enter, Bai Hecheng put down the book in his hand, stood up from behind the desk, looked up and down at Bai Xiaotian and the other, a smile appeared on his face, and he said, ¡°Looking at you two like this, you probably have suffered quite a bit on the road, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Fortunately, Uncle Three arrived in time to scare off the demon woman during the crisis, which worried Father.¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a smile. Then he introduced Shen Luo to his father, stating that their safe return was due to their mutual support. ¡°You two handled it well. This kind of experience surpasses three years of cultivation more than staying at home and reinventing the wheel.¡± Bai Hecheng nodded. ¡°Family head, the situation was indeed dangerous. The one who chased them was a Demon Race monk in the Grain Avoidance Stage. For them to hold on until I arrived was indeed not easy.¡± Bai Jiangfeng stepped forward and recounted the scenario when he found Bai Xiaotian and the others. ¡°It¡¯s truly thanks to Uncle Three that Xiaotian is alive.¡± Bai Hecheng frowned as he listened, and finally bowed to him. ¡°The Family Head does not need to be so courteous, Xiaotian is the future pillar of our Bai Family, as an elder it¡¯s something I should do.¡± Bai Jiangfeng quickly stepped aside, refusing to accept the gesture. ¡°Xiaotian, what exactly happened to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion this time? Tell me everything in detail.¡± Bai Hecheng looked at Bai Xiaotian and asked. Bai Xiaotian immediately recounted the events that occurred in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion that day. However, he did not mention anything about the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture¡± in his words. Shen Luo then added what he knew, but he too concealed the matter about the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture¡±. ¡°I did not expect even the ancestor of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to have been killed¡­ Shen, for now, you can stay at the Bai residence. Later, I will use the Bai Family¡¯s name to cooperate with other cultivation sects to thoroughly investigate this matter and find the real culprit.¡± Upon hearing the end, Bai Hecheng¡¯s expression gradually became serious. ¡°Uncle, I believe that the two crucial players in this event are Wang Qingsong, who betrayed his sect, and Gu Hualing, who is a transformed demon. If we can capture either of them, we will know the truth.¡± Shen Luo suddenly said. ¡°These two are indeed the source of trouble in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion events.¡± Bai Hecheng looked at Shen Luo and said agreeingly. ¡°In behalf of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion deceased, let me thank Uncle for clarifying the true perpetrator, Shen Luo truly appreciates Uncle¡¯s help.¡± Shen Luo said, followed by a deep bow. ¡°You need not be so polite, young man! After all the adventures you must have suffered a lot. Xiaotian, you should take Shen to rest properly.¡± Bai Hecheng waved his hand and said. After the two bowed and left, Bai Hecheng looked at Bai Jiangfeng and asked, ¡°Uncle Three, have you found anything inappropriate about Shen Luo?¡± ¡°From his words and deeds, it¡¯s likely that he was a rich young man before joining the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Xiaotian seems to trust him quite a bit. Since they supported each other all the way, only then could they hold on until I rescued them. Looking at Shen Luo, his skills aren¡¯t from the Little Straw Mountain line, he must have had some other opportunity. He may also be the only living disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion apart from Xiaotian.¡± Bai Jiangfeng considered and replied. ¡°This is precisely why I feel that this man is not simple, he might be hiding secrets from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Assign someone to investigate his background. If there is no problem, then take the opportunity to make Xiaotian talk to him and see if he is willing to submit to our Bai family in the future. The world is becoming more and more chaotic. Incidents like small cultivation sects like Spring and Autumn Pavilion being annihilated are frequently happening within the Tang Dynasty. We also need to accumulate strength in a hurry.¡± Bai Hecheng nodded and said. ¡°At present, our Bai Family still has more than enough to survive. More and more sects outside believe in the prophecy of the Heaven and Earth Calamity. The whole cultivation world seems calm and stable on the surface, but there is already an undercurrent blowing. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion incident, I see that the chance to find the real culprit behind the scenes is not great. We should also sift through our family thoroughly.¡± Bai Jiangfeng suggested. ¡°This is exactly what we can do now, it is to thoroughly probe the entire family to prevent the demon race from infiltrating. The other day, the ancestor also mentioned the Heaven and Earth Calamity, and he too felt a lot of pressure.¡± Bai Hecheng slowly said. ¡°Jiangfeng, Hecheng¡­¡± At this moment, an old voice suddenly sounded directly in their minds. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 134: Idle Chat Chapter 135: Chapter 134: Idle Chat ¡°Ancestor.¡± The duo from Bai Hecheng immediately responded solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m already aware of the situation pertaining to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, but this is not the most important matter at the moment.¡± The White Family¡¯s Ancestor relayed telepathically. Bai Hecheng and Bai Jiangfeng remained silent, standing quietly by and awaiting the Ancestor¡¯s instructions. ¡°The Spring and Autumn Pavilion is destroyed, yet Sky has not fully mastered the Pure Yang Scripture. Send him to other genuine cultivation sects to see if he can learn more powerful mystic arts and make rapid progress.¡± The White Family¡¯s Ancestor continued. ¡°Please indicate where he should go, Ancestor.¡± Bai Hecheng knew the Ancestor wouldn¡¯t speak without thought and respectfully asked. ¡°I still have some incense fire connections with Hua Sheng Temple from the past. I¡¯ve already sent a letter there and should receive a response in a few days.¡± The White Family¡¯s Ancestor continued to relay telepathically. Upon hearing these words, Bai Hecheng couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of happiness in his eyes. The Hua Sheng Temple, located near Chang¡¯an City, is one of the foremost cultivation sects within the Tang Dynasty. Their ¡°Vajra Subdues Demons¡± technique is renowned and far surpasses that of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°If Sky could practice at Hua Sheng Temple, that would indeed be a great fortune for our Bai Family.¡± Bai Jiangfeng couldn¡¯t help but comment. ¡°Don¡¯t be too thrilled. The incense fire connection I have with Hua Sheng Temple is only barely enough to send Sky into the Mountain Gate. Most likely, he will have to start as an outer disciple. If he wants to truly learn high-level mystic arts, he¡¯ll have to strive for it himself,¡± the Ancestor¡¯s voice came through again. ¡°Sky possesses an excellent aptitude, though his disposition is a bit too unrestrained and unfettered, which hampers his cultivation. This round of tempering should make him more diligent and ensure he doesn¡¯t waste the Ancestor¡¯s nurturing in vain,¡± Bai Hecheng replied. After this exchange, the Ancestor fell silent and left Bai Hecheng and the other feeling ecstatic about the situation. ¡­ Meanwhile, Shen Luo was following Sky back to his residence. As they entered the courtyard, a sharp, thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl in maid attire greeted them, sweetly calling out ¡°Young Master¡±. ¡°Green Sleeve, how come you didn¡¯t meet me at the Big Gate?¡± Spotting her, Sky smiled and gently pinched her chubby cheek. ¡°When I heard the Young Master was bringing a guest back, I busied myself tidying up the guest room and in the rush, I forgot. Once I remembered, the Young Master had already been summoned by the Family Head, so I returned here to wait for you.¡± The young girl rubbed her cheek, responding. ¡°This clever girl is named Green Sleeve. She has served me ever since she was six years old. Though she is my servant, I¡¯ve always considered her a little sister.¡± After introducing Green Sleeve, Sky proceeded to introduce Shen Luo, showing no airs of a young master. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Young Master Shen.¡± On hearing this, Green Sleeve hastily bowed to Shen Luo. ¡°Just call me Big Brother Shen,¡± Shen Luo waved casually, laughing. ¡°Young Master, Big Brother Shen, you must be exhausted from your journey. The room is already prepared for a medicinal bath. Why not take a bath and refresh yourselves?¡± Green Sleeve led the two to the front of the house, speaking. ¡°Honestly, I hadn¡¯t noticed until you mentioned it, but now I feel a bit uncomfortable all over. Green Sleeve, you first lead Shen Luo to the room for a bath, I¡¯ll have someone else assist me today,¡± Sky laughed, trying to adjust his stiff shoulders. ¡°As you command,¡± Green Sleeve hurriedly acknowledged, bowing. Following this, Sky returned to his room, while Shen Luo, led by Green Sleeve, entered the guest room. Upon entering, Shen Luo found the room a bit dazzling. Though it was a guest room, it was more splendid than his home¡¯s main room, echoing the wealth and grandeur of a prestigious family. Upon entering, instead of a bed, there was a room with tables and chairs, teaware. Separate by another door, towards the interior was the actual living and bedroom. Leading the way, Green Sleeve pushed open the inner door, immediately releasing a potent fragrance, a mix of medicinal herbs and fresh flowers. ¡°This scent is pleasant without being cloying, warm without being harsh, and appears to relax the body and mind. Judging by the aroma, the medicinal bath likely contains blood-activating and meridian-clearing herbs like safflower and angelica sinensis, as well as many calming and stress-relieving herbs, right?¡± Shen Luo asked as he took a sniff at the doorway. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Big Brother Shen to be familiar with medical knowledge! You¡¯re absolutely correct.¡± Green Sleeve covered her mouth with her delicate hand, brightly responding. ¡°I know a thing or two, your flattery is undeserved,¡± Shen Luo laughed, responding. ¡°Not at all! There are only a few who our Young Master treats as his true friends, which speaks to Big Brother Shen¡¯s extraordinary abilities,¡± the smile on Green Sleeve¡¯s round face didn¡¯t fade as she confidently responded. Entering the inner room, Shen Luo saw a carved ivory bed placed against the wall on the left. On the right, separated by a screen, a white mist was billowing from behind it. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I will call two maids to attend to you during your bath,¡± Green Sleeve moved forward, ready to help him remove his clothes. Shen Luo swiftly side-stepped her, hurriedly saying: ¡°No need to trouble yourself, Green Sleeve, I can handle this myself.¡± ¡°How can that be, Young Master specifically instructed me to serve Big Brother Shen properly,¡± Green Sleeve insisted quickly. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve gotten used to bathing alone. If someone is present, I tend to feel uneasy. If Green Sleeve is worried about the Young Master¡¯s rebuke, you can accompany me by chatting with me outside,¡± Shen Luo laughed, responding. Naturally, Shen Luo wasn¡¯t being entirely truthful. He had been accustomed to being pampered since he was young, so how could he be uncomfortable being served? In fact, he was still holding the stone box in his bosom which contained the jade pillow, heavenly book, and Pure Yang Scripture, things he couldn¡¯t let others see. ¡°Alright then, I will chat with Big Brother Shen outside. I hope you won¡¯t mind my chatter.¡± Unable to persuade him, Green Sleeve reluctantly agreed, pouting. After saying this, two maids placed a round stool outside, on which Green Sleeve took her seat. Upon walking behind the screen, Shen Luo saw a set of brand new clothes on the table near the bath. He took the stone box from his bosom, placing it on the table and covering it with the clothes. After that, he took off the clothes he¡¯d been wearing for multiple days and tossed them aside, then climbed into the bath and laid down. In a flash, warm medicinal fluid enveloped him. He felt as if every pore of his body had opened up in an instant, and the tension in his body and spirit completely relaxed. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I heard that on your way back to Jianye City with the Young Master you were attacked by a demon. Was the situation very dangerous?¡± Green Sleeve, who had been waiting outside patiently for him to speak, took the initiative to ask. ¡°The situation was quite dangerous, but in the end, we managed to get through it,¡± Shen Luo, not wanting to dwell, responded curtly. ¡°Actually, the area surrounding Jianye City hasn¡¯t been peaceful either recently. It was said that several people died outside the city at Shi Li Pu. They were all believed to have been bewitched by demons. Some drowned themselves while others hanged themselves. The most bizarre case was a person who even cut off his own head¡­ These tales are horrifying to hear,¡± Green Sleeve continued unabated. Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Demon Wind Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Demon Wind ¡°They are all hearsay, Miss Green Sleeve, don¡¯t scare yourself. Besides, you¡¯re part of the Bai family, a renowned Demon Exorcising Family. What kind of demon would dare to violate this place, risking their own life?¡± Shen Luo consoled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, hahaha¡­ Anyway, as long as it¡¯s not a Demonic Being, common monsters and ghosts can be easily destroyed by a single elder or family head from our family.¡± The young girl laughed upon hearing this. Hearing this, Shen Luo frowned slightly and asked tentatively, ¡°Miss Green Sleeve, do you know about the exorcism conducted by the Bai family back in the day?¡± ¡°That was more than a hundred years ago. Besides the elders, only the aged people in the family know the details, and I naturally know even less. However, I have heard some rumors about exorcism recently. How much of it is true or false, I don¡¯t know.¡± Green Sleeve pondered for a while before changing the subject. ¡°Since we¡¯re free, why don¡¯t you tell me about it?¡± Shen Luo adopted a curious look. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll tell you. Outside Jianye City, near Purple Cloud Mountain, there is a village named Taoyuan Village¡­¡± Green Sleeve seemed to have opened a box of stories and began to narrate diligently. As it turned out, in this place called Taoyuan Village, there has been a huge Pan Peach tree since ancient times. The villagers have multiplied for generations but don¡¯t know when this ancient tree originated. They only know that the tree is at least a thousand years old. Legend has it that the Pan Peach tree blooms every year, but it never bears fruit. Although the villagers were puzzled, they regarded the ancient tree as a sign of good fortune and took good care of it. However, one year, when the peach blossoms were blooming most magnificently, a demon wind suddenly descended from the sky, shrouded in thick black smoke which surrounded the peach tree. The villagers could not approach, and the branches and leaves of the peach tree quickly decayed and fell. The village head at that time was a man named Qin Shouan. In order to protect the peach tree, he took a torch and a hatchet, hoping to drive away the demon wind. However, not only did he fail, but he also got himself trapped inside the wind. Afterward, the demon wind went wild. It not only controlled Qin Shouan, but also controlled many wild cats and pigs, instructing them to attack the villagers. The villagers suffered greatly, and they raised money to invite an Immortal Master to tame the demon. However, after three or four Immortal Masters went, none of them returned. In the end, the daughter of the village head, in order to save her father, made great efforts to seek help from Jianye City. On the way, she happened to encounter a warrior in the Grain Avoidance Stage. Touched by her filial piety, he accompanied her to Taoyuan Village to tame the demon. However, they discovered that the demon wind was a powerful demonic being. Qin Shouan and many wild animals had been demonized by it, becoming extremely violent and cruel. The warrior soon found himself in a tough battle and eventually managed to save the whole village, only to vanish without a trace. ¡°Was the demon wind slain?¡± Shen Luo asked after hearing the story. ¡°The rumor didn¡¯t specify. However, since Taoyuan Village has been free from demonic troubles since then, it should have been slain I guess.¡± Green Sleeve thought for a moment and replied. Shen Luo silently pondered, and had a hunch that this ¡°demon wind¡± may not have been truly slain. However, the specifics were likely only known to that ¡°warrior¡±. After Green Sleeve finished speaking, she chatted casually with Shen Luo about other tales and anecdotes. Soon, Bai Xiaotian came to urge them, saying it was time for the feast, thus ending their discussion. Shen Luo changed into a brand new round-collared green robe, put the stone box back into his pocket, and then went to the banquet with Bai Xiaotian. ¡­ When night fell, Shen Luo planned to take out the jade pendant and examine the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture¡± recorded inside. However, soon after returning to his room, he was overtaken by sleepiness and fell asleep heavily on the bed. He was not sure how long he had slept when he suddenly felt a chill crawl over him. He shivered and instinctively reached out to grab the quilt, but instead of grabbing the quilt, his hand touched an ice-cold hard object. Shen Luo first furrowed his brows, but soon his eyes flew open, and his mind instantly cleared. He abruptly sat up, causing a ¡°clang¡± around him as several short spears fell off his body, clashing and rolling on the ground. Shen Luo glanced down and realized they were the flame short spears he had obtained from Commander Wu during his sleepwalking journey through Jia Lan Temple. It hit him then, he had sleepwalked again! ¡°Ouch¡­¡± ¡°Help me¡­¡± Before he could understand what was going on, heartbreaking cries for help echoed from behind him. He quickly turned around and saw, a few feet away, seven or eight sturdy bronze pillars, their surfaces covered with a thick layer of rust. Around each pillar were chains formed of dense, black Qi. Ghosts, with green faces, fangs, and horrifying appearances, were tethered to the bronze pillars by these chains. For some unknown reason, these ghosts all looked downcast, and some even had missing limbs, which made the sight even more tragic. Subconsciously, Shen Luo grabbed two of the short spears and stepped back five or six paces. The sound of his footsteps drew the attention of the ghosts. As they raised their heads and spotted Shen Luo, they stirred restlessly. A green-faced, red-eyed ghost began to scream excitedly, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. A hanging ghost with its tongue dangling down to its belly reached out with a pair of withered hands. Then, a headless ghost held its own head and shook it continuously at him¡­ A wave of horror washed over Shen Luo, but after steadying his mind and scanning his surroundings again, he discovered that he was standing in the center of a fairly large, circular altar, including the area occupied by the bronze pillars. In the center of the altar was rammed earth, while its surroundings were lined with layers of bone piles built from human skulls, all facing inward and emitting a green glow that sent shivers down Shen Luo¡¯s spine. Looking skyward, he saw a dark, oppressive ceiling of thick yellow clouds. The atmosphere was eerie and suffocating. However, the grounds around the altar were wide open with no signs of life. It appeared like a desolate, silent wilderness. ¡°Shen Luo, Shen Luo¡­¡± Just then, Shen Luo suddenly heard a voice calling from behind him. Turning around, he saw a red ghost with a horse¡¯s head and a human body, shouting his name with a human voice while excitedly waving its one remaining arm. Shocked, Shen Luo wondered why this ghost knew his name. Upon closer examination of the horse-headed, man-bodied ghost, he noticed that it was dressed differently from the other ghosts. Its garb rather resembled the official uniform of a judicial constable. ¡°What kind of ghost are you, and how do you know my name?¡± Shen Luo cautiously stepped closer, frowning as he questioned. Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 136: The Soul-Hooking Ma Mian Chapter 137: Chapter 136: The Soul-Hooking Ma Mian At this moment, the horse-faced ghost wore a face of astonishment and didn¡¯t answer, instead muttering incessantly: ¡°Are you really Shen Luo? Impossible, it¡¯s impossible¡­ How can you appear here, how can you still be alive?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense are you spouting!¡± Shen Luo was genuinely taken aback by the horse-faced ghost¡¯s gibberish, he retorted harshly. ¡± Quick¡­ put me down, I have something to say to you!¡± The horse-faced ghost finally came to his senses, shouting urgently. After hesitating slightly, Shen Luo sensed that the horse-faced ghost posed no threat, so he immediately channeled his mana, which flowed through his meridians into the short spear in his hand. With the short spear ¡°peng¡± igniting flames, he realized that his dantian was filled with abundant mana, clearly maintaining his previous cultivation state from the third level of the Nameless Heavenly Book. He took a step forward and wielded the short spear at the black qi ropes entwining the horse-faced ghost. The fire flared like a blade cutting the black rope apart. The horse-faced ghost fell from the pillar, stumbled to kneel, and its white mane spread out from behind its head. Just as it raised its head, the tip of a fire spear was aimed at its forehead. ¡°Speak, how do you know me?¡± Shen Luo sternly demanded. The horse-faced ghost had an odd expression but before it could speak, the altar beneath them began to shake violently as if a monstrous creature were moving towards them. The green ghost flames flickered on the bone corpses on the side. Shen Luo felt his mind shake along with the trembling altar beneath him, not knowing what had happened, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, creating an inexplicable fear. Then, he heard a chant of ¡°Black Mountain, Black Mountain¡± coming from the direction of the tremors, the voices were sometimes far, sometimes near, indeterminate as if one person was shouting or thousands were calling, creating an eerie atmosphere. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s the Black Mountain Old Demon!¡± The horse-faced ghost struggled to stand and shrieked. Shen Luo had no patience to question the horse-faced ghost further, he looked in the direction of the sound, and vaguely saw a massive, black mountain emerge. Even if he didn¡¯t know what the ¡°Black Mountain Old Demon¡± was, the grandeur was enough to show it wouldn¡¯t be easy to handle. So, he picked up all the short spears from the ground, slung them over his shoulder, and began to jog away from the altar, planning to leave as quickly as possible. ¡°Hey, Shen Luo, wait for me¡­¡± The horse-faced ghost shouted then leapt from the altar to follow closely behind. Shen Luo paid no heed and continued to run. Thus, the human and ghost ran in opposite directions to the approaching ¡°Black Mountain Old Demon¡±. However, they hadn¡¯t gone far when Shen Luo heard the sound of gale howling from behind him. He couldn¡¯t help but look back and his heart skipped a beat. The yellow cloud above the altar suddenly twisted and swirled, revealing an incredibly large ghost face. This ghost face was vague and the facial features were blurry. The mouth suddenly opened wide, splitting apart its entire face. The yellow clouds inside rolled, releasing a fearsome pull. Next, Shen Luo saw the entire altar beneath the giant face begin to shake violently, and abruptly uproot. With the anguished screams of the ghosts echoing, the altar, along with the ten bone corpse piles, flew into the giant mouth. ¡°Hehe, don¡¯t think about escaping¡­¡± An eerie laugh echoed from the sky. The giant face suddenly tilted, changing its perspective from looking down vertically at the earth to looking forward. The surrounding yellow cloud suddenly turned pitch black, became a howling gale and pursued Shen Luo. Cursing inwardly, but without knowing what to do, Shen Luo could only run desperately. ¡°Shen Luo, it¡¯s useless. This Black Mountain Old Demon is a Ghost King at the Nascent Soul Stage. We can¡¯t escape like this.¡± The horse-faced ghost roared from behind. As the words fell, the yellow clouds above their heads suddenly turned pitch black. Amid turbulent clouds, an incredibly large black giant hand stretched out and pressed down like five mountain ranges. Shen Luo looked back to see that the giant hand eclipsing the sky. They couldn¡¯t outrun the overwhelming hand with their speed. Continuing to run was pointless. ¡°So be it, let¡¯s fight¡­¡± He steeled his heart, suddenly halted, and spun around. He took a short spear from his body, channeled his mana into it, held it in one hand, took a few steps forward, swung his arm mightily, and threw it upwards. The short spear, as the mana was channeled into it, spurred a circle of crimson flames and whistled like an arrow towards the black giant hand. There was a loud ¡®boom¡¯! The flame short spear exploded on impact with the giant hand. However, the short spear was too insignificant compared to the giant hand blocking the sky. Even when it exploded, it was merely a small firework lighting up the night sky, flickering briefly before dissipating. The black giant hand didn¡¯t even pause, continuing to press down. ¡°No use, we can¡¯t stop it¡­¡± The horse-faced ghost stood shoulder to shoulder with Shen Luo, shaking his head in despair. Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows. He took another short spear from his body, again invested his mana, turning it into a fiery short spear and hurled it. Once a spear was thrown, another one followed, the whistling sounds sounded continuously. He threw out all the remaining six short spears, which as magical instruments, were far more powerful than any Talismanic Instrument when forcefully empowered with mana and brute strength. ¡°Boom boom boom¡­¡± The sound of explosions echoed in the sky as the force of the explosive fire spears continuously overlapped, transforming a small firework into a huge sea of flames. After the sea of flames spread, Shen Luo took out the one-foot-long crystal spear that radiated a compelling cold aura from his sleeve. He tightly gripped the little spear with both hands, the Nameless Cultivation Technique within his body worked rapidly, his whole mana gushed out from his dantian and was pumped into the spear without any reservation. The brilliant icy spear in his hands immediately radiated a dazzling white light, and ballooned into a giant icy spear about a yard long. ¡°Go!¡± With an explosive shout from Shen Luo, he once again exerted all his strength and threw the icy spear diagonally upwards. Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 137: The Three Hatreds of the Ghost Gate Pass Chapter 138: Chapter 137: The Three Hatreds of the Ghost Gate Pass The ice spear sliced across the sky, leaving a white trail, swiftly met by the giant hand. Instead of shattering on impact as the flame short spear had, it broke through the outer layer of defense, stabbing into the palm of the hand. Then, ¡°crackling¡± sounds echoed high in the sky, a layer of white chillness spreading from the ice spear at the center, enveloping the black giant hand. But the black giant hand simply swirled with green ghost flame on its surface and swept away all the chillness, continuing to slowly press down without hesitation. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s face turned ashen. He knew that he was again on the brink of death. And with the terrifying strength of the Black Mountain Old Demon, even if he was to resurrect again, the hope of escape seemed extremely slim. ¡°Oh well, oh well! Let me at least see you off. It won¡¯t be a total waste of our encounter.¡± Just then, the horse-faced ghost beside him suddenly sighed, opened its mouth, and spat out a flash of red light from its tongue, releasing two bright red Safflowers, throwing one of them to Shen Luo. ¡°What is this¡­ What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo subconsciously took the red light, greatly astonished. With the horse-faced ghost¡¯s strength inferior to his, could it have found a way to escape? The horse-faced ghost had already thrown the red Safflower into its mouth, swallowing it directly. Then, it howled up to the sky. A substantial red light suddenly erupted from its body, its aura skyrocketing incessantly, as if it had no limits. Shen Luo, who was watching from the side, was immediately blown back dozens of feet. He felt his scalp tingling and his hair standing on end. It no longer seemed like he was facing a nameless small ghost, but a giant beast-like ghost. ¡°Huh, you are¡­?¡± A startled sound came from high in the sky, and the pressing giant hand paused suddenly. The horse-faced ghost paid no attention, instead pulling out a black writing brush about a foot long from his bosom and pointing it to the void above.¡± The black writing brush seemed made of fine iron. On the penholder were densely drawn runes. As the horse-faced ghost pointed, a dazzling red light came from its tip, and red runes shot out. Shen Luo saw that above his head, all the runes converged into an article. He could not recognize all the words but could vaguely see ¡°Impeaching Ghosts, Exorcising Evil¡± and other words. Once the rune essay was completed, it immediately turned into a giant red light rushing into the sky. Amid thunderous ¡°rumbling¡± sounds, it managed to retreat the black giant hand, pushing it back into the dark clouds. Shen Luo was dumbfounded. ¡°Soul Hooking Pen, Impeach Ghost Poem, Soul Hooking Envoy¡­ it¡¯s you, Soul Hook Horse Face?¡± From the distant sky came the surprised and angry voice of the Black Mountain Old Demon, echoing endlessly. ¡°Soul Hook Horse Face?¡± Shen Luo heard this and felt a surge of disbelief. The horse-faced ghost completely ignored the roars of the Black Mountain Old Demon. It withdrew its black brush and made a vigorous stroke in the void. In front of its tip, a sudden dazzling red light emerged. The originally empty void was directly torn apart by this red light, opening a narrow ripple about three feet wide and several feet long from which gray-white mist oozed out. Before Shen Luo could understand what was happening, he saw the horse-faced ghost suddenly flash him a grin. Then, he kicked Shen Luo. He staggered backward from the kick, falling directly into the rift. The old horse-faced ghost and its black brush were both awash with bloody red light. Both of them dissipated like dust. In Shen Luo¡¯s ears, the last words of the horse-faced ghost rang out: ¡°When the flower wilts, the man dies, the time of a cup of tea¡­¡± In the next instant, the void crack disappeared, only the furious roar of the Black Mountain Old Demon reverberated through the void, with the sound fading away until it vanished. After a bout of dizzying vertigo, Shen Luo only felt a blur in his vision as he reappeared holding the bright red Little Flower in a different place. At this moment, he, tightly enveloped by the red light radiating from the Safflower, stood in an unfamiliar place shrouded in pale gray fog. Not far in front of him, there stood a massive archway reaching more than ten feet in height, pitch black and emanating a wicked aura. It should have been a three-room, four-pillar, seven-story building, but for some reason the left half had already collapsed leaving only two and a half standing with relative integrity. From the eaves of its roof, bells the size of human heads dangled. What was peculiar was that those copper bells, despite swaying in the wind, made no sound whatsoever. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, closely inspecting the center of the archway. On seeing this, he couldn¡¯t help but draw a sharp breath. On the plaque¡¯s position, three big, ancient seal characters were engraved: ¡°Ghost Gate Pass.¡± ¡°Ghost Gate Pass¡­isn¡¯t this the place of Yinming? How did I end up here?¡± Shen Luo was utterly shocked, as countless popular tales about this place involuntarily sprung up in his mind. This was a place supposedly reserved for the dead! More importantly, why did the Soul Hook Horse Face recognize him and even sacrifice itself to aid his escape? Upon another close look at the plaque, he confirmed that the words ¡°Ghost Gate Pass¡± were indeed written on it. And beneath those words were three giant characters inked with blood-red and black: ¡°Hatred.¡± ¡°Hatred, Hatred, Hatred.¡± The three ¡°hatred¡± characters were lined up. Each one was written in brushwork so wild that the author¡¯s resentment seemed to deepen with every character. Blood welled up and flowed down the bottom of the words, creating winding lines that made the sight increasingly menacing. ¡°First the Soul Hook Horse Face, now the Ghost Gate Pass, don¡¯t tell me the Yellow Springs Road is next?¡± Shen Luo looked suspiciously at what lay beyond the archway. He beheld, indeed, a road sprawled with yellow sand winding off into the distance and disappearing into the grey fog beyond the archway. Scattered along both sides of the road were bright red flowers blooming freely. The flowers had single sepals and umbrella-like inflorescences on top, with petals curling backward like dragon claws and a color as vibrant as dripping blood. To his astonishment, they were all identical to the one he held, they were all Other Shore Flowers. Legend has it that a unique flower named Other Shore grows along the Yellow Springs Road to the Netherworld, forever blooming without leaves, the only scenery in sight. ¡°It really is the Yellow Springs Road¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes changed as he muttered to himself. Just then, a dull rumbling sound rang out from the void overhead, followed by gusts of wind from high above. Shen Luo immediately looked up and saw the sky filled with swirling Yin winds, covered with dark clouds. There was a slightly brighter, circular hole in the middle, surrounded by thick clouds, shining with a white light. It looked like the entire sky had been pierced through with a hole. Having a vague sense of an impending crisis, he subconsciously wanted to get away from there, but naturally, he couldn¡¯t enter the Ghost Gate Pass in front of him. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 138: The Misty Hole Chapter 139: Chapter 138: The Misty Hole Shen Luo felt around his body and discovered that the elixir and gold rope he had obtained from the Demon Fox and Commander Wu last time were still on him. This put his mind at ease somewhat. He turned around, casting his gaze in all directions, only to find that all he could see was a vast expanse of white fog, its destination unknown. After a brief contemplation, he lifted his foot and started walking in the direction opposite to the Ghost Gate Pass. After walking about a hundred yards in one go, Shen Luo noticed the dense fog before him growing thicker while the chilling Yin wind around him was also becoming fiercer. Feeling a bit uneasy in his heart and still haunted by the words ¡°time of a cup of tea¡± that the horse-faced ghost had said in its final message, he decided to start running at full speed. In response to his running, not only was there no sign of improvement in the surrounding conditions, things seemed to be getting worse. Soon, the visibility was completely zero and the only thing he could hear was the constant howling wind. When Shen Luo thought he would never be able to escape, the fog in front of him suddenly dispersed out of nowhere. The wind sound instantly disappeared, and he felt a sudden ease in his body, stumbling a few steps forward before finally steadying himself. Before Shen Luo had the time to celebrate the relief, he lifted his head and saw himself standing in front of a ruined archway. On it, there was a damaged inscription that read ¡°Ghost Gate Pass¡±. Below the inscription, there were three more characters with a black-red color which spelled ¡°hate¡±, that looked terrifyingly horrific. ¡°I¡¯m back again!¡± Furrowing his brows, Shen Luo was still trying to figure out what was happening when he noticed that tiny red spots of light were floating out from the Other Shore Flower in his hand, looking like the embers from a burning fire. As these light spots started to disappear, the red light on the Other Shore Flower continued to weaken and the color also grew dim, almost making the flower seem like it was about to wilt away. ¡°The flower wilts, I perish, the time of a cup of tea¡­¡± Shen Luo suddenly understood a bit. He looked past the archway at the foggy Yellow Springs Road. Steeling his heart, he started to run toward the Ghost Gate Pass. If there was no way back, he had no choice but to move forward. No matter how dangerous the path ahead may be, it was definitely better than waiting here for an inevitable death! Shen Luo took a step over the collapsed black stone under the archway and then, making a great leap, tried to enter the Ghost Gate Pass. But at that moment, an unexpected change took place! The three ¡°hate¡± characters under the title board of the Ghost Gate Pass began to glow intensely. As soon as Shen Luo drew near, he was hit by an invisible, enormous force that sent him flying backward. Falling back, Shen Luo caught his body with his hand on the ground, just managing to steady himself. All he felt was a churning in his chest followed by an intense cruel thought drilling into his mind. In haste, he started to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique, directing all the mana straight up his head, which drove out the evil thought. When Shen Luo looked at the Other Shore Flower in his hand, he found that the petals were turning yellow and only the bud maintained a bit of red color. He clenched his teeth and made another dash toward the inside of the archway. His body then lit up with a faint blue light, and he mustered all of his mana to push himself forward once again. Next, the three characters ¡°hate¡± shone with an intense red light once more. A much stronger invisible force erupted from the characters, smashing into Shen Luo. Shen Luo gave a faint groan. The blue light around him was shattered, and he was sent flying high into the air. Before he could even land, the Other Shore Flower in his hand had completely wilted. Along with the flowers turning to dust, the protective red light that was always around Shen Luo disappeared. The surrounding ghost fog and Yin wind suddenly rushed towards him, forming a huge, grey vortex, with him right in the center. Without the protection of the red light, a piece of his clothing that came in contact with the ghost fog quickly turned to ash and soon blew away with the Yin wind. Seeing this, Shen Luo was greatly alarmed and looked up at the massive hole in the sky. ¡°Let¡¯s try it one more time!¡± He sighed in despair. The moment he landed, all the magical power in his body was concentrated into his legs and he leapt upwards. There was a loud ¡°bang¡± as if a current of air had exploded under his feet. Shen Luo¡¯s figure shot straight up into the sky and went headlong into the hole. It was as if there was a roll of cloud inside the hole, and at the same time, a strong attraction was formed that pulled him in. Shen Luo felt light all over his body and he was already floating, having passed through the hole. After he landed, he stepped on a round stone, stumbled a bit, and then heard a slight ¡°crack.¡± He quickly looked down and realized that what he had just stepped on wasn¡¯t a round stone at all, but a human skull. It seemed to have been dead for a while, and it was easily crushed under his unintentional step. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Shen Luo apologized as he quickly took a step back. ¡°Crack,¡± another light sound. Shen Luo turned to look, another piece of bone under his foot was actually broken by him. His brow wrinkled as he looked around, feeling a chill running down his spine. The fog was thick around him, and all he could see was a radius of tens of meters. Within these tens of meters, there were densely scattered white bones. There were those of the human race and wild beasts. Most were already mixed together, with only a few maintaining their original shapes. In the fog-shrouded areas beyond his sight, it seemed that even more bones were hidden. Shen Luo turned around to look not far away and found that the hole he had escaped from still existed, but it had shrunk to about ten meters across, a far cry from its earlier size. Recalling the scene in front of the Ghost Gate Pass, he still felt a lingering fear and naturally wouldn¡¯t approach the hole again. Surrounded by thick fog, Shen Luo didn¡¯t know which way to go. As he hesitated, he heard a gust of wind, making a ¡°whoo¡± sound, like a woman¡¯s weeping. The white bones that he had smashed under his feet were swept up by the wind, scattering ashes towards the front. Shen Luo slightly furrowed his brow, thought for a moment, and then walked in the direction the wind was blowing. In the vast wilderness, Shen Luo was taking uneven steps. Although he tried to avoid it, he still occasionally stepped on bones, making continuous crunching noises. He didn¡¯t know how long he had walked when he noticed that the fog in front of him was gradually thinning. His spirit slightly stirred, he walked a bit further and the fog tailed off, broadening his view. Only then did he realize that he was standing on a hillside, and across a pit was an imposing cyan mountain peak that towered into the clouds. Shen Luo looked back and then continued down the slope. Halfway down, he suddenly heard a bird-like cry from high above. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 139: Resisting the Demon Attack Chapter 140: Chapter 139: Resisting the Demon Attack He quickly looked up, seeing a gigantic bird circling in the sky with wings spread out measuring twenty to thirty feet. Its feathers were shiny black and exuded a faint black fog. It almost seemed like a demon. Before Shen Luo observed carefully, the bird dove down towards the mountain pit. It disappeared from his sight swiftly. Shen Luo was puzzled, so he quickened his pace, chasing in the direction where the bird had vanished. He moved forward gradually for about a hundred steps, then he heard roars of beasts and constant cries of despair faintly coming from ahead. ¡°There are people!¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself and accelerated down the mountain. The closer he got, the louder the cries of despair and beast roars became. Halfway up the mountain, he finally saw a village built against a massive mountain in the middle of the pit. Although the village wasn¡¯t big, its surroundings were fortified like a military camp. Tree trunks were sharpened at the top, formed into rows, and turned into sturdy wooden fences. These walls made from wooden fences were about twenty feet high. Platforms were built inside them with teenagers of the human race standing every few feet, wearing coarse hemp clothes, and continuously shooting arrows and stabbing with spears. Outside of the wooden fence, there were several gray-haired monkeys as tall as humans but ten times stronger. Some of these monkeys were throwing rocks at the wall. Each impact would produce loud bangs, expressing intense force. The wooden fence on one side had two huge doors wrapped in iron. Several monkeys had gathered there, wielding large stone clubs and continuously smashing the door with their arms swinging around. Someone noticed the door shaking severely due to their smashing and was about to break down. He leaned out and stabbed downwards with his spear to fend off the monkeys. But shortly after showing his head, he was struck in the forehead by a rock, causing his brain to burst open. His body tilted and fell off the wall. The monkeys gathered at the gate then abandoned their smashing, swarmed over, and fought for the man¡¯s corpse. The body was going to be torn apart beneath their hands. At this point, a purple-haired woman in coarse armor suddenly appeared on top of the wooden fence. She quickly formed seals with her hands. There was an immediate whoosh in the void and a fireball as big as a human head descended from the sky, smashing towards the group of gray-haired monkeys. The beasts seemed to know the danger of the fireball and abandoned the meat in their mouths, instantly scampering away. As the fireball hit the corpse, a flame immediately rose, swallowing it comfortably. Watching this, the monkeys became even more ferocious and started smashing the gate again. The others threw rocks, aiming at the woman. ¡°A cultivator¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before focusing on the woman. He noticed how young and tender her face was, she was just a girl. Underneath her broken armor, on her arms and leg area, were wraps of white cloth. There were faint traces of black dried blood visible on them. Just then, the bird cry rang in the sky. Shen Luo looked up, seeing three or four huge birds similar to the one he saw before, circling over the village. Suddenly, they all swooped down one by one, flying over the wooden fences, and attacked the village. Upon seeing this, the youths on the high fence wall quickly drew their bows and shot feathered arrows at them. The arrows whizzed through the air at a seemingly fast speed, but when they reached the giant birds, the gusts of wind created by the birds¡¯ flapping wings deviated them from their course. Not a single one hit its target. The giant birds swooped into the village, demolishing mud and straw houses, pecking and hooking with their beaks and claws, dragging out the old, the young, and the helpless who had taken shelter in the houses. Shrieks and screams filled the air. Along the roadside in the village, some poor, emaciated villagers sat next to collapsed walls, unresponsive and dazed, with murky eyes devoid of any hint of life, seemingly lifeless. A frail old woman staggered a few steps, then collapsed onto the ground, lacking even the strength to struggle back onto her feet. Her eyes, long since dry, could not even shed tears anymore. Once outside the fence, the three giant birds opened their mouths and dropped their prey, leaving the weak and the unable bloodied and battered on the ground. The gray-haired monkeys lept towards the prey, quickly rending them apart and picking their remains clean. Feasting on human flesh seemed to have excited these beasts, who attacked the village with renewed vigor, and the giant birds too, took to the air, swooping back towards the village. One giant bird flew over a cottage in the center of the village, a few flaps of its wings and a gust of wind swept away the entire roof. A chorus of screams rang out from the house ¨C there were thirteen or fourteen children, all huddling fearfully in a corner. Their faces were all stained with tears, their eyes filled with fear. Upon seeing this, the giant bird screeched gleefully and immediately dived towards the terrified children. At the same moment, an old woman with a face full of wrinkles suddenly rushed over, holding a wooden broomstick. Like a hen protecting its chicks, she stood in front of the children. The bird¡¯s hooked talons swooped down, about to seize the old woman. Then ¨C ¡°BOOM!¡± A ball of fiery red flame suddenly fell diagonally from the sky and struck the bird¡¯s back. With a mournful screech, the bird was slammed away, crashing into a wall and getting buried in the rubble. At the edge of the wall, the purple-haired girl, her face pale, slowly withdrew her hand. She smiled weakly at the old woman and children in the corner. But before she could fully extend her smile, a swiftly propelled stone hit her in the back. She lost her balance and tumbled from the top of the wall, landing heavily on the ground, blood spewing from her mouth. Without her assistance defending the wall, the young men were quickly suppressed by the monkey¡¯s onslaught of stones, not daring to reveal themselves. Meanwhile, a couple of monkeys at the gate began to hammer even more enthusiastically. The gate that was weather-beaten over time, could no longer hold, ready to shatter at any moment. Once the gate was breached, the village would surely be destroyed and the lives of its inhabitants lost. Despite the excruciating pain coursing through her body, the purple-haired girl struggled to her feet, intent on making her way towards the gate. Her injuries were severe, her footing unsteady. She didn¡¯t notice that the giant bird she had knocked down had risen from the mound of rubble. It fluttered its wings and swooped towards her, its sharp beak thrusting straight towards the back of her head. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 140: Longevity Village Chapter 141: Chapter 140: Longevity Village At a critical moment, the girl saw through her blurry vision the figure of a stranger, a man who towered over the fence. Grasping a spear in his hand, he threw it violently towards her. Subconsciously, the girl wanted to dodge, but the speed of the flying spear was much faster than she expected. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the spear flew past her earlobe. The short shriek behind her signaled the giant bird¡¯s death ¨C its head impaled by the spear embedded in the ground. The girl wiped the blood off her face and saw the man properly. It was a handsome young man. The man was Shen Luo. Seeing the girl¡¯s pitiful condition yet still forcing a smile towards him moved him deeply, erupting a surge of passion in his heart. ¡°You can rest now. Let me handle these beasts,¡± Shen Luo announced. Just as he finished speaking, two remaining birds, witnessing the death of their peer, pounced at Shen Luo. Their hook-like claws lunched at his neck from either side. Shen Luo was undeterred, with each hand grabbing the claws of one bird, he twisted around with a surge of Mana and hurled them to the ground. Before the birds could struggle to stand, Shen Luo leaped into the air, stamping on their heads. He quickly killed them. Then Shen Luo advanced forward, his inner Mana spiraling as he leaped over the fence and landed outside the village. The monkeys seeing Shen Luo immediately mistook him for food and flocked towards him. Feeling his pockets, Shen Luo remembered that both his Ice Gun and Fire Gun had been destroyed by the Black Mountain Old Demon. At the moment, he only had the magical golden rope coiled around his waist. However, he kept his calm. He had noticed earlier that these grey-haired monkeys and birds were low-level monsters, barely having opened their Spiritual Wisdom. They were not even comparable to the Rat Monster under the Demon Fox and were no match for him. He silently recalled the mantra of the Qingyang Hand, attempting to channel the masculine energy of his body into his palms according to the operating method of the mantra. Immediately a green light glowed on his palms, and they seemed to grow twice their size. As he readied himself, a monkey advanced and threw a punch at him. Shen Luo dodged easily and slapped it on the head. The monkey¡¯s head sank in, and it collapsed without making a sound. Then, two more monkeys wielding stone clubs rushed towards him. Shen Luo struck out with both palms, easily shattering the stone clubs, he then caught each monkey¡¯s head in each hand and slammed their heads together. With a ¡°pop¡± sound, both monkeys¡¯ heads exploded. These ferocious yet foolish monkeys were terrified and immediately retreated. Having just learned the Qingyang Hand technique, Shen Luo didn¡¯t want to miss such a great opportunity to practice it. He charged at the retreating monkeys. With left hook and right palm jab, he killed four to five monkeys within seconds. The villagers who had gathered managed to peek outside and were stunned by the scene. ¡°An Immortal¡­ it¡¯s an Immortal¡­¡± ¡°The Immortals on the mountain have returned¡­ They¡¯ve come back¡­¡± ¡°The Gods are watching over us¡­ our Longevity Village¡­is saved¡­¡± One after the other, people began to cheer out in excitement. Shen Luo chased the monkeys for nearly a hundred steps before stopping. Only three or four monkeys were left and they had fled in panic. On his way back to the village, he noticed that outside the fence, a few acres of barren fields amid sparse, drying bamboo forests seemed half-dead. These fields had been trampled and almost completely destroyed by the monkeys. Arriving at the village entrance, Shen Luo found the shaky stockade gate slowly opened. Nearly a hundred villagers- men, women, and the elderly started to appear slowly. Shabby and exhausted, they looked like a group of refugees. Brows furrowed, Shen Luo approached the crowd. Just as he was about to speak, a large portion of the villagers knelt down. ¡°Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving us¡­¡± ¡°Immortal Master, you are infinitely merciful and benevolent¡­¡± Amidst the praise and thanks, intermittent crying was heard. These survivors could not hold back their emotions and collectively burst into tears. Seeing this, it made Shen Luo a little stunned. Although he had experienced various bizarre events in numerous dreams, he had never experienced a situation like this in Dreamland. ¡°Cry¡­ all of you¡­ It¡¯s no use¡­ we¡¯re all going to die¡­¡± a lunatic¡¯s voice suddenly echoed from the people. When Shen Luo looked over, he saw a dirty, bald old man rushing from the crowd. He repeatedly mumbled that it was useless ¨C they were all going to die. The man reached Shen Luo, stared at him for a while, then suddenly let out a ¡°hehe¡± laughter. He stretched out a finger to Shen Luo and said, ¡°You¡¯re going to die too, hehe¡­¡± Having said that, he circled around Shen Luo, laughing aloud. He then staggered back into the village. The kneeling people seemed to have grown used to this, continuing to cry, their hopeful eyes fixed on Shen Luo as if he were a deity that would save the world. Those who were standing behind and not kneeling seemed as baffled, their faces pale and expressionless, looking more like zombies. ¡°Everybody, please stand up to talk.¡± Shen Luo touched his temple, feeling a bit helpless. No one responded nor stood up, initating an awkward silence. ¡°Everyone stop crying for now. Can anyone tell me what happened to the village?¡± Shen Luo was slightly annoyed and used mana to amplify his voice to drown out the sobs. Upon hearing this, crying dwindled slowly. A dark-skinned man, who was previously on guard at the wall, looked at the distance first, then turned his gaze to Shen Luo. ¡°May I ask, Immortal Master, are you the only one who descended from the mountain?¡± His voice was laced with anxiety. Shen Luo was a bit puzzled. As he was about to speak, he heard a weary woman¡¯s voice: ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t block the entrance. Let¡¯s first let the Daoist friend from the mountain enter the village.¡± Upon hearing her words, the villagers gradually stood up and made way. Shen Luo followed the path and saw the purple-haired girl from before. Holding a long spear, she slowly walked from the inside of the gate. Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 141: The Desolate Village Chapter 142: Chapter 141: The Desolate Village The young girl¡¯s wounds had been simply bandaged, and she looked terribly pale. However, her eyes were still bright and different from the rest of the crowd. ¡°Daoist friend, although you helped us fend off these beasts, there¡¯s no guarantee that new monsters won¡¯t attack again. Brother Qingniu, lead everyone to repair the stockade gate and¡­clean up the corpses outside. Sister Yu, together with Aunt Luo, use the meat of these giant birds to prepare food for everyone. We haven¡¯t had meat for a long time. Preserve the rest,¡± the young girl turned and instructed. ¡°Understood,¡± the dark-skinned man who had asked her earlier replied promptly. ¡°Ying Luo, we¡¯ve got this. Don¡¯t worry,¡± two middle-aged women wiped their faces and quickly replied. Shen Luo noticed that this young girl, although injured, was still smiling brightly. This wasn¡¯t the forced smile, but a sincere, wholehearted one, exceptionally radiant, which uplifted the spirits of those who saw her. Influenced by her, the villagers soon stopped crying, scattering to help clean up the chaotic village. ¡°Daoist friend, please follow me,¡± said Ying Luo as she then turned to Shen Luo said crisply. Shen Luo nodded slightly and strolled slowly along with the young girl through the crowd. ¡°If you¡¯re truly an immortal from Mt. Fangcun, why did you only come now? Why did you come only after my husband and son are dead?¡± asked a pallid, middle-aged woman leaning against the gate as they approached. Shen Luo stopped abruptly, about to clarify subconsciously, but he saw Ying Luo give him a subtle wink and swallowed his words. ¡°Of course our Daoist friend comes from Mount Fangcun, how else would he save us all from this hardship?¡± Ying Luo responded, looking at the middle-aged woman. ¡°An immortal from Mount Fangcun¡­,¡± hearing her words, some villagers cheered. ¡°Thank god, an immortal from Mount Fangcun¡­,¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡± The rest of the crowd also rejoiced. Shen Luo frowned slightly, wondering why it mattered whether he was a monk from Mount Fangcun or not. At this moment, he felt a cold gaze on him. Turning his attention towards the village gate, he noticed the white-haired old woman, who had been fiercely protecting the children earlier, standing there, staring at him with an indifferent expression, in stark contrast to the joyous demeanor of the others. Standing next to her were a dozen or so children, aged around eight or nine, who peeked timidly at Shen Luo. The old woman¡¯s eyes were dull and her sockets sunken, which discomforted Shen Luo. Ying Ruo also noticed Shen Luo¡¯s gaze and looked towards the gate. Shen Luo then saw the old woman¡¯s gaze linger on Ying Luo for a moment. They seemed to communicate in silent understanding before the old woman led the children away without a word. Shen Luo followed Ying Luo through the village gate, and the sight before him was a picture of desolation. The houses inside the village, densely packed but scattered,were mostly destroyed near the village gate. Blue-green moss grew from the collapsed and broken walls giving a dreary look. White traces of paper stuck to the broken window sills could still be faintly discerned. A gust of wind blew up a layer of dust across the ground, and the sparse straw on the rooftops also fluttered into the air. Shen Luo waved his hand to keep the dust from coming towards him and followed Ying Luo into the village, stepping carefully over the uneven ground. Ying Luo stayed silent all the way, so Shen Luo didn¡¯t speak either, but he kept scanning the surroundings, observing the whole village. Throughout their journey, they saw few trees¨Cmost of the elm willow trees were already dead, their barks peeled off, leaving only bare trunks with twisted branches standing alone. After the commotion at the village gate, silence returned to the village, with only the sound of the low wind and occasional sobs echoing around, creating an oppressive atmosphere. As they rounded a collapsed house and were about to continue forward, Shen Luo suddenly furrowed his brows and looked back to see a thin, small figure hurriedly hiding. ¡°Chen Guanbao.¡± Ying Luo too noticed someone following them and called out. A child, dressed in a worn-out blue cloth shirt, walked towards them with a rather restrained expression. Shen Luo found the boy somewhat familiar. He appeared to be the boy who was standing next to the old woman earlier. ¡°Sister Ying,¡± the handsome boy approached Ying Luo with his hands behind his back and softly said. ¡°Chen Guanbao, why are you following us?¡± Ying Luo asked gently. Hearing her words, the handsome boy looked up at Shen Luo, slightly hesitated, as though plucking up courage, before saying, ¡°Immortal Brother, can you teach me magic? I want to fight monsters like Sister Ying and protect our village!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was somewhat moved and took a second look at Chen Guanbao. He noticed that although the boy was slender and weak, his gaze was determined. The light in his eyes was something that many adults in the village did not possess. However, Shen Luo found himself unable to answer him, as he had no plans to stay in this place. Ying Luo seemed to understand his hesitation. She raised her hand, ruffled the boy¡¯s hair and laughed, ¡°Chen Guanbao is brave, I know that. But you are too young to learn magic spells now. Let¡¯s talk about it when you grow older.¡± ¡°Sister Ying, I¡¯m not small. When the monsters came, I was protecting Tian Niu and the others,¡± Chen Guanbao puffed his chest out and said loudly. ¡°Great, Chen Guanbao has grown up. But Sister Ying and Immortal Brother have things to discuss. Go back first, if Granny Ma can¡¯t find you, she¡¯s going to scold you,¡± Ying Luo said, laughing. Upon hearing this, Chen Guanbao immediately lowered his head and turned around to leave. However, quickly he turned back, took out a wrinkled wild fruit from behind him and handed it over. Shen Luo looked at him in surprise since the fruit was offered to him, not Ying Luo. ¡°Is this for me?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Thank you, Immortal Brother, for saving Sister Ying, for saving us,¡± Chen Guanbao earnestly nodded his head. Shen Luo accepted the wild fruit and saw Chen Guanbao run off hastily. Looking at the small figure disappearing in the distance, Shen Luo felt warmth in his heart, and a hint of a smile flashed on his face. Noticing this, Ying Luo smiled subtly and, after glancing at Shen Luo, continued walking forward. Shen Luo pocketed the wild fruit and followed her. After walking a bit further, they finally stepped into a bamboo house. ¡°What is your exact identity, Daoist friend? Why did you suddenly appear in our Longevity Village?¡± As soon as they entered the house and Ying Luo closed the door, she suddenly turned to Shen Luo and asked sternly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell the villagers that I¡¯m a cultivator from Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows slightly and asked somewhat displeased. ¡°Daoist friend, you¡¯ve been kind to us, and I shouldn¡¯t be so impolite. However, given the circumstances, I would be grateful if you could be frank with us,¡± Ying Luo said, her eyes flashing a complex expression, and she apologetically explained. Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 142: Ying Luos Request Chapter 143: Chapter 142: Ying Luo¡¯s Request ¡°I won¡¯t lie, I don¡¯t know how I got here. I just lost my way in a fog, and when I emerged, I found myself here.¡± Seeing that the other party was sincere, Shen Luo eased his expression and mused for a moment before answering. ¡°So, you found your way here through the fog. Could it be possible to reach the outside world through it?¡± Ying Luo¡¯s eyes sparkled as she asked eagerly. ¡°I am not sure about that. Miss Ying Luo, could you first tell me what this place is?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows as he asked, feeling more puzzled by the minute. ¡°This is Longevity Village, located within the jurisdiction of Bei Qiao County of Baoxiang Country,¡± Ying Luo replied. ¡°Baoxiang Country, does that not mean we are in the territory of the West Niu Hezhou Continent¡­¡± Shen Luo was taken aback when he heard this. He had come across a journal of a previous traveler in the sect¡¯s repository and had seen records of Baoxiang Country in the text. He knew that it was quite far from the Great Tang situated on the Southern Sub-Central Continent. He couldn¡¯t help wondering, when he entered the dream this time, had he actually traversed through an entire continent? ¡°Are you not from this country, Daoist friend?¡± Ying Luo asked with some surprise. ¡°In fact, I traveled here from elsewhere, to be precise, I come from a place called the ¡®Great Tang¡¯.¡± Shen Luo gathered his wits, smiled at Ying Luo, and explained. ¡°Great Tang¡­ No wonder your clothing seems a bit unusual. May I ask your name? Thanks for your assistance this time. You saved Longevity Village from danger; I owe you a bow of gratitude.¡±Ying Luo said, with a hint of a smile, she then bowed to Shen Luo. ¡°Miss Ying, you are too polite. My name is Shen Luo. I¡¯m probably not much older than you, so if you don¡¯t mind, you can call me Big Brother Shen.¡± Shen Luo quickly bowed back and replied. ¡°Big Brother Shen.¡± Ying Luo promptly accepted. ¡°Miss Ying Luo, could you tell me what¡¯s the story with the fog outside? From what you said earlier, it seems like it is not possible to penetrate through the fog to the outside?¡± Shen Luo asked again, his face showing a touch of seriousness. ¡°How did you make it out of the fog, Brother Shen, since you didn¡¯t know anything about it?¡± Ying Luo asked, a peculiar look flashing in her eyes as she heard his words. ¡°I really just stumbled upon this place, there¡¯s nothing deceptive about it. If the young lady knows something, I hope she would tell me the truth,¡± Shen Luo said earnestly. ¡°In fact, I am also not clear about what is happening with the fog. All I know is that hundreds of years ago, after the Heavenly Demon Annihilation, the surroundings of Longevity Village began to be shrouded by the fog and we have been isolated ever since then.¡± Ying Luo looked at his earnest expression, a flash of disappointment in her eyes, as she said slowly. ¡°What would happen to a person who steps into it?¡± asked Shen Luo curiously. However, he couldn¡¯t help but recall what Yu Yan¡¯s father and son had said about the ¡°Heavenly Fire descending to earth after the Monsters swallowed the sky¡±, which was also said to have happened hundreds of years ago. He wondered if the two incidents were related. ¡°It¡¯s said that once a person steps into it, they will lose their direction. If they go a little further, they will be trapped until death. In the early years, many villagers continuously attempted to explore the fog, but after too many people died, no one dared to venture anymore.¡± Ying Luo said with a bitter smile. ¡°So, you are saying that you have been cut-off by this fog for hundreds of years? That¡¯s impossible! Being stranded for so long, it would have been impossible for you to survive.¡± Shen Luo said with some disbelief. In his opinion, the small amount of farmland outside the village didn¡¯t seem like it could support that many people. ¡°When the fog first started engulfing the village, things were not so terrible. There were fertile farmlands outside the village for cultivation and each household also had domestic animals. The village was even guarded by several disciples from Mount Fangcun. Under their lead, even though life was tough, it was sustainable. However, after a series of incidents, things went from bad to worse.¡± Ying Luo paused here. ¡°Many times you¡¯ve mentioned Mount Fangcun, but what exactly is it?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°The big mountain backing our Longevity Village is Mount Fangcun. I heard from my father when I was young that there used to be immortals living on this mountain and there were real cultivation sects present. At that time, the village was protected by them and everything was peaceful. Many strong youngsters from the village were also selected and led to the foot of the mountain to learn magic.¡± Ying Luo said, a look of yearning in her eyes. ¡°If there was such a powerful sect, why didn¡¯t you seek their help after you got trapped?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not that we didn¡¯t want to, but we couldn¡¯t. The disciples of Mount Fangcun who were in the village also tried to send a message to the mountains using special methods, but unfortunately, no one responded. Afterwards, they attempted to climb the mountain. Three people went, but only my ancestor came back. He was already an initial-stage soul-condensing cultivator, but when he returned, he was fatally injured. Before passing away, he left behind a warning, ¡®never go to the mountain¡¯.¡± Ying Luo sighed and said. ¡°Perhaps something happened on Mount Fangcun as well,¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully. ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened on the mountain, but after the Heavenly Demon Annihilation, it was as if the immortals there had vanished. They haven¡¯t shown themselves again. However, the people in the village still fantasize about the day when the immortals from the mountain will return.¡± Ying Luo chuckled bitterly. ¡°No wonder you introduced me as a monk from Mount Fangcun in front of the villagers.¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized. ¡°I had no choice. After incessant attacks by the Monsters, villagers are already exhausted to the point of despair. I could only say you were an immortal from Mount Fangcun to arouse their last bit of hope. Otherwise, without the threat of Monsters, they would not have been able to go on.¡± Ying Luo¡¯s expression darkened. Recalling the expressions of the villagers, especially their worn-out and hopeless faces, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the burden that this young girl carried. ¡°In this case, it can be considered a white lie. But this is not a long-term plan,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Battling on with hope is always better than waiting for death in despair¡­Speaking of which, I should thank you for not exposing my lie in front of the villagers,¡± Ying Luo said. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. But I am a bit curious. It seems there are no other cultivators in the village, apart from you?¡± Shen Luo shook his head and asked. ¡°There was one more, but after her Dantian got damaged, she lost all her mana and is no different from an ordinary person now,¡± Ying Luo answered, a glint flashing across her eyes. ¡°Is the person you¡¯re talking about a white-haired Granny who takes care of a group of kids?¡± Shen Luo thought for a while and suddenly asked. ¡°How did you know?¡± Ying Luo was somewhat surprised. ¡°Among all villagers, no matter whether they believed I was a Mount Fangcun monk or not, only her gaze towards me is different,¡± Shen Luo recalled the old woman¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s her. But you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Granny Ma is a bit eccentric. Apart from me and the kids, she hardly talks to anyone in the village,¡± Ying Luo quickly replied. ¡°Those kids¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated as he mentioned this. Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 143: Investigation Chapter 144: Chapter 143: Investigation ¡°They¡¯re all orphans from the village, their parents died, and they¡¯ve been taken care of and raised by Granny Ma ever since.¡± Ying Luo sighed and narrated. ¡°According to what you said earlier, there were quite a few disciples from Mount Fangcun in Longevity Village. Even after many years, they had limited lifespans, but there should still be some sort of heritage left, right?¡± Shen Luo knew there was certainly some tragic story behind this, so he didn¡¯t delve into it further and asked instead. ¡°Some of those disciples from Mount Fangcun died on the road while exploring, some died while climbing up the mountain for help. The remainder was not many, and over time they left the world one by one. They all trained pupils to pass on their knowledge, but the lifespans of the pupils and grandchildren they accepted were even shorter, some even died earlier than they did. By the time when the village started to experience monster attacks a few years ago, it was only Granny Ma and I left.¡± Ying Luo nodded and spoke slowly. Shen Luo deeply understood the difficulties of cultivation. Even a small sect with systematic heritage like the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, could not guarantee that all disciples would understand the Dao, and then pass it down from generation to generation. The destitute small mountain village was even more impossible to do so. The successors of those cultivators would only sink little by little. Whenever he thought about the cultivators in the village being trapped here and dying helplessly one by one, and the situation in the village deteriorating day by day, he inevitably felt a sense of sadness. ¡°Were these monsters around since ancient times, or did they just appear a few years ago?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°About four years ago, the village suddenly suffered from an epidemic, many children were infected. Several villagers went to Mount Fangcun to look for medicinal herbs, against their ancestor¡¯s warning. As a result, those beasts on the mountain seemed to have gained spiritual wisdom, and ate all of them, which triggered their ferocious nature, they began to actively descend the mountain to attack us.¡± Ying Luo nodded and said. ¡°Demons will still have some nature left before tasting blood. But once they have tasted it, they will pursue the taste and never stop.¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°Indeed. After that, we had no choice but to build defensive walls around the village to protect against the occasional attacks of monsters. However, as the talismanic instruments in the village ran out, and Granny Ma suffered a heavy blow, more and more villagers died in battle. The frequency of monsters and birds coming down the mountain became even more frequent. If it hadn¡¯t been for your appearance, Big Brother Shen, I¡¯m sure we couldn¡¯t have held on.¡± When Ying Luo said this, a look of gratitude appeared in her eyes. ¡°I ended up here by coincidence, it was perhaps destined.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said so. ¡°Big Brother Shen, that¡¯s basically the situation in the village. What are your plans?¡±, Ying Luo said hesitantly. ¡°Since I¡¯m not from here, naturally I won¡¯t stay for long. After finding the way out, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°This time, repelling these beasts only provided a temporary solution. If we can¡¯t find a way out, everyone in the village will inevitably die. Since you were able to come in, you should be able to find a way out. Could I ask that you help us find a way out of here?¡± When Ying Luo heard this, a glint of joy flashed in her eyes and she hurriedly said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo didn¡¯t respond immediately but fell into deep thought. After listening to the status of Longevity Village, in addition to empathy, he also had a few concerns. If the mist barrier cannot be broken, he himself may also be trap here like the villagers. He still hadn¡¯t figured out how the previous few dreams had returned to reality, and he was not willing to be trapped here cluelessly. ¡°If Big Brother Shen is having a hard time¡­¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s silence, Ying Luo¡¯s expression slightly dimmed. ¡°I can give it a try, but I¡¯m not very confident.¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke. ¡°Big Brother Shen agreeing to help us is already an enormous grace to our village. Ying Luo thanks you.¡± Ying Luo hastily got up and showed her sincerity. ¡°Well, tonight, I¡¯ll rest in the village. I¡¯ll start looking for a way out early tomorrow.¡± Shen Luo helped her up and said. ¡°We¡¯ll follow Big Brother Shen¡¯s lead.¡± Ying Luo showed an increasingly bright smile. ¡°By the way, do you still have talisman paper in the village?¡± Shen Luo suddenly recalled something and asked. ¡°Nobody in the village knew how to draw talisman for decades. We still have some talisman paper left, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s still usable. Wait for me for a moment, I¡¯ll go find it.¡± Upon hearing this, Ying Luo thought for a moment and then hurried away. After a short while, Ying Luo returned carrying a dust-laden box and handed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo opened the box and found that most of the talisman paper inside had been moth-eaten and was no longer usable. There were only about ten pieces that could still be used. Fortunately, the box also contained a small jar of cinnabar, which was still well-preserved. Delighted with this, Shen Luo turned all these pieces of paper into talisman. He realized that his drawing was much smoother than in reality, each paper seemed to be energetically perfect once the talisman was completed. ¡°You know how to use a talisman, right?¡± Shen Luo took out three Small Thunder Talisman from the pile and handed them to Ying Luo, asking. ¡°Just infuse mana into it, right?¡± Ying Luo was a bit surprised that Shen Luo could draw talisman, she then replied. ¡°Correct.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡­ The next day, early in the morning Shen Luo just said a word to Ying Luo and then left the village, heading alone into the fog-covered area. He deliberately didn¡¯t go to the mountain slope, but went along the mountain pit towards another direction to search. After he left the village a few miles away, the fog in the air began to thicken. Shen Luo cautiously walked among it, and from the low terrain of the mountain pit, he reached a flat and open area. Not only did he fail to discover any road ahead, but the fog had even solidified to an almost tangible state. He walked a little further forward, and found that a layer of darker fog had condensed together just a few dozen feet ahead. It hardly moved anymore, and it looked like a dense wall made of fog. Shen Luo hesitated slightly, but he decided to step into it to give it a try. As a result, as soon as he entered it, he felt discomfort in his nose and throat. After he continued to proceed further into the fog for a dozen steps, he felt a clear sense of suffocation, that forced him to retreat. Standing outside the dense fog wall, Shen Luo¡¯s breathing finally returned to normal. He looked along the fog wall and found that it was indeed like a high wall extending forward, with no end in sight. Load failed, please RETRY Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Up the Mountain Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Up the Mountain Shen Luo was unwilling to give up so soon and continued to follow the Fog Wall to the left. He walked for about an hour, but the white mist wall was still unbroken. He tried several times to venture into the mist, but each time was the same as before, the suffocating sensation unbearable. However, as he walked, Shen Luo suddenly realized that the terrain under his feet was starting to rise; he appeared to be climbing a hill. Soon, another hour passed, and Shen Luo was still without discoveries. Just as he was about to give up and return to Longevity Village, he suddenly heard a ¡°crack¡± sound under his foot, as if he had stepped on something. When Shen Luo looked down to check, he found out that it was a skeleton under his feet. Moved, he moved forward a hundred steps or so, and the fog ahead suddenly began to thin significantly. The sight that appeared before him startled him. In a radius of about several dozens of feet, the ground was full of densely packed bones of humans and monsters. Shen Luo looked at the somewhat familiar scene before him, his brows furrowed slightly. After a brief hesitation, he continued towards the center of the bones. When he got closer, he quickly saw the bottomless void on the ground about ten feet in diameter, exactly the void he had escaped from previously. ¡°So it is here. I¡¯ve circled back again¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured. He went to the edge of the void and peered inside for a moment, but he could see nothing. Shen Luo knew in his heart that without the protection of the Other Shore Flower, once he entered Yinning through this, his body would definitely be reduced to dust, let alone the terrifying Black Mountain Old Demon inside. ¡°To take this path again, I¡¯m afraid even the strength of the Soul Condensation Stage won¡¯t be enough. At least reaching the Nascent Soul Stage would suffice,¡± Shen Luo muttered. Having said that, he turned around and left, continuing in another direction to explore. ¡­ Nearing noon, Shen Luo finally returned to Longevity Village. In the end, he was unable to find a way out from the fog. Ying Luo, who had been waiting at the top of the wall since early morning, was overjoyed to see him return safe and sound. With a slight frown, Shen Luo recounted his encounters in the fog to her, omitting the fact that he had found the entrance to the Yinning void. ¡°Big Brother Shen, you¡¯ve worked hard. Since there¡¯s no way out from the mist, we should prepare to continue to struggle against the monsters,¡± Ying Luo said firmly, despite her disappointment. ¡°Since there¡¯s no way out from the mist, I plan to search Mount Fangcun,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze shifting to the towering mountain behind the village. ¡°No, no! Absolutely not! It¡¯s much too dangerous!¡± Ying Luo shook her head vigorously upon hearing this. ¡°I know you have ancestral teachings forbidding people from entering the mountain, but there is no way back now. Only by going up the mountain may there be a glimmer of hope. Look at these children, do you really want their last days to be filled with constant struggle and fear of monsters?¡± Shen Luo asked, his eyes resting on the children playing around. Ying Luo, hearing this, also looked in that direction. Then she fell silent, lost in deep thought. ¡°Alright, Big Brother Shen. If you really plan to climb the mountain, I must accompany you,¡± Ying Luo said resolutely after a moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have to risk this with me. The village needs you too, and the wounds on your body haven¡¯t healed yet,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and smiled. ¡°Big Brother Shen, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m acting on impulse. But without me guiding you, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll hardly find the entrance to the mountain,¡± Ying Luo explained. ¡°Why so?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°The terrain of Mount Fangcun is treacherous and the paths to climb it are mostly hidden. If I don¡¯t guide you, you¡¯ll probably have a hard time just finding the entrance of the mountain,¡± explained Ying Luo. ¡°But the village¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Big Brother Shen. The monsters you killed just yesterday are severely damaged. They¡¯re unlikely to dare invade again in a short period of time. And as for my injuries, they¡¯re just superficial wounds, it¡¯s nothing severe,¡± Ying Luo said with a resolute look in her eyes. ¡°Alright. We should not delay any further; let¡¯s depart now,¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then said. ¡°Okay.¡± Ying Luo found Qingniu, a strong young man in the village, and instructed him to guard the village. After bidding Granny Ma goodbye, she left with Shen Luo and headed for Mount Fangcun. Although Mount Fangcun seemed to be right behind Longevity Village, the actual journey was far from short. Not to mention that the original mountain paths had not been walked for many years and were now overgrown with dense weeds and shrubs. Wading through them was rather difficult. It took Shen Luo and Ying Luo quite an hour to reach the foot of the mountain. Only at the foot of the mountain did Shen Luo realize why Ying Luo insisted on coming along. In front of him, Mount Fangcun was covered with rock faces hundreds of feet high. There was simply no road up. Only after Ying Luo had found a large protruding boulder, based on the geographical features that the old people of the village had once spoken of, did she discover a hidden mountain cave underneath. They followed the cave gradient, traversed hundreds of feet through the mountain, and emerged from an opening on the back of Fangcun Mountain. They followed a narrow path from the cave entrance, walked about two or three miles, and then came to a fairly wide mountain trail ¨C the real path to climb Mount Fangcun. ¡°You were right. If you hadn¡¯t come to guide the way, I might have walked around until evening without finding the path,¡± Shen Luo looked at the dense ancient trees around him and couldn¡¯t help but comment. ¡°There are many legends about the immortals of Mount Fangcun in the village, and what I remember includes the stories of the guiding butterfly and the woodcutter. In the guiding butterfly story, a man came from another region overseas, seeking to climb the mountain to apprentice himself and cultivate Dao. However, once he arrived at the foot of the mountain, he became lost and couldn¡¯t find the mountain entrance. He wandered around the foot of the mountain for three years but never gave up. Finally, the immortal on the mountain was moved and sent a guiding butterfly to lead him on his way, which enabled him to climb the mountain and find the entrance,¡± Ying Luo elaborated. ¡°Perhaps the three years of wandering without finding a way was a test by the immortals of the mountain?¡± Shen Luo speculated with a smile after listening. ¡°When my father originally told me this story, I thought the same. Even as a child, I wondered whether the ordeal faced by our village was a test from the immortals,¡± Ying Luo replied, a touch of melancholy in her voice as she laughed. ¡°And what about the legend of the woodcutter?¡± Shen Luo asked, changing the subject. ¡°That story is even more bizarre¡­¡± Ying Luo was about to go on, but then she stopped speaking. Shen Luo, standing nearby, also stiffened and stood still. A yellow figure had silently appeared on a huge rock several dozen feet in front of them. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 145: Mad Leopard Chapter 146: Chapter 145: Mad Leopard With an eerie demonic aura spreading from the front, Shen Luo and Ying Luo instantly felt as if they fell into an ice cellar, their breaths hitching. All they could hear was the fierce pounding of their hearts. ¡°What a terrifying demonic aura!¡± Shen Luo gazed upwards at the silent figure standing on a giant rock in front of them, his heart filled with horror. Not even the Senior Ancestor at the Soul Condensation Stage from Spring and Autumn Pavilion had given him such a feeling. It was a leopard over two zhangs in length. Its proportionate and slender golden body clearly displayed a series of dark brown spots. Its leopard¡¯s head, the size of a millstone, sported a pair of slender golden eyes and a tail about a zhang long, which seemed to be casually waving back and forth behind it. Ying Luo¡¯s cultivation level was already weaker than Shen Luo¡¯s, and now she was enveloped by this powerful demonic aura. Her body was slightly trembling, making it almost hard to breathe, but her eyes reflected a stubborn light. Her legs tensed up, and she somehow managed to keep her body straight. ¡°Two juniors of the human race, you dare to step into my territory, you¡¯ve got guts,¡± the golden leopard spoke human language, staring down at the two of them with the air of a giant beast from the ancient times. ¡°Elder, we didn¡¯t mean to trespass. This girl has lived at the foot of the mountain for a long time, and I happened to be passing by. Because we couldn¡¯t find a way out at the foot of the mountain, we daringly climbed it. We didn¡¯t know the elder¡¯s rules and inadvertently entered here. We beg for your forgiveness!¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath, cupped his fist and said, his tone neither hurried nor slow. Shen Luo¡¯s calm demeanor also influenced Ying Luo beside him. She felt slightly settled, and her lovely, young cheeks regained some color. ¡°You come from outside?¡± The madness in the leopard¡¯s eyes, which had been somewhat lazy, suddenly became more focused, its huge golden pupils staring directly at Shen Luo. ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly but reaffirmed. He had a hunch that the other party¡¯s reaction seemed a bit off. ¡°How did you pass through the mist sea outside?¡± The Mad Leopard took a step forward, its robust forepaw crushing the rocks in front of it into fragments. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about this myself. I am a member of the Southern Sub-Central Continent who mistakenly touched a prohibition in a secret realm, and somehow ended up here,¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eye twitched slightly as he answered half-truthfully, his tone still very calm. ¡°From Southern Sub-Central Continent directly to West Niu Hezhou Continent here? Little guy, make your lies sound a bit more believable. You think you can deceive me with this lie? The Human Race is indeed all crafty!¡± The Mad Leopard¡¯s eyes, once excited, faded, its voice cold. As soon as the words fell, a shocking aura burst forth from its body, descending from the sky and enveloping Shen Luo and Ying Luo. Ying Luo¡¯s knees weakened, and she almost knelt, wanting to resist subconsciously. However, after trembling a few times, she fainted on the spot. Shen Luo felt as if he had been hit hard in the chest by an invisible great hammer, nearly vomiting blood from the discomfort. But his limbs felt as if they were weighed down by a huge rock and couldn¡¯t move an inch. His entire skeleton made a slight cracking sound as if he was about to be crushed. Suddenly, his body¡¯s mana started to operate automatically according to the Nameless Cultivation Technique mantra. An unknown breath rushed out from his body, significantly reducing the pressure around him and regaining control over his limbs. ¡°Huh!¡± The Mad Leopard let out a surprised sound. Seeing its mood fluctuate, the oppressive force it exuded also had a slight gap. Shen Luo, ever sharp-minded, took advantage of this gap, tucked Ying Luo under his left arm, then turned around like lightning and ran with all his might back the way they came, using ¡°Chasing Wind Step¡±. ¡°Interesting! A little Qi Refining Stage junior even dared to use tricks in front of me. Today, I¡¯ll play along with you!¡± The Mad Leopard did not prevent Shen Luo¡¯s actions. After murmuring to itself, it jumped down from the giant rock and chased after them unhurriedly. Each step it took covered seven or eight zhangs in distance, and it easily caught up with Shen Luo. It watched Shen Luo, who was desperately running forward, with a hint of anthropomorphic mockery at the corner of its mouth, and spit out. A Golden Light shot out quickly, hitting Shen Luo¡¯s left front in a flash. With a ¡°bang¡± sound, the ground was blasted into a big pit, countless fragments of stone splashed out, a fragment scraped across Shen Luo¡¯s cheek, leaving a bloody mark. Shen Luo did not have the luxury of wiping the blood, he slightly shifted direction and continued to run forward. ¡°Haha, run faster, faster! Too slow!¡± Laughter filled with excitement came from behind, from the Mad Leopard. The sound of this voice had not yet ceased, another Golden Light shot out and struck Shen Luo¡¯s right front, forcing him to change direction again. Shen Luo felt bitter inside. The strength of this Mad Leopard far exceeded him if it really wanted to kill him, it could definitely hit him with one shot, now it was obviously just playing with him. But at this moment, he was like meat on a chopping board, completely unable to fight back. The sound of exploding stones and commotion brought Ying Luo back to her senses. She discovered that she was being held by Shen Luo¡¯s arm and her cheeks flushed. But soon, she understood the current situation. ¡°Big Brother Shen, don¡¯t worry about me, escape yourself!¡± She shouted, struggling to get down. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Shen Luo pressed and held Ying Luo, suddenly changed direction, and headed towards the dense forest nearby. The smile on Mad Leopard¡¯s face widened, and it followed lightly, and spat out another Golden Light, pushing Shen Luo to flee in desperation. The immense pressure to survive sparked all of Shen Luo¡¯s potential. In a short period, many unclear aspects of the ¡°Chasing Wind Step¡± suddenly became clear, his speed steadily increased, the trees on both sides quickly retreated, as if he was truly chasing the wind. Suddenly, the view in front became wide, a cliff appeared abruptly about seven or eight zhang away. On the opposite side about ten zhang away, stood an even taller mountain peak, a waterfall hung like a white sash, its sound thunderous, surging and roaring. The white water splash rolled down and fell into the abyss below. ¡°Hold on to me!¡± Shen Luo said in a low voice to Ying Luo, he rushed out without stopping, his body immediately falling towards the abyss below. Ying Luo, caught in this sudden situation, couldn¡¯t help but scream, but in the end, she only grabbed Shen Luo¡¯s clothes tightly and remained silent. The triumphant laughter of the Mad Leopard came from behind, seeming very happy. Shen Luo, in mid-air, stretched out his empty right hand forwards, a stream of water inside the waterfall immediately concentrated into a long water rope. One end was wrapped around a protruding rock in the waterfall, and the other end was thrown over here. He caught the water rope and gave it a heavy pull. The rope was not strong and broke with a ¡°snap¡±, but both of them had gained momentum and swung towards the mountain peak on the opposite side. The Mad Leopard, who was standing on the edge of the cliff looking down, did not expect Shen Luo to have this move. Its eyes glowed menacingly, and it roared angrily. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, a golden cloud burst forth under each hoof, carrying its body into the air, chasing after Shen Luo and Ying Luo. At the same time, the Golden Light in its mouth became more abundant, far surpassing before, as if it was about to strike them and kill them in one go. Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 146: Out of Danger Chapter 147: Chapter 146: Out of Danger At this moment, Shen Luo and his partner had fallen nearly twenty or thirty feet, not even three feet from the waterfall across from them. Hearing a noise behind him, he planned to throw Ying Luo towards the waterfall, and retreat himself. This move was extremely dangerous, but far better than being skewered by the Mad Leopard, facing certain death. Just at the critical moment, a shrill screech came from above the waterfall! A green shadow plunged down from the opposite mountain peak, a giant Azure Eagle with a golden feather crown on its head, its wings a few feet wide, and a pair of sharp claws under it, like sickles. A tremendous pressure emanated from it, no less than that of the Mad Leopard, and a whirlwind rolled down from under its wings. The Mad Leopard at the moment the giant eagle appeared, the golden light rolling in its mouth shrank, and its plunging figure paused. Shen Luo felt the pressure from the Mad Leopard above him reduced slightly, but was then suddenly whisked away by the wind. He forcefully raised his hand again, a water rope shot out from the waterfall, coiling around his body, but it was immediately torn apart again. But their whipped bodies had steadied down, skimming the waterfall and plummeting straight down, their figures soon engulfed in the splash of the waterfall. ¡°Mad Leopard, how dare you intrude on my territory! Crawl back to your lair!¡± The Azure Giant Eagle¡¯s eyes shot a cold, fierce glare, locked onto the Mad Leopard. ¡°Azure Eagle, the cliff is just a limit, you have spoiled my fun and spoken disrespectfully, are you impatient to live?¡± The Mad Leopard glanced at Shen Luo and his partner who were falling, quickly withdrew its gaze, looked at the giant eagle across from it, golden flames erupting from its golden pupils, clearly aggravated by the opponent¡¯s words. ¡°What, you don¡¯t accept what I said, then let¡¯s fight again!¡± The Blue Eagle let out a sharp cry, its figure abruptly transforming into a blurring blue shadow, instantly appearing before the Mad Leopard, both blue claws brutally clawing down. The Mad Leopard also roared towards the sky, gold light bursting out all over its body, confrontationally soaring upwards. Boom! Boom! Boom! Golden and green light clashed violently, the air fiercely trembled, stirring up a gale, the entire mountain peak seeming to shake slightly. At the bottom of the waterfall, sixty or seventy feet below, Shen Luo¡¯s body hung in mid-air, seven or eight water ropes tied around him, the other end tied to the rocks on the mountain wall. Currently, Ying Luo was lying on his back, her wet, disheveled hair falling around, slightly biting her lip and not caring for decorum, tightly wrapped her arms around Shen Luo¡¯s shoulders. Boom! Boom! Boom! One after another, the deafening sound roared down from above, as if thunderous shocks in the sky, mixed with the roars of the Mad Leopard and the Giant Eagle. Ying Luo slightly raised her head, looked up, a flash of fear in her eyes. ¡°It seems we were not meant to die today. Hold tight.¡± Shen Luo quickly averted his eyes, his hands repeatedly grabbing out. The water ropes on him, like agile tendrils, were continuously coiling around the rocks below, carrying both of them and slowly lowering them down. From a distance, it looked like a spider rapidly crawling downwards. This valley was extraordinarily deep, Shen Luo dared not make too much noise for fear of attracting the attention of the two monsters above, consequently, it took them nearly half an hour to reach the bottom. The bottom of the valley was a large river seven or eight feet wide, rapid flowing, the ends not visible from either side. Shen Luo¡¯s mana had almost depleted, barely managing to use the Water-Stepping Art to run downstream for a while, found a place to land Ying Luo, then sank down with relief, sitting on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you suffer, Big Brother Shen.¡± Ying Luo gently twisted her dripping wet hair, gratefully thanking Shen Luo. Shen Luo made a hush motion to Ying Luo, then looked up at the sky. The sounds of conflict above were no longer audible, either because the confrontation between the terrifying monsters had ceased, or because of the distance. He averted his gaze, soaked his body in the river water, and began to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique to recover his Mana. Seeing this, Ying Luo carefully kept her guard and looked around, protecting Shen Luo. Not daring to linger any longer, Shen Luo immediately stood up after slightly recovering his Mana, took Ying Luo, and applied the Water-Stepping Art to sprint forward. It took about a quarter of an hour to reach the mouth of the valley. The view ahead suddenly widened, the river stretched ahead and flowed into a sizable pool. The surroundings were lush with green grass, creating a tranquil environment. ¡°It seems we are safe for now. The Mad Leopard seems very curious about my origins, and I don¡¯t think it will let it go so easily.¡± Shen Luo glanced around and set Ying Luo down to speak. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there are so many terrifying monsters on Mount Fangcun, and there seem to be quite a few of them. Fortunately, these powerful creatures have not descended the mountain, otherwise, one hundred Longevity Villages would have been destroyed.¡± Ying Luo looked back at the peak of the mountain and said with lingering fear. ¡°To find a way out of the mountain, there is no avoiding confrontation with these high-level monsters.¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. Hearing this, Ying Luo¡¯s expression showed a flash of gloom. The valley wasn¡¯t too far from Longevity Village, and the two soon came near the village. ¡°Huh!¡± A look of surprise crossed Shen Luo¡¯s face as he saw a group of ten or so young, able-bodied men each holding a cloth bag and basket coming out from the village and running towards the west. ¡°They are going to the lake in the west of the village to catch fish and pick the Black Rice Grass there.¡± Ying Luo explained. ¡°There are monsters appearing in this area, aren¡¯t they in danger, going out like this?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°I don¡¯t know when it started, but every so often, monsters would appear around the village. We just defeated a batch yesterday, so it should be safe for the time being. Moreover, even if it¡¯s dangerous, there must be people going out or else how will the villagers feed themselves.¡± Ying Luo¡¯s face darkened, and she forced a smile. ¡°Do you want to go and escort them, just in case there is a mishap?¡± Shen Luo spoke again. ¡°No need, these are the elites of our village, capable of self-defence, and my duty is to protect the village. I cannot leave the village without a special reason.¡± Ying Luo shook her head. Shen Luo¡¯s expression remained unchanged, but he was secretly murmuring in his heart. Although the Longevity Village is rundown and has few inhabitants, its rules are well-established and reasonable, perhaps that¡¯s why it survived in the dangerous environment surrounded by monsters. Not a talkative person himself, Shen Luo naturally wouldn¡¯t comment on the rules of Longevity Village, and the two quickly arrived at the entrance of the village. Qing Niu was standing guard at the entrance with a spear in his hand; seeing them return safely, he let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly ushered them into the village. After asking about the situation of the day and confirming everything was normal, Ying Luo took Shen Luo into the village. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems I won¡¯t be able to find a way out for a while.¡± Shen Luo apologized. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Big Brother Shen, it was my foolish wishful thinking that almost put you in danger. By the way, what do you plan to do next?¡± Ying Luo hurriedly waved her hand at Shen Luo and asked, changing the subject. Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 147: Meditation Chapter 148: Chapter 147: Meditation ¡°I intend to temporarily stay in the village, while I look for other solutions, would that be possible?¡± Shen Luo pondered and then spoke. ¡°That¡¯s great, on behalf of the entire village, I welcome Big Brother Shen to join us! You can make any requests you have, and we will do our best to fulfill them.¡± Ying Luo couldn¡¯t contain her joy. ¡°Since I have decided to stay, I naturally plan to share the joys and hardships with the villagers. You do not have to treat me differently, Miss Ying, just arrange a place for me to stay,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°No problem. When I observed you practicing, it seemed like you required water to aid you. On the eastern side of the village, there is an empty house with a large well in the courtyard. Living there should be more convenient. It just hasn¡¯t been inhabited for many years, so it needs some cleaning,¡± Ying Luo immediately responded. ¡°Then, I have to trouble you,¡± Shen Luo smiled and casually replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there first.¡± Ying Luo said as she led Shen Luo towards the east of the village, soon they reached an old small courtyard. ¡°Creak.¡± Ying Luo pushed the slightly decayed front gate open, a wave of dust fluttered down, and she hurriedly covered her nose and mouth with one hand while waving the other around. Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind. He entered the courtyard. Inside there were two main rooms, a side room, and a kitchen, forming a complete small Siheyuan. From the looks of it, the previous residents had exquisite tastes. Even though it had been left unattended for years and was slightly ruined, it still gave off a pleasant feeling. On the left side of the courtyard was a large well covered with a wooden lid. Next to the well stood a big mulberry tree, its leaves rustling in the wind. Shen Luo walked over to the well, removed its wooden lid, revealing clear well water below and emitting a refreshing aura. ¡°It¡¯s great, let¡¯s just stay here,¡± Shen Luo turned around and said to Ying Luo, who had followed him into the courtyard. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some people to clean up this place a little,¡± Ying Luo, satisfied to see Shen Luo¡¯s contentment, walked outside showing her efficient disposition. In no time, she came back bringing along seven or eight male and female villagers to clean the courtyard and tidy up the rooms. The people had already learned about Shen Luo¡¯s decision to stay in Longevity Village. Out of respect and enthusiasm for him, they worked exceptionally hard. Within an hour, they had not only cleaned every corner of the courtyard but also repaired the damaged parts and even re-plastered the windows in the room. In the end, Ying Luo had some bedding, pots and other daily essentials delivered before leading the villagers away. After seeing off the group, Shen Luo returned to sit by the well, his eyes flashing with deep thought. Rather than being worried about his current predicament, he wanted to understand the connections between the events in his dreams. After all, once he woke from his dream, he would return to reality, and so, didn¡¯t have to worry about it. However, after several experiences, especially the Nameless Heavenly Book and spiritual perception, he developed great interest in his dream experiences. If he could gather more clues or make breakthroughs in his cultivation, it could bring him significant benefits in the real world. However, the duration of his stay within the dream varied with each entrancement. Sometimes it was only a few hours, and at other times it was more than two months. For now, he couldn¡¯t find any pattern, and he didn¡¯t know how long he would stay this time. Shen Luo took a deep breath, no longer thinking about it. He reached out with one hand and spread his fingers to form the shape of an empty claw at the mouth of the well. ¡°Whoosh.¡± A stream of well water shot out and formed a blade, producing a soft sound as it pierced the ground next to the well. He made a circular motion with his hand in front of him, and the water blade followed the same motion, engraving a circle a few feet in diameter into the ground. It then entered the ground through the mark, disappearing underground. After a few muffled thuds, a cylindrical chunk of earth slowly rose from the ground like it was supported by a mirror-like sheet of flowing water. The chunk of earth, half a foot high, was thrown to the side, revealing a newly dug pit. The pit was near the well, and soon, water started seeping from the bottom. Shen Luo gestured, and another stream of water rose from the well and poured into the freshly dug pit. After half the pit was filled with water, it stopped. After doing this, he jumped into the pond, sat cross-legged and started executing the Nameless Cultivation Technique. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi started to continuously blend into his body through the pond water, slowly filling his somewhat deficient Dantian. All the meridians in his body had been unlocked by now, and his mana was flowing more quickly through them, giving him a vague feeling of ascension. ¡°Since I cannot leave in the short term, I might as well calm my mind and cultivate here, seeing if I can break through to the Grain Avoidance stage,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, closing his eyes. Although he didn¡¯t know much about cultivation, he was aware that breaking through to the Grain Avoidance stage marked a significant milestone in the path of Cultivating Immortality. If he succeeded, his lifespan would increase by two hundred years. He would be able to live without eating or drinking for an extended period and his mana would increase dramatically. He would then be able to begin learning actual Daoist magical skills and activate magical instruments, amongst other things¡­ The benefits of the Grain Avoidance stage were numerous and countless people desired to enter this realm. However, very few succeeded because this stage was difficult to break through, with only one out of a hundred odds of success. The toughest part was transforming the mana within the body from gas to liquid. Although it may seem like a simple change in the state of mana, it was a huge transformation that greatly influenced future cultivation. According to the heavenly book, after reaching the peak of the late Qi Refining stage, a monk usually required some natural talent, preparation of various elixirs, extraordinary willpower, and a bit of luck to have a chance at success. As he was in the resource-poor Longevity Village, he could only hope that his top-notch Dao Body would suffice. Deep down, he wasn¡¯t certain of success. As Shen Luo pondered, he stood up from the water, stomped his foot, and droplets of water immediately flew off from his clothing, landing on the ground around him. His clothes instantly became as dry as new. After pacing a couple of rounds in the courtyard, he stepped out of it and headed towards Ying Luo¡¯s residence. Despite knowing that the chances were slim, he still wanted to ask Ying Luo to see if she had any methods that could aid in breaking through the Grain Avoidance stage. After all, there had been Grain Avoidance cultivators in Longevity Village before, and there may be some insights left behind by them. A moment later, he returned from outside to the small courtyard and took his place at the pond again. He let out a sigh. As expected, Ying Luo knew nothing of it. It seemed like he could only rely on himself in this matter. After steadying his mind, Shen Luo extended one hand, spread his fingers, and a blue light flickered in his palm. With a surge in the pond below, a water ball flew out and landed in his palm. As it rotated, a blackwater tunnel emerged, followed by a ¡°whoosh¡± sound ¨C a half-man, half-shrimp creature appeared. It was the Shrimp Soldier Protector. Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 148: The First Attempt Chapter 149: Chapter 148: The First Attempt As soon as Zhui Tou landed on the ground, he held the golden hammer at his chest, continuously scanning the area in front with his jet-black eyes, making the two long tentacles on his head quiver incessantly. ¡°Zhui Tou, my Daoist friend, don¡¯t panic. There are no enemies here,¡± Shen Luo said with a chuckle when he noticed the caution in Zhui Tou¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then why have you summoned me here? I was in the midst of my training!¡± replied Zhui Tou, sounding rather annoyed. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you, Zhui Tou, to be so diligent in your training!¡± Shen Luo mildly praised. ¡°Of course, our Shrimp Clan has an old saying: Life never stops, and cultivation never stops. Those with lesser strength are destined to be enslaved!¡± Zhui Tou still seemed a little resentful toward Shen Luo. ¡°Our relationship isn¡¯t that of a master and slave. We both benefit from our partnership. My word is my bond! I called for you to inquire if you know of any methods that might increase the success rate of breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage,¡± Shen Luo interrupted Zhui Tou¡¯s discontent, voicing his own doubts. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with human cultivation methods,¡± responded Zhui Tou indifferently, while sizing up Shen Luo from head to toe. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m currently tangled up in some problems, and I need to enhance my cultivation level as soon as possible. If you could provide some guidance, I would be immensely grateful and will undoubtedly repay you in the future,¡± Shen Luo said candidly. ¡°I hope you keep your current statement in mind. Let me tell you about my cultivation. Our Eastern Sea Shrimp Clan molts every ten years. We infuse demon power into our shed skin by using our Clan¡¯s secret method. When we¡¯re about to breakthrough to the Grain Avoidance Stage, we consume it. This greatly increases the success rate,¡± replied Zhui Tou, his demeanor easing. ¡°Your method is interestingly akin to taking an Elixir. However, do you have any molted skin on hand?¡± Smitten by the idea, Shen Luo asked, his eyes fixed on Zhui Tou¡¯s shrimp shell. ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas. The skin I¡¯ve molted is of great use to me. Unless you have something to trade for it. Also, I can¡¯t guarantee if this method will work for your kind,¡± Zhui Tou warned. ¡°What would you want in exchange?¡± inquired Shen Luo. ¡°Moon Essence Dew,¡± blurted out Zhui Tou instantly. ¡°That? I don¡¯t have any right now, but I¡¯ll keep a lookout for it in the future. Did you say you¡¯re from the Eastern Sea?¡± Slightly disappointed, Shen Luo changed the course of the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m from the Eastern Sea Shrimp Clan, of course I come from the Eastern Sea! Just like the Southern Sea Shrimp Clan comes from the Southern Sea. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Zhui Tou retorted. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Eastern Sea is boundless and full of endless heavenly treasures¡­¡± Massaging his hands together, Shen Luo started to say. ¡°I got it! But as you said before, it¡¯s all about quid pro quo. Enough, if there¡¯s nothing else, send me back already!¡± Zhui Tou interjected Shen Luo impatiently, urging him to finish. Since Shen Luo had nothing to trade, he didn¡¯t say much more. He summoned a vortex passageway to send Zhui Tou back. Hiding his disappointment, he began to consider silently: ¡°Seems like these creatures summoned by the Spirit Channeling Method, apart from being limited by the contract and having to protect their master, can¡¯t be completely aligned in other aspects.¡± It wasn¡¯t strange, considering anyone living freely would resent suddenly being bound by a contract, with the constant possibility of being called to fight to the death against unknown enemies. Even if they were submissive on the surface, they would be naturally resentful inside, unless they could gain some benefits, in which case they might become more willing. Being a former businessman, he found such an arrangement perfectly acceptable. Mutual exchanges were the key to a long-lasting relationship. However, he presently had more pressing matters to handle and found it hard to think about such issues. He needed to increase his cultivation level as soon as possible so that he wouldn¡¯t be stuck here. Early the next morning, after quickly informing Ying Luo and taking some dry rations, Shen Luo closed the courtyard door and sat down by the pond, running his internal mana. Shen Luo sat there for a full three days and three nights. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze gleamed brightly. He looked energized, and both his physical and mental state were at their peak. Firstly, he silently reviewed the part of the Nameless Cultivation Technique related to breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage. Then he lifted his right hand, formed a sword technique, then suddenly tapped several times around his Dantian, sealing several acupoints, temporarily blocking the connection between his Dantian and the meridians. After doing all this, he placed his hands together in front of his body and slowly began running the Nameless Cultivation Technique. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him flowed in with the water in the pond and incessantly entered his body, transforming into strands of mana. As he had sealed the acupoints around his Dantian, this mana couldn¡¯t converge into his Dantian so it circulated within his Eight Extraordinary Meridians, at the same time continuously absorbing the Spiritual Qi from Heaven and Earth into his body, blending with this mana. With each circulation, the power of the mana coursing into his meridians grew more robust. This was a secret technique recorded in the Nameless Cultivation Technique, named as the ¡°Golden Bridge Locking and Ascending Art¡±. The aim was to allow the mana within the meridians to soar in power, somewhat like climbing a staircase, to assist with the transformation of the mana¡¯s form. Although this method may seem easy, it was actually quite risky. A slight mishap could lead to the damage of the meridians and even the Dantian, possibly even resulting in death. Therefore, it had a considerable requirement for the control of mana, urging the need to be able to dissolve the technique quickly when necessary. Though Shen Luo believed that his Dreamland body was somewhat exceptional, he admitted to himself that he hadn¡¯t yet reached the point of freely controlling the mana. But due to his precarious situation, he had no other choice. Of course, his main confidence was stemming from his ability to resurrect. Time flew by, and another three days passed. Shen Luo sat quietly in the pond. There wasn¡¯t any visible change to his appearance, however, the mana coursing through his meridians had transitioned from a meager stream at the beginning to a surging river, rumbling endlessly in his Eight Extraordinary Meridians. He felt the meridians all over his body swell to the bursting point, causing excruciating pain. He could hardly bear it and felt as if he would be ruptured by this powerful mana. ¡°This should be enough.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He stopped absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from outside, instead guiding the dense mana within his body, accumulated in the meridians, to flow toward the Dantian. Since all the acupoints leading to the Dantian were sealed, the mana was hindered. Like untamed horses, it broke free from his control. Before Shen Luo could react, it fiercely smashed into his Dantian. All the acupoints that he had temporally sealed around the Dantian were blown open almost simultaneously. The mana from the meridians stormed into the Dantian like a flood. The Dantian was already saturated with mana. When the extra mana flowed in from the meridians, it forcefully expanded the Dantian by a notch. The Dantian started transmitting waves of intense pain, even stronger than before. Shen Luo¡¯s cheeks flushed with an abnormal redness. His body jerked slightly, and his hands started trembling. Sweat started beading on his forehead, trickling down his face. He felt as if his Dantian was about to explode at any moment! Taking a deep breath, he held back the searing pain, focusing on guarding his Dantian. He lifted his right hand and made a sequence of taps around his Dantian. Using the Golden Bridge Locking and Ascending Art, he sealed the acupoints to prevent the mana from flowing out. Just as he finished, an even more intense wave of pain exploded from his Dantian. Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 149: Condensing Meridians Chapter 150: Chapter 149: Condensing Meridians Shen Luo¡¯s facial features contorted in pain, drenched in cold sweat. But both of his hands remained tightly wrapped around his lower abdomen¡¯s Dantian, unwilling to ease the slightest bit of their grip. At this moment, the two streams of mana in his Dantian engaged in a fierce conflict, causing his abdomen to rumble like a drum, emitting booming sounds. His Dantian had never experienced such a colossal impact; it felt like countless small blades were stirring it crazily. Compared to the current heart-wrenching agony, the previously endured pain from the tearing of his meridians and Dantian seemed negligible. His teeth tightly clenched, despite his unbearable short gasps of pain. His body continued to shudder incessantly, and beads of perspiration the size of soybeans continued to roll from his forehead. ¡°No wonder the Nameless Heavenly Book mentioned the necessity of steadfast determination. This kind of torment is unbearable for an ordinary person!¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, but no intention of surrender arose within him. The mana conflict within his Dantian intensified, intensifying the pain. Shen Luo, doubled over, clenched his fists in the area above his Dantian, fiercely clenching his determination despite cutting his hand in the process. Gradually, he noticed that the two streams of mana that were originally gaseous, seemed to be wavering less during the constant collision and conflict within his Dantian. And the originally increasing agony began to subside as the amount of mana decreased. ¡°Could it be that my attempt has failed and has backfired, causing the carefully cultivated mana to dissolve?¡± With this thought, Shen Luo became slightly anxious. Regardless of his anxiety, the conflict of mana within his Dantian did not subside. The consumption of the two increased, and the previously full Dantian started to feel empty. Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank, the physical torment just now transitioned into mental torment. Just at that moment, at the location within the Dantian where the conflict was most fierce, something incredible occurred after the two violently colliding streams of mana suddenly ceased. The two battling flows of mana, after their last bout of collision, did not separate as they had before. Instead, they merged as one. In his Dantian, a trace of sparkling light emerged, followed by a droplet of radiant, liquid mana. Boom! When this liquid mana appeared, just like throwing a spark onto a pile of dry leaves, the other conflicting mana streams began to intertwine and merge continuously, transforming into droplets of liquid mana. Within the space of a few breaths, all of the mana within Shen Luo¡¯s Dantian had turned liquid. The knife-stirring pain swiftly disappeared, replaced by a warm comforting feeling. It left his Dantian soaked as if immersed in warm water. Shen Luo was both surprised and delighted by the change in his body. It seemed that the previously violent mana conflict was nothing more than a necessary process for condensing Qi into a liquid state. The dissolving mana wasn¡¯t actually disappearing; it was continuously condensing, making it more and more potent until it ultimately completely amalgamated and liquified. Shen Luo calmed his emotions by quietly running the Nameless Cultivation Technique, stabilizing the mana within his Dantian. Now was not the moment to be complacent. The liquification of mana was merely the first step in breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage. The real challenge, the refining of meridians, lay ahead. If that step failed, all his previous efforts would be wasted. Refining of meridians meant to reconstruct the meridians connecting to the Dantian and nourishing them with mana. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, different schools and sects had different methods for refining meridians. Some were relatively gentle but took a very long time, while others took shortcuts but obviously held many hidden dangers. The method described in the Nameless Cultivation Technique was the most direct and domineering one. It required one to destroy the original meridians and then let the mana regenerate them. Destruction of one¡¯s meridians meant facing enormous risks. If one was not careful, it could result in disability at best and potentially even death at worst. Given Shen Luo¡¯s cautious nature, he naturally preferred the slow and steady way. However, time was a resource he did not have. Most significantly, the Nameless Cultivation Technique only recorded this single method, leaving him no room to choose. Shen Luo took several deep breaths, cleared his mind of distractions, and slowly closed his eyes. He continued to absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the surrounding pond water into his Dantian, while gently channeling the liquid mana within his Dantian to form a vortex, rotating it from slow to fast. Before long, a burning sensation arose within his Dantian. As the vortex accelerated, so did the burning sensation, felt like a fire was burning inside his Dantian. Shen Luo responded calmly, causing his Dantian to shudder fiercely. Strands of blue mana floated out of the center of the vortex, forming a thumb-sized blue liquid droplet. Next, the blue liquid droplet moved upwards from his Dantian, directly through his Hand¡¯s Three Yang Meridians, which included the Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, into his arms and finger, as a surge of warmth started quickly flowing within them. In an instant, the entire meridian was filled with blue mana. ¡°Break!¡± Along with the shout in Shen Luo¡¯s heart, the entire Yangming Large Intestine Meridian shuddered and shattered into pieces. Immediately, intense pain washed over him. But at that moment, strands of blue silk materialized within the shattered meridian, entwining around the fragments. There was a vibrant vitality radiating out from these blue strands. The shattered meridian swiftly recovered. Within a few breaths, a brand-new meridian was formed. The newly formed Yangming Large Intestine Meridian emitted a faint blue light, expanded a bit more than before, and seemed to be stronger. Almost the same instant after it was reconstructed, this meridian trembled again and shattered once more. The silvery-blue strands full of vitality emerged again, initiating another swift recovery of the shattered meridian. In the next moment, as if stuck in a cycle, the meridian shuddered again¡­ In this way, the cycle of shattering and reconstruction happened nine times before finally settling down. A dragon-like roar echoed inside his arms. A transparent blue light belt emerged at the back of his body and then vanished instantly. Experiencing the rampant flow of mana in this newly formed meridian, Shen Luo felt extremely excited. He didn¡¯t expect the process to run so smoothly. Although he couldn¡¯t observe the changes internally, he could sense the profound changes that had occurred in the Yangming Large Intestine Meridian. The flow capacity had doubled, and it also became much more resilient, behaving like an elastic band. If he were to use a technique through both hands at that moment, the potency would probably be more than doubled, and the casting speed would be 10% faster. Additionally, the meridian could accelerate the absorption of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Like the Dantian, it could store mana, thus increasing his body¡¯s mana capacity. According to the Nameless Heavenly Book, the capacity of a newborn meridian is approximately one-tenth of Dantian¡¯s capacity. With continuous nourishment, it could expand furthermore to store more mana. ¡°I hope everything goes smoothly from here on,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, quickly suppressing the excitement in his heart. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 150: Amazing Talent Chapter 151: Chapter 150: Amazing Talent Condensing meridians is indeed a marker for advancing to Grain Avoidance Stage, but the number of meridians one can condense is the crucial determinant of future achievements. Because the process of condensing meridians for a monk is a singular opportunity in one¡¯s lifetime. Once the meridians have solidified and the cultivator still wants to condense more, unless they possess some extraordinary heavenly treasure or opportunity, it would be impossible to achieve. The number of meridians eventually condensed primarily depends on the amount of Mana within the body and whether they can timely draw spiritual power from Heaven and Earth during the condensation process. Of course, it would be best if there are appropriate Elixirs to supplement, the previous two naturally relate to the Skills practised and one¡¯s innate talent. According to the Nameless Cultivation Technique, generally, without any external help, ordinary monks could condense two to six meridians. Unless one possesses a Dao Body, it is extremely rare to condense more than eight meridians. Even a top-class Dao Body cannot condense more than twelve meridians. In any case, no monk would consider having too many meridians, always wishing to seize this opportunity to condense as many meridians as possible, yet excessive greed is probably why many Qi Refining Cultivators not only fail to advance to the Grain Avoidance Stage but also suffer severe setbacks. Shen Luo recalled these pieces of information in his mind while continuing to stimulate his Mana to nourish his newly born Hand¡¯s Yang Ming Large Intestine Meridian, and again activated his Skills aiming to remodel the Hand Shaoyang Triple Burner Meridian, which belongs to the Hand¡¯s Three Yang Meridians. The Hand¡¯s Three Yang Meridians, along with the Hand¡¯s Three Yin, Foot Three Yang, and Foot Three Yin meridians, are among the twelve meridians of a human being. Like the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, they all revolve around the Dantian. As most Skills require the use of both hands, most monks naturally choose the six corresponding meridians of the Hands¡¯ Three Yang and Three Yin first when condensing meridians, to increase their hand casting speed and power. Thus, time went on while he continuously underwent the cycle of destruction and regeneration of the meridians. During this time, Shen Luo successively remodeled the six meridians of the Hand¡¯s Three Yang and Three Yin, achieving success in one go each time. This significantly boosted his confidence. Even though he was well aware of the dangers of excessive greed, he decided to attempt condensing the six meridians related to his legs, corresponding to the Foot¡¯s Three Yang and Three Yin, as long as his Dantian and the speed of absorbing Mana could keep up. A week and a half later, one early morning. In the courtyard where Shen Luo was located, a clear and hearty long howl pierced the sky and continued for half an incense stick time before gradually subsiding. Next to the well, in the pond, Shen Luo stood with his legs apart, his fists clenched at his waist. He slowly lowered his head, his eyes exceptionally bright. Just now, he actually managed to successfully condense the last meridian, the Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian, in the twelve meridians. by now, he has condensed a total of twelve meridians. That is to say, the power of the mystic arts he casts with his hands is now six times greater than before, and the casting speed has increased by more than 60%. Additionally, his legs have also been enhanced. If he employed the Water-walking Decision, he should be able to run upstream in water for several two-hour periods now! ¡°I never thought that this body from the Dreamland could reach such a point! It¡¯s about time for me to solidify my meridians and breakthrough.¡± Shen Luo murmured a few words. He suspected that this might be due to his absorption speed of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi being stronger than that of a top-level Dao Body. However, just as he was about to draw on his mana to nourish the new meridians, his face suddenly changed. The Mana inside his Dantian, which had just calmed down, had unknowingly began to operate on its own, forming a vortex. The vortex accelerated rapidly, and within two or three breaths, it had reached several times its previous speed. ¡°What is happening here?¡± Suppressing his inner panic, Shen Luo concentrated on his Skills, trying to stabilize the mana swirling within his Dantian. If anything was to go wrong with his Dantian at this critical moment, the meridians that hadn¡¯t fully consolidated might disperse, and all previous efforts would be in vain. But the Mana vortex within his Dantian had already lost control and didn¡¯t heed his instructions at all. ¡°Could this be a backlash because of my excessive greed?¡± The moment Shen Luo thought of this possibility, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and his back became even more drenched in sweat. However, at this moment, the Mana vortex in his Dantian violently shuddered, and then a series of soft ¡°bursts¡± were heard. One after another, spheres of blue liquid made of Mana emerged, transforming into hot currents and flowing into his meridians. ¡°Eight Extraordinary Meridians? Could it be that¡­¡± Feeling the eight meridians rapidly flowing with mana throughout his body, Shen Luo was shocked. These eight meridians were the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, which included the Ren meridian, Du Meridian, Chong Meridian, and Dai Meridian. They contain major acupoints of the body and communicate with the twelve meridians, extending throughout the body. Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts raced. These eight meridians were different from the twelve meridians. If the latter were damaged, it might result in severe injuries, but they could slowly recover. If the former were broken and couldn¡¯t be repaired in time, it would definitely result in death. With this thought, he couldn¡¯t help but grow more and more afraid. But before he could react, a soul-shredding agony suddenly erupted. His body convulsed and he clutched his head without making a sound, narrowly escaping from passing out. However, in the next moment, a cool sensation circulated at the place where the eight broken meridians were situated, bringing Shen Luo indescribable relief. But then again, his body convulsed, and an agony more severe than before assaulted him¡­ In the following time, Shen Luo repeatedly hovered between life and death, repeating nine times before finally stopping. At this moment, Shen Luo collapsed inside the pond, his face deathly pale, unable to move even a bit. It took half an hour before his face regained some color and he could finally lean on his arms to sit up with difficulty. His pain had disappeared by then, and the Mana turbulence within his Dantian had also subsided. He quickly sat down cross-legged and began meditating, eager to understand what exactly had happened inside his body. But the moment he closed his eyes, they flew open again. His eyes widened in shock, full of disbelief. ¡°Twenty, it¡¯s twenty! Am I dreaming? No, even though I am in Dreamland, but¡­ what¡¯s the difference?¡± Shen Luo was so excited he was about to jump for joy. Then, his eyes closed again, focusing on his Dantian. After winding up the Nameless Cultivation Technique once, a series of crackling sounds came from all over his body. The figure of his body sitting cross-legged shot up by several inches. In front of and behind him, rows of transparent blue light strips emerged one after another, totaling twenty of them. They crisscrossed around his arms and heads, with a faint blue light flowing within. These blue light strips, no matter how entangled, were all connected to the Dantian located in his lower abdomen. These were the twenty meridians that Shen Luo had condensed. Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 151 Water Evasion Decision-+ Chapter 152: Chapter 151 Water Evasion Decision-+ Streams of heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi continuously rushed from all directions, not only from inside the pond, but also from the heaven and earth. Ordinary meridians could not absorb that much Qi and could only do so bit by bit, but those twenty meridians did not resist and easily absorbed the spiritual Qi. Especially those acupoints scattered on the meridians, they were like large mouths greedily sucking in all the incoming spiritual Qi. The speed was more than ten times faster than before! ¡°This spiritual energy flowed quickly along the meridians and eventually gathered in the Dantian. As the Dantian continued to be filled, the surplus mana flowed out from the Dantian and splitted into the twenty meridians, making the blue halo around Shen Luo brighter. In just a quarter of an hour, his Dantian and twenty meridians were filled, and the total internal mana increased by a whole two times more than before. Even though he felt the abundant mana flowing wildly inside his body as if it were rivers, and the Dantian turned as hot as fire, Shen Luo still had a surreal feeling. ¡°Did I really enter the Grain Avoidance Stage with twenty meridians? Even the top Dao bodies can¡¯t achieve that! What¡¯s wrong with my body?¡± He did not quite dare to believe it, but he had no choice other than to believe what had happened within him! Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, activated his Water Manipulation Technique, and swung his hand. The mana in the meridians of his right hand burst out instantly and reached the tip of his fingers. With a splash, a stream as thick as an arm arose from the pond under him and spiralled around his fingertip. Shen Luo looked at his right hand, his eyes sparkling. From the moment he raised his hand to when he performed the spell, there was almost no time interval. It was many times faster than before when he used the Water Manipulation Technique. It makes sense, as his Dantian is now in his right arm. In the future, he can stimulate with his arm. As long as it¡¯s not the kind of mystic art that consumes too much mana, he can save the time used for mobilizing the mana. Naturally, it¡¯s incomparable with the previous. He pointed a finger, and the swirling water instantly transformed into a water arrow, leaving a blurry white shadow in the air and hitting the big mulberry tree nearby. A sizzling sound was heard, and the tree trunk as thick as a man was easily penetrated. The water arrow didn¡¯t stop, it continued to shoot forward and penetrated the courtyard wall in front before shattering. Shen Luo calmly nodded his head, not surprised by the formidable power of the water arrow. ¡°According to what I know, the total amount of mana in my body is now almost three times that of ordinary monks at the early stage of the Grain Avoidance Stage, which is not much different from a Mid Grain Avoidance Cultivator. It¡¯s quite normal for the Water Manipulation Technique to have such a strong power.¡± He glanced at the well near him before a flash of inspiration suddenly came into his mind. He leapt from the pond and formed a strange hand seal with both hands, softly chanting the spell. ¡°Blue light surged up and down his body, quickly forming a semi-transparent blue glow about an inch long on his body. The surface flickered with wave-like blue shadows, as if he were shielded by a layer of water.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the blue glow around him, moved his hands and feet, and found no special feeling. It was as if this blue glow did not exist at all. He stepped toward the well, leapt, and fell straight into it. To his surprise, when he jumped into the water, it did not make any sound at all. He and the shield were like a huge water droplet silently sinking into the water, not even stirring many ripples. In addition, the well water was blocked outside by the faint blue light shield and did not seep in at all. His breathing was as smooth as it was on the ground. More than that, this faint blue light shield and the surrounding well water also vaguely established some connections. Shen Luo silently operated his mana, the blue waves on the light shield suddenly lit up, and the nearby well water started to surge as if being controlled, generating a pushing force. With a swoosh, he dived down with the shield, much faster than swimming, almost as fast as a normal person running on land. ¡°This water repelling technique is really profound!¡± Shen Luo was secretly delighted. At this moment he couldn¡¯t touch the water with his hands and feet and was worried about how to move underwater. The water repelling technique even had this use indeed, which was a bonus. This well was very deep, about seven or eight zhang. He had no idea how it was dug, but with his current falling speed, he quickly reached the bottom. Shen Luo stood at the bottom of the well, shrugged his shoulders. The space inside the well was so small that it couldn¡¯t let him swim freely. However, he realized another use of the water repelling technique. Normally, when you dive to this depth, the pressure from the water can make one extremely uncomfortable and limit one¡¯s movements. But with the shield of water repelling technique, he did not feel anything at all. It seems that from now on, the barrier between water and land for him will no longer exist. Thinking of this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists, feeling an impulse to try it out. During the time he was bedridden, he not only read miscellaneous books related to immortal and ghost cultivation but also looked through some books of wonders and observations. He knew that in this vast world, the species on land are flourishing, some spiritual mountain treasures can produce all kinds of geniuses and treasures, and the much broader water area is the same. There are countless water creatures, especially more splendid than the land, and many precious spiritual materials are hidden within. The rivers, lakes, and streams spread across the four continents, in fact, are natural treasure vaults containing countless treasures. But human monks are not aquatic clans and can¡¯t stay under the water for a long time. Just because of this, most monks are deterred from exploring underwater treasures. Now that he has mastered the water repelling technique, it will be much more convenient for him to explore underwater in the future. Even if he does not go treasure hunting, he can dive into the water and move around, which is equivalent to having an additional covert escape route. For example, the last time he was chased by Gu Hualing and had to run around, barely escaping, if he had mastered this water repelling technique at that time, he could just subtly dive into the water. No matter how fast Gu Hualing is, she could not find him. Shen Luo put away his thoughts, stimulated the spell, and the blue glow on the light shield around him swirled. The whole person suddenly rose quickly and soon reached the water surface, still some distance away from the wellhead. He swung his hand, used the Water-control Technique to condense a water rope, one end rolled towards the mulberry tree in the distance, while the other end wrapped around his body, planning to fly out of the well with its help. But when the water rope touched his light shield, it emitted a crisp sound and was bounced back, unable to penetrate the light shield. ¡°Huh? Does this water repelling technique have a defensive effect?¡± Shen Luo muttered in surprise. He grabbed the water rope and pulled hard, and the person along with the shield soared into the sky like a bird, at a very fast speed, colliding forcefully with the mulberry tree connected to the other end of the water rope. With a bang, Shen Luo smashed into the tree trunk, producing a dull thud, then he was propelled back by a great force, stumbled, and fell to the ground. Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 152: Sacrificial Refining Chapter 153: Chapter 152: Sacrificial Refining Shen Luo looked at the swaying big tree, then at the blue light circling around his own body, he grimaced. With a wave of his hand, a water arrow shot out from the pond towards his right leg. When the water arrow touched the shimmering blue on the surface of his right leg, it burst open with a ¡°plop¡± into droplets, while the blue light merely wavered for a moment before immediately returning to calm. ¡°Not bad!¡± A hint of a smile appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s face as he complimented. Raising his hand again to summon another water arrow, this time he went all out. The water arrow turned into a swift white shadow, making an ear-piercing sound as it broke through air. In a flash, the arrow was in front of his right leg, fiercely hitting the blue light barrier. There was a loud bang! The barrier shuddered violently, the rotating blue light on the surface triggered rings of ripples, like waves on the water¡¯s surface. Shen Luo felt a massive tremor in his right leg and had to take three steps back to steady himself. The magical tactics in his hands did not stop, urging the mana in his hand to enter the barrier. The blue light on the surface of the Water Repelling Barrier flared up, the water arrow exploded suddenly, completely disappearing, while the barrier only flickered a few times before returning to normal. Shen Luo eyed the layer of light blue glow on him again, a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face. He hadn¡¯t expected that the defensive ability of this Water Repelling Technique, apart from having the capability to repel water, was quite impressive. The arrow he just shot was equivalent to a full-on attack by a Qi Refining Cultivator, it seemed that even if he faced an attack from a Grain Avoidance Cultivator, he could resist a great deal of power. He finally had a proper defensive spell! Although he had used the Water-control Technique to form a water shield to block attacks, at most it was as strong as an ordinary iron shield, it¡¯s nowhere near the Water Repelling Technique. Shen Luo dispersed the Water Repelling Barrier with a tactic, then pulled out a bundle of golden rope from his bosom. He had been unable to stimulate this object due to his insufficient cultivation level. Now, having advanced to the Grain Avoidance Stage, he could finally try the power of this magical instrument. Shen Luo immediately began to run his skill, slowly infusing mana into the rope. Initially, the golden rope did not exhibit any abnormalities, all the mana merged into it like mud into the sea without any effect. But as the infused mana increased, the rope finally showed a slight change. Its surface began to emit spots of golden light. The golden light grew more and more, gradually connecting into a plane, making the entire rope gleam brilliantly. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes slightly brightened, but he was a bit hesitant. Until now, he only knew how to use Talismanic Instruments, he still was completely clueless about how to run a real magical instrument. After all, the former¡¯s use was similar to ordinary talisman, the latter supposedly contained prohibitions, requiring special methods to first refine it, before being able to operate. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try, if it doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll go ask someone.¡± Shen Luo thought, with his hands forming a tactic, attempting to stimulate the prohibition inside the gold rope as if operating a talismanic instrument. But when he increased the mana infusion, he found something strange. It seemed that there was an invisible force within the gold rope obstructing the further infusion of mana, and the excess mana was directly overflowing. ¡°Without the method of refining, it really can¡¯t be activated!¡± Shen Luo touched the golden rope and sighed, feeling a little disappointed. If it were normal times, it would have been fine, but it¡¯s not safe here in Longevity Village, who knows when a powerful Monster may attack. If he had a suitable magical instrument, his ability to resist enemies would naturally increase significantly. Shen Luo sat in silence for a while, then once again began to infuse mana into the golden rope. Just like before, the mana just infused into it was immediately blocked by a barrier formed by an invisible force. But this time, he did not give up. Instead, he shook his arms, with six lines of blue meridian light appearing on the surface. He infused several times more mana than before into the gold rope in one go, fiercely smashing the invisible barrier. But this invisible barrier was much tougher than he had expected. No matter how hard he tried to break it, it remained as steady as Mount Tai. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Shen Luo snorted lightly, with all his strength he started the skill, all twenty meridian light bands around his body lit up. Mana surged out like angry waves, one after another, bombarding the invisible barrier within the gold rope. However, until more than half of his mana was exhausted, the invisible barrier inside the golden rope showed no signs of weakening. ¡°It seems that such a thing as a magical instrument cannot be obtained with mere brute force.¡± While thinking this in his heart, Shen Luo began to run the skill to recover his mana. Now that he had twenty meridians to absorb Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, after calmness and silence, his mana was completely restored in just a moment. Shen Luo picked up the golden rope, after a moment of contemplation, he infused mana into the rope again, and soon encountered the barrier. This time he did not try to force a breakthrough, but diffused the mana as much as possible, surrounding the invisible barrier like layers of flowing water, slowly seeping in, moistening everything like water. This time, the resistance of the invisible barrier within the golden rope to mana did not seem as strong. As time passed, some mana seeped in gradually. ¡°There¡¯s hope!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, continuing to run his mana, but quickly he frowned and encountered a new problem. Although this method might be effective, it was terribly slow, comparable to a snail¡¯s pace and required a lot of mental effort. His mana was soon depleted by more than half again, and his spirit was a little tired, but the barrier only loosened a little. However, he had already made up his mind, vowing to keep going until he achieved his goal. When his mana was drained, he would recover, and when his spirit was tired, he would meditate to rest. Time flew by quickly, and a day and night passed in a blink of an eye. At this time, the invisible barrier within the gold rope was finally on the brink of collapse, it was only a step away from a complete breakthrough. Shen Luo knew that caution was needed as he neared the end. As always, he controlled his mana, seeping bit by bit into the depth of the barrier. After half an hour, the golden rope lying silent in his hand suddenly emitted a bright dazzling light. Within the golden light, countless tiny golden runes the size of ants floated up, countless in number, forming a layer of golden patterned array, humming and pulsing. Shen Luo opened his eyes, curiously eyeing the golden patterned array, before touching it with a tactic. The golden rope slipped out of his hand with a ¡°whoosh¡±, flew around in the air, as if a golden snake was darting around nimbly in mid-air. With a single hand pointing in the void, the golden light flashed, and the golden rope flew in front of the big mulberry tree, wrapping around it, and immediately coiling a few loops around before rapidly shrinking. Shen Luo looked pleased, beckoned with one hand and retracted the golden rope, coiling it around his right arm. Although he didn¡¯t understand the method of refining magical instruments and had merely relied on wearisome efforts to break through and control the prohibition, it was still far from completely controlling the rope, barely managing to activate it. He could feel it, there were other prohibitions inside the rope, much more complex than the outermost layer, probably not something that could be easily broken through using slow and steady effort. But without trying, he wouldn¡¯t give up. Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Beast Attack Chapter 154: Chapter 153: Beast Attack Just as he was preparing to continue his attempts, footsteps could be heard from outside the courtyard, like those of two people. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the meals here.¡± A boy¡¯s voice suggested. ¡°I wonder how long the immortal brother will stay. He hasn¡¯t come out for more than ten days.¡± A timid girl asked in a soft voice. ¡°Shush! Bell, lower your voice. Sister Ying said that Immortal Brother is in seclusion, we can¡¯t disturb him. Let¡¯s just put the things here and leave quickly.¡± The boy continued. Upon overhearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and his figure leapt out from the pond, simultaneously inciting a seal with his hands. The water on his clothes scattered away from his body, instantly leaving him dry. The dispersed water droplets melded together in front of him, forming a water rope that shot out and opened the courtyard door. Two children, one tall and one short, were standing outside the door. One was a little boy dressed in a worn-out green cloth shirt and holding a bamboo basket¡ªit was Little Fish, the boy he had met before. The other one was a little girl with braids like sheep horns and dressed in a red patched clothing. She looked a year or two younger than Little Fish, her plump face graced with a pair of watery, big eyes. Seeing the door suddenly being opened scared both of the children. Bell, the little girl, instinctively hid behind the little boy, exposing only her large eyes to look around. ¡°Immortal brother, we came to deliver your meal, we didn¡¯t mean to disturb you, and we¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± Little Fish was quick to react. He placed the basket on the ground, gave a bow to Shen Luo, and held Bell¡¯s hand, preparing to leave. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Shen Luo stopped them, and, in a flash, he was already by the courtyard¡¯s door. He opened the basket, inside were two light yellow pancakes and a little jar filled with some white soup, apparently meat soup; everything was still steaming hot. His eyebrows furrowed. Although he hadn¡¯t seen the meals of other villagers, he was certain this pancake and meat soup were definitely much better than what most people in the village had. ¡°Little Fish, tell Ying Luo for me that she doesn¡¯t need to deliver meals daily, a regular meal every ten days will suffice. Leave the food for those who need it more.¡± Shen Luo said to Little Fish. Now at the early stage of Grain Avoidance, he required less grains, and indeed had no use for so good and large a meal. ¡°Alright, I will tell Sister Ying.¡± Little Fish nodded and responded, while Bell blinked her clear black and white eyes a few times, seemingly not quite understanding the meaning of Shen Luo¡¯s words. ¡°Here, you two can have these.¡± Shen Luo smiled and put the basket in front of the two of them. Upon seeing the pancakes and meat soup in the basket, both of the children¡¯s throats started to move, and Bell¡¯s stomach even growled. ¡°Immortal Brother, this is your food. You and Sister Ying fought dangerous monsters to protect our village. We can¡¯t accept it.¡± Little Fish swallowed, resisted the urge to look at the food, and still mantained a firm no. Shen Luo gave Little Fish a profound look, feeling slightly moved. He had thought that this little boy was not only responsible, but also clear and orderly in his speech when facing him. He was a tough and clever child. ¡°Although I¡¯m not a food-and-drink free immortal, I don¡¯t need to eat every day like you guys. Eating only one meal in ten or so days is more than enough. On the contrary, if I eat too much, I¡¯ll get a stomach-ache. Ah!~¡± He pressed his hand against his stomach, feigning a pained expression. ¡°You guys quick, save me by finishing these pancakes.¡± Then he suddenly laughed and shoved the two pancakes into the children¡¯s hands. ¡°Little Fish Brother, is what Immortal Brother said true?¡± Holding her pancake, Bell looked over at Little Fish and whispered. ¡°It must be true. The Immortal Brother wouldn¡¯t lie to us. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Little Fish nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Thank you, Immortal Brother!¡± Bell thanked Shen Luo, and without being able to contain herself further, stuffed the pancake into her mouth and started wolfing it down. Little Fish also started eating, quickly finishing off his piece of pancake. Shen Luo silently watched the two children finish eating, feeling more satisfied than if he had eaten himself. Then he passed them the small jar, letting each have two sips, and quickly finishing the meat soup inside. ¡°Alright, you should head home early.¡± Shen Luo rubbed Little Fish¡¯s head, then turned and smiled at Bell, before returning to his courtyard. The two children stood at the entrance for a while. Bell picked up the basket and started walking towards the distance. However, Little Fish just stood there, staring blankly at the closed courtyard door. ¡°Little Fish, let¡¯s go.¡± Bell walked a few steps, then seeing that Little Fish hadn¡¯t followed, she called out. ¡°Coming.¡± Little Fish responded, reluctantly diverting his gaze, and followed along. Back in the courtyard, Shen Luo returned to sit by the pond, but he didn¡¯t start refining the Gold Rope immediately. A hint of contemplation flashed across his face. Just now, when he handed the pancake to Little Fish, he touched his palm and subtly noticed something odd about him. Then he took advantage of the opportunity to touch Little Fish¡¯s head, checking again. Although Little Fish¡¯s complexion seemed normal, he was suffering from a hidden ailment, similar to what Shen Luo had experienced before, a deficiency of inner vitality, the cause of which was unknown. However, this lack of vitality was sealed by a peculiar technique, likely some form of acupuncture, and had not manifested itself. This sealing technique was very profound. It required a certain level of understanding of the body¡¯s meridians, as well as the internal organs, to be able to apply it. With his current cultivation level, even he might not be able to do it. The Qi Refining Cultivator Ying Luo certainly wouldn¡¯t be capable. So, who had sealed Little Fish¡¯s ailment? ¡°Could it be Granny Ma?¡± The image of the old woman with white hair appeared in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. If it truly was her, then before she lost her mana, her cultivation level was likely at least at the Grain Avoidance Stage. Shen Luo quickly shook himself out of his thoughts, no longer speculating about it, and was just about to continue trying to refine the Gold Rope. At this moment, the entire courtyard suddenly trembled, the ground shuddering likewise, as if an earth dragon was rolling over. Soon after, thunderous sounds came from the direction of the village entrance. It seemed like some enormous creature was approaching the village. ¡°Another monster attack on the village?¡± His brows furrowed, he swiftly wrapped the golden rope around his arm and strode out. Now as a member of the village, he naturally couldn¡¯t ignore a monster attack. Besides, his cultivation had recently improved greatly and this was a good opportunity to practice on these monsters. As Shen Luo was contemplating all this, his figure had already exited the courtyard. But not long after, his flying form suddenly stopped. On the pathway ahead, two small figures were huddled together, it was Little Fish and Bell. The latter was seated on the ground with a swollen ankle, seemingly twisted. ¡°You two shouldn¡¯t stay here, go home quickly.¡± Shen Luo called out to the two children. In this monster attack, there might again be the previously seen flying beasts. Despite being deep in the village, this place was not safe. ¡°Immortal Brother, Bell¡¯s foot is twisted. She can¡¯t walk.¡± On seeing Shen Luo, Little Fish hastily spoke. Shen Luo glanced at the little girl¡¯s swollen ankle, his brows slightly furrowed. He looked around, planning to find a house where there were people, to allow the two children to take shelter. However, the place where he lived was quite remote, there was almost no one living nearby. At this time, there were troublesome noises coming from the entrance of the village, suggesting that the situation was critical. Taking the two children back to Granny Ma¡¯s place at this point would waste a lot of time. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 154: The Monkey King Seeks Revenge Chapter 155: Chapter 154: The Monkey King Seeks Revenge Without hesitation, Shen Luo bent over to pick up the two children, swiftly brought them into his courtyard, and settled them in his own house. ¡°Both of you, stay here and don¡¯t leave the house until I¡¯ve driven away the monsters and return to treat your injuries,¡± Shen Luo instructed. ¡°Immortal brother, you can rest assured that we will stay here obediently, and I will protect Bell,¡± Little Fish replied, with a determined look on his little face. The color of pain on Bell¡¯s face had also subsided a lot, and she quickly nodded vigorously. Shen Luo gave a smile to the two children, then turned around and left, applying the Chasing Wind Step, he didn¡¯t take the main road, but instead leapt straight in various places in the village, heading straight towards the village entrance. Previously, when chased by the Mad Leopard, his desperate escape had inadvertently allowed him to comprehend some of the true meanings of Chasing Wind Step. With his now breakthrough in cultivation to the Grain Avoidance Stage, his physical condition improved, which also significantly helped his footwork. At this moment, he was leaping on the rooftops of the village, his figure was light and his speed was quite astonishing. The villagers he encountered along the way could only hear the sound of wind passing by their ears, and when they turned to look, Shen Luo had long gone, and they couldn¡¯t even catch sight of his shadow. In just seven or eight breaths, he had already reached the entrance of the village. At the entrance of the village, there was already a cry of killing. The sturdier villagers were holding all kinds of wooden spears or crude crossbows, fighting with some demonic beasts. The attacking beasts were exactly like the grey-haired monkeys he had encountered before, their numbers had more than doubled. Luckily there were no giant flying birds, these monkeys hadn¡¯t attacked the village yet, however, this time the number of monkeys was too large. A dozen grey monkeys stood in the distance, continuously throwing stones that landed on the fence of the village entrance, producing a dense ¡°bang bang¡± sound. In addition, there were a dozen more who had already rushed to the fence, swinging their stone clubs and viciously smashing against the fence. The fence was shaking unceasingly, as if it couldn¡¯t bear the onslaught. The people on the high platform behind the fence were desperately shooting arrows and hurling long spears, trying to drive away those grey monkeys smashing the fence, but their efforts were not effective. Ying Luo was standing on the high platform at the moment, but he wasn¡¯t casting fireball spells to attack the grey monkeys below, instead, his face showed tension as he vigilantly stared at the distance, as if on alert for something. ¡°Master Shen!¡± The people at the entrance quickly noticed Shen Luo¡¯s arrival and were filled with surprise and joy. Shen Luo glanced around and quickly grasped the situation. He stood still, made a gesture with both hands. A white water stream was ejected from the well nearest to the entrance, then it split into four and turned into four water arrows. ¡°Go!¡± With a simple flick of Shen Luo¡¯s fingers, the four water arrows immediately burst out, shooting through the gaps in the fence and hitting the chests of the four grey monkeys that were attacking the fence. Bang, bang, bang, bang! The speed of the water arrows was too fast, the four grey monkeys had absolutely no chance to react. Their bodies were thrown out, a blood hole as large as a bowl¡¯s mouth was burst open on their chests. They struggled a few times upon landing, and then lay motionless. The people of Longevity Village, after witnessing this, cheered joyfully after a moment of shock. The group of monkeys outside were both startled and angry, constantly beating their chests and howling at Shen Luo. Shen Luo ignored them, his figure darted to the vicinity of the fence, he leapt up to the high platform next to Ying Luo, and following Ying Luo¡¯s gaze, he set his sights in the distance. Upon a chaotic pile of stones a few dozen feet outside the village, a huge ape over ten feet tall with an entirely black body and deep green eyes stood toweringly, staring intently at Ying Luo. Its eyes contained none of the typical brutality of the Gray Apes, instead they were clear, indicating great spiritual wisdom. The enormous size and its calm green gaze put a lot of pressure on Ying Luo, causing her fair forehead to glisten with sweat. Just as Shen Luo looked out at the Black Giant Ape, it turned its gaze towards him as well. With no change in expression, Shen Luo waved his hand, performing the seal in his hand once more. A stream of water shot from a nearby well, transforming into four water arrows that aimed at the four gray apes in the distance that were throwing stones, cleanly piercing them through once more. Seeing this, a trace of murderous intent flashed through the green eyes of the Black Giant Ape. It wildly beat its chest and let out a high, resounding cry. Outside the village, the apes, as if hearing a command, halted their attacks, turning to retreat in the distance. At that moment, four more water arrows cut through the void, overtaking the gray apes running far away in the blink of an eye. They pierced through the apes¡¯ backs, spraying a trail of blood. Without even a chance to let out a scream, the four gray apes fell dead instantly. ¡°Roar!¡± Seeing this from a distance, fury blazed in the eyes of the Black Giant Ape, it swung its powerful arms. A black shadow flew forward, making a piercing sound as it broke through the air. To an astonishing degree, the speed was like a bolt of black lightning; it covered dozens of feet in the blink of an eye, coming just a few feet before Shen Luo. It was a black stone roughly the size of a human head. Before the black stone could reach, a gust of wind had already struck him, causing his clothes to flutter. Surprised, Shen Luo was about to cast Water Repelling Barrier, his figure flickering with blue light, when a ball of red flame flew over from beside him and blocked the black stone. The loud explosion echoed as the black stone shattered in the flames! However, the flames were obviously at a disadvantage, the fragmented flames were pressed backward by the vigorous gust of wind stirred up by the stone. Countless fragments of black stone were wrapped in the gust, and after being struck by the fireball, they landed slightly off in another part of the fence. Immediately some people took hits to their thighs or arms on the high platform along the fence, causing screams as they fell. They were drenched in blood, and one person who was hit in the chest had even been flung backward by the force. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°Big Brother Shen, be careful. That black ape is the Ape King, an extremely strong beast. It¡¯s already in the Grain Avoidance Stage,¡± warned Ying Luo, her face unusually grim. ¡°Did it come to take revenge for the gray apes we killed a few days ago?¡± Shen Luo said, looking towards the black ape. Seeing that the black stone was unsuccessful, a low roar emanated from the Black Giant Ape in the distance, and it reached out for another black stone. ¡°Most likely, yes. Ape-type Demonic Beasts usually move in groups and are very vengeful. The village is really in danger today.¡± Ying Luo spoke quietly as if she was afraid the others nearby would hear and lose their morale. ¡°Since it is a revengeful Demon, it must be completely eliminated,¡± Shen Luo stated gravely. ¡°What?¡± Hearing these words, Ying Luo was stunned as if she did not understand Shen Luo¡¯s intentions. ¡°You just guard here. I¡¯ll be back soon¡±. Shen Luo didn¡¯t explain further and before he finished speaking, he had already leaped off the high platform and landed outside the village. Taking quick strides, he started moving towards the direction of the Black Giant Ape. At the same time, a sharp noise came from a nearby well and water streams shot out once more. They coalesced into a water dragon in mid-air, coiling and dancing around him. Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 155: Crushing Chapter 156: Chapter 155: Crushing The Black Giant Ape, seeing Shen Luo charging alone, tossed the Black Stone in its hand and grabbed a gigantic stone, as big as a millstone, from beside it, heaving it towards Shen Luo with all its might. The colossal stone whooshed through the air, creating explosive sounds. In a blink of an eye, it was in front of Shen Luo, and an air pressure several times greater than before was sweeping over. Shen Luo¡¯s face remained unchanged as he formed a sign with one hand, while the golden light on his other arm receded. The streams of water behind him twirled at his gesture, transforming into a blueish water sword, over six feet long, and slashing towards the sky, producing an echoing sound as if it were a flying sword. With a ¡°splurt¡± sound, the gigantic stone was split in half like tofu by the blade of the water sword, which then turned into a blue flash and continued its slash towards the Giant Ape. The Black Giant Ape paused for a moment, then let out a loud roar. Its body hair stood upright, as countless strands of Black Qi burst out from the tips of the hair, swirling to gather into a giant black rod as real as a tangible object. The emergence of the black rod immediately instigated a violent gust of wind as it whirled and shot out, fiercely slamming into the water sword. With a ¡°thud,¡± the gargantuan water sword was shattered with a single strike, dispersing into droplets across the sky, whereas the black rod was also knocked away, yet it did not break. Just at that moment, a golden streak burst out from the exploding water droplets, it was a golden rope, winding swiftly towards the Black Giant Ape. The Black Giant Ape was startled and attempted to dodge, but the speed of the golden rope was way too fast, tangling its legs with a roll. Shen Luo, still nearly twenty-five feet away, saw this, made another hand gesture, and the golden rope tightened and tugged the Giant Ape towards him. The Giant Ape staggered, lost its balance, and was about to crash in front, but its long arms that reached beyond its knees suddenly propped onto the ground, preventing it from falling completely. At this moment, Shen Luo had already soared in front of the Giant Ape, both hands forming a seal, and a pull. The scattered droplets suddenly recoagulated above the Ape¡¯s head, instantly forming into a colossal blue water sword, fiercely slashing down towards the Ape¡¯s neck. The Black Giant Ape finally showed a look of terror, it tried to conjure the Black Qi rod for protection but it was too late. At the critical moment, the hair all over its body blazed with a layer of black light, growing wildly, interweaving with each other, instantly forming a layer of black hair armor that covered its entire body. Especially the hair armor on the neck, it was three times thicker than the other parts, and it was still thickening. But before it could thicken more, the colossal water sword had fallen, heavily chopping on its neck. In a series of crisp and crackling sounds, the black hair armor managed to hold the water sword after nearly half of it cracked open, ultimately blocking the water sword. Shen Luo silently sneered, a nearly three-fold surge of Mana erupted from him, causing the surface of the water sword to radiate a vivid blue light, and began trembling incessantly, generating a clear resonating sword cry similar to real blades. With a ¡°swoosh¡± sound like tearing silk! The remaining black hair armor was effortlessly sliced open by the colossal water sword, and a blue sword shadow swept past the Ape¡¯s neck. The Black Giant Ape¡¯s head, as big as a millstone, immediately flew off and fell heavily several feet away, its eyes wide open in terror. Simultaneously, a massive geyser of blood spouted from its neck, rapidly staining the nearby ground red. The Giant Ape¡¯s limbs twitched a few times, then quickly became still. Its decapitated body maintained a balanced posture supported by both hands on the ground. After Shen Luo smoothly beheaded the Black Giant Ape on the spot, the surrounding noise abruptly ceased, and complete silence enveloped the area. People from the distant village were stunned, and even the nearby Gray ape monsters also froze on the spot, momentarily forgetting to flee. Shen Luo beckoned with one hand, and the golden light flashed. The golden rope that had bound the Giant Ape¡¯s legs slithered back onto his right arm as if it was a living snake. The decapitated corpse of the Giant Ape tumbled to the ground due to the loss of balance, shaking the ground with a booming sound. Only then did the reactions of the people from the village in the distance catch up, resulting in a cheer that shook the heavens. Ying Luo sighed deeply, with a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes as he looked at Shen Luo. The previous statement, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± still echoed in his ears. At this moment, the Gray Apes regained their consciousness. Their faces expressed utter horror as they shrieked and disbanded in all directions. ¡°None of you are getting away.¡± Shen Luo turned abruptly, his figure leaping upwards as his hands formed a spell. The massive water sword immediately disintegrated, transforming into four smaller water swords. The water lights on them did not diminish at all. With a ¡®swish,¡¯ they scattered and flew out, attacking the Gray Apes. These smaller water swords were incredibly sharp. Everywhere they passed, no matter whether it was the Gray Ape monsters or their stone clubs, could not resist them. They could easily be cut through. Shrieks filled the air as blood splattered around. Ying Luo and a few other villagers with superior martial strength also rushed out, intending to aid Shen Luo. However, before they could reach the monkeys, all the Gray Apes had already been slain. Not a single one escaped. ¡°Master Shen! You truly have vast powers!¡± ¡°To even easily slay the Ape King of Grain Avoidance Stage, this is the strength of an Immortal Master!¡± ¡°Thank the ancestors for protecting Longevity Village!¡± A large crowd of villagers surrounded Shen Luo, showering him with endless praise and gratitude. Some even knelt in front of Shen Luo, making him feel overwhelmed. On a high ground within the village, Granny Ma was standing there, looking as lifeless as a withered tree, gazing at Shen Luo who was surrounded by the crowd. Her eyes were no longer cold but had a hint of gentleness. Shen Luo merely replied to everyone¡¯s praises with a smile. ¡°Big Brother Shen has slain the group of demons and must be exhausted. Everyone, please don¡¯t cling onto him. Come, let¡¯s all work together and move these demon corpses back to the village. With so much meat, our village won¡¯t lack rations in the short term.¡± Ying Luo walked over and spoke. Only then did everyone look around at the Ape corpses all over the ground, their faces filled with excitement. They ran over, and several of them lifted each Gray Ape corpse and headed back to the village. They didn¡¯t let the corpse of the Black Giant Ape go either. But the corpse was too big and heavy. It took the combined efforts of more than ten people, who fumbled around before they could barely lift it up and slowly proceeded towards the village. Seeing everyone around him leaving, Shen Luo quietly exhaled. ¡°Big Brother Shen, we haven¡¯t seen each other for just over a dozen days. How did your strength suddenly increase to such a level?¡± Ying Luo came over again, asking with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I just happened to have a breakthrough in my cultivation during this time.¡± Shen Luo said nonchalantly. ¡°That golden rope seemed to be a magical instrument. Big Brother Shen, can you control magical instruments? Have you broken through the Grain Avoidance Stage in your cultivation?¡± Ying Luo glanced at the gold rope on Shen Luo¡¯s right arm and asked. Shen Luo didn¡¯t answer, but merely nodded. Ying Luo¡¯s eyes filled with joy as he repeatedly congratulated him. The two of them chatted and walked, entering the village. Upon noticing the conclusion of the battle, the women and children in the village gathered at the entrance. Seeing the corpses of more than twenty Gray Apes, they all showed excitement and inquired eagerly about the battle. Not wanting to be surrounded by the villagers again, Shen Luo quickly departed the entrance and headed towards his residence. At this time, all the villagers had gathered at the entrance, making the village deserted. Without going far, an old frail figure shakily approached him from the front. It was Granny Ma. Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 156: Chen Guanbao Gets Arrested Chapter 157: Chapter 156: Chen Guanbao Gets Arrested Shen Luo nodded slightly at Granny Ma and hastened his steps to walk over. ¡°Thank you, Daoist friend, for taking action and slaying those invading monsters. This old woman has been disrespectful towards you in the past, I hope you can forgive me.¡± Granny Ma suddenly bowed to Shen Luo, she said. ¡°Granny, there¡¯s no need for this. I am currently a member of Longevity Village, protecting the village by slaying demons is something I should do.¡± Shen Luo was taken aback by Granny Ma¡¯s change in attitude, he stopped in his tracks and returned the bow. ¡°For Daoist friend Shen to break through the bottleneck of the Grain Avoidance Stage in just half a month, indeed a rare talent,¡± Granny Ma said with a rare smile. ¡°Granny, you¡¯re over-praising me, I dare not claim to have such talent.¡± Shen Luo responded humbly. ¡°Granny Ma, Big Brother Shen!¡± At this moment, Ying Luo¡¯s voice echoed from behind, she hastened her pace to catch up. After glancing at Shen Luo, she gave a bow to Granny Ma, a hint of nervousness in her expression. ¡°Ying Luo, don¡¯t worry, this old woman hasn¡¯t gone senile I was just thanking Brother Shen for saving the village.¡± Granny Ma said with a calm tone. Upon hearing Granny Ma¡¯s words, Ying Luo let out a sigh of relief and was about to speak. ¡°Granny Ma, Master Ying, Master Shen!¡± At this moment, a voice came from ahead. The three of them looked up to see a middle-aged woman running towards them, her face filled with anxiety. ¡°Aunt Lan, what happened?¡± Ying Luo hurriedly walked towards the woman. ¡°It¡¯s bad, Master Ying, Master Shen, you need to come quickly¡­ Chen Guanbao has been kidnapped by a demon!¡± The middle-aged woman announced, gasping for breath. ¡°Chen Guanbao!¡± Shen Luo abruptly raised his head. ¡°Where did the demon come from? Where was he abducted?¡± Ying Luo¡¯s face changed she was about to open her mouth when Granny Ma beat her to it. ¡°In¡­ in Master Shen¡¯s residence.¡± Aunt Lan gazes at Shen Luo, swallowed hard before saying. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze hardened, his figure shot forward, disappearing into the distance in a few jumps. ¡°Aunt Lan, please take care of Granny Ma.¡± Ying Luo instructed the woman, then immediately unfolded her bearings and chased after Shen Luo. Shen Luo utilized Chasing Wind Step to the fullest, reaching his small courtyard in no time. ¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯ was standing outside the courtyard at this moment, with a ghostly white face, her body trembling uncontrollably as she hugged tightly to a thirty-something gray-dressed peasant woman by her side. The gray-dressed woman was crouching half-way, hugging ¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯ into her arms, soothing her with words. ¡°Master Shen!¡± Shen Luo suddenly appeared, startling the woman in grey. After recognizing him, she hurried to pay her respects. ¡°Did you see how Chen Guanbao was kidnapped?¡± Shen Luo waved dismissively and asked. ¡°I just got here too, I don¡¯t know what happened. Aunt Lan told me Chen Guanbao was taken by a monster, she asked me to look after ¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯ while she went to the village entrance.¡± The grey-dressed woman was in awe of Shen Luo, she lowered her head and dared not look at him she said softly. Shen Luo nodded in response, glanced at ¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯, then looked towards the courtyard without entering rashly. The courtyard seemed normal, there were no signs of damage on the ground, doors, windows, or anywhere else, as if nothing had happened. ¡°¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯, don¡¯t be scared. Tell Brother Shen, what happened to your big brother Chen Guanbao?¡± He thought for a moment, then crouched down in front of ¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯ and asked gently. ¡®A Inch of Gold¡¯ was terrified at this moment, she buried her head in the grey-dressed woman¡¯s bosom and did not dare to lift her head, she didn¡¯t answer Shen Luo¡¯s question. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, he flicked his fingers a few times on ¡®A Inch of Gold¡±s back and head, then guided a thread of mana into her heart meridians. A Inch of Gold¡¯s trembling body came to a halt, raising her head, a faint blush spread across her small face, her spirits seemed to steady a lot. ¡°Good job Inch, tell me, what did you see just now? I can only help your brother Chen Guanbao if you tell me.¡± Shen Luo gently said. A Inch of Gold perked up at the mention of saving Chen Guanbao, hesitated for a moment and then murmured, ¡°Well, after Immortal Master, you left, we hid inside the house. After a while, sudden rushing noise sounded from outside, getting louder and louder, then¡­ then everything around became extremely cold¡­¡± At this point, A Inch of Gold¡¯s body shuddered lightly, she hugged her arms with her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I am here. What happened next?¡± Shen Luo gently stroked A Inch of Gold¡¯s head, fed another strand of mana into her. ¡°I was really scared, Chen Guanbao brother told me to hide under the bed, he said he will protect me, he went out to check, as soon as he left the house, he screamed, then there was no more sound.¡± Inch, rejuvenated, continued. ¡°How did you get out then?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°I was scared and started shouting, that¡¯s when Aunt Lan came in, she brought me outside.¡± Inch of Gold anxiously glanced at the wide-open courtyard door, said. ¡°You guys stay outside, don¡¯t come in.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo stood up, told the grey-clothed women of the village. The woman quickly agreed, withdrew a bit further away with A Inch of Gold. Shen Luo stepped into the courtyard, silently circulated his mana in defense against any sudden danger, while keenly sensing the surroundings, his gaze became focused. It wasn¡¯t clear from the outside, but upon entering the courtyard, a faint demon qi and a scent of blood lingered, distinctly not of a human cultivator. Shen Luo quickly searched every corner of the courtyard, did not find any trace of a demon hiding, evidently the opponent has long since left. The peculiar thing was that the scent of blood was swirling inside the courtyard, but showed no signs of dispersing outside. ¡°Strange, did the monster vanish into thin air after kidnapping Chen Guanbao?¡± He was puzzled. At this moment, the sound of rustling garments floated in from outside, it was Ying Luo. ¡°Elder Shen, have you found anything?¡± She inquired, stepping into the courtyard. ¡°Still nothing, but there is indeed remnant demon qi here, however, the monster that took the person just up and left, not sure where it went.¡± Shen Luo shook his head, said with a furrowed brow. ¡°Could it have flown away?¡± Ying Luo looked slightly surprised, pondered a little then said. ¡°It is unlikely, the repulsive scent on the demon just lingers in the courtyard. If it had flown off, it would have left traces.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°A stench? Is there? Why can¡¯t I smell anything?¡± Ying Luo wrinkled her nose, suspiciously scanning the surroundings, said. ¡°Just trust me, I won¡¯t get it wrong.¡± Shen Luo said, once again falling into deep thought. The stench was faint, and he would not have noticed without his heightened senses after breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage. But where exactly did the monster go? Suddenly, a flurry of hurried footfalls came from outside the courtyard, it was Granny Ma and Aunt Lan arriving, followed by a crowd of incoming villagers with bustling noise. Granny Ma rushed into the courtyard with Aunt Lan¡¯s help, and the villagers, seemingly in an unspoken agreement, did not follow in, instead they surrounded the courtyard from outside. ¡°Both of you, any clues on the whereabouts of that monster?¡± Granny Ma approached catching her breath and asked Shen Luo and Ying Ruo before she could settle. ¡°Granny Ma, we still haven¡¯t found a clue yet. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re working on it.¡± Ying Luo stepped forward to support Granny Ma¡¯s other arm, reassuring her. ¡°You must be Aunt Lan, right? I heard from Inch that you came here as soon as Chen Guanbao was taken. Did you see any traces of the monster?¡± Shen Luo turned to Aunt Lan and asked. Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Its Back Again Chapter 158: Chapter 157: It¡¯s Back Again ¡°No, I saw a demon attacking the village and I wanted to help, so I was passing by the courtyard. I heard a child¡¯s scream, saw that the courtyard door was unlocked, and rushed in. All I found was a piece of gold, and saw no trace of Chen Guanbao or the demon.¡± Aunt Lan shook her head as she spoke. ¡°Could it be that the demon used some kind of earth evasion technique to get away after kidnapping someone?¡± Ying Luo suggested, as if he had just thought of something. ¡°No, the ground would definitely show some signs if an earth evasion technique was used. The ground in the courtyard is completely normal, so it could not have been earth evasion.¡± Granny Ma asserted in a deep voice. ¡°I understand now!¡± Shen Luo spoke before quickly walking towards the big well nearby. He crouched down and touched the ground beside the well with his fingers, sniffed them, then stood up and peered into the well. Seeing him do this, both Ying Ruo and Aunt Lan helped Granny Ma to come over to him. As they all gazed into the well, they noticed the water was still, showing no ripples. It was quiet, almost eerie, like a gaping maw ready to devour anything thrown into it. ¡°Are you suggesting that the demon abducted Chen Guanbao and left through this well?¡± Granny Ma queried. Aunt Lan, upon hearing this, instinctively took a step back, as if she was afraid a demon would spring from the well and pull her into it. ¡°It¡¯s highly likely. This would leave no trace. However, if that¡¯s the case, Chen Guanbao could be in danger.¡± Ying Luo frowned deeply. ¡°I¡¯ve read some accounts suggesting that certain monsters prefer to kidnap children to aid in their cultivation. But they need the children to be alive for this. If true, Chen Guanbao may be safe for now.¡± Shen Luo explained slowly. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s theoretically possible, but what good can that do? Are you implying that you could really submerge and confront that monster? Alas, the poor child¡­¡± Granny Ma first agreed, then sighed in resignation. ¡°If the boy is indeed dragged into the water, it¡¯s impossible for a person to breathe there. Even if we find the monster, what then? That would be risking one¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Yes! It seems the odds for Chen Guanbao surviving this are quite slim¡­¡± ¡°Alas, I watched Chen Guanbao grow up. He is a bright and responsible boy. What a waste!¡± The villagers outside the courtyard, witnessing these circumstances, began to chat amongst themselves in a flurry of gossip. ¡°I can go down and check.¡± Shen Luo suddenly broke the silence. At his words, everyone, including Granny Ma and Ying Ruo, looked at him in disbelief. Especially Granny Ma, whose cold demeanor seemed to disappear instantly. ¡°I will go with you. We do not know the strength of the monster, having someone else on hand may be helpful.¡± Ying Luo immediately proposed. ¡°Miss Ying, you lack the water evading technique and won¡¯t last long underwater. It¡¯s also imperative you stay to watch over the village in case other monsters take advantage. Therefore, it is best if you stay behind.¡± Shen Luo advised. ¡°But it¡¯s too dangerous for you to go alone.¡± Ying Luo protested. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just going down to investigate. If I encounter danger, I¡¯ll come up immediately. I also have ways to defend myself.¡± Shen Luo said with a fair amount of confidence. Hearing this, Ying Luo could only give a reluctant nod. ¡°Friend Shen, please be very careful,¡± cautioned Granny Ma. Shen Luo shot everyone a reassuring smile. He invoked the Water Repelling Technique, and his body shimmered with blue light. Then, he leapt into the well, diving deeper in. The villagers outside the courtyard were astounded at the display of this amazing technique. Granny Ma¡¯s eyes twinkled momentarily, a hint of contemplation visible on her face. Shen Luo, protected by the Water Repelling Technique, quickly reached the bottom of the well. He surveyed his surroundings and discovered that the situation was the same as when he previously dove in. Nothing seemed amiss; the bottom of the well and the surrounding well walls were smooth and natural, showing no signs of drilling. ¡°Could I have guessed wrong?¡± While wondering, Shen Luo floated upward slowly, continuing to examine the well walls as he moved, his hand brushing against the surface. ¡°Huh!¡± But, after rising about thirty feet, his hand suddenly stopped moving against the wall of the well. His eyes widened as if he had discovered something. Without a second thought, Shen Luo rubbed his hands quickly against the well wall, creating a cloud of yellow mud that obscured his vision. However, he manipulated the water in front of him to dissolve the mud, clearing his view once more. At the edge of the field of view, a yellow stone about the size of a grindstone embedded in the well wall framed the edges of something dark. Shen Luo exhaled deeply as he reached into the edge of the stone and applied force. With a splash, the yellow stone detached from the well wall and revealed a large, dark hole, unbelievably deep and mysterious, leading to an unknown place. ¡°It must be here!¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, glancing into the hole a few times, his gaze suddenly landing on something at the edge of the passageway. There, two stones were entangled with strands that looked like hair. He picked up the strands to find they were slightly yellow hairs, thicker than a human¡¯s. Shen Luo brought the strands to his nose and sniffed them. His eyes lit up. The scent was similar to the lingering stench of the demon in the courtyard. He stored the strands of hair securely in his robe and without delay swam quickly upwards. A short while later, Shen Luo¡¯s figure leapt out of the well with a loud splash. ¡°Master Shen has come up!¡± The villagers had already flooded into the courtyard and upon witnessing this, excitement stirred among them. ¡°Big Brother Shen, what¡¯s the situation down there?¡± Ying Luo hurried forward to ask. Granny Ma didn¡¯t utter a word, but her eyes were equally eager to know the results. Without wasting any time, Shen Luo quickly narrated his findings from the well. The crowd was struck with astonishment upon hearing that there was a secret tunnel at the bottom of the well. ¡°The tunnel seems to have been deliberately made, very likely by the demon. It appears the demon has been lurking near the village for awhile.¡± Shen Luo hypothesized. ¡°No wonder Uncle Du¡¯s family and Feng Xiaobao disappeared one after another without a trace, they must have been abducted by this demon!¡± Ying Luo suddenly remembered something and blurted out in agitation. ¡°Also, I found this underwater. The scent on it is the same as the one remaining from the demon. Take a look.¡± Shen Luo took out the yellow strands of hair from his robe and handed them over. ¡°What is this? It looks like hair, but it¡¯s a bit thicker.¡± Ying Luo said curiously as she took the strands of hair. ¡°This hair is really long. What kind of monster has such long hair?¡± Qing Niu asked, looking at the strands of hair in Ying Ruo¡¯s hand, puzzled. ¡°This¡­ this is¡­¡± Granny Ma suddenly paled. ¡°Granny Ma, do you recognize this?¡± Ying Luo promptly asked. ¡°Yes, yes, this is the monster¡¯s hair. It¡¯s back!¡± Granny Ma, her eyes fixed on the hair strands, wore a look of shock and outrage on her aged face. Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 158: Beauty Snake Chapter 159: Chapter 158: Beauty Snake Shen Luo had never seen Granny Ma look this upset, and it made his eyebrows furrow slightly. ¡°Granny Ma, do you know this demon?¡± Ying Luo noted Granny Ma¡¯s current expression and felt a strange sense of panic in her heart. She asked. ¡°Of course I know, how could I forget the great battle that destroyed my cultivation? This is the hair of the Beauty Snake!¡± Granny Ma, having recovered her composure, said coldly. ¡°Beauty Snake?¡± It seemed Ying Luo made a connection, her face change in response. A few of the older people in the crowd also showed alarm, but most of them were still clueless. ¡°Fellow cultivators, what is this ¡®Beauty Snake¡¯ you are referring to?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This goes back to more than twenty years ago. Back then, my cultivation was intact. I, along with another Grain Avoidance Stage cultivator and a few Qi Refining youngsters, were guarding the village. Despite our poverty, we were relatively secure. Unfortunately, tranquillity didn¡¯t last. A villager went fishing in the creek and somehow provoked a Snake Demon with a woman¡¯s head and a snake¡¯s body. It attacked our village. We named it ¡®Beauty Snake¡¯ because the demon¡¯s head was that of a beautiful woman. This Beauty Snake was mighty. I and another daoist friend of the Grain Avoidance stage fought it. In the end, my Dantian was damaged, my Mana scattered, and the other friend fell. However, the Beauty Snake also suffered heavy injuries and escaped. I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s returned now,¡± Granny Ma explained slowly. Most of the elderly present had witnessed the events of that year. When they heard Granny Ma recount the past, they recalled the terrifying memory and showed expressions of lingering fear. ¡°I thought the village was only attacked by beasts a few years ago?¡± Qing Niu suddenly asked on the side. ¡°Attacks from mountain beasts have always happened. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be a need for cultivators in the village. However, such events were rare back then, often occurring only once every ten or so years. It wasn¡¯t until the wild beasts on the mountain became aggressive a few years ago that attacks increased,¡± Granny Ma explained. Qing Niu nodded in understanding upon hearing this, and didn¡¯t say any more. ¡°Granny Ma, what was the specific cultivation level of you and the other Grain Avoidance Stage cultivator at that time?¡± Shen Luo asked, his expression grave. ¡°I had just reached the Grain Avoidance Stage back then, and the other cultivator had a somewhat stronger cultivation level than me, but it was not yet at the Mid Grain Avoidance stage,¡± Granny Ma looked at Shen Luo and replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression relaxed slightly. The Beauty Snake had, in the past, severely injured two early-stage Grain Avoidance cultivators, but it too had been injured severely. It¡¯s cultivation level could at most reach the Mid Grain Avoidance Stage. After so many years, even if its injuries had recovered, its cultivation level should not have improved much. Otherwise, it would not have been acting so sneakily. Although he had just stepped into the Grain Avoidance Stage, he had created a total of twenty meridians. In terms of Mana¡¯s intensity and the power of his spells, he was already on par with ordinary Mid Grain Avoidance cultivators. ¡°The Beauty Snake demon is greedy and fierce. Adding the animosity from before, it will definitely not let it go easily this time. I¡¯m afraid our village is about to experience another disaster!¡± said Granny Ma, wearing a worried expression. Upon hearing this, everyone in the courtyard began to panic. ¡°Now that we know what creature has been wreaking havoc and found the route it took, our urgent task is to figure out how to rescue Chen Guanbao!¡± Ying Luo quickly said. ¡°The Snake Demon is immensely powerful. Even when the village had two Grain Avoidance Stage Immortal Masters back then, they were not its match. Forgive me for upsetting you two daoists, but how can you guys beat it? Going there will only send you to a needless death.¡± Before Shen Luo could speak, a bald elderly man next to him objected. ¡°Yes! If something unfortunate were to happen to you guys, what will happen to the village?¡± Another middle-aged man said. ¡°Even though the demons heal by devouring the living, Chen Guanbao was taken so long ago, the chances are high he has already succumbed. Even if the Immortal Masters were to pursue it, it would be in vain. It would be better for them to stay in the village and think of a way to resist the next attack from the Snake Demon.¡± Other villagers also started to consult, talking all at once, none of them willing for the two to take such a risk. Shen Luo glanced at the villagers around him, lowered his eyes, and didn¡¯t comment. Ying Luo was initially angry at the villagers¡¯ objections, but after hearing their words, she also began to hesitate. ¡°Granny Ma, you¡¯re experienced and knowledgeable. What should we do about this?¡± She was unsure and turned to Granny Ma for advice. Everyone surrounding her also turned to look at Granny Ma. Ever since Granny Ma had explained the origin of the Beauty Snake, she had been standing silently like Shen Luo, her head bowed. Only upon hearing the question did she raise her head. ¡°Everyone¡¯s points are sensible, but in my opinion, Chen Guanbao should still be alive,¡± Granny Ma said. ¡°How do you know?¡± A villager asked in surprise. ¡°That Beauty Snake must be hiding nearby in the village, healing its wounds. Otherwise, with its strength, it would have wiped out the entire village, instead of hiding as it is now. According to my understanding of snake demons, their bodies belong to the yin. Eating children on the full moon day would be most beneficial for them. Tomorrow is the full moon,¡± Granny Ma explained. Upon hearing this, everyone seemed to come to a realization. Shen Luo thought to himself that his guess was indeed correct. If the snake demon was still injured, it would be much easier to deal with. ¡°Ying Luo, your strength is too weak, you are no match for that Beauty Snake at all. Stay in the village,¡± Granny Ma looked at Ying Luo and said. ¡°What about Chen Guanbao? He¡¯s still alive, can¡¯t we just watch him die?¡± Ying Luo urgently asked. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, among us, only you have the strength to match the snake demon. Would you be willing to rescue Chen Guanbao?¡± Granny Ma turned to Shen Luo and asked. ¡°Alright. Chen Guanbao was captured because he was delivering food for me. Even if you didn¡¯t ask, I would have rescued him,¡± Shen Luo said with certainty. ¡°Granny Ma, this won¡¯t work. Master Shen is now an important force in the village. We can¡¯t risk him. You can¡¯t just think of your own child without considering the safety of the village,¡± the bald old man objected again. ¡°Yes!¡± A few others echoed his sentiment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. When have I ever done anything detrimental to the village? If I am asking Brother Shen to go, I naturally have a way to ensure his entire safety,¡± Granny Ma said, looking fiercely at the bald old man and others. Shen Luo was a bit surprised and wondered what Granny Ma meant by her words. The bald man and the others, under Granny Ma¡¯s intense gaze, felt a chill in their hearts and couldn¡¯t voice their objections. ¡°Everyone, there¡¯s a demon hiding underground here. This place is not safe. Everyone, go home and wait for the results,¡± Granny Ma said, looking around. Her voice was not loud, but she spoke with an undeniable authority. Everyone looked at each other and left the courtyard in a flurry, leaving only Ying Luo and Qing Nui behind. ¡°Ying Luo, Qing Niu, you should go too. I have something to discuss with Brother Shen,¡± Granny Ma said to Ying Luo and Qing Niu. Ying Luo hesitated for a moment, looked at Shen Luo and turned to leave. Qing Niu followed closely behind. The courtyard was now only populated by Shen Luo and Granny Ma. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, having you rescue Chen Guanbao alone, I feel very guilty,¡± Granny Ma sighed. Shen Luo just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Granny Ma reached into her robe and quickly pulled out a palm-sized silver moon ring. The outer edge was bright and sharp, the inner side was relatively thick. The entire ring emanated a faint silver glow, looking exceptionally beautiful. Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 159: Granny Ma Gives a Treasure Chapter 160: Chapter 159: Granny Ma Gives a Treasure In the center of the Moon Ring, two tiny ancient characters were inscribed, which were indeed ancient seal script. Shen Luo had happened to see these two characters when he was reading the Nameless Heavenly Book. They were the words ¡°Half Moon¡±. ¡°I¡¯ve lost all my mana and can¡¯t help you now. This Half-moon Ring is a magical instrument left by my father, it¡¯s a top-grade magical instrument with nine-layer restrictions. I give it to you.¡± Granny Ma looked at the silver Moon Ring in her hand with a nostalgic look, then handed it to Shen Luo. ¡°Nine-layer restriction? Top-grade magical instrument?¡± Shen Luo took the silver Moon Ring with curiosity. ¡°What? Is there a problem?¡± Granny Ma asked strangely. ¡°I have no master and know very little about magical instruments and the Dao of prohibitions, please enlighten me Granny Ma.¡± Shen Luo politely requested. ¡°What! You have no master? Have you been studying cultivation on your own all this time?¡± Granny Ma was shocked. ¡°Indeed!¡± Shen Luo nodded. Granny Ma opened her eyes wide in surprise, unable to accept that Shen Luo was a pure freelance cultivator, and her plan to take advantage of Shen Luo¡¯s sect fell through. ¡°Tsk tsk, before my Dantian was damaged, I always thought my cultivation talent was quite good. But compared to you, Friend Shen, I feel like a minor sorcerer before a great wizard. You¡¯re only about twenty years old and you could cultivate to such a realm all by yourself.¡± Granny Ma praised. ¡°You¡¯re too kind Granny Ma, my cultivation is nothing but a fluke, so I really need your guidance regarding magical instruments.¡± Shen Luo changed the subject. ¡°Alright then. A magical instrument is actually a weapon that contains the power of prohibitions internally. Unlike talismanic instruments, which rely solely on attached talismans, magical instruments rely on internal prohibitions. The power of the two is incomparable.¡± Granny Ma explained. Shen Luo nodded. He was aware of this knowledge. ¡°The foundation of a magical instrument lies in the prohibitions it contains. The more layers of prohibitions it has, the higher the grade of the magical instrument. Generally speaking, those containing one to three layers of prohibitions are considered low-grade magical instruments, four to six layers are mid-grade, and seven to nine layers are top-grade. The Half-moon Ring is the highest grade of top-grade magical instruments.¡± Granny Ma did not dwell on this and continued to explain. ¡°Thank you for the gift, Granny. I actually possess a magical instrument too, but it requires refining to activate, and I don¡¯t know the art of refining. So, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to fully utilize the power of this Half-moon Ring.¡± On hearing this, Shen Luo, somewhat surprised, gave a wry smile as he looked at the magical instrument in his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t know the method of refining? No problem, I can pass on to you a spell for refining.¡± Granny Ma said. ¡°Thank you, Granny Ma!¡± Shen Luo was thrilled and bowed in gratitude. ¡°This technique is a secret passed down by our Mount Fangcun. According to the rules of our sect, it should not be taught to outsiders. But now that Mount Fangcun is in this state, there¡¯s no need to abide by this rule.¡± Granny Ma sighed a little, then recited a magic spell. This magic spell was called the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. It was not long, only a thousand characters or so, and Shen Luo soon memorized it. ¡°You don¡¯t have much time. Refine it here and then you must hurry on.¡± Granny Ma urged. ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Luo said, sitting cross-legged. He comprehended this technique once, then spat out a ball of his mana, which entered the Half-moon Ring. At the same time, he formed the magic spell with both hands. A stream of blue light shot out from his fingertips and landed on the Half-moon Ring. The Half-moon Ring immediately reacted and emitted a silver glow. Countless dense silver runes appeared. Each rune was only the size of an ant. They circled around the Half-moon Ring, and then condensed into nine layers of silver formations. However, these formations seemed very vague, giving a sense of illusion. Shen Luo¡¯s face slightly brightened. He continued to use the magic spell, and soon touched the restriction within the Half-moon Ring. This restriction gave him a feeling of heaviness far more than the restriction in the Gold rope. Without any pause, he continued to use the magic spell, permeating towards the restriction ahead. To his surprise, his mana easily entered the heavy restriction as soon as he made a slight impact with the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Shen Luo was pleased and continued to use the magic spell. A moment later, the Half-moon Ring suddenly released a clear chirping sound. It shot up from his hand and started to rotate rapidly around his body. It released a bright Treasure Light and numerous silver runes appeared on its surface, making it look extremely mysterious. One of the layers in the nine silver formations around the ring had become bright and clear, but the other eight were still somewhat vague. Shen Luo made a gesture, and the rapidly rotating Half-moon Ring immediately flew back to him and hovered over his palm. His gaze pierced at the Half-moon Ring in front of him. Although he had only refined one layer of the restriction, the imposing power of this ring had already greatly surpassed any treasure he had obtained before. He didn¡¯t try to test the power of the ring. Instead, he put it into his sleeve with a spell, then stood up and said to Granny Ma, ¡°Granny Ma, saving a life is like putting out a fire. I have already delayed a lot of time. I have to go now.¡± ¡°The Beauty Snake is cunning and deceitful, and also naturally suspicious. Be very careful, if you can¡¯t defeat it, come back immediately. Protect yourself first.¡± Granny Ma nodded. Shen Luo acknowledged her, then jumped into the well. He cast the Water Repelling Technique, a blue light appeared on his body, repelling the well water. He descended rapidly into the well and soon arrived at the entrance to the passageway inside the well. Instead of entering immediately, he stretched out one hand, and a blue light appeared in his palm. He began to use the Art of Spirit Communication. Suddenly, a vortex appeared in the well water around his palm. An aura of demon Qi emerged from the center of the vortex, and then with a ¡°splash¡±, Zhui Tou leaped out of it. ¡°Hey, why do you always summon me when I¡¯m cultivating? If there¡¯s nothing, let me go back quickly!¡± Zhui Tou looked around discontentedly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. It¡¯s urgent, of course I have some work for you, hurry in! Help me!¡± Shen Luo pointed at the passageway without any expression. Zhui Tou saw Shen Luo¡¯s serious expression, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, shook his head reluctantly, but ultimately kept his mouth shut. He drew out the Wave-breaking Hammer from behind his back, bent over, and darted into the passageway first. Shen Luo followed Zhui Tou into the passageway with the blue light flashing all over him. The passageway was dark and narrow, making it somewhat inconvenient to proceed, but Zhui Tou moved along quite easily. With each swing of his shrimp tail, he flew forward about two or three meters. ¡°Zhui Tou, don¡¯t go too fast. Our opponent this time is a Snake Demon, and it¡¯s quite powerful.¡± Shen Luo reminded. ¡°Just a Snake Demon? In our Eastern Sea, it¡¯s only considered a lower race and can¡¯t even enter the Dragon Palace. What¡¯s there to fear?¡± Zhui Tou didn¡¯t care and didn¡¯t slow down his pace. Shen Luo frowned but didn¡¯t say anything. He tightened his grip on the Half-moon Ring and Gold rope in his sleeves, standing ready to react. Soon, a rushing sound of water came from the front, indicating turbulent water flow. ¡°Be careful!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes honed in, loudly warning. Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 160: Pursuit and Kill Chapter 161: Chapter 160: Pursuit and Kill Zhui Tou no longer insisted on his stubbornness, instead, he slightly slowed down his speed. After the time it took to burn half an incense stick, the passageway finally came to an end. Ahead of them lay a dimly lit water area with rushing river water flowing swiftly forward. ¡°It seems this is an underground river, but I wonder where it leads?¡± Shen Luo scanned his surroundings, murmuring to himself. The turbulent current pummeled against his body, trying to sweep him downstream, but once he activated the Water Repelling Technique, he was able to resist the force of the surge. ¡°Where¡¯s this so-called Snake Demon? I haven¡¯t even seen a single scale!¡± Zhui Tou stood steady in the middle of the underground river, swaying his pointed and slender head from side to side and complaining loudly. Just as Shen Luo was about to speak, a sharp yellow figure shot out incredibly fast from the depths of the underground river, leaving a trail of blurry afterimages before slamming into his chest with a muffled ¡°thud.¡± Thrown back like he was struck by a hammer, Shen Luo staggered back several steps. The protective shield over his body flickered violently but quickly regained its calm. Zhui Tou reacted swiftly. As Shen Luo was forced back, he had already raised the Wave-breaking Hammer and savagely smashed it towards the yellow figure. The Wave-breaking Hammer swung, leaving a trail of a white arch in the water. The yellow figure seemed to be startled by the force of Zhui Tou¡¯s attack and immediately recoiled to dodge. However, it didn¡¯t completely avoid the strike and was still hit by the Wave-breaking Hammer. A muffled ¡°thud¡± sounded! The yellow figure was sent flying and its original form was revealed. It was a yellow snake tail as thick as a water bucket, which shook several times, leaving a clear white mark on its scales. Following that, a thick and long figure appeared behind the snake tail, revealing a huge python five-six zhang in length. Its body was a sandy-yellow color covered in large, sturdy scales, under which shimmered a crystal glow. The python¡¯s head was not a snake¡¯s but a woman¡¯s head with yellow hair. Her face was young and beautiful, but her eyes were cold and glinting with menace. Shen Luo, having regained his balance, looked up and his pupils constricted in shock. ¡°A Beauty Snake!¡± Zhui Tou tightly and unblinkingly gripped the Wave-breaking Hammer, his gaze fixed on the giant python, his expression grew more serious. ¡°Are you from Longevity Village?¡± The Beauty Snake didn¡¯t attack again, shifting her gaze to Shen Luo, her voice sharp and thin. ¡°For the sake of your hard cultivation, let the child go quickly to avoid a fight.¡± Shen Luo coldly stated. ¡°Just a lone human cultivator, accompanied by a shrimp you picked up somewhere, dares to spout big words here. Are you tired of living?¡± The Beauty Snake seemed to be enraged by Shen Luo¡¯s attitude, and a fierce light flared in her eyes. Shen Luo didn¡¯t bother to waste words with her and flicked his fingers. A silvery light shot out from his sleeve, heading straight for the Beauty Snake. It was the Half-moon Ring. A tricky light flashed in the eyes of the Beauty Snake and instead of retreating, she lunged forward. Her eyes suddenly emitted two substantial yellow lights, fiercely looking straight at Shen Luo. Shen Luo inwardly cursed that he was in trouble and was about to look away, but it was already too late. He could only watch as the yellow lights that filled his vision grew rapidly larger, occupying his entire field of view and causing a ¡°buzz¡± in his mind. It was as if an invisible force had struck him, causing the figure of the Beauty Snake in front of him to blur. He watched helplessly as her body seemed to multiply into four or five identical snakes and he couldn¡¯t tell which was the real Snake and which were the illusions. The Half-moon ring mid-flight couldn¡¯t decide where to strike and hesitated for a moment. Four or five snake shadows swayed, shooting at Shen Luo like arrows, their speed astonishingly fast. ¡°Illusion Technique!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened instantly, invisibly running the Water Repelling Technique, and his body shot back quickly. Zhui Tou skillfully shielded Shen Luo, sweeping his Wave-breaking Hammer at the several snake shadows. At this point, in Shen Luo¡¯s view, amidst the swirling yellow light, Zhui Tou was entwined in a struggle with several snake shadows. Still unsure which were real and which were illusions, he could only hear the constant heavy thuds. He gathered all his mana from his Dantian, even summoning the mana within his twenty meridians. It crashed about within him, then forcefully poured into his eyes. His eyes shone with a blue light, and as a crackling noise echoed, his vision instantly cleared. The yellow light and illusory snake shadows disappeared, leaving only a python and Zhui Tou locked in combat. The Beauty Snake¡¯s cultivation level was clearly a realm above Zhui Tou¡¯s; its agility and strength surpassed him. In a short amount of time, Zhui Tou¡¯s armor broke in several places, with blood traces apparent. Shen Luo formed a spell with his left hand, while his right hand made a grabbing motion in the void. The water near the Beauty Snake stirred, and seven or eight thick water ropes formed, instantly wrapping around the snake demon. The Beauty Snake¡¯s movement was instantly restricted. Upon seeing Shen Luo, who had returned to normal from afar, its eyes flashed with surprise. Upon noticing the Beauty Snake was trapped, Zhui Tou¡¯s spirits lifted. His Wave-breaking Hammer made a whooshing sound, turning into a black light and striking the Beauty Snake¡¯s neck. With a ¡°thump,¡± the Snake¡¯s upper body was knocked backwards. Just then, a silver light flashed above the Beauty Snake, and the half-moon ring shot forward. The silver light transformed into a silver moon shadow, releasing a piercing whistling sound and slashing at the Beauty Snake¡¯s head. The Snake was startled, letting out a low roar. A yellow light engulfed it and quickly condensed, forming a layer of several-inch-thick yellow light membrane. At the same time, it turned its head to the side. Before the light membrane was fully formed, the half-moon ring¡¯s silver moon shadow crashed down and sliced through the yellow light membrane. The seemingly solid yellow light membrane was fragile like paper mache under the half-moon ring. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± it was broken. A flash of silver darted at the Beauty Snake¡¯s neck, plunging deep within in the blink of an eye. A look of shock flashed across the Beauty Snake¡¯s eyes. What was once a woman¡¯s head turned back into a snake¡¯s. With a violent hiss, the nearby water began to buzz. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt dizzy and his hand motions paused. The half-moon ring slightly slackened. The beauty Snake¡¯s body suddenly rolled violently. The yellow light on its body flashed, and a tremendous force burst out from within it, causing the nearby water to churn explosively. At the same time, a strange ¡°ripping¡± sound was heard. Shen Luo, just regaining himself, felt the force from the water ropes suddenly disappear, altering the expression on his face. He waved his spell. The half-moon ring and several water ropes flew out of the turbulent water, carrying a long yellow object ¨C a ragged snakeskin. A long white shadow shot out from the turbulent water, revealing a large, scaleless white python. Its body was slightly larger than before, and the wound on its neck had turned into a long red mark, the wound already coagulated. Turning its large body, the white python transformed into a white shadow, and with incredible speed, darted downstream of the underground river. Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Chapter 161: The Ol Chapter 162: Chapter 161: The Old Lair ¡°Not so fast!¡± Shen Luo reprimanded, urging on his Water Repelling Technique to chase after her. He pushed his Water Repelling Technique to its limits to catch up, moving at exceptional speed and not letting the Beauty Snake get away. Originally, Zhui Tou, being a descendant of the Eastern Sea¡¯s water offshoot, was particularly skilled in water navigation. His shrimp tail energetically vibrated behind him, propelling him at a speed rivaling Shen Luo¡¯s, never ceasing in his pursuit. The Beauty Snake, noticing that they were persistently chasing her, appeared more and more uneasy. Suddenly, her figure leapt out of the water. Her tail swept across the lake surface, cutting open a line of white foam as she hurriedly dashed forward. Shen Luo followed the waving trail atop the water. In no time, he too emerged from the water, immediately seeing that they were surrounded by mountains and shrouded in a fine mist. They were in a small lake located within a mountain pit. The Beauty Snake was darting through the mist above the lake, heading straight towards a verdant mountain wall. At the base of this wall, there was a pitch-black cave as high as a man. ¡°Her lair!¡± The sight made Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contract, and he immediately shouted, ¡°Monster, stop right there!¡± As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly thrust his hand forward, fully releasing his mana, ramping up his manipulation of the water to the extreme. A stir was kicked up in the small mountain lake, and waves as high as thirty feet rose and rushed out, aiming for the Beauty Snake. The oncoming waves, akin to an avalanche, were a heart-stopping sight. At the same time, Shen Luo discreetly readied three or four Small Thunder Talismans in his hand, preparng to strike. Seeing this level of onslaught, the Beauty Snake¡¯s expression changed dramatically. She no longer dared to continue in a straight line, instead, her tail swept across the water, creating a sinuous wave as she abruptly changed direction, dashing away. But at that very moment, the sound of thunder rang out. Three strands of fine white lightning arrived in a flash, striking the Beauty Snake. With a cracking sound, the snow-white body of the Beauty Snake was scorched black in three places. Despite the injuries not being grievous, it was enough to momentarily stiffen its evading body. Rumble! The turbulent waves crashed down like an onslaught, hitting the Beauty Snake hard. With a ¡°bang,¡± her body was thrown about like a fallen leaf, smashing into the verdant mountain wall. Half of her body was directly embedded into the wall. She had just shed her skin, which was still tender and weak, and was immediately torn open by several severe wounds. Blood surged out, and even traces of blood could be seen at the corners of her mouth. Her injuries were severe. Before she could make any move, a flicker of silver light swiftly came down, coiling around her neck in a flash. The huge snake head thudded to the ground, and a fountain of blood spurted out from the severed neck. The gigantic snake body slowly slid from the wall to the ground, crashing heavily into the lake below, swiftly turning the nearby lake water red. Shen Luo gave a sigh of relief, silently operated his Water-Stepping Art, and slowly rose to the surface. Although the cultivation level of this Beauty Snake was higher than his by a small realm, lucky for him, he had opened twenty meridians. With the formidable Half-moon ring magical instrument on his side, even with his cultivation level just breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage, he might not necessarily be her match. At this moment, a giant shrimp head emerged from the water next to him ¨C it was Zhui Tou. Zhui Tou looked at the decapitated corpse of the Beauty Snake floating in the lake, then at Shen Luo. There are mixed emotions in his eyes. Shen Luo ignored Zhui Tou. He looked thoughtful, scanned the surroundings, and then, after a moment of brief contemplation, took his time strolling to the cave under the green cliff. As he approached the cave entrance, Shen Luo¡¯s nose twitched. He recognized a familiar scent in the air and his face lit up in delight. ¡°It¡¯s Chen Guanbao.¡± Shen Luo muttered softly, hurried over to the cave entrance, and carefully peered inside. He noticed that there were several artificially constructed steps at the entrance. Piled up on them were whitened bones, constantly being washed over by the surging waves of water. ¡°Chen Guanbao, are you in there?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow and called out. He waited for a moment, but the only sound in the dark cave was the echo of his own voice. There was no reply. After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo stepped into the cave, moving further in with the dim light spilling in from the entrance. Not far ahead, the four sides of the surrounding space tightened, Shen Luo had to bend over to move forward, and the decayed, damp smell in the air became much stronger. However, mixed among it was the familiar scent of Chen Guanbao, becoming somewhat clearer. He saw many skeletons along the way. Some were human, while others were monsters. Some of these remains were quite old and would shatter with a single step. The deeper he went, the darker it became. Thankfully, after advancing to the Grain Avoidance Stage, Shen Luo¡¯s eyesight had become enhanced. Focusing his gaze, he was shocked and quickly covered a distance of five to six yards in a bowing posture, and suddenly, the terrain opened. It was a cave. Upon entering the cave, he ordered Zhui Tou to hide at the entrance. He scanned around and found that the cave was only about ten yards in size. All around the walls were square hollows, each about a foot square. In each were phosphorus-covered bones, emitting a mysterious green glow. Under this eerie green light, the entire cave¡¯s grotesque rock corners were coated with a layer of green light, making it terrifyingly eerie, much like a ghostly cave. After scanning the area, Shen Luo did not find any trace of Chen Guanbao. Just as he was pondering, he suddenly noticed a heap of straw in the distance that was bulging and slightly shaking. ¡°Chen Guanbao, is that you?¡± Shen Luo asked, sensing something. Upon hearing his voice, the shaking in the straw suddenly stopped. Then, a child¡¯s voice came from inside: ¡°Immortal brother!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Chen Guanbao. Brother is here,¡± Shen Luo happily replied. There was a rustling sound from the straw pile, and two little hands poked out, pushing away the straw. Then, a small head popped out. He seemed quite cute, but his face was smeared with snot and tears making him look extremely miserable. Shen Luo immediately lunged forward, lifted him up and held him in his arms. He checked Chen Guanbao¡¯s body carefully and seeing no obvious wounds, felt relieved. Being held by Shen Luo, the nerves Chen Guanbao had been tensely holding onto suddenly relaxed. He suddenly started to cry loudly, his tears and snot flowing uncontrollably. Shen Luo simply patted him gently on the back while trying to comfort him, ¡°It¡¯s okay now¡­ Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Brother¡­ I didn¡¯t cry in front of the monster¡­ I¡­ I only started crying when she left¡­ I was scared¡­ scared I¡¯d never see Sister Ying and Granny Ma again¡­¡± Chen Guanbao cried bitterly, voicing his fears in broken sentences. ¡°Let¡¯s go, brother will take you home,¡± Shen Luo wiped tears from his face with his sleeve and said. Chen Guanbao nodded his head forcefully, wiping his tear-filled eyes, only then did he notice a monster with a shrimp head and a human body standing at the cave entrance behind Shen Luo. He instantly held onto Shen Luo tighter and burst into tears again. ¡°Mon¡­ Monster¡­¡± Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 162 Another Path Chapter 163: Chapter 162 Another Path ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, this is my friend Zhui Tou, who came to rescue you with me,¡± Shen Luo glanced back at Zhui Tou with a resigned look and comforted Chen Guanbao while patting his back. Upon hearing this, Chen Guanbao¡¯s crying lessened a bit. He cautiously raised his head to look, still finding it terrifying in appearance, but immediately grumbled back onto Shen Luo. Nevertheless, he trusted Shen Luo¡¯s words completely and did not speak any more of monsters. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll talk after we leave here,¡± Shen Luo said, noticing that Chen Guanbao was feeling better. He held his hand and led the way. Chen Guanbao was hiding behind him, following him towards the cave entrance. They had just reached a place not far from the entrance, when a gory wind suddenly blew from the front. A wave of gray Qi, visible to the naked eye, blasted towards them like an angry tide. Zhui Tou, who was leading the way, was caught off guard. His body was pushed up like a paper kite and crashed hard into the mountain wall behind him. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand and sent a palm strike towards it. His palm suddenly enlarged. An invisible surge sprung from his body, causing ripples in the void. It collided with the gray Qi wave in the passageway and emitted a loud crash, exploding together. Accompanied by a ¡®bang¡¯, both Qi waves exploded and retreated to their sides at the same time. Shen Luo¡¯s body trembled while he staggered backward for a few steps before finally stabilizing. Shen Luo pulled Chen Guanbao behind him, effectively shielding him from the powerful wind. But at this moment, a purple shadow shot in from outside, aiming straight at Shen Luo¡¯s chest; it was another huge snake tail! The snake tail caused a chilling, fierce wind that slapped against the mountain wall, echoing with a thunderous bang. Its might surpassed even that of the Beauty Snake. Shocked, Shen Luo flung Chen Guanbao towards the inside of the cave. At the same time, his other wrist twisted, and a crescent moon artifact of silver color promptly flew out from his sleeve. The crescent moon artifact glimmered with multiple rays of silver light in the void, casting shadows like numerous crescent moons that filled the narrow passageway, slashing towards the purple shadow. ¡®Clang¡¯ A loud noise followed! The Half-moon ring seemed to have hit an iron pillar and was directly repelled. The purple shadow¡¯s speed decreased slightly but still managed to hit Shen Luo¡¯s chest forcefully. With a loud ¡®bang¡¯, his body was flung and crashed into the mountain wall. The entire mountain cave trembled. Shen Luo threw up a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsed weakly onto the ground. At this moment, a bulky purple shadow shot in from outside. It was a Purple Strange Snake. It had a pair of wings as large as a bat¡¯s on either side of its dragon-like head. Its body was twice as robust as the Beauty Snake. The snake scales on its body were thicker, decorated with gray patterns, making the snake appear more ferocious. The Qi it emitted far surpassed that of the Beauty Snake. Hate shone visibly from the eyes of the Purple Strange Snake. It opened its mouth wide, revealing its blade-like sharp teeth, and bit down towards Shen Luo¡¯s head. With a ¡®whoosh¡¯ sound, a Great Hammer fell from the sky and viciously slammed on the snake¡¯s head. Zhui Tou had arrived just in time. ¡°Get lost!¡± The infuriated Purple Strange Snake raised its head, its eyes glowing strongly with yellow light, glared at Zhui Tou. Zhui Tou¡¯s eyes immediately reflected a bewildered look, his pupils dilating. The snake opened its mouth and spat out a solid purple glint like a crossbow arrow from its mouth, which hit the Great Hammer. With a ¡®clang¡¯, the Great Hammer was directly rebounded as if struck by a heavy blow and hit Zhui Tou¡¯s chest, sending him flying backward with a ¡®thud¡¯. Originally, Shen Luo, who had his head down in disappointment, suddenly looked up at this moment, but his eyes were tightly closed, and he pointed with one hand. A piercing shrill sound rang out, a silver light shot from behind, and a blur appeared at the neck of the purple strange snake. It was the half-moon ring that had just been blown away. With a humming sound from the half-moon ring, a silver pattern formation flashed out, dazzling silver light bloomed, and under a turn, it turned into a piece of silver moonlight. It was five times larger than when it attacked the beauty snake, making a piercing sound and fiercely hitting the purple strange snake. With a soft ¡°puff¡± sound, blood light burst out! The silver moonlight plunged into the snake¡¯s body, going as deep as half a foot, but after all, it stopped. The purple strange snake made a terrifying roar from its mouth, and its huge snake body rolled violently. The purple light on its body flashed quickly, and a surging force burst out from its body. With a ¡°bang¡± sound, the half-moon ring was blasted away, and the giant body of the purple strange snake flew backwards and disappeared outside the cave in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo heard the movement, relaxed his face, opened his eyes, and sat up against the stone wall, looking at Zhui Tou, who had fallen not far away and still not getting up, with blurry eyes. He managed to go over. He put his hand on Zhui Tou¡¯s chest, and the abundant mana in his body poured into him, rushing towards his eyes. Zhui Tou¡¯s body shook, and his eyes finally returned to normal, but his head was still a little dizzy. ¡°Immortal Brother, how are you¡­¡± Chen Guanbao also carefully came over at this time. Seeing Shen Luo coughing up blood, his face was very anxious. Shen Luo raised his hand and gestured slightly outside, making a silencing action at him. Chen Guanbao got the hint and immediately shut his mouth. Shen Luo listened carefully to the outside, his face sank slightly, then his eyes flickered, and he made a sign to Chen Guanbao. At the same time, he wet his hand with the blood on the ground and gently wrote a line of small characters on the wall. In the passage about seven or eight feet away from the cave, the purple strange snake was crawling on the ground, staring at the direction of the cave with flickering eyes. The wound near its neck had stopped bleeding, and it seemed to hesitate about whether to go in again. The human cultivator was hit by its snake tail, and even if it didn¡¯t kill him, it should have caused serious injuries. Just then, a boyish and eager voice came from the cave: ¡°Immortal Brother, how come¡­how come you¡¯re bleeding so much?¡± Upon hearing this, the eyes of the purple strange snake lit up, and its body twitched ready to pounce. But at this moment, the snake¡¯s forked tongue in its mouth moved a bit, it hesitated, didn¡¯t act immediately, but held its breath and listened attentively to what was happening inside the cave. There was also silence in the cave for a while, then the child¡¯s voice rang again: ¡°Brother, it seems that the monster didn¡¯t take the bait¡­¡± ¡°Shush¡­¡± His words were cut off by another voice. After that, there was silence again. ¡°Humph, cunning humans!¡± The purple strange snake¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of anger, its body twirled, and slowly retreated from the cave. Inside the cave, Shen Luo was also listening to the outside movements. When he sensed that the purple strange snake really retreated, he finally let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Chen Guanbao, who had a tense face. ¡°It seems that guy is pretty smart, otherwise, as long as it dares to come in, I just need to do this, and its head will be chopped off.¡± However, even though he felt sure the purple strange snake had really gone, Shen Luo added in a low voice. After saying this, a trace of blood oozed from the corner of Shen Luo¡¯s mouth, and his face was even more pale. Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 163: Urgent Chapter 164: Chapter 163: Urgent Just now, he had been stealthily attacked by the strange purple snake. Fortunately, he had maintained his water-repelling shield, but even so, his injuries were not light. To save Protector just now, he had forcefully used his mana, which worsened his wounds. Upon seeing this, Chen Guanbao¡¯s face, which had just relaxed a little, immediately grew worried again. Shen Luo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, smiled at Chen Guanbao, and shook his head, indicating that he was not in a critical condition. ¡°The monster won¡¯t dare to come in temporarily. I need to quickly heal my wounds, or else when it recovers and realizes that it has been fooled, we will be in real danger.¡± Shen Luo used his blood-stained finger to write this on the wall. After seeing this message, Chen Guanbao nodded sensibly. Protector had finally recovered from his daze and picked up his hammer. He began to guard near the entrance of the cave. Shen Luo didn¡¯t dare to delay, he immediately sat down cross-legged and started to cultivate. As a water-blue glow arose around him, his mana immediately surged from his dantian, following his meridians to circulate around his body, irrigating his acupoints like opening a water reservoir to pacify his internal injuries. After starting to cultivate, Shen Luo himself was somewhat surprised, after obtaining twenty meridians, not only had his cultivation efficiency increased significantly, but even his body¡¯s recovery ability had also improved by a lot. In the time it took to make a cup of tea, his injuries had basically stabilized. The strange purple snake outside seemed truly scared, and it didn¡¯t dare to come in all this while. Shen Luo then took out the half-moon ring from his sleeve. This magical instrument had only been refined to have one layer of prohibition, but it had demonstrated power beyond his expectations in the previous battle. If he could refine it to have two or three layers of prohibition, dealing with the peak Grain Avoidance Stage purple snake wouldn¡¯t be a problem. So, he clasped his hands in front of him, controlling his mana; the half-moon ring hung leisurely between his hands. Shen Luo began to silently recite the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique that Granny Ma had taught him, following the instructions to gradually attack the second layer of prohibition on the half-moon ring. About half a moment later, a faint tremor sounded from the half-moon ring hanging in front of Shen Luo. As the charm patterns flashed, a large amount of silver moonlight was projected out, illuminating the whole cave like daylight. He then clapped his hands together, and the dispersed silver light immediately flew back into the half-moon ring. The second layer of prohibition was successfully refined. Chen Guanbao watched this scene with admiration in his eyes, mixed with a hint of longing. Shen Luo slightly concentrated his mind, then continued to silently recite the Wealth Technique. Given his understanding and familiarity of the Wealth Technique, it would only take him half a moment to refine the third layer of prohibition. However, at this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s expression subtly changed, then the Shrimp Soldier Protector standing guard at the mouth of the passageway shouted: ¡°Beware, the snake demon is back!¡± ¡°What¡¯s meant to come will always find a way.¡± Shen Luo sighed and stood up. Chen Guanbao immediately ran towards the back and hid behind a stone wall inside the cave, watching the passageway nervously with his wide, black eyes. ¡°Shameless humans, you really were deceiving me, the dignified Mirage Snake. Get out here!¡± A harsh voice filled with anger from a man echoed from the passageway. Immediately after, a foul wind began to howl from the passageway, mixed with the bones and rocks from the passage flying out. The noise was as loud as thunder and echoed throughout the cave. Unfazed, Shen Luo raised his hand and with a gesture, the glowing half-moon ring started to tremble violently, emitting a resonant ¡°clang¡± sound. After a quick rotation, it shot towards the passageway. The passageway was instantly filled with dancing silver shadows. Numerous silver moonlight figures crisscrossed, slashing out sharp traces in the void, shattering the foul wind and wave. After breaking through the waves, the half-moon ring did not stop but continued to pursue in the direction of the cave¡¯s entrance. A moment later, a loud collision sound echoed from the passageway. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo beckoned, and the half-moon ring flew back with a ¡°clang¡± and circled around his palm for a while before gradually calming down. ¡°What a pity, if I had half a moment more to complete the third prohibition¡¯s refinement, I would definitely have caught it.¡± Shen Luo looked at the half-moon ring in his palm and said somewhat regretfully. ¡°The cave¡¯s passageway is narrow and given the suspicious nature of the snake demon, it wouldn¡¯t dare to rashly enter. If it only attacks from afar, I can cover for you for half a moment.¡± Zhui Tou suddenly said in a lowered voice. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll leave it to you, Daoist Zhui Tou.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes brightened. Zhui Tou nodded, held his copper hammer horizontally, and blocked the entrance of the passageway. After instructing Chen Guanbao not to approach the entrance, Shen Luo sat down with his legs crossed again, immersing himself in refining the third prohibition. Indeed, after being pushed back by Shen Luo¡¯s attack just now, the mirage snake did not dare to hastily come in again. It continued to wield its demon power, using flying sands and rolling stones as distant attacks towards the interior of the cave. Zhui Tou stood at the entrance, fending off attacks left and right with his copper hammer. Though somewhat overwhelmed, he managed to block most of them. At first, Shen Luo could hear the collision sounds and could not fully concentrate on the refinement. But seeing Zhui Tou handling the situation with ease, he gradually relaxed and focused on his refinement. As time trickled away, the patience of the mirage snake seemed to be rapidly wearing thin, its attacks becoming fiercer. Zhui Tou was forced to retreat time and again, suffering some injuries, but resolutely returned to the entrance each time. His mana was also constantly depleting, and his endurance was almost at its limit. But just then, a deafening rumble echoed from the passageway, and a sound wave far exceeding the previous ones rolled in. Hearing this, Zhui Tou knew that something was wrong. He glanced back at Shen Luo, who was still immersed in his refinement, and clenched his teeth to face the onslaught once more. Listening to the thunderous roars, Chen Guanbao covered his ears in fear, but he still couldn¡¯t help looking towards the entrance. An enormous water wave filled the entire passageway, carrying an overwhelming force and surged in crazily. Seeing that its continuous attacks weren¡¯t successful, the snake demon actually tried to fill the cave with lake water, sealing Shen Luo and the rest inside. Upon seeing this, Zhui Tou gave a shout and swung his copper hammer with both hands towards the entrance. A layer of aqua glow immediately lit up on the surface of the copper hammer, forming an invisible light curtain and barely blocking the entrance. The water wave violently struck the light curtain, forcing Zhui Tou to step back. Water immediately started to gush in from the passageway, washing over Zhui Tou. Even though the wave force was immense, Zhui Tou didn¡¯t want to give up. He tightly held the copper hammer and step by step, forced the water wave back to the passageway, sealing it once again. Seeing this, Chen Guanbao¡¯s eyes showed a trace of joy, and looking at the fierce mirage snake, he no longer felt that frightened. However, before they could stabilize, another unexpected change occurred! (Tomorrow, August day, my new book will be released^^) Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: New Book Dream Master Shelf Speech Chapter 165: New Book ¡®Dream Master¡¯ Shelf Speech The Dream Master will officially launch on August 1. I, Wangyu, am immensely grateful for the robust support from all the bibliophiles. Without your unwavering encouragement and urging, The Dream Master might never have seen the light of day. As a child, like millions of Chinese children, my favourite novel was ¡®Journey to the West.¡¯ This book can be hailed as the first long fantasy novel of ancient China, chronicling the adventures of Master Tang and his disciples on their pilgrimage to the Western Paradise, overcoming eighty-one tribulations¡­ The vivid and enthralling tales were simply irresistible. Back then, I would go to bed early at night just to read the book using a flashlight underneath the covers. I was not concerned about whether Master Tang managed to procure the scriptures; I was instead captivated by Sun Wukong¡¯s thrilling journey of vanquishing demons in ¡®Journey to the West.¡¯ Maybe it was the experiences of my youth, or perhaps ¡®Journey to the West¡¯ had already planted a seed in my subconscious. Ever since I started writing, I¡¯ve often thought that if I ever got the chance to write in a similar genre, I must create a unique rendition of the Journey to the West. ¡®The Dream Master¡¯ is indeed an unconventional take on ¡®Journey to the West.¡¯ The entire storyline encompasses some familiar scenes from ¡®Journey to the West,¡¯ along with some additional tales and plots set against the same backdrop, and perhaps even some demons and ghosts not found in the original work. Of course, the most intriguing character is our protagonist, Shen Luo, tormented by the dreamland. Are those bizarre yet fascinating dreams reality or illusion? Have all the things experienced in the dream truly occurred? Since the dawn of mankind, dreams have existed. This ancient physiological phenomenon was often considered a foreboding sign related to the future in the distant past; the comforting, terrifying, sweet, and chaotic dreams once left many ancient people perplexed and uneasy. Beginning with Zhuang Zhou¡¯s dream of becoming a butterfly, the ancient Chinese have always held dreams in high regard. Dreams have been a prevalent theme in a huge number of poems, and many ancient anecdotal novels, such as the famous Four Dreams of Linchuan. ¡®The Dream Master¡¯ is a fantasy novel interweaving the story of the Journey to the West and tales from the dreamland. I believe that this unique innovation and concept will refresh and pique the interest of our readers. Alright, enough talk! The new book will be launched tomorrow, and I¡¯ll update five more chapters. I hope all of my Daoist friends will support Wangyu¡¯s ¡®The Dream Master¡¯!!! (Do remember to vote with your monthly tickets and recommendation tickets tomorrow ^^) Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 164: Moon Ring Slaying Demon Chapter 166: Chapter 164: Moon Ring Slaying Demon Inside the entrance of the passage, a yellow light suddenly lit up, and a slender figure suddenly leaped out from the water waves, slapping a palm on the Copper Hammer Light Curtain. Zhui Tou felt a numbness in his hands, and the light curtain on the copper hammer burst with a bang. The surging water waves swept across and reversed against the hammer, heavily hitting his chest. After a muffled sound of ¡°bang¡±, Zhui Tou¡¯s figure flew backward and landed heavily on the ground. A large amount of lake water rushed in instantly, flooding half of the cave, and Chen Guanbao was also rushed to the corner by the water waves, hitting, and fainting. Only to see the Mirage Snake suddenly swam from the water, its body suddenly raised high from the water. As its mouth opened, a bloody crack immediately appeared on the corners of its mouth, and its lower jaw and upper jaw opened to an extremely exaggerated extent. There were four sharp venomous fangs in the bloody mouth, shining with a luminous green light, and a trembling snake letter among them, bitten down towards Shen Luo¡¯s head. However, at this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, and the moon ring held by both hands suddenly flashed, shooting diagonally upward. The Mirage Snake¡¯s pupils shrank, and it saw a piece of silver moonlight blossom before its eyes. Realizing something was wrong, its boneless upper body immediately retracted, and a purple snake tail swept across instantly, like a steel knife slashing horizontally, tearing the silver moonlight apart. ¡°Huh¡­¡± The Mirage Snake uttered a surprised sound. The moonlight that just appeared was actually a phantom, it did not hit a real object, yet it still felt a burst of chill on its snake tail, and frost had actually frozen on it. Just as it was about to shake off the frost, its vision suddenly blurred. It saw a figure rushing towards it with a single hand behind its back and the other slapping towards its chest. The Mirage Snake had no time to think about anything else. It sucked in its chest and opened its mouth to spit forward. From its throat, a strong burst of a foul-smelling dark purple liquid gushed out and poured onto Shen Luo¡¯s head. Shen Luo was too close to avoid it, he immediately retracted his palm, performed a Water Repelling Technique, and a blue light immediately shone from his body, wrapping him entirely. The foul-smelling liquid fell on the light curtain condensed by the Water Repelling Technique, causing a hissing noise, and immediately emitted plumes of white smoke. Shen Luo retreated, a wave rippled on the surface of the light curtain on his body, and the liquid was scattered. As the Mirage Snake fell back into the water, it was about to retreat again when there was a strange noise in the accumulated water below. A big copper hammer suddenly broke the water¡¯s surface and hit right at its back. Its expression suddenly changed, its body twisted unbelievably backward, and two beams of purple light shot out from its bizarre eyes, hitting the copper hammer. In an instant, the original metallic gloss of the copper hammer disappeared, and as the purple light spread, its color turned to grayish-white, and it had shockingly turned into stone. Zhui Tou was startled, he quickly dropped the copper hammer and retreated rapidly. The Mirage Snake, however, did not intend to let him go. It swam forward to catch up, and its eyes lit up with purple light again. At this moment, Shen Luo uttered a soft cry, ¡°It¡¯s done¡±. The palm that had been hidden behind his back lit up brightly, as if a full moon had risen, illuminating the entire cave instantly. He channeled his mana and swung forward suddenly. The Half Moon Wheel, which had just been refined with three prohibitions, whizzed out, turning into hundreds of silver moonlight shadows, shooting towards the Mirage Snake. The Mirage Snake knew something was wrong, it had already turned back, and the purple light in its eyes also lit up brightly. However, compared to the silver moonlight, the strange light in its pupils was as weak as the glow of fireflies, and it was swallowed by the silver light shadow at the instant it shot out. The next moment, a soft sound of ¡°puff¡± came. A terrible scream came from the mouth of the Mirage Snake and the silver light shining in the cave gradually dimmed. Zhui Tou looked tense, silently gazing at the Mirage Snake, and to his surprise, he discovered that its body was encased in a layer of shallow blue ice crystals with obvious bulging eyes, indicating death. Atop its forehead, there was a half-moon silver ring, deeply embedded into its skull. Shen Luo beckoned, and the half-moon ring immediately spun out, returning to his hand, whereas the body of the Mirage Snake shattered with a ¡°crack¡±, splitting into dozens of pieces. After Shen Luo stored away the half-moon ring, he did not look at the monster¡¯s snake again. Instead, he turned and walked to a corner, picking up Chen Guanbao who was bobbing on the water surface. He raised his palm to gently pat his back, and a stream of Yang Gang Qi was slowly channeled into his body. Chen Guanbao let out a retching sound, spewing a large amount of lake water from his mouth, before slowly regaining consciousness. ¡°Daoist friend Zhui Tou, this time thanks to your help, even though we lost a weapon, I hope the inner Dans of these two monster snakes might be of use to you. Please take them.¡± Shen Luo, holding Chen Guanbao horizontally in his arms, said. Upon hearing this, Zhui Tou was slightly surprised, but a trace of happiness quickly flashed in his eyes, as he responded, ¡°Hehe, then I won¡¯t be polite. This time, it seems I wasn¡¯t used in vain by you.¡± After Shen Luo used his magic to send Zhui Tou away, he carried the somewhat sick Chen Guanbao out of the cave, and went straight to Longevity Village. . ¡­ At this moment, in Evening, dozens of villagers had gathered inside the gate of Longevity Village. Some were whispering, some were sighing, and some were looking fretful. There were a few women clustered around an old woman with white hair, all of whom had remorseful expressions on their faces. ¡°Granny Ma, asking the Immortal Master to save a life might be a bit selfish¡­¡± a dark-skinned woman couldn¡¯t help but remark. ¡°If the Immortal Master dies, who will be able to save us when the monster comes again?¡± another person sighed with sorrow. ¡°It¡¯s over, completely over¡­¡± Sounds of mourning rose from all over the village, and the heavy atmosphere of despair that had just started to improve now loomed once again. Granny Ma was encircled in the center, listening to these accusatory words. Her face was calm as still water, not showing any emotion or refuting anyone. She only stared straight ahead towards the direction outside the village. Ying Luo watched this scene from the side, her brows furrowed in helplessness despite her beauty. Just then, someone on the village wall suddenly cried out, ¡°The Immortal Master is back!¡± At first, the villagers were silent, but then a cheer erupted. ¡°How many people?¡± Granny Ma, whose face had been tense all along, showed a trace of change in her expression and asked. Ying Luo couldn¡¯t resist stomping her foot, as she leaped onto the village wall. She caught sight of Shen Luo¡¯s figure at once, along with Chen Guanbao, who he was carrying on his back. Her heart inexplicably warmed. ¡°Two people, it¡¯s two people. He brought Chen Guanbao back¡­¡± Ying Luo turned around and loudly declared. After hearing this, Granny Ma exhaled a long breath of relief. Shen Luo rested in the village for several days, then called over Ying Luo and handed her several sheets of paper full of text. ¡°What is this?¡± Ying Luo asked, puzzled after giving it a cursory glance. ¡°This is Small Transformation Yang Skill, a basic body refining technique that does not require exceptional aptitude. You take it and try, if there are villagers willing to cultivate it, then teach them. At least, it will enhance their physique somewhat.¡± Shen Luo answered. Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: Chapter 165: Ascend Mount Fangcun Again Chapter 167: Chapter 165: Ascend Mount Fangcun Again ¡°Big Brother Shen, thank you! Since our village lost contact with Mount Fangcun, there hasn¡¯t been any suitable martial arts techniques for ordinary people to practise.¡± Ying Luo sincerely expressed her thanks and carefully stored the precious notes in her bosom. ¡°For some time to come, I will continue my secluded cultivation. Unless there¡¯s something critical happening in the village, I won¡¯t easily interrupt my seclusion. I¡¯m relying on you for everything.¡± Shen Luo added. ¡°You can focus on your seclusion, I will take care of everything and won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Ying Luo nodded. ¡­ Time flew by, and two years had passed. At the foot of Mount Fangcun, the wilderness was thick with lush grass. Underneath a massive moss-covered rock, a murky cave entrance was vaguely noticeable. A sizable grey head suddenly peeked out from within. It had round ears, a long snout, and interlocking sharp teeth filled its mouth. Its two dark red circular eyes were diligently observing its surroundings; it was clearly a rat that had evolved into a monster. Just then, a human figure suddenly descended from the sky above the rock, raising a foot to step directly onto the rat¡¯s head. The rat struggled violently, squeaking non-stop. The person slightly shifted their foot, exerting a bit of force, then a soft crack could be heard. The rat was silenced, not moving any longer. ¡°Big Brother Shen, previously, it was only the beasts on the mountains, but now even the rats underground have started to transform. It¡¯s safe to assume that the situation on the mountain has become even more complicated.¡± A purple-haired girl approached, bent over to look at the plump monster rat and said worriedly. She was wearing a purple dress, with an old worn-out armor over it. It was Ying Luo. And the person who crushed the monster rat with one foot was Shen Luo. ¡°These two years, monster attacks have been frequent, and each time they pose a higher risk. If this continues, we may not hold out for long. The only long-term solution is to find an exit for the village as soon as possible.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo spoke gravely. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, Big Brother Shen. However, that mad leopard has already evolved to the Soul Condensation Phase. We barely escaped with our lives last time. If we encounter it again, we will have to fight for our lives.¡± Ying Luo spoke, determination on her face. ¡°This time we won¡¯t take the same mountain path as before. As long as we avoid it, we¡¯ll be fine. If we find a path with a stream nearby, even better.¡± Shen Luo consoled. ¡°Several days ago, there was a continuous rainfall, causing some deep pools on the mountain to overflow and form some discontinuous streams. We should be able to find those.¡± Ying Luo thought for a moment before speaking. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it seems like we¡¯re somewhat taking advantage of the climate and the terrain.¡± Shen Luo laughed. While talking, the two of them entered the cave from the entrance under the giant rock and found that just over two years had passed and the then quite clean cave was now filled with various animal bones. Some places were even illuminated by a faint green phosphorus fire. They exited the cave from the other side and walked more than a hundred yards uphill along the mountain path. Upon seeing the first fork in the road, they changed their route, and continued up the mountain along the left fork. After the rainfall, the air in the mountain forest was extraordinarily humid. Large drops of dew condensed on the leaves of the bushes by the roadside. Shen Luo picked a droplet of water from a wild chrysanthemum, rubbed it with his fingers and slightly furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ying Luo asked curiously. ¡°The dew in the mountains is quite full of Yin Qi, and it feels slightly heavier than regular well water, with some additional stickiness. I think the rainwater from a few days ago was probably the same.¡± Shen Luo said with a frown. ¡°Big Brother Shen, now that you mention it, it does seem to be the case. No wonder a few weak elderly villagers fell sick after inadvertently getting soaked in the rain, and only recovered after a couple of days.¡± Ying Luo said, suddenly understanding. ¡°While the Yin Qi with the rainwater won¡¯t matter much, the overall condition of Mount Fangcun seems to be deteriorating more and more¡­..¡± Shen Luo sighed. Hearing this, the concerns creased over Ying Luo¡¯s forehead even further. The two of them trudged silently up the mountain without saying a word. About half an hour later, they started to encounter some shallow pools and streams in the low-lying areas along the way. Further uphill, the terrain began to grow steeper and steeper. As Shen Letwo entered a dense forest, a green pool with a diameter of over a dozen Zhang surprisingly appeared. It was covered with a thin layer of fallen leaves, rippling with sparkling waves. While passing by the pool, Shen Luo glanced at the water and abruptly said, ¡°Let¡¯s take a break.¡± Without a second thought, Ying Luo halted her steps. Shen Luo came to the edge of the pool, squatted down, and dipped his hands into the water. He immediately felt a refreshing chill spread out from his palms. Despite the presence of Yin Qi in the water, it did him no harm, instead, he found it quite beneficial. Just then, a sudden change occurred! A deafening whoosh echoed out from the dense forest on the other side of the pool as a millstone-sized golden lightball abruptly tore down several towering trees. It drew up two water walls over a dozen Zhang high on the pool and rushed straight towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo seemed to have anticipated this and showed not the slightest hint of panic. The hand he had in the water was already forming a magic spell. With a sudden lift, waves surged from the water¡¯s surface, transforming into a thick water wall that appeared in front of him. As the golden light crashed into it, the water wall swelled but surprisingly didn¡¯t instantly collapse. Rather, it continuously sapped the force of the lightball. Several breaths later, it dissipated, bursting into a wave of water. The golden lightball, having passed through the water wave, had significantly lost its momentum and size. A green light lit up from Shen Luo¡¯s right palm and the Qingyang Hand smacked down hard. The lightball burst resonantly, scattering its light in all directions. It was as if a heavy rain had just poured onto the pool. A mist of water rose from the surface and remained turbulent for a long while. When the mist gradually dissipated, Shen Luo saw a massive golden beast nearly five Zhang in length emerge leisurely from the dense forest across and stood at the edge of the pool with its head held high. Its body was covered with brown round spots, lightning patterns on its forehead, a pair of eyes flashing with golden light, and its four sharp teeth were as sharp as swords. The monstrous Demon Qi that enveloped it made it more formidable. It was unmistakably the same Mad Leopard they had previously encountered. However, compared to two years ago, three claw scars had been added to the Mad Leopard¡¯s face. Diagonally slashing over its left eye and half of its cheek, it looked more fierce than ever. ¡°It¡¯s you two again?¡± The Mad Leopard glanced arrogantly at Shen Luo and Ying Luo and said in a seemingly surprised tone. Seeing this, Ying Luo¡¯s face turned deathly pale. She tugged at Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve and turned to flee. However, her tug failed to budge Shen Luo. Instead, she was gently pulled back behind him as Shen Luo silently grabbed her wrist. ¡°Familiar faces crossing paths again, who would have thought we couldn¡¯t avoid this.¡± A touch on his forehead, Shen Luo let out a helpless sigh. ¡°Last time you were fortunate enough to escape, this time you dare to come back, unluckily for you.¡± The Mad Leopard narrowed its eyes, the murderous intention revealing in its glare. ¡°Who¡¯s the more unfortunate one, I wonder¡­?¡± muttered Shen Luo. ¡°Such little mana yet so much arrogance!¡± The Mad Leopard¡¯s robust and thick claw slammed the ground, exploding a mighty aura that instantly rippled from its body. The ground in front of it burst open, shaking the pool water into waves that rolled towards Shen Luo. Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 166: A Thousand Miles in a Day Chapter 168: Chapter 166: A Thousand Miles in a Day Ying Luo saw the monumental wave, her complexion increasingly pale. However, seeing Shen Luo standing steadfastly in front of her, she gritted her teeth and stood resolutely behind him. Shen Luo let out a cold ¡°hmmph¡± as mana circulated within his body. A strong aura radiated from him, heading unyieldingly towards the onslaught ahead. A loud ¡°splashing¡± sound was heard. Two water dragons, several feet high and stirred up by the powerful forces operating over the pool, collided with a boom. Accompanied by a loud roar, both water waves exploded simultaneously, transforming into a torrential downpour that poured down in all directions. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed, his hands quickly forming magic spells. The falling rain up high was enshrouded by a layer of blue light, as if it had solidified, not falling immediately. ¡°Go!¡± With a low shout from him and a pull downwards from his hands, the rain in the high altitude began to condense into cone-shaped blue water blades. Their howling spins increased rapidly, swirling into blue vortices in mid-air. Like a sudden downpour of blades, they fell abruptly, rushing towards the mad leopard. Seeing this, the latter initially underestimated it as a common water control technique. When the water blades fell, it realized that the momentum was extraordinary and the power should not be underestimated. It was too late to dodge.Almost immediately, every hair on its body stood on end, lighting up a vague golden glow. ¡°Ding, ding, ding.¡± Accompanied by a series of sharp sounds like a gale, dozens of blue water blades hit the mad leopard one after the other. The huge force made its originally tall spine continuously cave in, and the golden light covering it began to emit a faint red bloody aura. Ying Luo leaned out halfway to look over. Her eyes sparkled, and her face showed an expression of disbelief. The mad leopard, a soul condensation cultivator, was actually suppressed by Shen Luo? ¡°Roar¡­¡± The vortex of water blades finally ceased, the mad leopard let out an angry roar and charged straight at Shen Luo. Shen Luo, however, did not retreat but advanced instead. Treading the surface of the water, his body skimmed over the water like a swallow rushing towards the mad leopard. As both neared each other, Shen Luo¡¯s feet made a splashing noise, a several feet long python made of pool water rose with his body into the air, unexpectedly higher than the mad leopard. From his imposing high altitude, he waved his hands in front of him. From his sleeves, there was a sharp ¡°clang¡± noise, and a silver light shot out and formed a crescent shadow in the air, attacking the mad leopard. It was the magical instrument Crescent Moon Ring! The mad leopard finally showed a hint of panic in its eyes. To defend, it widely opened its blood mouth, with streaks of golden light shooting out towards the crescent moon. However, the speed of the crescent moon was extremely fast, flashing rapidly in mid-air, dodging the golden lights which were unable to hit it. Sensing that the crescent moon was about to reach it, the mad leopard¡¯s surprised and panicked eyes suddenly narrowed, the lightning pattern on its forehead suddenly flashed. Shen Luo only felt a blur in front of him, losing sight of the mad leopard and hitting nothing with the Crescent Moon Ring. Before he could react, there was a sudden gust of wind behind him. The figure of the mad leopard suddenly appeared behind him. One of its claws, wrapped in golden light, viciously smacked towards the back of his head. ¡°Big Brother Shen!¡± Ying Luo, witnessing this, shouted in shock. She waved her hands desperately, casting a fireball spell, but it was too late and it couldn¡¯t stop the mad leopard. At the critical moment, Shen Luo gave a soft chant. His surroundings suddenly swelled with blue light, and a blue light screen emitting a strong scent of water shrouded him. It was the Water Repelling Technique! A loud ¡°Boom¡± echoed as the Mad Leopard¡¯s giant claw heavily smashed onto the blue light shield. The surface of the light curtain rippled with a radiance, like wind blowing across the lake¡¯s surface, causing waves of gleaming ripples. Instead of shattering directly, it absorbed the attack and rebounded it back. The Mad Leopard only felt a forceful impact, its front claw went numb and its whole body was inverted and hurled away. Before it could land, the deadly crescent moon ring roared towards it from behind, forming a massive phantom of the half-moon as it pierced through its body, causing a rain of blood to spray into the air. ¡°Bang¡± The Mad Leopard¡¯s body heavily fell to the edge of the pool, its fresh blood immediately dyed a large patch of the pool water red. ¡°Despicable human race, how is this possible?¡± It struggled to stand, stumbling and obviously fatally wounded. As Shen Luo¡¯s body gradually descended with the Water Python, he beckoned and the crescent moon ring made a ¡°clang¡± sound as it flew back, circling around his wrist unpredictably. ¡°I was reluctant to have any further entanglements with you, but you brought this upon yourself by seeking death. I can¡¯t be blamed for this.¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. After he spoke, he swung his palm forward and the crescent moon ring shot out again, aiming straight for the Mad Leopard¡¯s head. But at this moment, there was a sudden change! A hazy layer of bloody aura abruptly spread from the Mad Leopard¡¯s body, its figure suddenly shrunk tenfold, becoming only five feet long. The lightning pattern on its forehead flashed again as it vanished from its original position. The sudden acceleration caught Shen Luo off guard. He didn¡¯t even have time to invoke the Water Repelling Technique when the Mad Leopard¡¯s figure had already appeared behind him, a sharp claw thrust forward, aiming to pierce straight through his back. Just when that claw was about to tear through Shen Luo¡¯s clothes, a crisp ¡°crack¡± sound came from the Mad Leopard¡¯s chest. The wound from the crescent moon ring suddenly spread a layer of frost, freezing half of its body and causing it to plummet towards the ground. Shen Luo turned around, moved his fingers to cast another magic spell. Underneath the lake surface, a gigantic vortex appeared, and a nearly ten-foot-long water blade pierced out in a spiral. With a flash of blue light, it directly pierced through the Mad Leopard¡¯s body, splitting it into two. On the rigid face of the Mad Leopard, apart from ferocity, fear and unwillingness also lurked. This Soul Condensation Stage demon was truly dead. Shen Luo stood on the unsettled water surface, let out a deep breath, walked over and searched the Mad Leopard¡¯s corpse, finally finding a dark red demon pellet. He returned to the shore, washed off the blood on his body in the pool water, and it was only then that the still shaken Ying Luo approached. Her emotions had fluctuated greatly during Shen Luo¡¯s battle and were still hard to calm down. ¡°Big Brother Shen, that Mad Leopard was a Soul Condensation Stage monster; your cultivation level¡­¡± Ying Luo asked hesitantly. ¡°I am also a Soul Condensation cultivator. I didn¡¯t tell you before as I wanted to surprise you. Are you surprised?¡± Shen Luo washed his face with the pool water, answering with a smile. ¡°Already at Soul Condensation level¡­ It¡¯s only been two years¡­¡± Ying Luo was as shocked as if she had been hit by lightning, freezing in place. ¡°I also feel as if I am dreaming!¡± Shen Luo made an ambiguous remark, a pity that only he himself could understand. Ying Luo¡¯s memory of Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation level was still stuck at the last village protection battle when he was only at the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance. Shen Luo finished washing his face, turned his head and saw the expression on Ying Luo¡¯s face, he slightly froze before realizing that what he said was quite shocking to her. What Ying Luo did not know was that his vague remark was already very polite, as his current level was not the Early Stage of Soul Condensation, not even the Middle Stage, but the Later Stage of Soul Condensation! (Three more chapters completed, there will be two more chapters at noon, please subscribe and vote!!) Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 167: Heaven Devouring Tiger Chapter 169: Chapter 167: Heaven Devouring Tiger Gauging by his cultivation speed in the past two years, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he has made rapid progress. Even the top-tier Dao Body aptitude, which Master Luo claims only occurs once in hundreds of years, simply can¡¯t compare to it. The pity is that no matter how good one¡¯s aptitude or rapid one¡¯s cultivation, or how high one¡¯s realm is in the Dream World, it will all be left behind in the dream and can¡¯t be brought back to reality. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get moving. The scent of the Mad Leopard¡¯s blood spilled in our previous brawl might attract other monsters,¡± Shen Luo gently patted Ying Luo¡¯s shoulder and suggested. Only then did Ying Luo snap back to reality. The shock still settling within her, she found Shen Luo to be increasingly mysterious. They continued their climb along the mountain path. Their journey was relatively calm; aside from occasionally encountering insignificant demons who took pains to avoid them, they met no major monsters. ¡°Big Brother Shen, my father once said that when a cultivator reaches the Soul Condensation Stage, their Divine Sense power can be radiated outwards. Is that true?¡± Ying Luo asked curiously. ¡°Correct. When one cultivates at the Soul Condensation Stage, souls within a person condense into a humanoid form, your divine sense power significantly intensifies and you can exert it externally to sense changes in the surroundings,¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment, then responded. ¡°How far can you extend your divine sense power, Big Brother Shen?¡± Ying Luo inquired further. ¡°With my current cultivation level and divine sense power, I can only probe movements within a radius of about 30 feet. However, if I encounter someone good at concealing their tracks, it¡¯s quite challenging to detect them in advance,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°30 feet¡­ That¡¯s amazing,¡± Ying Luo admired with envy. ¡°You are no less talented. As long as you cultivate diligently, you will certainly reach this point in the future,¡± Shen Luo reassured her with a smile. As their conversation unfolded, Ying Luo relaxed, losing the tension she had initially felt as she understood Shen Luo¡¯s strength more deeply. ¡°Ying Luo, remember the stories you told about the guiding butterfly when we climbed the mountain last time? The story about the woodcutter got cut off by the appearance of the Mad Leopard,¡± Shen Luo abruptly brought up. ¡°Big Brother Shen, if you want to hear it, I¡¯ll continue. Actually, it¡¯s a story from a very, very long time ago, back when our Longevity Village¡­¡± Ying Luo thought for a while, a smile spreading across her face as she began her tale. Once upon a time, there was a woodcutter in their village who would chop wood in the mountains every day. Most of the time, he¡¯d stay close to the foot of the mountains, rarely venturing deep into the mountains. One day, he chanced upon a snow-white rabbit while chopping wood. Wanting to capture it as a pet for his child, he chased the rabbit for quite a distance. When he came to his senses, he found himself halfway up the mountain. The woodcutter didn¡¯t manage to catch the rabbit, but came across two elderly men playing a game of Go, with black and white chess pieces, on a flat rock. Being a simple farmer, he didn¡¯t understand the game of Go. Seeing the otherworldly aura around the two men, he dared not interrupt and instead silently watched their match. As he watched, he was stunned. He felt as though he had been transported onto a battlefield, watching white-clothed soldiers and black-armored warriors engage in fierce combat. Unaware of how much time had passed, he was jolted back to reality when one of the elderly men patted his shoulder. He had a dazed expression as he looked around. The woodcutter heard one of the elderly men saying, ¡°Though you possess wisdom, you are still entangled in mortal affairs. Go back.¡± Before he could comprehend what was happening, he suddenly found himself back at the place where he had been chopping wood. Looking around, he saw verdant grass and towering ancient trees, altogether different from before. The woodcutter was startled. Bending down to pick up his axe, he found the axe handle had rotted, and the blade was covered in rust. When he returned to the village, he discovered the village to look extraordinarily different, and not one villager recognized him. After much inquiry, he finally found his home, only to discover that everything had changed. It turned out that an entire cycle of 60 years, a ¡°jiazi,¡± had passed since he went out to chop wood that day. His parents and wife had all passed away, and his home was occupied by three generations of his descendants. The news spread like wildfire, with the stories becoming more and more wondrous. They thought he had discovered the secret to longevity, having lived 60 years without aging. The fact that there were indeed many centenarians in the village later on led to the village being named ¡°Longevity Village.¡± ¡°What about afterwards?¡± Shen Luo, finding the story intriguing, couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Later, the woodcutter recalled the words of the immortal, bid goodbye to his descendants, and went into the mountain to practice Dao. It¡¯s said that some villagers ever spotted him in the mountains, his appearance unchanged, often seen chopping wood and humming songs,¡± Ying Luo narrated. ¡°That¡¯s indeed intriguing. I wonder if this man is still in the mountains?¡± Shen Luo looked at the dense forest of the mountain and chuckled. ¡°They are simply rumors, and shouldn¡¯t be taken for¡­¡± Ying Luo¡¯s voice trailed off as a roar from a wild beast rang out from the distance, cutting her off midway. ¡°Roar¡­¡± The entire forest shook, as leaves rustled and fell from the trees. Ying Luo felt a ringing in her ears and her surroundings seemed to be spinning around her. ¡°That sound came from beyond my divine sense probe range. It has such intense penetrating power, it must be a great demon in the Soul Condensation stage. Let¡¯s not alarm it,¡± said Shen Luo, his expression changing as he quickly advised. Ying Luo turned pale, she hurriedly followed Shen Luo as they climbed the mountain. ¡°That thing has discovered us and is catching up¡­¡± They had only gone about 30 feet when Shen Luo suddenly halted her. As his words fell, a violent tremor struck the mountain forest ahead of them. A number of strong, towering trees fell to the sides, creating a cacophony of cracking sounds. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the tremor¡¯s source. Merely moments later, a large patch of forest right in front of them collapsed to reveal a massive creature lunging out and landing in front of them. This creature was about twenty feet long, with a tail almost as long as its body. It was covered in white fur with black stripes. Without a doubt, it was a fierce tiger demon. There was a ring of light blue mane around its head and it had dark red eyes as big as a copper bell. Steel-like whiskers sprouted from its mouth and its upper canines, sharp as knives, protruded from its lower lip, glinting with a chilling light. ¡°A Heaven Devouring Tiger!¡± Ying Luo exclaimed in surprise. The tiger demon didn¡¯t even glance her way. Instead, it stared menacingly at Shen Luo with its dark red eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve got the scent of the Mad Leopard on you. No, it¡¯s the scent of its Demon Pellet, and also the scent of a pesky fox¡­¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger suddenly wrinkled its nose, sniffed the air, and said. Its voice was deep, sounding like a middle-aged man¡¯s voice. Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Chapter 168: Deadly Sprint Chapter 170: Chapter 168: Deadly Sprint Shen Luo didn¡¯t utter a word, but positioned his body in front of Ying Luo, his hand hidden in his sleeve, already clutching the half-moon ring. The Heaven Devouring Tiger cocked its ears and slightly pulled at the corner of its mouth, its mannerisms eerily human-like, brimming over with clear contempt. ¡°The Mad Leopard excels in ambushes and escapes. Last time, my claw failed to land a fatal blow, so it managed to run away. I never expected it to die at your hands. What a useless creature,¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger lifted one forepaw and licked it while saying this. Shen Luo thought of the scratches on the face of the Mad Leopard, realizing that they were most likely from this tiger demon. Considering the demon¡¯s strong evil aura and formidable presence, far surpassing the Mad Leopard, Shen Luo felt a tightening in his chest and carefully shielded Ying Luo, pulling back a little bit. ¡°Are you from Longevity Village?¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger asked, a gaze of appraisal falling upon Shen Luo upon asking this. ¡°Yes¡±, replied Shen Luo even though he did not completely understand the tiger¡¯s intentions, and after a slight hesitation. Hearing Shen Luo¡¯s answer, the head of the Heaven Devouring Tiger lowered ever so slightly, a hint of nostalgia even seeping into its words as it spoke: ¡°Leave the Demon Pellet here, and you can go¡­¡± Upon hearing this, confusion flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t kill us?¡± Ying Luo also could hardly believe what she heard. ¡°Do you really wish to die? Don¡¯t make me repeat myself the third time, leave the Mad Leopard¡¯s Demon Pellet and get out of here!¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger glared at the two of them. Shen Luo stared back into its eyes, only to discover that there really didn¡¯t seem to be much killing intent, which confused him all the more. ¡°The Demon Pellet can be left behind, but Elder, could we be permitted to make a trip up the mountain?¡± Ying Luo bit her lip and bravely made the request. As soon as Shen Luo saw the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s true form, he had begun to consider retreat. But hearing Ying Luo¡¯s words made him uneasy. ¡°You want to go up the mountain?¡± Hearing this, the Heaven Devouring Tiger looked as though it had been stung. The dark red glint in its eyes suddenly brightened, with wisps of black fog appearing around its eyes and quickly enveloping its entire face. Within moments, its whole face started twisting horrifically, its evil aura suddenly soaring, and the intense killing intent it emanated almost became tangible. ¡°Everything on the mountain is mine, no one else can lay a finger on it¡­¡± its voice turned hoarse and rough, entirely different from before. Before it finished speaking, it suddenly pounced forward and roared at them. ¡°Roar¡­..¡± This roar was different from before, it was close at hand. Shen Luo could see visible ripples forming in the air, layer upon layer washing towards him and Ying Luo. He quickly stepped back a few paces, placing Ying Luo completely behind him. He maneuvered his single hand to use the Water Repelling Technique. Suddenly a burst of watery blue light radiated from his body, a foot-long blue glow emerged around him like an armor, protecting him from the oncoming roar, strongly crash into each other. Ripples began to spread over the light curtain of the Water Repelling Technique, each wave of power overlapping the next. They grew until it seemed they might reach the maximum the light curtain could withstand, but still they didn¡¯t falter. Shen Luo felt a shiver in his heart. Mana whirled within him, he used all his strength to deploy the Water Repelling Technique again. Finally, the light curtain of the Water Repelling Technique swelled, and an invisible force erupted from within, distancing the roar. But this time around, the Water Repelling Technique was only barely able to break up the force. It couldn¡¯t reflect the force back as it had done during the battle with the Mad Leopard. ¡°Damn it! This is a large demon of the Nascent Soul Stage!¡± Seeing the power behind just a single roar, Shen Luo immediately understood what was going on. ¡°Haha! It turns out that you¡¯re just a Soul Condensation Stage cultivator, devouring you will be more beneficial than the demon pellet of the Mad Leopard, hahaha¡­.¡± Seeing the situation, the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s eyes filled with even more murderous intent, and it couldn¡¯t help but laugh wildly with excitement. Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened slightly, and his concealed hand in his sleeve reached behind him, grasping Ying Luo¡¯s slender hand. Ying Luo, who had been panicking, was taken aback at first, but then her cheeks flushed slightly, and she momentarily forgot her fear. However, immediately after, she realized that a slightly warm sphere had been stuffed into her hand. On looking down, Ying Luo found out that it was the Demon Pellet of the Mad Leopard. ¡°Just now, those little demons avoided us, most likely because they sensed the aura of the Mad Leopard¡¯s Demon Pellet. You take it with you and should be able to safely return to the village along the original route.¡± Shen Luo lowered his voice and instructed. ¡°But Big Brother Shen, what about you¡­?¡± Upon hearing this, Ying Luo was naturally unwilling to escape alone. ¡°If you¡¯re here, it would only distract me, making it even more dangerous.¡± She hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Shen Luo interrupted her. She bit her lip lightly at his words and took the demon pellet from Shen Luo. Shen Luo, slightly relieved, shook his hand, and the magical instrument, the Crescent Moon Ring, fell into his palm. Circulating his mana silently, he suddenly yelled ¡°Go¡±, and the crescent moon ring in his hand transformed into a series of silver moonlight shadows, darting towards the Heaven Devouring Tiger. At the sound of the word, Ying Luo didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and turned to run towards the downhill direction. Upon seeing this, the Heaven Devouring Tiger opened its huge mouth, a flash in its throat, and a burst of blue lightning shot out, transforming into a blue lightning net in mid-air, trapping the Crescent Moon Ring inside. The moonlight shadows emanating from the Crescent Moon Ring were suddenly trapped, unable to escape. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, none of you are leaving!¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger roared, leaping over Shen Luo¡¯s head and preparing to pounce on Ying Luo. Shen Luo tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, his figure immediately slid backward, blocking the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s path. He rapidly formed hand seals, and a surge of blue light gathered in front of him. The moisture in the air quickly condensed, forming three water vortex blades, spinning at high speed and shooting towards the head of the Heaven Devouring Tiger. The Heaven Devouring Tiger didn¡¯t even look, lifted a paw and waved it in front of him, immediately several blue claw marks appeared in the void, carrying a powerful tearing force, striking the water blades. With a loud ¡°bang¡±, the water blades shattered, the water splashes carried a strong evil aura which struck Shen Luo directly, flipping him onto the ground. Shen Luo felt a surge of Qi and blood in his chest, and couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. This Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s casual strike was so powerful; if it made a full-strength attack, he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist. After knocking Shen Luo down, the Heaven Devouring Tiger changed its direction, accelerating in its pursuit of Ying Luo. Ying Luo had been worried about Shen Luo and couldn¡¯t help but look back while running. As a result, she saw the Heaven Devouring Tiger chasing after her, with only about sixty feet of distance between them. An overwhelming aura pressed down, causing her to be terrified, and her legs seemed to have a mind of their own. Just when it seemed like she would be caught, a sudden ¡°splash¡± sound of the rushing water could be heard. Shen Luo had manipulated most of the water from a nearby stream with his water control technique to form a significant torrent rushing down the hill. It turned out that Shen Luo, disregarding his injuries, had forcibly summoned the water. Ying Luo hadn¡¯t understood what was happening when she was engulfed by a wave of water. (End of Chapter Five, seeking monthly votes ^^) Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 169: Crab General Lang Pu Chapter 171: Chapter 169: Crab General Lang Pu But right after, a large, lifelike ¡°goldfish¡± suddenly leaped from the water splash, carrying Ying Luo from the water waves and swiftly heading towards the foot of the mountain. Seeing this, the Heaven Devouring Tiger was greatly annoyed. It halted its pace and abruptly turned around. Its eyes exuded intense ferocious light, and it roared at Shen Luo: ¡°Roar¡­¡± Shen Luo only felt a humming noise in his ears and a tremor in his body as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt out of the blue, in the deepest layers of his mind. He was almost unstable in his standing position, but his body immediately flashed in blue, twenty thin blue threads flashed and extinguished, a wave of cooling sensation rushed out of his Dantian, quickly circulated around his head, and he immediately sobered up. He forced himself to withstand the residual humming sound in his mind, while mobilizing Mana to protect the sea of his consciousness on one side and taunting the Heaven Devouring Tiger with a challenging hand gesture. As expected, the Heaven Devouring Tiger was extremely furious. It completely gave up the chase of Ying Luo, turned around and ran madly towards Shen Luo. Seeing that his taunt was effective, Shen Luo immediately beckoned with his two hands, and the half-moon ring escaped from the already weakened electric net. He quickly ran towards the mountain top, leading the Heaven Devouring Tiger as far away from Ying Luo as possible. Just when he managed to run a hundred feet, his figure suddenly turned, leading him to dash into the dense forest on one side, feeling somewhat panicked in his heart. That¡¯s because the roar of the Heaven Devouring Tiger behind him was getting increasingly closer at a terrifying speed. Shen Luo hastily turned around just to see the Heaven Devouring Tiger seemingly engulfed in blue flames, bolting towards him with an indescribable urgency. Surprisingly, its speed was even faster than the Mad Leopard. He hurriedly chanted and cast a magic spell, forming a water-repelling light curtain in front of him. The blue luminescent light curtain just emerged and was yet to stabilize when the Heaven Devouring Tiger head-on crashed into it. The light curtain abruptly flickered in blue and couldn¡¯t withstand for even a moment, directly ¡°bang¡± exploding into fragments. A severe pain again erupted in Shen Luo¡¯s chest, spitting out blood from his mouth, he was sent flying backwards, breaking an ancient thick tree midway, and fell to the ground. Before he could even get up, the Heaven Devouring Tiger had already opened its bloody mouth, pouncing on him again. In the nick of time, Shen Luo flipped over and fiercely swung his sleeve, a burst of golden light shot out from the cuff. Within the golden light, a several meters-long rope, swift as lightning, directly flew towards the oncoming Heaven Devouring Tiger. Upon seeing this, the latter sneered coldly and lifted its claw to swipe at the gold rope, intending to snap it. However, the gold rope seemed sentient. The moment when its big claw approached, it suddenly bent downwards, not only deftly dodging the claw, but also climbing up along the tiger claw like a gecko, wrapping around its waist and abdomen. A series of faint golden rune illusions immediately emerged on the surface of the gold rope which tightened sharply amid luminescent flashes. The Heaven Devouring Tiger didn¡¯t even react when its front claw was reeled inward by a strong force, involuntarily pulled back in front of its chest. Its body lost balance for a moment and tumbled down. Seeing this, without any hesitation, Shen Luo turned and resumed running. He knew very clearly that with his current cultivation level, a single magical instrument will be absolutely unable to subdue this powerful Nascent Soul Stage demon. Now, fleeing was the only way. Just a few moments later, a loud ¡°thud¡± sounded from behind Shen Luo. The Heaven Devouring Tiger suddenly blasted a wave of violent aura around his body, as a layer of condensed violent energy rushed out, actually breaking the gold rope into several pieces. Shen Luo didn¡¯t look back, yet he couldn¡¯t help but tremble in his heart. Fortunately, at the moment the golden light scattered, the broken gold rope surprisingly healed itself back together. It didn¡¯t collapse, but instead flew past mid-air, quickly catching up with Shen Luo, and coiled itself around his right arm. Shen Luo saw that the light on the gold rope had dimmed a lot, he knew it was badly damaged. However, he had no time to care about it now, he just used the Chasing Wind Step to its limit and continued to flee with all his strength. After the Heaven Devouring Tiger missed several times, it was already in a furious state. After a loud roar, its blood-streaked mouth suddenly opened wide, a current-like layer of light rose from its waist and abdomen, flowed into its head along its chest and back, and condensed into a solid light sphere in its mouth, with electricity crackling throughout it. With a ¡®bang¡¯, the light sphere was shot out from its mouth, shooting straight towards Shen Luo¡¯s back. Shen Luo felt a strong force bombing his back and knew he couldn¡¯t dodge it. He could only abruptly turn around, quickly formed a sign with his hand, and spread his palm. A whirlpool of swirling water immediately condensed on his palm. A strong demonic energy flew out of the black hole of water in the centre of the vortex, It transformed into a strange demon holding a Black Gold Trident in mid-air and landed in front of him. This demon was crimson in colour, standing at four-feet tall, it was stout in size. It was wearing a blue armour. The lower part of its two shoulders didn¡¯t have arms but two large crab claws. There was a tuft of golden hair growing on its round head, its eyes bulging out, surprisingly it was a Crab General! This was the demon that Shen Luo had captured when he advanced to the later stage of Soul Condensation by using the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. It was already a demon in the late stage of Soul Condensation, and it had powerful defensive supernatural powers. Due to the restrictions of the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, Shen Luo had to remove the previous contract with Zhui Tou, and spent a lot of effort to sign a contract with this Crab General. ¡°Shen kid, calling me out ¡­.¡±. As soon as the Crab General appeared and before finishing his sentence, he saw an intimidating blue electric light sphere shooting towards him. The Crab General¡¯s eyes bulged out, and the Black Gold Trident in his hands started to spin like a windmill, condensing a vortex of green water in front of him, which emitted a strong attractive force. The blue electric light sphere was sucked into the vortex as soon as it got close. ¡°Boom¡± a loud noise! Blue electric light mixed with water waves exploded, hundreds of electric spikes and water splashes shot out, hitting the ancient trees within the radius of several feet, causing them to break one by one and smoke billowing. ¡°Ouch, that was a close one. Shen kid, you tricked me again!¡± A howl came from the smoke, followed by a series of curses. ¡°Daoist Lang Pu, stop cursing for now; dealing with that Heaven Devouring Tiger is the top priority.¡± Shen Luo said helplessly. ¡°How am I supposed to deal with it? I¡¯m only in the Soul Condensation Stage. How can I manage it? We should run for our lives!¡± The smoke dissipated, and the figure of the Crab General showed itself again. Its originally shiny armor had turned black, making it look like it was covered in ash. ¡°You are a human who can summon spiritual beasts, you are indeed not simple,¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger walked slowly out from the other side of the smoke, it said in a cold voice. ¡°This guy and I are not close at all, if you want to fight, then fight him. I will just stand by and watch, and definitely not interfere!¡± The Crab General who was known as Lang Pu said, brushed the dust off his body, and leaned against a broken tree, acting like he was just an onlooker. The Heaven Devouring Tiger, seeing this, had a glint of suspicion in his eyes as he couldn¡¯t understand the relationship between the two. (Continuing five chapters today; seeking subscriptions, seeking votes ^^) Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter 170: Sacrificing Oneself into the Game Chapter 172: Chapter 170: Sacrificing Oneself into the Game Shen Luo looked at Lang Pu, his face showing a bit of helplessness. ¡°Since you are not of the Human Race, as long as you do not interfere, I can spare you.¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger said. Upon hearing this, Lang Pu, seemingly demonstrating sincerity, stepped back a few more steps. ¡°What tricks do you have this time?¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger slowly walked towards Shen Luo, his eyes revealing a menacing aura. Shen Luo stared intently at the Heaven Devouring Tiger, grasping the half-moon ring, he slowly retreated. ¡°Roar¡­¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger suddenly let out a wild roar, his body suddenly lunged forward, pouncing towards Shen Luo. Next to it, Lang Pu, whose eyes suddenly flashed with a sly look, also moved at the same time. The black gold trident held in his pincers spun rapidly, a blue light emanated from the trident tip, transforming into a fuzzy cone, heading straight for the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s flank with potent sharpness. Just as the sharp glow of the trident tip was about to pierce the body of the Heaven Devouring Tiger, a gust of wind suddenly sounded. The Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s long tail crackled, wound in a layer of blue electrical threads, it swung furiously. Seeing this, Lang Pu¡¯s pincers tightly gripped the black gold trident and drew it back while he fiercely thrust the trident towards the ground. His other pincer grabbed the tiger¡¯s tail. With a clang, the ground cracked open, more than half of the trident was thrust into the ground, and Lang Pu¡¯s right pincer managed to grab the tail of the Heaven Devouring Tiger just in time. In an instant, a powerful electric current passed through the armor into Lang Pu¡¯s body. A blue light illuminated from Lang Pu¡¯s crab shell, encasing the electric current. He strained to hold on, but he was still smoking all over, screaming in pain. ¡°Young Master Shen, this guy will not be fooled. I¡¯ll hold him off. You better get out of here.¡± Lang Pu let out a long shout. ¡°Lang Pu, don¡¯t force yourself.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed. Knowing he had no time to hesitate, he quickly employed the Art of Spirit Communication to drop a vortex beside Lang Pu then turned and ran. ¡°A kind-hearted kid you are.¡± Seeing this, Lang Pu sighed in relief. The Heaven Devouring Tiger tried to leap forward to give chase but was tightly held back by Lang Pu, unable to break free for the moment. It was seething with fury. Its mouth opened wide again, and electric threads coiled in its throat, forming a solid blue electric ball. Seeing the light ball about to be fired, Lang Pu¡¯s glow surged all around him. His right arm¡¯s pincer seemed to increase in size, and he yanked down with all his might. The Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s body faltered, causing the light ball to lose its target and fly off at an angle. ¡°Boom!¡± A loud explosion sounded! The blue electric light ball failed to hit Shen Luo but landed next to him. The blast caused a wild surge of air. The force caused Shen Luo to tilt, flinging him into the air, and he landed outside the dense forest. His body was in excruciating pain, with blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, but he still managed to struggle to his feet and continue sprinting towards the mountain top. Behind him, after a brief bout of fighting sounds, only the roar of the Heaven Devouring Tiger was left. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have the luxury to check on Lang Pu¡¯s condition. After running several hundred feet uphill, he found that there was no road ahead, only a mountain cliff that was over a hundred feet high. It was then that he remembered what Ying Luo had mentioned earlier that there were many branched paths below the waist of Mount Fangcun, and it seemed there was only one path to continue to the top once they reached the waist. Without hesitating, Shen Luo immediately made his way up the rugged rocks and fissures of the cliff wall, hands and feet working together. Just as he reached the top of the cliff, he discovered a plum tree, about seventy or eighty feet tall, near the edge of the plateau. Its trunk was black and withered, its leaves almost entirely gone. The tree seemed to have lost most of its vitality. Shen Luo had no intention of lingering, he just gave it a cursory glance and then passed by the tree, ready to resume his journey. Yet at that moment, his eyes caught sight of a square granite table, about one meter high, under the tree. The tabletop was engraved with a network of nineteen intersecting lines, strewn with black and white chess pieces. It was clearly the remnants of a game of go. He was reminded of the story Ying Luo had previously recounted about the woodcutter and thus found himself unable to resist peering at the chessboard. However, he did not see the same unusual sight of black and white armored warriors in battle that the woodcutter had observed. Although Shen Luo had no particular interest in the art of go, he had acquainted himself with some basic strategies from books like ¡°The Four Character Manual¡± and ¡°Mysterious Collection¡±. His understanding wasn¡¯t profound though. He could see that the black pieces had an advantage on the chessboard. They had already cornered the white pieces, and barely allowed them to breathe. Shifting his gaze slightly, he noticed two lines of small characters engraved on the right side of the board that read, ¡°When mountains and rivers make you doubt your path, another village appears amidst the darkened willows and blooming flowers.¡± ¡°Could there be a secret in this chessboard?¡± A thought flashed through his mind, and he quickly swept his eyes back and forth over the chessboard a few times. Upon further scrutiny, he discovered that the space left for the white pieces was merely a fac?ade. If they were to make a move here, within ten steps, the white pieces would be encircled and killed off again, losing even their last breath. ¡°If I place the piece here, it may seem like a suicidal move, but from death comes life¡­ Yes, right here!¡± Shen Luo, staring at a spot in the lower right corner of the board, murmured to himself. There was a flicker of joy in his eyes, and he was about to reach for a chess piece when he realized that the platform was utterly empty. There were no chess pieces on it. ¡°Ah¡­ looks like I¡¯m overthinking it,¡± With a slap to his forehead, Shen Luo stood up and prepared to leave. Just as he was about to leave, a tiger¡¯s roar echoed from the surrounding forest. A large figure pounced out from behind a boulder and landed on the cliff, staring intently at Shen Luo. ¡°This time, let¡¯s see how you escape,¡± roared the Heaven Devouring Tiger. Regret sprung up in Shen Luo¡¯s heart. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn¡¯t have wasted his time here. As he was pondering how to escape, he noticed that the steep cliff on his right was, in fact, engraved with intersecting lines just like the chessboard. Hollow circles represented the white pieces and solid circles for the black pieces, reflecting the exact same pattern as the chessboard. Above the chessboard were four large characters engraved in ancient script that read: ¡°Life as a Chess Game¡±. The moment Shen Luo saw these words, his heart seemed to echo with a light exclamation, and sudden realization dawned on him. Life is like a chess game, and human beings are like chess pieces. Since there are no pieces to move, he may as well make himself the piece. The Heaven Devouring Tiger, although confused by Shen Luo¡¯s absent gaze, launched himself towards Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo steeled his heart and threw himself directly towards the spot on the cliff-shaped chessboard where the lines intersected in the lower right corner and forcefully slammed into it. A muffled ¡°thump¡± echoed, and a sharp pain surged from Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder. The cliff was, after all, still a cliff. How could there be any exit? Just as Shen Luo was beginning to think that he had guessed wrong, the chessboard on the entire cliff wall suddenly shone with light, the black and white pieces each shimmering like a star, alternately bright and dim. Following this, the empty chessboard began to reveal shadows of moving pieces, like shooting stars leaving black and white streaks. They all converged from various parts of the chessboard towards Shen Luo¡¯s surroundings. Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Chapter 171: Accidentally Entered the Three Star Cave Chapter 173: Chapter 171: Accidentally Entered the Three Star Cave The Heaven Devouring Tiger, upon witnessing this, was hesitant to advance and quickly restrained its movements. The traces of light around Shen Luo interlaced and transformed into a fuzzy white light ring that clung to his body, enclosing him within. He only felt the rocks which had been cold and hard just now suddenly become warm and soft. His body involuntarily tilted inwards and he tumbled directly into the mountain wall. The Heaven Devouring Tiger, startled, rushed forward, swinging its paw towards Shen Luo¡¯s leg. But at the moment Shen Luo collapsed, his legs involuntarily jerked upwards, narrowly avoiding the tiger¡¯s claw. His entire body disappeared into the stone wall, leaving no trace. It was at this instant that all traces of light on the cliff wall disappeared, returning everything to its original state. Looking at the empty stone wall before it, the Heaven Devouring Tiger was still somewhat in disbelief. It roared violently, continuously swiping its paws against the mountain wall, causing it to vibrate ceaselessly. But no matter how much it struggled, Shen Luo had plainly vanished in front of its eyes, no longer to be seen. After a fruitless search, the Heaven Devouring Tiger vented its frustration on the stone wall, its terrifying aura gradually dissipating. It took a long time before it calmed down, staring at the surrounding cliffs for a moment before turning to leave. ¡­ On the other hand, Shen Luo stumbled, his body surging forward uncontrollably almost causing him to tumble. When he steadied himself and saw his current surroundings, he was completely dumbfounded. He had thought that if he didn¡¯t crash into the mountain wall, he would fall into the heart of the mountain. But what appeared before his eyes was a cliff. Shen Luo glanced back to see a smooth stone wall a hundred feet high not far behind him. There were faint traces of stone carvings on it, but due to severe weathering, the inscriptions had become blurry. Worried about Lang Pu¡¯s safety, Shen Luo returned to the stone wall. He carefully extended his hand and touched the stone wall. A cold, hard sensation pressed into his hand, but he could no longer pass through the wall. ¡°A real stone wall¡­¡±Shen Luo wondered while looking carefully at his surrounding cliff. Finally, he noticed that the open cliff was suspended outside of the mountain peak, facing another protruding cliff from the opposite mountain wall. This was reminiscent of a broken bridge. He walked slowly to the cliff¡¯s edge, his clothes rustling in the wind. Looking down, all he saw were clouds and fog concealing the valley between the twin peaks, making it impossible to see the situation down below. Shen Luo quickly redirected his gaze, looking across to the other side. There was a mountain cave on the opposing cliff, at least a dozen feet away, partially obscured by a broken stone door studded with copper nails. The exposed area was pitch black, revealing nothing. Moving his gaze, he saw a stone stele about three feet tall on the left side of the cave entrance. Although it was covered with spider-web-like cracks, it stood firm and intact. A few archaic large characters were clearly visible on it. ¡°Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave, what kind of place is this?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but repeat aloud. While he was wondering, he caught sight of distinct indentations on the mountain wall to the right of the cave, above and at an angle. Upon closer observation, he realized it was a huge handprint. Shen Luo extended his palm for comparison and found the handprint unusually shaped. The five fingers were extraordinarily long, each joint exceptionally large, the palm lines vague. It didn¡¯t look like a human hand. He arrived at the cliff¡¯s edge. With a slight movement of his mind, he began twisting his wrist in his sleeve. Specks of water then began to gather in the void, horizontally spanning between the two cliffs to form a transparent water bridge. Shen Luo rose, his feet stepping on the water bridge, ripples spreading across the surface of the water as he calmly made his way across to the other side of the cliffside. He stood on the edge of the cliff, looking up towards the two ancient stone doors. He observed that the studs set in the doors were already covered in green copper rust. Both stone doors were severely slanted, the doorway no longer able to close properly, leaving an approximately one Zhang high and three feet wide gap in the middle. The inside was pitch black. Shen Luo walked closer to take a better look, but found that he still couldn¡¯t see anything clearly. ¡°There¡¯s no noise, not even a trace of wind is coming out?¡± He looked for a while, furrowing his brows slightly. He felt that something was unusual. Then, Shen Luo closed his eyes for a while, and his sea of ??knowledge attained tranquility. His divine power began to disperse outwards. Guided by his heart and mind, he intentionally made an attempt to peek inside the cave entrance. However, as his divine sense had just penetrated into the crack of the door, the space inside that ordinary eyes could only see as pitch black, suddenly burst forth with a dazzling white light that stabbed directly at his divine soul. Shen Luo¡¯s divine sense immediately felt a powerful impact, and quickly retreated back into his sea of ??knowledge. ¡°Uh¡­¡± As he opened his eyes, he let out a muffled groan, then blacked out, tumbling onto the ground. It took him a while to gradually regain his vision. He looked up towards the sky, feeling dizzy and unsteady. Struggling to sit up, Shen Luo shook his head vigorously. The groggy feeling in his head gradually faded. ¡°Another prohibition¡­¡± Looking back at the two stone doors, he sighed softly. This was his first encounter with a prohibition that could counter his divine sense. However, judging from the situation just now, the prohibition seemed to be damaged. Otherwise, with his current divine sense power, the damage would have been much more severe, and it wouldn¡¯t have been easy for him to recover this quickly. Shen Luo stood up, hesitated for a moment, but still approached the stone door. He raised his hand and felt inside the crack in the door, his palm immediately touched an invisible barrier his naked eye could not see. The barrier felt somewhat resilient, unlike the cold, hard stone wall. Furrowing his brow, Shen Luo suddenly activated his mana, his hand exerting a sudden force, pressing violently towards the inside. This time, a blurry white light lit up inside the stone door. Just as Shen Luo wanted to retract his hand, a force bounced back out, causing his body to shake and he flew backwards. Quickly sinking his body, he heavily stomped downwards, managing to steady himself just before he would have fallen off the cliff. ¡°Since there is a prohibition, there should be a way to break it, I just don¡¯t know where the mechanism to break it is?¡± Standing at the edge of the cliff, Shen Luo stroked his chin thoughtfully. His gaze once again encompassed the entire cliff, his eyes falling once more on the gigantic palm print. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment. Suddenly, he leapt up, activating his Yang Gang Qi, and using his Qingyang Hand to deliver a powerful slam onto the giant palm print. With a ¡°bang¡±, the entire cliffside shuddered slightly, a layer of fallen leaves and loose dirt shaking off. Shen Luo landed and didn¡¯t find any sign of the stone door opening. Instead, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a faint glow appearing on the stone stele standing next to the cave entrance. He walked over to the stone stele that read ¡°Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave¡±, and carefully observed it. The stele was full of cracks, giving it a battered appearance, but he did not find anything unusual. Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 172: Ruins Chapter 174: Chapter 172: Ruins After mulling over for a moment, Shen Luo suddenly lifted his palm, slapping it towards the crack of the stone door. A cluster of water vapor in the void was drawn over by him, forming a fist-sized water ball, and was smashed over. With a soft ¡°bang¡±, the prohibition inside the stone door was again stimulated. On the stone stele beside Shen Luo, a faint and unimpressive blur of light lit up. Shen Luo had been staring at the stone stele all along, hence he could see clearly, discovering that what emerged from that blur of light was a rune mark he had never seen before. ¡°If I manage to break this mark, wouldn¡¯t that mean I have cracked the prohibition?¡± As he watched the mark disappear, he muttered to himself. Previously, Shen Luo had not learned how to break prohibitions. The ability to find the Nameless Heavenly Book was largely due to luck and fortune. Now, this was the only option he could attempt. In his palm, he secretly circulated his Mana. A layer of water-blue light enveloped the center of his palm, and he slapped the spot where the rune mark had just disappeared. Immediately afterwards, the stone stele shook slightly. The faint glow lit up again, and the rune mark reappeared. Shen Luo raised his brows. He found that the rune mark, which seemed to be weak and on the verge of shattering, did not crumble as he had wished. Instead, his palm was suddenly grabbed by an invisible suction force from within, preventing him from retracting it. Following that, the mark¡¯s light flashed again. Not only was Shen Luo¡¯s palm firmly stuck, but also the Mana from his body poured out like a tide, crazily rushing towards the stone stele. In the blink of an eye, a stream of blue light poured out like water, the rune on the stone stele became brighter and brighter, and even blue light began to shine from the cracks in the stele. Shen Luo was shocked. As he saw half of his Mana flowing out of his body, he tried desperately to stop the leakage and even tried to reverse the operation of his skills, but to no avail. Just as he felt empty within and seemed like his Mana was about to be drained, the stone stele suddenly changed. The characters ¡°Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave¡± on its top began to brighten more and more until it finally turned into a shiny white light, burst several feet out of the stele¡¯s surface, and completely engulfed Shen Luo. Shen Luo only felt warmth all over his body. His Divine Sense suddenly relaxed, and he lost consciousness. ¡­ It¡¯s unknown how much time had passed before Shen Luo¡¯s eyes slowly opened. He tried to struggle to sit up, but found that he was weak and his vision blurred. After he begrudgingly propped himself upright, he immediately folded his hands on his lap and silently started to circulate the Nameless Cultivation Technique. However, as soon as he started, his body shook slightly, which led him to immediately stop the cultivation and open his eyes again. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Just now when he attempted to cultivate his Mana, he noticed that thick spiritual Qi from the surrounding Heaven and Earth gathered around him, which was even more exaggerated than when he was by the riverside. Shen Luo rubbed his eyes, glanced around, and found out that he was still on a mountain cliff. But the surroundings had undergone a complete transformation, making it seem like he had arrived in a completely new world. He stood up in disbelief, walked quickly to the edge of the cliff, and looked far into the distance. The view was quite broad; he could see meticulously structured pavilions hidden among the green mountains and trees. The mountain paths and galleries connected to numerous buildings, while several waterfalls fell directly down, throwing out countless silver beads. It appeared to be a mortal realm of immortality! ¡°Could this place be the Cave Mansion of the immortals from Mount Fangcun? It really is a unique world hidden within!¡± Shen Luo was greatly moved in his heart, and couldn¡¯t help exclaiming. However, in the next moment, his expression changed, and his eyes took on a serious look. ¡°Something¡¯s not right, it¡¯s too quiet here¡­¡± Such a vast immortal¡¯s mansion, apart from the ubiquitous greenery, not to mention a single human figure, even half a creature was nowhere to be seen. The surroundings were completely silent, ominously so. Shen Luo took a deep breath, and his excitement from just moments before quickly subsided. He sat down cross-legged, held Tanden once again, and began to meditate with closed eyes. With that, he finally confirmed that the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth within this immortal¡¯s mansion was indeed much denser than that outside. He understood why those immortals in the world established their sects in spiritual lands of mountains and rivers. It took no more than a half a moment for him to finish his meditation, put away his cultivation techniques, and stand up again. In this environment rich in spiritual essence, not only had he restored all the mana he had previously lost, but even the minor injuries inside his body had completely healed. After searching around the cliffside for a while, Shen Luo soon found a zigzag staircase built along the mountain and started to descend along its steps. Halfway down, a solitary pavilion appeared at the end of the stone staircase. Shen Luo stepped into it and saw a white jade stone table inside the pavilion, upon which was a set of white porcelain wine utensils. The slender wine pot was in the center, with a petite wine glass at each side of it. It appeared as though someone had just been drinking and conversing here. However, the table was covered with a thick layer of dust, obscuring the white jade it was made of. The white porcelain wine pot, too, was covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating that it had been sitting here for a long time. Shen Luo picked up the wine pot, weighed it a bit, and found that it was empty. He put down the wine pot and looked down from the pavilion. He saw rows of glazed tile eaves protruding from the lower mountain wall. However, many places were broken and collapsed. Shen Luo, full of questions, left the pavilion and continued to go down. Soon, he came to the area covered by the glazed tile eaves. He initially thought that it was a plank road built along the mountain, but when he came closer, he realized that there were arched caves carved into the wall beneath the eaves, each one fitted with a door. Surprisingly, they were all houses. When Shen Luo reached the first arched cave, he saw the words ¡°Disciple¡¯s Residence¡± engraved on the stone wall to the left of the entrance. ¡°So it¡¯s the residences for disciples on the mountain.¡± He whispered to himself and subconsciously compared his small room in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion with these. He found no significant difference. The door of the arched cave was slightly ajar. Shen Luo pushed it open and was immediately greeted with a musty smell. The room was dimly lit, and the furnishings were unclear. He gently circulated his mana, causing a softly glowing blue light to illuminate his palm. With this light to guide him, he could see clearly. The cave was quite large, with a side chamber on either side. The furnishing was very simple. In the main room, there was just a table and chairs with a dusty tea set resting on top. The chamber on the left was a bedroom containing solely a stone bed, the bedding on which was already decayed and mudded. In the right chamber, there was a tattered straw cushion on the floor, and a desk by the wall. On the desk, a three-legged incense burner and a stack of books were covered in a thick layer of dust. Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: Chapter 173: Jade Slip (Seeking Subscriptions, Seeking Monthly Tickets) Chapter 175: Chapter 173: Jade Slip (Seeking Subscriptions, Seeking Monthly Tickets) Shen Luo carefully dusted off the book, and saw the words ¡°Demon Subducing Register¡± written on the cover. He was about to pick it up and read it, but as soon as he exerted force, the ancient book, which had long since rotted, crumbled into fragments. Seeing this, he could only shake his head helplessly. Shen Luo left the stone chamber and continued down the corridor, inspecting the disciples¡¯ housing one by one. The conditions inside were all very similar. They all seemed to be the most ordinary peripheral disciples¡¯ residences on Mount Fangcun. After leaving the disciple¡¯s residences, he arrived beneath the mountain wall, entering a forest rich with trees. A winding path through the forest was submerged under overgrown weeds, extending a cobblestone path. As Shen Luo walked down the path, he saw several independent courtyards scattered around. However, most of them had collapsed and were charred black, seeming to have suffered a fire, and had become ruins. After passing through a dozen courtyards in the forest, the path began to extend to the right. At a nearby fork in the road, Shen Luo saw a relatively intact courtyard. Calling it intact is only in comparison to the previous ruins. The main gate of the courtyard had completely collapsed. Within, a two-story building stood stalwartly, although there was a big hole in the roof. Shen Luo entered the courtyard, only to see the ground pocked with impact craters, scattered with architectural debris that seemed to have flown in from elsewhere, including beams and pillars of houses, and broken roof ridges. It was a complete mess. ¡°From a distance, it looked like a paradise untouched by the world, but upon closer inspection, it was a scene of destruction. It seems to have gone through a fierce battle many years ago, but why were there no remains to be found? I wonder if I can find something left behind by the ancestors.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, a tinge of hope stirring in his heart. He took a step over a broken ridge and approached the building¡¯s entrance, pushing open the door with his hand. The door, which hadn¡¯t been opened in a long time, creaked as it swung open, sending a billow of dust into the air. Shen Luo walked in, covering his mouth and nose with his hand. The interior furnishings were left as they were, no different from an ordinary household. In the center was a narrow hall, decorated with a broken landscape painting on the wall. Go to ????????????????????.co On both sides of the hall were some rooms, furnished with beds and chairs, though they were all rotten and tattered. The gaps between the blue bricks on the floor were covered with wild grass, giving off a desolate and dilapidated look. Shen Luo wanted to see if he could find anything about this place inside the house, but unfortunately, he found nothing. He walked around the back of the hall, up the decrepit wooden staircase, and made his way to the second floor. There was only one room on the second floor. As soon as Shen Luo walked in, he saw a large copper bell embedded in the floor, appearing to be the culprit for the hole in the roof. As he approached, he noticed the densely engraved text on the bell, adorned with floral patterns. He read it silently: ¡°Overturning Heaven and Earth, only with benevolence and virtue do we benefit the people. The sun and the moon circulate, the merits are not shown to the world, Daoism is glorified once again, the temple is constructed, the spirits silently support, the covenant is implemented, blessings for the Heaven and Earth, averting disasters¡­¡± Upon reading the entire text, Shen Luo realized that these words were a Daoist prayer for blessings. Although there were not many words, the intentions were grand. The phrase ¡°blessings for the Heaven and Earth, averting disasters¡± showed its broad-mindedness. When he looked at another place on the bell, he saw a large handprint on it. The lines on the knuckles and palm were clearly visible, evidently a human handprint. ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s this?¡± At that moment, Shen Luo called out softly in curiosity. He leaned over to examine the handprint closely and noticed a small white object stuck between the middle and forefinger. It was of a different colour than the bronze bell. The object seemed to have pierced through the bell and was lodged in it. If one didn¡¯t pay close attention to it, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find. Shen Luo reached out and touched it. The object was somewhat cold to the touch, seeming to be some sort of jade. Using two fingers, he grabbed the tail end of the white object and tried to pull it out, but it was practically impossible to apply any force due to the minuscule outside portion of the object. After considering briefly, Shen Luo took a deep breath. His Yang Gang Qi, mana, started to rotate. Utilizing his Qingyang Hand technique, he palmed the bell, trying to vibrate it out. However, upon hitting it, the bell issued a dull noise. Not only did the white object not vibrate outwards, but it also shrank back in, almost level with the handprint. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, raised his hand again, used all his strength, and struck down hard upon the bell. Thud¡­ A dense echo-like noise was heard. The white object, which had just retracted back into the bell, was suddenly repelled by the force and shot out like a short arrow. Shen Luo, with his quick reflexes, caught it in mid-air. However, at that moment, the large copper bell that had been embedded on the floor suddenly sank, creating a large hole in the floor, and Shen Luo fell into the hall on the first floor with it. There was a sudden rise of dust in the room. In a rather awkward state, Shen Luo got up from the ground and stumbled out of the house. He had just stepped out of the house when the two-story building collapsed. Shen Luo pat the dust off his clothes and walked to the middle of the courtyard. He turned around to look at the collapsed building and sat down on a broken part of the roof. He opened his palm and looked at the center of it. In the middle of his palm was a slender jade slip, about three inches long and an inch wide, white as mutton fat. Smooth and unadorned, it seemed quite ordinary at first glance. But Shen Luo felt that this object must have been intentionally embedded in the copper bell and knocked down to this side. It was obviously a treasured item and absolutely not an ordinary object. ¡°Could it be a magical instrument?¡± he wondered. As he thought this, the mana in his Dantian rose, following his meridians and flowing into the jade slip. The moment the Mana was infused, the jade slip flashed, becoming increasingly transparent. After waiting for a good while, nothing further happened with the jade slip. Neither did any wave of mana emit from it, nor did it react as if a magical instrument had been activated. Seeing this, Shen Luo still did not give up. He sat down cross-legged, put the jade slip in his hand, and began to silently recite the Ninety-nine Treasure refining tactics. After all the effort, there was still no change in the jade slip, and it had no reaction to the Artifact Refining Secret. ¡°Could it really just be an ordinary object?¡± Shen Luo felt disappointed and mumbled in frustration. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly remembered something. He slapped his forehead, a small smile creeping up on his face. (My Daoist friends, five more updates have been completed, and the new book has just been listed. Don¡¯t forget to subscribe and vote in support!) Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 174: Unexpected Discovery Chapter 176: Chapter 174: Unexpected Discovery ¡°How could I forget? I can now project my divine sense outwardly. I can completely use the power of divine sense to explore what it is.¡± After saying this, Shen Luo brought the jade slip to his forehead, and pasted it onto his own brow. His eyes slightly closed and his divine sense sank into the jade slip. Immediately, Shen Luo felt a burst of white light before his eyes, and his divine sense really entered into a white space. He looked around within, using his divine soul, and found that in the void of the space, there were fragments of golden text floating in mid-air, amassing to tens of thousands. ¡°This can¡¯t be some heavenly skill!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart and eagerly looked towards those characters. However, after reading a few segments, he knew he was on the wrong track again. ¡°Three years of Dragon Tree, early May, just after Duan Yang, I traveled with a good friend to Mount Tanji in Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. During the mountain climbing, I heard that there was a clear spirit dew appearing near the Hunyuan Pond. Upon arrival, I saw a seven-colored tertiary-foraging fairy deer radiating with colorful light all over its body, and its demon qi disappearing, indicating that it had eaten the clear spirit dew, thus realizing its magical effect. Initially, I wanted to capture the tertiary-foraging fairy deer, either as refinement material or as a mount, but its cultivation level had increased greatly due to the effect of clear spirit dew. Even with the joint efforts of my friend and I, it remained unattainable, which was regrettable. ¡± ¡°In the spring of the 16th year of Baoli, I travelled to the Eastern Great Tang. While passing through the western part of Leizhou in Northern Ju Lu Continent, I accidentally saw a man selling swords on the street in a town. I was greatly amazed when I first noticed that the sword contained faintly embedded thunder and lightning, and I could hear the thunderous sound from tens of feet away. However, ordinary people failed to notice it and did not know it¡¯s a treasure. After I purchased the sword from him at a high price, I only found out that it was forged by his blacksmith ancestor and was struck by thunder during the making. His ancestor died and it has been deemed unlucky ever since, which led to the sword being covered in dust. Isn¡¯t it strange that ordinary mortals, as long as they are in harmony with the heavenly and human, can also create magical treasures? Isn¡¯t it fortunate that I got this due to chance?¡± It turns out that the text in this jade slip is a collection of travel notes, recording a series of bizarre experiences its master had encountered along the way. Although the name of the person is not mentioned in the text, it is clear that he is an Inner Sect Disciple of Mount Fangcun. At first, Shen Luo felt a little disappointed, but after reading a few chapters, he didn¡¯t feel that way anymore. He originally enjoyed reading novels of immortals¡¯ adventures and miscellaneous notes of travelling scholars. The content of this jade slip is even more colorful and bizarre, attracting his attention naturally. Latter in the notes, Shen Luo also saw a story about the interior of their Great Tang territory. Even though it was not personally experienced by the owner of the jade slip, it was still recorded by him. Go to ????????????????????.co Apparently, in Tang Qiu County City within Dazhou of the Great Tang, there was a wealthy businessman¡¯s house that had a stepping stone at the door, within which was hidden a Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. It was bought back by the Great Tang Dynasty Government for a large amount of silver, and was processed by an old alchemist in the Astronomical Bureau into a miraculous potion that can bring bones back to life. However, the owner of the jade slip didn¡¯t agree with this statement, just writing at the end of the article: ¡°When I return to the Sect, I will consult with my Master or my Ancestor, then we will know if it is true or not.¡± The years recorded in the text by the owner of the jade slip were very confusing, covering almost all of the Four Great Continents. He probably used the year number of the local country each time. The timespan extends up to a hundred years. Among these, in addition to recording these interesting events and strange things, there are also many records about the evil demons encountered during his travels, most of them were killed by him with his sword. Although the owner of the jade slip did not mention his real cultivation level in these travel notes, one can tell through the recorded demon hunting experiences that his cultivation realm is extremely high and he should at least be a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivist. Moreover, one can see from his words that he is very proud of his Sect, Mount Fangcun. Every time he mentioned it, he was very satisfied and had a great sense of accomplishment. As for that Ancestor of his Sect, the ¡°Bodhi Ancestor¡±, he was even more generous with his praise and his writing is always filled with compliments and worship. In some places, even Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. For example, in the travel notes, it was mentioned that this Bodhi Ancestor was a true Heavenly Immortal who had achieved the status of the Great Luo fruit. He even hinted that he was a real powerful existence, on par with the Three Purities and Four Emperors. Keep in mind, those Three Purities and Four Emperors are said to be the highest beings ruling the Heavenly Realm in the legends! ¡°Fortunately, you have written this in your own travel notes. If it gets out, won¡¯t it scare tens of thousands of people to death?¡± Shen Luo naturally didn¡¯t believe this. He couldn¡¯t help but touch his nose and mockingly said. He continued to read according to the contents of these travel notes, his eyes suddenly sparkled when he discovered something different at the end of these texts. ¡°Oh, there are some talismans recorded here!¡± At the end of those vast amounts of text, there are five glowing golden talismans made of condensed lines, hanging in the void. Their designs are complex and each one has its own unique characteristics. Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart. He rubbed his hands together and began to carefully observe those talismans. After looking at them, he found that the designs of these five glowing talismans were quite complex. Apart from the one that starts with the character ¡°wind¡± that looked somewhat familiar, the other talismans were quite strange to him. Upon closer examination, small notes were written underneath these talismans, briefly describing their names, functions and how to draw them. The talisman that appeared slightly familiar to Shen Luo is named ¡°Flying Talisman¡±. It falls under the auxiliary category of talismans, and more specifically, it belongs to the wind attribute.After seeing the function of this talisman, his heart couldn¡¯t help but stir. According to the description, this talisman can make a person as light as paper for a certain period of time, allowing them to rise with the wind and travel in the air. For him as he is now, this is absolutely great! If he had a talisman like this two years ago when his cultivation level was still low, he wouldn¡¯t have been so desperate when he encountered the Mad Leopard. ¡°Speaking of which, it¡¯s no wonder I find it somewhat familiar. It turns out to be quite similar to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s Escape Talisman. I just don¡¯t know which one of these two talismans is better.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself with a guess. After speaking, his divine soul retracted, focusing his gaze on the Flying Talisman, and soon imprinted it into his Sea of Knowledge??. After a moment of effort, Shen Luo engraved the drawing method of the Flying Talisman into his heart, then his gaze fell onto the first talisman on the left. Like the common talismans, it starts with the two characters ¡°Imperial Edict,¡± and the lines in the patterns below are not smooth. Among them, there are many stops and breakpoints. When connected, they look a little like a human figure, and those nodes resemble human acupoints, which is quite unusual. ¡°Binding Talisman, can use the mana contained within the talisman to seal person¡¯s meridians and acupoints, making their body subject to control, and they can¡¯t move rashly for a short period of time¡­This is an interesting talisman, it will come in handy in the future.¡± Shen Luo nodded, smiling while he said it. Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 175: The Odd Black and White Pieces Chapter 177: Chapter 175: The Odd Black and White Pieces Adjacent to the Binding Talisman was an attack talisman named the ¡°Fractured Talisman¡±. This talisman began with the characters ¡°Crushing Army¡±, and its runes looked overall like a sharp long spear, giving off a kind of suppressing and murderous aura. Further to the right, past the Flying Talisman, was a talisman that shimmered with golden lightning. It looked similar to the Small Thunder Talisman, being a lightning attribute talisman as well. However, instead of starting with the unusual character for ¡°thunder¡±, it began with the character for ¡°Imperial Edict¡±, mixed with five lightning runes, and ended with the character for ¡°seal¡±. This made it quite special. The last talisman was even stranger, named the ¡°Amnesia Talisman¡±. It could cause someone to lose a brief memory and cause a certain amount of damage to their Divine Sense. However, this talisman had quite some restrictions, and it usually could only work on someone with a lower cultivation level than the user. Moreover, if the target¡¯s Divine Sense was strong to begin with, the talisman might not work. According to the jade slip, most of these five talismans were exclusive secret talismans from Mount Fangcun. Their drawing methods and required materials were all different and confidential, not to be casually revealed. At the moment, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t even find the most common Yellow Talisman Paper and cinnabar, let alone special materials. Naturally, he couldn¡¯t try to draw them, so he quickly skimmed through them without paying much attention. Inadvertently, he had already spent more than an hour checking. He rubbed his slightly sour brows and put away the jade slip. ¡°It seems Mount Fangcun is indeed as revered by the villagers at the foot of the mountain, a Cultivation Sect presided over by a true Immortal. My entrance here can be considered a stroke of luck.¡± Shen Luo was secretly delighted. After taking a short break, he set off again, continuing to search deeper into the forest. However, after searching for nearly two more hours inland, all he saw were devastated ruins, and there was nothing to gain. When he walked out of the dense forest, in front of him was a dead end by another mountain wall. This mountain wall was not as towering as the one he had stayed before, it was just a hundred feet high. There was a small stream meandering down from it, the water wasn¡¯t much, just soaking a large part of the mountain wall. In the places where the stream had passed, there were four large characters engraved in ancient script, vigorous and compelling. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°God Show Opening¡­¡± Shen Luo stood under the mountain wall, gazing upward at those characters, his eyebrows suddenly raised, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. With a thought, he lifted his hand and immediately, the stream flowing down the mountain wall converged into a water rope. Shen Luo grabbed the water rope and ascended towards the top of the mountain wall. Soon he came to the place where the characters were carved. ¡°There really is something hidden!¡± Shen Luo sighed silently. Right in the center of the four characters ¡°God Show Opening¡±, a piece of rock protruded slightly, like a rain curtain, diverting the stream flowing down from the mountain top to both sides. Below the rock, an unobtrusive cave entrance was revealed. Shen Luo leaped down and fell through the narrow cave entrance. After steadying his figure, he walked a few dozen feet inward and saw the space inside suddenly widen into a stone chamber spanning around ten feet. Shen Luo lifted his hand, a blue light illuminated from his palm and shone around, only then he found that the stone chamber was very simply furnished. Only on the inner wall nearest was engraved a very noticeable ¡°Zen¡± character. Underneath it was a small table and a straw cushion woven from vine grass. Beyond these, there was nothing else. Interestingly, the little table was placed against the wall, but the straw cushion was outside. If someone was meditating here, they wouldn¡¯t be facing the wall, but should be facing the wall while sitting. ¡°Is there really only this much stuff here, could it be that the master here was a fan of Dry Zen?¡± Shen Luo wondered. He crouched down and tapped on the table, finding it was just ordinary sandalwood. Although it had lasted for hundreds of years without decay, it really wasn¡¯t a magical artifact. Since Shen Luo had confirmed that this was the location of Mount Fangcun¡¯s Immortal Sect, his expectations for this place had increased a lot. He thought he would definitely find treasures in a secret place, but seeing how plain this place was, couldn¡¯t help but feel a little disappointed. He casually flipped over the vine grass straw cushion, but found that it had already rotted. With just a gentle pull, it tore open. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed softly, quickly casting his palm light downwards. As the blue light approached, Shen Luo saw a white dot underneath the straw cushion, reflecting specks of light. He completely moved the straw cushion aside only to find that it wasn¡¯t a white dot, but a white Go piece, and there were two black Go pieces near it. It seemed as if the master dropped them under the straw cushion by accident while putting away the chess pieces. Shen Luo pinched the white Go piece between his fingers and lightly lifted it up. ¡°So light¡­¡± He raised his eyebrows slightly and murmured. Ordinary chess pieces were indeed not heavy, but this white piece was outrageously light. Holding it in hand, it was like holding a feather, it would have felt like there was nothing in his hand if he hadn¡¯t observed it with his own eyes. Shen Luo was puzzled, he reached out two fingers again to pinch a black Go piece. However, as he lifted his wrist, the black piece remained motionless, as if it were rooted to the ground. This time, Shen Luo was even more surprised. He exerted force in his hand, grabbed the black piece and yanked it upwards, eventually lifting it off the ground. He weighed it a little and found that this black piece actually weighed a hundred pounds. Shen Luo was puzzled. He then went to grab another black piece and found it to be just as heavy. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Could this also be a magical instrument?¡± He looked at the Go pieces in his hand, growing more puzzled. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he channeled his mana and began pouring it into the black and white chess pieces in his hand. With each drip of mana flowing into them, all three Go pieces lit up to varying degrees. However, there was no other response. Shen Luo gave a light shout, urged a multiplied amount of mana compared to before into the Go pieces, but the Go pieces didn¡¯t react at all. They just laid quietly in his palm, with no reaction. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, he abruptly tossed the Go pieces away, and they all shot out at once. The white piece was too light and flew the fastest. It hit a wall, rebounded, and fell off. The two black pieces were too heavy, so after they flew out a bit, they fell to the ground with a ¡°boom¡±. Neither had shown anything special. Despite this, Shen Luo was still unwilling to give up. He picked up the three chess pieces again and channeled the Ninety-nine Treasure Refining Tactics, trying to refine the three Go pieces using the artifact refining method. However, after an attempt, he still found no use. Just like before when he was testing the jade slip, he cast his Divine Sense into the Go pieces, but still came out empty-handed. ¡°Maybe it really isn¡¯t a magical instrument but just has a special material.¡± Finally, Shen Luo sighed, saying helplessly. Then, he tried to put the three Go pieces into his clothes. However, because the two black pieces were so heavy, they dragged down his clothes. Unwillingly, Shen Luo had to tear off two strips of cloth from his sleeve and tied the black pieces separately to his left and right wrists. Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Chapter 176: Hundred Herbs Valley Chapter 178: Chapter 176: Hundred Herbs Valley Shen Luo swung his arms and threw a punch, trying to flex his wrist. He found that apart from a slight weighing down sensation, there wasn¡¯t much to hinder his movement. He then turned around and exited the cave¡¯s stone chamber, following the outside water rope back to the surface. He stood at the bottom of the cliff, reflected for a little while, recalling that slightly further to the left, there was a white square and several structures nearby during his previous climbing. So he headed towards that direction. He moved among the mountains and forests, hearing nothing but the rustling wind, and no living creatures in sight. He occasionally projected his Divine Sense outwards, sensing the changes in his surroundings. After half an hour, the shadow of the day gradually tilted to the west, and the sky gradually darkened. At this time, as Shen Luo walked into a green bamboo forest, he suddenly wrinkled his nose, smelling a faint fragrance of grass and wood. The fragrance invigorated his spirit upon entering his nostrils, as though the fatigue from his running had mostly alleviated immediately. With furrowed brows, he quickly traced the scent. In a short while, he traversed the green bamboo forest. Beyond the bamboo forest, he could see a white hollow flower wall from afar, extending in a ring shape to encircle an area. The fragrance of grass and wood was emanating from within it. Shen Luo walked along the small path in the forest to the flower wall. Through the holes in the wall, he could see that the interior was overgrown with weeds, presenting a picture of desolation. He followed the wall for more than a hundred steps to a round gate. The archway was barely ten feet tall, the top covered with colored glaze tile, below which a plaque with peeling lacquer was hung. The words ¡°Hundred Herbs Valley¡± were engraved on it, and in the middle of the two words, there was an octagonal copper mirror about a foot square embedded. Shen Luo took a closer look and found that the octagonal copper mirror was very well made, with a Tai Chi Yin and Yang pattern in the mirror¡¯s center and a circle of complex charm patterns surrounding it. It was clearly no ordinary object. However, regrettably, the octagonal copper mirror was densely covered with spider-web-like cracks, and it was seriously damaged. There couldn¡¯t be detected even a trace of spiritual power fluctuations. Even if it was originally a magical instrument, it was now thoroughly ruined. Go to ????????????????????.co Shen Luo walks past the archway and entered the Hundred Herbs Valley. At a glance, he saw a large area of medicinal fields. Although they were covered with dense weeds, the orderly trace of the original field ridges was still visible. ¡°In the medicine garden of the Immortal Sect, there should be legendary spiritual medicine and immortal herbs, right?¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself before proceeding along the field ridges. Within a medicine field near the entrance, weeds were abundant. Shen Luo widened his eyes and searched for a while but found no medicinal materials with a trace of spiritual energy, let alone the commonly seen useful medicinal plants in the market. He shook his head and continued his search further into the medicine field. He turned over one field after another and found nothing after looking through seven or eight of them. ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Shen Luo muttered. He walked into one of the medicinal fields, moved some wild grasses aside and looked down. He saw that the soil appeared yellow-brown in color, dry and caked. It seemed even inferior to normal soil, not resembling the fertile topsoil of a medicinal field at all. With furrowed brows, Shen Luo pulled out the wild grass and turned up the underlying soil to reveal a layer of burnt soil beneath the yellow-brown dry topsoil, showing slightly astonished eyes, ¡°What exactly happened here that year?¡±. The foundation of the medicinal field burnt by fire was naturally ruined and no longer had the conditions to grow spiritual herbs. Shen Luo didn¡¯t plan to waste any more time here. Instead, he followed the fragrance of the vegetation and headed towards the center of the Hundred Herbs Valley. After passing several medicinal fields, his eyes flashed when he crossed a slightly raised piece of ground. A faint yellow flower was growing in the weeds in the field. He immediately stops his steps, bent down to inspect the flower and slightly frowned after examining it. Next, he gently tapped on the petals with his finger, lifted it to his nose for a sniff, and a smile immediately spread across his face, saying, ¡°One flower with four leaves, the leaves have seven veins, the flower has four petals, scentless upon smelling, emits a sandalwood scent when touched¡­ This indeed is the Four Leaf Flower described in the book, surprisingly there were some that slipped through the fish net!¡± Although Shen Luo read a lot of books, he didn¡¯t recognize many spirit grasses. Happily, this Four Leaf Flower was one of the few. Consumption of this herb strengthens the blood, boosts vitality, and it is the essential spiritual material needed for refining the Golden Fragrant Jade. But looking at the depth of the veins and the color on the flower, it hadn¡¯t grown for too long, at most thirty years. The medicinal power was rather limited, and for now, it didn¡¯t meet the criteria for refining the Golden Fragrant Jade. ¡°The medicinal potency isn¡¯t too strong, perfect to take it back and make a pot of medicinal soup for Chen Guanbao and his friends. It will strengthen their vitality. If their bodies improve, perhaps they can cultivate in the future.¡± Thinking this, Shen Luo carefully dug out the Four Leaf Flower, roots and all. Once the spiritual medicine was away from the soil, the surface¡¯s luster immediately faded slightly. However, it didn¡¯t instantly wither; instead, a waxy layer formed on the surface, sealing the body. Seeing this made Shen Luo happy. He put it in his chest pocket and anticipated the medicine fields slightly more in his heart. On one hand, he searched for the source of the vegetative fragrance, and he didn¡¯t forget to continue looking for other Four Leaf Flowers. While he wasn¡¯t able to find more Four Leaf Flowers, he dug out three Chinese yams instead, each about a foot long. Shen Luo broke one of the yams apart, pulling several long filaments from the broken end. Astonishingly, they shone with a faint golden light, and the liquid that flowed out had a refreshing scent. ¡°Could this also be a spiritual medicine?¡± Shen Luo noted that strands of spiritual energy hovered around the Chinese Yam, causing him to ponder. Following this, he took a layer of water vapor and cleaned the yam. He then took a bite of it immediately. With a crisp ¡°crack¡±, a sweet juice instantly filled his mouth. After a while, a cooling sensation spread from his throat into his belly. Once it reached his Dantian, it turned into a warm current, ¡°Could it actually replenish my mana?¡± Shen Luo was ecstatic and gobbled down the yam. Soon, he¡¯d eaten the entire thing. He held the remaining two yams in his hand, salivating for a long time. He finally resisted not eating all of them at once and put them in his sleeve before continuing his search. However, in the following period, he went through more than a dozen medicinal fields without any gains. As the surrounding sky had completely turned dark, Shen Luo saw a red light standing upright in the central region of the Hundred Herbs Valley from afar. There were also scattered pale blue lights on its surroundings. His eyes shone, and he immediately increased his pace to catch up. Upon nearing the place, he saw an odd tree about three or four feet high and as thick as a child¡¯s arm in the center of the area. Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 177 Ginseng Chapter 179: Chapter 177 Ginseng Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed as he closely examined the unusual tree. The tree was entirely crimson in color and its surface was covered in convoluted patterns, While there were three to four branches at the top, not a single leaf could be found. Even from a distance of several feet away, one could sense a heatwave emanating from the tree. As Shen Luo approached it further, he distinctly felt a searing wave of heat coalesce into a solid wall. This wall of heat prevented anyone from getting too close. Shen Luo frowned, intrigued by the phenomenon. He formed a blue water wave by manipulating the surrounding water vapor with a wave of his hands. The water wave, like a water python, began to coil around the wall of heat. As the water wave made contact with the heat wall, a ¡°hissing¡± sound was heard, and a flurry of white steam began to rise from within. The surrounding temperature also started to fall. Seeing this, Shen Luo performed the Water Repelling Technique, covering his body with a layer of turquoise radiance. With one stride, he stepped into the heat wall. The scorching heatwaves immediately swept over him, causing the blue radiance on him to tremble slightly. However, after a brief moment of perception, he found that while the heat was intense, it was not enough to harm him. His mind at ease, he steadily approached the mysterious tree. The closer he got to the tree, the stronger he felt a dense concentration of spiritual energy emanating from the tree. ¡°This appears to be an uncommon Spirit Tree, but I wonder what power lies within it?¡± Shen Luo speculated silently. At that moment, he noticed that around the Red Spirit Tree, under several isolated blue glows, were green plants with elegant branches and leaves. The scent of vegetation that he detected earlier was emanating from these plants. ¡°Their ability to survive in such high temperatures is truly remarkable!¡± he thought, pleasantly surprised. However, instead of investigating them right away, he decided to uproot the Spirit Tree first. With a flick of his wrist, a half-moon ring flew out from his sleeve. With a ¡°plop¡±, it drove into the ground, and disappeared. Go to ????????????????????.co Shen Luo slightly twisted his wrist a few times, and small mounds of soil began appearing on the surface. The Red Spirit Tree suddenly leaned to one side and fell over. With its fall, the red light emitted from the Spirit Tree dimmed considerably and the intense heat that it had been exuding also vanished. Shen Luo tensed upon seeing this. After recalling the half-moon ring, he rushed forward to check on the tree. As his palm reached out to pick up the Spirit Tree, he felt a strong burning sensation. He immediately let go, dropping the tree back onto the ground. When he looked back at the tree, he found faint, crystalline lines of red light running back and forth on its surface. The fluctuation of spiritual energy radiating from it was as strong as ever, which eased his concern. However, the temperature of the tree was still quite high. Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to leave it be and turned his attention to the blue ¡°Spirit Grass¡±. To his surprise, without the heat wave from the Red Spirit Tree, the aroma of the Spirit Grass became even more intense, their blue light radiating more brilliantly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the shape and vein of these leaves resemble that of the Ginseng plant?¡± He stared at one of the Spirit Grass plants for a moment and a puzzled expression crossed his face. His family owned a medicine shop and he was very familiar with many traditional herbs including Ginseng and Astragalus. But the Spirit Grass before him clearly belonged to a class of elixir used in Taoist alchemy. Why did it look so much like common Ginseng? Confused, Shen Luo held the half-moon ring in his hand once more. Contrary to his previous actions while digging up the tree, he was now taking great care. He gently brushed aside the loose earth around a Spirit Grass. When the root of the Spirit Grass was exposed, he put away the half-moon ring and began cleaning it carefully with his bare hands. As the dirt surrounding the roots of the Spirit Grass was gradually removed, the entire plant began to reveal itself. Its skin and root system greatly resembled a Ginseng plant, down to the unique ¡°iron line¡± patterns. However, the distinctive aroma of vegetation it gave off and the abundant spiritual energy it contained were unlike anything found in ordinary Ginseng plants. It far surpassed the Four Leaf Flower and Chinese Yam that he had seen earlier. ¡°Could this be the legendary Ginseng?¡± Shen Luo said aloud, staring at the plant in doubt. It took him a considerable amount of effort and almost a quarter of an hour to fully excavate a Spirit Grass. He used his finger to count the ¡°iron lines¡± on the Ginseng, one by one. The more Shen Luo counted, the more stunned he felt. This plant had as many as eleven iron lines. Assuming that it was indeed a Ginseng plant, it meant that it was a top-quality Ginseng that had been growing for over a thousand years. It was a rare treasure indeed. Holding the Spirit Grass in his hand, he took a deep sniff of the fragrance it exuded. A cool sensation instantly hit him, clearing his mind and making his entire body feel refreshed. ¡°Whether it¡¯s Ginseng or not, it¡¯s surely Spirit Grass of some kind. I can¡¯t let this opportunity slip.¡± With his mind set, Shen Luo set to work, carefully excavating the rest of the Spirit Grass. After a careful count, he found that all the plants were over a thousand years old. When he had joyfully packed all the Spirit Grass and looked up at the sky, the crescent moon was already hanging high above. He turned back to look at the Red Spirit Tree, only to see that the sparkling light on it had completely disappeared. He reached out to touch the tree and found that its temperature had dropped to a slight warmth. He picked up the Red Spirit Tree and looking up at the moon, he decided not to continue searching for more Spirit Grass. Instead, he found a wind-sheltered corner in the garden to sit down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Man sat under the moon, words unsaid. There was no chirping of insects in the garden, only the faint whispering of the wind, creating an empty and quiet atmosphere. There was not a word exchanged throughout the night. When the early morning light shone on Shen Luo¡¯s face the next day, his eyes fluttered open. He stood up from the ground, stretched his arms wide to loosen up his muscles and bones, and felt refreshed and energized. Previous to his stay in Longevity Village, his cultivation had remained at a standstill since reaching the later stages of the Soul Condensation phase due to the limited heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi in the village. Even continuous cultivation brought little progress. But last night¡¯s session proved to be tremendously beneficial. Though he was still some distance from breaking through to the next stage, he could finally see a glimmer of hope. Taking another look at the Spirit Grass and Spirit Wood on the ground, his mood improved even more. He collected everything and continued his search for the Hundred Herbs Valley, hoping to find even more harvest. Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 178: Seven Star Pen Chapter 180: Chapter 178: Seven Star Pen However, it seemed as if all his good luck had been used up yesterday. Today, during his journey, he didn¡¯t encounter even a single Chinese yam, let alone thousand-year-old spiritual medicines. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t greedy, so he didn¡¯t mind this. After leaving the Hundred Herbs Valley, he continued towards the direction of the square. After about two hours of walking, he hadn¡¯t reached the square yet. But in front of him, not too far away, appeared a majestic Xie Mountain Great Hall. It was well-preserved; compared to the ruins that he had previously seen, it was quite special. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with delight as he quickly walked towards the great hall. However, before he got close, he suddenly spotted a white skeleton on the ground ahead. It was clutching a rusty, broken sword and was lying face down on the ground. And as he continued further, two more skeletons appeared in the grass by the roadside. Both were pierced through the chest by a single white bone spear, nailed to the ground. Shen Luo felt a chill down his spine. Once he calmed his nerves and continued forward, he saw more and more scattered bones on the ground. Among them were some peculiar corpse skeletons with extremely wide joints and bones, which clearly didn¡¯t belong to the Human Race. When he reached the front of the hall, he found that skeletons were leaning against the palace door and the colonnades. Some were twisted in death, some had incomplete skeletons, some were killed by others, and some were clearly killed by their own hands. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed as he witnessed this sight. He couldn¡¯t help but imagine the scenes of their battles in the past, and a question arose in his mind. Could it be that these people had died in defense of this hall? The moment this thought struck, he became even more curious. What kind of treasure could possibly be hidden inside this hall? As he approached, he saw a skeleton still draped in clothing, sitting cross-legged in front of the door, blocking the entrance. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of reverence for it. ¡°Elder, forgive my rudeness,¡± Shen Luo respectfully said, bending down carefully to move the skeleton. Go to ????????????????????.co However, as soon as his fingers touched the skeleton, its clothing suddenly collapsed and scattered like flying ash. Right after that, a small thing fell from the skeleton with a soft ¡°clatter¡±, rolling aside. Shen Luo focused his gaze and saw the fallen object was astonishingly a jade brush, about half a foot in length. The brush was utterly crystal clear and its tip was small yet pitch-black, extremely appealing to the eye. He quickly picked up the jade brush and examined it more closely. He then noticed that the emerald green color was not monotonous; it was interspersed with specks of silver light flickering and seven distinctively bright silver spots were arranged like the Big Dipper. At the end of the Pen barrel, two small characters could be seen inscribed, ¡°Seven Star¡±. An idea struck Shen Luo¡¯s mind. He held the brush, and a strand of mana from his Dantian immediately surged up, flowing into the brush. The ¡°Seven Star Pen¡± was seen to have specks of silver light that brightened like a miniature galaxy contained within, giving off a mesmerizing light. Shen Luo let the pen move freely, tracing back and forth in the void, silver light flowed from the tip of the pen, leaving a trail in the void, and charm patterns of the Small Thunder Talisman began to appear. However, before he could finish writing the latter half of the talisman, the half that was already drawn began to blur and gradually dissipated. ¡°With mana poured from the tip of the brush, it can form in the void and not scatter for a short time. This is truly remarkable¡­ If this brush is used to draw talismans, it may be able to preserve the charm¡¯s spirit to a great extent. The chances of forming a talisman should thus significantly increase.¡±, Shen Luo speculated upon this observation. With this thought, he once again turned his inner mana and doubled its input into the Seven Star Pen. The pen began to exhibit an odd phenomenon again. As he waved his pen to sketch, the light marking of the talisman reappeared in mid-air, but it dissipated before he could finish writing. He tried five or six times, but each time was the same. No matter how much mana he poured in, the light mark¡¯s duration was always very short, making it impossible to form the talisman in the void. ¡°Could it be that this object hasn¡¯t been refined yet and so it can¡¯t exert its full strength?¡± Shen Luo speculated. Saying this, he immediately sat down cross-legged, placed the Seven Star Pen horizontally in front of him, silently recited the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and then spat out a ball of mana, which entered the body of the pen. At the same time, his hands changed the magic spell, and rays of blue light erupted from his fingertips, surrounding the Seven Star Pen. The pen then gently swayed, and a layer of silver light shone on its surface. Seven stars of the Big Dipper rose from it, each star released a series of charm patterns. The patterns diffused and formed a miniature silver light rune array. ¡°Seven-layered Forbidden Formation, by the looks of it, its rank should not be much different from the half-moon ring¡­¡± Shen Luo gradually let go of random thoughts and started to feed strands of mana into the first array at the end of the pen handle, attempting to disrupt its forbidden formation. Unlike the previous refining of the half-moon ring, the forbidden formation on this Seven Star Pen had a strong resistance to his refining. As soon as he tried to disrupt it, his effort was strongly rebounded, and the first wave of mana was forcibly repelled. ¡°Ha, it seems to have a bit of a temper.¡± Shen Luo chuckled, his eyes suddenly focused, his hands changed the magic spell again, and he exerted his full strength to disrupt the rune array. The Seven Star Pen flashed silver, and waves of void oscillations continued to ripple out from it. ¡­ Time passed quickly. After more than an hour, there was a soft ¡°crack¡± from the front of the hall. They saw a small burst of silver light explode on the Seven Star Pen, and the first prohibitive formation array shattered, turning into a piece of silver light that retracted back into the pen, illuminating the ¡°shaking light¡± star at the end of the Big Dipper. Shen Luo was overjoyed. He cast a strand of his divine sense into it, wanting to check the changes in the Seven Star Pen. However, as soon as his divine sense entered the Seven Star Pen, it was directly sucked in and entered a strange dark space. This square space inside was only a few feet wide and although no walls could be seen, an invisible force marked its boundary, clearly perceived by Shen Luo. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback, thinking his divine sense was trapped somewhere, but then, with a thought, his divine sense freely exited. He was puzzled and sent his divine sense into the space once again. Just like before, his divine sense power could freely enter and exit this space. Shen Luo looked around, seeing a piece of fragmented stone not far away. He quickly jumped up, rushed over, and picked it up. He closed his eyes tensely, holding the fragmented stone in one hand and the Seven Star Pen in the other, his thoughts flickering slightly. The next instant, Shen Luo felt his left hand lighten. When he opened his eyes and looked, he found that the piece of stone in his palm had disappeared into thin air. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he once again sent a strand of divine sense into the strange space inside the Seven Star Pen. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 179 Immortal Hundred Grasses Chapter 181: Chapter 179 Immortal Hundred Grasses In the corner of the previously empty space, a piece of fragmented stone that he had held before was lying there prominently. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that this Seven Star Pen is the legendary storage magical tool that could hold a mountain within a seed!¡± Shen Luo held the Seven Star Pen, constantly caressing its body, his joy was indescribable. Although the stone box he had obtained in reality, which had the ability to shrink objects, had a similar effect, it was incomparable in terms of the space it could contain when compared to this Seven Star Pen. Moreover, the stone box was quite bulky and inconvenient to carry around. After a long while, he finally calmed down. Holding the Seven Star Pen in one hand, he moved his mind again. A ray of faint light flashed on the body of the pen, and the fragment of stone reappeared out of thin air and was caught by him. ¡°With this ability to store and access objects at will, things are going to be much easier from now on.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the spiritual medicine package not far away and laughed. Having said that, he put all the spiritual medicines, spirit wood, jade slips, chess pieces etc. he had obtained earlier, all into the Seven Star Pen. A moment later, Shen Luo returned to the front of the palace door, saluted the skeleton leaning against the door, then carefully picked it up, found a vacant lot, and buried it. After doing all of this, Shen Luo returned to the front of the Xie Mountain Great Hall and pushed open the door, which those dry bones had desperately protected back in their days. With the sound of a heavy door opening, dust filled the air. Shen Luo flicked off the dust with his robe and found a monstrous white skull, about ten feet high, staring at him just a few steps away. The skull had sharp horns, and the jawbone was extraordinarily protruding, similar to a goat¡¯s. However, its mouth was filled with rows of sharp, interlocking canine teeth. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened, and he stepped into the hall somewhat surprisingly. After slightly shifting his position, he saw the huge body of a monster behind the large skull, crossing the entire hall. Only its tail extended out of a large hole in the wall at the back of the hall. ¡°It seems they still couldn¡¯t defend this great hall. This beast broke through the wall from the back and stormed in.¡± Shen Luo sighed. Go to ????????????????????.co He shifted his gaze to other areas in the palace, only to see that the inside was in a mess. Black wooden bookshelves were falling over and large amounts of ancient scrolls were scattered on the ground, which had become filthy and dirty. ¡°So this is where Mount Fangcun stored their scriptures? No wonder those disciples of Mount Fangcun defended it so desperately.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered as he muttered to himself. After speaking, he immediately began cleaning the bookshelves on the ground and organizing the classics that had scattered on the ground, hoping to find some useful skill records. However, the books on the ground had been there for too long and had been soaked multiple times by invading rainwater. They had all rotted terribly. After Shen Luo tried to pick up a few, he found none in a suitable condition to be taken. He could only give up with regret. In the back of the hall, several black wooden bookshelves tilted and slumped together. They had not completely collapsed, and many books were stuck in the gaps. Shen Luo walked up, held the outermost bookshelf with one hand, and lifted it up forcefully. The collapsed bookshelf stood straight again, and nearly a hundred scriptures trapped in it immediately fell down. Among them were green-thread-bound ancient books, bamboo scroll-connected books, and complete sets of classics in good condition. Shen Luo picked up a green book from the pile, saw the golden words ¡°Green Field Essence Cultivation Technique¡± on the title page, and after a quick read, found it to be a basic body refining technique similar to ¡°Small Transformation Yang Technique¡±. He waved his robe, cleared a clean area next to him, laid the Green Field Essence Cultivation Technique book flat, bent down, picked up a bamboo scroll and opened it. After a moment, Shen Luo paused slightly, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he muttered to himself, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find the lost ¡®The Golden Chest¡¯ Medical Canon here in the world.¡± The ¡°The Golden Chest¡± Medical Canon is not a secret technique, but a medical book left by ancient mortals, which contains many prescriptions for the treatment of difficult diseases. Shen Luo once tried to find this book for his own survival, but all his attempts ended in vain. It was unexpected to see it here today, but regrettably, this medical book is of no use to him now. After putting down The Golden Chest Medical Canon, he picked up a set of ancient books from the pile and took it out. After wiping off the dust and opening the seal, the words ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± jumped into Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. His eyes flickered slightly, he immediately took out all the books in the box, took a quick look, and found three books inside, all had ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± written on the title page. But each had two small words, ¡°Plant¡±, ¡°Animal¡±, and ¡°Mineral¡± written in the footnotes to distinguish their contents. Shen Luo opened the thickest ¡°Plant¡± volume, and began to read it carefully, only to find that this book detailed a large number of spiritual medicine plants. It not only had text annotations, but also lifelike illustrations. When he turned to one of the pages, Shen Luo stopped, took out the Seven Star Pen from his bosom, brought in a trickle of mana into it, then with a movement of his mind, a spiritual grass with blue glow appeared. Comparing the illustration and annotations in the book with the spiritual grass in his hand, the more he looked, the more joyful he became. ¡°It really is a Thousand-year Ginseng.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He carefully checked the various uses of ginseng and found that it was necessary to make many high-level elixirs. It deserved the name of a priceless treasure, and he was even more overjoyed. Moments later, Shen Luo put away the ginseng and continued to read the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± canon. After reaching the Soul Condensation Stage, his divine sense power and memory were far beyond average. Now, he only needed a glance to take in ten lines at once and memorize them all. It only took half a moment to finish reading the three thick volumes of the Immortal Divine Herb. Afterward, he picked up another ancient book from the ground and continued to read. Unknowingly, four or five two-hour periods had passed. It wasn¡¯t until the surroundings darkened again that Shen Luo realized this and casually closed a book about the geography of the West Niu Hezhou Continent and rubbed his somewhat sour brow. In the area behind him, books as high as a person were stacked into seven or eight piles. All of them were books he had read in half a day. In contrast, the books in front of him that he had not read yet were only left with tens. After looking at it as a whole, Shen Luo realized that the books in this hall about cultivating immortality were pitifully few. Even if there were, they were basic techniques like the ¡°Qingtian Pei Yuan Technique¡±, which were not very useful to him. On the contrary, there were many more books similar to ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡±, or books about the geographical maps of various provinces and countries in the cultivation world and mundane world. There were also quite a few books on alchemy and casting. However, there was no book related to talismans. Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Chapter 180: Strange Noise Chapter 182: Chapter 180: Strange Noise At first, Shen Luo was a bit puzzled, but after a brief consideration, he understood. The books in this hall were mostly open to all inner and outer sect disciples. They were mostly basic techniques. It was unlikely that the sect¡¯s true heritage of important classics would be kept here. This was actually no different than the practice of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. The Sect¡¯s foundational techniques were mostly passed down orally between the masters and disciples and kept secret. The Pure Yang Sword Technique was handled this way. After a brief rest, Shen Luo picked out a few basic cultivation methods from the pile of ancient books, as well as those about Spiritual Medicine and Artifacts Refining, and stored them in the Seven Star Pen. Then, he collected the remaining unfinished books. Only then did he stretch out and planned to leave through the hole in the wall. However, just as he twisted his neck and moved his muscles, the corner of his eye caught a faint white light shining in a corner of the hall. He hurriedly walked over and looked. There was a silk painting hanging on the wall that was about one foot wide and three feet long. The moonlight from outside illuminated it, reflecting a hazy white light. Shen Luo was puzzled. He quickly walked to the painting and saw a bright round moon with a cluster of green bamboo underneath. The painting was called ¡°Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting¡±. The painting was very high-grade. No matter what kind of color material was used, the color remained intact after so many years. The bamboo was still green, and the moon was white with a touch of yellow, giving off a warm feeling. It looked lifelike. After just a few glances, Shen Luo suddenly felt dizzy as the bamboo and the moon seemed to be real and appeared before him. Under the moonlight, as if a breeze had blown by, the bamboo began to sway, colliding with each other as if there were sounds of bamboo nodes hitting each other. The shadows on the ground started to change. Shen Luo was surprised, quickly looked away, and the scene in front of him disappeared. The sound of the bamboo nodes hitting each other also disappeared. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He was quite astonished and looked at the painting again. Go to ????????????????????.co At this glance, the illusory scene emerged again. Not only did the bamboo shadows change continuously, but the moonlight also seemed to shatter, casting patchy light and shadow on the ground. Shen Luo stared at the constantly changing shadows for a long time, then suddenly raised his eyebrows as if he understood something. ¡°It seems like something¡¯s not quite right¡­¡± But soon, he inexplicably shook his head and murmured to himself. He was as if under a spell, nodding one moment, and shaking his head the next. He looked at the painting for a full hour. ¡°The changing moon shadow seems to implicitly suggest some kind of step-change. There must be something fishy, but I won¡¯t understand it in a short time. I¡¯d better collect it first.¡± At the end, Shen Luo shook his head and sighed. After saying this, Shen Luo went forward, took down the silk painting, rolled it up, and put it in the Seven Star Pen. As he had crammed all kinds of things into the pen, there soon wasn¡¯t much space left. After cleaning up, Shen Luo walked out of the broken wall and continued towards the square. Many more ruined halls appeared along the way, all of which were already destroyed by warfare. The various corpses and skeletons encountered along the way began to appear more densely. However, most of them were already covered by vegetation and hidden among the wild grasses. ¡°It seems that the main battlefield of that year¡¯s battle was probably around here.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Under the night sky, the surroundings were deathly silent, except for the sound of Shen Luo¡¯s footsteps echoing around. The collapsed halls along the way looked like piles of graves. A night breeze blew, the shadows of the trees swayed, a green light glowed from the forest and ruins. It was the phosphorus fire rising from the countless skeletons, glowing like fireflies all over the field. Shen Luo walked among the ghost fires and emerged from the forest, arriving in front of the expansive square. Suddenly, a strange scene appeared before his eyes. All around, ghost fires continually gathered, as if troops of soldiers were parading, swirling around the white square. Shen Luo looked around in astonishment. He took a closer look at the square, but all he saw were a few shattered skeletons and fallen leaves. There were no traps or arrays, and it seemed quite ordinary. In the middle of the square stood a round platform, only about three feet off the ground. On it, two different colored jade stones had been put together to form a vague Taiji Pattern, no other pattern was there. Shen Luo immediately released his Divine Sense, sweeping over the square, but nothing abnormal was found. After waiting for a while, the ghost fires did not disperse. Instead, they landed one after another, surrounding the entire square, as if they had lit a ring of green lamps. After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo stepped onto the square. As soon as he set foot on the square¡¯s stone floor, it felt like a whirlwind had suddenly risen around him, carrying all the ghost fires into the sky. Shen Luo¡¯s heart clenched and he immediately stopped, glancing around him. After quite a while without any other anomalies appearing, he slightly relaxed and continued toward the platform in the center of the square. But, after walking over a hundred steps, when he was only about ten feet away from the platform, a vague human voice suddenly echoed in Shen Luo¡¯s ear. At first, it sounded like a mosquito buzzing, but after listening carefully, it was as loud as a large bell, reverberating incessantly. Regardless of whether the voice was loud or soft, the words were always fuzzy, making it difficult for him to hear clearly. Feeling puzzled, Shen Luo quickly used his Divine Sense to try to listen closely. But the moment he did, he distinctly heard, ¡°Progress if it¡¯s the Dao, retreat if it¡¯s not.¡± Then, it felt like his mind had exploded. There was a loud ¡°bang.¡± It felt like someone had smashed the back of Shen Luo¡¯s head with a Great Hammer. His vision went black for a moment, and he staggered forward and backward, nearly collapsing to the ground. He quickly stabilized his Divine Sense, rubbed his brow, and vigorously shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He felt a sense of familiarity with this feeling. When he tried to leak the Jade Pillow Heavenly Secret, a similar incident had happened. Staggering back a few steps, Shen Luo shook his head, and the thundering sound in his mind immediately disappeared, along with the fuzzy human voice. He immediately stood there, somewhat at a loss as to what had just happened. ¡°I clearly heard a human voice just now, but what did it say?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face showed confusion as he pondered. Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 181: Divine Soul Departing from Body Chapter 183: Chapter 181: Divine Soul Departing from Body After a moment of thought, he couldn¡¯t help but forcefully grip his hair. He surprisingly discovered that he could only remember hearing a voice that said something, but what the content of that something was, he could not recall at all. Shen Luo suddenly remembered that in the books he had read before, it was mentioned that there was a type of attack which attacked one¡¯s divine sense. The victims often suffered injuries to their divine souls. The minor ones would have memory loss, while the major ones would have complete destruction of their spiritual wisdom, resembling an imbecile. A sudden panic rose in his heart, and he quickly closed his eyes to examine his Sea of knowledge. Within his Sea of Knowledge, a light blue humanoid phantom was sitting cross-legged. It seemed perfectly fine. It was the divine soul that Shen Luo had condensed into human form when he entered the Soul Condensation Stage. ¡°Ah, what happened!¡± Following that, he let out a scream and reopened his eyes. But in his eyes there was no panic, instead, it was filled with joy and astonishment. It turns out his divine sense power not only avoided any damage, but his Sea of knowledge had expanded, appearing even more profound than before. Shen Luo then released his divine sense to explore his surroundings. Upon trying, he was delighted to find that his divine sense investigation radius had expanded from the original ten feet to about eleven feet. ¡°Could it be that the voice I heard just now actually strengthens the divine sense and aids in expanding the Sea of knowledge?¡± Shen Luo wondered. Having said this, his face stiffened slightly as he walked again towards the high platform in the centre of the square. As soon as Shen Luo approached within ten feet of the high platform, a strange whispering voice once again appeared in his mind. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he listened carefully to the voice once more. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Do not tread on Evildoer¡¯s path, do not cheat in the dark.¡± A voice rang out again, followed by another thunderous ¡°boom¡±. Shen Luo¡¯s mind was once again hit with intense pain, even more intense than before. He felt like his eardrums were about to be shattered by this sound, his body swayed and almost fell to the ground. Hence, he decided to sit down on the ground, sitting cross-legged and meditating. ¡°Accumulate virtue and prowess, express compassion for all beings.¡± Another phrase rang out, and Shen Luo finally heard clearly. That voice carried traces of vicissitudes, as if it came from an elder. ¡°Follow the Dao, retreat if it¡¯s not the Daoist path. Do not tread on an evildoer¡¯s path, do not cheat in the dark. Accumulate virtue and prowess, express compassion for all beings¡­ Could this be the preaching voice of the Bodhi Ancestor?¡± Shen Luo even remembered the first voice he heard. Before he had time to fully comprehend it, the preaching voice resounded again: ¡°Teach compassion and joy, rectify oneself to transform others.¡± Immediately, a thunderous explosion resounded in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. He felt like he have been struck on the head by a heavy hammer, the sensation of intense pain intensified once more, causing his body to suddenly fall backwards, and his vision became blurry momentarily. He gritted his teeth to check his Sea of knowledge, discovering that his divine sense power had grown again, and the human-shaped phantom condensed from his three souls and six spirits in the Sea of knowledge had turned a bit more solid. More and more, ??Shen Luo believed that this preaching voice was indeed very beneficial to him, and so he endured the pain and persisted. With the echoing of another preaching phrase, thunderous roars resounded in his mind again, his vision become blurry once again. In a trance, he saw blurry shadows appearing in front of him, but they were not clear. When the echoes of the roar disappeared, the illusions before his eyes also vanished. Shen Luo was astonished, he wanted to stand up and check but when he tried to move his body, he discovered he was extremely heavy, unable to move anything at all. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± His expression changed abruptly as he quickly check the meridians of his flesh body. Upon examination, Shen Luo found nothing abnormal, but for some reason, he was unable to control his body. Before he could figure it out, another preaching voice came, accompanied by a resounding thunderous explosion. This time, Shen Luo not only felt a great shock to his divine soul, even his body trembled violently. The force that felt like a hammer strike penetrated his body, striking the Qiao acupoints within his body. The twenty meridians in his body shuddered simultaneously in this instant. The Mana stored within began to flow uncontrollably, and started whirling crazily. ¡°How did even the Mana in the meridians become the same as the forged iron?¡± Having tolerated the intense pain, Shen Luo grew even more puzzled. He only felt that his meridians and divine sense, seemed to have become a piece of forged iron, constantly being hammered by an invisible hammer, the already liquefied Mana became even more pure. Meanwhile, within his Sea of knowledge, the humanoid phantom that was sitting cross-legged also became more solid, and even facial features had already emerged vaguely. The appearance was almost identical to his face. ¡°Scattered predestined ties, frighten hibernation into movement.¡± With the rise of Shen Luo¡¯s voice, accompanied by another booming sound, the pain brought by this voice was unprecedented. Shen Luo could not help but let out a scream of agony, his body abruptly fell backwards. This time, his vision did not become blurry, but he saw clearly that another ¡°Shen Luo¡± was sitting cross-legged in the original position without moving, while his own body had not moved at all. He hurriedly looked down and found that there was a faint white light covering his body, and his arms and torso were all ethereal light and shadows. On the contrary, the person sitting in front of him was the real entity. Though this scene was fleeting, Shen Luo understood what had happened. It turns out that what he saw as a series of illusions, were in fact the remnants of his divine soul leaving his body. He had always thought he was swaying his body, but in fact, it was his divine soul that had been shaken out of his body under heavy impact. At the same time, half of the meridians that had formed on his body also lit up, and he could see that the Mana that had been liquefied like water was surging at a high speed, just like a river during the flood season. As Shen Luo discovered this situation, he had no fear at all, but was somewhat happy, because if the divine soul was elusive and not solid enough, it could not leave the body at all. Once it can leave the body, it means that his cultivation level had again advanced, and he was now not far from the Nascent Soul Stage, where the divine soul can freely leave the body. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, but he began to shout loudly in his heart: ¡°Let this soul forging voice come even more fiercely!¡± As soon as this thought rose, a loud ¡°boom¡± was heard! This time, Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul did not sway like before, but was directly struck out of his body, completely separating from the body, suspending in mid-air. He raised his shimmering phantom hands, waved them in front of his eyes, and looked down at his immovable physical body. Naturally, he was thrilled. As his thoughts moved, the phantom figure that his divine soul had transformed into began to sway upwards like a feather, flying high into the depths of the night sky. Shen Luo had never felt so unrestrained and received such unprecedented exhilaration. Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 182: Nascent Soul Stage Chapter 184: Chapter 182: Nascent Soul Stage Unbeknownst to him, he had already flown high into the night sky, a hundred feet above the ground. Amidst the sky, the whistling wind gradually grew louder. Shen Luo suddenly felt a chill all over his body. A heavenly wind blew straight into his face, and he was too late to dodge it. His seemingly weightless divine soul was fiercely pulled and pushed towards the distance. He was in a daze for only a moment before he was dragged out more than ten feet. It was then that Shen Luo realized that his perception of his body had weakened somewhat. He hurriedly tried to fly down and forcefully moved towards his physical body. As the distance between the two shortened, the subtle link between them gradually became clearer. After glancing at his body a few times, instead of immediately returning to his body, he was moved by an idea and drifted off into the distance again. This time, he did not fly high into the sky, but instead hovered close to the ground, rushing forward. After about twenty or thirty feet, he felt the connection with his body becoming blurry again, so he stopped his exploration and prepared to fly back. ¡°Stabilize the pulse, and the soul travels in the void.¡± Just then, a voice preaching echoed again, seemingly coming from the surrounding void. Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul, floating outside, suddenly felt a formless colossal force suddenly smash down from the void above. This time, without his body as a shield, without the dissipative power of his meridians, that vast force landed entirely on his divine soul. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have time to react, and his divine soul was smashed down by this force, almost breaking open. ¡°Ah¡­¡± his divine soul opened his mouth, unable to hold back from emitting a silent roar. Go to ????????????????????.co However, as soon as his mouth opened, trails of blue light burst out, revealing that specks of soul power were dissipating from within. At this, Shen Luo was completely panicked. The aftermath of the preach just had dissipated, and he quickly controlled his divine soul, flying towards his body. However, when he was just a few feet away, another preach sounded. Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul was hit again, directly smashed into the ground. This time, he endured the pain directly from his divine soul, biting his teeth hard without opening his mouth, yet there were still specks of divine soul power scattering from his nostrils and ears. Shen Luo felt a chill all over, and subconsciously looked down at his divine soul body. At this sight, he gave a start, his divine soul body had dimmed a little compared to before. He endured the severe pain, struggled to get up, and ran towards his physical body. ¡°Take the straight as the curve, and the heavy becomes light.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul had barely lifted his foot when the voice of the Daoist rang out again, and the formless colossal force hit him again, knocking him down. This time, not only from his nostrils and ears, but even from the corners of his mouth and eyes, blue soul power flowed out, looking just like bleeding from the seven orifices. Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul¡¯s vision started to blur, looking at his unmoving physical body not far in front of him, he struggled to crawl towards it. Five feet, four feet, three¡­ Another loud noise came, Shen Luo felt like his divine soul was about to break, and even started to have light spots scattering from his body. ¡°Quick, quick, quick, if I don¡¯t return soon, I might be disintegrated!¡± Shen Luo mentally cried out, forcing himself to keep moving forward. He had a vague feeling that if he had not returned his spirit to his physical body before the next preach, the consequences would be unimaginable. Despite the fact that even if he died in his dream, he very likely could be reborn, he absolutely did not want to experience the feeling of disintegration. Furthermore, he had never died like this before, so there was considerable risk in being reborn. ¡°Transform scales into feathers, decay into¡­.¡± At that moment, the voice of the Daoist preacher resounded once more, but before he could finish: Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul threw all his thoughts into his physical body, swiped his hands in front of him forcefully, and just like a duck gliding on water, his body sprang up and flew towards his physical body. ¡°Life!¡± At the critical moment, as the preach came to an end, the tip of Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul finally touched his physical body. The next instant, a strong suction force came, and his divine soul shadow finally returned to his body, merging with it. ¡°Boom¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly opened, two beams of light shining in them. Everything in front of him was overlapping images, gradually clearing and merging into one. In a flash, a whirlwind suddenly whirled up from all directions, suddenly condensing into an invisible air flow, revolving indeterminately around him. The ghost flames flickering around him had disappeared at some unknown time. In the surrounding void, clusters of light gathered, being large amounts of heavenly and earthly spiritual qi that was attracted, continuously pouring into his body. The blue light flickered in front and behind his body, showing twenty blue light bands, which were precisely the twenty meridians, and the light dots in the acupoints on them lit up one by one. In his dantian, a cool current was constantly surging among the twenty meridians throughout his body, furiously transforming the heavenly and earthly spiritual qi that was pouring into the body into solid mana, and then flowing back and forth through the meridians throughout his body, nourishing his physical body. Every time a cycle was completed, the twenty blue light bands on his body would subtly grow brighter and thicker. After forty-nine cycles, his twelve meridians were twice as thick as before. The mana contained in them was not only much more solid, but the quantity had also increased several times over. In terms of meridians and mana alone, he, a monk in the initial period of the Nascent Soul Stage, was absolutely not weaker than an ordinary monk in the middle stage of the Nascent Soul Stage, and was even better by a fraction. And the figure of his divine soul that had previously returned to his body and condensed in the sea of knowledge, had also been fed back by the mana in this process, not only becoming more solid and vivid, but also covered with a layer of faint light. ¡°Soul condensed, spirit gathered, light attached externally, essence contained internally, soul travels outwardly, feeling the heavenly wind of the four seasons, avoiding the piercing force of Gang Qi. This is the verification of the Nascent Soul Stage.¡± Shen Luo, feeling the earth-shaking changes happening in his body, suddenly remembered a part of the verse from the end of the Nameless Heavenly Book¡¯s ninth layer. Only then did he have an epiphany. It turned out that just now when his divine soul left his body and traveled in the void, he had unconsciously started the breakthrough process to advance to the Nascent Soul Stage, and by the time his human-shaped divine soul was fully condensed and stable, he had completely entered the realm of the Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°Just by listening to the preach, I¡¯ve broken through?¡± Shen Luo felt the changes in his divine soul and mana within his body and still found it hard to believe. But recalling what he had just experienced, he also felt a bit scared. He suppressed various emotions in his heart, closed his eyes again to meditate once more, and at the thought, his divine soul left his body again, floating around as he intended. This time, he found that his divine soul could now leave his body and travel nearly fifty feet away, almost double the distance before his breakthrough. When his divine soul returned to his body again, Shen Luo finally believed that he had become a monk in the initial stage of the Nascent Soul Stage. Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 183: Observing Dao Cave Chapter 185: Chapter 183: Observing Dao Cave ¡°Firm divine soul, the sea of knowledge has multiplied, the range of divine soul exploration seems to have doubled, and even the mana has increased a lot. So this is the feeling of entering the Nascent Soul stage, it¡¯s simply wonderful!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed joyfully in his heart, unable to resist raising his head towards the sky and shouting. However, he quickly calmed down again, resuming his meditative state to further stabilize his realm. With a flicker of thought, Shen Luo recalled the depiction of the Nascent Soul stage in the Nameless Cultivation Technique, understanding the spirit leaving aperture was incredibly miraculous but also quite risky. The divine soul is ultimately a spiritual body that can easily be attacked by strong winds and intense sunlight before strengthening completely. Furthermore, during the spirit leaving aperture phase, the physical body becomes a defenseless object susceptible to attacks from outsiders, just like fish on a butcher¡¯s chopping block. However, according to the Nameless Cultivation Technique, the human divine soul is inherently a power that can be upgraded. It¡¯s just beginning to show its strength upon entering the Nascent Soul stage, and with continuous cultivation, it can grow into another power comparable to the physical body and mana. Some True Immortals of Great Luo can even use their divine soul power alone to take a person¡¯s life from thousands of miles away. About two to three hours later, the strange sounds from around the heaven and earth gradually ceased, and the sky in the distance started turning a shade of fish-belly white. Shen Luo¡¯s energy had become stable again. ¡°The voice of preaching the Dao is indeed profound. If it could further strengthen the divine soul, it would be even better,¡± he contemplated. Following this thought, he once again held his breath, focusing his attention to listen to the preaching carefully. However, after a moment, a trace of confusion flashed across his face. Shen Luo discovered that after advancing to the Nascent Soul stage, the preaching on the square could still cause his sea of knowledge to tremble greatly. Meanwhile, the intense pain that struck the divine soul disappeared, and his sea of knowledge stopped expanding, with no change in his divine soul. He stood up and walked off the square, the preaching sound vanished again, and the memory of the preaching in his mind also became blank again. Seeing this, Shen Luo was still somewhat unresigned, returned to the square once more and even got closer to the high platform than before. Go to ????????????????????.co However, the result was the same. Although the preaching and the rumbling sounds were still there, his sea of knowledge and divine soul no longer benefited from them. ¡°It seems that it can only reach this level; listening further would be useless,¡± Shen Luo sighed and shook his head. He sat on the edge of the square, rested for a while, and then stood up and left. Behind the square was a jade stone path extending forward, with no end in sight. Shen Luo stepped onto the jade stone path. With a light tap on the ground, he flew forward several yards as if weightless, moving briskly until the square behind him disappeared from view. Gradually, on both sides of the road started to appear large golden trees, seemingly made of gold, obviously not ordinary trees, but did not emit strong spiritual power fluctuations either. Shen Luo looked curiously at these golden trees a few times but didn¡¯t stop his steps, continuing forward. A green mountain peak standing over a hundred meters high appeared in front of him after walking for a while and the jade stone path finally ended. A dilapidated building could vaguely be seen on top of the peak, but his vision was drawn to the smooth green cliff at the foot of the mountain. On the cliff was a tight-fitting green stone door, with several dark red lines drawn on it forming a non-word, non-picture pattern, holding a sense of profoundness. Next to the stone door were three ancient seal characters of human-head size, ¡°Observing Dao Cave¡±, which emitted a sense of unyielding simplicity and depth that seemed to have endured for tens of thousands of years. ¡°Observing Dao Cave!¡± Shen Luo muttered these three words, his eyes slowly lit up. Going by this name, this must have been an important place in the sect in the past, and as there were no traces of destruction nearby, if there were any treasures inside, they would probably be in good condition. Although a wave of excitement swept over him, he didn¡¯t rush forward, instead raising his hand, making a gesture, and waving. The water light flashed in the air, creating two water palms the size of millstones. They landed on the stone door, pushing hard. But the stone door remained unmoved, and there were no signs of any prohibition being triggered around it. Seeing this, he walked to the Stone Door, raised his hand to knock on it, and a low thud echoed from within the Stone Door. It was obviously very thick. It probably wouldn¡¯t be easy to open this door. However, Shen Luo had just broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage and his strength had greatly increased. He was full of confidence and had few worries. He closed his eyes and spread out his Divine Sense carefully towards the interior of the Stone Door and the nearby mountain wall. Shen Luo¡¯s actions were very careful. He still remembered the prohibition that could counteract the Divine Sense. But this time when his Divine Sense came into contact with the Stone Door, he didn¡¯t encounter the force of the previous prohibition. Instead, he was blocked by a flexible force and couldn¡¯t penetrate it at all. The Divine Sense that was exploring the nearby mountain wall entered a certain distance, but was soon blocked by a gentle force and couldn¡¯t continue to go deeper. There was no sign of any door-opening mechanism inside the nearby stone wall. Shen Luo frowned slightly, retreated a few steps, sat down cross-legged, urged his soul to fly out of his body, summoned all his strength, and flew towards the interior of the Stone Door. With the confirmation that there were no prohibitions on the door that could rebound the Divine Sense, he had no more hesitation. A prohibition which blocks the Divine Sense cannot resist the spirit of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. The gentle force on the door blocked him again, but the power contained in his soul far exceeded that of a strand of divine sense. He withstood this gentle power and moved a bit deeper into the Stone Door. He felt happy in his heart and was about to exert more force to move forward when suddenly the humming sound rose and a layer of white light appeared on the Stone Door. A powerful repelling force seeped out. Shen Luo¡¯s soul had no power to resist and was immediately pushed away, completely expelled from the Stone Door. The white light on the door then disappeared. He stared at the Stone Door for a while, then returned to his body, his face looking somewhat ugly. After pausing for a moment, he made a hand gesture. Two streams of water appeared once again, spun into two conical blue water blades, a glaring blue light entwined around the water swords, swiftly flowing, making a piercing whistling sound. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo shouted in a low voice, and swung both his hands forward. The two water blades spun rapidly, making a sharp whistling sound, just like two rapidly spinning drills, they fiercely hit the Stone Door. ¡°Clang¡± ¡°Clang¡± Two loud explosions erupted! The two water swords exploded directly and turned into a rain of water droplets. The Stone Door once again emitted a faint white light. It flashed lightly, and then quickly returned to its normal state. There was not even a scratch. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze turned serious. He once again performed a gesture and waved. The Half-moon ring flew out. The nine layers of formations on the ring all emerged, and a dazzling silver light burst out, and with a spin, it condensed into a giant silver full moon. In a flash, it crossed several tens of feet of distance, appearing before the Stone Door. He waved a finger in the air and the silver moon lit up vigorously, again doubling in size. It made a thunderous howl, churning the nearby air like water ripples, and ferociously slashed at the Stone Door. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! The unparalleled silver full moon, like a wave crashing against a reef, easily exploded, turning into numerous large and small light blades that rebounded back, raining down in a range of several tens of feet around the Stone Door. Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 184: Stone Door Chapter 186: Chapter 184: Stone Door Shen Luo¡¯s complexion changed, and he hurriedly dodged, simultaneously using the Water Repelling Technique for protection. But still, he was a little late. With two light ¡°pfft¡± sounds, his right arm and left foot were brushed by two silver light blades, each slicing a wound, and blood splattered out, luckily, the injuries were not serious. The half-moon ring also recoiled amongst the cascade of silver light, trembling uncontrollably with a lot of its surface runes noticeably dim, as if its spirit had suffered considerable damage. Meanwhile, the white light on the stone door still only fluctuated slightly before it promptly returned to its original state. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression finally turned completely grave. The half-moon ring was currently his strongest means of attack, but unexpectedly, it was unable to handle the prohibition on this stone door. Although his cultivation level wasn¡¯t weak, he had relatively little knowledge about prohibitions. Aside from using barbarian strength to break the door, he couldn¡¯t think of any other methods to open it right away. ¡°It appears that I¡¯m not destined for this Observing Dao Cave,¡± Shen Luo muttered, frowning as he summoned back the half-moon ring. However, he quickly adjusted his mindset; if he wasn¡¯t destined for it, then so be it. This cave mansion was quite spacious; there should still be many places he had not explored, there was no need to obsess over this one. With that thought in mind, Shen Luo turned around, ready to leave. Just at this moment, a light ¡°pfft¡± sound suddenly came from behind him. His ears perked up, and his half-turned body abruptly swiveled back around. He saw a small patch of red light appearing on the stone door and quickly stared at it intently. ¡°Huh!¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Shen Luo quickly discovered that something seemed to have been smeared at the place where the red light had lit up on the stone door. Upon careful inspection, it turned out to be a speck of blood. He looked at his injured right hand, and it finally dawned on him. Earlier, when he was injured by the half-moon ring¡¯s light blade and as he was retreating, the blood from his hand had splattered onto the stone door. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes gradually lit up. The fact that spreading blood on the stone door could cause such a change, even if he did not yet know what use this red light could have, was in any case much better than feeling helpless as he had before. With this thought, he immediately raised his right hand, smearing the blood on it onto the stone door. However, the stone door didn¡¯t show any changes and didn¡¯t light up red again. Shen Luo frowned slightly, carefully comparing the spot where he smeared the blood just now to where the red light had appeared, and soon found the difference between them. The blood from before had landed right on a hidden red line that passed through the spot where the red light had appeared. Without another word, he smeared the blood from his hand onto the red line on the stone door. Indeed, as soon as he smeared the blood onto it, a tiny spot of blood light instantly lit up on the line. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± A hint of joy showed at the corners of Shen Luo¡¯s mouth as he took the remaining blood on his hand and smeared it onto the dark red lines on the stone door. The blood smearing his hand was rapidly depleted, so he sliced open his finger and continued to smear it onto the other lines. A moment later, the last trace of the lines also had blood smeared onto it, and the strange diagram formed by the dark red lines on the door started glowing with a red light and began flashing continuously. Accompanied by a ¡°hum¡± sound, the eerie figure slowly emerged from the stone door, hanging in the void before him, radiating a dazzling blood light. Shen Luo immediately retreated several steps, stunned by the spectacle unfolding before his eyes. After the blood pattern flashed again, it suddenly shattered silently and transformed into countless rays of blood light, once again merging into the stone door. The white light in front of the Stone Gate came into view and began to flash wildly. Countless white runes floated out of it, vanishing into the void. The white light on the gate quickly dimmed and completely dissipated after a few breaths. The green stone gate made a slight ¡®click¡¯ sound, revealing a crack. A look of surprise filled Shen Luo¡¯s face as he stepped forward and forcefully pushed the Big Gate. The Stone Gate, made of an unknown material, was still incredibly heavy even without its prohibition. He had to muster all his strength, barely pushing the gate forward by a few inches. Shen Luo loosened his sore wrists, forming a hand seal and pulling it towards him. The surrounding void shimmered with water lights. A pair of Water Manipulating Hands was summoned again, pressing heavily on the Stone Gate. But the gate did not budge. Shen Luo was utterly baffled. Now, having advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, the power of the Water Manipulation Technique had greatly increased as his meridians strengthened. The power these Water Hands possessed was believed to be in the thousands of pounds, many times greater than his own strength. He could barely move the stone door with his bare hands, yet the Water Hands had no effect? ¡°Could it be that this Stone Gate can only be opened by hand?¡± A thought popped into Shen Luo¡¯s mind. He dismissed the Water Hands that he had formed with his incantation. Placing both hands on the gate, he strained again to push it. With a ¡®squeak¡¯ sound, the Stone Gate moved forward a few more inches. Feeling slightly relieved, Shen Luo took a breather before he strained again to push the gate. About a quarter of an hour later, the Stone Door was finally pushed open with a crack wide enough to barely let a person pass through. However, Shen Luo was utterly exhausted. Leaning against the Stone Gate, he took deep breaths. After a while, he regained his composure and looked inside the gate. His gaze fixed at once. Although the Stone Gate was opened with a crack, the light from outside seemed unable to penetrate it. Everything inside was still in darkness, completely obscured. A look of hesitation crossed Shen Luo¡¯s face. He urged his divine sense to probe into the gate, but as soon as it entered the Stone Gate, it was immediately obstructed by an invisible power and could not move forward at all. ¡°Sure enough, there are prohibitions.¡± But after having worked so hard to open the big gate, he naturally did not want to give up so easily. He pondered for a moment, then his eyes suddenly became resolute. Forming the water repelling incantation, he took a firm step forward, squeezing himself into the Stone Gate. The moment he passed through the Stone Gate, Shen Luo immediately felt the surrounding space fluctuate, as if he had entered another world. The next moment, his surroundings became suddenly bright. He found himself inside a mountain cave that was about a dozen feet large. The Stone Gate behind him was still standing there, allowing him to clearly see the situation outside from within. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief silently, turning to look around the cave. The Stone Walls and ground of the cave were all hard white rocks. They seemed to be some sort of special jade, exceptionally cool to touch but not bone-chilling. On the contrary, it invigorated one¡¯s spirit, and Shen Luo couldn¡¯t tell what material it was made of. The entire mountain cave was extremely vacant, almost entirely empty, except for a screen-like White Crystal Wall standing at the deepest part of the cave, in front of which was placed a Yellow Cushion. A hint of surprise flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t move immediately. Instead, he continued carefully examining his surroundings, while releasing his divine sense to probe. The Stone Walls and ground all seem to contain the prohibition from before, his divine sense could not penetrate at all. But aside from this, there were no other signs of prohibition within the cave. Shen Luo strolled around the cave. Eventually, he stopped in front of the Crystal Wall. This Crystal Wall was about twenty feet high, four or five feet wide. Its surface was extremely smooth, like a mirror reflecting Shen Luo¡¯s image. Wisps of white light faintly emanated from the mirror¡¯s surface. He studied the Crystal Wall closely. On first glance, there was nothing noticeable. After staring for a long while, the color white filled his entire vision. Moreover, the white light started to slowly spin, following which his divine sense power began rotating in his mind, causing him to feel a sudden sense of dizziness. Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 185: Dream Within a Dream Chapter 187: Chapter 185: Dream Within a Dream Shen Luo started with a jolt, promptly closing his eyes and diverting his gaze. The divine sense in his mind slowly began to restore itself to normality, with the dizzy sensation also gradually receding. He then opened his eyes. ¡°This crystal wall is powerful! It can actually cause one¡¯s soul to become muddled. But this place is called Observing Dao Cave, Observing Dao¡­ could it be observing this crystal wall and gaining enlightenment from it?¡± he muttered to himself, a contemplative expression on his face. He pondered for a moment, then sat down in front of the crystal wall. As Shen Luo sat down, he noticed a straw cushion beside him. He reached out to take it, placing it under him. He took a deep breath and looked at the white crystal wall again. The white light on the crystal wall quickly occluded his vision again, causing his divine sense to rotate in his mind, and the dizzy feeling appeared again. However, at this moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded! Moments later, he felt a cooling sensation emanating from the straw cushion underneath him. It helped to quell the dizziness by a significant amount. Shen Luo was thrilled. He exerted his divine sense power, aiming to free himself from the influence of the crystal wall. Simultaneously, he continued to gaze at the white crystal wall, trying to discern something. However, the white light on the crystal wall just kept rotating slowly, with no change occurring. As time trickled by, Shen Luo kept his eyes locked on the crystal wall, but his expression grew increasingly strained. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and a hint of heat could be discerned from the top of his head. Even with the support of the straw cushion beneath him, the dizziness in his mind grew stronger, and his field of vision began to blur. ¡°Could it be that I have conjectured wrongly, that the profoundness of this crystal wall isn¡¯t contemplated in this way?¡± Shen Luo bore with the discomfort, silently questioning himself. After a quarter of an hour, the sense of dizziness in his mind intensified, reaching his endurance limit. Go to ????????????????????.co A blue spiritual light emerged in his eyes, blocking the influence of the white crystal wall. He was about to look away. ¡°Hee hee! You managed to hold out for this amount of time, not bad at all!¡± A somewhat maddening voice suddenly echoed by Shen Luo¡¯s ear. As the voice faded, the spiraling white light on the crystal wall fell slightly and then dissipated like a receding tide. Inside the white crystal wall, his reflection appeared clearly once again. Simultaneously, a subtle golden light appeared on the crystal wall, gently flickering. As the white light disappeared, the dizziness in Shen Luo¡¯s mind receded like a tide. He sat still in a daze, then quickly reacted, looking around to locate the source of the voice. However, after the voice had been heard, it fell completely silent and did not reappear. Shen Luo slightly furrowed his eyebrows, but he quickly disregarded it, turning his gaze to the golden light on the crystal wall. ¡°A hair?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. This fine golden light was actually a strand of golden lustrous fur adhered to the crystal wall. The moment his sight landed on the golden fur, the fur instantly unleashed a golden light, shot out fiercely, and drilled into the mirrored world within the crystal wall. Then with a flash, it entered the center of the eyebrows of his mirrored figure. The figure of Shen Luo inside the crystal wall immediately began to transform. It shrank significantly, and its clothes changed rapidly. A few breaths later, the figure of Shen Luo in the mirror turned into a skinny and dry bizarre figure. The face of the figure was blurry, making it difficult to make out its features. What could be faintly discerned was a sharp monkey-like face, draped in a body of golden fur, with a strange existence dressed in a Qing-colored Daoist robe. Upon witnessing a series of changes, the color drained from Shen Luo¡¯s face. At this moment, the bizarre figure inside the crystal wall suddenly lifted its head. Its eyes squinted, and a grin spread across its face, directed right at him. Upon seeing this scene, Shen Luo felt his heart jump. He was about to do something. The peculiar figure in the mirror abruptly blurred into a black shadow and ¡°swooshed¡± out from within the crystal wall, vanishing in an instant as it entered his body. The black shadow moved as fast as lightning, and given their close proximity, Shen Luo barely had time to react. He had not even had a chance to respond before the peculiar projection had entered his body. Shen Luo inwardly cursed, then felt a ¡°boom¡± in his mind, as if an invisible force had invaded. This force was exceptionally vast. Even though he had already advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, his soul¡¯s power was extraordinarily strong. Still, he was completely powerless in resistance. His mind initially experienced a tremendous tremor, then suddenly heated up, with all his divine sense power boiling and rolling, causing him to faint immediately! In his blurry consciousness, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes half-open, his body felt weightless, seeming to float mid-air and drifting with the wind. ¡°I am already in Dreamland, could I possibly dream within a dream?¡± He mumbled to himself, his consciousness in a half-sleeping, half-waking state. He did not know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt his body sink rapidly. Next, he seemed to merge into something, and his consciousness sharply returned to clarity. To his surprise, he found himself back in the previous mountain cave, sitting in front of the crystal wall. Shen Luo was taken aback at first but was instantly terrified upon looking at himself. Because he was no longer in human form, but turned into a golden monkey with a green shirt, thin and winnow features, and a tapering mouth and concave cheeks. This monkey¡¯s entire body was covered in brilliant golden hair, exactly the same as the golden animal hair that had previously appeared on the crystal wall. ¡°I turned into a monkey? No, my divine soul has taken possession of this monkey¡¯s body!¡± Shen Luo was initially surprised, but quickly understood his current situation. The golden monkey was now sitting cross-legged on a straw cushion, intently staring at the white crystal wall. Inside the wall sat an elder Daoist in a Daoist robe. The old man¡¯s appearance was as unusual as the previous figure, vague and unclear, and he was holding a white dust whisk, giving off an ethereal aura. ¡°Seeing your devout studies, today I will impart to you the ¡®Yellow Court Sutra¡¯. It¡¯s a profound technique that holds the key to the supreme path. Remember these exceedingly important verses: The Supreme Path seeks reality and disdains rituals, every acupoint in the mud pill has spirit, activating the spirit reveals the essence of the mud pill¡­¡± The white-haired old Daoist, looking at the golden monkey, slowly started speaking. His voice greatly resembled the grand voice heard previously in the square. The golden monkey, thrilled, eagerly nodded in approval and pricked up its ears to catch the subtle music. Shen Luo, occupying the golden monkey¡¯s body, found his current situation different from earlier in the square. He was now able to clearly hear every word the white-haired old Daoist spoke. Upon hearing a few sentences of the ¡®Yellow Court Sutra¡¯ from the white-haired old Daoist, Shen Luo felt a surge of joy and quickly focused on capturing every single word. Shen Luo¡¯s present cultivation level had gradually deepened, his comprehension and understanding of the Dao had greatly evolved. Although he was hearing the Yellow Court Sutra for the first time, he could grasp the fundamental principles it embodied. The old Daoist¡¯s every verse was so profound that the more Shen Luo contemplated them, the more infinite and extravagant the mysteries seemed. After presenting twelve verses, the old Daoist paused momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo quickly related all twelve verses, briefly reflected on them, and immediately felt an immense clarity in his mind. Every axiom encompassed great profundities. Even though there were only twelve verses, they unfolded numerous insights. When combined, they surprisingly made up an exquisite cultivation technique for the Qi Refining Stage. Before he could deeply comprehend, the white-haired old Daoist had already resumed reciting the next verses. Eagerly, Shen Luo listened attentively, recording each verse meticulously. Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 186: Huangting Technique Chapter 188: Chapter 186: Huangting Technique The Yellow Court Sutra is not lengthy; spanning from beginning to end, it has only seventy-two sentences. The white-haired elder Daoist finished reciting them quickly, then started explaining. The golden monkey heard this, its eyes filled with joy, and it couldn¡¯t help but dance with excitement. ¡°Wonderful!¡± Shen Luo, possessing the monkey¡¯s body, felt intoxicated and involuntarily uttered a word of wonder. The moment the word was spoken, it seemed to violate some rule. His consciousness was immediately enveloped by an invisible force, dissociating from the monkey¡¯s body, shooting quickly towards the high altitude. Before he could react, his vision went black, and he fell unconscious again. Hours unknowingly passed before Shen Luo regained consciousness. His mind slowly clearing, he shook his head and anxiously looked around. At this time, he was back inside the mountain cave, with no more possession on anything. He had truly returned to his own body and was sitting cross-legged in front of the white crystal wall. The strange figure inside the crystal wall had disappeared, and now it clearly reflected his own figure. The golden monkey hair was quietly attached to the crystal wall, emitting golden light. The surrounding environment was the same as before. The experience just now seemed like a dream, but the seventy-two verses of the Yellow Court Sutra in his mind reminded him that everything was real. Upon glancing at the golden monkey hair, Shen Luo pondered that he probably fell into a dream within a dream just now, and this golden monkey hair must have been the cause. Moreover, the body hair of the golden monkey in the dream was identical to this golden monkey hair. Could this monkey hair be a relic of that golden monkey? These thoughts circulated in his mind, then he quickly gathered his thoughts and stopped paying attention to these trivial matters. He closed his eyes. Go to ?????????????????.co Before, he was only focused on memorising the content of the Yellow Court Sutra in his dream, and had no time to comprehend its deep meanings. Now that he finally had some free time, he hastened to comprehend these seventy-two verses of Yellow Court Sutra to prevent forgetting them. After a long time, Shen Luo opened his eyes, an excited smile playing on his lips. He had almost fully comprehended the Yellow Court Sutra. Just like what he understood before, the other sixty verses of the Yellow Court Sutra extended, forming a series of cultivation techniques. A total of seventy-two verses in the Yellow Court Sutra correspond to twelve major realms. The whole scripture surprisingly transformed into a profound cultivation method that one can practice from the Qi Refining Stage to the True Immortal stage. Every verse of the Yellow Court Sutra is infinitely mysterious, far beyond the Nameless Cultivation Technique he has been practicing. The Nameless Cultivation Technique Shen Luo obtained only contained cultivation techniques from the Qi Refining Stage to the Soul Condensation Stage. For his current self, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, since he just barely broke through to the Qi Refining Stage back then, and his qualifications were poor, he was still far from completing the cultivation. However, the self in the dreamland has outstanding talents. Particularly after being trapped in the Longevity Village and cultivating twenty meridians, his cultivation has been advancing rapidly. Until recently, he broke through the bottleneck unknowingly and advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, completing his cultivation, with nowhere to go forward. For this, he was secretly worried, but unexpectedly encountered such a great opportunity here and obtained the Yellow Court Sutra from a cultivation method far superior to the Nameless Cultivation Technique that can be cultivated to the True Immortal Stage! Unlike the Nameless Cultivation Technique which focuses on mana cultivation, the Yellow Court Sutra is a cultivation method that emphasizes both the cultivation body and mana, refining the power of the physical body as well as cultivating mana. According to the sutra, the practice of the Yellow Court Sutra can greatly enhance the power of the physical body. For every twelve verses practiced, equivalent to an upgrade of a major realm, the cultivator will gain the power of one dragon and one elephant. If all seventy-two verses are practiced, one can possess the divine strength of six dragons and six elephants. The Yellow Court Sutra does not go into detail about the effects of mana. The scripture only mentions that practicing this technique can deploy a powerful divine power called ¡°Three Stars Demolishing Demons¡±. This divine power can summon the power of stars from the endless depths of the universe to seal enemies. Its power is extremely strong, especially against demonic ghosts and similar entities. Due to its strong power, the Three Stars Demolishing Demons requires a high level of cultivation. Only when the Yellow Court Sutra is cultivated to the Soul Condensation Stage can one barely summon the power of a star. To summon the power of two stars, one must reach the cultivation level of the Great Mahayana Stage. To fully deploy the Three Stars Demolishing Demons, one must completely master the entire Yellow Court Sutra, reaching the legendary True Immortal Realm. According to the scripture, the full version of Three Stars Demolishing Demons has a shocking and earth-shattering power, even capable of forcefully sealing a real deity! Although Shen Luo has not encountered many cultivation techniques, he can understand the subtlety of this Yellow Court Sutra, which is definitely one of the top techniques. However, precisely because this technique is so sophisticated, it places extremely high demands on the aptitude of the practitioner. Ordinary monks either cannot cultivate it, or their progress is extremely slow. They may not make any progress even after decades, making it less practical than some common techniques. At this point, he suppressed the excitement and joy in his heart. His highly talented body had more than enough capacity to practice the Nameless Cultivation Technique, but he did not know how it would fare with the Yellow Court Sutra. ¡°Thinking too much is pointless. I¡¯ll know when I try,¡± said Shen Luo, soon sitting cross-legged. He closed his eyes, recalling the entire content of the Yellow Court Sutra from beginning to end. Once he confirmed that his memory was correct, he slowly began to practice the technique. In no time, the thick spiritual energy of heaven and earth nearby began to converge towards him like raging waves. Because it came in such abundance and speed, a layer of white mist formed around Shen Luo, making his figure seem blurred. He was both shocked and delighted. The speed at which heavenly and earthly spiritual energy can be drawn reflects the sophistication of the cultivation technique practiced. The spiritual energy drawn by the Yellow Court Sutra was almost ten times more than that drawn by the Nameless Cultivation Technique. While delighted, Shen Luo did not forget to circulate his energy, drawing in the abundant heavenly and earthly spiritual energy around him. Unlike when he practiced the Nameless Cultivation technique, he did not directly absorb this spiritual energy into his meridian and Dantian. Instead, he gradually merged his body into the surrounding white mist of spiritual energy, allowing the spiritual energy to seep into his muscles and bones, slowly pushing deeper into his body. During this process, he applied hundreds of different refining methods as recorded in the Yellow Court Sutra, including grinding, refining, stimulating acupoints, all aimed at refining his physical body before finally entering his meridians. These body refining methods, which he had never heard of or even thought of before, opened up a whole new world of cultivation for him. By the time the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy had completed all the refinement and entered his meridians, only half of it remained. The other half had been absorbed by his body during the refining process. ¡°So this is what dual cultivation of the body and the technique refers to!¡± Shen Luo nodded silently, clenching his fists as his body trembled slightly. When the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy was refining his body, his body was not unresponsive. On the contrary, he felt a sourness and tingling sensation all over his body, as if countless ants were wriggling and biting inside him. This deep-rooted sourness and tingling pain, even Shen Luo could not maintain his composure, he had to clench his fists and grit his teeth to bear it. However, he had no complaints at all, his eyes were full of joy. Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 187: The Power of the Dragon Elephant Chapter 189: Chapter 187: The Power of the Dragon Elephant Because he could sense clearly, as Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi continually tempered his body, his muscles and bones were greedily absorbing this Qi, visibly becoming stronger at a rapid pace. Also, as the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi permeated his body, his pores began to exude beads of sweat, which carried black impurities, giving off a strong, unpleasant smell. Seeing this condition on his body, Shen Luo revealed a hint of surprise in his eyes. During the Qi Refining Stage, he had experienced the process of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi replacing his marrow. He had assumed all the impurities in his body had been eliminated during that time, but it seemed there were still many residues left! If he were not cultivating the Huangting Technique, he wondered how much longer these impurities would have stayed within his body. As the black impurities were expelled one after another, his body felt significantly lighter, as if he had shed a heavy burden. The sour, numb, and piercing feeling had gradually subsided, now replaced by a soothing, full sensation. Shen Luo inwardly sighed a breath of relief. Freed from the discomfort, he began to practice the Huangting Technique even faster. ¡°Cultivating this Huangting Technique doesn¡¯t seem as difficult as the explanation made it out to be.¡± He thought to himself as he cultivated. Whether it was using Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to refine his body, integrating it into his flesh, or transforming Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in his meridians into Mana, everything was exceptionally smooth. He achieved it easily, it was not as difficult to cultivate as stated in the Huangting Technique. Especially those seemingly difficult stages, he managed to get through them as easily as breathing and eating. ¡°Is it because my aptitude suits the cultivation of the Huangting Technique, or is it that I¡¯m already at the Nascent Soul Stage hence cultivating the Huangting Technique from the beginning is easier? Or is it the combination of both?¡± Thoughts spun in his mind. But Shen Luo soon cast aside these random thoughts, fully devoted to practicing the Huangting Technique and absorbing more Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi into his body. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three days and three nights had passed. Go to ????????????????????.co Shen Luo remained seated still on the straw cushion, not moving at all. At this moment, a layer of black scabs covered his body. These were formed by the impurities his body had expelled, mixed with his sweat and dust. This thick layer gave off a foul smell. However, with his eyes closed and focused on cultivation, Shen Luo was blissfully unaware of this. Suddenly, his hands slowly rose to perform a magic spell, a faint golden light shot out from his body and soared into the sky. Soon after, the golden light split into two, transforming into a faint golden Flood Dragon and a golden Elephant. These two beings then began to circle and fly around his body. After circling for a while, the Golden Dragon and the Golden Elephant playfully crashed into each other, causing a chorus of roars and chants to echo around, causing the nearby air to hum and vibrate. The black scabs on Shen Luo¡¯s body were immediately shattered and splattered around, falling like rain on the mountain walls and floor, but some still remained on his body. He slowly opened his eyes, his lips curling into what seemed to be a smile. But just then, a foul smell reached his nose. His brows furrowed as he glanced at his body and the surroundings. The smile on his face instantly disappeared, immediately performing a spell with a flick of his hand. Moisture from the air in and outside the cave converged swiftly, forming a stream that washed over him, removing all the dirt in an instant. The stream then circulated the cave, sweeping up the scattered black scabs and depositing them outside the cave. Only then did Shen Luo¡¯s face finally relax. Looking at the Golden Dragon and Golden Elephant Phantoms around him, a smile reappeared on his face. After three days and three nights of hard cultivation, he had finally mastered the first twelve lines of the Huangting Technique, which constituted the cultivation method for the Qi Refining Stage. While his Mana did not increase significantly, his body had undergone earth-shaking transformations. The density of his muscles and bones had increased several-fold, and his internal organs seemed to have grown stronger as well. When he breathed, a force as mighty as the Dragon Elephant rolled within him. Shen Luo lowered his spell-casting hands, the golden light around him slowly faded away, and the phantoms of the Golden Dragon and Golden Elephant disappeared. Afterward, he raised his fist and punched at the empty space near the cave wall. As his fist hit, the air rippled like water waves, quickly surging forward. With a light ¡°Plop¡± sound, a punch mark several inches deep clearly appeared on the cave wall a few feet away, causing the whole cave to shake. Shen Luo retracted his arm, a satisfied expression on his face. At this moment, without using his Mana and purely relying on his physical strength, he could compete with a cultivator at the Grain Avoidance Stage. The enhancement effect of the Huangting Technique on one¡¯s body was indeed astonishing. He had only managed to cultivate the first realm of the Huangting Technique. If he could cultivate a few realms further, he could not fathom how strong he would become. However, Shen Luo did not get arrogant or complacent. In the past few days, he had read many classics of Mount Fangcun in that great hall, vastly broadening his horizons. The secrets of the world of cultivating immortality were endless. Physical strength was just one form of power. Mana, spells, Artifact Refining, Array Techniques and so on ¨C if each of these areas was cultivated to a high level, they could all bring about earth-shaking power. He let out a light breath, sat down again, and closed his eyes to enter a state of cultivation. Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi nearby started to gather and surge again, enveloping his body once more. Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. A roar echoed out from the slightly open cave, this roar was like a surging tide, each wave higher and more fierce than the previous one, causing the entire cave to tremble continuously. Accompanying the roar, a dazzling golden light shot out from the stone door, the frantic rotations creating a sparkling scene. Dragon roars and elephant cries echoed within the golden light, but they were drowned out by the sky-shattering roar. Inside the cave, Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged. Brilliant golden light circled around him, with three Golden Dragons and three Golden Elephants revolving and dancing around him. The golden light flickered, the roars and cries of the dragons and elephants were incessant. The Golden Dragons and Golden Elephants looked more solid than before, appearing lifelike. As they stormed around, they churned up strong gusts of wind, with continuous whistling sounds. After a while, Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes. All around him, golden light flickered and the three Golden Dragons and three Golden Elephants merged into a ball of golden light, vanished into his body, and disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo looked down at his arms enveloped in golden light, an excited look crossing his face. During the past half a month, he had set out to cultivate the next twenty-four lines of the Huangting Technique. The result was as smooth as flowing water ¡ª seemingly divinely aided, his physical strength had increased yet again, adding the strength of two more Dragons and two more Elephants. Shen Luo stood up, dispelling the golden light engulfing his body with a spell, then firmly clenched his fist, which made a loud cracking sound due to the air in his palm being squeezed and then exploded by the force of his grip. He moved his body around, causing the bones all over his body to crackle. Then, he swung his hands lightly and pressed towards the empty space in front of the cave wall. Two muffled ¡°Bang¡± and ¡°Bang¡± sounds echoed out. Deep handprints clearly appeared out of thin air on the cave wall in front of him. They were as clear-cut as if chiseled out with a knife and axe. The entire cave shook violently as if unable to withstand the power of the two palms. Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 188: Obliged by Circumstances Chapter 190: Chapter 188: Obliged by Circumstances A faint white light flashed across the wall of the Mountain Cave, swaying slowly before it gradually came to a halt. He made a spell, and a stream of water condensed out of thin air in front of him. It then transformed into a water sword, viciously slashing down and striking his arm. A loud clashing sound of metal echoed with a ¡°clang¡±! The water sword shattered upon impact, sparks flying everywhere. Shen Luo¡¯s arm didn¡¯t have a scratch on it, only a faint white mark which disappeared quickly before one¡¯s naked eyes. He nodded, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. After cultivating the thirty-six verses of the Huangting Technique, his physical defenses had improved significantly. While he wouldn¡¯t dare claim to be invincible, he was now immune to most low-grade magical instruments. Shen Luo rolled his neck, producing a series of cracks. He then twisted it sharply backward by a hundred and eighty degrees and straightened it out, his gaze fixed directly behind him. At this moment, his neck had turned a full half circle without any difficulty. He turned his head back, halted momentarily, and his bones started to creak, as his body quickly shrank by half a foot. His facial muscles and bones twitched, altering his appearance slightly. ¡°Incredible!¡± Looking at his own form, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help praising. In fact, the primary focus of cultivating the Huangting Technique was not solely to boost physical strength and defenses, but rather mastering control over the body. Go to ????????????????????.co He had always been struggling with this concept, but after successfully cultivating the initial thirty-six verses, he gleaned a bit of insight. His body had become extremely flexible, and many movements formerly impossible were now effortless. Moreover, he acquired a keen sense of every inch of his muscles, and he could control them at will with just a thought. ¡°The transformation abilities of the Huangting Technique are certainly not limited to just this. There must be deeper mysteries. Perhaps only after successfully cultivating all seventy-two verses will its full potential be revealed.¡± Shen Luo speculated in his mind. ¡°Thank you, Elder, for bestowing upon me the Huangting Technique. Your kindness will never be forgotten. If fate allows, I promise to repay you wholeheartedly.¡± He lifted his clothes, respectfully bowing three times towards the Crystal Wall. After performing the rites, he didn¡¯t linger any longer, standing and walking towards the Outside. He had been delayed here for a long time already. It was time to leave. As he turned around, he glanced at the Straw Cushion on the Ground. Showing a moment of hesitation, he finally looked away. This Straw Cushion was indeed a treasure, capable of calming the mind. However, it seemed that this Mountain Cave was the place where the White-haired Elder Daoist imparted his teachings. He had already benefited so much from the White-haired Elder Daoist that he felt it inappropriate to take the Straw Cushion as well. Leaving the Mountain Cave, Shen Luo reached out and grabbed the half-open Stone Door, pulling it lightly. With a loud ¡°rumble¡±, the Stone Door, which he had strived hard to open earlier, immediately closed. It was as though he had only been pulling an ordinary Big Gate. As the Stone Door closed, a layer of white light began to shine upon it. After a few flashes, it gradually faded. Witnessing this scene, a glint of surprise flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. He bowed towards the Stone Door, then turned around and left. Next, he leaped towards the top of the Green Mountain. The Mountain Peak was quite steep, with many sections being nearly vertical, making it difficult for ordinary people to climb. For him, however, such a terrain presented no challenges. With a few quick leaps, he had already climbed to the area near the peak. A grand hall stood at this place. It must have been quite magnificent when it was whole, but now more than half of it had collapsed. Shen Luo picked up a plaque from the ruins, which bore the three large characters ¡°Golden Stone Hall¡±. ¡°By the name, it seems to be a place for storing minerals and Spiritual Materials.¡± His eyes lit up, and he stepped inside, simultaneously expanding his Divine Sense. A moment later, Shen Luo walked out of the ruins, his face filled with disappointment. His assumption turned out to be correct. This place indeed served as a depot for minerals and Spiritual Materials. However, the supplies were either taken by the Mountain Fangcun, ravaged by whoever destroyed this place, or basically depleted. In some inconspicuous corners, he found some ordinary minerals. Shen Luo shook his head and continued to ascend. After a few steps, he reached the mountain top, his facial expression changing instantly. Behind the mountain was nothingness, with no earth in sight. Looking forward, there lay an endless abyss, its border completely out of sight. Darkness filled the depths of the abyss, the bottom of which was invisible. The edge of the abyss was smooth and straight, suggesting that it was not naturally formed. Rather, it seemed as though everything had been swept away instantly by some divine power. The scene left Shen Luo flabbergasted for a while before he regained his composure. He bent down, picked up a stone the size of a millstone and threw it with all his strength. The stone arched in mid-air before eventually plummeting into the abyss, disappearing without a trace. A long while passed without any sound emanating from within the abyss, leaving him unsure whether the abyss was too deep for any sound to travel back up or some prohibition inside had instantly obliterated the stone. In either case, the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave came to an end here, and there was no need to continue exploring. Moreover, he had already garnered enough gains to satisfy himself. Shen Luo turned around and descended the Mountain Peak, heading back in the direction from which he came. Before long, he was back atop the cliff where he had awoken and stepped into the dark Cave again, quickly reaching the outside of the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave. Shen Luo looked around carefully and saw nothing unusual. He then leaped up, like a Flying General, covering over twenty yards in a single bound. With a ¡°boom¡±, he heavily landed on the Stone Wall across the entrance. His feet created a Big Pit on the ground, and dust blew up in the air with fragments of stones flying everywhere, but he remained unscathed. As if nothing had happened, Shen Luo walked forward and stood before the Stone Wall taking a closer look. He clearly remembered that this was exactly how he had entered this space. If he intended to leave now, it would probably be through here. However, he had previously checked this mountain wall and hadn¡¯t noticed anything special. It seemed that leaving this place might not be so easy after all. He expanded his Divine Sense and quickly scanned the Stone Wall once more, but still found nothing. He frowned, placed his palms on the wall and released a surge of Mana from his body into the wall. The Stone Wall remained unresponsive as if his Mana had vanished into thin air. Shen Luo pulled his hands back, standing quietly in front of the Stone Wall, deep in thought. At this point, he had only one solution left. ¡°Elder, I mean no disrespect. But with no other choice left, I have to do this to get out.¡± Shen Luo said respectfully, bowing towards the depths of the Secret Realm. He then turned around, faced the Stone Wall, and clenched his fists. Golden light enveloped his body, and his both arms rose at the same time. His fists turned golden instantly, as if cast from gold, exuding infinite power. As he made his move, they transformed into two rays of Golden Light, striking the Stone Wall. Contrary to his expectation, no thunderous noise followed. In fact, not a single sound was made! Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 189: As If A Lifetime Has Passed Chapter 191: Chapter 189: As If A Lifetime Has Passed On the stone wall, a dazzling white light emerges, forming a white light curtain. The light curtain has countless white lines crisscrossing, forming various patterns, creating a truly mystical prohibition, blocking Shen Luo¡¯s fist. However, the power contained in his fist was jaw-dropping, his fists deeply falling into the white light curtain. The white light curtain tightly held, not breaking. ¡°Humph!¡± Shen Luo, seeing this scene, remained expressionless with only a cold snort. As soon as the sound fell, his body¡¯s golden light bloomed again, with the shadow of three dragons and three elephants appearing, producing the sound of a dragon chant and an elephant¡¯s roar. The next moment, the shadow of the three dragons and three elephants shot out, blending into his arms. The golden light from his arms suddenly surged several times, and a fist force several times stronger than before erupted like a volcano, fiercely tearing on the white light curtain. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound, the white light curtain could no longer hold and burst open, turning into countless white light spots and drifting away. Shen Luo¡¯s fists tore the light curtain, did not stop, continued to hammer forward, ruthlessly hitting the stone wall. The solid stone wall under his hand, fragile as if made of paper, created a dull rumble and a large hole formed at the center where his fists hit. The surrounding void exudes strands of white light, covering everything, making everything around it become illusory, and only the large hole in the stone wall is real. Through the large hole, the outside mountain forest could be seen clearly. Shen Luo took a long breath, withdrew his fists, and with one leap, rocketed out from within the big hole. Go to ????????????????????.co He only felt a blur before his eyes, then appeared in front of the cliff where he was trapped previously. ¡°Finally, I¡¯m out!¡± Looking at the familiar mountain peak before his eyes, a hint of a smile appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s face. The Heaven Devouring Tiger wasn¡¯t waiting here; likely it had lost patience waiting after so many days. Regretfully shaking his head, Shen Luo, whose strength had greatly increased at this moment, wanted to find an opponent to properly confirm his new strength. The Heaven Devouring Tiger was indeed the most suitable opponent. However, he¡¯s not really a belligerent person who would intentionally look for the Heaven Devouring Tiger for a match. Since it wasn¡¯t encountered, he¡¯ll let it be. Shen Luo turned around and looked at the cliff behind him, a large hole has appeared and strands of white light radiated from inside. After a while, the hole did not show any sign of healing automatically. ¡°Looks like the prohibition here was destroyed by me,¡± Shen Luo scratched his head, moved some large stones from the surrounding, and blocked the big hole. Having done that, he didn¡¯t linger, leaped towards the base of the mountain. He mastered the thirty-six verses of the Huangting Technique, other than the changes to his physical body, his agility, and speed also greatly increased. It¡¯s like walking on flat ground in the steep and dangerous mountains, with just a few leaps, he had disappeared into the distance. Not long after Shen Luo left, a white figure shot from the distance and arrived at the cliff. The white light dimmed to reveal the figure of the Heaven Devouring Tiger. It looked at the covered entrance on the cliff, a hint of happiness appeared in its eyes, then, recalling something, its eyes shone with fierce light, and it swung its paw. A cluster of blue lightning shot out, ¡°boom,¡± knocking the stones blocking the entrance and shooting them into the distance. The Heaven Devouring Tiger dashed and rushed into the hole. Half an hour later, a roar full of extreme fury echoed from the large hole in the cliff, causing the nearby mountain wall to tremble incessantly. ¡­ Shen Luo knew nothing of what happened behind him, his figure was rapidly moving around the top of Mount Fangcun. In less than half an hour, he descended the mountain. He stopped by a pool at the foot of the mountain, bent down to wash his face, and then looked up at the sky. Days and nights passed in the cave with a constant brightness, unaware of the change between day and night. The sky seemed strangely dark at this moment, as if a great black curtain had covered it, emitting a suffocating pressure, like a storm was coming. No one could tell the time. For some reason, a hint of chill permeated the air around them. Finding it strange, Shen Luo chose not to dwell too much on it. He sped towards Longevity Village and soon reached its entrance. ¡°You¡­ Master Shen, you¡¯re still alive!¡± The guards at the village entrance gawked at the sight of Shen Luo, their faces soon showing a mix of shock and joy. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but frown. Thinking about it, he realized that it made sense. He had been in the mountain for over twenty days, previously being hunted by the Heaven Devouring Tiger. It wasn¡¯t irrational for Ying Luo to believe that he had fallen. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Open the gate.¡± He said, giving it some thought. ¡°Yes, yes! It¡¯s good that you¡¯re well, Master Shen. Let¡¯s open the gate quickly.¡± Qing Niu appeared from amongst the crowd, bowed to Shen Luo, then turned around and said. While he was calling others to open the gate, he simultaneously pulled a person aside and whispered something to him. That person then sprinted towards the village. ¡°How has the village been during this period? Also, has Ying Luo returned?¡± As Shen Luo started walking towards the village, he asked Qing Niu, who was following behind him. ¡°Master Ying? She is currently in the village. I¡¯ve sent someone to inform her. A few days ago, a demon attacked the village, but she managed to drive it away with magic.¡± Qing Niu answered. Shen Luo found Qing Niu¡¯s reply a bit strange, but hearing that Ying Luo was safe, he didn¡¯t give it much thought and carried on towards his residence. ¡°Master Shen, where have you been for the past year and more?¡± Qing Niu followed and hesitated before asking. ¡°A year? What year?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback and asked with a surprised expression. ¡°You went to Mount Fangcun with Master Ying last year and then disappeared. It has been over a year since then.¡± Qing Niu looked at him with a puzzled expression. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He stood there stunned for a moment before coming back to his senses. ¡°Master Shen, are you alright?¡± The teenager stopped as he saw Shen Luo stop in his tracks. ¡°Has it really been that long since I was on the mountain?¡± Coming back to his senses, Shen Luo asked again. ¡°Absolutely, you went up Mount Fangcun with Master Ying in June last year, and now it¡¯s already October of this year.¡± Qing Niu nodded in affirmation. Shen Luo looked at the thick clothes on Qing Niu, felt the temperature around them, and realized why he had felt something was strange ever since he had come down the mountain and returned to the village. But had it indeed been more than a year since then, even though he had only spent just over twenty days in the cave? Suddenly, it dawned on him to remember the story Ying Luo had told him ¡ª the story of the woodcutter who met the immortals playing chess on Mount Fangcun. Although his situation didn¡¯t seem so exaggerated, the circumstances were basically the same. ¡°It seems that Ying Luo¡¯s tale was not made up, it does have grounds.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. ¡°Big Brother Shen, it really is you! I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe!¡± As these thoughts were running through his head, a joyful voice echoed from the front. Shen Luo looked up to see Ying Luo¡¯s figure approaching rapidly, her face full of exhilaration. ¡°Daoist Ying.¡± Shen Luo suppressed his joy at seeing Ying Luo, and greeted her with a light chuckle. Following Ying Luo, many villagers also came rushing over. Seeing Shen Luo, each of them showed a mixture of shock and joy. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient to talk here. Let¡¯s go to my courtyard to talk in detail.¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, addressed Ying Luo, and strode ahead. ¡°Qing Niu, you should return to your post at the gate.¡± Knowing Shen Luo¡¯s dislike for crowds, Ying Luo instructed Qing Niu and followed right behind Shen Luo. Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 190: Giving Spirit Grass Chapter 192: Chapter 190: Giving Spirit Grass The two arrived at Shen Luo¡¯s residence in no time. Despite being gone for over a year, the courtyard remained immaculately clean, clearly maintained by regular visitors. ¡°Big Brother Shen, where have you been for the past year? Why didn¡¯t you send any word back to the village? I thought you¡¯d been devoured by the Heaven Devouring Tiger,¡± Ying Luo grumbled slightly. ¡°I apologize, Daoist Ying. That day when chased by the Heaven Devouring Tiger, I accidentally stumbled into a hidden cave. The exit was sealed by a prohibition and I was trapped inside until recently when I managed to escape,¡± Shen Luo explained nonchalantly, his eyes flickering subtly. He withheld information about the incident in the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave and didn¡¯t tell it to Ying Luo. This was because for people like Ying Luo, the immortal of Mount Fangcun was the sole beacon of hope in their hearts. This hope provided them the strength to persevere through the hardships in the village. If they were to learn that Mount Fangcun had been wiped out, they would undoubtedly fall into despair. ¡°So that¡¯s how it was. But, Big Brother Shen, it seems like your cultivation has further improved?¡± Realizing what happened, Ying Luo looked Shen Luo up and down, her eyes flashing a hint of surprise. Not being capable of sensing Divine Sense, she couldn¡¯t perceive Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation realm. However, his overall demeanor, especially the substantial change in his physical strength compared to before, caught her attention. Unfamiliar with body-refining techniques, she mistook these for improvements in Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation, which was somewhat spot-on albeit inadvertent. ¡°Being trapped in a cave for years, diligent cultivation was my only hope of escape. Daoist Ying, your cultivation has also significantly improved, reaching the Late Stage of Qi Refining,¡± Shen Luo casually replied with a smile. During their second trip up Mount Fangcun, Ying Luo had already advanced to the Mid-Stage of Qi Refining. Now, after just over a year, her cultivation had not only increased, but it seemed she had undergone other changes as well. ¡°My advancement pales in comparison to you,¡± Ying Luo shook her head as she chuckled. Shen Luo didn¡¯t continue the topic of cultivation levels, instead asking about the happenings in the village over the past year. From Ying Luo, he learned that the village had been fairly stable. Although they were occasionally attacked by demons, these demons weren¡¯t particularly strong. Adding to that, Ying Luo¡¯s advanced cultivation allowed her to handle these attacks quite efficiently. After talking for a while, Ying Luo stood up to leave. ¡°Daoist Ying, please wait,¡± Shen Luo spoke, retrieving a Four Leaf Flower and another mature Spirit Grass from the Seven Star Pen. Go to ?????????????????.co ¡°Four Leaf Flower! Cultivation Grass!¡± Ying Luo exclaimed, her delicate face surprised. ¡°It seems Daoist Ying has spent some time studying Spirit Grass. I discovered these in the cave. The Four Leaf Flower can be boiled into a nourishing soup for the children, and the Cultivation Grass can stabilize your foundation and possibly help with your breakthroughs,¡± said Shen Luo, as he handed over the two plants, laughing. ¡°I can accept the Four Leaf Flower on behalf of the children, but this Cultivation Grass appears to be over two hundred years old. It¡¯s too valuable, I can¡¯t accept it,¡± Ying Luo hesitated, returning the cultivation grass, keeping only the Four Leaf Flower. ¡°It¡¯s just a single plant, Daoist Ying, don¡¯t take it to heart. I had quite a haul from that cave,¡± replied Shen Luo, refusing to take the grass back, while patting his waist with a smile. Ying Luo¡¯s expression shifted with uncertainty. ¡°Daoist Ying, you have always been straight-forward. Why the hesitation now? If you still think of me as Big Brother Shen, accept it right away,¡± Shen Luo scowled, pretending to be irritated. ¡°Since Big Brother Shen has put it in that way, I will accept it reluctantly,¡± Ying Luo looked surprised by Shen Luo¡¯s response, took a deep breath, and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Your rise in strength will also benefit the village,¡± Shen Luo said, finally cracking a smile. During his trip to the mountain, he accidentally stumbled upon treasure in the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave. The bounty he found could be seen as a great favour from Mount Fangcun. If he couldn¡¯t return some of it, he would feel restless. However, from what he could infer, Mount Fangcun seemed to be eradicated. Even if he wanted to do something for them, he was powerless. Fortunately, Longevity Village, which sat at the foot of the mountain was said to be the successors of Mount Fangcun. Helping Ying Luo improve her strength was his way of repaying the kindness. However, one Cultivation Grass would hardly suffice. He planned to thoroughly examine his other findings and gradually extend more favors to Longevity Village. After bidding Ying Luo goodbye, Shen Luo closed the courtyard door, walked back into the house, and sat down. Then he brought out the Seven Star Pen and emptied its contents. While on the mountain, he rushed the exploration of Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave because he wanted to finish as quickly as possible, hence he didn¡¯t carefully examine many items. Now that he was back in the village, he finally had time to do so. Thinking so, Shen Luo first picked up the White Jade Slip, released his Divine Sense, and started to investigate the five talismans on it again. He had looked them over quickly before and hadn¡¯t thoroughly understood the capabilities of these five talismans. As time went by, a blend of joy and worry appeared on his face. At first glance, the five talismans seemed ordinary, but each carried a unique and extraordinary effect upon closer inspection. The Flying Talisman was simple in its description, but the ability to fly for a short period was a pleasant surprise. The Binding Talisman could bypass the target¡¯s physical defenses and seal their meridians and acupoints, proving effective against monks and monsters alike. Previously, he had struggled to slay the Beauty Snake due to its tough scales, but with the Binding Talisman, it wouldn¡¯t have been so difficult! The Fractured Talisman, as the name implies, was magical and could be used to break the armor of enemies or penetrate the tough skin of a monster. Its benefits in battle were obvious. The Amnesia Talisman might seem useless at first since it could only be used on those with a lower cultivation level. If the cultivation level of two parties were close or if the other party had powerful divine consciousness, it would hardly serve any purpose. However, with additional consideration, Shen Luo found it useful in battle. Even when competing with those of similar cultivation levels, it could cause combatants to lapse in focus momentarily. In the rapidly changing battlefield, even the slightest mistake could determine the outcome, let alone a momentary loss of focus. Finally, the Lightning Attribute Talisman, named the Thunderfall Talisman, was a purely offensive talisman. Unlike the Small Thunder Talisman that used its own mana to create lightning, the Thunderfall Talisman sealed actual Heavenly Thunder into the talisman, which would then be unleashed to attack the enemy. Actual thunder, being a power of Heaven and Earth, even when weakened upon sealing into a talisman, was much more potent than the Small Thunder Talisman. However, the power of the Thunderfall Talisman was also significantly influenced by the cultivation level of the one who drew it. It seemed complicated to make and had to be created in a stormy weather. Even so, this minor inconvenience was nothing compared to the power of the Thunderfall Talisman. Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 191: Take a Different Path Chapter 193: Chapter 191: Take a Different Path Shen Luo suppressed the excitement in his heart and took a deep breath. Although these five talismans are powerful, their crafting process is far more difficult than that of Small Thunder Talismans. They must be crafted with specialized high-grade talisman ink and Purple Cloud Talisman Paper. ¡°Purple Cloud Talisman Paper? It must be a kind of high-grade talisman paper.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He initially knew very little about spiritual materials, but after examining the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± manual he found in the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave, he gained a lot of knowledge in this area. From here, he realized how precious the materials needed to create the high-grade talisman ink and Purple Cloud Talisman Paper are. It isn¡¯t easier to collect these materials even if he went back to the real world and left this resource-deprived Longevity Village. Even though he obtained some spiritual materials on the mountain, these materials had nothing to do with the five talismans he found. At this moment, there was a sudden rumble of thunder in the sky. Shen Luo¡¯s heart stirred, and he looked towards the sky through the wooden window. What he saw was that the previously dark and gloomy sky had become even more oppressive. In the rolling clouds, sporadic flashes of white thunder could be seen. ¡°Nature sure has good timing¡­ it¡¯s such a pity though.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. As soon as his words faded, numerous raindrops began pouring down from the sky, creating a curtain of rain between heaven and earth. The previously dark and gloomy sky had finally started to rain. The rain continued to fall heavily, punctuated by flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. This thunderstorm coincided perfectly with the conditions for refining the Thunderfall Talisman, but unfortunately, he lacked the materials. Shen Luo shook his head regretfully. If he had the materials, he would really like to try drawing this Thunderfall Talisman to see how it seals the heavenly thunder. Go to ????????????????????.co He sighed, ready to release his Divine Sense from the jade slip. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s that?¡± Suddenly he noticed several lines of small characters beneath the Thunderfall Talisman description in the jade slip. These characters were so small and blurred that he might have missed them if his Divine Sense hadn¡¯t been so potent at the Nascent Soul Stage. There wasn¡¯t anything similar under the other four talisman descriptions. Shen Luo examined these characters more closely, and they started to become clearer. ¡°This is¡­¡± His eyes widened in surprise, a look of disbelief spread across his face. These small characters detailed an alternative way to make a Thunderfall Talisman. This method only required several common materials for the talisman ink, and didn¡¯t have any particular requirements for the talisman paper. It was something that the original owner of the jade slip had figured out through years of practice. However, even though this method could be used, the success rate would be greatly affected and it would be far lower than the conventional method. But for Shen Luo¡¯s current situation, this was undoubtedly a piece of great news. After all, a low probability was always better than not having a chance to try at all. ¡°Blue Electrostone, Floating Shadow Jade, Golden Shell.¡± Shen Luo read the list of alternative materials for the talisman ink silently, a look of joy spread across his face. These three materials weren¡¯t rare, and he remembered that among the various spiritual materials he had obtained in the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave, there were quite a few pieces of Blue Electrostone and Floating Shadow Jade, as well as regular talisman paper. As for the Golden Shell, a common spiritual material that a low-level sea monster sheds, he could definitely obtain a large quantity if he asked Hou Lang or Lang Pu for help. With these materials at hand, he had everything he needed to create a Thunderfall Talisman. Shen Luo put the jade slip down and was about to summon Lang Pu, but he then stopped halfway, glanced at the heavy rain and thunderstorm outside the window, picked up the Seven Star Pen, used the Ninety-nine Treasure refining tactics, and began to refine it. When one wants to accomplish something, they have to sharpen their tools first. Creating the Thunderfall Talisman would definitely be challenging. The Seven Star Pen could not only be used for storage but also for drawing talismans. If he could refine all the prohibitions within it, perhaps it would increase the success rate a little. After all, judging from the current trend, this thunderstorm wouldn¡¯t stop anytime soon. With his current cultivation level, refining a magical instrument wasn¡¯t something difficult. After a little while, the second layer of prohibition on the Seven Star Pen was refined. The Kai Yang star on the pen shaft lit up. A faint silver light emerged from the Seven Star Pen, which looked quite beautiful in the dim light of the room. Not only that, but his Divine Sense could feel that when the fluctuations inside the charm pen started, another space of several feet appeared, merging with the previous space, and the volume increased by about 30%. But when he tried to swing the pen in the air again, he found that the duration of the silver light mark had not changed at all, indicating there weren¡¯t any significant improvements related to drawing talismans. Shen Luo didn¡¯t think too much about it and continued with refining. Within a blink of an eye, almost half a day had passed. The heavy rain was still pouring outside, and the rumbling of thunder was still rumbling in his ears. At this time, the surface of the Seven Star Pen in Shen Luo¡¯s hand was continuously shimmering with silver light. The seven-star pattern was fully emitting bright silver light, indicating that all seven layers of prohibition had been completely refined. A wave of mana emanated from the pen. This wave was different from the Golden Rope and Half-moon ring, it was filled with a sense of ethereality. Shen Luo caressed the charm pen in his hand, took a deep breath, channeled his internal mana into the pen, tried to draw in the air again, and mid-air marks appeared once more. However, to his disappointment, the duration of these light marks had still not increased by the slightest bit. ¡°It seems that while this magical instrument can be used to draw talismans, it doesn¡¯t offer too much help in increasing the success rate. Its main function might still be storage.¡± Shen Luo gave a bitter laugh and muttered to himself, then released his Divine Sense into the pen. As he had expected, the space within the charm pen had now doubled compared to prior to refinement, which was enough for him to store things. ¡°Huh!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face suddenly stiffened, because in the depth of the charm pen¡¯s space, a small pile of things had suddenly appeared. He had been focused on refining and hadn¡¯t noticed the increase in internal space, which caused the change to the newly expanded areas. These things must have been stored in the later sections of the space, which now presented themselves due to the completion of the prohibition refinement. Shen Luo carefully examined these items and realized that other than a large stack of green talisman paper, two white jade bottles and a cauldron-shaped black pot, the remaining items were all various kinds of spiritual materials. ¡°So many talisman papers! And there¡¯s Green Phoenix Wood, Star-transforming Grass, Blue Electrostone¡­ They even have Golden Shells. It¡¯s like the heavens are helping me, I have all the alternative materials for the Thunderfall Talisman!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up in joy after recognizing what they were. This green talisman paper was something he had come across in the Yu Family in Donglai County. He vaguely remembered that it was called ¡°Green Frost Paper¡±. Although it couldn¡¯t reach the standard required to draw the five high-grade talismans¡ªin other words it wasn¡¯t as good as the so-called Purple Cloud Paper¡ªit was still better than the yellow talisman paper he used for making the Small Thunder Talisman. Using it as an alternative for the Thunderfall talisman wasn¡¯t a waste. He quickly took out all the materials, sorting them into different categories and organized them properly. There were quite a lot of materials here, most of them were low-grade spiritual materials. After counting, not only were the ordinary ingredients for the Thunderfall Talisman all present, but there were also quite a numerous extra sets. Apart from the low-grade materials, there were also quite a few high-grade spiritual materials here, which perfectly matched with the talisman ink materials and Purple Cloud Paper materials needed to craft the five high-grade talismans, but the quantity was not much. Shen Luo immediately picked up a sheet of Green Frost Paper and placed it in front of him. He then waved his hand and retrieved the black pot from the charm pen space. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 192: Thunderfall Talisman Chapter 194: Chapter 192: Thunderfall Talisman The pot stood two feet tall, completely black with a lid at the top, riddled with tiny holes. On its body was a vividly embossed sculpture of a gorgeous Vermilion Bird, as lifelike as if it were alive. It had a slightly smaller hole on each side leading to the inside of the pot. This item called a Refining Furnace was used to prepare Talisman Ink and paper for talismans. Creating high-level runes requires complex procedures for preparing Talisman Ink and Talisman Paper. Using this specialized implement will make it much easier. Hence, any monk proficient in runes will try to acquire one. Fortunately, there was such a thing within the Seven-Star Pen Space. Otherwise, he would have needed to expend a considerable amount of effort. He made a hand seal to retrieve the Blue Electrostone and other two spiritual materials, placing them aside. He then took a piece of flint to ignite the black Refining Furnace, which quickly turned dark red, releasing a scorching aura. Picking up a piece of Blue Electrostone, he threw it into the Refining Furnace. Immediately, five flames entangled themselves around it. With the licking of the fire, the Blue Electrostone quickly melted into a blue liquid in which faint sparking lightning could be seen. Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate. He immediately picked up a Floating Shadow Jade, threw it in, and it quickly melted and blended into the liquid produced from the Blue Electrostone. The originally blue liquid slowly turned a light purple color. With his Divine Sense, he assessed the situation inside, nodded slightly, and picked up the third spiritual material, a Golden Shell, putting it into the furnace. Creating Talisman Ink is not as difficult as creating alchemy and refining artifacts, only requiring one to control the heat properly. The Golden Shell also quickly melted, merging with the other two spiritual materials. The original light purple liquid instantly became significantly deeper, revealing tiny golden particles flashing within. Shen Luo silently nodded, lifted the furnace lid, and beckoned with his hand. A gush of Mana rushed out from his palm, wrapping around the purple liquid as it flew out of the furnace. After cooling slightly, it fell into a small bowl. Go to ????????????????????.co This purple Talisman Ink, prepared using special methods, didn¡¯t solidify even though its temperature had dropped. Shen Luo picked up the Seven Star Pen, dipped it in the purple Talisman Ink, and carefully recalled the rune of Thunderfall Talisman in his mind. After confirming there were no mistakes, he moved his pen like a dancing dragon, and a Thunderfall Talisman was quickly drawn. But the talisman paper remained still, and the rune was dim, clearly indicating failure. His expression remained unchanged. He tossed the failed rune aside, picked up another piece of talisman paper, and began another drawing attempt but still failed. Shen Luo pulled out the third piece of talisman paper and resumed drawing¡­ Before long, more than a dozen wasted talismans piled up beside him. Shen Luo¡¯s expression remained calm. After all, the jade slip had indicated that the probability of a successful attempt at creating a Thunderfall Talisman through alternative methods was extremely low. ¡°I have enough talisman paper and ink for hundreds of attempts, I refuse to believe I won¡¯t succeed once!¡± he muttered to himself as he picked up another talisman paper to commence drawing again. At this point, Shen Luo had become quite familiar with the rune of the Thunderfall Talisman. His Seven Star Pen flew across the paper, and a talisman was quickly completed. As soon as his final stroke was complete, the runes on the surface of the talisman paper suddenly lit up with a brilliant purple light. Shen Luo was taken aback before he realized what had just happened. His face revealed an incredulous expression. Wasn¡¯t it said that the success rate of creating Thunderfall Talisman with low-grade materials was incredibly low? He had only made a dozen or so attempts! At that moment, the talisman paper automatically levitated from the table. Countless tiny runes appeared in the purple light, emitting a unique force of attraction. Rumble! The thunder and lightning in the cloudy area above began to stir, sending piercing electric arcs towards the airspace above the courtyard, as if they were about to strike down. Upon sensing the changes in the sky outside, Shen Luo ignored his surprise. He urgently grabbed the talisman paper and flew into the courtyard. The runes on the talisman in his hand flashed purple light, and the talisman paper made a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, trembling uncontrollably towards the mid-air. It seemed as if the thunder and lightning in the air were desperately attracting it. Seeing this, Shen Luo let go of the talisman in his hand without saying a word and used a hand seal to emit Mana to wrap around the talisman paper, sending it towards the mid-air. With a flash, the Thunderfall talisman shot right beneath the clouds, and the disturbance within the clouds intensified, gathering all above the talisman. A thunderbolt resounded with a loud ¡°snap¡± as several purple electric arcs shot out from the clouds, condensing into a thunderbolt the thickness of an arm, striking the Green Frost Paper. The purple light that the talisman paper radiated brightened all at once, while the surrounding purple runes spun rapidly. The thunderbolt disappeared as though it sank into the sea, seemingly absorbed by the Thunderfall Talisman. In the courtyard below, Shen Luo watched this scene, his face brimming with surprise. After the Thunderfall Talisman absorbed the lightning, the purple light on its surface receded and the tiny runes disappeared. The entire talisman seemed to lose all its power and fluttered down. Shen Luo hastily stretched out his hand to emit Mana again, reclaiming the Thunderfall Talisman back to his hand. He looked down and saw that the runes on the talisman were extremely bright and seemed to have gained some kind of spiritual intelligence, faintly emitting weak, tiny, purple electric arcs. He looked delightedly at the talisman in his hand and probed it with his Divine Sense, sensing a surge of genuine appreciation within his heart. The violent thunder and lightning sealed within the talisman was extraordinarily potent, many times stronger than Small Thunder Talisman, to the point where even he felt a hint of apprehension. However, for him, the more powerful the Thunderfall Talisman, the better! Excited, Shen Luo put the talisman into his pocket and headed back into the house. The sky was now near dark, and a thunderstorm had started. The villagers have long taken refuge in their homes. The gathering of lightning and thunder over Shen Luo¡¯s residence didn¡¯t attract any attention. However, not everyone was oblivious to what was happening in the sky. Within a tower in the village, Granny Ma was leaning against the door, her gaze fixed in the direction of Shen Luo¡¯s residence. ¡°That scene just now seemed to be the refinement process of a high-level rune that my master mentioned, the ¡®Thunderfall Talisman¡¯. The Thunderfall Talisman is a secret of Mount Fangcun, and even my master, as an external disciple of Mount Fangcun, hasn¡¯t received its teachings. Where did Shen Luo obtain this talisman? And he even managed to refine it!¡± Granny Ma¡¯s aged, yellow eyes were filled with shock. At that moment, Shen Luo was in his house, meticulously drawing Thunderfall Talismans. Perhaps because of his exceptional giftedness, the success rate of drawing Thunderfall Talismans was much higher than what was stated in the jade slip. In some instances, he succeeded once every thirteen to fourteen attempts, or once in seventeen to eighteen other times. After successfully drawing a talisman, he would immediately go into the courtyard to absorb the power of the lightning and completely finish refining the Thunderfall Talisman. The weather also seemed to be ¡°cooperative,¡± as the thunderstorm persisted. In the blink of an eye, half a day had passed. Shen Luo was seated with his legs crossed, his eyes full of red veins, his face weary, but his eyes brimming with intense excitement. On the table in front of him laid a dozen talismans, all successful drawings of Thunderfall Talismans that had been charged with lightning, amounting to twenty or thirty talismans! Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 193: Take Advantage of the Situation Chapter 195: Chapter 193: Take Advantage of the Situation This is a high-level attack talisman, vastly more powerful than the Small Thunder Talisman. Nearly a complete force of heavenly thunder is absorbed into every talisman. With so many Sky Thunder Talismans at his disposal and their potential to unleash such power, even if confronted by a being at the late Nascent Soul Stage or higher, he should be able to handle it. He deposited these Thunderfall Talismans into the Seven-Star Pen Space then, sitting cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes and rested. After a while, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, all traces of fatigue gone from his expression. By now, outside was covered in darkness and the storm continued, minus the sound of thunder. The gentle patter of rain filtered in from outside the window, adding a sense of tranquility to the room. Shen Luo lit the oil lamp in the room, intending to continue crafting talismans. After all, he was quite interested in crafting other high-level talismans such as the Fractured Talisman, aside from the Thunderfall Talisman. With that thought, he fired up the Refining Furnace and tossed a purple crystal stone into it. After waiting for a moment, he threw in the second ingredient, and then waited again¡­ Half an hour later, Shen Luo formed a swarm of hand seals and instantly, a large blob of deep purple liquid ejected from the furnace. Under his control, the liquid split into over a dozen egg-sized purple droplets, suspended in the air by mana. He used another hand seal and under the influence of his mana, one of the purple droplets slowly expanded and gradually took the shape of a perfect square sheet of paper. The heat within the purple liquid dissipated rapidly, and the liquid quickly hardened into a paper-like form. Subtle cloud-like patterns faintly appeared on the purple paper. ¡°The reputation of Purple Cloud Paper is well-deserved, it is indeed beyond comparison with Green Frost Paper,¡± he observed, pinching the piece of paper between two fingers. A quick probe with his divine sense confirmed its extraordinary nature. Not only was the Purple Cloud Paper more robust than the Green Frost Paper, but it also held a trace of an auspicious aura, making it significantly better at carrying runes. Go to ????????????????????.co Applying the same method, Shen Luo quickly transformed the rest of the purple liquid into Purple Cloud Paper. He gathered the remaining materials, prepared another furnace and altogether managed to create thirty-five sheets. He let out a sigh of relief, for manufacturing Purple Cloud Paper was much more complex than preparing talisman ink and the materials were limited. Thankfully his robust mana prevented any mishaps. He neatly stacked these sheets of Purple Cloud Paper and began to prepare the talisman ink according to the instructions in the jade slip. Shortly, the ink was ready. Shen Luo placed the bowl filled with talisman ink and the Purple Cloud Paper in front of him. He closed his eyes to take a rest, and when his spirit, qi, and energy were restored, he opened his eyes once again. There were only thirty-five sheets of Purple Cloud Paper: he could only attempt to draw thirty-five times. Although theoretically, using high-level talisman ink and paper should have a higher success rate than using substitutes as he had done in the making of the Thunderfall Talisman, he wasn¡¯t overly confident. ¡°Which one should I try first?¡± Shen Luo pondered. Binding Talisman, Flying Talisman, Fractured Talisman, Amnesia Talisman¡­ he recalled their abilities one by one. After a moment of consideration, he decided to start with the seemingly more practical Fractured Talisman. He rehearsed the runes of the Fractured Talisman in his mind and then picked up the pen to start drawing. The first attempt ended in failure not unlike the second and third¡­ After six failed attempts in a row, he was a bit depressed, but since he had been mentally prepared for this, he wasn¡¯t too disappointed. After calming himself, he picked up another sheet of Purple Cloud Paper and resumed his efforts. But as he finished drawing the runes and lifted his pen, there was a sudden ¡®hum¡¯ and a purple light burst forth from the surface of the talisman paper, accompanied by a crisp sound like the clashing of metal! ¡°I did it!¡± A sense of joy welled up in Shen Luo as he let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps due to the use of high-grade talisman ink and paper, the success rate seemed to be significantly higher than using common materials for the Thunderfall Talisman. Of course, this might also be due to his current cultivation level and potential. Shen Luo held the finished Fractured Talisman and turned it over a few times, itching to try it out. But, this one-time-use talisman would be gone once used, and he was not yet entirely out of danger. So, he forced down the desire to test it out. After catching his breath, Shen Luo once again lifted the Seven Star Pen, planning to attempt the Binding Talisman next. Using up all the Purple Cloud Paper on the Fractured Talisman wouldn¡¯t significantly boost the success rate. If the success rate remained as before, he wanted to craft as many of the four types of talismans as possible. The runes for the Binding Talisman looked a bit more complex than the Fractured Talisman. After soup check several times in his mind to making sure he remembered it correctly, Shen Luo started to draw. One sheet, two sheets, three sheets, four¡­ It was not until the ninth sheet of Purple Cloud Paper that he finally managed to make a Binding Talisman. ¡°With the remaining nineteen pieces of Purple Cloud Paper, I¡¯ll try making the seemingly easiest Flying Talisman while leaving enough paper for attempting the Amnesia Talisman¡±, Shen Luo carefully planned the sequence of his attempts before picking up the pen again. Sure enough, after a few more attempts, he realized he was perhaps too optimistic. The runes for the Flying Talisman were relatively simple, but its control differed from the other two types of talismans. When drawing the runes, an odd floating force seemed to seep out of the paper, temporarily disrupting his drawing and giving him the odd sensation of writing on a rocking boat. Failure! Failure! Still a failure! In the blink of an eye, he had failed eighteen times, with only one remaining Purple Cloud Paper left. ¡°I miscalculated¡­ I didn¡¯t expect the Flying Talisman to be the most difficult to create.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s expression turned grim. Given another chance, though, he would still make the same choice, for out of all the five types of talismans, the one he most desired was the Flying Talisman. This was a life-saving tool after all! If Bai Xiaotian hadn¡¯t taken him on a flight with an Escape Talisman, giving him a taste of the exhilarating sensation of soaring freely through the sky, he might not have had such a profound understanding of its value. Shen Luo took a deep breath, and once again picked up the Seven Star Pen. Instead of starting to draw immediately, he closed his eyes and recalled the previous eighteen attempts, trying to figure out what went wrong. ¡°The main issue is the weird floating force interfering with the process. But that force is inherent to the runes of the Flying Talisman and can¡¯t be eliminated¨Cwhat should I do then¡­¡± he began to ponder. Suddenly, a memory flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s mind, reminding him of when he was searching for the Nameless Heavenly Book and had to navigate a rowboat through a turbulent river. ¡°Yes! Using the raft on the river was the same. The raging current kept steering the raft off course, and it was similar to the situation I¡¯m facing now.¡± He murmured to himself. Back then, he had asked Yu Da about the right technique for rowing a boat in strong currents. Although much time had passed since then, and he no longer remembered clearly what advice Yu Da had given, he seemed to recall something about not trying to fight against the river¡¯s current but learning to use it to one¡¯s advantage instead. ¡°To use the current to one¡¯s advantage, yes, that has to be it!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes shone as he felt like he¡¯d found the key. Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 194: Soaring through the Void Chapter 196: Chapter 194: Soaring through the Void He half-closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly opened his eyes, and began drawing the talisman. This time, he did not forcefully resist the floating energy, but instead tried to use this force to draw the talisman. Runes spread out quickly, and soon the runes of the Flying Talisman were completed. With a ¡°buzz¡±, a layer of white light emerged from the runes. ¡°Finally got one!¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, immediately put the refining furnace and those unsorted materials into the Seven-Star Pen Space, and happily came to the courtyard. The sky was already bright at this moment, the rainstorm had stopped, and the sky seemed brighter than usual. Shen Luo held the Flying Talisman with two fingers in front of him, and the other hand formed a gesture. The runes on the surface of the Flying Talisman immediately emitted a bright green light. He loosened his grip, and the talisman ¡°popped¡± and attached itself firmly to his chest. A faint green light dispersed from the talisman, enveloping his body. Shen Luo felt his body become lighter. He lightly jumped, and flew forward easily, effortlessly crossing over the yard wall, shooting forward at least more than a dozen meters before landing. He lightly jumped again, continuously flying forward, with everything around receding rapidly, several times faster than Chasing Wind Step. Unlike the use of body techniques, this rapid advance only consumes the power of the Flying Talisman. There is no physical burden, and there is no danger of exhaustion. It is a good talisman for long journeys. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï A hint of joy appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s face, not only because of the excellent weight-reducing effect of the Flying Talisman, but more importantly, he felt the huge energy contained in the Flying Talisman as it moved forward. If he only used this to travel light, even if he ran continuously for three days and three nights, it would not consume much of the Flying Talisman¡¯s power. Not wanting to alert the villagers, he headed in a direction where there were few people in the village, and soon came to a mountain wall. Moving his mind, Shen Luo increased the mana driving the talisman, his body immediately lifted from the ground, moving towards the sky. The village below quickly became smaller, and everything around was within sight. No one saw Shen Luo, who was rising into the sky, because his current location was a remote exchange in the village and although the sky was bright, not many people in the village were out and about. ¡°I really flew!¡± Excitement sparkled in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. Although he had flown with Master Luo and Bai Xiaotian before, being carried by others could not compare with flying with his own power. He increased the mana driving the Flying Talisman again, and the green light around him became denser. He flew towards the distant village at a faster speed, and the village was soon left behind. The Flying Talisman is not only capable of flying straight up and down; it can also fly in all directions, up, down, left, and right, by manipulating mana. It is very flexible. Once he left the village, he had no reservations and played happily in the sky. He gradually became familiar with the control of the Flying Talisman. Suddenly, with a ¡°whoosh¡±! A shadow flew past Shen Luo, it was a large grey bird, which looked like an old eagle, with a pair of large eyes that looked very spiritual, completely different from ordinary birds. The grey bird seemed to have never seen a flying human and was a bit curious. It turned around with a flap of its wings, circled around Shen Luo, and kept staring at Shen Luo with its big eyes. Shen Luo smiled slightly, reached out and grabbed, and held the grey bird¡¯s feathers in his hand. The grey bird was frightened, its wings flapped suddenly, and its speed increased several times, managed to escape from Shen Luo¡¯s hand, and then fled further away. Shen Luo let out a light sigh, his figure turned into a green shadow and he darted after the bird. The grey bird let out a shrill squeal, its wings flapping rapidly, its flight speed was incredibly fast, and it kept dodging left and right, very clever. It seemed to be a different kind of bird. He tried several times to catch it, but failed. Shen Luo was full of playful heart, he did not use his mana to attack, he only urged the Flying Talisman to chase, vowing to catch the bird with his hand. A human and a bird chased each other in the mid-air, soon leaving the village far behind. The grey bird desperately fled, but after all, it was just a bird, not a real monster. How could it compare with the might of a high-order rune? At the beginning, it could rely on its agile movements, flying east and darting west, barely escaping capture. But once Shen Luo became familiar with controlling the Flying Talisman for small range turning, the grey bird was quickly caught up with. Shen Luo reached out, grabbing the grey bird¡¯s neck. The grey bird let out a terrified shriek, struggling hard, but couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Luo did not hurt the grey bird, teased it a bit in his hand, and then released it. The grey bird, having escaped death, hurriedly fled into the distance, disappearing in the distance. Shen Luo no longer paid attention to the grey bird, looked around, unknowingly he had come close to Mount Fangcun during his chase with the bird. Below was a grove. The spiritual energy here is abundant, and although it is already autumn, the leaves are still luxuriant. Shen Luo had played for a while, and his excitement gradually dissipated. Looking at the Flying Talisman on his chest, a hint of pain flashed in his eyes. He gathered his thoughts, and landed on a large stone in the grove below. This talisman, like the Escape Talisman, can be used multiple times, but he is not able to make a second one now, he¡¯ll have to be careful with its usage in the future. Shen Luo removed the Flying Talisman and became lost in thought. In terms of flight speed, this talisman falls short compared to the Bai Family¡¯s Escape Talisman. However, the latter has a time limit with each use and can only fly for a short while, whereas the former doesn¡¯t have this limitation and can sustain flight. Moreover, the energy contained in the Flying Talisman is profound. He had just flown for a while, and it used up less than one-tenth, which is also far superior to the Escape Talisman on this. In general, these two talisman each have their strengths, one for traveling, and the other for preserving life. Shen Luo put away the Flying Talisman, did not linger here, and turned around, intending to return to the village. He was busy drawing talisman earlier, there were many things in the Seven-Star pen that he had not checked yet. Just at this moment, a howling wind came from the distance, mixed with the fluctuation of demon qi. It reached above him in a blink of an eye, causing the surrounding trees to toss and turn. Shen Luo looked up, squinted his eyes, and saw a six to seven feet big, azure giant eagle appear above him. A golden feather crown grew on the eagle¡¯s head. Wasn¡¯t this the Azure Giant Eagle he and Ying Luo encountered the first time they went up the mountain? ¡°Twenty something, handsome face, not bad, it¡¯s you. Now the reward is all mine!¡± The Azure Giant Eagle halted mid-air, staring fixedly at Shen Luo, laughing excitedly. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Shen Luo picked up on the ill-intent in the eagle¡¯s words and asked without showing any signs. ¡°This human actually recognizes me? How do I not remember seeing you? If you know how powerful I am, just surrender willingly!¡± The eagle was momentarily stunned, then chuckled wickedly. Its huge body swooped down, its wings flashed with a green light, making a whooshing sound as they repeatedly flapped. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 195: Surrounding the Village Chapter 197: Chapter 195: Surrounding the Village Two greenish hurricanes burst forth, forming two green whirlwinds several dozen feet high. They came at Shen Luo from the left and right. Anywhere they passed, the air churned and winds howled wildly, bringing large trunks and leaves with them, increasing their momentum. Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened slightly, he raised his hands against the incoming whirlwinds. A golden light flashed in his hands as two palms of golden light, each a dozen feet in size, appeared out of thin air and slapped onto the whirlwinds. With two muffled ¡°booms,¡± the menacing whirlwinds collapsed on contact! The Blue Eagle was greatly surprised, its eyes were full of disbelief. Before it could react, Shen Luo casually raised his hand and pressed against the void again. The two palms of golden light suddenly combined, transforming into a house-sized palm of golden light that moved to slap the Blue Eagle. Even before the palm arrived, an overwhelming force fell on the Blue Eagle, causing its feathers to stand on end and nearly unbalancing its mid-air posture. Fear apparent on the face of the Blue Eagle, it unleashed a burst of blue light from its body. Flapping with extreme speed nine times, it transformed into a blue shadow and shot forward over a dozen feet. Just barely, it managed to escape before the palm of golden light fully descended. But before it could catch its breath, it felt a sudden squeeze on one of its claws. It was held tight by a tremendous force ¡ª Shen Luo had leaped upward at some point and had appeared below it, gripping one of its claws with his right hand. ¡°Get down!¡± Shen Luo commanded with a low yell, pulling and sweeping it downward. Unable to resist the formidable force, The Blue Eagle¡¯s huge body plunged downwards like a small sparrow from mid-air, crash landing fiercely on several large trees below. With several ¡°booms,¡± the Blue Eagle snapped several large trees with its body and fell heavily onto the ground, its bones almost shattered from the impact. But being a monster of the Soul Condensation Stage, it promptly mustered the strength and attempted to stand. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Don¡¯t move if you do not wish to die!¡± As the command was yelled, Shen Luo descended from the sky as swiftly as a meteor, his foot landing on the back of the Blue Eagle with a ¡°bang,¡± pressing its form flat onto the ground once again. The bird¡¯s bones creaked under the pressure. ¡°Please spare me, kind sir! I have offended you due to my ignorance, please show mercy!¡± the Blue Eagle pleaded in terror. ¡°Tell me, who sent you to capture me? If you dare to lie even a bit, I¡¯ll crush your wings, and you¡¯ll never fly again!¡± Shen Luo asked in a deep voice. ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea! It was the Great King Heaven Devouring Tiger who sent me. I¡¯m just following orders!¡± The Azure Giant Eagle had no room for retorts and hastily replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo arched an eyebrow but expressed no surprise. Ever since leaving the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave, he had guessed that the Heaven Devouring Tiger would not let him off easily, which is why he immediately began the process of refining the Thunderfall Rune and other talismans for defense. He didn¡¯t expect the enemy to come so quickly. ¡°Who else has that Heaven Devouring Tiger sent apart from you? Is he coming as well?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°He¡­ he also sent the Frog Spirit, and Goat-Headed Monster to look for you in Longevity Village. I was only told to guard the back of the village and prevent any secret escapes. He himself would be following shortly,¡± the Blue Eagle quickly replied, taking no chances at a time of life and death. No sooner than it finished speaking did a distant beast¡¯s roar come from the direction of the village. The village was so far away that the sound was barely audible by the time it reached them. ¡°Since you¡¯ve saved me once before, I¡¯ll spare your life today. But if I spot you at the base of the mountain again, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you.¡± Shen Luo looked at the Blue Eagle beneath him, his voice icy cold. ¡°Alright, alright! As long as you spare me, I promise I¡¯ll get far, far away from here; I¡¯ll never descend the mountain again!¡± The Blue Eagle might not have remembered when he had met Shen Luo, but he brightened up at the words, promising eagerly. ¡°Though I spare you from death, you must atone for your actions.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s words took a cold turn. With a swift movement, his hand descended. A beam of golden light struck the Azure Giant Eagle¡¯s head viciously, causing it to shriek and faint. Shen Luo left the unconscious Azure Giant Eagle where it was, transforming into a shadow that sped toward the village. Outside Longevity Village, the sand was swirling and the wind was howling. A black whirlwind raced from the distance, sweeping up every tree and stone in its path, shredding them apart. Giant roars and the sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground echoed from within the whirlwind, indicating a massive creature rampaging inside, causing the earth itself to tremble. The young men of Longevity Village, the village¡¯s protectors, watched the scene unfold, their faces turning ashen as they tightened their grip on their axes and other weapons. Despite frequent monster attacks, they had never witnessed a creature of such magnitude. ¡°Quick! Get Master Ying and Master Shen!¡± From his vantage point at the entrance of the village, Qing Niu watched the approaching storm, and realizing the gravity of the situation, he urgently barked orders at those around him. The person next to Qing Niu nodded quickly, and immediately ran into the village. ¡°Use the giant logs to reinforce the fences! Everyone, take up the large shields for protection!¡± Qing Niu bellowed. The young men around him snapped to attention, hurriedly carrying massive logs and giant stones from the nearby stone houses to reinforce the fences. Around twenty individuals fetched shields as tall as humans from the houses, forming a shield wall at the village¡¯s entrance. Before they could fully prepare, the black whirlwind had already reached within thirty meters of the village outskirts. Amidst the shrill whistling, suddenly, blue water pellets shot out from the whirlwind, striking the fences violently. Each pellet was the size of a human head, radiating dazzling watery light. As they hit the fences, they exploded violently. The fences that the village¡¯s ancestors had put so much effort into fortifying, were as fragile as paper, splintering instantly with loud booms, sending wood fragments and chunks of stone flying in all directions. The large wooden doors covered with sheets of iron were blown off their hinges. A sudden torrential sound filled the air, as the shield wall formed by the young men quivered under the onslaught, on the brink of breaking apart. Many were thrown by the force of the explosions. Two men nearby had their shields shattered instantly. Before they could even scream, they were smashed by flying rocks, spilling guts and blood all over the ground. The pained cries filled the air as bodies littered the ground at the entrance of the village. Only around a dozen, including Qing Niu, narrowly escaped calamity. ¡°Green Clam, what are you doing? The Great King has already warned us not to massacre the innocent at the foot of the mountain!¡± The black whirlwind halted abruptly at about thirty feet outside the village, a voice rang out from within. With a thunderous noise, the black whirlwind dispersed, revealing nearly a hundred demon figures. In front of the horde, two powerful monsters, one tall, one short, were taking the lead. Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 196: Top-Grade Magical Artifact Chapter 198: Chapter 196: Top-Grade Magical Artifact The short one was a green toad demon the size of a calf, its head and back covered in a layer of white, horn-like substance akin to armor. Its protruding eyes swirled as it looked around, filled with ferocious glints. Standing next to the toad demon was a yellow, goat-headed monster, about 10 feet tall, half-human and half-beast. This creature stood upright, its upper body bulging with muscles, but its legs were slender and long. A pair of green horns grew on its head, and it held a dual-pronged, snow-white bone fork, propping it on the ground. The goat-headed monster glared angrily at the green toad demon, obviously its voice was the one who just spoke. As for the monsters behind the two demon were vary in shapes, tigers, leopards, wolves, and bears could be found among them. Their demon qi was naturally not as strong as the two demons¡¯, but each was vigorous and ferocious, with no weaklings present. ¡°Hehe, what¡¯s the big deal about killing a few humans? These humans are always cunning. Unless we show them some might, how are they possibly going to behave? I¡¯d say, just charge into the village, drag that person out, why make it so complicated?¡± The toad demon seemed unconcerned, a malicious glint in its eyes. ¡°Our Great King has already entrusted me to handle this matter, don¡¯t blame me for reporting your reckless behavior to him. You know what the Great King is capable of!¡± The goat-headed monster growled. Upon hearing this, the toad demon facial expression froze, lying down, its chest heaving in displeasure but did not utter another word. ¡°Let the decision maker of your village come out and talk!¡± The goat-headed monster sighed in relief at the toad demon¡¯s reaction, fixed its gaze on the able-bodied villagers still standing in the village, and called out loudly. Qing Niu felt a chill in his heart as the goat-headed monster stared at him, looking somewhat at a loss as he looked back at the village. Due to the commotion outside, most of the villagers had already heard about it. Many people gathered at the entrance of the village. However, when they saw the terrifying demons outside, their faces showed fear, and they did not dare to approach, let alone rescue the wounded villagers. ¡°I never thought that our humble Longevity Village would draw two Demon Kings. May I ask what brings you here?¡± Just then, an old voice rang out, and Granny Ma emerged from the crowd. Right next to her was Ying Luo. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À¦Ï.§ã¦Ï At that moment, Ying Luo¡¯s face subtly glowed, and the aura surrounding her was several times stronger than before, having clearly reached the Grain Avoidance Stage. Upon seeing the tragic scene at the village head, she froze, her beautiful eyes burning with anger. ¡°Is this your doing?¡± Ying Luo suddenly turned towards the goat-headed monster and the toad demon, leaping onto a high ground at the entrance of the village, with a flash of blue light in her hand, a translucent blue sword over two feet long appeared. An intense, bone-piercing chill erupted from the blue sword, shrouding a range of several feet in cold air. People were shivering, their teeth chattering, and a layer of frost formed on the ground. The goat-headed monster and the toad demon outside the village also felt a trace of bone-chilling chill, both uttering a soft exclamation, their gaze toward the blue sword revealing a touch of solemnity. ¡°Hehe, isn¡¯t that sword a top-grade magical artifact? With your low cultivation level, you aren¡¯t able to unleash its full power, why not give it to me, Green Clam?¡± The Green Toad demon chuckled coldly. ¡°Whether I can bring out the power of this sword, it¡¯s hard to tell without testing. You, toad, are welcome to try.¡± Ying Luo sternly replied, with her sword emitting a mist-like blue light, and the surrounding chill immediately increased several-fold. ¡°Both of you ladies need not be upset, our descent from the mountain today is not to harm the village, but to find someone.¡± The goat-headed monster stepped forward and said kindly. ¡°Who does Your Excellency need to find?¡± Granny Ma asked calmly, gesturing to Ying Luo to hold off her offensive. ¡°A young man in his twenties, with a handsome face and well-defined facial features. His cultivation is significantly stronger than this young lady here. He¡¯s from your village, isn¡¯t he?¡± The goat-headed monster said slowly. ¡°Big Brother Shen! What do you want with him?¡± Ying Luo¡¯s body tensed, her voice stern. ¡°This man has the audacity to trespass our Great King¡¯s territory, the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave, and steal the treasure. Why else would we be looking for him?¡± The goat-headed monster¡¯s smile faded, its voice cold. ¡°Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave?¡± Ying Luo furrowed her brows, she had never heard of this name before. Granny Ma, on the other hand, her face changed slightly, as if something had occurred to her. ¡°Anyone from your village originally committed such a heinous crime, should have the entire village exterminated, to appease the Great King¡¯s rage. However, our Great King is compassionate, and decided not to involve innocents, as long as you hand that person over, we will leave immediately.¡± The goat-headed monster continued. The villagers murmured upon hearing his words. Ying Luo¡¯s face changed drastically, but soon regained her composure. ¡°You think I would believe your nonsense?¡± She sneered, squeezing the Green Edge Sword in her hand. ¡°Hehe! Little missy, do you really think that having one top-grade magical artifact can block us? I¡¯ll tell you the truth, to annihilate your village, we don¡¯t even have to lift a finger ourselves, just any three to five underlings will do. Only because the Great King remembered some past associations with your village, did he give you this opportunity. If you don¡¯t appreciate it, today, your Longevity Village will be levelled to the ground, not a chicken or dog will be spared!¡± Green Clam¡¯s eyes were cold. As his words fell, an imposing pressure far surpassing Ying Luo¡¯s emanated, forcing her, who was only about ten feet away, to back off several steps, breaking out in a fine sweat. However, the girl straightened her chest immediately, gripping the Blue Sword in her hand and stepping forward again against the pressure. However, those guarding the village entrance such as Qing Niu felt their bodies sink, their limbs seemingly burdened with a thousand pounds, every move was extremely difficult, even breathing became labored. Some of the weaker villagers, unable to withstand the pressure exerted by the toad demon, their eyes scattered, their spirits beginning to collapse. A hint of cruelty flashed across the corners of the toad demon¡¯s mouth, and instead of stopping the exertion of pressure, it intensified. ¡°Stop!¡± Ying Luo shouted angrily and was about to charge forward. ¡°Green Clam!¡± The goat-headed monster at the side turned stern and shouted. A trace of impatience flashed across the toad demon¡¯s eyes, but it still slowly retracted its pressure. Qing Niu and the others breathed a great sigh of relief, gasping for air, but those who had their spirits affected earlier rolled their eyes and fainted, fortunately, their lives were not in danger. ¡°That was just a small warning. I¡¯ll give you fifteen minutes to think about it, if you don¡¯t hand over the person, it won¡¯t be this easy anymore.¡± The goat-headed monster said indifferently, then retreated a distance of about twenty yards with the toad demon and their group of monsters, but did not leave the village. As soon as the demons retreated, the villagers of Longevity Village immediately helped the injured villagers at the entrance of the village and carried them into the village for treatment. Then, they started to discuss the matter of Shen Luo, some agreed to hand over Shen Luo to protect the village, but others disagreed. For a while, no decision was made. ¡°Granny Ma, it¡¯s a major crisis now! What should we do?¡± A dark-skinned middle-aged man asked. Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 197: Differing Opinions Chapter 199: Chapter 197: Differing Opinions Granny Ma seemed to ignore what was happening, deep in thought with her head bowed down. The dark-skinned middle-aged man saw this and turned his gaze towards Ying Luo. ¡°Big Brother Shen is one of us in the village, and has saved us on numerous occasions in the past. How could we betray him so easily? Moreover, we can¡¯t trust the words of these monsters!¡± Ying Luo firmly refuted. ¡°Even though Shen Luo had saved the village several times, if it weren¡¯t for him repeatedly provoking that Great King in the mountain, our village wouldn¡¯t be in such a predicament!¡± A middle-aged woman holding a child immediately protested. ¡°Exactly, Lady Xu. No matter what he¡¯s done in the past, since he has stolen from the Great King, he should bear the consequences alone!¡± Another woman in a grey robe added. ¡°That young man has always been a mystery. Maybe he¡¯s been only aiming for the Great King¡¯s treasure on the mountain, harboring ill-intentions towards our village! If not, why would he have ventured into the mountains time and again, instead of staying put in the village?¡± Someone else chimed in. After hearing these accusations, the villagers who were initially reluctant to offer up Shen Luo, started having second thoughts. Upon witnessing villagers pinning all the blame on Shen Luo, Ying Luo¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. ¡°You¡¯re all talking nonsense! Since the Immortal Brother came to our village, he hasn¡¯t done anything to harm us. Isn¡¯t his trip to the mountain for the sake of our village as well? Yet, you¡¯re looking to hand him over to these monsters just to save your own skin!¡± A child-like voice protested, it was Chen Guanbao. He stood up, pointed at the three middle-aged women and indignantly questioned their intentions. ¡°What would a mere child like you understand? Are we expected to risk the lives of the entire village for a stranger?¡± The middle-aged woman scoffed. ¡°Exactly, Chen Guanbao, we¡¯re thinking for the sake of the entire village!¡± ¡°If he truly cares for the village, he should step forward, every man must bear his own burden.¡± Other villagers chimed in. ¡°I may be young, but I understand the importance of repaying kindness. Unlike some people who repay kindness with ingratitude!¡± Chen Guanbao, despite his young age, had a sharp tongue which left the middle-aged woman at a loss for words, her face turning red as she attempted to retort. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï ¡°Enough, quiet down all of you!¡± Granny Ma finally snapped out of her contemplation, and rebuked them. Granny Ma¡¯s influence in the village was well-regarded, and her words quickly silenced everyone. At this moment, a figure rushed over from inside the village. It was a teenage boy, panting heavily as he stopped in front of Granny Ma, struggling for breath. ¡°Tiger, what happened?¡± Granny Ma asked. ¡°Granny, I went to Master Shen¡¯s residence but he has disappeared. There¡¯s no one in the courtyard.¡± Tiger, after catching his breath, whispered in Granny Ma¡¯s ear so only the two of them could hear. Granny Ma¡¯s expression turned grave. After a moment of silence, she nodded slightly without saying a word. ¡°Time¡¯s up, have you made your decision?¡± the Goat-Headed Monster bellowed. ¡°Can you grant us a little more time?¡± Granny Ma sighed and asked. ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough time already?¡± The Goat-Headed Monster frowned. ¡°Not exactly, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Granny Ma hesitated. ¡°Hmph, if there¡¯s something to say, just say it quickly!¡± The Frog spirit said impatiently with a cold huff. ¡°I just sent someone to check and Shen Luo has disappeared from the village.¡± Granny Ma said. At her words, a surge of disbelief and commotion washed over the villagers who were present. ¡°I knew it! That lad was no good. Seeing things taking a turn for the worse, he chose to run first!¡± ¡°He said it was for the village, but I think he¡¯s only thinking about himself!¡± ¡°We¡¯re in big trouble now! Granny Ma, hurry and talk to these demon kings. That boy stealing things has nothing to do with us!¡± ¡°Exactly, the debt should be paid by the borrower, not us!¡± Ying Luo¡¯s complexion is an ashen grey at this moment, her hands tightly gripping her precious sword. She remains silent. Chen Guanbao¡¯s face is also taut. Although he wants to argue, he doesn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Haha, old lady, you should think of a clever delay tactic. Do you think we would believe such a clumsy excuse?¡± The frog spirit started laughing heartily. ¡°Our patience is limited! Today we demand to see the person alive, or dead. Otherwise, we have to take your entire village as the answer,¡± the goat-headed monster spoke slowly, its face turning solemn. ¡°Why bother talking to them? If they¡¯re not willing to hand over the person, then we¡¯ll just go in and find him ourselves! Boys, follow your grandpa frog into the village!¡± The frog spirit gave an impatient snort, raising its claw to gesture forward. ¡°Okay!¡± Immediately, the group of monsters behind it roared and charged towards the village with their weapons drawn, their faces filled with bloodthirsty excitement. Looking at this, it wasn¡¯t about finding someone at all, it looked more like a massacre. ¡°Stop!¡± Ying Luo roared, taking out an object with a flick of her hand. It was a white jade talisman with a small sword pattern engraved on it. She hastily slapped it onto her body. Her face suddenly turned blood-red, while strange white lines appeared on her skin. Her aura fluctuated dramatically and began to ascend rapidly. In the blink of an eye, she had broken through to the late stage of Grain Avoidance, exuding an intense Sword Intent. The blue sword in Ying Luo¡¯s hand suddenly emitted a bright light, and a blue Sword Qi about a meter long shot out from it, pulsating and buzzing. The freezing aura surrounding her actually seemed to dissipate. With a wave of her arm, the blue sword swept out, and the long blue Sword Qi cut through the three monster beasts at the front. The three monsters immediately used their weapons, or their own claws to defend themselves. Once they made contact with the sword qi, their bodies ¡°crack¡± froze directly into three popsicles, devoid of any signs of life. Ying Luo leaped up, the blue sword in her hand once again waved left and right, and suddenly another five or six monsters were frozen without any means to resist. Seeing this, the other monsters all showed a look of fear, uniformly halting their footsteps, not daring to advance even an inch. ¡°Our Longevity Village may be weak, but when facing a threat to our survival, we can still make the invaders pay a price.¡± Granny Ma spoke calmly. The goat-headed monster looked at the blue sword in Ying Luo¡¯s hand, its eyes flickering. The frog spirit didn¡¯t seem to care, instead, it leaped forward excitedly. It opened its mouth wide and spat out a blue light bullet the size of a millstone. A layer of blue water light wrapped around it, and as it flickered, it produced a thunderous rumble, aiming for Ying Luo. Ying Luo¡¯s face turned serious, the blue light from the sword in her hands soared, transforming into a large Sword of Light, cutting through the air towards the light bullet. However, at the moment the two made contact, the blue light bullet suddenly exploded, breaking into dozens of fist-sized blue light balls. They scattered and aimed towards the distant villagers. Ying Luo immediately released the sword in her hand. It flew into mid-air, spinning around the hilt, forming a giant blue light disc, blocking most of the blue light balls and freezing them. But there were too many blue light balls, some still passed through the light disc, exploding among the crowd. Explosions of blue light burst among the crowd, immediately affecting seven or eight people. Three of them were directly killed, and the rest were all injured. ¡°Hehe, your sword may be powerful, but can you block me?¡± The frog spirit¡¯s eyes revealed a gleeful expression of excitement at the sight of the fresh blood. It opened its mouth wide, blue light flickering at the corners of its mouth, and another blue light bullet was shot out. Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 198: Origins Chapter 200: Chapter 198: Origins Ying Luo¡¯s face was indifference as frost, her hands forming enchantments like a car wheel. The Blue Sword coalesced at her command, aimed at the blue light bullet. Blue light surged violently over the sword, letting out a piercing sword cry. A blast of icy sword Qi, ten times thicker than before, shot out like lightning and instantly traversed a distance of seventy-eight meters, piercing into the blue light bullet before it could shatter. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the blue light bullet was instantly frozen, transforming into a giant ball of ice before falling to the ground. However, after this blow, Ying Luo¡¯s complexion turned pale and her body swayed slightly. The frog spirit, witnessing the sudden power of the sword, initially showed a hint of fear. But seeing Ying Luo¡¯s state, a cruel smile flashed in its eyes. Opening its mouth, another blue light bullet shot out and this time, directed at Ying Luo. Ying Luo mustered her mana, her hands quickly forming enchantments to command the Blue Sword before her. The blue light on the sword body lit up, preparing to counterattack. But at this moment, the white light around her fluctuated suddenly and she trembled before falling to the ground. The blue light on the sword body flickered and vanished, and with a ¡°clang¡± sound, it fell to the ground. ¡°Master Ying!¡± The villagers were horrified, several people throwing themselves forward recklessly. The first one being Qing Niu. However, they were too far from Ying Luo to reach her in time and could only watch as she was about to be hit by the blue light bullet. Just then, a white figure appeared out of nowhere in front of Ying Luo, striking the blue light bullet. With a ¡°boom,¡± the blue light bullet was knocked back, flying towards the frog spirit at a speed twice as fast as before, making a horrifying whistling sound. The frog spirit was startled, its sturdy hind legs pushing off the ground, making it dart several meters to the side just in time to escape the attack of the blue light bullet. ¡°Who the hell is messing around!¡± The frog spirit, having narrowly escaped, roared in anger. The white figure in front of Ying Luo flickered, a white giant tiger materialising from nowhere. Its snowy white glossy coat interspersed with black stripes, it was the Heaven Devouring Tiger, looking over with a chilling gaze. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï A massive aura erupted from it, significantly stronger than during its encounter with Shen Luo in the past, as if it had broken through to a new realm. ¡°Great King!¡± The frog spirit greatly changed its demeanor, hastily prostrating on the ground. ¡°Great King!¡± The goat-headed monster and the other members of the Demon Race also quickly followed suit, bowing in reverence. The expressions of Ying Luo and the villagers also changed, holding their breaths. The once chaotic square became eerily silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. ¡°Green Clam, before I sent you down the mountain, what did I tell you? Did you just let my words go in one ear and out the other?¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger looked around at the severed limbs and fresh blood of the villagers, its eyes growing even colder as it slowly spoke. ¡°Subordinate would not dare, it¡¯s just that these villagers were harboring that thief. Under duress, I had to kill a few to serve as a deterrent,¡± the frog spirit braved the response. ¡°To serve as a deterrent? Deter me? To show you can go against my will at any time?¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger laughed in rage, taking a step towards the frog spirit. ¡°Subordinate knows his mistake, subordinate knows his mistake¡­ Subordinate was momentarily possessed, please, Great King, give me another chance!¡± The frog spirit, its heart chilled as if dunked in ice water and the fleeting hope inside clear as day, prostrated itself begging for mercy. ¡°The chances I¡¯ve given you, weren¡¯t they already enough?¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger said coldly. As his voice fell, his silhouette flickered and vanished. The next moment, a white tiger paw materializes out of thin air above the Frog Spirit, whacking down. The Frog Spirit, initially bowing its head, suddenly lifts it upward, its formerly deferential face now distorted with ferocity. With a spew, a bundle of blue light shoots out containing a blue crystal ball, which is the Demon Pellet within its body. Around the blue crystal ball is an even more glaring swirl of watery light, several times more radiant than the previous light bullets, emanating a terrifying roar that hits the tiger paw in mid-air, resulting in a thundering explosion. However, the Frog Spirit¡¯s concentrated attack using its Demon Pellet doesn¡¯t even slightly affect the white tiger paw, not even managing to slow down its descent. With a flash of lightning on the white tiger paw, it deflects the blue Demon Pellet, then lands squarely on the Frog Spirit¡¯s head. A ¡°plop¡± sound is heard. The bony shell of the Frog Spirit¡¯s head shatters on impact, its cranium bursting open like a watermelon, splattering brain matter and blood everywhere. Its mutilated body twitches a few times before becoming completely still. Seeing the Frog Spirit, whose cultivation is not far from its own, exterminated in an instant, the Goat-Headed Monster trembles internally, its head dropping even lower. The villagers, upon witnessing this scene, collectively drew in cold breaths, their gazes full of fear as they beheld the Heaven Devouring Tiger, silenced as if facing a bitter winter. The Heaven Devouring Tiger didn¡¯t even spare a glance at the Frog Spirit¡¯s corpse, but slowly turned its head to look at the direction of the village. Ying Luo then recovered from her shock of seeing the Frog Spirit being killed. Although she was unsure of the Frog Spirit¡¯s exact cultivation level, she could deduce from their brief skirmish earlier that it must be at least at the early stages of a Spirit condensation phase. The Heaven Devouring Tiger had overwhelmed Shen Luo upon their first encounter, and now it had casually slain a Spirit phase monster, illustrating the terror of its strength. Mentally steeling herself, she stood up with difficulty, holding onto the Blue Sword as a surge of blue sword light appeared on the blade once again. ¡°You ing¨¦nue, even if you forced a higher cultivation level with the Spirit Sword Symbol, you still can¡¯t bring out the power of this Green Edge Sword. Moreover, the backlash from the said symbol is unresistable. It¡¯s impressive that you could hold on until now. If you insist on proceeding, your meridians will completely collapse,¡± the Heaven Devouring Tiger casually glanced at Ying Luo and her Blue Sword, commenting lightly. ¡°You recognize this sword?¡± Ying Luo paused in her actions. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re the Thunder Cat Spiritual Pet that disappeared after White Browed Senior¡¯s departure!¡± Granny Ma took a closer look at the Heaven Devouring Tiger, suddenly recalling something, and exclaimed. ¡°In view of our past acquaintance, hand over Young Master Shen. I can forgive earlier transgressions and also promise to restrain the monsters on Mount Fangcun from attacking the village henceforth. However, if you refuse, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger spoke indifferently, disregarding their reactions. ¡°As I said earlier, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to hand him over ¨C Shen Luo is currently not in the village. Even if we¡¯d like to hand him over, we can¡¯t,¡± Granny Ma shook her head as she spoke. ¡°With the village surrounded on all sides, where else could that lad go apart from your Longevity Village? Since you¡¯re unwilling to hand him over, get ready to be buried together! Goat-Headed Monster, go search the village. Kill anyone who dares to obstruct!¡± Enraged by their refusal, the Heaven Devouring Tiger commanded without hesitation. ¡°Yes!¡± The Goat-Headed Monster stood up in response, leading a group of monsters towards the village. The expression on Ying Luo¡¯s face changed. She urged the Green Edge Sword with a spell, making the blue light on it brighter than before. The white light on her body again started fluctuating more powerfully than earlier. With a ¡°wah¡±, she spat out a mouthful of blood. The blue light on her sword disappeared again, leaving her kneeling on the ground, propping herself up with one hand on her sword. Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 199: Overbearing Physical Body Chapter 201: Chapter 199: Overbearing Physical Body The Goat-Headed Monster glanced at Ying Luo, a faint sneer on its face. With a quick step, it flew past the crowd at the entrance of the village, heading into the village. The other members of the Demon Race also leapt into the village, closely following the Goat-Headed Monster. Suddenly, a figure flew out from within the village, colliding head-on with the Goat-Headed Monster. It was none other than Shen Luo, who had just rushed over from the direction of Mount Fangcun! ¡°Who dares to interfere in my business! You¡¯re courting death!¡± The Goat-Headed Monster yelled angrily, raised one hand without hesitation, and the bone fork in its hand surged with a ¡°whoosh¡±, igniting a layer of ash-gray flames that transformed into a white light, lunging directly at Shen Luo. Shen Luo did not dodge. Operating the Huangting Technique silently, a layer of golden light emerged on his left arm, and he raised his hand to deflect it. His arm collided with the bone fork in mid-air, emitting a ¡°ding¡± sound. The Goat-Headed Monster felt an unimaginably large force transmitting from the bone fork. Its tiger¡¯s mouth went numb, and the bone fork floated lightly to the side as if it were a lamp wick. Its body was also greatly shaken, leaning sideways uncontrollably. Shen Luo¡¯s forward momentum did not stop. His right arm also surged with golden light as if he held a golden blade. As their bodies passed each other, he swiftly swept out his arm, aiming for the monster¡¯s neck. The Goat-Headed Monster was in shock, but it was off balance and there was no time to dodge. The bone fork that was waved away was too late to wield in defense. It could only hastily raise an arm to block its path. The silhouettes of the two passed each other with a ¡°swish¡± sound, followed by a gushing blood flash! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï The Goat-Headed Monster¡¯s arm was severed neatly at the wrist as if sliced by a ultra-sharp blade. Along with the arm, its neck was severed as well, a fountain of blood gushed, sending the goat¡¯s enormous head flying into the air. Its eyes filled with indescribable horror, quickly dimming. The exchange was as quick as lightning. From a distance, one could only see a flash of golden light before everything suddenly ended. With two ¡®thud¡¯ sounds, the severed head and body of the Soul Condensation Stage Goat-Headed Monster fell to the ground, lifeless. The group of monsters that had followed the Goat-Headed Monster into the village froze in shock, unable to come to their senses. Shen Luo landed on the ground and immediately sprung forward, appearing in front of the nearest wolf beast in a flash. Without hesitation, he threw a punch. With a ¡°boom!¡±, despite the beast¡¯s incredibly tough skull, it was instantly smashed to a pulp under the enormous force, scattering brain matter and blood. Shen Luo then ruthlessly continued, punching out like a storm, each blow landing a fatal hit on a monster. In a blink of an eye, seven or eight beasts became casualties. The remaining monsters finally reacted, turning and fleeing towards the outskirts of the village in a frightened cry, running as fast as they could. ¡°It¡¯s Master Shen¡­ He¡¯s back!¡± ¡°We are saved!¡± The villagers at the entrance of the village barely snapped back to their senses. Someone immediately shouted out, while others stared in disbelief. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­¡± Ying Luo muttered softly, trembling and fainting on the spot. She was caught by Qing Niu. Granny Ma looked at the handsome man with superior strength standing in front of them, her usually calm eyes flickered a few times, not saying a word. ¡°Good, good! You¡¯ve saved me some trouble by coming out yourself,¡± said the Heaven Devouring Tiger, whose eye twitched slightly when he saw the Goat-Headed Monster slain instantly, speaking casually. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here, Heaven Devouring Tiger. Speak up, what do you want from me?¡± Shen Luo stood with his hands on his hips, speaking in a carefree manner. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb! Hand over what doesn¡¯t belong to you, and I will make your death swift,¡± the thunderous voice of the Heaven Devouring Tiger darkened. ¡°If you want something, you better earn it! Furthermore, it¡¯s time to settle the score for that chase up the mountain,¡± Shen Luo sneered, with cold words. ¡°Roar!¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger was furious, emitting a deafening roar. The tiger was engulfed by crackling electric arcs, its entire body shimmering in the light. With a loud crack of thunder, its figure vanished within a storm of lightning. The next instant, it manifested above Shen Luo¡¯s head, a blinding White Tiger Paw swooping down, just as it has done previously when killing the Frog Spirit. Shen Luo was startled by the sudden appearance of the Heaven Devouring Tiger above him, but he didn¡¯t freeze. His body erupted with a brilliant golden light. Unyielding, he threw a punch upwards, forming a vague image of an elephant¡¯s leg to counter the White Tiger Paw. A dull rumble echoed from the point of impact, cracking the ground instantly. Huge fissures began to appear, spreading rapidly outwards like a spider¡¯s web. A violent gust blew forth. Stirring up a storm of dust, visibility was reduced within a radius of ten meters. ¡°Merely a human dares to clash head-on with the Great King!¡± Just now, the demons at the entrance of the village had watched Shen Luo effortlessly slay the Goat-Headed Monster, which left them terrified. But seeing this scene, they relaxed, smirks appearing on their faces. The villagers, observing from a distance, were fearful as well, their expressions showing deep concern. Human cultivators may excel in mystic arts, secret techniques, and external magical treasures, but when it comes to physical warfare, the Demon Race naturally surpasses the Human Race. In their cultivation, the Demon Race strengthens their bodies with Demon Power, making them even more formidable. They can even withstand magical instruments and treasures. Comparatively, physically frail humans simply cannot compete. The tumultuous cloud of dust and air soon dissipated, revealing the scene within. The demons at the entrance of the village were stunned, their eyes widening in disbelief, just like they had seen a ghost. Granny Ma and the others also wore expressions of disbelief. Shen Luo stood on the cracked ground, single-handedly keeping the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s paw at bay. No matter how much force the Heaven Devouring Tiger used, it was unable to budge Shen Luo. The Heaven Devouring Tiger wore an expression filled with disbelief and shock. ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got? How disappointing.¡± Shen Luo looked up at the Heaven Devouring Tiger and sighed disappointingly. As soon as he finished speaking, his arm vibrated and the golden light around it intensified. An overwhelming surge of strength erupted. With a crack, the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s paw had been broken off, hanging at an awkward angle. Its massive body was propelled backwards. However, in the very moment it was flung away, its body erupted with bright electric arcs. They quickly consolidated into large snake-like beams and struck Shen Luo, looking like a Flood Dragon coming out of its den. With the distance between them, Shen Luo was unable to dodge. As a last resort, he bolstered his defense using the Huangting Technique. His body gleamed with metallic golden light and his hair transformed into golden threads. Boom! A series of blistering lightning enveloped Shen Luo¡¯s silhouette. The scattered arcs swept across the ground leaving deep marks. The Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s body flashed with electric arcs as it landed on the ground, watching the scene with apprehension. The intense lightning soon dissipated, unveiling the figure of Shen Luo¨Chis upper body devoid of clothing yet unharmed, skin flawless, without a scratch. ¡°So the Huangting Technique is indeed profound, the defense is formidable!¡± Looking at his unscathed body, Shen Luo exclaimed with relief. Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 200: Testing the Talisman Chapter 202: Chapter 200: Testing the Talisman The Heaven Devouring Tiger at a distance was not in such a good mood, as it looked at Shen Luo, who didn¡¯t have a single scratch, its eyes filled with terror. Only then did it realize that the young man in front of it was no longer the junior cultivator that it had chased and forced to flee. With this thought, it swiftly turned and fled towards outside of the village. The electrical power within it had already been depleted by more than half from a single strike earlier, making it impossible to use the Thunder Escape Technique. Nevertheless, being a Nascent Soul Stage demon, it had one of its legs injured but remained nimble and fast. But a shadow was chasing it from behind. Although it was far less agile than the Heaven Devouring Tiger, its speed greatly surpassed the tiger. After two movements, it stood in front of the tiger, blocking its path ¡ª it was Shen Luo. ¡°Your Excellency has just arrived. Why leave so quickly?¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Daoist friend, I was wrong before. I am willing to take these demons and leave immediately, never to set foot on Mount Fangcun again. I beg you to let us go.¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s expression changed, and it lowered its head, pleadingly. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. At the very moment he showed surprise, the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s expression changed. It opened its mouth with a murderous look on its face. A white crystal ball about the size of a human head was shot out of its mouth, surrounded by eye-piercing electric arcs. It was even brighter than the lightning it controlled previously and making terrifying thunderous noises. It quickly approached Shen Luo and struck him heavily. With a swift movement, Shen Luo escaped backwards at an unimaginable speed, creating some distance between him and the crystal ball. At the same time, a golden light arose from his body again, and his fist transformed into a claw shape, reaching out into the void. A golden dragon claw appeared in the void in front of him, with four fingers on top and one underneath. The sharp claws looked extremely destructive. It grabbed the blue crystal ball, successfully capturing the powerful white crystal ball in its clutches. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï The white crystal ball flickered with intense lightning, shook violently, but to no avail. It was like a bird trapped in a cage with no power to resist. With the crystal ball in its grip, the golden dragon claw dashed forward like a meteor, appearing in front of the Heaven Devouring Tiger in a flash, striking heavily downwards. With a ripping sound, several long, bone-deep wounds were carved into the tiger, hurling its body onto the ground and causing a large crater. ¡°Since you¡¯re not behaving, I¡¯ll punish you by using you as an experiment.¡± Shen Luo coldly snorted, a purple glow appearing in his palm, revealing two purple talismans ¨C the Fractured Talisman and the Binding Talisman! As Shen Luo murmured an incantation, both of his hands, each holding a purple talisman, were wrapped in a soft white light that soon covered the talismans. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo raised both hands. The two purple talismans radiated intense white light, and emitted from his hands at an unthinkably fast speed. They exploded in mid-air, turning into one gold and one white ray of light, heading straight towards the Heaven Devouring Tiger. The tiger, heavily wounded and its demon pellet taken away, was slow to dodge, and the two rays of light infiltrated its body in a flash. Its body immediately emitted a dazzling white light, which soon enveloped its whole body. As soon as it appeared, it dispersed, turning into a dense white glow that permeated its body like living creatures. Its hard shell cracked, revealing countless tiny wounds that bled profusely. The Heaven Devouring Tiger shuddered all over, as if being gnawed by a myriad of ants ¡ª the pain was unbearable. It roared, with lightning flashing all over its body, seeming about to do something. But just at this moment, a golden light emerged from its body, revealing a giant word ¡°Freeze¡±. Following a flash of light, it turned into several golden streaks of light, swirling around the tiger¡¯s body. The Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s body abruptly stiffened, unable to move a single claw, as if it no longer belonged to itself, its eyes conveying a sense of terror. ¡°Not bad! Let¡¯s try this.¡± Shen Luo stroked his chin, waved his single hand, and a green talisman flashed into existence above the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s head. Following a flash of white light, the talisman shattered. Bang! Accompanied by the deafening roar of a burst of thunder, a white lightning bolt as thick as an arm suddenly appeared from the exploding talisman, carrying a blinding flash of thunder, it fell headlong. The Heaven Devouring Tiger could not move, and could only watch as the white lightning struck its body. ¡°Roar!¡± It let out a mournful roar. Its once indestructible tiger body had become vulnerable because of the Fractured Talisman. The tiny open wounds spread all over its body, instantly torn open again. The areas struck by lightning left several feet wide patches of charred scars, filling the air with a burnt odor. ¡°Foolish, I am a monster with the lightning attribute, and you dared to use a thunder talisman against me. Although this talisman can hurt me, it can also replenish the power of the thunder inside me!¡± Despite the pained expression on the face of the Heaven Devouring Tiger, it was secretly delighted. Its demon power quietly absorbed the power of the thunder, impacting the strength of the Binding Talisman. ¡°It seems one thunderfall talisman is not enough; let¡¯s have some more ferocious thunder then!¡± Shen Luo chuckled lightly, and with a raise of his hands, he held a dozen more Green Thunderfall Talismans, which emitted intense green light as he channeled his mana into them. ¡°What!¡± The Heaven Devouring Tiger stared at the mass of Thunderfall Talismans in Shen Luo¡¯s hands, a trace of terror flashed in its tiger eyes. Ignoring any further concealment, it increased the electric light from its body, which interweaved with the golden light, producing a humming sound. Its sluggish body began to recover. At this moment, Shen Luo swung both his hands, twenty Thunderfall talismans turned into twenty green lights and flew towards the Heaven Devouring Tiger. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Twenty thick bolts of lightning fell from the sky, striking the Heaven Devouring Tiger. Amidst bursts of earth-shattering thunder, the entire body of the Heaven Devouring Tiger was, like rotted wood, torn apart by a vast white electrical sea of lightning, exploding into pieces of flesh scattered across the sky. A semi-transparent white tiger phantom with a size of a foot shot out, its face full of terror, trying to flee outside with its four feet running wildly. But Shen Luo seemed to have anticipated this scene, raising one hand, another Thunderfall talisman flew out, transforming into a bolt of white lightning, striking directly at the white tiger phantom. With a mournful cry, the tiger phantom instantly vanished. The electrical sea remained unabated after destroying the Heaven Devouring Tiger, instead spreading several times its original size as it visibly expanded outward. For a moment, it seemed as if the area around where the Heaven Devouring Tiger initially stood turned into a world of thunder and lightning. One glance at it would make one shudder and feel numb. Many of the younger villagers were scared and closed their eyes. A few moments later, the rampaging thunder sea finally dissipated, revealing a large, charred crater almost ten feet in size on the ground. Shen Luo¡¯s face also turned slightly pale, his body wavered slightly before he could steady himself. Whether it¡¯s the Thunderfall talisman, the Fractured talisman, or the Binding Talisman, they were all high-level talismans that consumed a lot of mana. If it weren¡¯t for his twenty meridians and his cultivation level reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, he would not have been able to exert so many high-order talismans at once. Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 201: Treating Ying Luo Chapter 203: Chapter 201: Treating Ying Luo Shen Luo¡¯s consecutive engagements with the Heaven Devouring Tiger might seem complex, but in actuality, everything happened within a few breaths. The distant villagers, and the demons, hadn¡¯t quite understood what was going on when everything had already ended. Among the distant villagers, Chen Guanbao and others who supported Shen Luo were visibly delighted and cheered profusely. However, those who previously advocated handing Shen Luo over to the monsters now showed a color of panic on their faces. The remaining monsters looked terrified. One of them shouted, and all the little demons in and out of the village fled towards Mount Fangcun, leaving not a single one behind within a short while. Shen Luo didn¡¯t pay any mind to those little demons. Raising his hand, the ground rumbled and split open, and a stream of water erupted from the underground, swiftly circulating around the village and falling in front of him. The stream held two crystal balls, one white and one blue. These were the Demon Pellets of the Heaven Devouring Tiger and the Frog Spirit. In addition to the Demon Pellets, the stream also carried along the corpse of the Goat-Headed Monster and the Bone Fork. Shen Luo waved his hand and the stream of water transformed into a water sword, which cut the Goat-Headed Monster into two halves. A milky white Demon Pellet rolled out. ¡°Nice treasures.¡± His eyes swept across the three Demon Pellets and the Bone Fork, revealing a trace of joy in his pupils. With a flip of his hand, he collected them. ¡°Master Shen! Something is wrong with Master Ying! Granny Ma sent me to request your help.¡± A flurry of hurried footsteps approached from outside, and Qing Niu appeared in front of the house, his face full of worry. Shen Luo paused upon hearing this before stepping out of his house and rushing away towards the village. Currently, Ying Luo lay on the ground, his face pale as a sheet, devoid of any traces of blood. His breath was barely noticeable, making him seem much like a dead person. Many villagers were gathered around, but nobody knew what to do. They could only stand there feeling anxious. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï Granny Ma, the only one who had some idea about the situation, was squatting next to Ying Luo. She pulled out a round red jade and placed it on Ying Luo¡¯s chest. The jade emitted a faint red light and exuded a warmth akin to that of the morning sun, although its purpose was unclear. ¡°Master Shen is here, everyone make way!¡± Qing Niu, following Shen Luo, shouted from some distance away. Seeing Shen Luo coming, most of the surrounding villagers showed awkward expressions and hastily cleared a path. Shen Luo quickly walked up to Ying Luo¡¯s side, gazed at the red jade, and his eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. ¡°Fire Spirit Jade!¡± He recalled from ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± that this jade was a kind of rare fire attribute mineral. It was born in the scorching lava of volcanoes. It was hard and contained a powerful fire power, making it an excellent material for refining fire attribute magical instruments. However, this was not the time for studying minerals. Shen Luo grabbed Ying Luo¡¯s arm and infused mana into it while simultaneously projecting his Divine Sense into Ying Luo¡¯s body. His facial expression changed. ¡°How is Ying Luo?¡± asked Granny Ma, looking at Shen Luo¡¯s expression. ¡°His meridians in many places are shattered, and a cold energy has infiltrated his organs. Fortunately, this Fire Spirit Jade has protected his heart meridian. He needs to be treated immediately!¡± Shen Luo stated with a solemn face. ¡°Daoist Shen, you must save her!¡± Granny Ma asked urgently. ¡°Daoist friend, don¡¯t worry. Although I¡¯m not 100% sure, I will do my best to try.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Shen Luo replied. ¡°Thank you!¡± Granny Ma¡¯s face relaxed a little. Without saying more, Shen Luo picked up Ying Luo and quickly rushed towards his residence. In just a few strides, his figure disappeared in the distance. The main instigators of the great battle had left, leaving only the villagers of Longevity Village looking at each other in confusion. ¡°If not for Master Shen today, Longevity Village would have been destroyed long ago. From now on, when any of you see Master Shen, you need to show him respect. Do you understand?¡± Granny Ma looked around at everyone, particularly Lady Xu, the woman in a gray dress, and some others who advocated giving up on Shen Luo, and said in a deep voice. Lady Xu and others showed an apologetic look and quickly agreed. No one else dared to dissent and nodded their heads in agreement. ¡°Qing Niu, you¡¯ll be responsible for taking care of the injured. Tiger, you¡¯ll see to the repair of the village fence. Even though the monsters have retreated, we cannot ascertain they won¡¯t stage a comeback. Everyone else, you may disperse.¡± Granny Ma sighed with relief and issued orders. Qing Niu and Tiger complied, each gathering a group of young volunteers to care for the injured and mend the fence, while the rest dispersed. However, Granny Ma did not leave. She hesitated for a moment and then walked towards Shen Luo¡¯s residence. ¡­ At this point, Shen Luo was already back at his small courtyard, holding Ying Luo in his arms. Before he stepped into the courtyard, he looked back at the entrance of the village with a calm expression. Even though he was far from the entrance, he had an extraordinary sense of hearing and could hear everything clearly. Not only did he hear the villagers¡¯ conversation just now, he also heard some remarks suggesting that he should be handed over to the Heaven Devouring Tiger and other monsters to secure the safety of the village while he was returning. However, those villagers were small-minded and always considered their own interests first. It wasn¡¯t worth it for him to get angry at them; moreover, the conduct of Ying Luo, Chen Guanbao, and others reassured him. After entering his house, Shen Luo gently placed Ying Luo on the bed. He flicked his fingers several times in the air, exerted force, and sealed several major meridians around her body. He glanced at the Fire Spirit Jade on her chest, raised both hands, one hand pointed at her Danzhong acupoint on her chest, and the other hand pressing on her lower abdomen, mobilizing his mana into her body. Ying Luo¡¯s injuries were extremely severe. If it had been the old him, he would not have been able to heal her. Fortunately for him, after advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage, his mana had become more potent. His understanding of medicine due to being sickly also meant he could at least ensure her survival. As his mana continuously poured into her, Ying Luo¡¯s body trembled slightly. Her face which was pale changed with a bit of flush appearing on her skin. Even her weak breathing had improved somewhat. Shen Luo relaxed slightly, still feeding his mana into her, trying to dispel the frost in her organs. Time passed slowly, until it was dark, he slowly withdrew his hands, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Ying Luo¡¯s breathing had returned to normal on the bed, and her face wasn¡¯t as pale as before, instead there was a healthy glow which indicated that she had been saved. However, her vitality was greatly damaged, and she remained unconscious. Shen Luo looked at Ying Luo, his eyes flickering slightly. During the treatment earlier, he found that Ying Luo had not only advanced to the Grain Avoidance Stage but also formed as many as ten magical conduits in her body. Although they couldn¡¯t match his, they were excellent among ordinary monks. Her magical conduits were severely affected by her injury, but after him repeatedly nourishing them with the mana, it not only repaired the originally broken conduits but also widened them. In other words, once she recovers from her injuries, she should be able to take another step forward in her cultivation realm, which is also a blessing in disguise. Then, he would teach her some more cultivation arts, which should be enough to protect the village. Shen Luo looked away and stood up to walk towards the door. Although he wasn¡¯t a pedantic scholar, it was still improper for a man and woman to be alone together, especially when the woman in question was unconscious. Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 202: Fate Plays With People Chapter 204: Chapter 202: Fate Plays With People He opened the door and saw Granny Ma standing in the courtyard, he nodded at her. ¡°Daoist Shen, not only have you saved our village today, but also Ying Luo. Reflecting on my previous attitude towards you, I¡¯m quite ashamed!¡± Granny Ma breathed a sigh of relief; her eyes flashing a mix of gratitude and guilt, she said to Shen Luo. ¡°There¡¯s no need to mention the past. I¡¯m now a member of this village. As long as I can be at peace with what I do, it¡¯s enough.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand casually, speaking in a composed manner. ¡°The demons that previously besieged our village mentioned that you visited a place called Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave on your trip to Mount Fangcun. Is this true?¡± Granny Ma hesitated, then finally asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± Shen Luo looked at Granny Ma and replied. ¡°Inherited from our ancestors, it is said that Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave was used by Mount Fangcun¡¯s founding master for accepting disciples and seclusion. I wonder what is the situation there¡­¡± exclaimed Granny Ma, her face showing a glimpse of excitement, as she asked anxiously. ¡°Granny Ma, I know what you want to ask, but knowing too much may not always be good. Of course, if you really want to know, I won¡¯t hide it.¡± Shen Luo slowly said. Granny Ma trembled when she heard this, her excitement faded, and she seemed to guess something. Her face turned pale and she fell silent. Shen Luo quietly closed the door and walked slowly to the center of the courtyard. He looked up at the stars and pondered. ¡°Daoist Shen, at my age, besides ensuring the survival of the village, my only desire is to know about the situation on the mountain. Please¡­ please help me understand.¡± Following her silence, Granny Ma sighed and spoke again. Shen Luo nodded. He immediately recounted everything he saw in the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave to Granny Ma, only omitting the specifics related to the Huangting Technique. Granny Ma listened to Shen Luo¡¯s narrations. The glimmer of hope in her eyes faded, along with the color on her face, making her appear to have aged greatly. ¡°Our ancestors of Longevity Village have been waiting for hundreds of years, it¡¯s a fruitless dream after all, such is life¡¯s irony!¡± She gave a wry smile, murmuring faintly. She silently shed tears. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Shen Luo stood quietly aside, not saying a word, but felt a touch of melancholy in his heart. Although Longevity Village¡¯s current situation is bleak, it has managed to survive. The saying goes, if the nest is upset, no egg is safe. Under the Heavenly Demon Annihilation, numerous families across the Four Continents are bereaved, and complete village annihilations are far from few. Granny Ma stood alone in silent mockery, her solitary figure looking as if it had been abandoned by the world. She didn¡¯t stand for long, however, as she soon lifted her head, her expression seeming to have regained its customary calmness. ¡°Thank you, Daoist Shen, for telling the truth. However, I ask that you not repeat this to anyone else, so as not to affect the villagers¡¯ will to survive,¡± she said with seriousness. Seeing how quickly Granny Ma adjusted her mindset, Shen Luo could not help but feel admiration, and nodded in agreement. ¡°I have nothing to repay you with for your kindness, please accept my gratitude!¡± Granny Ma gave a respectful bow to Shen Luo. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that! By the way, although Ying Luo is now out of danger, she still hasn¡¯t woken up and needs someone to take care of her. I have things to take care of and can¡¯t be distracted. Granny Ma, could you send someone over to look after her?¡± Shen Luo promptly avoided Granny Ma¡¯s respectful gesture, and quickly changed the topic. ¡°Of course.¡± Granny Ma agreed with a nod. Shen Luo acknowledged her with a nod and walked into another side room in the courtyard, where he sat down with his legs crossed. After his fight with the Heaven Devouring Tiger today and saving Ying Luo just now, his mana was nearly exhausted. He began to silently practice the Huangting Technique to recover. Once his mana was fully recovered, he took out the Seven Star Pen, his Divine Sense poured into it, and continued to inspect the various items he obtained from the mountain. ¡°From the looks of it now, only the mystery of this painting remains unresolved.¡± After a short while, his Divine Sense exited the Seven Stars Pen. With a wave of his hand, a scroll appeared, bathed in a flash of white light¡ªit was the Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting. He unfurled the scroll and studied it intently. A bright round moon shone from the scroll with green bamboo leaning slightly, casting a tangle of shadows. After only a few glimpses, it seemed like the round moon and green bamboos suddenly turned into reality before him. Under the moonlight, there seemed to be a gentle breeze passing by, causing the bamboos to swing, their clashing creating a continuous tapping sound. The shadows they cast on the ground mixed with the moonlight to form patchy fading traces that kept changing. Shen Luo paid no attention to the round moon and bamboo around him, instead focusing on the patchy moon shadows on the ground. He had studied this painting before. The mystery of this painting lay in its ever-changing shadows on the ground, which seemed like an invisible person practicing a mysterious set of steps. Shen Luo had noticed this before, but he was somewhat unsure. Now, his cultivation level had increased significantly since the first time he viewed the Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting. Especially after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, his Soul Power had greatly increased. When observing this painting again, many things which were not clear before now seemed enlightening. ¡°This is indeed a set of stepping technique, far superior to the Bai Family¡¯s Chasing Wind Step.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement as he followed the changing moon shadows. After a while, he slowly closed his eyes. The illusions around him vanished, and the changes in the painting¡¯s steps were fully remembered by him. Moments later, he opened his eyes and stood up. He put away the Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting, and according to the steps shown in the painting, he started to move. The steps seemed to be connected with the I Ching and subtly aligned with the positions of the 64 Hexagrams. However, these steps were quite unusual. Sometimes, when he got to the next step, he couldn¡¯t proceed to the following one. He needed to jump forward and backward to adjust, making the movement awkward. So much so, that at the beginning, his steps were exceedingly slow to the point of appearing funny. Luckily, after practicing the Huangting Technique, his physical body had become incredibly agile. He quickly grew accustomed to the steps, and his pacing increased rapidly. While in motion, Shen Luo swiftly grasped the various mysteries hidden in the steps. The peculiar parts of the steps that he couldn¡¯t understand before gradually became clear to him. Those peculiar parts were not strange at all but were the essence of this marvelous stepping technique. Moreover, while practicing these steps, his body¡¯s mana started to mobilize and slowly flowed within the meridians in his legs, further increasing his speed. Time flew by unnoticed. Shen Luo was entirely immersed in this mysterious stepping technique and had entered a state of self-forgetfulness. In the room, Shen Luo¡¯s figure moved like a ghostly specter. The complexity of his steps and speed intensified until he was almost a blur, and faint afterimages appeared behind him. Moments later, the rapidly sprinting figure suddenly halted, remaining as still as an iron stake driven into the ground, with all the afterimages assuming their original positions in a swift. ¡°Delightful!¡± Shen Luo let out a joyful cheer. Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 203: Slanting Moon Steps Chapter 205: Chapter 203: Slanting Moon Steps This method was just burgeoning, its speed already vaguely catching up with Chasing Wind Step. Unlike the latter¡¯s sole pursuit of speed, this one placed more emphasis on flexibility, making it more effective in evasion during combat. What contributed to the smooth cultivation was indeed the previously cultivated Huangting Technique, which made his body both firm and flexible. Actions that ordinary people found hard to accomplish, he could easily perform, which greatly aided his attempts to master this technique. However, the space within this room was a bit too cramped, making it difficult to fully demonstrate the capabilities of this technique. Shen Luo left the room and stepped into the courtyard. Outside, the sky was pitch black, it was deep into the night. He swept his divine sense towards the main house and noted that Ying Luo was still unconscious. But her complexion was much better than before, her breath steady. A somewhat frail young girl was seated beside her, wiping Ying Luo¡¯s face with a bowl of water ¨C presumably someone Granny Ma sent to look after Ying Luo. Shen Luo withdrew his divine sense. With a leap, he silently slipped out of the courtyard and headed towards the outskirts of the village. Instead of the village¡¯s main exit, he slipped from the back of the village to a nearby grove. A quick glance around, and he dashed forward, transforming into a phantom hurtling through the forest. Here, with more space, he could apply the technique without restraint. He couldn¡¯t figure out why, but he felt the Mana flowing through his legs more smoothly, and his understanding of the technique deepened rapidly. His progress was much faster than when he was practicing inside the room. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed. In the dawn¡¯s mist, Shen Luo¡¯s figure whirled through the grove, his speed almost double to that of last night, leaving behind distinct phantoms of himself¡ªas if multiple figures were running through the grove simultaneously. Moreover, his shifts and movements had become even smoother and more erratic. One moment he was sprinting forward at full speed, the next he would be retreating backward with no sign of hesitation, his movements free and unpredictable. With a ¡°whoosh¡±, multiple phantoms converged into one, revealing Shen Luo¡¯s figure, his eyes filled with surprise and delight. After four to five days of continuous practice, he had cultivated this Nameless technique to a very profound level, and he seemed to be not too far away from perfection. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? This kind of speed was simply astonishing. No ordinary person could achieve this even if their time were doubled. However, after days of non-stop practice, even Shen Luo started to feel the significant depletion of his physical and magical energy. His stomach gurgled twice, a long forgotten sensation of hunger surged up in his heart. Shen Luo didn¡¯t return to the village. Instead, he headed towards Mount Fangcun. Near a huge stone forest, he casually hunted a mountain goat and set it to roast. He used to secretly roast game with Bai Xiaotian and others at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion because they couldn¡¯t stand the bland food served there. He was now skilled in roasting and soon the goat started to release wafts of enticing aroma. Having not eaten for days, he gorged on the roasted goat ¨C eating more than half of it before finally patting his stomach, belching contentedly, and sitting down to meditate and recover. After recovering most of his Mana and physical strength, Shen Luo vaulted into the stone forest to continue cultivating the technique. His figure darted through the stone forest rapidly, sometimes flitting through like a bird, sometimes leaping at the top like a monkey. However, after a brief period of practice, he suddenly halted, a look of confusion flashing across his eyes. He suddenly noticed that the enhancing condition he had experienced previously, a state resembling divine assistance, had abruptly disappeared. His current progress was no different from when he was practicing in his room, and even seemed a bit slower. Shen Luo rubbed his chin, his eyebrows knitting slightly. He was sure his techniques were exactly the same as before. Moreover, after a brief rest, both his mental and physical conditions were in a better state than when he was practicing in the grove. ¡°If the problem isn¡¯t me, then it might be the environment I am in?¡± Shen Luo suddenly thought of something as he scanned his surroundings. Everywhere he looked was brown stone forest with rocky ground. There was barely any greenery, which made the place appear desolate. A thought struck him and he immediately jumped to a nearby grove. After taking a moment to settle his thoughts, he began to practice his steps again among the trees. ¡°Just as I thought!¡± Shen Luo slightly displayed his techniques in the grove, and the familiar feeling returned! As he moved between the trees, faint traces of white light began to shimmer softly at his feet. With each step, points of white light appeared, giving his figure an image of a ghostly specter ¨C suddenly in front and then behind. As days turned into weeks, Shen Luo¡¯s steps became more rapid. Mana circulated rapidly within the meridians of his legs, and once it reached a certain speed, his meridians started to heat up. Far from alarmed, he was delighted. He further quickened his speed. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! A surge leapt from the meridians of his legs, as if breaking through some kind of barrier. Countless currents of hot energy erupted from his legs, instantly spread throughout his body along the meridians. The white light at Shen Luo¡¯s feet flared brightly. As he advanced, a white light that resembled a slanting moon suddenly materialized on the ground. His body felt significantly lighter. With a bright flash, the slanting moonlight disintegrated into a misty illusion, giving his form a hazy appearance. His figure, like a ray of light, flickered and the next moment, he was dozens of feet away. ¡°So fast!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed, changing the direction of his body and quickly stepping out again. The slanting moonlight under his foot immediately flickered, and with a swift movement, his figure appeared several feet away. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes brightened up and he burst into laughter. The perfect mastery of the technique indeed broadened its horizons, it was simply incomparable to before. ¡°Such a marvellous technique lacks a name, that¡¯s regrettable. Since this technique renders a slanting moonlight at full capacity, let¡¯s call it Slanting Moon Steps.¡± Shen Luo thought of the slanting moonlight effect when displaying his technique, a thought struck him and he decided on a name for this nameless technique. ¡°As expected of a great Cultivating Immortality sect like Mount Fangcun, a casually discarded technique could demonstrate such profundity.¡± He sighed, taking out the Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting from the Seven-Star Pen Space. The Sky Bamboo Gazes at the Moon Painting trembled suddenly, a layer of shimmering white light appeared on it. The full moon and bamboo shadows in it began to flicker, as if it had come to life. ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s happening?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows. Just then, white characters started to flow out of the painting, through his palm, into his body and then into his brain. A sudden sharp pain overwhelmed his mind, making him groan. However, thankfully, there weren¡¯t too many characters. The pain quickly subsided. Those characters slightly circled around within his mind, and quickly combined to form a body of white text. At a glance, he saw the content, which revealed a secret technique called ¡°Yimu Xuandun¡±. Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 204 Yimu Xuandun Chapter 206: Chapter 204 Yimu Xuandun Shen Luo¡¯s Divine Sense swept over, and he quickly finished reading the secret technique, a look of great joy appeared on his face. This divine power of Yimu Xuandun was just like the Thunder Escape cast by the Heaven Devouring Tiger, a real escape technique. After mastering it, one could use the power of the surrounding vegetation for instant teleportation, which was extremely miraculous. Having read numerous classics on Mount Fangcun, Shen Luo was no longer as naive about the matter of cultivating immortality as before. Escape techniques and magic spells are categorized into various types; the most mainstream of them is the Five Elements Escape Method. It can make the caster swiftly travel through different environments, practical and particularly effective when facing a powerful enemy or crisis for escape. As a wood escape technique, Yimu Xuandun performed best when deployed in places where the energy of plants and trees is rich. However, even in a desert or deep sea ocean environments, this technique was still useful, though its effectiveness would certainly be greatly reduced and unsatisfactory. Moreover, some monks, or monsters with unique talents, could also cast some special escape techniques, like the Thunder Escape used by the Heaven Devouring Tiger, belonged to this category. Calmly controlling the excitement in his heart, Shen Luo closed his eyes, and started to comprehend the technique with absolute dedication. The content of Yimu Xuandun was complex, even more so than the Water-Stepping Art, Water Repelling Technique, and other magical powers. However, this divine technique had no definitive cultivation limit. As long as it can be understood, it can be used at any realm, somewhat similar to the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits. However, the lower the person¡¯s cultivation level, the shorter the distance they can progress with this technique. A moment later, Shen Luo opened his eyes, made a hand gesture on his chest, and began reciting spells under his breath. White light emerged under his feet, and the Oblique Moon Light Shadow reappeared. Simultaneously, green lights began to emerge from the surrounding void and gathered around him. As the green light gathered, it soon covered half of his body, making him appear somewhat transparent. Just as he finished reciting the spell, he took a step forward. The green light around his body flashed, and his entire person disappeared instantly from the spot. Shen Luo felt that his entire body was in a mysterious state. His limbs turned translucent green, like a cloud floating in the sky, weightless. His vision was filled with countless green shadows, and strong forces came from all directions, tearing at his body and propelling him forward rapidly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï However, this state didn¡¯t last too long. His body quickly sank forward, his feet landed on solid ground, the countless green lights in front of his eyes dissipated, his vision returned to normal, and he appeared in an unfamiliar mountain stream. Shen Luo paused slightly, glanced around, and quickly saw a sky-reaching peak standing in front of him, which was Mount Fangcun. However, he could not determine his position on Mount Fangcun at this moment, given the vast area at the foot of the mountain. The only thing he could be sure of was that he was no longer near the village. After briefly determining his direction, Shen Luo walked along the foot of the mountain for some distance, a slight smile appeared on his face. Whether it was the distance from the grove where he used to practice or from Longevity Village, it was not short. To say the least, it was definitely about three to four miles. The distance of a single Yimu Xuandun teleportation was significantly beyond his imagination, and it was not something the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s Thunder Escape could compare with. Of course, this should be related to the lush vegetation and rich energy of plants and trees on Mount Fangcun. However, the lightning-fast speed of the Heaven Devouring Tiger¡¯s Thunder Escape was not something Yimu Xuandun could match, each had their advantages. Shen Luo calmed his mind and performed the Yimu Xuandun again. The green light glowed under his feet, quickly enveloping his body, and with a flicker his entire form disappeared again. As his vision filled with flashing green light and then cleared, he found himself in an open field, surrounded by mist. In front of him, not far away, countless white smoke was rising from the ground, congealing together. It was the mist wall that encapsulated the entire Mount Fangcun. The white mist wall was as before, stretching so high that the top couldn¡¯t be seen, like a chasm in front of him, blocking all contact between the outside world and this place. ¡°I actually got here in an instant. Thank goodness I did not go any further, otherwise, I would have rushed into this fog wall!¡± Shen Luo sighed in relief. ¡°According to the spell description, Yimu Xuandun allows cultivators to temporarily integrate with the energy of vegetation in the world, and travel forward without any obstacles. I wonder if it can penetrate this fog wall?¡± Looking at the white fog wall in front of him, he suddenly had an idea. This white fog made it impossible to discern directions and easy to get lost. Now that he had Yimu Xuandun, none of these seemed to be obstacles anymore. Thinking of this, Shen Luo remembered the skydome void that led to Yinming Land, and wondered if it still existed. Over these years, with his heart focused on finding a way out of Mount Fangcun and busy cultivating, he had forgotten about that place. However, from the current situation, apart from the Oblique Moon Three Star Cave Ruins and the numerous monsters on Mount Fangcun, there seemed to be no other significant spots. It didn¡¯t seem likely to leave this area through this mountain. With his current Nascent Soul cultivation, he should be able to return to Yinming Land through that Skydome void. However, he didn¡¯t think he could handle that fearsome Black Mountain Old Demon. ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s first try if Yimu Xuandun can break through this fog wall. If this doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll go there and see.¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment and made up his mind. Instead of immediately casting the escape technique, he first took a careful look at the fog wall in front of him. Then with a thought, his Divine Sense stretched towards the fog wall, attempting to examine the circumstances within. However, his Divine Sense had barely entered the fog wall when he felt an invisible resistance, making it difficult for his Divine Sense to progress. Shen Luo focused his attention and increased the intensity of his divine sense, continuing to probe deeper into the fog wall. But the resistance emanating from within the fog wall rapidly intensified as his Divine Sense penetrated further. After his Divine Sense had extended twenty or thirty feet, it could no longer progress any further. The fog wall was heavily saturated with mist, its depth unknown. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but frown. He was not too worried about the thickness of the fog wall. After all, the teleportation distance of Yimu Xuandun was calculated in miles, and it was worth a try. But he wasn¡¯t sure whether the prohibition contained in the fog wall might limit the escape technique. ¡°It¡¯s just me being silly, why think about it, whether it¡¯s possible or not, won¡¯t I know if I try?¡± Shen Luo soon relaxed his face, activated Yimu Xuandun again, and a green light began to glow under his feet, soon enveloping his body. With a step forward, the green light around him flickered and his figure vanished into thin air. Shen Luo once again entered that marvelous state, his body turned translucent, shuttling forward in a vast green world. However, his progression was extremely tough this time, strands of white smoke appeared before him, like countless spider silk wrapped around his body, obstructing his escape. Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 205: Heavenly Wolf Swallowing the Mountain Chapter 207: Chapter 205: Heavenly Wolf Swallowing the Mountain Shen Luo snorted coldly, triggering all the mana inside his body. The green light on the surface of his body immediately lit up, forcefully dispersing a lot of the surrounding white smoke, and he continued to move forward. However, there was a huge amount of this white smoke. One layer was no sooner dispersed than another one emerged. Every bit of distance covered cost him a significant amount of mana. Luckily, his mana was vigorous after advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage. This degree of mana consumption didn¡¯t mean much to him. If he was still in the Grain Avoidance Stage, his mana would not be enough. When about one-fifth of his mana had been consumed, the white smoke in front of him suddenly vanished. He felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted from his body, and his speed increased substantially. The very next moment, Shen Luo¡¯s vision blurred before returning to normal. At this moment, he was standing on an uninhabited hillock. Surrounding him were continuous hilly regions with sparse vegetation, making the place appear pretty desolate. Looking back, he saw a high Fog Wall standing about a li behind him; it reached up and connected with the skydome, extending left and right without any visible end ¨C it was a scene similar to what he had seen in Longevity Village. The sky here was utterly blue, a stark contrast to the perpetually grey sky in Longevity Village. A few white clouds hovered above, and the Sun hung low in the west, casting a faint golden color on the nearby clouds. ¡°I¡¯ve really made it out!¡± As Shen Luo took a clear view of his surroundings, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of excitement, and he took a deep breath. The air outside seemed fresher compared to the inside. These common scenes ¨C the blue sky, white clouds, deserted hills all around ¨C which were easily seen before, seemed remarkably beautiful at this moment. Shen Luo composed himself and then took a serious look at his surroundings. The place where he stood was a hilly region. A few low mountains stood far away, the terrain between the mountains seemed to be flatter. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? He thought for a moment while touching his chin, but did not immediately return to Longevity Village. Instead, he moved, dashing toward the mountains in the distance. Shen Luo ran straight for twenty or thirty miles. The terrain gradually became flat, and soon after, an expansive meadow appeared. A lot of land here had been turned into farmland. However, many fields had been abandoned. In the distance, a few villages could faintly be seen. As dusk was approaching, a few strands of cooking smoke rose slowly from the villages, exuding a sense of life. Shen Luo sighed in relief and continued rushing forward, soon reaching the village that was closest to him. At first glance, the village looked larger than Longevity Village. However, the village seemed somewhat run-down, most of the houses being empty, and many had already begun to collapse- a scene of utter desolation. ¡°Which village are you from, boy? Running around so late, aren¡¯t you afraid of getting caught by the wolves?¡± A voice came from the front. Looking up, Shen Luo saw a middle-aged man in a grey robe. The man was roughly in his forties or fifties, holding a chopper in his hand and carrying a bundle of firewood on his back. He was looking at Shen Luo with curiosity. ¡°Sir, I am Shen Luo, I lost my way and I would like to ask how to reach my destination,¡± Shen Luo cupped his fist towards the man. ¡°From the outside? You are brave, boy! Even in these troubled times, you dare to travel far from home,¡± the middle-aged man put down the firewood from his back, gave Shen Luo a top to bottom look, and then said. ¡°I can defend myself with some martial arts. May I know your name, sir, and the name of this village?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°My surname is Tian. If you don¡¯t mind, just call me Uncle Tian. Our village consists of only two surnames, Tian and Luo, so our village is called Tianluo Village,¡± Tian Da laughed loudly, seemingly someone with a very amiable personality. ¡°Uncle Tian, your Tianluo Village is quite vast, but why does it seem to be so sparsely populated?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°What else can it be? It¡¯s all because of those damn demons!¡± Uncle Tian said resentfully. ¡°There are demons ravaging here too?¡± Shen Luo asked with a flicker in his eyes. ¡°In these exceptional times, where wouldn¡¯t you find demons? The demon wolves in the Eagle Beak Mountain to the west, and the Yellow Weasel Demon in Dragon Ridge to the east, come out of their mountains from time to time. Whether it¡¯s catching cattle and sheep, ruining farmland, or even eating people; they are capable of everything! The capable people in the village have moved to Willow Post City. That place is guarded by Immortal Masters, and demons usually don¡¯t dare to approach,¡± Uncle Tian gave a bitter smile, a trace of envy in his voice. ¡°Does this not mean the villagers who are left behind are even more endangered? If a monster comes, how will you withstand it?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°We naturally can¡¯t resist at all. Luckily, those Immortal Masters come out at regular intervals to eliminate the monsters; otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be able to live. Even so, people or livestock in the village disappear from time to time. Enough about that, where are you heading to, boy?¡±Uncle Tian shook his head, and then asked. ¡°I am looking for a place called Longevity Village, has Uncle Tian heard about it?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Longevity Village? Are you talking about the village which was swallowed up by a Sky Wolf hundreds of years ago? Oh no, you mustn¡¯t go there!¡± Upon hearing this, Uncle Tian was startled for a while, and then his face turned into a shocked expression while frantically waving his hands. ¡°Uncle Tian, do you know where that place is?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked. ¡°I heard from the elders, it was a village located dozens of miles to the north, at the base of an Immortal Mountain. Hundreds of years ago, a black Sky Wolf descended and swallowed the whole of the Immortal Mountain and nearby Longevity Village. Now, the place is covered up by a layer of white demon fog. As soon as a person approaches, they can never come out again. Boy, you mustn¡¯t go there!¡± Deep fear could be seen in Uncle Tian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Since it¡¯s inadequate to go there, I better head first to the Willow Post City you mentioned earlier. Can you tell me the way to get there?¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement, and then asked. ¡°Willow Post City is located to the northwest of our village and is about seventy to eighty miles away from here. Once you leave the village and reach the official road, head straight towards the west, that¡¯s the way to Willow Post City,¡± Uncle Tian pointed towards the village entrance. ¡°Thank you for your directions, Uncle Tian,¡± Shen Luo cupped his fists and thanked sincerely. ¡°Naw, it¡¯s not a big deal. You should get going now. Although the demon wolves from the Eagle Beak Mountain haven¡¯t appeared recently, many ordinary wild wolves already have begun appearing here and there. Especially in the night, it¡¯s extraordinarily unsafe,¡± Tian Da kindly admonished, before turning around with the firewood on his back and walking towards the village. Seeing Uncle Tian¡¯s receding figure, Shen Luo snapped his fingers, a strand of mana flew out silently and plunged into Tian Da¡¯s Xuehai Acupoint on the right leg. Tian Da only felt a slight warmth near his right knee. A warm air seeped in, relieving the knee pain caused by years of heavy labour in an instant. ¡°Huh?¡± He stopped in his tracks and moved his legs. The pain was completely gone; both his knees felt warm and very comfortable. Uncle Tian subconsciously turned back and looked, but Shen Luo, who had been standing there just now, was nowhere to be seen. He looked surprised. ¡°Oh no, could it be that I encountered a High Person? Was it an Immortal Master traveling from afar?¡± He suddenly remembered something and muttered to himself. At this moment, Shen Luo had already reached the edge of Tianluo Village, a thoughtful look on his face. Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 206: Moving the Village Chapter 208: Chapter 206: Moving the Village Let¡¯s put aside the matter of the Celestial Wolf swallowing the mountain for a moment, the stories circulating among the villagers are mostly exaggerated. However, from Uncle Tian¡¯s words just now, monsters did indeed attack the village. Considering Tianluo Village, a place with a sparse population and no means of defense, has managed to survive till today, apart from having an Immortal Master intervening from time to time, the strength of these monsters should not be too strong. With this in mind, he didn¡¯t immediately return to Longevity Village but prowled nearby other villages, intending to gather more information. By the time Shen Luo returned to the front of the white mist wall, it was completely dark. After half a day of investigation, he discovered that the situation here was roughly the same as what Uncle Tian reported. With the threat of demons always lurking, the lives of ordinary folk were indeed difficult, and all this started hundreds of years ago. From the villagers¡¯ descriptions, the monsters that appeared nearby were mostly at the Qi Refining Stage. Thinking this, Shen Luo muttered spells and applied the Yimu Xuandun technique. With a shimmer, he disappeared and darted into the deeper regions enveloped by the mist. A moment later, a green light flashed in the grove outside Longevity Village, and the figure of Shen Luo emerged from thin air. He darted towards the village and soon arrived on the outskirts. The damaged fence outside the village had started being rebuilt, though it wasn¡¯t completely fixed. The number of robust men guarding the village had doubled, and they were very cautious, noting any movement from outside immediately. ¡°Who goes there?¡± Following a stern shout, the sounds of bowstrings being pulled echoed inside the fence, and a shower of arrows aimed at Shen Luo. ¡°Hold your fire; it¡¯s Master Shen. Open the gate!¡± Qing Niu recognised Shen Luo and shouted urgently. Upon hearing this, everyone relaxed. However, the large gates at the entrance haven¡¯t been repaired yet. A few strong men had to work together to barely push it open. ¡°Bring Granny Ma to my residence quickly. There¡¯s something important to discuss with her,¡± Shen Luo, upon entering the village, told Qing Niu. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï Qing Niu, feeling a chill, was about to respond, but Shen Luo¡¯s figure had already disappeared. Not daring to delay, he hurriedly rushed to Granny Ma¡¯s residence. Shen Luo quickly returned to his own residence, only to find a figure meditating under the big mulberry tree in the yard. It was Ying Luo, and the frail girl was standing off to the side, vigilantly keeping watch. Hovering above Ying Luo¡¯s head was the Green Edge Sword, slowly rotating in the air as if she was practicing a unique skill. Heavenly and Earthly spiritual energy from all around began converging toward Ying Luo. An aqua-colored glow emerged from her body, making her emit a formidable aura like a sword¡¯s edge. She seemed to have turned into a shiny, green treasure sword. Witnessing this, Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. Just then, the Green Edge Sword suddenly emitted a clear hum and pointed towards Shen Luo, stopping its absorption of the spiritual energy. Immediately after that, Ying Luo, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, startled and opened her eyes. ¡°Big Brother Shen, you¡¯re back,¡± she said, hastily standing up upon seeing him. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve recovered quite well,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to your healing, Brother Shen. Had it not been for you, even if I hadn¡¯t died this time, my cultivation would have completely disintegrated. I cannot express my gratitude enough. If there¡¯s anything you need in the future, please feel free to ask,¡± said Ying Luo, as she took a formal bow. ¡°It was nothing worth mentioning. Your injuries haven¡¯t healed completely yet, so don¡¯t stand for too long. Please, sit down,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I am not so weak that I can¡¯t even stand,¡± Ying Luo replied with a faint smile. While she was speaking, she made a magic spell gesture with her hand. The Green Edge Sword above her head released a clear hum and transformed into a green light that burst into her body before disappearing. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo was a bit fascinated. He never thought that magical instruments could actually be stored within a human body. It was a curious thing. ¡°Big Brother Shen, this Green Edge Sword is a treasure passed down by the elders of the village. There¡¯s a rule in the village that except for the village¡¯s Immortal Master, no other person should know of its existence, which is why I didn¡¯t tell you before, and I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Ying Luo noticed Shen Luo¡¯s focused gaze and explained. ¡°That¡¯s the rule of the village, so there¡¯s no need to explain it to me. You should sit down and rest for now. There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you and Granny Ma.¡± Shen Luo said while he sat cross-legged, using his skills to recover his mana. Seeing the seriousness in Shen Luo¡¯s words, Ying Luo was a bit startled. Nevertheless, she sat down as instructed. A moment later, footsteps could be heard approaching from outside. ¡°Daoist Shen, just tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll do it,¡± said Granny Ma, walking into the small courtyard with Qing Niu. ¡°Granny Ma, Daoist Ying, when I was on Mount Fangcun, I found some classics in the Oblique Moon and Three Stars Cave. From them, I learned a god¡¯s power of ¡®Immortal Escape¡¯.¡± Shen Luo stood up, glanced at Granny Ma and Ying Luo, and said. ¡°Immortal Escape? I heard the village elders mention it ¨C it¡¯s a complex and profound escaping technique,¡± Granny Ma was mildly surprised and nodded. ¡°Indeed, this technique is intricate. I successfully used it to break through the White Mist Wall outside the village after some struggles,¡± Shen Luo slowly added. Upon hearing this, the four people in the courtyard were stunned. Qing Niu¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise, his mouth agape. Both Ying Luo and the frail young girl looked astounded, the young girl even covered her slightly opened mouth with her hand in disbelief. Among the group, Granny Ma remained the most composed, but her cloudy eyes still flashed with shock, her expression changing several times. ¡°Daoist Shen, is¡­ is what you said true?¡± After a while, Granny Ma was the first to recover and immediately asked. ¡°This is a matter of great importance; I wouldn¡¯t dare to deceive you. I explored outside and found the presence of demons and difficult living conditions for the people, but it¡¯s better than the situation in the village. I called you here to discuss a possible plan to move there.¡± Shen Luo spoke calmly. Ying Luo and the two young men were in both shock and joy upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words. Granny Ma was speechless while her body trembled uncontrollably. ¡°Granny Ma!¡± The three others rushed over to support Granny Ma. ¡°Heavens be praised! Our village has waited for hundreds of years, and finally, finally, the day we see sunlight has come¡­¡± Granny Ma exclaimed excitedly, her eyes welling up with tears. The other three were also overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°Daoist Shen, all of us in Longevity Village will forever remember your kindness. We¡¯re really thankful,¡± Granny Ma took two steps forward and knelt in front of Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother Shen (Master Shen)!¡± The other three followed suit, bowing to show their gratitude. ¡°I am also part of the village. I should indeed do these things, and I certainly should not accept such a grand gesture. Everybody, please get up,¡± Shen Luo quickly stepped forward to help Granny Ma while motioning with his other hand. An invisible energy emerged from nowhere and lifted Ying Luo and the two young men. ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste. Please inform the others as soon as possible and pack your belongings ¡ªdon¡¯t carry too much. I¡¯ll go to the White Mist Wall to prepare,¡± Shen Luo left them with these words and disappeared from the courtyard in a blur. Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 207: Treasure Chapter 209: Chapter 207: Treasure ¡°Qing Niu, Little Butterfly, quickly notify everyone!¡± As soon as Shen Luo left, Granny Ma immediately told Qing Niu and the thin young girl. The two of them happily agreed and dashed out. Granny Ma and Ying Luo didn¡¯t stay more in the courtyard, they quickly walked out. Shen Luo quickly returned to the area near the Fog Wall, found a flat piece of ground, took out the Seven Star Pen and some materials obtained from the mountain, and started setting up on the ground. An hour later, he stopped. Now appearing on the ground was a circular Array over ten feet in size. This Array was called the Yimu Formation which was a simple formation accompanied by the spell of Yimu Xuandun. Its function was also simple: it could spread the effect of Yimu Xuandun by relying on this Array, carrying others in the Array to perform the escape technique together. However, the consumption of mana was naturally not small. After setting up the Array, Shen Luo sat down cross-legged next to the pattern, closing his eyes and adjusting his breath. The night passed quickly and the early morning light came quietly. Shen Luo¡¯s ears moved slightly; he opened his eyes and stood up, looking in the direction of the village. With the sound of chaotic footsteps, the villagers of Longevity Village approached with their bags, forming a long line. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, all one hundred and eighty-seven people of the village are here,¡± Granny Ma walked up first, supported by Qing Niu and Ying Luo on either side. The other villagers stopped more than ten feet away. Amid the crowd, they kept looking towards Shen Luo. Perhaps having learned about Shen Luo¡¯s proposal from Granny Ma and others, everyone¡¯s eyes were full of excitement and hope at this moment. Their gazes towards Shen Luo were naturally complicated, with awe, guilt, and most of all, gratitude. ¡°Granny Ma, the Array I¡¯ve set up can carry others with me to cast the escape technique through the Fog Wall, but it can carry at most twenty people at a time. It also needs some time to recover in between,¡± Shen Luo explained to Granny Ma. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Hearing these words, the villagers¡¯ faces were filled with excitement. Many rushed towards the direction of the Array. ¡°Don¡¯t fight, don¡¯t damage the Formation Pattern! Qing Niu, you arrange it,¡± Granny Ma shouted to stop everyone, speaking to Qing Niu. Qing Niu agreed, quickly picked out twenty people, and stood in the Array. Shen Luo took a deep breath and also stood in the Array. As the spell in his mouth sounded, a large amount of green light poured out of his feet, merging into the Yimu Formation on the ground. The Formation Patterns in the Array all became bright and emitted green light, enveloping everyone in the Array. The air nearby started to vibrate, forming a whirlwind. ¡°Quickly!¡± At the end of Shen Luo¡¯s spell, with a snap of his fingers, the green light from the whole Array suddenly became brighter. Everyone in the Array began to become ethereal and quickly disappeared completely. On the other side of the Fog Wall, in the hill area, a green light the size of a human head appeared out of thin air and quickly enlarged, falling on the ground below. Suddenly, with the green light as the boundary, a round green Array appeared on the ground. Inside the Array, the light flashed and Shen Luo and twenty villagers appeared. Shen Luo was pale as a sheet, and upon appearing, he swayed and slumped to the ground. Taking twenty people with him to escape had drained almost all of his mana, even with the assistance of the Array. The villagers, who initially saw the outside scenery and were overly excited, immediately surrounded him when they saw Shen Luo suddenly fall. ¡°Master Shen, what happened to you?¡± ¡°Benevolent master, are you okay?¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see the outside world in my lifetime, all thanks to Master Shen.¡± ¡°Master Shen is truly our savior, sob sob¡­¡± The villagers, men and women, old and young alike, wanted to help Shen Luo, some were crying tears of joy; the scene was somewhat chaotic for a while. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just need to recover a bit. Everyone stay here and don¡¯t wander off. Wait until I¡¯ve transported everyone out,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand at the crowd, gave an order, then sat cross-legged and closed his eyes to recover. At this point, his words carried great significance for the crowd. They unceasingly agreed and gathered around Shen Luo, not daring to disturb him. Half an hour later, Shen Luo¡¯s mana had fully recovered, he got up and used the Escape Technique, returning inside the Fog Wall. The people inside were anxiously waiting. Seeing Shen Luo return, they were relieved. Like this, Shen Luo got busy for a whole day, sending nearly ten trips, before he could transport all the people in Longevity Village outside. Looking at the world significantly different from Longevity Village, the crowd was filled with excitement, especially Chen Guanbao and other children who were curious about everything and kept chattering non-stop. ¡°Brother Shen, where are we going next?¡± Granny Ma asked, not as excited as the villagers. ¡°I have found a place for everyone to live¡ªfollow me.¡± Shen Luo spoke and led the way. By nightfall, the group arrived at a deserted village built against a mountain, a clear brook winding around one side of the village. Looking into the village, the houses were old, many had collapsed, and there were quite a few fields outside the village. Due to years of neglect, they were overgrown with weeds. ¡°This Shuangsha Village was raided by bandits ten years ago. Almost everyone in the village died, and the few surviving villagers moved elsewhere, so the village was deserted,¡± Shen Luo explained the history of the village to everyone. The villagers looked at the deserted village in front of them and showed signs of excitement. Without waiting for instructions, they began to clean up the courtyards and tidy up rooms that could be lived in. In no time, the best places in the village had been cleaned up and given to Shen Luo to reside in. Having performed Yimu Xuandun several times in succession, Shen Luo was already extremely tired. Without being polite, he went into his house and soon fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up, the sky was bright. His tired spirit had fully recovered. He got up and went to the door, the sky was still just brightening. The villagers of Longevity Village were all up, bustling around in the village. No one thought it was tiring, everyone had a smile on their faces, it had been a long time since they¡¯ve been this happy. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo felt a jumble of emotions. In the world of a thousand years ago where he came from, before the drastic changes between heaven and earth, the court was wealthy and people lived in peace. They perhaps couldn¡¯t understand the feelings of these people right now. People often only appreciate happiness when they¡¯ve known suffering, only truly understand cherishing when they¡¯ve experienced loss. Having accidentally ended up in disaster-stricken Longevity village, what he could do for these villagers was limited to this. Whether they could live well in the outside world in the future depended on them. Shen Luo closed the door of the house and went back to sit on the bed, beginning to plan his next steps. Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 208: A Nightmare Night Chapter 210: Chapter 208: A Nightmare Night If according to his previous plan, since he couldn¡¯t return to reality yet, he would travel around Baoxiang Country to gain some foreign experiences. But his recent encounters have given him some new insights. Based on his past experiences, the cultivation level he improved and the treasures he acquired in this dreamland could not be brought back to reality. However, the knowledge, realizations, and cultivation experiences he gained on a spiritual level could be brought back to reality. If he could make good use of this, even if his talent in reality is poor, he might still achieve something. In this dream world, even if his talent is superb and his cultivation level is profound, he¡¯s still just a passerby; his reality still lies in the real world. Instead of wandering around, it¡¯s better to seize the time to cultivate in quiet and bring all kinds of experiences back to reality. Upon thinking of this, Shen Luo¡¯s mind was suddenly enlightened. He sat cross-legged on the bed and quietly activated the Huangting Technique. He didn¡¯t attempt to strike for a higher realm, but carefully pondered the Qi refining stage of the Huangting Technique and repeatedly summarized the cultivation tips. Outside his residence, Granny Ma came over slowly. Seeing that Shen Luo¡¯s door was closed, she stopped and didn¡¯t go up to knock. ¡°Has Master Shen been inside all this time?¡± She asked a villager who was repairing a house nearby. ¡°Yes, Master Shen just came out for a look and then went back into the house.¡± The villager answered. Granny Ma felt a little relieved. She was originally worried that now that Shen Luo had left Longevity Village, he might choose to leave. Now it didn¡¯t seem like he had that plan yet. ¡°Don¡¯t go elsewhere to work, just stay here. If Master Shen has any instructions, come and tell me immediately.¡± Granny Ma told the villager. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Yes!¡± The man responded. And so, time unknowingly passed to half a year later. Shuangsha Village had completely changed. All the ruined houses in the village had been repaired, and new roads had been opened and covered with a layer of bluestone. Around the village, the villagers followed the example of Longevity Village and built a sturdy fence. The several barren fields next to the village were reclaimed and crops were planted, presenting a flourishing scene everywhere. In the largest house in the village, Shen Luo sat cross-legged with a golden light covering him, forming a light shield several feet thick. The shadows of three dragons and three elephants were rapidly swimming around him. His hands were quickly forming seals, and the golden light around him suddenly flickered violently and swelled and shrank, like a pulsating heart. After such continuous flashing for thirty-six times, the golden light suddenly burst open, forming a wave of golden light rushing out in all directions. The four walls of the house shattered like tofu upon contact with the golden light, and the entire house collapsed with a bang. But at this moment, Shen Luo was wrapped in golden light. The broken bricks and tiles were repelled by the golden light a few feet away from him, unable to touch a hair on his body. The villagers from Longevity Village nearby heard the huge noise here and looked over from a distance. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s figure, their eyes were full of awe, but no one dared to approach. The status of Shen Luo in their hearts had long been extraordinary, even surpassing those immortal ancestors on Mount Fangcun in the ancient legends. Shen Luo closed his eyes for a moment, and the golden light on his body slowly faded away. The aura he was emitting now was much more majestic than before. He had made further progress in the Huangting Technique and reached the middle stage of the Nascent Soul Stage. He opened his eyes and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, but it was not because of his improved cultivation level. Actually, during this period of time, he didn¡¯t spend much time in cultivation, otherwise, with the talent of this body, it wouldn¡¯t take half a year to break through a minor realm. His main focus was on painstakingly revisiting and summarizing some insights into the cultivation from the Qi Refining Stage to the Grain Avoidance Stage, and tried to consider some bottleneck issues from the perspective of someone with low aptitude. Now he has gained a thorough understanding, and if he returns to reality, his cultivation should be much smoother. Shen Luo glanced at the chaotic scene around him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he shook his head slightly. At this moment, a figure was quickly approaching from a distance, it was Ying Luo, and she was using the Slanting Moon Steps. During these six months, Shen Luo had found time to impart all five high-level runes of Mount Fangcun, including the Thunderfall Talisman, as well as secret techniques such as the Slanting Moon Steps and Yimu Xuandun to Ying Luo. Ying Luo has always been highly perceptive and the skills she had been training were originally passed down from Mount Fangcun, so she was able to accept these things taught by Shen Luo quite easily. The growth of her strength was rapid, and she had repelled the invading monsters effortlessly several times. More than once, she had helped nearby villages, so she was revered by the nearby villagers as ¡°Heroine Ying¡±. She also grouped some talented children from nearby villages, including Chen Guanbao, and began to teach them some cultivation techniques, with significant results. In addition, Shen Luo once tried to recite the Huangting Technique mantra to Ying Luo, but she was unable to comprehend it at all. Shen Luo was baffled, and after careful consideration he realized that the Huangting Technique is too profound and not easily transmitted. If it was not for the chance of possessing the Golden Monkey and hearing the teachings of the ancestor master of Mount Fangcun, he probably would not have been able to comprehend it. Since Ying Luo could not comprehend it, he did not force her. The other techniques he imparted to Ying Luo were already sufficient for use. Seeing that Ying Luo had arrived in front of him, Shen Luo was about to get up, when his vision suddenly blurred, then his mind sank and he fell into unconsciousness. ¡­ ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡­.¡± Early in the morning, frantic knocking sounded in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s small courtyard. ¡°Shen Luo, are you up yet?¡± Immediately followed by a rushed voice from outside the door. In the bed inside the house, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly opened, his pupils slightly contracted, and the shadow of the bed curtain was reflected in his eyes. His body first tensed up suddenly, and then slowly relaxed. ¡°Finally back.¡± He took a long breath, propped himself up slowly with his hands, and noticed the changes of mana in his Dantian, he then showed a helpless expression. Everything was still the same, the realm in the dreamland could only exist in the dream. Listening to Bai Xiaotian shouting outside, Shen Luo responded, got out of bed, and casually put the jade pillow that had somehow appeared on the bed back into the stone box, before he got up to open the door for him. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s weary and sleepy look, Bai Xiaotian said teasingly: ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to bed early last night, why do you still look languid? Could it be, you sneaked out to the Qinhuai River last night?¡± ¡°If only that were the case. I had a nightmare all night, when you called me just now, I thought it was another evil ghost monster coming for my life.¡± Shen Luo yawned and casually replied. But after saying this, he frowned slightly. In the dream, more than a year had clearly passed, but in reality, it was only a night¡¯s time. The contrast brought about by this time-space dislocation made him feel a bit disoriented. He wondered what would happen to Ying Luo and the children like Chen Guanbao after his return? Without the misty barriers and the invasion of monsters, they should be able to survive well in the village and become cultivators, right? Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 209: Quiet Room at the Bottom of the Mountain Chapter 211: Chapter 209: Quiet Room at the Bottom of the Mountain ¡°What are you thinking about, spacing out like that?¡± Bai Xiaotian noticed and interrupted his thoughts with a remark. ¡°Nothing, the dream was just too real. I haven¡¯t quite snapped out of it yet,¡± Shen Luo answered, half truthfully and half deceitfully. ¡°Alright, stop thinking. Go freshen up first. After breakfast, I¡¯ll take you around Jianye City for a good roam,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, slapping Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder with a chuckle. Originally, Shen Luo didn¡¯t fancy going out, and preferred to stay indoors to try practicing the skills he¡¯d learned in his dream. But seeing Bai Xiaotian¡¯s enthusiasm, he didn¡¯t want to let him down, so he nodded in agreement. After breakfast, Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo ventured out, accompanied by Green Sleeve, the eccentric and whimsical girl. They spent half the day out and about. Green Sleeve proved to be a better host than Bai Xiaotian, demonstrating a deep knowledge of all the fun and delicious happenings in Jianye City, dragging the two men to each spot one by one. Seeing the bustling and prosperous surroundings, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but recall Feng Chi City, guarded to the death by Yu Meng, Yu Yan and the others. He also thought of Longevity Village and Mount Fangcun, the places he had just left. He understood well that under the impending Demonic Tribulation, all this prosperity was but an ephemeral dream. For the first time, he found himself wishing, if only he could withstand the Demonic Tribulation. But how could he possibly make a difference when even the deeply rooted Immortal Sect of Mount Fangcun couldn¡¯t withstand the Demonic Tribulation? It wasn¡¯t until evening that the trio returned, carrying an ample assortment of purchases from their excursion. ¡°Shen Luo, don¡¯t be so rigid. How can you come to Jianye City but not sample some Flower Wine by the Qinhuai River? That¡¯s like leaving Baoshan without any treasure!¡± Bai Xiaotian advised, even after they had returned to the courtyard. ¡°If you want to go, go by yourself, don¡¯t drag me along. Speaking of which, does your house have any quiet rooms for secluded cultivation? Could I borrow one?¡± Shen Luo, thoroughly pestered, asked, seamlessly changing the subject. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaotian frowned slightly before laughing and saying: Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Who are you looking down upon with that request? Our noble Demon Exorcising Family, may lack many things, but not secluded cultivation chambers. But seriously, you are truly obsessed. Why not take a break for a few days before you continue your practice?¡± ¡°My talent is far inferior to yours. How can I afford to slack off when it comes to cultivation?¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°Oh well, oh well. I¡¯ll take you there. Satisfied?¡± Bai Xiaotian raised his hands in surrender. Green Sleeve, though she rarely saw Bai Xiaotian behave this way, couldn¡¯t help covering her mouth while giggling at the sight. Her eyes crinkling into crescents. In her memory, the Bai family¡¯s young master had always been wild by nature but inherently proud. He had never had a close friend like Shen Luo who could capture his interest and hold deep conversations with him. Those of the same age who could connect with him were indeed few and far between. Shen Luo returned to his room to put away new clothes and other purchases before following Bai Xiaotian towards the backyard of the Bai residence. Passing by the study of the Family Head, Bai Hecheng, they finally arrived at the actual backyard, where there was a private lake occupying an extensive area. Bai Xiaotian confidently led Shen Luo to a landscaped hill and stopped. ¡°Here?¡± Shen Luo looked at the landscaped hill before him, then glanced around, perplexed. Bai Xiaotian chuckled, patting the fake mountain a few times. The sound of machinery turning followed. Accompanied by a ¡°hiss¡± sound, a pitch-black entrance appeared underneath the towering landscaped hill. Chilly air seeped from within. ¡°The seclusion chamber for cultivation is situated under this lake,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a smile leading towards the cave entrance. Shen Luo followed on, descending a hundred staircase steps to enter an underground passage. The passage walls were lined with oil lamps, casting a rather bright light. After traversing several dozen feet, a spacious underground hall emerged ahead. In the centre of the hall was a circular stone platform about two feet high. On it sat a thin white-haired old woman, her spirit vibrant. Her eyes were tightly closed, seemingly in a state of meditation and cultivation. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, your grandson, greets Fifth Grandma,¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately raised his hands in greeting upon seeing the old woman. Shen Luo quickly followed suit. The woman, opening her eyes for only a moment, observed the pair. Her gaze lingered on Shen Luo a moment longer. She merely nodded, without uttering a word. ¡°Fifth Grandma, this is my close friend who is temporarily staying at our house. He will often come here to cultivate in the coming days. I¡¯ll be explaining this to my father soon,¡± Bai Xiaotian hurriedly explained. The old woman, upon hearing this, nodded again, and closed her eyes. Shen Luo looked around. He noticed a row of man-high entrances encircling the walls, densely distributed around the room. Inside each was a dark abyss, and he couldn¡¯t see the end. ¡°These are the meditation chambers for the Bai Family. They are somewhat special. Usually only the Qi Refining Seventh Layer disciples within our family are allowed here to cultivate. Everyone else can only practice on the training ground outside or in their own rooms,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be improper for me to be here?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the old woman, hesitating with his words. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s fine. I, being the eldest grandson of the main branch, still have some authority. Select a meditation chamber and cultivate at ease here. I must go to grandmother¡¯s place. I¡¯ll head back first,¡± Bai Xiaotian, clapping Shen Luo on the shoulder, chuckled. Shen Luo nodded and without saying anything else, selected a path and walked down. Bai Xiaotian, watching his retreating figure, laughed to himself and turned to leave. After taking a few hundred steps, Shen Luo reached the end of the path where an open stone door to the secret chamber lay. As he walked in, the door closed behind him. At that moment, strands of faint blue light flickered on the chamber¡¯s four walls. A unique pattern appeared, emanating thick waves of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the walls and ceiling. It was then that Shen Luo understood why Bai Xiaotian said this place was special ¡ª the secret chambers were reinforced by an array. He looked around again. The chamber was unexpectedly spacious, being several dozen feet wide. It was certainly enough for one to sit in meditation or even practice martial arts. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze swept across the room and saw a round straw cushion in the centre. He walked up to it and sat down. After sitting, he didn¡¯t immediately start cultivating. Instead, he checked on his own abilities. His current Qi Refining Fourth Layer level of cultivation had become significantly fortified, slightly improved from before. His current goal was to struggle forward to hopefully advance to the Qi Refining Fifth Layer soon. After gathering his thoughts, Shen Luo formed a holding circle with his hands and settled his mind for quiet meditation. He began reciting the Yellow Court Sutra, a spell he had learnt from the old Daoist in a dream at Mount Fangcun. Compared to the Nameless Method, which only cultivated spells, the Huangting Technique tempered his body whilst refining his abilities. If he could perfect it, the resulting growth would naturally be more significant. He did not dream of attaining the divine insight he had in the dream, where he had progressed at an extraordinary pace. However, with all the insights gained beforehand, there should be some benefits and his rate of cultivation need not be excessively slow. Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 210: The Complete Chun Yang Decision Chapter 212: Chapter 210: The Complete Chun Yang Decision After Shen Luo had calmed his mind and stabilized his qi, he silently channeled his energy while forming a magic spell. Unlike the previous all-out approach, he deliberately only invoked the first two sentences of the spell. He remembered the scene vividly when the heavenly and earthly spiritual qi surged towards him like a mad rush. Now, his cultivation level was only at the Qi Refining stage and he had no Meridians formed within his body. If a large amount of heavenly and earthly spiritual qi was to surge toward him all at once, his current body, even if he purposely controlled the speed at which he absorbs the spiritual qi, would surely be unable to bear it. However, after just a brief attempt, he furrowed his brows. The Huangting Divine Power had clearly been activated, but the expected gathering of spiritual qi from all directions did not occur. There were bits and pieces of heavenly and earthly spiritual qi converging, but the speed was extremely slow. Confused, Shen Luo continued to operate the Skill. However, half an hour later, the heavenly and earthly spiritual qi around him remained lukewarm. Compared to the scene when he was cultivating in the Dreamland, it was like comparing mud to clouds. ¡°This is too different from before!¡± Although Shen Luo had mentally prepared, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit unwilling. He stopped practicing the Huangting Technique and continued to cultivate the Nameless Technique instead. A moment later, he brought his hands together, his expression shifting unpredictably. Maybe due to the insights gained from the Dreamland experience or through the boosting array placed in the secret chamber, his cultivation speed of the Nameless Technique had improved considerably. In contrast, the slow cultivation speed of the Huangting Technique greatly surpassed that of the Nameless Technique from before. ¡°I have overestimated my horrible aptitude. I wonder if I can still learn the Slanting Moon Steps technique,¡± Shen Luo sighed involuntarily. Having said that, he stood up from the ground, gave himself a boost of confidence, and the Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting emerged in his mind. Each observation and understanding of the painting from before gradually surfaced in his mind, step-by-step, distinct and clear. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Shen Luo felt his mana operating silently inside his body, flowing through the meridians in his legs and pouring into his Qiao acupoints. His legs suddenly felt light and nimble. Overjoyed, he thought that all his former bitter cultivation experiences in the Dreamland had not been in vain after all. With a single thought, Shen Luo¡¯s steps stuttered under him. His body started swaying left and right like bamboo in the wind. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo commanded in his heart. However, the moment he intended to stride forward, the flow of his mana became messy, and he lost control, causing him to stumble and fall. With a muffled ¡°thud¡±! After several rolls, Shen Luo hit the wall hard and sat on the ground. He leaned against the wall and didn¡¯t immediately get up. Although he wasn¡¯t injured, he was confounded. He quietly recalled if there was anything improper when he attempted the Slanting Moon Steps. ¡°It seems that I was a bit too hasty¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo gave a self-mocking smile. Earlier, the circulation of his mana and the influx into his Qiao acupoint were all done according to the Skill. There was actually no issue, but when attempting to perform the steps, his mind¡¯s perception surpassed his physical performance. This caused an embarrassing situation where his body could not respond as quickly as his mind. In other words, his physical response could not keep up with his mental command for now. He needed to start over and cultivate with focused intent to gradually master the Slanting Moon Step Technique. ¡°At least it¡¯s not like the Huangting Technique where I could hardly cultivate. I guess slow and steady wins the race.¡± Shen Luo felt relieved. Having said this, instead of hastily trying to ignite the Slanting Moon Steps, he sat cross-legged again, closed his eyes, and visualized the Heavenly Bamboo Gazing at the Moon Painting in his Sea of Knowledge. For the next tens of days, Shen Luo would come to the secret chamber to cultivate every morning. Since the Huangting Technique was still making little progress, he temporarily gave up and continued focusing on the Nameless Technique. Meanwhile, he was continually practicing the Slanting Moon Step Technique in between cultivation sessions. Unexpectedly, he didn¡¯t know whether it was because the Dreamland comprehension was too vivid or he was simply well-suited for this set of Skills from the start, but his cultivation process was surprisingly smooth. That previous situation of sudden sluggishness in his steps didn¡¯t recur anymore, helping him realize that the problem was not due to insufficient mana but rather the control over the course of mana¡¯s flow. It took him just over ten days to grasp the basics, which was several times faster than he had originally estimated. By now, Shen Luo could initially perform the Slanting Moon Step Technique. However, both his speed and distance were considerably less compared to when he initially mastered it in the Dreamland. Even so, he was already quite satisfied. One day, like always, after Shen Luo arrived at the secret chamber and sat down cross-legged, instead of hastily starting to cultivate, he took out a rather unremarkable round jade pendant from his grasp. This was none other than the most important treasure, ¡°Pure Yang Scripture¡±, entrusted to him by the senior ancestor of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. As he looked at the jade pendant in his hand, he reflected on his past experiences at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and couldn¡¯t help but get lost in thought. He didn¡¯t know how the Pavilion was doing now, whether Master Luo and the others were out of danger. After all, it was the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and Master Luo who sheltered him during his most helpless time. Otherwise, he would probably have become a pile of yellow earth by now. After a while, Shen Luo gathered his thoughts and decided not to think about it anymore. A thought flashed through his mind, and a blue light suddenly illuminated from the jade pendant, lifting it into the air where it hovered in front of him. Then, he saw him forming mysterious spells with his hands, continually striking onto the jade pendant. After a flash of white light on the jade pendant, a light curtain seeped out of it. The curtain projected a dense array of words, which were, unmistakably, the verses for cultivating the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture.¡± ¡°Covering the Pure Sun¡¯s Method, Transforming Qi into Essence, Transforming Yang into Gang, Taking in spirits from the outside, Hiding Gods within¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s gaze fell upon the small characters. As his sight slowly moved down, he silently recited the verses to himself. Having read through almost ten thousand characters of the Skill, he was left somewhat speechless. Previously, Bai Xiaotian had revealed some information about the Pure Yang Sword Technique. He mentioned that this whole Skill consisted of twelve levels. Upon completing the tenth level, one could attempt to break through to the Grain Avoidance Stage. Moreover, Bai Xiaotian stipulated that if one cultivated the Pure Yang Sword Technique to the eleventh level before attempting a breakthrough, their mana would be strong and pure by many folds. But if they could cultivate to the twelfth level before breakthrough, their mana would even multiply by three, which would be greatly beneficial for future cultivation. However, the complexity of the last two levels of the Skill increases exponentially. According to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s knowledge, among Master Luo, Master Fengyang, and that traitor Elder Master Wang, all three broke through to the Grain Avoidance Stage after reaching the tenth level of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. As for the senior ancestor, he broke through after reaching the eleventh level of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. Shen Luo once asked if anyone had broken through to the Grain Avoidance Stage after the twelfth level. The only answer he received was a legend that only their founding ancestor had accomplished this feat in the history of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. However, the full version of the Pure Yang Sword Technique he was looking at currently contained more than just twelve levels. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 211: Incident at Shui Nuan Pavilion Chapter 213: Chapter 211: Incident at Shui Nuan Pavilion ¡°It appears that Master Luo held something back from his direct disciple, he didn¡¯t tell Bai Xiaotian about the complete Pure Yang Sword Technique that has been split into two parts. As a result, he knows only about the twelve levels of the first part, unaware that there are nine more levels in the second part,¡± Shen Luo murmured, understanding the situation. According to the technique, if both parts are fully cultivated, one can reach the Nascent Soul Stage! With his experiences of practicing the Nameless Technique and the Yellow Court Sutra in his dreams, Shen Luo¡¯s perspective has significantly broadened. He read the first part extremely carefully and found that, except for the last two levels, the rest of the content is not too profound, at least less complicated than the Yellow Court Sutra. He could vaguely sense a sense of righteousness and a grand aura of righteousness in the technique. In comparison, the Nameless Technique is like a winding river, while the Pure Yang Sword Technique is like a broad and straight highway. Shen Luo continued to read on. He found that following the second part of the technique were several mystic arts like ¡°Ghost Prohibition Technique of Yang Qi¡± and ¡°Fire Attraction Technique to Burn Yin.¡± In general, all these are based on the Pure Yang Sword Technique, combining mana and Yang Gang Qi, specifically for the function of suppressing ghosts. These techniques naturally inhibit the Yin Sha and ghost entities. After this, the Pure Yang Scripture provides a detailed method for refining a Pure Yang Symbol Sword. Using this method, cultivators can create Pure Yang Symbol Swords with different attributes based on different materials they use. Once a cultivator reaches the Grain Avoidance Stage, a regularly used talisman sword can be refined into a Pure Yang Sword Embryo through a secret method. The Sword Embryo should be kept close to the body and nurtured with personal Qi. In the beginning, a Pure Yang Sword Embryo is fragile and different from normal magical instruments; it cannot be used in combat. But once it absorbs the owner¡¯s Qi and nurtures a spiritual nature, the sword will immediately surpass other artifacts of the same level. Moreover, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo is inherently imbued with Pure Yang Qi, and it has an astonishing power against ghosts. However, these are not the major points that Shen Luo sees value in. He is most interested in the enormous potential that the Sword Embryo possesses. As long as the master progresses in cultivation and has a long lifespan, it could theoretically be promoted into a legendary magic treasure. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï According to his preliminary understanding, the power of a magic treasure is unimaginable to ordinary cultivators. Ordinary magical instruments are simply incomparable to it, and it is a treasure that countless cultivation sects dream of possessing. ¡°If I want to refine a talisman sword, considering the properties of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, it would be best to use materials with wood and gold elements¡­¡±, Shen Luo stroked his chin, beginning to plan how to refine the talisman sword. At the end of the method of refining the Pure Yang Symbol Sword, there is a final section that records a divine power known as the ¡°Great Unsealing Technique¡±. Not only is the name unusual, but its function is even more bizarre. According to the technique, once this divine power is cultivated, the practitioner can survive even gruesome injuries such as one¡¯s stomach being ripped open or limbs being severed. And when it¡¯s fully mastered, the practitioner can even survive fatal wounds like decapitation or cardiac extraction and recover immediately. ¡°It sounds so incredible, but is it true?¡± Shen Luo found this technique too unbelievable, leading him to have some doubts. However, he didn¡¯t have any chance to verify this now as this divine power cannot be cultivated at his current realm. The technique specifically warns not to attempt it unless one is at the Nascent Soul Stage. There was a lot of content recorded in the Pure Yang Scripture, and it was quite complicated as well. It took Shen Luo a while to remember everything after he finished reading. After that, it took him some more time to push down other distractions and carefully remember all the verses of the first part of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. He sat with his hands clasped in front of him, starting to meditate quietly. A moment later, he changed his hand seals and silently recited the Pure Yang Sword Technique¡¯s first level in his heart. Immediately afterward, he felt a disturbance in his Dantian. A rather hot breath rose from it, passed through the Ren meridian in front of him, reached the Danzhong point, and spread around his chest. As soon as this heat spread, Shen Luo felt a stuffiness in his chest and his body started to feel unbearably hot. He had to stop immediately and start practicing the Nameless Technique. As the Nameless Technique invoked a cool sensation that circulated around his body, the burning sensation gradually faded away. ¡°It seems I was too arrogant before. Although the verses of Pure Yang Sword Technique are easy to understand, the practice isn¡¯t that simple. It requires controlling the mana and supplementing it with Yang Gang Qi. It¡¯s indeed not easy,¡± Shen Luo thought quietly. From the look of the current unsuccessful situation, his advancement in practicing the Pure Yang Sword Technique might not be faster than the Yellow Court Sutra. Fortunately, nurturing a Pure Yang Sword Embryo doesn¡¯t require this technique; having Yang Gang Qi and a sufficient cultivation level will suffice. ¡°Right now, the priority is to increase the cultivation level and extend my lifespan by practicing the Nameless Technique. However, I can try to refine a Pure Yang Symbol Sword,¡± Shen Luo pondered. ¡­ The next day, early in the morning. After Shen Luo pushed open his room door, he went straight to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s room. The door was already open, and Bai Xiaotian was dressed and ready to go out. ¡°Are you going out?¡± Shen Luo asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°There¡¯s a problem with the business my father is managing in the Third Chamber. He asked me to check on it,¡± Bai Xiaotian replied, his face dark and troubled. ¡°You¡¯ve never cared about such matters; why send you?¡± Shen Luo questioned. ¡°If it was a business matter, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have me involved, but this is a case of murder; the deaths were rather peculiar,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained helplessly. ¡°Was it at the Bayang Tower? What happened?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Not the Bayang Tower, it was¡­ the Shui Nuan Pavilion,¡± Bai Xiaotian answered hesitantly, seeming a bit embarrassed. ¡°Shui Nuan Pavilion, isn¡¯t that the second-largest brothel on the Qinhuai River? How does your Bai Family get involved in such a business?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat taken aback. ¡°Cough, my family¡¯s Third Chamber¡­ has a wide range of businesses,¡± Bai Xiaotian coughed awkwardly. Seeing that, Shen Luo refrained from teasing him and continued, ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± ¡°This is how it happened¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian proceeded to explain. As it turned out, within the short span of half a month, three deaths have occurred at the ¡°Shui Nuan Pavilion,¡± which their family operates. First to go was an odd-job worker, then a mediocre courtesan, followed by a regular customer. All three of them had drowned, with their faces underwater, they were found floating on the river outside the Shui Nuan Pavilion. The Qinhuai River generally flows from west to east, if there were floating corpses, they should have been washed away by the river. But strangely, all three bodies remained still on the water surface, none of them drifted with the current. The entire situation was truly bizarre. Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 212: White Water Daoist Master Chapter 214: Chapter 212: White Water Daoist Master ¡°Is there no heavy object dragging at the bottom of the water?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°There is neither heavy object dragging nor aquatic plants hindering, nothing at all. Precisely because it is a bit unusual, combined with the recent unrest in the city, various rumors have emerged. Now the Shui Nuan Pavilion is almost regarded as a haunted house, and the business has plummeted.¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head as he spoke. From the beginning, the Bai family didn¡¯t pay much attention to this. After all, the banks of Qinhuai River are prone to troubles. Every year, there are about ten to twenty people who fall into the water due to drunkenness, despair, or in an act of love revenge. Even if it happens to their own family, usually some silver is used to appease the government officials, then a guest official Taoist priest is sent to perform a ceremony. Regardless of the existence of evil spirits or not, as long as they make a show of it for guests and the common people to see, the incident can be easily suppressed. However, the drowning incidents are happening one after another, like dumplings dropping in a pot, which is really hard to suppress. Rumors in the neighborhood are now spreading, claiming that Shui Nuan Pavilion houses ghostly specters. The three people died unjustly, their corpses were bound by resentment, hence they float instead of drifting away. ¡°I also plan to go out and take a look, let¡¯s go together.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes sparkled slightly, a hint of a smile appeared on his face. The two had just stepped out of the room when they heard a flurry of hurried footsteps outside. Soon, the maid, Green Sleeve, rushed in with a panic-stricken face, repeatedly crying out: ¡°Bad¡­ bad news, Young Master, it¡¯s really bad¡­ ¡± At these words, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian glanced at each other, a hint of gloom crossing their faces. ¡°What happened? Speak slowly.¡± Bai Xiaotian asked in a deep voice. ¡°The head cashier of the west city¡¯s Fashan Silk Shop visited his beloved Miss Shuiyuan at the Shui Nuan Pavilion last night, but this morning, his body was found floating in the same place as the previous three in the river.¡± Green Sleeve¡¯s face paled slightly as she gasped for breath. Bai Xiaotian sighed inwardly and silently walked towards the front door of the courtyard. Shen Luo touched his nose and followed him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Young Master, the carriage is ready and waiting outside the gate¡­¡± Green Sleeve quickly caught up with them a few steps and shouted on her tiptoes. ¡­ The speed of the carriage within the city was limited, so it took almost half a moment to arrive at the Shui Nuan Pavilion. Shen Luo stepped down from the carriage and looked up. Before him, there was a thirty or forty bosses, standing tall at the red gate tower. Above were delicately carved and painted beams, depicting scenes of birds orienting towards the phoenix and flowers contending in the spring. Stepping through the entrance and after a few steps, there is a grand three-story tower. There are colored glaze tiles making up the flying eaves between each floor of the tower, and underneath there are bright red lanterns hanging, presenting a vivid color. Inside the tower, there is a golden hall. In the central position, there is a large twelve-fold screen, with a stage made by white jade, fenced by the railings. On the left and right, there are stairs leading to the second floor. The Shui Nuan Pavilion, which is usually bustling with customers, is relatively quiet today, with very few people to be seen. Only a middle-aged woman dressed in purple satin is quietly reprimanding a few servants, ordering them not to talk to outsiders about the Shui Nuan Pavilion. Seeing Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo entering, the woman immediately put away her worried expression, went up to greet them and gave a bow. Shen Luo observed her for a moment and saw her good looks and exquisite figure. The fine lines that could not be concealed by the powder at the corners of her eyes hinted at her age. Judging by her manners and demeanor, it was apparent that she was the senior maid here. ¡°Young Master, I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve arrived.¡± The middle-aged woman, apparently reassured by their presence, pulled out her handkerchief from around her waist and wiped the corners of her eyes as she spoke. ¡°Aunt Feng, where is the body?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked directly. ¡°His body was left by the waterside in the backyard and not brought into the house. The government officials conducted their investigation and already left. The White Water Daoist is currently there,¡± Aunt Feng briefly explained, not daring to say more. Bai Xiaotian said nothing and headed towards the screen. Shen Luo followed him past the screen and out through the gate at the back. The Shui Nuan Pavilion was built facing the Qinhuai River, and in the backyard was a small dock. In the past, flower boats would be moored there for honored guests to enjoy the river views with their female companions. But now, beside the river lay the corpse of a portly man dressed as a wealthy merchant, quietly lying in the shadow of the tower. Standing next to him was a thin, old man with high cheekbones, sunken cheeks, wearing a gray-white Taoist robe. Not far from there, over the river, hanged a three-hole stone arch bridge. It was strikingly engraved with the three characters ¡°Zhenhuai Bridge¡± beneath the middle of its railing. At one end of the bridge stood a mythical beast that resembled a unicorn rhinoceros which protects the river. It stood on a stone pedestal, only about the height of a person. After enduring years of weathering, it was covered in green moss and left with patches and traces of wear everywhere. Around this beast, and on the entire bridge, stood many townspeople. Their faces expressed a mix of curiosity, fear, repulsion and inexplicable excitement as they pointed and murmured amongst themselves in hushed tones. Shen Luo scrutinized the man¡¯s corpse. The body was already swollen from immersion, its visible skin reflecting a cyan hue. Even though the corpse¡¯s expression seemed fairly peaceful, Shen Luo could sense an ominous aura emanating from it. ¡°Greetings, master,¡± Bai Xiaotian moved forward and gave a respectful bow to the thin old Daoist. Shen Luo reciprocated with a fist-and-palm salute in respect. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re here,¡± the Old Daoist also gave them a bow with a frown on his face. ¡°What is the situation now?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°Same as the people before. The forensic examiners said they all drowned, Poor Daoist found no anomalies,¡± The White Water Daoist sighed and said. ¡°Do you have an idea when he might have died?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°Perhaps between midnight and the early morning¡­ It¡¯s rather shameful, I was present in the pavilion the whole time, yet I didn¡¯t perceive anything. His corpse was first discovered by the servants this morning,¡± The White Water Daoist admitted. ¡°Does Miss Shuiyuan know when he left?¡± Bai Xiaotian then turned to Aunt Feng and asked. ¡°Alas, she was so terrified that she couldn¡¯t tell. She said she had fallen into a deep sleep last night and had no knowledge of when he left. Now, she even dares not stay in the Shui Nuan Pavilion and has gone elsewhere to recuperate,¡± Aunt Feng sighed in sorrow. Bai Xiaotian said nothing for a moment before pulling out a yellow paper charm from his sleeve. He then leaned down and stuck it right between the dead man¡¯s eyebrows. A soft ¡®poof¡¯ sound was heard as a spark ignited on the charm, causing it to suddenly flare up and slowly start to burn. ¡°Yin Sha Qi summoning charm!¡± The White Water Daoist exclaimed with a light in his eyes. At these words, Shen Luo focused his attention on the burning charm. He had also heard of such charms. While the charm was burning, it could use the flame to draw out the hidden Yin Sha Qi. If this Mr. Gao really was harmed by a Yin Sha ghost, his body would probably retain the Yin Sha Qi. With the charm now lit on his forehead, it was expected that Yin Qi would start seeping out of his seven orifices. Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 213: The White-Faced Scholar Chapter 215: Chapter 213: The White-Faced Scholar However, when the talisman paper had burnt out, Shen Luo saw no signs of Yin Qi being drawn out. ¡°Take me to Miss Shuiyuan¡¯s boudoir,¡± Bai Xiaotian said to Aunt Feng, a slight frown on his face. Aunt Feng immediately agreed and led them back into the Shui Nuan Pavilion, up to the room overlooking the river on the second floor. The room was filled with the lingering scent of cosmetics, and everything was in disarray, still bearing traces of the previous night. Bai Xiaotian once again ignited a Yin Sha Qi-drawing talisman and walked around the room, but as the talisman¡¯s flame gradually extinguished, he still didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. ¡°It appears that everything is in order,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions just yet. Didn¡¯t another girl named Qing Guan also drown in the river? Why don¡¯t we go to her room and take a look?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°I have already inspected Silver Sparrow¡¯s room, and found no issues,¡± said White Water Daoist with a scowl, glancing at Shen Luo with some displeasure. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, why not take another look?¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. A flicker of anger passed over White Water Daoist¡¯s face when he heard Shen Luo¡¯s words. ¡°Since the Daoist Master has already checked and assured there are no issues, there must be none. As a junior, I was ordered to investigate this matter, so why not take another look before reporting back to father.¡± Bai Xiaotian promptly said to mediate. ¡°That¡­ is a fair point,¡± said the White Water Daoist, his expression softening slightly. Aunt Feng fetched the key and unlocked the door to the adjacent room. ¡°After Silver Sparrow¡¯s death, I locked this room and stopped using it,¡± Aunt Feng explained. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Shen Luo and the others entered and saw that the room had already been tidied, leaving only tables, chairs, and a bed, all of which were covered in a thin layer of dust. Bai Xiaotian once again ignited a Yin Sha Qi-drawing talisman and began to walk around the room. Shen Luo approached the bed and pushed open the tightly shut window. He immediately caught sight of the Qinhuai River and upon looking down, he saw the body of the obese man. The river water next to the corpse was a deep green, tinged with an eerie black undertone, giving off an ominous feeling the longer one stared. ¡°There¡¯s no Yin Qi. It seems that this was probably just a coincidence, nothing strange,¡± Bai Xiaotian said as his talisman burnt out. ¡°Just because we can¡¯t perceive any lingering Yin Qi doesn¡¯t prove that there¡¯s nothing strange going on. I believe there¡¯s more to this than meets the eye. Don¡¯t rush to conclusions,¡± Shen Luo said, furrowing his brows as he shifted his gaze away from the river. ¡°Hmph, where did this lofty monk come from? The young master and I have both inspected the situation and found no issues, yet you insist there¡¯s a ghost. Why don¡¯t you tell us what¡¯s so weird about it?¡± White Water Daoist said coldly, clearly annoyed. Aunt Feng also looked at Shen Luo with a measure of anger. They were in business and naturally didn¡¯t want to be associated with ghostly affairs for no reason. They remained silent only because of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s presence. Just as Shen Luo was about to argue, he saw Bai Xiaotian give him a look, suggesting not to say more. Meanwhile, a sudden commotion arose from outside the window. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Let¡¯s go check,¡± Bai Xiaotian said as he pulled Shen Luo towards the stairs. The old Daoist and Aunt Feng hurriedly followed. When they arrived at the riverbank in the backyard, they saw the crowd who had been observing the drowned corpse were now surrounding a white-faced scholar in a scholar robe and loudly reprimanding him for something. After listening for a bit, Shen Luo realized that the scholar had climbed onto the stone platform of the River Guardian Beast in order to get a better view of the corpse of the headshopkeeper, an act viewed by the crowd as disrespectful towards the River God. ¡°You young chap, how could you be so ignorant? Being so disrespectful to the gods despite being a scholar!¡± ¡°Exactly, a scholar with no manners from books, just coming here to join the chaos!¡± ¡°Disrespecting the River Guardian Beast, you¡¯re simply seeking death! If the water ghost comes looking for a life, you¡¯ll be the next one¡­¡± ¡°Ghosts and spirits are not to be talked about; all of this talk of gods and ghosts, it¡¯s just nonsense¡­¡± The scholar, his face red and ears burning, couldn¡¯t help but defend himself. Little did he know that his quiet voice was heard clearly by the White Water Daoist, who immediately scolded him. ¡°Where did this ignorant scholar come from, uttering nonsense there, get down now!¡± This shout, indeed a voice of one man, overpowered the hustle and bustle of dozens of people on the bridge, startling the scholar who couldn¡¯t help but shudder. The surrounding crowd paused for a moment, then began to scold the scholar loudly. The white-faced scholar, having been thoroughly embarrassed, could only reluctantly get down from the stone platform under the water beast, cast a glance in the direction of the old Daoist, his eyes unintentionally meeting with Shen Luo¡¯s, and then hastened into the crowd and disappeared. Seeing the scholar¡¯s demeanor when he left, and recalling his brief eye contact with him, Shen Luo felt a strange, familiar feeling, but couldn¡¯t recall anything when he tried to think more about it. Upon returning to Shui Nuan Pavilion, Bai Xiaotian instructed the White Water Daoist to stay vigilant and not relax his guard before he left with Shen Luo. Once they were back in the carriage, Bai Xiaotian noticed Shen Luo¡¯s silence and, thinking that he was upset from the encounter with the White Water Daoist, attempted to lighten the mood: ¡°The White Water Daoist has been serving our family for many years and is always diligent. I must respect him.¡± In reality, what Shen Luo was still contemplating was the white-faced scholar. ¡°Do you really believe that there¡¯s nothing strange about what happened at Shui Nuan Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo asked, snapping out of his thoughts and furrowing his brows. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool. Four people have died in just over half a month. How could there be nothing strange? It¡¯s just that since no Yin Sha Qi was found, it¡¯s not something you can casually mention.¡± Bai Xiaotian gave a bitter smile and replied in a low voice. ¡°What do you mean? Do you think that this incident was not caused by a supernatural force?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°The Bai family is the number one demon-hunting family in Jianye City. Over the years, both the Lin family and the Du family have constantly been challenging us, openly and secretly.¡± Bai Xiaotian hinted, but didn¡¯t say more. Shen Luo realized that he was suspecting someone was targeting the Bai family and had orchestrated these incidents. However, he felt that there might be more to the situation here. However, at present, these were all just his instincts. Without evidence, he couldn¡¯t just blurt it out. ¡°You mentioned earlier that you wanted to go out. What are you planning to do?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about going to the shops in the city to look around and see if I can buy some materials for talisman paper,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°We have plenty of talisman paper at home. What kind of spiritual material are you looking to buy?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, confused. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. I¡¯ll decide when I get there. I¡¯m just going to broaden my horizons,¡± Shen Luo said, smiling nonchalantly. ¡°Alright, since I have nothing to do at the moment, I¡¯ll take you there to have a look around. Otherwise, God knows where in Jianye City sells such things,¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed. Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 214 Second Young Master Chapter 216: Chapter 214 Second Young Master Under his guidance, the carriage turned around the corner and up to Zhenhuai Bridge. It was still crowded with quite a few people who, only after being urged by the coachman, gave way for them. Only then did they cross the stone bridge and head for the other side. The carriage traversed through the streets, gradually moving away from the bustling area near Qinhuai River. The number of pedestrians dwindled, and the shops on both sides returned to their original simple appearance, no longer adorned with fancy decorations. About half an hour later, the carriage entered a quiet street. Bai Xiaotian halted and disembarked with Shen Luo, walking into the street. ¡°In Jianye City, there aren¡¯t many shops that sell the spiritual materials and spiritual medicines required by practitioners. Most of them are located in unnoticeable corners of the city. It would be hard for anyone to find them without someone familiar showing the way,¡± Bai Xiaotian guided while explaining. Shen Luo glanced ahead in the direction Bai Xiaotian was pointing and saw a small two-floor tower sandwiched between a row of shops in the corner. Its white walls and green tiles looked quite ordinary. A black glossy wooden plaque hung under the eaves above the shop. With numerous tiny cracks on it, it was clear it was an old piece. It was engraved with the characters ¡°Lubao Hall¡±, and off to the side, the words ¡°Jianye Grocery Store¡± were annotated in smaller letters. At the shop entrance, there also stood two tall teenagers dressed in black, guarding the left and right like door gods. Before Shen Luo could get close, he could already hear the clamor coming from the shop. He listened carefully and could faintly hear a young voice coming out intermittently. ¡°Uncle Ma, just let your daughter obediently follow me, although she can¡¯t be the main wife, she can still be a beloved concubine¡­¡± ¡°Rest assured, I, the young master, will certainly treat her well. You can comfortably be a fortunate father-in-law. Isn¡¯t this way better than managing this little shop?¡± Shen Luo, upon hearing this, couldn¡¯t help but frown tightly. This was clearly a standard version of a bully oppressing people and forcibly taking a civilian¡¯s daughter, which he had read about in books while he was idle. He didn¡¯t expect to encounter it in real life. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t expect this under the broad daylight¡­¡± Shen Luo turned his head to look at Bai Xiaotian, but he swallowed his words halfway. He saw that Bai Xiaotian¡¯s face had darkened, his eyes restrained a tide of nameless rage, almost bursting out. Just as Shen Luo was surprised at Bai Xiaotian¡¯s anger, he saw Bai Xiaotian storming towards the shop entrance, and the two black-clothed youths at the entrance also stepped up to meet him. Seeing that a conflict was about to erupt, Shen Luo hurried to catch up. As a result, he saw the two black-clothed youths suddenly bowing their fists in salute when they came to Bai Xiaotian, respectfully shouting ¡°Young Master¡±. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, as if he had realized something. Then he heard Bai Xiaotian say in a low voice ¡°you damned thing¡±, before he strode into Lubao Hall. Shen Luo also quickly entered the shop, only to see an old man with a white and clean face and droopy eyebrows, wearing a soft corner turban and a Chinese collared robe, leaning against the front counter of the shop. He was crouching slightly backward, sheltering a young girl wearing a ruqun dress. The man¡¯s face was white and clean, his eyebrows slightly drooped, his lips bore a two-pronged mustache, and he looked sorrowful. The young girl behind him was about fourteen or fifteen years old, with snow-white skin, bright eyes and a charming demeanor. A bright red safflower was attached in the middle of her eyebrows, making her look vibrant and lively. In front of them stood a teenager dressed in white brocade, his waist tied with a white jade belt, and with a carved jade crown on his head. He was quite handsome, exuding an aura of wealth and was hardly a ruffian who would bully men and women. Although the young man looked only about fifteen or sixteen years old, he had a hand stroking his chin, completely revealing a comically pretentious mature demeanor. ¡°Bai Xiaoyun, you little rascal, are you itching for a beating?¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly shouted in anger. The young man in white robes¡¯ face changed drastically as he heard Bai Xiaotian¡¯s voice. The hand stroking his chin hurriedly retracted, but he seemed not to know where to place it and seemed to be in a flurry. ¡°Bro¡­brother, how come you are here?¡± The young man in white robes turned around, looked at Bai Xiaotian, and asked anxiously. ¡°Why did I come? If I hadn¡¯t, you probably would have punched a hole in the sky by now,¡± said Bai Xiaotian, furious at his behavior and rolled up his sleeves, ready to step in. Bai Xiaoyun instantly reacted like a mouse seeing a cat, covered his ears, wore a pitiful expression, and implored, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t pull my ears, don¡¯t hit my face.¡± After speaking, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to his fate. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s raised hand clenched slowly and with a ¡°dong¡± sound, knocked him on the forehead. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun screamed and clutched his head in pain, gasping for breath. Shen Luo witnessed this and couldn¡¯t help letting out a smile. Feeling Shen Luo¡¯s reaction, Bai Xiaoyun didn¡¯t dare to raise his head. He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and glared in annoyance. Shen Luo¡¯s smile deepened, and he touched his chin, emulating the Young Master¡¯s arrogant demeanor just now. This infuriated Bai Xiaoyun even more. His eyes filled with anger and just as he was about to retort, he received another knock on the head from Bai Xiaotian, forcing him to lower his head again. This blow was stronger, and Bai Xiaoyun was in so much pain that tears nearly sprang from his eyes. Yet, he didn¡¯t dare show any resentment towards Bai Xiaotian. Shen Luo watched this scene and chuckled under his breath. This youngster was a definite troublemaker that was forced to tacitly accept his punishment by Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Is this how the Bai Family taught you to treat people? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to apologize to Manager Ma and Miss Ma?¡± Bai Xiaotian calmly said, seeing that the young man had calmed down. ¡°Brother, I was planning to propose to her. A fair maiden with a good character makes a fine match for a gentleman; What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Bai Xiaoyun quietly grumbled, not forgetting to glance at the young girl hiding behind Manager Ma. ¡°You¡¯re still making excuses!¡± Bai Xiaotian became even angrier at this. Bai Xiaoyun remained stubborn, with his hands still covering his ears and he did not utter a word. ¡°Manager Ma, I apologize for the lack of discipline in the Bai Family. I am here to make formal apologies to you,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed, clasped his fists and bowed, apologizing to Manager Ma and his daughter on his own. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all just a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding¡­¡± Manager Ma hurriedly said. The young girl behind him remained silent, her face flushed bright red. ¡°Each must bear their own guilt. It¡¯s not my brother¡¯s place to apologize for me. Uncle Ma¡­ Manager Ma, I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault. Please forgive me,¡± Bai Xiaoyun suddenly stiffened, his fists clenched, and forced the words through his teeth. Observing this, Shen Luo suddenly found this youngster a tad more interesting. ¡°Since it was a misunderstanding, there¡¯s no need for apologies. It¡¯s not a big deal¡­¡± Manager Ma wiped his sweat and said. ¡°Though Manager Ma forgave you, it doesn¡¯t mean things are settled. Go home first, and I¡¯ll come find you later,¡± Bai Xiaotian glared at Bai Xiaoyun and said. Responding with a simple ¡°Oh,¡± Bai Xiaoyun didn¡¯t argue and turned to leave. Upon reaching the door, he abruptly looked up at Shen Luo. Seeing his interested expression, annoyance flashed in his eyes. ¡°What are you looking at!¡± Bai Xiaoyun shouted, exited the shop with the two young men in black, and strode away. Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 215: Materials for Drawing Amulets Chapter 217: Chapter 215: Materials for Drawing Amulets ¡°I apologize on behalf of my little brother for causing trouble,¡± Bai Xiaotian said to Manager Ma with a hint of helplessness on his face. ¡°Young Master, please don¡¯t say that, you will embarrass me greatly. What brings you here today? Is there anything specific you wish to buy?¡± replied Manager Ma. After whispering a few words to his daughter and sending her towards the back hall, he waved his hand and asked. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not me who wants to buy something. I wanted to introduce my friend, Shen Luo. Manager Ma, this is Shen Luo.¡± Bai Xiaotian introduced the two to each other. ¡°So, it¡¯s Master Shen. As a friend of the Young Master, just tell us if you need anything. Our shop only sells genuine items.¡± Manager Ma turned to Shen Luo and asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, but I don¡¯t have a specific item in mind. I just wanted to see what spiritual materials you have in your shop, so that I¡¯ll have an idea about it for future needs.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Master, you¡¯ve come to the right place if you¡¯re looking for spiritual materials. Although our shop may look small, we are well-known in all of Jianye City for having a comprehensive collection of them. Everything available is listed on this Hundred Treasures Grid. You can check if there¡¯s anything you are interested in.¡± Manager Ma said with a smile. Up until that point, Shen Luo had been too focused on Bai Xiaoyun to notice the arrangement within the shop. When he looked around, he noticed that the wall opposite him was lined with a densely packed Hundred Treasures Grid just like the medicine cabinet in his own apothecary. The grid was covered with small strips of paper, each marking the name of an item. As his gaze swept across the top layer of the Hundred Treasures Grid, he noticed many items that he had seen in the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb,¡± and was familiar with most of their medicinal properties. ¡°Manager, may I ask, how old is the ginseng listed on the Hundred Treasures Grid, and what is the selling price?¡± Shen Luo asked, intrigued. ¡°All ginseng sold in our shop are aged fifty years. We charge by weight. A qian (unit of weight) of ginseng costs a hundred taels of gold.¡± Manager Ma responded. As he spoke, he drew out a long box from the Hundred Treasures Grid and placed it on the counter to open it. Shen Luo leaned in to look. The ginseng, if you excluded the roots, was only as long as a pinkie finger. It didn¡¯t even have a single iron-like streak. Compared to the thousand-year ginseng he¡¯d dug up in the Hundred Herbs Valley on Mount Fangcun, the difference was extreme. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï This ginseng looked like it weighed three or four qian, yet it was worth three or four hundred taels of gold. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but marvel. If he could bring out that thousand-year ginseng, wouldn¡¯t it be worth several million taels of gold? ¡°Indeed, it is a treasure.¡± Shen Luo marveled, gently pushing the long box back. Seeing this, Manager Ma¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly, but the smile didn¡¯t fade from his face. He took the box back. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze continued to wander. Suddenly, his eyes flashed. He spotted a name he was familiar with: Floating Shadow Jade. This was one of the materials required for refining the talisman ink used in creating the Thunderfall Talisman. With that, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze moved again. He scanned the Hundred Treasures Grid and soon found ¡°Blue Electrostone¡± and ¡°Golden Shell.¡± His heart was filled with joy. If he could acquire these materials, he could attempt to create a high-level Thunderfall Talisman again. He clearly remembered the power released by the Thunderfall Talismans during the battle in Longevity Village. It was a sight that he could not forget. ¡°Manager, how much are Floating Shadow Jade, Blue Electrostone, and Golden Shell?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°These items are often used for refining talisman ink. They are not expensive. Golden Shell and Blue Electrostone are ten taels of silver each, whereas Floating Shadow Jade is slightly more expensive, costing fifteen taels each.¡± Manager Ma explained. ¡°They are indeed not expensive . . .¡± Shen Luo muttered. He quickly calculated. He did have some silver on him, but it wouldn¡¯t amount to more than dozens of taels. Even if he used all of it to buy these items, it wouldn¡¯t amount to much. ¡°Master Shen, are you interested in these items? Could it be that you are a talisman master?¡± Manager Ma seemed to have realized something and asked with his eyes sparkling. Bai Xiaotian also cast a doubtful look at Shen Luo upon hearing this. ¡°Manager Ma, you overpraise me. I am nowhere near a talisman master. I am just doodling around, the success of which depends entirely on fate.¡± Shen Luo replied with a carefree smile. ¡°Master Shen, you¡¯re being overly modest. To be straightforward, not only does our shop sell spiritual materials and talismanic instruments, but we also buy talismans and other magical items. We offer a fair price.¡± As Manager Ma gauged Shen Luo¡¯s reaction, he continued. ¡°Hearing Manager Ma put it that way has piqued my interest. If I successfully create talismans in the future, I may come sell them here. I hope you won¡¯t disdain them.¡± On hearing these words, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes instantly lit up. ¡°Of course.¡± Manager Ma patted his chest and spoke. Bai Xiaotian looked somewhat taken aback on the sidelines. His aim was to broaden Shen Luo¡¯s horizons by bringing him here. How did their discussion turn into a potential business deal? ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take five pieces each of these three items,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment¡¯s deliberation. ¡°Very well. I will package these for you right away.¡± Even before he finished speaking, Manager Ma turned to pack the items. Shen Luo turned to Bai Xiaotian and sent him an ¡°I need your help¡± look. Bai Xiaotian was slightly surprised at first, but quickly understood what Shen Luo wanted. He said, ¡°Manager Ma, please put whatever Shen Luo buys on my tab.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Without turning around, Manager Ma replied. ¡°So generous . . . I¡¯ll reimburse you once I get in touch with my family.¡± Shen Luo gave him a thumbs up and laughed. ¡°What¡¯s this fuss about a small amount of money? Are you treating me as a friend or not?¡± Bai Xiaotian batted away Shen Luo¡¯s thumbs up, laughed and playfully scolded. ¡°Master Shen, we also have high quality Green Frost Talisman Paper and Purple Cloud Talisman Paper in our shop. Would you be interested in taking a look?¡± Manager Ma placed the Floating Shadow Jade and other items in a package on the counter and asked tentatively. ¡°It would be my pleasure, Manager Ma,¡± Shen Luo said, his interest instantly piqued on hearing ¡°Purple Cloud Talisman Paper¡±. The jade slip he obtained from Mount Fangcun mentioned several high-level talismans. It was indicated explicitly that they required Purple Cloud Paper as talisman paper to manifest their full power. The only exception was the Thunderfall Talisman, which could work with other types of talisman paper as a substitute. Shen Luo, who was confused about the special properties of ¡°Purple Cloud Talisman Paper¡±, now had the chance to clarify his doubts. Quickly, Manager Ma took out two wooden boxes from the Hundred Treasures Grid, placed them on the counter. He was ten times more careful than before as he slowly opened the boxes. Shen Luo peered inside. In the box on the left, there was a stack of green talisman papers about the size of a palm. The paper was fine and smooth, with not a hint of the grass skin markings commonly present on Yellow Talisman Paper. Instead, it faintly displayed some white specks, much like frost or snow. In the right box was another stack of talisman papers of the same size, only slightly thicker. It was a dark purple color, and its surface faintly exhibited slightly darker auspicious cloud patterns. ¡°Manager Ma, may I ask the difference between these two types of talisman papers?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 216: Division of Talisman Paper Chapter 218: Chapter 216: Division of Talisman Paper ¡°Could it be that Master Shen doesn¡¯t know the difference between these talisman papers?¡± Manager Ma appeared somewhat surprised when he heard this. ¡°I really have no idea. Please enlighten me,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Well, allow me to explain¡­ These talismans are divided into different grades, and talisman papers also vary. The commonly seen yellow talisman paper, also known as Yellow List Paper, is the simplest and most inferior,¡± Manager Ma chuckled lightly before he explained. ¡°I know of this. Because the mana and Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi the Yellow Talisman Paper can withstand is limited, it can only be used to draw low-grade talismans. If one were to force a high-grade talisman onto it, the paper wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it and would ignite. But what¡¯s different about the Green Frost Paper?¡± Although Shen Luo knew that Green Frost Paper was better than Yellow Talisman Paper, he was unsure about the specifics. ¡°Does Friend Shen have heard of the phrase ¡®green words and green chapters¡¯?¡± Manager Ma asked in reply. ¡°Of course I have. ¡®Green words and green chapters¡¯ is a ceremonial phrase for Daoism, a written prayer sent to the heavens during rituals. Why do you ask this?¡± Shen Luo nodded and conjectured. ¡°The Green Frost Paper also goes by another name ¨C Green Words Paper.¡± Manager Ma stroked his beard and laughed. ¡°So, this Green Words Paper is used to write prayers?¡± Shen Luo asked, suddenly understanding. ¡°Correct, such talisman paper was originally made to write ¡®green words and green chapters¡¯, a way to communicate between Heaven and Earth. It is that when creating it, a spiritual material named Praying Spirit Fragrance was mixed in. Hence, when drawing talismans with this paper, it is easier to attract the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, leading to a naturally higher chance of success in talisman making,¡± Manager Ma explained. ¡°What about the Purple Cloud Talisman Paper, what¡¯s its story?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The reason this type of talisman paper is named ¡®Purple Cloud¡¯ is that its main ingredient is a spiritual material called Purple Spirit Rouge Grass. The environment it grows in is harsh and its quantity is scarce. However, this type of grass is excellent at containing Spiritual Qi, so once made into talisman paper, it retains this behavior. It can withstand much larger forces than Green Words Papers and is therefore often used to draw high-grade talismans,¡± Manager Ma explained. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ve learned something new. How are these two types of talisman paper sold?¡± Shen Luo asked promptly. ¡°Green Words Paper is not too expensive. Ten pieces can be bought for one piece of Immortal Jade. However, if you want to buy Purple Cloud Paper, one piece of Immortal Jade can only buy one piece,¡± Manager Ma gently stroked his mustache as he spoke. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Can only Immortal jade be used? Gold and silver can¡¯t be accepted?¡± Shen Luo frowned as he asked. ¡°Master Shen, these two materials are different from ordinary spiritual material, they can only be purchased using Immortal jade,¡± Manager Ma shook his head as he explained. Shen Luo naturally did not have any Immortal jade, and naturally couldn¡¯t borrow anymore from Bai Xiaotian. Therefore, his desire to attempt to draw other high-grade talismans had to be shelved. ¡°Right now, the Talismans I can draw are enough with the Yellow Talisman Paper. If I were to use high-grade talisman paper, it would be a bit of a waste.¡± Shen Luo maintained his composure and commented jovially. ¡°No problem, no problem. These talisman papers are here, they won¡¯t sprout wings and fly away. When Friend Shen finally grasps the essence of talisman making and can draw high-grade talismans, there¡¯s still time to come back and buy them,¡± Manager Ma, unfazed, took the wooden case back, chuckling. Afterwards, Shen Luo purposefully looked at some spiritual materials and found that only ¡°Lightning Wood¡± was suitable for refining the Pure Yang Symbol Sword. Regrettably, it also needed to be bought with Immortal jade, so he had to give up. After Bai Xiaotian paid to help him buy the Floating Shadow Jade and other items, the two of them left Lubao Hall. ¡°Where can Immortal jade be obtained?¡± Shen Luo asked on the way back. ¡°Immortal jade is different from gold and silver and is not something a normal person can come across. However, when we accept requests to kill demons at home, we sometimes receive Immortal jade as compensation. As for other ways, you could go to a sect and serve as an homage, there might be a chance to get some,¡± Bai Xiaotian suggested. ¡°Previously, Manager Ma mentioned that they buy finished talismans, I wonder if they can pay with Immortal jade?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his chin and asked. ¡°What are you thinking, stop dreaming! Unless it¡¯s a high-grade talisman, possibly. Ordinary low-grade talismans can only be paid for with gold and silver, moreover, they need to be attack-type talismans to be worth some money,¡± Bai Xiaotian glanced dismissively at Shen Luo, immediately pouring a bucket of cold water on his plan. Shen Luo laughed sheepishly. He mused that the Thunderfall Talisman, Flying Talisman and other talismans he made were of a high rank so if he could really sell them, they would certainly be traded for Immortal jade. The only pity was that he did not have any extra money to buy the talisman paper and materials needed for drawing talismans. The two of them were talking off and on when the carriage passed over Zhenhuai Bridge once again. Shen Luo lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside, noticing that the crowd of onlookers on the bridge had already dispersed. The corpse by the riverbank behind Shui Nuan pavilion seemed to have been claimed by its family. He slowly withdrew his gaze and was about to let down the curtain when he suddenly felt a shudder in his heart. That¡¯s because he saw a very familiar flower pattern on the back of the River Guardian Beast at the bridgehead. ¡°Other Shore Flower¡­¡± Shen Luo whispered internally, but by the time he wanted to get a clearer look, the carriage had already crossed the bridge and turned onto the road on the right. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bai Xiaotian saw his peculiar expression and asked. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just that the pattern on the River Guardian Beast looked a bit peculiar, so I took a few extra glances,¡± Shen Luo hesitated a little but did not tell the truth. ¡°That¡¯s been there for some years, there are quite a few along the river in Jianye City. They say that when Jianye City was first established, the Qinhuai River flooded twice, flooding half of the city. Later, a Yin-Yang Immortal Master examined it and said it was because the water veins were too strong and causing malignant Qi. So, the officials ordered the construction of many River Guardian Beasts to suppress the water veins. And indeed, the Qinhuai River has been calm ever since, without any major floods,¡± Bai Xiaotian responded with no suspicion, explaining to Shen Luo. ¡°So it seems that the Immortal Master was indeed a real wise man,¡± Shen Luo mused. After the carriage traveled for a while, Shen Luo recalled something and asked again, ¡°Do you know anything about the Spring and Autumn Pavilion? How is the investigation going?¡± ¡°There hasn¡¯t been much progress yet. After my father sent a letter to the Weak Water Sect and several other Cultivation Sects, he immediately sent people to rush over in order to coordinate the investigation. However, when they got there, they found that the entire Spring and Autumn Pavilion had been burned to the ground, all traces had been erased and there was nothing left to investigate,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed and explained. ¡°What about Gu Hualing and Wang Qingsong, did they investigate these two?¡± Shen Luo asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Wang Qingsong entered the sect very early and rarely interacted with outsiders, so probably the only people who knew about him were Master Luo, Master Fengyang, and the senior ancestors. It¡¯s a pity that they have all vanished and we have lost the trail. As for Gu Hualing, she was also brought into the sect by Wang Qingsong. Regardless of whether she lied about her identity at the time, there¡¯s no way to investigate now,¡± Bai Xiaotian thought a moment and answered. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the many disciples of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion just lost their lives for nothing?¡± Shen Luo said coldly. Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 217: Traveling at Night Chapter 219: Chapter 217: Traveling at Night Though he was not close with the members of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, when the sect was in danger, both Master Luo and the Senior Ancestor had placed great trust in him and entrusted him with the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture.¡± He could not accept this if he didn¡¯t have an explanation. ¡°For the time being, we don¡¯t have any solutions. The other sects have all retracted, but the Bai family still keeps several people watching surreptitiously. If there are further discoveries, they will report back,¡± Bai Xiaotian said helplessly. ¡°What about my family¡­,¡± Shen Luo asked after a brief hesitation. Previously, for the sake of their safety, he had forced himself to not contact his family, yet he was immensely worried. ¡°The incident at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was concealed. There¡¯s not much of an uproar on the outside, let alone ordinary people knowing a single piece of news, so your family still believes you are on the mountain. But rest assured, my father has already ordered people to secretly protect your family, so there won¡¯t be any problems,¡± Bai Xiaotian comforted with a smile. ¡°Thank you for that. Now that the situation over there is stable, I will write a letter to my family these days and inform them about my situation,¡± Shen Luo responded immediately. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded. ¡­ After returning home to the Bai Mansion, before long, Bai Xiaotian without any delay sent a stack of Yellow Talisman Paper and a small jar of Cinnabar. Instead of continuing his cultivation in the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake, Shen Luo stayed in the room to draw up talismans. In the dreamland of Longevity Village, Shen Luo had encountered many higher-rank talismans; his understanding of talisman drawing became even more profound. Now when he draws a low-rank ¡°Small Thunder Talisman,¡± it is effortless¡ªbasically, one out of every three is a success. Furthermore, his control over mana is more mature, so it used less than before. It took him about an hour to draw more than a dozen Small Thunder Talismans. After he stopped drawing, he sat cross-legged on the bed and began to meditate. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.?¦Ï However, after he terminated the state of drawing talismans, his mind became somewhat chaotic. He could not help but recall the pattern of the Other Shore Flower on the back of the river beast; he could not enter into meditation state and had to give up. In the end, he took out a book he had borrowed from Bai Xiaotian to read casually. At night, lights were lit up everywhere in the Bai Mansion, illuminating the red light inside and outside the courtyard. After dining, Shen Luo strolled alone to the front yard to see that the Big Gate was closed, but one side door was still open with several attendants standing next to it. He hesitated slightly before heading towards the side door. The attendants of the Bai Mansion, having been instructed by their superior, knew Shen Luo. One of them took the initiative to greet him. ¡°Master Shen, are you leaving?¡± The man asked after bowing. ¡°Yes, I want to go for a walk,¡± Shen Luo responded nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s already late. Don¡¯t wander too far, Master Shen. It¡¯s best not to leave Yonghua Street since the peace of the city has been disturbed recently. The attendant warned cautiously. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thank you.¡± Shen Luo, hearing the advice, lightly saluted, acknowledging him. He originally planned to sneak out unnoticed, but considering the possible misunderstandings that could arise due to the unknown number of hidden masters in the Bai Family, he eventually decided to walk out openly. After leaving through the side door, Shen Luo had only walked a short distance from the Bai Mansion when he made sure there was nobody around, and immediately activated his mana, pouring it into his legs. His steps instantly changed, and his figure rushed forward. The city of Jianye at night, most of the city districts did not have a curfew, especially near the Qinhuai River bank area, which was brightly lit and bustling. It was not much different from daytime. However, due to the recent strange incidents happening around the city and the rumors about the Shui Nuan Pavilion, there were noticeably fewer pedestrians on the streets than before. There was one place that was distinctly different: half of the street area near the Zhenhuai Bridge. With the Shui Nuan Pavilion effectively closed and nearby shops affected by it closing early, even the popular night tour for scholars and literati had been temporarily stopped by the government¡¯s ban. When Shen Luo arrived here, he saw the street was deserted, with only the red lanterns hanging in front of the houses illuminating a few spots, casting a vibrant red and dark shadow on the street. He stood at the entrance of the street, glanced in the direction of the Shui Nuan Pavilion, and then turned the corner heading towards the Zhenhuai Bridge. After barely taking two steps, Shen Luo suddenly stiffened, sensing that he was being watched. His hairs stood on end. With somewhat rigid body, he slowly turned his head to look at a dark corner on his right. From the darkness, a figure slowly emerged, dressed in a scholar¡¯s robe. Shockingly, it was the white-faced scholar he had seen in the daylight. ¡°Young man, I can tell that you are a cultivator, but it¡¯s best not to interfere with the affairs here. Leave as soon as possible,¡± the man whispered while walking towards Shen Luo. After hearing his voice, Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly as an inexplicable sense of familiarity swept over him. Before he had time to react, the white-faced scholar had already passed by him and headed towards the Zhenhuai Bridge. Just as Shen Luo was about to follow him, he heard the scholar warn, ¡°Eat well and listen to good advice. You¡¯re young, don¡¯t always put yourself in life-threatening situations¡­¡± At this, he stopped, and after a moment of hesitation, he turned around and went back the way he came. After noticing that Shen Luo had left, a smile appeared on the corner of the white-faced scholar¡¯s mouth. He quickened his pace towards the stone arch bridge. Shen Luo had only walked back a short distance when he suddenly changed his path. Using the Slanting Moon Steps, he lightly flitted away and landed on the rooftop of a shop. Treading lightly along the ridge of the roof, he quickly reached the roof of a shop near the river, crouched low and hid on one side, peeking out just his head to secretly observe the situation near the Zhenhuai Bridge. He saw the white-faced scholar stand in front of the River Guardian Beast for a while, then suddenly went to the river bank and stopped near the backyard of the Shui Nuan Pavilion. He then crouched down abruptly. He extended his head to peer at the water, scanning the left and right, as if he was looking for something. Just then, the back door of the Shui Nuan Pavilion suddenly swung open, and out came the Gray-white Taoist Robe, White Water Daoist. When he saw the man crouching by the water, he assumed another person was attempting suicide, and his face immediately changed. With a leap, he reached the riverbank, stretched out a hand, and grabbed the collar of the white-faced scholar, flinging him backward. The scholar was hurled high into the air, landing on his rear in the backyard of the Shui Nuan Pavilion. ¡°Are you looking for death in the middle of the night? Can¡¯t you choose an appropriate place?¡± The White Water Daoist chided angrily. With an expression of frustration, the white-faced scholar was about to reason, when his expression suddenly changed. He shouted: ¡°Be careful¡­¡± Just as he finished speaking, disaster struck abruptly! Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 218: Water Ghost Chapter 220: Chapter 218: Water Ghost Suddenly, white smoke billowed from within the river, and intense water waves bubbled up. The old Daoist had just become alert and was about to turn around when a clump of pitch-black water plants emerged above the surface, transforming directly into a naked woman with long black hair. Her entire body was eerily pale, but her face was extraordinarily delicate and beautiful. She stretched out her hands to grab the Daoist¡¯s neck. The White Water Daoist felt a chill at the base of his spine. He swiftly turned around and pinched a yellow paper charm between his fingers. He lifted it high, ready to strike it at the woman¡¯s forehead. However, just as he turned around, the woman¡¯s arms around his neck suddenly became soft and looped around him and clung onto him. The situation instantly became extremely romantic. The Daoist seemed taken aback by this and paused in surprise, his lifted hand remained frozen in mid-air. ¡°Focus your mind!¡± At that moment, a stern shout echoed from behind the White Water Daoist. The Daoist gave a start, and he pointed his charm at the naked woman. But then, a bizarre thing happened! The woman¡¯s mouth suddenly widened to a ridiculous degree, tearing almost half of her face apart, and she let out a pitiful shriek from her throat. Like a white fish, she suddenly leaped out of the Daoist¡¯s embrace and plunged into the river. Her dripping wet, black, long hair, behaving as if alive, coiled around the White Water Daoist and attempted to pull him down with her into the river. The Daoist only felt a tightness in his throat. As he was about to gasp for breath, a bunch of black hair entered his mouth, penetrating his throat. He instantly began gagging in pain. His strength seemed to have depleted, and he was helplessly pulled towards the river by the water ghost-like woman. It was at this critical moment, the white-faced scholar chanted softly, raising his hand to throw something towards the river. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 He saw four cut-outs of human figures, crafted from white paper, shooting out from his hand. The moment these figures hit the water surface, they glowed with a dark red light, rapidly expanding. In a flash, four men dressed as judicial constables emerged from the red light. Each of them held a half-red, half-black water-fire staff in their hands. With a vigorous jolt upwards, the water ghost woman and the White Water Daoist, about to plunge into the water, were jolted back to the riverbank. As Shen Luo lay prone on the ridge of the roof, he looked closely and saw that the four men had pale complexions and no signs of life on their faces. Each had a pitch-black chain wrapped around them, bearing a resemblance to the ghost emissaries described in legends. Before the water ghost woman could land on the riverbank, the white-faced scholar had already transformed into a white shadow and reached her. He brought his hand together into a palm and performed a horizontal slash at her body, the edge glowing with a sharp white light. The hair of the water ghost woman suddenly grew like a rapidly sprouting tree, lifting her body into mid-air and dodging the slash. However, as the white light flashed, her hair was chopped off. The severed hair instantly withered like water plants. The White Water Daoist, entangled within, rolled out, already unconscious. The white-faced scholar leaned over to check and noticed a layer of black Qi dwelling on the Daoist¡¯s face, burrowing aggressively into his closed eyes. ¡°Your Yang life is not finished. If you die now, it will be a real nuisance.¡± He uttered, pinched a piece of green talisman paper, and placed it on the forehead of the Daoist. With his other hand, he formed a hand seal. A light glowed from the talisman paper, covering his face. It battled with the black Qi, like a tug-of-war, locked in a stalemate. At the same time, the four ghost emissaries had already rushed over, surrounding the water ghost, who had landed again, in the middle. ¡°Judging by this situation, could this be the legendary catching of ghosts by shadow emissaries? Who exactly is this scholar?¡± Shen Luo took a glance at the white-faced scholar and murmured to himself. I saw two ghost emissaries in front of the water ghost, one on the left and one on the right, simultaneously raising their hands, throwing out the chains in their hands. Like two venomous snakes, they were reaching towards the water ghost. The water ghost let out a low growl, twisting its body, and its damp black hair suddenly swept away. Water splashes seemed to gush out from it, and under the ding-dong sounds, it actually sent all the chains back. But at this moment, there was a large gust of wind above its head. It was the other two ghost emissaries, swinging their water-fire staffs and smashing them down on the water ghost. The water ghost couldn¡¯t dodge in time and could only open its mouth and spew out a stream of pitch-black, foul-smelling liquid, like an umbrella, blocking above it. There was a loud ¡°bang¡±! The black-headed water-fire staff was in the hands of the ghost emissary in front of it, which broke the black liquid umbrella apart. The ghost emissary behind it then took the opportunity to swing the red-headed water-fire staff heavily on the water ghost¡¯s shoulder. A piercing scream tore through the night sky. The water ghost seemed to have been burned by a hot iron, smoke rose from its body. On its originally pale, smooth skin, large pieces of pustules abruptly appeared, extremely miserable. The four ghost emissaries simultaneously raised their hands, their iron chains shooting out and separately tying around the water ghost¡¯s hands and feet. With a pull from all sides, they lifted it into mid-air. The water ghost kept crying out, unable to struggle and escape. It was about to be torn apart by the ghost emissaries. Shen Luo watched these ghost emissaries work seamlessly together and finally understood why the white-faced scholar could so confidently go to rescue people. But this only made him more curious about the identity of this person. Just at this moment, there was a sudden commotion from the bridge¡¯s end. Shen Luo quickly looked over in that direction, only to see that the river guardian beast, which looked like a rhino, was trembling violently. Astonishingly, there were two clusters of blood light glowing at its eye positions. ¡°This is bad, it¡¯s coming!¡± The white-faced scholar, who had not yet removed the black Qi from the White Water Daoist¡¯s face, frowned when he saw this situation. Layers of stone peeled off the river guardian beast¡¯s body revealing patches of flesh and bones not covered by skin. Wrapped in black fog, it jumped up from the stone platform and crashed down towards the backyard of the Shui Nuan Pavilion. The four ghost emissaries saw the situation, each pulling the chains, thoroughly tying up the water ghost. After pulling it back, they managed to dodge. There was a thunderous ¡°boom¡±! Although Shen Luo was dozens of feet away, he still felt the building under him shake. The jetty behind the Shui Nuan Pavilion had subsided a small part. The river guardian beast roared, and a black light immediately lit up on its horn and shot out with a ¡°swoosh¡±. A ghost emissary couldn¡¯t dodge in time, got pierced at its shoulder, and was shot out with a hole. Large patches of red light immediately flew off its body, disappearing underground. Its physical form then rapidly shrunk, turning back into a paper-cut-out of a human figure, spontaneously burning into ashes. Shen Luo looked at this scene, feeling increasingly amazed. Subsequently, more black light flew out from the horn on the river guardian beast¡¯s head, attacking the other two ghost emissaries. ¡°Fall back quickly!¡± The white-faced scholar pulled hard, finally tearing off the black Qi that had been sticking to the White Water Daoist¡¯s face like a dog skin plaster. He quickly shouted to the remaining three ghost emissaries. Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 219: Soul Hook Horse Face Chapter 221: Chapter 219: Soul Hook Horse Face However, they were a beat too late. One of the ghost emissaries attempted to obstruct the black light with his water-fire staff, only to have it snapped in half. The black light pierced straight through his chest. Another person was hit directly in their head by the black light, and like the previous person, they transformed into a white paper silhouette and spontaneously combusted. In just a few moments, out of four ghost emissaries, two were dead and one was injured. The remaining one had no control over the water ghost, who broke the chain restraint and escaped. Just when Shen Luo thought the water ghost was rescued, the water beast suddenly rushed forward, violently opening its mouth to inhale. From its pitch-black maw, an invisible force of attraction was ignited, sucking in the water ghost and swallowing it in one gulp. Just like consuming some tonic, a layer of black light emanated from its body. After swallowing the water ghost, it wasn¡¯t sated. Opening its mouth to inhale once again, it dragged the injured ghost emissary in and gulped them down, making the black light on its body even brighter and radiating a strong wave of evil omens. ¡°Bold ghost, daring to devour ghost emissaries. You¡¯re seeking death.¡± The white-faced scholar was infuriated, shouting explosively. Before his words even fell, his body had already flown over, with his feet stomping down heavily like a mountain landslide, landing on the back of the river guardian beast. A ¡°boom¡± resounded! The river guardian beast was struck by a huge force, and its limbs instantly buckled, falling flat on the ground. Standing on its back, the white-faced scholar¡¯s hand suddenly reached out from his sleeve, in his palm, he astonishingly held a black writing brush about a foot long. When Shen Luo¡¯s gaze fell on the black brush, he thought it looked incredibly familiar. In the midst of his confusion, he heard the white-faced scholar yell out: ¡°Ghost He subdues demons, and the Soul Hook fetches souls!¡± The moment his words fell, his scholar¡¯s robe began to change, alight with green flames, as if it was on fire. Beyond places where the flame had been, his robe was replaced with the judicial constable uniform similar to that of the ghost emissaries. The distinct factor was a copper plate the size of a hand at his waist, engraved with the two characters, ¡°Yin Bureau.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Simultaneously, the white-faced scholar¡¯s face also started to change. As it elongated vertically, it turned increasingly red, surprisingly transforming into a crimson horse face. ¡°Soul Hook Horse Face, it¡¯s you!¡± As soon as Shen Luo distinguished his face, he could not help but exclaim in shock. The volume of his cry was not small, evidently reaching the ears of Ma Mian. The latter couldn¡¯t help but divert his attention a little. He hesitated in his movements and glanced in Shen Luo¡¯s direction. However, right at this moment, the water beast underneath him, like a ground beetle turning over, suddenly arched its back, throwing Ma Mian off. After twisting its body, it started to gallop towards the bridgehead, looking to escape. ¡°Evil beast, where are you going!¡± Seeing this, Soul Hook Horse Face hastily formed hand signs, pointed with his brush in the empty air and yelled out loud. The next moment, a red flash was seen on the back of the river guardian beast, showing an other shore flower mark, is transformed into an octagonal light formation of charm patterns, encasing the head of the water beast. The light formation carried a restraining force, rendering the galloping beast seemingly stuck in place. Ma Mian hastily caught up, arriving in front of the river guardian beast. Holding the brush with one hand, he continuously drew in the empty air. Numerous dark red charm patterns surfaced, forming a circular charm pattern formation in mid-air. ¡°Phew¡­once I imprison this wicked creature inside the evocation bottle, everything will be settled,¡± Ma Mian sighed in relief and said after he was done with all the preparations. As he spoke, he explored his waist with his hand. A moment of rummaging later, a gleam of suspicion appeared in his eyes. Immediately after, he checked both of his sleeve pockets and slowly, his facial expression became more and more difficult to read, and his horse face appeared even more elongated. In the end, Ma Mian, trembling, pulled a gourd with a thick black sheen from his sleeve, and sighed mournfully. ¡°Damn, I was so focused on bringing the wine gourd, I forgot the Evocation Bottle¡­¡± As his words faded, the situation suddenly changed dramatically! The River Guardian Beast suddenly opened its mouth and inhaled, instantly triggering massive waves in the Qinhuai River. Unknown strands of black qi, enveloping gruesome or ruined ghostly specters, emerged from the river bottom and were swallowed into the beast¡¯s pitch-black maw. The aura of the River Guardian Beast started to rise violently. Its flesh began to pulsate, and the black fog covering its body spread rapidly, breaking the glowing charm patterns above its head. Seeing the River Guardian Beast on the verge of breaking out of the formation, Ma Mian could not afford to delay, and the iron pen in his hand jabbed forward again. The glowing charm pattern he had just drawn immediately advanced forward. Like a lasso, it attempted to land on the beast¡¯s head. However, before the charm pattern could get close, a black light burst out of the beast¡¯s horn. Just as it drew near the charm pattern, a loud ¡°bang¡± echoed as it exploded. In front of Ma Mian, the qi wave surged. A tremendous impact force spread out, hitting him so hard that he spat out a mouthful of blood, was again thrown back several meters, and a section of the white stone railings on the Zhenhuai Bridge was instantly shattered. After the River Guardian Beast broke free, its ferocity increased. Covered in black fog, its blood-filled eyes were as big as copper bells. From the high altitude, it uncoiled and swooped toward Ma Mian. Ma Mian, who had just suffered a heavy blow, had dropped his iron pen. In a hurry, he could only perform a hand seal with his bare hands, immediately causing a billowing white fog to wrap around his body. As the River Guardian Beast was about to swoop down, the black fog surrounding its body suddenly spread out, engulfing Ma Mian, who was wrapped in white fog, completely. The lone ghost emissary left, transformed from a piece of white paper, attempted to help. However, as he approached, a strand of black fog hit him. His red light instantly dispersed, his body caught fire, and he became ashes within moments. Ma Mian could only feel darkness before his eyes and the surrounding things became extremely blurred. A hard to describe bitterness entered his mouth and nose. Black fog was tearing open his white protective fog trying to invade his body. As this feeling intensified, Ma Mian¡¯s entire body was hardening as if stone skin was growing on him and as if he was about to become petrified right there. Suddenly, a loud ¡°boom¡± echoed. A bright lightning thundered from mid-air and ripped open a hole in the chaotic black fog. Ma Mian saw a silhouette holding a yellow paper charm in the brief bright light, charging towards him at a rapid pace. ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that the human youngster!¡± Ma Mian found that the approached one was Shen Luo, who he had just dismissed not long ago, and he was extremely surprised. After only a few moments, the light vanished. But soon after, there was another rumble of thunder. The black fog was once again illuminated by brilliant light. At a high speed, Shen Luo darted through, bending over to pick up the Soul Hooking Pen on the ground. However, a black light shot straight at his forehead from the chaotic black fog. With a thought, mana within his body started revving, the Slanting Moon Steps was activated instantly. As if moonlight was falling beneath him, his figure became a bit illusory. With a slight lean to one side and without changing his forward momentum, he narrowly avoided the black light. Like a moon drawn from the bottom of the sea, he picked up the iron pen on the ground and dashed towards Ma Mian. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 220: The Small Thunder Talisman Proves Useful Chapter 222: Chapter 220: The Small Thunder Talisman Proves Useful Several strands of black fog flew out from the chaotic black mist, twirling and wrapping around Shen Luo like tendrils. However, with his intricate footwork, he seemed to daringly dodge each one. Ma Mian¡¯s whole body was already glowing with red light, urging the Protective White Fog in an attempt to break free from his restraints. Just as Shen Luo was about to reach his side, the chaotic black fog rolled away, revealing the true form of the River Guardian Beast behind Ma Mian. It opened its mouth wide, revealing a Black Vortex within, as if it was about to swallow him whole. ¡°This is bad,¡± thought Shen Luo, immediately raising his hand and sweeping it fiercely. A water arrow burst from his sleeve, small Thunder talismans affixed to its tip. It whizzed into the air and landed at the top of the Beast¡¯s head. There was a loud roar of thunder! Several streaks of Snowy White Thunder Light lit up the night sky, directly striking the River Guardian Beast. ¡°Roar¡­¡± It immediately let out a roar, its movement momentarily halted. Taking this opportunity, Shen Luo moved swiftly to Ma Mian¡¯s side, handing him the Soul Hook Iron Pen. At this point, the red light on Ma Mian¡¯s body had already reached its peak. As soon as the Soul Hooking Pen fell into his hand, a tremendous aura burst from him. Shen Luo was repelled by this force and sent flying back. He barely managed to adjust his trajectory using the Oblique Moon Step Technique. After a flip in mid-air, he stabilized himself. Immediately, he looked again to see Ma Mian now completely free, his one hand forming seals, and the other holding the pen, starting to write in the void. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t bring the Evocation Bottle, I guess you¡¯re out of luck. I¡¯ll have to directly obliterate you!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face roared furiously. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0 The speed of his hand increased, and a dense text was soon written, forming a Bloody Chapter in mid-air. It wrapped around from all sides like a Skynet, trapping the River Guardian Beast within. Under the reflection of the red light, the Bloody Chapter began to shrink rapidly. The mist from the River Guardian Beast¡¯s body followed suit, retreating into its form and revealing its original constitution. ¡°Spirit Summoning, Suppressing Hundred Evil Spirits!¡± Ma Mian¡¯s figure bolted up, shouting loudly. The charm patterns on his Soul Hooking Pen lit up. The pen body expanded tenfold, like a spear thrusting out, piercing through the forehead of the Beast and exiting through the back of its head. ¡°Roar¡­¡± The River Guardian Beast gave out a heart-wrenching roar, its body fog churning violently, but was completely absorbed by the Soul Hooking Pen. Gradually, its flesh and bone became visible. However, soon after, the white bone and flesh decayed into ash, eventually scattering apart. Right at this moment, a breath rose from the ashes of the River Guardian Beast, even though it had clearly dissipated. It transformed into a dense black fog ball and shot up into the sky, heading towards the west of the city at high speed. Soul Hook Horse Face obviously failed to perceive this anomaly beforehand. By the time he thought to intercept, it was already too late. He took two steps before suddenly staggering, almost falling. He had no choice but to give up. Shen Luo wanted to go forward and check, but hesitated for a while standing his ground without immediately proceeding. At this time, Soul Hook Horse Face stood up again and turned to look at him. Shen Luo held a fist to him from a distance, giving him a salute. Ma Mian looked uncertain for a moment, then suddenly waved his sleeve. There was a flash of light, and he transformed back into the form of the white-faced scholar. ¡°Come with me.¡± He strode past Shen Luo and said this. After a moment¡¯s consideration, Shen Luo started to follow him right away. The two, one in front and the other behind, crossed the heavily damaged Zhenhuai Bridge and disappeared at the end of the street. After about an incense stick¡¯s burning time, the long unconscious White Water Daoist was revived, looking blankly around to find he was surrounded by three or four figures. ¡°Elder Three!¡± He focused his eyes and immediately recognized a face, calling out at once. The figure was short, with thin and dry cheeks, slightly gray hair, but a sharp gaze. It was indeed Bai Jiangfeng. The three people next to him were from respected cultivation families in Jianye City. They were an old man with a short beard, an old woman with purple eyebrows, and a bow-backed hunchback, all of whom were high-ranking elders. ¡°Daoist friend White Water, what actually happened here?¡± The short-bearded old man in a brocade robe asked first. His name was Lin Shan Guo, the head elder of the Jianye Lin Family. Although the family¡¯s strength was slightly inferior to the Bai Family, his own cultivation was not below Bai Jiangfeng. The old woman with purple brows and the bow-backed hunchback were the head elders of the Du and Wang families inside the city. After hearing Lin Shan Guo¡¯s inquiry, they looked at each other and concentrated their gazes on the White Water Daoist. The White Water Daoist was just about to speak, but hesitated slightly. He looked at Bai Jiangfeng and then said, ¡°There certainly is an evil spirit in the city. I just noticed something strange in the backyard. When I went out to check, I was ambushed by a water ghost and passed out¡­¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± Lin Shan Guo was clearly unsatisfied when he heard this simple answer. ¡°If not this, then what could it be?¡± Bai Jiangfeng knitted his eyebrows and retorted before the White Water Daoist could reply. ¡°Please try to elaborate more, Daoist friend White Water. This is also for the good of our Jianye City.¡± The old woman with purple eyebrows said. ¡°Du is right. In this time of upheaval in the city, it would be good for everyone to work together. We must share any discoveries and not keep secrets.¡± The bow-backed hunchback said hoarsely. After hesitating for a moment, Bai Jiangfeng slowly said, ¡°Go ahead and tell us in detail. There¡¯s no harm in that.¡± Upon hearing this, the White Water Daoist proceeded to recount what he had seen and experienced before he fainted. However, since he had passed out too early and knew very little himself, everyone else was disappointed after hearing his account. They speculated about the identity of the white-faced scholar, but nobody came to any conclusions. Meanwhile, Shen Luo had followed Ma Mian to a quiet pavilion. After they sat down face-to-face, the white-faced scholar stared at him for a long time before asking: ¡°Young man, why do you recognize me?¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly, realizing he had been too abrupt in shouting ¡°Gouhun Ma Mian¡± earlier. Their encounter in the dream happened a thousand years later, so obviously, the current Ma Mian did not recognize him. However, Shen Luo was still a bit puzzled. He remembered clearly that during their first meeting on the Netherworld Altar, it was Ma Mian who had spoken his name first. He had been just as bewildered as Ma Mian seemed to be now. ¡°I am Shen Luo. I have heard some legends about Elder in the past, and I never expected to meet you today.¡± Shen Luo had to make up a reason on the spot. Gouhun Ma Mian seemed to believe him somewhat and said, ¡°Regardless, if it wasn¡¯t for your help earlier, defeating this Water Devil today would have required more effort on my part.¡± As he was speaking, he took a black and shiny wine gourd out from his sleeve. Remembering that he had forgotten to bring the Evocation Bottle, an awkward expression crossed his face. ¡°Elder, could you please tell me what exactly this Water Devil is?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°The evil spirits in the water, accumulated over years, form a chill and murderous energy with a certain spiritual consciousness; that¡¯s Water Devil. However, it¡¯s not easy for such a thing to form. It often gestates in blood rivers where corpses float and pestles collide.¡± Gouhun Ma Mian took a sip of wine and then explained slowly. Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 222: Tacit Understanding Chapter 224: Chapter 222: Tacit Understanding The ¡°heavy gratitude¡± Ma Mian had mentioned, was neither a magical instrument nor an Immortal jade, but surprisingly a Soul Contract. Shen Luo, who had been cultivating the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, was naturally not unfamiliar with this. However, he did not feel that it was particularly precious. At least for him, it was an item that he could do without. ¡°What, are you not satisfied with this?¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s expression, Ma Mian asked in surprise and with some annoyance. ¡°No, I¡¯m just a bit surprised,¡± Shen Luo squeezed out an awkward smile and said. ¡°Kid, don¡¯t underestimate this. This is not an ordinary Soul Contract. As long as you sign it, if you encounter a crisis in the future, you can summon me with this contract to help you!¡± Ma Mian glared at Shen Luo and said. ¡°Can I use it anytime and anywhere?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat taken aback. With his current realm, he could not determine simply how powerful the Soul Hook Horse Face was. He only knew that it should be at least above the Soul Condensation Stage. If he could indeed get his help, it would undoubtedly be a great advantage. But before he could rejoice, Ma Mian poured cold water on his enthusiasm. ¡°You can use it anytime and anywhere, but this contract is consumable and can only be used once. It would be best if you don¡¯t waste it at will.¡± Ma Mian watched as Shen Luo¡¯s smile gradually stiffened, which cleared up the gloom in his heart. ¡°So it can only be used once¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but mutter. ¡°Did you think that just anyone can get their hands on an Underworld Soul Contract? According to the rules, only a chosen few Cultivators who have completed Underworld tasks are eligible and have the opportunity to obtain such a Soul Contract!¡± Ma Mian retorted irritably. ¡°What are Underworld tasks?¡± Shen Luo asked, intrigued. ¡°So, you want to take on Underworld tasks? With your current level of cultivation, to be honest, it¡¯s far from enough.¡± Ma Mian picked at his mouth and said. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 ¡°Since you¡¯ve already mentioned it, don¡¯t hide it now. Just because I can¡¯t do it now, doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t be able to do it in the future.¡± Shen Luo replied with a tease. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s about time you got clued in! Generally speaking, the tasks the Underworld requires help from the Yang Realm to perform are particularly difficult. It would be no different from seeking death for a cultivator without proper strength to interfere in these matters. However, once you complete a task, you can gain many benefits that you wouldn¡¯t expect. This Soul Contract is just one among many.¡± The Soul Hook Horse Face mysteriously said. Just as Shen Luo wanted to ask some more questions, Ma Mian gestured him not to do so. ¡°Alright, this time I¡¯m making an exception in giving you this Soul Contract because of your kindness in helping me annihilate those vile ghosts and steal the incense fire. There¡¯s no point in telling you more.¡± Ma Mian cleared his throat and said. Although Shen Luo was unwilling, there was not much he could say since Ma Mian had spoken in such an absolute manner. So, he asked Ma Mian about the method of using the Soul Contract and then excused himself. Time passed, and more than a month had gone by. Shen Luo had been diligently cultivating in the Bai Mansion. After trying the Huangting Technique and the Pure Yang Sword Technique several times, and finding that there was still no progress, he put them aside and began to focus on cultivating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. His progress was quite rapid. Now, he had finally made a breakthrough and reached the Qi Refining Stage Fifth Layer. His proficiency in the Slanting Moon Steps had also improved significantly. In the past half month, he also attempted to draw the Thunderfall Talisman on the Yellow Paper Charm, resulting in using all the materials he had previously bought, without even creating a single one. Clearly, the chances of creating such a high-level rune in reality are even slimmer than in the Dreamland. However, Shen Luo had been prepared for this. Although he was somewhat heartbroken, he wasn¡¯t overly disappointed. Fortunately, he managed to create quite a few Small Thunder Talismans during his spare time, about fifty to sixty in total, and his proficiency had improved further. One morning, Bai Xiaotian hurried back from the front yard, holding a wooden box in his arms, and knocked on Shen Luo¡¯s door. As soon as he entered the room, he put the box on the table, poured himself a cup of water from the teapot, and said, ¡°I had sent someone to your home to deliver a letter a while ago. This is what your father asked them to bring back.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hurriedly opened the box to find a stack of silver bills and two shiny golden ingots. He checked and found that there were over three thousand taels of silver bills, and the two gold ingots each weighed a hundred taels. Under the gold ingots and silver bills, there was also an envelope. When Shen Luo opened it, he saw his father¡¯s handwriting, assuring him to stay in Jianye without worry or rush to return, and not to worry about home but to take care of himself. At the end of the letter, he noted that the paper was somewhat wrinkled. It seemed to be marks left by holding the paper tightly. He knew his father must have been worried about him. ¡°When a son travels far from home, a father worries¡­ it¡¯s natural.¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s somber expression, Bai Xiaotian got up, patted him on the shoulder, and comforted him. ¡°What is the current situation in Chunhua County?¡± Shen Luo looked up and asked. ¡°Things have generally stabilized. The people we left behind have been secretly observing for a while and haven¡¯t found any signs of any demons and ghosts. It seems that they have genuinely retreated.¡± Bai Xiaotian thought for a moment and said. ¡°Given that the situation is under control, I have been imposing on the Bai family for a long time, and it¡¯s time for me to return.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo packed away the letter and smiled. ¡°You want to go back?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, somewhat taken aback. ¡°Yes. But before I go back, there is one thing I want to tell you.¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°You¡¯re not about to discuss the Pure Yang Scripture, are you?¡± Bai Xiaotian was taken aback at first, then laughed. ¡°You already knew.¡± Shen Luo also laughed. ¡°Shen Luo, this matter is a secret between you, Master Luo, and even your Senior Ancestor. There¡¯s really no need to disclose it to me.¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed softly and said. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt at ease about this for a long time, and I need to get it out of my system. When confronted by Gu Hualing, I didn¡¯t admit it, but in fact, the Pure Yang Scripture is indeed with me. I guessed that you knew about this, but I don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t tell the elders of your family. Isn¡¯t this scripture quite important to the Bai family?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat puzzled. ¡°What purpose would telling my family serve? To collaborate with them to offer you attractive benefits, or to exert pressure on you? I can¡¯t do such things.¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed dismissively and said. ¡°The day the Senior Ancestor passed down the Pure Yang Scripture, he set a rule that I must continue the legacy of Spring and Autumn Pavilion and assure that I will never teach the skills and techniques recorded in the Pure Yang Scripture to anyone outside of the Little Straw Mountain lineage. Since you are an Inner Sect Disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, you are not an outsider. So, I must ask, are you willing to inherit the scripture, come back with me to Chunhua County and rebuild the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking solemn. Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 223 The Eighth Guest Official Chapter 225: Chapter 223 The Eighth Guest Official ¡°Shen Luo, to be honest, the fact that you can confide in me and tell the truth makes me glad. Yet, I am unable to accept your request.¡± A flash of relief crosses Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes as he speaks. ¡°Why is that?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Our ancestor previously sought an opportunity for me to be admitted into Hua Sheng Temple. I received a reply only recently, and I plan on leaving Jianye City shortly.¡± Bai Xiaotian looks out of the window as he speaks slowly. ¡°Hua Sheng Temple?¡± Heard of this name, Shen Luo felt familiar. After thinking for a while, he recalled it. He had stumbled upon some information about Hua Sheng Temple in the Book Pavilion of Mount Fangcun. The words seemed to be full of approval and compliments. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of this place?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit about it. It¡¯s one of the main cultivation sects within the Tang Dynasty. Given your talents, if you can join them, you will surely achieve great things in the future.¡± Shen Luo sincerely praised him. ¡°Once I¡¯ve been admitted to Hua Sheng Temple, I will no longer be considered a disciple of Little Straw Mountain. So, I can¡¯t agree to inheriting the Pure Yang Scripture and rebuilding the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± Bai Xiaotian withdrew his gaze and said solemnly to Shen Luo. ¡°When you join such a sect, you will be able to learn more profound skills. Missing the Pure Yang Scripture doesn¡¯t matter much. In this way, we can stay together for a few more days. When you leave Jianye City, I will return to Chunhua County.¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo nodded in agreement. ¡°In my opinion, returning to Chunhua County right now may not necessarily be a good thing.¡± Bai Xiaotian hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°Setting aside the fact that the people we sent haven¡¯t discovered any trace of the demons, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that they have completely retreated. Even if they have indeed left, who can assure us they won¡¯t return?¡± Bai Xiaotian retorted. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°You¡¯re suggesting that if I hastily return to Chunhua County, I might attract the demons to return?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°As survivors of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, we must consider all aspects. The demon may not dare to invade Jianye City as it is protected by the Bai family, but they have no such restrictions in Chunhua County.¡± Bai Xiaotian spoke seriously. Shen Luo agreed with the truth in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s words and his frown deepened. ¡°Straight off, not only Jianye City, but many places within the Tang Dynasty are not stable. The disaster of demons is intensifying, and signs of chaos are beginning to appear. The reason my family is eager to teach me more profound Daoist laws and for me to grow faster is to prepare for this situation. Shen Luo, what you need to do now is not to return home but to focus on your cultivation. You¡¯ll only be fearless of the demons¡¯ harassment when you have the ability to protect yourself.¡± Bai Xiaotian pats Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder as he continues speaking. ¡°You¡¯re right. But with your departure from Jianye, I can¡¯t just stay at your house, can I?¡± Shen Luo sighed. He knew better than anyone the state of the world after the disaster of demons. ¡°For this, you need not worry. Before I leave, I will persuade my father to let you temporarily serve as a guest official in our family. By then, not only will you be able to continue your cultivation in the Bai Mansion, but you should also receive the immortal jade as compensation.¡± Bai Xiaotian waved his hand, speaking. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not feasible. I am only in the mid-stage of Qi refining, how can I qualify as a guest official?¡± Shen Luo immediately replied. ¡°Well¡­ most of the guest officials in our Bai family are cultivators in the Qi refining late stage, but it¡¯s not uncommon for some to be in the mid-stage. So there¡¯s no issue.¡± Bai Xiaotian relayed. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, I¡¯ve always been curious about the strength of your Bai family. As the first demon exorcising family in Jianye, how strong are you, and how much stronger are you compared to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo suddenly asked. ¡°Compared to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, naturally, we are stronger. Besides our ancestor who is a soul condensing cultivator, my father and my third uncle are monks at the late and mid-stages of Grain Avoidance. Also, there¡¯s the fifth grandma whom you¡¯ve met at the bottom of the lake, she¡¯s a mid Grain Avoidance Cultivator as well.¡± Bai Xiaotian gave this reply. ¡°One soul condenser, three Grain Avoidances, the Bai family indeed has a remarkable foundation.¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help exclaiming upon hearing this. ¡°Among the guest officials, there is one Grain Avoidance Initial Stage Cultivator, the other six are all Qi Refining Cultivators, ranging from the sixth layer to the ninth layer of Qi refining. If you join, you will be our family¡¯s eighth guest official. What do you think, do you want to give it a shot?¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Seeing how thoughtful you¡¯ve been for me, If I don¡¯t agree, it would be ungrateful. From what you say, I know your intention, so I will agree.¡± Seeing that Bai Xiaotian meant well, Shen Luo agreed. ¡°Rebuilding the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is no small matter. It¡¯s not just money that will be consumed, but also considerable strength for backup. The burden on your shoulders is not light.¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s consent, Bai Xiaotian replied, beaming with joy. ¡°I was thinking of dragging you along; two monks carry water to eat, but in the end, I will have to bear it all by myself.¡± Shen Luo relaxed and joked. ¡°After parting, who knows when we will see each other again! Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll treat you to drinks, and we won¡¯t return until we are drunk!¡± Bai Xiaotian waved his hand and dragged Shen Luo outside, ignoring his protestations entirely. ¡­ A few days later, Bai Xiaotian, escorted by a family elder, left Jianye City. Shen Luo was immediately invited to the study in the backyard by someone from Bai Hecheng. ¡°Senior.¡± Shen Luo greeted him after entering the room. ¡°Heh, you and Xiao Tian are close friends. Just call me uncle, come sit and talk.¡± Bai Hecheng put down the book in his hand and replied with a warm smile. Shen Luo smiled in response and sat respectfully across from him. ¡°I¡¯ve called you here today because I have something to discuss with you.¡± Bai Hecheng continued. ¡°Senior, please give your instructions.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°In recent years, the Bai family has been continuously expanding its strength, bringing in many external cultivators as guest officials. I wonder if you would be willing to join the Bai family and become a guest official?¡± Bai Hecheng asked directly. ¡°Being a guest official of the Bai family is naturally a great thing. But I¡¯m afraid my cultivation level is too low to fulfill the requirements.¡± Shen Luo promptly responded. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. I invited you to become a guest official of the Bai family. It¡¯s not because of your current cultivation level, but because I see potential in you. Both Xiao Yun and the third elder speak highly of you, and I think you have a good temperament, so I¡¯d like to make you a guest official.¡± Bai Hecheng said with a smile. ¡°I am honored to be valued by senior. I am willing to join the Bai family as a guest official and serve the Bai family.¡± Shen Luo immediately rose, holding his fists in salute. ¡°Good, good, sit down and talk.¡± Bai Hecheng quickly invited Shen Luo to sit down. ¡°Thank you, Family Head.¡± Shen Luo complied and took his seat. When Bai Hecheng heard the change in his salutation, the smile on his face became even brighter. ¡°Now that you are officially a guest of our family, there are some things I need to tell you in advance. You¡¯re currently at a low stage, so your stipend cannot be the same as other guest officials¡¯. You can receive an Immortal jade every three months. Correspondingly, the family will assign you some simple demon exorcising missions. After you completed these missions, there will be corresponding rewards.¡± Bai Hecheng explained. Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 224: Immortal Jade Chapter 226: Chapter 224: Immortal Jade ¡°Junior understands.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he respectfully responded. ¡°Very well, someone will deliver the Guest Official Token to you tomorrow, along with the stipend for the past three months.¡± Bai Hecheng nodded approvingly and said. ¡°Family Head, when will the junior be able to undertake tasks?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No need to rush, the clan will arrange it and notify you.¡± Bai Hecheng waved his hand and said. After thanking them again, Shen Luo excused himself and left. After he left, a figure suddenly emerged from the inner room of the study. It was the Third Elder, Bai Jiangfeng. ¡°Family head, according to the rules, only monks who have reached the Qi Refining seventh layer can receive one Immortal Jade every three months. However, Shen Luo lacks both cultivation and potential. It was already an exception to let him serve as a Guest Official, so why still offer Immortal Jade as a stipend?¡± Bai Jiangfeng asked, puzzled. ¡°No harm, the Bai Family can afford that amount of Immortal Jade. Let¡¯s consider it as giving this young man an opportunity. Besides, this was also the only request made by Xiaotian before he went to the Hua Sheng Temple.¡± Bai Hecheng laughed and said. ¡°The family head means well, and I agree. However, I¡¯m afraid the clan children and other Guest Officials would not be convinced. They may cause trouble for him.¡± Bai Jiangfeng shook his head and said. ¡°If he can¡¯t handle this bit of trouble, then our Bai Family¡¯s Immortal Jade and Xiaotian¡¯s well-intentioned effort would really have been wasted. At that time, there will be a way to make him leave the Bai Family on his own.¡± Bai Hecheng laughed and said dismissively. The next day, the news that Shen Luo had become a Guest Official of the Bai Family spread quickly through the entire Bai Mansion. As soon as Shen Luo received the Guest Official Token and an Immortal Jade, he moved out of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s small courtyard and into a separate small courtyard arranged by the Bai Family. The small courtyard was located in a dense forest near the lake in the mansion, which was even more secluded and further away from the main gate, but much closer to the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï However, after Shen Luo fully adopted his status as a Guest Official, when he went to the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake again, he was stopped by the old woman stationed there. She informed him that he temporarily did not have the qualification to practice here. As a Guest Official, he would have to establish merits for the Bai Family and receive the Family Head¡¯s agreement before he could use it. Although Shen Luo was somewhat frustrated, he couldn¡¯t say much on the surface. After all, his ability to enter the secret chamber to practice was an exception, thanks to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s influence. Now that he had accepted his new status, he naturally had to accept the corresponding changes. Once this was understood, Shen Luo settled down in the small courtyard and continued his cultivation. In a blink of an eye, more than half a month passed. Jianye City experienced a continuous drizzle, and the temperature dropped sharply. The autumnal ambiance in the city became more profound. On this day, Shen Luo woke up early. However, instead of meditating and practising as he usually did, he took out the stone box that he had carefully stored. After opening the stone box, he took out a gold ingot and several silver bills from inside and put them to one side. Then, he carefully extended two fingers and slowly took out a jade stone the size of a coin from inside. Its colour was as lush as one could imagine, with a trace of pure spiritual energy visible inside. This was the legendary Immortal Jade, also his first stipend as a Guest Official. According to the ancient book, this Immortal Jade itself is a rare spiritual material. It is born from the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi and nurtured by earth veins, thus forming some extremely secret underground jade veins. After being mined by people, it is shaped according to rituals and refined using secret methods, so that the spiritual energy it contains remains undissipated. Only then does it become the ¡°immortal money¡± widely circulated among cultivators. Shen Luo held the Immortal Jade in his hand, examining it carefully, his eyes full of treasured affection. Previously, while using yellow talisman paper to draw the Thunderfall talisman, all his talisman ink was used up, and not a single successful one was created. He planned to pay Lubao Hall a visit today, use this Immortal Jade to buy ten sheets of Green Frost Rune Paper, and try again. Having stored the Immortal Jade, he was about to close the stone box when the flicker of a metal object caught his eye from a corner of the box. He swept aside all the things on top of it, including the Silver Bills and the Nameless Heavenly Book, to reveal a piece of gold foil. Shen Luo took it out and examined it carefully. Upon seeing the charm patterns carved on it, he suddenly remembered. This was what he had taken from a metal bag full of bones when he salvaged the Nameless Heavenly Book from the Luan Shui River. ¡°I almost forgot about this object. I¡¯ve always wondered what it was. Manager Ma has handled numerous spiritual materials; his insight must be wide, perhaps he would know what this is?¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself. Having said that, he tidied up the stone box and left the Bai Mansion, heading straight for Lubao Hall. When Shen Luo arrived at Lubao Hall, from a distance, he saw two men he recognized standing outside the shop entrance. They were the two followers of Bai Xiaoyun whom he had met before. His eyebrows furrowed, a suspicion growing in his mind. He quickened his pace towards them. Before he could reach the entrance, however, the two followers moved to intercept him. ¡°Elder Shen, the Second Young Master is handling some matters inside, perhaps you could visit another day?¡± The two men recognized Shen Luo and knew who he was, treating him with due respect. ¡°No matter, I just came to buy some things,¡± Shen Luo glanced at the shop entrance and replied. ¡°Please don¡¯t put us in a difficult position,¡± One follower glanced at the Guest Official Token hanging around Shen Luo¡¯s waist and pleaded. ¡°Rest assured, I am merely here to purchase some items and will not disturb the Second Young Master,¡± Shen Luo replied, a hint of amusement in his smile. The two men exchanged a look, still uncertain. Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened, and he darted through the space between them, lightly waving his hand as he did so. ¡°Yo¡­¡± The two men looked shocked. But before they could even utter a word, they collapsed to the ground, unconscious. As Shen Luo stepped inside, a coarse voice echoed out, unlike Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s. ¡°Manager Ma, a wise man knows when to yield. Second Young Master Bai has the prestigious Jianye Bai Family behind him. Many people want to climb up the social ladder but have no opportunity. Don¡¯t be unappreciative.¡± As soon as the voice faded, a young voice piped up, ¡°Uncle Ma, don¡¯t tell me you still can¡¯t see my sincerity after my repeated visits? I truly do like Miss Xiuxiu, why do you keep interfering?¡± ¡°Young Master Bai, your family is highly respectable, not a fit for a humble family like ours. Our daughter is still too young, not at the age to be married. There¡¯s no need to insist. Isn¡¯t it better to avoid unnecessary trouble with the Young Master?¡± Manager Ma¡¯s voice rang out, pleading in his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t use my own brother to suppress me! He¡¯s not in Jianye City anymore, and this time no one will dare to interfere in my personal affairs again,¡± the young man said, his voice becoming heavier. ¡°The Second Young Master. Your brother just left a couple of days ago, and you are already getting restless. You are really quite passionate!¡± Shen Luo stepped across the threshold, speaking as he walked, his tone casual, like greeting an old friend. His gaze swiped over the room, where he saw Manager Ma behind the counter, his face flushed as he protected his daughter. The young girl¡¯s eyes were teary, a pitiful sight. Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 225: Meeting the Second Young Master Again Chapter 227: Chapter 225: Meeting the Second Young Master Again Outside the counter, two grand master chairs were placed. Bai Xiaoyun was sprawled out leisurely on one of them while a middle-aged and muscular man with a distinctive oblique face and wearing a round collar robe sat next to him. Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s voice, all four of them uniformly turned their attention to him. ¡°Why is it you again?¡± Bai Xiaoyun, upon recognizing that it was Shen Luo, instantly felt irritation. The muscular man¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression becoming somewhat displeased. Manager Ma appeared as if he had grabbed onto a life-saving straw, his eyes filled with hope. His daughter, Ma Xiuxiu, flashed a bit of brightness in her eyes whereas Shen Luo¡¯s gaze was slightly blurred. ¡°Are you not afraid that your father would be aware of your behavior?¡± Shen Luo asked with a partially heavy tone. ¡°My father is too occupied to be bothered about these trivial matters.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s gaze flickered a bit before he responded nonchalantly. ¡°What about your brother then?¡± Shen Luo further asked. ¡°So what if he knows? He would not be able to be back in such a short time. By the time he returns, maybe even his nephew would be calling him uncle.¡± As Bai Xiaoyun made this declaration, he shot a ridiculing grin at Ma Xiuxiu, who was standing behind Manager Ma, the expression on his face resembling one of a triumphant prankster. ¡°Just how did Bai Xiaotian discipline you last time? Did you completely forget?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but mutter, seeing Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s don¡¯t-care attitude. Surprisingly though, on hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun bangs a hand down on the arm of the chair and stood up, blaring out: ¡°Who do you think you are, to be able to criticize my brother?¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo was mildly surprised, finding it unexpected that Bai Xiaoyun, who usually showed a lot of fear to Bai Xiaotian, was now so fiercely protecting him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re on good terms with my brother that you can meddle in my affairs. Let me tell you, aside from my brother, I don¡¯t give a damn about anyone else! Remember, you¡¯re just a low-grade guest official who relies on my brother¡¯s influence, don¡¯t take yourself too seriously.¡± Bai Xiaoyun, still seething with rage, pointed at Shen Luo¡¯s nose as he cursed. ¡°It is precisely because of my relationship with Bai Xiaotian that I¡¯m advising you kindly. If it were anyone else behaving in such a tyrannical manner, I would have long thrown him out of the shop.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s voice also turned cold. ¡°A lowly guest official with merely Qi Refining Fifth Level cultivation dares to be so disrespectful in front of the Second Young Master. Seems like without a bit of lesson, you won¡¯t realize your place.¡± Before Bai Xiaoyun could speak, the muscular man suddenly interjected. ¡°Wu Daoist friend, well said.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun gave a thumbs up immediately. ¡°Wu Daoist friend? May I ask, is it Wu Qingchen Daoist friend, or is it Wu Tong Daoist friend?¡± Shen Luo asked, raising his eyebrow. Among Bai Family¡¯s guest officials, there were two surnamed Wu. The former had achieved Qi Refining Eighth level cultivation, while the latter only had the Sixth level. ¡°Wu Tong.¡± The muscular man frowned slightly and gave his name. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo made a mental note. He rubbed his chin and said, ¡°It¡¯s not about teaching, but if we can¡¯t compete out of thin air, there should be some stakes involved.¡± ¡°What stakes are you thinking about?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked. ¡°Is it fair enough that we have a fight, and as long as I win, you¡¯ll no longer harass Manager Ma and his daughter?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. ¡°Absolutely! As long as you can defeat Wu Tong, I¡¯ll never bother them again. However, as far as I can see, you don¡¯t even have a thirty percent chance of winning.¡± Bai Xiaoyun laughed out immediately on hearing this. ¡°Second Young Master, he doesn¡¯t even have a ten percent chance of winning!¡± The muscular man raised his head slightly and emphatically declared. ¡°Words are not proof, let¡¯s see your real skills in action.¡± Shen Luo laughed and said. ¡°Master Shen, don¡¯t be impulsive. It¡¯s not worth endangering your life for a simpleton like me or my daughter.¡± Manager Ma saw this and quickly interceded. ¡°Master Shen, don¡¯t fight him¡­¡± Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s eyes slightly reddened, filled with worry as she whispered her plea. Shen Luo didn¡¯t respond, instead shaking his head with a smile to indicate that they didn¡¯t need to worry. ¡°Shen, you are the one who initiated this duel. I didn¡¯t force you. Let me make it clear beforehand; if Wu Tong accidentally hits too hard and injures you, don¡¯t go home complaining nor tell my brother,¡± Bai Xiaoyun added with a spark in his eyes. ¡°Rest assured, I, Shen Luo, am not one to turn away from defeat. Just remember your promise. This place is too cramped for a proper duel. Let¡¯s take it outside,¡± Shen Luo said, leading the way out of the store. Wu Tong and Bai Xiaoyun exchanged a confident glance before following him out. Outside, Bai Xiaotian noticed the two guards lying at the entrance but didn¡¯t comment on it. After a moment of hesitation, Manager Ma and his daughter followed them outside. The street was quite empty. Shen Luo and Wu Tong quickly positioned themselves opposite each other, ready to face off. Wu Tong was looking at Shen Luo with a faintly contemptuous expression, perking an eyebrow. He extended a hand towards Shen Luo, beckoning him with a gesture that was somewhat provocative. Shen Luo smiled, unflustered. Hidden in his sleeve, he held onto a Small Thunder Talisman with one hand. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s unwillingness to attack first, Wu Tong suddenly shook his arms. Mana dispersed from his body, forming a layer of yellow light around him like a set of armor. He charged directly at Shen Luo. Two steps forward and he was already in front of Shen Luo. He threw a punch at Shen Luo¡¯s face. His speed was shockingly fast. If hit directly, one would be looking at severe injuries, if not death. It seemed as though Shen Luo hadn¡¯t had time to react. Only when the fist was less than half a foot away from his face did he lean back, narrowly dodging the blow. The awe-inspiring punch brought along a gust of wind that brushed against Shen Luo¡¯s face, cutting off a few strands of hair near his temples. ¡°Well done!¡± Bai Xiaoyun immediately applauded, shouting in delight. ¡°Shen, you¡¯re merely at the Qi Refining Fifth Level. What makes you think you have the right to possess the Immortal jade? I¡¯ve been fed up with you for a long time. Today, you¡¯re out of luck,¡± Wu Tong sneered, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear. Upon hearing Wu Tong¡¯s words, Shen Luo realized that he, as an unconventional guest official, had inconvenienced more than a few people. While he was pondering, Wu Tong attacked again, even faster than before. He got to Shen Luo¡¯s side in one step, throwing a tricky punch from bottom to top towards Shen Luo¡¯s ribs. Shen Luo pressed his elbow down, seemingly clashing with Wu Tong¡¯s fist. In reality, he used the momentum to slightly dodge to the side. Stumbling back several steps, he hopped around trying to regain his balance. Bai Xiaoyun was filled with joy seeing Shen Luo¡¯s embarrassing state. Wu Tong, on the other hand, was surprised. His punch, amplified by the Earth Attribute Cultivation Technique he practiced, was perfectly timed and aimed. He believed Shen Luo would have no way of dodging it. If hit, it would inevitably cause severe bone-breaking injuries. However, somehow, his punch passed through Shen Luo, hitting thin air. Despite his confusion, Wu Tong didn¡¯t pause his attack. He pursued Shen Luo, one punch after another. Each punch stronger than the previous, aiming at Shen Luo¡¯s forehead, armpits, lower back, and other vital points. Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 226: Keep Your Word Chapter 228: Chapter 226: Keep Your Word Shen Luo would sometimes retreat and sometimes sway left and right. He seemed messy and overwhelmed, unable to even launch counters. Moreover, he was forced into perilous situations. Manager Ma wore a face full of worry, continually sighing. Ma Xiuxiu couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer, hiding her face behind Manager Ma. ¡°Wu Daoist, it¡¯s enough to win. Don¡¯t be too harsh and scare Miss Ma.¡± Bai Xiaoyun watched with interest, saying with a laugh. At that moment, a flash of yellow light beneath Wu Tong¡¯s feet abruptly increased his speed. He suddenly rushed towards Shen Luo and threw a punch right at his forehead. Shen Luo seemingly panicked, but in reality, he had already seen through his attack. He swayed his body in advance and tilted his head backwards, causing Wu Tong¡¯s fist to merely brush his forehead without landing a hit. Propelling himself off the ground with the tip of his toe, he seemed to fly out backwards. Manager Ma let out a startled cry at the sight and Bai Xiaoyun also jumped in shock, thinking that Wu Tong had badly injured Shen Luo. ¡°Stop fighting¡­¡± At this moment, an urgent cry rang out. Ma Xiuxiu suddenly rushed out, her hands outstretched between Wu Tong and Shen Luo. Shen Luo, surprised, steadied his stance. He seemed unharmed, while Wu Tong¡¯s face turned ashen, looking very displeased. ¡°Stop fighting, Second Young Master Bai, I¡­ I accept your marriage proposal. Please stop tormenting Master Shen.¡± Ma Xiuxiu seemed to muster up her courage and said to Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°No¡­¡± The colour drained from Manager Ma¡¯s face as he heard this. ¡°What? You¡¯re willing to marry me just to prevent this Shen guy from getting hurt?¡± Bai Xiaoyun paused, before asking. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Ma Xiuxiu bit her lower lip and didn¡¯t say a word. ¡°Miss Xiu Xiu, you mustn¡¯t do this.¡± Seeing the situation, Shen Luo also hurriedly protested. ¡°Master Shen, after all, this is my business. You shouldn¡¯t be involved.¡± Ma Xiuxiu didn¡¯t look at him; her quiet voice was firm and resolute. ¡°Xiuxiu, have you taken a liking to this Shen fellow? He¡¯s nothing more than a lowly guest in our Bai Family.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes flickered as he spoke. Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s cheeks turned red and she lowered her head, neither affirming nor denying. ¡°Miss Xiu Xiu, there¡¯s no need to worry. The competition is not over yet. Let me finish it. Rest assured, I won¡¯t let you make a decision against your will.¡± Shen Luo spoke while trying to contain his surprise and a bit of emotion. ¡°Indeed! The bet was agreed upon, everything else will be discussed after the fight.¡± Bai Xiaoyun also said. Ma Xiuxiu wanted to say something else, but was pulled aside by the rushing Manager Ma. ¡°Wu Daoist, let¡¯s continue.¡± Shen Luo gestured invitingly. Bai Xiaoyun looked at Wu Tong, raising an eyebrow as if to remind him that he couldn¡¯t lose. Little did he know, Wu Tong was internally struggling. He had already launched over a dozen moves at Shen Luo, either missing entirely or seemingly hitting, but felt as if he was hitting cotton, his attack power was mysteriously dissipated without any effect. Even the close range surprise attack didn¡¯t work. He had only been getting more and more anxious, fuming internally. He silently swore in his heart, holding nothing back as he attacked Shen Luo with all his might. Having just mastered the basics of Slanting Moon Steps, Shen Luo¡¯s skills far surpassed cultivators of the same level. However, he lacked combat experience. This was a perfect opportunity for him to practice with Wu Tong. By employing some simple techniques, he easily avoided the attack. Above the street, Wu Tong¡¯s shouts continued to echo, one attack move following another, but none of them managed to land a punch or a palm on Shen Luo. ¡°Beware, Wu Daoist friend!¡± At this moment, Shen Luo suddenly shouted. It was as if a light shadow flashed under his feet, skillfully dodging Wu Tong¡¯s reckless punch, and like a ghostly specter, circled behind him, raising a palm and hitting his back. Wu Tong stumbled forward, but quickly regained his balance. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s all the strength you¡¯ve got? Can¡¯t even break the protective aura on my body.¡± He turned around to look at Shen Luo, sneering. Shen Luo looked at him sympathetically, as if looking at a fool, waved his hand at him and slightly raised the corner of his mouth. Wu Tong frowned, suddenly realizing something, a feeling of foreboding rising in his heart. ¡°Boom!¡± Suddenly, a flash of white thunder light on his back tore apart his protective yellow light. His body shivered violently, a wisp of white smoke rose from his head, and he fell straight forward, face down on the ground. Bai Xiaoyun, witnessing this sudden turn of events, had his smile frozen on his face, his eyes widened in disbelief. Manager Ma was astonished, and Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s eyes were wide open, her mouth slightly agape. Shen Luo casually dusted off his hands, walked over and took a closer look. Seeing the ripped clothing on Wu Tong¡¯s back, and a burnt black wound, he was relieved to see that Wu Tong was not critically injured. He then turned and looked at Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°Oh, impressive, Shen! Your strategy of deceiving the heavens and then striking the vital point, it¡¯s brilliant, absolutely brilliant!¡± In a surprising turn of events, Bai Xiaoyun was not angry at all. On the contrary, he gave Shen Luo a thumbs up, continuously praising him. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but show a hint of surprise in his eyes. ¡°What about our previous agreement?¡± He asked, his eyebrows raising slightly. ¡°A gentleman¡¯s word is his bond. Since you won, everything will be done as per your demands. I won¡¯t trouble Manager Ma and Miss Ma again.¡± Bai Xiaoyun sighed, giving a regretful glance at Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°You keep your word, that¡¯s how a man should be.¡± Shen Luo smiled at Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s remark. ¡°It takes strength to defeat a Qi Refining Sixth Stage cultivator with a Fifth Stage cultivation level. Not everyone can do this! The strength is right before us, we must admit it. From now on, apart from my big brother, I also respect you,¡± Bai Xiaoyun said seriously.Shen Luo was surprised at this and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Uncle Ma, since Master Shen is fond of your daughter, and Miss Xiu Xiu has feelings for him, I won¡¯t interfere. If you need any help in the future, feel free to ask me at Bai Mansion,¡± Bai Xiaoyun said to Manager Ma. Upon hearing Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s words, Manager Ma looked quite anxious. Xiu Xiu, whose skin was as thin as a petal, blushed deeply and ran back into the shop. ¡°I don¡¯t have any intentions towards Miss Ma, don¡¯t talk nonsense¡­¡± Shen Luo let out in an exasperated jest. Bai Xiaoyun glanced at him sideways, raised an eyebrow, showing a ¡°we¡¯re men, I get it¡± look in his eyes, then instructed his attendants to carry Wu Tong away and left. Shen Luo watched as Bai Xiaoyun walked away, shaking his head helplessly. ¡°Manager Ma, although Bai Xiaoyun is young and impetuous, and somewhat spoiled, he is not inherently bad. And when he says he won¡¯t trouble you anymore, I believe he means it. But if he ever behaves inappropriately again, please feel free to come to the Bai Mansion and find me,¡± Shen Luo said apologetically. Shen Luo¡¯s impression of Bai Xiaoyun isn¡¯t particularly good or bad, it¡¯s just that because of his affiliation with Bai Xiaotian, he was willing to take responsibility for disciplining Bai Xiaoyun somewhat. However, seeing how Bai Xiaoyun readily admitted to his loss today, without any deliberate restraint or guile, and in fact, seeming quite open and forthright, Shen Luo came to have a somewhat improved opinion on him. Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 227: Buying Talisman Paper Chapter 229: Chapter 227: Buying Talisman Paper ¡°Far from it, today I¡¯m already immensely grateful to Master Shen for coming to my aid,¡± Manager Ma said hastily, bowing in respect. They conversed as they walked back into the shop. ¡°Manager Ma, I¡¯ve come today to buy some more talisman paper and spiritual material.¡± Shen Luo stated his purpose after sitting down. At this point, Ma Xiuxiu brought him a cup of exquisite fragrant tea. She then, with blushing cheeks, retreated back into the inner hall, only daring to steal a quick glance at Shen Luo with the corner of her eyes. Shen Luo didn¡¯t notice the subtle movements of this young woman; his gaze was constantly scanning the tags on the Hundred Treasures Grid. ¡°Master Shen, what kind of talisman paper and spiritual material do you want to buy today?¡± Manager Ma asked. ¡°The spiritual material is the same as last time, but for talisman paper¡­ I want to buy some Green Frost Paper.¡± Shen Luo withdrew his gaze and replied. ¡°Strictly speaking, Master Shen has done us a great favor. Giving you items such as Floating Shadow Jade and Golden Shell for free would be completely justified. However, this Green Frost Paper¡­ it needs to be purchased with Immortal Jade. Sadly, it¡¯s not something I can personally gift,¡± Manager Ma responded, looking rather distressed. ¡°Where¡¯s all this talk coming from, Manager Ma? Whether it¡¯s spiritual materials or talisman paper, just charge me the original price.¡± After saying this, Shen Luo stood up, took out a gold ingot and an Immortal Jade, and placed them on the counter. The sight of the gold ingot didn¡¯t cause Manager Ma any surprise. However, upon sighting the Immortal Jade, his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°What did the manager say last time? One Immortal Jade can buy ten pieces of Green Frost Rune Paper, right?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Ten pieces? That¡¯s the price for others. Since Master Shen can afford Immortal Jade, we can sell you twelve pieces,¡± Manager Ma immediately responded. ¡°Then, I must thank Manager Ma,¡± said Shen Luo, who was greatly pleased to hear this. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Master Shen, you should keep this gold ingot. I will consider items like Floating Shadow Jade as add-ons to the talisman paper and gift them to you.¡± Manager Ma declared grandly, waving his hand. Without waiting for Shen Luo to respond, he turned around, took some talisman paper and spiritual materials from the Hundred Treasures Grid, and handed them to Shen Luo. Just then, Shen Luo remembered something and hurriedly took from his sleeve a piece of gold foil engraved with runes, placing it on the counter. ¡°Manager Ma, you¡¯re knowledgeable and well-informed, can you help identify what exactly this item is?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No problem, let me have a look,¡± Manager Ma said, smiling. In the midst of their conversation, he stretched out his hand toward the gold foil. However, his movement suddenly halted just as he was about to pick up the gold foil. ¡°This is¡­¡± Manager Ma¡¯s eyes flashed with disbelief and he hesitated. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something off?¡± Shen Luo asked. With a serious look on his face, Manager Ma went to the inner hall, washed his hands thoroughly, and then, using a clean piece of fabric, carefully picked up the gold foil. He closely examined the runes on the gold foil from top to bottom, turned it over, and carefully checked the back of the gold foil. His expression grew increasingly excited. ¡°No mistake, these patterns, this texture, there¡¯s no mistake, it must be¡­¡± Manager Ma murmured, his hand slightly trembling. ¡°Manager Ma, could you tell me first what this thing is?¡± Shen Luo looked puzzled at the side, but he knew that this gold foil must be something extraordinary. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Shen, for becoming excessively excited and losing my composure upon seeing this Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi,¡± Manager Ma stammered out, regaining his composure. ¡°Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°The Ruyi board is used by those who practice Daoist cultivation. When performing the Luo Heavenly Sacrifice or other Daoist ceremonies, they use it for Daoist rituals. It often carries words of prayer and sacrifice to communicate with Heaven. Because of the different functions, there are different types of Ruyi boards. This kind of Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi is very special. It¡¯s cast from a special gold essence and is engraved with runes by a highly-skilled Daoist priest, specifically for suppressing evil spirits,¡± Manager Ma explained. On hearing these words, Shen Luo recalled that, when he found the gold Ruyi, it was hanging on the corpse-storing bag. At present, it seemed to be used for suppressing the spirits of the dead bones. ¡°So this thing has such a background, but I didn¡¯t know whether your shop would buy this.¡± Shen Luo nodded thoughtfully, asking. ¡°Master Shen, do you want to sell this?¡± At this, Manager Ma¡¯s face brightened and he hastily asked. ¡°To sell or not to sell¡­ that depends on its value,¡± Shen Luo added after a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°To be frank with you, over the years, Lubao Hall has collected a lot of items. However, this Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi is my first encounter. Master Shen, you have shown us great kindness, and I cannot deceive you. This Gold Ruyi of yours is in excellent condition and the runes engraved on it seem to be out of the ordinary. They don¡¯t quite match the common Soul-suppressing runes we normally see. But as for what exactly it is, I can¡¯t really tell,¡± Manager Ma earnestly admitted. ¡°Hearing your honest words, what would you offer for this gold Ruyi?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning slightly. Upon listening, Manager Ma picked up the gold Ruyi once again and examined it closely for a long time. His face was increasingly conflicted as he studied it. ¡°Master Shen, I am temporarily unable to determine the value of this gold Ruyi. How about this? I will take it as a deposit for thirty Immortal Jades first. Afterwards, I will send a messenger to the real owner of Lubao Hall and let him determine the value. If the amount is lower, I will convince the owner to make up for it afterwards. If the amount is higher, consider it as repayment for the favor you¡¯ve done us,¡± Manager Ma proposed thoughtfully after a moment. ¡°Thirty Immortal Jades?¡± When Shen Luo heard these words, he could hardly believe his own ears. At the Bai Family, he could only receive one Immortal Jade every three months, a treatment not offered to any other low-ranking officials. This gold Ruyi¨Cessentially found out of nowhere¨Ccould actually be exchanged for thirty Immortal Jades? ¡°That¡¯s according to what Manager Ma said. Let¡¯s make the exchange!¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately responded. This Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi was of no use to him at the moment. He had already memorized the runes on it, so it was indeed the best choice to exchange it for the tangible Immortal Jades. ¡°Master Shen is really decisive!¡± Manager Ma also applauded and laughed. ¡°Manager Ma, this transaction has been settled. May I ask why this gold Ruyi is so valuable? Does it have any other special features?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Master Shen, I¡¯ll tell you. The reason I¡¯m willing to take this gamble is indeed because I noticed something different,¡± Manager Ma hesitated slightly before responding. ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± replied Shen Luo. ¡°In fact, the Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi is similar to the Soul-suppressing Talisman in terms of effectiveness, but it contains stronger spiritual power and lasts longer. However, since it¡¯s a consumable item, it would be difficult for it to be used for ten years or so. And your gold Ruyi has obviously been used for some years, but its runes still have spirit and there are no signs of being tainted by evil spirits. So I guess that either the Ruyi itself is of excellent quality or the person who engraved the runes is of an extremely high cultivation level, which makes it extraordinary,¡± Manager Ma explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately understood. Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 228: Windfall Chapter 230: Chapter 228: Windfall This could be likened to a perfectly preserved painting that was passed down over hundreds of years, created by a famous artist from a previous era, naturally, it would be worth a lot of money. Manager Ma told Shen Luo to wait a moment while he went to prepare the Immortal Jade in the inner hall. ¡°Manager Ma, there¡¯s no rush,¡± Shen Luo hesitated slightly before stopping him. ¡°Master Shen¡­¡± Manager Ma thought that Shen Luo was having second thoughts and his expression instantly turned apprehensive. ¡°Let¡¯s not hurry in getting the Immortal Jade yet. I wish to purchase some other items, we can settle the bill all at once later.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Upon hearing this, a look of relief spread across Manager Ma¡¯s face, and he asked with a smile what else Shen Luo needed. Shen Luo silently recalled a list of items in his mind, then began to name a series of Spiritual Materials: ¡°Green Phoenix Wood, scarlet Pearl Immortal Dew, Moth Gold Powder, Iron Bone Evergreen¡­¡± When Manager Ma heard the first name, his brows slightly furrowed. As Shen Luo continued to list the items, the manager¡¯s expression became increasingly grim. After Shen Luo finished reciting a dozen or so names, he was completely stunned. All of these items were used to craft high-tier talismans such as the Armor Break Talisman, Flying Talisman, and the orthodox Thunderfall Talisman, and each one of them was a valuable high-grade spiritual material. ¡°Manager Ma, I won¡¯t need all of these items, I just wish to know which ones you have in your store.¡± Shen Luo quickly clarified when he saw the manager¡¯s expression. ¡°Master Shen, you truly surprised me. Half of the items you mentioned, we don¡¯t have them in our Lubao Hall, in fact, there are many we haven¡¯t even heard of.¡± Manager Ma swallowed before speaking. ¡°Which ones do you have?¡± Shen Luo asked eagerly. ¡°We have Green Phoenix Wood, Iron Bone Evergreen, and Moth Gold Powder, but the amounts of Mountain Penetration and Scarlet Pearl Immortal Dew are very limited. The rest, we do not have.¡± Manager Ma replied after a moment¡¯s thought. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?0 Among these, Mountain Penetration is the spiritual material used to make the Armor Break Talisman, while the other four are all materials for crafting the Flying Talisman. The Green Phoenix Wood and Iron Bone Evergreen are the main materials, the other two are complementary materials. Shen Luo was secretly delighted and asked about the prices of these Spiritual Materials. ¡°The Green Phoenix Wood is the most valuable, two pieces cost a piece of Immortal Jade. Iron Bone Evergreen costs a piece of Immortal Jade for ten branches. For the Moth Gold Powder and Scarlet Pearl Immortal Dew, each costs a piece of Immortal Jade per bottle,¡± Manager Ma replied. ¡°May I examine them?¡± Shen Luo, his gaze wandering over the Hundred Treasures Grid, asked. ¡°They¡¯re not on this Hundred Treasures Grid. Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go get them.¡± Manager Ma went to the inner hall after he spoke. After a short wait, he came out holding a tray with several items on it. Upon glancing at the tray, Shen Luo noticed a pair of two-foot long greenish wood material on the left. About the thickness of a child¡¯s arm, its surface seemed surrounded by a halo of spiritual energy, and it emanated a thin, radiant glow that lingered without dissipating. To the right of the wood, there were ten green-black branches, covered with tiny, oval leaves. They glowed a silver-blue under the light, looking almost like they were forged from fine steel. Towards the side of these, there were two small porcelain bottles, one green and one white. ¡°In addition to these, I also want to purchase ten sheets of Purple Cloud Talisman Paper and fifty sheets of Green Frost Rune Paper. Also, does your shop sell talisman Refining Furnaces?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°Yes, we do have some, but they are of low quality, only rated as ordinary craftsmanship, not on the level of magical instruments. If Master Shen intends to use it to refine Talisman Ink, it¡¯s best to use it in combination with a few Burning Fire Talismans. The effects will be much better.¡± Manager Ma relaxed and enthusiastically suggested. ¡°Burning Fire Talisman, what¡¯s the price?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Although this is an offensive talisman, its power is limited and its price isn¡¯t high. It can be purchased for fifty taels of silver. How many do you want, Master Shen?¡± Manager Ma asked. ¡°I¡¯ll buy ten for now.¡± After some pondering, Shen Luo replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get them ready for you at once.¡± The deal Manager Ma just closed was quite significant, so he was exceedingly pleased at the moment. After the items were ready, Shen Luo checked them and with a hint of surprise in his eyes, he asked: ¡°Why are there as many as seventy-two pieces of Green Frost Rune paper?¡± ¡°The Green Frost Rune paper is sold at a rate of twelve per Immortal Jade. Including the one from earlier, a total of six were received, hence there are seventy-two. The Purple Cloud Talisman Paper can¡¯t be discounted, totaling ten Immortal Jade, Green Phoenix Wood and other spiritual materials total four Immortal Jade, altogether reaching twenty Immortal Jade. As for the remainder of the items, when combined they total eight hundred taels of silver.¡± Manager Ma explained. ¡°Thank you very much, Manager Ma.¡± Shen Luo quickly made a fist and saluted in gratitude. Manager Ma packed these items and placed them in a finely-made wooden box. He then took out ten pieces of Immortal Jade, putting them in a brocade pouch and handed it to Shen Luo. After accepting and paying the silver, Shen Luo bid his farewell and left. Not long after he left, a beautiful young girl came out of the inner room. It was Ma Xiuxiu. However, when Manager Ma saw his ¡°daughter¡±, his demeanor suddenly became respectful. The young girl was carefully holding the ¡°Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi¡± with two slender fingers. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly and a look of surprise flashed in her bright eyes. ¡°Old Ma, you¡¯ve really underestimated the value of this thing. Next time, give him ten more Immortal Jade.¡± The young girl said. Her tone was mature, showing none of the timid demeanor she had shown earlier. ¡°Young Master, thirty Immortal Jade is not a small amount. Could it be that I have made a mistake? Isn¡¯t this a Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi?¡± Manager Ma was rather taken aback. ¡°You didn¡¯t misidentify the item, you just underestimated its rank. The soul-suppressing rune on it is of extremely high rank. It can pacify spirits, eliminate obstacles, and even guide thousand years old resentful ghosts back to the underworld. Sadly, although it appears perfect, only one-tenth of its original spiritual energy remains.¡± The young girl said with a slight regret. ¡°Could this person be of significant status to be able to take out such a valuable item?¡± Manager Ma pondered. ¡°From his talent and his aura, he doesn¡¯t seem to be a disciple of an orderly inherited immortal sect. He most likely had some sort of fortuitous encounter. You¡¯ve seen the things he bought just now, which are all needed to craft high-order talismans. Have you ever wondered how a mere guest official of the Bai Mansion could come into contact with these?¡± spoke the young girl contemplatively. ¡°About that¡­¡± Manager Ma was speechless when he heard this. ¡°Today¡¯s matter was just a spur of the moment decision because I thought it would be fun. Don¡¯t pay too much attention to it, just maintain our current relationship. If, in the future, he can bring us high-order talismans to sell, we can then form closer ties with him.¡± The young girl smiled casually while saying this. ¡°As you will.¡± Manager Ma promptly replied. When Shen Luo returned to his room in the Bai Mansion, he couldn¡¯t wait to begin studying the talismans. Of the five high-rank talismans he learned at Mount Fangcun, only the Thunderfall Talisman and the Flying Talisman had materials he could try to draw. Among them, the Thunderfall Talisman was merely a substitute option. At first, he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to practice with the newly-bought talisman paper. Instead, he used regular Yellow Talisman Paper for practice, repeatedly practicing the writing of two types of runes, striving to familiarize himself with the operation of the brushwork. Similar to the practice of cultivation methods, because he had successful experiences in his dreams, he was quite clear about certain important points in drawing talismans. However, it was difficult to achieve the unity of mind, eye, and hand. Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 229: Bad Reputation Chapter 231: Chapter 229: Bad Reputation After a great deal of practice, his calligraphy had become more and more proficient, and he was already quite outstanding in integrating his heart and eyes as well as his hand and eyes. Unity of mind and hand had now become a matter of continuous hard work. In the following two months, aside from consistent meditation and cultivation, Shen Luo would practice drawing thirty to forty Thunderfall Talismans and Flying Talismans every day. It wasn¡¯t that he was lazy and unwilling to practice more, but after painting so many talismans each time, his mana and divine sense power would be exhausted. There were even several instances where he passed out directly. Until once, while using cinnabar to draw a Flying Talisman, the rune had just formed when a green light illuminated on the talisman paper, but after a faint flicker, it burst into flames with a ¡°poof¡±. Seeing this, Shen Luo was delighted, knowing that the rune was successfully formed and displayed a connection with divine qi on the talisman. The reason for combustion was that both the talisman paper and the talisman ink were of poor quality and couldn¡¯t carry the divine qi encapsulated within a high-order rune. So, Shen Luo started refining talisman ink and planned to begin the formal drawing of these two types of talismans. Finally, there came a thunderstorm. Despite the ample preparation beforehand, he still suffered a lot when he started the actual refinement process. Usually, he drew more Thunderfall Talismans, and his experience with them was richer. However, this first attempt was quite discouraging. It was only after using up thirty-eight sheets of Green Frost Paper before the sky cleared that he managed to barely complete one. In the following half a month, he didn¡¯t dare to stop, continuing to practice drawing talismans with Yellow Talisman Paper to keep his hand in. Finally, another thunderstorm arrived, and he drew another twenty-one talismans, but only one succeeded. Of the remaining thirteen sheets of Green Frost Paper, Shen Luo used twelve to continue drawing Thunderfall Talismans. All ended up as failures, and only the last sheet was left to attempt to draw the Flying Talisman. Although Shen Luo didn¡¯t use Purple Cloud Paper for the talisman paper, the talisman ink was the exclusive one for drawing Flying Talismans. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Originally, Shen Luo didn¡¯t have high expectations for this experiment. He mainly wanted to feel the sensation of successful talisman drawing more accurately before using Purple Cloud Paper. However, unexpectedly, this attempt went extremely well, and the rune was drawn smoothly in one go, leading directly to a successful sketch. Unfortunately, even before he had a moment to rejoice, smoke rose from the center of the talisman paper and it promptly ignited. ¡°It really won¡¯t work with Green Frost Paper¡­¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t have time to regret it and quickly seized the opportunity to fetch the Purple Cloud Talisman Paper, dipped it in talisman ink, and continued to draw the Flying Talisman. However, after picking up the brush, he lost the previous sense of flow and failed to successfully form a single talisman after drawing three times. He regretted it immensely. If he had used Purple Cloud Paper earlier, he should have had a real Flying Talisman by now. But regret was useless, so Shen Luo simply stopped. After a few days of rest, he tried to draw talismans again, but ended up using all the remaining Purple Cloud Talisman Paper without success, which made him depressed for quite a while. In this period, Shen Luo accepted two exorcism tasks from the Bai Family. It was only during execution that he realized they were minor issues of evil qi intrusion and Yin Sha clashes, which were easy to handle. However, the rewards were not high, just some silver taels. Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind. He knew that realm cultivation couldn¡¯t be rushed. His only desire was gradual progress, and he never thought about competing with others. However, his ¡°laid-back¡± attitude, especially in the eyes of some guest officials of the Bai Family who had slightly higher strength than him, made him a model of complacency and idleness. Some of the Bai Family¡¯s side descendants also had many criticisms of him, believing that he was only staying in the Bai Family under the name of Bai Xiaotian. Shen Luo understood all of this but didn¡¯t much care. To his surprise, he once ran into Bai Xiaoyun quarreling with a side descendant, praising Shen Luo for his strong capabilities in his words, and saying how could someone who was a brother to Bai Xiaotian be a waste? However, Bai Xiaoyun was seen by everyone as a prodigal child with no skills, so while people listened to his words, few took them seriously. There was indeed an exception in the Bai Family. That was the third elder Bai Jiangfeng, who had a high regard for Shen Luo. After learning that he was practicing Talisman Technique, he even discussed some insights on making talismans with him from time to time. Regardless of his talisman refinement, Shen Luo did indeed have unique insights on the theory, sometimes to the surprise of Bai Jiangfeng. Later, Ma Lu suddenly sent news that the value of the Soul-suppressing Gold Ruyi was underestimated and asked Shen Luo to go to Lubao Hall again. He gave him ten more Immortal jades. With joy in his heart, Shen Luo bought a lot more talisman paper and spiritual materials, returning to persisting in drawing Thunderfall Talismans and Flying Talismans. After a month¡¯s time, he managed to draw two more Thunderfall Talismans and one Flying Talisman. One day, Shen Luo took a break from his cultivation and visited Bai Jiangfeng¡¯s courtyard again. The two were sitting across a stone table in the courtyard like old friends, with a teapot emitting wisps of steam between them, discussing their experiences in the art of talisman. ¡°The most orthodox Thunder Techniques in the world all come from Zhang Heavenly Master. Although this Small Thunder Talisman is a Thunder Attribute talisman, it does not fall under the main Five Thunder lineage, but is a side branch. Even if the talisman paper and talisman ink are replaced with better ones, its power will not increase too much,¡± Shen Luo pointed at the Small Thunder Talisman on the table and said. ¡°Although this talisman is not very powerful, it is easy to draw and its materials are common. For dealing with common ghosts, it has a natural suppression effect. There are many advantages. I am already grateful that you have passed all the methods of drawing it to me,¡± Bai Jiangfeng replied with a smile. ¡°I learned the Clear Heart Charm from Elder. If I encounter a Mist Barrier in the future, I will have an extra layer of security. Isn¡¯t that also a great benefit? Furthermore, Elder has helped me solve many cultivation puzzles. I feel I am unable to repay you,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Ah, if only that lad Xiaotian were half as diligent as you, I have been too lenient on him in the past,¡± Bai Jiangfeng sighed when he thought of Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Elder, you potshot at me. If I had half of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s talent, I wouldn¡¯t need to work so hard and still make so little progress,¡± Shen Luo joked and self-mocked. ¡°That being said, I have greater confidence in your character. As long as you can maintain your original intention and not be disturbed by external objects, you will certainly achieve something notable in the future,¡± Bai Jiangfeng said solemnly. While they were talking, an unexpected guest suddenly rushed into the courtyard. Shen Luo turned his head and saw Bai Xiaoyun, who was holding a Purple Sandalwood Square Box, walk in. ¡°Greetings, Third Grandfather. Oh, Big Brother Shen is here too?¡± He called out in surprise as soon as he saw the two of them. ¡°You brat, what¡¯s gotten into you today? I¡¯ve never heard you call anyone other than Xiaotian ¡®Big Brother¡¯?¡± Bai Jiangfeng was surprised and laughed. Bai Xiaoyun just chuckled and didn¡¯t explain anything. ¡°You rascal are even more rebellious than your brother. Why did you think of coming here today?¡± Bai Jiangfeng called him over, beckoning him to sit next to him. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 230: The Second Young Masters Bet Chapter 232: Chapter 230: The Second Young Master¡¯s Bet Bai Xiaoyun immediately scampered over, a solicitous smile plastered across his face. ¡°Uncle, I missed you, so I came to see you, and also brought you some tea from Cloud Mist Mountain.¡± Bai Xiaoyun grinned sycophantically as he said this. Bai Jiangfeng took the square box from his hand and opened it. He pinched a little dark green tea, sniffed it, and his expression changed slightly. ¡°This is genuinely good tea, you¡¯ve actually put some thought into this. It seems the favor you have to ask must be a difficult one?¡± Bai Jiangfeng put down the tea and chuckled. ¡°Uncle, you really amaze me with your insight,¡± Bai Xiaoyun exclaimed in mock amazement. Shen Luo sat aside, found his exaggerated performance rather hard to watch. ¡°Speak up, spit it out. Given your goodwill of bringing me this tea, I won¡¯t sit idle if I can help you.¡± Bai Jiangfeng, unable to stand his flattery, urged him on. ¡°Well, I made a bet with Lin Bi Qiu and Du An a few days ago in an attempt to impress them with our unique Escape Talisman¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun paused here, glancing at Shen Luo. ¡°Shen Luo is a guest of our Bai Family, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t be straightforward about.¡± Seeing this, Bai Jiangfeng frowned and spoke. ¡°Initially, I just wanted to show them how formidable our unique Escape Talisman is, but they kept doubting and provoked me, demanding proof. Reluctantly, I agreed to show them. However, they kept pressuring me these days and I was so annoyed that I went to borrow one from my father. But not only did I fail to borrow it, I was also kicked out of his study.¡± Bai Xiaoyun grumbled with a bitter face. ¡°Do you want me to help you persuade the Family Head?¡± Bai Jiangfeng asked, knitting his eyebrows. ¡°Yes, yes, Uncle, please speak for me¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun nodded incessantly like a pecking chicken, but his words were cut off by a furious scolding. ¡°You little scoundrel, do you not understand what that Escape Talisman is? Our ancestors only left us three. Your elder brother used one to save his life and took another one when he left for Hua Sheng Temple. We only have one left. How would you dare brag about it? The fact that the Family Head didn¡¯t beat you is already a mercy!¡± Bai Jiangfeng raged when he heard this, scolding him heavily. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï ¡°Uncle, I, I just want to borrow it and show them. After showing them, I will bring it back. If you¡¯re worried, you can secretly follow me. If I can¡¯t bring it out, I¡¯ll have to swallow my pride and accept that bastard Lin Bi Qiu as the elder brother.¡± Bai Xiaoyun begged. ¡°Not only did you mess around, but you also want to involve me? You truly are a hopeless scoundrel. How could you be so different from your brother who also hails from the same mother!¡± Bai Jiangfeng sighed heavily, expressing his disappointment. Bai Xiaoyun turned gloomy upon hearing this and fell silent. ¡°I wish I could be like my brother, but regretfully I don¡¯t possess the same built-in talent¡­¡± He uttered after a long quiet moment before standing up and leaving. Bai Jiangfeng watched his somewhat desolate figure retreating and called out in a tone filled with remorse: ¡°Xiao Yun¡­¡± But Bai Xiaoyun did not turn back or stop but continued walking until he was out of sight of the small courtyard. ¡°In fact, when Xiao Yun was younger, he was not short on talent. It was due to an accident that left a shadow lurking in his body, which ruined his cultivation foundation.¡± Bai Jiangfeng fell into a long reminiscence before he spoke vaguely. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows, deep in thought. ¡­ Outside the Bai Mansion, Bai Xiaoyun was in a bad mood. He dismissed the two guards who followed him usually and went alone to a gambling house known as ¡°Fortune Arrival Place¡± in his carriage. Bai Xiaoyun did not have a gambling addiction, he would go there to vent when he was upset. However, it was a bad day. When he arrived at Fortune Arrival Place and lifted the curtain, he instantly saw a youth wearing a jade crown and a purple brocade robe standing in front of a Pai Jiu table. The young man was relatively handsome, however, there was a black mole on the tip of his nose which spoiled his look to some extent. The youth in the purple robe held two game pieces in his hand, rubbing them vigorously. He even leaned his face forward, squinted one eye, and excitedly looked at it. Behind him stood a round-faced youth in a green round-neck robe who was slightly chubby with beads of sweat on his forehead. He too leaned in and watched the cards in the purple-robed youth¡¯s hand. Behind them followed seven or eight black-robed men, each of them looked formidable, obviously they were no common guards. ¡°Damn, the last thing I want is to run into these two troublemakers, yet my luck insists on throwing them my way.¡± Bai Xiaoyun murmured to himself as he let go of the curtain and turned to leave. However, as he let go, the round-faced youth somehow lifted his head and caught sight of him. ¡°Huh? Bai Xiaoyun¡­¡± The round-faced youth¡¯s voice was not loud and barely noticeable in the noisy gambling place, but Bai Xiaoyun heard it instantly. He shuddered slightly and quickened his pace. ¡°What? Bai Xiaoyun?¡± Upon hearing this, the youth in the purple robe, regardless of the win or loss of Pai Jiu, dropped the game pieces and chased after him. The round-faced youth and several other guards followed suit. But by the time they stepped out of the gambling house, the bustling street was void of Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s figure. ¡°Du An, are you sure you saw him?¡± the Youth in the purple robe asked, scanning his surroundings with furrowed brows. ¡°Master Lin, I¡¯m sure, it was him.¡± The round-faced youth answered immediately. The round-faced youth was none other than a member of the Du family, Du An, and the youth in the purple robe was a member of the Lin family, Lin Bi Qiu. ¡°That boy has been avoiding us these few days, obviously because of the bet. We mustn¡¯t let him escape, let¡¯s split up and search.¡± Lin Bi Qiu sneered and ordered. The several guards behind him were about to scatter immediately. ¡°No need for the trouble.¡± An aged voice suddenly rang out. An old man dressed in a gray cloth robe suddenly stepped out of the crowd and walked in front of them. His eyes were sunken, his nose was high and sharp, making his cheeks seem slender and skinny. He had a somewhat sickly pale complexion. ¡°Elder Lu Ying, why are you here?¡± Lin Bi Qiu was surprised. ¡°Jianye City has been unsettled recently. Your father sent me to protect you discreetly. The Bai Family kid you are looking for has gone towards Penglu Alley.¡± Lu Ying pointed at an alleyway in the distance and informed. ¡°Understood, thank you, Elder Lu.¡± Lin Bi Qiu grinned, and led his men in the direction indicated. Lu Ying did not follow. Instead, he retreated into the crowd and disappeared. In Penglu Alley, Bai Xiaoyun was kicking a small stone on the ground, mumbling something. When he suddenly looked up, he saw several black-robed men blocking the road ahead. When he looked back, Lin Bi Qiu and his men had already caught up from behind. Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 231: Raising the Stakes Chapter 233: Chapter 231: Raising the Stakes ¡°Second Young Master Bai, finally found you after all this time, why have you been avoiding me these past few days?¡± Lin Biqiu initiated the conversation with a smile on his face. ¡°Avoiding you? You¡¯re not a pile of shit, so why would I need to avoid you?¡± Bai Xiaoyun feigned surprise. ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Biqiu was stumped for a while, at a loss for a proper retort. ¡°Bai, didn¡¯t you forget the bet you had with Young Master Lin? You said you will show us the Escape Talisman.¡± Du An chuckled and asked. ¡°Who said I forgot? I remember it all too well. I said I would bring it out and dazzle your blind eyes, how could I forget?¡± Bai Xiaoyun responded, secretly cursing under his breath as Du An reopened the old wound. ¡°Hmm, better if you didn¡¯t forget. Du An, what was it Bai Xiaoyun said last time we saw him?¡± Lin Biqiu puffed out his chest, asked knowingly. ¡°Master Bai said, the next time we meet, he¡¯ll make sure we get to see what we want.¡± Du An instantly replied, emphasizing the words ¡°get to see¡±. ¡°Bai Xiaoyun, this counts as our ¡®next meeting¡¯, right? Where¡¯s your Escape Talisman? Show us.¡± Lin Biqiu spread out a hand towards Bai Xiaoyun and said. Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s face showed a hint of hesitation, he was pondering the best course of action quickly. Seeing him silent, Lin Biqiu sneered and said: ¡°Bai Xiaoyun, doesn¡¯t your family have a high-level Rune at all? Or are you just a worthless runt in the Bai Family who can¡¯t produce the Escape Talisman?¡± His words stabbed Bai Xiaoyun in the heart like a steel blade. Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. His eyes turned frigid, glowering at Lin Biqiu. ¡°You, if you can¡¯t bring out the Escape Talisman today, then you lose. Either pay me five Immortal Jades or kneel down and call me ¡®Big Brother¡¯. I always treat my younger brothers generously.¡± Lin Biqiu was taken aback by his suddenly intense eyes, but still maintained his seemingly calm demeanor. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? ¡°Big Brother, based on you?¡± Bai Xiaoyun became even angrier when he heard these words. ¡°Master Bai, you are not quite right. What Young Master Lin said is indeed the original stakes. As long as you can produce the Escape Talisman, Young Master Lin would surely be a good sport and hold his end of the bet.¡± Du An saw this, laughed, and said. His words seemed just, but in reality still sided with Lin Biqiu, pressuring Bai Xiaoyun into losing. Bai Xiaoyun shot him a glance, feeling somewhat regretful. He shouldn¡¯t have fallen for their provocations and set up this bet beforehand. Just as he was undecided whether to find an excuse to withdraw, a figure suddenly leaped from the roof. Before the seven or eight followers around him could react, the person had already landed on the ground, standing beside Bai Xiaoyun. The followers were shocked, quickly moving to guard Lin Biqiu and Du An, encircling the newcomer in the center. Bai Xiaoyun turned his head and saw a man in a green shirt with a handsome face, it was Shen Luo. ¡°No need to be afraid, he is our Bai Family¡¯s guest official.¡± Bai Xiaoyun felt a sudden and unexpected sense of calm in his heart. He signaled to Lin Biqiu and the others and looked at Shen Luo with a questioning gaze. ¡°Second brother, you walk too fast, I couldn¡¯t keep up.¡± Shen Luo winked at Bai Xiaoyun, laughing. In fact, Shen Luo had followed Bai Xiaoyun not long after he left, trailing him all the way here, seeing everything that had transpired. ¡°I was just strolling around, I was about to go back.¡± Bai Xiaoyun was a bit confused and replied vaguely. ¡°Bai Xiaoyun, are you trying to bluff your way out of this predicament? The oath you swore during the bet is now being dismissed like it¡¯s nothing? Fine, since you have a guest official backing you, I have no way to deal with you.¡± Lin Biqiu raised his eyebrows and taunted. ¡°Bai, if you¡¯re reluctant to part with the Immortal Jades, calling out ¡®Big Brother¡¯ won¡¯t be a big deal.¡± Du An also followed suit. Seeing that Bai Xiaoyun was about to lose his temper, Shen Luo stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Bai Xiaoyun, he lowered his voice and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if they want to play, let¡¯s play along.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of doubt, but hesitated and didn¡¯t speak up. ¡°Trust me, you won¡¯t lose.¡± Shen Luo reassured. Bai Xiaoyun glanced at him, feeling a strange sense of calm in his heart. He suddenly remembered some past events, falling deep in thought. ¡°Our Second Young Master doesn¡¯t want to give up the Immortal Jades, he just thinks the original bet is too small. How about we play a bigger game?¡± Shen Luo turned to look at Lin and Du, smiling brightly. ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying you want to up the stakes?¡± Lin Biqiu frowned. Du An looked at the lost in thought Bai Xiaoyun and was also puzzled. ¡°If the Second Young Master wins, Master Lin either provides twenty Immortal Jades as compensation, or every time he meets Second Young Master, he has to call him ¡®Big Brother¡¯. And vice versa, how about that?¡± Shen Luo extended his palm, raising two fingers. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun finally realized what was happening, but then he got a fright from what Shen Luo was proposing in the conversation. Five Immortal Jades are indeed not a small amount, but he could grit his teeth and scrape them together. But twenty Immortal Jades, that¡¯s not something he can currently afford. ¡°Big Brother Shen, you¡­¡± He stopped speaking halfway through and immediately shut up. In front of Lin Biqiu and Du An, he cannot show weakness. However, his heart was heavy, and his expression was a little unnatural. ¡°Twenty Immortal Jades?¡± Lin Biqiu also cried out, looking at Shen Luo in disbelief. ¡°Yes. If Master Lin doesn¡¯t dare to bet, we won¡¯t force it.¡± Shen Luo nodded earnestly. ¡°Ridiculous! Who said I¡¯m not daring? Previously, the Second Young Master Bai either had to pay five Immortal Jades or call me ¡®Big Brother¡¯ if he lost. Now, since the stakes have increased to twenty Immortal Jades, if you lose and can¡¯t pay the Immortal Jade, you can¡¯t just call me ¡®Big Brother¡¯. You have to call Du An ¡®second brother¡¯ as well. If I win, we¡¯ll split the twenty Immortal Jades, Du An and I will each provide half of it.¡± Lin Biqiu glanced at Bai Xiaoyun and loudly stated. ¡°Master Lin, I¡­I don¡¯t have ten Immortal Jades¡­¡± Du An¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he quickly whispered to Lin Biqiu. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any guts, can¡¯t you see? This suddenly sprung guest official wants to play dumb on behalf of Bai Xiaoyun, he wants to scare us.¡± Lin Biqiu glared at Du An and scolded him in a low voice. ¡°Fine! Since Second Young Master Bai wants to generously give us Immortal Jades, then I shall respectfully accept the offer.¡± Du An¡¯s eyes rolled and he responded with a laugh. ¡°Now that the bet is settled, Second Young Master Bai, please hurry and bring out the Escape Talisman and enlighten us.¡± Lin Biqiu casually said to Bai Xiaoyun. Shen Luo saw the scene and hooked up the corners of his mouth, showing a hint of a smile. ¡°Did you really borrow the Escape Talisman from father?¡± Bai Xiaoyun hadn¡¯t quite come back to his senses yet; he walked over to Shen Luo and asked quietly. He just couldn¡¯t believe that his father would trust that precious talisman to an outsider. Shen Luo didn¡¯t answer, instead, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a purple talisman, showing it to everyone present. ¡°See it? This is the Bai family¡¯s Escape Talisman. I¡¯m carrying out the family head¡¯s orders to specifically deliver it to the Second Young Master.¡± As Shen Luo spoke, he respectfully handed over the talisman to Bai Xiaoyun using both hands. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 232: Refreshing Chapter 234: Chapter 232: Refreshing ¡°Father he¡­.¡± The latter¡¯s hands trembled slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief, as he robotically accepted it. Lin Biqiu and Du An¡¯s expressions changed instantly, their gazes nervously drawn to the rune on the talisman. ¡°You say it¡¯s an Escape Talisman, how can you prove it?¡± Lin Biqiu asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°As gentlemen of the world, you should know that high-grade talismans can only be drawn on superior talisman paper, right? Do you recognize the Purple Cloud Talisman paper used for this Escape Talisman? Can you discern the spiritual energy contained in the runes?¡± Shen Luo asked, seemingly prepared for their skepticism. ¡°We certainly recognize Purple Cloud Talisman paper and can see that the talisman is extraordinary. But this does not prove that it is an Escape Talisman.¡± Lin Biqiu snorted disdainfully. ¡°Exactly! Unless you activate the talisman, and let us see.¡± Du An hastily added, with a hint of nervousness in his expression. ¡°How could that be possible? Once the talisman core is ignited, its spiritual energy will be consumed and damaged. Who among you would compensate for this loss?¡± Bai Xiaoyun retorted immediately. After brief hesitation, Lin Biqiu gritted his teeth. ¡°I will compensate, if you can verify that this is indeed an Escape Talisman, I¡¯ll add five more pieces of immortal jade as compensation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to spend more money, but I can¡¯t bear to see this precious talisman damaged! Let¡¯s compromise and drop this bet, okay?¡± Bai Xiaoyun proposed after considering for a moment. He was almost convinced that this talisman was an Escape Talisman, and naturally didn¡¯t want it to be damaged at all. Hearing this, Shen Luo developed a new respect for Bai Xiaoyun. Although Bai Xiaoyun seemed whimsical, he knew his priorities well. However, his compromise made Lin Biqiu and Du An reconsider their stance. They had originally suspected that a lowly official like Shen Luo possessing an Escape Talisman was suspicious. Now they believed that Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s talisman was fake, and he was too afraid to test it. ¡°It seems like Young Master Bai is getting cold feet. If you¡¯re too scared to test it, why not just admit defeat?¡± Du An relaxed a little and laughed. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.?¦Ï Lin Biqiu remained silent, but the challenge in his eyes made his intentions clear: he wanted Bai Xiaoyun to demonstrate here and now. Bai Xiaoyun furrowed his brows in indecision. ¡°Second Young Master, let¡¯s give it a try. Since the Family Head allowed me to bring the talisman, it implies that you can use it. This talisman may be precious, but it¡¯s worth about five pieces of immortal jade if used once.¡± Shen Luo chuckled. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s give it a shot. Lin Biqiu, Du An, open your eyes wide and watch closely.¡± Only then did Bai Xiaoyun steady his mind. Shen Luo immediately stepped forward, holding the Flying Talisman in one hand while grabbing Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s wrist with the other. ¡°Rise!¡± He commanded softly. Suddenly, a green light surged from the purple talisman paper, enveloping the two of them. Before others could react, they shot up into the sky, flying towards the distance like immortals riding the wind. Bai Xiaoyun only felt his body become light. The sound of wind whistled in his ears, blurring his vision, yet his heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of exhilaration. He looked down to see Jianye City lying beneath him, as if sprawled under his feet, even the towering city walls seemed significantly smaller from this altitude. Unlike Bai Xiaoyun, Shen Luo did not gaze at the scenery below. Instead, he focused his mind on sensing the consumption of spiritual energy from the Flying Talisman and the changes in their flying speed. He had only tried this once before in Dreamland, using it at the Nascent Soul Stage. Now, activating it at the Qi Refining Stage did not seem to make much difference in terms of effectiveness, and the mana consumed was within a tolerable range. Back in the alley, Lin Biqiu and the others continued to gaze into the sky, their faces filled with disbelief. ¡°He actually brought an Escape Talisman¡­¡± Du An¡¯s throat bobbed as he murmured to himself, his face turning ugly. Lin Biqiu looked thoughtful, lost in his own world. Those were a full fifteen Immortal jades in total. Even for them, the aristocratic sons, it was not a small amount. At this moment, a green light fell from the sky, revealing that Shen Luo and his companion had already returned, landing in front of the two men. Bai Xiaoyun held a food box in his hand. He opened it, revealing six neatly arranged delicate pastries. He smiled and said, ¡®To prevent you from accusing me of cheating, I deliberately went to the Qingyue Residence in the East City to buy their unique Osmanthus cakes. Would you like to try some?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ve won.¡¯ Lin Biqiu said without resentment. ¡®Ha ha, it¡¯s good that you¡¯ve admitted defeat. Whenever you see me from now on, call me ¡®Big Brother¡¯ obediently.¡¯ Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s face was full of smiles. He hadn¡¯t been this elated for a long time. Lin Biqiu opened his mouth, but did not utter a sound. ¡°Big¡­Big Brother.¡± At this moment, a somewhat awkward voice faintly sounded. Du An had resigned himself to the situation and spoke up. Compared to handing over ten Immortal jades as compensation, he would rather endure this moment of humiliation. ¡®Ha ha, Second Brother, not bad at all. As for you, Lin Biqiu, you¡¯re too late. You¡¯re now the third brother.¡¯ When Bai Xiaoyun heard his call of ¡®Big Brother¡¯, he instantly felt refreshed and burst into laughter. ¡®Don¡¯t be so sure of yourself! I don¡¯t have any Immortal jades on me right now. I owe you for now. In a few days, I¡¯ll pay you back.¡¯ Lin Biqiu complexion turned livid as he spoke coldly. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun wasn¡¯t angry, but rather looked at Shen Luo with some surprise and said, ¡®Big Brother Shen was right. The reactions of these two guys were exactly as you had predicted.¡¯ Shen Luo had previously observed the behavior of the two men and had a general understanding of their character, so it wasn¡¯t strange that he knew what their reactions would be. However, as soon as he finished speaking, both Lin Biqiu and Du An turned their gaze towards Shen Luo, a flash of resentment visible in their eyes. The former did not hide it, while the latter was rather indirect. ¡®Young Master Lin, spoken promises hold no weight. We should put it in writing.¡¯ Shen Luo was completely indifferent to this display of hatred. He chuckled as he reached behind and handed over a writing brush and ink which he had already prepared to Lin Biqiu. Seeing this, Lin Biqiu was speechless and a flash of anger passed through his eyes. Du An looked resentfully at Lin Biqiu while Bai Xiaoyun gave Shen Luo a covert thumbs-up. With the food box as a makeshift desk, Lin Biqiu made a promissory note for Bai Xiaoyun. Without so much as a glance at Du An, he turned and left with his entourage. ¡®Big¡­Big Brother, I will take my leave as well.¡¯ Du An gave Bai Xiaoyun an embarrassed smile, then turned and fled as if escaping. Bai Xiaoyun watched their dejected retreating figures and felt a great sense of satisfaction in his heart. All his earlier frustration was swept away. ¡®Big Brother Shen, I am beyond impressed with you this time!¡¯ He looked at Shen Luo and said happily. Before Shen Luo could respond, his expression suddenly changed. He quickly grabbed Bai Xiaoyun and after sprinting a few steps, he squeezed a Flying Talisman between his fingers. Once again, they ascended into the sky and flew away. Just as they disappeared, a figure flashed in the alley, revealing an old man dressed in a gray robe with pale skin. It was the Lin family¡¯s guest official, Lu Ying, whom they had encountered earlier. Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 233: Hidden Truth Chapter 235: Chapter 233: Hidden Truth ¡°I didn¡¯t even use my mana, yet they still discovered me. This guy¡¯s cultivation level doesn¡¯t seem high, yet he is extremely alert and reacts decisively,¡± Lu Ying remarked with some surprise as he looked at the deserted street. ¡°What a pity¡­ If we could have taken that Escape Talisman, it would have been a great achievement,¡± Lu Ying sighed. ¡­ On the other side, Shen Luo, carrying Bai Xiaoyun, landed in a secluded corner not far from the Bai family. ¡°What¡¯s happened, Big Brother Shen?¡± Although Bai Xiaoyun was somewhat puzzled, he knew that something had definitely occurred. ¡°Just now, I sensed a faint murderous intent hidden in the alleyway. It was cunningly concealed,¡± said Shen Luo, after contemplating for a moment. ¡°Was it targeting me, or the Escape Talisman?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked, alarmed. ¡°Of course, the Escape Talisman. But there¡¯s no real difference. Anyone who dares to snatch the talisman must be prepared to kill for it,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Who dares to harbor such intentions in Jianye City?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked, confused. ¡°As long as the reward is enticing enough, anyone can be driven to murder. But I suspect it might be someone from the Lin family or Du family,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. Bai Xiaoyun was shocked at this revelation. After considering it, he asked with palpable trepidation, ¡°Big Brother Shen, are you suggesting that their provocation for me to bring out the Escape Talisman was a trap all along?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not quite like that. They probably didn¡¯t expect you to actually have an Escape Talisman. It was likely a spur-of-the-moment idea,¡± Shen Luo smiled and replied. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I still find it strange. Why would my father allow you to take the Escape Talisman out?¡± Bai Xiaoyun, after mulling it over, asked. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï ¡°The answer is simple: this talisman isn¡¯t an Escape Talisman,¡± Shen Luo took out the Flying Talisman and waved it, explaining. ¡°What?¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s called a Flying Talisman. While it may not be on the same level as an Escape Talisman, it¡¯s still my precious artifact. Using it twice has already consumed a lot of spiritual energy. What should we do about this?¡± Shen Luo laughed, raising an eyebrow. ¡°We can handle this easily. Lin Biqiu still owes us fifteen pieces of Immortal jade, doesn¡¯t he? When we have them, I¡¯ll give them all to you,¡± Bai Xiaoyun brushed off with a grin. ¡°That won¡¯t do. If it weren¡¯t for your situation acting as bait, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to reel in such big fishes. We¡¯ll split the Immortal jade fifty-fifty,¡± Shen Luo negated, shaking his head. ¡°Big Brother Shen, now I know why my brother sees you as a friend,¡± Bai Xiaoyun looked at Shen Luo approvingly and nodded. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± This time it was Shen Luo who was curious. ¡°Because you¡¯re straightforward, haha¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun burst out laughing. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo also let out a smile. However, after the laughter faded, he became serious again, ¡°Bai Xiaoyun, you should really resume your cultivation. You can¡¯t neglect it like this.¡± ¡°I wanted to pursue cultivation too. But due to an ambush by a Ghost Cultivator from a rival family when I was young, I was literally on the brink of death. My cultivation ground to a halt as a result of the Yin Sha infiltrating my body. My survival was solely thanks to my brother¡¯s tenacious defense,¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s face fell, his brows furrowed as he explained. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered with understanding. Now he knew why Bai Xiaotian had treated him so differently when they were at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. It was likely due to their similar experiences in cultivation, but Shen Luo had never given up. ¡°Fortunately, my family still has my brother. He¡¯s extraordinarily gifted. As his younger brother, I¡¯ll just look up to him,¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s face brightened as he spoke. ¡°Have you ever thought that your brother doesn¡¯t want you to just give up and resign to your fate? He wants to see you continue your cultivation journey,¡± Shen Luo remarked. ¡°Regardless of how much I cultivate, it¡¯s all just a joke. What¡¯s the point?¡± Bai Xiaoyun gave a bitter smile. ¡°Bai Xiaoyun, what if I told you, a little over two years ago, I was a pathetic creature with a blocked Dao seed, facing death at every moment. Would you believe me?¡± Shen Luo hesitated before expressing. Bai Xiaoyun looked at Shen Luo in confusion. After a moment of silence, Shen Luo slowly recounted the events of years ago when he was invaded by Yin Qi and his desperate struggle to cling on to life at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. However, he concealed all the strange events associated with the Nameless Heavenly Book and jade pillow. Bai Xiaoyun listened quietly the entire time, his eyes reflecting a growing complexity. After a while, he took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Big Brother Shen, I really can¡¯t imagine, how did you manage to make it through those years?¡± ¡°When you focus solely on the goal of survival, you don¡¯t really take notice of how hard the journey may be, because you simply don¡¯t have any other choice,¡± Shen Luo said slowly, emphasizing every word. ¡°After the incident, I didn¡¯t give up initially. But as time went by, my cultivation didn¡¯t show any progress while my gap with my brother just widened. Eventually, I did give up, thinking that if anything happened, my father or brother would handle it. If not, the Ancestor would intervene. I was¡­really foolish,¡± Bai Xiaoyun revealed after some contemplation. ¡°Telling you all this was meant to convey that, no matter how difficult certain things are, as long as there¡¯s a one in ten thousand chance of success, you should put in ten thousand times the effort. Never give up easily. You don¡¯t want to forever be seen as a prodigal son, do you?¡± Shen Luo said seriously. ¡°I understand,¡± Bai Xiaoyun said, his eyes sparkling. It seemed like the small flame in his heart, which had been at the brink of dying, had been reignited. ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on Lin Biqiu and Du An?¡± Shen Luo suddenly changed the subject. ¡°The Lin family has always been hostile towards the Bai family, and Lin Biqiu is no different. He always wants to get an upper hand on me and continually targets me. As for Du An, he¡¯s basically half of Lin Biqiu¡¯s follower and frequently plays cheerleader¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this. ¡°But although Lin Biqiu is openly hostile, he doesn¡¯t resort to many dirty tricks behind the scenes. On the contrary, that Du An, although he may seem like Lin Biqiu¡¯s lapdog, comes up with most of the disgusting schemes. Most of the conflicts between me and Lin Biqiu are because of his instigations. Hence, I¡¯m more wary of him,¡± Bai Xiaoyun added. ¡°You see very clearly,¡± Shen Luo praised, nodding approvingly. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I might have neglected my cultivation, but that doesn¡¯t mean I am thoughtless,¡± Bai Xiaoyun retorted helplessly. ¡°The current situation isn¡¯t as peaceful as it appears to be. In fact, there are already signs of unrest. Jianye City is unstable, and as one of the Demon Exorcising Families, the Bai family is likely to get caught up in this turbulence. With Bai Xiaotian away, you need to be even more careful,¡± Shen Luo advised. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I¡¯ve been wondering, we didn¡¯t get along that well at first, yet you still wanted to help me this time. Why is that?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked solemnly. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 234 Xie Yuxin Chapter 236: Chapter 234 Xie Yuxin ¡°Because you¡¯re Bai Xiaotian¡¯s brother.¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate and answered immediately. Upon hearing this answer, Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s smile deepened. He suddenly seemed to remember something and said, ¡°Big Brother Shen, be careful yourself these days. Wu Tong, whom you defeated last time, seems to be getting close to Xie Yuxin recently. He probably wants to find a powerful backer to regain his lost ground.¡± ¡°Who is Xie Yuxin?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°She is the most powerful cultivator among our household guest officials, and the only early-stage Grain Avoidance cultivator. She is exceedingly beautiful, but has a terrible temper, always stony-faced pretending to be noble. In fact, she probably wouldn¡¯t bother with Wu Tong, but it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t provoke her if you can avoid it.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said. ¡°As members of the Bai family, aren¡¯t we all serving the family? Are we fighting amongst ourselves? Isn¡¯t your father taking any action?¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat incredulously. ¡°Well¡­Our Bai family is after all a large clan, and with more people come more problems. The situation is very complicated, and even if Father wanted to intervene, it would be difficult because of all the intricacies involved. In fact, there are quite a few people in the Bai family who don¡¯t like you. Don¡¯t trust the others in the Bai family too much.¡± Bai Xiaoyun scratched his head as if hesitating to say more. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly upon hearing this. His impression of Bai Xiaoyun enhanced significantly. In the end, he gave Bai Xiaoyun solemn instructions to keep the matter of the flying talisman a secret. Bai Xiaoyun also promised with thumps on his chest that he would not mention it to the third person. After that, the two returned to the Bai Mansion together. Starting from that day, the once indolent second young master of the Bai family, Bai Xiaoyun, suddenly reformed himself and resumed his training. ¡­ Several days later. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Inside Shen Luo¡¯s bedroom stood a large wooden bucket, with him submerged inside, his eyes closed as he practiced the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Strands of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi gathered and entered his body through the bucket, a faint blue light emanated from within him. After a long time, he opened his eyes with a hint of joy. The main content of Qi Refining Stage cultivation is to open up the body¡¯s various acupoints. In this regard, the Huangting Technique and the Nameless Cultivation Technique are similar. After several days of attempting, he began to apply the experience of practicing the Huangting technique in his dream realm to the cultivation of the Nameless techniques, which improved his pace of cultivation by a great deal. According to his estimate, although his current training speed still falls short compared to talents like Bai Xiaotian and Ying Luo, it is already superior to that of an average cultivator. Shen Luo felt somewhat invigorated, he soon closed his eyes and once again entered the state of cultivation. In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed. During this period, Shen Luo barely left his room and spent the entire time in closed-door cultivation. Thanks to his hard work, he achieved significant results. He successively opened several acupoints in his Ren and Du meridians, gradually approaching the peak of the Fifth Level of Qi Refining. One day, while he was in closed-door cultivation, a knock sounded from outside. Shen Luo opened his eyes, his brows slightly furrowed. But he soon relaxed them and got up to open the courtyard door, Finding a maid in her teens standing outside. ¡°Young Master Shen, the family head requests your presence.¡± Seeing Shen Luo, the maid showed a respectful demeanor and said. ¡°The family head? Do you know what it¡¯s about?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°The family head did not say, only asked me to invite you to the Jingming Hall.¡± The maid said. ¡°I see.¡± Shen Luo replied, somewhat puzzled. The Jingming Hall was where the Bai family made decisions, why would they invite him there? After the maid gave a bow, she quickly left. Shen Luo returned to his room, changed into clean clothes and walked towards the central courtyard of the Bai Mansion. He soon arrived at a brightly lit hall. The hall was spacious, with enough room for a dozen or two dozen people. At present, there were already quite a few people seated. These people were in diverse attire but each showed an extraordinary demeanor, with a guest official token hanging from their waists. No one was talking. Shen Luo stepped into the hall, with curiosity playing on his mind. He had been a part of the Bai family for some time now. Most of the time he was cultivating behind closed doors, so aside from the White Water Daoist and Wu Tong, this was his first time seeing the other guest officials. Bai Hecheng and Elder Bai Jiangfeng were sitting at the main seats in the hall. Several members of the Bai family sat next to them, their expressions serious. It seemed like everyone turned to look at the doorway when they heard someone coming in, with an invisible pressure pressing over. Shen Luo, who had faced and slain Nascent Soul stage monsters in the dream realm, was hardly perturbed by this pressure and walked into the hall with a calm expression. ¡°Shen Luo has arrived, please take a seat.¡± Bai Hecheng said with a smile when he saw Shen Luo. Seeing Bai Hecheng greet Shen Luo so warmly, those eyes looking at Shen Luo suddenly became much sharper. ¡°Greetings to the family head.¡± Shen Luo gave a bow towards Bai Hecheng and sat at a corner place in the hall. As soon as he sat down, a hate-filled gaze from not far shot toward him. Shen Luo turned his head and saw Wu Tong, whom he had struck down with a Small Thunder Talisman. As soon as Wu Tong saw Shen Luo notice his gaze, he looked a bit unnatural and quickly shifted his gaze. At the moment, he was sitting with the White Water Daoist, behind a lady dressed in red. The lady was very beautiful, with slender and towering stature, particularly her legs which stood out prominently compared to the others seated there. At the moment, her eyes were closed, apparently in meditation. ¡°Big Brother Shen, what were you looking at? That woman may be beautiful, but she is no easy mark.¡± Bai Xiaoyun came up from somewhere and sat next to Shen Luo. ¡°Is she the Xie Yuxin you talked about?¡± Shen Luo asked, drawing back his gaze. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her.¡± Bai Xiaoyun nodded. ¡°Second Young Master, why did the family head ask us to come?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Well, you¡¯ve been inside the room these days, a major event has happened in Jianye City recently.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said in surprise, then spoke softly. ¡°Oh, what major event?¡± Shen Luo asked with a serious expression. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. You know there was a haunting in the Shui Nuan Pavilion some time ago, three people were killed. It¡¯s like that incident set a precedent. In recent times, especially in the past month, hauntings have been happening frequently in and around Jianye City. Many people have been injured or killed, causing panic in the city. Father called you here today, probably to discuss a countermeasure.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said with a worried brow. Shen Luo was surprised to hear this. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a major event had happened outside during the days he had been cultivating in seclusion. After a moment, another man, a young guest official holding a folding fan, entered from outside. He saluted Bai Hecheng saying, ¡°Family head, I was delayed. Please forgive me.¡± ¡°Friend Feng has arrived. Please take a seat.¡± Bai Hecheng nodded, straightened up, and slowly said, ¡°Everyone who should be here is here, so let¡¯s begin. I guess you all know why I¡¯ve summoned you here today. It¡¯s about the hauntings that have been happening in the city.¡± Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 235: Jianye Haunted by Ghosts Chapter 237: Chapter 235: Jianye Haunted by Ghosts After hearing Bai Hecheng¡¯s straightforward introduction, the guest officials present showed a variety of reactions and began to talk fervently. ¡°We have heard of the matter of ghosts, but since the Family Head has summoned us, there must be some arrangements, I presume.¡± Xie Yuxin opened her eyes and was the first to speak out. ¡°That¡¯s right. People in the city live in fear these days. The government officials and our major aristocratic families have been working together to gather city-wide strength¡ªcollecting capable individuals to fight against ghosts ¡ªand have issued a Ghost-catching Reward List as an incentive,¡± replied Bai Hecheng, nodding in agreement. ¡°May I dare to ask the Family Head, is this reward list exclusive for our Bai Family?¡± Xie Yuxin inquired again. ¡°Haha, Our family does not exclusively distribute this task list. The government officials have issued this uniformly. The yamen (government office), Lin Family, and Du Family also have this list. Therefore if anyone wants to take any task, they must act quickly, as these tasks might be done by someone else at any moment,¡± said Bai Hecheng with a chuckle. At these words, the guest officials present seemed to become a bit anxious and seemed ready to spring into action. ¡°Everyone, please, be patient. Copy of the Ghost-catching Reward List issued by the government has been kept in our accounting department. There you¡¯ll find rather detailed annotations regarding the task content, Immortal Jade rewards, and Spiritual Materials. You can check that later on your own. But before all this, there¡¯s something I need to say as a reminder,¡± said Bai Hecheng, holding up both of his hands and pressing them down in the air to gesture for the attention of the crowd. His face turned serious. Word of Bai Hecheng silenced everyone. ¡°The tasks listed on the Ghost-catching Reward List offer substantial rewards, but they are also extremely dangerous. Therefore, you must act according to your abilities. Furthermore, since all of you are guest officials of our Bai Family, if you complete any task, you must report back to the Bai Family¡¯s accounting department. The Bai Family will then collectively submit the tasks to the government officials,¡± said Bai Hecheng. None of the guest officials objected to the danger involved in these tasks. After all, risk and opportunity coexist; nobody would expect good fortune to fall into their laps without taking any risk. As for the instruction of returning to the Bai Family to submit the completed tasks, it seemed quite natural to them. However, Shen Luo felt somewhat puzzled. He couldn¡¯t understand why Bai Hecheng had specially emphasized that matter. ¡°Gentlemen, given the current circumstances of looming crisis, I hope everyone can stick together, pull through these adversities, and contribute to safeguarding the peace of Jianye City,¡± said Bai Hecheng with a smile on his face. ¡°Even without the Ghost-catching List, dealing with the menace of these demons is our inherent duty. We definitely will not tarnish the reputation of our Bai Family as the foremost demon exorcist family,¡± said Xie Yuxin and the others chimed in agreement. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï ¡°With the word of Elder Brother Xie, I can rest assured,¡± responded Bai Hecheng with a nod and a smile. Following this, he directed everyone to the Main Hall of the accounting department, where all the tasks and their pertaining rules had already been posted. Along with the crowd, Shen Luo also exited the Hall. ¡°Family Head, should we not tell them about the competition with the Lin and Du Families for the title of the First Demon-hunting Family?¡± asked Bai Jiangfeng, once everyone had left. ¡°No need. If word of this gets out, the guest officials might harbor other thoughts. I have already looked into it covertly. It appears the Lin and Du Families also have not disclosed this issue,¡± said Bai Hecheng, shaking his head. ¡°Fair enough,¡± said Bai Jiangfeng, raising his hand and waving a piece of white silk on which were densely written characters. It was an overview of each Ghost-catching task on the Reward List. Apart from minor discrepancies from what Bai Hecheng had previously mentioned, no Immortal Jade or Spiritual Material awards were recorded. Instead, there were just some numbers. ¡°The government officials really know how to cut it fine, propagating the title of First Demon-hunting Family, and calculating the results based on accumulated merit points from completing tasks listed on the Ghost-catching Reward List. To make matters worse, they are making us three major families fight like cats and dogs. However, the rewards promised for the First Demon-hunting Family are extremely generous indeed. Merely the management rights of the prosperous shops of the three families on Xuanwu Street and thirty percent transportation rights of the wharf outside the city, are reasons enough for us to compete,¡± remarked Bai Jiangfeng with a tut-tut. ¡°The government officials have no choice. With the recent outbreak of ghostly incidents, if it is not suppressed in a short amount of time, it will have a large impact on Jianye City,¡± said Bai Hecheng in a stern voice. ¡°Lately though, what¡¯s really going on? We have seen a surge in incidents involving mischievous demons and ghosts everywhere. Could it be that, as rumors suggest, some kind of catastrophe is looming?¡± voiced Bai Jiangfeng with a frown. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the matter at hand first,¡± said Bai Hecheng noncommittally. ¡­ While Bai Hecheng and Bai Jiangfeng were conversing, all the guest officials of the Bai Family had already gathered at the Bai Family¡¯s accounting department. In the Main Hall of the accounting department, there was a ten-foot-tall wooden bulletin board with neatly-recorded details of each listed task. All of them were still uncompleted. Standing towards the back of the crowd and straining to look, Shen Luo saw rows of densely-written characters detailing various exorcism tasks clearly recorded, complete with location and the cause behind each. Besides Immortal Jade, there were also several other spiritual materials mentioned in the rewards section. ¡°Ghost at work near the South Gate Zhuangyuan Bridge is suspected to be a water ghost. It can hide under water and has super strength. Two pieces of Immortal Jade will be awarded for killing it.¡± ¡°A ghost is haunting Liu Family Village in East City and has already caused harm to five people and absconded with numerous livestock. The ghost¡¯s identity is not known. The reward is one piece of Fire Goldwood.¡± ¡°In Willow Forest Town, on the southern part of the city, a female ghost can be heard crying every night, causing fear among villagers¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up; the item rewards were no doubt abundant! Immortal Jade reward could be two or three pieces or even more than five pieces. It was the equivalent of his stipend for several months to a year. Although Shen Luo did not recognize most of the spiritual materials listed, they all seemed remarkable. ¡°There are plenty of good things to earn!¡± said Bai Xiaoyun, his face reflecting surprise. Seeing the details of the tasks, the other guest officials too expressed happiness. As guest officials of the Bai Family, they were able to enjoy some cultivation resources every day, but they rarely got their hands on Immortal Jade. The only way to earn Immortal Jade was either through normal distribution or as an award for contributing to the family. As a result, everyday life was always a bit of a struggle. It was indeed rare to see high-reward tasks appear all at once like this. After looking for a while, Shen Luo lightly shook his head, withdrew his gaze, turned around, and prepared to leave. It was not that he didn¡¯t want to perform these tasks. Rather, he had a sense of self-awareness. With his current level of cultivation, he recognized not only the risk involved in doing such tasks but also the fact that even if he could overpower some ghosts, he would probably have to use up quite a few talismans. Considering this, the cost may not justify the rewards. Currently, his cultivation was progressing smoothly through the Nameless Cultivation Technique, plus he was blessed with some extra financial resources. Therefore his interest in Immortal Jade and those materials was not high. He had only joined the crowd to gain some knowledge and experience. ¡°Shen Brother, are you not interested in these tasks?¡± asked Bai Xiao Yun. ¡°Too many people around, I will check again later.¡± said Shen Luo chuckling and answered casually. ¡°You think you can take the risk and go slay some ghosts, you fledgling kid? I bet you would end up becoming a ghost before you could slay one,¡± scoffed an eerily sarcastic voice from the sidelines. Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 236 Red Leaf Town Mission Chapter 238: Chapter 236 Red Leaf Town Mission Shen Luo and Bai Xiaoyun turned to the source of the voice, only to see the White Water Daoist looking their way slantwise, a smirk of ridicule on his face. ¡°Indeed! A mere Qi Refining Fifth Layer, you should refrain from making a fool of yourself.¡± Wu Tong stood by, also sneering unkindly at Shen Luo with undisguised disdain in his eyes. The surrounding crowd, seeing this, shifted their gazes as well. Shen Luo glanced around, his expression unbothered, not saying a word. ¡°White Water Daoist, as far as I am aware, not long ago, in the Zhenhuai Bridge case, you vehemently insisted there was no ghost mischief. Big Brother Shen kindly tried to warn you, but you ignored him and almost were dragged under by a water ghost, causing our Bai Family to lose face in front of other families. Wasn¡¯t that the case?¡± Even though Shen Luo seemed indifferent, Bai Xiaoyun beside him couldn¡¯t stand it and pointed at the White Water Daoist, clamoring. No sooner than Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s words were heard, a wave of quiet discussions could be perceived amongst the crowd. ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯ve heard about this, so that¡¯s what happened!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, it seems the White Water Daoist has his moments of misjudgment, huh?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Exposed by Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s direct revelation of this embarrassing incident, the White Water Daoist¡¯s expression darkened instantly. A flash of ferocity in his eyes, he glared hard at Shen Luo and then returned his gaze to the task list. ¡°Daoist friend Li Chu, this guy must be that ¡®old eighth¡¯, isn¡¯t it? It seems like there¡¯s quite a feud between him and the White Water Daoist.¡± the folding fan-teasing young Guest Official asked a bald man standing next to him. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s that ¡®old eight¡¯! Or we can say ¡®old sycophant¡¯. After the Young Master left, see, he started ingratiating himself with the Second Young Master.¡± Li Chu rubbed his slick bald head and spat disdainfully. ¡°Hehe, no wonder then.¡± The fan-swinging teenager said with a dismissive nod. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 Upon hearing the conversation between Li Chu and the fan-holding youth, the gaze of the nearby Guest Officials towards Shen Luo added a trace more of disdain. Xie Yuxin had been intently looking at the task board, and at this moment, she also glanced at Shen Luo out of the corner of her eye. A hint of scorn flashed across her beautiful eyes before she quickly shifted her gaze back to continue checking the task list. As for the comments from the crowd, Shen Luo responded with only faint laughter. He reached out to stop Bai Xiaoyun, who was about to step forward to argue, and lightly shook his head. Bai Xiaoyun seemed to be boiling with indignation, but seeing Shen Luo acting this way, he managed to control his temper and refrained from saying anything else. In a short while, the people gathered in front of the task list, having picked their favored tasks, departed. Only then did Shen Luo leisurely step forward, his gaze sweeping over the list task by task. ¡°Hmm, this one seems quite good¡­¡± Much to his surprise, he hadn¡¯t looked for long when his eyes suddenly brightened, focusing on a task near the end of the list. ¡°Red Leaf Town in the southern part of the city is haunted by ghosts causing many boatmen to lose their lives, reward: a piece of Fire Scale Wood.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, feeling a touch of delight in his heart. This Fire Scale Wood was one of the main materials listed in the Pure Yang Scripture, which is most suitable for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He was very attentive to the condensation of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Over these days, he frequently checked out for the materials required for refinement, yet, to no avail. He hadn¡¯t found any until this moment. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze focused on the Fire Scale Wood, a small smile curving his lips. ¡°Thinking about taking on the Red Leaf Town¡¯s task? After that Fire Scale Wood, aren¡¯t you? You really don¡¯t know how to fear death. Don¡¯t you realize the higher the reward, the tougher the task?¡± Li Chu muttered to himself, his voice kept low probably considering Bai Xiaoyun. Shen Luo turned a deaf ear to the whisper, turning towards his quarters. Bai Xiaoyun gave a cold snort, shot Li Chu a glare, and quickly followed Shen Luo, leaving the place. The White Water Daoist watched Shen Luo¡¯s receding figure with a twinkle in his eyes, murmuring to himself: ¡°You also dare to take this task? This Fire Scale Wood is as good as mine.¡± No sooner had he finished his sentence than he quickly headed towards the entrance of the accounting building. ¡°Bai Daoist friend, please wait for a moment. I¡¯d like to join you on this mission to Red Leaf Town.¡± Wu Tong, upon seeing this, revealed a smirk and quickly followed. The others around them, upon seeing this, smirked knowingly. ¡­ ¡°Those guys know nothing about your real strength, Big Brother Shen. Why didn¡¯t you show them a glimpse to enlighten them?¡± Upon returning to Shen Luo¡¯s quarters, Bai Xiaoyun said with a displeased tone. ¡°They¡¯re not entirely wrong. My cultivation level is at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, considered the bottom among the Guest Officials, even lower than that Wu Tong.¡± Shen Luo responded calmly. ¡°Cultivation level means nothing! Big Brother Shen, considering your mastery in talisman craft, I don¡¯t think there are many among the Guest Officials who could compete with you.¡± Bai Xiaoyun flapped his hands and contended. Shen Luo merely smiled at Bai Xiaoyun who was indeed not mistaken. If he didn¡¯t hesitate to activate the Thunderfall Talisman, not just the Grain Avoidance Cultivators, even those at the Soul Condensation Stage might not be able to withstand it. That¡¯s also the reason why he didn¡¯t bother about those Guest Officials. Having wrestled with Nascent Soul Stage monsters in the Dreamland and now possessing the Thunderfall Talisman, his perspective and mindset were incomparable to that of those Guest Officials. ¡°Nevertheless, what those people said about the danger of the Red Leaf Town mission is probably true. This ghost-catching mission list is issued by the government. Government officials wouldn¡¯t arbitrarily classify it.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said with a bit of worry. ¡°No worries, since I¡¯ve taken it, I must have ways to deal with it.¡± Shen Luo, knowing Bai Xiaoyun had his best interests at heart, responded with a smile. ¡°I trust Big Brother Shen would never do things without assurance!¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s confident expression, Bai Xiaoyun knew he must have made a thorough plan and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°By the way, that Lin Biqiu finally delivered 15 immortal jades a couple of days ago. Here are eight for you, Big Brother Shen, please accept them.¡± Bai Xiaoyun suddenly remembered something, took out a small cloth bag, and placed it in Shen Luo¡¯s, the crisp sound of jingling jades emitted. ¡°These immortal jades were won through your bet with Lin Biqiu. It has nothing to do with me, hence I can¡¯t accept such generous gift.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the cloth bag then pushed it back. ¡°Should it not have been for Big Brother Shen¡¯s assistance with the treasure talisman that day, I would have been defeated long ago, incurring an immense loss of face! You must accept these immortal jades, otherwise, it would mean disrecognizing me as a friend!¡± Bai Xiaoyun insisted earnestly, his face serious. ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s earnest look, Shen Luo knew that if he were to decline again, Bai Xiaoyun, considering his temperament, would genuinely take offense. Therefore, he stopped declining. ¡°That¡¯s more like it! As you are undertaking the task, Big Brother Shen, it¡¯s essential to be prepared. As they say, better safe than sorry! Alright, I won¡¯t bother you anymore and wish you success in your endeavor.¡± Bai Xiaoyun didn¡¯t linger any longer and left after saying goodbye. Shen Luo escorted him out and returned to his room to recall the content of the task he had taken. Without any delay, he immediately made some preparations and took all the talismans with him. Although he had no doubt about his ability to complete this task, he did not dare to show any sign of contempt. He had heard of many cases of tragedy befalling the overconfident in his readings. Once the preparations were done, he immediately left the Bai residence and headed towards Red Leaf Town. Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 237 Ouyang Three Heroes Chapter 239: Chapter 237 Ouyang Three Heroes Red Leaf Town is thirty li south of Jianye City, a journey that could be completed in one hour at full speed. Although the town is not large, comparable in size to Tuji Town near the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, its bustling activity far surpasses that of the latter. True to its name, the town is filled with vibrant maple leaves both inside and out, their fiery colors especially resplendent amidst the deep autumn setting. A broad river flows by the town, known as the Lishui River, which leads directly to the Eastern Sea and serves as a vital waterway for Jianye City. Every day, a multitude of ships pass through here, contributing to Red Leaf Town¡¯s prosperity. However, upon Shen Luo¡¯s arrival, the town seemed quite lifeless, with deserted streets and shops open yet lacking customers. Shop-owners appeared preoccupied, their minds heavy with thoughts. The town itself carried a sense of heaviness, causing even the stray cats and dogs on the street to run by in fear. Without lingering on the streets, Shen Luo quickly asked around and arrived at a courtyard located in the eastern part of the town. He knocked at the door, but no one responded. ¡°Are they not home?¡± He furrowed his brows and continued knocking. ¡°Who is it? Making so much noise outside, are you trying to cause more trouble?¡± An irritated voice came from within the house, and the door was flung open to reveal a white-haired old man. However, he was taken aback upon seeing Shen Luo standing outside. ¡°Who are you?¡± The old man took in Shen Luo with a perplexed gaze. ¡°Are you Elder Sun, the town head? I am Shen Luo, a retainer from the Bai family in Jianye City. I¡¯m here to take on your task.¡± Shen Luo presented his identity token, keeping a close eye on the old man¡¯s reaction, hopeful. From his observation, he seemed to be the first one to arrive in Red Leaf Town. If he could get the details of the ghost incident before anyone else did, he would have the upper hand in exterminating the ghost without attracting undue attention. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re a representative from the Bai family? Finally, someone has come! I am Old Sun. Please, Master Shen, come inside!¡± The old man happily extended an invitation after reciprocating Shen Luo¡¯s formal bow. ¡°Elder Sun, there¡¯s no need for the formalities. I came here to inquire into the details of this ghost incident¡­¡± Shen Luo explained. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï ¡°Oh, someone arrived before us, how unusual,¡± a voice interrupted. Footsteps echoed as three men in green robes sauntered towards them, exuding an aura of arrogance. Shen Luo glanced at the three men, paying close attention to the green tokens dangling from their waists. The green wood emblem on the green tokens indeed represented the Lin family. ¡°Oh look, a retainer from the Bai family. A new face, huh?¡± The leader of the three, a short and wiry ugly man, appraised Shen Luo with surprise. The other two men, one short and fat and the other hunchbacked, shared a strikingly close resemblance, all of them extraordinarily ugly, likely siblings from the same mother. ¡°Shen Luo from the Bai family.¡± Shen Luo gave them a slight nod. ¡°Shen Luo? I think I¡¯ve heard of that name. Ah, now I remember! I heard that some country bumpkin managed to worm his way into the Bai family recently thanks to his connection with the young master of the Bai family, Bai Xiaotian, and became a Bai family retainer. That¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± The scrawny ugly man sneered. ¡°Tsk, tsk, even a bottom-dweller like him dares to take on a task like this. It seems he¡¯s rather sick of living, doesn¡¯t he? Haha!¡± The short and fat ugly man glanced at Shen Luo and broke out into unreserved laughter. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed, a twinge of discomfort pulsing inside him. Several retainers from the Bai family had previously looked down on him. Although he didn¡¯t take it personally, it still irked him. Now, he was encountering the same situation here. Did people really think of him as an indestructible clay Bodhisattva with limitless patience? ¡°Kid, we, the Ouyang Three Heroes, have taken on this Red Leaf Town mission. If you want to get out of this with your life intact, then scram.¡± The scrawny ugly man swept his hand dismissively, admonishing Shen Luo. ¡°My brother told you to get the hell out. Are you deaf or dumb?¡± Seeing Shen Luo motionless, the hunchbacked ugly man raised his hand, furious and terrifying, and slapped down. A green light flew out of his hand and instantly condensed into the ghost image of a tiger claw, flashing quickly in front of Shen Luo with shocking speed, making a fierce swipe at Shen Luo¡¯s cheek. But before the shadow of the claw could land, Shen Luo swayed left and right with flashes of white light on his feet, transforming into four or five afterimages that disappeared from the spot and in an instant, he was in front of the three ugly men. The men were taken aback, having not expected Shen Luo¡¯s speed to be so fast. But they were not ordinary people; a faint green light emerged from their bodies, vaguely forming the image of a green tiger. But before the image of the tiger could fully materialize, a flash of thunder came from Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve and three strands of white lightning shot out, hitting each of the three men with a speed so fast that they had no time to react. Blinding white electric light burst forth. The body-protecting tiger image of the three ugly men let out a mournful cry as if they had met their nemesis and collapsed loudly under the dazzling electric light. Not only that, the remaining white electric arcs spread over their bodies, causing them to stiffen momentarily. Right after the lightning, Shen Luo¡¯s right palm suddenly became almost twice as wide and, in mid-air, he carved out a half-arc. The chilling palm wind enveloped the three, dealing a harsh blow. BANG BANG BANG! The bodies of the three were like leaves in a wild wind, directly knocked flying backward and heavily crashing to the ground. ¡°You¡­¡± The skinny ugly man tried to turn over and rise, but as soon as he moved, he felt a severe pain in his chest as if his bones had been shattered. The other two looked the same, their eyes flashing a hint of terror when they looked at Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s expression was unchanged, but in his heart, he was ecstatic. Over the past month, while practicing the Nameless Cultivation Technique, he had also been working hard on the Slanting Moon Steps. Relying on his experience in Dreamland, he had already reached the minor accomplishment realm. Today, on his trial run, it proved to be incredibly effective. The three men in front of him, in terms of cultivation level, each of them was not inferior to him. Yet, they couldn¡¯t keep up with his speed combined with the Small Thunder Talisman, making their combat effectiveness quite impressive. As this was his first time executing a job, he was originally worried due to his lack of practical experience. Now, testing the water with these three Lin family retainers, it filled him with renewed confidence. ¡°Elder Sun, do you know where the Ghost is wreaking havoc now?¡± After a quick dusting off, Shen Luo ignored the three roughnecks and walked back to the somewhat stupefied Old Sun, asking. ¡°Ah, yes, yes! That ghost has been spotted around the White Reed Marsh outside the town, it doesn¡¯t come out during the day, but as soon as it gets dark, it prowls around on the surface of the river, attacking passing boats and has injured many people. Now, no one dares to go into the water at night, and business during the day is also greatly affected.¡± Old Sun finally came back to his senses and spoke anxiously. ¡°It only appears at night¡­ Elder Sun, rest assured, we, the Bai family, will handle this matter well.¡± Shen Luo frowned, then offered a slight smile. ¡°Then I leave it to Master Shen.¡± Old Sun gave a glance at the three Lin family retainers who had just staggered to their feet in the distance and greeted Shen Luo warmly with his hands. After asking for the specifics about the location of the White Reed Marsh, Shen Luo did not linger any longer, said his goodbyes and left. ¡°Big bro, shall we follow him?¡± asked the hunchbacked ugly man in a deep voice. ¡°This kid is a bit weird! I heard that his cultivation level is only at the mid-stage of Qi refining, so how can his speed be so fast?¡± The short, fat man touched his somewhat sore back, grinning in pain as he asked. ¡°Humph! This time we were caught off guard by this kid. Let¡¯s go, follow him! And you two better stay sharp.¡± The skinny ugly man snorted and spoke. Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 238: Fierce Ghost Appears Chapter 240: Chapter 238: Fierce Ghost Appears Shen Luo left the town and soon arrived at the banks of the Lishui River. Lishui River was immensely wide, several miles in breadth, meandering towards the downstream. At a glance, one could see a vast expanse of misty waves and rushing water, resembled a colossal flood dragon sprawling on the ground. He followed the ceaseless river downstream for a while until a reed beach appeared before him. The reed was not extensive, merely seven or eight miles long but unusually tall and dense. However, the reeds had turned withered and yellow. When the river wind blew, the reeds rippled like waves, making a loud rustling sound. At this point, the sun had begun to set, and the river became dim. There was not a single boat in sight. It seemed that the ghost really had scared everyone away. Shen Luo swept his gaze around. After a moment of contemplation, he invoked the Water-Stepping Art and probed within the reed beach but did not find any trace of Yin Qi. Not willing to give up so easily, after applying an exorcism charm on himself, he took a few more rounds around the area, but still found nothing. ¡°It seems that this ghost is hiding quite deep,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. After leaving the river, he found a dry place on the shore and sat down cross-legged, quietly waiting for nightfall. At this moment, footsteps came from afar. Shen Luo looked sideways and saw that the three guest officials from the Lin family had also arrived here. The leading skinny and ugly man felt slightly uneasy when he saw Shen Luo, so he avoided provocation. Instead, he led his two companions past Shen Luo and began to comb through the reed marsh. Shen Luo paid no heed to the trio and just closed his eyes to rest his mind. A moment later, all three returned looking deflated. They followed Shen Luo¡¯s example and found a place on the shore to sit and wait. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Just as the sun was about to set, a man and a woman arrived near White Reed Marsh. The man was in his twenties with dark skin. His thick eyebrows and big eyes provided an air of heroism. The woman, only in her twenties, was dressed in a short, light yellow blouse, had a graceful figure, and a fresh and clean look. Both of them had a grey-white token on their waists with the character ¡°Du¡± written on it. ¡°The Ouyang Three Heroes! I didn¡¯t expect them to be here too.¡± The dark-skinned young man glanced from a distance at the three guest officials of the Lin Family and mumbled to himself with a solemn expression. ¡°Are they famous?¡± The girl in yellow blinked her eyes and asked. ¡°The eldest, Ouyang Tian, has refined the seventh layer of Qi. His two brothers, like you, have refined the sixth layer of Qi. But these three are disciples of the famous Black Stone Mountain freelance cultivator, the real Tiger Man. When they combine forces, they become somewhat tricky.¡± The dark-skinned teenager explained gently to the girl. At this time, the Ouyang Three Heroes also noticed the male and female from the Du family. ¡°So it is the Ice Hand Qi Yuan from the Du Family. And this young girl must be Yan Li, the disciple of Mistress Huangshan. It is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. She is a true beauty.¡± The skinny and ugly man, Ouyang Tian, stared at the young girl. His lustful gaze flickered for a moment before disappearing. ¡°No wonder the prestigious Ice Hand of the Grain Avoidance stage has been enchanted and turned upside down. The young girl is indeed good looking. No wonder I feel pity at seeing her!¡± An obese and ugly man swallowed his saliva and said. Yan Li¡¯s pretty face showed a hint of anger, about to say something, but she was stopped by Qi Yuan¡¯s raised hand. ¡°The three of you should have some self-respect as people of reputation, so as not to tarnish the Lin Family¡¯s reputation,¡± Qi Yuan said coldly yet impressively. ¡°Ice Hand, you are overstepping. Our Lin and Du families have an excellent relationship. My brothers and I were only joking just now, so please don¡¯t get upset!¡± Ouyang Tian bowed slightly to Qi Yuan and laughed. Qi Yuan ignored the Ouyang Three Heroes any further, instead, his gaze casually swept away and finally landed on Shen Luo, who was sitting alone nearby. His eyes scanned over the guest official token on Shen Luo¡¯s waist, thinking in his heart, ¡°A Bai family¡¯s retainer, I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡± ¡°Big Brother Qi, according to what Elder Sun said, the ghost has been haunting this area. Should we take a look?¡± Yan Li¡¯s eyes flickered with excitement as she asked in a soft voice. ¡°They arrived before us and definitely scanned the area. They most probably couldn¡¯t trace the ghost¡¯s whereabouts- our scan will be in vain, too. Let¡¯s wait until it gets dark.¡± Qi Yuan smiled and explained. He then led the girl to find a place to sit down. Before long, two more figures appeared at the entrance of the reed beach, it was the White Water Daoist and Wu Tong. ¡°Ouyang¡¯s Three Heroes! Ice Hand Qi Yuan!¡± White Water Daoist eyed everyone, his expression becoming more serious. Qi Yuan and Ouyang¡¯s three heroes also spotted the two White Water Daoists, but they were dismissed from their minds after a brief glance. They clearly didn¡¯t care about them at all. Wu Tong subtly nudged White Water Daoist with his arm, jerking his chin in a certain direction. Following Wu Tong¡¯s guidance, White Water Daoist saw Shen Luo calmly sitting there and scoffed softly,¡± This reckless kid, he came quite early.¡± ¡°He really thinks that by sucking up to the Young Master, he¡¯s someone important. When the fight starts, he¡¯ll realize how ignorant he is.¡± Wu Tong chimed in immediately. The two of them, as they spoke, found a spot well away from the river bank and sat down cross-legged. ¡°The new couple from the Bai Family, why didn¡¯t they sit with that guy from before?¡± Yan Li asked, somewhat perplexed. ¡°The Bai Family retainers have always been fond of infighting, there¡¯s nothing strange about that.¡± Qi Yuan chuckled and replied. Yan Li nodded in understanding and cast a scornful glance at the trio from the Bai Family, closing her eyes to rest. ¡°Daoist, I didn¡¯t expect this Red Leaf town mission to be so attractive that it even lured Ouyang¡¯s Three Heroes and Qi Yuan. I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to compete with them.¡± Once seated, Wu Tong confided softly to White Water Daoist in a voice only both of them could hear. ¡°The more people the better. If anything happens to Shen Luo, it will be easier to find an excuse.¡± The White Water Daoist scoffed lightly and responded this way. ¡°Who could argue with Daoist¡¯s wisdom!¡± Upon hearing those words, Wu Tong excitedly rubbed his hands together and gave a sly chuckle. Throughout, Shen Luo remained seated with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the new arrivals. About half an hour passed before night finally fell. In the mid-air, dark clouds rolled around and obscured the crescent moon that had just risen. The wind on the river surface had picked up, stirring turbulent waves. The noise from the rustling reeds grew louder, merging with the sound of the waves, causing a cacophony. At that moment, everyone by the river opened their eyes simultaneously, looking towards the middle of the river. There, the river water suddenly started to churn, spurting a string of bubbles, each filled with black yin energy. A patch of black yin energy quickly formed over the river, covering a surface of about ten meters. A ghostly figure emerged from the black Qi, a woman dressed in a red robe. Thick, dark yin Qi whirled around her body, Even from a distance, one could clearly feel the daunting Yin Sha Qi. ¡°What a formidable fierce ghost. Judging from this aura, it is very close to the Grain Avoidance Stage! Yan Li, get the Exorcism Bead ready and remember to be safe. When I lure this ghost ashore, act immediately.¡± Qi Yuan stared at the red-robed female ghost, took a deep breath, and stood up. A flicker of blue light appeared beside him, and an icy-blue claw-shaped talismanic instrument floated into view. Yan Li quickly stood up and started reciting spells, her sleeves emanating flickers of yellow light. Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 239 Enough Talismans Chapter 241: Chapter 239 Enough Talismans The Ouyang three heroes also suddenly stood up, their bodies glowing with a faint green light, which condensed into the illusion of a green fierce tiger. They did not immediately initiate an attack, but exchanged quick glances, their lips moving slightly as if they were strategizing too. ¡°Huh! Where¡¯s Shen Luo?¡± Wu Tong suddenly gave a surprised exclamation. The place where Shen Luo had just been sitting was now empty. ¡°There!¡± The White Water Daoist was a little surprised, then pointed to the riverbank. Shen Luo had somehow already appeared on the riverbank, sizing up the red-clothed female ghost that was no more than twenty or thirty feet away. Everyone seeing this scene was stunned. ¡°Daoist friend, danger!¡± Qi Yuan frowned and shouted. Shen Luo remained indifferent; forming a seal with one hand, he initiated the Water-Stepping Art to stabilize himself on the river surface. He then transformed into a blue phantom and sped towards the ghost in the middle of the river. ¡°This guy is so rude. Qi Yuan¡¯s kind reminder was completely ignored by him. He deserves to suffer!¡± Yan Li grumbled in displeasure. Qi Yuan sighed and gently shook his head. ¡°The kid dares to jump right into the river, who does he think he is! Didn¡¯t he notice that even Qi Yuan didn¡¯t dare to rush forward casually,¡± The White Water Daoist said derisively. ¡°Shen Luo has mastered a Thunder Technique, which should be the Talisman Technique.¡± Wu Tong recalled the incident of being knocked unconscious by Shen Luo and said. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Small Thunder Talisman, right! Thunder force does have some restraining effects on ordinary ghosts, but this ghost is close to the Grain Avoidance Stage. If you want to exterminate it, without at least thirty to fifty talismans, it¡¯s impossible. And how many immortal jades will that cost?¡± The White Water Daoist waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Daoist Master is right. It¡¯s a rash and costly move. Since he¡¯s rushing to his death, we¡¯re saved of the trouble,¡± Wu Tong chuckled. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï ¡°Big Brother, has this kid gone crazy?¡± The short, fat, and ugly man stared wide-eyed and said. ¡°Let him test the depth of this ghost. It¡¯s all good,¡± Ouyang Tian grinned. In the midst of their conversation, Shen Luo had already rushed toward the ghost. With a low growl from the female ghost, two vicious gazes immediately fell upon Shen Luo. The Black Qi around her swelled, and her arms crackled as they extended several meters over Shen Luo¡¯s head. The two dark ghost claws suddenly grew several times larger and lunged downwards forcefully. Shen Luo¡¯s figure shimmered left and right, turning into a phantom and disappearing from under the ghost¡¯s claws. He then instantly appeared behind the female ghost, and with a flick of his sleeves¡­ Two Small Thunder Talismans shot out from his hand. After they shattered with a sizzle, they transformed into two strands of white lightning, striking diagonally at the female ghost. The female ghost did not dodge, but the Black Qi around her suddenly intensified. The white lightning hit the ghost, causing the Black Qi to churn once before blocking the white lightning¡¯s attack. The female ghost¡¯s body merely stiffened slightly before recovering to its normal state. ¡°Two insignificant Small Thunder Talismans were used just to tickle her,¡± The White Water Daoist scoffed at this sight. Excitement flashed in Wu Tong¡¯s eyes as if he was looking forward to the female ghost grabbing Shen Luo and killing him with one claw. After taking the hit from the two Small Thunder Talismans, the female ghost suddenly turned around. Encircled by the swirling black fog in her claws, she lunged towards Shen Luo again. Shen Luo¡¯s brows rose slightly, and with a wave of his hand¡­ Five talismans flew out, and after shattering with a ¡°pop,¡± they transformed into five arcs of white lightning, striking down at the red-clothed female ghost. The female ghost was stunned. Her forward momentum stumbled for a moment, she swiftly retreated backward, and at the same time, she swept her hands upwards. With a whoosh, the Black Qi under her flew up and formed a dense black Qi wall in front of her to block the attack. The arcs of lightning struck the black Qi wall, causing a sound akin to tearing fabric. The black Qi wall was illuminated by the flickering thunder light, becoming much thinner, but it did manage to withstand the attack. But before the female ghost could even catch her breath, many more talismans appeared between Shen Luo¡¯s fingers. He threw them out without another word. The next moment, a roaring thunder sounded in front of the female ghost. Six arcs of lightning arrived almost instantaneously, giving her no time to dodge. Boom! The thin black Qi wall scattered instantly, and the white arcs of lightning also vanished. Then, another seven or eight white arcs of lightning streaked across mid-air, almost at the same moment when the black Qi wall scattered, they all struck the red-clothed female ghost on her left shoulder. With a sizzling sound, the entire left arm of the female ghost and half of her body was wrapped in a dense electric light and vanished in an instant. She let out a harsh scream and immediately turned and ran away, but her movements had become somewhat sluggish as the Black Qi around her body scattered. The people on the shore watched Shen Luo throw out nearly twenty Small Thunder Talismans as if performing a magic trick, their faces changed. The White Water Daoist stared in disbelief, his face extremely grim. Had his flippant quip from earlier become true? Wu Tong¡¯s mouth hung open, large enough to fit an entire egg. Before the others on the shore could react, Shen Luo raised his hand once again and waved. Astonishingly, ten Small Thunder Talismans flew out in a line. After shattering, they transformed into a large bolt of lightning that harshly struck the remaining half of the red-clothed female ghost¡¯s body. The red-clothed female ghost let out a harsh scream. There was a loud ¡°bang,¡± and her body transformed into thick black smoke, disappearing without a trace. A piece of torn red sleeve floated out from the black smoke, giving off an astonishing Yin Qi. It fell like a leaf, quickly caught by Shen Luo who had followed it. A ghost¡¯s physical form is formed around a core that gathers Yin Qi, which is generally an object belonging to the ghost during its lifetime. The task specified that this object must be brought back as proof of task completion. ¡°That was a tough ghost. Thankfully I brought a lot of Small Thunder Talismans. Otherwise, it would have really been troublesome¡±. Shen Luo looked at the red sleeve and put it into his bosom, feeling relieved. ¡°Dear Daoist friends, I¡¯ll complete this mission first.¡± Shen Luo turned around and bowed slightly to the people on the shore. Then, using the Water-Stepping Art, he flew straight toward Red Leaf Town along the river channel. His figure soon disappeared into the distant night. The White Water Daoist watched Shen Luo¡¯s receding figure, gulped, and his face turned an ashen blue. ¡°D-Daoist Master, should we¡­should we chase after him?¡± Wu Tong seemed unwilling to give up and whispered softly. ¡°Chase? Do you think you can withstand that many Small Thunder Talismans?¡± White Water Daoist glared at Wu Tong and scoffed. Wu Tong shut his mouth awkwardly and said no more. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this guy to be so generous, throwing out more than thirty Small Thunder Talismans just like that. Great courage,¡± Qi Yuan commented. ¡°It¡¯s just relying on his rich estate,¡± Yan Li snorted. ¡°Having money is also an ability. Besides, this person¡¯s movement technique is not bad, and he can even walk on water. He¡¯s not solely dependant on talismans. Anyway, the task here is over. Let¡¯s go back, Yan Li,¡± Qi Yuan shook his head and said. While the others were talking, the Ouyang three heroes of the Lin family silently retreated to the distance, seemingly intending to go somewhere other than the Red Leaf Town. Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 240: Ghost Wailing Ring Chapter 242: Chapter 240: Ghost Wailing Ring After leaving Lishui River, Shen Luo went to Red Leaf Town first, informed Old Sun that the ghosts had been driven away, and then, despite Old Sun¡¯s eager invitation to stay, immediately headed towards Jianye City. To avoid any problems, he left the town immediately, putting his Slanting Moon Steps into swift motion. He hadn¡¯t run very far when suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder. Shen Luo was taken aback. The white moonlight under his feet shone brightly, and his figure blurred into obscurity. His body, accompanied by several afterimages, sidestepped away. The next moment, dozens of metres away, his figure appeared out of nowhere, a Thunderfall Talisman already in his hand, ready to be activated. But suddenly, he froze. Where he had originally stood, a white-faced scholar appeared, a faint smile on his face. ¡°It turns out to be Senior Horse Face. You scared me,¡± Shen Luo said, feeling a sense of relief, putting down the Thunderfall Talisman in his hand. ¡°No wonder you dared to face the ghosts of the Grain Avoidance Stage head on. This is your ace in the hole. This footwork is also quite interesting,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face glanced at the Thunderfall Talisman in Shen Luo¡¯s hand, chuckled, and a profound expression appeared on his face. ¡°I see that you arrived first, Elder. Did you also come to exorcise the ghosts here?¡± Shen Luo gave a dry laugh and discreetly put away the Thunderfall Talisman. ¡°It is part of my duty, but since you have helped, I didn¡¯t need to show my hand,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said leisurely. ¡°It is my honor to help you, Elder. But why have ghost incidents around Jianye City been happening so frequently lately?¡± Shen Luo said with a slight smile, swiftly changing the topic. ¡°I am not sure either. I have reported it honestly, and it¡¯s currently under investigation. The most important thing now is to drive away these ghosts and maintain Jianye City¡¯s tranquility. Young Master Shen, would you like to lend me a hand?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face became serious, shook his head, then looked into Shen Luo¡¯s eyes and asked. ¡°Killing ghosts benefits the city and the people alike. I am willing to do it. However, my Small Thunder Talismans can only kill ordinary ghosts. These kinds of ghosts can be eliminated with a wave of Elder¡¯s hand. Do you really need me?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me! The Thunder talisman I¡¯m referring to is not the small thunder talisman you just used to kill the drowned ghost, but the one you wanted to use against me just now.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face gave Shen Luo a look and said. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï Shen Luo smiled awkwardly and did not reply. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that talisman of yours should be a high-grade Thunder talisman, right? The power of thunder and lightning is the nemesis of ghosts. This talisman can certainly help me,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face continued. ¡°To tell the truth, this Thunderfall talisman is indeed quite powerful, but I only have two of them. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help Elder much,¡± Shen Luo sighed, not mentioning that he could draw Thunderfall talismans himself. ¡°Good kid, you dare to fleece a Yin God! What benefit do you want to agree to help? Just say it,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face laughed and teased when he saw the look on Shen Luo¡¯s face. ¡°Elder, you are a wealthy Yin god of the Underworld, with many treasures. I am not greedy. Just one item would suffice,¡± Shen Luo replied somewhat ambiguously with a chuckle. ¡°What a cunning boy, always looking out for his interests! Now that I look you over, aside from a few talismans, you don¡¯t have any talismanic instruments. Let me reward you with this Ghost Wailing Ring,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face scrutinized Shen Luo, then flipped his hand to bring out a palm-sized black ring and tossed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo quickly caught it. This ring, however, was surprisingly heavy ¡ª much more than its size would suggest, and his hand immediately dipped under its weight. He grappled to steady it. But instead of being startled, he examined the black ring with delight. The ring was pitch black and had a very simple style. There was a row of tiny runes engraved on it, which were emitting strands of black light. But there was no talisman paper to be seen. ¡°This Ghost Wailing Ring is a magical tool that I happened upon many years ago. Calling it a magic tool isn¡¯t quite accurate, strictly speaking; this item should be considered half-artifact,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face began. ¡°A half-artifact?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. ¡°Do you know what an artifact is?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard people say that it¡¯s a talismanic instrument that contains prohibitions,¡± Shen Luo flashed back to what Granny Ma had said in Dreamland, and replied. ¡°That¡¯s not wrong. Essentially, there isn¡¯t much difference between an artifact and a talismanic instrument. It¡¯s just that the materials used for talismanic instruments are too poor to withstand the power of prohibitions, so various talismans have to be attached, and they rely on the power of the talismans to fight the enemy. This Ghost Wailing Ring is made from the bones of an earth rotting ghost at the Grain Avoidance Stage, more than enough to form an artifact. Therefore, the artifact refiner transformed the talisman into runes, engraved them on the Ghost Wailing Ring, and created this semi-artifact,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face nodded and explained. ¡°I see, so it can be done like this!¡± Shen Luo murmured in surprise after listening to this. ¡°Artifact refining is a truly magical path; there are many things you don¡¯t know! This Ghost Wailing Ring has the runes engraved on it, so it can be stimulated directly with mana like an artifact, and its power is far beyond ordinary talismanic instruments. But it does have its drawbacks, this ring requires a large amount of mana injected to activate it, thus the consumption is much greater than ordinary talismanic instruments. You can give it a try,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face continued. At these words, Shen Luo¡¯s face lit up with delight, then immediately he revealed a worried expression. He gripped the Ghost Wailing Ring, running mana into it. A layer of black light appeared on the surface of the Ghost Wailing Ring, but that was all. He increased the injection of mana, and the black light on the ring started to brighten and the originally heavy Ghost Wailing Ring suddenly became light. With a hum, the black light on the Ghost Wailing Ring converged, condensing into a basin-sized, pitch-black ghost head. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo, his eyes shining with an unusual light, swung the Ghost Wailing Ring and struck it towards a large maple tree in the void in front of him. The ghost head immediately opened its mouth wide, issuing a piercing wailing sound, and a black sound wave, like dense fog, was sprayed out from its mouth, shooting forwards. The black sound wave, seemingly immaterial yet containing a wave of sharp energy, left a deep mark on the ground as it passed, covering several meters instantly and hit the large maple tree. The large maple tree shook violently with a loud rumble. Within the range of the black sound wave, the small branches and leaves instantly exploded and turned into tiny specks of dust. The thick trunk was not shattered, but its bark split open, revealing the pale trunk within which countless fine cracks appeared. The entire tree trembled for a good while before finally coming to a stop. Seeing this, Shen Luo was both shocked and thrilled. This Ghost Wailing Ring indeed consumed quite a bit of mana, almost several times more than his previous small gray fork, but the attack effect made him feel it was worth the expense. Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 241: The Number One Guest Official Chapter 243: Chapter 241: The Number One Guest Official ¡°Thank you, Senior Horse Face, for the gift. Rest assured, I will devote myself entirely to helping you eradicate the ghost menace in Jianye City.¡± Shen Luo kept the Ghost Wailing Ring, bowed to Ma Mian in gratitude, and solemnly pledged his commitment. Ma Mian, gratified, took something out of his bosom and threw it over. Shen Luo hastily caught it and found it to be a small black tablet, seemingly made of some type of bone. Carved on it were gleaming bone-white runes in a circle which emitted a sense of mystique. ¡°This is a Messaging Token. Keep it with you at all times. I will use it to contact you whenever necessary,¡± Ma Mian said. Curiosity flashed across Shen Luo¡¯s face. He had read about such communication tools in the classics of Mount Fangcun. They could exchange messages over long distances. However, he had not seen such a miraculous item in either the Bai family or the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. He didn¡¯t expect Ma Mian to produce one casually. ¡°How do I operate this?¡± Shen Luo fiddled with the black tablet and asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about how to operate it. Just receive my message well.¡± Ma Mian replied. Despite feeling somewhat disappointed, Shen Luo nodded in agreement. ¡°Also, our relationship must not be revealed to others. It won¡¯t do you any good. After you¡¯ve helped me restore peace in Jianye City, I will give you another opportunity.¡± Ma Mian seriously warned. ¡°Senior, rest assured, the junior knows his place.¡± Shen Luo rejoiced inwardly, reassuring once again. Without saying anything else, Ma Mian vanished into thin air. Shen Luo examined the Messaging Token again, carefully tucked it away, and didn¡¯t linger there any longer. He set off towards Jianye City and soon arrived near the city walls. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Ever since the incidents of ghosts injuring people had become frequent in Jianye City, they would tightly shut the city gate as soon as the sun went down. Any entry and exit were banned, and a curfew was enforced on the streets. But such a high wall couldn¡¯t stop Shen Luo. He conjured a water rope using the Water-control Technique, and casually scaled the city wall, entering Jianye city and returning to the Bai family. He had assumed that at this hour, everyone in the Bai Family would be asleep. But contrary to his expectations, the accounting department was brightly lit, and quite a few Guest Officials had gathered to complete their tasks. However, their expressions varied greatly; almost half of them looked dejected. Some even had injuries, indicating that their tasks hadn¡¯t gone smoothly. Shen Luo easily spotted Chu Li, the bald man who had ridiculed him earlier. His face was covered in bruises; he looked utterly defeated. ¡°Oh, Chu Daoist friend, didn¡¯t you go to carry out the task in You Shui Village? Were the ghosts there that fierce that they injured you so badly?¡± The young man surnamed Feng clapped his folding fan shut and asked. ¡°Feng Ling, just shut up. I¡¯ve been screwed over by Tie Shan from the Lin family. He took advantage of my fight with the fierce ghost to use a Mountain-Breaking Treaty for an attack. Not only did he snatch my task, but he also injured me.¡± Chu Li glared at him, his words full of anger. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry. I also encountered the Lin family¡¯s people today. But I didn¡¯t let them take advantage. I snatched their task and even had a good time fooling them around. I suppose I¡¯ve taken revenge for you.¡± Feng Ling unfolded his fan and laughed lightly. Hearing Feng Ling¡¯s words, Chu Li didn¡¯t feel any better; instead, his heart filled with even more anger. Feng Ling¡¯s remarks were clearly intended to belittle him whilst raising the former¡¯s own prestige. He clearly didn¡¯t have any good intentions. Just then, the crowd suddenly started murmuring. A beautiful woman in red, covered in dust as if she just returned from a journey, walked in. It was Xie Yuxin. The people in front quickly made way. Xie Yuxin walked slowly to the task table and waved her hand. With a click, a broken gray jade pendant was thrown onto the table, emanating an alarming amount of Yin Qi. Shen Luo, standing at a distance, narrowed his gaze. The Yin Qi on this gray jade pendant was even stronger than the one on his broken red sleeve. ¡°The ghost injuring people in Righteous Village to the west of the city has been eradicated,¡± Xie Yuxin said calmly. ¡°I heard that the ghost in that village had almost reached the Grain Avoidance Stage. Looking at her calm demeanor and her tidy clothes, it seems that she killed it with ease.¡± ¡°Worthy of being the number one Guest Official of the Bai family. Incredible¡­!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, this is her second time completing a task today, isn¡¯t it?¡± The nearby guests remarked in admiration. Hearing the people around him, Shen Luo gained a deeper understanding of Xie Yuxin¡¯s strength. ¡°Alright, alright! Please wait a moment. We¡¯re about to deal with it.¡± The two Bai family stewards behind the table showed respect. One took out the task book to register the task. The other quickly went to the inner hall and soon returned with a jade box, which he handed to Xie Yuxin. ¡°Retainer Xie, this is your reward for this task. Please accept it.¡± Xie Yuxin opened a crack in the jade box and took a peek inside. A slight smile appeared on her cold face as if a ten-thousand-year ice mountain had slightly melted, leaving everyone around in a daze. The next moment, however, her expression reverted to its usual indifference. She kept the jade box and turned to check the task list again. It seemed like she wanted to assign a new task. At this point, Shen Luo didn¡¯t stand at a distance watching anymore; he stepped forward and walked over. Seeing Shen Luo coming, Chu Li was immediately buoyant. The face he had lost just now could be regained. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the great Retainer Shen? I remember that you took up the Red Leaf Town task, how did you return so quickly?¡± Chu Li called out loudly. ¡°Hey, it indeed is Shen Luo. He came back surprisingly quickly.¡± ¡°He must have failed the task. I heard that the three Ouyang heroes from the Lin family also went to do the task in Red Leaf Town. Those guys are not easy to deal with.¡± ¡°Serves him right. With his strength, he dared to challenge the task of Red Leaf Town. Just the fact that he was able to return alive should be considered as luck.¡± The others near them also saw Shen Luo and started discussing amongst themselves. The tones were mostly sarcastic. ¡°Shen Luo, do you now realize the gap between our Jianye City and the countryside you used to live in? Don¡¯t think that by pleasing the two young masters, you¡¯ll be able to get by in the Bai family.¡± Chu Li looked at Shen Luo, clouds of self-confidence in his eyes. He sneered. Shen Luo disregarded him and walked to the task table, extracting the broken sleeve from his bosom. ¡°The task of Red Leaf Town has been completed. This is the proof,¡± he calmly stated. As soon as his words ended, the nearby chatter abruptly ceased, and all eyes were focused on both Shen Luo and the broken red sleeve. Chu Li stood there dumbfounded. The mocking expression froze on his face, making him look rather comical. Xie Yuxin, who was checking a task at one side, noticed the commotion here. She also turned her gaze in this direction. The Bai family stewards behind the table blinked at first, then checked the piece of sleeve. ¡°It appears to be a ghost¡¯s Yin Qi core, but we need to confirm if it¡¯s the one from the Red Leaf Town task,¡± one Bai family steward raised his head and commented. ¡°Confirmation is needed? Just now when Retainer Xie handed in her task, why didn¡¯t you confirm it and yet directly gave her the reward?¡± Unable to suppress his frown, Shen Luo asked. Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 242: Unexpected Chapter 244: Chapter 242: Unexpected Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Xie Yuxin, who was reviewing tasks nearby, couldn¡¯t help but frown and look over. ¡°Well¡­ Retainer Xie has a high level of cultivation and is always meticulous in his actions. Today is already the second time he has submitted a task, so there is no need for verification. On the other hand, there is still a need for a slight verification on your side. It¡¯s just a procedure, nothing troublesome.¡± The Bai Family¡¯s Steward quickly reassured. ¡°Can you even compare yourself to Retainer Xie? Steward, you had better investigate carefully! This red cloth may have been picked up by him, and we can¡¯t let him get through by deception.¡± Chu Li, who had reacted, stepped forward and said. ¡°We will verify the completion of everyone¡¯s tasks. We won¡¯t let anyone slip through the cracks, nor will we treat anyone unfairly.¡± The Bai Family¡¯s Steward looked at Chu Li and said calmly. Upon hearing these words, a flash of anger appeared in Chu Li¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Rest assured, Retainer Shen, this is a normal procedure. If you indeed completed the task, we will send the task reward to your residence.¡± Another steward then spoke to Shen Luo, somewhat apologetically. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you both.¡± Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo nodded, slightly bowed to them with a fist-palm salute, turned around and walked towards his residence. Seeing Shen Luo leave, Xie Yuxin also withdrew her gaze. Those who had completed their tasks didn¡¯t mind, but the few people who returned empty-handed today were all like Chu Li. They were unwilling to believe that Shen Luo had truly completed the task, and looked at his departing figure with suspicion in their eyes. Just at this moment, two figures appeared in the distance and walked over side by side. It was the White Water Daoist and Wu Tong. ¡°Daoist Master White Water, Wu Tong Fellow Daoist, if I recall correctly, both of you had also undertaken the Red Leaf Town¡¯s task. How did it go? Is it completed yet? Who did it?¡± Chu Li immediately went up to greet them and asked. White Water Daoist and Wu Tong looked at each other with gloomy faces and said nothing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you guys? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Could it really be Shen Luo?¡± Feng Ling waved his folding fan and asked with some disbelief. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Chu Li also looked over, his eyes twitching slightly and a trace of unease passed over his face. ¡°That¡¯s right, it was indeed Shen Luo who did it.¡± White Water Daoist sighed lightly and admitted reluctantly. When these words came out, the few people who had previously questioned Shen Luo were immediately stunned. ¡°It was really him, how is this possible!¡± Someone exclaimed after a while. ¡°Yes, wasn¡¯t it said that he is only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining? I heard that the strength of the ghost in Red Leaf Town is at least equivalent to a qi refining late-stage cultivator!¡± ¡°Could this guy have some other means?¡± ¡°How is it possible¡­¡± Chu Li felt a burning sensation on his face, mumbling a word in disbelief. ¡°White Water Daoist, Wu Tong, did you see clearly how Shen Luo killed the ghost in Red Leaf Town?¡± At this time, a cold voice rang out, it was Xie Yuxin walking over. ¡°Here¡¯s what happened, after Wu Daoist and I arrived at Red Leaf Town¡­¡± White Water Daoist immediately recounted the process of Shen Luo killing the female ghost in red. ¡°Oh, so it was through the power of talismans.¡± Xie Yuxin revealed a hint of disappointment after listening. She initially thought that Shen Luo had hidden his strength and developed a bit of interest in him. But when she heard that he was just someone who relied heavily on talismans, that spark of interest vanished. She turned around and continued looking at the task list. After Shen Luo returned to his residence, he closed his eyes and rested for a while. After recovering his Mana, he impatiently rose and walked into the courtyard. He took out the Ghost Wailing Ring from his chest and looked at it for a few moments, unable to hide the smile on his face. He became jubilant. The mission to Red Leaf Town was originally for the Fire Scale Wood, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to use quite a few Small Thunder Talismans, which he was a little heartbroken about. However, due to an unexpected encounter with Soul Hook Horse Face, he obtained this Ghost Wailing Ring, and it became the biggest reward of the mission. Although this ring is not a real magical instrument, it¡¯s definitely more convenient to use than ordinary Talismanic Instruments. If it can be controlled properly, it can be an additional powerful attack method. Whether it¡¯s to assist Ma Mian in exorcising ghosts, or facing any strong enemy, it would be of great help. While contemplating, he began to infuse Mana into the Ghost Wailing Ring. In a short while, a black light flashed on the ring, forming a black ghostly shadow the size of a washbasin. He continued to infuse Mana, the ghost projection grew bigger and more solid, until it grew to the size of a millstone before stopping. The ghost projection now had a single horn growing out of its forehead and had a ferocious appearance. Compared to the initial attempt, it was much more solid, but it also consumed almost a fifth of his Mana. Shen Luo took a deep breath, gripped the Ghost Wailing Ring tightly, and waved it forcefully towards a small artificial mountain in the courtyard. Accompanied by a ghostly wail, a black sound wave erupted out from the mouth of the ghost¡¯s projection, covering a distance of more than ten yards in an instant and striking a fake mountain not far away. With a ¡®boom¡¯! The fake mountain, which was two to three yards high, trembled violently. The area hit by the sound wave exploded and disintegrated, with dust swirling and flying about. Shen Luo considered it for a moment, holding the Ghost Wailing Ring in his palm. Once again, he swung his hand and another black sound wave shot out with a ghostly wail. The sound wave transformed into a black sonic blade, about a yard long, and in a flash, it cut through another intact artificial mountain. With a ¡®plop¡¯! The artificial mountain, as if made of paper mache, was easily split in two by the black sonic blade. The upper half fell to the ground with a bang, stirring up a cloud of dust. Shen Luo nodded in satisfaction and then stopped. Operating this semi-magical instrument, which is similar to a Talismanic Instrument, simply required practice. Because of his experience with using magical instruments in Dreamland, he managed to understand how to use the Ghost Wailing Ring after a short attempt. This ring is much stronger than the Small Thunder Talisman, but it consumes a lot of Mana. The advantage is that it can be used repeatedly, so it¡¯s a pretty practical offensive tool. Although it can¡¯t match the powerful force of the Thunderfall Talisman, given his current pitiful Mana, he can probably only stimulate one. So, it can only be used as a trump card at a critical moment. ¡°It seems my cultivation level is still too low. At this rate, even if I have a magical instrument, I wouldn¡¯t be able to use it.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, turned and went back into the house, falling onto the bed and soon falling fast asleep. He had spent the night on the run, exorcising ghosts, and practicing with the Ghost Wailing Ring. He was just too tired. When Shen Luo woke up, it was already afternoon on the third day. He got up and extended his body a bit, went out to fetch several buckets of water to fill the wooden bucket in the room, and then sat cross-legged inside, operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique and began cultivating. Not long after, a knock on the door sounded from outside. He furrowed his brows, reluctantly interrupting his cultivation, got up, opened the courtyard door, and saw a middle-aged man dressed like a steward standing outside. ¡°Retainer Shen, we have already thoroughly investigated the task of Red Leaf Town; it was indeed you who expelled the ghost. This is your reward, please take a look.¡± The man, quite respectful in his attitude, held out a long white jade box with both hands and handed it over. Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: 243 Chapter 245: 243 Shen Luo reached out to grab the jade box, once open, he found a foot-long piece of red wood lying in the box. The wood grain was delicate, the surface exuding a flame-like red light, and a scorching heat hit his face. ¡°Nice, it¡¯s Fire Scale Wood! Thanks a lot¡±, Shen Luo thanked with a smile. ¡°These are all rightfully yours. I wonder where you plan to complete the task next? I can recommend some for you.¡± asked the Middle-aged man with a smile. ¡°Not at the moment, I have other things to deal with.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. Although the ghost hunting tasks issued by the Government Official offered rich rewards, he didn¡¯t currently need Immortal Jade. Furthermore, his cultivation level was too low. Even with a thunderfall talisman, the risk of carrying out tasks was high. It would be safer to focus on his cultivation while waiting for Senior Horse Face¡¯s call. According to his guess, the work that Gouhun Horse Face wanted to do is probably the same ghost to be exorcised by the Government Official ¨C there¡¯s no conflict between the two. Disappointment flashed on the Middle-aged man¡¯s face, but he said nothing and soon bid his farewell. ¡°The Bai Family seems keen on making us, the Retainers, do more tasks. It seems there might be more involved in this exorcism task issued by the Government Official.¡± Shen Luo retured to his room, secretly guessing. However, these matters had little to do with him. He didn¡¯t think too much about it. He looked at the jade box in his hand and his face was lit up with a smile again. ¡°With the main material, Fire Scale Wood, on hand, besides finding a kind of Spirit Fire to match with the main material, I just need to gather a few auxiliary materials, and then I can try to condense the Pure Yang Sword Embryo.¡± Unfortunately, Spirit Fire is hard to find, and it¡¯s not easy to gather the other auxiliary materials. He had already asked Manager Ma to keep an eye on it for him, but still received no news. Shen Luo shook his head, put the jade box into the stone box, and intended to continue cultivating. At this moment, a heat wave came from his waist, he took out something from his bosom, it was the Messaging Token that Horse Face gave him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.§ã¦Ï ¡°It¡¯s coming so soon! If the ghost unrest in Jianye isn¡¯t solved, I won¡¯t be able to cultivate in peace.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself before carefully examined the item in his hand. The side of the Messaging Token that was engraved with the rune turned pitch black, and a line of white small characters appeared on it: Come to Liugong Bridge after dark. ¡°Liugong Bridge, it seems to be in the west of the city.¡± Shen Luo murmured. The bridge is said to be named after the pseudonym of a distinguished scholar, Mr. Liugong, from the previous dynasty. When Bai Xiaotian took him around the city earlier, they passed by this place, so he had a bit of impression on it. ¡°I seem to have seen this place name on the task list.¡± He thought for a while, and then walked to the accounting room. At this time, the sun was almost setting, and most of the retainers who had gone out to complete the tasks had not yet returned. Only two or three were here, as for the others, they were mostly the children of the Bai family coming to watch the fun. Shen Luo came to the front of the crowd, looked at the task list, and quickly browsed it. ¡°As expected!¡± His gaze stopped at a spot on the list, the corresponding task location was near Liugong Bridge, and the task was that there were ghosts appearing at an abandoned temple near the old bridge at night, which had already harmed many passersby. This task rewarded Immortal Jade, as much as thirty pieces, which was one of the most rewarding tasks on the list. Thus, the difficulty might not be small. ¡°It seems that this is the right one. Since the Bai family also has this task here, I should take advantage of this.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s gaze fell on the task of Liugong Bridge, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Did you hear? They said that yesterday more than ten people from the Lin and Du families went to take up the task of Liugong Bridge. Apparently, a few people died right after the confrontation, and although the others managed to escape, their injuries were not light.¡± Shen Luo was about to turn around when he heard someone discussing. ¡°Gentlemen, do you know the details of the confrontation between the Lin and Du families and the ghost yesterday?¡± Shen Luo asked as he stopped. ¡°What? Are you thinking of taking this task?¡± One of the retainers nearby raised his eyebrow and asked. Shen Luo saw the unhappy expression on his face, so he lost interest, smiled and didn¡¯t reply, and turned to leave. ¡°Just because he luckily completed the task at Red Leaf Town, he thinks he¡¯s so skillful. He doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s dealing with.¡± The man sneered as Shen Luo turned around to leave. ¡°Well, I think he does have some strength.¡± ¡­ After those three retainers sparked off the discussion, the onlookers joined and started to comment. The comments were more skeptical than appreciative. Shen Luo, hearing all sorts of discussions behind him, did not pay much attention, and went straight back to his residence. It was already evening now. He took out the Messaging Token, looked it over twice and then held it tightly and infused mana into it, but there was no reaction from the black token. Undaunted, he ran the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique hoping to refine the token, but still, the black token showed no change. ¡°It appears this requires a specific method to unlock.¡± Shen Luo reluctantly gave up trying, put away the token, picked up the Storage Stone Box, and took out all the talismans inside to carefully count them again. This ghost was obviously not easy to handle. Although Horse Face was leading, he had to be fully prepared himself. He had drawn quite a few Small Thunder Talismans a while ago. About half were used in Red Leaf Town, and there were still about forty left, along with five exorcism charms and two Thunderfall Talismans. ¡°After completing this task, it appears I have to make some more.¡± Shen Luo contemplated in his heart and carefully put these talismans easy-to-reach places in his sleeve. After leaving the courtyard, he didn¡¯t go through the main gate. He jumped over the wall and left Bai Mansion, heading straight west of the city and soon reached a small river. An ancient stone bridge spanned across the small river. Two rows of tall evergreens were planted on both sides of the riverbank. Although it was deep autumn, the leaves were still dense, making the old bridge look unusually dark and deep. The sky had no moon today. Because of the ghost problem, people in the city hid in their homes after dark. There were not even any dogs around the old bridge. The evening breeze blew over the bridge, making a wooing sound, which was quite scary. He glanced around several times, store the surrounding environment in his mind, and turned back to look at the old bridge again. To his surprise, a white figure was standing on the old bridge, unwittingly. ¡°Senior Horse Face, you should¡¯ve said something when you arrived. You came out of nowhere and gave me a fright.¡± Shen Luo saw the figure clearly and breathed a sigh of relief while complaining. ¡°Stop prattling. Follow me.¡± Gouhun Horse Face said to Shen Luo, then turned around and walked towards the other side of the old bridge. Shen Luo lightly smacked his lips and followed. Across Liugong Bridge was a desolate area. It was uninhabited, but there was a dilapidated temple sitting lonely in the area. It was surrounded by weeds, growing as tall as half a person. Gouhun Horse Face and Shen Luo crossed the bridge one after another and headed towards the temple. Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 244: The Deserted Temple Chapter 246: Chapter 244: The Deserted Temple At a distance of twenty or thirty feet from the temple, Ma Mian suddenly halted. ¡°Senior Horse Face, the ghost we are dealing with is in this temple, right?¡± Shen Luo also stopped and glanced at the temple not far away, asking. Without turning around or speaking, the Soul Hook Horse Face just nodded. ¡°Why did we stop then? Is the ghost inside the temple challenging?¡± Although Shen Luo expressed such concern, he wasn¡¯t too worried. According to his observation at Zhenhuai Bridge, although Soul Hook Horse Face¡¯s cultivation level can¡¯t compare with that a thousand years later, it is at least at the late Grain Avoidance stage. Whether it has reached the Soul Condensation Stage, he couldn¡¯t ascertain. However, being a Yin Chai ghost who excels at subduing ghosts, as long as the ghost in this temple hasn¡¯t reached the Soul Condensation Stage, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem. ¡°It¡¯s just a ghost at the Qi Refining stage, but it has developed some spiritual wisdom and is good at hiding. The moment it senses my approach, it immediately hides. This gives me a bit of a headache, hence I called you for assistance.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face confessed, turning back and glancing meaningfully at Shen Luo. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t tell me you want me to lure it out? Although it might not be powerful to you, it¡¯s different for me. I¡¯m barely at the Qi Refining Stage!¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but cry out. ¡°Why are you so worried before I finish my speech? Listen, you will first enter the temple and lure out the ghost. As soon as it approaches you, activate this talisman. This would help temporarily trap it, and I will immediately appear and kill it.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face shot a glare and took out a black talisman from his bosom and handed it over. The talisman was etched with a spider-web-like pattern and emitted a faint fluctuation of mana. ¡°Aren¡¯t you still using me as a bait? What if this talisman doesn¡¯t function when needed, or if the ghost can¡¯t be trapped and you¡¯re late to appear, I would be in danger! How about you give me something more for protection?¡± Shen Luo took the black talisman and started complaining. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I, being a ghost, don¡¯t know the affairs of the world. You have accepted the government¡¯s task, right? A ghost at the Grain Avoidance stage would offer a good reward! There¡¯s a saying in the world that risks are the price one pays for opportunity. You want the reward but don¡¯t want to take any risks?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face snorted, speaking grudgingly. ¡°Okay, when you take action, you must be quick!¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to brace himself and agree. ¡°Rest assured.¡± After Soul Hook Horse Face spoke, his body shimmered and disappeared into thin air. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Shen Luo took a deep breath, affixed an exorcism charm to his chest, and then tightly gripped the black talisman in one hand while holding the Ghost Wailing Ring in front of him with the other. Then, he began to move forward. This seemingly short distance felt like a tremendous journey for him. He would stop every three steps, rest every five steps, looking around nervously. The more he approached the temple gate, the more apprehensive he became, fearing that the ghost would suddenly appear before he could react and Ma Mian could appear in time. This was a bona fide Grain Avoidance Stage ghost, unlike the Qi Refining Peak female ghost he encountered some time ago. After all, once a ghost reached the Grain Avoidance stage, its strength would undergo a drastic change compared to the Qi Refining Stage. Any negligence on his part could lead to severe consequences. Moreover, judging from the reward amount, this ghost is probably more than just the initial stage of Grain Avoidance. Otherwise, the Lin and Du families would not have sent more than ten people who were killed or injured. He did not believe that his Small Thunder Talisman and Ghost Wailing Ring could really stop the other party. Despite having the Thunderfall Talisman within him, it does not guarantee a successful hit, and he was not keen on using this trump card recklessly. Just as Shen Luo was lost in thought, having walked about seventeen or eighteen feet, a sudden gust of night wind whooshed by, rustling the weeds at the temple door. Shen Luo¡¯s heart shivered violently. He immediately raised the black talisman and the Ghost Wailing Ring in his hands, directing them at the front bushes. After a long wait, there was no abnormality in front of him, and it was just a false alarm. ¡°Forget it, if it¡¯s good luck, it won¡¯t be a disaster. If it is a disaster, you can¡¯t hide from it. Let¡¯s do it!¡± Shen Luo wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, steeled his nerves, and stepped forward. He soon arrived at the temple door. The entrance of this temple was very wide. The pair of dilapidated doors hung there, swaying. Shen Luo pushed but the gate creaked and did not open. It seemed to be bolted from inside. Just as he was about to exert more strength, a voice came from inside: ¡°Who goes there?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. He was told that many people had died here due to the hidden ghost. How could someone be inside? While he was thinking, he gripped the Ghost Wailing Ring but did not answer. Footsteps approached from inside. The gate creaked and opened. A young monk in a yellow robe appeared inside. He looked to be only in his early twenties, quite young, but his expression was somewhat dull. He looked at Shen Luo and asked: ¡°May I ask what brings you here?¡± ¡°As far as I know, this temple has been abandoned. There aren¡¯t any monks living here. Furthermore, there has recently been a ghost lurking around. Aren¡¯t you afraid to die by staying here?¡± Shen Luo also glanced at the young monk. After confirming that there was no ghostly qi around him and that he was a living person, he sighed a sigh of relief and asked solemnly. ¡°Haunted? I just arrived at Jianye city yesterday. I hung out at this abandoned temple and have not heard of any hauntings.¡± The young monk stammered in panic. ¡°I, Shen Luo from the Jianye Bai Family, am here to capture the ghost on the government¡¯s order. If you value your life, leave this place promptly.¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. ¡°So, you are the Immortal Master. I will inform my senior brothers, and we will soon leave this place¡­¡± After giving a bow to Shen Luo, the young monk turned around and ran to the far end. Without paying any mind to him, Shen Luo stepped into the temple. Perhaps the sight of a living person slightly eased his tension. From here, he could see an area like a square and an already dry lotus pond inside. The road leading to the Hall of Heavenly Kings was overgrown with weeds, and half of the bell towers, drum towers, and corridors on both sides had already collapsed. The view of what lay beyond was obscured, but from the faintly visible eaves and temple corners in the distance, it was clear that the temple was not small. Shen Luo paused a little at the entrance before stepping into the temple. Standing in front of the square, he glanced around and didn¡¯t notice any ghosts, causing him to frown with worry about how to draw out the ghost. Stir things up and attract its attention? He quickly shook his head, ruling out that idea. With the intelligence and cunning of this ghost, if it sensed that he was deliberately setting a trap, it would probably not come out. The safest approach would still be to pose as an ordinary explorer and bait it. Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 245: Ancient Tower in the Temple Chapter 247: Chapter 245: Ancient Tower in the Temple With this thought, Shen Luo stepped into the Hall of Heavenly Kings directly in front of him. Inside the hall stood a damaged Buddha statue. The left and right areas where the Four Heavenly Kings should have guarded, were now only a pile of broken stones and rubble. The floors were covered with dust, and many spider webs hung from the ceilings and walls. It looked like it had been abandoned for many years. He walked around the hall without finding anything unusual. Then he turned around to leave, entering the bell tower on the side. Soon, Shen Luo had completely checked the buildings in the first courtyard. However, there were no anomalies, and the ghost didn¡¯t appear. He didn¡¯t stay there. He continued along the passage on the side of the square, heading deeper into the temple. A moment later, Shen Luo emerged from the relatively well-preserved Mahavira Hall, his face as usual, yet a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. Just now, he had almost finished checking this second courtyard which served as the core area of the temple. But he didn¡¯t find the ghost creature, not even a faint trace of ghostly Qi. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t seen any signs of a fight in the temple. If he hadn¡¯t heard about what happened with the guest officials from the Lin and Du families yesterday, he would have thought that no one had been here at all. ¡°Did the ghost creature detect Soul Hook Ma Mian and hid itself early? However, Ma Mian should have anticipated this and wouldn¡¯t have exposed himself so easily,¡± Shen Luo speculated in his heart. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll just do my part. Whether that ghost creature shows up or not, let¡¯s leave it to fate,¡± he muttered to himself. Bypassing the Mahavira Hall, he continued deeper into the temple. There were a few final buildings left to investigate. These should be places like the lecture hall, the sutra hall and the meditation room. The rushing footsteps echoed from the front. Two yellow-robed monks ran over, one of whom was the young monk who had opened the door for him. The other was an older monk who looked to be in his thirties or forties. ¡°Immortal Master, help us!¡± Both men looked frightened, and the young monk screamed when he saw Shen Luo, sprinting towards him. ¡°What happened? Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly. ¡°We planned to leave, but when we passed a gray tower ahead, there was a woman¡¯s cry from inside. One of my senior brothers suddenly stopped and went into the tower. No matter how we yelled and pulled, he didn¡¯t stop. The ghost you mentioned might be there. We beg you, Immortal Master, to subdue the ghost and save my senior brother,¡± said the young monk as he pressed his hands together in a bow. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°We beg of you, Immortal Master,¡± said the middle-aged monk, who appeared quite steady. ¡°Oh, take me to have a look,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Please follow us, Immortal Master,¡± Both monks breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s agreement, leading the way. The three of them moved forward until they arrived at the last courtyard, where a three-story gray tower building stood before them. This gray tower did not appear to be unusual. Half of the top had crumbled, and the tower wall was peeling off in places. The tower body also seemed to tilt a little. Shen Luo stood still and listened. He didn¡¯t notice the crying woman that the young monk had mentioned; instead, he saw a gray tower quietly standing in the night. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± the young monk pointed at the gray tower and said. Shen Luo took a couple of glances at the tower before proceeding. ¡°Immortal Master, we¡¯ll go with you,¡± the two monks caught up to him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the two of them. ¡°Of course, we are. But our Senior Brother is inside. How could we let you take risks alone?¡± the young monk said. ¡°Suit yourselves,¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t stop them and stepped into the tower. The conditions inside the tower were similar to those of the great hall he had previously explored. There was dust everywhere. Two smaller Buddha statues sat inside, one of which was shattered and the other was tilted down on the ground. After a quick scan of his surroundings, he stepped onto the staircase inside the tower and ascended to the second floor of the gray tower amidst the creaking sounds. The situation on the second floor was similar to the first. There were also two statues here, still intact and erect. Beyond that, there was nothing special. The stairway leading to the third floor had collapsed, making it impossible to ascend. Even if he could get upstairs, much of the third floor had collapsed and was no longer safe to stand on. Even the floor of the second floor had several large holes, and the creaking sound underfoot suggested that it might collapse at any moment. Shen Luo was considering whether he should find a way to go up and have a look. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± A wavering voice suddenly came from behind him. When the voice reached his ears, Shen Luo¡¯s entire body stiffened instantly. His skin tightened, and the pores on his body stood straight up. He spun around like lightning, raising both hands in readiness to activate the talisman in them, but there was only an empty space behind him, nothing at all. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s face turned puzzled. But at that moment, two large green, black hands reached from behind him and pressed on his shoulders. At the same time, his waist tightened, and two more black hands reached around and gripped him tightly. It was the two monks who had been by his side. The two of them had somehow turned into green and black zombies. With a blood basin that was dripping yellow fluid, their mouths sprung open and lunged towards Shen Luo. Though he was startled, he didn¡¯t panic. Instead, his expression became severe. Suddenly sucking in a deep breath, Shen Luo¡¯s body made a crackling sound. His body astonishingly shrunk by a whole size, then he sprang up swiftly like a slippery fish, breaking free instantly from the two pairs of big hands, and landed a dozen feet away, his face paling. What Shen Luo had just displayed, was a bone-shrinking technique from the Huangting Technique. Although he could not practice the Huangting Technique in reality, he had advanced this skill to its ultimate stage in the Dreamland. Hence, he could barely perform such a simple physical trick. However, his real-world body hadn¡¯t been toughened by the Huangting Technique, and performing these moves was quite burdensome for him. Shen Luo glanced at the two stunned zombie monks. A touch of severity flashed in his eyes as he lifted his hand holding the Ghost Wailing Ring, about to strike. However, in that moment, he sensed a sharp gust of wind at his side. Without turning his head, he spurred his mind. His feet glowed brightly as he took a step forward. His silhouette suddenly blurred, and he sprang more than two yards toward the left. Glancing back, he got a scare. Where he had just stood, there was now a waif-like figure with loose hair and a whitish form, with green and purple skin and bulging, white eyes. A long, blood-red tongue hung from its mouth down to its waist, looking horrendously creepy. This ghost creature had its arms bent forward, and the clawed fingers measured inches long, flickering intermittently. Shen Luo broke into a cold sweat. Had he not reacted swiftly, he might have had two transparent holes ripped through him. Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 246 Hanging Ghost Chapter 248: Chapter 246 Hanging Ghost The long-tongued ghost missed its strike, smirked in a cruel and gleeful manner, and transformed its figure into a fog-like vague white shadow, continuing to pounce on Shen Luo. Shen Luo had no time to take any other action and once again dodged urgently using the Slanting Moon Steps. However, the white ghost shadow immediately twisted and followed him like a bone maggot, as did the two zombie monks, cornering him so he had nowhere to escape. The only thing Shen Luo could do was to execute Slanting Moon Steps to the fullest to maintain a slight distance from them. He had no time nor opportunity to activate the Black Talisman and Ghost Wailing Ring in his hand. The long-tongued ghost made several attempts to grab Shen Luo, but failed each time. Then, its drooping long tongue suddenly raised stiffly, like a red crossbow bolt, shimmering and reaching behind Shen Luo in an instant. Shen Luo only felt the hair on his back standing upright. Despite his best attempt to dodge using Slanting Moon Steps, he couldn¡¯t escape altogether. His right leg was hit by the long tongue, first felt a sudden chill then lost all senses. His agile movements also became sluggish at once. Frightened, he took a glance around, dug his left leg on the ground vigorously, and moved his body to the right. The white shadow shimmered, the long-tongued ghost figure appeared out of nowhere above his head, its ghost claws exploded downwards. However, just at this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s figure suddenly disappeared into the void, leaving the long-tongued ghost clawing at nothing. The long-tongued ghost paused, its bulging eyes scanned the spot where Shen Luo disappeared. At the place where Shen Luo had stood, there was a large hole in the floor. He had fallen to the floor below through it. The long-tongued ghost growled, its figure blinked as it pounced on the big hole. At the same time, Shen Luo crashed heavily onto the ground floor of the Gray Tower structure, his body in pain, but a hint of joy appeared on his face. He finally had a breather! Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï Failing to get up, he waved his right hand, clutching the Ghost Wailing Ring above the hole. The right-hand-held Ghost Wailing Ring emitted a bright black light, a black ghost head appeared from nothing and solidified fast. Then, its mouth opened wide, a black soundwave shot out, trapping the long-tongued ghost, which was pouncing down. The long-tongued ghost¡¯s body trembled and flew back, its body clad in black soundwaves started to disintegrate like smoke or fog. However, it stabilized very quickly, let out a sharp roar from its mouth, white fog substantial as a material came belching out of its body and intertwined with the black soundwave. The black soundwave stagnated for a moment, then disappeared in a flash. Moreover, an extremely cold breath oozed out of the fog. With it at the center, a layer of white frost started appearing everywhere on the first floor of the Gray Tower. The two zombie monks plunged down from the hole in the floor at this moment, but they were unluckily caught by the cold breath. A layer of frost appeared immediately on their bodies, making them fall to the ground, unable to move. Shen Luo felt the temperature around him drop sharply and his body become rigid quickly. The long-tongued ghost had transformed again into a foggy white shadow and pounced towards him, cold light flashing from its claws and a blood-red long tongue stiff and sharp like a sword poking out of its mouth. Shen Luo knew that it wouldn¡¯t be possible to get up or escape from the first layer in time. In desperation, he lifted his other hand holding a Black Talisman, madly infused his mana into it, then his palm flashed with black light. The Black Talisman ignited spontaneously with a ¡°Poo¡± sound. A black spider web the size of several feet appeared out of thin air, blocking in front of him. The long-tongued ghost couldn¡¯t stop in time and plunged into it. Without allowing this fierce ghost any other actions, the big web abruptly tightened, like catching a fish, trapping the long-tongued ghost inside. The Long Tongue Ghost struggled fiercely, and the white fog around its body began to attack the black giant net. The surface of the net quickly condensed with a layer of frost, showing signs of collapse. ¡°Senior Horse Face!¡± Shen Luo retreated swiftly, shouting loudly. ¡°I¡¯m coming!¡± A voice suddenly rang out. Shen Luo only felt a flash in the void before him, and the figure of the Soul Hook Horse Face appeared in a blink, beckoning with one hand. The black pen that he had used before manifested out of thin air, grew several times larger in the wind, transformed into a black gigantic pen several dozen feet in size, and shot out towards the Long Tongue Ghost. The bulging eyes of the Long Tongue Ghost were filled with terror. The white fog around its body stopped attacking the black net and immediately rolled upwards, turning into a white protective shield several feet thick, blocking its head. With a muffled ¡°boom¡±, the gigantic black pen fell on the white protective shield, causing the thick shield to explode and shatter instantly, completely unable to withstand a single hit. The speed of the falling giant pen did not decrease. It directly hit the top of the Long Tongue Ghost¡¯s head and passed through from top to bottom in a flash. With a ¡°puff¡±, the body of the Long Tongue Ghost exploded and transformed into countless white mists that drifted away. Half of a white silk handkerchief, another white object, fell down and landed right next to Shen Luo¡¯s feet. The intense Yin Qi emanated from the white silk handkerchief, far stronger than the red remnant sleeve of the water ghost he had encountered earlier. Shen Luo was somewhat dumbfounded. The strength of this Long Tongue Ghost was even greater than that of the red-clad female ghost he had encountered at the river before, yet it had been so easily killed. Only then did he let out a long sigh of relief, he reached out to pick up the white silk handkerchief and took a close look at it. The Soul Hook Horse Face made a hand seal and waved, and the gigantic black pen quickly shrank, returning to its original size in the blink of an eye, and fell into its hand. Only then did it turn around, looking at Shen Luo with a smile, and said, ¡°Good job, lad!¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t arrived just in time, you wouldn¡¯t have seen me.¡± Shen Luo struggled to get up from the ground, feeling a faint pain all over his body, especially his right leg, which was still cold. ¡°That hanging ghost had been watching you since you entered the temple. It only attacked when you got here. If I had let it detect a hint of my presence earlier, it would have hidden and fled immediately. I really had no other choice.¡± The Soul Hook Horse Face spoke with a slight apologetic tone, and at the same time, he raised his hand and grasped at the void towards Shen Luo¡¯s right leg, and a layer of black light appeared in his palm. Hearing that the ghost had been following him all the way, Shen Luo felt a chill run up his back, his heart pounding with fear. If it weren¡¯t for the special environment here, he probably wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to use that black talisman at all. In other words, if the Long Tongue Ghost had taken action earlier, he would have been in big trouble. Although Horse Face might have been nearby, it might not have been able to help him in time. Due to the strange dream brought about by the jade pillow, he was no longer a novice in cultivation who had never experienced ghosts. But this was the first time in his real life that he had come so close to death, which was even more dangerous than escaping from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°My cultivation level is still too low, and my strength is insufficient!¡± Just as Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts were turning in turmoil, he suddenly felt the coldness in his right leg slowly being drawn out by an invisible force, and the numbness gradually subsided, slowly regaining his sensation. After a while, the black light in the palm of the Soul Hook Horse Face shrank, and his palm returned to its normal position. Shen Luo hurriedly moved his right leg, feeling that it had completely recovered, and thus, he finally felt relieved. ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± He thanked him, put the white brocade handkerchief into a jade box, and then put it into his sleeve. Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 247: Someone Else Chapter 249: Chapter 247: Someone Else At this moment, the frost on the ground quickly melted and receded, and the two monk zombies regained their ability to move. They shakily climbed up from the ground, but did not pounce, and stood still on the original spot. ¡°Senior Horse Face, what¡¯s the matter with these two monks? I didn¡¯t feel any Yin Qi in them before.¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°These are Yin-Heart zombies. After a ghost kills a person, it infuses Yin Qi into their heart. If the Yin Qi is not stimulated, the corpse is indistinguishable from normal people. But once the Yin Qi is stimulated, the body will change into a zombie. These types of Yin-Heart zombies have lesser Yin Qi in their bodies, so they are not very strong.¡± Ma Mian waved the black pen in his hand, tapping the void twice. Bang! Bang! Two holes burst open in the chests of the two monks, their hearts shattered and they fell to the ground again, motionless. They didn¡¯t stay at the temple for long and soon left. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard time this time, go back and rest well. When I need you, I will call you out again.¡± On the Liugong Bridge, Horse Face spoke to Shen Luo, his figure faded and disappeared, leaving hastily. ¡°If it¡¯s going to be as risky as today, I would have to reconsider.¡± Shen Luo shrugged his shoulders and muttered to himself. However, thinking of the forthcoming thirty Immortal jade, he couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly delighted, feeling that the previous adventure was worth it. He hurried east and quickly returned to the city and then to the Bai Mansion. At this time, it was just past midnight, but Shen Luo felt exhausted and did not immediately go to hand in the task. He went straight back to his own place, took a brief rest, sat in the wooden bucket, closed his eyes, activated the Nameless Method, and started to recover. Night had passed in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo got up early, and walked out of his small courtyard full of spirit, heading to the Bai Mansion¡¯s accounting office. There were fewer people returning tasks today than yesterday. Most of them had difficult tasks that could not be completed in a short period of time. There were only a few people like Shen Luo who could finish a task in a day. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Therefore, most of the people gathered here were spectators. ¡°Did you hear that? Last night, both the Lin and Du families organized a lot of people to go to Liugong Bridge again. This time both sides had Grain Avoidance cultivators leading the team, and Du family¡¯s Blue Ice Hand Qi Yuan also went. But guess what?¡± A cunning-looking teenager suddenly said to the others, immediately attracting the attention of many. ¡°I bet that ghost is done for, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, I heard that the Hanging Ghost lurking in the temple is very cunning. If there are too many people, it won¡¯t show up at all and then specifically targets those alone!¡± ¡°This ghost is just playing these tricks, the two families have learned from the previous lesson, they must have some countermeasures this time!¡± ¡°Hehe, that Hanging Ghost was indeed killed, but it was not they who did it, but someone else.¡± The clever youth said mysteriously. ¡°What? Seriously?¡± ¡°Could Blue Ice Hand¡¯s own words be false! It is said that they found traces of the ghost being killed in the ruined temple. In addition, according to his estimation, the method of killing the ghost was clean and neat, and it was very likely done by one person!¡± The clever youth said. ¡°Could it be done by a late-stage Grain Avoidance cultivator?¡± ¡°There are only a few late-stage Grain Avoidance cultivators within a hundred miles, and they are all famous figures who probably won¡¯t take on such tasks, right?¡± Just as the crowd was discussing, Shen Luo had walked to the task table, took out the half-piece of white silk handkerchief from his sleeve and put it on the table. At this time, only a Bai Family¡¯s Steward was sitting behind the table. He was listening intently to the story of the clever youth and didn¡¯t notice Shen Luo in front of him. ¡°Excuse me, the Liugong Bridge task is complete.¡± Shen Luo cleared his throat and said to the steward. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here to hand in the task¡­¡± The steward had not yet pulled his thoughts out from the youth¡¯s story. He casually picked up the half piece of silk handkerchief and spoke casually. But soon, he reacted and his face changed. He exclaimed: ¡°What did you say? The Liugong Bridge task?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo nodded. The Bai Family¡¯s steward looked at the half-piece of the silk handkerchief in his hand, raised his head to look at Shen Luo, and had a look of disbelief on his face. The crowd near the table also fell quiet, and all eyes were on Shen Luo. This scene quickly caused the attention of others who also stopped their clamour and asked in low voices about what had happened. But within a few breaths, the accounting office fell into silence. Everyone looked at Shen Luo with complex expressions, especially those who had mocked Shen Luo a few days ago, who now found it hard to accept. Did Shen Luo really complete this highly difficult task? If it had been not long before, perhaps no one would believe that a person could single-handedly kill a ghost whose cultivation level might have reached the Mid-Grain Avoidance Stage. But with the clever youth¡¯s words, they dared not easily draw conclusions. Especially when they saw the rich Yin Qi emanating from the half-piece of silk handkerchief that Shen Luo had handed in, several people on the scene were immediately convinced. ¡°You can send people to verify it. After the results are out, send the reward to my residence.¡± Shen Luo frowned and said to the stunned steward behind the table. Then, without waiting for a response, he turned around and left briskly. Only when Shen Luo had walked far away, did everyone react. The place was in an uproar, like a pot being stirred. Shen Luo didn¡¯t care about the reactions of the people in the accounting office, and didn¡¯t go back to his residence either. Instead, he directly went to the Lubao Hall, bought a large batch of materials for drawing Small Thunder Talismans, and then returned to his small courtyard. Although the talisman is not very powerful, it is cheap in terms of material and has very low mana requirements. In a battle, as long as the quantity is large, the power is remarkable. He now had spare time, so naturally, he wanted to prepare more in case of emergency. Five days went by in a flash. During this period, except when the Bai Family¡¯s steward delivered the reward for the Liugong Bridge task and Shen Luo opened the door once, he stayed in his room and didn¡¯t go out the rest of the time, spending a relatively quiet time. In the wooden bucket, Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, and was doing incantations in his hand. He was surrounded by a faint blue light, which seemed a little brighter than before. Suddenly his eyebrows moved, he opened his eyes, took out the Messaging Token from his bosom, and a line of small text appeared on it. ¡°Midnight, Crow Rock Village.¡± ¡°Crow Rock Village, it¡¯s also on the list. Looks like I can get another bit!¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself and jumped out of the water bucket. He changed into clean clothes and after equipping himself with all the talismans, he left the house and quickly walked to the front gate of Bai Mansion, immediately leaving the city and heading for Crow Rock Village. Two days later when Shen Luo returned from outside the city, he also brought back an old, blood-stained leather helmet, causing a commotion among the Bai Family once again. After that, he continued in the same way. As soon as Horse Face summoned him, he would go and assist. When there was no task, he would return to his own courtyard to practice and draw talismans. Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 248: Going All In Chapter 250: Chapter 248: Going All In In just one short month, Shen Luo, with the strong help of the Soul Hook Horse Face, successively completed six or seven tasks. The majority of them involved ghosts above the Grain Avoidance Stage, often more than a single one. As time progressed, relatively easy tasks were completed by others leaving only the difficult ones behind. Although his cooperation with Soul Hook Horse Face was relatively secretive, as time went on, some people began to notice some signs. Rumours started to circulate that he had the assist of a powerful helper, which is why he was able to complete tasks beyond his level so smoothly. Actually, there was nothing wrong with this. How could he, in the mid-stage of Qi Refining, possibly fight against numerous ghosts, far beyond his own cultivation level? Therefore, he offered no explanation. No matter what, on the surface, it was him completing the tasks, and such a high completion rate spread the fame of Shen Luo, not only within the Bai family, but also gradually growing amongst the Lin and Du families. ¡­ In a study room within the Bai Mansion, Bai Hecheng, dressed in a dark blue robe, sat behind a desk, listening to Bai Jiangfeng¡¯s report with a serious face, his eyebrows becoming more furrowed. ¡°Family head, our Bai family has a stable lead in completing the tasks over the Lin and Du families. Individually, neither can compete with us. However, it appears that the Lin family has started to spare no expense recently. They have managed to hire several freelance cultivators at high prices to assist them in completing a few tasks, significantly reducing the gap between us.¡± Bai Jiangfeng stated from across the table. ¡°In considering the Lin family, we cannot do so in isolation. The Du family had been secretly colluding with the Lin family over the years, and I suspect they are working together this time as well. We need to guard against the Du family forming a complete alliance with the Lin family and giving some merit points to the Lin family, otherwise we might be caught off guard.¡± Bai Hecheng pondered for a moment before speaking. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right; I share this concern. At that time, the guest officials from the Du family would simply declare that they are working for the Lin family, thus all the merit points would fall into their possession, and they would potentially overtake the Bai family.¡± Bai Jiangfeng agreed. ¡°Third uncle, give the order to increase the rewards, encouraging our guest officials to take on even more tasks. Also, I will write to Jiang the Daoist from Misty Gate, to see if we can request assistance from their elder.¡± Bai Hecheng considered for a moment before speaking. ¡°Time is running out for us as tasks are becoming fewer, and I¡¯m afraid distant water won¡¯t quench our immediate thirst.¡± Bai Jiangfeng acknowledged and turned to leave. ¡°Has anyone from the Lin and Du families taken the task in Hidden Wind Valley in the southern suburb?¡± Bai Hecheng called to Bai Jiangfeng, asking suddenly. ¡°This task is too dangerous, ranking first in difficulty among all tasks. The government credited the highest merit points for this task, which is equal to the combined rewards of several other big tasks. Although the Lin and Du families are eager to do so, they have not dared to take the risk.¡± Bai Jiangfeng replied. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À0.§ã¦Ï ¡°If we can complete this task, even if the Lin and Du families unite, their earned points cannot surpass us, can they?¡± Bai Hecheng raised his eyebrows, querying. ¡°Including what we have already completed, it will be impossible for them to surpass us¡­ Family head, are you planning to take on the task at Hidden Wind Valley?¡± Bai Jiangfeng hesitated to say. ¡°No matter what, our Bai family cannot lose to the Lin family.¡± Bai Hecheng declared, word by word. ¡°Family head, the situation in Hidden Wind Valley is complex. I¡¯m afraid this task won¡¯t be easy to complete and we may face many losses.¡± Bai Jiangfeng hesitated to say. ¡°The Government issued this ghost removal task list this time, firstly to stabilize the increasingly unstable situation, and secondly to test the depths of each family in the city. The benefits for the winner go beyond what was offered upfront. So don¡¯t worry about losses, as long as we win, they will be compensated.¡± Bai Hecheng explained. ¡°The family head thinks thoroughly.¡±A nod from Bai Jiangfeng. ¡°Your concerns are not unreasonable, we must plan well to minimize losses, so as to achieve a maximum gain with minimum input. Regarding the personnel for this task, does third uncle have any ideas?¡± Bai Hecheng asked. Bai Jiangfeng thought for a while, mentioned a few names, and Bai Hecheng agreed with each one upon hearing them. ¡°For this mission, it would be best if we could bring Shen Luo along.¡± At the end, Bai Jiangfeng continued. ¡°Shen Luo¡­ I¡¯ve also heard about him; he¡¯s performing very well recently, he probably has someone helping him from behind, right? After all, his cultivation level is a bit low. If he enters Hidden Wind Valley, the risk of death will be not small.¡± Bai Hecheng hesitated to say. ¡°The person backing him definitely has a high level of cultivation. If he could assist us in the journey to Hidden Wind Valley, it would be of great help. As for safety, as long as he doesn¡¯t rush to the front and face the ghosts directly, with his talent in talisman and his mysterious movements, he should have no problem defending himself.¡± Bai Jiangfeng replied. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we really should let him take a risk this time. Regarding this task, keep it as low-key as possible before actually implementing it, just in case.¡± Bai Hecheng pondered. While they were talking, there were thunderous sounds outside the house. A thunderstorm that had been brewing for half a day finally broke open and started pouring. In a small courtyard, Shen Luo looked at the occasional white light flashing in the dark clouds in the sky. He was like a diligent farmer, looking at a field of golden wheat, his eyes filled with joy. The tasks he had completed earlier had earned him a lot of immortal jade. He had also bought a lot number of talisman and spiritual materials from Lubao Hall. However, due to lack of thunderstorms, he couldn¡¯t draw Thunderfall talisman and could only keep trying to draw other talismans. After consuming more than twenty Purple Cloud Talisman Papers, he finally managed to draw a Flying Talisman, which pained him for several days due to the expenditure. Today, he finally caught a thunderstorm. He immediately took out the Green Frost Paper and the Brush Talisman Ink and started drawing the Thunderfall Talisman. It wasn¡¯t until the evening, when it was getting dark and the thunderstorm stopped, did Shen Luo finally stop his drawing work. Out of the seventy-two sheets of Green Frost Talisman Paper, nearly sixty were used, and only two Thunderfall Talismans were successfully drawn. Despite this, the success rate had improved quite a bit from before. Although Shen Luo was almost exhausted, he felt comforted inside. On a clear morning two days later, Shen Luo was meditating and recuperating when he suddenly received a message from Ma Mian, asking him to rush to the south city gate for a meetup. The message neither mentioned the location of the task nor the details of it. Despite being puzzled, Shen Luo had no choice but to stop his cultivation, leave Bai Mansion and head south in a hurry. As soon as he stepped out, Bai Jiangfeng arrived at his small courtyard. After shouting several times to no avail and enquiring the gatekeeping guards in the mansion, he found out that Shen Luo had gone out. Bai Jiangfeng had intended to inform him that they would be setting off at noon the next day to carry out the task in Hidden Wind Valley. Unexpectedly, Shen Luo had just left, causing him to miss the opportunity to share this information. Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 249: Yinling Pill Chapter 251: Chapter 249: Yinling Pill Shen Luo quickly left through the South City Gate and arrived at the area outside the city. Outside the city gate, along the road, there were still many farmers and traveling merchants who were unsuccessful in entering the city. They carried their burdens and pushed their carts, setting up stalls on both sides of the road to sell various miscellaneous goods and vegetables. Shen Luo looked around and quickly noticed a simple grass tent beside the road not far away. There was a white-faced scholar inside, holding a black pottery bowl with a broken corner, seemingly drinking tea. He quickly walked over, sat down opposite the scholar. He got a tea bowl from a servant, he also poured himself a bowl of tea. However, after he took a sip, he immediately grimaced and spat it out. He could taste a bitter and moldy aftertaste in his mouth, which was extremely uncomfortable. ¡°Elder, can you really drink this inferior tea?¡± Shen Luo asked Ma Mian, who looked content and happy, with a face full of surprise. Ma Mian had a gleeful smile on his face, apparently already aware of the tea¡¯s taste. He held the broken bowl in his hand and waved it in front of Shen Luo with an easy-going expression. The scent of alcohol immediately entered Shen Luo¡¯s nostrils, he hastily asked for a bowl and drank it to rinse away the taste from his mouth. ¡°Why did you arrange to meet me here this time? Is our mission outside?¡± Shen Luo asked after a pause. ¡°Hidden Wind Valley, do you know where it is?¡± Ma Mian glanced into the distance as he asked. ¡°Hidden Wind Valley? Is our mission there?¡± Shen Luo asked surprised, upon hearing this. ¡°Based on my investigation, there have been frequent occurrences of sinister ghosts in Jianye City recently, and the root cause may be there. So I plan to go and take a look in the valley. If there really are ghosts lurking, I¡¯ll eradicate them in one fell swoop,¡± Ma Mian answered with a nod. ¡°That¡¯s not a good place! If I remember correctly, the number one task on the government¡¯s ghost-catching task list is to clear the yin sha and ghostly specters in Hidden Wind Valley. It¡¯s been so long since anyone dared to take on this mission.¡± Sheng Luo frowned as he said this. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°What are you worried about with me around? It¡¯s very likely to be the last time I need your help.¡± Ma Mian gave him a glance and stated. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­ So, how can I help?¡± Shen Luo chuckled and asked. ¡°Kid, do you know? The wind in the name Hidden Wind Valley doesn¡¯t refer to the wind in Feng shui, but the sharpness of a blade.¡± Ma Mian didn¡¯t directly answer Shen Luo, but instead took a detour in the conversation. ¡°You can¡¯t stump me with that! I¡¯ve noticed this task before and looked through some local chronicles. I discovered that it was named Hidden Sharp Valley because it was once a strategic point for holding Jianye. It was always a contested area for the military. Many violent battles have taken place there in history. Each time it resulted in mountains of corpses and rivers of blood,¡± Shen Luo indulgently replied upon hearing this. ¡°Correct. Such ancient battlefield sites often trap countless wandering souls in the Yang Realm, causing the place to be steeped in resentment and negativity. These places are usually regarded as extremely unlucky. If the clear winds of Heaven and Earth cannot dissipate the Yin Sha, fierce ghosts will gradually breed over time. Furthermore, everyone in Jianye City, from the government officials to the common people, habitually treat Hidden Wind Valley as a chaotic burial ground. A large number of corpses hastily buried here have greatly increased this risk,¡± said Ma Mian, nodding in agreement. ¡°So elder, are you suggesting that this ghost problem in Hidden Wind Valley originated from this?¡± Shen Luo enquired. ¡°From what I understand, about nine months ago, Hidden Wind Valley was suddenly covered in a gray mist. From within that mist, there were frequent weird noises. Then, people from a few nearby villages started disappearing frequently. The government had sent people to investigate several times, but no one ever came back,¡± Ma Mian continued after taking a sip of tea. ¡°No wonder the government is offering such a high reward for this task. It looks like they want to use the power of other cultivators in Jianye City to clean up Hidden Wind Valley,¡± Shen Luo said as he finally understood. ¡°Whatever the government officials are thinking does not matter. At present, even the Underworld believes that this place¡¯s existence is contrary to Yin ethics and wants me to deal with it promptly. The situation there is somewhat complicated; I need your help. So, are you going to do me this favor or not?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked, putting down his black ceramic tea bowl. ¡°That place must be full of ghosts. Elder, do you want me to use the Thunder Talisman to help you clear up some small ghosts, so that you can focus on dealing with the big ones?¡± Shen Luo asked, with quick thinking. ¡°Correct. Even when dealing with high-ranking ghosts, your Thunderfall Talisman has a remarkable effect.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face gave Shen Luo an approving look and nodded. ¡°Of course I want to help, but my cultivation level is only at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. My mana is really limited. I can use the Small Thunder Talisman freely, but I can only cast the more powerful Thunderfall Talisman once at most. I fear that if that time comes, I won¡¯t be able to help much and might become a burden to you instead. Why don¡¯t I draw some more Small Thunder Talismans for you?¡± Shen Luo sighed and replied. ¡°I have the body of a Yin God, naturally in conflict with this extremely Yang Thunder Technique. If you don¡¯t go, even if you lend me the Thunder Talisman, I still cannot activate it.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said somewhat helplessly. ¡°Then how about you wait for me for about ten to fifteen days? I¡¯m currently stuck at the peak of the fifth layer. Once I break through to the sixth layer, without saying anything else, I should be able to activate the Thunderfall Talisman twice. Then I¡¯ll have some confidence in joining you for the battle in the valley.¡± After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo proposed. Upon hearing this, Soul Hook Horse Face didn¡¯t immediately reply, but his brow furrowed, his hand gently rotating the tea bowl, as though he was wavering over something. A moment later, his brows suddenly furrowed deep. It seemed he finally made up his mind and spoke: ¡°Fine! Without giving you some benefits, you won¡¯t be obedient. I have a Yinling Pill here, refined from rare spiritual materials like the Yellow Spring Essence and Other Shore Flower pollen. It could boost a cultivator¡¯s cultivation speed dramatically. With your current cultivation level, after taking it, it will take at most seven days to break through.¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a miraculous elixir?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed and said with some disbelief. ¡°Ignorant!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face replied unhappily. ¡°Hehe, although it sounds like it¡¯s a bit extravagant to use it in this way, since it can help Elder complete his task, as a junior, I certainly won¡¯t decline.¡± Shen Luo chuckled and quickly responded. ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s not just extravagant, it¡¯s simply wasting resources. But never mind, consider it a favor to you¡­¡± Soul Hook Horse Face sighed and said. Having said that, he took out a white jade porcelain bottle from his sleeve and passed it to Shen Luo. With a beaming smile on his face, Shen Luo eagerly stretched out both hands, carefully received the bottle, and then promptly removed the red cloth bottle stopper. As soon as the bottle was opened, a sulfur-like smell emanated from it. Shen Luo took a sniff and somewhat struggling said, ¡°This Yinling Pill doesn¡¯t smell like any miraculous elixir. You¡¯re not fooling me, are you?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, give it back to me.¡± With a gloomy face, Soul Hook Horse Face feigned anger. ¡°I was just kidding, don¡¯t take it seriously! Let¡¯s find a place for me to isolate myself for a few days.¡± Shen Luo quickly put the stopper back, tucked the porcelain bottle into his sleeve, and replied with a sheepish smile. ¡°Follow me.¡± Ma Mian, having said that, left a few copper coins on the table and headed towards the official road. Shen Luo quickly got up and followed him. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: 250 Chapter 252: 250 The two of them walked in silence for about a mile, far from the city gate, when Ma Mian suddenly stopped in his tracks. ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Shen Luo walked beside him, puzzled. ¡°Take a different route.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face answered, revealing a mysterious smile. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze swept around, seeing only the path under his feet. Change path? Change to which path? Just as he wondered, he saw that Soul Hook Horse Face was holding a yellowish talisman and belted it onto his shoulder with a swift pat, and then grabbed his shoulder abruptly. ¡°Go.¡± Upon hearing Ma Mian¡¯s command, Shen Luo suddenly felt as if the ground beneath his feet turned as soft as mud, before he could react, he sank under the ground covered by a layer of yellow light. ¡°Escape Ground Technique?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, but his body was pulled by Soul Hook Horse Face through the underground at breakneck speed. Whether it was mud or rock ahead, none could impede their progress as they parted naturally to create a passageway for them. At the same time, the mud under their bodies surged forward like a river, carrying the two of them swiftly forward, a pace multiple times faster than running above ground. Just as Shen Luo marveled at the magic of Ma Mian¡¯s Escape Ground Technique, the two had already arrived at an underground cave. The cave was spacious, an underground river ran through it, and a line of cracks at the ceiling allowed a dim natural light to pour down, casting a wide strip of brightness on the cave floor. ¡°Alright, you will seclude here. Let¡¯s get this straight: Seven days later, whether or not you¡¯ve broken through, you have to follow me into Hidden Wind Valley immediately.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face looked at Shen Luo and said solemnly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Of course!¡± Shen Luo replied seriously. As he spoke, he took out a white jade porcelain bottle from his sleeve and poured out a yellow elixir the size of a longan kernel. It exuded a pungent sulfuric aroma. He held his breath, threw the Elixir into his mouth with a flick of his hand, and quickly crossed his arms in front of his chest, closing his eyes to meditate. The Elixir in his belly quickly dissolved into a warm current flowing in his Dantian. At first, Shen Luo felt the warmth quite comfortable, but it didn¡¯t take long for the warm current to merge with the mana in his Dantian. The combination was like pouring oil on a fire, instantly becoming scorching hot. Shen Luo grunted lowly from his mouth, his teeth clenched tight, as he urged the scorching current to drive the Dantian mana towards his meridians. Glowing veins, visible to the naked eye, appeared all over his body, and wisps of heat began to rise from his head. Soul Hook Horse Face watched him at the side, his eyes flashed with surprise, and he muttered to himself: ¡°This kid seems to have average talent, but the path of his mana circulation is very proficient. He doesn¡¯t seem like a mid-stage Qi Refining monk. Initially, I thought this Yinling Pill would be wasted on this kid at least eighty percent, but now it seems that may not be the case.¡± Little did he know, Shen Luo had already cultivated himself to the Nascent Soul Stage in the Dreamland. Naturally, he was extremely proficient with the cyclic operation of his mana inside his body. The slow progress in reality was mainly due to his inferior physical talents. Soul Hook Horse Face, seeing Shen Luo in a good condition, relaxed and went to a side to sit cross-legged. At this moment, Shen Luo was burning all over, and he genuinely didn¡¯t understand why such a hot elixir was called Yinling Pill. In fact, the Yellow Spring Essence and Other Shore Flower pollen in Yinling Pill were cold in nature, but their effects were quite vigorous. The medicine power they released, in addition to the conventional replenishing power, also has a strong supporting force. It is by relying on this wave-boosting medicinal power that Shen Luo¡¯s mana in his body is forcibly pushed up against the current in the meridians, and the acupoints that were not originally cleared were pierced one after another. However, Shen Luo had not condensed his meridians, and the widths of all the meridians in his body were limited. When this power forcibly collided within it, it was like countless small knives ruthlessly scraping inside, the pain was imaginable! Finally, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and let out a painful shout for the first time. Ma Mian, at the side, was awakened by the cry. When he looked towards Shen Luo, all he saw was his body enveloped in a layer of light, shrinking and stretching irregularly, looking a bit weird. He frowned slightly, but did not intervene. At this point, they could only rely on Shen Luo himself. Shen Luo was not only subjected to a test in his meridians at the moment, but even his Sea of Knowledge was somewhat dizzy from the impact of that power. However, he kept a strand of his divine soul in his mind, operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique and guiding the mana to follow the correct path. ¡­ Time was gradually passing, the ray of light above Shen Luo¡¯s head slowly darkened from bright, from dusk to starry night, from nightfall to dawn. Three days later, when the first ray of morning sun shone on Shen Luo through the crevice above his head, his eyes suddenly opened, he let out a soft shout, and a momentum suddenly released from his body, raising a wave of dust. What followed was a sound of hearty laughter. Shen Luo rolled over and got up, shook his arms, and the dust around his body was all scattered. After closing his eyes and feeling a bit, he found not only had he advanced to the seventh layer of Qi Refining, but he was not far from the eighth stage. ¡°Good kid, I misjudged you before. It only took you three days and three nights to break through two realms!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face walked up and asked in surprise. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not sure myself. It¡¯s mainly because the spiritual medicine the elder gave me worked far better than expected,¡± Shen Luo said, scratching his head in response. What Shen Luo said was not untrue because he genuinely didn¡¯t know why he could make such a quick breakthrough. However, he had some guesses related to his cultivation in Dreamland. In reality, his talent was definitely not good, even worse than ordinary cultivators. His internal meridians were far from naturally smooth like in Dreamland, so the speed of mana circulation was naturally much slower, hence his cultivation speed was slower too. However, due to the cultivation insights from Dreamland, he didn¡¯t have to go through the most difficult hurdle of understanding the cultivation techniques. His cultivation was now advancing at a significantly higher speed. Nevertheless, the limitations of his physical condition were still greatly restricting his progress. Except for containing a rather strong spiritual power, the Yinling Pill acted as a bridge between his enlightenment from cultivation and physical limitations. In a short time, it could break his physical restrictions, force his mana to circulate quickly inside him, thereby accelerating his cultivation speed. ¡°Kid, what are you thinking about over there?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face saw Shen Luo lost in thought and asked. ¡°Oh, I was just wondering, do you have any more of these Yinling Pills? We still have around three or four days until the seven-day period is up. If I could advance another realm or two, it would be foolproof going into Hidden Wind Valley. At that time, all the elder needs to do is open his mouth to say where to hit, and my Thunder Talisman will land there.¡± Shen Luo said, a sincere smile on his face. Chapter 253 03-25 - Chapter 253: Chapter 251: Chance Encounter Chapter 253: Chapter 251: Chance Encounter ¡°What do you think this Yinling Pill is? Giving you just one is already costing me several months of heartache, and you still want more? No way.¡± The muscles on Soul Hook Horse Face twitched slightly upon hearing this, he rebuked. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was asking for it for free. If you¡¯re willing to sell it, I¡¯m willing to sell everything I have to buy it.¡± Shen Luo still insisted. ¡°Giving you one for free this time already broke the rules. As for more, you can forget it.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face waved his sleeve and said. ¡°Is this really for free? Isn¡¯t going to Hidden Wind Valley with you the price?¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t speak again and muttered in his heart. However, deep down, he was really grateful to Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°Elder, is there really no other way to get this Yinling Pill?¡± Shen Luo asked seriously. ¡°It¡¯s not that there are absolutely no other ways.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face hesitated for a moment and then said. ¡°Please enlighten me, Elder.¡± Shen Luo was delighted and quickly said. ¡°Do you remember the special task for cultivators at the Soul Condensation stage or above that the Underworld needs, which I mentioned to you last time?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked. ¡°Of course, you said that these cultivators can get some special benefits by completing tasks. Is the Yinling Pill one of them?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You can indeed exchange elixirs by accomplishing tasks, and there are not only Yinling Pills, but also other higher-level elixirs. In fact, besides this, there are many other benefits. For example, the use of consumable Soul Contracts that I mentioned earlier can summon other Ghost Soldiers from the Underworld to help. Also, they can be allowed to enter some places that the Underworld controls¡­¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said. ¡°These treatments are only available to Soul condensing cultivators. I am far from this stage.¡± Shen Luo was first overjoyed and then somewhat lost. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Ghost Market?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked in return. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°Ghost Market, I¡¯ve read about it in ancient books. It said that at certain specific times, in certain special places, there would be places where the Yin and Yang worlds converge. Ghost Markets will appear here, it¡¯s a place where ghosts from the underworld trade. If a human from the Yang realm mistakenly enters it, they often get deceived by the ghosts, buying a bunch of useless things in exchange for worthless underworld coins.¡± Shen Luo thought for a while and said. ¡°These are all random guesses of the worldly people. Some people even wrote ridiculous stories about spitting at a ghost and turning it into a goat to sell in the Ghost Market. The real Ghost Market is a place where cultivators from the Yang realm trade with ghosts from the underworld. I can¡¯t directly give you the Yinling Pill you want, but there might be a way to get it there.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said slowly. ¡°I wonder where and when the Ghost Market will open?¡± Shen Luo felt a stir in his heart and quickly asked. ¡°Hold on! Whether I can tell you about the Ghost Market depends on your performance in Hidden Wind Valley.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face held up a palm to Shen Luo and said indifferently. ¡°Rest assured, Elder! Even without the matter of the Ghost Market, I will give it my all. My cultivation level has improved by two small realms this time. I have to say, my mana has indeed increased. I should be able to use the Thunderfall Talisman twice, which should be enough to deal with some unexpected situations.¡± Shen Luo laughed and said. ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s not delay, let¡¯s go.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face¡¯s expression eased a bit, and he nodded. Having said that, he plucked a talisman in his hand, grabbed Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder again, and executed the Escape Ground Technique, quickly leaving the underground cave. By the time the two of them emerged from the ground, their figures had already appeared in front of a valley. Shen Luo looked up at the sun and found that it was midday when the Yang energy was most vigorous. However, a cool wind kept blowing from the valley in front of him, and it felt chilling. His gaze moved to the entrance of the valley, where a layer of pale mist was enveloping it, slowly dissipating towards the outside of the valley. Looking into the deeper parts of the valley, the mist became denser, and nothing could be seen clearly. ¡°The Yin Sha Qi here is a bit heavier than when I came last time. Look at the sky above the valley, it¡¯s also affected by the Yin Sha Qi, something¡¯s not quite right.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said slowly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked up at the high sky, and only then noticed that there was a black, oval-shaped cloud floating in the air directly above the valley. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing unusual, but upon closer inspection, one would find that the mist inside was surging, and ghostly faces were faintly emerging, looking horrendous. ¡°Dark clouds overhead, Yin Sha Qi contained, it indeed looks like a treacherous place.¡± Shen Luo retracted his gaze and agreed. As the two of them were about to enter the valley, they heard a commotion from afar. Soul Hook Horse Face immediately pulled Shen Luo and hid behind a huge rock in the distance. Soon, a group of people came along the road from a distance. Shen Luo spotted Bai Hecheng, the Family Head of the Bai family, who was dressed in a scholarly robe and looked handsome and sophisticated, leading the group. Following him closely was a small figure in a gray robe, with a thin face and gray hair, it was Bai Jiangfeng. Besides the two of them, there were four or five shadows following them. Judging by their attire, they were all members of the Bai family. Among them, the most eye-catching was naturally the woman cultivator Xie Yuxin in a red dress. The White Water Daoist in a gray and white Taoist robe and Feng Ling with a folding fan in hand were also in the team. Wu Tong and Chu Li were nowhere to be seen, however. In addition, Shen Luo spotted another familiar person. She was thin with silver hair tied up behind her head, looking spry. It was the Fifth Grandma who was stationed at the bottom of the lake in Bai family¡¯s secret chamber. ¡°Not only has the Family Head personally led the team, but even Fifth Grandma has also come out. It seems that the Bai family is determined to seize the top task of the Ghost-catching List. This way, you are relieved.¡± Shen Luo swallowed and said with a smile to Horse Face. ¡°If they don¡¯t have any special means prepared, it¡¯s probably more bad than good to go into this valley. However, it¡¯s also good to have someone leading the way.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said indifferently. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened, and hesitation flashed in his eyes. Next, he lifted his foot, and was about to step out. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face stopped him with one hand and asked in a low voice. ¡°Since they¡¯re not up to this, I should stop them of course. I don¡¯t care about others, but the Bai family has a special relationship with me. I can¡¯t sit idly by and watch Bai Hecheng and Bai Jiangfeng go to their death.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Who says we¡¯re letting them go to their death? Haven¡¯t you figured out the purpose of our trip?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said. ¡°Does elder mean to let them clear the way and attract the attention of the ghosts in the valley, while we go after the root of Yin Sha?¡± Shen Luo was stunned for a moment, then asked. Chapter 254 03-25 - Chapter 254: Chapter 252: Entering the Valley Chapter 254: Chapter 252: Entering the Valley ¡°Finally, some insight. Once we eliminate the root cause, they will naturally be out of danger. Besides, do you really think, with your current level of Qi Refining at the seventh layer, that they would heed your advice to not enter the valley?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face sighed, giving Shen Luo a glance before questioning him. Upon deeper thought, Shen Luo realized that this was indeed the case. The two members of the Bai family might heed his advice for some reason, but at most they would just be more cautious. They would definitely not abandon their mission just because of his few words. By this time, the Bai family team had already reached the mouth of the valley. After a brief pause, Bai Jiangfeng began to distribute Clear Heart Charms to everyone. ¡°The valley is filled with mist barriers. We can¡¯t guarantee that there won¡¯t be any ¡®ghost hitting the wall¡¯ occurrences. Everyone must hold onto this Clear Heart Charm to ensure they won¡¯t be fooled by the mist barrier. Once we enter the valley, I will lead from the front, the Family Head will guard from the rear, and the rest will adopt a snake-like formation in between. Take care of both sides, and watch out for ghost attacks.¡± Bai Jiangfeng instructed. The Bai family officials promptly responded in acknowledgement. Soon, the team was in formation. With a final reminder from Baihecheng to ¡°be extremely careful¡±, the group began to proceed inward. As they arrived at the fog at the entrance of the valley, Bai Jiangfeng suddenly pinched his fingers and took out a yellow talisman paper. After folding it, he twisted a point at the top and hurled it forward. A yellow glow lit up on the folded talisman paper, shooting straight into the fog like an arrow. Soon, it began to burn and disappeared. ¡°The Breaking Barrier Talisman didn¡¯t encounter any obstacles. The way ahead is clear.¡± Bai Jiangfeng said, with a slightly relaxed expression. The Bai family¡¯s whole team only then began formally entering the valley. One by one, their figures were swallowed up by the white fog, first appearing indistinct, then gradually disappearing altogether. Only after the group from the Bai Family had completely disappeared into the white fog, did Soul Hook Horse Face and Shen Luo come out from behind the giant stone. ¡°It seems the Bai Family has indeed made a lot of preparations. They¡¯ve earned some of my respect. They should be able to exit Hidden Wind Valley without too much trouble, given their prudence,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face voiced his admiration. ¡°Don¡¯t we need to make some preparations?¡± Shen Luo asked, a hint of worry crossing his eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? ¡°This fog is purely caused by the uprising Yin energy, with its cold breath causing the water vapor in the air to condense. Although it contains Sha Qi, it only poses an issue for ordinary people but shouldn¡¯t affect cultivators¡¯ bodies.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face replied, shaking his head. After saying so, he took the lead to enter the valley, walking into the fog. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before following him. Upon entering the valley, Shen Luo immediately felt the surrounding humidity. As Soul Hook Horse Face had said, the fog was quite harmless, so he slightly relaxed. They walked at a leisurely pace, passing scattered tombstones resembling steam buns. Some had wooden gravestones stuck in front, while others had collapsed mounds, revealing the coffins themselves. Scattered outside many graves were bone fragments bearing deep and shallow tooth marks from various wild beasts, painting a picture of desolation. As they went deeper, the number of graves decreased, but the fog became denser. From just ten feet away, everything seemed blurry and indistinguishable. Shen Luo focused his mind, attentively listening to every single activity around him. However, he found the surroundings utterly silent, with only the sounds of his and Soul Hook Horse Face¡¯s footsteps on dead leaves and mud. Fortunately, after about a quarter of an hour, the two emerged from the thick fog, and their vision finally cleared up. Looking ahead, Shen Luo saw a winding path hidden in the deep green and black weeds. The trees on both sides, though tall, displayed a wilting state, as if they were on the verge of death, an impression of lifelessness hanging in the air. ¡°Stick close to me.¡± Without looking back, Gouhun Ma Mian quickened his pace along the pathway. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hurriedly followed suit. The two of them proceeded in silence along the path through the grass. After circumventing a giant stone, they directly sighted the end of the valley. Originally a canyon passageway, it had already collapsed and was now blocked. Mismatched rocks littered the scene everywhere. It was in front of this mountain wall to the left of the canyon that the group from the Bai Family was waiting. Shen Luo looked over there and saw a gigantic cave broken open about three zhang above the ground in the mountain wall. It was pitch-black inside, and the depth was not visible. All one could see were waves of strong Yin Qi emanating from the cave. It seemed that the Bai Family and its group were also making their final preparations to enter the cave. Bai Hecheng, who was standing at the front of the crowd, suddenly waved a hand, and from his sleeve, a beam of light flew out, spinning in mid-air before hovering right above the slant of the cave mouth. It was a bronze ancient mirror the size of a human head. Carved on its back was a circle of fish, insect and bird patterns, encircling a Daoist symbol at the center. Its front was exceptionally smooth, reflecting dazzling light. Bai Hecheng muttered a few sentences under his breath while performing a magic spell with one hand, pointing gently towards the bronze mirror. The mirror immediately vibrated as if it had been struck, emitting a metallic humming sound. The mirror surface spun, and its reflection cast a brilliant white light into the cave. The white light seemed to contain a burning Pure Yang Power, and upon entering the cave, it dispersed and vanished like smoke, eroding the strands of Yin Qi that drifted out from the cave. The thicker Yin Qi inside the cave seemed to fear this white light and retreated like a tide. Seeing this, the guest officials from the Bai Family cheered and praised their family head, complimenting his magical treasures for their impressive efficacy. Shen Luo was also involuntarily amazed at the sight. ¡°The Sun-Extinguishing Mirror¡­ looks like it has reached the level of a top-grade magical instrument. However, it lacks both geographic and temporal advantage and its effectiveness is ultimately limited.¡± Gouhun Ma Mian swept his gaze and shook his head. ¡°Elder, why do you say this?¡± Shen Luo asked puzzledly. ¡°This Sun-Extinguishing Mirror relies on drawing upon the Pure Yang Power of Heaven and Earth to drive away and eradicate evil spirits. The more abundant the Yang Qi in the surrounding world, the stronger the Pure Yang power it can solidify and draw upon. Unfortunately, this valley is inherently a place ruled by Yin Sha and supernatural beings. It does not have a geographical advantage. Whereas at this moment, though it is noon, the sky overhead is shrouded in clouds, making it difficult to draw upon the advantage of the hour, achieving half of its original capacity is already good enough.¡± Gouhun Ma Mian explained. As his voice just fell, a thunder-like roaring sound suddenly emanated from the cave in the cliff wall. The rich Yin Qi that was forced back into the cave by the mirror¡¯s white light just as suddenly surged out like a tide. In the pitch-black fog, mixed with weird ¡°screeching¡± noises, bat-like creatures the size of puppies appeared in droves from the cave, enveloping the view with a large dark mass flying towards the crowd outside the cave. Shen Luo felt chilled. He saw that the fat, black bats were glossy all over, and they had pig-like faces with two sharp, chilling vampire teeth sticking out of their mouths, causing one¡¯s hair to stand on end. ¡°They are blood-sucking vampire bats, be careful everybody.¡± Bai Hecheng shouted while twisting his wrist. Chapter 255 03-25 - Chapter 255: Chapter 253: Undercurrent Chapter 255: Chapter 253: Undercurrent The charm patterns on the suspended Sun-Extinguishing Mirror suddenly lit up. The brilliance reflected on the mirror¡¯s surface transformed from white to crimson in an instant, growing more blazing, illuminating the swarm of the blood-sucking vampire bats that were hurtling towards them. Whenever this crimson light swept past, a multitude of ghost bats would instantly burst into heart-wrenching screams, their bodies instantly manifesting burns akin to fire injuries, with white smoke hissing out from the wounds, emitting a fetid stench. The ghost bats that flew out of the cave were blocked by the white light and immediately diverted their paths. Circumventing the area illuminated by the white light, they continued their attack on the crowd. At this point, Bai Jiangfeng and others also sprung into action. They either tossed out blaze talismans or stimulated their magical instruments, transforming them into sheets of intense flames and dazzling light that met the vampire bats head-on. Shen Luo kept his gaze transfixed on the ghost bats above while picking up the rustling noise in his ears. He promptly shifted his gaze to locate the source of the sound. What he found was an uncountable number of hand-sized black beetles, teeming out from the mountain wall cave. Like a surging black tide, they made their way towards the Bai family members¡¯ feet. Those beetles had black, armoured shells growing on their backs that were covered in dense spikes. On their heads, they had pointed beaks like a scorpion¡¯s pincers. Wrapped in an incredibly dense green corpse Qi, it was obvious at first glance that they were filled with lethal corpse poison. ¡°This place has actually brewed Corpse Scarabs! It seems that a red-haired zombie must have been born in this cave.¡± Upon seeing this, Soul Hook Horse Face said with a serious expression. Upon hearing his words, Shen Luo realised that those countless tiny creatures were the ¡°Corpse Scarabs¡± mentioned in the ancient book. According to the book, those creatures feed on Yin Qi and often appear alongside red-haired zombies. They naturally carry corpse poison, and anyone bitten by them who does not receive treatment immediately will die from the poison. Even if someone were fortunate enough to survive, they would become a living dead person under the control of the red-haired zombie. ¡°Beware of the Corpse Scarabs ¡­¡± At that point, a cry of alarm came from among the Bai family members. Xie Yuxin, who was dressed in a red robe, unfastened a red waist ribbon from her waist. Holding onto one end and giving it a flick, the red ribbon slithered out like a python of fire, encircling the crowd and transforming into a ring of flames that protected them in the middle. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï However, the tide of the corpse scarabs refused to halt and continued their relentless attack. They continuously surged into the flames, even though they were sizzling from the blaze. They showed no signs of retreating. In a flash, strands of green corpse Qi began to rise in the flames, and soon that area was shrouded in it. The corpse scarabs on the ground saw the fierceness of the fire and began to gather together and attack the flames. In every attack, the scarabs on the perimeter would be burnt to death, but there would always be one or two from the centre that survived and slipped through the flames to sneak attack the crowd. Luckily, Fifth Grandma of Bai Xiaotian did not openly attack the ghost bats and corpse scarabs like everyone else. Instead, she stood in the middle, helping others to mop up the enemies that had broken through. Her expression was grim, her face deeply wrinkled, and her skin was loose. Only her jade-like hands were as smooth as a young girl¡¯s. A hazy white light shrouded them, and every time she waved her hands, a crystal clear needle as slim as a cow¡¯s hair would shoot out from her fingertips, nailing the sneak attacking corpse scarabs and ghost bats to death. The battlefield seemed chaotic with all manner of attacks, but in reality, everyone was advancing and retreating in close cooperation, maintaining an orderly rhythm. ¡­ Meanwhile, in the deepest part of the cave, in an underground melting pot, green glowing crystals were growing everywhere on the walls, filled with concentrated Yin Sha Qi that was almost tangible. In the centre of the melting pot, on the ground, was a black pond a few feet in size. The water within was dark, thick and had the appearance of oil, emitting a bizarre smell that was indescribable. From time to time, rounded bubbles would rise from the viscous surface of the liquid, resembling fire oil. Upon bursting, wisps of black gas would slowly seep out. On the dome of the cave above the pond, hung four black silk cocoons several feet tall. Three of them had a long, narrow slit in them from top to bottom, each already empty inside. The intact cocoon on the far right contained an unknown living entity, with bulges appearing sporadically on its surface. It seemed as if whatever lurked within was yearning to emerge from its silk enclosure. At that moment, the water¡¯s surface in the pool below lost its tranquility, bubbles rising from its depths as two humanoid shapes gradually ascended from within. Only when half of their bodies were exposed did the sticky black fluid clinging to them began to slide off, revealing their true forms. The entity on the left was as white as jade all over, with not a shred of flesh on it, revealing it to be a pure white skeleton creature. A faint green flame flickered in its eye sockets, with leather armor encasing its wrists, ankles, and waist. On its back hung two crossed white bone swords, creating a visage that was as eerie as it was comical. Next to it, there was a hideous, mutated zombie covered in armor-like scales with red hair sprouted from the gaps between the scales. Its face was devoid of moisture, the skin shrunken, eyes bulging outwards. Its teeth and blood-red gums were exposed, sending a chill down one¡¯s spine at the sight. Between these two, a barely noticeable black air mass emerged slowly from beneath the surface of the water. A blurry image of a beast resembling a water rhinoceros could be seen rampaging within the air mass, reminiscent of the River Guardian Beast that had once wreaked havoc in Jianye City. The viscous water beneath them released a fog of dark red and black that spread out, seemingly nourishing the three entities. The walls of the cave were peppered with black-armored corpse scarabs. Above, countless blood-sucking vampire bats hung upside-down, their numbers rivalling those that had already swarmed outside the cave. ¡°A blood feast has arrived¡­¡± At this moment, an ethereal voice unexpectedly rang out. As the ethereal voice echoed, the two ghostly flames in the eye sockets of the white skeleton flared up, becoming even brighter. The red-haired zombie floated up and landed by the poolside. ¡°Red Corpse requests battle.¡± A hoarse and gruff voice issued from the throat of the red-haired zombie. Immediately after, the white skeleton moved beside him. Without uttering any words, it drew the bone swords from its back, crossed them, and drove them into the ground before it, before kneeling on one knee, signaling its readiness to join the battle with its action. The black air mass that the River Guardian Beast morphed into also floated up to the shore, jumping up and down in the void, as if unwilling to be left behind. ¡°Water Fiend stays back ¡­ Red Corpse, White Wailing, you both go ¡­ leave no one.¡± The ethereal voice echoed again. The red-haired zombie and the white bone skeleton immediately stood up, accepting the command, only the River Guardian Beast faithfully returned to the pool. The red-haired zombie sprung into action, moving to the entrance of the cave passage. Thousands of corpse scarabs immediately swarmed beneath, forming a black river that surged, propelling it towards the outside of the cave. Chapter 256 03-25 - Chapter 256: Chapter 254: Struggling Battle Chapter 256: Chapter 254: Struggling Battle The white bone skull seemed to have no frills, just steadily moving one step at a time outward. However, as it continued to advance, piles of withered bones scattered on the ground of the passageway started to self-assemble into incomplete carcasses, following it outward. ¡­ Outside the cave, the enormous swarm of corpse scarabs had already broken through Xie Yuxin¡¯s flame defense and was pushing towards the Bai Family members. Yet, everyone was an experienced fighter, showing no fear on their faces. Under Bai Hecheng¡¯s command, they all concentrated and contracted to the center. At this time, a huge shadow suddenly shrouded above their heads, as a yellow copper coin the size of a house fell from the sky like Mount Tai crushing down. With a ¡°Boom¡± a loud noise was heard, causing the entire valley to shake intensely! The fallen yellow copper coin stirred up a vast amount of sand and stones, smashing tens of thousands of corpse scarabs in the surroundings into pulp. However, the Bai Family members were all unharmed, situated in the safe space at the center of the copper coin. ¡°The Treasure Copper Coin really did us a great favor.¡± Feng Ling appreciated as he was controlling his paper fan to perform slash attacks. Everyone turned their gaze to Bai Jiangfeng, with their eyes full of joy. Bai Jiangfeng displayed a light smile on his face, retrieving his magical instrument with a wave of hand. Everywhere around them were the bodies of corpse scarabs and ghost bats. These previous threats were all annihilated. Bai Hecheng then pulled out a green porcelain bottle from his sleeve and distributed a few elixirs among the group, remarking: Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°This is the Corpse Pill, capable of resolving corpse air and eliminating evil aura. Take it and have some rest. After recuperating for a moment, we will storm into this cave together and wipe out all the demons inside. Once this is accomplished, the Bai Family will not let you down.¡± ¡°Thanks to the Family Head¡¯s early arrangement, we have been able to progress so smoothly.¡± The White Water Daoist, despite of his torn clothes, wasn¡¯t injured and responded with a face full of smiles. ¡°Rest assured, Family Head, we will exert our full efforts!¡± The troop suffered minimal losses from the earlier battle and their morale was high at this moment. The rest of them responded in unison. ¡°No wonder the Bai Family is able to firmly hold the position of number one aristocratic family in Jianye City, it is not all because of their ancestor¡¯s fame. This Bai Hecheng does have the manner of a Family Head, he organizes well and commands wisely.¡± Gouhun Ma Mian looked at a distance and slightly nodded. ¡°When do we make our move?¡± Shen Luo whispered from the side. ¡°Don¡¯t hurry, it¡¯s not the time yet.¡± Gouhun Ma Mian answered, leisurely taking off his wine gourd from his waist. Only after he carefully took a sip of the wine, he wiped his mouth and spoke. However, as soon as he finished speaking, his expression abruptly changed. Instantly plucking a stone with his hand, he flicked it with his finger towards the mountain wall on the right. A ¡°Ping!¡± resounded from the mountain wall as the stone ricocheted and directly fell into the cave on the left side of the mountain wall. ¡°Be careful, something¡¯s amiss¡­¡± The moment Bai Hecheng heard the sound, his expression tightened immediately and he warned sternly. Everyone else was also on alert, each clutching their magical instruments, cautiously looking towards the cave. Accompanied by the sudden howling of the wind, a red figure abruptly shot out from the cave, flying towards the crowd¡ªit was the red-haired zombie. His hands thrust forward, the tips of his fingers flashing a cold light akin to one that metal emits, directly piercing towards Xie Yuxin¡¯s chest. Standing slightly to one side, Bai Hecheng saw the danger and stepped in between, wielding the Sun-Extinguishing Mirror to strike down the Red Zombie. Without deriving the energy from the Heaven and Earth¡¯s Yang energy, the mirror was driven by the Mana from within his body and a dazzling white light burst forth, forming a straight beam that hit the Red Zombie¡¯s forehead. ¡°Roar¡­¡±With a miserable howl, the Red Zombie was immediately thrown backward, smoke rising from its forehead. Everyone was taken aback by this sudden assassination, and before they could regain their footing, there was another disturbance. The ground underneath the White Water Daoist suddenly shattered, and a white bone sword shot upward, spinning like a top at high speed, and steadily fired into the air. He had no time to react before the bone sword entered through his lower jaw and exited through the top of his skull, killing him instantly. People from Bai family were horrified, and quickly dispersed into separate directions. The ground on which they had just stood collapsed instantly and an ancient skeleton wearing scale armor jumped out, leaping into the high air and catching the bloodstained bone sword. With a swing of its sword, a splash of blood was immediately scattered and from the shattered soil in front, some ancient bones of white color crawled out and launched attack towards the Bai family. Feng Ling glanced at the tragically morphed White Water Daoist, a touch of sorrow flashed in his eyes. He had no option but to gather himself, and counterattacked those suddenly appeared skulls. Right after that, a large number of Corpse Scarabs and Blood-sucking Vampire Bats burst out from the mouth of the mountain wall cave again, covering the sky and approaching the Bai Family monks, momentum surpassing what it was earlier. Observing these evolving circumstances, Bai Hecheng leaped and surprisingly levitated mid-air. He drew a line through his palm and smeared blood on the Sun-Extinguishing Mirror in his hand, turning it towards the lower frontier. Bloodlight on the mirror flashed once, and all fresh blood disappeared in it. The back of the mirror lit up and the bloody light around it glowing red, amazingly it hung mid-air. ¡°Blood as the guide, Yang fire burns Yin, go!¡± A loud shout from Bai Hecheng¡¯s mouth, the Sun-Extinguishing Mirror mid-air spun like a top. The mirror roared and waves of crimson fire flew out like a peacock opening its tail, striking down the Corpse Scarabs, Ghost Bats and skeleton ghosts from above. In a flash, the entire valley was filled with incessant explosions and flying sparks. Masses of Corpse Scarabs and numerous white bone skulls were smashed to smithereens, and the blood-sucking vampire bats mid-air dared not approach. Yet at this moment, the red-haired Zombie that was originally repelled by Bai Hecheng with a frontal assault, stamped the ground with both feet, catapulted straight into the air, hands stretched out charging directly at Bai Hecheng. The overwhelming red light striking its scale armor-covered body had absolutely no effect, it couldn¡¯t even slow it down. Bai Hecheng saw it approaching him, his expression unchanged, pulled out a palm-sized brass seal from his sleeve, and smashed it towards the Red-haired Zombies. The moment the brass seal was thrown out, golden light exploded all around it. It enlarged hundred folds instantaneously. An illusion of a fierce tiger surfaced from it and violently collided with the red-haired Zombie. Like a gravitational force of a thousand catties pressing down on it. The Red-haired Zombie¡¯s both hands supported the seal, unable to push it away and was forced to descend towards the ground. However, its eyes flashed with a bright blood-red light. Two beams of red light shot out with a ¡°pop¡± hitting the mid-air mirror, producing a dull ¡°bang¡±. A puff of white smoke immediately appeared from the Sun-Extinguishing Mirror, as if it was being corroded, faltered for a few instances, the illumination faded and it started falling down. Chapter 258: Asura Puppet Ghost Chapter 258: Chapter 256: Asura Puppet Ghost The viscous black liquid in the pool suddenly began to boil, vigorously gushing out and flowing to the legs of the Water Devil, and subsequently, it moved steadily upwards, encircling the beast¡¯s legs and up its body. Swiftly, all the black liquid from the pool attached to the Water Devil¡¯s initially somewhat vague body, and in a blink of an eye, it helped reassemble its body. The Water Devil kicked its front hoof and let out a neigh. The aura around its body instantly surged several times. The Demon Wind hanging in mid-air saw this scene and seemed quite pleased, nodding its head before rising into a cloud of black mist. Its entire body transformed from solid to ethereal, quickly surging towards the cocoon hanging from the dome, and vanished within it. ¡°Not good!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face shouted out, sharply swinging the Soul Hooking Pen in its hand. The Soul Hooking Pen flew out of the hand, the charm patterns glowed suddenly on it, the entire pen body turned bright red, with a sparkle-like glow it headed straight for the heart of the cocoon. Just when it seemed to hit, a vertical line of golden light suddenly lit up on the black cocoon. It split open from head to toe leaving a gaping hole, out of which a large hand reached and grabbed the Soul Hooking Pen. The pen trembled under the crimson light as the tip strove to pierce into the cocoon, but the iron claw-like hand held it tight, not letting it advance a bit. Then, ¡°Chi-La¡± a noise rang out. The entire cocoon exploded immediately, revealing a upright figure of a young man. I saw him wearing golden armor around his body, with a wheel hung behind him that seemed like the treasure light of immortals and Buddhas, decorated with red and golden fire patterns. He was wearing a flying wings golden helmet on his head, in the center of which there was a vertically shaped, crimson crystal stone. The face revealed below was extremely handsome, no matter how it was looked at, it resembled a celestial warrior. However, Shen Luo noticed that black patterns resembling tattoos were growing on both sides of his forehead and cheeks; his blood-red eyes were filled with a dark and sinister air, making it clear that he was not a good character. ¡°Asura Puppet Ghost!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Soul Hook Horse Face had a furrowed brow and after saying these words his body lit up with a red light, as if fired. He had apparently withdrawn his concealment and directly restored his horse-headed true form. Seeing the actions of Ma Mian, Shen Luo realized that the situation had become somewhat difficult. ¡°Shen Luo, this Asura Puppet is a puppet ghost body made by imitating the Asura war god. Although its strength is not one ten thousandth of the real body, it is a fusion of the demon wind, and I am afraid it will not be easy to deal with. Once we start fighting, I may not be able to protect you. If you can¡¯t resist the Water Devil, you can escape, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± At this time, the voice of Soul Hook Horse Face suddenly appeared in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. Shen Luo did not have the ability to communicate through voice transmission and naturally could not answer, he just silently nodded his head. The Asura Puppet Ghost also seemed to notice the interaction between the two. Its head mechanically turned towards Shen Luo, and after opening a wide grin, a dark and gloomy smile spread across its face. With a flash in its eyes, the Soul Hooking Pen held in its hand was suddenly thrown towards Shen Luo like a dart. A thud resounded in front of him, and the crimson iron pen directly headed towards his forehead. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened; he subconsciously initiated his Slanting Moon Steps and dodged to the side. Just when he was about to move, he was shocked to find that there was a near-invisible thread trailing behind the Soul Hooking Pen. With a slight tug, the trajectory of the Soul Hooking Pen shifted towards his direction. The moment Shen Luo dropped his foot, a blood hole was about to be pierced through his head. Just in the nick of time, Ma Mian, dressed in a wide robe, floated over. He stepped in front of Shen Luo, grabbed the Soul Hooking Pen shooting towards him in mid-flight and with his other hand formed a knife-like gesture, cleaved into the void behind the body of the pen and snapped the slender crystal thread. As Shen Luo steadied himself, he saw Ma Mian holding the pen in one hand, his fingers flicking it, spinning it in the void, creating a showy maneuver that was somewhat pleasing to watch. ¡°Watch out for yourself!¡± After giving a warning, Ma Mian¡¯s figure suddenly surged forward, pen in hand, directly charging at the Asura Puppet Ghost. The latter swept both hands behind him, holding a Vajra Exorcism Pestle in each hand¡ªone round like a lantern at both ends, the other sharp like a spike¡ªwithout any of the brightness that a magical instrument should have. The two met in mid-air, one gold, one red, one devil, one Yin god, and fought fiercely with no clear advantage. As soon as Ma Mian left Shen Luo¡¯s side, the Water Devil who had been ready to pounce immediately charged. Opening its blood basin, it spat a pitch-black Water Arrow directly at Shen Luo. Shen Luo had been keeping an eye on it all along. Naturally, he was prepared. Using the Slanting Moon Steps, he dodged to the side of the Water Devil, not far away, three Small Thunder Talismans from his hand already set into motion. The body of the talisman flashed, three streaks of white electric light shot out, striking the abdomen of the Water Devil all at once. Accompanied by a ¡°bang¡± sound, a hole was blasted open in the abdomen of the Water Devil. A pool of black liquid flowed from it and dripped all over the ground. Seeing the success of his attack, Shen Luo was delighted and extracted five more Small Thunder Talismans, releasing a robust thunder from them, aimed at the Water Devil. Nevertheless, having suffered a loss once, the Water Devil surged forward at a lightning speed. Turning its head to spit out a Water Arrow, it collided with the thunderbolt in mid-air, causing an explosion. No sooner had the electric light disappeared than the Water Devil rushed towards Shen Luo, continuously firing Water Arrows¡ªan attack that Shen Luo managed to avoid repeatedly and dodged using the Slanting Moon Steps. The cave walls and the ground where the Water Arrows hit were all emitting white smoke, corroded into fist-sized deep pits. The Water Devil sped up the chase, closing in on Shen Luo. The continuous stream of Water Arrows made it impossible for Shen Luo to find an opening to cast a spell. He was holding several Small Thunder Talismans but was unable to find an opportunity to use them. Shen Luo was getting anxious. He¡¯s just in the Qi Refining seventh layer, and the sophisticated maneuvers of the Slanting Moon Steps were enabling him to cope for now. But the Water Devil, after regenerating its body through the demon wind, was showing almost Mid Grain Avoidance Stage strength; the longer the fight lasted, the more disadvantaged he was. Just then, an unexpected change took place! Shen Luo had just dodged a Water Arrow when a strong force suddenly struck from beneath his foot. Unbeknownst to him, the Water Devil had extended its pitch-black tail multiple times its original length and sneak-attacked him from behind. Taken by surprise, Shen Luo was swept by the tail and sent rolling out. The area where he was hit on his leg transmitted waves of fierce blazing pain, making it tough for him to get up. As he was struggling to stand up, he saw the blood basin of the Water Devil open up again, a pitch-black Water Arrow was forming within shortly, it was going to shoot straight at his head. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Shen Luo reached into his sleeve and gripped the Ghost Wailing Ring, instantly pouring his Mana into it. Chapter 259: Ma Mian Subdues the Demon The symbols on the black ring flashed, and a ghastly ghostly head appeared, letting out a piercing screech. Black sound waves churned out from it, slamming directly onto the ground. An enormous force immediately rebounded from the ground, propelling Shen Luo¡¯s body into mid-air. Almost simultaneously, a pitch-black water arrow shot over the surface of the ground, piercing a hole the size of a fist in the hem of his clothes, hitting the cave stone wall behind him. As Shen Luo was falling, he abruptly stretched out his left hand and used his full strength to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique, reaching out towards the Water Devil. The body of the Water Devil is coagulated from dark liquid and still essentially water. While Shen Luo¡¯s Water Manipulation Technique cannot control it, it can exert a slight pull. Under the pull of this Water Technique, the body of the Water Devil swayed slightly forward while Shen Luo took advantage of it, directly propelling himself towards it with his uninjured right foot touching the ground. Just as they were close, the Water Devil suddenly opened its bloody mouth again, condensing a large black light ball with hints of light threads and heavy Yin Sha breath. With a ¡°pu¡± sound, the dark light sphere suddenly sprayed out, heading straight for Shen Luo¡¯s face. Shen Luo¡¯s hands trembled, and seven or eight Small Thunder Talismans flew out simultaneously, flashed white, and exploded. ¡°Boom!¡± Accompanied by a deafening thunderclap, an arm-thick white lightning appeared out of nowhere from the exploding talisman, like a snow-white spear of light, it directly pierced the light sphere and exploded. The white light scattered in the center of the black light sphere, tearing open a huge hole. Shen Luo¡¯s body circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique at full power, a shout erupted from his mouth, and a blue light flourished in front of him, conjuring a water shield and blocking the remnants of the exploding black light sphere. His figure pierced through and appeared directly in front of the Water Devil. Shen Luo used the water shield as a brace, pushed slightly on the Water Devil as he flew over its back, releasing more than ten talismans from his hand. The talisman papers fell right above the Water Devil¡¯s head and suddenly a white light flared up. Immediately after, a white bolt of lightning, twice as thick as usual, emerged from mid-air. With dazzling radiance, it crashed down onto the Water Devil. ¡°Rumble!¡± Accompanied by a loud explosion, the head of the Water Devil burst open abruptly, splattering a mass of sticky black fluid. A wisp of dark red-black Demonic Qi was swept by the electric light and immediately dispersed. This Demonic Qi seemed to have some subtle connection with the Asura Puppet Ghost. The moment it was smashed, the Puppet Ghost also let out a harsh scream. It glared at Shen Luo, its blood-red eyes revealing a clear look of shock and anger. It twirled a Demon Subduing Pestle in its left hand, creating a blurred phantom image. It seemed to have opened up a golden round shield, blocking a strike from the Horse Face Iron Brush. Immediately following, it raised its right arm and swung forcefully, launching the pointed Demon Subduing Pestle at Shen Luo at high speed. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo¡¯s left leg was severely injured, he could no longer perform Slanting Moon Steps and was incapable of dodging. He seemed certain to be hit. Just then, there was a ¡°clang¡± sound, a red lock chain coiled with black fog shot out from Ma Mian¡¯s sleeve, coiling around Shen Luo¡¯s waist like a snake, tugging and pulling him away. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face pulled Shen Luo to his side and asked. ¡°I got hurt a bit, but it¡¯s not serious.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Soul Hook Horse Face was about to instruct something when a strong wind suddenly attacked from the front. The Asura Puppet Ghost was coming back for an attack so he had to immediately confront it. The Asura Puppet Ghost began to moan low in its throat, and the Demon Subduing Pestle in its left hand instantly shone brightly with golden light, condensing into a colossal phantom several times bigger, which headed straight towards Soul Hook Horse Face, aiming to crush his head. Soul Hook Horse Face swiftly drew a series of strokes in the void with the Soul Hook Brush. Red characters came into existence instantly, their strokes linked, transforming into a massive Blood Web. With an upward sweep, the phantom of the Demon Subduing Pestle was entirely caged within it. At the same time, he waved his other sleeve and a crimson chain, enveloped in black mist, shot out once again. It maneuvered past the Demon Subduing Pestle and wound itself around the body of the Asura Puppet Ghost. The latter seemed to have anticipated this. Another Demon Subduing Pestle rotated at high speed in its palm. Clanging sounds of metal and stone echoed as it flew out of its hand and collided heavily with the chain, causing both to be repelled in opposite directions. However, the force of the Demon Subduing Pestle seemed greater. After retreating slightly, it whirls around again, charging directly at Soul Hook Horse Face. Soul Hook Horse Face had one hand controlling the shrinking Blood Web with the Soul Hook Pen while his other hand pulling on the Ghost Binding Chain was having trouble retracting it, unable to block the incoming Demon Subduing Pestle. At this moment, a piercing howl like a wail of ghosts and howl of wolves sounded as circles of black sound waves rushed out to strike against the Demon Subduing Pestle. There came a muffled ¡°bang¡±. A flash of golden light on the Demon Subduing Pestle directly shattered the sound waves, its charge only delayed for a moment before it continued its attack on Soul Hook Horse Face. But in that brief moment, not only did Soul Hook Horse Face not dodge, he made even more vigorous efforts to stimulate the power of his Soul Hook Pen. The massive Blood Web, like the gaping maw of a deep blood basin, violently swallowed the Demon Subduing Pestle whole and bore on towards the Puppet Ghost. Seeing this, the Asura Puppet Ghost also hardened its heart, not trying to dodge nor retreat, using all its strength to direct the Demon Subduing Pestle towards Horse Face. The two were surprisingly in unison, planning to exchange injuries with each other. Again came the muffled ¡°bang¡±. When Soul Hook Horse Face was struck by the Demon Subduing Pestle, his robes suddenly burst into a reddish light like a massive Other Shore Flower blossoming around him. Layers of petal-like red light resisted the impact of the pestle, gradually withering and shattering. But ultimately, it was blocked. As the great power surge went through him, Soul Hook Horse Face involuntarily spit out a mouthful of fresh blood, but the Soul Hook Pen in his hand fell heavily. Red light flickered at the pen¡¯s tip and the Blood Web, formed ahead, also finally contracted, trapping the Asura Puppet Ghost within. At the same time, the crimson chain followed suit, snaking around the Puppet Ghost¡¯s body. The Asura Puppet Ghost was completely restrained, and the Demon Subduing Pestle aiming at Soul Hook Horse Face lost its control, falling to the ground. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s caught¡­¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Soul Hook Horse Face also gave a long sigh, smiling, ¡°Catching a demonic being alive this time, once we return to the Underworld, it¡¯s my turn to show off. Those old coots who¡¯ve always been acting high and mighty before me.¡± Hearing these somewhat immature words, Shen Luo was rendered speechless. After Soul Hook Horse Face finished speaking, he began to draw in the void with the Soul Hook Pen. This time, he was not writing any talismanic characters, but rather outlining some sort of a Rune Array, drawing a large circular light chart. However, before he could complete it, an unexpected change occurred! Chapter 260: All Hopes Turn to Ash The Asura Puppet Ghost suddenly let out a sly laugh, and black smoke chains rose from its body like a raging fire, extending to entangle the Ghost Binding Chains. The Soul Hook Horse Face Array, halfway through its empowerment, froze in shock. By the time it tried to withdraw, it was too late. Four or five black smoke chains had wrapped around it, immobilising it completely. Shen Luo saw this and was also surprised. He suddenly discovered that where the Soul Hook Horse Face was entangled, thin black threads began to appear, weaving into a web-like structure on their own. He glanced at the black cocoon hanging upside down from the top of the cave and immediately understood. The Asura Puppet Ghost intended to seal the Soul Hook Horse Face within the cocoon, and transform it into a monstrous shell. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo cursed silently as he struggled to stand upright, and hastily held onto a Thunderfall Talisman. However, before he could take action, the Asura Puppet Ghost suddenly jerked its head towards him. At this point, its crimson eyes had turned pitch-black, and the red gemstone embedded in its golden helmet suddenly lit up. Sensing danger, Shen Luo immediately jumped aside. And it was just as he had anticipated, the moment he reacted, the red gemstone in the vertical eye of the golden helmet flashed and a beam of blood-red light shot out, hitting the spot where Shen Luo had stood just a moment ago. An explosive ¡°boom¡± sound resonated from the impact! The ball of blood light exploded, transforming into a powerful shockwave that burst in all directions. Although Shen Luo had evaded in advance, he was still affected by the explosion, causing him to be blast high into the air. ¡°Die.¡± The Asura Puppet Ghost cried out, and the red gemstone flashed again. Another more powerful, blood-red light beam shot out, directly targeting Shen Luo who was still suspended in the air, determined to annihilate him with one blow. Unable to find any leverage mid-air, Shen Luo naturally found it difficult to dodge. But right at that moment, his figure mysteriously surged forward, enveloped by a layer of green light, making an impossible lateral flight in the void, easily avoiding the red light. Before the Asura Puppet Ghost could comprehend what had happened, with the help of the Flying Talisman, Shen Luo swiftly swooped, fluttering without touching the ground, to its back. His gaze focused, and with a sudden slap of his palm, two glimmering green Thunderfall Talismans gripped in his hand were imbued with his Mana and activated simultaneously. Accompanied by two booming thunderclaps, two robust white flashes of lightning lit up the cave, crisscrossing as they struck the Asura Puppet Ghost. The aftereffects of the explosion caused Shen Luo to be blasted off his feet, sending him sprawling heavily on the ground. From his usage of the two Thunderfall Talismans together, his Dantian was nearly depleted of Mana, leaving his body feeble. For a moment, he didn¡¯t even have the strength to stand up. Amidst the overwhelming thunderous roar, the intertwined lightning formed an unusual spherical shape. ¡°BOOM¡± The spherical lightning exploded a second time, releasing a power far beyond its initial impact. Beams of electric threads erupted from it, promptly tearing apart the Asura Puppet Ghost¡¯s body. The wind demon¡¯s body reappeared, also affected by the aftermath of the lightning, tiny electric sparks continuously lighting up its entire body, emitting explosive rumblings, its black and red demonic aura constantly being scattered. The black smoke chains wrapped around the Soul Hook Horse Face had already broken, yet even after escaping, it dared not approach immediately, after all, as a Yin God, it was extremely averse to such governing and powerful lightning. At this time, the wind demon, in the center of the electric filaments, suddenly let out a sharp howl, a burst of black light surrounding it, transforming into a black whirlwind, rushing into the cave passageway howling and roaring. ¡°You shall not escape!¡± The Soul Hook Horse Face roared, immediately chasing after it. After a brief rest, Shen Luo managed to recover some strength, struggling to his feet, he too wanted to give chase. At this time, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the two Demon Subduing Pestles lying near the body of the puppet Asura ghost on the ground, and quickly bent down to pick them up. However, after a quick inspection, he found that the spear-tipped one thrown by the ghost puppet was still intact, but the other one, resembling a lantern on both ends, was completely destroyed. Shen Luo put away the spear-tipped Demon Subduing Pestle and unsteadily followed into the passageway. Outside the cave, the Bai Family members had already completed the extermination of all the white bones and corpse scarab ghost bats, but their losses were also substantial. Other than the White Water Daoist, the guest official who was proficient in the puppet technique of the Creation Sect had also been killed by the red-haired zombie. Including Feng Ling, all other Qi Refining guest officials had fallen, losing their fighting strength. At this point, only Bai Hecheng, Bai Jiangfeng, Xie Yuxin, and Fifth Grandma ¨C these Grain Avoidance cultivators were left, their bodies covered with wounds and fighting valiantly against the red-haired zombies and White Bone Skulls. Bai Hecheng, with his face covered in black lines akin to theatrical makeup, was engaged in close combat with the red-haired zombies, wielding a jet-black spear, possibly due to his use of some God-calling technique. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fifth Grandma was providing ranged support from the side, constantly attacking and harassing the zombies with flying needles and daggers. On the other hand, Xie Yuxin was engaged in close combat with the bone sword-wielding white bone skull, while Bai Jiangfeng provided support with magical instruments and talismans from the side. Both parties were suffering significant losses, resulting in a battle of endurance. Just then, a gust of wind rose from the cave in the mountainside as the black wind demon swept out, rushing towards Bai Hecheng. Alarmed, Bai Hecheng quickly held his spear to counteract the demon wind. However, having been exhausted from the earlier struggle, his mana was almost depleted, the black markings on his face started to fade, and the glimmer of cold light on his spear was extinguished before it could fully manifest. There was a muffled ¡°bang¡±, and his figure was blown away, crashing heavily to the ground. Then, as the demon wind swept up the battlefield, sending up dunes wherever it went, Bai Jiangfeng and the others were knocked to the ground one after the other. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± The spirit that everyone had been relying on was completely shattered. However, to their surprise, after knocking them down, the demon wind did not go in for the kill, but instead flew directly up into the upper sky, crashing headlong into the glooming clouds above the valley. Next, another figure burst out from the cave, before everyone could get a good look, it rose on a cloud of black fog, also darting into the gloomy clouds at high altitude. A flurry of fierce combat sounds immediately burst forth from the high altitude. At this time, the red-haired zombie turned its rigid skull around, took a leap, landing next to Bai Hecheng, plunged its straight arms down, taking a direct stab at his chest. On the other side, the White Bone Skull, still clutching its Bone Sword, lunged at Xie Yuxin¡¯s heart. Everyone was powerless against these attacks, completely devastated. Chapter 261: Benefactor of the Bai Family (Fifth Update) At this critical moment, more than ten Small Thunder Talismans flew out of nowhere, each targeting the red-haired zombies and the white bone skulls above. However, less than half of them successfully activated. Accompanied by two thunderous ¡°booms¡±, seven or eight bolts of lightning intertwined and hit the heads of the red-haired zombies and white bone skulls respectively. Both of them froze in their tracks, their attack movements slightly delayed, hovering in mid-air. Seeing this rare opportunity, Bai Hecheng wouldn¡¯t miss it, and with a vigorous thrust of his jet-black spear, he pierced through the skull of the red-haired zombie. ¡°Cackling¡­¡± A series of strange noises erupted from the red-haired zombie¡¯s mouth, and a wisp of black smoke immediately wafted out from its shattered face. On the other side, Xie Yuxin seized the opportunity to cast a square seal flashing with red light, hitting squarely between the eyes of the white bone skull, emitting a crimson flame. With a ¡°pop¡±, the white bone skull¡¯s head exploded into fine dust. The green ghostly fire and a wisp of demonic energy within the skull dissipated instantly, and its body collapsed into a pile of white bones scattered all over the ground. Xie Yuxin, covered in wounds, struggled to sit up, her gaze falling on Shen Luo, who stood by the entrance of the cave, his hand resting on the stone wall, his face as pale as paper. ¡°Thank God, I made it¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself before slumping onto the ground. His mana was nearly exhausted, and now after using so many Small Thunder Talismans, his internal mana was completely depleted, his vision grew dark, almost on the verge of fainting. However, compared to the physical exhaustion, Shen Luo felt more heartache about those talismans equivalent to immortal jade that he had worked so hard to accumulate. ¡°Did he save me?¡± Incredulity flickered in Xie Yuxin¡¯s beautiful eyes, unable to believe that the one who saved her just now was Shen Luo, a minor guest official of the Bai Family. But who else could be in this valley right now? ¡°Shen Luo, is that you? What are you doing here?¡± Bai Hecheng and Bai Jiangfeng simultaneously asked in surprise. Just as Shen Luo opened his mouth to speak, a loud crack was heard from the sky, and a figure fell straight down from the high altitude. Looking over quickly, Shen Luo realized it was Soul Hook Horse Face, who had reverted back to his guise as a white-faced scholar. High up in the sky, the dark clouds rapidly shrank until they completely disappeared, revealing the figure of the demon wind. His bamboo hat obscured his face, making it impossible to see his expression, but his murderous intent was extremely conspicuous. ¡°This isn¡¯t over, we¡¯ll see!¡± After leaving these words, he dissipated into the distance. For once, Soul Hook Horse Face didn¡¯t continue to pursue him, and instead let Shen Luo descend back down to the entrance of the mountain cave. Everyone was silent and began to meditate cross-legged, recuperating from their injures. With the dark clouds gone from the sky above the valley, the long absent sunlight could finally shine through. The Yin Sha Qi in the valley gradually dissipated, and the corpses of the corpse scarabs and ghost bats littering the ground started to burn on their own, and eventually turned to ash. About two hours later, everyone had somewhat recovered, and only then did they stop meditating. ¡°Shen Luo, it was you who saved me earlier, right? I am extremely grateful.¡± Bai Hecheng unexpectedly performed the rites of equal rank. ¡°Family Head needs not be so formal, it was my duty to help.¡± Shen Luo quickly responded, returning the gesture. He mentioned this from both the perspective of a guest official and as a friend of Bai Xiaotian. ¡°May I ask who might this elder be?¡± Bai Hecheng smiled gratifiedly, then turned to Gouhun Ma Mian and asked. ¡°This is Elder Ma Liang, who could be considered an old friend regardless of age differences. It was actually at Elder Ma¡¯s invitation that I came to help exterminate the demonic beings,¡± Shen Luo, having already received a transmission from Gouhun Ma Mian, immediately explained. ¡°So it is, I have long heard that Shen Luo had the assistance of a High People behind him, it must have been the elder. This younger generation, Bai Hecheng, has met Elder Ma before,¡± Bai Hecheng said immediately, raising his fist in greeting. ¡°We¡¯ve met Elder Ma before,¡± Bai Jiangfeng and a few others also came over to greet him one by one. ¡°Family Head Bai, there¡¯s no need for formalities. Ridding the world of demonic beings and defending the Daoist path is simply our duty,¡± Gouhun Ma Mian merely waved his hand in dismissal, seemingly unwilling to say more. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder, who exactly was that entity that escaped just now?¡± Even though Bai Hecheng could tell he was reluctant to talk, he couldn¡¯t resist asking. There was a terrifying guess in his heart that needed confirmation. ¡°You didn¡¯t guess wrong. That guy was indeed the Demon Wind which your Bai family¡¯s ancestor once encountered. Though it¡¯s named Demon Wind, it¡¯s actually a demonic being, adept at using demonic qi to taint and charm spirit beings, causing their demonization. And the spirit beings that have undergone demonization will multiply in brutality and combat strength. They pose a considerable risk,¡± Gouhun Ma Mian saw through his thoughts and said directly. ¡°So it really was that demon. But our ancestor had already exterminated it that year, how could it¡­¡± Bai Hecheng hesitated. ¡°There¡¯s not just one Demon Wind, and it¡¯s not that easy to exterminate,¡± Gouhun Ma Mian said. Upon hearing this, the expressions of Bai Hecheng and the others changed, their eyebrows deeply furrowed. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, there should only be this one Demon Wind near Jianye City. It was heavily injured this time and will not stir up other troubles for some time,¡± Gouhun Ma Mian comforted everyone when he saw their reaction. Having said this, he inquired about Shen Luo¡¯s injuries, and then he took his leave. After Bai Hecheng and the others had collected Daoist White Water¡¯s body, they took the white bone skull and the red-haired zombies, as proof of the completion of the Hidden Wind Valley task, and began to retreat towards the valley entrance. ¡°Shen Luo, Elder Ma has profound cultivation. Do you know where his sect is?¡± Bai Hecheng asked while walking beside Shen Luo. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t known Elder Ma for long, so I¡¯m not clear about his detailed background. But I can assure you that he is an honest and trustworthy person of the righteous path,¡± Shen Luo explained, half-truthful and half-fictional. ¡°Young Master Shen, why does Elder Ma¡¯s attire seem familiar? I think I¡¯ve heard Daoist White Water mention it before¡­¡± Bai Jiangfeng mulled over it for a long time before asking. Shen Luo thought for a moment, and then said, ¡°Perhaps during the water ghost incident at the Warm Water Pavilion, Daoist White Water had met Elder Ma.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it,¡± Bai Jiangfeng said, his eyes sparkling after hearing this. Shen Luo then briefly narrated the whole incident, but still didn¡¯t disclose the true identity of Gouhun Ma Mian. ¡°So that¡¯s how you got to know Elder Ma. Indeed, it¡¯s wondrous how fate works,¡± Bai Hecheng said in admiration after hearing this. ¡°At Elder Ma¡¯s request, I had to keep this matter hidden from the family head before. I hope for your understanding,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What are you talking about? I should be the one thanking you for giving our Bai family the opportunity to get acquainted with an elder like him,¡± Bai Hecheng immediately waved his hand and said. Shen Luo heard the implication in his words, that he wanted to establish a connection with Gouhun Ma Mian through him. But since he hadn¡¯t received the latter¡¯s permission, he naturally could not casually agree. So, he just smiled and said nothing. When they returned to the town outside the valley entrance, there were other Bai family monks waiting to meet them. Everyone then got into their respective carriages and prepared to return to Jianye City together. (There ends the five updates for today. Don¡¯t forget to cast your votes if you have any remaining, dear Daoist friends^^) Chapter 262: Ghost Market Before Shen Luo got on the carriage, the monks who had been fighting in the valley earlier all came over to greet him, expressing both heartfelt gratitude and, in some cases, a bit of excessive flattery in their words. He listened to each of them, responding politely. Among the last to arrive was a woman in a red dress who respectfully bowed to him for the first time. ¡°I must apologize to you, Brother Shen, for being ill-tempered before. The favor you did me by saving my life is something I will always remember. If given a chance, I will repay it a hundredfold.¡± Xie Yuxin looked sincerely at Shen Luo as she spoke. ¡°It was nothing, no need to make a big deal out of it.¡± Shen Luo responded with a bow and a smile. ¡°What¡¯s trivial to Brother Shen was a matter of life and death to me,¡± Xie Yuxin remarked solemnly. Seeing the earnestness in her words, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but stroke his chin in contemplation. ¡°Even if you say it was life-saving, how can you repay it a hundredfold? Do you perhaps have a hundred lives to give? If you truly feel indebted, perhaps offering yourself could be a solution.¡± Upon hearing this, Xie Yuxin¡¯s expression changed subtly, but recognizing the teasing tone in Shen Luo¡¯s voice, she broke into a small smile and responded, ¡°That will do.¡± Compared to Shen Luo¡¯s playful demeanor, Xie Yuxin seemed dead serious, causing Shen Luo to lose his cool for a moment. He hastily began to explain: ¡°You misunderstood! I was just joking¡­¡± Xie Yuxin, seeing his flustered reaction, managed a chuckle for once before turning to leave. Shen Luo was left standing still, momentarily at a loss. It wasn¡¯t until a while later that he realized he had been outplayed. He gave a self-deprecating laugh and got back onto the carriage. And so, the Bai family party returned to Jianye City. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon arrival at the Bai Mansion, Shen Luo was personally escorted to his quarters by Bai Hecheng because of a leg injury Shen Luo had sustained. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be fussing over me like this,¡± Shen Luo said somewhat embarrassedly. ¡°Nonsense, if it weren¡¯t for Brother Shen¡¯s assistance today, not only would my Bai family have failed to complete the mission, but we would have also left several innocent souls in Hidden Wind Valley.¡± Bai Hecheng waved his hand and said with intense gravity. Shen Luo smiled at this and said no more. Bai Hecheng turned and gestured to the outside of the room, and a steward of Bai family quickly walked in. After placing a cloth bag and a small white jade bottle on the table and bowing to Shen Luo, he retreated. ¡°These twenty pieces of Immortal jade and a bottle of our Bai family¡¯s special ointment for external wounds, the Black Jade Ointment, are tokens of my gratitude. Please do accept this, Brother Shen.¡± Bai Hecheng gestured towards the cloth bag as he spoke. ¡°Your kindness is appreciated,¡± said Shen Luo who was in dire need of Immortal jade at the moment. After a few words of casual conversation with Shen Luo, Bai Hecheng did not stay any longer and excused himself. Opening the package, Shen Luo discovered that it contained a small white jade bottle and a pile of Immortal jades. He opened the white jade bottle, and a cool aroma of medication mixed with a sweet fragrance wafted out. Peering into the bottle, he saw it contained a black ointment. Being an expert on medicines, he could tell just from the smell that this ointment was extremely precious. He carefully scooped out a bit, applied it to the wound, and instantly felt the throbbing pain lessen, replaced by a cool sensation. Pleased by this, Shen Luo carefully applied the ointment around his wound and then wrapped it up with a clean white cloth. After doing this, he did not continue cultivating and instead took to the bed. Following the strenuous battle with Soul Hook Horse Face, he was mind and body fatigued and soon fell asleep. The night passed without incident. The next day, Bai Jiangfeng, Xie Yuxin, and others dropped by to visit him, bringing with them various gifts. However, there was no sign of Bai Xiaoyun. Upon enquiring, Shen Luo learned that due to his insufficient cultivation level, Bai Xiaoyun was unable to participate in the government task this time. He was so frustrated with himself that he had decided to go into seclusion for cultivation, which Shen Luo found understandable. Three days later, Shen Luo¡¯s leg wound had almost healed thanks to the miraculous ointment given by Bai Hecheng, and he no longer had trouble moving about. He was also able to resume underwater cultivation. Interestingly, during this time, a guest official named Chu Li, who had repeatedly targeted Shen Luo in the past, came by with a gift to express his regret for his previous offending actions. Having only ever verbally belittled Shen Luo before and never having acting maliciously, Shen Luo didn¡¯t bother to argue with Chu Li. He accepted the gifts and sent him on his way. Far from being annoyed, Chu Li thanked Shen Luo profusely outside the courtyard and promised to look up to Shen Luo from thereon. Then, he finally left. In the late night, after finishing his cultivation, Shen Luo changed into dry clothes and quietly reflected on the day¡¯s practice. ¡°It seems your injury has almost healed,¡± a voice suddenly sounded behind him. Shen Luo quickly turned around to find Horse Face had somehow gotten there unnoticed and was now sitting by the window. He was still dressed as a scholar in white. ¡°Senior Horse Face, please don¡¯t startle me like this. Those of a faint heart might die from the surprise,¡± Shen Luo replied irritably. ¡°What¡¯s there to fear in death? I¡¯m quite acquainted with Meng Po. Just inform her and she could arrange for a good reincarnation for you,¡± Horse Face chuckled, casually taking a sip from the cup of tea on the table. ¡°Well, you do seem cheerful today,¡±, Shen Luo said, noticing Horse Face¡¯s good mood. ¡°Hehe, today, I must tell you, I¡¯m on a lucky streak. After I reported to the Underworld about the Hidden Wind Valley incident yesterday, they regarded it as something of considerable importance and promptly recalled me to present my report. Seems like I am bound to be recognized for this. Maybe there¡¯s even scope for promotion,¡± Horse Face, having spent considerable time with Shen Luo, had now become more casual in his conversational style. ¡°Then, I should congratulate you.¡± Shen Luo was elated for the ¡®kind¡¯ Yin God he was familiar with. ¡°I have to return to the Underworld in a few days. Today, I came here to discuss the matter of Ghost Market with you.¡± Horse Face said solemnly. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up at this. He had been eagerly awaiting this information these past days! ¡°I¡¯ve already told you about the origin of the Ghost Market. There will soon be a Ghost Market convened near Jianye City. It should happen in roughly a month,¡± Horse Face explained. ¡°Could you take me to witness the spectacle, Elder?¡± Shen Luo immediately brightened up and asked, his hands folding into a respectful gesture. ¡°Considering you did help me out in the Hidden Wind Valley, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let you see the market for yourself. However, I¡¯m unsure when I will return from the Underworld, so I doubt I will be able to accompany you. Here, borrow this ghost market mask. You can go by yourself,¡± Horse Face said, pulling out a black ghost face mask and handing it to Shen Luo. ¡°Go there by myself?¡± Shen Luo, momentarily surprised, took the mask. Thinking of his low cultivation level and the fact he was very much alive, the idea of going to a place filled with spirits undoubtedly frightened him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this ghost market mask can mask the breath of living humans. Plus, the Ghost Market is a trading place set up by the Underworld. Ghost emissaries patrol around and no one dares to cause trouble within it. As long as you don¡¯t stir up trouble yourself, there won¡¯t be any safety issues,¡± Horse Face reassured him with a wave of his large hand. Slightly relieved, Shen Luo eagerly asked about the procedures for entering the Ghost Market. Chapter 263: Preparations ¡°Starting from today, twenty-eight days later wearing this mask, you will leave the city at midnight and head fifty miles west to the Green Pine Forest. Only then will you be able to enter the Ghost Market,¡± said the Soul Hook Horse Face, making a finger count to calculate this. ¡°Twenty-eight days later, midnight, Green Pine Forest¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured, not quite understanding the meaning of the words of the Soul Hook Horse Face, but he kept this information in mind nevertheless. ¡°The Ghost Market is full of all sorts of treasures, but most of them come with hefty price tags. So, try to gather some immortal jade in this month¡¯s time, to avoid coming back empty-handed from the treasure mountain,¡± the Soul Hook Horse Face continued. ¡°Can immortal jade be used in the Ghost Market?¡± asked Shen Luo with a hint of surprise. ¡°Immortal jade is the currency used across the Three Realms, and it is accepted everywhere,¡± said the Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°I see, thank you for your guidance, elder.¡± Shen Luo put on the mask that was in his hands and thanked the Soul Hook Horse Face once again. ¡°Prepare well,¡± said the Soul Hook Horse Face before her silhouette flickered and she disappeared into thin air. After the Soul Hook Horse Face left, Shen Luo stood still for a while, his face looking rather unsettled. Though he had earned some immortal jade from the tasks he had completed over this period, he also spent a lot every time he went out with the Soul Hook Horse Face. Furthermore, combining the loss he suffered from drawing the Thunderfall Talismans, he only had little over thirty jade left. This amount of jade would constitute quite a fortune for normal Grain Avoidance Cultivators, and even for guest officials in the Bai Family, it would take them three to five years to amass this much money. This amount would allow the purchase of a reasonable magical instrument, but he feared it might not be enough for the Ghost Market. Lost in these thoughts, he picked up the Ghost Face Mask for a closer look and faintly noticed a flow of Yin Qi in it, but it was incredibly elusive. He tried to infuse his mana into it but it was like a clay ox entering the sea;the mask remained motionless. ¡°There must be some trick to it. I guess this mask will only become functional once the Ghost Market opens,¡± muttered Shen Luo before pocketing the mask. He walked over to the bedside, took out the stone box from under the bed, and took out all of the thirty immortals jade from inside. After a brief count, he found there were only thirty-six pieces, of which twenty were just received a few days ago. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After putting away the Immortal jade, Shen Luo began to contemplate. To earn Immortal jade in less than a month, the most feasible way at the moment was to continue taking on exorcism tasks. Being now in the late stage of Qi refining combined with the Small Thunder Talisman and Ghost Wailing Ring, bolstered by the Slanting Moon Steps, he was a formidable force. Even if there were no help from the Soul Hook Horse Face, he was confident he could deal with any ghost other than those of Grain Avoidance Stage. ¡°Another method is selling talismans. I have pretty much mastered the Small Thunder Talisman;its success rate is quite high. Manager Ma from Lubao Hall also mentioned that he is willing to buy the Small Thunder Talisman. This could be another viable option.¡± Shen Luo explored this thought further. After a while, he quickly solidified his plan leading up to the opening of the Ghost Market. He decided to temporarily halt his cultivation regime and focus on taking tasks as well as drawing talismans, doing everything in his power to gather Immortal jade in preparation for the Ghost Market. ¡­ The next day in the early morning, the street was not very crowded when Shen Luo entered Lubao Hall. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we saw Young Master Shen. What has brought you here early in this hour? Do you want to buy something?¡± said Manager Ma cheerfully, immediately greeting Shen Luo as he walked in. ¡°Young Master Shen, here¡¯s your tea,¡± said Miss Ma, who was also in the shop, with a slightly shy smile on her face as she poured him a cup of tea. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Miss Ma.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly towards Miss Ma and then turned towards manager Ma. ¡°A while ago, Manager Ma mentioned that your shop also buys talismans. What do you think of this talisman of mine?¡± He didn¡¯t beat around the bush;he took out a Small Thunder Talisman and placed it on the table. Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Manager Ma paused for a moment. But being a seasoned businessman, he quickly picked himself up and studied the Small Thunder Talisman carefully. ¡°A very exquisite Thunder talisman indeed. I heard that Young Master Shen has recently been activating a powerful Thunder talisman, slaying ghosts all over the Jianye City. Could that talisman be this one?¡± Manager Ma asked with a spring in his step. ¡°Manager Ma, your news is indeed fast. Yes, this is the Small Thunder Talisman, a low-grade talisman,¡± Shen Luo admitted without trying to hide anything, giving him a brief introduction about it. ¡°Small Thunder Talisman, Small Thunder Talisman¡­¡± Manager Ma murmured, his gaze containing a hint of interest. ¡°When it comes to buying talismans, the price depends on their power. May I test the power of this talisman? Rest assured, whether or not the shop ends up buying it, I will compensate for the one we use for the test at market price,¡± said Manager Ma, soon looking up. ¡°Naturally.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Well then, please come with me to the backyard. Xiu¡¯er, look after the shop,¡± said Manager Ma to Miss Ma, leading Shen Luo towards the backyard. A moment later, they both returned, each wearing a smile on their faces. Having witnessed the power of Small Thunder Talisman, manager Ma promptly agreed to purchase it. Normally, low-grade talismans like the Small Thunder Talisman are paid with gold and silver. But upon Shen Luo¡¯s insistence, Manager Ma grudgingly agreed to pay with immortal jade. After some haggling in the backyard, they agreed on the price of one immortal jade for every fifteen Small Thunder Talismans. After closing the deal, Shen Luo didn¡¯t stick around. He purchased a large amount of Yellow Talisman Paper and Talisman Ink, and quickly said his goodbyes to leave. ¡°Do you find this price appropriate?¡± Manager Ma spoke in a low voice to Ma Xiuxiu as soon as Shen Luo left. ¡°There has been a recent outbreak of ghost troubles. Given that the Small Thunder Talismans have restraining effects on ghosts, I think that with just a little promotion, lots of people would want to stock up on them, so it wouldn¡¯t be hard to sell. Also, get some more Yuan stones,¡± said Ma Xiuxiu, her face becoming serious devoid of any previous shyness, her eyes bright and clear. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange that right away,¡± Manager Ma replied swiftly. ¡°He managed to suppress the ghosts in the Hidden Wind Valley, this Shen Luo truly is extraordinary. In the future, we should deal with him more, do not spare any wealth and try to win him over as much as possible,¡± added Ma Xiuxiu after a short pause.¡± Ma insisted earnestly. Just then, a customer walked into the shop, which caused Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s face and demeanor to immediately revert to that of a shy, sweet girl again, greeting the customer. ¡­ Shen Luo, having left the Lubao Hall, soon arrived at the entrance of the Bai Mansion. ¡°Shen Luo!¡± ¡°It really is him!¡± ¡°Have you heard? A few days ago, Shen Luo, along with another Soul Condensation expert, helped our family head eliminate the ghosts that were located in the Hidden Wind Valley.¡± ¡°Because of this mission, our Bai family has now surpassed both the Lin and Du families. Even if they join forces, they are no match for us!¡± ¡°How thrilling!¡± As Shen Luo appeared, a flurry of discussions among the Bai family¡¯s guest officials ensued, their eyes which used to hold a trace of contempt, were now filled with reverence. Shen Luo frowned slightly at the sight of this but then relaxed. Then he had a distinct realization of the difference between the cultivation world and the mundane world. All morality, human relations, and feelings are as thin as paper. Only when a person possesses immense strength can they earn respect. Otherwise, they can only end up being oppressed by others. Chapter 264: First Demon-hunting Family Shen Luo ignored the surrounding crowd, his gaze swept over the Ghost-catching List and quickly settled on one task. ¡°I¡¯ll take the task at the Charming Wine Estate to the west of the city.¡± Shen Luo walked to the task table and declared. ¡°Yes, I will arrange it immediately.¡± The attitude of the Bai Family¡¯s Steward behind the table was completely different from before, with a fawning smile appearing on his face. He immediately took out the task book to record it. After Shen Luo finished his registration, he was escorted by the crowd back to his residence. Upon returning to his room, he took out the newly purchased Talisman Paper and Talisman Ink from his bosom, placed them on the table, calmed his mind and picked up a piece of paper to start drawing Small Thunder Talismans. He spent a whole day drawing, and it wasn¡¯t until evening that he stopped. A thick stack of Small Thunder Talismans, about thirty in all, appeared on his right-hand side, while there were even more Talismans on his left, all of which were failures. ¡°Drawing more than thirty Small Thunder Talismans in a day can roughly trade for a little more than two Immortal Jade, which is a pretty good speed,¡± Shen Luo mused to himself, putting away the Talismans before closing his eyes to rejuvenate. After nightfall, he left the Bai Mansion and traversed the familiar path to the west of the city. He soon arrived at a large wine estate. After declaring his identity, he entered the estate. Half an hour later, one could hear the repeated thunderous sounds from inside the estate, interspersed with the screams of the ghost, which soon subsided and disappeared. A moment later, Shen Luo emerged from the wine estate, his face rather pale. His right sleeve was missing, making him seem somewhat disheveled. ¡°Dealing with these ghost things without Senior Horse Face¡¯s help is indeed quite difficult.¡± He lifted his right hand to reveal three long wounds on his arm where the skin had been torn and rolled but there wasn¡¯t much blood. The power of the ghost was not too strong, only at the early stage of Grain Avoidance. However, its traces were elusive, it moved like the wind, and even though he had mastered the Slanting Moon Steps and was as cautious as possible, he was still injured. For an average monk, without a team led by two or three grain avoidance cultivators, they would not be able to handle it. Fortunately, he had prepared a sizable stack of Small Thunder Talismans, eventually managing to wear out and kill it. He turned his left hand over to reveal a white round bead filled with Yin Qi ¨C naturally the Yin Qi condensed by the ghost. ¡°Regardless, the task is complete, and I have earned five Immortal Jade.¡± A hint of joy flashed across Shen Luo¡¯s face as he quickened his pace towards the Bai family. In the following days, he would spend his time in his home during daylight to draw Talismans. At night, he would occasionally accept tasks that he was confident he could handle. Even after considering his expenditure, his speed of earning Immortal Jade was pretty remarkable. Often, he would earn more than five Immortal Jade within a day. However, after nearly two months of joint crackdown led by the three major families, the situation in Jianye City and nearby counties and towns had significantly improved. The number of ghosts had decreased drastically and was nearly eradicated, and reports of new ghost-related issues had stopped. Of course, as the end neared, the competition among the three families intensified;even tasks seen as unpromising and effortful were quickly cleared. Residents of Jianye City also quickly noticed these changes. They were excited, and daily life and work gradually resumed. Until the beginning of winter, the local officials officially announced that the ghost problem of Jianye City had been eradicated, and peace was fully restored in and out of the city. The residents held a grand celebration, decorations and lanterns were hung all over the city, everyone was celebrating the eradication of ghosts and people were full of joy. The three major exorcising families, Bai, Lin, and Du, were all the more reputed for their active extermination of ghosts around. The Bai family, in particular, received the title of ¡°First Demon-hunting Family of Jianye City¡± from the government for removing the most ghosts. ¡­ In a study within the inner courtyard of the Bai Mansion, Bai Hecheng, Bai Jiangfeng, and some highly respected uncles and core children of the Bai family gathered. A large golden plaque was placed on a table in the study, which read: ¡°First Demon-hunting Family¡±, six imposing words gilded in gold. ¡°Our hard work over the past few days has finally paid off. The title of the first demon-hunting family is well deserved!¡± Bai Hecheng looked at the plaque on the table and laughed heartily. Those present were all thrilled at his words. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The First Demon-hunting Family¡± isn¡¯t just a pleasing title. The Bai family also receives many benefits promised by the government. Their influence greatly increases, even to the extent of surpassing Lin and Du families soon. ¡°Family Head, with such a achievement, the Bai family has gained, thanks to the collective efforts of all members. Those who¡¯ve contributed should receive some rewards, especially those guest officials, they should be courted kindly.¡± Bai Jiangfeng suggested. ¡°Indeed. Everyone here will receive a reward later. As for those guest officials who participated in the Hidden Wind Valley mission, each of them will receive an additional ten Immortal Jades.¡± Bai Hecheng announced with a wave of his hand. ¡°Thank you, Family Head!¡± Hearing this, all members of the Bai family were overjoyed and quickly expressed their thanks. ¡°Although the ghost problem has been eliminated, none of you can let your guards down. Starting from today, as the Bai family vigorously develops, we will also begin stockpiling supplies in case another crisis occurs. We need to be especially wary of the Lin and Du families.¡± Bai Hecheng declared solemnly. ¡°Yes!¡± All of the Bai family members unanimously answered. ¡­ The next day, early in the morning. ¡°Thank you, Second Elder, for delivering it personally. Please convey my thanks to the Family Head.¡± In Shen Luo¡¯s small courtyard, he escorted Bai Jiangfeng to the courtyard door while expressing his gratitude. ¡°Friend Shen, you¡¯re too polite. This is what you deserve.¡± Bai Jiangfeng said with a smile, before quickly bidding farewell and leaving. Shen Luo turned back into the house, picking up a small cloth bag from the table. It had been delivered by Bai Jiangfeng just now and contained ten pieces of Immortal Jade. Since there were no more exorcism tasks, the speed at which he earned Immortal Jade had greatly reduced. In order to prepare for the upcoming Ghost Market, he had to continue crafting Small Thunder Talismans day and night. Actually, after the ghost disturbances ceased, the sales of the Small Thunder Talismans also dramatically declined. Fortunately, Manager Ma was a man of his word and did not lower the price of the talismans, so the income from this did not decrease. After all, it was better to be prepared for any eventuality, a principle many people understood. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try to make as much as I can.¡± Shen Luo sighed softly, packed all of the talismans he had drawn yesterday, and left the house. Soon he arrived outside Lubao Hall, a look of surprise crossing his face. He saw that Lubao Hall¡¯s doors were half-open, the windows inside were closed tight, and there were no lights. The lighting was dim, as if something had happened. His heart skipped a beat. Lubao Hall was currently his only source of Immortal Jade. He couldn¡¯t afford any problems there, so he hurriedly entered. The shop was unchanged. Manager Ma and Ma Xiuxiu stood next to the counter, discussing something in quiet voices, their faces weighted with concern. ¡°Young Master Shen, you¡¯re here to deliver more talismans?¡± The moment Manager Ma saw Shen Luo enter, he quickly put on a smile and came forward to greet him. Shen Luo found Manager Ma¡¯s smile a bit odd. Observing that everything was normal in the shop, he let out a sigh of relief. He took out thirty Small Thunder Talismans from his bosom and handed them over. ¡°Young Master Shen¡¯s skill in talisman crafting truly leaves one amazed. You can draw so many talismans each day. Even an experienced talisman master can¡¯t match you.¡± Manager Ma took the talismans, giving Shen Luo two pieces of Immortal Jade. Shen Luo smiled faintly, did not respond, and put away the Immortal Jade. ¡°Manager Ma, it¡¯s this time and the shop still hasn¡¯t been opened. Has something happened?¡± He looked around and asked. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Recently, we¡¯ve run into some bad luck. A batch of goods from our store was stolen by thieves. We suffered a heavy loss.¡± Manager Ma sighed. ¡°Where was the ambush? Did you report it to the authorities?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The goods were robbed by a group of pirates in the Lishui River, eighty miles outside of Jianye City. Of course, we¡¯ve reported the incident. However, those thieves are extremely cunning. They took the goods and disappeared immediately, leaving no traces behind. The government officials checked but found no clues.¡± Manager Ma shook his head. Hearing these words, Shen Luo fell silent. Chapter 265: Green Pine Forest If this had happened on land, Shen Luo may have been able to find some trace with his extraordinary senses. Still, as it occurred on water, any scent would be washed away by the water, leaving him helpless. ¡°Forget the other things in that shipment, there was a batch of Red Snake Grass that got lost too, those damn water bandits!¡± The anger in Manager Ma¡¯s eyes was vivid. ¡°Red Snake Grass? Is it a kind of spirit grass that looks like a red snake and is highly poisonous? I remember this grass is just a common spiritual material, only used in the refinement of a few poisons, not particularly precious.¡± Shen Luo had read about this grass in classics, so he hesitated before speaking. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Master Shen to be not only proficient in the art of talismans but also to have researched alchemy. You¡¯re right, common Red Snake Grass is indeed a rarely used spiritual material. However, what Lubao Hall bought this time was Double-tipped Red Snake Grass. Even though it contains extreme poison, it also harbors a strange vitality and is a primary material for refining a Solidifying Yuan Pill. It¡¯s extremely precious.¡± Manager Ma looked at Shen Luo with slight surprise before continuing in an indignant tone. ¡°Father, since the things are already lost, it¡¯s pointless to dwell on it. Try to take it easy.¡± At this moment, Ma Xiuxiu came over with a cup of tea and put it beside Shen Luo, comforting them both. Manager Ma nodded helplessly with a sigh. ¡°Solidifying Yuan Pill?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thinking of something, Shen Luo blurted out his question. He had seen a record about the Solidifying Yuan Pill in the classics of Mount Fangcun. It was a kind of elixir that helped with the breakthrough into the Grain Avoidance Stage. Recently, thanks to the cultivation experience in Dreamland, his cultivation progressed smoothly. In his excitement, his ambition grew, and he was no longer satisfied with staying in the Qi Refining Stage. He desired to advance to the Grain Avoidance Stage to gain a longer lifespan and stronger strength. In recent days, besides drawing talismans, Shen Luo had also browsed through some books about the breakthrough into the Grain Avoidance Stage in the Bai Family¡¯s Book Pavilion. He gained a deeper understanding of the difficult tasks involved. Talent, luck, wealth, and temperament, nothing could be lacking from these. Out of a hundred Qi Refining Cultivators, hardly one may reach the Grain Avoidance Stage. Although he had experienced a breakthrough in Dreamland, that was all thanks to the amazing talent he possessed there. His talent in reality fell far short of that in Dreamland, so he wasn¡¯t sure if those experiences would prove useful. But no matter what, he had no intention of giving up! ¡°The Solidifying Yuan Pill is a precious elixir that can assist in breaking through to the Grain Avoidance Stage. It can enhance the success rate by up to ten or twenty percent.¡± Manager Ma noticed Shen Luo¡¯s puzzled expression but assumed he didn¡¯t know about the pills¡¯ effects, so he explained. ¡°It increases the success rate by only ten or twenty percent?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly. ¡°That¡¯s already very high. The two major challenges of the breakthrough into the Grain Avoidance Stage, liquefying the mana and opening up the meridians, are extremely tough and require high talent. It¡¯s unfortunate that we lost those Double-tipped Red Snake Grass. If they could be refined into Solidifying Yuan Pills, their value would immediately increase tenfold.¡± Manager Ma sighed with regret. ¡°Does Manager Ma know how to refine Solidifying Yuan Pills? I want to buy one. Can you help?¡± Shen Luo looked surprisingly at Manager Ma and bowed his hand in request. ¡°Well¡­¡± Manager Ma¡¯s face blushed as he stammered, unable to get his words out. ¡°Big Brother Shen, don¡¯t listen to Daddy¡¯s nonsense, he doesn¡¯t know how to refine Solidifying Yuan Pills. The reason he bought Double-tipped Red Snake Grass this time was just to trade it with others for some items. Solidifying Yuan Pills are incredibly precious and can only be refined by a few large sects. There¡¯s no Alchemy Master in Jianye City capable of refining such a pill. As for the Solidifying Yuan Pills, only the Government Official and the three aristocratic families have some in stock in the entire Jianye City. However, they strictly control it and will not let it come out onto the market.¡± Ma Xiuxiu picked up where Manager Ma left off and explained the situation. Manager Ma scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. However, he didn¡¯t feel disappointed. Soul Hook Horse Face had said that you could buy anything in the Ghost Market and there should be Solidifying Yuan Pills for sale there. ¡°Manager Ma, according to the market price, how many Immortal Jade pieces would a Solidifying Yuan Pill cost?¡± He asked after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°This kind of pill is always in demand but never in supply, you basically can¡¯t buy it. I remember the Lin family bought one from the Government Official a few years ago for eighty pieces of Immortal Jade.¡± Manager Ma hesitated for a moment before replying. ¡°Eighty Immortal jades¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed. He had been working tirelessly doing tasks and drawing talismans these few days. He had amassed over sixty jades, still ten short of eighty. This amount wasn¡¯t exceptionally large or particularly small. However, he didn¡¯t have much time for himself. He needed to hurry. ¡°Thank you for the information, Manager Ma. I have other matters to attend to now, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave,¡± said Shen Luo. He didn¡¯t linger and took his leave. Time flew by quickly, and soon the day of the Ghost Market¡¯s opening arrived. ¡°I¡¯ve finally reached this day.¡± Shen Luo gently caressed the stone box on the table, wrapped it in a piece of green cloth, and carried it on his back. During this month, he hadn¡¯t wasted a single moment. He used all his energy to earn Immortal jades. Finally, he had amassed a full eighty jades just yesterday. Not just the Immortal jades, Shen Luo also shoved all his valuable possessions into the stone box. Outside, the sky had darkened. Shen Luo left the Bai Mansion and soon exited the city. During this period, he had inquired about Soul Hook Horse Face¡¯s location and the whereabouts of the Green Pine Forest. Once out of the city, he followed a stream heading west. This stream was a tributary of Lishui River, flowing directly westward. If followed downstream, one would reach the Green Pine Forest. Since it was still early, Shen Luo wasn¡¯t in a hurry. Half an hour later, the winding stream finally came to an end, a vast, verdant pine forest appearing just ahead. ¡°Is this the place?¡± A hint of joy crossed his face as he stepped into the forest and his pupils contracted slightly. Inside the pine forest were towering tombs. It was a graveyard. An ordinary person stumbling upon a graveyard in the middle of the night would likely be scared half to death. However, Shen Luo had killed quite a few ghosts in the past few days, so he isn¡¯t scared of a mere graveyard. ¡°A Ghost Market in a graveyard, quite fitting,¡± Shen Luo mused with a smile. He pulled out the Ghost Face Mask and put it on. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the Green Pine Forest. The Green Pine Forest wasn¡¯t extensive, covering only seven or eight acres. Most of it was covered by tombs. Walking around, the air always felt a few degrees cooler than outside, and the sporadic cries of wild cats added to the eeriness of the place. Unfazed by his surroundings, Shen Luo started moving using the Slanting Moon Steps. Very soon, he had completed a round but found nothing unusual. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ll have to wait until midnight for the Ghost Market to appear,¡± Shen Luo murmured thoughtfully. He didn¡¯t leave the cemetery but leaned against a pine tree and sat down, quietly waiting. After waiting for half an hour, his complexion suddenly changed. He silently got up, crouched on the ground, and hid behind the pine tree, looking outside the forest. A set of light footsteps approached, and a grey figure hurried over. The figure was quite tall, wearing a large, grey robe and a bonnet, with their entire body tightly wrapped and a mask on their face. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise. The person also had a Ghost Face Mask on their face. ¡°Who¡¯s there, sneaking around!¡± Chapter 266: Companionship (Five more completed) The gray-robed figure suddenly stopped, his eyes beneath the mask shooting cold and sharp beams towards Shen Luo. His voice was deep and hoarse, articulating the words of a man. Shen Luo was startled. Before his arrival, he had smeared a scent-eliminating potion over himself and held his breath well in advance. Despite being more than a dozen feet away from each other, he was still detected by the other party. If their positions were reversed, he believed he might not have noticed the other party. ¡°No, I¡¯m not up to any mischief. I just arrived here earlier,¡± Shen Luo said in a hoarse voice, his thoughts turning quickly as he walked out nonchalantly. The man was wearing a ghost face mask, likely headed for the Ghost Market, they were bound to meet sooner or later, so there was no point in hiding. ¡°Are you going to the Ghost Market too?¡± The gray-robed figure looked a bit surprised seeing the mask on Shen Luo¡¯s face. ¡°Indeed, it appears to be the case for you as well, Your Excellency. Since we are all on the same path, there is no need for such a tense atmosphere,¡± Shen Luo said, laughing, and sat down again. The gray-robed figure slowly nodded, his gaze no longer as sharp as before, he walked into the pine forest and like Shen Luo, he began to look around. ¡°It seems that this person is also a newcomer, entering the Ghost Market for the first time,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. The gray-robed figure searched around in vain, found nothing, and stopped needlessly wandering around. He found a place about ten feet away from Shen Luo and sat down cross-legged. Both of them sat quietly as time passed and the night grew darker. However, in such wilderness, without a town crier or a rooster to tell time, it was challenging to keep track. Shen Luo, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted his gaze and stood up. Calculating time was not a difficult task for him. Since childhood, he had studied medicine diligently and had come across a medical saying called ¡°Zi Wu Liu Zhu¡±. It states that the twelve meridians in the human body correspond to the twelve two-hour periods of the day. At different times, the blood flow in the twelve meridians of the human body would vary slightly. For instance, during the Zi hour, blood would flow into the gallbladder channel., while during the Chou hour, it would flow into the liver channel. Over the years, he had explored and mastered Zi Wu Liu Zhu inside out. He could deduce time based on the flow of his own blood and Qi. Just now, his blood had begun to flow into the acupoints within his gallbladder channel, indicating that the Zi hour was about to commence. The gray-robed figure next to him noticed Shen Luo¡¯s actions, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes, and he also stood up. At that moment, a chilling sensation suddenly emerged in the air, the mask on Shen Luo¡¯s face turned icy, a faint black Qi emerged from it. The Qi quickly enveloped his body, clinging onto his skin. His appearance quickly changed, morphing into an eerie, black-skinned ghost. The aura he emanated then turned ghostly cold, making him virtually indistinguishable from the other ghosts. A similar transformation was also taking place on the gray-robed man, transforming him into an entirely deep-red colored ghost. The two exchanged surprised glances. Simultaneously, the surrounding void suddenly darkened and countless gray mists surged out of thin air, instantly swallowing everything around. Shen Luo¡¯s heart faltered and he quickly took out the Ghost Wailing Ring. In his other hand, two Small Thunder Talismans appeared with a flash of yellow light, ready to be used. But the gray mist only enveloped the surrounding void and displayed no other abnormalities. The nameless gray mist swirled around like flowing water for a moment before quickly dispersing. The scenery around had drastically changed. The green pine forest was gone, replaced by a desolate Gobi. The ground was covered with black fragments of stone. Other than a few moss growing in the crevices of the stone, no other traces of life could be seen. Moving about on this desolate Gobi was a strand of gray mist, which allowed visibility of only twenty to thirty feet. Anything further was obscured by the gray mist. ¡°Is this the Ghost Market? It looks so desolate, not a trace of a market, let alone a ghost in sight,¡± Shen Luo looked at his surroundings, his face revealing surprise. The man in the gray robe, who was now standing less than five feet away from Shen Luo, looked around in astonishment with a gray ghost head knife in his hand. Shen Luo didn¡¯t move immediately. He looked around, hesitated a moment, and then walked towards the man in the gray robe. Upon hearing the sound, the man immediately became alert and looked over cautiously. Shen Luo, upon seeing his cautiousness, was somewhat reassured. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Daoist friend, forgive my approach. I have no malicious intentions. This place appears to be strange, and since we both came from the same place, we can consider ourselves half fellow townsmen. Shall we work together? By doing so, if any accident occurs, we can take care of each other,¡± he suggested, stopping at a distance of a foot, and in a polite gesture. The man in the gray robe looked around and, after hesitating for a moment, he nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± A smile crept onto Shen Luo¡¯s face, and the mouth corners of the transformed ghost also turned upward, oddly mirroring his actual expression. ¡°Since we¡¯ll be working together, we should share our names for ease of reference. I am Tian Tiesheng.¡± He ¡®borrowed¡¯ his Senior Brother¡¯s name. ¡°My surname is Hong,¡± replied the gray-robed man after a moment of silence. After exchanging names, the atmosphere between the two men relaxed somewhat. ¡°I see, so you¡¯re Daoist Hong. Have you visited the Ghost Market in the past?¡± inquired Shen Luo. ¡°Never,¡± shook the man in the gray robe. ¡°I haven¡¯t either. Given the circumstances, we should explore the place,¡± suggested Shen Luo. ¡°Hmm,¡± replied Daoist Hong, his words as precious as gold. Shen Luo looked around, trying to choose a direction to move ahead. But the view was the same in all directions, leaving him clueless. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way,¡± said the gray-robed man suddenly, striding in a direction. Shen Luo, remembering how the man had noticed him from a great distance back in the Green Pine Forest, assumed that the man must have powerful detection abilities. Without any objection, he followed suit. However, to prevent getting lost, he quietly marked the ground every few steps. The black desert was covered in mist, eerily silent save for the two men¡¯s footsteps echoing in the void. Shen Luo could initially keep calm, but as time passed without any change in the surroundings, he began to feel restless. After they had walked a certain distance, the surroundings still remained the same. Getting a little impatient, Shen Luo was about to ask the man in gray robe when his gaze was suddenly drawn to the front. From afar, the shadows of something huge, which seemed like a mountain peak, emerged in the mist. Shen Luo squinted at the sight, then glanced over at the man in the gray robe. However, the man seemed undisturbed, showing no signs of surprise. His heart gave a start. Could the man have spotted the mountainous shadows from afar earlier? Shen Luo was somewhat shocked inside but showed nothing externally. He was about to speed up when suddenly he turned to look to his left. A gusty sound came from that direction, its volume fluctuating irregularly, making it difficult to understand. (That marks the end of Chapter 5. Friends, please help by voting with your monthly tickets.^^) Chapter 267: Child Yu Guan (Monthly Ticket!!!) (Chapter update on the fifth of the month, ask for the monthly ticket) The man in the gray robe also looked in that direction, clearly having heard the strange sound as well. ¡°Shall we check it out?¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°Agreed. This place is somewhat strange. Since we have to locate the Ghost Market here, it¡¯s best to investigate the source of the noise.¡± After a brief deliberation, the gray-robed man agreed. As a result, they each gripped their weapons and headed in the direction of the sound. After traveling some distance, they came upon a massive black stone, about thirty feet high. The noise was coming from behind this stone. The gray-robed man looked at Shen Luo and made a hand gesture indicating they should split up and approach from either side of the stone. Shen Luo caught his drift, carefully gripping his Ghost Wailing Ring and heading left. The gray-robed man approached from the right, quickly making his way behind the stone. Both of them came to a stunned halt when they saw a little boy laying there. He looked about four or five years old, with a round head, face, and belly. He looked tiger-headed and adorable, fast asleep on his belly, the noise they¡¯d heard was his snoring. After the initial surprise, Shen Luo quickly regained his composure and observed the little boy. The child¡¯s head was bald, not a single hair on his head, however, a bright red teardrop-shaped mark was on his forehead. He was exceptionally cute and looked no different from a regular child. The boy was wearing a gray-white Taoist robe that had a Tai Chi Yin-Yang Fish Pattern embroidered onto it. He also had a round, bulging gray cloth bag strapped to his back, its contents unknown. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed at the sight. This desolate place, absolutely devoid of human activity, suddenly had a child appear out of nowhere. This was most peculiar. Fortunately, the boy didn¡¯t radiate any mana, which put Shen Luo somewhat at ease. ¡°Friend Hong, what should we do?¡± Shen Luo looked to the gray-robed man and whispered. However, before the gray-robed man could reply, the little boy stirred slightly, yawning and slowly blinking his eyes open. Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted subtly, and he took a step backward, his hand clutching the Ghost Wailing Ring out in front of him. The gray-robed man also took a step back, gripping his Ghost Head Battle Knife. ¡°Who are you?¡± The small boy gradually sat up, looking at Shen Luo and the gray-robed man. Despite their ghostly appearances, he didn¡¯t show any signs of fear or surprise. Rubbing his eyes, he mumbled his question as if he hadn¡¯t fully woken up yet. ¡°Little one, who are you? How did you end up here?¡± Shen Luo looked at the gray-robed man and saw that he didn¡¯t intend to ask anything. After a short deliberation, he decided to ask the question. ¡°My name is Yu Guan, are you here to attend the Ghost Market?¡± the small boy asked. ¡°Indeed. However, this is our first time at the Ghost Market and we haven¡¯t yet found its location. Little Yu Guan, could you tell us where the Ghost Market is?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up as he asked. ¡°You were teleported here, but there was no Guiding Lantern Spirit to lead the way?¡± The small boy scratched his head, looking somewhat puzzled. ¡°Guiding Lantern Spirit? We didn¡¯t see anything like that.¡± Shen Luo blinked and exchanged a glance with the gray-robed man before shaking his head. ¡°Oh, it seems like those patrolling soldiers are slacking off again.¡± The small boy murmured under his breath. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°However, you didn¡¯t go to the wrong place. The Ghost Market is in the valley ahead. You¡­¡± As the little boy pointed his finger to the hazy silhouette of mountains in the fog, he abruptly stopped speaking, his expression freezing on his face. Upon seeing the dramatic change in the little boy¡¯s expression, Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You¡¯re here for the Ghost Market? That means the Ghost Market has started? What time is it?¡± The small boy suddenly wore a look of terror, anxiously staring at Shen Luo and asking. ¡°Just past midnight.¡± Shen Luo sensed the flows of Qi in his body and replied. ¡°Oh my! I slept for too long! Master will be so angry and will punish Yu Guan. Yu Guan needs to leave right now!¡± The small boy quickly got up from the ground, and went running off towards the front. He was surprisingly fast;his small figure quickly disappeared into the fog. Shen Luo and the gray-garbed man were both astonished, unable to understand what had just occurred. Nevertheless, gaining knowledge of the location of the Ghost Market from the boy could be counted as some form of gain. Just as they were about to resume their journey, the sound of footfalls echoed from within the fog. The small figure quickly reappeared, it was the little boy running back towards them. He arrived in front of Shen Luo, panting heavily. ¡°Master always taught Yu Guan to understand the concept of reciprocity when someone helps him. Thank you for waking me up just now. Here, take this.¡± The small boy took out something that looked like a token from his backpack and shoved it into Shen Luo¡¯s hand. Caught off guard by the sudden action, Shen Luo paused for a moment. The gray-garbed man at his side glanced over. However, from where he was standing, he wasn¡¯t able to see what the small boy had placed in Shen Luo¡¯s hand. ¡°Also, I had a glimpse just now. If you plan to complete your objective at the Ghost Market, you¡¯ll have to visit the Nameless Wild Shop there.¡± The small boy exclaimed rapidly before turning around and running off once again. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®glimpse¡¯?¡± Shen Luo paused again, but before he could ask for clarification, the small boy had already disappeared into the fog ahead. Looking at the token in his hand, Shen Luo tucked it into his pocket. Exchanging a glance with the gray-robed man, they continued on their journey. They soon arrived at the site of the vague shadow from before. Just as Shen Luo had suspected, the shadow was created by two massive mountain peaks, with a valley in between. The valley was quite large, around twenty to thirty acres in size, but inside the valley, there was an air of desolation, no sign of any human activity, let alone a Ghost Market. ¡°Could the boy have tricked us? Or are there other valleys around here?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°It should be here. Let¡¯s go in and have a look,¡± said the gray-robed man, scanning the valley before suggesting they proceed. Shen Luo nodded in agreement, and together with the gray-robed man they stepped into the valley. The moment their feet touched the valley ground, the scenario inside underwent an abrupt transformation. A translucent plaque appeared in the void above them, hovering in mid-air, with the large characters for ¡°Ghost Market¡± written on it. Behind the plaque lies a vast green light curtain, covering the top of the valley and projecting countless symbols and patterns of varying sizes, into intricate designs, constantly flickering. Below the light curtain, a vast array of buildings shaped like palaces and towers materialized in the heart of the valley. Most of these buildings appeared to be shops, vastly larger than the ones in Jianye City. Their doors and walls were decorated with various patterns that emitted different colored lights. The primary colors were blood red and gloomy green, lending an eerie, chilling vibe. Occasionally, terrifying ghostly wails could be heard, but it only served to magnify its grandeur. Many figures were going in and out of these buildings. All these figures were ghosts of various shapes and sizes. Some were eight feet tall with green faces and tusks, appearing extraordinarily fierce. Some were miniature and dwarf-like, drawing laughter from their ridiculous appearances. There were also skeletal ghosts, corpse demons, and wandering spirits of all sorts. They were all quite the sight. Although these ghosts looked menacing, their eyes were clear, showing they were nothing like the mindlessly killing beings Shen Luo had encountered prior. Chapter 268: Impermanence Pavilion In front of the tower building was a large open space, covered with square floor tiles, forming a multi-acre square. These floor tiles were all faintly blue, like blue jade, with patterns engraved on them, emitting bursts of blue light, illuminating the entire valley brightly. A lot of small stalls were set up on the square, displaying various items related to cultivation. Despite the distance, the mana fluctuations emanating from these items were still perceptible. Many ghosts passed by these stalls, glancing over the items or inquiring about them. No matter whether it was the ghosts going in and out of the remote shops or those in the square, they all emitted powerful yin qi fluctuations, none of them were weak. Seeing this, a look of shock crossed Shen Luo¡¯s face. After a while, he took a deep breath, and his expression returned to calm. This is the real world of cultivation, just as he had imagined, grand and majestic. Compared to this place, both Jianye City and the Spring and Autumn Pavilion seemed quaint and small-time. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were likely special prohibitions set up around the valley, which couldn¡¯t be detected from the outside. Only by entering could one discover the existence of the Ghost Market. This kind of wide-ranging and subtle prohibition was not something that the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and Jianye City could have. The gray-robed man nearby was also shocked by the scene in the valley, but quickly regained his composure. ¡°I must take my leave now.¡± The gray-robed man said to Shen Luo, and without waiting for a reply, he quickly walked into the valley, soon mingling with the ghosts in the square, and disappeared. Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind, he was completely captivated by the bustling scene inside the valley. However, he remained vigilant. He first moved to the vicinity of the square without hastily entering. The breath of these ghosts in the valley was not weak, most of them had higher cultivation levels than his own. After all, the later stages of the Qi Refining Stage were just the beginning in the world of cultivation. Although Soul Hook Horse Face had said that this place was safe, he dared not entirely trust that and remained cautious. Quite a few ghosts had noticed Shen Luo, but had just glanced at him and then quickly looked away, apparently not discovering his identity as a living person. Shen Luo then secretly heaved a sigh of relief, and lingered near the edge of the square for quite a while. After assuring himself that his identity wouldn¡¯t be discovered, he proceeded to move forward. He didn¡¯t venture deep into the valley to the shops but instead entered the square, examining one stall after another. Having previously read the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± on Dreamland Mount Fangcun, a book annotating various things such as plants, insects, and minerals, he naturally had wide knowledge. Although these stands were small, various items displayed on them were quite extraordinary. Even the lowest-grade materials were rare, with most being middle-grade or even high-grade materials. Possibly because this was the Ghost Market, most of the materials on the stands were of yin attributes, which he had no use for. Apart from the materials, there were also all kinds of talismans on the stands such as ¡°Yin Fire Talisman¡±, ¡°Illusion Talisman¡±, ¡°Forbidden Treasure Talisman¡± and so on. They were quite varied and seemed to have high ranks. Shen Luo was very interested in talismans and wished he could buy the ones he had never seen before to study thoroughly. Unfortunately, each talisman cost two to three pieces of Immortal Jade, with attack ones being even more expensive. He didn¡¯t have much Immortal Jade on him, and he still needed to buy Solidifying Yuan pills, so he could only satisfy himself by looking. In addition to materials and talismans, there were various talismanic instruments, and medicinal items on these stalls. However, these medicines were all used for healing and detoxification and lacked precious elixirs used for advancing cultivation. Although Shen Luo didn¡¯t have an intention to purchase anything, he found his horizons greatly broadened. ¡°Better get on with my business.¡± He strolled through half of the square¡¯s stalls, forcing himself to regain his focus, and headed towards the shops in the center of the valley. From the conversations of some of the ghosts on the square, he learned an important piece of information. The Ghost Market also had a time limit, starting at midnight and ending at dawn. The time was short, so he needed to hurry. There were many shops in the center of the valley, totaling about two or three dozens. All of them were running businesses related to cultivating. After a brief visit, Shen Luo soon found a shop selling elixirs. This elixir shop was quite large, with five long counters displaying a variety of elixirs under a sheet of transparent glaze-like jade, each labeled with its name and effects. On a few glances, Shen Luo found out that the elixirs available here were much superior to those in the small stalls outside, with much more variety. Even elixirs that consolidate one¡¯s foundation and nourish one¡¯s origin, or that advance cultivation, were available. ¡°What kind of elixir do you want, customer?¡± A woman who looked seven or eight points similar to an ordinary person, but with a horn growing on her head and green face and red eyes, walked over. She was apparently the shopkeeper of this shop. ¡°Do you have Solidifying Yuan Pills for sale here?¡± Shen Luo did not beat around the bush and asked directly. ¡°Solidifying Yuan Pill? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± The one-horned ghost woman seemed genuinely surprised. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, but he quickly realized that the Solidifying Yuan Pill was a pill of the human race. This was the Ghost Market, and although it might not necessarily be the same place as the human world, it wasn¡¯t strange not to know about the Solidifying Yuan Pill. ¡°It is an elixir that assists in breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage.¡± He explained. ¡°I see, you want a pill for breaking through. I¡¯m sorry, pills for breaking realms are extremely rare. Although we have two varieties in our shop, they can only assist in breaking through the small realms within the Qi Refining Stage. We don¡¯t have any for the Grain Avoidance Stage.¡± The one-horned ghost woman spoke with clear regrets. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo felt disappointed, nodded to the ghost woman, and left. He continued to search for other elixir shops and visited three or four more in succession, all without success. ¡°It seems that even in the Ghost Market, pills like the Solidifying Yuan Pill aren¡¯t easy to find.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, without halting his steps. He soon found another shop selling elixirs, hesitated for a bit, then walked in. ¡°You want a pill for breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage? I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t have it in our shop.¡± The shopkeeper, an old ghost, shook his head and said almost the same words. Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened, and he couldn¡¯t help but worry. Could it be that he wouldn¡¯t be able to find the pill he wanted even in the Ghost Market? ¡°You must be visiting the Ghost Market for the first time, aren¡¯t you? If you want to buy that pill, there¡¯s no need to look for other elixir shops. Just go straight to the Impermanence Pavilion. It¡¯s the only place in the whole Ghost Market that has the pill you want.¡± The old ghost seemed to see Shen Luo¡¯s mood and spoke with a slight smile. ¡°Impermanence Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s spirits lifted. ¡°It¡¯s that large white shop over there. They sell materials, elixirs, talismans, magical instruments and more. The best items in the entire Ghost Market are all concentrated there. Of course, their prices are also the highest.¡± The old ghost looked towards the direction of the entrance, his expression seemed envious, but also appeared resentful. Following his gaze, a large shop stood tall in the distance. Chapter 269: Nameless Wild Ghost Two human-shaped statues stood atop the shop, one a white-clothed figure, tall and thin with a pale face and a long tongue protruding from its mouth. This figure wore a white-pointed hat on its head, with the words ¡°Wealth at First Sight¡± written on it. The other statue was clad in a black robe, its face fierce and its body wide and fat. It too wore a similar black pointed official hat, with the letters ¡°World Peace¡± inscribed upon it. Beneath the statues was a four-story building, its walls as white as jade tiles. The entrance was exceptionally wide, about three times larger than the neighboring shops. It hung a large silver plaque with red letters reading ¡°Impermanence Pavilion¡±. Many ghosts moved in and out of the main gate of the Impermanence Pavilion. Those that came out mostly wore smiles on their faces, apparently gaining much from their encounter inside. ¡°Impermanence Pavilion, judging by the name, could it be a shop created by the two Impermanence Officials?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking at the two statues on the rooftop. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± the Old Ghost shook his head and replied, ¡°Some say yes, others say no. Who knows? Just be sure not to cause trouble when you¡¯re buying things inside, otherwise nobody can save you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice,¡± Shen Luo replied with gratitude, his mind whirring with thoughts as he left the shop. However, he did not immediately head towards the Impermanence Pavilion;instead, he looked around at his surroundings first. At the pill shops he visited earlier, Breaking-realm Pills for the Qi refining phase were already immensely expensive, costing him about thirty to forty pieces of Immortal Jade each. The pills for the Grain Avoidance Stage would certainly be even more costly ¨C his current amount of Immortal Jade was likely insufficient and he needed to sell some of the things he had to gather the necessary amount. Suddenly, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze landed on a small miscellaneous goods shop in the distance. The sign outside read: ¡°Nameless Wild Shop,¡± with four large, crooked words. ¡°Nameless Wild Shop¡­ Isn¡¯t that the place that child named Yu Guan told me to go? To think it actually exists here in the Ghost Market! Is it possible that the kid and the shopkeeper are in collusion?¡± He recollected the child¡¯s advice, his mind churning with various thoughts. Nevertheless, the impression left by the child was profoundly mysterious;he didn¡¯t seem like a swindler. His face undergoing various changes, Shen Luo weighed his options for quite a while before finally deciding to walk over. The shop was small, and the interior was as chaotic as its name, ¡°Nameless Wild Shop¡±, suggested. Various items were haphazardly arranged, not categorized by type, on two shelves taking up the sides of the shop, which was about three to four feet wide. There was a thick layer of dust on the lower two layers of the shelves, indicating it hadn¡¯t been cleaned in quite a while. There was no one else in the shop at that moment, only a blue-black ghost sitting behind the counter. This ghost was short in stature, wearing a grey overcoat and a high peaked hat. Its head was covered in dust too, looking like it hadn¡¯t been cleaned in a long time. ¡°South of the wood, kudzu vines amassed. The noble gentleman rejoices, good fortune underfoot¡­¡± The blue-black ghost held a book in his hands and was humming irregularly, fully immersed in what seemed to be a poem, completely oblivious to Shen Luo¡¯s arrival. Shen Luo glanced at the book. It surprisingly turned out to be an anthology of poetry from the human world, causing him to chuckle. He coughed, and when the ghost still didn¡¯t break away from his poetry, Shen Luo knocked on the counter, calling out. ¡°Shopkeeper.¡± ¡°Ah, apologize, apologize, I was so engrossed in my reading that I neglected the customer. I am a Nameless Wild Ghost, the proprietor here. Sir, is there something specific you are looking to buy?¡± The blue-black ghost hurriedly put down his book, a smile on his face as he asked. ¡°Nameless Wild Ghost? Nameless Wild Shop, they do match well enough,¡± Shen Luo chuckled without immediately discussing business. Instead, he started strolling around inside the shop. ¡°Excuse my remissness, sir. It¡¯s not that I am unwilling to reveal my name, but rather because I do not remember it. Hence, I call myself the Nameless Wild Ghost,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost didn¡¯t get angry, but instead followed Shen Luo docilely. Shen Luo quickly inspected the entire shop and found nothing unusual. The so-called Nameless Wild Ghost shopkeeper just seemed to be an ordinary ghost, probably at the early stage of Grain Avoidance. Frowning slightly, Shen Luo wondered why the child had directed him here. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo quickly abandoned these pointless thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy anything. Does your shop also purchase magical instruments?¡± He turned around and asked. ¡°Magical instruments! Of course we do, may I ask what the customer is looking to sell?¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost¡¯s face lit up, and he immediately replied. Shen Luo reached into his robes, groped around, rummaging inside the stone box in his pocket. He took out a golden Demon-subduing Pestle, which was the weapon of the Asura Puppet Ghost. This Demon-subduing Pestle was undoubtedly a magical instrument. Regardless of the materials or the quality grade, it far surpassed his Ghost Wailing Ring. He originally planned to keep it for his own use in the future, but now, he had no choice but to sell it. ¡°Your Excellency, how about this magical instrument¡­¡± Shen Luo started talking. Before he could finish, a ¡°clattering¡± sound interrupted his words. A green bamboo tube rolled out from his robes and fell to the ground. After a few rolls, it laid still¡ª it was the bamboo tube that he had been keeping in his stone box along with the heavenly book. Shen Luo frowned lightly, guessing that while he had blindly reached into the stone box and taken out the Demon-subduing Pestle, the bamboo tube must have gotten scraped out too. He bent down to pick it up and casually stuffed it back into his pocket, placing the Demon-subduing Pestle on the shop counter as he did so. However, the Nameless Wild Ghost was not reaching out to examine the Demon-subduing Pestle. Instead, his eyes were glued to the green bamboo tube half-protruding from Shen Luo¡¯s robes. ¡°Shopkeeper?¡± On seeing this, Shen Luo said, his eyes flickering. The Nameless Wild Ghost¡¯s body gave a sudden jolt and he seemed to come to his senses. ¡°Apologies, I lost myself for a moment there. But could you let me take a look at this bamboo tube?¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost pointed at the bamboo tube in Shen Luo¡¯s robes, his face filled with anticipation. After a moment¡¯s thought, Shen Luo took out the bamboo tube and handed it over. Since Gouhun Ma Mian had said that fighting was prohibited in the Ghost Market, the shopkeeper would not dare to steal his item. Moreover, it would also be helpful if he could ascertain the bamboo tube¡¯s origins. ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost took the bamboo tube with glee and examined it carefully. His thin fingers lightly brushed over the bamboo tube, tapping it ever so gently ¨C he handled it with the utmost care. However, as time passed, his brow furrowed. It seemed as though he was having trouble understanding something. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How could this be? Have I gotten it wrong?¡± he mumbled to himself. After a moment¡¯s pondering, he beckoned towards the bamboo tube with one hand. A black light shot out and struck the bamboo tube, immediately disappearing into it. A trace of delight appeared on the face of the Nameless Wild Ghost. He pointed his hand at the tube once again, from which a thick black light surged continuously, flowing into the bamboo tube. The originally green bamboo tube slowly started to turn black before quickly spreading out. In a few breaths, the green bamboo tube had turned into a piece of pitch-black bamboo with red dots appearing on its surface. ¡°Indeed, it is Netherworld Bamboo!¡± No longer pouring black light into it, the Nameless Wild Ghost looked at the bamboo tube in his hands and announced excitedly. Just at that moment, the red dots on the surface of the bamboo tube suddenly lit up. The black qi in the hands of the Nameless Wild Ghost surged out like a dam breaking, pouring into the bamboo tube. ¡°Ah!¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost¡¯s face changed and he cried out in alarm, tossing the bamboo tube away as if it were a venomous snake. The flood of black qi emitting from his hands finally ceased. The bamboo tube fell to the ground. After a couple of rolls, it stopped moving. The red dots on it flickered a few times before slowly dimming. The black hue of the bamboo tube then rapidly faded. In a few breaths, it had turned back to its original color of lush green. Chapter 270: Netherworld Bamboo Shen Luo was astounded by this rapid succession of changes he was witnessing at the side. Uncertain, he walked over and lightly tapped the bamboo tube with his foot. When it showed no reaction, he carefully picked it up. The bamboo tube silently lay there, still calm as before, and the anxiousness in his heart slowly subsided. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Who would have thought that this Netherworld Bamboo has such a voracious appetite for Yin Qi. I should be thankful that I threw it in time, or else I would have ended up a desiccated corpse,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost said, still startled as he stared at the green bamboo tube in Shen Luo¡¯s hand. ¡°Manager, what exactly is this Netherwood Bamboo?¡± Shen Luo, who seemed to have an inkling, asked tentatively. ¡°Netherworld Bamboo is a precious Yin Bamboo in our Ghost World. It¡¯s rumored to grow near the Nether River and has the divine power to absorb Yin Qi and devour souls. This bamboo tube you have is made from a relatively young Netherworld Bamboo. It needs to be injected with a large amount of Yin Qi to activate its effects. But precisely because of this, you narrowly escaped death. If the bamboo was a bit older, the instant you touched it, all your Yin Qi would have been absorbed,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost explained. Upon hearing this, a hint of hope and excitement flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. This emerald-green bamboo tube has such an illustrious background. Even though the Nameless Wild Ghost said something about it being too young, it should still be rather valuable. ¡°I see, thank you for the information.¡± He slipped the bamboo into his robe and fumbled to put it back in the stone box. ¡°Do you have plans to sell this Netherworld Bamboo, Daoist friend? I am willing to offer three hundred¡­ no, three hundred and fifty Immortal Jade for it,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost hurriedly proposed upon seeing Shen Luo¡¯s actions. ¡°Three hundred and fifty Immortal Jade!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. Even though he had guessed that the bamboo tube was valuable, he hadn¡¯t expected it to be worth so much. He was tempted for a moment but then quickly dismissed the thought. Given the preciousness of it, he couldn¡¯t simply part with it. Moreover, this item seems to have a restraining effect on ghosts ¡ª it might become quite useful someday. He was somewhat unwilling to sell it off. ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this anymore, Manager. I have other uses for this bamboo tube. I have no intention of selling it,¡± Shen Luo replied, shaking his head. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s determination, the Nameless Wild Ghost realized he was adamant about not selling and sighed dejectedly. ¡°Manager, let¡¯s continue checking this magical instrument, will you buy it?¡± Shen Luo pointed to the Demon Subduing Pestle on the counter. ¡°Yes, yes, of course, I¡¯ll buy it.¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost exhaled to compose himself, picked up the Golden Demon Subduing Pestle, took a few looks at it, and softly exclaimed. He poured his Yin Qi into it, and the Demon Subduing Pestle immediately emanated golden lights. Seven runes formed a halo that released a strong wave of mana, causing the surrounding air to tremble intensely. ¡°A top-grade magical instrument with seven prohibitions! And the material is not bad either! The quality of the things you bring is indeed very good, good sir. I¡¯ll take this. How about I offer you one hundred and thirty Immortal Jade?¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost said, his face showing a hint of joy as he named his price. Upon hearing this, a look of surprise flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. He had been in frequent contact with Manager Ma and other merchants these past days and had gained a rather comprehensive understanding of some items in the Cultivation World, including a fair idea of the price of magical instruments. According to his plan, he had initially thought that if he could sell it for one hundred and twenty Immortal Jade, it would be pretty good. He could even accept a lower price around one hundred Immortal Jade. But the price the Nameless Wild Ghost quoted was higher than what he had expected ¡ª a pleasant surprise indeed. Shen Luo had originally planned to visit several other grocery stores, compare prices, then make a sale. But given the excellent offer from the Nameless Wild Ghost, he decided to forego the other visits. ¡°Sold!¡± he replied, nodding. A look of joy spread across the face of the Nameless Ghost. He took the Demon Subduing Pestle and counted out thirty Immortal Jade and one noticeably larger piece of Immortal Jade from under the counter and pushed it toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows twitched;not only was the larger Immortal Jade bigger, the spiritual power it contained was also far stronger than ordinary Immortal Jades. He could clearly sense it even from a long distance. ¡°Could this be a medium-grade Immortal Jade?¡± He wondered silently, pondering at the larger Immortal Jade. Like magical instruments, Immortal Jade, the universal currency in the cultivation world, is also categorized by grades based on the amount of spiritual power it contains. It¡¯s divided into four grades: lower-grade Immortal Jade, medium-grade Immortal Jade, high-grade Immortal Jade, and top-grade Immortal Jade. Usually, the ones he comes across are all lower-grade Immortal Jades. Each upgrade of an Immortal Jade¡¯s grade results in a tenfold or more increase in the spiritual power it contains, which is also purer and of greater value. The difference in exchange value between different grades of Immortal Jade is enormous. According to market prices, one medium-grade Immortal Jade can be exchanged for a hundred lower-grade Immortal Jades. As for the exchange rate between high-grade Immortal Jade and medium-grade Immortal Jade, he had no clue. Medium-grade Immortal Jades had already become rare in circulation, so this was his first encounter with one, let alone high-grade Immortal Jades. While Shen Luo was pondering this, he didn¡¯t halt his actions and took all these Immortal Jades into his possession before bidding farewell and leaving. The Nameless Wild Ghost eagerly sent Shen Luo off until the doorway, still holding out hope for the Netherworld Bamboo Tube. He repeatedly reminded Shen Luo that if he ever decided to sell it, he should come to him, ensuring that the price would definitely not disappoint Shen Luo. Shen Luo merely smiled without comment and left the shop promptly. The Nameless Wild Ghost let out a sigh as he watched Shen Luo disappear into the distance, and then walked back into his shop. With an additional one hundred and thirty pieces of Immortal Jade on him, Shen Luo strode along with a straighter back. After he left the general merchandise shop, he appeared deep in thought. Instead of heading to the Impermanence Pavilion, he continued to search in these other shops, and soon halted in front of a shop close to the square. The shop was brimming with various books, jade slips, and other items;it was a shop that specialized in selling classics on skills and secret techniques. Shen Luo stepped in, ignored the precious skills and secret technique books, and went straight to the section that documented various spiritual materials. He spent three pieces of Immortal Jade and purchased a book that claimed to record all plant-type spiritual materials in the Ghost World. However, the book was not boasting in its coverage. The contents were extensive, detailing the plant-type spiritual materials far more meticulously from the perspective of the Ghost World than the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡±. It further categorized plant species into dozens of categories like trees, shrubs, vines, grass, fern, etc., making it clear and obvious to readers. Furthermore, the characteristics and functions of each spiritual material were recorded very clearly. He flipped to the section on bamboo-type spiritual materials and quickly found the entry about Netherworld Bamboo. ¡°So, it turns out that the Netherworld Bamboo differs from ordinary spiritual bamboo. Typically, the older the spiritual bamboo, the thicker it grows. However, it¡¯s the opposite for Netherworld Bamboo. Newly sprouted bamboo is thick, and then the longer it grows, the thinner it becomes. No wonder the Nameless Wild Ghost said the bamboo tube was young,¡± pondered Shen Luo. He continued reading and his eyes quickly narrowed, glowed with excitement, and he appeared thoughtful. He promptly left the bookshop for a nearby deserted alley. A moment later, Shen Luo emerged from the alley with a faint smile on his face. Without further idling, he headed towards the Impermanence Pavilion. He had only taken a few steps when a loud commotion echoed from up ahead. It sounded like some disagreement had occurred, and many ghosts gathered around out of curiosity, blocking the way forward. Shen Luo frowned slightly, intending to avoid the crowd by taking a detour. ¡°We¡¯ve already agreed on a price for this item, stall owner! How can you renege on your word and sell it to someone else!¡± came a hoarse voice. ¡°Heh, this has nothing to do with the stall owner! You two agreed on a price, but you didn¡¯t pay yet, did you? Without payment, it¡¯s not considered a transaction, so why can¡¯t it be sold to someone else? If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for being too slow,¡± sneered another rough voice in response. Shen Luo came to an abrupt halt. The hoarse voice sounded familiar. He turned to look at the crowd and indeed, it was the man in the gray robe who was currently at a stall beside the road. Chapter 271: Meeting Again (Fifth Update) Across from the man in a gray robe stood a bull-headed ghost, the two of them glaring at each other fiercely. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Behind the small stall stood an old ghost in a black robe, looking somewhat awkward, but with a hint of greed radiating from the depths of his eyes. ¡°Stall owner, I bid eight pieces of spirit jade for this item,¡± the bull-headed ghost turned and addressed the stall owner. ¡°You¡­ Alright! I bid nine!¡± There was a brief flash of anger in the eyes of the man in the gray robe, but he quickly suppressed it and retorted in a cold voice. ¡°Ten!¡± The bull-headed ghost stood his ground without yielding. ¡°Twelve Immortal Jade!¡± The gray-robed figure immediately countered, seeming intent on obtaining the item. The price escalated rapidly as the two competed, soon reaching over twenty Immortal Jade in an instant. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but grow curious about the item they were so fiercely vying for. What could possibly be worth twenty pieces of Immortal Jade? He directed his gaze towards the stall and was taken aback by what he saw. Placed at the hands of the two was a small grey stone, fist-sized and nondescript, that looked no different from any ordinary rock. However, given his previous experience with the bamboo tube, he didn¡¯t dare underestimate this stone and began to scrutinize it closely. Meanwhile, the man in the gray robe and the bull-headed ghost continued their bidding war. ¡°Twenty-five Immortal Jade!¡± The man in the gray robe said slowly. ¡°I bid twenty-six!¡± The bull-headed ghost lost his previous nonchalance, seeming to have reached his financial limit. After a moment of hesitation, he countered the bid. ¡°Thirty!¡± Seeing the bull-headed ghost¡¯s hesitation, the man in the gray robe upped his bid by four jade pieces in an attempt to subjugate his opponent. ¡°Humph! You dare to cross me? Fine, I bid forty Immortal Jade. If you can surpass that, I¡¯ll leave.¡± The bull-headed ghost¡¯s eyes bulged, and, seemingly triggered by his bull-headed temper, he retorted. This time, the man in the gray robe didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, he seemed indecisive. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t come up with the jade? Then this item belongs to me.¡± The bull-headed ghost jeered at his opponent. Laughing, he took out a small bag and threw it onto the stall before reaching out to take the stone. ¡°Hold on, who said I don¡¯t have it!¡± The man in the gray robe exclaimed, raising his hand to stop the bull-headed ghost. He took out a small cloth bag, which also contained Immortal Jade pieces. ¡°You only have thirty-two pieces of Immortal Jade,¡± the bull-headed ghost said disdainfully after giving the cloth bag a once-over. ¡°I may not have enough Immortal Jade, but I have this Shadow Soldier Talisman that I just bought. It hasn¡¯t been used and should more than make up for the deficit of Immortal Jade.¡± The man in the gray robe said with a huff, producing a gray-black talisman with a soldier¡¯s figure etched on it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I am not well-versed in identifying artifacts and do not accept bartering.¡± The old ghost stall owner in black quickly gestured to refuse the offer. Meanwhile, he pointed his shriveled finger at a wooden board beside him. The board had ¡°Only Accept Immortal Jade¡± written on it. At this, the man in the gray robe fell silent, anxiously rubbing his hands together. ¡°Fellow Daoists, I just bought this Shadow Soldier Talisman for twelve pieces of Immortal Jade. Now I¡¯m only asking for nine. Is anyone willing to buy it?¡± The man in gray promptly turned around, raised his voice, and called out to the bystanders who were enjoying the spectacle. Unfortunately, the area remained eerily silent with no takers. ¡°This Blaze Talisman is likewise available for only nine pieces of Immortal Jade,¡± the gray-robed man tried again, and brought out another talisman. The surrounding ghosts looked at each other, but no one ventured a response. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t stall for time here. If you don¡¯t have enough Immortal Jade, you just don¡¯t have it. Are you thinking of spending an hour collecting the money while we all wait for that hour? We¡¯re all quite busy you know,¡± the bull-headed ghost snorted. The expression on the gray-robed man¡¯s face darkened, starting to respond, when he suddenly caught sight of Shen Luo standing outside. His eyes instantly lit up. ¡°Friend Tian, would you be able to assist me with this? I will surely repay you later,¡± the man finally decided to approach Shen Luo, bowing courteously as he spoke. ¡°No need for any rewards. We hail from the same place and should naturally help each other,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand as he spoke. He then took out nine pieces of Immortal Jade and handed them over. Gratitude flashed in the gray-robed man¡¯s eyes at this gesture. He thanked Shen Luo then placed the Immortal Jades on the stall. The old ghost in the black robe had to suppress the joy that was rising in his wrinkled face when he saw the jade pieces. ¡°As you said, if I can produce more than forty Immortal Jade, the item belongs to me,¡± the gray-robed man shot a glance at the bull-headed ghost as he reached out to take the stone. The bull-headed ghost glared at the man in the gray robe but refrained from stopping him. He snorted, took back his own Immortal Jade, turned on his heel, and strode off. Seeing the spectacle end, the nearby ghosts gradually dispersed. The old ghost in the black robe, either fearing the man in the gray robe would back out or something else, quickly packed up his stall and disappeared into the crowd. However, as many ghosts were leaving, they deliberately or casually glanced at the man in the gray robe and the gray stone in his hand. Their expressions were of complexity. Forty-one pieces of Immortal Jade could already buy a mid-grade magical tool, yet he chose to buy a gray stone. They wondered what its use was. The man in the gray robe carefully stowed the stone away, gesturing slightly to Shen Luo before he hastily made his way towards the shops. Shen Luo understood his intentions and hurriedly followed. Upon blending into the crowd around the shops and ensuring they had lost the attention of anyone who might be watching, they finally stopped in a deserted small alley. ¡°I am grateful for your assistance just now, Daoist friend. Do you wish to be compensated with talismans, or would you prefer I sell the talismans and repay you with Immortal Jade?¡± He turned to thank Shen Luo again, while also holding out the two talismans. ¡°These two talismans are indeed good, but I have no use for them. Sell them first and give me the jade later,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright.¡± The man in the gray robe nodded. Through this exchange, their relationship had brought them much closer. ¡°As for that stone, I wonder what treasure it might be? It¡¯s interesting that you were willing to pay a hefty amount to acquire it,¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity and asked after some hesitation. The man in gray looked at Shen Luo, his eyes filled with hesitation. ¡°I was only asking casually. If it makes you uncomfortable, just treat it as if I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Shen Luo chuckled and added upon seeing his reaction. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not something that can¡¯t be shared. Besides, if not for your help, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to secure this item. It is only natural for me to alleviate your doubts,¡± the man in gray took a light breath, his gaze relaxed, and he spoke with ease. ¡°This object is known as Shadowless Jade, a rare and priceless gem produced in the Ghost World. I happen to need it urgently,¡± he paused briefly before continuing. As he did so, he took out the gray stone, holding it close to the ground. Shen Luo wore a look of surprise on his face and uttered in astonishment. Despite the small alley being well lit, the area beneath the stone was devoid of any shadow. ¡°Indeed, it casts no shadow, but it doesn¡¯t seem to qualify as a rare treasure merely because it¡¯s untouched by the light. This stone must have other extraordinary powers, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He quickly gathered his surprised expression and asked. (Dear Daoist friends, I have updated five chapters today. Don¡¯t forget to cast your monthly votes ^^) Chapter 272: So Its You (1st Update) (Continuing with five more updates today) ¡°Daoist friend, your eye for detail is keen. Illuminating the shadowless is just one characteristic of the Shadowless Jade. Its true function possesses a strong capacity to break prohibitions. As legend has it, every soul-hooking envoy carries a piece with them, allowing them to freely enter and exit places enveloped by arrays, luring souls.¡± The Gray-robed man said animatedly. ¡°These miraculous treasures actually exist in the world.¡± Shen Luo said in astonishment. ¡°However, this shadowless jade seems to be contaminated by Yin Qi, it requires some method to expel it.¡± The Gray-robed man held the gray stone in front of him, stared within the stone, and said with a slight frown. ¡°Is it very difficult?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This jade has a peculiar structure, it¡¯s hard to infuse mana directly into it, let alone expel the Yin Qi inside. Even so, I seized quite a large bargain. I¡¯ll have to slowly find a way in the future.¡± The Gray-robed man sighed. ¡°I happen to have something that has this effect. Would you allow me to give it a try?¡± Shen Luo said after contemplating. ¡°Really? Many thanks for that!¡± Hearing this, the Gray-robed man was overjoyed and handed him the Shadowless Jade. Shen Luo took the jade, reached into his coat, and quickly pulled it out. A piece of green bamboo appeared in his hand, which was the Yellow Springs Bamboo Tube, nearly half shorter than before. He had just come across an introduction for the Yellow Springs bamboo in the Ghost World Spirit Grass Compendium. This bamboo conceals its power internally and doesn¡¯t lose power even when cut into pieces. Thus, he had previously sliced the bamboo tube in half as a precaution in the small alley. Under the watchful gaze of the Gray-robed man, Shen Luo placed the Yellow Springs bamboo on top of the Shadowless Jade, but there was no reaction between the two. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I remember the owner of the Nameless Wild Shop saying that the power of this bamboo can only be activated by infusing a certain amount of Yin Qi into it. But I am not a ghost, where can I get Yin Qi to infuse into this bamboo?¡± He recalled the words of the Nameless Wild Ghost and was a bit nervous at heart. ¡°Is it of no use?¡± The Gray-robed man was somewhat disappointed and asked. He had high hopes for Shen Luo¡¯s bold claim. ¡°Not necessarily, does the Daoist friend carry any item that contains Yin Qi? This bamboo has the ability to absorb Yin Qi, but it needs to be first infused with a certain amount of Yin Qi to activate it.¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yin Qi? I happen to have a Yin-attributed magical instrument. Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± The Gray-robed man heard the words and took out a half-foot-long black bone sword. He touched it to the Yellow Springs bamboo and drove it with his mana. The dark bone sword immediately lit up, and a black light soared up. It hit the Yellow Springs bamboo and disappeared inside like mud thrown into the sea. ¡°Huh!¡± The Gray-robed man¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. ¡°Continue to drive the sword, my friend,¡± Shen Luo said with a joyful face. The Gray-robed man looked at Shen Luo then continued to drive the bone sword. A steady stream of black light shot out from the bone sword, merging into the Yellow Springs bamboo. After a few breaths, a spot of black color appeared on the Yellow Springs bamboo and quickly spread out. ¡°That¡¯s enough, quickly take back your sword!¡± Shen Luo urgently said, letting go of the Yellow Springs bamboo and the Shadowless Jade, and took a step back. Although he was not a ghost and didn¡¯t possess Yin Qi, the Yellow Springs bamboo, which had been initiated into the ability to absorb Yin Qi, was really strange. He didn¡¯t want to see if this thing would have any harm on him. The Gray-robed man saw this, immediately took back the bone sword, and likewise, took a step back. The Yellow Springs bamboo rapidly darkened and emitted little red lights, projecting onto the Shadowless Jade. The Shadowless Jade trembled slightly, and then strands of black Qi began to seep out from inside, all of which were swallowed by the Yellow Springs bamboo. Observing this, Shen Luo and the Gray-robed man both showed expressions of elation in their eyes. The red light on the Yellow Springs bamboo flickered incessantly, siphoning off a threadlike black Qi from the Shadowless Jade. The grayness within the Shadowless Jade quickly receded, gradually turning into a creamy white color. It took a full quarter of an hour before the last strand of black Qi was drawn out from the Shadowless Jade by the Netherworld Bamboo, fully restoring it to its original appearance. It turned into a creamy, lustrous stone. A layer of radiant white light projected out, making it extraordinarily beautiful. ¡°Daoist friend, your bamboo is indeed miraculous. It has truly absorbed all the yin Qi inside the Shadowless Jade. Thank you.¡± The man in the gray robe joyously bowed to Shen Luo, then eagerly bent down to pick up the Shadowless Jade. The color drained slightly from Shen Luo¡¯s face, he was about to warn the other party to be careful of the Netherworld Bamboo, but the man in the gray robe had already picked up the Shadowless Jade. The Netherworld Bamboo beside it didn¡¯t cause any harm. ¡°Could it be that this bamboo only works on ghosts? This is good.¡± He thought to himself. Just at this moment, the Shadowless Jade in the hand of the man in the gray robe suddenly burst into a bright white light, instantly forming a white light group about a zhang in size, enveloping their bodies. The disguised ghosts on Shen Luo¡¯s body quickly disappeared within the white light group, revealing his true body. Moreover, the mask from the Ghost Market on his face quickly became transparent, revealing his features. He was suddenly taken aback. The situation was the same for the man in the gray robe. The Ghost Market mask on his face became transparent, revealing a stunned and pretty face. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, and it was Xie Yuxin¡¯s face. Xie Yuxin also saw Shen Luo¡¯s face, her eyes were slightly wide. ¡°Elder Brother Xie!¡± ¡°Daoist friend Shen!¡± Both of them looked at each other in astonishment and exclaimed in surprise. The white light group emitted from the Shadowless Jade gently fluctuated. Shen Luo¡¯s body didn¡¯t change further, but on Xie Yuxin the gray robe and the Ghost Market Mask suddenly became transparent again, revealing a wonderful body wearing only close-fitting clothes. Her perky buttocks and slim waist, along with the huge round rise of her breasts, almost ripped the close-fitting clothes. Xie Yuxin exclaimed, her hand immediately flipped, and the Shadowless Jade in her hands disappeared. The white light group also disappeared immediately. The disguises of the ghosts on their bodies appeared again, and the masks on their faces were as before. Xie Yuxin stood there, her hands crossed on her chest, anger apparent in her eyes. Shen Luo also felt very awkward, but he knew that whatever he said at this moment would be wrong, so he had to close his mouth and take a step back. ¡°I see, the Shadowless Jade has the power to dissolve restrictions. The disguise of these Ghost Market masks forms a prohibition-like secret technique around our bodies. When they encounter the Shadowless Jade, they naturally disappear.¡± After a good while, Xie Yuxin took a deep breath, calmed down the shame and anger in her heart, and slowly spoke. ¡°Makes sense, it must be so.¡± Shen Luo immediately nodded in agreement. Hearing him, Xie Yuxin glared over but didn¡¯t say anything. It was her mistake to grab the Shadowless Jade, consciously infusing a surge of mana into it, leading to what had occurred. She could only swallow her loss. ¡°After all that, it turns out to be Elder Brother Xie. Your ability to change appearance is indeed clever. I didn¡¯t notice that your disguised gray-robed man was actually a female cultivator,¡± Shen Luo said, changing the subject to break the awkward atmosphere. The blackness on the Netherworld Bamboo had faded, turning again into a green bamboo. As he spoke, he bent down and picked it up. ¡°Small tricks, not worth mentioning. But what about you Brother Shen, what kind of treasure is this green bamboo? It has such a powerful ability to absorb yin.¡± Xie Yuxin seemed to have calmed down, she glanced at the Netherworld Bamboo. Chapter 273: Qualifications ¡°This is known as Netherworld Bamboo, a special spiritual bamboo from the Ghost World. I, Shen Luo, happened to come across it unintentionally.¡± Shen Luo flipped the Netherworld Bamboo in his hand and then tucked it into his bosom, not concealing any information. ¡°I was able to acquire the complete Shadowless Jade this time, all thanks to Friend Shen. I¡¯m indebted and have no words to express my gratitude. If ever you need this item in the future, feel free to mention it.¡± Xie Yuxin paused for a moment, then spoke out. ¡°I appreciate your offer, Elder Brother Xie.¡± Shen Luo rejoiced inwardly. The power of the Shadowless Jade was indeed amazing, and he was sure it would come in handy in the future. ¡°By the way, may I know what Friend Shen wishes to purchase from the Ghost Market? Maybe I can be of some help.¡± Xie Yuxin asked immediately. ¡°The opportunity to visit the Ghost Market is hard to come by. I have come to purchase Elixirs that could aid in my advancement to the Grain Avoidance Stage.¡± Shen Luo did not hide his intent either. ¡°Although the Ghost Market is rich in resources, Breaking-realm Pills for the Grain Avoidance Stage Cultivators are truly an exception. Probably only the Impermanence Pavilion here has them.¡± Xie Yuxin contemplated before speaking. ¡°Do you also know about the Impermanence Pavilion?¡± Upon hearing her words, Shen Luo raised his brow in surprise. ¡°Impermanence Pavilion is quite famous. Anyone with even a slight understanding of the Ghost Market would know it.¡± Xie Yuxin said with a light smile. Shen Luo uttered an acknowledgment. ¡°If Friend Shen has not made the purchase yet, I am aware of some details about Impermanence Pavilion and would be willing to accompany you there. It can be my small way of repaying your assistance earlier.¡± Xie Yuxin added. ¡°If Elder Brother Xie is willing to accompany me, I would be extremely grateful. Won¡¯t it cause a delay to your business, though? From what I know, the Ghost Market won¡¯t be operational for much longer.¡± Shen Luo was delighted at first but then expressed hesitantly. ¡°No issues, I¡¯ve already finished my tasks, and moreover, I was also keen on visiting the Impermanence Pavilion.¡± Xie Yuxin glanced towards the distant Impermanence Pavilion and spoke. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s head there together.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo no longer refused. The two of them first visited a general store where Xie Yuxin sold the two talismans at a low price and exchanged them for fifteen pieces of Immortal Jade, which she handed over to Shen Luo. Shen Luo originally wanted to reclaim the nine Immortal Jades that he had lent to Xie Yuxin, but with her persistent insistence on him accepting the fifteen Immortal Jades, he had no choice but to accept them after failing to decline her offer. Soon after, they arrived at the entrance of the Impermanence Pavilion, and with the crowd, they entered it. As they stepped into the Big Gate, a vast circular hall that was several dozen meters across, the floor covered in white square jade slabs, appeared before them. It looked extremely exquisite and luxurious. Large ring-shaped shops were set up around the Giant Hall, forming a complete circle. The shops were filled with shelves, displaying all kinds of Spiritual Materials, including Spirit Grass, various minerals, and even Demon Pellets of Monsters. Whether it was the quantity or the quality, they were noticeably superior to those of the shops outside. The shops were bustling with customers, and from time to time, sounds of joy could be heard, probably from someone who had come across a treasure they had been longing for. ¡°Impermanence Pavilion consists of four layers with each layer selling different items. The first layer sells Spiritual Materials, the second layer sells Talismans, Talismanic Instruments, and magical instruments. It is the third layer where you¡¯ll find the Elixirs. We can go directly to the third layer.¡± As Xie Yuxin was explaining, she proceeded to the staircase on one side of the Giant Hall, leading to the upper layers. ¡°What does the fourth layer sell then?¡± Shen Luo inquired out of curiosity. ¡°The fourth layer is not a place for selling items but a venue for Impermanence Pavilion to host some auctions and exchange meetings. I am not sure if there will be any events today. True treasures can¡¯t be found in these shops here. Instead, they appear in these meetings.¡± Xie Yuxin¡¯s tone filled with waves of excitement, seemingly looking forward to these events. In his recent dialogues with Manager Ma, Shen Luo had also heard about these auctions and exchange meetings between cultivators, and was quite interested in them. ¡°Really? Just now, someone at a roadside stall had quite a big slip-up. I wonder who that could have been.¡± Shen Luo joked with Xie Yuxin. ¡°That¡¯s a one in a million chance, nowhere near a sure thing.¡± Xie Yuxin sneered at Shen Luo, her steps light as she climbed the staircase, a stark contrast to her cold demeanor at the Bai Mansion. Shen Luo naturally sensed Xie Yuxin¡¯s subtle changes, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he did not comment. While the two were conversing, they quickly reached the third layer. It was much smaller than the first layer, but the shop¡¯s layout remained the same, still a circular pattern. Inside, various Elixirs were displayed on numerous counters, an enticing array of products, much superior to the few Elixir Shops he had seen before. Upon seeing this sight, Shen Luo felt a surge of confidence about Impermanence Pavilion and was about to walk inside;however, he was held back by a tug on his sleeve by Xie Yuxin. ¡°Look over there, there indeed seems to be an event scheduled at the fourth layer today!¡± Xie Yuxin gestured towards the staircase leading to the fourth layer. Shen Luo turned to look, at the entrance of the fourth layer, there was a pitch-black wooden door, which was wide open at the moment. Two black-armored ghost creatures stood on each side, their voices faintly audible. Black aura wreathed these two black-armored ghost creatures, emanating two heavy streams of pressure. By their looks, they seemed to possess cultivation levels at least on par with the Grain Avoidance Stage. Shen Luo sighed inwardly. In the sprawling Jianye City, cultivators of the Grain Avoidance Stage were rare and revered figures. However, here in the Ghost Market, they were a common sight. With his sigh, Shen Luo¡¯s determination to reach this realm solidified even more. ¡°Does Elder Brother Xie wish to go up and have a look?¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath inwardly;his gaze had already regained its calmness when he turned to look at the eagerly enthusiastic Xie Yuxin and asked. ¡°Naturally, I would like to. It¡¯s just that not anyone can access the fourth layer. You need specific qualifications, and we outsiders certainly don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Xie Yuxin sighed softly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just at that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed from below, and a figure appeared. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin both tensed as a man appeared ¨C a dark-skinned youth who had very similar facial features to ordinary people. However, the aura emitting from his body was undoubtedly that of a ghost creature. The dark-skinned youth was extremely tall, about one and a half times the height of Shen Luo, standing there like a small giant. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin, who were standing several meters away, felt as though they were looking up at him. The dark-skinned youth also noticed the gazes of Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin and glanced towards them. Suddenly, everything in front of Shen Luo turned dark, his mind was thrown into chaos, and his breathing became labored. Xie Yuxin on the side also seemed a bit unnatural. Fortunately, the dark-skinned youth just glanced at them and quickly looked away, immediately relieving the pressure on their souls. ¡°A cultivator at the Soul Condensation Stage!¡± Shen Luo was shocked internally. Based on his understanding of the Soul Condensation Stage from his time in Dreamland, only a cultivator who had advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, had undergone a transformation of the soul, and had enhanced their spiritual power to a certain level could create that pressure he had experienced earlier. The dark-skinned youth didn¡¯t enter the third layer¡¯s shop and instead walked straight towards the staircase leading to the fourth layer. He pulled out a small white token from his pocket and waved it in front of the two black-armored ghost creatures. ¡°That¡­ that is¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart pounded, and a look of astonishment appeared on his face. Chapter 274: The Shop Bullies the Customer The two black-armored ghost creatures glanced at the token shown by the dark-skinned youth, gave him a bow, and let him pass. The dark-skinned youth climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, his figure quickly disappearing. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes were fixed on the back of the dark-skinned youth, his expression full of unease. ¡°It seems that the white token is the qualification to enter there, hm, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Xie Yuxin said, then noticed Shen Luo¡¯s expression and asked. Shen Luo was silent for a moment, reached into his pocket, and when he pulled his hand out, a white token was in his palm, the same that the child had given him earlier. One side of the token was marked with a black and white cross pattern, and the other side had a skull pattern. Although the dark-skinned youth had only flashed his token for a moment, both Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin had clearly seen its appearance. The token in Shen Luo¡¯s hand was identical to that of the youth. ¡°Where did you get this from!¡± Xie Yuxin asked excitedly. Shen Luo had no intention to hide it and explained the origin of the token. ¡°That means, that child is not an ordinary person! Anyway, let¡¯s not worry about that, let¡¯s go up too!¡± Xie Yuxin was pensive for a moment, then shook his head and stopped thinking about it. He seemed eager to proceed. ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll buy the elixir first, then we can go.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Ah, right! I¡¯m sorry, I was too excited to proceed to the upper floor. I almost forgot about your important matter.¡± Xie Yuxin spoke apologetically. Shen Luo chuckled, not bothered, and so they entered the shops on the third floor. There were fewer ghost creatures purchasing elixirs here than below, so the third floor was much quieter. ¡°What kind of elixir would you like?¡± a white-robed attendant quickly greeted them as they walked in. ¡°Do you have any elixir that can assist in breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage?¡± Without wasting time, Shen Luo got straight to the point. ¡°Are you looking for Breaking-realm Pills for the Grain Avoidance Stage? Then you¡¯ve come to the right place. Only our Impermanence Pavilion has it in the whole Ghost Market.¡± A red-haired ghost woman with canine teeth protruding from her botched a short distance walked over. Apart from her two pointed teeth, she looked no different from ordinary people. She greeted them with a smile. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This woman appeared to be the shopkeeper. The white-robed attendant bowed and then retreated after seeing her. ¡°Where are the pills? Take us to see them.¡± Shen Luo, trying to keep his excitement in check, spoke casually. ¡°These kinds of pills are not displayed outside. They are kept in the inner chamber. Please follow me.¡± The red-haired ghost woman gladly invited them in. Shen Luo nodded, and together with Xie Yuxin, followed the red-haired woman into an interior room. The room was much smaller than the outside, only about forty to fifty feet in size. It was elaborately decorated, and prohibitions seemed to be set up around it. No sound from the outside could be heard. In the center of the room was a small counter, surrounded by a prohibition of white light. Inside it were eight medicine vials of different colors, each more exquisite than the ones outside. The eight vials were divided into two rows;the top row had six and the bottom row had two. ¡°The six kinds of elixirs above are for the Qi Refining Stage, and the two below are for the Grain Avoidance Stage. All of them were made by our alchemy master of the Impermanence Pavilion and are very effective.¡± The red-haired ghost woman stated somewhat conceitedly. Shen Luo glanced at the eight vials, each of which had a name attached. He paid no attention to the six vials above and looked at the two kinds of Grain Avoidance Stage pills below, which were named Five Dragon Pill and Liquid Condensation Pill respectively. ¡°These two pills both aid in breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage but have different effects. As the name suggests, the Liquid Condensation Pill mainly helps in condensing Mana into a liquid state, while the Five Dragon Pill mainly helps in opening up Meridians.¡± The red-haired ghost woman explained. Shen Luo inwardly nodded, the elixirs in the Ghost Market were indeed superior to the ones in Jianye City. The effect was described much more thoroughly. The effect of the Solidifying Yuan Pill had not been as clear. Of course, it could also be that he didn¡¯t have enough understanding of the Solidifying Yuan Pill. ¡°How much can these two pills increase the chances of breakthrough into the Grain Avoidance Stage?¡± He then asked the question he cared about the most. ¡°The Five Dragon Pill and the Liquid Condensation Pill have similar effects, both can increase the chances by twenty to thirty percent.¡± The red-haired woman said. Hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lighted up with joy. As expected, the effects of these two pills were superior to the Solidifying Yuan Pill. ¡°Listening to you just now, one of these pills helps condense Mana into a liquid, and the other helps open up Meridians. Can these two pills be taken at the same time?¡± He asked, remembering something. ¡°No, many of the ingredients in the Five Dragon Pill and the Liquid Condensation Pill have conflicting properties. They absolutely cannot be taken at the same time.¡± The red-haired ghost woman hurriedly responded. Shen Luo, who had a profound understanding of medicinal principles, surely knew that one should not take pills indiscriminately. He was merely asking in case he was in luck. ¡°How much Xianyu for these two pills?¡± After being silent for a while, he asked. ¡°The Five Dragon Pill costs one hundred and fifty Xianyu, and the Liquid Condensation Pill costs one hundred and seventy Xianyu.¡± The red-haired ghost woman said straightforwardly with a gleam of amusement in her eyes. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed. Although he knew that the Breaking-realm Pills for the Grain Avoidance Stage would be expensive, the price was outrageous. It was enough to buy a top-grade magical instrument! ¡°Let me think about it.¡± He fell silent for a moment before responding. ¡°Of course, you can take your time in deciding. Excuse me for now.¡± The red-haired ghost woman still had a smile on her face, as if she was certain Shen Luo would buy the pills. She turned around and walked away. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, what do you think?¡± As soon as the red-haired ghost woman left, Shen Luo immediately sought Xie Yuxin¡¯s opinion. ¡°Indeed, the effects of these two pills are quite good, but the price¡­ seems like a rip-off.¡± Xie Yuxin frowned. A dark expression crossed Shen Luo¡¯s face. Even though the price was outrageous, they only sold Breaking-realm Pills for the Grain Avoidance Stage in the entire Ghost Market. Even if they were ripping him off, he could only forcibly accept it. After all, failing to break through to the Grain Avoidance Stage would make everything else pointless. ¡°Brother Shen, I think you don¡¯t have to decide right now. We still have to go to the fourth floor. Maybe we can find better pills there. If we can¡¯t find any, we can come down and buy these two.¡± Xie Yuxin said, seeing Shen Luo¡¯s face. ¡°Right! That makes sense.¡± Shen Luo realized, his gloomy expression disappearing immediately. Not wanting to waste time there, the two soon left. ¡°How did the two customers consider?¡± The red-haired ghost woman, who was waiting outside, asked with a smile when she saw Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin emerge. A white-robed attendant was standing not far away, holding a tray. On it were two vials of pills, which were the Five Dragon Pill and the Liquid Condensation Pill. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I need to look around a bit more.¡± Shen Luo replied calmly. Upon hearing these words, the red-haired ghost woman¡¯s smile froze and her expression cooled. A few white-robed attendants nearby noticed the commotion and looked over, which made the red-haired ghost woman¡¯s expression even more unpleasant. ¡°That¡¯s fine, you can come over whenever you¡¯re ready. But I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t find the elixir you need elsewhere in the Ghost Market.¡± The red-haired ghost woman quickly regained her composure, speaking indifferently. There was a sarcastic tone in her voice. Chapter 275: First Class Order ¡°Oh, they don¡¯t have it up there either?¡± Xie Yuxin said sardonically, as he pointed upward vaguely. ¡°Up there? The fourth floor is where our Impermanence Pavilion holds the exchange meeting for high-ranked cultivators. Breaking-realm pills may appear there, but it¡¯s not a place anyone can go. One must hold the Guest Official Token from our Pavilion to enter.¡± The red-haired ghost woman sneered in retort. ¡°Thank you for the guidance.¡± Shen Luo nodded politely to the red-haired ghost woman, not showing any signs of offense, but he was mulling over in his mind what the white token was about. He then signaled to Xie Yuxin and they walked toward the entrance to the fourth floor. ¡°Hmph! What a joke! Two countrymen daring to visit the fourth floor!¡± The red-haired ghost woman scornfully watched their departing figures. Shen Luo quickly approached the entrance to the fourth floor and flipped out the white token. ¡°You two, please.¡± The two black-armored ghost creatures guarding the entrance glanced at the token and made way. Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief and led Xie Yuxin inside. The two quickly disappeared into the distance. Upon seeing this, the red-haired ghost woman stood still as if petrified, disbelief all over her face. ¡­ Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin ascended the stairs and soon reached the fourth floor. Before them was a hall about ten meters large. A figure dressed in white was standing there, facing the interior. Hearing the noise, the figure turned slowly without moving their feet, revealing a spirit that looked similar to the Hanging Ghost previously in the broken temple. ¡°I am Bai Yan, the Steward of Impermanence Pavilion. Are you also here to participate in the exchange meeting?¡± The white ghost appraised Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin, speaking in a hollow and indistinct voice. A cold and gloomy aura enveloped the white ghost, more enormous and chillier than the aura of the Hanging Ghost. Even though it wasn¡¯t releasing its aura intentionally, Shen Luo felt an icy numbness creep along his limbs. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo, startled by the strength of Impermanence Pavilion, responded. ¡°Honored guests, Impermanence Pavilion welcomes your visit. May I ask your names?¡± the white ghost asked again. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin shared their surnames, but did not mention their given names. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So, Daoist Shen and Daoist Xie, I cordially welcome you. However, in accordance with the rules, I need to verify your Guest Qing Tokens. Please forgive me.¡± The white ghost said. ¡°Didn¡¯t your guard verify it earlier?¡± Before Shen Luo could answer, Xie Yuxin had already interjected impatiently. ¡°These are the rules of Impermanence Pavilion. We seek your understanding.¡± The white ghost slightly bowed. ¡°No problem. Your Excellency, please check it.¡± Shen Luo waived his hand and took the white token out again. The white ghost gazed at the token, nodding slightly. As he was about to speak, his gaze suddenly flickered, and he let out a sound of surprise. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, is there a problem with this token?¡± Shen asked, seeing the sudden change in the ghost¡¯s behavior. ¡°No, I am just curious as to where you obtained this token?¡± The white ghost inquired. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze hardened as an image of the child surfaced in his mind. ¡°Why are you asking about this? Doesn¡¯t your Impermanence Pavilion always claim not to inquire about origins and roots?¡± Xie Yuxin interjected. ¡°Elder Brother Xie is correct. I misspoke. Allow me to escort you.¡± The white ghost bowed apologetically, then turned and floated into the interior. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin exchanged glances, then followed him deeper into the hall. The white ghost pressed a spot on the wall, which opened to reveal a hidden corridor leading to a dim, glowing white light at the end. The ghost led the way, with Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin silently following. After a short while, they arrived at the end, where a closed, white stone door sat bathed in a ghostly white light. The white ghost waved his hand, releasing a white light that flew to the door. The white light on the stone door dimmed, and it opened slowly, revealing a spacious, well-lit hall. The hall was elliptical, furnished with a semi-circular bar table in the middle. Behind the table were scattered two dozen stone chairs, most of which were occupied, and in front of the table was an empty wooden table with three black wooden chairs. As soon as Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin entered, several pairs of eyes swept over them. Shen Luo kept his face impassive, while he discreetly assessed the various ghosts present. He saw wandering souls, zombies, fierce ghosts, and various other types of ghost creatures. The tall, dark-skinned youth he had seen before was also among them. However, since he didn¡¯t have a Divine Sense, he couldn¡¯t determine the cultivation levels of the ghosts present. ¡°Please, gentlemen, sit here.¡± The white ghost led them to two empty adjacent seats behind the stone table. ¡°Tell me Bai Yan, what¡¯s going on with your Impermanence Pavilion? Letting cultivators from the human world here is a deep disrespect to us, don¡¯t you think?¡± Just as Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin sat down, a piercing voice resonated. It was a youth cloaked in black scales, who spoke disdainfully. Apparently, the black-scaled youth held some sort of authority. There was a tall attendant behind him, fully cloaked in a blood robe. His words stirred up the ghosts present, and the glares directed at Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin were much colder. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin were both surprised. They hadn¡¯t expected their identities to be exposed, even with the ghost market masks on. ¡°There¡¯s no specific rule in the ghost market that restricts cultivators from the Human World. Furthermore, this Daoist here holds the Guest Qing Token of our Impermanence Pavilion, a first-level token at that. According to the rules, he can enter with the token and there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡± Bai Yan replied, not surprised by Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin¡¯s identities, as if he¡¯d known all along. ¡°All those who carry the first-level token from your esteemed pavilion I have met. But I have never heard of these two men. Brother Bai Yan, be careful you¡¯re not being fooled by fraudsters.¡± The black-scaled youth raised his voice a notch, seeming to find Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin particularly abhorrent. ¡°Thank you, Daoist Black Pattern, for your reminder. The token has been inspected and there¡¯s no problem with it.¡± Bai Yan replied with a smile. Shen Luo sighed inwardly in relief. Although he felt somewhat uncomfortable, he didn¡¯t want to stir up trouble as it was his first time in the ghost market and his cultivation level was still low. So, he suppressed his feelings. ¡°Your Excellency sure has a big mouth, it seems having met you is more effective than holding this token from the Impermanence Pavilion!¡± Xie Yuxin snorted coldly and jeered back. ¡°What did you say?!¡± The black-scaled youth flared up. ¡°Daoist Black Pattern, please stay calm. All who come to Impermanence Pavilion are guests. Daoist Shen, Daoist Xie, allow me to introduce you to the other Daoist friends present. This is Predecessor Li Shuang, a Yin God from the Underworld. Daoist Black Pattern hails from Netherworld Mountain and is a direct descendant of the Black Mountain Predecessor from the same place. This is Daoist Ghost Peninsula from Wild Mountain, and this is Freelance Cultivator Qing Ao from the City of Boundless Ghosts¡­¡± Bai Yan hurriedly changed the subject, introducing Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin to the identities of the other ghosts. The first to be introduced was the dark-skinned youth, followed by the black-scaled youth, with a vague hint of warning. Chapter 276: Auction (Monthly tickets!!!) Shen Luo¡¯s face was calm as he bowed respectfully towards every ghost around him. Li Shuang did not glance sideways, ignoring Bai Yan from beginning to end, and did not look at Shen Luo and the others. However, maybe out of respect for Bai Yan, or because of the premium token, the other ghosts nodded at Shen Luo. This scene somewhat irked Black Pattern, who snorted coldly but held back from saying anything further. ¡°Bai Daoist friend, we¡¯ve been here for quite some time. When will the trading conference begin?¡± shouted the ghost with a boar-like face. ¡°Indeed, when will it start? Give us a clear answer!¡± As soon as the words were out, the other ghosts joined in agreement. ¡°Everyone, please remain calm. Due to some matters, Yu Guan the Great is running a bit late. The trading conference will begin very soon.¡± Bai Yan apologised, giving a bow to everyone present. ¡°Yu Guan!¡± A thought flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s mind. Wasn¡¯t that the name of the child who gave him the token? Just as Bai Yan finished speaking, a wooden door in the hall was flung open, and two figures, cloaked in black robes and wearing masks, emerged from within. One was tall and the other was short. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tall figure was no shorter than Li Shuang, thin like a bamboo pole;the short one was only three feet high, akin to a child. The two masked figures did not approach the hall, instead, they stood on either side of the wooden door. ¡°We welcome the arrival of the Great Yu Guan,¡± they bowed respectfully and declared in unison. ¡°We welcome the Great Yu Guan,¡± echoed everyone in the hall as they stood up to bow, including even Li Shuang, their faces solemn. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin were a beat slow to react but quickly stood up and bowed like everyone else. As the words fell, they heard the sound of footsteps accompanied by a smacking noise from outside the door. Shen Luo was curious and slightly lifted his eyelids to look ahead. He was surprised at what he saw. He saw a child in a grey robe come in, licking a sugar-coated haw stick, a typical street snack. It was none other than the child named ¡°Yu Guan¡± who had given him the guest token. ¡°Ah, sorry I got held up by something important on the way. Everyone, please sit down,¡± Yu Guan slumped into the chair in the middle behind the wooden table, speaking in a toddler¡¯s voice. Everyone in the hall took their seats upon hearing his words. After Shen Luo sat down, Xie Yuxin seemed quite astonished seeing Yu Guan. Her action of sitting down was slightly slow, attracting some attention. ¡°As expected, you indeed came! It seems my Wheel of Observation technique is slightly accomplished. I didn¡¯t guess wrong!¡± Yu Guan noticed Xie Yuxin, then saw Shen Luo next to her. He gently patted his chubby hand on his chest, looking very pleased. ¡°Thanks to the token kindly bestowed by the great Yu Guan, we were able to enter here.¡± Shen Luo quickly stood and thanked him, not fully understanding what Yu Guan¡¯s Wheel of Observation technique was about. ¡°It¡¯s a minor matter, not worthy of mention. By the way, have you visited the Nameless Wild Shop?¡± Yu Guan waved his hand and changed the subject. ¡°Yes, we did have some gains. Thanks again for the suggestion.¡± Shen Luo thanked him again. He did not make this up: the discovery of the Netherworld Bamboo was indeed a game-changer that significantly increased his wealth! ¡°Good! Since you have done as I suggested, you should make a lot of gains at this trading conference.¡± Yu Guan nodded in approval and added after some thought. ¡°I am grateful for the kind words of Yu Guan the Great,¡± replied Shen Luo as he sat back down. However, at this moment, all the ghosts in attendance were once again sizing up Shen Luo and his party, especially the looks thrown towards Shen Luo were full of curiosity, speculating about his identity and relationship with Yu Guan. Even Li Shuang glanced toward Shen Luo. Heiwen snorted coldly, his face showing distinct disdain. ¡°Lord Yu Guan, it¡¯s getting late. Shall we start the trading conference?¡± Bai Yan stepped forward and asked Yu Guan. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Yu Guan waved her petite hand. ¡°Everyone, before the start of the trading conference, let me explain. The process this time is the same as before. The first part is the auction held by our establishment, where many Daoist friends compete by bidding with immortal jade, or could also mortgage items. The specific estimation of value will be decided by us two, and Lord Yu Guan and the highest bidder wins.¡± The two masked men walked onto the stage. After saluting the ghosts present, the taller masked man started to explain the rules. ¡°As for the latter part, it is time for the Daoist friends present to interact freely. We will not interfere, but if you need us to evaluate any items, it costs five immortal jades for each time.¡± The shorter black-robed masked man added. The ghosts present seemed to understand these rules already and were nodding their heads, expressing no objections. ¡°Now that everyone understands the rules, the trading conference will officially commence. The first item up for bidding, the top-grade magical instrument, the Frenzied Flame Blade. It contains nine prohibitions. This blade is refined mainly from sun tungsten, which is not only extremely sharp but can emit flames capable of melting gold and iron¡­ The starting bid is ninety immortal jade, and each price increase cannot be lower than three immortal jade.¡± The short masked man announced the start of the bidding and simultaneously made a sweeping gesture with his hand, and a fiery red battle blade appeared on the table. ¡°Ninety immortal jades!¡± ¡°Ninety-three!¡± ¡°I bid one hundred immortal jade!¡± As soon as his voice fell, soon people started bidding, and after a round of competition, it was bought by the Ghost Peninsula for a price of one hundred and sixty immortal jade. As this was Shen Luo¡¯s first time attending such an auction, he found it intriguing and silently shook his head after watching the first round of bidding. Although this Frenzied Flame Blade was indeed a top-grade magical instrument and of great power, it was equally not cheap. He didn¡¯t have a lot of immortal jade, and his main purpose wasn¡¯t here, so naturally, he wouldn¡¯t add to the hype. After the short masked man and Ghost Peninsula made a brief exchange, he again took out an item for auction. It was a stack of greyish-white flags, with some flame runes on them, and several grayish-white jade discs, which were a set of array tools. ¡°The next item up for auction is a set of Yinhuo Chain Array tools, created by the well-regarded City of Ghosts array master, Mo Yuzi. The quality is top-notch. This array can cover a range of up to thirty feet and can launch up to eighteen Yin Fire attacks on anyone trapped within it¡­ The starting bid is sixty immortal jade, and each price increase cannot be lower than two immortal jade.¡± The short masked man introduced. Upon hearing this, the interest of the ghosts present was immediately piqued, with some even showing clear signs of attraction in their eyes. Array Techniques is an important branch in the Cultivation World, no less inferior to branches like talismans, elixirs, with each having their own merits. Like talismans, array techniques also draw power from Heaven and Earth through formation patterns to generate God¡¯s power. Even if the array is set up correctly, it can generate up to ten times its power. However, the setup of an array is difficult. Even a master proficient in array techniques needs to spend a lot of time to complete it, and must know how to adapt to the environment and flexibly borrow strength. The entire process is extremely complicated. But having formation flags and discs, you just need to bury them underground according to the rules and positions, which is rather convenient. Shen Luo looked at the array tools on the auction table, showing some interest. Because of his experiences in Dreamland, he was no longer unfamiliar with setting up array formations. He even personally set up a small array in Longevity Village and had some understanding of this field. This Yinhuo Chain Array was truly excellent in both offense and defense. Judging from the runes on the formation flags and discs, its power was even stronger than the Six Harmonies Fire Array that Yu Yan and the others displayed in Donglai County Town. It was truly valuable. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have a lot of immortal jade, and he needed to save some for other purposes, so he couldn¡¯t bid recklessly. (Five chapters completed, continue to ask for monthly tickets!!!) Chapter 277: Everyone is Shocked Although Shen Luo did not bid, the rest of the ghosts were not so courteous and eagerly bid. ¡°Sixty-two immortal jade!¡± ¡°Sixty-five immortal jade!¡± ¡°I bid seventy!¡± In just a moment, the price of the Yinhuo Chain Array was pushed above one hundred immortal jade. ¡°This Yinhuo Chain Array seems pretty decent.¡± Black Pattern scratched his chin, pondering. ¡°If a Mid Grain Avoidance Cultivator falls into it, there is a risk of falling. If young master takes a liking to it, then buy it.¡± The Blood Robe Attendant said, his voice sharp and fine, almost like a woman¡¯s. Black Pattern nodded, raising his hand, ¡°One hundred and ten immortal jade!¡± Seeing this, the surrounding ghosts stirred, and the ghosts who had just participated in the bidding fell silent. ¡°I bid one hundred and fifteen immortal jade!¡± A ghost, thin as a stick, hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°One hundred and twenty!¡± Black Pattern¡¯s eyes flashed with a murderous glint, he glanced at the thin ghost and said coldly. The thin ghost shivered, his mouth shut tight, no longer making a sound. Seeing no one else was bidding, the auctioneer behind the table, a short person wearing a mask, announced the ownership of the Yinhuo Chain Array. ¡°Bai Yan, who is this Black Pattern? Others seem to be very wary of him.¡± Shen Luo saw the scene and asked Bai Yan quietly. Hearing this, Xie Yuxin also moved closer, obviously wanting to know as well. ¡°Friend Shen, you come from the Human Realm, so you haven¡¯t heard of this Black Pattern. He is the eldest grandson of the huge owl Black Mountain Old Demon from Netherworld Mountain. Who dares to offend him? You two must not get into any more conflict with him.¡± Bai Yan glanced at Black Pattern in the distance, speaking quickly, his voice as small as a mosquito. ¡°Black Mountain Old Demon!¡± Shen Luo was shocked. He didn¡¯t expect to hear the name of the ghost he encountered in the Dreamland here, but he quickly reined his thoughts and nodded lightly. While they were talking, the auction continued. In the blink of an eye, five or six treasures were auctioned off, each one a rare treasure not seen in the shops below, and all were sold at high prices. Apart from Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin, only Li Shuang did not participate in the bidding from beginning to end. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin were really enlightened, but the Fasting Stage Breakthrough Pills he had been expecting had not yet appeared. ¡°¡­The next auction item is a bottle of Three Origin True Water. It was refined over several years by a Soul Condensation monk who cultivated a Water-type Technique from the endless ocean.¡± The short masked man took out another auction item, a small white Jade Bottle only a few inches high. He gently placed the small bottle on the table, which still emitted a dull ¡®thump¡¯ as if the bottle was extremely heavy. Even with the bottle wall separating them, a heavy wave of the Power of Water Spirit still transmitted from within the bottle. Shen Luo felt a surge in his body¡¯s mana, his eyes lit up, and he suddenly looked at the small white bottle. ¡°This True Water can be used for Alchemy and Artifacts Refining, but its greatest effect is that it can speed up the cultivation of Water-type Techniques. Not only does it have no side effects, but it also nourishes the meridians. Anyone cultivating Water-type Techniques amongst you must not miss it.¡± The short masked man continued to explain. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, many ghosts showed expressions of surprise and joy. Ghosts are of Yin attribute, so naturally there are many who cultivate water-related skills. ¡°Three Origin True Water? This water is only useful for Qi Refining Stage, and Grain Avoidance Cultivators. I don¡¯t know if you have Dual Origin True Water and One Origin True Water? I¡¯ll take as much as you have, we can talk about the price.¡± Li Shuang, who had not participated in the bidding, raised an eyebrow and spoke. ¡°Daoist friend Li Shuang is joking, how rare are the Dual Origin True Water and One Origin True Water? Even if we got them, we wouldn¡¯t auction them.¡± The short masked man shook his head and replied. Upon hearing this, Li Shuang¡¯s eyes showed a hint of disappointment, and she didn¡¯t speak any further. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes were fixed on the white Jade Bottle, and his heart pounded violently. He cultivated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, which was a pure Water-type Technique, perfectly suited to the Three Origin True Water in the bottle. The restless mana within his body at this moment was the best proof. If he could obtain this bottle of True water, his cultivation speed could greatly increase again, allowing him to enter the Grain Avoidance Stage as soon as possible. Although he is presently safe within the Bai Family, the extermination of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is apparently not as simple as it seems on the surface. Add to that his various encounters in Dreamland, he now strongly feels the need to expect danger in times of safety, he needs to enhance his own strength as soon as possible. ¡°Your Excellency earlier said that this bottle of Three Origin True Water could speed up the cultivation of Water-Type Techniques. Could you provide more details?¡± A voice sounded. It came from Black Pattern, his eyes flickered with joyful astonishment. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a sinking feeling in his heart. The masked short man seemed to have anticipated someone would ask a question and with incantations, a transparent water droplet about the size of a bean flew out of the small bottle and fell into his palm. With a flip of his other hand, he held a milky white pill, which emitted a rich fragrance of medicine. ¡°The effect of a single drop of this Three Origin True Water is about the same as this Xinyuan pill. There should be at least ten drops in this bottle, and of course you can speculate on the auxiliary effects of the whole bottle.¡± The masked short man said. ¡°Xinyuan Pill! Even for Grain Avoidance Cultivators, this is a rare cultivation spiritual medicine!¡± Xie Yuxin¡¯s beautiful eyes lit up. she muttered to herself, her face soon turned gloomy, and she let out a sigh. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was moved, a flicker of hesitation appearing in his eyes. If he were to spend his Immortal Jade here, what should he do if a Breakthrough Pill for the Grain Avoidance Stage appeared later? At this moment, he suddenly raised his head, looking forward, it was Yu Guan looking at him. The two looked at each other, Yu Guan subtly nodded at Shen Luo. Shen Luo paused, then fell into contemplation. ¡°Alright, enough talk, let¡¯s start the bidding. The starting price is seventy Immortal Jade, and each increase in price should not be less than five Immortal Jade.¡± while Shen Luo was still hesitating, the masked short man returned the droplet of the liquid back to the Jade Bottle and announced loudly. ¡°Seventy-five Immortal Jade!¡± ¡°Eighty!¡± ¡°Eighty-eight!¡± ¡­ A few of the ghosts present were interested in the Three Origin True Water, and they offered successive bids, quickly pushing the price to one hundred and twenty Immortal Jade. The one bidding was none other than Black Pattern. This price was already not low, and the other few bidding ghosts were afraid of Black Pattern¡¯s background, all of them withdrawing their bids and not continuing. A satisfied smile inevitably appeared on Black Pattern¡¯s face. ¡°One hundred and thirty Immortal Jade!¡± A voice sounded suddenly, causing Black Pattern¡¯s smile to freeze. It was Shen Luo who raised his hand and quoted a price. After careful consideration, he still felt that this bottle of Three Origin True Water was too precious to miss. As for the possibility of a Grain Avoidance Stage Breakthrough Pill appearing later, he intends to resolve this in another way. Xie Yuxin on his side showed a hint of surprise in her eyes, aware of Shen Luo¡¯s intentions, but as this was Shen Luo¡¯s personal matter, she didn¡¯t interfere. The sudden sound caused a stir among the Ghosts present, not surprised at the price, but never thought that someone would dare to go against Black Pattern. ¡°One hundred and fifty!¡± Black Pattern glanced in the direction sound came from and raised the price by twenty Immortal Jade with a defiant gaze. ¡°One hundred and sixty Immortal Jade!¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Kid, dare to compete with me, one hundred and eighty Immortal Jade!¡± The cold light in Black Pattern¡¯s eyes flickered as he raised the price again. Shen Luo frowned slightly. Black Pattern seemed determined to get this Three Origin True Water. He didn¡¯t know when the other party would give up as he kept adding the price bit by bit. ¡°Two hundred and thirty Immortal Jade!¡± His mind raced, and he suddenly raised his hand and bid an additional fifty Immortal Jade. Upon hearing his words, everyone was shocked, even Li Shuang was taken aback. An immediate price increase of fifty Immortal Jade was rarely seen in past trading conferences. Only Yu Guan looked joyous as if he had no objections to it at all. Chapter 278: Exchange Pills Shen Luo looked calm and focused, seemingly indifferent to his surroundings, but he was actually paying close attention to Black Pattern¡¯s actions. In fact, he only had so much Immortal Jade on him. However, he believed that if this item could help him enhance his cultivation, then it was worth the price. After all, if he ran out of Immortal Jade, he could always earn more later. But he might not have another chance to visit the Ghost Market anytime soon, and even if he could, he might not be able to find the same item again. Of course, if the price increased further, he would have to give up too. Upon hearing this high bid, Black Pattern¡¯s brow slightly furrowed. He whispered to the Blood-Robe Attendant behind him, ¡°Blood Attendant, how many Immortal Jades do we have left?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t bring with us that many Immortal Jades this time, Young Master. After buying several items earlier, there are only a little over three hundred left,¡± the Blood-Robe Attendant answered. ¡°Only this much left¡­¡± Black Pattern¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Young Master, you also want another item. If we spend too much here, there might be some trouble,¡± the Blood-Robe Attendant gently reminded, glancing at Li Shuang as he spoke. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you sure about your information? Does Li Shuang really have that item on him?¡± Black Pattern asked in a deep voice. ¡°The source is reliable, rest assured, Young Master,¡± the Blood-Robe Attendant confidently replied. After hearing his words, Black Pattern nodded and took a glance at Shen Luo, saying, ¡°Good kid, I¡¯ve got you in my memory!¡± After saying this, he closed his eyes and stopped speaking. Shen Luo¡¯s face remained peaceful, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Black Pattern¡¯s threatening words. Seeing that no one else was bidding, the short masked man declared Shen Luo the winner of the Three Origin True Water auction. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Shen Luo let out a soft sigh of relief. Someone from Impermanence Pavilion quickly brought over the Three Origin True Water bottle. After Shen Luo paid the Immortal Jades, he took the White Jade Bottle, which was surprisingly heavy. He quickly steadied it, preventing it from slipping from his grasp. This small bottle actually weighed several tens of pounds! Shen Luo removed the stopper and looked inside. The liquid was sticky and transparent, with strong spiritual energy of the water attribute emanating from it. A hint of delight appeared in his eyes. He quickly corked the bottle and tucked it into the stone box in his bosom, finally putting his mind at ease. The trading conference continued, with various treasures being presented one after another, including precious magical implements and elixirs, causing the atmosphere in the hall to reach a climax. Shen Luo kept quiet throughout the proceedings, merely as a spectator. The auction finally ended half an hour later. Until the end, the Fasting Stage Breakthrough Pills for the Grain Avoidance Stage that he wanted hadn¡¯t appeared, making him feel increasingly anxious. ¡°Friend Shen does not need to worry. There is still the second half of the free trade session, where you can ask directly. The other ghosts present are likely to have it. As long as you also present an attractive treasure for trade,¡± Xie Yuxin whispered in Shen Luo¡¯s ear. Shen Luo took a deep breath and slowly nodded. ¡°Up next is the free trade session. Without further ado, you may bring out the treasures at hand, introduce them and state what you¡¯d like in return. If the items match, then a transaction can occur,¡± the short masked man announced. The elderly ghost sitting at the far left of the stone table sat upright and let out a hoarse laugh, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s start with me, Li. I did not bring too many items this time, just a Five-Leaved Worm Grass and two Yellow Origin Stones. I would like to trade the Five-Leaved Worm Grass for a high-grade wooden magical tool, while the two Yellow Origin Stones, for a bottle of Fasting Stage Breakthrough Pills.¡± As the old ghost spoke, he took out a small black bag and poured its contents onto the stone table, dropping two jade boxes. In one of the boxes was a black vine that looked like a small worm, and the other contained two earthy yellow stones, emitting bursts of yellow light. Seeing these two items, Shen Luo moved inwardly. He had seen both of these items in the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡± on Mount Fangcun. The Five-Leaved Worm Grass was a unique Spirit Grass that could freely transition between insect and grass and was the main spiritual material for refining a valuable elixir called Shedding Pill. Yellow Origin Stone, on the other hand, was a rare earth-attributed spiritual material born dozens of feet below the ground. Its texture was hard, making it a prime material for the refinement of earth-attributed magical tools. Upon hearing the words of the elder ghost, several of the others were quite moved, but perhaps they didn¡¯t have the things that he needed, so none of them made a move. Seeing the reactions of the other ghosts, the elder ghost¡¯s eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment, and he put away the two jade boxes. Next to the elder ghost was a green-haired female ghost, her skin and hair were a strange green, especially the lower half of her body, which was not feet but a mass of ghastly green ghost clouds, appearing quite eerie. She waved her hand and took out three dark bones, each radiating a shocking amount of Yin Qi. ¡°These are three ghost bones of a Soul Condensation Stage Earth-drilling Ghost, I would like to exchange them for a mid-grade or higher magical tool with the ability to conceal God¡¯s power,¡± said the green-haired female ghost. At her words, the ghosts present stirred. Ghost bones of a Ghost at the Soul Condensation Stage would undoubtedly contain huge amounts of Ghost Qi. If one could absorb and refine them, it would be of great benefit to their cultivation. However, concealing magical tools were very rare, to say nothing of ones that were mid-grade or higher. ¡°I don¡¯t have a concealment magical tool, but I do have a high-rank invisibility talisman. If I add two hundred Immortal Jades, would that be enough to exchange for your three ghost bones?¡± asked a green-clawed ghost, his eyes burning as he gazed at the three ghost bones. Shen Luo followed the voice and recalled that Bai Yan had introduced this ghost as Qing Ao. ¡°I¡¯m only interested in concealment magical tools, all other items are not acceptable,¡± said the green-haired female ghost, shaking her head. Looking disappointed, Qing Ao sat down dejectedly. ¡°I have a mid-grade magical tool, the Smoke Cloud Flag, which has a pretty good concealment effect.¡± Li Shuang suddenly spoke up and waved her hand as she did so. A grey light shot out from her hand and landed in front of the green-haired female ghost. It was a small grey flag, embroidered with cloud patterns. The green-haired female ghost took the grey flag and injected her Yin Qi into it. Immediately, grey smoke emerged and enveloped her figure. Not only her physique but also her breath was completely blocked. The grey smoke itself didn¡¯t emit any mana fluctuations and seemed to be an ordinary fog hanging in the air. Seeing this, a hint of admiration flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. The grey smoke quickly receded, revealing the figure of the green-haired female ghost, her face full of pleasure. ¡°Daoist friend Li Shuang, I am very satisfied with this magical tool. Let¡¯s make the exchange.¡± She waved her hand, and a shadowy Qi darted out, wrapping around the three ghost bones, and sent it to Li Shuang. Li Shuang picked up the three ghost bones and put them away, her expression as calm as still water, as if the exchange just now was a trivial matter. The exchange continued, and soon it was Shen Luo¡¯s turn. He took out a section of green bamboo, which was a piece of Netherworld Bamboo that he had divided earlier, and placed it on the Stone Table. As he had just successfully bid for the Three Origin True Water, many of the ghosts present paid close attention to Shen Luo. Seeing him take out a normal piece of green bamboo, their faces showed confusion. Only Li Shuang and the tall and short masked man on the auction stage looked intrigued, as if they had seen something. ¡°A piece of Netherworld Bamboo, to exchange for a breaking-realm pill for the Grain Avoidance Stage, which needs to increase the success rate by over thirty percent. The quantity and other specific details can be discussed,¡± Shen Luo said succinctly. Hearing these words, the black-patterned man looked over and uttered a surprised ¡®huh¡¯. Chapter 279: Offending ¡°Netherworld Bamboo! The legendary spiritual bamboo that grows beside the Nether River! It truly exists.¡± ¡°I once saw Netherworld Bamboo at a large auction in the City of Ghosts;it was much thinner than this one.¡± ¡°The thickness is not the issue, I once saw a record about Netherworld Bamboo, the older this spiritual bamboo gets, the thinner it becomes. Seems like this piece of Netherworld Bamboo is relatively young.¡± The ghosts in the hall immediately burst into fervent discussion, amidst which exclamations could be heard. However, after quite a while, nobody came forward with the elixir Shen Luo requested in trade. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a sinking feeling in his heart. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Netherworld Bamboo was undoubtedly precious, but with still no one coming forward, it was clear that they did not possess the elixir he requested. It was no surprise;Fasting Stage Breakthrough Pills were quite valuable, an invaluable aid for Grain Avoidance Cultivators in their cultivation. He desired a treasure that could increase the breakthrough probability by more than thirty percent, not finding it was to be expected. ¡°Looks like I might indeed have to let the downstairs pill shop hit me where it hurts.¡± Shen Luo gave a sigh and was about to put away the Netherworld Bamboo. ¡°Wait a minute, can I take a look at your Netherworld Bamboo?¡± A voice suddenly broke the silence, it was Li Shuang¡¯s. ¡°Please.¡± Shen Luo paused in surprise, and passed the green bamboo over with a wave of his hand. Li Shuang caught it, examined it briefly before letting out a stream of black qi from his hand, that flowed into the green bamboo. The green bamboo quickly turned black, numerous red dots began to appear across its surface, emitting streaks of red light that fell on Li Shuang¡¯s hand. Threads of black qi continuously flew from the masked tall man¡¯s hand, which were then devoured by the black bamboo. ¡°There¡¯s no mistake, it¡¯s Netherworld Bamboo!¡± A glint of joy flashed in Li Shuang¡¯s eyes, and a dense layer of black light surged up from his hand, successfully resisting the absorption of the Netherworld Bamboo. Unable to absorb any Yin Qi, the red spots on the Netherworld Bamboo flickered, rapidly receded, and within a few breaths, the bamboo returned to its original emerald green state. ¡°Friend Shen, I have three Earth Spirit Pills here that can definitely increase the rate of breakthrough by more than thirty percent. Would that be a fair trade for this piece of Netherworld Bamboo?¡± Li Shuang took out a black jade bottle from his sleeve and queried. ¡°Earth Spirit Pills, aren¡¯t those elixirs the Underworld keep as a secret?¡± ¡°Indeed! It is said that this pill is refined primarily using the exclusive Forgetting Love Water from the Underworld and is complemented by dozens of spiritual materials, extremely precious.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen Earth Spirit Pills being auctioned in the City of Ghosts, each pill costs over a hundred immortal jades.¡± The ghosts in the hall were initially silent, then erupted in an uproar of discussion. ¡°An increase of more than thirty percent in the breakthrough rate!¡± Excitement welled upon Shen Luo¡¯s face, and he was about to agree immediately. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± A voice suddenly interjected, it was Black Pattern who got up from not far away. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Li Shuang cast him a flat glance and asked. ¡°There¡¯s just one thing I¡¯d like to check with Elder Li Shuang, do you still have any Earth Spirit Pills on you?¡± Black Pattern abandoned his usual arrogance when faced with Li Shuang, and flashing an ingratiating smile, he asked. ¡°No more, just these three.¡± Li Shuang shook his head. At these words, Black Pattern¡¯s face fell, but almost immediately, his grin reappeared. ¡°Elder Li Shuang, I¡¯m also very interested in your Earth Spirit Pills and would like to trade for them. Would you consider selling them to me? I¡¯m willing to offer three hundred and sixty pieces of Immortal Jade. His Netherworld Bamboo is only a small piece, definitely not worth that much.¡± Black Pattern took out a cloth bag and placed it on the stone table, whereupon a small pile of Immortal Jades tumbled out. A snag had appeared in the deal that was almost done, making Shen Luo annoyed. Yet, as the business discussion was between Black Pattern and Li Shuang, and he was empty-handed with no scope to increase his bid, he had no choice but to stand silently by the side, nervously observing Li Shuang¡¯s expression. ¡°No need, I am not short of Immortal jade.¡± Li Shuang said without hesitation, shaking her head and then tossing the jade bottle to Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo felt a sense of relief, catching the jade bottle. When he opened it, he found three black pills inside, each surrounded by a halo of black light, which looked incredibly mysterious, but no fragrance was released. However, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes brightened at the sight. The release of a medicine¡¯s fragrance signified the leakage of the pill¡¯s essence. There was no fragrant smell with this pill;all the medical energy was condensed inside the pill, which was proof enough of the mystery and marvel of the Earth Spirit Pills. More so, Shen Luo was confident that Li Shuang wouldn¡¯t lie in front of everyone. So, he plugged the bottle and put it away, feeling a wave of excitement. With these three Earth Spirit Pills, even if his aptitude was mediocre, he would still have a considerable chance of breaking through the Grain Avoidance Stage. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, congratulations.¡± Xie Yuxin spoke in a low voice. Shen Luo motioned his head slightly in response. Seeing this, a flash of violence appeared on Black Pattern¡¯s face, and he took a step forward. ¡°Daoist Black Pattern, any form of fighting is prohibited within the Impermanence Pavilion! I hope you can show some restraint!¡± A voice from the masked man on the right end of the auction stage echoed, sounding ominous and serious. ¡°Young Master¡­¡± The Blood Robe Attendant quickly spoke in a low voice, taking a step forward. Black Pattern took a deep breath, trying to suppress the rage in his heart. He glanced at Shen Luo and Li Shuang, a venomous look flashing in his eyes before he sat back down. Shen Luo noticed the murderous intent in Black Pattern¡¯s eyes, felt a chill in his heart, but didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, do you know how we can leave this place and return to the Human Realm once the Ghost Market is over?¡± He asked Xie Yuxin, remembering what had been preoccupying him. ¡°Didn¡¯t the person who recommended you here tell you about this? To return to the Human Realm, you need to wait for the Ghost Market to close and go back to where we were first teleported from. Once the time comes, the built-in mechanism of this place will automatically teleport us back to Jianye City¡±, Xie Yuxin responded with a surprised look on her face. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Upon hearing her explanation, Shen Luo understood and thanked Xie Yuxin with a nod, criticized to himself the unreliability of the Soul Hook Horse Face, who hadn¡¯t explained such important details to him. Perhaps because the trading frenzy had reached a climax with the appearance of the Netherworld Bamboo, Earth Spirit Pills, and other treasures, the items that followed looked something ordinary in comparison. The reactions from the ghosts in the hall were somewhat casual, and most of them took care of their business quickly, with only a few trading successfully. When the trade ended, everyone rose to their feet, gave Yu Guan a bow, and left one after another. Black Pattern didn¡¯t acknowledge Yu Guan¡¯s presence, nor pay his respects, but stood up, took the Blood Robe Attendant and walked away. ¡°What an arrogant child!¡± The tall masked man snorted. Yu Guan¡¯s little face revealed a not bothered look. ¡°Thanks for standing up for us, Elder.¡± Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin walked forward, offering bow to the three, including Yu Guan, and expressed their gratitude. ¡°The two of you are our guests at the Impermanence Pavilion, it¡¯s natural for us to be fair.¡± The short masked man responded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always heard that the impermanence pavilion runs an honest and fair business. Seeing it today, it¡¯s even better than the rumors, so admirable.¡± Xie Yuxin added with a smile. Upon hearing her kind words, the tall and short masked men gave a slight smile, their mood not affected by hidden compliments. ¡°Go on ahead. I have something to discuss with them.¡± Yu Guan gestured with his hand. Heard their master¡¯s voice, the tall and short masked men acknowledged and left the room. It didn¡¯t take long for only Yu Guan and Shen Luo¡¯s group left in the hall. Chapter 280: Yu Guans Warning Yu Guan¡¯s round head suddenly dropped down, mumbling something under his breath. He ignored Shen Luo and made them puzzled by his reaction. ¡°Mr. Yu Guan?¡± Shen Luo waited for a while, but Yu Guan still showed no sign of speaking. He exchanged a glance with Xie Yuxin before calling out to him. ¡°Just now, Master contacted me about the trading conference, so you had to wait. I apologize,¡± Yu Guan finally lifted his head. ¡°That¡¯s alright. But I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s any reason why you¡¯re keeping us here?¡± Shen Luo shook his head, continuing his line of inquiry. ¡°I don¡¯t have any matters, but it seems like you do,¡± Yu Guan grinned, saying nothing more while he casually waved his petite, chubby hand. A white light burst out from his hand, transforming into a white light wheel the size of a wash basin, whirling around. The light wheel revealed an image of two silhouettes walking. Those were undoubtedly Black Pattern and the Blood Robe Attendant. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Call all the Ghostly Nether Guards immediately and disperse them at the valley exit. We need to keep a tight watch on that human cultivator and Li Shuang! They dared to cause me such humiliation;I want them dead! We also need to retrieve the three Earth Spirit Pills,¡± Black Pattern¡¯s eyes filled with bloodshot, his face full of wrathful roars. ¡°Young Master, those two human cultivators are not very strong, so killing them isn¡¯t difficult. However, regarding Li Shuang, from my observations, his cultivation level might have reached the Soul Condensation Stage. Even if we use all the Ghostly Nether Guards, we might not be able to detain him. If he escapes, things could get complicated. It will also be hard to account to the Black Mountain Ancestor,¡± the Blood Robe Attendant hesitantly replied. ¡°What if that¡¯s the case? I have lost too much face today;should I just let it go?¡± Black Pattern growled. ¡°Offending a typical Soul Condensation Stage cultivator might not matter, but Li Shuang is an Underworld Yin God. The Black Mountain Ancestor probably doesn¡¯t want to offend the Underworld either,¡± the Blood Robe Attendant explained, subtly bringing up the Black Mountain Ancestor. Upon hearing this, Black Pattern¡¯s expressions changed, and after a few moments, begrudgingly, he added, ¡°In that case, consider Li Shuang lucky! But those two human cultivators must be killed for me. They must be painfully tortured by a thousand cuts and have their soul refined, to vent my resentment.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Blood Robe Attendant sighed in relief and promptly agreed. The white light wheel started to dim down and completely disappeared after a few breaths. Shen Luo¡¯s face looked serious;while he had guessed Black Pattern wouldn¡¯t let things go, he hadn¡¯t expected they would energetically resort to murder and looting. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Yu Guan,¡± he said, hastily expressing his gratitude to Yu Guan. Seeing the situation inside the light wheel, Xie Yuxin¡¯s face also darkened. She thanked Yu Guan as well. ¡°While there are rules against any squabble within the Ghost Market, once you leave this place, this prohibition is rendered obsolete. Incidents of murder and robbery are not unheard of. As we have had the pleasure of getting to know each other, I thought it best to warn both of you. Be careful after the Ghost Market ends,¡± Yu Guan said, an earnest expression on his little face. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin thanked him again, feeling worried inside. Even if they knew that Black Pattern and their companions were waiting for them outside, what could they do? The valley only had one exit. Once they exited, they would inevitably be intercepted. Judging by their cultivation levels, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to escape alive. ¡°When the Ghost Market was established here that year, a secret passage leading to the outside world was built near the Green Moon Cliff deep in the valley. I wonder if it is still open,¡± Yu Guan said to himself as he walked towards the deeper part of the hall. ¡°Thank you for guiding us, Mr. Yu Guan. Is there anything we could help you within our ability to express our gratitude?¡±, Shen Luo said with joy, bowing to Yu Guan once more to show gratitude, and then asking. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s a lot of delicious food in the Human Realm, but I can¡¯t go there,¡± Yu Guan mumbled, disappearing into the deeper part of the hall. ¡°Yes, we understand,¡± Shen Luo agreed, then quickly left with Xie Yuxin. In the deep part of the hall, Yu Guan reached a passageway where the two masked men were standing. ¡°Mr. Yu Guan, does that human boy have any special traits that warrant such favor from you? Even letting him know about the secret passage of the Ghost Market,¡± the shorter masked man hesitated for a moment before asking. ¡°He¡¯s an interesting guy, but whether he can leave or not still depends on his own destiny,¡± Yu Guan lazily stretched and bounced down the passageway with gleeful hops. Both tall and short masked men revealed helpless looks in their eyes as they trailed behind. ¡­ Upon leaving Impermanence Pavilion, Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin immediately headed towards the deeper part of the valley to find the Green Moon Cliff that Yu Guan had mentioned. The deeper part of the valley was a desolate wasteland. Just like the outside, it was covered with fragments of stone, presenting a bleak sight. They quickly arrived at the deepest part of the valley, where chains of cliffs blocked their path. Prohibition above the valley enveloped the sky, preventing them from flying over at high altitude. On the eastern sky, streaks of white light were rising, slightly brighter than before. ¡°Brother Shen, what time is it now?¡± Xie Yuxin asked anxiously. ¡°The sixth period of Yin!¡± replied Shen Luo, who had gauged the time by probing the circulation of blood and Qi in his body. ¡°It¡¯s almost dawn, we need to work faster. If we are late, we won¡¯t be able to return to the Human Realm!¡± Xie Yuxin said in worried tone. ¡°Unable to leave? How so?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s brows twitched subtly as he asked for clarity. ¡°The Ghost Market opens in the borderline of Yin and Yang, and it will close and disappear when day breaks. If we fail to leave in time, we will be stranded in this Yin-Yang borderline, unable to return to the Human Realm or enter the Underworld.¡± Xie Yuxin explained solemnly. ¡°That serious!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes dilated slightly and he began to search fervently for Green Moon Cliff. Xie Yuxin, also started searching around. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, come here quickly!¡± Shen Luo called after some searching, spotting the green cliff, markedly different from the surrounding cliffs. At his call, Xie Yuxin rushed over, looking at the green stone cliff and feeling its chilly touch, her eyes brightened. ¡°This is a Green Moon Stone, it seems we¡¯ve found it, let¡¯s find the passage.¡± She said joyfully. They began to investigate the vicinity of the cliff, but the sheer size of the area made it hard to survey entirely at once. Shen Luo, an idea in his eyes, moved his hand into his embrace and took out a stack of yellow talismans. He pulled out a talisman from the bottom of the stack, inserted his mana into it, and a bright white light radiated from the talisman, forming a white light group of about one meter in diameter, stable and undispersed. It was the ¡°Treasure-hunting Talisman¡± he had figured out on his own. ¡°Brother Shen, what are you doing?¡± Xie Yuxin asked as she looked over. ¡°Finding the passage.¡± Shen Luo responded simply, holding the talisman and walking alongside the green cliff. The white light group shone onto the green cliff, making it appear semi-transparent just like the stones before. Xie Yuxin, upon seeing this, looked surprised, and a touch of curiosity flashed in her eyes as she looked at Shen Luo. Shen Luo walked along the cliff for a while and suddenly stopped. The white light group shone onto a particular area of the cliff and revealed a hazy black void inside. ¡°It seems to be here.¡± Xie Yuxin rushed over and started exploring the nearby cliff. Chapter 281: Return to the Yang World With the help of the Treasure-hunting Talisman¡¯s ability to see through the mountain wall, Shen Luo was able to find a way to open the passage. The two quickly found a protruding stone that was different from the others, with the vague outline of a mechanism inside. Xie Yuxin pressed hard on it, and the mountain wall made a ¡°crackling¡± sound. The wall split open, revealing a passageway. It was pitch black inside, destination unknown. ¡°Thanks to Friend Shen for having such a magical talisman, otherwise, I don¡¯t know when we would find this passage.¡± Xie Yuxin said with a sigh of relief. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t bother to dwell on the Treasure-hunting Talisman, and entered the passageway. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Yu Guan is reliable. There might be danger in the passageway. I¡¯ll go first.¡± Xie Yuxin rushed to the front. A gray light flashed in her hand, revealing the Ghost Head Saber she held earlier. At the same time, a white light emerged from her body, forming a shield of white light in front of her. Shen Luo, whose cultivation level was lower, didn¡¯t insist on going first. He took out the Ghost Wailing Ring and held it in his hand, following behind. The two figures quickly disappeared into the passageway. The mechanisms on the mountain wall crackled to life and slowly closed, covering the passageway once again. In a room in the Impermanence Pavilion, the white wheel floated in front of Yu Guan, showing the scene of the passage closing. ¡°They really found it, quite interesting indeed.¡± Yu Guan clapped his hands and laughed. He immediately made a hand sign and the scene inside the light wheel changed rapidly, showing the situation at the entrance of the valley. All the shops in the valley started to close, and the stalls began to pack up. The ghosts in the valley were leaving the valley entrance one by one. Black Pattern and Blood Robe Attendant stood in a hidden place outside the valley. The Blood Robe Attendant was holding a small black mirror, reflecting the multitude of ghosts leaving the valley. Apart from them, there were over twenty black-robed ghosts standing in the fog in the distance, forming an encirclement and blocking the exit. ¡°Heh heh, to dare to disrespect me, this is the consequence. Keep looking.¡± Yu Guan chuckled, made another hand sign, and dissipated the light wheel. Meanwhile, Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin were advancing slowly and carefully inside the passageway. Thankfully, the anticipated danger did not appear, and they reached the end of the passage quite soon, blocked by a stone wall. Shen Luo took out another Treasure-hunting Talisman, and after a brief search, they quickly found the mechanism again. The mechanical sound of the mechanism starting rang out, and the stone wall in front spread open, revealing a foot-wide exit in front of them, showing the profound night sky outside. ¡°Finally, we are out.¡± The two of them stepped out, quickly scanned their surroundings, confirming that they were behind the valley. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t linger here for long. That Black Pattern won¡¯t be able to locate us at the entrance of the valley, so he might send people here to search.¡± Xie Yuxin said. Shen Luo agreed, and they immediately set off, heading towards the place from where they teleported in, following their memory. At the valley exit, Black Pattern and others were standing there. By now, the sky in the east was getting brighter, and there were hardly any figures in the valley, yet there was still no trace of Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why haven¡¯t we found those two human cultivators yet?¡± Black Pattern¡¯s face darkened, he asked in a cold voice. ¡°Could they have detected our presence outside and are still hiding in the valley?¡± The Blood Robe Attendant frowned and said. ¡°Impossible. The Ghost Market will close soon. The two humans are desperate to return to the Human Realm. There is no way they can stay in the valley. Is there something wrong with your Viewing Mirror?¡± Black Pattern immediately retorted, then asked in a deep voice. ¡°The Viewing Mirror was personally refined by the Black Mountain Ancestor. Even an illusion technique cast by a cultivator in the Late Grain Avoidance stage can be seen through. That Shen must still be in the Qi Refining Stage, there¡¯s no way he could evade the search of the Viewing Mirror.¡± The Blood Robe Attendant shook his head. ¡°Then what¡¯s going on?¡± Black Pattern asked angrily. ¡°Wait a bit longer. Those two are surely still in the valley,¡± said the Blood Robe Attendant with sparkling eyes. Black Pattern wore a gloomy expression, but there was nothing he could do but continue to wait here. At this very moment, Shen Luo, guided by the markings he¡¯d made earlier, had already returned to the place where he was initially transported. The eastern horizon was growing brighter as the first rays of sunlight appeared in the sky. There was a loud ¡°bang¡± as countless wisps of greyish-black mist emerged around them, blotting out everything in sight. Much like before, the mist didn¡¯t linger for long. It dissipated swiftly, and their visibility was restored. Once again, they found themselves in the Green Pine Forest outside of Jianye City. Both Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin heaved a sigh of relief and removed the masks from their faces, revealing their true appearances. ¡°I owe a great deal to you, Brother Shen. I¡¯ll repay you someday, but I have some pressing matters to attend to now,¡± said Xie Yuxin, seemingly in a hurry. After bidding Shen Luo farewell, she immediately leaped towards the edge of the forest, her figure vanished in no time. Shen Luo opened his mouth, intending to ask her if she knew when the Ghost Market would next open, but before he could pose the query, she had already vanished into the distance. ¡°Never mind, I can ask Senior Horse Face when he comes to retrieve the ghost market mask,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, moving in the opposite direction towards Jianye City. In the evening. Having returned from the Ghost Market, Shen Luo rested for half a day, then in the evening, he made his way to Bai Hecheng¡¯s study. ¡°Shen Luo, how are you feeling? Are your injuries healing well?¡± Bai Hecheng immediately stood up and asked with concern as soon as he saw Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Family Head. After using the ointment from the mansion, I¡¯m fully recovered,¡± Shen Luo courteously replied. ¡°Since we¡¯re alone, there¡¯s no need for such formalities. Just call me Uncle,¡± said Bai Hecheng with a smile. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s something I need to ask you,¡± said Shen Luo, clearly not comfortable asking this favor. ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t hold back,¡± Bai Hecheng said, waving his hand for Shen Luo to proceed. ¡°I¡¯ve made some recent insights into cultivation and want to go into seclusion to see if I can make further progress. But this means I won¡¯t be available for any tasks from the mansion for a while,¡± explained Shen Luo. ¡°And here I thought it was a serious matter. Feel free to go into seclusion!¡± Bai Hecheng replied with a careless smile. ¡°Thank you, Uncle,¡± Shen Luo quickly thanked him. ¡°It is I who should thank you. I heard that Xiao Yun has agreed to resume his cultivation, and I know it¡¯s all thanks to you,¡± said Bai Hecheng as he clapped Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Xiao Yun has a good temperament, I merely gave him some advice, so I should hardly be credited,¡± Shen Luo modestly replied. ¡°I know that boy¡¯s temperament very well. In the entire Bai Family, he only listens to Sky. He even brushes me aside at times, so I¡¯m curious as to how he wound up listening to you?¡± Bai Hecheng inquired curiously. ¡°Well¡­probably because we hit it off,¡± replied Shen Luo with a smile. ¡°Regardless, I owe you a debt of gratitude for this. Take this token. From now on, you can freely access the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake in the Bai Family¡¯s grounds. Since you are going into seclusion this time, why not do it there,¡± said Bai Hecheng, as he handed over a green jade token with the word ¡°Bai¡± carved into it. ¡°Thank you, Uncle,¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t refuse and accepted the token right away. ¡°By the way, have you been in contact with Elder Ma Liang lately? If he¡¯s still in Jianye City, perhaps invite him over to the Bai Mansion. We¡¯d be happy to extend our hospitality,¡± said Bai Hecheng as if he¡¯d just remembered. Chapter 282: Hard to Predict Fortune and Misfortune ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, the elder Ma Liang left Jianye the day before yesterday. Upon his departure, he didn¡¯t mention when he would return, only saying that if fate should have it, we will meet again.¡± Shen Luo said after a slight hesitation. He knew very well that the Bai Family was trying to recruit Ma Mian, but after all, he was an Underworld Yin God and naturally would not agree. ¡°What a pity indeed¡­¡± Bai Hecheng said with some regret. After chatting with him for a while, Shen Luo bid farewell and left. That night, Shen Luo packed up, took the stone box, and left his courtyard in the forest to go to the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake. As he closed the courtyard door, he suddenly felt a chill on his neck. He looked up at the sky and saw patches of white snow falling from the accumulating clouds. Unbeknownst to him, it had already reached the early winter season. Shen Luo came to the lake, opened the mechanism to the secret passage, and walked into the bottom of the lake. After showing his token to the elder who guarded the bottom of the lake, he chose the deepest secret chamber and walked in. After closing the stone door of the secret chamber, Shen Luo came to the straw cushion and sat down cross-legged. Instead of rushing into cultivation, he closed his eyes to adjust his breath, and at the same time, he silently recalled his experiences and insights from cultivating in Dreamland in his heart, slowly allowing himself to be re-immersed in the Sea of Knowledge. He opened the stone box and reached in with his two fingers to gently pinch out a small, white jade bottle a few inches high. Shen Luo gently shook it and pulled out the stopper. As soon as the bottle was opened, a rich power of water spirit flowed out, instantly filling the entire secret chamber. Shen Luo took a deep breath and carefully tilted the bottle, a transparent water droplet as clear as a dewdrop, immediately rolled out of the bottle mouth and landed in his palm. The moment the water droplet fell into his palm, Shen Luo immediately felt a chill penetrating his body, and the mana in his Dantian seemed eager to burst out even though he didn¡¯t stimulate it. With a joy in Shen Luo¡¯s heart, he muttered the mantra of the third layer of the Nameless Heavenly Book, and a blue light appeared in his hands. Threads of mana began to gather in it and refined the droplet of the Three Origin True Water. Unexpectedly, the Three Origin True Water seemed to be very compatible with the Nameless Cultivation Technique. It easily integrated the water droplet into his mana and then channelled it back into his body, circulating rapidly through his meridians. In just a few moments, his mana had made a full circuit in his body. The speed was slower than in Dreamland, but compared to his original cultivation pace, it was many times faster. ¡°What a valuable item indeed!¡± Shen Luo murmured quietly in his heart and immediately began actively awakening his mana. Following the mantra of the third layer, with the mana flowing around Heaven and Earth, he soon immersed himself in it. At the same time, the Arrays etched into the four walls of the secret chamber also lit up one by one, drawing the spiritual energy from the water above into this chamber. This spiritual energy eventually made its way through the patterns on the ground, surrounding Shen Luo. A blue light surged under him, as if he was floating on a body of azure waves, in a state of tranquility and ease. ¡­ One year quickly passed by, from winter to spring, and from the desolate autumn rain to winter once again. With the blessing of his dream cultivation experience and the assistance of the Three Origin True Water, Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation level steadily increased during his intermittent closed-door training. Astonishingly, he moved up three levels in just over half a year, advancing to the tenth level of Qi Refining Stage. He was just one step away from reaching the Grain Avoidance Stage. However, since his last retreat into the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake, almost half a year had passed, and he had not come out. As a result, many people in the Bai Mansion began to speculate that his cultivation had failed. After all, breaking through from the Qi refining stage to the Grain Avoidance stage is a significant bottleneck in the Cultivation path. It is not easy to condense mana into liquid ¨C many people get stuck at this stage and could never get past it. At the moment, the three generations of the Bai family were gathered in the study of Bai Hecheng. ¡°Shen Luo¡¯s seclusion this time is really too long. After all, he has not yet reached the Grain Avoidance stage, and he did not carry any Pigu Dan with him. He has not appeared for such a long time, I fear something has gone wrong,¡± said Bai Jiangfeng, a short figure with a troubled expression. ¡°The time is indeed a bit long. Even if one fails to break through, one should have come out by now,¡± Bai Hecheng weighed for a moment, also expressing apprehension. ¡°Grandfather, Father, what do you mean by these words?¡± Bai Xiaoyun, who was on one side, had an anxious look on his face upon hearing this. He was also in closed-door meditation. He had just broken through to the third layer of the Qi Refining stage this morning and planned to share his joy with Shen Luo. But he heard that Shen Luo had been in seclusion for half a year and immediately ran to ask his father Bai Hecheng. ¡°Shen Luo made smooth progress in the first half of the year and directly cultivated from the seventh layer of the Qi Refining stage to the 10th layer. At the time, we were only happy for him, but we didn¡¯t consider that this might hide some concerns. He has been in seclusion for half a year now and has not shown up;I fear that something has gone wrong with his cultivation ¡± Bai Hecheng pondered. ¡°Could he have succumbed to demonic possession?¡± Bai Xiaoyun blurted out. ¡°Although such things rarely happen, they are not impossible. It¡¯s a bit weird for Shen Luo not to show up for half a year,¡± Bai Jiangfeng sighed and said. ¡°What are we waiting for then? Let¡¯s go and open the secret chamber and save him!¡± Bai Xiaoyun was anxious. ¡°Xiaoyun, calm down. Don¡¯t get flustered. Whether Shen Luo can succeed this time is of great significance to our Bai family. We must be cautious,¡± Bai Hecheng admonished in a low voice, his eyebrows tightly furrowed at the sight of Xiaoyun¡¯s distress. ¡°Is it all because of that thing? It was originally our negligence, how can we let Big Brother Shen take the risk?¡± Bai Xiaoyun protested, feeling dissatisfied. ¡°So naive! I thought you knew better. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so ignorant,¡± Bai Hecheng scolded angrily when he heard this. ¡°Xiaoyun, demonic possession is only a guess, but it is also possible that he is on the verge of breaking through. If we barge in arbitrarily, we might disrupt his Dao-Practice and push him into demonic possession instead,¡± Bai Jiangfeng also advised. ¡°So, neither trying to save him nor not trying to save him works. What should we do then?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How about we wait another three days? If there is still no movement, we will force open the secret chamber. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, it will depend on his luck then,¡± Bai Jiangfeng threw a glance at Bai Hecheng and suggested hesitantly. ¡°It seems we have no other choice,¡± Bai Hecheng agreed, after giving some thought. As soon as he finished speaking, his expression changed suddenly. He quickly moved to the door, flung it open, and gazed anxiously into the distant sky, his eyebrows knitting together tightly. Bai Jiangfeng quickly picked up on the anomaly, hastily following suit by looking into the distance. Bai Xiaoyun, not knowing what had happened, also looked into the distance only to see leaden clouds pressing down in the sky, nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Grandfather, what happened? What are you looking at?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked, a puzzled look on his face. ¡°This movement¡­ it¡¯s coming from the Tranquil Lake in the backyard, could it be¡­¡± Bai Jiangfeng did not answer but instead said with uncertainty etched on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Bai Hecheng uttered in a low tone, immediately hopping out of the room and dashing in the direction of the backyard, followed closely by Bai Jiangfeng. Chapter 283: It was currently the dead of winter, bone-chillingly cold. A heavy snow had just fallen in Jianye City, covering the entire Bai Mansion in a blanket of pure white. Their figures quickly disappeared from Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s sight. Bai Xiaoyun was left speechless, and all he could do was follow behind, albeit much slower. When he finally caught up with them, he saw them standing at the edge of their own lake, looking out over the ice-covered surface. As Bai Xiaoyun approached intending to initiate a conversation, his gaze suddenly caught sight of something beneath the ice on the lake surface. Waves upon waves were forming a spiral vortex, slowly and leisurely spinning. ¡°What is this?¡± Bai Xiaoyun exclaimed in surprise. ¡°This vortex is formed by the disturbance of the spiritual energy in the lake. If I¡¯m not mistaken, Shen Luo¡¯s secret chamber is under this vortex. He must have successfully broken through the Qi Refining Stage,¡± Bai Hecheng said, a faint smile lining his face. ¡°Really? Big Brother Shen succeeded?¡± Bai Xiaoyun exclaimed with joy. ¡°He should be absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to try to condense his meridians. I just wonder how many meridians he could condense?¡± Bai Jiangfeng pondered. ¡°Looking at the disturbance in the lake, he should have at least three meridians. But I wonder which three among the twelve Channels they would be?¡± Bai Hecheng commented after musing for a moment. ¡°From my observation, Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation method is of water attribute, hence inclined towards Yin. Thus, the meridians he condenses most likely would be among the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, Hand Jue Yin Pericardium Meridian, Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian, Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian, Foot Jue Yin Liver Meridian, and Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian,¡± Bai Jiangfeng slowly speculated. At the same time, deep within the secret chamber at the bottom of the lake, a young man sat cross-legged on the floor. Thin beyond belief, with sunken eyes, his loose hair hung about him, and his tattered clothes suggested he was no better than a beggar ¨C this was Shen Luo. His eyes, however, shone brightly, radiating dazzling brilliance. Over the past few months, he had consumed the Earth Yin Pill three times in a row, trying to break through the bottleneck of the Qi Refining Stage. Unfortunately, his first two attempts ended in failure. It wasn¡¯t until two months ago when Shen Luo took the third Earth Yin Pill that he finally managed to break through the bottleneck, his mana moved from a gaseous state to a liquid, and he officially entered the Grain Avoidance Stage. The reason he hadn¡¯t been able to finish the retreat was that he had not yet fully completed the step of condensing his meridians. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unlike when he was in the Dreamland, the process of Shen Luo condensing his meridians became extremely difficult. He initially tried with the Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian, which is primarily water in the Five Elements, to self-destruct it and then recondense it. He had fully prepared himself to endure the excruciating pain of self-destructing his meridians, but no matter how hard he tried, the Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian remained durable as steel, without any sign of breakage, and of course, it was impossible to condense the meridian. Next, Shen Luo tried both the Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian and the Hand Jue Yin Pericardium Meridian, but he failed in both attempts. Unwilling to give up, he tested all of the Twelve Channels, but in the end, he did not manage to voluntarily self-destruct a single meridian. He wasn¡¯t even given the opportunity to experience the agony of condensing the meridians. However, something unexpected occurred when Shen Luo used a trial mindset to condense the Du Meridian among the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. An unprecedented wave of pain completely engulfed him, and his Du Meridian was torn apart inch by inch ¨C the self-destruction was successful. In that instant, Shen Luo was almost driven unconscious by the intense pain, but a deep-seated joy surged from the depths of his heart. Thus, in this contradiction of pain and joy, he began the reconstruction of his first meridian. Once again, there was a vast difference when compared to the Dreamland. The speed of Shen Luo¡¯s meridians reconstruction became extremely slow, prolonging the bone-etching pain dozens of times, making him feel like he was in purgatory at every moment. However, thanks to his past experience of condensing meridians, Shen Luo¡¯s ability to endure pain was far above that of ordinary people. He did not go off course much during the condensation process, and in the end, he managed to condense his first meridian without running into any major problems. Afterwards, his Du Meridian successfully self-destructed again, and it took him a fortnight to successfully condense it. Just a short while ago, he successfully condensed his third meridian, the Dai Meridian. The charm patterns of the Array on the four walls of the secret chamber were still glowing, and large amounts of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi gathered from all directions and began to surge into the newly formed Dai Meridian, encircling his waist, and making it seem as if he was wearing a blue belt. Shen Luo retracted his hands from the magic spell, assuming a posture as if embracing a ball. The Anyi and Du Meridians in front of and behind him lit up simultaneously. Spiritual power began to gather inbetween them, reflecting off each other with the Dai Meridian that was encircling his waist. As he relished the sensation of his bodily mana filling up, he could feel his Divine Sense was already extremely exhausted. For half a year, he had been cultivating without rest or sleep, and he had now truly reached his limit. Gauging his current state, it was clear that he could not continue trying to condense other meridians. By the time his Dantian and meridians couldn¡¯t accommodate any more mana, Shen Luo finally put away the magic spell and stopped cultivating. ¡°It seems the aptitude of this body really isn¡¯t up to par. It¡¯s like the difference between heaven and earth compared to that in the dream!¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself with a hint of self-mockery, gradually rising from the ground. After storing the stone box in his sleeve, he walked towards the outside of the secret chamber. At this moment, it was not only the three people from Bai Hecheng on the lakeshore. Many guest officials from the Bai Family had also detected the abnormality of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here and had gathered. However, the expressions of the crowd looking towards this side were all somewhat strange, filled with both curiosity and doubt. Under the gaze of the crowd, Shen Luo with his hair disheveled walked out of the entrance of the rockery. Everything around was snow-white, the reflected light was somewhat dazzling. He subconsciously raised his hand to shade his forehead, then he managed to see the situation around him, and for a moment, he was somewhat taken aback. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­¡± As Bai Xiaoyun shouted, he immediately rushed over from afar, grabbing Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why are you all here?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, asking. ¡°Our Bai Family has one more guest official in the Grain Avoidance Stage, this can¡¯t be considered a trivial matter, of course, we had to come over to congratulate you.¡± Bai Hecheng came over with a face full of smiles, saying this. Upon hearing these words, everyone was fully convinced that Shen Luo truly had a successful breakthrough. So, whether they had a good relationship with Shen Luo before or not, all the guest officials on the shore came up one after another to congratulate him at this moment. If it¡¯s said that Shen Luo¡¯s current cultivation level at the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance wasn¡¯t worth their praises, then the progress he has made in just over a year was enough to astonish everyone. However, Shen Luo keenly noticed that Xie Yuxin, who once had a private relationship with him, was not among the crowd. Without giving it much thought, Shen Luo returned to his small house in the woods after exchanging pleasantries with everyone present. Not long after, Bai Xiaoyun rushed over with a few maidservants, helping him clean up the long uninhabited house and also helped him wash up with hot water. After washing up, Shen Luo still looked somewhat haggard, although it was much better than the way he looked before. ¡­¡­ Recommend my friend Xia Qian¡¯s new book ¡°Spacetime Armor Journey¡±^^ This is a story about an ordinary modern person, Once the soul beats, Enters into an adventure in the Time and Space River at the Spacetime Bridgehead. It¡¯s a story about enjoying life as a human, The story of being a big collector, And the story of working and fighting frenziedly as a robot. It¡¯s a story about establishing one¡¯s own spacetime line, And the story of forging the Spacetime Bridgehead in ancient times. It¡¯s a story about soul cultivation. The protagonist is forced to wander in the Time and Space River in order to survive, Mistake! It¡¯s not wandering, it¡¯s wandering! (Non-system novel, but stronger than a system novel.) Note: This is a book written purely for fun by Lao Xiao. Note again: This story takes place in a parallel world, completely unrelated to the real world, it¡¯s fictional, fictional! Lastly, the technology and machines, souls and genes in the book are all purely imaginative. Just enjoy it, don¡¯t take it seriously, if you do, you lose. Chapter 284: Defection Afterward, the maidservants departed one after another, only Bai Xiaoyun stayed behind. He brought Shen Luo a token of high-ranking Guest Official and a congratulatory gift of twenty pieces of Immortal jade. ¡°Father said that he wanted to give you the token long ago, but it was not in line with the rules of the mansion, and he feared it might bring unnecessary trouble for you. Now that Big Brother Shen, you are a Grain Avoidance Cultivator, it is reasonable and justified. These twenty pieces of Immortal jade are a personal congratulatory gift from Father, and there are also twenty pieces of Immortal jade prepared by the Bai Mansion for high-ranking Guest Officials. However, they need to go through the mansion¡¯s account book and will be delivered later.¡± Bai Xiaoyun looked at Shen Luo, with an admiration in his eyes, and spoke. ¡°Please thank the Family Head for me when you go back. In a couple of days, I will go and thank him personally.¡± Shen Luo smiled and replied. ¡°We can talk about that later. Heh, Big Brother Shen, first tell me, how did you cultivate to the Grain Avoidance Stage in such a short period of time? I, over this year, have barely made it to the third layer of the Qi Refining Stage.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes were sparkling with curiosity, as he asked. ¡°Only diligence.¡± Shen Luo neither agreed nor disagreed with his remark. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Bai Xiaoyun raised his eyebrows, and asked. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Shen Luo confirmed. ¡°Just this? Big brother Shen, you¡¯re being too vague¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun said disappointingly. However, after he finished speaking, his expression darkened slightly, revealing a hint of worry. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Noticing this, Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows and asked. ¡°Big brother Shen, to be honest, some incidents did occur in the family while you were in seclusion.¡± Bai Xiaoyun replied. ¡°How so? Has any trouble arisen again?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Xie Yuxin has betrayed us and fled.¡± Bai Xiaoyun hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Betrayed and fled? Why would she do that?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback at the surprising news. ¡°It¡¯s unclear. No one expected her to steal the secret scripture of our Bai Family¡¯s God-descent Technique. Perhaps, her motives had been impure since the very beginning when she entered our Bai Family. After that, she escaped from Jianye City and has been missing-¡± Bai Xiaoyun shook his head. ¡°No wonder, today when I came out, I noticed that the expressions of all the Guest Officials were somewhat strange.¡± Shen Luo nodded after mulling over it for a moment. ¡°Big Brother Shen, now you have taken her place and become the only Grain Avoidance Cultivator among the Guest Officials of our Bai Family.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said with a serious face. Hearing this, Shen Luo nodded silently without uttering another word. ¡­ Time flew by, and another month or so passed. Shen Luo¡¯s body had largely recovered, so he planned to leave the Bai Family and return home to visit. In the year or so since he left home, Chunhua County had remained peaceful with no news of any demon traces, while he himself had broken through the bottleneck and reached the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance, thus gaining some means to protect himself. The time to return to Chunhua County had come. After bidding farewell to Bai Hecheng, he packed his stone pillow, ready to set off on his journey home. At the time of his departure, Bai Hecheng and Bai Jiangfeng personally came to see him off. They had prepared a carriage for Shen Luo and even arranged a maidservant to serve him on the road, but he only accepted a fast horse, rejecting all the rest. ¡°On this journey home, please send my regards to your mother.¡± Bai Hecheng said with a smile. ¡°I will.¡± Shen Luo bowed in response. ¡°Young Master Shen, if nothing¡¯s happening at home, come back early. The old man still has some ideas about talismans that he wants to discuss with you thoroughly.¡± Bai Jiangfeng also showed a smile and said. ¡°Since I¡¯ve stepped onto the path of cultivation, I suppose I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay at home much.¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°That¡¯s good then, haha¡­¡± Bai Jiangfeng laughed freely. ¡°Today, why is Xiao Yun not seen? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s secluded himself again?¡± Shen Luo noticed Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s absence around the door and shared his unexpected thoughts. ¡°That boy, so stubborn, thinks that cultivation at home is too slow, so he left a letter saying he was going to seek opportunities in Chang¡¯an, probably went to Hua Sheng Temple. I¡¯ve already sent people to notify the old friends there to keep an eye out for him.¡± Bai Hecheng rubbed his eyes, expressing his concern with an exasperated tone. Shen Luo thought back to the day when Bai Xiaoyun had asked him about cultivation, now realizing that there were early signs. However, he felt somewhat reassured. ¡°It seems that he¡¯s really committed to cultivation. I¡¯ll have to look at him in a new light.¡± Shen Luo laughed. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Bai Hecheng had no rebuttal and merely smiled, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. Afterwards, Shen Luo excused himself and led his horse out of the city, heading towards Chunhua County. It was late at night, and heavy snow was falling. After the two-hour period, Song Fan County Town had already closed its city gate. Outside the city, under the gate, there was a man and a horse standing in the snow. The man wore a bamboo hat and a white fur overcoat, and he sat on his horse looking disgruntled. It was Shen Luo. ¡°If I had known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have taken this detour. This Song Fan County Town really is in opposition to me¡­¡± He sighed, turned his horse and headed towards the eastern part of the city. Shen Luo had already been on the road for half a month coming back from Jianye. His detour to Song Fan County was to check on Mr. and Mrs. Yu Dadan. They should have had their baby by now, how are they doing? Unexpectedly, the cottage by the ferry was already empty. After asking around, Shen Luo discovered that the couple had suddenly struck rich and started a new business, having already moved somewhere else. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t sure if the sudden wealth people were talking about was the silver he had sent them, but knowing that they were doing well now brought him peace of mind. In no time, he arrived at the bustling small town to the east of the city. From a distance, one could see the lit-up town and its red light, which radiated a hint of warmth in the snowy night. In the town, Shen Luo led his horse down the street, the horse¡¯s hooves clattering on the blue stone slabs, producing a crisp sound. He looked around at the taverns and inns in town, noticing that most of them were already closed for the night. The few that were still open had thick curtains hanging at the entrance to keep out the cold, and no longer had attendants outside soliciting business. Shen Luo continued to walk into the town, planning to stay at the inn run by Manager Hou. However, when he found the unassuming corner from his memory, he didn¡¯t see the modestly decorated inn. Instead, there was a new inn with a tall gate tower and gorgeous carvings. Shen Luo looked up and saw a new golden plaque hanging above the door, it read ¡°Fairy Residence¡±. ¡°Could it be that Manager Hou¡¯s inn was taken over and the management has changed?¡± Shen Luo wondered. Since he couldn¡¯t find the familiar inn anymore, it didn¡¯t matter where he stayed next. Shen Luo tied up his horse, pulled open the inn¡¯s curtain, and was greeted with the aroma of food. He immediately felt a pang of hunger and stepped inside. The inn had undergone major renovations and looked completely different from before. Although it was late at night, there were quite a few diners in the main hall. It was somewhat noisy, but it was warm and full of worldly life. Chapter 285: Business is Booming The shop assistant busied himself. Upon noticing Shen Luo walking in, he quickly signaled him to take a seat at a table and poured him a bowl of hot tea, before asking: ¡°Sir, Would you like to have a quick meal or to lodge? ¡°Lodge.¡± Shen Luo replied, taking off his bamboo hat and placing it on the table. ¡°Very well, sir. We still have a few vacant rooms in our establishment. Once you¡¯ve eaten and drunk to your heart¡¯s content, I¡¯ll show you to your room,¡± said the very clever assistant. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What are the specialties of this place?¡± Shen Luo asked. Just as the assistant was about to answer, an excited shout came from the side: ¡°Master Shen, is that you?¡± Shen Luo recognized the familiar voice, he looked over quickly and indeed, he saw a familiar face. ¡°Xiao San?¡± He raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°It really is you, Master Shen,¡± the young assistant in the blue cloth robe excitedly stepped forward. ¡°You are here¡­¡± Shen Luo pointed around, unsure of what to say. ¡°Everything has changed drastically, but it¡¯s all thanks to you, Master Shen,¡± Xiao San joyfully exclaimed. Shen Luo furrowed his brows at his words, not quite understanding. ¡°Master Shen, wait here, I will get Manager Hou. When he finds out that you¡¯re here, he¡¯ll be overjoyed. ¡± Xiao San rushed towards the back of the establishment, his face full of joy. The other patrons in the restaurant were looking at each other, not understanding what was happening. The former assistant was just as confused. He was new to the establishment and had never seen Xiao San so worked up before. Soon, a middle-aged man wearing a civil officer hat, rushed out from the back. Upon seeing him, Shen Luo recognized him as Manager Hou. However, he seemed to have gained a good deal of weight since their first meeting, lacking his previous thin figure. ¡°Goodness, it really is Master Shen. Come, let¡¯s go upstairs. Xiao San, tell the kitchen to prepare the best dishes and wine. Bring them up when they¡¯re ready.¡± Manager Hou had a more excited look on his face than Xiao San after seeing Shen Luo. ¡°What is going on?¡± a puzzled Shen Luo asked. Under the curious gaze of the crowd, Shen Luo accompanied Manager Hou to an upstairs private room. ¡°Honoured Master, your visit adds great value to our humble establishment.¡± As soon as Shen Luo sat, Manager Hou respectfully bowed and said. ¡°Manager Hou, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him up and asked. ¡°Did Master Shen forget?¡± Manager Hou asked in return with a smile. ¡°Forget¡­what are you referring to, Manager Hou?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s really true what they say about ¡®Great gentlemen often forget.¡¯ Master Shen, you are the nobleman to our Fairy Residence. Do you remember the ¡®Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman¡¯ you helped me write?¡± Manager Hou asked, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± Shen Luo remembered immediately upon Hou¡¯s reminder. ¡°Master Shen, ever since that Talisman was posted in my shop, our mediocre business suddenly took a turn for the better. The daily average revenue doubled from before, and all of this is thanks to you,¡± said Manager Hou, his eyes full of joy. ¡°The Talisman only attracts wealth and fortune, whether those can be kept depends on the host of the place. As the saying goes, ¡®Those who do good deeds are often rewarded.¡¯ Manager Hou, you are a man of good deeds, and you certainly deserve this fortune,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. When he created the Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman, Shen Luo did it simply upon the request of Manager Hou. Although he felt a slight resonance while drawing the talisman, he wasn¡¯t very confident about its effectiveness. After all, as with many other qi fortunes, the nature of wealth is elusive and hard to fathom. However, it was clear Manager Hou believed in it wholeheartedly. While the two were speaking, Xiao San, accompanied by two other assistants, brought plate after plate of delicacies to their table. Shen Luo was now in the early stages of the Grain Avoidance phase, and even though he didn¡¯t require grains as sustenance, this didn¡¯t mean delicious food had lost its charm for him. So, he and Manager Hou toasted and exchanged drinks, having a hearty meal together. In the end, fired up by the wine, Manager Hou, with a flush on his face, came back carrying an old book bound with green skin thread. The book cover was full of worm marks, and the paper had yellowed, evidently showing a certain age. ¡°Master Shen, this book of talismans was passed down from my ancestors. It doesn¡¯t have a name, and we have no use for it. I¡¯d like to give it to you today as a token of good faith, to prevent it from being buried in oblivion,¡± said Manager Hou. ¡°I am unable to accept such a precious heirloom.¡± Shen Luo, having no trace of intoxication, hastily waved his hand in refusal. ¡°Master Shen, do you remember that day you said you¡¯d return to collect your remuneration once I made my fortune? Material offerings of gold and silver would probably not catch your eye, this is all I can give in return,¡± Manager Hou said waving his hand. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated once again. ¡°Don¡¯t reject it, Master Shen. In the past, we didn¡¯t even know if this book about talismans was authentic or not. Keeping it at home meant that it was only benefitting the insects. I¡¯ll confess, the Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman I gave you was torn from this book, proof of its authenticity. Now, handing it over to you will ensure this precious artifact won¡¯t remain hidden. Please, do not refuse,¡± said Manager Hou earnestly, trying to persuade Shen Luo. ¡°In this case, any further refusal on my part would be discourteous,¡± Shen Luo acknowledged, slightly thankful. He took the old green-covered book, quickly flipped through it, and discovered that the book was written using a small awl and a brush pen. At first glance, the handwriting seemed sloppy, but upon closer inspection, it appeared to follow a certain pattern. However, Shen Luo, not being an expert in this field, couldn¡¯t discern much from the book¡¯s wild cursive. The book recorded several talismans, merely seven or eight in total, but the massive amount of text inside detailed the ways to draw these talismans and their effects. The Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman, torn from the book, was also included in its original place. After having their fill, Manager Hou staggered home full of delight while Shen Luo retired to his room. Early in the morning the next day, he bid his goodbyes and left. After leaving Song Fan County, instead of heading directly back to Chunhua County Town, he made his way straight to Qinghua Mountain. The quiet Tuji Town at the base of the mountain remained relatively unchanged and quite familiar. Scanning the street, he recognized a few familiar faces. However, with his bamboo hat on, no one recognized him. He ate lunch at the Hongyun Building in the town, and quickly made his way up the mountain. Despite the mountain being enveloped in heavy snow, indistinguishable roads, and some areas impassable by horse, Shen Luo had to tether his horse in the woods and make his way on foot. Chapter 286: Returning Home Having finally found the place, the scene before him had already changed drastically to the point of unfamiliarity. The mountain gate of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion had completely collapsed, and the various halls and houses on the mountain had also been burned down. Despite being covered by heavy snow, he could still see the horrific black scorch marks everywhere. Shen Luo then glanced at the blue stone flat where he used to live, which was also burnt to ashes. Finally, he lit three sticks of incense at the important relics of the Pavilion, such as the mountain gate, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, and the Jade Emperor Hall. After paying his respects, he left the mountain. On his way back, he secretly thought that if he had the chance in the future, he would surely rebuild the Spring and Autumn Pavilion on this site. By the time he returned to Chunhua County Town, it was early the next morning. The city gate of the county town had not yet opened, but Shen Luo was already waiting outside the gate. With the sound of a distant morning bell, the city gate finally slowly opened inward. Before Shen Luo could enter, he saw a large crowd inside the city gate, rushing out all at once towards the city¡¯s outskirts. He didn¡¯t know what had happened and could only hide to the side with some farmers who were waiting to enter the city to sell their vegetables and fruits. However, judging by the relaxed expressions on the faces of the surrounding farmers, it seemed they were already accustomed to this. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on? Why are these people rushing out of the city so early in the morning?¡± Shen Luo squeezed up to a dark-skinned farmer and asked. ¡°Young man, are you from out of town?¡± The farmer looked Shen Luo up and down as he asked. ¡°I live in the city, but haven¡¯t returned for quite some time.¡± Shen Luo casually explained. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No wonder¡­ those people are heading to Yuanzhu Temple on the outskirts of the city to burn incense. Every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, Yuanzhu Temple opens its doors, giving out alms and food while allowing the faithful to enter the temple to burn incense and make wishes.¡± The farmer looked enlightened as he explained. ¡°I know about Yuanzhu Temple. It¡¯s been in existence for many years, but I¡¯ve never heard of it being so popular?¡± Shen Luo was puzzled after hearing this. ¡°That was in the past. Yuanzhu Temple nowadays is quite remarkable!¡± The farmer waved his hand at Shen Luo, his waist cocked to one side. ¡°What¡¯s so remarkable? Could you please explain, brother?¡± Shen Luo was curious and asked. ¡°Two years ago, indeed, Yuanzhu Temple hardly had any incense burning. But in recent years, we don¡¯t know if an eminent monk has taken over or if a deity has blessed them, but it has become a place where all prayers are answered. It¡¯s truly miraculous.¡± The farmer said, marveling at the mystery. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo realized it was just some superstitious hearsay and immediately lost interest. He turned his gaze towards the city gate, just waiting for the crowded people to disperse before entering the city to return home. The farmer noticed that Shen Luo had stopped asking questions halfway through and was left feeling somewhat annoyed. He started speaking again on his own: ¡°Young man, you may not know this, but behind the Guanyin Hall in Yuanzhu Temple, there is a sweet water well. Every woman who makes a vow in the temple and takes a small sip from that well, assuredly becomes pregnant when she returns home.¡± ¡°Is it really that miraculous?¡± Shen Luo didn¡¯t quite believe it and responded somewhat perfunctorily. ¡°Indeed¡­ People say that the well¡¯s water has been blessed with jade dewdrops from the treasure vase held by the Goddess of Childbirth. I¡¯ve heard that even a woman in her fifties in the city became pregnant after drinking from the well.¡± The farmer lowered his voice and said in a serious manner. Hearing this, Shen Luo shook his head and laughed it off. As his gaze shifted slightly to the city gate, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a carriage slowly passing by among the crowd. Lifting a corner of the curtain revealed a girl¡¯s face, youthful yet exquisite and flawless. It was merely a fleeting glance before the girl let the curtain fall again and the carriage gradually moved away. ¡°Whose daughter is she, to be so fresh and charming?¡± Shen Luo was a bit stunned, looking at the receding carriage, his mind still in a daze. It wasn¡¯t until the farmer urged him to get out of the way that he came back to his senses. He laughed at himself, led his horse, and headed towards the alley where Shen Mansion was located. As Shen Luo approached his hometown after more than two years of training at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, an odd sense of trepidation filled his heart. He had not been home in over three years, and as he stood outside his own house, an unfamiliar emotion stirred within him as he looked at the front gate of his courtyard. At that moment, a modestly dressed old man came out from the inside of the Shen Mansion. He squinted at Shen Luo, who was standing outside his house and seemed to recognize him. He paused and stared at Shen Luo for a moment. Suddenly, the old man¡¯s expression changed slightly. He staggered forward, rubbed his aged eyes, and asked tentatively: ¡°Young Master, is that you?¡± ¡°Uncle Fu, I¡¯m back,¡± Shen Luo, lifting his bamboo hat, responded with a smile. Upon hearing this, the old man hurried forward, uttering an exclamation, and quickly took the reins from Shen Luo¡¯s hand, chattering incessantly, ¡°Oh, how we¡¯ve waited for you, Young Master. Your father will be overjoyed to hear you¡¯re back¡­¡± Listening to Uncle Fu¡¯s ramblings, Shen Luo did not feel annoyed. Instead, he felt a long-lost sense of comfort. This was a feeling he could not experience while wandering outside. As they entered the courtyard, Uncle Fu took a deep breath and then, opening his toothless mouth, he shouted: ¡°The Young Master has returned¡­¡± Soon after, servants and maids who were cleaning around the courtyard quickly gathered in the front yard and greeted Shen Luo with respect. Shortly after, a middle-aged man in his forties hurried out from the rear hall, wrapped in a black mink fur overcoat. His hair was full of white and gray, and the corners of his eyes were crisscrossed with wrinkles, but his eyes shone with excitement. ¡°Child greets Father!¡± Upon seeing the man, who seemed to have aged even more since his memory, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes moistened slightly. ¡°Luo¡¯er¡­¡± Shen Yuange only managed to utter his name before his voice lodged in his throat. He stared at his significantly thinner face with sorrowful affection, at a loss for words. ¡°Big brother Luo is back¡­¡± A woman¡¯s voice came from behind. As Shen Luo turned his head, he saw a beautiful woman leading two young children bustling towards him, the Second Mother and two half-siblings with the same father but different mothers. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Before they reached Shen Luo, the young girl let go of the woman¡¯s hand and ran towards him with small, broken steps. ¡°Three years apart and it seems Mumu has grown taller.¡± Shen Luo stretched out his hand to measure the girl¡¯s height and said with a smile. ¡°Brother, why have you become so thin? Have you suffered a lot outside?¡± Shen Mumu¡¯s clean little face wrinkled immediately as she worriedly asked. ¡°Nothing to worry about, everything is fine.¡± Shen Luo ruffled her hair and assured her. ¡°Big Brother.¡± Meanwhile, his younger brother, Shen Ci, came over respectfully. ¡°Not bad, you have also grown a lot, a bit like a big brother now.¡± Shen Luo patted his shoulder and said. The young boy was still a little intimidated by his elder brother. Even while standing together, he deliberately avoided his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t stand around talking here. Let¡¯s go inside and sit down. Uncle Fu, order the kitchen to prepare a banquet, make it grand.¡± The woman said with a face full of smiles. ¡°Second Mother, there¡¯s no need to fuss, just prepare some home-cooked meals. Being away for so many years, I¡¯ve missed them,¡± laughed Shen Luo. ¡°How can that be? It¡¯s not every day you come back. We should have a good meal. You could also accompany your father to drink¡­¡± She stopped suddenly, realizing that Shen Luo, frail since childhood, hardly ever touched alcohol. ¡°I should drink a few cups with Father,¡± Shen Luo said, smiling. As they spoke, everyone returned to the hall and sat around a round table. Chapter 287: Marriage Matters Shen Yuange sat in the main seat, with Shen Luo sitting beside him, and Shen Mumu insisting on sitting together with him. She knew that Shen Luo was away from home cultivating the Dao, so she had many questions to ask him. Yet, with their parents present, it was not appropriate for her to speak out. The Second Madam, with Shen Ci by her side, sat across from them, her face full of joy as she kept her eyes on Shen Luo. Shen Luo, who rarely saw such sincere smiles on Second Mother¡¯s face, couldn¡¯t help but feel something was not quite right. ¡°Luo¡¯er, it¡¯s a little strange. I sent a letter to Jianye just half a month ago. Even if you rushed back, you should have just received the letter. How did you manage to come back so quickly today?¡± Shen Yuange asked. ¡°Father, I had already departed from Jianye a month ago and did not receive your family letter,¡± Shen Luo said, surprised. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t receive the letter? That explains it,¡± Shen Yuange laughed. ¡°Father, did you suddenly send me a letter because there¡¯s an urgent matter at home?¡± Shen Luo asked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°Luo¡¯er, there¡¯s no urgent matter. We just have a marriage proposal,¡± the Second Madam announced before Shen Yuange could speak. As she spoke, her eyes sparkled, and she looked very happy. Bemused, Shen Luo asked, ¡°What marriage proposal? Shen Ci and Mumu are still kids;they surely aren¡¯t going to get married now, are they?¡± ¡°Not their marriage, yours.¡± The Second Madam pointed at Shen Luo and clarified. ¡°My marriage? Second Mother, you must be joking. I¡¯m cultivating in the mountains. How can there be talk of marriage?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Luo¡¯er, your Second Mother is not joking. It is indeed your marriage, which was decided when you were young. You were troubled by the negative Qi and walking a precarious path in life, so I never thought to mention it to you,¡± Shen Yuange also said. ¡°Father, what on earth is going on?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow and asked. ¡°Your betrothed is called Nie Caizhu. She is the daughter of a distant aunt, two years younger than you, actually your cousin. Although this aunt is not your mother¡¯s biological sister, their relationship is excellent. They decided your marriage together many years ago.¡± ¡°Father, since we have such a distant relative, why haven¡¯t I ever seen them?¡± Shen Luo asked, his brow slightly furrowed. The sudden discussion about his wedding perplexed him. His heart subconsciously resisted it. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Your cousin¡¯s family moved to Yunzhou many years ago. They run a restaurant and a pawnshop there, and have established a stable and wealthy life. However, shortly after your mother¡¯s death, your cousin¡¯s mother died as well, and our families became estranged,¡± Shen Yuange said slowly. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If we¡¯ve lost contact, why is this marriage being brought up again?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°After the contact was cut off, neither side mentioned the agreement again. I assumed the matter was resolved. However, half a month ago, your betrothed came from Yunzhou out of the blue,¡± Shen Yuange said after a pause. ¡°Did the Nie Family take the initiative to uphold the betrothal?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°The strange thing is, the person that came wasn¡¯t someone from the Nie Family¡¯s elders, but your betrothed herself. She came here with one maidservant,¡± Shen Yuange said with an odd look on his face. ¡°Could such a thing happen? Did Father ask Miss Nie why she came here all alone?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, his doubt deepening. ¡°Luo¡¯er, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything else. With a marriage contract in place, we certainly can¡¯t lose. Besides, haven¡¯t you seen young Miss Nie yet? She¡¯s a rare beauty, truly like a celestial being descended to earth,¡± the Second Madam suddenly spoke with superfluous praise. ¡°Brother, sister Cai Zhu is really beautiful, and she¡¯s also nice to Mumu. If she could be Mumu¡¯s sister-in-law, that would be wonderful,¡± Shen Mumu chimed in with a bright smile. ¡°I heard that Nie Family only has Cai Zhu as their sole daughter. She must be their precious pearl. Luo¡¯er, if you marry her, it would definitely be a profitable venture for us,¡± the Second Madam added with a beaming smile before Shen Luo could open his mouth. *Cough, cough* Shen Yuange coughed softly on one side, causing her to stop talking and glance carefully at Shen Luo. Shen Luo stayed silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°Since Miss Nie is in the residence, why haven¡¯t I seen her?¡± ¡°Sister Cai Zhu went to the Yuanzhu Temple to pray early in the morning. She might not return until noon,¡± Shen Mumu answered immediately. Shen Luo nodded, but still made no comment about the betrothal. Although he had no prejudice against his sudden betrothed, he felt uncomfortable when he heard the Second Madam¡¯s words, which sounded as though he was climbing up the social ladder at the latter¡¯s expense. This also made him somewhat averse to this marriage. Not to mention, he was already on the path of cultivating immortality, and he really had no interest in the worldly affairs of love. Just then, a flurry of noise came from outside the hall. Just as Shen Yuange was about to shout a rebuke, he saw a Shen family servant run in nervously and trip over in his haste. ¡°Master, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s bad, there¡¯s trouble¡­¡± The man shouted even before he could get up. Everyone in the hall changed their expressions. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What happened?¡± Shen Luo went over to help him up and asked. The servant stared at Shen Luo¡¯s face for a moment before he recognized him and quickly replied, ¡°Young Master, there¡¯s chaos outside the city. The people who went to pray at the Yuanzhu Temple were attacked by bandits, and Miss Nie was lost in the chaos¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Shen Yuange¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Oh dear, what are we waiting for? We need to report it to the officials right away!¡± the Second Madam exclaimed anxiously as she rose to her feet. ¡°Someone has already reported it to the Government Office, and they have sent people to arrest the bandits. They have even requested support from nearby troops. However, we just can¡¯t find Miss Nie¡­¡± The servant said, nearly sobbing. ¡°Rally everyone in the residence and head out of the city to search!¡± Shen Yuange ordered sternly. ¡°There is no need, I¡¯ll go have a look. Where did you people get separated? And, what was Miss Nie wearing today? Tell me every detail,¡± Shen Luo said, furrowing his brows. Upon hearing this, the servant finally calmed down and shared everything he knew with Shen Luo. ¡°Father, you all wait at home, I¡¯ll go check it out,¡± after saying so, Shen Luo walked towards the exit of the hall. ¡°Why are you still standing there? Go prepare the horse!¡± Shen Yuange glared at the servant and yelled. The servant quickly responded and ran off. Chapter 288: The Young Girl in the Temple ¡°No need.¡± Shen Luo had already arrived outside the courtyard, calling out. Just as everyone was taken aback, they saw a flash of light in Shen Luo¡¯s hand that was hidden in his sleeve. Following that, a wave of green light suddenly gushed out of his robe, wrapping his figure, lifting him off the ground, and in a flash, he disappeared far into the sky. The Shen family watched this scene, stunned and frozen in place. ¡°Luo bro, he¡­he flew away?¡± Second Mother pointed towards the sky, speaking in disbelief. ¡°Yes, brother really flew off.¡± Shen Mumu said with a full face of worship and certainty. Even though Shen Yuange was shocked, he had learned some of Shen Luo¡¯s experiences over the years from the letter, his eyes were filled with relief. He knew, not only was Shen Luo safe now, but his future was immeasurable. ¡­ Shen Luo flew at high speed, like a green rainbow streaking across the sky above Chunhua County. Some people in the city happened to look up and saw, causing a commotion. Some thought an immortal had appeared, some knelt and kowtowed, others clasped their hands in prayer. Shen Luo quickly left the city, heading in the direction of Yuanzhu Temple. Along the way, he could still see many scattered people, all fleeing towards the city. He hurriedly descended to ask them about Nie Caizhu. However, all of these people were terrified, some were incoherent, and didn¡¯t even notice Shen Luo descending from the sky, let alone provide any useful information. Shen Luo had no choice but to ascend into the sky again, scanning the ground like a patrolling eagle, searching with the naked eye. Suddenly, he saw a girl wearing a green ruqun hiding next to a dead tree on the roadside. He quickly descended. As soon as he landed, the girl, who had already been frightened, screamed. ¡°Miss, are you Nie¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s words were cut off halfway, he was stunned in place. The girl in front of him had messy hair, a pair of uneven eyes, a turned-up nose and a prognathous jaw. She seemed to have been running in such a hurry that she had broken one of her shoes, with a few toes helplessly sticking out. ¡°Miss, have you seen a girl¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly described Nie Caizhu¡¯s dress and appearance. ¡°No, who can notice while running?¡± The girl spoke in a husky voice, sounding displeased. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo thanked her and turned to leave. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Young master, I too am a lady, you won¡¯t even escort me for a bit in this wilderness?¡± Unexpectedly, the girl suddenly spoke again, her voice softening a bit. ¡°The government officials have already sent people to chase the bandits, there¡¯s no danger on the way back to the city, Miss, you better go back by yourself.¡± Shen Luo dropped these words and ran away as if he was escaping. When he was a fair distance away, he soared into the sky again. After a while, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze suddenly flashed. He saw that on the road below, the baskets of pilgrims and offered fruits were scattered all around. There were a few carriages toppled over haphazardly it seemed to be the place where the bandits initially attacked. At this point, his eyebrows puckered, and his gaze immediately fell on one of the carriages, which seemed strangely familiar. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± A sense of unease overcame him and he quickly descended. As Shen Luo approached, he found that it was indeed the carriage he had seen at the city gate in the morning. He hurried over, carefully lifting the curtain of the carriage to inspect its inside. Luckily, there was no one inside the carriage which was clean without a trace of blood, only a faint sweet and unobtrusive scent remained. ¡°Yuanzhu Temple is not far from here. If she hasn¡¯t been abducted, most people would probably flee in that direction?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, then soared into the sky again, heading straight for Yuanzhu Temple. The big gate of Yuanzhu Temple was also wide open, the interior was in disarray, many sutra banners knocked down, and the Buddhist banners nearby were torn, it seemed that thieves had also broken in. Shen Luo mentally asked the Buddha for forgiveness and directly flew over the temple¡¯s mountain gate, heading for the great hall in the inner courtyard. Soon, he found that although the temple was in a mess, there were no signs of fighting. The monks in the temple were either escaped or hidden, there was not a person in sight. Just then, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly caught sight of a young woman in a goose-yellow dress leaning against a well behind a great hall. He quickly landed in the courtyard and hurriedly walked towards her. As he got closer, Shen Luo could see more clearly. The woman had skin as fair as snow, eyes as dark as ink. Her eyebrows, thinly scattered, and the height of her nose were all just right. Though there was still a touch of youthfulness, she was already exceedingly beautiful. ¡°It¡¯s her¡­¡± A thought flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. She was the woman he had encountered in the carriage earlier. He hurried forward, intending to speak, when he heard her give a faint gasp and turn to throw herself into the nearby well. Shen Luo instantly moved, using Slanting Moon Steps, in a flash, he arrived at the edge of the well, caught hold of the woman¡¯s shoulder, and pulled her back. ¡°Miss, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo hurriedly asked. The woman was obviously terrified. She didn¡¯t dare to open her eyes to see Shen Luo, but just struggled hastily, waving her arms, trying to escape and shouted, ¡°Let go of me, let go of me¡­¡± ¡°Miss, first open your eyes and see if I¡¯m really a villain?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo, a little helpless, shook the woman¡¯s shoulder, his voice as gentle as possible. At his words, the woman¡¯s resistance weakened slightly. She cautiously opened her eyes, took a peek at Shen Luo, immediately turned her head away, not daring to look more. However, after she¡¯d had that quick look, she seemed to realize that Shen Luo was not like the villains she had seen before. So, she turned her face again, slowly opened her eyes, and looked carefully, before she was convinced that he was not one of those bandits. ¡°Miss, what happened to you?¡± Shen Luo saw her wearing a fine cloud brocade cotton dress, but it was damp when he touched it, which made him somewhat puzzled. ¡°Young Master, you should let me go first.¡± The woman said softly, her face flushing red. Only then did Shen Luo realize that he was still holding her shoulder. He quickly apologized and embarrassingly let go of his hands. ¡°I arrived at Yuanzhu Temple this morning to burn incense and was attacked by bandits on the way, and got separated from my companions. I was chased by two thieves and in panic, I fled here, hiding in that well. I only climbed out just now when I heard no movement.¡± She moved back slightly from him and explained. It was the peak of winter, the woman was half-soaked, her lips were already starting to turn a little purple from the cold, and her voice was slightly trembling as she spoke. Shen Luo, feeling pity, immediately took off his overcoat and draped it over the woman. ¡°It is so cold, if you let it get to you, you could fall gravely ill.¡± The woman instinctively tried to dodge, but Shen Luo didn¡¯t allow for any objections, and fastened the overcoat on her, he said. ¡°Thank you, young master.¡± Hearing this, she nodded slightly with a touch of embarrassment and softly said. Chapter 289: Nie Caizhu Shen Luo needed to continue his search for his cousin Nie Caizhu, so naturally, he could not tarry here. He spoke, ¡°Miss, when I was on the road, I no longer saw any signs of the bandits, it seems they have already been driven away by the government officials. If you are unharmed, you can return to the county town on your own.¡± ¡°Thank you for your advice, young man.¡± The girl slightly bowed and replied. Shen Luo gave her a respectful nod, turned around with the intention to leave. At that moment, there was a sudden flash of insight in his mind. He turned around abruptly, looking up and down at the attire worn by the girl standing in front of him, a strange look flashed in his eyes as he asked: ¡°I find you somewhat unfamiliar, and your accent also differs greatly, you seem to be not from around here?¡± Hearing this, the young girl showed a hesitant expression, seemingly ambivalent. Out of courtesy, she answered truthfully: ¡°I am from Yunzhou. I arrived in Chunhua County only half a month ago.¡± ¡°Forgive me for being presumptuous, may I ask for your name?¡± Upon hearing the word ¡°Yunzhou¡±, Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrow raised unknowingly. ¡°Young master, I appreciate your help offering your coat. However, since we are but strangers who met by chance, please forgive me for not disclosing my personal information.¡± Seeing this, the girl¡¯s eyes flashed with a trace of resistance, expressing her refusal as she was about to take off the fur overcoat to return it to Shen Luo. ¡°It was inappropriate of me.¡± Shen Luo immediately raised his hand to stop her, apologizing. ¡°Based on your previous remarks, it seems like you rushed here from the city. You must be busy, so it¡¯s best not to delay further. Could you leave me your name and address so that I can have someone return the coat to you later?¡± Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s reaction, the girl¡¯s expression softened as she asked. ¡°I was originally here to chase the bandits, but now they¡¯ve all retreated, there really isn¡¯t much to attend to. Why don¡¯t I escort you back to the county town, so as to save the trouble of you returning the borrowed coat. Moreover, even though there are no bandits sighted on the way back to town, it doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be any criminals with malicious intentions taking advantage of the chaos.¡± Shen Luo spoke thus. Hearing his words, the girl turned towards Shen Luo, her eyes filled with suspicion, as if to question, ¡°How do I know you aren¡¯t one of those criminals?¡± ¡°Miss, if I¡¯m the malicious criminal type, currently isn¡¯t it the perfect chance to commit any crime? Why would I go to such great lengths to trick you into returning to the town together?¡± Shen Luo sighed, expressing his helplessness. ¡°I apologize, I was being overly suspicious.¡± Having hearing his words, she thought for a while and seemed to find some reasoning in them, so she gave a nod of agreement. Noticing her simplicity and naivety, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain sentiment. Such a delicate young lady, how could she have travelled through mountains and rivers, journeyed thousands of miles to Chunhua County alone? ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s set off back now.¡± Shen Luo gestured with his hand and said. Having said that, he turned around and walked towards the gate of the temple. The girl lagged a few steps behind, then followed reluctantly. ¡°My name is Nie Caizhu.¡± After only a few steps, a voice came from behind Shen Luo. ¡°So, it is Miss Nie. My apologies for not recognising you.¡± Shen Luo secretly thought to himself, ¡°It is indeed as expected,¡± responding steadily without revealing any change in his facial expression. Nie Caizhu saw that Shen Luo didn¡¯t introduce himself after her introduction, she pursed her lips and remained silent. The two of them continued their journey towards the front yard, and as they passed by the Hall of Heavenly Kings, they suddenly heard a loud noise. Two burly men kicked open the palace door and rushed out. This sudden change startled Nie Caizhu, and she subconsciously took a step forward to follow closely behind Shen Luo. Shen Luo, on the other hand, stood still, peering at the palace door. He saw the two men dressed casually with a steel knife each hanging around their waist, not like ordinary temple pilgrims at all. One of them was disfigured by a scar on his face, and the other was a one-eyed man. Both of their faces were twisted into ferocious expressions. ¡°Gentlemen, is there a matter I could assist with?¡± Shen Luo asked with a calm demeanor. ¡°Tsk tsk, this pretty boy is quite lucky, having such a beautiful lady by his side.¡± The scar-faced man completely ignored Shen Luo¡¯s question, with his eyes shamelessly wandering about Nie Caizhu¡¯s body. ¡°Lucky boy, you are pretty lucky to have met us, as we¡¯ll spare your life. Leave the money and valuables you have on you and get away. As for this pretty lady, we will take her back to our lair as the Bandit Chief¡¯s wife.¡± The one-eyed man licked his chapped lips with his tongue, narrowing his one eye. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How bold of you two, the government has already sent officers to catch you, are you not afraid and fleeing away?¡± Shen Luo pretended to be astonished, pointed at the two men and exclaimed. ¡°Pretty boy, do you know the saying ¡®the darkest place is under the candlestick¡¯? Officers are in pursuit of others, they are not aware of us hiding here. Spare the talking, if you don¡¯t scram, we will give you a taste of our knives first.¡± The two men weren¡¯t scared at all by the threat, instead, they started laughing. ¡°You two should hold yourselves back. I¡¯ve been practicing martial arts since I was young, I am not afraid of you¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo continued to pretend to be calm. The two men didn¡¯t believe a word Shen Luo said because of his frail appearance, so they drew their metal knives and started approaching Shen Luo step by step. ¡°In case a fight really starts, you should run first.¡± Shen Luo whispered his instructions to Nie Caizhu. ¡°You¡¯re unarmed, don¡¯t try to fight them, we should run separately. Surely, one of us would be able to escape.¡± Nie Caizhu grabbed his sleeves and whispered back. This remark surprised Shen Luo. The targets of the bandits were Nie Caizhu;if they ran separately, the one who could successfully escape wouldn¡¯t be her. He turned around and looked at her and saw that although her face was filled with fear, there was a determined look in her eyes. She was already holding her skirt in preparation to run at any time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just two petty thieves. No need to be concerned.¡± Shen Luo saw this and couldn¡¯t bring himself to continue pretending, so he smiled at her. Looking at Shen Luo¡¯s warm smile, Nie Caizhu felt inexplicably reassured. The hand that had been gripping her skirt loosened a bit. ¡°Annoyingly slow, die!¡± The scar-faced man already felt impatient and ran up with his knife ready to hack at Shen Luo from behind. ¡°Be careful¡­¡± Nie Caizhu gave a startled cry. Shen Luo still had a smile on his face. He leaned his body slightly to the side to evade the attack, not even turning around. The blade of the scar-faced man swept across Shen Luo¡¯s clothes and came to a halt against the ground. Shen Luo shot one finger forward against the scar-faced man¡¯s hand that was holding the knife. ¡°Pop!¡± With a crisp sound, the scar-faced man¡¯s grip loosened, and the steel knife slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground. In his mouth, he let out a mournful cry, his hand bones had been shattered. Since Shen Luo¡¯s movements were very small, the one-eyed man didn¡¯t know what had happened. He only saw his companion suddenly fell to the ground and howled, so he immediately rushed forward with his knife. Shen Luo footwork shifted, and in a twinkling his body was in front of the one-eyed man. He held out his hand to lightly press on the man¡¯s neck. The one-eyed man¡¯s body immediately softened, and his eyeballs rolled up into his head as he fainted. Chapter 290: Unmarried Fiancee Nie Caizhu looked at this scene with wide eyes and a face full of disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before that I practiced martial arts from a young age, but you didn¡¯t believe¡­¡± Seeing her reaction, Shen Luo blew on his palm and muttered to himself. After speaking, he lifted his toe, gently touched the temple area of scarface, who had been writhing in pain just now, and scarface immediately blacked out and passed out. ¡°Miss Nie, let¡¯s go,¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and spoke softly. ¡°They¡­¡± Nie Caizhu looked at the two men lying on the ground and hesitated. ¡°They just passed out and won¡¯t wake up for seven or eight hours, they won¡¯t run away.¡± Shen Luo laughed and said. Nie Caizhu finally felt at ease and followed Shen Luo out of Yuanzhu Temple, heading for the county town. After what had just happened, the relationship between them had unconsciously gotten closer, and they had gone from one ahead and the other behind to walking side by side. ¡°Miss Nie, Yunzhou is more than a thousand miles away, what brings you this far to Chunhua County?¡± Shen Luo casually asked. ¡°To be honest, I traveled all this way just to meet someone,¡± Nie Caizhu replied. ¡°That said, this person must be extremely important to you,¡± Shen Luo suggested with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Important¡­ perhaps not. He is my fiance, but I¡¯ve never met him before,¡± Nie Caizhu pondered for a moment, then said. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why is this?¡± Shen Luo knew the answer but asked intentionally. ¡°It¡¯s a bit absurd. My fianc¨¦ is my distant cousin, and we have a childhood betrothal agreement¡­¡± After a moment of contemplation, Nie Caizhu began to share her story. It turned out that ever since Nie Caizhu¡¯s mother had passed away, the Nie family had cut off contact with the Shen family. The Nie family didn¡¯t care about the Shen family, whose wealth and status were far inferior to theirs, and treated the marriage contract as if it didn¡¯t exist. The Shen family seemed aware of their situation and did not actively contact the Nie family to fulfill the contract, which the Nie family was quite satisfied. Later, the Nie family saw that Nie Caizhu had reached the age of marriage, so they intended to form an alliance by marriage with the governor of Yunzhou and planned to marry her to the second son of the governor in order to strengthen the family¡¯s power. However, Nie Caizhu didn¡¯t fancy that notorious playboy in Yunzhou at all and claimed that she was already betrothed and strongly refused. The Nie family tried to persuade her to consider the family¡¯s interests and to understand the bigger picture. However, Nie Caizhu, who usually seemed soft and weak, was surprisingly tough on this matter. Regardless of the family¡¯s persuasion or covert coercion, she remained unmoved. Seeing that Nie Caizhu was unaffected, the family was forced to confine her and planned to forcibly marry her into the governor¡¯s mansion, finishing the matter before she could object. However, not long after, Nie Caizhu secretly broke out of the Nie mansion with her maidservant, carrying some gold and silver valuables. She dressed as a man and came to Chunhua County. Hearing her story, Shen Luo, a Grain Avoidance Cultivator, was shocked at how closely it mirrored the plots of popular stories. He knew that the Great Tang Kingdom as a whole was not a safe place, with demons and evil spirits causing trouble everywhere. How hard must it have been for Nie Caizhu, a weak girl, to safely arrive at the Shen house? ¡°Marriage has traditionally been decided by parents and matchmakers. It is rare to see a woman like Miss Nie who is willing to go against this norm,¡± Shen Luo sighed slightly, finding himself increasingly drawn to this straightforward, yet rebellious, woman. ¡°I may compromise on other matters, but other people can¡¯t decide my marriage for me,¡± Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes gleamed as she spoke. ¡°But, Miss Nie, have you ever considered the possibility that your betrothed husband might also be a playboy, or even unusually ugly, with bad behavior?¡± Shen Luo asked, glancing at Nie Caizhu. ¡°If he is indeed such a person, I will not marry him. My journey here to honor the agreement will become a matter of terminating it,¡± Nie Caizhu said without hesitation. However, after her words, she smiled, her face seeming as resplendent as an unfolding white cloud, which even made Shen Luo momentarily dazzled. ¡°But after meeting my fiance¡¯s family, I¡¯m confident he¡¯s not a playboy,¡± Nie Caizhu added. ¡°How so?¡± Shen Luo came back to his senses and asked curiously. ¡°Every family has its own manner. I can see that. Besides, I¡¯ve also heard some things about my fiance from my uncle. It¡¯s clear to me that he is ambitious and has his own career plans,¡± answered Nie Caizhu. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo could not help but feel proud, and a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Why is the Young Master¡¯s mood uplifted when I talk about my fianc¨¦?¡± Nie Caizhu observed something odd, she couldn¡¯t help questioning. ¡°Oh, as fellow townsfolk, his honor is my honor. I just wonder which fortunate young man of our town he might be?¡± Shen Luo replied casually with a smile. ¡°He is the eldest son of the Shen Family Pharmacy in town. He seems to be of your age. Do you know each other?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. ¡°Regrettably, we have not met,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and replied. ¡°Fate can be elusive. I actually came to Yuanzhu Temple today to pray for the gods¡¯ blessings, hoping that my fiance is a pure-hearted man, and someone I could truly love,¡± said Nie Caizhu after some thought. As she was saying these words, her eyes seemed to be lit up with stars, twinkling brightly. Shen Luo, standing beside her, felt a sudden jolt in his heart and couldn¡¯t help smiling. Afterward, they walked back to town, chatting idly on and off along the way. Halfway, Shen Yuange led a few servants in a carriage to find Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. From a distance, they saw them walking side by side. As they approached and the carriage stopped, a junior maidservant in green clothing jumped down and ran to Nie Caizhu with tears in her eyes, calling out, ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve scared Little Spring to death, sob sob¡­.¡± With that, she threw herself into Nie Caizhu¡¯s arms and started crying. This maid named Little Spring was about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a petite figure and her features were still childish, making her look very young. When she cried, she was indeed a sight of tears in rain. Nie Caizhu felt a little embarrassed and looked at Shen Luo. Then she stroked Little Spring¡¯s hair and comforted her softly, ¡°Little Spring, stop crying, see? I¡¯m fine.¡± Little Spring wasn¡¯t able to stop crying for a while, and finally looked up with a sob. ¡°Miss, who is he?¡± She glanced at Shen Luo who was standing beside her Miss and asked with some caution. ¡°This is¡­ the man who saved me,¡± Nie Caizhu wanted to introduce Shen Luo, but as she opened her mouth, she remembered that this young man had never told her his name from the start. ¡°So it¡¯s our benefactor. Thank you, sir, for saving our Miss,¡± Hearing this, Little Spring¡¯s expression immediately changed, and she quickly bowed formally to Shen Luo. Chapter 291: Mountain Crossing Talisman Shen Yuange, who had been standing by the carriage the whole time, finally stepped forward and said, ¡°Cai Zhu, Luo¡¯er, this is not a place for conversation. Let¡¯s go home first and talk.¡± ¡°Uncle Shen, I¡¯m sorry for causing you worry, we¡­¡± Nie Caizhu stopped abruptly in the middle of her words, realizing something was off, and froze in her tracks. Her gaze swept between Shen Luo and Shen Yuange several times, suddenly noticing their striking resemblance. Her expression became increasingly peculiar. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Cai Zhu, is something wrong?¡± Seeing her reaction, Shen Yuange asked with suspicion. ¡°Miss Nie, I didn¡¯t have the chance to inform you of my name before, I am Shen Luo, your future husband.¡± Before Nie Cai Zhu could reply, Shen Luo turned towards her with a warm smile and introduced himself. ¡°You are¡­ Shen Luo?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu immediately remembered the conversation they had on the way back and she was suddenly hugely embarrassed. Her cheeks quickly turned red and the color spread rapidly, tinting even her ears. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the groom-to-be?¡± Little Spring, not understanding the situation, inadvertently added fuel to the fire. Nie Cai Zhu, gripping her sleeves tightly, hesitated on the spot for a moment before swiftly running into the carriage without looking back. ¡°Ah, miss¡­¡± Little Spring panicked and followed suit. ¡°What just happened?¡± Shen Yuange asked, slightly frowning and turning towards Shen Luo. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Shen Luo responded, pretending to be clueless. Shen Yuange shook his head and chuckled, leading everyone back to the Shen family residence. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the following days, Nie Cai Zhu stayed in her room almost all day except for meals, seemingly intentionally avoiding Shen Luo, barely making eye contact with him even at mealtimes. The only exception was her maidservant Little Spring, who stared directly at Shen Luo every time she saw him, her eyes full of reproach, which made Shen Luo a little embarrassed. After lounging around at home for a few days, Shen Luo resumed his cultivation practice, continuing his studies of the Nameless Heavenly Book and talisman creation in parallel. Before returning from Jianye, he had visited the Lubao Hall to buy spiritual materials and talisman paper. However, the Three Origin True Water and Earth Yin Pill he bought for his closed-door cultivation had already drained most of his savings. As a result, he could only purchase a small amount of Green Frost Rune Paper and a decent amount of Yellow Talisman Paper. After finishing his cultivation for the day, Shen Luo took out a thin thread-bound book from the stone box and began to read it carefully. The book was none other than the ancient talisman book that Manager Hou had gifted him when they passed by Fairy Residence. He had only skimmed through it before and hadn¡¯t got a detailed look at its contents. It was only when he opened the book today that he realized that there was actually a short biography of a character at the beginning of the book. The script in this section was different from that in the rest of the book, which contained information about talismans. Clearly, it was not written by the same person. After reading it, Shen Luo understood that this section, added by later generations of the Hou family, detailed the life and achievements of Old Ancestor Hou. As it turned out, Old Ancestor Hou was a wandering Daoist, a non-specific disciple of a traditional school. The Daoist practices that he followed weren¡¯t too clear but he seemed to focus on talisman creation. It didn¡¯t seem like he belonged to the Little Straw Mountain lineage. The role of a wandering Daoist is similar to that of a Buddhist pilgrim monk. However, his cultivation practice was to travel around the world, mainly preaching and offering medical assistance. He also performed exorcism and demon-slaying deeds. The talismans he used were mainly related to his travels. The first talisman mentioned in the book was a ¡°Mountain Crossing Talisman¡±. At first glance, Shen Luo thought it was a mobility talisman for traveling over mountains and ridges. But after reading its introduction, he realized that this talisman was used to detect demonic energy. As a wandering Daoist, he would frequently need to traverse desolate mountains and countryside where spirit demons were numerous. The Mountain Crossing Talisman could sense advancing demon Qi in advance and alert the monks by emitting light. Function-wise, it¡¯s similar to the demon-detection bell. The bell rings the closer or stronger the demon Qi is, while the light emitted by the talisman gets brighter. This talisman has a very specific purpose as it can¡¯t detect ghostly Qi, it¡¯s only sensitive to demon Qi. The talisman is of relatively average quality, requiring no special talisman paper or ink. It can be drawn on common Yellow Talisman Paper with Cinnabar Talisman Ink. Higher-grade Purple Cloud Talisman Paper could also be used, but the effect would only have slight variations. Besides the ¡°Mountain Crossing Talisman¡±, the talisman book also recorded several other talismans commonly used by wandering Daoists. Among them, what caught Shen Luo¡¯s interest were the ¡°Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman¡± and ¡°Divine Armor Horse Talisman¡±. The Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman, using the power of the talisman, could attract the pure Qi of Heaven and Earth to disperse mist and poisonous miasmas. It possesses the capability to break through naturally formed poison miasmas and artificial barriers. On the other hand, the Divine Armor Horse Talisman was quite different. The rune style was completely different from other talismans. At first glance, it didn¡¯t look like text but more like a highly detailed horse drawn with thick ink. One could see traces of ancient seal script within the thick ink, with lines flowing through coherent shapes. It was text-like yet painting-like, resembling a horse lifting its hooves, with its mane flying. It exactly captured the vigorous movement of a galloping horse. When used, one has to ignite the talisman paper with mana and silently recite spells. The burnt paper ash would then wrap around the user¡¯s feet, making them ride an invisible horse. They could travel a thousand miles without tire in a day. ¡°Cover a hundred steps at one stride, the lands shrink, flatten the mountains at sight, drain the waters when encountered. I bear the command of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquises!¡± Shen Luo silently recited the spell written in the book, his eyes flickering slightly. He had heard the name ¡°Three Mountains and Nine Marquises¡± before. Even though his true identity remained a mystery, all wandering Daoists respected him as their ancestor, honoring him. And the various talismans used by the wandering Daoists all originated from the Three Mountains and Nine Marquises, including the well-known ¡°Divine Armor Horse Talisman¡± and ¡°Five Ghosts Moving Charm¡±. Apart from these three talismans, the ancient book on talismans also recorded another four talismans. But compared to the previous three, they seemed less reliable, including the ¡°Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman¡± that Manager Hou had torn off. The Peach Blossom Ferrying Charm, the Store Yang Nourishing Body Charm, the Five Spirits Safe Fetus Charm, together with the Fortune and Treasure Attracting Talisman, all seemed¡­ like tricks the wandering Daoists used to scam people. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t interested in these, so he didn¡¯t pay attention to them. However, he did intend to give the drawing of the first three talismans a try. Nevertheless, the Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman is of a higher rank than the typical Barrier Breaking Talisman. It requires Green Frost Rune Paper to store enough mana, thereby attracting a greater amount of Heaven and Earth¡¯s pure Qi to disperse the mist and poisonous miasma. Chapter 292: The Miracle of Buddhas Light Although Shen Luo still had some Green Frost Rune Paper on him, he used most of it to draw the Thunderfall Talismans, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t spare any to draw Wind Barrier Breaking Talismans now. While the Divine Armor Horse Talisman didn¡¯t have an explicit requirement for the Talisman Paper, the Talisman Ink it needed was quite special, its ingredients included a spiritual material known as ¡°Earth Star Herb¡±. Shen Luo had seen this herb in the Lubao Hall before;it was not considered a precious Spirit Grass. However, he did not know its use at that time, so he didn¡¯t buy it. It was certain that he couldn¡¯t buy it in Chunhua County Town now. After a bit of sorting out, Shen Luo found that the only talisman he could try to draw at this time was the Mountain Crossing Talisman. Once Shen Luo had prepared everything, he started drawing the Mountain Crossing Talisman. Compared to other talismans he had drawn before, this one was of a lower grade and less complex. Just ten days after starting to practice, the talisman was already beginning to show its spirit. One morning, after Shen Luo had finished his meditation practice, he was planning on continuing to practice talisman drawing. But before he could start, he was interrupted by a knock on the door. When he opened the door, he saw Nie Caizhu standing under the eaves with her maidservant, Little Spring. ¡°Miss Nie, what can I do for you?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. Nie Caizhu looked hesitant and seemed to have some difficulty articulating. ¡°Young¡­ Young Master, my lady would like to go to Yuanzhu Temple to offer incense, she was wondering if you can accompany her there.¡± Little Spring almost spilled out the word ¡°son-in-law¡± but promptly changed tack. After speaking, she stuck out her tongue apologetically at her lady. ¡°Cousin, if you¡¯re busy, it¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Nie Caizhu said. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, it¡¯s no trouble. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Shen Luo shook his head immediately at her words. Shen Luo suddenly realized that he had been so caught up in his practice recently that he had forgotten about his fianc¨¦e who had traveled a great distance to find him, causing him to feel a bit guilty. ¡°Thank you for your trouble then.¡± Nie Caizhu bowed slightly. The three of them immediately left the mansion, took a carriage out of the city, and headed towards Yuanzhu Temple. After the recent disturbance, the security outside Chunhua County Town had been obviously reinforced, and the peace had been restored. The number of people going to Yuanzhu Temple to offer incense had also increased. Shen Luo and his group had set off late, and when they arrived at Yuanzhu Temple, it was past the time when the worshippers competed for the first joss stick. People were already starting to leave the temple in successive groups. Nie Caizhu took Little Spring into the hall to burn incense, and Shen Luo, a practitioner of Spring and Autumn Pavilion of the Daoist school, felt it inappropriate to enter the hall, so he decided to wait for them while walking around and appreciating the scenery of the temple. Yuanzhu Temple was established many years prior and had been renovated several times. It looked drastically different from what Shen Luo remembered. Although he had visited here once before, he was focused on saving someone at that time and did not pay attention to the changes of the temple. The surrounding buildings and walls were painted bright yellow, and there was still snow accumulated on the tops of the walls. The wall surfaces were inscribed with the Six True Words of Buddhism, and the sound of monks chanting sutras could be heard occasionally. The faint smell of burning incense permeated the air. Walking through the temple grounds, Shen Luo felt a great sense of tranquility and peace. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s appearing, it¡¯s appearing again¡­¡± ¡°Look at the Buddha¡¯s Light, there it is¡­¡± ¡­ Just then, a flurry of commotion erupted from all corners of the temple. Shen Luo was puzzled and quickly ran back to the square in front of the Mahavira Hall, where he saw monks coming out from all different directions. They were clasping their hands together and chanting Buddha¡¯s name while worshiping towards the sky. Following the direction of the crowd, Shen Luo looked towards the sky behind the temple. A faint purple glow illuminated the sky, and the clouds above were stained a similar purple. It looked like a divine radiance. Nie Caizhu and Little Spring also came out from the hall and looked in awe at the miraculous sight in the mid-air, joining their hands in reverence. As Shen Luo watched the light, his nose suddenly wrinkled. He detected an unusual, strange fragrance in the air. The fragrance was mingled with the aroma of the burning incense in the temple, not particularly noticeable, but the moment Shen Luo caught a whiff of it, he felt a slight fuzziness in his Sea of Knowledge. It wasn¡¯t discomforting. In fact, it was rather pleasant. Shen Luo turned his gaze to the others. Seeing the relaxed expressions on their faces, he found the situation more puzzling. Just as he was following the scent to the back of the temple, passing through several gallery corridors and reaching near the Guanyin Hall, the strange fragrance suddenly disappeared. While Shen Luo was still puzzled, he looked up and saw that the purple grandeur in the sky above the temple had disappeared. He furrowed his brows and carefully probed the surroundings again but found nothing unusual, so he returned to the square. The monks in the square had all returned to the Mahavira Hall, and some devotees were still discussing the ¡°miracle¡± that had just briefly appeared, their faces glowing with excitement. ¡°Cousin, where did you go just now? Did you see the miraculous Buddha¡¯s Light?¡± Nie Caizhu approached Shen Luo when he returned. Her face was still filled with excitement. ¡°Buddha¡¯s Light Miracle? Are you referring to the purple light in the sky just now?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s a unique miracle of Yuanzhu Temple. They say it only appears once every ten years or so. I¡¯ve been here for so long and never saw it. I didn¡¯t expect that I would be so lucky to see it while accompanying you.¡± Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes were filled with joy;she was clearly very interested in this. ¡°Young Master, it seems that you are destined with Buddhism.¡± Little Spring also chimed in joyfully. Chapter 293: Miracle of Buddhas Light_Spirit (2) Shen Luo had his doubts about the matter of Buddha¡¯s Light, but he didn¡¯t want to spoil Nie Caizhu¡¯s mood. So, he just smiled without affirming or denying anything. ¡°Cousin, why do you have such a deep belief in Buddhism?¡± Shen Luo suddenly asked as the three of them were walking out. ¡°My mother believed in Buddhism. She taught me from a young age that Buddhism teaches people to be kind, and imparted the concept of karma. I also believe that there¡¯s some truth in it, it¡¯s not a bad thing.¡± Nie Caizhu said with a smile. ¡°In that case, it sounds reasonable.¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. After their conversation, the trio rode back to County town. ¡­ Upon returning to the Shen Mansion, Shen Luo saw from a distance three extravagantly decorated carriages parked at the entrance. Beside each carriage stood two young men dressed in black, with swords hanging from their waist. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Shen Luo silently wondered as he was the first to get off the carriage. At the entrance, Uncle Fu was rubbing his hands, anxiously looking their way. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re finally back.¡± Uncle Fu, upon seeing Shen Luo, immediately greeted him. ¡°Uncle Fu, what happened?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. Uncle Fu glanced over at Nie Caizhu, who was being helped down from the carriage by Little Spring, and said, ¡°The Nie family came looking for Miss Nie.¡± ¡°Uncle Fu, is my father here?¡± Nie Caizhu¡¯s face slightly changed as she walked forward, asking. ¡°From what they said, your uncle is here, but there are also other people.¡± Uncle Fu replied. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡± Shen Luo said, looking at Nie Caizhu. ¡°Alright.¡± She nodded, and the two of them walked side by side into the mansion. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ (The following two thousand characters repeat content from the previous chapter, due to an error upload. Since it already counts towards subscription, it¡¯s no longer possible to delete it. To make up for the loss, I will write an additional two thousand words free side story in the public chapter to compensate for the subscription loss of Daoist friends. I hope everyone will understand!!) ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The gray-robed man and a bull-headed ghost were standing face to face, glaring at each other. Behind the small stall was an old ghost in a black robe. There was some embarrassment on his face, but greed was visible in his eyes. ¡°Shopkeeper, I will give you eight Spirit Jade for this item.¡± The Bull-headed ghost turned and said to the stall owner. ¡°You¡­ Okay! I will give nine jades!¡± The man in the gray robe said angrily, but he pressed down his anger and replied coldly. ¡°Ten!¡± The Bull-headed ghost retreated without hesitation. ¡°Twelve Immortal Jade!¡± The gray-robed figure instantly replied, seemingly determined to have it. The two rivals continued, and in a blink of an eye, the price skyrocketed to over twenty Immortal Jade. At this point, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help being curious about the object of their competition. What could sell for as much as twenty Immortal Jade? He looked towards the stall, a bit taken aback. There was a stone the size of a fist on display ¨C dull and ordinary. It looked just like an ordinary stone. Keeping in mind the previous experience with the bamboo tube, he didn¡¯t underestimate the stone and began to examine it closely. On the other side, the battle between the man in the gray robe and the bull-headed ghost continued. ¡°Twenty-five Immortal Jade!¡± The man in the gray robe said slowly. ¡°I will give twenty-six!¡± The bull-headed ghost seemed to have reached its limit, hesitated a bit, then responded. ¡°Thirty!¡± The gray-robed man seemed to detect the ghost¡¯s hesitation and raised the price by four Immortal Jade, aiming to completely outbid the ghost. ¡°Hmph! You want to outbid me? Alright, I bid Forty Immortal Jade. If you can exceed this number, I¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± The bull-headed ghost seemed to flare up, its eyes piercing as it angrily responded. The man in the gray robe hesitated and didn¡¯t make another offer. ¡°What, can¡¯t you afford it? Then this thing is mine.¡± The Bull-headed ghost gloated over the other¡¯s hesitation, broke into laughter, threw a small bag onto the stall, and began to reach for the stone. ¡°Wait a minute, who says I can¡¯t afford it!¡± The man in the gray robe yelled, raising his hand to block the ghost¡¯s hand, and took out a small cloth bag. Inside were several pieces of Immortal jade. ¡°You only have thirty-two Immortal Jade here.¡± The Bull-headed ghost glanced at the cloth bag and said dismissively. ¡°I may have insufficient Immortal Jade, but I can add other items to balance the price. This Shadow Soldier Talisman is new, never used, and it is more than enough to compensate for eight Immortal Jade.¡± The man in the gray robe snorted and took out a grey-black talisman with a soldier pattern on it. ¡°Sorry, I have limited knowledge and can¡¯t recognize everything. I don¡¯t accept barter.¡± The stall owner, the old ghost in the black robe, hastily waved his hand. A thin, dry finger pointed to a wooden board next to his stall, on which was written ¡°Only Immortal Jade Accepted¡±. The man in the gray robe stood frozen, rubbing his hands together, clearly distressed. ¡°Daoist friends, I just bought this Shadow Soldier Talisman for twelve Immortal Jade. Now, I only ask for nine. Is there anyone interested in buying?¡± The man in the gray robe suddenly turned to face the crowd and shouted. Unfortunately, the surroundings remained silent with no ghosts replying. ¡°This Blaze Talisman is also available for only nine Immortal Jade.¡± The man in the gray robe took out another talisman and shouted. Chapter 294: Buddhas Light Miracle (3) The spectating ghosts looked at each other, yet no one spoke up. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t stall for time here. If you don¡¯t have enough Immortal Jade, you just don¡¯t. You want me to wait here for an hour while you raise money? Everyone is quite busy.¡± The Bull Headed Ghost grumbled. As the man in the gray robe was about to say something, his gaze fell on Shen Luo standing outside, which brightened his eyes. ¡°Friend Tian, I wonder if you could help me a bit. I will surely compensate you later.¡± This person hesitated, but eventually walked over and addressed Shen Luo. ¡°There¡¯s no need for compensation, we come from the same place and should help each other.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, took out nine Immortal Jade and handed it over. Gratitude flashed in the gray-robed man¡¯s eyes. He thanked Shen Luo, accepted the jade and placed it on the small stall. The old ghost in the black robe, seeing the jade in front of him, could hardly keep his joy hidden from his withered face. ¡°You did say that as long as I can offer more than forty Immortal Jade, this item would be mine.¡± The man in the gray robe cast a glance at the Bull Headed Ghost and picked up the stone. The Bull Headed Ghost glared at the man in the gray robe but did not prevent him from taking the stone. He snorted, took back his jade and walked away with big strides. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing that there was no more excitement, the nearby ghosts dispersed. The old ghost in the black robe disappeared into the crowd swiftly, presumably to avoid any chance of the gray-robed man having a change of heart. However, before many ghosts departed, they deliberately or unintentionally glanced at the man in the gray robe and the gray stone in his hand, their expressions complex. Forty-one pieces of Immortal Jade could already buy a mid-grade magical tool. Now, they were used to buy a gray stone, leaving everyone wondering about its actual use. The man in the gray robe pocketed the stone, signaled Shen Luo, and walked briskly towards the direction of the shops. Shen Luo understood the hint and quickly followed. The two of them mingled into the crowd around the shops, weaving in and out of the stores. Only after they were sure they had shaken off anyone paying attention to them did they stop in a deserted alley. ¡°Thanks for your help just now, Daoist friend. As for the nine Immortal Jade, would you prefer to be repaid with talismans, or should I sell the talismans to repay you with the jade?¡± The man in the gray robe again thanked Shen Luo and took out two talismans. ¡°These two talismans are quite good, but I don¡¯t need them. It would be better if you exchange them for jade to repay me.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°As you wish.¡± The gray-robed man immediately nodded. Through this event, there was a noticeable improvement in their relationship. ¡°I¡¯m curious about what that stone is. It must be a valuable treasure if you were willing to buy it at such a high price.¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, but his curiosity got the better of him and he asked. The man in the gray robe looked at Shen Luo, his gaze a little uncertain. ¡°I was just asking casually. If you find it inconvenient, you can ignore my question.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo smiled and spoke. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be shared. And besides, if it were not for your help, it would¡¯ve been impossible for me to get this item. It is only right and proper for me to clear up your confusion.¡± The man in the gray robe let out a soft sigh of relief, his gaze relaxed and spoke comfortably. ¡°This item is called Shadowless Jade, a rare treasure from the Ghost World, indeed one that money cannot buy. I was in urgent need of it.¡± He paused slightly before continuing, at the same time, he took out the gray stone and lowered it to the ground. Shen Luo showed a surprised expression and let out an astonished exclamation. In the well-lit valley, light shone into the small alley, but there was no trace of a shadow beneath the stone. ¡°Indeed it casts no shadow, but only the absence of a shadow under light doesn¡¯t seem to constitute a rare treasure. Does it have other powers?¡± Shen Luo quickly regained his composure and asked. Chapter 295: Forced to Marry In the drawing room of Shen Mansion, a middle-aged man with frosty temples and a raised brow, was sitting next to a table on the left. He rested one hand on the armrest of his chair and the other on the table next to him, appearing at ease. Next to him was an imposing, burly man in a purple robe, who was looking around the room with a hint of mockery tugging at the corners of his mouth, seemingly finding the furnishings crude. Across them sat Shen Yuange, maintaining a solemn demeanor but his gaze involuntarily kept drifting towards the main seat. As the head of the Shen family, he wasn¡¯t occupying the main seat as that position had been claimed by a white-haired old woman in crimson brocade. As soon as the group had announced their identities upon entering the hall, the old woman took the main seat without uttering a word or giving Shen Yuange a single glance. The stooped old woman with a purple walking stick of unknown material clutched in her hand, had neatly combed silver hair tied up into a bun behind her head. Her face was a lattice of wrinkles that made her look like a stern matron. From the moment she sat down, her eyes remained closed, as if she had no intention to speak. At this moment, the Second Madam personally brought in tea and entered the hall. Until now, she was unaware of the true intentions behind the Nie family¡¯s visit to Chunhua County, believing that they were here for the marriage alliance. Therefore, her face was filled with genuine warmth and cordiality. After she had served everyone tea, she was about to speak but saw Shen Yuange sending her significant glances, whereupon she immediately sensed an uneasy atmosphere in the hall. Feeling rather disheartened, she took her place next to Shen Yuange. ¡°Brother Shen, I understand that our request might seem unconventional, but this childhood betrothal was arranged privately by the women of our families. Neither you nor my older brother, as the heads of our families, were involved in this agreement, so it can¡¯t really be considered a proper marriage contract. If you are willing to cancel this betrothal, the Nie family is prepared to offer a thousand taels of gold as compensation for our mistake,¡± said the middle-aged man with the raised brow. Upon hearing this, the Second Madam¡¯s expression changed significantly, and she looked at Shen Yuange in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m fully aware of your intentions. But this marriage was arranged by my late wife, and now Shen Luo and Cai Zhu are due to honor it. I can¡¯t make the decision on their behalf. They should be the ones to decide,¡± said Shen Yuange gravely, not looking at her. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he responded. ¡°In our traditions, marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers. Where¡¯s the logic in letting them decide for themselves? Isn¡¯t this just an excuse, Head of the Shen family?¡± The burly man challenged. ¡°Our marriage was arranged by our parents. What¡¯s there to evade?¡± A clear voice suddenly echoed from outside the hall. Everyone turned to look at the entrance. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu walked in together, making a fine-looking pair as they stepped in unison. The stern old woman, who had been sitting in the main seat with her eyes closed, finally opened her eyes, the glint in them cold as she watched Shen Luo. Shen Luo met her gaze without fear, a spark igniting where their eyes met. ¡°Luo¡¯er, show some respect. Come, greet the elders,¡± Shen Yuange said, standing up. Shen Luo withdrew his gaze, paid his respects to the elders and managed to maintain a calm expression. The burly man and the middle-aged man nodded slightly at Shen Luo without uttering a word, while the old woman remained stoic, ignoring him. ¡°Cai Zhu pays her respects to Uncle Nie and Uncle Huo Kun,¡± Nie Caizhu pressed her lips together before speaking and respectfully greeted the two men. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°She is Granny Long from the Governor¡¯s Mansion. Come, pay your respects,¡± the middle-aged man softened his expression and stood up. Nie Caizhu then bowed to the old woman in the main seat. ¡°Nephew is indeed remarkable. Now that you¡¯re back, let¡¯s discuss this matter with you directly,¡± Nie Renbei initiated. ¡°Uncle Nie, I¡¯ve heard about this matter from my cousin. The issue isn¡¯t whether our Shen family is backing out of the marriage, but rather that Cai Zhu doesn¡¯t like the governor¡¯s son and doesn¡¯t wish to be linked to him. Why are you insisting on this?¡± Shen Luo said. On the way in, he had learnt from Nie Caizhu that this man was her Uncle Nie Renbei, whose influence in the Nie family was significant and his opinions essentially echoed the family¡¯s stand. ¡°Cai Zhu barely knows Young Master Ma, how can she judge his character? Moreover, marriages should be between equals. It would be a blessing for Cai Zhu to marry into the Governor¡¯s Mansion. Why are you standing in her way?¡± Nie Renbei challenged, clearly displeased. Shen Luo laughed scornfully. He could tell that what Nie Renbei was implying was that the Shen family was not of equal standing to the Nie family, and therefore, they should not aspire to such heights. Before Shen Luo could say anything, a mocking laugh echoed from the main seat. ¡°The young miss of the Nie Family, Nie Caizhu, I wonder what kind of taste she has to pick this bumpkin from this backwater town over our Second Young Master?¡± The white-haired Granny Long suddenly struck the ground with her walking stick, and scoffed sarcastically. As the walking stick hit the ground, the entire hall trembled. ¡°Oh!¡± The Second Madam gasped as she knocked over the teapot on the table. She had already sensed the formidable presence of the three guests, and seeing a good situation turning bad, she was frightened. ¡°Indeed a cultivator¡­¡± Shen Luo took hold of Nie Caizhu¡¯s wrist and stood firmly, grounded like Mount Tai, unaffected by the earlier tremors. All the tremors were blocked by Shen Luo, so Nie Caizhu remained uninjured. But when his hand closed around hers, an inexplicable warmth enveloped her heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but look at Shen Luo. Granny Long narrowed her eyes as she looked at Shen Luo, a murderous intent creeping into her gaze. Huo Kun, seeing this, voiced in a low tone to Nie Renbei, ¡°It seems that the information we received was correct. This young man is indeed a cultivator with a cultivation level not inferior to mine, at least at the middle stage of Qi refining. Considering his age, he¡¯s doing quite well.¡± Before coming here, they had indeed gathered a lot of information about Shen Luo and knew that he had joined the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. However, they knew nothing about what had happened to Shen Luo after the collapse of the pavilion. ¡°Nephew, I heard that your sect has been destroyed. Do you have any plans?¡± Nie Renbei paused slightly before asking. ¡°I have my own arrangements, so you need not be concerned,¡± Shen Luo responded promptly. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t know much about cultivation, I know that without a mentor and guidance from a sect, it¡¯s impossible to succeed. If you¡¯re willing, I can use Nie family¡¯s influence and even ask the governor to help you join an Immortal Sect within Yunzhou. What do you think of it?¡± Nie Renbei continued unperturbed. Chapter 296: Sky High and Earth Thick ¡°If Uncle Nie¡¯s words come without any conditions attached, I would be immensely grateful. However, if they are predicated on my cousin¡¯s marriage, then I must respectfully decline.¡± Shen Luo stated bluntly, without hesitation, upon hearing their words. Nie Renbei furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing this. He felt that he had already shown maximum benevolence, yet this young man in front of him remained dissatisfied, which infuriated him. ¡°Cai Zhu, outsiders may not be aware of our Nie family¡¯s predicament, but surely you do? Your flight from your arranged marriage has already caused complications for the family. Luckily, the Second Young Master pleaded on your behalf, and the Governor did not blame the Nie family. Are you really going to prioritise personal interests over family duty? Can you face your Father, the Nie family, like this?¡± Nie Renbei stopped persuading Shen Luo and turned to Nie Caizhu instead. Upon hearing his words, Nie Caizhu¡¯s face changed immediately, flashing with doubt. ¡°A compelling argument about personal versus family interests¡­ Using the duty to the family to pressure a vulnerable young woman to marry a man she detests, where is the honour in that for the Nie family? Could it be that your family¡¯s interests are all gained at the expense of the women in your family?¡± Shen Luo retorted heatedly. ¡°You¡­¡± Nie Renbei was taken aback by Shen Luo¡¯s words, stunned into speechlessness on the spot. Nie Caizhu looked at Shen Luo with shocked surprise as well. ¡°Cai Zhu, tell me, are you willing to return with them to marry? As long as you say you are not willing, then no one can force you today.¡± Shen Luo turned around, looked into her eyes, and spoke seriously. Nie Caizhu met his gaze, the expression on his face moved something within her. ¡°I am not willing.¡± Nie Caizhu¡¯s heart felt lighter than ever once she voiced this out loud. ¡°Did you hear that? She doesn¡¯t want to!¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo felt relief wash over him. A smile crossed his face as he turned back to address the audience. ¡°Such audacity! A disciple from a minor faction that cannot even be considered as third-rate dares to act so wildly? Truly unaware of one¡¯s place in this vast world!¡± At this moment, Granny Long roared furiously, and slapped the table beside her. ¡°Bang!¡± Following a loud noise, the table shockingly didn¡¯t shatter but instead sank deeper, its four legs penetrating the stone slabs on the hall floor and embedding themselves into the ground. All present were taken aback. The Second Madam even shrieked in horror, almost falling from her chair. Shen Yuange¡¯s face turned pale, but he managed to steady himself, not moving an inch. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback, but he soon began to evaluate in his heart;if this old woman could control her strength so finely, it was apparent that her cultivation level was far from shallow. ¡°Granny Long, do not lose your temper¡­¡± Nie Renbei realised things were not proceeding well and tried to mediate. ¡°He is the one who dares to provoke me? The Spring and Autumn Pavilion has already ceased to exist, all he is now is an orphaned dog who has lost the protection of his sect, yet he dares to make such reckless declarations here! Why don¡¯t you think about your position before spouting such nonsense!¡± Granny Long scoffed in disdain, continuing to jeer at them. Shen Luo had always been indifferent towards the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, but hearing this old woman disparaging it was too much for him to bear. ¡°On what grounds? Of course, it is based on a young man¡¯s fervent spirit and not the thick-skinned audacity of old age!¡± Shen Luo retorted defiantly, his brows furrowing deeper. ¡°Very well¡­ So we have a sharp-tongued junior here. Today, let me show you the outcome of disrespecting your elders!¡± Granny Long, utterly enraged, responded to Shen Luo¡¯s audacity with a chilling laugh. As she spoke, she already stood up with her walking stick in hand, clearly ready for a fight. ¡°Granny Long, please reconsider. As a Qi refining late stage cultivator, your power is formidable. This youth will be unable to withstand it. If you hurt him, wouldn¡¯t that harm your reputation?¡± Huo Kun urgently pleaded upon witnessing this. ¡°No need, no need. My son is young and impetuous. He has entwined Granny Long, please do not take his actions to heart.¡± Shen Yuange, clueless about Qi refining, only saw the old woman preparing to strike Shen Luo and quickly interceded. ¡°To handle a mere whelp, I certainly do not need to exert any effort.¡± Granny Long replied slyly. ¡°So, if I win against you, you all will stop pestering my cousin?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°Beat me? Ha ha, as long as you¡¯re able to.¡± Granny Long laughed upon hearing this. Nie Renbei had a calm expression, not uttering a single word. ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be so arrogant.¡± Huo Kun frowned tightly, saying in a deep voice. Shen Luo, upon hearing this, held Huo Kun in slightly higher esteem. Whether he was revealing Granny Long¡¯s realm earlier, or his stern reprimand at this moment, was actually hoping for Shen Luo to know his limits and withdraw voluntarily. ¡°Luo Brother¡­¡± The Second Madam quietly called from the side. This time, however, it was Shen Yuange who didn¡¯t open his mouth. He clearly understood Shen Luo¡¯s character and knew that he was always pragmatic, never competing out of mere ego. Since he had voluntarily proposed the fight, he must be mostly certain of winning. ¡°Cousin, you can¡¯t ¡­ Marriage is something nobody else can decide for me. No one can stop me from marrying the person I want, and nobody can force me to marry someone I don¡¯t want.¡± Nie Cai Zhu abruptly stopped Shen Luo, saying as she did. Her expression was serious as she spoke, her tone resolute, utterly contrary to her usual gentle demeanor. ¡°Hmph, you disobey your father¡¯s orders and lack understanding of the bigger picture. Our Second Young Master taking a liking to you is your good fortune, don¡¯t be ignorant.¡± Granny Long upon seeing this, snorted coldly. ¡°Excuse my lack of fortune, I cannot marry into the Governor¡¯s Mansion. If my father orders it rationally, I naturally obey. But in this case, it goes against my heart, and I would rather die than submit.¡± Nie Cai Zhu¡¯s words made everyone¡¯s face change color in the hall. Even Shen Luo looked at her with newfound respect, his eyes filled with admiration. ¡°Cai Zhu, today¡¯s matter can¡¯t be settled without a fight, but don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be at a disadvantage dealing with this old woman.¡± Shen Luo turned his body to her, his back to everyone else, and said quietly. ¡°Really?¡± Nie Cai Zhu asked with doubt. Shen Luo nodded vigorously, grinning at her. Seeing this, Nie Cai Zhu finally pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°This place is too small, let¡¯s go to the courtyard to fight.¡± After saying this, Shen Luo was the first to walk outside the hall. Granny Long, with a somber face, followed him out the door while tapping her walking stick on the ground. Seeing this, everyone else also followed. Little Spring and Uncle Fu, who were initially waiting outside, also gathered around the courtyard. In the center of the courtyard, there was a large brass water jar half the height of a person. It was adorned with an engraving of a mighty lion gripping a ring on both sides and was filled with water with dried lotus leaves floating on top. Shen Luo arrived at the water jar, raising his hand to lightly slap the edge. The water inside rippled in a regular pattern as a result. ¡°You¡¯re not a monk from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, why do you cultivate Water Techniques?¡± Granny Long, who was several yards away from him, frowned slightly and asked. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No comment.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Humph, playing mysterious!¡± Granny Long snorted coldly, her walking stick tapped heavily on the ground, and an invisible aura radiated from her feet, stirring up dust and rushing in all directions. The spectators were unable to resist the blast of dust and involuntarily backed away. Shen Luo simply waved his sleeve and dispersed the dust. ¡°Be careful.¡± Then, a stern shout came. Chapter 297: Show Mercy In the as yet undispersed dust and smoke, a sudden streak of yellow light flashed, revealing a strange flying sword with only a sword body but no handle, stabbing directly at Shen Luo¡¯s face. The sword body seemed to be made of stone, with a faint rock pattern visible on it, and a yellow paper charm attached to the tail. This was undoubtedly a talismanic instrument. ¡°Talismanic instrument¡­¡± Huo Kun saw it when startled, he whispered. The look in his eyes towards Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but be filled with some sympathy. The moment Granny Long made her move, she started using a talismanic instrument. Clearly, she had no intention of letting Shen Luo off lightly, and she might even have murderous intentions. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Shen Luo calmly sidestepped the sword edge and reached out to grab into the void at the end of the sword. With a whoosh! Immediately, a surge of water gushed out from the water jar, transforming into a large hand bathed in a blue glow. It stretched opened its five fingers and then closed them, gripping the strange-looking talisman sword in a single grab. A hint of surprise flashed across Granny Long¡¯s eyes, followed by her abruptly tugging her hand backward. The strange talisman sword instantly quivered violently, a layer of yellow light shook on its surface, and with a ¡°bang¡±, it smashed the water hand apart. As soon as the sword body was freed, it painted an arc in the void and charged towards Shen Luo once again. This time, the angle of the yellow light transformed by the flying sword was even trickier, slashing straight down from above towards the top of Shen Luo¡¯s head, with a much faster speed. ¡°Watch out¡­¡± Nie Caizhu couldn¡¯t help but scream. The faces of Shen Yuange and the others also tightened. Shen Luo was seen calmly raising a palm, pushing it upward towards the top of his head. Water gathered in front of his palm, forming a water shield glowing with a blue radiance. The yellow light landed on the water shield, producing a resounding ¡°ding¡±, being blocked The yellow light dimmed slightly, revealing the body of the talisman sword. The tip of the sword was emitting yellow dazzling light, continuously striking the shield below, but it could not penetrate it. ¡°Defending against a talismanic instrument¡¯s attack with just the water control technique¡­¡± Huo Kun¡¯s face flashed with surprise, and he muttered to himself. The others on the side could not yet see what was going on, but Huo Kun, who was also a practitioner, understood. This seemingly delicate and frail teenager in front of him is not simple. At this moment, Shen Luo suddenly found the pressure on the talismanic instrument above his head easing. A flash of doubt flickered in his eyes as he quickly looked down. He saw the cyan bricks beneath his feet instantly shatter as numerous vine-like purple branches suddenly shot out from the ground and fiercely pierced towards his heart. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes immediately narrowed. Three moon-like lights suddenly shone beneath him, and his body flashed with a residual image, skillfully avoiding the surprise attack from the branches and flickered to the side. Only heard ¡°bang, bang¡± sounds, the brass water jar was instantly pierced through by the purple branches, and the water inside poured out, wetting the ground. At this moment, anyone could tell that Granny Long definitely intended to kill Shen Luo, or else her methods wouldn¡¯t be so ruthless. ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t fight anymore!¡± Nie Caizhu called out loudly, her eyes filled with worry. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, said nothing, but his gaze shifted to the old woman, his eyes instantly cooling. Seeing the change in Shen Luo¡¯s expression, Granny Long felt an inexplicable fear rising in her heart for some reason. However, she didn¡¯t back down. She violently lifted the purple crutch in her hand, and the purple branches sprouting from the bottom of the crutch were immediately torn from the ground by her, ploughing a deep trench in the courtyard. Bricks and stones on the ground broke and scattered, affecting the people far away. Huo Kun moved forward, shielding Nie Renbei. Flying rocks hit him as if they were striking a towering wall. Shen Yuange and a few others were a little distant from him and they couldn¡¯t protect themselves. If they were hit by these bricks and stones, the consequences would be unthinkable. At that moment, another series of blurred figures began to flash, moving back and forth in front of Shen Yuange and the others, blocking all the flying stones aimed at them with astonishing precision. That person was naturally Shen Luo. After several battles and continuous cultivation, his Slanting Moon Steps had already made some progress. ¡°This time, you should be careful.¡± A flicker of anger crossed Shen Luo¡¯s eyes and he shouted sternly. Without holding back, he let the mana in his body circulate freely, and a strong aura was immediately released. Seeing this, Granny Long¡¯s expression changed drastically. She quickly retracted her walking stick. The vine branches extended from the tail of the stick immediately wove a purple net in mid-air, enveloping her entirely. However, the water that had spilled all over the ground after the large jar shattered had unknowingly gathered at her feet. The water surged, infiltrated the spaces of the vine net, and transformed into ropes of water that wrapped around her body. Granny Long sensed something was wrong. Her hands rapidly formed seals, and a layer of light lit up on her body, trying to repel the water ropes. ¡°Go!¡± Just then, a stern shout suddenly came from above her head. Following that, three Yellow Paper Charms fell from the sky, each of them shining with a glow at three different directions. ¡°Boom Boom Boom¡­¡± Accompanied by three thunderclaps, three white lightning bolted harshly, all of them shocked Granny Long¡¯s body. ¡°Zizz¡­¡± White lightning bolts rushed through the water ropes, instantly spreading all over Granny Long¡¯s body. She let out a shriek of agony, but the sound abruptly ceased. Everyone watched in astonishment, frozen in surprise. The purple net Granny Long conjured slowly retreated, revealing her figure. Her body was charred, her eyes rolled back, she had clearly fainted. Nie Renbei was greatly taken aback seeing this. He immediately ran to check on her, and Huo Kun also followed, helping him to prop her up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she has merely fainted without any crucial injury.¡± Shen Luo glanced at her and spoke coldly. ¡°Thank you for showing mercy.¡± Huo Kun, although not powerful, could tell that Shen Luo had held back in his last attack. He promptly thanked him with a fist salute. ¡°The results are clear. If you wish to be a guest, our Shen Family will prepare a feast. If not, please leave at will. We won¡¯t see you out.¡± Shen Luo stood with his hands behind his back, speaking indifferently. Nie Renbei grew even more upset hearing this, unable to anticipate such an outcome. ¡°If you had lost, it would be fine. However, you won and injured Granny Long. This won¡¯t end well, and now both the Shen Family and the Nie Family are in trouble.¡± He sighed deeply, speaking sincerely. ¡°Granny Long unleashed her killing moves earlier, yet I didn¡¯t see you intervene. If I were less skilled and was really killed by Granny Long, you¡¯d probably just say, ¡®What a pity for someone so young,¡¯ right?¡± Shen Luo responded sarcastically, sounding somewhat amused. Nie Renbei was stumped by his words and did not know how to refute. Shen Luo didn¡¯t say anything more. He returned to Shen Yuange and others¡¯ side, displaying a faint smile. Looking at his somewhat different son, Shen Yuange¡¯s eyes were full of pride. Chapter 298: Strange Incidents Nie Caizhu was also speechless, feeling that the Shen Luo in her eyes was suddenly growing bigger and bigger, as if he was slowly filling up her vision. Huo Kun silently carried Granny Long on his back, and along with Nie Renbei and others, left the Shen Family. Before leaving, Nie Renbei threw down a sentence, ¡°Do nothing for the Nie Family¡¯s women,¡± and left with a flip of his sleeves. After all the fuss of the Nie Family, Nie Caizhu and Shen Luo¡¯s relationship became even closer. Apart from his unalterable daily cultivation and talisman painting, Shen Luo would accompany Nie Caizhu to tour the nearby landscapes in his spare time, making them look more and more like a match made in heaven. However, when they were alone, Nie Caizhu inevitably felt desolate and worried about her family¡¯s situation. Shen Luo saw this and, unable to bear it, proposed to accompany her back to Yunzhou. Nie Caizhu, not wanting him to take the risk, tactfully refused. Time flew by, and another three months passed. Shen Luo¡¯s progress in the Nameless Cultivation Technique was not significant, but his Slanting Moon Steps were becoming increasingly proficient. When he used them, he would have a continuous moonlight shadow and his figure would appear and disappear. At night, while Shen Luo was drawing talismans in his room, there was a sudden knock at the door. Upon opening the door, there was Nie Caizhu, standing outside with a bowl of sweet soup. ¡°I noticed that you have been staying up late these days, so I made some red bean sweet soup, a special delicacy from Yunzhou. I don¡¯t know if you can get used to the taste?¡± Nie Caizhu passed the soup bowl over and said. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? Come in, let¡¯s talk.¡± Shen Luo said, turning sideways to make way for her. ¡°You seem busy;I won¡¯t go in. If you have time in the next few days, let¡¯s go to the countryside outside the city?¡± After looking at the messy yellow talisman papers spread out on Shen Luo¡¯s table, Nie Caizhu suggested with a smile. ¡°Sounds good. It¡¯s the perfect season now as grass is sprouting and orioles are singing. The winter snow in Linyin Valley should have melted by now, and the scenery around Bibo Pond is just right. Let¡¯s go the day after tomorrow.¡± Shen Luo replied after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Alright, we have a deal. Don¡¯t overwork yourself, make sure to get some rest.¡± Nie Caizhu said. Shen Luo laughed and nodded in agreement. After she left, Shen Luo took a sip of the sweet soup. It was sweet but not greasy, very refreshing, so he drank everything in one go. Putting down the soup bowl, he took a deep breath and returned to the table. Shen Luo picked up the brush, dipped it in cinnabar, removed the half-drawn talisman paper from before, and replaced it with a new yellow talisman paper. With concentrated focus, he began to write with his mana again. Blue light seeped from the tip of his pen, guiding the cinnabar to glide smoothly on the paper as he drew. The image of a Mountain Crossing Talisman began to slowly form. For the past three months, Shen Luo hadn¡¯t drawn many Small Thunder Talismans. Most of his time was spent practicing the Mountain Crossing Talisman. Although this talisman wasn¡¯t high-ranking, without the unique experience of instantly mastering symbols in Dreamland, practicing this talisman in reality wasn¡¯t efficient. However, perseverance paid off. Shen Luo¡¯s repeated attempts weren¡¯t in vain. While his current Mountain Crossing Talisman still lacked a bit of divine light, he was becoming more confident in drawing it. As his brush strokes flowed like a dragon, a fully formed Mountain Crossing Talisman was finally successfully drawn! As soon as Shen Luo lifted the brush, the ink on the talisman paper hadn¡¯t dried yet but the runes suddenly flashed and lit up with a red light. ¡°Did¡­ Did I succeed?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened in surprise. He hurriedly picked up the talisman paper and examined it. But hardly had he held it for a few moments when the light flashed and then dimmed. ¡°As I thought, it still needs more practice.¡± Shen Luo scoffed at himself. He put the discarded talisman aside and carefully examined the brush strokes, looking for flaws. After examining it for a while, he took another piece of talisman paper and continued drawing. ¡­ In the afternoon of the second day, after eating lunch, the people of Shen Family went back to their rooms. Not long after Nie Caizhu returned to her room, a servant of the Shen Family rushed back from the main gate and handed her a letter. After opening it, she had only read it for a moment before her face changed. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The maid, Little Spring, asked worriedly when she noticed something was amiss. Nie Caizhu held onto the letter, not letting go for a long time, and finally said slowly: ¡°It¡¯s a letter from home. As expected, the governor¡¯s mansion has taken out its anger on our family because of my elopement. Many of our shops in Yunzhou have been shut down.¡± ¡°How shameless for the prestigious Governor¡¯s Mansion to act in such a manner!¡± said Little Spring indignantly when she heard this. Upon hearing her words, Nie Caizhu only responded with a silent shake of her head, without saying anything. ¡°Miss¡­ is the letter urging you to return for the wedding?¡± Little Spring asked in a low voice. ¡°No, the letter doesn¡¯t mention that, but¡­ oh¡­¡± Nie Caizhu started speaking and then sighed deeply. ¡°What should we do then? Should we discuss this with our cousin, no, I mean, with Master Shen?¡± Little Spring asked with a worried look on her face. ¡°No, we cannot tell cousin, we can¡¯t drag him into this any further. We are leaving the county town for Yunzhou tonight, after dinner.¡± Nie Caizhu immediately shook her head and said. ¡°Alright then.¡± Little Spring hesitated for a moment before agreeing. ¡°I¡¯ll gather some gold and silver valuables later. You go into the city and buy a carriage and prepare some dry food for the road. Leave those preparations to the side. We¡¯ll leave directly in the evening.¡± After reflecting for a moment, Nie Caizhu gave these instructions. After Little Spring obeyed and left quickly, Nie Caizhu sat back down at the table and looked at the letter again. In the end, she took out a pen and paper and hesitated for a long time before she started writing. That evening, after having dinner with the Zhen family, Nie Caizhu said she wanted to go for a walk. After politely declining Shen Luo¡¯s offer to accompany her, she left a pre-written letter behind and left without bidding farewell, along with her maid, Little Spring. ¡­ The next morning, Shen Luo got up early and went to see Nie Caizhu as planned. However, upon reaching her courtyard, he found the door tightly closed, as if she wasn¡¯t awake yet. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Shen Luo decided to knock on the door. ¡°Knock, knock,¡­¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After he knocked twice, there was no response from inside the room. ¡°Knock, knock, knock, knock¡­¡± Shen Luo felt puzzled as Nie Caizhu was not the type to sleep in. Why would she be sleeping in today? So, he knocked more urgently. However, after a long while, there was still no response. ¡°Something isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Sensing something unusual, Shen Luo was just about to force open the door when it creaked open. ¡°Good morning, young master.¡± Little Spring, looking tired as though she had just woken up, greeted him and said sleepily. ¡°Little Spring, are you still not awake?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Cousin, I¡¯m feeling unwell today, so I won¡¯t be going out.¡± At this point, Nie Caizhu¡¯s voice could be heard from within the room, sounding somewhat weak. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I have some knowledge of medicine, so if you¡¯re comfortable with it, I might be of some help,¡± Shen Luo offered immediately. ¡°There¡¯s no need, it¡¯s just that I did not sleep well last night. It¡¯s nothing serious. A half day¡¯s rest will do me good. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Nie Caizhu reassured him hastily. Upon hearing her words, Shen Luo could only relent and say, ¡°Then you should rest well. I¡¯ll have the kitchen make some calming and nourishing soup for you at noon. It will be ready when you wake up.¡± ¡°Thank you, cousin.¡± Nie Caizhu expressed her gratitude. After Shen Luo left, Little Spring quickly closed the door and hurried to the inner room. Looking at Nie Caizhu, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, she asked, ¡°Miss, what is actually happening? Wasn¡¯t it just last night that we had left?¡± Chapter 299: There is Demon Qi Nie Caizhu was also full of doubts. They indeed had left the city by carriage last night, but for some unknown reason, they found themselves back in the Shen Mansion early this morning. Both were fast asleep, one in the bed, the other slumped over the table. ¡°Could it be that young master discovered us and used some magic to bring us back?¡± Little Spring suddenly had a thought and covered her mouth, a little scared. ¡°Impossible, the letter I left for him was not opened. He doesn¡¯t know that we are leaving. Besides, judging from his reaction just now, it couldn¡¯t have been him,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head and said. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What exactly is going on then?¡± Little Spring said, clinging to her head in vexation. Nie Caizhu was just as confused and remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Later, you can go to the city again and see if our carriage is still there. If not, buy a new one, and we will try to leave the city again this evening,¡± she said suddenly after a pause. ¡°Alright,¡± responded Little Spring after hesitating for a while. ¡­ Several days passed in a flash. Nie Caizhu and Little Spring had tried to leave Chunhua county town for three times, by night. However, when they woke the next day, they always found themselves inexplicably returned to the Shen family. Being tormented by this for several times, they had already spent a lot of money. Even Nie Caizhu couldn¡¯t help suspecting that Shen Luo was playing tricks on them secretly. But she had tried probing him in the open and in secret, and still found nothing. For now, they could only let it be. One night, Shen Luo, as usual, was drawing talismans in his room, being busy till late. ¡°Success¡­ I¡¯ve finally succeeded¡­¡± A scream of astonishment came from him. After several months, he successfully drew a ¡°Mountain Crossing Talisman¡±. Shen Luo twiddled the talisman paper and carefully examined it. The runes on the paper were smooth and harmonically connected, bold and well developed, and the talisman was complete. He examined it from top to bottom and felt overjoyed. This ¡°Mountain Crossing Talisman¡± was the first talisman he had successfully drawn outside of Dreamland. Although it wasn¡¯t a high-grade talisman, for Shen Luo, it still held a unique significance. As Shen Luo kept looking at the talisman paper, he suddenly felt something was not quite right. The talisman had been successfully completed for almost a quarter of an hour, but the red light that shone from the paper was not fading. Instead, it was slipping brightly and dimly. ¡°Could it be¡­ Demon Qi!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes fixed, with the Mountain Crossing Talisman in his hand, he rushed out of his room. Standing in the courtyard, Shen Luo held the talisman paper in hand, probed briefly around him, and found that when it was directed towards the front yard, the flickering red light on it would become even more frantic. ¡°There is indeed Demon Qi, and it¡¯s right here in my Shen Mansion!¡± Shen Luo was furious and immediately ran towards the front yard with the talisman paper. As he moved further, the light on the talisman became brighter. Midway, when he was passing by Nie Caizhu¡¯s courtyard, the light on the talisman paper suddenly stopped flickering and brightened further. Shen Luo was startled and dashed into the courtyard. But just as he entered, he saw Nie Caizhu standing before a courtyard wall, back turned to him, her shoulders swaying as if she was drunk. Shen Luo moved the talisman paper forward, the light on it suddenly brightened, and he felt a surge of hot feeling from it. The source of the Demon Qi was precisely Nie Caizhu! ¡°How could this be?¡± With that, Shen Luo immediately felt as if struck by lightning. Although he and Nie Caizhu cannot be said to be inseparable, they always managed to see each other every day. Even just chattering could make his day more lively. He noticed that Nie Caizhu never practiced any cultivation, her body never showed any fluctuations of mana, and there was no sign of any demonic aura. ¡°Could there be an issue with the talisman?¡± Shen Luo suddenly hoped that it was his talisman drawing that had gone wrong. Just as he wanted to call out to Nie Caizhu, she suddenly leapt up and crossed the courtyard wall directly, disappearing in the moonlight. Her movements were definitely not those of an ordinary person. Shen Luo watched this scene with wide eyes, stunned and unable to react. At this point, it was impossible for him to lie to himself, there was definitely something wrong with Nie Caizhu! But at the moment, Shen Luo had no time to contemplate, he leapt up chasing after her. Shen Luo followed Nie Caizhu, the Mountain Crossing Talisman in his hand always shining, and as he got closer, the light on the talisman paper grew brighter. He simply put the talisman back into his sleeve, held his breath, focused his attention, and fully followed Nie Caizhu. Soon, they both left the Shen Mansion and arrived at the county town¡¯s gate, one after another. At night, the gate to the county town was already closed, with soldiers stationed at the entrance, naturally no one was allowed to go in or out. When Nie Caizhu approached the vicinity of the city gate, she suddenly turned around, walked tens of feet along the base of the city wall, avoided the sight of the soldiers, then suddenly grabbed the bricks on the wall with her hands, pushed herself up with her feet, and began climbing the city wall in a bizarre position like that of a spider. Her movements were swift and silent, Shen Luo watched from a distance in utter astonishment, feeling bitter. In no time at all, Nie Caizhu had swiftly climbed over the city wall with her strange posture and headed towards the area outside the city. Shen Luo quickly jumped over the wall to pursue her and saw that after Nie Caizhu landed, she resumed her previous human-like posture and stumbled forward just like before. He was increasingly puzzled, accelerated the flow of mana inside his body, his footsteps as swift as the wind. His body streaked through the grove beside the road creating afterimages until he quickly appeared before Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo gracefully leapt onto an old tree and hid behind the branches to secretly observe Nie Caizhu who was slowly coming. With distance getting closer, Nie Caizhu¡¯s face became clearer and clearer in the moonlight. Shen Luo watched her, his eyebrows furrowing tighter. He was shocked to discover that Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes were tightly closed, her expression was serene, it was as if she was sound asleep. ¡°Sleepwalking¡­ It looks like someone might be controlling her secretly.¡± Shen Luo whispered in his mind, somehow feeling relieved. As long as Nie Caizhu herself wasn¡¯t a demon, then there was still hope. At the time he was considering this, Nie Caizhu had already passed under the tree and continued following the road heading outside the city. Shen Luo squinted down the course of the road, his eyebrows furrowed again. That place was none other than where the Yuanzhu Temple was situated. He didn¡¯t immediately wake Nie Caizhu up. Instead, he followed closely behind her. As they were approaching Yuanzhu Temple, a large patch of cloud drifted from somewhere and blocked the moonlight, casting the entire earth into a shadow. From afar, Shen Luo saw the Yuanzhu Temple under the shadow, pitch black and devoid of any of its usual solemn appearance. Under the shadow of the night, the eaves and ridges on the pagoda and the patterns decorating them seemed rather grim. When Nie Caizhu arrived at the temple, she started to climb the wall again in the same peculiar manner as before and crossed into the temple. Shen Luo quickly followed her in and saw her already passing through the front courtyard, heading towards Guanyin Hall. ¡°Why here again?¡± Shen Luo faintly remembered, the first time he came looking for Nie Caizhu, it was near here where he found her. Chapter 300: Old Woman with White Hair Nie Caizhu reached the front of the Guanyin Hall, did not enter it, but bypassed along the side corridor of the great hall, and went straight to the backyard. When Shen Luo followed her, he found she had stopped and was standing by the well with her back to him. ¡°There really is something strange!¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo grew more convinced of his suspicions. Just then, Nie Caizhu suddenly turned around, her eyes still tightly closed as if ¡°looking¡± in Shen Luo¡¯s direction. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened immediately, and he quickly slipped behind a pillar to hide his figure. However, before he could take a closer look, there was a ¡°gurgle¡± sound from the backyard, as if something had fallen into the water. Shen Luo¡¯s heart jolted and he rushed out hurriedly, only to see that Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure had already disappeared. He quickly ran to the edge of the well and leaned over to look. He saw ripples in the well water and could vaguely see a figure sinking towards the bottom of the well. Shocked, Shen Luo quickly formed a strange Dharma seal with his hands, mumbling incantations. As his voice fell, parts of blue light wrapped around him, soon forming a layer of faintly transparent and hazy blue glow on his body. On it were the faint patterns of water ripples, as if he was enveloped in a thin layer of water clothing. It was indeed the Water Repelling Technique. However, the Water Repelling Technique was quite different from when he first learned it in Dreamland, so much so that it was uncertain whether it held any defense at all. Shen Luo had no time to consider much at this moment, and jumped directly over the wellhead railing, diving into the water. The instant he entered the water, he was slightly pleased. No matter how defensively ineffective the Water Repelling Technique was, it didn¡¯t lessen its attribute of entering the water without a sound, not even causing much water ripples. He could breathe freely underwater, even feeling somewhat exhilarated like a fish in the water. He immediately sank deeper, pursuing in the direction of the well bottom. The well was much deeper than he had expected. Shen Luo dove dozens of meters before finally reaching the bottom of the well. However, apart from the silt accumulated over many years, where was Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure at the bottom? Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he was puzzled, he suddenly felt waves from behind. He promptly turned to look and noticed for the first time that there was a human-height hole in the dark well wall behind him. Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately entered the lateral well, advancing further in. After a short distance ahead, the horizontal passage suddenly began to rise gradually and there were several turns. As the terrain got higher and higher, the water level in the passage gradually decreased until it finally exposed the ground entirely. Taking advantage of the light from his body, Shen Luo followed the wet footprints on the ground that extended into the depths of the passage. After about half an incense stick¡¯s time, he suddenly wrinkled his nose. In the air of the passage, he discerned an unusual fragrance. This smell was not unfamiliar to him. When he came to Yuanzhu Temple to offer incense with Nie Caizhu that day, he had smelled it when the Buddha¡¯s Light had appeared, but before he could find its source, the fragrance disappeared. Shen Luo didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it at the time, but now he realized that the fragrance was greatly connected to the mystery of this well. The further he pursued, the stronger that aroma became, to the point that even his Sea of Knowledge began to feel a bit hazy. Shen Luo quickly activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique. A surge of cool Qi shot directly into his mind, dissipating some of the dizzying sensation from just now. He steadied himself, pulling out a few Small Thunder Talismans from his sleeve. Advancing a few steps forward before having slight hesitation, then swiftly switched it to a Thunderfall Talisman before he continued his pursuit. Not far ahead, the passageway suddenly began to widen, with a glimmer of light pouring out from within. Shen Luo stopped the Water Repelling Technique, carefully following in. Once he came near, he discovered that there was indeed a stone chamber ahead. The entrance to the stone chamber was wide open, revealing a stone table within and an enchanting figure was seated next to it, utterly motionless. It was none other than Nie Caizhu. Sitting across from her was an old lady with snowy hair. She was hunchbacked and wearing a pink long robe, with a crimson pearl hairpin by the side of her ears. Her face was covered in deep wrinkles, making her look extremely old. However, the old lady¡¯s face was filled with smiles at this moment. She was staring intently at Nie Caizhu¡¯s cheeks, as if admiring a piece of exquisite porcelain, her attention focused to the extreme, as if not allowing any distractions. She didn¡¯t even seem to notice Shen Luo¡¯s prying eyes. Shen Luo, too, was sizing up the old lady. However, he didn¡¯t detect any trace of Yin Sha Qi on her. He quietly gripped the Mountain Crossing Talisman hidden in his sleeve, attempting to probe further. However, the moment the talisman paper left his sleeve, it suddenly seemed to ¡®whoosh¡¯ into flame and burned up instantly. ¡°Strong demon qi!¡± Shen Luo swiftly dodged to the side, his heart beating fast. The Mountain Crossing Talisman¡¯s rank is limited, and similarly, it could only detect limited amounts of demon qi. If a demon was stronger than late-stage Grain Avoidance cultivators, the talisman paper wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the pressure and would self-ignite. Shen Luo¡¯s body pressed against the stone wall, stunned. The elder in that room must be at least a late-stage Grain Avoidance demon. Fortunately, his sudden movement didn¡¯t catch the old lady¡¯s attention. Shen Luo then secretly sneaked a look at the room. He saw that the old lady was holding a blood-red nine-leafed herb, attempting to feed it into Nie Caizhu¡¯s mouth. Shen Luo felt a sudden tightness in his chest;he wanted to stop her immediately. However, noticing that there was spiritual energy misting from the nine-leaved herb, which clearly wasn¡¯t poisonous, he forced himself to calm and not to act impulsively. Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes remained tightly shut. Her mouth opened and closed mechanically, grinding the blood-red spiritual herb bit by bit before swallowing it down. As her throat moved, the herb was completely consumed into her stomach. Following that, a layer of yellow demon qi that was visible to the naked eye began to rise from her body, becoming denser and denser. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo regretted his earlier decision. But then, Nie Caizhu let out a painful groan, eyes opening swiftly as an invisible aura pulsated from her body. A yellow light shone from her back. Shen Luo was taken aback. Suddenly, a stronger fragrance filled the air, completely masking the strange scent that had previously filled the room. Then, a surprising scene unfolded. From Nie Caizhu¡¯s back, a strong yellow light surged, forming a pair of wings that resembled that of a butterfly. Exquisite luminescent powder fluttered from it, appearing as if between a solid and an illusion. ¡°It worked;it really worked¡­this bloodline has finally matured. Haha¡­¡± Upon seeing this, the old lady suddenly began to laugh hysterically. Although Nie Caizhu had opened her eyes, there was hardly any sparkle in them. She sat still as before, seemingly oblivious to the changes happening before her. All of a sudden, the old lady¡¯s laughter halted. A pink mist began to rise from all over her body, soon becoming denser and filling the entire stone chamber. Chapter 301: The Clam Demon Through the mist, Shen Luo saw that the old white-haired woman has transformed into her original form, a giant pink clam demon. The clam shell opened wide and closed around Nie Caizhu, as if to swallow her. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Shen Luo yelled in surprise, without any hesitation flashed into the stone chamber, waving his hand. With a ¡°zzzt¡± sound, the Thunderfall Talisman tore in response. Accompanied by a ¡°boom¡± of thunder, a white thunderbolt as thick as an arm appeared out of nowhere, from the exploded talisman. With dazzling thunder light, it struck the giant clam. The entire stone chamber shook, the pink mist inside swirling crazily, and countless threads of lightning shooting around. Shen Luo grabbed Nie Caizhu¡¯s wrist and yanked her out of the stone chamber, running toward the passageway without looking back. Nie Caizhu was hit by a thread of electricity on her shoulder, tearing her clothes and leaving a crimson wound. She cried out in pain, and the light returned to her eyes. ¡°Cousin¡­¡± When she came to her senses, she still didn¡¯t know what had happened, stumbled forward as Shen Luo pulled her along. ¡°You¡¯re awake, let¡¯s go, we need to get out of here!¡± Shen Luo looked back at her, his face relaxed a little when he saw she had awakened, and hurriedly said. ¡°Where is this, how did I end up here?¡± Nie Caizhu asked, looking at the surroundings in surprise. ¡°After we escape, I will explain everything to you.¡± Shen Luo looked serious, just thinking about running with her. Suddenly a beastly roar came from behind them in the tunnel. A gale swept in from the rear, pushing the rolling pink mist like an avalanche. ¡°Go quickly¡­¡± Shen Luo felt a rush of anxiety, quickly tugged Nie Caizhu¡¯s arm, pushing her in front of him. Immediately after, Shen Luo felt an enormous force hit his back, pushing him forward, his chest collided directly with Nie Caizhu¡¯s back, and they both were thrown out. Luckily, they were near the entrance of the waterway. With a ¡°splash,¡± they fell into the water together. Although Nie Caizhu had an anomaly and carried demon qi, she did not know this and couldn¡¯t use this power to protect herself. The moment she entered the water, she struggled and couldn¡¯t breathe at all. Shen Luo quickly cast the Water Repelling Technique, and murmured the spell softly. A hazy blue light appeared around him and covered both of them. Nie Caizhu managed to take a deep breath, but still choked and coughed incessantly. Shen Luo ignored everything else and with one hand around her slender waist, the other controlling the water flow, grasped a spell, and they moved rapidly through the tunnel like two fish. Before they even reached the well in the middle of the water, the water waves churned behind them, and the clam demon had already chased into the water. Shen Luo pushed Nie Caizhu with one hand and shot a palm out with the other towards the rear. His palm force, thread by thread, leaked mana, manipulating the water waves inside the tunnel with the Water Manipulation Technique, suddenly tightening, and turning into several crystal-clear water pythons, all striking the clam demon. However, those water pythons charging out caused the water waves to churn violently. Despite appearing strong, they suddenly disappeared like a clay ox entering the sea after rushing a dozen yards, without making a single ripple. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo quickly realized that something was wrong and quietly cursed in his heart. He then quickly urged his mana to the fullest to accelerate forward. However, behind him, the thunderous ¡°rumbling¡± sound of water echoed continuously, growing louder and stronger like a series of rolling thunders and surging waves. Shen Luo turned his head and saw the water waves that he had just manipulated to attack the clam demon, returning at this moment. Under the control of demonic magic, it transformed into a massive spiraling vortex. Within the vortex were rings of spikes made of condensed water, making it appear like a colossal exotic beast rushing towards Shen Luo to devour him, generating a force that was pulling and tearing at him. The two of them, Shen Luo and another, were drawn by this force, involuntarily staggering backward, looking as if they would be drawn into the vortex. His gaze suddenly hardened, and with a sharp movement of his wrist, the current behind him split into several openings. Through these, dozens of Small Thunder Talismans darted, rapidly advancing towards the vortex. ¡°Rumble¡± Accompanied by a burst of intense thunder, a thick bolt of lightning flashed through the vortex before exploding, transforming into a vast white net of electricity, tearing the massive vortex apart. The disseminated water currents surged forward in chaos. Shen Luo didn¡¯t deliberately stop them but instead took advantage of this momentum to surge into the well. Not daring to linger, he pushed both his hands downwards. The water beneath him started churning violently, almost instantly transforming into a gushing wave that forced their bodies upwards towards the wellhead. Seeing them escape again, the clam demon was infuriated. It abandoned its water attack, sped up, and charged through the water. Just a few breaths slower than Shen Luo, it arrived beneath them. The clam demon had regained its old woman¡¯s form. Its hands, now like claws, reached up towards the void above. The water gushing upwards immediately froze into a layer of Ice Crystal-like substance, looking as if it was about to seal Shen Luo and the other within. Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to forcefully push his palm upwards, sending Cai Zhu out of the wellhead first. However, he wasn¡¯t fast enough to leave the water surface, and his legs were already sealed within the Ice Crystal. What surprised him was that the ¡°Ice Crystal¡± didn¡¯t feel cold, but rather seemed like some type of stone crystal. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to examine it at this moment and quickly pulled out the Ghost Wailing Ring from his sleeve, pounding a series of Ghost Howling Sonic Waves downwards. Accompanied by a series of shrill wails, visible black sound waves hit the surface of the crystal, making the entire well tremble violently. Surprisingly, the crystal was unexpectedly sturdy, and the attack of the Ghost Wailing Ring didn¡¯t affect it at all. Simultaneously, the clam demon, appearing almost insubstantial, passed straight through the crystal and soon reached Shen Luo¡¯s side. ¡°What a cunning Grain Avoidance Cultivator! Don¡¯t rush. After I absorb the Bloodline Power, I¡¯ll replenish myself with you, hehe¡­¡± The old woman examined Shen Luo carefully, and her anger immediately disappeared. She grinned. Having said that, she darted out of the well, and soon, the screams of Cai Zhu could be heard from outside. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed, and he immediately conjured a spinning vortex of water on his palm. In the center of the vortex, a strong demon Qi flashed out from the black water hole, coiling in mid-air to form a giant Shrimp Soldier holding two shiny, pitch-black copper hammers¡ªit was Lang Sheng. ¡°Master, you called me?¡± the moment Lang Sheng appeared, he immediately asked. ¡°Save me now!¡± Shen Luo urged. Hearing this, Lang Sheng immediately raised his two giant hammers. With a powerful swing, a vibrant blue light shone from the hammers¡¯ heads. Rotating mid-air and carrying an overwhelming force, they smashed onto the crystal beside Shen Luo. ¡°Boom!¡± The surrounding crystal finally shattered in response. Shen Luo was instantly propelled upwards, rushing out of the well. Chapter 302: Only Can Be Outsmarted At a glance, Shen Luo saw that the Vadra demon reappeared in its true form, its shell opened wide, ready to devour Nie Caizhu. A crack about an inch long could be seen on its shell, with apparent black scorch marks around it. Clearly, it had been hit by the Thunderfall Talisman earlier, leaving behind this mark. ¡°Stop!¡± Shen Luo shouted, taking out another Thunderfall Talisman from his sleeve and tossed it out. The Vadra demon, having been fooled once before, was already on guard. As soon as it saw the talisman light up, a dense purple light emitted from its shell, casting a purple haze in the sky, much like Buddha¡¯s Light. As the Thunderfall Talisman exploded, the white thunder was blocked by the purple haze, its power completely suppressed, thus unable to harm the Vadra demon. As the thunder light gradually disappeared, the purple haze began to disperse bit by bit. However, just as all the light was fading away, a figure suddenly leapt out of the remnant radiance. In his hands were two copper hammers, both of which he crashed down onto the crack in the Vadra demon¡¯s shell. The Vadra demon clearly hadn¡¯t anticipated Lang Sheng¡¯s ambush;although the purple haze lit up once more, it couldn¡¯t manifest in full strength, and Lang Sheng managed to bring the hammers down. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡± With the two loud noises, a great rebounding force threw Lang Sheng backwards, causing him to fall to the side. The Vadra demon was also hit hard, its shell closed with a loud trembling sound. Shen Luo seized this opportunity to rush forward. Utilizing the Oblique Moon Step Technique, he dashed to the giant Vadra demon, looking like a shadow amidst the moonlight. With one hand he secured Nie Caizhu¡¯s waist, with the other he slapped towards the Vadra demon¡¯s body. The strength of his Qingyang Hand penetrated through, hitting the Vadra demon¡¯s body and causing a rebounding force. Using this force, Shen Luo retreated with Nie Caizhu and used the Oblique Moon Step Technique to distance himself from the Vadra demon. Nie Caizhu, who he held in his arms, was directly knocked unconscious. ¡°You are seeking death¡­¡± Furious, the Vadra demon¡¯s pink light began to subside and the purple light grew stronger. Its body quickly shrunk, soon transforming into a delicate purple dressed girl. Its chest, back, arms and legs were all covered with palm-sized pink-white armor plates, which seemed to be made from the Vadra shell. In her hand, she held a three-foot long white Seedling Knife, which also looked like it was made from the Vadra shell. Shen Luo didn¡¯t dare to be careless. He placed Nie Caizhu against the wall, one hand on the Ghost Wailing Ring, the other clutching a Thunderfall Talisman, looking at the Vadra demon with weary eyes. This Vadra demon who was in the Late Stage of Grain Avoidance was just too defensive. To pierce through her shell would require at least four simultaneous Thunderfall Talismans. Unfortunately, he only had two Thunderfall Talismans left. Besides, even if he had enough talismans to fight, his current level, being only in the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance, would make it impossible to activate them all simultaneously. After all, in reality, his Dantian and Meridians were far behind what he had in his dreams, and so was his Mana. Trying to bypass her Vadra shell and directly attacking her vital point was equally challenging. Shen Luo regretted not bringing the Soul Contract of the Underworld with him in his rush earlier. If he had, he could have tried summoning the Soul Hook Horse Face to help now. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had thought about escaping with Nie Caizhu using the Flying Talisman, but it was a case of you can run but you can¡¯t hide. Since the Vadra demon was able to control Nie Caizhu¡¯s sleepwalking, it must know their home situation very clearly. If he ran away with Nie Caizhu, and the Vadra demon couldn¡¯t find them, it might harm his family. Therefore, Shen Luo was caught in a dilemma, and could only confront the situation head-on. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he couldn¡¯t escape. Just as he was weighing his options, the purple-clothed girl, transformed from the shell monster, abruptly charged towards Shen Luo. Her speed was greatly faster than before, and with just a flash of her figure, the sharp knife in her hand was already at Shen Luo¡¯s chest. A cold glint flashed across the blade, and it pierced through Shen Luo. After transforming into the girl in purple clothes, her speed astonishingly doubled! However, the instant the knife pierced into his body, the girl in purple noticed something was off, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes. Sure enough, the ¡°Shen Luo¡± who was pierced, suddenly dissipated, sliding out a series of blurred afterimages. The ground beneath the afterimages seemed to have splintered moonlight, creating alternating bright and dark moon shadows that slanted to the side. Shen Luo¡¯s figure reappeared from the afterimages, completely unharmed, with not a single wound. His Oblique Moon Step technique had now been perfected. Although there was still a considerable gap before he could use Yimu Xuandun, it was already versatile enough for him to use freely in actual combat, proving to be of great benefit. Shen Luo¡¯s shadow formed another string of afterimages, this time going directly to the side of the shell monster. The Ghost Wailing Ring in his hand let out a shriek, as visible sound waves surged out in layers, aiming straight for the shell monster¡¯s armpit. The shell monster, transformed into a girl, dipped her elbow downwards. The shell plates attached to her arm directly blocked the Ghost Howling Sonic Waves. With a slight shake, all the sound waves were dispersed. Immediately, she flung her hand, and a white flying dagger shot out from her palm, aiming directly at Shen Luo¡¯s heart. Shen Luo had no choice but to activate the Oblique Moon Step Technique and swiftly dodge. At this time, Langsheng had also managed to stand up again, rushing to Shen Luo¡¯s side. ¡°This Fierce Ghost¡¯s cultivation level is far above ours, we can only outsmart it, direct confrontation is not an option¡­¡± Shen Luo lowered his voice and gave Langsheng some instructions. ¡°I will obey Master¡¯s orders.¡± Langsheng repeatedly nodded his head. As soon as he finished speaking, the girl in purple clothes rushed towards them. She suddenly swung her White Seedling Knife, creating a succession of blade shadows that enveloped Shen Luo. This time, Shen Luo did not escape using the Oblique Moon Step. Instead, he flicked his wrist and tens of water arrows shot out from his sleeves simultaneously, hitting the knife shadows from all directions. When the two collided, thunder rang out from the tips of the water arrows. A dozen Small Thunder Talismans flashed, bringing down a dozen streaks of Snowy White Thunder from the sky. The houses and walls around were instantly blown to smithereens, smoke and dust billowing everywhere. Amidst the smoke, the girl in purple¡¯s line of sight was obstructed. The wind whistled by her ear, and she quickly did a backbend, executing a move like the Iron Plank Bridge. Two hammer shadows immediately swept over her, bringing with them a gust of wind that swept away the smoke and dust. The girl in the purple clothes pushed herself off the ground, her figure abruptly charging upwards. The white knife in her hand swept out abruptly, poised to cut Langsheng at his waist. However, at this moment, Langsheng¡¯s body was suddenly pulled back by a water rope, barely dodging the girl¡¯s blade. He retreated back into the smoke and disappeared from sight. The girl in purple clothes let out a cold snort, her figure lunging forward, chasing after Langsheng. However, after taking just two steps, her foot was tripped by something. She looked down to see a water rope on the ground, attached to Small Thunder Talismans stretching several Zhang long. Chapter 303: Green Lotus Slaying Demon ¡°Trifling tricks¡­¡± The girl in purple clothes was only halfway through her words when she suddenly felt tightness around her body. Seven to eight water ropes had wrapped around her consecutively, coiling her in the center like wrapping a rice dumpling. On each water rope, without exception, several Small Thunder Talismans were hung. Shen Luo did not keep even a shred of reserve, he utilized all the Small Thunder Talismans he had at hand, without a single one left. With his soft utterance, his mana flowed through each water rope touched every talisman, igniting them all. In the next instant, continuous roars of thunder resounded in the deep night continuously! The ¡°rumbling¡± sounds echoed nonstop, strands of snowy white thunder light constantly burst, illuminating half of the Yuanzhu Temple into bright light. The awakened monks in the temple were frightened into a horrify state. One by one, they distance themselves from here, gathering at the front courtyard, ceaselessly chanting prayers. After tens of moments, the thunder gradually subsided, and the figure of the clam demon gradually revealed in the smoke and dust. It surprisingly turned back into its original gigantic clam shape to resist the Thunder Technique. ¡°Now!¡± Shen Luo shouted emphatically. Lang Sheng, already prepared at the side, suddenly surged forward, a light shining around his body. He mustered up all his strength, swinging his two copper hammers towards the crack in the clam¡¯s shell. A ¡°boom¡±, the first hammer arrived, hitting at the crack. Then another hammer came to supplement, hitting on top of the first, and the two forces superimposed, instantly increasing the power several folds. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the inch-long crack in the clam shell finally enlarged, dropping a fragment. Shen Luo had already activated his Slanting Moon Steps, arriving at the right moment. He stimulated two Thunderfall Talismans at the same time and stuffed them into the crack. Lang Sheng exhausted his full strength with the two previous blows. Shen Luo grasp his shoulder, managing to drag him away from there. The moment the two of them moved away, a dazzling white light erupted. The two thick bolts of lightning gathered in one place, and inside the narrow space within the clam shell, it condensed into a human head-sized spherical lightning. It instantly released a tremendous force. In the midst of the roaring sound, a purple light shone through from within the clam shell followed by numerous electrical threads exploding simultaneously. The sturdy shell of the giant clam cracked from the inside, breaking into countless fragments and shooting towards all directions like a sudden rain of pear blossoms. Shen Luo hurriedly leaped over, taking Nie Caizhu under his protection. A moment later, the surrounding noise gradually disappeared, and everything returned to calm. Shen Luo turned his head to look, only to see nothing left there but the shattered shell. There was no trace of the clam demon¡¯s remains. He was overjoyed, and just as he was about to help Nie Caizhu up, his body suddenly stiffened, and a cold sweat broke out. Not far away within a pile of rubble, a bloodied woman in purple clothes slowly stood up. The white sharp knife in her hand was nowhere to be seen, and her eyes were filled with intense murderous intent as she stared towards Shen Luo. The clam demon at this moment did not have a single piece of clam shell armor left on its body. Not a single part of its skin was intact, and there was even an eye-catching black and bloodied mark on its abdomen. Yet, it was still resiliently alive. Shen Luo gently held the fainting Nie Caizhu up. Wrapped around her waist was his arm, already pinching a Flying Talisman. ¡°Daoist friend Lang Sheng, you go first.¡± As he finished speaking, he lifted his hand and summoned the water hole once again. The Shrimp Soldiers could understand the situation clearly at this point. With their combined forces, they were no match for the clam demon, hence making a leap, diving into the water hole. How could the infuriated clam demon let them escape? A burst of purple light suddenly illuminated his body, and with a flicker, he charged at the shrimp soldiers. ¡°Go!¡± At the very moment of his action, Shen Luo shouted. As his voice fell, a green light had already shone on his body, enveloping him and Nie Caizhu at the same time, about to ascend into the air. Upon hearing him, the Clam Demon abandoned the shrimp soldiers and directly pounced on Shen Luo. Had Shen Luo not shouted, or even deliberately used Lang Sheng as bait, he could already have been able to run away without danger. But after all, he was not a cold-blooded person and couldn¡¯t push himself to this extent. His only hope was that a little back-and-forth could waste enough time for them all to escape. Without the Clam Demon¡¯s obstruction, Lang Sheng successfully teleported back. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Shen Luo and the other¡¯s ascent was interrupted halfway when a ball of purple sticky liquid hit her abdomen at high speed, disrupting the flow of mana inside her body. Unable to control the Flying Talisman, they fell from mid air. At the moment of hitting the ground, he tightly embraced the unconscious Nie Caizhu, his body acting as a cushion under her and buffering her force, and both of them rolled out. However, before he could even rise from the ground, his neck was already gripped by a hand. The Clam Demon¡¯s arms were covered in purple sticky liquid. One hand held Shen Luo¡¯s neck and the other held Nie Caizhu¡¯s, lifting them into mid air, the demon looked threateningly at the two of them, as if choosing who to devour first. Shen Luo had been completely immobilized, powerless to move, while Nie Caizhu had been shocked awake and struggled. ¡°Should I eat you first, or you first?¡± The demon, speaking in a voice as harsh as an old woman¡¯s, turned her gaze first from Shen Luo to Nie Caizhu, seeming somewhat hesitant. The words had barely left the demon¡¯s mouth when she changed her mind and said to herself, ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll eat you both.¡± At her words, Shen Luo and the others witnessed an extremely terrifying sight. A crack appeared in the middle of the clam demon¡¯s forehead, and it extended all the way down over her nose, mouth, chin, and throat into the abdomen. Then the crack suddenly began to split apart, and the demon¡¯s body physically split open. There were no organs inside, just two smooth walls of flesh covered in a semi-transparent purple-coloured sticky liquid. Inside, a deep purple-black demon pellet was visible, radiating pulses of demonic energy. At this moment, the demon¡¯s arms both retracted, gripping Shen Luo and the others tightly, stuffing them right into the crack of the flesh wall. ¡°Um¡­ um¡­¡± Nie Caizhu was terrified, wanting to cry out for help but unable to find her voice, she could only mumble incoherently. Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts raced as he looked for a way out, but all was in vain. His cheeks were pressed up against the flesh, and his nose could already smell the corrosive odour coming from the sticky liquid. It seemed he was about to die here. But just then, a green light suddenly shone in the night sky, obscured by thick clouds. The clouds in the high sky were ripped apart, a giant image of a green lotus appeared, and from it a dazzling ray of colourful light projected, going right between Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, and hitting the clam demon¡¯s flesh directly. Where the colourful light fell, a plume of multi-coloured flame rose with a ¡°whoosh¡±. The Clam Demon let out a wail, quickly dropping Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, and quickly closed its split body, trying to extinguish the flame from the inside. However, instead of being extinguished, the multicoloured flame suddenly burst forth, spewing out from the inside, and instantly swallowed the Clam Demon. After a few moments of screams, the Clam Demon finally fell to the ground, lifeless. With the fading life force of the demon, the multicoloured flame also naturally receded, eventually forming a light ball and flying back into the green lotus image, disappearing without a trace. Chapter 304: Accepting into the Sect Upon checking Nie Caizhu¡¯s injuries and finding that she was not seriously harmed, Shen Luo immediately bowed toward the sky. ¡°Thank you, Elder, for saving our lives,¡± he shouted loudly. Nie Caizhu also performed a courteous gesture in response. In the sky, the green lotus phantom gradually retracted its light and transformed into a green lotus platform, descending to a height of about thirty feet, where it then hovered. Looking up, Shen Luo saw a woman standing on the lotus platform, dressed in palace attire, barefoot, and incredibly beautiful. Her natural elegance shone through, free from cosmetics. Her distinct green-blue hair fell behind her, and she emanated an aura of an ethereal purity. ¡°May I ask the elder¡¯s name, and which immortal gate you come from?¡± Shen Luo hesitated momentarily, then ventured to ask. The woman standing on the lotus platform did not answer. Her cold gaze surveyed Nie Caizhu, not seeming to even acknowledge Shen Luo¡¯s existence. In the next instant, a burst of green light abruptly descended from the lotus platform, directly enveloping Nie Caizhu. Feeling that something was amiss, Shen Luo swiftly reached out to grab her arm. However, the green light moved faster. With one contraction, it whisked Nie Caizhu away from her original spot. ¡°This woman has a fate with Mount Putuo, and I am now taking her under my wing. We must return to the mountain immediately.¡± A cool voice emanated from the lotus platform, resounding with an unquestionable dominance. Then, without giving Shen Luo any opportunity to react, the lotus platform turned into a green rainbow of light, disappearing into the distance with Nie Caizhu. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Caizhu¡­¡± Shen Luo was extremely anxious. He hurriedly rushed upward, clutching the Flying Talisman in his sleeve and soaring into the sky, following the disappearing light. However, the disappearing light moved far too quickly for him to keep up. It extended a distance of several hundred li in just an instant. In but a few breaths, the green light had completely vanished, leaving no trace behind. With no choice, Shen Luo reluctantly landed, gazing at the empty night sky with a grim expression, his heart empty with loss. Everything that happened tonight was utterly inexplicable, be it the earlier attack by the clam monster, or the subsequent appearance of the Lotus Lady. All these sudden changes left him utterly unprepared. Shen Luo watched helplessly as Nie Caizhu was taken away, a flurry of emotions stirring within him. There was confusion, anger, and more than anything, a helpless feeling of powerlessness and deep-seated regret. ¡°Mount Putuo¡­ Mount Putuo¡­¡± he muttered this name, feeling a slight sense of familiarity. But for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t recall where he had heard it before. It was only when he turned around and saw the large hall in front of him that he was struck by a realization. ¡°Guanyin Hall, Mount Putuo¡­ isn¡¯t that the sacred mountain of Guanyin Bodhisattva in the Southern Sea?¡± Feeling ever more puzzled, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t understand what exactly was special about Nie Caizhu. Why was the clam monster trying to harm her, and why did the Lotus Lady forcefully take her away? ¡°Southern Sea¡­ It¡¯s impossible to get my cousin back now. I can only wait until my mana has greatly improved, then consider making a trip to Mount Putuo,¡± sighed Shen Luo inwardly as he made his way back to the county town. He contemplated how he would explain this to his family, how he would explain it to the Nie Family, and found himself increasingly frustrated. Returning to Shen Mansion, after discussing the situation with his father, Shen Yuange, Shen Luo decided not to tell his family about this for the time being. He wrote a handwritten letter and gave it to Little Spring, instructing her to return to Yunzhou with an escort, and to inform the Nie Family of what had happened. As for whether the Nie family would believe in him, and what their reaction would be afterwards, he could only wait and see. When night fell, Shen Luo lay down on the bed. His fight with the shell demon was exhausting, both physically and mentally, and he soon fell into a deep sleep. Unaware of how long he had been sleeping, a noise began to ring in his ears, growing louder and closer. He opened his eyes in confusion and looked outside, his expression changing. At this moment, he was not at home, but lying in an old and decrepit house. There were several large holes in the roof, and a wall had partially collapsed. It looked like a decaying temple. Inside the house was a mud statue of a deity and a fallen God Niche. Shen Luo was lying next to the God Niche. He hurriedly sat up, looked around, then looked at his own body. In his Dantian, there was an incredibly thick liquid-like mana flowing, and in his mind, his soul power was equally sturdy, in human form. Realizing this, it was clear to him that he was dreaming again. ¡°It¡¯s been more than two years since my last dream, and the time between previous dreams has been erratic. It seems there¡¯s no pattern.¡± With his past experiences, Shen Luo wasn¡¯t panicked, but calmly muttered to himself. The noise and cries of many people were coming from outside. He frowned, got up and walked out, only to be taken aback by the scene before him. The broken temple was located on a high ground. Surrounding it was an ordinary city with numerous shops and wide streets that seemed to be more prosperous than Donglai County. However, just like Donglai County, this city too was in deep trouble, with human-sized, black-colored, demonic insects rampaging through the city. These demonic insects were covered with black scales and resembled gigantic ants, each with two huge, sickle-like claws on their heads. They were as fast as the wind, their strength comparable to that of monsters in the Qi Refining Stage, and were currently obliterating the city¡¯s residents. Donglai County was even more tragic than this city. At least in Donglai County, the group of demon wolves outside the city didn¡¯t manage to get in and kill people. But not everyone in the city was just an ordinary person. There were teams of armored soldiers, armed with long halberds and iron spears, fighting the demonic insects in a blood bath. These soldiers were ordinary people without any mana. However, their armor and weapons were engraved with specific runes. As these were swung, they emitted mana fluctuations similar to talismanic instruments, enabling them to exhibit considerable combat power, but with heavy casualties. In addition to these soldiers, there were quite a few real cultivators in the city. Most were at the Qi Refining and Grain Avoidance stages and were fighting alongside these soldiers, resisting the rampaging demonic insects and helping the city¡¯s residents escape. In the sky above the city, a huge black cloud rolled, covering half of the sky. Enormous dark pillars protruded from the cloud from time to time, appearing to be insect legs. It seemed a gigantic insect was hidden within the cloud. The black cloud rolled slightly. Countless black demonic insects flew out ceaselessly, dropping into the city below. The demonic insects in the city had obviously come from the cloud. In the mid-air below the black cloud, there were nearly a hundred cultivators unleashing all kinds of attacks, killing those demonic insects that had fallen from the cloud, and attacking the insect¡¯s legs in the cloud. Chapter 305: Insect Disaster Shen Luo¡¯s divine sense was unable to reach that area. He could only judge their cultivation realm based on their actions;astonishingly, they were all at the Soul Condensation Stage. However, the giant foot that emerged from the clouds was incomparably robust. The monks¡¯ attacks below didn¡¯t leave a scratch on it, let alone injure it. The black colossal foot waved continuously, shooting out black light blades like wolf¡¯s teeth towards the monks in mid air. The wolf fang light blades looked exceedingly hefty, harboring the might to split mountains and seas. The cultivators below united to defend, barely managing to withstand them. Apart from the black colossal foot, there were twenty or thirty huge black demonic insects below the dark clouds. These black demonic insects were several times larger than the ones on the ground, and their demon qi was much stronger, reaching the Soul Condensation Stage. They also had wings on their backs and were tirelessly attacking the monks beneath them. Although the cultivators outnumbered them, they were still at a disadvantage. The booming sounds continuously echoed from mid air, causing gales and plunging the city into turmoil. ¡°This looks like the end of the world. Have I come thousands of years into the future again?¡± Shen Luo murmured this in his heart upon witnessing the scene. ¡°Roar!¡± Two nearby black demonic insects had noticed Shen Luo. Their eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty and excited gleam as they lunged towards him. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze turned cold. He lightly flicked his fingers twice, sending out two threads of golden light that disappeared into the bodies of the demonic insects. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡±, the bodies of the two demonic insects exploded on the spot. Shen Luo looked at the dark clouds in the sky and pondered for a moment before taking out a flying talisman from the Seven Star Talisman Pen, ready to take off and aid the other monks. He still didn¡¯t grasp the situation here, but as a part of the human race, he naturally couldn¡¯t stand by and watch his fellow humans suffer. At that moment, the ground beneath him suddenly shook violently and a loud explosive noise came from a nearby house. A crimson pillar of fire, several dozen feet thick, burst out from the middle of the building, easily destroying it in the process. The heat from the flames quickly spread out, causing a flaming surge that destroyed everything in sight. Shen Luo was pushed back a few steps by the heatwave, but he quickly regained his footing. Golden light flashed around him, forming a golden halo that protected his entire body. The massive column of fire rapidly shot up into the sky, piercing the dark clouds in an instant. The dark clouds trembled at the ¡°sizzz¡± sound and were immediately burned away in large amounts. A figure clad in red robes appeared next to the pillar of fire. He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. Several dozen fiery red formation flags hung around him, forming an array that kept spinning around. Inside the fire pillar, a crimson array appeared and resonated with the formation flags around the middle-aged man in the red robe. Seeing Shen Luo nearby, the red-robed middle-aged man¡¯s face showed a look of surprise. Shen Luo also looked at the red-robed man. The man¡¯s aura was deep and thick, indicating he has reached the Nascent Soul Stage. At that moment, two huge booms were heard from two other places in the city. Two more giant pillars of fire shot up into the sky. The three pillars of fire, in the shape of a trident, pierced the dark clouds in mid air. The dark clouds immediately started to roll, resembling boiling water, and quickly began to dissipate. A low growl emanated from the cloudy area, the dissipating dark clouds suddenly halted, and a trend of reconvening faintly appeared. The red-robed middle-aged man paid no heed to Shen Luo, his hands swiftly forming a seal, activating the array surrounding him. Beside the other two fire pillars, a cultivator¡¯s figure appeared, one was a gray-haired old man with a distressed face, the other was a plump green-clothed young woman. The aura emitted by the two of them also reached the Nascent Soul Stage, and an array was revolving around them as well. The three Nascent Soul Cultivators chanted simultaneously as the crimson flame on their red pillars grew even more intense, suddenly brightened, and beams of sword-like red light shot out from the three fire pillars, stabbing into the dark clouds, with a sudden twist. Boom boom boom! The dark clouds in the sky were suddenly and thoroughly torn apart, and turned into numerous black Qi that scattered. A head of a black colossal insect the size of a hundred feet appeared in mid-air. The front half of its body was similar to the demonic insects on the ground, ant-like, covered with shiny dark-skinned scale armor. Yet, at the very front of the colossal insect¡¯s body, there were four scythe-like giant claws, with some curved hooks on top, looking far more terrifying than the demonic insects below. The back half of the colossal insect, however, was in the shape of a pupa. Its lower abdomen was densely covered with dozens of wriggling holes, resembling a beehive, where black demonic insects kept flying out, descending towards the lower frontier. A viciously fierce aura emanated from the black colossal insect, causing one to fear from looking at it. ¡°So this is where those demonic insects come from, but what sort of monster is this colossal insect?¡± At this moment, Shen Luo was not in a hurry to make a move and, looking at the black colossal insect in mid-air, he spoke in astonishment. ¡°Fast!¡± The three Nascent Soul Period monks once again formed a seal and chanted spells. The three crimson fire pillars brightened again, and beams of sword-like red light shot out again, yet this time, there were far fewer red beams than before. However, correspondingly, they were much thicker and sharper, fiercely slashing onto the colossal insect¡¯s body. A loud metallic clanging sound echoed out, but the black armor on the colossal insect was undamaged, not even leaving a trace. On the pupa-like lower part of the black colossal insect, a layer of black brilliance surfaced, and all the red light that slashed onto it was easily repelled. ¡°How is it possible!¡± The three of them were taken aback by this sight. Upon witnessing this sight, Shen Luo lifted his eyebrows. ¡°A mere little formation, and you want to hurt me!¡± An irritated sound came from the mouth of the black colossal insect;the sound was sharp, and it forcefully brandished three of its front claws! Three crescent-shaped black blades flew out, slashing onto three red fire pillars, the fire pillars were immediately cut into two. Not only that, the crescent black blades were extremely precise;they cleaved through the array inside the fire pillars as well. The array surrounding the red-robed middle-aged man went ¡°bang¡± and shattered, the fire pillar beside him became even more chaotic, bulging with big swelling lumps. The next moment, a ¡°boom¡± sound filled the air, the entire fire pillar exploded, turned into numerous remaining flames drifting away and disappeared! The three red-robed middle-aged men stood near the fire pillars and were blown away by the shockwaves from the explosion of the fire pillars. ¡°What an impressive monster.¡± Although Shen Luo was near the fire pillars and was swept away by the explosion, he was prepared. In the swirling shockwaves, his body remained immovable as he spoke inwardly. After the black colossal insect shattered the fire pillars, it seemed still unsatisfied;it opened its mouth wide and spat at those Soul Condensation cultivators below, spewing a stream of black liquid that gave off a nauseating, rotten smell. At first whiff, one would feel like vomiting. It was evidently extremely malicious. The red-robed cultivator on the ground showed a drastic change in his complexion. Steadying himself with a surge of red light surrounding him, he immediately shot towards the mid-air. A red beam of light shot out from his hand ¨C it was a large, fiery-red flag, on it was embroidered a fire phoenix pattern, an astonishing spiritual power fluctuation erupted from it, far surpassing any magical instrument Shen Luo had seen. ¡°Magical Treasures!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes brightened slightly. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 306: Rage Kill The red light on the Fire Phoenix Banner fluttered, immediately enlarging several times, blocking the falling black liquid. The other two Nascent Soul Cultivators did the same, rushing towards the mid-air, each drawing out a magical treasure, a jade green Ruyi and a yellow earthy ring, trying to block the black liquid for those Soul Condensation Cultivators. However, the black liquid came too quickly, and despite the three of them putting in all their effort to block it, they could not stop it all. Part of the black liquid flew from the gap between the magical treasures, launching towards the Soul Condensation Cultivators below. Some clever Soul Condensation Cultivators hurriedly flew towards the range of the magical instruments protection of the three red-robed men, but some who were not able to evade in time, at the same time, thought they had a powerful magical instrument in their hands, drew out their magical instrument to protect their bodies, seeming to want to withstand the black liquid with brute force. ¡°We can¡¯t handle it head-on! Get out of the way quickly!¡± The red-robed man yelled urgently, while forming a magic spell with his hands. The red light on the Fire Phoenix Banner intensified, and strands of fire cloud-like red light shot out from above, sweeping towards the black liquid. Unfortunately, it was a step too late. The black liquid hit the magical instruments of those Soul Condensation Cultivators, and with a ¡°hiss¡± sound, the not so average looking magical instruments shimmered a few times, and then turned into a few strands of green smoke that disappeared without a trace. The cultivators under the magical instruments were rushed by the black liquid, they couldn¡¯t even get a scream out before they were completely melted away, leaving not a bit of their clothes. After killing these cultivators, the black liquid continued to fall towards the city below. Moreover, after this incident, the black liquid stopped gathering together but dispersed into countless black droplets, falling like rain onto the city, covering a broad range. ¡°Evil beast!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened and made a gesture with both hands. Boom! Multiple parts of the ground within the city burst open;streams of water shot out from the crevices and spread out quickly, forming a giant water curtain that caught all the falling black liquid. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was a booming ¡°hiss¡± sound, as white mist evaporated and twirled, the water curtain was rapidly corroded into pits, seemingly close to being pierced through. Shen Luo drew another magic spell with his hand, water gushed continuously from the ground, replenishing the water curtain, while simultaneously the water within the water curtain quickly flowed, delaying the black venom¡¯s corrosion downwards. The black liquid was eroding the water curtain, its substance rapidly disappearing, shrinking swiftly. After a few breaths, all the black liquid completely vanished, and the water curtain remained unharmed. Seeing this situation, the three Nascent Soul Cultivators, including the red-robed man, all breathed a sigh of relief. The black colossal insect in mid-air had a furious expression in its eyes;it let out a roar from its mouth. Just at this moment, there was a green flash above its head, and a figure, which was much smaller compared to it, appeared out of thin air- it was Shen Luo. His arm blurred, and a golden fist roared down towards a certain part of the insect¡¯s head. The black colossal insect was somewhat startled at Shen Luo¡¯s sudden appearance, but did not consider it too much. A scythe-like claw that was at least several tens of feet long emitted a black light, then it slashed upwards in a boneless tendril-like motion, as if intending to smash Shen Luo into pieces right there. The direction of Shen Luo¡¯s striking fist altered and met the scythe-like claw head-on. An unbelievable scene occurred! Upon their collision, the black sharp claw that was much larger compared to Shen Luo¡¯s fist shattered inch by inch, morphing into countless scattered fragments. However, Shen Luo¡¯s fist was entirely unharmed. It was then that the black colossal insect was greatly startled. But before it could react, Shen Luo¡¯s fist had already descended like a bolt of golden lightning, flashing and striking somewhere on the insect¡¯s head. There was a cracking sound, a crack emerged on the black shell of the insect¡¯s head, spreading quickly. But the colossal insect¡¯s skull was incredibly large and highly strong, and even though a crack appeared, it naturally didn¡¯t suffer any significant impact. ¡°Roar!¡± The colossal insect had finally reacted at this moment. Amidst its low roar, a black glow immediately emerged on its head. Amidst its violent flickering, it formed a thick layer of black crystal casing, protecting its skull. At the same time, its mouth opened, and another wave of black liquid sprayed out, spinning and curling like a living creature, hurtling towards Shen Luo. The three remaining sharp claws of the colossal insect surged with a dark glow, immediately curling up and flying out, transforming into three shadows slashing towards Shen Luo from three different directions, leaving him with no escape. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted, a brilliant golden light radiating from his body, forming a tangible golden ring around him. The black liquid was the first to hit, splattering on the golden ring. A sizzling sound echoed as the golden ring was quickly eroded, turning into green smoke and disappearing. In the blink of an eye, more than half of it had thinned out. Shen Luo was calm and composed, waving his hands to form a unique magic spell. A bright blue light suddenly shone on his hand, and he threw it out, striking the black liquid. The blue light surprisingly didn¡¯t get eroded by the highly corrosive black liquid. Instead, it suddenly split into two cleanly, flying past Shen Luo¡¯s golden ring. This blue light was the God¡¯s Power ¡®Water-splitting Technique¡¯ that can only be used after reaching the Soul Condensation Stage through the practice of the Nameless Method! Although the black liquid was not purely water, it contained a strong amount of water energy, making the ¡®Water-splitting Technique¡¯ effective against it. With a wave of his arm, Shen Luo split the black liquid. His fists radiated a brilliant golden light, and he dashed forward, striking the three sharp claws of the colossal insect that were attacking him right after the black liquid. There was a loud bang! The dark light on the three sharp claws shattered and exploded into numerous fragments. Shen Luo maneuvered his waist, swinging his fists down to strike the colossal insect¡¯s head. The thick black crystal shield on the insect¡¯s head shattered like paper. Shen Luo¡¯s fists continued to strike the part of the insect¡¯s head where cracks had appeared, expanding the crack even further. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡±¡­ Shen Luo¡¯s fists rained down hard on the monster, causing a series of throbbing noises. In pain, the colossal insect shook its body violently, trying to shake Shen Luo off. However, Shen Luo remained firmly attached to the insect¡¯s head, immovable. Not far away, the red-robed middle-aged man and the other three Nascent Soul Cultivators all looked on in shock. Then, a look of jubilation crossed their faces. ¡°Boom!¡± Under the relentless onslaught of Shen Luo¡¯s fists, a massive hole was punched into the insect¡¯s head. Shen Luo dove into the hole, and an explosive force erupted within the beast¡¯s head. ¡°Roar¡­¡± After a painful roar that echoed through heaven and earth, the wildly thrashing colossal insect suddenly stopped, and its massive head dropped. Then, with a ¡°crack¡±, it split into several pieces, and a large amount of white brain pulp and black blood spilled out. Shen Luo emerged from the mess and landed on the ground. The colossal insect¡¯s enormous body had completely lost its breath, but it managed to remain upright, supported by its pillar-like legs. While this series of exchanges seemed complex, it all happened in the blink of an eye. The surviving Soul Condensation cultivators watched, agape. The red-robed middle-aged man and the other three Nascent Soul Cultivators also stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing. Shen Luo in mid-air waved his hand, and a stream of water shot up from below, gently lifting him upward. Then he slowly gathered his chaotic mana and looked at the cultivators around him, about to say something. ¡°Hmph!¡± At that moment, a cold snort resonated from the sky. Chapter 307: The sound wasn¡¯t loud, but Shen Luo gave a muffled grunt. His chest felt as if it had been struck by a massive hammer, making him extremely uncomfortable. The water flow under his feet suddenly scattered. Without any support, his body plummeted straight down from the sky. At this moment, a thick beam of golden light descended from the sky, shooting towards him like a falling star. An immense force pierced through the air, bearing down on him and making his body extremely stiff. Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart and without wasting a word, he hurriedly urged the mana in his body and threw his fists towards the falling golden light. However, the golden light falling from mid-air was moving too fast. Before his fists could fully hit it, the golden light struck him, forcing him into the ground below. With a loud ¡°Boom!¡±, dust and smoke roiled along the ground, scattering countless particles of dust. The ground got heavily impacted to form a wide, carbon-black pit stretching over ten feet. Shen Luo was nowhere to be seen, his life or death uncertain. In mid-air, another even larger golden light flashed and fell, continuing to strike at the massive pit. ¡°Qianyan Ancestor, how dare you actually act!¡± Another thunderous voice came from the other side of the sky. It sounded like an old man. Before the voice finished speaking, a green rainbow emerged from the distance and rolled in at an astonishing speed. One moment it was hundreds of feet away, the next it had shot up close, intercepting the falling golden light. A deafening explosion resound! Between the golden and the green lights, numerous explosions occurred, unleashing a shockwave like a whirlwind that swept in every direction. The nearby Soul condensing cultivators, along with three Nascent Soul Stage figures were affected by the shockwave. They were blown away like leaves swept up by the autumn wind. Some of the weaker cultivators unable to control their mana fell to the ground from mid-air. ¡°Why would I dare not act? Do you think this is like before? We saints of the Wan Yao Palace no longer wish to keep to the agreement from before, old green-haired man, since you are here, you might as well not leave!¡± That cold voice echoed from the sky again, another even more massive gold light descended with a glimpse of a golden little sword inside, aimed at the green rainbow. The green rainbow shone brightly, rushing up to meet it. The golden and green lights clashed fiercely in mid-air, the sky erupting with flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder. The two terrifying presences, far surpassing the Nascent Soul Stage, collided. The ensuing pressure wave, like a raging tsunami, swiftly swept in all directions. The faces of the blown-away cultivators changed greatly again, and they quickly scattered, each fleeing for their lives. Three Nascent Soul cultivators also did the same. The gray-haired old man and the green-clothed young woman waved to recall their magical treasures, transformed into a green and a yellow escape light, and flew off into the distance. The red-robed cultivator glanced at the brown pit on the ground, hesitated for a moment, then turned around and fled as well, not daring to stay any longer. The rampaging demonic insects within the city also looked terrified, staying as far away as possible from the two beams of light clashing in mid-air. The dirt in the charred pit on the ground suddenly moved, and a figure leapt out. It was Shen Luo. His body was at this moment covered in tattered clothes, his hair disheveled, wounds had split open the skin on both his arms and shoulders, blood dripping from them. A trace of blood was also on the corner of his mouth, making him look quite miserable and indicating that he had been seriously wounded. He glanced at the two beams of light fiercely clashing in the sky above. A trace of fear flashed in his eyes, and with a blur of his figure, he too immediately dashed off into the distance. As he was fleeing, Shen Luo took out a Flying Talisman from his body, about to activate it with a spell;suddenly, his face changed drastically. A mysterious prohibitive force suddenly appeared in his Dantian and meridians, causing his internal mana to disappear abruptly, leaving no trace to be felt. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As Shen Luo soared, his figure suddenly paused, and his heart sunk. At this moment, several angry cries came from above. Three shadows, several feet in size, swooped down. They were three Soul Condensation Stage Demonic Insects, their six sickle-like sharp claws turned into six shadows, slashing rapidly towards Shen Luo. Even though Shen Luo¡¯s internal mana was constrained, his physical strength remained. With a twist of his body, he quickly moved sideways, the maneuver as agile as ever, evading the three demonic insects¡¯ attack. The three Soul Condensation Demonic Insects seemed surprised that Shen Luo could evade their strike. Their wings spread to halt their momentum and they directed their ferocious gaze towards Shen Luo. Only at this moment could Shen Luo clearly see these three Soul Condensation Demonic Insects. Compared to ordinary demonic insects, aside from their larger size, they had many more green lines on their bodies, emitting bursts of wind attribute spiritual power fluctuations. Their eyes were very spirited, showing they clearly had no lack of spiritual wisdom. Once the three Demonic Insects stabilized their figures, they immediately swooped down again. Halfway down, they were enveloped in a layer of green light, their bodies suddenly transforming into three gusts of wind, disappearing without a trace. ¡°Wind Escape Technique?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow but remained motionless, standing where he was. The next moment, a gust of wind rose behind him and two black sharp claws flashed out of thin air, slashing towards his back with incredible speed. The black claws appeared very close to Shen Luo and moved so quickly that in the blink of an eye they fell upon him, seemingly about to penetrate his body. But Shen Luo suddenly turned around, rapidly reaching out with both hands, grabbing the black claws as if he had already anticipated the situation. After catching the black claws, he bent his knees and kicked forward forcefully. With a ¡°thump¡±, one of the black Demonic Insects appeared, half of its face smashed out of shape. But this demonic insect had an extremely strong vitality. Two of its scythe-like front claws suddenly radiated a blade-like black glow and cut towards Shen Luo¡¯s hands, leaving two bloody wounds. A putrid black qi spewed from the insect¡¯s mouth, similar to the black liquid of the previous colossal insect, and enveloped Shen Luo. Not only that, its left and right sides flashed with shadows, and two other demonic insects emerged, their four sharp front limbs transforming into four black shadows, charging straight at his body. Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened slightly. Holding the first insect¡¯s front limbs with both his hands, he pulled forcefully, propelling himself into the air and evading the attack of the two insects on the side. However, the spreading range of the black qi was too wide. Although he tried his best to dodge, some still stained his left arm. His skin was quickly covered with a layer of blackness and started to feel numb and aching. Shen Luo let out a cold snort, his two arms suddenly becoming blood-red and swelling a great deal. Holding the two front claws of the insect as if breaking branches, he put forth great effort, snapping them. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With two loud crunches, the insect¡¯s front claws were cleanly broken off. The insect could no longer tolerate it and opened its mouth to let out a shrill scream. But before it could cry out a second time, a foot descended from the sky, stomping on its half-crushed head, a terrifying force transferred through. With a ¡°crack¡±, the insect¡¯s head was completely crushed, the brain pulp and blood flowing out;it was dead beyond dead. Having quickly killed one of the insects, Shen Luo turned around to face the other two. His swollen right arm expanded even more, the bulging veins rising from it as he forcibly swung it. A piercing sound of tearing through the air resounded, and the insect claw held in his right hand transformed into a black afterimage. In a flash, it reached another insect. Chapter 308: Shen Luo concentrated all his strength into his right arm, the insect claw moving at an incredible speed, the demonic insect had no time to evade. With a ¡°whoosh¡±, the scythe-like insect claw pierced its chest, pinning it to the ground. A huge wound appeared on the demonic insect¡¯s chest, nearly ripping it open, with black blood gushing out, staining the surrounding ground red in the blink of an eye. With blood gushing from the insect¡¯s mouth, it was obvious that it wouldn¡¯t survive. The other demonic insect was greatly alarmed, its body lit up with green light, attempting to cloak itself in wind escape technique. Shen Luo coldly chuckled, his left arm pulsating again and with a swing. The insect claw in his hand transformed into a black shadow, striking an area of empty air to his left. A loud ¡°bang¡± echoed around! The black insect claw was sent flying off, but the black demonic insect also materialized again, staggering backward. Though his mana was sealed, his divine sense power was still present, rendering the opponent¡¯s wind escape technique unsuccessful. However, his left arm was permeated with poisonous gas from the demonic insect, weakening its power and preventing him from striking the enemy with only one blow. Transforming into a black shadow, Shen Luo took advantage of the black demonic insect¡¯s instability, and in a flash, he was in front of it. His left hand reached out and once again grabbed one of its front claws. The black demonic insect was greatly horrified, its ferocious mouth wide open, it bit down at Shen Luo¡¯s head. However, Shen Luo responded faster, as he laid his hand on the black demonic insect, his right hand immediately became blurry, turning into a blade-like force that pierced the neck of the insect before cutting horizontally. With a ¡°splat¡±, the insect¡¯s head was sliced off, and a stream of black blood spewed from the severed neck. The headless body of the black demonic insect wobbled twice before collapsing to the ground with a thud. Shen Luo took a breather. A tinge of pallor appeared on his face, and his swollen arms quickly shrank back to their normal size. With his mana sealed and exhausting the body¡¯s strength to stimulate the Huangting Technique, the swift slaying of three demonic insects at the soul condensation stage took a massive toll on his body. He glanced at his left arm. Just now, the rapid circulation of his blood resulted in the poison spreading somewhat. Shen Luo paused for a moment, immediately used his right hand to press certain points on his left arm to seal off the poisoned area, and then slashed at the poisoned area with his fingers as if they were a knife. An incision appeared on his skin, and the blackened poisonous blood immediately surged out. The poison ceased spreading, and the stinging sensation began to subside. He sighed with relief, immediately continued moving forward, and soon reached a city gate. The area was packed with people, innumerable residents scrambling to escape outside. But due to the battle between the two high people in the sky, the demonic insects that were originally wreaking havoc inside the city had moved to the edge of the city. This allowed a large number of insects to flood near the city gate and attack the residents. Fortunately, there were many armored warriors and cultivators in the area who were fighting the demonic insects, opening up escape routes for the civilians. Shen Luo ignored the demonic insects and merged with the crowd streaming out of the city, soon reaching the outskirts. Outside the city, the shadows moved erratically, densely packed demonic insects swarmed from the wilderness to the east of the city. Luckily, the city¡¯s armored warriors and cultivators had formed formations to barely withstand the attacking demonic insects. ¡°We¡¯ll hold off these demonic insects, everyone evacuate this place quickly! The farther you run, the better.¡± Overhead, outside the city, a Soul Condensation Stage cultivator was fending off the insects while guiding the city¡¯s residents to escape. Those fleeing didn¡¯t dare to linger and hurriedly ran into the distance. ¡°There are so many demonic insects outside the city too, could there be another black colossal insect like the one we¡¯ve just encountered lurking in the deep wilderness?¡± Among the crowd, Shen Luo looked towards the direction from which the swarm of insects surged. But now, with his mana being sealed and his situation precarious, he dared not delay and ran off into the distance with the fleeing crowd. Having traveled a distance with the crowd, Shen Luo broke away from the main group and rushed towards the wilderness. Many people, fearing that the large group would attract the demonic insects, also fled in groups of threes and fives in different directions, so Shen Luo leaving the group didn¡¯t draw any attention. After leaving the crowd, Shen Luo ran with all his might and soon covered twenty or thirty miles. Fortunately, the powerful enemy known as the ¡°Qianyan Ancestor¡± didn¡¯t pursue him, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what time it is now. This city, though not large, is surprisingly filled with cultivators. It is quite different from the other places in my previous Dreamland¡­ I shouldn¡¯t hastily draw conclusions, better find someone to ask.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, looking ahead. In front of him, not far away, he faintly saw a fairly large town built by a river. He quickened his pace and soon arrived at the town¡¯s entrance, his face tensing as he took in the sight. The town was devastated, houses collapsed, trees broken, some places even caught on fire. Bodies were scattered everywhere, there were elderly people, young children, middle-aged men, and women. All were bitten or hacked to death, no doubt the work of the demonic insects. The stream next to the town was even dyed red with blood. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°These damn demonic insects!¡± Seeing the scene before him, despite being psychologically prepared, Shen Luo still felt a pang of sorrow. He cursed angrily. ¡°Deserve to die? Yes, you mere humans, daring to kill the insect queen, you indeed deserve to die!¡± A piercing angry howl echoed from a distance, a cloud of darkness emerged on the horizon, rolling and speeding towards him. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed, his thoughts raced, and he immediately ran into the town, quickly reaching the central area. Meanwhile, the dark cloud from afar had also flown over. A massive black shadow plunged down from the cloud, aiming straight for Shen Luo. It was another black colossal insect. Compared to the one before, this colossal insect was somewhat smaller, about seventy or eighty feet high, and didn¡¯t have any larvae behind it. Its shape looked more streamline, particularly this insect had six sharp claws in front of its body. Shen Luo instantly saw the black colossal insect that swooped down. His pupils shrank, his mind spun quickly, with a flicker, he turned into an afterimage and dashed into a small alley between nearby buildings. The colossal insect¡¯s eyes flashed dangerously and it immediately changed its direction, plunging into the narrow alley. However, its body was too big to fit into the alley, and it directly crashed into two nearby buildings. The two rather tall buildings collapsed like tofu, yet the colossal insect¡¯s body only paused slightly. At this moment, a shadow shot out from the collapsed buildings and instantly arrived in front of the black colossal insect. It was Shen Luo, his two hands made a move to grip the edge of one of the insect¡¯s claws. He let out a low shout, and like before, his arms swelled up for a lap. Forcefully pulling down, he drove the claw into the ground. A great force surged, and the colossal insect, despite its enormous size, stumbled. Its claw, which was over a dozen feet long, was ¡°plunged¡± into the ground with half of it sticking out. Chapter 309: Counter Kill Shen Luo promptly rolled, just as though the two fists of a toxic dragon were flying out of its den, hitting the insect¡¯s claw. The colossal insect¡¯s front claw exploded, revealing its paw outside which turned into seven or eight fragments. Shen Luo waved his hand, seizing a fragment of the insect claw that was several feet long, then without the slightest hesitation, darted forward, swooping into another house in front. The black colossal insect let out an enraged scream, its massive body turned into a dark shadow, charging towards the house where Shen Luo was. Its five sharp claws moved, and long black claw lights were launched, slashing the house. The house was instantly cut into pieces and collapsed abruptly. But just before the black claw light hit the house, a dark silhouette was shot out from inside, leaping onto the wall of another courtyard ahead, preparing to jump in. The black colossal insect was enraged, its huge body lunged from the ground, and immediately chased after. But at this moment, Shen Luo fiercely stomped his feet on the wall. With a ¡°boom¡±, the entire wall collapsed. Using the force of this stomp, he abruptly retraced his steps, charging directly towards the black colossal insect that was pursuing fiercely, startling it momentarily. The black colossal insect reacted instantly. It raised its five front claws and slashed downwards, interweaving the black claw lights into a large net of death. Shen Luo took a deep breath, his chest and abdomen sharply depressed, becoming unusually flat. He passed through the large claw light net, in the blink of an eye, reaching the black colossal insect¡¯s front. He reached behind, gripped another fragment of the black insect claw, suddenly waved, and a black light swept across, hitting the root of the insect¡¯s front claw. With a ¡°snap¡±, one of the insect¡¯s front claws was cleanly cut and flew out. The black colossal insect roared;its wide mouth flung open and a jet of black liquid rushed towards Shen Luo¡¯s head, giving off a pungent corrosive smell. Shen Luo¡¯s bones inside his body clicked and made noises, swaying slightly, his entire body twisted into an eerie angle. The black liquid just grazed past his body without touching any part of it. He waved both hands, the insect claw in his hand turning into a black light again, this time slashing at the insect¡¯s belly. A ¡°pu-chi¡±, the insect claw pulled open a huge wound several feet long, black blood spewed out. A hint of fear finally flashed in the eyes of the black colossal insect. Its huge body rapidly retreated, its mouth again spraying a jet of black liquid, trying to force Shen Luo to retreat. However, this jet of liquid was much more diluted, almost half of it was black Qi, but it covered a much wider area. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo did not retreat. His body bent downwards, sticking to the ground like a piece of paper, and quickly passed through this black Qi, flying towards the black colossal insect. Then his claw once again slashed down, with a ¡°pu-chi¡±, slicing open another wound. Although his dodging maneuvers were ingenious, the black Qi covered too wide an area. Some still touched his left shoulder, and the skin immediately turned black. It seemed that the black colossal insect¡¯s fierce nature was aroused. It roared, no longer retreating, instead, its huge body dashed forwards, its four front claws moving, numerous claw shadows cascaded down. Seeing that the insect wanted to engage in a physical fight, Shen Luo was naturally more than willing. Pushing his maneuvering technique to the extreme, he entangled with the black colossal insect. Shen Luo¡¯s figure was small, but he was nimble, and could perform various strange transformations using some physical secret techniques from the Huangting Technique, leaping and evading, always managing to dodge the fatal attacks of the colossal insect. Man and insect clashed within the town, wherever they fought, buildings were razily reduced to ruins. Soon, the battle expanded from the town to the riverside. Most of Shen Luo¡¯s skin had turned black. His body was riddled with deep wounds, so deep that the bones were visible. His own blood had just about dyed his entire body red. The Black Colossal Insect was covered in scaly wounds. Its chest and abdomen crisscrossed with a dozen or so massive scars and at this moment, only two of its four front claws remained. After evading a punch from Shen Luo, it opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of black fog, then turned and was about to flee. Shen Luo¡¯s figure flickered and made a residual image to avoid the black fog. He appeared on the side of the colossal insect. With lightning speed, his arm reached out, holding a sharp claw in his hand, and stabbed towards the insect¡¯s chest. The colossal insect quickly twisted its body, moved sideways to dodge and let go of the attack. But at that moment, Shen Luo¡¯s arm cracked, and the whole arm swelled up greatly. The sharp claw in his hand again reached the insect¡¯s body and swiped savagely, slicing off a large chunk of flesh. The colossal insect let out a painful scream and its body began to tremble due to intense pain. Shen Luo¡¯s feet stomped heavily and his body soared into the air, landing on top of the insect¡¯s head. At this moment, he seemed to move like wind, even slightly faster than before. But he was already at the end of his tether. If he couldn¡¯t bring this battle to a swift conclusion, indeed, he would surely perish here today. His foot touched on the insect¡¯s head and the sharp claw in his hand became a black shadow, stabbing towards the insect¡¯s eyes. But at that moment, the shaking colossal insect suddenly stopped trembling. Its head swung up ultrarapidly and astonishingly, it had bitten Shen Luo¡¯s body. Its mouth suddenly closed, about to bite Shen Luo into two parts. It turned out what it did just now was all a disguise, aimed precisely to lure Shen Luo in! Shen Luo remained calm under pressure. He took a deep breath and his stomach area quickly inflated. His face suddenly turned crimson, heartbeat pounding violently. He suddenly expanded by a considerable margin. His entire body was shaking like the thunder, with bones and muscles rumbling inside. As his body was changing, his two hands grabbed the upper jaw of the insect, and at the same time, he stomped onto the lower jaw of the insect. With a sharp cracking sound, the lower jaw bone of the colossal insect was smashed to pieces. Using the force from the stomping, Shen Luo¡¯s body shot upwards. His hands, which were grabbing the insect¡¯s upper jaw, didn¡¯t let go. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the insect¡¯s mouth was pried open to its limit, nearly forming a straight line. The bones at the joint of the upper and lower jaws were completely crushed, splattering blood. The insect¡¯s eyes burst and large amounts of black blood sprayed out from its nostrils. The insect¡¯s mouth was nearly ground to pieces. Unable to scream, it only made a hissing sound from its throat. Due to intense pain, it was unable to stand and fell into the river. Following its fall, Shen Luo too fell into the river. But he paid no heed and pushed his right hand with force. His palm suddenly bulged and the hairs stood up like hard grains of Iron Silkworm Beans, transformed into a black shadow, and hit the upper jaw of the colossal insect. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, his punch pierced through the bone of the insect¡¯s upper jaw and it showed through. The colossal insect was about to flip and stand up, but Shen Luo¡¯s action made it squeal in pain again. Shen Luo¡¯s left hand moved, similarly thrusting into the upper jaw, a glimmer of murder flashed in his eyes as he fiercely tore both hands apart. The sound of bone fracturing resonated, and black blood splattered instantly. The upper jaw of the insect, along with the head bone, was torn apart by Shen Luo¡¯s hands. The insect¡¯s white brain pulp splattered everywhere, its massive body twitched a few times, and soon, it moved no more. Chapter 310: Identical Names and Surnames Staggering from the mouth of the giant worm, Shen Luo saw his skin quickly retreating from its blood-red hue, accompanied by a return of his original size. However, his complexion was unusually pale, and his body wavered precariously. Previously, he had utilized ¡°The Qian Tian Gang Qi¡± secret technique from the Huangting Technique. This technique enabled him to temporarily activate his body¡¯s latent potential, thereby allowing him to generate several times his regular strength. Nevertheless, the technique exacted a significant toll, severely depleting his life energy and necessitating a long recovery time. In the face of imminent danger though, he was left with little choice. Scarcely pursuing the option of going ashore, he managed to take only two steps forward before collapsing into the river, having lost consciousness. The river, with its relentless rapids, quickly swept him away, submerging his body. ¡­ In a hazy daze, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, gradually opening to the sight of a tightly woven rattan mat pattern outlining a black, semi-circular canopy above him. As he released a soft breath, he felt as if something was obstructing his chest;his whole body ached intensely. Although the severity of the poison he had been subjected to had lessened, it still hadn¡¯t been entirely eliminated. Just as Shen Luo tried mustering his strength, his shoulder knocked against a varnished wooden box next to him. Glancing around, he found himself in a rather confined space filled with hefty wooden crates and folded bedding. It seemed as if he was inside a carriage used for relocation. Struggling to roll over, Shen Luo propped himself up on his elbows, attempting to rise. Suddenly, the carriage bounced jarringly over a stone, causing him to lose balance and tumble down. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A groan of pain escaped Shen Luo¡¯s lips as the intensity of his body¡¯s ache escalated, causing his face to pale further. The commotion drew the attention of the coachman outside. Consequently, the carriage curtain was pulled aside, unveiling a young face radiating childish vigor. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± flashed a smile at the young coachman. ¡°Where am I?¡± Shen Luo asked, struggling to rise once more. ¡°Young Master, the young miss advised that your injuries are serious. You should rest and not exert yourself. Please, lie down,¡± warned the young coachman, promptly pulling the reins as he called out. ¡°Young Miss?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow but ignored the advice. Continuing to gather his strength, he managed to sit up, leaning against the box behind him. ¡°Well¡­ It was our Young Miss Shen Yu who found you unconscious by the river and saved you,¡± paused the young coachman before he continued. ¡°Kid, where am I?¡± Shen Luo asked again, coughing lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of our exact location, but I think we¡¯ve just entered Song Fan County. It¡¯s a terrible mess;the Demon has damaged nearly all the buildings in Dengzhou. Not only destroyed the cities and towns, but unfortunately, the natural landscape has also been flattened. It¡¯s difficult to discern one place from another anymore,¡± saddened the young coachman as he heaved a sigh. ¡°Song Fan County? Are we in Song Fan County now?¡± became excited at hearing this, and his voice shakily betrayed his emotions. Alarmed at his agitation, the coachman thought perhaps Shen Luo had injured his head. Hastily, he said, ¡°Um¡­ The young miss instructed me to inform her as soon as you wake up. Please wait a moment while I fetch her.¡± Having said that, he dropped the curtain and jumped down from the carriage. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes stared blankly at the moderately swaying curtain. His mind in a flurry of chaos. If he was indeed within the boundaries of Song Fan County, did this not mean the dreamland journey he had embarked on had unexpectedly led him back to his hometown of Dengzhou? The magnificent city he had previously encountered must have been Dengping City. He composed his thoughts, sighing silently, adjusting his legs into a cross-legged position, placing his hands in front of him as he began internal healing. However, as he tried to concentrate his Qi, he realized something was blocking his Dantian and Meridian. He had entirely lost the spiritual connection to his mana and failed to perceive the slightest fluctuation of mana. As Shen Luo puzzled over this, the outside resonated with the clamoring sounds of footsteps and shouts. The steps sounded disordered, signifying the presence of numerous people. Soon, the curtain was lifted, revealing silhouettes of seven or eight individuals standing outside the carriage. Among them, a middle-aged man with a trace of greyness at his temples stood alongside a young girl in a blue dress. The middle-aged man had a medium build, slightly tanned skin, his sharp eyebrows making him appear rather imposing. He seemed to be the leader amongst the group. The young girl appeared rather pleasant and approachable. She was likely the ¡®young miss Shen Yu¡¯ referred to by the young coachman. ¡°Are you awake?¡± asked the middle-aged man, his voice was somewhat hoarse. ¡°My sincerest gratitude for saving my life,¡± Shen Luo smiled, replying with a salute. ¡°In these difficult times, it¡¯s our duty to help fellow humanity. There¡¯s no need for formalities,¡± the man waved his hand, fatigue visible in his eyes. With a sigh, Shen Luo didn¡¯t say anything further. ¡°May I inquire as to your name?¡± asked the young girl abruptly. Shen Luo spotted a flicker of excitement in her eyes. Since she referred to him as a Daoist friend, it indicated that she was a cultivator. ¡°How did you know I am a practitioner when I don¡¯t have a mana fluctuation in my body?¡± Shen Luo quickly voiced his confusion. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re unaware, Daoist friend, but when I found you yesterday, your injuries were much more severe compared to now. An ordinary person would have died ten times over by now. But just within a day¡¯s time, and without any use of elixirs, your injuries have significantly improved. Unless supported by a unique Body Refining Technique, it¡¯s impossible to observe such an aberration,¡± Shen Yu responded slowly. Shen Luo understood it was likely because of the Huangting Technique¡¯s benefits, and he internally sighed in relief. ¡°May I inquire about your name, Daoist?¡± Shen Yu inquired again as she noticed Sheng Luo¡¯s distraction. ¡°Sorry for spacing out. My name is Shen Luo,¡± Shen Luo quickly apologized upon hearing her request. A momentary look of surprise passed over Shen Yu¡¯s eyes. The middle-aged man appeared slightly startled upon hearing his response, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is something amiss?¡± Shen Luo asked, noticing their reactions. ¡°Nothing much, it¡¯s just a coincidence. We also have an ancestor in our Shen Family with the name ¡®Shen Luo¡¯,¡± Shen Yu explained with a smile. Feeling a tad awkward, Shen Luo changed the topic. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Subsequently, Shen Yu introduced herself and the others surrounding the carriage. After hearing her explanation, Shen Luo learned that the middle-aged man was named Shen Huayuan, Shen Yu¡¯s father. He was the head of this branch of the Shen Family. The other people were mainly the younger generation and guest officials of the clan. Among everyone gathered around the carriage, apart from the young coachman, all were cultivators in their early middle stages, except for Shen Yu, who was a Grain Avoidance Cultivator. Chapter 311: Descendants of the Shen Family ¡°Daoist friend Shen, judging from your accent, you seem to be a local. But where did you live before, why are you injured, and why did you end up by the Luan Shui River?¡± Shen Huayuan¡¯s gaze sharpened as he looked at Shen Luo and asked. Shen Luo was momentarily at a loss on how to explain his origin. He decided to circumvent the question and ambiguously replied: ¡°Yesterday, in Dengping City, I encountered a monster attacking the city. I couldn¡¯t resist and fought it. However, I was seriously injured by another powerful monster hidden in the clouds. I was then wounded by the monster again and fell into the river, unknowingly drifted here.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Huayuan¡¯s expression slightly changed, and his gaze grew heavier. Shen Yu furrowed his brows as well, a hint of suspicion flashed in his eyes. The surrounding crowd that was watching Shen Luo also changed their expressions, with some whispering among themselves. ¡°Friend Shen Yu, why are you reacting in such a manner? Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± Shen Luo asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°Daoist Shen, the Dengping City you mentioned was overrun by demons more than a decade ago. It is no longer inhabited. You¡¯re telling quite an crude lie.¡± Shen Huayuan coldly replied. ¡°What? Wasn¡¯t that Dengping City?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Head of the family, I suspect he is a spy for the demons, intentionally infiltrating our clan. He might be planning to follow us into the next city. I think we should bind him first and discuss it later,¡± a man who appeared to be a guest official suggested. The rest of the crowd agreed upon hearing this, considering such incidents had occurred more than once among the surviving cities within the Great Tang Kingdom¡¯s territory. ¡°You said you saw a giant worm attacking the city yesterday, and a powerful demon was hidden in the clouds?¡± Shen Yu pondered for a moment, then asked. ¡°Yes, the person hidden in the clouds seemed¡­ seemed to be called Qianyan Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo recalled intensely, remembered a name, and quickly replied. Upon hearing this, everyone present turned their gaze to him, their faces becoming even more puzzled. ¡°The city you saw yesterday was not Dengping City, but Chunhua City!¡± Shen Yu had already given out the answer before he could ask. ¡°What? That was Chunhua City?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but blurt out. In his memory, Chunhua City was just a small county town with a population of no more than 100,000. How could it be the enormous city with towering walls that he saw yesterday? ¡°County Town? It seems you haven¡¯t been to Dengzhou in a long time, have you?¡± Shen Yu asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°I haven¡¯t been here since the disaster,¡± Shen Luo replied, concealing his surprise. ¡°That¡¯s understandable. After Dengping City was overrun, the people who escaped from the city flocked to Chunhua City and stayed there, expanding the city to its current size. You probably mistook it due to your haste,¡± Shen Yu explained with a sigh of relief. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo stood in a daze. The city he saw yesterday was indeed Chunhua City, his genuine hometown. The others relaxed after listening to this, casting doubtful glances at each other. ¡°What¡¯s the current situation in Chunhua City?¡± Shen Luo, recalling the tragic scene of blood flowing like a river within the city, couldn¡¯t help but ask after a while. ¡°When we escaped, the city gate had already been breached. Once the city gate is breached, it¡¯s basically impossible to defend it. Afterwards, not only would the demons wreak massive slaughter upon the common people, they would also destroy the city and houses. We believe that it¡¯s now reduced to mere scorched earth,¡± Shen Yu replied somberly, a touch of bitterness in his voice. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank, and a hint of grief flashed across his face. A moment later, he collected his emotions, raised his head and looked out. He suddenly saw a large, dark-red plaque tied to a carriage, inscribed with the three large characters ¡°Shenjitang¡±. Shen Luo was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t ¡°Shenjitang¡± the name of their Shen Family Pharmacy? How could it be tied to this procession? Could it be¡­ At this moment, he suddenly considered a possibility and his pupils involuntarily dilated. ¡°May I ask, Clan Head Shen, what business does your clan run?¡± Shen Luo tentatively asked. Shen Huayuan, confused by Shen Luo¡¯s sudden question, still answered, ¡°Since our ancestor Yuan Ge, our family has been running a herbal business, operating ¡®Shenjitang¡¯ to heal the world.¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo was shocked. He finally understood that this group of Shen clan members most likely were the descendants of his younger brother, Shen Ci, from a thousand years ago. He had never expected to reunite with them in such a way. Seeing Shen Luo fall silent again, Shen Huayuan and Shen Yu found it strange. After exchanging glances, they asked: ¡°Daoist Shen, what are you thinking about? You seem very distracted.¡± ¡°Nothing much, I just find it incredible about this thing called fate. My ancestors were also doctors, although they were barefoot doctors with no substantial family property,¡± Shen Luo chuckled, replying. ¡°That¡¯s indeed curious that our ancestors were of the same profession, and you share the same name as one of our ancestors. Perhaps it was fate that we got to meet,¡± Shen Huayuan commented, nodding in agreement. Shen Luo¡¯s heart stirred upon hearing this and he asked, ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m quite interested in this predecessor Shen Luo of yours. Is there any record of his life and achievements that you could share?¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although his face seemed calm, his heart was full of tumult. If he could learn about his life history from these descendants, it meant that once he returned to his reality, he would know about things that hadn¡¯t happened yet, which would be the equivalent of knowing the future. Upon his question, Shen Huayuan hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. He made no immediate reply. ¡°Regarding the life and deeds of Old Ancestor Shen Luo, there are few records in our family. All we know is that he left the family early to embark on the path of cultivation. He rarely returns and has left only heritage skills for our family. Although we, the later generations, admire and yearn for him more than anything, we really don¡¯t know what exactly had happened to him,¡± Shen Yu frankly answered. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Based on what you said, I think your ancestor Shen Luo was an extraordinary man. Having the same name as him is truly an honor.¡± Shen Luo smiled and replied after learning this news. Although he was slightly disappointed, he did not continue questioning, as it might rouse suspicions. ¡°Daoist Shen, do you have any plans for where to go next?¡± Shen Yu also smiled and asked. ¡°Alas, to be honest, I¡¯ve been living in seclusion in the mountains for many years, away from the world. Recently, many monsters were spotted in the valley where I lived. I had no choice but to travel to Dengping City¡­oh, I mean Chunhua City, but didn¡¯t expect that the city would be attacked by the demons soon after my arrival. Now I have nowhere to go,¡± Shen Luo sighed heavily and said. ¡°Since the disaster, there are only a few cities left within the whole Great Tang where humans can still gather. Recently, numerous hordes of demons have begun to invade these cities in force. Chunhua City was the last remaining city in Dengzhou. Now that the city has been taken, we plan to go directly to Jianye City which is the largest surviving human city nearby. Since you have nowhere to go and your injuries have not yet healed, why not come with us?¡± After slight hesitation, Shen Yu made the suggestion. Chapter 312: Rushing to Jianye Upon hearing Shen Yu¡¯s words, the eyebrows of Shen Huayuan, standing next to her, twitched almost imperceptibly, but he didn¡¯t interrupt. ¡°Jianye City ¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated a little after mumbling, seeming uncertain. In reality, he was just reflecting internally that he had just left the Jianye City of a thousand years ago not long ago, and now he was about to visit the Jianye City of a thousand years later. ¡°Jianye City has always been a mighty stronghold since ancient times, incomparable to Chunhua City. The city walls there are all fortified with the formations set by Array Masters. Moreover, the city is not only populated with a large number of human cultivators, but even the rare half-immortal ancestors of the human race reside there.¡± Having said that, Shen Yu¡¯s gaze focused slightly, as she observed Shen Luo¡¯s changes in expression closely. ¡°I will go to Jianye with you.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately responded without any hesitation. In the past, he had only heard about the existence of such powerful monks. Now that he had the opportunity to see them with his own eyes, of course, Shen Luo wouldn¡¯t miss it. ¡°Excellent.¡± Shen Yu responded, her expression unchanged, with a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Friend Shen should continue his rest. We also need to continue our journey.¡± Shen Huayuan, seeing the situation, also said smoothly. ¡°Thank you very much to all of you.¡± Shen Luo once again thanked them with a fist salute. After that, everyone left. The curtain that had been draped over the carriage¡¯s roof was also lowered again. Outside the carriage, the Shen family people were walking halfway when Shen Huayuan couldn¡¯t help but voice his thoughts, ¡°Yu, his words and actions seem suspicious to me, are you really planning to have him around us?¡± ¡°Father, I know what you¡¯re worried about. However, we¡¯ve already examined his body and couldn¡¯t sense any demonic aura, confirming that he is indeed from the Human Race. His verbal explanations propounding his origins were indeed not logically rigorous, but the event of Chunhua City¡¯s fall he described was not fabricated. Moreover, I purposely mentioned the half-immortal monks residing in Jianye City, and he didn¡¯t show any fear but immediately agreed to it, which indicates that he is unlikely to be a spy of the demons.¡± Shen Yu responded seriously. In fact, there were some reasons she didn¡¯t express explicitly, such as her inexplicable intuition that Shen Luo was a trustworthy person. Upon hearing her explanation, Shen Huayuan didn¡¯t refute anymore. He just turned around and took a deep look at the carriage where Shen Luo was. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep an eye out on the road.¡± Shen Yu comforted him. ¡°Perhaps I was being overly worried. You are the most gifted monk in our Shen family for nearly two hundred years. You achieved the Grain Avoidance Stage at such a young age with the cultivation technique inherited from our Ancestor. With you around, I don¡¯t think he can cause any trouble.¡± Upon hearing these words, Shen Huayuan rarely showed a smile and said. ¡°If he truly doesn¡¯t possess any issues and recovers from his injuries, considering he has nowhere to go, he can be taken in by the Shen family. It will be a great help to us. After all, under the current circumstances, the more cultivators in our family, the better.¡± Shen Yu¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly as she said this with a trace of seriousness. Upon hearing this, Shen Huayuan silently nodded in agreement. Afterward, the whole convoy set off again and started heading toward Jianye City. Shen Luo sat alone in the carriage, pondering over the words of the Shen family people and feeling melancholy about the hardships of life. After a moment of silence, he started with his healing meditation, gathering his energy. This time, he didn¡¯t try to manipulate the mana within his body directly, but instead, he attempted to circulate the divine sense power. Luckily, the golden light he encountered earlier had merely sealed his mana and not his divine sense. Shen Luo then closed his eyes slightly and began to internally visualize his body under the influence of his divine sense. The first thing he checked was his Dantian. Upon examination, his brows furrowed. Inside his Dantian, there was a layer of golden light membrane. The golden ripples flowing on the surface appeared extremely thin, yet they blocked his divine sense, making it impossible for him to see the inner condition. Likewise, Shen Luo took the Dantian as the starting point and began to examine the meridians. As expected, he was once again frustrated. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The condition of his meridians was exactly the same as his Dantian. They were also wrapped in the golden light membrane, with mana sealed inside, rendering them inaccessible and unobservable. Shen Luo reopened his eyes very soon, sitting in the original place, panting slightly. Using divine sense without mana as a support was more exhausting. After just a few minutes of examination, he started feeling a headache. ¡°It seems that the problem lies within this layer of the golden light membrane. But, just what is this thing and how can it be broken?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his temples and muttered to himself. After pondering for a moment, he felt that this task was beyond his knowledge and he was somewhat at a loss. ¡°Well, since I¡¯m at a stalemate, I might as well make a desperate attempt. Let¡¯s see if I can reabsorb the Heavenly and Earthly Qi into my body by practicing and transform it into mana.¡± Shen Luo thought, his eyes focused and determined. Setting thoughts to action, he immediately closed his eyes, forming a hand sign, silently reciting the mantra of the Nameless Cultivation Technique. As the convoy was moving, Shen Luo naturally couldn¡¯t find a stream to cultivate. Moreover, his injuries didn¡¯t allow him to move around. Thus, he had to practice right in his carriage. As soon as he started practicing, there was a slight tremble on the curtain in front of his carriage, as if a fresh breeze had blown in. Shen Luo¡¯s lashes trembled slightly, and his heart was filled with great joy. The operation of the Nameless Cultivation Technique was not affected, and it could indeed attract the convergence of the Heavenly and Earthly Qi. However, his joy was short-lived, immediately replaced by great disappointment. The Qi that flowed into his body was shattered by the golden light radiating from his Dantian and meridians as soon as it touched them. It couldn¡¯t enter them at all, let alone circulate through them and transform into mana. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows were knitted tightly, but he didn¡¯t give up immediately. Instead, he continued to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique fully, trying to break the golden light membrane and let the Heavenly and Earthly Qi enter his Dantian and meridians. However, no matter how hard he tried, the Heavenly and Earthly Qi always dissipated outside and couldn¡¯t be absorbed by him. After a long while, Shen Luo eventually opened his eyes, sweating heavily, and gave up his attempt. ¡°It looks like the Nameless Cultivation Technique doesn¡¯t work. Maybe the Pure Yang Sword Technique may be effective¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed lightly, and his mind quickly began to ponder. Compared to the water-based Nameless Cultivation Technique, the Pure Yang Sword Technique naturally possessed stronger offensive power. The seals that the Nameless Cultivation Technique could not break, the Pure Yang Sword Technique might be able to. Thinking of this, Shen Luo felt somewhat excited again. He immediately started quiet contemplation, recalling the contents of the Pure Yang Scripture. Chapter 313: Half-Immortal Ancestor Before long, he had recalled the related skills, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and closed his eyes again. He saw his hands coming together, one pointing to the skydome, the other pointing to the earth, with his wrists touching each other and forming a very strange sword technique. He began to recite the mantra of the treasure canon in his heart. ¡°Covering the Pure Sun¡¯s Method, transforming Qi into Essence, transforming Yang into Gang, taking in Spirits from the Outside, hiding Gods Within¡­¡± As the method was operated, a sense of intense heat began to appear around Shen Luo¡¯s body, which was a sign of the Pure Yang Qi being mobilized and transformed into righteous Yang Gang Qi. Then, a breeze came out of the cracks in the carriage and carried with it a sharp Qi, which circled around Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s brow twitched, and in an instant, he felt as if countless needles were being plunged into every pore of his body, causing a sharp pain. However, far from being afraid, he was overjoyed. Because to break the seal of the golden light membrane, he needed exactly this kind of sharp Qi. As the intense heat around his body intensified, the sharp pain became increasingly intense, but Shen Luo just gritted his teeth and endured it, allowing this Heaven and Earth spiritual energy with a suppressing-kill Qi to enter his body. This time, instead of directing them directly to his Dantian, Shen Luo guided these energies to his Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian, where the seal of the golden light membrane was much weaker than at his Dantian. If he couldn¡¯t even unlock the Meridian seal, there would be no need to try unlocking the Dantian. The spiritual Qi that entered his body was like tiny needles or miniature swords, rushing to the meridians in his arm, making two bright lines appear beneath the skin of his arms. In a flash, a pain more intense than when the spiritual Qi entered his body suddenly struck out. Even Shen Luo could not bear it and let out a groan. ¡°Master Shen, are you okay?¡± The voice of the young coachman came from outside the curtain. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ okay,¡± Shen Luo replied with some difficulty. As soon as he had spoken, his pain intensified. The golden light membrane on the Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian was attacked, causing the light to brighten greatly. Then came waves of repulsive power that expelled all the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi in a blink of an eye. And so, yet another attempt ended in failure! Opening his eyes, Shen Luo¡¯s face was pale white. Cold sweat had soaked his body, and if it weren¡¯t for the wooden box behind him, he might have fallen to the ground from exhaustion. He held up his sleeve slowly, mopped his face with it, and leaned against the wooden box to catch his breath. Although the Pure Yang Sword Technique seems powerful at first glance, it¡¯s not strong enough to break the seal of the golden light curtain, as it relies solely on spiritual Qi. ¡°If this method is of no use, there¡¯s nothing I can do¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed softly in his heart. But then another idea came to mind: if the Huangting Technique also proves useless, he might have to resort to dying and being reborn. After all, he¡¯s in the Dream World, and from his previous experiences, he won¡¯t truly die. If he can be reborn before that Qianyan Ancestor¡¯s gold prohibition hits him, he can avoid his mana being sealed. The only thing he¡¯s not sure about is that after a day and a night have passed, even if he dies and is reborn, can he still go back to before that prohibition hits him? If he is still reborn after being hit by the gold prohibition, it would be as if he had died in vain. He does not want to resort to this unless absolutely necessary. After all, the helplessness and pain of perishing are not pleasant experiences to have. However, the previous two attempts had taken a heavy toll on his physical and mental strength, and he could not try anymore for the time being. He could only rest with his eyes closed, quietly waiting for his strength to recover. By evening, the Shen Family caravan had stopped in the ruins of an old mansion. Like everyone else, Shen Luo got off the carriage and found a corner in the ruins sheltered from the wind to rest. However, his distance to the other members of the Shen Family was slightly farther, they did not gather together. As night fell, Shen Huayuan did not show up again, only Shen Yu brought some food to Shen Luo, some coarse grain dry cakes and some jerky from an unknown animal. The meat was dry and chewy. Although Shen Luo had already passed the Grain Avoidance Stage, his own mana was sealed, and he could not transform the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi on his own. He had not felt the sensation of hunger and emptiness for a long time. He was indeed hungry. After eating a big meal, he finally felt his body had almost fully recovered. ¡°Daoist Shen Yu, this meat is so full of vital energy. Is it Monster meat?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes, this is the meat of the Blood Boar Beast, one of the few monsters that our human race has successfully domesticated, and it is also a common food for us.¡± Shen Yu nodded and said. ¡°Domesticating monsters?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. ¡°This was also a helpless move. After the Demon¡¯s apocalypse, the world changed dramatically. Not only did the population of the human race sharply decrease, but various plants and animals also died due to the influence of Demonic Qi, including a large number of food crops and livestock. As a result, human cultivators began to hunt various low-level monsters to provide food for the surviving human race. But this is too risky, and eventually, the ancestor of the Bai Family in Jianye City was the first to propose domestication, personally discerned among the monsters, and selected a few suitable for human domestication, including this Blood Boar Beast.¡± Shen Yu said with a bitter smile. ¡°What a long lifespan the Bai Family¡¯s Ancestor must have. What realm is he in?¡± Upon hearing the term ¡°Bai Family¡¯s Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo subconsciously thought of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s Half-Immortal Ancestor. ¡°Realm? The Half-Immortal Ancestor who previously guarded Jianye City is none other than the Bai Family¡¯s Ancestor Bai Xiaotian.¡± Shen Yu expressed some surprise at first, and then said so. ¡°Oh, so he is the Half-Immortal Ancestor¡­ what did you say his name was?¡± Shen Luo suddenly came to his senses in the middle of his sentence and quickly asked. ¡°The Half-Immortal Ancestor of the Bai Family is named Bai Xiaotian. Speaking of which, this Ancestor was in the same sect as our Shen Family¡¯s ancestor master Shen Luo back then¡­¡± Shen Yu said with a smile. Shen Luo was stunned, and his mind became muddled. He could hardly hear Shen Yu¡¯s following words. ¡°Good kid, he¡¯s already become a half-immortal ancestor after a thousand years! When I get into Jianye City this time, I must see him and give him a big scare!¡± Shen Luo admired and envied him in his heart, and was sincerely happy for him. ¡°Brother Shen, are you okay?¡± Seeing Shen Luo looking strange, Shen Yu asked with a frown. ¡°Huh? No, it¡¯s just that I was somewhat moved. When will we be able to cultivate to that realm?¡± Shen Luo came back to his senses and said with an envious look. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask, but I didn¡¯t find the right time. What was Brother Shen¡¯s cultivation level before the injury?¡± Shen Yu hesitated slightly and asked. Shen Luo had been expecting this question, but he didn¡¯t expect it would come so late. Without hesitation, he gave the prepared answer: ¡°I was originally a soul condensing cultivator. During the previous battle when the city broke, my Dantian and Meridian were sealed by the Qianyan Ancestor. Now I can¡¯t find a solution to restore them, and for the time being, I¡¯m no different from ordinary people.¡± ¡°So it turns out that you are my elder, I was impolite before.¡± Shen Yu bowed and said. ¡°No, no, you¡¯ve saved my life, and I haven¡¯t repaid you yet. How dare I self-proclaim as an elder.¡± Knowing he might not be believable, Shen Luo did not argue and said thanks with a fist-palm salute. ¡°Then I will not disturb you anymore tonight, take a good rest. We will continue our journey early tomorrow.¡± Shen Yu said. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Shen Luo said thanks. Chapter 314: Corpse Demons After Shen Yu led the group away, Shen Luo looked up at the sky overhead. Although he could still see the scattered stars, it always gave him a sense of oppression. Half a moment later, he retracted his gaze, closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, and started to vividly recall the Huangting Divine Power. ¡°The Supreme Path is not bothered with rules but keeps truth, every section of the Mud Pill has a spirit, manifest Spirit in vast Hibiscus Tree roots, unite with the Yuan and divine enlightenment¡­¡± A moment later, he silently recited the first twelve verses, performing the interpretive process in his mind. Just as the skill revolved, a faint sound of wind echoed around, and trace amounts of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi started to converge towards him. But compare with the first time he practiced this technique, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi that converged this time was pitifully small. It was too meager to form the white mist around his body, let alone creating a whirlpool of qi. Shen Luo sat still, frowning, feeling a little disappointed. However, he didn¡¯t have plans to give up immediately, and he tried explicitly to absorb those fragments of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi into his body. It was unlike the Nameless Cultivation Technique and the Pure Yang Sword Technique, this Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi didn¡¯t enter his Dantian or his meridians. Instead, as with his previous practices, it penetrated his skin, slowly progressed into his muscles and bones, and moved gradually towards the interior of his body. Shen Luo¡¯s flesh had already undergone thorough tempering once. This time, forced to undergo a second tempering, the speed was even slower than before. The sensation of countless ants wriggling and devouring inside his body became extremely clear. However, although the speed was slow, part of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was absorbed by his body, and the remaining Spiritual Qi still progressed slowly near his meridians While he formed the mudra to cultivate, he used his Divine Sense to observe the changes in his body, inevitable anxiety arose in his heart. Seeing those limited Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, under his guidance, started to gather towards his Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian. The golden light membrane on his Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian became brighter when it detected the approach of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, pushing it away again. Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank, it seemed like it was going to be a failure again. However, at this point, an unexpected scene happened! The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, approaching the golden light membrane, had effortlessly passed through the membrane as if it wasn¡¯t affected by its force, and reached into the meridians. Shen Luo was delighted in his heart as he observed the place in the golden light membrane that was penetrated by the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. There appeared to be a blank spot where the golden light membrane that was covering it had disappeared. It was as if a skylight had been opened in a sealed wall, not only could light get in, but the dust hidden inside could float out as well. Shen Luo immediately tried to operate his Qi, indeed, a very weak strand of mana had flown out from the blank spot. However, without the meridians as the calling path, it dissipated as soon as it came out. ¡°This method works.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart eased, he couldn¡¯t help standing up and throwing a punch into the air. He suppressed the excitement and joy in his heart, walked in circles around the original place for a few turns, then sat down cross-legged again. As the skill was revolved again, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi continued to gather towards Shen Luo, repeating the slow process over and over again inside his body. ¡­ On the other side of the old mansion ruins, a few people from the Shen family were gathered around a bonfire. ¡°How plausible are his words? Is he truly a Soul condensing cultivator?¡± Shen Huayuan turned to his daughter, asking with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, his body is indeed peculiar. When I went to see him in the evening, his injuries had significantly healed. After consuming the Blood Boar Beast meat, he seemed to have recovered even more. If only this aspect is considered, it¡¯s already beyond ordinary.¡± Shen Yu shook her head as she answered. ¡°With such a fierce ability to recover, could he possibly be a demon himself?¡± A member of the Shen Family voiced his concern. ¡°I carried the Mountain Crossing Talisman just now, and there was not a single reaction.¡± As she spoke, Shen Yu pulled out another talisman made from purple cloud paper from her sleeve. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it should pose no problem. If he truly is, as he claims, a Soul condensing cultivator, we should treat him well¡­¡± Shen Huayuan was about to continue when a hand suddenly jutted forward, stopping him from speaking further. The expressions of the surrounding Shen Family members also changed one after another, looking towards Shen Yu who had obstructed Shen Huayuan¡¯s speech. ¡°There¡¯s a situation. Father, you go along with Shen Quan and gather everyone together, the rest follow me, we prepare to meet the enemy.¡± Shen Yu¡¯s brow furrows as she quickly issues commands. Everyone responded in a low voice and immediately began to act accordingly. Outside the ruins of the old mansion, the night wind howled, carrying with it the sounds of ¡°rustling¡±, dust rose from the distant wilderness, like a towering dust wall pushing its way towards them. Among the dust, vague figures could be seen moving in tandem, a pair of luminous green eyes flickering like ghoulish lanterns, undulating amidst the dust, creating a chilling sight. Outside the old mansion, Shen Yu and her group stood in line, separated by several yards, gazing solemnly into the distance. ¡°It¡¯s the Corpse Ghoul Group, use the Blaze Talisman!¡± Shen Yu issued a loud command. Upon hearing this, the Shen Family members reached into their bosoms and took out two or three Yellow Paper Charms, placing them between their fingers, ready for action. As the rolling dust gradually approached, they finally got a clear view of the things hidden within. They were humanoid creatures, nearly as tall as an average person, yet with unusually hunched and twisted figures. They had terrifying faces, their mouths torn open to reveal sharp teeth. Despite wearing human clothes, all were ragged and worn, covered in green moss resembling copper rust. They looked as though they had just crawled out from a dark burrow. Staring at the Corpse Ghouls that numbered nearly a hundred, Shen Yu¡¯s eyes reflected a grave determination as she measured the distance in her mind. ¡°Ninety feet, eighty feet, seventy feet¡­¡± The rest of the group were also intently focused on the scene before them, waiting for Shen Yu¡¯s command to release the talismans aglow with flame in their hands. ¡°Thirty feet, twenty feet, ten feet, attack!¡± As soon as Shen Yu gave the command, no one hesitated. A series of red lights flashed from their hands as more than a dozen Blaze Talismans were launched into the air, landing amidst the troop of Corpse Ghouls. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± erupted. One by one, the talismans exploded, unleashing plumes of fierce flames. The spacing was just right, the range of the ignited flames interlinked, creating a wall of fire. The Corpse Ghouls at the front were instantly swallowed by the flames, spewing thick black smoke from their bodies and issuing terrifying howls that echoed across the deserted wilderness. In a flash, the air was permeated with a thick rotting smell that threatened to make Shen Yu and the rest gag. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the power of the Blaze Talismans was ultimately limited. After burning for a while, the flames visibly started to dim. The Corpse Ghouls that were initially held back by the sight, immediately stepped over the ashes of their comrades and charged again. Chapter 315: Shen Yu formed a Dharma seal with both hands in front of her body, lifting her hand, and immediately the water vapor in the void condensed. It transformed into dozens of water arrows shooting out, aimed at the few corpse demons charging in the front. ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡­¡± There was a sound like rain hitting plantain leaves, the several corpse demons at the forefront stumbled and fell face-first onto the ground. However, two of the corpse demons shakily got up and charged again towards them. Shen Yu¡¯s gaze hardened, she waved her hand again, and another two water arrows shot out. In the void, two streaks of blue light flashed by. Two holes were blasted open in the heads of the two demons. Their eerie green eyes dimmed and they collapsed on the ground, never to get up again. ¡°Their weakness is in their heads, only by decapitating them or piercing through can we completely kill them.¡± Shen Yu shouted again. As soon as she was done speaking, she removed the long water-blue gauze wrapped around her waist. With a flick of her wrist, it lunged forward like a wave, rushing towards the group of corpse demons. Observing this, some of the Shen family members drew their weapons from beside them while others took talismanic instruments from their arms and activated them. When the corpse demons approached a bit more, they all rushed forward, engaging them in a battle. Within the ruins of the old mansion, Shen Huayuan gathered the rest of the Shen family in a reasonably preserved house. He had all the horses unhitched from the carriage and concentrated in the courtyard outside the house. He and another cultivator, Shen Quan, guarded the people from the front and back, providing vigilant protection. Just then, he remembered ¨C in the chaotic situation just now, he had only thought of gathering the clan members who weren¡¯t practitioners. In his haste, he had forgotten about Shen Luo, who was away from everyone else. ¡°Shen Quan, you guard here alone for a moment. I will go and bring Shen Luo over as well.¡± Shen Huayuan said after a moment of hesitation. ¡°Family Head, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to protect everyone alone. Since he¡¯s a cultivator, he should be capable of protecting himself.¡± Shen Quan expressed his concern. ¡°Though he¡¯s a cultivator, he¡¯s gravely injured and his cultivation level has not yet recovered. It¡¯s too dangerous for him to remain outside alone. As a member of the Shen family, we can¡¯t just let him die,¡± said Shen Huayuan with a frown. ¡°Miss has already saved him once, we, we have done enough¡­¡± Shen Quan spoke with urgency. Shen Huayuan frowned, his expression uncertain. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the words his daughter had spoken earlier. If Shen Luo was really a Soul Condensing cultivator, his recovery would hold great significance for the Shen family. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Shen Huayuan still hesitating, Shen Quan could not help but entreat again, ¡°Family Head, observe the conditions in this room first¡­.¡± On hearing this, Shen Huayuan lowered his gaze and surveyed the room. There were dozens of people crammed together sitting on the ground: men and women, young and strong adults, children of tender years. But they were only a small part of the vast Shen family clan. The majority of the clan members, the elderly and the weak, had either voluntarily or forcefully stayed back when the city fell, leaving the hope of survival to these people. Protecting these people meant protecting the future of the Shen family. Looking at the terrified expressions on their faces and the remnant spark of hope in their eyes, Shen Huayuan could only heave a deep sigh, silently walk back to the wall, and stand with his hands clasped behind him. Seeing this, Shen Quan heaved a sigh of relief. But just as he had exhaled, the roof above them collapsed with a boom, creating a large hole. A terrifying corpse demon, twice as large as the average, descended from the sky amidst the rubble and dust, crashing directly onto Shen Quan, knocking him unconscious. The people inside the house screamed in terror, all of them frantically getting to their feet and running in chaotic patter, like frightened rabbits. Shen Huayuan¡¯s heart tightened, and with a wave of his hand, the rotten door fell to shambles. He shouted to the people, ¡°Run to the outside.¡± The people of the Shen family kept screaming, unable to calm down in the panic. ¡°Don¡¯t panic!¡± Left with no choice, Shen Huayuan had to step forward, single-handedly grabbing two clan members who had lost their presence of mind and were running wildly. He swung his arms, and was the first to send them flying out. The others, seeing this, hurriedly ran towards the door. The corpse demon that had landed inside the house wasn¡¯t about to let its blood meal escape so easily. It reached out its huge hand full of long, sharp nails and wildly grabbed towards a child from the Shen family. The child, stumbling and almost falling down, was about to fall into the demon¡¯s grasp. At this moment, a snow-white light flashed through the hall;a thunderous ¡°boom¡± reverberated;a bolt of lightning fell from the void, fiercely striking the demon¡¯s arm. With a ¡°hiss¡±, a horrifying wound mutilated the corpse demon¡¯s arm, releasing a puff of green smoke, emanating a revolting stench and streams of black, rotting liquid. The demon itself, being an entity of darkness, was fearful of thunder and lightning. It roared in anger, its eerie green eyes filled with fury. However, it did not dare to continue attacking and instead turned its gaze towards Shen Huayuan. A young man of the Shen family seized the opportunity to bend down, picked up that child, and rushed towards the courtyard. After Shen Huayuan threw that small thunder talisman, he took out a crimson sword about the size of a palm from his arm and pasted a yellow talisman paper on it before throwing it directly. The crimson sword immediately shone with a dazzling light, increasing in size to about two feet long. The entire blade was flashing with a scorching glow as it directly rushed towards the corpse demon¡¯s head. Seeing this, the corpse demon let out a sharp howl, raised its remaining arm, and grabbed the crimson talisman sword with fingers akin to hooks. Immediately, the talisman sword¡¯s red light intensified, and the searing light it emitted became stronger. The edge of the sword created a high intensity friction with the demon¡¯s arm, resulting in a stalemate where neither could subdue the other. Shen Huayuan¡¯s brow furrowed, hoping in his heart that Shen Yu and others would soon perceive the situation here and come to their aid. However, it didn¡¯t go as he wished. Before Shen Yu and others could come to their aid, the wall of the house collapsed with a bang, and another even larger corpse demon charged at Shen Huayuan, covered in dust. There was only a dull ¡°thump¡±. Shen Huayuan felt as if he had been hit by a small mountain. His body flew horizontally and crashed into a roof pillar, breaking it, and then he fell to the ground in the courtyard like a sack of flour. He tried to stand up but couldn¡¯t help but vomit a mouthful of fresh blood. The Shen family members who had just escaped to the courtyard saw Shen Quan toppled unconscious, and the family head vomiting blood. They were all terrified beyond measure. The young children couldn¡¯t help but cry out, combined with the terrified neighing of the horses in the courtyard, it was total chaos. Right then, the two corpse demons from the house charged out. They didn¡¯t give Shen Huayuan any chance to catch his breath. One headed toward him, and the other dove into the crowd. Chapter 316: Displaying Divine Powers Despite his injuries, Shen Huayuan raised his hand and summoned his Talisman Sword, causing it to light up once again, shooting out a red beam of light. Rather than aiming at the Corpse Demon rushing at him, the beam was shooting towards the back of the head of another Corpse Demon, attacking other people. As the sword edge neared the back of the Corpse Demon¡¯s head, just an inch away from penetration, the Corpse Demon suddenly turned around, raising a withered claw to protect its face. A sharp ring sounded! The crimson Talisman Sword hit the palm of its claw, emitting a sound like a clash between metal and stone, yet failed to pierce through. Seeing this, Shen Huayuan sighed mournfully. At the same time, the Corpse Demon had already swung its claw, its five sharp claws descended like knife-edge, aiming at his head. He had no time to recall the Talisman Sword. Just then, he saw through the gaps in the sharp claws, there was a shadow of a person leaping from the eaves, rushing towards them. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± shouted Shen Huayuan softly. As soon as his words fell, Shen Luo had already used the momentum he had from falling, to land heavily on the Corpse Demon¡¯s shoulders. Just like Shen Quan before, a powerful force caused the ferocious Corpse Demon to kneel down directly on the ground, its claws that were aimed at Shen Huayuan dug deep into the ground. Shen Luo leaned down, embraced the Corpse Demon¡¯s skull, and with a sudden sharp twist, ripped it off as though he was picking a melon. ¡°Snap¡± A crisp sound came from the neck of the Corpse Demon, and with one pull, Shen Luo easily ripped off its head. Seeing this, Shen Huayuan was simply stunned. Knowing how sturdy a Corpse Demon¡¯s physique was, even a Small Thunder Talisman could only slash a cut on its body. Yet, Shen Luo used his bare hands to tear its head off, how much strength would that take? Seeing this, the other Corpse Demon abandoned its other targets, quickly turned around and pounced on Shen Luo. Shen Luo leapt up, his body flipped over the Corpse Demon¡¯s head. His hands skillfully twirled two Small Thunder Talismans that each slapped the temples on either side of the Corpse Demon¡¯s head. As a stream of Mana flowed from his fingertips, two thunderous booms sounded. A dazzling white light flashed, two brilliant white beams of lightning shot into the Corpse Demon¡¯s head on both sides, meeting in the center, completely blowing its head apart. After practicing through the night, Shen Luo was only able to unlock half a meridian, but he could still use some Mana. His moves were swift and precise, the Shen family hadn¡¯t even had time to react, and the fight was over, with many still frantically fleeing towards the ruins outside the courtyard. ¡°Don¡¯t run, it¡¯s safe now¡­¡± Shen Huayuan, having survived this ordeal, was the first to come back to his senses. On hearing the roaring voice of the Family Head, the Shen Family gradually stopped their flight and looked over. When they saw two dead Corpse Demons in the courtyard and Shen Luo standing next to the body, they realized what had happened: they were simultaneously surprised and terrified, sad and relieved. ¡°We survived¡­¡± someone sobbed with a cry. ¡°Did he save us?¡± someone asked in confusion. ¡°Waa¡­¡± Most of them were children, crying uncontrollably. ¡°Elder Shen, thank you,¡± Shen Huayuan sincerely admired, after truly experiencing Shen Luo¡¯s abilities. ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks, we should quickly check for casualties,¡± Shen Luo helped him up, and suggested. When Shen Huayuan heard these words, his expression immediately changed, he quickly rushed into the ruined house and pulled Shen Quan out from under a pile of rubble. After a quick check, he found that Shen Quan was only unconscious due to injuries and was not in danger of death, which finally put him at ease. By this time, the battle outside the old mansion had ended. Shen Yu, who was the first to return, was shocked when she saw the dismal state of the interior. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Father¡­¡± She rushed into the room and was relieved to see Shen Huayuan unharmed, taking care of Shen Quan with Shen Luo standing by. ¡°How is it outside?¡± Shen Huayuan asked, looking up. ¡°The Corpse Demons have all been driven away, but¡­ Shen Zhao was killed in an ambush by the Corpse Demons. Shen Chuang and Chen Chong are both seriously injured,¡± Shen Yu stood with her back to the door, her brows furrowed, unable to hide her sadness. She couldn¡¯t afford to show any weakness in front of the remaining people of the Shen Family, who were still in shock outside. After a final count, the Shen Family had lost Shen Zhao and three other ordinary family members. Another dozen were injured. No one dared to stay any longer. They set off in the middle of the night, continuing their journey. Shen Luo knew that these people were the descendants of the Shen Family, he was slightly saddened, but not deeply moved. After all, he had seen far too many brutalities in the Dreamland. ¡­ Time flew, and it was seven days later already. Shen Luo had been practicing the Huangting Technique day and night, finally managing to unblock five Meridians, including the Hand Shao Yin Heart Meridian, the Hand¡¯s Yang Ming Large Intestine Meridian, and the Ren Meridian. His strength had now recovered to the level of the Mid Grain Avoidance Stage. After the incident with the Corpse Demons, everyone in the Shen family no longer doubted Shen Luo¡¯s identity and strength. Shen Yu would even come to chat with him and ask him for solutions to her cultivation problems whenever she had time. After some understanding, Shen Luo found that the cultivation method practiced by the Shen family, known as ¡°Water Elemental Art¡±, was in fact a modified version of the Nameless Cultivation Technique. The person who had passed this technique down to the Shen family was none other than himself. At first, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t understand why he¡¯d passed on an altered version of the Nameless Cultivation Technique to the Shen family instead of leaving the original method. But then he realized that the Nameless Cultivation Technique itself was very difficult, he only managed to grasp the technique quickly through serendipity, making it even more difficult for others to practice. Despite the modifications to the ¡°Water Elemental Art¡±, the Shen family descendants still found it difficult to cultivate. Over the course of a thousand years, not a single person had successfully completed its cultivation. In recent two or three hundred years, the situation had become even worse. Many people couldn¡¯t grasp the Dao-seed let alone complete the cultivation. While Shen Yu had managed to practice till the Grain Avoidance Stage by constantly figuring it out. This made her the best practitioner in recent years. Although Shen Luo had a deeper understanding of the Nameless Cultivation Technique than they did, he could not explicitly tell them due to his identity. Hence, he could only subtly hint at potential solutions, using other cases as examples to clarify Shen Yu¡¯s doubts. Luckily, Shen Yu was of good aptitude and comprehension;with a bit of guidance from Shen Luo, she always managed to gain insights. After several rounds of conversation, she had begun to glimpse the boundary of Mid Grain Avoidance Stage. For these few days, Shen Luo devoted all his time to cultivating in the carriage, and Shen Yu also remained out of sight. Even though Shen Huayuan was weighed down by the Corpse Demon incident initially, with Shen Luo¡¯s recovery of strength and Shen Yu¡¯s progress in cultivation, he felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest. Chapter 317: General Rhinoceros Shen Quan¡¯s injuries had healed a little, and he shared a ride with Shen Huayuan. Seeing the Family Head¡¯s relaxed brows, he felt uplifted. He was a man with an open heart. After learning that it was Shen Luo who had saved them, he personally went to thank and apologize to Shen Luo, performing a bow in courtesy. ¡°Family Head, did Elder Shen truly help Shen Yu unravel his confusion and loosen his bottleneck?¡± Shen Quan couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Yu said so, so it should be correct.¡± Shen Huayuan nodded. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing his words, Shen Quan¡¯s eyes lit up as he excitedly said, ¡°Once my injuries are healed, I too wish to seek guidance from Elder Shen. I¡¯ve been stuck in the late stage of Qi Refining for so many years. If I could progress further, I could contribute more to the family.¡± ¡°Several in the clan share this sentiment but it¡¯s a pity that Elder Shen is currently busy with restoring his cultivation strength. Let us not disturb him for now,¡± advised Shen Huayuan. Just as he was speaking, a horse¡¯s whinny was heard from outside, and the carriage underneath them came to a stop. Shen Huayuan¡¯s expression tightened, hurriedly lifting the curtain and exiting the carriage. Just as he got off the carriage, he saw a tall figure standing about ten yards away, leaning on a Ghost Head Hammer stuck in the ground, looking quite formidable. The figure was almost ten feet tall with a broad waist and a round belly. His bare upper body revealed a purplish skin, with two profound purple cloud patterns on both sides of his chest. Around his waist was a somewhat worn Barbarian Lion Belt, already beginning to rust. But most importantly, the head atop his neck was not that of a human, but a rhinoceros, indicating he was indeed a Rhino Demon. ¡°This road I¡¯ve paved, this tree I¡¯ve planted;if you wish to pass through here, leave behind money!¡± The Rhino Demon shouted as soon as he saw the Shen Family Caravan stopping. His voice was crude, fitting the stereotype of a highway robber. However, the official road they took was left from the Great Tang era, surrounded by barren wilderness for miles with no tree in sight, making his words seem disconnected. ¡°What kind of monster are you, daring to obstruct our path?¡± Shen Huayuan shouted back. ¡°I am none other than General Rhinoceros. So, you¡¯ve heard of my illustrious name, right? Quickly leave behind your food and valuables,¡± the Rhino Demon replied, lifting the Ghost Head Hammer onto his shoulder with full satisfaction. ¡°Never heard of you,¡± Shen Huayuan said after some thought, shaking his head. ¡°You¡­you¡­you¡¯re ignorant and ungrateful!¡± The self-proclaimed ¡°General¡± Rhino Demon shouted, fuming at Shen Huayuan¡¯s disregard. Listening to the demon¡¯s disjointed speech and misuse of words, Shen Huayuan was filled with confusion, unsure of his intentions. After all, the monsters they had encountered previously had usually gone straight to fighting, but this road-blocking robber was oddly¡­ courteous. Not far behind, Shen Luo was standing on the roof of a carriage, watching the situation from a distance. Looking at the Rhino General, a smile appeared on his lips. He leaped down and headed towards the scene. ¡°Elder.¡± Shen Huayuan, upon seeing Shen Luo, immediately gave him a respectful salute. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, smiling as he spoke. Having said that, he stepped forward, stopping a few yards away from the Rhino General. The Rhino General tightened upon seeing this, pointing towards Shen Luo with his hammer, and shouted, ¡°Are you the one responsible?¡± ¡°Sort of.¡± Shen Luo nodded and replied. ¡°Then quit the talk, hurry up and hand over the money and the food, or else don¡¯t blame my merciless hammer,¡± threatened the Rhino General, his brows curving into a scowl. ¡°Hearing you say that, I kind of want to test your Ghost Head Hammer. Come on, hit me with it,¡± Shen Luo playfully replied. The Rhino General was taken aback, his eyes wide in disbelief at Shen Luo¡¯s words. Having been a demon for nearly a hundred years, he, who once admired a human general leading his troops and took it upon himself to adopt the same moniker, found this human hard to comprehend. ¡°Don¡¯t you see, are you out of your mind? My hammer carries the weight of a thousand juns with one swing. It¡¯d reduce you to a pile of mush,¡± the Rhino General pointed at Shen Luo, threatening. ¡°Stop with the nonsense, go ahead and hit me,¡± Shen Luo deliberately taunted, but he was surprised. Excluding the demons he had communicated with, none of the demons he had encountered were kind-hearted, yet the Demon Rhinoceros before him was contrary to his expectations. Seeing this, General Rhinoceros was somewhat infuriated, lifting the Ghost Head Hammer in his hand and charging towards Shen Luo. His huge body caused the earth to tremble with each step. ¡°Boom, boom, boom.¡± The General took three strides to get to Shen Luo, lifting the Great Hammer and striking down harshly. ¡°Whoosh,¡± a gust of wind accompanied by a potent pressure fell simultaneously. Shen Luo was taken aback. This Demon Rhinoceros really didn¡¯t hold back, the force of this hammer was indeed not light, but the fact that the hammer didn¡¯t directly aim at his head once again took him by surprise. While contemplating, he stood still. The Huangting Technique ran quietly within his body. He crossed his arms high over his head, lighting up a layer of golden glow on his arms. As a result, the following moment, Shen Luo felt a slight chill on his arms and a gust of wind swept across. But the Great Hammer held by General Rhinoceros horrible stopped less than a foot away from his arms. ¡°I told you, Human, I¡¯m really going to hit you, it¡¯s not too late for you to regret it!¡± General Rhinoceros, holding up the Ghost Head Hammer, retorted. ¡°Hit me if you dare!¡± Shen Luo, somewhat amused, shouted back. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me¡­¡± General Rhinoceros, hearing this, raised the Ghost Head Hammer in his hand again and struck it down violently. Seeing this, Shen Luo slightly lowered his arms and then made a swift upward thrust. ¡°Bang!¡± was the muffled sound. Even before the General could finish his sentence, he felt like his Ghost Head Hammer had hit a hard mountain wall and was forced back, with his body following suit. ¡°Tramp, Tramp, Tramp¡­¡± General Rhinoceros staggered backward several steps before forcefully stomping his back foot on the ground, thus barely stabilizing his figure. The surprise was clear in his round bulging eyes. ¡°Concede or not?¡± Shen Luo asked, with a smile. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t concede!¡± General Rhinoceros roared. ¡°Then let¡¯s go one more round!¡± Shen Luo said. General Rhinoceros roared, gripping the ghost head hammer and charged again. This time, he seemed this guy was getting serious. His body lit up with a layer of green light, the Ghost Head Great Hammer in his hand burst out with a black light, and he smashed it down towards Shen Luo. A gust of wind whirled above Shen Luo¡¯s head, and a clear tremor spread through the void, as if the air was violently stirred up by the giant hammer. His eyes narrowed and he made some speculation about the strength of this Demon Rhinoceros, knowing that its cultivation could only be at the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance, it isn¡¯t a threat for him. Shen Luo then quietly operated the Huangting Technique, the mana in his body¡¯s five meridians flowed simultaneously, the light condensed on his clenched right fist, and his entire palm grew larger. ¡°Ha!¡± With a low shout, the clenched right fist was stored from his waist and then pounded upwards, smashing directly into General Rhinoceros¡¯s Ghost Head Great Hammer. A loud ¡°boom¡± came. A strong vigor rolled out from the point of collision. Dust rose from the ground, affecting everyone from the Shen family, forcing them to retreat abruptly. Chapter 318: Letting You Off the Hook In the dust and smoke, Shen Luo not only didn¡¯t retreat but instead advanced, darting forward and landing right in front of General Rhinoceros. Aiming at the monster¡¯s protruding abdomen, he threw an elbow. ¡°Boom,¡± was the deep sound that echoed. ¡°Uh¡­¡± With a muted groan, General Rhinoceros tumbled on the ground like an overturned stone before he finally came to a halt. When the dust and smoke cleared, everyone saw Shen Luo squatting beside the fallen monster, his fingers pressing a Thunderfall Talisman on its forehead. ¡°How about that, do you give up?¡± Shen Luo laughed and asked. Rolling his eyes, General Rhinoceros managed to see the talisman hanging on his forehead. He raised his neck and said, ¡°I knew these days would come when I decided to take up such a lifestyle. Do what you must. In eighteen years, I¡¯ll be back as a strong man.¡± ¡°Have you been reading some strange books?¡± Shen Luo, finding these words eerily familiar, couldn¡¯t help but rub his forehead and sighed in frustration. In many folk tales, the heroes of the forest always utter such words before their death. ¡°Why are you, a human, so resilient and even stronger than me? I genuinely admit my defeat. If you have to do something, do it quickly and let me fall.¡± As he heard Shen Luo¡¯s question, the General Rhinoceros seemed deflated. Shen Luo didn¡¯t tease him any further and instead, withdrew the Thunderfall Talisman. ¡°Fine, I didn¡¯t say I would kill you, you can leave now.¡± Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, the Shen Family bystanders, Shen Huayuan included, were greatly taken aback. ¡°Master Shen, that being is a demon, we cannot let it¡­ ¡± shouted one of the teenagers from the Shen Family. ¡°Brother Shen, to release a tiger back into the mountain will lead to unlimited troubles,¡± another member of the Shen Family called out. ¡°Kill it, kill it¡­¡± More and more people voiced their opinions. Shen Huayuan didn¡¯t express his opinion, neither encouraging Shen Luo nor stopping his family members. In fact, not only were members of the Shen Family surprised, but even General Rhinoceros himself was stupefied, looking at Shen Luo with disbelief. Shen Luo ignored the shouts of his family and only looked at the monster saying, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving? Do you want me to kill you?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t kill me? Why won¡¯t you kill me?¡± General Rhinoceros asked, facing the biggest question of his life. ¡°Which monster like you doesn¡¯t leave a land filled with white bones and rampant with killing intent?¡± Shen Luo looked around and asked. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I ate everything cleanly?¡± Doubt still lingered in the monster¡¯s eyes. ¡°You fought me without any intention to kill. It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re not one to enjoy bloodshed. I let you go, and you still won¡¯t leave. Or do you actually want to die?¡± Shen Luo said in exasperation. Only after these words did General Rhinoceros finally believe that Shen Luo truly had no intention of killing him. ¡°You humans are strange¡­ In the past, people I encountered either begged for mercy because they were weak or ruthlessly killed monsters because they were strong. But you¡¯re different. Today I admit my defeat, and if I meet you again in the future, I will be robbing you.¡± The General Rhinoceros watched Shen Luo for a while and then said. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll see if you have the ability then.¡± Shen Luo chuckled. Without another word, General Rhinoceros picked up his Ghost Head Hammer, and walked away without looking back. All the Shen Family members saw Shen Luo releasing the monster and were very confused. They all murmured to each other and discussed among themselves. Shen Luo had no intention to explain. He just nodded to Shen Huayuan, returned to his carriage, and the group set off again, heading towards Jianye. Time flew by and in a blink of an eye, half a month had passed. At night, in an abandoned mountain village, bonfires were lit. The Shen Family decided to spend the night there. During this half a month, they had had a rare peaceful journey. They hadn¡¯t encountered any powerful demons or ghosts, and even managed to kill two low-level monsters during the day, which they now roasted at their campsite. Everyone, including Shen Huayuan and Shen Quan, was gathered around the largest bonfire in the village. However, Shen Luo and Shen Yu were nowhere to be found. ¡°Family Head, where are Elder Shen and Sister Yu?¡± asked a junior from the Shen Family, who had just gotten a piece of the glistening monster¡¯s flesh. ¡°They¡¯re cultivating. Don¡¯t disturb them.¡± Shen Huayuan responded with a smile. In fact, not just Shen Yu, but all the cultivators of the Shen Family had received pointers from Shen Luo during this time, yielding results in their cultivation. Only because Shen Yu was on the brink of a breakthrough to the mid Grain Avoidance Stage that she was relentlessly cultivating. As for Shen Luo, he had unlocked the prohibition on his Dantian, which had restored his cultivation level to the early stage of Soul Condensation. He was currently pondering over the Huangting Technique that mentioned Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. Previously, in Longevity Village, he was disturbed by various chores and although he had already had some insights into the technique, he hadn¡¯t completely grasped it nor successfully cultivated it. Now, his cultivation was still a distance from fully recovering. If he could cultivate this Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique, even if only the basic one-star power, it would be of great help. That night, Shen Luo sat alone in an open space at the edge of the village. His hands were raised towards the sky, and he stared up at the night sky. Different from his usual meditative cultivation, his eyes were wide open, staring at the deep night sky. His bright eyes seemed to reflect the entire star-filled sky. Shen Luo silently recited the Huangting Technique. The star-filled sky gradually shifted in his line of sight. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not knowing whether he was becoming lighter and rising into the sky or the stars were becoming heavier and descending onto the ground, he felt himself blending with the sea of stars. He looked around and saw countless stars, all blinking like breaths, their light alternately brightening and fading. Shen Luo looked at the countless stars and a sudden feeling of insignificance welled up. He subconsciously matched his breathing with the flickering lights of the stars. One breath upon each light¡¯s brightening or fading¡­ In a flash, he came back to himself and found he was still sitting on the ground, but the starry sky overhead had changed. He saw countless particles, transformed from the power of the stars, falling like dust under the sun. They entered his eyes. Subconsciously, he wanted to close his eyes but forced himself not to. His eyes, like two lakes, held the rain that fell from the sky. They were now filled with the radiant colors of the starlight. Chapter 319: Three Stars Demolishing Demons Several days later. At dusk, when the sun was yet to set in the west, red clouds were illuminated by the dying light, looking like they were dyed in blood. The Shen family had finally left Qianhua County, known for its incessant rain, crossed through Yuqian Mountain Pass, and entered Yuyin County. Unlike usual, Shen Luo was not cultivating inside the carriage but drove the carriage himself, letting the young coachman who had been driving for him for more than half a month sit on the other side for a change. The coachman¡¯s name was Wang Yuan, the son of the Shen Family¡¯s former steward. His entire family stayed in the city when it fell, and only after pleading and begging from the old steward was Wang Yuan brought along. ¡°Master Shen, is that Yuqian Mountain?¡± Wang Yuan pointed at a faint and dark silhouette of mountains from afar and asked. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Shen Luo glanced and nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°When I was young, my father told me that this used to be one of the significant herb collection areas for the Shen family. There were many elm trees on the mountain. Every season, the trees would be laden with sweet Yucash, the size of small copper cash coins. They can be eaten raw or cooked and those who ate them were sure to have good fortune.¡± A hint of nostalgia flashed in Wang Yuan¡¯s eyes as he spoke. ¡°Yucash¡­ I did eat them when I was young.¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but recall his past at Wang Yuan¡¯s words. ¡°How did they taste?¡± Wang Yuan¡¯s eyes brightened up as he impulsively asked. Seeing his anticipation, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t bear to lie to him, finally answering, ¡°It was too long ago, I can¡¯t remember.¡± In truth, he had eaten Yucash rice during his childhood, but there were many other delicious foods back then, so he wasn¡¯t particularly fond of the taste, and had never found it to be sweet. Unexpectedly, even such food had turned into an unreachable delicacy in the world a thousand years later. ¡°My father has not tasted it either, but every time he mentioned it, it made my mouth water. But I can¡¯t imagine how it tastes,¡± Wang Yuan said with a bit of disappointment as he gazed at Yuqian Mountain in the distance. ¡°Aren¡¯t there elm trees in Chunhua County?¡± After pondering for a bit, Shen Luo asked. Without questioning why Shen Luo would know this, Wang Yuan shook his head and replied, ¡°There is a two hundred-year-old elm tree, but it has long been withered and died.¡± On hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent. After all, over a thousand years, the small Chunhua County was able to grow into a city the size of a state city. What wouldn¡¯t change? As they were talking, the carriage in front of them suddenly stopped with a whinny of horses. Shen Luo¡¯s nose twitched as he detected a heavy smell of blood and his eyebrows furrowed. As soon as he jumped down from the carriage, he saw Shen Quan running back in haste. ¡°Elder Shen, please go and check the situation up front. There¡¯s a problem,¡± Shen Quan shouted from afar. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo rushed forward. The closer he got to the front of the team, the more intense the bloody smell in the air. He made way through the Shen family crowd, only to see a large splash of blood on the ground. The color was dark, with dried up scabs forming on the surface, while human limbs were scattered in the distance. Many couldn¡¯t bear the gruesome sight and sucked in cold air, and some even ran to the side, unable to stop their retching. Looking at the severed hands and feet on the ground, even Shen Luo, who was accustomed to life and death, felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. ¡°Senior Shen, we have briefly counted the bodies. There are over ten corpses, and most of them have their internal organs missing. It is rumored they were attacked by a beast,¡± Shen Yu reported. Shen Luo didn¡¯t say anything. He bent down to pick up the severed hand of a child to examine the severed edges. He then took out a yellow paper talisman and waved it in the air. The yellow paper charm, containing the mountain crossing rune, made a slight sound but no illumination from it. ¡°It wasn¡¯t done by a beast,¡± Shen Luo said, withdrawing the paper talisman. ¡°The mutilation of the bodies seems very irrational. It looks a lot like the work of a beast. Why do you say it¡¯s not the beast?¡± Shen Huayuan couldn¡¯t resist asking. ¡°I just used a mountain-crossing talisman to investigate. There is no trace of residual monster qi. And although the corpses were dismembered, if you look carefully, you will find that there were no obvious traces of monster teeth at the severed points,¡± answered Shen Luo without changing his expression. Upon hearing this, Shen Huayuan immediately dug through the limbs and soon found an arm with tooth marks. After examination, he exclaimed, ¡°These tooth marks¡­ appear to be human?¡± Hearing this, everyone else crowded to review, which led to an uproar. ¡°Even if humans kill, they do not resort to such brutal mutilation. In my opinion, they were most likely attacked by demonic beings, possibly humans transformed into demonic beings due to the invasion of demonic qi,¡± Shen Luo continued. Upon hearing the mention of ¡°demonic beings,¡± everyone concluded with subtle changes in expression. ¡°Elder Shen, I believe your analysis is most probably accurate. If there are indeed demonic beings lurking here, our original plan to rest overnight in the town up ahead might need to be changed,¡± said Shen Huayuan after considering for a while. ¡°Dealing with demonic beings is generally more troublesome than ordinary ghosts. If we can avoid them, we should. Let¡¯s travel overnight, bypass the city of Qingyan ahead, and rest when we reach Jiyun Mountain,¡± responded Shen Yu with a frown. ¡°That seems good,¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. So, everyone gathered the corpses and buried them. After that, they avoided the abandoned Qingyan Town and left through the ten-thousand-acre peach forest nearby. ¡­ The outskirts of Qingyan Town, ten-thousand-acre peach forest. The originally vibrant peach forest was now a spectacle of dried, crusted land. All over the ground were traces of black cracked soil. Surrounding all the peach trees were completely dead, and their dark branches looked like despairing hands reaching for the sky. As night fell slowly, the surroundings were filled with shadowy, lifeless trees. As the night wind blew through the treetops, they made low whimpers like whispers. The Shen family members walked tensely through this depressing atmosphere. Shen Luo and Shen Yu were riding in a carriage at the front of the group. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so nervous. Being on edge for a long time isn¡¯t good,¡± seeing Shen Yu¡¯s stiff face, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but remind him. Since he started cultivating the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique and absorbed stardust into his body, he had been able to break through his internal prohibitions at an accelerated pace. Now, he had recovered to the mid-stage soul condensation, with a certain degree of divine sense that could be released outside. If there was any danger approaching, he could still detect it in advance. ¡°It is an old habit from the past. Whenever I leave Chunhua City, I would maintain constant vigilance in the outside world. It¡¯s hard to change,¡± Shen Yu was slightly taken aback before laughing it off. Chapter 320: Netherworld Scholar Shen Luo looked at Shen Yu beside him, couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of Ying Luo he met in Longevity Village, a woman who, in the apocalyptic world, became the last bastion of hope for a village and a clan. ¡°With me here, you can relax a bit.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Upon hearing these words, Shen Yu¡¯s face warmed slightly, but her tense nerves didn¡¯t really relax much. As she had mentioned, it was a habit she had grown accustomed to, thus hard to change. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel that the bottleneck in your cultivation loosened a little last time? Why haven¡¯t you broken through yet?¡± Shen Luo changed the topic and asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I always feel that I¡¯m a bit lacking, but I can¡¯t pinpoint what¡¯s missing.¡± Shen Yu sighed and said. ¡°Tell me about what you¡¯ve been sensing during your recent cultivation sessions.¡± Shen Luo said. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Shen Yu did not hesitate and immediately began to recount her experiences. Shen Luo listened attentively, compared his cultivation experiences in the Dreamland and reality, analyzed everything that Shen Yu had mentioned and quickly identified the problem. After his explanation, Shen Yu experienced sudden enlightenment and was overjoyed. ¡°So that¡¯s it, I understand now. Thank you for your guidance, Elder!¡± Shen Yu bowed repeatedly, expressing her sincere gratitude. ¡°It was nothing¡­¡± Shen Luo raised his hand halfway before freezing. His brow creased, his expression grew serious. At the same time, a halo of light illuminated his chest. Shen Luo reached into his chest, pulling out the Mountain Crossing Talisman, whose light flickered uneasily. ¡°There¡¯s demon qi¡­¡± He immediately ordered the caravan to halt. Soon, Shen Huayuan and Shen Quan rushed from the back of the caravan, asking what had happened. ¡°It seems there is a demon ahead, but considering the current state of the talisman, the demon qi doesn¡¯t seem strong, it shouldn¡¯t be a formidable adversary.¡± Shen Luo looked at the faintly glowing talisman and spoke with a furrowed brow. ¡°Then we¡­¡± Shen Huayuan turned to Shen Luo, questioning. ¡°You all stay here, I¡¯ll go ahead and check it out.¡± After some hesitation, Shen Luo spoke. ¡°Elder, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Shen Yu immediately said. ¡°Very well.¡± After some hesitation, Shen Luo eventually spoke. And so, Shen Luo and Shen Yu left the convoy, one before the other, heading towards the Peach Forest to investigate the potential threat. After they had traveled about three to four hundred feet, the smell of blood was stronger in the air. Oddly enough, the talisman held by Shen Luo didn¡¯t exhibit any significant changes in light. ¡°That is¡­¡± Shen Yu suddenly stopped, pointing towards a pile beneath a tree not far away, puzzled. Shen Luo had noticed it too. On the ground lay a pile of grievously mutilated bodies, splattered with blood, their vital organs were clearly scooped out. The different thing is, these corpses were all covered in thick fur, with some showing scales and claws, and others growing sharp horns ¨C these were unmistakably demons. ¡°Was it the Demonic Beings?¡± Shen Yu asked. ¡°Correct. Demonic Beings are mostly crazed and act without reason, killing humans and demons alike.¡± Shen Luo nodded and replied. ¡°But wasn¡¯t it in Qingyan Town? How could it appear here?¡± Shen Yu couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°It must have chased these demons here.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the dense night and said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we can no longer proceed through this Peach Forest, we have to take a farther route.¡± Shen Yu sighed, speaking. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s too late for that¡­¡± Shen Luo replied slowly, furrowing his brows. As soon as he finished speaking, a ringing sound echoed from the void in front of them. The ethereal bell sound resonated throughout the Peach Forest, sending chills down one¡¯s spine. Shen Yu followed the direction of the bell sound, and saw a light shine brightly amidst the dense night, slowly floating towards them. Shen Luo quietly gripped his Seven Star Pen, quickly took out the Magical Instrument Crescent Moon Ring. In his other hand, he held a Thunderfall Talisman. The frequency of the bell ringing was low, about once every ten breaths. By the time the bell rang for the third time, the light had drifted to around a dozen feet in front of Shen Luo and Shen Yu. Only then did Shen Luo see clearly. In front of them was a scholar, wearing a green robe, a scholar¡¯s hat and carrying a bamboo book box. He held a candlelight in one hand, reading an ancient book in the other. To Shen Luo and Shen Yu, the scene seemed oddly familiar. It was like witnessing a scholar far off on his travels, studying diligently by candlelight. However, if one were to look closely, they would find the large black stains imprinted on the scholar¡¯s green robe, a telltale sign of coagulated blood. The ancient book he held was covered in bloody fingerprints, indicating that something was amiss. Listening closely, Shen Luo seemed to hear the scholar reading in a low voice, ¡°Sun resides, moon gathers, shining down on the earth below, such is man, such is man¡­¡± The scene before them was so bizarre that both Shen Luo and Shen Yu made no sudden movements. Shen Yu felt chills down her spine, her gaze fixed on the scholar, not daring to shift her attention for a moment. After the scholar read ¡°such is man¡± for the third time, his recitation suddenly stopped. However, the small bell hanging on his book box suddenly rang. In the next instant, the scholar slowly lowered the book in his hand, revealing a pale and slightly bluish young face. The scholar was not hideous, even had some handsome features. However, his eyes were devoid of whites, darker than the night around them. The aura he emitted was that of death and decay, as if he had stepped straight out of the underworld. ¡°You two, walking at night, you might encounter a ghost. May I ask, where are you headed?¡± The scholar with his pitch-black eyes stared at the two, revealed an evil smile and asked. Shen Luo and Shen Yu exchanged looks, neither spoke a word, only taking a step backward. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t leave¡­¡± The scholar¡¯s expression suddenly turned malicious as he spoke in a sinister tone. As he spoke, his clothing billowed as if caught by a sudden gust of wind. Pitch black smoke billowed around him, concealing him within a radius of several feet. The scholar¡¯s form, borne aloft by the smoke, slowly ascended to the sky, glaring down at Shen Luo and Shen Yu. ¡°All must die, ha ha, you all must die¡­.¡± His voice became unusually hoarse, as if it were forcibly squeezed from the deep recesses of his throat. At this time, the book box he carried on his back started twitching. Suddenly, the box¡¯s lid flung open with a ¡°pop¡± sound and an even denser black smoke poured out. The smoke solidified into more than a dozen malicious Fierce Ghosts, grinning and revealing menacing claws, they hovered behind the scholar. Upon closer examination, Shen Luo noticed that the Fierce Ghosts varied in age and gender. All were extremely gruesome, and their faces bore a ghastly pallor. Every few seconds, they would jerk their necks creating waves of ¡°giggle¡± sounds. ¡°The feast begins!¡± the scholar from the underworld laughed. Chapter 321: Fight the Enemy Alone About a dozen fierce ghosts trailing billowing black mist rushed towards Shen Luo and Shen Yu, each opening their massive mouths revealing two rows of chillingly sharp teeth¡ªan extremely terrifying sight. Observing this, Shen Luo remained unmoved, instead, he subtly signaled Shen Yu to move a few steps back. Soon enough, the ghost reached right in front of Shen Luo. An old woman with disheveled hair leaped up the highest aiming to bite Shen Luo¡¯s head. A demon-like woman circled to his back, starting to gnaw at his neck while a two-foot-high child rolled to his feet, tearing at his legs. The rest of the ghosts trailed closely behind, swiftly enclosing him. However, immediately after, a ¡°splash¡± water sound abruptly began, and a spiral of water waves rose from Shen Luo¡¯s feet. It acted like a water shield, blocking him from all the ghosts. The ghosts hadn¡¯t yet reacted when a water rope coiled itself around each of their necks. ¡°Fall!¡± At Shen Luo¡¯s whisper, a snowy white thunder light suddenly exploded in front of him. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± rang out, threads of electricity swiftly traveled down the water ropes, changing into wisps of snowy white lightning and piercing each ghost. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Accompanied by a series of ghastly screams, all the ghosts were torn apart by the lightning, black qi rushed from their bodies, and in a flash, they were all reduced to ashes. The Netherworld Scholar watched this scene, his expression unchanged. He simply beckoned with his sleeve and the dissipated black mist swarmed back and returned into the book box he had behind him. ¡°Impressive Thunder talisman¡­¡± The Netherworld Scholar praised as he pulled out a short bone flute from his sleeve. It was about a foot long, thinner in the center, and thicker at both ends. It turned out to be a human arm bone. ¡°Be careful.¡± Feeling a sense of foreboding, Shen Luo hurriedly warned Shen Yu. No sooner than the words left his mouth that a low flute note rang out. Upon hearing the sound, Shen Luo felt as if a giant mountain had crashed into his sea of knowledge. He was momentarily stupefied, and his vision began to blur. In his semi-conscious state, he saw smoke drifting around him, pink-colored silk dancing beside him, and faint celestial music echoing in his ears. On closer examination, he found himself unexpectedly in a celestial palace. Beside him, there was a beautiful maiden wearing pink gauze, her dance graceful, casting enchanting shadows. As she twirled, sparkling pink dust seemed to fall from her billowing sleeves and filled his nostrils with a mesmerizing fragrance. Presently, Shen Luo felt as though he had knocked into something. Looking down, he spotted a child, with small braids and wearing a bellyband, chuckling with delight at him. Looking at this child, who was so beautiful as to appear crafted from pink jade and ivory, Shen Luo felt an unexpected unease. He formed the Water-Repelling Technique with his hands, and inches-long water-blue light immediately shone from his body. ¡°Whoosh!¡± The light from the Water-Repelling Technique swept outwards, dissolving the surrounding smoke and revealing the true appearance of the illusions around him. Only then did Shen Luo realize that the supposed fairies around him were indeed the fierce ghosts from the book box. ¡°Omm¡­ Omm¡­¡± Accompanied by the eerie sound of the bone flute, invisible sound waves bombarded him, causing ripples when hitting the Water-Repelling technique around Shen Luo, but they were unable to penetrate it. Seeing this, Shen Luo had barely started to breathe a sigh of relief when a sudden rush of wind sounded behind him. ¡°Whoosh Whoosh¡± Subconsciously, he gave a sharp turn of his head, and two water arrows skimmed past his Water Repelling Array Light Curtain. Shen Luo turned hurriedly to see Shen Yu sprinting towards him. A swirl of blue water materialized in her hand and surged towards him like a tidal wave. His eyes flickered, and his figure leapt up, landing directly on the water-blue veil. With a light tap of his foot, he darted straight towards Shen Yu. ¡°Shen Yu, wake up, you¡¯re under an illusion!¡± Shen Luo sprinted urgently while shouting loudly. However, the rushing Shen Yu seemed to be oblivious to his words. With a sudden flick of the veil in her hand, a strong suction force was instantly generated from it. Shen Luo stepped down and instantly felt a chill at his ankle. Streams of water wrapped around him, making it feel as if he had stepped into a whirlpool being pulled by a strong force, struggling to free himself. Then, blue light shimmered around him. The long veil on the left and right ends rolled back towards him, aiming to wrap him up like a dumpling. A light flickered under Shen Luo¡¯s toe and he instantly performed the Slanting Moon Steps. A blur of his figure, and in an instant, he appeared at Shen Yu¡¯s side. He grabbed Shen Yu¡¯s shoulder and shook her vigorously to wake her, but she showed no signs of snapping out of her state. She yelled out ¡°Demon!¡± and slapped him. Shen Luo swiftly dodged, sighing inwardly. Shen Yu had not yet reached the Soul Condensation Stage, and her divine soul was still fragile, trapped within the Netherworld Scholar¡¯s illusion, unable to free herself. ¡°Seems like this is the only choice.¡± He muttered to himself, but his movement didn¡¯t falter in the least. From his sleeve, he flicked out a Small Thunder Talisman and tossed it above Shen Yu¡¯s head. Accompanied by a ¡°boom¡± sound, a flash of electric light suddenly fell and struck her body. Shen Yu¡¯s body went numb and she collapsed onto the ground. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before she could react, Shen Luo¡¯s figure had already flashed by. He immediately grabbed and supported her as they retreated a hundred feet. As soon as they stabilized their stances, the faint sound of footsteps could be heard from behind Shen Luo. Knowing that the Shen family was approaching, he shouted anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t come closer, all of you, retreat.¡± Shen Huayuan and the others had just spotted the figures of Shen Luo and Shen Yu, and they stopped abruptly at his warning. At this point, a ¡°ding¡± sound of a bell was heard, followed by the sound of the bone flute. The Netherworld Scholar had actually pursued them. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. He turned around, waved his hand, and a splash of water rose in front of him, lifting Shen Yu and speeding away. ¡°Quickly, get her out of here. No one should approach until this battle is over,¡± he shouted loudly. His figure then dashed off, bravely advancing towards the Netherworld Scholar. Shen Luo knew if he allowed the Netherworld Scholar to get closer, Shen Huayuan and the others may fall into the illusion. If they attacked him all at once, he would be in an even more difficult position. After grabbing onto Shen Yu, Shen Huayuan didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately led the Shen family away, putting a good distance between them. The Netherworld Scholar stopped playing the bone flute upon seeing Shen Luo charging back. Instead, he puffed up his sleeves, and masses of black mist rose behind him, engulfing Shen Luo like a sandstorm. Chapter 322: The Power of One Star Within the black fog, in addition to the previous ghosts, more ferocious faces kept surfacing, all gnashing their teeth and pouncing towards Shen Luo. Seeing the Shen family members retreat, Shen Luo no longer had worries for his family. Dozens of rays of light from his hand lit up and numerous Small Thunder Talismans were continuously fired, turning into dazzling white light in mid-air. ¡°BOOM¡­¡± A series of explosions constantly sounded. The rays of thunder struck the ferocious ghosts which shattered like rotten wood. However, the ghosts seemed immortal. After being crushed, they would soon reappear from another side, still relentlessly entangling Shen Luo. ¡°This guy seems to have strength at least equivalent to the later stage Soul Condensation. I¡¯ve been fighting for a while and yet to touch his actual body, he¡¯s really tricky.¡± Shen Luo frowned deeply, his wrist shook again, and a dozen more Small Thunder Talismans were thrown out at once. But this time, as he threw the Small Thunder Talismans, his shape also immediately followed. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Small Thunder Talismans burst one after another, constantly rumbling in front, killing the ghosts layer by layer. From the middle, it drilled out a Void, and Shen Luo¡¯s shape sprung out from this Void, arriving in front of the Netherworld Scholar. Seeing his left and right hands shake at the same time, a radiance flashes from both the sleeves, a Magical Instrument Crescent Moon Ring and a Thunderfall Talisman swiftly shot out, targeting the head of the Netherworld Scholar. Faced with this sudden attack, the Netherworld Scholar seemed unable to react in time. He just recoiled his neck and spat out a thick fog that glowed black and red. The Thunderfall Talisman, the moment it touched this fog, its paper color turned pale at a visible rate. The runes on it lit up briefly, but like the sudden draining of all its forces, abruptly extinguished. The Crescent Moon Ring, however, emitted a piercing howl and turned into a silvery moon shadow. It directly cut through the red and black fog and flew past the forehead of the Netherworld Scholar. Shen Luo took advantage of this to press forward, secretly activating Huangting Technique, and thrust a punch towards the belly of the Netherworld Scholar. A dull thud came. The Netherworld scholar was immediately knocked back and flew dozens of feet away, landing heavily on the ground. ¡°So hard¡­¡± Shen Luo withdrew his somewhat aching fist, beckoned the Crescent Moon Ring back into his hand, and held it tightly. On the other side, the Netherworld Scholar, who was thrown flying, slowly stood up. The black fog spreading out from around him began to gradually converge, pouring back into his robe and disappearing. He seemed to have suddenly returned to the appearance he had when he first appeared, only in his hand, without knowing when, there appeared a two-foot-long black ruler. This time he didn¡¯t say anything, just his expression turned more ferocious. His facial features were clouded with gloom as he ran a few steps towards Shen Luo. His speed suddenly increased, with a series of black shadows appearing behind him. Almost in a blink of an eye, he was in front of Shen Luo. Shen Luo immediately deployed Slanting Moon Steps, stepping back swiftly, while the Crescent Moon Ring was fired again. The Netherworld Scholar wasn¡¯t eager to chase, holding the black ruler in his hand, confronting Shen Luo. The ruler collided with the Crescent Moon Ring, making a series of clear jingling sounds. Each stroke seems extremely agile. However, after a while, Shen Luo felt as if there was a blockage in his chest that couldn¡¯t be vented, making him gradually feel slightly vexed. With the continuous jingling sound, accompanied by an occasional bell sound, the feeling of vexation in Shen Luo¡¯s mind became more intense. He was in a tight position and realized that he had been caught in a trap. He quickly gathered his mind, forcefully suppressed his upset, and beckoned the Crescent Moon Ring back with his hand. As soon as the Crescent Moon Ring was taken in his hand, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help shaking slightly. He hurriedly took a closer look at the Crescent Moon Ring, only to find that a thin demonic Qi, fine like hair, was twining around, clearly having been contaminated. ¡°Such a sinister method.¡± Shen Luo cursed secretly in his heart. Worried that the demonic Qi would damage the spirit of the Crescent Moon Ring, he immediately put the ring into the Seven Star Pen. The Netherworld Scholar saw that Shen Luo had detected something, his gaze fixed on Shen Luo, and he once again rushed up to kill. Shen Luo could only fight him empty-handed. However, he soon realized that, without the magic weapon as his medium, the anger in his chest not only did not disappear, but also became even more intense. ¡°This Netherworld scholar has been demonized. If this continues, I¡¯m afraid I will be invaded by the demonic Qi. I can only try that¡­¡± Shen Luo¡¯s heart shuddered. After making up his mind, he no longer hesitated, looking up at the night sky. Once again, he performed Slanting Moon Steps, opening up a greater distance between him and the Netherworld Scholar. The Netherworld Scholar thought he was trying to escape, and immediately chased him. While Shen Luo was retreating, his hands were making seals rapidly on one side, and in his heart, he was reciting the mantra of Three Stars Demolishing Demons. He had practiced this divine power for some time, but had never deployed it fully. Whether it could be successful or not, he was unsure. After retreating dozens of feet backwards, he suddenly stopped. He stomped on the Firmament steps in place, stacking his hands in front of him to make a complex seal, and then pointed sharply towards the sky. In an instant, a large amount of starlight lit up on his body, and his eyes also shimmered with brilliance. The Netherworld Scholar rushed forward, felt the force, hesitated for a moment, and dared not move forward. But at this time, Shen Luo had finished making his seals. He suddenly swung his hands down, like tearing apart a piece of empty space in front of him. In the distant night sky, a golden star seemed to echo from afar. It suddenly shone, and a golden star appeared in the sky. Then, like a meteor, it crossed the night sky and fell. The Netherworld Scholar¡¯s expression changed dramatically when he saw this Demolition Star falling. Black fog surged under him, his body darted into the air, and he tried to escape to the distance, about to escape from the location where the star was falling. But at this moment, an unbelievable scene happened. Just as the golden star was about to hit the ground, it had already become the size of about a dozen feet. It surprisingly slid in mid-air, also changing direction, directly chasing after the Netherworld Scholar, and heavily smashed onto him. The Netherworld Scholar was covered by the starlight in an instant, was suddenly frozen, and could no longer move. He could only raise both hands high, and the black fog in his sleeves was surging, forming two huge hands holding up the sky, supporting the golden star. However, the rolling black fog encountered the golden light of the star, it melted away like snow and ice, and couldn¡¯t stop it in the slightest. ¡°BOOM¡­¡± The golden star finally hit the ground, making a huge noise. The dust wave that was raised spread dozens of feet away, blowing the nearby peach trees swaying from side to side. Chapter 323: Lishui River Shen Luo remained standing in his original position, the starlight emanating from his body gradually faded until it had completely disappeared, the gleaming light in his eyes also dimming. He felt an intense wave of fatigue crashing over him, and he couldn¡¯t help but collapse onto the ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that just one use would nearly deplete my mana and make my body feel so exhausted. It seems that I cannot use this method at will for the time being,¡± Shen Luo mused to himself within. Saying this, he mustered the strength to hastily head towards the location where the stars had fallen. When Shen Luo approached, he was shocked to see a large black pattern had appeared on the ground. At the center of the pattern was a figure resembling a pentagonal star, and it was surrounded by a circle of cloud-shaped charm patterns. On it, he could still faintly sense a fluctuation of starlight. As Shen Luo walked towards the center of the pattern, he saw that right in the middle of the pentagon was a charred skeleton still maintaining the posture of holding the sky. It was naturally the Netherworld Scholar. ¡°The power is indeed remarkable, haha!¡± Shen Luo laughed heartily after witnessing this. Then, he sat down, cross-legged, for some meditation and rest. When Shen Yu, who was keeping her distance, noticed the lack of any movement from his direction, she visited after waiting for a while, and was temporarily taken aback by the sight of Shen Luo meditating beside the skeleton of the Netherworld Scholar. After regaining her composure, she did not disturb Shen Luo, and simply retrieved her own magical instrument and silently guarded him from a distance. After Shen Luo woke up, they did not continue their journey immediately. Instead, they chose to stay in Wantaolin and rest overnight. The next morning, they continued on their way to Jianye City. ¡­ Several days later, the group finally arrived near Jianye City. The Shen Family, who had been traveling with heavy hearts all the way, now lightened up a bit and began to laugh and talk. Inside a carriage in the convoy, Shen Yu, Shen Huayuan, and several other monks of the Shen family were discussing something. ¡°In half a day, we will reach Jianye City, finally, we can breathe a sigh of relief,¡± Shen Quan said jubilantly. ¡°Can Jianye City really withstand those fearsome demons?¡± asked a woman in her thirties, with a clear and delicate appearance, somewhat skeptically. ¡°Sister Shen Xin, you don¡¯t need to worry. You don¡¯t often go out, so you may not be familiar with Jianye City. There¡¯s a heavy military presence from the government there, and the Bai Family, a famous demon-exorcising family within the city, is as strong as some of the large sects. The Bai Family¡¯s Ancestor is a half-immortal existence and has deep ties with Hua Sheng Temple. They¡¯ll definitely protect the city,¡± Shen Quan laughed. ¡°Indeed, Jianye City should be safe. But with the recent surge in demon activity, refugees from the surrounding areas are likely to flood the city. Jianye City is probably already overcrowded. Once we arrive, we need to carefully plan how to continue the family legacy,¡± Shen Huayuan mused. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Our Shen family has been dealing with medicinal herbs for generations. Once we reach Jianye City, we¡¯ll naturally revert back to our roots. With the recent demon surge, it¡¯s obvious that the medical business can only thrive,¡± Shen Quan pointed out. ¡°The medical techniques of the Shen family have been passed down and refined through the generations, and there¡¯s no issue with that. But if we were to restart our old venture, we would need to find a solution for the supply of medicinal herbs,¡± Shen Huayuan added. The rest of the group nodded in agreement upon hearing this. With such turbulent times, the transportation of goods indeed posed a significant problem. Without medicinal herbs, even the most skilled medical expertise would be of no use. ¡°Yu¡¯er, why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Shen Huayuan asked, looking at Shen Yu, who had remained silent while staring outside the carriage. ¡°No, I¡¯m listening to your discussion. Father, you know that I¡¯m not very good at these things,¡± Shen Yu slightly startled, regained herself and responded. ¡°Hehe, I think Sister Yu is thinking about Shen Luo. No wonder, that Shen Luo is young, highly skilled, and handsome. Your affection for him is perfectly normal,¡± Shen Xin, who was looking in the same direction as Shen Yu, laughed ¨C there was just another carriage. ¡°Sister Shen Xin, I only have feelings of respect for Elder Shen Luo, there¡¯s no other possibility of any messy thoughts,¡± Shen Yu shook her head and laughed. Upon hearing these words, Shen Huayuan¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°Father, don¡¯t listen to Shen Xin¡¯s wild talk, I was merely considering Shen Luo¡¯s sect;I have no ulterior motives,¡± Shen Yu, seeing Shen Huayuan¡¯s expression, sighed and replied. ¡°Yu¡¯er, Shen Xin¡¯s words aren¡¯t nonsense. Given the chaotic world, although our Shen family is a cultivator family, our capability is too weak, and we have just one Grain Avoidance Cultivator, you. If Shen Luo could stay, our Shen family would be safe no matter where we are. I see that he often looks for you to chat and seems to have an interest in you as well,¡± Shen Huayuan said, partially excited. ¡°If we could marry him into the family, it would truly be a good method of preserving our Shen family,¡± added the other members in the carriage, their faces also revealing hopeful expressions, as they nodded in agreement. ¡°Erm¡­ Family Head, my previous words were just a joke. Sister Yu¡¯s marital affairs should be decided by her,¡± hurriedly added Shen Xin, who merely intended it as a joke and didn¡¯t expect things to develop in that direction. But Shen Yu looked calm and didn¡¯t get angry. ¡°Father, based on my perception, Elder Shen does not have any romantic interest in me, his talks with me are only about cultivation guidance. I understand your intentions and will try to work towards it, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything. Whether it happens or not depends on his intentions,¡± she paused for a moment and then continued. ¡°Hehe, of course, we understand. So, for this matter, we will let you handle it. Try to seize as many opportunities as you can. Even if it doesn¡¯t succeed, getting closer to him will still be beneficial,¡± said Shen Huayuan with a smile. In another section of the convoy, Shen Luo opened his eyes, a hint of helplessness at the corner of his mouth, and shook his head. Just then, several shrill animal cries came from ahead, rapidly approaching. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed as he stepped out of the carriage. He saw four or five gray wolves rushing out from the forest, their faces excited as they pounced towards the convoy. The Shen family immediately halted their convoy. Two cultivator guards who protected the team stepped forward to meet them. Shen Yu and others also left the carriage swiftly to lend their support. These gray wolves were just ordinary monsters with only the Qi Refining level strength. They were quickly slain. Shen Luo nodded to himself, and disappeared back into his carriage. The convoy was attacked by monsters a few times during the journey. However, the Shen family did not panic. After minor adjustments, they quickly resumed their journey to Jianye City. But the closer they got to Jianye City, the more frequent the monster attacks. In just half a day, they were attacked four to five times. This was contrary to their preconceived notion of Jianye City¡¯s safety, causing some anxiety among the group. By the banks of a large river, which was still twenty or thirty miles away from Jianye City, the Shen family was attacked once again by a group of monsters. This river was the Lishui River. Chapter 324: Attack on Jianye City The attacking monsters were a large group of ghastly-looking purple-patterned spiders, each the size of a millstone, with armor as hard as iron and strength comparable to early to mid-level Qi refining cultivators. Shen Yu, along with the Qi refining cultivators of the Shen family, could barely resist these monsters even when they attacked with all their might. Just as both sides were at a stalemate, the ground underneath seven or eight of the purple-patterned spiders in the front cracked open, and numerous water blades flew out, slashing the spiders. A series of hissing sounds was heard as the hard shells of the purple-patterned spiders shattered into pieces and blood splattered everywhere. In the blink of an eye, these spiders were cut into chunks. The water blades then changed direction and cut towards the remaining spiders. Within a few breaths, all spiders were exterminated. Not far away, Shen Luo jumped down from a carriage, dissipated the magic spell in his hand, and looked quite satisfied with this onslaught of water blades. After this period of painstaking cultivation, he had recovered a considerable amount of mana and reached the later stage of Soul Condensation. ¡°Thank you, Elder, for lending a hand.¡± Shen Yu and others approached him to express their gratitude. ¡°Jianye City is not far from here, yet there are no traces of people. Instead, there seem to be quite a few monsters. This is strange.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, glanced around, and voiced his thoughts. Across the Lishui River, there was a fairly large village, but life seemed to have been sucked out of it¡ªthere was not even a single cat or dog in sight. ¡°Indeed, the situation isn¡¯t looking great. Elder, do you have any insights?¡± asked Shen Huayuan. ¡°You all stay here, do not wander around. I will scout ahead.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Shen Luo spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡± Shen Yu stepped forward. Shen Huayuan furrowed his brow, wanting to say something but held back. ¡°This place isn¡¯t particularly safe. Monsters may appear anytime. You should stay here and protect our family.¡± Shen Luo then jumped into the Lishui River. Just as his feet were about to touch the surface of the river, a well-timed ripple surged up from the river, lifting him off his feet. It whisked Shen Luo towards Jianye City at an extremely fast pace. In just a few moments, he was out of sight. Seeing this, the members of the Shen family gasped in astonishment, their faces filled with envy. Shen Yu stared in the direction where Shen Luo had disappeared, biting her lip with fluctuating emotions, pondering over something. ¡­ Taking a different route, Shen Luo, using his water-control technique, travelled much faster than if he were to run. It didn¡¯t take him long to get to a spot just ten miles or so outside Jianye City, where he heard roars, battle cries, and continuous clash of collisions. ¡°Has Jianye City been attacked?¡± Shen Luo halted, astonished. If what the Bai family people said was true¡ªthat Jianye City had a large reserve force and an elder Half-Immortal Ancestor of the Bai family, along with several cultivators, resided there¡ªand the city was still under attack, then the situation was far from simple. Having witnessed the fate of Chunhua City, Shen Luo did not dare act recklessly. After some consideration, he used the Water Repelling Technique and submerged into the Lishui River, advancing underwater. Although his speed was slightly slower, it was much safer and more covert. About fifteen minutes later, Shen Luo finally arrived beneath Jianye City, only to be stunned by the sight before him. As he had suspected, Jianye City was besieged by countless monsters of all shapes and colors, including wolves, tigers, and leopards. From afar, they looked like a multitude of ants. Apart from these ordinary demons, there were hundreds of entities emitting powerful demonic Qi suspended in mid-air. At first glance, they were at least at the Soul Condensation Stage, and there were even quite a number of monstrous demons at the Nascent Soul Stage. Leading them were three half-human, half-tiger demons whose demonic Qi vastly surpassed the great demons of the Nascent Soul Stage. Shen Luo could not discern their cultivation realm. ¡°The Qi of these three demons isn¡¯t inferior to the Qianyan Ancestor¡¯s. Could they be at the Great Mahayana Stage?¡± Shen Luo was secretly shocked, trying hard to conceal his own Qi. The dense army of demons launched wave after wave of fierce attacks at Jianye City from all directions. Compared to a thousand years ago, Jianye City had undergone significant changes. The biggest change was that the city wall was much higher and thicker. Many catapult-like devices were installed on the city wall, on which were inscribed myriad runes. At this moment, they were incessantly launching enormous burning stones toward the demons below the city. Each burning stone that landed would explode and form a sea of flames several dozens of feet wide, swallowing up a group of monsters. Apart from the catapults, there were also many mechanical giant crossbows, several dozens of feet high, on the city wall. Each was fitted with a massive quiver full of crossbow bolts, densely packed. Each time the giant crossbow was drawn, a shower of black arrows would be fired. The arrows emitted fluctuations of magical power, clearly not ordinary arrows. When shot into the horde of monsters, they stirred up waves of bloodshed. Besides these city defense mechanisms, armored warriors and cultivators were stationed all over the city wall. Sword shadows and blade lights soared, their murderous aura chilling, and they joined forces with the city defense tools to fend off the demons¡¯ attacks. Above Jianye City, hundreds of cultivators stood in the void, their bodies radiating brightly colored spiritual light. The majority were cultivators at the Soul Condensation Stage, but there were also twenty or thirty Nascent Soul Stage experts. Leading them were two elders wearing feather crowns and dressed in purple robes, who looked like government officials. Both had immense cultivation Qi, most likely at the Mahayana stages. Under the leadership of these two purple-robed elders, the cultivators, whether in groups of three to five or fighting alone, were engaged in fierce battles with the formidable flying demons. To Shen Luo, the humans defending the city were far outnumbered and were weaker compared to the hordes outside. They could hold a stalemate against the demonic army mainly due to the giant golden light array, a thousand feet wide, suspended in the sky above Jianye City. Countless golden runes surged incessantly within the array. Golden armored specters roamed inside, emitting chanting sounds that were soothing to the heart and intoxicating to the soul upon hearing them. The most remarkable feature of this array was that any cultivator who entered it seemed to have their mana replenished, their fatigue eased, and even their wounds healed at a faster pace. Furthermore, the light array continuously shot beams of golden light onto the cultivators. A golden light shield would promptly materialize around them, enhancing their defense and attack quite substantially. However, these golden light shields seemed to have a time limit, disappearing after a quarter of an hour. With the aid of this marvelous golden light array, the cultivators of Jianye City managed to hold their ground against the demons outside. ¡°What a marvellous light array!¡± Shen Luo, half submerged in the Lishui River, marveled at the sight of the light array in the sky, and examined it carefully. In the centre of the golden light array sat an elderly man with white hair and beard. He looked spirited and exuded an air of tranquility. His hands were constantly moving in front of him as he muttered words under his breath. Golden light emanated from him in all directions, continuously merging into the golden light array, maintaining its operation. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 325: Semi-Immortal Bai Xiaotian ¡°It seems that this formation is the magic of this white-haired old man. To be able to turn the tides just with a single array, it truly is astounding!¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. He curiously took a few glances at the old man, his eyebrows suddenly raised, one-hundred percent focused on the old man¡¯s features. ¡°Bai Xiaotian?¡± Although this white-haired old man¡¯s appearance has aged significantly, his features are still handsome and outstanding, exactly like his good friend and brother, Bai Xiaotian. ¡°So, the White Family¡¯s Ancestor that Shen Yu and the others were talking about is none other than you, Bai Xiaotian!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s emotions stirred, and the mana within him fluctuated slightly, but he quickly noticed this and hurriedly suppressed his emotions. Bai Xiaotian was sitting cross-legged in midair, his body flickering with a golden light. Regardless, Shen Luo was unable to sense his cultivation level. He had previously heard Shen Yu and the others mention that the Bai Family¡¯s Ancestor had reached the Half-Immortal Realm. It seemed they were not lying. ¡°Although these demons are numerous, the key threat lies within the three tiger demons that have already reached the Great Mahayana Stage. With the presence of Bai Xiaotian, a Half-Immortal being, Jianye City will likely remain unharmed for the time being.¡± As Shen Luo pondered, he felt slightly relieved. In the sky, a purple-cloaked old Daoist who was in the Great Mahayana Stage and a tiger demon clashed forcefully, both recoiling backwards simultaneously. The purple-cloaked old Daoist flew back into the golden light array, and a wave of harmonious power was integrated into his body, instantly calming his disordered mana. A red light flashed on the surface of the old Daoist¡¯s body, and he immediately stabilized his position. ¡°Elder Bai, there is an increasing number of demons outside, we can¡¯t keep this up!¡± The purple-cloaked old Daoist turned towards Bai Xiaotian and inquired. ¡°I have already informed the government officials and Hua Sheng Temple. They have dispatched people to assist us, but it will take about three days for them to reach us.¡± Bai Xiaotian replied calmly while continually forming the magical seals with his hands. ¡°Three days! I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t last three days!¡± The purple-cloaked old Daoist was shocked, becoming momentarily speechless. ¡°Now that the demons are rising and tormenting the living beings, both the government and the Hua Sheng Temple are under great pressure. Three days for assistance to arrive is already the fastest they can. As monks, we are appointed by the emperor to guard Jianye. If we unfortunately fail, we will repay the nation with our lives.¡± Bai Xiaotian stated calmly. However, before his statement ended, the situation took a sudden turn. The sky in the distance darkened as a tremendous black cloud emerged, rushing towards them with terrifying speed. A daunting pressure radiated from the cloud, as if a vast sea was hovering in the sky, surpassing the several Great Mahayana Stage tiger demons, casting a shadow over the entire Jianye City. Furthermore, this aura was not merely that of demons but was mixed with a strong demonic Qi. Despite the distance, Shen Luo still felt a chill in his heart. The expression of Bai Xiaotian, inside the golden light array, also slightly changed as he stood up. As for the purple-cloaked old Daoist, his face dramatically changed, hastily retreating to the side. ¡°Your acts of kindness and the conversion of all living things from Hua Sheng Temple are indeed well-deserved reputations. Just relying on the Buddha¡¯s light array, you have managed to resist my demon army for so long. However, the revitalization of my demon race is inevitable. No matter how hard you try, Bai Daoist, you are merely a mantis trying to stop a chariot, just wasting your efforts!¡± A shrill voice echoed from the dark cloud. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before the voice finished, a river-like black light fell from the cloud. In a flash, it transformed into a gigantic and extremely coarse black blade, striking towards the golden light array like a bolt of black lightning splitting the sky. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyebrows rose as he slapped his waist with one hand. A golden light flew out which was none other than a golden wooden fish, charging forward faster than the black blade and taking its place outside the golden light array. The wooden fish rapidly spun and transformed into a golden light curtain, standing in the path of the black blade. The Qiang Tian¡¯s Black Blade struck the golden light curtain, and a tremendous sound erupted. The light curtain violently shook, with countless golden runes shaken out from it. However, the golden light curtain was extraordinarily tough and quickly stabilized. Bai Xiaotian took a deep breath and chanted, ¡°Vajra Subdues Demons, all evils retreat easily, Great Sun Gathering Spirits, Qian Kun Square Rule!¡± A stream of golden light, akin to liquid mercury, surged out from his body. Within it, the illusionary image of a Vajra Exorcism Pestle emerged, aiming towards the dark cloud. The mid-air suddenly lit up. The sun¡¯s prideful radiance in the sky flickered continuously, and a fire-like golden light shot down, merging into the Exorcism Pestle. The originally illusionary Exorcism Pestle instantly solidified and expanded tenfold, transforming into a giant golden Pestle of several dozens of feet. Countless lightning-like golden lights circled around it. In a flash, it appeared above the dark cloud, striking down like a bolt of lightning. The dark cloud roiled, and a gigantic demon shadow of a brown color floated up. It was a centipede in armor, with the lower half retaining the form of a centipede, and the upper half holding a vague humanoid shape. However, its head remained that of a centipede, with two balls of black fire flickering in its eye sockets. In its two hands, one held a giant sword while the other held a shield. Underneath the centipede, the dark cloud surged into the shield in its hand. The surface of the shield was immediately surrounded by a black fog, with countless runes slithering like living creatures, meeting the Vajra Pestle head-on. With a ¡°boom¡±, the black shield shattered, transforming into countless bits of black Qi scattering in all directions. The Vajra Pestle carried on unobstructed, smashing onto the centipede¡¯s body. A scream of distress echoed out. The centipede¡¯s left arm and half of its body were directly crushed, transforming into countless bits of flesh scattering away, exposing its blood-red innards. Bai Xiaotian casually lifted a finger, making a swipe in the air at the centipede without any hint of anger. Above the centipede, a flash of golden light manifested, and a golden thread appeared out of thin air, slashing downwards. Its speed was unimaginable;the centipede-like demon had no time to react. At that moment, a hand covered in feathers, adorned with black claws appeared out of thin air, grabbing the centipede¡¯s body and pulling it backward, narrowly avoiding the slash of the golden thread. The black hand then flicked a finger, launching a short, sharp nail with a ¡°whoosh¡±, colliding with the golden thread. With a ¡°bang¡±, it was as if a thunderous explosion had erupted in the void, causing a tumultuous wave of Qi, knocking the centipede backward and causing fresh blood to pour out from its wounds once again. Simultaneously, a tall figure with a human body and an eagle¡¯s head appeared beside the centipede. It was the owner of the black hand. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s gaze turned cold, and just as he was about to do something, his expression suddenly changed. He pointed a finger at the golden light curtain in front of him. The golden light curtain moved tens of feet to the left in the blink of an eye, with the golden light on it intensifying. Two dull, sharp sounds echoed out, and the golden light curtain violently trembled, forming two deep indentations. It seemed as if an invisible attack had struck it. The light curtain flickered violently a few times before it could no longer hold on and shattered, transforming back into a golden wooden fish. The wooden fish twirled as it flew backward, clearly having been significantly damaged. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s expression slightly hardened. He waved his sleeve again, and two Golden cymbal magic weapons shot out, swiftly spinning around his body. ¡°Giggles, Bai Daoist friend truly is a master of Hua Sheng Temple. My Thousand Foxes Strength is invisible and traceless, yet it could not escape your spiritual sense.¡± Two figures appeared out of thin air near the centipede, flickering in succession. One of them was a young woman in pink robes, trailing six pink fox tails behind her. She giggled softly, her seductive eyes bewitching, making one unable to help but be immersed in them. The other figure was an old man in green robes. He was tall and slim, with black and dry skin that looked like tree bark. However, his hair was extraordinarily lush and gave off a very uncanny appearance. All three demons had a presence not weaker than the centipede¡¯s, clearly proving that they were all Half-Immortal Existences! Chapter 326: Great Sun Bright Lamp ¡°Gu Zhigong, lend me a hand!¡± Seeing the Green-robed Elder appear, the Hundred-legs Centipede sighed in relief, urgently crying for help. The Green-robed Elder flicked his fingers, a green light falling on the Hundred-legs Centipede, making its gaping wound stop bleeding instantaneously. The elder then took out a green pill and gave it to the Hundred-legs Centipede, then gripped one of his fingers, snapping it as if he was breaking a branch. With a ¡°crack¡±, his finger instantly broke off, but instead of blood, a green liquid flowed from the wound, exuding an exceptionally strong vitality that invigorated anyone who smelled it. The elder raised his hand and a series of green liquid dropped on the Hundred-legs Centipede¡¯s wound. Innumerable strands of blood sprayed immediately from the Hundred-legs Centipede¡¯s wound, tangling with each other, quickly forming a new flesh. After a few breaths, a green spiritual light flashed, and the Hundred-legs Centipede¡¯s body was surprisingly restored to its original state. However, its vitality was greatly reduced, appearing to have suffered a serious injury. ¡°Thank you.¡± The Hundred-legs Centipede thanked the Green-robed Elder, then looked at Bai Xiaotian with a deep-rooted resentment in his eyes. ¡°Heh heh, Master Bai does have impressive powers indeed, very formidable. This move of Vajra Subdues Demons could actually draw on the Power of the Great Sun. Even if Master Shideng took action, it would be no more than this. But now that we join forces, do you think you still have a chance of winning?¡± The Hundred-legs Centipede laughed coldly, taking steps toward Bai Xiaotian in mid-air. The other three demons also stepped forward, converging on the front. In the river outside the city, a hint of worry flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. However, his current cultivation level had not yet recovered, and even if he regained all his cultivation, he would still be just at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, he could not even be compared to these Half Immortal Existences, and could only watch anxiously. Bai Xiaotian took a look at the four demons, his figure suddenly retreating, his hands joined together, and the golden light array around his body rapidly shrunk beneath him, turning into a golden lotus platform, spinning rapidly. Sounds of countless Buddhist chants resonated, as if countless deities were surrounding him, reciting scripture and praising Buddha. A flash of golden light appeared behind him, and a giant wick-shaped rune of about a zhang emerged, giving off radiance that mirrored the golden lotus platform beneath him. ¡°Heart Lamp Illumination! Quick! Don¡¯t let him use this god¡¯s power!¡± The Pink-skirt Young Woman turned pale, and with a wave of her jade hand, a fluffy pink feather fan appeared in her hand, which she waved in the air. A pink storm came out of nowhere, issuing a thunderous roll, and swept toward Bai Xiaotian. The storm was filled with countless pink mists, giving off a peculiar fragrance. Although the nearby monks and demons had already avoided the nearby area, there were still a few demons and two monks who were affected. Their bodies became limp, and they immediately plummeted to the ground. The Green-robed Elder slapped the void, and with a flash of green light above Bai Xiaotian¡¯s head, a giant green hand the size of a small mountain emerged from nowhere, smashing down with a grim force. The eagle-headed humanoid demon spread his hands, and with a flash of black light, they transformed into a pair of wide wings several zhangs long, flapping violently. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the piercing howl, two black winds over a hundred zhang long shot out, like two black flood dragons pouncing on Bai Xiaotian. As for the Hundred-legs Centipede whose injuries had not healed, it also spat out a patch of pitch-black demon fire. With one rolling, it turned into a wave of fire several dozens of zhang high, roaring forward. The attacks of the four demons, almost simultaneously, reached Bai Xiaotian¡¯s front, but when they were still several zhang away, with a ¡°bang¡±, all four attacks were stopped in their tracks, unable to advance any further. The Lotus platform beneath Bai Xiaotian hummed itself in rotation. In the void around him, a dozen feet away, semi-transparent golden lotus petals floated, forming a barrier of gold to withstand the attacks of the four demons. Yet, he too was not faring well, his body trembled like chaff, a streak of blood emerged from the corners of his mouth, and his face turned pale. Bai Xiaotian took a deep breath, forcefully suppressed the mana rolling within his body, and waved his hand in incantation. Wick Rune behind him flashed urgently, and more than a dozen balls of golden flames shot out, each with a miniature Wick Rune at its core. They collided with the attacks of the four demons. Whether it was the pink storm, or the emerald giant palm, or the black demon wind, black demon fire, and those balls of golden flames, they were easily burnt through on contact. More than a dozen balls of golden flames shot out like meteors, hurtling towards the four demons. ¡°Dodge quickly!¡± The young woman in the pink skirt changed her face instantly and hurriedly yelled out a warning. She abruptly drew back at breathtaking speed, fanning her feather fan fiercely. A pink storm swept outwards once again, striking the three golden flames that were attacking her. The green-robed elder, cloaked in a flash of green light, instantaneously transformed into identical clones, shooting out in different directions, unable to distinguish which was real and which was fake. The hundred-leg centipede also retreated hurriedly. However, it was severely wounded, and its withdrawal speed was very slow. The black hawk demon, which seemed to have a close relationship with it, flashed with black light on its body and, astonishingly, transformed into a house-sized black eagle. With its two claws, it grabbed the centipede and flew back at a speed not much slower than the other two. However, at this moment, the dozens of golden flames that were originally attacking the four demons suddenly changed direction. They abandoned the young woman in the pink dress and the green-robed elder, and all of them attacked the hundred-leg centipede and the black hawk demon. Their speed increased dramatically, catching up with the two demons in the blink of an eye. The black hawk demon was startled and a flash of black light filled its body. A corporeal black tornado appeared, with black wind blades, the size of doors, emerging within and slashing at the golden flames. The hundred-leg centipede also fought exhaustively with its demon power. Opening its mouth, it spewed out another black flame, forming a thick black fire wall around it. Unlike the previous black flames, the black wall of fire at this moment gave off a terrifyingly high temperature. The surrounding air was violently distorted as if set on fire. As soon as the two demons finished their preparations, the golden flames approached and ferociously pummelled them from all directions. With a series of loud booms, the golden flames exploded upon contact with the tornado and the fire wall, forming a sea of golden flames surrounding the two demons. ¡°Great Sun Distance, Brilliant Light!¡± Bai Xiaotian on the lotus platform recited a chant, his body tilted backward, and his arms opened as if embracing something. The Wick Rune behind him suddenly burst into ten thousand rays of golden light, which eerily resembled the proud sun descending onto the Human World. A thick, hot, and pure white beam of light descended from the sky, falling into the sea of golden flames. It enveloped both the hundred-leg centipede and the black hawk demon along with their surrounding tornado and fire wall. ¡°Huasheng Temple¡¯s Town Sect¡¯s exclusive technique, Great Sun Bright Lamp! Impossible, this God¡¯s Power can only be performed by someone with the cultivation level of a True Immortal, right?¡± the young woman in the pink dress changed her expression drastically. The green-robed elder also appeared next to her, his face filled with surprise. As soon as the white beam of light shrouded the black tornado and the burning fire wall, they evaporated instantaneously like frost under the sun, disappearing into thin air. Chapter 327: Powerless With a ¡°boom,¡± the Hundred-legs Centipede and the Black Hawk Demon spontaneously ignited with white flames. The Hundred-legs Centipede, already critically injured, was enveloped in white flames. It barely managed to let out two screams before the pitch-black flames in its eye sockets extinguished. Its massive body rapidly became transparent, then disappeared inch by inch in the air. The Black Hawk Demon also screamed in agony as its feathers were burnt to nothing and its skin turned charred black. However, it was not injured beforehand, thus still had some strength left. It spread its wings with force and, fiercely, broke free from the white fire pillar and started to flee into the distance. But the white flames that clung to the Hawk Demon did not extinguish. Instead, they burned more furiously, rapidly transforming into a huge fireball that thoroughly enveloped its body. It hadn¡¯t fled too far before the Black Hawk Demon¡¯s speed slowed, its huge body in the fireball swift miniaturized, and seconds later, completely vanished. The Pink-skirt Young Woman and the Green-robed Elder were taken aback upon witnessing this scene, and their faces filled with shock and horror. Bai Xiaotian had managed to kill two demons, but his condition was also extremely critical. His skin all over had turned the color of colored glaze, with blood oozing out from his seven orifices. At this moment, he performed the Forbidden Art of Nirvana Annihilation, a forbidden spell of the Hua Sheng Temple. Burning his life¡¯s vitality, he forced his cultivation level to increase by a rank. However, the cost of this forbidden spell was immense. It not only resulted in a drop in the cultivation level but also resulted in the permanent loss of the potential to increase in level, as well as depletion of a hundred years of lifespan. But as long as he could save Jianye City, even if it resulted in a decrease in cultivation or reduction in lifespan, or even if it cost him his life, he was willing to withstand the risk. Bai Xiaotian looked at the Pink-skirt Young Woman and the Green-robed Elder and gasped for breath. The wick rune behind him lit up again. But, at this moment, with a ¡°puff¡± sound, he felt a chill in his abdomen as a dark hand emerged, covered in blood. Bai Xiaotian froze, staring at the blood-soaked hand in disbelief. Shen Luo¡¯s face changed outside the city, his gaze falling onto the dark figure behind Bai Xiaotian. The dark silhouette had somehow breached the Golden Lotus Platform¡¯s defenses and was clinging closely to Bai Xiaotian¡¯s back. His eyes locked onto the dark figure. The figure was shrouded in a large black cloak, and on its head was the Bamboo Hat. Its fingers were long with pointed tips. This image was not unfamiliar to Shen Luo;it was the demon wind that he had encountered previously in the Hidden Wind Valley. The Pink-skirt Young Woman and the Green-robed Elder relaxed upon witnessing this scene. ¡°Tsk tsk, Bai Daoist friend, your prodigious prowess is indeed commendable. A half-immortal wielding the power of a true immortal, you are undeniably a prodigy. It¡¯s rather wasteful for someone like you to serve the human race. Consider joining us, the Demon Clan!¡± The demon wind who had pierced Bai Xiaotian¡¯s vital organ, said without immediately withdrawing, and laughed sinisterly. While speaking, a strong black qi emerged from his hand, rapidly penetrating Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s abdomen quickly turned black and began spreading elsewhere. At that moment, another soft sound was heard. Bai Xiaotian, who had stiffened, moved his right hand, gripping the demon wind¡¯s arm that had pierced his body. A sudden golden light surged around him, halting the spread of the black qi. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t notice you lurking around? You¡¯re the leader of this group of demons, aren¡¯t you? You indeed are willing to pay the price, going so far as to deploy five half-immortal beings to attack Jianye City. It seems inevitable that Jianye City will fall. But before that, I will claim your life as a burial companion for the Jianye people!¡± Bai Xiaotian spoke in a cold tone. The golden lotus platform under him and the wick rune behind him transformed into two beams of golden light and integrated into his body. His body was suddenly covered in golden markings,and his body swelled like an inflating balloon, emitting a terrifying aura. The face of the demon wind changed drastically, and he tried to withdraw his arm. However, a massive pull from inside Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body sucked his arm in, refusing to let him break free. The demon wind roared and, without hesitation, the black light flashed on his other arm, cutting off the arm stuck inside Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body at the shoulder. Blood sprouted as his arm severed on par with the shoulder, gushing out. But he didn¡¯t care in the slightest, his body moved and turned into a black wind that shot backward. The ground shuddered under a thunderous, earth-shaking explosion! Bai Xiaotian, who had already inflated into a sphere, exploded, and a sun with a diameter of hundreds of feet flashed in the void. It wrapped up the recoiled demon wind. A visible golden storm went wild around, forming a massive hurricane in no time, sweeping the entire Jianye City into it. ¡°Bai Daoist friend!¡± Outside the city, Shen Luo witnessed everything, his eyes were sour, and a ripping pain filled his heart. Meeting his dear friend again after a thousand years, they didn¡¯t even get a chance to utter a word, he was forced to watch his friend perish, powerless and unable to do anything. However, he did not think Bai Xiaotian was wrong. If the one in mid-air was him at this moment, he would make the same choice. The storm caused by Bai Xiaotian¡¯s self-explosion quickly subsided, and the Pink-skirt Young Woman and Green-robed Elder flew back, revealing their forms. Their faces were full of rage;without uttering a single word, they immediately swooped towards the city below. Both of the demons acted simultaneously, a pink and a green massive beam shot down, hitting a section of the City Wall. Several beams of light shot out from inside Jianye City in an attempt to block them, but upon contact with the pink and green beams, they were immediately flung away. With two booming sounds, a section of Jianye City wall was smashed, leaving a huge opening. Countless demons outside the city let out excited roars and poured into the city like a surging tide. The entire city was immersed in cries in an instant, quickly turning into a rain of blood and wind of slaughter. Shen Luo shuddered slightly. He didn¡¯t continue to look down, gritted his teeth, turned his head away from the scene in the city, dived into the Lishui River, speeding in the direction where he came from. The moment Bai Xiaotian died, the fate of Jianye City had already been sealed. What these demons would do after occupying Jianye City was still uncertain. He must lead the Shen Family away from here before the demons make a move. As for the people in the city, he was filled with desire but lacked the power to help. Shen Luo urged Water-control Technique to rush at full speed and soon returned to the location of Shen Family Caravan. During this period, no demons attacked;everyone in the Shen Family was safe and sound. On seeing Shen Luo return, they all gathered around him. ¡°Elder Shen, what is the situation in Jianye City?¡± Shen Huayuan asked. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo¡¯s mood had already recovered by now, he simply explained the situation in Jianye City. The faces of the Shen Family People changed continuously after listening to him. ¡°Even that Half Immortal in Jianye City couldn¡¯t resist those demons, where else can we escape?¡± ¡°Is it the will of the heavens to exterminate our Human Race? Are all of us destined to perish in the mouths of those demons?¡± Everyone murmured among themselves, their words filled with the sense of despair. Some of the timid ones even started to sob silently. ¡°Silence! You all just crumble at a minor defeat, what a disgrace! Is this how Shen Family Teachings taught you?¡± Shen Huayuan suddenly yelled in anger. Hearing his words, the Shen Family People all closed their mouths. Chapter 328: Two Teams ¡°Elder Shen, given the current situation, what are your thoughts?¡± Shen Huayuan looked at Shen Luo and asked. ¡°We have two options at present, one is to go to the border and leave the Great Tang. From what I know, although there are demons outside the territory of the Great Tang, there are far less compared to here.¡± Images of the situation outside Longevity Village materialized in Shen Luo¡¯s mind as he spoke. ¡°Leave Great Tang?¡± The members of the Shen Family exchanged puzzled glances. ¡°The other option is to go to Chang¡¯an, the capital of the Great Tang, where all the national elites gather. At present, it should still be safe.¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Indeed, Chang¡¯an must be safe, in the heat of panic, we actually forgot.¡± Hearing this, many members of the Shen Family, including Shen Huayuan, showed a glimmer of hope in their eyes. As natives of the Great Tang, they obviously preferred the second option. Shen Huayuan opened his mouth as if to say something. ¡°Elder Shen, what do you plan to do next?¡± Shen Yu suddenly interjected. Shen Huayuan and the others immediately understood what she meant, their gazes fell on Shen Luo. Whether it¡¯s going to the Great Tang border or Chang¡¯an, without Shen Luo¡¯s assistance, they would have great difficulty reaching either destination safely. ¡°I intend to go to Chang¡¯an.¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly, then stated calmly. If he wished to completely understand the circumstances of the disaster of demons, he would have to go to Chang¡¯an. ¡°Agreed, we thought the same, going to Chang¡¯an is the safest option.¡± Shen Huayuan promptly said, and the other cultivators of the Shen Family nodded in agreement. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we should leave soon. We have no clue what actions the demons who attacked Jianye City will undertake next, it would be wise to leave here as quickly as possible.¡± Aware of the Shen Family¡¯s intentions, Shen Luo said with a slight smile. ¡°Indeed, let¡¯s leave quickly!¡± The members of the Shen Family were startled and immediately agreed. The caravan quickly changed direction towards Chang¡¯an. Fearing that the demons of Jianye City may pursue them, the group hurried along their journey until evening, when they finally stopped. It was not that the Shen family did not want to continue on, but the horses pulling the carriages were nearly exhausted. They still needed the horses for the journey ahead, they couldn¡¯t push them too hard. ¡°Where are we?¡± Shen Huayuan looked around. They had been travelling the entire day, in such a rush that they had lost track of their whereabouts. Nearby, there was a tall mountain filled with maple trees. It was autumn, and the fiery red maple leaves painted a beautiful scene. Regrettably, the Shen Family members were too occupied with their harrowing escape to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. ¡°This mountain is full of maple trees, it should be Qixia Mountain in Linchuan County.¡± Shen Quan, who often traveled, had more knowledge of geography. He glanced at the tall mountain and said somewhat hesitantly. ¡°Qixia Mountain? Hmm, then we haven¡¯t gone off course.¡± Shen Huayuan took out a map and nodded. Near the road was a small brook. Some of the women and children of the Shen Family hurried to fetch water and start cooking some straightforward meals on a flat open ground by the roadside, contributing their effort in their small way. The others were not idle either, leading the horses to the side to drink and graze. Sizzling pots of hot food were quickly prepared. Everyone had been on the road all day and were ravenous. Even though the meal was just simple soup with steamed bread, it was incredibly tasty. ¡°Has Elder Shen not come out yet?¡± Shen Huayuan looked at a carriage with its door tightly shut and asked Shen Yu in a low voice. For someone with Shen Luo¡¯s level of cultivation, he can go without food or drink for several months. The Shen Family had gotten used to his absence during the journey. ¡°He¡¯s cultivating inside the carriage, let¡¯s not disturb him.¡± Shen Yu glanced towards the carriage and said. ¡°It¡¯s good that he¡¯s with us. Otherwise, the journey to Chang¡¯an is long and arduous, who knows what we might encounter.¡± Shen Huayuan nodded, letting out a sigh. ¡°Father, don¡¯t think too much about it, the heavens will surely protect our Shen Family and keep us safe.¡± Shen Yu assured him. As Shen Huayuan was having a conversation with Shen Yu, Shen Luo was cross-legged in his carriage, fully focused on practicing the Huangting Technique to dissolve the internal blockage in his body. What he had recently witnessed in Jianye City made him realize that being at the Nascent Soul Stage might make him powerful in places like Longevity Village, Donglai County, and Chunhua City;however, in large cities facing truly formidable demons, he was still far too weak. Recovering his cultivation level could only increase his chances of survival in dangerous situations. After recovering to the Soul Condensation Later Stage, Shen Luo distinctly felt that the blockage within his body had loosened greatly, increasing the speed of dissolving it. He estimated that it would take three or four more days to recover to the Nascent Soul realm. Once he recovered all his power, he would be able to face any threat. The members of the Shen family outside had their dinner and quickly went to rest, leaving only two monks on night watch. As time ticked away, midnight approached rapidly. In the carriage, Shen Luo suddenly opened his closed eyes and abruptly got up and out of the carriage. ¡°Elder Shen.¡± The two cultivators from the Shen family who were on night watch saw Shen Luo stepping out of the carriage. They promptly stood and gave a respectful bow. ¡°Wake everyone up, someone is approaching from behind. There are quite a number of them, they could be refugees too.¡± Shen Luo said calmly. The night guards were stunned for a moment, they glanced back and listened closely, but they did not perceive anything. However, they did not dare to doubt Shen Luo¡¯s words. They immediately started to wake everyone up, relaying Shen Luo¡¯s message. In an instant, their encampment was filled with stirring people. The women and children who could not fight quickly hid in the carriages while Shen Yu, Shen Huayuan, and other cultivators held their amulets and magical instruments at the ready, facing the back with caution. Given the current situation where demons were running amok, and chaos abounded, they could not afford to be careless at any given time. After a short while, they heard the steady rumble of carts and horses coming from the wide road behind and made out the faint glow of lights in the distance;this stirred the members of the Shen Family once more. Releasing his Divine Sense to inspect, Shen Luo immediately took in the details about the newcomers. It was a group of about seventy to eighty people, escorting around seventeen or eighteen carriages, dressed somewhat extravagantly. The newcomers subtly divided into two groups, one dressed in white robes, and there were more of them. The other group was smaller, dressed predominantly in blue, suggesting two different families. More than half of them were cultivators, with about five or six in the Grain Avoidance Stage and two in the Soul Condensation Stage. However, these people all bore signs of deep exhaustion, their clothes were dirty and disheveled, and some even had bloodstains on them. It seems they had just survived a fierce battle not long ago. As the group drew closer, Shen Yu and the others started to discern their appearances, and their expressions grew tense. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Of all the coincidences, it¡¯s these two families.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he murmured to himself. His murmur was low in volume, only Shen Yu, who was beside him, heard him and displayed a hint of astonishment on her face. The approaching team stopped roughly fifty to sixty yards away from the Shen Family members. ¡°May we ask which family is ahead?¡± A middle-aged man in a white robe, with scars on his face, stepped out from the group and hollered. This man was one of the two cultivators at the Soul Condensation Stage. Chapter 329: Traveling Together ¡°We are members of the Shen Family from Chunhua City. May we know who you folks are?¡± Shen Huayuan replied loudly. The man with the scar did not answer Shen Huayuan¡¯s question. He scanned the Shen Family members and quickly set his eyes on Shen Luo. His expression changed slightly as he gave a long distance bow. Shen Luo returned the gesture with a fist-and-palm salute. Shen Huayuan, who was initially furious about being ignored, saw the silent exchange between Shen Luo and the scar-faced man. He vaguely guessed something and naturally didn¡¯t flare up again. The scar-faced man inspected the surroundings again, turned around and consulted with the people behind him. Then, he spoke, ¡°We are from the Bai and Lin Family of Jianye City. We have been fleeing all the way here from Jianye City. We¡¯re honestly quite fatigued and would appreciate if we could rest here for a bit. Would that be possible?¡± ¡°Daoist friend, you¡¯re being too polite. This place doesn¡¯t belong to us either. Please feel free to do as you wish.¡± Before the people of the Shen family could hesitate, Shen Luo had already spoken up. ¡°Thank you.¡± The scar-faced man thanked them, then turned around to arrange for his people to rest and prepare meals. Some of the people from the Shen Family were reluctant, but because Shen Luo had already spoken, they didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°The Bai Family? You mean the demon exorcising Bai Family from Jianye City?¡± Shen Huayuan watched as the members of the Bai and Lin Family busied themselves, suddenly asking. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be, what are the odds?¡± A monk of the Shen family shook his head nearby. ¡°Elder Shen, what do you think?¡± Shen Huayuan turned to Shen Luo who was standing nearby, then suddenly froze. This was because Shen Luo, who was just standing next to him, had disappeared. ¡°Over there.¡± Shen Yu raised his hand and pointed in a specific direction. At this time, Shen Luo had arrived at the location where the Bai and Lin Families had settled down. Upon seeing him, the scar-faced man and a young woman dressed in green came out to greet him. The young woman was pretty and elegantly shaped. However, her brows, straight as a knife¡¯s blade, gave her a rather arrogant demeanor. Like the scar-faced man, she was also a cultivator at the Soul Condensation stage. ¡°Thank you for allowing us to rest here.¡± The scar-faced man was very humble, bowing his hand in salutation. ¡°This place doesn¡¯t belong to them. Bai Daoist, why do you need to be so polite?¡± The green-robed young woman glanced at Shen Luo and the Shen family group in the distance, her eyes flashing with disdain. She spoke in a condescending manner, like an elite looking down upon peasants. ¡°¡±Lin Daoist, why would you speak in such a manner? This place was found by Daoist Shen Luo and his group first. If we want to rest here, we naturally need to seek their permission. This is the correct etiquette.¡± The scar-faced man frowned slightly, and chided in a mild tone. Appearing somewhat afraid of the scar-faced man, the young woman dressed in green clothes sulkily hummed, but didn¡¯t say anything further. ¡°We are all displaced by circumstances, why mind these small matters? I am Shen Luo. May I ask for the names of you two Daoist friends?¡± Shen Luo gave a slight smile and asked. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I am Bai Bi, and this is Lin Hanyue.¡± The scar-faced man introduced. ¡°So it¡¯s Bai Daoist and Lin Daoist. We intended to seek refuge in Jianye City, but discovered it besieged by monsters and hastily left. Since you two are from Jianye, may I ask for the current situation there?¡± Shen Luo asked again. Upon hearing this, a glint of sorrow flickered in Bai Bi¡¯s eyes, and Lin Hanyue¡¯s expression turned clouded. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no more Jianye City in this world from now onwards.¡± Bai Bi looked up at the sky with a long sigh, speaking mournfully. ¡°Who would have thought, the once glorious ancient capital of six dynasties, would perish under the hands of monsters.¡± Upon hearing the news, Shen Luo understood the fate of Jianye City and felt a pang of regret. ¡°Daoist Brother Shen, where do you plan to head next?¡± Bai Bi, not wanting to talk more about the matter, initiated the question. ¡°Nowadays, the world is plagued by monsters. Jianye City has fallen and we fear that the same has happened to other cities. Currently, the only place deemed safe is Chang¡¯an City, which is where we plan to go.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°We¡¯re also headed there. Since we¡¯ve met here, it must be fate. How about we travel together?¡± Bai Bi invited with a cheerful tone. ¡°Travel with them? Daoist Bai, there¡¯s no need for that. Most members of the Shen family are mere mortals. If anything happens, they¡¯ll definitely slow us down.¡± Lin Hanyue frowned and couldn¡¯t help but interrupt. ¡°All of us are travelling in carriages. We all progress at the same speed. How would they slow us down? With Daoist Shen joining us, our collective strength would increase, making the journey much safer.¡± Bai Bi countered. ¡°Whatever, just don¡¯t drag us down then.¡± Lin Hanyue glanced at Shen Luo with a look of disdain and said. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t against this proposal. As Bai Bi had said, everyone was traveling in carriages at roughly the same speed. Travelling together with the Bai and Lin families would not slow them down, and it would indeed be safer. It would also free him up to devote more time to his cultivation. However, he didn¡¯t agree to this proposed arrangement right away. ¡°Although I am temporarily travelling with the Shen family, I am not the decision maker. Perhaps Bai Daoist should ask their clan leader.¡± Shen Luo said, turning his gaze towards Shen Huasheng and beckoning him over. Bai Bi was somewhat surprised when he saw Shen Luo¡¯s actions. ¡°Elder Shen, Two Elders.¡± Seeing Shen Luo beckoning, Shen Huasheng hurried over. Despite realising that Shen Huasheng was a Qi Refining cultivator, Bai Bi did not look at him with disdain. Instead, he repeated the proposal from before. ¡°These two represent the heads of the famous demon exorcising Bai and Lin families of Jianye City,¡± Shen Luo interjected, singling out the identity of the Bai and Lin families. ¡°No problem, travelling with the families of two elders is an honour for our Shen Family.¡± Upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Shen Huasheng¡¯s eyes flashed with excitement as he immediately agreed. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Bai Bi said, smiling, and moved his gaze away from Shen Huayuan. Wisely taking his leave, Shen Huayuan returned to the group and relayed the content of the conversation, as well as the identity of the two families. Upon hearing this, everyone from the Shen Family rejoiced. Shen Yu looked at the distant Shen Luo, her eyes shinning even brighter. ¡°Daoist Shen, you especially came over not just to chat with us. If there is something you need, feel free to share,¡± Bai Bi said with a chuckle, after Shen Huayuan had left. He initially thought Shen Luo was the head of the Shen Family, but from the recent developments, it seemed that was not the case. Considering Shen Luo had given permission to their families to stay here before, Bai Bi suspected there was a deeper reason. ¡°Bai Daoist, you are indeed straightforward. Actually, there is something I¡¯d like to inquire about. Do you have any talisman paper and talisman ink in your possession? Common yellow and green talisman paper and ordinary talisman ink will suffice, and the more the better,¡± Shen Luo laughed lightly and asked. At present, the talisman paper and talisman ink stored in his Seven Star Talisman Pen Space were nearly used up. There were only a few Small Thunder Talismans left. The journey to Chang¡¯an City was fraught with unpredictable dangers. He urgently needed to replenish his supplies. ¡°Hehe, I didn¡¯t expect Daoist Shen to be proficient in the art of talismans. My Bai family has quite a few talisman masters. Please wait a moment, and I¡¯ll enquiry for you,¡± Bai Bi heartily replied. Turning around, he walked toward the group of monks from the Bai Family. Lin Hanyue¡¯s face revealed a trace of impatience. She turned around and walked toward the Lin family carriages, apparently not interested in interacting with a freelance cultivator like Shen Luo. Chapter 330: Be Vigilant A moment later, when Bai Bi came back, he had in his hands a thick stack of Yellow Talisman Paper and a small stack of Green Talisman Paper, along with two small black containers. ¡°Brother Lin is just like this, please don¡¯t blame him.¡± he said awkwardly seeing that Lin Hanyue had already walked away. ¡°Not at all, Bai Daoist friend, are the things I require available?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, glanced at the items in Bai Bi¡¯s hand and asked. ¡°I had to leave Jianye City in a hurry, I didn¡¯t have enough time to bring a lot of things, only managed to gather these.¡± Bai Bi gave a smily face and handed over the items in his hands. ¡°That¡¯s more than enough;I appreciate it.¡± Shen Luo reached out to accept them, with a divine sense scan he found that there were over two hundred pieces of Yellow Talisman Paper, forty to fifty pieces of Green Frost Paper and there was an ample supply of Talisman Ink. ¡°I don¡¯t have many Immortal jades on me, we can use these as trade.¡± He turned over his hand and took out a foot-long green spirit grass with leaf-blade shaped leaves and a radish-shaped root. It was yielded from Mount Fangcun. ¡°Ganluo grass! The talisman papers and talisman ink are all common materials, but using Ganluo grass to trade is too much of a loss. The Bai family can¡¯t take advantage of you like this.¡± Bai Bi is someone who recognizes value and immediately identified the spirit grass, then shook his head. ¡°How about this? If Bai Daoist friend has any Earth Star Herb, you could give me a few or just some immortal jade. ¡± said Shen Luo, if Earth Star Herb could be obtained, he could try the Divine Armor Horse Talisman. ¡°I have five Earth Star Herbs. Swap them for your Ganluo Grass.¡± An arrogant voice came from the side. It was Lin Hanyue, who came over, and tossed over a jade box that fell at Shen Luo¡¯s feet with a ¡°plop¡±. Shen Luo was delighted to hear that Lin Hanyue had the Earth Star Herb. However, upon seeing the others¡¯ attitude, he frowned. ¡°Haha, it seems Brother Lin has Earth Star Herb, that¡¯s great. Brother Shen, how about exchanging these five Earth Star Herbs and these talisman papers and ink for your Ganluo Grass?¡± Bai Bi hurried over to mediate, picked up the jade box from the ground, and presented the jade box in front of Shen Luo. Inside the box were five palm-sized, slender emerald-green spirit herbs. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered twice;he suppressed the anger in his heart, accepted the jade box and the Talisman papers, handed over the Ganluo Grass and walked away without a word towards the Shen family caravan. Watching Shen Luo leave, Bai Bi remained still until his body slowly stood up straight, and a layer of sweat appeared on the clothes on his back. He had just sensed a fleeting icy killing intent from Shen Luo, which still made his heart pound. He had only felt such a killing intent before from a Nascent Soul stage Elder in the Bai family who practiced the Dao of the sword. Shen Luo¡¯s killing intent seemed to be even stronger than that Elder¡¯s. The determination in his heart grew stronger;Shen Luo was no ordinary cultivator. Bai Bi¡¯s intention to gain his good will intensified. When Shen Luo had returned to his carriage, he immediately started drawing Small Thunder Talismans. Now in the dreamland, his talisman-drawing skills were far better than reality, and he could almost always produce a Small Thunder Talisman without failure. He quickly drew a hundred or so. ¡°Now that I temporarily have enough Small Thunder Talismans, let¡¯s try the Divine Armor Horse Talisman and Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman.¡± He stored the drawn Small Thunder Talismans within the Seven-Star Pen Space and murmured to himself. Although regaining his Cultivation is the most pressing issue at the moment, since he has gathered the materials, he also wanted to try drawing these two new types of talismans. If he could master them in the dreamland, it would not be as time-consuming and strenuous as the Mountain Crossing Talisman when he returned to reality. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo first took out a small cup, poured out a cup of Talisman Ink, then took a piece of Earth Star Herb. His right hand moved and a golden light emerged from his palm, enveloping the Earth Star Herb which he gently ground. The Earth Star Herb could not withstand the power of the Huangting Technique. It was instantly ground into a small blob of green liquid. He filtered out the impurities from the green liquid and mixed it with the Talisman Ink. Immediately, the Talisman Ink was dyed green. Shen Luo nodded, picked up the talisman pen, carefully recalled the Divine Armor Horse Talisman in his mind, and then began to draw the talisman. Although the Divine Armor Horse Talisman had complicated runes, his current cultivation level and proficiency in drawing allowed him to succeed by the sixth one after only drawing five. He looked at the talisman he had drawn, infused it with mana, and recited the spell. The Talisman immediately burned into a handful of light and fluttering ash, suspended in mid-air. As Shen Luo performed a hand seal, the ash floated down and split in two, attaching itself to his feet. He felt his body suddenly become extremely light, as if his weight had been reduced by more than half. It seemed that he could easily propel himself with just a little bit of force. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but praise inwardly. He believed that even without activating mana or deliberately using the power of his flesh, he could move faster than a galloping horse, and coupled with the Slanting Moon Steps, the effect would be even better! Most importantly, this talisman could also be applied to ordinary people who didn¡¯t have mana. He made a hand seal and dissolved the ash on his feet, carefully recalling the insight he gained while drawing the talisman, and then drew another five talismans. Only then did he pick up the stack of Green Frost Paper and start researching the Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman. The night quickly passed, and the daylight outside began to brighten. Shen Luo looked at the five Divine Armor Horse Talismans and three Wind Barrier Breaking Talismans in his hand, showing a satisfied expression. As he put the talismans into his pocket and was getting ready to step down from the carriage to stretch his limbs, Just then, a red light flashed in the corner of the carriage. It was the Mountain Crossing Talisman, blinking rapidly between bright and dark. ¡°A demon is approaching! Everyone be alert!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face tightened, and he jumped off the carriage and yelled loudly. The people of the Shen family were tidying up outside. They were already accustomed to Shen Luo¡¯s powerful abilities, and at the sound of his voice, they immediately reacted swiftly. The women and children scrambled into the carriage, while those with cultivations gripped their weapons tightly, guarding the vicinity of the carriages. The people from the Shen and Lin families were also up and ready to leave. Hearing Shen Luo¡¯s warning, they too, tightened their expressions and looked around cautiously. Time ticked away and everything around them remained quiet, with no demons appearing. ¡°Such pretentiousness!¡± Lin Hanyue sneered. The sarcasm in his words was unmistakable. Bai Bi fetched a white talisman, murmured a spell, and the talisman shredded with a ¡°hiss¡± into a bright white light that rippled out like a water wave, covering a range of several hundred feet. The white light wave rippled in the air for a moment before gradually disappearing, bringing up no anomalies. The Bai family, as well as the Lin family nearby, finally relaxed their tense bodies. ¡°Daoist Brother Shen, where is the demon hiding? Has it already left now?¡± Bai Bi didn¡¯t relax and bowed to Shen Luo while asking the question. Shen Luo had seen Bai Bi¡¯s actions just now and had already spread out his Divine Sense to investigate the surroundings. Although he didn¡¯t detect any anomalies, the red light of the Mountain Crossing Talisman in the carriage was still blinking. ¡°The demon is lurking nearby. This Mountain Crossing Talisman can sense the demon qi in the vicinity. Everyone, please be careful.¡± As he spoke, Shen Luo removed the Mountain Crossing Talisman from the carriage and showed it to the people around him. Chapter 331: The Centipede General Bai Bi looked at the talisman in Shen Luo¡¯s hand with glinting eyes, not uttering a single word. ¡°Hmph! Thinking of commanding us all with a random talisman you found somewhere. Friend Shen, if you want to show off, you will have to find a better excuse. We still have a journey ahead, so, we won¡¯t stay any longer.¡± Lin Hanyue scoffed, vaulted onto a horse, and rode off towards the front. Seeing this, Lin¡¯s people followed one after another, more than a few even sneered mockingly over their shoulders at Shen Luo. Bai Bi watched this scene, his brows furrowed, about to say something. At this moment, a sudden change occurred. The ground under Lin Hanyue¡¯s horse abruptly broke open a hundred feet ahead, revealing a pitch-black hole. The horse¡¯s foot stepped into the void, immediately falling down and disappearing. But Lin Hanyue, being a soul condensing cultivator, reacted extremely fast. At the instant she was about to fall into the hole, a surge of blue light enveloped her body, and she shot upwards. But before she could fly out, a strange howling sound emitted from the black hole on the ground. A whirlwind so strong that it almost took shape came rushing out, madly sucking everything in sight. Lin Hanyue was sucked in without the slightest resistance, screaming in horror all the while. She disappeared into the hole. The few people nearby from the Lin family were also affected by this suction. With a ¡®whoosh¡¯ they were drawn into it before they even had the chance to cry out in agony. Bai Bi, not too far away, was taken aback, attempting to step forward to save Lin Hanyue, but it was too late. The ground¡¯s black hole¡¯s suction did not last too long. It stopped soon after, then the ground bulged up suddenly;an enormous red head, half the size of a house, burrowed out, covered in bright red scales the size of rulers. A blood basin full of sharp, heavy teeth made it look like a giant insect. The people from the Lin family, who were still dazed by the sudden change, only managed to react to seeing the terrifying head of the insect. Overwhelmed by horror, they screamed, turning to flee towards Shen Luo and the others. The terrifying red head let out a sarcastic roar before shooting out at an incredible speed, spanning a distance of over dozens of feet in an instant. It bit the waist of a middle-aged man from the Lin family in its jaws. Blood splattered everywhere as the man cried out horribly, flailing his arms in vain to free himself, but it was all to no avail. It was then that everyone noticed that this monster was a massive brownish-red centipede, its length unbeknownst to anyone, with a body already over dozens of feet long sticking out of the ground, its tail still not in sight. Swallowing the man from Lin family in its mouth, the centipede demon twisted its body and headed for other Lin family members. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s General Centipede!¡± Bai Bi seemed to recognize the demon and immediately cried out angrily. Red light bloomed from his hand as he swung it into the air. A crimson sword flew out, covered in fierce flames, making a piercing noise. It slashed towards the red centipede¡¯s head with a mighty aura. The General Centipede sneered from its scarlet eyes, slightly moving its head to strike the crimson sword. With a loud ¡®bang¡¯, the sparks flew in all directions. The crimson flying sword spun out of control, and flew back with most of its flame extinguished, while Bai Bi staggered backward, looking even paler, his eyes filled with horror. A scale on the centipede¡¯s head had a white mark, showing a crack. ¡°Roar!¡± It gave an annoyed roar, immediately forsaking the rest of the Lin family and turned towards Bai Bi, swiftly dashing towards him. Duplicitously, Bai Bi¡¯s eyes filled with desperation. A golden light flashed, and a figure wrapped in golden light appeared like a ghost in front of the General Centipede, their fists pounding like lighting. With a ¡°bang¡± akin to the explosive crack of thunder, wave after wave of a shattering fist wind spewed in all directions, leaving deep marks on the nearby ground. The massive body of the Centipede General was knocked back, but with a slight shake, it stabilized itself. Its narrow body that stretched over twenty feet long was now fully visible, covered in large, brownish red scales while numerous claws clustered on both sides of its body, looking menacingly wicked. The figure formed from golden light receded back quickly. After landing and retreating seven to eight steps, it stabilized itself, revealing the figure of Shen Luo, with a trace of shock on his face. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ever since he mastered the Huangting Technique, he has never suffered a defeat in terms of strength. Even when he confronted the two Nascent Soul Stage black ant creatures in Chunhua City, he triumphed. However, just now, he was knocked back during a head-on collision with the centipede demon, and found himself at a disadvantage. ¡°Quickly leave this place! Run to somewhere far. I¡¯ll hold it off!¡± Shen Luo, his face grave, yelled without turning his head. The Shen family didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately, led by Shen Huasheng and Shen Yu, they managed to calm their frantic horses and sprinted forward. The Bai family also regained their composure and hurriedly escaped towards the distance. As for the members of the Lin family, they didn¡¯t wait for instructions and everyone fled in a hurry, regretting their inability to run faster. In a blink of an eye, only Shen Luo and Bai Bi were left in the field. ¡°Daoist Bai, you should also quickly leave and protect the others!¡± Shen Luo urgently transmitted his voice. ¡°Thank you for your earlier help, Brother Shen. Watch out!¡± Bai Bi, not feigning bravery, responded and summoned back his red flying sword, then turned and dashed off into the distance. ¡°Run? In front of me, the Centipede General, none of you humans will escape!¡± The Centipede General spoke in human language, emitting a hoarse roar, and lunged again. Two imprints of fists could be seen deeply embedded in the bright shell on its head with several long cracks appearing on the nearby scales revealing bloody flesh. A mighty demon Qi erupted from its body, pressing over like a furious wave. ¡°Damn, this fiend seems to have reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage!¡± The thought sent a chill through Shen Luo¡¯s heart. Light like moonlight glimmered under his feet. In a blink, he swerved swiftly to the side. With a twist of its head, the Centipede General opened its mouth wide and a stream of purple demon fire shot out, ruthlessly assaulting Shen Luo from above, covering the sky. Shen Luo moved his feet quickly, shifting from a flanking move to a quick retreat, while simultaneously summoning a talisman. In the loud rumbling of colliding water splashes, several huge surges rose from the nearby river, hitting the demon fire like dancing flood dragons. But the purple demon fire was incredibly fierce. The water hit it but failed to extinguish it, instead, it was easily evaporated. However, the purple demon fire was momentarily obstructed, allowing Shen Luo to rapidly retreat. He managed to move out of the range of the demon fire before it fell. ¡°Bang¡± The purple demon fire hit the open ground, immediately igniting and burning, melting the ground like wax and turning it blackened and charred. Shen Luo gasped sharply. Just at that moment, a strong gust from his side indicated that the Centipede General¡¯s tail was sweeping towards him. It came so fast that it was right in front of him almost instantly. The speed of this Centipede General was truly terrifying! Chapter 332: A Critical Moment Shen Luo¡¯s feet glowed with moonlight, drawing a shimmering arc in the air as he strained to dodge once again. However, this time he failed to completely avoid it. His body was slightly swept by the tail of the Centipede General. With a ¡°thump,¡± he was flung out, crashing into a nearby grove. A series of snapping sounds echoed as four or five large trees became shorn and fell. Sitting with his back against a fissured tree, a streak of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. His clothes were torn and his left shoulder was bruised, but a hint of joy flashed across his face. He quickly took out two Divine Armor Horse Talismans and activated them. The talisman burned, turning into two clumps of ash in a blink of an eye, which attached themselves to his feet. Before he could do anything, the sky above suddenly darkened. The Centipede General reappeared, its colossal head fell like a meteor, directly hammering down without giving him time to catch his breath. Without time to adjust, Shen Luo immediately stood up, pushing off the ground with his feet and darting to the left. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± his form suddenly turned into a blurry illusion, sweeping out twenty to thirty feet, effortlessly avoiding this strike from the Centipede General. Shen Luo was delighted at the heart. He was greatly satisfied with the effect of the Divine Armor Horse Talismans, which he was using for the first time. The Centipede General paused momentarily, but soon launched another attack. A purple demon fire was spewed from its mouth towards Shen Luo, while its tail swept across, easily smashing through over a dozen trees. Wrapped in a powerful gust, the broken trees were propelled towards Shen Luo. But the current Shen Luo was not the same as before. The soles of his feet shimmering with moonlight, he turned into a phantom barely visible to the naked eye, evading the widespread attacks with ease. He shifted his gaze and leapt towards the other end of the grove to escape. In such a short time, the people from the three families surely hadn¡¯t gotten far. He needed to lure this Centipede General further away. The Centipede General seemed to be truly enraged, chasing after him with a raging roar. Shen Luo, aided by the Divine Armor Horse Talismans, rapidly weaved through the trees, leaving a long phantom trail in the air. His speed was incredible, and in a matter of a few breaths, he shot out of the grove. Just as he was about to continue flying into the distance, a terrible cry of terror suddenly sounded from afar. Shen Luo¡¯s heart jolted and he turned his head to look, only to see the people from the three families, who hadn¡¯t escaped far, once again thrown into chaos. A demon creature, resembling an earth dragon that was more than ten feet long and color of yellowish brown, appeared out of nowhere, violently rushing into the convoy of the three families and indiscriminately slaughtering them. The earth dragon demon seemed to be different from the Centipede General, completely uninterested in feasting on humans, but only interested in the thrill of slaughter. It uttered excited hisses of joy from its mouth, and in the blink of an eye, more than a dozen blood-soaked corpses were lying on the ground. The monks from the three families furiously retaliated, launching constant attacks on the earth dragon demon, much like a rainstorm. In mid-air, Bai Bi stood on a red flying sword, casting spells with both hands. Streams of red sword Qi ceaselessly shot downwards, slashing at the earth dragon demon. However, the earth dragon demon was extraordinarily powerful and heavily armored. Apart from Bai Bi¡¯s attacks, which gave it some pause, the attacks from others had no effect at all. Shen Luo grew increasingly anxious. But with the Centipede General closing in from behind, he was already struggling and had no time to assist the people far away. The Centipede General had also chased out of the grove by this time. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s anxious expression and the convoy of the three families in the distance, a hint of cruelty flashed through its scarlet eyes. Suddenly, it abandoned Shen Luo and pounced towards the convoy. Seeing the Centipede General¡¯s actions, Shen Luo¡¯s face changed. Just as he was about to chase after it, he squinted as if he had thought of something and abruptly halted. He quickly performed the Firmament Step on the spot, his hands overlapped forming a complex hand seal, then suddenly pointed to the sky. A dazzling starlight burst from his body, and two lustrous rays of light also shot from his eyes. General Centipede sensed Shen Luo¡¯s action, a hint of surprise emerged in his eyes, but in the next moment, he ignored it and continued to rush forward. Shen Luo was chanting spells, his hands seemed to be clawing at something below, swinging downward with all his might. At this moment, the sky was getting brighter, a layer of golden light suddenly rose in the lightly lit sky, turning half of the horizon golden. A huge whistling sound echoed from mid-air, a dazzling golden light flashed, a golden star illusion several tens of feet in size emerged in the air and then shot down like a meteor, aiming at General Centipede. The expression of General Centipede drastically changed, and he abruptly stopped. Red light surged on his body, with a ¡°whoosh¡± noise along with a shake of his huge body, it transformed into a red centipede shadow and clashed with the golden star illusion. However, as the golden ripples rose on the surface of the golden star illusion, the red insect shadow disintegrated inch by inch as if encountering its nemesis, and it was completely ineffective. The golden star continued to fly down, its size tremendously increased, and its speed became faster and faster. It traversed tens of feet in an instant and hit General Centipede, who wore a terrified expression. ¡°Boom¡­¡± The ground exploded, raising a surge of dust and smoke, scraping a layer of the nearby soil, and some small stones were also blown away. A pentagram of twenty or thirty feet in size was imprinted on the ground, surrounded by a ring of cloud patterns emitting waves of starlight. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. General Centipede was sealed at the center of the five-pointed star. The red light on his surface completely disappeared, his body motionless as if it were a fly trapped in amber. Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in the depths of Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. He used the Three Stars Demolishing Demons intending to restrain General Centipede so that the people of the Three Families wouldn¡¯t be attacked from both front and rear. Unexpectedly, the power of the Three Stars Demolishing Demons was so great that it could instantly seal this Late Nascent Soul Stage demon. Screams of horror were heard from a distance. In just a matter of moments, nearly ten more people were killed by the Earth Dragon, and the situation of the Three Families¡¯ caravan was extremely critical. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t bother to continue dealing with General Centipede, he took a deep breath, then leaped towards the Earth Dragon demon in the distance. However, he had no assurance that he could restrain this tough-skinned Earth Dragon in a short time. ¡°What demon dares to hunt the people of the Bai Family!¡± Just at this moment, a thunderous roar sounded from the distance, causing everyone¡¯s ears to buzz. Bai Bi¡¯s body swayed several times, barely avoiding a fall from mid-air, and the Earth Dragon¡¯s body also shuddered violently. A golden light came with the sound from the distance, it was incredibly fast, in a blink of an eye, it reached them. It was like a golden lightning bolt hitting the head of the Earth Dragon demon. The Earth Dragon demon had no time to react, its head immediately burst open. White brain pulp mixed with blood spattered in all directions. Shen Luo halted, fixed his gaze, and clearly saw that the golden light was a Golden Vajra Pestle, exactly the same divine power Bai Xiaotian used in Jianye City, only it was not as powerful as when Bai Xiaotian used it. ¡°The divine power of Hua Sheng Temple again! This voice sounds a bit familiar.¡± Shen Luo thought. A golden light flashed in mid-air, and a white-robed middle-aged man emerged. Chapter 333: Elder Xiao Yun This man was distinguished in appearance, although his temples were a hint of frost and wrinkles were at the corners of his eyes, one could still recognize the handsome and dashing features of his younger days from his face. ¡°Eh, it¡¯s him!¡± Shen Luo looked at the middle-aged man in white robes suspended in mid-air, displaying a trace of oddity on his face. ¡°Elder Xiao Yun, you¡¯ve finally arrived! Unfortunately, Jianye City was breached by demons and my Bai family suffered a great catastrophe. Several of my uncles sacrificed their lives to cover our escape, thanks to which a few of us managed to escape,¡± Bai Bi, upon seeing the middle-aged man in white robes floating in mid-air, immediately flew in front of him. Kneeling down in mid-air, he sobbed and yelled. ¡°What rubbish! With my elder brother safeguarding Jianye City and the guardians of the Mountains and the Sea, both Great Mahayana realm fellows, there¡¯s no way the city would have been taken over,¡± the middle-aged man in white robes retorted with a pale face upon hearing these words. ¡°It¡¯s true. Countless demons suddenly appeared outside Jianye City, attacking our walls. Later, five major demons of demi-immortal level arrived. Elder Xiao Tian managed to slay three of them before he perished together with them¡­¡± Bai Bi briefly recounted the events that had transpired in Jianye City, bringing the middle-aged man up to the current situation. The man in the white robe¡¯s face turned from pale to red, then from red to blue, ultimately revealing an extremely ferocious expression, his killing intent evident. ¡°Excellent, excellent! You demons, dare to destroy my city, murder my brother, annihilate my family! I, Bai Xiaoyun, swear here. I will not rest until I have completely slaughtered all you demons!¡± The middle-aged man in the white robe roared towards the sky. A burst of overpowering mana erupted from his body, vibrating the surrounding void, causing strong gusts of winds and shaking the ground, resembling an outbreak of an earthquake. Bai Bi, standing next to the man in white robes, hastily avoided him but was still blown away as if by strong wind. He managed to stabilize his figure in the distance as his cultivation level was relatively deep and got away without injury. Everyone on the ground wavered, their faces turned pale and their eyes reflected the complex emotions of narrowly surviving a calamity. ¡°As expected, it is Bai Xiaoyun. After a thousand years, he has indeed greatly improved his cultivation. Looking at his might, he seems to be in the Great Mahayana realm, even more formidable than the Qianyan Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself as he watched the middle-aged man in the white robes from a distance. ¡°We vow to follow Elder Xiao Yun to our deaths! We will not rest until all the demons are eradicated!¡± After returning, Bai Bi kneeled before Bai Xiaoyun and declared. ¡°We pledge our lives to follow the elder!¡± Other cultivators of the Bai family also hurried over and kneeled. ¡°Good, you are indeed worthy of the Bai family name, now rise,¡± Bai Xiaoyun motioned with his sleeve and Bai Bi and others were lifted by an intangible force and stood up. ¡°It seems this young man¡¯s character has changed greatly,¡± contemplated Shen Luo while considering whether to approach and reveal his true identity. At that moment, a crackling sound came from behind him. The golden celestial shadow began flickering, and cracks appeared on its surface. His face changed as he hurriedly turned to confront the sound. A flash of golden light shot from behind, quickly overtaking Shen Luo. In an instant, it floated above the golden celestial star, transforming into the shadow of a vajra, striking downwards. The golden celestial star shattered and disappeared. The large centipede general beneath it was powerless to resist and broke into fragments, instantly obliterated. The terrifying force continued to descend, causing a huge crack on the ground of several dozen feet in diameter. Fragments of stone flew, smoke and dust billowed, and a circular wave of wind swept outwards, gradually fading off after a while. Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Luo took a sharp breath and halted in his tracks. At that moment, the void in front of him flickered, and Bai Xiaoyun appeared, slowly floating down. ¡°Your Excellency must be Friend Shen, isn¡¯t it? I heard from Bai Bi, thank you for coming to the aid of my Bai family¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded slightly but abruptly paused mid-sentence as he took a closer look at Shen Luo¡¯s face and figure. Shen Luo already anticipating what was to come, maintained a smile and didn¡¯t attempt to conceal his identity. ¡°You, you are Big Brother Shen!¡± Bai Xiaotian shook as he pointed to Shen Luo, exclaiming in disbelief. ¡°Brother Bai, it¡¯s been a long time,¡± Shen Luo stated, unsure of how to approach Bai Xiaoyun. He unwillingly greeted him in a dull tone. ¡°You really are Big Brother Shen. We lost contact with you after we said goodbye in Meng City all those years ago. I never could have imagined we¡¯d meet again here today,¡± exclaimed Bai Xiaoyun jovially. He lifted both of his hands, as though he wanted to give Shen Luo a hug, but immediately felt awkward and instead patted Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah, I never expected to meet you here either,¡± Shen Luo replied, recalling the Meng City Bai Xiaoyun mentioned but didn¡¯t ask further. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crowd in the distance was in shock upon witnessing this scene. Shen Luo knew Bai Xiaoyun, and judging by the looks of it, they were old friends. The people from the Shen family were surprised. Shen Luo looked to be in his early twenties yet he was friends with Bai Xiaoyun. Upon hearing their conversation, based on the tone, it appeared that Shen Luo had a higher status between them. Could it be that he was a hidden old monster thousands of years old? ¡°Brother Shen, what brings you here?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked, gaining his calm after the initial excitement of meeting Shen Luo. ¡°I heard about the demon attacks in Chunhua City, so I came here to check it out. The Shen lineage, after all, are considered my descendants. But I haven¡¯t revealed my identity to them, Brother Bai, it would be best if you didn¡¯t reveal it either,¡± Shen Luo glanced at the distant Shen family and spoke through thought transmission. Bai Xiaoyun paused slightly and nodded in agreement. ¡°What brings Brother Bai here? I consider ourselves lucky that you arrived or else it would have been difficult to deal with these two large demons,¡± countered Shen Luo. ¡°Currently, I am cultivating at the Hua Sheng Temple. I recently received news about the demon invasion of Jianye City. I immediately rushed here to help but on the way, I received a distress signal from my Bai family, and thus ended up here,¡± Bai Xiaoyun explained. ¡°So that¡¯s why,¡± Shen Luo nodded in understanding. ¡°Brother Shen, is it true that Jianye City has fallen? That¡­my elder brother¡­has perished?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked, looking into Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. He seemed to possess a sliver of hope. ¡°It is true. I witnessed it firsthand. Brother Bai killed two big same-realm demons and got severely wounded by a sneak attack from a third major demon. He self-detonated and¡­ perished,¡± Shen Luo said ruefully. ¡°Elder brother¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun trembled, his last glimmer of hope shattered. ¡°Brother Bai, there¡¯s no need to despair. Your brother died for the greater good of our human race, he died without regret,¡± comforted Shen Luo. ¡°I¡¯m not sad but proud of him. The Demonic Tribulation is here, the world is in turmoil, we as cultivators should stand up and fight for the citizens of the world. Life and death have already been set aside, let alone other concerns,¡± Bai Xiaoyun took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and spoke softly. ¡°What are your plans next, Brother Bai? We are planning to head to Chang¡¯an City,¡± Shen Luo changed the topic. Chapter 334: Escape to Changan ¡°The Bai Family has only these descendants left, and I naturally needed to stay and protect their safety. The decision to go to Chang¡¯an is the right one as it is still considered safe.¡± Bai Xiaoyun nodded and said. ¡°With Daoist Bai accompanying us, there¡¯s no need to fear even the most terrifying demons anymore.¡± Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief. He had been living on edge these past few days in order to protect these people. With the aid of Bai Xiaoyun, a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator, he can finally set his mind at ease and focus on resolving his own problems with the seal. ¡°We just went through a big battle here, it¡¯s not a place to talk. We¡¯ll leave first.¡± said Bai Xiaoyun, gesturing to the three families¡¯ carriages to continue heading towards Chang¡¯an city. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having just witnessed the recent disaster, all three families had suffered no small number of casualties. However, most of the carriages remained intact, thus travelling shouldn¡¯t be an issue. A carriage was arranged for Bai Xiaoyun by the Bai Family. Bai Xiaoyun invited Shen Luo to join him, and Shen Luo accepted graciously. ¡°Big Brother Shen, what level of cultivation have you reached? Although the use of mana can slow down the aging of the physical body, after all these years, even with any beauty-preserving techniques, there should be some changes in one¡¯s appearance. But you look exactly the same as before. Could it be that you have already achieved the True Immortal Realm where the body is immortal?¡± Bai Xiaoyun studied Shen Luo¡¯s appearance closely and finally asked hesitantly. ¡°How could that be possible? All I did was have the fortune to consume an Age-Defying Pill from Ancient Times. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve managed to maintain my youthful looks. As for my cultivation level, I am only at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. Moreover, in Chunhua City, I fell into the hands of a person known as Qianyan Ancestor, and my mana was sealed. It¡¯s taken me this long to partially break the seal.¡± Shen Luo gave a bitter smile and shook his head, speaking half-truths and half-lies. ¡°Nascent Soul Middle Stage? With your talents, it shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun murmured, but quickly stopped himself, considering Shen Luo¡¯s feelings. Instead, he moved on to another topic. ¡°I know the methods of that old demon Qianyan Ancestor. If Big Brother Shen doesn¡¯t mind, I can help you break the seal.¡± suggested Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo was delighted and expressed his gratitude. ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formalities between us.¡± Bai Xiaoyun flicked his sleeve and a white light burst out, enveloping the entire carriage. All sounds from outside were immediately cut off, and even the bumpy movement of the carriage seemed to vanish. Shen Luo sat cross-legged in the middle of the carriage, closed his eyes and began to meditate. Bai Xiaoyun moved his arm, placing his palm on Shen Luo¡¯s back. Immediately, a golden flame erupted, resembling a golden tide, rushing into Shen Luo¡¯s body and transforming into a vast, burning mana, circulating throughout his meridians. Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows slightly, and then relaxed again, guiding the golden light that had been infused into his body towards the remaining prohibitions. ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡±, a series of muffled sounds echoed from his body. The scorching mana infused by Bai Xiaoyun, like a furious wave, shattered the remaining prohibitions within him, allowing them to loosen and break apart. Shen Luo¡¯s heart was filled with joy as he slowly circulated his mana around his body. The sensation of mana flowing freely throughout his meridians was fascinating. After thirty-six cycles of meditation, his cultivation level finally stabilized, and only then did he open his eyes. ¡°I am deeply grateful for the help of Daoist Bai.¡± Shen Luo stood up and thanked Bai Xiaoyun once again. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say, there¡¯s no need for thanks? Why are we standing on ceremony again? As for repaying me, it¡¯s completely unnecessary. If it weren¡¯t for your help back then, I wouldn¡¯t have rediscovered my desire for cultivation. I might have already turned to dust. How can I repay such a kindness?¡± Bai Xiaoyun laughed heartily, showing Shen Luo a glimpse of the carefreeness he had in his youth. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right. But Daoist Bai, what level have you reached in your current cultivation?¡± Shen Luo also laughed heartily and asked. ¡°I¡¯ve just broken through to the Mahayana Middle Stage.¡± Bai Xiaoyun, while speaking, waved his hand and dispersed the white light surrounding the carriage. Shen Luo nodded to himself. As one progresses to higher levels in cultivation, each step becomes more difficult. It¡¯s already quite remarkable to achieve the Mahayana Middle Stage in a thousand years. The two continued their casual conversations in the carriage. Most of the time it was Bai Xiaoyun speaking, and Shen Luo listening. GIVEN Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s higher cultivation level, and the fact that he feared that Shen Luo would feel troubled because of his lower cultivation level, Bai Xiaoyun did not enquire about Shen Luo¡¯s circumstances. Instead, he continuously relayed his experiences of his years cultivating at Hua Sheng Temple and the changes in Jianye City. ¡°Speaking of Jianye City, I remember that the Lin and Bai families were enemies. How is it that they now seem to be living in such harmony?¡± Shen Luo, peering through the curtain at the back of the carriage, looked at the monks from the Bai and Lin families outside and asked curiously. ¡°After a thousand years, the Bai and Lin clans are no longer rivals. Many marriages have occurred between the two families and they are now kin. Besides, with my brother¡¯s influence, who dared to oppose the Bai Family in Jianye city?¡± Bai Xiaoyun proclaimed proudly. Before his words had even faded away, he remembered that Bai Xiaotian had fallen. Despite claiming earlier that he would no longer grieve for it, a hint of pain flashed in his eyes. Shen Luo sighed inwardly and was about to change the subject when the carriage suddenly came to a halt. ¡°Ancestor, there¡¯s a fork in the road ahead. Which path should we take?¡± Bai Bi came to the side of the carriage and asked respectfully. Bai Xiaoyun lifted the curtain of the carriage, and it seemed that without them noticing, the team had emerged from Qixia Mountain. In front of them, the official road had three separate forks, leading to the northwest, north, and northeast respectively. ¡°Where do these three roads lead?¡± Bai Xiaoyun withdrew his gaze and asked. ¡°According to the map, the road to the northwest leads to Jianmen Pass. The northern road leads to Kui Mountain City and the northeast road leads to Wangxiang County. All three can lead to Chang¡¯an.¡± Bai Bi answered. Having glimpsed at the maps of the area around Jianye City, Shen Luo roughly remembered the routes. Although the roads to Jianmen Pass and Wangxiang County could lead to Chang¡¯an City, both were long detours. The road to Kui Mountain City was the shortest. ¡°Let¡¯s take the route that goes through Jianmen Pass.¡± Bai Xiaoyun mused for a moment, then replied. Bai Bi opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. He agreed, and turned to notify the others. ¡°Daoist Bai, I¡¯ve looked at the map. The route through Jianmen Pass is the longest. Why do we need to take it?¡± questioned Shen Luo. ¡°According to intelligence from Hua Sheng Temple, currently, all parts of the Great Tang are occupied by demons. Although there are many routes to Chang¡¯an, the only one that is still relatively safe is through Jianmen Pass.¡± explained Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°I see.¡± Shen Luo nodded slowly. The carriage turned towards the northwest road, its wheels rolling forward. As Shen Luo and Bai Xiaoyun continued their idle chatter about various affairs, numerous thoughts turned within their hearts. Shen Luo was trying to figure out how to discreetly ask about some events that had occurred in the past thousand years without arousing Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s suspicion. This was to help him make some preparations when he returned to reality. Just then, the sound of bells could be heard coming from a fork in the road ahead, indicating another group of refugees. Shen Luo looked up. This group had as many people as theirs, over a hundred. The clothes they wore varied in color and style, seeming to be made up of seven or eight different families. Chapter 335: Lord Lu At the very front of the procession was a luxurious carriage that was not only spacious but also exquisitely decorated. Harnessed to the carriage were two horses;a pair as ostentatious as the vehicle they were towing. The path here was not very wide. When the two processions ran into each other it immediately blocked off the way forward, and both had to halt their progress. ¡°Who do you think you are?! You¡¯re daring to block Lord Lu¡¯s path, clear the way immediately!¡± From the opposing team¡¯s procession, a grey-robed man stepped out, a late-stage Grain Avoidance practitioner, exclaiming with an irritated face. Whether he intended to show off or not, the grey-robed man¡¯s voice contained a trace of mana, echoing like a sudden thunderclap at ground level. In Shen Luo¡¯s party, at the forefront was the Shen Family¡¯s procession. One of the horses pulling the carriage got startled and began galloping towards the luxurious carriage at the vanguard of the opposing procession. The driver tried frantically to reign in the spooked horse. ¡°You scoundrel! How dare you collide with Lord Lu¡¯s carriage! Are you seeking your own doom?!¡± The expression on the face of the grey-robed man fell, and he slapped towards the void with his palm. His hand emitted a bright green light, condensing into a palm of light the size of a millstone in an instant. The sound of rushing wind suddenly echoed, the palm striking towards the startled horse with lightning speed. However, at that moment, two streams of water burst from the suddenly cracked ground. One stream, flickering with blue light, instantly wrapped around the runaway horse, immediately stopping it. The other stream of water spun round and round, transforming into a large hand of water, and flicked at the grey-robed man¡¯s palm of green light. ¡°Thud!¡± With a sound, the green light palm exploded upon contact. The grey-robed man¡¯s body shuddered, staggering back several paces before regaining his ground, his face as pale as ashes. An expression of shock lit up his eyes. ¡°What a skillful water-controlling technique. I must learn a couple of moves from it.¡± A nonchalant voice drifted from within the opulent carriage. Before the voice had finished speaking, a gust of wind rose above the Shen Family¡¯s carriage. Suddenly, a large white hand emerged from thin air and grasped towards the hand of water from high in the air. Its fingers streaked black traces in mid-air, a raging wind swiftly following suit. The water hand did not hesitate and immediately rushed up to meet it, nimbly avoiding the sharp fingertips, and jabbed at the palm of the white hand. The white hand turned over and at an extremely critical juncture nimbly dodged away, then pointed like a knife, slicing towards the back of the water hand. The two hands clashed mid-air as quick as lightning. The power of the white palm was visibly much greater, but the water palm was incredibly agile, always able to evade the opponent¡¯s strikes at critical moments, launching fierce counterattacks. A cold snort emanated from within the splendid carriage. The air around the white hand shimmered, and three white wind ropes appeared out of thin air, curling towards the water hand below. Simultaneously, the white hand¡¯s surface gave off a layer of white light, enlarging itself several times, it harshly slapped downwards, effectively caging the hand of water within a range of several feet. The water hand in mid-air quickly cast a spell, its surface flickered with blue light, also enlarging instantly. It flicked its fingers thrice. Three water blades shot out, colliding with the three wind ropes, neutralizing each other. The blue water palm, swift as a falling star, rose up to meet the attack, colliding with the large white hand, and producing a dull sound. The water palm burst apart in response, shattering into numerous droplets, unable to withstand even a single blow. A triumphant laugh echoed from the splendid carriage, which was sharply cut off right away. From amidst the shattered droplets, unbeknownst to anyone, a water spike suddenly sprouted. With a flash, it astonishingly pierced the white hand. The white hand¡¯s surface flashed chaotically and then exploded, turning into a wild gust of wind, charging in all directions, causing both sides¡¯ processions to plunge into momentary chaos. The individual in the extravagant carriage issued another angry grunt. It seemed like he was very dissatisfied with the stalemate. White lights started to manifest, and the surrounding air began to oscillate once again. ¡°Both of you elders, please stop!¡± A loud shout echoed forth;it was Bai Bi hastening from behind on his horse. ¡°Bai Bi, it¡¯s you! I didn¡¯t expect your Bai Family to also escape from Jianye City.¡± The person in the carriage sounded a bit surprised, yet still appeared rather arrogant without showing himself. ¡°So, it¡¯s Elder Lu Yong. My respects to you,¡± Bai Bi said politely, a movement crossing his eyes. Upon hearing these words, a smattering of contempt appeared on the faces of some of those of higher cultivation from the Bai and Lin Families behind him. ¡°Bai Bi, was the Daoist friend who engaged earlier a guest official of your Bai Family?¡± Lu Yong¡¯s voice was unashamed, he asked frivolously, obviously not considering the Bai Family as worthy of his attention. ¡°That elder is a friend of our Bai family, not a guest official. Elder Lu, the incident just now was merely a misunderstanding. With the disaster of demons looming over us, we should avoid internal conflict. How about we reconcile?¡± Bai Bi said unhurriedly. ¡°Bai Bi, you think you can make me stop with your status alone? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re not that influential.¡± The curtain of their luxurious carriage abruptly flung open, revealing an elderly man in a golden robe seated within. He cast a disdainful glance at Bai Bi and scoffed. This man had striking eyes, much like a predatory eagle, and thin lips, giving off an impression of sinister harshness. ¡°Oh, if Bai Bi¡¯s influence isn¡¯t enough, how about mine?¡± The curtain of the carriage Shen Luo was seated in was slowly drawn apart, revealing Shen Luo and Bai Xiaoyun. Bai Xiaoyun was the one speaking. ¡°You, you are Elder Bai Xiaoyun!¡± Lu Yong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as he instantly stood up upon seeing Bai Xiaoyun. There was an uproar within Lu Yong¡¯s team behind;clearly, they all knew of Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°It¡¯s truly an honor that you remember me, Daoist Lu. I thought you had already completely disregarded our Bai family,¡± Bai Xiaoyun laughed, his eyes flashing with a cold glint. ¡°I spoke recklessly just now;I have absolute respect for the Bai Family. Please forgive me, Elder Bai,¡± Lu Yong apologized hastily, the color draining from his face. Bai Xiaoyun simply stared at Lu Yong without uttering a word, and everyone else held their breath subconsciously, not daring to make a sound. The atmosphere suddenly became very quiet. Lu Yong was unsettled, but did not dare to raise his head. At that moment, a buzzing sound rang in his head and a wave of dizziness swept over him. A profound pressure that was as immense as the ocean crushed down upon him. Lu Yong¡¯s face changed drastically. He tried to resist, yet this pressure was overwhelming, as if towering above the heavens themselves. He felt as insignificant and weak as an ant compared to it;any resistance was futile. His face turned deathly pale, his breathing became labored, and his legs began to tremble uncontrollably. None of those present sensed anything amiss. Seeing Lu Yong suddenly turning pale and trembling all over, they were puzzled. Shen Luo sensed something was happening and looked at Bai Xiaoyun. His eyes were sparkling with an unknown light. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of divine power Bai Xiaoyun was using that immobilized Lu Yong instantly. He couldn¡¯t help admiring him. As time wore on, Lu Yong¡¯s face became paler and paler. He was soaked in sweat, his legs shaking uncontrollably, and he was so unsteady that he was on the verge of falling. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The strange light in Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s eyes disappeared all of a sudden and the pressure on Lu Yong¡¯s body instantly vanished with it. He swayed, catching hold of the carriage to prevent himself from collapsing. Then he began gasping for breath. ¡°There will not be a second time!¡± Bai Xiaoyun said slowly. ¡°Yes, thank you for sparing me, elder,¡± Lu Yong gasped out once his breathing had somewhat settled, bowing respectfully. Bai Xiaoyun disregarded Lu Yong. With a wave of his hand, the curtain of the carriage fell, hiding the inside from view. Chapter 336: Years Later Upon witnessing the scene, Lu Yong relaxed his expression, took a deep breath, and straightened his body. ¡°Bai Daoist friend, where are you headed?¡± He turned to Bai Bi and with a newly donned smile on his face, he asked him. ¡°We¡¯re heading to Chang¡¯an.¡± Bai Bi answered with a smile. ¡°What a coincidence, as I am also heading to Chang¡¯an. Would you like to travel together? I am not as skilled as you, and in case we encounter powerful demons, I would need your help.¡± Lu Yong proposed, smiling. ¡°Let me inform Elder Xiao Yun.¡± Bai Bi hesitated for a moment, then looked at Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s carriage, and walked towards it. ¡°If Elder agrees, we¡¯ll be more than happy to learn from Elder Lu.¡± Bai Bi stopped after only a couple of steps, turned around and relayed this, after receiving a message from Bai Xiaoyun. ¡®Sure, let¡¯s go first.''¡± With a broad smile, Lu Yong waved his hand to signal his team to step aside to clear the road. Those that Lu Yong brought with him were from smaller clans and freelance cultivators in Jianye City. They all knew Bai Xiaoyun was powerful and therefore longed to travel with him. Bai Bi took the lead without any hesitation, while Lu Yong and his followers trailed behind. In Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s carriage, he dropped the curtain and suddenly his eyes furrowed, and he coughed lightly. ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked Shen Luo, worried. ¡°I¡¯m fine. On my way here from Hua Sheng Temple, I encountered a demon of equal level and had a fierce battle. I sustained some internal injuries, which are acting up now.¡± Bai Xiaoyun explained in a hushed tone. ¡°Since you¡¯re injured, you should rest and recover as soon as possible. If we meet more powerful demons, we can rely on you to help us.¡± Shen Luo stood up and took his leave. Bai Xiaoyun didn¡¯t keep him. He crossed his legs and sat down in meditation, within which a golden light emerged. Shen Luo returned to the front of the Shen family¡¯s line and did not waste time, closing his eyes and starting to cultivate. Time flew by, through several days. Shen Luo and his group moved along the way, recruiting more and more freelance cultivators and refugees, until their ranks nearly surpassed three hundred. Nevertheless, this caused their pace to significantly slow down. Jianmen Pass, which they should have reached a day ago, was still not in sight. At this time, Shen Luo led the Shen family at the front of the line. The Bai family were at the rear, with Bai Xiaoyun leading, in order to prevent any demons from trailing them. Lu Yong was in the middle of the team, coordinating everybody. ¡°Elder Lu, how much longer till we reach Jianmen Pass?¡± One of the trailing freelance cultivators carefully asked. Lu Yong glanced at him, on the verge of saying ¡°how should I know,¡± but instead he swallowed his words and remained silent. Lu Yong wasn¡¯t happy about taking in refugees. In his view, these refugees were nothing more than helpless ants on the verge of death. The fact they were being carried along was nothing but a hindrance, making the journey even slower. ¡°Go away. Don¡¯t disturb Elder Lu while he¡¯s resting. Could you bear the consequence?¡± said another man with a placating smile. He waved his hand to dismiss the freelance cultivator, then flattered, They originally wanted to follow Bai Xiaoyun because he had the highest cultivation level and being with him would be safer. However, Bai Xiaoyun did not care about their existence, even despite their eagerness to flatter him. He seemed to show interest in only the cultivator named Shen Luo. As a result, they had no choice but to follow Lu Yong, who had the second highest cultivation level. They hoped that in times of danger, Lu Yong could protect them. Lu Yong enjoyed the feeling of being fawned upon. As more followers joined him, he slowly became the central figure of the team. The reason they were eager to reach Jianmen Pass was twofold. Firstly, it was a must-pass to reach Chang¡¯an City safely. Secondly, it was a fortified city where members of the powerful Jiange Sect were stationed. It was one of the few cities that hadn¡¯t yet fallen. Having just fled Jianye City, the group desperately needed a safe place to rest. At the front of the team, Shen Luo sat on the outside of the carriage, staring blankly ahead. He held a yellow paper charm in his hand. As the mountain wind blew, the paper charm fluttered slightly, making a gentle rustling sound. ¡°Elder, you¡¯ve seemed rather dispirited since we left Jianye City. Is there anything bothering you?¡± Shen Yu who was sitting next to him asked, seeing Shen Luo¡¯s slightly furrowed brows. Hearing her, Shen Luo was brought back from his reverie. He shook his head and smiled without giving any explanation. The death of Bai Xiaotian had a significant impact on Shen Luo. Regardless of whether he accepted it, in his innermost feelings Shen Luo used to regard his chronological experiences in Dreamland as mere honing experiences. It wasn¡¯t until he saw his bosom friend die in a battle with his semi-immortal body that he suddenly understood that Dreamland was not just a dream. It foresaw what would exactly happen a thousand years later. If reality were to progress to the point where his relatives and friends were all at the brink of life and death, he wished himself to be more capable than he currently was. He didn¡¯t want to just watch them die helplessly. ¡°I must become stronger as soon as possible.¡± Shen Luo pledged to himself, his fists clenched subconsciously. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Shen Yu, looking at Shen Luo, suddenly shifted her gaze, a soft cry escaping her lips. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and he looked down at his hands. Then he noticed the ¡°Mountain Crossing Talisman¡± in his hand emitting a glow. ¡°There¡¯s demon qi.¡± Shen Luo immediately stood up and halted the team. The Shen Family cultivators immediately took defensive positions, surrounding their family members. Then, several shadowy figures hurried over from the rear, with Lu Yong at the front. ¡°What happened? Is there trouble?¡± Lu Yong shouted as he arrived. Before Shen Luo could reply, a ray of light shot over from behind ¨C Bai Xiaoyun had also rushed from the rear of the team. He announced: ¡°There is a wisp of demon qi up ahead, coming in our direction. However, it doesn¡¯t seem very strong.¡± ¡°Is there only one? Could it be a scout from the demon army?¡± a bearded man behind Lu Yong asked with caution. ¡°No.¡± Shen Luo immediately responded. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How do you know?¡± The bearded man looked at Shen Luo, surprised by his response. Shen Luo didn¡¯t answer him, but instead stepped forward on his own, walking towards the demon. Everyone gazed in the direction he was headed and saw an enormous figure, nearly ten feet tall, appearing on the path ahead. It was round and muscular with bare upper body, wearing trousers on the lower body. There was a worn-out Barbarian Lion Belt around its waist and it had a massive Ghost Head Hammer on its shoulder. It looked extremely fierce. Chapter 337: Why is it You Again ¡°This mountain was opened by me, this tree was planted by me, if you want to¡­ hey, it¡¯s you again?¡± The man stopped halfway through his sentence, letting out a surprised exclamation. ¡°General Rhinoceros, how come you¡¯re here?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, sounding surprised. The person before his eyes, was none other than the Rhino Demon who had previously robbed Shen Luo and his companions a few days ago. ¡°I¡­ you¡­¡± General Rhinoceros was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say. At this moment, Bai Xiaoyun and his comrades also rushed over, asking Shen Luo what had happened. ¡°It¡¯s just a rhino demon who tries to rob people on the road, it¡¯s not a demon scout, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Luo explained. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Rhino General on the other side stared dumbfounded at the cultivators before him, his heart started to race particularly when his gaze landed on Bai Xiaoyun. Was this a case of a bandit robbing people on the road? It was more like he had gone straight into the Government Office, right into the encirclement of the guards. ¡°Who cares if it¡¯s a demon scout or not, let¡¯s kill it first.¡± Lu Yong narrowed his eyes, coldly suggesting. ¡°By acting so recklessly, how are you different from the demons?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face turned cold. Those words caused the expressions on the faces of Lu Yong¡¯s followers to darken. To them, since it is a Demon, killing every one they come across is only justice. ¡°Do you know this?¡± Bai Xiaoyun turned to look at Shen Luo, opening his mouth to ask. ¡°We had a confrontation once before, didn¡¯t feel much killing intent, it¡¯s not a very vicious creature.¡± Shen Luo nodded. Upon hearing his words, Bai Xiaoyun nodded and said, ¡°If it¡¯s not a rampantly slaughtering evil demon, it should leave quickly. Don¡¯t block our way.¡± General Rhinoceros, hearing the words felt like he was given a great amnesty. He was about to make way when he suddenly remembered something and asked: ¡°Where are you guys going?¡± ¡°So it is a demon scout after all, daring to spy on our whereabouts!¡± Lu Yong cried out in a stern voice. Shen Luo also frowned, saying, ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± ¡°This road leads directly to Jianmen Pass, if you are headed there, I suggest you turn back immediately.¡± General Rhinoceros pointed to the road behind him and spoke. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Lu Yong asked, furrowing his brows. The Rhinoceros General ignored him, turning to Shen Luo and said, ¡°I am only telling you this to repay you for not killing me before. There is really something unusual about that place, it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°What¡¯s unusual about it? Can you explain?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure about the specifics, but a large number of wild beasts have moved in that direction. Even if you proceed, the place will most likely have fallen.¡± General Rhinoceros stated. Shen Luo fell silent upon hearing this. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! How can Jianmen Pass, with its Sword Pavilion, be easily broken into?¡± Lu Yong snorted in derision. ¡°Indeed! I think this little demon is purposefully trying to hinder us, harboring ill intentions.¡± The bearded man also bellowed. ¡°Kill it¡­¡± Someone shouted first, and the rest chimed in. They had accumulated too much animosity towards the demons. Where would they distinguish between good and evil Demons? To them, anything that is not of the human race, regardless of its intentions, kill first to vent their anger. ¡°Hehe, let me be the one to get rid of this Demon spy.¡± Lu Yong smiled, rubbing his hands as he was about to move forward. Shen Luo stepped forward, blocking his path, his eyes cold. ¡°You want to stop me?¡± Lu Yong glanced at him, but didn¡¯t really take Shen Luo into consideration since he was far less powerful than himself. Shen Luo didn¡¯t respond, but the sound of the wind was heard from his sleeve and a half-moon ring appeared in his palm. ¡°Whoever wants to fight, come and spar with me first.¡± Bai Xiaoyun spoke, but his eyes were only on Lu Yong. The favor towards Shen Luo was obvious. ¡°No, no, I was just trying to scare that little demon.¡± Seeing this, Lu Yong had to concede. General Rhinoceros, seeing that they did not believe him, could only sigh and say, ¡°Shen Luo, if you trust me, don¡¯t go.¡± Having said that, he picked up his Ghost Head Hammer, turned around, and walked into a forest, disappearing into the distance. However, not long after, a roar was heard from the forest, ¡°Go to hell you little demon, one day I will become a powerful Demon and scare you to death.¡± ¡°This scoundrel, he even dared to curse me¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, Lu Yong was utterly shocked, his face immediately turned furious. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He contemplated for a moment before speaking, ¡°This Rhino Demon is not evil by nature. What he said mostly may not be false.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, surely you¡¯re not going to fall for that little demon¡¯s tricks?¡± Lu Yong chuckled. Shen Luo did not wish to entertain him and stayed silent. But Lu Yong wouldn¡¯t let it go and continued, ¡°Do you know that, apart from Jianmen Pass, we have no other way to go, if we don¡¯t go through there, the only route left is to go around and enter Wushan.¡± Everyone¡¯s faces changed slightly when they heard this. ¡°We can¡¯t go into Wushan, absolutely no way.¡± The bearded man continuously shook his head. Shen Luo didn¡¯t quite understand but chose not to question it, instead, he turned to look at Bai Xiaoyun. After all, the one who could really make decisions in the team was him. ¡°The Wushan Range has been occupied by demons for many years, the situation inside is very complex with many unknown risks, it¡¯s definitely not a good choice. Last time I was coming to Jianye on this road, I passed by Jianmen Pass and everything looked normal even though I didn¡¯t enter the pass. I believe that nothing major would have occurred in such a short period of time.¡± Bai Xiaoyun spoke, pondering for a moment. Even after listening, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes still showed a hint of doubt. ¡°How about this, when we reach Jianmen Pass, avoid rushing into the city. I¡¯ll go in first to investigate, and when I¡¯m sure everything is okay, the rest can enter, how does that sound?¡± Bai Xiaoyun turned to look at Shen Luo, suggesting. ¡°The Elder speaks thoroughly, that sounds good.¡± Lu Yong immediately agreed. The other people also murmured in agreement. Seeing Bai Xiaoyun looking at him, Shen Luo hesitated a bit, then nodded. The group set off again, heading for Jianmen Pass. With the previous reminder from General Rhinoceros, everyone had to speed up their pace. After half a day, they arrived near Jianmen Pass. However, when the group reached a point on the mountains about three or four miles away from Jianmen Pass, they could already hear distant echoes of human killing cries and roars of wild beasts. Clearly, General Rhinoceros was not wrong, something had indeed happened at Jianmen Pass. ¡°Leave half of the monks here, to guard the people. The rest follow me, let¡¯s go to Jianmen Pass as reinforcements.¡± Bai Xiaoyun commanded. ¡°Ancestor, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Bai Bi was the first to respond. ¡°Count me in as well.¡± Shen Luo said. Seeing this, the rest of the people also chimed in one after another. ¡°I am also willing to follow the elders.¡± Lu Yong glanced in the direction of Jianmen Pass, a hint of hesitation flashed across his face before he said. Chapter 338: Rushing to Assist Jianmen Pass Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s gaze swept over the crowd, and he spoke, ¡°Brother Hua Kui, you are in charge of protecting the people. The rest of you will accompany me to Jianmen Pass.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A middle-aged man with a full face of beard immediately responded. ¡°We are at the elder¡¯s disposal.¡± The rest echoed one after another. Without being encumbered by ordinary folk, Bai Xiaoyun and his party moved at a much faster pace, covering a distance of three or four miles in the blink of an eye. Jianmen Pass, built into the heart of the Witch Mountain Range, is a fortified stronghold flanked by cliffs on either side. The city, comprised of giant stacked stones and towering over hundreds of feet high, is easy to defend but difficult to conquer. When Shen Luo and his group arrived, they saw hordes of Demon Wolves attacking the city, thousands of wolf corpses piled up around the city walls, already forming layers of corpse mounds tens of feet high. Even more Demon Wolves trampled over their kin¡¯s bodies, striving to climb the city walls. Hovering above the city, tens of thousands of blood bats blotted out the sky, their flapping sounding like rolling thunder. Shen Luo was all too familiar with these two types of monsters, especially the Demon Wolves;he¡¯d faced them before in his dream venture into Feng Chi City and had slain quite a few alongside Yu Meng. As he scanned the field of battle, he indeed spotted numerous giant black wolves and elusive Qing wolves within the dense wolf pack, although he could not discern any wolf-headed humanoids he encountered before. The blood bats flying high above were similar to the ghost bats from the Hidden Wind Valley, but larger in size. Resembling wild boars with their heads and tusks that glowed a dark, crimson light, their wings spanned about a dozen feet when fully extended. One group charged upwards from below, and the other swooped downwards from high above, their tactics complemented each other well. On the city walls, about a dozen people were continuously using talismans or symbol-imbued arrows to suppress wave after wave of the approaching Demon Wolves. Their attack speed was constrained, and the Demon Wolves¡¯ offensive line gradually neared the city walls. In the sky above, giant fireballs would occasionally explode, evidently the work of monks deploying offensive arts against the blood bats, and sword radiant raising into the sky, swooshing into the army of blood bats. ¡°The city hasn¡¯t fallen yet. We should lend a hand,¡± Bai Xiaoyun said, his eyes resolute. Just as he finished his sentence, the battlefield in front of them suddenly shifted. From the midst of the blood bats hovering over the city walls of Jianmen Pass, clouds of blood-red fog emerged, engulfing all the blood bats within. The fog converged into a massive blood cloud. Though no blood bats could be seen within the blood cloud, countless red sparks flickered like rumbling thunder. In the blink of an eye, a torrential downpour erupted from the bloody cloud¡ªan actual blood rain¡ªthat covered only Jianmen Pass¡¯s city walls and nowhere else. Upon a closer look, Shen Luo realized that the rain falling from the sky was indeed blood-red. Shortly after the rain had started, panicked screams could be heard from the city walls. Subsequently, seven or eight figures dashed out from the city walls wildly and tumbled down into the pack of Demon Wolves below. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The surrounding Wolf Monsters immediately swarmed them, shredding their bodies to pieces and devouring them clean. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s stern voice echoed as he leaped up, soaring into the sky like an arrow towards the city walls. Worried, Shen Luo instructed Shen Yu before activating a flying talisman to join Bai Xiaoyun in the sky. The rest of the group also charged forward, plunging into the horde of Wolf Monsters. Lu Yong, whether intentionally or unintentionally, lingered at the back of the crowd. He looked up at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaoyun, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, before leisurely moving towards the city gate. As Shen Luo was chasing after Bai Xiaoyun, he suddenly stopped halfway. He saw at the corner of the city wall, there was a middle-aged man dressed in a green Daoist robe fiddling with something like a compass. Behind him, a vague blue light flashed, and a wolf had unknowingly climbed onto the city wall. Moreover, on the back of that blue wolf, a wolf-headed humanoid with a bare upper body was riding. He held a bone spear in his hand, ready to pierce the Daoist-robed man with a single attack. Without hesitating, Shen Luo instantly activated a water-repelling technique, surrounding his body with a light blue glow before diving straight into the bloody rain. As the rain lashed his body, streaks of white smoke emerged, and the corrosive smell entered Shen Luo¡¯s nose and mouth. However, there were no abnormalities on the glowing light curtain of the Water-repelling technique which put Shen Luo¡¯s mind at ease. He dropped swiftly towards the corner of the city wall, as a water arrow shot out from his hand. At the end of the arrow hung a Thunderfall talisman, aimed directly at the back of the heart of the wolf-headed man. While this arrow could not stop the wolf-headed man¡¯s attack directly, if he only focused on the attack and did not defend himself, he would inevitably be killed by the Thunderfall talisman after killing the Daoist-robed man. As expected, the wolf-headed man valued his own life. Just as his spear was about to pierce the Daoist-robed man, he turned the spearhead around to directly stab the water arrow. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! The Thunderfall talisman exploded, a thick arm-like snowy white thunder light burst out and exploded at the tip of the spearhead. At the same time, a semi-circular light curtain emerged from the tip of the wolf-headed man¡¯s spear. The white electric light fell on it, making a sizzling sound, wildly colliding with it, but ultimately failed to penetrate it. However, the moment the electric light dissipated, Shen Luo had already landed, raising a fist to smash it towards the face of the wolf-headed man. The wolf-headed man¡¯s eyes flashed a crimson light, a chilling smirk emerged on the corners of his mouth. He raised his spearhead, aiming directly at Shen Luo¡¯s heart. With the Huangting Technique active, Shen Luo twisted his body and easily avoided the spear tip, sliding down the bone spear with his body close to it, his fist packing an enormous momentum hammered down. Not in the least bit frightened, the wolf-headed man raised a fist to meet Shen Luo¡¯s attack, their fists collided heavily. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! Their fists collided, causing the city wall to tremble, an invisible wave of shock burst forth, pulsating towards the surrounding area. A mournful cry sounded, it was the blue wolf under the wolf-headed man. Unable to withstand this tremendous force, all its limbs broke and collapsed to the ground, its spine also simultaneously crushed, dying on the spot. The wolf-headed man didn¡¯t care about this, landing on his feet immediately after. He lifted the spear abruptly, sweeping it towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo raised an arm, blocking the wolf-headed man¡¯s attack directly. With a gauge on his opponent¡¯s strength, he knew the man was at the most in the mid-stage of Soul Condensation, only relying on the strength of his physical body to resist until now. He was slightly distracted by the Daoist robed man behind the wolf monster, feeling exasperated. That guy, even at this point, still had his back towards them, fiddling with something unknowingly. Just then, the wolf-headed man suddenly let out a shout, his crimson eyes gushing out two streams of black and red mist. Like two streams of water, they slithered down, intertwining up his bone spear. ¡°Demonic Qi¡­¡± Chapter 339: The New Master of Sword Pavilion Shen Luo was not in the least unfamiliar with the aura emanating from the black-red mist, and he immediately recognised it. Right after, the aura of the wolf-headed man changed dramatically, its breath was even comparable to the Core Formation Stage, and he swung the bone spear in his hand at Shen Luo, pushing him back several feet. Shen Luo slid back several feet, not yet having steadied himself, when the demon wolf had already charged over. With a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, he pierced his bone spear towards Shen Luo¡¯s heart. In a hurry, Shen Luo could only raise his arms to protect himself, but the bone spear, wrapped in dense demonic Qi, had already pierced through the blood cloud rain curtain, nailing his arm. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the water-repelling array light curtain that Shen Luo had cast shattered, breaking into little specks of blue light, and dispersed. Shen Luo only felt a searing pain in his arm and slid forward with the bone spear lodged in between his two arms. He twisted his body violently, fully activating the Huangting Technique, and used all his strength to twist and pull the bone spear. The tip of the bone spear traced an arc in mid-air, twisting a full one hundred and eighty degrees, yet astonishingly, it did not break. ¡°Hei¡±. The wolf-headed man roared, and with a jolt of his arm, he bounced the spear back. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo¡¯s body swung backwards, and was thrown out by this tremendous force, flying dozens of feet horizontally, and crashed into the parapet on the other side. He propped himself up against the parapet with one hand, but a scorching pain was coming from his body. He looked down, only to realise that without the protection of the water-repelling array, the blood rain landing on his skin was like boiling oil poured on his body. And around him, the constant cries of agony were also rising. Others who couldn¡¯t withstand the blood rain dashed out of the city wall. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have much time to watch further as the wolf-headed man again charged towards him. The man was now shrouded in demonic Qi, making his figure several times larger, looking down at Shen Luo, his eyes brimming with murderous intent. Realising that ordinary means were of no use against the wolf-headed man and would just get him infected by the demonic Qi, Shen Luo immediately made a series of hand gestures, preparing to deploy Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. But just at that moment, there was a resonant sound of a gong from the sky above, and sounds of chanting like holy hymns echoed from within the blood clouds. In a flash, wave after wave of Buddhist light spread from the clouds, lighting up the blood clouds in the sky, and created countless holes in them. In an instant, as if daylight had suddenly descended, a peaceful and benign sensation descended from the sky, like spring showers pouring over the city wall, washing away the blood rain instantly. Nearly a hundred people on the city wall who were under the influence of the blood rain were instantly enveloped in the Buddhist light with strands of bloody aura leaking from head to toe. But this process seemed extremely painful, and they couldn¡¯t help but roll on the ground, wailing in agony. Shen Luo looked skyward and saw that the blood cloud formed by blood bats was quickly dissipating. A large number of blood bats had already separated and were fleeing to the distance. His heart leapt with joy, and his gaze fell on the wolf-headed man. The man was still staring intently at him, seemingly indecisive about whether to continue fighting. At that moment, the Taoist robe man who had been turning his back to them, as if he had finally completed some mission, stood up straight and loudly declared, ¡°Done!¡± Just as he finished speaking, the whole wall of Jianmen Pass city violently shook, with the corner of the city tower as the starting point, the city tower in the middle, the lookout platform in the middle, and the corner tower on the other side, a flurry of green light erupted in succession. A rumbling sound came, as if many major formations had started to operate independently. Immediately after, the green light at those places suddenly increased dramatically, transforming into seven light pillars reaching straight up into the sky. Flying swords made of condensed light suddenly shot out from within, with an imposing momentum rushed towards the besieging Demon wolves under the city. In an instant, the entire city wall was filled with the radiance of swords, bloodlight burst out everywhere, and the roars of the Demon wolves echoed continuously. On top of the city wall, the red and black demonic qi flowing from the eyes of the wolf-headed man was getting less and less, the madness in his eyes gradually faded. He swung the bone spear in his hand, scattering several light swords that had shot at him. The cold eyes glanced at Shen Luo, then leaped and flew out of the city wall. Before it landed, a black giant wolf rushed towards it, leaped up in mid-air to catch it, and escaped with it on its back. With the retreat of the wolf-headed man, those wolves that had been fearless in their charge and had clung to the city wall suddenly seemed to have received an order and began to start retreating like a tide, moving toward the distance. Shen Luo came to the top of the city wall, looked in the direction of the retreating wolves, and found that it was not towards the valley where the people outside the city were hiding, he then slightly relaxed. ¡°Thank you Daoist for your help, I wonder how my Daoist friend is called?¡± At this time, a voice of gratitude suddenly came from behind him. Shen Luo turned around to look, and found that the speaker was that Taoist robe man. His appearance looked quite refined, and there was even a warm smile on his face. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t experienced those frantic life-and-death moments just now. ¡°I am Shen Luo, may I ask your name?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°So it¡¯s Daoist Shen, I am Yao Feng, the newly appointed master of the Sword Pavilion, currently in charge of Jianmen Pass.¡± The man in the Taoist robe slightly cupped his hands and said. ¡°Should I call you Master Yao, or Lord Yao?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked. ¡°No need for formalities. The previous masters and lords have all died in battle, and I am the only surviving Core Formation stage monk in the city. I reluctantly took over the city master¡¯s duties. Just call me Daoist friend.¡± Yao Feng replied with a blush. ¡°Master Yao, I have a question. Why didn¡¯t you dodge in such a dangerous situation just now?¡± Seeing he indeed is a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, Shen Luo immediately asked. ¡°Ah, it was a critical moment for repairing the city¡¯s protection sword array. Once I got distracted, it would be a waste of effort. I really had no choice. Speaking of which, I should really thank you for stopping that demon wolf. If the sword array could not be repaired, Jianmen Pass would undoubtedly be lost.¡± Yao Feng sighed and spoke. ¡°Daoist Yao, don¡¯t just thank me, there are many who came to help.¡± Shen Luo smiled and spoke. After speaking, he looked up at the sky and saw that Bai Xiaoyun, who had been chasing those Blood Bats, had already returned and was falling down to the city, reuniting with Bai Bi and the others. ¡°Of course, of course¡­¡± Yao Feng hurriedly replied. Shen Luo standing on the city wall, looked down and was immediately hit by a surge of rotten aura. The decomposed corpses piled up beneath had severely rotted, be it the humans or the demon wolves, almost all of them were decayed together. ¡°The battle is so fierce, it¡¯s commendable that you guys have held on.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Alas, Jianye city is already broken. The situation here in Jianmen Pass will only be more difficult. Most of the disciples of our Sword Pavilion have already died in the battle;only a few Elders and Guest Officials left, and we now have to rely on the Seven-Star Sword Array to protect the city.¡± Yao Feng said with a sigh upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words. On hearing these words, Shen Luo also fell silent for a while. Chapter 340: Somewhat Strange ¡°Daoist Yao, you go ahead and arrange the matters of the battlefield on the City Wall. We still have some people hiding outside the city. When they are all gathered, please open the city gate and let us in,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Rest assured, Friend Shen. You have come all the way from Jianye City and have done us a good turn. Naturally, the gate of Jianmen Pass will be opened for you,¡± Yao Feng said with a solemn expression, clasping his fist in reply. ¡°Thank you very much then,¡± Shen Luo returned the gesture with a bow. Having said that, he leaped off the city wall, strolled diagonally on it for several steps, and then landed next to everyone. ¡°How are things on the city wall?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked as he came over. ¡°There are no issues now. That Master Yao Feng¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly described the situation on the city wall to everyone. Just as he finished speaking, Shen Luo remembered his conversation with Yao Feng just now, and something felt off, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what the problem was. At this moment, a series of orders came from the city wall, seeming like Yao Feng was commanding his subordinates to tidy up the battlefield. ¡°Bai Bi, bring the people waiting outside into the city,¡± Bai Xiaoyun glanced up at the city wall and then turned around to give the order. ¡°Yes.¡± Bai Bi responded immediately and ran off. ¡°I¡¯m going to help, too, and tell everyone to hurry up,¡± Shen Yu spoke up. ¡°Alright, let everyone get into the city as soon as possible to prevent the monsters from launching another assault.¡± Shen Luo nodded approvingly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see those guys were beaten back? How dare they attack again?¡± There came a snort of derision from one side, filled with contempt. Shen Yu was about to leave when she heard this. She turned her head and found that it was Lu Yong who had spoken. She slightly furrowed her brows, and a tinge of loathing rose in her eyes. Not because this man had been sarcastic, but because he didn¡¯t make any move during the battle earlier. Now he suddenly emerged. ¡°Since you¡¯re not one of these monsters, how do you know they wouldn¡¯t dare?¡± Shen Luo retorted emotionlessly. ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± Lu Yong flew into a rage at his words. ¡°Well, ¡­of course, I¡¯m not one of those beasts, but I know the beasts can¡¯t be trusted. If we really had listened to some people¡¯s words and took the detour suggested by the Raging Bull Demon, it would have ended badly for Jianmen Pass¡­¡± He was about to throw a fit when he noticed that Bai Xiaoyun was watching, so he changed his tone, grumbling. ¡°Fortunately we didn¡¯t believe it, that guy definitely had bad intentions.¡± A man behind Lu Yong chimed in. ¡°Disloyalty is expected from monsters. Next time we should just kill them quickly.¡± Someone else yelled out. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Even though the monster greatly exaggerated, not everything it said was false. At the very least, we were informed of the attack on Jianmen Pass and prepared ahead of time ,¡± Bai Xiaoyun suppressed the discussions, saying. Everyone kept quiet after hearing this. About half a moment later, Bai Bi and others arrived, leading all citizens and carriage team, stopping outside the city gate. The piles of corpses that had accumulated at the entrance of the city gate had been cleared away, but the piles of bodies stacked on both sides of the street were still quite shocking. Accompanied by a series of heavy sounds, the two thick city gates slowly opened outward. Looking through the gate, Shen Luo saw men and women, old and young, standing at both sides, tens of people. They all appeared to be practitioners from their demeanour and injuries. Behind these people, hundreds more were tightly standing together, stretching into the city, Shen Luo examined them and found that the monks standing in front were in good condition, their eyes still sparkling. But those ordinary citizens standing behind were utterly exhausted, with numb expressions. They seemed to have suffered a lot from the monsters¡¯ attacks. ¡°Fellow Daoists, you have waited a long time. We are grateful for your help earlier. Please, come in,¡± Yao Feng, wearing a Qing-colored Daoist robe, came to the front, bowing to everyone, and said. ¡°We are just passing through and will not bother you too much, thank you,¡± Bai Xiaoyun responded with a vertical palm salute gesture. ¡°No problem, no problem at all. It would be great if you could stay for a while longer,¡± Yao Feng said with a thick smile on his face. Shen Luo looked again into the gate, then quietly moved back to Shen Yu¡¯s side and whispered a few words in her ear. She then moved inconspicuously to Shen Huayuan and communicated with him. With everyone¡¯s attention on the gate, no one noticed the Shen family¡¯s odd behaviour. ¡°Please come in, everyone. Although we can¡¯t offer a banquet in the city, we have prepared some food and hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± Yao Feng waved his hand and suggested, making an inviting gesture. Bai Xiaoyun immediately gestured to everyone to enter the city. He was the first one to walk into the gate and head towards the city. The people in the city saw this and stepped aside. Right after him, Lu Yong and others also walked in with pomp. Instead of rushing in, Shen Luo stood by the gate, guiding the citizens driving the carriages into the city. The Shen family, on receiving the instruction from Shen Luo, stood still waiting. Only when everyone else had entered did they take the place of the people of the Bai family and ended up at the tail of the team. Everything was orderly and went without a hitch. ¡°It seems like I was overthinking¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, sighing with relief in his heart, and then followed the squad. The team in front had exited the gate and reached a square within the city. The ground near the wall was still piled up with wine jars filled with fire oil and neatly stacked bundles of arrows. On the other side, a bit further away, you could still see a temporarily set up stove. It seemed that the supply during the war was solved in this square. As Shen Luo glanced over, he noticed there was no fire under the stove, not even a trace of warmth. It looked like it hadn¡¯t been used for a long time, which puzzled him. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. According to previously what Yao Feng had said on the city wall, the monsters had been besieging the city for some days, and this stove shouldn¡¯t be out of fire. At this moment, he carefully recalled the earlier words of Yao Feng. His eyes suddenly flickered, finally remembering what had been bothering him. He had never mentioned Jianye City to Yao Feng before, nor had he spoken of his origins. However, Yao Feng had directly stated that they had come all the way from Jianye City. How¡­ did he know about this? Moreover, Jianye City had only recently been breached. Under normal circumstances, the news could not have spread widely. While Jianmen Pass was not too far away, in its current closed-off state, how could they have received the news? ¡°Daoist Yao, before us, has anyone else come here to help?¡± Shen Luo asked, just to be safe. Chapter 341: So Thats How It Is Chapter 341: Chapter 337: So That¡¯s How It Is S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 341: Chapter 337: So That¡¯s How It Is ¡°Right now, everyone is too busy fending for themselves that even the ones who manage to escape didn¡¯t come here, how could anyone come to help? We are extremely fortunate to have received your aid.¡± Yao Feng spoke without hesitation. ¡°So, it seems like it¡¯s a matter of fate.¡± Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo¡¯s facial expression remained unchanged, but his heart sank. While they were speaking, he took a few steps towards Bai Xiaoyun, intending to bring the matter to his attention, but then, the heavy sound of the city gate closing again echoed behind him. All of the Jianye people and monks who had fled the city had already entered Jianmen Pass. Knowing that something was amiss, Shen Luo instinctively wanted to use his divine soul to inform Bai Xiaoyun through a psychic message. However, after Bai Xiaoyun entered the city, he hadn¡¯t noticed anything wrong. Shen Luo started to hesitate. Whoever was hiding inside Jianmen Pass must not be ordinary, especially if they were able to disguise their identity right under the nose of Bai Xiaoyun, a late-stage cultivator in the Mahayana realm. If he rashly used his psychic message, it would most probably alert the enemy. Hence, he had to be cautious. After hesitating for a moment, he moved forward and unfalteringly called out to Bai Xiaoyun. Bai Xiaoyun turned to look at him with an inquisitive gaze, while Yao Feng also cast a discreet glance at him. ¡°With the presence of the sword array and Yao Feng guarding the Jianmen Pass, it seems like quite a safe place. Why don¡¯t we bring Xie Yuxin over as well?¡± Shen Luo asked Bai Xiaoyun without showing any hint of discomfort on his face. The year Xie Yuxin betrayed the Bai Family and fled, it had a significant impact on Bai Xiaoyun. Shen Luo believed that using this incident to hint that something was amiss here would surely be understood by Bai Xiaoyun. As expected, upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Bai Xiaoyun hesitated for a moment before he responded, ¡°Now that you mention it, I was also considering the same.¡± ¡°Xie Yuxin, do you still have friends or relatives who aren¡¯t here yet?¡± Yao Feng immediately came forward and asked. ¡°Indeed, we have some friends who are still outside the city. They should be able to reach here by later today.¡± Shen Luo nodded at Yao Feng. ¡°If they are your friends, the more the merrier. Both our Sword Pavilion and the people of Jianmen Pass welcome them with open arms.¡± Yao Feng¡¯s eyes brightened upon hearing this. At that time, Lu Yong also overheard their conversation and came forward, asking curiously, ¡°Elder, I thought everyone was here. Are there others as well?¡± Upon hearing this, a surge of nameless anger welled up inside Shen Luo, and he silently cursed, ¡°Useless fool who is more likely to hinder rather than help.¡± Seeing this, Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s brow furrowed. Although he didn¡¯t know what Shen Luo had discovered, he believed that he wouldn¡¯t make a baseless claim, thus he became more cautious. ¡°Hehe, it seems like we do have some wise people among you. There¡¯s no need for me to continue pretending anymore, especially when you¡¯re all trapped here now Suddenly, Yao Feng let out a few chuckles and slowly uttered these words. As his voice echoed, his body started to float in mid-air, gradually rising above everyone¡¯s heads. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo stepped back a few paces, creating a distance between them. Without uttering a word, Bai Xiaoyun stood in his place, his hands behind his back. He wore a string of six golden Buddha beads the size of cherries on his wrist. The beads were inscribed with the six true words: ¡°Aum¡±,¡±Ma¡±,¡±Ni¡±,¡±Pad¡±,¡±Me¡±, and ¡°Hum¡±, from which golden ripples spread out. The people of Jianye City were confused by the sudden turn of events and looked at each other in panic, not knowing what to do. ¡°Everyone, retreat to the city gate immediately!¡± Shen Luo¡¯s loud command echoed resonantly among the chaotic crowd. However, apart from the Shen Family who were already at the back of the line and immediately moved towards the city gate, only a few members of the Bai Family followed them and backed away. The rest of the people stood on the spot, bewildered by the situation. ¡°Once you¡¯ve entered Jianmen Pass today, none of you will be able to leave.¡± Yao Feng, suspended in the air, shouted angrily. As his words fell, red and black smoke was seen billowing from his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and other orifices, and in an instant completely enveloped his body. When he reappeared, he was completely changed. He was now covered in pitch-black ink-like skin, his entire body shrouded in a wide cloak, and a large bamboo hat was worn on his head, making his face barely visible. The moment Shen Luo saw him, his eyes flashed with surprise, and he blurted out, ¡°Yao Feng¡­ Demon Wind!¡± As soon as this name was spoken, all the monks in Jianye City were shocked. The ordinary citizens also felt their hearts seized with fear. For hundreds of years, this name had brought them too much terror. ¡°How is that possible? Bai Xiaotian clearly died alongside it Shen Luo never thought that Demon Wind could still be alive after Bai Xiaotian¡¯s powerful self-destruction. ¡°It¡¯s Demon Wind, it¡¯s Demon Wind The civilians who had previously witnessed the battle between Demon Wind and Bai Xiaotian were now completely recalling the dreadful scenes of the day Jianye City was breached and were thrown into immense fear. Meanwhile, the citizens standing on both sides of the passageway started to show black fog flowing through their eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. It enveloped them almost instantly. The skin on their bodies dried up swiftly, their eyes sank into their sockets, their cheekbones protruded prominently, as if all the moisture inside their bodies was drained out within a few moments and turned them into dried up corpses. As soon as these corpses were formed, each of them emitted an aura of deadly evil that filled the sky. They let out a low, indistinct murmur, and began to pounce on the people of Jianye City. Seeing this, the citizens of Jianye were panic-stricken and turned white as sheets. ¡°It¡¯s a demon, help us, run quickly Someone yelled out, causing a few hundred others to rush frantically towards the back, trying to escape from the city. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, monks should guard the surroundings and escort the citizens to the city gate.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes hardened as he used the Huangting Technique, shouting this command with a loud and resonant voice. His command was like a roar that boosted everyone¡¯s morale. It indeed calmed the panic and anxiety for a lot of people in the crowd. The cultivators regained themselves and immediately moved towards either side of the crowd, creating two discontinuous walls of people, with the citizens safeguarded in the middle, moving towards the city gate. ¡°Ha ha, be afraid, be terrified, the more you fear and panic, the better Demon Wind floated in the air, arms outstretched, while faint layers of black Qi from around the world gathered towards him and flowed into his wide cloak. As this black Qi entered him, he seemed intoxicated, throwing his head back and looking completely lost in euphoria. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have a clear idea about his cultivation level, but the abundant demonic Aura around him was enough to make him wary. ¡°Did my brother¡­did he die at this demon¡¯s hands?¡± Bai Xiaoyun stared at Demon Wind and asked, word by word. ¡°To kill him, Bai Xiaotian blew himself up. I don¡¯t know why, but it was unsuccessful.¡± Shen Luo replied gravely with lowered voice. ¡°You¡¯re the younger brother of Bai Xiaotian from Jianye City, no wonder I can feel a similar bloodline and aura on you. Both the brothers are useless. You should join me and become spirits under my control.¡± Demon Wind gave out a vicious laugh and said mockingly. Chapter 342: Illusion Chapter 342: Chapter 338: Illusion Chapter 342: Chapter 338: Illusion ¡°Bai Xiaoyun heard this and his facial expression didn¡¯t change noticeably. However, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and soon fixated a killing gaze on the demon wind, fully revealing his intent to kill. Instantly, his right palm flashed with silver light, and shape-shifting silver rays lengthened into a silver-colored tin staff about one zhang (3.3m) long. The staff was adorned with twelve rings at its head;the Great Compassion Mantra in Sanskrit was engraved on it. A Jing Ming pearl of the size of a walnut was embedded in the tail-end of the staff, which emanated an overwhelmingly upright and positive Buddhist aura. With a flick of his single hand, the Buddhist beads serving as his wristband fell off his wrist. Its thread broke apart by itself, and six golden beads hung beside his body, each shining with a flame-like, crimson light from the Buddhist mantra inscribed on them. With a single tap of his foot on the ground, his figure shot out like an arrow. The silver-colored staff in his hand lunged straight like a long spear towards the demon wind¡¯s heart. The six Buddhist beads followed his figure like a shadow, swiftly swooping across the demon wind. Seeing this action, the demon wind unexpectedly dodged its sharp edge, swiftly raising its height by dozens of zhangs (hundreds of feet). With a sudden flutter of its wide sleeves, billowing black mist rolled out. Like two long black snakes, the black mist charged at Bai Xiaoyun. Seeing the situation, Bai Xiaoyun did not dodge at all. He pierced the black mist with his staff and twisted his wrist to make the rings hanging on the top of the staff start jingling. In an instant, layers of golden wavelets spread out from the staff like a tide and filled the surroundings. The dense black mist dissolved immediately, like the melting of piled-up snow under the strong sun, when it encountered the golden wavelets. It did not obstruct Bai Xiaoyun in the least. The staff was getting closer to the demon wind and had already reached its body. Suddenly, the demon wind¡¯s right hand violently stirred, making a ¡°rustle¡± sound as it wound its wide sleeve tightly around the staff. The sleeve produced an intermittent sizzling sound and emitted plumes of white smoke. Immediately afterwards, the staff caught in the demon wind¡¯s right hand was jerked back, pulling Bai Xiaoyun forwards. The demon wind quickly sidestepped the staff and lifted a palm to strike at Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s body. Bai Xiaoyun was already well-prepared for this move. His reaction speed was extremely fast. The staff in his hand swept to the side, hitting the demon wind. The ¡®Great Compassion Mantra¡¯ inscribed on the staff shone with bright red light. It looked like a hot branding iron stamping on the demon wind¡¯s cloak. A soft sound ¡®bang¡¯ emerged on the spot. Red light blossomed profusely from the rune on the demon wind¡¯s cloak. It opened up like a fire lotus, emanating the merciful radiance of the Buddha¡¯s true law, and released a powerful aura. Under the intense flames, rolling black mists on the demon wind¡¯s cloak began to evaporate. A massive void was shockingly revealed. Shen Luo looked up and saw horizontal and vertical cracks all over its body that was exposed. These cracks glowed a faint red, like a porcelain bottle on the verge of shattering. ¡°Audacious monster, you dare to speak insolently even when severely injured!¡± Bai Xiaoyun shouted loudly after hearing this. The place on the demon wind¡¯s cloak that was covering its face could hardly discern any expression. However, its body was shaking continuously. Again, a wave of its sleeve produced rolling waves of demonic qi, which engulfed all the flaming lotuses and covered the void once more. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank, and he understood. The monster wind wasn¡¯t as relaxed as it had declared. The self-destruction of Bai Xiaotian had severely injured the monster, seemingly to the extent that it couldn¡¯t even maintain its immortal form. ¡°How arrogant for a mere advanced master to insult a trapped tiger! After I use the Blood Meal, I will taste your flesh and blood well.¡± Said the demon wind, grinding its teeth. Upon finishing whatever it was saying, it suddenly made a hand seal with both its hands. The palms of its hands were opposed to each other, while the fingers opened up like a blossoming flower, held in front of its chest. ¡± Next, a blinding blood light emanated from the centre of his palm, its dazzling radiance like a rising bloody sun. Shen Luo only took one glance, but after a moment of sharp pain in his eyes, he couldn¡¯t look away. Before his eyes turned abruptly red, the whole world seemed covered by a layer of dark red haze. An endless river of flowing bloody red met his eyes, with piles of Human Race corpses piled high like mountains, exuding an extremely intense, bloody scent. ¡°Aww A loud roar of a wild beast suddenly came from the distance. Shen Luo looked over to see a ferocious Monster, its back full of sharp bone spines, vying with another Monster with curved horns to tear apart a young man. Both creatures were tearing at him, ripping the young man in half. Blood rained down, the entire scene was incredibly brutal, and such purgatorial sights were found everywhere. ¡°What is going on, could it be an illusion?¡± Shen Luo was unsure. He looked around, with no idea where he was. When he looked up into the sky, he could faintly see lightning flashing within the clouds, but the sound of thunder was absent. Although Shen Luo felt a suppressed atmosphere around him and seemed to hear a noisy chatter ringing in his Sea of Knowledge, he quickly suppressed his inner panic. After some thought, he reached into his bosom. Soon, he pulled out a green talisman and infused it with a trace of mana. Only to see the runes on the talisman paper shine forth in a green light, which after a brief flash, quickly expanded to fill the entire talisman paper. He raised his hand and threw it gently, and the talisman paper floated up by itself, hovering lazily in front of him. As the charm pattern resonated with a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a visible green whirlwind spun out, coiling around his sides. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze followed the green whirlwind, quickly discovering a scene that surprised him. He clearly saw that where the clear wind swept, a faint red smoke instantly dissipated into the air, along with the feeling of red haze obscuring the void. Emerging from the surroundings of Shen Luo was none other than the scene within Jianmen Pass City Wall. His gaze shifted to the distance, landing outside of the green whirlwind, where the void was still covered in red. The mountains of corpses and rivers of blood he had seen before still existed. ¡°It appears that the effectiveness of this Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman is limited, the scope it can break seems to be only within the range of a dozen meters in front of it. This differs from what is recorded in the books, could it be because this illusion is too powerful?¡± Shen Luo frowned, but had no time to think further. He reached into his bosom and quickly pulled out several more of the same talismans. He turned around, flinging his hand out in each direction, unleashing one Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman after another. Seven or eight Wind Barrier Breaking Talismans flew out in all directions, successively lighting up in the void, with whirlwinds of green flying out from them one after the other, coiling around a range of several dozens of meters, clearing a large area of the red haze. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo then saw all the Jianye people and monks, all of them standing in place. Everyone¡¯s eyes were tinged with a light red glow, their bodies swaying in place as if entrapped in a nightmare. Those corpses turned from Jianmenguan residents, were all crowded around, motionless, and not continuing to chase after these people. Chapter 343: True Word Praise Method Chapter 343: Chapter 339: True Word Praise Method Chapter 343: Chapter 339: True Word Praise Method Every single person in Jianye City wore the same expression of extreme fear on their faces, likely having witnessed the apocalyptic scene of a mass graveyard, just as Shen Luo had. On each of them, indistinct black light marks and faintly flickering red blood energy dispersed from their bodies and gathered in a radiating pattern towards a certain point in the sky. When Shen Luo raised his head and followed this trajectory, he saw that without exception, all were converging on the demon wind in mid-air. At this moment, the demon wind and Bai Xiaoyun were locked in battle. The demon wind¡¯s cloak had already turned from black to bloody red, and its aura had increased tremendously from before. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo briefly contemplated and immediately guessed what was happening. He had once read an article about evil cultivators in the library of Mount Fangcun. The article mentioned a certain forbidden method of increasing cultivation by absorbing the power contained in negative emotions like fear, hatred, and anger. Those who practiced this method often deliberately caused death, hatred, and fear to gather the negative power they needed. The demon wind¡¯s meticulous plan of luring them into the city, without immediately killing them, was likely to restore its strength by absorbing the fearful emotions and vital energy of the city¡¯s residents. If he continues this way, he feared that all of the citizens of Jianye City would turn into lifeless corpses like those at the Jianmen Pass. If its power recovers even more, even Bai Xiaoyun may not be able to withstand its offensive. Although Shen Luo¡¯s Qingfeng Breaking Barrier talisman had cleared the illusion in part of the area, the people trapped in the illusion still couldn¡¯t wake up by themselves. Xiao Luo was temporarily at a loss for a solution, so he leaped into the air, flew close to one person, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him vigorously, trying to wake him up. However, the man¡¯s eyes remained glowing red, showing no signs of waking up. Shen Luo looked over and saw Lu Yong not far away. He rushed to his side, grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently. However, just like the man before, Lu Yong remained unmoved. After a moment of hesitation, Shen Luo twisted his wrist, conjuring a Small Thunder Talisman and pasted it onto his arm. ¡°Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand this, so I have to use you as a test subject. Sorry.¡± He murmured, stepping back, and then abruptly activated the talisman. Just then, with a bang, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky and struck Lu Yong. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Lu Yong let out a ghostly scream and suddenly woke up. He stepped back in fear, then looked around in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he asked in bewilderment. ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain in detail. Everyone is trapped in demon wind¡¯s illusion. Let¡¯s wake up the others first,¡± Shen Luo quickly said as he moved towards another cultivator. Lu Yong glanced around, and then looked up at the battling figures in the sky. Although he still didn¡¯t fully understand what had just happened, he perceived the gravity of the situation. Without hesitation, he pushed through the crowd and headed towards the city gate. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, a flash of anger passed through Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, but he had no time to deal with it and instead focused on awakening the others. ¡°Hm? They managed to escape from the illusion?¡± The demon wind noticed the anomaly below and expressed some surprise. As soon as his words fell, a flash of silver light darted from his side, and Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s tin staff swept across again. Demon Wind raised his arm to block. His cloak wrapped in a mist of blood, directly fending off the tin staff. The bloody Qi on it seemed alive, seeping into the Mantra of Great Compassion engraved in the staff, dyeing half of the tin staff red. Seeing this, Bai Xiaoyun had to withdraw his staff. ¡°No matter, I have already absorbed enough fear anyway. It¡¯s time to feed,¡± Demon Wind laughed recklessly. As his voice fell, his blood-red cloak billowed without wind, spreading like bat wings. A massive bloody vortex emerged abruptly on his exposed body, unleashing a strong attractive force. As soon as that force appeared, everyone on the ground who hadn¡¯t awakened yet, seemed as if an invisible force was strangling their throats, all uttering ambiguous sobs. Immediately afterwards, all these people mindlessly opened their mouths, from which threads of blood-colored light flowed out, forming a red river in mid-air that flowed into the vortex before Demon Wind. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze tightened, and he saw several youths with weak vitality. Their faces turned from red to white, then from white to yellow in an instant, and their skin visibly slackened at a rapid pace. His heart tightened, and without any further delay, he quickly moved to the back of the team, prioritizing saving the people from the Shen and Bai families. In his haste, Shen Luo had no choice but to use dozens of Small Thunder Talismans at once, striking Shen Yu, Bai Bi and a dozen other cultivators to wake them up. ¡°Quick, save the others. Use mana to protect them,¡± Shen Luo shouted, not knowing whether it would work. After waking up, though Shen Yu and the others didn¡¯t know what had happened, they could see that it was an emergency. Without asking questions, they cast spells one after another, protecting several people around them with their mana. However, what puzzled them was that Lu Yong had rushed to the entrance of the City Gate and was hacking at the solid gate with a flying axe. However, there was a dark red glow on the gate, seemingly reinforced with an array, making it impervious for the time being. On the other side, in the high altitude, as soon as the blood light had gathered into the vortex, the glow of Demon Wind became brighter. The fissures that appeared on him were quickly filled with blood light, slowly starting to heal. Bai Xiaoyun looked down, his expression becoming increasingly solemn. He formed a magic spell with one hand and struck his tin staff heavily with it. The tin staff rang out with a ¡°clang¡± sound, and the Mantra of Great Compassion inscribed on it suddenly shone brightly. The Jing Ming Pearl embedded at the end of the staff immediately emitted a soft white light that spread up along the staff. The part of the staff dyed with the blood light was immediately flooded by the white light, purified instantly. Bai Xiaoyun held the tin staff, a glimpse of hesitation flashed in his eyes. However, when his gaze fell on the Bai family members who were being quickly drained of their vitality, his gaze became firm again. He saw him form another spell with one hand, and violently waved his palm forward. The six Buddhist beads engraved with Buddhist Mantras suspended beside him suddenly shone brightly and whizzed towards Demon Wind. ¡°Recite the True Word, suppress the demon with Buddha¡¯s Light, Om, Ma, Ni, Ba, Mi, Hum.¡± He chanted softly, and the six Buddhist beads instantly flew to Demon Wind¡¯s side, encircling him and shining brightly. Each True Word on the beads lit up with a red glow that illuminated the sky, and from it emerged dozens of tall Buddha shadows bathed in light, holding various seals such as meditation, fearlessness, vows, preaching, wisdom, and subduing, striking towards Demon Wind. Chapter 344: Breaking the Formation Chapter 344: Chapter 340: Breaking the Formation Chapter 344: Chapter 340: Breaking the Formation Each Buddhist hand seal was replete with radiating circles of light, containing a vibrant and bright surge of mana. With a menacing force, it rushed towards the demon wind in the center, creating distortive waves in the void itself. The demon wind changed color immediately upon seeing this. Its hands quickly melded together, and the bloody light that had been spreading from its body quickly retracted. The light then formed a giant semi-transparent blood cocoon, encapsulating itself within. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± The six Buddhist seals relentlessly hammered down on the blood cocoon, creating a sound akin to rolling thunder. The cocoon immediately reverberated with a bloody light, like waves of blood surging upwards, counteracting the six seals. The six ethereal Buddha statues stood firm and still, but the six Buddhist beads between their eyebrows vibrated incessantly. Bai Xiaoyun, who had hovered in mid-air, had already put away his tin staff. As he continued forming his hand seals, his body vibrated in the same way as the Buddhist beads. Clearly, suppressing the demon wind was not an easy feat. However, because he forced the demon wind to retract its bloody light, trapping it within the blood cocoon, the ordinary people who had been enveloped in the bloody illusion regained their consciousness. Nevertheless, they were panic-stricken and spiritually exhausted, showing signs of total disorientation and incessant confusion. ¡°Heh heh, don¡¯t think that by capturing me, you can protect those mortals. They¡¯re all doomed!¡± Even though the demon wind was bound within the bloody cocoon, it showed no fear. Instead, it issued a loud command. As soon as it finished speaking, the corpses that were once the people of Jianmen Pass, as if receiving an order, attacked all at once. At the same time, seven pillars of light lit up on the city wall, and one by one, phantom sword shadows zoomed down, specifically targeting the people of Jianye City. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For a moment, blood was everywhere, and cries of grief soared high. Hordes of people were mowed down by the sword light, blood splattered all over. The strong smell of blood further stimulated the corpses within the city, inciting them to charge even more ferociously at the people of Jianye City. Shen Luo, who had devoted himself to resuscitating other monks, had returned to the city gate upon witnessing people regaining consciousness. Upon seeing Lu Yong still struggling to break open the city gate, he was speechless. ¡°The city wall is already reinforced with a magic array, complete with the sword array on the wall itself, forming a unified system of attack and defense. It is futile to try and break it down from here. Guard the people inside the city. Let me go disrupt the magic array first.¡± Shen Luo warned everyone before turning around and heading for the city wall. ¡°Elder, don¡¯t worry. Leave this place to us.¡± Shen Yu immediately nodded her head in agreement. Thanks to Shen Luo¡¯s previous advice, no one from the Shen family had perished, which was a sheer stroke of luck compared to the other refugees. Her trust and admiration for Shen Luo had now reached unmeasurable heights. Bai Bi also admired Shen Luo¡¯s calm and collected demeanor in times of crisis. Lu Yong glanced at Shen Luo¡¯s retreating figure and his eyes flickered twice. Upon exiting the city gate, Shen Luo gently tapped on the ground, propelling himself into the air, heading straight for the city wall. However, just as his head peeped over the city wall, he heard a ¡°Whoosh¡± sound. Instantly turning his head, a white sword light brushed past his neck, tearing the fabric of his robe on his shoulder. Shen Luo continued forward, slung himself over the city wall with a swift motion of his palm, and landed on the pathway where the wall guards patrolled. Glancing around, he noticed seven brilliant columns each rotating in place, continuously producing light swords. After hovering momentarily mid-air, they regularly descended into the city. Regarding the matter of the array, Shen Luo had not delved too much into it and initially did not know where the array pivot was located. However, he recalled that the demon wind had been pretending to repair the sword array at the corner of the City Wall earlier, so he immediately rushed over. There were corpses stationed on the City Wall. As soon as they saw Shen Luo rush to the top of the wall, they all attacked him immediately. Shen Luo had no intention of engaging in battle, he directly used the Slanting Moon Steps, and his figure flashed continuously like a phantom on the City Wall. He not only dodged all the corpses, but also prevented any flying sword from approaching him. He arrived at the corner of the city wall where the sword array was located. With a glance, he saw within the range of the light column, a round stone platform about three feet high. On the four directions of the top ¨C east, south, west, and north ¨C were carved mysterious round charm patterns. Each was inlaid with a piece of extremely high-quality immortal jade, in which various lights circulated, and the spiritual energy contained within continuously dissipated. In the center of the stone platform, there was a sword-shaped depression filled with flowing light. These swords of light were continuously condensed within it. ¡°Whether it¡¯s the array pivot or not, first destroy it.¡± Shen Luo said to himself, he twisted his wrist and took out the Half-moon ring. He swung with one hand, and the Half-moon ring lit up, spinning in mid-air and directly hitting the stone platform. There was a ¡°bang¡± sound! There was a flash of light on the stone platform and it began to shake violently. The light pillar also wobbled from side to side, the light in the sword-shaped depression dimmed, stopping the condensation of the swords of light. Seeing this, Shen Luo turned his head to look at the other side, and saw that the Sword light had also stopped. He was delighted, called back the Half-moon ring, planning to use it again to completely destroy the platform, but an unexpected change occurred. He saw the light of the seven platforms flash suddenly, and within the light pillar that had just stopped, sword lights rose again. One after another, the swords of light quickly shot out, but instead of shooting at the Lower Frontier like before, they gathered in mid-air to form a river of flying swords, rushing towards Shen Luo on the City Wall. Seeing this, Shen Luo retreated several steps, waved his hand, and the Half-moon ring shot out from his hand. It shined in the void with silver blades, like the light and shadow of incomplete moons, colliding with the river of swords. The sound of metal and stone collision kept ringing, and sword lights and moon shadows shattered at the same time, turning into patches of stardust. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed, the Huangting Technique within him turned, and he clenched his fist, leaning down to punch the light pillar-encased round stone platform. A deafening ¡°boom¡± sounded. Shen Luo¡¯s punch broke through the light pillar, and when his hand entered, it changed from a fist to a palm, with his five fingers gripping one of the immortal jade pieces embedded in it. With a strong pull, he took it out. Once an immortal jade was removed, the balance of the stone platform sword array was disrupted. The light flickered a few times and then completely dimmed and disappeared. In mid-air, the sword array also contracted its light, and one by one, the swords of light continuously disappeared. Seeing this, Shen Luo, while seizing the opportunity, plucked the other three pieces of immortal jade and put them all into his sleeve. After standing upright, with a punch, he knocked down a corpse that had chased in front of him off the City Wall and rushed towards another sword array again. As before, he broke the remaining sword array platforms one after the other and plucked out all the jade pieces embedded in them. However, at this moment, Shen Luo suddenly sensed the sound of turbulence from Outside the City. He quickly turned his head to look outside the city, only to see a black dust spanning hundreds of feet, like a line of tide, rolling from a distance. Chapter 345: As long as There are Green Hills Chapter 345: Chapter 341: As long as There are Green Hills Remaining Chapter 345: Chapter 341: As long as There are Green Hills Remaining Shen Luo¡¯s gaze sharpened as he saw several black giant wolves advancing side-by-side in the middle of the tide, surrounded by seven or eight green weird wolves. The wolf-headed man he had previously fought was leading the army towards Jianmen Pass from atop a black giant wolf. Above the Yao Wolf Army, a blood cloud hovered, from which the sound of blood bats flapping their wings could be heard. ¡°Damn it.¡± Shen Luo cursed under his breath and shot forward. The corpses blocking his way were shattered one after the other. He landed on the top of the city wall and rushed to the front of the city gate. The sword array on the city wall had been broken, but the array at the city gate seemed to be unaffected. A layer of red light still shrouded it, as it was not yet breached by Lu Yong. ¡°There¡¯s no time, everyone, get out of the way,¡± Shen Luo ordered, and everyone took a step back. His hands waved, and three Thunderfall Talismans were launched, falling squarely on the city gate. ¡°Using talismans to break open the gate? You have quite some imagination,¡± Lu Yong was taken aback, unable to stop himself from mocking as he saw this. Shen Luo ignored him and uttered a low shout, ¡°Break!¡±. In an instant, three thunderous noises echoed simultaneously, three robust bolts of lightning struck as one, forming a ball of spherical lightning, which exploded once again. A resounding ¡°boom¡± echoed. Black smoke billowed above the city gate. The red light curtain covering it was instantly shattered, creating a hole. Even the gate was hit, with the impact making it blackened. Before the others could marvel at this, Shen Luo had already dashed through, operating the Huangting Divine Power to the limit within him. He channeled all his strength, converging it on his fist, and smashed it against the charred part of the door. A loud ¡°bang¡± resounded. A hole the size of a water jar appeared on the heavy city gate, with Shen Luo¡¯s body shooting straight through it. Straightaway, the edges of this hole started to crack, with spiderweb-like fissures spreading out, covering the massive gate in an instant. ¡°Everyone, follow me out of the city!¡± Lu Yong, seeing the situation, cheered happily. At his signal, he swung his flying axe, slicing the already shattered city gate, effectively opening an escape route for the people in the city. The Shen Family was the first to rush out of the city, followed by those from the Bai Family and others. However, by this point, the city had already become a graveyard with numerous corpses. Only one in ten were able to escape alive. Upon escaping the city, before they could even rejoice for a moment, they saw the Yao wolves and blood bats sweeping towards them. The number seemed even larger than that in the fake attack on Jianmen Pass earlier. ¡°Lead them to the east, just run, don¡¯t stop,¡± Shen Luo said anxiously to Shen Yu. ¡°Elder, aren¡¯t you coming with us?¡± Shen Yu was about to respond when he suddenly realized something and quickly asked. ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Shen Luo looked at the sky above the city wall and said. Bai Xiaoyun was still exerting his full strength to use the Buddhist beads to restrain the demon wind. They were in a deadlock, neither side could get the upper hand. In Jianye City, Shen Luo watched helplessly as Bai Xiaotian self-destructed. Now, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Bai Xiaoyun fall in battle too. He had to do something, even if it meant risking his own life. Caught in an urgent situation, Shen Yu, unable to argue, gritted his teeth. He led the Shen family along the city wall towards the east. Seeing this, the people from Bai Family and others also followed suit and fled. After everyone had departed, Shen Luo looked at the incoming Yao beast army. He shot into the air and landed on the city wall. ¡°Xiao Yun, everyone has retreated safely. Do not entangle with it any further, leave quickly,¡± Shen Luo shouted loudly. ¡°Big Brother Shen, this beast is powerful. If I don¡¯t restrain him for a while, even if everyone temporarily escapes, they will be caught. You lead everyone on, I¡¯ll be right behind you,¡± Bai Xiaoyun glanced at him, saying calmly. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Yao wolves and blood bats are returning. If you don¡¯t leave now, you won¡¯t be able to,¡± Shen Luo urgently said, his brows furrowed. ¡°If I can¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll go down with this beast. At least I can avenge my brother,¡± Bai Xiaoyun hesitated for a moment before speaking calmly. ¡°We¡¯ve lost one Bai Xiaotian already, do we still have to lose a Bai Xiaoyun? That¡¯s not how we should settle accounts! Don¡¯t be foolish. As long as you survive, you can take revenge at any time. As the saying goes: As long as the green hills last, there¡¯ll be wood to burn!¡± Shen Luo was anxious and quickly reasoned. Bai Xiaoyun fell into deep thought upon hearing his words. ¡°These people who escaped from Jianye City would not have made it to Chang¡¯an without your escort,¡± Shen Luo said with emphasis on each word. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s tensed face eased a little, a hint of hesitation flickered deep in his eyes. ¡åOne cannot assume anything,¡± interrupted the demon wind¡¯s voice harshly. Before the words fell, the brilliance of the golden Buddha beads in the eyebrows of the six light Buddha images began to dim, and the Buddha images coalesced on it were gradually becoming illusory. The power contained within seemed to be gradually exhausted. At that moment, the demon wind, trapped in the middle, crossed his hands in front of him and began chanting a few strange verses. Suddenly, a swirl of blood light enveloped him. Following a turn, a howl was heard. Instantly, it transformed into a bloody vortex, whirling at high speed in the void, causing a pulling force to emit from within. ¡°Xiao Yun, quickly Shen Luo¡¯s words were blown away by a sharp gust of wind. The blood vortex formed by the demon wind instantly ballooned to ten times its size, forming a hundred-meter-high bloody whirlpool, connecting the sky and earth. It swept up the numerous corpses on the ground and carried them high into the sky. Standing on the city wall, Shen Luo was also not spared. Although he reacted swiftly, operating all the strength in his body, trying to remain on the city wall using his utmost strength, he couldn¡¯t stabilize his form and was pulled into the sky, towards the bloody vortex. The bloody vortex was so large;it even surpassed the six Buddha images in scale. Its peripheral whirlwind continually hammered against the Buddha¡¯s luminescent field, causing sparks and loud clangs wherever they collided. The moment the corpses were drawn into the vortex, they were ground into powder just like beans in a millstone. Shen Luo was taken aback and quickly made a series of hand gestures in front of his chest while reciting a quick incantation. As his chanting resounded, a layer of white light shadow appeared under his feet, and green specks floated around him in the void, converging around his body, making him semi-transparent. ¡°Immortal Escape!¡± Bai Xiaoyun saw Shen Luo being sucked into the bloody vortex, and his expression changed drastically. He wanted to help but was constrained by the demon wind. Seeing that Shen Luo had initiated ¡°Immortal Escape,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but exclaim with surprise. Chapter 346: Dead End Chapter 346: Chapter 342: Dead End Chapter 346: Chapter 342: Dead End Just as his words fell, Shen Luo, who was in mid-air, took a step forward. A green glow flashed around his body and his figure became hazy. He could clearly feel that he was entering that mysterious state of traversing through the void again. His vision was filled with countless green light shadows, and waves of powerful forces were pushing him forward from all sides. However, that strong pull from behind remained constant. Just then, his body sank forward rapidly, and his feet touched solid ground. The countless green lights in front of him dispersed and disappeared, and his vision returned to normal. He immediately saw the Yao Wolf Great Army charging towards him from several tens of feet away. Shen Luo turned around and saw the towering city wall behind him. He had only flown outside of Jianmenguan City. At this time, the bloody vortex in the high sky was becoming more and more powerful. The figures of the six Buddha statues were almost drowned in it. Bai Xiaoyun, who was controlling the Buddhist Beads, became pale as a ghost, bloodless. ¡°Whatever the case, let¡¯s first try to break the balance between them.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts turned quickly, and he murmured to himself. Once he made up his mind, he no longer hesitated at all. He immediately used the Firmament Step on the spot, formed seals with his two hands, pointed a finger at the high sky, his eyes sparkled, and his body lit up with a starlight. ¡°Three Stars Demolishing Demons.¡± With a soft shout from Shen Luo¡¯s mouth, almost all of the mana from his Dantian and his meridians flowed out. A shimmering white light brightened on his hands, suddenly pulling downwards in the void. In the distant Star River, a mysterious force echoed at once. A golden star image flickered in the depths of the thousand-feet-high sky, like a meteor dragging a light mark in the sky, falling towards the bloody vortex. When the golden star manifested its whole shape, it was only three hundred feet above the ground. Its size was over a hundred feet long. Compared to when Shen Luo had summoned it before, it was almost ten times bigger. The golden light radiated from the star was hot and bright. When it came into contact with the bloody vortex, it had a violent conflict, just like the Buddha statues. However, under mutual attrition, the golden star¡¯s light melted faster. A hundred feet, seventy feet, fifty feet, thirty feet, ten feet¡­ The golden star couldn¡¯t even touch the ground before its power had almost depleted. Finally, its golden light spread out and ¡°boom¡±, it exploded. The starlight on Shen Luo¡¯s body disappeared, and his whole person suddenly fell to the ground, unable to even stand up. Looking up, he saw a golden fireball exploding at the top end of the bloody vortex. Waves of golden ripples kept crashing in all directions, making the bloody vortex a total chaos. In the void, where the golden light spread, appeared a golden image with gold stars inside and cloud patterns outside, which lasted for a long time. The balance between the bloody vortex and the six Buddha statues was immediately broken by this force. Bai Xiaoyun quickly formed seals with both hands in front of his body and shouted ¡°boom¡± six times in a row. With the sound of his voice, the True Words inscribed on the six Buddhist beads on the buddha statues¡¯ foreheads lit up one after another and exploded. ¡°Boom, boom, boom The huge explosion echoed through heaven and earth. Six huge explosive vortices collided with each other, exploded the entire bloody vortex. The red and gold light tangled with each other, submerging half of the city wall below. The Yao Wolf and Blood Bat armies that had come to the outskirts of the city saw such a scene and despite being only a few steps away from Shen Luo, they all stopped and did not dare to move forward. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this time, a figure flew down from the smoke of the explosion, caught the powerless Shen Luo, and flew away to the east. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Luo looked at Bai Xiaoyun, whose clothes were torn and bloodstained all over, and asked. ¡°It¡¯s okay, but what about you? Using such godly power, the depletion must be tremendous?¡± Bai Xiaoyun shook his head and asked. ¡°I forcefully increased the power of the godly technique, it¡¯s no big deal, just burned up some mana.¡± Shen Luo laughed and said. ¡°If you¡¯re fighting alone against someone, you can¡¯t be so careless.¡± Bai Xiaoyun couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Just now the situation was critical, where could I think about anything else, that demon wind Shen Luo tentatively asked. ¡°The power of the self-destructing True Word Buddhist bead is not weak, he was already injured, it will make his injuries worse, I guess he won¡¯t catch up again. But we can¡¯t be careless, we must leave as soon as possible, cough Saying this, Bai Xiaoyun couldn¡¯t help but cough up a large mouthful of fresh blood. ¡°You¡¯d better take care of your injuries first.¡± Seeing his face pale as paper, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but urge. After a slight hesitation, Bai Xiaoyun took him to a mountain stream and landed there. After landing, he took out a yellow elixir and swallowed it, closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and nursed his injuries. Shen Luo then took out a Mountain Crossing Talisman and put it beside him, sank his body into the stream water of the mountain stream, operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, absorbed the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, and recovered his mana. Neither of them dared to delay too long, and after the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they set off again. By the time they caught up with everyone else, half a moment had passed. The remaining people of Jianye City were still running eastwards. Although they had left the territory of Jianmenguan, they were still near the Witch Mountain Range and risked encountering demons at any time. Seeing Shen Luo and Bai Xiaoyun return safely, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Elder Bai, Elder Shen, it¡¯s so good that you¡¯ve come back safe and sound,¡± Shen Yu said sincerely. Previously, she had led the Shen family ahead, the journey filled with fear and crisis. Seeing the two of them now, she finally felt a sense of relief. In order to reassure the others, both Bai Xiaoyun and Shen Luo had cleaned the blood off their bodies and changed into clean clothes before they returned. Shen Luo scanned his eyes and saw the exhausted people sitting around, some looked terrified, some numb, some had lost family members and didn¡¯t dare to cry loudly, they could only stifle their cries and sob softly. ¡°What¡¯s the casualty count?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked. ¡°No one in the Shen family was injured, the Bai family and the Lin family each lost one monk and six family members, as for other families¡­ More than half were killed or injured, less than a third survived,¡± Bai Bi said, his gaze fixed on the ground. ¡°And four freelance cultivators ignored our advice earlier, abandoned the others, and ran away themselves.¡± Shen Yu said through gritted teeth, looking angry. ¡°He didn¡¯t run away on his own?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking somewhat surprised. He saw Lu Yong squatting under an ancient tree by the road, surrounded by many freelance cultivators, who were quietly talking to each other. ¡°Everyone over here.¡± Bai Xiaoyun shouted. At the sound of his voice, all the monks gradually gathered, and the people all cast their inquiring eyes at him. ¡°Everyone, Jianmenguan is lost, the only relatively safe path to Chang¡¯an no longer exists, what are your plans?¡± Bai Xiaoyun scanned the crowd and asked. Chapter 347: Going Separate Ways Chapter 347: Chapter 343: Going Separate Ways Chapter 347: Chapter 343: Going Separate Ways Upon hearing this, everyone sighed softly, their morale sinking to an all-time low. Nobody spoke up for a while, the atmosphere was oppressively quiet. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we go our separate ways? Being gathered in such a large group makes us an excessive target, attracting unwanted attention from demons.¡± The bearded man who had always been with Lu Yong turned to Bai Xiaoyun and broke the silence. A middle-aged man with prominent brow bones, who had been looking downcast, immediately rebuked, ¡°Easy for you to say, as a cultivator, you can flee on your own, but what about the ordinary people?¡± He was the patriarch of a minor clan within Jianye City and was followed by the last surviving members of his bloodline. If they were to scatter, he alone would have no chance of survival, let alone protecting a group of clansmen. ¡°Daoist friend Chen Chuan, there¡¯s no need for blame anymore at this point. Right now, everyone is a muddy Bodhisattva, hardly able to save himself, so isn¡¯t it a little selfish to expect everyone to protect your clansmen?¡± Lu Yong responded. ¡°Elder Lu, if anyone else had spoken those words, I wouldn¡¯t have any grounds for rebuttal. But since they¡¯re coming from you, there are a few things I must say.¡± Upon hearing Lu Yong¡¯s words, an unrestrainable anger flashed in Chen Chuan¡¯s eyes as he spoke. Hearing Chen Chuan¡¯s rebuttal, Lu Yong narrowed his eyes to look at him. Sensing Lu¡¯s gaze, Chen Chuan shrank back slightly but did not back down and continued, ¡°Everyone respected you as a senior and showed you deference and respect, didn¡¯t we? We hoped you could protect us when we faced adversity. Didn¡¯t you promise to do that? What did you do when we were inside of Jianmen Pass?¡± As soon as this was said, many surrounding people turned their gazes to Lu Yong. They were all members of the various small clans who had previously followed him. They shared the same confusion. Why didn¡¯t Lu Yong intervene when their clan members were under attack? ¡°What do you mean by your words? If Elder Lu hadn¡¯t broken open the city gate, allowing us to escape, our casualties would have been higher now.¡± The bearded man immediately rebutted. ¡°You are clearly the recipient of someone¡¯s kindness and yet you fail to express gratitude. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± Several people who had gathered with Lu Yong earlier also chimed in. Shen Yu and Bai Bi and others could not help but pull a wry smile. They all realized that if Shen Luo hadn¡¯t taken the city wall, broke the sword array and lifted the Formation Restriction on the city walls, how would Lu Yong have been able to split open the city gate? ¡°Isn¡¯t this not the time to be blaming each other?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked. Everyone remained silent at his question. ¡°Elder Bai, Jianmen Pass is no longer an option, so surely we can¡¯t possibly be thinking of crossing straight through Wushan?¡± The bearded man hesitantly asked. Nobody answered, Bai Xiaoyun also remained silent. ¡°Elder Bai, you¡¯re not actually thinking of leading everyone into Wushan, are you?¡± An elderly man asked. ¡°The situation within Wushan is indeed complicated and risky. However, it is still the closest path to Chang¡¯an.¡± Bai Xiaoyun sighed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go into Wushan. I prefer to die in Jianye rather than go into the Wushan.¡± A Jianye Cultivator from a small clan shook his head repeatedly. ¡°I also don¡¯t want to go in there. I led my clan members away, we¡¯ve traveled miles and miles in pursuit of Chang¡¯an. I don¡¯t fear dying in a foreign land, but I definitely don¡¯t want to die in Wushan Another man declared with a face of horror. ¡°Die and be buried there? Going into Wushan probably means being wiped out.¡± Yet another person said with despair. ¡°Elder Bai, if you decide to venture into Wushan, please accept that I will not be accompanying you.¡± The voice of Lu Yong suddenly rang out. ¡°I also won¡¯t Right after, four to five other voices chimed in all at once. Among them were the bearded man and all the Freelance Cultivators who had initially banded around Lu Yong. ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Bai Bi could not help but ask after seeing their reactions. ¡°Since none of you wish to be the villain, allow me to be that person. I might as well be the one to say the ugliness out loud. I think you all understand that besides being a burden, these mortals have no other use, right?¡± Lu Yong said. ¡°You finally said what was on your mind Chen Chuan raised his brow in a scowl. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be sarcastic. You all know very well whether this is only my own sentiment. If even now you can¡¯t make sacrifices, the eventual outcome will be our complete annihilation, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Lu Yong replied without changing his tone. ¡°You Chen Chuan was left speechless. At these words, all the Cultivators lowered their heads one after the other, their faces filled with an agonizing look. ¡°Daoist friend Lu is right Another voice chimed in and everyone turned to look at its source. The corner of Lu Yong¡¯s eyebrows raised in surprise, for it was Shen Luo who had spoken up. ¡°But, have you ever wondered that in such difficult times, if we as humans can¡¯t even help each other, who can we depend on for protection? If our Cultivators only worry about their own lifeline and common people are ready to become mere fodder, will there ever be a chance of resurgence in the future?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s words took a sharp turn as he countered. At his question, the Cultivators who had escaped with their clan¡¯s next generation changed their expressions slightly. ¡°Look at those children, they are the future of the human race. If we are not even willing to protect them, will there be a future for our race?¡± Shen Luo continued to speak in a calm tone, but his questioning words made everyone¡¯s heart tremble. The crowd¡¯s gaze swept over the young children amongst them, kindness and pity softened their eyes. ¡°Brother Shen, everyone can spout lofty ideals, but going into Wushan is tantamount to seeking death. We cannot accompany you.¡± A hint of fury flashed through Lu Yong¡¯s eyes. ¡°Where the way is not the same, there can be no plans made together. Since Daoist friend Lu has the heart to leave, we won¡¯t make any efforts to retain you.¡± Shen Luo immediately responded. The crowd was taken aback by his words, particularly Bai Xiaoyun who shot a confused glance towards him. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No matter how one looked at it, Lu Yong leaving was a type of loss, since he was a Cultivator in the Nascent Soul Stage, and aside from Bai Xiaoyun, was the person with the highest Cultivation level. Who would¡¯ve expected that Shen Luo would be the one to offer a way out? ¡°This man has long had the intention to separate. Even if we discourage him, it won¡¯t mean much. Even if they don¡¯t leave immediately, it would only be to gather more Cultivators to leave together.¡± Shen Luo remained unfazed, communicating his thoughts to Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°Upon hearing you say this, it indeed seems so.¡± Bai Xiaoyun communicated his agreement. ¡°Just wait and see. Once Lu Yong announces his intention to leave, there will be more than just he alone choosing to do so. Just earlier, there were several of them gathered together, most likely discussing the matter of leaving.¡± Shen Luo relayed his insights. ¡°Alright then. Since even Brother Shen has said so, why should I hesitate to leave? If anyone here agrees with me, why not consider leaving together.¡± Lu Yong laughed coldly and then slapped his hand down in affirmation. Chapter 348: Brutal Chapter 348: Chapter 344: Brutal Chapter 348: Chapter 344: Brutal ¡°Elder Lu, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± The Bearded Man was the first to respond. ¡°We¡¯ll go too.¡± As expected, the scattered cultivators who were waiting before also replied one by one. For a moment, the faces of everyone present turned ugly, and many even cast blame and anger towards Shen Luo. ¡°Elder Lu, fellow Daoists, let¡¯s not say things in anger.¡± The Old Man said with an embarrassed smile, trying to mediate. What he didn¡¯t know was that these people had already made up their minds to leave. Lu Yong only glanced at him, without the intention to mediate at all. At this point, Bai Xiaoyun suddenly took a step forward, and Lu Yong and his people instinctively stepped back. ¡°Everyone has their own ambitions. If you want to leave, we won¡¯t force you to stay. Please, leave.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s gaze slightly condensed as he spoke. During his speech, an invisible aura erupted, making the hearts of all cultivators present throb. His attitude was consistent with Shen Luo¡¯s, even more hardline, unceremoniously asking them to leave. The cultivators who had been thinking about other plans dared not directly abandon their families to go with Lu Yong and his people due to Shen Luo¡¯s prior words. Now, they immediately retracted all their misplaced thoughts after seeing Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s stern demeanor. After all, a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator is more reliable than a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator. Lu Yong looked around and found that apart from the few people who had followed him earlier, no one else joined his team. He inwardly cursed, but he could only respectfully say, ¡°Then, my junior fellows and I will take our leave.¡± After saying this, he slightly saluted, then turned to leave with his group. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo watched their retreating figures not feeling any loss, thinking to himself, ¡°Hesitation leads to chaos.¡± ¡°They¡­ have really gone, then what do we do next?¡± Chen Chuan asked only after those people had gone far. ¡°After I recuperate for a few days and my injuries are somewhat healed, I¡¯ll infiltrate Wushan alone and look for a path that can be used.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said after a moment¡¯s contemplation. ¡°There are many great demons and monsters lurking in Wushan, it is too risky for you to infiltrate alone.¡± Shen Luo immediately frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Indeed, this plan seems too reckless;not suitable, not suitable Others also tried to persuade him. ¡°Apart from this, I¡¯m afraid there are no other methods.¡± Bai Xiaoyun pondered. ¡°I do have another method here which we could try,¡± Shen Luo, who had prepared his thoughts beforehand, spoke. ¡°What method?¡± Everyone asked hurriedly. ¡°We will take the long route east and bypass the Witch Mountain Range. When the time comes, we will pass through Zhenhaiguan, and then circle northwest back to Chang¡¯an. How about it?¡± Shen Luo suggested. After hearing this, everyone fell into contemplation. ¡°Although this detour is extremely long¡­ it seems to be safer.¡± One of them pondered. ¡°We¡¯ve not yet received any news that Zhenhaiguan has fallen Chen Chuan hesitated. ¡°Communication has been cut off everywhere now, who knows if that side has been breached. If we rush over rashly, we may come back empty-handed.¡± Another person also expressed worries. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to worry about this. You might be unaware that the area near Zhenhaiguan has a peculiar geological structure. There are many underground channels eroded by the infiltrating sea. When the time comes, we can sneak through these underground waterways.¡± Shen Luo explained. Zhenhaiguan is located in Yu State, near the Eastern Sea, a place Shen Luo has never been to. He only got information about these underground waterways from some ancient books. Right now, he mainly said this to stabilize everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°If it¡¯s like this, it indeed seems like a good strategy.¡± Chen Chuan pondered for a moment and then nodded. The rest of the people also felt that this plan was feasible and nodded in agreement. ¡°Since everyone has no objections, we will continue to set off after half a day¡¯s rest.¡± Bai Xiaoyun concluded. Without Lu Yong and his party, and considering the people previously lost at Jianmen Pass, there were only about twenty cultivators left in the team. The loss of ordinary people was even more considerable, with only about a hundred left. This team with low morale, led by Bai Xiaoyun, set off on the long detour to the east with difficulty. ¡­ Time flew by, and it was several months later. In the terrain of Yu State, hundreds of giant blue toads were jumping up and down in the mountain range. The dense forests were crushed bit by bit, and dust was stirred up continually. The bodies of these blue toads were like bronze. There were clusters of poisonous glands on their bodies. As they moved, they shed rust-like powdery crystals, which scattered everywhere with the wind. Where the powder landed, flowers, grasses, and trees all withered instantly. Even the soil on the ground was inevitably dyed with a layer of dark green traces, turning it into barren land. However, on the back of the giant toad at the forefront sat a short, squat old man. He was wearing an oversized green robe, which still couldn¡¯t hide his hefty stature. The old man was rather ugly. His brow was broad and flat, his nose was flat and collapsed, his eyes were surprisingly large, coupled with a wide, fatty toad mouth ¨C no matter how you looked at him, he seemed like a toad that had gained spiritual wisdom. The old man was sitting with his hands folded in front of him, seemingly meditating. His chin and neck formed two large lumps that expanded and contracted with his breathing, and from the corners of his mouth, thick green poisonous gas wafted out periodically. Suddenly, a sharp cry came from above the old man¡¯s head. A large shadow circled in mid-air and began to descend toward them. The old toad man looked up and saw a giant Golden Eagle, over ten feet long, gliding towards them. As the golden eagle was about to land, it folded its wings, and its gold covered feathers were enveloped by a flowing light, transforming into a middle-aged man wearing a golden crown adorned with many pearls. This man had a handsome face, slanted eyebrows, and bright, sharp eyes. His hooked nose had just the right curvature, and lacked any sinister feeling. However, his demeanor was extremely cold. ¡°Seeing Daoist friend Junzhi¡¯s expression, it seems you weren¡¯t able to find those homeless dogs?¡± The Toad Elder was the first to speak, chuckling. ¡°Hmph, old toad, don¡¯t make fun of me. Your apprentices were also fooled by them. They¡¯ve also been searching for so long and found no trace of those people.¡± The eagle-nosed man, Junzhi, replied with a cold hum. ¡°Never mind, we are not here to find those people, but homeless dogs who are on their last breath. We need to hurry to the Eastern Sea for backup. If we delay any longer, the gains will not make up for the losses,¡± the Toad Elder replied without anger but a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°No, judging by these people¡¯s tracks, they¡¯re clearly heading east. They might be heading to the Eastern Sea to meddle. I must find them.¡± Junzhi¡¯s brows furrowed as he spoke determinedly. Chapter 349: Underground River Chapter 349: Chapter 345: Underground River Chapter 349: Chapter 345: Underground River ¡°You can go find him, I need to continue on my journey, heading to the Eastern Sea first.¡± The Toad Elder said, yawning, and a thick poisonous gas immediately spurted from his mouth. ¡°You go first, by the time I kill them and catch up, it will be just in time.¡± Junzhi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking towards the sky. As he finished speaking, his arms spread, and blade-like golden wings immediately grew from his body. He fluttered his wings and took off immediately, turning into a golden light that flew into the sky. The Toad Elder once again held his hands together and sat quietly on the toad, heading far to the East. Hundreds of feet away from here, in a narrow valley, a ragged team of the Human Race was carefully moving forward, sticking close to the mountain wall. Each of them was tense, and not a single sound was heard. Leading the group was a middle-aged man in a white robe. His temples were slightly frosted, wrinkles appeared around his eyes, and he had a rather handsome appearance. It was Bai Xiaoyun. In his hand was a palm-sized Mini Scripture Banner, embroidered with Buddhist scriptures in gold thread. A faint golden ripple rolled out from it from time to time, spreading over an area of several tens of feet. Following closely, was Shen Luo. ¡°Thanks to this Invisibility Banner, we were able to avoid the pursuit of the Golden Falcon Monster.¡± He still felt a lingering fear when he recalled the situation over the past two days. Although they had encountered many tribulations along the way and had lost many people, he had never encountered a situation where they were targeted by two Great-Consummation Stage Monsters at the same time, like two days ago. If Bai Xiaoyun hadn¡¯t discovered the situation in time and voluntarily lured the Golden Falcon Monster away, they would have been wiped out by now. ¡°According to Bai Bi, after I left, another monster found its way here?¡± Bai Xiaoyun didn¡¯t look back as he asked. ¡°It was a group of poisonous toads. It seemed like there was a big monster backed behind them. I used the Divine Armor Horse Talisman to lead them around in circles, and I was only able to get away after I used an Escape Technique when I was far enough away.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and answered. ¡°Once we leave this canyon, we won¡¯t be far from Zhenhaiguan. You take everyone and stay in the valley for now, I will go and check it out first.¡± Bai Xiaoyun raised a hand to signal for everyone to rest in place after he stopped. ¡°Your injury Shen Luo furrowed his brows slightly, hesitating. He was aware that Bai Xiaoyun hadn¡¯t fully recovered since the battle at Jianmen Pass. ¡°It¡¯s no longer a major issue now, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just going to see if it has fallen, I won¡¯t get too close.¡± Bai Xiaoyun turned to look at Shen Luo and said. With that, he handed over the Invisibility Banner in his hands. Shen Luo had long since learned how to use this treasure, he took it and continued to activate it. After Bai Xiaoyun left, Shen Luo took out a Hydro-vein Kanyu Map Book, which he had managed to find in a Yu State City, and began to study it carefully. Yu State, located close to the East Sea Pinnacle, had many rivers on the surface. Just the Qingliu River alone split into three water systems, flowing through the state and eventually converging in the East Sea from three different parts. Apart from the surface water system, there were also many underground rivers in Yu State. Some stretched from north to south through Zhenhaiguan. If you could find one of these, you could pass through Zhenhaiguan underground. If Zhenhaiguan had fallen, finding such an underground river was crucial. During this period of time, Shen Luo had flipped through the map book many times. However, the ones recorded in the book were only the distribution of the water veins on the surface in Yu State.Tthere were both the old and current ones, but it did not record the distribution of the underground rivers. Shen Luo could only infer the situation underground based on the changes in the water systems over the years. ¡°Huh, this canyon was actually a river branch in the past, no wonder I noticed signs of water erosion on the rocky walls when we arrived.¡± Shen Luo, comparing the location where he was, suddenly made a new discovery. However, this did not aid his search for the underground river. Thus, Shen Luo was only slightly surprised and didn¡¯t really care. At that moment, the Invisibility Banner in his hand vibrated slightly, causing a ripple of golden light to spread out. Shen Luo quickly put away the Hydro-vein Kanyu Map Book and looked up at the sky. The slit of sky visible from the canyon looked blurred and grey, with nothing discernable. Shen Luo scrutinized it for a while. Just as his eyes began to sting and he was about to shift his gaze, a shadow suddenly swept across the sky, disappearing in a flash. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In that short instant, Shen Luo clearly saw that the shadow was the Golden Falcon Monster that had previously hunted them. ¡°An enduring pest. I just hope that Bai Xiaoyun doesn¡¯t run into it Shen Luo grew slightly apprehensive. The moment these thoughts entered his mind, his expression changed drastically. A shadow loomed over him and the sound of howling wind rang out, one after the other. Shen Luo looked up and saw a huge golden eagle, cloaked in golden feathers fluttering its wings, hovering over the canyon. Its dark golden eyes stared fixedly at people below. ¡°Tricky little fellows, finally found you!¡± Junzhi sneered, speaking up. ¡°Retreat quickly.¡± A wave of apprehension swept through Shen Luo and he immediately commanded everyone to retreat. The people behind him were startled and all began to sprint towards the other side of the canyon. In the next instant, a massive golden light pillar descended from the sky, crashing into the higher end of the canyon with a loud rumble. The rock walls of the canyon where the golden light struck, collapsed like an avalanche. Huge chunks of rocks and debris mixed with rolling dust fell, completely blocking off the exit of the canyon before continuing to spread backwards. The entire canyon seemed like a natural cemetery, ready to bury them all. As Shen Luo commanded people to retreat, he didn¡¯t run himself, but stayed behind to cover their retreat. His eyebrows furrowed in intense focus, forming seals with both hands, his Nameless Cultivation Technique was running at full strength. He could feel the moisture around him, as he tried to channel river water to stop the mountain from collapsing. However, as he was casting the spell, his expression changed slightly. He suddenly looked down at his feet, a look of delight flashing in his eyes. Moments later, the trembles in the earth before him intensified. The ground ¡°boomed¡±, a part of it collapsed revealing a pitch-black void. ¡°Gurgle The sound of water surging echoed and grew increasingly loud, gradually reaching a crescendo, sounding like leaps of thunder. ¡°Rise.¡± Shen Luo made a hand sign and shouted loudly. From the big hole before him, a thick stream of water flowed out like a Flood Dragon leaving its cave, transforming into a giant flood under Shen Luo¡¯s Water Control Technique, rushing towards the collapsed rocks. Below the canyon which used to be a river channel, there is actually an underground river! Chapter 350: Escape Chapter 350: Chapter 346: Escape Chapter 350: Chapter 346: Escape Since ancient times, it has been said that ¡°soldiers block the way and earth covers the water¡±, with no inherent strengths or weaknesses between earth and water, only counterbalances. Shen Luo¡¯s hands danced, pushing forward, and rolling waves continuously gushed out from the cave, stubbornly blocking the collapsing rocks, even showing signs of counter-flow. Seeing the slowing of the mountain wall¡¯s collapse, he controlled the waves while retreating. Although there were still cries of panic in the canyon, having experienced many hardships, the remaining people were frightened but not completely disordered. Under the command of Shen Yu and Bai Bi, they were quite organized. Junzhi flew over the canyon. His main target in this pursuit had been Bai Xiaoyun. Seeing no sign of him below, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes. The reason he did not dive directly into the valley to slaughter was due to a bit of fear, worrying that the humans at the Great Mahayana Stage were purposely hiding, laying a trap for him. ¡°Humph, I don¡¯t believe you won¡¯t show up.¡± Golden light flashed in Junzhi¡¯s eyes, and he suddenly opened his mouth, another golden light shot out, aiming directly at the middle of the valley. In the valley, the crowd had just retreated a hundred feet, when the rock wall above was once again blasted by golden light, causing countless rocks and dust to disintegrate and to fall toward the crowd. Seeing this, Shen Yu and others displayed their powers, smashing the falling stones. However, the large area of collapsed mountainside was not something their scarce number could block. Although their own safety was not in question, they were completely powerless to protect the common people. Just as nearly hundreds were about to be buried by dust and rocks, a surge of blue waves rushed forward, forming a blue water bridge above the people¡¯s heads in an instant. ¡°Whoosh, whoosh For a moment, countless dust and fragments crashed into the water bridge and were immediately cushioned and wrapped by the water, hanging suspended in mid-air. Shen Luo appeared beneath the water bridge, arms raised high, back slightly bowed, holding up all the collapsed rocks and rubbles as if supporting the heavens. People looked up at him, seeing him shrouded in blue light, his figure towering like a deity. ¡°Elder Shen Yu softly called out upon seeing this. ¡°Quickly lead everyone Before Shen Luo could finish speaking, a golden light suddenly burst from above. This time, Junzhi¡¯s golden light didn¡¯t aim for the rocky wall;it fell directly into the valley. ¡°Boom!¡± The golden light hit the hard-earned water bridge put up by Shen Luo, exploding violently. The massive power that exploded from it turned the rocks within the water bridge into powder, and the incredibly strong shockwaves shattered the entire water bridge. Shen Luo felt an incredibly powerful force descending, a huge energy suddenly pierced through his arms, causing his whole body to tremble violently. If it wasn¡¯t for his last-minute activation of the Huangting Technique, his arms would likely have been shattered by now. Even so, Shen Luo was far from relaxed. His bones creaked and popped, and blood streamed from his nose and mouth, forming two red lines like little snakes twisting on his face. However, the gap between the Nascent Soul Stage and the Great Mahayana Stage was too vast, Shen Luo had only withstood it for a few breaths before he could no longer bear it, his arms dropped powerlessly. The next moment, this force exploded within the canyon, triggering a fierce chain reaction. Nearly the entire canyon¡¯s mountain walls began to crack in loud rumbling noises. The dust that curled up obscured the entire canyon, and when the dust settled, the whole canyon was practically filled. Junzhi collapsed his wings and descended, a flash of light enveloping his body as he transformed back into his human form. ¡°These humans certainly seem to know how to choose their own graves,¡± he stated derisively, standing on the edge of the gorge. Before his words had fully left his lips, he extended his Divine Sense downwards, his expression changing dramatically as he exclaimed: ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The gorge, already filled with fragments of stone, had dust swirling above it. However, deep underground within a pitch-black cave, a mysterious blue light suddenly began to glow. ¡°Shen Yu, Bai Bi, go check out the situation. Has anyone been hurt?¡± Shen Luo ordered from where the blue light originated. ¡°Yes,¡± came two voices from within the darkness. Following this, several more beams of light emerged from different corners, casting a vague silhouette on the environment. Shen Luo moved his sore arm slightly, only to feel his shoulder joint swelling and inflamed, to the point where his ability to use his Mana was becoming impeded. Upon examining his surroundings, he realized that they were unexpectedly situated on an underground beach. Not far from them, the sound of gurgling water could be heard. It seemed there was an underground river nearby. ¡°It¡¯s good that this river channel didn¡¯t change its course and flowed into the underground instead, forming an underground river. Otherwise, we would all really have been buried alive in that canyon,¡± he sighed in relief, a note of fear still clinging to his words. ¡°Elder, three people were unfortunately hit by falling rocks and have passed away. Additionally, over a dozen people were injured, but their conditions are not serious. Six people have gone missing. However, all of the monks are safe and uninjured,¡± Shen Yu reported, approaching Shen Luo. ¡°Alright, we um Shen Luo¡¯s sentence was interrupted as a ¡°boom¡± echoed from above. A torrent of stone fragments and dust started falling, hurtling towards the group of people. The stunned citizens immediately scattered in all directions. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Everyone, follow me! Head immediately for the river,¡± Shen Luo cried, his heart pounding. His words barely left his lips when he lunged forward, leaping into the underground river ahead of everyone. Seeing his actions, the fleeing civilians quickly followed suit and rushed into the underground river. The temperature of the river water was chillingly cold. When the people hit the water, each of them shivered involuntarily and instinctively wanted to scramble back to shore. At that moment, another thunderous sound was heard from above the beach. A golden Light Pillar descended from the sky, directly penetrating the cave¡¯s vault and illuminating the riverbank. In the middle of the golden light stood a golden silhouette¡ªit was Junzhi. Feeling a sinking feeling in his heart, Shen Luo moved a hand in front of him. He activated the unrevealed Nameless Cultivation Technique at full power and began to use his Water Control Technique. The underground river, which had previously been flowing smoothly, suddenly seethed and roared. Dozens of wave heads sprung up simultaneously, transforming into countless bucket-thick Water Pythons. They carried the fleeing civilians downstream at a swift pace. Shen Luo stood at the back of all the Water Pythons, surfing on a rising wave and safeguarding everyone as they fled. ¡°A bunch of ants, think you can escape?¡± Chapter 351: Is it You Chapter 351: Chapter 347: Is it You? Chapter 351: Chapter 347: Is it You? A stern reprimand echoed from behind, and Shen Luo twisted his head to look back, just to see a golden light hurriedly chasing after him. The golden figure embedded within the light was charging at him like an arrow. His expression couldn¡¯t help but change, a trace of urgency flickered in his eyes. He could only operate the mana in his Dantian and meridians with all his might. The blue light from his body abruptly increased and he spurred the water waves forward without any reservation. The waves and the dozens of water pythons beneath him lit up with a watery blue glow, and their surge speed instantly doubled, quickly widening the gap between him and Junzhi. However, before he could even take a breath, the hissing sound behind him rang out again. The speed of the man in golden light soared, not only failing to close the gap with Shen Luo but even drawing much closer. It looked like he would catch up any second. ¡°Speak, where is the Great Mahayana Stage cultivator?¡± Junzhi stretched his palm forward and let out a stern shout. Golden light spewed from his palm, condensing into a large golden talon in the void, which reached out to Shen Luo. It was only a few inches away from the edge of his floating sleeve. Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank. He twisted his body backward and suddenly flicked his wrist. In an instant, several bright lights flared up between his sleeves. The seven remaining Thunderfall talismans on his body were released all at once without any reservation. As the seven talisman papers fluttered chaotically, charm patterns on their surface lit up, and a beam of white light sparkled simultaneously. ¡°Boom Boom Boom¡± The overlapping explosion of seven thunderous sounds echoed as the thick lightning pillars intertwined with each other. As they bumped into one another, they instantly burst into seven immense spherical thunderbolts. Electric waves raged on them, sweeping around like the whip of a deity. ¡°Crack, pop¡­.¡± Bursts of electric explosions resounded. Junzhi leaped up, intending to rush through the gaps between the thunderbolts. However, as soon as he got closer, he discovered that although there seemed to be gaps between the spherical thunderbolts, an invisible force was, in fact, pulling them towards each other. As soon as he entered the gap, his sleeve was swept by an indistinguishable electric arc, sparking a ¡°pop¡± sound. The next instant, a series of densely packed electric arcs exploded like firecrackers around Junzhi, and an invisible pulling force adhered to his body like glue. What surprised him even more was that the moment the force wrapped around him, the seven spherical thunderbolts seemed to respond to some command. They instantly shrank and converged, rushing toward his body. A ¡°boom¡± explosion echoed! Seven spherical sparks fused instantly and exploded violently. A massive and irresistible wave, carrying remnants of electric strings, swept in all directions. Shen Luo felt the wave of impact coming from behind. He made no resistance, only circulating the Huangting Technique, using his back to bear the brunt of the shock wave. This wave also propelled him, accelerating his escape downstream in the dark river. At this time, a rumbling sound echoed from behind him, signaling the collapse of the dome of the Dark River. Under the impact of the thunderous force, it began to crumble bit by bit. Continuous dropping of giant stones and chunks of earth quickly blocked the river channel behind, almost sealing the entire passageway of the Dark River. Shen Luo was dripping with sweat. It was only then that he took a long breath. However, his heart knew that it was still not time to rest, so he continued to manipulate the water flow and raced downstream. About one hour later. Under a mountain cliff, dozens of water pythons emerged from a cave and surged into a vast blue lake. At the center of the lake, there was a small island of no more than a hundred feet. It was lush and verdant, covered with dense, low-lying bushes. Only a high mound at the center of the island had a gigantic banyan tree standing thirty-odd feet high. The trunk of the banyan tree was straight, and its crown was lush, like a big green umbrella held high in the center of the island. As Shen Luo glanced at the distant shores of the lake, his vision started to blur. His mana was about to be exhausted, and his tense spirit, which hadn¡¯t dared to relax for a moment, was finally reaching its limit. He manipulated the water pythons to swim towards the island at the heart of the lake. However, their speed became slower and slower. The glow on the water pythons dimmed, their figures grew vague, and they were about to dissipate. Just as they were about to reach the island, the water pythons could no longer maintain their forms and turned back into water waves. In the blink of an eye, with a ¡°splash¡± sound, they completely dispersed as soon as they dropped everyone on the shore. As for Shen Luo himself, his eyelids rolled back, and he collapsed directly and fell into the lake. Seeing this, Shen Yu and the others quickly lifted him up and onto the shore. ¡°Elder Shen, he is Shen Yu asked. ¡°His mana and spirit have been severely consumed, causing him to faint, but he should be fine,¡± Bai Bi said after checking. ¡°Elder Bai has not returned from exploring the path, and Elder Shen has fainted again. What should we do now?¡± Shen Yu glanced at the people lying haphazardly on the shoreside, expressing her worries. Bai Bi hesitated briefly and searched in Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve, taking out the invisibility banner again. He also knew how to use this treasure. It was just that his mana was not as robust as Shen Luo¡¯s, so he would not be able to maintain it for a long time. ¡°First, let¡¯s take everyone to the tree in the middle of the island. I¡¯ll open the barrier to hide our traces. When Elder Shen wakes up, we will decide what to do next,¡± Bai Bi said with a furrowed brow. ¡°We can only do that,¡± Shen Yu sighed. So, everyone together carried Shen Luo to the banyan tree in the middle of the island and took a temporary rest. ¡­ Shen Luo slept for more than an hour straight without waking. During his slumber, he seemed to hear a voice repeatedly asking in his ear, ¡°Is it you¡­ Is it also you?¡± Suddenly, he woke up abruptly, sat up, and exclaimed, ¡°Who is it?¡± His shout startled everyone around, including Shen Yu. Bai Bi trembled and interrupted the activation of the invisibility banner. ¡°Elder?¡± Shen Yu immediately approached and anxiously asked. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked at Shen Yu with a somewhat blank gaze and asked, ¡°Who was speaking in my ear just now?¡± ¡°Speaking? Nobody was speaking in your ear.¡± Shen Yu looked puzzled and surprised. Bai Bi and the others also surrounded him, looking at Shen Luo with confusion, apparently not understanding what he was talking about. ¡°Was I dreaming? That doesn¡¯t seem right Shen Luo was mumbling to himself, lost in thought. Just then, the voice rang out again, ¡°Is it you?¡± Shen Luo realized that the voice was not in his ear but in his heart¡ªsomeone was communicating with his spirit! ¡°I was dreaming just now. You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± he said with an unchanged expression on his face, leaning back against the banyan tree behind him. ¡°Elder, are you really okay?¡± The others looked skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m fine;I need to meditate for a while to recover,¡± he stated. Then, he self-absorbedly sat cross-legged and embraced himself. ¡­ Out of friendship, I¡¯d like to recommend my new friend¡¯s book titled ¡°The Counterfeit Soldier King¡±.^^ Fearing death is not characteristic of a soldier;a true soldier does not fear death. Wu Que is afraid of dying. Yet, he accidentally became the King of Soldiers. Stepping on the bones of mutant beasts, he roared, ¡°You all forced me to.¡± Chapter 352: Mountain Turtle Ancestor Chapter 352: Chapter 348: Mountain Turtle Ancestor Chapter 352: Chapter 348: Mountain Turtle Ancestor Seeing this, everyone dared not disturb and scattered respectively. However, Shen Luo didn¡¯t really start to cultivate, instead, he closed his eyes, broadened his divine sense, and probed the surroundings. Only moments later, he withdrew his divine sense. Besides Shen Yu and the others, he could no longer detect any other fluctuation of mana. Regarding this result, Shen Luo was not pleased but worried. No matter what or who was the one sending him a mental message, it must either be capable of sending over such a message from beyond the range of his divine sense, or it was hiding near him, making it undetectable by his divine sense. Both situations were not something desirable to him. ¡°Is it really you? Shen Luo At this moment, the echoing voice started again. Hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes snapped open, his face filled with shock. ¡°Who are you? Where are you?¡± Keeping down the suspicion in his heart, Shen Luo responded again using his divine sense. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been such a long time since we parted, it¡¯s normal if you don¡¯t remember me.¡± The echoing voice answered again, but Shen Luo still found it strange. ¡°Who are you, exactly? Why do you know me?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°If you want to know who I am, you can come down to the bottom of the lake and talk.¡± Surprisingly, the voice revealed its location and invited him over. After hesitating a moment, Shen Luo stood up after all. ¡°Shen Yu, Bai Bi, wait here for a while. I am going to cultivate at the bottom of the lake.¡± He notified everyone and then took quick steps to the lakeside, and jumped into the lake. Upon entering the lake, Shen Luo sank immediately, making his way towards the bottom. He formed a Water Repelling Technique with his hand, and a blue light radiated from his body. A layer of light film then covered him. What surprised him was that the seemingly serene and blue lake was nearly a hundred feet deep. After diving in about halfway, the visibility around him became exceedingly low. When he reached the bottom of the lake, it was pitch black around him with only the blue light radiating from his body serving as a lone lantern in the darkness. Concentrating his gaze, he scanned the surroundings using the dim blue light, but he found the bottom of the lake completely desolate, with hardly even any fish. Only a few ancient turtles were startled by him, climbing out of the sludge at the lake bottom and leisurely swimming into the darkness. Not far ahead of him, a huge stone about several tens of feet long lay across the lake¡¯s bottom, covered entirely with water deposits and green moss. Shen Luo swam over the stone and to its other side. After a quick glance around, he didn¡¯t see any human figure. Just when he began heading further away to explore, that voice sounded again. But this time, it wasn¡¯t a mental communication but spoke out loud right next to him: ¡°So it really is you.¡± Startled, Shen Luo immediately turned his head, checking out the vast stone sitting behind him. This seemingly rock-solid stone suddenly began to vibrate violently. One end of it lifted and turned toward him. Moreover, two clumps of golden light appeared on it, shining brightly like giant lanterns. Shen Luo was shocked. The formation he assumed was just a ¡°stone¡± was not an inanimate thing, but the head of some exotic beast, and those two lanterns were its eyes. If the head was already so huge, how enormous must the beast¡¯s body be? Could it be as large as an island? ¡°Who on earth are you?¡± Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but inquire. ¡°The younger generations of the Water Descendants call me Mountain Turtle Ancestor, but there is one name they don¡¯t know, that is¡­ Little Gui.¡± the head of the exotic beast slowly spoke. ¡°Mountain Turtle Ancestor, Little Gui¡­you are Little Gui!¡± Shen Luo took a long time to finally remember this name. He was the first aquatic demon race he teleported in reality. During the time when Gu Hualing was chasing him, they fought side by side and it helped him. However, after teleporting Water Waves, he terminated the contract with Little Gui. ¡°Are you really Little Gui?¡± Shen Luo was still a bit incredulous. When he first saw Little Gui, it was a small aquatic demon who couldn¡¯t even speak human language. How could it bear any resemblance to the enormous creature before his eyes? ¡°A lot can change in a thousand years, although my cultivation is slow, my lifespan is long, and I¡¯ve stumbled along all the way to the Nascent Soul Stage. I¡¯ve grown quite a lot in size. The island you are on is actually resting on my back.¡± Said the demon who claimed to be Little Gui. ¡°Your body is so huge, why didn¡¯t I sense your breath before, and even the Divine Sense¡¯s exploration came up with nothing.¡± Shen Luo was secretly surprised and couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Well, you can consider this one of my God¡¯s Power, you can call it ¡®Turtle Breath Technique¡¯. It helps to conceal my presence. When driven to the extreme, even a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator may not be able to find my traces.¡± Little Gui said slowly, revealing a tinge of smugness in his voice. Shen Luo finally believed that the enormous body before him was really Little Gui. ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that I would see you again, let alone you remember me.¡± Shen Luo said somewhat desolately. ¡°Although we were not acquainted for a long time, it was that experience that broadened my vision and benefited me a lot. I wouldn¡¯t naturally forget. By the way, how did you end up here?¡± Little Gui asked. ¡°We were chased by a Great-Consummation Stage Monster and escaped here.¡± Shen Luo said with a concentrated look. ¡°Great-Consummation Stage¡­ It must have been hard for you guys to be able to get out alive.¡± Little Gui said. As soon as this statement ended, its massive head suddenly raised, and its two golden eyes stared in the direction of the Water Surface. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Luo asked with some unease. ¡°A strong breath is approaching us quickly.¡± Little Gui said. ¡°It¡¯s the Golden Falcon Monster chasing us! I have to leave immediately Shen Luo said with a stern look. Then, he leaped up and rushed towards the Lake Surface at high speed. A wave of water surged up in the lake, suddenly separating on the Lake Surface, and Shen Luo¡¯s figure passed through it and landed on the Lake Surface. He looked up and saw a golden light falling from the sky like a meteor, heading towards the Water Surface. The golden light dissipated the moment it fell, and Shen Luo could see the figure inside it. He finally breathed a sigh of relief and showed a little smile. ¡°Xiao Yun!¡± he shouted. Bai Xiaoyun glanced over at Shen Luo and the island behind him. Seeing everyone on the island looking towards this side, he also finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What happened? When I went back, the whole canyon was flattened. If it wasn¡¯t for the mark on Bai Bi¡¯s body, I wouldn¡¯t know where to find you.¡± Bai Xiaoyun walked over and asked urgently. ¡°Ah, not long after you left, the Golden Falcon Monster showed up. We had to escape into the underground river below the canyon and ran all the way here.¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°Zhenhaiguan there has also been lost, and even earlier than Jianmen Pass. It has been occupied by demons long ago. When I went to check it out, I was discovered by an extremely sensitive Listening Mountain Demon and was entangled there. I was held up for a while, but fortunately, everyone is safe.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said solemnly after hearing this. ¡°That Golden Falcon Monster seems to have set its sights on us, we must find the Dark River Channel as soon as possible, and cross the Zhenhaiguan.¡± Shen Luo contemplated for a moment and said. ¡°The underground river channels are complex, and I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to find it in a short time.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said with some concern. ¡°Well¡­ I happen to have a friend who might be able to help us.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo said, raising an eyebrow slightly. Chapter 353: Unmoving Ming King Array Chapter 353: Chapter 349: Unmoving Ming King Array Chapter 353: Chapter 349: Unmoving Ming King Array ¡°Friend?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked, somewhat puzzled upon hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words. ¡°Little Gui, can you show yourself?¡± Shen Luo communicated telepathically. After waiting for a moment and not receiving any response, just as Shen Luo was about to ask again, a vortex suddenly appeared in the water beside him, and a faint green figure emerged from it. Shen Luo looked over and saw a man of ordinary appearance and fair features, appearing to be in his thirties or forties, slightly hunched in stature, dressed in a black robe, and his arms hanging down to his knees. Bai Xiaoyun immediately recognized that this was a disguise of a monster¡¯s soul and his heart couldn¡¯t help but tighten. He was both surprised at the identity of the figure and startled at his own previous failure to sense its presence. ¡°Apologies, the movement involved in manifesting my true form can attract much attention, so I had to appear in this form.¡± The man in the black robe slightly bowed towards Shen Luo. ¡°Who is this Bai Xiaoyun turned to Shen Luo and asked. ¡°He is Daoist Mountain Turtle, once my contracted summoning beast, and we have not met for a thousand years. This is Bai Xiaoyun, my old friend.¡± Shen Luo introduced them to each other. ¡°Just call me Little Gui.¡± The man in the black robe gave a small smile as he replied. ¡°Your magical prowess is extraordinary, I wasn¡¯t able to sense your presence at all.¡± Bai Xiaoyun sincerely expressed his admiration. ¡°I have been dormant at the bottom of Moon Mirror Lake for over a hundred years and haven¡¯t moved since. My physical form and aura have become one with this place, making it difficult to detect my presence.¡± Little Gui explained. ¡°Little Gui, since you are settled here, do you know if there is an underground river passage that connects the inside and outside of Zhenhaiguan? We want to pass through here to get into the city.¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yu State is located near the sea, so there are many underground water caves. There are many waterways connected under Moon Mirror Lake. However, I have not inspected them, so I do not know if there is a secret passage that leads to the city. You can wait here while I instruct my descendants to investigate.¡± Little Gui said after a moment¡¯s consideration. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bai Xiaoyun expressed his gratitude. The man in the black robe spun around and disappeared back into the vortex of water that had appeared under him. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaoyun returned to Lake Heart Island. After they recounted their situations, a sense of gloom cast over both of them. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the situation at Zhenhaiguan to be so challenging. Is the Listening Mountain Demon really that cunning and perceptive?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare approach the city, keeping my distance at least a hundred feet away and deliberately hiding my aura, but it still heard me. Then a Dog Demon at the Great Mahayana Stage rushed out of the city, heading straight towards my hiding place. It was only because I was trying to shake him off that I couldn¡¯t come back in time and that gave the Golden Falcon Monster an opportunity, which is why it found you.¡± Bai Xiaoyun spoke with frustration. ¡°So even if we were able to find the underground tunnel, we may not be able to get through safely Shen Luo hit his hand with a sigh of concern. ¡°We can¡¯t worry about that right now. It¡¯s unbelievable that so many monsters are entrenched in this little place called Yu State. They must be planning something big. Staying here is absolutely not a good idea.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said, furrowing brow. ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ve also been feeling that way. We might have to take the risk this time.¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. ¡°You mentioned earlier that the Golden Falcon Monster chased you into the underground river. If that¡¯s the case, then it probably won¡¯t have a hard time finding this place by following the water tracks.¡± Bai Xiaoyun suddenly remembered, speaking up. ¡°I originally planned to rest a bit and then take them away, but I got delayed by the reunion with Little Gui. Fortunately, you found this place first.¡± Shen Luo agreed, nodding his head. ¡°That¡¯s the silver lining in our unfortunate situation. Maybe this Daoist Mountain Turtle may truly be able to help us. As soon as we figure out the way, we¡¯ll leave immediately. But before that, we should make some preparations in case of unforeseen circumstances.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said after a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°What kind of preparations?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up as he immediately asked. ¡°The size of the Lake Heart Island is just right for setting up the ¡®Unmoving Ming King Array¡¯.¡± Bai Xiaoyun proposed. ¡°The Unmoving Ming King Array?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°The Unmoving Ming King is a form of the Buddhist Unmoving Bodhisattva;its meaning being firm and unshakeable compassion. It¡¯s a defensive formation secretly transmitted within Hua Sheng Temple that uses Buddhist artifacts as array pillars and requires five monks to sit at the eastern, southern, western, northern, and central poles, chanting the Unmoving Ming King Mantra, activating the array, thereby possessing extremely strong defensive power.¡± Bai Xiaoyun explained. ¡°I see. It¡¯s better to set up the array quickly as time is of the essence.¡± Shen Luo said, clearly relieved. Bai Xiaoyun nodded, then a silver bracelet on his wrist suddenly lit up, revealing an ancient, yellowed Buddhist scripture which he caught in his hand. Next, a string of coral beads numbering one hundred and eight and a reddish copper bowl also appeared one after another. Finally, Bai Xiaoyun grabbed the tin staff that he had used to fight the monsters with and made a troubled expression. ¡°The Buddhist artifacts I have at my disposal include these four, but if I lack one more, I won¡¯t be able to proceed with the setup.¡± he said. ¡°Have a look at this. Can it be of use?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo promptly took out his half-moon ring without any hesitation. Bai Xiaoyun accepted the ring and tried to channel qi into it. He then shook his head and said: ¡°The quality barely meets the requirements, but unfortunately, it hasn¡¯t been blessed by the incense fire of Buddhism. It doesn¡¯t have the spirituality of Buddhism, so it cannot be used.¡± Shen Luo felt somewhat disappointed upon hearing this. Following this, he called over other monks to search through all their belongings, only to emerge empty-handed. Just as they were contemplating what to do next, Bai Xiaoyun suddenly remembered something, and immediately lifted up his tin staff, holding it out in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± he suddenly announced. Having said that, he gripped the body of the staff with one hand, held the Jing Ming Pearl embedded at the tail end of the staff with the other, and with qi shining from both hands, he pulled. Golden threads of light, reminiscent of the broken strands of lotus root, were drawn out from between the staff and the pearl. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Huff Bai Xiaoyun suddenly exhaled, then his breath turned into a blade, forming an air blade that cut across, severing the golden threads, and the Jing Ming Pearl became separated from the staff. ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡± Shen Luo asked incredulously upon seeing this. ¡°The Jing Ming Pearl is originally a Buddhist treasure. It was combined with the staff to make it easier to use. Disassembling them now has solved our pressing problem.¡± Bai Xiaoyun explained. Shen Luo nodded, not uttering another word. Bai Xiaoyun handed the ancient scripture and the coral string beads to him and instructed him to put them at locations where the spiritual energy converged in the East and North respectively. Once that was done, he would just need to place them on a simple platform made of rocks. By the time Shen Luo had placed everything according to the instructions, Bai Xiaoyun had also finished placing all the other treasures. Chapter 354: Siege Chapter 354: Chapter 350: Siege (First Update) Chapter 354: Chapter 350: Siege (First Update) S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After that, Bai Xiaoyun summoned Shen Yu, Shen Huayuan, and Bai Bi for instruction, including Shen Luo. He taught all of them the Unmoving Ming King Mantra. ¡°After memorizing these incantations, each of you should choose a stone platform to sit on. For now, there¡¯s nothing more you need to do. If there¡¯s any anomalous activity, I will alert you from my side. You just have to chant the Unmoving Ming King Mantra.¡± Bai Xiaoyun instructed. ¡°Understood.¡± Shen Luo and the others responded immediately. Having done so, they each went their separate ways to the stone platforms in the east, south, west, and north. Once Shen Luo sat down cross-legged, he began waiting for news from Little Gui, while also meditating and cultivating his abilities. Time trickled slowly by, and without realizing it, more than half a two-hour period had already passed. There was still no news from Little Gui, but the area around Moon Mirror Lake had started to ¡°liven up¡±. ¡°They¡¯re here Bai Xiaoyun, seated under a tree in the middle of the island, suddenly opened his eyes and said. Whether he voiced out loud or transmitted his voice, Shen Luo and the others all heard it clearly, and each of them started to appear nervous. Sure enough, the flapping of wings soon echoed from the high altitude, and a massive golden figure made the first appearance. It was the Golden Falcon Monster. Following close behind, a mix of tall and small figures started to emerge around the lake shore. All of them were monsters with human bodies but beast heads, among which the most conspicuous one was a giant Power Ape clad in blood-red armor. The ape was almost ten feet tall, carrying a colossal mountain-splitting axe on his shoulder. On the handle of the axe sat a small monkey with exceptionally large ears, swinging its legs and squeaking non-stop. ¡°Unexpectedly, they have all shown up¡­ That white ape is the Great Mahayana Stage Demon Mighty Divine Ape from Zhenhaiguan, and the large-eared monkey sitting on his axe is the Listening Mountain Demon.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s gaze flickered as he transmitted his voice. ¡®Ancestor, what should we do?¡¯ Bai Bi panicked at the sight of two Great Mahayana Stage monsters arriving at once, followed by countless more monsters. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry A voice abruptly echoed in everyone¡¯s minds at that moment. ¡®Little Gui, have you found the underground river path?¡¯ Shen Luo instantly asked upon hearing the voice. ¡®I still need some time. Hold on for a bit longer. The moment my junior apprentice reports in, I¡¯ll cast the Water Escape Technique to bring you all into the underground river.¡¯ Little Gui transmitted again. On hearing this, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, an explosive roar suddenly rang out from the sky above. A golden light pillar shot down from the heavens, bearing down on the banyan tree in the middle of the island. Chanting sounds of Buddhist sutras immediately rose from all directions on the island. In a flash, a hazy layer of golden light burst forth from all over the island. It transformed into a golden light curtain that enveloped everything around, completely encasing the entire island. With a loud ¡®boom,¡¯ the golden light pillar exploded abruptly. A powerful ripple of golden light emanated outwards in all directions. Where the ripple passed, the water surged and transformed into several dozen feet high water waves, rushing towards the shores surrounding the island. A the water splash erupted, mist filled the air, but the golden light curtain around the island remained undisturbed. On the island, Shen Luo and the others all felt the force of the golden light¡¯s impact. Still, they were sheltered beneath the golden light curtain, not feeling any discomfort. They immediately understood the robustness of this formation. As the chanting from the people continued to resonate, streaks of golden light sparkled on their magical treasures in front of them, emanating faint wisps of the Buddhist incense qi. As this breath rose, low Buddhist chants seemed to resonate between heaven and earth all around. The golden light enveloping the island then began to violently surge, revealing a hundred feet tall golden Buddha shadow. The Buddha shadow half-sits, one hand holding the Vajra Demon-Suppressing Sword, the other the Fearless Seal. With a dignified presence and a bold demeanor, it indeed exhibited the Unmovable Ming King Dharma-Aspect. As the demons caught sight of it, they were filled with fear. Seeing this, the Golden Falcon Monster in mid-air suddenly spread its wings and directly rushed into the cloud, disappearing from sight. However, the very next instant, a layer of crimson gold light lit up high in the cloud layer, reflecting the clouds as if they were ablaze. The Golden Falcon descended from the sky, its body wrapped in red flames, its sharp beak like a spear, directly stabbing at the island below. A wave after wave of strong oppressive force came continuously from high above, accompanied by explosive roars. The people on the island feel the heat from above drawing closer, fearful and apprehensive. However, Bai Xiaoyun, who was located in the center of the island, remained calm and composed, also forming a Fearless Seal with his hand, and directly struck upward towards the high altitude. Completely in sync with his movements, the Unmovable Ming King Dharma-form raised its giant palm and struck upwards as well. In the midst of the chanting, the Golden Falcon Monster¡¯s sharp beak and Ming King¡¯s giant palm collided, resulting in a thunderous explosion! ¡°Boom¡± In a flash, heaven and earth shook, and the lake water churned! Waves dozens of feet high, with the island at the center, surged outward like mountains collapsing, crashing onto the lake shore, causing the shore rocks to burst apart and forcing the group of monsters to retreat. On the island in the lake, a banyan tree that had been growing for an unknown number of years exploded from its trunk. The many people hiding beneath it spat out fresh blood and fell to the ground, with several directly fainting. Those guarding the Five Poles, including Shen Luo, were also affected. One by one, they felt their Qi and blood churning and their Mana becoming somewhat chaotic. Meanwhile, in the sky above, a powerful force shot into the sky, directly knocking the Golden Falcon Monster high into the sky, the sheer force creating a huge hole in the cloud layer. ¡°Haha, Daoist Junzhi generously clearing the way, I, the Mighty Divine Ape, will take these heads.¡± On the lake shore, a rough yell echoed. The Giant Power Ape stomped mightily on the ground and leaped into the sky. In mid-air, it suddenly grew into a hundred feet giant, and its Mountain-splitting Axe grew ten times larger, a blood-red light shining from it. It wanted to take advantage of the residual force from the Unmovable Ming King¡¯s previous strike while it hadn¡¯t yet dissipated, and deliver an extra axe blow. The Big-Eared Listening Mountain Demon sitting on it had already jumped off the axe as soon as it leaped up, standing on the shore clapping its hands, continuously squeaking in excitement. The Mighty Divine Ape swung its arms, and the giant axe in its hands began to swing, emitting a harsh whistling sound. It drew an arc in mid-air and chopped down at the golden Buddha shadow. Several people in the formation, who hadn¡¯t yet recovered their Qi and blood, seeing this, had no choice but to continuously chant, forcefully urging their Magical Treasures in front of them. A storm of golden light surged once again on the slightly dim Ming King Dharma-Aspect. The Vajra Demon-Suppressing Sword in its hand immediately swept towards the sky, wave after wave of golden ripples gushing towards the giant axe like continuous sea waves. ¡°Boom¡± The thunder-like sound in mid-air rippled continuously. Layers of golden light crashed into the blood-red giant axe like stormy waves crashing against a shore, shattering continuously. The Sky Splitting Axe blade directly struck the golden Vajra Demon-Suppressing Sword without resistance. Ultimately, this sword wasn¡¯t a tangible object, and was merely transformed from the Dharma-form. It snapped with a ¡°snap,¡± and broke apart. The blood-red giant axe heavily slashed, directly cutting into the shoulder of the Ming King Dharma-form. (Double monthly ticket has started. W forgot the language, but will update five times a day to get monthly tickets. Also, please go to the Qidian Chinese Network to see ¡°Dream Master¡± and support the official subscription.^^) Chapter 355: 351 Chapter 355: 351 Chapter 355: 351 With a ¡°boom¡±, a loud noise echoed! The entire island sunk heavily. The Mingwang Avatar, embedded with a giant axe on its shoulder, and Bai Xiaoyun, who was in the formation, both had blood spurting from their shoulders almost at the same time, revealing a terrifying wound deep to the bone. It was quite clear that the pivot of this large formation was none other than his flesh and blood. ¡°Creaking¡± sounds like the grating of bones came from Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s shoulder, the mere sound of it made people¡¯s teeth ache. However, he seemingly did not notice it at all and clutched the void with his other hand. A golden light surged in the Mingwang Avatar¡¯s hand, and it turned out to form a Vajra Demon-Suppressing Sword again, which he swung towards the Giant Power Ape. Seeing this, the Giant Power Ape immediately pulled back, trying to retrieve the giant axe. However, a vortex of golden light rested stubbornly on the shoulder of the Mingwang Avatar, forcefully pulling in the Giant Power Ape¡¯s giant axe. The Giant Power Ape¡¯s giant axe was caught, and it was too late to withdraw now. Panic finally appeared in his eyes, he cried out, ¡°Mountain Turtle my dear friend, if you do not make a move, your big brother will lose his life today.¡± No sooner had his voice fallen, than an unexpected change occurred! The island where Shen Luo and his companions were located suddenly shook violently and the body of the island actually rose into the air, turning over to one side. The Unmoving Ming King Array was in full chaos, the stone platform was completely destroyed, and the Virtual Light Avatar that was formed instantly collapsed. The sword that was swung collapsed into countless fragments in the moment it was swung and dissipated. All the people on the island fell into the water. The common people who had fainted earlier all lost their lives. Only about ten monks escaped and stood on the undulating lake surface, their hearts as dead as ashes. Bai Xiaoyun covered his shoulder wound with one hand, a puzzled look flashing in his eyes. The remaining people gathered around him one after another, their gaze all directed towards the figure in a dark robe slowly rising from the water below. Naturally, it was Little Gui. At this moment, the Giant Power Ape had already returned to its original size, glanced down at Little Gui who stood beside it, and patted him congenially on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Mountain Turtle my dear friend, you can¡¯t joke like this next time, you almost scared your big brother to death.¡± ¡°Why are you panicking, big brother? Everything is under my control.¡± Little Gui said casually with a smile on his face. ¡°Mountain Turtle, Giant Power Ape¡­it seems that you have long been a member of the demons.¡± Shen Luo said, gritting his teeth in anger. ¡°That¡¯s right, we became sworn brothers two hundred years ago.¡± Little Gui readily admitted. ¡°So you¡¯ve been fooling me from the start, did you give our position to them?¡± Shen Luo asked, clenching his fists. ¡°Originally, I thought it would take some effort, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be so easy to win your trust. It was really¡­hehe, very touching.¡± Little Gui said with a smirk. ¡°Little Gui, why?¡± Despite everything, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask this seemingly pointless question. ¡°Call me Mountain Turtle Ancestor! Since ancient times, humans and demons have been on different paths, and they were incompatible. When you and I bonded that year, it was you forcibly taking me away to serve as your slave. You used and discarded me at your discretion. Is it not reasonable for me to retaliate now?¡± Little Gui snorted coldly. While they were talking, a ray of golden light fell from the high altitude, it was the Golden Falcon Monster returning. It also landed next to the Giant Power Ape. With two Great-Consummation Stage monsters, one Late Nascent Soul Stage monster, and being surrounded by hundreds of big and small demons, Shen Luo and the others were already caught in a hopeless situation. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, let¡¯s finish reminiscing. Allow me to personally escort you a little way.¡± The Mountain Turtle sneered, saying to the group. As his voice fell, he made a beckoning motion in the void with one hand, and a dark green hammer filled with intricate turtle shell patterns appeared. It was apparent that this was a treasure known for its powerful strength and robustness. With a single leap from his body, there were layers of water waves propelling him upwards to a height of dozens of feet. His dark green hammer gave out a hazy green light and hurtled straight down towards Shen Luo and his companions. Just then, something unexpected happened! On the surface of the lake, the sound of Buddhist mantra chanting suddenly rang out, and a golden light curtain instantly lit up around Shen Luo and his companions, enveloping all of them inside. Hearing the chant of the Unmoving Ming King Mantra, Shen Luo abruptly turned around, and to his immense surprise, saw Bai Xiaoyun sitting cross-legged in the center, with his tin staff lying horizontally in front of him, shining with a bright light. At the four cardinal points of the light curtain, four vague figures were sitting cross-legged, with coral Buddha beads and ancient Buddhist scriptures placed in front of them too. They were supporting the Unmoving Ming King Array once again. At that moment, a loud bang was heard from above their heads. The golden light curtain trembled violently, and a massive force was suddenly unloaded onto the lake below, stirring up a series of giant waves that scoured the lakebed. Only within the range of dozens of feet protected by the golden light curtain, everything was calm and unaffected by the outside world. Before Shen Luo could ask any questions, he heard Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s voice in his sea of knowledge: ¡°Big Brother Shen, the situation is urgent;I¡¯ll keep it brief. Using a secret technique, I asked four phantom deities for help to set up the Unmoving Ming King Array. It won¡¯t last long. You need to hurry up and use an escape technique to get these remaining people out.¡± ¡°My Yimu Xuandun technique is still not perfected, I can¡¯t accurately control the direction in unfamiliar areas, I¡¯m afraid Shen Luo frowned, but was interrupted before he could finish his sentence. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to worry about that, once the Unmoving Ming King Array is breached, these people will lose even their last sliver of hope for survival. How many people can you take at most?¡± Bai Xiaoyun asked urgently. ¡°If I prepared formation patterns earlier, I could take everyone in one go, but now I can only execute the escape technique directly, and can only take at most three people at a time. To take them all away, I would need to do this at least six times, and each time I use the escape technique, it requires some time to be applied.¡± Shen Luo quickly responded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the time, just give it your all. I absolutely won¡¯t let them interrupt your casting.¡± Bai Xiaoyun bit his teeth and said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo no longer hesitated, immediately biting his hand without thinking, and chanting an incantation. ¡°Still struggling in vain? You guys are really tenacious.¡± The Mountain Turtle sneered as his attack failed. ¡°This great formation seems less solid than the last one, let me try again.¡± Junzhi chuckled lightly, and transformed into the giant Golden Falcon Monster that flew into the high altitude. With a loud cry, its figure suddenly fell from the clouds. At the tip of the beak, golden light amassed, aiming straight downward with unparalleled sharpness. It hit the golden light curtain hard. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded through the air! An intense ripple was set off on the golden light curtain, causing the water area it enveloped to sink heavily. Sitting in the middle, Bai Xiaoyun shuddered violently all over, his body tilted forward abruptly, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood. Simultaneously, the summoned phantom deities guarding the four directions also fell forward, mirroring Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s actions exactly. It was evident that all the impact, except for a portion blocked by the great formation, was borne by Bai Xiaoyun alone. Shen Luo watched all this unfold in front of him, a dull ache growing in his heart. However, he could not share Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s burden. All he could do was spur the Yimu Xuandun technique with all his might. Chapter 356: Breaking Out (3rd Update) Chapter 356: Chapter 352: Breaking Out (3rd Update) Chapter 356: Chapter 352: Breaking Out (3rd Update) Moments later, a layer of white light began to emerge under Shen Luo¡¯s feet, followed by the appearance of the Oblique Moon Light Shadow. Dots of green light started to appear out of thin air within the void around him, converging towards him. ¡°Shen Yu, Bai Bi, come over and grab my shoulders. I¡¯ll take you out of here.¡± Envisioning the timing was right, Shen Luo immediately called out. At the sound of his voice, Shen Yu and Bai Bi, however, both stood still. ¡°Take Shen Lian with you first.¡± Shen Yu immediately pushed the youngest of the remaining clan members towards him. ¡°Take them first.¡± Almost at the same time, Bai Bi pushed two Qi Refining Stage girls over and said the same thing. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have time to argue with them. He could only order the three to hold onto his arm as he took a step back. The figures of the four blurred for a moment, then they disappeared from the spot. Shen Yu and the others saw the situation, and each let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Not good, a few of them have escaped.¡± The Giant Power Ape immediately noticed something was wrong and shouted. ¡°Big Brother, instead of going one at a time, let¡¯s simultaneously strike. I don¡¯t believe he can withstand it.¡± the Mountain Turtle frowned and said. ¡°Alright.¡± Upon the Giant Power Ape¡¯s agreement, the two launched into the air simultaneously, arriving at Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s two sides. Each of them lifted an ax and a hammer, lighting up two dazzling rays of light, and heavily struck the golden light curtain. ¡­ Elsewhere, Shen Luo suddenly felt a heaviness beneath his feet as he re-stepped onto the ground, almost stumbling over. He quickly steadied himself and helped the three he had brought with him to do the same. After a quick scan of the surroundings, he realized they had arrived at an unfamiliar bay, surrounded by chaotic reefs and rumbling sea waves. With no time to observe his surroundings, he instructed the three: ¡°Hide here carefully, no matter what happens, do not leave. I will be right back.¡± The young monks were already pale with fear. Smearing their lips tightly, they nodded affirmatively with teary eyes. With another sigh in his heart, Shen Luo turned around and cast the Yimu Xuandun again, tracing back the route he had taken earlier, stepping back meticulously. When he re-entered the Unmoving Ming King Array, he saw Bai Xiaoyun, with disheveled hair and bathed in blood. The divine apparitions that had been surrounding him had started to faintly fade away to the point of disappearance. Without having time to exchange even a single word with him, Shen Luo once again cast the Yimu Xuandun, taking three more people away. Seeing another three disappear from the formation, the Giant Power Ape and the others felt as if they were subject to immense ridicule, and, without saying a word, they congregated all their fury towards Bai Xiaoyun, throwing continuous attacks at the golden light curtain. However, at this moment, Bai Xiaoyun was bathed in blood, but his body had lit up with a seven-colored Buddha light. Under this glow, the four deities¡¯ apparitions seemed rejuvenated, making the golden light curtain increasingly solid. ¡°Has this guy gone mad? He¡¯s actually burning his divine soul Even the stoic Mountain Turtle was stunned by this sight. ¡°Hmph! Even if he burns his divine soul, he won¡¯t be able to hold on much longer, intensify the attack.¡± The Giant Power Ape commanded with a frown and a loud shout. A golden light fell from the high altitude again as Junzhi was still relentlessly attacking the light curtain. Looking at Bai Xiaoyun, who was enveloped in the Buddha¡¯s light in front of them, everyone had tears in their eyes, their hearts were filled with sorrow, as if witnessing the arrival of the Buddha. When Shen Luo returned again, his forehead was covered in sweat, and his face had turned somewhat pale. Above this lake, there wasn¡¯t enough essence of flora. The massive consumption caused by continuously casting Yimu Xuandun was beyond imagination. However, he could not, and would not stop. After leading three people away again, when he returned, the enormous consumption of his mana caused him to stumble and fall to the ground. But before Shen Yu could come over to help him, he had already stood up again. ¡°You can¡¯t hold on like this, take a break before continuing, otherwise, there might be an accident,¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s voice came from ahead, growing incredibly low. Shen Luo looked at his figure, seeing that the treasured light around him had already dimmed, like a burnt-out candle, flickering with its last flames. Those four divine projections were also about to disperse with one more sigh. He knew clearly, the Unmoving Ming King Array couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. Bai Xiaoyun couldn¡¯t hold on either. ¡°I¡¯ll take you away first Shen Luo, in the end, still let his personal feelings get the better of him, transmitting his voice to Bai Xiaoyun. ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense, without me holding on, you wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to invoke the escape technique. This is probably the last chance. Think about who to save.¡± Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s soul power was almost exhausted, and he was no longer capable of speaking telepathically. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing his words, sorrowful expressions appeared on the remaining people¡¯s faces, but no one fought to leave. ¡°Father, forgive your daughter for being unfilial, I won¡¯t be able to serve you in the future.¡± Shen Yu bowed to Shen Huayuan, then turned to the crowd and said, ¡°I am willing to help Elder Bai maintain the formation, please let my father go.¡± Having said that, she sat directly beside the ancient Buddhist scripture, waiting to take on the responsibility of maintaining the formation as soon as the divine projection dissipated. ¡°I, too, am willing to guard this formation with the Ancestor. How can Bai family¡¯s children be the only ones to survive!¡± Bai Bi also voluntarily gave up the chance to escape, and sat beside the coral Buddha beads. ¡°Yu, you are the future hope of Shen family, how can I let you stay? From now on, you are the Family Head of Shen family.¡± At the last moment, Shen Huayuan was no longer fearful. With comforting old eyes, he helped his daughter up. ¡°Since the family head is staying, I will accompany him.¡± Shen Quan, although injured several times before, always managed to escape death. But now, he chose to stay and face death. Shen Yu was about to speak, but Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s hoarse voice interrupted: ¡°Bai Bi, Shen Yu, sometimes death is not frightening. Living requires bearing more. You are both the pillars of your clans, and will bear heavier burdens in the future. Today, I will make a decision. Big Brother Shen, please take these three away.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo nodded silently. The remaining people did not show any opposition. Two of them came out and sat in front of the other two treasures. After Bai Xiaoyun taught them the Unmoving Ming King Mantra, the chanting immediately filled the air. The golden light array, which seemed on the verge of collapse, was rejuvenated, and even conjured a vague Buddha shadow in the sky. The eyes of the other people were calm, resting on Shen Luo, Bai Bi, Shen Yu, and another descendant of the Bai family. They watched as they left. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Bai Xiaoyun¡¯s blood-stained back as he activated Yimu Xuandun once again. ¡°Father As Shen Yu¡¯s call rang out, a flash of light followed, and their figures disappeared. Immediately, a larger pillar of light fell from the sky, and the entire Moon Mirror Lake broke apart. ¡­ Shen Luo, with the three of them, floated through countless green light spheres with effortless strides. However, his enormous mana consumption had significantly slowed his speed, and the Oblique Moon Shadows under his feet became blurry. Chapter 357: Fierce Battle (4th Update) Chapter 357: Chapter 353: Fierce Battle (4th Update) Chapter 357: Chapter 353: Fierce Battle (4th Update) Suddenly, Shen Luo missed his step and plummeted down. Along with Shen Yu and the other two, he stumbled forwards, his feet finally hitting solid ground. This time, they didn¡¯t return to the small bay they were previously at, but instead arrived at a vast bay with an extremely open terrain. Ahead, hundreds and even thousands of various members of the Demon Race filled an expansive uneven reef, waving banners and yelling loudly. Further out at sea, countless varying water descendants of the Yao tribe, along with a vast number of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, were engaged in fierce combat. The flags raised by the latter often had the words ¡°Eastern Sea¡±, ¡°Dragon Palace¡±, and ¡°Ao¡±. ¡°What is this Shen Luo, leaning his hand against a rock in front of him, asked with furrowed brows. ¡°The Yao tribe are attacking the East Sea Dragon Palace, this is the East Sea Bay!¡± Bai Bi immediately recognized the situation before them and exclaimed in shock. ¡°It seems that the entire Yu State has completely fallen. The Yao tribe have begun their attack on the sea.¡± Shen Yu, tears still visible in her eyes, spoke nervously upon seeing this scenario. Whilst they were speaking, a loud rumble came from the sea. A giant wave at least a hundred feet high surged, but it did not collapse for a long time. On top of it stood a line of Dragon Palace War Generals, all dressed in exquisite armor, looking vigorous and lively. Leading them wore Coral Jade Armor, held a Pear Blossom Golden Spear in his hand, and water-blue long hair was tied up with a golden crown. Near his forehead sprouted two mighty short horns. His young face was incredibly handsome, and a calm radiance shined from his eyes that made one feel his energetic spirit at a glance. Directly opposite him, on the other side of the sea, was another towering wave. On top of it also stood seven or eight figures. Among these people, the one in the front wore a black robe, had no armor on his body, and wore an eight-sided black crown on his head. His long black hair fell loosely behind him, his body was surrounded by demonic qi, making his face unclear. Standing next to him were several like him, none of them wearing armor, among them was an ugly, short old man who had pursued Shen Luo previously with his disciples. Without any exchange of words, the old and short man made the first move. His throat bulged, emitting a ¡°gurgle¡± sound, and his wide frog-like mouth suddenly opened. A jet of milky white liquid was sprayed, falling like rain, covering a large area. The moment the ¡°cow¡¯s milk¡± fell, half of the sea water was dyed milky white and spread towards the people of the Dragon Palace. Wherever it passed, countless underwater creatures were poisoned to death and had disintegrated before they could float to the surface. As the milky white sea water roiled, wisps of mist rose, emitting an indescribable smell. The cultivators on both sides lit their body protection magic, and some even unconsciously covered their mouths and noses subconsciously. ¡°Go on.¡± The handsome man with short horns made a signal to a man with green skin standing beside him, who leaped into the sea. As he plunged, blue light erupted beneath him. Eight flexible tendrils covered in suckers grew from his waist down, stirring wildly beneath the water¡¯s surface. In a flash, gallons of black liquid poured from his body, merging with the milky white sea water, creating gigantic bubbles. Although the sea water remained murky, it seemed the poisonous gas it contained had been neutralized. ¡°Old Black Poison, let¡¯s exchange blows.¡± The short old man¡¯s pupils contracted and he roared. ¡°You¡¯re seeking death, Benbo Erba.¡± The green-skinned old man roared angrily, his body rocketed upwards, ascending into the air. Recognizing this, Benbo Erba greeted him accordingly and they began clashing. The handsome man with the short horns thrust his spear forward and flew up, making a beeline for the man in the black robe. The latter took out a trident and clashed with him, their place of combat was filled with swirling golden light and demonic energy, which deterred others from approaching. Their fight escalated and they ascended into the high altitude clouds. With their initiation, the rest of both parties also hastily flew into mid-air, each fighting their own battles, and for a time the sounds of fighting and weaponry filled the air. Observing this spectacle filled Shen Yu and the others with exhilaration, while Shen Luo sat nearby, focusing on recovering his mana. ¡°Stop watching and go find Shen Lian. Once we regroup, we will leave immediately.¡± After a while, Shen Luo opened his eyes and spoke to the others. ¡°Alright.¡± Bai Bi and the others immediately came back to their senses and nodded in agreement. With that, they intended to seize the opportunity and leave before they were discovered. However, at that moment, a dragon¡¯s chant echoed from above them. A giant golden figure descended from the sky, crashing onto the nearby beach with a thunderous boom. Shen Luo turned to see it. Its body was as long as a python, with antlers like a deer, scale armor like a fish, claws like a phoenix¡¯s, and paws like a tiger¡¯s. It was without a doubt a five-clawed golden dragon, with a body length of a hundred feet. However, there were numerous shocking scratches on its body, its scales were flaked off, flesh was torn open, and pale golden blood was slowly oozing out. It was clear it had suffered significant injuries. At the same time, from within the cloud layer above, three enormous black heads emerged, their appearance resembling true dragons, only their horns were much shorter. A horizontal lump of flesh grew at the center of their brows, making them look less noble, but more malevolent compared to true dragons. ¡°Three-headed Jiao!¡± Bai Bi exclaimed in surprise. Shen Luo naturally recognized it too. Jiao was the most similar species to dragons among the water descendants and there were often tales of Jiao transforming into dragons in the past. Although they were not acknowledged by the Dragon Clan and were even seen as lustful, bloodthirsty heretics, both species were usually mortal enemies. However, as the orthodox lineage of water descendants in the world, the Dragon Clan usually had the natural ability to suppress the Jiao. But the three-headed Jiao in front of them, shrouded in demonic energy, clearly had a higher cultivation level and stronger battle power than the golden dragon. ¡°Roar¡± The three-headed Jiao suddenly roared angrily, the sound resembling rolling thunder, reverberating through Heaven and Earth, causing the entire battlefield to fall silent. All eyes on the battlefield were drawn towards it. It intended for everyone to witness its act of dragon slaying, but while everyone was astonished, they inevitably noticed Shen Luo and the others hiding beside a nearby reef. ¡°Ao Qing, even if you destroy the Dragon Palace, you will not make the Dragon Clan submit. At worst, a net will break from a dead fish.¡± The golden dragon suddenly leapt into the sky, coiling in mid-air, and shouted loudly. With that, it suddenly opened its mouth and spat out a blue sphere the size of a fist, emitting a dazzling blue light. As the light became intensely bright, the blue light fluctuated unpredictably, and the blue sphere expanded tenfold. On its surface, irregular blue light marks were surging, making it look as if it were sea waves rolling. ¡°Depths of the Sea Unsettled, Wild Sea Torrent!¡± The golden dragon let out an explosive roar that echoed throughout the East Sea Pinnacle. In a flash, deep in the distant Eastern Sea, the sea floor trembled violently. A vast force erupted from the seabed, transforming into thunderous rolls originating from the seabed and aimed at the sea surface. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 358: Old Friend (5th Update) Chapter 358: Chapter 354: Old Friend? (5th Update) Chapter 358: Chapter 354: Old Friend? (5th Update) The already turbulent sea surface suddenly calmed down, all the seawater started to retreat quickly, and within a few breaths of time, it had retreated tens of miles, revealing a large expanse of exposed seabed and mudflats. But in the next instant, a giant wave thousands of feet high rolled in from the deep sea, blocking out the sun and crashing down in thunderous roars, bringing with it a destructive force aimed directly at the East Sea Pinnacle. All the creatures present, whether from the Dragon Palace¡¯s Aquatic Clan or various demon races, were dumbfounded, completely unable to avoid it, and could only wait helplessly for their death. ¡°Damn, grab onto me!¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo was greatly alarmed. Disregarding everything else, he resolved to give it his all, planning to try again to cast Yimu Xuandun, to get them out of there. Shen Yu and the other two could only hold onto his arm immediately and close their eyes. However, in the next instant, a sound resembling the roar of an ancient beast woke them up. When the three of them reopened their eyes, they saw a huge black figure, as large as a City Wall, piercing through the thousand-foot-high water wave. It opened a massive blood-colored mouth from which came rolling suction. Shen Luo stared at it and saw a figure shrouded in demonic fog, its head resembling the legendary Kun peng described in ancient books. But before he could get a clear look, the casting of Yimu Xuandun was interrupted. He only felt a mighty force pulling him and Shen Yu¡¯s group, lifting them into the air, flying towards that giant bloody mouth. Shen Luo struggled hard but to no avail. His vision was chaotic. It seemed that all the creatures in the East Sea Pinnacle could not escape this awe-inspiring suction. He was like a floating leaf, drifting aimlessly in the raging wind and waves. His eyes gradually became heavy and he lost consciousness. ¡­ Shen Luo did not know how much time had passed before he awoke, and his face changed involuntarily as he looked around. He was alone in a world of darkness, Shen Yu, Bai Bi, and others were nowhere to be found. Above him was a gray-black sky, oppressively gloomy, and the surrounding ground was a ruin, full of broken bricks and rotten tiles, many of which were already decayed. ¡°What is this place¡­ Is it inside the belly of the Kun peng? Where did the others go?¡± Shen Luo, recalling the previous events, checked inside his bosom and found the Seven Star Talisman Pen still there. He didn¡¯t hesitate to check his own body. He then took out the Flying Talisman, flew into the mid-air, and looked around. The ruin was vast, stretching beyond his sight. Besides himself, he couldn¡¯t feel the breath of any other living person, let alone Shen Yu and others. Just at this moment, his flying figure began to waver. It turned out that his body¡¯s Mana was exhausted, and he could no longer operate the Flying Talisman. He hurriedly landed back on the ground. He checked his body and found that he was not injured, but his Mana was severely depleted. Seeing that there was no immediate danger around him, he sat down cross-legged and tried to recover his Mana. Although his surroundings looked desolate within this gray-black space, the spiritual energy were very dense. Since he possessed twenty meridians, his absorption of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was extremely fast. In just a few moments, he recovered about fifty to sixty percent of his Mana. Instead of continuing to meditate, he chose a direction and began to investigate, trying to figure out where he was and locate Shen Yu and the others. However, the ruin was so vast that he had made no progress after searching for half an hour. Then, at one point when he urged the Flying Talisman to ascend into the air, his gaze was suddenly drawn in a particular direction. At the end of his line of sight in that direction, he could vaguely see a glimmer of golden light. After a slight hesitation, he put away the Flying Talisman and flew towards the source of the golden light. He quickly arrived at the source of the golden light. There stood a golden pagoda glistening with light. The base of the pagoda was a golden lotus platform. There was a Nine-story Pagoda on top, the top of which soared into the clouds, emitting myriad rays of golden light. Looking at the magnificent golden pagoda in front of him, Shen Luo gasped, his face full of amazement. He stared dumbfoundedly for a long time before he regained his senses. ¡°Who are you?¡± Just then, a clear voice came from the side. Shen Luo was startled and immediately looked in the direction of the sound. He saw a young man in golden armor walking over from the other side of the golden pagoda. It was the Five-clawed Golden Dragon who had fought with the Three-headed Jiao beast. ¡°I have the family name Shen. I ended up in this place unintentionally. May I know your respected name?¡± Shen Luo secretly let out a breath, calming his mind and responded with a cupped-fist salute. ¡°You¡­huh! You¡¯re Shen Luo, right?¡± The golden armor youth seemed as if he wanted to say something, but his expression suddenly froze, and he said with surprise. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was stunned. He was confident that he hadn¡¯t made a mistake. He had definitely never seen this person before, and had never met anyone from the East Sea Dragon Clan before. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me, Brother Shen? My name is Ao Hong.¡± Seeing the look of astonishment on Shen Luo¡¯s face, the golden-armored youth continued speaking. Hearing the golden-armored youth introduce himself by name, Shen Luo was more certain that he had never met him before. However, he thought of a possibility. It was now a thousand years later, and this Ao Hong was probably someone he had met during that time. Judging by the look on Ao Hong¡¯s face, it seemed that they had a close relationship and were good friends. ¡°So it¡¯s Brother Ao. I suffered a serious injury to my divine soul a few years ago, and many of my memories have become blurred. I didn¡¯t remember you right away, please forgive me,¡± Shen Luo quickly formulated a response in his mind and smiled. ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. I was wondering how you wouldn¡¯t remember me! But why are you here, Brother Shen?¡± Ao Hong spoke with a smile, seemingly not doubting Shen Luo¡¯s words at all. ¡°A group of Daoist friends and I were being chased by demons all the way to the East Sea Pinnacle. We were swallowed by a giant Kun peng, and when I woke up, I was here,¡± said Shen Luo truthfully. ¡°I remember now. There were several humans standing on the seashore outside just now. Brother Shen was among them. The Kun peng demon was after me. I didn¡¯t expect it to affect brother Shen and your friends. Please accept my apology,¡± Ao Hong seemed to have recalled Shen Luo and apologized with a fist and palm salute. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Brother Ao. It¡¯s just my bad luck,¡± Shen Luo responded with a shake of his head and smile. ¡°It is my fault for causing this situation. Brother Shen, rest assured that even if I have to stake my life, I will help you and your friends to escape from here,¡± Ao Hong said solemnly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°To get out of here¡­ Seems not to be easy. Let¡¯s work together. But brother Ao, I saw you fighting with the Three-headed Jiao beast outside, and mentioning the East Sea Dragon Palace in the conversation. It seems there were also some disputes in the Dragon Palace?¡± Shen Luo shook his head first, then asked with a glint in his eyes, seeing the other¡¯s solemn look. ¡°Demons and fiends have thrown the world into chaos. There¡¯s no peace anywhere. The East Sea Dragon Palace has also been attacked by demons. I escaped only after fighting tooth and nail, but still couldn¡¯t evade the grasp of the demons,¡± said Ao Hong, sighing. Hearing these words, Shen Luo was shocked. The Four Seas Dragon Palaces are in charge of granting rain and favourable weather, though located in the Human World, they are genuine immortals. The demons dared to attack the Four Seas Dragon Palaces. Had their power grown to such an extent? Chapter 359: Golden Tower Chapter 359: Chapter 355: Golden Tower (First Update) Chapter 359: Chapter 355: Golden Tower (First Update) ¡°The Kun Peng that swallowed us, could it also be one of those demons?¡± Shen Luo asked, collecting his thoughts. ¡°That Kun Peng is a descendant of the Monster Master Kunpeng Ancestor, possessing vast divine power. Swallowing the heavens and consuming the earth are trifling matters to it. After its transformation into a demon, his divine powers increased even more. If not for this demon taking action, how could my East Sea Dragon Palace fall into the hands of those other demons!¡± Ao Hong said bitterly. ¡°Could this place be inside that Kun Peng¡¯s stomach?¡± Hesitating for a moment, Shen Luo asked the most pressing question he had. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. I don¡¯t know much about this demon Kun Peng, but since we were swallowed by it, we should be in its belly. What I didn¡¯t expect was that there is a world inside this demon¡¯s belly.¡± Ao Hong glanced around and replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt a lurch in his heart, even though he had been ready for this news. ¡°Brother Shen, you don¡¯t need to worry. Since we are still alive, your friends and my soldiers should be fine. If we work together, we will definitely be able to safely leave this place.¡± Ao Hong seemed to have noticed Shen Luo¡¯s concern and comforted him. ¡°That should be so.¡± Having heard these words, Shen Luo perked up and nodded his head. ¡°Let¡¯s not mention the others for now, let¡¯s explore this Golden Tower first. Its appearance here is quite strange, we may find a way to escape inside.¡± Ao Hong looked at the Golden Tower in front of them and suggested. Shen Luo had been planning to explore the tower anyway, so naturally, he did not object. The two jumped onto the golden lotus platform at the bottom of the tower and arrived at the entrance to the Golden Tower. Surprisingly, the tower gate was wide open, and they couldn¡¯t see anything inside due to the darkness. The two exchanged a glance and cautiously approached the entrance while staying alert to their surroundings. However, when they were still about ten steps away from the entrance, a white light curtain suddenly appeared out of thin air from the void in front of them, covering the entrance. The two halted, staring at the white light curtain. Sparks of white light swirled around it, making faint crackling noises. They both knew that it was a formidable prohibition. Shen Luo furrowed his brows. The white light curtain flickered, releasing fluctuating waves of formidable spiritual power, far surpassing his current realm. ¡°As expected, this Golden Tower is not easy to enter. Brother Shen, you need to step back a bit.¡± Ao Hong chuckled, without showing any intention of retreat. He waved his right hand, an electric arc twinkling in his palm and he took out his Pear Blossom Golden Spear. ¡°Brother Ao, you seemed to have suffered quite a bit of injury outside, won¡¯t hastily moving your mana aggravate your injuries?¡± Shen Luo asked in a hurry. Ao Hong was of noble origin, proficient in cultivation, yet kind and even a bit naive. Although Shen Luo had just met him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel fondness towards him. ¡°The injuries I sustained before were not severe, and besides, our Dragon Palace has a secret technique for healing. I¡¯m fine now.¡± Ao Hong shook his head. Only then did Shen Luo feel relieved and moved back to a safe distance. Ao Hong held the spear in both his hands. The golden electric arc on it suddenly intensified, bursting out with countless thunderbolt-like noises. Even though Shen Luo had retreated to more than ten yards away, he still felt his heart pounding and quickly retreated further. ¡°Dragon Battle in the Field!¡± Ao Hong spun the spear in his hand, bending his body, and thrust forward. The spear thrust didn¡¯t have any flashy movements;its only characteristic was speed. Even with Shen Luo¡¯s current cultivation level, he could only see a flash of golden light before the spearhead was already at the light curtain. A golden dragon shadow with five claws wrapped around Ao Hong, with the spearhead at the top. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, countless golden electric arcs exploded from the war spear, engulfing the white light curtain in front, making it impossible for anyone to see the situation inside. Seeing this, Shen Luo squinted his eyes and released his Divine Sense to probe the situation. A hint of joy spread across his face. Within the countless golden electric arcs, the spearhead had already pierced into the white light curtain. A trace of joy appeared at the corner of Ao Hong¡¯s mouth as well. The golden light around him became even more vibrant as the Golden Dragon Phantasm around him writhed and wriggled, pushing forward with all its might. However, at this moment, the white light curtain suddenly burst into intense white light. A bolt of incandescent lightning shot out from it and struck the gun body. The golden electric arcs on the spear were effortlessly shattered, and then with a deafening noise, the spear was knocked away. Ao Hong¡¯s hands were split open, golden blood pouring out, and he himself was shock staggering backwards. His internal injuries seemed to have been agitated, and he vomited a mouthful of golden blood. ¡°Brother Ao, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo appeared behind Ao Hong, steadying his body. A couple of drops of Ao Hong¡¯s golden blood splashed onto him. There was no hint of a fishy smell. Instead, it emitted bursts of fragrance that calmed one¡¯s mind and brought joy to the heart. ¡°The rumors say that dragon blood possesses highly nutritive qualities, looks like they were true.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. He wanted to collect some, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate to do so in front of Ao Hong. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this prohibition to be so formidable. I couldn¡¯t break it. It¡¯s up to you now, Brother Shen.¡± Already steady on his feet, Ao Hong said with a bitter smile. ¡°Brother Ao, your cultivation level far surpasses mine. If even you can¡¯t break this prohibition, I¡¯m afraid I have even less hope Shen Luo shook his head. However, before he could even finish his sentence, his internal Mana started moving of its own accord, radiating a dazzling golden light, completely out of his control. Before he could react, he realized that he was walking toward the white light curtain, his body not obeying his command. After a few steps, he was in front of the curtain, and he raised his hand and touched it. With a ¡°hum¡± sound, the white light curtain burst into brilliant white light once again and, in an instant, enveloped Shen Luo¡¯s body. When the white light faded, Shen Luo was nowhere to be found. Seeing this, Ao Hong¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he stood there, stunned. ¡­ Shen Luo only felt a flash before his eyes, and then he found himself standing on a golden stairway. Regaining control over his limbs and internal Mana, he quickly concealed the golden light around him and looked around. His complexion changed. He was at the top of the Nine-layer Gold Pagoda, standing on the steps outside the tower gate. The surroundings of the Gold tower were clearly visible, as was Ao Hong below. However, Ao Hong seemed unaware of him ¨C pacing anxiously in front of the entrance, occasionally stopping to ponder deeply. Shen Luo shouted a few times, but upon seeing it had no effect, he walked down the steps, hoping to attract Ao Hong¡¯s attention by going to the edge of the tower. But after only two steps, a circular white light curtain appeared in front of him, blocking his way. It was identical to the light curtain they encountered below, so he had no choice but to stop. He activated his Huangting Technique, a brilliant golden light surging around him, twinkling continuously, trying to attract Ao Hong¡¯s attention. Regardless of his efforts, Ao Hong below had no reaction and didn¡¯t even glance upwards once. ¡°It seems that the prohibition here has completely isolated the inside.¡± Shen Luo thought gloomily and gave up trying futilely. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since he couldn¡¯t go downwards due to the white light curtain sealing the entire ninth layer of the Golden Tower, he turned and walked to the top to the tower gate of the ninth layer. The tower gate was closed, and it was impossible to see what was inside. Chapter 360: Magical Treasures - Six Chen Whip Chapter 360: Chapter 356: Magical Treasures ¨C Six Chen Whip (Second Update) Chapter 360: Chapter 356: Magical Treasures ¨C Six Chen Whip (Second Update) After a moment of hesitation, Shen Luo gently pushed against the door. To his surprise, the tower gate creaked open without any resistance. What caught his eye was a resplendent gold-filled great hall, about twenty or thirty feet in size, devoid of any furnishings except for a white jade stone chair placed deepest inside, where a tall figure, an Armored Heavenly General sat. The Heavenly General was clad in golden armor, donning a golden winged crow crown, with a flowing black beard that gave him a sense of overwhelming dignity. His left hand held a large black iron whip of antiquated design and his right hand held a miniature gold tower. A tremendous and overwhelming pressure emanated from the Armored Heavenly General, far superior to Ao Hong. The air in the hall moved on its own and centered around the general, forming a huge whirlpool of air that seemed to swallow even the light, making it look exceedingly shadowy. Overwhelmed by the powerful aura of the Armored Heavenly General, Shen Luo moved to the side of the palace door, all the while eyeing the presence. However, the Armored Heavenly General inside the hall made no moves, still sitting there quietly, as if he was not aware of the door opening and Shen Luo¡¯s presence. Shen Luo, curious, peeked inside the hall again, his eyes widening with shock. The Heavenly General had his eyes tightly shut, his complexion was wan and yellow, his body completely motionless. Despite the immense intimidating aura, there was no sign of vitality. ¡°So, it¡¯s a corpse.¡± Shen Luo, relieved, stepped down and walked into the hall. He approached the Heavenly General in golden armor, scrutinizing him carefully for a moment, and his gaze soon landed on the mini golden tower held in the general¡¯s hand, emitting a soft gasp. This gold tower was also nine-layered, with a golden lotus platform at the base. It looked exactly like the external golden tower, with fluid-like golden light flowing on it. A tangible wave of spiritual power emanated from it, which was much more vibrant than any treasure Shen Luo had seen before. The black iron whip in the left hand of the Armored Heavenly General was no different, wrapped in an exceptionally powerful spiritual power fluctuation, it appeared terrifying. ¡°Are these two treasures magical treasures?¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. He had never seen a real magical treasure, only read about them in books. But the aura and power that the nine-layer gold tower and the black iron whip emitted were astonishing, far surpassing his half-moon ring, and should have reached the level of magical treasures. However, upon reconsidering, if this Armored Heavenly General corporeal vessel maintained such a great pressure after death, one could only wonder how powerful he was while alive. Having two magical treasures was normal. ¡°Respectful elder, I am ignorant about which Heavenly General you are, but since you have already passed, leaving these two magical treasures here is a waste. So, allow me, as a junior, to borrow them.¡± Having hesitated, Shen Luo walked in front of the Armored Heavenly General in golden armor, paid his respects with a bow, and then reached out to grab the black iron whip, pulling with force. To his surprise, the iron whip came out with ease. A joy brightened in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes as he studied the Black Iron Whip. The whip had an antique design, three feet and three inches long, made up of thirteen section¡ªquite different from the ordinary nine-section steel whips. Its entirety emitted a wild and desolate aura from ancient times. The middle section was inscribed with the characters ¡°Six Chen¡± in ancient seal script. ¡°Six Chen Whip, quite a nice name.¡± Shen Luo nodded, swinging it twice. The whip was extraordinarily heavy, perhaps over a thousand catties in weight, but having mastered the Huangting Technique to a certain extent, his strength was immense, and the whip felt just right in his grasp. After playing with the whip for a while, he directed the mana from within his body to slowly infuse the whip. A faint black light appeared on the Six Chen Whip, but apart from that, no other reactions occurred. ¡°As expected, it is bound by prohibition magic, I wonder if the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique can refine the prohibition magic on magical treasures? Besides, I have heard that magical treasures have the spirit of their masters. Even if the master perishes, the spirit will remain, preventing others from wielding the full power of the treasure. I wonder if there is any such thing inside this Six Chen Whip?¡± With various thoughts tumbling in his mind, Shen Luo held the Six Chen Whip in his arms and began trying to refine the internal prohibitions using the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. A sudden bellow like a wild beast echoed within the hall, The black light fluctuating on the Six Chen Whip suddenly brightened tenfold, enveloping the whole whip. A violent black wind emanated from the black light, swirling around Shen Luo, making the surrounding void turn dark and causing the air within a dozen feet to make a sharp whistling noise. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes snapped open with a mixture of shock and delight on his face. Little did he expect that with just a little attempt, he would succeed in refining the first layer of the prohibition magic on the Six Chen Whip. The power was already astonishing with just one layer. If all the prohibitions inside the whip were completely refined, he couldn¡¯t imagine how formidable it would be. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, it was not the time to continue refining. Shen Luo put the Six Chen Whip into the Seven Star Talisman Pen Space with a flip of his hand. He extended his arm to take the golden treasure pagoda. The golden treasure pagoda was far superior, both in how it looked and in the power it released compared to the Six Chen Whip, clearly a higher tier treasure. However, the golden Treasure Pagoda seemed to be fixed in the hand of the Armored Heavenly General. No matter how hard he tried, he simply couldn¡¯t take it. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow, opening his hand. At this moment, things took an unexpected turn! The Armored Heavenly General suddenly opened his eyes, shooting golden light that enveloped Shen Luo¡¯s body. Shen Luo¡¯s heart shuddered, but his body seemed immobilized, completely unable to move. The surrounding scenery quickly changed. The great hall disappeared, and he was in a vast, white world. There was no heaven above and no earth below in this place. His body was suspended in mid-air, yet he felt no discomfort. The Armored Heavenly General was still sitting in front of him, only now his cheeks were no different from a regular person¡¯s, no longer reminding of a corpse, and his bright, lively eyes were fixated on him. The feeling of being immobilized vanished from Shen Luo, under the shock, he moved and immediately shot backward. But the Armored Heavenly General gave a faint smile. The golden Treasure Pagoda in his right hand shot out, appeared on top of Shen Luo¡¯s head in a flash, a beam of golden light shot from it and enveloped him. Shen Luo suddenly felt as if a heavy mountain was pressing on his body. He ¡°thumped¡± and collapsed in the void, powerless to move, no matter how much he struggled. ¡°It turns out you¡¯re still alive. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been interrupting you, I unilaterally took the senior¡¯s magical treasure without permission, please forgive me. I¡¯ll give it back to you right now.¡± fear flashed in his eyes, he quickly composed himself and spoke. After finishing the sentence, Shen Luo extended his divine sense to the Seven Star Talisman Pen in his chest but the divine sense passed straight through it, as the Seven Star Talisman Pen was only an illusion. Not only was the Seven Star Talisman Pen an illusion, but his clothes were also the same, akin to a phantom, and empty in substance. His body was the same, like a body of a spirit, an illusion. Chapter 361: Armored Heavenly General (Third Chapter 361: Chapter 357: Armored Heavenly General (Third Update) Chapter 361: Chapter 357: Armored Heavenly General (Third Update) ¡°I remember the classics of Mount Fangcun mentioned that once the power of the divine soul becomes potent enough, it can forcibly pull the opponent¡¯s divine soul into the illusion realm. Could that be what is happening now?¡± Shen Luo wondered in his thoughts. As his mind raced, the Armored Heavenly General abruptly stood, walking with large strides to Shen Luo¡¯s front. ¡°Though your cultivation level is low, your heart nature is not bad. I suppose it will do.¡± Before Shen Luo could respond, the Armored Heavenly General casually spoke, uttering some nonsensical remark. As his voice faded away, the Heavenly General¡¯s body moved and transformed into a golden phantom, rushing directly toward Shen Luo and merging with him. A surge of heat flowed into Shen Luo¡¯s body. He was now unable to move, could only watch all these unfold in front of his eyes. At this moment, the mana within Shen Luo¡¯s body that was initially stagnant, suddenly started revolving on its own, radiating a dazzling golden light. The phantom silhouettes of three dragons and three elephants emerged amid the golden light, emitting powerful roars of dragons and elephants. The flow of heat infused into his body immediately slowed down, seemingly obstructed by the phantom silhouettes of the dragons and elephants. However, the heat transformed by the Armored Heavenly General was more formidable, swiftly breaking through the obstruction of the phantom silhouettes and continuing to merge with Shen Luo¡¯s body. The phantom silhouettes of the three dragons and three elephants bellowed in rage. With a flash of golden light, they transformed into six bowl-sized golden runes and entered Shen Luo¡¯s body. Countless golden flames burst out from his body, dazzling like the sun. The surge of heat was instantly forced out, reshaping into the figure of the Armored Heavenly General. ¡°Impossible, this is the Huangting Technique! You are a disciple of Mount Fangcun?¡± The Armored Heavenly General¡¯s face was filled with shock as he beckoned with one hand. The golden light emitted by the Golden Tower was immediately retracted and flew from atop Shen Luo¡¯s head, falling back into the hand of the Armored Heavenly General. ¡°Indeed, I have some connection with Mount Fangcun,¡± Shen Luo replied, the pressure that heavy as Mount Tai on his body had vanished, as he stood and faced the Armored Heavenly General. The person before his eyes was immensely powerful, far surpassing him. He wasn¡¯t attempting to flee but decided to grit his teeth and admit for now, adapting accordingly. ¡°The Huangting Technique is the treasure of Mount Fangcun, besides the Great Sage Equal to Heaven of that year, no one else has cultivated this technique. Fate, Karmic Destiny, could he be The Armored Heavenly General muttered vaguely, staring at Shen Luo. Shen Luo was confused by his words but dared not interrupt, so he remained obediently standing there. The Armored Heavenly General soon raised his head, opening his mouth to spit out a stream of golden light that transformed into a Golden Heavenly Book. Seeing such actions, Shen Luo shivered inwardly. The Armored Heavenly General murmured a few spells and waved the Heavenly Book in his hand. A burst of golden light sprinkled from it, covering Shen Luo¡¯s body. ¡°Your Excellency, what are you Shen Luo¡¯s face changed color, but before he finished speaking, his vision blurred again, and he found himself in a golden space. Unlike the white space before, his body in this space had substance. Except for his body, his clothes, the Seven-Star Talisman Pen, and other objects remained illusory. ¡°My strength is too weak, making me a plaything for these powerful beings! I must swiftly improve my cultivation level, at least reach the Great Mahayana Stage to secure a foothold in the chaos of the world a thousand years later!¡± He sighed inwardly, then began to inspect the surroundings. Beneath his feet was a square stone platform of several hundred feet in size. The stone platform was made of coarse green stones. These stones appeared ordinary yet gave a sense of ancient desolation, clearly, they were not ordinary stones. Brownish-red traces occasionally appeared on the green stones, seemingly stained by blood. The traces varied in depth, indicating that brutal fights often occurred here. The smell of battle was still strong even though the blood had dried, which was both horrifying and somehow stimulating. At each corner of the stone platform stood a green stone pillar, with a cluster of golden flames burning at the top. ¡°What place is this?¡± Shen Luo was puzzled. At that moment, a flash of silver light appeared several feet in front of him, revealing a man in silver armor. This man had a full beard, broad bones, and a very rugged appearance, but his face was utterly expressionless. Despite his blank expression, a robust aura emanated from the silver-armored man, showing a Nascent Soul Middle Stage realm that was somewhat more formidable than Shen Luo¡¯s. The man held a bright silver spear in one hand. The spearhead was gleaming with a terrifying chill, obviously a high-grade magical instrument, even superior to the Half-moon ring. Seeing this, Shen Luo became secretly vigilant, ready to greet him. However, the silver-armored man suddenly looked at him. His expressionless eyes filled with fierce battle intent, and the silver spear in his hand exploded with dazzling light. The silver light was so bright that Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but squint. But it was at this moment, the silver light in front of his eyes flickered, and the spearhead of the silver spear somehow arrived in front of him, stabbing directly into Shen Luo¡¯s lower abdomen. But Shen Luo¡¯s figure slowly dissipated, turning out to be just an afterimage. ¡°Daoist friend, why did you attack me as soon as you appeared? I do not think I have offended you.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s figure emerged several feet away, speaking out. But the silver-armored man paid no heed, immediately turned and pounced. He took a step, crossing dozens of feet in the blink of an eye, appearing in front of Shen Luo at an unbelievably fast speed. The silver spear in his hand turned into a silver light and was stabbing Shen Luo¡¯s chest like a shooting star, faster than the previous strike. ¡°If you¡¯re intent on fighting, then I¡¯ll oblige!¡± Shen Luo dodged the spear once again with a flicker of his figure and spoke gravely. However, the silver-armored man still didn¡¯t speak. He shook his silver spear, and six silver spear shadows that were like snakes shot out, attacking Shen Luo from different directions. ¡°I survived the Heavenly General, why would I fear you?¡± Shen Luo squinted, no longer wasting words. A flash of light appeared under his feet and his body suddenly transformed into a thin golden shadow. He darted through the six spear shadows and appeared in front of the silver-armored man in the blink of an eye. His five fingers shaped like claws, pulling out afterimages, he unexpectedly grabbed the silver long spear with his hand. The silver-armored man let out a low growl, and the long spear in his hand quickly spun around, like a writhing snake, surprisingly slipping out of Shen Luo¡¯s hand in an instant. The tail of the spear swung outwards, counterattacking Shen Luo¡¯s chest. A flicker of surprise passed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, and he sidestepped to dodge the spear¡¯s swing. His grabbing attempt had been made with full strength, and still, he failed to catch the opponent¡¯s spear. It seemed that the strength of the silver-armored man needed to be re-evaluated. With a swift movement, he transformed into a golden figure and darted to the side of the silver-armored man, throwing a punch. The two were once again engaged in combat. The silver-armored man¡¯s spear technique was incredibly exquisite. The silver war spear sometimes swung widely, other times it changed unpredictably. Coupled with his profound cultivation level, it was hard to defend against. Luckily, Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation level was not much weaker than his opponent¡¯s. Plus, with the superb Huangting Technique and the peculiar Slanting Moon Steps, he did not end up at a disadvantage against the elusive spear technique of the silver-armored man. As their figures crisscrossed, the fight between Shen Luo and the silver-armored man had lasted for a quarter of an hour. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 362: Experience (4th Update) Chapter 362: Chapter 358: Experience (4th Update) Chapter 362: Chapter 358: Experience (4th Update) At the start, Shen Luo was at a slight disadvantage, but after a dozen or so rounds, he gradually began to understand the spear techniques and attacking strategies of his opponent. His responses were no longer as awkward as they were initially, and he began to launch counterattacks. The silver armored man suddenly flipped his silver spear, and countless spear shadows, like a curtain of rain, showered toward Shen Luo, targeting every part of his body. ¡°This move again!¡± A sharp light flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. Instead of retreating, he plunged directly into the spear shadows, with twenty golden lights appearing around his body. He summoned all the mana within his twenty meridians. With a ¡°boom,¡± a wave of mana several times more powerful than before erupted from him, easily overpowering the silver armored man¡¯s momentum, and his right hand reached out. A golden dragon claw the size of a tabletop emerged and dived into the countless spear shadows. The spear shadows suddenly halted, then silently dissipated. Only the man¡¯s silver spear was seen, tightly gripped by the golden dragon claw. The silver armored man roared, the silver spear began to rotate rapidly again in an attempt to break free, but it was as stable as Mount Tai on the golden dragon claw, and did not budge regardless of how much the spear struggled and rotated. Shen Luo¡¯s other hand shot out like lightning, plunging straight into the chest of the silver armored man. With a ¡°puff,¡± it emerged from the man¡¯s back. The movements of the silver armored man froze, and his body rapidly became translucent. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, a white light flew out from the blurred body of the silver armored man, and before he could get a clear look, it disappeared into his body. Shen Luo was taken aback and was about to investigate what was happening inside his body when the golden world before his eyes suddenly disappeared, and he was back inside the great hall on the top floor of the Golden Tower. The armored Heavenly General sat silently on the stone chair, still resembling a pile of bones, showing no signs of resurrection. He too was standing precisely in front of the armored Heavenly General, appearing as though he had never moved. ¡°What just happened?¡± A puzzled look appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s face. If he did not still clearly perceive the fatigue in his body, he would almost believe that everything he had just experienced was merely a dream. Just then, a white light suddenly emerged within his Sea of Knowledge, and as soon as it appeared, it instantly swooped on the small divine soul in his mind¡¯s eye, merging with it. Shen Luo was shocked. He wanted to stop it but there was not enough time. The next moment, he suddenly grabbed his head with both hands, letting out a scream. He felt a severe convulsion of his divine soul and an unbearable and excruciating pain in his head, as if it was about to split open. It took a while for the soul¡¯s pain to gradually subside. ¡°Strange, that Heavenly Soldier was clearly dead, yet he could still launch this kind of divine soul attack. Luckily my soul power is steady and resilient otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have been able to withstand it.¡± Shen Luo sat up from the ground, panting heavily, and remarked with lingering fear. But the next moment, he furrowed his eyebrows and revealed a hint of surprise. He suddenly realized that his soul power had been substantially increased. Not only that, a lot of unfamiliar scenes had emerged in his mind, which were the memories and insights of the silver armored man¡¯s several battles with others. Especially, a fast-moving step technique and a fierce spear technique were highly beneficial to him. ¡°Could the white light not be an attack from the silver armored man, but a reward for defeating him?¡± Shen Luo speculated privately. Just then, at a short distance in front of him, the golden tower in the hands of the armored Heavenly General suddenly lit up, and made a ¡°ka¡± sound. Shen Luo quickly looked up. The tower gate at the base of the golden tower had already opened. As he was about to figure out exactly what was going on, a flash of gold before him and a thumb-sized golden pill flew out from the opened tower gate, shooting to a point in front of him, suspended in the air. A refreshing medicinal fragrance spread from it, quickly filling the entire hall. Shen Luo had some understanding of elixirs, with a sniff of this medicinal scent, he knew this pill was likely harmless, from the fragrance it emitted, it should contain many strong remedies, likely to be a type of medicine that reinforced one¡¯s constitution and built the foundation. ¡°Could this also be my reward for defeating the silver armored man?¡± He guessed wildly in his mind, and extended his hand to take the pill. After a slight hesitation, he swallowed the golden pill. Anyway, he was currently in Dreamland, even if there was an issue with the pill, it doesn¡¯t matter, he could just restart the dream. After ingesting the pill it quickly dissolved, turning into countless warm streams, flowing through the meridians throughout his body. These warm currents were streams of pure mana, and as they moved, his body felt as if it was immersed in hot water. Shen Luo was overjoyed. He quickly sat down cross-legged on the spot, closed his eyes, and started running the Huangting Technique to absorb this medicinal power. Soon, he had absorbed it all. When he opened his eyes again, he felt completely refreshed. His cultivation level had increased quite a lot, with a degree of improvement that was not less than the previous increase in his soul power. Shen Luo stood up, flexed his limbs, and the sound of cracking joints echoed. The medicinal effect of that unidentified golden pill was miraculous;his body had also become much stronger. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, the eyes of the armored Heavenly General opened again, two rays of golden light shot out, enveloping Shen Luo. The golden light was almost instantaneous, giving him no room to react. His body was frozen once again. ¡°Well done, you defeated the Heavenly Doll Soldier. If you can defeat the thirty-six Heavenly Soldiers under my command, I will let you leave the tower and gift you a great opportunity.¡± The armored Heavenly General opened and closed his mouth, stating slowly in a hoarse voice. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was stunned. But before he had time to think, the scene before his eyes changed rapidly. By the time he came to his senses, he found himself back on the green stone platform within the golden space. ¡°What did he mean by what he just said? Thirty-six Heavenly Soldiers, do I have to fight thirty-six times? But at least I¡¯ve found a method to get out of the tower.¡± He contemplated on the meaning of the words spoken by the armored Heavenly General, turning over thoughts in his mind. The next instant, a silver light flashed a few meters in front of him, and a silver-armored Heavenly Soldier appeared, this time a silver armored youth. He was rather handsome, and carried two green greatswords on his back. His expression was dull, just like a soulless puppet. Shen Luo swept his divine sense over the silver armored youth, his eyes narrowing slightly. The aura of the silver armored youth was much stronger than the previous man, and appeared to be only half a step away from the middle peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. Before he could think further, the silver-armored youth had already pounced on him. With a flick of his hands, the greatswords on his back were already in his hands, and he attacked with swift, lightning-like horizontal slashes. ¡°Whoosh, whoosh¡± Two sword Qi in the shape of furious dragons shot out, each over ten meters long, filled with green light and chilling aura. They were far from ordinary sword Qi, slashing at Shen Luo intersectingly. Shen Luo¡¯s figure shook, and shadowy footprints began to appear. He instantly moved over twenty meters sideways. After absorbing the step technique of the silver armored man, his Slanting Moon Steps had unconsciously improved a bit. Chapter 363: Resurrection (Fifth Update) Chapter 363: Chapter 359: Resurrection (Fifth Update) Chapter 363: Chapter 359: Resurrection (Fifth Update) Although Shen Luo was quick to dodge, his left arm was still grazed by the tail end of the Sword Qi. The protective golden light on him was effortlessly penetrated by the green Sword Qi as if it were non-existent. With a soft ¡°splat¡± sound, a cut was made on his left arm, and blood splattered out. His tough skin couldn¡¯t withstand the green Sword Qi launched by the opponent. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, showing no fear, and lunged forward. His current body possessed astonishing potential, and the Huangting Technique he cultivated was the Sect¡¯s Treasure of Mount Fangcun. The Slanting Moon Steps he learned were also incredibly exquisite;so long as they were applied properly, even facing a higher-level opponent wasn¡¯t an issue, let alone a cultivator of the same level. The two of them immediately engaged in a fierce battle, with the golden light and Sword Qi blending together, forming a massive whirlwind. After more than twenty rounds of fighting, Shen Luo abruptly retreated, leaving a streak of afterimages behind. His body and arm bore several new wounds, bleeding copiously;he looked rather ragged. The silver armored youth stood stiffly in place. His two green greatswords had shockingly pierced through his own body, the tips protruding from his back. The silver armored youth¡¯s body quickly turned transparent and disappeared completely after a few breaths, leaving behind a ball of white light that flew towards Shen Luo. This time, Shen Luo didn¡¯t dodge at all and let the white light pierce into his body. Just as he drew a breath, his vision blurred and he was back in the golden hall. The next moment, the ball of white light appeared in his Sea of Knowledge, merging into his divine soul. The intense pain resurfaced, but having experienced it before, he didn¡¯t panic. He sat cross-legged and endured the pain without making a sound. A moment later, the intense pain subsided like the ebbing tide, and his Soul Power had once again increased quite a bit. Just like before, he obtained the battle experience and martial arts inheritance of the silver armored youth: a sword technique that allowed him to operate two swords like flying. Shen Luo was slightly delighted in his heart. The spear technique he got from slaying the silver armored man previously wasn¡¯t very useful. But this time, the double sword technique was somewhat useful. When he activated the Huangting Technique, his hands were as solid as iron and capable of cutting through metal. This allowed him to transform his hands into swords and utilize this sword technique. Just like before, a golden pill flew out from the golden tower in the Armored Heavenly General¡¯s hand, suspended in front of him. He checked it a bit, confirmed that there was no error, and swallowed it down. Not only did his cultivation improve significantly, his injuries also miraculously healed all at once. ¡°Good, let¡¯s see what other formidable Heavenly Soldiers will appear!¡± Shen Luo stood up, his eyes filled with a fighting spirit. Fighting these Heavenly Soldiers time and time again wasn¡¯t easy, but the gains were great. His cultivation had improved rapidly, far superior to closed-door cultivation. The battle experience of these Heavenly Soldiers also greatly improved his fighting skills. His control over Mana and physical strength was becoming more and more proficient. Such an opportunity is not something that could be encountered casually. Even after waking up from the dream and returning to reality, although he wouldn¡¯t be able to take the cultivation treasures back, the things etched deep in his memory could certainly be retained. As he was considering this, the Armored Heavenly General opened his eyes again, and two rays of golden light shot out, enveloping Shen Luo¡¯s body. His vision blurred, and when he came to his senses, he found himself back on the green stone platform. A tall man, armored in silver and wielding a halberd, appeared out of thin air, the silver light flashing a few meters ahead. A powerful aura emanated from him, reaching the middle peak of the Nascent Soul Stage, stronger than before. Yet Shen Luo showed no fear. With a roar, he was the first to charge forward. And so, he entered the golden space time and again, batteling with the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers, constantly improving his cultivation and combat skills. Thanks to the Huangting Technique and Slanting Moon Steps, he made quite a smooth start and successively slew five or six Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers, raising his cultivation to the late Nascent Soul Stage. The cultivation of those Heavenly Soldiers that appeared on the Stone Platform was only slightly higher than his own. However, at this level, any slight increase in cultivation would result in an enormous disparity in strength. Moreover, the skills practiced by those Heavenly Soldiers were becoming increasingly formidable and their martial techniques were becoming more refined. The advantages of the Huangting Technique and the Slanting Moon Steps were gradually being neutralized, making Shen Luo¡¯s victories increasingly difficult. Eventually, when facing an extremely powerful Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier wielding dual blades, he made a mistake that allowed his opponent to breach his defense and pierce his body with a blade. Before he could react, another bright, swift-as-lightning blade light swept toward him. With a ¡°pfft¡± sound, it bisected his body at the waist. Is this where it ends?¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly. Despite his reluctance, he was helpless, admitting the opponent¡¯s strength was indeed superior to his own. This meant that the trial bestowed upon him by the Golden Armor Heavenly General could be considered a failure. However, at this moment, his view suddenly blurred, and he found himself back in the Golden Hall. Shen Luo was slightly startled, and his bisected body was unable to move at all. Soon, his vision began to darken. A light sound came from ahead, and he managed to raise his head. The Golden Armor Heavenly General, who had somehow risen to stand, stared at him with gray-black eyes, exuding an icy cold aura. ¡°If you¡¯ve lost, you¡¯re not the one I¡¯m waiting for!¡± The Golden Armor Heavenly General¡¯s dry lips moved, speaking in a hoarse voice before gesturing with his hand. The golden tower in his hand shone, and a bolt of golden light shot forth, carrying a phantom image of the Golden Tower and striking Shen Luo. With a light ¡°puff ¡± sound, Shen Luo¡¯s resilient body crumbled like an egg, easily crushed and completely shattered. Shen Luo¡¯s vision went dark, and after an unknown stretch of time, his vision restored, finding himself again on the Stone Platform in the golden space. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier wielding dual blades stood several yards away, his arm swinging down, and two streaks of bright blade light were slashing towards him ¨C it was the same person who had killed him moments ago. He hastily dodged, a hint of joy flickered across his face. ¡°I almost forgot, I can die and resurrect in my dreams.¡± The dual blades of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier waved, and streak after streak of bright blade light flew out, raging like tidal waves, one wave followed by another, each faster than the previous, seemingly without any flaws to exploit. Previously, Shen Luo had been suppressed by this blade-light torrent, unable to find an opportunity to counterattack, and eventually ended in total defeat. However, he had died and resurrected this time and had experience from previous battles with the opponent, so he was able to handle it smoothly. After dodging a few times, Shen Luo seized an opportunity amidst the continuous blade light of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, darting out, his body becoming as thin as paper, barely squeezing between two streaks of blade light. Despite using the physical transformation ability of the Huangting Technique, he still couldn¡¯t completely dodge the blade light¡¯s attack, and he felt a burning pain across his chest and abdomen. However, Shen Luo completely ignored his injuries and charged straight for the opponent¡¯s body like a bolt of lightning. The Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier seemed taken aback too, his dual blades merged horizontally and slashed out. ¡°zzt¡± A bright blade light tens of yards long and several yards high shot out, slashing toward Shen Luo like a raging sea wave, block all paths forward. (End of five updates, asking for monthly votes!!!) Chapter 364: Attempt (4th update) Chapter 364: Chapter 363: Attempt (4th update) Chapter 364: Chapter 363: Attempt (4th update) Shen Luo channeled his inner mana into it, and a ¡°bang¡± sound rang out. A flickering black halo suddenly appeared on the Six Chen Whip, even though it was not particularly intense, but it radiated a terrifyingly immense spiritual pressure that surged forwards, striking the silver-armored strong man. With a ¡°crack¡±, the turtle shell shield seemed as fragile as paper and shattered at the strike of the Six Chen Whip. It was too late for the silver-armored strong man to turn around and face the enemy;all he could manage was to wave his arms and swat out two silver palm images towards Shen Luo. But the black halo emanating from the Six Chen Whip flared up and easily devoured the two silver palm images, appearing to strike on the strong man¡¯s back without the slightest reduction in strength. Thunk! The silver armor on the strong man shattered, and his body exploded directly, hit by the Six Chen Whip, was split in two, and hurled away. Seeing this, Shen Luo was somewhat dumbfounded and stood stiffly, right hand still in the pose of the strike. The power displayed by the Six Chen Whip magic treasure when first exerted exceeded his expectations, killing a strong individual of the Great Mahayana Stage effortlessly! All of a sudden, his body gave way and with a thud, he fell, sitting on the ground. The Six Chen Whip was incredibly powerful, but also terrifyingly consuming. That one strike just now had completely drained his inner mana. The bisected body of the silver-armored strong man quickly turned transparent and dissipated into nothingness. A group of white light shot out from the upper half of his body, merging into his own. Next, Shen Luo¡¯s vision blurred and he returned to the Golden Hall. The residual soul power of the silver-armored strong man was unusually strong, causing the divine soul figure in Shen Luo¡¯s sea of knowledge to enlarge by a large circle, and the previously semi-transparent divine soul figure also became more solid and clear. Shen Luo endured the pain of his splitting soul, sensed the changes in his mind, and was overjoyed. This signified that his soul power had reached the Perfect Boundary of the Nascent Soul Stage, and he could ignite the soul flame at any moment, attempting to break through the Great Mahayana Stage. With that thought, he abruptly raised his hand, catching a golden light flying to his face, then arrived outside the main hall with a flicker, cross-legged, deep in thought. His soul power and cultivation level were now at their peak, and the accumulation of vitality in his body was not far off. If he took this golden pill, there was a high probability that it would trigger a drastic change in his inner mana, commencing the breakthrough to the Great Mahayana Stage. However, he was not yet prepared. If he attempted to break through recklessly, he would most likely end up dead. ¡°Why was I so foolish? At this moment, I am in the dreamland. Even if I failed in the breakthrough and died, I can be reborn. Not only that, I can also accumulate understanding. If I fail the first time, I can try again, and I will succeed eventually.¡± Shen Luo suddenly slapped his thigh. The hesitation on his face disappeared, replaced by an excited look. With that thought, he sat cross-legged immediately, closed his eyes to adjust his mindset. When his mood was completely calm, he took out the golden pill without hesitation, swallowed it, and then started refining. The pill transformed into countless streams of heat flowing through his entire body, merging into his inner mana. Soon enough, the mana inside Shen Luo started to run wildly out of control. His body emitted bursts of bright golden light, veiling his body and constantly circulating. As time passed, the golden light grew brighter, illuminating the outside of the hall into a golden world and penetrating into the main hall. Shen Luo¡¯s body appeared faint and misty in the golden light, making it hard to discern. His hands, which were resting by his sides, suddenly lifted and quickly formed a series of magic spells. The golden light on his body began to fluctuate with it. A moment later, with a soft ¡°pop¡±, there was a sudden bright, piercing light on his forehead. Even the surrounding golden light couldn¡¯t block it. From the outside, it was clearly visible, flickering like a flame. This was the soul flame! Shen Luo didn¡¯t stop groping his hands, continuing to form one magic seal after another. A moment later, a crystal clear golden flame also lit up in his Dantian, located in his lower abdomen, and shot through his body. This is the Vitality Flame, also the Flame of Mana! A person¡¯s divine soul is concentrated in the brain, and the mana is concentrated in the Dantian. It¡¯s not difficult to ignite the Life Flame in these two places, the hardest part is the Vital Flame, which is the flame of the body¡¯s own essence and Qi. The Essence Qi of the flesh is scattered all over the body. It is already strenuous to refine the Vital Flame. To gather it, it is even more difficult. Shen Luo took a deep breath and continued to practice. The phantom of the Four Dragons and Four Elephants emerged one after another and then slowly merged into his body. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hairs all over his body bulged, forming bean-sized bumps. It looked somewhat terrifying, and tiny white lights surged out from his pores, gently pulsing. Shen Luo¡¯s face showed neither joy nor sorrow, his hands continued to form seals and cast spells. The white lights gradually migrated towards his chest. After half a day, all the white lights on his body gathered in his chest, forming a group of white flame. Shen Luo¡¯s heart relaxed a little, silently thanking the Daoist who had taught him the Huangting Technique. The Huangting Technique allows dual cultivation of the physical and the spiritual. This increases the strength of his physical body and mana, which is why he could ignite the body¡¯s own flame so easily. Moreover, because the Huangting Technique is a dual cultivation method, his Body¡¯s Flame and Mana Flame are inherently compatible. When the Three Elements merge into one, it is easier than for those who practice ordinary cultivation methods. This is one of the reasons why dual cultivation method is so valuable. After refining the Body¡¯s Flame, Shen Luo made no hesitation. His two hands formed one Dharma Seal and stood still in front of him. The two flames in his forehead and lower abdomen slowly moved to his chest, and soon joined with the white vital energy flame. The progression to the Mahayana stage has not ended here. If anything it has just begun, only by completely merging the Three Element Flame into one, will the progression be successful. At this moment, the Three Element Flame in front of his chest not only had no tendency to merge, but instead clashed violently with each other. If he hadn¡¯t suppressed them with great determination, they would have exploded long ago. Shen Luo took a deep breath and ran the Huangting Technique with all his might. With a ¡°boom¡±, the golden light around him brightened again, forming a huge golden light group, completely engulfing him within it. All of a sudden, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi inside and outside the great hall fluctuated violently, forming large and small spiritual vortexes. All the spiritual power converged towards Shen Luo. Time slowly passed and within half an hour, the golden light group suddenly became violently disturbed, making a sound like a screech. Then, the golden light group rolled around uncontrollably, and three distinct tongues of flame erupted from inside, making a ¡°bang¡± sound. The golden light group also exploded completely, revealing the situation inside. Shen Luo¡¯s chest was blasted out into a huge cavity, charred all over, and his whole body was wrapped in a golden flame, burning violently, and quickly turned into ashes. However, his eyes showed no fear, just quietly watching all this, as if he were an onlooker. Chapter 365: Harvest (1st update) Chapter 365: Chapter 360: Harvest (1st update) Chapter 365: Chapter 360: Harvest (1st update) Shen Luo clenched his hands tightly into fists, golden light gathering around his arms, forming two substantially solid images of elephant legs, which he thrust forward. With a ¡°boom¡±, a thunderclap exploded as if on the ground. The bright knife light shattered in response, but the elephant leg images on Shen Luo¡¯s hands were also smashed, slashing lines of bloody traces on his fists and arms, with fresh blood flowing down. However, he disregarded the injuries on his hands, continued his previous pounce, and in an instant he was a few feet in front of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, his fists became claws, and he stretched out for a grab. Two golden dragon claw images, each a foot in size, emerged, one grabbed the silver-armored soldier¡¯s dual blades with lightning speed, securing them firmly, while the other claw aimed at the soldier¡¯s chest. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The heavenly soldier¡¯s dual blades jingled, two chilling white blades of light exploded, inverting and twisting, instantly smashing the golden dragon claws. However, these two golden dragon claws were the result of Shen Luo deploying his full mana, so their attack was considerable. The silver-armored soldier managed to break one, but was utterly unable to resist the other dragon claw. The golden shadow flashed, the other claw harshly catching on his body. With a rip, the soldier¡¯s silver armor was torn, with three deep wounds revealing bone being scratched on his chest, his body being flung backwards. A moonlight glamour flashed under Shen Luo¡¯s feet, his figure vanished in a blink, then he appeared out of thin air behind the silver-armored soldier, his fists drilling forth like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, aiming at the soldier¡¯s back. Even though the silver-armored soldier was in mid-air, he didn¡¯t lose focus, a burst of silver light emerged from his body, and he managed to twist in the air, his dual blades launching an attack behind him. However, the moonlight on Shen Luo¡¯s feet flashed once more, and he disappeared again. He immediately reappeared on the other side of the silver soldier, his hands again morphing from fists to claws as he reached out for another grab. Golden light erupted from his fingertips, coalescing in to needle-like forms, emitting a piercing whistling sound. The silver-armored soldier in the air was already movement-impaired. He barely managed to fend off Shen Luo¡¯s fists just moments ago, but was unable to evade these claws and was caught on both arms. His arms were severed, flying away from his body, and he himself was heavily dropped on the ground, emitting a loud ¡°thud¡±. Unflinching, Shen Luo rushed forward, instantly appearing in the air above the Silver Armored Soldier. His right foot gleamed with golden light, condensing into another image of an elephant¡¯s leg, and he stomped heavily on the soldier¡¯s chest. With a crunch, the silver armor on the soldier¡¯s chest was shattered, the chest bones crushed into fragments, sinking inwards deeply. After struggling twice, the soldier stopped moving completely, and his body quickly turned into nothingness. Then a white light flew out from his body, and it entered Shen Luo¡¯s body. Shen Luo released a long sigh towards the sky, stumbled back a few steps, before finally steadying himself. His last few moves seemed ordinary, but they were concentrated with all his spirit and power, without which he would not have succeeded. The scenery around him changed, and Shen Luo was back in the Golden Hall. After absorbing the residual soul power of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, the Golden Tower spat out another elixir. Shen Luo caught the elixir, but didn¡¯t take it. Instead, he stood up and flew to the outside of the hall, sitting in a corner. Through the previous fights, he had figured out the pattern of how the Armored Heavenly General absorbed people into the golden space. Each time after absorbing the residual soul of a heavenly soldier and refining the golden pill, he¡¯d be taken back into the golden space. However, once he was outside the hall, the Heavenly General could no longer forcefully drag him into the trial space, and he was free to stay outside as long as he wished. Shen Luo threw back his head and swallowed the golden pill. After refining it, his cultivation level improved quite a bit. However, the wounds on his arms were severe and in some places, they were deep enough to see bone. The golden pill indeed had healing effects, but it couldn¡¯t completely heal such serious wounds, it could only provide temporary relief. Shen Luo looked at the wounds on his arms and continued to operate the Huangting Technique. A gentle golden light radiated from his body, enveloping him and forming a golden gauze around his body. Half an hour later. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, the golden gauze around his body vanished with a flash, and the wounds on his arms were completely healed. He immediately got up and stepped into the great hall. With resurrection as his trump card, he had the confidence to continue fighting. After all, each experience was rare and the gains from them were equally good. Just as Shen Luo set foot into the great hall, the eyes of the Armored Heavenly General opened immediately. Two golden lights flew and pulled him into a golden space. Several feet away amidst the swirling silver light, a Silver-armored Female Soldier appeared, behind her a Silver Giant Bow almost as tall as her. A sharp and irresistible aura emanated from the female soldier. It was like an unsheathed, sky-reaching sharp sword;stronger than the previous Dual Blade Warrior. Without saying a word, Shen Luo immediately used the Slanting Moon Steps technique, creating several identical afterimages and moved sideways, intending to investigate the opponent¡¯s methods first, and strike back when a flaw was found. Just as he moved, the Silver Armored Female Soldier¡¯s hands immediately became blurred. Shortly after, Shen Luo saw just a flash of silver in front of him, and a Silver Arrow appeared out of nowhere, aiming straight for his heart. In the face of this Silver Arrow, his speed and the elusive body movements of the Slanting Moon Steps were completely useless. In desperation, Shen Luo raised his hand, and a sword Qi-like golden light about a yard long shot from his palm, slashing downwards. With a ¡°bang¡±, the Silver Arrow was cut into two and dissipated into a sprinkle of silver light. But a powerful shock came bouncing back, forcing Shen Luo to step back. His elusive body technique was immediately disrupted. Before he could adjust his stance, a chaotic silver light flashed in front of him, and seven or eight Silver Arrows shot towards him. Shen Luo¡¯s face turned paler. His other palm was also emitting intense golden light, releasing a yard-long sword radiance, and his arm and the two sword radiances disappeared instantaneously. Multiple golden sword shadows appeared in the surroundings, forming a protective shield around him. This was a defensive sword technique used by the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier. Having absorbed his combat experience and swordsmanship, Shen Luo had also mastered it. The loud collision of gold and silver caused a stir. The seven or eight Silver Arrows were all blocked and shattered, but Shen Luo¡¯s body was trembling continuously, forcing him to step back again. While he was still retreating, a silver light once again flashed in front of him, and an astonishing twenty to thirty Silver Arrows flew at him. Shen Luo was horrified. Until now he had not been able to make out how the Silver Armored Female Soldier was shooting her arrows. The female soldier¡¯s power was far superior to the previous Dual Blade Warrior. After struggling for several rounds, he was defeated again. His body was pierced by dozens of arrows and he died. However, he was quickly resurrected, returning to the time when the Silver Armored Female Soldier had first appeared, and began the second round of battle. The Silver Armored Female Soldier¡¯s power was too strong. In the last round, Shen Luo had failed to find her weak points, so he had no choice but to keep probing. Regrettably, he was still unable to find her weakness in this round. Although he lasted longer than before, he was still killed in the end. Chapter 366: Mahayana Heavenly Soldier (Second Chapter 366: Chapter 361: Mahayana Heavenly Soldier (Second Update) Chapter 366: Chapter 361: Mahayana Heavenly Soldier (Second Update) Shen Luo resurrected quickly again and began his third battle. This time, he changed his strategy and decided to engage in close combat. The massive bow in the woman¡¯s hands was an extremely powerful magical instrument, possibly even a Magical Treasure, seemingly capable of launching endless arrows, each faster than the last. If Shen Luo allowed her to keep her distance, death was imminent. His only hope of winning was in hand-to-hand combat. With the presence of his Slanting Moon Steps and Yimu Xuandun, it was not difficult for Shen Luo to approach his opponent. However, to his surprise, the Silver-armored Female Soldier was also not weak in close combat. Only after dying and resurrecting again, did he finally seize an opportunity, at the cost of severe injuries, to defeat her in one fell swoop. Once back in the great hall, Shen Luo refined the remaining soul of the Silver-armored Female Soldier and the Golden Pill, quickly returning to the golden space to continue his trial. As expected, the more the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers that appeared next, the stronger they were. It was impossible to defeat them in the first encounter. Thanks to his ability to repeatedly resurrect in Dreamland, he could accumulate combat experience and then seek out their weaknesses for a counter-attack. In the beginning, he only had to die a few times to find the weaknesses of these Heavenly Soldiers and turn the tables. But later, he had to die nearly ten times in order to barely win. Of course, with repeated rounds of intense fighting, Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation level and combat experience against various enemies increased at an astonishing speed. He also mastered a variety of martial skills from the Heavenly Soldiers. On the stairs outside the Golden Hall, Shen Luo, covered in fresh blood, was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, refining the Golden Pill. After a long while, the spiritual energy outside the main hall suddenly became chaotic, gradually revolving around Shen Luo, forming a huge Spiritual Energy Vortex. All of the rich Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi inside the main hall was absorbed, continuously blending into Shen Luo¡¯s body. Soon, a flame-like golden light began to emerge around Shen Luo¡¯s body. In the golden light, the shadows of four golden dragons and four giant elephants appeared, running and roaring around his body, causing the Void to vibrate. After a while, the Spiritual Energy Vortex around Shen Luo suddenly let out a clear hum and completely dissipated. He opened his eyes, a hint of joy on his face. After many consecutive battles and refining numerous Golden Pills, his cultivation level had finally reached the peak of the Late Stage of the Nascent Soul Phase. Next, he could break through to the Great Mahayana Stage. After the Great Mahayana Stage, one could transcend the Tribulation and turn into an Immortal, completely escaping from the fetters of worldly life, aging, sickness, and death. Therefore, the Great Mahayana Stage can be regarded as the bridge between human and Immortal, with extraordinary significance. The difficulty of stepping onto this bridge is extremely high. He had once discussed this topic with Bai Xiaoyun during their leisurely conversation. The process of advancing to the Great Mahayana Stage is not complex. In a word, it can be summed up as merging the soul with the body. However, while it sounds easy, it¡¯s extremely difficult. According to the Huangting Technique, in order to achieve the merging of body and soul, one must fully master the Three Powers of essence, Qi, and spirit. Then, using the Three Powers as the foundation, a Life Flame must be kindled to refine the body and mind. If you can endure this process, you can merge soul and body to progress to the Great Mahayana. If you can¡¯t, you might risk disintegration of your soul. Bai Xiaoyun said that when he was breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage, he relied on the protection of his sect, placed several prohibitions to calm the mind and smooth the vitality, and took many elixirs to assist in transcending the realm. He barely managed to cross this difficult hurdle. Shen Luo, now inside this Golden Tower, had no external force to borrow, making it almost impossible to break through to the Great Mahayana Stage. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it later.¡± He shook his head, no longer thinking about it, and weighed up the upcoming trials. So far, he had defeated fifteen heavenly soldiers. According to the Armored Heavenly General, he needed to defeat another twenty-one heavenly soldiers in order to pass the trial. His cultivation level had reached a point where it was unlikely to increase further. He didn¡¯t know what kind of strength the heavenly soldiers he would be facing next would possess. If their cultivation surpassed his own by too much, even with the reassurance of resurrection, and the possible accumulation of experience, his chances of victory seemed extremely slim. Shen Luo remained silent for a moment before getting up and entering the main hall. Two beams of golden light immediately shot out of the Armored Heavenly General¡¯s eyes, leading him into the trial space. A flash of silver, and a few feet away from the stone platform, a Silver-armored Strong Man appeared with a head full of disheveled hair and a muscular figure. He was empty-handed without any weapons. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. The man didn¡¯t emanate any powerful energy, but it was precisely for this reason that Shen Luo had to be even more vigilant. With a sudden lift of his head, the Silver-armored Strong Man¡¯s figure blurred slightly and then pounced like a tiger. Tiny star patterns began to appear at the pores of his bare skin. His body abruptly enlarged by a circle, his fists also swelling to the size of bowls, striking towards Shen Luo from the void. A sharp, piercing ¡®whoosh¡¯ echoed, and where the fist wind passed, two white marks were drawn out of thin air, as if to tear the void apart. At the same time, a powerful spiritual pressure that could collapse heaven and earth pervaded the golden space, causing the whole space to buzz and tremble violently. ¡°Mahayana stage cultivation!¡± Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart, and while he attempted to dodge, the entire golden space seemed to be shrouded and suppressed by the man¡¯s fists. He felt as if the surrounding space had turned into an endless mud swamp ¨C moving was extremely difficult. He had no choice but to hustle his strength and raise his fist to meet his opponent¡¯s. With a ¡°crack¡±, Shen Luo¡¯s arms broke instantly, and his body was thrown out like a bunch of straw. Blood sprayed out from his mouth as he heavily crashed onto the stone platform. He felt severe pain all over his body and struggled to stand up. But a silver shadow flashed above, and the figure of the Silver-armored Strong Man materialized from thin air, striking down his fists again. Two silver fist shadows flew towards him, and then transformed into two room-sized gigantic silver fists, smashing onto his body. With a soft ¡°pop¡±, Shen Luo¡¯s body was crushed without any chance to resist, becoming a pool of unrecognizable flesh and blood. His consciousness plunged into darkness, but he soon woke up again, appearing on the steps outside the Golden Tower. ¡°These Mahayana stage Heavenly Soldiers are astonishingly formidable, and that Silver-armored Strong Man seems to be practicing a top-tier dual-cultivation technique that rivals the Huangting Technique,¡± Shen Luo gasped for breath, finally suppressing the fear in his heart. It wasn¡¯t surprising that a Mahayana stage heavenly soldier would appear now that his cultivation had reached the peak of the Nascent Soul Phase. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was how terrifying this Mahayana stage heavenly soldier was;he hadn¡¯t even been able to block one technique before he was instantly killed. No matter what, the trials must continue. ¡°Given the timeline now, it should be right after I broke through to the peak of the Nascent Soul phase. It seems that due to my instantaneous annihilation, the time point of my resurrection was advanced significantly. That¡¯s good, it gives me a chance to think about my strategy,¡± Shen Luo checked the condition within his body and murmured to himself. He fell into deep contemplation for a while before getting up and stepping into the main hall again to enter the trial space. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A silver light flashed, and the figure of the Silver-armored Strong Man emerged, about to pounce. But before he could even make a single move, a green shadow lit up on Shen Luo, and he vanished. In the next moment, he appeared behind the Silver-armored Strong Man. Chapter 367: Refining Magical Treasures (3rd Chapter 367: Chapter 362: Refining Magical Treasures (3rd Update) Chapter 367: Chapter 362: Refining Magical Treasures (3rd Update) Although the chi of Yimu was extremely thin within this golden space, he was barely able to teleport. As soon as Shen Luo appeared, his fists immediately emitted a great golden light, and the phantoms of the Four Dragons and Four Symbols entwined around him. An explosive ¡°crack¡± sound resounded from his arm, which abruptly thickened, and was like lightning as it struck towards the vital point at the back of the silver-armored strong man. The silver-armored man didn¡¯t turn around to fight. Countless star patterns emerged from the pores on his body, and numerous silver lights spewed from it, then quickly solidified, instantaneously forming a tortoise shell-shaped silver shield around him. Shen Luo¡¯s fists landed in the space with two loud booms. But the silver shield merely flickered slightly and then withstood this mountain-shattering and river-severing power of his punch. Shen Luo was taken aback and attempted to dodge, retreating swiftly. But he saw from the corner of his eye the silver-armored strong man hitting back with his elbow, creating phantom afterimages that landed on his shoulder. An overwhelming power surged over. Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder was completely shattered, a series of crackling sounds erupted from within his body, more than half of the bones in his body shattered, and he was sent flying once again, crashing into the ground like a pile of mud. Before he could even react, two silver giant fists descended from the sky, obliterating his vision. Once again, Shen Luo¡¯s world turned black, and then he revived on the steps outside the main hall. Shen Luo frowned and sat on the steps for a long while before entering the main hall to challenge once again, the result was the same as the previous. He was easily killed once again. In the following time, Shen Luo challenged the silver-armored strong man more than ten times. However, he was defeated miserably every single time. In the end, he had demonstrated all of his abilities, the Huangting Technique, the Slanting Moon Steps, the Three Stars Demolishing Demons, etc. Even so, he was still beaten to a pulp and saw no hope of victory. Plus, he had tried the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, but probably due to the prohibition outside the tower, he couldn¡¯t sense the outside world here and naturally couldn¡¯t tame the beasts. ¡°Could it really end here? Could it be that I¡¯ll be trapped here forever?¡± Outside the main hall, Shen Luo had a grim expression on his face and gritted his teeth in secret. ¡°No, I can¡¯t give up!¡± His eyes quickly became resolute, forcing himself to calm down, and considering a way to defeat the silver-armored strong man. The most significant difference between him and the silver-armored strong man was his cultivation level. Although he was only a step away from the Great Mahayana Stage, this step was like a chasm. If he could break through to the Great Mahayana Stage, with the advantage of being able to resurrect continuously, there was a possibility of him defeating the silver-armored strong man. But to make a breakthrough without any external assistance was extremely arduous. ¡°Right, how could I have forgotten about the Six Chen Whip. Now, attempting to break through holds little assurance;but refining the Six Chen Whip would save much more time! With that magical treasure, my strength could also greatly increase.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, and he took out the Six Chen Whip. ¡°But it seems like only my body can enter that trial space, and I can¡¯t take things such as my clothes and the Seven Star Pen inside. I wonder if I can bring the Six Chen Whip in?¡± He suddenly thought of an issue, but he decided to fully refine the Six Chen Whip first, and then try. After making up his mind, Shen Luo sat cross-legged, placed the Six Chen Whip flat on his knees, and began to operate the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Spells shot out from both of his hands and entered the Six Chen Whip, and this whip immediately emitted a black light which got increasingly bright. He refined for three days and three nights. There were sixteen black light patterns emerged on the Six Chen Whip. The entwining black light was thick, forming a deep black light group on the whip which was quivering occasionally. Every time this happened, the nearby air would ripple like water, trembling incessantly. Shen Luo had a solemn expression. His hands were forming seals like turning wheels, and spells fell like raindrops on the Six Chen Whip. He had already refined sixteen restrictions of the Six Chen Whip, reaching a critical moment. He exerted his full strength to operate the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and all the mana in his body was also poured into the Six Chen Whip, causing one impact after another. He didn¡¯t know how long it took, but when Shen Luo¡¯s internal mana was somewhat deficient and he was almost unable to support it, a loud ¡°boom¡± sounded. The next restriction in the Six Chen Whip finally collapsed, and the black light it emitted suddenly brightened several times. The whip started humming, shot out from his arms, and hovered around his body. Shen Luo opened his eyes. His face was somewhat pale due to the long period of refining, but there was joy in his eyes. He raised his hand and beckoned. The hovering Six Chen Whip immediately flew back and fell into his hands, creating seventeen black light marks on it. ¡°This Six Chen Whip is indeed a magical treasure!¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. The maximum number of restrictions in a Top-grade Magical Instrument is nine, just like his half-moon ring. Any artifact that has more than nine restrictions belongs to Top-Grade Magical Artifacts. But Top-Grade Magical Artifacts can only accommodate sixteen restrictions at most. If it exceeds this number, it reaches the level of magical treasures. Shen Luo could feel that this was not the limit of the Six Chen Whip. There were still prohibitions deep inside the whip, but he couldn¡¯t thoroughly understand them with his current cultivation level. Shen Luo flipped his palm, intending to put the Six Chen Whip into the Charm Pen Space and recover his depleted mana. But the light on the Six Chen Whip suddenly brightened, transforming into a stream of black light that disappeared into Shen Luo¡¯s body. He was surprised and quickly probed his body with his divine sense, to find that the missing Six Chen Whip had shrunk dozens of times and was quietly floating in his Dantian. ¡°As the rumor goes, magical treasures are a form of spirit communication, and they are different from magical instruments. They can be kept inside one¡¯s body. It seems that it¡¯s true.¡± Shen Luo revealed a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. With a beckon, a flash of black light appeared in his palm, and the Six Chen Whip appeared out of the blue. He nodded and stored the whip into his body again, and then closed his eyes to operate his power-recovering technique. Half an hour later, all his internal mana had been fully recovered, and he got up and walked into the great hall. The eyes of the Armored Heavenly General opened, and two golden lights shone over, covering Shen Luo¡¯s body. He involuntarily clenched his hands, and then, before his eyes, he found himself back on the stone platform of the golden space. Shen Luo quickly checked his body with his divine sense, and a look of delight instantly appeared on his face. The Six Chen Whip was quietly floating in his Dantian. He raised his hand to summon the Six Chen Whip, but suddenly he seemed to remember something and stopped his action. A few meter away, a silver light flashed, and the Silver-Armored Strong Man appeared on the stone platform and, without saying a word, rushed over with his fists as fast as lightning. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Shen Luo¡¯s body flickered with green light, and he first used Yimu Xuandun to disappear, appearing out of thin air behind the strongman. His left hand shone brightly with a golden light, and a Dragon Elephant Phantom in it whirled out toward the man¡¯s back. ¡°According to the previous fights, if I attack it from the back, the Heavenly Soldier will use that silver Tortoise Shell Shield to defend him.¡± As Shen Luo attacked, he thought to himself. Sure enough, the moment before his fists were about to hit the Silver Armoured Strong Man, numerous silver lights sprayed from the strong man¡¯s body and instantly formed a Tortoise Shell Shield. A smirk flashed across the corner of Shen Luo¡¯s mouth, and the left hand that struck suddenly stopped. In his right hand, a shadow flashed, and the Six Chen Whip appeared. Chapter 368: Trinity (Fifth Update) Chapter 368: Chapter 364: Trinity (Fifth Update) Chapter 368: Chapter 364: Trinity (Fifth Update) A few breaths later, Shen Luo¡¯s entire body turned into ashes, and his consciousness plunged into darkness. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Shen Luo¡¯s vision to come back to light. At this moment, his body was shining with golden light, forming a large light group around him. The three clusters of fire on his body slowly merged together, returning to the state before the Three Element Fire fusion. ¡°If I could return to the very beginning of my breakthrough, I could repeat all the previous steps.¡± Shen Luo regretfully thought. Unfortunately, when he revived was not under his command. He quickly collected his mind, activated his techniques, melded the Three Element Fire, and attempted to break through to the Mahayana Stage. Regrettably, this attempt ended in failure too, once again turning him into ashes. ¡°Progressing to the Mahayana Stage is indeed difficult. This body in my dream has superior talent, yet it¡¯s still rejecting this power.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Despite the setback, he didn¡¯t lose heart and quickly attempted the third breakthrough. Thus, he kept failing. It took him eighteen attempts to finally grasp the knack of merging the Three Element Fire. In the dazzling golden light, the Three Element Fire twisted and looped around each other at Shen Luo¡¯s chest, forming a round fireball. There was no longer a conflict amongst them. Rather, they started to merge. A sense of abundant vitality and the idea of Perfection radiated out. ¡°Three elements become one, so this is it, this is it.¡± He murmured with his eyes tightly closed and waved his hands in formulating a spell. The fireball of the Three Elements slowly started spinning and gradually began to blend into one. The original three distinct colors also began to converge into one. Then, the fireball suddenly shrunk, came close to his body, and slowly merged into it. The little figure of his divine spirit in Shen Luo¡¯s mind suddenly trembled, ¡°puff¡± and it shattered into several translucent balls that merged into his body. With a thunderbolt-like explosion in the clear sky, all the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi inside the Golden Tower rushed towards Shen Luo. Not only that, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi outside the golden tower dramatically fluctuated, and all the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within nearly a hundred Li of the golden tower was stimulated. A large number of spiritual energy light groups of varying colors appeared in the surrounding void, and they quickly converged toward the golden tower, forming a gigantic Spiritual Energy Vortex, which was astonishing. At the entrance of the golden tower, Dragon Prince Ao Hong, who was still struggling to find a way to break the prohibition around the tower, suddenly looked up at the shocking phenomenon in the sky and looked at it in surprise. ¡°Judging by this situation, it seems that someone is eliciting the Heavenly and Earthly phenomena caused by breaking through to the Mahayana Stage. Could it be Daoist Shen Luo? Impossible, he is just in the middle of the Nascent Soul Stage. The range of this spiritual vortex is too large. When I initially advanced to the Mahayana Stage, I only triggered a range of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi fluctuations within forty to fifty Li. Who could this person be?¡± Ao Hong¡¯s eyes were flashing with light. On the nine steps of the golden tower. Shen Luo felt the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushing into his body. His Mana quickly increased, and the divine spirit in his mind began to gradually merge into his body. Things that he previously couldn¡¯t sense clearly started to become crystal clear. All of this said one thing: he was about to break through to the Mahayana Stage. ¡°No! I can¡¯t break through to the Mahayana Stage just like this. My fusion of the Three Element Fire this time was just a fluke. I¡¯m far from proficient.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s face showed worry, not joy, and he furrowed his brows. If other Nascent Soul cultivators, who are blocked by the bottleneck of the Mahayana Stage, hear this, they will probably be so angry that they would spit blood. They exhausted their resources and tried all kinds of methods, just hoping to cross the bottleneck of the Mahayana Stage. Shen Luo actually thinks his familiarization with the advancement process is not enough! With a thought from Shen Luo, the Three Elements Fire that was merging in his body suddenly disintegrated. Scorching golden flames instantly consumed his body, turning him into ashes. Shen Luo¡¯s consciousness immediately plunged into darkness, but it was quickly revived, and once again he returned to the moment when the Three Element Fire first started to merge. He closed his eyes and continued to explore. Once, twice, three times, Shen Luo quickly attempted more than ten times through continuous resurrection. Perhaps because he had succeeded once before, his success rate for breaking through to the Mahayana Stage was getting higher and higher during these dozen attempts. In the beginning, he could only succeed once in four or five attempts. Later, he could succeed once in three, and even twice. By the end, he had successfully merged the Three Element Fire three times in a row. ¡°It should be enough.¡± Only then did Shen Luo stop attempting. Given his current mastery of the fusion of the Three Element Fire, there is a pretty good chance of success in the real world later. The things that followed was quite simple. He didn¡¯t suppress his cultivation level anymore. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, both inside and outside the golden tower, converged and poured into Shen Luo¡¯s body. His Mana was rapidly increasing, and the twenty meridians in his body started to widen. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi that was rushing in not only enhanced his Mana but also flowed into his bones, muscles, meridians, and internal organs. All parts of his body were continually transforming, and his body¡¯s strength was rapidly increasing at a terrifying rate. Half a day later, a clear hum sounded as the vortex formed by the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi collapsed and dispersed, faded into obscurity. On the steps of the great hall, the soaring golden light on Shen Luo gradually receded, revealing his body. Shen Luo slowly stood up, exhaled quietly, and a sound like a dragon chanting and a tiger roaring came out. His figure and appearance looked no different from before, but there was a subtle gleam in his eyes, and every move he made now radiated a tremendous momentum, as if he had become another person. The situation inside his body at this moment had indeed undergone a dramatic change. The Mana in his Dantian had increased by almost ten times, and the original liquid Mana had once again become condensed, almost forming a semi-solid gel. Those twenty meridians had also undergone a significant change. Dotted golden patterns like tadpoles appeared on them, and the Mana flowing in them was naturally far greater than before. The twenty meridians he had before could accommodate an impressive quantity of Mana, three or four times more than his Dantian¡¯s capacity. If it¡¯s now, it¡¯s almost ten times the Dantian¡¯s. That means Shen Luo¡¯s total amount of Mana now exceeded an ordinary monk in the middle stage of Mahayana, and could even be compared to those in the later stage. ¡°This must be the terrifying aspect of the Dao Body. With many meridians, the Mana greatly surpasses monks of the same level. If there is a conflict, there is no need to use Magical Weapons and Treasures, he can directly suppress the opponent with Mana.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just his Mana, his flesh and blood body also underwent earth-shaking changes. Shen Luo lightly clenched his hands, and with a ¡°bang¡±, ¡°bang¡±, two sounds of air explosion rang out. Then he waved his right hand and made a virtual grab towards a corner of the golden hall a few meters away. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A layer of golden prohibition immediately appeared on the wall of the great hall, but it immediately sunken. With a ¡°sizzling¡± sound, the wall of the hall was scratched by five deep marks amidst the sparks. (The five afterwords are all done. It¡¯s the last day of October. Don¡¯t miss out on spending your monthly votes^^) Chapter 369: When The Dream Awakes Chapter 369: Chapter 365: When The Dream Awakes (First Update) Chapter 369: Chapter 365: When The Dream Awakes (First Update) Shen Luo nodded to himself, his fingers came together and his palm formed a blade, slashing towards the white light shield outside the hall. With a thunderous bang, the white light shield caved in slightly, trembling uncontrollably for a while before it recovered to its original state. The force of this strike, although not quite matching the might of Ao Hong¡¯s spear, was not far off. Seeing this, Shen Luo was filled with satisfaction. The strength of his physical body was far greater now than before, surpassing even monks specializing in body refinement and monsters known for their physical strength. Shen Luo took a deep breath, silently activated the Huangting Technique in his mind, and a bright golden light radiated from his body. Four golden dragons and four golden elephant phantoms appeared and immediately merged into his body. Then his body underwent a transformation. His arms rapidly elongated. Golden scales surfaced on them, and his palms grew several times larger. His fingers stretched and curved, and sharp claws sprouted from his fingertips. Shen Luo¡¯s arms transformed into two dragon-like entities, radiating an icy golden light. His legs, in turn, turned into two sturdy elephant legs. In an instant, Shen Luo transformed into a half-dragon, half-elephant creature. His mana did not change much, but the aura of his physical body surged several times more. He glanced at his hands, and fiercely grabbed at the wall of the hall. Once again, a golden glow appeared on the wall to resist the strike of the dragon claw, but it was effortlessly shattered. Then, ¡°crash¡± followed by a noise, a large part of the wall of the hall was torn down by the claw. A smile crept onto the corner of his mouth as he lightly stomped his right leg downwards. With a thunderous explosion, the platform beneath him blew open and crumbled into a pile of rubble. ¡°The deeper one cultivates the Huangting Technique, the stronger the ability for the body to change. I wonder if I can transform into a real dragon or a giant elephant when I complete the Seventy-Two Sentences of the Huangting Technique,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself as he made the hand seal to disperse the golden light on his body and returned to his human form. At this moment, a dazzling golden light emerged from the steps and the wall, flickering a few times before dissipating. The crumbled wall and shattered steps were amazingly restored to their original state. Seeing this, Shen Luo revealed a trace of surprise on his face, but he was not too astonished. He had seen similar prohibitions before in the Seven Stars Cave of Mount Fangcun. After sitting cross-legged, he took out the Six Chen Whip again and started to operate the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Beams of golden light shot out from his hands, constantly penetrating the Six Chen Whip. As he expected, with his improved cultivation, he had a much clearer sense of the Six Chen Whip¡¯s deeper prohibitions. In the blink of an eye, a day and a night passed. The Six Chen Whip was shining with a black light, enveloped by thirty-three black prohibition patterns. ¡°I recall Bai Xiaoyun once said that the limit of prohibitions for low-grade magical treasures is thirty-two. The Six Chen Whip has thirty-three prohibitions, so it seems to be a mid-grade magical treasure.¡±, Shen Luo muttered thoughtfully. Holding the Six Chen Whip in one hand, he poured his mana into it. The black light on the whip suddenly brightened, and an overwhelming and heavy spiritual pressure burst out from the whip, triggering a storm and disrupting the nearby void. He was secretly delighted and quickly stopped injecting his mana into it. While the mid-grade magical treasure Six Chen Whip was powerful, it consumed a much greater amount of mana. Just a slight activation, without even attacking, drained half of his internal mana. ¡°There should be no need to worry about the remaining heavenly soldiers now!¡± Shen Luo happily put the Six Chen Whip back into his body and began to meditate and adjust his breath. After his mana recovered, Shen Luo stood up and stepped into the hall again. With a familiar flash of golden light, he was once again pulled into the trial space. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not far in front of him stood a silver-armored man holding a large shield and hammer, emitting the powerful spiritual pressure of the early Mahayana stage. As soon as he saw Shen Luo, he raised his shield, and his body transformed into a silver phantom, charging straight towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo did not move, and with a raise of his right hand and a forward kick, There was a thunderous ¡°thud!¡± The silver-armored man¡¯s figure instantly froze, and a golden dragon claw was seen grasping onto the silver shield. The surface of the shield had already deformed, deepening inward. Without missing a beat, Shen Luo waved his other hand forward, and a black whip shadow rolled out. ¡°Smack¡± The whip emitted a brilliant black light, forming a black sun, lashing at the head of the silver-armored man just inches away. With a ¡°bang,¡± the silver-armored man¡¯s head and the upper half of his body exploded like a watermelon. His entire body turned into a void, and a burst of white light shot out from it, melting into Shen Luo¡¯s body. Following which, the sight before Shen Luo¡¯s eyes blurred, taking him back into the golden hall. All of this happened in a few breaths. After swallowing the Golden Core, Shen Luo rested for barely a moment before continuing his trial. Relying on his powerful strength and the power of the Six Chen Whip, he easily defeated one increasing powerful heavenly soldier after another. His cultivation level and combat experience also continued to elevate accordingly. In the blink of an eye, a day had passed. Shen Luo was seated cross-legged outside the hall with fluctuating golden light on his body. Shimmering images of the Four Dragons and the Four Elephants were on display around him. After a ¡°hum¡± echoed, the golden light on his body suddenly surged dramatically. Around his body, another golden dragon and a golden elephant phantom emerged, yet it was particularly blurred compared to the other Four Dragons and Four Elephants. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, exhaling a long breath. His cultivation had just advanced another step, reaching the late Mahayana stage. However, he didn¡¯t allow himself to indulge in the excitement for long. He quickly stood up and walked towards the inner part of the hall. So far, Shen Luo had slain twenty-eight heavenly soldiers. Eight more to go to meet Armored Heavenly General¡¯s requirement of thirty-six heavenly soldiers. Although these heavenly soldiers were becoming more and more formidable, he was full of confidence in himself. However, the moment Shen Luo stepped into the great hall, his body suddenly convulsed violently. He fell to the ground, and all his energy vanished without a trace, making it impossible for him to struggle. A surge of severe pain and weakness spread from within his body, quickly extending throughout all his limbs. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± He was overwhelmed by terror, but completely helpless. Fortunately, the pain didn¡¯t persist for long. Suddenly everything went black in front of Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, and he lost all sensations, plunging him into unconsciousness. ¡­ In his daze, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes snapped open. What came into view was no longer the furnishings in the pagoda, but the familiar bed and curtains. ¡°Am I¡­back?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, expressing his confusion. As his gaze shifted, he noticed the furnishings within the room not far away. The familiar tables and chairs, and the faint herbal scent permeating the air confirmed that he was indeed in his home¡¯s bedroom. ¡°But why?¡± Shen Luo was confused, sensing something amiss about waking up this time. (Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!! During the National Day period, there should still be double monthly tickets, continue to ask for votes ^^) Chapter 370: Significant Reduction in Lifespan (2nd Chapter 370: Chapter 366: Significant Reduction in Lifespan (2nd Update) Chapter 370: Chapter 366: Significant Reduction in Lifespan (2nd Update) Usually, Shen Luo would awaken from the Dreamland after completing some special tasks, such as killing demons in the mountain village, eradicating ghosts in ancient temples, or saving people in the Longevity Village. Although there was no particular standard, most of the time he would wake up after completing certain tasks. However, this time in the Treasure Pagoda, he had not yet completed the task mentioned by the Armored Heavenly General ¨C defeating thirty-six Heavenly Soldiers, when he suddenly lost consciousness and was transported back to reality. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The feeling was like abruptly waking up in the middle of a dream. He lay in bed, meditating for a moment, but could not make sense of it. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll think about it after I get up,¡± Shen Luo thought. Unable to figure out what was going on, he decided to get up and start cultivating. However, as he tried to lift his arm, he found it as heavy as lead. Accompanied by this heaviness, there was a sharp pain all over his body and an intense feeling of fatigue. Surprised, Shen Luo forcefully sat up, ignoring the discomfort all over his body. His vision suddenly became blurry, objects in the room began to twist, and curtains in front of him swayed as if alive. Everything began to spin, leaving him feeling dizzy. He had no strength to resist and laid back down. His head heavily hit the jade pillow. His body trembled as if straining through a sieve, his mind became muddled, and he couldn¡¯t think at all. He only felt a familiar sensation climbing up to his heart. It felt as though a bottomless pit had opened up inside him, ruthlessly devouring his life force. The intense pain shattered his consciousness bit by bit, leaving him twisted in agony but unable to make a sound. Although it was early morning, the light gradually dimmed as if a black curtain was gradually enclosing him. Darkness fell before his eyes again, and he fell into another unconscious sleep. ¡­ After an unknown period, Shen Luo¡¯s eyelashes trembled a bit, and he finally woke up again. ¡°Father The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a middle-aged man sitting next to him with a look of concern. ¡°Luo¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Shen Yuange asked anxiously. ¡°I made a mistake during cultivation, but it¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Shen Luo replied hesitantly after opening his mouth. ¡°In the morning, you didn¡¯t come out for meals. I thought you might be busy cultivating, but you didn¡¯t appear even in the afternoon. I was worried, so I came in. Only to find you lying on the bed, looking pale. No matter how much I called you, you didn¡¯t wake up. You looked just like when you were first invaded by the Yin Sha, sigh Shen Yuange recounted, and he couldn¡¯t help sighing, thinking back to those times. ¡°It¡¯s just a backlash of the cultivation technique, it¡¯s nothing. After a bit of meditation and adjustment, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Shen Luo smiled and struggled to sit up. Even though he tried to sound casual, he already understood what was happening. The feeling of his life force being devoured was not unfamiliar to him. He experienced it once when he returned from the Dreamland for the second time. The current situation was exactly the same as back then, if not worse. ¡°Father, could you prepare some medicinal herbs for me? I would like to take a herbal bath later,¡± Shen Luo said as he got off the bed, walked slowly to the table, took the brush, and started to write on the Xuan paper. The prescription for the herbal bath was from the Bai Family. Although it contained many precious medicinal ingredients, there were no Spiritual Medicine and Immortal Herbs. It wasn¡¯t difficult for the Shen Family, who ran their own pharmacy, to gather the ingredients. ¡°Alright, wait for me, I will get it prepared. Second Mother has already asked the kitchen to prepare your meal. It will be delivered to you in a while,¡± Shen Yuange agreed promptly and left the room. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have much of an appetite at first and wanted to refuse, but he ended up nodding anyway. After Shen Yuange left, Shen Luo cast a glance towards the door, seeing that outside the sky had already darkened, approaching dusk. He walked to the bedside, sat down again, and looking at the jade pillow on the bed, a wave of complex emotions emerged in his heart. Most of his opportunities were born from this jade pillow, but he had twice exhausted his lifespan all because of it. He truly didn¡¯t know whether to love or hate it? However, reflecting on the few times he traveled through the dream, Shen Luo gradually clarified one thing. The drain on his life was not directly caused by the jade pillow, but seemed related to his experiences of death in the dreams. When Shen Luo first entered the Mountain Village in his dream, he had died and was brought back to life. Though he returned with no physical injuries, he experienced intense pain. During his second dream, when he fought with the Demon Wolf, he also died and was resurrected. After waking up, his lifespan was nearly exhausted. This time, within that Treasure Pagoda, he had died and come back to life more than a hundred times. The damage to his body¡¯s qi and foundation was unimaginable, which resulted in more than two hundred years of his lifespan being consumed in reality. The reason he abruptly woke up from the dream this time was probably mainly because his lifespan was nearly exhausted, already unable to support him to continue traversing the dream. After pondering for a long time, Shen Luo positioned his hands in a meditation pose and started to examine his internal condition. After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes. His Dantian and meridians appeared normal, but his vitality was massively depleted, and his life energy was significantly drained. Referencing his previous condition, Shen Luo estimated that he had at most two or three years left. This great dream had once again brought him back to the situation a few years ago when his life was hanging by a thread. He had originally planned to quickly boost his cultivation leveraging the insights gathered from the dream, to rescue his betrothed from Mount Putuo. Now, it seemed that this couldn¡¯t be achieved in a short time. At night, Shen Luo soaked in the medicinal barrel, silently running the Nameless Cultivation Technique to speed up the absorption of the medicine¡¯s power. He still remembered that Master Luo once told him that to survive, besides improving his cultivation and continually extending his lifespan limit, he had to look for spiritual medicine and immortal herbs to maintain and extend his life. Normally, a monk who has reached the Grain Avoidance Stage can extend their lifespan by about two hundred years. But to gain more lifespan, one needs to advance to the Soul Condensation Stage. Shen Luo at present just stepped into the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance. The Soul Condensation Stage¡ªthe next major realm¡ªis too far away. Considering his qualifications and cultivation speed, he wasn¡¯t confident in reaching the next stage in the next two or three decades, let alone just two or three years. In other words, his current situation is worse than before. ¡°Since ordinary methods won¡¯t work, I must look for some shortcuts.¡± Shen Luo exhaled a long breath, and his spirit noticeably improved. At this moment, he suddenly remembered that Master Luo once told him that besides quickly improving his cultivation level, if he wanted to extend his lifespan, he could only rely on immortal herbs. Back then, Shen Luo not only hadn¡¯t seen any immortal herbs, he wasn¡¯t even aware of their existence. Now it was different. While on Mount Fangcun, he read the ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡±. He was very familiar with the world¡¯s ¡°plants¡±, ¡°insects and beasts¡±, ¡°minerals¡±, and other categories of spirit medicine and immortal herbs. However, as he learned about these spiritual medicines, Shen Luo also clearly understood their value. Each one was worth a lot of money and they were treasures that could be met by luck but not sought after. Even if he was lucky enough to encounter them, he did not have sufficient immortal jade to purchase them. Thinking of this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disheartened, considering whether to return to Jianye and seek help from the Bai Family. But just then, a thought flashed through his mind, reminding him of something. Chapter 371: A Long Journey from Home (3rd Update) Chapter 371: Chapter 367: A Long Journey from Home (3rd Update) Chapter 371: Chapter 367: A Long Journey from Home (3rd Update) Originally, what he saw on Mount Fangcun was not just the ancient book ¡°Immortal Divine Herb¡±, but he also saw the travel journal of a Fangcun Mountain disciple, which recorded the worldly manifestation process of things like Meat Zhi Horse and Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, the treasures from heaven and earth. ¡°Based on the years recorded in the journal, it seems that those things should still be hidden in their original places, unknown to outsiders. If I could find them first, wouldn¡¯t that solve the immediate crisis without any effort?¡± Shen Luo thought excitedly, standing up from the medicinal barrel. Behind him, he waved his hand casually, absorbing the liquid from his body, and after putting on clean clothes, he sat back at the table and began to write on the paper with an ink brush. Soon, the paper listed Meat Zhi Horse, Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, Thunder Blade, Nanqiu Snow Lotus, and Jade-eyed Golden Toad¡­ ¡°The Meat Zhi Horse I remember appeared on Mount Tanji in the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, too far from the Great Tang. It might take two to three years just to get there Shen Luo murmured to himself, marking it off the list with a cross. The Thousand-Year Spirit Milk is within the territory of the Great Tang, and also located in Dazhou, near Chang¡¯an City. However, according to the discovery time mentioned in the journal, it would still be three hundred years away. With the current age not yet being a thousand years, there¡¯s uncertainty about its efficacy. The Nanqiu Snow Lotus is located in the extreme cold north, though still in the Southern Sub-Central Continent, it¡¯s out of the Great Tang territory and likewise too far to reach. ¡­ Shen Luo looked over each one, ruled out quite a few options, and finally set his sights on the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk and the Jade-eyed Golden Toad. The first one is located in Dazhou, and the latter in the Yu State, both places he had just visited in his dream, so Shen Luo was a bit hesitant and unsure which one to go to first. From the content in the journal, compared to Jade-eyed Golden Toad, it is easier to obtain Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, but due to its age shortfall, Shen Luo was unsure of how effective it would be. In contrast, the Jade-eyed Golden Toad is different. The journal highly commends its effects, stating that although it is a water descendant, it is a bloodline descendant of the Moon Palace Jade Toad. Consuming it is especially beneficial for those cultivating water techniques, helping them to greatly increase their mana and deepen their cultivation level. However, it is extremely difficult to discover and capture due to its cautious nature. The one mentioned in the journal who had caught this creature was a wanderer at the Great Mahayana Stage. This Fangcun Mountain disciple seemed to have a good relationship with the wanderer, so the records about how he found and captured the Golden Toad were very detailed and realistic. The narrative also contains more humor than usual. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but smile when he read amusing parts of it. After much consideration, Shen Luo finally decided to go to Yu State first, to seek the Jade-eyed Golden Toad. After he made up his mind, he was not in a hurry to start his journey. Instead, he closed himself in his room for several days, preparing for his long journey. Seven days later, Shen Luo finally stepped out of his room and went to find his father, Shen Yuange, in the study. Seeing that Shen Luo was holding a thick stack of Xuan paper and his facial color had returned to normal, Shen Yuange¡¯s furrowed brows finally relaxed a bit. ¡°Luo¡¯er, you¡¯re alright now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Shen Yuange stood up and came forward. ¡°I feel guilty for causing my father¡¯s worries, but I¡¯m alright now,¡± said Shen Luo with some repentance. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? As your father, I only regret that I can¡¯t relieve more of your burdens. You¡¯ve had a hard time these past few years,¡± Shen Yuange said, his eyes getting a little moist. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand to pat his father¡¯s shoulder, leading him to sit down behind the desk. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I had to embark on this path of cultivation and couldn¡¯t serve you as a son should. I¡¯ll have to travel far away soon, and I came to say goodbye today,¡± said Shen Luo, looking at Shen Yuange¡¯s frosted temples with some guilt. Shen Yuange knew that Shen Luo wouldn¡¯t stay at home for long, but when he mentioned leaving, Shen Yuange felt a strong sense of unwillingness to part. Nevertheless, he still managed to keep a smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a blessing for the Shen family to have a son like you who has great ambitions. I just wonder when you will come back?¡± he asked, trying to hide his sadness with a few encouraging words. Shen Luo fell silent. His departure this time was no different from when he went to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion years ago. He was unsure whether he would be able to make it back at all. ¡°Luo¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Yuange asked, seeing that Shen Luo didn¡¯t say a word for a long time. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that I have to travel very far. Firstly, I have to go to Yu State and then head north to Dazhou. As for when I can come back¡­That¡¯s hard to say,¡± Shen Luo said, scratching his head with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s so far away? You can¡¯t be without money on the road. Let me get some silver taels from the cashier.¡± Shen Yuange promptly offered, getting ready to leave. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, I¡¯ve got some other things I need to discuss with you.¡± Shen Luo hastily gestured for him to sit back down. Noticing the seriousness on his face, Shen Yuange returned to his seat. Shen Luo quickly sorted the stack of Xuan paper in his hand into three different sets according to thickness and placed them in front of Shen Yuange. ¡°What are these?¡± Shen Yuange asked with surprise. ¡°During my travels over the years, although I haven¡¯t read numerous books, I have seen some good copies of ancient books which were passed down from ancient times. Some medical books have been extremely valuable to me. The contents of these stacks of paper are some lost prescriptions that I have copied from them. These can be made into pills and decoctions by our pharmacy in the future, so as to pass down our secret recipes,¡± Shen Luo said, pointing to the stack of paper on the left. Most of the prescriptions came from the lost medical canon ¡°The Golden Chest¡± that he read on Mount Fangcun. Upon hearing this, Shen Yuange immediately brightened up. He quickly took the stack of papers and carefully examined the dense words on them. The further he got, the more joyful he looked. Seeing this, Shen Luo smiled, quietly watching without interrupting. ¡°Luo¡¯er, I¡¯ve only ever seen the names of these prescriptions in old texts;many have been lost for hundreds of years. Where did you find these?¡± Shen Yuange asked excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s put that aside for now, I have some other things to talk about.¡± Shen Luo held his father¡¯s hand, stopping him. Realizing he was being uncomposed, Shen Yuange chuckled and carefully placed the stack of prescriptions aside. ¡°These two stacks of paper contain two basic techniques I¡¯ve learned. One is called ¡®Small Transformation Yang Technique¡¯, and the other is called ¡®Qingtian Pei Yuan Gong¡¯. They should be left at home for our clan members to practice,¡± Shen Luo explained. He memorized the contents of these two techniques, one of which was a basic technique of the Chun and Qiu School, and the other was acquired from Mount Fangcun. Hearing this, Shen Yuange looked startled before whispering in a lowered voice: ¡°Are these¡­ immortal cultivation techniques?¡± Chapter 372: Jade-eyed Golden Toad (4th update) Chapter 372: Chapter 368: Jade-eyed Golden Toad (4th update) Chapter 372: Chapter 368: Jade-eyed Golden Toad (4th update) ¡°Not quite, they are merely basic cultivation techniques used to refine the body and cultivate the spirit,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve made note of it,¡± Shen Yuange nodded. ¡°Although these are basic skills, they are fundamentally different from common martial arts. If word of this leaks out, it will no doubt attract the envy of others. If I¡¯m not around, it will inevitably lead to trouble, so remember to keep it secret,¡± Shen Luo warned. ¡°I understand the implications, I will keep it confidential,¡± Shen Yuange solemnly promised. ¡°Beside that, reassure that when teaching these two techniques to the younger generation, make sure to assess their character first, don¡¯t casually pass it to those of questionable morals. Or perhaps¡­ Shen Ci and his sister can be the first to try the cultivation, and we can assess the others later,¡± Shen Luo pondered aloud. As for specifically what they were waiting for, he didn¡¯t say, but in fact, he was waiting for any of Shen Ci and his sister to comprehend the Dao seed. Then, he would impart them with the Nameless Cultivation Technique. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do as you suggest,¡± Shen Yuange solemnly nodded in agreement. With that, he brought a small lacquer wooden box from the room, carefully placed the three stacks of Xuan paper, filled with medical prescriptions and skills, into it, locked it carefully, and placed it in a secret compartment. After all arrangements were made, the two, who had not had a good chat in a while, took the rare opportunity to talk for a long time in the study. In the end, Shen Luo suddenly mentioned his craving for Yuqian rice, which unfortunately wasn¡¯t in season. The next early morning, Shen Luo, without saying goodbye to anyone and only taking the stone box used for collecting items with him, hurriedly left the county town. ¡­ S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time flew by, and it was already three months later. At the end of April, Yu State was at the end of the rainy season. The sky was still covered with a layer of clouds after several days of rain. The Dalishi Mountain in Pingqiu County was shrouded in dim fog. The distant mountains looked obscure, but the nearby view was brightly verdant, with a grey mountain trail snaking around. On the somewhat muddy mountain trail, a tall figure appeared, wearing a bamboo hat and a cloak, he was moving neither hurriedly nor slowly. Behind him, he led a black steed, heading towards the end of the mountain trail. At the end of the mountain trail, there was a two-story tall black wooden building. In the front yard, there was a wooden pole three to four feet high, with a banner hanging on top, with a large ¡°Wine¡± character. The man led the horse to the front of the courtyard. He saw a young man who looked like an innkeeper¡¯s assistant, pouring fodder into the horse trough. There were several horses tied to the hitching post next to him. Upon hearing the sound of horseshoes, the attendant hurriedly poured all the fodder from the winnowing basket into the trough, and turned around to greet him. ¡°Customer, are you stopping for a meal or staying at the inn?¡± He took the reins proficiently as he inquired. The man removed his bamboo hat to reveal a rather handsome youthful face. It was Shen Luo. ¡°I¡¯ll stay at the inn,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. The attendant skillfully tied the black horse next to the trough, and led the way to the black wooden building. There were several steps leading to the front of the building, with thick cotton curtains hanging on the door. The attendant held open the curtain, making a gesture for Shen Luo to enter first. Shen Luo crossed the threshold and went in, his nose wrinkled slightly at the strong smell of alcohol that greeted him. His gaze swept across the room, noticing that the place was not very big. Close to the entrance on the right, there was a counter about half a person high. Behind it, a shelf stacked with sealed clay wine bottles. There were seven or eight dark-colored tables in the room, all showing signs of wear, clearly they have been used for many years. On the wall directly across from the main door, there were three windows, each with a wooden table placed beside it. There was a young man in a blue brocade robe sitting at the table in the middle, holding a cup of wine in one hand while looking out of the window. Shen Luo glanced casually, before making his way to the counter. He spoke a few words to the short, plump innkeeper behind it, and booked a room on the second floor. ¡°Sir, would you like to rest now, or have something to eat first? We don¡¯t have any specialty foods at this mountain inn, but we do have some good game. The taste of our homemade green plum wine is also quite good,¡± asked the fat innkeeper with a smile. ¡°Since the innkeeper is so highly recommending it, I must try it,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°Alright, I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied,¡± the innkeeper said, beaming at his words. Shen Luo ordered a few dishes and a pot of green plum wine before taking a seat at the other table by the window, looking out just like the man in the brocade robe. With this view, his eyes couldn¡¯t help but light up, as he found it hard to look away. Right next to the window was a hundred-feet cliff. The cliff walls extended from both sides of the inn in a wide arc, meeting in the distance to form a giant circle a thousand feet away. The inn was literally built next to a gigantic Heavenly Pit a thousand feet in diameter. Inside the Heavenly Pit, dense and lush vegetation was visible through the misty haze, with picturesque scenery. ¡°The view here is quite nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± A gentle voice suddenly sounded. Shen Luo turned his gaze and found that the young man at the neighboring table was speaking to him. Just as he was about to respond, he found himself at a loss for words. The man had long aqua blue hair, tied back with a white jade crown. Although his handsome young face lacked the characteristic horns on his forehead, Shen Luo immediately recognized him as the Ninth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, Ao Hong! ¡°Why him? Why is he here? Could he also be after the Jade-eyed Golden Toad?¡± Questions began to spring up in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. According to the travel memoirs, the Jade-eyed Golden Toad resided in the Heavenly Pit of Dalishi Mountain in Pingqiu County, Yu State. ¡°Ahem Seeing Shen Luo somewhat stunned, Ao Hong appeared slightly embarrassed and coughed lightly. Coming back to his senses, Shen Luo apologized, ¡°I apologize, I was taken aback for a moment.¡± ¡°It was abrupt of me to start a conversation, my apologies.¡± Ao Hong returned the gesture, his smile warm and friendly. At this moment, the attendant brought the pot of green plum wine that Shen Luo had ordered. ¡°As we are both solitary travelers, would you mind if I join you for a drink?¡± Shen Luo suggested, taking the initiative to walk over to Ao Hong¡¯s table with the pot of wine in hand. ¡°Your Excellency is too kind, delighted to oblige. I am Ao Hong from the Eastern Sea, may I know how you¡¯re addressed?¡± Ao Hong asked, slightly surprised, before replying with a smile. ¡°I am Shen Luo, from Dengzhou.¡± Seeing that he had introduced himself with his real name, Shen Luo answered accordingly. At this moment, he also understood that the reason Ao Hong recognized him a thousand years later, was probably due to this accidental meeting. ¡°Dengzhou¡­ that¡¯s quite a distance from Yu State. What brings Brother Shen here?¡± Ao Hong asked after a moment¡¯s thought. Chapter 373: Swallow Collector (Fifth Update) Chapter 373: Chapter 369: Swallow Collector (Fifth Update) Chapter 373: Chapter 369: Swallow Collector (Fifth Update) ¡°I¡¯ve always enjoyed travelling. I was planning to view the great sea scenery of the East Sea Pinnacle when I passed through Pingqiu County. I heard about the beautiful scenery of the Sky Pit in Dalishi Mountain, and that¡¯s why I hurried over here. At first sight, it¡¯s truly as amazing as I¡¯ve heard.¡± Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly as if he had thought of something. As he spoke, he raised his cup to toast to the beautiful scenery outside the window, drinking it in one gulp. The green plum wine flowed down his throat, a hint of sour sweetness unfolding into a warm, distinctive wine flavor that spread across his tongue and throat, which made him raise his eyebrows, pleasantly surprised. ¡°Hehe, there isn¡¯t much to see during the day. At night, the moonlight over the Sky Pit is a wonder to behold. But it¡¯s been raining recently, and if it¡¯s cloudy at night, you won¡¯t be able to see anything.¡± Ao Hong was also drinking to himself. At this time, the meals in the inn were gradually being served, and Shen Luo and Ao Hong began casual conversation over drinks. After three rounds of drinks and five different dishes, the two chatted amiably when sudden footsteps echoed from the entrance. They turned their heads simultaneously to see the cotton door curtain lifted, and a few people walked in. These people were all dressed in heavy raincoats and wore bamboo hats. After entering the room, they took off their clothes and hats and placed them next to the wall by the door. The one in the lead was a tall, short-bearded old man with bright eyes, appearing quite vivacious. There were two young men with pale faces looking ill, who looked remarkably similar¨C likely twins. Aside from these three, there was a petite woman¨C however, her face was concealed by a black veil, making it impossible to discern her facial features. Beneath their raincoats, they all wore short brown clothes with thick hemp ropes coiled around their waists. Their legs and feet were stained with mud, as if they had just walked through muddy mountain woods. ¡°Oh, Manager Chen, have new guests arrived at the inn?¡± The short-bearded old man looked at Shen Luo and Ao Hong and said with a smile. From his tone, it seemed like he was very familiar with the squat and chubby innkeeper. ¡°Brother Lu, it¡¯s your visits that have brought the business here. Otherwise, who would come to this remote place at this time of year, other than you swallow pickers?¡± The chubby manager laughed. ¡°Swallow pickers?¡± Shen Luo was slightly surprised. He was not unfamiliar with this profession. They collected and sold swallow nests, and their pharmacy often dealt with these people. ¡°Haha, keep everything the same, heat a few pots of wine, prepare a few dishes, and send them to the room. The hall is drafty, and the bones get cold, making it freezing.¡± The short-bearded old man called out, and then made his way upstairs. The remaining three people also followed him upstairs. The woman in the veil who was at the end of the group, seemed to glance subtly towards the window when she was climbing the stairs. It was unclear whether she was looking at Shen Luo or Ao Hong. ¡°Now that the old man mentioned it, it does feel a bit cold. Manager Chen, could you please heat this pot of wine too?¡± Shen Luo said, wrapping his cloak around himself and calling out to the innkeeper. ¡°Sure thing.¡± As the server had already gone to the back kitchen to help, the innkeeper rushed over himself. Seeing him approach, Shen Luo asked casually: S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Speaking of which, in the months of February and March, during the rainy season, insects breed prolifically. There¡¯s abundant food for the swallows, their saliva is richly secreted, producing the best quality of swallows¡¯ nests ¨C this is the best time to harvest. But now it¡¯s almost the end of April. Why haven¡¯t these people left?¡± ¡°What the guest is referring to is the common Golden Swallow. On the steep cliffs of the Sky Pit of Dalishi Mountain, there lives a special variety of swallows called ¡®Rain Swallows¡¯. The time they secrete saliva to build their nests is a month later than the Golden Swallow, so it¡¯s just the right time now.¡± Manager Chen explained with a smile when he heard this. ¡°I see. How ignorant I have been.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°No, it¡¯s because the quality of the nests of these Rain Swallows is not as good as that of the Golden Swallows and they¡¯re less well-known, that you were unfamiliar with it. As a matter of fact, it¡¯s only them who come to collect the nests at this time every year.¡± Manager Chen laughed. After speaking, he also went to prepare meals for those people. Shen Luo and Ao Hong continued to chat idly, occasionally glancing out at the scenery. Meanwhile, in a room upstairs, the four swallow pickers sat around a table. ¡°The two men by the window downstairs, if I¡¯m not mistaken, both are cultivators. They most likely came for the Jade-eyed Golden Toad as well.¡± The bearded old man looked serious, without a hint of amusement in his voice. ¡°Dare to seize it from us, just kill them.¡± The two pale-faced young men exchanged glances and said in unison. ¡°Hmph, killing is easy, but do you know their backgrounds? Do they have any support? What if you create more trouble?¡± The veiled woman snorted coldly. ¡°Daoist Yu Xin is correct, the current situation is unclear, we must not act rashly.¡± The short-bearded old man nodded in agreement. ¡°Elder Tong Guan, setting this aside, are we really sure we can find the Jade-eyed Golden Toad this time?¡± The veiled woman, referred to as Yu Xin, raised her eyebrows and asked. ¡°We have been lurking here for five years. The Golden Toad only reveals itself once, startled by thunder at the end of the rainy season. We have missed the opportunity every time before. This time we have set a trap in advance, there is no way it can escape.¡± The man named Tong Guan clenched his fists, his eyes burning. ¡°That¡¯s good. As long as we complete the mission successfully this time, I will be able to enter the Main Altar and meet the Saint, right?¡± Yu Xin asked anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. If we can successfully capture the Golden Toad, your merit points will certainly be sufficient to meet the Saint.¡± Tong Guan confirmed. Upon receiving this satisfactory response, Yu Xin excused herself and returned to her room. ¡°Elder Tong, I always feel that this Yu person is not trustworthy.¡± The two young men began again, speaking at the same time. ¡°She joined our Refining Body Altar not long ago, we really need to be cautious. But, in the last few days of interaction, it can be seen that she¡¯s genuinely devoted and always meticulous in her work. If used properly, she could be a great asset.¡± Tong Guan said slowly. ¡°But after using her¡­ can we¡­?¡± One of the young men, for the first time, spoke independently. ¡°Feng Shan, sex is a dangerous thing, are you back to your old habits?¡± The other glared and rebuked. ¡°Feng Shui, it¡¯s just a little pleasure of mine, are you still controlling that?¡± The former complained discontentedly. ¡°Enough. Everything will wait until this mission is complete. In the meantime, nobody is allowed to create trouble, otherwise, none of us will have a good ending.¡± Tong Guan shouted, and the two brothers immediately shut their mouths. After a moment of silence, Tong Guan sighed: ¡°Everything is ready, we just need a thunderbolt.¡± Chapter 374: Leave a Message (1 more update) Chapter 374: Chapter 370: Leave a Message (1 more update) Chapter 374: Chapter 370: Leave a Message (1 more update) At night, Shen Luo sat alone by the window in his room. A dim yellow oil lamp lit the table in front of him, where a purple talisman paper and three green talisman papers lay. The purple paper bore the rune of the Fractured Talisman, while each of the three Green Frost papers carried the rune of the Thunderfall Talisman. All these talismans had been completed on his journey to Yu State. Though the success rate of the Thunderfall Talisman was not high, it used only Green Frost paper. However, the Fractured Talisman required the more precious Purple Cloud paper. Despite Shen Luo¡¯s experience of painting talismans in his dreams and his thousands of practice runs on plain and yellow talisman papers, he still used up all the Purple Cloud paper that he had bought with his savings just to successfully create this single talisman. He stared at the cloud-filled sky outside the window, only able to make out a blurry glow hidden within the clouds. Below, the Heavenly Pit was pitch black, and nothing could be seen clearly. According to the accounts in his travelogue, the Jade-eyed Golden Toad was a descendant of the Moon Palace toads, born with the ability to cultivate by observing the moon and absorbing lunar energy, accumulating a highly pure lunar essence within its body. However, this creature was timid and cautious, often hibernating underground where it was difficult for cultivators to find. Only during the rainy season, when the sky would be consistently covered by clouds, preventing moonlight from reaching the Earth, and the Golden Toad could not absorb lunar energy, would it enter a period of dormancy. When the rainy season was over, lightning would strike, waking up the Golden Toad. It would then daringly leave its hiding place, basking under the moonlight to make up for the previously consumed lunar energy. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was the best opportunity to capture it. Missing it would mean waiting for at least another year. This was also a significant reason why Shen Luo decided to seek this creature first. After a while, Shen Luo placed the talisman paper on the table into his sleeve and blew out the oil lamp. He returned to his bed to meditate and continue his cultivation. Although his progress was slow, he couldn¡¯t afford to stop. ¡­ Early the next morning, Shen Luo pushed open the window to glance at the cloud-covered sky. After a slight frown, he suddenly steadied himself against the table by the window. With an agile flip, he leaped out of the window and flew downwards. Directly outside his window was the sheer cliff of the Heavenly Pit, with no place to land. He plunged straight towards the pit. Only when he had fallen more than ten feet did he grab hold of a protruding rock with one hand, hanging himself swiftly from the cliff. Shen Luo twisted his body and saw, about ten feet away, a row of towering ancient trees. He quickly released his grip on the cliffside. With a powerful push of his legs against the cliff, he somersaulted in mid-air and noiselessly descended towards the canopy of the nearby ancient tree. Upon nearing it, he reached out to grab one of the branches, using it to slightly buffer his fall. After several repetitions, he finally landed safely on the ground. Once on the ground, he did not rush to move. Instead, he took out a Mountain Crossing Talisman from his sleeve and showed it around. Seeing no abnormal reaction from the talisman, he pocketed it again. The Heavenly Pit was tranquil in the early morning, with only the chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves echoing around. According to the travelogue Shen Luo read, the location to capture the Golden Toad was near a crescent-shaped lake in the center of the Heavenly Pit. Without delay, he set off through the dense forest and aimed straight for the center of the pit. As he walked through the forest, Shen Luo noticed that the temperature at the bottom of the pit was much lower than outside. Frost covered the leaves and branches of the grass and trees along the path. He plucked a leaf and rubbed it gently, causing the frost on it to melt immediately. Shen Luo slightly knitted his brows, tossed the leaf aside, and put his hands in his sleeves. He continued to walk at a leisurely pace. His comportment was casually relaxed. As he inspected the surroundings left and right, he seemed more like a sightseer than anything else. Before long, he arrived at the center of the Heavenly Pit and saw, from a distance, the crescent-shaped lake. The lake water was clear and of a deep azure color, reflecting the clouds in the sky. Next to the lake, a familiar figure was seen bending over to scoop up a handful of water from the lake, bringing it to his mouth to take a sip. ¡°Brother Ao Shen Luo softly called out, swiftly walking towards the figure. ¡°Brother Shen, good morning.¡± Ao Hong, who was standing by the lake, wasn¡¯t surprised at all. He stood up straight, greeted Shen Luo with a smile. However, when he looked at Shen Luo, his gaze seemed to pass through him, looking towards the dense forest further behind him. Shen Luo noticed, but he still pretended as if he hadn¡¯t noticed anything. In fact, he had realized that someone was trailing him in secret when he picked the leaf petal earlier. He exchanged pleasantries with Ao Hong, and the two of them walked side by side, chatting casually as they headed towards the other side of the Heavenly Pit. The cliff on the other side of the Heavenly Pit was uneven, and from afar, it looked like a naturally formed eave, covered with slippery dark green moss. Looking from afar, Shen Luo saw three ropes hanging down from the cliff, with three figures hanging on them. Each of them had a large tapered bamboo basket tied around their waist, suspended under the protruding rocks of the cliff. The three were the nest harvesters Shen Luo had seen in the inn¡¯s lobby the day before, except for the masked woman. The three of them were moving up and down on the cliff, adjusting their positions and postures, skillfully peeling off bowl-shaped nests that were glowing white from the steep cliff. Shen Luo and the other man stopped beneath the cliff, looking up at the movements of the three harvesters. The short-bearded old man among the three seemingly sensed something, looked down at the two men below the cliff, and greeted with a smile, ¡°Such refined gentlemen, enjoying the view here early in the morning.¡± ¡°Watching you skillfully harvest swallow¡¯s nests is also quite a pleasing sight.¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they weren¡¯t exactly familiar with each other after all, Shen Luo and his companion bid them farewell and left. After returning to the inn from the stone stairs of the cliff, Ao Hong went back to his room first while Shen Luo went back after having breakfast in the main hall. Upon returning to his room, Shen Luo sat back at the desk, intending to close the window and start meditating but out of the corner of his eye, he saw an additional strip of paper, about two fingers wide, on his desk. His gaze focused, and he swept his gaze towards the paper strip, noticing eight large characters written on it: ¡°Do not covet the Golden Toad, or you might lose your life.¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and looked puzzled. This sentence seemed like a reminder, but it also seemed like a threat, and he couldn¡¯t figure out who might have left it. ¡°Could it be Ao Hong? Seeing me searching in the Heavenly Pit today, and wanting to stop me but doesn¡¯t want to say it directly, so he wrote this to dissuade me?¡± Shen Luo pondered in doubt, shaking his head in contemplation. He didn¡¯t touch it with his hand, instead, with a casual sweep of his hand, the strip of paper flew into mid-air and was torn apart by a stream of water. ¡°Could it be that masked woman? The one who was secretly following me in the forest earlier should be her, but why would she leave a note for me?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his chin in thought. After a while, he couldn¡¯t come up with an explanation, so he cast the matter aside. No matter who it was, whether it was a well-intentioned advice or a malicious warning, he couldn¡¯t possibly give up. Chapter 375 Chapter 375: Chapter 371 Capturing the Dragon (2nd Update) Chapter 375: Chapter 371 Capturing the Dragon (2nd Update) According to the manager of the inn, Mr. Chen, the weather around the Heavenly Pit was quite peculiar. As soon as the rainy season passed, there would inevitably be a thunderstorm in the night within three to five days, which is unique to this area. Therefore, whether it was Shen Luo, Ao Hong, or the swallow-gatherers, all were waiting for this storm. However, for some reason this year, there had been a layer of thick clouds accumulating over Dalishi Mountain for several days. It was already early May, but the eagerly anticipated thunderstorm hadn''t occurred. Restless, everyone was eager for the storm, especially Shen Luo, who was already running out of time and couldn''t afford to spend any longer here. One night, Shen Luo was sitting alone in his room, considering whether to use a Thunderfall Talisman or two to see if he could shock the Jade-eyed Golden Toad out from hiding, when suddenly, a dull boom came from outside. Shen Luo felt his whole room vibrate violently with the sound of the boom. He rushed to the window, pushed it open, and looked out to see flickering light trails in the clouds over the Heavenly Pit. It seemed as if an even greater storm was brewing. ¡°Is it finally coming?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes sparkled with a hint of excitement. But just then a flash of light abruptly shone from the thick clouds above. Shen Luo glimpsed what seemed to be a massive figure circling in the clouds, but it disappeared back into the haze before he could get a clear look. His brow furrowed, Shen Luo immediately left the room and headed towards the Heavenly Pit. After the thunder sounded, the Jade-eyed Golden Toad should wake up and appear near Crescent Moon Lake to absorb moon spirit, and Shen Luo had to get there as soon as possible. But as soon as he reached the ground, he heard a deep dragon chant. His footsteps halted, and he once again looked up at the sky. He saw a golden dragon, a hundred feet long, emerging from the clouds. The dragon''s snaking body stirred the clouds, causing violent waves. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately realized that the previous thunder was not caused by nature but that Ao Hong, who was tired of waiting for the thunderstorm, had used some form of God''s Power to bring about a heavenly thunder. ¡°Rumble.¡± The violent rumbling in the sky continued. The vigorously whirled clouds, under Ao Hong''s massive form, started to crack and split, revealing a large, funnel-like void in the middle. As soon as this void appeared, the missing moonlight finally filtered through and shone down. From afar, Shen Luo saw what resembled an open window in the sky, from which a ghostly white heavenly light descended just, directly onto the center of the Heavenly Pit. Whether it was the reflection from the Crescent MoonLake or not, a dazzling light reflected upwards from the center of the pit, illuminating the entire dense forest in front. Shen Luo wasted no more time and immediately took out two Divine Armor Horse Talismans, sticking them to his legs. The talisman paper burnt up with a whoosh, but the resulting ash didn''t scatter. Instead, some invisible force gathered them and wrapped them around Shen Luo''s lower legs. In the blink of an eye, Shen Luo felt a sudden lightness in his legs. With a slight forward move, he found himself several feet ahead. His eyes focused, he started to sprint. His figure, a blurred shadow, quickly darted through the forest and suddenly bolted out. After just a dozen breaths, Shen Luo leaped off the ground. Under inertia, he shot out a few more feet, before finally halting quickly by the shore of Crescent Moon Lake. However, as soon as he stopped, he saw a golden toad the size of palm, its entire body golden colour. It was struggling violently with its four legs, frantically attempting to fly into the sky above. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Above it, suspended in mid-air, was a fish basket woven from unknown vines, with a golden vortex spinning at its mouth. It exuded pulling forces, wrapping the Golden Toad within it. Shen Luo was completely startled, and immediately waved his hand. A blue water rope emerged from the heart of the lake, shooting towards the Jade-eyed Golden Toad, attempting to pull it back. However, as the water rope approached the Golden Toad, a golden halo suddenly swept down from the high altitude. With a ¡°puff¡±, the water rope shattered instantly. Following that, a figure descended from the sky, landing beside the suspended fish basket. With a pluck, the basket fell into the figure''s hand, with the Jade-eyed Golden Toad subsequently entrapped within it. ¡°Brother Shen, I''m sorry. This Golden Toad is of great importance to me, so I have taken it.¡± Ao Hong wore a smile as he spoke to Shen Luo. Seeing the situation, Shen Luo, with a flying talisman pinch within his sleeve, gestured as if he were about to pursue. This Jade-eyed Golden Toad was equally important to him. Whether he could obtain it or not was a matter of life and death. Even though Ao Hong''s cultivation level was obviously higher than his, Shen Luo did not consider giving it up just like that. Unfortunately, Ao Hong did not give him the opportunity to compete. He hung the golden fish basket around his waist. Then, transforming into a golden dragon shape, shot up into the sky, flying off into the distance. Just at this moment, an unexpected change occurred. In the sky, there was a sudden ¡°crashing¡± sound as a huge black curtain flew in from nowhere, covering the Heavenly Pit''s airspace, effectively blocking Ao Hong''s path. At the same time, on the mountain wall on the other side of the Heavenly Pit, a white light suddenly surged, and giant talisman patterns materialized out of nowhere. Then, the ground of the entire Heavenly Pit began to shake violently. Shen Luo looked down and saw huge formation patterns appearing under his feet. His heart abruptly tightened, and he hurriedly urged the Armor Horse Talisman to its full power, turning towards a distant place to run wildly. While running, he felt a rising chill from the ground beneath his feet. He looked down and found that the ground was quickly freezing. If he were a step slower, he would be frozen by the frost. Shen Luo ran a distance of almost hundred feet in one breath. The overwhelming frost finally halted. He stopped and turned his head to look towards the center of the Heavenly Pit. There he saw that the black curtain was still covering the sky. It fluctuated continuously, as if Ao Hong was persistently ramming against it underneath, with successive Dragon Chants resonating. At that moment, another Daoist appeared in the sky. The short-bearded old man, named Tong Guan, revealed himself and exclaimed, ¡°I would have never guessed, this time not only have I caught a Jade-eyed Golden Toad, but I have also captured a True Dragon. Tsk, tsk, a genuine True Dragon, not like those Flood Dragons or Giant Pythons. Ha ha ha¡­¡± Having said that, he pressed his hand down. The black curtain flashed black light and quickly shrank. Only then did Shen Luo see clearly that on the other side of the black curtain there was a black wooden pole. It was actually a black big flag. When the flag shrank to about the height of a man, Tong Guan suddenly formed a magic spell with his hand. The flag fluttered as it rolled up by itself, directly wrapping Ao Hong within it. He grabbed the flagpole, shouldered it and descended towards the ground. On the ground, three figures were waiting. They were Yu Xin and the Feng Shan and Feng Shui brothers. Chapter 376 Chapter 376: Chapter 372: Quiet Waiting (3rd Update) Chapter 376: Chapter 372: Quiet Waiting (3rd Update) ¡°Congratulations, Elder Tong, for capturing not only the Jade-eyed Golden Toad but also a True Dragon, achieving majestic accomplishments. The Saint should promote you to the position of Principal Envoy of the Main Altar,¡± Feng Shan said, with a broad grin on his face. On hearing this, the short-bearded old man was beaming. He greatly enjoyed the praise. But a quick glance at their surroundings made his brow furrow. ¡°Where is the young man?¡± He asked, coldly. Elder Tong, the young man used the Armor Horse Talisman to escape. He was too fast for the Cold Ice Formation; he slipped away,¡± Feng Shui confessed, bowing respectfully. ¡°A mere cultivator in Early Stage of Grain Avoidance wouldn''t shake things up,¡± Feng Shan said, nonchalantly. ¡°Fool, capturing a Grain Avoidance Cultivator wouldn''t matter if we had only captured the Golden Toad, but we have also taken a True Dragon. If word gets out, do you think the Dragon Palace would let us be?¡± Yu Xin, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, reprimanding them sternly. Elder Tong, don''t worry, I''ll bring that young man back right away,¡± said Feng Shan, finally understanding the gravity of the situation. ¡°Yu Xin, you go with him,¡± Elder Tong Guan commanded, frowning. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The Masked Woman responded before transforming into a blur with Feng Shan, chasing after Shen Luo''s escape route. ¡°What should we do with the people at the inn?¡± Feng Shui asked, his gaze slightly sinking. ¡°Kill them all; leave no survivors,¡± Tong Guan replied without hesitation, making a throat-slitting gesture. Feng Shui nodded in response before turning to leave as well. Shen Luo was sprinting through the forest, puzzled by the situation. In the normal course of history, the Jade-eyed Golden Toad, should not be captured even if it had been found, otherwise, the Wanderer would not have had a chance to capture it. The only factor that could change these events was him, himself. However, based on his previous assessment of the Golden Toad''s capture, he had not yet directly intervened. ¡°Maybe this means that the Jade-eyed Golden Toad won''t be taken by them this time?¡± A thought suddenly crossed Shen Luo''s mind, and he abruptly halted, turning to look back into the dense forest. He rubbed his hands together uncertainly. Shen Luo was unsure about his recent speculation; he was unable to determine whether his involvement in the events had started when he encountered the Jade-eyed Golden Toad or when he entered the Heavenly Pit Tavern? Such a profound matter was confounding. If he were to leave now, he would likely have no connection to the Golden Toad. Furthermore, Ao Hong might face danger due to this wasted time. ¡°No, I can''t just leave,¡± Shen Luo said firmly, his gaze growing steadier. But his current cultivation level was too insignificant. Against those bird catchers, he didn''t stand a chance. ¡°I have a plan!¡± Shen Luo frowned, deep in thought, until a sudden realization made him smile and clap his hands. With that said, he moved his hand in a circular motion, slowly gathering his mana. ¡°That young man is surprisingly fast. We have been chasing him for a while, and we still haven''t caught sight of him,¡± grumbled Feng Shan while tracking Shen Luo. ¡°He likely used some mystic arts to escape Dalishi Mountain,¡± Yu Xin guessed, her expression hidden behind a black veil. ¡°If he escapes, Elder Tong will not let us off easily,¡± Feng Shan remarked, worried. ¡°Isn''t Elder Tong being overcautious? Even if the runawayboy found out about us, he wouldn''t know our true identities. Eastern Sea Dragon Palace wouldn''t be able to trace us back. Moreover, the True Dragon may not originate from the Dragon Palace. It might just be a descendant of a small brook or well,¡± Yu Xin argued. ¡°That makes sense, but considering Elder Tong''s nature we''d better stay obedient and catch him,¡± Feng Shan responded, nodding in agreement before shaking his head. ¡°But before we¡­¡± Yu Xin''s words trailed off as she suddenly froze. Several Zhang ahead, Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the ground, as though he were waiting for them. At this sight, Feng Shan''s heart leaped with joy. His instinct told him to charge forward immediately, but a sudden realization caused him to stop. ¡°Beware of a trap, Lady Yu,¡± Feng Shan warned as he stepped in front of her. ¡°You think a mere Early Stage Grain Avoidance Cultivator is worthy of fear? Preposterous,¡± retorted Yu Xin dismissively, swatting away Feng Shan''s hand and rushing towards Shen Luo. Feng Shan felt a hot flush of humiliation on his face. ¡°Rubbish! I wouldn''t be scared of someone like him!¡± He muttered indignantly. After speaking, Feng Shan activated his spell. His entire body was enveloped in a pale yellow light as dust and debris swirled under his feet. Suddenly, he was right in front of Yu Xin. Seeing the two rushing towards him, Shen Luo felt more excitement instead of fear. However, he was puzzled; they were cultivators at or above the Middle Grain Avoidance stage, yet they were acting recklessly. They had charged straight at him without attempting to understand his abilities at all. Before he could figure it out, he heard the ground rumbling. Each step Feng Shan took seemed to wield the strength of a thousand kilograms, shaking the surrounding trees with his tremors. ¡°So, they are probing through offensive means. By initiating with the power to shake the earth, Feng Shan is not as reckless as he appears. His Earth Attributes mystic arts seem to be highly advanced too,¡± Shen Luo mused, frowning. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Feng Shan moved ahead, stepping heavily and keeping a watchful eye on the ground and the trees, trying to spot any trap. Nothing seemed wrong with the area ahead, apart from the tremors caused by his own steps. The closer he got to Shen Luo, the more uneasy he felt. The youth was too calm ¨C still maintaining his seated position without showing any signs of panic. ¡°Something must be amiss!¡± He thought. Feng Shan was certain that there was an unknown risk ahead, but Yu Xin was right behind him. He could not back down now. He had secretly coveted her for a long time, and he didn''t want to be belittled in front of her because of an Early Stage Grain Avoidance Cultivator. ¡°Post-earth Golden Body,¡± Feng Shan commanded, forming a spell with his hands. Immediately, a layer of earth-yellow mist billowed from the ground, enveloping him. The dust and debris began to condense into a dark yellow stony armor that affixed itself to his body. As the armor enveloped him, Feng Shan''s lean figure became robustly muscular. The tremors of the earth intensified with each of his steps, causing Shen Luo to rise to his feet. Chapter 377 Chapter 377: Chapter 373: You Make The Move (4th Update) Chapter 377: Chapter 373: You Make The Move (4th Update) Upon seeing this, Feng Shan felt a bit relieved and continued to charge towards Shen Luo, who was already standing before him. There was a loud ¡°boom!¡± Feng Shan stepped forward once more, but the ground in front of him suddenly collapsed into a pit several feet in diameter. He lost his balance and fell forward, plunging straight down into the pit. With the splash of water, a wave surged from the underground, lifting a blue water cage about ten feet high into the air. In the cage, Feng Shan was wrapped tightly by dozens of water ropes as thick as arms, even his head was covered by a giant blue water bubble. On the ropes hung sheets of yellow talisman papers, more than a hundred in total, all of them were Small Thunder Talismans. On the water bubble around his head was also a talisman paper, but this one was an even more powerful Thunderfall Talisman. Feng Shan struggled futilely in the watery cage, a yellow light glowing brightly around him as he attempted to break free. ¡°If you don''t want to be blasted to death by the thunder talisman, stop moving.¡± A cold warning sounded out, causing Feng Shan to instantly freeze and cease his struggles. Shen Luo maintained some distance from Feng Shan and turned to the masked woman a few yards away, saying: ¡°Tell your leader to release the Golden Dragon, and I will release this man.¡± Hearing this, Yu Xin didn''t move from the spot. ¡°What? Don''t you care about the life and death of your comrade?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, asking. Yu Xin stayed silent. After a long while, as if considering something, she asked seemingly out of nowhere, ¡°Is the Golden Dragon your ally?¡± ¡°Not exactly, but we are acquainted to some extent,¡± replied Shen Luo, hesitating slightly. Realistically speaking, this was only his second meeting with Ao Hong, and he couldn''t clearly describe their relationship at the moment. ¡°You make your move,¡± Yu Xin suddenly said. ¡°What did you say?¡± Shen Luo looked askance, incredulous. Feng Shan inside the water cage also widened his eyes unbelievably at Yu Xin''s words. ¡°You heard me correctly. I said go ahead and kill him. Old Child/Tonglao really doesn''t care about his life or death, let alone going to exchange a True Dragon for him,¡± Yu Xin slowly figured, her voice calm and devoid of fluctuations. Seeing this, Shen Luo knew her words were not baseless, but he still hadn''t moved. Indeed, he had speculated beforehand that these people would not agree to the exchange. Thus, his choice to trap rather than kill was merely to delay time. ¡°What? You don''t trust me?¡± Yu Xin sneered. She shockingly disregarded Feng Shan''s safety and conjured a rolling fire from her palm. With a string of afterimages trailing behind, she charged straight at Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately retreated without the slightest hesitation. With a single-handed seal, he activated all the talismans inside the blue water cage. Yu Xin swiftly retreated after a single false move. Poor Feng Shan, unable to react in time, was wrapped in a glaring thundering light. ¡°Boom¡­¡± A more intense thundering sound resounded, and over a hundred small thunders were shot out simultaneously. They collided with the robust thunder in the center, flashing a brilliant white light that brightened up a wide span of the night sky. Within the exploding electric light, countless sparks and fragments of stone flew out in all directions. When the dust had settled, the pit on the ground had been enlarged by three times, filled with murky swamp water. And the corpse of Feng Shan was nowhere to be seen. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the woman across from him. Her indifferent gaze told of her truth ¨C she was not the least bit moved by the death of her comrade. Her callousness was evident. ¡°Now it''s your turn. I wonder if the others will disregard your life and death too?¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly and pulled out a Ghost Wailing Ring from his sleeve, clutching it in his hand. As he spoke, the white light beneath him suddenly brightened. Then, like shattering moonlight, his figure rushed forward, leaving a trail of afterimages. In an instant, he had rushed to Yu Xin''s side. Yu Xin obviously did not expect Shen Luo to be so aggressive. She rapidly waved her hand, throwing a blast of crimson fire at him, forcing Shen Luo to retreat. Just as Shen Luo''s foot hit the ground, he felt a sudden tightness around his lower leg, as if something had wrapped around it. When he looked down, he was surprised to find a grimy big hand had reached out from the ground, grabbing his ankle tightly with claw-like fingers. Before Shen Luo could get away, a powerful force emerged from beneath him. The big hand yanked him down while it propelled itself out of the ground. The man was covered in tattered clothing and charred wounds were all over his body. The wound on his cheek was the most severe, a gash ran from his left ear to the underside of his right jaw, almost tearing open his entire face. But it was indeed Feng Shan. Realizing his identity, Shen Luo understood that Feng Shan had managed to survive the thunder strike due to his ochre-colored armor. Although severely injured, he was alive. He had used the Earth Escaping Technique to hide underground. At a thought, water flowed around Shen Luo, supporting him and lifting him into the air. However, before he could pull his legs from the ground, Feng Shan had already moved to his side and smacked him heavily on his shoulder. Shen Luo felt a weight as heavy as a giant stone fall onto his shoulder, disrupting the course of his mana. He was rendered immobile, and a powerful shock wave broke off the water he had gathered from underground. Meanwhile, Feng Shan''s palm glowed with yellow light as mud emerged from the ground, wrapping around Shen Luo. Feng Shan glared at Yu Xin with hatred and growled: ¡°Kill him¡­¡± The words were speechless, but sounded like the roar of a beast. Upon hearing this, Yu Xin didn''t hesitate and appeared beside Feng Shan. She waved her hand and a red rhombus whizzed out from her sleeve. As the red rhombus moved, it propelled a flame and slithered like a fire python, lunging straight towards Shen Luo''s chest. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with surprise, instead of fear. Just as the Fire Python was about to pierce through his chest and kill him on the spot, an unbelievable scene occurred. The crimson flame abruptly shifted its direction without warning. And, with a ¡°puff,¡± it ran through Feng Shan''s chest from the front. ¡°Err¡­¡± Feng Shan made an indistinct sound in his throat. With a look of surprise and confusion in his eyes, he collapsed onto the ground. Yu Xin, however, stepped forward and took out a crimson short sword from her sleeve and mercilessly drew it across Feng Shan''s neck, decapitating him instantly. Chapter 378 Chapter 378: Chapter 374: How could it be you? (5th updated, asking for monthly tickets) Chapter 378: Chapter 374: How could it be you? (5th updated, asking for monthly tickets) Once the binding technique from Feng Shan was broken, the dirt wrapped around Shen Luo immediately fell off. Shen Luo, now free, immediately used the Slanting Moon Steps, creating distance between himself and Yu Xin. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± He raised the Ghost Wailing Ring in his hand, asking vigilantly. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, I am not your enemy,¡± Yu Xin breathed a soft sigh, immediately removing her black veil. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze became focused as he looked towards her, then frowned. Other than her clear and captivating eyes, her features were rather ordinary. He had no memory of meeting her before. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, look again; do you recognize me now?¡± Yu Xin smiled a bitter smile as she spoke. Having said that, in the palm of her hand a red light began to shine, and she started to massage her face. A moment later, the red light faded, and she slowly put her hand down. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Xie Yuxin? How is that possible?¡± Upon seeing her face again, Shen Luo was completely taken aback. ¡°More importantly, shouldn''t you be thanking Xie at this point?¡± Xie Yuxin wrinkled her brow slightly as she scolded in a light tone. Only then did Shen Luo react, promptly cupping his fist in salutation and uttering a word of thanks. ¡°That''s enough. You saved my life last time in Hidden Wind Valley, and I saved yours now. We''re even,¡± Xie Yuxin revealed a small smile as she spoke. ¡°Was it you who left that note in my room earlier?¡± Remembering something, Shen Luo hurriedly asked. ¡°Indeed. But clearly, you aren''t a person who takes advice from others. I initially planned to quietly meet with you tonight to discuss some matters. Who would have thought that the True Dragon would meddle, revealing its true self, summoning thunder and storm clouds, and waking up the Golden Toad?¡± Xie Yuxin didn''t deny it, she stated. ¡°Who exactly are you? Aren''t those people your companions?¡± Shen Luo felt increasingly puzzled. ¡°Those three are from the Refining Body Altar, and I only joined them after leaving the Bai family,¡± Xie Yuxin explained. ¡°Refining Body Altar? What sect is this? How come I''ve never heard of it?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before shaking his head. At Shen Luo''s words, Xie Yuxin hesitated slightly, ¡°Compared to ordinary Cultivation Sects, they aren''t a very reputable sect. My decision to join them was not for the sake of gaining some backing.¡± ¡°What was your reason then?¡± Shen Luo followed up. ¡°To tell you the truth, I have a senior brother who was victimized by treacherous people long ago. Now, his divine soul is incomplete, his Dantian entirely destroyed. He has just barely been living. The Refining Body Altar claims to have a unique method that could help a person rebuild their Dantian and open new meridians. Hence, I joined them hoping to meet their saint and acquire this method,¡± Xie Yuxin turned her gaze aside, took a deep breath, and then explained. ¡°So, you stole the God-descend Technique from the Bai family to save people?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly. ¡°The God-descend Technique contains a method that can nourish the divine soul,¡± Xie Yuxin didn''t deny this. ¡°I understand. However, if you, despite all the hardships, stepped forward to save me now, aren''t you risking everything?¡± Shen Luo, lost in his thoughts, nodded and asked further. ¡°No harm done. As long as you leave this place immediately, I can fix this on my own,¡± Xie Yuxin said. At the same time, her hand radiated a red light, which she used to massage her face. Moments later, she returned to her previous unremarkable appearance, then bent down and began to massage Feng Shan''s face. When she stopped her motions and stood up, it was only then that Shen Luo was astounded to find that Feng Shan''s face had dramatically changed to look exactly like his own. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°This is a Bone Pinching Disguise Technique. It works on the living because they have blood circulation, and it can last for ten two-hour periods without changing. It doesn''t work on the dead, it can only last a quarter of an hour at most. I need to quickly take him back or it will be useless. Let''s part here, and we''ll meet again in the future.¡± After saying this, Xie Yuxin cupped his fists, hoisted Feng Shan''s body onto his back, and turned to leave. ¡°I''m really sorry, but I can''t leave.¡± Shen Luo stood in place, not moving at all. Daoist friend Shen, although the Jade-eyed Golden Toad is precious, it isn''t worth more than your life. I don''t need to tell you again the meaning behind the proverb ''Don''t worry about not having enough firewood if you still have a green mountain'', right? Tonglao has always claimed that he''s an initial-stage Soul-condensing Cultivator, but in reality, he has already reached the mid-stage Soul-condensing Cultivation level. Even if you don''t want to give up, it''s destined to be in vain.¡± Hearing this, Xie Yuxin halted his steps, turned to look back at him, and tried to persuade him. ¡°To be honest, I am looking for the Golden Toad in order to prolong my life, so the Golden Toad is indeed as valuable as my life. Also, that True Dragon is named Ao Hong, who is the Ninth Prince of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. He''s also considered a friend of mine, so I need to save him,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°He''s the Dragon Palace Crown Prince? Impossible. If he was the Dragon Palace Crown Prince, why wouldn''t he be accompanied by any retainers and be here all by himself?¡± Xie Yuxin said, surprised. ¡°About that¡­ I''m also not sure. Regardless of who he is, since he''s my friend, I can''t just stand by and watch him lose his life,¡± Shen Luo said, not really knowing how to define his relationship with Ao Hong. Hearing his words, Xie Yuxin remained silent for a long time without responding. Elder Brother Xie, I understand that you''re in a difficult situation, so I won''t force you to help. I just hope that you can avoid this trouble,¡± Shen Luo said, trying to persuade Xie Yuxin after seeing his reaction. ¡°In terms of saving people, you really need to think it over¡­..¡± Xie Yuxin threw Feng Shan''s body at his feet, put his hand on his mouth, and pondered for a moment before speaking. At the bank of Crescent Moon Lake, Tong Guan arrogantly sat on a stone, a rolled-up Black Flag stabbed into the ground in front of him. With one hand making a seal, he softly chanted a sentence, then waved his hand. A black light flew from his palm, hovering on the Black Flag. The flag then ¡°flapped¡± and spread out. Tong Guan swept his gaze, which landed in the middle of the flag. There, looking as if it was woven and embroidered with golden threads, was a live and vivid Gold True Dragon. He waved his hand again, the black light on the flag billowed, a black vortex emerged around the Golden Dragon, and the dragon''s head seemed to poke out from a big, dark hole. But the black light only brightened for a moment, the black vortex also only allowed one dragon head to come out, then it froze again. The light around the dragon''s head faded and it transformed back into a human shape. ¡°Elder, what do you need me, the Junior, to do for you to set me free?¡± Ao Hong asked. Seeing this, Tong Guan''s eyes flashed with a touch of surprise, and he said, ¡°In this kind of situation, shouldn''t you be panicking and begging for mercy? Can you still talk to me calmly about terms?¡± ¡°I think the Elder would be more willing to listen to my terms, rather than me wailing and begging for mercy, right?¡± Ao Hong calmly said. ¡°Haha, that''s correct. So, tell me, how much do you think your life is worth?¡± Tong Guan laughed heartily and asked. ¡°Since the power is in the Elder''s hands, why don''t you name your price. Whether it''s Magical Artifacts, spiritual medicines, or Immortal jade, as long as the Elder speaks up, I, the Junior, will try my best to satisfy you.¡± Ao Hong continued saying. ¡°To have such an unflustered attitude in the face of danger, it seems that you can''t possibly be from some inferior Dragon Palace. You likely come from that Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, don''t you?¡± Tong Guan''s expression gradually became serious, and he carefully constructed his sentence. Chapter 379 Chapter 379: Chapter 375: Testing Each Other (First update) Chapter 379: Chapter 375: Testing Each Other (First update) Upon hearing this, Ao Hong''s demeanor subtly shifted, yet he continued to speak: ¡°Elder, your knowledge of the path of Tao is profound, if you are willing to turn conflict into alliance, I would be happy to recommend you as an honored guest amongst our clan.¡± Despite his earnest words, he did not directly admit to his identity as a descendant of the East Sea Dragon Palace. ¡°Boy, quit your verbal maneuvers. If you''re not from the East Sea Dragon Palace, I can kill you without fear of repercussions, but if you are, I must kill you all the same to eliminate future threats. Either way, you are doomed.¡± A sinister smile curved on Tong Guan''s face, as he uttered these words. ¡°Are you certain, Elder, that killing me would eliminate all future problems? Upon my demise, the Dragon Palace will definitely sense something amiss. Whether through a shred of my residual soul or my bloodline, it won''t be difficult to trace my tracks.¡± Ao Hong retained his composure as he responded. ¡°Heh heh, naturally I am not capable of that, therefore I don''t plan to kill you. Instead, I will bring you back to the Main Altar. There, every drop of your dragon blood will be meticulously refined by the Saint, leaving nothing to waste. Your dragon scales and bones each have their unique use. By then, even your Dragon Palace won''t be able to find a trace of your remains.¡± Tong Guan replied with a smug look on his face. Upon hearing these words, a stern look flashed in Ao Hong''s eyes. He was trapped inside this peculiar Black Big Flag, and all his powers were restricted. Even if he had the means to send a signal to the Dragon Palace, he could not use them. ¡°Earlier, the treasure you used to capture the Jade-eyed Golden Toad was the rumored ''Dragon Whisker Basket'' that restrains all water descendants throughout the world, right? As long as you obediently hand over that thing and the Jade-eyed Golden Toad, I can assure you that you won''t suffer while we journey to the Main Altar from here.¡± Tong Guan continued ¡°Elder, if you have the means, just take it. Why bother negotiating with me?¡± Ao Hong replied with a sigh before closing his eyes, disregarding Tong Guan''s comments. Upon observing Ao Hong''s actions, Tong Guan frowned slightly, about to say something when a figure was seen rushing over from the distance. It was Feng Shui. With a flip of his hand, the Black Big Flag rolled up and folded Ao Hong once more. Feng Shui arrived, casually tossing three blood-drenched heads that rolled over to Tong Guan''s feet. Tong Guan looked down, recognizing the faces of the Innkeeper, the clerk, and the cook. He nodded satisfactorily. ¡°Tonglao, Feng Shan and the others haven''t returned yet?¡± Feng Shui asked, scanning the surroundings with a frown. ¡°They are right there.¡± Tong Guan pointed to the other side of Crescent Moon Lake. Following Tong Guan''s direction, Feng Shui saw two people walking side by side. Both were carrying a bloody head, which appeared to be Shen Luo who had escaped earlier. Out of the two walking, Yu Xin was unharmed, but ¡°Feng Shan¡± was fully covered in blood and looked paler than usual. Naturally, these two were Xie Yuxin and Shen Luo, both in disguise through the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique. ¡°Big Brother, what happened to you?¡± Feng Shui immediately rushed over in concern. ¡°I''m fine, just accidentally got caught in that kid''s technique.¡± Shen Luo forcefully coughed before speaking. After speaking, his gaze quickly swept over the three heads on the ground, maintaining his expression as he casually tossed the head in his hand over. Tong Guan, upon seeing this, stood up and carefully kicked one of the heads muddled by blood and mud with his toes. After confirming its identity, he said with a smile, ¡°Good, everything here is settled. There will be rewards for you all when we return.¡± ¡°Thank you, Tonglao.¡± Upon hearing this, Feng Shui''s face was filled with joy, as he folded his hands in thanks. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin also quickly thanked him. ¡°Tonglao, what should we do with the captured True Dragon?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Of course, we bring it back to the Main Altar and hand it over to the Saint.¡± Tong Guan nonchalantly replied. ¡°I heard that a True Dragon is a treasure through and through. Whether it''s the flesh, blood, tendons, bones, or scales, they are all extremely valuable materials. If we simply hand it over, isn''t it somewhat wasteful?¡± Shen Luo, under the guise of Feng Shan, spoke out, his face full of avarice. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh? What do you suggest then?¡± Tong Guan raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°In my opinion, why not snap off one of its horns, cut off one of its feet, peel off some of its scales, and skim off some of its flesh? When the Main Altar inquires, we can simply say that it was due to the battle. After all, even if the Saint suspects anything, we did predominantly hand over this unexpectedly caught True Dragon. The Saint wouldn''t blame us.¡± Shen Luo advised, pretending to ingratiate with a flattering smile. Upon hearing this, Tong Guan didn''t reply. However, a hint of hesitation crept on his face, seeming to be very moved by the suggestion. ¡°Tonglao, Daoist Feng Shan''s words make sense. Junior doesn''t seek much, as long as I can get two dragon scales, my wishes will be fulfilled.¡± Xie Yuxin also pitched in. Seeing his elder brother speak up and being greedy for the flesh and blood of the True Dragon himself, Feng Shui naturally also agreed. ¡°Alright, since this is what we all want, let''s do it. However, we must be very clear with our story afterwards. Anyone who messes up will have to answer to me.¡± Tong Guan thought for a moment, a smile emerged on his face, and he agreed. ¡°Of course, we are honored to follow your lead, Tonglao.¡± Shen Luo immediately complimented. Xie Yuxin and Feng Shui also nodded their heads in agreement. With a wave of his palm, an invisible force pulled the Black Big Flag standing on the ground into Tong Guan''s hand. ¡°In a little while, I will release some of the dragon''s body, you all can use your means. Flesh, blood, scales, and horns, whatever you can manage to strip off, will be our gains from this mission. Remember, be careful not to kill it when you start.¡± Tong Guan glanced at the three of them, cold mockery filled his eyes as he instructed. ¡°Yes.¡± The three Shen Luo, Xie Yuxin, and Feng Shui responded in unison. Seeing this, Tong Guan immediately formed a magical sign with one hand and began chanting. As the chanting echoed, a pitch-black light emerged from the black flag, and its panel gradually stretched out. Shen Luo''s gaze seemed to be fixated on the flag, greed filled his face, while secretly from the corner of his eyes, he was keeping watch on Tong Guan. Being a mid-stage Soul Condensation cultivator, one who was a whole level above him, he must always be on guard. With the black light on the flag becoming more intense, a black vortex appeared once again, and half of Ao Hong''s dragon body protruded from it, still being constrained by a force that extended from the flag. Shen Luo took a glance, seeing that he was unharmed, he felt a bit relieved. Hidden in his sleeves, each of his palms was holding onto a Talisman Paper. ¡°Okay, releasing more of his body will make him difficult to control. Begin!¡± Tong Guan''s tone went from calm to heavy on the final word. Shen Luo tensed up and subconsciously shouted ¡°Be careful!¡± As he shouted, his hidden hands swiftly swung out, releasing two talismans, one green and one purple. They were launched directly at Tong Guan. Almost at the same time, Tong Guan lifted his one palm and struck towards Shen Luo. Chapter 380 Chapter 380: Chapter 376: Joint effort (Second update) Chapter 380: Chapter 376: Joint effort (Second update) Elsewhere, Feng Shui had already grasped a water-blue longsword, its blade traced with patterns resembling flowing water, and swung it directly at Xie Yuxin. Among all of them, Xie Yuxin was somewhat slow in her reaction. Only under Shen Luo''s reminder did she instinctively withdraw her figure backwards. ¡°Boom¡± an explosion resounded! The thunderfall talisman, first thrown out by Shen Luo, blasted open, unleashing a robust bolt of lightning that struck directly onto Tong Guan''s palm covered by black light. Yet it was grasped directly into his hand with a close of his fingers. The snowy white thunder light was crushed by his fingers, turning into irregular electric arcs that erupted from between his fingers, casting a dazzling flurry of electric light. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Following that, the ¡°War¡± symbol on the Fractured Talisman, flashing with a hazy purple light, lit up first. Then the whole charm pattern shone brightly, and a splendid golden light emerged, transforming into a golden illusion like a spear, shot straight at Tong Guan. Tong Guan met the thunderfall talisman with his palm. Even though he forcefully crushed the lightning, the power of this talisman still exceeded his expectations, making his entire arm numb. And when he felt the strong suppressing killing intent coming from the second talisman, fear welled up in his heart. He dared not risk receiving it directly again. ¡°He clutched the flagpole as a black halo lit up on his hand. The originally calm flag face suddenly made a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, and the flag body swept fiercely, directly caging the Fractured Talisman inside. This unexpected scene was beyond Shen Luo''s anticipation. Since he had used two high-order runes simultaneously, the excessive consumption of his mana made it difficult for him to sustain. He wanted to intervene, but he was completely incapable. He could only watch helplessly as the Fractured Talisman was swallowed by the black flag. In the next instant, the light emanating from the Fractured Talisman was devoured by the black flag. ¡°Good kid, I almost fell for your trap,¡± Tong Guan said, holding the flagpole and retreating, with lingering fear. Shen Luo also took a step back using Slanting Moon Steps, creating some distance between them. His gaze shifted slightly, glancing at the forest on the right. Xie Yuxin was fighting against Feng Shui. For the time being, they were evenly matched. ¡°Yu Xin, you wretched woman, how dare you kill my brother and betray the holy altar. I vow to make you wish you were dead!¡± Feng Shui''s eyes were red, staring fiercely at Xie Yuxin, he said viciously. Xie Yuxin, on the other hand, didn''t utter a word, continuing to fight, wielding the Red Rhombus. Shen Luo dared not divert too much attention. He refocused entirely on Tong Guan. Facing a cautious mid-stage Soul Condensation cultivator, he was without a doubt, devoid of any chance at victory. But at this moment, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Swoosh¡± A near-inaudible sound of fabric tearing suddenly rang out. Tong Guan''s face changed dramatically, he abruptly turned to look at the black flag in his hand and was taken aback. The surface of the flag was crisscrossed with fine lines resembling shattered porcelain. Fine threads of white light emanated from the cracks, expanding incessantly. In the next instant, a clear and resounding dragon chant emanated from the flag surface. ¡°Roar¡­¡± A golden light suddenly surged, and a giant dragon head struggled to rush out from the widening white fissure. It appeared as though it had climbed out of the chasm of a deep abyss, freeing itself from the restraints of the flag''s body and charging into the sky. The black flag, too, was torn into countless pieces within the splitting white light. ¡°No¡­¡± Tong Guan''s eyes filled with regret, he yelled angrily. His eyes shifted, looking at Shen Luo, the one responsible for destroying his precious magical tool, his eyes were practically spitting fire. With a quick movement of his hand, a golden small knife, about a foot long, slid down from his sleeve, and with a flash of golden light, it transformed into a three-foot-long golden long knife. Tong Guan rushed forward, surrounded by black wind under his feet, moving extremely fast, heading straight for Shen Luo. With a swing of his arm, he aimed his blade to strike at Shen Luo''s head. Shen Luo, fully prepared, dared not clash head-on. His foot stepped and a flash of moonlight appeared, activating the Slanting Moon Steps. His figure blurred and darted sideways; he avoided the blow neatly. The golden knife edge barely brushed past his nose, producing an extended ten-meter-long golden knife glow which crashed down to the ground with a clamor. With a ¡°Bang!¡± Smoke and dust billowed on the ground while several towering ancient trees affected by the knife glow exploded one after another. A gigantic trench then appeared on the ground, making it appear bottomless. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, don''t linger, let''s go!¡± Shen Luo wasn''t about to delay any further. He shouted immediately and started to run towards the edge of the Heavenly Pit using the Slanting Moon Steps. In his sleeve, his hand was already clutching a Flying Talisman. Just then, he felt a chilly sensation under his feet¨Ca sensation he somewhat recognized. When Shen Luo looked down, he could see a tendril of white fog flowing on the ground. A layer of frost formed instantly, freezing his leg on the spot. When he turned to look at Xie Yuxin, half of her body had also been frozen inside white ice crystals. Not far from her was Feng Shui, tapering his fingers into a magical formation and holding a round compass, a whiff of cold steam emitting from it. ¡°Die for me.¡± Tong Guan''s hostility towards Shen Luo deepened. At that moment, fully intent on killing Shen Luo, he charged forward with his golden knife. The golden light on the knife in his hand brightened and he aimed another vertical chop at Shen Luo. Just as the bright light of the knife was about to descend and split Shen Luo in half, a massive shadow plummeted from the sky. A huge golden dragon claw swooped at Tong Guan''s head. The golden glow on the dragon claw was sharp, carrying a relentless momentum that could slice through metal and jade. It descended at an extreme speed. Tong Guan startled, immediately turned his wrist and switched from a vertical chop to a diagonal swipe upwards, aiming at the golden dragon claw. A ¡°clang¡± from his blade rang out. The swing of his blade altered, reducing its force. The golden knife glow brushed past the dragon claw, sparking countless golden sparks and then smashing onto the golden dragon that Ao Hong had transformed into. Even though there was no blood, many golden scales fell off where the blade passed. Even so, Ao Hong wasn''t pushed back by the blow. The dragon claw continued to press down, blocking the edge of the golden blade and suppressing Tong Guan underneath. Seizing this opportunity, Shen Luo used his Water Control Technique. With a hinting gesture, the ice crystals that had frozen his legs began to melt bit by bit. ¡°Hmph, it''s said that among all the creatures in the world, a dragon possesses the maximum water strength and an elephant the highest terrestrial strength, thus creating a term ''Dragon Elephant Power.'' But today, I see it is not much.¡± Tong Guan was suppressed under Ao Hong''s claw and chuckled derisively. With that, he raised the empty palm of his other hand and slapped the ridge of his blade. A massive golden light crescent suddenly spread from his palm, transforming into an overwhelming torrential force, clashing upwards like a mountain and sea, causing a severe tremor. With a ¡°boom,¡± there was a muffled explosive sound! Bloodlight flashed on Ao Hong''s dragon claw and his massive body was blown away. Chapter 381 Chapter 381: Chapter 377: Counterfeit Real Seal (Third Update) Chapter 381: Chapter 377: Counterfeit Real Seal (Third Update) Shen Luo''s feet were rippling with waves. Having already escaped the predicament, his figure receded at high speed and moved towards Ao Hong. On the other side, Xie Yuxin also used her scorching firepower to melt the hard ice and retreated to Shen Luo''s side. ¡°Good, good. It''s you two pushing me. Today, I will wipe you all out.¡± Tong Guan scanned all three of them with his gaze and laughed instead of expressing anger. Having said that, he reached for the pouch he had taken off his waist, and took out a seal about the length of a finger. It looked like white jade in color and texture, engraved with patterns on all four sides. Each one was different from the other, but their forms were all like towering mountain peaks. The top of the seal was not flat but was carved into the form of a miniature mountain peak. The bottom was engraved with the two words ¡°Zhen Yue¡±, both in ancient seal script. With a casual throw, the white jade seal flew into the void above Shen Luo and the other two. The engraved words ¡°Zhen Yue¡± shone brightly. Shen Luo and the others hadn''t had time to react when they felt an invisible force descending from above their heads. It felt as if they were suddenly carrying heavy burdens, causing them to bend over in an instant. Even raising their arms became extremely difficult. The invisible force grew heavier, and along with it, a vague illusionary figure appeared in the void. It was the shadow of a mountain several tens of feet high, with ravines distributed longitudinally on the mountain ridge, looking very lifelike. ¡°The Five Peaks True Form Seal¡­ but wait, it''s a copy.¡± Ao Hong instantly recognised it. With a sudden shake of his dragon ridge, he forced the shadow of the mountain to tilt with a surge of great strength. ¡°Hmph, so what if it''s a copy? It''s not something you can resist either.¡± Tong Guan sneered, made a three mountain seal with one hand, and pressed it down. On the floating seal, another mountain pattern lit up, and the seal quickly plummeted downwards. Another shadow of a mountain appeared in the void, with the mountain''s momentum suddenly pressing downwards, overlapping with the previously appeared shadow of the mountain peak. Shen Luo immediately felt an increased weight above his shoulders. His knees could barely support him, and they started to shake violently. Xie Yuxin, who was next to him, was even worse off, almost kneeling down due to the intolerable pressure. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Ao Hong roared, and his body was awash with golden light. His golden scales trembled incessantly as if every muscle in his body was trying its best to hold him upright. ¡°The Five Peaks True Form Seal is a magical treasure that traps enemies by using the pressure of five true mountains, which have been imprinted using the ancient method. Although what this old guy is using is just a copied artifact, it seems to have reached the level of the top-grade magical artifacts. Once he prints out all five mountains, there is absolutely no chance for us to escape.¡± Ao Hong''s voice sounded in Shen Luo and the others'' ears. ¡°Why aren''t they here yet?¡± Shen Luo was anxious and gnashed his teeth. Xie Yuxin''s teeth were also gritted as she struggled, and there was already blood seeping out of her ears. ¡°You can still stand, I underestimated you.¡± Tong Guan sneered, and with a flip of his hand, another mountain pattern lit up. The floating seal flashed again, and another mountain pattern suddenly lit up. Another shadow of a towering lone mountain appeared in the void, pressing downwards. ¡°Boom.¡± As if a heavy sound rang in their ears, the force bearing down on them became so strong that they could not resist it anymore. Both Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin''s bodies pitched forward, and they fell to the ground in a prone position. They were unable to move, and their cheeks were pinned tightly to the ground. Compared to them, Ao Hong seemed to be faring the best, but in reality, he was under the greatest pressure. At this moment, his bones were cracking like exploding beans. Shen Luo''s cheek was tightly pressed against the ground. He murmured the telepathic mantra in his heart, and in his upturned palm, a flattened whirlpool of water began to form. In the vortex, a strong demon Qi suddenly flew out, curled up in mid-air, and transformed into a large Shrimp Soldier holding two shiny black copper hammers. It was Lang Sheng. ¡°Thump, thump.¡± Two dull noises came. Lang Sheng, who had just been teleported here, couldn''t stabilize his figure and was immediately crushed by the mountain''s enormous pressure. His two copper hammers also fell heavily to the ground. ¡°Haha, is this guy supposed to be your rescue?¡± Upon seeing this, Tong Guan couldn''t help but scoff. Shen Luo ignored him and painfully asked, ¡°Didn''t I ask you to go to the East Sea Dragon Palace for help? Why hasn''t anyone come to our aid yet?¡± ¡°The Dragon Palace is heavily guarded, I couldn''t get in.¡± Lang Sheng, whose head was almost squashed, answered with difficulty. ¡°This time¡­ it''s really over.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo was heartbroken. ¡°But fortunately, I met the Patrol Sea Yaksha. After some persuasion, he finally believed me and is currently on his way here. When you summoned me, he gave me this.¡± Lang Sheng moved his palm close to the ground towards Shen Luo inch by inch and handed him an item. Shen Luo took it and found it was a purple talisman. It was overflowing with spiritual energy, clearly a high-order rune. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without any hesitation, he immediately activated his own mana and channeled it into the talisman in his hand. ¡°Zap!¡± With a soft sound, a flash of light appeared on the talisman. It ripped itself apart and a blue light burst out, transforming into a huge blue vortex. Shen Luo then heard a roar of surging tides. In a flash, a giant wave rushed out from the blue vortex, transforming into dozens of hundred-foot-high waves, which directly hit the shadow of the mountain peak above. Despite the tremendous strength of the three mountain shadows, they struggled to suppress the giant waves, and were overthrown by the enormous force. The heavy weight on everyone was immediately reduced. The onlookers were engulfed by the waves. Shen Luo quickly invoked the Water Repelling Technique, moved towards Xie Yuxin, grabbed her wrist, and shielded her within the water-blue light membrane. Being from the Aquatic Clan, Lang Sheng and Ao Hong were naturally not afraid. The flood dragon plunged into the sea, enjoying utmost freedom. With a roar, Ao Hong darted through the water and headed straight for Tong Guan. Before him, Feng Shui appeared suddenly and raised his palm, pushing forward. A white breath surged from his palm and sank into the sea water. In an instant, a chilly aura spread and a crackling sound came from the water up ahead. The sea water began to freeze rapidly, forming a giant ice wall a few feet thick. The golden dragon formed by Ao Hong rushed over and hit the ice wall with a loud bang. Light shone through the heavy ice wall, which immediately shattered. However, behind the shattered ice wall, a huge golden light from a blade came slashing down straight at the head of Ao Hong''s dragon form. Where the blade fell, it exuded an astonishing momentum, slashing the sea water into two. The waves retreated on both sides, leaving a dry gap tens of feet wide, with Ao Hong''s dragon body right in the middle of it. Chapter 382 Chapter 382: Chapter 378: Obtaining the Golden Toad (Fourth Update) Chapter 382: Chapter 378: Obtaining the Golden Toad (Fourth Update) Ao Hong''s gaze sharply contracted and a flash of gold glimmered on his forehead, seemingly detaching a piece of bone armor. It shot directly into the midair and transformed into a turtle shell shield in a flurry of golden light, guarding him from above. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded! The golden blade light fell on the turtle shell shield, causing innumerable flashes of golden light to burst forth. The entire Heavenly Pit shook as a result, the surrounding water resembled a tsunami, whipping up waves several tens of feet high and destroying countless trees and surging in all directions. Shen Luo gripped Xie Yuxin''s arm tightly, protecting the two of them with the Water Repelling Technique, controlling the water current to carry them to the surface. The Shrimp Soldier Langsheng was swept away hitting a broken tree, barely stabilizing his figure. Midair, a crisp snapping sound echoed. The turtle shell shield exploded in response to the sound and stirred up circles of golden halo. Ao Hong, who had escaped the attack, his body''s light retracting, transformed back into his human form. With a twist of his wrist, a golden longsword appeared out of thin air in his palm. ¡°A storage magical instrument.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes fell on the ring on his right ring finger, and he was mildly astonished. ¡°This old guy is really asking for it, thinking my East Sea Dragon Clan is incapable?¡± Ao Hong''s face changed, his eyes suddenly filled with a cutting murderous air. With another twist of his wrist, a red Elixir Pill the size of a longan kernel appeared in his palm. He raised his hand and threw it into his mouth. With a crisp ¡°crack¡±, Ao Hong bit his teeth and crushed the pill directly. A wisp of red smoke from within the pill instantly seeped out considering his mouth full of red. Immediately following, his nose wrinkled. He took a deep breath, and the free-floating red smoke flowed into his nostrils, leaving nothing behind. Once the red smoke disappeared, Ao Hong''s revealed facial expression bore a strange expression never seen before, looking like a madman with indescribable madness. What was even more strange was that his Qi fluctuation began to increase rapidly, directly breaking through the bottleneck of the peak of the later stage of Grain Avoidance, reaching the Soul Condensation Stage. ¡°What is he?¡± said Xie Yuxins in surprise. ¡°He likely took a drug that stimulates potential and rapidly elevates his cultivation level. He seems to be preparing for a desperate fight. This state of his won''t last long; I have to help.¡± Shen Luo frowned tightly and said. After finishing talking, he removed the hand that was holding Xie Yuxin''s arm, took out two new Armor Horse Talismans from his sleeve and affixed them to his legs. He held the Ghost Wailing Ring in one hand, and a Thunderfall Talisman in the other, mentally preparing himself to rush forward. ¡°Roar¡­¡± In response to the dragon''s chant, Ao Hong saw two dragon horns extend out from his forehead. His legs and arm skin turned into layers of golden scales, and his palms extended into scaly claws. He transformed himself into a half-dragon, half-human state. He tightly gripped the sword handle with his dragon claw and lunged forwards, his figure shot out more than ten feet instantly. He moved swiftly and ended up right in front of Tong Guan, slashing his sword down. Tong Guan''s eyebrows raised sharply, his gaze concentrated, and his golden blade suddenly slashed out, meeting Ao Hong''s advance. Where the sword and blade intersected, the clanging sound was endless, sword and blade lights sprayed in all directions, cutting the surrounding trees into pieces, and the noise of tree falling was never ending. As soon as Shen Luo got a little closer, he was pushed back by the residual force of the dense sword, and for a while, it was difficult for him to intervene. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Hong and Tong Guan exchanged blows in a series of rapid attacks, the echoing sound in the forest was like rolling thunder, booming non-stop. A loud ¡°boom¡± sounded! After a fierce collision, two figures exploded back several tens of feet from the centre of the impact. Ao Hong was shrouded in golden light, as if water vapor was evaporating from his body, turning into a layer of faint gold mist. This made his whole figure appear hazy and fraught. His single hand brandishing the longsword, a low chant could be heard from his mouth, the swirling golden fog around him started to congeal, transforming into a golden dragon phantasm. After spiraling around him once, it flew into the longsword. At the same time, Ao Hong''s scale armor faded away, causing him to revert from his half-dragon, half-human state. ¡°Prepare to die.¡± A low growl emerged from his lips as his figure suddenly lunged forward, transforming into a golden light directly stabbing towards Tong Guan. Seeing his figure arrive in a blink of an eye, Tong Guan''s pupils violently constricted. With a sweep of his hand, the Five Peaks True Form Seal was shot out once again, with the three mountain range imprints lighting up simultaneously. Following that, the three mountain peak phantoms materialized one after the other, overlapping each other to form a mountain shield blocking his front. A ¡°zing¡± resounded as a dragon shadow slithered out from the golden sword edge and directly struck the mountain peak phantom, setting off an earth-shattering roar. The entire Heavenly Pit shook violently, with cracks sprawling across the surrounding mountain walls and rocks tumbling about. A rift appeared on the earth, leaking the accumulated sea water into the ground. However, the golden dragon phantom, despite plunging into the mountain peak, was unable to shatter it in one fell swoop. Instead, the two forces were at a deadlock. Ao Hong was trembling in golden light, like a raging fire burning. Clearly, not only was the consumption of his Mana extreme, even the effect of the earlier taken pill was rapidly diminishing. Tong Guan''s face was as pale as iron. He had already put away his golden blade, focusing his power into the seal while clearly not relaxed. However, it is clear who would have a greater chance of victory if they continue to drag this out. Just then, ripples suddenly appeared in the pool of water beneath Ao Hong. An almost transparent figure suddenly shot out and instantly reached his side. Nobody could notice this change. Everyone was astounded. However, instead of attacking Ao Hong when it got close, it simply unhooked the Dragon Whisker Basket from his waist and fell back, returning towards the pool of water below. ¡°Golden Toad¡­¡± Ao Hong tensed up. He wanted to chase, but he was unable to withdraw his power at the moment. If he gets distracted and makes a mistake, he would inevitably meet with disaster. Just as the semi-transparent figure was about to fall into the pond, the pool of water violently surged, and more than a dozen water ropes reached out to tie up the semi-transparent figure in mid-air. Feng Shui had been hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to steal the Jade-eyed Golden Toad. He had finally seized the opportunity and used a secret method to control the Water Shadow Puppet to unhook the Dragon Whisker Basket, only to be tied up by water ropes, which left him seething with rage. At this moment, he didn''t care about anything else. He only wanted to get the Jade-eyed Golden Toad first. So, he dashed out from his hiding spot and quickly ran towards the Water Shadow Puppet. However, another figure got there faster than him and shattered the puppet with one punch. The moon shadow under Shen Luo''s feet had not yet disappeared as he stowed the Dragon Whisker Basket into his sleeve. After glancing at Feng Shui rushing towards him, he side-stepped and moved away. Feng Shui wanted to chase after him, but was blocked by Xie Yuxin and Lang Sheng, one in front and one behind. Seeing this, Feng Shui did not engage in a fight with the two, his body melted like a stream and merged into the pool of water, hiding once again. Chapter 383 Chapter 383: Chapter 379: Late to the Rescue (Fifth update, asking for monthly tickets) Chapter 383: Chapter 379: Late to the Rescue (Fifth update, asking for monthly tickets) Tong Guan sneered at this scene, couldn''t help but curse ¡°Idiot¡±. His eyes suddenly became bloodshot, his clothes moved without any wind, making a whipping sound. His face turned red, he formed a three-mountain hand gesture with one hand and slapped down with his palm again. The fourth mountain pattern on the Five Peaks True Form Seal lit up instantly, forming an even taller looming mountain phantom from high above. It didn''t merge with the other three mountain phantoms, but directly smashed down towards Ao Hong''s head. ¡°The opportunity has come, it''s now!¡± Shen Luo saw this and muttered to himself. As he said this, the Divine Armor Horse Talisman on his legs immediately extinct to ashes, wrapped around his lower legs. At the same time, moonlight lit up under his feet, shattering into a blurry light and shadow. Shen Luo took a step forward. Under the double boost of the Divine Armor Horse Talisman and Slanting Moon Steps, his speed reached an unprecedented level. Almost in the blink of an eye, he was behind Tong Guan, and a Thunderfall Talisman in his palm slammed towards him. Tong Guan didn''t even have the time to react before he was hit in the back. A thunderous boom sounded out! A bright white light lit up in the Heavenly Pit, turning into an arm-thick white thunderbolt that struck down. Tong Guan''s body suddenly turned numb. He didn''t care about the extent of his injuries. However, the flow of mana inside his body was briefly disrupted. But just in this brief interruption, the Five Peaks True Form Seal in the air trembled and lost the mana support. The last appeared mountain phantom didn''t fall as it turned into small sparkles and disappeared. And the previous three mountain phantoms also blurred, greatly reducing their power. ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± A dragon chant seemed to echo through the night sky. The Dragon Chant Sword Light that had been in a standoff for a long time finally broke through, just like a knife slicing tofu, piercing the three mountain phantoms and stabbing Tong Guan behind them. The dragon''s shadow reflected where it passed, the mountain ghost images were torn apart inch by inch, causing the aura of heaven and earth to be chaotic. Tong Guan let out a horrible scream. Half of his body was badly mutilated, and he was thrown out, flying backwards. Shen Luo was likewise swept by the remaining force of this power, was hit by the shockwave, and was blown out. Yet, in mid-air, he noticed an object falling. He immediately raised his hand and grabbed, a thin Water Rope twisted out, coiling around the object and brought it back. After Shen Luo landed on the ground, his blood churned within him tumultuously. It took him a while before it calmed down. He glanced at the object in his hand and was overjoyed. It was the Five Peaks True Form Seal. At this moment, Ao Hong had also fallen from the sky. He was leaning against an ancient tree, his face deadly pale and holding his sword for support. Not far in front of him, a battered Tong Guan surprisingly stood up again. His right side of the body plus the face were bloody and raw like the skin was peeled off. In his hand, he was dragging that Golden Long Knife, walking towards Ao Hong step by step. At this moment, his eyes were filled with rage and hatred, he was only staring at the Dragon Clan youngster. The Golden Blade dragged along the ground, clashing with the fragments of stone with a harsh grating sound. Shen Luo knew that the effect of the pill Ao Hong had taken had expired. Ao Hong was essentially like meat on a cutting board right now, with no power to counterattack. The ashes on his legs lit up again, planning to rush over to rescue. But at that moment, a streak of green light suddenly shot from above, swiftly flashing before plunging straight down. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, before he could even get a clear look at it, the green light had already landed on Tong Guan. Accompanied by a ¡°plop¡± sound and a large spray of fresh blood. As Shen Luo was taken aback, a faint sound came from his feet. Looking down, he realized it was Tong Guan''s Golden Knife Artifact that had fallen over, its golden light had already receded, transforming back to a foot-long. By the time he looked up again, Tong Guan was pinned to the ground by a massive trident, dead. ¡°Who dares to hurt the Crown Prince of my Dragon Palace?¡± A earth-shattering roar rang out. With the sound of the voice, a tall figure descended from the sky, like a meteorite, with a ¡°bang,¡± it crashed onto the ground, rubble scattering, dust flying. Shen Luo looked carefully, and saw this towering figure with his upper body bare, his features demonic with green face and fierce tusks, two tufts of flaming hair on his head, fish fins on his back and elbows. Holding a ghost face shield in one hand, his roaring mouth was terrifying. It was none other than the sea patrol, Blue Water Yaksha. His eyes wide as copper bells, he took large strides to Tong Guan''s body, then suddenly raised a palm and ¡°smack¡± hit it on his head. Tong Guan''s skull instantly burst like a ripe watermelon. A wisp of soul floated out from it, just as it was about to flee, it was pulled back by the Blue Water Yaksha, stuffed into its mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed. Shen Luo was struck dumb by the sight. ¡°And you?¡± The Blue Water Yaksha turned his copper-bell-like eyes, glanced at Shen Luo, and roared again. ¡°Qing Chi, don''t shout around. Brother Shen is my savior, you must not be unreasonable.¡± Ao Hong hurriedly shouted. ¡°Subordinate was late to rescue, please punish me, Ninth Prince.¡± The Blue Water Yaksha quickly strode to Ao Hong''s side, knelt down on one knee, and said. ¡°Punish what? Punish you for arriving in time and saving my life?¡± Ao Hong said with annoyance. The Blue Water Yaksha, named Qing Chi, grinned and then looked reprovingly, ¡°Ninth Prince, not to say, you really shouldn''t have run out alone without telling us. If it weren''t for a little shrimp reporting to me, the consequences are unthinkable¡­¡± Ao Hong listened, his heart thumping with fear, he remained silent for a moment. ¡°The Dragon King already knows about this. Ninth Prince, you won''t have an easy time when you return.¡± Qing Chi said with a smirk, coming closer and whispering behind his fan-like hand. ¡°You reported it to Father King?¡± Ao Hong asked urgently. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I dare not hide such a matter, even before I came to save you, I had already let someone go back to the Dragon Palace to report.¡± Qing Chi said with a sheepish laugh. ¡°Why can''t you keep your mouth shut?¡± Ao Hong felt a headache. ¡°Ninth Prince, you can''t blame me for this. If I conceal this and something bad happens, the Dragon King''s anger couldn''t be quelled even by condemning my nine generations to death. Moreover, you''re to blame for this. If you didn''t hide it from everyone, wouldn''t nothing happen? If you took me with you, wouldn''t it all be fine? And besides¡­¡± Qing Chi suddenly wouldn''t stop talking, rambling and chattering non-stop. Shen Luo on the side was a bit bewildered. This seemingly fierce guy is actually an incessant talker? Ao Hong resignedly stood up and walked over to Shen Luo, sat down beside him, turned his wrist over, and once again took out a white jade porcelain bottle from thin air. He poured out two yellow elixirs from it, took one himself, and handed the other to Shen Luo. ¡°This is a unique tonic pill from our Dragon Palace. It can help you recover quickly.¡± Seeing Shen Luo didn''t move, Ao Hong said. Chapter 384 Chapter 384: Chapter 380: Gratitude Gifts Chapter 384: Chapter 380: Gratitude Gifts After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo took it, but did not immediately administer it. Seeing this, Ao Hong was a bit stunned, but he chose not to say anything. ¡°Ninth Prince, in the future we can''t keep doing this,¡± Qing Chi followed, muttering nonstop under his breath. ¡°All right, shut your mouth, let me rest for a while,¡± Ao Hong rolled his eyes and said helplessly. After saying that, his eyes slightly closed as he began to meditate and recuperate. After hesitating for a moment, Shen Luo also administered the Elixir, and began to meditate and recuperate as well. Xie Yuxin, who was a bit further away, had also started to recover from her injuries. ¡°Hey, shrimp, come here,¡± Seeing Ao Hong in recuperation, Qing Chi didn''t disturb him anymore and instead walked briskly towards Lang Sheng. ¡°Elder, you called me?¡± Lang Sheng holding his copper hammer, walked over with a bowed posture and responded. ¡°What''s your name?¡± Qing Chi asked. ¡°Junior Lang Sheng,¡± Lang Sheng replied honestly. ¡°You did well earlier, once we return to the Dragon Palace, I''ll ask the Dragon King for recognition for your performance. From now on, why don''t you follow me?¡± Qing Chi patted his shoulder with a smile on his face. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Lang Sheng was overjoyed and immediately kowtowed to the ground in gratitude. Qing Chi nodded his head, seemingly very satisfied with his new subordinate. ¡°Elder, there was another enemy who is skilled in water techniques and stealth, he attacked the Ninth Prince and was repelled by my Master. He has been hiding since then and hasn''t shown himself, we must be vigilant against him,¡± Lang Sheng reminded Qing Chi of Feng Shui, who has not reappeared since earlier. ¡°I already used my divine soul to explore our surroundings just now, and I didn''t find anything unusual,¡± Qing Chi answered with a perplexed expression. ¡°Perhaps seeing their leader killed, he might have already escaped,¡± Lang Sheng proposed. ¡°Either way, you and I must remain alert and guard them for a moment,¡± Qing Chi''s expression turned serious as he ceased speaking, and directly walked back to Ao Hong''s and Shen Luo''s side, carefully observing their surroundings. After a while, two more patrols from the Dragon Palace arrived, completely enclosing the area near Crescent Moon Lake. Upon completing his recuperation and opening his eyes, Shen Luo was taken aback by the scene before his eyes. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re awake. Can we talk now?¡± Ao Hong said with a warm smile. Shen Luo nodded, stood up and walked into the forest alongside Ao Hong. ¡°Brother Shen, to be honest, I really didn''t expect you to come back and save me,¡± Ao Hong said straightaway. ¡°If I said it was due to the instant bond I felt with you, Brother Ao, and I couldn''t bear to see you in danger, would you believe me?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before replying. ¡°Well,¡­¡± Ao Hong''s expression was slightly awkward, clearly showing his disbelief. ¡°What if I were to tell you that I''ve guessed your identity as the Crown Prince of the Dragon Palace and wanted to get acquainted with you, what would your thoughts be?¡± Shen Luo asked without changing his expression. ¡°Relying only on that, it wouldn''t be worth you taking such a big risk to come back, would it? The enemy''s cultivation level is much higher than yours. One misstep and you would''ve been killed on the spot,¡± Ao Hong still didn''t understand. ¡°Well then, the reason I returned to save you, of course, was because of the Jade-eyed Golden Toad,¡± Shen Luo laughed lightly. The real reason, of course, was because Shen Luo knew that he recognized Ao Hong and their relationship seemed to be not so simple; so he came back to save him. However, given how absurd this sounds presently, he had to fabricate a plausible explanation. Upon hearing this, Ao Hong paused. The answer was unexpected, yet made sense. ¡°Regardless of the reason, Brother Shen, you are my saviour, that much is certain. So, I hope you''ll accept this token of my gratitude,¡± Ao Hong extended his hand and took out an object from his bosom, and handed it over. Upon a glance, Shen Luo saw that it was a silver metallic ring, inlaid with several turquoise-like gemstones. His brow furrowed slightly, he said with a touch of surprise: ¡°Brother Ao, even if you want to repay a favor, you don''t have to give me women''s jewelry. Instead, why not gift it to Daoist Xie.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, you''ve misunderstood. This is not women''s jewelry. This is called the ''Linlang Ring''. It is a Storage Magical Tool, much like the ring I have on my hand. It has space about the size of two ordinary human dwellings and can be used to store things,¡± Ao Hong explained with a laugh. ¡°A Storage Magical Tool? The Linlang Ring?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. This Storage Magical Tool was significantly different from the regular Magical Tool. It lacked the capability to attack, but it made up for it in its convenience of storage. It could store things up to a hundredfold or even more than its own volume. The stone box and the Seven Star Pen that he had previously obtained had a similar function, yet they were different. When it came to storage space, the previous two certainly fell short compared to the Linlang Ring. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Shen Luo did not decline in the least and graciously accepted the ring, saying, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°This Storage Magical Tool only needs to be channeled with one''s own Mana, and there is no need for any Secret Method to easily Refine it. Both the steps to store or retrieve things, merely need a bit of Mana to activate and the intent of the mind. However, remember to never place a living creature in it,¡± Ao Hong instructed with a smile. ¡°Why is that?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°The storage space in it forms its own Heaven and Earth. There is no circulation of Heavenly and Earthly Qi, so non-living things can remain unaltered, but living things would struggle to survive. Also, one Storage Magical Tool cannot contain another. If the spaces of the two overlap, both will explode and break,¡± Ao Hong continued to explain. Shen Luo nodded his head, indicating that he understood. Then, following Ao Hong''s instructions, he quickly refined the Linlang Ring. Shen Luo wore the Linlang Ring on his wrist. With a flick of his hand, the golden blade he had obtained earlier slid out from his sleeve and landed in his palm. ¡°Channel your Mana, and let your heart guide¡­¡± As instructed by Ao Hong, Shen Luo pointed the Linlang Ring towards the golden blade and gently stirred his thoughts. The turquoise stone on the Linlang Ring flashed, and the golden blade in his palm disappeared instantly. He promptly immersed his mind and looked into the Linlang Ring, being startled to find not only the golden blade lying quietly in the corner, but also a pillow-sized wooden box inside. ¡°Brother Ao, why is there a wooden box inside the Linlang Ring?¡± Shen Luo looked up at Ao Hong with a puzzled expression. ¡°Don''t be surprised. It''s also for you, and there are some Immortal jades inside. I think you should be able to use them,¡± Ao Hong replied with a smile. Shen Luo frowned slightly and spoke, ¡°Brother Ao, your generous compensation suggests it''s not just for thanks, right? If there is anything else¡­please feel free to voice it.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Shen, are you looking down on me? This Storage Magical Tool and those Immortal Jades are solely to express my gratitude for saving my life, there are no other strings attached,¡± Ao Hong replied with an expression of helplessness. ¡°Are you sure it''s not for this Jade-eyed Golden Toad?¡± Shen Luo patted the Dragon Whisker Basket hanging on his waist and asked point-blank. ¡°Saving a life is one thing, the Golden Toad is another; these are two separate matters that we can discuss separately,¡± Ao Hong responded. ¡°Brother Ao, I am not being petty, but this Jade-eyed Golden Toad is indeed very important to me. I¡­wonder, what do you need it for?¡± Shen Luo started off, but quickly turned the conversation to a question. ¡°I won''t hide it from you, I need this creature to save someone. Therefore, unless you need it to save your own life, if you''re willing to give me the Golden Toad, I promise to repay you even more,¡± Ao Hong said apologetically. Chapter 385 Chapter 385: Chapter 381: Dragon Blood Chapter 385: Chapter 381: Dragon Blood After listening, Shen Luo felt overwhelmed, he rubbed his chin and spun in a circle. Then, suddenly, he looked up and said: ¡°No, can we split it? You and I each take half, what do you think?¡± Ao Hong was taken aback at his words, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes. The Jade-eyed Golden Toad that had been sitting in the dragon whisker basket seemed to understand his words as well, croaking a few times, puffing up its cheeks in apparent disagreement. ¡°Brother Shen, are you pursuing this Jade-eyed Golden Toad to also save a life?¡± Ao Hong quickly asked, grasping the situation. ¡°It''s not to save someone else''s life, it''s to save mine.¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. Ao Hong looked Shen Luo up and down and asked doubtfully: ¡°Brother Shen¡­ you don''t seem to be ill?¡± ¡°For some special reasons, the vitality in my body is severely depleted, and I now have less than three years of lifespan. Only by breaking through to the Soul Condensation Stage in my cultivation as soon as possible, can I extend my life.¡± Shen Luo slowly explained. ¡°I see. Brother Shen wants to use this Jade-eyed Golden Toad to enhance his mana and improve his cultivation level. That''s indeed a hard request to make. I''m sorry.¡± Hearing this, Ao Hong apologized with a salute. ¡°That''s no trouble. But tell me, will my previous suggestion work?¡± Shen Luo waved his hands and asked. Before Ao Hong could respond, there were two croaks from the basket. ¡°The person I want to save has been infected with a strange, icy poison. Her body is covered with frost every day, suffering from extreme cold. This Jade-eyed Golden Toad, bearing the bloodline of the Moon Palace Jade Toad, is naturally not afraid of the cold poison. It''s only by having it absorb the poison from her day by day that she has a chance to live. Therefore, dissecting the Golden Toad is not possible,¡± Ao Hong sighed and explained. Having heard this, Shen Luo also fell into contemplation, unsure of what decision to make. At this moment, Ao Hong was struck by a thought. He looked at Shen Luo excitedly and asked, ¡°Brother Shen, what if I have something of equal or even better efficacy than the Jade-eyed Golden Toad to exchange with you, would you be willing?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± A spark of interest flickered in Shen Luo''s eyes. Ao Hong quickly looked around to see that the Dragon Palace people were all a considerable distance away, he then leaned towards Shen Luo and whispered: ¡°Dragon Blood.¡± ¡°Dragon Blood? Your essence blood?¡± Shen Luo was startled for a moment but then asked. As a divine creature, dragons enjoy a high status, and their essential blood, known as dragon blood, is one of the most coveted treasures. Even a mere drop can incite a fierce competition among both Humans and Demon clans, let alone the dragon blood of the East Sea Dragon Clan. ¡°While the Jade-eyed Golden Toad is indeed a rare creature, consuming it provides a significant boost to one''s cultivation. However, it consumes moon essence on a daily basis, resulting in a build-up of cold air and eventually forming a cold poison. It''s risky for you to consume it hastily. In contrast, Dragon Blood doesn''t have any of these issues,¡± Ao Hong nodded seriously as he spoke. ¡°But won''t you greatly consume your vitality by forcibly extracting your essence blood?¡± Shen Luo hesitated. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not a problem, I just need to rest for a decade or so, and I''ll be back to normal. Brother Shen, my dragon blood is pure, and while its effect on the rapid growth of mana might not be as fast as devouring the Golden Toad, it can directly extend a person''s lifespan by at least ten years. Moreover, as you practice water techniques, having dragon blood in you can enhance your control over water. To a certain extent, it could even alter your constitution, making your water arts cultivation smoother,¡± Ao Hong urged as he saw Shen Luo was still hesitant. Shen Luo listened as Ao Hong promoted the benefits of his essence blood like a salesman selling goods. His eyes were slightly flickering, and he couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Brother Ao, the person you want to save must be really important to you, right?¡± Ao Hong paused slightly, seemingly reminded of the person he was trying to save. A smile caught at the corner of his mouth, and he nodded. ¡°I''m willing to make the trade with you.¡± Shen Luo smiled. ¡°Thank you, thank you, Brother Shen.¡± Ao Hong was overjoyed and thanked him profusely. Shen Luo waved his hand, removed the dragon whisker basket from his waist, and directly handed it over to Ao Hong. ¡°Wait a moment, Brother Shen.¡± Ao Hong didn''t immediately pull out his white jade porcelain bottle from his storage ring. After speaking, he carefully turned around to take a look, making sure that the Dragon Palace soldiers were not looking in their direction. Then, he took out a white jade porcelain bottle from his storage ring, placing it against his right index finger. Ao Hong closed his eyes slightly, and a mysterious chant came from his mouth. A golden light rose from his chest, flowing down his shoulder and arm to the tip of his right index finger. A flicker of light at his fingertip, and a drop of blood with a golden glow was condensed. With a ''plop'', it fell into the bottle. Immediately afterward, the sound of more blood dropping followed. It was only after ten drops of blood had fallen into the bottle that Ao Hong withdrew his hand, pale, and instructed: ¡°Brother Shen, I can only give you this much, any more would damage the foundation. If my father finds out, I''d be in huge trouble. Please also remember that unless it''s absolutely necessary, this blood should only be used by you and not given to anyone else.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± It was Shen Luo''s turn to salute in thanks. After exchanging the Jade-eyed Golden Toad and Dragon Blood, they both looked considerably relieved. ¡°Brother Shen, since we''ve come to know each other and are not far from the East Sea, why don''t you join Elder Brother Xie and me at the Dragon Palace as a guest, it would give me the chance to show some hospitality,¡± Ao Hong leaned closer to Shen Luo and suggested. ¡°There''s no need to be a guest, I have other things to do, I must hurry to Chang''an as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo demurred with a wave of his hand. ¡°Sigh, I thought that by bringing honored guests back to the Dragon Palace, my father might be lenient, at least temporarily. It seems I can''t escape my fate¡­¡± Ao Hong showed a bitter expression as he sighed. Shen Luo just chuckled, not taking his words too seriously. After taking a short break, Ao Hong thanked Xie Yuxin generously. Then, he left with the people of the Dragon Palace. ¡°No wonder they''re from the East Sea Dragon Palace, they really do tip well.¡± Holding the heavy cloth bag in his hand, full of immortal jade, Xie Yuxin commented with heartfelt admiration. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, I declined to visit the Dragon Palace because I have urgent matters to attend to in Chang''an. Why did you also reject Ao Hong''s good intentions?¡± Shen Luo smiled and asked. ¡°You''re going to Chang''an?¡± Xie Yuxin exclaimed. ¡°What, are you saying you''ll be going to Chang''an next as well?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Exactly, I also have matters to deal with in Chang''an. We could travel together if you want,¡± Xie Yuxin offered with a smile. ¡°That sounds perfect. However, I need to find a place to meditate and recuperate before that. The time won''t be too long, could I ask Elder Brother Xie to protect me while I do so?¡± Shen Luo turned to Xie Yuxin and asked. ¡°I also need to rest a while, so I don''t mind at all.¡± Xie Yuxin agreed readily. After their discussion, they returned to the Heavenly Pit Tavern together. But as they entered the room, they found it covered in blood and the headless bodies of Manager Chen and his two friends. Chapter 386 Chapter 386: Chapter 382 Generous Rewards Chapter 386: Chapter 382 Generous Rewards Manager Chen and the other two had their heads taken away by Feng Shui earlier, and after the fight, they couldn''t be found. So, Shen Luo dug three graves in the front yard of the inn and buried them together. At night, Shen Luo gently touched the Linlang Ring on his wrist. With a flicker of green light on the ring, several items appeared on the table in front of Shen Luo. These included his Ghost Wailing Ring, the Golden Blade, the Five Peaks True Form Seal, the bottle of Dragon Blood, the long wooden box gifted by Ao Hong, and his original stone box. Shen Luo had originally thought that the stone box was also a storage magical tool, albeit a low-grade one, and hadn''t planned to include it. However, due to his inexperience in handling the items, he accidentally included it. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When he thought that these two treasures would be destroyed due to his momentary neglect, the result surprised him. The stone box was not damaged at all and was incorporated into the ring. Shen Luo opened the wooden box given by Ao Hong. A crystal light reflected out immediately. He only glanced once before he was stunned. He knew that the box contained immortal jade, but he was still shocked by the vast quantity inside. He quickly recounted them, and was once again stunned. ¡°Two hundred pieces of immortal jade¡­ The Dragon Palace Crown Prince really is extravagant,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim. Previously, in Jianye City, he had saved up eighty pieces of Immortal jade with great difficulty. If he hadn''t accidentally obtained the valuable Netherworld Bamboo, his trip to the Ghost Market might not have been so smooth. Even his later breakthrough might not have been guaranteed. Now, he had only about twenty pieces of Immortal jade and was a little strained to buy some superior talisman paper or anything else. Now that he suddenly got two hundred pieces of Immortal jade, he was overjoyed because he could afford to draw symbols or buy some elixirs for cultivation. No matter what his intention was before, in terms of the current reward, the decision to go back and save people was extremely wise. He looked at the Immortal jade over and over again, and recounted it several times. Only then could he suppress the excitement in his heart, waved his hand, and collected most of the things again, leaving only the white jade porcelain bottle filled with Dragon Blood. ¡°It all depends on you to extend my lifespan,¡± Shen Luo murmured silently in his heart. With that, he closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing for a moment. His finger lightly flicked towards the mouth of the porcelain bottle. A red gold light lit up at the mouth. A drop of Dragon Blood flew out under the pull of water control, flying towards Shen Luo''s lip. With a slight motion in his mind, he opened his mouth and sucked, and the drop of Dragon Blood flew into his mouth and was swallowed down his throat. As soon as the Dragon Blood hit his throat, Shen Luo felt a burning sensation, followed by a heat wave spreading out from his chest. It flowed down along the hundreds of meridians in his chest and abdomen, but it didn''t stop there, it gathered towards his Dantian instead. As the heat wave from the Dragon Blood passed through the hundreds of meridians in his chest and abdomen, every inch of his meridians seemed to be soaked in rich spirit liquid, infused with a fresh vitality, making him feel incredibly comfortable. However, when the essence of Dragon Blood converged into the Dantian, the originally calm Dantian Power was suddenly disturbed, as if a restless water dragon had rushed in, swimming wildly in the pond, causing the water to ripple and become chaotic. Shen Luo only felt a burning sensation in his Dantian, which, having entered the Grain Avoidance Stage and becoming liquefied, seemed to be boiling, surging out of his Dantian like a flood dragon going out to sea, rushing towards the Ren Meridian and Dai Meridian. Feeling tense, Shen Luo quickly operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, controlling the power to rush into Ren Meridian, out of Dantian, into Qi Hai, rushing all the way up, through Danzhong, out of Yu Tang, continuing to rush into Mian Men, straight to Baihui. When the power entered Baihui, it seemed to be insufficient to continue but still swirled around in Baihui, refusing to rise or fall. With a single flick from Shen Luo, another drop of dragon''s blood shot out from the jade bottle and flowed into his mouth. The feeling of spiritual energy soaking, once again, emerged from his abdomen. A heat flow re-entered his Dantian, and he immediately led it into the Ren meridian, thereby rushing to his Baihui acupoint. This time, the mana that was hovering finally charged further towards the Du meridian acupoint, passing through his brain and rushing toward his Dazhui acupoint. However, this time, the power was quickly exhausted. After reaching Dazhui, it stopped and hovered in place. Despite noticing this, Shen Luo decided to risk it. He flicked his palm through the air, and all the remaining dragon''s blood in the bottle poured out, flowing into his mouth and slid down his throat directly to his stomach. ¡°Buzz¡­¡± Shen Luo felt a tremor in his mind. A blazingly hot flow instantly spread throughout his body. He could clearly feel his every limb and even the hair on his head being swept by a lightning-like sensation. It was so exhilarating that he couldn''t help but let out a long yell. Immediately after, that power converged into his Dantian, courageously burst out like a geyser. In a flash, the acupoints on Shen Luo''s Du meridian were connected one by one. The three mana channels that formed earlier were now emitting bright blue light. It seemed like a wind was stirring in the surrounding heavens and earth. Strands of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from all directions converged, forming a funnel-shaped spiritual energy vortex around Shen Luo, which successively swept the spiritual energy into his body. Shen Luo only felt his body getting swollen and hot, feeling a bit uneasy but also strangely pleasant. As he tightly held his divine sense, he fully operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to speed up the absorption of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi inside his body and its transformation inside him. His entire body was soaked with sweat, with strands of white mist steaming out from the surface of his body. He looked as though he was sitting in the midst of clouds. Time slowly passed, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed. A loud and hearty shout sounded from Shen Luo''s room. A figure shot out from his window and blurred into the forest of Heavenly Pit. It swiftly ran through the forest and directly plunged into Crescent Moon Lake. The lake water churned up waves, and a figure surged up from it. The half-naked figure was certainly none other than Shen Luo. He raised his hand and pointed at the sky. Without having to control much mana, but simply let his thought lead, the water waves beneath him began to roar as if they were boiling and forming bubbles. A robust water column shot up to the sky, lifting Shen Luo hundreds of feet high, almost on par with the Heavenly Pit. He stood on the wave, gazing at the direction of the inn. He saw a figure agilely jumping from tree to tree in the forest, and in a short while, Xie Yuxin approached him. ¡°Daoist Shen is always full of unexpected surprises. In just three short days, you''ve advanced from the early stage of Grain Avoidance to the middle stage. Congratulations.¡± Xie Yuxin looked up and down at Shen Luo and congratulated him. ¡°It''s not that I''m extraordinarily skillful, but the power of Ao Hong''s dragon blood is too strong. It perfectly suits the water technique that I cultivate. Not only did it promote a step further in my cultivation level, but it also strengthened my water control ability. I believe it will greatly benefit my cultivation in water technique in the future.¡± Shen Luo was also highly joyous as he spoke. (Starting today, the updates will return to normal. I''ve run out of the stored chapters¡­) Chapter 387 Chapter 387: Chapter 383: Plan Changes Chapter 387: Chapter 383: Plan Changes ¡°If that is the case, then it is not surprising. Yet, for him to give you the dragon''s blood, it seems your relationship is quite extraordinary.¡± Xie Yuxin sincerely exclaimed. Shen Luo just laughed and did not explain anything. In reality, his greatest gain was not those magnificent treasures, but the immersion of dragon blood in his body, which had significantly rejuvenated his vitality and increased his lifespan by at least ten years. Compared with his previous two or three years, he now had more time to find more magical herbs and spiritual materials, so the chances of advancing in his cultivation had increased. Consequently, a greater lifespan could be expected in the future. However, he could not afford to be careless. After all a jade pillow could pull him into a dream at any moment. If he dies in the dream again, his life force would be greatly consumed, and these ten years of lifespan might evaporate in an instant. Hence, the sword hanging over his head has never left him. In the days that followed, Shen Luo still needed to practice diligently and make haste to Dazhou as soon as possible for his next target ¨C Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. But before starting his journey, he had a few preparations to do. After returning from the Heavenly Pit, Shen Luo informed Xie Yuxin, then returned to his room. Sitting down in his room, with a wave of his hand, a foot-long golden blade and a seal shaped like a mountain peak appeared in front of him. After days of use, he was now quite skilled at using the Storage Magical Instrument Linlang Ring. Shen Luo''s gaze first fell on the Five Peaks True Form Seal. During the previous fight with Tong Guan, this one seal alone suppressed them to an extent that they could barely fight back, which showed that it was probably a high-ranked magical artifact. In previous battles, his Ghost Wailing Ring, which was not even considered as a magical tool, was simply inadequate. Most of the time, they had to rely on the power of talismans, but they were much too consuming. It would be more cost-effective to use a handy magical instrument. ¡°First, I''ll refine these two magical instruments. With these, the journey to Dazhou would be more secure,¡± said Shen Luo after a contemplative moment. Afterwards, he picked up the two magical instruments, hesitated for a quick moment, put down the Five Peaks True Form Seal and held the golden blade in front of him. ¡°I''ll start with you.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed a hint of a smile. He silently recites the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and blows out a group of mana that infuses into the golden blade. At the same time, his two hands are forming a magic spell, and a series of blue lights shoot out from his fingertips, landing on the body of the golden blade. The originally foot-long golden blade immediately reacts, a golden light shines on its surface, and it instantly extends threefold into a three-foot long blade. Moreover, a layer of golden pattern illusions emerges and undulates around the blade body, shimmering brilliantly. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, three revolving formation patterns emerge on the golden pattern''s illusion, wrapped around the hilt, the body, and the tip of the blade respectively. ¡°Three prohibitions, lower-grade magical equipment¡­.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a slight disappointment. However, he quickly reassured himself, as it was definitely much more powerful than the half-magical equipment Ghost Wailing Ring. Satisfied in his mind, Shen Luo began to guide his mana to penetrate into the first-layer prohibition. After a short while, the sound of the blade trembling echoed, and the suspended blade slightly trembled. The prohibition enveloping the hilt shattered on its own, turning into countless golden light spots and blending into the blade body. The blade body was immediately covered in a dazzling light, and a flurry of bright cold light flashed from the blade''s edge. Shen Luo was overjoyed and immediately continued to operate the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to break through the remaining two prohibitions. About one hour later, all three prohibitions on the golden blade were unlocked. As Shen Luo held the long blade in his hand, he stood in front of the window and slashed horizontally with the blade towards the outside. A golden blade light extended from it, cutting a long-lasting ripple of blade light in the void, even reaching the towering trees in the distance, making them tremble incessantly. Shen Luo, seeing this, was extremely pleased and put it away after observing it for a while. After stretching his muscles and bones in the room, he sat down again and began to refine the Five Peaks True Form Seal. As the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique began to operate, Shen Luo manipulated his hands to form a charm, and pointed at the seal. A blue light burst out, striking the seal. The seal, shaped like a mountain peak, immediately suspended itself, and its surface reflected a yellow light. There was a hum! The Five Peaks True Form Seal shook violently, and the four engraved patterns on it lit up one after another, casting shadows of four mini mountain peaks around the seal. Each mountain peak was enveloped with two complex formation patterns. ¡°One, two, three¡­ seven, eight. Eight prohibitions? It''s a top-grade magical instrument!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed. However, before he could finish celebrating, the inscription ¡°Zhen Yue¡± under the seal suddenly lit up, and a red light surged upwards along the seal, heading straight for the engraved mountain peak at its top. Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened, and he saw that atop the mountain peak, the red light was converging, actually starting to condense into layers of red formation patterns, totaling five layers. ¡°Thirteen formation patterns, thirteen prohibitions¡­ This is actually a top-grade magical artifact.¡± Shen Luo was stunned for a moment. During the previous battle, he had wondered why this so-called Five Peaks True Form Seal had only summoned four mountain peak illusions in Tong Guan''s hands, which seemed to strain him greatly. It turns out he hadn''t fully refined the entire seal. If the fifth mountain peak was summoned, Shen Luo and the others would have no power to fight back and would be ruthlessly suppressed. ¡°I have really picked up a treasure this time.¡± Shen Luo, recovering from his initial shock, was replaced by joy. The red prohibition formation patterns on the mountain peak looked somewhat different, but Shen Luo believed that it was only a matter of time before they were solved under the Ninety-nine Treasure refining tactics. Suppressing the joy in his heart, he began to focus on fully refining the treasure. Time passed quickly, and seven days later, Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin left the Heavenly Pit Tavern and immediately set off for Zhenhaiguan, then proceeded towards the capital of the Great Tang, Chang''an. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, there is a place I want to go to, would you like to come along?¡± Halfway through their journey, Xie Yuxin suddenly spoke. ¡°Oh? Where do you want to go?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I''m heading to Wanqiu City, which is nearby.¡± Xie Yuxin replied. ¡°Wanqiu City? Why are we going there?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes shifted, he recalled seeing the name on a map but knew nothing else about it. ¡°Wanqiu City is not big. However, it is not far from the East Sea Pinnacle. Many monks who come to explore the Eastern Sea Pinnacle gather there. The Bishui Sect of Yu State is nearby, and there is a market opened by the Bishui Sect in the city, where all kinds of spiritual materials are fairly complete. It''s not much different from Jianye City.¡± Xie Yuxin explained. Chapter 388 Chapter 388: Chapter 384: Wanqiu City Market Chapter 388: Chapter 384: Wanqiu City Market ¡°Such a great place near the East Sea Pinnacle? Naturally, I''ll have to see it.¡± Shen Luo was struck by a thought and spoke. Previous battles in Hidden Wind Valley and the latest fight had given him a profound understanding of the power of High-Order Runes. His supply of Immortal jade was ample enough to purchase a batch of materials to further refine. With that, the two of them headed northeast, and after almost half a day, they arrived at a small city by a lake. Just as Xie Yuxin had previously mentioned, the size of Wanqiu City was not very large, about the same as Chunhua County. However, as it was near the Eastern Sea and the land was not quite fertile, the inhabitants of the city were not wealthy. Outside the city was a massive lake about ten miles in size. The lake water was an unusual turquoise color, different from ordinary lakes. Many clam cultivators thrived in the lake, which seemed to be their lifeline. ¡°The massive lake outside Wanqiu City is called Bibo Lake. It is home to a species of specially bred Aquamarine Clams that produce a unique Aquamarine Pearl. Not only are they pleasant to the eye, but they also serve as excellent water-attributed spiritual materials. The Bishui Sect cultivates these pearls, providing the clam cultivators with a living.¡± Xie Yuxin explained. ¡°I see.¡± Shen Luo affirmed nodding his head. He considered whether or not he should take some time to purchase some, to gift his younger brothers, sisters, and his aunt when he returned home. During their conversation, the duo quickly entered the city. Xie Yuxin seemed very familiar with the place and led Shen Luo directly into the city. Shortly after, they arrived in a remote alley. Xie Yuxin took out a blue jade talisman. After chanting a few magic spells, the jade talisman revealed a ball of blue light. She tossed the jade talisman ahead towards the wall, and it surprisingly melted right into it. The solid stone wall emanated ripples as it rapidly became transparent. Moments later, it morphed into a blue light screen, with countless wavelike shadows flickering on its surface ¡°The commoners here are more unsophisticated than those in Jianye City. To avoid disturbing them, the Bishui Sect has used prohibitions to conceal the entire market. A special method is required to go in.¡± Xie Yuxin explained to Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded in understanding. This was usually the case for most congregations of monks, to avoid as much disturbance to the mundane world as possible. While explaining, Xie Yuxin took out a hooded robe and wore it, concealing her body and face. Seeing this, Shen Luo also brought out a long robe and a bamboo hat with a veil to wear. This was something he had requested to be tailormade before he set out from home. ¡°I didn''t expect Brother Shen to be so prepared. Let''s go.¡± Xie Yuxin slightly smiled at Shen Luo''s actions. She then stepped into the blue light screen and disappeared. Shen Luo also stepped in, and his surroundings immediately changed. The secluded alley vanished without a trace, replaced by a broad street right in front of him. Behind the two of them, there was a large blue light gate, glittering with streaks of blue light. There were forty or fifty buildings of varying sizes along both sides of the street. Some were grand and clean, decorated lavishly. Others were extremely rudimentary, hastily put together with just a few wooden planks, revealing a stark contrast. Most of these building structures were shops, selling a variety of spiritual materials, talismans, and talismanic instruments, etc. There were also a few inns and taverns for monks to stay. Although there were not many monks walking the street at this moment, there were always people going in and out of the shops, making the place seem rather lively. The monks here came from different backgrounds. Many, just like Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin, kept their faces hidden, so they did not stand out. ¡°Despite the chaotic layout of this market, it has some good stuff. Further ahead is a trade square where freelance cultivators set up stalls to sell items. Brother Shen, if you''re interested, you can go browse for treasures. I have some personal matters to attend to, so I will leave first. We can meet later at the tavern ahead.¡± Xie Yuxin had clearly been here before. After a simple explanation, she pointed at a tavern in front and said. ¡°Alright, Elder Brother Xie, go ahead with your work.¡± Shen Luo looked interestedly at the bustling market ahead. Xie Yuxin cheerfully nodded and quickened her pace toward the front. But after taking a few steps forward, she suddenly stopped. ¡°I almost forgot to mention this. Like the Ghost Market, fighting is strictly forbidden here in the marketplace since it''s watched over by the experts from the Bishui Sect. Absolutely avoid starting fights with anyone.¡± Xie Yuxin warned. ¡°Don''t worry, I won''t cause any trouble.¡± Shen Luo answered with a light laugh. Knowing Shen Luo''s disposition, Xie Yuxin nodded her head and continued, disappearing into the crowd in front of them. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo observed Xie Yuxin''s retreating figure, a strange color flashed in his eyes. He quickly looked away and began to stroll around the market on his own. The market wasn''t big; he quickly got a general understanding after a brief stroll around. He then walked into a general goods shop. Moments later, Shen Luo emerged from the general goods shop and promptly entered another spiritual material shop. About half an hour later, he walked out of the materials shop, feeling quite pleased with himself. He had gathered enough materials to create Thunderfall, Fractured, and Binding Talismans, enough for hundreds of attempts. Additionally, he had also purchased some materials for Small Thunder Talisman and Divine Armor Horse Talisman. However, such purchases considerably depleted his supply of Immortal jade. ¡°Earning money feels like climbing a mountain, while spending it is like water trickling away.¡± Shen Luo sighed as he looked at the drastically reduced pile of Immortal jade in his Linlang Ring. But he had no regret. These spiritual materials, if successfully transformed into talismans, would only increase their worth. He contemplated whether he should create some High-Order Runes to earn some Immortal jade. The price of High-Order Runes was around seven or eight Immortal jade pieces and could go up to several tens for rare ones, which was much more than the Small Thunder Talisman. If he could increase his success rate, the speed of his earnings would be much faster than when he made Small Thunder Talisman. And with his current strength, in a small place like Wanqiu City, he did not need to worry too much about being watched. Just then, a commotion erupted from one side, Shen Luo turned his head towards the noise and saw about seven or eight monks emerging from a lavishly decorated shop. Most of the monks were dressed in cyan-colored robes with a water stream pattern embroidered on the sleeves. They seemed to be from the same faction. Among the leading trio of monks comprised of two men and a woman, the man on the left had a square face and wore a cyan robe, visually aligning him with the other cyan-robed people. The woman in the center was in her late teens, wearing an exquisite white robe. With her charming looks and the noble air that radiated from her, she seemed to fall into a class of her own. The man on the right sported a green shirt, his tall figure and handsome looks standing out. ¡°Oh? Why is the Bishui Sect''s Junior Sect Master, Ye Zhong, here?¡± ¡°Based on his demeanor, it seems like he is accompanying the other two. What kind of status do they have that warrants Ye Zhong''s company?¡± Immediately, whispers started spreading among the nearby people. Chapter 389 Chapter 389: 385 Chapter 389: 385 Shen Luo cast a glance at the monks who were moving further away, quickly retracting his gaze without paying them any mind. ¡°Forget it, I can''t stay in Wanqiu City for long, perhaps I''ll leave immediately. I still have plenty of immortal jades, I''ll think about making money when I need to in the future.¡± Shen Luo''s train of thought was interrupted, and upon this shared realization, he decided to give up. He continued to stroll leisurely in the market, soon arriving at the deepest part of the street, where Xie Yuxin mentioned the trading square was located. The square was about a hundred meters in size, with a few freelance cultivators setting up stalls here and there. Compared to the shops, this place was much quieter. Shen Luo casually wandered between these small stalls. After a round, he didn''t find any valuable treasures that had been overlooked. This was common sense. Every cultivator was worldly-wise and had a keen eye; there wouldn''t be any bargains left for him to take advantage of. Shen Luo''s initially low enthusiasm quickly faded. Just as he was about to leave, his gaze unintentionally swept past one of the nearby stalls, and he suddenly halted. His eyes flickered slightly, and he approached the stall. Behind the stall sat a middle-aged man with a weather-beaten face, his left arm amputated at the shoulder, the empty sleeve nonchalantly tucked into his belt, a pretty picture of despair. ¡°Daoist friend, are you interested in buying something? Everything here on display has been in my collection for many years. High-quality and reasonably priced merchandise. Please, feel free to have a look,¡± he said quickly when he noticed Shen Luo approaching. Shen Luo paid no heed to the man''s bragging, his gaze fixed on a black stone and a piece of greyish white wood on the stall. The black stone was as dark as charcoal, nothing particularly striking about it, save the occasional appearance of a few faint purple spots on its surface. The grey-white wood wasn''t noticeable either, except the pattern of the tree rings on its stump, which was strikingly different from ordinary wood, forming a chaotic yet interesting image that somewhat resembled a blooming chrysanthemum. ¡°Indeed, this is Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum Wood! I didn''t expect to find them here!¡± Shen Luo quickly confirmed the origins of these two items, pleased inwardly, although his face betrayed none of his joy. Both were supplementary materials needed to condense the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He had already collected most of the spiritual materials, including the main material, Fire Scale Wood, during his previous scavenging in Jianye, and was only missing the Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum Wood now. These two materials were rather unorthodox spiritual materials. It was a pleasant surprise to find them here. With the Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum Wood, he would have everything he needed to condense the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, missing only the final piece, the Spirit Fire. ¡°How much for these two items?¡± He didn''t beat around the bush, pointing directly at the Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum wood, asking the one-armed man. ¡°You have sharp eyes, customer. I got these two spiritual materials years ago on a deserted island overseas. Recently, I''ve been a bit strapped for cash and brought them out to sell. I just set up my stall today; you are the first customer. So, I will naturally give you a discount. Just five immortal jades will do.¡± The one-armed man boasted a bit at first and then held up his hand, forming a ¡°five.¡± Shen Luo chuckled silently to himself. Obviously, this one-armed man didn''t recognize the Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum wood; otherwise, he wouldn''t quote such a price. Judging by the quality of these two items, they were worth at least ten Immortal Jades. But of course, he wasn''t going to go out of his way to remind him. He nodded in agreement, took out five immortal jades, placed them on the counter, and reached out to take the two items. ¡°Huh, Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum Wood!¡± A crisp voice came from the side. It was a beautiful and elegant white-robed young girl who had unexpectedly arrived near the stall, her face full of joy. ¡°Miss Bell, do you need these two materials? Stall-owner, how many immortal jades for these? I''m buying them.¡± Ye Zhong, the young master of the Bishui Sect who stood beside the delicate white-robed woman, waved his hand in the air. A burst of blue light shot out from his palm toward the Black Yuan Stone and Chrysanthemum Wood. Shen Luo''s expression darkened as he pointed with his right hand. A stream of water appeared out of thin air and then instantly condensed into a water sword. The sword cut through the air, creating a sound like the surging of sea waves. With a ¡°swish¡± sound, the blue halo was easily broken through. He extended his other hand, grabbing the two materials in it. ¡°How dare you! Put those things down now!¡± A flash of anger crossed Ye Zhong''s face as he changed his palm to a claw and grabbed the air. The center of his palm deeply sunk down, and a pearl-like shimmer emerged on his five fingers. The shattered blue halo immediately reassembled, forming a water jar-sized blue giant claw. The shimmer extended onto the giant claw as well, and like lightning, it grabbed onto the water sword, crushing it in an instant. The blue giant claw did not stop but continued to rush towards Shen Luo''s palm holding the materials making a stern and piercing whistle. Shen Luo snorted, and his left hand suddenly blurred and retracted like lightning avoiding the giant claw''s grabbing, while his right hand clenched into a fist. Suddenly, a bright blue light burst from his fist, covering a several feet range around it. However, the blue light abruptly drew back into his fist like water drawn by seawater, disappearing without a trace. Then Shen Luo swung his right fist directly hitting the center of the blue giant claw. A sneer flashed in Ye Zhong''s eyes and he clenched his five fingers together suddenly. The blue giant claw closed at the same time, clearly intending to crush Shen Luo''s right arm in one go. Just at that moment, Shen Luo''s right fist suddenly shot out more than a dozen dazzling blue rays. Each ray was as solid as substance and sharp like sword Qi. A series of ¡°pop pop¡± sounds echoed, the blue giant claw was punctured by more than a dozen blue rays, then shattered with a light sound into countless blue light spots and disappeared. A hint of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. The move he had just used was from a longsword heavenly soldier he had battled in the Dream Golden Pagoda previously. This heavenly soldier was not only skilled in swordsmanship, he could also shoot sword Qi from the acupoints all over his body. The sword Qi could damage the enemy from all angles, making it impossible to approach or find a way to attack him. Initially, Shen Luo had spent a great deal of effort to barely defeat him and gained this powerful ability by replicating the heavenly soldier''s skill. Shen Luo''s cultivation level is shallow. He couldn''t shoot sword Qi from all parts of his body like that heavenly soldier yet. However, he could reluctantly shoot sword Qi from the acupoints in his fist, which also had an impressive power. ¡°You can break my Heart Solidifying Claw, you have some skills. No wonder you dare to make trouble on the territory of Bishui Sect.¡± Ye Zhong''s face was gloomy, and he didn''t stop but began to step forward and get closer. The blue-robed people around him also stepped forward together, seemingly surrounding them. ¡°Make trouble? I am just following the rules of the market and buying things. Are you planning to rely on numbers and force to take my spiritual materials?¡± Shen Luo glanced around, not showing the slightest color of fear. Although these blue-robed people were numerous, they were all at the Qi Refining Stage. The Ye Zhong in front of him was only at the Mid Grain Avoidance Stage just like him. ¡°How dare you! Speaking like that in Wanqiu City, do you know what this man''s identity is?¡± A blue-robed middle-aged man next to Ye Zhong shouted angrily. ¡°Oh, so you mean this man has a remarkable identity. So I can only take a beating and not fight back, and I must obediently give up my spiritual materials. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to leave this market alive, is that what you''re saying? If that''s the case, I am indeed interested in knowing, just what identity do you all hold?¡± There was a hint of mockery at the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth. ¡°You¡­¡± The blue-robed middle-aged man was choked and had no words to retort for a moment. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 390 Chapter 390: 386 Chapter 390: 386 Freelance cultivators in the nearby square, hearing the commotion here, flocked over, pointing and whispering among themselves. Ye Zhong and the blue-robed middle-aged man looked displeased. This market was a money tree for their Bishui Sect. If word got out that they had a bad reputation, their business would surely be affected, and the sect leader of Bishui Sect would not let them off lightly once they returned to the sect. ¡°Hehe, fellow Daoist, please do not misunderstand. This is a marketplace, a place for trading goods. Let''s determine this by price. Stall owner, how much did you sell those two spiritual materials for? I''ll offer double the price, could you let us have them?¡± The green-robed man standing next to the white-robed young girl laughed lightly, stepped forward, and spoke to the one-armed stall owner, paying no mind to Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows. Although he had already paid with immortal jade, if the stall owner reneged, the other party would certainly take the opportunity to stir up trouble; it would be quite a hassle. ¡°This¡­ I''m sorry, but I''ve already sold these two spiritual materials to this Daoist friend. He has already paid with immortal jade, and according to the rules of the marketplace, once the transaction is completed, it cannot be reversed. These two things are no longer related to me.¡± The one-armed stall owner hesitated before shaking his head and responding. Upon hearing that, Shen Luo couldn''t help but develop some respect for the one-armed stall owner. However, the green-robed man frowned upon hearing this, turned and looked at Shen Luo. ¡°Fellow Daoist, we two are disciples of Mount Putuo. These two materials are essential for Junior Sister Li. I am willing to pay triple the price. How about you let us have these two materials?¡± A hint of a smile appeared on the face of the green-robed man as he spoke. ¡°Disciples of Mount Putuo¡­¡± A low exclamation immediately arose from the surrounding crowd. The white-robed young girl furrowed her brows slightly, seeming not to agree with the green-robed man revealing their sect affiliation, but she remained silent, her eyes fixed intently on the two spiritual materials in Shen Luo''s hands. The green-robed man was quite satisfied with the crowd''s reaction. The way he looked at Shen Luo now displayed a sense of superiority. ¡°Mount Putuo!¡± Shen Luo squinted his eyes. Ever since Nie Caizhu was taken away by the palace-dressed woman, he had been inquiring everywhere about what kind of place Mount Putuo was, but to no avail. Later, in the Dreamland, he finally understood the origin of Mount Putuo through his inquiries with Bai Xiaoyun. Just as he had guessed, Mount Putuo was the dojo of Guanyin Bodhisattva of the Southern Sea. Not only that, it was also an extremely large sect, following the teachings of Guanyin Bodhisattva, practicing the arts of clearing the heart and calming the spirit, and proficient in the Five Elements mantra. In terms of reputation, power, and strength, Mount Putuo was by no means inferior to Hua Sheng Temple. Although Mount Putuo was also a reputable sect, perhaps because the palace-dressed woman took Nie Caizhu away without leaving any room for negotiation, Shen Luo''s impression of Mount Putuo was not exactly pleasant. ¡°I''m sorry, but these two spiritual materials are also what I''ve been searching for a long time, and I do not intend to sell them.¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile, refusing outright. ¡°Your Excellency, it would be wise of you not to risk your life over two materials.¡± The green-robed man''s expression stiffened, and he spoke with a threatening tone. Mount Putuo was held in high esteem, respected by one and all. He had always taken pride in this, and whenever he encountered others, as long as he mentioned his sect''s name, they would show utmost respect. He certainly didn''t expect to be ignored by a seemingly freelance cultivator today, this made him furious. ¡°Oh, are you suggesting that you would kill someone over treasure? So this is what disciples of Mount Putuo are like, I truly have learned something new.¡± Shen Luo nonchalantly scoffed, deliberately raising his voice by a few notches. This drew more discussion from the surrounding onlookers, making the murmurs louder. The green-robed man realize his words were inappropriate as soon as he spoke, and was feeling regretful. But hearing Shen Luo''s sarcastic words, his face turned purple and a green light flashed over his body. ¡°Senior Brother Wu, watch your words!¡± The white-robed young girl stepped in front of the green-robed man and admonished him softly. The green-robed man gave the young girl a glance, forcefully suppressed his anger, and turned his head away. ¡°Daoist friend, my senior brother just spoke nonsense, I hope you won''t take it to heart. May I ask your honorable name and the sect you belong to?¡± The white-robed young girl turned to Shen Luo, and respectfully gave a bow. ¡°I am merely a freelance cultivator, without any sect or name worth mentioning.¡± Shen Luo returned the bow, of course he wouldn''t foolishly announce his name. ¡°Since you do not wish to reveal it, I won''t press further. However, I must have these two spiritual materials. How about this, I''ll exchange them with a ''Cui Mai Pill'' from my possession. This elixir is extremely beneficial for cultivating the meridian during the Grain Avoidance stage. It could save over ten years of cultivation time.¡± The white-robed young girl pulled out a blue medicine vial with an elixir inside while gingerly speaking. ¡°Cui Mai Pill! Junior Sister, this is a precious elixir that our master obtained from Mount Fangcun at great cost. How could you exchange it just for these two spiritual materials?¡± The green-robed man seemed startled, and hastily spoke out. The white-robed young girl ignored the green-robed man and kept her gaze fixed on the masked Shen Luo. ¡°As I''ve said earlier, these two spiritual materials are also what I have long sought after. I will not exchange them.¡± Despite taking a glance at the blue medicine vial, Shen Luo still refused and shook his head. His tone considerably softer this time. Having said this, he wasn''t interested in getting entangled with these people. Tucking the two materials into his bosom, he turned around and walked away. Swish, swish, several disciples from the Bishui Sect dressed in a blue robe appeared in front of him, blocking Shen Luo''s path. ¡°I''ve always heard about the severity of the Bishui Sect''s rules, and the fairness and justness of the Wan Qiu Market, where fights are forbidden. But it seems this is not the actual reality.¡± Shen Luo halted his steps, surveying his surroundings with a cold laugh. His voice carried afar, drawing more spectators. The ones blocking the path went stiff, looking towards Ye Zhong. Ye Zhong, looking grim, waved his hand, and the crowd made way. Shen Luo didn''t stay, instead, he swiftly left the open ground intended for setting up stalls. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even though he was not afraid of offending the Bishui Sect, he wouldn''t continue to stay in this dangerous place. He headed immediately for the market entrance, quickly arriving at the blue light door at the entrance. He hesitated a moment, looking over at the tavern not too far away. Xie Yuxin was still in the market, they had agreed to meet at the tavern. Currently, it would be inconvenient for him to go there and leaving her a message would be inappropriate too. This would surely reach the ears of the Bishui Sect, endangering her further. ¡°Never mind, considering the commotion I stirred up in the market, I believe the news will soon reach Elder Brother Xie. Even though I''m masked, she is astute and should be able to guess it''s me.¡± As Shen Luo contemplated, he stepped into the light door. His vision blurred momentarily, and once he regained his focus, he was back in the secluded small alley. Shen Luo didn''t stay, he quickly went forward, found another secluded place, removed his clothes, and burnt them. The Cultivation World has countless strange methods, who knows if the opposing party left a trick up his sleeve during the conflict in the market just now. For safety''s sake, it was best to burn the clothes. Shen Luo quickly changed into another set of clothing and swiftly left Wangqiu City. After pondering for a bit, he headed in the direction of the Heavenly Pit Tavern. Chapter 391 Chapter 391: Chapter 387: Communication with Spirits Method Chapter 391: Chapter 387: Communication with Spirits Method Xie Yuxin, learning about the trouble he had stirred up in the market and failing to find him at the tavern, should have been able to guess his whereabouts. Shen Luo did not go directly to the Heavenly Pit Tavern, but instead took a large detour. Along the way, he passed near a stream and even dived into the river to travel a long distance underwater using the Water Repelling Technique before he finally made his way around and arrived in front of the Heavenly Pit Tavern. The Heavenly Pit Tavern was peaceful, making it hard to imagine that a bloody battle had taken place here not long ago. He did not stay long at the Heavenly Pit Tavern and again entered the Heavenly Pit. He quickly arrived at the place where he had secluded himself before, selected a hidden spot to sit down, his expression thoughtful. Having offended the Bishui Sect and those two disciples from Mount Putuo, although he was not afraid, he had to guard against possible retaliation. However, he had just broken through to the Mid Grain Avoidance Stage, and it was impossible to further increase his cultivation level in the short term. To improve his strength, he had to rely on external forces. Even though he had gathered all the materials for the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, he still lacked Spirit Fire so he could not refine it. ¡°Fortunately, I bought materials for drawing talismans in the market.¡± Shen Luo found a large flat stone and took out the materials needed for the Binding Talisman, Fractured Talisman, Armor Horse Talisman, and other talismans and put them on the stone. He closed his eyes for a moment, calmed down his spiritual sense, and began to make talisman papers. He then mixed the talisman ink and started to draw talismans. Unconsciously, it was already noon the next day when he finally stopped. The talisman materials he had purchased in the market were all used up. The results were pretty good ¨C he obtained five Binding Talismans, six Fractured Talismans, and about nine Divine Armor Horse Talismans and Wind Barrier Breaking Talismans. As for the lowest level Small Thunder Talisman, he also drew around twenty or thirty of them. ¡°Although these talismans are good, they are more of support talismans and lack offensive power. The Small Thunder Talisman is weak in power. It''s a pity it is not stormy weather now, otherwise a few Thunderfall Talismans would have made things more secure ,¡± Shen Luo regretfully said. He dutifully stored these talismans in the stone box, prepared to get up, but his movement suddenly froze. ¡°How could I forget about Beast Taming? After advancing to the Grain Avoidance stage, I could communicate with up to three creatures and could now connect with yet another mid stage Grain Avoidance demonic creature,¡± he said. The moment he remembered this, Shen Luo immediately sat down. He carefully put away the talismans, closed his eyes to adjust his breath for a moment, and rapidly recovered his spirit to its peak condition. With a wave from Shen Luo, water flow turned into a water blade in the void, digging a hole in the ground. Then Shen Luo used his technique, and a stream of water shot in from outside and poured into the pit. He reached his hand into the water pit, activated the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, and swiftly found himself in a spiritual realm. A ¡°ding dong¡± ripple later, numerous blue light spots emerged and floated in all directions. Among them, the largest one ¨C the size of a basin ¨C quietly floated in the spiritual space, notably eye-catching. ¡°Now I am near the Eastern Sea, and this blue light sphere should be it. The Eastern Sea is teeming with the Demon Race. I think I will just choose one from here and see if I can find any with a higher level of cultivation.¡± As Shen Luo was deliberating, he spread his divine sense over, and his eyes blurred as he found himself in an expansive blue space, immediately beginning his search within. There were numerous animals in the East Sea. After some searching, he quickly found a monstrous creature in the Late Grain Avoidance stage. ¡°This one won''t do; it has just broken through to the Late Grain Avoidance stage,¡± he said, quickly discarding the creature after a brief examination, and continued searching for other creatures. He quickly encountered another Late Grain Avoidance demon. ¡°This¡­ won''t work either. Judging by the fluctuations in its breath, it''s probably a demon that mainly relies on strength.¡± Shen Luo gave up again and continued his search. After a while, he finally found a demon. Its breath reached the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage, and its demon energy fluctuated complexly and weirdly, surpassing the few demons he had met before. It should have some unique abilities. ¡°This is the one!¡± Shen Luo immediately activated the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, and countless black runes rolled towards the opposite side. ¡°Who dares to disturb this master?!¡± A roar of anger came from the opposite side, showing that the demon''s spiritual wisdom was already wide open. ¡°I am a disciple from Mount Fangcun, I wonder if you would be interested in forming a Soul Contract with me? I have no intention of enslaving you, I just want to find some help.¡± Shen Luo hesitated a moment, trying to communicate with it. ¡°Impudent! A mere human monk, dares to communicate with this master!¡± The demon on the other side was furious, letting out a sharp roar. Shen Luo murmured to himself, sure enough, he no longer tried to communicate with it, but used the Art of Spirit Communication to oppress the other party''s spirit. The demon on the other side continuously roared in anger, struggling to resist. With the experience from Dreamland, Shen Luo had already mastered the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Moreover, he had just consumed and refined the True Dragon Essence Blood not long ago, and now he carried a hint of Dragon''s Might, which allowed him to suppress the demon on the other side even more. After half a day, the demon on the other side finally couldn''t resist any longer and let out a submissive sound. Shen Luo''s mana was now left with about 10%. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo breathed a big sigh of relief in his heart, hurriedly activated the Art of Spirit Communication, formed a Spiritual Communication Seal, and transmitted it over, thus signing the Soul Contract. After doing this, he stopped using the Art of Spirit Communication, closed his eyes and focused on replenishment, recovering his mana quickly. He opened his eyes, summoned a stream of water with a seal, reached into it, and silently summoned the summoning technique. The water sphere soon began to shake. Centred around his palm, a vortex of water formed, with a black water hole appearing in the middle. ¡°Open!¡± Shen Luo yelled, the black water hole swelled a bit in size, a wave of pinkish demon qi seeped out from within. Then, a demon about two to three feet long slid out from the hole. This being had a resemblance to sea cucumbers found on the seashore, but it was magnified countless times. The upper half of its body was pink and covered in bone spikes. The lower half was soft, with short meaty footpads. It had a pair of dark green tiny eyes on its head, barely opened, staring at Shen Luo as its mouth kept wriggling shut. ¡°My name is Shen Luo, may I ask your name?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the demon before him and asked. Its shape was somewhat peculiar, and based on his understanding of the Demon Race, it should possess very unique abilities. ¡°Hmph! Boy, don''t think you can make this master submit by merely using your despicable Human Race Spirit Communication Technique to suppress me. We, the Eastern Sea Aquatic Race, will not yield to you humans,¡± the sea cucumber retorted angrily. ¡°I just explained that I have no intention to enslave you. I have been targeted by a group of vicious people recently and I had to enhance my combat capability a bit, that''s why I communicated with you. I will remove the contract after this period,¡± Shen Luo frowned and said slowly. ¡°Hmph! Cunning humans, you think I''d believe you?¡± the sea cucumber sneered, a trace of sly light flashing in its tiny eyes. ¡°Whether you believe it or not, it''s up to you. However, this Spirit Communication Technique of mine was taught by High People, if I die, you will die along with me. So I advise you not to think of any tricks,¡± Shen Luo''s tone also cooled down. Chapter 392 Chapter 392: Chapter 388: Don''t Know How to Fight Chapter 392: Chapter 388: Don''t Know How to Fight The Sea Cucumber indeed had the intent to subtly undermine, its body slightly stiffened at the words, glaring furiously at Shen Luo. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Now we are in a boat together, it''s better to cooperate. I don''t want to use the Spiritual Communication Technique to forcefully command Your Excellency, I hope you won''t force me to do so.¡± Shen Luo continued. The Sea Cucumber''s pair of small eyes stared at Shen Luo, snorted lightly after a while, then turned its head and shrilled, ¡°If you want me to help you, it''s not impossible to negotiate. But first, you have to answer me one question.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Shen Luo lifted his chin. ¡°Why is there the aura of dragons on you?¡± The Sea Cucumber''s eyes flashed with a hint of gravity. ¡°I know Dragon Prince Ao Hong of East Sea. He gifted me some dragon blood.¡± Shen Luo hesitated slightly, but did not conceal this fact. The East Sea Dragon Clan is the king of the East Sea. Revealing this matter is more conducive to his taming of this Sea Cucumber Monster. As expected, upon hearing this, the Sea Cucumber''s expression changed and its eyes flickered uncertainly. ¡°Since Your Excellency is a friend of the Ninth Prince, it would not be a dishonor for this master to join you.¡± Its eyes flashed, and it nodded moments later. ¡°Good, I too promise hereafter to treat Daoist friend well and to interact with each other on an equal footing.¡± Shen Luo revealed a slight smile and spoke with a bow. The Sea Cucumber''s expression relaxed a little at these words. ¡°May I know your name, Excellency? What are your capabilities? Once I know, it will aid in planning our strategy.¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You can call me Mao Chun. As for my abilities, there are mainly two, one is burrowing.¡± Mao Chun, the Sea Cucumber, curved its body and dived toward the ground. Its body wriggled quickly, and within a few breaths, it completely disappeared into the ground. After a dozen or so breaths, a faint sound emerged from a few meters away on the ground. Out of nowhere, a black hole appeared, and Mao Chun''s head peeked out from the hole. ¡°Impressive.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes sparkled; he admired. ¡°My second ability is to release poison.¡± Mao Chun''s eyes flickered with pride after hearing Shen Luo''s praise, and he opened his mouth. A pink mist shot from his mouth and quickly spread. Shen Luo, who was standing far away, sensed a hint of sweet aroma, felt dizzy, and even saw stars. Alarmed, he swiftly retreated, simultaneously executing the Nameless Cultivation Technique, circling around his body. The dizzy feeling gradually subsided. ¡°My poison is extremely potent. Even if one holds their breath, the poison can infect and penetrate the body upon contact with the skin. Your Human Race has frail bodies. Unless one has a special body constitution or cultivates a particular skill against poison, my poison can incapacitate them.¡± Mao Chun declared confidently. ¡°Good, thank you for the demonstration, Mao Chun.¡± Shen Luo was delighted. He opened the Spirit Summoning Channel and sent Mao Chun, the Sea Cucumber, back. Both of these abilities of the Sea Cucumber were quite useful, especially the poisonous gas attack, as he found it hard to resist even face to face. The only shortcoming was the poison gas. It has form, color, and odor, which are easily detectable. However, this problem is not unresolvable. Poison gas can be concealed at night, or the battlefield can be pre-emptively filled with smoke and dust, effectively masking the presence of the poison gas. Taming such a powerful demon like the Sea Cucumber, Shen Luo couldn''t bear but feel excited. Seeing that Xie Yuxin had not yet returned, he intended to tame another demon. However, there is a limit to the number of uses for the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, and the cap had been reached at three demons. Unless the Soul Contract with Little Gui or Lang Sheng is terminated, he cannot summon other demons anymore. However, the incident where Little Gui betrayed him in Dreamland made him hesitant, even bearing murderous intent. If he killed Little Gui, could he prevent Bai Xiaoyun''s death from happening? But without Little Gui, would they have been able to escape Jianmen Pass that day? ¡°Forget it, what is destined to happen will eventually happen.¡± Shen Luo shook his head, used the Art of Spirit Communication, and connected with Little Gui. He consoled Little Gui and eventually terminated the Soul Contract with it. As for Lang Sheng, his combat strength was decent. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo decided to keep him. In the next period, Shen Luo sat cross-legged, resting and recovering his consumed Mana. One ¡°two-hour period¡± later, his Mana was fully restored. He formed a hand seal to summon a bunch of flowing water and again deployed the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. His Divine Sense entered the East Sea Region in search of a new monster. After a long search, Shen Luo located another monster, with a distinct aura, at the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage. The aura of this monster was completely different from the Sea Cucumber, giving him a sensation similar to Formation prohibition. ¡°What monster is this? Could it be proficient in Forbidden Techniques?¡± Shen Luo wondered internally, and after some consideration, decided to summon it to take a look. It may be a good helper. He immediately activated the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, releasing countless black runes, seeping towards the creature. ¡°Who? Who''s planning against me!¡± A baby-like voice came from the other end. Shen Luo was taken aback, secretly wondering if he had targeted an infant-stage monster this time. However, without stopping to lose any momentum, he continued to operate the Spiritual Communication Technique, suppressing the monster''s consciousness. Soon, the monster on the other end started bellowing in anger. While its strength was considerable, its resistance was sluggish, and it lacked a coherent strategy. After struggling for a while, whimpering cries came from the other end, and the monster chose to yield. ¡°Made the other side cry? What kind of demon is this?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but be taken aback. He formed a Spiritual Communication Seal and passed it over, then exercised the summoning technique. A black hole emerged in the water sphere in front of him. With a ¡°splash¡± sound, a monster the size of a tabletop dropped out. Shen Luo was momentarily taken aback at the sight. It was a giant starfish, milky white all over with the middle area in a faint purple color. On it was a long mouth and two big, teary eyes that were timidly looking at him. ¡°The East Sea is indeed vast, to have such a monster.¡± Shen Luo was initially dazed but quickly recovered, thinking to himself. ¡°What''s your name, Daoist friend from the Aquatic Clan?¡± He asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible. ¡°Reporting to Master, I¡­ I''m called White Star.¡± The big starfish timidly replied. It appeared quite fearful of Shen Luo, even stuttering a bit when it spoke. Seeing White Star behaving this way, Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised. He immediately realized that White Star was frightened because of his Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. ¡°So you''re White Star. There''s no need to be afraid. I won''t harm you. I just wanted to find a battle companion, which is why I signed a Soul Contract with you. It won''t be long before I terminate the contract.¡± He reassured with a smile. ¡°But Master, I¡­ I''m not good at fighting.¡± White Star''s expression relaxed slightly at first, but it quickly dropped when it heard about battling. ¡°Your cultivation level is not weak, having reached the Peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage. How can you not understand combat? What do you do when you''re in danger?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. Chapter 393 Chapter 393: Chapter 389: Chase to the Door Chapter 393: Chapter 389: Chase to the Door ¡°Reporting to Master, our Sea Star Clan is naturally slow and clumsy. We can only use a little illusion technique and sealing technique. We avoid any encounters with enemies and seldom fight.¡± White Star said in a straightforward manner. As it was speaking, a white light started to shine from its body. Its body quickly shrunk and after a few breaths, it transformed into a gray stone. All traces of its demon qi disappeared, and it was indistinguishable from an ordinary stone. ¡°So this is the illusion technique of your Sea Star Clan? It''s really good, there doesn''t seem to be any flaw.¡± Shen Luo expressed his surprise, he patted it with his hand. It felt exactly like an ordinary stone. ¡°This is our Sea Star Clan''s innate illusion technique, very realistic. Combined with our unique sealing power, which seals our own demon power, it''s very rare for a demon to see through it.¡± The gray stone emitted a white light, quickly enlarged and transformed back into the shape of a sea star, and then broke the silence. ¡°These two abilities combined are indeed excellent for hiding yourself. But don''t you have any ability for attacking enemies?¡± Shen Luo pressed on. ¡°We use these two abilities to attack enemies as well. However, there''s no living being here, so I can''t show you.¡± White Star seemed much more relaxed at the moment. Its previously lying body rose upright as it spoke. ¡°That''s easy to solve.¡± Shen Luo turned around and flew out. He quickly came back and in his right hand clutched the tail of a black crocodile like an iron clamp. This crocodile was also part of the Demon Race, but its qi was very faint. It hadn''t even reached the Qi Refining Stage. Upon sensing the powerful mana fluctuations around Shen Luo, it shivered with fear and didn''t dare to resist. ¡°Use this crocodile to give it a try.¡± Shen Luo tossed the crocodile in front of White Star. The moment the crocodile hit the ground, it immediately tried to flee. But White Star opened its mouth, and a white light shot out, accurately hitting the crocodile. The crocodile''s body was immediately enveloped by a misty white light. Its shape quickly changed and in the blink of an eye had become a white starfish about the size of a basin. The small starfish struggled and wriggled on the ground in an attempt to move forward, but there was no progress. ¡°This¡­ you can even forcibly transform other creatures!¡± Shen Luo was truly taken aback. Not only had the crocodile''s form changed, but the fluctuations of its demon qi had completely disappeared. Its demon power had clearly been sealed as well. ¡°All I did was use the Sea Star Clan''s ability on other creatures. It''s nothing special. We usually use this ability to inconvenience others and then take the opportunity to escape.¡± White Star replied. ¡°Why do you escape? The opponent has already been transformed into a starfish by you, why don''t you take the opportunity to counterattack?¡± Confused, Shen Luo asked. ¡°Our ability is just an illusion technique, not really transforming the opponent''s body into a soft starfish. Their physical defenses are still intact. Since our Sea Star Clan doesn''t have a strong attacking power, it''s naturally best to escape quickly.¡± White Star sighed. ¡°I see, that''s really a pity.¡± Shen Luo said with a hint of regret. The Sea Star Clan''s ability to forcibly transform opponents is actually very terrifying. From a body that one is extremely familiar with, suddenly changing into a completely new form, no matter how good of a person''s or demon''s adaptability is, they would be at a loss for a moment. Furthermore, the ability of the Sea Star Clan also seals the opponent''s cultivation level. It''s like putting the opponent in a position to be slaughtered at will. It''s a pity that the Sea Star Clan doesn''t have a strong physical attack method. Otherwise, they would have long become a strong clan in the sea area. Now that White Star has become his spirit beast, the situation is different when they work together. Any strong enemy that gets hit by White Star''s move will be completely at his mercy. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°White Star, how long can your ability forcibly transform the opponent for? And is it effective against opponents of any cultivation level?¡± Without getting carried away, Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then asked. ¡°Generally, it can forcibly transform the opponent for a half incense stick time to a quarter of an hour. As for the cultivation level, as long as their realm isn''t much higher than mine, it''s possible for them to be affected. I once caught the attention of a sea snake in the early stage of Soul Condensation, and used this ability to seal it for a few breaths. It broke free, but luckily, I promptly hid in a nearby seabed cave to escape this misfortune.¡± White Star said with lingering fear. It even pat itself on the ''chest'' with one ''hand''. ¡°Even a demon in the Soul Condensation Stage can be sealed!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up for a moment, and he completely relaxed. Although it only sealed the opponent for a few breaths, it was enough for him. ¡°White Star, your ability is very useful. In future, when I encounter an enemy, I will summon you for help.¡± Shen Luo said earnestly. ¡°Master, it''s not that I am timid. I can still move a bit in the sea, but once I come onto the land, I can''t move at all. And my body is very fragile, even a random attack could gravely injure or even kill me.¡± On hearing this, a hint of trepidation appeared in White Star''s eyes and it couldn''t help speaking out. ¡°Don''t worry about it. I will protect your safety. All you have to do is to listen to my instructions and use your transformation ability to surprise the opponent.¡± Shen Luo reassured. Upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, White Star felt somewhat relieved. After that, Shen Luo asked White Star a few more questions, opened the spirit summoning channel, and sent it back. He had successfully summoned two useful helpers in a row, putting him in a great mood. He went outside on a whim. It was pitch black outside by this time. The few faint stars were twinkling in the dark night sky, making everything seem very tranquil. Shen Luo took a deep breath of the air mixed with the sea breeze. His excited emotions slowly calmed down. Just as he was about to go back to continue his cultivation, he heard footsteps in the distance approaching quickly. He focused his eyes, hid behind a nearby large stone, and looked toward the direction where he heard the sound. A gray figure was approaching quickly. It was a young girl, who turned out to be Xie Yuxin. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, I''m glad you''re here.¡± Shen Luo walked out and greeted the other party. ¡°Brother Shen, as expected, you came here. I had a tough time looking for you.¡± Xie Yuxin looked relieved on seeing Shen Luo. ¡°Sorry, I couldn''t stay in the market like Elder Brother Xie suggested. Instead, I got into big trouble and had to flee from there. I hope Elder Brother Xie can put up with this inconvenience.¡± Shen Luo apologized with a slight embarrassment. ¡°No harm''s done. I heard in the market that it was Ye Zhong from the Bishui Sect who bullied you. I wouldn''t have endured it either if I were in your place. But now that this has happened, it isn''t convenient for us to stay here in Yu State for long. It would be better for us to leave as soon as possible.¡± Xie Yuxin waved her hand, dismissing his concern. ¡°Think you can leave? You won''t be going anywhere, surrender now.¡± Before Shen Luo could respond, a cold snicker sounded from the darkness ahead. A figure leisurely stepped out. It was none other than Ye Zhong. The darkness behind Ye Zhong receded quickly, revealing more than a dozen figures. Most of them were disciples from the Bishui Sect. They spread out quickly on both sides, surrounding both Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin. Chapter 394 Chapter 394: Chapter 390: No Need to Struggle Chapter 394: Chapter 390: No Need to Struggle Before, the green-robed man from Mount Putuo stood beside Ye Zhong, a flash of coldness passing through his gaze as he looked at Shen Luo. ¡°You were following me! How could that be possible?¡± Xie Yuxin''s eyes widened, finding it somewhat unbelievable. ¡°Our Bishui Sect''s methods are not something that mere freelance cultivators like you can fathom.¡± A somewhat bald, blue-robed big man snorted coldly, speaking in a tone of mockery. This man had a small, emerald-green bag hanging around his waist, which occasionally bulged and squirmed, as if something alive was contained within. Shen Luo''s gaze drifted over, briefly lingering on the small bag at the man''s waist, a thoughtful expression flashing across his face. ¡°Young man, you run fast. The people I arranged couldn''t keep up with you. If it hadn''t been for the fact that we discovered you and this little lass entering the market together, you really would have escaped.¡± Ye Zhong ignored Xie Yuxin, his eyes only on Shen Luo. ¡°What do you want?¡± Shen Luo stood still, speaking calmly. ¡°Brother Wu, this person offended you. How would you like to deal with him?¡± Ye Zhong looked at the green-robed man nearby, his tone laced with flattery. ¡°Brother Ye is too courteous. I came here just to retrieve the two materials for junior Sister Li. As for how to deal with these two, it''s naturally up to you, Brother Ye. However, these two disregarded our sect''s rules and caused a commotion in the market. If we don''t punish them severely, I''m afraid we won''t be able to deter others.¡± The green-robed man smiled slightly, speaking in this manner. ¡°Brother Wu speaks truly. Come, arrest them both.¡± Ye Zhong nodded, directing his order with a simple command. The disciples of the Bishui Sect around them complied in unison, taking action together. Over a dozen beams of light shot out, transforming into flying swords, daggers, and various talismanic instruments, all aimed aggressively at Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin. Among them, a slightly curved blue flying sword that resembled a snake body emitted the brightest aura, surpassing the others. Obviously, it was of magical instrument level, and the bald big man was the one who released it. Shen Luo''s gaze turned cold. This was no mere arrest; these people were clearly planning to kill them in one strike. ¡°Retreat!¡± He pulled Xie Yuxin back, retreating rapidly while simultaneously waving his hand. Two clumps of ash flew out from his hand, attaching themselves to their feet. As early as when these people had appeared, Shen Luo had quietly activated two Divine Armor Horse Talismans. With a swish, the two turned into shadows, retreating at an incredible speed, easily avoiding the attacks from the talismanic instruments. Boom! The talismanic sword lights landed where the two had been standing, instantly creating a large crater in the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. Seeing the dust, Shen Luo moved his left hand to his back and made a gesture with his right hand. A ¡°whoosh¡± sound resounded, and a long stream of water shot out from the nearby lake, swirling into a water wave several meters high that swept towards the dozen or so Bishui Sect disciples who were chasing them. Almost at the same time, a small stream of water came out from the ground behind them, wrapping around his left hand and forming a water ball about the size of a human head that was spinning rapidly. Flashes of black light appeared in the water ball, and a blackwater tunnel emerged within it. Shen Luo slapped his left hand on the ground, and both the water ball and the blackwater tunnel disappeared completely into the ground. His series of actions was extremely discreet, with the giant wave blocking the front. None of the people from the Bishui Sect noticed it, only Xie Yuxin who was next to him did. A look of confusion flashed in her eyes, but she chose not to ask any further questions. ¡°Trying to use a water-control technique in front of us, disciples of the Bishui Sect, is like selling water by the river!¡± Seeing the giant wave sweeping over, the bald big man burst into laughter, his hands quickly forming a series of seals. With a flash of blue from his hands, two water-wave-like beams of blue light shot out, resisting the huge water waves and attempting to divert them to the side. However, the mana within the water waves was continuous and intricately merged with the waves themselves. The bald man''s water-diverting technique was as ineffective as an ant trying to shake a tree; it simply couldn''t move them. The enormous water waves came rushing forward, crashing into the bald man''s body. The man''s body convulsed. He spat out a mouthful of blood with a grunt but did not retreat. Instead, he roared and poured all his mana into the water-diverting technique. The blue light swirling around his hands suddenly brightened tenfold, and he exerted all his strength to divert the water once more. A faint layer of blue light appeared on the massive water waves, barely shifting their direction to avoid the people of the Bishui Sect and hitting nearby large trees instead. With a loud crash, several trees were ripped apart in an instant, and the waves carved a deep trench in the ground. Ye Zhong, watching from a distance, flashed a look of fury at the scene. A light chuckle came from the green-robed man standing nearby, causing a flush of irritation to rise in Ye Zhong''s eyes, despite the man''s seemingly innocent intent. ¡°A bunch of incompetents, what the hell are you all doing?¡± Ye Zhong roared furiously. At his words, the disciples of the Bishui Sect gave a start and hastily energized their talismanic instruments, continuing their attack on Shen Luo and his companion. Although these people were only at the Qi Refining Stage, the combined forces of more than ten people still proved to be formidable. ¡°There''s no need to confront them head-on,¡± Shen Luo said quietly to Xie Yuxin, his feet flashing with moonlight as he dashed sideways, covering several yards in an instant. Having practiced relentlessly over this period, paired with his dream entry experience, his Slanting Moon Steps had reached near completion. A single step covered nearly ten yards, as if space itself had been compressed. Xie Yuxin was about to retaliate when she heard Shen Luo''s words. Thinking back to his unusual actions just now, she stopped and dodged in another direction instead. ¡°You all deal with that woman; leave this brat to me!¡± The bald man, repressing his internal injuries, called out. He pursued with his snake-shaped flying sword. Upon hearing his words, the disciples of the Bishui Sect responded in unison, urging their talismanic instruments toward Xie Yuxin. The bald man gave a grim smile to Shen Luo, flicked his sleeve, and the snake-shaped flying sword bloomed with intense light. It shot out a sword light several yards long and lunged at Shen Luo with lightning speed, even faster than the talismanic instruments. Shen Luo swiftly retreated, and a flash of black light in his palm revealed the Ghost Wailing Ring. He made a false strike into the void. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Ghost Wailing Ring lit up with black light, and a grim ghost head appeared, opening its mouth wide to release a piercing wail. Sharp and tangible, the black sound waves took the form of a black light pillar, several yards long and as thick as a water pipe, and struck the snake-shaped flying sword. But the snake-shaped flying sword was indeed a magical instrument, seemingly even more superior than his Dragon Pattern Gold Knife. As the sword Qi roared in and out, it cut through the sound waves with a sizzle easily. However, the Ghost Wailing Ring was a half magical equipment after all, and was quite powerful when energized by Shen Luo''s cultivation level. Although the snake-shaped sword broke through the sound waves, its speed was significantly reduced. Moonlight flashed under Shen Luo''s feet, and he seized the opportunity to dash sideways once more. The bald man watched this scene and peered at Shen Luo with a crafty gleam in his eyes upon which, he pointed and quickly made a hand seal. With a cracking sound, two blue lights, each a foot long, separated from the snake-shaped flying swords, revealing two tiny swords that lashed out at Shen Luo with incredible speed. The speed of these two miniature swords surpassed even the snake-shaped flying sword. With a single flash, they were already above Shen Luo''s head, slashing down together. Chapter 395 Chapter 395: Chapter 391: The Situation is Not Good Chapter 395: Chapter 391: The Situation is Not Good ¡°Mother-Child Sword!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, the Moonlight Glamour around his feet flaring up greatly. His body, originally flying forward, changed direction abruptly, shooting towards the back as if he was being pulled by an invisible force. This abrupt shift was baffling. The two sub-swords couldn''t react in time, and he managed to escape. Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, a golden light shot out¨Cit was the Dragon-patterned Golden Saber Tool. With a resonating hum, the Golden Blade emitted a golden glow about three feet long. It swirled in mid-air, turning into a golden vortex that swallowed the two small swords in an instant. The Bald Big Man hastily activated his skills to control the two small swords and escape. But the golden vortex spun rapidly and tightly ensnared the two small swords. Metallic clinks echoed loudly, but the swords failed to break free. Shen Luo sent out waves of sonic blades from the Ghost Wailing Ring on his other hand, which sliced into the blue mother sword following behind, keeping it away from the golden vortex. Witnessing this sight, the Bald Big Man was both astonished and infuriated. This Mother-Child Sword was his ace in the hole¨C a weapon he had obtained during an exploration. The mother sword had six types of prohibitions engraved on it, making it a mid-grade magical tool. The two sub-swords may appear small, but they had seven types of prohibitions engraved on them, making them top-grade magical tools. But now, these two top-grade tools were trapped by a lower-grade magical Golden Blade wielded by this man. How was this possible! In his rage, the Big Man exerted all his power, desperately urging the Mother-Child Sword. In his urgency, he did not notice what was happening beneath his feet. A few feet away on the ground, a crimson head quietly emerged and opened its mouth to spit out. A pink cloud shot out, blending with the dust around it, silently winding around the waist of the Bald Big Man. The Bald Big Man, fully occupied with his powers, suddenly smelled a sweet aroma, making his head spin, draining his strength rapidly. The mana within him moved sluggishly, and the blue light from the Mother-Child Sword quickly faded, ¡°Poison!¡± The Bald Big Man was shocked. He bit his tongue furiously, using the intense pain to stimulate his senses, trying to suppress the potent poison with all the mana in his body. However, the deadly poison that had seeped into his body was too strong for his mana to fend off, instead, it was quickly being penetrated by the poison. The toxins followed the flow of mana, rapidly spreading throughout his body. Horror mingled with shock in the Bald Big Man''s heart, causing him to quickly turn to escape. But before he could take a few steps, his energy drained to a halt, and multiple pink halos appeared before his eyes. Waves of strong dizziness swept over him. With a thunderous sound, his barely gathered spirit completely collapsed, and he thumped onto the ground. Just at this moment, a water blade shot out and passed through the Bald Big Man''s throat. Blood gushed out, spraying several feet away. The Bald Big Man collapsed to the ground, dead. Shen Luo graze at the Big Man''s corpse, his gaze as calm as a still pond. This man had wanted to kill him, so naturally, he wouldn''t hold back. The Mother-Child Sword in mid-air had lost its master''s manna to control it. Its glow faded and it fell from the sky, clatteringly landing on the ground. Shen Luo uttered a spell, and the water blade turned into a stream of water, rolling up this set of flying swords and bringing them into his hand. The sword was brimming with a blue glow, and felt icy and smooth to the touch. Distinct magical wave of energy emanated from it ¨C just its appearance alone was far more impressive than his Golden Blade Artifact. With a deft flick of his hand, he collected it into the Linlang Ring. The exchange between Shen Luo and the Bald Big Man seemed complex, but it actually lasted only a few breaths, which surprised Ye Zhong and the Green-robed Man who were watching from a distance. They obviously didn''t understand why the Bald Big Man who previously had the upper hand died so suddenly. ¡°How dare you kill an elder of the Bishui Sect, you thief, prepare to meet your death!¡± Ye Zhong soon regained his composure, his face grim with anger as he lunged forward. Upon seeing this, instead of panic, Shen Luo showed a delighted look and flew backwards, his hands forming a series of incantations as the golden blade artifact that had been floating beside him gleamed brightly, seemingly ready to counter the attack. However, there were a few scratches on the blade, caused by it entangling with the two mid-grade magical swords just now. ¡°Brother Ye, be careful! This man seems to master poisons. Don''t get too close to him.¡± The Green-robed Man, who came from a reputable family and had seen a lot, could guess a part of what was going on even without seeing the Sea Cucumber. He quickly cautioned Ye Zhong. Although Ye Zhong was furious, he didn''t lose his rationality. Upon hearing the Green-robed Man''s words, he stood still, his eyes flashed with fierceness a few times before he swung his right hand upwards. A blinding blue light shot out, turning into a blue Mountain Chopping Axe the size of a door, and slashed towards Shen Luo''s head with a force as if it could split mountains and seas. Even before the Great Mountain Chopping Axe arrived, a strong gust of wind swept forth, as sharp as a knife, able to shred human skin, blowing away all the dust and poisonous gas within a dozen meters. ¡°A top-grade magical instrument!¡± Shen Luo''s pupils contracted. The light under his feet radiated brilliantly as he used Slanting Moon Steps, and his entire figure blurred, shooting backwards by several feet. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the Mountain Chopping Axe hit the spot where he had just been standing, immediately stirring up a cloud of dust and creating a giant pit. At this moment, the Green-robed Man also lunged from another direction, his hand now holding a jade green Ruyi, its top embedded with a red gemstone. The man waved, and the Jade Green Ruyi transformed into a green long rainbow, attacking Shen Luo from another direction. Although this green long rainbow doesn''t have the cutting edge of the Mountain Chopping Axe, the spiritual pressure it exudes is not inferior at all, even surpassing it by a large margin. Finally, Shen Luo''s face turned serious. Without any hesitation, he continued to use the Slanting Moon Steps, creating illusions and flew towards the distance while waving his left hand in incantation. The Golden Knife Artifact around him instantly whizzed out, rushing towards the green long rainbow. The golden light on the Golden Knife bloomed brightly, transforming into a giant golden blade shadow about a dozen feet long, swaying left and right, it accurately intercepted the green long rainbow and slashed fiercely at it. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the giant golden blade shadow shattered, and the golden knife artifact within it also exploded, turning into countless fragments and causing a gust of wind. Having borne the full brunt of the Golden Knife Artifact''s attack, the Green Long Rainbow paused for a moment but was not repelled, still charging relentlessly, albeit at a considerably slower speed. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo shouted loudly and struck down on the Green Long Rainbow with his palm. A stream of water flew in from the side, instantly condensing into a giant water blade several dozen feet long. Amidst the coiling blue light, the blade followed his palm''s movement and slashed at the Green Long Rainbow. A piercing screech echoed, and the gust of wind caused by the golden blade''s explosion was abruptly dissected. The Giant Water Blade instantly bridged the distance of dozens of feet, severely striking the Green Long Rainbow. Following a loud ''bang'', the Giant Water Blade exploded as well, but the Green Long Rainbow was finally shattered, revealing the green Ruyi inside which was shocked and flew backwards. Shen Luo''s face turned slightly pale. He stepped back, but didn''t stop his spellcasting, and lifted his right hand in an incantation. Chapter 396 Chapter 396: Chapter 392: Strength Greatly Enhanced Again Chapter 396: Chapter 392: Strength Greatly Enhanced Again A yellow beam shot out at an incredible speed, ignoring the jade green Ruyi to directly strike at the green-robed man. Almost instantly, it arrived above his head, turning into a yellow seal ¨C this was the Five Peaks True Form Seal. The Five Peaks True Form Seal flashed with a dazzling light, and five earth-colored mountain shadows emerged, pressing down. Shen Luo, depending on the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, had already refined all the prohibitions of this Five Peaks True Form Seal. It summoned five mountain shadows, each of which was larger than when Tong Guan had previously activated it. The entire sky suddenly darkened, and the air became much heavier as if five real mountains were descending. The face of the green-robed man instantly changed. His robe fluttered quickly, and an earth-colored round shield surfaced alongside glittering light. The round shield was carved with four animal-shaped reliefs: the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger, the Vermilion Bird, and the Black Tortoise or Four Symbols. It gave off four dazzling yellow lights, radiating a powerful spiritual fluctuation, even more so than the jade green Ruyi. As soon as the shield appeared, it rose into the sky, rotating towards the five mountain peaks. When the two collided, a loud bang rang out, and the earth-yellow round shield immediately displayed a state of weakness, being pressed straight from mid-air down but the yellow light on the shield was still pure and showed no signs of breaking. The green-robed man beneath was greatly shocked. It was too late for him to dodge. With a rumbling explosion, the five mountain shadow illusions landed on the ground, suppressing him underneath, instantly silencing him. The nearby ground shook violently, and within a radius of several miles around, it was as if an earth dragon was rolling over. With the green-robed man suppressed, the light from the jade green Ruyi also disappeared completely and fell from mid-air. ¡°What!¡± Ye Zhong was about to stimulate the Mountain Chopping Axe for another attack, but seeing the green-robed man being suppressed in an instant left him stunned, and he looked towards Xie Yuxin in surprise. Xie Yuxin had been augmented with the Divine Armor Horse Talisman. Her speed far exceeded those Qi Refining Stage disciples of the Bishui Sect. Despite their numbers, they could not catch her shadow, and she led them on a wild goose chase amidst the nearby forest. Ye Zhong felt a sudden jolt in his heart, an instinctive urge to retreat emerging. At that moment, a faint sound came from the ground beneath his feet, and a pink skull emerged. With a sharp whistling sound, a pink fog arrow was shot out from the skull''s mouth, piercing through Ye Zhong''s right calf. The skin and flesh around the fog arrow swiftly turned pink and spread rapidly. He instantly lost all sensation in the part of his right leg below the knee, becoming extraordinarily numb, and this numbing sensation was spreading upwards rapidly. A look of terror crossed Ye Zhong''s face. He turned to flee, not caring about the green-robed man or the Bishui Sect disciples anymore. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t know what type of God''s Power he had used, but he didn''t immediately collapse from the poison. His legs limped but he still moved quickly, disappearing into the darkness ahead within a few breaths. The Bishui Sect disciples around him fell into a panic when they saw the green-robed man being suppressed and Ye Zhong fleeing. One of them shouted, and they all turned to chase after Ye Zhong, disappearing without a trace within a few breaths. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, but he didn''t chase after Ye Zhong. Instead, he stepped towards the suppressed green-robed man. At that moment, a dazzling yellow light erupted from beneath the five mountain peaks, causing them to tremble. Then all the yellow light instantly converged, and with a ''whoosh'', it shot towards the distance. Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly, and with a wave, he made a gesture with his hands. With a low hum, a yellow halo emitted from the five peaks, forming a giant bowl-shaped barrier which quickly veiled the nearby ground and went deep underground. However, the dazzling yellow radiance flew out before the descent of the yellow light shield, disappearing without a trace in an instant. ¡°Earth Escape Technique? Indeed, he is worthy of being a disciple of Mount Putuo.¡± Shen Luo slightly furrowed his eyebrows, but soon relaxed, murmuring to himself. While speaking, he chanted an incantation and made a gesture with his hand. The five peaks then flew up, turning back into a yellow seal before landing in his hand. There was no sign of the green-robed man underneath the mountain peak ¨C the round shield also disappeared. Shen Luo did not seem to mind. Even if he had managed to capture the green-robed man, he did not intend to kill him. After all, the man was a disciple of Mount Putuo. He didn''t want to attract any trouble. He turned around and walked over to pick up the jade-green ruyi. The jade-green ruyi was lying in the distance and was not brought along when the green-robed man used the Earth Escape Technique to leave. Shen Luo held the ruyi, which felt icy cold like jade, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Looking at the situation just now, the rank of this ruyi should not be low. It''s likely of top-grade, and together with the Mother-Child Sword that he obtain today, he had reaped a good harvest. He put away the jade-green ruyi with the flip of his hand and stepped over to the corpse of the bald, burly man. The poisonous gas surrounding the burly man had already been dispersed by Ye Zhong''s axe, so there was not much to worry about. However, the potent poison on the body made it unwise to touch. Shen Luo waved his hand, causing a stream of water to fly over and transform into two lifelike water palms. The water palms touched the body of the burly man, searching and retrieving several items. A water-blue token, a white jade slip, a dark green book, and a green small bag that was previously hanging around the man''s waist. ¡°Elder Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± Xie Yuxin asked, quickly flying over from a distance. ¡°I''m fine, how about you?¡± Shen Luo quickly put these items into the stone box without having time to examine them closely, responding to Xie Yuxin''s query. ¡°Just dealing with a bunch of Qi Refining Stage small fry, especially with your wondrous talisman to enhance our powers, naturally it was not a problem. I didn''t expect your strength to have improved quite significantly just within a short period of unseeing.¡± Xie Yuxin took a deep look at Shen Luo and said with a touch of emotion. ¡°Elder Brother Xie is being too kind, it''s not advisable to stay here for long, we better leave soon.¡± Shen Luo replied. As they were speaking, he summoned another stream of water, executed the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, and opened up a black passage. Then, he sent it underground. Sea Caterpillar Maochun disappeared after drilling into the ground through the passage. Although Maochun did not possess any direct offensive capabilities, it had always been his trump card. Even if he had a good relationship with Xie Yuxin, he didn''t want the latter to see it. Xie Yuxin''s gaze flickered but did not ask any questions. The pair didn''t stay for long. They quickly tidied up some traces of the battle, left the Heavenly Pit immediately, and traveled non-stop until dawn. By then, they had already left Dalishi Mountain and arrived near the Eastern Sea Pinnacle. As the two had just experienced a big battle and had been rushing non-stop for half a night, they were quite worn out. As such, they decided to stop, find hidden spots of their own and rest. Shen Luo sat cross-legged under a giant rock, operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique to recover the consumed mana. After amalgamating Dragon''s Blood, the speed at which he absorbed the Water Spirit Qi significantly increased. In less than half an hour, he had fully recovered his mana. Chapter 397 Chapter 397: Chapter 393: Inventory Chapter 397: Chapter 393: Inventory On the other side, there appeared to be no movement from Xie Yuxin, seemingly still in the midst of cultivation. Shen Luo did not disturb her. He took out the Blue Mother-Child Sword, Jade Green Ruyi, as well as a few items from the bald man and placed them all in front of him, preparing to deal with them properly. His attention was not on the Mother-Child Sword or the Jade Green Ruyi, but rather he first decided to examine the other items. On one side of the blue token was an image of a flowing water pattern, while the other side had the characters ¡°Bishui Sect¡± inscribed. It seemed to be a token of identity for the Bishui Sect. After a glance, he tossed it aside without paying further attention to it. Then, he picked up the blue jade plate and carefully examined it. The jade plate was inscribed with numerous sesame-seed-sized characters, densely packed, making it impossible to discern what was written. Shen Luo, reminiscing about his previous experience with the Pure Yang Sword Technique, attempted to infuse his mana into the jade plate. Immediately, a layer of blue light emanated from the jade plate. The minute characters trembled as if about to enlarge, but then halted. ¡°It seems there''s a prohibition imposed on this jade plate. If I want to access its contents, I''ll need to explore it further,¡± he muttered to himself, then kept the jade plate, intending to explore it when he had time. Shen Luo then picked up the green small bag and found that the opening of the bag was laced and tied with a red string. Instead of opening it directly, he held the bag to his ear and listened carefully. ¡°Plop, plop¡­¡± a strange sound faintly emanated from within. Opening his eyes, Shen Luo hesitated briefly before carefully undoing the red string and opening the small bag. With a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a purple shadow shot out towards Shen Luo''s arm at an astounding pace, bringing with it a swift wind. However, prepared for this, Shen Luo cast a spell and a blue light shielded him from the incoming purple shadow. With a ¡°thud¡±, the purple shadow was sent flying back, revealing a palm-sized, purple variant lizard. The lizard was covered in blood-red spots, with a blood-red lump growing from its head. Its distinguishing feature was its unusually large nostrils, three times the size of normal ones, full of dark red flesh, looking somewhat terrifying. A hint of surprise flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as he made a grabbing gesture in mid-air. A stream of water formed into a liquid hand, that grabbed the struggling lizard. Although the purple lizard had an unusual appearance, it was relatively weak and unable to break free. ¡°Although this fellow doesn''t possess demon qi, it''s definitely not an ordinary lizard either. It contains some other kind of energy within its body.¡± Looking at the lizard, Shen Luo was unable to identify its origin and dismissed its existence with a wave, throwing it back into the bag. The restless, slightly irritated sounds of the lizard came faintly from within the bag, indicating its discontent. He didn''t pay it any mind either, retying the bag before finally picking up the last item, a dark green book. The book''s cover was decorated with eerie poisonous insects such as spiders and scorpions, giving off an unsettling feeling. The book''s cover felt cool and slippery, similar to a snake''s skin. With his brows furrowed, Shen Luo opened the book. ¡°Medicine Immortal Collection¡­¡± he muttered to himself. The first page of this book cover contained these three big characters, which appear to be the title of the book. ¡°Could this be a book documenting medicinal herbs?¡± Shen Luo wondered inwardly. He continued to flip through, quickly scanning the entire book. To his surprise, the contents of the book were completely different from his speculations. It was not a spiritual material compendium, but the legacy scriptures of a sect called the Medicine Immortal Sect. According to the book, the Medicine Immortal Sect was a sect that practiced Gu techniques. The book documents everything related to Gu techniques, various poisonous insects and herbs for refining Gu, and methods of refining Gu. However, the book seemed incomplete. Most of the records were information about poisonous insects and herbs, with only one method of refining Gu, Shadow Gu. ¡°So this lizard is a Gu insect; no wonder its aura is so strange.¡± Shen Luo picked up the green bag, murmuring to himself. The Shadow Gu is an insect used for tracking. This purple lizard is called a Purple-backed Lizard, a poisonous insect native to the southern rainforest. This lizard naturally has a keen sense of smell, surpassing cats, dogs, and rats. After being trained through Gu techniques, the Purple-backed Lizard''s sense of smell improved more than tenfold. By relying on this astonishing sense of smell, Shadow Gu can detect the scent from ten miles away, and following footprints is as easy as eating and drinking¨Cdeodorizing methods won''t work on it. Although the Shadow Gu has an astonishing sense of smell, it is not without weaknesses. Like other creatures with a keen sense of smell, Shadow Gu''s weakness is water¨Conce the tracking target submerges in water, the Shadow Gu would be helpless. ¡°After I left Wanqiu City, I had traveled underwater for a long distance. No wonder those people could not directly track my scent but followed Xie Yuxin to get here. It seems that in the future, when faced with such situations, I should use more water escape techniques.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself inwardly, then looked at the cloth bag in his hand, a glimmer of delight flashing in his eyes. This Shadow Gu was extremely useful. If tamed, it could greatly help in the future, whether it was finding people or tracking. However, this insect was fierce. The bald man only had a Medicine Immortal Collection and wasn''t adept at Gu techniques. Begrudgingly, he had been able to control it by feeding it his own blood for many years, but it would be difficult for anyone else to utilize this Gu. As for refining another Shadow Gu, it would require catching thirty-six Purple-backed Lizards, feeding them special herbs, and cultivating them using special secret methods that entailed them devouring one another¨Cit would take three years to refine one. Shen Luo''s lifespan was running out. Even the time to find lifespan-extending items was tight, let alone time to refine Gu. He was worried, but suddenly something came to his mind. ¡°My Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits can suppress the ferocity of other demons and tame them by force. I''m wondering if it would work for this Gu insect.¡± Shen Luo said to himself, his eyes flickered. He promptly took the small bag, unsealed a small opening, and activated the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Countless black runes appeared from the palm of his hand and pressed towards the Shadow Gu inside. He has already used the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits on three monsters, and can''t use it to tame more. But it still works to suppress other monsters. The Shadow Gu inside the bag made terrified cries. It seemed extremely frightened by the black runes of the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, and desperately tried to burrow deeper inside the small bag. However, the space inside the bag was limited, so it quickly got cornered, screaming in vain. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It is indeed effective!¡± Shen Luo was secretly delighted, and he continued to wield the Art of Spirit Communication, pressuring the Gu insect. Half a moment later, the cries of Shadow Gu were no longer fierce, they became weak and submissive. But Shen Luo knew that this insect was extremely wild and didn''t stop. He used the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits and tormented the Shadow Gu a little more before gradually stopping. Seeing the Shadow Gu lying weakly in the bag, he quickly pricked his finger and flicked it. A drop of fresh blood shot out and landed into the bag. Chapter 398 Chapter 398: Chapter 394: Shadow Gu Chapter 398: Chapter 394: Shadow Gu The Shadow Gu''s eyes brightened slightly at the smell of blood, a pink tongue shot out like lightning, curled up the drop of fresh blood and swallowed it. Its body shone with the glimmer of blood light, spirit immediately boosted, and it happily croaked twice. A faint smile traced the corners of Shen Luo''s mouth, knowing that he had already tamed this Shadow Gu. With a bit of training, he could fully utilize this Gu. He carefully put away the bag, fastened it around his waist. Having checked all the other items, only the blue Mother-Child Sword and the jade green Ruyi remained. Shen Luo first picked up the blue Mother-Child Sword, ran the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to refine it; a bright blue light bloomed on the Mother-Child Sword, and it was soon fully refined. Shen Luo performed an incantation, causing the blue Mother Sword to levitate into the air and fire blue sword lights that were two to three zhang long. Sleekly it fluttered in mid-air, like a giant blue python charging through the sky. With two crisp ¡°clang¡± sounds, two small flying swords emerged from the Mother Sword, revolving around the body of the Mother Sword, much like two agile blue snakes. The aura the Mother-Child Sword flaunted at this moment was much more potent than when it was in the hands of the bald, burly man, primarily because Shen Luo''s experience in controlling magical instruments surpassed the bald, burly man''s. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For every upgrade in a magical instrument''s level, its power greatly increases. However, the difficulty of controlling it also intensifies. Generally, for a Mid Grain Avoidance Cultivator as Shen Luo, controlling a low-grade magical instrument would be the most suitable. He could control a mid-grade magical instrument, but using a top-grade magical instrument would be overly strenuous. In some cases, a top-grade magical instrument may even perform worse than a mid-grade one during combat. Such a situation arises due to the inadequate mana of the operator and the complex prohibitions of the top-grade magical instrument, making its control exceedingly difficult. It would require plenty of practice to proficiently operate it. Therefore, the cultivation level and experience of a cultivator are equally crucial concerning the operation of a magical instrument. Shen Luo''s cultivation in Dreamland had already reached the Late Mahayana Stage and he had begun using Magical Treasures. In the Golden Tower trial, he had absorbed quite a number of Heavenly Soldiers'' combat experiences, which also included the use of Magical Weapons and Treasures. Thus, his experience in controlling Magical Weapons and Treasures is extremely rich. This knowledge can be transferred to the physical world, hence why he currently faced no issues regarding experience in controlling a top-grade magical instrument or even a Top-Grade Magical Artifact. His lack of mana can be remedied by his experience. Shen Luo commanded the Mother-Child Sword to flutter for a while, called it back with a wave of his hand, and gently caressed it with his finger. He was quite pleased with this instrument. This sword held immense power and could divide into three. This perfectly allowed him to leverage his rich experience in controlling magical instruments. After fidgeting with the Mother-Child Sword for a while, Shen Luo put it away and began running the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique on the jade green Ruyi. Once he began to refine it, Shen Luo immediately noticed a difference from when he had refined the Mother-Child Sword. The prohibitions inside the jade green Ruyi began to vibrate uncontrollably as they resisted his invading mana. ¡°Could it be because the green-robed man is still alive that the prohibitions on this Ruyi are still under his control, hindering others from refining it?¡±, Shen Luo considered. Although his current cultivation level was not low, he lacked understanding of magical instruments due to the lack of orthodox sect training. However, he immediately realized the reason for the resistance. If this were the case, even though he had forced the Ruyi from the man, Shen Luo wouldn''t be able to use it. If he thought deeper, the green-robed man might even be able to track him through the connection with the jade green Ruyi. The fact that the man had not taken this Ruyi with him might hint that he was contemplating this matter. Upon this thought, Shen Luo''s face changed, immediately considering discarding this jade green Ruyi, but he was somewhat reluctant, as after all, this was a top-grade magical instrument. ¡°I''ll try once more with the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. If it''s really impossible to refine the prohibitions inside the Ruyi, I''ll throw it away immediately.¡± He secretly made up his mind, operating the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and resumed his refinement. As a result, after he used his fully strength for the refinement took a quarter of an hour, blue light shot out from his fingertips and continually sank into the jade green Ruyi. Shen Luo slightly raised his eyebrows, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes. The Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique was indeed mysterious. Although the prohibition of the jade green Ruyi was occupied by external force, under his full effort''s refining and gradually consuming it, he was able to invade it. After one incense stick''s time, the surface of the Ruyi was emanating a bright green light, and the first prohibition inside was finally under his control. Shen Luo''s spirits were uplifted, and continued to refine with all his strength. More than one two-hour period later, the jade green Ruyi released a bundle of bright green light, emitting a crisp sound like a roaring beast, flying from his hand and circling around him. Eight prohibitive patterns appeared on top of the jade green Ruyi, all of them glowing and lively. Shen Luo opened his eyes and pointed a spell at the jade green Ruyi. The jade green Ruyi, which was spinning in circles, suddenly stopped and then shot forward. The red gemstone at its top end shone brightly, and combined with the green light from the Ruyi, it turned into a long rainbow of red and blue, burst an astonishing spiritual power fluctuation, and seemed like a meteor crossed the sky, disappearing in a flash and hitting a giant rock far away that was several feet tall. There was a rumbling sound! The giant rock, the size of a house, shattered into pieces, and even the ground below it was smashed into a large pit. The ground within dozens of feet trembled and took several breaths to calm down. ¡°What a domineering attack! The attack method is indeed simple, not as bizarre as the Mother-Child Sword, but its destructive power is tremendous. It seems even stronger than the half-moon ring in my dream. It''s worthy of a magical instrument refined by Mount Putuo.¡± Shen Luo summoned back the jade green Ruyi, his gaze landing on the red gemstone inlaid at its top, muttering to himself. The attack just now was not the full power of the jade green Ruyi. After all, with his current cultivation at the middle stage of grain avoidance, even with rich controlling experience, he could not completely stimulate all the power of a top-grade magical instrument. Shen Luo had a premonition that if he could stimulate all the power contained in this gemstone, the attack power of this jade green Ruyi would definitely go up a notch. ¡°Friend Shen, are you alright? Were you trying the magical instrument just now?¡± Xie Yuxin came over. She was obviously startled by the attack just now. ¡°This Ruyi was taken from the green-robed man. After I finished refining it, I just gave it a try. It''s not bad.¡± Shen Luo summoned the Ruyi back and spoke nonchalantly. ¡°You took this magical instrument from the Mount Putuo disciple? I remember he''s still alive. Then this instrument is not a blessing but a disaster for you! No, you have already completed the refining of this Ruyi? How is it possible!¡± Xie Yuxin''s face changed back and forth, showing disbelief in her eyes. ¡°Do you mean that he could track me through the instrument? However, I have erased the mana imprint he left in the instrument, so he should not be able to track me now, should he?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°If the prohibitions in the Ruyi have been completely refined by you, he naturally can''t trace it. But how is this possible? Unless your cultivation greatly surpasses the original master of the magical instrument, or if you use some of the top-notch refining techniques, could you do this. Friend Shen, could it be¡­¡± Xie Yuxin subconsciously wanted to ask more clearly, but immediately stopped when she thought that this was Shen Luo''s privacy. Chapter 399 Chapter 399: Chapter 395 Grand Annual Celebration Chapter 399: Chapter 395 Grand Annual Celebration ¡°I acquired a set of refining techniques by chance before, it''s not top-notch, but it works quite well.¡± Shen Luo said half-truthfully, but an idea sparked in his mind, thinking to himself just how extraordinary the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique was. It was indeed a secret art passed down in Mount Fangcun. With this secret technique at hand, he could easily take other''s magical instruments, and after a quick spell transfer, they would become his. Isn''t it delightful? ¡°For safety''s sake, we shouldn''t stay here much longer. Let''s set off for Chang''an as soon as possible so we can be safe.¡± Seeing that Shen Luo didn''t hide anything from her, Xie Yuxin gave a slight smile and didn''t pursue the topic any further, she changed the subject. ¡°Daoist friend Xie, you seem very eager to get to Chang''an?¡± Shen Luo ask. ¡°Of course, the Mid-Element Festival is in three months, and Chang''an will host a grand annual celebration at that time. The opportunity is rare, so naturally, I want to go.¡± Xie Yuxin said. ¡°Grand Annual Celebration? What is that?¡± It was Shen Luo''s first time hearing these words. ¡°Chang''an is the capital of our Great Tang Kingdom, at least ten times more prosperous than Jianye City. The city is full of cultivators, and the Great Tang Dynasty Government, a cultivation authority conferred by the court, is there, a true giant city of cultivation. The Mid-Element Grand Annual Celebration, as one of the three major celebrations each year, is a grand event in the entire Tang cultivation world. At that time, cultivators from other regions would gather in Chang''an. It''s a meeting of thousands of immortals, and the conference is full of treasures. Many rare-to-see high-grade spiritual materials, top-grade elixirs, magical instruments, and even magical treasures are all there. In short, as long as you have enough immortal jades, there is almost nothing you can''t buy.¡± Xie Yuxin talked quite fluently, clearly very much looking forward to the Zhongyuan Festival Grand Annual Celebration. ¡°There''s such a grand event where you can really buy anything?¡± Shen Luo was also quite interested. ¡°It''s not absolute, there are many merchants at the Grand Annual Celebration, and various auctions and exchange sessions follow one after another, even if you have immortal jade, you still need luck to come across the treasure you need. What do you want? I''ve attended a few times, I know the situation of the celebration quite well, maybe I can give you some advice.¡± Xie Yuxin kindly said. ¡°I indeed wish to purchase a specific item, would there be spirit fires at the Grand Annual Celebration?¡± Shen Luo asked after a little pondering. ¡°Spirit Fire? This special kind of fire nurtured by heaven and earth isn''t something that ordinary freelance cultivators would need.¡± Xie Yuxin was slightly taken aback. ¡°I need to refine a magical instrument, and it can only be achieved by incorporating Spirit Fire. This Spirit Fire must have a restraining effect on ghosts. If Elder Brother Xie has any clues, please kindly enlighten me.¡± Shen Luo said, bowing his hands. ¡°Let''s not talk about the nine heavenly-grade spirit fires. They are objects of the immortals in legends. Whether they exist in the world or not is a matter of conjecture. Thirty-six earthly-grade spirit fires are also extremely rare and precious in the world. It''s impossible to see them without enough opportunities. Even the relatively common one hundred and eight human-grade spirit fires, as far as I know, are generally controlled by major forces once they appear, and are used to cultivate alchemy masters and artifact refiners. Brother Shen, you also have a restraining requirement against ghosts, which makes it even harder to find.¡± Xie Yuxin took an odd look at Shen Luo, then sighed and said so. ¡°I know Spirit Fires are hard to find. Are there really none available even during the Grand Annual Celebration?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Ordinary human-grade spirit fires can still be purchased as long as you have a deep pocket and are willing to expend some effort and cost at the Grand Annual Celebration. For those with special uses, it depends on your luck. By the way, a few years ago, I did witness a Profound Truth Holy Flame at a conference. It was contested by several major forces and eventually seemed to have been auctioned off for nearly a thousand immortal jades.¡± said Xie Yuxin after some consideration. ¡°Profound Truth Holy Flame! That''s an earthly-grade spirit fire, isn''t it? Nearly a thousand immortal jades, indeed a hefty price¡­¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath. This spirit fire could easily meld and fuse all kinds of minerals, making it most suitable for artifact refining. However, it was not very suitable for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°In conclusion, once a Spirit Fire appears, it will be fought over by all major forces. If Daoist friend Shen aspires to compete for it at the Grand Annual Celebration, I''m afraid you''ll need to gather more Immortal jade.¡± Xie Yuxin said. ¡°Thank you, Daoist friend Xie for your advice.¡± Shen Luo expressed his gratitude with a look of contemplation on his face. ¡°Since Daoist friend Shen is interested in the Grand Annual Celebration, let''s set off soon. Getting to Chang''an earlier will also allow us to prepare in advance.¡± Xie Yuxin added. ¡°I will certainly attend the Grand Annual Celebration in Chang''an city. But before that, I need to make some preparations. How about we meet at Chang''an three months later?¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly before suggesting. ¡°Alright, in the meantime, I''ll go and inquire about the Spirit Fire for you. Once Daoist friend Shen reaches Chang''an, just look for me at Yongyang Square, which is west of the city.¡± Xie Yuxin seemed a little surprised but did not ask for details. She nodded in agreement. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I appreciate your help, Daoist friend Xie.¡± Shen Luo thanked her warmly. ¡°It''s just a trivial matter, no need to thank me.¡± Xie Yuxin laughed, then immediately bid him farewell and headed off into the distance. Shen Luo watched her leave, then took out a map to confirm his direction before setting off immediately towards Dazhou. Dazhou is near Chang''an, the land is fertile and rich in resources. The Great Tang dynasty has pursued benevolent policies over the years. Due to Dazhou''s close proximity to the capital, officials at all levels dare not extort too much from the people, hence the people living in Dazhou are relatively affluent. Tang Qiu County is a quite small county in Dazhou, known for producing a special rice called Hongliang Rice. Hongliang Rice is not only fragrant, but also has a hint of sweetness. It''s more delicious than ordinary rice and is much loved by many officials and noblemen. Many merchants also come to Tang Qiu County City to buy Hongliang Rice, making the County City thriving. In the bustling downtown of the County City, there is a three-story restaurant named the Red Xiang Pub. In the entire Tang Qiu County City, this place is renowned, especially its signature drink Hongliang Liquor, which is made from Hongliang Rice. The liquor is crimson, and the taste is very fragrant. It can compete with grape wine imported from the Western Regions, attracting many foreign visitors as well. It''s lunchtime now, and the Red Xiang Pub is full of guests on all three floors. A teenager in a green robe sat by a window on the third floor, holding a cup of fresh red Hongliang liquor in one hand, and playing with a blue jade plate in the other. The third floor of the restaurant is very lively, filled with the sound of wine glasses clinking, the aroma of food wafted in the air. The teenager on the other hand, appeared unaffected by the chaos around him, exuding a sense of calmness. Many of the diners noticed him, and frequently cast glances his way. The man was none other than Shen Luo, who had traveled all the way from Eastern Sea Pinnacle in about a month. When he first started cultivating, his senses were greatly improved, but he didn''t know how to control them, so he felt annoyed in crowded places. Now that his cultivation has progressed to a considerably high realm, he can control both his internal and external senses with ease, and no longer is affected by minor external smells. Shen Luo didn''t engage with other diners either. He sipped on his drink while playing with the jade plate in his hand. Chapter 400 – 400 396 The Fortune Chapter 400: Chapter 396: The Fortune-telling Old Daoist Chapter 400: Chapter 396: The Fortune-telling Old Daoist The blue jade plate was the very object that he had snatched from the bald man. Over the past few days, he had carefully studied it and finally cracked the prohibitions on the jade plate, revealing its content. The text on the jade plate documented a technique called ¡°Bi Bo Technique,¡± which was likely the inherited technique of the Bishui Sect. Although this technique was also profound, it was inferior compared to the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and he naturally wouldn''t cultivate it. The reason he was still cherishing this jade plate was that it recorded three spells¨CYong Quan Technique, Thousand Rain Needle Technique, and Whirlpool Slash¨Cat the end. The three spells were conventional water spells and weren''t advanced at all. Most of the bigger sects would have them, but Shen Luo was really interested in them. While the Water Manipulation Technique in the Nameless Cultivation Technique was extraordinary, it lacked specific spells like these. He felt constrained during fights, like having enormous strength but a lack of dexterous combat moves, making it hard to bring out the strength of this technique. After studying these spells, he experienced an eye-opening realization. The intricate Water Manipulation Technique had finally found an outlet to be unleashed. However, these spells also had many loopholes. Especially, the transformations of the Water Manipulation Technique were far less sophisticated than those in the Nameless Cultivation Technique. While Shen Luo was pondering over these three spells, he also constantly improved them using the Nameless Cultivation Technique and has already made significant progress. Unfortunately, his journey had been quite smooth so far, and he hadn''t had the opportunity to use them. He shook his head and discarded the messy thoughts in his mind, then turned his gaze toward the county town outside the window. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His visit to Tang Qiu County City this time was to find the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. According to the jade slip in his dream, the spirit milk was hidden inside a stone at the front gate of a wealthy man''s house in Tang Qiu County City. However, the jade slip didn''t mention the surname of this rich man. Moreover, Tang Qiu County City was large, at least three times bigger than Chunhua County. There were at least hundreds, if not thousands, of landlords here. It would be a hassle to find the right one. But this pertained to his lifespan, and no matter how troublesome it was, he had to try his best to find it. Moreover, he had already prepared for it to not completely wander in the dark. Shen Luo tapped his fingers lightly on the table, planning his next move, when a commotion from below interrupted his thoughts. He furrowed his brow and looked down from the window. He saw several people gathered at the entrance of the restaurant below. Among them was a white-robed old Daoist, with white hair and a youthful complexion. His robe fluttered in the wind, and he had a look of an immortal demeanor. The white-robed old Daoist held a green bamboo pole, on which hung a piece of white cloth with four big characters¨C¡°Immortal guidance¡±¨Cwritten on it. He seemed to be a fortune teller and was arguing with the restaurant owner and a clerk. After listening for a while, Shen Luo understood that the white-robed old Daoist had come uninvited to evaluate the geomantic omen of the Red Xiang Pub. The restaurant was busy with business, and the owner had no time for a fortune teller. He offered a dozen copper coins to the clerk to send the old Daoist away, which made the white-robed old Daoist quite angry. He publicly criticized the poor feng shui of the Red Xiang Pub and claimed that if it wasn''t properly rectified, the business would be doomed to the downfall. As businessmen valued their fortunes and prosperity, the restaurant owner couldn''t tolerate the old Daoist accusing him at will, thus they began to quarrel. ¡°I, the old Daoist, am the thirty-sixth-generation disciple of Xin Xiang Men, Xuan Zhen Daoist. Our sect''s Sky Gang God Calculation can understand the Heavenly Dao and predict the past and future. Shopkeeper, looking at your face, although your Heavenly Court is full, there''s a small scar beneath your eyes in the Tear Palace which blocks the fortune of your offspring. Despite many wives and concubines, you still have no descendants. Am I right?¡± The white-robed old Daoist chuckled, patted his sleeve, and declared composedly. The shopkeeper was taken aback upon hearing this. He was over forty, had married women and concubines from three households, but had no children. This was a worry he always had and tried his best to conceal it for fear of gossip. The white-robed old Daoist had discovered this secret, so the shopkeeper was torn between anger and embarrassment while also feeling shocked. He stood there stupefied. ¡°Shopkeeper, your eyebrows are sparse and sharp. There''s a small mole at the end of your left brow, which represents your parents. Your father has passed away, and your mother is sick and in pain, am I right?¡± The white-robed old Daoist stroked his beard and continued. The shopkeeper was startled again, clearly the old Daoist''s words were on point again. Onlookers nearby who saw this also exclaimed in amazement. Seeing this, Shen Luo upstairs was also a bit surprised. ¡°Destiny is illusory, changing every moment. I always thought these fortune-telling divinations were all frauds. Who would have thought this old Daoist could see the fate of the shopkeeper''s parents and children. Is there really a supernatural power to reckon destiny in this world?¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Daoist master, what you said is correct, but these things are not hard to find out. With a bit inquiry, you could have known, it''s no big deal.¡± The shopkeeper was in disbelief but was unwilling to admit it and shook his head. ¡°Hehe, since shopkeeper doesn''t believe in the past, let me predict your future.¡± The white-robed old Daoist laughed lightly, took out three copper coins from his pocket, shook them three times in his palm, and then sprinkled them on the ground. The scattered copper coins rolled around on the ground and soon stopped. Everyone''s gaze followed these coins, including Shen Luo''s. However, he knew nothing about fortune-telling, so he couldn''t understand the subtlety. ¡°This divination is Li Gua, which represents fire, indicating that there will be a fire in this restaurant today.¡± The white-robed old Daoist lightly gasped, bent over to pick up the three copper coins, and he announced calmly. The shopkeeper turned red with anger, but with the old Daoist predicting his parents and children''s situations so accurately, he didn''t dare to reproach him casually. His face instantly became flushed. Shen Luo was half-convinced. However, he chuckled the next moment, glanced at the backyard, and got up to go downstairs. ¡°Fire, somebody set the firewood shed in the backyard on fire! Put it out!¡± A cry of alarm suddenly echoed from the backyard of the Red Xiang Pub. In the backyard, a pile of firewood was engulfed in flames by the wall, with thick smoke billowing upwards. The shopkeeper was stunned, as were the guests in the restaurant. ¡°Hurry up and put out the fire!¡± The shopkeeper instantly reacted and shouted. A few clerks from the shop hastily ran toward the backyard, while the customers in the restaurant burst into a discussion, looking at the white-robed old Daoist with respect. Just at that moment, a large wave of water suddenly materialized above the firewood, and ¡°whoosh,¡± it poured down, extinguishing most of the flames. The kitchen clerks didn''t know what just happened, they all just stood there dumbfounded. ¡°What are you staring at? Hurry to put out the fire!¡± The clerks from the shop rushed over and shouted. The kitchen staff finally snapped out of it and hurriedly rushed to put out the fire. Most of the flames on the firewood had been put out, and after spraying and batting at it for a while, they quickly extinguished the rest of the fire. At the entrance of the pub, the shopkeeper was totally convinced about the white-robed old Daoist. Chapter 401 Chapter 401: Chapter 397: Cast a divination Chapter 401: Chapter 397: Cast a divination ¡°Daoist Master, you truly are a living immortal. I was disrespectful before, please, come inside for a seat!¡± He sighed in relief, seeing the fire in the backyard brought under control, and then hurriedly invited the white-robed old Taoist inside with the utmost respect. ¡°Old Immortal, you truly possess great divine powers. I would like to invite you to my home to examine the feng shui!¡± ¡°Daoist Master, my son is about to take the imperial examination soon. Would you be so kind as to predict his future prospects?¡± ¡°Daoist Master, my daughter is already twenty-three this year and yet unwed. Could you figure out where her suitable husband might be?¡± Other onlookers also swarmed toward the white-robed old Taoist, showing a look of reverence, forming a large circle around him. Shen Luo went downstairs, left a small piece of silver at the counter, strode out without giving a single glance at the white-robed old Taoist. The fire in the backyard was no accident. When the white-robed old Taoist was divining with a copper coin, a sneaky person outside the backyard had thrown a fire-starter into it, igniting the pile of firewood in the yard. He had matters at hand now and had no mind to pay attention to others. As for such a street-side scammer, he couldn''t be bothered to expose him. After leaving the Red Xiang Pub, Shen Luo headed straight to a local inn for lodging. People were busily coming and going throughout the county town in daylight, which was not a good time to look for the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. He planned to start the search at night. Shen Luo rented an upper room, and after instructing the inn-keeper not to disturb him casually, he sat down next to the bed, took off the green small bag from his waist and opened it. With a ¡°swish¡± sound, a purple shadow shot out from inside and landed on his shoulder. It was the Shadow Gu. ¡°Little Purple, I''m afraid I''m going to have to rely on your nose tonight to look for something.¡± Shen Luo stretched out his hand, patted the head of the Shadow Gu, and said. The purple lizard saw Shen Luo''s finger pointing at it, not only did it not dodge, but it even moved its head closer. It was incredibly obedient, and it was evident that it had completely submitted. The Shadow Gu was what he had prepared. According to the Jade Slip of Dreamland, although the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk was sealed in a large stone, the Shadow Gu''s sense of smell was extremely keen, so it should be able to sniff it out without him actually having to dig up stones for inspection. The only thing to worry about was that the Shadow Gu needed to memorize a scent before it could follow it accurately. He had no way of obtaining a piece of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk for it to smell in advance. Moreover, Gu insects were different from monsters; they had extremely low spiritual wisdom. He couldn''t use language to describe what it should look for, which was a bit troublesome. ¡°Forget it, if this gu insect smells a spiritual item like the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, it will definitely react differently. There''s no need to worry too much.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, cut his finger to squeeze out a drop of fresh blood to feed the Shadow Gu, and then put it back into the small bag. He then sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began to meditate. Time passed quickly, night fell, and the bustling Tang Qiu County City soon fell into a deep sleep, all noises stopped. Shen Luo got up, quietly left the inn, and quickly arrived at the east of the city. The Thousand-Year Spirit Milk was a matter of life and death for him, so he couldn''t take any chances. He planned to start from here and investigate each of the distinguished families one by one. Shen Luo looked around and quickly fixed his gaze on a courtyard with a particularly high gate. He walked over quietly and began to inspect the ground in front of the gate. The Shadow Gu was also released by him, resting on his shoulder, using its sense of smell to explore. A night passed very quickly. Because the jade slip only stated that the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk was found outside a door, it did not specify whether it was outside the front door, the back door, or any other door. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fearing to miss out, Shen Luo searched very carefully. He only managed to investigate about thirty households during the night. Compared to the huge number of households in Tang Qiu County City that needed to be explored, he had only covered less than one percent. After daybreak, it was no longer suitable for Shen Luo to continue snooping around by hopping over walls, so he had to return to the inn. For the next ten or so days, he continued to stay hidden during the day and explore the city at night. After more than ten days of hard work, he had only managed to investigate about ten percent of the households in Tang Qiu County City, and he still hadn''t found the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. Although Shen Luo didn''t lose heart because of this, he was somewhat frustrated. One day at noon, tired of staying in the inn, he decided to visit a Hundred Flower Mountain inside and outside the city. The mountain was covered with many different types of flowers, hence its name. There was also an ancient temple atop the mountain, and the scenery was quite beautiful. Many locals came here to enjoy the view. After taking a walk around the mountain, Shen Luo''s mood improved considerably as he admired the verdant mountains and rivers and the flowers in bloom everywhere. ¡°Fortune-telling and divination, guiding you through the maze of your life! First asking about past events, if incorrect not a penny taken! Fate, fortune, marriage, Feng Shui, proficiency in every domain guaranteed!¡± As Shen Luo descended the mountain, a booming voice advertised. A stall had been set up at the foot of the mountain, behind it sat an old monk dressed in a red kasaya, next to a banner proclaiming his service in fortune-telling and divination. Standing next to the old monk was a young novice monk, his eyes were bright and full of intelligence, giving the impression of being quite clever. After cast a glance at the two, Shen Luo was about to continue his way, but suddenly stopped and turned back to look at them. Despite the old monk''s bald head and clean-shaven face, Shen Luo recognized him as the old Daoist who had been scamming people at the Red Xiang Pub. The young novice standing next to him was the same person who had set a fire outside the restaurant before. Hundred Flower Mountain was a famous tourist spot in Tang Qiu County City, and many people came here to sightsee. Surprisingly, these two swindlers had changed their appearance and come here. Shen Luo felt both annoyed and amused. He had let them off once because he had been busy, but now they were still up to their old tricks the second time they met. He had a mind to teach them a lesson to make them mend their ways, and walked towards them. With a loud ¡°thud,¡± a piece of silver was thrown onto the table, startling both monks. ¡°I am Liao Kong, the Buddhist monk, the 72nd successor to the ancient divination sect of Golden Light Temple. Dear customer, what would you like to know?¡± The old monk saw the silver on the table, his face momentarily showed a glint of greed before quickly concealing it. He didn''t touch the silver, but instead looked up at Shen Luo who sat across and asked. ¡°There''s nothing special, I saw that Zen Master has a solemn and dignified countenance, surely your Dao-Practice is profound, I admire you. I myself am going to the capital for an examination soon, and came especially to ask for some advice.¡± Shen Luo said with a faintly amused smile. ¡°Dear guest, I assume you are not a scholar, nor are you going for an examination.¡± The old monk surveyed Shen Luo and his eyes flashed with insight, he smirked enigmatically and stated with confidence. ¡°Oh, what made you say that?¡± Shen Luo said half-jokingly. He had experienced ups and downs in the secular world before practicing immortality, he knew well these fortune-telling swindlers like to startle people with their bold claims, seize the initiative and establish their illusion of superiority, gradually dominating and convincing their targets to happily hand over their money. ¡°This is a heavenly secret I mustn''t reveal.¡± The monk replied with a mysterious look-shaking his head. ¡°Then please Zen Master, read my face. But we must agree ahead, if what you say is wrong, don''t blame me for losing my temper.¡± Shen Luo, smiling slightly, spoke out loud. The nearby sightseers hearing the exchange gathered around out of curiosity. ¡°Of course, by viewing your current complexion, you look well. However, from reading your face, it seems that in your youth you suffered from a major illness, which lingered for a long time and almost claimed your life. Fortunately, you were helped by a highly skilled person and eventually recovered. Is that correct?¡± The old monk examined Shen Luo for a few moments, lightly tapped the table with his finger, and enquired. Upon hearing this, a look of surprise flashed across Shen Luo''s eyes. He scrutinized the old monk intently, but after a long time, still could not discern anything out of the ordinary. Physically, the man seemed to possess the bearing of an immortal, but within his body, there was not a trace of mana, indicating that he was indeed just an ordinary person. That he was able to see that Shen Luo had a serious illness in the past was truly surprising. ¡°It is true that I had a similar experience in my younger years, but the illness was cured long ago, and I am now in very good health.¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently. Chapter 402 Chapter 402: Chapter 398: High People? Chapter 402: Chapter 398: High People? ¡°Life is filled with birth, aging, sickness, and death, plagued by countless misfortunes. Even though you, benefactor, have overcome your personal calamity in that year, the road ahead is still filled with disasters. Without a miraculous method to resolve them, I''m afraid¡­¡± The old monk shook his head and sighed. ¡°Please explain what calamities are destined for me.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Life is full of infinite tribulations, even gods or Buddhas can''t escape when they are in it, let alone us mortals. Young man, you have a bright and energetic demeanor, however, your forehead is pale and outwardly strong but inwardly weak. Thus, I deduce that your fate lies in the longevity and life relationship, am I right?¡± The old monk chuckled. ¡°What are you talking about ''outwardly strong but inwardly weak'', and ''longevity and life relationship'', I don''t believe any of this. If you''re so good at calculating, tell me why I am here?¡± Shen Luo said, startled to the core but showing no emotions on his face. ¡°Oh that''s an easy task to carry out, however, when my master taught me fortunetelling, he set a rule that I must charge a fee for every divination. You see¡­¡± The old monk revealed a slight smile on his face. ¡°Hah, then you best make sure to calculate very accurately, as my silver is not easily earned.¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and took out another silver piece. ¡°Esteemed guest, rest assured, my master''s skills in Daoist magic are excellent, and he''ll certainly help you unravel your predicaments.¡± The little novice monk beside them quickly pocketed the two pieces of silver and spoke with a smile. ¡°I hope so.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the little novice and said. The old monk pulled out a sealed bamboo tube from his bosom, put six copper coins into it, held it to his chest, and had an earnest look on his face while chanting prayers. Ten plus breaths later, the old monk abruptly opened his eyes, grabbed the bamboo tube, and shook it. The clinking sound of coins echoed around, neither fast nor slow, carrying a certain peculiar rhythm, somehow making people feel inexplicably peaceful. Shen Luo glanced at the old monk, mentally noting that although this old fraudster seemed to have some skills, they weren''t entirely deceptive. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The old monk shook it nine times, opened the lid of the bamboo tube, gently poured the six copper coins on the table in two rows, studied them closely for a while, and nodded slightly. ¡°Finished?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. ¡°Indeed, this is the Jie Gua, ''the first nine, they seek a hidden path and reach, Qin and Liu encounter each other and can gain''. Young man, I think you''re here to search for something, right?¡± The old monk looked up and said. Shen Luo''s expression froze, his eyes full of disbelief. ¡°The ''Qin'' symbol means west, the thing you''re seeking is in the west of the city. As for the ''Liu'', it doesn''t indicate the willow tree, it should refer to the exact location. You should go to the west of the city and find a place named after ''Liu'', that''s most likely where it will be.¡± The old monk looked down and continued. Shen Luo looked at the old monk in front of him, his face changing constantly, a turbulent wave surging within his heart. The matter of seeking the Thousand Year Lingru, he had never told anyone, yet this old monk somehow deduced it. Could it be that he is genuinely capable of divination of all matters? The bystanders around them, seeing Shen Luo''s expression, knowing the monk''s reading was accurate, instantly rushed forward. ¡°Esteemed monk, I also have a matter that I would like you to divine.¡± ¡°Master, please also draw a divination for me.¡± ¡°Thank you all for your patronage. However, I have a rule. I only draw three fortunes a day, and now all three have been drawn. If you wish to seek divination, please come again tomorrow. My dear disciple, pack up, let''s go find a place to drink two¡­ oh no, to beg for alms.¡± The old monk stood up, bowed to everyone, picked up the white cloth pointing to the Immortals, turned around, and strode away. ¡°Master, wait for me.¡± The little novice struggled to pick up the table and followed. Seeing this, the crowd didn''t dare to stop them, feeling disappointed. Shen Luo watched the two figures move farther away until they disappeared before he withdrew his gaze. ¡°Whether what this man said is true or false¡­¡± He furrowed his eyebrows, standing in one place for a long time before heading back to the city. The night fell quickly, and Shen Luo once again silently left the inn, returning to the place he had sought before. This was a wealthy mansion in the northern part of the city. Just as he was about to enter, the words of the old trickster from the daytime unconsciously surfaced in his mind. ¡°Forget it, I''ll go take a look, I haven''t checked the west of the city yet.¡± Hesitating for a moment, he eventually turned and made his way westward, quickly arriving in a small alley. In the past few days, Shen Luo had already familiarized himself thoroughly with every corner of Tang Qiu County City. This place was called Silver Willow Alley, so when he had heard the old Daoist''s divination during the daytime, he immediately thought of this place. He looked around and then headed towards a courtyard with a large gate in the alleyway. Just then, the anxious chirping of the Shadow Gu emerged from the small bag on his waist. Shen Luo flicked his eyebrows and hurriedly opened the bag. The Shadow Gu immediately leaped out, turning into a purple shadow and darting forward. However, it didn''t rush towards the large gate but flew towards a small courtyard next to it with a whoosh, directly entering it. Shen Luo quickly followed, soon arriving beside a well in the courtyard''s vegetable garden. There was a flat blue stone next to the well, protruding a few inches from the ground. It was wet and covered in green moss. At this moment, the Shadow Gu had landed on the blue stone, swiftly crawling around, making urgent noises as if it wanted to bore into the stone but was unable to. ¡°Judging by Little Purple''s behavior, could this blue stone be it? But didn''t the jade slip say it was in front of a wealthy mansion''s gate?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo stood rooted to the spot. ¡°I get it! There are still hundreds of years until the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk is discovered. It wouldn''t be surprising if anything changed in Tang Qiu County City during that time.¡± He quickly realized this and was glad that he had the Shadow Gu. If he had been searching on his own, he might''ve taken a year to find this place. Quickly calming himself, he formed a hand seal and pressed his hand towards the ground. A soft dull sound came from underground, and the ground in the vegetable garden began to lightly shake. The blue stone next to the well slowly rose up, as though some force from underneath was lifting it. After a few breaths, a big blue stone, more than man-high, penetrated the ground and a gigantic hand formed from water flow lifted the blue stone from underneath. The Shadow Gu remained on the blue stone, moving around more excitedly than before, seemingly trying to find an opening to bore into. ¡°Come back!¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and a stream of water rolled the Shadow Gu back and tossed it into the small bag at his waist, then he gestured with his hand again. A stream of water sprayed out from the well and wrapped around the blue stone, forming a vortex. Amid the sharp sizzling noises, the years-old mud and moss on the blue stone were all washed away, soon revealing its original form. The blue stone had transformed into a piece of bright and transparent green jade. Besides the upper part which had been exposed on the ground, the rest of the stone emitted a misty green light which made any jadeite or agate look dull in comparison. ¡°What kind of jade stone is this? It seems extraordinary, which makes sense. The stone that holds the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk wouldn''t be a common blue stone.¡± Saying this softly, Shen Luo walked to the jade stone and took a deep sniff. A faint refreshing scent diffused from the jade stone, somewhat similar to cow''s milk or goat''s milk, but fresher. ¡°It smells the same as the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk mentioned in the books ¨C looks like I''ve really found it.¡± A trace of delight flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, as he then stowed the jade stone into his storage bracelet with a flip of his hand. ¡°The old diviner was right all along, seems like he is truly a divination expert!¡± The image of the old Daoist bubbled up in his mind, causing his heart to race. Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm himself, cast a spell to smooth out the upturned ground, and then left a large piece of silver in front of the main house of the courtyard. It was his way of compensating for taking the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. Having finished that, he didn''t linger and quickly returned to the inn. After he had shut all doors and windows, he cast another spell. A stream of water shot upwards from the ground, then spread out to form a square water shield, completely covering the room. Having done this, Shen Luo took out the jade stone and laid it on the table, taking a thorough look from various angles. Chapter 403 Chapter 403: Chapter 399: Lingru in the Stone Chapter 403: Chapter 399: Lingru in the Stone ¡°This must be the spot, it appears to be the weakest point.¡± Shen Luo''s gaze quickly landed on a slightly recessed part of the jade. With a flip of his hand, he took out the Mother-Child Sword. With a ¡°clang,¡± he summoned a subordinate sword and activated a spell. A thin beam of sword-light shot out from the subordinate sword, piercing into the recess of the jade. With a light ¡°ding,¡± the jade was punctured with a tiny recess, but not penetrated. ¡°This jade is incredibly hard!¡± A hint of surprise flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. This subordinate sword was a top-grade magical instrument bound by a seven-layer prohibition. The sword-light it emits could easily penetrate a thick piece of iron, yet it could not penetrate this jade. He pursed his lips, changed the magic spell in his hand, and the subordinate sword immediately started to rotate like a drill. The emitted sword-light also began to rotate rapidly and slowly penetrated the jade. A few breaths later, a ¡°plop¡± sounded as it finally penetrated, and a rich fragrance wafted along with it. Shen Luo quickly retracted the subordinate sword, leaving a hole in the jade about the size of a chopstick and several inches deep. Looking through the hole, one could faintly see a milky liquid inside, emitting an odd, refreshing fragrance in bursts. ¡°Sure enough, it is Thousand-Year Spirit Milk!¡± He was overjoyed inside and gestured to draw it out. The Thousand-Year Spirit Milk also contained water, which was immediately manipulated by the Water Manipulation Technique, causing a small stream of spirit milk to fly out of the hole. Once removed from the jade, this spirit milk appeared before Shen Luo''s eyes. Although it was milky white all over, it had a slight yellowish tint, indicating that it wasn''t pure. ¡°As expected, extracting the spirit milk now might mean it hasn''t matured enough. I wonder if this will affect its medicinal value.¡± Shen Luo mused, then pulled out a white jade bottle and collected some spirit milk, filling half the bottle. The white spirit milk in the bottle swayed gently, its surprisingly sweet scent tempting to take a sip. Shen Luo had already checked, though. Although the spirit milk within the stones was a natural treasure, capable of healing the dead and regenerating bones, it also contained a significant amount of stone-qi. If taken directly, it could calcify the internal organs and do more harm than good. ¡°According to the classics, the medicinal effect of the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk is too strong. To refine it into a pill, one must have excellent alchemy skills. I''ll have to go to Chang''an for that.¡± He mumbled, stowing the jade bottle as he contemplated. He then sealed the hole in the jade and placed it into his storage magical tool. Only when the strange scent in the air had dispersed did Shen Luo remove the water shield in the room and go to bed. ¡°Who exactly was that elder? He calculated that I would come to Tang Qiu County City and found the location of the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. He clearly possesses significant miraculous powers. Why did he pretend to be a fraud? Was he toying with the human world?¡± Shen Luo pondered in his heart. No matter who that man was or what his aims were, Shen Luo planned to look for him again after sunrise. Firstly, to thank him for helping to find the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, and secondly, he didn''t want to miss such a master. He might need his help in the future. A night passed quickly, and as the sky just lightened, he rose, quit his room, and went down to Hundred Flower Mountain. The old monk had said that he would come to read the stars again today. But Shen Luo waited until mid-morning, and the old monk and his apprentice still did not appear. Apart from Shen Luo, many others also came here to wait. When the sun set, the old monk still hadn''t arrived, and the crowd had to disperse. But Shen Luo didn''t leave. After everyone was gone, he went to where the monk had had his stall yesterday and unleashed the Shadow Gu. Little Purple landed on the ground, hunkering down to sniff the ground a few times, then suddenly sprang forward and dashed along. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly followed. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Little Purple led Shen Luo out of town and around the area, eventually arriving at an abandoned ancient temple north of the city. It squawked twice at Shen Luo. Shen Luo puzzled, interpreting from Little Purple''s calls that the scent suddenly ended here, preventing it from continuing its tracking. ¡°You''ve worked hard, now go and rest.¡± He waved his hand to return Little Purple into the bag. He stepped inside the ancient temple for inspection but found not a trace of any clue. ¡°How can the scent cease abruptly? And there''s no water source here. Could the old man have flown away? If he indeed is an esteemed figure, it''s not impossible,¡± Shen Luo stood outside the temple, murmuring to himself. If the other party truly took flight, the scent would swiftly dissipate in the wind. According to the Medicine Immortal Collection, it would take only half a day for the Shadow Gu to lose the trail. Shen Luo was not so easily discouraged. He stayed two more days in Tangqiu County City, scouring inside and out of town every day, but he never did find any trace of the old man. Left with no choice, he was forced to give up. He departed from Tangqiu County City, activating an Armor Horse Talisman on each leg, and headed straight for Chang''an. Three days later. Shen Luo stood on a high slope, looking out at the distance. Several hundred feet away stood an incredibly majestic giant city. The city walls were a hundred feet tall, built with enormous blocks of blue jade, and looked both splendid and clean. The enormous city wall extended on both sides, reaching as far as the eye could see, with no end in sight. Compared to it, humans seemed as insignificant as ants. It was the capital city of the Great Tang Kingdom, Chang''an. Outside Chang''an City was a city moat several hundred feet wide. The river was turbulent and roaring, comparable to some large rivers. White Jade Bridges were built over the city moat, connecting to the city gate, bustling with people. Squads of Imperial Forest Army patrolled the city wall and the White Jade Bridge. Each soldier, wearing bright silver armor and carrying a long spear, exuded majestic strength. From afar, inside the city walls, broad roads crisscrossed every which way. The city was jam-packed with wagons and pedestrians, and tall architectural buildings sprouted from the ground. Royal palaces filled the city as far as the eye could see. Countless rivers intertwined within the city, shimmering waves reflected off the rippling surface as various ships and flower boats cruised above, competing and vying for space. Upon seeing this spectacle, Shen Luo''s eyes were filled with wonder. Although he had heard of Chang''an''s magnificence before ¨C it being the capital of a kingdom ¨C the sight still took his breath away. Jianye City was considered a metropolis of the Great Tang, with crowded streets and lots of activity. However, compared to Chang''an City before his eyes, it seemed like a small and old county town. ¡°Not in vain is Chang''an the capital city of my Great Tang Kingdom, with a hundred countries in attendance. Just by looking at the grandeur of this capital, other nations would harbor thoughts of surrendering.¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in his heart. Not only was the city grand in scale, as soon as he approached Chang''an City, he noticed that the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was much richer than in other areas. Shen Luo wasn''t surprised at this. Chang''an City sits at the intersection of the Spiritual Veins of the entire Southern Sub-Central Continent, making it an excellent spiritual land. Otherwise, the founding emperor of the Great Tang would not have established the capital here. In Dreamland, his cultivation level had reached the Late Mahayana Stage. Now, returning to reality, his cultivation level decreased a hundredfold, yet some insights still remained. Chapter 404 Chapter 404: Chapter 400: First Arrival in Chang''an Chapter 404: Chapter 400: First Arrival in Chang''an The entire layout of Chang''an City seems to be intrinsically mysterious, appearing to form an unrivaled Great Formation, which, with the combined energies of the whole capital of the Chang''an Country, suppresses the soaring spiritual energy of the Underground Spiritual Vein here, making the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi extremely rich. This not only benefits the monks within Chang''an City, but also brings enormous benefit to regular people. Such human efforts surpassing nature can only be described as defying the heavens. After expressing his admiration, Shen Luo didn''t linger on the high slope for too long. He continued on his way and soon arrived at the city. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chang''an City is square in shape, with thirteen city gates on the east, south, west, and north respectively, spawning hundreds of official roads leading in all directions. Currently, Shen Luo found himself on the eastern part of Chang''an City. He arrived in front of a city gate on the east side, which bore the prominent characters ¡°Xuande Gate¡±. Apart from the largest central gate, there were two smaller side gates. The central gate is reserved for various kinds of carriages and trucks coming in and out. The left side gate is for ordinary people to pass through, and there was a long line of people lined up there. The small door on the right, however, had fewer people but still had a queue. Those who lined up here all had extraordinary bearing, bringing a gust of wind with every step, revealing that they were indeed monks. The ordinary people nearby seemed to regard these monks as normal, and did not pay too much attention to them. After seeing this scene, Shen Luo walked straight into the stone door on the right and took his place at the end of the line, where there were five or six monks in front of him. Although he lacked divine sense at the moment, his gaze was sharp, and he could vaguely discern that the cultivation levels of these monks were mostly in the Qi Refining Stage. Two blue-robed youths stood to the sides, their bodies emitting radiant spiritual light. They were actually Grain Avoidance Cultivators. The man in a yellow robe at the front of the line stepped forward and presented an Immortal jade, a blue-robed youth took out a blue token and gave it a shake towards the man in the yellow robe. A beam of blue light shot out from the token and shone on the man''s body, but it quickly evaporated and disappeared. The blue-robed youth promptly handed over the token, which the man in the yellow robe grabbed without asking any questions, and stepped into the city. On witnessing this scene, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with surprise. The others followed suit when it was their turn, and soon it was Shen Luo''s turn. ¡°Daoist friend, please.¡± The blue-robed youth on the left extended his hand towards Shen Luo. ¡°My two Daoist friends, this is my first visit to Chang''an. What is the meaning of all this?¡± With an Immortal jade in hand, Shen Luo, instead of handing it over immediately, politely asked. ¡°So you haven''t been to Chang''an before. The two of us are monks under the Great Tang Dynasty Government. This token is issued by the Great Tang Dynasty Government as an identification proof. After entering Chang''an City, you must carry it at all times. Should you be found without it, you would be expelled from Chang''an at best and jailed at worst,¡± explained the blue-robed youth on the right. ¡°So this token is just an identity proof?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It also serves as a warning. As a cultivator, you should understand that we cultivators possess great power. If used for evil, it could easily cause a major disaster. Here is the capital of our Tang State, the heart of a nation, where one must act prudently. Hence, the rule was established that all cultivators must wear this token upon entering the city. We kindly ask for your understanding,¡± added the blue-robed youth on the left. ¡°Does wearing this token prevent cultivators from committing evil deeds?¡± Shen Luo was still puzzled. ¡°Well, our Great Tang Dynasty Government naturally has a solution,¡± replied the blue-robed youth on the left with a smile, still not fully expounding on the matter. Shen Luo twitched his brows, and soon realized. It was likely that there were special prohibitions set up within the token, enabling them to surveil the monks who carried it. ¡°Naturally, as long as you do not commit any illegal acts, the token will bring you no harm,¡± added the blue-robed youth on the right. Shen Luo fell silent for a while, not uttering a word. He handed over the Immortal jade in his hand. This feeling of being watched made him extremely uncomfortable. But this was a rule set by the Great Tang Dynasty Government, and against such a rule, his opposition would be futile. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Daoist friend.¡± The teenager took the token which was then flashed before Shen Luo. A blue light was projected, enveloping him. At the top of the token, a flash of light quickly brought forth a small human figure, precisely showing Shen Luo''s current appearance. ¡°From today until the day you leave Chang''an City, you must carry this token with you at all times. Do not damage it, as it needs to be turned in when you leave the city,¡± the blue-robed teenager advised once more. Shen Luo nodded, putting away the token, and then took his first steps into the city. A wide bluestone street, six yards wide, and broad enough to accommodate four or five horse-drawn carriages side by side, laid before him. Both sides of the street were lined with tall buildings, most of which were shops run by mortals, selling goods needed by mortals. The city was incredibly bustling. Shen Luo quickly withdrew his gaze and continued to walk forward, planning to ask locals for the location of Changping Alley. ¡°Greetings, Immortal Master.¡± A lean man walked over from the side of the street and bowed to Shen Luo. ¡°Who are you? What can I do for you?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the man and asked with a slightly furrowed brow. ¡°I''m Guan Feng. Looking at you, Sir Immortal Master, it seems you are visiting Chang''an City for the first time. I was born and raised here in Chang''an City and am quite familiar with every part of it. Wherever you need to go or whatever you need to take care of, I''m confident I can assist you,¡± Guan Feng explained quickly, looking at Shen Luo expectantly. ¡°Are you a guide?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. It was his first time encountering someone who did this job. But upon thinking about it, it did make sense. Chang''an City was incredibly vast. A visitor without a guide would probably remain unfamiliar with the city routes even after spending several months here. ¡°I am a coachman in the city. I can serve as a guide for all distinguished Immortal Masters like yourself because I''m familiar with all parts of Chang''an.¡± Guan Feng pointed to the side of the street. There was a carriage parked there, much smaller than the regular ones, capable of seating only one or two people. ¡°What are your rates?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the carriage and quickly withdrew his gaze, asking. ¡°If the Elder can finish his tasks within one day, it will only cost two taels of silver. If it takes more than a day, it will be two taels for each additional day,¡± Guan Feng held up two fingers, revealing his fee. ¡°If you''re so confident in your knowledge, then fine, I''ll hire you. If you guide well, there will be a generous tip for you. But if I find you deceiving me, you''ll end up like that stone.¡± Shen Luo pointed at a stone on the roadside. A flash of blue light shot past, and the stone broke in half with a ''crack''. Witnessing this, Guan looked terrified and quickly promised he wouldn''t commit any foul play. ¡°First, go to Changping Alley in the western part of the city,¡± Shen Luo commanded, as he hopped onto Guan Feng''s carriage. He had agreed to meet Xie Yuxin there, and he had arrived in the city more than a month earlier than planned. He wondered if Xie Yuxin had also arrived yet. Upon Shen Luo''s command, Guan Feng forced his carriage to move forward enthusiastically. Sitting in the carriage, Shen Luo looked around. The layout of Chang''an City was different from that of Jianye City and Chunhua County. There were many roads within the city, and they were incredibly uniform. The main roads all ran directly north to south or east to west, crisscrossing each other. The spacing between these main roads was also consistent. From a high altitude, these roads would resemble the grids on a Go board, dividing Chang''an City into many meticulously carved-out sections. Each small section was a neighborhood, and the city of Chang''an was governed by neighborhoods. Everything was orderly, making it very easy to find specific locations. Chapter 405 Chapter 405: Chapter 401: The Abandoned District Chapter 405: Chapter 401: The Abandoned District Shen Luo had already asked Guan Feng, Changping Alley was located at the southwest corner of Chang''an City, very far from Xuande Gate, and could take quite a while to get to. He looked around at the shops lining the street, in search of shops selling cultivation items. After a while, the carriage had traveled several streets and all he saw were mortals, not a single monk. The goods in the nearby shops continued to be ordinary, nothing related to cultivation. ¡°Master Guan, everyone says that Chang''an City is a holy place for cultivation and has lots of cultivators, but for the longest time, I have failed to spot a single one. Even the shops along both sides only sell items for mortals,¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Great Immortal Master, it might not be widely known but while Chang''an is indeed considered the holy grounds for cultivation within the Great Tang, immortals are still different from mortals. The court prefers to limit the interaction between cultivators and the common folk. Therefore, they have specifically separated the West Market, located in the western part of Chang''an City, as an exclusive sector for Immortal Masters. If you want something, it is suggested that you go there, else you won''t find them around,¡± Guan Feng explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo nodded without saying anything further. The carriage continued to rattle forward and only stopped after over half an hour outside a secluded alley. ¡°Great Immortal Master, we''ve arrived at Iron Hat Alley,¡± said Guan Feng. Shen Luo glanced forward and paused digitally. This alley had few people, the ground was poorly maintained and covered in fallen leaves. It was completely different from other bustling areas of Chang''an City. The houses within the alley had locked doors, and the place was so quiet that hardly any noise could be heard. ¡°Guan Feng, didn''t you say that you are familiar with all parts of Chang''an City? Do you know why this place is so deserted?¡± Shen Luo didn''t proceed immediately, but asked instead. ¡°To answer your question, Great Immortal master, this area is pretty secluded. I have hardly ever been here.¡± Guan Feng replied with some embarrassment. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo didn''t pay it any mind and stepped in. The Changping Alley had a considerable area and he wondered how to find Xie Yuxin. As an old man, wearing a bamboo hat, approached him head-on, Shen Luo considered his options and approached him to willingly inquire about Xie Yuxin. However, Shen Luo did not directly mention Xie Yuxin''s name but only described her appearance. Xie Yuxin had stolen the Bai Family''s ancestral secret technique that year, and was probably still being hunted by the government. Even though they were in Chang''an City now, it would still be prudent to be careful. ¡°A girl surnamed Xie? Most of the residents here in Changping Alley are rough men, haven''t seen any girls swing this direction.¡± The old man pondered for a moment before shaking his head and replying. ¡°Oh, I see. Sorry for disturbing you then.¡± Shen Luo thanked him and continued his journey into the Alley. He asked several people along the way, but none of them heard about a girl surnamed Xie. After reaching the deepest part of the neighborhood, Shen Luo found a simple blacksmith shop situated in a shanty dwelling. A short but robust middle-aged man was swinging an iron hammer, striking a red-hot piece of iron. ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± Shen Luo hailed as he approached. ¡°Young Master, how may I help you?¡± The robust man paused his work. ¡°I came in search of a girl surnamed Xie. She''s about twenty years old and quite beautiful. Do you know there''s such a person?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°A woman named Xie? I have never heard of her.¡± When the burly man heard this, a barely noticeable odd glint flickered through his eyes. He shook his head and answered. ¡°That''s a pity. Sorry for bothering you.¡± Shen Luo nodded, then turned and walked away, frowning slightly. Since Xie Yuxin very casually told him to find her here, it shouldn''t be hard to do so. ¡°Master Shen, have you still not found the person you''re looking for?¡± Guan Feng strolled up and asked. Shen Luo didn''t want to discuss it further and turned around to go off. ¡°Wait, Young Master Shen? May I know what''s your name?¡± The burly blacksmith suddenly halted Shen Luo''s departure. ¡°I am Shen Luo,¡± Shen Luo stopped and turned to answer. ¡°Which Luo do you mean?¡± The robust man continued to ask. ¡°Luo as in the one in the soil Luo glyph. May I ask why you need this information?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. ¡°If you are Shen Luo, then follow me.¡± The robust man set down his iron hammer and turned towards the depths of the shanty. Watching the man''s retreating figure, a smile cropped up on the corners of Shen Luo''s mouth, and he began to follow. ¡°Be careful, Master Shen. Chang''an City seems prosperous and opulent on the surface but the city has no paucity of villains. Incidents involving opportunist theft and life-threatening situations are not uncommon. It''s better to guard against them,¡± Guan Feng discreetly pulled Shen Luo and whispered. ¡°Don''t worry, I can handle it. You can wait for me outside,¡± Shen Luo reassured Guan Feng with a soft laugh. Seeing this, Guan Feng didn''t say anything further. Shen Luo followed the burly man into the courtyard where they arrived at a corner of the wall. The man pressed a few bricks on the wall corner in succession, and suddenly the wall caved inward to reveal a door leading to a passageway. Shen Luo looked ahead and saw only a narrow alleyway zigzagging ahead. He had no idea where it led. The robust man gestured to Shen Luo and walked inside. Shen Luo followed behind, alert silently. He started to circulate the Nameless Cultivation Technique and began surveying his surroundings. The pair walked along the alleyway and soon came to the entrance of a small courtyard. ¡°Wait here for a while, Master Shen.¡± The burly man told Shen Luo and then went in. As Shen Luo looked around, the environment here was quite tranquil, surrounded by woods with birds and insects chirping in incessant melodies. It felt as if they were not in the bustling Chang''an City but in a secluded valley. A moment later, the robust man came out. ¡°Master Shen, please come in,¡± he said to Shen Luo and then turned around to leave, retracing his steps back the way they came. Shen Luo shot the strange man a look, but didn''t care further and went into the courtyard. The courtyard wasn''t very large, having only about three or four two-storey buildings. A road paved with bluestones ran down the center of the yard, and it was flanked by cultivated bamboos and plants, adding a sense of tranquility to the surroundings. ¡°Brother Shen, I didn''t think you''d come so soon.¡± A white figure emerged from one of the buildings, it was Xie Yuxin. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, you really are here. It certainly wasn''t easy finding you,¡± Shen Luo said with a bitter smile. ¡°I''m so sorry, I didn''t expect you to come so soon. Plus, I was practicing in seclusion these past days and asked Zhou Tie to be careful in protecting. He is very diligent in his work which inconvenienced you,¡± Xie Yuxin apologized while welcoming Shen Luo inside the building. ¡°Haha, I was just kidding. The way that man outside handled things was admirable. I can only admire him. How could I possibly blame him,¡± said Shen Luo while laughing and waving his hand. ¡°I''m glad you''re not upset, Brother Shen. When did you arrive at Chang''an?¡± Xie Yuxin asked. ¡°I just arrived at Chang''an City half a day ago and came straight here. Elder Brother Xie, did you manage to find any leads on Spirit Fire?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes glowed brightly while staring at Xie Yuxin, he asked about the matter that concerned him the most. ¡°I did some poking around, and it turns out that the Spirit Fire might indeed show up during this Grand Annual Celebration. But, the specific grade of the Spirit Fire is unknown. No matter what type of Spirit Fire it is, the price would definitely not be cheap,¡± Xie Yuxin warned. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, since you''re familiar with Chang''an City, is there any reputable talisman and charm shop here?¡± Shen Luo nodded thoughtfully and asked. Chapter 406 Chapter 406: Chapter 402: Ma Xiuxiu''s Visit Chapter 406: Chapter 402: Ma Xiuxiu''s Visit Shen Luo had been troubled by this, he only had less than two hundred Immortal jades on him. It might be considered a fortune to an ordinary Grain Avoidance Cultivator, but for the Spirit Fire, it might not be enough, even though he had a few magical artifacts left, they were all for self-protection, and the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk was a life-saving spiritual medicine, all of which he couldn''t possibly sell. ¡°Chang''an is the capital city, most of the shops here do business very legit, the Charm and Talisman Shops are no exception. When I was in the Bai family, I heard that Daoist friend Shen Luo is good at making talismans. Are you thinking of making talismans to earn Immortal jade? It''s just that the Grand Annual Celebration is fast approaching, and making money from making talismans may not be very fast.¡± Xie Yuxin gave Shen Luo a glance and said. ¡°Earn as much as you can.¡± Shen Luo sighed lightly and said. ¡°As far as I know, in Chang''an City, the Hundred Talisman Hall, Jade Treasure Pavilion, and Treasure Hall all have good reputations, but each of these shops has a stable source of talisman masters supplying talismans. If the talismans of foreign masters are either not plentiful or not valuable, they may not necessarily want to buy them.¡± Xie Yuxin thought for a moment and added. Shen Luo chuckled, and roughly told Xie Yuxin about the Thunderfall Talisman, Binding Talisman and other talismans he was able to draw. ¡°I really didn''t expect that, Daoist friend Shen Luo, you can actually draw high-order runes! There are not many high-order talisman masters within Chang''an City, if you can draw such talismans, what difficulty would there be to earn Immortal jade?¡± The more Xie Yuxin heard, the more surprised she was, and she suddenly stood up. ¡°I''m not very proficient in these kinds of talismans, the success rate isn''t high, whether I can earn Immortal Jade is still unknown,¡± Shen Luo wasn''t as confident. ¡°According to the success rate of your previous talisman making, earning Immortal jade is almost certain. However¡­¡±Xie Yuxin waved her hand, suddenly fell silent, as if considering something. ¡°However, what?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°If you are successful in drawing these high-order talismans, those shops would naturally be happy to buy them, but the price is bound to be suppressed. If you trust me, why not give me the talismans you''ve drawn to sell, the price will be much higher than selling them to those shops.¡± Xie Yuxin looked up at Shen Luo and said. ¡°If Elder Brother Xie is willing to take the trouble of selling, then it would be best, but I am afraid this is a laborious and time-consuming task that might take up your time,¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°I have many freelance cultivator friends in Chang''an, selling talismans is not difficult. Now I also have nothing important to do, I''m just waiting for the Grand Annual Celebration. And by helping you sell talismans, I can also gain some benefits, it''s not in vain.¡± Xie Yuxin blinked and smiled. ¡°In that case, I will no longer refuse, and as for the reward for selling the talismans, Brother Xie may take two-tenths.¡± Shen Luo said with a bowing gesture with both hands. ¡°Daoist friend Shen has misunderstood me, the benefits I''m talking about are not these. In fact, the times now are kind of chaotic, and the talismans you have are all good things. While I sell them, I can also get to know fellow cultivators. Just for this friendship alone, I have benefited a lot. Besides, earning money from making talismans is difficult as it is, if I take a share of the profits, how can you gather enough Immortal jade?¡± Upon seeing Shen Luo''s misunderstanding, Xie Yuxin quickly explained. ¡°Even so, how can I take all the benefits and let Elder Brother Xie do all the work for nothing?¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°Brother Shen, I consider you a friend, why do you have to be so formal, if you insist, you are belittling me!¡± Xie Yuxin''s pretty face darkened, and she spoke seriously. Shen Luo had benefited greatly from Xie Yuxin''s kindness over the past few days, hence he intended to repay her with a small token, but seeing the strong reaction from Xie Yuxin, he gave up. ¡°Brother Xie, I have a question to ask you, are there any skilled alchemists here in Chang''an?¡± He remembered something and asked. ¡°Are you looking for someone to refine an elixir, friend Shen? Chang''an City is the center of the Great Tang Dynasty, there are indeed alchemists here. However, they are all within the Great Tang Dynasty Government or in some large sects with high status. We, as freelance cultivators, are nearly impossible to contact them. I''m afraid you will be disappointed,¡± Xie Yuxin grimaced and shook her head. ¡°Really not a single one can be found?¡± Although Shen Luo had expected this, he still couldn''t help but ask unwillingly. ¡°I cannot do anything about it. Let me ask around among my fellow daoists, maybe they are able to contact them.¡± Xie Yuxin shook her head. ¡°Then I''ll have to trouble Elder Brother Xie.¡± Shen Luo bowed again. As he was short of funds and had no leads on the alchemy master, he was a bit mixed up, and no longer in the mood to go and experience the West Market. But Changping Alley here was quiet and secluded, considered a rare place of tranquility in the bustling city, it was suitable for cultivating while drawing symbols. Shen Luo went outside, paid the agreed reward to Guan Feng and sent him away, then returned to the small courtyard. He immediately took out all the Immortal jade he had on him and asked Xie Yuxin to buy the various materials required for drawing talismans on his behalf. Since he had decided to let Xie Yuxin help, he simply entrusted the task of purchasing the spirit materials to her, so he could fully devote himself to drawing talismans. Half a month soon passed. Xie Yuxin didn''t boast, the talismans Shen Luo drew were all sold by her at a fairly reasonable price. Shen Luo''s success rate in drawing these high-level talismans wasn''t high, but the value was still quite good. During this period, subtracting the cost, he had also earned nearly a hundred Immortal Jade, which was twice as fast as the time he was drawing Small Thunder Talismans in Jianye. Excited, he quietly determined that if he had a chance to enter the dream next time, he would definitely practice these high-level talismans again to accumulate experience. If he could increase the success rate to half of the Small Thunder Talisman, then the speed of earning Immortal Jade could double again. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The process of earning money by drawing talismans was going smoothly, but the search for an alchemist was going nowhere. Despite Xie Yuxin''s many inquiries, she couldn''t find a suitable path. ¡°Forget it, let''s think of a way after the Grand Annual Celebration.¡± Shen Luo sighed, picked up a piece of Green Frost Paper, and was about to continue drawing talismans. ¡°Knock knock knock,¡± a soft knock sounded from outside. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly. Only he and Xie Yuxin knew about this place. Xie Yuxin had gone out early in the morning to sell talismans, and she usually wouldn''t come back until the afternoon, and she wouldn''t knock on the door when she came back. ¡°Could it be the blacksmith?¡± He got up and went outside, opened the courtyard door, and stood still. A young girl in blue was standing outside the courtyard, and her skin was white as snow with bright eyes and rosy lips. In the middle of her eyebrows, there was a bright red flower spot, it was Ma Xiuxiu, who he had met in Jianye City. ¡°Miss Ma! How come it''s you?¡± Shen Luo did not conceal the surprise on his face. ¡°What, doesn''t Master Shen want to see me?¡± Ma Xiuxiu adjusted her hair, and smiled beautifully. She now exuded an air of elegance and poise in every move, completely different from the shy demeanor she had in Jianye City, almost like a different person. ¡°Of course not, it''s just that you seem like a completely different person now, Miss Ma, it just took me by surprise, that''s all. Please come in.¡± The surprise on Shen Luo''s face soon faded, he said with a slight smile, leading Ma Xiuxiu into the courtyard and to the living room. Chapter 407 Chapter 407: Chapter 403: Seeking the Symbol Chapter 407: Chapter 403: Seeking the Symbol ¡°In the past, due to a particular issue, I was banished to Jianye City. To avoid trouble, I pretended to be who I was previously, not with the intention of deceiving, I beg for Master Shen''s understanding.¡± Ma Xiuxiu respectfully bowed. ¡°Banished?¡± Shen Luo quickly picked up on that term. ¡°To tell you the truth, I''m an employee of the Treasure Hall. That year, I committed an error and was punished by being sent to Jianye City to manage a small shop. It wasn''t until recently that I was pardoned and allowed to return to the headquarters in Chang''an City.¡± Ma Xiuxiu sat down and explained. ¡°Miss Ma is from the Treasure Hall!¡± Shen Luo wore a surprised look. He had been in Chang''an for nearly half a month now, and although he did not venture out much, he still learned a lot about the city from Xie Yuxin, including the names of several major forces among the cultivators in Chang''an City. Of course, the Great Tang Dynasty Government led within Chang''an City, but other major sects like Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo also had monks stationed there. Similarly, Treasure Hall was also a significant force within Chang''an City. Unlike the Great Tang Dynasty Government and sects like Hua Sheng Temple, Treasure Hall was a prominent merchant family in business. It was one of the three major merchant associations in Chang''an City, with numerous branches, virtually covering all major cultivation cities in the Great Tang, even extending beyond the Great Tang''s boundaries, establishing its vast influence. ¡°I''m just a tiny member of the Treasure Hall, not someone influential.¡± Ma Xiuxiu gave a slight smile. ¡°Even a tiny member could effortlessly track down my whereabouts. The power of the Treasure Hall is indeed unfathomable.¡± Shen Luo chuckled, his words full of underlying meaning. ¡°Daost friend Shen should not misunderstand. My visit here, although presumptuous, was not intended with malice. I came here because of this talisman.¡± Ma Xiuxiu hurriedly explained, flipping her right hand over. A purple flash appeared in the palm of her hand, revealing a purple talisman paper on which was a Binding Talisman. The lines and patterns on this talisman were very familiar to Shen Luo; they were his handiwork. The thought had barely formed in his mind when he realized how Ma Xiuxiu found his whereabouts. ¡°In Jianye City back then, I handled countless talismans drawn by Master Shen. I''m quite familiar with your style of rune inscriptions. I obtained this talisman by chance and saw some traces of Master Shen''s work on it. Hence, I relied upon some connections within Treasure Hall and investigated the origin of this talisman, leading me here.¡± As expected, Ma Xiuxiu quickly explained. ¡°Indeed, this talisman was created by me.¡± Shen Luo admitted, nodding in response. ¡°So it is true, Master Shen. Back when you were at the Bai Family, you only drew low-level talismans like the Small Thunder Talisman. In just a short time, you''ve started to draw high-order talismans. Master Shen, you are indeed a once-in-century talisman inscription genius.¡± Excitement shone on Ma Xiuxiu''s face. ¡°Miss Ma is flattering me. Given all the trouble you''ve gone to, do you need my assistance for something?¡± Shen Luo modestly disbursed the praise, proceeding with his question. ¡°To tell the truth, I have come here to ask for help, hoping Master Shen could assist me out of our years-long acquaintance.¡± Ma Xiuxiu suddenly bowed deeply. ¡°Miss Ma, you need not be so formal. Since we are old acquaintances, I will certainly lend a hand if it''s within my abilities. But I''m not sure, what exactly is it that you need?¡± Shen Luo quickly helped her up. ¡°To Master Shen, it''s not complicated. I would like Master Shen to draw a talisman for me.¡± As she spoke, Ma Xiuxiu took out a blank sheet of paper from her bosom, on which was inscribed a talisman. Shen Luo looked closely. The runes of this talisman were incredibly complex, far surpassing the high-level Binding Talisman and Thunderfall Talisman, implying it was likely a high-level talisman. However, the notes that came with it mentioned that there were no special requirements for talisman paper or talisman ink. They could be completed with ordinary yellow talisman paper and normal talisman ink. ¡°What is this talisman?¡± Shen Luo asked with curiosity. ¡°This talisman is known as the ''Dream Remembrance Talisman.'' It is a high-order talisman that allows one to infiltrate someone''s dream after activating it. Due to its peculiar nature that doesn''t require the generation of immense power, it can be drawn using ordinary talisman paper and ink,¡± Ma Xiuxiu explained. ¡°So that''s how it is. The profundity of the Talisman Inscription Dao is truly awe-inspiring, with excellent talismans that can even infiltrate dreams.¡± Shen Luo uttered, becoming engrossed in the study of the Dream Remembrance Talisman''s runes with an obsessed expression. Seeing this, Ma Xiuxiu quietly sat on the side, not disturbing him. A quarter of an hour passed just like that before Shen Luo regained his focus. ¡°I apologize for leaving you in the lurch while mulling over the rune inscriptions of the talisman. I beg for your forgiveness.¡± He smacked his forehead in repentance. ¡°Not at all, Master Shen. Seeing how engrossed you are in the study of talismans, I am only filled with admiration,¡± Ma Xiuxiu laughed. ¡°Miss Ma, may I ask what you want this talisman for?¡± Suddenly, Shen Luo asked. ¡°Master Shen, rest assured, I have no wicked intentions with this talisman. This all started a year ago when my father, also a member of the Treasure Hall, and some others were on a dangerous mission. They were ambushed by a demon, causing my father to fall into a coma. An expert from Treasure Hall examined him and said that my father is under the spell of an evil technique, with his divine soul trapped in a dream. Only by using this Dream Remembrance Talisman to enter his dream and neutralize the evil spell can my father be awakened.¡± Ma Xiuxiu let out a sigh and shared her story. ¡°Your father is in a coma? Could he be Manager Ma?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, expressing confusion. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Manager Ma is actually a distant cousin of mine. Back then in Jianye City, we referred to each other as father and daughter only for convenience in handling affairs. My real father is another person,¡± Ma Xiuxiu shook her head and said. ¡°I see. However, as I understand, there are many talisman masters under the Treasure Hall. Could it be that they are unable to draw this Dream Remembrance Talisman?¡± Shen Luo nodded before asking another question. ¡°Creating this Dream Remembrance Talisman is extremely challenging. I''ve already invited several talisman masters to help, but all have failed. Indeed, there are skillful talisman masters in the Treasure Hall, but I don''t have much authority within the Treasure Hall to request assistance from those true masters. Given my father''s deteriorating condition, I came to seek Master Shen''s help.¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes turned red, and she implored pitifully. Hearing her plea, Shen Luo sat there silently. ¡°Master Shen, my father''s level of cultivation is low. Although I''m maintaining his vitality with elixirs, he might not hold on for much longer. I beseech you to help just this once, and I certainly won''t let you assist without reward. You can make any demand you wish.¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s silence, Ma Xiuxiu pleaded sorrowfully. ¡°Miss Ma, it''s not that I''m unwilling to help, but my talent in talismans is just average. I only managed to draw a few high-ranked talismans thanks to the guidance of a mentor and by committing an extensive amount of time to diligent cultivation and hard practice. Currently, the mentor who guided me has already left, and I genuinely doubt that I, on my own, would be able to help you draw this Dream Remembrance Talisman.¡± Shen Luo twitched his mouth corners, looked straight at Ma Xiuxiu, and said. In truth, he was also faced with a predicament. Chapter 408 Chapter 408: Chapter 404 West Market Festival Chapter 408: Chapter 404 West Market Festival Shen Luo could draw Thunderfall Talisman and Binding Talisman, both high-order runes, mainly due to his experience in Dreamland. If he relied solely on his natural talent in the real world, he might not even succeed with ten years of hard practice. This Dream Remembrance Talisman seemed much more complicated than the Thunderfall Talisman and the Binding Talisman. With his current capabilities, it was impossible for him to successfully draw it in a short period of time. ¡°No problem, Big Brother Shen, you can take your time to study. As long as you can draw the Dream Remembrance Talisman within a year. If it''s still not successful, I, Xiuxiu, won''t insist.¡± Ma Xiuxiu was taken aback for a moment upon hearing these words, but she soon spoke with a firm tone. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°In that case, I''ll give it a try.¡± Seeing the eager gaze in Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes, Shen Luo could not outright refuse her. He merely gave a nod of agreement. ¡°Master Shen, did you come to Chang''an City this time for the Grand Annual Celebration? I''m curious to know what you''re planning to buy. I, Xiuxiu, may be able to help.¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s agreement, Ma Xiuxiu looked visibly relieved and asked. ¡°I came to Chang''an to buy a kind of Spirit Fire. I''ve heard that there will be a piece on display at the Conference. I wonder if it''s true?¡± It occurred to Shen Luo that Ma Xiuxiu, being from the Treasure Pavilion, would know much more about Chang''an City and the Grand Annual Celebration than Xie Yuxin. ¡°Indeed, a Spirit Fire will be on offer at the Grand Annual Celebration. It''s the Golden Yang Profound Fire, one of the 108 human fires.¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes glinted with surprise, before she answered. ¡°Golden Yang Profound Fire!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up at once. He had done a specific research on this Golden Yang Profound Fire, one of the few human fires that could benefit him. It was a pure Yang fire, highly effective for restraining ghosts, and perfect for condensing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Although this news has yet to leak, I just learnt about it by chance. Given the rarity of Spirit Fire, Master Shen, you need to prepare plenty of Immortal Jade if you want to bid for this treasure,¡± Ma Xiuxiu cautioned after a moment''s hesitation. ¡°I have another question for Miss Ma. Do you know any skilled Alchemy Masters?¡± Without any pause, Shen Luo asked further. ¡°Master Shen, you''ve come to the right person. I do know an Alchemy Master. His alchemy skills rank highly in the entire Chang''an City. However, he is currently busy with the Grand Annual Celebration, so I''m afraid he doesn''t have time to meet you,¡± Ma Xiuxiu replied with a bright smile. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed at her words. ¡°Of course, Master Shen, if you''re interested, I can negotiate on your behalf. However, this gentleman is quite peculiar and not easily persuaded to help with alchemy.¡± Ma Xiuxiu notified. ¡°Then I''ll have to trouble Miss Ma. I will do my best to attempt the Dream Remembrance Talisman,¡± Shen Luo immediately said. Despite his best efforts to control his emotions, a hint of urgency seeped into his voice. Ma Xiuxiu, noticing this, gave a charming smile. After asking Shen Luo about the elixir he wanted to refine, Shen Luo did not conceal anything and confessed that he had obtained half a bottle of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk by chance. The negotiation went well, and without lingering, Ma Xiuxiu soon excused herself and left. After seeing her out of his courtyard, Shen Luo went back inside. He picked up the white paper that detailed the Dream Remembrance Talisman and started studying it. He quickly memorized all the runes in the talisman, including the intricate transformations of some runes. As the requirements for the talisman paper were not severe, he picked up the Talisman Paper and Talisman Ink to casually give it a try. After producing ten Dream Remembrance Talismans, they all failed, and he did not get the slightest feel for it. ¡°It seems my talent for making talismans hasn''t improved much in reality. I still need to wait until I enter Dreamland to draw this Dream Remembrance Talisman,¡± he sighed inwardly, deciding not to waste time on futile attempts. If he could enter Dreamland and succeed in drawing this talisman within a year, then he would have hope of success in reality. But that was a problem for another day. Now, he needed to make the most of his time, drawing talismans to earn money. Shen Luo picked up another piece of talisman paper and talisman ink, continuing to draw Binding Talisman and Fractured Talisman, amongst others. More than a month quickly passed, and the annual Mid-Element Festival finally arrived. The Great Tang Dynasty held a grand royal sacrificial ceremony at the Chong''an Temple to the west of the city. The emperor and the officials, both civil and military, were gathered. The temple was ablaze with lights, and the scent of incense wafted into the surrounding countryside. Some Daoist temples and other shrines in Chang''an City also set up dojos and dharma platforms for blessing and good fortune. Ordinary people''s families also set up incense platforms to honor their ancestors, burned paper money, released river lanterns, and conducted ceremonies for releasing the souls of the dead, creating an extraordinarily lively scene. After a bustling day, night fell. Far from calming down, the city grew even livelier. Lanterns were everywhere, and countless paper lamps floated in the city''s rivers, adding a misty beauty that daytime lacked. A man and a woman were walking side by side along the bustling street. It was Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin. At this moment, Xie Yuxin was wearing a tight-fitting black robe, with a black veil covering her face, apparently not wanting to show her face to the public. ¡°Chang''an City is indeed extraordinary, much more lively than Jianye City,¡± Shen Luo sighed as he looked at the scene before him. ¡°Of course. But these are just common worldly spectacles. When we reach West Market, you will see the real immortal realm.¡± Xie Yuxin said with a smile, her eyes full of anticipation. Shen Luo nodded slightly. He had long admired Chang''an City''s West Market, having been busy for days in Changping Alley, creating talismans. Today, he finally gets to see the elegance of the number one market in Great Tang. The two moved forward and quickly came to a large block. At the entrance stood a massive archway, some twenty or thirty feet tall, with a carved relief depicting a dragon and a tiger in fierce combat. The dragon and tiger were both majestic, roaring up at the sky, emanating a regal air as if they looked down upon all creatures. Following the Dragon and Tiger Archway, shops lined the streets of the block. Likely due to the night, not many people were around. ¡°Here we are, this is West Market of Chang''an City,¡± Xie Yuxin halted and said. ¡°This is it?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. The scene in front of him was starkly different from what he had imagined. Was this renowned Chang''an West Market the scene before him? ¡°Oh, there is a prohibition here!¡± He looked up at the massive arch and immediately spoke again. Between the arches in the void emerged a very faint white light curtain. If it weren''t for his exceptional eyesight, he wouldn''t have been able to detect it. ¡°The West Market organizes the Grand Annual Celebration, where many monks gather. The prohibition is set up to prevent causing turmoil among the city''s populace,¡± Xie Yuxin explained. ¡°Do we need some special talismans to get in, like when entering the market of Wanqiu City?¡± Shen Luo recalled how they had entered a market in Wanqiu City and asked. ¡°That''s not necessary. The prohibition here is only to obscure strange phenomena. There''s no need for any special methods; we can directly pass through,¡± Xie Yuxin said, and then she stepped forward. As her figure touched the white film, she merged into it and disappeared from view. Shen Luo, somewhat impatient, also immediately followed her, his body merging into the white film. All he felt was a flash before his eyes, and then he found himself on a wide street. On both sides of the street were shops, each one unusually tall and decorated lavishly, far surpassing the ordinary businesses within Chang''an City. Chapter 409 Chapter 409: Chapter 405 Xuanyuan Pavilion Chapter 409: Chapter 405 Xuanyuan Pavilion At the moment, these shops were covered in prohibitions, and dazzling spiritual lights were cloaked around them, sparkling and lighting up the entire street like daylight in the dark night. There was a constant stream of people on the street, almost all of them were monks, each appearing to be quite powerful. The street in front of them was just the tip of the iceberg in the West Market. There were at least twenty or thirty similar streets, crisscrossing, forming a bustling market of immense size. Even in terms of area, the market was almost as large as half of Wanqiu City. The streets were swarming with people. Shops and stalls were as numerous as stars in the night sky. It was far more impressive than the market in Wanqiu City, and truly deserved the title of the number one market in Great Tang. ¡°It''s indeed bustling and prosperous. I never thought West Market would be so thriving.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but admire. ¡°I heard that West Market didn''t start out this big. However, the emperors of Great Tang onward have been promoting the development of West Market, both publicly and in secret. Only after many expansions did the market reach its present size. Plus, the Grand Annual Celebration of the Zhongyuan Festival adds to the lively scene.¡± Xie Yuxin added. Shen Luo nodded secretly. It seemed that the court of the Great Tang was also cultivating immortals both overtly and covertly. This wasn''t surprising. Soldiers, though able to defend their homes and countries, couldn''t solve many problems that monks could. Shen Luo might not have understood this in the past, but having experienced many things in Dreamland a thousand years later, he now had a new perspective. Shen Luo didn''t linger at the entrance, but quickly moved forward with Xie Yuxin, glancing at the surrounding shops as they walked. The shops were quite similar to those in Wanqiu City and Ghost Market, mostly selling various cultivation supplies, spiritual materials, talismans, elixirs, magical instruments, etc. However, the quality and variety here were far beyond those of the latter, making Shen Luo quite envious. However, he didn''t have deep pockets. Even after a month of diligent talisman-drawing, he had earned less than three hundred Immortal Jade. With the previous savings, he barely had five hundred Immortal Jade, and he was not even sure if it was enough to buy the Spirit Fire, let alone have spare money to buy other things. They moved on and soon arrived at a large shop deep within the market. This shop covered a vast area, almost the size of three or four average shops. It was much taller than nearby shops, outshining the rest. Two blood-red jade carvings of Qilins were on each side of the shop''s entrance, looking extremely mighty. A gigantic plaque hung above the front door, with three large characters inscribed on it: ¡°Xuanyuan Pavilion¡±. The three characters were exceptionally powerful and energetic, as if ready to fly out of the plaque, emitting an overwhelming aura. ''Xuanyuan Pavilion is indeed reputed to be one of the three largest trading forces alongside the Treasure Hall,'' remarked Xie Yuxin, her eyes sparkling. ¡°The person who inscribed these characters must have reached the realm of a True Immortal,¡± said Shen Luo quietly. ¡°How do you know?¡± Xie Yuxin inquired curiously. Shen Luo gave a faint smile, but didn''t answer. His experience and discernment within the Dreamland enabled him to see many things. ¡°It''s said that Xuanyuan Pavilion has invested a great deal for this auction. There will be an abundance of treasures. I''ve brought all my wealth here! Brother Sun, you seem ready to go. Are you planning to bid as well?¡± ¡°No way, I can''t compare with Brother Liu''s assets. This time, I just want to buy a few pieces of molybdenum gold iron to cultivate my Xuanjin Method to the fifth layer. That''s all¡±, a man said.¡± ¡°Right. This auction is said to be very different from the usual ones. High-ranking figures from Hua Sheng Temple, Mount Putuo, and the government of the Great Tang will be present. The true treasures will be sought by these elites. We''d better not hold out hope for such treasures and stay grounded.¡± Many monks nearby were strolling into Xuanyuan Pavilion as they chatted. Shen Luo listened and frowned slightly. ¡°Shall we go in directly?¡± Xie Yuxin looked at Shen Luo and asked. Shen Luo glanced around in response to her words. He received Ma Xiuxiu''s message yesterday that the Gold Sun Spirit Fire would be auctioned today at the Xuanyuan Pavilion, and she invited him to participate, which was why he came here. ¡°Master Shen, you have arrived.¡± At this moment, a voice came from ahead, and a figure stepped down from a carriage not far in front. It was Ma Xiuxiu. Today, she was wearing a fitting blue dress. The blue sheen flowed across her dress like ripples of water. It didn''t look like an ordinary garment. This strange blue dress, coupled with Ma Xiuxiu''s fair skin and exquisite figure, made her stand out, attracting many glances from the surroundings. ¡°It seems that Miss Ma arrived early. Glad to see you.¡± Shen Luo bowed slightly. ¡°Not at all, I just arrived. And who is this lovely lady?¡± Ma Xiuxiu chuckled and looked at Xie Yuxin. Although the two had been aware of each other for a while now, they hadn''t met before. ¡°This is my friend, Elder Sister Xie. Elder Sister Xie, this is Miss Ma Xiuxiu, a monk from the Treasure Hall.¡± Shen Luo introduced them briefly. After meeting Ma Xiuxiu, Shen Luo subtly asked Xie Yuxin about her. He found out that the two didn''t know each other when they were in Jianye City. Ma Xiuxiu might not recognize Xie Yuxin either. If word got out that Xie Yuxin had stolen treasures from the Bai Family, she would be in serious trouble. Naturally, Shen Luo wouldn''t reveal any of that. ¡°It''s my pleasure to meet you, Miss Ma.¡± Xie Yuxin, who had heard about Ma Xiuxiu from Shen Luo earlier, gave a modest bow. ¡°It''s my honor to meet Elder Sister Xie, too.¡± Ma Xiuxiu reciprocated the bow. After exchanging pleasantries, the three of them went straight into Xuanyuan Pavilion without stopping. ¡°Do the three Daoist friends have invitations from our Pavilion? Only the guests invited by our Xuanyuan Pavilion can participate in the auction today,¡± said one of the two armored warriors in yellow robes who stopped them at the entrance. Ma Xiuxiu''s face turned slightly cold, but she didn''t say anything and took out three gold invitation cards. ¡°How dare you behave so rudely to Miss Ma Xiuxiu! Step aside, all of you!¡± At that moment, a woman in a yellow dress with purple eyebrows and a red cinnabar mole in the midbrow walked over briskly. ¡°Steward Purple Heart!¡± The two yellow-cloaked warriors looked terrified and quickly stepped aside. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Miss Ma Xiuxiu, I hope you won''t take offense at the ignorance of these guards. Please, come inside. Daoist friends, please come in as well.¡± Steward Purple Heart gave a radiant smile to Ma Xiuxiu and gestured for them to go in. Shen Luo looked at Purple Heart. Seeing that she seemed to hold a high position in the Pavilion and was very polite to Ma Xiuxiu, he figured that Ma Xiuxiu''s status in the Treasure Hall was not as ordinary as she claimed. There was also a faint flicker of unusual color in Xie Yuxin''s eyes. Chapter 410 Chapter 410: 406 Chapter 410: 406 ¡°Your Excellency Purple Heart is too kind.¡± Ma Xiuxiu smiled calmly, not bothering to explain anything to Shen Luo and the others. ¡°Miss Xiuxiu, you came to participate in this auction, is there anything you want to bid for?¡± As Purple Heart steward ushered the three inside, she asked. ¡°I did not plan on buying anything. I came to this auction at your esteemed pavilion because these two friends of mine want to buy a few things. I''m just accompanying them.¡± Ma Xiuxiu explained. ¡°I see, may I ask the names of the two Daoist friends and what it is you want to buy? I could provide assistance to you in advance.¡± Hearing this, the Purple Heart steward became somewhat intrigued, glanced at Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin, and asked out of habit. ¡°The two of us are but mere freelance cultivators. Our names need not be mentioned. We came here today to purchase a few items for our cultivation practices. We wouldn''t dare to trouble Your Excellency with our matters.¡± Shen Luo, who was not about to reveal his bottom line to this person, said lightly. Seeing their responses, the Purple Heart steward did not further probe them. She led Shen Luo and the others forward and they soon arrived at an auction hall. The space of this auction hall was extremely large, nearly matching the size of some small squares, with hundreds of seats arranged in rows. At the front of the auction hall, there were dozens of red tables, adorned with various spirit fruits and tea, among other things. Around each table, several large rosewood chairs were placed, clearly meant for the distinguished guests. They were distinctly different from the crowded seats in the back. ¡°Honored guests, please take your seats here. We are quite near to the auction platform, so you will be able to see more clearly.¡± Purple Heart led the three to a red table at the front. The auction platform was not far ahead. The Purple Heart steward then briefly explained the auction procedures to them, handed each of them a jade tag with a number, and quickly excused herself to attend to other guests. Shen Luo looked at the jade tag in his hand, which had the number 309 written on it. Once he injected a touch of his mana, it emitted a faint glow. ¡°I didn''t expect that a mere freelance cultivator like me could sit in these VIP seats, all thanks to Miss Ma''s influence.¡± Xie Yuxin looked towards Ma Xiuxiu, her eyes flashing slightly as she said this with a meaningful smile. Having stayed in Chang''an for a longer time than Shen Luo, she understood the significance of the VIP seats at the Xuanyuan Pavilion''s auction. ¡°Sister Xie is too kind. It''s just that an elder in my family is an important figure in Treasure Pavilion. Friends in Chang''an city give me this slight privilege out of respect for that elder. May I ask what Sister Xie is planning to purchase today?¡± Ma Xiuxiu diverted the topic with a smile. The two women seemed to hit it off quite well and soon engaged in lively conversation, leaving Shen Luo on the sidelines. Shen Luo didn''t mind and continued to look around on his own. At this time, there was still some time before the auction was set to begin, and not all the seats in the auction hall were filled, with only about half of the expected attendees present. These people were of various attire and demeanors, but most of them were visibly excited, clearly looking forward to the Xuanyuan Pavilion''s auction. ¡°I overheard earlier that Hua Sheng Temple, Mount Putuo, and the Great Tang Dynasty Government are all sending representatives to this auction today?¡± Shen Luo withdrew his gaze and casually asked. ¡°Indeed. Sleeping Moon Scholar of Hua Sheng Temple and Immortal Qinghua of Mount Putuo are currently in Chang''an City. That man over there is Sleeping Moon Scholar, and the one next to him is General Jin Kui from the Great Tang Dynasty Government.¡± Ma Xiuxiu lifted her chin slightly, indicating towards a direction of a rosewood table in the distance. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin looked in the direction Ma Xiuxiu indicated. The man sitting behind the rosewood table, dressed in a white robe, appeared to be about forty, of ordinary looks, holding a white paper fan, quite elegant. This was the Sleeping Moon Scholar that Ma Xiuxiu pointed out. Behind the scholar was a handsome teenager, also in a white robe, presumably his disciple. Sitting behind the table next to the scholar was a huge blonde man, dressed in armor that looked extremely heavy, giving him the air of a solid, golden mountain. This was General Jin Kui, who appeared by himself without any entourage. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes slightly, noting that both the Sleeping Moon Scholar and General Jin Kui had concealed their mana well. Both their eyes were full of a phosphorescent glow, a sign of extreme soul power. The cultivation level of these two people had at least reached the Nascent Soul Stage. Shen Luo took a quick glance and he quickly drew back his gaze, so as not to get noticed by the two. ¡°Xuanyuan Pavillion also sent an invitation to the Immortal Qinghua from Mount Putuo. If there are no accidents, she should also be attending.¡± Ma Xiuxiu continued. Shen Luo''s expression darkened slightly upon hearing this. Five hundred Immortal Jade, compared to a wisp of high-quality Spirit Fire, would be barely enough. However, the more experts that came, the greater the probability that variables would occur during the auction. ¡°From what I know, all three elders don''t practice Fire Attribute Techniques and are not skilled in alchemy or artifact refining. Therefore, their chances of participating in bidding for Spirit Fire are not high.¡± Ma Xiuxiu seemed to notice Shen Luo''s thoughts and hinted. ¡°I hope so.¡± Shen Luo sighed quietly. ¡°Master Shen, how''s your progress with the Dream Remembrance Talisman?¡± Ma Xiuxiu hesitated for a moment, but eventually asked. ¡°I am still studying, no leads for now.¡± Shen Luo rubbed his nose and replied. ¡°It''s okay, I was just a bit too anxious.¡± There was a flash of disappointment in Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes, but she immediately regained her composure and smiled. ¡°Miss Ma, don''t worry, I will do my best.¡± Shen Luo said. At this moment, there was a commotion at the entrance of the auction hall. A man and two women, accompanied by two stewards from the Xuanyuan Pavilion, walked in. The person in the lead was a beautiful middle-aged woman in a green dress. Her face was quite attractive, but she gave off an icy chill that seemed to pierce to the bone, making her appear very proud. Following the woman in green were a man and a woman. The man was handsome, and the woman pretty, creating the impression of a golden boy and a jade girl. The expression on Shen Luo''s face changed slightly. These two, the man and woman, were none other than the two disciples from Mount Putuo that he had encountered in the market of Wanqiu City before. ¡°The Immortal Qinghua is here,¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s voice came from beside him. Shen Luo''s mind spun rapidly. He quickly lowered his head and rubbed his hands on his face a few times. When he moved his hands away, his appearance had changed completely, turning into a square-faced, thin-eyed young man. The technique he used was Xie Yuxin''s Bone Pinching Disguise Technique, a method exquisite for changing one''s appearance. The moment Shen Luo saw it, he wanted to learn it. During this period, Shen Luo managed to trade Xie Yuxin for this technique using the method of creating Divine Travel Armor Talisman. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This Bone Pinching Disguise Technique had its own unique points yet was similar to the Huangting Technique in certain ways. As he had practiced the Huangting Technique in Dreamland, he managed to easily master this secret technique. Moreover, his use of it was even more exquisite than Xie Yuxin''s. His bones made a slight crackling noise as he shrank a little in height, but his body width expanded a little, completely transforming him into another person. ¡°Master Shen, what are you¡­¡± Ma Xiuxiu looked at him in surprise. ¡°Just a simple disguise trick. Actually, I have some conflicts with those two disciples from Mount Putuo. If they recognize me, it would be troublesome.¡± Shen Luo explained truthfully. He glanced over at the two and seeing that they hadn''t noticed them, he breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 411 Chapter 411: Chapter 407 Auction Conference Chapter 411: Chapter 407 Auction Conference ¡°That is so, but Young Master Shen, you don''t need to worry. Open strife is strictly forbidden in Chang''an City. Even if they recognize you, they cannot do anything to you.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said, nodding slightly. ¡°Even so, it''s better to avoid trouble if possible.¡± Shen Luo smiled and said. Xie Yuxin also recognized the youth named Wu, but she didn''t fear being recognized as her face was veiled in black. Under the guidance of two stewards from the Xuanyuan Pavilion, Immortal Qinghua and her two companions arrived at a mahogany square table next to the Sleeping Moon Scholar and General Jin Kui. ¡°Daoist Qinghua, I heard that you went into retreat half a year ago. I didn''t expect you to come to the auction. The Sleeping Moon Scholar folded his fan with a whoosh and lightly clapped his hands, saying with a smile. ¡°It''s just an ordinary retreat. This auction held by the Xuanyuan Pavilion is such a rare opportunity, how could I miss it? On the other hand, General Jin Kui, weren''t you in retreat at home? How come you have free time to be here?¡± Immortal Qinghua sat down without expression. ¡°Hha, reaching the Great Mahayana Stage can''t be achieved just by hard cultivation. I came out to relax a little, who knows, perhaps there may be other opportunities.¡± General Jin Kui smiled lightly. Hearing this, Immortal Qinghua stopped talking and closed her eyes to rest. After a while, the seats in the hall were almost filled, and a burly old man had appeared on the high platform at the front of the auction hall. ¡°New and old Daoist friends, welcome to Xuanyuan Pavilion.¡± The old man laughed and made a bow to everyone in the hall. His hands were crimson, which seemed to be the result of some kind of peculiar practice. ¡°Red Hands Master! Wasn''t he a guest official of the Lei family? When did he join Xuanyuan Pavilion?¡± Xie Yuxin showed a surprised look on her face. ¡°Is this person very famous?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°He can be considered one of the few renowned artifact refinement masters in Chang''an City. Xuanyuan Pavilion has been recruiting talented individuals recently. They probably offered him great benefits.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. ¡°Would the Lei family willingly let go of such a person?¡± Xie Yuxin asked. ¡°Xuanyuan Pavilion has its own ways.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. While they were chatting, the voice of Red Hands Master was heard once again: ¡°Before the auction starts, there is something I would like to tell you. I assume everyone here knows my identity. Xuanyuan Pavilion would like to show gratitude for your support. Every guest who makes a successful bid is awarded a chance to have me forge an artifact for them.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as these words were spoken, the entire auction hall exploded into discussion, with many people showing surprise and delight. ¡°Xuanyuan Pavilion really knows how to do business.¡± Xie Yuxin clucked tongue in praise. ¡°Now that he has said this, many people will probably bid for an item even if they don''t need it.¡± Ma Xiuxiu agreed. Shen Luo was also somewhat moved, but it also added a bit of tension. He came here for the Spirit Fire. If he could obtain a chance to refine an artifact while winning the bid, he would definitely be happy to do so. But this also meant that the competition would be fiercer. As expected, with the words from Red Hands Master, the bidding for the first item, a box of Five Elements Gold Sand, was illustrious. It quickly escalated from fifteen Immortal Jade to thirty Immortal Jade, far exceeding its actual value. Still, two or three people didn''t give up, and it was eventually sold for a price of thirty-eight Immortal Jade. The second treasure soon appeared, which was a ring-shaped magical tool with six layers of prohibition and the ability to bind. After a frenzied round of bidding, it was finally bought by an old man with a wine-stained nose at a price of eighty-five Immortal jades. Next, various heavenly and earthy treasures, elixirs, magical devices, classic skill manuals, and so on, continued to emerge. Both the quality and quantity were much better than those at the Ghost Market''s auction. Still, due to the additional opportunity to refine artifacts, their auction prices were somewhat higher than their market value. Shen Luo didn''t manage to encounter any spirit fire he was seeking for, but his horizons were broadened, and he gained a general understanding of the prices of magical devices of all ranks. The price of a lower-ranked magical device started at about twenty Immortal jades. A mid-ranked device required at least fifty Immortal jades, while a top-grade device was priced much higher, costing at least one hundred and twenty Immortal jades. As for top-grade magical artifacts, none had appeared at the auction so far. However, through inquiries made to Xie Yuxin and Ma Xiuxiu, he understood the value of top-grade magical artifacts. Even a cultivator of the Soul Condensation Stage might not have one, and the market price was at least above three hundred Immortal jades. Having learned the prices of magical devices, Shen Luo gained a profound understanding of his speed in earning Immortal jades. It took him only around a month and a half to draw a high-order rune, earning him nearly three hundred Immortal jades, which was enough to purchase a top-grade magical artifact. Excited as he was, Shen Luo made another resolute determination that if he had the opportunity while entering a dream in the future, he would focus on studying the skills of drawing runes even more intensely. In the blink of an eye, there were more than twenty auction items presented one after another, but the Spirit Fire didn''t show up. Shen Luo sat there quietly all the time without making a move. However, Xie Yuxin did make a move and bought an elixir used for healing the trauma of the divine soul. Suddenly, another treasure was lifted onto the auction platform. It was a jade of the size of a human head, glazed yellow. When placed on the platform, it made a dull ¡°thump¡± sound, seeming extremely heavy. A slow-moving, earth-yellow light originated from the inner part of the jade, and the heavy and thick spiritual energy of the Earth Element gradually emanated from within, appearing like a towering mountain. ¡°This auction item is the ancient mystical object known as the Xuan Turtle Plank. It is formed only by Xuan turtles who have resided in the depths of mountains rich in spiritual energy for more than a thousand years. It is incredibly hard and contains an extraordinary amount of Earth Element vitality. It is an excellent material for refining magical weapons and treasures. One of the ninety-nine celestial objects used to refine the legendary ancient treasure the Turn Sky Seal was this Xuan Turtle Plank,¡± Red Hand Master introduced it with a glowing face. ¡°Xuan Turtle Shell! A treasure like this has actually appeared!¡± ¡°The Xuan Turtle Shell is also known as the Mountain God jade. It hasn''t appeared for hundreds of years. No one has seen it. Could it be fake?¡± ¡°When has Xuanyuan Pavilion ever sold fakes? Aren''t they concerned about their reputation? It must be genuine.¡± ¡°It''s said that integrating it into any magical tool can greatly enhance its power and grade, and it might even become a magical treasure. What a pity, I don''t have enough funds!¡± Before the Red Hand Master finished his introduction, the monks below were already engaged in a heated discussion. Shen Luo''s eyes sparkled, and he instinctively touched the Linlang Ring on his hand. If he could acquire the Xuan Turtle Shell on the platform and incorporate it into the Five Mountains Seal, he wasn''t sure how much its power would be enhanced. Unfortunately, such a divine object wasn''t something that a mere Grain Avoidance cultivator like him could touch. Shen Luo sighed in his heart and looked at General Jin Kui, Sleeping Moon scholar, and Immortal Qinghua next to him. Those three people were also staring at the Xuan Turtle Shell on the platform, showing significant interest in it. ¡°Everyone, rest assured, this Xuan Turtle Shell has been verified by a highly skilled person engaged by this pavilion. It''s definitely genuine. If it''s fake, this pavilion will offer ten times compensation. The bidding will now start at three hundred Immortal jades,¡± said Red Hand Master unhurriedly. Chapter 412 Chapter 412: Chapter 408: The Conflict of the Spirit Fire Chapter 412: Chapter 408: The Conflict of the Spirit Fire Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but grimace. The Xuan Turtle Shell was indeed shockingly expensive, the starting price was set at the value of a top-grade magical artifact. When the audience heard this, most of those keen to make a move backed off. There were not a few people who could come up with three hundred Xianyu, but that was only the starting price. The final transaction price was clearly far more than this amount. Although the price was steep for some, others were unfazed. Immediately, some high-rolling individuals started bidding. After a few rounds, the price of the Xuan Turtle Shell quickly escalated to five hundred Xianyu. The bidder was a short, portly man attired in luxurious clothing, effectively silencing the rest of the bidders. The short, fat man seemed to be gritting his teeth, seemingly having put all his fortune on the line. ¡°Five hundred and fifty Xianyu!¡± called out a new voice. It was General Jin Kui who had finally made a move, increasing the price by fifty Xianyu, a clear display of his extravagant wealth. The portly man shivered, deflating like a punctured balloon and collapsing onto his seat. ¡°Hehe, Brother Jin is also interested in this Xuan Turtle Shell. In that case, let me join in the fun, five hundred and eighty Xianyu,¡± chuckled the Sleeping Moon Scholar nearby, casually raising his hand to make his bid. ¡°Six hundred Xianyu!¡± General Jin Kui, seemingly valuing the Xuan Turtle Shell greatly, increased the bid immediately. ¡°The Great Tang Dynasty Government''s wealth is indeed powerful, but I also have some savings at my disposal, six hundred and fifty Xianyu,¡± Sleeping Moon Scholar unfolded his fan, speaking with a faint smile on his face. At this moment, the rest of the auction hall fell silent. No one else made a move, merely watching the dispute between the two quietly. ¡°Eight hundred Xianyu!¡± General Jin Kui retorted without hesitation, surprising everyone with an increase of a full one hundred and fifty Xianyu. The scholarly visage of the Sleeping Moon went slightly morose. ¡°I must have this Xuan Turtle Shell. Brother Sleeping Moon, if you wish to bid further, feel free to do so. Just try to avoid going bankrupt,¡± spoke General Jin Kui in a seemingly nonchalant manner. ¡°Bankrupt me? It''s still a long way off. Nine hundred Xianyu.¡± The Sleeping Moon Scholar laughed heartily, seeming somewhat agitated. ¡°One thousand Xianyu!¡± Seeing General Jin Kui''s bid didn''t deter the Sleeping Moon Scholar, his brows furrowed as he again increased the bid. ¡°One thousand five hundred Xianyu!¡± A cold voice called out. It was Immortal Qinghua who had remained silent until now, straight away upping the bid, outdoing General Jin Kui. The audience gasped collectively upon hearing the new bid. Even Red Hands Master on the auction stage looked taken aback. The auction hall fell silent. Only after a while did some people start whispering among themselves. ¡°One thousand five hundred Xianyu? Daoist Qinghua, that''s a grand gesture. The Xuan Turtle Shell is indeed precious, but it''s not that substantial. Is it really worth this much?¡± spoke the General in a frosty tone. ¡°Whether it''s worth it depends on the individual''s perspective. Brother Jin Kui, if you desire this item, continue to bid,¡± replied Immortal Qinghua calmly. ¡°Hehe, I am not a fool. Since Daoist Qinghua wants this item and has bid such a high price of one thousand five hundred Xianyu, how can I not oblige you,¡± said General Jin Kui with a sly grin, choosing not to increase his bid any further. Sleeping Moon Scholar''s brows twitched a few times, but he too remained silent. On the high platform, a flicker of joy flashed across Red Hands Master''s eyes. Xuanyuan Pavilion''s predetermined price for the Xuan Turtle Shell was somewhere around a thousand Xianyu. Now, they had managed to fetch a high price of one thousand five hundred Xianyu. According to the rules of the Xuanyuan Pavilion, the auctioneer gets a 10% commission of the amount exceeding the predetermined price, a total of fifty Xianyu. This was indeed quite a fortune. Seeing as no one else in the auction hall was bidding, Red Hands Master was about to announce the winner of the Xuan Turtle Shell. ¡°Two thousand Xianyu!¡± A voice suddenly rang out. It came from neither General Jin Kui nor the Sleeping Moon Scholar, but from a corner of the auction hall. The entire auction hall fell silent, soon followed by everyone collectively turning to look in the direction of the sound. The person speaking was a monk wearing a large black robe, completely covered up so you couldn''t see their face or tell whether they were male or female from their muffled voice. Speculations started swirling amongst the attendees about the origins of the black-robed person. After making his bid, the black-robed figure calmly sat there, seemingly oblivious to the attention he was drawing from the crowd. Immortal Qinghua''s eyebrows twitched as she shot the black-robed figure a deep glance, then closed her eyes, refraining from raising her bid. On the high platform, Red Hands Master could hardly conceal the joy on his face. His normally flushed face was even redder due to excitement. He pinched his fingers hard and forced himself to calm down, repeating the price twice as per the rules. As expected, no one else in the auction hall made a bid. Seeing no one responding, Red Hands Master announced the ownership of the treasure. This round of auction was extremely thrilling, and the people in the auction hall found it wonderfully satisfying. Even though the auction had ended, hushed discussions continued. Red Hands Master waited a while before proceeding to the next round of the auction. He took out a flaming red wooden box about a foot high and placed it on the auction stand. When the wooden box was opened, there was a transparent white crystal ball inside. It was not clear what it was made of, but in the center of the crystal ball was a burning golden flame. Despite being separated by the white crystal ball, a sweltering breath still transmitted out. ¡°Spirit Fire!¡± Someone immediately recognized the origin of the golden flame. Shen Luo suddenly straightened up, his eyes glued to the object on the stage. ¡°The next item is also a treasure. As a Daoist friend has already identified, yes, this golden flame is indeed a spirit fire, the Golden Yang Profound Fire,¡± said Red Hands Master. ¡°The information from Treasure Hall is indeed accurate, thank you, Miss Ma,¡± Shen Luo nodded to Ma Xiuxiu in thanks. ¡°Our Treasure Hall has some influence in Chang''an City after all. Getting a bit of information isn''t too difficult. Next, it will all depend on Master Shen''s resources,¡± Ma Xiuxiu chuckled lightly. Shen Luo nodded silently, adjusting his breath inwardly, calming his mind in preparation for the upcoming bidding battle. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Golden Yang Profound Fire ranks thirty-seven on the human fire list. It is a Pure Yang Spiritual Fire, especially effective in counteracting the Yin Qi of ghosts. It''s also very suitable for alchemy and refining. The starting price is 200 Immortal jade,¡± announced Red Hands Master. ¡°210 Immortal jade!¡± ¡°220!¡± ¡°235 Immortal jade!¡± The reputation of the Golden Yang Profound Fire was not small. Before Shen Luo could make a move, there was already a continuous bidding war, raising the price to 270 Immortal jade. Shen Luo was feeling anxious. If it continued like this, he didn''t know how far the price would rise. ¡°300 Immortal jade!¡± He immediately raised his jade card. Shen Luo once added thirty pieces of Immortal Jade, causing several people to retreat from the bidding process. ¡°310 Immortal jade!¡± ¡°320!¡± However, two monks still followed up. One was a gray-haired man, and the other was a red-clothed young woman. It seemed that both of them genuinely needed the Golden Yang Profound Fire. ¡°350 Immortal jade!¡± Shen Luo made an aggressive bid. The gray-haired man sighed and did not make another bid. ¡°360 Immortal jade!¡± The red-clothed young woman gritted her silver teeth and held on. ¡°400 Immortal jade!¡± Shen Luo, with an expressionless face, upped the bid by forty Immortal jade. The red-dressed young woman glared fiercely at Shen Luo, snorted once, and didn''t make any further bids. Shen Luo, relieved at this sight, cast a secretive glance at the other people in the auction hall. On the high platform, Red Hands Master''s gaze was somewhat gloomy. Truthfully, selling the Golden Yang Profound Fire for four hundred Immortal Jade was a bit low, but Shen Luo''s bidding tactics were brilliant, suppressing all others. He had no choice but to follow the rules. ¡°Guest number 309 has bid 400 Immortal jade. Does anyone have a higher bid?¡± Red Hands Master asked aloud. Chapter 413 Chapter 413: Chapter 409: Clues to Alchemy Chapter 413: Chapter 409: Clues to Alchemy The auction hall fell into silence, with no one responding. Just as Ma Xiuxiu had said, the trio of General Jin Kui, Sleeping Moon Scholar, and Immortal Qinghua did not make a move to bid for the Golden Sun Profound Fire, causing Shen Luo''s heart to gradually calm down. ¡°Four hundred and ten immortal jade!¡± But just at that moment, as if the heavens were against him, a crisp voice suddenly rang out. Shen Luo''s face fell as he turned to look in the direction of the voice, his pupils slightly contracting. ¡°It''s her again, trying to ruin my good fortune!¡± He thought to himself angrily. The one who had spoken was not anyone else but the Miss Li who stood behind Immortal Qinghua. The girl herself did not recognize him, but just so happened to cross him again. ¡°Four hundred and thirty immortal jade!¡± Shen Luo raised his placard and called out a bid. ¡°Four hundred and eighty immortal jade!¡± Miss Li glanced at Shen Luo and, seemingly impatient, casually added another fifty immortal jade. ¡°Five hundred immortal jade!¡± Shen Luo had a premonition of ill fortune, offered his highest bid. ¡°Six hundred immortal jade.¡± Miss Li scoffed, actually adding another one hundred immortal jade, simply treating the immortal jade like they were dirt. Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat, his face turning somewhat pale. ¡°Master Shen, Spirit Fire is indeed rare, but they do occasionally appear in Chang''an City. This price is already clearly high.¡± Ma Xiuxiu comforted Shen Luo when she saw his expression. ¡°In that case, I''ll have to trouble Miss Ma to keep an eye out for me.¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath to steady his emotions, and said. On the high platform, Red Hands Master''s face showed excitement. After asking the price twice, he quickly announced the ownership of the Golden Sun Profound Fire. The auction was gradually reaching its climax. Various rare treasures, precious elixirs, and magical instruments appeared one after another; even several top-grade magical artifacts made appearances. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Shen Luo was in low spirits and had little interest in watching. In a blink of an eye, two hours passed and the auction was finally drawing to a close. The atmosphere within the auction hall still hadn''t abated much, remaining heated and exciting. Finally, when the last and most anticipated auction item, the top-grade magical artifact ¡°Hundred Sounds Chime¡± which consisted of sixteen layers of prohibitions and was just one step away from becoming a magical treasure was auctioned off by General Jin Kui for the high price of 2,600 immortal jade, the auction officially ended. Shen Luo, along with the surging crowd, left Xuanyuan Pavilion. It was already broad daylight outside now, and the West Market was still bustling with people. It seemed to have been lively all night. Having let the Gold Sun Spirit Fire slip away right in front of him, Shen Luo felt disappointed. He had no desire to stroll around and immediately bid farewell to Xie Yuxin to leave. ¡°Master Shen, I will continue to help you inquire about the Spirit Fire. As soon as there is news, I will notify you immediately.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. ¡°I''m grateful for your help, Miss Ma.¡± Shen Luo bowed his hand in thanks. ¡°As for the matter of the Alchemy Master, now that the Grand Annual Celebration is over, I will contact him. I believe we will have a result in a few days.¡± Ma Xiuxiu continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt a bit of relief from his low spirits and thanked her again. It seemed that Ma Xiuxiu had some business to attend to. She called over a carriage that had been waiting outside, boarded it, and left. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin did not stay in West market and quickly returned to Changping Alley. ¡°Friend Shen, I have some things to do and need to be away from Chang''an City for a few days, so the selling of talismans may have to be suspended.¡± Xie Yuxin stopped outside of Changping Alley, not going in, and said. ¡°That''s not a problem, may I know what are you going to do? Do you need my help?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking somewhat surprised. ¡°It''s just a small matter, no need to trouble you, Friend Shen.¡± Xie Yuxin said. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t insist any further. ¡°Zhou Tie is an old friend of mine. Though he''s not a monk, he''s been living in Chang''an City for many years and is familiar with many places in the city. He''s meticulous in his work and can be trusted. If you have any miscellaneous things to do, you can instruct him.¡± Xie Yuxin continued. ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Luo nodded. Xie Yuxin always acted in a rush. After explaining the situation, he immediately left. Several days later in the early morning, the walls of Changping Alley reverberated with a bustling sound and smoke from the cooking fires began to rise. Although the small courtyard where Shen Luo was staying was quite some distance from the busy streets, he could still faintly hear the bustling sounds from the marketplace outside, filled with the smell of smoke and fire. Shen Luo woke up from his meditation, got up, and opened the window of his second-floor room overlooking the courtyard. He saw an old locust tree outside, where a group of sparrows was chattering non-stop, while the sound of cicadas that had been calling all night had gone silent. Looking up, he saw quite a few vendors along the street outside beginning to hang up flags and open their doors, ready to welcome customers. At this moment, a door in the inner courtyard opened. A beautiful, delicate young girl was making her way towards him. She came to a stop beneath the building, looked up at Shen Luo, and smiled. It was Ma Xiuxiu. Although it felt a bit unexpected, Shen Luo still responded with a polite smile. Before long, the door to his second-floor room opened, and Shen Luo welcomed her inside. ¡°Miss Ma, why have you come here so early? Could it be there''s progress with the matter?¡± Shen Luo asked, pouring a cup of tea for her. ¡°After you spoke to me about the matter that day, I went back to the business association to inquire. Indeed, we do have an Alchemy Master in our association, but there is only one who can refine Milk Spirit Pills.¡± Ma Xiuxiu took the teacup, put it down, then began to speak. ¡°That''s great news!¡± Shen Luo said, delighted. ¡°Master Shen, don''t celebrate too soon. The Alchemy Master is one of the highest-ranking individuals in our business association. Inviting him to help refine the pills is very costly.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. ¡°I''m prepared for that, naturally. May I know how much the elder is charging?¡± Shen Luo asked indifferently. ¡°Refining pills consumes more effort than crafting objects, and this Alchemy Master doesn''t usually take external requests. Fortunately, he reluctantly agreed because of our friendship. In addition to paying him eight hundred immortal jade as a fee, he also asked for one-third of the final amount of Milk Spirit Pills produced no matter the outcome.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows unconsciously furrowed. Not to mention that the fee was significantly higher than what Shen Luo had expected, but even one-third of the Milk Spirit Pills needed to be given away, which Shen Luo found difficult to accept. ¡°The price¡­ is beyond my expectations. I wonder if there is any room for negotiation?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Master Shen, I don''t mean to make things difficult for you, but this elder has always been eccentric. I am the only one who can say something in front of him. He doesn''t care about anyone else. Moreover, he is the type of person who, once he has said something, wouldn''t change his mind. I have never seen him haggle with anyone¡­¡± Ma Xiuxiu looked helpless, gently turning her teacup. Chapter 414 Chapter 414: Chapter 410: Underworld Task Chapter 414: Chapter 410: Underworld Task Seeing that she seemed genuine, Shen Luo felt regret. ¡°In that case, I will have to find another way. Nonetheless, thank you, Miss Ma.¡± Shen Luo bowed. Upon hearing these words, Ma Xiuxiu didn''t respond immediately to Shen Luo but furrowed her brows, deep in thought. ¡°Miss Ma¡­¡± Shen Luo waved at her, bringing her back to reality. She hesitated a moment before saying: sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There is another way that may persuade that elder to help you with alchemy; would you be willing to try?¡± ¡°What method?¡± Shen Luo quickly asked. ¡°Master Shen, have you ever heard of the Underworld Task?¡± Ma Xiuxiu asked mysteriously. ¡°I might''ve heard of it. Why? Is the solution you''re talking about related to the Underworld Task?¡± Shen Luo was slightly stunned, then asked. ¡°Yes. The alchemy master elder has been trying to refine a type of Mingling Pill and has been searching for the Spirit Material, Yellow Springs Crystal, a local specialty of the Yin Bureau. Unfortunately, this item is extremely valued in the Yin Bureau and rarely appears in the human realm. Thus, he has had trouble finding it. If you could somehow acquire this, then the conditions for alchemy could be largely negotiable.¡± Ma Xiuxiu nodded. ¡°Yellow Springs Crystal¡­ Being so precious, it''s probably not easy to acquire?¡± Shen Luo pondered. From the few encounters Shen Luo had with Soul Hook Horse Face, he knew that items from the underworld were not easily obtained. ¡°Naturally, however our business association has plans to accept an Underworld Task soon, and the reward involves this Yellow Springs Crystal. If you are willing to participate, I can arrange for you to join as a member of our business association and participate in this task.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. ¡°But as far as I know, you need to be at least a cultivator of Soul Condensation Stage to accept Underworld Tasks? My Dao-Practice is slight and probably not up to par, right?¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°While that''s indeed generally the case, this task is open to groups, so as long as the team leader has achieved Soul Condensation, one''s level of cultivation isn''t a problem ¨C the Grain Avoidance Stage is good enough.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said with a smile. ¡°Could you please share the details of the task, Miss Ma? I would like to avoid hindering the progress of the business association due to ignorance.¡± Shen Luo approached Ma Xiuxiu with a smile and a bow and asked. ¡°Don''t put yourself down, Master Shen¡­ Generally, tasks from the Underworld mainly involve exorcising ghosts and demons. Since you are proficient in the way of talismans and have a mighty thunder talisman by your side, it would seem you are the best choice to take on this task.¡± Ma Xiuxiu waved at Shen Luo dismissively. ¡°Sounds like Miss Ma has thoughtfully planned for me.¡± Shen Luo smiled and remarked. ¡°I might have, but let me warn you. These kinds of tasks are generally not simple, especially this time when the rewards are high. The ghost that we have to exterminate is likely not a simple one either. You should consider it carefully before deciding. You can give me your answer by tomorrow afternoon.¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s expression became serious as she explained. ¡°I accept the task.¡± Shen Luo contemplated a moment, then declared. ¡°The task won''t start until half a month from now. There''s no need to rush your decision just yet, we still have time.¡± Ma Xiuxiu gave him a startled look, surprised by his words. ¡°I''ve thought it through. I will accept it. Miss Ma has already considered so much on my behalf. If I were to continue being indecisive, wouldn''t I let down your kindness?¡± Shen Luo chuckled with firm resolution. ¡°Indeed, your courage is exceptional, Master Shen. However, you don''t need to worry too much about this time. The one leading this task is a Hierarch of our business association that''s in the late stage of Soul Condensation. He has completed many Underworld Tasks, never lost one, and always kept the casualty rate extremely low. As long as you strictly follow his instructions, there won''t be any problems. Moreover, I''ll ask him to look after you a bit more.¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes flashed a look of admiration. ¡°Thank you for that.¡± Shen Luo offered a bow. ¡°Master Shen, there''s no need to be so formal with me,¡± Ma Xiuxiu finally broke into a smile. Afterward, she took her leave. As it approached noon, Shen Luo also left the small courtyard and headed towards the West Market where the shops were concentrated, purchasing a batch of talisman papers and various spiritual materials for making talisman ink. He wanted to use the half a month to draw more talismans to prepare for the Underworld Task. Time flew by, and half a month had passed. This early morning before Shen Luo could head to Treasure Hall, a carriage arrived outside his small courtyard. It was sent by Ma Xiuxiu to take him to the gathering point. After packing all his talismans and magical instruments, Shen Luo got onto the carriage and headed west. Passing through several streets and marketplaces, the carriage travelled for quite a while. When they passed a large gate, Shen Luo lifted the curtain for a peek and realized they had already arrived at Yongxingfang, northwest of the city. ¡°Why are we here?¡± Shen Luo asked puzzled. ¡°The gathering point is in Yongxingfang. Please be patient, sir, we''ll be there soon.¡± The coachman explained. Shen Luo originally thought the assignment to capture a ghost would start from outside the city. He never expected it to be in the Yongxingfang that was near the Imperial City. Following the road further north through the city, it wasn''t long before the carriage came to a halt. Shen Luo hopped off the carriage, looked ahead and saw a grand building with two enormous stone sculpture lions, intimidating and majestic. ¡°City God Temple¡­¡± Observing the plaque hanging on the building''s lintel, Shen Luo couldn''t help feeling surprised. While he was pondering, another carriage showed up from behind. Stepping down from it was a tall man dressed in a short tunic, with a large bronze axe strapped on his back, striding towards him. He walked up to Shen Luo and looked down at him. In a simple and honest manner, he asked, ¡°You here for the gathering too?¡± Shen Luo examined the man, noticing his broad forehead, low nose bridge, and thick lips. The man struck him as seeming simple and honest. Feeling somewhat confused, he nodded. ¡°So am I. Let''s go together.¡± The tall man gestured with his big hand and lead the way up the stairs. Shen Luo slightly hesitated before following. ¡°My name is Lu He, what''s yours?¡± the man asked as he noticed Shen Luo following him. ¡°I am Shen Luo.¡± He bowed. ¡°Looks like it''s your first time taking part in a task?¡± Lu He studied Shen Luo, then asked. ¡°Yes, it''s my first time, I could use a few tips from you.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°There''s not much to teach, I''ve only taken part three times myself. Anyway, just stay close to Elder Hu Yong.¡± Lu He advised. ¡°Elder Hu Yong?¡± Shen Luo was surprised. ¡°You didn''t know? The one leading this task is Elder Hu Yong. As long as you stick with him and follow his instructions, you won''t lose your life easily.¡± Lu He said, admiration evident in his eyes. ¡°Who is this Elder Hu Yong? Why is he so formidable?¡± Shen Luo questioned. ¡°There''s no need to ask so many questions. What''s most important when executing a task is not to act clever, just listen to Elder Hu Yong''s instructions.¡± Lu He waved his hand impatiently as he spoke. During their conversation, they entered through the front gate into the City God Temple. Chapter 415 Chapter 415: Chapter 411: Yama Hall Chapter 415: Chapter 411: Yama Hall The front hall of the temple housed the Gods of Literature, Martial Arts, and Wealth, the incense was burning lavish, people lined up to offer incense money into the Merit Box. The main hall was dedicated to the City Lord, with equally numerous visitors, just less incense money being offered, but more people sincerely bowing their heads in prayer. Shen Luo and Lu He directly passed through the main hall and upon reaching the backyard, they found fewer people around. Shen Luo looked up and saw a great hall standing at the back, with a plaque hanging on the lintel, on a black background were written, in gold lacquer, the three big characters of ¡°Yama Hall¡±. In the square in front of the great hall, there were two men and a woman, standing in a group of three people. Although the three of them were in front of the great hall, they were all keeping some distance from each other, seemingly not familiar with each other. Among them, a thin young man with a pale but somewhat handsome face, had a slender green longsword slung across his back. He was standing under an old scholar tree in front of the hall, looking up at the lush leaves above. Not far from him, against the railing in front of the hall, a middle-aged man with a moon-shaped face shield, which covered his left cheek, was standing. He wore half a set of armor that only protected the area around his heart, and a golden long knife was hanging from his waist. And four or five steps away from him, leaning on the railing was a plump woman dressed in a red gauze skirt. While she was not exceedingly beautiful, her makeup was quite heavy. Yet, her pair of plump breasts was so full that they seemed to be ready to burst out of her dress. When the two of them, Shen Luo and Lu He, were seen coming in, the young man merely glanced sideways at them before withdrawing his gaze. The armored man and the woman in red, however, took the initiative to walk towards them. ¡°Oh, new faces have arrived¡­¡±. The woman in red swayed with each step she took, and her breasts quivered three times with each step. ¡°Greetings to fellow Daoist friends.¡± Shen Luo took the initiative to greet them with a fist-and-palm salute. ¡°With one sporting a cold face, one covering half his face, and one too ugly to look at, at last, we get a pretty one. Just taking a few more glances at him already makes this mission worthwhile.¡± The woman in red lazily eyed Shen Luo up and down, chuckled, and spoke without any reservations. ¡°Lu He, who might this be?¡± The armored man returned the salute and asked. ¡°He''s newly recruited by our company, and will be joining us on this mission. His name is Shen Luo. Brother Shen, the one standing under that scholar tree is¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Lu He began to introduce Shen Luo to the others. The young man under the scholar tree was named Lin Qing. He was the first among them to take on missions for the company, though he had not been with them for a long time. He had only completed six missions so far. The armored man and the woman in red were named Jin Dun and Yun Niang, respectively. Both joined later than Lin Qing, but slightly earlier than Lu He, and had accomplished four missions. They had crossed paths on these missions, and so were not strangers to each other. However, they were not exactly familiar with each other either, hence Lu He''s Introduction to each person was simple and direct. While they were talking, an old man in a brown robe, who looked like an aged monkey, came over from an archway in the side courtyard. He was holding a dark red gourd of wine and was walking towards them with a floating gait. As Shen Luo looked over, he saw that the front part of the old man''s head was already bald, extending from his ears to the back of his head. The remaining hair was too sparse and also a little disheveled, cascading down his neck. The old man had quite round cheeks, eyebrows dropping to his ears, a shiny red alcohol-fermented nose, and a long beard that reached all the way down to his chest. His beard appeared wet as if splashed with undried wine. He looked somewhat genial but also somewhat sloppy. In contrast to Shen Luo''s reaction, the other four people immediately rushed over to the old man as soon as they saw him, with respectful salutes on their faces: ¡°Elder Hu¡­.¡± ¡°Old what, old? How many times have I said it? Either call me brother Hu or elder brother Hu, no calling me, old Hu.¡± The old man waved his gourd and grumbled. ¡°Elder Hu.¡± Shen Luo recognized that this was the Elder Hu Yong mentioned by Lu He and immediately stepped forward to pay his respects. ¡°Oh? You''re the newcomer that Xiuxiu mentioned, what''s your name again?¡± Hu Yong thought for a good while but failed to recall Shen Luo''s name. ¡°The junior''s name is Shen Luo,¡± replied Shen Luo. ¡°Shen Luo, good, just follow me, and I assure you that you''ll return safe and sound,¡± Hu Yong nodded, tapped Shen Luo with his gourd, and said. Watching this, Shen Luo could not help feeling worried. Could this old man, who seemed like a drunkard, really lead them to complete the mission? But judging by the expressions of the four others, it seemed they were already used to this. ¡°Elder, where are we supposed to carry out this mission?¡± Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing this, Hu Yong turned, pointed to the great hall behind him, and said, ¡°Right here.¡± ¡°Right here?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. The others also showed expressions of confusion, clearly not understanding as well. ¡°Don''t worry, the place we are going to, indeed has to be accessed from here,¡± said Hu Yong, taking another swig of his drink and wiping his mouth. After finishing his drink, he finally sealed the mouth of the gourd and hung it on his waist. He then stroked his beard, straightened his clothes and ceremonial hat, and walked towards Yama Hall, leading the way. Seeing this, Shen Luo and the others hurriedly followed. Before they even entered the hall, a chill wind emerged from inside. Despite it being summer, Shen Luo felt a sudden chill envelop him, giving rise to a sense of eeriness. Stepping over the threshold into Yama Hall, Shen Luo saw a tall deity statue, with a clean face and crown, sitting upright behind an offering table. Unquestionably, it was the usual portrayal of Lord Yama. On both sides of his crown were hanging fragrant pouches used as ear protection, he was wearing a long robe with lotus leaf collar, both hands holding a Ruyi board in front of his chest. Although it was a clay statue, it exuded a certain majesty. On both sides of the Yama statue, there were statues of judges: one had a normal, pale complexion, and the other had a dark face resembling that of an evil ghost. Each held documents and a writing brush in their hands, they were the judges who reward the good and punish the evil, widely known in the worldly lore. Underneath the judges, there were thin statues wearing tall crowns, one black and one white, representing Black and White Impermanence, and on the other side were Ox Head and Ma Mian. Shen Luo''s gaze lingered a bit longer on the face of Ma Mian. He felt that the clay Ma Mian and the real one he had seen were somewhat different, with the clay figure appearing rather fierce. On the surrounding walls, there were vivid and colorful murals depicting the various scenes of the eighteen levels of Hell, filled with images of torturous punishments such as disembowelment, mountains of blades, seas of flames, boiling pots, etc. After looking at it for a while, Shen Luo felt uncomfortable and immediately withdrew his gaze. At this moment, Hu Yong flipped his hand. Three dark red incense sticks mysteriously appeared in his palm. He lit them with a flick of his finger, and the tips of the incense started to burn with a red glow. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He then used his hands to make a peculiar magic seal, held the incense to Lord Yama and the other deity statues in a respectful bow three times, and then inserted the three sticks of incense into the incense burner. Afterwards, he stood to the side with his hands clasped behind his back, as if waiting for something. Chapter 416 Chapter 416: Chapter 412: Zhong Kui''s Entrustment Chapter 416: Chapter 412: Zhong Kui''s Entrustment Shen Luo stared at the three incenses for a while, watching the milky-white smoke rising straight into the sky, deviating not an inch. Aside from this, there was nothing unusual. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as he was growing bored and was about to look away, the three incenses suddenly changed. The flames at the tip of the incense suddenly brightened as though someone had blown on it, the color shifting from a deep red to a bright yellow. Then at a speed visible to the naked eye, they started to burn rapidly. The moment the three points of the incense fire fell simultaneously, a peculiar seal emerged on the round three-legged incense burner, followed by a ¡°whooshing¡± wind sound that Shen Luo heard. He saw a hazy vortex rising from the accumulated incense ash within the burner, growing larger and slowly enveloping them. He subconsciously wanted to retreat, but was held back by someone''s grip on his shoulder. ¡°Trust in Elder Hu, you will be fine.¡± Lu He''s voice came from behind him. Shen Luo heard this, his body remained tense and unable to relax. But before he could react, the vortex of incense ash had already descended from above, engulfing him. In a flash, the surroundings seemed draped in a layer of black mist and had turned gloomy. Shen Luo felt as though he had fallen into a bottomless pit, his figure continuously falling down but never reaching the bottom. After an unknown amount of time, Shen Luo''s feet finally touched the ground again. The surrounding cloak of thick black mist seemed to slowly become thin, revealing the environment around him. A quick glance told him that the surrounding sky was gloomy, and a layer of mist hung in the distance, making it difficult to see clearly. The ground under his feet was barren and devoid of vegetation. ¡°This place¡­¡± Shen Luo felt a sudden shock in his heart, carefully feeling the air around him and found it familar. ¡°No need to guess, this place is the Netherworld. Stay close and don''t stray on your own,¡± Hu Yong suddenly said. ¡°Turns out it is the Netherworld,¡± Shen Luo thought, his heart stirred. Although he had once entered the Netherworld through a dream and had even seen the Ghost Gate Pass, the experience was so profound that it was still fresh in his mind. Hu Yong walked ahead, apparently very familiar with the route. He soon brought the group to a rest pavilion. Looking into the pavilion, Shen Luo saw a man sitting with his back towards them. He was a broad figure, dressed in a garish red official robe, with a red big sword hanging from his waist. Even his silhouette was intimidating. ¡°I pay my respects to Lord Zhong Kui,¡± Hu Yong walked to the steps of the pavilion, saluting with a fist in his palm. All others also bowed and paid their respects in unison. Upon hearing Zhong Kui''s name, Shen Luo was taken aback, and for a moment, stood rooted to the spot, forgetting to bow. He was familiar with the name Zhong Kui, a famous ghost-catching Heavenly Master in folk tales, who had left countless legendary tales of catching ghosts and battling demons. Even Soul Hook Horse Face had praised him profusely and admired him greatly. The man turned around at the sound, looking at everyone revealing a face as ugly as an evil punishing judge''s. His chin and lips were covered with a large beard, which made him look like a free-spirited person of the jianghu. However, he was idly waving a folding fan in his hand, which seemed a bit pretentious. Shen Luo, however, deeply understood that appearances can be deceiving. Moreover, he had already read in many ancient books that Zhong Kui was once a highly talented scholar of Confucius before becoming a ghost-catching Heavenly Master. His grotesque face was the reason why he was not given any ranked position in society. ¡°Greetings, Elder.¡± Shen Luo regained his senses and greeted hurriedly. ¡°Enough with the pleasantries. Hu Yong, are you here to pick up another task?¡± Zhong Kui waved his hand dismissively. Everyone remained seated except for Hu Yong, who stood up and slapped the gourd at his waist saying, ¡°I need to earn some drink money¡­ I didn''t expect you, Lord Zhong Kui, to be the one distributing tasks today.¡± ¡°The task was originally for Soul Hook Horse Face, but I had some other matters for him to deal with. I also needed to rest for a while. Why are you all still in a bowing position? I said there''s no need for formalities.¡± Zhong Kui frowned at Shen Luo and the others who were still maintaining their bowing posture. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and the others finally stood up. ¡°Enough idle chat. I assume everyone has heard about the task already?¡± Zhong Kui said. ¡°We''ve only heard a bit. We''re grateful for any detailed information you can provide, Sir.¡± Hu Yong responded with a bow. ¡°There''s a place in the Netherworld where it borders the real world. A rich resentment has long been enveloping the area, and the souls there easily become tainted and turn into fierce ghosts. The ghosts have been devouring each other, and now a Ghost General as strong as a late-stage Soul Condensation cultivator has formed. We need you to go there and eliminate it.¡± Zhong Kui explained. ¡°Late-stage Soul Condensation¡­¡± Lu He frowned, pondering. Aside from Hu Yong, everyone else''s faces changed slightly. ¡°Its cultivation is not a threat at the moment, but judging from its growth speed, it has the potential to become a Ghost King. Therefore, it must be eliminated before it can escape from there, or it will surely cause havoc.¡± Zhong Kui remarked. ¡°Heh heh, it seems this task is a serious one. We''ll need to give it our all.¡± Hu Yong seemed to be leisurely and had no worries at all. ¡°Before that, let me remind you. Initially, a team of Yama''s Troops was sent in after the unusual activities were discovered but they were corrupted by the resentment. They have now become the most powerful ghost soldiers under the Ghost General. While humans aren''t as susceptible to corruption as souls, you still need to guard your minds carefully.¡± The otherwise jovial Zhong Kui suddenly looked solemn, warning them. ¡°Thank you for the reminder.¡± Hu Yong responded with a bow. ¡°Aside from that, two groups of humans have entered to exterminate the ghosts before this but until now none have returned. If you spot any survivors, you could try to rescue them and bring them back for additional rewards.¡± Zhong Kui continued. ¡°May I ask the Elder, what''s the reward for this task?¡± Lu He inquired. ¡°If you successfully exterminate that Ghost General, the leader will get two hundred immortal jade as reward. Those who follow will also get one hundred immortal jade as compensation. Aside from that, there will also be spiritual materials and elixirs such as Yellow Springs Crystal, Yinling Pills, and Jade Bones as a supplement. But the quantity is uncertain, you''ll need to negotiate on how to distribute them,¡± Zhong Kui said as he glanced at him. Hearing the substantial rewards stirred everyone''s spirits. Shen Luo, certain that the Yellow Springs Crystal was part of the reward, was reassured. ¡°These are the details regarding the task. Before I send you there, I need to remind you that while killing enemies and exterminating ghosts is important, you must prioritize staying alive. If you die there, the Underworld can''t reclaim your souls, and you''ll end up as wandering ghosts, ultimately being corrupted by resentment and transformed into mindless evil spirits,¡± Zhong Kui added. Chapter 417 Chapter 417: Chapter 413: Ghosts from the Underworld Chapter 417: Chapter 413: Ghosts from the Underworld Upon hearing the words, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel curious about where they were heading. What place merited such repeated reminders from a ghost-catching Heavenly Master? However, the others didn''t seem to dwell on it. It seemed they either had their minds focused on the high compensation or had complete confidence in their task. Eventually, Zhong Kui left the rest pavilion and walked toward a protruding rock not far away, where he stopped. Shen Luo shifted his gaze and only then noticed that the rock had a dark red hue with a layer of black mist around it. The rock seemed inconspicuous against the surroundings because of the mist. Zhong Kui formed a seal with a single hand, chanted a few verses and abruptly pointed towards the rock. An obvious red circular seal appeared on the dark red rock, and the black fog around it started to expand, transforming into a round arch standing in front of everyone. When Shen Luo looked curiously into the arch, all he saw was pitch darkness, just like the night sky. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Hu Yong called for everyone and took the lead by bowing to Zhong Kui and then stepping into the archway. The moment he entered, the thick curtain of darkness began to ripple like water, swallowing him up until he completely disappeared. The armored man named Jin Dun followed right after him. Lin Qing was slightly later, but he also fist-bumped Zhong Kui before entering the archway. ¡°Brother Shen, let''s go.¡± Lu He saluted Shen Luo and walked towards the entrance. The woman dressed in red, Yun Niang, came over, grabbed Shen Luo''s arm, and acting afraid, she said, ¡°Brother Shen, may I go with you?¡± Lu He reached the entrance, looked back, smirked playfully and secretly shook his head. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Daoist Friend, you can follow, just not too closely,¡± Shen Luo shook her off subconsciously and replied. After saying that, he took the lead and stepped into the foggy arch. Seeing this, Yun Niang revealed an attractive smile on her face and followed closely without any concern. After Shen Luo walked into the dark curtain, he initially saw nothing but darkness. However, as soon as he stepped out, everything returned to normal. He looked around and found himself standing in a lush forest. What was eerie, though, was that the color of the trees and bushes was not the ordinary green, but a dark ink-green. The tree trunks and branches were covered in lumps, a layer of white cotton floating on top. At this moment, Yun Niang also came out from behind. Shen Luo turned to look and realized that the place where he had come from was an enormous, ancient tree, its trunk lit up with a soft green light. It was also the only tree in the entire mountain forest that had a normal color. ¡°Old Hu, I have a weird feeling about this place. It seems filled with an evil aura,¡± Lu He voiced out. ¡°Without the evil, we wouldn''t get that much of a reward, and it wouldn''t be our turn to handle it.¡± Hu Yong uncapped the gourd on his waist, took a swig of wine, and chuckled with his eyes half-closed. ¡°Lu Da Ge, are you scared?¡± Yun Niang laughed under her breath. ¡°If a woman like you isn''t scared, why should I be?¡± Lu He grunted dismissively. ¡°Oh, they''re here so soon, I wasn''t ready yet¡­¡± At the moment, Hu Yong suddenly exclaimed and fastened his gourd back onto his waist. Witnessing this, Shen Luo strained his nerves immediately, withdrew his palm back into his sleeve, hiding the Linlang Ring on his wrist. His palm turned, pretending to draw out the golden blade from his sleeve pocket, and held it in his hand. The golden blade shimmered, instantaneously increasing threefold in length, forming a gold-patterned long knife. The other four reacted just as swiftly. Lin Qing pulled out the blue longsword from his back, surprisingly thinner than what Shen Luo anticipated, becoming narrower as it approached the sword tip, resembling an enlarged sewing needle. Jin Dun also drew out the Golden Long Knife from his side. It was a Tang-style horizontal knife with complex charm patterns carved on its body which appeared even more exquisite and luxurious than the golden blade in Shen Luo''s hand. Lu He, on the other hand, unhooked the bronze axe from his back, planted it on the ground with a thud, creating a dull sound. Only Yun Niang did not pull out any weapon but posed her hands in a ''flower-picking'' gesture, wove them before her body in a dancing pose, and cast an enchanting glance at Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s attention was entirely focused on his surroundings and he completely ignored her flirtatious glance. ¡°Swish swish swish¡± At this moment, the friction sounds began to echo from the surrounding bushes and became denser and more urgent. ¡°Here it comes.¡± Hu Yong shouted, his bent body seemed to straighten up immediately. Raising his palm, he struck out in front. His sleeve rustled, and a golden light spurted out, transformed into a golden palm seal tens of feet in size. It shot out into the void, aiming at the front. A thunderous bang echoed out! At the front, a row of seven or eight dark green ancient trees, as thick as a water bucket, burst forth in response. The wave of the explosion directly flattened the shrubs and grass beneath, revealing a large empty open area. With a clear view of the forest ahead, waves of Yin wind and evil energy immediately blew against his face. Shen Luo, concentrating his gaze, saw the woods filled with surging black qi, within which shrouded several blurry figures rushing towards them from inside the woods. As the black qi came closer, Shen Luo finally caught a clear glance. These blurry figures seemed to be a mix of solid and illusory. Most of their upper bodies were solid while their lower bodies were illusory, floating above the ground and rising and falling like ghosts. Many of these human figures had already turned into skeletons; on most of the remaining faces, one could still see the sagging wax-yellow skin; the putrid eyeballs left in the eye sockets were glowing with a blood-thirsty light. ¡°Such disgusting creatures.¡± Yun Niang grumbled with disgust beside them. Having said that, she swiftly waved her ''flower-picking'' hand forward. The warp and weft threads on the red gauze dress she was wearing extended out, transforming into several extremely delicate red threads and shot out straight. They saw the red light shimmering wherever her thread passed, which directly pierced the chests of seven or eight Yin ghosts, stringing them up like candied haws. Immediately after that, the red threads shot up, jerkily pulling these Yin ghosts into the mid-air, and ¡°whoosh,¡± a blaze flared up and swallowed them in. Just within the span of a few moments, those Yin ghosts emitted mournful shrieks, were burnt into ashes by the flames, and dispersed into the air. ¡°These Yin soul ghosts don''t seem very powerful¡­¡± Seeing this scene, Shen Luo was slightly relieved. He steadied his stance and decided not to act rashly. Lin Qing and Jin Dun on the other side had also acted. On the one hand, Lin Qing was controlling his blue flying sword with one hand by forming a spell with his fingers, weaving it in and out of the ghost team, piercing through the chests of more than a dozen evil spirits. On the other hand, Jin Dun, wielding his sword with both hands, plunged directly into the corps of evil spirits, slashing left and right like cutting veggies, slicing the Yin spirits one by one. Chapter 418 Chapter 418: Chapter 414: Ghost Soldiers Borrow the Daoist Path Chapter 418: Chapter 414: Ghost Soldiers Borrow the Daoist Path However, before the two of them could attack the other evil ghosts, the yin souls that they had ¡°killed¡± earlier, regardless of whether their torsos had burst open or were cut in half, had black fog swiftly gathering at the wounds, which then rapidly healed them. One after another, they stood up again. Upon seeing this, both men were momentarily surprised before once again taking command of their magical instruments and battling on. But this time, both of them ceased attacking the yin soul ghosts'' torsos and simultaneously targeted their skulls instead. Once the skulls of these yin soul evil ghosts shattered, their bodies would rapidly decay, ultimately turning into a mass of black fog that melded into other evil ghosts. The bodies of the evil ghosts that absorbed these residual spirits would become even more substantial. ¡°Heh, they can absorb each other, how interesting¡­¡± Lu He remarked with a snide laugh upon seeing this. After speaking, he chanted a few spells, made a magic spell gesture with his hands, and then raised his hand forcefully in front of him. The ground immediately responded with a rumble resembling the shattering of stone; fragments of stone levitated in the air, rapidly transforming into sharp stone cones under a yellow halo, and launched a surprise attack on the yin soul evil ghosts. Dozens of stone cones whizzed out, shooting like a violent rainstorm inside the yin soul ghosts, sending out a wave of ¡°puff puff¡± sounds, instantly turning a dozen ghosts into sieves. The heads of several ghosts were smashed to a pulp, reduced entirely to ash, while the rest fell to the ground unable to rise, their wounds shrouded in a lingering yellow halo as if burdened by stones. Shen Luo silently commended them after observing this. These people, each with differing mana attributes, all possessed formidable skills. Specifically this tall Lu He, despite appearing simple and clumsy, controlled his earth attribute techniques quite delicately. ¡°These ghostly beings that linger at the boundary of Yin and Yang exist in a state between reality and illusion. Unless countered with thunder or fire, other methods are only half as effective even though they might still work,¡± Hu Yong commented, downing a mouthful of wine and turning his gaze toward Shen Luo. His gaze seemed to imply ¨C everyone has demonstrated their skills, now it''s your turn. Shen Luo, originally intending to just brandish his golden blade, had no choice but to pull seven or eight Small Thunder Talismans from his sleeve after hearing Hu Yong''s words. He slipped them between his fingers, slightly activated his mana, and tossed them towards the yin soul ghosts. As the Small Thunder Talismans flew out, a flash of lightning emerged and seven or eight snowy white thunder bolt-like snakes shot out. Yet, under the guidance of several transparent water ropes, they hit their targets¨Cthe yin soul ghosts'' heads¨Cwithout missing a single one. ¡°Boom¡± sounds echoed as the heads of the struck yin soul evil ghosts emitted a wisp of white smoke and disintegrated to ashes. ¡°Not bad,¡± Hu Yong nodded in approval at the sight. The others also turned their gaze towards Shen Luo, their eyes reflecting different emotions. ¡°Daoist Shen, you''re not only handsome, but your skills are impressive too. With us joining forces, doesn''t that sound perfect?¡± Yun Niang''s eyes sparkled upon seeing this. She withdrew from the battle and approached Shen Luo again. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Subconsciously, Shen Luo took a few steps back to create some distance between them. Just then, a sound similar to rolling thunder echoed from a distance. A rhythmic vibration emanated from deep within the dense forest. The sound grew louder and closer. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed just as he saw a large horse burst out from the mountain forest on the other side. It emerged from a thicket of bushes as tall as a man. It had no flesh and was entirely comprised of white bones. Only in its eye sockets, a flickering verdant ghost fire burned. A white bone skull sat astride the skeletal warhorse, clad in bronze armor, clutching a bronze spear in its hand. Despite the spear being thoroughly corroded with greenish-blue rust, it charged with a ferocious momentum. A lone White Bone Warhorse stormed forward, closely followed by a group of identical ones. More than a hundred ghost soldiers surged out, charging directly towards Shen Luo and his companions in a battle formation. ¡°Ghost Soldiers intruding¡­¡± After a soft shout from Yun Niang, the playful look that was previously on her face receded immediately. At her call, Lu He and the others ceased their combat with the Yin Soul Ghosts and stood shoulder to shoulder, facing down the incoming horde of ghost soldiers. The reason these mindless Yin Soul Ghosts attacked Shen Luo and the others was by instinct, driven by the desire for the blood meal of living creatures. In comparison, the combat prowess of these ghost soldiers was much higher. Although they also lacked consciousness, they retained some inherent fighting instincts. Each rider had the combat power comparable to Qi Refining Early to Mid-Level Cultivators. When united, the collective power they displayed was truly not to be underestimated. Just as they established their positions, the Bronze Armor Ghost Soldiers had already rushed near. The lead rider lunged his spear straight for Shen Luo. The tip of the spear accumulated a cluster of luminous green light, aiming straight towards Shen Luo''s heart. Shen Luo brought up the long knife in his hand, the blade cut upwards diagonally. The body of the knife was filled with golden light as it clashed into the spear''s ghostly glow. Despite the fierce momentum of the charging ghost soldier''s spear attack, Shen Luo''s feet were rooted firmly on the ground, not budging an inch. With both hands tightly gripping the handle of the knife, he launched a strong counterattack. There was a loud ¡°crash¡±. Golden light shimmered from Shen Luo''s knife as a half-arc light surged upwards, bending the Bronze Spear into an exaggerated arc and then smashing it back. The Bronze Armor instantly shattered at the passing of the blade. Under the strong impact, the Bone Warhorse beneath the ghost soldier reared its fore hooves, retreating backwards. Shen Luo''s delay of the onslaught of the hundred-plus Bronze Armor Ghost soldiers bought little respite as the rear soldiers continued to charge. Yun Niang, Lu He, and the other two were also locked in fierce battle amongst them. Just as Shen Luo cleaved open a spear thrusting towards him diagonally from the side, intending to advance and kill the rider, he heard the sound of hoofbeats from behind him. His heart sank, quietly cursing ¡°This isn''t good¡±. According to the descriptions in ancient books about battle formations that he had read, the common tactic employed by cavalry was to encircle from the left and right wings, continuously charging the enemy in the middle to disrupt their formation and inflict heavy casualties. Clearly, another group of Bronze Armor Ghost Soldiers was launching a surprise attack from behind. If these two forces trapped them in a pincer attack, the danger would escalate even if their cultivation levels far surpassed those of the ghost soldiers. However, Shen Luo soon found his concerns to be unnecessary, as Hu Yong, who had been observing from the sidelines, sprang into action. He calmly fastened his Wine Gourd back to his waist. With a twist of his wrist, an Apricot-Yellow Flag of half a person''s height appeared in his hand. On it was embroidered a beast''s image with a dog''s head, lion''s body, and wings on its back, using black silk thread. ¡°Wind Beast¡­¡± Shen Luo immediately recognised the exotic beast depicted on the flag. ¡°Move.¡± A gentle shout came from Hu Yong''s mouth, and with a sweep of the Apricot-Yellow Flag in his hand, a violent gust was directed towards the Bronze Armor Ghost Soldiers coming from the opposing side. In a flash, the mountain forest was caught in a raging sandstorm. The flag let out a high-pitched howl as black wind blades shot out from it, and coalesced in the void to form a turbulent wall of wind in its path. Chapter 419 Chapter 419: Chapter 415: Blood Corpse Chapter 419: Chapter 415: Blood Corpse A dozen Copper-Armored Ghost Soldiers were sucked in and immediately slammed into a slaughter formation composed of numerous sharp axes and knives. Their copper armor was torn apart into countless pieces just like paper pulp. The white-boned Ghost Soldiers and battle horses under the copper armor were rolled up by the wind blades, and directly shattered into powder. Upon seeing this, Hu Yong frowned slightly. He seemed unsatisfied with the effect of his previous attack. He took another step forward and viciously waved the large flag in his hand. An animal-like roar resounded from the apricot-yellow flag. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even more violent wind blades swept out from it, transforming into a raging black wind wall that roared out. Wherever it passed, mountains, rocks, and forests were all ruined. The Copper-Armored Ghost Soldiers were defeated at the mere sight of it and began to retreat. However, the wind wall was so fast that it quickly caught up with dozens of Copper-Armored Ghost Soldiers. Like a giant black mouth, it swallowed them thoroughly, leaving only scrap metal and scattered bones behind. On the other side, Shen Luo and the others had also jointly repelled the assault of the Copper-Armored Ghost Soldiers. When they saw Hu Yong''s battle results, there was a surge of admiration in their hearts. ¡°See? I told you there is nothing to worry about as long as we follow Hu Lao,¡± Lu He said to Shen Luo with a shrug. ¡°Well, why else would everyone in the firm prefer to do tasks with Hu Lao?¡± Yun Niang giggled. ¡°Don''t just talk. If we don''t hurry up, Hu Lao will steal our share! Let''s go kill the Ghost General!¡± Jin Dun said loudly, full of fighting spirit. The others did not answer, but they were all ready to plunge into the enemy lines again. Just then, a series of urgent friction sounds came from the forest, and seven or eight figures rushed out from the deep woods, lunging at Shen Luo and his team. Upon seeing the figures, Shen Luo felt a chill at his scalp. The seven or eight figures that rushed out were covered in blood. They looked like they had just been skinned, with all their flesh and blood exposed. Their faces were blurred, their eyeballs bulging out, appearing incredibly ferocious. However, their eyes lacked the vitality of a living person, their pupils dilated several times, looking empty and numb. One of the figures jumped up into the air and, like a large stone, fell heavily. Its arms were stretched straight out, aiming to pierce Shen Luo''s chest. Shen Luo''s eyes swept over its body, seeing the flesh on it squirming slowly like a living being. Shen Luo quickly withdrew his slashing weapon and swung his other hand in front of him. Immediately, water-blue lights gathered in front of him, forming a hemispherical water curtain that blocked his front. After the bloody figure crashed into the water curtain, its two arms stabbed through the water curtain without any resistance and continued to thrust towards Shen Luo''s chest. Shen Luo slightly retreated a step back, clenched his fist. The part of the water curtain punctured by the bloody figure suddenly solidified, instantly turning into a thick water rope that wrapped around it. The bloody figure swung its arms wildly but could not break free for a while. As Shen Luo was about to move forward, Hu Yong''s voice came from behind, ¡°Be careful, everyone. Don''t let the blood zombies touch you. If you get infected by the corpse poison, you will end up just like them in no time.¡± At this point, the squirming of the flesh on the blood zombie became faster and faster. Its entire body started to become distorted. The part that was bound by the water rope shrank while the unbounded part swelled. Seeing this, Shen Luo gripped tighter, and the water rope began to shrink following the blood zombie''s change. With a ¡°pop¡± sound, The Blood Zombie''s body was squeezed thinner by the water rope until it broke apart, turning into seven or eight chunks of corpse that fell to the ground. The fallen corpse chunks continued to squirm rapidly. They moved close to each other and began to merge again, gradually reassembling into a human shape, looking as though they were about to rise from the ground. ¡°Huh¡­¡± At that point, a flare abruptly flew from the side, landing on the blood-soaked corpse just about to rise, starting a raging fire with a ¡°whoosh¡±. The bloody corpse was immediately engulfed by the flames, emitting clouds of black smoke and an indescribably foul smell. Shen Luo immediately covered his nose and retreated, glancing at Yun Niang not far from him. She gave him a flirtatious smile and waved, motioning for him not to thank her. Hu Yong retreated back to the side of the crowd, his Apricot-Yellow Flag billowing fearlessly in front of him, releasing countless blades of green light wind. The large number of Ghost Soldiers were swept away. ¡°Alright, let''s not linger here. I brought you all here to kill the Ghost General, not to waste our time with these small fry. Let''s go.¡± Hu Yong swung his hand dismissively and threw dozens of yellow paper charms in front of him. On the talisman paper was a strange humanoid pattern. Its outline was akin to that of a human with inky lines intricately interwoven to create a script-like pattern. The talismanic papers fell down and the moment they touched the ground, they shone brightly. The humanoid patterns on them suddenly elongated, emerging from the paper under the radiant light, forming pitch-black human shadows attacking the bloody corpses and Ghost Soldiers. ¡°Paper puppets?¡± Shen Luo marvelled to himself. He had seen descriptions of such talismans in ancient documents before, but he had never seen them in real life until today. ¡°Hehe, Daoist friend, it seems like you are quite interested in these puppet talismans. Would you like me to teach you how to use them some other day?¡± Hu Yong noticed his interest and chuckled. ¡°Is Elder serious?¡± Shen Luo''s face instantly lit up with joy at his words. ¡°What, do I need to swear an oath for you?¡± Hu Yong challenged, raising his eyebrow. ¡°No no, not at all,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly waived his hands in dismissal. Hu Yong smiled, not offended, and said,¡±Let''s go. These talismanic puppets won''t be able to hold back for long. We still need to find that Ghost General.¡± With that, he took the lead and walked in the direction of a mountain forest. Observing Hu Yong''s natural smile and relaxed demeanor, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a sense of respect. The group walked into the deep forest, the sounds of conflict behind them fading gradually. Indeed, the combat power of these talismanic puppets wasn''t strong. ¡°Elder Hu, we don''t know where the Ghost General is, how are we going to find him?¡± Lu He inquired. ¡°I told you all, stop calling me Elder Hu, it''s more pleasant to be addressed as Elder¡­¡± Hu Yong sounded somewhat helpless, sighing in resignation. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Lu He quickly corrected himself. ¡°Being a Ghost General, it naturally possesses the densest Yin Sha Qi in this area. I have an Evil-searching Plate with me. As long as we follow its direction, we won''t have difficulty finding the Ghost General. The issue is how to avoid the small ghost soldiers blocking our way¡­¡± Hu Yong explained while pondering. ¡°That shouldn''t be difficult. Elder only needs to release his Divine Sense to scan the surrounding and we just need to dodge when we encounter the ghost soldiers,¡± Lin Qing, who has been quiet all along, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Of course it''s not difficult, it''s just inconvenient to keep my mind focused on this. It''s just¡­ too boring,¡± Hu Yong replied, shaking his head with dissatisfaction. Everyone was speechless on hearing his words. Chapter 420 Chapter 420: Chapter 416: Two Clues Chapter 420: Chapter 416: Two Clues All of them were grain avoidance cultivators, who had yet to reach the realm of the soul condensation stage. Their Divine Senses were momentarily incapable of projecting outward. Therefore, if Hu Yong refused to perform this task, no one else could. ¡°Forget it, I hate trouble the most, so let''s just spend some money. I have some ''conceal breath symbols'' here that can temporarily seal your breath. As long as you don''t deliberately mobilize a significant amount of mana, your breath won''t leak, those ghost creatures won''t be able to detect your presence, and we will be able to proceed safely.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Hu Yong spoke as if he had made up his mind. Following that, he turned his wrist, and in his palm, a flash of light revealed several talismans made of a blue material. Upon seeing the Green Frost Paper, Shen Luo knew that these talismans were not ordinary low-grade ones, which made him understand why Hu Yong had been hesitant before. ¡°It''s easy to use this conceal breath symbol, just stick it to your Dantian or Danzhong, you don''t need to mobilize mana to activate it, it can use your running mana and help you cover your breath.¡± Hu Yong distributed the talismans to everyone and explained. On hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated. After all, the Dantian was the foundation of cultivation and Danzhong is also an essential acupoint of the body. He instinctively resisted the idea of sticking the talisman to these two positions. ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Lu He immediately accepted it and expressed his gratitude. ¡°Thank you, elder, for bestowing the symbol on us.¡± Jin Dun and the others echoed it as well. ¡°Bestowing the symbol, my ass! Do you think I''m a wealthy landlord? Those conceal breath symbols are only lent to you all. You need to return them once you are done.¡± Hu Yong replied, not showing any grace expected of an elder. Everyone just chuckled when they heard his words. Hu Yong took a symbol and without any hesitation, lifted the Hem of his robe and put the symbol on the inner layer lined up with his Dantian. Seeing Shen Luo scrutinizing him, he explained: ¡°My cultivation level is higher than you all, so the fluctuation of my breath is naturally stronger. It''s more secure to stick it to the Dantian. As for you guys¡­ whether you want to stick it to your Dantian or Danzhong, I don''t care.¡± Lu He and the others followed Hu Yong''s example and stuck their symbols to their Dantians. Only Yun Niang felt that sticking it to the Dantian was not very elegant, so she put her symbol onto the middle of her bosom. Shen Luo did not follow the majority and instead, like Yun Niang, stuck the symbol to his chest. Then, Hu Yong turned his palm once again. Another light shone in his palm. This time the light revealed a dark gold disc, about the size of a bronze mirror. The disc was intricately designed. Its outer ring was divided into three hundred and sixty-five degrees, marking the solar year, the inner ring was marked with the twenty-four solar terms, and inside that, the diagram of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams was engraved, while in the center, a pointer in the form of a small dragon was suspended. When the group went forward to take a look, as soon as the Evil-searching Plate appeared, its feature went into a whirl. Hu Yong raised an eyebrow, brought his fingers together to form a Daoist sign, and pointed it towards the center of the disc. A trickle of mana flowed from his fingertip and flowed directly into the little dragon pointer. On the dragon''s head of the pointer, two faint golden rays of light seemed to seep from the dragon''s eyes. The spinning pointer gradually slowed down and came to a stop. But just when they thought the dust has settled, the pointer, as if to go against them, seemed to be about to stop pointing to the south-east, the Xun position of the Eight Trigrams when it suddenly moved towards the south, the Li position. Afterward, the pointer seemed to be attracted by two magnets simultaneously, swinging back and forth between the Xun position and the Li position. ¡°Elder, what is going on?¡± Shen Luo said, looking at the pointer that sometimes pointed in their direction. ¡°It''s impossible, this thing shouldn''t malfunction. Could it be divided into two places?¡± Hu Yong didn''t respond to Shen Luo''s question. Instead, he showed a serious expression for the first time, muttering to himself. ¡°Split into two places? Could there be two Ghost Generals?¡± Jin Dun''s face turned solemn, and he said in surprise. ¡°Elder, could it be that the Yin Sha Qi here is too scattered? Although the Ghost General is the strongest Yin creature, when it''s too distant, this Evil-searching plate might not be able to capture the location precisely?¡± Lin Qing suggested. ¡°Brother Lin makes sense.¡± Lu He approved and agreed. ¡°That seems correct after all. The direction it points to is between south and southeast. Let''s head to the Li position first. If we don''t find anything, we''ll move to the East to Xun position. We''re bound to encounter it.¡± Upon hearing their ideas, Hu Yong finally suggested this plan. ¡°Alright.¡± Everyone agreed in unison. Hu Yong held the compass, with everyone following on either side, and they started heading south, as the compass was showing. After about a half-moment, Hu Yong suddenly raised his hand and signaled everyone to stop. ¡°What''s the matter, elder? What happened?¡± Shen Luo and the others were puzzled and stopped to ask. ¡°There''s a group of Yin beings approaching ahead. Let''s wait for a while before we proceed.¡± Hu Yong led everyone to hide behind a massive stone and said. Not long after his words, there indeed was two groups of ghost soldiers running past them in a hurry. These ghost soldiers were also dressed in Bronze Armor and held swords in their hands. They seemed even more powerful than the ones they encountered earlier on. ¡°We can proceed now.¡± Hu Yong stood up to continue their journey after waiting for a while after the ghost soldiers had passed. However, after not going far, Hu Yong asked them to speed up again. They hurriedly traversed a grid of short bushes and stopped only after arriving behind some towering pine trees. Immediately afterward, near the thicket of bushes, several zombies with almost rotten bodies, rigid limbs, were seen chasing a black hare, hopping around. Shen Luo noticed that one of zombies dropped something during its leaps. He asked everyone to wait when Hu Yong commanded to continue their journey. He went back to pick up the thing that was dropped. ¡°Brother Shen, what treasure did you pick up?¡± Lu He curiously asked. Shen Luo opened his hand with an unusual expression, revealing a palm-sized token. Shockingly, the words ¡°Great Tang Imperial Seal¡± were engraved on it. ¡°A token from the government¡­¡± Jin Dun said with surprise. ¡°It seems that among the previous two groups that entered to complete the mission, there were people from the Great Tang Dynasty Government.¡± Lu He pondered. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That zombie just now¡­ it seems they have failed.¡± Yun Niang said with a frown. ¡°Even the government is involved. If they failed once, they will definitely send more powerful people next time. It seems we need to speed up. We can''t let them take the lead. Otherwise, we will have all our efforts for nothing, not gaining anything.¡± Hu Yong seemed not too surprised, but was a bit anxious. Upon hearing this, Lu He and the others all nodded in agreement. Shen Luo put the token away, but he had a vague sense of unease. This task, which even involved the government, was probably not as simple as they had initially thought. Afterward, Hu Yong led them through the woods, stopping and hiding from armies of ghost soldiers and zombies occasionally. But overall, they were safe and sound. Finally, they halted in an open area in the forest. Chapter 421 Chapter 421: Chapter 417: Mysterious Feeling Chapter 421: Chapter 417: Mysterious Feeling The area was quite peculiar, contrasting with the surrounding lush vegetation. Within a radius of less than a hundred feet, the entire sight was of red, bare soil, devoid of any vegetation. In the center of this unique area, there was a circular pool that was only a few feet in radius. Everyone stopped outside the bizarre barren soil area, looking from a distance at the circular pool. They saw it filled with emerald green water, on its surface floated three elliptical lotus leaves, with a nine-petal pink lotus sandwiched in the middle. Leading the group, Hu Yong pulled out a piece of yellow talisman paper from his sleeve. He muttered a few words and swung it casually, tossing it onto the bare soil. The talisman paper floated slightly in the air and then slowly landed on the ground without provoking any special reaction. With a raised eyebrow, Hu Yong took the lead and stepped into the bare soil area. He bent over to pick up the talisman paper from the ground. He carefully examined it for a moment, brushed the dirt stuck to it, and put it back into his pocket. Seeing this, everyone warily followed him onto the red bare soil. As Shen Luo stepped onto the bare soil, he felt an inexplicable heart palpitation. His vision suddenly became blurry, as if a layer of red mist had shrouded his eyes. However, when he rubbed his eyes and looked again, the red mist in front of his eyes had disappeared. He was puzzled and looked around at the others. They all seemed composed, apparently not noticing anything unusual. ¡°Elder, this area is drastically different from the surroundings, devoid of any growth¡­ I fear there''s something sinister?¡± Hesitant, Shen Luo couldn''t help but voice his concerns to Hu Yong. Upon hearing his words, everyone''s gaze also turned towards Hu Yong. ¡°You''re right. I don''t know if you''ve felt it, but there are faint traces of resentment and killing intent here,¡± Hu Yong said, nodding approvingly. ¡°So elder also discovered it. I thought I was hallucinating.¡± Shen Luo expressed his surprise, and proceeded to recount what he had just seen. Lu He and the others looked at him with confusion and surprise after hearing his words. ¡°What, didn''t you all see it?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°I don''t know about the others, but I didn''t see anything at all,¡± Lu He shook his head, replying. Yun Niang and Jin Dun also denied it, while Lin Qing just silently shook his head. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It''s not surprising. The resentment and killing intent hidden here is extremely deep, not everyone can perceive it. The fact that you could sense even a trace of it is already quite commendable. My guess is, this is probably where the Ghost General has been lurking for a long time. I think we don''t need to bother searching for him,¡± Hu Yong spoke slowly, clearly impressed. ¡°Does elder mean to say that we should wait here for the rabbit to hit the snare, waiting for it to come back on its own?¡± Lu He asked. ¡°Yes and no. If we just wait, we''ll be too passive. Since we''ve already found its lair, why not set up a Five Elements Destroying Evil Array here. I will use my own essence blood as a lure to tempt it over. That way, we will have the advantage of the array, the right timing and favorable conditions. Killing it would be as easy as flipping the palm of the hand,¡± Hu Yong chuckled and explained. ¡°That''s an excellent plan,¡± Everyone praised upon hearing his words. ¡°The Ghost General may return at any moment, there''s no time to delay. I hope Hu Lao can teach us the array techniques immediately,¡± Jin Dun spoke with a serious expression, volunteering for the fight. ¡°There''s no rush. I will explain the arrangement of the Five Elements Destroying Evil Array and the things we need to pay attention to. Once we really set up the array, there cannot be any mishaps. If the Five Elements get messed up, we will be at a disadvantage¡±, Hu Yong said, waving his hand. ¡°Elder Hu, rest assured, we will not cause any mishaps,¡± Lin Qing assured him with a salutation. The others echoed his statement. Just as Shen Luo was about to speak, his mind was hit by another bout of dizziness, blurring his vision and filling it with a blood-red color. His body swayed back and forth a bit, and a thick hand subsequently landed on his shoulder. Shen Luo''s gaze hardened, and then he clearly saw that the person supporting him was Hu Yong. His palm lit up and a soft strength flowed into Shen Luo''s body, making his chest feel warm. The hallucination that had appeared before his eyes disappeared immediately. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo cupped his fist in gratitude. ¡°Is your situation alright? Can you still arrange the formation?¡± Hu Yong asked with concern. ¡°Just a bit dizzy. It''s no big deal,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Good.¡± Hu Yong grinned and nodded, before patting Shen Luo''s shoulder again. A moment later, after Hu Yong had finished explaining the Five Elements Destroying Evil Array to everyone, he asked, ¡°Did all of you understand about the array? Are there any questions?¡± ¡°None.¡± Everyone thought for a moment before responding. The Five Elements Destroying Evil Array wasn''t too complicated. Only Shen Luo and others needed to guard a position each, holding a Ghost Suppression charm in their hands. Then, they had to chant the spell Hu Yong had taught and stimulate their mana. It seemed that they were the foundation of the Great Array. The core, the Array Pivot, was presided over by Hu Yong himself. When the time came, he would be the main force to kill the Ghost General. ¡°Here''s the Ghost Suppression Charm, which you each need to hold as the Array Pillar magical instrument. Remember, during the array operation, a little mana is only needed to maintain it. When the Ghost General is trapped, fully activate your power,¡± Hu Yong cautioned. Shen Luo took a look at the Ghost Suppression Charm and found that it wasn''t the paper talismans commonly used, but it was in the form of an old-style peach wood symbol. It was carved from old peach wood and a fierce deity was engraved on the front, while the back had Supernatural Patterns engraved on it. ¡°Since we''re all ready, we can start setting up the array now,¡± Hu Yong said. ¡°Okay.¡± Everyone acknowledged and then, according to the arrangement of formations, dispersed and headed to the respective positions around the pond where the pink lotus was, ready to set up. Shen Luo held the peach wood symbol and walked to the right side of the pond. His gaze turned sharp, looking towards the inner part of the pond, it was crystal clear; one could directly see to the bottom. Rows of strange traces appeared on the bottom, seeming to be some kind of charm patterns. His eyebrows knitted slightly as he carefully looked towards the center of the pond. Just at this moment, it seemed that a light breeze had swept around, causing the pond water to ripple, and as the ripples moved, Shen Luo''s vision was once again dominated by the red mist. In a daze, he saw the pink lotus in the pond suddenly flash a red light, like a burning fire, and from within it crimson flames erupted, instantly engulfing the entire pond, setting the pond on fire. Within the flames, a vague shadow appeared, writhing like a dragon or a serpent. Its body seemed wrapped in strands of thick dark red malevolent qi that were too solid to disperse. Shen Luo was shocked and was about to shout, but suddenly there was a warm current rising in his chest. This time, it was clearly flowing along his Ren meridian to his face and head. Under the soothing of this warm current, a light seemed to flash before Shen Luo''s eyes and his vision returned to normal. ¡°What happened?¡± He felt a surge of confusion in his heart. ¡°Daoist Shen, what''s going on? Are you having another hallucination?¡± Seeing his hesitant movements, Jin Dun, who was not far from him, asked. Chapter 422 Chapter 422: Chapter 418: Hidden Truth Chapter 422: Chapter 418: Hidden Truth Just as Shen Luo was about to voice his doubts, he abruptly felt a warning in his heart, and swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, simply raising his hand in dismissal. ¡°Just adhere to your true intent, and don''t overthink these mere illusions,¡± Hu Yong called out loudly. ¡°Yes,¡± Lu He and the others were sincerely convinced and responded in unison. Shen Luo had already picked up on a hint of oddity. He silently moved to his designated spot, placed his hand on his chest, and began contemplating while rubbing the talisman affixed to his Danzhong point. ¡°Alright, everyone is in their position. Allow me another sip of wine, and we will activate the array,¡± Hu Yong cast a glance over the crowd, removed the wine gourd hanging from his waist, and announced with a hearty laugh. Lu He and the others were rubbing their hands with anticipation, seemingly convinced that victory was within their grasp. After much hesitation, Shen Luo still decided to quietly remove and stow the ¡°Conceal Breath Symbol¡± that was stuck to his chest. But the moment the talisman paper left his body, his vision immediately blurred again. The sensation of red mist spreading returned, and it was even stronger than before. He could see wisps of cotton-like deep red mist, drifting like fish in the void, incessantly rushing towards everyone present. Lu He and the rest had a vague golden light glowing on their chests, blocking the approach of the cotton-like deep red mist, but as he had taken off the ¡°Conceal Breath Symbol¡±, he naturally had no talisman to shield him, and more strands of the cotton-like red mist rushed towards him. At the same time, Shen Luo also discovered that these red mists seemed to be more than just Yin Sha Qi. They were also filled with a heavy resentment. With every additional bit that entered his body, he felt more frustration. Shen Luo''s heart tightened abruptly, and he promptly reattached the ¡°Conceal Breath Symbol¡± to his chest. Once the talisman paper was properly attached, a warm current once again spread from his chest. The feeling of gloominess swiftly faded, and his vision soon returned to clarity. All the blood mist had disappeared once again. ¡°This talisman is definitely not a Conceal Breath Symbol¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured inwardly, as his gaze turned towards Hu Yong far away. Judging by the current situation, it was clear that the talisman they had was not for concealing their breath, as he claimed, but was more like a talisman that blocked the invasion of Yin Sha Qi. What he could not comprehend was why Hu Yong would intentionally conceal this matter and claim this ghost-blocking talisman was a Conceal Breath Symbol? ¡°There must be a hidden reason.¡± Shen Luo grew suspicious, feeling increasingly uneasy. He rolled his wrist slightly, quietly took out another Small Thunder Talisman from his sleeve, and placed it in his bosom along with the Conceal Breath Symbol. At this moment, Hu Yong, standing directly in front of the pool, began to call out to everyone, starting to activate the array. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then followed suit with everyone else. Holding a Peach Wood Symbol, he started chanting the incantation passed to them by Hu Yong. With the chanting sounds rising and falling, the ghost suppression charms in everyone''s hands began to glow. As they all practiced different skills, the glow of their charms varied. Naturally, Shen Luo''s was water-blue, while Jin Dun''s beside him was golden. Lu He''s was earth yellow, Yun Niang''s was crimson red, and Lin Qing had a green one, perfectly encompassing the five elements of water, metal, earth, fire, and wood. He had found it strange earlier why their skills harmoniously encompassed the five elements? He didn''t think much about it then, assuming it was a coincidence. But considering the current array setup, it seemed more likely to be intentional. ¡°Rise.¡± With a shout from Hu Yong''s mouth, the five Peach Wood Symbols simultaneously burst into intense light. Shen Luo felt a sharp pain in his palm and subconsciously released his grip. The ghost suppression charm fell from his hand, followed by drops of crimson blood. However, instead of falling to the ground, the ghost suppression charm rose into the air in front of him after a flash of light. The same thing happened to Lu He and the others. The charms from their hands pierced their palms, hanging in the air in front of them. ¡°Master Hu, what''s going on?¡± Yun Niang asked nervously. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don''t worry. I forgot to tell you that to activate this ghost suppression charm, it needs to absorb some Yang Blood.¡± Hu Yong took a swig of wine and tied his wine gourd back at his waist. He rubbed his palms together, stretched his waist, then brought his hands together in front of him. When his palms turned, a light of blood appeared. A blood-colored mist spread out from the center, permeating him. Next, the ghost suppression charms hanging in front of everyone suddenly stood upright. The eyes of the Evil Deity carved on it lit up with two blood lights. Two barely noticeable red threads stretched out from it and gathered in the center. The red threads touched the blood-colored mist around Hu Yong and began to sink like frost, making a dark red complex array pattern on the ground, which was almost indistinguishable to the naked eye from the red bare earth. After the formation pattern was formed, everything was quiet, as if everything was back to normal. ¡°Okay, you don''t need to do anything for now. Take a rest for a while. Keep some mana to stimulate the ghost suppression charm. After I lure the Ghost General over, we will kill it together. Then we can return to the capital.¡± Hu Yong announced cheerfully. Lu He and the others trusted him completely. Upon hearing this, they also relaxed. Although Shen Luo still had doubts, seeing the situation left him with nothing else to do. However, he had a growing sense of unease, feeling that Hu Yong was hiding something from them. Hu Yong''s face looked natural. Showing no signs of discomfort. He took out three long, bright red incense sticks from his sleeve and bowed to the four directions of Heaven and Earth. Afterward, his fingers twisted the heads of the three incense sticks and a bright red light emerged from them. From the light, three strands of smoke rose into the air and dispersed. However, as soon as the incense was lit, Shen Luo immediately smelled a strong fragrance in the air. This scent was very distinct, different from ordinary sandalwood. It seemed to have a faint smell of sweet and fishy odor. As the fragrance filled the air, Shen Luo''s heart jolted suddenly. His blood was drawn by an unknown force and surged wildly in his veins. At the same time, his vision turned crimson again. The strange scene of blood mist and resentment returned to his sight, and his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the pool. He saw the pink lotus in the pool had turned extremely red at this moment. A strange-colored flame rose from the lotus, instantly filling the entire pool. Staring at the sea of flames in the pool, Shen Luo once again saw an illusion in a trance. However, this time it was no longer the dragon-like or snake-like SHAPE, but a tall man in a purple brocade robe with a jade belt at his waist and cloud shoes on his feet. But above his neck, there was nothing; he was a headless man. Just as Shen Luo was shocked, he saw that the headless man reached out a hand from behind his back. In his fingers, he was holding a gruesome head that was dripping with golden blood. However, it was not a human head, but a double-horned dragon head. Chapter 423 Chapter 423: Chapter 419: Conspiracy Chapter 423: Chapter 419: Conspiracy As Shen Luo was staring intently at the dragon head, it suddenly opened its eyes. A deep red glow emanated from its eyes, revealing a seemingly endless resentment that charged out like a solid force. However, the surrounding flames converged instantly, transforming into a phantom Fire Lotus. The nine fiery petals enclosed the strange corpse inside, causing all the anomalies to vanish instantly. Shen Luo gasped sharply, and his senses returned to him in an instant. Everything around him resumed its normal state. Noticing that more than half of the three sticks of incense held by Hu Yong had burned down, he realized he could no longer pretend that nothing had happened. Swiftly, he ceased the spell he was casting, severing the mana connection between him and the Peach Wood Symbol without hesitation. In a short time, the Ghost Suppression Charm suspended in front of him dimmed slightly but remained hanging in the air. Although the operation of the entire Array hadn''t completely stopped, the charm patterns on the ground had faded a little. Almost simultaneously, Hu Yong noticed that something was wrong. A slight gloom flashed across his face, then returned to normal, and he asked, ¡°What happened? Why did you cut off the mana supply?¡± Upon hearing his words, everyone turned their gaze towards Shen Luo, their faces filled with bafflement. ¡°Elders, please forgive my incompetence. The discomfort within my body increases while operating the Great Formation, and I fear I won''t be able to maintain it. This might hinder the plan,¡± Shen Luo said boldly, clasping his fists. Naturally, such an excuse was unbelievable. Anyone could see it was a pretext. ¡°Friend Shen, what are you doing?¡± Lu He asked puzzledly. ¡°Hold the formation quickly. If the plan to eliminate the Ghost General fails, you won''t be able to bear the responsibility!¡± Lin Qing rebuked angrily. ¡°Friend Shen, now isn''t the time for pranks. We need to follow Hu Lao''s arrangement,¡± Yun Niang also advised. Jin Dun frowned heavily, shaking his head incessantly. ¡°Elders, my decision is final. Please understand,¡± Shen Luo clasped his fists again, ready to leave the Array Pillar. ¡°Hmph! Seeing as I''ve shown you some courtesy, you really think I''m good-natured? The Five Elements Breaking Formation won''t work without any one of you. Do you really think you can just walk away?¡± Hu Yong''s tone abruptly changed, altering his entire demeanor. ¡°Five Elements Breaking Formation? I thought it was the Five Elements Destroying Evil Array?¡± Yun Niang asked puzzledly. ¡°So, it wasn''t a coincidence that we five cultivate the five elemental attributes of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. You''ve planned for this. What exactly is sealed beneath this pool? What is your real purpose?¡± Shen Luo asked with a firm gaze and icy voice. ¡°What seal¡­¡± Lu He and the others were utterly confused, their eyes flickering uncertainly between Shen Luo and Hu Yong. ¡°From the time we arrived here, you seemed very different from the rest. Indeed, you''ve detected something is wrong. Unfortunately, it''s too late now, and there''s no way out for you, haha¡­¡± Hu Yong laughed wildly. With a flick of his hand, the three incense sticks that were still burning were plunged into the ground in front of the pool. He quickly performed hand signs and successively pointed in all directions. The five Ghost Suppression Charms suspended in mid-air immediately trembled violently. Then they flew back rapidly at Shen Luo and the others. Lu He and the others were caught off guard, struck in the chest by the Ghost Suppression Charms. Their bodies stiffened on the spot, unable to move. Shen Luo, being prepared for this, dodged easily by displaying the Slanting Moon Steps. However, a pattern of charms suddenly lit up on his chest, creating an inexplicable pull between him and the Ghost Suppression Charm. ¡°The Conceal Breath Symbol, damn it¡­¡± Shen Luo''s heart tightened. The next instant, the Ghost Suppression Charm was drawn by this force. In mid-air, it made a strange turn and flew straight at him. It struck his chest, and an immediate force spread throughout his body, causing him to freeze, immobilized. ¡°Hu Lao, what¡­ what are you doing¡­¡± Yun Niang asked in a loud voice. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why are you immobilizing us?¡± Lu He shouted. Jin Dun and Lin Qing''s faces turned extremely ugly. They had followed Hu Yong for a relatively long time and had the most faith in him. However, the current situation was very clear ¡ª they had been deceived. ¡°Didn''t Friend Shen already say it? Everything is to break the seal here, and you all are sacrifices needed to break the seal. What else is there to ask?¡± Hu Yong said impatiently. After speaking, he glanced at the long incense sticks stuck in the ground, a glint of anticipation in his eyes. ¡°The Dragon''s Spit incense is about to burn out. It''s about time to bid you farewell,¡± Hu Yong said leisurely. Upon forming a magic spell with his hands, a chanting sound emerged from his mouth. The ground''s charm patterns, which had become somewhat dim, suddenly lit up with a bright red light. Shen Luo and the others simultaneously felt a sinking sensation in their chest. Both their mana and vital energy were draining out at the same speed, forming a stream of blood-red light that flowed out from the Ghost Suppression Charm on their chest and gathered toward the center of the Array. Where their blood light converged in the center of the Array, a blood-red lotus emerged. It too had nine petals and looked eerily beautiful. Seeing the blood-red lotus in front of him, a fanatical glint flashed in Hu Yong''s eyes, He took off the Wine Gourd hanging around his waist and poured a drop of clear liquid into the bud of the Blood Lotus. ¡°Drip¡± As the transparent liquid dropped into the Blood Lotus, an invisible wave radiated from it. Shen Luo and the others felt a burning sensation in their chest. The ¡°Conceal Breath Symbol¡± attached to the Danzhong point started burning on its own and disappeared. Their vision of the world changed drastically, revealing their original appearance. The surrounding sceneries turned blood red, and an enormous wave of resentment and intense anger was almost solid, drifting and shuttling around them. ¡°What is this, how could this happen¡­¡± Lu He exclaimed in shock. ¡°Such a strong resentment, such a formidable evil spirit.¡± Lin Qing also seemed on the verge of losing his senses. Without the protection of the false ¡°Conceal Breath Symbol¡±, plumes of powerful evil spirits and resentment passed through their bodies. Lu He and the others'' eyes gradually filled with blood, their faces twisting hideously. Shen Luo was also surrounded by a large amount of Yin Sha Qi and resentment, attempting to invade his body. However, it was as if his blood was boiling, racing around his body at high speed, emitting an invisible force that blocked most of the Yin Sha Qi and resentment outside. Despite this, Shen Luo still felt as if a red haze was descending over the Sea of Knowledge in his mind, and a wave of resentment seemed to rise from the depths of his heart, like a dragon raising its head from the bottom of a well. ¡°No, I can''t let the resentment invade.¡± Shen Luo forcibly stabilized his spirit, attempting to activate his mana to trigger the Thunderfall Talisman hidden in his chest. However, when he tried, he realized that he couldn''t control his mana. It kept streaming out from the Ghost Suppression Charm on his chest under an external force''s control. He felt like a bystander, unable to manipulate anything. Chapter 424 Chapter 424: Chapter 420: Jing River Dragon King Chapter 424: Chapter 420: Jing River Dragon King ¡°Heh heh, you might as well save your strength. This Peach Wood Symbol is better known as a ''Lock Immortal Talisman''. Not even immortals can escape it, let alone a mere Grain Avoidance Cultivator like you.¡± Hu Yong noticed Shen Luo''s resistance yet couldn''t care less, he scornfully spoke. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Shen Luo''s demeanor had regained calm as he asked. ¡°I thought you already knew. After all, you''re just guessing, aren''t you? Anyway, I still need some time, so I''ll let you in on my plan. This pool is in fact a Yin Ming Seal, holding down the soul of the Jing River Dragon King beneath it. His spirit did not perish when he died. His lingering resentment and the accumulation of Yin Sha Qi have caused the seal to weaken, so I intend to release him using your essence blood as a sacrifice.¡± Hu Yong declared with a satisfied look on his face after the initial surprise. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo realized that the matter was anything but simple. Ghost formed by the Dragon Soul, once it breaks the seal, the destruction that follows would be incomparable with any Ghost General or Ghost King. ¡°No wonder the resentment here is so deep, the Yin Sha Qi so intense.¡± Shen Luo said in a heavy voice. ¡°Speaking of which, I''m a bit curious. You are not the most cultivated amongst your peers, yet you were the only one who noticed the anomaly under the same Exorcising Evil Talisman protection.¡± Hu Yonged asked out of curiosity. ¡°So you call that talisman that shields against Yin Sha Qi the Exorcising Evil Talisman. It''s not surprising that I can sense it, given the power of my divine soul, far beyond ordinary people.¡± Shen Luo bluffed casually while he tried to secretly use the Nameless Method. The truth, however, was quite different. Not having reached the Soul Condensation Stage, his divine soul couldn''t be that powerful. The real detective here was the essence blood of the Dragon Clan absorbed from Ao Hong residing in his body. It was this incredible bloodline power that made him sense the existence of the Jing River Dragon King''s ghost, leading him to discover many anomalies. ¡°Is this your doing, or was it on the Treasure Hall''s account?¡± Shen Luo asked with slightly furrowed brows. ¡°Hmph! A dead man needn''t know too much.¡± Hu Yong replied, with the faintest smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth. As soon as he finished speaking, several piercing screams came one after the other. Shen Luo turned to look at the four men who were also held back at the same spot, their eyes filled with a horrifying crimson, their faces distorted as if they had fallen into madness. ¡°Ah, it seems it''s about time. Huh, why are they infected with resentment, their wisdom lost, yet you remain unharmed? Strange¡­¡± Hu Yong voiced his confusion. At this moment, Shen Luo''s Sea of knowledge was also being ravaged like a turbulent sea. He had not shown signs of losing his divine wisdom, but his mana and internal Qi continued to drain at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, his attempt to activate his mana made no progress. While Hu Yong was surprised, the three stalks of Dragon Incense that were stuck into the ground finally burned down, the last wisp of smoke dissipated. Immediately after, a string of bubbling sounds could be heard. The not-so-large pool began to boil like a pot of water, erupting with bubbles. The lotus at the heart of the pond seemed to have been cooked, turning a vivid red all at once. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Vaguely, Shen Luo seemed to hear a Dragon Chant. An anomaly followed from beneath the pool. With a muffled ¡°boom¡±, the ground suddenly trembled. The waves in the pool started to churn more violently. Thick strands of black blood mist started to seep out from it. Shen Luo caught one glimpse, and his blood churned fiercely, his face turned crimson. Seeing this scene, Hu Yong couldn''t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva, becoming slightly nervous. He hurriedly moved a step forward, forming a magic spell with one hand and pointed towards the blood-red lotus in front of the pool formed from Shen Luo and the others'' essence mana and blood. Then he beckoned with his hand. The blood lotus immediately spun around rapidly, emitting an incredibly strong attraction. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A shrill scream came from Lin Qing''s mouth. His Qi and blood poured out like breaking floodgates, his body turned ashen in an instant, then withered and turned into black. His scream didn''t last long, ending abruptly as the last drop of his blood energy was drained. Following that, Yun Niang''s body also immediately hemorrhaged its blood energy, and soon she too became a desiccated corpse. Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, in the order of inter-promotion of the Five Elements, their blood energy would be drained one by one. When Shen Luo''s blood energy and Mana are also completely sucked dry, the seal would be opened. Soon, Lu He turned into a dry corpse, and Jin Dun''s waltzing scream also started. Shen Luo would be the next. ¡°No, I can''t die like this¡­¡± Shen Luo shouted in his heart, no longer caring whether it was the Nameless Cultivation Technique or the Huangting Technique being activated. In an instant, a tiny bit of Mana finally responded to his manipulation, flowing into the Small Thunder Talisman on his chest. A crackling sound of electricity! A ray of snowy white thunder light exploded from Shen Luo''s chest, the emitting sparks bloomed like a bouquet of flowers on his chest. Shen Luo only felt a strong current piercing directly through his heart, causing his breathing and heartbeat, to halt for a moment. But then, intense, severe pain appeared within his chest, the Peach Wood Symbol which was seemingly embedded in his chest finally ¡°snap¡± fell to the ground. Shen Luo was free again! The Five Elements Breaking Formation, Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth all were indispensable. The collapse of Shen Luo''s Array Pillar instantly caused the entire Great Formation to collapse. The blood-red lotus, which pooled the blood energy and Mana of the four people, Lu He, was about to scatter. ¡°No¡­¡± Seeing this, Hu Yong immediately took off the Wine Gourd at his waist and smacked the bottom of it. Charm patterns surfaced on the surface of the Gourd immediately flew toward the blood-red lotus. A touch of green light sprayed from the mouth of the Gourd, rolled up the blood-red Lotus and directly sucked it into the Gourd. Hu Yong glared at Shen Luo, his eyes almost spitting fire. He never imagined that the previously assured Prohibition Breaking Array would be ruined by a mere Mid Grain Avoidance Stage cultivator. ¡°Shen Luo, you dare ruin my plan, you''re seeking death¡­¡± Hu Yong roared hysterically. His body immediately turned, raised one hand, and directly grabbed towards Shen Luo with his fingers spread out. The moment Shen Luo got free, without any hesitation, he immediately turned and fled. On his legs, unknown when, two Divine Armor Horse Talismans had been applied. Now they were burning with two balls of ashes wrapped around his lower legs, carrying him towards the direction he came from at high speed. However, before he even made it into the grove, a huge hand materialized above his shoulder from behind, about to grab him. At the critical moment, Shen Luo abruptly stopped, scattered moonlight below his foot, and executed the Slanting Moon Steps. He turned his body and dodged in another direction. But just after a few steps, he was caught up by Hu Yong who used an unknown method. He reached out again, his five fingers like a hook and aimed at his ribcage. All Shen Luo could do was hurriedly turn, relying on his agility to dodge again, and sprinted in another direction. However, no matter how he dodged, he was unable to shake off Hu Yong. He was hindered within an area of bare soil less than a hundred feet and couldn''t escape. Chapter 425 Chapter 425: Chapter 421: Encounter Lu Huaming Again Chapter 425: Chapter 421: Encounter Lu Huaming Again Seeing Hu Yong catching up closer and closer, Shen Luo turned his wrist, throwing a Thunderfall Talisman in front of him. He maneuvered the Slanting Moon Steps rapidly, swiftly passing by the talisman and quickly flashed away to the opposite direction. Hu Yong had just caught up when a ¡°thunderous¡± explosion sounded! A snowy white thunder light as thick as an arm fell from the sky, going straight for his head. Hu Yong''s gaze suddenly became intense, and a flash of green thunder appeared under his feet. He narrowly managed to avoid it. However, the Thunderfall Talisman, despite not directly hitting his body, the explosion caused a shockwave of smoke and dust that inevitably hindered him, causing his pursuit speed to slow down. Shen Luo took advantage of this fleeting opportunity, quickened his pace, widened the distance with him, and rushed towards the dense forest. However, just as he was about to step out of the bare land area, a young man in a round-necked long robe, standing on a sword, broke through the dense branches in the forest and collided head-on. Caught off guard, Shen Luo could only fall back to the ground. He cursed his ill luck silently and looking up, his eyes flashed with astonishment. At the same time, the person on the sword was also looking down at him. The two gazed at each other from afar and simultaneously exclaimed, ¡°Why is it you?¡± The person was none other than Lu Huaming, a government official he had met before! That year, although Shen Luo had only seen Lu Huaming once in the dead of night at the river channel of Song Fan County, it was the first time he had seen someone perform a sword flight, which he admired immensely, thus, leaving a deep impression on him. Before Shen Luo could comprehend, he heard Lu Huaming shouting loudly, ¡°Brother Jia Cheng, be careful, dodge quickly.¡± ¡°Who is Jia Cheng? Who is that?¡± Shen Luo was initially puzzled, then suddenly remembered, when he heard the name ¡°Lu Huaming¡± that day, thinking it was a ¡°pseudonym¡± he had made up, he casually made up a ¡°false name¡± for himself, ¡°Shen Jiacheng¡±. Realizing that Lu Huaming was warning him, Shen Luo immediately disappeared and moved to another side. As soon as he dodged aside, there was an explosive sound in the dense forest, a wave of black Yin wind rolled out, breaking seven or eight ancient trees and rushed out. Shen Luo turned to look back, seeing the Yin wind rolling to the edge of the pond, the black mist suddenly dispersed, revealing a shriveled man in bronze armor, wielding a bronze long sword. His face was almost as dried out as Lu He''s, his skin was green and black, and his mouth was full of black gums and white teeth, his sunken eye sockets were shining with two green lights. The Ghost General just revealed his figure. He instinctively wanted to continue hunting down Lu Huaming, but as soon as he moved, he stopped immediately, turned his head, and looked at the wine gourd hanging by the pond. The Ghost General hesitated for a moment, seemingly attracted by the vital force gathered in the gourd. He left Lu Huaming behind and lunged towards the pond. Hu Yong initially planned to kill Shen Luo when the opportunity arises. However, he was shocked to see this scene. ¡°Evil Beast, what do you think you''re doing?¡± After saying that, he shouted, a green electric light flashed under his feet, he shifted sideways, blocking the wine gourd, and slapped the Ghost General. The Ghost General let out a vague grunt, thrust his sword towards Hu Yong. A cluster of black light the size of a peanut condensed at the tip of the bronze sword, colliding fiercely with Hu Yong''s palm. Suddenly, a green talisman in his palm lit up. Accompanied by a thunderous explosion, several green thunders clustered out, colliding with that black light group. There was a loud ¡°boom!¡± The green lightning mixed with black speckles exploded simultaneously, shooting in all directions, triggering constant thunderclaps in the void. Both the Ghost General and Hu Yong were pushed back by this force. Hu Yong swiftly retrieved his wine gourd floating in mid-air, landing on the other side of the pond. He glanced doubtfully at the Ghost General and Shen Luo. A task, that was originally no trouble for him, had become increasingly complicated, causing his face to darken progressively. After a brief hesitation, he turned over his hand, took out a green talisman, and attached it to the wine gourd. The talisman paper shone brightly. The rich wave of blood energy overflowing from the gourd was quickly suppressed. The Ghost General seemed to lack spiritual wisdom. Sensing the absence of the blood energy, it stopped momentarily. Its head jerked mechanically side to side, observing Shen Luo and his party, seemingly unsure of who to attack first. Shen Luo surveyed the scene, estimating the cultivation levels of the others. It appeared that both Hu Yong and the Ghost General had reached the Soul Condensation Later Stage, while Lu Huaming was at the Mid-stage Soul-condensing Cultivation. Even if he could join forces with Lu Huaming, they most likely wouldn''t match either Hu Yong or the Ghost General. Therefore, he did not dare to act rashly, creating an unusually quiet atmosphere for the moment. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the brief peace didn''t last long. The Ghost General pivoted and dashed towards Lu Huaming at an impressive speed. Simultaneously, Hu Yong''s eyes turned cold as he attacked Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Jia Cheng, what is this about?¡± Lu Huaming asked as he dodged the Ghost General''s attacks. ¡°That bastard wants to use living humans as sacrifices to break the seal here and release the vengeful ghost of the Jing River Dragon King locked beneath,¡± Unable to telepathically communicate, Shen Luo pointed at Hu Yong and cried out loudly. Hearing these words, Lu Huaming''s expression changed drastically. He stopped dodging the Ghost General''s attacks, gripping his antique longsword with a single hand and drawing a wipe across the sword body with a finger. A layer of green sword radiance lit up at the edge of the sword. With a crisp ¡°clang¡±! Lu Huaming slashed out with his sword, causing the ancient sword to burst forth with a solid sword light that stretched out several feet long, tearing through the void and aiming straight for the Ghost General''s cranium. The Ghost General''s eyes flickered with ghost fire. Holding the bronze long sword with both hands, it cut down without any frivolous movements. Instantly on the bronze longsword surfaced a layer of black evil qi that surged out like a solid substance, colliding with the sword light. The two exploded simultaneously, transforming into a powerful cyclone that swept in all directions. As Lu Huaming retreated with a sway of his figure, he suddenly transformed into a green afterimage, disappearing from the location in an instant. ¡°He''s gone¡­¡± Shen Luo, seeing this, couldn''t help but feel surprised. ¡°Good kid, still daring to be distracted?¡± Just then, a mocking voice from Hu Yong suddenly sounded out from behind Shen Luo. Shen Luo immediately felt a gust of wind hitting from behind. By the time he wanted to dodge, it was already too late. Unbeknownst to him, Hu Yong''s hand had grabbed hold of a green short axe. The body of the axe was wrapped with green electric threads, making crackling sounds as it swung towards the back of Shen Luo''s head. In his haste, Shen Luo could only make a swift turn, tightly holding the handle of the golden blade with one hand, and using the other hand on the blade''s back. He raised his Qi to hold the long knife over his head, blocking the incoming attack. With a crisp ¡°clang¡±, a spark flashed on the golden long knife, and it broke upon impact. Chapter 426 Chapter 426: Chapter 422 Golden Armor Heavenly Soldier Chapter 426: Chapter 422 Golden Armor Heavenly Soldier The green short axe stirred up a cluster of solid electrical light, drawing an arc in midair, and with a ¡°hiss¡±, it tore through Shen Luo''s chest, both his robe and the flesh underneath. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A splash of blood burst out. Shen Luo only felt a burning pain in his chest and was driven back by the force caused by the golden long knife shattering, and he fell to the ground. Seeing this, Hu Yong seized the opportunity, stepped forward, and with the electrical light on his short axe flaring again, he aimed for Shen Luo''s head and strike down, intending to kill him off completely. Shen Luo was on the ground, the pain in his chest intense. The residual force of the axe was still raging within him, rendering him unable to even stand up, let alone dodge or fight back. At the critical moment, a green light suddenly appeared beside him. Lu Huaming''s figure appeared, stabbing directly at Hu Yong''s heart with his long sword. The longsword shimmered with green light, as if enveloped in an invisible light film. Under the light film, razor-sharp thin green Sword Qi can be faintly seen. Hu Yong''s eyes twitched sharply, and he immediately abandoned his pursuit of Shen Luo. He forced a twist in his figure, and the short axe also brought back in front of him, slashing down at the lower front of his chest. Lu Huaming''s sword edge was dodged and didn''t hit the heart. It fell right below Hu Yong and coincidently hit the short axe that he slashed down. A sharp ¡°clang¡± sound of metal and stone sounded! A dazzling light burst out of the green long sword and hundreds of green sword Qi burst out of the sword''s body, scattering and flying in all directions, making humming sounds as they broke through the air. Hu Yong''s clothes were instantly torn, with blood seeping out of many wounds. His hanging wine gourd was also hit by a sword Qi and made a soft sound. With a cold snort, he sealed a spell with one hand, pushing Lu Huaming back with a palm. He looked down at his injuries with a calm expression, finding nothing serious, but suddenly he gasped and quickly looked at his gourd. A thin slit had cracked on it, from which a streak of blood light was flowing out like smoke. ¡°Not good.¡± His face changed immediately, and his gaze sharply turned to Shen Luo. On being scanned by his gaze, Shen Luo''s heart jumped, and he immediately felt something was wrong and took several steps back. Hu Yong put one hand on the crack in the gourd and took back the short axe with the other hand. ¡°It seems that there is no other choice but to take a risk.¡± He murmured to himself with a gloomy expression. With that, his steps suddenly changed, a green electric light shuttled between his legs, his body blurred, and disappeared from the spot. ¡°Be careful!¡± Lu Huaming shouted, and with a flash, he chased after Shen Luo. Unfortunately, he had just rushed halfway when a bronze long sword fell from above, stopping him. The Ghost General had once again launched an attack. Shen Luo, who had been warned, had already activated Slanting Moon Steps and was about to run away. However, he was severely injured, and his reaction was ultimately a bit slow. Hu Yong came up to his side and gripped Shen Luo''s shoulder acupoint. He felt a surge of mana pouring in from his shoulder, which made his whole body numb. It was as if someone was gripping his meridian, and he couldn''t mobilize his mana freely. ¡°You rascal, this is going all wrong thanks to your meddling, we''re out of time now; the only option left is to try to sacrifice you alive.¡± Hu Yong murmured at Shen Luo and, like one would grab a chicken, yanked him over to the edge of the pool. Muttering an incantation, nobody knew what Hu Yong was chanting, but as soon as the words ended, he threw both Shen Luo and the wine gourd into the pool. The instant the gourd hit the water, it burst open with a bang, and a bloody red light poured out, turning into a vortex that sucked Shen Luo inside, whirling rapidly on the surface of the pool. And the previously calm pond water began to boil again at that moment. The numbness in Shen Luo''s body had disappeared, but he was still entwined by the bloody vortex and couldn''t break free. His mind racing, he strained to activate the Nameless Cultivation Technique, trying to control the pool water. However, regardless of how he tried to manipulate the water liquid in the pool using the Water Control Technique, the water remained completely immovable, not amenable to his commands. On the contrary, the bloody vortex beneath him wrapped him more tightly, sucking out the power of his Qi and blood once more. Filled with intense anxiety, Shen Luo knew if this continued, he would end up just like Lu He and the others ¡ª drained of his Qi and blood, reduced to a desiccated corpse. At the same time, the bloody vortex also began to dissolve into the pool water, the boiling momentum of the entire pool became even more intense. A thick black malicious Qi began to overflow from beneath the water surface, rising like heavy smoke. As Shen Luo was bombarded by this malicious Qi, a violent gale immediately swept through his Sea of Knowledge. His originally clear divine soul became chaotic as if being repeatedly hammered. The Ghost General, who was in pursuit of Lu Huaming, felt the changes occurring at the pool. The ghost fire in his eye sockets began to leap intensely, seeming extremely exited. Abandoning Lu Huaming, the Ghost General flew back directly and hovered over the pool. Without performing any magic spells or assuming any cultivation postures, the Ghost General just stood there, like a magnet, attracting the rolling malicious Qi, which continually poured into the gaps in his bronze armor. With a large amount of malicious Qi continuously flooding in, the originally shriveled body of the Ghost General gradually began to swell in size. The ghost fire in the eye sockets became more concentrated, and a tiny emerald green crystal appeared in the center of the flames. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Qi and blood energy around Shen Luo was being drained faster and faster, the sheen of his skin was rapidly fading, and it was about to shrivel up gradually. ¡°Damn it.¡± Seeing this, Lu Huaming furrowed his brow. With a moment of hesitation, he raised his hand, gripped the sword edge, and pulled it horizontally. His palm was immediately cut open, and profuse bright red blood flowed out, staining the edge of the sword. ¡°Borrow spirit as guide, lead with blood, Divine weapon descends, help me exorcise demons.¡± A low chanting voice sounded. A resounding hum came from the longsword in Lu Huaming''s hand. Immediately, a golden light lit up on the sword edge, spreading along the sword body, even covering his entire body. Following that, the golden light increased manifold. Strands of golden light circled around Lu Huaming, condensing into a towering golden Dharmform, holding a golden sword, wrapped with a golden belt, looking mighty and impressive. ¡°What kind of God-descent Technique is this? It even brought such an extent of a Golden Armor Heavenly Soldier?¡± Hu Yong looked slightly surprised. The world''s God-descent Techniques were diverse, and the deities that could be summoned to assist were different. The powers they encompassed varied in degrees, resulting in different levels of combat power. Clearly, this Golden Armor Heavenly Soldier that Lu Huaming had summoned was not ordinary. Chapter 427 Chapter 427: Chapter 423 Five Peaks True Form Seal Chapter 427: Chapter 423 Five Peaks True Form Seal In the golden armor Dharmform, Lu Huaming slowly opened his eyes, which shimmered with a golden hue. His gaze was somewhat cold, void of any visible emotion, resembling that of a god. ¡°Purge the demon.¡± With a low grunt from his mouth, he twirled his sword and immediately sliced it down towards the pool from mid-air. The golden armour Dharmform that shrouded his body also echoed his movements, swinging the golden longsword in its hands. Creating a golden arc in mid air, it directly descended. The Ghost General hanging above the pool was the first to bear the brunt. He could only temporarily stop absorbing the Yin Sha Qi, clenching his bronze long sword in both hands, making a diagonal slash towards the upper frontier. As he swung his sword, the Yin Sha Qi bubbling below surged out wildly. Following the direction of the sword, it transformed into a torrent of Sha Qi, surging upwards and crashing violently against the golden sword light. Within the golden sword light seemed to exist a naturally pure force. The dense Yin Sha Qi mingled with it, immediately melting away rapidly like accumulated snow meeting the scorching sun. But that Yin Sha Qi seemed to be endless, under the guidance of the Ghost General, it also rapidly wore down the golden sword light. However, with the golden sword light holding it back, almost all the Yin Sha Qi gushing out of the pool surged towards it. This actually relieved the pressure around Shen Luo. Shen Luo, seizing a brief respite, turned his wrist and pointed upwards. With a soft command from his mouth: ¡°Go.¡± From his sleeves, a blue light shot out. It was the Mother Sword flying out, soaring into the sky like a giant blue python. There was also a water rope attached to it, twined around Shen Luo''s arm, lifting him into the air. However, the blood light vortex beneath continued to pull him. The stand-off between the two persisted and he had difficulty getting away for the moment. Shen Luo manipulated signs with one hand, his mind moved, and upon the blue python ¡°clang¡± sounded twice. Two small flying swords shot out, circling and dancing like two nimble little snakes, rushing towards the vortex. Immediately following, there were two forces supporting him from below his feet, lifting him up and gradually helping him break free from the bondage of the blood light vortex. ¡°Don''t think about escaping,¡± Hu Yong, seeing this, cried out. His body leapt straight into the air of the pool, raised his hand and slapped it down. Thunder pooled within his palm and aimed to fell on Shen Luo''s head. Shen Luo was about to jump out of the whirlpool, but a burst of lightning struck him. He fell again towards the pool. However, as he was about to fall, the mother sword in his hand swept through the void. A blue vortex appeared, grabbed a corner of Hu Yong, and pulled him down with it. ¡°You''re seeking death,¡± Hu Yong glared and his fingers slightly bent into claws, rushing towards Shen Luo''s chest. Thunder twined around his fingertips, forming five sharp thunder cones. The power on it was astonishing. It didn''t matter if it was a flesh and blood body or a regular magical instrument, none could resist it. Shen Luo immediately crossed the sword in front of his chest to block, with one hand upwards throwing a small seal above Hu Yong''s head. Hu Yong sneered in his heart, not believing that Shen Luo could withstand his attack. Naturally, he didn''t care about Shen Luo''s moves and only intensified his pursuit. However, just when the lightning from his fingertips was about to touch Shen Luo, a vast shadow cast from above, alerted him and subconsciously he looked up. In the void above, three immense mountains of blue light descended from the sky, one on top of the other, carrying a tremendous force as they crashed down. Hu Yong''s face changed slightly, the hand that was grabbing turned upwards, in between his five fingers, thunder and lightning flourished, thread of light interlocking creating a large green thunderball, which crashed directly into the three mountain peaks. ¡°Boom!¡± With a thunderous roar, a thunder pool seemed to spring up from under the three mountain peaks. Numerous green electrical strands scattered like countless swimming snakes, surging with a powerful force. The three green mountain peaks were shockingly pushed back several meters by this blow. In the pond, Shen Luo''s whole body shuddered, a muffled hum from his mouth, and a streak of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. However, he had no time to care about his injury, he could only hurriedly manipulate the Three Mountain Secret, and a voice of an Imperial Edict sounded from his mouth: ¡°Five Peaks True Form, Mountain Guardian Empty, drop!¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as his words fell, the ¡°Zhen Yue¡± seal pattern on the bottom of the Five Peaks True Form Seal hanging in the high altitude lit up first, the four mountain runes carved around it light up at the same time, taking,along the peaks carved on the top part of the stamp, they bloomed with dazzling green light. The three mountain peaks in the void, which had been beaten back, fell again, and two more mountain peak phantom fell one after another. One mountain was towering with precipitous terrain and the other was lofty with cliff carvings visible. This scene of the Five Peaks falling together has never appeared before when he was fighting Tong Guan. It was because the level of his refining method was too low and he couldn''t refine the five mountain runes at the same time. It was only with the ability of the Ninety-nine Treasure refining tactics that Shen Luo successfully completely refined it. With the emergence of the Five Peaks, the layers of mountains overlapped. Originally in a state of nothingness and light and shadow, the moment they fully overlapped, the floating light and shadow actually began to show a substantial color, the Five Peaks really took shape! ¡°Five Peaks True Form Seal, how can it be in your hands?¡± Hu Yong''s face suddenly changed, shouting in surprise. Finally, a little more solemn color is added to his eyes, his hands are held in front of his chest, with his clothes fluttering without wind, making a rustling sound. His facial hair all raised standing, and all over his body, tiny thin azure thunder forming, ¡°peal peal¡± constantly sounding. ¡°Eight True Thunders, Mysterious Heaven Resonance, Shake Thunder!¡± Hu Yong roared, raising his hands suddenly, pushing upward with the demeanor of supporting the heavens. The lightning all over his body surged wildly, transforming into a thick green thunder pillar, and blasted onto the falling mountain. A ¡°booming¡± sound echoed! The entire heaven and earth shook violently, the green thunder pillar violently collided with the True Form of the mountain, causing a huge shock wave. The powerful wave spread in all directions, instantly scattering the surrounding Yin Sha Qi. The scattered green thunder strands ignited dazzling sparks, the ancient woods within a range of several tens of feet outside the barren land were covered by firelight and burned into charcoal. Even the Ghost General and Lu Huaming, who were at a standoff in mid-air, were forced to retreat. When all the thunder and auras scattered, the figures of Shen Luo and Hu Yong reappeared. The former is spitting blood, his chest completely soaked, while the latter is holding up the Five Peaks True with both hands, his face is pale, and his veins on his forehead are bulging, showing that he is not at ease either. However, after such a stalemate for a moment, Shen Luo eventually couldn''t support it, and staggered to the ground. The peak formed by the True Form of the mountain also retracted its light and dissipated, and the seal automatically flew back to Shen Luo''s hand. ¡°You''re the only one, a Grain Avoidance Cultivator, who has managed to torment this old man to such lengths. Today, this old man will use his True Thunder to obliterate you miserably.¡± Seeing this, Hu Yong let out a sigh of relief as he spoke. As he spoke, his expression changed suddenly, looking down at the pool beneath him. Chapter 428 Chapter 428: Chapter 424: Stripping the Soul of Alien Fire Chapter 428: Chapter 424: Stripping the Soul of Alien Fire Unbeknownst to when, the roiling pond water had returned to calm, the surface once again incredibly clear. However, as Hu Yong looked down through the surface, for an unknown reason, he saw a long black shadow, moving underneath the water like a dragon or a snake. It appeared as if it was clinging to the surface of the water, but upon closer examination, it seemed as though it was hidden in an abyss, rendered impenetrable. At that moment, a large shadow suddenly ascended from the water beneath. Suddenly nearing the surface, it revealed its true form ¡ª a gigantic Purple Bearded Dragon Head. Its eyes were tightly closed, its dragon whiskers smeared with blood, appearing frightful. Seeing this, a glint of joy flashed in Hu Yong''s eyes, but before he could speak, the dragon head''s tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, revealing an eerie green that glowed with deathly stillness, and suddenly flickered. In that instant of exchanged glances, the dragon''s head sank into the darkness and disappeared. Standing on the water''s surface, Hu Yong found that the whites of his eyes had disappeared without a trace, and both his eyes seemed pitch-black like ink. His facial expression also became numb. Although Shen Luo did not see any anomalies beneath the pool, just by looking at Hu Yong''s state, he knew something was wrong. He struggled to stand up, but with the slightest movement, heavy blows struck his shoulder, causing him to fall back. An acute pain shot through his shoulder, it felt like his bone had been broken. A look of horror flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, looking towards Hu Yong near him, he couldn''t understand how he had managed to reach his side in an instant. However, what surprised him was that after striking him, Hu Yong did not attempt to kill him. Instead, he walked expressionlessly toward the pink lotus in the center of the pond. Arriving near the flower, his eyes were focused intently on the lotus. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth widened, revealing a strange smile. He lifted his hand toward the stem of the flower. In the sky above, at this sight, Lu Huaming''s face instantly changed. He wanted to rush forward to stop Hu Yong but was blocked by the Ghost General, forcing him to retreat step by step. He was unable to get past. ¡°Brother Jia Cheng, quickly prevent him, you must¡­¡± Before Lu Huaming could finish his sentence, Shen Luo had already thrown out a Thunderfall Talisman, smashing towards Hu Yong. Just as a light flashed on the talisman paper and thunder and lightning were about to be released, a green light flashed in the center of the talisman paper. It broke through with an accurate hole, precisely ruining the crucial part of the rune. The talisman paper immediately fizzled out, there was only a flash of white light, and all of its power scattered. At the same time, Hu Yong''s hand had already reached the stem of the flower. The seal was about to be broken! However, the moment Hu Yong''s palm touched the stem of the flower, an unexpected change occurred! The petals of the pink Nine-Petal Lotus deepened in color, becoming the crimson shade that Shen Luo had seen in his vision before. ¡°Not good.¡± Shen Luo silently cried, paying no attention to the intense pain, he crawled out of the pond using both his arms and legs. But it was all too late, the Nine-Petal Crimson Fire Lotus''s petals all opened simultaneously, and torrents of crimson flames instantly rolled out from it, forming a sea of flames, consuming both Hu Yong and Shen Luo. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the flames were very controlled, they burned only within the range of the pond, and did not leave beyond the shoreside. The instant the flames engulfed him, Shen Luo thought he would be reduced to ashes. However, in reality, he did not feel any heat at all. Although the flames appeared intense, they had virtually no temperature. Just as he was surprised, he suddenly felt a burning sensation in his eyes as if the flames were trying to enter his eyes. But before they could, an object suddenly flew out from his sleeve, emitting a layer of hazy white light. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo discovered that the object in the white light was the stone box that held the jade pillow! With a click, the lid of the box opened by itself. Strangely, a force of attraction came from within the box, pulling the two strands of flames that were trying to enter his eyes, drawing them into the stone box. Immediately after, with a click, the stone box closed itself and fell downwards. Shen Luo watched this scene unfold in front of him, somewhat startled at the moment, not understanding what had just happened, but he still caught the stone box with an uplifted hand. But before he could figure it out, the flames engulfing the surroundings suddenly receded, all retracting back onto the lotus, everything else returned to its original state. It was as if the spreading of the sea of flames was merely an illusion. However, Shen Luo looked at the stone box that flew out of his hands and knew that what he had just seen was absolutely not false. ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± He murmured to himself. His gaze shifted forward and he saw not far in front of him, Hu Yong was kneeling in the pond, his hands maintaining an unusual position as if shielding his eyes, and he remained motionless. ¡°This is¡­¡± Shen Luo arched an eyebrow, feeling surprised. He saw that Hu Yong''s body did not emit any mana fluctuations, his body was slowly sinking into the water of the pond, and in no time half of his body had disappeared. Shen Luo thought about something, his expression changed again. He immediately dashed forward, grabbed Hu Yong by the collar, and pulled him out of the water. He then jumped towards the shoreside. Shen Luo casually threw the man in his hand, and the latter kept his original position, not changing even when he fell on the ground. Shen Luo walked in front of him and saw that Hu Yong was already dead, his face muscles tense and his expression full of fright. His eye sockets were dark, his eyeballs gone, they had turned into two bloody holes. ¡°These flames¡­ could they directly burn a person''s soul?¡± Shen Luo turned his head sharply to look at the lotus in the pond, cold sweat covered his body, he was petrified. He remembered that when he was in the sea of fire in the pond before, two strands of fire were attempting to enter his eyes, if it weren''t for the flying stone box that absorbed them, he would probably suffer the same fate as Hu Yong. ¡°After all your careful planning, you ended up sacrificing yourself. Since you also have this Storage Ring, I won''t be polite, I''ll take it.¡± Shen Luo sighed, and took off a silver ring from Hu Yong''s ring finger, and put it in his sleeve. Then he searched Hu Yong''s sleeves and chest, but was unable to find anything else, so he gave up. Shen Luo stood up, sweeping his gaze around the area, wanting to see if the bodies of Lu He and the others were still there. If found, burying them would be better than leaving them exposed. Regrettably, the previous battle was extremely fierce, their bodies have scattered who knows where, even if Shen Luo intended to do so, he couldn''t. ¡°Boom¡± At that moment, a loud rumble came from the sky, and a figure shot down from the sky, slamming heavily into the forest. Chapter 429 Chapter 429: Chapter 425: Ghost General Chapter 429: Chapter 425: Ghost General With a slight hesitation, Shen Luo still chased after it. But before he could catch up, a black whirlwind in the sky crashed down, followed by a loud rumble. Lu Huaming''s figure flew backward from the forest and fell in front of Shen Luo. He quickly stepped forward to help him up. ¡°Brother Jia Cheng, where''s that old guy?¡± Lu Huaming wiped the blood from his mouth and asked. ¡°He was injured by the seal and has already died.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°What about the seal, was it destroyed?¡± Lu Huaming hastily asked. Shen Luo glanced in the direction of the pool and replied, ¡°It doesn''t look like it.¡± ¡°That''s good, that''s good.¡± Lu Huaming heaved a sigh of relief. Just as he finished speaking, two towering ancient trees in the forest ahead broke at the waist and slammed towards the two of them. The two of them immediately retreated to avoid it. ¡°There''s one more troublesome ghost to deal with. This is a thousand-year-old Treasure Heart Pill, it can help you quickly heal and restore some of your mana. We will need your cooperation for what comes next.¡± Lu Huaming took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo hesitated slightly, accepted it, uncorked the bottle, and out came the last green Elixir Pill. He took a gentle sniff, a rich aroma of plants filled his nostrils. He then tossed the Elixir Pill into his mouth and swallowed. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the Elixir entered his stomach, it immediately turned into a warm current that spread through his meridians. Shen Luo felt a strange itching and numbness at his wound, as if it was healing bit by bit. Mana also began to accumulate in his Dantian, and the previous sense of emptiness was relieved considerably. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo expressed his gratitude to Lu Huaming with a small bow. ¡°Don''t thank me yet, this fellow sucked up quite a lot of evil aura just now, and his power is about to reach the Peak of the Soul Condensation Stage. His spiritual wisdom also seems to have improved considerably, let''s see if we can take him down first. You can thank me properly when we make it out alive.¡± Lu Huaming stared ahead, his voice grave. ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Luo promptly agreed, turning his palm over to grasp the Mother-Child Sword in preparation. Just then, a roar came from ahead, and the Ghost General in bronze armor suddenly charged out from the forest. Unexpectedly, he now had a pitch black cloak trailing behind him. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo realized that the cloak was covered in blurry and ferocious ghost faces, densely packed and struggling as if they were trying to break free from the cloak. The Ghost General, with his bronze sword in hand, pointed in their direction. Immediately, a troop of hundreds of ghost soldiers and zombies charged out from the forest behind him. Seeing this, Shen Luo shook his longsword in his hand, adjusting his magic spell. With two crisp sounds, two small and nimble flying swords shot out from the sword body and plunged into the group of ghost soldiers. Wherever they passed, constant sizzling sounds could be heard as the ghost soldiers were pierced through the head and fell to the ground. Then, Shen Luo charged forward, his sleeve flicked, and more than a dozen yellow Talisman Papers simultaneously shot out. The charm patterns on them lit up one after another, turning into more than a dozen white lightning bolts that crashed down. For a moment, the troop of ghost soldiers was engulfed in repeated thunderous crashes and flashes of electricity, causing many of them to fall to the ground. ¡°Well done.¡± Upon seeing this, Lu Huaming raised his thumb in approval. Having said that, he held up the longsword, his single hand forming a magic spell. The charm patterns on the sword body flickered, immediately shrouding it in indistinct green light before it darted out with a ¡°whoosh¡± sound. ¡°Scatter.¡± With just a light shout, the green light on his sword body immediately dispersed, forming dozens of identical green sword shadows, with a series of clear sword cries. They penetrated into the ghost soldiers. In a moment, the ghost soldiers were caused fatal injuries. The real body of the ancient sword passed through the ghost soldiers and went directly towards the ghost general. The latter raised the bronze long sword in his hand, swept it horizontally in front of him, and a rich deadly air gushed out from the sword body. After a clash with Lu Huaming''s long sword, it was driven back. ¡°This guy''s deadly aura is quite tricky. We can''t get too close for too long. It''s easy to get invaded by the deadly aura and it''s not a good feeling.¡± Lu Huaming said as he took back the longsword thrown back towards him. ¡°Has it got any vulnerabilities?¡± Shen Luo nodded and asked. ¡°This ghost general is not weak in combat and the copper armor on his body is extraordinary. If we are to say there''s a flaw, the limited spiritual wisdom can barely count as one, but unfortunately, it''s not significant. To slay it, we must destroy the deadly pill hidden in its Dantian. Otherwise, even decapitation is useless. Once it gets a breather, it will gather ghosts and reborn. But the armor at its Dantian is the most robust. Even if I try my best, I can''t break it in one hit.¡± Lu Huaming sighed. ¡°If I can break its armor first, do you have confidence in killing it with one blow?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes brightened and he asked. ¡°You have a way to break the armor at its Dantian?¡± Lu Huaming asked with some surprise. Shen Luo did not speak, only nodded. ¡°Well! Rest assured, as long as you can break its armor, I will never waste the opportunity create by you.¡± Lu Huaming said with a solemn expression. Seeing this, Shen Luo wanted to say something more, but his face suddenly changed, and he quickly dodged aside. A pitch-black sword light split across, pushing him and Lu Huaming back. The ghost general''s figure came rushing over, he raised his hand and grabbed towards Shen Luo in the void, and also took a sword swing at Lu Huaming. In the rush, Lu Huaming parried with his sword and was thrust out a few tens of feet by the pitch-black sword light. But Shen Luo felt a sense of oppression from the surrounding void, without any hesitation, he immediately performed a Water Repelling Technique. Immediately, a blue light screen appeared around him, protecting him. As soon as the blue light screen emerged, depression marks appeared all over, and strands of deadly aura, barely perceptible to the naked eye, gathered under the control of the ghost general towards Shen Luo, like an invisible cage confining him. Shen Luo raised the longsword in his hand, trying to break free, but his body was suddenly pulled by an invisible force that sprung up from nowhere, directed towards the ghost general. His heart tightened, he quickly grabbed the Mother Sword and slashed it towards the void in front of him. A water-blue sword light burst out, transforming into a half-moon arc light in mid-air, slashing towards the ghost general. The ghost general saw the sword light flying, he simply waved his hand, with a casual swing of the bronze sword in his hand, it dissipated the arc light, and the other hand violently yanked back. Shen Luo heard a whistling sound by his ear, his body approached the ghost general even more rapidly. The distance between the two was less than ten feet in no time, and it seemed he was about to fall into the grasp of the ghost general. However, the closer he got, the calmer Shen Luo''s expression became. Chapter 430 Chapter 430: Chapter 426: Joining Hands Chapter 430: Chapter 426: Joining Hands Shen Luo retracted his Mother-Child Sword, flipping his palm hidden in his sleeve to reveal the Fractured Talisman already adhering to his palm, waiting to be triggered at close range. Ten feet, nine feet, eight feet, seven feet, five feet¡­ Now was the time. Shen Luo was prepared to cast the Fractured Talisman with all his might. However, just at this moment, a blackout occurred above his head, and amidst a ¡°rustling¡± sound, a pitch-black cloak descended from above, covering him completely. Shen Luo''s vision instantly darkened, and the surrounding area fell into silence. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Shen Luo''s heart tightened, only to realize that the pulling force from before had disappeared. He looked around, finding he could see nothing, hear nothing, and even couldn''t smell anything. It was as if he had fallen into a void where he had lost all his senses. Shen Luo panicked for a while but soon calmed down. He didn''t know whether he had been drawn into some magical space or merely trapped in some kind of illusion, but he had no intention of sitting around waiting to die. Just at this moment, two luminous green lights suddenly appeared in the pitch-black void around him. When Shen Luo looked closely, two more green lights appeared from another direction. Then, one after another, hundreds of pairs of green lights lit up, like ghostly fires or pairs of ghostly eyes, surrounding him. In a flash, a surge of killing ghostly Qi rushed from all directions. Under the illumination of the green lights, hundreds of ghastly ghost faces appeared, each with mouths wide open and exaggeratedly distorted, dashing towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s face changed, and with a flip of his palm, more than a dozen Small Thunder Talismans emerged from his palm and were thrown into the surroundings without hesitation. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­¡± A series of thunderous noises rang out, and snowy white thunder light exploded around, its electric arcs penetrating the void ghost faces, instantly causing those Yin Soul Ghosts to wail and howl. Over a dozen of the ghosts were directly hit by the thunder light, their faces instantly tearing apart and dissipating into smoke. However, these ghosts were not deterred by the thunder, instead rushing up more ferociously. Shen Luo could only continue using the Small Thunder Talismans to repel them. Even though Shen Luo had prepared a large number of Small Thunder Talismans and seven Thunderfall Talismans for this task, he could not withstand the tide-like attack of these ghosts. Soon, not only were Shen Luo''s Small Thunder Talismans exhausted, but his Mana, which had not fully recovered, was also running low. He held five Thunderfall Talismans in one hand, while throwing the remaining seven or eight Small Thunder Talismans with the other. He was waiting for the ghosts to swarm up, ready to activate the five Thunderfall Talismans simultaneously for a final burst. If the burst of these five Thunderfall Talismans could break the surrounding pitch-black void, he would have a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, he would pull down as many ghosts as he could and die with them. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± The seven or eight Small Thunder Talismans exploded in succession, illuminating the surroundings with their snowy white light. All of a sudden, Shen Luo saw a crack in the lightning flash, through which he glimpsed the fleeting figure of Lu Huaming. Apparently, he hadn''t given up and was actively trying to rescue him. An idea came to his mind. A Moonlight Shattered Shadow emerged at his feet, and he advanced rapidly towards the crack. As he got closer, the five Thunderfall Talismans in his hand were activated, shooting towards that direction. Five Thunder Talismans flew out interlocked, their runes lighting up simultaneously, and the talisman paper shattered with a crack. A thunderous roar rang out! Five powerful snowy white thunderbolts intertwined into one, forming a gigantic thunder spear that pierced through the void. At the same time, Lu Huaming was anxious, knowing only that Shen Luo had been scooped up by the ghost general with his cloak. He wanted to help, but didn''t know where to start, he could only continually drive the ancient sword to slash at the ghost general. Just then, a loud thunderclap suddenly exploded. A snow-white pillar of light abruptly emerged from the ghost general''s cloak at this location, from which arm-thick arcs of electricity were shooting out in all directions. From the black cloak, sounds of ghosts howling could be heard, with countless yin soul ghosts screaming unendingly, struggling to escape from the cloak, only to vaporize before they could get far. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Huaming looked on with surprise and delight as Shen Luo''s figure emerged from the hole torn open by the lightning. The ghost general turned, slashing horizontally with his sword at the figure behind him, but Shen Luo had already dropped a foot towards the ground. The bronze long sword slashed over his head, bringing a wave of deathly ghostly qi toward Shen Luo. At this moment, Shen Luo was too occupied to care, shouting out loud: ¡°Brother Lu, now is the time!¡± As soon as his words fell, he slapped towards the lower belly of the ghost general, a fractured talisman flashed with light, turning into a glowing arrow, shot at close range at the Dantian of the ghost general. ¡°Pop¡± a soft sound! The copper armor on the ghost general vibrated slightly, the surface immediately manifested a layer of glaring white light, spreading from the Dantian over the whole body, and then shattered into pieces with a flash. Beneath the bronze armor, countless white lights surged like live creatures, permeating the body of the ghost general, causing it to emit a sharp shrill scream that would make one''s teeth ache. But following this, a sharp light flashed suddenly, piercing through from the Dantian, revealing a shadow at a hundred feet away. It was Lu Huaming holding a long sword, panting heavily, his body trembling uncontrollably. Shen Luo''s gaze was slightly sluggish, he hadn''t seen clearly how Lu Huaming had executed that sword strike just now. He was only left with shock. What followed was the sound of a ¡°clang¡±, the long sword in Lu Huaming''s hand fell powerlessly, and his body also lurched forward almost falling to the ground. The cost he had paid was evidently quite great. The Dantian of the ghost general had been pierced open, cracks spreading all around. From within, a golden radiance emanated, the ghost general''s body was engulfed in aura under the illumination of the light, black fog surged and scattered in all directions. The residual yin soul ghosts in the surroundings, witnessing this scene, frenziedly surged over, as if they had found some kind of feast, eagerly consuming the aura emanating from the ghost general. It was chaos for a moment, the ghost general''s body was devoured to nothingness. ¡°How are you? Are you alright?¡± Shen Luo struggled to Lu Huaming''s side, helping him up. ¡°It''s okay, I''ve just overworked a bit. After these ghost creatures devour the general''s aura, they will become even more savage. We need to leave here as soon as possible.¡± Lu Huaming shook his head, picked up the ancient sword in front of him and said. ¡°Yes, let''s leave here first.¡± Shen Luo also agreed. They had both exhausted themselves in the battle, they didn''t have much mana left in them at this moment, they could only flee on foot in the direction of the exit. Fortunately, the surrounding ghost creatures had also been attracted by the aura emitted by the ghost general, and for a time there weren''t many ghost creatures attacking them. Shen Luo found a place to rest for a while after having recovered a bit of his mana, then they left this ghostly domain riding their flying swords. At the edge of the pond in central dense forest, a gust of wind blew, causing the kneeling corpse of Hu Yong to fall forward, landing on the ground with the surroundings enveloped in silence. No one noticed that the pink lotus in the pond had changed from nine petals to eight. Chapter 431 Chapter 431: 427 Chapter 431: 427 When the two returned to the Netherworld, Zhong Kui was waiting for them. Seeing them appear at the same time, he was quite surprised. However, after listening to Shen Luo and the other party''s report on what they had seen and heard, his expression became increasingly serious. ¡°These evil factions dare to target the Jing River Dragon King, they are simply courting death,¡± said Zhong Kui, clapping his folding fan together and speaking angrily. ¡°Elder, this matter concerns both the Yin and Yang realms. Neither the Netherworld nor our Great Tang Dynasty Government can afford to underestimate it,¡± said Lu Huaming, making a fist and bowing. ¡°Recently, the Netherworld is not peaceful either, causing unease within the ghosts. It''s time for a thorough purge,¡± Zhong Kui said, his gaze slightly focused, and nodded. Finally, he swept his gaze over Shen Luo and the other, his eyes filled with admiration, and spoke again: ¡°The two of you have made significant contributions in resolving the seal crisis and slaying the ghost general. The rewards mentioned before will be doubled as an additional reward from the Yin Bureau.¡± ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Shen Luo and Lu Huaming looked at each other and smiled, expressing their thanks. After receiving the rewards, they were sent out of the Netherworld by Zhong Kui. ¡­ At the entrance of the City God Temple, the mid-day sun was in the sky. It was already noon the next day. As Shen Luo and Lu Huaming walked out of the temple gate together, both had expressions of fatigue. ¡°Brother Jia Cheng, when did you arrive in Chang''an and why didn''t you come find me?¡± asked Lu Huaming, stretching lazily. ¡°Brother Lu, to be honest, my name is not Shen Jia Cheng, but Shen Luo,¡± Shen Luo replied with a hint of apology. Upon hearing this, Lu Huaming raised his eyebrow in surprise and looked at Shen Luo. Shen Luo had no choice but to explain to Lu Huaming why he had used a pseudonym that day. ¡°Brother Shen, you are truly interesting, hahaha¡­¡± Lu Huaming laughed heartily, seemingly unbothered by Shen Luo''s deception. ¡°Brother Lu, what about your name?¡± Shen Luo asked with a teasing smile. ¡°My name was painstakingly chosen by my father, implying that I would one day rise like a dragon and astound everybody. It''s not a pseudonym,¡± Lu Huaming explained, waving his hand. Shen Luo stroked his chin and laughed without saying a word. ¡°Brother Shen, joking aside, this trip to the Underworld is a major event. I need to report it to Duke Cheng. As you are involved, I would like to ask you to accompany me on this visit,¡± Lu Huaming said seriously. ¡°Okay, who is Duke Cheng?¡± Shen Luo, who had anticipated this situation, did not refuse. Instead, he asked with curiosity. ¡°Has Brother Shen not heard of the famous General Cheng Yaojin? He followed the late Emperor on his military campaigns, establishing the golden age of the Tang Dynasty. Now, in the peaceful times, he has been assigned by His Majesty to oversee the Great Tang Dynasty Government,¡± Lu Huaming explained with surprise. ¡°Duplex Halberd Cheng Yaojin! Of course, I have heard of him. Many storytellers tell tales of his adventures. So, he is currently in charge of the Great Tang Dynasty Government,¡± Shen Luo said, clapping his hands together. ¡°Exactly, although Duke Cheng holds a high position and wields great power, he is humble and jovial, a very admirable person. You will know when you meet him, let''s go,¡± Lu Huaming said with a smile. Then, he led Shen Luo in the direction of the Imperial City. ¡°Are we heading towards the Imperial City?¡± Shen Luo asked. Although he was a cultivator now, as a citizen of the Great Tang, he still held deep-rooted respect for the concept of ¡°Heaven, Earth, Monarch, Parents, and Teachers¡±, and still had some reservations about the court. ¡°No, we are off to the Great Tang Dynasty Government, not the Imperial City,¡± Lu Huaming shook his head, changing direction, heading west of the Imperial Palace. Hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t say anything more. He had been curious about the Great Tang Dynasty Government for a while but never had the opportunity to visit. Today, he could finally fulfill his wish. Soon, the two arrived at a grand manor near the Imperial City. Though referred to as a mansion, it looked more like a massive manor. The many buildings inside stretched far into the distance, covering what seemed like hundreds of acres. At the entrance of the manor, nearly a hundred armored warriors stood on both sides, carrying large spears and swords. Every soldier bore a fierce, murderous aura ¨C clearly battle-hardened warriors. ¡°Is this the Great Tang Dynasty Government?¡± Shen Luo was surprised at the sight of the magnificence in front of him. This place was quite imposing, but it was not what he had imagined for a large sect of Immortal Cultivation. ¡°Although the Great Tang Dynasty Government could be categorized as a sect of Immortal Cultivation, it is also one of the government establishments of the court, strictly speaking, under the Ministry of War. Hence, there are soldiers guarding the entrance,¡± explained Lu Huaming. ¡°I see,¡± responded Shen Luo, catching on. Lu Huaming led Shen Luo forward, producing a golden token and casually waving it in front of the guards. The guards at the entrance of the Great Tang Dynasty Government immediately made way, allowing the two to enter. Once inside the manor, Shen Luo became aware of several powerful spiritual pressures from all directions converging on him. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could sense that these auras were quite strong, likely belonging to cultivators at the Soul Condensation Stage. The rhythm and intensity of these auras were in sync, like that of strictly trained soldiers. This sent a shiver through Shen Luo. He stayed closely behind Lu Huaming, keeping his gaze straight ahead and refraining from glancing around. They passed the front hall of the manor and ascended onto a gallery. Upon reaching here, those intense auras suddenly vanished, prompting Shen Luo to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Those were the guards stationed at the gate. As long as you behave, you won''t have any trouble,¡± Lu Huaming informed him. Shen Luo nodded slightly with awe at the strength of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. One could obtain the status of an Elder by merely joining any sect as a cultivator at the Soul Condensation Stage, yet here they were merely guards. The surroundings of the gallery were full of flowers and trees, and the gallery itself was covered with verdant vines. The vibrant greenery was pleasing to the eyes and refreshing to the mind. In the surroundings of the gallery, amidst the flower gardens, pools, and pavilions that resembled a landscaped garden, there were occasionally a few cultivators leisurely strolling or enjoying a game or playing a musical instrument, akin to living like immortals. Upon a closer look at these individuals, Shen Luo noticed that their demeanor and countenance were not inferior to those of General Jin Kui or Immortal Qinghua. They were all eminent figures at the Nascent Soul Stage, which left him even more astounded. ¡°Those are the esteemed Guest Elders of our Great Tang Dynasty Government. The court spared no expenses to invite them here. Each one of them is extraordinary, and many have peculiar personalities. It is best not to offend them unnecessarily,¡± Lu Huaming whispered to Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hastily averted his gaze. They continued forward and soon passed through the gallery. In front of them appeared a series of elegant buildings. ¡°These are the Guest Hall, Tranquil Hall, Renowned Hall, which are all places to receive distinguished guests,¡± Lu Huaming explained to Shen Luo as they walked. Normally, visitors are required to first report to these places, then someone is assigned to go in and pass on the message. Only after gaining permission can they enter. Since Shen Luo was with Lu Huaming, he was spared these formalities and was directly allowed inside. As they walked past these places, the ambiance of the buildings ahead changed again, becoming more grand and solemn. They had reached the central area of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Lu Huamning explained that the headquarters was divided into different halls, such as the Heavenly Palace, Earthly Palace, Four Seas Hall, Thunderbolt Hall, and so on, and each hall had a different function. Chapter 432 Chapter 432: Chapter 428: Recommendation Chapter 432: Chapter 428: Recommendation Although they were friends, Shen Luo was an outsider after all, and Lu Huaming did not bother to introduce him in detail. Shen Luo naturally wouldn''t pry too much. He looked around curiously, and his expression changed abruptly as he stopped to look above. In the sky, there appeared an enormous circular light curtain at an unknown time, with seven giant sword shadows in the center, exhibiting the seven colors of red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and purple. Surrounding the giant swords were many smaller and thinner sword shadows forming a ring, and beyond that, another layer of even smaller sword shadows. The sword shadows on the light curtain piled layer upon layer, up to seven layers, spinning like a windmill. ¡°This is the Seven Absolute Sword Array, established by the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Our Grand Ancestor paid a great price to invite a High Person from the Azure Clearing to set it up as our protective array. This array is extremely powerful. It is said to be derived from the rumored Immortal Slaying Sword Array, where even a golden immortal stepping into it would perish.¡± Lu Huaming explained upon seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°Seven Absolute Sword Array!¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. Although the sword array above his head seemed extraordinary, he didn''t expect it to be able to slay even a golden immortal. The foundation of the Great Tang Dynasty Government was truly unfathomable. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Lu Huaming seemed somewhat impatient and quickly led Shen Luo onto a secluded path, soon arriving at a two-story building. ¡°Is the Duke inside?¡± Shen Luo looked at the small building in front of him and asked in surprise. ¡°No, this is my residence. I have some urgent matters to attend to. We will go to meet the Duke later.¡± Lu Huaming replied, then strode into the building. Shen Luo was a bit puzzled, but followed nonetheless. Before even stepping into the building, a thick smell of wine wafted out, mixed with the sound of gulping from within. Shen Luo paused at the entrance, only to see Lu Huaming sitting inside, cradling a large wine jar and guzzling down its contents. Several more wine jars were placed on the table beside him. Shen Luo chuckled and shook his head, walking inside. ¡°Hoo, I''ve missed this so much!¡± Lu Huaming put down the wine jar, wiped away the wine stains around his mouth with his hand and said with an intoxicated look on his face. ¡°Is the important matter you mentioned drinking wine?¡± Shen Luo asked, baffled. ¡°Hehe, for me, drinking wine is the most crucial thing. If I don''t drink for a day, the worms in my stomach will revolt. Yet, the Duke does not allow me to carry wine when I carry out my duties. These few days have been unbearable.¡± Lu Huaming chuckled, taking a few hefty gulps. ¡°From your reaction, it looks like you haven''t drunk wine in years.¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°A day without seeing you feels like three years.¡± Lu Huaming exclaimed. Shen Luo only shook his head and laughed, not saying anything. ¡°Brother Shen, want some?¡± Lu Huaming pushed over a wine jar. ¡°We are about to meet the Duke. It''s not appropriate to drink wine now, so I will refuse.¡± Shen Luo was tempted by the rich and mellow smell of the wine but thought better of it considering their upcoming meeting, thus refusing the offer. Lu Huaming didn''t insist and continued drinking alone, finishing three large jars before finally stopping. ¡°Let''s go.¡± After belching, Lu Huaming led Shen Luo out of the small building and to the outside of a great hall. ¡°This is the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s main hall where the Duke usually handles affairs.¡± Lu Huaming led Shen Luo straight inside. The hall looked imposing and huge from the outside, much taller than the other nearby halls, but the interior wasn''t luxurious. Aside from tables and chairs for guests, they only had two rows of weapon racks, filled with various weapons. ¡°Is this really the conference hall?¡± Shen Luo looked at the scene before him with disbelief. ¡°Hehe, Duke Cheng is a military man. He loves swords and prefers action. He thinks that gold and silverware, antiques and treasures all corrupt people''s minds, so he strictly forbids their presence in this Yanwu Hall.¡± Lu Huaming explained with a smile. ¡°This Duke certainly is an interesting person.¡± Shen Luo commented. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Lu, a cup of spiritual tea for your Daoist friend.¡± Two attendants came forward, serving a cup of spiritual tea each for the two men. ¡°Is Duke Cheng around?¡± Lu Huaming enquired. ¡°His Majesty has summoned Duke Cheng to the court today for policy discussions. He hasn''t returned yet.¡± One attendant responded. ¡°Oh, then let''s wait a moment for him.¡± Lu Huaming looked slightly surprised, then turned to Shen Luo to speak. Shen Luo nodded, sitting to one side to wait. The wait turned out to be half an hour, but with Lu Huaming accompanying him, regaling him with tales of the fascinating things he''d seen and done over recent years, Shen Luo didn''t find it boring. After a few moments, a flurry of footsteps sounded from outside, urgent and rushed. ¡°Duke Cheng is back!¡± Lu Huaming''s eyebrows twitched as he rose to his feet. He had hardly finished speaking before a burly old man walked in. The man wore a suit of golden armor, his face hidden under a thick, dense beard, and his eyes as large as copper bells, giving him an awe-inspiring appearance. ¡°Damn it, what''s the use of being an official if you have to attend court every day. What a bother.¡± Shen Luo stood up, intending to go forward to pay his respects, but he froze in place when he heard the burly old man''s words. Lu Huaming cast a meaningful look at Shen Luo, as if to say, ¡°See, I told you.¡± ¡°Master, I''m back.¡± He then strode forward and gave a bow. ¡°Master¡­¡± The colour of surprise spread across Shen Luo''s face. Lu Huaming and Cheng Yaojin were master and disciple. ¡°You stinky brat, smelling of alcohol again! You went drinking again, didn''t you! The last scolding wasn''t enough, was it? Tell me, did you cause any problems this time?¡± Cheng Yaojin snuffed his nose and glared at Lu Huaming, raising a hand as if to strike him. ¡°Master, I swear I did not drink during the mission. The alcohol scent on me is only because I had a few drinks after completing the mission. Brother Shen saw it happen!¡± Lu Huaming hastily jumped back and defended himself. ¡°Oh, there''s another young man here. Your family name is Shen? Did this brat tell the truth?¡± Cheng Yaojin''s eyes swept over Shen Luo, standing to one side, and asked. ¡°I am Shen Luo. It''s an honor to meet you, Duke Cheng. Brother Lu told no lies. He indeed only had a few drinks after completing the mission.¡± Shen Luo stepped forward, gave a bow and replied. ¡°If that''s the case, I''ll let you off this time.¡± Cheng Yaojin snorted, no longer paying attention to Lu Huaming, and turned his gaze back to Shen Luo. ¡°Your name is Shen Luo? I don''t think I''ve heard of it before. Did you come to seek apprenticeship? You look decent and honest, not like that drunkard.¡± He looked Shen Luo up and down and said casually. ¡°Duke Cheng, there''s been a misunderstanding. I came here because I have something important to report.¡± Shen Luo was taken aback and quickly explained. ¡°Ah! Master, Brother Shen is a friend of mine. He is the one who taught me the Water-Stepping Art. He was also involved in this mission, so he came along with me to report to you.¡± Lu Huaming crossed over to join in with the conversation. ¡°Oh, the Water-Stepping Art is your spell, huh? This spell has helped us greatly in resisting the water demons. The Great Tang Dynasty Government owes you a favor. If you need help in the future, don''t hesitate to ask.¡± Cheng Yaojin paused, slapped Shen Luo on the shoulder and laughed heartily. Cheng Yaojin was astonishingly strong. The slap made Shen Luo stagger and his shoulder hurt. Chapter 433 Chapter 433: Chapter 429: Invitation from the Government Official Chapter 433: Chapter 429: Invitation from the Government Official The Duke Cheng in front of him emanated an immense aura, surpassing the likes of General Jin Kui and Immortal Qinghua, whom Shen Luo encountered at the auction earlier. However, Cheng Yaojin did not carry the aloof and superior attitude of those individuals. His amiable and friendly mannerisms made him quite likable. ¡°Serving the government of the Great Tang Dynasty and its people is a wish of mine, so there''s no need for any reward,¡± Shen Luo calmly replied. ¡°Well said! We cultivators might seem detached from mundane affairs, but we are also the citizens of the Great Tang Dynasty and should be loyal to our country. It''s a pity there are so few in the Cultivation World today who understand this!¡± Shen Luo''s words genuinely struck a chord with Cheng Yaojin, who immediately responded with hearty approval. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming quickly echoed his sentiment. ¡°Shen Luo, the Great Tang Dynasty needs patriotic men like you. Do you have any intention of joining the government? Stand alongside me to protect our homes and maintain peace in the Human World?¡± Cheng Yaojin observed Shen Luo with growing admiration and suddenly proposed. Shen Luo was somewhat moved by his words. Currently, although he was free and unaffiliated, his cultivation suffered from lack of guidance. Joining the government of the Great Tang Dynasty did seem like a great option. However, with the numerous problems entangling him and the issues concerning his lifespan, he would need to resolve those first. ¡°Master Cheng, Brother Shen already has his own mentor. We should not force him into doing something he might not want to,¡± Lu Huaming noticing Shen Luo''s hesitation, chimed in. ¡°What a pity. But Shen Luo, remember that the doors of the Great Tang Dynasty government are always open to you should you decide to change your mind,¡± Cheng Yaojin let out a regretful sigh before adding the last sentence. ¡°Thank you very much for your kindness, Duke Cheng. I am eternally grateful,¡± Shen Luo thanked him, moved by his good intentions. ¡°Enough casual talk. Hua Ming, why have you and Brother Shen come to see me? Has something gone wrong with your task?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked seriously, sitting down in the seat of honor. ¡°Indeed, this mission from the Underworld is rather fishy¡­¡± Lu Huaming, with a serious expression, began to explain all the details of their mission. The events that occurred prior to their arrival were relayed to Lu Huaming by Shen Luo, as he wasn''t privy to all the details. ¡°Ah, the fact that the men from the Refining Body Altar plan to tamper with Jing River Dragon King''s seal is definitely a grave matter! I am aware of the Refining Body Altar. They''ve harbored many down-and-out freelance cultivators and have been infamous for their ruthless and nefarious actions. They have evaded the full force of the Great Tang Dynasty Government and other righteous sects on multiple occasions, and I did not expect them to have a presence in the Treasure Hall too. It seems their powers are more widespread than we thought.¡± Cheng Yaojin''s face turned solemn and he spoke slowly. ¡°Master, can you tell us more about this Jing River Dragon King? Why is his ghost sealed in the Underworld?¡± Lu Huaming asked. Shen Luo was also extremely curious about this and looked at Cheng Yaojin for answers. ¡°This matter has to do with an ancient secret, and even Emperor Taizong is involved. You don''t need to concern yourselves with this for now,¡± Cheng Yaojin said after a pause. Shen Luo was taken aback. He didn''t expect that the ghost of the Jing River Dragon King was related to Emperor Taizong. Although curious, he dared not ask further. ¡°Master, how should we proceed with this matter?¡± Lu Huaming nodded in agreement before posing the question. ¡°Shen Luo, what do you think we should do about this situation?¡± Cheng Yaojin sat in silent thought for a moment before unexpectedly turning to Shen Luo with his question. ¡°I am a mere junior, unfit to meddle in the matters of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Duke Cheng, you would be the best person to handle this,¡± Shen Luo replied hurriedly, taken aback by the question. ¡°No, you were the primary victim in this mission apart from those four unfortunate cultivators who lost their lives. It''s only natural to include your opinion on how this should be resolved,¡± Cheng Yaojin waved his hand and said. Shen Luo looked at Cheng Yaojin in stunned silence. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although governments are supposed to be representative of the people, how many actually uphold this principle since time immemorial? ¡°Although I encountered several dangers during this task, I managed to survive without holding any grudges. Duke Cheng, you are free to make a decision that you deem best,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment of silence. ¡°Since you say so, Shen Luo, I will take charge of this matter. Rest assured, I will provide a satisfactory answer in the end,¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded and replied. ¡°Yes, your decision will definitely be the best,¡± Shen Luo remarked. ¡°Alright, you two may leave now,¡± Cheng Yaojin waved his hand. Both of them stood up, bowed to Cheng Yaojin, and left the room. ¡°Brother Lu, I have some matters that need attention so I''ll take my leave,¡± Shen Luo said to Lu Huaming immediately after leaving the great hall. ¡°You''re leaving already, Brother Shen? Why not stay for half a day more? I still have some fine wine in my place. Since we have reported everything about our mission, we can drink without any worries,¡± Lu Huaming suggested. ¡°There''s no need for that. I indeed have something important to attend to. When I get the chance, I''ll come over and we''ll drink,¡± Shen Luo gently shook his head and replied. ¡°Three cups wouldn''t be enough, we must drink at least three big jars!¡± Lu Huaming chuckled aloud. ¡°Alright, if you insist, Brother Lu,¡± Shen Luo laughed along. Afterward, Lu Huaming accompanied Shen Luo to the entrance of the government office of the Great Tang Dynasty, and they said their goodbyes. Upon leaving the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Shen Luo didn''t linger around. He quickly returned to his dwelling at Changping Alley. Xie Yuxin still hadn''t returned. Shen Luo asked Zhou Tie to stay alert to the happenings in the city and report anything unusual immediately. He then returned to his dwelling and crashed on his bed. Throughout this mission, he was constantly on alert without taking a moment off. The fatigue took a toll on him and as soon as he hit the bed, he drifted into sleep. Shen Luo slept continuously for two days and nights. By the third day, he was fully energetic and awake. After two days of resting, his external injuries were almost healed, and his internal injuries considerably improved. After two more days of rest, he should be able to recover fully. First, he went outside to look around, both inside and outside his courtyard, checking for any signs of encroachment. Assured that no one had entered during his slumber, he finally relaxed. Shen Luo then returned to his room, sat down at the table, and waved his hand. A small pile of things appeared out of nowhere on the table, which were the rewards earned from his Underworld task. Two hundred immortal jades, a yellow crystal about the size of a fist, two medicine vials, one white and the other black, and three arm-thick luminous white skeletons. The yellow crystal was the Yellow Springs Crystal, which was semi-transparent and emanated faint yellow halos. Picking up the Yellow Springs Crystal, Shen Luo focused his thoughts and injected mana into it. As a result, the yellow halo around the crystal instantly brightened by tenfold. The moment Shen Luo''s eyes were illuminated by the yellow halo, he lost sight of everything else. All he could see was the endlessly revolving yellow halo, like a kaleidoscope, which made him feel dizzy. Startled, he quickly closed his eyes and silently ran his internal energy. After a while, the dizziness subsided and when he opened his eyes again, his vision was back to normal. ¡°What a treasure!¡± Shen Luo admired the crystal in his hand and praised in his heart. Chapter 434 Chapter 434: Chapter 430: Harvest Chapter 434: Chapter 430: Harvest The Ghost World Treasure Compendium he had bought at the Ghost Market had mentioned this Yellow Springs Crystal. This item was harvested from the Nether River and had many uses; it could concoct elixirs, assist in cultivating illusory powers, and refine dazzling magical instruments. Although it was not as rare as Netherworld Bamboo, it was still extremely precious. As he toyed with the Yellow Springs Crystal in his hands, he was reluctant to part with it. However, in the next moment, he cut off his reluctance. After all, no matter how precious this item was, it could not compare to his life-extending elixir. Shen Luo put down the Yellow Springs Crystal and turned his gaze toward the three luminous white skeletons. Strong waves of Yin Qi emanated from the skeletons, far surpassing the material for his previous Ghost Wailing Ring. These three Jade bones didn''t have anything special about them, they were just extremely hard and top-tier Artifacts Refining materials. They were suitable for creating yin attribute magical instruments, and estimating from their quality, they could be sold for twenty to thirty pieces of immortal jade. Shen Luo quickly moved his gaze and picked up two medicine vials. A white vial contained a Yinling Pill he had taken once before, and a black vial held a mysterious green elixir. When submitting the task, Zhong Kui briefly explained the name and effect of this green elixir. It was called the Yin Zhe Pill which, after consumption, made one''s breath non-existent and the body cold, as if dead. The effect lasted for thirty-six hours. ¡°These are all good items, best to save them for later use,¡± he muttered to himself, then stored the two vials and other items away. Then he took out a silver ring, which was Hu Yong''s storage magical tool. ¡°There should be quite a few good things in a late-stage Soul Condensation cultivator''s storage tool,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, then injected his mana into the ring and quickly refined it. The space inside the silver ring was not very big, only about half the size of a room, much smaller than the Linlang Ring. There were many things stored inside the ring, among which most were immortal jade, actually amounting to seven to eight hundred pieces. ¡°Such a lot of immortal jade, old man Hu Yong was really wealthy!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart. Shen Luo quickly moved his focus from the immortal jade to a few other items. A half-human-height Apricot-Yellow Flag, embroidered with a Wind Beast pattern using black silk. A Green short axe, two white vials, twenty to thirty yellow talisman papers, a purple book, and a gray wooden box. Shen Luo waved his hand and took these items out for a careful inspection. Hu Yong had used the Apricot-Yellow Flag and Green short axe before; they were powerful magical instruments. He held the two magical instruments in his hands and activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to sense, quickly figuring out their grades. There were six prohibition layers contained within the Apricot-Yellow Flag, making it a mid-grade magical instrument, while the Green short axe contained eight prohibition layers, making it a top-grade magical instrument. ¡°Nice! Gained a mid-grade and a top-grade magical instrument!¡± The corners of Shen Luo''s mouth lifted. Although the Apricot-Yellow Flag was only a mid-grade magical instrument, it could launch rare wide-ranging attacks, which he had been lacking. As for the Green short axe, it was a thunder attribute magical instrument. He had felt its power firsthand, it almost split him into two ¨C its attack power was incredibly strong. Shen Luo waved his hand to collect the two magical instruments into the Linlang Ring, planning to refine them later. He continued to check the other items. The two white bottles contained a milky white pill. Judged by its medical aura, it was likely a pill for healing injuries. The twenty or thirty yellow talisman papers were the puppet talismans Hu Yong had used before, which could transform into black silhouettes. The purple book recorded Hu Yong''s cultivation technique ¡°Thunder Shock Technique.¡± Though this technique was excellent, since Shen Luo already had the Nameless Cultivation Technique, he wouldn''t practice it. However, behind the Thunder Shock Technique were some explanations of Thunder Techniques. After reading, he gained a deeper understanding of the Small Thunder Talisman and Thunderfall Talisman. Shen Luo quickly put down the purple book and picked up the last gray wooden box, exerting force in an attempt to open it, and a black light suddenly emerged from the box. At the back of his mind, sudden alarm bells rang, and with a change in his countenance, he immediately threw the gray wooden box away with unparalleled speed. Just as his hand barely left the box, a black flame rose from it, burning silently. The burning box tumbled onto the table and, after a mere screaming sound, the black flame astonishingly burned a big hole right through the table in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo took a sharp breath, the black fire was dangerously malevolent, had he let go a little slower, he might have been engulfed by the black fire and even if he didn''t die, it would have disabled him. The burning wooden box fell through the table and hit the ground. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the black fire billowed, a black pit was instantly burned into the ground. However, the flame suddenly flickered and extinguished quickly. The gray wooden box inside was revealed and astonishingly remained unharmed. Shen Luo wore an indicative pondering expression, without rashly approaching the box, he performed a magic spell. A stream of water shot in from the window, forming into two palms, lightly tapping the gray wooden box. The box showed no reaction, and the terrifying black fire did not reappear. Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows and changed the magic spell in his hand, the water palms grasped the box with the intent of opening it with force. A black light flashed on the box, and the black fire suddenly emerged once again, immediately engulfing the two palms. With a hissing sound, the two water palms disappeared instantly, turning into wisps of smoke lingering about. The gray wooden box once again fell to the ground, burning another pit into the ground. Just like before, the black fire remained for only two or three breaths before it disappeared again. ¡°What a formidable black fire, it can even instantly melt water!¡± Shen Luo''s heart turned cold. He racked his brains for information about this black fire, pondering over potential solutions. But after considerable thought, he still couldn''t find any. However, he could feel the chilling ghostly Qi exuding from the black fire, somewhat similar to the fire from the Ghost World. ¡°How could I forget, the Netherworld Bamboo can absorb Ghostly Qi, it could perhaps restrain this black fire.¡± A thought flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, and he retrieved the Netherworld Bamboo, placing it on the gray wooden box. He then shaped two water palms once more and opened the wooden box. A black light flashed, and the black fire reappeared again, melting the water palms in the blink of an eye and also enveloping the Netherworld Bamboo within. However, rather than disappearing like the water palms, the Netherworld Bamboo remained perfectly intact underneath the licking of the black fire. Not only that, but the bamboo also turned black rapidly, emitting a force of devouring. The surrounding black fire began to fluctuate, slowly converged on the Netherworld Bamboo, and slowly melted into it. Seeing this, Shen Luo instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, the Netherworld Bamboo could restrain this black fire. Otherwise, he really had no other means to break this black fire''s prohibition. If he had attempted to blast open the wooden box with raw force, he feared that he would have destroyed everything inside as well. Though the Netherworld Bamboo could absorb the black fire, whether it was because the black fire was too powerful, the absorption speed was really slow. A full quarter of an hour had passed before all the black fire was completely drained. Chapter 435 Chapter 435: Chapter 431: Lotus Petal Different Flame Chapter 435: Chapter 431: Lotus Petal Different Flame Shen Luo slightly revealed his joy and was about to conjure two water palms to try opening the wooden box. A soft click sounded from within the grey wooden box, and surprisingly, the lid opened on its own. He fixed his gaze and saw a scroll of a silk book laid inside the wooden box. The silk was tender and supple, covered in small dense characters, apart from this, there was nothing else. ¡°A Silk Book? Could it record some special skills or secret techniques?¡± Shen Luo guessed in his heart, picking up the silk book and unfolding it. At the beginning of the book, four big characters were written: Body Refining Secret Text. ¡°Really a secret text!¡± he murmured silently, then glanced downwards. Such a secretly stored text must contain extraordinary things. After reading just a few lines, Shen Luo''s complexion changed dramatically, showing surprise and joy. However, this joy didn''t last long. His expression became strange, and finally turned into extreme disappointment and frustration, even a little resentment. Only after quite some time did he recover, however, looking at the silk book in his hand, he was still astounded. The things recorded in the Body Refining Secret Text were truly shocking. Inside it detailed the secret techniques passed down exclusively within the Refining Body Altar, among which included the reconstructing Dantian, re-creating meridians, repairing divine soul injuries and other secret methods that Xie Yuxin was looking for. These secret methods were incredibly refined. Shen Luo held the Nameless Cultivation Technique, Huangting Technique, and Pure Yang Sword Canon, among many other unparalleled cultivation texts. He had cultivated to the Great Mahayana Stage in Dreamland and his understanding of the Immortal Path was extremely deep. Yet still, after reading this content, he felt it was a real eye-opener. This Body Refining Secret Text was extremely profound in its explanation of the physical body, meridians, and divine soul. There were many innovative ideas, especially in tempering the body and repairing the divine soul, which were incredibly exquisite. What Shen Luo didn''t know was that this Body Refining Secret Text was the most profound secret text used to guard the Refining Body Altar. Hu Yong was tasked with an extremely dangerous mission to release the ghost of Jing River Dragon King, intruding into the spheres of influence of the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Underworld. The main altar of the Refining Body Altar have this duplicate of the Body Refining Secret Text to encourage Hu Yong, but they also laid an extremely tough prohibition on it, only to be lifted once the task''saccomplice. With the prohibition there, there was no fear that it might fall into wrong hands or the secrets of the Refining Body Altar can be spied upon. As it happened, Hu Yong''s mission failed. The wooden box fell into Shen Luo''s hands, who just happened to have the rare treasure from both Heaven and Earth, the Netherworld Bamboo, which could crack the prohibition on the box. All in all, it could only be described as a stroke of fortune. While these skills and secret techniques were indeed ingenious, Shen Luo didn''t pay much attention to them. However, a secret technique which could open the meridian in the Body Refining Secret Text, was what truly shocked him. Shen Luo had previously heard from Xie Yuxin that the Refining Body Altar had a way to open up meridians. He had always thought that the Refining Body Altar used it as a tactic to recruit believers, just a wild boast. After all, a cultivator''s meridians are fundamental, symbolising the level of a cultivator''s natural talent, something that is born with and cannot be manipulated. But the Body Refining Secret Text stated explicitly that one''s ordinary meridians could be transformed into meridians using a secret technique. This secret technique was called the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. As the name suggests, it stimulated the body''s meridians and the acupoints on them using Yin Sha Qi. After a series of complex changes, refinements, the meridians would transform and develop into law meridians. The meridians that were formed this way were somewhat inferior to naturally born meridians; they were not as broad, and their flexibility was also a bit inferior, even the speed at which they absorb Heaven and Earth Spirit Qi during cultivation was slower. Despite these issues, the meridians that were opened in this way retained the ability to store Mana. They could also be expanded with the nurturing of Mana, hence still held vast value. This Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians may be profound, but the Body Refining Secret Text also cautions that performing this method is incredibly dangerous, like walking on a tightrope at high altitude. A single misstep or oversight could lead to the destruction of the meridians created, or even total necrosis. ¡°Just reading about this technique is daunting. Even those with exceptional aptitude and comprehension cannot guarantee a flawless execution. A slight mistake could lead to the destruction of the meridians, ruining all future cultivation prospects. The risk is simply too great!¡± Shen Luo shook his head, ready to put the silk book back into the wooden box. But the next moment, he paused, his eyes slowly lighting up. This Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians may be incredibly difficult for others, but he might still have a chance. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He could practice this method in the dreamland. Even if he destroys his meridians or dies in the dreamland, he could still be revived. If he could accumulate enough experience this way, he would have a much higher chance of success when he eventually opened his meridians in reality. Shen Luo pondered, the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. The only concern was that after his last plunge into the dreamworld, he had realized that dying in the dream realm could shorten his real-world lifespan, which he needed to consider further. With these thoughts in his mind, he collected the Body Refining Secret Text, planning to try it next time he entered the dreamland. Shen Luo then took out everything else from the silver ring and stored them in the Linlang Ring. He also hid the silver ring well. Storage magical tools are very precious. Many soul condensing cultivators do not own one, so they are quite valuable. After handling Hu Yong''s belongings, he paused for a moment, then took out one more thing, the white stone box. This stone box had absorbed quite a bit of that mysterious crimson flame in the sealed land. He had been busy before and hadn''t had the chance to check what was inside. Now that he had some free time, he naturally wanted to investigate. Shen Luo recalled the eerie demise of Hu Yong, consumed by the crimson flame, and stepped back. He formed two water palms with a spell, and gently opened the stone box. Inside, a chicken-egg-sized ball of red flame floated. Deeper within the flame, there was a rotating crimson lotus petal as if trying to shoot out from inside it. However, a force from inside the stone box seemed to have the lotus petal flame completely confined. ¡°This stone box seems to be no ordinary object. Initially, I thought it was just a storage stone box. It turns out it has the ability to capture and seal,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He quickly shifted his attention away from the box, examining the crimson lotus petal flame closely. With a thought, he manipulated the water palm to inch closer to the lotus petal flame and gently brushed against it. But this lotus petal flame was completely different from the black fire just now. Regardless of the lotus petal flame or the blue water palm, neither of them showed any changes upon contact. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, he then tested the lotus petal flame with wood, metal, stone, and other fires, but there was still no change in the flame. After a brief moment of thought, he closed the stone box again and kept it before walking outside. A moment later, he returned, carrying two lively gray hares in each hand. Shen Luo placed the hares on the table, constraining them with a water rope, then he reopened the stone box, revealing the lotus petal flame within. He cast a spell to maneuver the water rope on one of the hares, causing the hare to approach the lotus petal flame. A leg of the hare slightly brushed against the crimson flame. Chapter 436 Chapter 436: Chapter 432: Heavenly Fire Red Lotus Chapter 436: Chapter 432: Heavenly Fire Red Lotus ¡°Shii¡± A wisp of crimson flame immediately separated from the lotus petal and silently entered the rabbit''s body. The lively gray hare became stiff, then completely motionless, void of breath. Its originally vibrant fiery-red eyes became dull, as if its spirit had been sucked away in an instant. ¡°This flame can indeed kill the spirit! What is this flame, to have such power?¡± Shen Luo was surprised in his heart. However, he didn''t let his guard down and used another gray rabbit to test the capability of the crimson flame, the situation was the same as the first one. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two consecutive tries made Shen Luo unshakeably confident about the capabilities of this lotus petal flame, recalling the wealth of knowledge about flames he had seen in his mind. ¡°Crimson color, lotus petal shape, capable of killing the spirit, could this flame be the rumored Red Lotus Karmic Fire among the ten heavenly fires!¡± He suddenly remembered a book he had read that recorded the information and pictures of Heavenly Flames. The information about the Red Lotus Karmic Fire recorded in it was very similar to the lotus petal flame in front of him. Shen Luo looked over and over at the flame in front of him, finding them more similar the more he looked. ¡°It can''t be wrong. This lotus petal flame, whether in appearance, color, or effect, is exactly the same as the Red Lotus Karmic Fire recorded in the classics! Moreover, it is rumored that the Red Lotus Karmic Fire is born deep in the underworld, and this flame came exactly from the underworld.¡± He muttered to himself, his face full of excitement. He needed Spirit Fire to refine the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He dared not hope for any rank, but sought everywhere without success. He didn''t expect that during this mission to the underworld, he had obtained a clump of heavenly fire rumored in the books. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire has an enormous killing power towards the spirit, and ghosts are all soul bodies, making the Red Lotus Karmic Fire a natural nemesis to ghosts, ten times more powerful than the Gold Sun Spirit Fire of human quality. It''s exceedingly suitable for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Now that all the conditions for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo have been met, Shen Luo plans to prepare a little more before starting to refine the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He closed the stone box, put it away, then took out the Apricot-Yellow Flag and Green Short Axe, running the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to begin refining them. One day and one night later. Within the small courtyard, thunderous noises sounded in mid-air, as if a series of thunderbolts had exploded! The Green short axe was suspended in mid-air, several green thunders shot down from it, hitting a stone table and chairs in the courtyard. The stone table and chairs immediately exploded into fragments, looking as fragile as tofu under the green thunder. ¡°Good!¡± Shen Luo took back the Green short axe into his hand, his face showing delight. The power of the Green Thunder isn''t small, much larger than the Small Thunder Talisman, but it''s still a bit short compared to the Thunderfall Talisman. However, using the Green Short Axe to generate green thunder for attack is far more convenient, as long as the mana is sufficient, it can continuously emit green thunder, unlike the Thunderfall Talisman, which also requires drawing of talismans and capturing of thunder, making it more cumbersome and difficult. Shen Luo put away the Green Short Axe, took out the Apricot-Yellow Flag, and slightly tested it. Its power was also extraordinary. He was still injured and did not continue to try. He put away the Apricot-Yellow Flag, turned around and went back to his room to heal his injuries. After three more days, Shen Luo''s injuries had mostly healed. During this period, Zhou Tie brought him some shocking news. The Treasure Hall in Chang''an City was surprisingly involved with the Evil Cult Refining Body Altar. After the investigation by the Great Tang Dynasty Government, several stewards and elders were arrested, confirmed to be members of the Refining Body Altar. The Master of the Treasure Hall was furious. He apologized to the Great Tang Dynasty Government and thoroughly investigated all members of the Treasure Hall. As a result, the whole of Chang''an City was in uproar, and other merchant associations were also terrified. Shen Luo was shocked when he heard this news and secretly admired Cheng Yaojin''s audacity. The power of Treasure Hall is indeed formidable, they move as they wish, truly worthy of the reputation of being one of the fierce generals who fought side by side with the founding emperor of this dynasty. However, the connection between Treasure Hall and the Refining Body Altar made Shen Luo somewhat worried. He was not sure whether Ma Xiuxiu was involved in this matter. After all, it was because of this woman''s invitation that he had gone on that mission. From the bottom of his heart, however, he still hoped that Ma Xiuxiu had nothing to do with this matter, as he still needed her connections to refine the elixir he wanted to make. He decided to investigate carefully two days later, after his injuries had completely healed. At this moment, a knocking sound came from outside the door. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and got up to open the door, and saw a white figure standing sweetly outside the door ¡ª it was Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Miss Ma, why are you here?¡± Shen Luo was startled, although there were many questions in his heart, he first invited Ma Xiuxiu into the house. ¡°Master Shen, I have specially made this trip to apologize, I wanted to help you refine the elixir, but I unintentionally put you in danger, please forgive me.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said, giving a deep curtsy, without waiting for Shen Luo to question her. ¡°This matter is all because of Hu Yong. Miss Ma does not have to take the blame.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Be that as it may, it is because of me that you, Master Shen, got involved in danger. I feel very guilty for this. The alchemy master also feels very sorry towards you and has asked me to apologize on his behalf.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said sincerely. ¡°No harm done. I hold no grudges, and I wish for you, Miss Ma, to convey this sentiment to him.¡± Shen Luo said with a light smile. ¡°Master Shen, although you may not care, we cannot act as if nothing happened. To make up for our mistake, the alchemy master said that he would like to refine the elixir for you free of charge.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. ¡°Is that the truth?¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy. ¡°I wouldn''t lie to you, of course. However, the alchemist needs to discuss some details about the process of refining the elixir with you in person. When would you be available?¡± Ma Xiuxiu asked with a teeth-revealing smile. ¡°I am available now.¡± said Shen Luo. Ma Xiuxiu was still freely moving about, which naturally revealed some truths. Although it could not completely dispel his doubts, it wouldn''t affect the actual implementation of refining the elixir, which is a matter related to his lifespan. In addition, he had been observing the girl''s demeanor since she walked in the door, she didn''t seem to be acting, which naturally dispelled most of his doubts. ¡°Let''s go then.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said with a smile. There was a carriage parked in the courtyard. The gray-robed man who drove the carriage walked up and bowed to Ma Xiuxiu and Shen Luo. Shen Luo glanced at the man and nodded slightly. The man had also been the driver of Ma Xiuxiu''s carriage during the auction. The two of them got into the carriage and they arrived in a district in the northern part of the city an hour later. This place was as quiet as Changping Alley, but it was not as messy. The ground was clean and tidy, there were no fallen leaves or weeds to be seen, everything was exceptionally neat. The buildings here were all tall and magnificent, they were clearly the residences of the wealthy. ¡°This is Yanshou Alley, next to the Imperial City. Master Dan Yangzi''s residence is just ahead.¡± said Ma Xiuxiu. Dan Yangzi , was the name of that alchemist. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi''s residence truly has its own unique flavor.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Chapter 437 Chapter 437: Chapter 433: Dan Yangzi Chapter 437: Chapter 433: Dan Yangzi As Shen Luo entered this neighborhood, he felt that the spiritual energy here was much denser than elsewhere, and a powerful force ¨C akin to a coiled dragon resting in an abyss ¨C seemed to emanate from the left side area. He quickly realized that it was coming from the Imperial City. If his memory served him right, the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s establishment was also nearby. With these two powerful presences keeping watch, there couldn''t be a safer place. ¡°The spiritual energy in this place is abundant, the environment serene, and it is close to the Imperial City, ensuring its safety. It''s an ideal place for both alchemy and cultivation. Master Shen, if you like it here, you could consider moving your residence over, I can help you find a place.¡± Ma Xiuxiu suggested. ¡°That won''t be necessary, I''m used to living the way I please. If I stay in such an orderly neighborhood, I would find it hard to sleep,¡± Shen Luo returned with a laugh. ¡°I didn''t think Master Shen was one to joke around.¡± Ma Xiuxiu covered her mouth and chuckled. As their casual conversation continued, they arrived at the entrance of a mansion. Flanking the mansion''s gate were two fire lion statues, each more than a person''s height. Off to the side of the main gate was a pavilion. Five people sat around the stone table inside, their gazes occasionally drifting towards the closed gate, their expressions filled with anxiety. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Who are these people?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi is famous for his alchemy in Chang''an City. These people are probably here to ask him to concoct pills. We don''t need to mind them,¡± Ma Xiuxiu barely glanced at them, heading straight for the gate and knocking on the door. A moment later, the tightly shut gate creaked open slightly. A young girl with her hair done up in a tiny braid peeked out. she looked to be only seven or eight years old, chubby and cute like a porcelain doll, extremely endearing. ¡°Sister Ma,¡± The girl saw Ma Xiuxiu and excited color appeared on her small face, suggesting they knew each other rather well. However, her face turned cautious immediately after seeing Shen Luo behind Ma Xiuxiu. She began examining him from head to toe. ¡°This is Master Shen. He is a friend. We are here to see Master Dan Yangzi as we had previously agreed to. Little Su, is the master free now?¡± Ma Xiuxiu ruffled the girl''s hair affectionately before inquiring. ¡°So it is Elder Shen, I apologize for my rudeness. My grandfather has just completed his alchemy and is resting in his room. You may follow me,¡± The girl bowed to Shen Luo and led him and Ma Xiuxiu inside, exuding a mature air beyond her years. The sight agitated the people in the pavilion outside. Dan Yangzi was famous for his alchemy, but just as renowned were his eccentric personality quirks. If he took a liking to someone, he could concoct pills for them free of charge. However, if he didn''t care for someone, no amount of Immortal jade could sway him. Despite their wait outside for over ten days, they hadn''t even been able to step foot past the doorstep. Shen Luo and Ma Xiuxiu, on the other hand, had been let in immediately. ¡°Big brother, you have seen a lot of the world, do you know who those two are?¡± Among the five of them, a woman in a green dress was the first to ask the scholarly robed old man. ¡°By the look of their appearances and their conversation, the young girl is likely Ma Xiuxiu, a rising star from Treasure Hall. However, I don''t recognize the man,¡± The scholarly robed old man replied after some contemplation. ¡°Seeing as how those two so easily gained access and appear to be on good terms with Master Dan Yangzi, perhaps we could approach them regarding our matter,¡± said a white-robed youth holding a gold-painted fan, who was seated next to the old man. ¡°Second brother is right,¡± The others agreed, their eyes lighting up. At the moment, Shen Luo and Ma Xiuxiu were led by the young girl to a reception hall inside. The hall was tastefully furnished, at the center of which was a set of purple sandalwood furniture. The craftsmanship was very detailed, an obvious mark of a master. Hanging on the hall''s walls were several landscapes scroll paintings. In the corners of the room, aromatic incense burned, offering a calming atmosphere to anyone breathing it in -clearly a high-grade ingredient. ¡°Sister Ma, you two have a seat here while I go to get grandfather.¡± The girl, seeming rather adept at making small talk with guests, promptly served them a cup of spiritual tea each before quickly leaving for the inner rooms. ¡°Such a clever child. Is she Master Dan Yangzi''s granddaughter?¡± Shen Luo looked after the girl''s departing figure, reminded of his little sister back home. ¡°No, Master Dan Yangzi devoted his life and time to the Dao of Alchemy without ever starting his own family. This girl was found by the master during one of his trips. Seeing her lonely and destitute, he brought her back with him,¡± Ma Xiuxiu explained. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi indeed has a benevolent heart,¡± Shen Luo complimented. ¡°It''s true what they say about good deeds are rewarded. Little Su is not only exceedingly good-natured but also possesses a high aptitude for alchemy. Given time, she could perhaps become yet another master,¡± Ma Xiuxiu agreed with a smile. Shen Luo, hearing this, couldn''t help but look surprised. Alchemy required exceptional talent. As he understood it, to become an alchemy master, one first needed to possess a fierce flame, then a strong spiritual force, followed by sufficient comprehension. Lastly, it required substantial financial backing to facilitate repeated alchemy trials and yielding eventual success. Even though he had the assistance of Dreamland which allowed him to learn many things rapidly, he didn''t dare try becoming an alchemy master. ¡°Hehe, Miss Xiuxiu, you''re mistaken. I could hardly accept having such a reputation for kindness. Besides, I merely felt a connection with the girl all those years ago, which is why I saved her. Otherwise, if I had felt no connection at all, even if she were to cry and kneel before my door for three days and three nights, I still would not have lifted a finger.¡± At that moment, a voice echoed from inside the house. Before his words could fully register, a tall old man with white hair but a youthful face walked out. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi,¡± Ma Xiuxiu immediately stood up, bowed, and respectfully greeted. Shen Luo quickly followed suit. ¡°So, you are Shen Luo.¡± Dan Yangzi gave a slight nod to Ma Xiuxiu before turning his attention to Shen Luo. ¡°Yes, I am Shen Luo,¡± Shen Luo confirmed with a nod. ¡°Brother Shen, due to my actions, you were previously put in danger; I apologize for that,¡± His face somber with remorse, Dan Yangzi gave Shen Luo a half-bow in apology. ¡°Please, Master Dan Yangzi, there''s no need for this. That matter has already passed. and moreover, that day it was me who decided to proceed, so it really had nothing much to do with you,¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him straighten up, and in return, gave him a respectful bow. The man was an elder, moreover, he was a respected alchemy master. For him to humble himself and apologize to a young man like himself was rare enough already. Shen Luo accepted the apology, irrespective of whether it was sincere or done under the pressure from the Great Tang Dynasty Government. On top of this, he needed to ask Dan Yangzi to concoct pills for him, it was all the more crucial to maintain good relations. ¡°As long as Brother Shen does not hold it against me, I''m relieved. I heard from Xiuxiu that Brother Shen wants me to concoct a medicine using Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. To show my sincerity, I''m willing to refine the Milk Spirit Pill for Brother Shen free of charge,¡± Dan Yangzi did not insist any further and made the offer after a pause. Chapter 438 Chapter 438: Chapter 434: Compensation Chapter 438: Chapter 434: Compensation ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Although Shen Luo had already learned about this matter from Ma Xiuxiu, he still couldn''t help but feel joy in his heart when Master Dan Yangzi personally agreed. ¡°I have seen the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk that Friend Shen brought. Although it is not aged enough, it is indeed a genuine Thousand-Year stalactite and can be refined slightly. However, the Milk Spirit Pill comes in several kinds, each with different effects. Therefore, I specifically asked Xiuxiu to bring Friend Shen here to ask which kind of elixir he needs to refine.¡± Dan Yangzi said. ¡°Master is indeed a scholar. I only heard that the elixir made from Thousand-Year Spirit Milk can resurrect the dead and prolong life, but I know nothing else. I wonder how many types of Milk Spirit Pills are there and what are their effects?¡± Shen Luo praised Dan Yangzi first, then asked. ¡°I dare not claim to be a scholar. According to the pill formulas I have, the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk can be refined into Lifespan Increase, Cure Injury, and Vein-expanding pills.¡± Dan Yangzi stroked his beard, speaking with a somewhat proud tone. ¡°I understand the effects of increasing lifespan and curing injury, but what is the effect of meridian expansion pill, is it used to expand meridians?¡± Shen Luo raised his brows and asked. ¡°Exactly. The Vein-expanding Spirit Milk Pill, as its name suggests, has the effect of expanding meridians and also affects Mana, allowing it to hold more mana.¡± Dan Yangzi said. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo, despite his usual calmness, could not help but reveal his joy. He had originally thought that this Thousand-Year Spirit Milk could only increase his lifespan. He didn''t expect it to have so many effects, especially the so-called Meridian Expansion Pill, which greatly moved his heart. He had always been troubled by his low aptitude in reality, having only three meridians, and his mana was relatively weak compared to other monks. If he could use this Meridian Expansion Pill to expand his meridians, it would alleviate this problem. ¡°All these three elixirs are useful to me. I wonder if it would be too troublesome for Master to refine them all? If it is too troublesome, I can pay a reward.¡± Shen Luo explained, his fist closed in a polite gesture. ¡°The trouble is not big, but the amount of spirit milk that Friend Shen sent is not much. It is just enough to refine one type of pill, let alone three.¡± Dan Yangzi frowned as he spoke. ¡°Master, don''t worry about this. I have more Thousand-Year Spirit Milk here, which should be enough for alchemy.¡± Shen Luo immediately said. ¡°Oh, Friend Shen still has Spirit Milk? How much more do you have?¡± Dan Yangzi asked. ¡°There are about ten bottles of the kind of Spirit Milk that I had before.¡± Shen Luo replied. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The amount of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk in the jade was quite large; he estimated that there were about thirty bottles. Although Dan Yangzi was a master, he wouldn''t easily reveal everything. ¡°I didn''t expect Friend Shen to have so much Thousand-Year Spirit Milk! That should be enough!¡± Dan Yangzi showed a surprised look, then nodded. ¡°It''s just some lucky coincidences. I don''t have that Spirit Milk with me right now, I''ll bring it later.¡± Shen Luo lightly explained, then said. ¡°Master Shen doesn''t need to make another trip here, which would be so troublesome. If you trust me, give the Spirit Milk to Little Sister, and I will send someone to Master.¡± Ma Xiuxiu interjected. ¡°All right, then I''ll trouble Miss Ma.¡± Shen Luo gave Ma Xiuxiu a slight nod. He had already, through Ma Xiuxiu, sent that bottle of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk to Master Dan Yangzi and there was nothing he didn''t trust. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi, how long will it take to refine these elixirs?¡± Shen Luo, after dealing with Ma Xiuxiu, turned to Dan Yangzi and asked. ¡°Friend Shen wants to refine three types of elixirs, which will take more time than before. It will likely take about a month to finish.¡± Dan Yangzi thought for a while before saying so. ¡°A month''s time? That''s fine. But I have to ask, how much lifespan can the Lifespan Increase Spirit Milk Pill add?¡± Shen Luo asked the question that concerned him the most. ¡°The Thousand-Year Spirit Milk that Friend Shen brought is not aged enough. Even after refining, its medicinal effect is not as good as the genuine Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. After refining into a Lifespan Increase Spirit Milk Pill, the first pill should increase your lifespan by about thirty years. The second pill''s effect will be halved, and the third pill will be halved again. After the third pill, taking more Lifespan Increase Spirit Milk Pills will basically have no effect.¡± Dan Yangzi said. ¡°If that''s the case, I could only increase my lifespan by about fifty odd years.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. But that was enough. He had previously increased his lifespan by more than twenty years by ingesting Dragon Blood. In addition to the these fifty odd years provided by the Lifespan Increase Spirit Milk Pill, he was confident that he would be able to reach the Soul Condensation Stage in this period of time. By then, he should be able to completely recover the lost lifespan. ¡°Then I''ll leave it to Master. I will visit again in a month.¡± Shen Luo gave a bow to Dan Yangzi. ¡°I will do my best.¡± Dan Yangzi nodded with a smile. Once the matter was settled, Shen Luo did not wish to be a bother, so he soon bade farewell with Ma Xiuxiu. With the matter of pill refining settled, Shen Luo finally felt a weight lifted off his heart. Next would be the matter of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Miss Ma, I wonder if the Treasure Hall has a place for artifact refining?¡± He pondered for a moment before asking Ma Xiuxiu. All the conditions for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had been satisfied. The process of refining this sword embryo was different from that of ordinary artifact refining and did not require high demands on the craft of refining. Moreover, the Pure Yang Sword Canon had detailed methods for refinement. He did not need other people''s help, as long as he had a refining room, he could start refining himself. ¡°A place to refine artifacts? Our Treasure Hall has a Refining Workshop with several Refining Rooms. What does Young Master Shen intend to do? Are you going to ask someone to refine an artifact?¡± Ma Xiuxiu asked in surprise when she heard this. ¡°I''m not going to refine an artifact. I need to consecrate a special item and need a refining room to assist. Could I trouble Miss Ma to prepare a place for me? If it requires immortal jade as a tip, please don''t hesitate to say it straightway.¡± Shen Luo made a gesture with his hands. ¡°There''s no need to go to such lengths. When would you need it? I can arrange a refining room for you, it''s not a problem. When would you like to start?¡± Ma Xiuxiu readily agreed. ¡°As soon as possible.¡± Shen Luo was somewhat eager to consecrate the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Okay, then I''ll go back to arrange it now. I should be able to prepare it within three days, and I will send someone to invite you there.¡± After thinking for a while, Ma Xiuxiu said. ¡°Then I will wait for Miss Ma''s good news.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°When can you get the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, so that I can send someone to take it to Master Dan Yangzi as soon as possible?¡± Ma Xiuxiu asked. ¡°It can be prepared in the afternoon. You can send someone to take it from my place.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°All right, I''ll let the coachman get it. Don''t worry, Master Shen, he is trustworthy.¡± Ma Xiuxiu glanced at the carriage not far away and said. Shen Luo also glanced at the grey-robed man not far away and nodded slightly. After leaving Yanshou Alley, the two of them separated, with Ma Xiuxiu leaving by carriage. Shen Luo did not return to his residence with Ma Xiuxiu, but instead headed to the West Market. Chapter 439 Chapter 439: Chapter 435: Refining Workshop Chapter 439: Chapter 435: Refining Workshop ¡°Since you''ve been following me for awhile, why not reveal yourselves?¡± Shen Luo, midway through his journey, did not look back and said calmly. ¡°Huh!¡± A surprised voice sounded from the corner of a neighboring street behind him, immediately followed by a faint flash of white light, revealing five figures. These were the same five people who had been waiting outside Master Dan Yangzi''s mansion earlier. The scholarly robbed old man was at the front, and standing in the second position was a white-robed youth holding a gold-painted fan. Next to the youth was a red-skirted young woman. Standing at the back were two robust men, one with a leopard head and ringed eyes, his figure tall and towering, the other bulging in the back and chest, his skin dark. One of the man''s eyes seemed to be blind, veiled by a black eye patch. Both of their eyes sparkled with a cold light, like two wild beasts ready to tear apart their prey. ¡°Your Excellency is truly adept at concealing your skills. I''m impressed that you could see through my invisibility talisman.¡± The scholarly robbed old man at the front laughed, his eyes still holding a hint of disbelief. ¡°What do you want? Just let it out.¡± Shen Luo wore a mild smile, his hand gently brushing the green small bag at his waist. His detection ability was nothing extraordinary, in fact. The only reason he was able to discover a few people was largely due to this Shadow Gu. It not only had tracking abilities but also had some anti-tracking capabilities. ¡°I''m Fang Yuegong, and these four are my sworn brothers and sisters. We five reside in Mang Mountain of Qingping County. Our friends in the cultivation world have generously bestowed upon us the title of the ''Five Friends of Mang Mountain.'' May I ask for your esteemed name?¡± The scholarly robbed old man said with a bow. ¡°I''m not fond of beating around the bush. If you want something, just say it directly.¡± Shen Luo was certainly not going to just reveal his name and let his eyes drop. These people had been surreptitiously following him, clearly with ill intentions. He had other matters to handle and was too lazy to squander time with them by concocting a fake name. Hearing Shen Luo''s blunt words, the scholarly robbed old man, well-nurtured and patient, had no objection. But the four behind him had unnatural expressions, especially the two burly men whose eyes gleamed fiercely, ready to erupt at any moment. All five of the Mang Mountain Friends were Grain Avoidance Cultivators, each exceptionally strong. Even before they joined forces, they all had achieved widespread fame. After forming their alliance, their influence grew even more potent. Over the years in Qingping County, whether it was other sects or freelance organizations, everyone revered the five of them. No one had ever disregarded them like this before. The scholarly robbed old man raised his hand to stop the two burly men and said with a smile, ¡°You''re right, so I will get straight to the point. We five came to Chang''an City this time to request Master Dan Yangzi to refine a particular elixir, but unfortunately we haven''t been successful. You entered the master''s mansion directly just now, you must have a close relationship with Master Dan Yangzi, so we especially came to ask for your help. If you could accomplish this, we five will surely reward you handsomely.¡± Having said that, the scholarly robbed old man bowed deeply. The red-skirted young woman and the white-robed youth also followed suit in bowing. Only the last two burly men didn''t budge, still looking at Shen Luo with cold eyes. ¡°I''m afraid you''ll be disappointed. I don''t have a deep relationship with Master Dan Yangzi. I was able to enter because of my friend''s help. I can''t be of assistance to you.¡± Shen Luo wasn''t one to hesitate and directly rejected the request. He had many other tasks to complete and didn''t have time to help these five strangers. Besides, he was relying upon Dan Yangzi to refine the Milk Spirit Pill, certainly not wanting to irritate him at this moment. As for the rewards promised by the old man, he had recently obtained numerous treasures, causing his net worth to surge dramatically. How could he care about the rewards of a few freelance Grain Avoidance cultivators? After saying this, Shen Luo nodded to the five, turned, and left. Seeing him just walk away, not only the two fierce men, but also the red-skirted young woman and the white-robed youth''s expressions turned unsightly. They seemed ready to pick a fight. ¡°Hold on. This is Chang''an City, not the Qingping County. We are asking for their help. If they don''t choose to, it''s perfectly normal. We shouldn''t bear a grudge just because of this.¡± The scholarly robbed man gave them a stern glance and voiced sternly. All four of them seemed greatly respectful of the scholarly robbed old man. They all echoed their agreement and kept quiet. Shen Luo''s figure had already disappeared into the distance. The scholarly robbed old man sighed lightly and led the four back towards the mansion of Dan Yangzi. Shen Luo had heard a bit of the conversation among the five friends of Mang Mountain and discretely watched them. Noticing that they weren''t following him, he relaxed and quickly headed towards West Market. He made rounds in several material shops and purchased a batch of materials needed for talisman drawing. The materials for drawing talismans that Xie Yuxin had helped him purchase last time had all been used up. Apart from the materials for drawing talismans, he also purchased everything needed for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Upon completing these, he immediately returned home and continued to diligently draw talismans. Although Shen Luo had secured the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and need not worry about spirit fire anymore and had gotten many Immortal Jades from his recent mission, more Immortal Jades would always be better. He didn''t want to repeat the previous experience from the auction, when the treasure he coveted was bought by others due to him having insufficient Immortal Jades. In the afternoon, as predicted, Ma Xiuxiu sent the grey-robed man who drove the carriage to fetch the thousand-year Spirit Milk. Shen Luo, not suspecting anything, handed over ten vials of thousand-year Spirit Milk and then continued with his work on talismans. In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. Shen Luo was drawing talismans in his room when someone knocked on the door. Setting down his talisman pen, he opened the courtyard door to see the same grey-robed man standing outside. ¡°Master Shen, the young lady asked me to inform you that the refining room is ready,¡± the grey-robed man said, bowing. ¡°Alright, lead the way,¡± Shen Luo nodded, shut the courtyard door, and got on the carriage. ¡°Has Master Dan Yangzi started refining pills?¡± With the creaking sound of the carriage wheels moving, Shen Luo lifted the curtain at the front and asked the grey-robed man who was driving. ¡°Upon receiving the Spirit Milk from Master Shen, the Master did not delay and immediately began pill refinement,¡± the grey-robed man answered. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo did not speak further and sat back down, closing his eyes to rest. Half an hour later, the speed of the carriage started to slow. Shen Luo lifted the carriage curtain to find the carriage was currently in a strange block. The roads were wide and the nearby buildings were quite tall. However, there weren''t many pedestrians and the air carried a strange smell, like the odor left after burning something. ¡°What is this place? Aren''t we going to the Treasure Hall? Why have we come here?¡± he asked somewhat warily. ¡°This is Chonghua District, west of the city. Due to its remote location, the price for purchasing land and houses here is relatively cheap. Therefore, our Treasure Pavilion has arranged some pill refining and artifact refining workshops here. We will be there soon,¡± the grey-robed man quickly explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt reassured. The carriage traveled forward for a while before stopping in front of a group of low and greyish-black buildings. These buildings were quite secretively constructed, each connected to the other, hardly revealing what was being done inside. Rising high within the cluster of greyish-black buildings were several large chimneys, spewing out thick plumes of black smoke that dissipated in the high altitude. ¡°This is the artifact refining workshop of the Treasure Hall, Master Shen. Please follow me,¡± the grey-robed man parked the carriage by the roadside and led Shen Luo into the greyish-black complex. Chapter 440 Chapter 440: Chapter 436: Pure Yang Sword Embryo (Part 1) Chapter 440: Chapter 436: Pure Yang Sword Embryo (Part 1) People in gray robes moved busily here, either carrying items or handling affairs, with a constant clinking and clanking sound echoing around. The whole place was bustling with activity. Shen Luo had never visited this kind of artifact refining workshop before and was instinctively curious. He walked around while scanning the environment non-stop. Perhaps Ma Xiuxiu had informed them earlier, the people in the refining workshop did not stop Shen Luo and the gray-robed man, allowing both to enter. They turned left and right inside, and soon arrived in a courtyard. Within it stood a large black room, sans windows, and a gray-black stone door alone. It gave off a secretive vibe. The room''s walls were built of a type of black stone and there was not a single crevice to be seen. It looked as if the space was carved out of a single large stone. ¡°Master Shen, here we are. This room is the refining facility.¡± said the gray-robed man. ¡°What type of stone is this? It looks rather special.¡± Shen Luo touched the wall, which was exceptionally cold and smooth, similar to silk. He couldn''t help but ask. ¡°This is Black Cold Stone, it''s extremely tough and has heat insulation properties. One of the elders from our hall transported it from the far North. If a regular material was used to build the refining room, it wouldn''t last long before it would be damaged due to the high temperatures of refining.¡± The gray-robed man explained as he took out a silver talisman and placed it on the stone door of the refining room. The talisman''s surface immediately revealed a cluster of white light that then merged into it. A layer of white light emerged on the stone door which shortly disappeared, and the door slowly opened. ¡°Please, Master Shen.¡± The gray-robed man led Shen Luo inside. The black room was quite spacious, only spanning around ten meters square. On one side of the room there was a large smelting furnace, at the bottom of which a few not yet extinguished red-hot charcoal blocks had been placed. Near the furnace was a large basket containing fist-sized chunks of a special type of red stone. On the nearby wall, two gourd-shaped urns were hanging, it was unclear what they contained. Apart from the furnace, the other side of the room had a large casting table with an assortment of tools such as hammers and tongs. ¡°I''m not proficient in artifact refining, could your Excellency explain how these things are used?¡± After quickly observing the inside of the room, Shen Luo asked the gray-robed man. ¡°Sure. This is Red Elemental Carbon, made by mixing in special materials. The temperature of the flame it produces when burned is far superior to ordinary flames.¡± The gray-robed man pointed to the red stone in the basket and explained. Shen Luo picked up a piece of the carbon and took a closer look, but soon he put it back. ¡°The contents of these small urns are gunpowder, it can further raise the temperature of the furnace fire. When Red Elemental Carbon and gunpowder are used together, they can melt most spiritual materials, although it still can''t compare to Spirit Fire.¡± The gray-robed man took down one of the urns from the wall. It contained dark red powder that looked like sand. Learning this, Shen Luo was secretly delighted. Melting the materials of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo called for a not so high temperature. The flame of this casting furnace was already sufficient. The gray-robed man then went on to explain how to adjust the furnace''s flame temperature and the uses of various tools on the casting station. Shen Luo committed all of it to memory. ¡°Do you need anything else, young master?¡± the gray-robed man asked. ¡°No need, these are enough. I''ll need to stay here for quite a while. Please instruct others not to disturb me.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Rest assured, Master Shen, I will make the arrangement. Absolutely no one will disturb you.¡± the gray-robed man immediately assured. Seeing that Shen Luo said nothing to him, this man tactfully took his leave and closed the stone door behind him. Once the door was closed, the outside light was completely blocked. Thankfully, a glowing luminous stone had been installed at the top of the room, which was enough to light up the environment. Shen Luo cleaned the floor of the room, clearing a flat open space. He took out a variety of materials for setting up the Array and began to draw the formation pattern on the ground, setting up an Array. This Array was recorded in the Pure Yang Sword Canon and was used to assist in sword refining. His understanding of Arrays was not profound. Only once before, in the Dreamland''s Longevity Village, had he set up an Array to help the villagers leave. The Sword Refining Array in front of him was complicate and Shen Luo''s cultivation level was too low, much lower than it had been in the Dreamland''s Longevity Village. Thus, it took him a full three days to set up the Array. He followed what was written in the Pure Yang Sword Technique, inserted more than twenty pieces of Immortal Jade into the Array, and carefully checked it. Once he confirmed that everything was correct, he touched it with a seal. Immediately, the Array emitted a red light and made a sound like a raging wind howling. The whole room also began to tremble slightly. Seeing this, he was overjoyed and quickly sealed off the Array to stop it from working. After setting up the Array, Shen Luo came to the side of the forging table, waved his hand to take out a lot of materials for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and placed them on the table. He did not immediately light the furnace, but first processed the materials, either by slicing them into small pieces or grinding them into powder. It took him half a day to process all the materials. After the preparations were completed, he took a short break. After his spirit, energy, and soul were all restored to their peak condition, he officially began to condense the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He first lit the forging furnace, took out a black gold three-legged cauldron, and placed it on the furnace fire. This was a simple refining cauldron, generally used by novices in artifact refining. Shen Luo was not proficient in artifact refining, so this three-legged cauldron was enough for him. Under the flame''s engulfment, the cauldron quickly turned dark red, releasing a burning temperature. He took a large jade bottle and poured the silver-white liquid inside into the cauldron. Then, he took a piece of fiery red spirit wood, which was the main material for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and threw it into the three-legged cauldron to forge it with the furnace fire. This silver-white liquid was called Quenching Spirit Dew, a kind of spirit liquid that could refine the impurities contained in the wood-type spiritual material. In the blink of an eye, three or four hours passed. As the temperature inside the cauldron got higher and higher, most of the Quenching Spirit Dew evaporated, leaving a much thicker liquid. Meanwhile, drops of fiery red viscous liquid arose on the surface of the Fire Scale Wood, showing signs of melting. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo grabbed the gunpowder hung on the wall and threw it into the furnace fire. The fire suddenly flared up, continuing to forge. Two hours later, the Fire Scale Wood finally melted completely, blending with the residue of the Quenching Spirit Dew and forming a lump of pure fiery red sticky liquid. The impurities in the Fire Scale Wood had also been completely refined. Shen Luo waved his right hand and a burst of Mana shot out, surrounding the liquid inside the cauldron. He formed a seal and led, the fiery red liquid flew out of the three-legged cauldron, dropping onto a two-feet-long green jade on the forging platform. There was a sword-shaped groove on the green jade. The fiery red liquid seeped into it, spreading rapidly, and soon filled the sword-shaped groove. Once removed from the forging furnace, the red liquid solidified quickly, turning into a dark red small sword. Chapter 441 Chapter 441: Chapter 437: Pure Yang Sword Embryo (Part 2) Chapter 441: Chapter 437: Pure Yang Sword Embryo (Part 2) Shen Luo bit his tongue, spurting out a mouthful of essence blood. With a soft ¡°pop¡±, the essence blood exploded and wrapped the dark red small sword in a mist of blood. He formed a hand gesture, the blood mist circling around the little sword before melting completely into it, disappearing from sight. Then, Shen Luo''s ten fingers spread out again, ten strands of blue light shot from his fingertips, turning into ten sharp blue threads, swiftly engraving runes onto the sword body while it was not yet solidified. The runes spread and faintly formed a miniature array. After a quarter of an hour, he exhaled deeply and dispersed the blue light threads at his fingertips. The dark red little sword had completely solidified, but the array had already been inscribed on it. But the refinement of the Sword Embryo was not yet over. Shen Luo picked up a small white powder from the side, sprinkled it on the dark red small sword, and then threw it into the flames of the casting furnace to roast. The white powder was quickly melted by the heat, like salt grains encountering water, gradually integrating into the small sword. He then picked up another material and carefully followed the method recorded in the Pure Yang Sword Canon, continuing to refine it into the Sword Embryo. This refinement took a full day and night. As all the materials were absorbed into the Sword Embryo, its shape also changed. Its color turned pale red, and the slightly rough parts of the sword body became delicate. The entire sword was sharp and radiated a chilling aura. Shen Luo did not stop, drawing a deep breath and forming a hand gesture. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out with a ¡°swoosh¡± sound, falling at the center of the ground array, hovering there. He made a point with his gesture, and the ground array immediately sent out a humming sound, erupting a powerful spiritual power fluctuation, then a large swath of red light shot out from the array. These layers of red light intersected with each other, forming a huge red lotus. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo that hovered in the center of the array also lit up suddenly, and a large amount of crystal-clear red light bloomed from it, revolving around the sword embryo quickly to form a red vortex. Shen Luo, not knowing the specific effect of the array in advance, was slightly surprised when he saw this scene. However, he quickly calmed down, waved his hand to take out the white jade box, placed it in the array, formed two palms with a hand gesture, opened the stone box in the air, and then pointed at the void, a blue light shot out and merged into the stone box. Ever since he discovered that the stone box could absorb the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, he had been attempting to refine this item using the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique during this period. However, unlike talismanic instruments and magic instruments, the stone box, even though it contains some prohibitive forces, could not be refined by the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Despite these attempts, it wasn''t all for naught, as Shen Luo was now able to slightly manipulate some of the prohibitive forces within the stone box. After the blue light merged into the stone box, a faint white light was reflected on the surface of the stone box. The head-sized cluster of Red Lotus Karmic Fire shot out from inside, even seeming to escape to the outside, as though a creature with spiritual wisdom. Shen Luo quickly recited a spell, stirred up the array, and the red light in front of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire condensed into a red light shield. With a soft ¡°pop¡±, the Red Lotus hit the light shield and bounced back. At this moment, the red lotus within the array was also slowly rotating, emitting an attracting force, covering the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. The covered Red Lotus Karmic Fire, although struggling fiercely, obviously could not resist the power of the array and was slowly pulled to the top of the red lotus in the array and then imprisoned there by the array''s power. Shen Luo breathed a slight sigh of relief, continued to execute his magic spells to drive the Array, and simultaneously opened his mouth to spew out a pure stream of Mana, which merged into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The red crystal glow emanating from the Pure Yang Sword Embryo instantly brightened, and the surrounding red vortex expanded by more than a fold. With a few light ¡°hiss¡± sounds, several trails of Red Sword Qi shot out from the vortex, flying upwards like lightning, instantly coiling around one corner of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and slashed swiftly. With a light ¡°crisp¡± sound, a fist-sized amount of Red Lotus Karmic Fire was instantly sliced off and fell down. Then, those trails of Red Sword Qi continued to entwine around the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, pulling it down into the vortex below. Shen Luo drove the Array with his right hand, pointed at the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in the void with his left hand, and the red vortex instantly began to whirl around, like a large mouth, intending to swallow the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The outer Array was also quickly running, with a surge of invisible power added to the red vortex, immediately increasing the devouring power of the vortex. But the Red Lotus Karmic Fire is a Heavenly Fire, containing a powerful spiritual nature, and it fiercely resisted as soon as it sensed danger. The reason why the previous Red Sword Qi was able to cut off this portion of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was all due to the sword qi''s swiftness; now to refine it into the Sword Embryo, it could only be done slowly through persistent refinement. Time passed bit by bit, half an hour went by in a blink of an eye. At this time, Shen Luo''s face was pale, his Mana almost depleted, it was evidently that simultaneously driving the Array and refining the Sword Embryo, was an enormous drain on his Mana. However, he was prepared for this and took out a Milky White Pill to consume. This pill, obtained from Hu Yong''s Storage Ring, immediately gave rise to a cool sensation in his Dantian upon consumption, and the depleted Mana slowly started to recover. Yet, that small bundle of Red Lotus Karmic Fire was still suspended in the vortex, not being refined, exhibiting an unbudging demeanor. ¡°Heavenly Fire is indeed powerful, such a small flame is also resilient.¡± Shen Luo inwardly sighed, but was not too surprised. If it were so easily refined, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire wouldn''t be considered a Heavenly Fire. Spirit Fire is nurtured by nature, it''s not easy to refine. Hence, the Pure Yang Sword Canon has a well-prepared secondary method which utilizes the power of essence blood, to execute the Blood-Sacrifice Technique, drive the Pure Yang Sword Embryo Array, and refine the Spirit Fire. However, using this method places a heavy burden on the body, and may even deplete one''s essential vitality. But he had no other choices now. There were not many Milky White Pills left. If he couldn''t refine the Pure Yang Sword Embryo before they ran out, all his efforts would be in vain. Even though this method could heavily damage his body, he had to take the risk. Shen Luo quickly made up his mind, silently operating the method. A flush of blood appeared on his face, and then he bit his tongue, opening his mouth to spit. A ray of Blood Light shot out like an arrow, merging into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He then bit his finger and continued to recite magic spells, spurting out trails of blue light spells, each of which was tinged with a hint of blood. With a light ¡°boom¡± sound, a dazzling layer of Blood Light appeared on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Afterward, innumerable bloody runes sprouted like bamboo after a rain, mixing into the vortex. The vortex''s rotation speed immediately increased, issuing a low humming sound, like the low chant of an ancient Demonic God, its power increasing tenfold instantly. Not only that, the Blood-Sacrifice Technique seemed able to communicate with some powerful existence in the dark. A fierce aura gushed out from the vortex, enveloping the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and clashed with the spiritual nature contained within the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. This small bundle of Red Lotus Karmic Fire immediately began to roll about, struggling relentlessly. Regardless, under the double attack from the Array vortex and the Blood-Sacrifice Technique, it succumbed eventually after half an hour. Chapter 442 Chapter 442: Chapter 438: Traveling by Sword Chapter 442: Chapter 438: Traveling by Sword The Red Lotus Karmic Fire was slowly engulfed by the Bloody Vortex, disappearing without a trace. The Array etched on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo immediately shone brightly, the glow hinting at the presence of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, calming down only after a good while. Having swallowed a lump of Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was as if it had consumed a great supplement. The outgoing aura immediately rose sharply, expressing joyful sword sounds. Shen Luo''s tense face finally relaxed, continuing to stimulate the Array and Pure Yang Sword Embryo. A few thick Red Sword Qi were shot out again, slashing towards the Red Lotus Karmic Fire above. Time passed, and half a month passed quickly. Outside the Refinery Room in the Small Courtyard, the gray-robed man paced back and forth, his face full of anxiety. Although Ma Xiuxiu used her connections to allocate this refinery room for Shen Luo''s use, the Treasure Hall suddenly received a large order for refining instruments recently, requiring the repossession of this refinery room. Through coaxing and persuading, he managed to convince the people at the refinery workshop to extend by a few days, but the urgency from them increased, and it was already no longer possible to delay it further. ¡°I would have never taken up this task if I knew earlier.¡± The gray-robed man was filled with regret. He had seen Ma Xiuxiu''s exceptional attention towards Shen Luo when they met twice. Therefore, he took up the task of arranging the refinery room for Shen Luo from Ma Xiuxiu. The gray-robed man thought he could show off in front of Ma Xiuxiu through this task, but unexpected complications occurred. ¡°I will wait for another one hour. If he still doesn''t come out, I will have to force my way in.¡± The gray-robed man made up his mind. However, as soon as he finished speaking, the closely shut large door of the refinery room suddenly resounded with a muffled bang, slowly opened, and out came a figure. It was Shen Luo. However, his face looked pale and foreboding, his cheeks were somewhat hollowed, and his body seemed to have lost a good deal of weight all of a sudden, yet his eyes were filled with excitement. ¡°Master Shen, you finally came out.¡± The gray-robed man welcomely exclaimed, his tone being a mix of surprise and relief, laced with a hint of grumbling. ¡°Oh, what happened?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. ¡°No, nothing, I was just worried something happened to you because you were in there for so long. You don''t look too good, Is everything okay?¡± The Gray-robed man responded, hastily explaining. ¡°No problem. I was just refining a magical instrument and consumed quite a bit of vitality. These days, I''ve been using your Treasure Hall''s refining room. Has it caused any delay in your business?¡± Shen Luo, who was quick-witted, said, sensing the uneasiness of the gray-robed man. ¡°No, not at all.¡± The gray-robed man hurriedly shook his head. ¡°That''s good, I''ve already handled my affairs. You can take back this refinery room and give it back to your esteemed pavilion.¡± Shen Luo nodded, remarking. ¡°Yes, I will inform the people in the refining workshop to come and take it right away.¡± The gray-robed man immediately stated. Shen Luo did not continue to stay there and quickly took his leave. This place was the refining workshop of the Treasure Hall, a secret place. He, being a stranger, should not stay here. The gray-robed man, on the other hand, was all too eager. After returning the refinery room to the workshop, he escorted Shen Luo out of the place and then sent him back to Changping Alley in a carriage. ¡°Brother Sun Tong, please pass on my thanks to Miss Ma.¡± Shen Luo said to the gray-robed man. ¡°I will definitely deliver the message, Young Master, rest assured.¡± The gray-robed man immediately replied, then drove away. Shen Luo watched him leave, turned around and entered the alley. He quickly returned to his residence. After closing the courtyard door, Shen Luo came to the courtyard, took a deep breath, and let out a long sigh. With a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a red light streaked out, hanging in front of him. It was a short sword, more than a foot in length. The body of the sword was crimson all over, and its surface flashed an extremely pure red light. An incomparably sharp sword intent spread from the sword body, wrapping around an area several yards around the pure Yang sword embryo like a burning sun. If any external forces invaded this range, just a thought from him, and the short sword would instantly burst forth to counterattack. Shen Luo looked at the crimson short sword before his eyes, a slight smile tugged at his lips. Half a month of hard work was not in vain, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was finally refined without any errors. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Go!¡± He made a gesture from the Pure Yang Sword Canon, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flew out instantly, gracefully swirling and dancing around the courtyard, every movement completely in line with his intention, like an extra arm out of thin air. ¡°This Pure Yang Sword Embryo is the magical instrument of my life essence, refined from my blood, indeed different from other magical instruments,¡± he muttered to himself, his gaze falling on a corner of the courtyard. There were several large stones arranged there into a false mountain, one piece of blue stone standing tall, as thick as a millstone and more than one person high, looking extremely smooth and sturdy. Shen Luo made a sword gesture and pointed into the air. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo instantaneously transformed into a red streak, more than thirty feet long, zipped forward like a bolt of lightning. He initially thought that his Mother-Child Sword, Jade Green Ruyi, and other magical instruments had extremely fast attack speeds. But compared to the sword rainbow made by the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, they were greatly inferior. The difference between the two was like a hare versus an eagle, the hare might run fast, but it was still greatly inferior to the eagle soaring in the sky. The crimson sword light flashed across, instantly bridging a distance of more than ten yards, shot out towards the blue giant stone in the courtyard corner, and sliced it across the middle. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound, like tearing a thick piece of paper. The giant stone, thick as a millstone, was instantly split into two halves at an angle, the top half slid slowly and landed on the ground with a ¡°thud.¡± The cutting edge of the stone was smooth as a mirror, as if polished. Not only that, but the other two stones near the blue one were also cleaved, and the ground behind the false mountain was cut, leaving behind an extremely long, narrow slash. It was so deep and dark that one couldn''t see the bottom. Seeing this, Shen Luo could not hide the joy on his face. The strength demonstrated in this strike of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo exceeded that of the Mother-Child Sword, reaching the level of a top-grade magical instrument. According to the records in the Pure Yang Sword Canon, the power of a newly refined Pure Yang Sword Embryo is limited and requires nourishment from internal mana over the years to gradually strengthen. But his Pure Yang Sword Embryo was different. It was integrated with a large amount of Red Lotus Karmic Fire, so even though it was just refined, it demonstrated great power, comparable to a top-grade magical instrument. And this was without stimulating the Red Lotus Karmic Fire within the sword embryo. If he were to engage the Red Lotus Karmic Fire inside the sword body, its power would be much greater than what a magical instrument level can restrict. After all, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was heavenly fire. Capable of incinerating souls, it was extremely peculiar. If used correctly and unexpectedly, not even Nascent Soul Stage beings can necessarily withstand it. After testing the power of the sword embryo, Shen Luo still hadn''t stopped. He raised his hand and beckoned. The red flying sword at the corner of the courtyard disappeared in a flash. The next moment, a flash of red light beside his hand, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo manifested out of thin air, like a ghostly specter. He made a gesture, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo released a crimson sword rainbow again, wrapping around his body. He instantly soared into the air, flying up into the sky. Chapter 443 Chapter 443: Chapter 439: The Pill is Formed Chapter 443: Chapter 439: The Pill is Formed An excited look showed on Shen Luo''s face. As he spurred the sword technique in hand, the red sword rainbow instantly rushed towards him, wrapping his body within it. Then, it twisted and dashed rapidly in the sky. The red sword rainbow moved very fast. To the naked eye, one could only see a red light flashing across the sky, unable to discern what it was clearly. There weren''t many residents in Changping Alley, but this was Chang''an City after all. After the crimson sword light sped through the mid-air for a while, it descended promptly, landing in the small courtyard and revealing Shen Luo''s figure. He was standing on a trail of crimson sword light, his face full of excitement. Another brilliant use of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo is the sword flight technique recorded in the Pure Yang Sword Canon. In both the Dreamland and reality, Shen Luo had seen many people flying freely in the air which he longed to do. Although his Flying Talisman could also take him to the sky, it was too slow and the power contained in the talisman was limited. It would quickly run out of energy and could not fly for a long time. The sword flight technique in the Pure Yang Sword Canon is a unique secret skill of Little Straw Mountain. It can only be performed with a matching flying sword. The Mother-Child Sword could not perform it. Now that he had created a Pure Yang Sword Embryo, he could finally fly with the sword. Furthermore, as the power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo increased, the speed of the sword flight would also increase continuously, which may reach a shocking level in the end. It was completely incomparable to the speed of flight with the talisman. If he needed to travel in the future, he wouldn''t have to rely on running¨Conce the sword light started, he could span a hundred li in an instant. Just as Shen Luo was about to try other uses of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, his brows suddenly furrowed. His already pale complexion quickly turned even paler, almost as white as paper. He hurriedly put away the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, turned around, sat down in the room, took out a milky white pill and swallowed it, and then cultivates the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Half a day later, Shen Luo opened his eyes, and his pale cheeks regained some colour. ¡°This time refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, it really did harm my vitality. Without two or three years of bitter cultivation, I won''t expect to fully recover,¡± he sighed faintly. The ritual for creating the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had already strained his vitality. His blood sacrificial method for refining the Red Lotus Karmic Fire caused an even greater loss of essence blood. Luckily, he had taken dragon blood not long ago. Not only had his lifespan increased but his Qi and blood had also become extremely vigorous. Otherwise, he would have already collapsed. However, Shen Luo had been mentally prepared for this. After all, being able to create such a powerful Pure Yang Sword Embryo would greatly enhance his strength, making everything worthwhile. He calmed his mind, got up, closed all the doors, hung up the ''Not Receiving Guests'' sign outside, and went back to the room to continue cultivating. Half a month later. In the room, Shen Luo sat cross-legged in a wooden bucket, surrounded by a layer of blue light. The blue light fluctuated and quickly folded in, revealing his figure. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His complexion looked much better than before. At least he was no longer so pale and looked just like a normal person. However, he knew in his heart that this was just a superficial recovery. The loss of essence blood still needed time to recuperate fully. Shen Luo let out a light breath, stopped cultivating, and stood up. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to continue cultivating, but the one-month time he had agreed upon with Dan Yangzi had arrived. He wondered if the elixir was ready yet. He walked towards the outside and quickly left the courtyard. A carriage was parked outside, and beside it stood a man ¨C It was Sun Tong in grey robe. ¡°Master Shen.¡± Seeing Shen Luo come out, Sun Tong hurriedly came forward and gave a bow. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Shen Luo asked, slightly furrowing his brows at the sight of the visitor. ¡°Today is the expected date of the monthly appointment with Master Dan Yangzi. Miss Xiuxiu predicted that Master Shen would visit Master Dan Yangzi today to inquire about certain matters, and asked me to wait here for you.¡± Sun Tong quickly explained. Hearing this, Shen Luo silently praised Ma Xiuxiu for her sharp intuition, as she had accurately predicted his intentions. Seeing an available carriage, he did not hesitate to climb in. Sun Tong drove the carriage in the direction of their destination, arriving soon at Dan Yangzi''s residence in Yanshou Alley. As soon as Shen Luo stepped down from the carriage, his gaze swept over the pavilion not far away. The five individuals inside were the five friends from Mang Mountain whom he had met before. It was evident that the Mang Mountain group had noticed Shen Luo too. Aside from the scholarly robed old man leading the group, the expressions on the faces of the remaining four were rather unwelcoming when they looked at Shen Luo. Shen Luo paid them no mind, and went forward to knock on the door. The door creaked open, revealing the young girl from before, Little Su. ¡°It''s you, come in,¡± said Little Su as Shen Luo was about to explain his purpose. She opened the door for him without any hesitation. Shen Luo gave Little Su a nod, swiftly entered, and followed a familiar path. He soon arrived at the living room entrance. ¡°Ah, Friend Shen truly is as Miss Ma described: impatient. As soon as the month had reached its end, you''ve come immediately,¡± Dan Yangzi''s laughter rang out the moment he arrived at the entrance of the living room. At that moment, Dan Yangzi was in the living room, and standing next to him was Ma Xiuxiu, smiling as she greeted Shen Luo. ¡°Miss Ma is perceptive, no small detail of mine could escape her discerning eyes,¡± Shen Luo entered the living room and greeted Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Master Shen, you flatter me,¡± Ma Xiuxiu replied with a charming smile. ¡°Since Master Dan Yangzi knows that I am impatient, I shall be frank. How is the refinement of the elixir going?¡± Shen Luo quickly shifted his attention to Dan Yangzi, his face revealing a hint of eagerness. ¡°Since I have promised you, Friend Shen, I am bound to uphold my word. The three elixirs have all been refined,¡± said Dan Yangzi with a casual smile, sweeping his sleeve towards the table in front of him. A flash of white light on the table made three vials¨Cone white, one green, and one red¨Cappear out of thin air. ¡°The white vial contains Lifespan Increase Lingru Pill, the green one contains Meridian Expansion Lingru Pill, and the red one holds Healing Reishi Dan.¡± Before Shen Luo could ask, Dan Yangzi had already begun explaining. Shen Luo opened the white vial, revealing three thumb-sized snow-white pills that were glossy and transparent. They looked like balls of ice and snow, emitting a strong fragrance of Lingru and a slight chill. ¡°I used hundred-year-old Cold Marrow while refining the Longevity Nourishing Elixir, so it has a bit of a chill to it,¡± Dan Yangzi''s voice came. Shen Luo gave a slight nod, his eyes consistently fixated on the three pills, the corners of his mouth rising in slight satisfaction. Although he hadn''t seen any Longevity Nourishing Elixir before, based on the appearance and fragrance, these three pills were indeed extraordinary. He did not look at them much longer, quickly sealing the white vial and then opening the green and red ones. Inside the green vial were seven or eight azure pills, which were smaller than the Lifespan Increase Lingru Pill and had a distinct fragrance. Aside from the scent of Lingru, there was also an odor of withered wood. The Healing Reishi Dan inside the red vial appeared to be light red and also contained about seven or eight pills, giving off a refreshing, sweet scent. ¡°How are the effects of the Meridian Expansion and Healing Reishi Dan?¡± Shen Luo asked, turning to Dan Yangzi. ¡°The effects of Meridian Expansion Lingru Pill are hard to describe, as the state of opened meridians varies from person to person. However, if the meridians are normal, these eight pills should be able to enlarge them by about three to four percent,¡± explained Dan Yangzi. Chapter 444 Chapter 444: 440 Chapter 444: 440 Upon hearing this, a touch of surprise flashed across Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes. Shen Luo felt the same way. He had previously heard from Dan Yangzi that the Vein-expanding Spirit Milk Pill could open up meridians, assuming at the most it could widen by ten to twenty percent, never expecting that it could increase so much. Moreover, from what Dan Yangzi implied, forty percent seemed not to be the limit. ¡°If I continue taking more Vein-expanding Spirit Milk Pill, can I continue to expand my meridians?¡± Shen Luo suppressed his excited emotions and immediately asked. ¡°From a pharmacological point of view, once a monk takes any elixir to a certain extent, they will develop resistance to this elixir, and the efficacy will begin to diminish. The Vein-expanding Spirit Milk Pill is no exception. In my judgment, if you continue taking this Vein-expanding Spirit Milk Pill, at most you can expand your meridians to fifty percent.¡± Dan Yangzi raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing this question, and only after a moment of contemplation did he respond. Shen Luo let out a sound of acknowledgment, feeling a bit disappointed, but he soon dismissed this thought. Being able to expand one''s meridians by fifty percent was already extremely rare, there was nothing for him to be dissatisfied about. ¡°As for the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, I refined it smoothly, and the effect is better than expected. Although it may not be able to revive the dead or regrow white bones, no matter how serious the injury is, as long as there is still a breath left, it can be saved with this pill,¡± Dan Yangzi continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt joy once again. The effect of the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill was beyond his expectations. With these pills on hand, he felt much more at ease. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi''s alchemy skills are truly extraordinary, I am very satisfied with these three elixirs,¡± he said as he put away the three medicine vials and bowed his hand in salute. Dan Yangzi waved his hand indifferently. He had heard countless praises like this before, and he didn''t take them to heart. ¡°Master Shen, congratulations on getting what you wanted,¡± Ma Xiuxiu stepped forward to congratulate him. ¡°And thanks to Miss Ma for your help,¡± Shen Luo also thanked Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Oh, it''s nothing. The completion of this pill is all thanks to Master Dan Yangzi''s skilled hands,¡± Ma Xiuxiu said. Shen Luo, of course, agreed wholeheartedly. Now that the elixirs were successfully refined, he wanted to go back and consume them as soon as possible, so he prepared to get up and leave. ¡°Friend Shen, do you still have Thousand-Year Spirit Milk on you?¡± Dan Yangzi suddenly asked, his eyes fixed intently on Shen Luo. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi is insightful. Indeed, I still have some Thousand-Year Spirit Milk.¡± Shen Luo nodded, his mind spinning. He had just asked about the effect of taking more Vein-expanding Pills and had somewhat revealed his hand. Moreover, with Dan Yangzi''s advanced alchemy skills, he might need to call upon him in the future, so he didn''t lie or withhold information. ¡°I knew it! Friend Chen, you can come out now,¡± a delighted Dan Yangzi turned around and called into the depths of the living room. Before his voice even faded, a man in a green robe quickly emerged. This man appeared to be in his thirties, with a somewhat elongated face that resembled a horse''s, and his face was full of freckles, making him very unattractive. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi, did you also invite other daoist friends?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo''s face tightened, and his tone turned slightly cold. Even Ma Xiuxiu looked surprised at the sight of the man with the horse face, as she seemed unaware of his presence. ¡°Friend Shen, you need not be angry. This is Chen Gang, an old friend of mine for many years and is no stranger,¡± Dan Yangzi said with a laugh. Shen Luo remained expressionless and did not speak. ¡°This must be Friend Shen. My visit this time is indeed abrupt, but I am in desperate need of the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk in your possession. After much deliberation, I decided to take the liberty to come here. I ask for your understanding. This is a small token of my respect. I hope you will accept it,¡± Chen Gang said sincerely, bowing and offering a wooden box. The wooden box was filled with immortal jade, which by estimation contained at least forty to fifty pieces. ¡°Your Excellency, there''s no need for such formality. Just say what you want to say.¡± Shen Luo suppressed a trace of annoyance but showed no expression on his face. He calmly spoke without accepting the wooden box. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had trusted Ma Xiuxiu and Dan Yangzi enough to reveal the existence of the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk to them, but he hadn''t expected Dan Yangzi to inform someone else about it without his permission and even bring them before him. ¡°Friend Shen, you really are straightforward. Allow me not to beat around the bush then. Would you be willing to sell some of the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk in your possession to me? As for the price, rest assured, I am willing to pay thirty percent higher than the market price,¡± Chen Gang paused, then laughed out loud. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi, Friend Chen, with all due respect, this Thousand-Year Spirit Milk is life-saving, it''s not like other items. Moreover, after refining these pills, the spirit milk I have left is not much, which is all reserved for personal consumption, so I don''t intend to sell it,¡± Shen Luo said after drawing a deep breath, suppressing his anger and shaking his head. He had already regretted acknowledging that he still had Thousand-Year Spirit Milk earlier. Had he known about the situation now, he would''ve simply come up with a reason to refuse. ¡°I know that this request may seem a little challenging to you, but I really need this Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. Besides the immortal jade, I have also prepared various precious items. I kindly ask you to take a look, Friend Shen. Maybe you might find something you need.¡± Chen Gang appeared to have expected Shen Luo''s refusal, so he handed over a piece of white paper and spoke with confidence. The white paper listed an inventory of items, each with its usage indicated at the end. ¡°Friend Chen, as I have said before, I have no plans to sell the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk in my possession. I kindly ask your Excellency to behave yourself,¡± Shen Luo said coldly, not even receiving the white paper. Seeing Shen Luo refuse without even looking at it, Chen Gang narrowed his eyes, a chilly light flowing within. ¡°Friend Shen, don''t be so quick to refuse. Chen Gang is a high-ranking patron of Bowu Line, with extensive resources. I sigh at my own inferiority in comparison. Why don''t you first take a look at what he has prepared before making a decision?¡± Dan Yangzi chuckled, trying to persuade him. Bowu Line was one of the Three Great Business Associations of Datang, alongside Treasure Hall and Xuanyuan Pavilion. Among the three major business associations, Xuanyuan Pavilion mainly handled artifact refining business, while Treasure Hall focused on pill refining and talisman business. Bowu Line, however, primarily dealt in the purchase and sale of various spiritual materials, even surpassing Treasure Hall and Xuanyuan Pavilion in terms of scale. Of course, Shen Luo had heard of the famous Bowu Line, but that did not change his opinion of Chen Gang. He looked at Dan Yangzi and remained silent. A shadow passed over Dan Yangzi''s face, and with a quick glance, he signaled Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Friend Shen, as you know, Friend Chen has high cultivation and holds a high position of power. You are urgently in need of Spirit Fire, right? According to my knowledge, Friend Chen has it,¡± Ma Xiuxiu fluctuated her expression and eventually addressed Shen Luo. Viewing the three people in turn, Shen Luo decided to take the white paper after a moment of silence. ¡°Heavenly Silkworm Silk, Golden Phoenix Feather, Five-Colored Divine Stone¡­¡± The paper listed various valuable items, each one of them quite precious, especially the Five-Colored Divine Stone, a material for refining magical treasures, its value was no less than the Xuan Turtle Shell on display at the auction. Chapter 445 – 445 441 Dual Chapter 445: Chapter 441: Dual-element True Water Chapter 445: Chapter 441: Dual-element True Water Underneath the white paper, there were two distinct types of Spirit Fire, namely, the Heavenly Heart Spirit Flame and the White Lotus True Fire. Both types of Spirit Fire are of human ranks, their positions slightly behind that of Gold Sun Spirit Fire. However, they are still hard-to-come-by Spirit Fires. It was indeed a pity for Shen Luo who had already obtained the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and even refined the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He no longer needed these Spirit Fires. However, given the current situation, if he refused this trade, Chen Gang and Dan Yangzi might not let him leave easily. As he hesitated, his eyes suddenly sharpened as they landed on the name of one item on the paper: Dual-element True Water. ¡°Your Excellency, do you have Dual-element True Water?¡± Shen Luo asked, lifting his head. Seeing that Shen Luo didn''t inquire about the Spirit Fires or the Five-Coloured Divine Stone, which were the most valuable items on the list, but instead asked about the Dual-element True Water, Chen Gang was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his composure. ¡°Haha, Friend Shen has taken a fancy to my Dual-element True Water? You''ve got great insight. This Dual-element True Water was purchased by Bowu Line not long ago. It was reportedly obtained from a dying White Scale Flood Dragon encountered in the Eastern Sea. If Friend Shen cultivates the Water-type Technique, this bottle of Dual-element True Water will greatly enhance your cultivation level.¡± Chen Gang took out a small blue jade bottle from his pocket and placed it on the table. Despite his best efforts to move lightly, the bottle still made a ¡°thud¡± muffling sound. ¡°May I take a look at the True water inside the bottle?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the jade bottle and asked. ¡°Of course, feel free to do so.¡± Chen Gang waved his hand, laughing. Shen Luo nodded at him before stretching his hand to grab the jade bottle. The jade bottle did not appear to be large, but it was extremely heavy. Despite being the size of a thumb, it weighed nearly a hundred pounds. He popped the cork, and the bottle was filled with a bright silver liquid that was brighter than the Three Origin True Water he had obtained that year. A stream of astounding Water-element spiritual energy gushed out from the bottle, almost forming a mist around the bottle''s mouth, moistening the air in the living room. It was undoubtedly Dual-element True Water, and there was quite a substantial amount of it. ¡°I will exchange this bottle of Dual-element True Water. However, there''s too little True Water in your bottle. It could only be exchanged for two bottles of the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk at most.¡± Shen Luo put the cork back on the bottle. With a slight flick of his sleeve, two jade bottles filled with Spirit Milk appeared on the table. ¡°Only two bottles? That''s too few. Friend Shen, why don''t you take another look at my belongings and pick one or two items? Could you exchange a couple more bottles of Spirit Milk for me?¡± Chen Gang''s brow furrowed slightly as he spoke. ¡°I have only five bottles of Thousand-Year Spirit Milk, and exchanging two bottles with you has already reached my limit. If you''re unwilling, we can call off the deal.¡± Shen Luo said indifferently, reaching for the two bottles of Spirit Milk on the table. ¡°Stop, two bottles will do. We''ll go with what Friend Shen said.¡± Chen Gang quickly stretched out his hand, grabbing the two bottles of Spirit Milk before Shen Luo could. Shen Luo inwardly laughed, but he didn''t show it on his face. He pocketed the bottle of Dual-element True Water and got up to take his leave. ¡°I''ll walk you out.¡± Ma Xiuxiu quickly said, following him. ¡°Friend Dan Yang, I shall also leave now. Many thanks for your help this time.¡± Chen Gang looked at the departing figures of Shen Luo and Ma Xiuxiu and said his goodbyes. ¡°Just remember. Don''t forget our agreed matter.¡± Dan Yangzi huffed. ¡°Friend Dan Yang, rest assured. When have I ever failed to fulfill what I''ve promised?¡± Chen Gang laughed, stood up, and walked outside. However, instead of taking the main entrance, he went out through an alternate entrance of the mansion. By now, Ma Xiuxiu had already accompanied Shen Luo outside the mansion. ¡°Miss Ma, I will be leaving Chang''an City for a while. As for the Dream Remembrance Talisman you need, I will try my best to draw it. Once it''s completed, I will have someone deliver it to the Treasure Hall.¡± Shen Luo said this, but he no longer gave off a sense of intimacy as he had before. ¡°Okay, I will await news from Young Master Shen.¡± Ma Xiuxiu detected the coldness in Shen Luo''s tone. Her eyes sparkled, but she maintained her smile. Shen Luo didn''t speak with Ma Xiuxiu further and turned to leave. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chen Gang had prepared two types of Spirit Fire, clearly, Ma Xiuxiu had informed him of his need for Spirit Fire. Ma Xiuxiu was a merchant of the Treasure Hall. Seeking profit from this matter was neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy. However, after this incident, he could no longer treat her as a friend. ¡°Young Master Shen, are you heading back? Let me give you a ride.¡± Sun Tong was still waiting outside. Seeing Shen Luo coming out, he promptly drove the carriage over. ¡°I still have other matters to deal with. There''s no need to trouble Brother Sun.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and hurriedly walked ahead. With his extreme speed, he disappeared into the distance in just a few breaths, leaving Sun Tong standing there, dumbfounded. Ma Xiuxiu watched as Shen Luo receded into the distance. Her face somber, she stood there motionless for a moment before turning to walk back to the mansion. Only Dan Yangzi was left in the living room, leisurely drinking his tea. ¡°Dan Yangzi, things didn''t go as we planned beforehand. According to our previous agreement, you and I were to propose business with Shen Luo first, and after he agreed, then Chen Gang would meet him. Why did you bring Chen Gang here directly?¡± Ma Xiuxiu questioned with a dark face. ¡°What difference does it make? According to your estimation, that Shen Luo would likely agree to the trade. Surely it saves more trouble to let them meet directly.¡± Dan Yangzi said indifferently. ¡°Taking someone to buy the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk from Mister Shen without his permission, how do you think this looks for Treasure Hall?¡± Ma Xiuxiu asked coldly. ¡°Just a simple freelance cultivator in the Grain Avoidance Stage. Now that the matter of the Underworld has been explained, this old man''s time is very valuable. I don''t have enough time to coddle that boy with you!¡± Dan Yangzi''s expression grew cold. He slammed the tea cup in his hand onto the table, causing a loud ¡°bang.¡± ¡°Humph! If the matter of the Dream Remembrance Talisman is affected because of you, I will not let it rest!¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s eyebrows shot up, and two cold lights shot out from her eyes. After saying that, she turned and walked outside, leaving behind a furiously grimacing Dan Yangzi. After Shen Luo left Yanshou Alley, he blended into the crowd on a main street outside. He swiftly moved through the crowd, crossing several blocks in no time and arrived at a city river. He looked around, found a deserted place, and without hesitation, dived into the water, employing both the Water Repelling Technique. He used the Water-control Technique to move forward under the water. Shen Luo spent more than two hours moving stealthily underwater, going from North City to East City. Only then did he emerge from the water at a hidden location and hide in a dense cluster of bushes by the shore. He had already changed his clothes under the water and had thoroughly washed his body to make sure no one could track him. Shen Luo''s face was somewhat solemn at this point. Today''s matter had sounded a warning bell for him, making him sharply aware that he had relied too much on the Treasure Hall and had revealed too much of his own matters to them. If the Treasure Hall had ill intentions towards him, they could take anything from him at any time, just like today. Or even more absolutely, they could kill and seize his treasures. With his current strength, he would simply be unable to resist such a large organization. Luckily, he woke up in time and made a timely escape. Chapter 446 Chapter 446: Chapter 442 Closed Cultivation Chapter 446: Chapter 442 Closed Cultivation With the exquisite subtlety of Shen Luo''s Water Manipulation Technique, combined with his stealth under the water, he should have successfully shaken off any trackers from the Treasure Hall. Although this precaution might seem excessive, it was necessary for his own safety. ¡°I''m still far from powerful enough. I need to be even more careful in my future actions,¡± Shen Luo cautioned himself once again before taking a look around. This was a remote neighborhood situated by the river''s side. By listening to the conversation of the residents from afar, he quickly learned that he was in the eastern part of the city, Qu Chi Fang, near the famous royal garden, Furong Garden. A thoughtful look appeared on Shen Luo''s face as he pondered his next plan. The best way to ensure his safety would be to leave Chang''an, but once he left, he might never find another place as abundant in resources for cultivating immortality. ¡°There are millions of residents in Chang''an. If I continue to lay low and not cause any trouble, there''s no way the Treasure Hall could find me. Moreover, owing to the cluster of various forces here, the Treasure Hall, despite its significant influence, cannot control everything. I will stay here for a while and focus on improving my cultivation level.¡± He weighed his options and made a quick decision. Shen Luo pinched his face a few times, altering his appearance before heading towards Qu Chi Fang. Half a day later, disguising as a foreign merchant, he purchased a secluded small courtyard to settle down. Qu Chi Fang, being a remote place populated by the lower-class mingle, saw a high turnover of people and was, therefore, perfect for hiding his trails. Shen Luo then transformed himself again, went to another neighborhood nearby, and hired a messenger to deliver a letter to Zhou Tie in Changping Alley. In the letter, he mentioned that he would be leaving Chang''an for a while and assured Zhou Tie not to worry. He subtly advised Zhou Tie to inform Xie Yuxin that his residence had been discovered by the Treasure Hall and suggested her to relocate. Having taken care of these matters, Shen Luo returned to his new residence, ready to prepare for his upcoming secluded cultivation. The small courtyard was deliberately chosen by him due to its proximity to the river outside Qu Chi Fang. He summoned Sea Caterpillar Maochun, utilizing its digging ability, and combined with his Water Manipulation Technique, he quickly dug a tunnel connecting the well in the courtyard to the river. With this passage, Shen Luo felt much more at ease. He then assembled a simple water platform in the well using a few wooden columns and a stone slab and swiftly began his secluded cultivation here. Before he started cultivating, however, he took out three Longevity Nourishing Elixirs and swallowed one. The elixir dissolved as soon as he took it, turning into a cold flow of qi and entered his Dantian area. The chilling flow gave Shen Luo the chills, causing his face to quickly turn a greenish-black shade. Yet, that cold qi flow whirled twice in his body, then suddenly changed, from cold to hot. His complexion quickly changed from greenish-black to crimson red, and heat even emanated from his head. But shortly after, this hot sensation turned cold again. Through this alternation of hot and cold, Shen Luo''s body was experiencing the chilling and burning sensations over and over again, even though his spirits were increasingly high and his eyes more radiant. After half an hour, all the qi converted from the elixir completely integrated into his body. Shen Luo returned to his normal condition and felt delighted. Every part of his body felt a sense of comfort now, with fatigue and ache all gone. It seemed like most of the essence-blood he had depleted for condensing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was replenished. More importantly, he felt a vague sense that the vitality that had disappeared within him for a long time was returning in abundance, a sign of an increased lifespan. Shen Luo did not continue to take the second Milk Spirit Pill. Instead, he sat cross-legged, absorbing the remaining medicinal power within his body. Three days later, all the medicinal power in his body had been absorbed, and he continued to take the second Milk Spirit Pill. Seven days later, he swallowed the third Milk Spirit Pill as well. Shen Luo sat cross-legged in the well, his face flushed with vitality, and his complexion radiant, his previously depleted vital essence fully recovered. According to his estimate, his lifespan should have been restored by around fifty years. ¡°Finally, I can stop worrying about my lifespan for a while and concentrate on cultivation.¡± Shen Luo let out a long sigh of relief. Shen Luo collected his thoughts, closed his eyes, silently recalled the understanding of Grain Avoidance Stage cultivation he had summarized in Dreamland, took out the jade bottle containing Dual-element True Water, and applied a drop on his skin. A rich power of Water Spirit permeated his body. The mana in his Dantian began to operate on its own without being driven. Shen Luo took a deep breath and immediately started the Nameless Cultivation Technique, absorbing the Water Spirit Qi contained in the Dual-element True Water. The Water Spirit Qi contained in the Dual-element True Water was far superior to the previous Three Origin True Water. The Nameless Cultivation Technique was extremely active, and it operated a complete cycle almost in the blink of an eye, comparable to the cultivation in Dreamland. As he circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to absorb the Dual-element True Water, he could feel the Water Spirit Qi in the Dual-element True Water being absorbed bit by bit, and at the same time, streams of Water Spirit power gathered from the underwater veins at the bottom of the well and merged into Shen Luo''s body. Chang''an City was a hub of spiritual veins in the Southern Sub-Central Continent, rich in spiritual energy, and the gathered Water Spirit Qi was quite considerable. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s mouth showed a smile. According to the current cultivation situation, it won''t be long before he can reach the peak of Grain Avoidance Stage. It seems that the choice he made was correct. In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed, and the end of the year was approaching. The weather had already started to get cold. At the break of dawn, the city was shrouded in fog, and the Qu River was also hazy. Thankfully, the river surface had not frozen over. A fishing boat was fishing along the river. There were four or five fishermen on the boat, dark-skinned and rough-handed, all apparently making their living on the water all year round. A burly man standing at the bow was about to cast his fishing net overboard. Just at this moment, resounding rumblings came up from the river bottom, as if thunder was exploding down there. The previously calm river surface suddenly became turbulent with numerous swirls. Water splashed and sprayed everywhere, making the whole river surface look like it was boiling. The air above the river surface was also swept up, stirring up great gusts of wind that blew away all the fog. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The fishing boat was also caught in the vortex, turning round and round. Fortunately, the people on board were quick to react and jumped into the cabin at the first instance, preventing anyone from being thrown off. However, the abnormal phenomena in the river did not last long and quieted down after a few breaths. ¡°Captain, what happened? Is there a demon at the bottom of the river?¡± The burly fisherman who was about to cast his net earlier asked the captain, still feeling uneasy, as he looked at the gradually calming river surface. The captain was an old man around sixty years old. He held a dry pipe in his hand, his face weathered, looking somewhat shocked but much calmer than the others. Chapter 447 Chapter 447: Chapter 443: The Art of Nurturing Spirits with Ghosts Chapter 447: Chapter 443: The Art of Nurturing Spirits with Ghosts ¡°Nonsense, this is Chang''an City, what monster dares to cause trouble here without fearing death.¡± The boat captain glared at the burly fisherman and huffed. ¡°Then what''s going on?¡± The burly fisherman, slightly calmed, asked again. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Judging by the situation, there must have been an Immortal Master using magic underwater just now.¡± The captain took a deep puff of his dry tobacco, and amidst the cloud of smoke, he slowly explained. ¡°An Immortal Master! Is he still here? Let''s go and meet him. Maybe we could get some life-extending immortal pills.¡± The eyes of the big fisherman brightened as he looked around the boat. The other fishermen were doing the same thing. Although there were many cultivators in Chang''an City, they could only be approached by some superior people. They were all poor and common people, and they still held high hopes for cultivators. ¡°Stop messing around, start the boat!¡± The boat captain stared sternly at the burly fisherman and commanded to start the boat in a subdued voice. The big fisherman shut his mouth in silence. The others also dared not say anything and slowly started the boat. They traveled several miles ahead before the boat captain ordered them to stop. ¡°Captain, why didn''t you let me call out to the Immortal Master?¡± The big fisherman protested. The other men were equally baffled. ¡°You people actually think all Immortal Masters are kind and charitable?¡± The captain sneered. ¡°Aren''t they?¡± The big fisherman asked. ¡°You lot, you know too little about Immortal Masters. As far as I know, there are both good and evil among them. The good ones are indeed kind to us common folks, but the evil ones would kill without batting an eye. They are far more terrifying than bandits and monsters. We don''t know whether the Immortal Master underwater just now was good or evil. If you all carelessly approach him, you might die without knowing how.¡± The captain warned with a cold huff. Upon hearing this, the fishermen were shocked but also enlightened. Ten yards below the vortex area that had just appeared, a figure was sitting cross-legged. It was Shen Luo. He interlocked his hands in front of his chest, forming a hand seal. A faint crystal light twinkled in the center of his forehead, and his entire body was enveloped in a blue light, forming a sphere several yards in diameter, with countless phantom waves in blue bouncing within it. The surrounding river water was kept completely out, leaving his clothes dry and clean, without a drop of water on them. ¡°So it isn''t working after all¡­¡± Exhaled Shen Luo, releasing his hand seal as the crystal light on his forehead quickly faded. After six months of harsh cultivation, he successfully elevated his cultivation level to the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage, relying on the power of Dual-element True Water. The process went smoothly. He had also consumed the eight Meridian Expansion Spiritual Pills, which had increased his mana by almost half. With the experience of his breakthrough to the Soul Condensation Stage in Dreamland, as well as his greatly boosted mana, Shen Luo attempted to break through again. Unfortunately, he still ended up in failure. The principle of advancing to the Soul Condensation Stage is actually very simple. The cultivator operates all his mana, vital energy, and life force to infuse into a mysterious checkpoint known as the Heavenly Gate located deep in his head. The Heavenly Gate is not an acupoint, but an extremely elusive location. It connects the human body and divine soul, and only those who reached the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage can sense it. Simply breaking open this gate would draw in mana and life force to stimulate the brain, strengthen the soul power in the sea of consciousness, fully condense a human-shaped divine soul, and thus advance to the Soul Condensation Stage. While advancing to the Soul Condensation Stage might seem as simple as opening only one acupoint, the difficulty overcoming this step is insurmountable for many. The Essence Element Point is located deep within the brain, and utmost caution is needed during its opening. A slight mishap could damage the brain, resulting in idiocy. Moreover, taking this step not only allows the formation of divine soul but also significantly enhances the connection between a Cultivator and the Heaven and Earth, guiding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi into the marrow, so that the body of the Cultivator undergoes a rebirth and extends their lifespan. In Dreamland, Shen Luo''s aptitude was top-notch, having opened up twenty meridians inside his body, with unparalleled mana. Without much difficulty, he successfully opened the Essence Element Point and refined his divine soul. However, his attempt to advance to the Soul Condensation Stage in reality was a vastly different situation. He only had three meridians in his body. Even after ingesting the Meridian Expansion Pill to expand his meridians, his mana was still too weak. Even with the experience gleaned from the Dreamland, it was insufficient. ¡°It seems like external force is still necessary,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. He was not disheartened. In this attempt to advance to the Soul Condensation Stage, he hadn''t held high hopes in the first place. He had only recklessly tried it once. If it didn''t work, he planned to implement the second plan. In the Pure Yang Sword Canon, there was a record of a secret technique that nurtured the soul with ghosts, which could assist in advancing the Soul Condensation Stage. The key to the Soul Condensation Stage is to cultivate the soul with essence. As ghosts are similar to soul entities, this secret technique leverages the Ghostly Qi to stimulate the Heavenly Gate in the brain, accelerating the cultivation of the soul power. However, to perform this secret technique, it is necessary to catch a Fierce Ghost. The higher the cultivation of the ghost, the greater the chance of success. ¡°When I was at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, my master went to Ma Family at the Baihe Town to exorcise the ghost. It seemed that he captured that fierce female ghost and nurtured it. Could it be preparations for the breakthrough to the Soul Condensation Stage?¡± Shen Luo abruptly remembered an incident from a long time ago. Upon considering this, he couldn''t help but recall his time at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Daoist Luo, Tian Tiesheng, Bai Xiaotian¡­ What a pity that except for Bai Xiaotian, the whereabouts of others are unknown. To reunite with them seems as difficult as ascending to heaven. Shen Luo quickly pulled himself out of his thoughts, not indulging in futile sentimentality any longer. He got up, activated the Water-control Technique, and slipped back into the small courtyard through the waterway. After emerging from the well, he started considering where to catch the ghost. Although Shen Luo had stayed in Chang''an City for a period of time, he was still clueless about the locations of powerful ghost entities in the city. Among the cultivators he knew in Chang''an City, after racking his brains, he could only think of Ma Xiuxiu, Lu Huaming, and Xie Yuxin. At the moment, he didn''t wish to reach out to Ma Xiuxiu. Regardless of whether Xie Yuxin had returned, given her low cultivation level and standard social circle with many scattered cultivators, odds were low that she knew about powerful ghost entities. Considering all these factors, the best person to make inquiries of was only Lu Huaming left. After pondering for a while, Shen Luo kneaded his face. There was a sound similar to the popping of beans as his bones moved. He then approached the edge of the well and looked at his reflection in the water. Nodding his head in satisfaction, he admired his handiwork. He had transformed into a simple-minded young man with a long face. Be it his appearance or demeanor, nothing resembled his former self, to the degree that even his closest family would unlikely recognize him. Over the past half a year, he occasionally studied the ¡°Body Refining Secret Text¡± during his breaks from cultivation, which led him to gain a deeper understanding of his body. The Secret Manual contained changes to body structure, which was somewhat similar to the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique. Now, his application of the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique has become more exquisite and longer-lasting, unlike before when it would only last for a brief while. Shen Luo carefully inspected his body once again to ensure that no details would give him away, before leaving the small courtyard. Chapter 448 Chapter 448: Chapter 444: Ghost Suppressing Magical Instrument Chapter 448: Chapter 444: Ghost Suppressing Magical Instrument Shen Luo first arrived at the West Market, stepping in front of a shop named Tiangong Pavilion. On the shelves of this shop were various weapons such as knives and swords, all part of an artifact refining business. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To catch ghosts, preparation was necessary, including having a magical instrument capable of holding ghosts, otherwise catching them would be pointless. Shen Luo had some understanding of the various shops in the West Market. When it came to artifact refining, the biggest merchant was Xuanyuan Pavilion. However, Xuanyuan Pavilion had close ties with Treasure Hall and he didn''t want to get too involved. Tiangong Pavilion was also renowned in the artifact refining business and he thought he should be able to buy the magical instrument he needed there. The interior of Tiangong Pavilion was expansive. The counters and shelves were all constructed from precious redwood. Although the artifacts displayed were covered with prohibitions, they still emitted faint spiritual power fluctuations, indicating their high quality. Looking at the scene, Shen Luo secretly nodded, feeling he had chosen the right place. ¡°Customer, what kind of magical instrument do you require? The items in our shop are all crafted by experienced artifact refining masters and the quality is absolutely guaranteed.¡± A blue-robed attendant approached him. ¡°Do you have any high-quality artifacts for containing ghosts? I don''t need any inferior products.¡± Shen Luo said without beating around the bush. The blue-robed attendant was taken aback and scrutinized Shen Luo. Once he was certain he wasn''t joking, he realized he had a potentially lucrative customer. A broad smile spread across his face as he quickly escorted Shen Luo to a private room. Two attendants served up spiritual tea and a variety of exotic fruits. Shen Luo could feel the abundant spiritual power contained in these fruits, evidently, they were all spirit fruits. However, he wasn''t willing to eat anything in a strange place, so he didn''t touch the tea or fruit. Before long, the door to the private room opened and the previous blue-robed attendant accompanied a young girl wearing a green embroidered robe into the room. ¡°Miss, this is the distinguished guest who wishes to purchase our artifacts,¡± the blue-robed attendant respectfully said to the girl, and then quickly left. Shen Luo looked at the newcomer. This girl appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen years old, her face as beautiful as a blooming flower with bright eyes and white teeth. However, the girl was indifferent and barely glanced at Shen Luo, seemingly not caring too much. ¡°So, you are the one looking to buy a high-quality artifact for containing ghosts. Your demands are rather ambitious for someone shopping at Tiangong Pavilion.¡± The girl in the embroidered robe spoke coldly. ¡°I was merely stating my requirements. If your esteemed pavilion doesn''t want to do business, I can leave. There are many other artifact shops in the West Market, not just Tiangong Pavilion.¡± Shen Luo was also displeased. As someone with a special status in Tiangong Pavilion and possessed of considerable beauty, the girl was unused to anyone talking to her like this. A flare of anger flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it. ¡°We do have premium artifacts for suppressing ghosts, but each one is incredibly expensive, far more than what you could buy with just twenty or thirty Immortal jades.¡± The girl smirked. ¡°As long as the quality is good, the price is not an issue.¡± Shen Luo said calmly. Hearing this, the girl finally took Shen Luo seriously, her eyes flickering slightly. ¡°Since you put it that way, I kindly ask for your patience while I fetch them.¡± The girl''s tone became much more amiable as she got up and left. Moments later, however, she returned. For just that brief moment, she had managed to change into a light green robe and was now exuding a refreshing fragrance. It was very pleasant. Shen Luo''s brows twitched. He appraised the girl from top to bottom, his eyes narrowing. An attendant behind the girl placed three wooden boxes on the table. After a respectful bow, the attendant quickly vanished. ¡°I regret having kept you waiting. I realized that I neglected to introduce myself. My name is Hua Rui. I apologize if my words were untoward earlier. May I know your esteemed name?¡± The girl sat down beside Shen Luo. Her previous impertinence had vanished, replaced with a delicate softness. Her voice was mesmerizingly melodious. ¡°I am a freelance cultivator who just arrived in Chang''an City. Even if I were to tell you my name, you wouldn''t recognize it, so there''s really no point in mentioning it,¡± Shen Luo replied nonchalantly. ¡°You''re right, I misspoke. Let''s take a look at these artifacts. Every artifact in Tiangong Pavilion is top notch,¡± Hua Rui said, shifting her gaze away with a smile. She then reached out and opened the three boxes one by one. The first box contained a black bowl. A layer of eerie black mist swirled around it, emitting a chill that significantly reduced the surrounding temperature. The second box contained a black straw doll. A silver needle was lodged in its head, chest, and Dantian area, giving it an exotic look. The last box contained a small black bag, seemingly made from the skin of a python with faint glimpses of fine scales all over it. The bag appeared to be an old item as the edges showed signs of wear. Embroidered on the bag was a silver skull pattern. ¡°Dear sir, please take a look. The first artifact in the box is the Gathering Yin Bowl. It was forged from a large piece of Profound Yin Stone by one of our master artifact refiners. He spent three full days and nights refining it. It contains five prohibitions and is able to capture and suppress ghosts with a cultivation level of up to the mid Grain Avoidance Stage,¡± Hua Rui explained. Shen Luo picked up the black bowl, activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and was able to indeed perceive five prohibitions within it. They were quite intricate. However, the ghost he was planning to catch was most likely at the peak of the Grain Avoidance stage. It seemed the Gathering Yin Bowl would not suffice. ¡°If our dear sir finds the bowl inadequate, please take a look at this Soul-Losing Straw Doll. It contains six prohibitions. That is the limit for a mid-grade artifact,¡± Hua Rui proposed as she saw that Shen Luo seemed unimpressed with the Gathering Yin Bowl. She hurriedly introduced the second item, the straw doll. ¡°What level of ghost can this doll restrain?¡± Shen Luo asked as he picked up the straw doll. Once again he activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to sense its attributes. ¡°This Soul-Losing Straw Doll bears three prohibitions itself, and each of the three silver needles appliques one additional layer each. After sucking a ghost into it, the three needles can be used to seal its acupoints, rendering a ghost in the late Grain Avoidance Stage helpless,¡± Hua Rui explained. ¡°The late Grain Avoidance Stage? That''s still not enough. Do you have any artifact able to confine a ghost at the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage?¡± Shen Luo asked directly, his brows furrowing. ¡°Peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage?¡± Hua Rui''s eyes widened. ¡°Don''t you?¡± Shen Luo''s face darkened. ¡°Our sir misunderstood. I was just surprised. Artifacts for suppressing ghosts require exceptionally high-grade materials and are difficult to refine. We don''t have many in the Pavilion. If you had visited a few days earlier, we really wouldn''t have been able to fulfill your request. Coincidentally, we just acquired a Qiankun Bag from a freelance cultivator three days ago. It is exactly what you need,¡± Hua Rui said with a smile, picking up the black bag from the last wooden box. ¡°Oh, what is special about this and are you sure it can confine a ghost at the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage?¡± Shen Luo asked skeptically. Chapter 449 Chapter 449: Chapter 445: Seeing Through Chapter 449: Chapter 445: Seeing Through ¡°According to that person, this Qiankun Bag was created by an expert from his ancestor''s times, following the Artifacts Refining method from the Xuan Yin Gate sect of ancient times. It was made using the soft hide from the lower belly of a Yin Python, supplemented by sixteen types of yin poison materials, and took ninety-nine and eighty-one days to refine. This bag can expand and shrink, can become as large as a room at its largest, and not only can it take in ghosts, but it can also trap living creatures. Its ability to restrain is incredibly powerful; once something is inside the bag, it''s extremely difficult for it to come out.¡± Flower Bud explained in detail. Shen Luo nodded slowly, this thing sounded quite decent. ¡°This Qiankun Bag not only has the ability to capture and detain, if Daoist friend wishes to kill the object, you just need to activate the prohibitions within the Qiankun Bag, it will then release yin poison energy, no matter if it''s for ghosts or living beings, within moments, it can disintegrate them into pus.¡± Flower Bud continued to speak, then forming an orchid finger gesture and pointed towards the void. The small black bag instantly shot into the air, transforming into a black sack several feet large, with a black light emitted from the sack''s mouth, it sucked in a solid wooden chair from the room. With a ¡°swish¡± sound, the chair immediately disappeared, obviously absorbed into the small black bag. A few breaths later, the blacklight from the bag mouth flashed, and a pile of stinky mud-like wood residue flew out from the inside, emitting a nauseating smell. ¡°Not bad, how many prohibitions does this Qiankun Bag contain?¡± Upon seeing this sight, Shen Luo''s eyes brightened, he asked. ¡°This bag originally contained a top-grade magical instrument with nine-layer restriction, but unfortunately, it had suffered damage before, causing two prohibitions to disperse, now it only remains seven. However, the materials used for this bag are top-grade, among the ghost-suppressing instruments, it''s absolutely top-notch.¡± Flower Bud said as she waved her hand to retrieve the bag, and handed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo received the Qiankun Bag, his fingers touched Flower Bud''s. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Flower Bud let out a soft yelp, a flush immediately appeared on her pretty face, making her look extremely appealing. Shen Luo blankly watched Flower Bud, seemingly entranced by her beauty, after several breaths, he regained his composure, lowered his head to inspect the Qiankun Bag. ¡°How much immortal jade for this?¡± A moment later, he lifted his head to inquire, seemingly a bit befuddled. ¡°Although this item has suffered some damage, it''s of extremely high quality, possesses marvelous divine power, and its force is even stronger than an average top-grade magical instrument. Moreover, this Qiankun Bag just came in stock, and immediately Daoist friend came to purchase it, this seems to be fate, thus hopefully this humble girl won''t want more, it would only be¡­three hundred immortal jades, how about it?¡± Flower Bud''s heart kindled a glimmer of joy, her eyes glistened like rippling water as she stared at Shen Luo''s eyes and gently uttered. ¡°Three hundred jades? Your Excellency, are you serious?¡± Shen Luo looked at Flower Bud, a shrewd flash appeared in his eyes, the perplexed expression on his face instantly vanished as he replied with a smirk. ¡°You ¡­¡± Flower Bud froze there. Taking advantage of the moment Flower Bud froze, Shen Luo raised his hand, swiped rapidly and grabbed the green incense sachet from the woman''s waist. ¡°What are you doing!¡± As Flower Bud saw this, she immediately reacted, shouted in both shock and anger, and a trace of horror flashed in her eyes. Swish, swish, swish! As Flower Bud''s voice fell, the door to the private room was violently pushed open, two men and a woman dressed in purple robes appeared in the room. All of them exuded a robust aura fluctuation, the two men in purple robes were at the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage, while the last woman in purple robe was even at the Soul Condensation Stage. ¡°Your Excellency, from where do you hail? Dare to show impertinence here at our Tiangong Pavilion?¡± The purple-robed young woman looked at Shen Luo, her face full of icy coldness. ¡°Show impertinence? I dare not.¡± Faced with this situation, Shen Luo did not exhibit slightest fear, he exerted slight force in his hand, tearing open the incense sachet, some pink incense particles flowed out. A rich, serene fragrance emanated out, it was the same fragrance that previously wafted from Flower Bud, but without the restriction of the incense sachet, the scent became much stronger. Upon seeing this, a trace of terror surfaced on Flower Bud''s face. ¡°All of you are esteemed experts from the Tiangong Pavilion, who have seen and experienced much. I suppose there''s no need for me to introduce this Charming Fragrance to you. Our friend here, garbed in her flower bud, trades with the Charming Fragrance and charm technique. A top-grade magical instrument with seven prohibitions is priced at three hundred Immortal Jades. So this is how the Tiangong Pavilion does business,¡± Shen Luo laughed aloud, his voice carrying. The customers in the outer part of the shop heard Shen Luo''s words and started their discussions, glancing over to this section. The purple-robed Young Woman''s face darkened, and she waved her sleeve. A gust of air shot out, closing the door of the private room with a bang. ¡°What are you implying? Are you planning to silence me by killing me?¡± Shen Luo shouted coldly, a brilliant blue light emitted from his body, forming a light shield around him. A glimpse of blue-green light flashed beside his hand, and the Mother-Child Sword and jade ruyi appeared, unleashing waves of powerful mana. ¡°Daoist friend, you''ve misunderstood. All fighting is prohibited within Chang''an City, especially in the Tiangong Pavilion. We would not dare to violate this rule. Please put away your magical instruments, let''s talk things over,¡± The purple-robed young woman hurriedly said, giving a significant look to the other two purple-robed men behind her. The two men immediately backed away, and the purple-robed young woman herself retreated a step or two. The flower bud stood stiffly to one side, her face full of fear. ¡°So, how do you plan to resolve this?¡± Shen Luo scanned the room, slightly lifted his chin and asked, his fingers forming a seal that put away the Mother-Child Sword and jade ruyi. ¡°I am aware of the entire story. It''s our failing at managing our staff at the Tiangong Pavilion that led to this disgraceful incident. Rest assured, we will provide a proper explanation,¡± the purple-robed young woman immediately replied. Quickly turning to the flower bud, she spoke in a grave tone, ¡°Flower bud, you dared to use charm technique and mind-altering fragrance to deceive customers and exploit them for profit. This is inexcusable! From today onward, all your positions at the Tiangong Pavilion are revoked, and you will be handed over to the Punishment Hall!¡± The flower bud''s face turned ashen, and she collapsed to the floor. Even though the attendants call her ¡°Miss,¡± in reality, she is not the Pavilion Lord''s biological daughter but a distant relative. Using her connections, she managed to secure her position within the Tiangong Pavilion. Now, because of these disgraceful actions, the Pavilion Lord will not protect her, and everyone else will try to bring her down. She has no chance of regaining her status. She was utterly at loss as to how Shen Luo had detected the Charming Fragrance. She had carefully masked the fragrance with others and used a very minuscule amount of it. Combined with her charm technique, it subconsciously influenced the customers without their realization or detection afterward. This method was covert to such an extent that even a Soul Condensation Cultivator may not be able to detect it. That''s why she dared to deceive customers with it. ¡°Yes, this subordinate accepts the punishment,¡± flower bud shakily agreed, like a soulless shell. ¡°Get out,¡± the purple-robed young woman commanded sternly. Struggling to her feet, the flower bud slowly walked away. Watching her retreating figure, Shen Luo snickered silently in his mind. If not for his Soul Power being much stronger than that of a typical Grain Avoidance Cultivator and his extensive study of the ¡°Body Refining Secret Text¡±, which insightful application of Soul Power and its keen sensing ability far surpassed his previous experiences, he might have missed the faint presence of the enchanting fragrance. ¡°Daoist friend, are you satisfied with my handling of the matter?¡± The purple-robed young woman turned to face Shen Luo, speaking softly. Chapter 450 Chapter 450: Chapter 446 Chapter 450: Chapter 446 ¡°As expected, your pavilion is indeed fair and strict. Could we now discuss the price of this Qiankun Bag? According to you, how much Immortal Jade does it worth?¡± Shen Luo was not overly tense and raised the Qiankun Bag in his hand and asked. ¡°Although this bag is a top-grade magical instrument, a few of its insides prohibitions have been damaged somewhat. I''m afraid it''s not far from being entirely scrapped, but it should still be useful. If you like it, Daoist friend, it''s yours for eighty pieces of Immortal Jade,¡± the purple-robed young woman said with a smile, having briefly sensed the Qiankun Bag by her divine sense. ¡°Your decisiveness is appreciated,¡± Shen Luo grinned, took out eighty pieces of Immortal Jade and placed them on the table, then stood up to walk out. ¡°Dear Daoist friend, please help me conceal the incident that just happened from the Tiangong Pavilion. This is the highest-level VIP Token of our Tiangong Pavilion. With this token, in our pavilion''s shops, you can enjoy the priority to buy and get a 20% discount,¡± the purple-robed young woman said, handing a silver token to Shen Luo. The token had two hammers pattern engraved on one side and the words ¡°Tiangong¡± engraved on the other. ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Luo accepted the token, flipped it around in his hand and put it away, then pushed open the private room''s door and walked out. The guests inside the store were all still looking inside, and they all turned to look at Shen Luo when he came out. Shen Luo did not pay them any mind though, he quickened his pace and left, his figure soon disappeared among the crowd on the street outside. The purple-robed young women watched this, breathed a sigh of relief, and turned to go back into the Tiangong Pavilion. Shen Luo distanced himself from the Tiangong Pavilion and darted into an alleyway, changing his clothes quickly. He then operated the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique to change his appearance and carefully moved forward further down the alley. Shen Luo gently touched the Qiankun Bag in his chest and his eyes sparked a hint of surprise. When he used the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to sense the bag, it seemed to be an excellent top-grade magical instrument, with an impressive array of prohibitions inside, very suitable for his ghost hunting task. What''s more, when he had checked with the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, he stumbled upon the realization that the two broken prohibitions mentioned by Hua Rui had not completely collapsed. If used carefully now, they might even be restored with the right materials found in the future. If he could restore this bag, then it might even be worth more than all of his existing top-grade magical instruments. Shen Luo was pleased with this thought. He then visited a couple of talisman shops and bought a few charms with sealing effects. After leaving the West Market, he next visited the most famous winery in Chang''an City, spending heavy gold to buy a jar of fine wine, before proceeding to the Great Tang Government. However, before arriving here, he canceled the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique and resumed his original appearance. ¡°Kind sir, ahead is the government office area, no idle people are allowed to enter.¡± The guards at the entrance of the Great Tang Government Office stopped Shen Luo. Among them, a youthful looking man in his twenties came forward. ¡°I''m Shen Luo, an old acquaintance of Lu Hua Ming from the Great Tang Government Office. I''m here to visit him today. Therefore, could you kindly pass my message along?¡± Shen Luo explained his purpose and then secretly handed out a piece of Immortal Jade to the young guard. ¡°So, it''s Master Shen. Mr. Lu is currently inside the office. I will pass along your message,¡± the young guard returned the Immortal Jade and hurried inside the government office. The other guards didn''t bat an eye and continued to guard the gate as if they hadn''t seen what just happened. Seeing the guards acting like this, Shen Luo quietly pocketed the Immortal Jade, inwardly praising Cheng Yaojin''s way of controlling the army. The Great Tang Government Office was indeed fair and straightforward, truly the guardian of the Great Tang Dynasty and its people. Moreover, he was quite lucky. Lu Hua Ming happened to be in the Great Tang Government Office and hadn''t gone out on a mission. A moment later, the young guard returned to the entrance. ¡°Master Shen, Mr. Lu asks you to come in. He is currently busy handling affairs inside the office. Please go and rest a while in the Silver Tranquility Hall. He will come over shortly,¡± the young guard respectfully said. ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and entered the Great Tang Government Office with the young guard. The young guard brought Shen Luo to a guest hall inside, served him a cup of spiritual tea, and then withdrew. Shen Luo had been to the Great Tang Government Office before and was not particularly curious about the place. He sat quietly in the hall, closing his eyes to rest. Just as they had sat down, a hearty laugh echoed in from outside. ¡°Brother Shen, you promised to come drink with me when you had the chance, but you kept me waiting until today,¡± Lu Huaming appeared outside the hall, his smile radiant but his tone carrying a hint of complaint. ¡°My apologies. Although I am a loose practitioner, I have been entangled in various matters recently. Please forgive me, Brother Lu. As an apology, I have purchased this bottle of Daughter''s Red Wine. Please accept it,¡± Shen Luo stood up and produced a wine-colored bottle. Despite the bottle being tightly sealed, the robust aroma of the wine was still tantalizing. Just as he was offering the wine, he suddenly recalled the behavior of the guard he''d encountered earlier. Clearly, the Great Tang Dynasty Government strictly forbids bribery. Though the wine he brought was not a wealth item, it was already considered a gift. ¡°This bottle of fine wine is something that I have brought with me, as a token of camaraderie with Brother Lu; it''s not a gift,¡± Shen Luo quickly added. ¡°Hehe, Brother Shen, don''t worry. I am not one of those old dogmatists who only know how to stick to the rules rigidly. The commandments are in the heart, not in deeds. Strict adherence to all rules without flexibility is not necessarily a good thing. This is an exquisite wine from Hundred Wine Manor, it must be at least fifty years old. Brother Shen, you''ve really given thought to this gift,¡± Lu Huaming first laughed and said, then immediately took the wine bottle, deeply breathing in the aroma of the wine with an intoxicated look on his face. ¡°As long as you like it, Brother Lu!¡± Shen Luo was happy to see that Lu Huaming was pleased. ¡°Of course I like it! Come, let us drink a few more glasses,¡± Lu Huaming pulled Shen Luo, walking towards his residence. Soon, they arrived there. The two men toasted each other, drinking away nearly half the wine from the bottle before finally stopping. ¡°Brother Shen, you came to visit today and brought fine wine. Surely, you did not just come here for reminiscing?¡± Lu Huaming put down his wine glass with a smile. ¡°I can''t hide anything from Brother Lu. Indeed, I came here today to seek your advice,¡± Shen Luo admitted without any formalities. ¡°No worries, what do you want to ask? Ah, Brother Shen, your cultivation level has increased a lot, you seem to be close to reaching the Soul Condensation Stage!¡± Lu Huaming chuckled, his eyes suddenly emitting strange lights as he looked Shen Luo up and down, a tone of disbelief creeping into his voice. ¡°I''ve had some fortuitous opportunities recently, so my cultivation has been going fairly smoothly,¡± Shen Luo said candidly, not hiding anything. ¡°Even with opportunities and luck, Brother Shen, your speedy cultivation progress reveals your extraordinary aptitude. I truly can''t match up to you,¡± Lu Huaming sighed regretfully. Shen Luo gave a rueful smile and pinched his nose in response. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Discussing aptitude, after consuming Dragon Blood, he was merely of average potential. His rapid cultivation progress was largely due to the effect of Dual-element True Water, and more importantly, in Dreamland, he had thoroughly deciphered the practice of the Grain Avoidance Stage. Therefore, his current second cultivation was naturally swift. ¡°Alright, let''s not talk about that. Brother Shen, why did you come to see me today?¡± Lu Huaming quickly changed the subject. ¡°I would like to ask Brother Lu, do you know where I could find powerful ghosts?¡± Shen Luo asked straightforwardly. ¡°Powerful ghosts? How powerful?¡± Lu Huaming looked momentarily stunned. ¡°At least at the peak level of the Grain Avoidance Stage. I need to capture such a ghost to assist me in the cultivation of a special divine technique,¡± Shen Luo replied without hiding anything. He could tell that Lu Huaming valued friendship and cared little for wealth. In contrast to people like Ma Xiuxiu, he was someone worthy of deeper association. ¡°A ghost at the peak level of the Grain Avoidance Stage is indeed hard to find. To my knowledge, there are only three places where one might possibly be found,¡± Lu Huaming said, pondering for a moment, but not setting any conditions. ¡°May I know which three places?¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed and immediately inquired. ¡°Firstly, in half a month, our Great Tang Dynasty Government is going to organize another operation. Some people will be sent to a certain area of the Underworld to execute a mission. There are countless ghosts in the Underworld. Apart from ghosts at the peak level of Grain Avoidance Stage, there are also numerous Soul Condensation Stage and Nascent Soul Stage ghosts,¡± Lu Huaming explained. Having taken part in a ghost-catching mission in the Underworld before, Shen Luo was fully aware of the situation there and nodded in agreement. But since he was not part of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, he would not be able to accompany them to the Underworld without possibly causing trouble for Lu Huaming. Chapter 451 Chapter 451: Chapter 447 Tianying Valley Chapter 451: Chapter 447 Tianying Valley ¡°The second place is in the Banu Mountain Range, within Qingfeng County to the northwest of Chang''an. There is a malevolent ghost wreaking havoc. It has already caused substantial harm and has taken numerous lives, including cultivators and ordinary people alike. At least one Soul Condensing Freelance Cultivator has fallen victim. The government has previously dispatched two ministers from the Soul Condensation Stage to Banu Mountain Range to catch the ghost. However, the area is vast, and it appears that the ghost is highly intelligent. Despite over a month of searching, the two ministers could not locate the ghost and had to return empty-handed.¡± Lu Huaming said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo slightly furrowed his brows. If a Soul Condensation monk has been injured, the strength of the ghost could not be lower than that of this realm. However, the Banu Mountain Range is a well-known tremendous mountain range in Qingfeng County, spanning a large area. Even the two ministers from the Great Tang Dynasty Government could not find the ghost. Despite the aid of his Shadow Gu, Shen Luo would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. ¡°As for the third place, it''s a few hundred Li outside Chang''an, the TianYin Valley. It used to be the tomb of a prince from the previous dynasty. During the transition period in that year, the royal family of the former dynasty retreated to this ancient tomb. They used it as a stronghold to resist the Tang Dynasty Army but eventually succumbed to the overwhelming power of the Great Tang and were annihilated there. The tomb atmospherically was dense with Yin Qi, and a large number of people died there. At present, there are many formidable ghosts appearing in the ancient tomb, and vicious ghosts from the Soul Condensation Stage have been seen. The government of the Great Tang has tried to clear out the tomb several times but has always ended in failure. The issue was simply disregarded due to the fact that the ghosts inside the tomb never ventured out and therefore posed no substantial threat.¡± Lu Huaming continued. Shen Luo''s face was mired in contemplation, but he quickly made a decision. Amongst these three places, the ancient tomb in TianYin Valley seemed the most promising. It is not too far from Chang''an, teeming with ghosts. He only needed to catch one that met his requirements from the periphery, so he shouldn''t have to go to great lengths to search for it. ¡°It seems like Brother Shen has made a decision.¡± Lu Huaming glanced at Shen Luo and said with a smile. ¡°I plan to take a look at TianYin Valley.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°That''s a good plan. You should go there first to see. If you can''t catch a suitable ghost, you can accompany me to the Underworld. I will lend you a hand when the time comes.¡± Lu Huaming seemed to have anticipated Shen Luo''s choice to go to the third place. ¡°Thank you, Brother Lu.¡± Shen Luo expressed his sincere thanks. He immediately asked Lu Huaming for the exact location of TianYin Valley and soon bid him farewell. With a strong desire to capture a ghost, Shen Luo did not linger after leaving the Great Tang Dynasty Government. First, he found a place to refine the Qiankun Bag, and then promptly left Chang''an. After coming to a secluded area outside the city, he raised his hand excitedly. A crimson sword light shot out from his sleeve, coiled around his body, and soared into the sky, reaching dozens of feet high in the blink of an eye. With a slight movement, the sword light transformed into a crimson rainbow that darted into the clouds. Surrounding scenery rapidly receded as the city of Chang''an below became a mere speck, shrinking rapidly until it was entirely left behind and disappeared from sight in just a few moments. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt exhilarated. He had previously attempted sword flight using the Pure Yang Sword Embryo within the discipline, but that place was too small, and as it was inside Chang''an City, he did not dare to be too unrestrained. Now that he was outside the city, he was able to fully utilize the Sword Controlling Technique. The speed he could achieve was beyond his expectations. ¡°I have read about it before; flying on a sword is one of the fastest methods of travel mentioned in ancient literature. The ancients really didn''t lie.¡± Shen Luo then closed his eyes briefly and indulged in the unprecedented sensation of speed. TianYin Valley is five to six hundred Li from Chang''an. Based on his original speed, it would take him about a day to reach. But now, with the flight speed of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, he should be able to arrive in the time it''d take to make a few cups of tea. The sword''s rainbow-colored light darted through the clouds, with all the surroundings rapidly retreating. Before long, a dark mountain range appeared before him. The mountain range he was searching for was called Yinling Mountain, and the Tianying Valley he was seeking was within it. Yinling Mountain was a hundred li long and twenty or thirty li wide, a notorious hazardous mountain range nearby Chang''an City. It was inhabited by various wild beasts like tigers, leopards, wolves, and bears, along with miasma and poisonous insects. Most people did not live within a dozen or so miles of it. Of course, this was a common understanding among ordinary people. From the eyes of cultivation practitioners, this mountain range was filled with dense Yin Qi. The wild beasts, snakes, insects, and even the vegetation within the mountain range had mutated due to long-term exposure to Yin Qi. Although they posed great harm to ordinary people, they were beneficial to cultivation practitioners, hence many monks would frequently come to this area for treasure hunting. Shen Luo was recalling all sorts of information about this place as he flew directly into the mountain range, landing near a sword-like peak. Immediately, he felt the heavy Yin Qi surrounding him. In addition to the Yin Qi, the air contained a corrosive breath that was continually seeping into his body, making him feel very uncomfortable. Before his arrival, he had already learned a lot about Yinling Mountain from Lu Huaming. The Yin Qi here was so heavy that it formed a Yin Stagnation Power, which could only be avoided by constantly practicing his techniques. Shen Luo''s cultivation had now reached the peak of the Grain Avoidance Stage. Having taken a Meridian Expansion Pill to develop his meridians, his mana was rather deep. Thus, having to constantly practice his techniques to protect his body wasn''t an issue. Shen Luo silently performed the Nameless Cultivation Technique, effectively blocking the Yin Stagnation Power from entering. He then placed two Divine Armor Horse Talismans on his legs and rapidly began to traverse deeper into the mountain range. With Lu Huaming''s guidance, he traveled for half an hour within the mountain range and quickly arrived in front of a vast and exceptionally flat valley. This was the Tianying Valley, and the former dynasty''s ancient tomb was located here. Tianying Valley was located in the central region of the mountain range. The Yin Stagnation Power here was much more rampant than the surrounding area of the mountain range, so much so that it could penetrate the marrow, something those with lower cultivation levels wouldn''t be able to withstand. Shen Luo had no fear. He continued to silently wield his technique to resist the corrosive Yin Stagnation Power around him and held the green short axe in his hand as he stepped into the valley. The valley was not long. He quickly reached the end, where a steep mountain wall appeared before his eyes. There was a large cave opening on the mountain wall, about ten yards high and seven or eight yards wide. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There were traces of human modification at the entrance of the cave, which was pitch black inside and seemed bottomless, leading to an unknown destination. He learned about the ancient tomb''s location from Lu Huaming beforehand, and this black cave was the entrance to it. Woo! Woo! Ghostly howls of wind came from the black cave, sounding intermittently high and low, like the wailing of ghosts or the nocturnal cries of monkeys, chilling one to the bone. Although Shen Luo had anticipated this situation before arriving, he still felt somewhat astounded when he was truly there. This place was no different from the Ghostly Netherworld. However, he quickly calmed his mind, took out several exorcism charms and attached them to his body, and silently cast the Water Avoidance Technique, forming a layer of water flow defense around him. Without stopping his movements, he waved his sleeve and a green light flashed. The jade ruyi projected from his sleeve and hovered above his head. Once his defenses were firmly in place, Shen Luo felt relieved and took a step into the cave. Chapter 452 Chapter 452: Chapter 448: The Ancient Tomb in the Deep Mountain Chapter 452: Chapter 448: The Ancient Tomb in the Deep Mountain The situation inside the cave was as he had expected, with the ground and the stone walls on both sides being quite flat, constructed from huge blocks of stone. Every now and then, there were small black holes appearing in the walls, while rotten arrows lay scattered on the ground. Mechanisms had obviously been placed within the walls, but they had long been triggered and broken into. Seeing this, Shen Luo realized that over many years, many monks must have visited this place. His mind relaxed a bit, but his pace did not hasten as he continued to move forward at the same speed as before. After walking some distance, the passage eventually came to an end, with a stone chamber appearing ahead. The two large doors had already been destroyed, lying on the ground. The stone chamber was extremely large, around a hundred feet in size. It was grandly constructed but was very empty. Apart from a few giant stone pillars, some fragments of stone, and a few soldier and horse stone statues that had been toppled over, there was no other items. It was unclear whether they had all been taken away by someone. The stone chamber''s side walls were carved with numerous exquisite murals, painted with bright colors, as if depicting the life story of the tomb owner. However, many of these murals had also been destroyed and were unclear. It seemed they were telling the story of the tomb owner''s life on the battlefield. Shen Luo glanced at these murals a few times, quickly losing interest and turning to look at other parts of the room. Deep within the stone chamber, there were three other passageways leading in different directions, their depths out of sight, leaving him unsure where they led. Lu Huaming had never been to this ancient tomb before, so he didn''t have much information about it and could not provide any guidance. Shen Luo could only improvise on his own. After a moment of contemplation, Shen Luo chose the passageway on the far left to proceed. The passage was quite long; he walked for about forty or fifty feet before reaching the end. There was also a stone chamber at the end of the passage, albeit much smaller, and the interior was similar to the previous one. Of course, it was also very empty here, indicating that the items inside had either been taken or destroyed. And, as in the previous stone chamber, there were three passageways leading in three other directions. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo was stupefied, but quickly composed himself. After a moment of silence, he chose a passageway and continued moving forward. The ensuing situations were the same as before; walking along each passageway, he would find a stone chamber, and within that stone chamber, there would always be two or three passageways leading onward. Initially, Shen Luo was quite surprised, but after several repetitions, his mood gradually calmed down. After traveling through several passages, he vaguely felt that these passageways seemed to be leading underground and that the Yin Sha Qi was becoming increasingly heavy. Upon reaching here, fewer traces of previous explorers'' destruction could be seen in the passageways and stone chambers, indicating that not many people had made it this far. However, up until now, he had not encountered a single ghost. ¡°Could it be that I haven''t reached the deep depths of this ancient tomb?¡± He thought in alarm. From the outside, the mausoleum appeared benign, but the breadth of its interior was probably far beyond his expectations. He continued following a passageway forward, and after walking for a while, the ground beneath his feet suddenly shifted. A black shadow soared from the ground beneath, directly lunging at his face. ¡°Boom¡± ¨C A muffled sound like something shattering echoed! Shen Luo took a step back, dodging the opponent''s attack. Then, his green short axe swung out, with green lightning flickering atop it, slashing at the black shadow. The black shadow was cleanly split into two pieces and fell to the ground. It was a grey-black skull ghost. The lower half of its body was motionless, but the upper half leaped up from the ground, trying to escape into the distance. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo was not about to let it escape. Just as he was about to use the dark green jade ruyi above his head to pursue it, his gaze suddenly changed, and he stopped the magic spell in his hand, waving his other hand. A small black bag shot out from his hand, overtaking the skull ghost in the blink of an eye. It was the Qiankun bag. A black halo rolled out from the bag and covered the ghost, the skull ghost instantly became stiff, unable to move. The Qiankun bag suddenly enlarged several times and, covering it down, engulfed the form of the skull ghost. A smile appeared at the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth. Raising his hand, the Qiankun bag quickly shrank back to its previous size and flew back into his hand. Inside the Qiankun bag was a black space the size of a room, with countless liquid-like black lights flowing inside. The skull ghost fell into it, and the force that bound it suddenly disappeared. It looked around in panic and roared angrily. The two skeleton hands flashed with black light, like two black blades, and fiercely stabbed the black space barrier. Shen Luo wanted to try the toughness of the Qiankun bag, so he didn''t drive the prohibition in it to restrain the skull ghost, letting it struggle inside. This skull ghost was not weak and comparable to a monk at the Qi Refining Stage 5-6. Although it had been chopped in half, it still maintained considerable combat power. The two skeleton hands hit the black barrier, making muffled noises. However, the black light flowing on the barrier was like greasy fat. The attack of the skull ghost fell on it, and immediately slid to the side. Ten percent of the attack was immediately slid away by seven or eight percent. The black barrier was very tough. Like thick cowhide, no matter how the skull ghost attacked, it always remained solid, without any signs of rupture. ¡°Not bad.¡± Shen Luo sensed the situation, nodded, and stopped allowing the ghost to attack. He moved his mind and urged the attacking restriction inside. A burst of dark green light surged out, enveloping the skull ghost. The body of the skull ghost started to melt rapidly as if it had been splashed with strong corrosive acid. Fear was evident in the eyeholes of the ghost, and it scurried around. But the space inside the bag was effective, and the action of the skull ghost was futile. Its already incomplete body quickly melted by half and collapsed on the ground. A dark green light enveloped the ghost, grinding it repeatedly. After a few breaths, the body of the skull ghost had completely melted, turning into a puddle of black slime. Shen Luo took a small breath of cold air. The Yang poison energy contained in the bag was so powerful. Ghosts usually have quite strong resistance to poison, but the poisonous gas in this bag melted it just in a few breaths. Of course, the greater the power of this bag, the better. He summoned back the Qiankun bag with a pleased expression and put it into his sleeve, continuing to move forward. In the blink of an eye, half a day had passed. Shen Luo was sitting in a passageway to rest. He took out an elixir to recover mana and began to refine it. He had completely understood how large this ancient tomb was. The internal passageway was winding and twisting, and there were several branches from time to time, leading in all directions. It was simply like an underground maze. In the past half-day, he didn''t know how many stone chambers or how many passageways he had passed through, and he still hadn''t explored the bottom of the ancient tomb. During this period, he also made some gains, finding quite a few Yin-attribute spiritual materials and encountering some ghosts. Unfortunately, these ghosts were all relatively weak. The most powerful were only in the middle stage of grain avoidance and were unsuitable to use. Moreover, for a long time, he only encountered ghosts of this level, no matter how deep he went into the ancient tomb, he couldn''t find any more powerful ghosts. Chapter 453 Chapter 453: Chapter 449: A Chance Encounter with Five Friends Chapter 453: Chapter 449: A Chance Encounter with Five Friends ¡°Is it possible that the information Lu Huaming obtained was wrong? There''s no ghost at the peak of grain avoidance stage in here?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but think this in his heart. ¡°Forget it, have trust in the ones you chose to trust, and be doubtful of the ones you mistrust. Since I''ve chosen to come here, let''s keep moving forward.¡± He quickly dismissed his doubts and stood up to continue his journey deeper into the ancient tomb. After passing through several more passageways, Shen Luo suddenly stopped and looked ahead. Sounds of clashing and shouting came from up ahead. It seemed someone was in a fight. He wasn''t surprised. The Yinling Mountains was a place rich in yin qi, known for its myriad of yin attribute materials. Every year, many cultivators came here to search for treasures, and this ancient tomb had no prohibitions placed around it. So, it was normal for others to appear here. Furthermore, he''d been searching for a long time and hadn''t found a suitable ghost. Now that he''d encountered other cultivators, he might be able to ask them for some information. With such thoughts, Shen Luo swiftly advanced again. After tens of breaths, he reached the end of the passageway and a huge stone chamber appeared before him. The interior of this stone chamber was quite empty. A coffin had been placed in one corner but was knocked over on the ground. Fresh red blood was oozing out from it, staining a large area of the ground in red and permeating the air with a pungent smell of blood and yin qi. Near the coffin, five cultivators were fighting a blood-red zombie-like ghost. ¡°It''s them!¡± Shen Luo''s face showed surprise. He knew these five cultivators; they were the five friends from Mang Mountain that he had met before outside the mansion of Danyangzi. The blood-red zombie stood a zhang in height, its mouth full of protruding tusk-like teeth, and its skin looking aged and wrinkled like tree bark. It was bathed in blood, with blood droplets falling from its body occasionally. It was unclear if it had jumped out from the coffin. The zombie was very powerful, having reached the later stage of grain avoidance, its skin was also extremely tough, impervious to both blades and spears. Even with numbers on their side, the five friends from Mang Mountain had the upper hand but were unable to kill the zombie. ¡°Big brother, use the Fire Cloud Gourd. We can''t waste too much time here. Our main task is to go to the back hall.¡± Unable to defeat it after a long fight, the white-robed youth among the five friends grew anxious. He shouted to the scholarly robbed old man who was leading them. ¡°Back hall?¡± Shen Luo, though familiar with the five, was not friends with them. He was about to leave quietly when he heard them mention the back hall and stopped. ¡°Alright.¡± The old man, dressed in scholarly robes, gave his sleeve a flick, and an enormous red gourd appeared in front of him. He slapped it. The mouth of the gourd flashed red light, and numerous granules of red sand shot out. Each piece was as large as a grain of mung bean. As soon as these granules met with the air, they began to release a crimson flame and swelled rapidly. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a raging red fire cloud which swept fiercely towards the blood-red zombie. The temperature in the stone chamber rose sharply, to the point that Shen Luo, who was standing outside, could feel the heat from the air, as if he was near a furnace. The high temperature inside the stone chamber could be imagined. The other four among the five friends from Mang Mountain had already retreated swiftly, leaving only the blood-red zombie standing there, facing the oncoming fierce red fire cloud. The blood-red zombie''s face flashed a trace of fear, its whole body immediately erupted in a blood light. It waved its claws, and the blood light left its body, forming a crimson light curtain in front of it. A look of disdain appeared on the face of the old man in the scholar''s robes. His fingers moved rapidly in a wheel-like manner as he formed an incantation gesture. The red fire cloud suddenly swelled, and after a slight roll, it transformed into a crimson fire bird about a dozen zhang or so in size. Its speed also increased several times, and in an instant it pounced on the zombie, fiercely crashing against the blood-red light curtain. A series of explosive sounds rang out from the spot where they met. The red flames and the blood-red light clashed, and, like hot oil meeting cold water, they immediately exploded on contact. The power of the crimson firebird was obviously much greater than the blood-colored light curtain. With a slight impact, it easily broke through the blood-colored light curtain like a wrecking ball, then fiercely hit the blood-red Zombie. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The blood-red Zombie flew out like a bundle of straw, slamming hard into the wall behind. It was trapped in raging flames, becoming a fireman, rolling around on the ground, wailing in pain. The crimson flames apparently were no ordinary fires. Their power was considerable. Within a few breaths, the blood-red Zombie was reduced to ashes. Outside the stone chamber, in the corridor, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with surprise. This Fire Cloud Gourd of the scholarly robbed old man had considerable power. It might be a high-quality top-grade magical instrument. ¡°Who is peeping outside? Come out!¡± The scholarly robbed old man suddenly turned and faced the corridor where Shen Luo was hiding. The crimson firebird immediately flew back and lingered over the head of the old man, ready to attack. The other four were taken aback and immediately flew over, standing near the scholarly robbed old man and surrounding the corridor. Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. It seemed that this scholarly robbed old man was quite sensitive. Shen Luo had shown only a slight surprise, with his breath slightly scattered, and it had been sensed by the old man. Thoughts rushed through his mind. Shen Luo quickly kneaded his face with both hands, transforming into a square-faced youth in almost an instant, and walked out leisurely. ¡°It''s a misunderstanding. I happened to hear that there were people fighting magic here, so I came to check it out. I absolutely didn''t mean to spy on you.¡± Shen Luo said calmly, his voice becoming hoarse. ¡°Who might you be?¡± The scholarly robbed old man looked Shen Luo up and down, and asked. ¡°I am Tian Tiesheng. May I know your esteemed names?¡± Shen Luo introduced himself under a false name, smilingly. ¡°Humph! Stop trying to ingratiate yourself with us. When did you arrive? Did you hear what we said just now?¡± The one-eyed man''s eyes flashed with a brutal look, and he stepped up. ¡°So what if I heard it, and so what if I didn''t? Are you planning to kill me to silence me? Unfortunately, you''re not that capable!¡± Shen Luo''s expression also became cold, and he summoned all his mana, fully exposing his powerful aura at the peak of Grain Avoidance. The expressions of the five people changed. Among them, only the scholarly robbed old man was at the late stage of Grain Avoidance. The other four were at the middle stage of Grain Avoidance, all of which were not on par with Shen Luo. ¡°Fifth brother, stop! Don''t act rashly!¡± The scholarly robbed old man chastised. The one-eyed man hastily acknowledged and backed away. Shen Luo snorted lightly and retracted his burst of momentum. ¡°Greetings, Friend Tian. The five of us live on Mang Mountain, and our friends in the Cultivation World have given us the title of the Five Friends of Mang Mountain. I am Fang Yuegong, these four are my sworn brothers and sisters¡­¡± The scholarly robbed old man bowed his hand in a salute and introduced the five of them in turn, then cast a spell to lure the gourd. The crimson firebird flew back, transformed back into crimson gravel, and disappeared into the gourd. ¡°So you are the Five Friends of Mang Mountain, nice to meet you.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the Fire Cloud Gourd and raised his hand in return. ¡°I hope Friend Tian understands. We were just discussing something very confidential, related to a major task we''re about to undertake. Hence, my fifth brother was a little aggressive with his words. I hope you don''t mind.¡± The scholarly robbed old man tried to explain. ¡°Are you talking about the ''rear hall''?¡± Shen Luo snapped. Chapter 454 Chapter 454: 450 Chapter 454: 450 Upon hearing these words, the other four members among the Five Friends of Mang Mountain all wore a grim expression. ¡°So Friend Tian did hear it, may I ask what brings you to this ancient tomb?¡± The scholarly-robed old man subtly hinted the other four to stay calm. After some deliberation, he turned to Shen Luo and asked. ¡°I am here for treasure hunting.¡± Shen Luo replied nonchalantly. ¡°Since Friend Tian is here for treasure, would you be interested in joining us to the rear hall?¡± The scholarly-robed old man invited him with a smile on his face. ¡°What! Allowing him to join us at the rear hall?¡± ¡°Big Brother, this can''t happen. We finally found the entrance to the rear hall, we can''t let this stranger in!¡± Before Shen Luo could respond to the words of the scholarly-robed old man, someone already opposed the idea. ¡°What''s wrong with that? The four of you become too irrational when facing a problem. You only have the idea of benefiting from the rear hall, but you have never considered that the gains there could not be easily obtained. With our existing power, we struggled to kill the zombie at the late Grain Avoidance stage. Entering the rear hall might be even harder. Friend Tian''s cultivation level is higher than ours. If he could accompany us, it would be a great help. Moreover, with Friend Tian, we could make it six people and form a Cloud Array, which will definitely multiply the amount of treasure we can find. For such obvious pros and cons, how could you all not see?¡± The scholarly-robed old man sighed, showing a disappointed look. Hearing this, the other four people were not foolish and they understood it quickly after a little thought. ¡°Big Brother is farsighted, and we were shallow.¡± ¡°Indeed, Friend Tian, we hope to learn a lot from you on our journey.¡± The four people exchanged eye contacts. Except for the one-eyed man who remained silent, they all talked to the scholarly-robed old man and Shen Luo. ¡°Please don''t make decisions on my behalf, I have not agreed to go to the rear hall with you.¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke up, making the Five Friends of Mang Mountain looked at each other in surprise. ¡°Well, you don''t appreciate our kindness. My Big Brother invited you to the rear hall because he sees your potential. You shouldn''t have played hard to get. Brothers, why should we rely on him? Let''s attack him together. We don''t believe we can''t make our way to the rear hall with the combined strength of the five of us!¡± The one-eyed man seemed to be very displeased with Shen Luo, his eyes were filled with blood streaks, and his face was fierce. Shen Luo cast a glance at the one-eyed man and ignored him, merely looking calmly at the scholarly-robed old man who was leading. ¡°Fifth Brother, stop talking nonsense!¡± The scholarly-robed old man angrily rebuked him, appearing genuinely angry. The one-eyed man wanted to say something, but finally chose to remain silent and retreated to the side. ¡°Friend Tian, my fifth brother is a rash person and has no filter, please do not take his words to heart! However, have you not heard about the rumor of the rear hall of this ancient tomb?¡± The scholarly-robed old man apologized first, then asked curiously. ¡°I''ve never heard of it.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°How come? The rumor about the rear hall is widespread, and little inquiry could provide the information. Before you came to this ancient tomb, didn''t you collect any information on this place?¡± The scholarly-robed old man looked puzzled. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. Before he came here, he only asked Lu Huaming about some things related to the ancient tomb. Could it be that Lu Huaming also didn''t know about the rear hall? In truth, Lu Huaming naturally knew about the rear hall of the ancient tomb. However, according to the investigation from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, the rear hall of the ancient tomb was extremely dangerous, with countless Fierce Ghosts. Even an entity at the Soul Condensation Stage might not be able to escape unharmed after entering. Moreover, the entrance to the rear hall is a secret within the Great Tang Dynasty Government. At the same time, Lu Huaming thought that Shen Luo could find a suitable ghost in the front hall of the ancient tomb, so he didn''t tell Shen Luo about the rumors of the rear hall. ¡°I''m not a cultivator settled in Chang''an City. This is my first time in this ancient tomb.¡± Shen Luo paused for a moment, then said. ¡°That explains it. This tomb is the mausoleum of King Xian from the previous dynasty. It is said that King Xian was a senior with profound cultivation and a master of mechanisms. He designed his own mausoleum, divided into two halls, front and rear. The current location is the front hall, which has been explored by countless cultivators over the years. Even if there are any treasures, most of them have been taken away. No matter how you look for it here, you probably won''t gain much. The rear hall, on the other hand, is different. Few people know where the entrance is. I found out its location by a chance. It''s said that there are many burial treasures in the rear hall, and there are also rumors that the remnants of the previous dynasty fled here, and a great treasure was also hidden in the rear hall. Friend Tian, if you want to look for opportunities, you can''t miss the rear hall.¡± The scholarly-robed old man spoke eloquently and then watched Shen Luo''s reaction quietly. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, there is such a place in this ancient tomb. But according to what you just said, is that place much more dangerous than this front hall? Are there any powerful ghosts?¡± Shen Luo asked calmly. ¡°That''s right. There are many ghosts and other dangers in the rear hall, which are far more grave than the front hall. However, you should understand the saying, ''Nothing ventured, nothing gained'', right?¡± The scholarly-robed old man added. ¡°Since Brother Fang sincerely invited me, I can only oblige. But what sort of array is the Cloud Array you mentioned just now?¡± After thinking for a moment, Shen Luo nodded in agreement, then changed the subject and asked. ¡°The Cloud Array is an attack formation from Ganzhou Liuhe Gate that combines the strength of many people to defeat enemies. This formation is very powerful, and even against entities at the Soul Condensation Stage, it can hold its own. However, it''s somewhat troublesome to set up this formation as it requires six people.¡± Seeing that Shen Luo had agreed, the scholarly-robed old man quickly explained with joy. The same joyous expression could be seen in the eyes of the white-robed youth and the red-clothed young woman. The one-eyed man and another leopard-headed man also softened their gazes towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo had dealt with a few formations before and was quite interested in them. He immediately asked for the battle formation map to examine it. The scholarly-robed old man was not petty and promptly took out a battle formation map made of sheepskin and handed it over. A white flag about a foot long, needed for setting up the formation, was also handed over. Shen Luo looked at the white flag for a moment before putting it away. He then unfolded the battle formation map to have a look. The arrangement of the formation on the map was not complicated. He had set up formations twice before and could understand it easily. The Cloud Array was just as the scholarly-robed old man described. It could combine the strength of six people to launch a powerful attack. The transformation of the formation was not much, mainly for ¡°defending,¡± ¡°trapping,¡± and ¡°annihilating.¡± Even though the transformation of the formation was simple, its power was not small. If used properly, it could defend against entities at the Soul Condensation Stage. ¡°I understand.¡± Shen Luo quickly finished reading the formation map. He had already grasped the essentials and returned it. This time, the five scholarly-robed old men were all taken aback. Although the Cloud Array was simple, it was still a formation after all. The changes in the formation''s position and the allocation and operation of mana were very complex and difficult to understand. It took the five of them quite some time to understand it together. But Shen Luo managed to understand it in such a short period? Chapter 455 Chapter 455: Chapter 451: Joining Hands Chapter 455: Chapter 451: Joining Hands ¡°Daoist friend Tian, are you sure you fully understand this array? Our lives are at stake; there''s no room for carelessness,¡± The scholarly robed old man asked with some concern. ¡°Daoist friend Fang, don''t worry, I actually have some research on arrays. The first change of the guarding mantra in the Cloud Hanging Array is the shift from the Kun to the Zhen position, the third change of the entrapment mantra is the shift from the Li to the Qian position, and the fifth change of the destruction mantra is from the Xun to the Dui position, is that correct?¡± Shen Luo replied with a light smile. ¡°Haha, friend Tian indeed has a thorough understanding of arrays, I am impressed. Now let''s not delay, we should hurry up,¡± The scholarly robed old man laughed heartily after a slight pause. The group of six hurriedly moved forward, entering a corridor ahead. The scholarly robed old man led the way, swiftly moving through the corridors, and after half a day, they arrived at an ordinary stone chamber. There were two passageways leading to other directions in the depths of the stone chamber, the scholarly robed old man ignored them and headed straight for the corner of the room. There, a black stone block protruded from the wall. Apart from some dark red traces on the surface, it seemed to present no special features. ¡°This is it. Second Brother, proceed as planned,¡± The scholarly robed old man carefully examined the black stone, his face lighting up with excitement. He then turned to the white-robed youth. The white-robed youth immediately agreed and took out a dark red pouch from his hand. Inside it was a liquid emitting a pungent smell of blood. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo frowned slightly. ¡°The path to the rear hall is sealed. The seal is within this black stone and is known as the Blood Yin Seal. It requires fresh blood to activate,¡± explains the scholarly robed old man. Shen Luo nodded slowly upon hearing this. The white-robed youth poured the pouch, and fresh blood flowed out onto the black stone, making a soft gurgling sound. The red traces on the black stone slowly became more vivid, and other parts of the stone revealed red patterns. The other people saw this and looked delighted. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once the blood from the pouch was poured out, a miniature array pattern emerged on the black stone. Like a spider web, gleaming lines of blood light radiated from it, making crackling noises. ¡°The seal is revealed! Everyone, attack this seal together! Only by breaking it can we enter the rear hall!¡± The scholarly robed old man shouted, raising his hand. The Fire Cloud Gourd reappeared, and with a flash of crimson light, a shower of red sand shot out, forming a line several meters long. The scholarly robed old man cupped his hands together and threw them up into the sky. Burst of crimson flames erupted from the sand, connecting to one another, forming a blade of blood, and with a swoosh, it sliced towards the black stone. The white-robed youth quickly retreated, lifting both his hands. An orb of dazzling grey light flew out from his sleeves, within which was a gray flying wheel. Both of its sides were full of sharp teeth and they whirled rapidly, emitting sharp wails as it headed towards the black stone. The red-skirted young woman by his side also took out an object from her bosom and tossed it into the air. It was a shining silver ring, exuding a starlight-like silver glow. ¡°Go!¡± The young woman flicked her hand and the silver ring sped off, tracing an arc in the air. It was shockingly fast, surpassing the grey flying wheel of the white-robed youth in an instant and hurtled towards the black stone. The one-eyed man and the fierce man with a leopard head standing behind, both raised their hands. Two black lights shot out from them, revealing two identical long-handled battle sabers. The bodies of the sabers were marked with two black Jiao dragon patterns, seemingly two matching magical instruments. As soon as the two battle sabers flew out, they immediately converged, and the black light on them instantly flourished, forming two dragon-like sword glows, that crisscrossed and slashed towards the black stone. As everyone else was joining in, Shen Luo naturally also couldn''t stay idle, he poured his mana into the green short axe in his hand, and concentrated rows of green electric arcs appeared on the axe. He raised his hand and swung it down in the void, dozens of green thunders shot out, condensed together, forming a green thunder and lightning axe shadow about a few feet long, it flashed and crossed dozens of feet in distance, slashing at the black stone. The array on the black stone seemed to feel threatened, the blood light flourished, rapidly rotating and collided with the attacks of the six people. With a series of ¡°Boom Boom¡± explosions, loud echoes filled the entire stone chamber, as it violently shook. The ground also intensified with several undulations, like an earthquake, large pieces of fragmented rock and dust poured down! The blood light on the black stone was scattered for the most part, the remaining blood light was like a flame in a violent storm, it wildly flickered, however, it eventually stabilized. Not only that, the formation pattern on the black stone flickered, those blood lights quickly brightened, indicating a steady recovery. ¡°This array is extremely robust, we may not be able to break it down with a simple combined attack, Deploying Cloud Hanging Array! Friend Tian you have the highest cultivation level, you will take the lead!¡± The Scholarly Robed Old Man saw this scene, his face changed abruptly, after his gaze flickered a few times, he decisively ordered. In the midst of speaking, he pulled out a white flag with a flip of his hand, exactly like the one he had previously given to Shen Luo, and swiftly stood to one side of Shen Luo''s body. The other four of the Five Friends of Mang Mountain, upon hearing this, although some were not quite satisfied with letting Shen Luo serve as the array''s center, they had no choice but to go along with it right now, they each took out a white flag and stood around Shen Luo, activating the Cloud Hanging Array. Seeing this, Shen Luo also took out his white flag and imbued it with his mana. In a short while, six clusters of white light bloomed from the small flags in their hands, connected to each other, forming a white ring of light that enveloped the six of them. Although Shen Luo''s expression was calm while standing within the formation, he was somewhat surprised inside. He had seen the battle formation map before, but he found it somewhat surprising when the formation actually began to operate. The Cloud Hanging Array indeed had quite a few ingenious features, and once the formation was activated, it was as though a passageway had been opened, connecting the mana of all six people. If any person''s mana was weakened, others could support them immediately, and the mana of the six people could be concentrated onto a single person, causing that person''s mana to explode and increase, allowing for powerful attacks to be launched in an instant. But since these five people were known as the Five Friends of Mang Mountain, their actions usually involved five people, which made this formation somewhat impractical for them. During these thoughts, the expressions of the Five Friends of Mang Mountain became solemn as they shook the small flags in their hands, constantly operating the power of the formation. Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly, as he felt the influx of mana from the five people pouring into his body. The mana in his body suddenly increased several times, like a raging wave flowing through his meridians, distending all of them. Fortunately, he had previously taken the Meridian Expansion Pill, which had stabilized his internal meridians, otherwise he might not have been able to withstand the surge of power. A ¡°rumble¡± reverberated as his body exploded with an extreme aura of pressure, causing the surrounding air to tremble. ¡°Roar!¡± Shen Luo let out a long cry, commanding the green short axe in his hand, as several rows of green electric arcs, which were several times thicker, appeared on the surface of the axe. A burst of crackling sounds of thunder exploded, filling the entire stone chamber with the roar of wind and thunder in an instant. His body was also submerged in the green thunder, with lightning swirling all over his body as if a Thunder God had descended upon the world. Chapter 456 Chapter 456: Chapter 452: Seeking Wealth and Fortune Amidst Dangers Chapter 456: Chapter 452: Seeking Wealth and Fortune Amidst Dangers ¡°Chop!¡± Shen Luo held the axe in his hands, swinging down through the void. With a ¡°hiss¡±, an illusion of a green giant axe that was over a dozen feet long shot from the short axe, flooding the entire stone chamber with blinding thunderous light. The green giant axe, carrying a thunderous force, fiercely chopped down on the black stone slab. The blood light on the black stone was forcibly split apart. The axe shadow hit the black stone, but to his shock, it disappeared immediately as if it had been absorbed by the black stone. Shen Luo''s face shone with surprise. This strike was his last resort, if it still couldn''t break this seal, then he''d be out of options. Fortunately, what he feared didn''t happen. After the black stone absorbed the green axe shadow, there was a crack sound, and a crack appeared on the black stone. Then this crack quickly spread out, spreading to various parts of the black stone in a few breaths time. Finally, with a puff, it turned into countless black stone powder and disappeared with the wind. The wall where the black stone was located flickered with black light, silently revealing a hole about a meter in size, pitch-black and of unknown depth. A chilling Yin wind echoed from the black cave, chilling to the bone. Kill! Kill! Kill! Within the sound of the Yin wind, there was also a violent, crazed intent, directly penetrating the minds of the six, causing battlefield scenes, blood-soaked landscapes, mountains of corpses, and skies of white bones to appear before their eyes¡­ Shen Luo snorted coldly, running the ¡°Body Refining Secret Text¡±, a method to stabilize his divine soul. In his mind, an imposing mountainous specter emerged, connecting the sky above and the earth below. The war illusion before his eyes disappeared instantly. This secret method is called ¡°Suppressing God Technique of Mount Buzhou¡±. It''s rumored that in ancient times there was a giant mountain called Mount Buzhou, known as the Pillar of Heaven, suppressing all evil demons, standing tall for billions of years. Regrettably, this divine mountain was later knocked down by the Water God Gonggong and ceased to exist. The ¡°Suppressing God Technique of Mount Buzhou¡± is to visualize Mount Buzhou with the power of the divine soul, suppressing all illusions. When cultivated to a profound realm, this technique can make the divine soul''s power as imposing as a mountain, extremely stable, and unaffected by any external force. At this moment Shen Luo and the others were interconnected by the Cloud Array. The phantom image of Mount Buzhou visualized in his mind was also transferred into the consciousness of the other five people. The five friends of Mang Mountain jerked, and then one after another, they broke free from the influence of the Yin wind''s killing intent. ¡°Thank you, Friend Tian, for your assistance. Otherwise, we really wouldn''t have easily broken free from the illusion of killing intent.¡± The old man in the scholar''s robe thanked Shen Luo. Shen Luo was surprised in his heart. This Six Combination Tumbling Array was amazingly magical, even connecting the thoughts of the five people together. He casually humbled himself in reply. Operating the Cloud Array consumes a lot of Mana. Now that the seal at the entrance has been broken, the six quickly dissolved the formation. The five friends of Mang Mountain looked at the entrance of the hole, their faces full of hesitation, not immediately going in. Without entering the rear hall, just a gust of Yin wind was already so powerful, they wonder how powerful the ghosts within the rear hall will be. ¡°We''ve already come this far, aren''t we going to back down now? What''s commonly said, ''risk must be taken for riches'', let''s continue.¡± The old man in scholar''s robe clenched his teeth and said in a deep voice. The other four friends of Mount Mang naturally had no objections, looking to the old man for guidance. As for Shen Luo, even if these five retreated, he wouldn''t back down. He also agreed to continue on. So the six of them each used their techniques to guard their bodies and entered the black cave together. The black cave inside was pitch black, and one could not see their hand in front of their face. However, all five of them were Grain Avoidance Cultivators, with exceptional eyesight, they quickly made out the situation inside the cave. This was a cave of about ten or so feet in size, with smooth blue stone tiles laid on the ground. But there was a layer of gray ice crystals about an inch thick on the tiles, which emitted an overwhelming chill. Even though Shen Luo and the other five were Grain Avoidance Cultivators, they were still shivering from the cold, and it seemed as if their blood was about to freeze. The six of them quickly used their techniques to resist the cold air, and then they were able to withstand the cold air''s invasion. Shen Luo glanced at the gray ice crystals on the ground a few times, and a record in the Ghost World Treasure Compendium that he had bought in the ghost market suddenly sprang to his mind. He immediately swung the green short axe in his hand, knocked the gray ice crystals down, and collected them quickly. The five friends from Mang Mountain looked at his actions with a bewildered look on their faces. ¡°This is Yin Sha Xue Ice, formed by the condensation of the Yin wind and Corpse Evil Qi in this place. The Yin Sha''s cold air contained in it is even stronger than ordinary Thousand Years Xuan Ice. It is an excellent material for refining yin attribute magical instruments, quickly collect it.¡± The Scholarly Robed Old Man quickly recalled the origin of this gray Xue Ice and said. On hearing that, the others hurriedly took out their magical instruments, broke the gray ice crystals and collected them. There wasn''t much Yin Sha Xue Ice in this place, and with the six of them working together, it was soon distributed. Farther inside the cave, there were stairs leading down. The six of them descended the stairs and a passageway appeared in front, similar to the one in the front hall. But the passage here was much wider, and seven or eight people walking side by side wouldn''t feel crowded. It was also three or four feet high, which looked very spectacular. ¡°As expected of a royal tomb, even a single passage is built so grandly.¡± The Scholarly Robed Old Man looked at the scene in front of him and murmured. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Big Brother, stop marveling and let''s move on. There must be more treasures ahead.¡± The One-Eyed Man had already collected quite a bit of Yin Sha Xue Ice and urged, his excitement evident. ¡°Don''t rush, little brother. The dangers ahead are unknown. We should still proceed with caution.¡± The Scholarly Robed Old Man was relatively calm as he answered. The group moved slowly forward. About a quarter of an hour later, an extraordinarily gigantic underground Giant Hall appeared in front of them. Embedded in the walls of the Giant Hall were tightly closed Stone Doors at regular intervals. With over a dozen of them, each had strange patterns engraved on it, the purpose of which was unknown. In the deepest part of the Giant Hall, there was a black passage leading even deeper. ¡°These rooms look very unusual, and they might hide treasures inside. Big Brother, why don''t we open them and take a look?¡± The One-Eyed Man, his face filled with greed, proposed once more. The Scholarly Robed Old Man seemed tempted. He hesitated for a moment before turning to ask Shen Luo, ¡°What do you think, Friend Tian?¡± ¡°He''s just an outsider. Why ask him about everything?¡± The One-Eyed Man grumbled softly in discontent. ¡°These stone chambers are indeed worth investigating. There are quite a few rooms. Let''s split up and investigate. Whether we can find treasures or not depends on individual fortune.¡± Shen Luo ignored the One-Eyed Man''s comments, speaking out as he approached one of the Stone Doors. He swung the green short axe in his hand, striking the Stone Door. Although no prohibition was set on the Stone Door, the door was made of extremely sturdy material. Even with Shen Luo exerting 30% of his full power, the axe left only a shallow mark on the Stone Door. Shen Luo then used 70% of his magical power; the short axe began to emit green thunder bolts. He struck the Stone Door again, breaking off almost half of it. The others also each chose a Stone Door and began to attempt to break them down at the same time. Chapter 457 Chapter 457: Chapter 453: Ghost Soldiers Chapter 457: Chapter 453: Ghost Soldiers Shen Luo swung his ax again, and the stone door collapsed with a loud thud, revealing a stone chamber that was over a dozen feet in size. He kept his attention on any possible danger in the surroundings, stepping inside and quickly assessing the situation. The interior was similar to a study, with two bookshelves and a desk on which numerous books were piled. The quality of the paper these books were made from was excellent; despite many years passing by, they had not decayed. It seemed as though nobody had entered this stone chamber for decades; both the bookshelves and the desk were covered with a layer of dust. Shen Luo casually picked up one of the books from the desk, shaking off the dust to take a look. His face quickly showed disappointment. The content of the book was not about cultivating skills or spiritual materials, but about construction and mechanical traps. The book recorded the methods for creating various types of traps and mechanisms as well as blueprints for some siege equipment, ships, and chariots. He randomly flipped through a few other books and discovered that they were also related to mechanisms. ¡°Given what Fang Yuegong said, the master of this ancient tomb was a master of mechanisms, could it be that these books were left by him?¡± Shen Luo pondered to himself. He promptly searched the room further, and the result was that, other than books, there was nothing else inside. He was somewhat disappointed. However, there could be many valuable things among these books. But at the moment, he didn''t have time to take a closer look. As he had two storage magical tools that were quite spacious, he simply put all the books inside. After doing this, he was about to leave. He glanced outside, showed a pensive expression, then turned around and walked deeper into the room, reciting the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. A moment later, Shen Luo walked out of the stone chamber with an additional bronze armguard in his right hand. The others were all busy breaking down other stone doors and searching for treasures inside. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo turned around and came to the front of another stone door, swinging his short axe to force it open. A moment later, all the stone doors in the great hall had been broken open by the group, and everything inside had been plundered. Shen Luo was the fastest, having gone inside three stone chambers. Although he didn''t find anything valuable in the first and second chambers, he found a jade-green crystal the size of a human head in the third chamber. The crystal was dazzling to the eye, and its material seemed very similar to his jade-green ruyi. However, unlike the jade-green ruyi, this crystal exuded an unusually cold yin qi, even more so than the Yin Sha Xue Ice he obtained earlier. He could not immediately identify the origins of the object, so he simply stored it away directly. After having explored the dozens of stone chambers, the six individuals seemed to understand one another and didn''t inquire about each other''s discoveries. They were about to continue deeper into the great hall, heading toward the passageway. At that moment, a roar came from the depths of the passageway, causing everyone''s faces to change as they all looked in that direction. The sound was initially somewhat fuzzy, but as time went on, it became louder and clearer. After a few breaths, it seemed to be approaching their location, the enormous sound causing the whole great hall to hum in response. The six of them hastily took out their magical instruments, focusing their gaze on the rumbling passageway. A dense black fog suddenly surged out of the passageway in front of them, rolling toward the six like a furious wave. Inside the black fog were ghost soldiers, wearing armor and wielding various types of weapons such as swords, guns, and long halberds. Each of these soldiers bore numerous scars. Some were missing limbs, others had blood streaming from their heads, and still others had their guts hanging out ¨C it seemed as if they had all died on the battlefield. After becoming ghostly creatures, they took on the appearance they had before their death, looking quite horrifying. All the soldiers formed a roaring river that filled the entire passageway. The sight was dense and numerous and one could not possibly count how many there were. Shen Luo''s pupils contracted. Judging from the Yin Qi emanating from these soldiers, they were at least at the 7th or 8th level of the Qi Refining Stage, with a few others, tall figures seeming to be officers, remarkably reaching the Grain Avoidance Stage. ¡°These are the vengeful spirits of soldiers from the previous dynasty, more powerful than ordinary ghosts! Quickly, form a Cloud Array!¡± The scholarly robed old man shouted loudly, waving a white flag to provoke them. The others also hastily activated their arrays and a white halo of light enveloped the six of them. The moment the Cloud Array was formed, ghostly soldiers emanating black qi lunged at them, stopping less than thirty feet from the group. Smelling the scent of living flesh and blood around them, these Ghost Soldiers revealed greedy expressions and pounced upon the six. Whoosh! Seven or eight halberds of dense yin qi swung towards Shen Luo. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo pinched a jade ruyi over his head to expand rapidly, forming a shield in front of him, its green light shining brightly. Bang! Bang! Bang! These Ghost Soldiers were shaken apart, and a few ghostly creatures retreated unsteadily. Shen Luo''s short axe flew from his hand, self-illuminating with green lightning, drawing a fan-shaped arc in front of him, cleaving these ghosts in half. Green arcs of electricity wrapped around these ghost creatures. These ghost creatures exploded, turning into strands of black qi that dispersed. The power of lightning is the natural nemesis of ghosts. The green lightning on the short axe is even more potent than the Small Thunder Talisman. When faced with these Qi Refining Stage ghosts, it naturally obliterated them. In the midst of the ghostly howling, two more ghostly creatures pounced at them from the side. Shen Luo used the same method as before, using the jade ruyi for defense before slaying them with the green short axe. Even though the remaining individuals could resist the ghosts using the power of the array, they were far from accomplishing this with as much ease as Shen Luo. The lightning axe in Shen Luo''s hand swept back and forth, shifting rapidly and unpredictably, effortlessly slaying ghost after ghost. In the blink of an eye, he had killed at least twenty or thirty of them. At that moment, a towering figure wrapped in black fog suddenly shot out from the denseness of the black qi, closing the distance to Shen Luo in a split second. A dazzling halberd appeared above Shen Luo''s head, slicing down towards him. An overwhelming killing intent erupted from the halberd, forming a strange battlefield, trapping Shen Luo within. ¡°Ghost at the peak of Grain Avoidance!¡± Shen Luo''s complexion shifted, but his eyes also shimmered with excitement. He pinched the jade ruyi activation spell and prepared his Qiankun Bag, ready to capture the ghost. The jade ruyi grew rapidly in response to his activation spell, emitting a dazzling green light. In a flash, it expanded to the size of a millstone to meet the attack. The red gemstone embedded in the ruyi glowed brilliantly, contrasting beautifully with the jade green light and enhancing the power of the jade ruyi. There was a loud ¡°clang¡±! The halberd struck the jade ruyi, and a cloud of dense black qi surged out from it. This eclipse the light of the jade ruyi and sent it flying outwards. An immense force was transmitted to Shen Luo, causing his blood and qi to roil, and his mana to stop momentarily, leaving his Qiankun Bag unceremoniously pulled out. However, thanks to his top-grade jade ruyi, the imposing tall figure retreated backward, with the black qi around him dispersing, revealing the figure of an extremely tall ghostly creature. He was clad in a vivid armor, holding Fangtian Battle Halberd. Clearly, he had been a general in life. Chapter 458 Chapter 458: Chapter 454: When the Map Ends, the Dagger Appears Chapter 458: Chapter 454: When the Map Ends, the Dagger Appears However, this ghost was covered from top to bottom with arrows, like a porcupine. Its appearance was both horrifying and amusing. ¡°No, this is a Condensed Soul Ghost!¡± Shen Luo''s face darkened as he immediately analyzed the strength of the General Ghost from their recent clash. Although his realm had vastly improved and he had several new powerful magical instruments and methods at his disposal, he was still not confident in dealing with a Condensed Soul Ghost. Luckily, he was currently inside the Cloud Array, and with the combined strength of six people, he still had some level of certainty. Just as Shen Luo was about to activate the Formation Power and harness the mana of the other five people for help, he suddenly felt a distinct fluctuation in the air behind him, raising an alarm in his heart. Instantly, he reflexively bent his body and sidestepped, but his shoulder still felt a burning pain. A gray light shot past, spraying blood all over, it was the Grey Flying Wheel Artifact propelled by the White-robed Youth among the Five Friends of Mang Mountain. Immediately after, a silver light shot towards him, it was the Silver Ring of the Red-skirted Young Woman. ¡°You!¡± Shen Luo roared in anger, cut short of words, and immediately urged his green short axe to fend off the silver ring. A loud ¡°clang¡± of metal clashing echoed like thunder, causing his eardrums to ache. Within a dozen feet around him, silver Treasure Light flashed wildly, scattering in all directions. The green short axe collided with it and was completely defenseless. It tumbled and was knocked away. Shen Luo''s body also shuddered violently, and he stumbled back several steps before standing firm. His Qiankun Bag and the Bronze Armguard on his right arm were thrown off, landing tens of feet away. Before he could respond, five white lights shot towards him, arriving in a flash within a few feet around him and taking root there. It was the five white flags used to stimulate the array. The white flag in his hand also slipped away, leaving his control and landing next to the other five flags. The six white flags formed a circle around Shen Luo, the white light circle that originally covered the six people rapidly shrank, and in the blink of an eye, it shrank to a few feet in size, caging Shen Luo. The Scholarly Robed Old Man and the other four had flown tens of feet away and stood still, chanting spells in unison with their hands continuously forming seals. Beams of bright white light shot out from the white circle and enveloped Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s body suddenly became extremely heavy, as if a mountain was pressing down on him, making it extremely difficult to even move a finger. His internal mana was also covered by an invisible prohibition force, making it excruciatingly hard to maneuver. The jade ruyi and green short axe that had been knocked away originally hung in mid-air, but now Shen Luo''s mana movement was constrained, and the light on the ruyi and short axe quickly extinguished. The two top-grade magical instruments fell to the ground like two stubborn stones. This series of changes happened in an instant, and in a blink of an eye, Shen Luo was firmly trapped by the five suddenly attacking him, rendering him immobile. The ghost in the tunnel didn''t know what was happening, but seeing that Shen Luo no longer moved, it immediately got excited and pounced on him. Countless ghost shadows and Black Qi submerged Shen Luo''s figure in an instant. Ghostly howls came from there, as if they were enjoying a banquet of wild joy. ¡°Phew! This kid is really cautious!¡± ¡°Yes, we were on edge for so long and finally succeeded! Big Brother, quickly contact Chen Gang.¡± The One-Eyed Man showed excitement on his face and said to the Scholarly Robbed Old Man. The Leopard Headed Fierce Man next to him saw the green short axe, jade ruyi, the Qiankun Bag, and the bronze armguard that had fallen nearby. His eyes revealed a bit of greed, and with a wave of his hand, a black light swept over, grabbing the four items. The others didn''t say anything either, knowing that they would definitely share these gains later on. ¡°I''ve already contacted him, he seems to be busy with something else at the moment, but he''ll be here soon. Let''s get out of the rear hall first, there are too many ghosts here, more than we can handle!¡± The scholarly robed old man also showed a hint of joy, quickly spoke, and then gestured for the others to retreat quickly. But at this moment, the countless ghostly shadows surrounding Shen Luo suddenly let out terrified howls and dispersed in an instant, vanishing completely, fleeing back into the depths of the passageway. Shen Luo''s figure then came into view, completely unharmed, but on top of his head now there was a red short sword about a foot long, on which a ball of crimson flame was burning, vaguely forming the shape of a lotus. The ghosts seemed to fear the crimson flame on the short sword tremendously, keeping their distance, not daring to approach in the slightest. And the Condensed Soul Ghost was also staring at the crimson flame on the short sword, filled with apprehension in its eyes, not daring to approach for the time being. ¡°So that''s it, the five of you were sent by Chen Gang. No wonder. Is he still after the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk that I carry?¡± Shen Luo looked at the five of them with a calm face and spoke calmly. ¡°You¡­how did you¡­¡± A flash of panic passed through the eyes of the scholarly robed old man, but he immediately noticed that Shen Luo was still trapped by the array and breathed a sigh of relief, subconsciously glancing at the crimson short sword above his head. ¡°Its form is like a lotus, making hundred ghosts retreat! That''s the Red Lotus Karmic Fire! You can actually control the Red Lotus Karmic Fire!¡± The scholarly robed old man was staring at the crimson flame on the short sword and suddenly exclaimed in shock. ¡°What, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire!¡± The other few also had heard of the great reputation of this heavenly fire, their faces pale with shock, followed by somewhat coming to realization. No wonder the ghosts had all fled in panic, they had encountered their nemesis. ¡°Hmph! So what if you have the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, you are now restrained by the Cloud Array, your mana is about to completely dissipate. Let''s see if you can still activate the Red Lotus Karmic Fire to save yourself when that happens! Let''s go!¡± The scholarly robed old man''s eyes flickered a few times, quickly regained his composure, and turned around to retreat. The others, hearing this, also regained their composure and followed suit. The one-eyed man even greedily glanced back at the red flames above Shen Luo''s head before he left. Just then, the bronze armguard in the hands of the leopard-headed fierce man flashed white and instantly transformed into a white starfish feature the size of a millstone, which was the White Star. The White Star opened its mouth, and a white light shot out from its mouth, hitting the leopard-headed fierce man''s body and instantly disappearing into it. The body of the leopard-headed fierce man was immediately enveloped by a foggy white light, and with a ''puff'', it actually transformed into a white starfish the size of a washbasin. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fourth Brother!¡± The one-eyed man beside him exclaimed. The moment the leopard-headed fierce man turned into a starfish, the spiritual light on the small white flag around Shen Luo suddenly dimmed rapidly. The white light circle that enveloped him also fluctuated violently, revealing a gap. ¡°Good!¡± Shen Luo''s internal mana prohibition had dissipated almost completely, he couldn''t help but exclaim in excitement and summoned all his mana. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo suspended above his head radiated a bright red light, and after a sharp sword cry, it erupted with a sword light several meters long. The sword light then descended and wrapped around him. With a ¡°hum¡±, Shen Luo and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo instantly merged into one, turning into a piercing red rainbow, emitting amazing sword intent fluctuations, and shooting towards the gap in the white light circle. A tearing sound rang out, the red rainbow paused for a moment, and finally shot out of the white light circle. Chapter 459 Chapter 459: Chapter 455: Countermeasures Chapter 459: Chapter 455: Countermeasures The sudden transformation of the leopard-headed man had drawn the attention of the scholarly robed old man and others, by the time they noticed Shen Luo, he had already broken free, making all their expressions change drastically. As soon as the crimson astonishing rainbow broke free, it immediately barrelled towards the four in scholarly robes, moving at a speed three times faster than the sword flight. With a flicker, it appeared in front of the one-eyed man, who was the closest, and slashed down with a force that could split a mountain and part a sea. ¡°Bastard, pay for my fourth brother''s life!¡± The one-eyed man assumed that the leopard-headed man had already fallen. His eyes turned blood red, but instead of retreating, he advanced with his black long knife, ferociously slashing at the crimson astonishing rainbow. If he could have kept cool at this juncture, using his cultivation, he might have been able to seize a glimmer of survival, given his mid-stage of grain avoidance. But at this moment, anger clouded his mind; he had already lost his cool, sealing his own fate. The crimson astonishing rainbow suddenly twisted, resembling an incredibly agile little snake, it cleverly dodged the black long knife and coiled around the one-eyed man''s waist. The one-eyed man was immediately split into two, and a great splash of blood flew out. He fell on the spot. After slaying the one-eyed man, the power of the crimson astonishing rainbow seemed to have been exhausted. It dissipated with a flash, and merged back into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Shen Luo. He just executed the profound sword technique, ¡°Unity of Man and Sword,¡± from the Pure Yang Sword Canon. It was a pity that he was not proficient in using this move, only able to unify man and sword for a few breaths of time, consuming a lot of his mana. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fifth brother! Thief, pay with your life!¡± The white-robed youth and the red-skirted young woman were so angry that their eyes were about to split, they immediately drove the gray flying wheel and the silver ring towards Shen Luo. They had been sworn friends of Mang Mountain for decades. Although there were occasional disputes, they were as close as siblings over the years. Seeing Shen Luo kill two of their number, how could the white-robed youth and the red-skirted young woman stand it any longer? ¡°Second brother, Third sister, stop! This man is too powerful, we are no match for him!¡± The scholarly robed old man still had some sense left, and tried to stop both of them, but it was too late. Seeing the two attack, Shen Luo was not frightened but rather happy, and flicked his sleeve. A yellow seal shot out. With a flash of yellow light, the phantom images of five mountain peaks appeared around the seal, colliding with the gray flying wheel and the silver ring. After a thunderous rumble, the yellow seal remained still. However, the gray flying wheel and the silver ring were like leaves in a gale, easily knocked away. The white-robed youth didn''t overly react, but the red-skirted young woman looked shocked. Her silver ring, known as the Silver Jade, seemed unremarkable but was actually a top-grade magical instrument that contained nine-layer restrictions. Its material was extremely hard and indestructible. In combination with its prohibitions, it could violently strike everything and was very powerful when thrown. This Silver Jade was not refined by the young woman herself but acquired in an adventure, it had never lost a head-on collision with an enemy''s magical instrument. To her surprise, it was outperformed today. ¡°Could this yellow seal be a top-grade magical artifact?¡± The image of a thought emerged in the woman''s mind as she looked at the yellow seal still flashing with a strong spiritual light. Top-grade magical artifacts are extremely precious, even a soul condensation existence might not possess one. However, if something could knock her Silver Jade flying with one blow, it had to be a top-grade magical artifact. With this thought, the red-skirted young woman who was heated suddenly felt like she was splashed with a basin of cold water. She swiftly took back her flying Silver Jade while turning and flying toward the entrance to the distant passage. But Shen Luo had stealthily guided the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in another direction while the three were colliding their magical instruments. The red-skirted young woman only flew two or three feet when a thin crimson sword light flashed from the corner of her eye. Then she felt pain in her neck and fell into endless darkness. Seeing the red-skirted young woman also lose her life, the white-robed youth was scared out of his wits. He didn''t even think about revenge anymore and turned to flee. But a white light shot up from the ground and hit the youth. It was the White Star on the ground who seized the opportunity to launch another attack. The white-robed youth''s body flickered with white light, and in an instant he transformed into a white starfish, falling to the ground with a ¡°plop¡±. In just two or three breaths of time, only the Scholarly Robed Old Man remained. This cunning man took advantage of Shen Luo''s attacks on the Red-skirted Young Woman and the White-robed Youth. He quickly fled toward the rear hall entrance, gaining a lead of twenty or thirty feet. ¡°Damn it! Who would have thought that Shen Luo would be so formidable! If I had known this earlier, I wouldn''t have been so greedy for Chen Gang''s reward and tried to scheme against him!¡± regret filled the heart of the Scholarly Robed Old Man. ¡°Let''s see where you can run!¡± Shen Luo was not about to let him escape. He waved his hand, sending out a blue light that gathered up all the magical instruments on the ground and put them away. The three starfish transformed from White Star, the Leopard Headed Fierce Man, and the White-robed Youth, as well as the bodies of the One-Eyed Man and the Red-skirted Young Woman, were temporarily stored away in Shen Luo''s Qiankun Bag. He then immediately stimulated the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and deployed the Sword Controlling Technique to chase after the Scholarly Robed Old Man. The General Ghost at the other end of the passageway was a powerful soul condensation stage ghost. Although it had yet to gain spiritual wisdom and only carried a vague consciousness, it perceived Shen Luo and the Scholarly Robed Old Man rushing toward the exit. Thinking they were attempting to escape, the General Ghost''s violent nature erupted, causing it to forget its fears of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and immediately pursue. Seeing this, all the other ghosts followed suit and rushed toward the exit in a massive surge. Shen Luo''s use of the Sword Flight Technique allowed him to catch up to the Scholarly Robed Old Man after just one or two breaths. He was about to strike him from behind with a deadly thrust of his sword. The Scholarly Robed Old Man suddenly turned around, forcefully activating his Fire Cloud Gourd. A vast amount of red sand and gravel shot out from the gourd. Without condensing into fire clouds or firebirds, it directly struck towards Shen Luo, generating a harsh sound as it tore through the air. Shen Luo''s brows twitched, but he had already prepared for this and swung his right hand. The Five Mountains Seal flew out from his hand again. The yellow light from it greatly increased, instantly forming an illusionary mountain peak several feet in size in front of him. The red sand and gravel hit the illusory mountain peak, producing muffled sounds akin to rain hitting plantain leaves. The yellow light on the mountain peak flickered, easily blocking all the sand and gravel. The illusory mountain peak then fell downward, pressing on the Scholarly Robed Old Man and the Fire Cloud Gourd. An unbelievable force descended, instantly forcing the Scholarly Robed Old Man to the ground with the Fire Cloud Gourd pressed against him. The old man vomited a mouthful of fresh blood, his body almost crushed flat. He tried his best to activate the Fire Cloud Gourd to resist the yellow mountain peak, but it was in vain. ¡°In your next life, be more discerning about who you mess with!¡± Shen Luo showed no mercy and manipulated the Five Mountains Seal with a gesture. The yellow mountain peak''s illusion instantly grew several times larger, with the pressure doubling as well. ¡°It''s all your fault, let''s all die together!¡± The face of the Scholarly Robed Old Man twisted in madness. He roared wildly, suddenly pressing both hands onto the gourd, injecting all his mana into it. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, his hands actually melded into the gourd. The old man bit his tongue sharply, spitting out a clot of essence blood. It flashed once and merged into the Fire Cloud Gourd. The gourd seemed to be aflame, a pattern of a sacred bird with a feather crown and a long tail appeared on its surface. The bird looked extraordinarily majestic and noble. A massive spiritual pressure emanated from the Fire Cloud Gourd, actually resisting the pressure exerted by the Five Mountains Seal. Chapter 460 Chapter 460: Chapter 456: Unexpected Chapter 460: Chapter 456: Unexpected Shen Luo''s face slightly changed, he immediately put his full effort into activating the Five Mountains Seal where five mountain illusions all emerged, and its five-fold pressure fell, causing the entire underground passage to tremble. The Fire Cloud Gourd could not resist this monstrous force. The scholarly robed old man''s body, with a ¡°pop¡± sound, was directly crushed into an indistinguishable mass of flesh and blood. But at this moment, a powerful suction emanated from the Fire Cloud Gourd. The flesh and blood the Scholarly Robed Old Man had turned into quickly melted and disappeared into the gourd. ¡°Hummm,¡± a buzzing sound rang out! A dazzling white light, like the sun, burst forth from the Fire Cloud Gourd, illuminating the entire passage as if it were daytime. Moreover, a terrifying flame wave erupted from within the white light, far surpassing the power level of the Grain Avoidance Stage. Shen Luo''s complexion drastically changed; he urgently called back the Five Mountains Seal, and took out the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. His hands quickly formed seals and he instantly deployed the Unity of Man and Sword Technique. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo emitted a blinding red light, which engulfed his body then transformed into a stunning rainbow. It sped away into the depths of the rear hall at full speed. The Soul Condensation Stage General Ghost, leading many ghosts was in hot pursuit, it appeared at the front. As though it sensed the terrifying flame wave and mana up ahead, the General Ghost stopped suddenly, revealing a trace of surprise in its eyes! Shen Luo, seeing the group of ghosts in front, was not frightened but thrilled. He urged the Red Sword Rainbow to slightly shift direction, bypass the General Ghost, flash through the crowd of ghosts, speeding further into the depths. He channeled the Red Lotus Karmic Fire inside the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. A layer of red flame appeared above the Sword Rainbow. The ghosts in front touched the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and were immediately burned into wisps of green smoke, disappearing without any resistance. A series of tearing sounds rang out! S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Red Sword Rainbow pierced effortlessly through the ghosts in the front, without any drop in speed, it returned to the giant hall in a blink of an eye. There were fewer ghosts here now. Just as Shen Luo stepped into the giant hall, a tremendous roar came from behind. All surroundings trembled fiercely, as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had sunken. A blinding white light swept over from the rear, it was a raging torrent of white flame, it filled the entire passage, instantly swallowing up all the ghosts inside. An extremely high temperature emanated from the white flames, wherever it passed, the stones inside the passage melted directly. Shen Luo''s expression changed again. Without the time to fly deeper inside, he quickly dodged to a corner of the giant hall. At the same time, he waved his hand, throwing the Five Mountains Seal behind him, and spurred all his available mana to drive it. Yellow flashes of light kept blinking, five yellow mountain peaks instantly appeared, blocking behind him, preventing the white flame wave from reaching him. The tremendous white flame wave fiercely crashed onto the five yellow mountain peaks. In their violent collision of yellow and white light, splashes of light flew in all directions, with loud explosive sounds echoing continuously, it was terribly shocking! Under the giant trembling of the five mountain peaks, the light they emitted was flickering. Fortunately, they barely managed to hold on. The giant hall surrounding shook incessantly, cracks appeared on the walls and the ground, as if it couldn''t withstand this potent force and was about to collapse. Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat, if this place collapsed, it would be a problem for him to get out. Just then, a massive sound came from the passageway, like billions of huge stones falling to the ground. The ground inside the giant hall shook violently as large stones fell from above. ¡°The passage must''ve been burned and collapsed!¡± As soon as he heard it, he knew what had happened. He mobilized the Water Repelling Technique with all his might and at the same time waved his hand to bring out a verdant jade ruyi. It enlarged to shield his head. Fortunately, what he feared didn''t happen, the construction of this giant hall was quite sturdy. After the stones on the roof had fallen for a while, they eventually stopped. Shen Luo waited a bit longer, when the situation in the hall had entirely calmed down, he then closed his palm to retract the Five Mountains Seal, and walked out from the corner. Large amounts of dust swirled in the giant hall, instantly obscuring the view around him. He took out a Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman, and with a wave of his hand and invocation of a spell, a gust of wind appeared out of nowhere. It swept away the dust towards the deeper parts of the giant hall, funnelling it into the passageway there. The vision inside the giant hall recovered its clarity, revealing an utter mess of fragments of stone everywhere. The passageway they had come through was sealed with numerous stones and dirt, completely blocked. ¡°What in the world was in that Fire Cloud Gourd that it could produce such terrifying destructive power? I can''t underestimate it in any way!¡± Shen Luo said, still slightly startled, as he looked at the completely sealed off passageway. If he had run a bit slower just now, if the flames hadn''t burned him to death, he would surely have been buried inside the cave, and even if he hadn''t died, he would have lost a large portion of his life force. Even though he had narrowly escaped from the calamity, the passageway through which they had entered was blocked, and how to leave became a big problem. He didn''t know if there were any other tunnels deeper into the rear hall. Looking into the depths of the hall, the white fire wave had just gone through a major cleaning operation here. The scattered ghost entities inside the hall had all disappeared, and it was unknown whether they had been killed by the white fire wave or had fled to the deeper parts of the hall. The black ghostly qi in this place had also evaporated and disappeared, making the light slightly brighter. ¡°Huh!¡± He suddenly looked towards the ground not far away and waved his hand, issuing a blue light which shook off a fallen stone, revealing a white flag underneath, which was a formation flag of the Cloud Array. Before, when he was chasing after the Scholarly Robbed Old Man Fang Yuegong, he used the Qiankun Bag to collect the bodies and magical instruments of the red-skirted young woman, one-eyed man, and others. However, the formation flags of the Cloud Array were too far away, and he hadn''t had time to collect them. Shen Luo manipulated the blue light to roll the small flag over, then quickly searched around in the hall, soon finding all six white flags without any of them missing. The texture of these white flags was quite hard, with the spiritual light on them undispersed. They hadn''t been destroyed in the white flames just now. He ran his mana to inspect the Six Small Flags, and the prohibition inscribed in them were indeed intact, which caused him inward delight. With these six flags, as long as he could gather six people, they would be able to lay the Cloud Array again. He had personally experienced this Cloud Array which definitely was a superior joint attack array. The only regrettable thing was that the battle formation map Fang Yuegong gave him was incomplete. Now since Fang Yuegong was dead, judging by the destruction at the moment, Fang Yuegong''s personal belongings were probably also destroyed, and there was no way to know about the full details of the Cloud Array. With a bit of regret, Shen Luo put away the six flags and was about to bring out the Qiankun Bag to examine the things from the bodies of the red-skirted young woman, one-eyed man and others. At that moment, a tall black shadow stumbled out from the blocked passageway. Shockingly, it was the Soul Condensation Stage General Ghost. However, the General Ghost looked rather miserable, half of its body had been burnt away, and what remained was riddled with holes. It looked like it was about to completely collapse. Shen Luo was taken aback, then pointed at the void with his right hand. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out, and with a blur became dozens of brilliant red sword shadows that descended upon the General Ghost. His left hand was also busy. He immediately took out the Qiankun Bag and tossed out all the people inside it, like White Star, One-Eyed Man and the others. Chapter 461 Chapter 461: Chapter 457: The Reason Chapter 461: Chapter 457: The Reason Although the General Ghost was severely injured, it is, after all, a Condensed Soul Ghost, its reactions were extremely fast. The remaining right hand was filled with a black Qi, instantly condensing into a halberd. However, the power of the halberd seemed much smaller than before, it was almost transparent. The ghost held the halberd with one hand, and with a movement of its arm, the halberd was slashed out with an unimaginable speed. There were more than a dozen sounds of metal clashing, the halberd was used as if it was a rolling flood dragon, and it remarkably blocked all the sword shadows in a moment. However, it was severely wounded after all, and after blocking Shen Luo''s attack, it was forced backward. At this moment, a black halo shot from the side, covered the General Ghost with a swiftness that would make a thunderbolt seem slow. The ghost''s movements were suddenly stopped on the spot, immobilized. A black small bag appeared above the ghost''s head, it was the Qiankun Bag. Shen Luo''s ten fingers moved like car wheels, and an array of magic spells were rain-dropped into the Qiankun Bag. The Qiankun Bag immediately enlarged, then turned into a size of several meters. The mouth of the bag revealed a black halo, countless black Qi jumped in it, continuing to rotate and exerting a strong suction force. The surrounding air swirled, forming a whirlpool of air several meters in size. The General Ghost''s body was immediately unsteady, showing signs of being pulled into the bag. But this ghost let out a sudden roar, the black Qi around its body rotated rapidly, resisting against the Qiankun Bag''s suction. Not only that, strands of Yin Qi were rolling toward it, merging into its body. The broken body of the General Ghost seemed to show signs of recovery. Shen Luo''s face darkened, he immediately grabbed in the void with five fingers, and five red swords Qi shot out from his fingertips, the tops showing red flames, stabbing into the chest and abdomen of the General Ghost. A series of ¡°thumping¡± sounds echoed continuously, the body of the General Ghost deflated rapidly like a leaking ball. Its initially very weak breath dropped sharply again, it could no longer stabilize its body, and was sucked into the Qiankun bag with a whistling sound. Shen Luo didn''t dare to be careless, and immediately activated the prohibitions inside the Qiankun bag. On the inner walls of the bag, hundreds of black runes appeared instantly, and countless black silk threads shot out from these patterns, wrapped around the body of the General Ghost, wrapping around layer after layer. The General Ghost struggled, but those black silk threads rapidly wound around. In a few breaths, they formed a black cocoon, imprisoning it in the middle. The General Ghost roared continuously and struggled desperately, but it was all in vain, it simply couldn''t break free. Shen Luo thought of this ghost''s ability to absorb Yin Qi to recover, he was not careful and took out few sealing talismans purchased before, threw them into the Qiankun Bag, and pasted them on various parts of the black cocoon. Grey, white, greenish-blue, and other various lights emerged from the sealing talisman, shining on the body of the General Ghost. The Ghost was eventually completely restricted, just like a fly sealed in the lake, it couldn''t move at all. After Shen Luo sensed this, he stopped his actions and looked excited. He originally intended to capture a Peak of Grain Avoidance Ghost to assist in a breakthrough, but now, thanks to a lucky coincidence, he managed to capture a Condensed Soul Ghost. In this way, his chances of breaking through to the Soul Condensation Stage increased. Shen Luo suppressed the joy in his heart and carefully put away the Qiankun Bag. ¡°Master, the time limit for the sealing transformation technique in these two monks is about to end.¡± A voice suddenly came from the side, it was White Star reminding him. Shen Luo turned his head, and the Mini Sea Stars, transformed from the Leopard-Headed Big Man and the White-robed Youth, exuded strands of foggy white light. They were on the verge of unsealing. A glimpse of chill flickered in his face, and as he rapidly fired off with his five fingers, streams of Sword Qi pierced out, landing onto the two Sea Stars. Blood splattered, and several bloody holes were poked at once into both Sea Stars, mainly concentrated on the lower half of their bodies. The Transformation Technique had now reached its time limit, and two flashes of bright white light restored the two Sea Stars back to the Leopard-Headed Big Man and the White-robed Youth. Both of them had several bloody holes in their lower abdomens and legs, severely wounded, and unable to move. Concerned about their resistance, Shen Luo flexed his fingers and shot out several more Sword Qi, piercing through the arms of both men. With a muffled grunt, both of them collapsed onto the ground. ¡°Master Shen, I have been blind to Mt. Tai and offended you. I beg your forgiveness, considering my hard cultivation effort of a hundred years. Spare my life, and I promise to repay you generously!¡± The White-robed Youth read the situation around him, guessing that the Scholarly Robbed Old Man had died, and was filled with fear and panic towards death. Forgetting about his dignity, he hurriedly begged for mercy. ¡°Second Brother, why beg him! We Five Friends of Mang Mountain swore to live and die together! Now that Big Brother, Third Sister, and Fifth Brother are all dead, why should we live alone? Shen, if you want to kill, then do so. If I frown, then I am not a real man!¡± The Leopard-Headed Big Man beside him roared at Shen Luo with fierce determination. A flash of shame crossed the face of the White-robed Youth, and he lowered his head. ¡°Heh, you Five Friends of Mang Mountain set a trap to harm others, disregarding morality and conscience, yet you have the audacity to speak about the bonds of our oath, proclaiming yourselves as heroes!¡± responded Shen Luo with a cold laugh. The expression of the Leopard-Headed Big Man dulled. The Five Friends of Mang Mountain were not considered part of the righteous path. They had committed murder and arson, but such actions were not without reasons. However, this time they were bewitched by Chen Gang and enticed by hefty profits to plot against Shen Luo. Their behavior was indeed despicable, difficult to justify with integrity. ¡°The matter of you guys, I have no intention to mind. If you do not wish to disperse your souls, and lose the chance of reincarnation, then spill everything about Chen Gang!¡± Shen Luo asked about Chen Gang''s matter in a cold voice instead of engaging in other talks. If he had not wanted to clarify the course of events, he would have killed them already. ¡°I tell you all, will you spare my life?¡± hesitated the White-robed Youth and then asked. ¡°At this time, you still dare to bargain?¡± The corners of Shen Luo''s eyes gleamed with a cruel light, and he raised a hand. A Water Arrow formed out of nowhere, aimed directly at the forehead of the Leopard-Headed Big Man. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a ¡°bang,¡± the Big Man''s eyes rolled back, and he passed out. ¡°No, no, I dare not!¡± exclaimed the White-robed Youth, his eyes filled with fear. ¡°Hmm! You just need to be honest and tell me all that you know. I will then interrogate the Leopard-Headed guy. If I find out any of you are messing around, I will kill immediately and extract souls for concoction! Ever since I learned the Soul Extraction Technique, I have never used it.¡± Shen Luo said solemnly. In his palm, a dim black light slowly swirls, giving off a cold and intimidating aura. The Soul Extraction Technique is a notoriously notorious method in the Cultivation World, mainly used for torturing other''s divine souls. It inflicts infinite pain to the extent of completely scattering one''s soul and spirit, depriving them of the opportunity for reincarnation and rebirth. However, only a few people know this technique. Shen Luo naturally wasn''t one of them. What he was using now was the ¡°Nightmare Technique¡± listed in the ¡°Body Refining Secret Text.¡± It was also a Divine Soul Technique he had just learned and was using it to scare the White-robed Youth. ¡°Yes, yes, I promise to tell everything I know! About a year ago, Chen Gang had us, the Five Friends, watch you closely. As long as you left Chang''an City, we were to notify him immediately. He was planning to kill you and seize a treasure from you.¡± The White-robed Youth seemed extremely afraid of the Soul Extraction Technique. Without waiting for Shen Luo to ask, he began to spill everything he knew as fast as pouring beans. Chapter 462 Chapter 462: Chapter 458: Dangerous Situation (It''s the end of the month, please vote) Chapter 462: Chapter 458: Dangerous Situation (It''s the end of the month, please vote) ¡°Do you know where I live in Chang''an City?¡± Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, and he asked immediately. ¡°We do. Chen Gang told us. He seems to have placed a mark on you using some secret method which can be sensed through a detection disc. Big Brother has one,¡± said the white-robed teenager, not daring to withhold anything. A chilling light flickered in Shen Luo''s eyes, and his face looked slightly unpleasant. He had secretly fled to Qu Chi Fang immediately after leaving the residence of Dan Yangzi that day. He originally thought he had done so without anyone knowing, but it turned out he was still in Chen Gang''s trap. He had only met Chen Gang for a short while, and he had been careful. How could Chen Gang have marked him? In this case, his coincidental encounter with the five people here might have been a trap set up from the beginning! ¡°Could there be a problem with that bottle of Dual-element True Water?¡± Shen Luo felt a chill run down his spine as a thought suddenly popped into his head. He took out the jade bottle containing the Dual-element True Water. More than half had been used, and only less than a quarter was left. He observed the jade bottle inside and out but found nothing unusual. He then channeled his mana into it to sense carefully. ¡°Huh!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. A very faint fluctuation of mana was faintly emanating from the bottom of the jade bottle. If his cultivation level hadn''t greatly improved and his senses become keener, he would have almost certainly missed it. ¡°Could this be that mark?¡± He thought to himself, but he could not confirm it. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, put the jade bottle aside, and continued to ask, ¡°What did you do when you found out that I had left Chang''an City?¡± ¡°We closely followed Your Excellency while informing Chen Gang. However, he seemed to be busy with other matters and could not spare the time, so he asked us to keep a close eye on you and not lose you. Big Brother was afraid that you would leave this place, so he came up with the idea to lure you to the rear hall and trap you here using the Cloud Array, leading to our current situation,¡± the white-robed teenager quickly continued. Shen Luo recalled everything that had happened along the way, which was in line with what the white-robed teenager had said. It seemed that the teenager was not lying. ¡°Alright, you can rest now!¡± He raised his hand and pressed it on the forehead of the white-robed teenager. A dark glow radiated from his palm. A look of terror filled the eyes of the white-robed teenager. However, he immediately rolled his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Nightmare Technique was a spell that forced people into a deep sleep where they would experience endless nightmares. It was used for torturing others. However, Shen Luo hadn''t practiced this technique; he could only force people to sleep. He then woke up the leopard-headed big man. After a round of threats and intimidations, he also learned about Chen Gang from him. The information was basically the same as what the white-robed teenager had said, which confirmed the facts. After knocking out the leopard-headed big man, Shen Luo''s expression became contemplative. His fight with the five friends from Mang Mountain had taken quite a long time, and Chen Gang might already be on his way here, or even inside the ancient tomb. He couldn''t determine where Chen Gang had placed the mark on him. If he tried to escape now, there would be a high chance of running into Chen Gang. It would be safer to stay here and wait for Chen Gang to come to him. Shen Luo was familiar with the current environment and could set up some traps in advance, gaining the upper hand. On the other hand, even Chen Gang would have to exert a lot of energy to go through the collapsed passage, while Shen Luo could wait and take advantage of the situation, which could increase his chances of winning. The only thing that worried him slightly was that they were in the inner hall, and other powerful ghosts might appear. ¡°Anyway, I better recover my mana first.¡± Shen Luo took out a milky white pill obtained from Hu Yong and quietly started refining. While refining the pill, he wasn''t idle. He took the belongings of the red-skirted young woman and others one by one and examined them. He had already checked; these people didn''t have any storage magical tools, so they didn''t have many belongings. Apart from a few magical instruments, there were materials like Yin Sha Xuan ice obtained before, as well as some elixirs, talismans, and other emergency items. However, the elixirs and talismans were all ordinary and weren''t of great value to him. However, he found several middle-grade Fire Sword Talismans on the red-skirted woman, which were somewhat useful. Shen Luo collected all the elixirs and talismans, and then checked out the magical tools. The two black long knives of the one-eyed man and the leopard-headed big man, as he had guessed, were a pair of magical instruments. Each contained six-layered prohibitions and when used together, their power was no less than that of an average top-grade magical instrument. The gray flying wheel of the white-robed youth was a top-grade magical instrument containing a seven-layer prohibition. It was quite powerful because it could be used for attack or to trap other people''s magical tools inside the hollow part of the flying wheel, which was quite ingenious. The final item was a silver ring of the red-skirted young woman. As Shen Luo examined it with his mana, he immediately found the extraordinary features of this ring. ¡°This magical instrument is pretty good, and the quality is significantly better than my green short axe!¡± He first rejoiced, and then the smile on his face suddenly vanished. He abruptly raised his head to look towards the sealed passage, narrowing his eyes. Although it was incredibly faint, he had definitely just heard a slight noise from inside. ¡°He''s here, so fast!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. He didn''t have time to continue refining the pill, and he quickly collected all the items around him, stood up, and hid behind a pile of fallen rocks in the hall. He took White Star with him. As for the bodies of the white-robed youth, leopard-headed big man, red-skirted young woman, and one-eyed man, he left them where they were. He thought of a plan to make his enemies mistakenly believe something, and he was about to explain it to White Star. Then, at that moment, the situation changed dramatically. A massive wave of ghostly qi, filled with a vicious aura, came from the passage deep inside the hall. Every hair on Shen Luo''s body stood on end, and his body shook. ¡°This ¡­ this is a Nascent Soul Ghost! Damn, a formidable ghost has come out from the depths of the rear hall so quickly!¡± His face looked extremely bad. The current situation was indeed precarious; there were powerful enemies in front and pursuit behind. He was almost trapped. However, he had been stuck in the hall, and even if he wanted to escape, it wasn''t easy to pass through the collapsed passage. Shen Luo''s experiences over the years had made him mentally strong. Although he was almost in a desperate situation now, he was not willing to give up. Numerous thoughts raced through his mind as he contemplated his escape plan. ¡°It''s a bit risky, but there''s no other option.¡± He made up his mind instantly. He took out a green pill, which was the Yin Zhe Pill he had obtained during the Underworld task. After taking it, a person''s breath would disappear, his body would turn ice-cold, and he would enter a state of apparent death. ¡°White Star, I''m sorry for getting you involved in this dangerous situation. After I take this pill, you should turn me into a stone and then quickly return to the Eastern Sea,¡± said Shen Luo quickly. Simultaneously, he waved his hand to summon a stream of water and opened the Spirit Communicating Water Hole through the Art of Spirit Communication. With the help of the Yin Zhe Pill and White Star''s sealing technique, there was a chance they could fool the Nascent Soul Ghost. White Star stared blankly at Shen Luo, then suddenly shook its head. Chapter 463 Chapter 463: Chapter 459: Ma Mian Lends a Hand Chapter 463: Chapter 459: Ma Mian Lends a Hand ¡°Master, you treated me well, I won''t leave. I have a time limit for using the transformation technique on living beings. Once I leave, you will quickly return to your original form. We Starfish clan can combine with other living beings to extend the transformation time. Let me stay.¡± White Star suddenly said, his gaze resolute. ¡°You have this ability! Alright then, I''m counting on you!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, and then he nodded in agreement. He was also worried about the time limit for the transformation. He didn''t expect White Star to have this ability. After saying this, he dismissed the Spirit Communicating Water Hole with a spell, then took out a black silk book and smashed it before swallowing the Yin Zhe Pill. This black silk book was the Soul Contract given to him by Soul Hook Horse Face, which could summon him to rescue in a crisis. Soul Hook Horse Face only has a cultivation level of the Soul Condensation Stage, and he doesn''t know if he can survive this Nascent Soul Stage Ghost. But now the situation is urgent, he can''t care about it anymore. As soon as the Yin Zhe Pill entered his stomach, it immediately turned into a cold current, rapidly spreading throughout his body. Before long, Shen Luo''s Mana had all retreated, his body became cold, and the color of his skin turned black and blue, like a corpse. However, his senses were a lot weaker than usual. White Star flexed its body, quickly crawled onto Shen Luo, and a fog-like white light appeared on its body, wrapping around the two. Their bodies quickly became blurred and turned into a black stone, without any breath leaking out, indistinguishable from the surrounding fallen stones. This was Shen Luo''s first time being subjected to White Star''s transformation technique, and he found the experience quite novel. He could still look around and hear sounds. As soon as White Star completed the transformation, the ghostly Qi emanating from the passage deep in the Giant Hall intensified, accompanied by a rustling sound mixed within, like chains dragging on the ground. At this moment, there were also the sounds of digging coming from the blocked passageway, getting louder and louder. It was clear that Chen Gang was using some kind of spiritual power to dig through the collapsed passageway, and it seemed to be about to break through. ¡°Great, you two should fight first!¡± Upon sensing this unexpected situation, Shen Luo became excited. Just then, a shadow flashed at the entrance of the passageway in the rear hall, and a tall black ghost figure walked out. Judging by the look, it seems to be a prisoner in its past life. Its disheveled hair covered most of its face, its neck and feet were shackled, and two black chains trailed behind it on the ground, causing a constant, piercing noise. Shen Luo could tell from the strong ghostly Qi emanating from its body that this ghost had at least the power of the late Nascent Soul Stage. He wondered if his tricks were sufficient to deceive it. The shackled ghost slowly lifted its head, looked at the white-robed youth and others in the hall, and suddenly two balls of blood light shone from behind its split hair. With no noticeable movements, the chains trailing behind the ghost shot into the air as if alive, and with a ¡°puff¡±, they pierced the bodies of the white-robed youth and the Leopard-headed Big Man. The bodies of the white-robed youth and the Leopard-headed Big Man shook, and they woke up from their deep sleep in an instant, letting out a shrill scream. But at this moment, they were severely injured and could not resist at all. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They saw strands of blood light pouring out from their bodies and into the black chains. The bodies of the white-robed youth and the Leopard-headed Big Man quickly withered, and after two or three breaths, they turned into corpses. The same two chains then shot out again, piercing the bodies of the red-skirted young woman and the one-eyed man, quickly absorbing their bodies into corpses as well. The hall was completely silent. The digging sounds inside the collapsed passageway stopped. Chen Gang inside seemed to have noticed the situation here and stopped digging. After absorbing the essence of the four people, the blood light in the eyes of the shackled ghost surged even more, shooting out two tangible blood lights, looking around the hall, its eyes revealing a touch of confusion. Shen Luo''s heart was in his throat, and he was trying his best to calm his emotions. Just at this moment, the space around Shen Luo, who was transformed into a black stone, shook slightly, a very faint black Qi appearing out of nowhere, encapsulating the black stone. The gaze of the shackled ghost wandered around, sweeping over the place where Shen Luo was hiding without pausing, and quickly moved away. The heart in Shen Luo''s chest slowly relaxed. The bloody light in the eyes of the shackled ghost continued to flow. Suddenly it turned towards the collapsed passageway and let out an excited growl. Its body transformed into a black shadow, quickly disappearing into the collapsed passageway. The terrifying speed was a stark contrast to its previous slow walk. Boom! Boom! Boom! Deep in the passageway, the sound of battle erupted, interspersed with astonishment and anger. That was Chen Gang''s voice. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was delighted but dared not move. The sounds of battle only sounded a few times before a pitiful, mournful scream echoed from inside the passageway, then everything fell silent. After several breaths, a black shadow flickered from the collapsed passageway, the figure of the shackled ghost reappeared, slowly walking into the passageway deep inside the giant hall and disappearing. ¡°Come out now, that guy has left. The fact that you called upon me to confront that formidable ghost, you were trying to kill me, huh?¡± The void around the black stone stirred, and a figure emerged. It was Soul Hook Horse Face, who said angrily. A white light also shimmered on the black stone transformed by Shen Luo. After a few flashes, he and White Star reemerged. ¡°You do know how to hide,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said, glancing at Shen Luo with a raised eyebrow. White Star, looking at Soul Hook Horse Face, its little eyes revealing a hint of fear, quickly climbed down from Shen Luo and quietly stayed at one side. ¡°I made it difficult for you, Senior Horse Face. Things were critical, and I didn''t even have time to think, so I used the Soul Contract.¡± Shen Luo said with some remorse, still lying on the ground. His body was rigid and he couldn''t move at all; even his speech was somewhat unclear. ¡°You took the Yin Zhe Pill? No wonder you could suppress your breath to such an extent.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face sized up Shen Luo, reaching forth and pressing a hand on Shen Luo''s shoulder. Shen Luo only felt the cold qi formed by the Yin Zhe Pill within his body stir, all converging toward the palm of Soul Hook Horse Face. A few breaths later, his body returned to normal and he got up. ¡°Thank you for your help, elder.¡± ¡°Enough. Helping you this once means we are even now. Huh, your cultivation is advancing quite fast, almost catching up with me,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face glanced at Shen Luo and gave a light exclamation. ¡°You flatter me, elder.¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°You become complacent with a little praise. You, lad, are truly reckless, daring to come to this Yinling Mountain Tomb all by yourself. You must not value your life. Even the Underworld wouldn''t dare to interfere too much with this place,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face became stern, berating him. ¡°I never expected this place to be so dangerous. This journey has been a mix of unexpected events, not what I originally intended,¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile. ¡°Regardless, I will get you out first. This isn''t a place to linger,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face, clearly not wanting to stay any longer, reached out to grasp Shen Luo''s shoulder. ¡°Please wait a moment, elder.¡± Shen Luo spoke, then summoned a ball of water, opening the Spirit Communicating Water Hole. ¡°White Star, thank you very much this time. You should return to the Eastern Sea now.¡± White Star didn''t utter a word, just flickered and disappeared into the Spirit Communicating Water Hole. ¡°You''re unusually kind to the Demon Race, quite unlike ordinary monks,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face laughed. ¡°Whether it be monks or the Demon Race, all are living beings. Even if some demons harm humans, those are only a portion of the demons. There is no need to generalize,¡± said Shen Luo quietly. Chapter 464 Chapter 464: Chapter 460: To Divide Up Chapter 464: Chapter 460: To Divide Up Soul Hook Horse Face raised an eyebrow, said nothing, and crushed a purple talisman in his hand. A yellow light instantly enveloped the two of them, as they began to fly away. Their bodies made contact with the wall and directly integrated into it, moving forward without obstruction, as if they were swimming through water. Shen Luo looked around, a look of surprise on his face. This kind of subterranean journey effect suggests that the purple talisman is likely an Escape Earth Talisman. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had read about this in the classics of Mount Fangcun. Escape Earth Talisman is a top-tier talisman, quite valuable, he had always wanted to learn, but unfortunately, he had never managed to. ¡°Senior Horse Face, could you take me to where the ghost was fighting in the passageway just now? The target of the ghost should be one of my enemies, I want to confirm whether or not he is dead,¡± Shen Luo suddenly remembered something and said to Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°Okay.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face amplified his magical tactics, slightly diverted his direction and proceeded towards the sealed passageway. After a few breaths, Shen Luo''s vision blurred, and he found himself in an excavated void within the passageway. There were several charred marks on the walls and ground of the void, seemingly from being struck by a strong fire attribute magical instrument. A corpse lay there, its features withered but still recognizable¨Cit was Chen Gang. Shen Luo sneered and quickly moved his gaze from the corpse to the ground nearby. There lay an earthy yellow jade hoe, a dark red Nine-Ring Ghost Head Knife, and a brass bell all emanating a trace of mana fluctuations, obviously, they were magical instruments. Especially the Nine-Ring Ghost Head Knife, even without anyone operating it, it still displayed strands of dark red spiritual light emitting a powerful spiritual pressure¨Cit seemed to be no less than the Five Mountains Seal. Shen Luo was overjoyed and was about to take these three items. But a streak of black qi shot over like lightning and snatched the three items into the hands of Soul Hook Horse Face nearby. ¡°Senior Horse Face, you''re an agent of the underworld. Are you really robbing treasures with me?¡± Shen Luo lowered his arm, helplessly. ¡°Although our underworld has some resources, there are countless agents like me. Resources are scarce, so we don''t get much benefit. But don''t worry, Young Master Shen, I won''t hog it all. I''ll just take this Dark Gold Ghost Head Scythe. The rest is yours,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face chuckled, tucking away the Ghost Head Knife, then handed the earthy yellow jade hoe and the brass bell to Shen Luo. Shen Luo sighed, accepted the two items, and stared at Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°Senior Horse Face, don''t break your word after having a mouthful.¡± He then quickly walked over to Chen Gang''s corpse, removing a yellow jade ring from its right thumb. ¡°A storage magical tool!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face was taken aback and slapped his thigh in regret. Shen Luo did not react to Soul Hook Horse Face and looked around on Chen Gang''s corpse for a while longer. After confirming there were no other items, he stopped. ¡°Alright, Senior Horse Face, let''s go,¡± turning around to re-approach, he grinned. Soul Hook Horse Face grunted, but said nothing, grabbed Shen Luo and continued to move on. In somewhere in the Yinling Mountains, a yellow light flashed, and the figures of Soul Hook Horse Face and Shen Luo appeared. ¡°Thank you, Senior Horse Face. Without you, I might have been vanquished and joined those soldiers lying here in eternal rest,¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath and once again expressed his gratitude to Soul Hook Horse Face. Although Soul Hook Horse Face had snatched a top-grade magical artifact from him, without Ma Mian''s help, he would have been in great danger this time. ¡°Every time I''m with you, young man, it seems to bring me good luck. Take this, and remember to summon me if you are in trouble.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said with a smile, taking out a black silk book, another soul contract. Having said this, Soul Hook Horse Face disappeared into thin air without giving Shen Luo a chance to speak further. Shen Luo wanted to say something to Soul Hook Horse Face, but it was too late. He could only swallow his words and put away the soul contract. He turned and glanced in the direction of the ancient tomb. Without lingering, he summoned the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and flew away from the mountain. Soon, he left the Yinling Mountain Range. Instead of heading for Chang''an City, he darted off in another direction. A moment later, a giant river appeared ahead of him. It was majestic, covering a vast horizon, resembling a divine dragon dwelling on the earth, exuding an aura of magnificent glory. Its water was a bit yellowish, which slightly marred its beauty. This river was the Yellow River, the second largest river in Great Tang. Shen Luo landed on the riverbank and looked at the giant river in front of him, his expression gradually becoming serious. All the conditions were now met for his attempt to break through the Soul Condensation Stage. However, he didn''t want to break through in Chang''an City. If the breakthrough was successful, it would probably draw a lot of attention. The Yellow River, sparsely populated and abundant in moisture, was a much more suitable location. With this in mind, he dived into the river. Using the Water Repelling Technique, he quickly descended to the river bottom, where he found a relatively flat giant stone. With a simple spell, he adjusted the stone to create a platform a few meters wide, where he sat cross-legged. Now that Shen Luo''s cultivation had deepened, the Water Repelling Technique, when not used in battle but only to block river water, cost a negligible amount of mana. He could cast it for a long time and it was quite convenient to meditate underwater. However, he didn''t start cultivating immediately. Instead, he took out Chen Gang''s storage ring, the earthy yellow jade hoe, and the brass bell to examine them in detail. The earthy yellow jade hoe seemed to be a nothing-special low-grade magical artifact. It had a peculiar ability that could be used to break earth and cut stone. After briefly refining the jade hoe, Shen Luo drew it across the giant stone under him. There was a loud noise as a large chunk of the hard stone was instantly sliced off. He couldn''t help but admire it. It was no wonder that Chen Gang could dig open the blocked passageway so quickly; he had such a treasure. He quickly put the jade hoe aside, picked up the brass bell, a compact yet quite heavy object. It seemed to be made of brass and there was a dragon-shaped pattern engraved on the bell face. Shen Luo played with the bell for a while and then probed it using the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Excitement soon appeared on his face. This brass bell turned out to be a top-grade magical artifact with a nine-layer restriction. Although he already had a top-grade magical artifact and several top-grade artifacts, a top-grade magical artifact with a nine-layer restriction would not normally cause him to lose his composure. However, this brass bell was a defensive magical artifact. Despite having many magical artifacts, Shen Luo didn''t have any pure defensive ones, except maybe for the green jade ruyi, which could only be half counted. The materials required for defensive magical artifacts are demanding, and typically need more materials than attack artifacts. The refinement process is also more complex. These reasons combined to make defensive magical artifacts scarce on the market, and their prices substantially higher than their attacking counterparts of the same level. With his physical body being weak in reality, unlike the sturdy body he had honed in Dreamland using the Huangting Technique, Shen Luo had always wanted a defensive magical artifact for protection. However, his wish had always been unfulfilled. Now that he finally got one, and it was of such a high grade, how could he not be happy? Chapter 465 Chapter 465: Chapter 461: A Blessing in Disguise Chapter 465: Chapter 461: A Blessing in Disguise Shen Luo quickly formed a seal with both hands, operating the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to refine this bell. Half a day later, the last prohibition on the brass bell was refined, and Shen Luo learned the name of this bell: Golden Immortal Armor. His eyes suddenly widened, and he urged the seal. An eyecatching yellow light flashed before his eyes, followed by a ¡°buzz¡±, a large brass bell appeared above his head, spinning and emitting substantial yellow light like a bell-shaped protective cover, enveloping his body. As Shen Luo muttered, the nearby River Water fluctuated, and three rotating water blades the size of a millstone emerged, emitting a sharp whistling sound, which was the Water Manipulation Technique, Whirlpool Slash, he had learned from the Bishui Sect before. ¡°Come!¡± Shen Luo led the seal in his hand, and the three rotating water blades shot out like crossbow arrows, leaving three luminous traces underwater, heavily slashing the bell-type protective cover. ¡°Dang¡± ¡°Dang¡± ¡°Dang¡± Three sounds that could shake the eardrums exploded! The three rotating water blades seemed to be waves hitting a reef, easily shattered into countless water droplets, while the bell-type protective cover only slightly fluctuated, but immediately returned to its original state. Seeing this, Shen Luo had a hint of joy in his eyes. With his current cultivation realm and the power of the Water Manipulation Technique, the Whirlpool Slash can definitely match the full blow of a mid-grade magical tool, but it cannot shake the defense of the Golden Immortal Armor at all. He now has the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, the Five Mountains Seal, the Green Short Axe, etc. as offensive magical tools, and has the Golden Immortal Armor for defense. He is well-equipped for both offensive and defensive capabilities, and there is no obvious weakness in his ability to face enemies. With this thought, Shen Luo felt more satisfied, waved his hand to cancel the defense of the Golden Immortal Armor, and then took out Chen Gang''s Storage Ring and started to investigate with his magic technique. The interior space of Chen Gang''s storage ring is quite large, the size of a room, but it is unexpectedly empty. Only a few small objects are scattered around, along with twenty to thirty pieces of Immortal Jade, not even occupying one percent of the space. ¡°How could this be? Didn''t Dan Yangzi say that Chen Gang is a deacon of the Bowu Line, and he even listed a long list of treasures for me to choose from. Why is the storage tool so empty?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but be disappointed. The few things in the storage space do not seem to be valuable items. There are two elixir vials, a token, three books, and an octagonal disc. Shen Luo took these things out and looked at them one by one. The two medicine vials are filled with recovery-type elixirs, and that token is the deacon token of the Bowu Line. One of the three books is a Classics titled ¡°Raging Fire Profound Technique¡±. Another one records various magical techniques and secret skills collected by Chen Gang. Shen Luo did not pay attention to the ¡°Raging Fire Profound Technique¡±, but he was somewhat interested in the various techniques collected by Chen Gang. He read them carefully, and there were some gains. The last book is Chen Gang''s personal notes, which records a variety of things, including issues related to the Bowu Line, insights about cultivation, daily encounters, etc., and feels a bit like a diary. Shen Luo flipped through it casually, soon reaching the end, and his expression suddenly solidified, reading carefully. A moment later, he raised his head, his face showing a complex expression. The last few pages of the notebook repeatedly narrate an important matter. Several years ago, Chen Gang accidentally obtained a broken jade slip during an exploration, which recorded the method of refining an extremely powerful ancient magical weapon. This treasure is known as the ¡°Five Fire Divine Flame Fan.¡± To refine it, one must use the feathers of seven godly birds and fuse together five kinds of heavenly fire. It is touted as having the power to incinerate the heavens and earth, and annihilate gods and demons. Chen Gang cultivates a fire-attribute technique, and upon acquiring this jade slip, he is ecstatic, and sets his heart on refining this treasure. However, the Five Fire Divine Flame Fan is a divine artifact of the Nine Heavens and far beyond the capabilities of any Soul Condensing cultivator. Seeking an alternative solution, Chen Gang discusses intensely with a master of artifact refinement. By simplifying the refinement process and significantly lowering the tier of the required materials, as well as substituting five kinds of heavenly fire for five kinds of human fire, they produce a modified version¨C the ¡°Five-Fire Fan¡±. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The master of artifacts refinement was none other than Red Hands Master, the host of the previous Xuanyuan Pavilion auction conference, whom Shen Luo recognized. Still, even the ¡°Five-Fire Fan¡± demanded a high cost for its refinement. Chen Gang had to virtually sell all his belongings, barely piecing together the necessary resources in the past few days to hand over to Red Hands Master for the refinement of the fan. The reason Chen Gang purchased the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk from Shen Luo was also for this fan''s refinement. According to the records, the modified Five-Fire Fan was not very stable, and the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk seemed to stabilize it. Three days ago, Red Hands Master began refining the fan. Serving as the protector, Chen Gang was fully occupied and couldn''t find the time to chase and kill Shen Luo, which led to the subsequent events. ¡°It turns out that''s what happened. I''m not sure if I''m lucky or unlucky.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. If he had gone to the ancient tomb a few days earlier, Chen Gang most likely would have brought with him all his treasures and, together with the Five Friends of Mang Mountain, chased after him. If they were killed, all of Chen Gang''s treasures would have fallen into his hands. But if Chen Gang had joined forces with the Five Friends of Mang Mountain, Shen Luo estimated that he wouldn''t have been able to defeat them one by one. He would probably have been the one to die in the end. He shook his head, ceasing to dwell on those wild thoughts, tucked away the record book, and picked up the final octagonal disk. The disk was engraved with the eight trigrams around its edge while the central area was divided into numerous small compartments to make up an extremely complex pattern, similar to a magic formation map. ¡°Could this be the magical tool for detecting my location?¡± Shen Luo speculated and activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to trigger the disk. There was a prohibitive force contained within the disc, although it is quite peculiar compared to the prohibitions usually found in magical instruments. The Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique did not disappoint. After running for a while, the octagonal disk responded swiftly by emitting a gently blinking white light at its center. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then took out the vial containing the dual-element true water and brought it near the disk. The bottom of the vial lit up immediately, showing a tiny white light point that faintly resonated with the light on the disk. ¡°Just as I thought,¡± he said nodding his head. He continued to manipulate the octagonal disc, trying to figure out how it works. However, the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique could only stimulate the disc to this degree. Despite his efforts to run the technique, there was no further response from the disc. Shen Luo didn''t seem to mind, he was at ease knowing how Chen Gang had been tracking him. He gathered all his belongings, sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, adjusting his condition. Up next was the most critical task for him at the moment, to attempt a breakthrough to the Soul Condensation Stage once again. After a few hours, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes. With a simple thought, the blue light around him flashed, pushing away all the river water within feet. He then rose to his feet, took out some materials for setting up a formation, and began to engrave the formation pattern on the stone platform beneath him, setting up a formation. In no time, a black magic formation about one foot in size was set up. Chapter 466 Chapter 466: Chapter 462: 9th Prince Chapter 466: Chapter 462: 9th Prince Shen Luo first activated the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, summoning Lang Sheng to guard his surroundings. Only then did he sit cross-legged outside the array, taking out the Qiankun Bag and placing it in the center of the array. He activated this array with a talisman. A stream of black light rose from within the array, slowly lifting up the Qiankun Bag, and even strands of black light seeped into the bag. The black, ghostly light around the Qiankun Bag slowly flickered, and a hazy black figure slowly emerged. It was the image of the General Ghost. ¡°I''m grateful for your assistance, Your Excellency.¡± Shen Luo gave a small smile, stood up and walked into the array, sitting down beneath the Qiankun Bag. The apparition of the General Ghost was directly cast over him. He slowly activated the secret technique of nourishing the spirit with ghosts. Threads of ghostly light permeated from the ghost''s apparition and gathered at his brow. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly, his face revealing a trace of pain, but he forcibly endured, activating the Nameless Cultivation Technique once more trying to break through the bottleneck of the Soul Condensation Stage. In the blink of an eye, several months had passed. The New Year had already passed, and the weather near the Yellow River was still getting colder day by day. Today, it even began to snow heavily. Amid the flurry of snowflakes on the vast river surface, the world was in a cage of white, blurring the boundaries of river and sky. This weather was not suitable for navigation and fishing, so there were neither sailing ships nor fishing boats. However, such a beautiful scene was perfect for the literati and nobility who didn''t have to worry about their livelihoods to enjoy the snow and the view. A painted ship, as long as twenty or thirty feet and three stories high, was seen slowly traveling in the middle of the Yellow River. Banners fluttered above it, decorated with brightly colored embroidered dragons and painted phoenixes ¨C a clear sign that someone from the Royal Family was aboard. Sounds of silk and bamboo music, as well as singing and dancing, drifted out from inside. Every now and then, somebody would loudly recite a poem, relishing the snowy spectacle. Just then, the river surface several hundred feet in front of the painted ship suddenly began to churn violently, revealing a massive vortex. Countless smaller vortices alternately surfaced around it, triggering a fierce wind. At the same time, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on the river surface was in chaos, converging towards the massive vortex. The sky above was also stirring up violent winds, forming a larger whirlpool of air, emitting a thunderous roaring sound. The sails of the painted ship were affected by the fierce wind. The ship shook crazily, and several flags on the ship were snapped off by the violent wind, spiraling up into the sky. ¡°What''s happening!¡± The sounds of singing and dancing on the ship abruptly ceased, and a group of people hurriedly poured out from the cabin. At the front was a young man in his twenties dressed in a bright yellow robe, a golden crown on his head and a folding fan in his hand. His starlike eyes, handsome brows, full forehead, and a hint of purple light in between his brows gave him an extremely noble air. Standing next to the golden-crowned youth was a young girl dressed in a bright yellow dress with a phoenix crown on her head. It was Miss Li, whom Shen Luo had previously seen twice in Wanqiu City market and the Xuanyuan Pavilion auction. Fifteen or so people were standing behind the two. Dressed in beautiful clothes, these young men and women were obviously individuals of high status. Also present were several feathered guards in Taoist robes standing around ¨C all were cultivators. The youth named Wu was also here at the moment, standing on the edge of the crowd, the arrogance on his face vanished and all that was left was humility and respect. In front of the youth named Wu stood a middle-aged feathered guard in a purple robe and thunderbolt crown, the two people''s facial contours were rather similar, seemingly associated by blood. ¡°Reporting to Ninth Prince, the spiritual energy in the front surges like a tide, causing a violent wind to form a vortex. It seems that there is a cultivator under the river making a cultivation breakthrough, thus triggering this heavenly phenomenon.¡± A Daoist standing behind the golden-crowned youth holding a dust whisk evaluated the river surface in front and revealed a faint smile while speaking. The Daoist was eccentric-looking, full of white hair yet his face was void of any wrinkles. He looked extremely young, yet for some reason his face was sickly pale. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While speaking, he waved the dust whisk in his hand. A layer of green light emerged out of thin air and surrounded the entire boat. The green light was filled with curious mysterious patterns, with dots of light shimmering resembling the stars in the night sky. The boat immediately became stable, remaining unaffected by the wild wind blowing from the sky or the vortex beneath the river. At this moment, a spiritual energy vortex in the distant sky suddenly stopped spinning and after a clear ringing sound, it collapsed and dispersed. The sky was filled with rainbow-like rays, looking splendidly beautiful. The vortex on the river''s surface also vanished. Just a few breaths later, tranquility was restored, and the snow continued to drift down gently. ¡°It seems to have ended, National Master, can you determine this person''s cultivation level? Was the breakthrough just now successful?¡± The golden-crowned youth asked with interest. ¡°The breakthrough was already successful. From the spiritual energy fluctuation, he should be a monk at the Soul Condensation stage.¡± The Daoist said with a smile. ¡°Hmph! A cultivator who had just advanced to the Soul Condensation stage, daring to disturb the Ninth Prince''s snow appreciation with Princess Shu, and even damaged the royal flag, committed a heavyweight sin. Permit me to drag him out for Your Highness'' disposal.¡± The purple-robed feathered guard in front of the youth named Wu suddenly snorted and stepped forward, bowing to the golden-crowned youth and said. ¡°Following the National Master''s words, this person was attempting to break through his cultivation in seclusion, which led to the heavenly phenomenon. It was not intentional. There''s no need to wage a war over it, right?¡± The golden-crowned youth shook his head. ¡°Even if it was unintentional, the fact that this person has damaged the imperial flag cannot be denied. If we don''t punish him severely, our Great Tang''s royal family''s majesty will not be highlighted. If this news spreads, it would make the cultivation sects disdain the court. I hope Your Highness would judge wisely.¡± The purple-robed feathered guard seemed unwilling and said once more. Talking about the credibility of the court, the golden-crowned youth also revealed indecision on his face and turned to look at the Daoist known as the National Master. ¡°Martial friend Wu also has a point. Your Highness, you may grant him permission, we can also appreciate Martial friend Wu''s Burning Heavenly Immortal Technique. But, as we are above the Yellow River, the strong water vapor here restrains Martial friend Wu''s fire-attributed spiritual powers. Would you need my help?¡± The National Master Daoist revealed a profound smile, saying. ¡°Just a cultivator who had just broken through Soul Condensation Stage, there''s no need for the National Master to bother. All of you wait a moment, I will bring him here.¡± The purple-robed feathered guard snorted coldly and without casting any spell, his figure flew out. After a few breaths, he has already reached the previous location of the vortex. ¡°Which demon dares to obstruct the imperial ship from sailing, come out!¡± He shouted angrily and pointed his finger. With a sharp whistling sound, a crimson sword light shot out from his sleeve, like a swift meteor piercing towards the river, emitting a loud shrill shriek that echoed over the ten or more miles of the river surface. ¡°Martial friend Wu''s Meteor Sword appears to be mightier than before. Nephew Wu Xian, is your father''s cultivation level not far from the middle stage of Soul Condensation?¡± Another feathered guard with white hair but a youthful face asked the youth named Wu on the ship. ¡°Master Dafang has sharp vision. My father''s cultivation has indeed made a great stride. He once said that he was confident that he could break through to the mid-stage of Soul Condensation in three years.¡± The youth named Wu said proudly, then turned his gaze towards a young girl named Li. Chapter 467 Chapter 467: Chapter 463: Unspeakable Chapter 467: Chapter 463: Unspeakable However, Miss Li was staring intently at the distant river surface, not noticing the gaze of the youth named Wu. Upon hearing this, Master Dafang had a thoughtful look in his eyes and nodded with a smile. Leaving aside the two people discussing on the boat, the battle was still ongoing. The red flying sword shot downwards like lightning, about to plunge into the river. Just then, the water surface below emitted a ¡°boom,¡± and a stalwart water column rushed skyward at an incredible speed, no slower than the red flying sword. The two collided fiercely. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound, the hefty water column was bisected, but the red flying sword was also repelled. The face of the purple-robed feathered guard looked somewhat unsightly. His sword attack was blocked by a column of water, causing him to lose significant face. He pointed two fingers at the Meteor sword in the void. The Meteor sword began to rotate on its own like a car wheel, emitting an even more intense red light before immediately contracting. The sword light expanded and contracted, and countless slender red threads suddenly shot out, covering dozens of feet below within their range, and emitting a piercing screech, exhibiting an extraordinary power. However, the person in the river below did not show weakness. The river surface lit up with blue light, and then the sound of piercing the air rang out. Countless blue light threads shot out from the river; they were blue water needles, densely packed, clashing with the red sword threads falling from the sky. Countless large and small light groups appeared in mid-air, creating a stalemate for a moment. ¡°This is the Thousand Rain Needle Technique! But how can it be so powerful that it can withstand the ten thousand silk sword technique of Martial Friend Wu!¡± Master Dafang on the boat looked surprised. The youth named Wu also lost his complacency, ignoring Miss Li, his expression showing a hint of worry. The red sword silk, transformed from sword light, had its end, and soon its momentum weakened. However, the water needles from below kept shooting out, not only without weakening, but they turned denser, immediately gaining the upper hand and forcing the sword silk to retreat persistently. ¡°Seeking death!¡± The purple-robed feathered guard was furious, called back the flying sword with a gesture, and his body emitted a striking red light. Clusters of red fire clouds flew out from his body, which quickly formed a fire cloud several dozen feet in size, obscuring his figure. An extreme heat radiating from the fire cloud, densely packed water needles flying towards it, just to make a hissing sound when they hit the fire cloud, evaporated instantaneously by the high temperature that seeped out from the cloud. ¡°You thief, taste my Heaven-Burning Technique!¡± The cold laugh of the purple-robed feathered guard came from the fire cloud. The fire cloud rolled and churned, ready to pounce below. However, at this moment, a cold hum came from under the water, carrying a hint of anger. The void around them roared, and a heaven-covering and earth-crossing water-based spiritual power gathered from all directions. The water-based spiritual power in the surrounding void became so dense that it felt physical. The air in this space became extremely heavy, a hundred times heavier than the river water, as if it had instantly moved from mid-air to the seabed of the deep sea. The fire cloud transformed by the purple-robed feathered guard was imprisoned in mid-air by this extremely dense water-based spiritual power, unable to move, like a fly in amber. With a ¡°boom¡±, a water column several tens of feet thick suddenly shot up from the river, like an angry dragon coming out of the water, sweeping in all directions. It quickly rushed up to dozens of feet in the sky and ruthlessly crashed into the fire cloud. With a ¡°hiss,¡± the fire cloud, about a dozen feet in size, was like a little flame, instantly crushed and extinguished by the water column, completely disappearing. The blazing high temperature in the cloud was also swept away effortlessly. The figure of the purple-robed feathered guard emerged, thrown out with blood spewing from his mouth. Everyone on the boat was startled when they saw this. Only the National Master Taoist had a smile on his face, seemingly having known this outcome all along. A white light shot out from the painted boat, propping up the body of the purple-robed feathered guard, and then a figure appeared, it was Master Dafang. ¡°Martial Friend Wu, are you all right?¡± Master Dafang asked with concern. ¡°No harm.¡± The purple-robed feathered guard forced himself to calm down, but the shock in his eyes could not be concealed no matter what. He finally understood the gap between him and the monk at the river bottom. The latter''s manipulation of water-based spiritual power had reached an incredible level, far beyond his imagination. The person had been merciful just now; if he wanted to kill him, he would have already died at least ten times. ¡°Which of the highly esteemed ones is here? Please show yourself!¡± Master Dafang, taking note of the expression on the face of the Purple-robed Feathered Guard, felt a chill in his heart, and immediately looked towards the river surface below, raising his voice to call out. However, even after quite a while since his words fell, there was no movement from the river surface below, nor did anyone appear. Master Dafang gritted his teeth slightly, pointed with his finger, and more than a dozen rays of white thunder shot out, striking the surface of the river. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bang, bang, bang! Several large columns of water erupted from the river surface, splashing water everywhere, but there was still no response from the river bottom. ¡°It seems that the cultivator has already left, it''s a pity. Such a distinguished person, and we couldn''t get to know them.¡± On the painted pleasure boat above, the golden-crowned youth sighed with some regret. ¡°Your Highness need not lament, you and this person are predestined. There will be a time to meet again in the future.¡± National Master Taoist chuckled. ¡°Did National Master recognize this person''s identity?¡± The golden-crowned youth''s eyebrows moved. ¡°Cannot say, cannot say. When the time comes, Your Highness will naturally know.¡± National Master Taoist repeatedly waved his hand, then closed his mouth and did not speak again. The golden-crowned youth greatly respected National Master Taoist, and seeing this, he felt it wasn''t appropriate to ask any more questions. The rest of the people on the boat were descendants of court officials. They knew some people who practice immortality in their daily lives, but they seldom saw such an intense magical duel. At this moment, they wore excited expressions, and enthusiastically discussed the recent confrontation. Miss Li stared intently at the distant river surface, her expression rather strange. ¡°Nineteenth Sister, what''s wrong?¡± The golden-crowned youth asked. ¡°It''s nothing, I was just a bit shocked after watching the two elders duel.¡± Miss Li quickly shook her head. ¡°That''s good.¡± The golden-crowned youth responded. ¡°Why did the cold hum from the person at the bottom of the river just now feel so familiar? Could I have met him before?¡± Miss Li wondered in her heart. The Purple-robed Feathered Guard and Master Dafang flew back, admitting their failure with shame-filled faces and asking for punishment. The golden-crowned youth didn''t pursue the matter, and asked the Purple-robed Feathered Guard to rest, and then he led everyone to go back to the cabin. The others were still excitedly discussing the origins of the distinguished one at the river bottom. Two sons of noble officials even suggested the idea of becoming his disciples. At this moment, the distinguished one at the bottom of the river was tens of miles away. In his green robe, Shen Luo was standing on top of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, flying by controlling his sword. His eyes glowed with spirit, making him look extremely bright. His body was wrapped in a vigorous breath, indicating that he had apparently reached the Soul Condensation Stage. With the assistance of Dreamland experiences and the secret technique of Spirit Cultivation using Ghost, spending approximately a month, he finally broke through the bottleneck and reached the Soul Condensation Stage. However, after breaking through the realm, it took some time for his Cultivation level to stabilize. This is why he had a brief engagement with that monk. Thankfully, he didn''t show his face, so he wasn''t worried about revealing his identity. In truth, his cultivation realm wasn''t fully stable yet, otherwise, his surging Qi wouldn''t be so obvious, he''d need some time to slowly adapt. However, this kind of cultivation practice requires a stable environment. After some thought, he decided to return to Chang''an City. His strength was greatly increased now, and with many Talismans by his side, he really didn''t need to worry too much about the Treasure Hall. Chapter 468 Chapter 468: Chapter 464: Dream Back to the Golden Tower Chapter 468: Chapter 464: Dream Back to the Golden Tower With a flick of Shen Luo''s wrist to cast a spell, the radiance from the Pure Yang Sword Embryo he had created blazed forth, zooming towards Chang''an City with the speed of the wind and lightning. In less than a moment, it arrived at the city. Using the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique, he altered his appearance and easily passed the inspection by the gatekeeper monks. He soon entered the city. Shen Luo did not return to Qu Chi Fang. His residence there was already known by Chen Gang; apart from the five friends from Mang Mountain, there could be others watching him. He went to the eastern part of Chang''an City and bought a house in Chang Le Alley, which he intended to make his new residence. After cleaning the house, he moved around, his fingertip occasionally emitting a blue light. Like drawing formation patterns, he etched similar designs onto the ground around the courtyard and inserted a piece of Immortal Jade into the formation. A quarter of an hour later, Shen Luo returned to the center of the courtyard, casting a spell with a glance around. The blue patterns suddenly brightened, forming a blue light screen that enveloped the entire courtyard, but it quickly disappeared. Seeing this, he nodded in satisfaction. What he''d just used was a simple array with a warning function that he had learned from Chen Gang''s book of secret techniques. Anyone approaching this courtyard would immediately alert him. Only after all this did he go into the inner room and sit cross-legged, letting out a long sigh of relief. The most significant part of advancing to the Soul Condensation Stage was his lifespan increasing significantly, adding over a hundred years compared to before. For the time being, he could focus on his cultivation without worry. However, Shen Luo''s happiness didn''t last long. The looming disaster of demons brought his mood down immediately. Even if his lifespan had greatly increased, once the disaster of demons struck, even gods and immortals could fall, let alone a junior cultivator at the Soul Condensation Stage like him. ¡°I cannot let my guard down. I must continue to strive and improve my cultivation level!¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, planning his next cultivation routine. Chang''an City is rich in resources, making it a good place for cultivation. However, because Shen Luo''s talent wasn''t high, without outside help, his cultivation would progress too slowly. He still required a massive amount of resources like the Dual-element True Water. He had tried before; after advancing to the Soul Condensation Stage, the Dual-element True Water still greatly benefitted him. However, the Dual-element True Water was valuable beyond measure. Obtaining it required not only a substantial amount of Immortal Jade but also certain connections. While Shen Luo was pondering on this, a weak ghostly howl emerged from his body, causing ripples of Yin Qi to float in the air. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He took out the Qiankun Bag from which the ghostly howl was emerging¨Cit was the doing of the General Ghost. The Qiankun Bag was a Yin-Sha magical instrument imbued with a large amount of Yin Sha power. The General Ghost had stayed in the bag for some time and absorbed Yin Qi to gradually recover from its injuries. The prohibitions contained in the Qiankun Bag and those Sealing Talismans were gradually becoming unable to suppress this ghost. Now that he had successfully advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, the General Ghost in the bag was practically useless. However, discarding the ghost, which had the strength of the Soul Condensation Stage, seemed a waste. ¡°Small Straw Mountain is known for its skills in exorcism and ghost taming. I remember that in the Pure Yang Scripture, there are methods for taming ghosts that can make them into something like spirit pets.¡± Shen Luo had a thought and took out the Pure Yang Scripture, quickly flipping through it. The first half of the Pure Yang Scripture contained the Pure Yang Sword Technique; the latter was filled with various secret techniques and was somewhat disjointed. Though he had read it several times, some parts were still vague in his memory. After searching for a while, Shen Luo quickly found the content about the Taming Ghost Law, discovering that this technique was not complicated, similar to the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, which generally subdued the ghost, allowing it to curb its ferocity and be used by oneself. ¡°Let''s give it a try. If it''s really not effective, then this ghost will have to be dealt with, as carrying it around is too troublesome.¡± He thought in his heart and placed the Qiankun Bag in front of him. According to the Pure Yang Scripture, he slowly started performing the Taming Ghost Law. He chanted words under his breath, fingers shooting out streaks of black light, continuously merging into the Qiankun Bag. In the blink of an eye, half an hour passed, and Shen Luo withdrew his hand, his face showing a tired expression. Performing the Taming Ghost Law consumed a lot of Soul Power, and having just broken through to the Soul Condensation Stage, his Soul Power was not extremely strong and could not sustain such use. However, he could sense that the General Ghost had been tamed a bit and no longer rampaged around as it had been before. ¡°The Taming Ghost Law seems quite effective,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile flashing in his eyes. He put away the Qiankun Bag and went straight to sleep, quickly spiraling into a dream. After an unknown period, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, facing a glaring light right before him. He hurriedly raised his arm in front of his eyes. Through his fingers, he saw a white expanse before him, and in the distance, a white jade stone chair was placed with the Armored Heavenly General, who had a golden tower in his hand, sitting right on it. ¡°Looks like I''ve entered the dream again¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed in his heart. The Armored Heavenly General''s eyes swept coldly over him while a chanting sound resonated in his mouth. Afterward, he waved the Heavenly Book in his hand. Immediately a golden light sprinkled out from the book, wrapping Shen Luo up and taking him into the golden space, where he landed on a stone platform several hundred feet in diameter. Just as Shen Luo had steadied himself, a sudden glint of cold light flashed before his eyes. A silver long spear thrust out suddenly, aiming right at his forehead. His heart chilled, and subconsciously he tilted his head, barely dodging the spear''s edge by his ear, but he felt a chill piercing through, making the side of his face icy cold. Without hesitation, Shen Luo dodged and at the same time, raised his arm, smashing it horizontally towards the spear body. With a muffled ¡°thud,¡± a strong force landed on the spear''s body, and a swirling vortex of energy exploded. The silver long spear bent violently and was thrown off dozens of feet, forcing the spear holder to retreat. Shen Luo took several steps backward, creating a certain distance between him and this individual. As he took a closer look, he found that this man looked about forty, with short stubble on his face, an indifferent expression, wearing silver armor and holding a frost-white long spear. The fluctuations of his aura had reached the mid-stage of Mahayana. After being retreated by Shen Luo''s strike, the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier pointed his long spear again and rushed towards Shen Luo. With a thrust of his long spear, its tip flashed with a chilling light. The spear trembled thrice, and suddenly a flurry of snow-white spear shadows appeared in the void, enveloping Shen Luo. Shen Luo twisted his wrist, and a burst of black light flashed in his palm, and the Six Chen Whip appeared in his hand. Instead of retreating, he advanced, rushing head-on into the spear shadow. The Six Chen Whip in his hand made a fierce spin, sweeping out upwards. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the whip wind resounded; the Six Chen Whip shone a strong black light, cruising a blurry whip shadow in the air and colliding with the snow-white spear shadow, making a series of crash sounds. After all the snow-white spear shadows were obliterated, the spear was repeatedly beaten back through the continuous collisions. Chapter 469 Chapter 469: Chapter 465: Test the Symbol Chapter 469: Chapter 465: Test the Symbol In a flash, Shen Luo''s footsteps flickered like a waxing and waning moon, his figure instantly vanished from its original spot and reappeared behind the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier. The latter''s reaction was extremely quick as well, his waist didn''t move an inch, but the Long Spear in his hand let out a dragon-like whistling sound. His upper body suddenly twisted and the spear''s tip unexpectedly pricked back, presenting an extremely beautiful Backwards Spear Thrust. Suddenly, a snow-white vortex emerged on the tip of the spear, its icy cold air abruptly rushed towards Shen Luo''s heart. Shen Luo''s forward momentum was swift. It was already too late to dodge. He could only roar and forcefully run the Huangting Divine Power, using the power of Four Dragons and Four Elephants throughout his body. The hand holding the whip swiftly withdrew, the other hand transformed into a giant dragon claw, reaching out towards the spear''s tip. A sharp sound of ''clang'' echoed. The silver Long Spear suddenly stuck in the palm of the dragon claw, the tip of the spear spun violently, resulting in an extraordinarily strong twisting force, extented out from within it and launched towards Shen Luo with surges of penetrating cold air. A ''crackling'' sound permeated Shen Luo''s arm, a layer of white ice crystals spread from his claw, quickly freezing his entire arm. The piercing cold seeped into his marrow continuously. ¡°Although I advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, my lifespan is still pitifully short compared to cultivators of the same stage, I can''t afford to stumble so easily anymore,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself inwardly. In the interval of contemplation, the twenty meridians within his body simultaneously lit up. A tremendously powerful wave of Mana surged, causing the dragon-clawed arm to shake violently. Waves of light escaped from his body and shattered the frost. Shen Luo rushed forward with his dragon claw, grabbing the silver Long Spear, suddenly pulled it causing the Silver Armored Heavenly soldier to be forcefully dragged in front of him. His other hand tightly holding the Six Chen Whip, immediately smashed downward. The Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, unable to pull back his spear, could only loosen both hands. His arms crisscrossed to block his skull. A ''boom'' echoed the stifled sound. Black light burst from the Six Chen Whip, breaking the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier''s arms, his head was smashed to pieces, and his body gradually dissipated. Only a white light shot out from inside and flew into Shen Luo. Shen Luo felt the white light blend into his Divine soul, but before he could examine it carefully, he was already back inside the Golden Hall. At this moment, he had already put away the Dragon Elephant Power and lowered his head to glance at his left hand. Under the sleeve, his arm was bruised and still traces of tangled cold air could be seen, which had not yet dissipated. ¡°Now that my life is precious, I have to be more careful in future battles. Even though my cultivation has skyrocketed, my combat experience is still somewhat lacking.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself with some residue fear from the Backwards Spear Thrust of the Heavenly Soldier just now. At this time, not far in front of him, the Golden Tower in the Heavenly general''s hand suddenly brightened, another Golden Pill shot out and flew towards him. Shen Luo caught the Golden Pill, and with a thought, he turned and exited the hall. After stepping outside, he looked down and couldn''t see Ao Hong''s figure, so he returned to sit down on the steps, tossed the pill into his mouth and swallowed it. After some cultivation, the leftover cold air on Shen Luo''s arm was fully dispelled. His body''s Mana increased a little, but the bottleneck of the Late Mahayana Stage still lay ahead of him, seemingly a long distance from breaking through. After Shen Luo recovered, he did not rush to get up and reenter the hall for the challenge. Instead, he sat on the ground and started contemplating. In the past, he never felt the time spent in dreams was precious and always wanted to quickly solve the problems in Dreamland and return to reality as soon as possible. But now he realized, the time spent in dreams was actually a tremendous wealth for him. The reason He could cultivate at a speed slightly faster than an average person in reality, and grasp high-order talismans such as ¡°Thunderfall Talisman¡± and ¡°Fractured Talisman¡±, all relied on his continuous experiences in the Dreamland. So this time, Shen Luo decided not to rush to leave the Dreamland. He wanted to use this period of time to accumulate more experience for reality. ¡°Ma Xiuxiu has always wanted me to draw a high-level ''Dream Remembrance Talisman'' for her. If I can really learn this talisman, I should be able to sell it for a good price at the Treasure Hall.¡± Shen Luo lightly rubbed his chin and murmured. The reason he thought of this first was because Ma Xiuxiu had brought it up many times before him, and secondly, this talisman was very special. It did not require high-level talisman paper or special talisman ink, just a demanding requirement for divine soul power. If it were an ordinary person, it would be difficult to draw this talisman. But for Shen Luo in the Dreamland, who had both extraordinary talents and the advantage of strong soul power, it shouldn''t be too difficult. With this thought in mind, Shen Luo immediately took out the Seven Star Pen, lightly stroked it with his palm, then took out a thick stack of Yellow Talisman Paper, and a small jar of Cinnabar Talisman Ink. After he was ready, he closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged, starting to recall the details of the Dream Remembrance Talisman. A moment later, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly opened, and he raised two fingers, hooking them forward. Several Yellow Talisman Papers on his side flew up with a ¡°rustling¡± sound, suspending in front of him like arranging soldiers in formation. There was no table in front of Shen Luo, so he could only hold up the Seven Star Pen and draw the talisman in mid-air. As the tip of his pen lightly touched the talisman paper, his eyes closed again. His sight had fallen into his Sea of Knowledge, where it was calm and serene. The little man formed by his divine soul was sitting in cross-legged just like him. With a thought from Shen Luo, the little man of the divine soul also raised an arm like him. But without a pen in his hand, he made his fingers like a knife and began to draw in the void. As his wrist turned, a strand of divine soul power flowed from the tip of his finger like a thread. Just like painting with ink, it started to flow in the void, soon forming a small part of the talisman pattern. But drawing a talisman with divine soul power was ultimately not the same as writing with pen and ink. A ripple arose in Shen Luo''s heart, and the soul power at his fingertip suddenly fluctuated. A black knot instantly appeared in the middle of the smoothly flowing talisman pattern. Outside the Sea of Knowledge, the talisman paper suspended in the void was pierced by the Seven Star Pen in Shen Luo''s hand, making a hole. Shen Luo opened his eyes and took a closer look at the half-drawn talisman on the Yellow Talisman Paper. It was no different from a child''s doodle. Where was the slightest divine aura that the talisman pattern should have? Shen Luo was prepared for this. If the Dream Remembrance Talisman were really that easy to paint and had such lax material requirements, it would probably have long been reduced to a common talisman sold everywhere. ¡°Again.¡± S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo spoke lightly, closed his eyes slightly, raised his arm again, and began to draw with the divine soul as the guide. In the Golden Tower, time passed without knowing it. Shen Luo didn''t know how long he had been trying to draw the talisman, only knowing that this was already his 297th attempt. In the Sea of Knowledge, the little man of the divine soul had a serious expression, and the raised hand was frozen in mid-air for a long time, as if he had encountered some trouble. The talisman that was formed in front of him was more than half completed. The place it stopped was a turning point of a line. Chapter 470 Chapter 470: Chapter 466: Hesitation Chapter 470: Chapter 466: Hesitation The control of soul power required in this place is extremely strict. If too much soul power is leaked, it will form ink lumps like before, piercing through the entire talisman paper; on the other hand, if too little soul power is leaked, it would be like a river running dry leading to insufficient talisman aura and even a complete cut-off, rendering it no different from a waste talisman. Most of Shen Luo''s previous mistakes occurred at this point, he still hasn''t been successful in drawing a ¡°Dream Remembrance Talisman¡±. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, he had concentrated all his mind here. The hand of his divine soul was as steady as Mount Tai, drawing bit by bit, bringing out the power of the divine soul along the traces of runes. Shen Luo felt as if that one curve was like a river bend, his spiritual river had arrived in front of him; he could neither destroy it, nor should it be obstructed. He had to skillfully navigate around it. ¡°Go.¡± A thought rose in his mind, the hand of his divine soul made a loop in the void. For the first time, he smoothly bypassed the obstacle and directed the rune towards the final endpoint. The first Dream Remembrance Talisman was finally successful! Shen Luo suppressed the joy in his heart, carefully examined the runes suspended in the Sea of Knowledge, and after confirming no more problems existed, he slowly withdrew his divine soul. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the talisman paper in front of him. Golden dots spread among the red runes. It looks like they were hot-stamped on the talisman paper. The lines were fluent and the aura full, clearly a high-quality product. Shen Luo wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, cleaned his palm, then took down the Dream Remembrance Talisman and started to carefully examine it. The experience of successfully making a talisman for the first time was the most precious. He needed to carefully examine every detail on it and remember each key point. After resting for a while, he put away the ¡°Dream Remembrance Talisman¡±, then closed his eyes again, and began to draw talismans again. In fact, drawing talismans using this method of invoking soul power exhausts the mind greatly. Even for Shen Luo, with his large soul strength, it was somewhat burdensome. However, with the continuous practice, Shen Luo found that his control of soul power during the drawing process was becoming more and more proficient, and thus he didn''t tire of it. After three hundred and sixty-seven instances of continuous practice, Shen Luo gradually mastered all techniques of drawing Dream Remembrance Talisman. In his last dozen exercises, he was successful in drawing one out of every three attempts. His mark of success cannot be considered inefficient. Seeing that his proficiency with this talisman was already enough, Shen Luo stopped drawing talismans, after all, dream talismans could not be brought back to reality. He only wanted to accumulate experience in drawing talismans, not hoarding actual talismans. Shen Luo knelt on the stone steps, meditated for a while, and slowly opened his eyes, a look of melancholy flashed in his eyes. The smooth feeling of cultivation in dreams made him increasingly anxious about the difficulty in reality. Right now, he could stay outside The Golden Palace for a while without hurrying to go in and continue the fight, but this was not a long-term plan after all. ¡°Alas, no matter how profound your dream cultivation is, it can''t affect reality. Once you exhaust your lifespan here, if you want to further enhance your cultivation realm after you go back, it won''t be that easy.¡± Shen Luo murmured. Previously, he had advanced from the Grain Avoidance Stage to the Soul Condensation Stage, and that was achieved through the aid of dragon blood and Thousand-Year Lingru. If he wants to go further, not to mention how much medicinal stones will aid him, where could he find such fairy materials and spiritual materials? In the end, the gap in qualifications is too big. If his progress speed in reality was as fast as it is in his dreams, he wouldn''t be afraid of the lifespan limit. ¡°Isn''t there any way to improve my qualifications?¡± Shen Luo thought silently. Just then, a flash of spiritual light crossed his mind, he slapped his thigh and said: ¡°Ouch, I almost forgot this thing¡­¡± The high speed of Shen Luo''s cultivation in his dream had something to do with the twenty meridians he had opened. The cultivation of people is nothing more than ''understanding the law and operating its function''. Regardless of the same mystic arts cultivation, those with more meridians have higher operating speeds and efficiencies than those with fewer ones. If he could increase the number of his meridians, not only would his body''s mana inevitably increase, but his cultivation speed would also undoubtedly accelerate. If it were in the past, Shen Luo would never have had such a strange idea. After all, the opening of human meridians only happens when people break through to the early stage of Grain Avoidance. The number of meridians varies from person to person based on qualifications and opportunities, ones set cannot be changed. But the ¡°Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians¡± that he got from Hu Yong earlier provided a possible way to do this. As long as he could master this technique in his dreams and accumulate enough experience, he could minimize the risk of this technique and improve his cultivation qualifications in reality. ¡°Although the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians is exquisite, this technique is ultimately a risky move. A slight mishap could lead to damage to the newly opened meridians, and in severe cases, it could even endanger life. Although I have the ability to be reborn in my dreams, this also consumes the lifespan of the real world.¡± Shen Luo murmured, hesitating after a moment. After deliberation, Shen Luo still felt it was not safe enough, and he was discouraged as soon as he was excited. He sat in front of the steps for a long time, carefully recalling all the details of the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians in his mind, but in the end, he didn''t decide to take the risk and try it, instead, he got up and entered the tower again. As soon as he entered the tower, he was quickly pulled into the combat space by the golden light shot from the eyes of the Armored Heavenly General. This time, the one who appeared opposite to him was a slender Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier with a longsword in his hand. As soon as the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier appeared, he charged straight towards Shen Luo. His longsword was covered with a layer of golden light and had an impressive aura of righteousness. Seeing this, Shen Luo noticed that his cultivation level was not much different from the previous Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, both were at the Middle Stage of Mahayana, but the aura exuded was very different. The current soldier exerted more pressure on him than the previous one. He didn''t take him lightly. With a turn of his wrist, he pulled out the Six Chen Whip, assumed his position, and waited for the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier to rush over. The two quickly closed the distance, the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier suddenly accelerated, the long sword in his hand lunged straight out, a wave seemed to flow on the sword body, a piece of golden light gushed out from the sword hilt, and suddenly swept across the sword body, heading straight for the sword tip. Shen Luo''s eyes darted, and he saw a sudden sun rising in front of him, the golden light was so dazzling that it almost hurt his eyes. He had to divert his gaze, retreat one step backward, he originally planned to avoid this attack, and use the Six Chen Whip to aim for a quick attack, but now he could only horizontally block the Six Chen Whip in front of him. Golden sunlight approached instantaneously, the originally radiant scene suddenly shrunk, all the scattered light condensed onto the sword tip at that moment, all sharp edges gathered at one point, heading straight for Shen Luo''s heart. Chapter 471 Chapter 471: Chapter 467: Conversion of God''s Power Chapter 471: Chapter 467: Conversion of God''s Power Shen Luo''s gaze narrowed sharply, his mana instantly pouring into his Six Chen Whip. The whip flared with a dark glow, just like the longsword earlier, a black sun congealed on the body of the whip, with the radiating rays containing an extremely pure Xuan Yin Qi. The speck of golden light hit the black sun, effortlessly piercing through it and landing on the Six Chen Whip. Shen Luo only felt a power with extreme penetrative force transmitted through the Six Chen Whip and hitting his arm directly, weighing down his arms and causing his body to shiver involuntarily. ¡°Heh!¡± He let out a soft shout, the Huangting Technique within his body circulated, a surge of Dragon Elephant Power shot out from his arm directly towards the Silver Armor Celestial General. The black light illuminating on the Six Chen Whip surged out like a retreating tide, forcing the dots of golden light to suddenly explode, bursting into a blaze of golden light. The contest between the gold and black suns, their two kinds of light mutually eroded and melted quickly. As the golden light on each of them dissipated, Shen Luo noticed that the Silver Armor Celestial General on the opposite side was forming a magic spell with one hand, a golden light curtain lighting up behind him, with a circle of ring-shaped charms spinning within. However, before he could take a clear look, the sound of weapon''s clash rang out from within the charms, hundreds of rays of golden sword lights pierced through, transforming into a rain of swords and stabbing towards Shen Luo. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The distance between the two was too close, and Shen Luo didn''t have time to dodge. He could only fully operate the Huangting Technique, his body illuminated by light, and his two arms, under the drive of the Dragon Elephant''s Power, transformed into two sturdy dragon claws. One was horizontally placed in front of him to shield against the sword light, while the other abruptly pulled out the Six Chen Whip and smashed it forward. When the golden sword light hit his arm, it couldn''t break through the dragon scale armor on his arm directly, but the sharp force seeped through his skin as if it were striking his bones, causing Shen Luo to clench his teeth in pain. The whip he swept out carried a series of ambiguous whip shadows, with sounds of breaking the air, directly scattering hundreds of golden sword lights and hit the waist of the Silver Armor Celestial General with a dull ¡°thud¡±. The Silver Armor Celestial General instantly bent at the waist, almost broken in half, and was thrown horizontally out. After landing, his figure bounced a few times on the ground, but did not dissipate. Instead, it tumbled and sprang up, his feet suddenly kicking the ground, and his body spinning back like a top, charging straight towards Shen Luo. The longsword in his hand flashed, and was transformed into specks of golden light and scattered. However, the scattered golden light didn''t vanish, but fell on him and disappeared within his body. When all the golden light was absorbed into the body of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, he radiated with golden shine, his aura began to rise rapidly, reaching the Mahayana Late Phase in an instant, transforming directly into a dazzling golden Light Sword. Seeing this ¡°Unity of Man and Sword¡±, Shen Luo, knowing it was probably the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier''s strongest move, did not dare to be careless. He also fully operated his mana, pouring it into the Six Chen Whip. The whip was surrounded by black light, its momentum increased. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, his two legs transformed into sturdy elephant feet, they moved forward, stepping forth, his dragon claw holding the whip, and struck down at the incoming ¡°Golden Light Sword¡±. ¡°Boom¡±, the Six Chen Whip heavily crashed onto the Sword''s body, immediately creating a booming sound like thunder. On the Golden Light Sword, a crisp sound ¡°crack¡± emerged, with light marks appearing then going kaboom shattering. In the scattered golden light, countless extremely tiny golden swords exploded, hurling out in all directions. Shen Luo could only hurriedly shield his chest and abdomen, his arms were punctured, and an intense pain shot through him. When he lowered his head to look, streams of crimson blood were already seeping out from the gaps in his scale armor. Fortunately, the golden light only lasted a mere few breaths before dissipating on its own. A white light flew out from within, passing through Shen Luo''s forehead, merging with his divine soul. After Shen Luo put away his Six Chen Whip, the power of the Dragon Elephant within his body was also withdrawn. Nearly a hundred wounds were revealed on his forearms, with blood freely flowing, the sight was quite tragic. He attempted to lift his hands, and immediately, a sharp pain as intense as an electric shock, shot through his arms, distorting his facial features in pain. ¡°Such formidable Sword Qi, even after dispersing there was so much residual Sword Qi. Seems like it has damaged my meridians as well.¡± As he spoke, a flash of light erupted around Shen Luo, and he was already back in the Golden Palace. He looked at the golden Armored Heavenly General seated on his throne and couldn''t help complaining, ¡°This unit of thirty-six Heavenly Soldiers of yours is very formidable, even their trump card was relied upon.¡± As soon as his words finished, the Treasure Pagoda in the Heavenly General''s hand shone brightly, and an Elixir was sent flying towards him. Shen Luo tried to raise his arm, but the excruciating pain quickly washed over him again. He took a sharp intake of breath and had no choice but to open his mouth and suck in the Elixir. He held the Elixir in his mouth and walked slowly out of the great hall, his posture reminiscent of a defeated rooster, he slumped down on the steps, the arms hanging down limply. His Adam''s apple moved as he swallowed the Elixir. As the Elixir entered his stomach, it immediately turned into a stream of warm energy flowing from his chest and abdomen towards his limbs. Wherever the medicinal power passed over, it felt like a comforting gentle rain, which was quite refreshing. But, when it reached his arms, it was as if a river had been blocked, and it could not smoothly continue to flow. Shen Luo was taken aback, he had underestimated the power of the final blow of the Heavenly Soldier. The Sword Qi left in his arms had damaged his meridians so badly that the medicinal power couldn''t pass. Immediately, he endured the intense pain in his arms, formed a magic spell with his fingers and sat cross-legged to start using the Nameless Cultivation Technique, attempting to use mana to guide the medicinal power to his arms. However, after his mana entered through the shoulder well acupoints on both sides, it was blocked when it reached the Extreme Spring acupoint. Shen Luo frowned, quickly summoned the mana in his Dantian, and forcefully rushed towards the Extreme Spring acupoint, trying to forcibly breach the Sword Qi blockade with his mana. Just as he attempted to do so, a pain a hundred times stronger than before instantly shot through his shoulders. It made his scalp tighten instantly and cold sweat along his forehead. ¡°How can this be?¡± He didn''t understand, but he didn''t dare to continue, fearing that if he wasn''t careful, he would completely sever the meridians that were only blocked by the Sword Qi. ¡°Well, with the medicinal power unable to enter, I can''t speed up the healing process. If I rely on the passage of time to let the Sword Qi disappear, who knows how long I must wait?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh. He knows it''s too late to regret being careless during the fight with the Heavenly Soldier. Now, he must find a way to remove the Sword Qi from his meridians and repair them. Thinking of this, a gleam flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. He suddenly remembered the God''s Power in the Pure Yang Sword Technique, known as the ¡°Great Unsealing Technique¡±. Legend has it that after mastering this technique, a cultivator can survive severe injuries, regrow limbs, and even recover from fatal wounds in a blink. If he could successfully cultivate this technique, repairing a tiny damaged meridian shouldn''t be a problem. Chapter 472 Chapter 472: Chapter 468: Turning Peril into Safety Chapter 472: Chapter 468: Turning Peril into Safety Upon thinking of this, Shen Luo immediately decided to cultivate this technique, and closed his eyes, recalling the technique in his mind. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, a hint of hesitation appeared on his face, and he couldn''t help but mutter to himself: ¡°I never really examined it before, what kind of person could have created the ''Great Unsealing Technique'', such an extraordinary technique¡­ no matter how you look at it¡­ it looks like masochism?¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reason for Shen Luo''s astonishment was because the cultivation method of the Great Unsealing Technique was extremely peculiar, similar to cook''s preparation of a meal. It required the practitioner to use his mana as a knife, cutting between his own bones, muscles and blood vessels. By dissecting their own bodies step by step, then reshaping their flesh and blood, and continuously repeating such actions, one can achieve the ability to repair their own injuries at will, thus manifesting the god''s power of self-healing and regeneration. Before practicing this technique, one must first cultivate the Pure Yang Sword Technique and nurture a pure Yang Sword Qi. The Pure Yang Scripture reads, ¡°When Yang Qi rises, all things are born.¡± For most creatures in the world, Yang Qi is the origin of life and the root of survival. All the nutrients they intake from the world are converted into pure Yang Qi to nourish the physical body. And the source of power for physical repairs using the Great Unsealing Technique is this Pure Yang Sword Qi. The power of growth derived from Yang Qi is combined with the specific stimulation of the secret technique to achieve the process of flesh and blood regeneration. ¡°Anyway, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo has already been nurtured in the present world. If I practice the Pure Yang Sword Techniques now, it might benefit me when I return. Maybe, I can make some progress.¡± Shen Luo pondered. Having made up his mind, he closed his eyes, crossed his legs and began to adjust his breath. A moment later, enduring the pain in his arms, he clapped his hands in front of him, and then separated them ¨C his left hand pointing to the sky, and his right hand pointing to the earth. His wrists are still tightly joined together, using the ¡°heaven, human, earth¡± three talents interconnected stance as the sword technique, he silently recites the rules of the Pure Yang Scripture. ¡°Covering the Pure Sun''s Method, Transforming Qi into Essence, Transforming Yang into Gang, Taking in Spirits from Outside, Hiding Gods Within¡­¡± As the technique began to operate, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly, and a sensation of dry heat began to appear around his body. He was clear in his heart, this was a sign that his own mana was being mobilised and gradually turning into righteous Yang Gang Qi. Immediately afterward, there seemed to be the sound of wind in the surroundings, and strands of misty white light gathered from around him, forming sharp Heavenly and Earthly spiritual Qi that enveloped Shen Luo. A movement in his brow and heart, the mana inside his body began to circulate little by little, following the rules of the technique, a peculiar ring was formed in the Dantian, gently revolving. And the surrounding spiritual Qi, seemingly affected by the mana in his body, began circulating around him. What was a bit peculiar was that this spiritual Qi wasn''t revolving around him in a vortex, but forming a fuzzy ring around him based on Heaven and Earth as the datum point, slowly revolving. As the fluctuations of these two revolving processes gradually approached each other, Shen Luo suddenly felt as if he and Heaven and Earth had merged into one. Within the white ring that enveloped him, strands of spiritual Qi began to penetrate through his pores into his body. He immediately felt a dense pain all over his body, as if those pores had been pierced by countless sharp needles. Shen Luo gritted his teeth, endured the discomfort, and continued to guide the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth that carried a suppressing killing intention into his body. However, after this power entered his body, it did not follow his direction and gather in the Dantian; instead, it started circulating around his body on its own. When the power flowed through the Three Yin Meridians and Three Yang Meridians of his arms, Shen Luo immediately felt a sensation of numbness and pain. This feeling wasn''t comfortable, but compared with the pain of mana flowing in, it wasn''t unbearable. ¡°Yang Gang is always with me, mana always flows, body meridians are not congealed, Qi circulation is spiritual¡­¡± Shen Luo chanted the magic spell and accelerated the operation of the mana in the Dantian. This was responded by the white ring outside his body, it also revolved rapidly, bringing more spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth into Shen Luo''s body, breaking through the blocked meridians in his body like digging a mountain path. As the most blocked dual-armed meridians, they were naturally the main focus of the spiritual Qi''s attack. With more and more spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth continuing to converge, Shen Luo''s face became increasingly gloomy. However, he could feel that the remaining Sword Qi in his body didn''t clash as fiercely with this power. It seemed possible to soothe it and heal himself. In response, he tightly closed his eyes, clenched his teeth, carefully guarded his mind in the spirit realm, and fully operated the Pure Yang Sword method. Time trickled by, and at some point, Shen Luo''s clothes had been soaked with sweat, his face was flushed, and his eyes suddenly shot open. He suddenly spouted a mouthful of blood, fast as a blood arrow, hitting the light curtain covering the Golden Tower, causing it to vibrate violently. After spitting out the blood, the flush on Shen Luo''s face gradually disappeared, and his complexion returned to normal. He wiped the remaining blood from the corner of his mouth with his hand, a gratified smile appeared on his face. ¡°Haha, I thought I had to practice the Great Unsealing Technique to solve this residual Sword Qi, I didn''t expect that simply guiding it with the Pure Yang Sword method would expel it from my body. Even without practicing the Great Unsealing Technique, these damaged meridians will gradually self-heal.¡± Shen Luo scanned his arms and laughed. However, having decided to practice this divine power, Shen Luo did not intend to give up. He had now cultivated the Pure Yang Sword method to the tenth layer and was at a minor bottleneck. The eleventh and twelfth level of the Pure Yang Sword method was somewhat special compared to the first ten. According to the normal cultivation path, the first ten levels were a kind of accumulation of quantity. When accumulated to this point, ordinary monks could try to break through to the Grain Avoidance Stage. The last two layers are like an upgrade based on top of this. Beginning with the eleventh layer''s method, the content taught is no longer about continuing to transmute the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth, but about guiding the already transformed Yang Sword Qi to attack the body itself. This might sound abstract, but in reality, it is about using the Pure Yang Sword Qi as a guide to self-attack in the body''s meridians, so as to widen their meridians. The Pure Yang Sword Technique pursues a noble and majestic demeanor, with the widened meridians, guided by the Yang Gang qi, only then can the mana within the body flow like a great river, resulting in a formidable attack. Shen Luo rested for a moment, and then continued to practice. Chapter 473 Chapter 473: Chapter 469: Bone Marrow Extraction Chapter 473: Chapter 469: Bone Marrow Extraction In this strange place, time seemed to have halted, and Shen Luo had no idea how much time he had spent in his cultivation. All he knew was that he had successfully cultivated the first twelve layers of the Pure Yang Sword Art. Upon mastering the twelfth layer of the Pure Yang Sword Art, all his twelve main meridians and eight extraordinary meridians expanded twice their size, and the mana contained in his meridians increased nearly threefold. At this moment, within his meridians, a conspicuous white stream of Qi, with a rulership state, was patrolling everywhere. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s eyes sprung open, a sharp light flashing through them. The arm hanging in front of him abruptly raised, and pointing a finger, he suddenly pointed forward into the void. The white mana circulating within his body followed his instruction, rushing through his meridians, and through the meridians of his arm straight to his fingertips, shooting out. The moment that stream of white Qi rushed out of his body, it condensed into a blurry sword-like shape and, with a sudden flash, struck upon the Golden Pagoda Gate, emitting a muffled ¡°thud.¡± The Golden Treasure Pagoda trembled violently, but there was no visible damage on the gate; instead, the sword Qi was repelled. Seeing this, Shen Luo showed no disappointment. On the contrary, with a casual summoning, that stream of white Qi reassembled and flew back, circling uncertainly around his palm. This was none other than the Pure Yang Sword Qi that Shen Luo had cultivated with great effort. Although its attack power might not be too strong, if combined with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, it could display truly formidable power. Moreover, with this Pure Yang Sword Qi, Shen Luo could finally attempt to cultivate the Great Unsealing Technique. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After this period of cultivation, Shen Luo realized something. Not only could the cultivation of the Great Unsealing Technique help him increase his chances of fighting Heavenly Soldiers, but it also gave him confidence in cultivating the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. He had always been worried that if there was a mistake in cultivating the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians, it would cause damage or even destruction to his meridians. However, if he could master the Great Unsealing Technique, he could repair any damaged meridians. In this way, potential problems could be easily solved, allowing him to confidently attempt to open the meridians with Yin Sha Qi, accumulating experience for increasing his meridians. Shen Luo withdrew the Pure Yang Sword Qi, rose to his feet, and glanced down from the railing. He still did not see Ao Hong''s figure and wondered whether he had also entered the tower or had gone elsewhere. Following a brief rest, he returned to the front steps and began to meditate and recuperate. About half a moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, formed a Dharma seal with both hands in front of him, and began to chant the mantra of the Great Unsealing Technique. With the sound of chanting, Shen Luo''s gaze fell on his own arm. The skin on the surface seemed to thicken, gradually becoming transparent. The layers of muscles, bones, and the flow of blood in the vessels could all be clearly seen. ¡°Who would have thought that there are so many layers to the flesh and blood of a human body, and that every inch of muscle texture and arrangement differs? How is it possible to cut without leaving any gap, to achieve the precision of a cook cutting the meat?¡± The more Shen Luo saw, the more amazed he was. However, at this point, he would not give up. He immediately followed the instructions within the technique and led the Pure Yang Sword Qi to his arm. Shen Luo guided the Sword Qi out of his meridians. After flying out from his fingertips, he turned the sword point and dropped it onto his arm. The Great Unsealing Technique''s method of unsealing started from the outside to the inside. The first phase required unsealing the skin. This required understanding the physiology of the skin through a process of breaking and then establishing, and opening and then closing. As the sword point slowly descended, a sharp pain transmitted from Shen Luo''s wrist, and a cut suddenly appeared on his transparent skin, but there was no trace of blood flowing out. Shen Luo knew that this was the secret method of the Great Unsealing Technique shielding him and preventing the flow of Qi and blood, allowing him to focus on cutting the skin. This concentration caused him to experience the pain of his skin being cut all the more intensely, each feeling being deeply ingrained in his divine soul. His brows furrowed and he gritted his teeth without any relaxation, continuing to concentrate fully on leading the Sword Qi with his divine soul, cutting towards his elbow. Just after a few cuts, Shen Luo''s cold sweat had already streamed down and his face turned pale. His body couldn''t help but tremble slightly, but he couldn''t disrupt this compelling sensation. He had to wholeheartedly experience every inch of change on his skin, to understand the minute feelings when the surface of his muscle was being cut open, even not missing the expansion and contraction of each pore. As the sword Qi moved slowly, the skin on his arm split open and spread apart under the support of his mana, revealing a layer of hazy light that protected the muscles and blood vessels inside. Shen Luo was methodical in peeling off his skin, feeling every inch of his muscle texture. Time seemed to freeze, becoming extremely slow. As time continued to flow, the pain in his body had never ceased. Instead, Shen Luo always gained a deeper understanding of pain due to the continuous refinement of the Great Unsealing Technique. At this moment, he was wound up tightly. His calf skin and muscles were nearly completely transparent. Over his Yin Qiao Mai, a layer of hazy white light was covering it, displaying all the meridians in a light golden hue. At various minute places, very thin scars could be seen, but at this moment they were rapidly repairing. After going through the three stages of skin peeling, flesh cutting, and bone carving, Shen Luo finally reached the stage of meridian combing. The cultivation phase of the Great Unsealing Technique, like every previous phase, was a process of destruction and reconstruction. Using Pure Yang Sword Qi to dissect the physical body, by observing and understanding every inch of muscle texture in the body, then using the power of Pure Yang and mana for repair, the whole process of reconstruction is completed. However, the deeper the method is, the more difficult it is to dissect and reconstruct. As the most complex system in the human body, the difficulty of unsealing the meridians is second only to vital organs such as viscera and skull. After a while, the light on Shen Luo''s calf receded, and the wounds on his Yin Qiao Mai were completely repaired. ¡°As long as the meridians can be repaired, I can try the Xuan Yin Opening Vein technique.¡± He exhaled a turbid breath, lifted his sleeve to wipe the sweat on his forehead, a smile appeared on his face as he thought to himself. Just at this time, a light flickered on and off on the gate of his tower in front of Shen Luo. Chapter 474 Chapter 474: Chapter 470: Confrontation Chapter 474: Chapter 470: Confrontation Shen Luo had an idea, stood up, and arrived at the door. After a moment of hesitation, he pushed the door and walked in. Just after he entered, a golden light sprayed out from the eyes of the Armored Heavenly General, pulling him back into the combat space again. ¡°Has it been too long since I last entered the tower?¡± Shen Luo sighed in his heart. As he was contemplating, silver light flickered from the opposite stone platform, and another figure of a Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier emerged. It was tall, holding a double Ge, and its cold eyes were locked onto Shen Luo. Shen Luo intended to go out and practice the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians, and naturally, he did not want to spend too much time here. So he immediately took out the Six Chen Whip and charged forward proactively. The Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier always watched Shen Luo''s movement coldly, standing still. Even the posture of holding the Ge did not change. Just when Shen Luo rushed to a distance of about ten meters, he suddenly rushed towards Shen Luo with a violent explosion of brilliant light from his eyes, squatting down, and fiercely stomping on the ground. There were two silver Qi whirlpools swirling beneath his feet. He clasped the Ge with both hands in front of him, and almost in one charge, he arrived in front of Shen Luo. Both hands waved forward at the same time, and two golden arcs of light burst out from the Ge, intertwined and heading straight for Shen Luo. The distance between the two rapidly shortened. Shen Luo could not dodge and could only pause, reversed his grip on the Six Chen Whip, and landed it heavily on the ground. The whip body lit up black, and layer after layer of whip shadows extended to both sides, as if a black fence had been erected in front of Shen Luo. The intersecting golden arcs of light instantly hit the black fence, causing a burst of loud noises. Layers of whip shadows shattered in succession and finally hit the main body of the Six Chen Whip, shattering with a bang. Shen Luo took one step forward, and with a sudden swing of both hands upwards, he whipped out with the posture of Wildfire Sky Raising. A thick whip shadow immediately shot out from the whip''s body, pounced towards the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier''s face. Seeing the whip shadow charging straight ahead, just as it was about to hit the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, there was suddenly a flash of light on the surface of its body. A beam of light split from its forehead vertically downwards, and the body split into two, turning into two Heavenly Soldiers. Shen Luo''s gaze was a bit fixed. He noticed that the two Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers not only looked identical, even their breath was exactly the same, both appeared to be at the Mahayana Middle Stage. As soon as the two figures managed to stand firm, they each held a Golden Ge and charged towards Shen Luo from the left and right. There were silver Qi whirlpools spinning at their feet, their figures blurred, and they each slid out a series of phantoms, continuously surrounding Shen Luo in the center. ¡°Trivial tricks.¡± Shen Luo''s gaze fell on the surrounding phantoms. He instantly distinguished that two of them were obviously different from the rest. He snorted, and the Six Chen Whip in his hand was already whipping at one. A whip shadow suddenly attacked, that phantom turned his head to look at Shen Luo, but did not move at all. Then, the other phantoms also followed with the same head-turning movement. Shen Luo''s Six Chen Whip smashed down heavily, and the black light burst out from the whip, instantly tearing the phantom apart. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but sink in his heart. He quickly pulled back the Six Chen Whip and brought it down horizontally above his head. Just as he elevated his whip above his head, he heard a ¡°clang¡± from a sharp sound. A Golden Ge has already smashed down heavily from behind, hitting the Six Chen Whip and the immense force made Shen Luo stagger. He staggered back two steps and before he could stay steady, he saw from the corner of his eye, a figure rushed out from the surrounding phantoms and thrusted the Ge towards his heart. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, the Dragon Elephant Power operated, grabbed with one hand in an attempt to block that sudden attack. In the end, when he reached out to grab, the figure dispersed like smoke. Shen Luo had not yet reacted when he suddenly heard the wind behind him picking up. It turned out that two more figures separated from the phantoms, holding their Ge, and thrusting towards him. He dared not be careless and urgently retreated a step, dodging one, and the Six Chen Whip in his hand was swung at the other. However, as the blow landed, the figure of the Daoist also dissipated like smoke, turning out to be an illusion too. A hint of gravity flashed across Shen Luo''s face as he saw one after another residual figure stand, surrounding him, all holding a golden Ge (a type of Chinese pole weapon), attacking him. His eyes narrowed slightly, his hand swiftly wielded the Six Chen Whip, sweeping it around him. The whip radiated a strong black light and emitted a whistling wind sound, each residual figure that hardly made contact was ripped apart, turning to dust. Yet, from the dissipated residual figures, another figure suddenly solidified and attacked from behind, stabbing straight at Shen Luo''s heart with the Ge. Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised, his waist remained unmoved, but the upper body abruptly twisted backward. The Six Chen Whip in his hand made a ringing sound and surprisingly stabbed backwards like a long spear, hitting the incoming golden Ge. This sudden backward stab was borrowed from the earlier ¡°Backwards Spear Thrust¡± attack of a Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier. However, because the weapon used was the Six Chen Whip, the timing was harder to handle, and the rotation was shorter. ¡°Clang¡± The two met head-on, making a sharp sound of metal collision! The Dragon Elephant Power surged within Shen Luo''s body, the black light on the Six Chen Whip soared, like a black sun exploding at the end of the whip, and the golden Ge in the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier''s hand was subsequently shattered. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Six Chen Whip in Shen Luo''s hand then went straight in, ¡°Puff¡± sound, piercing through the heart of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier. However, the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier did not dissipate immediately. From the broken part of his chest, golden threads began to surge out, covering it like a silkworm cocoon. They wrapped up along the Six Chen Whip, straight up to Shen Luo''s arm. Shen Luo immediately pulled the whip forcefully, but it was held tightly by a force, unable to escape for a moment. At this moment, another Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier suddenly emerged behind him, the golden Ge in his hand again stabbed at his heart. Shen Luo had no time to evade, a splash of blood appeared at his heart, a golden Ge pierced through it. He grunted, the Dragon Elephant Power in his body began to operate, his arms suddenly thickened by a factor of two, turned into sharp dragon claws. He let go of the Six Chen Whip, turned and grabbed toward the back. The Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier was grabbed by him and his head was crushed into pieces with a ¡°pop.¡± Only at this point did the two Heavenly Soldier corpses start to dissipate, finally merged into a ball of white light and flew into Shen Luo''s divine soul. After killing the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, Shen Luo put away the Six Chen Whip, then looked down at his chest. At the position of his heart, there was a hole the size of a fist, inside was dripping blood, blurred, and the heart was no longer visible. ¡°That was close, I almost died this time.¡± Shen Luo sighed lightly. While talking, a vague white halo lit up inside the hole in his chest, a layer of muscles slowly moved aside, revealing a beating heart. It turned out that the moment the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier launched a sneak attack, Shen Luo used the Great Unsealing Technique to control the muscles in his body, moving his heart away from its original position, thus avoiding what could have been a fatal blow. As his heart returned to its position, the soft white light spread, covering his entire chest area. The broken meridians, blood vessels, and muscles inside began to grow and repair quickly, and in no time, they had fully recovered. Chapter 475 Chapter 475: Chapter 471 Ant Line Devouring Vein Chapter 475: Chapter 471 Ant Line Devouring Vein Shen Luo touched the slightly pink area on his chest and a smile appeared on his face. The restoration effects of the Great Unsealing Technique were even better than he had expected, and it was definitely suitable for aiding the cultivation of the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. After getting another elixir from the Armored Heavenly General, Shen Luo, as usual, left The Golden Palace and began to cultivate outside. During his cultivation of the Great Unsealing Technique, not only had his skills improved slightly, his own cultivation level also unknowingly increased a lot. With the help of this elixir, his realm was surprisingly elevated again, reaching the peak status of the Mahayana Stage. He stood up from the spot, his eyes full of divine light. With a thought, his internal mana started to run on its own, a burning sensation welled up from his dantian, and it felt as if an unstoppable force was surging out from all over him. In an instant, the void behind him fluctuated, as if steam was rising, and the sound of dragon and elephant chants rang out. Five golden giant dragons and five golden giant elephants materialized and circled around him. Their bodies were flashing with golden light, dazzling and brilliant. The five golden dragons were all teeth and claws, their whiskers and hair bristling, almost resembling living creatures. The five golden elephants were comparatively calm, holding their heads high and their trunks reaching towards the sky, as though ready to roar. The golden dragons and golden elephants were sprawled around Shen Luo. The light emanating from their bodies soared high into the sky, shaking the golden light curtain that was outside the Golden Tower. ¡°Understanding the last of the Huangting Scripture should not be a problem, but if I want to perfect the power of the Dragon Elephant, it seems that I have to break through the bottleneck of the peak of the Mahayana Stage and truly enter the True Immortal Stage,¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully, murmuring to himself. As soon as he finished speaking, his whole body flashed with golden light, and the five golden dragons and five golden elephants shrunk rapidly, all turning into a golden shine that rushed into his body and disappeared. Next, he lifted his arms and looked at them. The golden light was swirling around them and underneath them, some patterns resembling dragon scales appeared. The light shimmered, and it seemed as if there was an invisible force pushing against them from inside, causing his whole body to emit strong fluctuations. A smile appeared on the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth. He formed a magic spell with his hand, and the golden light around him dissipated, all the extraordinary signs gradually disappearing. ¡°It''s time!¡± After whispering these words, he closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged. After he settled down, instead of running his mana to continue cultivating, Shen Luo concentrated his mind and started to recall all the details of the secret technique of the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. After a while, he made up his mind and with a swing of his palm, he took out the Six Chen Whip and set it in front of him. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For some reason, this object was filled with a large amount of Yin Sha Qi. It had appeared several times during his previous battle with the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier, so Shen Luo intended to use the Yin Sha Qi stored within it to practice the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. Shen Luo stared at his calf. Where his eyes landed, the flesh and skin gradually became transparent, leaving only a trail of hazy white light from a branch of the Yin Qiao Mai. Seeing this, he didn''t immediately start casting spells. Instead, he pointed his single hand like a knife and stabbed it into his own calf skin as if it were a knife. His finger then moved around, drawing on his leg like a painting. As his fingertips moved, a string of blood burst out from the wound and followed the skin, leaving traces of crimson red. When his finger stopped, a bloody charm pattern had appeared on it. The pattern almost covered the entire calf, with a dense cluster of charm patterns in the middle, on top of which there was a bead of blood that looked like a line of ants. It bore some resemblance to the Southern Gu Technique. Concentrating his gaze, Shen Luo softly chanted the mantra of the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method, pointed at the void above the Six Chen Whip and shot a line of white light from his fingertip into the whip, which trembled and lit up with a black light. Unlike the usual battles, this ball of black light, from the moment it illuminated, didn''t show any strong fluctuation, but seemed very gentle and tame. As the light expanded and contracted, a thick black beam separated from it, directed by Shen Luo to flow out. The dense black light flowed down, landing on the charm patterns carved on his calf. Instantly, as if a drop of ink had fallen, he turned the bloodstain black. The whole charm pattern seemed to be suddenly injected with spiritual energy, lighting up a patch of black light, and it started to operate on its own. The ant soldier-like charm patterns located in the middle of the calf suddenly became alive, one after the other dived into Shen Luo''s skin on his leg, and probed into the meridians deep into his flesh. Shen Luo''s brow twitched fiercely, and suddenly a complex sensation of numbness, itchiness, and pain passed from his calf. It was as if hundreds of ants were gnawing at his flesh. This feeling, even worse than pure pain, almost made him lose his mental peace. But immediately, Shen Luo gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stabilize his mind, because those ant soldier charm patterns were about to enter his meridians, and the real opening of the vein was about to begin. With the advent of a sharp pain distinctly different, Shen Luo''s meridian was instantly ruptured, the connection with the Yin Qiao Mai was cut off, and a sense of numbness instantly spread along the direction of that meridian. ¡°Has it¡­ failed?¡± Shen Luo didn''t even react. The Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians records, ¡°Ant Line Devouring Vein, Yin Qi Injection, the key is to keep the pulse unbroken and the Yin Qi incessant, like a silk thread hanging over the fire, the fluctuation is not permitted even for a hair''s breadth.¡± What it means is that on the issue of the Ant Line Devouring Vein, the emphasis lies in maintaining the continuity of the meridian even while being devoured by the ant line and merging it with the Yin Sha Qi under the guidance of the ant line. The difficulty of this is almost the same as that of a silk hanging over a flame; any fluctuation will lead to the abortion of the silk thread. This first attempt to fail came so fast that Shen Luo didn''t even feel the combination of his meridian and Yin Sha Qi. He had already broken off the meridian, and the Yin Sha Qi contained in the written pattern on his leg was slowly drawn out of his body under the guidance of mana. With a thought, Shen Luo arranged his hands in front of his body, silently employing the Great Unsealing Technique, and immediately, a Pure Yang Power coursed through his body and enveloped the broken meridian, healing it. Before long, the light converged on the meridian, and the subsidiary veins broken by the ant motif had been restored to its original state. After the repair was completed, Shen Luo took a short break and then once again stimulated the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. He introduced the Yin Sha Qi from the Six Chen Whip into his body and reopened the subsidiary vein. As the Yin Sha Qi flowed in, the entire charm pattern was again illuminated with the black light, and the sour, numb and painful sensation emerged again, while a string of ant motifs gnawed towards that meridian. This time, Shen Luo was fully concentrated, not allowing himself to be distracted in the slightest. He carefully controlled that string of ant motifs, bit by bit crawled up the meridian, forcefully suppressing its gnawing strength. The meridian wasn''t severed as easily as the first time, but the sharp pain from the meridian''s gnawing was unbearable. Just after a short while, Shen Luo''s face had turned ghostly pale, and a cold sweat continually dripped from his forehead. However, no matter what, he didn''t show any intention to relax. He guided the ant motifs to advance continuously while focusing the Yin Sha Qi pulled behind it into a thread even thinner than the meridian. It then wound around the trace of the ant''s gnawing. As the ant motifs inch by inch gnawed forwards, they were about to reach the Feng Long Acupoint ahead, a surge of intense pain rushed up, and the stretched meridian broke again. With a sigh in his heart, Shen Luo could only guide the Yin Sha Qi out of his body again, and once again use the Great Unsealing Technique to repair the meridian. Chapter 476 Chapter 476: 472 Chapter 476: 472 Time slowly trickled by and Shen Luo had already repaired this one side-branch meridian more than thirty times. During the first ten attempts, meridians had broken before the ant-pattern could even pass the Feng Long acupoint on the side of his calf. Despite making some progress afterward, when the ant-pattern reached the Feng Long acupoint but it invoked a strong rejection response from the body, causing the acupoint to explode before the ant-pattern could chew. This resulted in damage to the neighboring meridians which took Shen Luo considerable effort to repair. After this, the process repeatedly ended in collapse. Even if the ant-pattern successfully resided within the acupoint, the flow of Yin Sha Qi was still rejected by the body''s instincts. The most extreme case resulted from stimulating an adjacent mana meridian, causing a mana sweep that led to chaos in the meridians of Shen Luo''s leg, causing him to lose consciousness. If it weren''t for the protection of the Great Unsealing Technique to smooth out the meridians, Shen Luo''s leg would have been crippled by now. However, after numerous failures, Shen Luo''s control over the ant-pattern and the infusion of Yin Sha Qi had become more adept. The multiple Feng Long acupoints in the side-branch meridians have been cleared, leaving only the final San Yin Jiao being on the verge of breakthrough. At this moment, eyes closed tightly, clasping seal with his hand and maintaining the operation of the charm patterns on his leg with full force, a strand of ant-pattern at the San Yin Jiao acupoint is entangling the stored mana, making it hard to separate. Shen Luo''s brows were furrowed, signifying extreme pain. However, he was at a crucial juncture of the Yin Sha meridian opening and dared not slack off in the slightest. ¡°Go.¡± Seeing an opportunity, he gave a soft shout in his mouth, and his sealing fingers suddenly pointed downwards. The Six Chen Whip hanging in front of him trembled abruptly, forming a Sha Qi silk thread that directly entered the San Yin Jiao acupoint following the ant-pattern. There was a flash of light at the acupoint, half of the mana was expelled while the ant-pattern and Yin Sha Qi formed an equilibrium with the remaining mana. They were all fused together. With the fall of this final barrier, the full assault of the Xuan Yin Vein Opening Technique finally started. Shen Luo''s leg was suddenly illuminated by a bright charm pattern. After a flash of bloodlight, it immediately shrank back, sinking gradually into the flesh and blood, turning into a light that covered the entire side-branch meridian. On the side-branch meridian, black, red, and white lights shone simultaneously. Like a colorful ribbon rigidly trapped in-between, the light began to merge when it flickered. With the last bit of light vanishing, the Yin Sha Qi finally completed its integration with the meridians. At the same time, the charm pattern carved into Shen Luo''s calf immediately burst into a bright white light, and a strange force permeated and covered the meridian amidst the flashing light patterns. Shen Luo felt the miraculous power stirring his soul. He could feel that the Yin Sha Qi within his meridians, under the effect of the charm patterns, was dissipating bit by bit, and a new mana meridian was gradually forming. Finally, with the complete transformation of the last bit of Yin Sha Qi, the side-branch meridian on Shen Luo''s Yin Qiao Mai lit up with a layer of blue light, forming a transparent blue ribbon. Shen Luo had a thought and his consciousness immersed into the meridian, he could clearly feel the mana flowing from the Yin Qiao Mai, slowly gathering into this new mana meridian. With a slight prod, the mana gathered in this meridian immediately began to operate. After a brief comparison, he found that its width was not as large as the original twenty, and the flexibility was slightly different. Most importantly, the mana operation speed was slower. But fortunately, the effectiveness of mana storage was almost the same as that of normal mana meridians. ¡°Haha, it really works. In this way, the number of mana meridians can increase significantly,¡± Shen Luo exclaimed with joy. Having said that, he closed his eyes and took a brief rest before continuing to work on the new mana meridians. He wanted to make the most of his time in the dream, gaining as much experience as possible with the Xuan Yin Vein Opening Technique, even if it consisted of more failures, it was all beneficial to him. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only with a deeper understanding of the technique could he be more confident in reality to develop mana meridians. And only by increasing the number of his mana meridians, his cultivation qualifications could have a substantial improvement, and the speed of cultivation could be enhanced. And only by speeding up the cultivation, improving the cultivation realm as soon as possible, could he eliminate the threat of lifespan depletion. Under the support of this persistent mindset, Shen Luo entered a rather insane state of near non-stop Xuan Yin Vein Opening Technique training, meddling with over a dozen side-branch meridians to the point of breaking down over three hundred times. The most dangerous of which was a side-branch meridian connecting to the Hand Jue Yin Pericardium Meridian, which after repeated breaks, accidentally caused reverse mana flow from the Heart Bag Meridian, clashing with the Yin Sha Qi stored within, leading to almost a do-or-die battle. It nearly affected Shen Luo''s Hand Jue Yin Pericardium Meridian''s critical acupoint. Fortunately, Shen Luo activated the protection of the Huangting Technique at the crucial moment, combined with the Great Unsealing Technique to reform the broken meridian, preserving that side-branch meridian and stabilizing his Hand Jue Yin Pericardium Meridian. However, with each attempt, he managed to open thirteen auxiliary mana meridians. Now, although he cannot confirm one hundred percent success in opening meridians, he has already gained plenty of invaluable experiences which has built his confidence in trying it out in reality. After opening the thirteenth mana meridian, Shen Luo had to stop as golden light flashed within the Golden Tower again. He had to enter the Golden Tower again to continue challenged the Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers. Practicing the Great Unsealing Technique and opening thirteen more mana meridians, Shen Luo''s body now holds mana that far exceeds three times that of the average Late Mahayana Stage monk. Besides, during his practice, he also pondered the process of fighting against all Heavenly Soldiers and deepened his understanding of various mystic arts and divine abilities. Using these, he defeated the remaining Heavenly Soldiers without much effort. At this moment, holding the whip in one hand standing on the platform of the Combat Space, not far from him, a Heavenly Soldier in Silver Armor holding a Double Halberd, its light gradually dissipating, and finally turned into a ball of white light, flew into Shen Luo''s divine soul. ¡°This is the last Heavenly Soldier then, it seems I can return,¡± Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, a smile appeared on his face, and he murmured to himself. No sooner had the words fallen, a flash of light surrounded him, and he had already left that space, returning to the Golden Palace. Chapter 477 Chapter 477: Chapter 473: Appearance of the Heavenly General Chapter 477: Chapter 473: Appearance of the Heavenly General The Armored Heavenly General sitting at the top of the Golden Palace throne was just like always, his figure unmovable. The golden Treasure Pagoda in his hand glowed, but the tower gate did not open, nor did any elixirs fly out. ¡°No way, no reward for defeating the last heavenly soldier?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly upset. Before his voice fell, a dazzling golden light began to shine on the body of the Armored Heavenly General seated in front of him, and layers of halo swept around like a peacock spreading its tail, causing Shen Luo to blink in reverie. In a daze, the Armored Heavenly General seemed to resurrect again, looking solemnly at Shen Luo and slowly uttering: ¡°Indeed, you are the one who has inherited the legacy of Mount Fangcun. Good, good. However, the burden you need to shoulder in the future is too heavy, and your current level is far from enough. Let''s see if you can pass the test of the Thunder Division Heavenly General.¡± ¡°Another test?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and said in surprise. He had thought that passing the test of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers would enable him to return smoothly to reality, but it seemed this was not the case according to the Armored Heavenly General. With a sigh in his heart, Shen Luo did not even have the energy to argue, merely waved his hand, ready to walk out of the palace. However, as soon as he turned around, a wave of mana fluctuation came from behind him. Shen Luo quickly turned around to see a streak of golden light envelop the Armored Heavenly General and submerged him. In an instant, his figure reappeared in the battlefield. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows, sensing that things might not be that simple. At that moment, a silver light flashed across from his opposite side, and a huge silver light ball emerged in the middle. Between the fluctuations of the light, a lean figure emerged from the electric threads. Shen Luo looked intently, only to see a man with a blue-green face and vermilion-like hair, round bulging eyes, sharp elongated cheeks, outturned lips, and protruding tusks, somewhat resembling a fierce monkey demon. Moreover, two green wings sprouted from his back, and a layer of silver armor was draped over him, adorned with gold motifs, exquisitely made. In his hand, he held a golden long rod engraved with dense cloud patterns, obviously a rare treasure. Although his appearance was hideous, his aura was astonishing. Even nearly hundred feet apart, Shen Luo could feel the powerful mana fluctuation emanating from him¨Cfar beyond the Mahayana stage. He was clearly in the True Immortal Realm. Shen Luo noticed that despite having wings, the man was slightly suspended above the ground. He realized that this time the round would not be easy like before, and victory might not come so easily. With a flick of his wrist, a black light flashed in his palm, and the Six Chen Whip emerged. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as Shen Luo was readying himself, a challenging light flashed in the eyes of the hideously looking Thunder Division Heavenly General; he raised his Golden Stick and pointed it at Shen Luo. ¡°He can even provoke me. It''s much stronger than those mute heavenly soldiers before.¡± Shen Luo was slightly surprised, his alertness increasing. At that moment, he heard a ¡°sizzle¡±, as if lightning had struck, and the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s figure disappeared from its original place in an instant. Before Shen Luo could react, a flash of electric light passed behind him, followed by a strong wind. A golden long rod swept towards his waist with a string of golden afterimages. With a ¡°thud¡±, a wave of intense pain surged at his waist. His body involuntarily recoiled like a shrimp and flew sideways. A chill ran through his heart. Just as his body was about to hit the ground, an electric light had already waited at his dropping point. The figure of the Thunder Division Heavenly General appeared, and the long stick in his hand pointed obliquely towards the ground, probing under Shen Luo''s body, and forcefully leveraged him upwards. Shen Luo''s trajectory changed before he fell to the ground, and he swiftly flew back into the sky. ¡°Damn it.¡± A chill went through his heart. He had already figured out the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s subsequent movement, but unfortunately, his physical action was slower than his thought, and his thought was slower than his opponent''s action. At the moment when his thought just arose, the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s figure had already appeared above his head. Seeing a flash of electric light in his eyes, the Heavenly General tightly gripped his golden long rod, swung his arms in a large circle, and then fiercely slammed it onto Shen Luo''s head. The thundercloud patterns on the golden rod lit up, and thick green-purple electric fibers surged out, wrapped around the golden rod, and issued a earth-shattering roar. Shen Luo didn''t even have time to react, and was immediately hit on the head with the rod. In an instant, an intense pain surged over him. All the green and purple electric lights clustered together, like a sharp knife stabbing into his head. His consciousness plunged into darkness instantly, and he submerged into it. He didn''t know how long it had been when Shen Luo vaguely came to his senses. He woke up with a start, and despite his mouth still uttering a scream. When he finally relaxed a little and looked around, he found himself standing in front of the Armored Heavenly General. ¡°Am I dead?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his cheek in a daze, asking. The speed of the Thunder Division Heavenly General he encountered just now was the fastest he had ever seen, and the golden rod in his hand was powerful. Shen Luo didn''t even have time to react, and was killed under his rod. ¡°No way, challenging a True Immortal with Mahayana strength, there''s absolutely no chance of winning. Continuing like this is simply suicide.¡± Shen Luo thought. Each time he died, a portion of his lifespan in the real world would be deducted; the thought of it pained him. He quickly turned around and hurried towards the exit of the Golden Palace. However, just as he turned around, that familiar wave of mana fluctuation came from behind him again. The movements of Shen Luo''s steps stiffened, and before he could wipe off the wry smile on his face, he was enveloped by the golden light, and soon reappeared in the combat space. A hundred feet away from him, the figure of the Thunder Division Heavenly General appeared once again, his eyes still carrying a hint of provocation. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt helpless. His gaze scanned around, and according to his memory, he marked few nodes on the trajectory that the Thunder Division Heavenly General had previously passed through, and readied the Six Chen Whip in his hand, staring at the other side. At that moment, the Thunder Division Heavenly General suddenly spread his wings, and a green whirlwind mixed with a silver lightning bolt flashed across his back. His figure disappeared in an instant. The next moment, the figure of Thunder Division Heavenly General appeared behind Shen Luo, his golden rod, heavy and indomitable, swept towards Shen Luo''s waist with a series of afterimages. ¡°Clang¡± echoed out! The point of impact between the golden rod and Shen Luo exploded, and a surge of air emerged. ¡°What a huge force!¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Although he had blocked the golden rod in advance with the Six Chen Whip, he was still knocked back by the tremendous force, following the same trajectory as before. Chapter 478 Chapter 478: Chapter 474: Beyond Imagination Chapter 478: Chapter 474: Beyond Imagination Shen Luo knew that the Thunder Division Heavenly General would appear in front of him in an instant, using his Golden Long Rod to beat him skyward. Before he even landed, he hurriedly activated the Huangting Divine Power, urging the Dragon Elephant Power within his body. A flash of golden light was seen on his left arm, and his palm suddenly turned into a sturdy dragon claw, which latched onto the Golden Stick that the Thunder Division Heavenly General had aimed at him. Immediately afterward, the Golden Long Rod jolted upwards, lifting Shen Luo along with it. But he gripped onto the rod very tightly, causing his body to be lifted high in the air, but not thrown into the sky like previously. However, just after that, charm patterns on the Golden Stick suddenly lit up, and a layer of green and purple electric light simultaneously shone, originating from where the Heavenly General held it. It started to concentrate, making a ''zzzz'' sound while it suddenly attacked Shen Luo. Shen Luo had anticipated this and had let go in advance. The moment he landed, he immediately used the Slanting Moon Steps, scattered moonlight beneath his feet, and charged towards the Thunder Division Heavenly General while he swung his Six Chen Whip horizontally towards his waist. A ball of black light erupted on the Six Chen Whip, radiant like a black sun, falling onto the Heavenly General. A trace of electric light flashed in his eyes, a large amount of golden light seeped out of his Armor, and a layer of golden electric light overflowed from the Armor gaps, forming a light curtain of thunder and lightning around him. The Six Chen Whip fiercely smashed against the light curtain, causing a thunderous boom, but could not penetrate any further. However, streaks of thunderous light surged out from the surface of the light curtain, sweeping across like a long whip, and fiercely striking towards Shen Luo. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo dangerously evaded the other party''s attack and dared not relax for even a moment. He quickly retreated a dozen feet, and revved his Huangting Divine Power to its limits. Behind him, a golden light emerged, the shadows of five golden dragons and a headless giant elephant appeared successively, dancing in the void, and subsequently entering his body. His figure instantly doubled in size, green light circled his legs, transforming them into elephant''s feet. From his arms and spine all the way to his neck were covered in a thick layer of dragon scales. The hand holding the Six Chen Whip also transformed into a sturdy dragon claw. As soon as Shen Luo''s transformation was completed, a silver light flashed in front of him¨Cthe Thunder Division Heavenly General had already closed the gap, his wind and thunder wings flapping as he aimed a direct hand blade strike towards Shen Luo''s neck. This strike was much faster than Shen Luo could react to, and he could not block or dodge it in time. A ¡°zzzz¡± sound of electric light, the golden electric filaments wrapped around the Heavenly General''s hand intertwined and wound to form a golden electric dagger resembling a blade, slashing Shen Luo''s neck, splattering a cluster of golden sparks. Sheltered by dragon scales, Shen Luo''s neck sustained no injuries, his hand gripping the Six Chen Whip suddenly swung out, transforming into a gigantic black light hitting the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s abdomen. A ¡°thud¡± of muffled sound followed, a cluster of black light exploded in front of Shen Luo, the body of the Thunder Division Heavenly General was hit hard and flung out hundreds of feet away. But before he even landed, his wings flapped again, a ¡°zzzz¡± buzzing sound of silver light, and the figure blurred again, transforming into a series of silver afterimages, disappearing into the void. Shen Luo''s eyes quickly moved around, his Divine Sense also covered the surroundings, unfortunately, his sight couldn''t keep up with the Thunder Division Heavenly General, and his Divine Sense could only detect mana fluctuations in all directions, but couldn''t discern his figure. Just as he was figuring this out, there was a sudden ¡°crackle¡± sound from above his head. Shen Luo abruptly looked up to see a figure falling from the sky, brandishing the Golden Staff like a judgment blade, stabbing towards him who was below. The charm patterns on the Golden Staff shone brightly; a layer of green and purple sparks mixed in with the silver light electric filaments, transforming into a thunder and lightning formation with a diameter of a hundred feet area, fell down like an overturned bowl. Even before the contact was made, Shen Luo noticed a numb sensation around his body, his body hair and hair stood on end, an odd power caged him from all directions, directly locking him in, preventing him from dodging or evading. At the same time, the golden light on the falling Golden Staff gleamed brighter and brighter, eventually transforming into a golden lightning bolt as thick as a child''s arm, suddenly shooting downwards. The golden lightning fell with incredible speed, in a flash, it struck Shen Luo straight in the forehead. Shen Luo only felt a chill on his forehead, and before he could even feel the power of the lightning, his skull had already exploded, his vision once again plunged into darkness, dead again. A moment later, when his vision had returned to normal, he was standing once again in the battle space, his heart filled with indescribable frustration. The combat strength of a Heavenly General at the True Immortal level was far beyond his imagination, even when he used the power of the Five Dragons and Five Elephants, he was completely incapable of withstanding an attack on vital parts. ¡°I can''t die again. If this goes on, the little bit of lifespan granted by reaching the Soul Condensation Stage can''t stand the torment. I don''t even know if I have enough left to return to reality.¡± Shen Luo lamented. He focused his gaze on the Thunder Division Heavenly General, calculating strategies in his heart, but no matter how he looked at it, he still felt that he had no chance of winning. Before he could figure it out, a silver flash burst in front of him, and the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s figure had already appeared behind him, sweeping with the golden long rod just like before. Shen Luo''s response was the same as before, temporarily pushing the Thunder Division Heavenly General back. Suddenly, the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s figure flashed, leaving afterimages in the void, once again disappearing into thin air. Shen Luo''s thoughts raced, his hands forming seals while he looked up towards the sky. Just then, a flash of lightning passed over head, the Heavenly General''s figure suddenly appeared, his double-handed grip on his rod falling like a guillotine sword, the surrounding arcs of green-purple electricity and silver electric threads reappeared, covering the surroundings. Just as Shen Luo was about to be bound by that strange power again, a divine beam of light suddenly shone in his eyes. He ruthlessly tugged his hand down and roared: ¡°Falling!¡± As his voice fell, an unseen force was drawn from the distant void, it seemed like stars were in motion, their light flickering. A golden star as large as a mountain, seemed to spring out from somewhere in the void, crashing diagonally down into the golden tower, leaving a bright trail of golden flame in the void. It was incredibly brilliant. Outside the Golden Tower, lights flashed across the light curtain, but it could not stop the descent of the golden star. The moment it passed through the light curtain of the Golden Tower, it seemed to go from being solid to being transparent, piercing through the light curtain, through the Golden Tower, through the combat space, and suddenly appearing over the head of the Thunder Division Heavenly General. The latter held a solemn expression, ignoring the change above his head, tightly gripping the golden long rod with charm patterns brightly glowing, a golden lightning had already formed a condensed close burst, firing towards Shen Luo. The agility of the golden lightning was still one step faster than the star shadow, and it was about to crash onto Shen Luo. The Dragon Elephant power within Shen Luo''s body had already been pushed to the limit, he forcibly broke free at the critical moment, twisting his body. There was a ¡°hissing¡± sound. The golden light didn''t directly hit Shen Luo''s skull, but went straight through his shoulder. Chapter 479 Chapter 479: Chapter 475: Pan Peach Chapter 479: Chapter 475: Pan Peach A stream of blood red light flashed out, and Shen Luo''s arm flew high, breaking off directly from the shoulder. His face instantly turned deathly pale, his body almost toppling over, but he stubbornly propped himself up with his Six Chen Whip on the ground. At this moment, the golden star phantom finally crashed down, hitting the Thunder Division Heavenly General. ¡°Rumble.¡± A violent explosion sound rang out, countless golden electric arcs shot in all directions, creating a large electric umbrella with a circumference of a hundred feet. The electric arcs were unpredictable, flickering incessantly. Shen Luo endured the pain and looked ahead, but was horrified to find that the figure of the Thunder Division Heavenly General was not far in front of him, his hands tightly gripped the golden long rod, half kneeling on the ground. The top of the long rod was just right against the golden star, making it impossible to fall. Sparks and electricity spanned at the point of collision, extremely dazzling. However, the force of the star''s descent was ultimately limited, its power was being continuously consumed in the intense collision, and its light gradually faded. But at this moment, a violent disturbance suddenly surged in the battle space above, a star phantom ten times larger than before appeared out of thin air, and it crashed on the star before. The light of the two merged instantly, and a huge oppressive force directly passed through and crashed down. The Thunder Division Heavenly General, who had been just managing to cope, could not support it all at once and got trampled by the stars. A dull collision sound passed, the entire battle space shook tremendously, a dense sound came from the ground''s stone platform, and giant cracks spread out like a spider web. A huge black pattern emerged on the shattered ground, with two five-pointed star patterns in the middle. There were cloud patterns around, and a hot star breath came from it. Shen Luo, holding the Six Chen Whip with one hand, slowly walked forward, the broken arm was enveloped by a vague white light, from which came a feeling of numbness and pain, itching and tingling. But at this moment he had no time to care for these, his expression changed slightly again when he saw clearly the star formation pattern in the center. Above those two star patterns, the Thunder Division Heavenly General was actually lying there, his wings had been torn to shreds by the star power, his armor was also completely shattered, and his whole person was trapped by a starlight and could not get up from the ground. ¡°It seems that only by reaching the True Immortal Realm and cultivating the real Three Stars Demolishing Demons, are there any chance of killing a being in True Immortal Realm in one shot.¡± After saying that, Shen Luo stepped forward without any hesitation, urged the Dragon Elephant Power, swung the Six Chen Whip, and struck the head of the Thunder Division Heavenly General. As a cluster of black light exploded above his head, the figure of the Thunder Division Heavenly General finally dissipated gradually. Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief, seeing a white light flying before his eyes, it went directly into his forehead. With this white light integrated into his divine soul, a huge wave was suddenly set off in Shen Luo''s sea of knowledge, as if a layer of thunderclouds filled it, flashing with electric light for a long time, only then gradually returned to normal. Shen Luo, defeated, sat down on the ground. After a short rest, he glanced sideways to see that his severed left arm had been regenerated. As the white light faded away, the color of the revealed arm was pink and seemed brand new. He moved it slightly, and once he confirmed that there was nothing abnormal, he closed his eyes, crossed his legs and began to meditate to recuperate. A moment later, Shen Luo returned from the combat space to the Golden Hall. In the Golden Hall, the Armored Heavenly General was seated. A light shone on the golden Treasure Pagoda in his hand, and suddenly the tower gate at the bottom of the pagoda slowly opened. A group of golden shine spun out and floated towards Shen Luo. As the light group took flight, Shen Luo felt an extraordinarily strange breath from it. His expression changed slightly and he quickly reached out to catch it. The golden light fell into his hand, and the glow gradually converged. A fresh peach of a teapot size, with a tender color, emerged from it. As soon as the peach appeared, an aroma reminiscent of orchids filled the air around it. Shen Luo wrinkled his nose and took a sniff. Immediately, the orchid fragrance followed his nostrils straight into his brain, making him feel refreshed and extremely comfortable. An idea occurred to him and he looked carefully at the fresh peach in his hand. He then discovered that the peach body was covered in a layer of dense downy hair of golden color. If you look closely, there was a seven-color shine refracted from it. ¡°The items that previously flew out from this Heavenly General Gold Tower were all incredibly high-rank golden cores. This fresh peach certainly wouldn''t be a common item¡­ Could it be the rumored Yaochi Pan Peach?¡± Shen Luo speculated in secret. Whether it was folk tales or various anecdotes, Shen Luo had seen the legend about the Pan Peach more than once. Legend has it that above the Immortal Realm is the Yaochi Pan Peach Garden, which has three thousand six hundred Immortal Peach Trees. The first one thousand two hundred ripen every three thousand years, they are small in size, but eating them enables one to stay fit and fend off all diseases. The middle one thousand two hundred ripen every six thousand years, and eating them provides one with eternal youth and allows for ascension to heaven during daylight. And the last one thousand two hundred ripen every nine thousand years. They allow one to have boundless lifespan, the same as heaven and earth, a lifespan as old as the sun and the moon. Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart, even forgetting to leave the Golden Hall, and immediately held up the Pan Peach and took a bite. He bit through the crisp peel of the Pan Peach, and a chunk of peach flesh fell into his mouth. He chewed it a few times, and a rich and sweet juice flowed out, filling his taste buds and teeth. Shen Luo''s pupils suddenly dilated. He only felt that his mouth watered, his teeth were fragrant, and the word ''taste'' alone seemed to have reached the peak of his life. He had never tasted such a wonderful flavor in his past, no matter when and where. For a moment, he felt that the sweet juice was sliding down his throat, seeming to moisten his entire body, making him feel into an unusually mysterious state. At this moment, Shen Luo was completely unaware that his clothes were fluttering without wind, and his body was enveloped by a layer of five-color shine. On all the meridians in his body, especially on the thirty-three meridians, a water-blue light shone. An invisible current was gradually surrounding him, gathering the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him. After swallowing a mouthful of Pan Peach, Shen Luo immediately took another bite, slowly chewing it, and feeling the extremely pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi contained in it, seeping into his body. At the same time, it seemed like a surging tidal wave was set off in his Dantian. It seemed as if the sound of a dragon chant came out from inside, the surging waves kept attacking. A blue Water Dragon formed from pure water-based Mana emerged within it. Like a Flood Dragon emerging from the sea, the moment this blue Water Dragon burst out of the Dantian, it met the misty Pan Peach spiritual power. It was like golden wind meeting jade dew, and the two immediately merged together. The Water Dragon, which was initially just in its embryonic state, seemed to have been injected with a soul the instant it absorbed the spiritual power of the Pan Peach. It raised its head and let out a dragon chant. A pair of spiritual lights shone in its eyes and it seemed as if dragon scales were appearing all over its body. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 480 Chapter 480: Chapter 476: The Arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation Chapter 480: Chapter 476: The Arrival of the Heavenly Tribulation The blue water dragon plunged into Shen Luo''s Ren meridian, and like a flood dragon travelling through a river, it charged straight towards the top along the wide meridian. Every place it passed, his meridian wildly pulsated. His meridian, already thicker than an average person''s, suddenly expanded by twice its size. The flood dragon went from the Ren meridian to the Du meridian, then to the Dai meridian when it reached the lower back. It then travelled along all of Shen Luo''s meridians, and as it absorbed more and more of the Pan Peach''s spiritual energy, the glow within Shen Luo''s meridians became brighter and brighter. Unconsciously, the Huangting Technique within Shen Luo''s body started to operate on its own. A storm seemed to rise in his sea of consciousness, with the last verse of the seventy-two verses of the Huangting Technique constantly echoing in the void of his divine consciousness: ¡°Heavenly Court and Earthly Pass are lined up in the furnace and scale. The Spirit''s Platform is so firm that it never declines.¡± In a short while, Shen Luo had consumed the whole Pan Peach, leaving only a long and bright red peach core in his hand. The complete spiritual energy of the Pan Peach was absorbed into his body, causing a burning sensation to well up all over him. Clenching the peach core in his palm, he muttered, ¡°That threshold¡­ it seems to be near¡­¡± Having said that, he casually threw down the peach core, raised his hands, formed a magic spell, and started to independently operate the Huangting Technique. Once Shen Luo initiated the Huangting Technique, a divine thought immediately manifested within his body. Riding atop the blue water dragon, single-handedly grasping the dragon''s horn, it surveyed all the acupoints in his body. Wherever the water dragon passed, each acupoint lit up with a blue light, as if a certain prohibition had been shattered. Each one popped up a miniature whirlpool and began to wildly spin. The feeling of being filled with mana when he was at the Great Mahayana Peak disappeared completely. Shen Luo only felt that every acupoint of his seemed like a hungry beast, greedily devouring the immense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. As more and more Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was absorbed into his body, Shen Luo''s clothes swelled up to the limit, and he began to float in mid-air, looking like an inflated balloon. Shen Luo was inwardly focused, fully operating the Huangting Technique, quickly transforming the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi absorbed into his body, and drawing it into his meridians and Dantian as mana. That small divine soul controlled the water dragon as it freely roamed within his body''s meridians. After circulating seven times, it finally stored up enough power to charge towards the bottleneck behind the Great Mahayana Peak. There, a very special acupoint calleNiwan Palace exists. Once this is breached, one can transform from being an ordinary mortal to an immortal. An ancient saying goes, ¡°An immortal pats my head, braids my hair, and grants me eternal life.¡± It refers to the immortal technique of breaking through the Niwan Palace, which can open a mortal''s immortal acupoint and grant them immortal techniques. However, this is merely a mortal''s fantasy. In reality, it''s not that simple. Only those who have cultivated up to the Great Mahayana Peak can try to break through the Niwan Palace. Any rash attempt will damage their divine soul, leading to a state where their physical body and divine soul are disconnected, and they will never have the possibility of reaching the True Immortal Realm again. Just then, suddenly, an unexpected change occurred. ¡°Dong¡­¡± In the originally empty golden hall, a drumming sound suddenly resounded out of nowhere. ¡°What is that¡­¡± Shen Luo was shocked awake by the drumming sound and suddenly opened his eyes. The water dragon inside his body also temporarily halted its upward surge, hovering in the area of the Dazhui acupoint, continuously spinning. ¡°Dong¡­¡± After a short pause, a bell rang again. ¡°The triumphant drum beats thrice, Heavenly Tribulation descends upon the world.¡± At this moment, waves began to ripple from the body of the Armored Heavenly General sitting on the throne in the hall. A somewhat indifferent voice emanated from his body. ¡°Heavenly Tribulation? What''s going on? Typically, doesn''t the Heavenly Tribulation descend only after entry into the True Immortal Realm?¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a sense of tightness in his heart. Shen Luo had conversed in detail with Bai Xiaoyun about becoming a true immortal and thus knew quite a lot about it. Upon comprehending the nature of the Mud Pill, one could transform from being a mortal to an immortal. After that, Heavenly Tribulation would descend to temper the divine soul, to refine the muscles and bones, in order to remove all impurities from the physical body and thus solidify the True Immortal Realm. This Heavenly Tribulation has always been perilous, and very few can successfully withstand its test. If someone from an cultivating aristocratic family or sect could achieve this, it often required the full strength of the entire family or sect in preparation. Initially, Bai Xiaotian only attempted to break through under the full support of the Bai Family and the protection of the Hua Sheng Temple. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unfortunately, he failed. Finally, he had to destroy a precious magical treasure passed down within the Hua Sheng Temple to barely preserve his life, ultimately turning into a half-immortal. His case is one of the better ones. Many more people could not withstand it, were killed by the Heavenly Tribulation, and ultimately ended up with both body and spirit annihilated, unable to reincarnate. There are also some special individuals who, despite their bodies being destroyed by the Heavenly Tribulation, managed to have their divine souls survive and thus obtain tremendous power. They''re referred to as Ghost Immortals. ¡°If I had known, I wouldn''t have eaten the Pan Peach in such a hurry¡­¡± Shen Luo regretted in his heart. Naturally, he didn''t want to become a half-immortal or end up as a Ghost Immortal. Unfortunately, by this moment, it was too late for regrets. ¡°Boom¡­¡± With the last sound of the Kui drum, a golden mist suddenly arose above the Golden Hall, and four large figures emerged from it. Shen Luo looked up to see four giant figures, clad in golden armor, emerging. Each of them held an axe-like magical instrument in their hands and looked at him indifferently from below. The aura of those few individuals was very unique, unlike the Armored Heavenly General and the Heavenly Soldiers he had encountered before. There was no hint of humanity or divine spirit in them. They appeared naturally-formed yet exuded an incredibly powerful suppressive aura of Heaven and Earth. ¡°Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers.¡± He murmured. It was rumored that the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers wielded Heavenly Tribulation and Heavenly Punishment. The former tested the ascension of mortals to immortality, while the latter punished the sinning immortal. Naturally, their powers were not to be underestimated. Seeing this, Shen Luo could only steel his heart. Turning his wrist, he summoned the Six Chen Whip. Just then, the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers overhead moved abruptly, spreading apart and occupying the four cardinal directions of southeast, northwest. Simultaneously, chanting sounds emerged from their mouths. In a flash, the chant, similar to Buddhist scriptures, echoed throughout the Golden Hall. The soldiers'' bodies rippled with waves of spiritual power, and a cross-like formation pattern surfaced in the void. As the array surfaced, Shen Luo suddenly felt the air around him stagnate as if the flow of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi had slowed down. An unsettling silence enveloped the surroundings, and he could even clearly hear his own heartbeat. Shen Luo''s brow was coated with a slight veneer of sweat due to the intense repression from above. He involuntarily swallowed, and secretly started to run the Huangting Technique. The water dragon coiled around his Dazhui acupoint also raised its head as if facing a great enemy. Just then, the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers suddenly struck each other with their axes, making a resounding ¡°clang¡± noise! Chapter 481 Chapter 481: Chapter 477: Battle with Heavenly Tribulation Chapter 481: Chapter 477: Battle with Heavenly Tribulation The array that floated in the void suddenly illuminated brightly, as a snow-white electric light emerged from the middle, illuminating the entire hall. No sooner was this done than a thunderous roar echoed, and a larger bolt of lightning shot straight down from above. An unusual gleam flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as the mana within his body surged, streaming into the Six Chen Whip. The black light on the whip''s body erupted, blooming like a black sun and colliding mightily with the snow-white electric light. With a ¡°blast¡± sound, it exploded! The black light burst apart instantly, and the snow-white lightning pierced through it, striking the Six Chen Whip directly. There was a ¡°crackling¡± sound from the whip, sparking off a string of electric arcs. Shen Luo, seeing this, instantly swung his whip, and a layer of black light sprung from the Six Chen Whip, breaking apart the cluster of sparks. His gaze flickered slightly, and he felt a bit puzzled; the might of the Heavenly Tribulation in front of him did not seem as formidable as he had imagined. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This is just the first thunder of the Heavenly Tribulation, and there are eight more to come. Each one will be more powerful than the previous. You haven''t truly stepped into the True Immortal Realm yet, and you can only withstand no more than five thunder tribulations, after which you will inevitably perish.¡± The voice of the Armored Heavenly General rang out again at this point. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed deeply. This Heavenly Tribulation did indeed come strangely. It was supposed to come when he first stepped into the True Immortal Realm, but it arrived much earlier, forcing him into such a predicament. But there was no point in figuring this out now. ¡°Ding¡­¡± Even before Shen Luo could realize a countermeasure, the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers made their move again. The light on the Grand Cross Formation flashed once more as two thunder lights rose simultaneously from the left and right sides, rushing towards the center. They barely met when they suddenly fell to the Lower Frontier. With a move of Shen Luo''s heart, the Huangting Divine Power within his body quickly activated, and a huge elephant''s shadow, with its front hooves high, appeared behind him, letting out an earth-shaking elephant roar. A golden dragon came spiraling out, incessantly chanting the dragon chant. He stomped his feet hard; the entire hall shook violently, and layers of golden light surged towards the sky, his arm raised high, his five fingers mimicking claws as he thrust powerfully against the falling thunder light. A gigantic golden dragon claw materialized out of nowhere, and in sync with Shen Luo''s palm, it clashed with the pillar of thunder and lightning falling from the sky. ¡°Rumble¡± A great burst of sound echoed throughout the entire golden hall. At the collision site of the silver lightning and golden dragon claw, countless silver arcs shot out in all directions, creating a brilliant silver umbrella over Shen Luo''s head. The numerous arcs ricocheted off the silver umbrella, exerting such a force that Shen Luo''s figure slightly bowed, and his entire arm felt numb. Tiny electric currents even sneaked into his body, causing a sharp pain in his organs. ¡°Get off me!¡± Shen Luo gritted his teeth, letting out a roaring yell. As he stomped the ground once again, the elephant behind him followed suit. The golden dragon, following the golden dragon claw, spiraled up, rushing towards the silver lightning. With a ¡°boom,¡± The silver lightning shattered completely upon the impact with the golden dragon. A violent surge of strength rushed upwards, striking the array light screen, causing it to shake tremendously. After this blow, Shen Luo''s golden light faded, and the immense Dragon Elephant image behind him disappeared. He exhaled lightly, looking up at the sky, seeing the fluctuations on the array light screen had disappeared, returning to calm. Meanwhile, the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers were all looking down at him with solemn expressions. ¡°Indeed, it''s much more formidable than the first time, but if it keeps escalating at this rate, it seems there''s nothing to be afraid of?¡± Shen Luo pondered in doubt. On second thought, he acknowledged it wouldn''t be as simple as he imagined, now hesitating: should he take advantage of the gap between the thunder tribulations to attempt a breakthrough of the Niwan Palace barrier? ¡°The Armored Heavenly General wouldn''t deceive me, the power of the thunder tribulations might be beyond my imagination. It''s safer to first breakthrough to the True Immortal Realm.¡± Shen Luo thought it through and made a decision. He immediately sat down crossed-legged; with a magic spell between his hands, he submerged his mind into his body, seated atop the crown of the water dragon''s head, attempting to drive it to continue attacking the Niwan Palace. But as the thoughts arose, the water dragon did not immediately move. Instead, it continued to raise its head, appearing still hostile towards the external heavenly thunder. Shen Luo''s thoughts condensed, guiding the water dragon with his mind power. At last, it roared and charged straight at the Niwan Palace with a wagging head and tail. The water dragon surged rapidly, surrounded closely by water attribute mana, as though it was a dragon in the clouds with thousands of atmosphere. It charged skyward with an imposing momentum, but just when it was about to knock on the gateway, another thunderous roar rang out. Above Shen Luo''s head, four pillars of silver thunder intertwining formed an enormous thunderball from above, plummeting downwards, wrapped around countless child-arm-sized whipping thunder lights, whipping down towards Shen Luo. This time, Shen Luo did not stop his attack on the Niwan Palace. Instead, he made a strenuous effort on both fronts: One side, driving with full momentum to break open the barrier, and on the other, utilizing the Huangting Divine Power to withstand the heavenly thunder. Around him emerged a dazzling golden light. Three golden dragon phantoms flew out, charging the spherical thunder and lightning in a ''three dragons snatching pearl'' manner. As the dragon head pierced into the thunderball, a series of violent thunder roars echoed. Countless lightning threads surged outward, striking the golden dragon''s body like the dragon execution platform of the Immortal Realm was opening, scraping the golden scales from the dragon''s body, exposing the flesh and bones within. The golden dragon''s body twisted restlessly. After holding out for a moment, it finally could not bear it. The golden light on its body rapidly peeled off, eventually turning into countless golden starlights and disappeared. The spherical thunder, under the wearing of the golden dragon, gradually weakened its power. Its tremendous form swiftly shrank by half, but its falling momentum did not hesitate at all. At this time, the three golden elephants also turned their heads, waving their trunks towards the thunderball. However, the power of the trunks was far inferior to the thunderball. At the point of contact, they were torn apart by the silver thunder into fragments. However, just an instant later, the huge heads of the three giant elephants pushed together, forming a shield-like structure above Shen Luo''s head. His eyebrows knitted in concentration, his face full of tension. Taking advantage of the momentary lapse of the thunder tribulation, he drove the water dragon in his body with all his might to attack the Niwan Palace. However, at the location of his Niwan Palace, it seemed as if a barrier was set up, with a layer of black light screen floating above it. When the water dragon reached the front, it raised its head abruptly. It carried a mighty water attribute mana, and charged against it. A dull ¡°boom¡± sounded, echoing inside Shen Luo. His body shuddered violently, a buzzing sound rang out in his mind, and the three giant elephants blocking above his head were also affected. They staggered, fell through by the spherical lightning, and then fell down. Chapter 482 Chapter 482: Chapter 478 Reborn Chapter 482: Chapter 478 Reborn ¡°Sizzzz¡± The moment the spherical lightning touched the ground, it radiated brightly into a huge cage of electrified whips protection, fully surrendering Shen Luo''s body. Thunderous whips extended crazily from the walls of the cage, ruthlessly lashing at him. With every sound of arcing electricity, the golden aura surrounding Shen Luo swiftly dispersed, and beneath his clothes appeared streaks of crimson wounds. However, within his body, the black screen in front of the Mud Pill Palace was as sturdy as Mount Tai, even under the fierce onslaught of water dragons. It was the dragons themselves which were influenced by the thunder and lightning, stalling in their rotation for a moment. ¡°Crackle¡± Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Another thunderclap echoed as a lightning strike hit Shen Luo''s back, rendering his entire body numb and leaving him virtually unconscious. In this desperate situation, Shen Luo had no choice but to divert most of his internal magical power, running exhaustedly in the circulation of Huangting Divine Power. With his internal power rapidly circulating, the silhouette of the four giant elephants emerged around Shen Luo''s body. However, they did not surround him as a unit, but instead stood guard around him separately, angrily roaring in all four directions. As Shen Luo willed it, the entire bodies of the four elephants suddenly lit up with brilliant golden light, resembling a raging inferno. They immediately charged in all directions, aiming straight towards the internal walls of the spherical lightning. The spherical lightning, already heavily consumed, could not withstand the powerful impact of the elephants, shattering with a ¡°bang.¡± Countless sparks of electricity scattered around, many of which drilled again into Shen Luo''s body, causing him to groan in distress. Finally surviving this third wave of heavenly tribulation, Shen Luo did not even have time to examine his injuries, instead manifesting his internal water dragons again to continuously bombard the Mud Pill Palace barrier. ¡°Rumble, Rumble, Rumble¡± The aura of the water dragons was greater in each rotation than in the last, their strength becoming more dominant with each hit. Their shapes continued to crash into the black light screen. However, the black light screen was ever still, steady as a mountain. The more Shen Luo struggled, the more anxious he became, as he saw the approaching next heavenly tribulation. ¡°Inside there is an array barrier, outside there is lightning chasing, has anyone ever had such bad luck in advancing into immortality?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help sighing. Then, a flicker of an idea suddenly crossed his mind. ¡°Stones from other hills can be used for jade! Why didn''t I think of that?¡± His eyes suddenly brightened as he murmured to himself. Having said that, Shen Luo''s face changed slightly, as if he were hesitating. However, at this moment, the fourth heavenly tribulation arrived. The cross-shaped array above his head lit up with electricity at each end, and four green electric glows converged in the middle. At the intersection point, they transformed into an electric whirlpool, flickering, and rumbling continuously. Unlike the previously massive lightning, this electric vortex was much smaller in volume, and its power was increasingly intense. The power contained within it was naturally even more overbearing. Shen Luo glanced up, couldn''t help but swallow hard, and hurriedly activated his Huangting Divine Power to prepare for a direct confrontation. However, just as his arm was about to lift, he suddenly lowered it, placing the Six Chen Whip aside. His eyes closed, he sat down as if he had given up on resistance, seemingly ready to face death. ¡°Rumble¡± The lightning vortex above his head spun faster and faster. One by one, the oppressive sound of thunder echoed. An extraordinarily solid lightning pillar suddenly emerged from the end of the vortex. It was entwined with green light and shot down at Shen Luo. In this instant, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly opened, he leaned slightly forward, and his hands quickly made a magic spell. Suddenly, a cyan whirlpool appeared above his head and rushed towards the green thunder pillar. The moment the green lightning pillar and the cyan whirlpool touched, instead of opposing each other, they actually integrated. The thunder pillar was guided by Shen Luo to penetrate through his body, and in a flash, has completely submerged his form. With a ¡°boom¡±! The whole golden hall shook, Shen Luo''s figure was oppressed by the green light thunder column, countless wounds instantaneously emerged all over his body, the flesh and blood inside turned into charred black, even with smoke wafting out. Shen Luo let out a long roar to the sky, but his voice was drowned by the thunder. The intense pain covered his entire body, almost making his will falter. However, at this moment, he must tighten his heartstring and make the final push. Inside his body, countless electric threads shuttle through his muscles, flesh, and bones, striking his internal organs, but he had no time to pay attention, driving the water dragon with his will, rushing towards the Mud Pill Palace for the last time. Unlike before, at this moment, the water dragon is wrapped in streaks of green lightning, like a dragon descending to the world, its momentum is earth-shattering. But if you look carefully, you will notice that the thunder and lightning wrapped around the water dragon is not being utilised by him, but rather the lightning is rapidly consuming the mana in the water dragon with every flash. However, at this moment, the water dragon charges forth with a desperate attitude, swiftly rushing towards the black barrier. ¡°Boom¡±! The roar from within Shen Luo''s body filled his ears, almost covering all the surrounding sounds, and suddenly after the sound, it became silent. ¡°Did I succeed?¡± At this moment, almost all the flesh on Shen Luo''s body had been torn off, leaving only a bloody skeleton and membrane wrapped around his viscera, shaking uncontrollably, but the final thought remained in his heart. ¡°Crack¡± At this moment, a clear sound of shattering resonated, the barrier blocking the Mud Pill Palace finally shattered at this moment. The already battle-scarred water dragon shot out and jumped into the Mud Pill Palace, swirling and swimming freely like a flood dragon entering the sea, its mana quickly cycling around the body at the same time. Immediately, the sounds of heaven and earth seemed to return, the thunder gradually diminished, but the wind got louder. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± A golden vortex appeared outside Shen Luo, revolving rapidly around him, the dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him were summoned, and gathered towards him, constantly pouring into his body. At this time, the Great Unsealing Technique started to run on its own, Shen Luo''s bones and internal organs were wrapped in a layer of golden light, and outside was a hazy white brilliant light. Inside the white light, chunks of charred flesh and blood were seen shedding on their own, and new flesh was growing at a visible speed, bit by bit. But moments later, Shen Luo''s flesh was completely reborn, and the skin on his body was fully restored, glowing white, and his whole person looked as clean as jade, extremely transparent. Meanwhile, the massive Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi continued to pour into his body, constantly transforming into extremely refined Mana, gathering in his Dantian and Meridians, fluctuating erratically. Shen Luo slightly introspected and found that his Dantian had expanded more than twice as much as before, the liquid Mana inside was gathered like a lake, shimmering with luminous light, with a vast atmosphere. The Pure Yang Sword Qi also seemed to have benefited a lot, it looked even more solid and pure than before. What delighted Shen Luo the most was that his bones, after being tempered by the Heavenly Tribulation thunderfire, actually emitted a faint golden glow, clearly more resilient and powerful than before. ¡°Is this what they call reincarnation in the legends?¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed but did not let up, continue to gulp down the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, tempered his flesh and bones. The Divine Soul, which had fused with the physical body after reaching the Great Mahayana Stage, had also completed its transformation after advancing to the True Immortal Realm. Chapter 483 Chapter 483: Chapter 479: Explosion Charm Chapter 483: Chapter 479: Explosion Charm When Shen Luo''s divine soul emerged, although he still couldn''t break through the prohibition of the Golden Tower, he could clearly sense that his divine soul seemed to have materialized itself, freely wandering around the Heaven and Earth as if he could gain knowledge of scenes thousands of miles away in an instant. Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly widened, as if golden light breathed from them, retracting and expanding unpredictably. His Mana flows around him, as if incessant from afar. With just a wave of his hand or a lift of his foot, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him was being drawn into him like a river, flowing around him non-stop. At that moment, an odd sound came from above. Then, a loud ¡°rumble¡± echoed, and the Heavenly Tribulation fell again unsuitably. Above his head, a net of electricity was woven, and fists-sized thunderballs condensed, falling down like a heavy rain, exploding one after another even before they hit the ground. The bursting thunderballs contained pure thunder and lightning intent, crazily slashing towards Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo stood up from his spot, but did not reach for the Six Chen Whip beside him. Instead, he spun like a top, charging a punch. He suddenly rose to his feet and threw a punch upward. At the moment of this punch, his inner Mana swelled like raging rivers, rushing out through the Meridians on his arm. When one punch comes, a hundred follow! Rows upon rows of water-colored punch shadows emerged, covered with a layer of pale golden punches, like a storm rising from the earth, counterattacking the lightning in the sky. Shen Luo''s entire body flowed with punching intent, as if connected to Heaven and Earth. His Mana drew an abundant amount of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushing upwards, following behind the punch shadows like a tidal wave. Punch shadows and thunderballs collided, the exploded light illuminated the entire Golden Hall, the reverse surge of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi gathered all residual punch power and lightning into the Array. The Cross Array floating in the sky above the hall shook violently, a layer of golden light rippled, and combined with the rolling Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, neutralized all fluctuations, and all lightning disappeared. This thunder tribulation was pushed back by Shen Luo. ¡°Utilizing the Heavenly Soldier''s abilities with the True Immortal Realm is indeed extraordinary.¡± Shen Luo was quite surprised by this. He learned this Trembling Fist from a Silver Armored Heavenly Soldier he had fought before, and its power far exceeded his expectations. Shen Luo took a deep breath, and once again sat cross-legged, started to adjust his breath, and stabilized his realm. After a while, the Cross Array above his head started to fluctuate again. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, looked up, and raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he thought of something. Then, he took out the Seven Star Pen from under him, swiped his palm gently, took out a set of new clothes, and put them on. Then, the Seven Star Pen flashed again, and a stack of Talisman Paper and a box of Talisman Ink appeared. Shen Luo took out several sheets of Green Frost Paper, the talisman pen danced on the paper after soaking in the ink. For a while, the Mana within him flowed out like Living Source Water, flowed down along the pen tip, and as soon as the runes were written, the entire talisman paper glowed with purple light, and a ¡°Thunderfall Talisman¡± was formed. Shen Luo did not hesitate and immediately wrote on the second talisman paper. Surprisingly, it went very well and a talisman was formed in one stroke. After successive creation of three Thunderfall Talismans, before Shen Luo could start on the fourth talisman, a sudden thunder sounded above his head, and a green and purple intertwined thunder and lightning light pillar fell from the sky, slashing towards him. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately flicked his hand, and a talisman paper immediately flew out with a ¡°whoosh¡±. The glamour of the charm patterns was brilliant, pulling the lightning to fall on the talisman paper. ¡°Sizzle¡± A flash of lightning flickered, and the Thunderfall Talisman began to absorb the surrounding thunder and lightning in earnest. However, the good scene did not last long. Just a few moments later, the Thunderfall Talisman exploded with a loud bang, a flash of flames split it apart. The green-purple lightning continued its course downwards, striking towards Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo wrinkled his brows slightly. A water-blue light shone all over his body. With one hand, he raised the Six Chen Whip and thrust it into the high sky with great force. The whip spun rapidly and flew upwards. A black light from it transformed into a rotating black sun, blocking the falling green-purple lightning. ¡°Crackle ¡± The sound of electric crackling grew louder and louder. One after another, green and purple lightning whips burst from the rotating sun, lashing out in all directions. Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened, and with another flick of his other hand, another green talisman paper flew into the air, heading towards the splashing lightning whip. The talisman paper flew closer, and the light of the charm patterns shone on it, probing towards the lightning whip once more. The lightning whip, like a spiritual snake, penetrated the surface of the talisman paper. It was immediately torn apart by the power inside and began to merge into the talisman paper. This time, the green talisman paper withstood the bombardment of lightning, lasting for about ten breaths. The glow on its surface became more and more intense. Shen Luo, watching this, was elated. Seeing that the power of the lightning absorbed by the talisman paper was nearing its limit, he hastily beckoned for it, trying to recall the talisman paper. However, the talisman paper swayed a few times in mid-air, then was firmly gripped by the lightning whip. No matter how Shen Luo tugged, it could not fly back. Moments later, it exploded into dust in a dazzling glow. Shen Luo furrowed his brow and was about to try a third piece of talisman paper when the green and purple lightning above his head suddenly increased in brightness. Following that, a massive pressure emerged from it, forcing the Six Chen Whip downward. ¡°There''s more to come?¡± Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. He promptly changed his control method from one hand to two, and a blue light shone from his palms. With a sudden upward push, the black sun on the Six Chen Whip instantly exploded. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the black light mixed with the green-purple lightning exploded. Countless green-purple entangled electrical wires flickered intermittently in the void, scattering and drifting apart. Seeing this, Shen Luo, feeling a bit regretful, waved his hand and launched the last Thunderfall Talisman into the sky, absorbing the scattered lightning. After a moment, most of the remaining lightning was absorbed by the talisman paper, and the remaining traces gradually disappeared into the void. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo raised his hand, recalling that green talisman paper, holding it in his palm and looking carefully. Upon inspection, he found that this Thunderfall Talisman was completely different from the ones he had drawn before. Although the talisman paper had not been activated by mana, traces of the power of thunder and lightning were already seeping out. Astonishingly, green-purple lightning patterns manifested in the air around the charm patterns. Even without using this talisman, it was enough to deter most of the Yin Sha ghosts just by placing it there. Delighted, Shen Luo put away the talisman in his hand. With a moment of hesitation, he swung the Seven Star Pen, and a purple light flashed in the void. Several pieces of his treasured Purple Cloud Talisman Paper appeared. (The new book''s QQ group 474739509, Daoist friends can join^^) Chapter 484 Chapter 484: Chapter 480: Stabilize the Soul Chapter 484: Chapter 480: Stabilize the Soul ¡°Green Frost Paper is inherently of low quality, unable to withstand the full power of Heavenly Thunder. I wonder if the Purple Cloud Paper can bear its force?¡± Shen Luo wondered to himself. Without further hesitation, he began to draw the Falling Thunder Rune. Perhaps it was due to his recent breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage, and his aura was at its peak. He drew four talismans in succession, all of them seamlessly completed, as if by divine intervention. After he finished drawing, Shen Luo put away the Seven Star Pen and looked up. A white light flickered on the cross array above. Shen Luo felt a surge of heat and subconsciously dodged, not daring to look directly. Immediately afterward, a thunderous roar sounded, and a snowy white thunder light fell from the sky like a waterfall. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed. Waves of golden light rolled around his body, and the figures of four giant elephants and four golden dragons appeared simultaneously. The light flashed and vanished, making his body abruptly grow twice as large. His legs turned into golden elephant feet, and his hands became enormous golden dragon claws. His internal mana was working, he paused and then swatted one claw into the high altitude. A spiral of golden light surged around him, bursting from his arm and forming a giant golden dragon claw to meet the descending waterfall of lightning. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­¡± A series of thunderous explosions sounded as the snowy white electric light collided with the golden dragon claw, setting off numerous silver sparks. Several thunder pillars shot out from the gaps in the dragon claw, heading in all directions. Shen Luo felt an unsurpassed torrent of yang energy penetrating his body, causing him to feel an unbearable heat. The Pure Yang Sword Qi within him also seemed to react, surging chaotically within his meridians in an excited manner. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Armored Heavenly General''s golden tower showed a bright light, and a shadow of a golden tower appeared inside, shielding himself and isolating the incoming snowy white electric light. The rest of the great hall was hit by the thunder and lightning, causing dust and rocks to splatter everywhere. The waterfall of lightning continued to fall, but Shen Luo stood firm. With a thought, the Pure Yang Sword Qi in his body shot directly to the palm of his left hand and broke free. From the highly raised dragon claw in Shen Luo''s hand, golden light also accumulated, formed a golden light group that expanded and finally exploded with a ¡°boom¡±. The exploding golden light didn''t scatter, but surged upwards like a golden river, forcing the thunder waterfall back several meters and stagnating in mid-air. At the junction of the two, a white sword shadow continuously shuttled back and forth between the golden light and the thunder waterfall, its sharp edge becoming more and more intense. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a surge of exhilaration. His other hand also gestured, and the four Purple Cloud Talisman Papers lying on the ground immediately rose and surrounded the snowy white lightning waterfall. The runes on them faced the lightning, emitting lights in layers. An absorbing force was transmitted from each of the four talisman papers, flowing towards the central thunder waterfall. From the middle of the thunder waterfall, four thumb-thick branches of Positive Yang Thunder extended and converged on the talisman paper. Unlike the previous absorption of lightning by the Green Frost Paper, the current thunder waterfall was restrained by Shen Luo''s golden light and sword qi. The four Purple Cloud Talisman Papers were at just the right distance, creating a delicate balance among them. This allowed the extremely rigid and positive white thunder to flow smoothly into the talisman paper. This tribulation of thunder continued for the duration of a cup of tea before finally converging and being smoothly overcome by Shen Luo. Shen Luo beckoned, and the white sword shadow formed by the Pure Yang Sword Qi reluctantly receded from the sky. Circulating around his palm, its luster was translucent, solid-like, and its spirit and power had both increased. Shen Luo was too occupied to observe its various changes at the moment. After dismissing it, he picked up the four Thunderfall Talismans again. The four talismans shimmered beautifully on the surface. Surrounding the rune were lightning patterns formed by pure thunderbolts. Just by touching them, he could clearly feel the terrifying power concealed within. If used properly, it might be possible to inflict serious damage on a True Immortal Realm Cultivator. If he happened to encounter Yin Sha Ghosts or malicious Ghost Cultivators, these talismans may bring unexpected benefits. Having stored the Thunderfall Talismans, Shen Luo did not continue to draw talismans, instead, he started to meditate and adjust himself. Through his experiences with the Thunder Tribulations, he could roughly guess how powerful the next ones would be. He knew that as long as he concentrated, he could withstand them, but if his mind wandered, he would make things unnecessarily difficult for himself. However, a moment later, the eighth Thunder Tribulation descended. It was a jet-black Xuan Yin Thunder. Shen Luo tried to combat it with the Six Chen Whip, but it pierced straight through and struck him on the head. This thunderbolt entered his body silently, but in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge, it set off a monstrous wave! If Shen Luo had not enhanced his Divine Sense power through practicing diligently, after previously honing it at Mount Fangcun, this Xuan Yin Thunder might have shattered his Sea of Knowledge, destroyed his Divine Soul, leaving him as nothing more than an Immortal''s empty shell, a walking corpse. However, the benefits of enduring this Thunder Tribulation were also very clear. It made Shen Luo''s Divine Soul increasingly stable. His Divine Soul and physical body had been slightly separated after his breakthrough, but now, they were harmoniously integrated. ¡°Bang¡± Just as Shen Luo was steadying his Sea of Knowledge, a Kui Drum suddenly sounded above his head. With the arrival of this drum sound, the whole great hall suddenly plunged into an indescribable solemn and heavy atmosphere. Shen Luo looked up at the sky and saw a seven-colored light blooming in the central part of the Cross Array above his head. As soon as his gaze touched the light, he couldn''t take his eyes off it. Immediately after, the light abruptly flashed and got brighter and brighter. Shen Luo''s eyes were stung by the dazzling light, but he couldn''t look away, until after a blinding white light had flashed, his vision returned to normal. However, when he looked around again, he found that he was no longer in the original golden palace, but suspended in a stretch of golden clouds, with rumbling sounds echoing around him from time to time. ¡°Here is¡­¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed, full of awe and doubt. Just then, the clouds around began to churn violently, and rumbling sounds were relayed from all directions. As Shen Luo turned his gaze, he saw thunderbolts flashing around him, and dragon-shaped lightning sparking in the clouds, rushing towards him. The auras contained within those streaks of lightning were different from the previous eight Thunder Tribulations. Upon closer examination, Shen Luo felt as if there was a lively consciousness within those lightning bolts, which was rushing towards him while also assessing him. But now he had no time to think about this, he immediately operated the Huangting Technique to its fullest extent. His whole body''s Meridian glowed brightly, emanating an enormous aura. Six Golden Dragons coiled out around his body, and the four giant elephants roared towards the sky. Chapter 485 Chapter 485: Chapter 481 Unprecedented Chapter 485: Chapter 481 Unprecedented Shen Luo clapped his hands together, a flash of golden light crossing his eyes, as his momentum instantly exploded around him. Before the dragon-shaped lightning in his surroundings could get closer, the six pairs of golden dragons and elephants had already charged out. The golden light between them linked together, forming something akin to a golden city wall, pushing and repelling against all sides. The surrounding dragon-shaped lightning struck, crashing against the golden ¡°city wall¡±, immediately resulting in a series of earth-shaking roars. Countless golden electric lightning erupted from the point of collision, submerging an area within a thousand-foot-radius entirely. In just the snap of a finger, Shen Luo''s entire body, including the golden dragons and elephants, had been engulfed by the lightning, making them vanish from sight. ¡°He actually attracted the thunder pool to refine his body; he might very well be the one we have been waiting for¡­¡± A voice belonging to the Armored Heavenly General echoed once again from the great hall. Only this time, instead of his usually calm tone, it was full of surprise and joy. Within the boundless thunder and lightning, strands of dragon-shaped lightning continually traversed from the clouds, continuously charging against the lightning engulfed region. As they exploded again and again, they further compressed the space of that region. Within that thunder domain, the figures of the six dragons and elephants were forced to retreat continuously under the pressure. The electrifying light from all around was constantly gathering towards the center, pressing against Shen Luo in the middle. Right in front, a hundred-foot-long enormous lightning-shaped golden dragon charged towards him with its mouth wide open, revealing intertwined electric threads and thunderous roaring voices, heading towards him with a biting attack. Shen Luo felt this overwhelming momentum rushing towards him; rather than showing any signs of fear, it instead stirred up the unyielding spirit that had been within him ever since he was a child. Overwhelmed by darkness, I scoured all the ends of the Earth! Besieged by evil spirits, I fought to the death! Short of lifespan, I tried my utmost to make up for it! The threat of death has never been far away, yet the hope of survival has also never been given up. It''s just another test of life and death. As long as I don''t admit defeat, no one in this world can make me bow down! Shen Luo''s fighting spirit soared within him, and he let out a battle cry. In the next instant, the dragon and elephant phantoms surrounding him began to shrink and no longer resisted the thunder and lightning. Instead, they all merged into his body, making him glimmer with golden light, and a layer of dense golden scales appeared on the surface of his body. With Shen Luo''s eyes narrowing, he raised his Six Chen Whip in his hand. The Huangting Technique and the Nameless Method were operating at the same time. The Pure Yang Sword Qi within his body also gushed out and was fed into the black whip. ¡°Hah!¡± Seeing that the lightning was about to strike, Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, and with a single hand forming a sword technique, he wielded his Six Chen Whip like a sword, unleashing a Wildfire Sky Raising technique, skewing upwards towards the sky. In a flash, a sharp sword aura rang out as a massive sword shadow appeared on the Six Chen Whip, cleaving towards the Golden Lightning Dragon. ¡°Boom!¡± A booming sound echoed! An exceedingly formidable sword aura ascended to the sky, stirring up cloud vapors within hundreds of feet. Lightning writhed about, and the Lightning Golden Dragon was penetrated by the sword, the void behind its body also tore open a hole that was enormous beyond belief, taking a while before closing up. However, the dragon-shaped electric light surrounding him accelerated and rushed into Shen Luo''s body in an instant. ¡°Zzz!¡± A series of electric sparks flickered. Shen Luo was enveloped by thunder and lightning, causing his whole body to become dazzlingly bright. Unknown time had passed when the thunderous roars finally ceased, all anomalies gradually faded away, and a figure slowly descended from above The Golden Palace, his whole body shrouded in a layer of brilliant light¨Cit was Shen Luo. At this moment, his eyes were closed tightly, he was sitting cross-legged with his hands resting on his knees, his black hair erect towards the sky, his clothes wavering until he touched the ground, then it slowly fell down. After a few moments, he slowly opened his eyes, his eyes glittering, looking vibrant. ¡°Being favored by the Heavenly Dao and granted the opportunity to be tempered by the sea of thunder is no easy feat. The weight of your True Immortal body and the firmness of your foundation surpass most immortals.¡± At this time, a voice sounded. Shen Luo turned his head and saw the face of the Armored Heavenly General coming to life once again, speaking directly to him. He looked down at his own arm upon hearing this, seeing the skin as shiny and smooth as jade, and the color of his bones changed from the pale golden of when he first entered the True Immortal Realm to a richer gold color now. ¡°Elder, what happened with this thunder tribulation?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Even though the Heavenly Tribulation is managed by the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers, it is indeed controlled by the Heavenly Dao. Why it happened prematurely, I do not know. It could be because of the unique aura you possess, or it might be due to the irregular operations of the Heavenly Dao after the disaster of demons. Nevertheless, seeing the outcome, you have survived the test of the Heavenly Tribulation and gained a lot from it.¡± The Armored Heavenly General replied. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Luo questioned in his heart. ¡°Throughout this endless time, there have been innumerable strong contenders on the Ascending to Immortality Road. However, among those who acted like you during the Heavenly Tribulation are rare. I remember only a few.¡± The Armored Heavenly General didn''t continue his explanation and instead stated this. ¡°Acted like me?¡± Shen Luo asked in confusion. ¡°Daring to refine symbols with the Thunder of Heavenly Tribulation, such a deed has never been done before nor will it be done in the future. In the past, only a pig demon from the lower realm dared to devour the Heavenly Thunder with a Gluttonous Mouth during Crossing Tribulation.¡± The Armored Heavenly General explained. ¡°There are such heroes¡­¡± Shen Luo exclaimed after listening. ¡°Unfortunately, the Heavenly Dao is now collapsed and the Heavenly Court no longer exists, naturally there''s no way to register your immortal status. You can only become a Freelance Immortal now.¡± The Armored Heavenly General didn''t continue the previous topic and went on saying. ¡°May I ask what a Freelance Immortal is?¡± Shen Luo asked with some confusion. ¡°You are from Mount Fangcun and you don''t even know this?¡± The Armored Heavenly General questioned in surprise. ¡°With all due respect, Mount Fangcun has long been destroyed, and the Huangting Technique I learned wasn''t passed down directly from the sect, but acquired fortuitously.¡± Shen Luo explained. However, deep down, he still considered himself a part of Mount Fangcun. ¡°Those who have their names recorded in the immortal register and are part of the Heavenly Court''s jurisdiction are called Heavenly Immortals. Those who are not recorded in the immortal register are called Freelance Immortals.¡± The Armored Heavenly General, after a moment of silence without inquiring about the Divine Gate, explained. ¡°So the difference between these two is just their affiliation?¡± Shen Luo continued to ask. ¡°Heavenly Immortals have the support and protection of the Heavenly Court, naturally their immortal path is smoother and less risky. However, they have to serve under the Heavenly Court, carrying out duties and responsibilities. Thus, they are not very free. Freelance Immortals, although not protected by the Heavenly Court, are freer as they don''t have the obligation to fulfill any duties. They both have their own merit.¡± The Armored Heavenly General explained. ¡°This is just like the difference between Freelance Cultivators and the Cultivators of a Sect. In this regard, Heavenly Immortals seem to be more formidable.¡± Shen Luo pondered aloud. ¡°Not necessarily, there are many powerful individuals among the Freelance Immortals who have mastered and refined the blessed cavernous realms, which can compete with Heavenly Immortals. They are known as Earth Immortals. For example, the ancestor master of Mount Fangcun, Bodhi Ancestor, and the Town Primordial Great Immortal of Wuzhuang View, belong to this category.¡± The Armored Heavenly General explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo suddenly understood. Chapter 486 Chapter 486: Chapter 482: Doomed Fate Chapter 486: Chapter 482: Doomed Fate ¡°I''ve always been curious about the realm the Bodhi Ancestor resides in. Can you tell me?¡± Shen Luo had been withholding his question, but he finally couldn''t resist asking. ¡°Beyond the realm of True Immortals is Taiyi. The Bodhi Ancestor has surpassed Taiyi and reached the Heavenly Venerate Realm. Beyond that is only the higher Great Heavenly Venerate Realm, which is the realm of those who established their own doctrines and teachings,¡± the Armored Heavenly General continued. ¡°The Bodhi Ancestor truly is the being he envisaged, the one soaring beyond the heavens.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but admire upon hearing this. ¡°Shen Luo, your ascension and tribulation have consumed a great deal of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. There''s not much time left. We have to speed up,¡± the Armored Heavenly General suddenly changed his expression and said. ¡°What do you mean there''s not enough time?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback and quickly asked. But before he could receive an answer, he was engulfed by golden light, and his figure had once again appeared in the battle space. A hundred feet across from him stood a strange Heavenly General. He was thirty feet tall with a body covered in blue-green skin. His leopard-like face and ring eyes, his crimson eyebrows, and red beard made an impressive figure. No cloth draped his upper body, his lower body was clad in golden armor, his waist was cinched with a barbaric lion buckle, and he held a double-sided axe in his hand. He even has a coloured ribbon fluttering behind him, making him appear exceptionally majestic. ¡°Could this be¡­ the Juling God?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh as he admired the warrior''s appearance. His physique, facial characteristics, imposing presence, and weapon in hand were all too identical to the legendary Juling God. Upon detecting the mana fluctuations emanating from the giant, Shen Luo couldn''t help but frown. The fluctuations were on par with the late stage of True Immortal Realm. ¡°How are we supposed to fight this?¡± Shen Luo felt a bit helpless. It was a near miracle that he managed to fight the Thunder Division Heavenly General, who was in the early stage of the True Immortal Realm, while he himself was at the peak of his Mahayana stage. Now he had to fight a late stage True Immortal while he himself was in the early stage. Where was there a glimmer of hope of winning? However, having come this far, even if he desired to escape, there was no path of retreat. Shen Luo calmed his mind, gripping the Six Chen Whip tightly in his hand and fixed his gaze on the Juling God. He silently began to channel the Huangting Technique inside him. What confused him though, was that since the Juling God had appeared he hadn''t made a single move. Even his eyes remained closed. If it weren''t for the terrifying aura emanating from him, that could not possibly be a fabrication, Shen Luo would have mistaken him for a statue. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment and decided to take a slight step back. Just as he made his move, the Juling God''s eyes suddenly snapped open, and two beams of divine light burst forth. A formidable aura enveloped him, and without warning, he swung his double-sided axe. A flash of light from the axe blade and a huge green arc was let loose. It cleaved the air in half creating an obvious ravine, and it was heading straight for Shen Luo. Knowing that he could not fend off the attack, Shen Luo stomped on the ground. Shooting into the air, he soared above the shadow of the axe. With a tiny tap in the air with his toes, shadows of moonlight scattered beneath him. His body did a quick spin in the air and disappeared from where he stood. In the blink of an eye, a silhouette flashed into existence in the air behind the Juling God. It was Shen Luo. He tightened his grip on the Six Chen Whip as his hands glowed gold, and he lunged at the back of Juling God''s neck. ¡°Thud¡­¡± Just then, a heavy impact sound resounded. The Juling God had slammed the handle of his axe onto the ground. When the handle of the axe hit the ground, a golden light ring rippled out, enveloping the surroundings. The moment Shen Luo came into contact with the light ring, his body abruptly stiffened. An invisible titanic force froze him in his place, and he couldn''t move at all. His heart tightened, and he immediately tried to channel the Dragon Elephant Power, hoping to overpower the formidable attack. But at that moment, a fierce wind struck at his head. In the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow of the axe falling straight toward his face. ¡°Whoosh¡± a sound echoed. Shen Luo''s vision was filled with the light of blood, and then everything fell into complete darkness. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, and the familiar ceiling and bed curtains filled his sight. ¡°I''m back?¡± He sighed with relief. After the last dream, he had already grown accustomed to dying multiple times in battle and quickly returning to reality. He propped himself up with his arm, attempting to sit up. However, his arm felt as if it was filled with lead, incredibly heavy. His whole body was suffering from severe pins and needles sensation, and a strong wave of fatigue washed over him. ¡°Damn. I knew that dying too many times in a dream would lead to this.¡± Having braced himself for such an outcome, Shen Luo struggled to push the discomfort aside and sat up. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t take a break. Instead, he forced himself to activate his mana, summoned a Restoration Milk Spirit Pill, and a light green pill from the Linlang Ring and gulped them down. The green pill was a type of vitality restoration pill known as the Wind and Water Mixed Yuan Pill. He had found it in Chen Gang''s Storage Ring. Its medicinal effect was even superior to Hu Yong''s former restoration pill. Based on his experience from the last awakening, a force inside him would soon start to consume his vitality and lifespan. He took these two pills in hopes they could counteract the impending consumption. Shen Luo barely managed to channel his mana to refine the two pills. The pills slowly dissolved into two warm currents, roaming within his body. But before he could continue refining the pills, his vision blurred and everything around him started to spin. His body erupted with rumbling noises as he felt the emergence of a bottomless pit. A voracious suction force began to swallow his life force. Shen Luo tried to mobilize the forces of the two elixirs in his body in desperation, attempting to fill the sudden bottomless void within him. Unfortunately, it was futile. The bottomless pit inside him completely ignored the power of the elixir, continuing to devour his life force. ¡°Is it really impossible¡­¡± He murmured painfully. A wave of pain, ten times greater than before, tore his consciousness apart and consumed him like a tide, threatening to tear him into pieces. Shen Luo began to shiver uncontrollably all over his body, unable to utter a sound. All around him quickly blurred. His vision turned black, and he once again descended into endless darkness, slipping into unconsciousness. Shen Luo wasn''t sure how much time had passed before he fluttered his eyelids awake again. Outside, the surroundings had become pitch black without a trace of starlight, an unnerving streak of darkness. Sitting up, Shen Luo felt relatively fine except for a slight weakness. Perhaps it was due to the effects of the two elixirs he had taken. He silently operated his Nameless Cultivation Technique, closing his eyes to carefully sense his internal condition. A long time after, he opened his eyes and sighed deeply. Just like before, a large amount of his life force had been devoured, significantly reducing his lifespan to only about a dozen years. A bitter smile appeared on Shen Luo''s face. He thought that once he had advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, he would no longer have to worry about lifespan. Yet, now after a single experience in the Dreamland, he found himself on the brink of death once again. Moreover, unlike the previous decrease in his lifespan, this time he could not think of any other ways to prolong it except by breaking through to the next cultivation realm. However, he had just advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, and given his average talent in reality, another breakthrough seemed far from easy. ¡°I intended to wait awhile before attempting to open up my meridians in reality. But now, with my lifespan being critically short, I have to take some risks,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment, and then his look quickly regained its firmness. To improve one''s strength quickly, one must first solve the problem of their own aptitude. Though others may not be capable of doing so, he who had obtained the ¡°Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method¡± could possibly do so. He first checked around his courtyard, ensuring that there was nothing unusual. Only then, did he return to his room and sat down cross-legged again. To perform the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method, one must first practice the Great Unsealing Technique. As the norms for this technique clearly dictated that it required reaching the Nascent Soul Stage before practice could be initiated, he, however, being an exception, had already practiced this secret technique to a minor achievement stage in his dream, and had a profound understanding of it. The Great Unsealing Technique restricts Python Beginners because its execution necessitates a huge amount of Mana as its foundation. Only upon reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, would one be able to distribute enough Mana all over their body to protect the whole body. However, Shen Luo didn''t need the Great Unsealing Technique to cover all parts of his body, but just enough to protect a small part to ensure that implementing the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method won''t leave any lingering dangers. Shen Luo closed his eyes and sat quietly, slowly operating the Pure Yang Sword Technique. His body''s Mana quickly responded, beginning to circulate according to the instructions of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. Within his Dantian, a small red sword was suspended ¡ª it was the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. As he operated the Pure Yang Sword Technique, the sword embryo buzzed, emitting a cheerful sword chant. Since the cultivation of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, Shen Luo had been nurturing it with Mana in his Dantian, but he had not been cultivating the Pure Yang Sword Technique, so the effect was not particularly good. But now that he had started practicing the Pure Yang Sword Technique, the nurturing of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was finally on the right track. With the experience from the Dreamland, his progress in practicing the Pure Yang Sword Technique was obviously rapid. More than ten days later, he suddenly opened his eyes, and the hand hanging in front of his body abruptly lifted, forming a hand seal. With a ¡°putt¡± sound, a slightly reddish sword Qi radiated from his fingertips, causing the surrounding air to hum and vibrate, appearing to be extremely sharp. With the assistance of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in his Dantian, he didn''t need to practice the Pure Yang Sword Technique too deeply to emit Pure Yang Sword Qi. Shen Luo moved his finger, the Pure Yang Sword Qi at his fingertips fell towards his left leg, and he began the practice of the first stage of the Great Unsealing Technique ¨C Flaying. Time flew by, and half a year passed in a blink. Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged in a wooden tub in the house, his brows were deeply furrowed, his body emitting wavy blue light, like ripples of water swirling and churning, and his aura was much stronger than before. After a while, the blue light on his body retracted like a long whale sucking water, merging back into his body as he opened his eyes. Over the past six months, not only was he practicing the Great Unsealing Technique, but he was also using the remaining Dual-element True Water for cultivation. The process of cultivating the Great Unsealing Technique was extremely painful, a continuous torment on the nerves. However, cultivating the Nameless Cultivation Technique was quite comfortable and able to sooth his tensed spirit. Alternating the two methods resulted in higher efficiency. However, aided by his experience in the Dreamland, his cultivation of the Great Unsealing Technique was quite smooth. He had completed the three stages ¨C Flaying, Cutting, and Carving and was now practicing the arrangement of meridians. Arranging the meridians was much more difficult than the previous three stages. Even with the experience of Dreamland, he couldn''t achieve it for the time being. However, he had a feeling that he was not far from success. Chapter 487 Chapter 487: Chapter 483: The Coachman Admires the Fairy Chapter 487: Chapter 483: The Coachman Admires the Fairy Shen Luo knew in his heart that as long as he could break through this critical point, he could use the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method and open up his meridians. Regarding the cultivation of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, things were going fairly well for him as well. With the help of the residual Dual-element True Water, his cultivation level had made a rapid progress, quickly advancing towards the Mid-stage Soul Condensation. Unfortunately, not long ago, he had completely consumed the Dual-element True Water. Without the aid of external elements, his inherent qualifications only allowed him to progress at a snail''s pace through meditation and cultivation. Unable to bear such slow advancement, he had created the previous scene in a fit of impatience. ¡°No, I''m running out of time. I cannot stop cultivating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. The Great Tang Dynasty Government wields immense power and should have information on Dual-element True Water in places like the Treasure Hall and Bowu Line. I should ask Lu Huaming.¡± Shen Luo weighed his options in his heart, then stood up from the water bucket. Dual-element True Water is a valuable commodity, not something that can be purchased with immortal jade. Treasure like this, when it appears, is immediately collected and hoarded by powerful entities. The odds of finding it through his own efforts are slight at best. Although it meant involving Lu Huaming once more, this matter concerned his own life. He would have to repay the favor another day. Shen Luo changed into a fresh robe, applied the Bone Pinching Disguise Technique to alter his appearance, and only then did he step out to hail a carriage destined for the Great Tang Dynasty Government. As he looked out from the window of the carriage, a look of surprise crossed his face. It was nearing autumn, and the weather was cool. Normally, the bustling streets of Chang''an City should''ve been crowded, but they were considerably sparse, even less crowded than during the frigid winter months. Moreover, everyone seemed to be hastening along, sporting a frightened look. ¡°Coachman, Chang''an City seems quite deserted today. What happened?¡± Shen Luo asked the coachman. ¡°You must be a traveller, unaware of the rumors of haunting in the city? Recently, these rumors have been stirring up quite a fuss in different districts, scaring everyone into staying indoors. Out-of-town merchants have also heard about it, which is why we have fewer visitors these days.¡± The coachman happened to be a talkative little man in his thirties; prompted by Shen Luo''s question, he launched into a spiel. ¡°Hauntings?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°Yes, it started about a month ago. There have been sporadic incidents of ghosts hurting people throughout the city. Initially, these ghosts would only appear at night. But lately, some people have also been hurt by these ghosts during the day. The government has declared martial law across the city, which is why there are so few people on the streets¡­.¡± The short coachman rattled on. ¡°The Great Tang Dynasty Government isn''t doing anything about this?¡± Shen Luo hadn''t expected that such events would take place in the city while he was in seclusion. ¡°Of course they are. But there have also been grave incidents near Yinling Mountain, which isn''t far from Chang''an City. Many ghosts have appeared, killing and injuring people randomly. I heard that many of the government''s immortal masters have been dispatched there, leaving only a few in the city. Though they continue to investigate, the ghost problem here hasn''t been resolved yet.¡± The coachman added. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yinling Mountain!¡± Upon hearing about this, a chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart. ¡°Could it be that there''s a problem with the ghosts in that ancient tomb?¡± he thought silently. Shen Luo''s thoughts raced as he continued to inquire about the ghost problems in the city and the situation at Yinling Mountain. As the short coachman spends all day moving around different parts of the city, he has heard a lot of gossip. Seeing Shen Luo''s curiosity, he shared some of these stories, both true and false. The more Shen Luo heard, the more shocked he felt. The situation in Chang''an City was looking ominously similar to that in Jianye City all those years ago. ¡°Could someone be causing mischief again? This is Chang''an City, the seat of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Who would dare act so recklessly here!¡± Although he managed to maintain a composed expression, his mind was in turmoil. As for the situation at Yinling Mountain, the coachman didn''t seem to know much. Apparently, not only representatives of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, but also cultivators from Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo had rushed there, indicating that the situation was quite grave. The conversation had barely ended when the carriage arrived near the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Shen Luo alighted a distance away from the government''s premises, paid the coachman, and dismissed him. He then walked towards the entrance of the government building, intending to declare his arrival. ¡°Ah, it''s Master Shen! Have you come to see Mr. Lu again?¡± A young guard seemed to recognize Shen Luo and initiated the conversation. Shen Luo looked up and saw that the speaker was indeed the young guard who had announced his arrival last time. ¡°I''m honored that Your Excellency remembers me. Is Brother Lu present?¡± He smiled and then asked. ¡°Master Shen, you''re unfortunately a bit late. Mr. Lu was dispatched to Yinling Mountain a few days ago, and he hasn''t returned yet.¡± The young guard replied, shaking his head. ¡°I see. Do you know when he might return?¡± A shadow crossed Shen Luo''s eyes as he asked. ¡°I''m not quite sure about that. But I heard that the situation at Yinling Mountain is severe. It might be a while before Mr. Lu returns. Do you have any urgent business with Mr. Lu, Master Shen? If it''s not too sensitive, I could relay the message for you.¡± The young guard said, rather apologetically. ¡°It''s nothing. I just hadn''t seen him for a while, so I thought of paying him a visit.¡± was Shen Luo''s casual reply. He chatted for a bit with the young guard, but didn''t gain much useful information, so he bid his farewell and left shortly after. As soon as he left the premises of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Shen Luo''s expression became grave. With Lu Huaming absent and no established relationship with any other personnel of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, trying to gather information on Dual-element True Water would be a struggle. ¡°Young Master, were you just visiting the Great Tang Dynasty Government? Are you perhaps a cultivator?¡± Shen Luo wasn''t too far away when he heard the sound of a carriage approaching. It was the short coachman, who had apparently followed him and didn''t leave after all. ¡°Yes, I am a cultivator. Is there a problem with that?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No, no¡­ since my childhood, I have been in awe of the Immortal Path. Unfortunately, I lack the celestial favor and so I''ve been driving carriages in Chang''an City. After more than a year of being a coachman, I finally had the honor to drive an Immortal Master!¡± The short coachman excitedly explained, waving his hand dismissively. Shen Luo didn''t say anything and turned to leave. ¡°Immortal Master, where do you need to go? Let me take you there, no charge necessary. I''ll return your fare from before too. Having the opportunity to drive an immortal master is my honor. How could I possibly accept your money?¡± The short coachman followed with his carriage, producing the previous carriage fare from his pocket. ¡°That''s unnecessary. This is what you''re entitled to.¡± Shen Luo responded, waving his hand as he quickly walked away. ¡°Immortal Master, you asked so many questions about the ghost disturbances. Are you planning on exorcising them? I, Tian Buduo, am very familiar with different areas of Chang''an City. My information is also fairly accurate. I can surely be of help!¡± The short coachman, Tian Buduo, continued to jog along and catch up, trying to strike up a closer relationship. Shen Luo had initially intended to ignore him, but Tian Buduo was surprisingly persistent, following him through several streets, much to Shen Luo''s amusement. While Tian Buduo could be clingy, he also knew how to maintain a certain respect, avoiding any action that might irritate Shen Luo. Furthermore, his reverence for the Immortal Path reminded Shen Luo of his sickly self from his past life. ¡°Alright then, take me to the Changping Alley in the southern part of the city.¡± Seeing Tian Buduo''s earnest eyes, Shen Luo finally agreed and boarded the carriage. ¡°Right away, sir. Please take a seat.¡± Tian Buduo rejoiced and drove the carriage forward. Chapter 488 Chapter 488: Chapter 484: Release Chapter 488: Chapter 484: Release The carriage wheels moved forward, Shen Luo looked in the direction of Changping Alley, wondering whether Xie Yuxin had returned or not. This time, he intended to find Xie Yuxin, planning to give her the ¡°Body Refining Secret Text¡±, as a token of gratitude for her repeated assistance. Since the day he obtained the secret text, he had wanted to give it to Xie Yuxin, but he had been avoiding the Treasure Hall at that time, fearing that his residence in Changping Alley would be under surveillance, hence he hadn''t dared to go there. Now, his cultivation level had greatly improved, and he no longer cared much about the Treasure Hall. Furthermore, Shen Luo wanted to ask Xie Yuxin if she could help him look out for clues regarding the Dual-element True Water. The carriage passed through the streets and came onto a road along the river, after which they would reach Changping Alley. Just at that moment, Shen Luo''s face abruptly changed. A layer of black light suddenly appeared on the surface of the Qiankun Bag on Shen Luo''s body, and an excited roar came out, it was the General Ghost. During the past half a year, while cultivating, he had also been training the General Ghost with the Taming Ghost Technique, which had mostly shown results, but it was surprising that it became agitated today. Shen Luo quickly utilized the Taming Ghost Technique, and it took quite some effort to calm down the General Ghost. ¡°Immortal Master, is something wrong?¡± The short coachman seemed to hear some noise in the carriage, pulled the reins to stop the carriage, and asked. ¡°No problem, Changping Alley is just ahead, you can drop me off here.¡± Shen Luo looked outside, jumped off the carriage. ¡°Immortal Envoy¡­¡± The short coachman stepped forward, wanting to say something but hesitating. ¡°I know what you want to say, but the Cultivation World is not necessarily a good place, and your talents are not suitable for this path, so go on.¡± Shen Luo, understanding the intentions of the coachman following him all the way, casually said a sentence and walked ahead. The stunned coachman watched Shen Luo departing, staying still for a long time, before driving off with dissatisfaction. Shen Luo walked along the riverside, while quietly observing his surroundings. Just now, when he used the Taming Ghost Technique to pacify the General Ghost, he also found out the reason for its sudden agitation. The General Ghost had sensed a ghostly Qi similar to its own, and the Qi was quite unusual, causing the General Ghost to react. ¡°Could it be that there is a powerful ghost lurking nearby?¡± Shen Luo speculated in his heart and spread out his Divine Sense to the surroundings. Having just advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, his range of Divine Sense was still quite narrow, not more than thirty feet. Although the range of his Divine Sense wasn''t far, his sensitivity to the surroundings was much sharper than before, especially his perception of the fluctuations in the atmosphere, they were now ten times sharper than before. But no matter how he used his Divine Sense, he couldn''t perceive anything unusual. ¡°Where is that ghostly Qi?¡± Shen Luo communicated with the General Ghost via the Divine Sense. ¡°That ghostly Qi just appeared and disappeared instantly, even I can''t sense it now, it seems to have disappeared.¡± The General Ghost, which had not been fully tamed yet, gave a slow response after a while. ¡°Why didn''t you say so earlier?¡± Shen Luo was slightly irritated, but he couldn''t really do anything to the General Ghost. This ghost was extremely stubborn, he had even threatened it with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire to make it submit, but it chose death over submission, so he was left with no choice, he couldn''t really kill this ghost. Since the ghostly Qi had disappeared, Shen Luo decided not to waste time here anymore, and walked towards Changping Alley. ¡°Come, don''t miss it! See a brocade carp every day, but a divine fish is rarely seen!¡± A loud shout came from the front, it was a young fisherman selling fish on the street. ¡°Divine fish?¡± Shen Luo stopped in his tracks and looked over. In front of the young fisherman, there was a wooden tub in which a golden carp was swimming. This carp was rather extraordinary, with two golden red whiskers growing along its mouth. Its scales were entirely golden yellow, glittering like gold under the sunlight. However, this fish seemed to have been out of water for a long time, its mouth opening and closing weakly, gulping down air. It looked like it was on the brink of death. ¡°The Buddha is merciful, benefactor, you neither grant this fish a swift death nor release it into the wild, instead you display it here for all to see. How could you bear it?¡± A little monk in a short robe, his face reflecting compassion, gave a bow to the fisherman and sought to persuade him. This little monk looked about eight or nine years old, with a rosy and healthy complexion, truly adorable. ¡°Enough chit-chat. This brocade carp with its golden scales has earned me a fair amount of money from its display. If you can''t bear to see it suffer, why not buy it? It''s only three taels of silver.¡± The fisherman chuckled. ¡°This¡­¡± The little monk turned beet red. He did not have that much money. ¡°Go away. If you don''t have money, don''t disturb my business. Everyone, even if you don''t plan to buy, you can still take a look! It''s a divine fish from heaven, a lucky sight for all!¡± The fisherman shoved the little monk to the side, continuing to hawk his wares. ¡°That fish¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched slightly. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although faint, there was a trace of demon qi emanating from the golden brocade carp, indicating the beginnings of spiritual wisdom. Alas, it had been caught before it could fully awaken. ¡°Here are three taels of silver; I''ll buy this fish.¡± He walked up and handed the fisherman a small ingot of silver. The brocade carp was close to developing spiritual wisdom and could be considered a mystical creature. It would be regrettable to let it die just like that. ¡°The customer sure has a discerning eye! But I believe three taels of silver is a bit too cheap¡­ Yes, ten taels of silver, if it''s a cent less, I won''t sell!¡± The fisherman noticed Shen Luo''s quick payment and immediately increased the price, his face plastered with a cunning smile. ¡°You''re raising the price arbitrarily!¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Aye, kind sir, you have such a generous heart, you could skip a meal, and the money will be available. Ten taels of silver is really not that much, just consider it an act of charity.¡± The fisherman laughed shamelessly. Shen Luo''s face fell. He didn''t care much about the ten taels of silver, but he wouldn''t allow a mere mortal to take advantage of him. ¡°Take a look at my piece of gold scale. Is it worth ten taels of silver?¡± Just then, a clear voice rang out. With a light flick, a flashing golden object landed at the fisherman''s feet, a gold scale about the size of a copper coin. ¡°This is¡­¡± Astonishment flashed across Shen Luo''s eyes as he looked towards the source of the voice. A white-robed scholar strolled leisurely over. He looked around forty or fifty years old, a folding fan in hand and three strands of short beard hanging chest down, looking exceptionally scholarly and refined. The fisherman swiftly picked up the gold scale, flicked it with his finger, and heard a crisp sound. Indeed, it was made of pure gold. ¡°Oh my, it''s worth it! Indeed, worth every penny! Sir, the fish is now yours.¡± Stowing the gold scale into his bosom, the fisherman bowed over and over to the scholar. The white-robed scholar paid no heed to the fisherman, scooping up the basin with the golden brocade carp by its sides and walked straight to the nearby river. Against everyone''s anticipation, the white-robed scholar poured the brocade carp from the basin into the river with a splash. ¡°Alas, what is he thinking? Just throwing away a brocade carp that cost ten taels of silver.¡± ¡°What do you know? He''s just being charitable.¡± Whispers filled the crowd. ¡°Off you go, no more confinement.¡± The white-robed scholar, heedless of the murmurs around him, faintly murmured, watching the fish. The carp in the river turned to look at the white-robed scholar, nodding its head, then it dived deep into the river, disappearing from sight. Seeing this scene, the crowd was awestruck. Chapter 489 Chapter 489: Chapter 485: Encounter with the Old Daoist Again (Votes for the Month) Chapter 489: Chapter 485: Encounter with the Old Daoist Again (Votes for the Month) ¡°Your Excellency, your generous hand, is indeed compassionate.¡± Shen Luo, if he bought this fish, would plan to release, he stepped forward and bowed, indicating his appreciation for the scholar. ¡°Once, I was also like a fish on a cutting board, at the mercy of others, it''s just an act of empathy. After all¡­ it is my undeniable¡­ responsibility,¡± said the middle-aged scholar lightly. Shen Luo''s face was startled, what does this scholar mean? The middle-aged scholar did not seem to want to explain any further to Shen Luo, he sighed, turned, and walked away. The young fisherman watched the back of the middle-aged scholar, his eyes flicked and he hurriedly walked away with his fishing gear. Without any thrill, the onlookers left one after another. Shen Luo did not move. When the crowd had dispersed completely, he took out his hand which he had held behind his back. Between his fingers, he was twirling a golden scale, belonged to the middle-aged scholar who had bought the fish. He had used his mana to secretly take this object from the fisherman''s arms. However, he also put in ten taels of silver, so he didn''t take it for nothing. ¡°This can''t be wrong, these are dragon scales!¡± He attached the gold scales to the center of his brow, carefully sensing it, a sharp glance flickered in his eyes, he murmured. These were not only dragon scales, but there was also a faint trace of Yin Qi entwined on the scales. ¡°This scholar is somewhat strange, follow him and see what happens.¡± Shen Luo looked upward in the direction where the scholar was going, his figure flashed and he followed. A figure rushed out of a nearby alley. If Shen Luo didn''t move, the figure would crash right into him. Shen Luo glanced at the figure, used some spinning force with his foot, and shifted to the side to dodge. He just barely avoided the person but bumped into the object in their hands. With a clatter, the wine bottle in the person''s hand fell to the ground, shattered to pieces, and a rich aroma of wine was released. ¡°My wined aged for a hundred days! You bastard, not looking where you''re running into. How dare you bump into this Daoist!¡± The person in the grey robe was an old Daoist. Seeing his wine bottle smashed, he pointed at Shen Luo and cursed angrily. Shen Luo frowned, about to speak, when his eyes suddenly lit up and he bowed, ¡°Master, it''s you! It''s been a long time since we have met.¡± This elder Daoist was none other than the fortune-telling monk who had instructed him to find the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk at the foot of Hundred Flower Mountain. Seeing his behavior, this master fortune-teller has taken on another identity. ¡°Who are you?¡± The Grey Robe Elder Dao seemed bewildered by Shen Luo''s gesture, his face reflecting confusion. ¡°Does the master not remember me? The last time we parted at the foot of Hundred Flower Mountain in Tangqiu County. It''s surprising and unexpected that we meet here today, ¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He spent a long time looking for this man in TangQiu County City that day. He was disappointed that he couldn''t find him then, but now to meet him here today, his heart filled with joy and surprise, he immediately put aside the matter of tracking the middle-aged scholar. ¡°Oh, I remember now, it''s you. Did the divination I gave you that day come true?¡± The Elder Dao looked at Shen Luo with a pair of scrutinizing eyes, and quickly remembered him. ¡°Master''s divination was spot on. With your kind guidance, I was able to locate the object I was seeking,¡± Shen Luo thanked him. ¡°My fortune-telling is passed down from the ancient ability of Guiguzi. It is indeed accurate and excellent. However, your face looks more unhealthy compared to the last time we met. Could it be that the object you found didn''t work?¡± Grey Robed Elder Dao chuckled proudly at himself, then looked at Shen Luo''s face and exclaimed in surprise. ¡°The Master has keen vision, discerning my condition at a single glance,¡± said Shen Luo with a sigh. He then glanced at the Grey Robe Elder Dao attentively, about to say something. A few big men, with staves in their hands, charged out of the alley. ¡°Found him! The wine thief is right here!¡± ¡°Surround him quickly! Don''t let him run off.¡± The men were yelling and surrounded the Elder Dao. ¡°Damn it, I was busy talking and forgot to run! Boy, I did your fortune once. I need you to cover for me this time.¡± The Grey Robe Elder Dao slapped his forehead in annoyance and hid behind Shen Luo. ¡°What are you fellows doing?¡± Shen Luo had a favor to ask from the old Daoist and immediately stepped forward and addressed the big men. ¡°Who are you? This old Daoist is audacious and stole our wine in broad daylight. We''re going to catch him and take him to the officials. Others don''t need to poke their nose in this business.¡± A brawny and solid man spoke angrily. ¡°Eh, stealing and thief sounds so bad. Isn''t the wine brewed for people to drink? Besides, you guys left all that good wine exposed to the sun in the yard. It smells so good, who could resist it?¡± The Grey Robe Elder Dao stuck his head out from behind Shen Luo''s back and argued loudly. ¡°Damn it! Daring to quibble!¡± The burly man was furious and wanted to grab the Elder Dao. ¡°Gentlemen, isn''t this all about a jar of wine? Let''s not be violent. Tell me how much the wine costs, I''ll pay for him.¡± Shen Luo, who was amused by the Elder Dao, stopped the burly man. ¡°Who''ll pay for him? This old Daoist stole one jar of wine, aged for a hundred days, and broke three other jars of wine in our wine shop. All together it''s fifteen taels of silver.¡± The burly man looked at Shen Luo and said. ¡°Take it.¡± Shen Luo took out a piece of silver and threw it over, which weighed not less than twenty taels. ¡°This young master is generous, for your sake, we''ll let it go this time, let''s go.¡± The burly man weighed the piece of silver, waved his hand, and walked off with his men. ¡°Young man, thanks for this. I happened to pass that wine shop and was attracted by the strong aroma of the wine. I didn''t have any money on me at that time, and I had no choice but to enter and take one jar. I didn''t expect that they would find out! Haha, I was lucky to see you.¡± The Grey Robe Elder Dao breathed a sigh of relief and thanked Shen Luo. ¡°It''s nothing. Since the master has tight finances, take these silvers for now.¡± Shen Luo took out a lump of silver weighing fifty taels and handed it to the Elder Dao. ¡°Then I won''t stand on ceremony, but I can''t just take your silver. You are ailing, let me tell your fortune again. You can treat this silver as the fee for the divination, can you agree to that?¡± The Grey Robe Elder Daoist replied. ¡°I''m at your disposal. Please undertake this burden, Master,¡± Shen Luo, eager, replied. However, it wasn''t suitable to divine fortunes here. Elder Dao promptly pulled Shen Luo to a nearby quiet teahouse, took out his bamboo tube and divination coins, and began to calculate. The Elder Dao drew a picture and frowned slightly without speaking. He seemed to have encountered some difficulty and rattled the tube again for a second divination. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t disturb him. But after finishing this one, The Elder Dao remained silent, and then calculated once again. Only then did he cease. ¡°Elder, what''s my fate?¡± Seeing the Elder Dao stopped, Shen Luo hastily asked. ¡°Weird! I have not encountered such a strange divination in many years. My Sky Gang God calculation couldn''t determine your fate,¡± the Grey Robe Elder Dao showed a surprised expression. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows twitched in anxiety. ¡°Young master, don''t worry. Although I couldn''t calculate your life and death, just now, having connected three observations, I''ve discerned some secrets. You just need to do as I tell you, and you will certainly be able to turn calamity into a blessing, and break through the current deadlock,¡± the Grey Robe Elder Dao said. ¡°Kindly guide me,¡± Shen Luo bowed. ¡°From the divination, you will need to do three things in the future. The first is to meet a crying woman, and you need to stick this talisman on her back.¡± The Grey Robe Elder Dao took out a yellow spiritual charm from his sleeve and handed it to Shen Luo. Chapter 490 Chapter 490: Chapter 486 Jin Buhuan Chapter 490: Chapter 486 Jin Buhuan Shen Luo took the talisman, which was etched with several runes in intricate twists and turns, far from exquisite, resembling random doodles. He silently channeled his mana into it, but the talisman showed no reaction. ¡°I will certainly do as instructed, what about the second thing?¡± Shen Luo put the talisman away after a moment of silence and asked. ¡°As for the second thing, if you hear the sound of a copper bell, you must shatter the piece of green jade that you carry.¡± The old Daoist in grey robe continued. ¡°Green jade¡­¡± Shen Luo was stunned once more. Was he referring to the Green Jade Ruyi? ¡°No, the Green Jade Ruyi is not made of jade, it''s made of Deep Green Profound Crystal, not jade. Is what the divination referring to that other thing?¡± His Divine Sense entered the Linlang Ring. In a corner of the Linlang Ring, there was a piece of green material. It was the jade infused with Yin Qi that he had found in the ancient tomb on Yinling Mountain. ¡°And the third thing?¡± Shen Luo asked, thoughts whirling in his mind. ¡°The third thing: if someone begs for mercy on behalf of their father, do not show pity or mercy.¡± The old Daoist in grey robe continued. ¡°I understand, thank you Master for your guidance.¡± Shen Luo listened to the third thing, more confused than before, but he nodded in agreement out of trust for the old Daoist in grey robe. ¡°Since the divination is finished, I will take my leave.¡± The old Daoist in grey robe got up and walked towards the outside. ¡°May I ask where you live, Master? I will definitely visit you in the future.¡± Shen Luo rushed to follow, inquiring. ¡°There''s no need to ask so much, if it is fated, we will meet again, if it''s not, why should we?¡± The old Daoist in grey robe laughed heartily and strode out the door. ¡°The Nine Heavens open the palace gates, countries pay tribute, beneath this booming facade, the undercurrents surge, no one can truly fend for themselves.¡± He sang out loud, causing the patrons of the tea house to look over. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo stopped in his tracks, dumbfounded. By the time he came back to himself, the old man was nowhere to be found. He ran out of the tea house, but there was no sign of the old Daoist outside either. Standing on the bustling street, contemplating the old Daoist''s last words, he looked somewhat bewildered. The disaster of demons was imminent. Not just the bustling Chang''an City, but the entire Great Tang, Southern Sub-Central Continent, even the All Heavens, would be embroiled in it, with no one spared. Ah! He sighed, wondering what he should do in the future. Shen Luo stood silently for a while, quickly gathering himself. No matter what the future holds, let''s take care of the things at hand first. He adopted a new disguise, entered Changping Alley, came to Xie Yuxin''s secret residence, but it was empty, the blacksmith, named Zhou Tie, standing guard outside was also gone. Despite his disappointment, Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief. Given the situation, Xie Yuxin must have returned safely to Chang''an City and encountered no problems during her previous outing. However, with her sudden departure, the connection between them was cut off. He had no idea when they were going to meet again. Unable to find Xie Yuxin, Shen Luo decided not to stay around any longer and soon left Changping Alley. Next, instead of going home, he went to the place where he had previously encountered the middle-aged scholar, took out the dragon scale, and had Shadow Gu sniff it. ¡°Find this person.¡± He said softly. Shadow Gu cooed a few times, sniffed the air vigorously with its nose, and then darted off. Shen Luo followed closely behind with a slight smile at the corners of his mouth. A moment later, he stopped in front of a thriving alley in the city, Pingkang Square, at the entrance of a restaurant. Shadow Gu barked at Shen Luo twice, then jumped back into the green bag. ¡°Here? Qianjin Tower.¡± Shen Luo looked at the name of the restaurant, and his eyes flickered. He had heard of this restaurant. It was very famous in Chang''an City, especially for a dish called ''Gourd Chicken''. Even the renowned Minister Wei Zheng had repeatedly praised it and often came to eat it. The dish was also ordered for court banquets. Shen Luo was quite fond of food and had always wanted to come and taste it, but he never had the chance. Now, by a twist of fate, he had finally arrived. This was mealtime, so the restaurant was crowded with customers. Storytellers were performing in the main hall on the first floor, creating a lively atmosphere. ¡°Customer, please come inside.¡± An energetic waiter hurried to welcome him. Shen Luo glanced around and quickly spotted the scholar sitting alone at a corner table, drinking by himself. He didn''t go over immediately, but chose an empty table and sat down. ¡°Customer, what would you like to eat?¡± The waiter asked enthusiastically. ¡°Bring me your famous Gourd Chicken, two other special dishes, and a pot of good wine.¡± Shen Luo tapped on the table as he spoke. To this, the waiter showed an awkward smile. ¡°What, afraid that I can''t pay?¡± Shen Luo huffed and placed a silver ingot on the table. ¡°No, not at all, sir. It''s just that our head chef, who prepares the Gourd Chicken, fell ill after encountering a ghost a few days ago and hasn''t recovered. His apprentices are currently managing the kitchen. While the other dishes are fine, the taste of the Gourd Chicken has suffered somewhat. Please bear with us.¡± The waiter apologized hastily. ¡°Encountered a ghost? What happened?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze hardened. He had come to track down the middle-aged scholar, only to encounter another ghost incident. Were ghost disturbances in Chang''an City already this severe? ¡°I''m not quite sure about it.¡± The waiter scratched his head and replied. ¡°Who in the restaurant knows about this matter? Could you please ask them for me?¡± Intent on finding out more, Shen Luo handed a small piece of silver to the waiter. ¡°One of our waiters, Jin Buhuan, is the nephew of the head chef. He took a few days off recently, but I saw him earlier today. Please wait, and I''ll bring him over.¡± The waiter happily took the reward and ran off. Not long after, the waiter returned, bringing along a teenager in his early to mid-teens, wearing a short blue outfit. ¡°Customer, this is Jin Buhuan. He knows the most about the whole ghost situation. Feel free to ask him anything.¡± The waiter said. ¡°I thought there was some other issue. But this again? Aren''t you guys tired of asking? Just because my uncle happens to be the head chef, everyone comes to me with their inquiries. I came to the restaurant today to ask for some advance pay for my uncle''s treatment, not to indulge your curiosity.¡± The waiter Jin Buhuan seemed impatient, as he had been questioned about this by many people. ¡°That''s no way to talk to a customer.¡± The waiter scolded him impatiently. ¡°Never mind that. Jin, your filial piety is commendable. How much money does your uncle need for treatment? Is this enough?¡± Shen Luo was not offended, taking out a small gold ingot and putting it on the table. The waiter''s eyes nearly bulged out at the sight. This ingot was worth at least five or six taels, which was equivalent to sixty taels of silver. Jin Buhuan''s eyes also widened. However, he quickly shook his head and said, ¡°Thank you, kind sir. You are quite generous. I cannot accept your money. However, regarding your question, I will certainly tell you everything I know.¡± Chapter 491 Chapter 491: Chapter 487: Jing River Dragon King Chapter 491: Chapter 487: Jing River Dragon King ¡°Brother Jin, no need for formalities. These gold and silver are nothing to me. Could you recount the incident of your uncle encountering the ghost in detail to me?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°No problem, my uncle was cooking in the kitchen when he got into trouble. There was some commotion near the Great Wild Goose Pagoda in the West City. By the time I went to find him, he was crouched on the ground shivering and mumbling about a ghost. No matter how I called to him, he wouldn''t respond,¡± Jin Buhuan said. ¡°Oh, did your uncle mention what the ghost looked like?¡± Shen Luo pressed on. ¡°No, he didn''t.¡± Jin Buhuan shook his head. ¡°How is your uncle doing right now?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°After the incident, he has been in a daze, not speaking. Several doctors have already seen him, but he hasn''t improved, sigh¡­¡± Jin Buhuan sighed sadly. ¡°I have some medical skills. After our conversation, could I examine your uncle?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and suggested. If his uncle was harmed by a ghost, this opportunity could help Shen Luo decipher some clues about the ghost. ¡°Sir, you know medicine?¡± Jin Buhuan looked at Shen Luo skeptically. ¡°Dear brother, have you been suffering from a sore left shoulder and numb hands and feet during the night?¡± Shen Luo''s divine sense swept over Jin Buhuan, noticing some blockage in his blood and Qi flow around the left shoulder, and said with a slight smile. ¡°How did you know?¡± Jin Buhuan said in surprise. ¡°Doctors use observation methods to understand, often they can understand much simply by looking,¡± Shen Luo answered. ¡°Sir, you must be a miracle doctor. Please take a look at my uncle later,¡± Jin Buhuan, thoroughly convinced, said excitedly. ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly. Spotting the middle-aged scholar getting up to leave, he immediately dismissed the other two and went to meet him. ¡°Your Excellency, how remarkable that we meet again,¡± he greeted. ¡°It''s you? Have you also come to hear this story of how Emperor Tang deceitfully obtained thirty extra ''Yang Life'' years?¡± the middle-aged scholar looked at Shen Luo and said with a smile. ¡°Deceived thirty ''Yang Life'' years?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. He had been busy talking to Jin Buhuan just now and hadn''t paid much attention to what the storyteller had been saying in the tavern. He vaguely overheard something about ¡°Visiting the Underworld, Emperor Taizong revives, performing rites for beings of water and land.¡± ¡°That Emperor Tang promised to plead for the Jing River Dragon King, but didn''t keep his word. The two argued in the Underworld, and the officials there, in their greed for wealth, not only severely punished the Jing River Dragon King''s ghost but also granted Emperor Tang an additional thirty ''Yang Life'' years. Hmph!¡± the white-robed scholar said, his face clouding with resentment. ¡°The Jing River Dragon King!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed upon hearing these words. Back in the Underworld, hadn''t Hu Yong tried to unleash the ghost of the Jing River Dragon King? Furthermore, Cheng Yaojin had been deeply unwilling to speak of this matter. ¡°Ah, it seems you''re unaware of the matter concerning the Jing River Dragon King. Unsurprising, really. After committing such a gruesome act, Emperor Tang naturally wouldn''t want it to be widely known. The storyteller here only dares to discuss fragments and tiny aspects of the events from that time, really uninteresting,¡± the white-robed scholar gave a cold laugh, seeming to find the conversation with Shen Luo dull, and continued walking towards the outside. ¡°Your Excellency, please wait,¡± Shen Luo moved swiftly to block his path again. ¡°What else do you want?¡± The white-robed scholar furrowed his brows. ¡°There is something I do not understand, and I hope the gentleman can enlighten me. Where did you obtain the golden scale used to buy the fish earlier?¡± Shen Luo asked with a bow. ¡°How I obtained it is of no concern to you,¡± the white-robed scholar tapped his palm with his paper fan and replied nonchalantly. ¡°I would normally not bother myself with such matters, but the golden dragon scale carries an intense ghostly Qi. I fear it''s connected to the grave situation in Chang''an City. Please, I implore you to divulge more, ¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Ah, so you can sense that it is a dragon scale, your perception is not bad. But if you wish to know more, you should investigate by yourself,¡± the white-robed scholar laughed aloud, his figure blurring and reappearing outside the Qianjin Tower, then headed eastwards. Shen Luo''s expression changed, and he immediately gave chase at full speed using the Slanting Moon Steps. But the scholar''s movement skills were as elusive as a ghost, far faster than Shen Luo. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the crowd ahead. Shen Luo gave chase for a few steps before stopping, resigned to his failure. But he was not worried about losing track of his target because he had Shadow Gu at his disposal. However, it was the scholar''s skills that surprised him. ¡°There were definitely no fluctuations of mana on that white-robed scholar, but he possesses such swift movement skills. Could he be a ''High People'' with cultivation far superior to mine?¡± he wondered to himself. ¡°Ghost! Don''t come over!¡± At this moment, a woman''s scream echoed from somewhere ahead. ¡°Haunting in broad daylight!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°It''s this Yin Qi! It''s¡­ the ghost has appeared again!¡± The Ghost General in the Qiankun Bag became restless again, growling lowly. Shen Luo''s expression changed, he didn''t care about shocking the world, his figure shot up and dashed towards the source of the sound, in a blink of an eye he was inside a tall tower building. A plaque hanging at the entrance of the tower read ¡°Liuxiang Pavilion¡±, seeming to be a place of entertainment. Shen Luo spread his Divine Sense and quickly located the source of the scream, entering a window-side room within the tower. ¡°Ghost¡­ Don''t come near me¡­ Someone come save me¡­ Sob¡­¡± A palace-dressed girl sat in the room, her face streaked with tears, her hands waving frantically in front of her as if to ward something off. ¡°Miss, what has happened?¡± Shen Luo asked with a salute. ¡°I didn''t see anything! I didn''t hear anything! Sob¡­ I''m so scared¡­¡± The girl in her palace dress seemed to be too frightened to reason, her communication utterly broken. Seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hands in front of the girl, fingers dancing, casting a spell to calm her mind. The girl''s expression gradually softened with Shen Luo''s hand seal transitions, she was no longer as terrified, she lifted her gaze to look at Shen Luo. ¡°Miss, there is no need to be afraid. I am not a villain, I just heard your call and came to look. You mentioned that you saw a ghost. In broad daylight, is there really a ghost?¡± Shen Luo stopped the spell and saluted again. ¡°I¡­ I just saw a ghost walking around downstairs! A headless ghost! The ghost was dripping wet, muttering ''my head, where''s my head''¡­ It scared me so much, sob¡­¡± The palace-dressed girl muttered somewhat absurdly. But the moment talk of the ghost began, the girl became frantic again, covering her face with her hands, and started sobbing. ¡°Miss Lian Xiang, what''s wrong? Huh, who are you?¡± A maid in green rushed in from outside and showed surprise at the sight of Shen Luo. ¡°A headless ghost, dripping wet¡­ wait, this girl is crying. Could she be the weeping girl that the grey robe elder Dao mentioned?¡± Shen Luo ignored the maid, mumbling to himself, then suddenly remembered what the grey robe elder Dao said before. He took a glance at Lian Xiang in front of him, took out the secret talisman covertly and flicked it with a bent finger. The talisman transformed into a yellow shadow, avoiding the sight of both people present in the room and stealthily stuck itself on Lian Xiang''s back. The moment the talisman was attached, the panicked look on Lian Xiang''s face disappeared instantly. ¡°Pearl, what happened to me? Who are you?¡± She looked around blankly, as if she had completely forgotten everything that happened and looked at Shen Luo somewhat timidly. ¡°So that ghost-drawing charm really works!¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. At the same time, he became certain that the three prophecies the grey robe elder Dao gave him were not baseless and were all true. ¡°I came over because I heard some noise here. Miss, did you see where the headless ghost went?¡± He then asked Lian Xiang. ¡°I, I don''t know, that ghostly figure disappeared in a flash from underneath the building, ¡± Upon hearing the words ¡°headless ghost¡±, Lian Xiang''s body began to tremble like a sieve. ¡°Downstairs?¡± Shen Luo walked over to the window and looked down. The bustling streets below were bathed in brilliant sunlight with people coming and going. There was not a trace of Yin Qi or any ghostly shadow. ¡°In that case, excuse me.¡± He nodded at the two girls, turned around and walked outside, leaving the two bewildered girls behind. The entire Liuxiang Pavilion was in chaos upon hearing someone scream about a haunting. Some people tried to escape, others rushed upstairs. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo blended into the crowd and quickly left the Liuxiang Pavilion without attracting any attention and reached under the tower. He spread his divine sense to probe the surroundings, but couldn''t sense anything. ¡°Could you sense the trail of that ghost?¡± Out of necessity, he communicated with the ghost general inside the Qiankun Bag via his divine sense. ¡°Why should I tell you.¡± The ghost general suddenly gave a defiant cold laugh. ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Luo was taken aback by the ghost general''s attitude. Chapter 492 Chapter 492: Chapter 490: Dragon Soul Chapter 492: Chapter 490: Dragon Soul Shen Luo immediately noticed the situation with the middle-aged scholar, he had personally experienced the power of the Golden Sword Array. The scholar was able to face this Sword Array head-on, his strength incomparable to Shen Luo. But the dignified Golden Formation in the river was suppressing the Dragon Head, which should be an evil entity, and it must not be taken away. He looked towards the direction of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, no one from there had noticed the situation here yet. With a slight grit of his teeth, he hastily pulled out a green short axe and swung it at the middle-aged scholar. A series of thick green thunders shot out from the short axe, instantly converging into a water bucket-thick column of green thunder. It resembled a roaring thunder dragon, baring its teeth and claws at the middle-aged scholar. Shen Luo, now advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, could fully stimulate the power of the green short axe. But a dark figure flashed in front of the middle-aged scholar, a spectral ghost over twenty or thirty feet tall materialized, opening its mouth wide. The thick green thunder disappeared into the ghost''s mouth in a flash, swallowed in one gulp, seemingly without causing any harm to the other side. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes slightly widened. The green thunder and lightning contained in the short axe may not be as powerful as Red Lotus Karmic Fire, but it should have effectiveness against ghosts, yet this ghost swallowed it whole. This slight delay allowed the two black dragon claws to forcefully break through the countless sword shadows within the light pillar, grabbed the dragon head inside the Sword Array, and was about to pull out. With a resonant ''hum'', a gigantic golden Sword Shadow, extraordinarily shaped and tens of feet tall, emerged from the Sword Array, gleaming golden, Sword Qi soaring to the sky. The huge Sword Shadow also radiated an overwhelming Demon slaying Qi. The moment it appeared, it slashed through the air, striking the two black dragon claws. With a sizzling sound, the two black dragon claws were effortlessly cleaved like paper and turned into black Qi which was vaporized by the golden Sword Radiance. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The middle-aged scholar was also be sent flying by the sword and landed on the wooden bridge. Seeing this, Shen Luo was gleeful, mulling over for a moment, he also landed on the wooden bridge. However, he didn''t get too close to the middle-aged scholar, landing twenty or thirty feet away. The black spectral ghost also flew down and landed next to the middle-aged scholar, staring at Shen Luo with blood-red eyes, full of warning. ¡°Wei Zheng is indeed formidable, even though he has been dead for many years, this Golden Sword Array is still incredibly powerful forcing me to stay away. Seems like I have no choice to proceed according to those people''s idea, letting these greedy humans sacrifice their lives for me to break the Array.¡± The middle-aged scholar looked at the golden light pillar in the river, and even though he was sent flying, he was not discouraged, and quietly said to himself with a calm expression. ¡°Who are you, to resort to such cruel means to unravel this Array? You showed compassion and confidence about a brocade carp, yet you disregard human lives so much, aren''t you afraid of retribution!¡± Shen Luo, hearing the other side''s monologue from a distance, displayed an angry expression and said in a deep voice. ¡°Hmph! When Wei Zheng decapitated me and then suppressed my dragon''s head under the river with the Golden Sword Qi, were we from Jing River Clan supposed to lie on the chopping board just because the Li family rises to power in accordance with destiny?¡± The middle-aged scholar said coldly. ¡°Beheaded? Dragon Head? You are the ghost of the Jing River Dragon King! No, that day in the Underworld, we clearly sealed you!¡± Shen Luo finally understood the identity of this person, but still found it hard to believe. ¡°Human child, I have a big task today, considering that you once helped me get out of trouble, I will not take your life today. If you know what''s good for you, retreat quickly, or don''t blame me for not being merciful.¡± The middle-aged scholar did not answer Shen Luo''s words but coldly said. Then the middle-aged scholar ignored Shen Luo, sat cross-legged on the bridge surface, and muttered spells. He released a strong black Qi that soon engulfed his body completely and started to churn like turbulent waves. A series of obscure and unintelligible spell voices came from the black light, as if a secret method was being cast. The dragon head inside the Golden Sword Array stopped roaring, black Qi emerged around its body, intertwining with the blood light. With a ¡°boom¡±, like pouring oil onto a fire, the blood light immediately blazed. The Dragon Head''s eyes also flashed with bloody light, as if it had come to life, and started smashing into the Sword Array from the inside. The dragon head ceased its roars, allowing the people on both banks of the river to resume their actions. Not daring to stay, they scrambled to flee into the distance, quickly disappearing from sight. Surprisingly to Shen Luo, the middle-aged scholar didn''t stop these people from escaping but continued to chant spells. The black qi wrapping around him suddenly spread over the ground, transforming the nearby area of about ten feet into a field of black qi within the blink of an eye. The black qi was dense and thick, appearing like a massive black hole had opened up on the ground, causing alarm. Shen Luo felt an inward shock and immediately retreated a distance backwards. Within the black qi, countless black runes emerged and quickly converged, forming a pattern of an array within a blink of an eye, flickering continuously. Several ghost shadows sprouted from within the array. In the blink of an eye, dozens of ghosts appeared, surrounding the middle-aged scholar in a circle. The aura of these ghosts were all quite powerful, all of them being above the Grain Avoidance stage. Particularly, a few ghosts exuded an extraordinary large ghostly qi, clearly at the Soul Condensation stage, which Shen Luo couldn''t clearly decipher. ¡°The ghosts are increasing in number, with such a commotion here, the Great Tang Dynasty Government can''t possibly remain unaware, why has no one come yet?¡± Shen Luo was anxious. Alone, he had no way to deal with so many ghosts, let alone stop the middle-aged scholar from retrieving the dragon head from within the array. Just at this moment, the rushing sound of footsteps echoed from both sides of the river bank, a large crowd of people were rushing over. ¡°What are you doing? It''s dangerous here, quickly leave¡­¡± His heart was filled with urgency, and he shouted out loud. But he could only utter half of his words before his voice halted. The crowd looked blank and lost, their bodies entwined with streams of black qi that looked like small dragons continuously spinning around their bodies at a high speed, clearly they had been manipulated by an unusual technique. These people had no reaction to Shen Luo''s voice, they just heavily stepped towards the golden sword array in the river. Shen Luo couldn''t stand by and watch so many people die, he cursed inwardly and then hurled his body towards the crowd at a high speed. But as soon as he moved, a dark shadow flashed in front of his eyes. The spectral ghost appeared quickly, its speed was inconceivably fast, genuine as a ghostly specter, and its black ghost claw directly pierced towards his chest. Shen Luo''s heart startled; moonlight glamour emerged from both of his feet, and he vanished into thin air, causing the spectral ghost to grab at nothing. The next moment, his silhouette appeared dozens of feet away, the green short axe in his hand struck out again. The resounding sound of thunder rose high, a thick green bolt of lightning struck towards the spectral ghost. At the same time, Shen Luo manipulated a sword technique with his other hand and shot out a crimson sword light from his body. It was the Pure Yang Sword Embryo that struck towards the spectral ghost from another direction at lightning speed. A hint of contempt flashed in the spectral ghost''s eyes, and it opened its mouth to suck in, just like before. A vortex-like black halo appeared in its mouth, emitting a formidable swallowing force, resulting in a great wind that picked up in the surrounding air. The green thunder and lightning along with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo seemed like two little fishes, they were sucked into the spectral ghost''s mouth with a ''swoosh'' sound, swallowed into its belly. Inside the spectral ghost''s body was a black space that seemed somewhat similar to the inside of a Qiankun Bag, countless thread-like black qi floated around, swiftly corroded the green lightning and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo layer by layer. The green lightning swiftly dissipated as if it had melted into the void. On the Pure Yang Sword Embryo also wrapped around numerous black threads, firmly imprisoned, and the black threads began to corrode the inside of the sword embryo. Chapter 493 Chapter 493: Chapter 488: Meeting the Scholar Again Chapter 493: Chapter 488: Meeting the Scholar Again ¡°Kid, you think you can tame me, a general ghost, with your half-assed taming ghost law? You''re a hundred years too early! Thanks for the continuous provocation, it helped me to rapidly awaken my spiritual wisdom,¡± the general ghost laughed heartily, sounding almost like a regular person. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression darkened. He had been using the taming ghost technique to communicate with this general ghost for quite some time, thinking that he had tamed more than half of it. However, judging from this situation, it seemed the ghost had only been pretending all this time, in reality using him to awaken its own spiritual wisdom. ¡°Really? Your spiritual wisdom is already wide open? That''s good, a condensed soul ghost with awakened spiritual wisdom should fetch a good price,¡± he laughed without getting angry and transmitted his voice back. The general ghost suddenly stopped laughing, like a duck being strangled. ¡°Kid, how about we make a deal? I help you solve the ghost problem in Chang''an City, and you set me free,¡± the general ghost proposed after a moment of silence. ¡°Impossible. A condensed soul ghost like you will inevitably harm innocent beings once you escape. It''s better to stay in my Qiankun bag,¡± Shen Luo rejected without needing to think. ¡°You¡­hmm! Do you really think you can trap this general with this damned bag?¡± The general ghost was furious. It burst out with its ghostly Qi, attacking the prohibition restricting it in the Qiankun bag. The Qiankun bag shook and emitted black light. ¡°What are you doing? Do you really want to die?¡± A murderous light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, he pressed his hand on the Qiankun bag and formed his sword technique. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out from his sleeve and flew into the Qiankun bag fast enough to escape the notice of those nearby. As it entered the Qiankun bag, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo immediately emitted a bright red light, along with tendrils of Red Lotus Karmic Fire. The sword tip pointed at the forehead of the general ghost, letting out a piercing sword Qi ¡°shh¡± sound. The general ghost became still, and the ghostly Qi it had stirred also gradually disappeared. The sense of pride it had just had from having opened its spiritual wisdom also vanished completely. Having already advanced to the soul condensation stage and having the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, specific to ghost adversaries, Shen Luo could kill it easily. ¡°This is your only warning. Dare to cause trouble again, and I won''t hesitate to kill you,¡± Shen Luo''s voice turned icy as he removed the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Kid, you''re ruthless! I can help you deal with the ghost problem in Chang''an City. But you need to bring some Yin Qi to aid my cultivation,¡± the general ghost sneered, softening his tone. ¡°Deal.¡± Shen Luo weighed the offer and agreed. Although he now had divine sense, he was still unable to sense Yin Qi as well as the general ghost. As long as this general ghost was willing to communicate with him, he had other ways to tame it. The Pure Yang Scripture recorded more than one taming ghost technique. ¡°Good, kid. I will help you find this ghost. When we kill it, any condensed Yin objects inside the ghost''s body are mine!¡± said the general ghost. ¡°Agreed.¡± Shen Luo nodded readily. ¡°Remember your words. Not far from here, there is a trace of Yin Qi. This is left by the ghost,¡± said the general ghost, adeptly pointing out the location. Shen Luo looked over, saw nothing especialy, so he flexed his mana into his eyes and looked at the location pointed out by the general ghost, giving a startled sound. Only to see the faint blue water stain trace on the ground, with a faint Yin Qi spreading from the water stain. HIs sensitivity to Yin Qi was much lesser than the general ghost''s, so he couldn''t differentiate. But Lian Xiang had just now mentioned seeing a beheaded ghost dripping with water, it seems the general ghost wasn''t lying. ¡°Can you sense any other Yin Qi water stains?¡± Shen Luo surveyed the surroundings and not finding any other blue water stains, he questioned. ¡°Of course, just move forward,¡± boasted the general ghost, indicating for Shen Luo to move on. After they moved a distance, they indeed discovered another patch of Yin Qi water stain. ¡°I did not expect that you really have some ability,¡± Shen Luo commented with a smile. ¡°Of course,¡± the general ghost snorted in response. The duo continued their pursuit and soon arrived near a wooden bridge in the east of the city. Below the bridge was a large river, gushing with water. This location was not far from Shen Luo''s current residence, Chang Le Alley, and he knew of the river, which had a strange name: Jingguang River. ¡°What is that?¡± Just as he was about to urge the general ghost to continue the search, his eyes flashed. Just ahead on the bridge stood a figure clad in white, the middle-aged scholar in white. ¡°Your Excellency, we meet again.¡±With a thought spinning in his mind, Shen Luo stepped forward and greeted with a smile. ¡°It''s you.¡± The middle-aged scholar showed a slight surprise upon seeing Shen Luo. ¡°I''ve been tracking down a headless ghost. The water traces led me here. May I ask how long you have been standing here, Your Excellency, and if you''ve noticed anything?¡± Shen Luo discreetly observed the middle-aged scholar as he inquired. ¡°No¡±. The middle-aged scholar averted his gaze and continued to look at the river below, answering indifferently. ¡°Your Excellency, your agility is quite astonishing, and I presume you are a cultivator too. The water traces disappeared around here, don''t you really have any clue? Can you also tell me why you chose to stop here?¡± asked Shen Luo with a slight frown. ¡°Many years ago, I once visited this place. Today, after so many years, I have returned to reminisce.¡± The middle-aged scholar answered calmly. Confused with the scholar''s response, Shen Luo didn''t know how to respond. The scholar definitely seemed suspicious, but he couldn''t detect anything unusual, and moreover, the scholar might possess profound cultivation. Therefore, Shen Luo did not dare to make abrupt moves. ¡°Today, we encountered each other multiple times, it must be fate. I have an interesting story, would you care to listen?¡± The middle-aged scholar suddenly turned towards Shen Luo and suggested. ¡°Oh, please proceed, Your Excellency.¡± Shen Luo, surprised by the scholar''s proposal, decided to gauge his reaction and nodded in agreement. ¡°For a hundred years, Chang''an City has been peaceful, thanks entirely to the evil-suppressing objects on its east and west. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda stands in the west, and there''s another treasure in the east. Do you know what it is?¡± asked the middle-aged scholar while playing with his folding fan in hand. ¡°I have no idea. I would be grateful if Your Excellency enlightens me.¡± With a surprised expression on his face, Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°That is the Dragon Slaying Sword that killed Jing River''s Dragon King. After Wei Zheng''s death, he transformed the Sword Qi into an array and kept it here. I have been searching in Chang''an City for a long time before I found where the Sword Qi is.¡± The scholar looked down at the river with terrifyingly sharp eyes. ¡°The Dragon Slaying Sword! The Jing River Dragon King!¡± Shen Luo was shocked, it was related to the Jing River Dragon King! However, at this moment, a figure rushed up the bridge. On his back, he carried a basket full of live fish. It was the same fisherman who had raised the price earlier. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ah, I found you at last, sir. Hehe, I just caught another basket full of fish. Would you like to buy it to release it?¡± the young fisherman asked with an ingratiating smile, placing the basket of fish in front of the scholar. Seeing the fisherman''s greed and exploiting the goodwill of others, Shen Luo frowned involuntarily. ¡°Hehe, commoners are so greedy, yet they get to enjoy peace. It''s unfair! So unfair!¡± The middle-aged scholar laughed skyward while expressing resentment in his face. ¡°Ah, so do you want to buy it or not! If you don''t want to buy, I will sell it to Qianjin Tower as Red Braised Fish!¡± The fisherman lost his patience after seeing the sudden change in the scholar''s behavior. ¡°Why bother? Can you see this bag of gold? Since you desire money so much, why not go and find it. Whoever finds it can have it.¡± The middle-aged scholar took out a small bag from his pouch, which was filled with dazzling gold ingots, and threw it into the river below. The gold in the bag immediately fell into the river, like dumping dumplings into boiling water. ¡°Ah! Gold!¡± The young fisherman''s eyes sparkled, and he shouted in surprise. ¡°What are you trying to do, Your Excellency?¡± Shen Luo sensed something was strange, and he asked in a deep voice. The middle-aged scholar only laughed and did not explain. His actions drew much attention. The flashing gold caught the eyes of many nearby. ¡°Gold! That man is throwing gold!¡± Somebody immediately rushed over. ¡°It''s my gold!¡± The furious fisherman, not caring about the height of the bridge, jumped straight into the river, desperate to retrieve his gold. ¡°Wait, sir¡­¡± Shen Luo wanted to stop him, but the fisherman had already jumped. Others nearby, seeing this scene, were so eager that they jumped into the river one after another in search of gold. ¡°What exactly do you mean, Your Excellency? Why did you instigate so many civilians to jump into the water?¡± With a sudden realization, Shen Luo turned and shouted at the scholar. Chapter 494 Chapter 494: 489 Chapter 494: 489 ¡°I merely tossed some gold down there. It''s not my fault these people jumped in themselves,¡± the middle-aged scholar casually said, flicking open his fan with a ¡°whoosh¡±. Shen Luo knew the scholar was up to no good and didn''t entertain him further. Not caring if he exposed his identity, he reached out to the river below, making a grasping motion in thin air. A loud ¡°crash¡± came from the surface of the river below. More than a dozen water palms appeared, reaching for the people who had already jumped into the river, forcing them back towards the shore. But at this very moment, the entire river suddenly started to churn. More than a dozen tendrils of black qi sprang forth from the river like pythons, wrapping around the water palms and preventing them from approaching the people in the water. The people in the river had a layer of blood-red glow in their eyes and an ecstatic expression filled their faces. They seemed oblivious to the surrounding fight, diving towards the riverbed, as if their minds were controlled by some mesmerizing technique. A change came over Shen Luo''s face. He turned to look at the middle-aged scholar beside him, his expression becoming more shocked. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The middle-aged scholar, who had been standing beside him just moments before, had vanished into thin air. He had been sensing the surroundings with his divine sense all along, and yet he hadn''t noticed when the scholar disappeared. ¡°That man really was suspicious,¡± he muttered, stomping his foot a bit in annoyance. But now was not the time to pursue the middle-aged scholar. The black qi in the river was ominous. It was hindering his rescue efforts, something major must have happened at the riverbed. He needed to get those people out as soon as possible. Shen Luo jumped up, lunging into the river. The black qi in the river surged, shooting out more than a dozen thick tendrils of darkness twining around, coming at him in a wild dance. ¡°Humph!¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly. A crimson sword light lit up below him, carrying his body to the side at lightning speed to avoid the tendrils of darkness. At the same time, his hands swiftly formed a series of hand signs, a blue light radiating brilliantly from between his fingers. Rumble! The body of water started to roil violently, forming a vortex around twenty to thirty feet in size, which sucked in all the black tendrils rising from the river bed. A muffled rumble resounded from the center of the vortex, emanating with a powerful force of tearing. The sound of sizzling was unending. All of the black tendrils erupted from the riverbed were ripped apart, dissolving into trails of dark fog. However, the people in the river remained unharmed. Shen Luo had manipulated the water flow and carefully avoided them. Despite this, the people were scattered by the swirling water. Shen Luo was about to congregate more water palms to get those people back to the shore when suddenly a humming sword hum roared up from the riverbed. A golden light pillar as thick as a hundred feet shot up from the riverbed straight towards the sky. Within the light pillar, numerous sword shadows flashed, radiating with an intimidating surge of sword qi. The vortex created by Shen Luo''s mana and the residual black qi were easily wiped out by this surge of sword qi. The people in the river were instantly torn apart by the sword qi, reduced to a myriad of flesh blobs before they could even let out a scream. Shen Luo was also affected by the golden light pillar but reacted quickly. He immediately commanded his sword to reverse and shot backward, simultaneously invoking his Golden Immortal Armor to protect his whole body. With a loud ¡°clang¡±, a gigantic sword shadow flashed out from the golden light pillar, hit the bell-shaped protective cover, and sent him flying along with the protective cover. After flying back a good dozen feet, Shen Luo managed to stabilize his body. The Golden Immortal Armor above his head was trembling violently and the bell-shaped protective cover around him was shaking intensely, a huge gash appearing on it, but it had not been completely shattered. A delighted look appeared on Shen Luo''s face. The defensive power of the Golden Immortal Armor was beyond his expectation. The sword shadow just now exceeded the Soul Condensation Stage, and could even be compared to a strike of Nascent Soul Cultivator, yet it was blocked by the bell. After catching sight of the bloody river water, his smile froze. He probed below with his divine sense and his face instantly turned ashen. ¡°This is bad!¡± Shen Luo bellowed in fury under his breath. He did not hold resentment against the Sword Array in the river, as it was an unconscious and inanimate object, automatically activated to slaughter the townsfolk within its radius. What he hated was the Middle-aged Scholar, who was the cause of all these senseless deaths. However, there was no sign of the white-robed scholar, and with no one to vent his anger on, he could only suppress his fierce emotions. ¡°What''s the deal with this Golden Light Pillar¡­The Sword Shadows inside it look like they''ve formed a Sword Array. Could it be the formation created by the Sword Qi of the Dragon Slaying Sword that the scholar mentioned? But why would Wei Zheng set up this Array here? And why would the scholar lure the townsfolk into the river to activate the Sword Array?¡± An endless stream of doubts rolled in Shen Luo''s mind. The commotion of the river''s magic battle spread far and wide, attracting many local residents to gather. ¡°Look, there''s a Immortal Master!¡± ¡°What is that golden light? It''s so frightening.¡± The people near the riverbank pointed and commented about Shen Luo and the Golden Light Pillar in the river, sparking off a myriad of discussions. However, some daring individuals believed that the golden light in the river signified the impending emergence of a treasure, and without a moment''s hesitation, they jumped into the river and swam towards the Sword Array. Despite the Sword Array just having killed over a dozen people, those bodies had sunk to the bottom of the river, and the dazzling Golden Light Pillar camouflaged the bloodstained river water, thus the other townsfolk didn''t notice. ¡°Everyone, don''t approach the golden light, it''s dangerous!¡± Shen Luo yelled anxiously, pointing his hand at the river surface. With a splash, two walls of water, several tens of feet high, rose from the river to block off the reckless townsfolk. At this moment, another shift occurred within the Golden Sword Array, resulting in sticky strands of Blood Light suddenly firing out, spreading the overwhelming stench of blood. Still, endless roars could be heard emanating from within the Golden Sword Array. Despite the roars'' low volume, they seemed to contain an intimidating power. The townsfolk nearby covered their ears, their faces warped in pain, only then realizing the danger they were in and attempting to escape as far as possible. But their feet seemed rooted to the ground, unresponsive to their attempts to move. Their bodies were out of their control. Shen Luo naturally heard the roar as well, and though his head was a bit dizzy, once he channeled his Mana to protect his body, the dizzy sensation quickly faded. Moreover, he found this roar strangely familiar. He had naturally noticed the plight of the townsfolk on the shore, but there was nothing he could do. He was trying to control the water to transport these people to safety. ¡°Roar!¡± The roar from within the Golden Sword Array abruptly increased ten-fold in volume. Shen Luo felt as though he had received a huge blow to his chest and his face drained of color. The townsfolk near the shore were screaming even louder, with dozens of them dropping to the ground, clutching their heads and wailing. The river water within the Golden Sword Array was boiling as if being violently stirred. Something, the size of a carriage, slowly emerged from the water. It was a huge golden beast head. This beast head was covered in golden scales, with two golden, coral-like horns on its head, its eyes as big as copper bells, whiskers growing from its lower jaw. It was a Dragon Head. Only, this Dragon Head was covered in a layer of Blood Light, which looked extremely sinister. ¡°Dragon Head!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed drastically. ¡°So the Lonely Dragon Head is indeed here! Wei Zheng, you really are despicable!¡± A ripple appeared in the void near the Golden Light Pillar, and the figure of the white-robed scholar materialized out of thin air. After giving a cold laugh, he reached out with both hands into the void. Two beams of black light shot forth from the center of his palms, transforming into two building-sized Black Dragon Claws which directly plunged into the Golden Light Pillar, aiming for the Dragon Head. The Sword Array within the Light Pillar immediately responded. Countless large and small Sword Shadows glowed brilliantly, slashing into the two Black Dragon Claws. A series of loud metallic clanging noises erupted! The Black Dragon Claws were instantly enveloped in churning black smoke, trembling relentlessly. Yet, they weren''t immediately destroyed. On the contrary, they continued to reach into the Golden Sword Array, stretching towards the Dragon Head within. Chapter 495 – 495 491 Chapter 495: Chapter 491 ¨C Battle Against a Horde of Ghosts Chapter 495: Chapter 491 ¨C Battle Against a Horde of Ghosts Shen Luo did not change his expression, instead a cunning smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. The sword technique in his hand naturally changed, and the red light at his fingertips suddenly surged, pointing out into the void. On the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, there was a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, and a group of crimson flame appeared out of nowhere. It was the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Those black threads immediately broke down inch by inch when they were burnt by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, turning into black Qi and drifting away. The Sword Embryo was regaining its freedom, and the sword light shining from it was even brighter. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire was mixed in it and it slashed forward viciously. A ¡°sizzle¡± sound was heard! The Spectral Ghost screamed, a huge wound of about several meters appeared on its back, and strands of Ghostly Qi leaked out from it. Shen Luo waved one hand, and the green short axe in his hand split out, once again releasing a thick green lightning, hitting the body of the Spectral Ghost. The green lightning exploded, tearing apart and swallowed half of the Spectral Ghost''s body which turned into black Qi and drifted away. But the Pure Yang Sword Embryo inside the Spectral Ghost''s body did not fly out. In a flash of spiritual light, it made another fierce slash in another direction. A larger sword wound appeared again on the Spectral Ghost. The body of the Spectral Ghost exploded completely, turning into nothingness. A black round pearl emerged from the ghostly Qi that had not yet dissipated, emitting an astonishing Yin Qi. ¡°Quick! Give me that pearl!¡± The Qiankun Bag shook incessantly, and the General Ghost inside it shouted with excitement. Shen Luo waved his hand to take the round pearl into his hand, and threw it into the Qiankun Bag. After that, without stopping, he continued to shoot toward the people on the shore. Whiz! Whiz! There were two more Ghosts standing in front of him. One was a Blood-Red Ghost of the size of a child, with horns growing on its head and a long tail behind its buttocks. The other was a two-meter-high green-faced fanged Zombie. Both Ghosts possessed strong Ghostly Qi, reaching the Soul Condensation Stage. Although they were not as good as the previous Spectral Ghost, they were not far behind. At the same time the two Ghosts blocked his path, they both launched attacks. The Blood-Red Ghost raised one of its claws, emitting a blood light and made a grab into the void. A huge blood-colored Ghost Claw several meters in size shot out and pointed towards Shen Luo, giving off a strong smell of blood. The green-faced Zombie, however, directly pounced. A sharp yellow light appeared on its giant fist and it struck out with a huge punch, facing an overwhelming force. Shen Luo immediately urged the Golden Immortal Armor on top of his head, a bell-shaped protective cover emerged to meet the attacks of the two Ghosts. With two ¡°clang clang¡± sounds, the blood-red Ghost Claw broke apart at the sound, and the green-faced Zombie was also shaken, its body was sent flying. However, because of the powerful strength of the two Ghosts, the bell-shaped protective cover was humming and vibrating. Shen Luo who was inside, his body also received a shock. He sighed quietly. Although he had the Golden Immortal Armor, his talent was mediocre, and his Mana was inferior compared to those on the same level. Just at this moment, a shadow flickered behind him, and a dark red skeleton appeared out of nowhere like a ghost. The dark red skeleton was only the size of an ordinary person, its eyes flashed with two clusters of ghostly green light, and its body was even a bit torn and tattered, but the Gui Qi exuding from its body was extremely strong, far stronger than the Blood-Red Ghost and the green-faced Zombie, even compared to the previous Spectral Ghost, it was slightly superior, almost reaching the peak of the Soul Condensation Stage. And the Gu Qi on its body was extremely violent, like gunpowder. The skeleton''s two bone hands were virtually spread in front of its chest, with a flash of crimson light, a crimson fireball the size of a millstone appeared between its palms, where a hideous skull head was looming. From inside, there was an odd smell of burning heat, as if a coffin that had been buried deep in the ground for millions of years was burning, which was not only extremely hot but also carried an aura of resentment. The moment the crimson fireball was condensed, the dark red skeleton''s two hands immediately pushed it out. The enormous crimson fireball shot out like a meteor, giving Shen Luo no time to react at all. It hit the bell-shaped protective cover fiercely. ¡°Boom!¡± With a sound that could shake the heavens and the earth! A black and red mushroom-shaped fire cloud rose into the sky, completely engulfing the bell-shaped protective shield! The ground near the wooden bridge trembled like an earthquake, a hot wave swept across, scraping off a layer of the nearby surface, countless fragments of stones shot out like crossbow arrows, flying in all directions. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Deep within the black and red fire cloud, the bell-shaped shield trembled violently. It quickly became thin with a cracking sound, revealing several cracks. Shen Luo''s cheeks shook pale. His hands formed dizzying hand-seals, tightly pressing them on the shield, and pouring his mana into it regardless of the consumption. The yellow light of the bell-shaped shield surged and stopped thinning. The cracks also quickly healed. However, before the cracks healed, a wisp of crimson flame managed to fly in, fell on Shen Luo''s calf, and instantly burned through his clothes, melting into his calf. Shen Luo, who was wholly concentrating on maintaining the Golden Immortal Armor, noticed this wisp of flame only when it had already melted into his body. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, a clump of crimson flame appeared on his leg. The surrounding flesh quickly blackened and hissed like bug chirping, or like a poisonous snake hissing. The crimson flame seemed capable of devouring flesh and vital energy, quickly grew, and spread around. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo''s heart missed a beat, he hurriedly mobilized his mana to block the erosion of the crimson flame. But these flames, though seemingly ordinary, were stuck to his flesh like maggots on a bone. His mana couldn''t stop their spread. ¡°What kind of flame is this, it''s so powerful! Right, the use the Great Unsealing Technique!¡± Shen Luo''s face turned grim, he quickly thought of a countermeasure, a brilliant idea flashed in his mind, he activated the yet unfinished Great Unsealing Technique. A white soft light appeared around the wound on his calf, enclosing it. The crimson flame was immediately blocked and no longer spread. He took a breath, and immediately mobilized all his mana towards his calf. A dazzling blue light emerged on his leg, wrapping the crimson flame layer by layer and rushing fiercely. Amidst the ¡°sizzling¡± sound, the crimson flame was suddenly extinguished. Shen Luo exhaled in relief, operating the Great Unsealing Technique to heal his damaged body, his expression suddenly became stiff. His Great Unsealing Technique had reached the three stages of skinning, slicing, and bone carving. Therefore, flesh and bone injuries weren''t much of an issue. As soon as he activated the Great Unsealing Technique, those injuries started to heal immediately. But a force from the flame had already invaded the Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian in his calf, which quickly shriveled up. Anxious, Shen Luo didn''t care that he hadn''t yet mastered the part about harnessing meridians in the Great Unsealing Technique, he mobilized the power of the Great Unsealing Technique fully, and compulsively poured it into the meridian. Severe pain arose from within the meridians, as if thousands of needles were piercing through. Even with his tenacious mentality, he couldn''t help but groan. Just when this pain struck, his mind suddenly cleared up, all the content of the Great Unsealing Technique flashed in his mind, churning like a breached river. In a split second, it seemed as if he had broken through a certain bottleneck, his understanding of the Great Unsealing Technique instantly reached a new level. The power of the Great Unsealing Technique successfully entered the Foot Shao Yin Kidney Meridian. A layer of white light appeared on the originally shrunk meridian, and it quickly recovered to its original state. A huge mana immediately poured in, wiping out the force of the flame in the meridian. Shen Luo''s heart was overjoyed. He had unexpectedly broken through the bottleneck of the Great Unsealing Technique during the battle, reaching the level of harnessing meridians. Now, he could cultivate the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method. But before that, he needed to finish the battle in hand first. Chapter 496 Chapter 496: Chapter 492: Reinforcements Chapter 496: Chapter 492: Reinforcements Shen Luo, while running the Great Unsealing Technique to heal his lower leg injury, formed sword techniques with one hand. A flash of red light occurred, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo emerged out of thin air; he shook his wrist again. With a ¡°slip¡± sound, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo turned into a red sword rainbow tens of feet long. Above it, a layer of crimson flames appeared, slashing towards the dark red skeleton and two other ghost creatures. Practicing the Pure Yang Sword Technique, Shen Luo was much faster in activating the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The sword rainbow drew a ring of light and almost simultaneously slashed at the three ghosts. The three ghost creatures clearly did not expect Shen Luo''s counterattack to be so swift. Despite their best efforts to dodge, they still got injured by the sword rainbow. The blood-red demon had its left arm chopped off, the green-faced zombie chest got a huge wound, revealing its internal organs. The dark red skeleton standing closest to Shen Luo had its hands chopped off by the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Some Red Lotus Karmic Fire could be seen at the wounds of all three ghosts. This fire is the nemesis of all ghost creatures. Like the dark red skeleton''s crimson flames just now, it swiftly spreads from the wound to other areas of their bodies. The three ghosts creatures hurriedly applied their measures, attempting to extinguish the Red Lotus Karmic Fire on them. But how could Shen Luo let them succeed? The sword technique in his hand changed, and the vast red sword rainbow immediately split into dozens of small sword rainbows, lashing at the three ghosts like a storm. However, these three ghost creatures were not weak, and didn''t make the same mistake as the spectral ghost creature before by consuming the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, therefore, no matter how hard he tried, he was still being hindered and couldn''t escape for the moment. On both sides of the river, several villagers had already jumped in toward the Golden Sword Array, like moths to a flame. Golden sword shadows flicked, several villagers were immediately chopped into halves, splattering blood and falling onto the ground. The black Qi that originally hovered around them infused into the corpses. The corpses quickly turned pitch-black, then exploded directly, turning into clusters of black and red blood stains on the golden light pillars. The light inside the pillars flickered, and the sword Qi surged, immediately shaking off most of the blood stains, yet a patch of dark red traces were still firmly attached to them. The originally dazzling golden light pillars dimmed slightly, and the movement of the sword shadows inside was also slightly sluggish. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Haha! It works, it really works, foolish humans, become the sacrifice that will free my Dragon Head!¡± the laugh of the middle-aged scholar came out from the black Qi, and the surrounding black Qi surged towards the Golden Sword Array. The black Qi this time was different from before, appearing more substantial, almost like a liquid. In the blink of an eye, it covered the distance of tens of feet and enveloped the Golden Sword Array, leaking in from a few dark red blood stains. The Golden Sword Array immediately lit up with tens of thick sword shadows slashing towards the enveloping black Qi, tearing dozens of cracks in the black Qi. However, the black Qi immediately filled back, continuing to seep towards the Golden Sword Array, and the golden light pillars once again darkened. ¡°Who dares to act recklessly in Chang''an City?!¡± A thunderbolt-like roar came from afar. Before the voice fell, several escape lights shot over from a distance, revealing four figures. Shen Luo looked over while battling fiercely, a look of surprise appeared on his face. The leader among the four was none other than Lu Huaming, and the other three were also wearing the official costumes of the Great Tang Dynasty government, all appearing to have strong cultivation levels. They didn''t fly from the direction of the Great Tang Dynasty government but from the city gate, appearing to have just returned to the city. They noticed the commotion here and came to check. ¡°Brother Shen! What''s happening?¡± Lu Huaming immediately recognized Shen Luo and called out to him. ¡°Brother Lu, your timing is perfect! The ghost of the Jing River Dragon King is in this black Qi. Somehow he has managed to escape from the seal I set. He is trying to use dark magic to force the villagers to blood sacrifice the sword array in the river to extract the imprisoned Dragon Head from there. We mustn''t let it succeed!¡± Shen Luo explained the situation while battling the three ghosts. Upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, Lu Huaming and the others'' expressions changed dramatically. ¡°Fellow cultivators, I heard Duke Cheng say that there is a Golden Sword Array in the Jingguang River set up by Duke Wei himself. It suppresses a piece of evil object, which is undoubtedly this Dragon Head,¡± said a tall, elegant, and refined young woman who was standing behind Lu Huaming. The other two were also young men; one was handsome with red lips and white teeth, the other had a robust body, with a broad back and a bearish waist. Initially, the two young men didn''t recognize Shen Luo and were somewhat skeptical. Their doubts vanished after hearing the eloquent woman spoke. They set off towards where the Jing River Dragon King was on the wooden bridge. ¡°Wait, Lin and I will handle the ghost of the Jing River Dragon King. Wang and Sun, you both stop the common people from going to the river!¡± Lu Huaming suddenly stopped others and hastily suggested. ¡°Alright.¡± The remaining three seemed to have utter confidence in Lu Huaming, and at once followed his command dispersing in different directions. ¡°Rats! Stop them!¡± The voice of the middle-aged scholar echoed from within the black mist. The nearby ghosts immediately sprang forth, blocking Lu Huaming and the three others and engaging them in battle. Simultaneously, the dragon-shaped black mist controlling the commoners suddenly swelled up considerably. Their walking speed also increased, multi-folding, everyone hurriedly skipped into the river, rushing towards the golden light pillar. Puff! Puff! Puff! In the blink of an eye, many common people fell dead, their bodies exploding and turning into bloodstains that tainted the golden light pillar. Upon witnessing this, Shen Luo became extremely anxious. At that moment, a brilliant yellow light illuminated from the body of a manipulated commoner standing by the shore. The person halted, it was Lian Xiang, the young girl from the Liuxiang Pavilion. A yellow talisman soared up from her body, emitting a bright yellow radiance. The talisman then transformed into a bright yellow copper bell. Ding dong¡­ Ding dong¡­ The crisp bell sound was issued from the copper bell. The sound was not loud, but it traveled far, audible to both sides of the river. Upon hearing the sound, the manipulated commoners on both sides showed slight changes in their vacant expressions, seeming to awaken. Their steps halted there. On the contrary, the nearby ghosts became even more bewildered upon hearing this sound. As if hypnotized, they stood there motionless. Three ghosts engaged in combat with Shen Luo reacted in the same manner, abruptly standing there motionless. Although he was confused about what happened, his face lit up with joy and he urged his sword technique. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo flickered and transformed into countless red sword shadows, as if a sky full of sword rain was shrouding the dark red skeletons and other ghosts, suddenly constricting them. The three ghosts were extremely fragile against the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and were immediately crushed to dust. Three items filled with a strong Yin Qi fell from their bodies: a dark-red rib bone, a blood-red curved horn, and a blackish-yellow bead. Shen Luo pocketed the three items immediately and urged the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to attack other ghosts quickly. However, his gaze was fixed upon the copper bell hovering in mid-air. ¡°How did the talisman transform into a copper bell? That''s right, the elder Daoist in a grey robe did mention that when the bell rings, I should smash the green jade!¡± Shen Luo suddenly recalled the words of the elder Daoist in the grey robe, and took out the block of green jade immediately throwing it hard on the ground. Bang! The jade shattered, unexpectedly transforming into a large cloud of green gas. The green gas appeared and raced towards the black magic array on the wooden bridge, merging into it. The runes on the black magic array were immediately dyed green and began to operate in the reverse direction automatically. The figures of the nearby ghosts on the wooden bridge suddenly turned transparent, flickered a few times and disappeared entirely. Chapter 497 Chapter 497: Chapter 493: The Ins and Outs Chapter 497: Chapter 493: The Ins and Outs ¡°Who dares obstruct me? Nevertheless, it''s already too late!¡± The voice of the middle-aged scholar echoed from the black qi, followed by a cold snort. A loud ¡°boom¡± emanated from inside the river, and the golden sword array crumbled, exposing a glob of black qi flying out from its core: the dragon head. The dragon head, circling and moving in mid-air, then plummeted abruptly, blending into the black qi. ¡°Haha¡­haha!¡± The maniacal laughter of the middle-aged scholar echoed from within the black qi. All the black qi drew back like a whale inhaling water, disappearing quickly and revealing the form of the scholar. However, the scholar''s appearance changed dramatically; he had transformed into a monster with a human body and a dragon head, wearing golden armor. An unparalleled mighty aura radiated from the dragon-headed monster, far surpassing everyone present. The water vapor in the surrounding void converged frantically, and a fierce wind suddenly rose. Huge dark clouds appeared mid-air, enveloping the whole sky in the blink of an eye, with large bolts of lightning crisscrossing among the clouds. In a flash, the celestial phenomena above Chang''an City changed, evoking the image of an impending storm. Shen Luo''s face revealed a look of surprise. This power seemed to be even more terrifying than that of a true immortal. ¡°Finally, the lonely dragon head is reclaimed! Li Shimin! Yuan Tiangang! This time, I''ll make you pay with your own blood!¡± The dragon-headed monster roared at the sky with an ear-piercing shriek, as if it could pierce gold and crack rocks. Shen Luo''s eardrums throbbed, and his body wobbled as he shot backward several dozen feet. Lu Huaming and the others also hastily retreated. ¡°I warned you not to meddle in this matter! But if you insist on seeking death, I will oblige.¡± The dragon-headed monster turned to look at Shen Luo. Shen Luo felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his whole body freezing. A trace of fear emerged on his face, but he didn''t lose his composure. With a flick of his wrist! The Pure Yang Sword Embryo glowed brilliantly, and Red Lotus Karmic Fire gushed out forming a fire lotus the size of a millstone. The Golden Immortal Armor also shone brightly, and a bell-shaped shield appeared instantly, covering his body. ¡°What stirs the storm?¡± A thunderous grand voice came from the distance reverberating throughout the ground and causing it to shake. At the edge of the sky, numerous escape lights appeared. Dense and interwoven, there were easily a hundred, all aimed at where they stood. The first three escape lights were especially massive, tens of feet long, and the aura of the people within each light was incredibly overwhelming, filling the heavens and earth, vibrating the void. ¡°Human ants, you only know how to prevail by numbers! Fine, today I will spare you.¡± The dragon-headed monster glanced into the distance, snorted coldly, and his body surfaced dazzling golden light. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a heaven-shaking dragon roared, the scholar startlingly transformed into a golden divine dragon tens of feet long, soaring into the sky, darting into the clouds and disappearing momentarily. Only then did Shen Luo let his hanging heart relax, letting out a few low breaths before he recovered. He had never felt so close to death in the real world before; his back was sticky with sweat. As the Dragon-headed monster vanished, the black qi on the people by the riverbanks scattered, restoring them to normal. ¡°My body can move again!¡± ¡°Run!¡± The people let out terrified cries, scattering in all directions. ¡°Shen Luo didn''t pay any attention to those people. His eyes turned towards the ground not far away where a yellow brass bell had fallen. It was indeed the object transformed from the yellow talisman papers. This is a good treasure that can stun ghosts. He waved his hand to draw it over, examined it for a moment, and then quickly put it away. At this moment, the escaping lights in the distance were coming and landed, revealing figures. The three people in front were solemn and dignified, their eyes flashing with divine light, and their cultivation levels were unfathomable. The person in the middle was an elderly man who wore a yellow robe, stooped body, and leaned on a yellow wooden crutch. His sparse and dry hair, as well as the skin on his face and hands, all looked like old tree bark. He appeared like a walking piece of rotting wood. But all around, everyone treated him as the center, and didn''t dare to overstep. On the left of the old man was a middle-aged man dressed in a silver thread golden robe, tall, with a silver greatsword on his back. To the right was a beautiful woman in a white palace skirt with watery eyes, and anyone who looked at her wouldn''t want to move away. There were many figures behind the three, all of them were high-level cultivators. Judging from their clothes, most of them were from the Great Tang government, but there were also monks from the Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo. The Qinghua Fairy from Mount Putuo and the Sleeping Moon Scholar from Hua Sheng Temple that Shen Luo had met before were among them. Standing next to Qinghua Fairy was a young man. It was the youth with the surname Wu, who had clashed with him before. But the young girl with the surname Li wasn''t present. Even though Shen Luo had changed his appearance when he entered Changping Alley, he had restored his original appearance when he left. The youth named Wu had quickly noticed him, and hatred instantly flashed in his eyes. Shen Luo glanced at him, and his eyes fluctuated for a moment, but soon regained tranquility. His cultivation level had already advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, and naturally, he wouldn''t hold the grudge of a Grain Avoidance Cultivator like the youth named Wu to heart. ''What''s going on here?'' The elderly man in the yellow robe asked, his sharp gaze sweeping over Shen Luo, Lu Huaming, and others. ''Greetings, Elder Yellow Wood. We four were ordered to return from Yinling Mountain to Chang''an City. As soon as we entered the city, we discovered that there was a ghost wreaking havoc here. We immediately rushed to investigate, but as far as the specifics, we aren''t very clear on them. Brother Shen here is a freelance cultivator and a friend of mine. He arrived here before us, I think he would be able to explain a bit more in detail.'' Lu Huaming stepped forward and bowed to the elderly man in the yellow robe, then pointed to Shen Luo and said. ''Brother Shen, this man is the honored provider of the Great Tang government, Senior Yellow Wood. He holds a very high position, so be polite when you speak to him. He likes people who are courteous.'' The whisper of Lu Huaming echoed in Shen Luo''s mind. ''Junior Shen Luo pays respects to the elders.'' His gaze shifted, and he stepped forward to give a greeting to the old man in the yellow robe, and then gave a fist salute to the others around him. Both his posture and expression were flawless. ''Good, young man, calm and not arrogant. Tell me, what happened here?'' Senior Yellow Wood nodded in satisfaction and asked. ''Elder, here''s the thing¡­'' Shen Luo then explained the details of what had transpired¨Cstarting from when he went to the Great Tang government to find Lu Huaming right up till now. But in terms of the matters involving himself, like the Shadow Gu and the General Ghost, he concealed all of it. There was also the matter of the grey-robed Daoist. He instinctively didn''t want to let others know so he didn''t mention it either. After hearing all of this from Shen Luo, even though they were all cultivated and well-experienced individuals, their expressions changed repeatedly. ''Lu Huaming, I recall that you were involved in the previous Treasure Hall incident and reported that you had resealed the ghost of the Jing River Dragon King afterwards, how does he appear here?'' The maiden in the palace skirt asked Lu Huaming, her voice was soft and it did not take much for it to soften one''s body. ''I''m also puzzled about this matter. Perhaps I made a mistake in my judgment last time and didn''t seal the dragon king''s ghost, or maybe someone from the Refining Body Altar entered the underworld recently and let out the dragon king''s ghost.'' Lu Huaming hung his head and said. After hearing his words, the maiden in the palace skirt frowned her pretty brows. Clearly, she was not very satisfied with Lu Huaming''s answer.¡± Chapter 498 Chapter 498: Chapter 494: Instigation Chapter 498: Chapter 494: Instigation ¡°If I''m not mistaken, during the last mission, aside from my nephew Lu Xianzhi, there was also a freelance cultivator with the family name Shen involved, it should be you, Friend Shen Luo, correct?¡± The man with the sword on his back suddenly spoke with a smile. This man was tall and magnificent-looking, yet his words were kind and gentle. ¡°Senior Gong has a remarkable memory. Indeed, I participated in that matter with Daoist Lu.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Shen Luo said, nodding in agreement. Lu Huaming had just been secretly informing him about the names of the others, with a particular focus on the two people beside Yellow Wood Senior. The man with the sword on his back was named Gong Dian, and the woman in the palace skirt beside him was named Yin Yixian, both were officials of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. ¡°Friend Shen, do you have any lead on the case of the Jing River Dragon King''s ghost escaping?¡± Gong Dian asked. ¡°I''m afraid I''m completely at a loss, I really can''t figure it out.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and smirked. Looking at Shen Luo, Gong Dian''s eyes reflected a ripple-like, different light, faintly fluctuating. The woman in the palace skirt and Yellow Wood Senior slightly turned their heads to look at him. Gong Dian subtly shook his head, hardly noticeable. ¡°Nevermind, it''s meaningless to pursue how the Jing River Dragon King escaped from the Underworld now. The pressing matter is how to deal with him.¡± Yellow Wood Senior waved his hand. ¡°The Senior is right.¡± Gong Dian nodded in agreement. ¡°Honorable Seniors, although there''s no place for juniors like me to comment here, I still have a question in mind, and I wonder whether I should ask it.¡± A sudden voice sounded, it was the youth named Wu from the Qinghua Fairy''s side who stepped forward and said politely. Upon seeing this man suddenly step forward, Shen Luo felt a surge of bad premonition in his heart. ¡°You''re Martial Friend Wu from Mount Putuo, right? Feel free to speak your mind.¡± Gong Dian replied with a smile. ¡°Actually, it''s not a big deal. It''s just that Friend Shen Luo was involved in the Underworld task that day, and today, he discovered the trace of the Jing River Dragon King before anyone else. I feel it''s quite a coincidence. I wonder what the seniors think?¡± With a respectful expression, Martial Friend Wu Wu murmured. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as his words fell, everyone present felt a slight jolt, and their eyes towards Shen Luo now contained a hint of doubt. Shen Luo felt a jolt in his heart and immediately turned to look at Martial Friend Wu. ¡°I am simply voicing my thoughts out loud, without any intention of defaming Daoist Shen. Please forgive me, Daoist Shen.¡± Martial Friend Wu met Shen Luo''s gaze without fear, his expression humble. ¡°Really? I thought Martial Brother Wu bore a grudge against me from the time I defeated him in Wanqiu City, and was intentionally seeking revenge. It''s good to know that you didn''t have any private intentions.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Martial Brother Wu''s face showed a moment of surprise and anger, but he quickly hid it. Although his emotional change was only fleeting, everyone present was a person of great cultivation, how could they miss it out? Doubts about Shen Luo subsided a bit, the way they looked at Martial Brother Wu was now more meaningful. ¡°Enough, let''s discuss this later. Let''s go back to the headquarters of the Great Tang Dynasty Government now. Daoist Qinghua, Daoist Sleeping Moon, please come along, and let''s discuss this matter?¡± Yellow Wood Senior spoke, his tone was slightly irritated, particularly when looking at Martial Brother Wu, he was highly dissatisfied. As high-ranking officials of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, the last thing they wanted to see was infighting and maneuvering among their own people. ¡°Yes, as Yellow Wood Senior arranges.¡± Both Qinghua Fairy and Sleeping Moon Scholar noticed Yellow Wood Senior''s displeasure and promptly agreed. Qinghua Fairy also glared at Martial Brother Wu fiercely. Martial Brother Wu bowed his head and stepped aside. ¡°Gong Dian, you are adept at investigation, stay here and explore the surroundings to see if there is anything unusual.¡± Yellow Wood Senior told Gong Dian. ¡°Yes, Senior, rest assured.¡± Gong Dian nodded in agreement. Then, Yellow Wood Senior led everyone towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Shen Luo was also requested to go with them. ¡°Brother Shen, don''t worry. Elder Yellow Wood has sharp eyes. He won''t believe my provocative words.¡± Lu Huaming walked up to Shen Luo and whispered. ¡°I naturally trust Elder Yellow Wood, but I also find this matter too coincidental, encountering the Jing River Dragon King twice in a row.¡± Shen Luo said with a bitter smile. ¡°Don''t say that, thank goodness you bumped into this today, otherwise, more people would have been harmed. In that case, His Majesty would have blamed it on us. Speaking of which, you once again helped the Great Tang Dynasty Government a lot.¡± Lu Huaming gratefully said. ¡°It''s just a coincidence. Brother Lu, did you guys leave the city to go to the Yinling Mountains?¡± Shen Luo laughed and then, remembering something, asked. ¡°Yes, the fierce ghosts in the tomb there suddenly revolted and hurt people outside. It took us quite some time to finally drive those ghosts back.¡± Lu Huaming said, looking utterly exhausted. Shen Luo had recently come back from an ancient tomb and wanted to ask more about the Yinling Mountains tomb, but because of Wu Ming''s involvement, he was now suspected of colluding with ghosts. If people knew that he had just been to the Yinling Mountains tomb, it would surely cause more trouble. He had to restrain himself. ¡°Speaking of which, Brother Shen''s cultivation level has greatly improved, and you have already stepped into the Soul Condensation stage. This is something worth congratulating.¡± Lu Huaming looked Shen Luo up and down and said with a smile. ¡°That''s good luck. I broke through by fluke.¡± Shen Luo laughed. The two chatted casually while rushing on their journey. The group quickly returned to the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Elder Yellow Wood and Qinghua Fairy, Sleeping Moon Scholar and others walked into the main hall, seeming to have important matters to discuss and let Lu Huaming take Shen Luo to rest first before summoning him later. Lu Huaming took Shen Luo back to his own residence. As soon as they entered the house, Lu Huaming grabbed a wine pot to quench his thirst. Shen Luo also drank some wine with him. Whether it was due to exhaustion or the effects of alcohol, Lu Huaming quickly fell asleep leaning against the table. Shen Luo helped him into the inner room to rest and then sat in the living room outside, carefully contemplating what had happened today. This was a habit he had maintained since stepping into the cultivation world. To scrutinize what he encountered, find his deficiencies, and constantly improve himself, only then could he walk further in the dangerous world of cultivation. ¡°I was in a hurry before and didn''t have time to take a good look at this.¡± After sitting for a while, he suddenly remembered something and took out the brass bell transformed from yellow talisman papers. Shen Luo''s divine sense entered the bell, and a look of surprise soon appeared on his face. There were no prohibitions within the bell, and its quality was nothing special. He slightly furrowed his brows. This bell could stupefy ghosts. He had originally thought it to be a magical instrument of high quality. Who knew it was just an ordinary bell? However, this bell wasn''t completely ordinary; there was a strange energy contained within, just not in a large amount. Shen Luo hesitated slightly, then used his mana to ring the bell. Ding¡­Ding¡­ The crisp bell sound echoed in the house, sounding very pleasant. He couldn''t feel anything wrong. ¡°Huh?¡± He blinked. After the bell rang, the strange energy within it was quickly consumed. ¡°Boy¡­ stop¡­ Ah¡­¡± A painful scream came from his Qiankun bag at his waist. It was from the General Ghost. Shen Luo quickly sent his divine sense into it and looked surprised. Chapter 499 Chapter 499: Chapter 495: Subdue Chapter 499: Chapter 495: Subdue Inside the Qiankun Bag, the General Ghost wore a look of agony. Its ghostly Qi dramatically fluctuated, rapidly dispersing. He quickly tried to stop the bell, but it was out of his control, continuing to resonate independently. At that moment, the General Ghost''s pained expression rapidly faded, becoming confused. Its eyes were void of any spirit, as if it had suddenly been stripped of all its spiritual wisdom, just like the ghosts from the riverbank prior. Shen Luo, who had been continuously attempting to tame the ghost with his Taming Ghost Technique, still felt its lingering influence, so he could more clearly sense its current state. The General Ghost''s spiritual wisdom was completely affected by the bell sound, becoming chaotic and losing all power to resist. ¡°This bell is incredibly powerful, this guy is a genuine Soul-Condensation Stage Fierce Ghost, yet it was helpless under the effect of the bell sound. However, the remnant energy inside the bell is limited, there might only be enough for one or two more rings.¡± Even though it was Shen Luo''s second time witnessing the efficacy of the bell sound, he still couldn''t help but marvel inwardly. ¡°Now that this Fierce Ghost has lost its spiritual wisdom, it is the perfect time to employ the Taming Ghost Law and fully tame it!¡± He suddenly had an idea and immediately held the Qiankun Bag in his hand. Black light emitted from his hands, performing hand seals like a car wheel. Countless black runes were shot out from his fingertips, and like a tempest, they surged into the bag, permeating the General Ghost''s brain. At this moment, the General Ghost''s spiritual wisdom was vacant, and the ghostly Qi on its body had become extremely loose. It didn''t resist the Taming Ghost Technique whatsoever, allowing Shen Luo to perform the spell. The black runes easily penetrated deep into the General Ghost''s head, then they gathered and slowly formed a black rune, very similar to the Spiritual Communication Seal from the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits. In actuality, whether it''s taming ghosts or taming spirits, the principle is the same: both entail planting one''s own imprint in their body and thereby controlling them. With satisfaction in his heart, he carried on with his rapid hand seals, and the black rune slowly became complete, appearing as though it would take shape at any moment. Just then, bell sound inside the room suddenly weakened before completely disappearing. The General Ghost''s vacant eyes slowly began to regain clarity. ¡°Damn it!¡± After sensing the situation, Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. He had only just begun learning the Taming Ghost Technique. If the General Ghost regained its spiritual wisdom now, it would undoubtedly struggle free. Shen Luo gritted his teeth and rang the copper bell again, letting its chimes fill the air once more. Upon hearing the sound, the General Ghost shuddered, its eyes, which had just begun recovering a bit, became empty once again. It stood still, frozen on the spot. Shen Luo sighed inwardly in relief, and his hands continued forming seals. A few breaths later, a trace of a smile appeared on his face and he paused his seal-forming hands. A black light shone on the General Ghost''s forehead, and a complete black rune emerged from within the light. The sound of the copper bell gradually faded until it disappeared completely. As the sound of the bell faded, a yellow light suddenly flickered on the copper bell. After a few swings, the bell unexpectedly transformed back into the Yellow Talisman Papers and with a ¡°shhh¡± sound, self-combusted. Shen Luo extended his hand to catch it, but the Yellow Talisman Papers quickly turned into ashes, scattering with the wind. Seeing this, he sighed, helplessly lowering his hand. ¡°What''s going on? I can''t control my body anymore!¡± After a short while, the General Ghost inside the Qiankun Bag regained its senses and immediately noticed the anomaly in its body, mumbling in fear. ¡°I used the Taming Ghost Technique to plant a Soul Imprint within your body, so from now on, you''ll serve me faithfully, I won''t treat you unfairly,¡± Shen Luo communicated with the General Ghost through Divine Sense while pointing at the Qiankun Bag. The countless black strands wrapped around the General Ghost inside the bag suddenly loosened, swiftly melting into the Qiankun Bag. The General Ghost had regained its freedom, but upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, it was first stunned, immediately showing a furious expression, and was about to do something. But the black rune on its forehead suddenly lit up. An odd strength made its way into its consciousness, controlling its mind and causing it to involuntarily feel submissive towards Shen Luo. The fury on the General Ghost''s face slowly faded away, replaced by confusion. But it wasn''t confused for long. Fury filled its eyes once more, then the mark on its forehead lit up again, calming its rage. This alternation of expressions happened repeatedly until it finally calmed down. It kneeled partially in the bag, evidently completely submissive, and gave Shen Luo a bow: S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡­ I pledge allegiance¡­ to Master.¡± Observing the changes in the General Ghost''s demeanor, Shen Luo secretly praised the ingenious Taming Ghost Technique found in the Pure Yang Scripture. ¡°Good, from now on, you''ll be known as Ghost General.¡± He took out the Yin Qi cores from the dark red skeletons and other three ghosts, and threw them into the Qiankun Bag. ¡°Thank you for your generous gift, Master!¡± The Ghost General received the three items, revealing a look of joy and bowed in thanks again. Shen Luo had not only eliminated a major imminent danger but also gained a powerful assistant at the Soul-Condensation Stage, which made him feel excited. He then withdrew his divine sense from the Qiankun Bag, closed his eyes to restore his spirit, recuperating the Soul Power consumed by executing the Taming Ghost Technique. Just then, an attendant dressed in the uniform of the Great Tang Dynasty Government arrived outside the door, bowing as he said, ¡°Mr. Lu, the Duke asks that you and Young Master Shen visit him in the Great Hall.¡± After hearing the attendant''s message, Shen Luo rose to his feet, took a look inside the chamber and responded loudly, ¡°Alright, we''ll be right over.¡± The attendant, seeing only Shen Luo in the hall, hesitated for a moment before confirming and leaving. Shen Luo entered the inner chamber to find Lu Huaming still deep in sleep, clearly oblivious to the commotion outside. ¡°Brother Lu, wake up, the Duke is summoning us.¡± He nudged Lu Huaming. However, Lu Huaming''s sleep was incredibly deep and he still didn''t wake up. Shen Luo furrowed his brow; cultivators, even those at the Qi Refining Stage, sleep lightly and wake at the slightest noise, let alone a Soul-Condensation Stage cultivator. ¡°Brother Lu!¡± He increased his force. Lu Huaming''s body shook, he sat up, slowly opened his eyes. A white light flashed within his pupils, his gaze appeared unusually vacant. ¡°Brother Lu¡­¡± Shen Luo suddenly felt apprehensive. Lu Huaming swiftly turned his head toward Shen Luo, he raised a palm toward Shen Luo''s face, the force of his palm was like a tangible rage. An oppressive storm raged, bearing down menacingly. Chapter 500 Chapter 500: 496 Chapter 500: 496 Shen Luo''s face looked as if it had been cut by a knife and his breath stopped, greatly taken aback. With a tilt of his head, he narrowly escaped the palm strike, while simultaneously his feet glowed with Moonlight Glamour, swiftly moving to the side. With a ¡°bang¡±, Lu Huaming''s palm strike hit the wall behind, drilling a big hole in the brick and stone masonry wall, and the furniture inside the house was shaken and tossed around like falling leaves. Shen Luo was utterly shocked as the power of Lu Huaming''s blow was several times greater than his usual strength. ¡°Brother Lu, what''s wrong with you?¡± He shouted loudly. Yet, Lu Huaming seemed not to hear, a white light enveloped his whole body, and with a ¡°whoosh¡±, he disappeared. Seeing this, Shen Luo, in haste again deployed slanting moon steps to move horizontally to the side. But as his figure started moving, Lu Huaming appeared ghostly in front of him, trailing a long white tail light behind him. Lu Huaming swung his arm like a sword, slashing horizontally towards Shen Luo. A vast white light shot out from his arm, filling the entire room, sweeping towards Shen Luo with the force of a sweeping army. Wherever the white light passed, everything was cleaved in two, even more fierce than sword aura. Shen Luo''s face turned pale, urgently retreating back and his two hands were swung violently. Yellow and green lights flashed, and the jade-green Ruyi and the Golden Immortal Armor appeared simultaneously, with a grand radiance, confronting the white light. A massive sound of metal collision exploded! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The jade-green Ruyi and Golden Immortal Armor were both blown away, rolling several times, and Shen Luo''s body was also severely shaken. He staggered back two steps, but the fierce white light was shattered. But without allowing him a moment''s respite, Lu Huaming appeared ghostlike behind him. Lu Huaming''s arm showed an even brighter white light than before, slashing out once more forcefully. Without the luxury of astonishment, Shen Luo swung his hands once more. A small yellow seal appeared spinning behind him, under the shimmering yellow light, and with a ¡°rumble¡± five earth-yellow coloured mountain peaks condensed and appeared, radiating the majestic aura of a mountain range, barely indistinguishable from real peaks. Upon reaching the Soul Condensation Stage, the Five Mountains Seal, a Top-Grade magical artifact, has finally begun to exert its power. Just as the five mountain peaks were forming, the white light shot out and harshly slammed into the five peaks. A huge bang! The seemingly indestructible Five Mountains Seal was cut with a deep and prolonged groove, nearly piercing halfway through the mountain body.with countless cracks appearing on it, rapidly widening. With shock in Shen Luo''s heart, he turned around like a flash of lightning, his hands pressing on the mountain peaks, mana rushing and pouring into them from his body. A layer of yellow light lit up on the Five Mountain Peaks, the cracks stopped spreading and the wobbling mountain body began to stabilize. As the white shadow flickered behind him, Lu Huaming appeared, the white light on his arm, becoming even more intense, nearly submerging half of his body, emitting an aura that was several times stronger. Shen Luo''s face showed a look of horror as he turned back. However, before he could turn around, Lu Huaming raised his arm, the white light surging, forming a soaring giant sword, preparing to strike. Cold sweat broke out on Shen Luo''s forehead, the red sword radiance in his right hand flourished, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo emerged, and a ball of Red Lotus Karmic fire roared to life. At the same time, a flash of silver appeared in his left hand, revealing the Silver Jade. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Silver Jade are both offensive magical instruments and are not good at defense. Yet, the Green Jade Ruyi and the Golden Immortal Armor had been shaken away, and the Five Mountain Seals could not be used in this situation. He could only muster all his strength to resist this attack. At that moment, Lu Huaming''s body suddenly stiffened, his hollow eyes began to glow, and the white light around his body rapidly dissipated. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo was silently surprised, but he didn''t dare loosen his concentration. A few breaths later, Lu Huaming had fully recovered. He looked at the devastated room, and the beleaguered Shen Luo, dumbfounded. ¡°Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± Lu Huaming rushed over to Shen Luo, saying apologetically. Seeing that he had fully recovered, Shen Luo finally felt relieved. He put away the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Silver Jade, also reclaiming the shaken Green Jade Ruyi and the Five Mountain Seals, then he said, ¡°I''m fine. Brother Lu, what happened to you just now? You seemed to have turned into another person.¡± Lu Huaming lowered his head, a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Since Brother Lu evidently has something hard to say, let''s leave it at that.¡± Shen Luo didn''t press him any further, waving dismissively. ¡°Actually, there isn''t anything I deliberately want to hide. Besides, I almost hurt Brother Shen, and I need to explain.¡± Lu Huaming raised his head and said with a candid smile. ¡°My body behaves unusually. Sometimes after I fall asleep, I dream of many strange things and become another person with great strength.¡± Before Shen Luo could respond, Lu Huaming carried on. ¡°Become another person in a dream?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was taken aback. This was somewhat similar to his own situation. ¡°Yes, and once I have such a dream, my body in reality will be out of my control, acting on its own. Sometimes it will do like just now, attack people around me, and expresses power far beyond my own.¡± Lu Huaming said bitterly. ¡°How could that be? Does Duke Cheng know about this?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°My master doesn''t fully understand why this happens to me either, so I can only try to avoid sleep as much as possible, and when it''s necessary, I would avoid people when I sleep. However, due to the continuous fighting in the Yinling Mountain Tomb over the past few days without rest, I got back and drank some wine, unknowingly fell asleep. I didn''t realize you were here, Brother Shen. My apologies.¡± Lu Huaming apologized once more. ¡°It''s nothing, no wonder Duke Cheng doesn''t allow you to drink wine. So that''s why.¡± Shen Luo patted the dust off his body and laughed. Lu Huaming awkwardly scratched his head. ¡°Alright, let''s not talk about this. Just now, Duke Cheng sent someone to call us into a meeting. We better hurry.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°We should hurry, my master hates it when people are late!¡± Lu Huaming hastily responded. The two tidied their appearance. Ignoring the mess in the house, they hurriedly stepped outside. They had a big fight in the house, Shen Luo thought there would be many Great Tang Dynasty Government personnel outside, wondering how to explain the situation. But astonishingly, there was not a single person outside. Not only that, but when he came outside, he saw the situation more clearly. Despite the house being thoroughly ransacked during their fight, from the outside, Lu Huaming''s residence seemed almost unscathed. ¡°To prevent the loss caused by the uncontrollable actions of my body when I fall asleep, the four exterior walls of this residence were built with special materials, and several prohibitions were applied. So any noise we make inside doesn''t escape this place.¡± Lu Huaming commented on Shen Luo''s confusion, explaining. ¡°I see.¡± Shen Luo finally understood. After that, the two of them left the residence and quickly arrived at the main hall of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, which they had visited once before. The furnishings here were the same as they were before, but on the main seat, apart from Cheng Yaojin, the senior from the yellow wood was also present. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming rushed forward to greet them. Chapter 501 Chapter 501: Chapter 497: The Divination Master Yuan Shoucheng Chapter 501: Chapter 497: The Divination Master Yuan Shoucheng ¡°Little rabbit, why are you so slow! You reek of wine, you went drinking again!¡± Cheng Yaojin glanced at the two of them and immediately started berating Lu Huaming. Lu Huaming lowered his head, not daring to reply. ¡°All you know is messing around, your cultivation is half-hearted, look at Shen Luo, his cultivation level used to be lower than yours, but now he has caught up with you and you don''t even try to improve!¡± Cheng Yaojin glanced over at Shen Luo, his eyes flashing with surprise, then continued to scold Lu Huaming. Shen Luo felt a bit embarrassed, but didn''t know what to say, standing quietly to the side. ¡°Alright, Duke, Young Master Shen is here. In front of outsiders, please spare some face for Nephew Lu.¡± Yellow Wood Senior interjected. Upon hearing Yellow Wood Senior, Cheng Yaojin stopped his scolding. Lu Huaming placed his hands behind his back, secretly signaling to Shen Luo that everything was alright, leaving Shen Luo feeling rather amused. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ha ha, Young Master Shen, you have once again helped the Great Tang Dynasty Government tremendously.¡± Cheng Yaojin immediately looked at Shen Luo, his whole face changing into a smile as he laughed. ¡°Duke Cheng, you overpraise me. Although I am a freelance cultivator, I am a citizen of the Great Tang, and I understand the principles of justice and decency. When I see demons massacring the people, I naturally cannot turn a blind eye.¡± Shen Luo hurriedly replied, maintaining his modesty. ¡°Hmm, this is the style of us chivalrous people!¡± Yellow Wood Senior stroked his beard and remarked. ¡°Thank you for your compliment, Yellow Wood Senior. What I did today was all for the people. However, in the eyes of some, they may still think that I, Shen, am colluding with the demons.¡± With a sigh, Shen Luo hinted at something. ¡°Don''t worry, Young Master Shen. I guarantee to clear your name of such rumors!¡± Cheng Yaojin declared, pounding his chest. ¡°Thank you, Duke Cheng!¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel relieved. Although Wuming used this excuse to defame him, it doesn''t seem to have affected him for now. However, Wuming was a disciple of Mount Putuo, and he didn''t dare to underestimate the influence of this reputable sect of the age. But with Cheng Yaojin''s assurance, he was relieved. ¡°Duke Cheng, Yellow Wood Senior, why did you call us here, is there something wrong?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°We called you here for mainly two reasons. Firstly, our Great Tang Dynasty Government has always been clear about rewards and punishments. The last expedition to the Underworld and your recent resistance against the Jing River Dragon King, you, Young Master Shen, have performed two major services consecutively. After discussing with Duke Cheng, we have decided to reward you with some substantial prizes. Do you have anything specific you would like? The resources of the Great Tang Dynasty Government are quite rich and we should be able to provide almost anything you name.¡± Yellow Wood Senior proposed. ¡°Thank you, Yellow Wood Senior, and Duke Cheng for your generosity. Actually, there is something I want. If it''s not too presumptuous, I would like some Dual-element True Water.¡± Shen Luo, after a moment''s thought, replied. What he needs most now is something to prolong life, as well as Dual-element True Water. The Great Tang Dynasty Government should have life-prolonging treasures. However, if he makes this request, it may arouse the suspicion of Yellow Wood Senior and Cheng Yaojin and risk exposing the secret of the jade pillow. ¡°Dual-element True Water? I remember there is some in the storeroom, isn''t there?¡± Yellow Wood Senior raised his sparse eyebrows and consulted Cheng Yaojin. Upon hearing Yellow Wood Senior''s words, Shen Luo felt excited. ¡°Unfortunately, last year, when trading with Bowu Line, the Dual-element True Water was exchanged away.¡± Cheng Yaojin shook his head regrettably. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was not only disappointed, but also a thought crossed his mind. Could it be that Chen Gang''s Dual-element True Water came from the Great Tang Dynasty Government? ¡°In that case, we will have to procure it from elsewhere. That will take some time. Would Shen Luo be able to wait? Alternatively, if you prefer, we could replace it with another auxiliary treasure of Water-type Technique?¡± Yellow Wood Senior turned to Shen Luo. ¡°I am willing to wait, it doesn''t need to be replaced.¡± Shen Luo hastily replied. As an auxiliary tool for practicing the Water-type technique, there is no better item than the Dual-element True Water. ¡°Very well, it takes about two months to procure Dual-element True Water. When the time comes, come to the Great Tang Dynasty Government to claim it.¡± Yellow Wood senior said. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo promptly acknowledged. ¡°This time, Nephew Lu also contributed. We''ll discuss your reward later in time. The second reason for calling you guys is that we would like you to detail over again what you guys encountered with the Jing River Dragon King today.¡± Yellow Wood Senior''s smile faded and he asked seriously. Upon seeing this, neither Shen Luo nor Lu Huaming dared to delay and carefully re-narrated their experience with the Jing River Dragon King. Listening to it, Cheng Yaojin sighed. ¡°Duke Cheng, I did not participate in that occurrence back then. According to them, can we confirm that the person involved was indeed the Jing River Dragon King?¡± Yellow Wood Senior pondered for a moment and then ask Cheng Yaojin. ¡°Indeed, it was him. Who would have thought he really came back. No wonder the Golden Bell resonated itself in the palace today and all beasts mourned. I was urgently summoned to the palace by his majesty and could not attend to East City in time. Fortunately, Master Yellow Wood and others returned early, thus avoiding serious trouble.¡± Cheng Yaojin sighed. ¡°Master, what is the real story of the Jing River Dragon King? Why would Duke Wei behead him and suppress it in the river? Why is he seeking revenge against His Majesty?¡± Lu Huaming asked. Shen Luo was also very curious and listened intently. Cheng Yaojin hesitated and didn''t open his mouth for a moment. ¡°Duke Cheng, Yellow Wood Senior thinks it''s harmless to tell them. Nephew Lu and Young Master Shen have been involved in the Jing River Dragon King incident consecutively, it seems that they are the people of destiny. Maybe we need their help to end this big crisis.¡± Yellow Wood Senior suggested. ¡°Alright. This story is a long one, it dates back to the 13th year of Zhenguang. At that time, a scholar named Yuan Shoucheng appeared in the city who specialized in divination. He was known to be able to tell Yin and Yang, and determine life and death. There was an old man fishing outside the city who sent a golden carp to Yuan Shoucheng every day, asking Yuan Shoucheng to divine where to cast the net and where to throw the hooks. As Yuan Shoucheng was always accurate, the old man caught many of the Jing River aquatic creatures through this fortune. When Jing River Dragon King learned of this, he was furious and came to Chang''an City to settle the score with Yuan Shoucheng.¡± Cheng Yaojin began to explain slowly. ¡°Yuan Shoucheng¡­¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, recalling the name Yuan Tiangang that the Jing River Dragon King had shouted before he left. Both were surnamed Yuan, could it be related to this Yuan Shoucheng? ¡°When the Jing River Dragon King came to Chang''an City and found Yuan Shoucheng, the two bet on the weather of the second day. If Yuan Shoucheng failed to predict it correctly, he would have to leave Chang''an City and never return.¡± Cheng Yaojin continued. ¡°Since ancient times, the Dragon clan has been in charge of clouds and rainfall. The Jing River is located outside Chang''an City, and the Jing River Dragon controls the weather around Chang''an City. He made the bet on the weather in order to drive Yuan Shoucheng out of Chang''an City, he is really despicable.¡± Lu Huaming interjected, making a face. Shen Luo had seen Jing River Dragon King several times today and understood some of his character. Although Jing River Dragon King''s behavior was somewhat despicable, he was trying to protect the Jing River Aquatic Species and really couldn''t be too critical of him. Moreover, that Yuan Shoucheng was also quite strange. Why would he divine the movement of the Jing River aquatic creatures for the old fisherman? Could it be that the golden carp he sought had some peculiarities? Chapter 502 Chapter 502: Chapter 498: Slaying the Dragon in the Dream Chapter 502: Chapter 498: Slaying the Dragon in the Dream ¡°Indeed, the Jinghe Dragon King intended to do so, but Yuan Shoucheng''s divination skills connected directly to Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Court had suddenly issued a divine decree, requesting the Jinghe Dragon King to bring rain the next day. The time specified on the decree was precisely the same as Yuan Shoucheng''s calculations. The Jinghe Dragon King, being overly competitive, altered the time for the rainfall, thereby breaching the Heavenly Law. As a result, he was discovered by the Heavenly Court and was decapitated and lost his life,¡± Cheng Yaojin continued. ¡°So that''s how it happened. But why did the Jinghe Dragon King want to seek revenge on His Majesty?¡± Lu Huaming seemed enlightened, but then asked again. ¡°Upon realizing that he had broken the Heavenly Law, the Jinghe Dragon King sought help from Yuan Shoucheng. Yuan Shoucheng predicted that the Dragon King would be beheaded by Prime Minister Wei Zheng on behalf of heaven at the third quarter of midday the next day. He advised the Dragon King to seek His Majesty''s help. Touched by the Dragon King''s sincerity, His Majesty summoned Wei Zheng to the imperial bedroom the next day and kept him by his side with the intent to delay time, preventing Wei Zheng from leaving the palace to execute the Dragon King. They managed to delay until noon and both the king and the minister were having a game. Wei Zheng, having been exhausted by his duties, fell asleep at the table. His Majesty let him nap and did not call him. When it was the third quarter of midday, His Majesty thought that the Dragon King had escaped the calamity, but he saw beads of sweat dotted Wei Zheng''s forehead and he seemed slightly agitated. Fearing that the heat was distressing his loyal minister, His Majesty personally fanned Wei Zheng. At that moment, people outside the chamber requested to see His Majesty. It was Xu Maogong, Qin Shubao, and others holding a dragon head. I was among them that day. The dragon head suddenly fell from the sky. After our discussion, we dared not to report it, so we specifically came to inform His Majesty.¡± As Cheng Yaojin spoke of this, his face was filled with reminiscence, as though reminiscing about the circumstances of that day. ¡°If Lord Wei Zheng didn''t leave the palace, who killed the Jinghe Dragon King?¡± Lu Huaming was amazed and couldn''t help but ask. Shen Luo also found it astonishing and looked at Cheng Yaojin. ¡°Wei Zheng woke up in shock at that moment and apologized, stating that he had killed the dragon in his dream. Although he was playing a game in His Majesty''s presence, he dreamt that he had left the palace, stood on cloud, and chased the dragon with his sword. The Jinghe Dragon King fled in a panic and Wei Zheng temporarily lost him. Overwhelmed with urgency, and luckily, His Majesty was fanning him, enabling him to chase after the evil dragon with the help of three gusts of wind. He beheaded the dragon with his sword, and the dragon head fell into the void,¡± Cheng Yaojin said. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So that''s what happened.¡± Lu Huaming nodded and murmured. Shen Luo sighed in silence, for the Jinghe Dragon King was originally trying to protect his clan as well. It was a pity that he was too competitive, which led to such an end. ¡°After the Jinghe Dragon King was beheaded, his vengeful ghost cast a spell to summon His Majesty''s soul to the Underworld for interrogation. He accused His Majesty of breaking his promise to save him, not only failing to do so, but also aiding Wei Zheng in slaying him. He held that it was unfaithful and demanded His Majesty''s life in compensation. Although His Majesty assisted Wei Zheng in killing the Jinghe Dragon King, it was unintentional, and he was the ruler of the Great Tang, whose Yang Life was not yet exhausted. Moreover, with the help of a nobleman''s spell, the Underworld did not keep him detained and soon sent him back. To prevent the Jinghe Dragon King from disturbing His Majesty again, the nobleman took action to seal the Jinghe Dragon King''s ghost in a certain place in the Underworld that you visited last time. Wei Zheng also used the Golden Sword Array to suppress the Dragon King''s skull within Chang''an City,¡± Cheng Yaojin continued. ¡°Exactly who was this nobleman who could seal the Jinghe Dragon King''s ghost?¡± Lu Huaming asked in amazement. He had personally experienced the strength of the Jinghe Dragon King''s ghost. Even Cheng Yaojin might not have been able to resist it had he confronted it himself. Was there actually someone who was able to seal it? Could it be an immortal? ¡°That nobleman you also know of, was the National Master Yuan Tiangang,¡± Cheng Yaojin solemnly said. Shen Luo perked up his eyebrows. No wonder the Jinghe Dragon King shouted to seek revenge on Yuan Tiangang before he left. There was such a grudge between them. This national master Yuan Tiangang, he had also heard a few times during his long stay in Chang''an. People said he could know the past and the future, calculate misfortunes and blessings, and spoke of him like a divine being. He initially thought it was a case of idle gossip among the townsfolk, but now, it seemed, this Master Yuan truly was a nobleman. ¡°Master looks so sickly, yet he''s actually so powerful!¡± Lu Huaming muttered to himself. ¡°Beware of your words! The national master''s divine power connects to heaven, which is far beyond your imagination. Without him, our Great Tang would not have today''s prosperity,¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°Yes, I was wrong,¡± Though Lu Huaming''s face still held a hint of disbelief, he hurriedly admitted his mistake. Cheng Yaojin also couldn''t be bothered to deal with his slick disciple. ¡°Duke Cheng, Elder Yellow Wood, I have a doubt, I''m not sure if I should ask.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Shen Luo still spoke up, making a respectful bow as he did so. ¡°Young friend, there''s no need to stand on ceremony. Just say what you have to say.¡± Yellow Wood Senior laughed. ¡°Well then, I''ll just say it. I wonder if there''s any connection between National Master Yuan Tiangang and the divinator Yuan Shoucheng? Pardon my bluntness, but I fear Yuan Shoucheng''s divination of the location of the Jing River Aquatic Species for the old fisherman might have ulterior motives.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Friend Shen is astute. I share the same notion on this matter. However, Yuan Shoucheng disappeared without a trace after the Jing River Dragon King was executed. I''ve sent people to look for him everywhere, but no trace of him could be found. As for his relationship with Master Yuan, I asked Master Yuan but he claimed he didn''t know this Yuan Shoucheng.¡± Yellow Wood Senior said. Shen Luo frowned, finding the matter full of suspicion. ¡°Since this matter involves His Majesty, it''s best that only both of you know about it and not let it leak to others.¡± After finishing everything, Cheng Yaojin warned. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming naturally agreed. Next, seeing that there were no matters concerning him, Shen Luo promptly bid farewell and left. Cheng Yaojin and the others still seemed to have important matters to discuss and did not detain him. He quickly left the Great Tang Dynasty Government, intending to hail a carriage to return to his residence. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, long time no see.¡± A crisp female voice rang out, and a girl in a white dress was standing in front of him. It was Ma Xiuxiu whom he hadn''t seen for a long time. ¡°It turns out to be Miss Ma. It has been a long time. The Treasure Hall is truly worthy of being one of the Three Great Business Associations of Datang. You found out about this place so quickly.¡± Shen Luo''s pupils fractions constricted, then immediately returned to normal. His words had an underlying note of sarcasm. Now in the Soul Condensation Stage, he had significantly less fear of the Treasure Hall. ¡°Daoist friend Shen displayed great prowess in the East City and repelled the ghost of the Jing River Dragon King. This matter has already spread throughout the city. Our Treasure Hall has quite a few connections; naturally we heard about it.¡± Ma Xiuxiu seemed to pay no attention to the barbs in Shen Luo''s words and chuckled. ¡°I see. May I ask what brings Miss Ma here?¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, then asked. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, it seems that you have forgotten many things. You promised to make a Dream Remembrance Talisman for me. It''s been over a year, has there been any progress?¡± Ma Xiuxiu said somewhat dissatisfied. ¡°I''ve already completed the Dream Remembrance Talisman. It''s just that I''ve been busy recently and haven''t had the chance to deliver it to you. I hope Miss Ma will not take offence.¡± Shen Luo smacked his forehead, then took out a yellow talisman paper. It was the Dream Remembrance Talisman he had drawn during his free time recently. As soon as Ma Xiuxiu saw the talisman, her eyes brightened immediately, she almost lost composure as she quickly reached out to grab it. Chapter 503 Chapter 503: Chapter 499: Xuan Yin Opening Vein Chapter 503: Chapter 499: Xuan Yin Opening Vein ¡°I apologize for my previous rudeness given the urgency of my father''s condition. I hope you''ll excuse my impudence, Friend Shen.¡± Ma Xiuxiu immediately realized her inappropriate behavior and said with a blush on her face. ¡°It''s only natural for Miss Ma to be concerned about her family.¡± Shen Luo responded. ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Friend Shen.¡± Ma Xiuxiu thanked him. She hastily took the Dream Remembrance Talisman, seemingly eager to return and soon bid Shen Luo farewell and departed. Shen Luo watched her figure vanish into the distance before turning around and leisurely heading in a different direction. Chang''an City, East City, Chang Le Alley. As evening was approaching, the lanterns in the market began to glow, reflecting a vibrant red color onto the entire street. The sound of music and clinking glasses were heard from the taverns on either side of the street, emanating a lively atmosphere. On the smaller streets of the market, night food stalls and small booths began setting up along the street. White smoke emanated from stoves and pots by the roadside and the shouts of the vendors were heard everywhere. As Shen Luo ambled through the market, his mind was still revolving around the daytime confrontation with the Dragon Soul. He was gripped by frustration and resentment. Had he possessed the same prowess as he commands in Dreamland, he never would have suffered such a defeat. Bearing these thoughts made his desire to rapidly increase his strength grow exponentially intense. However, his Dual-element True Water''s supplies had already been used up, if he wanted to continue advancing his realm, he would have to consider another method. ¡°Hot, tender lamb in a water basin¡­¡± A shout from the roadside mixed with a tantalizing aroma interrupted his train of thought. Unexpectedly, Shen Luo, who had long passed the Grain Avoidance Stage, was tempted by the tantalizing aroma of food. He sat at a roadside food stall and ordered a bowl of steaming water basin lamb, enjoying it immensely. The roadside traders chatted idly with their regular customers. Some people mentioned the recent chaos in the city with demons and ghosts rife, and how Chang''an City is no longer safe and peaceful. Some complained about the deteriorating times, others reassured with the existence of the government officials, and there were those who blamed the immortals for their infighting. Opinions were many and diverse, none in the same vein. Shen Luo silently listened, adding no comments. His heart was full of mixed feelings. When the dreaded Demonic Tribulation arrives, not a single soul in the world will be unaffected. After having his fill, he paid his bill, stood up satisfied, burped loudly and then left to make his way back to his residence. Shen Luo had made up his mind to start practicing the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians, intending to open new Meridians and thus increase the speed of his cultivation. ¡°Elixirs and True Water are external aids, after all. Improving my innate qualities is the true way to progress.¡± Shen Luo sighed. He had a basic grasp of a part of the Great Unsealing Technique and also had the experience of practicing the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians in his dreams, which gave him some confidence that he could successfully open the Meridians. Even if he failed on the first try, he had the Great Unsealing Technique to heal the damaged veins and flesh wounds. The risk was within manageable limits. Besides, he had the holy healing elixir, the Milk Spirit Pill. The Pill was famed for its ability to rescue a person from the brink of death and heal any injury as long as the person was alive. It was indeed a life-saving tool. Upon returning to his courtyarded residence, Shen Luo went straight back to his room and sat in meditation. After a period of recuperation, he slowly opened his eyes and took out a red porcelain bottle and placed it in front of him. Then he took out his Qiankun Bag and held it in his hand. Although Shen Luo had reviewed the intricate workings of the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians countless times in his mind, kick-starting it still filled him with apprehension. He needed to be fully prepared. He waved his hand, and the mouth of the Qiankun Bag slowly opened. A wisp of black smoke drifted out, and quickly, the figure of a Soul Condensation Stage''s Ghost General materialized from it. ¡°I greet you Master.¡± The Ghost General appeared and immediately gave a fist and palm salute to Shen Luo. ¡°No need for so much formality, I asked you to come today because I need your help with something,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and spoke. ¡°I am willing to lay down my life for the master, please feel free to instruct,¡± the Ghost General did not rise and continued speaking. Most military men value trust and loyalty, and once they are won over, they are usually very loyal. Obviously, this Ghost General was no exception. ¡°I intend to practice a secret method, for which I need to borrow the Yin Sha Qi from your body. It may cause you some harm, but afterwards I will think of a way to compensate you,¡± Shen Luo spoke. ¡°For the master''s matters, even a thousand deaths would not deter me, how dare I ask for any compensation?¡± the Ghost General responded without hesitation. ¡°Alright, in a moment you just need to sit cross-legged, you don''t need to pay attention to anything else,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Yes,¡± the Ghost General responded with a fist and palm salute. Having spoken, it immediately sat cross-legged, its hands lying on its knees, remaining as still as a statue. Seeing this, Shen Luo narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze landing on his own leg. In his first attempt to practice the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians after returning to reality, he didn''t plan to directly start from the Twelve Channels. Instead, he planned to try it from the collateral channel of the Yin Qiao Mai, just as he did in the Dreamland. After all, this was his first meridian successfully opened using the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians. He made the most mistakes on this meridian, hence also gathered the most experience, which could help to avoid a lot of unnecessary mistakes. After a moment of contemplation, Shen Luo put his fingers together and started carving on his leg like a knife. Soon, a complex array of bloody charm patterns emerged on his leg. Seeing the tiny blood beads arranged like ant soldiers, Shen Luo nodded satisfactorily, murmured the mantra of the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method, and pointed at the ghost general sitting not far away in the void. Immediately, a white light beam shot out from his fingertip and hit the Ghost General. The Ghost General shuddered violently, and immediately began to tremble like a sieve. His eyes rolled back and his mouth fell open, a thick black fog erupted from it, flowing towards Shen Luo. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This Yin Sha Qi seems a bit different from the one in the Six Chen Whip?¡± Shen Luo hesitantly remarked. The Yin Sha Qi that flowed from the Six Chen Whip that day was a solid black beam of light, not black fog like now. Shen Luo just slightly frowned and didn''t think too much about it. He guided the thick black fog to land on his leg. The moment the black fog covered Shen Luo''s leg, it was like an evil ghost smelling a Blood Meal, it eagerly rushed into his leg without Shen Luo having to guide it. Soon black light shone on Shen Luo''s leg and the charm pattern contained the Yin Sha Qi on the surface of his body. After it was infused with the black fog, the Array started to operate. Shen Luo immediately felt a tingling and painful sensation like ants gnawing. His eyebrows frowned involuntarily. Although he was familiar with this kind of sensation, he still couldn''t remain completely calm. Soon he steadied himself. After all, he was now on the verge of the Ant Line Devouring Vein stage, it was crucial to maintain the meridian flow, and combine it with the Yin Sha Qi under the guidance of the Ant Line. He could not afford any distractions. However, a moment later, a sharp pain suddenly swept in. His collateral meridian, it had broken again. Enduring the severe pain, Shen Luo swiftly activated the Great Unsealing Technique, urgently repairing that meridian. After the repair was completed, he began again to mobilize the Yin Sha Qi, trying once again to open this meridian. Chapter 504 Chapter 504: Chapter 500: Encountering a Ghost Chapter 504: Chapter 500: Encountering a Ghost Time slowly trickled by, and before long, the window was bathed in the hazy light of the moon, and the night was deep. After experiencing failure seven times, the Yin Sha Qi Shen Luo was controlling finally reached the last critical point, aiming for the San Yin Jiao. His eyes were tightly closed, his hands forming magic spells, maintaining the operation of the charm patterns on his leg to prompt the ant pattern and mana to interweave and clash with each other. Just then, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly snapped open, staring at the Ghost General opposite him. Its eyes had already lost their sparkle, its body''s light had become extremely dim, and its figure seemed somewhat translucent. The black fog coming out of its open mouth was gradually fading. It was clearly a sign of excessive consumption of Yin Sha power. A tight knot formed in Shen Luo''s heart. He understood that the amount of Yin Sha Qi contained within the Ghost General was finite, and not as pure as the one contained within the Six Chen Whip. It was already nearly exhausted, and if it was not cut off now, not only would the ghost''s Dao-Practice be seriously damaged, its ghostly body might not even be able to maintain itself. ¡°Enough, one last gamble.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes hardened, his spell-casting fingers suddenly pointed downwards, and cut off the last stream of Yin Sha Qi. The energy was focused into a single line and ruthlessly fired at the San Yin Jiao. A soft ¡°hiss¡± sound came. At this final juncture, the San Yin Jiao was finally blasted through. On the other side, the Ghost General was nearly unconscious, its wavering body slowly retreated back into the Qiankun Bag. At the same time, blood-red patterns on Shen Luo''s leg suddenly lit up, retracting to cover his entire meridian. Then a white and black light shone, overlapping and intertwining, beginning to merge together. After a long while, all the lights vanished, and the patterns on Shen Luo''s leg also faded. An odd power seeped into the meridians, and a new Meridian was finally successfully opened! ¡°I did it, haha¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes snapped open, feeling the mana in his body slowly flowing into the new meridian. His face was filled with joy, and he couldn''t help but laugh out loud. This Meridian was not one of the Twelve Channels, but it had reaffirmed Shen Luo''s confidence in opening meridians. All his previous efforts in Dreamland had not been in vain. He could accomplish this in reality as well. If he could open more meridians, even if he only achieved half of those in Dreamland, his aptitude would greatly improve. His cultivation speed would increase several times. With the added support of elixirs and spiritual materials, escaping his short lifespan ordeal wouldn''t be as difficult as it currently was. He put away the unused Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, stood up, held the Qiankun Bag in his hand, planning to release the Ghost General to check on its condition. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, before he could act, he suddenly heard a cluttered noise coming from outside. Shen Luo swiftly released his Divine Sense, scanning the surrounding area, and his brows quickly furrowed. Low, impure, ghostly Yin Sha Qi was spreading from all direction. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. He immediately stood up, pushed open the door, jumped up, and landed on the rooftop. He stood on a protruding statue of a Vermilion Bird, scanning the area and saw fires illuminating the market. Even further away, plumes of thick smoke were rising into the sky. ¡°Help¡­ help me¡­¡± Just then, a terrified cry for help came from nearby. Shen Luo immediately turned his gaze in that direction and saw the vendor who had sold him the water basin lamb struggling to crawl on the stone pavement of the neighboring alley. He left a long trail of blood behind him. A group of black fog was falling not far behind him. Inside it, a ghostly pale face with a hint of decay could vaguely be identified. ¡°An evil ghost?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, his toes touched the rooftop, and he suddenly floated down toward that direction. The ghost that was chasing the peddler seemed bored too. Its hands suddenly widened, and two ghost claws rapidly extended, swooping towards the peddler. Just as the claw was about to touch the peddler''s back, a barrage of thunder suddenly exploded. A Small Thunder Talisman exploded, turning into a white electric light, crashing straight into the ghost''s brow. With a soft chi sound, the ghost''s cheek was torn apart. It didn''t even have time to scream before its Yin Sha Qi began to scatter in all directions. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately slapped his Qiankun Bag. A black whirlwind flew out from it, directly sweeping up the scattered Yin Sha Qi, and quickly flew back into the bag. The Qiankun Bag bulged for a moment, then quickly deflated, the Yin Sha Qi had been consumed completely by the Ghost General. Shen Luo caught up in a few steps with the peddler who was still crawling in fear, and patted his shoulder. The peddler was greatly frightened, his body shuddered, and he fell to the ground, kowtowing like a garlic, constantly begging for mercy, ¡°Ghost grandfather, spare my life, spare me, Ghost grandfather¡­¡± ¡°I''m not a ghost, look up and see.¡± Shen Luo reassured him. However, the peddler, his courage already shattered, could not comprehend any words, he kept begging for mercy, and an odd smell came from him. Shen Luo frowned, laid his palm on his shoulder, and a gentle Yang Gang power flowed into the peddler''s body. The peddler felt a warmth all over, and then finally regained his senses, stopped begging for mercy, and with fear in his eyes, looked up at Shen Luo. ¡°Cu-customer, why is it you?¡± the peddler asked trembling. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Luo didn''t answer, and instead asked. ¡°Ghost, there was a ghost ¡­¡± Prompted by Shen Luo''s question, the peddler recalled his terrifying experience and couldn''t help but cry out loudly. ¡°The ghost is already gone, quickly tell me exactly what happened?¡± Shen Luo asked. The peddler glanced behind Shen Luo and saw that the alleyway was empty indeed, he sighed with relief, and began to recount haltingly: ¡°Today, I don''t know why, but there were many more customers than usual, and I ran out of water. I thought I''d go to the old locust tree nearby and collect some water from the well beneath it. Unexpectedly, as soon as I sank the bucket into the well, a ghastly ghost with a pale face¡­ it just crawled upwards following the rope, I immediately threw the bucket and ran. But I tripped and fell, I don''t know whether I broke my leg or what, I just couldn''t stand up, so I had no other choice than to crawl¡­¡± Shen Luo understood the situation, checked the peddler''s injury and found that, his skin was just scratched and there were no broken bones, and that his inability to stand was due to overwhelming fear, causing his legs to become weak. ¡°Your leg is not broken, it''s just badly grazed from crawling.¡± Shen Luo said, helping him up as he spoke. ¡°Thank you, thank you.¡± Becoming aware of the truth, the peddler swiftly bowed in gratitude and repeatedly thanked him. Shen Luo looked around, saw the Yin Sha Qi scattered all over, and said to the peddler: ¡°There are many ghosts around the street, don''t rush to go home yet, look for a house with Peach Wood Symbols on the door in this area, go and hide in there until dawn.¡± Upon hearing this, the peddler''s face turned pale again, he pleaded with a whimper, ¡°I can''t¡­ my wife and children are still at home, I must go back immediately¡­¡± Chapter 505 Chapter 505: Chapter 501: Ghost Trouble in the Bustling City Chapter 505: Chapter 501: Ghost Trouble in the Bustling City Seeing the situation, Shen Luo was somewhat moved. He raised one hand and a ghost suppression charm and a Small Thunder Talisman flew out from his sleeve, attaching to the peddler''s chest and back. ¡°On your way home, walk past doors that have Door Gods plastered and bronze mirrors hung on the door frames. Do not hesitate on the way and once you get home, remove the talismans from your body and stick them on the door frame.¡± Shen Luo warned. ¡°I''ve met an Immortal Master, thank you, Immortal Master, thank you¡­¡± Realizing what had happened, the peddler quickly knelt down and repeatedly thanked him. By the time he looked up again, there was no one in front of him. ¡°Wife, child¡­¡± The peddler shivered all over, then called out in a choked voice, before hurrying off. At the end of the alley, there stood an old locust tree with a rather thick trunk, casting a large, dark shadow. Under the shadow was a circular fence made of stones, rising about three feet from the ground, enclosing a deep well. Shen Luo stood by the well, looking deep into it. All he saw was darkness, except at the bottom of the well, where the glow of the moon was reflected, creating flickering ripples. His brow wrinkled slightly as he began to chant spells. Suddenly, the sound of rolling waves came from beneath the well. A spiral Water Blade stirred at the bottom, causing a large amount of well water to gush out, flowing like a fountain. Shen Luo raised his hand and scooped up some water from the flowing fountain. He held it before his eyes and carefully examined it. ¡°The Yin Qi is so heavy?¡± He then narrowed his brows after observing it for a moment. Just then, the sound of shaking leaves came from the old locust tree by the well. Shen Luo slightly retreated and a large, dark silhouette fell from the sky, landing at his feet. His gaze swept over it, his brow furrowed even deeper. It was a male body, distorted beyond recognition. There wasn''t a bit of skin left intact; the entire body had been smeared with black blood. It was a truly gruesome sight. Shen Luo''s gaze hardened as he leapt into the air, using the tree branches to climb until he reached the top of the old locust tree. He looked down the other side of the wall into the street and was immediately taken aback by the sight. The neighboring alley was a mess, originally crowded with food stalls. Now, it was full of brutally butchered corpses, strewn carelessly all over the ground. At the end of the alley, there was a giant, evil ghost with a fierce-looking face, gnawing at the neck of a young and middle-aged man. It seemed to sense Shen Luo''s gaze, abruptly lifting its head to glance in his direction. ¡°Kill¡­ kill¡­ kill¡­¡± Gibberish spilled from the mouth of the evil ghost. It abruptly leaped up, moving like a wild beast as it sprinted towards Shen Luo. When it reached the foot of the wall, it suddenly launched itself into the air. Pushing off the ground with its feet, it lunged upward, leaving two shocking bloody prints on the originally white wall. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo quietly chanted a few spells. With a wave of his hand, a roaring sound erupted from the well beneath the tree. A water wave soared into the sky and condensed into a large rotating water blade in midair. With a whistle, it rushed out. There was a swift swooshing sound. The evil ghost had just leaped over the wall when the water blade cleaved through, cutting it in half at the waist. A huge blue vortex illuminated and rapidly spiralled, instantly tearing it into fragments. Shen Luo clapped his Qiankun Bag at his waist, once again bagging the residual Yin Sha Qi lingering on him. Following his gaze down the lane, he spots a house on the other end ablaze with a clamor of crying voices heard faintly from within. With the tip of his foot pressed to the treetop, he soars off towards it. Shen Luo hops and jumps off the walls, reaching the house in no time. There he beholds a disheveled white-haired female ghost, her scarlet tongue darting out ominously as she hovers towards a little girl from the house. A few strands of her black hair extend to several yards, wrapped around the necks of two middle-aged men and a woman, dragging them down onto the ground. Their complexions are pale, eyes bulging out, blood seeping from their mouths and noses. Only their arms are still quivering- already on the brink of death, barely able to muster any strength to resist. Without hesitation, Shen Luo dives in, positioning himself above the ghost. With a sharp flip, he swoops down palm first aimed at the ghost''s head. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as his palm was about to land, the female ghost gazes upwards. Her eyes glowing blood-red full of hatred and anger, her hair oddly taking on a spirited life of its own, shooting up to wrap itself around his arm. Before Shen Luo could pull back, the voluminous black hair snaked around his body, wrapping him up in the central like a rice dumpling. Quick as a cat, Shen Luo deftly executes a Water Repelling Technique, enveloping his body in its protection. In an instant, the black hair madly attempts to burrow into his mouth and nose. However, the light curtain created by the spell held firm, keeping the black hair at bay. All of a sudden, the black hair ensnaring Shen Luo''s cheek parted to both sides. Shen Luo immediately spotted a blood-red long tongue darting out from the front, stabbing towards him like a blood-red longsword. A sharp sound reverberated as ¡°clang!¡± The scarlet-long tongue pierced directly onto his forehead, emitting a hissing noise with wafts of white smoke rising from it. ¡°It has corrosive power as well?¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrows. He attempts to cast an incantation but with his hands and feet bound, he was unable to shape the mystic arts ¨C even withdrawing a Thunderfall Talisman was out of the question. With a mere thought, a surge of Pure Yang Sword Qi is activated. There was a flash of light from the acupoint in front of his body as a red gleam shot out abruptly, tearing the black hair that wrapped him into shreds and shooting into the air. The next instant, the red gleam in mid-air spirals and shoots back. Flames suddenly engulf it, piercing directly through the chest of the female ghost. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A wailing screech echoes as the female ghost''s form is incinerated by flames and quickly turns into ashes. Shen Luo absorbs the remaining Yin Qi, retrieves the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and rushes to check on the fallen ones on the ground. He finds the oldest among them with dispersed eyes, lifeless. The other man and woman, although unconscious and still, yet hold onto a sliver of life. He quickly infuses Pure Yang Qi into them, igniting their dimming vital spark, pulling them back from death''s door. Only then does Shen Luo realizes; the little girl who was panic-stricken and wailing moments ago, has now ceased her crying. She sits still at a distance, staring in their direction without blinking once. Chapter 506 Chapter 506: Chapter 502: No Movement Chapter 506: Chapter 502: No Movement ¡°Has she been scared out of her wits?¡± Shen Luo wondered, rushing to her side. With a gentle touch of his palm to the young girl''s head, he transferred a warm soothing energy to help calm her disturbed spirit. Only after quite some time did the girl finally whimper and burst into tears once again. ¡°Little sister, don''t be afraid, everything is alright now. Please, stop crying. Your family members have fainted, so I''ll take you all back to your house. You take good care of them and don''t leave the house until dawn, alright?¡± Shen Luo comforted softly. At his words, the girl nodded her head faintly, not fully understanding, and continued to weep silently. With no time to spare, Shen Luo quickly moved the two adults and the little girl back into the room, then affixed a ghost suppression charm to the front door before he leaped onto the roof and flew away. Once out of that courtyard, Shen Luo dashed away only to find an increasingly large number of ghosts around. He darted into a street, confronted by a green-faced ghost and a long-tongued ghost charging at him. Shen Luo twisted his wrist, drawing out a Mother-Child sword, and with a swing of his hand, it shot out a ray of sword light, quickly severing the ghosts with two slight noises. He rushed forward, patted his Qiankun bag, and quickly absorbed all the Yin Sha Qi into it. Just then, another cry for help came from around the street corner. Shen Luo immediately dashed over there and, once around the corner, he saw dozens of Chang''an people on the street, fleeing in panic, pursued by more than ten ghosts. Among them, some were several meters high with vague and ethereal forms, while others crawled close to the ground, wrapped in iron chains which clanged along the ground, echoing in the street like the cries of death. Some had green faces and fangs, others were dismembered or covered in mud, and some were rotting badly, an array of shapes and forms. However, although these ghosts appeared grotesque, their true strength was not formidable, barely on par with a Qi Refining Cultivator, far inferior to the previous female ghost. One ghost, standing several meters tall and looking rather evanescent, held in its hand a slender scythe about three meters long, with fresh blood dripping from it, falling incessantly. He was in the lead of the chase and, with a swing of his hands, he brought down the scythe to reap the lives of the fleeing people. Shen Luo simply wouldn''t allow it. He soared into the air and, like a meteor, crashed into the center of the ghosts. In his hands, he held seven or eight Small Thunder Talismans, which he threw violently around him. Immediately, flashes of electricity lit up, followed by roaring thunder sounds. ¡°Boom!¡± Seven or eight beams of snowy white thunder light exploded in the center of the ghosts. Radiant threads of lightning shot out in all directions, instantly engulfing all the ghosts. The wailing ghosts were torn apart by the lightning, transforming into dispersed Yin Sha Ghost Qi. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly activated his Qiankun bag, absorbing all of the Yin Sha Ghost Qi back into it. In no time, the entire street was once again tranquil. The fleeing people, seeing this, praised him as an ''Immortal Master'' and began to kneel and worship him. ¡°Don''t run around in the streets anymore. Find a house guarded with Door Gods and hide there. Don''t come out until dawn.¡± Shen Luo urged, before hurriedly departing once again. At this moment, he was utterly bewildered. He couldn''t fathom how such a scene of ¡°Hundred Ghosts Night Parade¡± could occur in Chang''an City, and why were there no signs of officials from the Great Tang Dynasty? If it was not for the validation of his cultivation level and possessions, Shen Luo might have even thought that he had unknowingly dreamt of time-traveling again. ¡°Regardless, I should first go to the Cheng Manor, and inform Duke Cheng and Lu Huaming about what''s happening here.¡± Determined, Shen Luo dashed in the direction of the Imperial City. Halfway through his journey, as he passed by a temple built within the alleys, he noticed a faint golden Buddha''s light veiling the outer periphery of the temple, like a light curtain shielding it from the encroaching darkness from the outside world. In front of the temple''s main entrance stood two giant ghostly creatures, each over ten meters tall and with horns growing from their heads. They were each wielding a huge wolf tooth club, with which they were vigorously smashing at the entrance of the temple. With each ¡°boom¡±, the golden light curtain enveloping the temple outside would vibrate, but it never collapsed. The gates of the temple were tightly shut, and from within came the sound of monks chanting Buddhist scriptures. The louder the voices, the brighter the light emanating from the golden light curtain surrounding the temple. After some hesitation, Shen Luo, thinking he would have to continue practicing the Xuan Yin Vein Opening Technique, rushed over to cast a Thunderfall Talisman that exploded the two ghostly creatures and absorbed the Yin Sha Qi emanating from their bodies. After leaving this location, he continuously encountered other ghosts along the way. Some he hunted, others he bumped into involuntarily, but all were slain by him one by one. Before long, the ghost general in his Qiankun Bag conveyed that the Yin Sha Qi he had lost before was becoming restored. It could now assist Shen Luo in slaying more ghostly creatures and absorb more Yin Sha Qi. Since Shen Luo had to hurry to Duke Cheng''s Manor, he declined the offer. By the time he arrived at the entrance of Chang Le Alley, he saw blood flowing like a river, and the Great Tang soldiers that had been stationed there had been completely wiped out without a single survivor. Outside the alley''s gate stood a tall ghostly creature, completely pitch black with deer-like antlers sprouting from its head. It had its back to Shen Luo, and was gesturing at the direction beyond the gate. Its movements were rigid and slow, creating an extremely eerie sight. Following the creature''s gaze, the sight that met Shen Luo''s eyes made his scalp tingle. A short distance from the gate, along the shore of Tongji Canal, he saw ghostly creatures, their bodies rotting and draped in water grass and mud, crawling ashore. They moved in hordes towards him. They left long, wet trails on the ground as they dragged their wet bodies. Shen Luo did a rough count, there were more than a hundred of these water ghosts. The aura they emitted wasn''t very strong, only the creature with antlers standing outside the gate seemed a bit different, possibly comparable to a later-stage cultivator in Grain Avoidance. If these creatures charged into the alley, the previously tidied-up Chang Le Alley would again become a playground for specters, causing innumerable innocent townsfolk to lose their lives. Shen Luo exhaled resignedly. He could only stay for a few moments to slay these ghostly creatures before leaving. Just then, the ghostly creature outside the gate also discovered Shen Luo, it turned its deer-like head slowly, a hundred and eighty degrees and stared straight at him. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only then did Shen Luo notice that its entire face was that of a stag, and around its neck was a dark red trace of blood. There were clear signs of flesh and skin stitched together there. Its pairs of dark red eyes blinked a few times. Lifeless, they bore into Shen Luo''s gaze. Only then did it turn its body around slowly. Unlike the other ghosts he had encountered so far, this deer-headed ghost appeared to possess higher spiritual wisdom. It didn''t attack Shen Luo upon discovery but instead took a few steps back, gesturing at him. Immediately after, the ghostly creatures that had just crawled out of the Tongji Canal seemed to have received an order, and like a crazed horde, charged towards Shen Luo in the alley. Chapter 507 Chapter 507: Chapter 503: Chasing Ghost Chapter 507: Chapter 503: Chasing Ghost Shen Luo''s expression didn''t change as he raised his hand. In front of him, a crimson light emerged, emitting a crisp sword hum from the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, which then blasted out a sword light several feet long, darting out like a horse in full gallop. The path of the sword light left surges of red light ripples. The approaching ghosts were hit by the light, and they immediately shrieked and howled as if they were being scorched by a raging fire. They all tried to dodge in different directions. However, the alley was too narrow, leaving them very little room to dodge. They huddled together in a chaotic mess, unable to retreat in time. The crimson sword light pierced through everything, going straight into the alley. As soon as it entered the alley, it immediately twisted and turned, darting back and forth like threading a needle. Within a few breaths of time, it dispersed all the ghosts, leaving behind only a series of muddy traces. Shen Luo swiftly moved, and the Moonlight scattered under his feet. He passed through the alley in an instant, heading straight for the deer-headed ghost. Upon getting closer, he swiftly threw the Thunderfall Talisman from his hand, aiming for the back of its neck. The deer-headed ghost''s eyes flashed with a blood-colored light, its hands forming a Dharma seal in front of it. Suddenly, a blood light expanded around it, forming a spherical light curtain that shielded it. The Thunderfall Talisman hit the blood-colored light curtain, causing an explosive sound! A silver lightning bolt as thick as an arm lit up the night sky, and the white electric light met the blood-colored light curtain, causing an explosion of electric sparks. Countless thin sparks shot wildly in all directions. The blood-colored light curtain only shook violently for a moment but showed no signs of breaking. The deer-headed ghost swiped its hand, and a blood-colored long knife slid down from its sleeve and slashed horizontally towards Shen Luo. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s gaze was locked in place, and he immediately formed a spell. Accompanied by a humming sound, a dazzling yellow light appeared above his head. A yellow giant bell appeared overhead, its surface producing substantial halos, forming a huge Yellow Bell Barrier that enveloped him. At this moment, the deer-headed ghost''s blood-colored long knife also landed on the protective cover of the Golden Immortal Armor, causing a loud ¡°clang!¡± The yellow giant bell shuddered while the light on the surface rapidly shrank, only to produce a deafening bell sound in the next instant. Accompanying this huge sound, observable ripples of yellow mana vibrated from the yellow bell barrier, propagating like waves, pushing the deer-headed ghost ¨C knife included ¨C backwards. The other ghosts that had rushed up were thrown off balance by this huge energy wave, tumbling and falling all over the place. ¡°Go.¡± With a thought from Shen Luo, a sharp whistling sound rang in the void. The crimson light transformed by the Pure Yang Sword Embryo darted out, pursuing and aiming straight for the deer-headed ghost''s skull. The ghost had just steadied itself from its retreat, and when it saw the incoming sword light, it immediately raised its blood-colored long knife, making a vertical cut to the front. With a ¡°clang¡± sound, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo cut through the blood-colored long knife without any resistance, its momentum unchanged as it cut across the ghost''s neck. A spray of black blood mist burst out, staining half of the alley wall red. The ghost''s skull was thrown high into the air, then ¡°thud¡± as it fell to the side. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo retracted the Golden Immortal Armor above his head, retracing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo back into his hand with a wave. With a casual pat on his Qiankun Bag, he prepared to collect the Yin Sha Qi from the deer-headed ghost. However, a flash of light illuminated the Qiankun Bag, but no Yin Sha Qi emanated from the deer-headed ghost. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, and as he took a closer look, he saw the headless ghost clumsily climbing back to its feet, groping around on the ground until it found the deer''s head with its long horns, and stood up again. It placed its severed head back onto its neck, and worm-like strands of red laces immediately extended from the severed neck, quickly sewing the deer''s head back on. However, in its haste, the head was stitched on backward, facing its back. Just as Shen Luo was about to move forward, the other water ghosts around him began to charge towards him. The deer-headed ghost, on the other hand, began to flee along the riverbank. ¡°Trying to escape?¡± Shen Luo scoffed, his wrist turning as he was about to bring forth the Pure Yang Sword Embryo again. However, after a moment''s consideration, he withdrew his hand, patted his Qiankun Bag on his waist, and a stream of black smoke flowed out from it, revealing the Ghost General. ¡°I''m leaving these ghosts to you. Kill them and absorb their Yin Sha Qi, then return to our alley. If you encounter any more ghosts, deal with them too, but don''t overexert yourself. If you come across human cultivators, steer clear. Wait for me back at the small courtyard,¡± Shen Luo instructed. ¡°Understood,¡± the Ghost General immediately responded with a salute. Without saying anything more, Shen Luo immediately leapt into the air, soaring above the water ghosts'' heads and chasing after the deer-headed ghost. In seeing Shen Luo leave, the Ghost General seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He looked at the ghosts before him, his eyes glowing with a faint light, as if he was looking at food. He couldn''t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. Shen Luo quickly caught up to the fleeing deer-headed ghost. However, he didn''t immediately slay the Specter. Instead, he chose to follow it from a distance, wanting to see where it would flee to. The ghost ran for a while before abruptly holding onto its head and twisting it back into place with a ¡°crack¡±. It then began to pick up speed and run in a certain direction. Shen Luo became even more convinced of his suspicion. That guy was indeed fleeing towards its lair. He saw it leap over walls and roofs, crossing two streets directly after leaving Chang Le Alley, and entered Yongxingfang territory. Yongxingfang was home to merchants and travelers from all over the place who visited Chang''an. Among them were many foreigners. It was a place where people were constantly coming and going, and home to a complicated mix of residents. As Shen Luo followed the ghost into Yongxingfang, he discovered that the place had also been attacked by a large number of ghosts. Flames could be seen flickering wherever he looked, accompanied by sporadic shouts. Not far away from a mansion, he saw several ghosts attacking a group of foreign people with high eyebrows and deep-set eyes. Shen Luo''s steps faltered and he hesitated. If he went to save them, there was a good chance he would lose track of the deer-headed ghost. But if he didn''t go to save them, he would feel guilty. Just as he was torn, the sound of colliding armor and rhythmic marching came from outside the wall. A large troop of city guard soldiers, led by two monks in black robes, rushed into the alley and made for the house. ¡°It seems that the government has already taken action.¡± Shen Luo felt slightly reassured and immediately resumed the chase. By that time, the deer-headed ghost had almost made it out of Yongxingfang and arrived at the edge, near the shore of Qinghua Lake. Just across the lake was Xuanhua Fang. Just as Shen Luo caught up and was about a hundred feet away, he saw the deer-headed ghost leap into the lake and disappear. His expression slightly changed and he quickly caught up, formed the Water Repelling Technique with his hands, and dived into the lake water. Chapter 508 Chapter 508: 504 Chapter 508: 504 As soon as Shen Luo entered the water, he released his Divine Sense, which became even more acute, aided by the abundant water attribute spiritual energy. He quickly found a trace of the deer-headed ghost and followed it stealthily from the bottom of the lake. After walking in the lake for more than half a two-hour period, the ghost suddenly turned into a reed thicket and entered a river channel. Shen Luo followed it and walked up the river channel for hundreds of steps, unexpectedly arriving in a private garden. Knowing he must be close to his destination, he withdrew his Divine Sense, suppressed the mana fluctuations on his body, and carefully followed into the garden. The river channel went through the mansion, and a section of it was expanded into a scenic pond within the private garden. There was an open area by the lake, facing a tall theater building. As expected, the deer-headed ghost reached the shore of the pond, came straight out of the water and went ashore, and then went onto the open square next to it. Shen Luo, looking carefully through the water at his surroundings, saw many weeds growing around the lake, and the tall theater building seemed a bit dilapidated, with fallen leaves everywhere. It was evident that this mansion seemed to have been abandoned. ¡°What''s going on? Why has he run back here?¡± Suddenly, a surprised voice sounded. Shen Luo quickly looked over and saw a short and fat middle-aged man wearing a red brocade robe. He was standing in front of the deer antler ghost, looking at it with an expression of doubt on his face. ¡°Could it be that he encountered a powerful enemy and instinctively fled back here?¡± Another voice sounded. A tall woman dressed in a green satin robe also walked into Shen Luo''s vision. Her body was slim and graceful, and her features were pretty. However, her exposed arms were covered with a layer of dark green scales, which were a bit alarming. As they spoke, the woman''s phoenix eyes suddenly turned and swept toward the small lake. Shen Luo subconsciously sank his body, retracted his breath, and sank to the bottom of the water like a hard stone, remaining motionless. After waiting for a while, when there was no sound outside, he floated up a little and looked towards the lakeshore. However, there was no one there anymore. Shen Luo frowned slightly and began to move towards the lakeshore. When he reached the lakeshore, he slowly surfaced, crouching down and glancing into the distance. Just tens of feet away from him in the square, two people were sitting facing each other. In front of them was an altar formation that was over three feet high, surrounded by dark red skulls. The formation was about ten feet in diameter and was shaped like a round Taiji diagram. In the center of the altar sat a small Corpse Pile, made out of nine bloody human heads. Four triangular dark red flags were inserted around it, each painted with strange black runes. The two people sitting outside the altar were the previously seen short and fat middle-aged man and tall woman. Both were forming magic spells with their hands and continuously conducting mana into the four small flags beside the Corpse Pile. As the flags fluttered, a large amount of black fog surged out, forming a spinning black fog vortex in the center of the formation. Various shapes of ghosts flew out from the vortex. After these ghosts landed, they began to wander aimlessly. But before they could go far, beams of blood light flew out from the Corpse Pile made of human heads and hit these ghosts in the center of their foreheads. The ghosts, which appeared to be unsteady and disorientated, suddenly had their eyes glowing red and their vicious aura rose dramatically. They dispersed towards the surroundings, with quite a few directly jumping into the river, heading towards various parts of the city along the river channel. At this moment, how could Shen Luo not understand that this place was probably the root cause of ghosts suddenly appearing in various parts of the city? However, judging from what he had seen on the way, there appeared to be more than one of these altar formations summoning ghost in the city. Shen Luo carefully observed the mana fluctuations on these two people and found that they were only at the Late Grain Avoidance stage. He hesitated as to whether he should take actions to destroy this formation directly. If he could capture these two people alive, that would be even better. Just then, a sense of alarm suddenly surged in Shen Luo''s heart, and his Divine Sense swiftly revealed his surroundings. He instantly realized that hundreds of mana fluctuations were coming from the surrounding underwater area; he was surrounded by hundreds of ghosts at the center. ¡°Damn, I''ve been discovered.¡± Shen Luo muttered before he no longer hid himself. He burst forth, ready to rush out of the water surface. ¡°Daoist friend, this is not your way¡­¡± A loud shout echoed from above. A thin and frail old man in a gray-white Taoist robe appeared above Shen Luo, raising his foot to stomp down heavily. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Swiftly, a green radiance fluctuated above, forming a huge green footprint that was tens of feet in radius plummeting down, and an earth-shattering force crashed violently. Shen Luo had just emerged from the water when he felt a strong pressure falling from above. He rushed to swing his arm which was charged with incredible Mana and strike upwards. The fist rushed towards the sky, causing earth-shattering waves underneath and turning into a blue giant fist made of water that crashed into the huge green footprint. A resounding ¡°boom¡± echoed throughout the area! The blue giant fist exploded upon impact, scattering countless water vapors that turned into a downpour. Shen Luo''s figure, dropping like a meteor, smashed into the water surface causing huge water waves. His back heavily slammed against a rock, yielding an involuntary groan, as he was pressed to the bottom of the lake by the force of the kick. ¡°Mid-stage Soul Condensation cultivator¡­¡± Shen Luo''s heart paused uncomfortably before he immediately formed a Water Repelling Technique again. The moment the surrounding blue light screen cage formed, the surrounding water currents began to circle back. The incoming tide carried hundreds of Yin Sha ghosts, all glaring at Shen Luo as they charged towards him. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo scoffed, chanting softly while he quickly formed a weird technique with one hand, as the other one raised a peculiarly strong blue light. ¡°Cut.¡± he mouthed a low command with his raised hand chopping towards the front. A brilliant blue light surged from his hand and formed a semi-circular arc in the raging tide. The surging waves suddenly paused as an incredible blue light shone through like daylight, revealing itself before Shen Luo. At the appearance of this blue light, a massive fissure surprisingly opened in the surging water, which continued to expand until it split the entire lake into two halves. The ghosts in the water were also suppressed by this Water-splitting Technique, and were struggle to break out from the water. Shen Luo, standing on a rock at the bottom of the lake, wiped off the blood from the corner of his mouth as the sound of chanting resonated again. In the next instant, waves stirred up on both sides of the lake. Two water blades, the size of a millstone, emerged and swirled, generating a huge vortex in the split-open waters on both sides. Hundreds of ghosts were swept into it. Under the tear of the mighty forces, they turned into pieces. Shen Luo slapped his Qiankun Bag tied to his waist, absorbing the surrounding Yin Sha Qi, and at the same time, he shouted, violently waving his hands towards the sky. ¡°Rumble¡­¡± A burst of water churned up from the lake, and the massive vortex water blades soared into the sky, heading towards the suspended¡­ Chapter 509 Chapter 509: Chapter 505: Silence Them Chapter 509: Chapter 505: Silence Them The Qingbian old Daoist was standing on a large green lotus leaf, looking down at Shen Luo with a sneer. ¡°Hmph, such trivial tricks.¡± After saying that, he swung his sleeve fiercely, two green whirlwinds instantly surged out from his robe, colliding with the two vortex water blades. With two booming ¡°Bang, Bang¡±, green light exploded in mid-air, the two water blades also burst open at the same time. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, realizing the gap between himself and the old Daoist, a thought of retreat had risen in his mind. The eyes of the Qingbian old Daoist narrowed slightly, he abruptly waved his hand, a golden shine shot out from his surging sleeve, it turned into a golden rope in mid-air, binding Shen Luo. The residual moonlight flashed under Shen Luo''s feet, his figure had already retreated rapidly, while at the same time, a snake-shaped long sword shot out amidst the gale from his sleeve, heading straight for the old Daoist. The blue light on the sword body suddenly surged, like a blue python roaming in the sky, it approached the old Daoist in just a few moments. ¡°Is this all you''re capable of, daring to come here alone to meet your death?¡± The old Daoist saw the approaching flying sword, a look of ridicule deepened in his eyes, and he slapped forward fiercely. A huge green light handprint appeared in the void, directly resisting Shen Luo''s flying sword. Shen Luo, while dodging the golden rope, was also urging the longsword to advance. However, a layer of green light barrier seemed to congeal in the void in front of the sword tip. No matter how he stirred his mana, he could not advance any further. Just then, the corner of his mouth quirked, with a wave of his hand that was forming the magic spell, a ¡°click¡± sound suddenly came from the long sword that was brimming with blue light. Two slender blue lights suddenly separated from the longsword, bypassed the green light handprint to the left and right, like two blue snakes, suddenly sprung out with lightning speed, darting toward the old Daoist''s head. ¡°Mother-child sword!¡± The old Daoist''s brow quirked, but there was no surprise in his eyes, instead, he suddenly bellowed, his clothes all over the body swelled up suddenly, a strong momentum exploded out from him as the center. The two small blue swords hit an invisible wall of Qi and were not only unable to pierce through but were knocked back. The old Daoist was satisfied with what he saw, the blue light in his hand surged again, planning to finish off Shen Luo, who had intruded recklessly, in one fell swoop. His face, however, suddenly changed, and he looked down abruptly. A crimson sword light, somehow, had already maneuvered beneath him, and was now rising up with a dazzling light, and inexplicably, a blue light was still flashing on the sword tip. The old Daoist then realized that the previous two attacks of the mother-child sword were nothing but a feint, this crimson flying sword that was rushing up from below were the real killer move. By the time he realized this, it was already late. The crimson light of that flying sword had already penetrated the green lotus leaf beneath his feet. The next instant, a piece of the sword tip pierced through the lotus leaf, stabbing straight towards his lower belly. Anger flashed in the old Daoist''s eyes. He formed a weird technique with his other hand, green light gushed around his palm, and instantly condensed into a round shield of light, smashing down at the coming Pure Yang Sword embryo. When the sword tip was close, the green light suddenly exploded, and a thunderous rumble sounded! The Thunderfall Talisman wrapped at the tip of the Pure Yang Sword embryo suddenly shattered, a snow-white lightning as thick as an arm suddenly sprung out and at the moment it hit the light shield, it exploded into countless electric threads. The old daoist only felt a numbness in his arms, and the light of the round shield in his palm quickly dimmed. There was a soft ¡°crack¡±. The green round shield shattered in an instant and the crimson sword light pierced through it, looking as if it was about to pierce the old daoist''s lower abdomen. However, at this moment, the gray-white Taoist robe on the old Daoist shined brightly, and a Tai Chi Yin-Yang Pattern emerged from within, blocking in front of him like a water curtain. The tip of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo stabbed into the Yin-Yang Pattern, only depressing it inward, but was unable to pierce through it in one go, and was at a standstill there. ¡°This old guy sure has many life-saving techniques,¡± Shen Luo muttered under his breath. The four meridians in his body lit up simultaneously, stirring together with the mana in his dantian and gushed out. The mother sword and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in front made sharp sword cries, and they aggressively stabbed at the old Daoist with a ¡°clang clang¡± sound. At the same time, two sharp sounds of ¡°whoosh¡± were heard. The two child swords that were previously knocked back flew back once again, stabbing towards the temples of the old Daoist from both left and right. The flying swords were only an inch away from the old Daoist''s skull, but their momentum suddenly halted, and they retreated at high speed. Not only that, but both the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the mother sword also simultaneously withdrew their offensive and flew back to Shen Luo''s side. His eyes vigilantly swept around, and a golden light flashed above his head, and the Golden Immortal Armor emerged accordingly. Despite being engaged in a one-on-one battle with the old Daoist, Shen Luo had been keeping an eye on everyone present. Just now, he suddenly noticed that the pair of men and women next to the array on the square on the shore suddenly became ethereal and disappeared. Only then did he awaken and realize that the two people before were but illusions. ¡°This little guy is quite vigilant¡­¡± At this moment, a man''s voice emerged a few tens of feet to his side, it was the short and fat man in the brocade robe, still carrying a kind smile on his face. ¡°Elder Cangmu, didn''t you boast that you could handle it by yourself? Why is this kid still alive?¡± On the other side, the slender woman''s figure also emerged and mockingly said. ¡°Nu Chuan, don''t speak ill of me. This kid is not as easy to deal with as he looks,¡± the old Daoist replied calmly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fellow Daoist Cangmu, we have already investigated. This kid indeed came here alone; there are no other monks around.¡± The short and fat man''s gaze fell on Elder Cangmu as he spoke. ¡°All right, fellow Daoist Qian Tong, let''s take action together and finish this quickly.¡± Elder Cangmu nodded in agreement. ¡°There''s no rush. Since fellow Daoist Nu Chuan is here, we don''t have to worry about him escaping. I am quite interested in this kid. Allow me to play around with him for a bit,¡± the man named Qian Tong laughed ¡°hehe¡± and spoke. As he spoke, he took a big step forward, waved his hand, and a golden light immediately sprayed from his sleeve. Shen Luo looked closely and saw a shiny golden ingot appearing in the golden light. It grew with the wind, and within a few breaths, it grew as big as a house and bore down on him. Shen Luo''s mind was spinning quickly, and with a flicker of light beneath his feet, he was about to use the Slanting Moon Steps to depart. However, a large amount of golden light suddenly enveloped the golden ingot, producing an inexplicable invisible force that ensnared him on the spot, and he couldn''t break free. ¡°Hehe, the allure of money can''t be resisted by just anyone. Sometimes, even when you want to run, you can''t.¡± Qian Tong stroked his chin, his face full of smiles. Chapter 510 Chapter 510: Chapter 506: Private Transaction Chapter 510: Chapter 506: Private Transaction Seeing himself unable to escape, Shen Luo''s body swiftly contorted, spinning intermittently like a top on the water surface. Waves of mana radiated from his movements, stirring the previously somewhat calm lake surface into monstrous waves once more. Summoning power from within, he clenched his fist and struck upwards into the sky. The mana inside him surged forward, like a river in flood, and the lake water, disturbed by his mana, spiraled rapidly upwards, and fiercely surged into the sky. The water waves shot up from the ground and ferociously rotated, like an azure dragon, slamming onto the falling golden ingot, causing it to tremble in its golden light and wobble incessantly. However, its descent only paused for a moment before it continued rolling downwards. ¡°This lad is indeed not weak in the Dao of Water Techniques.¡± Qian Tong felt the violent fluctuations coming from his magical instrument and said, somewhat surprised. With that, he pinched the technique in his hand again and pointed at the golden ingot in the sky. A trace of black qi began to appear on the gleaming golden ingot, rapidly spreading and turning the entire ingot into a pitch-black color. ¡°Drip¡± Suddenly, Shen Luo felt a chill on his forehead, a drop of black water silently fell from the sky onto his head. A strand of Yin Sha Qi instantly permeated his third eye. Soon after, the ¡°drip¡± sound echoed continuously. The golden ingot, now turned pitch-black, quickly melted, and a black rain fell, instantly engulfing Shen Luo. Shen Luo, unable to perform the Water Repelling Technique in time, found himself enveloped by the viscous black liquid. Icy Yin Sha Qi permeated through his skin and burrowed into him. Seeing this, he felt no fear. Instead, a trace of joy flashed in his eyes. With a quick thought, he initiated his internal mana. The Qiankun Bag that was suspended around his waist opened instantly, and a black light shone magnificently. The Yin Sha Qi that twisted around him surged wildly, drawn and absorbed by the black light from the Qiankun Bag, and began to flow inside rapidly. ¡°Hehe, as expected, he has a Qiankun Bag. Fellow Daoist Cangmu, Fellow Daoist Nu Chuan, once we kill this person, don''t anyone of you fight me for this magical instrument.¡± Seeing this, Qian Tong showed an even greater joy on his face and shouted loudly. ¡°Tch tch, that ghastly thing, only you would like it.¡± Nu Chuan glanced sideways and snorted disdainfully. ¡°Daoist Qian Tong, don''t play too much. Deal with him quickly, we still have a lot to do.¡± Elder Cangmu frowned and spoke. Qian Tong, upon hearing these words, his expression became a bit stern, revealing a trace of seriousness. Immediately after, he saw his wrist swivel, and a dark purple talisman appeared in his palm. The runes on it were peculiar, starting with the character for ''nether'' at the top and ending with a painted grim ghost face at the bottom. With just a toss, the purple talisman flew straight out, falling into the black liquid. ¡°Swoosh¡± A flame erupted from the purple talisman, burning fiercely. A dense black shadow sprung out of the talisman paper''s flame. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as it appeared, the surrounding black liquid immediately surged into the black shadow, quickly condensing into a gigantic pitch-black ghost. It emanated a strong deathly qi, opened its mouth and lunged at Shen Luo. The ghost''s mouth opened wide, soaring dozens of feet high. Inside was a pitch-black vortex that emerged and started to rotate rapidly. Just as Shen Luo was about to use the Slanting Moon Steps to flee, the Qiankun Bag at his waist suddenly swelled up rapidly. Inside, swirls of thick Yin Qi could be seen colliding, seemingly summoned by the vortex, and they dragged him towards the gaping mouth. His gaze hardened and he quickly transferred his mana to counter the pull, rushing in the opposite direction. However, on the other side, Qian Tong had already swiftly appeared, smiling wide as he slapped a palm towards him. Shen Luo hurriedly mobilized his mana to defend, but was still overpowered, and was repelled backward. The giant ghost behind him opened its mouth and swallowed him whole. ¡°Once inside this Killing Ghost, in just a moment, you will be corroded by the Killing Qi, obliterate your divine spirit and spiritual wisdom, turning you into a walking corpse. When I bring you back to the Main Altar, our Saint will have another corpse bug to use . It counts as making the most out of resources.¡± Qian Tong clapped his hands, quite pleased with himself. ¡°Now that we''ve got him, you watch for a bit while Nu Chuan and I continue to feed the Profound Yin Array. Depending on the Array Techniques alone to summon ghosts from the Netherworld is too slow,¡± Elder Cangmu said slowly. ¡°No problem. You go ahead without worry.¡± Qian Tong nodded, replying. ¡°Fellow Daoist Qian Tong, other than that Qiankun Bag which is undoubtedly yours, don''t even think about hoarding the other things. We can distribute them after we finish.¡± Nu Chuan gave a soft laugh, teary eyes spinning. ¡°Of course.¡± Qian Tong''s eyes flickered, letting out an insidious giggle. Nu Chuan waved her hand, her palm in mid-air within a hundred feet. Immediately, countless thin black crystal threads emerged. Intersecting with each other, they looked just like a spider web. Next, on her index finger, a black ring gleamed with a black light. The spider web instantly contracted and slipped into the ring, disappearing from sight. By the time she and Elder Cangmu returned to the shore, Qian Tong raised an eyebrow, a cunning look flashing in his eyes. His palm hidden within his sleeve suddenly clenched and made a weird hand sign as a circle of pale golden light emerged in his eyes, probing into the body of the Killing Ghost. He indeed wanted the Qiankun Bag as he said before, but in fact, he was more interested in the Crimson Flying Sword that Shen Luo briefly revealed when he first fought against Elder Cangmu. He sensed a strange aura from that flying sword. Therefore, he stopped the other two from taking action, planning to swallow that treasure under the guise of the Killing Ghost Body. As the golden light in his eyes lit up, the situation inside the Killing Ghost immediately became apparent to him. At this moment, Shen Luo was stuck in countless strings of black sticky liquid, binding his hands, feet, and back. The surrounding Yin Sha Qi constantly corroded him, and he struggled hard, but he couldn''t free himself. ¡°Fellow Daoist, how about we negotiate? As long you hand over a treasure, I can purposely let you go.¡± Just then, Qian Tong''s voice suddenly resounded in Shen Luo''s mind. At the same time, the Yin Sha Qi which was constantly invading him, suddenly paused, halting its advance. ¡°What do you want? Even if you kill me, you can still take it. Why bother negotiating with me?¡± Knowing that the other party was showing sincerity, Shen Luo also stopped struggling and asked calmly. ¡°This thing is different; it is the Sword Embryo nurtured within you. Once you die, I''m afraid it might not be able to be sustained, right?¡± Qian Tong''s voice rang out again. Shen Luo''s brows knitted slightly. This guy was extremely greedy, even aiming for his Pure Yang Sword Embryo! Chapter 511 Chapter 511: Chapter 507: Breach of Trust Chapter 511: Chapter 507: Breach of Trust ¡°You''re right, without my willingness to offer up the Sword Embryo, even if you were to kill me and dismember my body, it would be futile. But how can I trust you to keep your promise and let me go after you get the Sword Embryo?¡± Shen Luo, after a slight hesitation, replied as such. ¡°I''m the butcher and you''re the meat. Do you have any other choice except to trust me?¡± Qian Tong seemed utterly unconcerned, as he replied at a leisurely pace. ¡°If you put it that way, I''d rather die and break the net than be manipulated by you.¡± Shen Luo, without any hesitation, responded directly. After Shen Luo finished speaking, his Sea of Consciousness fell into a period of silence. ¡°Why do you have to make things so hard for yourself, Daoist? I am not like those two Refining Body Altar fellows. I am merely a businessman seeking profit. If you cooperate fully and unreservedly hand over the Sword Embryo, I can devise a way to help you escape safely. After all, the old saying has it that as long as one survives, there will always be opportunities in the future. I believe you already understand this, Daoist.¡± A moment later, Qian Tong''s voice resonated again, filled with a note of persuasion. ¡°So it is the Refining Body Altar at work again.¡± Shen Luo''s mind stirred, as he began to ponder. ¡°My friend, you don''t have much time to ponder. Those two fellas are not easy to dupe.¡± Seeing Shen Luo fall silent, Qian Tong urged him on. ¡°As long as I hand over the Sword Embryo, are you really willing to let me go?¡± Shen Luo asked, his brows tightly knitted. ¡°Doing business relies on honesty. Besides, it''s a mutually beneficial deal, why would I be reluctant?¡± Seeing him wavering, Qian Tong smiled and replied. After hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°How am I to escape safely?¡± ¡°It''s simple. As long as you give me the Sword Embryo, I will create an opening in the Killing Ghost for you to escape. If you can hide your presence, you can escape on your own. They''re busy activating the Great Formation, so they won''t notice any commotion here.¡± As he spoke, Qian Tong waved his hand, and the black slime entangled around Shen Luo gradually retracted, leaving him a circular space which extended several feet in radius. ¡°Since Your Excellency is so sincere¡­ I need not throw away my life for a mere Sword Embryo. However, once I release the Sword Embryo, it will emit waves of mana that they will notice.¡± Shen Luo expressed his concerns. ¡°That''s not a problem at all, I am also inside the Killing Ghost. As long as the Sword Embryo doesn''t leave the Killing Ghost''s body until I take possession of it, they won''t be able to sense anything.¡± Qian Tong, who seemed to have planned everything in advance, hastily said. ¡°Daoist, you are indeed thoughtful. Let''s proceed this way then.¡± Shen Luo said through a transmission of consciousness. As soon as his words fell, the black slime around him once again receded, and the space available for movement increased several-fold. Suddenly, a slit opened up at the spot corresponding to the stomach of the Killing Ghost, and Qian Tong''s figure flashed into it. He was several feet away from Shen Luo, smiling as he looked over. ¡°And you are?¡± Qian Tong asked. ¡°My family name is Shen, I''m just a nobody from the Bishui Sect.¡± Shen Luo said, holding his fists in salute. As he had been using Water Techniques previously, he claimed to be a disciple of the Bishui Sect. ¡°Oh, are you a disciple of the Bishui Sect?¡± Qian Tong seemed somewhat surprised upon hearing this. Shen Luo nodded in confirmation. ¡°In that case, we have some connection, as I have a good rapport with one of the elders in your sect. Letting you go is just because of that bond.¡± The smile on Qian Tong''s face broadened when he said that. ¡°May I ask who you are¡­¡± Shen Luo pretended to be confused and asked. ¡°I am Yin Fortune God Qian Tong. Have you heard of me, Friend Shen?¡± Qian Tong asked. ¡°So, it''s Daoist Qian Tong, the ''Wealth that pass through all obstacles.'' I have long admired your name.¡± Shen Luo immediately saluted. This man''s reputation has been heard by Shen Luo. He knew that Qian Tong was a Ghost Cultivator who specializes in transferring wealth of the deceased, but usually, the rumor was that he was a lone Freelance Cultivator, he never expected that even Qian Tong would be under the directive of the Refining Body Altar. ¡°Since we share an acquaintance, I hope you can trust me, Brother Shen? We should proceed with the transaction quickly. If it takes too long, we might arouse the suspicions of Daoist Master Cangmu and the others.¡± Qian Tong''s smile was still warm, but his voice grew more urgent. ¡°That is precisely what I have in mind. Daoist Qian, why don''t you open a small slit first, then I will hand over the Sword Embryo to you. What do you think?¡± Shen Luo glanced around, his expression showing some hesitation. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he finished, he turned his wrist and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo leisurely appeared in the middle of his palm. However, its surface was dim, with almost no mana fluctuations being emitted. Qian Tong''s gaze landed on the Sword Embryo, and his eyes lit up. ¡°Since Brother Shen has shown his sincerity, I don''t have to be coy.¡± After saying this, he gently motioned to the front, causing the black slime to split a thin slit open. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo said his thanks, and with a swipe of his hand, he tossed the Pure Yang Sword Embryo towards Qian Tong. At the same time, his figure flickered, rushing towards the split seam in an attempt to escape. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo lazily floated through the void, appearing to have no offensive power at all. A look of delight appeared on Qian Tong''s face as he reached out for it. However, just as the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was about to reach Qian Tong, a sword-cry suddenly erupted from within it. It seemed to spring to life, shining with a red light, and shot straight towards Qian Tong''s chest. Qian Tong seemed to have expected this, with no trace of panic on his face. One hand continued to calmly grasp the oncoming Sword Embryo, while the other swiped towards the direction of Shen Luo. Just as Shen Luo reached the split slit, a flash of black light came from it, causing it to be sealed up again. Thick black slime surged towards him, ensnaring him like living tentacles. Waves of intense Yin Sha force once again surged over, attacking his body from inside. On the other side, with a resounding metallic clang, a silver metallic glove appeared on Qian Tong''s hand, firmly gripping the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, regardless of how intensely its light flickered, it remained incapable of escaping. ¡°Heh, Brother Shen, it''s not that I''m untrustworthy but you''re the one who tried to sneak attack me. You can''t blame me for breaking the deal now.¡± Qian Tong turned towards Shen Luo, with his grin growing wider. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t refute him, but merely looked at him coldly, his hands secretly performing an incantation within his sleeves. ¡°Alright, now that I have the Sword Embryo, there''s no need to waste any more words with you. It''s time for your journey to the afterlife. Not to worry, in consideration of our brief relationship, I''ll make it quick.¡± Seeing that Shen Luo had no intention of responding, Qian Tong instantly lost interest. After saying that, he lifted one hand and grasped fiercely at the void. The black slime in front of him suddenly contracted, pressuring Shen Luo''s body violently. With a series of cracking sounds, Shen Luo''s ribs caved in from the pressure. His face twisted in pain, as though he was even unable to breathe. Chapter 512 Chapter 512: Chapter 508: Break Free Chapter 512: Chapter 508: Break Free Just as the smile spread across Qian Tong''s face, a sudden change occurred! Shen Luo abruptly lifted his head, and a glint of light flashed across his eyes. The magic spell in his hands ceased, and he softly uttered a word: ¡°Go.¡± As soon as his voice fell, Qian Tong found a dazzling red light emitting in front of him. A bunch of crimson flames soared like blooming phoenix immortal flowers. He was startled at first, but soon discovered that although the flames looked fierce, they didn''t seem to have any scorching heat. Just then, a slender flame suddenly shot up, darting towards his eyes. Realizing the danger, Qian Tong''s soul trembled as if he had seen the most terrifying weapon. Subconsciously, he tossed away the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo''s thought immediately moved, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo wrapped in the crimson flames rushed over and pierced directly into the sticky black liquid. As soon as the Pure Yang Sword Embryo arrived, the black viscous liquid was ignited by its flames, burning a large hole directly through it. The Sword Embryo continued to plunge forward, its flames burning relentlessly, the hole in the black liquid grew deeper and deeper. The sticky substance wrapped around Shen Luo was also consumed by the fire, turning into wisps of smoke and disappearing. ¡°Is this¡­ Red Lotus Karmic Fire?¡± Qian Tong abruptly realized, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes. This kind of flame from the underworld purgatory is especially good at restraining Yin Soul Ghosts and poses a great threat to a monk''s divine soul. Once it carelessly invades the Sea of Knowledge, it will burn the divine soul to nothingness, leaving only an empty shell of a body. Fortunately, the amount of Red Lotus Karmic Fire in the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was limited, which gave him the chance to throw away the Sword Embryo and spare his life. After Shen Luo freed himself, he immediately used the Slanting Moon Steps to enter the passageway opened by the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The moment he leaped out of the Killing Ghost, he was caught by the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, turned into a red rainbow light, and quickly escaped into the distance. Qian Tong was busy cleaning up the aftermath and could only watch his figure recede into the distance, feeling increasingly furious. By the time Elder Cangmu and Nu Chuan noticed, it was, however, too late. It was only after the flames had completely extinguished that Qian Tong managed to collect the Killing Ghost. He turned to find Elder Cangmu and Nu Chuan speeding towards him. ¡°Qian Tong, what happened?¡± Elder Cangmu asked angrily. ¡°That kid played a trick on me. He had Red Lotus Karmic Fire on him, which nearly injured me,¡± said Qian Tong seriously. ¡°Red Lotus Karmic Fire?¡± Nu Chuan furrowed her brows, her expression also becoming quite grim. ¡°I suspect he might have something to do with the Underworld; he might have been sent by them to investigate,¡± Qian Tong continued. His words successfully shifted Elder Cangmu and Nu Chuan''s focus from Shen Luo''s escape to the investigation of the Underworld. ¡°If that''s true, we can''t stay here any longer. We have to find another place, at least moving to the southern part of the city, the South City Da''an District,¡± said Elder Cangmu grimly after a long time. ¡°Even so, Qian Tong, you cannot escape blame,¡± Nu Chuan said coldly. Qian Tong nodded, not bothering to argue. However, his hatred for Shen Luo in his heart had deepened. Meanwhile, Shen Luo, while dealing with the intrusion of Yin Sha Qi in his body, urged the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to fly at full speed, escaping from this area as quickly as possible and heading towards Chang Le Alley in East City. Along the way, he could see smoke billowing everywhere in the city, with large numbers of people fleeing to the north under the protection of the city guards and government officials. He did not dare to stop until he reached Xuanhua Fang and returned to his own courtyard in Chang Le Alley before landing. The alley was eerily quiet at this point, with corpses everywhere but not a single living person to be seen. Feeling somewhat uneasy, Shen Luo appeared in the mansion. After a brief inspection, he felt slightly relieved as the formations arranged in the courtyard were still intact, indicating that no outsider had broken in. Just then, a voice suddenly came from a shadow in a corner of the wall. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Master, you are back.¡± Immediately after, the figure of the Ghost General emerged from it, appearing before him. ¡°What happened in Chang Le Alley?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°Master, after you left, a large number of ghosts attacked again, and I managed to slay some. Later, the Government Official led his troops here, protecting the remnants of the people and retreated towards the Imperial City in North City. I returned to the courtyard to wait for you,¡± the Ghost General said. ¡°You did well. Go back to the Qiankun Bag first. There are many Yin Sha Qi accumulated inside, you refine and absorb them first,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°Yes.¡± The Ghost General responded, shrunk his figure, and flew into the Qiankun Bag. After that, Shen Luo glanced around the courtyard, turned his wrist, took out several triangular formation flags from the Linlang Ring, set them up in the courtyard. As the current situation had changed, the simple array he had set up earlier was not enough. After finishing all of this, he slowly walked back to his room. As soon as he sat down, Shen Luo''s chest rose and fell violently, and he spouted out a mouthful of bruised blood. He hurriedly sat upright, began to run his Mana with both hands forming a magic spell, attempting to recover. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo, due to its previous severe consumption, unresponsive after several attempts to play it. Shen Luo had to slow down and wait for half a moment before trying again. This time, the Sword Embryo didn''t remain silent and motionless, but began to move slowly within his meridians, weaving between his Qiao acupoints, slowly pushing out the Yin Sha Qi that had invaded inside, out of his body bit by bit. Shen Luo did not waste these Yin Qi and collected them all into the Qiankun Bag. Just then, a strange noise suddenly came from outside the house. Shen Luo immediately became alert. He stood up and came to the window on the wall, pushing it open to look outside. He saw that the array in the courtyard was emitting strange movements, indicating Yin Soul Ghosts were coming closer. ¡°Not right, according to the time, it should be after the ''si'' time and should have been broad daylight. Why is it not yet?¡± Shen Luo suddenly looked up at the sky, only to see a dense black cloud covering the sky, no daylight could be seen. Dark clouds pressed down on the city, not too high from the ground, with swirling Yin wind visible within it, filling the sky with the oppressive aura. As Shen Luo was in a state of alarm, the response from the array in the courtyard became larger and larger, beginning to emit waves of blue light. With a loud ¡°Boom¡± sound! A wall of the courtyard next to the gate tower suddenly collapsed, and a pitch-black figure over ten feet tall rushed in. It was a zombie clad in rusty armor that rushed in, stepping on the array on the ground of the courtyard. The few triangular flags connected to the array hummed, and under the traction of the array, they all rushed towards the armored zombie. After surrounding it, they all exploded. Yellow flames erupted from the small flags, which instantly engulfed the armored zombie and burned fiercely. The zombie frantically patted the flames on its body, but it was no use. Instead, the flames wrapped around various parts of its body, and it howled miserably, emitting a foul smelling black smoke. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand and waved, a crimson sword light shot out, and quickly flew back. The armored zombie''s head fell on the ground, the howling sound abruptly ended. However, the noise it had made had attracted many Yin Soul Ghosts and brought them closer. Shen Luo knew he could no longer stay here, planning to immediately head to Duke Cheng''s Mansion. After tidying up a bit, he immediately left the small courtyard, galloping towards the direction of the North City. Chapter 513 Chapter 513: Chapter 511: First Mission Chapter 513: Chapter 511: First Mission ¡°I intended to cultivate today using the Yin Sha Qi stored in the Qiankun bag, but judging from your current situation, there probably isn''t much Yin Sha Qi left in the bag, right?¡± Shen Luo said upon hearing this. ¡°Master, I really have absorbed all the Yin Sha Qi. However, the Yin Sha Qi that entered my body is more pure and can be freely used by you.¡± The Ghost General immediately bowed his fist and replied. ¡°Very well. There won''t be a shortage of tasks to kill ghosts in the next few days, so you needn''t worry about not finding a supplement.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Yes.¡± The Ghost General immediately responded and consciously sat cross-legged in front of Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyes slightly constricted, his fingers brought together, began to draw on his arm. Before long, he had drawn a pattern of densely packed, blood-red rune array. He pointed his fingers towards the Ghost General. A strand of pure Yin Sha Qi began to move towards the charm patterns on his arm. The charms on his arm brightened, and the sensation of intense pain, like being gnawed by ants and being eaten by a silkworm, came again. Shen Luo immediately gathered his mind and carefully began to apply the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Technique. Time flew by, and it was early morning three days later. A suppressed growl came from inside the small building, and the windows on the second floor that had been closed all the while were suddenly pushed open. Shen Luo stood by the window, his eyes full of vitality. The residual breath fluctuations on his body were still surging. There was a faint blue light flickering on the Hand''s Yang Ming Large Intestine Meridian on his arm, indicating that it had been connected. In order to open this meridian, Shen Luo experienced more pain than before, including when he was dreaming of opening the vein. During that time, his Hand''s Yang Ming Large Intestine Meridian broke three times, while the Qu Pool Acupoint and Hegu Acupoint exploded once each. The three vein ruptures were still tolerable as he managed to repair them using the Great Unsealing Technique. However, when the Qu Pool Acupoint exploded, it almost destroyed half of his arm and caused severe damage to his chest, abdominal, and heart meridians. Had he not taken the Milk Spirit Pill in time, even if he had narrowly escaped death, his cultivation path might have come to an end. Regardless of the hardships, Shen Luo eventually formed the meradian. He stood by the window, taking a breather as he gazed at the beautiful scenery outside. His mind gradually settled down, and he returned to sitting on the ground before closing his eyes to meditate. He attempted to cultivate the Yellow Court Sutra skills again. As soon as he tried, his eyes suddenly opened wide, his eyes full of disbelief. The previous stumbling feeling was significantly reduced when he was cultivating the Huangting Technique. The speed of his mana operation was much faster than before, and the smoothness has greatly increased. ¡°It turns out that the number of meridians does affect the quality of the cultivation. If all the meridians of the Twelve Channels can be opened, the cultivation speed will undoubtedly change drastically, right?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Just as he was thinking about continuing his cultivation, a flash of green light flickered around his waist. He hurriedly looked down and found that the dark green crystal stone on the government waist tag was flashing. His brows furrowed slightly, and he had to temporarily stop cultivating. He got up and headed for the Weapon Storage Hall. As soon as he entered the hall, Shen Luo noticed that compared to the quiet situation yesterday, there were many more people in the hall today. In addition to He Wenzheng and two other Military Ministry Clerks, there were also ten monks standing there. These ten people could clearly be seen divided into two teams, each led by a burly man and a hunched old man. The burly man is quite rugged-looking, and the few people behind him are also sturdy. Their uniforms are quite uniform, all in blue short attire, and the word ¡°Mountain Fist¡± is embroidered on the chest. The hunched old man had somewhat murky eyes, dry skin, but exceptionally smooth hands, like those of a young man in his early twenties. The four people following him also looked young, each about thirteen or fourteen years old. They were bright-eyed, quite handsome, their clothes were varied, but all of them wore a pair of purple snake pattern gloves. ¡°Master Shen, you are here.¡± Upon seeing this, He Wenzheng immediately got up and saluted. The others did the same as they saw this. ¡°Mr. He, and all of you Daoist friends.¡± Shen Luo returned the gesture. ¡°Master Shen, these ten immortals are all members of our team,¡± He Wenzheng introduced. ¡°Elder Shen, I am Elder Zhou Meng from the Mountain Fist Sect, these are all my disciples. We are here to apply together, on behalf of our sect to make a contribution to Chang''an,¡± said the sturdy big man while saluting. Shen Luo also returned the gesture as a response. ¡°Elder Shen, I am Zhao TingSheng, a disciple of the Decline and Growth Sect. These are all my senior brothers. We ask for more care from the elder,¡± said the hunched old man while saluting. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked a bit surprised at the old man''s words. He carefully examined the old man for a moment, but forgot to return the salute. ¡°I apologize, I was rude,¡± he quickly said when he came back to his senses. ¡°No harm done. My current appearance would surprise anyone who sees it,¡± said Zhao TingSheng, who looked like an old man, waving his hand. At this point, Shen Luo remembered that before coming to Chang''an, Xie Yuxin had mentioned the Decline and Growth Sect. He was told to avoid their monks if they encounter them because they are good at using poison and can often kill people silently. ¡°Daoist Zhao, could it be that you have practiced the secret technique of your sect, the ''Bone Decay Heart Technique''?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°That''s correct. I am currently in the ''decaying period'', which has confused the elder,¡± Zhao TingSheng nodded and chuckled. Seeing this, Shen Luo was a bit confused. The words and actions of Zhao TingSheng in front of him didn''t match with what Xie Yuxin had described about the monks of the Decline and Growth Sect. She said that most of them have strange temperaments, they tend to repay an eye for an eye and they have a certain air of being righteous and unrighteous at the same time. ¡°I am Shen Luo from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion of the Little Straw Mountain lineage. I hope that everyone can provide their support for the tasks to come,¡± Shen Luo said from the heart, looking at everyone. At his words, Zhou Meng and the others all reacted, but they all returned the gesture, clearly feeling somewhat perfunctory. Shen Luo was aware that they likely hadn''t heard of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, so he didn''t take it to heart. ¡°Now that you all know each other, let me tell you about the task,¡± said He Wenzheng at this moment. ¡°Please do, Mr. He,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°This task is to have you all head to the Dunyi District, located south-west of the city. There is the largest fireworks workshop in Chang''an there. It houses a large amount of saltpeter gunpowder. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could cause astronomical losses. Therefore, I hope that you all can sneak in and destroy it,¡± said He Wenzheng slowly. Upon hearing this, everyone was somewhat dumbstruck. Finally, Zhou Meng managed to blurt out two words: ¡°That''s it?¡± All of them were here to perform a task for the first time. They originally thought it would be about gathering strength to fight against ghosts. Who would have thought that the task would turn out to be this? ¡°Just to destroy the saltpeter gunpowder?¡± Shen Luo could not help but ask. (Sorry! This chapter was mistakenly uploaded early. It can''t be deleted immediately, but the missing two chapters will be updated tomorrow. It will not affect everyone''s reading.) Chapter 514 Chapter 514: Chapter 509: Ghosts of Chang''an Chapter 514: Chapter 509: Ghosts of Chang''an Chang Le Alley was still enveloped in silence, the streets nearly empty. The only living beings were the wandering ghosts that seemed to render this market square akin to a ghostly corner. Shen Luo didn''t know about the peculiarity within the overcast sky, so he didn''t rashly resort to sword flight. Instead, he cautiously navigated through the streets, trying as much as possible to avoid the Yin Sha ghosts. He would only take risks to attack when it was unavoidable, aiming for a sure-kill each time to reduce the ruckus as much as possible. Thus, he intermittently made progress. Besides encountering numerous ghosts, he also bumped into a few human cultivators. However, as the line between friend and foe was blurred, Shen Luo decided against provocation and simply tucked away all the information gleaned from these encounters into his mind. However, what puzzled him was the absence of the Great Tang Dynasty Government officials throughout his journey. After all, such a significant mess should call for the action of government officials to clean up. After crossing three markets, Shen Luo reached the border of Yong Ye Alley. Upon hearing sporadic cries for battle from around him, he finally saw the government officials. He happened upon a group of government soldiers in the street, engaging in battle with several ghosts. Thus, he stepped in to aid in their annihilation. A veteran soldier then led him straight to the entrance of the alley. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the street outside the entrance of Yong Ye Alley, seven or eight camps had been set up, with numerous soldiers stationed around. Inside the camps, monks were present, prepared for what appeared like wartime defense. Only after rigorous scrutiny, backed by the testimony of the old soldier, was Shen Luo allowed into the alley. The moment he stepped into Yong Ye Alley, he was stunned by the sight. Tents were scattered all over the streets; they were rudimentary shelters housing the civilians who had fled from the southern part of the city. Their faces were all pale, evidently all still in shock. ¡°How can this be?¡± Shen Luo''s brows furrowed as he sighed. From the various signs, the severity of the calamity within Chang''an City had far exceeded his imagination. ¡°Alas, Immortal Master may not be aware, the ghosts struck too suddenly. Ghost disturbances arose in almost all the markets in the southern part of the city simultaneously, catching the city defense off guard. By the time they managed to react, it was already too late,¡± the veteran soldier heaved a long sigh. ¡°This ghost disturbance is clearly being controlled by someone. It is a planned attack against Chang''an City and is not easy to deal with,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Isn''t that the truth. Last night, the government hastily united with some other cultivators in the city to eradicate the ghost disturbances. Although they did not gather all of the forces, the strength was nonetheless considerable. However, what was the outcome? They weren''t able to eradicate all the ghosts, only managing to block them from Yong Ye Alley to Chong Fu Fang, the entire southern part of the city has already been lost,¡± the old soldier sighed and continued. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo didn''t say anything. He started thinking about his previous encounter with Qian Tong and his team, feeling increasingly uneasy. Noting Shen Luo''s silence, the veteran soldier continued, ¡°Immortal Master need not worry. The Great Tang Dynasty Government can''t be trifled with; it''s just that they haven''t been able to consolidate their teams, hence the lack of a full-scale counterattack. Moreover, there is word that reinforcements have been sought from the Immortal Sects, such as Hua Sheng Temple. Once reinforcements arrive, we''ll launch a two-pronged attack, ensuring not a single one of them escapes.¡± His words exuded the pride of a Great Tang soldier, stoking a feeling in Shen Luo that made him chuckle, saying, ¡°You''re right. With Duke Cheng and the major sects around, these specters won''t be able to cause much trouble for long.¡± The veteran soldier, originally scheduled for a short break after his shift, parted ways with Shen Luo halfway through the alley. Shen Luo continued alone toward the Imperial City. Just as he was about to leave Yong Ye Alley, he noticed a sudden brightness in the sky ahead. Looking up, he realized that the overcast cloud that shrouded everything around had been stopped in its tracks by the majestic aura emitted from the direction of the Imperial City. Upon reaching Duke Cheng''s mansion, the guards at the gate relayed his arrival swiftly. Soon, a figure hurried out from the mansion ¨C it was Lu Huaming. ¡°Ah, Brother Shen, you''ve finally arrived,¡± Lu Huaming called out from afar. ¡°I encountered a large number of ghosts and ran into some trouble while pursuing them. I should have come here earlier,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Oh? And what was the trouble?¡± asked Lu Huaming, his brow furrowed slightly. Shen Luo then briefly recounted his encounter with the three people at the Refining Body Altar. ¡°You managed to escape unscathed from three Soul condensing cultivators, really impressive.¡± Lu Huaming looked Shen Luo up and down, seeing no obvious injuries on him, he laughed and patted him on the shoulder and said. ¡°What''s the current situation, it seems like half of Chang''an City has fallen?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The situation is a bit complicated, I can''t explain it clearly to you in a short time. However, the upper management of the government already has a strategy. There''s no need to worry too much, it''s just that the time hasn''t come yet, and it''s been hard on the people,¡± Lu Huaming sighed. With that, he led Shen Luo towards Cheng Manor. ¡°At present, we need manpower urgently. This morning, the court issued a notice calling all cultivators in the city, regardless of their sect affiliation or freelance status, to be temporarily recruited under the government, and jointly resist the ghost menace,¡± Lu Huaming explained as they walked. ¡°It''s only natural to devote ourselves to the people of the Great Tang.¡± Shen Luo didn''t hesitate and immediately responded. ¡°Haha, Brother Shen said it well. So, you and I can fight side by side again,¡± Lu Huaming laughed. Just as his words fell, the badge hanging from his waist suddenly flickered. ¡°I was thinking of taking you to rest for a while, seems like that''s not possible. The government is summoning me urgently, I have to go right now,¡± said Lu Huaming, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, sounding apologetic. ¡°No harm done. If I can be of help, I''ll go with you,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. After a slight hesitation, Lu Huaming said, ¡°It should not be about combat¡­ well, how about I take you with me? This can be your recruitment spot, and the Weapon Storage Hall there is just where the cultivators are being recruited.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The two hurried towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government. On the way, Shen Luo recounted everything he had seen to Lu Huaming. ¡°Brother Shen, this information you provided is extremely important. It will be very helpful for our future battles. You''ve already made a great contribution,¡± Lu Huaming said with a smile. Shen Luo didn''t pay much attention to his words. After escorting Shen Luo to the Weapon Storage Hall, Lu Huaming took his leave first. Shen Luo stood in the somewhat open square outside the hall, looked up at the majestic red hall in front of him, and stepped in. Inside the hall, there wasn''t much furniture. Directly in front, there was a cabinet as tall as the ceiling, filled with various square slots, each marked with a tag bearing a name. In front of the cabinet, there were three desks, each occupied by a government official in court attire, busily flipping through their documents. For a while, no one noticed Shen Luo''s arrival. ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Luo lightly coughed, and the three people suddenly became aware and looked up simultaneously. ¡°You must be the cultivator here to register? May I ask your name?¡± The middle-aged man in the centre, roughly in his forties, of skinny build, and sharp facial features, stood up first, bowed to Shen Luo and asked. The other two, who were much younger, also got up immediately, respectfully bowed, then sat down again and resumed their work. Chapter 515 Chapter 515: Chapter 510: Conscription Chapter 515: Chapter 510: Conscription ¡°I am Shen Luo, a monk from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion in Chunhua County.¡± Shen Luo replied with a bow, introducing himself. ¡°Master is virtuous, admirable indeed. I am He Wenzheng, a clerk from the Ministry of War.¡± The man in the middle seemed to have never heard of the ¡°Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡±, hesitated a bit, but still respectfully replied. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Mr. He.¡± On hearing this, Shen Luo greeted him. ¡°I don''t dare to claim any honorable titles. May I ask about your cultivation level, Master?¡± He Wenzheng hastily waved his hand and then asked again. ¡°Early Stage of Soul Condensation.¡± Shen Luo replied. Upon hearing this, a look of surprise flashed across He Wenzheng''s eyes, then he said: ¡°During this recruitment of monks, our arrangement operates according to the military system. As Master Shen is a cultivator of the Soul Condensation Stage, you can directly be promoted to the position of a ''Company Commander'', leading ten cultivators who are below the Grain Avoidance Stage.¡± ¡°Company Commander? There is such a rank?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. ¡°Master may not know, five people make a team, with a monk at the Grain Avoidance Stage serving as a ''Team Leader'', two teams make a ''Company'', led by a Soul Condensation Stage cultivator as a ''Company Commander''. Three Companies make a ''Banner'', led by a Nascent Soul Cultivator as a ''Banner Commander''. Each level commands the level below it, the hierarchy is clear, and instructions flow smoothly.¡± He Wenzheng explained. ¡°I see, thank you Mr. He.¡± Shen Luo nodded. During the conversation, He Wenzheng sat down and proficiently took out an empty scroll, asking about Shen Luo''s various situations, and began to write on it. The recorded content was extensive, including Shen Luo''s place of birth, cultivation history, and even the skills he practiced. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows slightly knitted together, showing a hint of dissatisfaction. ¡°Please don''t misunderstand, Master. Given the unpredictable dangers of this recruitment task, the reason we record such details is to deal with some unexpected situations, so as not to let the court''s relief efforts go without a recipient.¡± Realizing that Shen Luo was showing impatience, He Wenzheng quickly explained. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo somewhat understood, but he couldn''t help but ask: ¡°Why should a practitioner''s skills also be registered?¡± ¡°No need for details, just briefly say the characteristics of the skills and what you''re good at. It''s only used for reference when forming teams, so the cultivators with compatible attributes can team up.¡± He Wenzheng quickly replied. Listening to this, Shen Luo nodded in agreement to his explanation. He Wenzheng secretly wiped a bead of sweat. Seeing that Shen Luo was reasonable, he felt somewhat at ease. ¡°Master Shen, in order to coordinate everyone uniformly, all the recruited cultivators will temporarily live in a separate garden owned by the government. Let me show you the map. There are still plenty of rooms available in Ya Ji Yuan. You can choose according to your preferences.¡± He then said. ¡°Please assist me in finding a more secluded residence.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Okay, please wait a moment, Master.¡± After saying that, He Wenzheng searched for a while and pointed out several secluded locations on the map, allowing Shen Luo to choose. Shen Luo picked an independent two-story building in the southwest corner, took the key, registered, and prepared to leave. ¡°Master, don''t rush. This is your waist badge. Whenever you kill a demon, your merit points for carrying out the task will be recorded on this. With this, you can collect the corresponding rewards.¡± He Wenzheng quickly stopped him, took out a palm-sized token from the drawer, and handed it over. Shen Luo took it and saw that it was somewhat similar to Lu Huaming''s badge, yet different. There was an additional piece of dark green crystal inlaid on it, and an extra character ''Lin'' was carved on it. ¡°How does this small token record merit points?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°After the Immortal Master kills a ghost, all you need to do is store a strand of the Yin Sha Ghostly Qi on this token to record a merit point. The more Ghostly Qi stored, the more merit points are recorded, and the more rewards can be exchanged later. However, these are just petty merit points, the main merit is obtained by performing tasks. This is settled on a team basis, with team leaders and company commanders earning about 20% more than regular members.¡± He Wenzheng explained. ¡°What exactly are the rewards?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°Under normal circumstances, merit points can be used to exchange for Immortal Jade. But if the Immortal Master has any special requests, such as wanting to buy land or fields for the family, it is also possible. In addition, the Great Tang National Treasury will also dole out some treasured spiritual materials and magical instruments as rewards, but the merit points required are even higher. The specific situation will be known when Mr. Immortal goes to the exchange place later.¡± He Wenzheng explained. Shen Luo nodded, then suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Where do I accept these tasks?¡± ¡°For this recruitment, everything is done according to the rules of the military. You don''t have to accept tasks, they are directly assigned by the military according to the difficulty of the tasks. When it''s time to execute tasks, your token will react, you just need to gather here. Under normal circumstances, unless there are special circumstances, Immortal Masters are not allowed to refuse the summons.¡± He Wenzheng explained. ¡°I see. I understand.¡± Shen Luo nodded, said goodbye, and left. He hung the token around his waist and left. Following the map''s instructions, he went directly towards Ya Ji Yuan. Along the way, the government officials who saw the token on his waist didn''t stop him. Instead, they saluted him respectfully. Ya Ji Yuan was located to the southwest of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Shen Luo quickly followed a stream that ran through the garden towards the southwestern corner, and found his small building. The small building was quite secluded, surrounded by no walls, it was just a lonely wooden structure. Upon entering, Shen Luo found that everything inside had been tidied up. On the desk was an unlit three-legged incense burner, but a faint scent of agarwood lingered in the room. Feeling a bit tired, Shen Luo surveyed the furnishings in the room. After setting up array techniques on the first floor, he headed directly upstairs. The second floor was a quiet room. Besides a desk in front of the window, there was only a soft couch against the wall, and nothing else. Shen Luo sat on the couch and began to meditate and regulate his breath. After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes. His whole body''s energy and spirit had finally returned to its fullness. With a wave of his hand, a porcelain jar appeared in front of Shen Luo. Inside was the Milk Spirit Pill for healing injuries, which he planned to use again for the Xuan Yin Opening Vein method. This time, he didn''t opt for any collateral meridians but tried to open up the Hand''s Yang Ming Large Intestine Meridian of the Twelve Channels. Compared with the collateral meridians, the Twelve Channels have more points where energy flow takes place, and are longer and more essential to the human body, hence posing greater potential risks. But having several experiences from his dream and one successful attempt previously gave Shen Luo quite a bit of confidence. He tapped on his Qiankun Bag, and the silhouette of the Ghost General once again floated out. The black light on his body was more solid, and his breath was even more stable. It seemed as if he had become somewhat stronger than before. ¡°It seems your strength has grown?¡± Shen Luo asked, sweeping the Ghost General with his divine sense. ¡°Yes, Master. I don''t know why, but after you almost completely drained the Yin Sha Qi from my body last time, I replenished it much faster than before, and after this back and forth change, I found that my ghostly body seems to be more stable.¡± The Ghost General replied with a fist and cupped hand salute, unable to hide his joy. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Shen Luo was also a little surprised. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Absolutely true! Master¡­ I wonder when you will practice yesterday''s method again?¡± the Ghost General cautiously asked. Chapter 516 Chapter 516: 512 Chapter 516: 512 ¡°Of course, in addition to destroying these things, we also need to investigate signs of ghost activity along the way. If we encounter people in danger, we must also lend a hand to rescue them,¡± He Wenzheng added. ¡°But for such matters, there''s no need for such a large-scale mobilization. Isn''t it enough to just send my Mountain Fist Sect disciples? There''s enough manpower with just us,¡± Zhou Meng furrowed his eyebrows and protested in his rough voice. ¡°The strength of the Immortal Masters of the Mountain Fist Sect is not to be underestimated, but right now all tasks require us to work together to ensure everything goes smoothly. That''s the only way,¡± He Wenzheng clarified. ¡°I presume the authorities have their own reasons for these arrangements. Moreover, considering the broader conspiracy of the Refining Body Altar behind the mass apparition of ghosts in Chang''an, there are many unknown risks. It''s safer for us to act together,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before saying. ¡°What Elder Shen says is very true,¡± Zhao Tingsheng agreed. Upon hearing this, Zhou Meng decided not to argue anymore. The group then left the Weapon Storage Hall and headed toward the Dunyi District. After leaving the Great Tang Dynasty Government, the group first went west to the Huaiyuan District, then headed south. Along the way, they could see Tang armored warriors patrolling everywhere. Upon seeing their government waist tags, they saluted the group from afar. The situation in Huaiyuan, Yongshou, and Jiahe districts was relatively stable. Although they saw quite a few tents set up by refugees from the southern part of the city on their way, most of the areas were well-organized and orderly. Once they crossed the southern border of Jiahe District, they could see heavy smoke rising up at quite a few places in the distance, clearly indicating that chaos and disruption were still prevalent. Above the horizon farther away, a thick layer of leaden clouds hung heavily over everyone''s heads and hearts, making them all feel a pent-up frustration within their chests, as if yearning to vent out. After passing Jiahe District and entering Yongping District, traces of humans were nowhere to be seen. They could see collapsed houses everywhere, along with the remains of dead people and animals. Some bodies were hidden under the fallen roof tiles, while others lay exposed at the side of the road. Whenever they came across such situations, Zhao Tingsheng would instruct his Sect brothers to take out some yellow powder and scatter it over these corpses and nearby areas. If they encountered a well along the way, they would also dust some of the powder onto it. Seeing the confused expressions of Shen Luo and his group, he explained: ¡°These unattended bodies can cause epidemics if left outside for too long. We''re just doing what we can now to prevent that, and to eliminate the future problem.¡± Hearing him say this, a thought arose in Shen Luo''s heart, and he grew more uncertain. How could the Decline and Growth Sect be considered both righteous and evil? ¡°Elder Shen, don''t believe everything he says. The powder they scatter is called Corpse Gathering Powder. It''s used to gather Corpse Air, which is useful for the refinement of Corpse Poison and Corpse Transformation Pills. When we return, they will collect it,¡± Zhou Meng broke the serenity with a revealing statement. Shen Luo was taken aback upon hearing this, and then he chuckled, ¡°There are always pros and cons to everything. If using it can prevent epidemics and gather some Corpse Air, it''s actually a good idea and nothing wrong.¡± Zhao Tingsheng, who was nearby, seemed slightly surprised. It seemed that it had been quite a long time since he''d heard someone interpreting the deeds of the disciples of the Decline and Growth Sect with goodwill. After Shen Luo finished speaking, everyone else fell silent and continued their journey. However, the further south they moved, the more horrific scenes they came across, so much so that the Corpse Gathering Powder, brought by the disciples of the Decline and growth sect, was not enough to cover all areas. ¡°We''re approaching Dunyi District. This area has been occupied by the ghosts. Be careful and try not to confront them. Let''s complete our mission first,¡± Shen Luo cautioned. ¡°Yes,¡± everyone answered in unison. Since most of the buildings in Dunyi District had been destroyed, the original roads were hard to trace. The group had to rely on the map provided by He Wenzheng and started searching amidst the ruins. Despite it being bright daylight and nearly noon, the area was enveloped in shadow due to the overcast clouds. Ghosts could be seen roaming the streets from time to time. However, through observation, Shen Luo discovered that the movement patterns of these ghosts were quite interesting. Most of them seemed to be wandering within a fixed radius of about a hundred feet, each one appearing like a wandering ghost, far more peaceful compared to their fierce behaviors at night. Being careful all the way, Shen Luo and his group finally located the firecracker factory at the northwest corner of Dunyi District. What surprised them slightly was that almost all the buildings in that area had been destroyed, but the firecracker factory in the center remained intact, and there were around a hundred ghosts gathered around it. ¡°So many ghosts are holding the fort. It seems that the government''s worries are not groundless. The Refining Body Altar really intends to make use of this place,¡± said Shen Luo in a hushed tone, taking cover behind a broken wall a hundred feet away from the factory with his group. ¡°A mere hundred ghosts are not to be feared. Leave it to us,¡± Zhou Meng patted his chest and said. ¡°You''re only seeing these hundred ghosts on the outside. But what''s the situation inside that courtyard? Can you tell?¡± Zhao Tingsheng asked. ¡°We''re too far away for my Divine Sense to reach. I can''t probe into the situation there, so we cannot attack recklessly,¡± Shen Luo added. Hearing this, Zhou Meng only smiled and said: ¡°Why bother with these concerns? Let Lu Chen bring Elder Shen there. Being closer will allow for a more accurate examination.¡± The moment he finished speaking, a short and dark-skinned youth from the Mountain Fist Sect stood up. ¡°Elder Shen, I know some Earth Escaping techniques that can take you there underground. But how far do we need to get?¡± The youth bowed to Shen Luo and asked. ¡°We need to get within ten feet to conduct an examination,¡± Shen Luo pondered before replying. ¡°No problem,¡± Lu Chen cracked his knuckles, eager for the challenge. Immediately, he took out a Yellow Paper Charm from his pocket and clamped it onto Shen Luo''s back. He then pinched a magic spell with one hand and chanted a few incantations. A yellow glow began to envelop him. Next, he put his hand on Shen Luo''s shoulder. The glow from him wrapped both of them. ¡°Let''s go.¡± With a low grunt from him, the ground next to the broken wall cracked open, creating a three-feet-long gap. The yellow light dove in, and the figures of the two disappeared. Shen Luo only felt a soft light enveloping him. The hard rocks outside seemed to melt, becoming as soft as flowing water and swiftly flowing past him. This experience was reminiscent of when he was taken underground by Soul Hook''s Ma Mian. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a few moments, the two stopped. ¡°Elder Shen, the firecracker factory is about ten feet above us. You can try to examine now,¡± Lu Chen instructed. Shen Luo nodded his head, closed his eyes, and began to carefully extend his Divine Sense upwards. Shortly after, he opened his eyes again, ¡°Alright, let''s head back.¡± Chapter 517 Chapter 517: Chapter 513: Trap Chapter 517: Chapter 513: Trap Seeing Shen Luo speak, Lu Chen didn''t say much else and immediately urged the magic spell again, quickly returning them to the wall of ruins. ¡°How is it?¡± Zhou Meng stepped forward and inquired. ¡°The cultivation level of the ghosts outside is at the Qi Refining Stage. There are no ghosts in the factory, only two Grain Avoidance Cultivators stationed there. Daoist Zhou, Daoist Zhao, you two come with me into the factory, the rest deal with those ghosts outside.¡± Shen Luo finished speaking, and gave orders. ¡°Alright.¡± Everyone answered in unison. ¡°Remember, the main objective of this mission is to destroy the gunpowder. Capture those two monks alive if possible. After the mission is complete, don''t linger around, return immediately¡±, Shen Luo urged. Everyone nodded silently. ¡°Take action.¡± At Shen Luo''s command, eleven figures leapt over the wall simultaneously, heading directly towards the firecracker factory. Smelling the scent of living souls, the ghosts flocked towards them from all directions. Shen Luo, leading from the front, raised his hand and swiftly sent the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flying out. It shot forth like a bamboo piercer, piercing through the bodies of seven or eight ghosts. Swift as a shadow, he passed by them and directly into the outer wall of the fireworks factory. Zhou Meng glowed with a golden light, seemed like he was dressed in a layer of golden armor, and crashed into the factory along with Shen Luo. Zhao TingSheng looked like a hunched old man but moved agilely like a monkey, similarly leaping over the high wall and crashing in. ¡°Boom!¡± After Shen Luo plunged into the factory, he started moving towards a room in the courtyard. He raised his hand and a yellow mountain-shaped seal flew into the high altitude, illuminating a yellow light. In the light, the illusory images of mountains emerged one after another, falling down one by one. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Boom!¡± it exploded. When the mountains landed, that room immediately collapsed and turned into powder. A large amount of smoke and dust was stirred up in the courtyard. Two voices of cursing emerged, and then two figures burst out from within, slightly embarrassed, they fell to the ground. After rolling over twice, they managed to stand up again. When the smoke dissipated, a rough man in a brown shirt and a Red-skirted woman, heavily made-up, appeared. Before they could speak, a figure from behind fell from top, wielding the force of a mountain, it was Zhou Meng. The rough man yelled, raised his hands, immediately a black qi erupted from his body, using the momentum of the Overlord''s Ding weight to push upwards. Zhou Meng''s legs collided directly with the man''s hands, causing a dull booming sound! ¡°Boom¡­¡± The entire courtyard shook violently. The golden light clashed with the black qi, neither giving way. Seeing this, the Red-skirted woman immediately twisted her wrist, a sharp ring glowing with blood-red light appeared in her palm, and it whizzed towards Zhou Meng''s neck. Just as she was about to strike, she suddenly stiffened. On her arm, which was swinging the ring, a phantom blue light appeared, and the skin began to rot quickly, sprouting colorful little flowers. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Red-skirted woman let out a startled cry, quickly withdrew her hand, only to realize that what she saw was an illusion. There was no anomaly on her arm. However, by the time she thought to strike again, it was already too late. Two hands, as bright and smooth as jade, suddenly extended from the back of her neck, immediately snaring her throat. A layer of black corpse air immediately flowed out from the arm, and in an instant, penetrated into her skin. The skin of the red-skirted woman turned black rapidly, and her whole body froze on the spot, unable to move. Shen Luo watched, somewhat taken aback, but his actions did not halt. A scattering moon shadow surrounded him, and in an instant, he moved laterally to the front of the rough man, his palm raised, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out, suspended at his brow. ¡°Don''t move, or I will destroy your Sea of Knowledge immediately.¡± Shen Luo threatened in a cold voice. The rough man''s gaze flickered, the black light on his body began to contract rapidly, and his figure immediately shrank, kneeling down on the ground under Zhou Meng''s pressure. ¡°Are you from the Government Official?¡± Before Shen Luo could ask anything, the rough man was the first to speak. ¡°Daoist Zhou, Daoist Zhao, you two keep an eye on them, I''m going to find the Saltpeter Gunpowder.¡± Shen Luo ignored him, said a sentence, and then his figure flashed, deeply searching inside the courtyard. However, to his surprise, he could not find any trace of Gunpowder throughout the courtyard. Even some underground warehouses were empty. It seemed that they had been cleaned out long ago. ¡°Where is the Saltpeter Gunpowder?¡± Shen Luo returned to the courtyard and asked with a frown. ¡°It''s in this courtyard, you can find it yourself. As long as you can find it.¡± The rough man sneered and said. As soon as his words fell, a yellow halo lit up on Zhou Meng''s body, and a monstrous force suddenly pressed down. The rough man was then stepped on the ground by him, making a muffled hum. ¡°You''d better cooperate.¡± Zhou Meng''s eyebrows furrowed, and he threatened. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The rough man chuckled dryly, but was unwilling to say more. ¡°Since he refuses to speak, maybe you can tell us.¡± Zhao TingSheng, holding the throat of the red-skirted woman, asked with a smile. The skin on the red-skirted woman''s face had turned almost entirely the color of pig liver, her eyes were blurry, and her chest heaved violently, obviously in great pain. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but couldn''t make a sound. Seeing this, a bunch of black light lit up in Zhao TingSheng''s palm. The black air on the woman''s face flowed into his palm like a living thing, and her complexion gradually returned to normal. The red-skirted woman gasped violently, and a fierce light flashed in her eyes. ¡°Not good.¡± Shen Luo noticed something was wrong and quickly raised his palm to strike her. It was still a step too late. The woman''s mouth opened wide, tearing at the corners of her mouth that expanded several times larger. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A piercing yell echoed throughout Dunyi District. The wandering ghosts immediately froze, turned towards the direction of the firecracker factory, and raced over at extreme speed. Zhao TingSheng''s face changed abruptly, a fierce light flashed in his eyes. He suddenly reached out a hand and plunged it directly into the red-skirted woman''s mouth, silencing her shrill scream. Then, black fog gushed out from his hand and poured into the woman''s body. The woman''s face quickly became ferocious, blue-black lights burst out and crawled over her entire face. In no time, she was rigidly demised. Seeing his companion die, the rough man knew he could not survive. He slammed his fists on the ground; his body''s black light surged, causing Zhou Meng''s foot that had been pressing on him to be blasted away. ¡°You''re looking for Gunpowder? I''ll give it to you.¡± He said, throwing a black pill into his mouth and biting it. Following this, a massive amount of black light surged out from his body, turning into a giant black vortex and spinning rapidly. Chapter 518 Chapter 518: Chapter 514: Convincing the Heart and the Mouth Chapter 518: Chapter 514: Convincing the Heart and the Mouth Shen Luo and the others immediately felt a tremendous pulling force, dragging them relentlessly towards the center of the black vortex. His gaze fell on the three storage rings worn by the uncouth man, understanding instantly, ¡°The saltpeter gunpowder is all in his storage rings. This bastard wants to drag us down with him.¡± Although the power of mundane gunpowder is limited, when combined with a cultivator''s Dantian power, the power of the explosion cannot be underestimated. In such a close range, Shen Luo dared not claim he could escape unscathed. A chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart. He immediately circulated all his Mana power, desperately breaking free from the pull of the black light, struggling to move outside. Not far from him, Zhou Meng was shimmering in golden light, also struggling against the attraction. Yet, at most he could only maintain his position and not retreat. Escaping was nothing more than a fantasy. Zhao TingSheng was even more helpless, his body stepping back bit by bit. It seemed he was going to be dragged to the side of the stout man. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, retreating once. He grabbed Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng''s arms with each of his hands and, running all his Mana power, flung them out of the courtyard. ¡°Take them and go¡­¡± His words were drowned out by a thunderous explosion. ¡°Elder Shen¡­¡± Zhou Meng and the others shouted in shock. At the sound of the explosion, the earth shook violently, and the entire firecracker factory collapsed into a cloud of dust and smoke. Zhou Meng and the others had no time to escape and were thrown to the ground by the force. However, what no one expected was that there was not a scene of raging flames in the firecracker factory, and they also weren''t hit by a more powerful shockwave. This explosion was far less powerful than they had imagined. ¡°What happened?¡± Zhao TingSheng asked in shock. Zhou Meng didn''t speak, just staring intently at the scattered dust in front of him. When the dust had completely settled, they saw a huge yellow bell shadow in the ruins, shining with light and several dragon shadows roaming on it. ¡°Elder Shen¡­¡± Zhou Meng called out. Next to the yellow bell shadow, a figure stood, hands in a pushing forward motion ¨C it was Shen Luo. Seeing this, everyone hurried over. Shen Luo grunted, his body suddenly falling forward and he ended up kneeling on the ground. At the same time, the gigantic bell shadow in front of him trembled, then disappeared. Following this, a ¡°crack¡± was heard from above, a crack appeared rapidly on a yellow copper bell and it shattered into seven or eight pieces, falling to the ground. When Zhou Meng and the others ran up, they saw a huge black void appearing on the ground where the bell shadow had vanished. It was pitch black, unable to see the bottom. Only then did they realize that Shen Luo had sacrificed a high-level magical instrument to keep the brutish man and all the explosive forces inside the yellow bell shadow, thus saving everyone. ¡°Daoist Shen.¡± Zhao TingSheng helped Shen Luo up. Shen Luo waved his hand, wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, slowly stood up, and said, ¡°We can''t stay here any longer. We need to leave.¡± As he spoke, dust and smoke rose all around, and a large number of ghosts began to gather here. He calmed his turbulent energy and began to lead everyone quickly back the way they had come. By the time they arrived in the Yongping District, ghosts started blocking their path. Continuous battles broke out intermittently. Eventually, they safely made it back to North City without any major incident. Shen Luo led the group back to the Government Weaponry Hall and turned in their mission. As the team leader, he successfully completed this task and accumulated twenty merit points on his Token. Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng each received fifteen merit points, while the others each received ten merit points. In addition, because they killed two Grain Avoidance Cultivators from the Refining Body Altar, Shen Luo and the others each received an additional twenty merit points. It was rare to accumulate forty merit points from a single ordinary mission, but Shen Luo was not happy. Not only was he injured, but he also lost a Golden Immortal Armor Tool, which seemed like a loss any way he looked at it. However, after this battle, Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng were completely won over by Shen Luo. After bidding farewell to everyone, Shen Luo returned alone to the wooden building in Ya Ji Yuan. In the following month, Shen Luo led the team on several missions in succession, but they were all small-scale ghost eradication actions and intelligence gathering missions. They did not launch a large-scale counterattack soon. However, during this month, Shen Luo rarely saw Lu Huaming, even when they occasionally ran into each other at the government office, they only had time for a quick chat. Shen Luo could vaguely tell that the Great Tang Dynasty Government was not anxious to counter-attack and retake the city, but was actively deploying its forces. However, for some reason, the ghosts and the Refining Body Altar occupying the southern part of the city did not continue to expand in a ¡°tacit agreement¡±. Both sides maintained a very delicate balance, with only small-scale confrontations, as if they were both waiting for something. Shen Luo wasn''t particularly concerned about this. Aside from undertaking government tasks, he would also go to the southern part of the city to eradicate ghosts on his own. The reason, of course, was to collect Yin Sha Qi to continue practice Xuan Yin Vein Opening Technique. After numerous trials and failures, he finally cleared two of the Twelve Channels, in addition to the original four main veins and one collateral vein, he had now cleared seven meridians. His cultivation speed had increased considerably, and he could vaguely see the bottleneck of the Early Stage of Soul Condensation. With several missions under his belt, he made a name for himself in ghost eradication using his Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Thunder talisman. Not only did the Mountain Fist Sect and the Decline and Growth Sect show interest in recruiting him, even other sects in the city also extended their olive branches to him. However, considering himself a disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Shen Luo naturally wouldn''t agree to join other sects. One day, while he was cultivating in his building, Ma Xiuxiu suddenly stopped by. ¡°Young Master Shen, I didn''t come today for anything else, but to buy three more Dream Remembrance Talismans from you.¡± Ma Xiuxiu got straight to the point as soon as she entered the small building. ¡°What about last time¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°The talisman last time failed. It didn''t save my father, so I am here to request three more talismans from you.¡± Ma Xiuxiu sighed softly. ¡°I don''t mind selling talismans, but I don''t have any Dream Remembrance Talismans on hand at the moment. It will take some time to produce them.¡± Having a chance to make money, Shen Luo naturally wouldn''t refuse. ¡°Time isn''t an issue, I can wait, but the price¡­¡± Ma Xiuxiu quickly said. ¡°You''ve helped me a lot before, so we can discuss the price. If you can find a spiritual medicine like the Milk Spirit Pill to exchange, that would be even better.¡± Shen Luo said after thinking for a moment. As far as he was concerned, the most valuable thing was undoubtedly a miraculous elixir that could enhance his cultivation level. ¡°I''m afraid it will be difficult to find such an elixir, but I will do my best to search for it.¡± Ma Xiuxiu furrowed her brows and promised. ¡°That''s fine then.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Now that Big Brother Shen is an official, I wonder how the government missions are going?¡± After finishing her business, Ma Xiuxiu didn''t seem in a hurry to leave, but asked with a smile instead. ¡°Just running errands, nothing worth mentioning.¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile. Ma Xiuxiu paused slightly. Seeing that he didn''t seem willing to say much, she didn''t pry any further. After some small talk, she excused herself and left. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 519 Chapter 519: Chapter 515: Illusion Piercing Demon Pill Chapter 519: Chapter 515: Illusion Piercing Demon Pill After seeing off Ma Xiuxiu, Shen Luo immediately turned around and returned to his room to continue his vigorous cultivation. In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed. Accompanied by a deep roar within the room, an invisible force flung open all the windows. Through the windows, Shen Luo could be seen sitting cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed.. Nine blue lines shone brightly around his body, emanating a strong surge of mana which bombarded him from all directions, appearing two to three times more powerful than before. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, a hint of joy flashing in his pupils. After days of effort, he managed to unblock two more magic veins. Now, he had nine magic veins within him, similar to the aptitude of an average Dao Body. And he didn''t randomly choose these two meridians. Depending on his rich experience in opening veins, he specifically chose the same ''Hand''s Three Yang Meridians'' as in Dreamland, directly connecting his Dantian power to his hands, greatly enhancing his spellcasting speed. Shen Luo flicked his fingers and without fully extending his fingers, he launched five blue water blades that embedded into the wall several feet away. His spell casting speed was several times faster than before, fast as lightning. Only then did the sound of ¡°plop plop¡± echo out. The wall was punctured with five holes, and fine sand slowly trickled out. He tried to activate his magical instrument again. This time, the speed had significantly improved too, making the corners of his mouth curve upwards. The Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method was terrifying to this extent. It could transform important meridians into magic veins according to the practitioner''s heart''s desire, and its impact on future cultivation was immeasurable. As his number of magic veins increased, his cultivation progress also quickened. During this period, he had already reached the peak of the Early Stage of Soul Condensation. Shen Luo took a few slow breaths and quickly calmed his emotions. He began to ponder how to break through to the mid-stage of Soul Condensation. If he could successfully advance with his nine magic veins and his array of powerful magical instruments, his strength would immediately rise to a new level. However, even though his aptitude had increased considerably, he didn''t have much confidence in advancing, it would be best if he could get some external assistance. Just then, there was a knock on the door from outside. Upon Shen Luo scanning with his Divine Sense, his eyebrows raised. He got up to open the door, and it was Ma Xiuxiu visiting again. ¡°Pardon the intrusion, Master Shen,¡± Ma Xiuxiu said with a smile. Although the woman didn''t say much, Shen Luo could see a bit of urgency in her eyes. ¡°Miss Ma, please come in. The Dream Remembrance Talismans are ready, but it took a lot of concentration to draw these three talismans. It was indeed taxing,¡± Shen Luo invited her in and complained. ¡°I realize the hardship Master Shen had to go through. This time I''ve brought some things that I believe you will find useful,¡± Ma Xiuxiu said and took out two jade bottles, one blue and one white, and pushed them to Shen Luo. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What are these?¡± Shen Luo took up the blue jade bottle and asked. ¡°The blue bottle contains Blue Heart Pills, and the white bottle contains Guang Ling Pills. Both can speed up the cultivation of Soul condensation stage cultivators. I believe they will be useful to Master Shen,¡± Ma Xiuxiu explained. Shen Luo opened the blue jade bottle. Inside were seven or eight water-blue pills, wrapped in a water-like blue light on their surfaces. That was a rich layer of spiritual power, indeed a rather good pill for cultivating one''s foundation and improving potential. Then he picked up the white jade bottle and opened it. Inside were five or six snowy pills, radiating spiritual power similar to that of the Blue Heart Pills. ¡°The elixirs are fine, but the quantity seems a bit lacking, doesn''t it?¡± Shen Luo said hesitantly. ¡°Due to the disturbance caused by the ghosts, resources are very scarce in Chang''an City, especially elixirs. Please be understanding, Brother Shen. Besides, this little girl also brought some immortal jade and other items, please accept them, Young Master Shen.¡± Ma Xiuxiu brushed her hand on the table. A white light flashed, and ¡°swoosh¡± a small pile of things appeared on the table. A pile of immortal jade, a blue crystal stone, a crimson demon pill, and a dark yellow spirit grass. Shen Luo was taken aback by Ma Xiuxiu''s actions. Actually, he was already quite satisfied with those cultivation-supporting elixirs from before, since they were something he urgently needed at the moment. Drawing several Dream Remembrance Talismans didn''t take too much effort. However, the urgency in Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes made him decide to try and haggle a little. Who knew that as soon as he mentioned it, Ma Xiuxiu took out so many things, which was a pleasant surprise. Shen Luo scanned the items silently. This small pile of immortal jade was not small in quantity; it was about two hundred pieces. He did not recognize the blue crystal stone, but the very pure blue light flickering on it indicated that it was a top-notch water attribute spiritual material. As for the crimson demon pill, judging from the demon qi on it, it was a Soul Condensation stage demon pill. Last but not least, a twisted dark yellow spirit grass that looked like a miniature dragon, with two red bumps at the top, just like a pair of dragon horns. ¡°Vermillion Dragon Grass!¡± He was not particularly interested in the blue crystal stone and the crimson demon pill, but he blurted out when he intently gazed at the last spirit grass. ¡°Young Master Shen really has a vast knowledge. That''s right, this spirit grass is indeed the Vermillion Dragon Grass and it is already three hundred years old.¡± Ma Xiuxiu said with a slightly surprised smile. ¡°Miss Ma is overly polite. I am very satisfied with these items. Here are three Dream Remembrance Talismans, kindly accept them.¡± Shen Luo didn''t continue to be excessively demanding and took out three yellow talisman papers to give to her. A thread of uncontainable surprise flashed across Ma Xiuxiu''s face, but she quickly reined it in. She took the three talisman papers and chatted casually with Shen Luo for a bit before soon excusing herself and leaving. After Ma Xiuxiu left, Shen Luo immediately collected all the items on the table and also got up and left. A moment later, he arrived at a nearby square. Many monks had set up stalls in the square. The place was bustling, with people coming and going. Aside from its smaller scale, it bore some resemblance to the West Market before it was destroyed. After all, wherever there is a congregation of monks, there will inevitably be all sorts of transactions, so the monks in the city naturally formed an impromptu market in this square. Shen Luo walked past the stalls and entered a makeshift stone house built with giant stones. Inside the house was a simple shop. The shop was much larger than the stalls outside, primarily selling various materials, especially a lot of monster materials. A short, fat shopkeeper was busy running the business inside. Shen Luo took out the Vermillion Dragon Grass and threw it to the man, saying without any courtesy, ¡°Brother Wang, I have found the Vermillion Dragon Grass. The Illusion Piercing Demon Pill is still available, right?¡± ¡°So it''s Brother Shen. You''ve managed to get the Vermillion Dragon Grass so quickly. That''s impressive.¡± The short fat man took the spirit grass with a surprised expression. ¡°Yes, this is indeed the Vermillion Dragon Grass, and it''s old enough! Here''s the Illusion Piercing Demon Pill, for you!¡± The short fat man examined the Vermillion Dragon Grass closely, nodded, and took out a jade box to give to Shen Luo. Opening the jade box, Shen Luo saw a fist-sized silver-white demon pill inside. The demon pill''s surface was enveloped by a layer of hazy white light that flashed quickly. Upon a closer look, it could make people feel dizzy. ¡°Not bad.¡± A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he closed the jade box. Chapter 520 Chapter 520: Chapter 516: White Star Transforms Chapter 520: Chapter 516: White Star Transforms ¡°This Illusion Piercing Demon Pill came from slaying a sea demon of the Soul Condensation Stage. This is the only piece you can find in the entire market. It has great use, whether it''s for alchemy or refining magical instruments. May I ask, Brother Shen, what you plan to do with this pill? If you need to refine it, I happen to be acquainted with an Alchemy Master and I can introduce him to you,¡± the chubby man enthusiastically said. ¡°That won''t be necessary. I have other uses for this demon pill. By the way, about the other Soul Condensation Stage demon pill that I mentioned last time, have you found any clues yet?¡± Shen Luo put away the jade box and asked expectantly. ¡°Poisonous demon pills are scarce, and Brother Shen is requesting a Soul Condensation Stage one¡­I''ve asked around, but unfortunately¡­¡± the chubby man said with a frown. ¡°Brother Wang, please continue to do what you can. I will offer more money if you can find it,¡± Shen Luo made a fist and salute gesture, suggesting a respectful conversation. ¡°Brother Shen, rest assured, I will intensify the search,¡± the chubby man guaranteed with a slap of his chest. Next, Shen Luo did not linger, and he returned home soon. He sat cross-legged on his bed, taking out the Illusion Piercing Demon Pill and playing with it for a while. He then summons a group of flowing water and begins to execute the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. The aim of purchasing the Illusion Piercing Demon Pill was not for himself. He wanted to use it to increase the power of White Star, and the other poisonous Demon Pill that he wanted to purchase was also intended to increase Mao Chun''s strength. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After he advanced to the Soul Condensation Stage, he could naturally tame more powerful sea demons, but both White Star and Mao Chun''s abilities are very useful, and he did not want to give up. As for Lang Sheng, he was not much help. A while ago, he had annulled the contract and replaced him with a Soul Condensation Stage Shrimp Soldier. In addition, with the increase in his cultivation level, the number of Spirit Beasts he could summon also increased by one, but at this stage he had enough Spirit Beasts to use, so he kept this quota for the time being. A black water tunnel appeared in the void ahead. With a ¡°splash¡±, a white sea star slid out of the splashing water. ¡°Master, are you calling me for another battle?¡± White Star shook off the water from his body and gestured to Shen Luo with his ¡°hands¡±. After the last journey to the Yinling Mountain Tomb, White Star had become more affectionate towards Shen Luo. ¡°There''s no battle this time. Last time you mentioned that the strengthening of the White Star Clan would require external aid. I''ve managed to get you a Soul Condensation Stage Demon Pill. Can you see if it''s useful?¡± Shen Luo tossed the Illusion Piercing Demon Pill to White Star as he spoke. ¡°This is an Illusion Piercing Sea Demon''s demon pill. Its Demon Power is similar to ours in the White Star Clan. With this Demon Pill, I have an 80 percent chance of breaking through the Soul Condensation Stage. Thank you, master, for your generous gift!¡± White Star received the Demon Pill and spoke gratefully. ¡°You''re welcome. Since you''re my spirit beast, it''s only natural that I should help elevate your cultivation level. It will increase our chances of winning in a critical situation,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. White Star thanked him again, then swallowed the Illusion Piercing Demon Pill, started refining it with his Demon Power, and a bit of white light lit up on his body. ¡°You''re breaking through here?¡± Shen Luo asked, a little surprised. ¡°Master, your place has dense Heaven and Earth spiritual qi, which is suitable for breaking through. And at the critical moment, with your help, my chances of increasing my cultivation level is greater,¡± White Star explained, as he was refining the Demon Pill. He didn''t seem to be taking formalities with Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded and did not disturb White Star further. He got up and deployed another prohibition in various parts of the room to prevent the Demon Qi from White Star from leaking out and attracting the attention of others nearby. After he had done that, he sat down next to White Star, cultivating and acting as his protector. He had just completed a mission for the Great Tang Dynasty Government, and he could take a break for the next two days. There was plenty of time. Time slipped away, and a day and a night passed in a blink of an eye. The white light on White Star became increasingly brighter, almost completely enveloping him. Shen Luo sat quietly on the side, having stopped his cultivation to fully focus on protecting White Star. At this moment, the white light on White Star suddenly fluctuated, and the aura it emitted fluctuated up and down. Through the white light, many large and small bumps appeared suddenly under White Star''s body, like many little mice moving around inside. White Star groaned in pain. ¡°White Star!¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly sent a message via his divine sense to ask. ¡°I¡­am fine, I am assimilating the power of the Demon Pill now. Help me a little¡­¡± White Star replied in pain. Shen Luo nodded, making a sign with his hands and pushed into the void. Two blue lights shot out from the palm of his hand and entered White Star''s body. The pain on White Star''s face was immediately reduced, the white glow on her body became brighter, gathering towards her head, forming a white light group. Inside the light group, countless white lights were flowing quickly, making a hissing sound. The muscles on White Star''s body moved more violently, and her color also kept changing, sometimes turning silver-gray, and sometimes snow-white, looking very bizarre. After a half an hour, the white light on White Star''s body flared up brightly, completely flooding her body. The aura bursting from within the white light also rose sharply, forming an invisible force that pushed Shen Luo backwards. Shen Luo steadied himself with a look of joy on his face. This situation did not mean that something was wrong with White Star, but that she had successfully advanced. Shortly after, the light on White Star''s body flickered for a while and then slowly faded, revealing the figure of a young girl in a white dress. This girl had a delicate face. Her beauty was not breathtaking, but she had a gentle demeanor. She bowed to Shen Luo: ¡°Master, I have successfully advanced. Thank you for your generous gift, master. From now on, White Star will work even harder to serve you.¡± The voice of the young girl in the white robe was as gentle as her appearance. ¡°Have you transformed your physical body or just an illusion? Is this a real physical transformation?¡± Shen Luo looked at White Star and asked. ¡°This is a physical transformation. This way, my mobility will greatly increase. I won''t have to crawl slowly as I did before.¡± White Star walked quickly around the room, her face full of excitement. Shen Luo nodded joyfully. He was not only happy for the significant progress in White Star''s cultivation but also because after advancing to the Soul Condensation Stage along with him and the Ghost General in the Qiankun bag, they now have three individuals at the Soul Condensation Stage. These are results of his free time and research on the Cloud Array, obtained from the Lianshan Five Sons. Originally, this array required six Grain Avoidance Cultivators to operate. However, if it is driven by Soul Condensing cultivators, three people would be enough. The Mana and Divine Sense of Soul Condensation Stage cultivators surpass those of the Grain Avoidance Stage, and one person controlling two formation flags is not a problem. Now, if he was to pass on the Cloud Array''s operation method to White Star and the others, they could practice coordination. Naturally, their strength would also greatly increase, giving them more freedom to protect themselves in the current crisis-ridden Ten Thousand Demons Chang''an. Chapter 521 Chapter 521: Chapter 517: Defending Guang De District Chapter 521: Chapter 517: Defending Guang De District ¡°Clang¡­ clang¡­¡± At this moment, the sounds of alarms carried over from outside the house, one after the other, in great urgency. Shen Luo''s face slightly changed, he was well acquainted with these alarm sounds which signified the movements of ghosts, which had happened several times already within this period. Indeed, as the thought crossed his mind, the government waist tag on his waist lit up with a green light, flashing rapidly. ¡°Master, is there something wrong?¡± White Star hurriedly asked. ¡°Yes, I might need your help. Let''s do as we''ve done before.¡± Shen Luo said, raising his right arm, quickly heading out. White Star didn''t hesitate, a flash of white light crossing over his body, his figure disappeared, morphing into a white arm guard and fastening onto Shen Luo''s right arm. Shen Luo swiftly arrived at the Weapon Storage Hall. The hall was currently clamoring with people, monks from various teams were gathered haphazardly, franticly accepting tasks. Shen Luo swiftly scanned the hall, spotting He Wenzheng''s figure in a corner along with Zhou Meng, Zhao TingSheng, and their subordinates were all already here. ¡°Brother He, what''s going on? What is our task this time?¡± Shen Luo quickly walked over and asked. ¡°The ghosts have suddenly launched a massive attack. All the districts have been attacked. What''s more, it''s said that these ghosts are different from before, with the addition of many powerful and hard-to-kill zombies. They are very difficult to deal with.¡± He Wenzheng said with a frown. ¡°Zombies?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered. ¡°Brother Shen, your task this time round is to go to Guang De district to assist the army there and defend Guang De District.¡± He Wenzheng quickly added. Zhou Meng at the side trembled upon hearing this, opening his mouth but not voicing his thoughts. Shen Luo noticed Zhou Meng''s reaction, thought for a moment, then nodded at He Wenzheng, ¡°Brother He, rest assured, we will surely complete the task!¡± ¡°I am counting on you, Brother Shen.¡± He Wenzheng said to Shen Luo, then immediately turned around and left to issue orders to other teams. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t linger in the Weapon Storage Hall. He led Zhou Meng, Zhao TingSheng, and others outside, down a street towards Guang De district. Above the street, the inhabitants of each household shut their doors, teams of soldiers vividly dressed in armor and armed with fine weapons were rushing out from the palace, heading to various parts of the city. Shen Luo was inwardly shaken by the sight. These soldiers were the Imperial Forest Army guarding the palace. Sending them all out clearly signified the unprecedented scale of this ghost attack. Could it be that the decisive battle has finally arrived? The faces of the others were also not looking good. ¡°Daoist Zhou, you seemed a bit off when we received the mission. Is there an issue with Guang De District?¡± Shen Luo asked Zhou Meng who was beside him. Zhao TingSheng also noticed Zhou Meng''s peculiar reaction and turned to look at him. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Although the strength of my Mountain Fist Sect is far inferior to that of Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo, our sect has been in Chang''an City for a long time and has extensive connections and information. Before I came to the Weapon Storage Hall, I heard that this time the ghosts are focusing their attacks on several areas, one of which is Guang De district.¡± Zhou Meng hesitated for a moment before revealing this. ¡°Knowing how dangerous Guang De district is, why didn''t He Wenzheng warn us? Is he afraid we will be too scared to fight, or does he want to use us as cannon fodder?¡± Zhao TingSheng asked somewhat angrily. ¡°Daoist Zhao, watch your words.¡± Shen Luo frowned and warned in a low voice. As soon as Zhao TingSheng had spoken, he regretted it and nervously began to fumble with his hands upon hearing Shen Luo''s rebuke. ¡°Now, our fates are intertwined with Chang''an City. All fellow practitioners must unite to resist the enemy. Mistrust among each other is what we should avoid the most. Officer He is a member of the Great Tang Dynasty Government; surely he wouldn''t scheme against us,¡± Shen Luo stated seriously. ¡°My apologies, I misspoke!¡± Zhao TingSheng admitted his mistake in a low voice. ¡°However, since there are many ghosts in Guang De district, everyone should be extremely careful and not act rashly,¡± Shen Luo added. ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone responded in unison. The group rode quickly and soon arrived near the Guang De district. ¡°Quickly! Hold the street entrance! Do not let these Zombies break through!¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Help!¡± Even when they were still some distance away from the Guang De district, everyone could hear the sounds of intense battles. The situation seemed extremely urgent. The imperial army of the court had already stationed in various parts of the city to resist the ghostly assault. These soldiers might not possess Mana, but the weapons they used were specially created by the Great Tang Dynasty Government, allowing them to inflict damage on ghosts. ¡°I''ll go first to provide support; you all need to catch up quickly!¡± The crimson sword aura flashed beneath Shen Luo''s feet. Before he could finish his sentence, he had already leapt into the air and shot forward. He didn''t fly far before his expression changed. He saw numerous Zombies occupying the streets ahead. Each of them was bloated, appearing much larger than an average person, with pus oozing from their skin. Their appearance was utterly revolting. Though horrifying to look at, these Zombies had beast-like tusks and sharp claws. They were extremely formidable. Although the soldiers wielded specially crafted weapons, they were still unable to resist. Many areas were on the brink of collapse. A main road in Guang De district, in particular, was quite spacious but was now filled with countless Zombies charging like a tidal wave. The Tang soldiers who were defending this area had formed a formation, but their defenses were weakening under the endless wave of resilient and tough Zombies. It looked as if their line of defense was about to be broken through. Shen Luo let out a low shout, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo beneath his feet darted out, transforming into a red sword rainbow. It shot into the midst of the Zombie army. Accompanied by the furious roars of countless Zombies, it abruptly turned into a chilling red halo, sweeping in all directions like a peacock spreading its tail. The bodies of the Zombies within the ten-meter radius trembled as they were simultaneously bisected. A stench of putrid blood filled the air. Shen Luo felt somewhat confused; these Zombies were more fragile than the Zombie ghosts he had faced before, seeming to be strong on the outside yet weak within. ¡°It''s the Immortal Master!¡± ¡°We are saved!¡± Upon their close escape from death, the soldiers cheered excitedly. Shen Luo ignored the soldiers below. He retracted the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and immediately shot toward another critical area. At this moment, in the depth of the street occupied by ghosts, the void fluctuated. A silhouette enshrouded in a black robe emerged out of nowhere. ¡°Damn it, we were just one step away from breaking through. Who the hell is getting in our way? Huh? This person is¡­¡± the dark silhouette muttered angrily, but upon recognizing Shen Luo, he exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Nu Chuan, what''s going on? We have deployed the maximum force within Guang De district. Why haven''t we breached the defenses here yet?¡± Two more silhouettes rushed over from the depths of the street. These two were not in black robes, they were indeed the body refining platform monks whom Shen Luo had engaged with before, Daoist Master Cangmu and Qian Tong. ¡°Someone is obstructing us. See for yourselves.¡± The black-robed figure removed her bonnet, revealing a charming face¨C it was Nu Chuan. ¡°It''s him!¡± Both Daoist Master Cangmu and Qian Tong followed Nu Chuan''s gaze, their pupils contracting as they identified Shen Luo. Chapter 522 Chapter 522: Chapter 518, Enemies on a Narrow Path Chapter 522: Chapter 518, Enemies on a Narrow Path ¡°Hehe, what a small world, bumping into this brat here. After he slipped away last time, this time I must rip his head off,¡± Qian Tong sneered. He had been manipulated by Shen Luo last time and had nearly died under the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. On the surface, he didn''t show anything, but deep down, he held a grudge against Shen Luo and immediately wanted to take revenge. ¡°We are on a mission now, all matters should prioritize it, don''t stir up trouble,¡± Daoist Master Cangmu extended his hand to stop Qian Tong and coldly said. Hearing this, Qian Tong reluctantly stopped, his fists clenched, and anger surged in his eyes. Of the three, Daoist Master Cangmu had the highest cultivation level, and this mission was also led by him. The hierarchy within the Refining Body Altar was strictly enforced, the leader''s orders had to be absolutely obeyed, and no one was allowed to violate them. ¡°But Daoist friend Cangmu, this man appears to be the leading cultivation monk sent by the Great Tang Dynasty Government to guard here. If we don''t remove him, our plan may not proceed smoothly,¡± Nu Chuan frowned. Hearing this, a glimmer of hope flickered in Qian Tong''s eyes. ¡°If that''s the case, let''s get rid of this man first,¡± Daoist Master Cangmu pondered for a moment and nodded. ¡°Good, I''ll take the lead this time,¡± Qian Tong volunteered enthusiastically. ¡°No, Daoist friend Qian, your methods are too ostentatious. This man is not weak and is sure to perceive in advance. It''s still better for Nu Chuan to make the first move. With her ''Ghostly Shadow Illusion'', she should be able to easily get close to him,¡± Daoist Master Cangmu said solemnly. ¡°Getting close to him is not difficult for me, but as you know, my offensive methods may not be able to severely wound him,¡± Nu Chuan frowned. ¡°No matter, I can lend you my Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart. This needle is specialized in breaking all kinds of protective spiritual lights, and it contains a deadly poison. As long as it pierces a bit of skin, that man will be immobilized with ease for us to slaughter,¡± Daoist Master Cangmu took out a three-inch long black thin needle and handed it over. On the black thin needle, one could vaguely see countless tiny scale-like patterns, and a touch of gloom flickered at the needle tip. Just looking at it made one feel palpitations. ¡°Thank you, Daoist friend Cangmu.¡± Nu Chuan had long heard that Daoist Master Cangmu had this magical instrument and was overjoyed to receive it. The three quickly disappeared from here. Shen Luo galloped non-stop around Guang De district. By the time Zhou Meng and the others arrived, he had already relieved seven or eight critical defense points with swift measures, significantly easing the pressure on the Guang De district army. Such efficient actions left Zhou Meng and others awe-struck, and they admired Shen Luo even more. There were zombie attacks in almost every street of Guang De district. Shen Luo distributed Zhou Meng and the others, teamed up with the soldiers in the district, to guard one or several streets each, while he himself returned to the main street he had been on before, commanding in the center and immediately going to support wherever the battle situation was intense. The Imperial Forest Army also arrived here, joining the lower frontier guard troops. After a fierce battle, everyone barely stabilized the situation in Guang De district. ¡°Thank you, Immortal Master, for your timely assistance. If it weren''t for your appearance, our city defense would have indeed been breached. If that happened, this general would have been unable to atone for his death,¡± a middle-aged general with sword-like eyebrows and heroic spirit stepped forward to thank him, seemingly the leader of the local guard. ¡°I, Shen Luo, am also here on orders. General, there is no need for such courtesies. But where did these zombie ghosts come from? You have been guarding here all the time, have you found any clues?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and asked about the most concerning matter. ¡°I don''t know either. Somehow, these animals just appeared out of thin air, and there are very few other ghosts,¡± the middle-aged general shook his head. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Shen Luo responded. Just as he was about to inquire about other matters, another wave of zombies surged up from the deeper parts of the street ahead, rushing toward them. To his surprise, there were two black zombies among the large wave of zombies. They were much taller than ordinary zombies and moved more nimbly, almost sprinting towards them. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo urged his Pure Yang Sword Embryo with a twist of his sword technique, and it flew into the sky with a whoosh, dragon-like. Then, it trembled and turned into countless crimson sword shadows, like a sky full of sword rain, masking down. The sword Qi cut through the air, making countless sharp whistling sounds, drowning all the rushing zombies in it. Sounds of body parts breaking echoed as the zombies fell like wheat in a wheat field, nearly annihilated. Ever since he started practicing the Pure Yang Sword Technique, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had grown more powerful. The soldiers behind him, seeing this, let out exclamations of awe. ¡°Huh!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze narrowed. Two zombies were still standing there, the same two black zombies as before. There were many sword wounds on their bodies, but they didn''t fall, and even their limbs remained intact as they continued to rush towards here. ¡°What a sturdy body!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed to himself, waving his sleeve. The sky-full sword shadows merged into one, turning into a red sword rainbow. It blinked and appeared in front of the two zombies, slashing across their necks. The heads of the two zombies flew up into the sky, and their headless bodies rushed forward a few steps before falling to the ground. Shen Luo gestured to recall the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, intending to fly over to Zhou Meng and the others to see if they also encountered these black zombies. Zhou Meng and the others might not be able to cope with them. Just then, there was a fluctuation in the void behind him, and a vague dark figure emerged ghostly, it was Nu Chuan, bending her finger and swiftly flicking towards Shen Luo. A black thin needle shot out from her fingertip, targeting Shen Luo''s back at an extreme speed, leaving a streak of afterimages. Only at this moment did Shen Luo feel the odd situation behind him, and he was shocked. His Divine Sense had been released ever since he set foot in Guang De district, but surprisingly, he could not sense the presence of this dark figure. Shen Luo was surprised, but his movements were not slowed down in the slightest. The Moonlight Glamour shone beneath his feet and he sprung forward. However, the black thin needle was extremely fast, like a lightning strike. His Slanting Moon Steps were just casting, and he was much slower in terms of speed. The distance between them quickly narrowed, and the black thin needle was about to pierce him. But at this moment, a streak of emerald light flashed by. With a ¡°clink¡± sound of metal clashing, the black thin needle was bounced off. A jade ruyi several feet long appeared behind Shen Luo, blocking the strike of the black thin needle. ¡°How could this be!¡± Nu Chuan was shocked. Her Ghostly Shadow Illusion could not only enhance her speed but also wipe out her breath, making her undetectable by Divine Sense. Shen Luo''s initial reaction was the same, how could he possibly produce a magical instrument in time to block the Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 523 Chapter 523: Chapter 519: Annihilation Chapter 523: Chapter 519: Annihilation While Shen Luo repelled the black needle, he was shaken to the core. Ever since his Golden Immortal Armor was destroyed, and as he didn''t have a strong defensive magical instrument at his disposal, he always felt a sense of trepidation during battles. Hence, he intentionally hid the jade-green ruyi on his back as a contingency plan. Moreover, by transforming his meridians in both hands into magic veins, he was able to activate the jade-green ruyi at high speed. Otherwise, the outcome would be unthinkable. Shen Luo came to an abrupt halt without turning around and thrust his hand backward. Bathed in brilliant light, the jade-green ruyi shot towards Nu Chuan like a shooting star. Under the dazzling glow of the jade-green ruyi, the armguard on his right hand also flung out, heading towards Nu Chuan. Surprised at first, Nu Chuan quickly regained her composure and waved both hands in front of her. A flash of pitch-black light later, a black gold iron plate appeared in front of her, clashing with the jade-green ruyi. A resounding explosion was followed by the dazzling release of green and black lights, the nearby void stirring with a violent wind. The black light on the black gold iron plate was so intense that it managed to defend against the impact of the jade-green ruyi. Nu Chuan heaved a sigh of relief and was about to retreat. Suddenly, a white light flashed from under the black gold iron plate, a girl in a white dress materialized out of thin air, her whole body sprawled on the ground and she vomited something. A beam of lightening-like white light shot out of her mouth towards Nu Chuan. They were less than ten feet apart. Nu Chuan had no time to react when she was struck by the white light, which seeped into her in an instant. A white glow surfaced all over Nu Chuan''s body, with a soft ''poof'' sound, she immediately transformed into a white starfish, lying motionless on the ground. Upon White Star''s advancement to the Soul Condensation Stage, her ability to transform at a much faster pace greatly shortened the transformation time of the target. The series of exchanges seemed complex, but they all transpired in the blink of an eye. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Daoist Master Cangmu and Qian Tong, who were about to launch a surprise attack on Shen Luo from their concealed location, were taken aback by the sight of Nu Chuan transforming into a starfish, their mid-air rush faltered for a moment. ¡°So it''s you two!¡± Shen Luo saw the two men, gave a cold snort, and pressed his hand forward. A yellow mountain-shaped seal shot out of his hand and flew above the two men''s heads, illuminating a yellow glow. There was a muffled ''boom,'' and five phantom-like mountain peaks appeared, which solidified into a large mountain shaped like a hand and plummeted down towards them. A terrifying force, seemingly capable of crushing the sky, suddenly swooped down. Although the Five Finger Mountain had not fallen yet, it caused a pull in both men''s bodies. It was only then that Daoist Master Cangmu and Qian Tong recovered their senses. They roared furiously and immediately took action. Qian Tong swung his right hand and a streak of golden light shot out from his sleeve. It was the same golden ingot magical tool from earlier. The golden ingot swelled in the wind and became the size of a house, meeting the Five Finger Mountain head-on. The resultant clash caused a deafening explosion, with both gold-colored and normal light flashing violently. The golden ingot immediately showed signs of collapse, progressively pressed downwards. By now, Daoist Master Cangmu had also completed his spell. His hands radiated a dark cyan light and he pressed them against the void above. Two muffled ''hums'' later, two cyan-coloured giant palms the size of houses emerged, entwined with numerous cyan runes. The palms each bore an image of the Yin and Yang Fish, pressing against the base of Five Finger Mountain. The two cyan-coloured giant palms erupted with a force greater than the golden ingot, the nearby void appeared to be trapped and all air currents, along with the fluctuations of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, came to a halt. The Falling Mountain was shockingly held back, stopped in its tracks. ¡°You do have some skills,¡± Shen Luo grunted in a low voice, his hands pressing on the mountain, channeling all the mana from his nine magic veins into the Five Finger Mountain. The Falling Mountain glowed with a brilliant yellow light, rapidly growing in size as the might emanating from it surged. The cyan-colored giant palms and the golden ingot began to sway again, teetering on the brink of collapse. Daoist Master Cangmu''s face changed, an outburst of blue light sparkled from his hands and the two cyan-colored giant palms quickly grew in size. However, a white figure appeared behind him ¨C it was White Star, and she inched her mouth to heal. A beam of white light shot out, reaching Daoist Master Cangmu''s back in an instant. Fully absorbed in resisting the Falling Mountain, Daoist Master Cangmu had no means of paying attention to anything else. He was struck head-on by the white light, and his protective light failed to stop the penetrating white light. A flash of white light transformed him into a white starfish in an instant, just like Nu Chuan. The two cyan-colored seals collapsed simultaneously. Upon seeing this scene, Qian Tong''s face dramatically changed. Without Daoist Master Cangmu''s assistance, he couldn''t resist the Falling Mountain alone. The golden ingot''s glow quickly collapsed and disintegrated. ¡°Impossible! How could your strength have increased so much in such a short¡­¡± Qian Tong channeled all his mana into the golden ingot, but it was to no avail. A scream of horror was the last thing that escaped his lips. Unfortunately, he couldn''t finish his words as the Falling Mountain crushed everything, its rumbling echoing relentlessly. With a thunderous ''boom,'' the Five Finger Mountain fell heavily onto the ground, creating a deep pit. Daoist Master Cangmu and Qian Tong were crushed beneath it. The ground in the vicinity shook violently, causing many buildings to collapse. It was as if an Earth Dragon had turned over, raising a cloud of dust. A slight smile crept onto Shen Luo''s face; by opening up nine magic veins, his strength was not inferior to Daoist Master Cangmu, who was at the mid-stage of Soul Condensation. With the aid of the top-tier magical artifact ¨C Five Mountains Seal, and the mysterious abilities of White Star, it was only logical that they easily defeated the trio. As his Divine Sense scanned beneath the mountain, his expression suddenly darkened and he pointed out a spell. The giant mountain shrunk rapidly amidst the flickering yellow light, in merely a few breaths, it transformed back into a yellow seal and returned to his sleeve. A large pit was visible on the ground, at the center of which were two mangled corpses, presumably Daoist Master Cangmu and Qian Tong. Daoist Master Cangmu had reverted to his human form, but both their bodies had been completely pulverized. The storage magical tools they had carried were destroyed by the Five Mountains Seal, turning everything inside to dust. ¡°Who would have thought that the Five Mountains Seal could be so powerful that it could even shatter storage magical tools. I need to be more careful when using this seal in the future, otherwise it would be too wasteful,¡± Shen Luo mourned over the loss. The belongings of any Soul condensing cultivator would not be meager, so to have lost everything in this way was a pity indeed. Fortunately, Qian Tong''s golden ingot magical tool was of tough material, having survived and was firmly embedded in the ground nearby, looking undamaged. Shen Luo waved his hand and released a blue light, rolling the golden ingot magical tool towards him and activated the Ninety-nine Treasure Refining Tactics. The golden ingot was indeed undamaged, and its prohibitions had been perfectly preserved. It was a top-grade magical instrument with a nine-layer restriction, which no wonder could somewhat resist the Five Mountains Seal. Having gained another top-tier magical instrument, his frustration eased a bit. Chapter 524 Chapter 524: 520 Chapter 524: 520 Shen Luo took out a yellow talisman paper and flicked it with his finger. The talisman paper sizzled and transformed into a crimson flame the size of a millstone, engulfing the two bodies, burning fiercely, and quickly reducing them to ashes. This was a new Blaze Talisman he had recently learnt. Although it only released a ball of flame, it was very handy for destroying corpses and eliminating traces. Having done this, Shen Luo approached the white starfish transformed by Nu Chuan, his gaze ice-cold as he flicked his finger. Two red sword Qis shot out at once, penetrating the lower half of the white starfish''s body with a ¡°puff-puff¡± sound. These people had meticulously planned to kill him, and naturally, he would show no mercy. However, Nu Chuan was the only survivor, and he was not ready to take her life just yet. The white starfish, punctured with two holes, did not bleed much and remained motionless on the ground, showing no reaction. ¡°Turn this woman back into human form,¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows and instructed the white star standing beside him. ¡°Yes,¡± The white star opened its mouth and spat out a white light that entered the starfish''s body. A burst of white light surfaced on the white starfish, and a few breaths later, it transformed back into human form. However, Nu Chuan''s eyes, nose, and corners of her mouth were all leaking black blood. Her once beautiful face was now contorted, filled with terror, and lifeless. ¡°Committed suicide by poison? No, looking at her, she doesn''t seem to have done this herself. Could there be others nearby?¡± Shen Luo quickly looked around while spreading his divine sense to probe the surroundings, but he sensed nothing. ¡°Master, this woman didn''t die because of poison, but due to a peculiar prohibition. I can feel a Yin Qi in her heart, you''ll understand once you lift her clothes,¡± the voice of the Ghost General suddenly came from the Qiankun bag. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo waved his finger. A red sword Qi swept across Nu Chuan''s chest, splitting open her black robe to reveal a spider-shaped bloody mark on her skin over her heart. ¡°This is the Red Spider Blood Curse!¡± Shen Luo''s pupils contracted. He had read about this blood curse prohibition in the ¡°Body Refining Secret Text¡±. As long as the curse caster activated the curse, they could kill the other party, regardless of the distance. It appeared that someone had noticed Nu Chuan being captured and was afraid of secrets getting leaked, so they triggered the curse to silence her. Shen Luo once again glanced around. By now, the sky had darkened and even with his exceptional vision, he couldn''t see too far. He was uncertain whether there was someone secretly watching, or if they had used other means to notice the situation here. However, his strength had significantly improved. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator made a move, he believed he had a reasonable chance of escaping, so he wasn''t particularly afraid. Shen Luo quickly turned his gaze back, and with a wave of his hand, a blue light swept over Nu Chuan''s body and the surrounding ground, collecting three items that flew back to him. A green ring, the black gold iron plate, and the black thin needle. The green ring was Nu Chuan''s storage magical tool. He deployed his divine sense for a scan and found multiple treasures inside, including nearly a thousand Immortal Jade pieces, and several common magical instruments and elixirs. He already had plenty of high-quality magical tools, so these common ones were basically useless to him. However, the elixirs could still be useful. Shen Luo took these items out and transferred them to the Linlang Ring. He then picked up the black gold iron plate. After scanning it with his divine sense and sensing it for a while, a smile crossed his lips. This black gold iron plate held a seven-layered forbidden formation and was of decent quality, making it a good defensive tool. Although it paled in comparison to the Golden Immortal Armor, he was currently in need of defensive tools. So, this black gold iron plate was just right. He put it away, planning to refine it later, and finally picked up the last item, the black thin needle. Although he had previously dodged this needle, its treacherous nature and lightning-fast speed left a deep impression on him. Shen Luo once again activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to examine the grade of the needle, his eyes glittering with interest. The black needle, though tiny and unremarkable, turned out to be a top-grade magical instrument, and it contained eight prohibitions. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Furthermore, the needle was layered with green, indicating the presence of potent poison. With a secret joy, he kept the black needle in his sleeve and immediately started refining it using the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. At the same time, he burned Nu Chuan''s corpse to ash with a Blaze Talisman. ¡°Immortal Envoy, are you alright?¡± asked the middle-aged General concerningly as he walked over. When Nu Chuan had attempted to ambush Shen Luo before, the General was quick to react, retreating immediately to avoid getting involved in the combat. ¡°I''m fine. These demons are crafty; there may be more plots at play. Warn your soldiers to be careful,¡± Shen Luo advised the General. ¡°Understood.¡± The middle-aged General heaved a sigh of relief on seeing Shen Luo unharmed. Against these ghosts, ordinary soldiers could only contribute a limited amount. They needed someone like Shen Luo, an Immortal Master at the fore. If something were to go wrong here, it would cause problems to their rear. Luckily, Shen Luo''s strength was astonishing. He single-handedly won an easy victory against three opponents. Shen Luo consumed an Elixir to recover mana, replenishing the magical power he had expended during the intense battle. At the same time, he summoned the Ghost General. The middle-aged General was shocked initially, but he relaxed after he saw the Ghost General respectfully saluting Shen Luo. He then eyed the Ghost General up and down with disbelief. ¡°Go check on Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng. If they''re struggling, lend them a hand. We cannot allow these zombies to breach our lines,¡± instructed Shen Luo to the Ghost General. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± The Ghost General replied and vanished with a flicker. Zhou Meng, Zhao TingSheng and the others were already aware of the Ghost General''s existence from working together. Therefore, they would not mistake him for an enemy. ¡°I am Qin Ping. May I ask for the Immortal Master''s name?¡± asked the middle-aged General. Amazed and deeply respectful of Shen Luo''s undying techniques, he proceeded to ask in a polite manner. ¡°Shen Luo. General Qin, you''re too kind.¡± Shen Luo nodded in acknowledgement to the middle-aged general, then prepared to fly away, to check the battle situation in other areas. Just then, the sound of thunderous steps started approaching from the front, causing Shen Luo to pause. Following the sound, he looked ahead. Many tall figures emerged from the darkness ahead. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be hordes of zombies, far outnumbering the attack waves they had faced before. Among them, there were several black zombies. The ground started shaking, and the zombie horde rushed forward like a deafening storm. ¡°This isn''t good. It seems like these ghosts are preparing for a full-scale attack,¡± Shen Luo''s face changed in alarm, and he immediately crushed a red jade talisman in his hand. This was given by He Wenzheng to be used in dire emergencies for calling for reinforcements. ¡°Brace for combat!¡± Upon seeing this scene, General Qin''s expression changed dramatically. He turned and ran towards the distant battlefield, bellowing the order out loud. After crushing the jade talisman in his hand, Shen Luo quickly conjured a vortex with his hand, opening a Spirit Communicating Water Hole. Simultaneously, he quickly said to White Star: ¡°You should return first. The upcoming battles will be real fights to the death. Your abilities are not well-suited for this.¡± White Star obediently did not argue and leapt into the water hole. With a flash of white light, she disappeared. Chapter 525 Chapter 525: Chapter 521 No Troop Reinforcements Chapter 525: Chapter 521 No Troop Reinforcements After seeing off White Star, Shen Luo continued to operate the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. The water hole suddenly swelled to several times its size, then a faintly red demon qi gushed out of it. With a ¡°splash¡± sound! A giant figure leaped out from within. After shaking off the water splashes on his body, a Mighty Shrimp Soldier revealed himself. He was over a dozen feet tall, clad in dark red scale armor. His two red and white feelers were extremely thick. In his hands, he wielded two axes the size of millstones. This demon was a Soul Condensation stage shrimp soldier that he had recently subdued. He was surrounded by a powerful demon qi, indicating that his cultivation level was already in the Soul Condensation Later Stage. ¡°Daoist Brother Er Zhuang, I must trouble you this time to assist me,¡± said Shen Luo. Before the Mighty Shrimp Soldier could respond, countless zombies were already swarming towards them, bringing a gust of rancid wind with them. Shen Luo was about to take out his green short axe and attack when Er Zhuang, the shrimp soldier beside him, had already rushed forward. He swung the large axe in his hand and slashed through the void. ¡°Buzz¡±, ¡°buzz¡±! Two sharp noises echoed as two axe shadows the size of a door panel burst forth from the void, shooting a distance of tens of feet before dissipating. Every Zombie in the path of the axe shadows was split in half. The shrimp soldier''s axe swings continued, sending out waves of axe shadows that filled the entire street. All the zombies were cut in half, scattering like autumn leaves. He held the zombies at bay single-handedly in that street. Shen Luo, upon seeing this scene, had a satisfied look in his eyes. It appeared that this Shrimp Soldier, Er Zhuang, was even stronger than he had anticipated. Leaving this area to him should not be a problem. He soared into the air, rushing towards another street not far away that was not guarded by cultivators. This area was also being invaded by a large number of zombies. Shen Luo hovered mid-air and with a wave of his hand, he made a slashing move with his green short axe in the void. A dozen thick green thunderbolts burst forward, each penetrating through a dozen zombies. Boom! Boom! Boom! The bodies of these zombies all burst open, turning into a rain of blood that filled the sky. At the same time, he formed a hand seal and pointed. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out from his sleeve, transforming into a sword rainbow tens of feet long, slashing into the group of zombies in another nearby street. With a constant ¡°plop¡± sound, wherever the sword rainbow passed, a large number of zombies were cut in half. While Shen Luo was managing to hold his own, Zhou Meng, Zhao TingSheng, and others were starting to struggle. Faced with the aggressive onslaught of the zombie tide, their lines were being breached, and their defenses quickly fell apart. Luckily, every time a black zombie appeared in the zombie army, the Ghost General that Shen Luo summoned would promptly attack, slaying the zombie for them. Otherwise, some of them would have already fallen. After Zhou Meng and others retreated, Shen Luo and the shrimp soldier were not able hold back the enemies alone anymore, as they risked being flanked. So they also retreated, and when the cultivators retreated, the ground troops couldn''t hold back anymore and started to retreat as well. In a matter of moments, nearly half of the Guang De district was occupied by these zombie forces. ¡°Why hasn''t the government sent reinforcements? If this continues, the entire Guang De district will be lost!¡± Shen Luo thought anxiously, while furiously working his green short axe and Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Thunder and sword qi shot down, landing amidst the zombie army, causing gusts of bloody rain. But they were unable to stop the advancement of the zombie army. ¡°Swoosh!¡± Suddenly, a silver figure jumped from behind a nearby wall, nimble as a spirit cat. They took advantage of the moment Shen Luo was attacking the zombie army below, and got behind him aiming a clawed hand at his back. Shen Luo was slightly shocked. He turned to the side, dodging the claw attack from the silver figure. He then counterattacked with the green short axe in his hand. However, the silver figure was exceptionally swift, dodging quickly to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike of the green short axe. But at that moment, a red sword shadow fell from the sky, circling rapidly around the silver figure. With a ¡°tearing¡± sound, the silver figure was bisected at the waist, falling to the ground as a silver zombie about the size of an ordinary person. The entity had silver scales all over its body, its size might be small, but it seemed even more robust than those yellow or black zombies. ¡°There are even silver zombies in the zombie army, their strength almost matches monks in the late Grain Avoidance stage.¡± Shen Luo was secretly shocked. Being entangled with the silver zombie for a few breaths, the zombie army below had advanced once again. Shen Luo frowned, ready to repel these zombies. Whiz whiz whiz! Countless arrow-like green lights rained from the sky, densely packed lighting up half of the sky, and rained into the zombie army like a downpour. Countless sounds of raindrops on banana leaves rang out, and the zombie army in the nearby seven or eight alleyways was blasted away, leaving a large open space. Although there were many green lights, their aim was extremely accurate, only attacking the areas within the streets and alleys while the nearby houses remained untouched. Shen Luo looked up in surprise to see a frosty-faced, beautiful woman in a green robe suddenly appearing in mid-air, holding a small green banner in hand, it was the Qinghua Fairy from Mount Putuo whom he had met twice before. The Qinghua Fairy glanced at Shen Luo, her figure then transformed into a green rainbow, heading towards other areas. Wherever she flew, there would be a rain of green arrows, causing all the zombies in those areas to be blasted away. Behind Qinghua Fairy, several bright escape lights were flying in, finally, the reinforcements had arrived. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo''s taut nerves relaxed. Two figures descended from the sky and landed near him. They were two Taoist priests in green robes, one a young man in the late Grain Avoidance stage, the other an old man in the Soul Condensation stage. The two were taken aback by the sight of the shrimp soldier and showed a hint of hostility. ¡°As it turns out, these are the Daoist friends from the Purple Heaven View. This shrimp soldier is my spirit beast. I don''t need reinforcements here. Could you two Daoist friends please assist others?¡± Shen Luo recognized their attire and raised his voice to speak. Upon hearing this, the old man in the green robe nodded his head, pulling the young man in the green robe to fly off to other areas. With the arrival of these reinforcements, the raging zombie army was finally stopped. The battle had continued all night until the very first ray of the morning sun rose from the east, at which the zombie army retreated as if they had received some signal. At this time, Shen Luo was already pale, with only a tenth of his original mana left. Having relaxed slightly, he quickly took out an elixir and swallowed it. Both shrimp soldiers who had been fighting the zombies in close-quarters were also covered in numerous wounds. However, they seemed to be in a much better state than Shen Luo, their Soul Condensation later stage cultivation level, in terms of their dense demon power, were far superior to Shen Luo. ¡°The enemy has retreated, Brother Er Zhuang you have worked hard this time. I owe you one.¡± Shen Luo said. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No trouble, send me back to the Eastern Sea. I''m not used to the air on the land.¡± The shrimp soldier said abruptly. Shen Luo nodded, and after opening the Spirit Communicating Water Hole to send Er Zhuang away, his eyes continued to scan the surroundings. Although the zombies appeared to have retreated, he didn''t dare to drop his guard. As he was refining the elixir using his cultivation technique, he stayed vigilant to possible attacks from other ghosts. Chapter 526 Chapter 526: Chapter 522: Late Night Summoning Chapter 526: Chapter 522: Late Night Summoning Suddenly, Shen Luo turned his head toward a certain place, only to see two figures in yellow robes swiftly approaching side by side. ¡°Elder, you''ve fought hard all night. We are here to take over the defense of Guang De district. From here on, it''s up to us.¡± One of the yellow-robed Taoist priests said to Shen Luo with a bow. Following that, monks from other streets in Guang De district also began rushing over, joining the defensive line. They were obviously subordinates of the two yellow-robed priests. ¡°I''ll leave it to you two from the Houtu Gate then.¡± Shen Luo gave a slight nod, then turned to look for Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng. He had no idea how they had fared in the great battle. He walked a few steps forward, and a silver zombie, sliced in half, appeared before him. It was the first one he had slain. Two more of these silver zombies had appeared afterwards. As Shen Luo stepped over the corpse of the zombie, he scanned its face. He suddenly paused, returned to the corpse and carefully inspected its face. The skin on the zombie''s face was cracked, and yellow fluid was still oozing out of it, its mouth filled with interlocked canine teeth, making it look extremely ugly. However, the ugly face of the zombie gave him a strange sense of familiarity. ¡°Familiar¡­¡± Shen Luo was surprised by his own thoughts. He scrutinized the face, his expression gradually turning solemn. If he removed the swelling, decay, and tusks from this terrifying zombie''s face and restored its original features, it would reveal a slightly chubby and kind face. That face, he had seen it before, it belonged to Tian Buduo, the dwarfed coachman who admired the Immortal Path! ¡°There''s no mistake, it is that man! How did this man become a zombie? Wait, could it be that all these suddenly appearing zombies are transformed residents of Chang''an City?¡± Shen Luo, looking at the zombies littered all around, his eyes flashing with shock. At that moment, a black figure appeared before him, it was the Ghost General. Despite having battled for half the night, the Ghost General seemed even more energized than Shen Luo, with the Yin Qi on his body becoming even denser. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder Shen!¡± Behind the Ghost General, Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng quickly walked over. Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng seem to be fine, but their subordinates had suffered losses ¨C only two people were following Zhou Meng and only one was next to Zhao TingSheng. ¡°Everyone has worked hard tonight. I will report your sacrifices to the higher-ups soon. The Great Tang Dynasty Government will not ignore your losses, compensation will be rewarded afterwards.¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly and spoke. ¡°Thank you, Elder Shen.¡± Both Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng nodded in gloom. After they all returned to the government''s stationed place, Shen Luo let everyone else rest while he went to the Weapon Storage Hall to report the situation and the casualty count. However, he did not report the possibility of these zombies being transformed from ordinary people to He Wenzheng. After leaving the Weapon Storage Hall, he headed straight to Lu Huaming''s residence. But halfway there, a figure rushed toward him, it was Hua Ming. ¡°Brother Shen, I was just about to find you.¡± Lu Huaming said with joy upon seeing Shen Luo. ¡°I also have something to discuss with you, Brother Lu.¡± Shen Luo replied, but he didn''t seem pleased. ¡°You''re looking for me? What''s the matter?¡± Lu Huaming asked, taken aback. ¡°The sudden outbreak of zombies in the city, Brother Lu must be aware. I''ve found some clues about the origins of those zombies. Can Brother Lu arrange a meeting with the Duke for me? I would like to report this to him in person.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°That''s perfect. I was looking for you because Master has ordered me to discuss something with you.¡± Lu Huaming replied. ¡°The Duke wants me? Do you know what it''s about, Brother Lu?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and asked. ¡°I don''t know. But from the tone and demeanor of the master, it seems to be something important.¡± Lu Huaming replied. ¡°Since it''s a matter of importance, let''s get going.¡± Shen Luo nodded. The two made their way to the main hall of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Soon, they arrived inside the grand hall. However, Duke Cheng was not there, only a child in a yellow robe stood there. ¡°Xiaoling, why are you here? Where''s master?¡± Lu Huaming inquired. ¡°Elder brothers, the Duke asks me to wait for you here and lead you to the inner hall.¡± The child in the yellow robe gave a bow and responded. Shen Luo suddenly felt a sense of urgency. The matter must indeed be grave if they didn''t feel safe discussing it in the grand hall. They followed the child to the inner part of the great hall, going through a corridor and finally arriving at a secluded stone chamber. Shen Luo caught sight of two monks already standing inside the stone chamber. He recognized both of them. One was Master Dan Yangzi and the other was the red-handed real person who had hosted the auction at Xuanyuan Pavilion. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, how are you two here? Could it be that the Duke¡­?¡± Lu Huaming paused, then understood. ¡°That''s correct, the Duke invited us, and we dared not refuse.¡± Master Dan Yangzi chuckled. Before he finished speaking, he noticed Shen Luo standing to the side. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, it''s been a while since we last met. Your cultivation has progressed quickly, you''ve already broken through to the Soul Condensation Stage. Congratulations.¡± Dan Yangzi''s eyes flickered slightly as he greeted with a smile. ¡°Master Dan Yangzi, long time no see.¡± Shen Luo responded with a slight nod, but his face was devoid of any smiles and held a hint of coldness instead. It wasn''t due to any grudge he held for being coerced into trading the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk in the past. When Shen Luo was reviewing Chen Gang''s memoirs earlier, he discovered some matters related to Dan Yangzi. Before, the reason Dan Yangzi did not hesitate to offend Shen Luo and inform Chen Gang about the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk that Shen Luo possessed, thereby facilitating the transaction between the two, was not as simple as it seemed. There was a major connection between Dan Yangzi and Chen Gang. This man, who appeared to be righteous and was a renowned alchemy master respected by everyone, was extremely nefarious behind the scenes. He was constantly practicing a maledict ¡°Five Ghosts Attaching Souls¡± technique, which required the souls of children born on a lunar year, lunar month, and lunar hour as sacrifices. As an alchemy master, Dan Yangzi was in the public eye and it was inconvenient for him to do such evil deeds. The child souls he needed for cultivation were all covertly found by Chen Gang. According to the records in the memoirs, Chen Gang had already found four children for Dan Yangzi. The two were thoroughly devoid of conscience. Seeing Shen Luo''s cold demeanor, Dan Yangzi was slightly taken aback before quickly understanding, thinking that Shen Luo was still holding a grudge for being coerced into the deal before. ¡°Such an impetuous little boy, thinking that advancing to the Soul Condensation Stage gives him the capital to confront me, even daring to treat me with such disrespect. Once Duke Cheng''s matter is settled, I will see how I will deal with you!¡± Dan Yangzi snorted inwardly, but his face didn''t reveal anything; his scheming was indeed profound. The Red Hands Master on the side also greeted Lu Huaming warmly. Although he didn''t recognize Shen Luo, he was in the habit of maintaining good relations with everyone, so he started to chat with Shen Luo as if they were old friends. Shen Luo didn''t dare to be too arrogant and could only engage in conversation intermittently. Chapter 527 Chapter 527: Chapter 523: Temporary Transformation into a Corpse Chapter 527: Chapter 523: Temporary Transformation into a Corpse While Shen Luo was dealing with Red Hands Master, a strange gleam flashed in his eyes. Chang''an City suffered heavily from the ghost issue, all the monks had entered the battlefield, including Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master who were Alchemy Masters and Artifact Refiners. Particularly, Red Hands Master recently shone brightly in the battlefield. Wielding a powerful fan of fire, he had achieved meritorious deeds by defeating ghosts that were equally or even superior in realm. The fan held in his hand was acclaimed by everyone. While others were unaware of the origin of the fan, Shen Luo was crystal clear. It was refined by him at the request of Chen Gang, who had planned to claim it after dealing with Shen Luo, unfortunately died in Yinling Mountain Tomb. Thus, the fan ended up in the hands of Red Hands Master. According to the note, the Five Fire Fan was a top-grade magical artifact with sixteenth-level prohibition, possessing immense power. Though Shen Luo was not avaricious, he was quite heartened by this artifact. At this moment, footsteps came from outside. It was a green robe Taoist Priest holding a purple feather duster, who was about forty, had a long horse-like face covered with freckles, and appeared rather ugly. ¡°Elder Brother Ge, you''re here.¡± Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master greeted the young green robe Taoist Priest almost at the same time. ¡°Brother Lu, who is this Taoist Priest?¡± Shen Luo telepathically questioned Lu Huaming. ¡°This is Ge Tianqing, an elder of the Bowu Line, possessing a body of Dark Thunder, a very rare Dao Body. His Lightning attribute Daoist method is quite renowned in Chang''an City.¡± Lu Huaming replied telepathically. ¡°Dark Thunder Body!¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but take a closer look at Ge Tianqing. He was no longer the naive little monk who had just entered the Cultivation World. Having amassed a certain degree of knowledge, he knew that Dark Thunder Body was a special Dao Body. It was naturally suitable for the practice of lightning attribute skills, allowing the practitioner to surpass ordinary monks by more than ten times just with a little practice. It could also unleash a type of Dark Thunder, whose power far surpasses normal thunder and lightning, making it a formidable Dao Body. ¡°Ge Tianqing also has profound cultivation level, having reached the peak of Soul Condensation Stage. There are rumors that he is preparing to break through the Nascent Soul Stage. Once he succeeds, his status will surge immediately.¡± Lu Huaming telepathically added. Having heard these words, Shen Luo nodded slowly. In the Cultivation World, Qi Refining Cultivators are at the bottom, those at the Grain Avoidance Stage and Soul Condensation Stage can only be considered middle tier, but once reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, they are considered among the upper class. A sect with a Nascent Soul Cultivator can truly establish itself in the Cultivation World. If a Nascent Soul Cultivator is willing to join forces like the Treasure Hall, Xuanyuan Pavilion, or Great Tang Dynasty Government, they can certainly attain the position of honored elder, ensuring the resource supply for their cultivation. After finishing his conversation with Shen Luo, Lu Huaming also greeted Ge Tianqing with a smile. Ge Tianqing seemed to be a distant person, who just nodded slightly at the three of them, then didn''t pay any more attention and stood by his own on the side. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Huaming and the others seemed to understand Ge Tianqing''s nature and did not mind it. After pleasantries, the five of them each stood in a place, waiting quietly. Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master were together, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were together, while the solitary Ge Tianqing stood far from the four. ¡°All of you have arrived.¡± A voice came from the depths of the stone chamber, as Cheng Yaojin and Yellow Wood Senior walked in from a side door. Yellow Wood Senior looked a bit unwell, his withered old face showed pallor, and he would even cough lightly from time to time. ¡°We pay our respects to Duke Cheng and Senior Yellow Wood!¡± The five of them bowed one after another. Both Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were not just respectful, but so were Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master. Although they were prominent figures, Cheng Yaojin was a senior court official, holding substantial authority over the Great Tang Dynasty Government. His cultivation level was extraordinary, making him the true powerhouse of the Cultivation World in Chang''an City. They dared not show the slightest disrespect. ¡°All of you here, except for my unworthy disciple here, are the talents of our Cultivation World in Chang''an City. There''s no need for such formality.¡± Cheng Yaojin waved his hand, causing Lu Huaming below him to roll his eyes. Before he could finish, Cheng Yaojin raised his hand and a yellow light flashed in his palm. The stone chamber gate closed with a loud bang, sealing shut without the slightest gap. Seeing this, everyone''s expressions changed slightly, except for Lu Huaming. ¡°Don''t worry. The reason we called you all here is because the matter we''re about to discuss is extremely important. According to reliable information, there are spies from the Refining Body Altar sneaking around in the city. Even the Great Tang Dynasty Government is not necessarily safe, we are just ensuring absolute security.¡± Yellow Wood Senior coughed twice and spoke. The group relaxed after hearing these words. ¡°We wonder what important matter Duke Cheng and Elder Yellow Wood have called us here for?¡± Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master exchanged glances, then asked. ¡°We''ve gathered you here to entrust you with an important mission,¡± Cheng Yaojin said in a deep voice. The people present didn''t seem surprised by Cheng Yaojin''s statement, and simply waited patiently for him to continue. ¡°Master, before you proceed with the matter, I dare to interrupt. When I went to invite Brother Shen, he was heading to the Great Tang Dynasty Government with an important matter to report to you.¡± Lu Huaming coughed lightly and stepped forward to speak. ¡°Oh, what matter does Friend Shen have to report?¡± Cheng Yaojin raised his eyebrows when he saw Lu Huaming daring to interrupt him. However, after hearing Lu Huaming''s full explanation, he showed a hint of a warm smile and asked Shen Luo. ¡°This matter pertains to the sudden appearance of zombies in the city. I beg Duke Cheng and Yellow Wood Senior''s pardon for my impudence.¡± Shen Luo took two steps forward and spoke via Divine Sense. ¡°That''s fine. Go ahead.¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded. Shen Luo briefly paused to gather his thoughts, then recounted in detail the encounter with the Zombie Army that day, and how he discovered that the silver zombie was actually the dwarf coachman. There was no surprise on the faces of Cheng Yaojin and Yellow Wood Senior after listening. ¡°Did the two elders already know about this?¡± Shen Luo mumbled in his heart and asked through Divine Sense. ¡°Although those zombies look no different from regular ones, they are not filled with strong corpse air at their core. Instead, they still retain a breath of a normal person. It''s clear they turned into zombies temporarily. People with strong Divine Sense could easily detect it, we naturally sensed it way before.¡± Yellow Wood Senior replied through Divine Sense. ¡°So that''s the case. I happened to discover this and thought it was a major secret. It turns out the elders had already seen through everything. I''ve made a fool of myself.¡± Shen Luo transmitted with a somewhat ashamed tone. ¡°Not at all, Friend Shen. It''s quite rare for someone at your Soul Condensation Stage to notice such a thing.¡± Yellow Wood Senior reassured. Shen Luo bowed to the two of them and fell silent, stepping back. When the other four saw this, they realized that Shen Luo was communicating with Cheng Yaojin and Yellow Wood Senior through Divine Sense. They had the tact not to interrupt and just looked at Shen Luo, their eyes reflecting a slight change in their perception of him. Especially Ge Tianqing, who seemed to start seriously examining Shen Luo because of Cheng Yaojin''s favourable attitude towards him. Chapter 528 Chapter 528: Chapter 524: Simultaneous Disaster Chapter 528: Chapter 524: Simultaneous Disaster ¡°Before discussing the mission, I''d like to ask a question. You all probably know something about the situation in Chang''an City. What are your thoughts on the current state of battle?¡± Cheng Yaojin looked at the five of them and asked. After hearing these words, all five of them were taken aback, and for a moment, no one responded. ¡°We are all dignified men here, don''t be constrained, and don''t shy away, say what''s on your mind.¡± Cheng Yaojin smiled. Cheng Yaojin''s smile lightened the serious atmosphere in the stone chamber, and their somewhat tense mood also relaxed quite a lot. ¡°Since Duke is saying these, then I will say it outright. Although the ghosts in the southern part of the city are currently running rampant, our Great Tang Kingdom is strong and full of unique heroes. With Duke Cheng leading, we have more than enough to resist these ghosts. Once the reinforcements from outside arrive, I believe those ghosts will collapse immediately,¡± Dan Yangzi hesitantly said. The others nodded in agreement, apparently, they all felt the same way, including Shen Luo. ¡°Reinforcements? Are you expecting help from Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. ¡°Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo have always been closely connected with our Great Tang. Considering the severity of the ghost infestation in Chang''an City, the two factions should not just stand by, right?¡± Dan Yangzi asked. Cheng Yaojin and Yellow Wood Senior remained silent, their faces somewhat solemn. ¡°Could something have changed, has something happened to the two factions?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask when he saw their expressions. The expressions of the others also slightly changed. ¡°The upcoming discussion involves serious matters, don''t leak any of it.¡± Yellow Wood Senior exchanged a glance with Cheng Yaojin before he slowly started to speak. The five of them noticed the seriousness of Yellow Wood Senior''s expression and nodded one after another. ¡°Friend Shen, you had just guessed correctly. Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo have both recently undergone significant changes. Several elders from Hua Sheng Temple betrayed their faction, and poisoned many disciples in their sect before their betrayal. And a demon den that Mount Putuo was suppressing suddenly erupted. Mount Putuo had no choice but to dispatch a large number of disciples to quell it. Therefore, neither of these factions will be sending significant reinforcements to aid us,¡± Yellow Wood Senior said seriously. ¡°What!¡± The five of them were astonished upon hearing this. ¡°The situation is exactly as we told you, we can''t rely on outside help, we must rely on our own strength to deal with those ghosts outside.¡± Cheng Yaojin said solemnly. ¡°Duke, please pardon my offence, but although the ghosts outside are numerous, and there are demons from the Refining Body Altar hidden among them, so far, no top-notch experts have appeared from the other side. Given yours and Yellow Wood Senior''s supreme cultivation level, could you not defeat them?¡± Ge Tianqing, who had not spoken until now, asked. ¡°If it was just the ghosts outside, if we old guys make a move, we can easily wipe them out.¡± Cheng Yaojin said without hesitation. ¡°Then why¡­¡± Ge Tianqing frowned. ¡°What you don''t know is that this ghost infestation is far from being as simple as you see. The Refining Body Altar has somehow summoned several Ghost Kings from the Yinling Mountain Tomb to Chang''an City, and the strength of the Refining Body Altar itself far exceeds your expectations. Along with Jing River Dragon King, who was released some time ago, their strength is incredibly powerful. We old ones have already fought several times with them in secret, with no clear winner,¡± Cheng Yaojin sighed lightly, revealing a secret. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo understood. No wonder the ghost infestation has been going on for over a month, but the real masters within the Great Tang government have not shown up on the battlefield. It turns out they have been confronting each other in secret. ¡°No clear winner? We are clearly disadvantaged. If it weren''t for Duke saving me last time, my old bones would have been destroyed by that evil dragon.¡± Yellow Wood Senior coughed a couple of times and said with a sigh. The faces of all five of them turned gloomy upon hearing this. ¡°We now understand the real situation of Chang''an City, so what do you need us to do, Duke?¡± Dan Yangzi asked. ¡°Although the enemy is powerful this time, it is not completely invulnerable. Be it the ghosts inside the city or the Ghost Kings within the Yinling Mountain Tomb, they were all summoned by the Refining Body Altar using a type of Summoning Array. As long as we can figure out a way to destroy these arrays, we could greatly weaken their combat effectiveness and increase our chances of winning,¡± Cheng Yaojin said. After hearing these words, the five of them looked at each other for a moment. ¡°Duke, do you want us to destroy these Summoning Arrays?¡± Red Hands Master asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded. Shen Luo recalled the Summoning Array he had seen before. There must be many of these arrays in Chang''an City. The Refining Body Altar must also be aware of the importance of the Summoning Array, and would certainly send masters to protect them. However, if the monks guarding them are of Daoist Master Cangmu and Nu Chuan''s level, with the strength of the five of us here, as long as we can accurately determine the locations of those arrays and launch surprise attacks one by one, it wouldn''t be too difficult. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Surely you are all aware of the existence of these Summoning Arrays. According to the information we currently have, there are nearly a hundred such arrays within the city. However, these are small peripheral arrays that are linked with a very concealed core Summoning Array in the southern part of the city. They have the ability to summon ghosts only because of this connection. Also, they can only summon rather weak ghosts, so their significance is not really great,¡± Cheng Yaojin continued. ¡°Duke¡­ You¡­ don''t tell me you want us to destroy that core Summoning Array¡­¡± Red Hands Master stuttered. The other four widened their eyes. ¡°Yes, Cheng Yaojin and I need you to destroy that core array.¡± Yellow Wood Senior said. The five of them stood there, tongue-tied. They might be talented and stand out among their peers, even able to fight cultivators one or two minor realms ahead of them, but they are, after all, only at the Soul Condensation Stage, considered youngsters in the cultivation world. ¡°Master, Yellow Wood Senior, it''s not that we are cowardly. But with our strength, even if we try to sneak into the southern part of the city, we will be quickly discovered by the masters amongst the ghosts, and will only be sending ourselves to death in vain,¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help saying. ¡°You all don''t have to worry. Since Cheng Yaojin and I want you to carry out this task, we have naturally taken everything into consideration. In three days, the Great Tang government will launch a full counter-attack, and we old ones will also make our move and restrain all masters above the Nascent Soul Stage on the other side''s team. Meanwhile, you all can take advantage of this opportunity to sneak into the southern part of the city, locate the position of the core array, and destroy it,¡± Yellow Wood Senior said. After hearing this, their faces finally looked somewhat better. ¡°How are we supposed to sneak into the southern part of the city? The qi of us human cultivators is vastly different from that of the ghosts, and the ghosts are extremely sensitive to the qi of living humans. Even if there are no masters among their ranks, it seems unlikely that we can infiltrate them. Moreover, that core Summoning Array is so important, it is likely to be extremely hidden. Even if we can infiltrate the city, we will hardly be able to find it so quickly,¡± Shen Luo said with a frown. Chapter 529 Chapter 529: Chapter 525: Heavy Responsibility Chapter 529: Chapter 525: Heavy Responsibility ¡°We have considered the two questions raised by you, Friend Shen. I have here five Yinling talismans. If you wear them, they can fully conceal your breath as human cultivators and transform it into that of ghosts. Your appearance will also turn into that of a ghost, and even the ghosts at the Nascent Soul and even Mahayana stages will not be able to discover it.¡± Yellow Wood Senior took out five black talismans and waved them in the air. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The five talismans transformed into five streams of black light and fell in front of each of them. The talisman was about the size of a palm, with several black lines inscribed on it. It didn''t look complicated, but there was a peculiar rune in the center of the talisman, shaped like a lotus, which looked exceptionally mysterious. Shen Luo took the talisman and looked at Yellow Wood Senior before injecting his Mana into it. A flash of black light passed over the Yinling talisman, and astonishingly, it melded into his body and disappeared. Shen Luo shivered, feeling a cold spiritual power merging into his body, blending with his Mana, which was initially calm and right. It became cold as well. Black lines appeared all over his body, and then, streams of black Qi oozed out of him, completely engulfing his figure soon after. From the outside, he had turned into a ghost-like creature. At the same time, the other people also activated their Yinling talisman and transformed into ghost-like creatures similar to Shen Luo. ¡°This Yinling talisman is indeed miraculous.¡± Shen Luo murmured in astonishment. Using his divine sense to probe, he simply could not detect the physical bodies of the others under their Yin Qi. No matter how he sensed them, they seemed to have completely turned into ghosts. The same would be true for others sensing him. ¡°This Yinling talisman is indeed mysterious. With this talisman, we indeed don''t need to worry about our identity being exposed. But what about the location of the core array? Have you, Yellow Wood Senior, already found it?¡± asked Dan Yangzi. ¡°The Refining Body Altar has been trying to infiltrate the Great Tang Dynasty Government all these years, and we have naturally not been idle. We have also placed a piece on the board within the Refining Body Altar, who will guide you to the core array when you infiltrate.¡± Yellow Wood Senior slowly stated. Having heard this, the five of them realized that for this mission, the Great Tang Dynasty Government truly had made very comprehensive preparations. Still, everyone''s faces harbored some hesitation. If everything went according to plan, the probability of success was indeed not small, but it did not mean the danger had diminished much. ¡°This mission is extremely dangerous, Yellow Wood and I called you all here without intending to force you to accept it. Think it over and make a decision. However, to prevent any leaks of information, anyone who does not accept this mission must remain here until the end of this great battle.¡± Cheng Yaojin surveyed everyone and said thusly. On hearing this, Shen Luo and the others were indecisive for a while and fell into deep thought. ¡°Duke, Yellow Wood Senior, why did you choose us, the Soul Condensing cultivators for this, if you have already prepared everything? Wouldn''t sending several Nascent Soul cultivators make the chances of success much higher?¡± asked Ge Tianqing. Shen Luo, who had wanted to ask the same question for a long time, looked up at this. ¡°If we could send Nascent Soul cultivators, the Duke and I naturally would not bother you. Although the concealment effect of the Yinling talisman is extraordinary, it can only hide those at Soul Condensing stage or below. It doesn''t work on Nascent Soul cultivators.¡± Yellow Wood Senior said. Everyone showed a look of enlightenment on hearing these words, and the room fell into silence once again. ¡°Master, Yellow Wood Senior.¡± Suddenly, in the midst of all the silence, a voice called out. Everyone turned to look. It was Lu Huaming who had stepped forward and said seriously, ¡°I am willing to go!¡± Cheng Yaojin looked deeply at Lu Huaming, nodded, and smiled, ¡°Good, all the years of my teaching you have not been in vain.¡± ¡°For the sake of freeing the people of Chang''an City from the furnace of war sooner, I am also willing to undertake this journey.¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and saluted. ¡°Thank you, Shen my friend, for your generous heart!¡± Cheng Yaojin expressed his appreciation. With Lu Huaming and Shen Luo taking the lead, the other three seemed to suddenly see the light and quickly agreed. ¡°Good! Friends, your concern for the country and the people shows such nobleness, it is admirable. The Great Tang Dynasty Government will not let you go in vain either. Here are some treasures that I bestow upon you to boost your morale.¡± Cheng Yaojin said and waved his hand. Five white talismans flew out of his hand and fell respectively in front of the men. Shen Luo instinctively caught one. The talisman had a rune similar to a pocket. He knew this was a storage talisman, which used the power of the talisman to temporarily form a space similar to a storage magical tool. However, this storage talisman could only be used once, and after using it, the talisman would become scrap. Its effect was far inferior to a storage magical tool. The only advantage was that making one was relatively easier. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense entered the space inside the talisman, where a dark green round shield was placed. The shield looked very strong. There was even a lifelike Relief Carving of a Xuan Gui (A type of Black Tortoise in Chinese legends). Next to the green round shield, there was a piece of white paper with a few paragraphs on it. He scanned the information on the white paper using his Divine Sense, and a hint of excitement appeared on his face. The information written on the white paper was about the introduction of this dark green round shield. This shield named ¡°Ink Armor Shield¡± was a top-grade magical artifact refined from the shell of a thousand-year-old turtle with the bloodline of Xuan Gui and contained twelve prohibitions. In terms of defensive capabilities, this Ink Armor Shield greatly surpassed the golden Immortal Armor. ¡°It seems that the Great Tang Dynasty Government had already investigated my situation. Knowing that my Golden Armor Immortality had shattered recently, they bestowed me this Ink Armor Shield.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. The others too examined the storage talismans in their hands. Excitement appeared on their face. Apparently, what the Great Tang Dynasty Government had bestowed them was what they had long yearned for. ¡°Master, what do we need to do next? Do we wait here for the right time?¡± asked Lu Huaming. ¡°Yellow Wood Daoist friend, we will rely on you now.¡± Cheng Yaojin said, turning towards Yellow Wood Senior. Yellow Wood Senior nodded and brought down his walking stick, and a thread of yellow light surged out from it, spreading out on the ground, and forming a yellow array of about a Zhang (3.3 meters) in size. Shen Luo looked at the yellow array, and suddenly felt familiar. After pondering for a moment, he recollected. The array beneath Yellow Wood Senior was somewhat similar to the supplementary array for the Yimu Xuandun (a type of escape magic) he had set up in Longevity Village in his dream state. ¡°You guys come here and stand in the array.¡± Yellow Wood Senior said to the five men. Upon hearing these words, they walked over one by one and stood around Yellow Wood Senior. Yellow Wood Senior struck the ground with his walking stick once more, and countless yellow shadows suddenly appeared in front of the five men. They changed swiftly, making their eyes dizzy. The blinking yellow shadows didn''t last too long. After several breaths, there was a flash in front of their eyes, and the next moment, they appeared in a somewhat dark stone chamber. Shen Luo swept a glance at his surroundings and found that there was a big door in front of the stone chamber. The door was tightly closed, and mana was faintly flowing above it, making it quite conspicuous. Chapter 530 Chapter 530: Chapter 526: Pretend to be a Ghost Chapter 530: Chapter 526: Pretend to be a Ghost ¡°This is an underground stone chamber near the city. You can rest here for a while. When the prohibition on the gate disappears, immediately infiltrate the southern part of the city. As for how to contact the insider information, it''s in this jade slip. Lu Xianzhi, I entrust this to you.¡± The old man in the yellow robe took out a jade slip and handed it over to Lu Huaming. The other four did not say anything. Among the five, only Lu Huaming comes from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, so Cheng Yaojin and the old man in the yellow robe naturally trust him the most. ¡°Fellow Cultivators, a snake without a head is ineffective. Lu Xianzhi''s cultivation level may not be the highest among you, but he has executed the most missions and has a strong ability to adapt to the enemy. Would you all agree for Lu Xianzhi to take the lead in this mission?¡± The old man in the yellow robe looked at the other four and said. ¡°Brother Lu is the disciple of Duke Cheng with superior skills in strategic planning and battle command, it couldn''t be better to have him lead us.¡± Shen Luo agreed. The other three also nodded one after another in agreement. The old man in the yellow robe saw this and showed a faint smile. A flash of yellow light shimmered and he disappeared from the stone chamber. ¡°Thank you all for your trust. This mission cannot be accomplished by me alone, I ask for your assistance.¡± Lu Huaming bowed to the other four. ¡°Brother Lu, don''t be so formal. Master and the old man in the yellow robe have given you command of the mission, so feel free to proceed. We will surely follow your lead.¡± Dan Yangzi said with a smile. ¡°Thank you. The mission will start in three days as per Master and the old man in the yellow robe. During this time, let''s rest here and discuss the specifics when the mission starts.¡± Lu Huaming replied. Everyone had the same idea, they each found a place in the stone chamber and started to cultivate with their eyes closed. Shen Luo sat down in the corner of the stone chamber, took the Ink Armor Shield out of the Storage Talisman, and quickly started refining it using the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Everyone else appeared to be doing the same, preparing for the upcoming great battle. Three days later. In the early morning, the quietness of Chang''an City was shattered by a chime from the Ci''en Temple. Outside the Zhuque Gate to the Imperial City in the North City, there were nearly ten thousand officers of the Feather Forest Army and the Dragon Martial Guard each, all in full armor, ready for deployment. In the open ground in front of the convoy, there were several hundred monks and freelance cultivators from various places in Chang''an. All were neatly arranged, waiting for the command to march. Zhou Meng and others were also in the line, but their company commander was an older man in a gray robe. ¡°Brother Zhao, what''s going on? It looks like there''s going to be a big action ¡­¡± Zhou Meng turned to Zhao TingSheng and asked. After such a long time of fighting side by side, their relationship had changed quite a lot and had become much closer. ¡°I don''t know, I just got the sudden notice to assemble last night, there was no prior warning.¡± Zhao TingSheng shook his head, looking somewhat solemn. ¡°I haven''t seen Elder Shen for a while. He''s not been taking us on missions for quite a long time.¡± Zhou Meng scanned the surroundings again and said. ¡°Elder Shen is not the same as us, I guess he has gone to carry out some special mission again.¡± Zhao TingSheng guessed. ¡°But to be honest, I feel safer when we''re with Elder Shen.¡± Zhou Meng chuckled. As soon as he spoke, a middle-aged banner commander standing a short distance in front turned his head to look at them, signaling them to quiet down with his eyes. Zhou Meng and Zhao TingSheng immediately fell silent, staring straight ahead without distraction. Just then, a few red lights floated down from the high altitude and fell on the city wall of Zhuque Gate, overlooking everyone. Ten thousand Great Tang warriors saw this, and with all their fists pounding on their chests, they collectively saluted the city wall in a synchronized manner, creating quite a majestic scene. ¡°We pay our respects to Duke Cheng and all the Elders.¡± The hundreds of monks also bowed their fists towards the city wall and shouted in unison. Following this, the cries of ten thousand warriors rang out: ¡°Valiant, Valiant, Valiant¡­¡± With each shout, a surging wave of fighting spirit began to spread across the entire square. ¡°Gentlemen, Chang''an has been suffering from the ghost menace for too long. I know you all have been holding back a lot of anger. Today is the opportunity for you to vent that anger and also the day for us to eradicate the ghost menace in one fell swoop. Would you dare to follow me into the southern part of the city and completely drive these filthy creatures out of Chang''an?¡± Cheng Yaojin swept his gaze over the crowd and roared. ¡°We are willing to follow Duke Cheng to eradicate ghosts, with no fear of death¡­¡± ¡°No fear of death¡­¡± ¡°No fear of death¡­¡± A wave of resolute responses echoed, lingering for a long time. Cheng Yaojin looked very pleased, he stroked his beard and nodded with a full face of smiles. The old man in the yellow robe and other people beside him looked at each other and also revealed a trace of smiles in their eyes. ¡°Once the ghost menace in Chang''an is exterminated, we will celebrate at a banquet. Let''s go!¡± Cheng Yaojin raised his arm and gave the order. The team of cultivators and the Great Tang soldiers in the square assembled and began marching towards the southern part of the city. At the same time, in a dark stone room underground in an old house in the southern part of the city. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo and the other four were still sitting there with closed eyes, in a state of meditation. At this moment, a yellow light suddenly shone on the door of the stone chamber, and complex prohibition runes surfaced, beginning to shimmer weakly like fireflies. The first to notice the anomaly was Ge Tianqing, who was the highest in cultivation among them. However, he just opened his eyes to take a look and then continued to cultivate, retracting all the black electrical strands radiating from his body. Soon after that, Shen Luo also opened his eyes and looked at the prohibition runes on the door. He subconsciously started analyzing the patterns on the runes but forgot to alert the others. However, immediately after, Lu Huaming''s voice rang out: ¡°It looks like the prohibition on this door is about to disappear. It''s time for us to act.¡± As soon as he spoke, Dan Yangzi and the Red Hands Master also woke up one after the other and looked over. The runes on the door flickered a few times and then gradually disappeared, eventually disappearing into thin air. Shen Luo closed his eyes and recalled for a moment, then recalled the image of the prohibition talisman in his mind, and remembered its appearance. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Lu Huaming and the others had already taken out their Yinling Talismans and started to activate them. A black pattern surfaced on each of their bodies and were enveloped by black fog, eventually transforming into spectral ghosts. Shen Luo also immediately activated his Yinling Talisman and transformed into a ghost figure, just like them. Chapter 531 Chapter 531: Chapter 527: The Contact Person Chapter 531: Chapter 527: The Contact Person ¡°Let''s go.¡± Seeing that everyone was ready, Lu Huaming took the lead and headed towards the big gate. He pushed open the stone chamber gate, revealing a deep passageway in front of him. There were no forks, it just extended straight forward. Without hesitation, they quickly moved forward. The passageway became narrower the deeper they went. At the start, two people could walk side by side, but in the end, it could only accommodate one person; and one had to stoop and bow one''s head to do so. Fortunately, the passageway was not too long. After travelling twenty or thirty feet, a circular hole appeared ahead. Lu Huaming came to the entrance of the hole and looked out. He found that the hole was actually on the side wall of a vertical well, and below, he could see shimmering ripples of water. He leapt forward from the opening of the hole. Before he landed, a wave of water rose up to support his feet, lifting him up to the wellhead. With Lu Huaming''s figure slowly rising, it looked like a water ghost emerging from the wellhead. Half of his body was outside the well. After scanning his surroundings, he found that he had arrived at a long-deserted old house. Collapsed stone tables and chairs and wild grass and plants growing everywhere surrounded him. After a brief inspection and finding no danger, he jumped out of the wellhead and sent a message to the people below. Soon, Shen Luo and the others also emerged from the well. Ge Tianqing glanced around and seeing no other people, he asked with a frown, ¡°Where is our inside contact?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Elder Brother Ge. I''ll contact him now,¡± said Lu Huaming. With that, he rotated his wrist and took out three long green incense sticks and a small cyan bowl from his storage ring. ¡°Brother Shen, can you fetch some water?¡± He nudged Shen Luo with his elbow and laughed. Although Shen Luo did not know what he was up to, he summoned a mouthful of well water and poured it into the small bowl. ¡°Thanks.¡± After thanking him, Lu Huaming placed the bowl on the ground. He pinched the heads of the three incense sticks and rolled them slightly. A red light lit up, followed by the rise of three strands of light blue smoke into the high altitude. Then he placed the lit incense sticks into the bowl filled with water. The three sticks of incense stood steadily on the water surface, and three strands of steam curled up along the incense, entwining with the smoke coming from the incense head. The wafting smoke instantly straightened and rose up. After reaching about ten feet, it twisted in a certain direction and eventually dispersed, leaving no trace. ¡°Done. We just need to wait for a while. The contact will come find us,¡± Lu Huaming said before moving a few steps back to a not-yet-collapsed stone table. He dusted off the table and sat down. Subconsciously reaching for his wine gourd, he remembered that his master had forbidden him to drink because of the special nature of this mission, so he didn''t bring it with him. He clicked his tongue, folded his arms, and waited patiently. Not long after, there were some slight noises from the old mansion''s front yard. Shen Luo and the others immediately got up and rushed over. By the time they got to the intersection of the front yard, they saw a hanging ghost with a long neck and tongue sticking out, slowly drifting over. Its face was ghastly pale, with a dark blue color around the eye sockets, its long tongue greenish black. It was quite nauseating to look at. ¡°This is¡­ our inside contact?¡± Red Hands Master raised his eyebrows and asked in surprise. ¡°Did you also use Yinling Talisman? This look¡­ rather, quite authentic.¡± Dan Yangzi also stroked his chin, complimenting. ¡°This doesn''t look like what we discussed, does it?¡± Lu Huaming spoke with a puzzled face, murmuring to himself. However, to be on the safe side, he still came to the hanging ghost and said, ¡°The rain in Nine Netherworld falls harder in the evening.¡± Upon hearing this, the tongue of the hanging ghost began to extend and retract as if it was saying something, but due to the huge tongue, it could not articulate clearly. Lu Huaming couldn''t understand, he frowned and had to convey the message once again using sound transmission. Unfortunately, after waiting for a long time, there was no response. All he could hear was the muffled sound from the other side. ¡°Netherworld has no ferryboat, it lies across.¡± This time, a gentle voice suddenly came from behind everyone. Shen Luo and the others were taken aback, hastily twisted their heads to look over. They saw that a clump of wild grass in the courtyard was pushed apart, and a young man dressed in a black robe emerged from it. His figure was slender, his complexion was pale and almost bloodless, only his pair of eyes were quite bright. ¡°You''re the contact person, so who''s this?¡± Lu Huaming asked in surprise. ¡°A ghost that strayed in, with low spiritual wisdom¡­ but, it looks quite similar to you.¡± The young man replied. Having said that, his gaze swept over Shen Luo and others one by one. As soon as his voice fell, there was a crackling of electric light. It was Ge Tianqing who had already pierced through the head of the hanging ghost with a chop from his hand, turning it into ashes. ¡°Cough cough, I don''t know how should I address you?¡± Lu Huaming coughed twice and asked awkwardly. Shen Luo saw this situation and chose not to comment, smiling instead. ¡°Yu Lu. Now you''re all ghosts. Follow my lead later and don''t speak rashly.¡± The young man instructed. Upon hearing this, everyone nodded, simply reported their names, and didn''t say much else. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How is the Array?¡± Ge Tianqing asked with a solemn expression. ¡°This Array is quite important to the Refining Body Altar. Originally, a Great Mahayana Stage cultivator was stationed here as an Elder. However, because the Great Tang Dynasty Government already joined the monks in the city this morning, they have launched a clean-up operation on the places where ghosts have gathered in the southern part of the city, the attacks on which are quite fierce. That Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator had to go and participate in the battle, leaving behind only his Nascent Soul Stage disciple, and three Soul condensing cultivators as reinforcements.¡± The young man who introduced himself as Yu Lu explained. ¡°One Nascent Soul and three Soul Condensation, I''m afraid this fight won''t be easy.¡± Dan Yangzi commented after a brief period of contemplation. ¡°Elder Brother Yu, do you know the attributes of the Skills they practice?¡± Shen Luo asked. Know yourself and your enemy, only then can you emerge as the victor in a hundred battles. If they could learn in advance the attributes of their Skills, they could prepare countermeasures effectively. ¡°I only know that the Great Mahayana Stage monk is a Ghost Cultivator, and most of his disciples would be as well. As for the other three monks, they were temporarily transferred, details remain unknown.¡± Yu Lu replied. ¡°This¡­ the useful information is way too scarce.¡± Red Hands Master couldn''t help but speak out. ¡°The mission when I sneaked in was to find the key Array location and figure out where its Array core is. Investigating the members of the Refining Body Altar was only a secondary task. Besides, the battle situation is changing rapidly. Our deployment is changing, and so is theirs. The previous few stationed cultivators were temporarily transferred away, so the information about them is useless now. As for these newcomers, I''m powerless to do anything.¡± Upon hearing this, Yu Lu''s face darkened slightly and he answered somewhat discontentedly. Yu Lu has taken a great risk to infiltrate the Refining Body Altar, we should not be overly demanding.¡± Lu Huaming quickly stepped in to smooth things over. ¡°Instead of going through the trouble of these pleasantries, wouldn''t it be better to discuss what we should do next?¡± Ge Tianqing asked in a deadpan tone. Chapter 532 Chapter 532: 528 Chapter 532: 528 ¡°The core summoning array is located not far ahead of us, in the Zhang Mansion, which used to belong to a government official. It''s located in the south-western part of the city and is considered a ''Nanming Hidden Yin'' area. This is actually the most suitable feng shui position for a Yin Residence.¡± Yu Lu murmured. ¡°Nanming Hidden Yin? Huh, this official surnamed Zhang really knew how to choose his place, living atop an array of Yin residences.¡± Red Hands Master was surprised by this information. After all, from a feng shui perspective, living quarters that possess characteristics of Yin Residences are not suitable for the living. The clash between yin and yang can result in instability at home, causing distress to the inhabitants and resulting in a shorter lifespan. ¡°You may not be aware, Red Hands Master, that this is Chang''an City, beneath the feet of the Emperor, a place of imperial importance. One cannot casually build graveyards here. This official surnamed Zhang probably purchased this place to build a mansion, but didn''t actually live here. It''s a classic bait-and-switch tactic.¡± Dan Yangzi, well-versed in the ghostly path, was also familiar with these taboos related to Yin and Yang. ¡°Indeed, this mansion has been vacant for a long time, so it was quietly occupied by the people from the Refining Body Altar a long time ago.¡± Yu Lu nodded and said. ¡°Daoist friend, you mentioned ''Nanming Hidden Yin'' specifically. Is there something special we should pay attention to?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Of course. Nanming represents fire, which is a Yang element in the Five Elements, but its center position hides a yin energy because there is an underground water vein extending from the direction of Xuanwu Gate, forming a place where the Yin Sha is hidden. This was originally the burial place of the elder of the Zhang family. Now it has been transformed into the location of the summoning array by the monks of the Refining Body Altar. We are going to destroy it here,¡± Yu Lu explained. ¡°In that case, we should not delay and proceed now,¡± said Red Hands Master. ¡°Before we go, please put this on.¡± Yu proposed. With a twist of his wrist, five talismans made from Green Frost Paper appeared in the palm of his hand. Shen Luo''s gaze fell on the green talisman, and when he saw the human figure drawn in the center, he furrowed his brows and asked: ¡°Daoist Yu, what are you trying to do by making us wear these puppet talismans?¡± Upon hearing this, the faces of Dan Yangzi and the others turned stern. ¡°I told the senior monk, Huang Yang, who is guarding the array, that I needed to find a few ghosts with suitable cultivation levels to solidify the array. That''s why I left and came here. How else could I reasonably bring you back without using this as a pretext?¡± Yu Lu explained calmly. Everyone fell silent upon hearing this. ¡°I''ll try it first.¡± Seeing this, Lu Huaming volunteered. Without further ado, he pinched a puppet talisman from Yu Lu''s hand and stuck it directly on his chest. The puppet talisman lit up with a bright light, and a layer of green light spread out, enveloping his entire body. His body stiffened instantly, rendering him unable to move. However, his consciousness remained unaffected and he could control it. Yu Lu formed a magic spell with one hand and softly chanted a few verses. The green light on Lu Huaming''s body didn''t dissipate but he was able to move on his own. ¡°What just happened?¡± Lu Huaming asked. ¡°The few guarding the array are no fools. If they discover that we''re using fake puppet talismans, the mission will be in vain. Therefore, before taking action, you can freely control your consciousness, but your bodies will be under my control, just like puppets,¡± Yu Lu explained. ¡°I cannot accept giving control of my own body to others.¡± Red Hands Master was the first to object. ¡°I also cannot agree to this matter,¡± Dan Yangzi said immediately afterwards. Shen Luo also had some doubts in his heart. If the controller of the talisman was Lu Huaming, he might have agreed, but since it''s not, he found it hard to accept. After all, no one is willing to hand over their life and death entirely to others. ¡°It''s just a simple puppet talisman. If you dare harbor any treacherous intentions, I wouldn''t mind killing you first.¡± Ge Tianqing scoffed and also took a puppet talisman from Yu Lu''s hand. ¡°Brother Shen, although this talisman is real, I know how to break it. I will teach you later, for now, let''s just agree to it. All matters should prioritize the mission.¡± At this point, Shen Luo heard Lu Huaming''s voice in his head. After hesitating for a while, he also said, ¡°Since he''s a member of the Government''s Covert Division and can present the correct secret code with Lu Huaming, there''s no reason for us to distrust him. If we fight amongst ourselves before the mission has even started, there''s no point in doing it.¡± After saying this, Shen Luo also took a puppet talisman and held it in his hand. Seeing this, Yu Lu''s eyebrows curved slightly, revealing a faint smile for the first time in everyone''s presence. Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master exchanged glances, they seemed to have had a silent conversation, and subsequently also took the puppet talismans and affixed them to their chests. When everyone had affixed their talismans, Yu Lu took out a palm-sized copper bell from his sleeve and gently shook it. He then took control of the bodies of Shen Luo and the others, compelling them to follow him to the backyard. Leaving through the back door of the old house, crossing a small lane, they soon arrived in front of Zhang Mansion. In front of the desolate mansion gate, not a soul, let alone any Yin Sha, could be seen. If the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s cultivators were to attack, they would most probably overlook this place. Shen Luo subtly surveyed his surroundings. He only saw two imposing half-human-sized stone lions in front of the grand gate. They were skillfully carved and projected an aura of power. What was peculiar, however, was that their eyes were wrapped with two lengths of red satin, blinding them. ¡°As expected, it''s used as a Yin Residence¡­¡± Although he wasn''t well-versed in Feng Shui, he knew of some common taboos. Yu Lu walked to the gate, but instead of pushing it open, he used his hand to lightly knock the ring in the lion''s mouth a few times. ¡°Tap, Tap,¡± As the sound of knocking rang out, a yellow halo rippled from the red gate, dispersing in all directions. ¡°There are prohibitions on the gate too.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. After waiting for a moment, the big doors suddenly creaked and swung inwards. Following this, Shen Luo saw a figure that seemed familiar standing at the door. Dressed in a blue robe with a pale face, it was Feng Shui, who had escaped from Dalishi Mountain Sky Pit. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. His subconscious response was to take action, but his body was controlled by the puppet talisman and momentarily he could not move. He quickly realized that his appearance had changed dramatically and the other party might not recognize him. Yu Lu, who was walking ahead, also seemed surprised and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am newly appointed to assist in guarding this location, you can call me Feng Shui.¡± Feng Shui replied as he bowed slightly. ¡°I see. Thank you for your hard work, Daoist Feng.¡± Hearing this, Yu Lu nodded nonchalantly. Thereafter, Feng Shui gave way, and Yu Lu, shaking the copper bell in his hand, led Shen Luo and the others into the mansion. Although this Zhang Mansion is usually unoccupied, the environment inside was much better than the old house where they had previously stayed. Although there was a lot of dust in the corridors, no weeds were growing, indicating that this place was often cleaned in the past. Chapter 533 Chapter 533: Chapter 529: Infiltration Chapter 533: Chapter 529: Infiltration Shen Luo and his companions followed Feng Shui, traversing through the gallery and the courtyard, finally arriving at a garden situated at the southwest corner of the mansion''s backyard. Before entering the garden, Shen Luo noticed that there were seven or eight ferocious-looking ghosts, guarding the entrance to the garden, swaying from side to side, as if they were water hyacinths floating in the water. Above the entrance hung a plaque, on which the words ¡°Reincarnation¡± were written in black lacquer. As soon as he walked through the entrance, Shen Luo immediately saw mounds of grave soil piled on the ground, with rotting bones scattered about. Some of them had been trampled and shattered, turned into bone dust. He made a rough estimate and found that there were about seven or eight piles of bones, which should all belong to the ancestors of the Zhang family. ¡°They built this Yin residence to seek for good public luck, but they ended up exposing the corpses to the elements and their bones were hard to be intact. It really was a loss.¡± Shen Luo thought, as he was under the control of Yu Lu, and had already arrived at the center of the garden. In the central area of the garden, a large pit of several feet wide had been dug out. Inside it, human heads were used as the base to set up seven dharma platforms that formed the array pivot, creating the pattern of the Big Dipper. As the proverb goes, ¡°the Southern Dipper rules over birth, the Northern Dipper rules over death¡±. The Refining Body Altar was built here in Nanming''s Hidden Yin, and the Northern Dipper''s death formation was set, indeed, this was the center of the core formation. Shen Luo cast a glance around, and his pupils constricted slightly. Outside the pit in front of him, a layer of pale yellow light curtain was enveloping it, which seemed to be some kind of boundary prohibition. Within this boundary, four people were sitting cross-legged. The man in the lead was a thin, middle-aged man in a black robe. His cheekbones were prominent, his eyes sunken, and his nose hooked, giving him the appearance of a hawk. Opposite him, through the array, sat a small child, a white-haired old woman, and a sturdy teenager. The small child was extremely ugly, with his facial features almost squeezed together. His lips were unable to close, revealing his dark red gums and a row of sharp teeth that looked savage. The white-haired old woman appeared kind, but a segment of a baby''s bony and pale hand hung before her chest, its knuckles intact, emitting a bright light, seemingly a magical instrument. The robust teenager kept his eyes closed, showing no expression on his bland face, and seemed indifferent to external changes. ¡°Elder Xuanxiao, I''m back,¡± Yu Lu took the initiative to step forward and greeted with a fist and palm salute. The middle-aged man in the black robe inside the boundary light curtain lifted his head upon hearing this and glanced towards them. His gaze swept over Shen Luo and the others, he simply nodded without speaking. ¡°Yu Lu, you''ve been away for so long, and this is all you''ve brought back?¡± The ugly child with sharp teeth broke into a grin and spoke. ¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures, there wasn''t much to choose from.¡± Yu Lu glanced at him and replied somewhat displeased. ¡°Now that Yu Lu is back, we can finally get started.¡± The white-haired old woman said with a smile. Upon hearing her words, the robust teenager who had been silent, slowly opened his eyes. Shen Luo was slightly surprised upon hearing this. What were these people preparing to do? He had not heard anything about it from Yu Lu. A series of changes occurred one after the other, raising several questions in his mind. He was prepared to use the control breaking method that Lu Huaming had given him at any moment. ¡°Madam Miao, what do you mean ''we can start''? What are we about to do?¡± asked Yu Lu, puzzled. ¡°I didn''t mention it to you earlier. In a while, we are going to jointly activate the Seven Lamps Soul Attraction Array and summon the biggest Ghost King from the Yinling Mountain Tomb. We need you and Feng Shui to guard the formation from the outside,¡± the white-haired old woman said. ¡°I see, leave it to me,¡± Yu Lu saluted with his fists. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This time, the Great Tang Dynasty Government suddenly attacked, coming fiercely. There''s a clear sign that they''re preparing for a decisive battle, we should not take it lightly. Let''s do it this way¡­ Lu Qing, you should also stay outside with these two, and let us handle the activation of the summoning formation,¡± The black-robed man named Xuanxiao suddenly spoke. The robust teenager nodded his head, stood up from where he was seated, walked to the edge of the light curtain, and stopped. Xuanxiao turned his wrist, a black jade seal appeared in his palm. He lightly pressed his thumb on it, the surface of the jade seal immediately lit up, and a man-height opening appeared in the light curtain in front of Lu Qing. Lu Qing bent his body slightly, passed through the opening, and jumped out of the pit. He walked silently to one side, sat down in a cross-legged position, and the opening in the light curtain immediately closed. Feng Shui, hesitated for a moment, then proceeded to sit down cross-legged on the opposite side. Yu Lu shook the copper bell in his hand and walked towards the opposite side with Shen Luo and the others following him like walking corpses. When they reached the other side, Yu Lu also sat down like the others did before and began to communicate with Shen Luo and the others through his heart: ¡°Are we going to do it now?¡± ¡°Originally, it was said that there will be one Nascent Soul, accompanied by three at the Soul Condensation stage. Now, an extra practitioner of the Grain Avoidance Stage has been added. This seems to be troublesome,¡± the voice of Dan Yangzi rang out, seemingly worried. ¡°Elder Brother Ge, do you have any method to restrain the Nascent Soul cultivators for a while? This will allow us to handle the others first, then assist you in killing him,¡± Lu Huaming''s voice rang out. ¡°If that Xuanxiao is an early stage cultivator, I may be able to entangle him for a while, but if he is in the middle or late stage, even if we join forces, we will not be his match,¡± Ge Tianqing responded. ¡°This is my first time meeting this person. I have never seen him in action and can''t judge precisely whether he is in the early stage or the middle stage,¡± Yu Lu''s voice chimed in. ¡°Then we''ll have to take a gamble,¡± said Red Hands Master. ¡°Before that, shouldn''t we discuss how to break through this boundary prohibition?¡± At this point, Shen Luo posed a question. ¡°You don''t need to worry about this. I''ve got it covered. I just need you guys to buy me some time,¡± Yu Lu replied. ¡°The timing is not right for us to make a move just yet. It is better to wait until they start operating the array, during the crucial period of the summoning. Then we can all strike at once, disrupting their operation. The people inside the array won''t be able to get away, and the two cultivators outside the array would be like fish on the chopping block. We can divide our forces into two groups, one to quickly kill these two, and another to break into the array,¡± Lu Huaming, after a moment of silence, continued. ¡°That''s right, Lu Daoist''s analysis is spot on,¡± Dan Yangzi concurred. ¡°Then, how do we divide the teams? If possible, I would like to be in the group that breaks the barrier. I''ll take care of the Blood Child,¡± asked Red Hands Master. ¡°We can do that. In my opinion, Elder Brother Ge, Red Hands Master, and Yu Lu should form a team and take responsibility for breaking the barrier. The remaining three of us will form another team. Dan Yangzi will kill the practitioner in the Grain Avoidance stage, and Shen Luo and I will take care of Lu Qing. What do you all think?¡± proposed Lu Huaming. ¡°Isn''t it a waste to have me kill a Grain Avoidance stage practitioner?¡± Dan Yangzi joked with a hint of a smile. Chapter 534 Chapter 534: 530 Chapter 534: 530 As soon as Dan Yangzi finished speaking, Shen Luo''s voice suddenly resounded in their consciousness: ¡°To be honest, Daoist friend, I''ve fought with that Grain Avoidance Cultivator. His cultivation level is not impressive, but he isn''t bad at fleeing. I hope you won''t underestimate him.¡± Upon hearing this Dan Yangzi was slightly taken aback, as this time, Shen Luo had only telepathically communicated with him alone. ¡°I understand, thank you for the reminder,¡± he responded. No one had any objections to Lu Huaming''s arrangements, so they turned their breaths and waited silently. Soon, the few people within the array began to each chant incantations, initiating the magic Array. With obsure and hard to comprehend chanting resonating from Xuanxiao and the others'' mouths, the seven small White Bone Corpse Piles within Seven Lamps Soul Attraction Array also gradually began to light up one after another. In all of the skull eye sockets, two groups of gloomy green ghost fire lit up. In the slightly flickering flames, wisps of black smoke could be vaguely seen floating out and dispersing several meters above the entire formation. Bit by bit, they congealed into a cloud of black smoke. Within the cloud, Yin Sha Qi permeated everything and a chaotic vortex could faintly be seen forming. At this moment, Xuanxiao suddenly opened his eyes wide, and pointed towards the front. Immediately, a blood light shot out from his fingertip, striking one of the Corpse Pile altars. Madam Miao and the Blood Child also each acted, placing blood light on the other altars. As their actions finished, blood-colored light pillars simultaneously rose from the seven Corpse Pile altars, directly connecting with the black cloud above. The black cloud in the instant it was linked with the light pillar, radiated a layer of red light on the inside. The bloody vortex that was barely taking form immediately began to rotate quickly, letting out a strong pulling force. Sitting around the altar, Xuanxiao''s three-person party''s bodies outwardly released Mana as if a tide had surged outwards. Each went along with one of the blood-colored light pillars, revolving upwards and merging into the high altitude bloody cloud vortex. ¡°The seven stars are lit, Yinsha leads the path, speed.¡± Xuanxiao yelled out. The blood cloud in mid-air instantly churned wildly. Strong wisps of Yinsha Black Qi crazily scattered from the vortex, filling the entire space inside the boundary. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and peered into the boundary through the light curtain. As a result, within the bloody cloud, two giant bare feet of blue-purple color were slowly descending, each wearing a large white beaded anklet. ¡°Such powerful negative energy, is this the strongest Ghost King from the Yinling Mountain Tomb?¡± Shen Luo doubted in his heart. At this moment, he suddenly clearly saw that the white anklets on the pair of feet were not strung with beads, but rather flawless white skulls. With the gradual emergence of the giant figure, the blood light covering the bodies of the three in the array''s interior also intensified. Their expressions were not relaxed; they appeared to be bearing some quite substantial pressure. ¡°Now is the time. Attack!¡± At this moment, Lu Huaming''s voice suddenly rang out. Shen Luo and Dan Yangzi, who had been preparing from the beginning, moved at the same time. Splitting left and right, they bypassed the formation''s light curtain and killed towards Lu Qing and Feng Shui respectively. With the flicker of moonlight under Shen Luo''s feet, his figure transformed into an afterimage. His speed was twice as fast as Dan Yangzi''s, and soon he arrived in front of Lu Qing. Lifting his palm, a yellow stamp had already flown out, emitting a brilliant light in mid-air. ¡°Hum, hum, hum¡± With a series of sounds resonating, one layer of mountain, after another emerged, forming the true image of the Five Peaks, simultaneously suppressing Lu Qing. Just as they were about to near his skull, Lu Qing''s eyes suddenly opened wide. A black umbrella appeared out of nowhere in his palm. Suddenly planting it on the ground with a ¡°Whoosh¡±, it opened. The surface of the open black umbrella had images of three half-naked, strong men propping up the sky. It emitted a thick black light, firmly resisting the pressure of the mountains without moving an inch. Lu Qing''s figure popped out from within, the whole person rushed forward at extreme speed, almost sticking to the ground. In an instant, he arrived in front of Shen Luo, lifting his fist directly aiming for Shen Luo''s face. Shen Luo collided head-on with him, only to see a fist wrapped in a vortex of green light suddenly coming towards him. Not wanting to be outdone, he too, threw a punch. A loud ''bang'' resounded, a powerful air wave exploded between the two. Shen Luo only felt an overwhelming force transmitted through his arm, almost paralyzing his entire arm. He immediately retreated backward with a furrowed brow. However, Lu Qing did not intend to let him go. Tapping his foot once again, he still chased with the same odd posture, practically sticking to the ground. A punch went straight for Shen Luo''s chest. Just as he was about to be hit, a ray of green Sword light suddenly slashed downward from above, only then was Lu Qing stopped. Lu Huaming''s figure dripped down from high altitude, landing lightly on the Sword''s handle and asked, ¡°Brother Shen, are you okay?¡± ¡°I''m fine, this guy''s strength is really not small.¡± Shen Luo shook his arm and shook his head. That said, he shifted his gaze and glanced at Dan Yangzi''s situation. He saw that Feng Shui had been punched in the heart by Dan Yangzi and had been thrown backward, crashing into an old tree. However, that guy quickly got up from the ground. Astonishingly, there was no blood flowing from the hole in his heart and the wound was rapidly healing at a visible speed. When Shen Luo looked at him, he likewise saw Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s Yinling Talisman disguise had been completely scattered, revealing his true appearance. ¡°It''s you¡­ Shen Luo!¡± Feng Shui was first startled, then raged uncontrollably. Shen Luo frowned, but was too tied up to pay him any mind. He turned his head to glance at Ge Tianqing and the other two. But he saw Yu Lu pressing a fist-sized gray stone against the boundary, continuously transmitting his Mana into it. ¡°That stone¡­ is the Shadowless Jade.¡± Shen Luo recognized the stone at a glance. His eyes then fell on Yu Lu''s back and he felt it looked familiar. Before he could distinguish it clearly though, a loud ''bang'' came from the direction of the boundary. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Black light scattered from the location of the explosion, Ge Tianqing and the other two were all forced to retreat. Even the Shadowless Jade was knocked away, falling to the side. ¡°I''ve seen ghosts disguised as humans in the past, but today was truly eye-opening. It''s the first time I''ve seen humans disguised as ghosts.¡± A voice full of mockery came from inside the boundary. Looking over in surprise, Shen Luo saw that Xuanxiao and the two others who were just previously focusing all their energy on operating the formation were standing up and looking outside the light curtain. Seeing this, Ge Tianqing and the others immediately retreated to Shen Luo''s side. ¡°It seems we were exposed quite early on.¡± Lu Huaming also brought his sword back to his side. Chapter 535 Chapter 535: 531 Chapter 535: 531 ¡°That kid''s water techniques are quite strange, I had some difficulty trying to kill him.¡± After returning behind Shen Luo, Dan Yangzi said somewhat shamefaced because he failed to kill Feng Shui. ¡°Yu Lu, did you betray the Refining Body Altar, or were you originally a mole for the government?¡± Xuanxiao''s gaze fell on Yu Lu as he coldly inquired. ¡°Is there any difference?¡± Yu Lu sighed and retorted. ¡°Yes, the situation is different, and so will be your way of dying.¡± Xuanxiao said indifferently. ¡°Compared to this, I would rather know how you discovered us?¡± asked Yu Lu. ¡°Do you not know? Both my Master and I are Ghost Cultivators, steeped in this Dao for countless years, how could we not distinguish between a ghost or not? True, your YinLing talisman grade is indeed remarkable, but in front of my eyes, it''s all illusory.¡± Xuanxiao scoffed. As he spoke, he pointed to his own eyes and flipped his pupils down, revealing another pair of deep purple pupils. ¡°The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld!¡± Dan Yangzi couldn''t help but exclaim, the admiration in his eyes was somewhat intense. Being a Ghost Cultivator himself, he knew that cultivating the Ghost Path also depended on talent, some people were naturally Yin-bodied and had Yin pupils, naturally excelling in this path. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was one of them. It was rumored that this eye could identify all sorts of ghosts and spirits, even those who had become Ghost immortals through cultivation, could be seen through. ¡°What do we do now? The plan was completely disrupted, do we still fight?¡± Red Hands Master asked solemnly via telepathy. ¡°Fight, of course we fight. The entire city is covering for us this time, once we fail, there will be no next chance.¡± Before Lu Huaming could speak, Dan Yangzi spoke first. However, while speaking, his eyes were fixed on Xuanxiao''s pupils, revealing a hint of greed in his eyes. ¡°When Yellow Wood Senior threw us here, he didn''t leave us a way back. Even if we don''t fight here, we''ll have to battle our way back to North City.¡± Shen Luo said slowly with a bitter smile. ¡°Don''t despair just yet. As long as we destroy that array, the mission is considered successful. It''s better than being chased back like a homeless dog.¡± Lu Huaming said with a smile. Without saying a word, Ge Tianqing merely turned his gaze towards Xuanxiao as his robes blew in the non-existent wind, and the sound of constant ¡°crackling¡± emerged from his sleeves. Just then, a muffled ¡°bang¡± echoed. The black umbrella rose and shot into the sky, directly overturning the Five Peaks True Form Seal that was pressing on it. Taking the opportunity, Shen Luo lifted his hand and retrieved the seal, which was falling from the sky, into his hand. On the other side, Lu Qing firmly held the black umbrella and coldly looked this way. At the same time, a gap suddenly appeared in the array, and the three Xuanxiao sprinted outward through it, leaving the array. ¡°You shrimp soldiers and crab generals also want to destroy this Seven Lamps Soul Attraction Array? I''m afraid you won''t even be able to break through the outermost array!¡± Xuanxiao sneered. Feng Shui approached him, looking somewhat apprehensive, and said: ¡°Elder Xuanxiao, we mustn''t be careless, that boy in the green shirt is Shen Luo. Previously, Elder Tong Guan was defeated by him.¡± ¡°Has this kid gone mad? Asking Elder Xuanxiao to be careful of the weakest among them, a mere Early Stage Soul Condensation cultivator?¡± Blood Child''s eyes were filled with mockery as he grinned. Xuanxiao also felt insulted and couldn''t help but snort coldly. ¡°Elders, please listen to me. That boy defeated Elder Tong Guan at the Peak of Grain Avoidance Stage not long ago, and now he has become a Soul Condensation cultivator in such short time. Isn''t that unnatural enough?¡± Feng Shui didn''t notice that Xuanxiao''s face was turning increasingly ugly, and still kept on persuading. A humming sound interrupted their conversation. Xuanxiao waved his wide sleeve, directly knocking Feng Shui back, who slid backward and hit an old tree. ¡°You piece of shit, are you comparing me to that waste, Tong Guan? He lost the Jade-eyed Golden Toad that he had been watching for so many years. Even if he did not die on the Dalishi Mountain, he should be skinned and tortured with Sky Lighting Lamp upon his return,¡± he shouted in anger. Feng Shui was seriously injured from the impact. After gasping for breath for a while, he suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. His vision was somewhat blurry. He leaned against the old tree that he had broken, revealing a bitter smile through the divided mouth. ¡°Well, what a waste of time,¡± Blood Child glanced at him and said with some disgust. Then he turned to Shen Luo and the others, a bared cruel smile revealing his sharp fangs, a murderous look flashed in his eyes. ¡°Dispatch them quickly, and we might be able to summon them back on the spot, so the army of ghosts can have quite a few good reinforcements.¡± Madam Miao gently pulled off the white bone hand from her chest and said without changing her gentle tone. ¡°Since Feng Shui cares so much about that boy, I''ll take care of him,¡± Lu Qing said with a focused gaze. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You sure know how to take it easy, picking the weakest one.¡± Blood Child taunted. ¡°We need to finish quickly. The Ghost King of Yinling Mountain also needs to be summoned as soon as possible,¡± said Xuanxiao. As soon as he finished speaking, with a gust of wind aside him, Lu Qing rushed out, with his sight tightly locked on Shen Luo, charging straight towards him. ¡°He''s coming at me, good, I don''t quite like him either,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, and with a leap, he rushed out. ¡°Brother Ge, please take care of Xuanxiao for the time being.¡± Lu Huaming''s eyebrows knitted, he flew after Shen Luo. Ge Tianqing frowned slightly, then his hand reached out and a sui generis black iron awl appeared in his palm. The jagged surface of the iron awl looked like it was formed naturally instead of being man-made. As soon as his mana poured into it, the black iron awl made a crackling sound, black thunder and lightning instantly wrapped around it, turning it into a sword of lightning. ¡°Brother Ge, if you don''t mind, I''d like to assist you and deal with Xuanxiao together,¡± Dan Yangzi chuckled and took the initiative to offer. After a slight hesitation, Ge Tianqing nodded, and the two charged forward one after the other. Only Yu Lu and Red Hands Master were left. They exchanged a glance and then looked at the white-haired old woman and the Blood Child on the opposite side. ¡°I''ll take care of that little devil,¡± said Re Hands Master after a slight hesitation. ¡°I''ll deal with Madam Miao,¡± said Yu Lu. Having said that, the two men rushed out immediately, each engaging an enemy in battle. The Blood Child and Red Hands Master were both mid-stage Soul Condensation cultivators, and they were equally matched. While Madam Miao, even though she was in the early stage of soul condensation, was much more powerful than Yu Lu, a Peak of Grain Avoidance cultivator. She immediately had him on the ropes. Yu Lu had to rely on his agility to barely evade her attacks. Madam Miao, however, didn''t seem to be in a hurry to kill him, instead, she continued attacking with her bone claw instrument, leaving shocking blood marks on his body. On the other side, after Shen Luo and Lu Qing had collided, the two separated. Lu Huaming immediately followed, brandishing his long sword straight at Lu Qing. As Lu Qing evaded backward, he pushed forward his black big umbrella, which then collided with him. The characters of support for heaven on the surface of the umbrella emerged again. They punched out in the action of Luohan Out of the Cave, causing the umbrella to emit a burst of intense black light, which blocked Lu Huaming''s sword. While the two were in a stalemate, Shen Luo rushed past at a high speed, bypassing the surface of the umbrella, and arrived at Lu Qing''s side. He held the snake-shaped long sword and stabbed it straight at Lu Qing''s neck. Chapter 536 Chapter 536: Chapter 532: Fierce Battle Chapter 536: Chapter 532: Fierce Battle Facing Shen Luo''s swift attacks, Lu Qing reacted just as quickly. As he tilted his neck sharply, he flung up an arm towards the longsword. On his arm was a wrist guard, carved with a relief of a lion''s head. The moment the sword''s edge approached, it snapped its jaws shut, locking the longsword in place despite Shen Luo''s attempts to withdraw. A cold light flashed in Lu Qing''s eyes, he suddenly opened his mouth. A burst of green light exploded from within, and a gleaming green flying dagger shot out, hurtling towards Shen Luo''s forehead at extreme speed. The distance between the two of them was too close to dodge. Just as Shen Luo was about to be pierced through the skull by the green light, a red light flared up from between his eyebrows. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo cultivated within his body made an instant counterattack, colliding with the green light. Dagger and Sword Embryo locked in a fierce confrontation, sending out sparks and creating green and red light traces, making an unceasing jingling sound. Just then, Shen Luo''s mouth curved into a slight smirk, and the hand gripping the sword gave a gentle tap. Two streaks of blue light, each a foot long, shot out from the longsword. One aimed straight for Lu Qing''s throat, and the other charged towards the flying dagger. At a loss under the double onslaught and having to divert his attention to control the flying dagger, Lu Qing was left with no choice but to channel all his mana, forcing his head down and bite down at the blue light. There was a soft crunch, and the shortsword became lodged between Lu Qing''s teeth. The shortsword trembled without penetrating further. Lu Qing sighed with relief. Just as he was about to telepathically call for help from his companion, his face suddenly froze. A crimson flying sword easily pierced through his skull, igniting a crimson flame within the sea of his consciousness. In only the span of a few breaths, his soul was completely consumed. Lu Qing''s eyes instantly lost their luster, his mouth loosened its grip, and the shortsword made a chit sound as it pierced through the back of his head and hit the lining of the black umbrella. All of this happened extremely fast, barely making a sound, and because of the cover of the black umbrella, no one saw how Lu Qing died. Shen Luo retracted all his magical instruments, grabbed the black umbrella and laughed at Lu Huaming. Lu Huaming had only heard Shen Luo telepathically ask for his help earlier, but had not expected matters to be resolved so neatly and decisively. He was momentarily taken aback, his face somewhat rigid. Before Lu Huaming could recover, Shen Luo had already put away the black umbrella and was preparing to retrieve the wrist guard from Lu Qing''s arm. Just then, Shen Luo saw Yu Lu out of the corner of his eye. Bloodied and fallen on the ground, he was unable to stand anymore. On the other side, Xuanxiao was locked in battle with Ge Tianqing and Dan Yangzi, handling the two of them with two huge grotesque ghost creatures while easily maintaining the upper hand. Ge Tianqing, with his dark thunder mystic arts, which should have been the bane of ghosts, was instead blocked by a one-eyed Ghost King clad in golden armor wielding pitch-black long halberds, unable to make a single step closer to Xuanxiao. Dan Yangzi had his chest laid bare, revealing three ghost faces in pain. Surrounded by malignant aura, his scattered hair fluttering, he himself seemed like a ghost creature. The ghost he was pitted against was in a blood robe, shaking its oversized sleeves gently, and releasing Yin wind and death Qi from its sleeves, tearing open Dan Yangzi''s aura like blades in a whirlwind. The Red Hands Master danced with a colorful Five-Fire Fan, continuously fanning it towards the Blood Child. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, two small lumps, akin to tumors, emerged from both sides of the Blood Child''s neck. Each lump had a mouth, one spraying thick grey smoke, and the other shooting out a group of red light. Any contact with the former would cause clothing and skin to instantly decay, while those hit by the latter would be hurt by the explosion of the blood light. Red Hands Master had to keep his distance, launching long-distance attacks against the child. By this time, they all noticed that Lu Qing was actually dead, each of them shaken. Their anger intensified, and their attacks became more brutal, with killing moves being frequently used. ¡°I was careless. I should have killed him earlier,¡± Madame Miao muttered, suddenly holding the white bone claw horizontally before her mouth. Several holes were distributed on the arm part of the bone claw, looking eerily similar to a bone flute. As she blew gently into it, an ear-piercing sound resonated from the bone claw, causing Yu Lu, lying on the ground, to convulse violently. He got up in a bizarre posture. Although his face was twisted in pain and he opened his mouth, he couldn''t make a sound, his eyes somewhat vacant. At this moment, the sound from the bone claw suddenly became urgent. A layer of blood-colored light appeared on Yu Lu''s body. His eyes flickered in the dark, and he immediately started to run fast. He held a crimson short sword in his hand, charging directly at Shen Luo. ¡°Sound Gu, he has been controlled,¡± Lu Huaming said with a frown. ¡°Is there a way to break this control?¡± Shen Luo stood up and asked. ¡°The Gu insect has entered the body, and it is difficult to break the control immediately. But if we kill the person who placed the Gu worm and take away her Gu-controlling instrument, we should be able to temporarily lift the control. Afterwards, we can find a way to expel it,¡± Lu Huaming said. As soon as his words finished, Yu Lu had already rushed to their side. ¡°You deal with that old witch. I will temporarily control Yu Lu,¡± Lu Huaming was about to intercept Yu Lu when he was grabbed by Shen Luo. Lu Huaming nodded, and immediately leapt up, jumping over Yu Lu''s head. He lunged towards Madam Miao. Shen Luo, on the other hand, retreated by tapping his toes, simultaneously forming a spell with both hands. He began to operate the Nameless Method with all his might, waving it towards the front. In no time, raging water waves surged from the mansion''s pool, engulfing Yu Lu. Yu Lu raised his short blade and chopped it forward, a trail of blood light expanded along the blade, forcing the water on both sides to retreat when it hit the water wave, opening up a pathway. He dashed through it, chasing after Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed, and he gestured with his fingers. Immediately, flood dragons emerged from the water, ten solid water dragons with the thickness of an arm dived down from all sides, entangling Yu Lu in the center. At the same time, he chanted a spirit communication spell in his heart, and a flat water vortex began to form in the palm of his upturned hand. He swung it forward fiercely. As soon as the water vortex reached above Yu Lu''s head, a powerful aura exploded from his body, and a scarlet light burst out, shattering all the water dragons into countless splashes. But almost simultaneously, a sea worm monster, two to three feet long, burst out from the water vortex and entwined Yu Lu once more. A large amount of pink mist gushed out from the monster''s body, engulfing Yu Lu completely. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo covered his mouth and nose, and retreated several steps. Within the pink mist, Yu Lu''s figure became blurry, but one could still see the signs of his struggle to run. Yet, after only a few steps, he seemed to lose his strength and collapsed on the ground. Chapter 537 Chapter 537: Chapter 533: Undercover Identity Chapter 537: Chapter 533: Undercover Identity ¡°Maochun, it''s about time, you can retract your poisonous gas now.¡± Seeing the situation, Shen Luo called out with a frown. As soon as his voice fell, the pink mist spreading all around began to shrink back. In no time, the surroundings returned to clarity, and Shen Luo saw Sea Caterpillar Maochun sprawled on Yu Lu''s body, absorbing back the last bit of poisonous gas. Within two to three feet of Yu Lu''s body, there were red worms crawling about, resembling earthworms, but all had been killed by Maochun''s poisonous gas. ¡°How is he?¡± Shen Luo walked over and asked with concern. ¡°He has a severe Qi deficiency, and also got some of my poisonous gas administered, the wound does not look light.¡± Maochun replied. Shen Luo''s gaze hardened, he said, ¡°You''ve worked hard, you can''t help here for now, you can go back first.¡± Having said that, he used the Art of Spirit Communication once again, and sent Maochun back. ¡°Daoist friend Xie¡­¡± Shen Luo propped up ¡°Yu Lu¡±, fed him an Elixir, but called out as such. The person in his arms coughed lightly, slowly opened his eyes, looked exhausted but still asked, ¡°How did you know it was me?¡± Shen Luo opened one palm, in its center lay a grayish stone, it was the Shadowless Jade. ¡°I felt a strangely familiar breath from you before, and when I saw this, I immediately recognized you.¡± Shen Luo smiled and said. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, ¡°Yu Lu¡± rubbed behind his ear with his hand, then strained to rub his face a few times. An ordinary male face quickly turned into a pretty female face. If it wasn''t Xie Yuxin, who else could it be? ¡°How are you, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo asked with concern. ¡°My life is safe, thank you.¡± Xie Yuxin looked pale and somewhat unnatural as she sat up slightly in Shen Luo''s arms. ¡°I originally thought you had left Chang''an, but unexpectedly you infiltrated the Refining Body Altar, you must have experienced many dangers.¡± Shen Luo, with a small frown, said. ¡°The strategy required me to hide, and I couldn''t inform you in advance, so I hope Brother Shen will not mind.¡± Xie Yuxin said with a touch of remorse. As she spoke, she coughed lightly again, and blood seeped out from the gaps between her fingers that covered her mouth. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately wanted to help her to the other side to rest, but she stopped him by holding his arm. ¡°It''s not time to rest yet. We must first destroy that array.¡± As Xie Yuxin spoke, she began to struggle to her feet. ¡°Ok.¡± Shen Luo hesitated no further, nodded, and helped her walk towards the Boundary Light Curtain. On the other side, Lu Huaming was holding a sword in one hand and a round bronze mirror in the other, engaged in a battle with Madam Miao. Madam Miao''s bone claws frequently shot out at tricky angles and always got deflected by Lu Huaming''s sword. After each unsuccessful attempt, a golden light would reflect off the bronze mirror, causing her great discomfort. The Blood Child was also trapped by the Red Hands Master, unable to extract himself. Xuanxiao glanced at Shen Luo and his companion heading towards the Boundary Light Curtain, and his face darkened even more. He really hadn''t expected Lu Qing to die so quickly. His gaze fell on Shen Luo''s back again, and a strange thought popped into his mind: could it be that what Feng Shui said wasn''t ridiculous nonsense? Thinking of this, he glanced around, but Feng Shui was nowhere to be seen. His frustration grew stronger. ¡°You''re courting death.¡± With an angry roar from his mouth, two black talisman papers swooshed out from his sleeve, hitting the back of the heads of the two huge ghosts, turning into a black light and merging into their skulls. The moment the talisman papers merged, the two ghosts abruptly tilted their heads skywards, letting out an earth-shaking roar. The Ghost King in golden armor, astonishingly emitted a golden glow from his eyes. A dark wind howled and wrapped up Ge Tianqing as he stirred his long halberd. The other Ghost King let out an increased blood glow all over, with one of his big sleeves fluttering upwards. The strong whistling wind enveloped Dan Yangzi and caged him in the middle after his sleeve retracted. Xuanxiao advanced in big strides and reached the boundary of the array within a blink, raising his palm and driving it towards Shen Luo''s back region. Shen Luo gave the Shadowless Jade to Xie Yuxin and pushed her aside. He turned around and confronted Xuanxiao, then extended his palms violently forwards. A mossy green round shield swiftly flew out from his chest and rapidly enlarged against the wind. It instantaneously transformed into a huge shield over six feet height, flashes of cascading water patterned green light flickered on it, and the shield was placed before Shen Luo. Xuanxiao snorted coldly and suddenly increased the power in his palm. The black light in his palm intensified and he heavily struck the Ink Armor Shield. A loud ¡°boom¡± was heard! The black light in Xuanxiao''s palm exploded. The dense and distinctly visible death force directly scattered the green light on top of the shield. His heavy palm fell upon the turtle shell''s surface, causing severe shaking of the shield in the front. Shen Luo, who was exerting his full force behind the shield, was directly sent flying backward due to this unmatched powerful force, and he crashed against the boundary light curtain. The prohibition rune of the boundary was triggered instantly, causing a bright yellow light to burst out it relentlessly throwing Shen Luo forward again. Fortunately, most of the power in Xuanxiao''s palm strike was blocked by the Ink Armor Shield, and the boundary only had a passive defense, so the force was not too great. Therefore, Shen Luo just spouted some blood but his body was unharmed. It was just that Shen Luo was flung out with such force that Xie Yuxin, who had just arrived at the boundary, was startled. ¡°Shen Luo . . . ¡± she couldn''t help crying out in alarm. Struggling to rise, Shen Luo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and hurriedly recalled the Ink Armor Shield, but before he could say a word, he saw Xuanxiao closing in with another palm strike. With Xie Yuxin not far behind him, he had no chance to dodge. So he made a daring move, took a step forwards while both hands held the Ink Armor Shield which had resumed its original size, he ran the Nameless Cultivation Technique at full power and transferred all his mana into the shield. Once again, a dazzling green light emanated from the Ink Armor Shield, prohibition runes lit up one after another, and diamond-shaped turtle shell patterns emerged from the surface, forming light marks on the exterior with as many as twelve layers. As Xuanxiao''s palm neared, he suddenly bent his fingers, forming claws from his palm. At the tip of his fingers, the black light condensed into five rotating mini-black light vortexes, harboring an unparalleled sharp spirit, attacking the turtle shell patterns. ¡°Crack, crack, crack . . . ¡± One light mark after another corresponding to the patterns on the turtle shell was pierced by Xuanxiao''s fingers. The twelve prohibitions were as fragile as paper and couldn''t block the assaulting attack. ¡°Zing¡± Eventually, there was a sharp sound, as Xuanxiao''s palm completely shattered all the light marks, then put a grip on the body of the Ink Armor Shield, causing a sharp noise. Shen Luo felt a shake in his body due to this overpowering force, and he retreated several steps backwards. However, he gritted his teeth, narrowing his eyes. Placing his body against the shield, he exerted all his strength to stop Xuanxiao from progressing any further. Chapter 538 Chapter 538: Chapter 534: Breaking the Formation Chapter 538: Chapter 534: Breaking the Formation ¡°Shen Luo!¡± Xie Yuxin knitted her brows tightly. ¡°Don''t worry about me, quickly break through the formation.¡± Beads of sweat adorned Shen Luo''s forehead, a trickle of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. He gritted his teeth and instructed hurriedly. Xie Yuxin activated the Shadowless Jade on the Light Curtain boundary while transferring her remaining mana entirely into it. In a flash, the Shadowless Jade emitted a tremendous glow emanating ripples of light like water waves. Upon hitting the boundary Light Curtain, the jade emitted a yellow light that mixed with the Light Curtain, forming a blurry light zone. Raising her hand, Xie Yuxin extended it towards the zone, her palm seemingly passed right through it and into the boundary. A flash of joy filled her eyes. She propelled her body forward, penetrating the Light Curtain and leaping into the pit. Seeing this, Xuanxiao became furiously livid. He hollered at Shen Luo: ¡°Move away!¡± As his words fell, the Qi from his robe shot out in every direction. His aura changed rapidly, and the fluctuation of his mana began to shift from the Nascent Soul Initial Period gradually towards the Middle Stage. At the same time, his stature elongated rapidly while his face distorted into a grotesque giant who resembled a Ghost King more than the actual Ghost King. He raised his hand and discharged five beams of black light from his palm, as sharp as scythes, and diagonally sliced downwards at Shen Luo, accompanied by an overpoweringly strong gust of wind. ¡°Clang¡±. The force of the blow caused the Ink Armor Shield to fall from Shen Luo''s grip, dropping to the side. Immediately after, Xuanxiao closed his five fingers, and a cold light burst out from his palm, directly aiming to stab into Shen Luo''s midsection. Without the shield for protection, Shen Luo could only use his Slanting Moon steps to dodge. However, the moonlight at his feet extinguished as soon as it lit up. Unknown to him, the ground has been engulfed by black Yin Sha Qi, trapping his legs in two whirlpools of black smoke, completely immobilizing him. Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows, vigorously slammed his Qiankun bag. A Ghost General emerged from it, brandishing two long knives and fiercely swung towards the cold light. Shen Luo then fully urged the Qiankun Bag to absorb the Yin Sha fog entangling his legs. However, the Yin Sha on his legs seemed to be connected with that on the ground. As soon as he tried to absorb it, he only managed to incite more Yin Sha from the ground, engulphing him even further. Escape now seemed impossible. On the other side, Lu Huaming was slowly pulling his longsword out of Madam Miao''s chest, his body enveloped in a dazzling golden light. He saw Shen Luo''s predicament and became anxious. Gripping a purple talisman, he uttered apprehensively, ¡°I hope I''m not too late¡­¡± Just as his words fell, the talisman burnt out, and his figure vanished from the spot instantly. At this moment, Xuanxiao''s palm had already fallen. The cold light from his palm effortlessly split the long knives of the Ghost General, directly piercing through half of its body, and was about to enter Shen Luo''s chest. Just then, a golden light suddenly sparkled in front of Shen Luo and shone brilliantly in the next instant. The figure of Lu Huaming abruptly emerged right in front, his dazzling Golden Armor was breaking apart swiftly from his limbs towards his torso, transforming into golden fragments scattering into nothingness. However, the mirror shielding his chest hadn''t shattered yet, and at the very last moment, it managed to block Xuanxiao''s strike. ¡°Fast!¡± Lu Huaming sprayed out a bit of his essence blood from the tip of his tongue, hitting the longsword in his hand, and immediately let out a light cry. The longsword instantly hummed loudly, breaking free from his grip like a roaming dragon, striking directly through Xuanxiao''s chest. Following that, Shen Luo, who had caught his breath, let his Pure Yang Sword Embryo loose through pure thought, shooting directly towards Xuanxiao''s forehead. However, just as the crimson sword light arrived, Xuanxiao''s forehead suddenly split open, revealing a large blood-drenched eyeball, which emitted a stream of light, enveloping the sword light, and halting it mid-air. ¡°Zi La La¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, a violent flash of lightning passed by, and a figure rushed from behind, landed on Xuanxiao''s shoulder, holding a long spear-like iron pick, and stabbed upward from his ear. The iron pick flickered with electricity, piercing directly through Xuanxiao''s skull, poking out from that vertical eye on his forehead. Free from the bondage of the blood light, Shen Luo''s Pure Yang Sword Embryo met with no more obstacles and instantly entered his sea of knowledge, burning his divine soul to emptiness. Xuanxiao''s body trembled violently, suddenly falling backward, his body quickly shrinking, eventually returning to normal. Seeing Xuanxiao''s death, shock rippled through Blood Child''s heart. After a quick glance, he found that even Madam Miao''s figure was gone. He immediately decided to retreat and turned to run away. But Red Hands Master had no intention of letting him go, pursuing him relentlessly. On the other side, the Blood Robe Ghost King summoned by Xuanxiao gradually phased out and disappeared. Dan Yangzi''s figure reappeared, his entire upper body completely naked, with ten terrifying faces prominently visible on his front and back, each with a grotesque expression, resembling evil ghosts. As soon as he appeared, he sped over, bending down to carefully inspect Xuanxiao''s body. ¡°Thankfully, these eyes aren''t damaged.¡± Dan Yangzi joyously exclaimed as he prepared to gouge out Xuanxiao''s eyes. But as soon as he moved, he halted, turning his head with a somewhat embarrassed expression and said: ¡°Fellow cultivators, this Ghost Eye of the Netherworld is quite useful for cultivators who practice Ghost Path techniques, but it''s useless for you. Would you mind if I take it? Besides this, I''m willing to give up all other gains here, how about that?¡± ¡°I have no use for it, but I''ll take his body. The Yin Sha Qi in it would be somewhat useful for my ghost general subordinate,¡± Shen Luo, now free, spoke out. Lu Huaming and Ge Tianqing glanced at each other and nodded in agreement. Upon hearing this, Dan Yangzi was overjoyed. He promptly took out a curved hook and a jade box and gouged out Xuanxiao''s eyes. Shen Luo tasked the severely injured ghost general, who came to Xuanxiao''s side, transformed into a cloud of black fog, and flowed into Xuanxiao''s body through his mouth and nose. Quickly, Xuanxiao''s already withered body began to shrink rapidly, eventually turning into a handful of dust, leaving only a black storage ring on the ground. Seeing this, Dan Yangzi''s eyes lit up with surprise as he couldn''t resist admiring: ¡°Brother Shen, this ghost general''s method of devouring Yin Sha seems unusual?¡± Shen Luo hadn''t paid attention earlier, but upon hearing this, he realized that the ghost general''s speed of absorbing Yin Sha was indeed out of the ordinary. ¡°Master, there''s no need to be surprised. It''s only after you used the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Method to draw in the Sha that I even managed this transformation. It''s thanks to your favor that I had such an opportunity to change,¡± the ghost general''s voice rang in his mind. At that moment, a ¡°boom¡± exploded from behind Shen Luo. Everyone turned towards the sound only to see a patch of eerie green ghost fire soaring into the sky from the center of the array, exploding and breaching the outer light curtain of the boundary. Chapter 539 Chapter 539: Chapter 535: Melee Chapter 539: Chapter 535: Melee A sense of urgency gripped Shen Luo''s heart. He hurriedly retracted the Ghost General and Ink Armor Shield, looking towards the large pit. The seven Skeleton Palaces had already completely collapsed. Xie Yuxin was sitting on the side resting, a hint of fatigue flashing across her face. Upon seeing that she was unharmed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, they heard a series of swearing sounds. The Red Hands Master rushed over and said to them, ¡°That bastard managed to escape again. There are ghosts starting to gather outside, we need to leave quickly.¡± Ge Tianqing bent down to pick up the storage ring and said, ¡°We''ll divide it up later.¡± Lu Huaming nodded. ¡°Next time, let''s not do this undercover tactic again,¡± Shen Luo hopped out of the large pit, helping Xie Yuxin up, he said with a smile. Just as Xie Yuxin was about to speak, the earth beneath their feet suddenly shook violently. A black whirlwind rose from the ground, turning into a huge vortex swallowing both of them. Seeing something was wrong, Lu Huaming hurriedly tried to come to their aid, but before he could lean over, he was caught by the force and pulled into the vortex as well. Realizing something was amiss, Ge Tianqing and the others tried to flee immediately, but before they could get away, they were also swept up by the intensifying force and swallowed. After a dozen or so breaths, the black tornado in the large pit gradually dissipated, and Shen Luo and the others had all disappeared. Within the vast Chang''an City, the sounds of fighting echoed everywhere. The entire Great Tang Dynasty Government went all out, and so did the opponents consisting of ghosts. On the ground, ordinary soldiers and low-ranking cultivators fought fiercely with zombies, water ghosts, and other lower-level ghosts. Every street was a battlefield, and the roar of battle shook the heavens. Hovering in mid-air was a cloud of pitch-black inkiness, deep and inscrutable as the endless night sky, swallowing half of the horizon in an attempt to envelop the entire sky. Below the dark clouds, the high-ranking cultivators of Chang''an city, ferocious ghosts, and Body Refining Platform Monks clashed furiously. Various magical instruments flashed wildly, ghostly shadows moved, shrieking and screaming filled the air. Blood splattered all over from time to time, and severed limbs fell. The fighting was even more brutal than below, the air above Chang''an City seemed to be filled with the smell of blood. At the forefront of the battle circle hovered several huge bright light groups, clashing fiercely with each other. Those with the highest cultivation levels from both sides were battling, causing ground-shaking explosions from time to time. Right at the forefront, an elderly man clad in ancient armor was standing in the void. It was Cheng Yaojin. Holding two shiny golden axes, he was fighting fiercely against a large, red creature with three skulls and a tall man in a black robe with a strange yin-yang face. Despite being outnumbered, Cheng Yaojin maintained the advantage. The giant three-headed skeleton, frustrated by its prolonged failure to prevail, its six eyes shining with fierce light, and all three mouths opened and spat out fire simultaneously. Three globes of red flame shot out of its mouth, which quickly enlarged and in a blink of an eye formed three clusters of red flames, each dozens of feet in size, sizzling as they grew. The central of the three skulls opened its mouth again to emit a beam of scarlet light which split into three and was injected into the flames. The tripartite flames quickly merged and grew, transforming into a hill-like flame that streaked towards Cheng Yaojin like a meteor. A boundless aura of menace radiated from within the flames, causing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the vicinity to surge. This strike was clearly not a trifling matter. The blood light on the three skulls dimmed by more than half, and their bodies shrank significantly. The Yin-Yang Face Man also let out a harsh scream. With a flick of his hands, a black and white treasure mirror appeared in front of him, radiating unusual black and white lights. The Yin-Yang Face Man''s tongue writhed, his essence blood spewing onto the black and white mirror, quickly melting into it. The black and white light emitted by the treasure mirror surged immediately. With a humming sound, a column of black and white light shot out from the mirror, aiming at Cheng Yaojin. Cheng Yaojin snorted coldly. A dazzling golden glow surged around him. The giant axe in his hand also emitted a strong golden light, swinging out horizontally. A sharp tearing sound resounded, instantly echoing through the void. A mountainous golden light scurried up, forming a golden light pillar about twenty or thirty feet high, breaking through the air like a landslide. The air in front seemed to have been instantly drained by a terrifying force, making a low hissing sound. The suffocating killing intent rolled and intertwined at will, forming a Qi field that seemed to be able to devour everything. The whole void distorted instantly. Cheng Yaojin''s figure also disappeared, merging into the golden light column, rumbling forward and colliding with the blood-red flame group and black and white light column. With two muffled ¡°boom¡± sounds, the blood-red flame group and the black and white light column were easily broken and swallowed by the golden light column. Almost without hesitation, the golden light column continued to roll forth and in the blink of an eye, it reached the front of the three skulls and the Yin-Yang Face Man. Heavily depleted, the three skulls didn''t have time to flee or dodge. They were enveloped by the golden light pillar. With the sound of shattering, the bodies of the three skulls were completely engulfed by the golden light pillar without a trace of what happened. The Yin-Yang Face Man''s face turned pale instantly. He let out a loud shout, the black and white treasure mirror emitted a strong light, and the two-colored light quickly changed and flickered. The nearby void vaguely distorted and fluctuated, making the Yin-Yang Face Man''s figure blurry. The golden light pillar arrived in an instant, fiercely striking the black and white mirror. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the black and white mirror shattered in response, but the golden light pillar also paused slightly. The Yin-Yang Face Man vomited a mouthful of blood with a ¡°wa¡± sound but seized the chance to fly backwards. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the golden light pillar immediately shattered the black and white mirror completely, continuing to rush forward like a lightning bolt. In the blink of an eye, it caught up with the Yin-Yang Face Man and struck him fiercely again. It seemed that the man would also be swallowed up. Just at this moment, the dark clouds behind suddenly churned violently with a surge of dark qi, instantly forming a house-sized black claw covered in black scales, and even emitting the sound of ten thousand ghosts wailing. The black claw reached out, instantly spanning a distance of more than ten feet, appearing in front of the Yin-Yang Face Man, resisting the golden light pillar. A loud rumbling sound was heard, and the golden light and black claw shattered simultaneously. A wave almost visible to the naked eye blasted forward from mid-air, setting off a violent gust of wind. Within a range of several miles, the violent wind surged, and whether it was the cultivators of Chang''an City or the other ghosts, all were blown away. Cheng Yaojin''s figure appeared, bathed in a golden glow, looking like a golden god, inspiring awe. ¡°Yuan Zui, are you finally willing to make a move?¡± He didn''t continue to strike but looked deep into the dark clouds and slowly spoke. The thick black cloud parted to either side, revealing a passageway. A man in a black robe stepped out. He looked to be in his thirties or forties, tall and upright with clear-cut features, even quite distinguished. The most striking feature was his pair of eyes, full of soaring spirit. His demeanor and temperament were enough to capture people''s hearts. Chapter 540 Chapter 540: Chapter 536: Secret Manipulations Chapter 540: Chapter 536: Secret Manipulations ¡°Hehe, Duke Cheng truly is the backbone of the Great Tang. Your ''Unparalleled Strike'' has managed to shatter my Sky Demon Claw,¡± said the man in the black robe, known as Yuan Zui, smiling. ¡°Enough with the talk! Our last skirmish was not enough. Let''s fight again!¡± Cheng Yaojin pointed his giant axe at the man in the black robe. ¡°If Duke wishes to instruct, I am more than willing to accompany. However, our battle could cause a wide range of damage, as before. Why don''t we take it to the sky again?¡± Yuan Zui pointed at the sky. ¡°Exactly what I was thinking!¡± Cheng Yaojin laughed heartily, preparing to ascend into the sky. At that moment, the ground rumbled in the distance, as a black light pillar, about a hundred feet thick, shot from the earth to the sky, like a heavenly pillar. In the southern part of the city, black light flashed, and hundreds of smaller black light pillars sprouted like bamboo shoots after the spring rain. ¡°What?!¡± Yuan Zui''s face visibly changed at the sight. Oppositely, Cheng Yaojin''s eyes lit up, and his face was full of joy. The gigantic black pillar began flashing wildly, revealing bulges on its surface that rapidly swelled and promptly exploded. The smaller light pillars, seemingly connected to the gigantic one, subsequently shattered one by one. The dark clouds in the sky, seemingly linked with the light pillars, also started to churn like stormy waves and quickly began to disperse. The numerous ghostly figures battling the Great Tang monks became transparent and disappeared one by one as if forcibly sent away by a mysterious power. In just a few breaths, almost all of the ghostly figures in the sky vanished, leaving only the Body Refining Platform monks and a few un-summoned ghosts. The evenly matched battlefield instantly started tipping in favor of the Great Tang Government. ¡°So, that''s what happened. No wonder the Tang Government suddenly launched a full-scale counterattack. It was a diversion for their main force to serve as a distraction so that others could go and destroy the summoning array!¡± Yuan Zui looked horribly pale and spoke coldly. ¡°Exactly! Otherwise, do you think I would waste my time brawling with your minions! You old demon, now that you''ve lost your ghosts, let''s see what skills you''ve got to offer!¡± Cheng Yaojin sneered, his body surging with golden light, preparing to strike. ¡°Duke Cheng is correct. Without the assistance of the ghosts, my Body Refining Platform is incapable of contending against the Great Tang Government. Hence, I must take my leave.¡± Yuan Zui''s anger suddenly receded like a tide, and he resumed his previous smiling demeanor, catching Cheng Yaojin off guard. Taking advantage of Cheng Yaojin''s momentary bewilderment, Yuan Zui quickly retreated, growing faint, and disappeared into the void in an instant. The Body Refining Platform monks in the sky and on the ground immediately began retreating as well. Tang Government officials and Chang''an city''s monks were about to pursue them when the remnant ghosts suddenly went berserk, desperately attempting to hinder them. At the same time, large billows of black smoke appeared all over the city, enveloping the entire southern part of the city. Tang Government officials'' monks could not see clearly due to the situation and dared not pursue too far. They quickly stopped their pursuit. ¡°What just happened?¡± Yellow Wood and others flew by Cheng Yaojin''s side, all wearing perplexed expressions. ¡°I don''t know.¡± Cheng Yaojin tensely furrowed his brow. His joy at accomplishing his mission was gone, replaced with a heavy, uneasy feeling. ¡°Could it be that they were fighting hard just for show, while in secret they were planning something else? We should know that in this great battle today, the Jing River Dragon King never appeared.¡± Yellow Wood said. Upon hearing these words, the look of worry on Cheng Yaojin''s face deepened. Imperial Palace of Chang''an. An imposing imperial city surrounded by another ring of tall walls, the city wall stands twenty or thirty feet high, all decked out in red paint and yellow tiles, resplendent in gold and jade green. Within the imperial city, layers upon layers of palaces towering, gardens, flowing streams, and jade pavilions are just too many to count, filled with an atmosphere of grandeur, strength, and beauty, no less than the palaces in heaven. Due to the ghost infestation in the city, the Imperial City is already under martial law, patrolled everywhere by the Imperial Forest Army, without interruption every twelve two-hour periods. These Imperial Forest soldiers are even sharper than those outside, each clad in heavy iron armor, with swords and knives hung around their bodies, looking like steel warriors. Moreover, there will inevitably be a monk in each team, anyone who undertakes actions detrimental to the Imperial City will be ruthlessly executed. Countless defense, and alert prohibitions are laid out around the palace, turning the entire imperial city into an iron barrel, with not even a fly able to fly in. Outside a gorgeous palace to the east of the Imperial City, the Imperial Forest Army is gathering, vigilantly scanning every movement in the surroundings. Inside the palace is a luxurious sleeping hall, a middle-aged man dressed in a yellow dragon robe is standing inside, looking at the horizon through the window, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. This man seems to be not young, with a slight white at his temples, but he shows a dignified aura of ruling the world. ¡°Your Majesty need not worry. With Duke Cheng present, we will certainly defeat those ghosts and reclaim the southern part of the city¡± a stunningly beautiful woman said carefully by his side. ¡°I hope so.¡± the middle-aged man sighed. The man in the yellow robe is none other than the current Emperor Taizong, Emperor Tang Li Shimin. Just at this moment, the ground outside the palace suddenly shook, a surge of black Qi appeared from nowhere and quickly spread on the surface. In the blink of an eye, it formed a black magic array of a few tens of feet in size. Inside the array, black figures appeared immediately, startlingly they were various types of ghosts, upon revealing their bodies, they charged straight towards the palace. Immediately, a large array of white light appeared in the void near the palace, streaks of firework-like white beams shot into the sky, emitting sharp, whistling sounds. That''s the surrounding alert prohibitions being triggered. ¡°There are ghosts appearing! Protect the Sleeping Hall!¡± The Imperial Forest Army outside the palace acted very swiftly, half of them immediately protected the vicinity of the Sleeping Hall while the other half charged forward and got into a fight with the ghosts. These ghosts are not weak, with each possessing the power of Grain Avoidance Stage, and the leading few even reached Soul Condensation Stage. The Imperial Forest Army defending this place, however, are the elites, containing quite a few monks. Using their superior numbers, they quickly stopped the momentum of the ghosts. ¡°Damn! How did these ghosts suddenly appear? Quickly, exterminate them all!¡± The leader of the Imperial Forest Army, a burly man with a black face and whiskers, saw that the situation has stabilized and immediately instructed the Imperial Forest Army to counterattack. The whistling sound of the alert prohibitions spread out, the Imperial Forest Army patrolling in the distance immediately converged here, and the monks from all over the palace also turned into escape light, shooting towards here. But just at this moment, the black magic array on the ground suddenly lit up again, the sound of a sharp ghost howl rang out, a large amount of blood light emerged from the array, turning into an appalling ghost that was seven or eight feet tall. This ghost took a human form but was completely blood red, with a triangular face and four eyes, sharp teeth, and tusks, looking extremely terrifying. A huge bloody smell erupted from the body of the ghost, far exceeding the level of Soul Condensation Stage, reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul Phase Realm, just one step away from the Mahayana Stage. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Those Imperial Forest soldiers in the front were enveloped by this overwhelming bloody smell, their all faces turned red as though drunk, their hands and feet became weak and nearly half of them fell down. The monks in the army couldn''t escape it either and were even more seriously affected, they turned their eyes white and fainted on the ground. Chapter 541 Chapter 541: Chapter 537: Emperor Tang Loses His Soul Chapter 541: Chapter 537: Emperor Tang Loses His Soul The blood-red demon behind flashed a red light, and two broad blood-red bat wings spread out, lunging towards the gorgeous bedroom like a massive blood cloud. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Most of the Imperial Forest Army in the front fell to the ground, those who were still standing felt their bodies turn into mush, and they lacked the strength to halt the demon. In an instant, the blood-red demon reached the front of the palace and looked like it was about to break through the wall and enter. Suddenly, a flash of golden light became visible on the palace in the front, it shone faintly, but with a loud explosion, the blood-red demon was surprisingly forced back. The golden light around the palace flickered slightly and returned to calmness, showing it to be an extraordinarily sophisticated prohibition. The bedroom downstairs, however, wasn''t steady; although the golden light absorbed most of the impact of the blood-red demon, the entire palace still shuddered intensely, everything inside the palace violently swayed, chairs toppled over, and some of the antique jade ornaments fell to the ground, crashing into fragments. The beautiful woman and the palace ladies inside the hall let out screams of surprise. Emperor Tang, seeing the blood-colored demon outside, looked shocked and couldn''t help but take a step back. At this moment, figures moved before Emperor Tang; three shadows appeared out of thin air. One purple-robed Feathered Guard, one crane-haired old man and a purple-dressed beauty. If Shen Luo were here, he would certainly recognize that the purple-robed Feathered Guard and the crane-haired old man were the same man with the surname Wu, and Master Dafang, who he had once encountered at the Yellow River. As for the purple-dressed young woman, she was a stranger. Judging by her attire, she was also a monk who protected the palace, but her cultivation level was well above that of the purple-robed Feathered Guard and Master Dafang, reaching the Nascent Soul realm. ¡°Your Majesty need not worry, outside there is the Imperial Forest Army to protect you, and inside there are the three of us, everything is safe and secure,¡± the purple-robed Feathered Guard confidently said. As the purple-robed Feathered Guard''s voice fell, the great hall violently shook once more. Surprisingly, a shocking ghostly howl came from outside the hall, and even though it was weakened by the golden light, the ghostly howl still transmitted inside with overwhelming force. Everyone inside the hall felt their eardrums sting, all the palace ladies rolled their eyes and mouth foaming, fell to the ground, and were stunned unconscious. The beautiful lady beside Emperor Tang also had her eyes roll back white and fell into unconsciousness. However, a golden glow lit up at the chest of Emperor Tang, covering him within it, blocking the piercing ghostly howl. ¡°My beloved? My beloved?¡± He was also somewhat panicked, but still managed to keep stable, hurriedly catching the woman who was about to fall to the ground. ¡°Your Majesty, do not panic; Beauty Zhao has merely fainted and is in no danger.¡± The purple-dressed young woman glanced at the beautiful lady and quickly reassured. ¡°Why are there ghosts causing trouble in the inner part of the Imperial Palace?¡± Emperor Tang raised his head towards the purple-dressed young woman and the others, and sternly questioned. ¡°Your Majesty, forgive us, those ghosts emerged from a Summoning Array, I do not know why there would be a Summoning Array inside the palace, but those ghosts have now been restrained by the Imperial Forest Army and a few Daoist friends. Besides, around the great hall is a prohibition personally set up by Master Yuan, even the most powerful demons cannot enter, Your Majesty can rest assured.¡± Master Dafang flew to a window inside the great hall, looked out through the prohibition, turned around and respectfully replied. Emperor Tang, hearing the name Master Yuan, looked somewhat calmer and was about to say something. But just at that moment, the beautiful lady in his arms suddenly opened her eyes. Her originally gentle gaze became unusually cold as she looked at Emperor Tang, who was holding her. The three palace ladies surrounding the dragon bed also lifted their heads abruptly, their eyes cold as they looked at Taizong. Emperor Tang felt a shiver in his heart and pushed the woman in his arms away subconsciously. ¡°Your Majesty, be careful¡­¡± The purple-robed Feathered Guard, who was standing closest to Emperor Tang, was the first to notice the change and his face rapidly changed. He raised both his hands and was about to cast a spell. The purple-dressed beauty next to him moved even quicker, her five fingers bloomed like an orchid, and a white light shot out from her hand, aiming at Emperor Tang on the bed. However, the enchanting woman and the three nearby palace ladies acted even quicker. Simultaneously opening their mouths, four black shadows shot out, beating the white light, swiftly disappearing into Emperor Tang''s body with the golden light on his body failing to stop the black shadows. Emperor Tang''s face revealed a painful expression, as he clutched his head screaming. After spewing out the black shadows, the beautiful woman and the three palace ladies all rolled their eyes, falling unconscious once more. The white light released by the purple-dressed beauty followed after the black shadow, enveloping Emperor Tang. A purple light shot out, turning into a purple canopy overhead that enveloped Emperor Tang, a spell cast by the purple-robed Feathered Guard. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Upon seeing Emperor Tang in this state, expressions of horror filled both their faces, they hurriedly positioned their fingers in particular arrangements. The purple-dressed beauty clapped her hands and murmured an incantation, spinning the white light enveloping Emperor Tang into a white lotus about three feet in size. The emanating sounds of Buddha caused an immediate calm to the listener''s mind. The unconscious palace ladies in the hall heard the sound, their frightened expressions quickly fading, restoring to calmness. However, Emperor Tang inside the white lotus showed no sign of improvement, his face still distorted in pain. And the purple-robed Feathered Guard, like a spinning wheel, positioned his ten fingers in a particular fu sign. The purple canopy spun rapidly, releasing a massive amount of purple light that penetrated Emperor Tang''s body, but to no avail. ¡°Ah!¡± Emperor Tang on the bed suddenly trembled, screaming out loud, stopped struggling, fell to the ground motionless. The faces of the three people changed drastically, the purple-robed Feathered Guard disregarded the disrespect in front of the emperor, reached out and touched Emperor Tang''s chest. Emperor Tang''s chest was still slightly moving, causing the purple-robed Feathered Guard to let out a sigh of relief. Master Dafang and the purple-dressed beauty didn''t dare to stand idle, they first imprisoned the unconscious concubine and the three palace ladies, then laid Emperor Tang on the bed, carefully checking his condition. The three quickly discovered that Emperor Tang only showed a weak heartbeat, his eyes vacant and breathing extremely faint, looking like a living dead. Most importantly, all the soul fluctuations in Li Shimin''s mind vanished without a trace. ¡°How could it be like this? What are those few black shadows just now? Could Zhao the Beauty and these three palace ladies have been disguised by demons?¡± The three looked at each other, the purple-robed Feathered Guard murmured to himself. ¡°Zhao the Beauty and the others are not imposters, but rather possessed by foreign entities.¡± The purple-dressed beauty said, her eyebrows knit. ¡°Elder Lin, you have mastered the Buddha''s Eye Passage Symbol, what could possibly escape your divine sight?¡± Master Dafang could hardly believe it. ¡°Buddha''s Eye Passage Symbol is not all-seeing.¡± The purple-dressed beauty shook her head slightly. ¡°Then what should we do now?¡± The purple-robed Feathered Guard asked in terror. With Emperor Tang turned into this state right under their eyes, they, the three guards, bore the greatest responsibility. It''s unknown what kind of punishment they would face. The purple-dressed beauty and Master Dafang looked extremely awful, they were at a loss for words. Right at this moment, a shocking rumble came from outside, causing the entire hall to shake violently. The three quickly looked towards the source of the noise outside the palace. They saw a strong light flashing in mid-air, a white lightning pillar as thick as a water jar descended from the sky, striking right on the Blood-Red Demon, penetrating it from top to bottom. The Blood-Red Demon looked up and let out a roar, the sound sorrowful. Its entire body exploded instantaneously, unable to withstand a single blow in front of the lightning. ¡°Bang!¡± The Demon''s body changed into countless fragments and a large amount of blood-colored gas, drifting all around. Chapter 542 Chapter 542: Chapter 538: Saving Father Chapter 542: Chapter 538: Saving Father The pillar of thunder and lightning struck the blood-red demon, continued to crash down, and effortlessly destroyed the black magic array on the ground. The light pillar did not disappear, but rather shattered abruptly, transforming into several white electric arcs the width of bowls, launching strikes in all directions, accurately hitting the other demons outside the hall. Before these white sparks, the other demons also couldn''t withstand a single blow, easily annihilated on the spot. Following that, a group of three people flew over from a distance, landing outside the sleeping hall. The person in the lead was a young man, dressed in a golden robe, wearing a golden crown, handsome and exuding an air of majesty, it was the Ninth Prince whom Shen Luo coincidentally met when he advanced to the Soul Condensation stage in the Yellow River. Next to the golden-crowned youth was a vibrant young girl, who happened to be the girl, Miss Li, whom Shen Luo had met several times before, the Nineteenth Princess of the present dynasty. Behind them was the peculiar-looking National Master who had been with them before, his face a bit pale as if ill, holding a white whisk in his hand, flickering with a thread of white thunder. ¡°Ninth Prince, Nineteenth Princess, Master Yuan!¡± The Imperial Forest Army in front of the hall saw the three of them and hurriedly bowed in salute. ¡°How could a demon appear here, How is His Majesty?¡± The golden-crowned youth asked sternly. ¡°I¡­ I am not sure, these demons appeared suddenly, and we have been desperately resisting them. As for the situation inside the palace, because of the prohibition laid down by Master Yuan has been activated, we can''t get in there, so we don''t know the exact situation inside. However, Master Lin, Master Dafang, and Master Wu have been defending His Majesty inside the hall, they should be alright.¡± the black-faced captain of the Imperial Forest Army said with some trepidation. When the golden-crowned youth heard this, his expression lightened slightly, and he waved his hand to dismiss them before striding towards the gate of the sleeping hall. The National Master Taoist waved his whisk, and the golden light on the gate of the sleeping hall dispersed, revealing an opening. With a ¡°creak,¡± the gate opened automatically, and the few of them rushed in, soon having a clear view of the situation inside. ¡°Father Emperor!¡± the golden-crowned youth and Miss Li rushed to Emperor Tang''s bedside. The three purple-robed feathered guards hurriedly stepped aside. ¡°What happened here?¡± The National Master Taoist glanced at the unconscious consort and the three palace ladies who had fallen to the ground, frowned, and asked in a deep voice. ¡°Master Yuan, it''s good that you came, the situation is like this¡­¡± Master Dafang quickly narrated how the concubine and the three palace ladies suddenly changed their faces, and then a black shadow flew out of their bodies, hitting Li Shimin, causing him to pass out. ¡°Lin Xiyue! Master Dafang! Wu Gen! You are father emperor''s personal guards, and you let a demon touch His Majesty so easily! What should be your punishment!¡± The golden-crowned youth stood up suddenly after hearing this, and sharply questioned. ¡°I¡­ I am incompetent, please punish me, Ninth Prince!¡± The three of them said with genuine fear and trepidation. Demons had erupted within Chang''an City, and the monks of the royal family, in order to ensure the safety of the Imperial City, had laid down numerous prohibitions inside and outside of it. Outsiders could not sneak in at all, and even people entering and leaving the palace had to undergo extremely strict checks. They really couldn''t understand when the concubine and the three palace girls had been possessed by foreign bodies. The National Master Taoist walked to the bedside of Li Shimin, bent his finger to touch his forehead, the white light at his fingertip flickered lightly, and he quickly let out a soft eh from his mouth. ¡°Indeed, it''s the Dream Remembrance Talisman.¡± He quickly checked the fainting imperial concubine and the three palace ladies, then stood up and mumbled to himself. ¡°Dream Remembrance Talisman? What kind of talisman is that?¡± asked the golden-crowned youth and the muscular man simultaneously. ¡°It is a very rare top-tier talisman that allows you to infiltrate someone''s Dreamland. As I suspected, the demons from the Refining Body Altar used this talisman to infiltrate the dreams of Beauty Zhao and the three palace ladies, making them extremely difficult to detect,¡± said the National Master Taoist casually as he took out a few slender blue calculation chips and flipped them with his fingertips. ¡°There''s such a talisman in the world? But how could a living cultivator possibly infiltrate someone''s dream?¡± the muscular man asked in disbelief. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ordinary cultivators can''t, but there is a type of soul cultivator in the Refining Body Altar that can leave their divine souls out of their bodies for long periods. They are able to hide in other''s dreams. There is, however, a significant limitation to this talisman. It can only be used when the subject is in a comatose state to enter and exit their dreamland,¡± continued the National Master Taoist. ¡°I see. No wonder those demons appeared at this moment, even using the ghost''s howl to stun Beauty Zhao and these palace ladies. I remembered a few days ago, Beauty Zhao left the palace once to pray for Your Majesty at the Chong''an Temple. It seems that those demons from the Refining Body Altar hid in Beauty Zhao and these three palace ladies'' dreams then,¡± said the muscular man with sudden realization. ¡°Considering how those demons infiltrated the Imperial Palace now is irrelevant. Master Yuan, my Father Emperor is unharmed but lacks vitality. I used the secret method of Mount Putuo to investigate and found no trace of his divine soul within him. Could it be that his souls were taken away?¡± Aprincess named Li anxiously asked. ¡°Your Highness is correct, His Majesty''s divine soul was indeed taken away by a secret method,¡± National Master Taoist calmly admitted. Miss Li, the purple-dressed young woman, the muscular man, and Master Dafang suspected this, but when the National Master Taoist admitted it himself, they were still shocked. ¡°What should we do then? Is there any danger to Father Emperor?¡± The golden-crowned youth has no cultivation base and did not understand the implications of having one''s soul taken away. But seeing the expressions of Miss Li and the others, he understood the gravity of the situation and hurriedly asked. ¡°Your Highness, princess, don''t panic. I have just used the Nine Chapters Divine Calculation to divine His Majesty''s fortune. His Majesty, as the True Dragon Emperor and protected by hundreds of spirits, even though his soul was taken away, is predestined to overcome this catastrophe and he will return safely. You two can rest assured,¡± The National Master Taoist said with a smile as he put the divining chips away. The National Master is the foremost talent in the Tang Dynasty, especially proficient in fortune-telling. His words were always accurate. The golden-crowned youth and Miss Li breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. ¡°When can Father Emperor''s souls return?¡± asked Miss Li. ¡°It will take some time,¡± said the National Master Taoist after pondering for a moment. ¡°Although Father Emperor is protected by divine spirit, I''m afraid something might happen over a long period. National Master, with your great magical powers, could you help bring back the Father Emperor''s soul sooner?¡± Miss Li asked worryingly. ¡°If I am to expedite His Majesty''s recovery, there is indeed a way, however, it would require your assistance, princess, and there will be some risk. Would you agree to this, princess?¡± The National Master Taoist asked back. ¡°I''m willing to, please go ahead, Master,¡± answered Miss Li without a second thought. ¡°Very good, your devotion is commendable, princess. Now let me cast the spell,¡± said the National Master Taoist with a nod and a smile, then began to chant incantations. A white light shot out from his fingertip, disappearing in a flash into Miss Li''s forehead. A white light shone on Miss Li and a semi-transparent silhouette flew out from the top of her head, disappearing into the void in an instant. Chapter 543 Chapter 543: Chapter 539: Underworld Chapter 543: Chapter 539: Underworld After an unknowable span of time, Shen Luo felt a warm breath coming from his lower abdomen, his body gradually regained consciousness, and he slowly woke up. His eyes were met with complete darkness and chilling breaths engulfed him from all sides, as if he was immersed in icy water. For reasons unknown, he had returned to his human form, the effect of the Yinling Talisman had disappeared. Waves of hot energy emerged from his Dantian, which kept expelling the cold Yin energy invading his body. Shivering, he soon regained full consciousness. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Where am I? Am I dreaming again?¡± Shen Luo wondered, busily taking in his surroundings. He was in a dark place, the ground covered with black soil and gravel. The air was permeated with a strong yin energy, very similar to the Netherworld place he had once visited. ¡°Master, I can sense strong Yin Qi outside. Can I draw some of it into the Qiankun Bag? It will be beneficial for my cultivation,¡± a voice echoed in his mind. It was the Ghost General. Seeing the Qiankun bag at his waist and hearing the Ghost General''s voice, Shen Luo affirmed that he was still in reality and was not dreaming. ¡°Is this the Underworld? Where are Brother Lu and Xie Yuxin?¡± He wondered to himself, and with a flick of his hand, he activated the Qiankun bag, and a suction force poured out of the bag. The Yin Qi nearby gathered like rivers flowing into the sea, then poured into the bag. The Ghost General exhaled with satisfaction as it absorbed the rich Yin Qi and began to cultivate by itself. Shen Luo silently ran his skills, his Mana coursed through his entire body, and wave after wave of hot energy emanated from the Dantian in his lower abdomen, quickly expelling the Yin Qi lingering inside him. The object generating the hot energy in his Dantian was none other than the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo was now emitting threads of red light, different from its usual state. A glint of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. After such a long time of nurturing with Pure Yang Sword Technique, he finally saw a glimmer of results. He quickly stopped running his skills, and after scanning his surroundings, he soon found two bodies lying nearby. Shen Luo hurried over, his face revealing a hint of joy. They were Xie Yuxin and Lu Huaming. The Yinling talisman on Lu Huaming had also lost its effect, revealing his true appearance. Both of them were still unconscious, their bodies cold, obviously caused by the invasion of the Yin Qi. In particular, Xie Yuxin, who had been seriously injured before and was now being attacked by the Yin Qi, had a very weak breath. In a hurry, Shen Luo took out an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill for her to take. He then reached out and took the hands of Xie Yuxin and Lu Huaming, releasing the Pure Yang Power from his body into the two of them, expelling the Yin Qi within them. With his current cultivation level and the effect of the Pure Yang Sword Technique, the Yin Qi in the two people''s bodies was quickly expelled. Lu Huaming''s eyelids twitched and he woke up. ¡°Brother Shen, where are we?¡± he sat up and looked around. ¡°I''m not sure. When I woke up, I was already here. This place seems very similar to Nine Netherworld where we''ve been before,¡± Shen Luo said, not letting go of Xie Yuxin''s hand, and continued to use his skills to expel Yin Qi from her and help her to refine the pill. Lu Huaming looked around and quickly nodded. Immediately after, he also came by Xie Yuxin''s side and assisted in speeding up her recovery. The solid Mana from both of them poured into Xie Yuxin''s body, like a Millstone grinding and immediately tearing apart the power of the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill. A layer of white light emerged from Xie Yuxin''s body, and her external injuries started healing at a visible rate. Her internal injuries also quickly improved, and her breathing soon steadied. ¡°What an amazing elixir! Brother Shen, what miraculous pill did you give Miss Xie?¡± Lu Huaming asked with astonishment. ¡°It''s a healing pill I refined using Lingru, the effect seems to be quite good.¡± Shen Luo was also witnessing for the first time a person healing from severe injuries due to the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill. Feeling a surge of joy in his heart, he managed to maintain a calm expression as he spoke. ¡°''Quite good'' is an understatement, even the Great Tang Dynasty Government has various healing pills, but none could compare to this one.¡± Lu Huaming praised. At that instant, Xie Yuxin''s body trembled slightly as she regained consciousness. ¡°Brother Shen, Daoist Lu, you saved me, thank you!¡± She immediately noticed the change in her internal injuries, and seeing the two men sitting beside her, she understood what had transpired. ¡°I can hardly take any credit, it all came down to Brother Shen''s elixir.¡± Lu Huaming withdrew his hand as he smiled and said. ¡°It was just a pill, the most important thing is that your injuries are healing, Elder Sister Xie.¡± Shen Luo said lightly, waving his hand. Xie Yuxin felt the pure medicinal effect washing through her body like a clear stream. Understanding that Shen Luo has fed her an incredibly precious pill, she was deeply grateful. It was just that she wasn''t very good at expressing this gratitude so she just took note silently. ¡°Where are we?¡± She soon stood up, looked around, and asked. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming explained to her the situation and their speculations about their current location. ¡°The Underworld? How come that Array sent us here?¡± Xie Yuxin''s expression turned ugly. She was once a freelance cultivator and, despite having been to the Ghost Market several times, for her, the Netherworld still remained a subject of tales. Hearing that they were now in the Underworld, she became flustered. ¡°Do not panic, Elder Sister Xie, the Netherworld is not a dead-end, we can still go in and out. Brother Lu and I have been here before.¡± Shen Luo said, comforting her. Upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, Xie Yuxin calmed down slightly. Her cultivation was considerably inferior to Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. Even after her injuries mostly healed and the Yin Qi in her body had been expelled by Shen Luo, she still felt discomfort due to the dense Yin Qi and chilling cold surrounding her and instinctively held her arms. ¡°I have a Red Soul Jade here. Wearing it can protect against the Yin Qi''s invasion. Since Elder Sister Xie''s cultivation is relatively weak, you should keep this.¡± Lu Huaming took out a fiery red jade bead and handed it to Xie Yuxin. Even at a distance, Shen Luo could feel a hot breath emanating from the jade bead, as if he were standing next to a bonfire. ¡°Thank you, Daoist Lu.¡± Xie Yuxin didn''t refuse and, thanking Lu Huaming, she took the jade bead and wore it on her chest. A wave of warmth quickly spread throughout her body, and her shivering noticeably subsided. ¡°Where are Brother Ge, Dan Yangzi, and Red Hands Master?¡± Lu Huaming caught onto a thought and asked. ¡°When I regained consciousness, I didn''t see them around. They were also swallowed by the Array before, seems like they were transported to some other place.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°We are unsure of our location in the Underworld, and the danger here is unknown. We should find them first before looking for a way out.¡± Lu Huaming suggested. Neither Shen Luo nor Xie Yuxin disagreed, so the three of them organized themselves quickly and chose a direction to move in. The place was dusky, and even with Shen Luo''s eyesight, we could only see to a distance of twenty or thirty feet. Keeping their guard up against potential dangers, the three of them advanced cautiously. Fortunately, the danger they anticipated did not arrive. After the three of them traveled a good distance, they heard the sound of a water stream flowing from ahead. Chapter 544 Chapter 544: Chapter 540: Yin Cold Energy Chapter 544: Chapter 540: Yin Cold Energy ¡°It seems like a river, should we go and check it out first?¡± Lu Huaming turned to Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin, seeking their opinions. The three of them had been walking for quite a while now and finally, there were some changes ahead, Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin naturally did not object to this proposal. Moving in the direction of the sound of flowing water, a water area quickly appeared in front of them, looking like a large river. However, they couldn''t see across to the other bank, the vast river obstructed their vision. The river also extended far to the left and right, with no identifiable boundaries, seemingly forming an unsurpassable barrier in their path. The river water was brown, much like murky mud water, with a bit of white fog floating on the surface, imbuing an unusual air of mystery. By this time, Xie Yuxin had lost much of her fear. Fascinated by this river that was so different from the human realm, a trace of curiosity surfaced on her face as she stepped forward to examine the river closely. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The rivers in the Netherworld contain a strong presence of Yin Qi, and fierce ghosts could be hidden at the bottom. Don''t get too close!¡± Lu Huaming stretched out his hand to stop Xie Yuxin from approaching. Xie Yuxin hurriedly moved back a couple of steps, clutching her chest lightly. Shen Luo regarded the river water ahead, then pointed out with his hand. A black light shot out- it was a black Devil Binding Rope. He couldn''t recall who he had obtained the item from but the front end of the rope plunged directly into the river. With a slight ''crack'' sound, the tip of the Devil Binding Rope crystallized into a layer of white ice. Shen Luo hastily called back the Devil Binding Rope, his gaze darted at the frozen tip, his gaze flickering incessantly. It was not just the tip of the rope that had frozen. An extremely pure, and exceedingly cold Yin Qi had seeped into the rope, completely destroying its internal structure. He flicked his fingers, unleashing a gust of wind on the crystallized part of the rope. The white ice crystals shattered on impact, and the rope beneath it crumbled as well. ¡°This river is so cold that even a magical instrument couldn''t withstand it.¡± Xie Yuxin gasped. ¡°No, it was not the river water that destroyed Brother Shen''s magical instrument. It was the white fog on the river surface. The Yin Cold Energy contained in the white fog is far more potent than the river water. Could it be that the fog is exuding Yin Cold Energy?¡± Lu Huaming, with his sharp eyes, had figured out what had destroyed the Devil Binding Rope, and started mumbling to himself. ¡°Yin Cold Energy?¡± Xie Yuxin''s face reflected her confusion. The Devil Binding Rope was Shen Luo''s magical instrument, and he was certainly aware of all its aspects. However, he had never heard of ''Yin Cold Energy'' before, so he turned to Lu Huaming for an explanation. ¡°Yin Cold Energy is a special Yin Qi that forms only in places where both Yin and Cold Qi are extremely concentrated and interact with each other. It''s unfortunate that this place is too vast. If this was within a small space, it could possibly solidify into a Nether Cold Stone¨Cthat''s the real treasure!¡± Lu Huaming explained. After listening to this, Shen Luo once again turned his eyes toward the white fog on the river surface, discovering the remarkable origins of these things. ¡°This Yin Cold Energy is also very precious, it is an excellent material for refining Yin-attribute magical instruments. In the human realm, it''s nearly impossible to come across anything like this. Since we have encountered it here, why don''t we each collect some of it? Just avoid using regular vessels; they won''t be able to withstand this cold Yin power.¡± Lu Huaming continued, then he took out a Jade Gourd magical instrument, gesturing and beckoning. The Jade Gourd flew out and drew in a suction force. The white fog on the river surface converged, forming a column of white Qi that flowed into the Jade Gourd. Xie Yuxin also used a jade vase magical instrument to collect the Yin Cold Energy from the river surface. The Yin Cold Energy on the river surface was inexhaustible. Even though the two of them were doing their best to collect it, the white fog on the river surface showed no signs of diminishing. Shen Luo was also tempted by the Yin Cold Energy on the river surface. This thing had easily corroded and destroyed the Devil Binding Rope, if it was refined into other magical instruments, their power would certainly be substantial. But he did not act immediately, instead, a hint of hesitation appeared on his face. Though he had many magical instruments with him, the only one with the ability to collect anything was the Qiankun Bag. It was very important to him. Not because the Qiankun Bag had a strong offensive power, but because he needed it to carry the Ghost General. Natural Yin Qi could be collected by the Qiankun Bag. But the Nether Cold Energy''s destructive power was formidable. Even though the Qiankun Bag was a top-grade magical instrument, it might not withstand it. ¡°Let''s try to collect a bit first, if the Qiankun Bag can''t cope with it, I''ll immediately retrieve it.¡± Shen Luo uttered an incantation to activate the Qiankun Bag and collected a small wisp of the white fog from the river surface. As for the Ghost General in the Qiankun Bag, he was not worried that it would be harmed by the Nether Cold Energy. Being a ghost, the Ghost General favored Yin energy and was not afraid of cold. The collected Nether Cold Energy entered the bag and quickly spread in all directions, soon touching the inside of the bag. The black light on the interior of the bag flowed, showing no signs of erosion from the Nether Cold Energy. Shen Luo sensed this and felt relieved, intending to increase the absorbing power of the Qiankun Bag. Unexpectedly, the black light on the bag''s interior suddenly began to flicker, rapidly absorbing the Nether Cold Energy. In just a few breaths, the wisp of Nether Cold Energy was completely absorbed by the Qiankun Bag. ¡°The Qiankun Bag can actually absorb the Nether Cold Energy¡­¡± Shen Luo was stunned; this was completely beyond his expectations. He concentrated his senses, the Qiankun Bag had not changed in any way after absorbing the Nether Cold Energy. Shen Luo contemplated for a moment and then continued to urge the Qiankun Bag, exerting a powerful suction force. The Nether Cold Energy on the river surface seemed to have found an outlet, all rushing towards the Qiankun Bag like an inexhaustible stream. The speed at which the Qiankun Bag absorbed the Nether Cold Energy was far superior to Lu Huaming''s Jade Gourd and Xie Yuxin''s Jade Vase Magical Device, earning surprised glances from the two. The Nether Cold Energy that entered the Qiankun Bag was immediately swiftly integrated into the bag''s wall. The black light on the bag wall flickered happily, as if it had consumed a potent tonic, rapidly becoming brighter and ingesting the Nether Cold Energy at an increased pace. Thin streaks of white light began to appear on the originally pitch-black bag, evoking a sense of eerie coldness rather than brightness. Shen Luo carefully examined the situation inside the Qiankun Bag, a smile of joy emerging at the corners of his mouth. After absorbing a significant amount of Nether Cold Energy, the two prohibitions that were originally scattered inside the Qiankun Bag seemed to show signs of recovery. The Ghost General, who was in the midst of his cultivation, was also awakened and upon seeing the Nether Cold Energy inside the bag, his eyes filled with joy. ¡°Such pure Yin Qi, Master, can I absorb it?¡± asked the Ghost General tentatively, seeing the Qiankun Bag absorbing the Nether Cold Energy, thinking that Shen Luo was refining something. The Nether Cold Energy was too tempting to him. ¡°You can.¡± With the endless supply of Nether Cold Energy on the river surface, Shen Luo was not stingy. The Ghost General was overjoyed and quickly began to absorb the Nether Cold Energy. However, the speed at which he absorbed the Yin Qi was far slower than the Qiankun Bag itself. Unconcerned with the Ghost General, Shen Luo urged the Qiankun Bag to its fullest, absorbing all the Nether Cold Energy around it. In a short time, all the Yin Qi on the river surface of this area was absorbed. Just then, the river surface, devoid of the Nether Cold Energy, suddenly boiled. Several black tendrils, as thick as a millstone, shot out from the river at an alarming speed, coiling towards the three of them. Chapter 545 Chapter 545: Chapter 541: Reunion Chapter 545: Chapter 541: Reunion ¡°Quick retreat!¡± Shen Luo shouted out in surprise, grabbing Xie Yuxin who was beside him. The glow of the moonlight burst out from the soles of his feet, rapidly shooting backwards. Two black tendrils slicked past their bodies, missed its target, and slammed into the ground. With two enormous ¡°bangs,¡± the ground was hammered into two large pits, each ten feet deep. Filled with terror, Shen Luo dared not pause for even a moment and continued to furiously retreat backwards. White light flickered aground Lu Huaming, who was nearby, allowing him to retreat in time, avoiding the tendrils. The underwater river''s waves rolled and revealed a black creature about the size of a small mountain. This beast resembled an octopus, with dozens of massive tentacles waving wildly. The surface of the river churned like a stormy sea. Two bright red eyes fixated on the three people on the shore, revealing an infinite desire for slaughter and bloodshed. The sight of such a terrifying giant creature made Shen Luo and his companions'' blood run cold. Had they been a moment slower, they would have been wrapped by the tendrils and dragged into the river, certain death awaiting them. Despite having the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Red Lotus Karmic Fire at his disposal, Shen Luo didn''t have the slightest confidence in defeating this massive beast. The giant river creature merely let out a low growl in the river and didn''t pursue them onto the shore. From other locations of the river surface, Yin Cold Energy gradually drifted over. The giant octopus monster roared furiously at Shen Luo''s group, showing deep unwillingness before its enormous form re-submerged into the river bed, disappearing from sight soon after. ¡°It seems this creature can''t come ashore, and it''s afraid of the Yin Cold Energy. It only starts making trouble when we collect the Yin Cold Energy from this area,¡± said Lu Huaming. ¡°Then we better stop collecting Yin Cold Energy, otherwise, this creature might come out again,¡± Xie Yuxin suggested. ¡°I don''t think that''s necessary. The river is wide. As long as we are careful and don''t concentrate on one place to collect Yin Cold Energy, there should be no great danger,¡± Shen Luo said after scanning the area with his eyes. The Yin Cold Energy in the river was greatly beneficial to the Qiankun Bag, and if it continued to absorb it, there was hope for the bag''s two prohibitions to recover. It would be a pity to stop now. ¡°Brother Shen is correct, we can''t pass up on this Yin Cold Energy. However, Elder Brother Xie''s concerns are not unreasonable¡­ Let''s head downstream for a bit, avoid the monster in the river, and then continue collecting Yin Cold Energy in separate locations,¡± Lu Huaming said, seemingly desirous of the Yin Cold Energy as well after a moment of contemplation. Shen Luo nodded in agreement, and Xie Yuxin, seeing that both of them thought this was the right course of action, didn''t want to be the one dissenting. Therefore, the three of them moved downstream. After traveling several dozen miles, they stopped and continued collecting the Yin Cold Energy separately. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fearing that another monster would emerge from the river to attack them, all three stood far from the water''s edge and brought out their magical instruments as precautions. Time flew by, and half an hour passed quickly. The capacities of Xie Yuxin''s and Lu Huaming''s instruments were quickly filled, and they stopped one after the other, while Shen Luo continued to devour the Yin Qi on the river surface. Suddenly, the Qiankun Bag lit up, and two black circles emerged ¡ª the scattered prohibitions had completely recovered. Shen Luo could feel that with the nine-layer prohibition restored, the Qiankun Bag''s power increased significantly. Particularly its devouring ability, now twice as strong as before. Looking at the Qiankun Bag, Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. Originally, he thought that after two layers of prohibitions had been restored, the Qiankun Bag would stop absorbing Yin Cold Energy. But contrary to his expectations, it was like a bottomless pit, still relentlessly sucking in Yin Cold Energy, even faster than before. The originally black Qiankun Bag had white spots appearing on it, giving it a half-black half-white hue, which looked very peculiar. Shen Luo felt startled in his heart but didn''t stop the Qiankun Bag''s devouring action. Half an hour passed, and after absorbing an unknown amount of Yin Cold Energy, the Qiankun Bag finally emitted a buzzing sound and stopped devouring the energy. At this time, the Qiankun Bag had completely transformed. It had become entirely white, with its surface even flashing tangible white light. Shen Luo beckoned the Qiankun Bag back into his hand. After examining it for a moment, he pointed a spell at it. The white light on the Qiankun Bag burst forth, and a massive wave of mana exploded out, far surpassing the level of Top-Grade magical instruments. It was not much inferior compared to the Five Mountains Seal and the Ink Armor Shield, two top-grade magical artifacts. With a soft ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a white strip around seventies feet long shot out from the mouth of the Qiankun Bag, rolling towards the ground in front of them. The white strip radiated a terrifying force of absorption, within it held a strange cold breath. The ground it swept over was immediately frozen into white ice crystals, yet, in the next moment, not only the frozen section but also a large area of surrounding land was easily swept up and sucked into the Qiankun Bag. The ground was torn into a deep trench over a dozen feet long, two to three feet wide, and more than a foot deep. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s face was filled with great joy. The completely renewed Qiankun Bag had a much greater power than before, completely surpassing the level of Top-Grade magical instruments. Given the terrifying absorption power of the white strip and its strange chill, even if he himself was caught in it, escape would be difficult. ¡°Congratulations Brother Shen on obtaining such a powerful magical instrument,¡± Lu Huaming congratulated. Xie Yuxin also came over and congratulated him. ¡°Thank you both. I apologize for keeping you waiting because of me,¡± Shen Luo said apologetically as he put away the Qiankun Bag. ¡°That''s okay. The increase in Brother Shen''s strength is beneficial to our journey as well,¡± Lu Huaming said with a smile. Having completed their collection, the three of them decided to move forward. However, their path was blocked by a big river, forcing them to follow the river either to the left or the right. Looking to the left and right, they were unsure of which direction to take. ¡°Master, be careful. I can feel a large group of ghosts coming from the left. There are many, and they are all quite strong,¡± the Ghost General''s voice suddenly sounded in Shen Luo''s mind. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression became a bit grim. ¡°What''s wrong, Brother Shen?¡± Lu Huaming noticed Shen Luo''s anomalous demeanor and asked. Without attempting to hide anything, Shen Luo immediately shared what the Ghost General had sensed. ¡°Given the situation, it''s wiser not to get involved in any hasty conflict with the local ghosts. Let''s avoid them for now!¡± Lu Huaming quickly assessed the situation and proposed. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin were also not keen on battling these ghosts. They immediately rushed along the river towards the right. Due to the limited visibility in this area, they dared not fly rashly. As for taking refuge in the river to avoid the monsters, having encountered the giant octopus-like creature before, they were completely out of the question. ¡°Not good, those ghosts are faster than the three of you. They''ll catch up soon,¡± the Ghost General warned again. A chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart. He was about to convey this information to Lu Huaming and Xie Yuxin. Suddenly, a swooshing sound came from behind. Two red and one purple escape lights flew out from the darkness, with Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, and Ge Tianqing inside. ¡°Daoist Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, Daoist Ge!¡± Lu Huaming was overjoyed to see the three men. He waved at them excitedly. ¡°Lu Daoist! It''s you guys! Quickly use the air control flight to escape! There''s a large group of ghosts behind, they are hard to handle!¡± Dan Yangzi shouted urgently. His injuries seemed to have healed considerably. Before Dan Yangzi had finished his sentence, a massive dark cloud blocked out the sun and appeared in the background. The cloud was filled with the roars of countless ghosts. Most of these ghosts were in beast forms, such as the Two-headed Ghost Wolf, Three-tailed Ghost Fox, and the Single-horned Ghost Lion, among others. Their power was considerable, and nearly half of them had reached the Soul Condensation Stage. The leading Tall Ghostly Creatures were even more terrifying. The breath they exuded was not any less than that of Ge Tianqing, and they had attained the Soul Condensation Stage Peak. These creatures were not something the group of people could contend with. Chapter 546 Chapter 546: Chapter 542: The Bridge of Netherstone Chapter 546: Chapter 542: The Bridge of Netherstone ¡°Go!¡± Upon seeing this, Lu Huaming''s expression changed. He quickly summoned a moon-white flying boat, pulling Xie Yuxin onto the boat, and flew away. The white flying boat was incredibly fast, keeping up with the pace of Dan Yangzi and the others. Observing this, Shen Luo also summoned the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, making it adhere to himself. It transformed into a crimson sword light that dashed forward, nimbly catching up with Dan Yangzi and the others, matching their pace. The ghosts within the cloud let out angry roars, spewing black Qi into the cloud beneath their feet. However, it seemed that the cloud could only travel at a certain speed and no faster. Immediately, a considerable distance was established between them. Seeing this, Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It''s good that you all are safe. But how did you find yourselves here?¡± Once the immediate danger had passed, Lu Huaming took the opportunity to ask Dan Yangzi and the others about the situation back there. ¡°We were teleported here by that array. Without Brother Lu, we had no leader, so we aimlessly wandered around. Unfortunately, we encountered these ghosts and have been pursued all the way here. However, luckily, due to these beasts, we managed to regroup.¡± Dan Yangzi said. After hearing this, Lu Huaming realized that Dan Yangzi and the others, too, were completely unknowing of this place. He couldn''t help feeling disappointed. ¡°Brother Lu, what do we do now?¡± Dan Yangzi promptly asked. ¡°First, we must do everything we can to lose those ghosts behind us!¡± Lu Huaming decisively said. Shen Luo was of the same opinion and was about to speed up his sword using the Pure Yang Sword Technique. ¡°Master, be careful! Ghosts are approaching from the front!¡± The Ghost General''s voice echoed in his mind again. ¡°Everyone, be cautious. There''s something happening in front of us.¡± Taken by surprise, Shen Luo immediately warned aloud. The others were momentarily taken aback, but before they could ask, a shrill scream rang out from the front, and a streak of black shadows shot out from the darkness ahead. They were black ghost birds. These ghost birds were four to five zhangs long, their bodies entirely black. Two eyes shone with blood-red, fierce lights. The most peculiar thing about them was their beaks, which were as long and sharp as swords. At this moment, these ghost birds folded their wings close to their bodies, their bodies straightened like giant black arrows, and dashed towards the group with astonishing speed. Since everyone''s field of vision was rather limited in this place, they were fortunate to have Shen Luo''s warning. They were on guard, promptly scattered, and narrowly avoided the giant birds'' attack. Only Lu Huaming''s flying boat was quite large, and he also had Xie Yuxin on board, thus he couldn''t dodge in time and a ghost bird''s beak was about to hit them. A green thunderbolt dashed in, hitting the black ghost bird. With a huge bang, the bird was sent flying away ¨C it was Shen Luo''s timely help. Lu Huaming heaved a sigh of relief. Although his flying boat had some protective capabilities, it probably wouldn''t have been able to withstand the ghost bird''s sharp beak attack. ¡°Don''t get entangled with these damn beasts, lose them with speed!¡± He nodded gratefully at Shen Luo while simultaneously controlling the flying boat to dodge the attacking ghost birds, and shouted. In truth, even without Lu Huaming telling them, others knew what to do. These ghost birds weren''t a real threat. The real danger lay behind them. If they were caught, and the ghosts from behind caught up, the six of them would be doomed. Everyone pushed their speed to the limit and dodged left and right amidst the flock of ghost birds, and only when it was absolutely necessary did they summon their magical instruments to kill some of them. However, there was a great number of ghost birds, and it seemed like they intentionally entangled Shen Luo and the others. Although they made every effort to move forward, their speed had greatly decreased. The cloud behind them was quickly approaching, and it looked like it would catch up with the group any moment. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, an ancient stone bridge appeared by the river ahead. Despite its visible broadness and tangible deterioration, it remains largely intact, meandering towards the opposite side of the river, its end unknown. ¡°Across the bridge!¡± With a flash in his eyes, Lu Huaming ordered decisively and was the first to vault onto the stone bridge. Seeing this, everyone else also flew up to the bridge. As soon as the group set foot on the bridge, the ghost creatures in the dark cloud and those black ghost birds stopped instantly. They seemed to have lost sight of them and stared blankly around while uttering furious roars. However, they never glanced at the few people on the bridge, as if they had suddenly gone blind. But now those ghostly creatures did not disperse but surrounded the head of the bridge. They were sniffing with their noses, or listening with their ears, in search of the group''s traces. ¡°What''s the matter with these ghost creatures? Can''t they see us?¡± Xie Yuxin asked in astonishment. Shen Luo looked down at the stone bridge, attempting to extend his Divine Sense to explore, but was blocked by an invisible prohibition on the bridge which prevented his Divine Sense from leaving his body. ¡°This stone bridge seems to be somewhat peculiar,¡± he said, raising an eyebrow. Dan Yangzi and others also quickly sensed the prohibition on the bridge and showed a look of surprise. Only Lu Huaming remained calm, even appearing to have heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Lu Daoist, by the looks of you, it seems you know about the origin of this bridge?¡± Dan Yangzi looked at Lu Huaming and asked. ¡°Master once told me, there is a Styx River in the Netherworld that connects the Yin and Yang Realms. Above the Styx River, there is a Ming Shi Bridge built from a special mineral known as ''ming stone'' found in the gap between Yin and Yang. The bridge allows only the living souls to pass but not the ghost creatures, hence why the ghosts underneath can''t find us,¡± replied Lu Huaming. ¡°What does ''allowing only living souls to pass but not ghost creatures'' mean?¡± Xie Yuxin asked, puzzled. ¡°Elder Brother Xie may not know this. After death, a living soul still carries the Yang Qi from the Human World, which takes some time to completely purge. This Ming Stone has the effect of absorbing Yang Qi and turning it into Yin force. However, the Styx River harbours many dangerous creatures. To prevent them from attacking the newly deceased, the Netherworld put prohibitions on this bridge, which will automatically hide the Qi of those bearing Yang Qi. All of us monks carry Yang Qi, hence upon stepping on this bridge, the bridge will mask our Qi. Thus the ghost creatures underneath can''t find us. Just now, I was only giving it a try and didn''t expect it to be true.¡± said Lu Huaming. ¡°So that''s how it is!¡± Xie Yuxin looked down at the stone bridge and exclaimed in astonishment. Shen Luo was also taken aback on hearing this. Although he had sensed something odd about this stone bridge, he had not expected the bridge to have such a history. ¡°So according to Brother Lu, this Ming Shi Bridge spans across the Yin and Yang realms. So is the other side of the bridge the Yang Realm?¡± asked Chi Yang Master, looking towards the other end of the bridge, his face showing doubt. It seemed he didn''t entirely believe Lu Huaming''s words. That place was shrouded in dense white fog, making it impossible to see what was ahead. ¡°I can''t guarantee that with absolute certainty. Master didn''t elaborate to me about the Styx River back then. I hope it''s as I said.¡± Lu Huaming hesitated for a moment, then replied. No one spoke for a moment as they exchanged glances. They had encountered many strange incidents today. The appearance of this stone bridge was peculiar, and although Lu Huaming sounded confident in his explanation, nobody was sure whether that was the truth. Advancing held uncertain dangers. ¡°Regardless, there are countless ghost creatures lurking under the bridge. Retreating means certain death, but pressing forward offers a glimmer of hope. I believe Brother Lu''s judgment won''t be wrong,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Shen is right. We should press ahead. Even if dangers lie ahead, I believe we can handle them if we all work together,¡± added Xie Yuxin. Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master exchanged glances, seemingly still hesitant. ¡°Let''s go,¡± said Ge Tianqing who had been silent the whole time. He took the lead, stepping towards the front. Shen Luo, Lu Huaming, and Xie Yuxin also proceeded forward. Seeing this, Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master could only follow suit. Chapter 547 Chapter 547: Chapter 543: Altar Chapter 547: Chapter 543: Altar Shen Luo and his party of six moved forward along the bridge, swiftly leaving the riverbank behind them. As far as their eyes could reach, there were vast expanses of river ahead and behind them. Enveloped in a dense fog, all six felt lost and confused, they even weren''t sure if they were moving forward at all. The group had walked for half an hour with no sign of the end in sight. Luckily, they didn''t face any danger in the surroundings, and the tension they felt gradually eased. Shen Luo glanced at Xie Yuxin beside him and subtly slowed down, pulling her back with him. A look of surprise crossed Xie Yuxin''s face, but she slowed down too, and the two of them quickly fell back to the rear of the group. ¡°Friend Shen, what''s the matter?¡± Xie Yuxin asked. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, have you been immersed in the Refining Body Altar all these years? I went to look for you in Changping Alley a while back, but you''d moved.¡± Shen Luo replied in a hush voice as he was keeping an eye on their surroundings. ¡°Well, I wouldn''t say I have always been in the Refining Body Altar. I was secretly acting on orders from the Great Tang Dynasty Government to infiltrate the Refining Body Altar, but unfortunately, I have not been able to penetrate its core. It was just by a stroke of luck when the Refining Body Altar was planning a major attack on Chang''an City and needed manpower that I was able to enter the upper layer.¡± Xie Yuxin replied in a low voice. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo made an acknowledging sound but remained silent. ¡°Friend Shen, did you seek me out for something specific?¡± Xie Yuxin paused before asking. ¡°I remember Elder Brother Xie once mentioned that you infiltrated the Refining Body Altar to obtain their secret method of restoring divine souls and rebuilding meridians. Has it been accomplished?¡± Shen Luo inquired. Xie Yuxin''s countenance darkened, and she silently shook her head. That was the reason she had agreed to be an inside informant for the Great Tang Dynasty Government in the Refining Body Altar. She had planned to lure Shen Luo and his companions into destroying its core summoning array, hoping that everything would go smoothly on the government''s end, wiping out the Refining Body Altar entirely and obtaining that secret method. ¡°That''s just perfect then. A few years back, I managed to kill a key figure from the Refining Body Altar by chance, and obtained a copy of the ''Body Refining Secret Text'' from them, which contains this secret method. I visited you in Changping Alley originally intending to share this method with you.¡± Shen Luo explained. On hearing this, Xie Yuxin was so shocked that she stopped in her tracks. ¡°Is that true?¡± She immediately reacted, grabbing Shen Luo''s hand with fervor. ¡°It definitely is.¡± Shen Luo pulled out a sheet of white silk filled with tiny, closely written characters ¨C it was his transcription of part of the ''Body Refining Secret Text''. The more he studied the ''Body Refining Secret Text'', the more brilliant he found it. Even though Xie Yuxin was his friend, he was unwilling to part with the whole book. Xie Yuxin took over the white silk with trembling hands, carefully reading the words on it. Her face blossomed into a smile of exhilaration, she cried tears of joy which fell onto the white silk. She immediately channeled her mana, expelling the tear drops carefully so as to not stain the text. ¡°Friend Shen, thank you¡­¡± she held the white silk tightly to her chest, struggling to keep her emotions in check. ¡°This secret method was a fortuitous find for me as well, there''s no need for such a reaction, Elder Brother Xie. We should hurry up. Lu Daoist and the others have gone ahead.¡± Shen Luo gave a light laugh and moved forward briskly. Xie Yuxin wiped her teary eyes, watching Shen Luo''s retreating figure intently. ¡°Friend Shen, regardless of what happens in the future, I will definitely do something for you in return, even if it means risking my life¡­¡± She quietly pledged in her heart. Shen Luo, unaware of Xie Yuxin''s emotions, quickly caught up with Lu Huaming and the others. ¡°Brother Shen, what secret were you sharing with Elder Brother Xie?¡± Lu Huaming asked with a mischievous smile. ¡°There''s no secret, I just asked her about some things. I didn''t expect this Styx River to be so wide. After walking for so long, we still haven''t reached the end.¡± Shen Luo casually deflected the subject with a faint smile. ¡°Indeed, the Styx River is vast. We should accelerate our pace; lingering any longer could lead to issues.¡± Lu Huaming suggested. ¡°Can we not fly instead? It''d be much quicker than walking,¡± suggested Dan Yangzi from the side. ¡°No, we can''t. Ming Shi Bridge is a connection between the Yin and Yang realms. Although it appears serene, the space here is very unstable. If we deviate from the bridge, we could be swept into the crevices of the Three Realms by a sudden spatial storm, never able to return to the Human Realm. Moreover, many formidable ghosts dwell within the Styx River. Once we leave the bridge, we would expose our Qi, risking an attack from the creatures within the river,¡± Lu Huaming said, hastily. Upon hearing all this, Shen Luo looked up into the void with awe. Since they couldn''t travel by air, he took out the Divine Travel Armor Talisman to speed up their journey. With the Divine Travel Armor Talisman aiding them, their pace was significantly quickened. After a long while, threads of light appeared on the horizon ahead. ¡°There''s light ahead, does that mean we''re about to reach the Human Realm?¡± exclaimed Xie Yuxin joyously. The others were also invigorated. After moving forward for a while, the bridge finally ended and a patch of dark grey land appeared before them. This land, however, was still enveloped in Yin Qi, and didn''t seem like the Yang Realm at all. Yet the light here was brighter, extending their field of vision much farther than before. They could see a considerable distance away. ¡°Wait, what''s that over there?¡± As they were about to step off the bridge, the sharp-eyed Xie Yuxin pointed towards the river bank in the distance. A tall altar stood about a hundred feet away from the Ming Shi Bridge, encircled by six stone pillars covered in formation patterns. Six pale white flames burned atop the pillars, drawing attention. Seven figures stood in front of the altar, among whom the one in the middle had a draconic head and a human body, tall and imposing. It was a being Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were familiar with. ¡°It''s the Jing River Dragon King! How could this demon be here!¡± Shen Luo grimaced internally, cursing his bad luck. The Jing River Dragon King had left a deep impression on him. Its strength was unparalleled. Had it not been for the timely arrival of the Yellow Wood Daoist, he would not have survived that day. To encounter this demon again here was unexpected. Luckily, the Qi of the group was masked by the Ming Shi Bridge. The Jing River Dragon King was unlikely to have detected their presence. ¡°Huh, the Dragon King''s Qi seems unstable.¡± Studying the Dragon King closely, Shen Luo noticed something unusual. Although Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, and the others had not seen the Jing River Dragon King before, they knew of its reputation. Their expressions turned grave. Five black-robed figures stood beside Jing River Dragon King, with a man in a widely cut black robe at the front, his face obscured. Shen Luo stared at this man a little longer, his brow slightly furrowed. Even though he couldn''t see the man''s face, he had a nagging feeling of familiarity, as if he had seen him somewhere before. ¡°I remember now, at the Xuanyuan Pavilion auction! He''s the one who won the Xuan Turtle Plank!¡± A spark of recognition flashed through Shen Luo''s mind. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because of the Five Mountains Seal, he paid special attention to the one who had won the Xuan Turtle Plank. He wasn''t entirely sure if they were the same person, but the robe the man wore that day, whether in style or color, was remarkably similar to the black robe worn by the man in front of him. Chapter 548 Chapter 548: Chapter 544: Grudges and Resentments Chapter 548: Chapter 544: Grudges and Resentments The black-robed man was followed by four others, male and female, who also wore black robes, emblazoned with the mark of the Refining Body Altar. They stood shoulder to shoulder, bowing slightly in reverence towards the black robed monk leading them. Strangely, these four figures seemed somewhat translucent, as if they were not solid beings. To the right of the Jing River Dragon King, stood a figure. This person was completely shrouded in a grey light, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female, or even discern their features, making them incredibly mysterious. Above the altar, a person was strung up on a wooden cross. This person wore a yellow robe, with a dignified face. Though his hair was white, lending him an aged appearance, he was presently in a deep slumber, oblivious to the world. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Lu Huaming exclaimed in a low voice when he recognized the person on the stage. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What! This person is Emperor Tang! How did he end up here?¡± Shen Luo and Dan Yangzi were both shocked. ¡°This person is not the real Emperor Tang, but his divine soul.¡± Ge Tianqing suddenly chimed in. Hearing this, Shen Luo carefully examined the yellow-robed man on the frame, noting that his figure was also somewhat transparent, indeed not a physical entity. ¡°Even if it''s His Majesty''s divine soul, it can''t be damaged in any way. We must rescue it.¡± Lu Huaming urged anxiously. Upon hearing these words, the faces of Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master turned rigid. ¡°We all understand Brother Lu''s intention. Now is a time of crisis, and Emperor Tang is crucial to the stability of the world. We naturally have to save him. However, the might of the Jing River Dragon King far surpasses us, and we should not act rashly.¡± Shen Luo promptly pulled Lu Huaming aside and replied. Lu Huaming gave Shen Luo a glance and reluctantly nodded. They crouched under the bridge, observing the altar. The Jing River Dragon King was chanting incantations under his breath, pointing at Emperor Tang on the cross, causing a ripple in the void. Emperor Tang trembled, rousing from his slumber, and slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Li Shimin, do you still recognize me?¡± The Jing River Dragon King asked coldly. ¡°You¡­you are the Jing River Dragon King from back then! You brought me here?¡± Emperor Tang carefully looked at the demon in front of him, revealing shock on his face but managed to retain composure. ¡°As long as you remember me. You broke your promise that year, letting Wei Zheng behead me. The officials of the Underworld were greedy for wealth and power, they took sides with you. They not only did not punish you, but they also suppressed my dragon soul, making me suffer day and night in Yin Fire. Fortunately, a stranger helped me and I finally escaped. Now I have the chance to settle the old scores with you!¡± The Jing River Dragon King''s eyes were filled with murderous intent. ¡°Jing River Dragon King, I have already explained to you about the incident that year. On that day, I left Wei Zheng in the palace and did my best to save you. But he beheaded you in his dream. Even though I am the emperor, I am still human, how could I foresee this?¡± Emperor Tang responded. ¡°Hmph! Such lies might deceive others, but do not think you can deceive me. I have already thoroughly investigated the incident that year. It was you and Yuan Tiangang who plotted against me! After finishing you off, I will deal with Yuan, the thief!¡± The Jing River Dragon King opened his mouth and spewed a stream of Black Qi towards Emperor Tang''s face. Seeing this, Lu Huaming''s body trembled, ready to spring into action from atop the Ming Shi Bridge. ¡°Wait a moment, Brother Lu. The Jing River Dragon King probably doesn''t intend to kill His Majesty directly.¡± Shen Luo grabbed Lu Huaming and whispered. Emperor Tang''s face was covered in Black Qi, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted once more, without any further injury. Lu Huaming breathed a sigh of relief at this sight. ¡°Daoist Shen, how did you know that the Jing River Dragon King wouldn''t directly kill Emperor Tang?¡± Xie Yuxin asked curiously. ¡°If the Jing River Dragon King wanted to kill His Majesty, he would have done so earlier, without the need to take him to the Netherworld, let alone set up this altar. There must be a different plot brewing.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Brother Shen makes a sound argument. I was overly worried,¡± Lu Huaming said, taking a deep breath and calming his expression before speaking. Xie Yuxin''s eyes flashed with admiration. Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, and Ge Tianqing all looked at Shen Luo with a hint of surprise. ¡°Brother Shen, in your opinion, how can we rescue His Majesty?¡± Lu Huaming asked Shen Luo. Even though he was forcing himself to stay calm, his mind was still in turmoil and he was not in a state to formulate a strategy. ¡°According to the aura being emitted by the others on the Refining Body Altar, we could confront them. Only the strength of the Jing River Dragon King far surpassed us, we couldn''t fight him head-on. I don''t know how these demons managed to bring His Majesty''s soul here, but I''m sure there must have been some reactions in the palace. Brother Lu, do you have a way to contact Duke Cheng? Only their assistance would give us a chance against the Jing River Dragon King,¡± Shen Luo asked Lu Huaming. ¡°I don''t have a magical instrument that can contact my master from afar, but if we plan to confront the Jing River Dragon King, we do have some means,¡± Lu Huaming said, clenching his teeth after a moment of silence. ¡°Oh, you have a method? What is it?¡± Shen Luo asked with excitement. ¡°It''s a long story and I can''t explain it all at once. You''ll understand later. But I won''t be able to resist the Jing River Dragon King for long. When the time comes, I''m entrusting everything to you. You must rescue Emperor Tang!¡± Lu Huaming said, saluting everyone. ¡°Don''t worry, Brother Lu,¡± Shen Luo said solemnly. Xie Yuxin, Dan Yangzi, and the others also agreed. Lu Huaming saluted the group once more and then sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes. Before long, a white light enveloped his body and a unique aura slowly radiated from him. ¡°This aura¡­¡± Shen Luo started, immediately recalling the sudden outburst from Lu Huaming, who was drunk and asleep. The aura being emitted from his body was exactly the same as the one back then. Just as Shen Luo was about to take a closer look, there was a commotion at the distant altar. He immediately looked over. The Jing River Dragon King was waving his hands, and the white flames on the six stone pillars surrounding the altar flared up, bursting into a large area of white light. They connected with each other, forming a hexagonal wheel that slowly rotated. ¡°Is it truly safe for me to perform the ritual here?¡± The Jing River Dragon King paused to ask the grey figure behind him in a heavy voice. ¡°I''ve arranged everything. The guards of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk in the Underworld have been replaced by my people. Even if we use the power of reincarnation, no one will notice. Please be at ease, Your Excellency.¡± said the figure within the grey light. His voice was uncertain, making it impossible to tell their gender or age. ¡°Good. Once I use the power of the Reincarnation Disk to swap my divine soul''s origin with Emperor Tang''s, I will become the Emperor of the Great Tang. The things I promised will surely be done.¡± The Jing River Dragon King said, revealing a hint of a smile. ¡°I look forward to hearing your good news, Dragon King.¡± The figure in the grey light chuckled. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s face turned pale. The Jing River Dragon King had brought Emperor Tang''s soul here for this reason, and even the people in the Underworld were colluding with the Jing River Dragon King. The others also showed shock at this revelation, Lu Huaming''s face more than most. His eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenched tightly. ¡°But this soul swapping technique is against heaven. It needs to contend with the backlash of the Six Paths of Reincarnation and can only be performed by someone at the Great Mahayana Stage. Dragon King, you were seriously injured not long ago in a battle with the Great Tang Government officials and your cultivation level fell. Are you sure you can successfully perform this technique?¡± asked the figure from the grey light. ¡°Humph! I, the Dragon King, was injured by the old fool Cheng Yaojin and my cultivation has indeed fallen to the Nascent Soul Stage. But as a dragon, I am naturally powerful, my talent far exceeds ordinary monks. There will be no problems.¡± The Jing River Dragon King said coldly. With this revelation, Shen Luo felt a glimmer of hope. The Jing River Dragon King was indeed injured and his cultivation had indeed fallen to the Nascent Soul Stage. If everyone joined forces, there might be a slight chance of winning. Chapter 549 Chapter 549: Chapter 545: The Dragon Slaying Sword Reappears Chapter 549: Chapter 545: The Dragon Slaying Sword Reappears As Shen Luo''s thoughts turned, he carefully scrutinized the ash-colored figure and became more and more shocked with every glimpse. No breath leaked from the figure, it seemed like it was truly just a shadow, yet it irresistibly made his heart palpitate. Shen Luo had only experienced this kind of situation in monks who were at the Nascent Soul Stage or above. ¡°I misjudged. To think there is such a formidable figure!¡± Shen Luo clenched his fists tightly. His originally somewhat steady heart rose again. ¡°The Body Refining Platform has helped me a lot, I have not forgotten that. Once I become the Emperor Tang, I will definitely make the Body Refining Platform my national teaching platform and strongly support it, providing tribute for generations,¡± the Jing River Dragon King addressed the five monks on the Body Refining Platform. ¡°Many thanks to His Majesty Dragon King.¡± The Black Robed Monk leading the group rejoiced, cupping his hands and thanking the Dragon King. Jing River Dragon retreated his gaze, looking towards the Emperor Tang on the altar, a flash of ferocity in his eyes, his hands forming seals. The six-pointed shadow wheel in the void immediately emitted a strong white light, its rotation speed increased by ten times. The shadow figure in grey raised his hand and swung, a white light shot out from his hand. It was a grey-white talisman, engraved with a six-pointed wheel pattern, which melted into the six-pointed phantom wheel above the altar. The six-pointed shadow wheel quickly became solid, transforming into a semi-illusory existence. A very peculiar wave of mana spread out from the hexagonal wheel, radiating far and wide. The wave also affected Shen Luo and others on the Ming Shi Bridge far in the distance. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everyone shivered, their faces appearing dazed. The same was true for Shen Luo, many blurry scenes flashed before his eyes as if he had glimpsed his past and present lives, leaving his spirit in a daze. ¡°The Suppressing God Technique!¡± At the critical moment, he performed the Suppressing God Technique, a towering huge peak emerged in his mind. The fluctuating soul power instantly stabilized, the illusions before his eyes quickly disappeared. But at that moment, his body suddenly swayed, for the Ming Shi Bridge began to vibrate suddenly, as if resonance occurred with this peculiar mana. Ancient black patterns emerged from the surface of the bridge, emanating trails of black light. The restrictions on the bridge had completely concealed the breaths of Shen Luo and the others, but now as the restrictions vibrated, their breaths were suddenly revealed. ¡°Who is there!¡± The Jing River Dragon King suddenly turned his head and looked over, splitting his right hand into five fingers, reaching out to grab the void. The void above the heads of Shen Luo and the others wavered, and a huge black dragon claw the size of an acre emerged, reaching down to grab all of them. A massive sucking force emerged from the dragon claw, pulling all of them up, so they had no control over their bodies and were flying upwards. ¡°It''s you! Boy, I remembered your pure nature and initially intended to spare your life. Unfortunately, you have repeatedly ruined my big plans. Today, you are snooping on my secrets, so there is no sparing you. Die!¡± The Jing River Dragon King glanced at Shen Luo, a killing intent flashed in his eyes, a blast of black light from his raised right hand, and he squeezed forcefully. A powerful and sharp pressure permeated through the giant dragon claw, enveloping Shen Luo and others, squeezing sharply, as though intending to crush them all into powder. Shen Luo''s face drastically changed, he gestured with his hands, and strange lights flickered all around him. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo, Five Peaks Seal, Ink Armor Shield, Qiankun Bag, and the Green Short Axe magical instruments gradually materialized. All the mana in his body was drained, pouring into these magical instruments. Numerous powerful waves of mana erupted, ready to fight to death. But Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, Ge Tianqing, and Xie Yuxin were all in a daze, entirely unaware of the danger approaching. Just at this moment, an incredibly bright white light suddenly erupted from their side. It was Lu Huaming sitting cross-legged in mid-air, looking dignified. A dazzling, sun-like white light burst from his body, too intense to gaze directly at. This white light brightened, then quickly contracted, transforming in the blink of an eye into a luminous sphere several feet tall, encapsulating all of them within. ¡°Clang,¡± ¡°Clang,¡± ¡°Clang,¡± several loud noises echoed. The white light shield trembled violently; five deep depressions appeared on its surface, but it showed no signs of shattering. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo let out the breath he had been holding, looking over at Lu Huaming. Lu Huaming had already stood up by this point, his expression grave. Gone was his usual cheerful demeanor. An illusory figure faintly appeared overlapping his body, and the sky-piercing white light was emanating from the figure''s body. The aura emanating from Lu Huaming had also multiplied several times, reaching the realm of the Nascent Soul Stage. His hands formed a gesture, waving to the left and right. Sounds of bubbling resonated on the white light shield. Many star patterns appeared. Lu Huaming''s hands formed a seal and pushed outwards fiercely. ¡°Boom,¡± a scorching white light bloomed on the white light shield. It was blinding, and then the entire shield suddenly shattered, transforming into a large white light wave, surging in all directions. The surrounding sharp claw energy that enveloped them was swept away as if it was rotten wood, and the enormous black dragon claw above was blown away. Shen Luo and the others regained their freedom and floated to the ground. Xie Yuxin, Dan Yangzi and the others also regained their senses at this moment, looking surprised at Lu Huaming, the black dragon claw overhead, and their surroundings, clueless as to what had happened. ¡°We''ve been discovered. Lu Daoist acted and saved us¡­¡± Shen Luo had already left the Ming Shi Bridge by this point; his Divine Sense power could leave his body, so he used it to explain what had happened in a simple way. Upon hearing this, the four of them finally understood. ¡°As previously agreed, I will deal with the Jing River Dragon King. You go and rescue His Majesty!¡± Lu Huaming said to Shen Luo and the others. His voice remained the same but his tone had completely changed; he sounded like a stern general giving commands. As his words fell, his right hand reached out to the void, and a sharp whistling noise sounded. A golden light appeared in his palm, transforming into a golden sword. This sword had a unique design; its blade slightly curved, looking like both a sword and a knife, and a ball of golden flame burned at the sword handle. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. He had seen this uniquely designed sword before. During his last duel with the Jing River Dragon King, a massive sword shadow similar to this sword had emerged from the golden sword array inside the river. It had broken through the Jing River Dragon King''s move with a single strike. That day, the Jing River Dragon King had called out in surprise, naming that sword shadow the Dragon Slaying Sword. ¡°Could this be the Dragon Slaying Sword!¡± Shen Luo wondered silently. After Lu Huaming displayed this sword, he swung it towards the black dragon claw in the sky. A golden light flickered, a huge sword Qi that was about dozens of feet wide and seventy to eighty feet long shot out from the golden sword, breaking through the void, directly soaring into the sky. In a blink, it appeared in front of the black dragon claw, smashing into it fiercely. ¡°Hiss,¡± what looked like the formidable black dragon claw was cut into two, as fragile as tofu, and dissipated into countless strands of black Qi. The pressure on Shen Luo and the others'' heads completely disappeared. They all breathed a sigh of relief, staring at the golden sword in awe. ¡°Dragon Slaying Sword! I didn''t expect to see this sword again today. Good, good, good, watch me avenge the deep hatred of a hundred years ago!¡± The Jing River Dragon King stared at the sword in Lu Huaming''s hand, his eyes filled with immense hatred as he said coldly. ¡°Evil dragon, Emperor Tang spared you at the time due to his kindness, pleading for you in the Underworld, which is why your divine soul didn''t perish. It''s unexpected that you not only failed to be grateful, but also tried to retaliate. Today, I will not spare you!¡± Lu Huaming spoke out, his voice echoing through the void, causing the entire space to tremble. ¡°Young one, you use secret techniques to borrow power from your past life to forcibly fight me. The victor isn''t decided yet, but I fear your body won''t be able to withstand this drain and will collapse first!¡± The Jing River Dragon King took a look at Lu Huaming from top to bottom and mocked. ¡°Evil creature, you can''t comprehend the heartfelt loyalty of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, much less the secret techniques of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Evil dragon, meet your death!¡± Lu Huaming''s face remained unmoved, his Dragon Slaying Sword was overflowing with golden light as he cleaved towards the Jing River Dragon King. A massive golden Sword Qi broke through the sky and slashed at the Jing River Dragon King. Chapter 550 Chapter 550: Chapter 546: Trapping the Enemy with Rune Array Chapter 550: Chapter 546: Trapping the Enemy with Rune Array ¡°Since you''re seeking your own death, come and meet your fate! Let me show you the power of the treasure of the Jing River!¡± The Jing River Dragon King grasped the void with his right hand, and a wide-back battle knife of green color appeared in his hand. The surface of the knife was a strange green color, the spine was covered with green scales, and there were dragon-shaped patterns at the tip and the handle of the knife. As soon as the knife appeared, the sound of a dragon''s chant began to echo around them, and a huge wave of Dragon Qi was emitted, shaking the void around it. The Jing River Dragon King held the hilt of the knife, raised his arm, and chopped forward. A golden and green aura, each possessing an unparalleled power, collided in mid-air. Amid the earth-shattering roar, waves of air scattered in all directions, forming a grey hurricane that rose into the sky. Amidst the hurricane were glimmers of gold and white light, swirling around. The ground within dozens of yards around was scraped off deeply, Shen Luo and the others, including a few people from the Refining Body Altar, desperately flew towards the outside, only to be caught in the raging waves of air. The hurricane also affected the altar. The hexagonal wheel in the sky above the altar emitted a brilliant light and spun rapidly, flickering incessantly, as if unable to withstand the impact of the hurricane. The Jing River Dragon King, alarmed, quickly pointed his finger and emitted a white light, which went into the hexagonal wheel, instantly stabilizing it. However, at the same moment when he was distracted, Lu Huaming waved his right hand and shot out sixteen golden lights, which appeared at various places around the Jing River Dragon King. They were sixteen golden talismans. The runes on the talismans twisted and turned, resembling the trajectory of the stars in the sky, looking very mysterious. ¡°Star Shifting Rune Array!¡± The Jing River Dragon King looked grim and wanted to break free, but it was already too late. The sixteen golden talismans revolved around the Jing River Dragon King, spinning madly. After a dazzling golden light flashed, both the Jing River Dragon King and Lu Huaming vanished. The next moment, a rumbling sound echoed from the distant horizon, and a clash of golden and green light emerged. Obviously, the two who had teleported away were there. The raging waves of air around the altar finally calmed down a bit, and everyone nearby immediately steadied themselves. As soon as Shen Luo regained his balance, the crimson sword light beneath him flashed. He instantly applied the Art of the Unity of Body and Sword, turning himself into a red sword rainbow, and sped towards the altar like a bolt of lightning. Almost instantly, he dashed in front of the altar and slashed at a stone pillar. He didn''t know what secret technique the Jing River Dragon King was using to exchange divine souls and memories with Emperor Tang, but he could see that these six pillars were part of the spell. As long as he destroyed them, he should be able to interrupt this secret technique. The hexagonal wheel in the sky only covered the altar, leaving these six pillars outside. But at this moment, a yellow shadow shot towards him like lightning from the side. Its speed was even faster than Shen Luo''s, and it landed in front of the stone pillar beforehand, turning into a yellow bronze mirror the size of a house, surrounded by wisps of yellow light. The red sword rainbow, unable to halt its momentum, slammed hard onto the yellow bronze mirror. With a loud ¡°clang¡±, the mirror vibrated, the light on its surface rippled like water, and the red sword rainbow was repelled. The sword rainbow vanished in a flash, revealing Shen Luo, his face pale. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo that circled around him had also become very dim. This yellow bronze mirror had an amazing defensive power, and a strange vibrating force, that his protective mana couldn''t block, allowing it to surge into his body. At this moment, the mana inside his body was shaking, and his internal organs were queasy. What''s even more troublesome is, this vibration was still surging in his body and wouldn''t dissipate. Suddenly, a figure appeared beside the bronze mirror: it was the monk in the large black robe. ¡°People from the Great Tang Dynasty Government? They actually managed to find this place, quite impressive, but they shouldn''t dream of saving Emperor Tang!¡± The black-robed monk sneered, waving his hands immediately. Two black lights darted towards Shen Luo, which were two black, short cones with cold radiance sparkling all around. His hand immediately pressed on the yellow bronze mirror. The massive mirror quickly shrunk to the size of a tabletop, but the glow from its surface became brighter. With a ¡°buzzing¡± sound, a yellow crystal light shot out from above and headed towards Shen Luo. Wherever it passed, the void emitted a strange humming sound. A trace of ferocity flashed in the eyes of the black-robed monk. Knowing the power of his yellow mirror now, and sensing the shaky mana within Shen Luo, he immediately launched a full attack, aiming to kill him at once. Shen Luo snorted coldly, his feet shimmering with moonlight glamour as he darted aside to evade. However, due to his shaky mana, the moonlight glamour was much dimmer than usual. He could only flee a few meters to the side, barely escaping the black-robed monk''s onslaught. He dared not stay put and continued to use Slanting Moon Steps to dodge while fully operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. His inner Mana surged like a rushing river. The bizarre shaking force seemed to have met its nemesis and got absorbed rapidly by the rushing Mana. Joy filled Shen Luo''s heart when he realized that the Nameless Cultivation Technique he practiced was a supreme water-type technique. Water is the softest element, capable of embracing everything. Naturally, it could completely absorb these shaking powers. ¡°Don''t run!¡± The black-robed monk snorted angrily, pointing his finger again. A green light shot out from his hand; it was a black and crimson iron nail, half a foot in length, emitting a strong breath of Yin Sha. It was clearly a poisonous magical instrument, charging towards Shen Luo. The two black short cones transformed into two black shadows, continuing to chase after Shen Luo. The speed of the black-crimson nail far exceeded those two short cones, reaching in front of him in the blink of an eye, aiming at his chest. But Shen Luo had recovered by now. A swing of his right hand and a flash of green shadow, the Ink Armor Shield appeared in front of him. A loud ¡°clang¡± rang out as the black-crimson nail was knocked away. Immediately followed by two crisp ¡°clang¡± sounds, the red, radiating Pure Yang Sword Embryo knocked those two black short cones away. A high-pitched sword cry echoed as the Pure Yang Sword Embryo radiated red light, transforming into a sword rainbow a few meters long, slashing at the black-robed monk at lightning speed. Shen Luo reached out and grabbed the green short axe, slashing it towards the monk in mid-air. The short axe immediately radiated a green light, its Thunder and Lightning Prohibition fully invoked, revealing nine green lightning patterns on its surface. The roar of thunder and lightning filled the air as nine thick bolts of lightning shot out from the short axe, resembling nine thunder dragons rushing at the black-robed monk. Not only that, he threw a silver ring with his left hand, it was the Silver Jade and it too shot out, casting countless afterimages as it aimed at the black-robed monk from behind. The black-robed monk saw that Shen Luo calmed his internal shock just after a few breaths and even counterattacked using three top-grade magical instruments, he couldn''t help but be stunned, quickly making a gesture towards the yellow bronze mirror. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The bronze mirror immediately flew above his head, emitting a yellow pillar of light that enveloped him. When the nine bolts of lightning struck the yellow radiance, the yellow pillar of light rippled all over, but remained unbroken. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Silver Jade Ring both hit the yellow pillar of light, each causing a loud ¡°thud¡±, but were also rebounded back. Chapter 551 Chapter 551: Chapter 547: Turn Against Chapter 551: Chapter 547: Turn Against Shen Luo and the black-robed monk began their confrontation, while Dan Yangzi, Xie Yuxin, and others had already clashed with the four Body Refining Platform Monks. Dan Yangzi unleashed three red flying swords, seemingly a set of magical instruments, slashing at one of the Body Refining Platform Monks like a meteor chasing the moon. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Xie Yuxin brought out a green flag. With a swing, the flag emitted a bright green light and from its end it launched a barrage of green wind blades towards another Body Refining Platform Monk. ¡°I, Dan Yangzi, and Xie will hold these five off. Red Hands Master, you rush in and save Emperor Tang!¡± While Ge Tianqing spoke to the Red Hands Master, he formed hand seals and pointed at the void. A creaking sound echoed, and black thunderbolts sprang from his fingers, striking two other monks on the Body Refining Platform and the grey silhouette. He saw that the grey silhouette was strong, and the black thunderbolt that shot at it was much thicker than the other two. Red Hands Master was preparing to rush towards the altar, but was blocked by several dark lights shot by a Body Refining Platform Monk. At that moment, the grey silhouette suddenly shot up but didn''t engage in battle. Instead, it turned into a grey shadow, fleeting away quickly, disappearing in the vast wilderness in the blink of an eye. Seeing this, everyone present was stunned. ¡°Coward! Running away without fighting!¡± The black-robed monk watched the grey figure run away, cursing loudly with rage. Although he was cursing, he didn''t loosen his hand seals, using the yellow bronze mirror and two black short cone to block all of Shen Luo''s attacks. Especially the yellow bronze mirror had an extraordinarily strong defensive power, no matter how aggressively Shen Luo attacked, it couldn''t be broken. ¡°The enemy is formidable. You four, form the Shadow Four Images Formation!¡± The black-robed monk wasn''t paying much attention to Shen Luo. His attitude was well at ease, he dealt with Shen Luo while keeping an eye on the fight on the other side. Seeing this, a trace of coldness flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. After clashing with this man, he sensed opponent''s cultivation level was only at mid-Stage Soul Condensation, and his mana might not be as profound as his own. However, the yellow bronze mirror he manipulated was too strong, in terms of defensive power, it was even superior to the Ink Armor Shield, hence the careless attitude. ¡°I don''t know how long Lu Daoist can hold on, I can''t be entangled with this person, I must fight quickly and decisively!¡± He waved his hand to put away the Ink Armor Shield, then swung it out. With two flashes of light, the Five Mountains Seal and the golden ingot magical tool obtained from Qian Tong emerged. He poured his mana into the two treasures. The yellow light of the Five Mountain Seal flourished, and images of five mountain peaks appeared, forming a Five Finger Giant Peak in an instant. The golden ingot rapidly enlarged to the size of a house in the blink of an eye. The two treasures rumbled down, mercilessly crushing towards the black-robed monk. Before the two items fell, an overwhelming force was already caging down, causing the ground within tens of feet to cave in. Moreover, the green short axe, Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and Silver Jade all radiated light and attacked the black-robed monk from all directions. The black robe monk''s hood was torn off by a gust of wind, revealing an imposing middle-aged man''s face with handsome brows. However, his handsome face was filled with shock at this moment. ¡°Impossible! You are merely at the early stage of Soul Condensation, how can you control so many powerful magical instruments at the same time!¡± The black-robed monk roared, his hands turning like a car wheel to form handprints, and then he pressed both hands onto the bronze mirror. The yellow bronze mirror glowed brightly and spewed out a mass of yellow cloud, which enveloped the surroundings. In the blink of an eye, the yellow cloud solidified into a bell-shaped shield. Just as the shield formed, the Five Mountains Seal, GoldenIngot, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, along with other magical instruments, bombarded it all at once, hitting the yellow cloud shield. A massive explosion echoed, and the yellow cloud shield emitted a strong yellow light. However, under the fierce strike of the five magical instruments, it held out for only two or three breaths, then let out a mournful cry, shattered and reformed into the yellow bronze mirror. The bronze mirror cracked into four or five pieces, but the light on it didn''t fade. The figure of the black-robed monk came into sight, with two streams of blood trickling from the corners of his mouth, obviously he was badly injured. However, his body flickered, transforming into a fast-moving black shadow. While taking advantage of Shen Luo''s magical instruments destroying the yellow bronze mirror and destabilizing him, he shot out through the gap between the magical instruments and fled into the distance. A cold smirk appeared on Shen Luo''s face as he motioned with his right hand. An incredibly thin black needle shadow flashed past at the foot of the black-robed monk, piercing through his right ankle. ¡°Ah!¡± The black-robed monk felt an excruciating pain in his ankle, coupled with a tingling sensation quickly spreading, making his entire right leg lose sensation instantly. He fell flat on the ground. A red sword shadow appeared from the corner of his eyes and flashed past incredibly fast. The black-robed monk felt a sharp pain in his neck and his field of vision suddenly started spinning, then quickly plunged into endless darkness. Shen Luo took a long breath, relaxing his tense body. The Five Finger Giant Peaks flickered and disappeared, while the Golden Ingot quickly shrank, and both magical instruments dropped to the ground with thumps. The spiritual light of the other three magical instruments dimmed, no longer possessing the strength of moments ago. Given his current cultivation level and his familiarity with controlling magical instruments, operating six magical instruments simultaneously was already his limit, and he could not sustain it for long. Fortunately, he managed to successfully kill this man. At this moment, two screams came from nearby. Shen Luo looked up and his face changed. He saw Xie Yuxin lying on the ground with a bloody hole in his chest, he had already fainted. Ge Tianqing''s left arm was severed at the shoulder, with blood gushing out profusely as he staggered backwards. The figures rushing madly at Ge Tianqing were none other than Dan Yangzi and the Red Hands Master. Four body refining platform monks also attacked, their barrage of attacks raining down on Ge Tianqing. ¡°What are you doing¡­¡± Ge Tianqing quickly retreated while shouting in anger. A purple bowl floated above his head, from which purple lightning rays hung down, forming a spherical shield encompassing Ge Tianqing. However, under the attacks of Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master, and the four body refining platform monks, the purple shield was severely shaken and quickly became thin. It seemed like it would completely collapse in an instant. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Suddenly, multiple giant thunderbolts appeared out of nowhere in mid-air, amounting to seven or eight. These thunderbolts, like tree roots, struck at Dan Yangzi, Red Hands Master and others. Each thunderbolt emitted a terrifying aura of thunder and lightning. The four body refining platform monks showed shocked expressions and their bodies flickered with a black light. They instantly transformed into four black shadows and drilled into the ground. Only two of them managed to burrow underground in time. Two body refining platform monks were hit by two massive thunderbolts. With a ¡°sizzle¡±, two black shadows were torn apart by the thunder and lightning. They didn''t even let out a scream before they turned into wisps of black Qi and dissipated. Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master were also targeted by two huge thunderbolts. Their expressions were full of shock. Dan Yangzi waved his arm hurriedly, and a bronze shield appeared overhead. The red Hands Master at his side waved his hand, and a red feather fan appeared in his hand, which he waved vigorously over his head. Chapter 552 Chapter 552: 548 Chapter 552: 548 The shield of Dan Yangzi had just been summoned, and two thick thunderbolts struck it immediately. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the bronze shield shattered into pieces, but the two thunderbolts disappeared at the same time. The feather fan in Red Hands Master''s hand emitted a brilliant red light. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, a stream of five-colored flames gushed out from the fan, transforming into a giant fire phoenix of several meters in size after a brief roll, and collided with the two thick thunderbolts. An intense burst sound emanated from the intersection of the two, with red flames and white lightning fiercely colliding, then exploded like cold water splashed into boiling oil. At first, the two seemed evenly matched, but the giant thunderbolts, despite being rapidly struck, lost subsequently lost their force and were soon shattered by the red fire phoenix. However, a figure instantly appeared next to Ge Tianqing. It was Shen Luo. He looked somewhat pale, glanced at the unconscious Xie Yuxin nearby, quickly withdrew his gaze, and threw a Restoration Milk Spirit Pill to Ge Tianqing. ¡°This is a healing elixir refined with Thousand-Year Spirit Milk. It works miracles on both internal and external injuries.¡± Shen Luo said calmly. Ge Tianqing caught it, and immediately swallowed it down. White light immediately appeared around his severed arm, the bleeding instantly stopped, and the flesh around the wound squirmed, unbelievably sprouting new flesh and blood, which surprised him. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen.¡± Ge Tianqing said in a low voice. Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master were both very surprised at Shen Luo''s sudden appearance. They looked towards the far distance and saw the beheaded Black Robed Monk, their faces were filled with shock. ¡°Both of you are monks of the Great Tang. We have walked this far on this mission with mutual support. Why did you turn against us?¡± Shen Luo asked Dan Yangzi and Red Hands Master. ¡°Shen Luo, aren''t you always clever? Such stupidity to ask this question.¡± Red Hands Master said dispassionately. ¡°You guys are from the Refining Body Altar! Duke Cheng trusted you so much, why did you betray him? Could it be that the Xuanyuan Pavilion and Treasure Hall are also forces of the Refining Body Altar?¡± Shen Luo questioned sternly. ¡°Don''t fall for his tricks, he''s just stalling for time to recover his Mana! ATTACK!¡± Dan Yangzi turned cold and suddenly spoke out sharply. As soon as the words left his mouth, he raised his hand and shot out three fiery red flying swords from his side, turning into three red lights aiming directly for Shen Luo. Red Hands Master suddenly understood Shen Luo''s scheming treachery and acted immediately. However, instead of using the red feather fan, he summoned two fiery red claws that seemed to be magical instruments refined from some beast claws, attacking Shen Luo and Ge Tianqing. Shen Luo let out a low sigh, having just fought a big battle and deployed several Thunderfall Talismans, his Mana had been severely depleted. Even though he had already consumed a recovery pill, he had indeed attempted to buy some time to refine the pill''s efficacy and restore his Mana through conversation with Red Hands Master. Unfortunately, his intentions couldn''t escape the cunning old fox, Dan Yangzi. He pulled out the Ink Armor Shield with his sleeve, and blocked Dan Yangzi''s fiery red flying swords and one of Red Hands Master''s fiery red claws with a tinkling sound. In his other hand, a green light flashed as he summoned a green short axe and slashed it towards Dan Yangzi in mid-air. With a loud thunder, nine green thunderbolts headed for Dan Yangzi. The nine thunderbolts were extraordinarily grand and bright, the dazzling thunder light ached the eyes, making it hard to see the situation around them. Dan Yangzi knew Shen Luo''s style of fighting only too well from their journey so far, and instinctively recoils. However, the nine thunderbolts suddenly weakened rapidly and disappeared into thin air, revealing to be nothing more than a bluff. A smile appeared at the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth as he murmured incantations, forming together a spirit summoning channel between his left hand''s fingertips. With a ¡°swish¡± sound, the figure of White Star shot out from inside. At the same time, the Qiankun Bag on his body flashed with white light, and a dense grey-white gas shot out from it, revealing Ghost General''s figure. Ghost General''s appearance had changed dramatically¨Chis original black body had now become a grey-white color, and his aura had also changed considerably. Firstly, it was much stronger, reaching the peak of the mid-stage Soul Condensation, just one step away from the Soul Condensation Later Stage. Secondly, Ghost General''s aura was no longer purely composed of ghost power, but it now contained a hint of icy breath as well. It was quite evident that he had absorbed too much Yin Cold Energy. ¡°Deploying Cloud Hanging Array!¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and took out six white flags. Two were kept by his side, and the other four flew out, landing in the hands of Ghost General and White Star respectively. During his previous retreat in the underground stone chamber, Shen Luo had taught Ghost General and White Star the method to use the Cloud Hanging Array. After catching the two flags, they immediately injected their mana into them. ¡°Bad! We''ve been deceived!¡± Dan Yangzi noticed this and yelled loudly before retreating with all his might, but it was already too late¨Che had retreated too far just now. Red Hands Master, who was closer to Shen Luo, noticed Shen Luo''s actions and, although he didn''t know what Shen Luo wanted to do, he knew that it must be something bad for them. He immediately formed a hand seal and pointed it out. The two fiery red sharp claws immediately expanded several times, turning into two giant claws several tens of feet in size. Their tips shot out red glow that was more than a feet thick, and they reached out to claw at Shen Luo. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed, and he was about to activate the Ink Armor Shield to block. However, two black lights flew over from the side, which turned out to be two black iron wires coated with black thunder and lightning. With two clang sounds, the black iron wires blocked the two fiery red sharp claws. It turned out to be Ge Tianqing who made the move. Shen Luo''s face relaxed slightly, and he nodded at Ge Tianqing. He then put all his power into running the Cloud Hanging Array. Rumble, rumble, rumble! Three bright white lights burst out from him, White Star, and Ghost General, and were connected to each other. In the blink of an eye, they formed a white ring of light that enveloped the three of them. White Star and Ghost General injected their demon power and ghost power into the Cloud Hanging Array and after transforming through the Array, they infused into Shen Luo''s body like a swarm of bees. The mana in Shen Luo''s body, which had already been on the verge of running out, was immediately replenished. The blue light around his body flourished, rushing in all directions like a raging wave. Dan Yangzi rushed forward, but was hit squarely by the raging blue light. The blue light, gathering the strength of Shen Luo, White Star, and Ghost General, blasted Dan Yangzi and, like a massive tidal wave, immediately shook him into flying backward. The surging mana within Shen Luo''s body was raring to go. He picked up the green short axe with a flip of his hand and infused mana into it. An incredibly dazzling green thunder burst out from the green short axe, several times brighter than when he activated it himself and it cleaved towards Dan Yangzi in the air. An enormous roar of thunder blasted open in mid-air, and a blue thunder axe shadow the size of a house appeared over Dan Yangzi''s head, releasing fearsome waves of thunder and lightning. Far more powerful than the Thunderfall Talisman from earlier, it viciously chopped down with the astonishing momentum of splitting Dan Yangzi in half. Dan Yangzi showed a panicked expression and quickly made a seal with his hand, pointing it upwards. Three red flying swords shot into the air and struck at the thunder axe shadow in a crossed formation. At the same time, in his other hand, two white rings suddenly appeared, and a cold and cruel aura came from it. Immediately, one could tell that they were extraordinary items.¡± ¡°Go!¡± Dan Yangzi muttered softly, and threw the two white rings out of his hand. They turned into two rays of white light and also struck at the axe shadow hanging in mid-air. ¡°Bang¡±, ¡°Bang¡±, ¡°Bang¡±, ¡°Bang¡±, a series of loud sounds exploded! The three red flying swords and the two white rings were all cleanly chopped and exploded like fireworks. Chapter 553 Chapter 553: Chapter 549: Soul Cultivator Chapter 553: Chapter 549: Soul Cultivator After the blue thunder axe shadow shatters the red flying sword and a white ring, although it''s still solid, both its emitted light and speed have significantly declined. But its momentum is still fierce, as it continues to strike down. Dan Yangzi, taking advantage of this slight gap, a flash of yellow appears in his hand, a yellow banner suddenly surfacing, ready to be unleashed. At that moment, two black shadows flashed beneath Shen Luo''s feet, surging from the ground and quickly blending into his body. ¡°It''s those two monks from the Body Refining Platform! Damn! I forgot to defend against them!¡± Shen Luo felt his heart clench, about to do something, but the next moment his body suddenly stiffened. His meridians felt as if they were filled with icy water, becoming extremely cold, and his mana circulation became exceptionally sluggish, as if frozen. He remained in the pose of wielding the green short axe, the thunder and lightning axe shadow hovering above Dan Yangzi''s head also paused in mid-air, neither striking down nor dissipating. ¡°Your Excellency, your mana is powerful, your magical instruments formidable, but once we possess your body, no one can save you! Hehe, hand over your divine soul obediently.¡± A cold, sneering voice resounded in Shen Luo''s mind, then two cold soul powers invaded his mind, trying to seize his divine soul. ¡°Not right! These two are Soul Cultivators mentioned in the Body Refining Secret Text!¡± Shen Luo had a sudden realization, an idea flashed through his mind, reminding him of a mysterious cultivation technique recorded in the Body Refining Secret Text. In the Body Refining Platform, there is a group of monks who specialize in cultivating the power of the divine soul. They use various methods to strengthen their divine souls, which become so powerful that they can leave the body during the Soul Condensation or even Grain Avoidance stage. Although the disembodied souls are afraid of thunder and lightning, flames, and other weaknesses, they also possess various magical abilities. At this moment, possessing a body and seizing the divine soul of others is one of them. ¡°Want to seize my divine soul? Don''t even think about it!¡± Amid Shen Luo''s rapid thoughts, he quickly activated the Suppressing God Technique. The soul power in his mind instantly converges into a mountainous form that reaches from the earth to the sky. The two cold soul powers that invaded his mind were immediately blocked outside, no matter how they exerted their powers, they couldn''t penetrate the divine soul mountain at all. ¡°Suppressing God Technique! How do you know this supreme technique of my Body Refining Platform?¡± Another rather hoarse voice of surprise echoed in his mind. ¡°This brat really has some tricks up his sleeve!¡± The previous cold voice spoke and then fell silent. Shen Luo naturally didn''t answer the questions of the two Body Refining monks, and strove to activate the Nameless Cultivation Technique, trying to restore a bit of mana. As long as he could mobilize mana, he could absorb the nearby Pure Yang Sword Embryo into his body. Killing these two Body Refining Platform Soul Cultivators using the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, a technique specialized in killing divine souls, would not be a hassle. However, these two Soul Cultivators seemed to have used some kind of spell that froze his meridians. No matter how much he activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, his mana couldn''t be mobilized in the slightest. ¡°Don''t bother! With the two of us using the Nine Cold Coagulation Vein Technique together, even a Nascent Soul period cultivator wouldn''t be able to use mana!¡± The hoarse voice continued. ¡°You know the Suppressing God Technique and we can''t devour your divine soul, but we can render you unable to move. Dan Yangzi will kill you!¡± The cold voice rang out again, magnifying the icy sensation in Shen Luo''s meridians. Shen Luo and the two Soul Cultivators traded blows a few times, yet it all happened in the blink of an eye. It was clear that Dan Yangzi also saw the two black shadows that had entered Shen Luo''s body. Joy flashed in his eyes. He pulled back the yellow banner without a word, tearing off his clothes to reveal ten horrifying faces on his chest and back. Each twisted in a ghastly sneer, looking like evil ghosts. At that moment, all ten faces were flickering with black light; their murderous aura was at a peak. Ten black ghostly figures emerged and turned into ten vicious little devils, each opening their mouths and spitting. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ten black flames shot out from the mouths of the little devils, condensing into a black fire pillar of the thickness of a water bucket, facing the Thunder Axe Shadow. With a slight ¡°chirp¡±, the extremely powerful blue axe shadow struck the black fire pillar. Like ice and snow meeting fire, it was incinerated and disappeared in an instant. Even though Shen Luo''s body couldn''t move, his senses were still intact. Seeing everything in front of him, he was immediately reminded of the prohibition black flame inside the wooden box that held the Body Refining Secret Text that year. Their shapes were similar, and their powers too. Both were capable of incinerating anything, they should be flames of the same kind. ¡°Die!¡± Dan Yangzi saw that Luo was motionless, how could he not understand his situation right now, and he waved his hands fiercely. The black fire pillar rose into the air with a ¡°whoosh¡±, turning into an extraordinarily large black fire dragon, ferociously pouncing at Shen Luo. ¡°Don''t harm my master!¡± The Ghost General had just been focusing on operating the still unsatisfactory Cloud Array and had not seen the soul cultivator on the Refining Body Platform invade Shen Luo''s body. Seeing Dan Yangzi take deadly action against Shen Luo, a white light flashed in his hand, and a war halberd condensed from white Qi appeared, slashing out. The War Halberd, enlarged several times, struck the head of the black fire dragon. The white halberd contained an astonishing cold power. When it hit the black fire dragon, the halberd''s head immediately collapsed, but the black fire dragon was also momentarily stunned. The black fire dragon twisted its body, flicked its tail, and with a ¡°bang¡± dispersed the war halberd, continuing to pounce at Shen Luo. However, there was a flicker of odd light in Shen Luo''s eyes. The Ghost General began to attack the black fire dragon, and the three of them were now in the Cloud Array together. Mana was connected through the Array Technique, and the mana frozen inside his body was slightly activated. He emanated a faint, transparent blue light and stiffly hooked a finger towards a point in front of him. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo hovering beside him shone with a faint red light, and with a ¡°whoosh¡±, it flew back and entered his Dantian. Shen Luo had a thought and ran the little bit of mana he could use, pouring it into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Red light burst forth from the Sword Embryo, and a swarm of hot breath gushed out. The scorching heat of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo contained the power of Red Lotus Karma Fire, which was the perfect counter to the forces of the two soul cultivators. Wherever the hot breath passed, the frozen mana immediately returned to normal. At this moment, the black fire dragon also flew in front of Shen Luo and bit down. At the critical moment, a blue light shone on Shen Luo''s body. His feet stomped on the ground, and he shot backwards, while at the same time, he swung the green short axe forward. Several thick blue thunders fired from the short axe hit the black fire dragon that flew towards him. With a few ¡°boom¡± sounds, the blue thunders were incinerated by the black fire dragon, but the black fire dragon was also knocked flying out. Shen Luo held a gesture in both hands, operating with all his might the mana he could use and poured it into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. With a soft ¡°hiss¡±, a small bunch of Red Lotus Karma Fire appeared on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, merged into the hot breath, and spread rapidly within his body. Chapter 554 Chapter 554: Chapter 550: Punishing Rebellion (Part 1) Chapter 554: Chapter 550: Punishing Rebellion (Part 1) ¡°No!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Two shrill screams sounded almost simultaneously in his mind. Then, shadows rolled out from Shen Luo''s body, loosely forming two incomplete black figures. They flailed their arms, trying to escape, but strands of red flames shot out from Shen Luo''s Dantian, like ropes, entangling the two figures, making it impossible for them to escape. ¡°Since you''re here, stay for me.¡± Shen Luo murmured something indistinctly. At the next moment, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in his Dantian brightened again, and a red lotus-shaped flame blossomed from his Dantian, enveloping the two shadows, with a slight rotation. The two shadows let out a deathly scream, their bodies swiftly disintegrated, turning into a flash of black light. The Red Lotus Fire vortex swallowed them, and they disappeared into Shen Luo''s body. With the disappearance of these two shadows, the Mana in Shen Luo''s meridians was completely restored. Not only that, he could feel streams of pure Soul Power surging from all over his body, pouring into his mind and melding into his soul. Shen Luo''s Soul Power increased rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, it had become thirty percent stronger. He was overjoyed, quickly realizing that this pure Soul Power was the spiritual essence left by the two Refining Body Platform Soul Cultivators after they were slain by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. He had reaped the benefits. ¡°So Soul Cultivators are such excellent soul supplements for me. It seems that in the future, whenever I encounter Soul Cultivators from the Refining Body Platform, I should take them seriously and not casually smite them with the Thunderfall Talisman!¡± He licked his lips and thought. Soul Power is not like Mana, which can be enhanced by absorbing Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, or by taking Elixirs. Soul Power is intangible and shapeless. Even if there are methods to strengthen the soul, they must be practiced methodically. Every small increase is extremely difficult. This abrupt increase of his Soul Power by thirty percent naturally stirred his emotions. ¡°How can this be!¡± Dan Yangzi stared in disbelief as the two shadows, which had initially held the upper hand, were swiftly slain by Shen Luo in a matter of seconds. His eyes bulged with shock. However, he quickly calmed down and pointed at something. The black fire dragon, which had been previously repulsed, once again charged fiercely toward Shen Luo, snapping at him with wide jaws. Shen Luo''s face chilled, and he made a gesture with his right hand. A bright blue light radiated between his fingers as he activated his Water Control Technique. The nearby Styx River instantly surged, producing a gigantic wave that blotted out the sky. ¡°Go!¡± He waved his hand forward, a huge wave, reaching a hundred feet high, crashed onto the shore like a giant hand, slapping at Dan Yangzi. Dan Yangzi frowned, quickly waving his hands while muttering an incantation. The attacking black fire dragon immediately halted and in a flash, recoiled back in front of Dan Yangzi. The dragon-shaped black flames expanded with a whoosh, forming a black fire wall in front of him. When the waves crashed into the fire wall, a sizzling noise erupted. Large patches of Styx River Water evaporated into white vapor upon contact with the black fire wall. However, there was simply too much Styx River Water. The fire wall couldn''t burn it all, causing both the black fire wall and Dan Yangzi to be pushed back. ¡°You somehow think that mere black flames can make you invincible!¡± Shen Luo declared. Turning his hand over, he conjured the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, pouring his internal Mana into it. A dragon chant-like sword cry rang out; the Pure Yang Sword Embryo trembled violently. Meanwhile, the crimson sword light on it intensified, instantly transforming into a hundred-feet-long crimson giant sword. Wild Sword Qi swept through everything, and red flames in the shape of a lotus sprouted from the sword body. ¡°Slice!¡± He shouted sternly, while swinging his fingers forward. Following his command, the crimson giant sword fiercely swung down at the black fire wall and Dan Yangzi hidden behind it. The enormous sword momentum spread out, making it seem as though the sky dome could be split open with a single swipe of the sword. Dan Yangzi, though surprised by this situation, remained calm. He formed a seal with both hands and pointed towards the black flame wall. Following his movement, the black flame wall bent and formed into an arc-shaped shield, enclosing his body within. Next, he brought out a yellow banner and infused it with his pure Mana with a spit. Nine prohibitions lit up on the banner, emitting a brilliant yellow light. With a puff, the large banner melted into a substantial yellow cloud, shielding above his head. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before Dan Yangzi could do anything else, the red giant sword swooshed down, striking the black flame shield. With a sizzle, the black flame shield shattered under the red giant sword, fragile as paper. The red giant sword, enveloped in Red Lotus Karmic Fire, remained unaffected. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Seeing this, Dan Yangzi roared in disbelief. The black flame that the little devils attached to his soul expelled was called Black Essence Devil Fire, created from a difficult process involving collecting large amounts of Yin Sha Qi and sacrificing living humans to fuse with it. This fire could burn anything and had a significant corrosive effect on magical instruments. While it wasn''t classified as an Earth Fire, it was far more potent than any ordinary Spirit Fire, hence why Dan Yangzi, a celebrated alchemist, practiced Five Ghosts Attaching Souls, a nefarious art. Since perfecting this devil fire, Dan Yangzi had defeated countless formidable foes with it. But it had no effect against Shen Luo''s red giant sword. The red giant sword, after shattering the black flame shield, continued to swoosh down without hesitation onto the yellow cloud formed by the large banner. An explosive sound echoed as the yellow cloud brutally whirled, shining a strong yellow light. But it was severed by the red giant sword, revealing the terrified face of Dan Yangzi. Before he could react, the red giant sword continued its descent, striking him directly. With a bang, half of Dan Yangzi''s head and chest exploded into a blood mist. At this moment, the red giant sword abruptly stopped, not continuing its descent. Half of Dan Yangzi''s body wobbled and fell to the ground. Seeing this scene, Red Hands Master''s eyes flashed with confusion. He quickly grabbed the fiery red feather fan and waved it at Ge Tianqing. A five-colored flame pillar shot out, violently attacking Ge Tianqing. The flame pillar emitted a horrifying heat, making the surroundings resemble a volcanic sea of flames. Ge Tianqing dodged with a faint change in his expression. Red Hands Master seized the opportunity to put away the fire fan. His body shimmered, and a flame-like red light rose from his body. The next moment, he transformed into a fiery long rainbow and flew away at a shocking speed. Ge Tianqing wanted to give chase, but knowing his speed was inferior, he reluctantly gave up. ¡°I''ll chase him. Elder Brother Ge, I''ll trouble you to use this pill to help Elder Brother Xie.¡± Shen Luo took out an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill again and tossed it to Ge Tianqing. Before Ge Tianqing could respond, he formed a sword technique with his hand. The red giant sword flew down from mid-air, landed at his feet, and lifted Shen Luo, White Star, and the Ghost General. ¡°Rise!¡± Shen Luo changed his sword technique, and the red giant sword emitted a vibrant sword light. Suddenly, he did a roll and enclosed the three of them inside. Blurring into a sword rainbow, it shotly forward like a thunderbolt. It was faster than Red Hands Master''s fire escape light. The speed of both was as fast as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, one after the other disappeared into the skyline. Chapter 555 Chapter 555: Chapter 551: Punishing the Betrayal (Part 2) Chapter 555: Chapter 551: Punishing the Betrayal (Part 2) Ge Tianqing watched Shen Luo''s figure swiftly recede, a complex look appearing on his face. Among those assigned on this mission, his cultivation level was the highest. When Senior Yellow Wood nominated Lu Huaming as the leader, he said nothing outwardly, but inwardly, he was quite unsettled. But at this moment, whether it be Lu Huaming or Shen Luo, the strength they displayed far surpassed his own, which left Ge Tianqing, who was always proud, somewhat disheartened. However, he quickly shook his head, no longer dwelling on this matter, and flew towards Xie Yuxin. Using the power of the Cloud Array, Shen Luo invoked the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and executed the Sword Controlling Technique. A light leap forward propelled him miles away, with his surroundings swiftly changing. This was much faster than when he used the Sword Controlling Technique himself, almost on par with the speed of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. The Sword Controlling technique is a sophisticated flight method, and can only be achieved with a deep connection between the user and the sword. Otherwise, even though he had obtained the Mother-Child Sword years ago, he couldn''t cultivate the Sword Controlling Technique until the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was refined. Applying the Sword Controlling Technique with the power of the Cloud Array was inherently challenging, as the power of the array, though substantial, was not entirely his own mana. However, since his soul''s power had magnified so greatly, it allowed him to execute various supernatural powers more smoothly than before, making this instance surprisingly smooth. Although the Red Hands Master also executed a secret technique and fled with full force, he was much slower than Shen Luo. The distance between them was rapidly closing in. Seeing that there was no escape, a fierce light flashed in the eyes of the Red Hands Master. He immediately came to a halt, his Five-Fire Fan lighting up with five dramatically different, bright lights. In addition to the previously seen crimson red, there were four other colors: golden, dark, pure white, and bloody red. The seven feathers on the fan stood upright, each emitting a divine light. The entire fan exuded an unparalleled aura. ¡°Arrogant fool, take this!¡± The Red Hands Master swung the Five-Fire Fan with all his might towards the red sword rainbow that trailed after him. The sound of a phoenix sounding in the distance rang out. A Fire Phoenix the size of about twenty or thirty feet surged out from the fan, dragging behind it five long feathers each bearing a different color: crimson red, golden, dark, pure white, and bloody red. It collided with the red sword rainbow. With an explosive bang, the Phoenix and sword rainbow collided. The sword rainbow flickered and transformed into a Red Giant Sword, clashing with the Phoenix. Both sides were surrounded by dazzling light, neither giving way as they collided with each other, causing ripples through the surrounding void. The Phoenix let out another loud cry, spread its wings and transformed into a large ball of light surrounded by five different halos. These halos contracted abruptly, and then expanded towards all directions. In the blink of an eye, five large vortexes, each bearing the colors of crimson red, golden, dark, pure white, and bloody red, spontaneously formed around the ball of light. The spiritual pressure emitted by the ball of light suddenly surged several times, almost suffocating those nearby as it surged forward relentlessly. With a loud crash, the Red Giant Sword instantly shattered and reverted back into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. It spun and shot backwards, the spiritual light on the surface of the sword embryo dimly lit, clearly having suffered significant damage. Shen Luo, the Ghost General, and White Star were all repelled, and the Cloud Array was also shattered in a single blow. A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth. He looked at the Five-Fire Fan in the hands of the Red Hands Master with a sense of surprise; the power of the fan was even greater than he had expected. It seemed that the Red Hands Master had not been exerting his full strength in the previous encounters. Hovering beside him was a cyan shield, which was the Ink Armor Shield. Thankfully, he was able to invoke the Ink Armor Shield just in time at the crucial moment. Otherwise, he would''ve suffered severe injuries. As for the Ghost General and White Star, without having any defensive magical tools, they directly bore the brunt of the attack from the Five-Fire Fan. Their injuries at this point were quite severe, and they crouched down onto the ground, too weak to stand. Despite being shocked by the power of the Five-Fire Fan, Shen Luo did not stop. Ignoring his injuries, he waved both hands continuously. A flash of yellow, gold, and white light shot forth, and the Five Mountain Seal, Golden Ingot, and Qiankun Bag flew out in unison, striking towards the Red Hands Master. Shen Luo''s mana was nearly exhausted without the Cloud Array, and he could only barely activate these three magical instruments. Although the Red Hands Master had just repelled Shen Luo and his two companions with the swing of his fan, his own mana consumption was also extremely severe. Seeing the three artifacts burgeoning towards him, his face showed astonishment and fury, and once again, he swung his flaming fan. A bout of multicolored fire burst out, much thinner than before, rushing towards the three magical instruments. The Five Mountains Seal and the golden ingot shone brightly, leading the way and colliding with the multicolored fire, causing a huge bang and being held there. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo flung a spell, and a white rainbow suddenly ejected from a corner of the Five Mountains Seal, shooting out at a lightning speed, covering a distance of tens of feet to hit the Five-Fire Fan. The Five-Fire Fan ¡°cracked¡± once, condensing a layer of white ice crystals, but the palm of the Red Hands Master holding the fan was unharmed. The spiritual light on the Five-Fire Fan suddenly completely disappeared, as if it had suddenly lost all its spirituality. Greatly alarmed, the Red Hands Master hastily mobilized his mana, trying to activate the Five-Fire Fan to shatter the surrounding ice crystals. However, the white rainbow suddenly receded, and a huge force fiercely erupted. The palm of the Red Hands Master felt hot, and the Five-Fire Fan shot out of his grip, and ¡°Whoosh¡±, disappeared into the Qiankun Bag. ¡°My Five-Fire Fan! Give me back my fan!¡± Red Hands Master''s face contorted, and disregarding everything, he lunged towards the Qiankun Bag. A blue silhouette flashed inside the Qiankun Bag, and a blue flying sword shot out, stabbing towards Red Hands Master''s head. The Red Hands Master, shocked into alertness, flashed a red light in his hand, and a red short rod appeared to block the blue flying sword. But at this moment, with a ¡°click¡± from both ends of the flying sword, two slender sub-swords shot out, swiftly circling around Red Hands Master''s neck. Red Hands Master''s neck tilted, and his head fell off. He fell to the ground with a thud. Shen Luo''s tense body relaxed, and with a ¡°plop¡± sound, he also fell on his butt to the ground. His mana was almost completely exhausted. He hurriedly took out a restoration pill and swallowed it. He sat cross-legged and began to refine it. As strands of mana were produced in his Dantian, Shen Luo''s pale face slowly returned to normal. The state of the battle between Lu Huaming and Jing River Dragon King was still unclear, so he didn''t dare to rest here for too long. He stood up as soon as he had restored half of his mana. He first used the Art of Spirit Communication to send White Star back to the Eastern Sea, then put the Ghost General into the Qiankun Bag, and then came to the side of the corpse of the Red Hands Master. He released a blue light, it brushed over the corpse of the Red Hands Master, and two items were rolled up in the blue light. One of them was a dark red ring, Red Hands Master''s storage magical instrument. The other object was a palm-sized gray jade plate. One side was etched with a map which looked fragmented as if it was only a part of the complete map, and there were no markers on it, it was unclear what place it indicated. The other side was inscribed with two symbols that looked like characters but weren''t, looked like drawings but weren''t, which Shen Luo couldn''t recognize too. This thing was found on Red Hands Master''s person, apparently, he highly valued this thing, but he did not keep it in his storage magical instrument, which was quite strange. He looked over the jade plate again, and since he could not figure it out, he put it into the Linlang Ring along with the storage ring. After doing all this, Shen Luo casually took out a Blaze Talisman and cremated Red Hands Master''s body, then he turned around and flew back the way he came. Chapter 556 Chapter 556: Chapter 552: Rescuing Emperor Tang (I) Chapter 556: Chapter 552: Rescuing Emperor Tang (I) Soon, Shen Luo returned to the vicinity of the altar. Xie Yuxin was lying near the altar, her chest and abdomen wounds had healed and stopped bleeding, and her breathing had become steady. It was clear that she had taken an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, but she had not yet regained consciousness. At that moment, Ge Tianqing was wielding three Black iron awls, transforming them into black shadows that were assaulting a stone pillar surrounding the altar. The iron awls buzzed and crackled, wrapped with black thunder and lightning, each strike made a sharp shrieking sound. However, these six stone pillars, of an unknown material, were unreasonably strong. Despite the hive-like small holes made by the three iron awls, there were no signs of any fracturing or collapse. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo frowned slightly. ¡°Brother Shen, where is Red Hands Master?¡± Upon seeing Shen Luo''s return, Ge Tianqing paused his actions and inquired. The one who had stealthily severed his right hand before was Red Hands Master, for whose Ge Tianqing had an immense resentment. ¡°He''s dead.¡± Shen Luo answered indifferently. Hearing this, Ge Tianqing quietly closed his eyes, the chill in his expression considerably diminished. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We don''t know how long Lu Daoist can hold off the Jing River Dragon King. We must break this prohibition quickly and rescue Emperor Tang!¡± Shen Luo did not elaborate on the process of killing Red Hands Master, his eyes turned towards the altar, saying immediately. On the altar, Emperor Tang was still in a deep sleep. He had not yet woken up, but it seemed he had not suffered any further harm, which was slightly reassuring. ¡°Alright, but be careful when breaking the prohibition, avoid direct contact with the Hexagonal Roulette light curtain at all costs.¡± Ge Tianqing advised. ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. ¡°After the Jing River Dragon King left, the prohibition here stopped operating. Just now, I cautiously probed the prohibition on this Hexagonal Roulette in case of any contingencies. This prohibition is bizarre, be it mana or magical instrument, as soon as it comes in contact, the individual casting the spell will immediately become disoriented, similar to the effects of being affected by the prohibition before, it takes a while before you wake up.¡± Ge Tianqing stated gravely. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, then relaxed. That was to be expected, considering the prohibition was personally set up by the Jing River Dragon King. ¡°Since the prohibition cannot be touched, we shall destroy these six stone pillars.¡± Shen Luo stated gravely, raising his hand immediately. Two rays of green and yellow treasure light shot out from his hand, it was a green short axe and the Five Mountains Seal. Among the many magical instruments he had, the most powerful in terms of offense were the green short axe and the Five Mountains Seal. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was effective against living beings and ghosts, but when it came to siege tactics, it was far from the other two artifacts. He mercilessly slammed the two artifacts onto the pillar that Ge Tianqing was attacking, resounding in two thunderous roars. Despite having known that the pillars were solid, Shen Luo''s heart sank when he saw the scene up close. But he was ready and once again utilized the two treasures, and struck down again. Ge Tianqing also took out a Lightning Iron Spikes and attacked the stone pillar. With the two of them working together, the efficiency was doubled. Although the stone pillar was robust, it could not withstand the incessant attacks from the two of them. Half a moment later, after enduring the bombardment, the stone pillar was almost demolished, leaving just a little before it would fall. ¡°Stop!¡± A furious roar echoed from the distance, as if an eruption of thunder, simultaneously a streak of blue-black escapement light appeared on the distant horizon, which was rapidly approaching. ¡°That old guy is back, quickly! One last hit!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened and the blue light emitted from his body flared. He stretched his hands forwards. The yellow light from the Five Mountains Sealshone brightly, solidifying into a several dozen meters sized Five Finger Giant Peaks possessing the might of ten thousand pounds, it smashed towards the stone pillar. Emerging from the blue short axe, a blinding arc of lightning streaked, especially at the edge of the axe, making people unable to open their eyes, striking towards the damaged part of the stone pillar. Ge Tianqing''s hands moved rapidly, signing a spell, three black iron awls gleamed with black light, strangely merging into one, transforming into a pitch-black hollow cone. He grabbed the hollow cone with one hand, shouted, and hurled it with all his might towards the stone pillar. A harsh, piercing sound erupted, the hollow cone transformed into a streak of black lightning shooting forward, arriving instantly before the stone pillars, leaving a faint white trace in the void where it passed. The black lightning shimmered on the hollow cone, which firmly pierced into the damaged part of the stone pillar. The attacks of both men hit the stone pillar almost simultaneously, creating a thunderous explosion. The nearby void trembled violently, stirring up a fierce wind. After a violent tremor, the stone pillar made a harsh, grating sound. The stone pillar was fractured from the break in the middle, with the upper half of the pillar being blasted away. When a stone pillar broke, one corner of the Hexagonal Roulette Formation instantly collapsed, revealing a gap. Shen Luo was overjoyed as he flew into it. Ge Tianqing also did the same, shooting towards the inside of the altar. ¡°You two little thieves dare to mess with my important affairs! Prepare to die!¡± A green and black flight light, as fast as lightning, flew to the top of the altar in the blink of an eye, revealing the figure of the Jing River Dragon King. At this moment, the Jing River Dragon King looked quite disheveled, his clothes were torn, he was wounded in several places, and blood almost dyed half of his robe red. But his aura compared with before did not change much. He swung one hand, his left hand fingers apart, and began to claw downward. The void let out a muffled ¡°bang¡±, and an inhuman force pressed down from mid-air. Shen Luo and the other person felt their bodies sink, as if a mountain was pressing on their backs, it was difficult to move, let alone enter the prohibition inside the altar. But at this moment, a golden stream of light shot like an arrow from behind the Jing River Dragon King, targeting his chest. In the golden light was a strangely shaped golden longsword, which was the Dragon Slaying Sword. The Jing River Dragon King''s face showed a mix of shock, rage, and he dodged to the side without attacking Shen Luo and his partner, but his chest was still penetrated by the tip of the sword. The Dragon King groaned lowly, and a layer of golden dragon scales instantly appeared on his chest. The tip of the sword scraped on it, producing a piercing sound and sparks. The dragon scales were marked with a deep dent, with just a trace of fresh blood oozing out, and had not suffered much damage. As the Jing River Dragon King dodged, his right hand flicked two fingers towards Shen Luo and his partner at a distance. The pressure on Shen Luo and the other person''s head disappeared abruptly. They quickly threw themselves into the prohibition, but they hadn''t taken two steps before they heard a piercing sound in their ears behind them. Two beams of black light appeared out of thin air. Inside them were two nail-like items, aiming at their backs with incredible speed. Shen Luo felt like he had fallen into an ice cellar. He swung his hands behind him without thinking, and a green light flashed. The Ink Armor Shield appeared out of nowhere behind him, barely blocking the black nails. ¡°Clang!¡± A huge noise erupted! The Ink Armor Shield trembled violently, and the green light it radiated also shook violently, but it did not break. Shen Luo felt a heat in his back, and a fierce force passed through the shield into his body. He felt a heat on his back, ¡°Wa!¡± he spat out a mouthful of blood, both him and the shield were hit and flew forward. A scream came from the side. Ge Tianqing also promptly raised a gray shield to block the other black nail, but alas, the gray shield was only a top-grade magical instrument. It only held out for an instant before it was pierced through. The black nail then ran through his body, punching a bloody hole. Ge Tianqing''s body softened, and he collapsed limply onto the ground. Chapter 557 Chapter 557: Chapter 553: Rescuing Emperor Tang (Part 2) Chapter 557: Chapter 553: Rescuing Emperor Tang (Part 2) ¡°Elder Brother Ge!¡± exclaimed Shen Luo upon seeing this sight. However, now was not the time to care for Ge Tianqing. He forcibly endured the pain in his body, dashed forward shielded by his Ink Armor Shield, and finally plunged into the Hexagonal Roulette Formation with a ¡°whoosh¡±. Jing River Dragon King hummed in annoyance. A green light flashed as he brandished the Green Dragon Saber and viciously slashed Shen Luo. The Dragon Slaying Sword appeared in a flash, blocking the strike of the Green Dragon Saber. In the thunderous clash of steel, the gold and green light fiercely collided and exploded outwards. The figure of Lu Huaming appeared beside the Golden Longsword, looking equally bruised. Clearly, neither of them had gained any advantage in their recent struggle. He gritted his teeth, the golden radiance of the Dragon Slaying Sword in his hand increased intensely, blazing like the sun, with a swift upward motion, he produced a loud ¡°clang¡±, and knocked the Green Dragon Saber away. The golden Sword Qi surged, slashing across the Jing River Dragon King''s chest, cleaving him into two halves, only to unveil a mere afterimage. The real image of the Jing River Dragon King appeared behind Lu Huaming with a downward strike of his saber. But Lu Huaming''s body trembled, vanishing into thin air. Just as Shen Luo rushed into the altar prohibition, the ear-piercing shrieks of swords and blades slashing through the void stormed into his ears, almost tearing his eardrums apart. Looking up, he saw two afterimages flickering and chasing each other in the sky. They were fast as lightning, and much of the surrounding void was filled with dazzling Sword Qi and blade glow. The earth-shattering Sword Qi and blade glow created enormous deep pits on the ground. Cracks that resembled spider webs started forming around the pits. Two strands of Golden Sword Qi even hit the Hexagonal Roulette Formation on the altar. The formation trembled violently, but soon regained its stability, proving very robust. Seeing this, Shen Luo was relieved. He gulped down a regular healing pill, extended his hand, emitting two dashes of blue light that enveloped Ge Tianqing and Xie Yuxin outside. With a harsh pull, he drew them inside the formation. The two who fought fiercely in the sky had no time to concern themselves with the situation below. Shen Luo successfully pulled both Ge Tianqing and Xie Yuxin into the formation. Ge Tianqing had a big hole in his chest, gushing with blood. His injury was even more severe than Xie Yuxin''s, he was hanging on by a thread. If he hadn''t consumed the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill before the battle, with some of its medicinal effect still remaining in his body, he would have perished by now. Shen Luo took out the medicine vial containing the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, finding only four pills left. He hesitated for a while, then took out a pill and fed it to Ge Tianqing. They had traveled together all this way, and Ge Tianqing had helped Shen Luo several times. He could not just stand by and watch him die. White light immediately emanated from Ge Tianqing''s wound. The blood flow stopped abruptly and threads of newly grown flesh sprouted rapidly, reducing the size of the wound. Shen Luo no longer bothered about Ge Tianqing, he lept onto the top of the altar, and moved near to Emperor Tang. Emperor Tang was bound by a light gray rope to a wooden rack, unable to move. Shen Luo pulled out the Green Short Axe, intending to slash the gray-white rope. ¡°You are¡­¡± a voice sounded. Emperor Tang had awoken at some point and was looking at Shen Luo with slight surprise. ¡°I am Shen Luo, acting on the orders of Duke Cheng and Senior Huang Mu, I am here to rescue Your Majesty. Please wait a moment, I will save you shortly.¡± As soon as Shen Luo finish speaking, the short axe in his hand transforms into a green shadow and strikes at the gray-white rope. This gray-white rope is indeed an exotic object. The green short axe only managed to cut less than half of it on impact. At this moment, the gray-white light from the hexagonal roulette formation prohibition at the top suddenly grows stronger, and a surge of strange restrictive force descends, covering Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s consciousness becomes muddled, and countless illusions float before his eyes. It''s as if he has fallen into an endless cycle of reincarnation, similar to the previous impact of prohibition force. However, this time, he is blanketed by the prohibition at close range. The illusions are more than ten times more intense, and before he could activate the Suppressing God Technique, his consciousness becomes murky, standing still there like a clay-wooden puppet. Emperor Tang is also affected by this prohibition wave. His expression continues to be hazy, he just stood there, dumbfounded. In mid-air, while Jing River Dragon King copes with Lu Huaming''s attack on one hand, he is also watching the situation on the ground. Seeing Shen Luo under the control of prohibition, he stealthily heaves a sigh of relief. Right now he is being entangled by Lu Huaming, and if Shen Luo really managed to rescue Emperor Tang, he would be unable to stop it. Fortunately, he had held out a hand when he cast the prohibition previously. However, at this moment, the void near the altar wavers, and a white light gate suddenly appears out of nowhere. A figure flies out from the gate. It is a girl in white, precisely Miss Li. At this moment, the girl''s expression is completely different from usual. A faint smile hangs at the corners of her lips, and her eyes seep wisdom and tranquility. It''s as if she can see through everything in the Great World. As soon as she appears, after shooting a glance all around, she heads straight for the altar. With a flash, she enters the altar through a gap in the hexagonal prohibition. In mid-air, seeing this scene unfold, Jing River Dragon King is taken aback with alarm. Seeing his opponent distracted, Lu Huaming thrusts out his Dragon Slaying Sword with an amazing revolution, with a radiant golden sword Qi piercing Jing River Dragon King''s defense and cutting a long wound on his abdomen, causing blood to splatter out. With a roar from Jing River Dragon King, his green dragon saber emits a bright glow. His body twirling like a whirlwind, he unleashes three consecutive slashes at Lu Huaming swiftly like lightning. ¡°Clang¡± ¡°Clang¡± ¡°Clang¡± Three explosive sounds! Although Lu Huaming has managed to parry the three slashes, his body is also repelled quite a distance. After fending off Lu Huaming, Jing River Dragon King makes a spell gesture towards the ground below. The hexagonal roulette formation on the sacrificial platform below spins rapidly. The originally semi-transparent prohibition light curtain instantly solidifies and radiates intense gray-white light. A strong reincarnation restriction force surges from the hexagonal roulette, all within a few dozen feet has been affected by this restriction force, and under the hexagonal roulette, the prohibition force is even more turbulent. ¡°No matter who you are, just stay quietly in the prohibition.¡± Jing River Dragon King snorted coldly, turned around, and continued to engage in combat with Lu Huaming. Under the hexagonal roulette formation, a layer of white light appears on Miss Li''s body. Although the surrounding reincarnation restriction force is raging like a tidal wave, it can''t affect her at all. Miss Li glanced at the absent-minded Shen Luo, a faint smile on her lips. She reached her hand out and touched his forehead. A white light shot out from the girl''s fingertips, seeping into Shen Luo''s forehead. A layer of white light also appeared around Shen Luo''s body. After his body trembled, his eyes regained clarity very quickly. ¡°It''s you! Your Excellency, you''ve helped me recover? Thank you for your assistance.¡± He recognized the Miss Li standing in front of him immediately and after a series of changes in his eyes, he thanked her immediately. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 558 Chapter 558: Chapter 554: Saving Emperor Tang (III) Chapter 558: Chapter 554: Saving Emperor Tang (III) ¡°I merely lent a hand, it was your own unwavering will and the magical effect of the Suppressing God Technique that truly helped you. Even though this technique originates from the Refining Body Altar, it is an exceedingly wonderful method of surmounting divine control. Little Friend Shen, cultivate it well, it will certainly be of great use to you.¡± The young girl named Li said to Shen Luo with a smile, her voice, however, was a deep male voice. ¡°You''re not Daoist Li! Who are you?¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed drastically upon hearing this voice. He stared at the girl, guarding against her, and solemnly asked. The young girl named Li didn''t answer his question, but pointed at the gray-white rope binding Emperor Tang. White light emanated from the gray-white rope, which seemed to come alive, twisting on its own, and released Emperor Tang''s soul. As the restraints on Emperor Tang was released, his body fell from the wooden frame. The girl named Li tried to catch him, but his soul disappeared into thin air just before she could. Shen Luo had snatched him and descended on the other side of the altar. ¡°You still haven''t answered me, who are you? Why have you come here?¡± Shen Luo looked at the young girl named Li, asking in a deep voice, his hand glowing with a red light. ¡°Young friend Shen Luo, right? Duke Cheng and Senior Huang have mentioned you to me several times. I am Yuan Tiangang, not an enemy. His Majesty''s soul has been captured by someone else. I am powerless against it, thus I could only borrow Princess Shu''s body. I used the resonating power of bloodlines between her and His Majesty to transport myself here.¡± The young girl named Li was not angry, she made a respectful gesture towards him and smiled as she spoke. ¡°You''re National Master Yuan Tiangang? How can you prove it!¡± Shen Luo looked shocked, but quickly regained his composure and solemnly asked. ¡°Young friend, you have me in a difficult position. We have not met before, and proving my identity would not be easy. However, the person whom I''ve possessed is indeed the Princess of the Tang Dynasty. This is her Jade Disc and Golden Book, you can check.¡± The young girl named Li took out a golden book and handed it to Shen Luo. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked at the young girl named Li, but did not accept the golden book. Instead, he took a step back and gave her a bow. ¡°So it is National Master''s descent. I previously offended you, please forgive me.¡± ¡°Oh? You didn''t check the Jade Disc and Golden Book, why did you suddenly believe me?¡± The girl named Li raised an eyebrow, retracted the book in her hand, and laughed as she asked. ¡°If you were a villain, you would not have saved me just now. You could have easily ended my life with a single blade. In fact, I somewhat believed what you said before, but as it concerns His Majesty and the fate of the Great Tang, I had to be cautious and thus tested you. I hope National Master will not take offense.¡± Shen said, handing over Emperor Tang''s soul to the young girl named Li. ¡°Young people not being arrogant or impulsive, handling things calmly, displaying both courage and strategy, no wonder Duke Cheng is very fond of young friend.¡± The girl named Li took over Emperor Tang''s soul, nodded and said. ¡°National Master is so flattering, I am humbled.¡± Said Shen Luo, his face modest, showing no sense of complacency. ¡°Alright, we''ll talk later. My nephew Lu has exhausted his vitality by force this time. His potential is about to be depleted. Young Shen, you must lend him a hand quickly. Once Lu falls, we will all perish here, and the country of Great Tang will also face great calamity.¡± The girl named Li looked at the mid-air and said with a slightly furrowed brow. Shen Luo looked up and his expression changed subtly. Looking into mid-air, he saw that the white light emanating from Lu Huaming had dimmed a lot, and the sword glow emitted from his Dragon Slaying Sword had also shortened by almost half. It was far less brilliant than before. What was once a balanced fight had obviously started to tilt in the other''s favor. Shen Luo''s heart tightened. Although he knew that he was no match for the Jing River Dragon King, he did not have any intention to retreat. His eyes turned, he made a plan, and was about to step forward. ¡°Wait a second, young Shen. Right now I''m possessing the princess''s body with my divine soul, without the strength to assist you, but there is a Five-Color Doll Talisman on the princess, which I had given her. It can be used to block three fatal attacks. Now, I''m giving this to you, to lend you a helping hand.¡± The young girl named Li suddenly called out to Shen Luo. She took out a silver talisman and handed it to him. There were mysterious patterns drawn around the talisman, forming a frame. In the middle of the frame were three extremely lifelike human figures. They emanated a sort of special fluctuation, looking very mysterious. ¡°Thank you, Master Yuan.¡± Shen Luo was greatly excited when he heard this, and put on the talisman. With this talisman, his chance of success greatly increased. The moment the Five-Color Doll talisman touched his body, it immediately turned into a halo of silver light and melted into him. Moreover, a stream of pure vitality surged out from the Five-Color Doll Talisman, replenishing a sizable portion of his mana. Although it wasn''t entirely full, it had mostly recovered. A renewed sense of excitement filled Shen Luo, but the immediate danger allowed him no time to examine the Five-Color Doll Talisman. He immediately fled the prohibition, commandeered the sword and soared into the sky, heading straight for the Jing River Dragon King. He swung both his hands, shooting out from his hand a green and yellow treasure light, as swift as a shooting star and aimed straight at the Jing River Dragon King. It was indeed the Green Short Axe and the Five Mountains Seal. Upon witnessing this, the Jing River Dragon King''s eyes revealed surprise. The reincarnation restriction below was jointly established by him and those from the Underworld. Even he himself was not confident of resisting it, yet Shen Luo was surprisingly able to escape! Though he was taken aback, he did not panic. His right hand urged the Green Dragon Saber to continue fighting Lu Huaming, his left hand spread out, showing a brilliant golden light at the fingertips. Suddenly, a golden short cone appeared before him. The short cone was half a foot long, entirely golden with an extremely sharp tip, and a somewhat curved body, appearing curved, as if it was made from a dragon''s horn. On the cone body, a layer of misty golden light covered it, distributing terrifyingly strong spiritual power fluctuations, far exceeding the commonplace magical instrument. The Jing River Dragon King made a gesture and pointed. The golden short cone let out a long cry, and its golden light flourished. Shoo shoo shoo! There were sharp whistling sounds, numerous golden awl shadows the size of a bowl were shooting out one after another, aiming at Shen Luo like a torrential downpour and moving at an incredibly fast speed. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank, he opened his mouth and spewed out pure mana in a flash, infusing it into the Green Short Axe and the Five Mountains Seal. The treasures shone brightly, colliding with countless golden crescent light blades. There was a series of crunching sounds, the green short axe kept flashing with thunderlight and soon gave out mournful cries before it was shattered into countless fireflies by the golden short cone shadows. Meanwhile, the shadow of the Five Mountains around the Five Mountains Seal was also shaking violently and in the blink of an eye, it was breaches by the golden short cone shadow, revealing the body of the seal the size of a water jar. Many more cone shadows were swarming towards them, striking them and causing several overlapping marks to appear on the body of the Five Mountains Seal. Its spiritual light faded quickly, but it still stubbornly blocked Shen Luo. Upon seeing this scene, Shen Luo''s face grew grave, and he quickly executed a seal and waved his hand. Immediately, the Ink Armor Shield flew out and shielded the Five Mountains Seal. The light around the shield flourished, and a mysterious turtle illusion appeared around it, which looked extremely stable. Countless golden short cone shadows crashed down like a downpour, striking the Ink Armor Shield and making dense rumbling sounds. As expected of a top-grade defensive magical instrument with twelve prohibitions, the Ink Armor Shield only vibrated violently and flashed with spiritual light when countless cone shadows were hitting it, but no damage appeared. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and immediately waved his left hand. A golden, a silver, and a gray light shot out from him, circled around the golden short cone shadows, and attacked the Jing River Dragon King from a different direction. They were indeed the Golden Ingot, the Silver Jade, and the Gray Flying Wheel, three top-grade magical instruments. His right hand was not idle either and removed three Thunderfall Talismans, which he threw out simultaneously. ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± three thunderous booming sounds rang out, and three thick thunderbolts appeared, slashing across the sky and attacking the Jing River Dragon King. Chapter 559 Chapter 559: Chapter 555: Saving Emperor Tang (IV) Chapter 559: Chapter 555: Saving Emperor Tang (IV) ¡°Curb your insolence, thief!¡± A flash of anger flickered in the eyes of the Jing River Dragon King as he turned towards the three thunderbolts cast his way, and he opened his mouth to counter. A thick, golden dragon flame sprayed from his mouth, interspersed with an eerie black and green light. This flamboyant display of power collided with the three thunderbolts. With a sizzling sound, the thunderbolts, like fire meeting water, flashed a few times, then turned into green smoke and vanished into thin air. With a pinch of a spell from the dragon king''s left hand, the countless golden awl shadows originally directed at Shen Luo''s body immediately changed their course to strike the incoming magical instruments. After a series of loud clashes, the three magical instruments were completely destroyed, bursting apart. Shen Luo''s expression remained calm. It seemed as if the destruction of the magic objects didn''t distress him in the least. He chanted under his breath, a grand radiance of moonlight gleaming at his feet, accompanied by the emergence of strands of green light around him. In an instant, he disappeared. The next moment he reappeared several meters behind the Jing River Dragon King, his hands again waving out. Hundreds of talismans were densely shot out, turning into small thunders and flames, forming a sea of thunderfire several meters in size, surging towards the Jing River Dragon King. Unnoticed by anyone, a small, dull-red sword emitting subdued sword light, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, shot out from Shen Luo''s sleeve, blending into the sea of thunderfire, flying towards the Dragon King. Although these Small Thunder Talismans and Blaze Talismans had relatively small individual power, hundreds of them combined exploded with terrifying thunder and fire fluctuations. The Jing River Dragon King, caught off guard by Shen Luo''s sudden appearance, was harshly struck by the sea of thunderfire. His body shuddered, and his protective light was significantly scattered. His back was even scorched, leaving a large charred wound. Caught off guard and meeting the attack head-on, the Azure Dragon sword, which was blocking Lu Huaming, showed a moment of disorder. Lu Huaming, who was confronting him, had his eyes shine brightly. With his two hands making a wheel-like gesture, the Dragon Slaying Sword emitted intense golden light. A dragon-shaped golden light shot out from his sword and wrapped around the Azure Dragon sword. At the same time, the Dragon Slaying Sword''s radiance illuminated, and a crescent-shaped sword light, a dozen meters long, shot out and cleaved towards the Jing River Dragon King''s neck. ¡°You''re seeking death!¡± The Jing River Dragon King bellowed furiously, his right hand radiating golden light as it made a fast lunge. His hand instantly transformed into a terrifying dragon claw, which summarily clutched the sword light ejected by the Dragon Slaying Sword and crushed it in a firm grip. He subsequently opened his mouth, spewing out a glob of dragon element that merged into the golden awl in a flash. The golden awl radiated intense golden light, erupting with a terrifying piercing sound before piercing explosively into the cycle of thunder and fire and vanishing. Almost at the same time, gold light flashed on the other side of the sea of thunder and fire, and a golden remnant shadow shot out at an incredible speed, striking the chest of Shen Luo before he could react and instantly piercing through it. A bowl-sized bloody hole appeared in Shen Luo''s chest, his heart was torn to pieces, and blood splattered like a violent rain. A smirk of satisfaction appeared on the face of the Jing River Dragon King as he was just about to shift his gaze away from Shen Luo and focus on dealing with Lu Huaming. However, just at this moment, a dazzling silver light radiated from Shen Luo''s body. The hole in his chest mysteriously disappeared, leaving his chest smooth and unblemished, with no trace of any wound. He made a sword sign with his hands and pointed. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bright red light flashed in the sea of thunderfire next to the Jing River Dragon King. A small red sword flew out in an electric manner, piercing the scorch mark on the river King''s back with a puff sound. ¡°What!¡± The Jing River Dragon King''s face changed. He immediately operated the demon power within his body, his body''s black and gold light brightly exploding. His body muscles trembled, vibrating like a shaking sheet of iron, attempting to dislodge the red small sword. ¡°Rise!¡± Shen Luo''s hand was continuously changing seals, and he shouted softly. Red light burst from the small sword, and a multitude of Red Lotus karmic fire swarmed out from the red sword, forming a big chunk of Red Lotus flames as big as a basin, which then merged into the Jing River Dragon King''s body. ¡°The Red Lotus Karmic Fire!¡± A look of horror flashed in the eyes of the Jing River Dragon King. During the previous battle at the golden river in Chang''an city, although Shen Luo had brought out the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, it hadn''t been nurtured for long and thus was not very powerful. Its full potential was not unleashed, and the Jing River Dragon King''s focus was on obtaining the Dragon Head and did not pay attention to Shen Luo owning this fire. The Jing River Dragon King roared loudly, his body radiating a tumultuous golden-black light, forming a vertical beam dozens of feet long. This golden-black light pillar rapidly rotated and flickered as he put his all into forcing out the Red Lotus Karmic Fire that had merged into his body. If he were in his full dragon form, relying on his profound mana, he might have succeeded. However, the Jing River Dragon King had only managed to reclaim his dragon head. Most of his body was still in spirit form, tightly restrained by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Far from being forced out, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, with a swoosh, integrated even deeper into his body, along with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Explode!¡± Shen Luo spread his hands, forming a lotus-shaped Dharma seal, bellowing out. A muffled explosion resounded from within the golden-black light pillar, shooting red lotus flames from all angles, burning large holes through the light pillar. The light pillar trembled violently, and soon, with a loud bang, shattered entirely. A streak of black light shot out from it, transforming into a black long rainbow, darting towards the distance. Shen Luo waved his hand to recall the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, intending to chase after it with his sword, but the black long rainbow moved at a terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, it had flown several miles away. Obviously, a pursuit was out of the question, so Shen Luo halted. A streak of golden light shot out from the side to chase after the black long rainbow ¨C it was the golden short awl magical treasure. Possibly because Jing River Dragon King was injured, the light emanating from the golden awl was significantly dimmer, its speed nowhere near as swift as before. Shen Luo''s eyes gleamed, and he immediately cast a spell with a wave of his hand. The Qiankun Bag at his waist flew up instantaneously, unleashing a long white rainbow that swept up the golden short awl. The awl was immediately encased in a thick layer of white ice crystal, dimming the golden light emitted by it once again. Meanwhile, a powerful suction force blasted out from the Qiankun Bag, firmly holding the golden short awl in place. Shen Luo produced a blue light with his right hand, which enveloped the golden short awl, struggling to restrain the treasure. However, the golden short awl continued to shake violently, attempting to break free of Shen Luo''s restraint. At this moment, a thick sword shadow descended from above, slashing at the black long rainbow in the distance. With one blow, it severed nearly half of the rainbow, eliciting a bitter roar from within. But the black long rainbow, incredibly resilient, accelerated several times over and vanished into the distant horizon in an instant. ¡°You two thieves, the grudge of these two swords, we will settle in the future!¡± The furious voice of the Jing River Dragon King echoed from afar. His voice weak and strained, he had clearly suffered severe injuries. As Jing River Dragon King escaped, the golden short awl lost all its power. No longer resisting, the Qiankun Bag sucked it in with a whoosh. A worried Shen Luo quickly activated the prohibitions within the Qiankun Bag, wrapping the golden short awl layer by layer. After instructing the Ghost General to carefully guard it, he finally relaxed, dropping from mid-air. The surrounding six-sided prohibition around the nearby altar flickered at this moment, suddenly issued a muffled sound and crumbled into dust, revealing the figures of Miss Li and her party. ¡°Master Shen is truly impressive, possessing the Red Lotus Karmic Fire; you are bound to achieve great things in the future. I will leave this place in your and Young Nephew Lu''s hands. I must first take His Majesty and these two young friends and leave.¡± Miss Li nodded at Shen Luo and then, clutching the Emperor with one hand and casting a beam of white light with the other, she swept up Xie Yuxin and Ge Tianqing''s bodies. She shot towards a white light gate not far away, went through it, and just like that, was gone with an impressive efficiency. As soon as their figures disappeared, the white light gate wavered slightly and quickly vanished entirely, as though it had never been there. Just as Shen Luo was about to ask Yuan Tiangang whether they should pursue the Jing River Dragon King, the man surprisingly turned and walked away, leaving Shen Luo standing there in confusion. Just then, a flash of golden light in mid-air revealed Lu Huaming''s figure as he descended from above as well. His body was swathed in a rapidly weakening white light. The hazy human figure behind him flickered a few times and also vanished. The colossal aura swirling around Lu Huaming rapidly faded, returning to its previous state in a matter of a few breaths. He then collapsed onto the ground with a thud, his face deathly pale and his body shaking like a sieve. Chapter 560 Chapter 560: 556 Chapter 560: 556 ¡°Brother Lu, how are you?¡± Upon seeing his condition, Shen Luo quickly stepped forward to support Lu Huaming, asking with concern. ¡°I''m okay. I''ve just exhausted too much of my strength. You must go after it fast. We cannot let this evil dragon escape. Otherwise, the ghost crisis in Chang''an will not end and countless innocent people will be affected,¡± Lu Hua Ming replied weakly, his face pale as paper. Without another word, he pushed the Dragon Slaying Sword into Shen Luo''s hand. Feeling hesitant for a moment, Shen Luo tightened his grip on the sword handle, nodding firmly. ¡°Rest assured, leave it to me. Take care of yourself,¡± he said resolutely. Without wasting another moment, Shen Luo held his long sword in place, applying two Divine Armor Horse Talismans onto his legs. The charm patterns on the talisman brightened as it burned into pieces, the ash sticking to his legs as he charged forward at an astonishing speed. Lu Hua Ming, leaning against a rock to rest, gradually regained the color in his face. After swallowing a golden pill, he began to meditate to regain his strength. But the moment he started to mobilize his barely remaining mana, a wave of unbearable fatigue engulfed him. It felt as if the world was slowly sinking before his eyes, and his consciousness began to blur. Eventually, he toppled over and fell unconscious. ¡­ Shen Luo chased for a long distance, but Jing River Dragon King was nowhere to be found. The only clue he had was the scent of dragon blood. The scent was chillingly sinister, gravely different from the scent of Ao Hong''s dragon blood. Half an hour later, Shen Luo arrived at a mudflat. Looking ahead, he saw black mud that was cracked and dry from the lack of water. The area beyond the mudflat was shrouded with an ambiguous fog, cloaking a giant black shadow at the end of it. Shen Luo''s brows knotted as he wrinkled his nose, picking up a strong whiff of blood. At that moment, a gust of wind screamed towards him. With dust kicking up from the right side of the earth, carrying a ferocious force, it swept towards Shen Luo. Without thinking, Shen Luo made a quick pivot, stomping his feet hard on the ground to propel himself tens of feet into the air. A massive dragon tail swept past beneath him, eliciting a thunderous rumble. Shen Luo, swiftly descending, flung out a streak of crimson sword light which hovered underneath him, catching him mid-fall. ¡°Evil dragon, even with your severe injuries, you still refuse to surrender?¡± Shen Luo levitated in mid-air, holding the Dragon Slaying Sword in his hands, his voice filled with fury. In response, a roar echoed, filled with an intense hatred. Accompanying it was a wave of thick black smoke, cascading like a dragon''s breath, filling the void with a scent of decay. ¡°Stubborn fool!¡± Upon seeing this, Shen Luo abandoned his initial attempts at persuasion. Angrily muttering under his breath, he held up the Dragon Slaying Sword over his head, running the Pure Yang Sword Technique at full power, and fiercely cut down in front of him. The Dragon Slaying Sword glowed with a crimson gold light, a dragon shadow swam over it. Following this action, a colossal sword shadow appeared, illuminating its surroundings as if it were daytime. With a single slash, Shen Luo released a force that ripped through the surrounding air, causing ripples that reverberated throughout the area. The smoky black Qi emitted by the sharp golden light of the sword immediately evaporated as if ice and snow meeting the scorching sun. The golden light continued its relentless advance, landing on the beachhead. There was a huge ¡°boom!¡± A vast force lifted and spread to the sides from the center, acting like two invisible walls, pushing the dim fog that filled the beachhead away and forming an immense void in the center. A huge trench, reaching dozens of feet in depth, appeared in the area, with whirls of sword Qi still rising up from inside, agitating the surrounding void into confusion. However, at the end of the trench, a bloodied figure stood rigidly. It was the Jing River Dragon King. At this moment, he was already dreadfully injured and had no more fighting strength left. Shen Luo rushed forward, gradually landed, pointing at the him with the sword in his hand, his eyes sharp. ¡°Unbelievable! I returned filled with endless anger and hatred, only to be stopped by you ignorant youngsters. It seems that the destiny of Great Tang is indeed thriving,¡± the Jing River Dragon King said without moving, somewhat desolate. ¡°Evil Dragon, you have nowhere to escape. Won''t you surrender and come back to the Great Tang Dynasty Government with me for trial?¡± Shen Luo said coldly. ¡°Accepted by the Great Tang Dynasty Government? As if they are worth it! As a king, I have already suffered one decapitation punishment on the Dragon Execution Platform, how come? Do you still want to behead me again?¡± the Jing River Dragon King sneered. ¡°Then there''s nothing more to say.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes grew colder, and the Dragon Slaying Sword was raised once again in his hand. ¡°The unfairness of Heaven, the injustice too hard to tell, the grudge too hard to avenge¡­ Youngster, a good Dragon Head is here, if you dare, then come and take it, haha¡­¡± the Jing River Dragon King laughed wildly, fearlessly patting his forehead. Seeing this, Shen Luo was also somewhat moved. Although this evil dragon has committed many killings, this kind of spirit is not something everyone possesses. ¡°You have a great spirit and ambition. Although I, Shen Luo, am unknown now, I will certainly make a name for myself in the future. Your death by my hand today is no disgrace,¡± Shen Luo said confidently. ¡°Knowing the ambition of a youth to rise above the clouds, I once promised to be the best in the world. With such ambition, in the future, you will not be a mediocre. Forget it, forget it, come and kill.¡± the Jing River Dragon King looked at Shen Luo, a trace of admiration and envy flashing in his eyes. Shen Luo upon hearing this, was slightly shaken, his longsword raised, jumped into mid-air, preparing to slay the Dragon King. ¡°Big Brother Shen, spare him!¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just at this moment, an anxious shout came from the distance, and a figure sped towards them. Recognizing the voice, Shen Luo hesitated for a moment and then withdrew his sword. Next, a pretty figure landed in front of him. It was Ma Xiuxiu. However, her outfit was different today. She wore a purple-black long robe, with a jade belt around her waist, and her long hair tied up high. She no longer had the naive appearance of her normal days, instead there was a sense of composure and fierceness. ¡°Miss Ma, you are¡­¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, and some guesses formed in his mind. ¡°Big Brother Shen, today I beg you to spare him once. I will surely repay you for this in the future, no matter what you ask for,¡± Ma Xiuxiu bowed deeply to Shen Luo, her hands clasped in a fist. ¡°Miss Ma, why are you doing this?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Xiuxiu, you¡­¡± the Jing River Dragon King softly called her name, his voice was choked with emotion. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s guess became more certain. Chapter 561 Chapter 561: Chapter 557: The Secret of That Year (Daoist friends, begging for monthly tickets at the beginning of the month) Chapter 561: Chapter 557: The Secret of That Year (Daoist friends, begging for monthly tickets at the beginning of the month) ¡°Big Brother Shen, as long as you spare him, I am willing to reveal everything I know about the Refining Body Altar.¡± Ma Xiuxiu spoke and immediately knelt down on the ground. ¡°Ma Xiuxiu, as I suspected, you are indeed involved with the Refining Body Altar.¡± Shen Luo said coldly upon hearing this. ¡°Big Brother Shen, no matter what, as long as you show mercy today, even if it costs my life, I won''t hesitate.¡± Ma Xiuxiu lowered her head further and implored again. ¡°No¡­¡± The Jing River Dragon King was outraged at her words. ¡°What exactly is your relationship with the Jing River Dragon King? Why would you go to such lengths?¡± Shen Luo could not help but ask as his expression changed. ¡°Big Brother Shen, he is my biological father, how could I not try to save him?¡± Ma Xiuxiu retorted loudly. As she spoke, she suddenly looked up, her face covered in tear stains. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Shen Luo had already guessed it, he was still taken aback to hear Ma Xiuxiu admit it. He never thought that she could be the daughter of the Jing River Dragon King. ¡°Sounds unbelievable, doesn''t it? If it weren''t for those people''s evil deeds, I''d probably be carrying the revered surname of ''Ao'' too, right? I''d probably be a sheltered Dragon Girl, having grown up in the Dragon Palace, unaware of worldly matters, right?¡± Ma Xiuxiu murmured to herself. However, Shen Luo sensed some strange meanings in her words and asked, ¡°What do you mean by ''those evil people''?¡± ¡°People only know that my father, defying the Jade Emperor''s decree, changed the schedule and quantity of rain distribution out of his momentary temper, defying the Heavenly Dao and was sent to the Dragon Execution Platform. But who sought the real cause behind all this?¡± Ma Xiuxiu asked. Shen Luo was already aware of the events surrounding the Jing River Dragon King''s duel with Yuan Shoucheng. However, based on Ma Xiuxiu''s words, it seemed like there were hidden facts behind this incident. ¡°Miss Ma, please make yourself clear.¡± Shen Luo frowned and urged. Just as Ma Xiuxiu was about to speak, the Jing River Dragon King stopped her, ¡°Allow me to tell this¡­¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted to the Jing River Dragon King, but he did not loosen his grip on the Dragon Slaying Sword. ¡°This was twenty years ago, during that time, jun zhao Ma Wenli had a daughter named Yuan Ran. She was both brilliant and beautiful, and had developed quite a reputation in Chang''an¡± The Jing River Dragon King''s gaze drifted into the distance, his thought seemingly bringing him back to that time. Through his detailed recounting, Shen Luo heard a version about the divination duel, which was drastically different from what he originally knew. Back then, during one of his hunting trips, Tang Emperor Li Shimin temporarily stopped at Duke Ma Wenli''s home and ended up meeting the remarkable second daughter of the Ma Family. He was so taken with her talent and beauty that he instantly approved of her. To win over the National Master Yuan Tiangang and the powerful Yuan Family behind him, the Emperor Tang arbitrarily decided to arrange a marriage between the Ma and Yuan Families, giving this second Miss Ma to Yuan Qing, the second young master of the Yuan Family who was also known for his talents in Chang''an. This was seen as a perfect match by everyone in Chang''an, and they all praised it. However, no one knew that during a boat trip, the second Miss Ma accidentally fell into the river. The Jing River Dragon King, who had transformed into a human, saved her, and they fell in love at first sight. Due to the distinction between humans and deities, the Jing River Dragon King did not conduct the traditional proposal and betrothal gifts ritual. However, he did not expect that Emperor Tang would interfere and create this awkward situation. Second Miss Ma, inhibited by social conventions, although deeply in love with the Jing River Dragon King, reluctantly had to part ways with him. She was forced by her father to marry the Second Young Master of the Yuan Family. Only when he learned that his beloved was about to become someone else''s wife, the Jing River Dragon King could no longer bear it. As the Ma and Yuan Families were preparing for the marriage ceremony, he angrily kidnapped Second Miss Ma back to the Jinghe Dragon Palace. Originally, both the Ma and Yuan Families and the Great Tang Dynasty Government were shocked and wanted to attack the Jinghe Dragon Palace, but they were stopped by Yuan Qing. After hearing from Second Miss Ma herself that the two were in love and had promised each other for life, Yuan Qing painfully retracted the proposal and let the couple be together. Unfortunately, this extraordinarily talented Second Young Master Yuan was also a man of deep sentiment. Even though he painfully let them go, his heart was still attached to Second Miss Ma, and he ended up dying of a broken heart. If things had stopped there, it would have been a mere unfulfilled love tragedy. However, the events that transpired afterwards twisted this marriage dispute into an entirely different outcome. ¡°After Yuan Ran and I conducted our marriage rituals, we had a relatively peaceful time which was perhaps the happiest time of my life. Later, the head of the Yuan Family, Yuan Tiangang, to avenge his nephew, Yuan Qing, deliberately disguised himself as the divination master, Yuan Shoucheng, and provoked me into a duel with him. Eventually, he used Wei Zheng''s hand to kill me.¡± As the Jing River Dragon King spoke faster, his expression became more vehement. ¡°You''re saying Yuan Shoucheng was Yuan Tiangang''s disguise?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. He had heard about this from Duke Cheng before, and the Great Tang Dynasty Government was also puzzled about Yuan Shoucheng''s identity. However, due to his mysterious identity and his disappearance after the Jing River Dragon King was beheaded, there had been no trace of him since then. ¡°Who else could it be, possessing such prophetic divination skills and the power to manipulate people''s hearts?¡± The Jing River Dragon King scoffed. ¡°Not long after that, my mother gave birth to me. But my father was already dead, and we were expelled from the Jing River Dragon Palace. Thankfully, we were saved by my father''s old friend, and we were able to survive. Sadly, my mother died of depression when I was seven years old, and we never had a chance to reunite as a family.¡± Ma Xiuxiu struck the ground with her fist as tears fell. Shen Luo listened carefully, and although he felt saddened, he still asked: ¡°Even if you want to avenge your father, you should go after Yuan Tiangang and his Majesty, not take it out on the entire Chang''an City, resulting in countless innocent deaths. Why?¡± ¡°Innocent? When Yuan Qing died, how many people in Chang''an gathered on both banks of the Jing River, continuously throwing stones into the water, cursing my parents day and night? When my father was beheaded by Wei Zheng, how many people in Chang''an were overjoyed, celebrating with fire? Did any of them remember that my father had been managing the Jing River for many years, always keeping it calm and stable, diligently bringing rain, never slacking off, thereby protecting their harvests from disasters?¡± Ma Xiuxiu sprang up from the ground and accused loudly. At her words, Shen Luo was momentarily lost for words. ¡°They are all ungrateful and ignorant people who deserve to die.¡± Ma Xiuxiu seemed to not have gotten it out of her system, and she angrily cursed. ¡°Miss Ma, even if what you say is true, these events happened twenty years ago. Over these twenty years, many new lives have been born in Chang''an, some are even still in their infancy and know nothing about the events back then. What did they do wrong?¡± Shen Luo sighed and asked. ¡°Their crime is being born in this sinful city of Chang''an!¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes chilled over, her resentment still unsolved. Chapter 562 Chapter 562: 558 Chapter 562: 558 Upon seeing his daughter''s actions, Jing River Dragon King''s gaze faintly trembled, and an unusual light flashed in his eyes. His entire spirit seemed to collapse in an instant, and his figure was no longer upright. ¡°Xiuxiu, your father may have been truly wrong¡­¡± he sighed deeply and said. At his words, Ma Xiuxiu frowned deeply and looked at him in confusion, saying, ¡°Father, where have you erred?¡± ¡°As a father, I have given you nothing but hatred. I have truly erred, beyond all reason.¡± He raised his hand and gently stroked Ma Xiuxiu''s hair, his eyes softening as he spoke. ¡°Father, what are you talking about? You haven''t erred, none of us have. It''s them who are in the wrong.¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s face suddenly stiffened at his words. Stepping back two paces, she shouted loudly. The hand of the Jing River Dragon King froze mid-air, a trace of melancholy appeared on his face. Not wanting to argue with him any further, Ma Xiuxiu turned her gaze to Shen Luo, saying, ¡°Big Brother Shen, please let us go. I will never forget today''s grace and will repay it hundredfold in the future.¡± ¡°I can spare his life.¡± Shen Luo sheathed his sword and said. At his words, Ma Xiuxiu was overjoyed. She was about to thank him when she saw Shen Luo wave his hand in dismissal, stopping her. ¡°I can spare his life, but I can''t let him go. This time, the ghost incident caused significant damage to both yin and yang realms. I have no authority to let him leave. All matters should be judged by the Underworld and the Great Tang Dynasty Government.¡± After Shen Luo said this, he took out a black silk book, crumpled it up in his palm, and reduced it to ashes. As the black silk book turned into ashes, black smoke arose from it, transforming into a rotating black vortex. Shortly thereafter, a crimson horse face emerged from the vortex, followed by his legs and body. As Shen Luo saw Soul Hook Horse Face appear, he was about to greet him when he saw him move aside, raise his hand to perform a magic spell, and direct it into the black vortex. As the mana seeped into it, the black vortex, which should have dissipated, did not immediately disappear, and a black official''s boot soon appeared from it. Following that, a dazzling big red official robe appeared. It was Zhong Kui who had come. ¡°I have met the two elders.¡± Shen Luo immediately greeted with a fist-and-palm salute. ¡°No need for formalities, you have done well.¡± Zhong Kui waved his hand and said. Speaking, he turned his gaze to the Jing River Dragon King, his eyes beginning to shimmer with a faint golden glow. An invisible pressure descended, immediately making the Jing River Dragon King''s body sink, almost falling to the ground. As for Ma Xiuxiu at the side, she had already collapsed, unable to get up. ¡°Bold Evil Dragon, do you know your sins?¡± Zhong Kui''s shout was like a sudden thunderclap, causing even Shen Luo''s heart to shudder violently. ¡°Be it sin or mistake, I will bear it all by myself. Xiuxiu has nothing to do with this.¡± Jing River Dragon King said these words, suppressing a mouthful of clotted blood, and slowly straightened his body. As a father in front of his daughter, how could he bow down in submission? When Zhong Kui heard these words, the golden light in his eyes gradually dimmed, and that invisible pressure also dissipated. ¡°Since you realize your wrongdoing, you should return with me to the Yin Bureau. This time, you created more killings, and disturbed yin and yang, you should enter infinite hell, and suffer the unending pain of reincarnation.¡± Zhong Kui said with a focused look. ¡°I have been restrained under the red lotus karmic fire for twenty years. I have already suffered enough from hatred and pain. Entering the infinite hell is not a suffering anymore. Now that Yuan Ran has gone, if I continue to live, it will be just to spread more hatred. Wouldn''t it be better to let everything turn into dust, and disappear?¡± Jing River Dragon King''s gaze wandered in the distance, it seemed that he saw the beautiful woman who was gentle and virtuous from back then. Zhong Kui, after hearing this, his eyes slightly fell, and he said nothing more. ¡°Xiuxiu, your future journey is still long, don''t stay with hatred anymore, and live for yourself in the future.¡± Jing River Dragon King helped his daughter up and said with heavy emphasis. ¡°Father¡­¡± Ma Xiuxiu faintly guessed what was happening and cried out in panic. The Jing River Dragon King merely smiled at her, shook his head, and grasped her wrist. In the next instant, a shine emanated from the belly of the Jing River Dragon King. It ascended along the direction of the Ren meridian, absorbing radiance along the way, and when it converged at the space between his eyebrows, it was extraordinarily bright. His entire body, as if alight, suddenly sprouted a wave of black fire, and he began to burn intensely. His hand, clutching Ma Xiuxiu''s, of exceptionally searing power permeated within, entering her body. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Unable to endure the pain, Ma Xiuxiu moaned. Her skin cracked inch by inch, revealing layers of scales. With a snap! A snow-white dragon orb the size of a fist detached from the eyebrows of the Jing River Dragon King, breaking apart in the process. Countless firefly-like pure dragon elements scattered from the shattered orb, in mid air formed a snow-white Milky Way, and rushed down toward the center of Ma Xiuxiu''s eyebrows. ¡°Father¡­¡± Ma Xiuxiu watched as her father''s figure faded away bit by bit, dissipating like ashes, until even the hand grasping her wrist disappeared. She couldn''t endure it any longer and began to weep loudly. At the same time, she felt a burning sensation from her eyebrows as streams of dragon elements, like a reversing tide, poured into her body, causing her body to radiate a snow-white light. Cries of pain echoed from Ma Xiuxiu''s mouth, she fell to the ground writhing and twitching uncontrollably. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo immediately stepped forward, intending to assist her. As soon as he extended his hand however, the blood in his body seemed to boil, a feeling of burning taking over, a strand of snow-white dragon element actually separated from the Milky Way, flowing toward his fingertips. At the instant Shen Luo''s fingertips came into contact with the dragon element, the light immediately pierced through his skin and surged into his body. Soon, he too began to fall down, twitching violently all over. In the midst of this, he felt as if the blood in his body was merging with the dragon element that had entered his body. As if mutually benefiting each other, they continually surged within Shen Luo''s body. The mana within Shen Luo''s body, driven by this power, started to circulate on its own ¨C a speed much faster than when he cultivated by himself. It seemed like he had returned to the feeling of cultivating in his dreams. However, the speed of this power was too swift, he barely endured it; he nearly lost his divine sense. Tense and weak, his sight became somewhat blurry. He could vaguely see Ma Xiuxiu''s body in front of him becoming brighter and brighter in an almost transparent white glow, her slim figure seemed to stretch out longer and longer. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Accompanied by a resonant dragon chant, Ma Xiuxiu completely shed her human form and transformed into a true dragon ¨C her scales were dark, her body radiating white light. She soared into the sky and broke into empty space. Zhong Kui, standing off to the side, silently watched everything, not making the slightest movement to stop it. At his feet, Shen Luo, who had absorbed all of the remaining dragon elements, had skin as red as shrimp. He painfully coiled in one place, looking like a shrimp about to be cooked. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sir, will this boy be alright?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face, looking rather worried, couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Rest assured, this is a once-in-lifetime opportunity for him¡­ It''s just a bit strange, why did these dragon elements enter his body?¡± Zhong Kui said, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. Chapter 563 Chapter 563: 559 Chapter 563: 559 ¡°Could it be something peculiar about his bloodline?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face stroked his chin, asking. ¡°He carries Dragon Blood, which I can detect, but with that alone, the Dragon Element might enter his body, but it shouldn''t be as stable as it is now.¡± Zhong Kui stroked his beard, saying. ¡°Sir, you call this stable?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face glanced at Shen Luo rolling on the ground, looking like he was struggling on the brink of death, and couldn''t help but swallow. ¡°Under normal circumstances, when the Dragon Element enters an ordinary person''s body, it would have been severely rejected, and the body would have exploded already. The fact that he''s been able to hold out for so long is very unusual.¡± Zhong Kui said. Having said that, a strange thought suddenly sprang up in his heart. Could these Dragon Elements have been deliberately gifted by the Jing River Dragon King? Soul Hook Horse Face stared at Shen Luo, his eyes wide open, also puzzled. ¡°There are still a lot of matters to attend to in the Underworld, I''ll go ahead, you watch over him.¡± Once Zhong Kui finished talking, he had already drifted away. Soul Hook Horse Face sighed, walked to one side and sat down quietly, watching him rolling in place, his breath steadily increasing from the Early Stage of Soul Condensation, breaking through two levels straight into Soul Condensation Later Stage. ¡°Heh, boy, roll a few more times, and it would be time for me to call you elder?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face stared in awe. But as soon as his words fell, Shen Luo suddenly stiffened and lay completely still on the ground. He was startled, quickly came over to check, and found that Shen Luo was fine, just unconscious. This reassured him. Shen Luo himself only felt like he had been in a long and chaotic dream. When he woke up, he was already back at State Duke''s Mansion. By this time, more than half a month had passed since the fierce battle. In the early morning, a shaft of sunlight shone through the window, touching Shen Luo''s eyelids. His eyelashes trembled a few times, before his eyes slowly opened. He instinctively shielded his eyes, then slowly sat up and climbed out of bed. After opening the door, he saw two petite maids standing by the door, and quite a few soldiers standing in the courtyard. He raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°Immortal Master, you''re awake? This is the Duke Palace.¡± A maidservant immediately bowed and said. The other person hastily excused herself, saying she was going to inform Duke Cheng, then left at a run. Shen Luo wanted to ask about the situation of the others, but decided that the maid probably wouldn''t know, so he closed the door and sat down at the table inside. After he sat down, Shen Luo silently activated his Mana, at the same time using his divine soul to look inside himself. The expression on his face suddenly changed, and he exclaimed: ¡°My Mana¡­ when did it¡­?¡± He realized that he had unexpectedly reached the Soul Condensation Later Stage. For a moment, he couldn''t remember being infused with Dragon Element at all. While he was still astonished, the door was knocked open, and seven or eight Cheng Manor''s servants placed a stack of delicious food on the table for him. Shen Luo was long past the Grain Avoidance Stage, so he wasn''t hungry, but when he smelled the aroma of the food, he couldn''t help but salivate. After a quick wash, he sat down and began to eat with gusto. ¡°Knock knock¡± After a moment, there was a sudden knock at the not fully closed door. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo turned to look, and saw a tall, porcelain-skinned woman in red standing at the door, smiling and eyeing him. ¡°Elder Brother Xie, please come in and have a seat.¡± Shen Luo grinned and didn''t get up, just invited her in directly. ¡°Looking at you, it seems you''ve fully recovered.¡± Xie Yuxin was not shy. While speaking, she came in and sat straight down across from him. An alert maidservant had already brought a set of bowl and chopsticks for her. Xie Yuxin didn''t touch the bowl and chopsticks, just poured a glass of wine for Shen Luo, then poured one for herself, and raised a toast to Shen Luo. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°To express my gratitude for Big Brother Shen''s life-saving grace.¡± Xie Yuxin said sincerely, raising her glass and drinking it all. ¡°It was only a little effort. Speaking of which, your injuries were not light either, how did you recover so quickly?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and laughed as he replied. ¡°Quick? Brother Shen probably doesn''t know yet, but it''s been over half a month since we went to the underworld to fight the Jing River Dragon King.¡± Xie Yuxin raised an eyebrow, puzzled. ¡°What? You mean, I''ve been unconscious for half a month?¡± Shen Luo was stunned, he had been totally unaware of this. Just as Xie Yuxin was about to reply, there was a loud laughter from outside the door. ¡°Haha¡­ Young Master Shen, you''re finally awake. Otherwise, I''d have to go to the Underworld. When Soul Hook Horse Face brought you back, he said that you would wake up in three days. Who knew it would take so long?¡± Cheng Yaojin came from the courtyard, walked directly over the threshold, to the table, and sat down. ¡°Greetings, Elder Duke Cheng.¡± Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin both stood up and saluted. ¡°Sit sit sit, why are you being so formal with me? You all played a big part in the ghost problem in Chang''an, you''ve all made great contributions.¡± Cheng Yaojin said, laughing cheerfully. Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin looked at each other and laughed, then sat back down. ¡°Elder, I''ve slept for a long time, how are things in the city?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You defeated the Evil Dragon and foiled the Refining Body Altar''s scheme. Once the primary troublemakers were eradicated, the ghost problem in the city wasn''t much of an issue anymore. Over these days, it has been almost entirely cleared up. Most of the lost territory in the southern part of the city has been reclaimed, but resettling the people there would still take some time.¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°That''s good¡­ oh, and, how is Lu Huaming? He was also heavily injured that day.¡± Shen Luo suddenly remembered something and asked hurriedly. ¡°That guy¡­ this time he overdid it. He used a move under those circumstances and overstrained his body, even risking damaging his fundamental Dao. Fortunately, the National Master came in time to heal him and remove the hidden dangers in his body. He just fell a realm without a choice.¡± Cheng Yaojin had some reproach in his face as he spoke. ¡°Where is he now?¡± Shen Luo asked. Speaking of it, although the Jing River Dragon King was eventually captured and killed by Shen Luo, the one who truly defeated him contributed most was Lu Huaming. ¡°He woke up two days ago, visited you once, and then went into retreat. Seems like he won''t come out until his strength surpasses his previous realm. But don''t worry, he''s a prodigy to begin with. This fall in his realm may not be a bad thing for him. As for you, you''ve suddenly upgraded a small realm. Do you feel any discomfort?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. Chapter 564 Chapter 564: Chapter 560: Farewell Chapter 564: Chapter 560: Farewell Upon hearing this, Shen Luo subconsciously checked his own condition again before speaking: ¡°There''s nothing seriously wrong. Aside from feeling a bit tired, I didn''t notice any discomfort.¡± ¡°This time, you all saved Emperor Tang. His Majesty will be grateful and will reward you handsomely. However, the overall battle losses and merit points have not been calculated yet. It will take some time to issue them. Shen Luo, the Dual-element True Water previously promised to you will also be distributed at that time.¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded and continued. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo and his companion quickly expressed their gratitude. ¡°Alas, it''s true that heroes emerge in their youth. Compared to when we were young, you and Hua Ming are not far behind. The future is limitless, haha¡­¡± Cheng Yaojin first sighed, then laughed heartily. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo faltered slightly. For a moment, he wasn''t sure if the Duke was praising them, or praising himself. After sitting for a while, Cheng Yaojin personally gave Shen Luo and Xie Yuxin each a vial of elixir, then bid them farewell and left. Xie Yuxin picked up the elixir vial and glanced at it. Seeing the three characters written on it, she exclaimed in surprise and delight, ¡°It''s the Great Yellow Pill, a unique product of the Heavenly Observatory''s Danxu. This is a top-grade elixir that enhances cultivation.¡± Observing her, Shen Luo quickly opened his vial and carefully poured out the elixirs contained within. The vials contained only seven Great Yellow Pills each, each the size of a longan kernel. The glossy, yellow pills emitted a strong fragrance of medicinal herbs. ¡°If the Elder is individually rewarding us with such valuable items, the rewards from His Majesty are bound to be even more precious.¡± Shen Luo grinned and stored away his elixir. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I actually came here to say goodbye to you.¡± At this point, Xie Yuxin spoke up. ¡°Goodbye? Are you leaving already? The official rewards haven''t been distributed yet. Why are you in such a rush to leave?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Brother Shen, do you remember that I once told you about my elder brother who was gravely injured by a villain, leaving his spirit fragmented and his Dantian destroyed? Now that I have obtained the secret technique for repairing the soul from the Refining Body Altar from you, and a method to reconstruct the Dantian from the Great Tang Government, I wish to return home as soon as possible.¡± Xie Yuxin looked at Shen Luo and said slowly. ¡°I see. You should indeed return as soon as possible.¡± Shen Luo nodded in understanding. Xie Yuxin seemed to want to say something else, but she hesitated and remained silent. ¡°What is it, Elder Brother Xie? If you have something to say, just say it. If I can help in any way, I definitely won''t refuse.¡± Seeing her hesitation, Shen Luo smiled and said. Xie Yuxin''s hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched slightly. After hesitating for a while, she shook her head and said: ¡°It''s nothing. I''m just returning to Yunzhou, and the journey is long. I don''t know when we''ll see each other again. This Water Cloud Pendant is for you, Shen. If you ever come to Yunzhou, you can bring it to find me at the Resting Cloud Manor.¡± Shen Luo didn''t think much of it and simply nodded, accepting the pendant. Xie Yuxin''s eyes flickered, revealing a mix of happiness and loss. But Shen Luo didn''t notice. After she left, Shen Luo held the pendant, which was still warm, and suddenly felt a sense of awkwardness. He gave an embarrassed smile and shook his head. After storing the pendant, Shen Luo had the food and drinks on the table cleared away. After closing the door, he took out two storage rings from his pocket and placed them on the table. The two storage rings belonged to none other than Red Hands Master and Dan Yangzi, the two traitors whom he had previously slain. Shen Luo first picked up the storage ring of Red Hands Master. He activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique and soon refined it. With a flick of his hand over the ring, it opened. With a flash of light, the items stored within the ring appeared one by one and fell onto the table. Shen Luo scanned over them, examining each in turn. The first thing he saw was the Five-Fire Fan that Red Hands Master had once used. Its feathers were bright and colorful, each appearing different. It seemed to be made of feathers from various magical birds, emanating waves of spiritual power. Shen Luo lightly pressed his finger on the feather fan, slowly imbuing it with a strand of mana. Instantly, radiant colors danced across its surface as layer upon layer of charm patterns and prohibitions emerged, an astonishing total of fifteen layers. ¡°It''s even two layers higher than the Five Peaks True Form Seal. Unfortunately, it''s of a fire attribute, not suitable for my Nameless Cultivation Technique, so its power will likely be lessened.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. With that, he put down the Five-Fire Fan, his gaze landing on a green leaf-like item. The leaf was slender, appearing more like a cut-out from a larger leaf rather than a complete one. It was crystal clear like jade, its surface emanating a lustrous glow reminiscent of jade stone. Shen Luo picked up this leaf and found it quite heavy to handle, yet it still retained the suppleness of a leaf when swayed. However, when he transferred his mana into it, apart from some slight glow, it didn''t seem to change, indicating it wasn''t a magical artifact. After studying it for a while without finding anything unusual, Shen Luo moved on to examine the other items. Besides these two items, Shen Luo also found a stack of green talisman paper and several dozens of purple talisman papers, along with three to four white jade porcelain vials in the storage ring. The talisman papers were simple Green Frost Paper and Purple Cloud Paper, bearing nothing special. However, the white jade vials were quite impressive, holding elixirs each of superior quality, no less than the Great Yellow Pill. Among them, Shen Luo recognized three of them, which were elixirs for supplementing his cultivation and healing injuries. However, the last vial contained just three fiery red elixirs with unusual flame patterns which he had never seen before. Nevertheless, these pills gave off a burning, stimulating scent, clearly not being some kind of gentle nourishing pill. Besides these, all that was left in Red Hands Master''s storage ring were just over two hundred pieces of immortal jade, which wasn''t exactly a wealth for a soul-condensing cultivator. After storing away all these items, Shen Luo then refined the storage ring of Dan Yangzi. As he lightly brushed his finger over Dan Yangzi''s storage ring, it also flashed with light. Just then, Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed. He quickly covered his mouth and nose, then retreated while conjuring a sphere of clear water towards the ring. Immediately afterward, a surge of dark green poison gas emanated from the ring, which was promptly wrapped up by the water sphere, preventing it from leaking out. As more and more poison gas was released, the water sphere enveloping it also swelled up larger and larger. After a moment, once the poison gas inside the storage ring finally subsided, the water sphere outside of it had swollen to the size of a water jar, wobbling as if it would burst at any moment. Chapter 565 Chapter 565: Chapter 561: War General Zhao Feiji Chapter 565: Chapter 561: War General Zhao Feiji ¡°As expected of a Ghost Cultivator, there had to be some tricks in his Storage Ring.¡± Shen Luo sneered softly, his palm slowly clenched into a fist. Immediately, the body of water lit up with a water-blue glow and began to shrink bit by bit with Shen Luo''s movement, rapidly compressing the poisonous gas stored inside until it became the size of a fist. Shen Luo went to the window, pushed it open, and threw it outside. Then, with a single hand forming a magic spell, a water dragon shot straight into the sky, grabbing the water ball and flying up to a hundred feet high. As a ¡°bang¡± sound echoed, a cloud of green smoke exploded in the air, gradually dispersing with the wind, leaving only the Storage Ring falling from the sky. Shen Luo''s gaze condensed as he flicked his fingers, a water rope extended, wrapping around the ring and pulling it back. He once again swept his palm, channeling Mana into the Storage Ring and the items hidden within it surfaced on the table one after another. In comparison to the Red Hands Master, the items hidden in Dan Yangzi''s Storage Ring were much more diverse. There were various bottles and jars, about a dozen of them, along with three jade boxes and wooden boxes, over a hundred pieces of Immortal jades and an old book made of leather material. Shen Luo''s gaze swept over all the items. After careful examination and finding no more tampering, he then began checking the items one by one. The first item he picked up was the old book made of leather. Upon taking a closer look at its cover, he felt a slight chill, as a vague outline of a human face could be seen on the book cover, as if it was made from flayed human skin. On the face, a few big characters were stitched with red threads: ¡°Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao¡±. Out of curiosity, Shen Luo opened the book and skimmed through it. He quickly discovered that it was a manual instructing Ghost Cultivators on how to refine and infuse Killing Ghosts into one''s body. The cultivation level of this method would increase as one absorbs more and more Killing Ghosts. According to the theory mentioned in the book, if one could hold up to a hundred ghosts within their body, they might be able to achieve the Heavenly Tribulation and become Feathered. Upon successfully overcoming the extremely dangerous Heavenly Tribulation, the cultivators of this path would undergo a complete change and become Ghost Immortals, all the Hundred Ghosts they held in their bodies would ascend along with them and achieve transcendence. However, the founder of this method never achieved this himself. Instead, he was bitten back by the Killing Ghosts and ended up recording the method in this human skin book on his deathbed. It seemed like Dan Yangzi only started practicing this method half-way, and there were only a handful of Killing Ghosts within his body. When Shen Luo checked the bottles and jars, he found that most of them contained healing pills. A few had unique effects and were specifically made for treating Gu Poison of Yin Corpses. There were also some, which contained Soul Dispersion Pills and Bone Dissolving Powder, all of them were intense poisons. After the inspection, the only items left unopened were three boxes. Shen Luo noticed a familiar one, picked it up, and opened it first. Upon opening the lid, Shen Luo frowned. The box didn''t contain anything else but Xuanxiao''s Double Pupils Ghost Eyes, all four pupils were wide open, staring straight up with remaining blood stains. It was rather intimidating. Shen Luo closed the box and was about to put it down when he suddenly remembered something. He picked up the ¡°Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao¡± again, flipped to the back and found an independent section, which he recorded. After this, he put the human skin book away, and swooshed his hand over his Qiankun Bag. Black smoke gushed out from it, and the figure of the Ghost General followed. ¡°Greeting, my lord.¡± The Ghost General bowed. ¡°No need for such formalities.¡± Shen Luo glanced at him and said. After the Ghost General straightened up, he immediately handed over a chunk of White Ice Crystal and said, ¡°My lord, this treasure has been kept by me for a long time. It''s time to return it to you.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the Ice Crystal, and instantly remembered that it was the Golden Short Awl he had snatched from the hands of the Jing River Dragon King. He took the Ice Crystal and gently brushed it with his hand. The surrounding ice began to melt immediately, revealing a half-foot-long golden awl, curved and sharp as a dragon''s horn. Shen Luo initially wanted to try refining this object immediately, but when he saw that the Ghost General was standing aside, he suddenly remembered what he intended to do. He then put away the golden short awl, pointed to the jade box on the table, and asked: ¡°Do you recognize this item?¡± Upon hearing this, the Ghost General took a careful look and a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes. ¡°Dare I ask, Master, are these a pair of Double Pupils Ghost Eyes?¡± He hesitated to ask. ¡°Yes, these should be of some use to you, right?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Useful, very useful. If I possess these pair of eyes, my cultivation progress will surely be doubled. I can also rely on the abilities of these eyes to help you oversee a hundred ghosts and ensure that you are not fooled by ghostly matters,¡± the Ghost General quickly replied. ¡°Good, in that case, I will teach you a melting technique to help you refine these ghost eyes into your own use,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Thank you for your grace, Master. I will repay you a hundredfold,¡± the Ghost General thanked again with a fist-palm salute. Shen Luo thought for a moment and began recounting the passage he had earlier taken from the human skin book to the Ghost General via telepathy, making him nod repeatedly and become excited. ¡°Alright, remember this melting mantra on your own. Take these ghost eyes and refine them well.¡± A moment later, Shen Luo said. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± The Ghost General kowtowed on the ground, lifting his hands, receiving the ghost eyes, but hesitated to get up. ¡°What''s the matter, is there something else?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°If I may be honest with you, Master. Up until now, I have been wandering as a spirit, having lost much of my past memories. But recently, as my cultivation level increased, I am gradually remembering a few things, including my own name,¡± the Ghost General confessed from the ground. ¡°So you want to use your original name?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I request your permission, Master,¡± the Ghost General requested. ¡°There''s no harm in that. Tell me, what is your real name?¡± Shen Luo asked, with a slight furrow on his forehead. ¡°My original name is Zhao Feiji. I was a war general in the previous dynasty. After dying in battle, I became a wandering ghost,¡± the Ghost General said, joining his fists. ¡°Zhao Feiji, a forceful name indeed. Not bad,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Zhao Feiji thanked him again, holding his fists together. Shen Luo pondered after putting away Ghost General Zhao Feiji into his Qiankun Bag, appearing somewhat hesitant. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, after some deliberation, he decided to stick with his initial decision and not give Zhao Feiji the entire ¡°Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao¡±, waiting to observe for some more time before making a decision. Afterwards, he opened the remaining two wooden boxes, which respectively contained a bell the size of a walnut and a fox skin talisman. On the walnut-sized bell, a strange-looking big-eared exotic beast was engraved. There was no sound when shaken, but when Shen Luo infused mana into it and shook it, a series of ¡°ding-dong¡± noises immediately sounded. The sound was extremely penetrating and seemed to have the ability to disrupt the divine soul. However, the level of the bell itself wasn''t high, just a mid-grade magical tool. Even if it could disturb the divine soul of others, the effect would not be too strong. As for the fox skin talisman, it was interesting. There was no prohibition on it. After Shen Luo infused mana into it, the surface suddenly lit up, transforming into an attractive female disguise. Wearing it would have the ability to alter one''s appearance, which seemed much superior to Xie Yuxin''s disguise technique. The inadequacy was that this fox skin talisman could only take one form and could not be changed at will. Also, its frequent use would cause wear and tear, and once destroyed, it could not be repaired. Chapter 566 Chapter 566: Chapter 562: Pagoda Heavenly King Chapter 566: Chapter 562: Pagoda Heavenly King After Shen Luo stores away all the items, he takes out a few things from the Linlang Ring, including a black umbrella, a green flying dagger, and an armband engraved with the statue of a monstrous beast''s skull. These three items were originally from Lu Qing. Among them, the black umbrella is of the highest grade, a top-grade magical artifact. After the fifteenth layer of prohibition is refined, the heavenly power on the umbrella can be activated, and its defensive power is quite extraordinary. The green flying dagger and the seven-star armor are both mid-grade magical tools, their functions are rather ordinary and of little significance to Shen Luo. He plans to sell these later for Immortal Jade. After counting his spoils of war during this period, Shen Luo stands up, stretching satisfactorily. He then plans to refine a few of the higher grade magical instruments himself. However, at this moment, his mind suddenly feels heavy, a wave of irresistible drowsiness sweeps over him, making it impossible for him to focus. Shen Luo shakes his head violently, staggeringly heading for his bed. In a daze, he sees that the jade pillow is resting at the head of his bed, emitting a hazy white glow. His sight turns black, and he collapses. In the haze, Shen Luo feels his body getting heavier and heavier as his feet seemingly hang in mid-air without support. He is continuously falling into the endless abyss of darkness. He swings his arms desperately, trying to grasp something, but can''t touch anything. He only feels himself falling faster and faster, to the point where he can barely breathe. After what feels like a long time, his fall suddenly stops, and his feet seem to touch solid ground again. At this moment, a dazzling golden light illuminates in front of his eyes. He instinctively raises his hand to shield his eyes, but suddenly feels an overwhelming aura in front of him. ¡°Who is it¡­?¡± Shen Luo asked softly, enduring the glaring golden light and slowly opening his eyes. As soon as he speaks, the golden light in front of him gradually fades, and his vision slowly returns to normal, allowing him to see his surroundings clearly. He, regrettably, is back in that golden palace, having entered the dream state yet again. ¡°Time is running out¡­¡± said a melancholic voice. Shen Luo immediately looks towards the source of the voice, seeing sternly at him from the grand throne, the Armored Heavenly General. In contrast to their previous meetings, the current Heavenly General is not a corpse but a living body. His golden armor is no longer dusty, the crown on his head seemingly about to ascend, his black beard sashayed slightly as he held the mini gold tower in his hand, his stern eyes fixated on Shen Luo. Subconsciously, Shen Luo glanced at his own body, startling himself suddenly, snapping him out of the previously perplexed state into instant clarity. ¡°It''s not an illusion¡­¡± He clearly sees his clothing and body form are intact, entirely different from the illusion he had experienced before. ¡°Could it be that this Heavenly General really came back to life?¡± Shen Luo speculated doubtfully. ¡°Don''t overthink. I have not truly resurrected. What you see is merely a scene of a wisp of my residual soul inhabiting my former body. I originally intended to wait for you to grow a bit more, at least until you can defeat the Juling God, before telling you all this. But there''s no time left¡­¡± The Armored Heavenly General, predicting Shen Luo''s suspicion, spoke directly. ¡°Elder, who exactly are you, and why do you keep emphasizing that time is running out? What exactly do you mean?¡± asked Shen Luo, furrowing his brows. ¡°I am Li Jing from the Heavenly Court. We don''t have much time left, so I need to tell you certain things now.¡± The Armored Heavenly General said slowly. ¡°Li Jing? Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly. Despite his speculation from before, when the truth came from the Heavenly General''s own mouth, Shen Luo still felt incredible shock. ¡°Do not be surprised. The Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers who fought with you before were under my command. To be precise, those were their residual divine souls. Their real bodies died in the great battle that led to the destruction of the Heavenly Court.¡± Li Jing spoke at a slow and solemn pace. After speaking, he suddenly spews a golden light from his mouth, which transforms into a golden book after doing a turn in mid-air. Upon seeing him take out the golden book again, Shen Luo subconsciously takes a step back, remembering the earlier experience of being bound by the golden light emitted by the Heavenly Book. ¡°You need not be nervous. This Heavenly Book is a divine object used by the Heavenly Court to suppress destiny. All immortals who entered the Heavenly Court in the past and were granted the Heavenly Talisman had to seal a strand of their divine soul in this Heavenly Book. All the heavenly soldiers and generals who fought against you before were the residual divine souls released from the book.¡± Li Jing explained upon seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°If that''s the case, isn''t it possible to summon the residual souls of all the Heavenly Court immortals from this Heavenly Book?¡± Shen Luo asked incredulously. ¡°Your guess is partially correct. This Heavenly Book in my hand is but a fragment, constituting only a tiny part of the original Heavenly Book. Therefore, the divine souls collected inside are also only a small portion. However, if you are willing, you can summon them. As long as you are able to defeat them, you can absorb the remaining power from their divine souls and gain immense benefits.¡± Li Jing shook his head and explained. ¡°As a divine object used to suppress destiny, why is there only a small fragment left?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and promptly asked this seemingly natural question. ¡°About that¡­ I''m not certain. I myself am but a residual soul, and my memory isn''t complete. How the Heavenly Book got shattered and how it ended up in my hands and was sealed within my tower, I can''t remember any of it.¡± Li Jing continued. ¡°Then, you brought me into this golden palace and forced me to fight against the divine souls of all the heavenly soldiers and generals. You must at least know why you did that?¡± Shen Luo barely believing, continued to prod. Upon hearing this, Li Jing''s golden-faced eyebrows furrowed as if he was trying to recollect something. ¡°Regarding that matter, I also have no memory. I only remember that it seems I have a mission. I was waiting for someone to come here, and then I had to act accordingly.¡± A moment later, Li Jing shook his head and said. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The person you were waiting for, was it me?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°At first, I couldn''t be sure because your cultivation level was too low. However, you were able to consecutively defeat so many heavenly soldiers and generals and ascend to True Immortal in such a short time. Therefore, I began to believe that you are the one.¡± Li Jing calmly answered. At these words, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel embarrassed. Had it not been for the dream state created by the Jade Pillow, there''s no way he could have defeated all the heavenly soldiers and generals. He potentially would have died countless times along the way. Chapter 567 Chapter 567: Chapter 563: Ling Mountain Plan Chapter 567: Chapter 563: Ling Mountain Plan ¡°Elder, what exactly happened back then?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a long time, then asked. ¡°What are you referring to? The eruption of the disaster of demons, or the destruction of Heavenly Court¡­in the end, they were all the same event.¡± Li Jing paused a bit halfway through speaking, then gave a bitter smile. ¡°Would the elder please enlighten me about the specifics of the destructive demonic event from back then?¡± said Shen Luo, with a furrowed brow. Concerning the disaster of demons, he currently knew very little about it, for it was more of a legend that had yet to come true in reality. If he could truly learn the details of the actual disaster in advance, perhaps he could prevent it after returning to reality. With this in mind, Shen Luo believed that the divine soul of Pagoda Heavenly King was waiting for him. ¡°My memory isn''t complete, but I can only tell you what I know. As for the truth behind it all, you''ll have to explore and piece it together yourself.¡± Li Jing briefly hesitated before speaking. ¡°Elder, speak at your ease.¡± Shen Luo said hurriedly. ¡°After an ancient war that swept across the Three Realms, the Demon Clan''s Supreme Chiyou was defeated, decapitated, and his limbs severed. His demon soul was sealed, and the Three Realms enjoyed a few years of relative tranquility. However, the intent of the demons to wreak havoc in the Three Realms never died, and some members of the Demon Clan attempted to unlock the seal and resurrect Chiyou in the Human World.¡± Li Jing said. Shen Luo knew about some of these events, but he didn''t interrupt Li Jing, allowing him to continue speaking. ¡°Later on, anomalies started to appear between Heaven and Earth. The earth veins no longer remained stable, monstrous aberrations sprang up everywhere in the Human World and chaos began in the Three Realms. Regardless of whether they were divinities or mighty beings at the heavenly court or on the earth, they all sensed that a storm was coming. The Heavenly Court, considering that the disaster of demons started with the Demon Clan, decided to address the problem starting from the Demon Clan itself. Thus, the Jade Emperor and Buddha Tathagata of The Western Paradise joined hands to formulate the ''Ling Mountain Plan'' ¡± Li Jing continued. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ling Mountain Plan?¡± Shen Luo was quite puzzled. ¡°You certainly know of the Ling Mountain Plan from back then, but under a different name ¨C ''Pilgrimage to the West''. Seeing the changes in Shen Luo''s expression, Li Jing spoke with a slightly solemn gaze. ¡°What? Master Xuanzang''s long journey to the west for scriptures was part of the Ling Mountain Plan?¡± Shen Luo''s countenance changed abruptly as he remarked with surprise. This incident was widely circulated amongst the general populace, with people having written it into folklore. Thus, Shen Luo was not at all unfamiliar with the story of the hardened trials that he and his four disciples had gone through to obtain the true sutras. However, he was unclear why, after their return to Chang''an, his five disciples only called for an unprecedentedly large Water-Land Conference in the Da Ci''en Temple. After that, Master Sanzang announced that he would translate the scriptures in the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and seldom ever appeared in public again. His three disciples with vast abilities, who were supposed to spread the word, also disappeared and were never seen by the world again. Many later speculated the authenticity of this epic journey, rendering it a concoction of fiction under the pen of literary figures. ¡°It''s perfectly normal for you not to know this. From its inception, the Ling Mountain Plan has been a closely guarded secret in the Heavenly Realm. There are very few who know the truth about it, including the Jade Emperor, Buddha, Taishang Laojun, Guanyin Bodhisattva, Maitreya Buddha, and Bodhi Ancestor. Their numbers did not exceed ten. Even those five disciples did not know anything about it at first.¡± Li Jing continued. ¡°So, their real purpose for the journey was not just to seek scriptures?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°You could say not entirely. After all, there were more and more disturbances caused by demons within the Great Tang Kingdom, and the moral values of the people were gradually deteriorating. They needed to be diverted, educated, and converted to Mahayana Buddhism. After all, the change in one person''s heart affects all people, the change in heart of a nation''s people affects harmony, and the change in the collective conscience of a realm affects the fate of Heaven and Earth. If the general trend is towards goodness, then the pollution of Heaven and Earth can naturally be eliminated, thus averting a great disaster.¡± Li Jing shook his head as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo sighed to himself. The times he lived in, where Mahayana Buddhism was already spread throughout the Great Tang, countless Buddhist temples had been built, and missionary monks wandered everywhere, preaching. But still, the disturbances caused by the demons were becoming increasingly severe. ¡°Relying on Buddhism for education¡­ Forget how long it would take, just teaching people to learn and practice Buddhism is difficult enough.¡± He couldn''t help but speak out. ¡°That''s why this is just a part of the Ling Mountain Plan. The other part involves spreading a rumor, alleging that eating the flesh of Tang Sanzang can grant eternal life and unsurpassable powers. By using this bait, they lured in the cunning hidden demons to capture them all, thus eliminating the risk of the disaster.¡± Li Jing continued. ¡°What a clever scheme. Not to mention how many ancient hidden big demons were lured in and finally slain, merely recruiting Sun Wukong, the demon king of his generation, into Buddhism was indeed a great coup.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but admire. ¡°It''s not as simple as you think. The Victorious Fighting Buddha was originally transformed from the five-color divine stone left behind by the Nuwa after she mended the sky. He is not fundamentally a demon in the usual sense,¡± Li Jing shook his head. ¡°Could it be that Sun Wukong was originally arranged by the Heavenly Realm?¡± Shen Luo vaguely guessed something. ¡°Otherwise, how could he have won the favor of the Bodhi ancestor and been personally instructed in profound skills? Did you believe that only Tang Sanzang was a pilgrim? In reality, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, and White Dragon Horse, they were all pilgrims. Each of their incarnations was an arrangement set by the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain.¡± Li Jing chuckled as he spoke. Light flashed in Shen Luo''s mind as he recalled the trials from the legend of the pilgrimage, and doubts once again arose in his heart: ¡°But, on their pilgrimage, many of the demons they encountered were divine beasts transformed into demons. Why was that?¡± ¡°While the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain used the quest for scriptures to lure out the demons, they also somewhat decentralized them. Wouldn''t the demons have a strategy against the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain? They too were actively bewitching the heavenly generals and Buddhist disciples of the Western Paradise. Quite a few weak-willed individuals, those who hold resentment towards Heavenly rules revealed their true colors during this time.¡± Li Jing explained. ¡°So that''s how it was. These measures were quite effective already, so why did it still fail in the end?¡± Shen Luo''s understanding dawned upon him, and he asked a complicated question again. ¡°Well¡­I''m afraid nobody can tell for sure. It''s possible that it''s just fate. Six or seven years after Master Sanzang returned from his pilgrimage, including Zhenyuanzi and Bodhi Ancestor and other great powers, they discovered that the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism could not transform the people. And the chaotic aura between Heaven and Earth hadn''t changed, thus the Ling Mountain Plan was declared a failure. At that time, something else also happened, and the situation worsened even further.¡± Li Jing sighed heavily. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Hearing him say this, Shen Luo became increasingly tense. Chapter 568 Chapter 568: Chapter 564: Five Daoist Residual Souls Chapter 568: Chapter 564: Five Daoist Residual Souls ¡°A calamity led to the shattering of a precious treasure, the ''Map of Mountains and Rivers'', after Tang Sanzang tragically died, he reincarnated again. His disciples, too, took fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers and reincarnated, leaving one by one. Without the ordained five Pilgrims, the situation combating the demon disaster became more pessimistic, ultimately turning into the present circumstance,¡± Li Jing stated. Hearing this, Shen Luo thought for a long moment before asking, ¡°When and where did this demon disaster specifically erupt, you should still remember these details, shouldn''t you?¡± ¡°I can''t remember the details of the demon disaster''s eruption, the process of the Heavenly Court''s fall, or the circumstances of the Immortals'' and Buddhas'' deaths in battle- I can''t even remember who killed me,¡± Li Jing shook his head and said. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So, you''re saying, Elder, that you''ve not remembered any important matters?¡± Shen Luo asked incredulously. ¡°No, I always remember the most important thing,¡± Li Jing immediately refuted. ¡°What is it?¡± Shen Luo''s expression subtly changed as he hurriedly asked. ¡°The failure of the Ling Mountain plan that year was because Chiyou, the Demon at the center of the seal, secretly split his divine soul into five residual souls before the demon disaster erupted. These all reincarnated in their own time and later became the triggers of the demon disaster explosion,¡± Li Jing said, his brow furrowing. ¡°When did these five residual souls reincarnate?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a long time before asking. This question was of great significance. If the time of the five residual souls'' reincarnation happened before his present time, then after going back, he only needed to notify the Great Tang Dynasty Government about this matter in advance. They could contact the Heavenly Court, cooperate to strengthen the seal, prevent the reincarnation of the residual souls, and then they could stop the demon disaster from descending. ¡°The Heavenly Court does not know how his residual souls were divided and how they escaped the sealed place, so the exact escape time cannot be determined. However, according to post-analysis, they were most likely reincarnated at the same time as the five ordained Pilgrims,¡± Li Jing gave an answer that immediately made Shen Luo''s heart sink. In his current real time, it was nearly one hundred years after the reincarnation of Tang Sanzang and the others, and this meant that the five residual souls of Chiyou had already reincarnated. ¡°Elder, do you know who these five residual souls have reincarnated into?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked. He knew clearly that if they could find out their identities and kill them in advance, they could also stop the demon disaster from descending. Upon hearing the question, Li Jing''s eyebrows furrowed deeply as if he were trying hard to recall something. After a long time, he opened his mouth and said, ¡°I can only remember two clues, about two of them. One seems to have reincarnated in Chang''an, and one¡­ seems to have reincarnated in the Western Regions.¡± ¡°What are their names, who are they?¡± Shen Luo''s heart leaped, and he immediately asked. ¡°I vaguely remember, the one in Chang''an City¡­ is a woman with a plum blossom mark on her wrist, and the person in the Western Regions seems to be a monk,¡± Li Jing said. ¡°Is that all? Don''t you even know their names?¡± Shen Luo pressed. ¡°As I have mentioned, my residual soul has missing memories, It''s impossible to remember all details. Moreover, those five reincarnated residual souls didn''t have Chiyou''s memories before awakening, they themselves don''t even know who they are. They will only see their true selves at the moment of awakening and then fulfill their mission. Therefore, before they do anything unusual, no one will pay attention to them, which is why not much information about them has been circulated,¡± Li Jing explained. Listening to these words, Shen Luo sighed quietly in his heart, Chang''an City is so large, with a population of at least tens of millions. How easy would it be to find a person with a five-petaled plum blossom mark on her wrist among the vast sea of people? The Western Regions are miles away. Although the population is not as large as that of Chang''an, the area is almost boundless. It would be no less difficult to find a monk in this vast area. ¡°Regarding Chiyou, you can go to the East Sea Dragon Palace to find Dragon King Ao Guang. If he is still alive, he can perhaps tell you something,¡± Seeing Shen Luo deep in thought, Li Jing seemed to remember something and reminded him. Shen Luo felt frustrated. Ao Hong had already told him earlier that the Dragon Palace had been breached by the demons. He was not even sure whether he would get to see the Old Dragon King anymore. At this moment, Li Jing''s expression suddenly changed. He softly chanted a few times, formed a magic seal with one hand, pointed at the mid air, a golden shine abruptly emitted from his hand and struck the floating golden Heavenly Book. The golden Heavenly Book trembled violently, the surface lit up dazzling golden light, turning into a projection dozens of feet giant in size, which densely displayed the names written in ancient seal script. These names twisted and turned as if they were living beings, sending out bursts of strong Mana fluctuations from within. Just as Shen Luo was astonished, a beam of golden light suddenly refracted from the golden Heavenly Book, projected downwards like a spotlight, caging him within. At the instant when the golden light fell onto him, Shen Luo only felt his whole body stiffen, and the back of his head became as heavy as if he had been hit by some blunt object. The next moment, a shrill and intense ringing sounded in his mind. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shen Luo felt an intense pain coming from his divine soul, as if he were being torn apart. He couldn''t help but clutch his head and let out a heart-wrenching howl. Up to now, Shen Luo had experienced all sorts of pains and thought he had a decent tolerance for pain. But today''s pain was unbearable to him like never before. Fortunately, this pain only lasted for a few moments before it disappeared. Slowly lowering his hands, Shen Luo lifted his head to see a glimpse of spiritual light emerging slowly from the middle of his brows, forming a human-shaped phantom that looked exactly like him, slowly flying high into the sky. At the moment this human-shaped phantom left, Shen Luo felt as if a part of his divine soul had been split off. But this feeling was quite subtle, there was still some vague connection between them. ¡°Elder, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo asked. With unchanged expression, Li Jing paid no heed to Shen Luo''s inquiry, and continued making magic seals and striking towards the golden Heavenly Book. In the blink of an eye, Shen Luo''s human-shaped phantom dissipated and flew into the golden Heavenly Book projection in the high sky. Under the flash of golden light, it formed two large ancient seal script characters: ¡°Shen Luo¡±. Once the characters were formed, the radiance on the golden Heavenly Book began to gradually recede. After a moment, it restored to its initial state. Li Jing raised his hand and beckoned, the golden Heavenly Book obediently flew back, falling into his hand. ¡°Although I cannot grant you an immortal magic charm, your divine soul has already merged into the Heavenly Book, temporarily making you the controller of this Heavenly Book. However, if you wish to fully control the Heavenly Book, you still need to find the other Heavenly Scroll Fragments,¡± Li Jing elaborated. Hearing these words, Shen Luo did not feel joy but rather a touch of apprehension in his heart. Chapter 569 Chapter 569: Chapter 565: Heavenly Book Chapter 569: Chapter 565: Heavenly Book ¡°Elder, what is the purpose of controlling this Heavenly Book?¡± After pondering for a while, Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Heavenly Book contains the divine souls of almost all Heavenly Immortals. As long as they have not perished in battle, you can summon them with their divine souls, summoning their physical forms to assist you in fighting against your enemies. You might as well give it a try.¡± Li Jing encouraged with his words. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo slightly furrowed his eyebrows, wasn''t this similar to the Contract Summoning Rune of the Underworld? He lifted his hand and beckoned, and the Golden Heavenly Book indeed flew back from Li Jing''s hand, hovering in front of him. With a thought, Shen Luo raised his hand and passed it over the surface of the Heavenly Book. A brilliant light shone on top of the Heavenly Book, a dense golden light rose up, and ancient characters appeared in it. Shen Luo closed his eyes, and a wisp of his divine soul projected into it, beginning to sense the Divine souls of the Heavenly Immortals in the Heavenly Book with his soul power. Upon sensing this, Shen Luo discovered that there were still quite a few divine souls in the Heavenly Book, apparently some Heavenly Immortals had not fallen. He sent his thoughts onto one divided soul, trying to summon it with his soul power. However, when he operated his soul power, that divided soul did not respond at all. It only flashed a light and then immediately returned to its original state. With a thought, Shen Luo immediately tried to communicate with another divided soul, but the result was still a failure. ¡°Elder, are there any tips for this summoning method that you have not told me? I have tried many times, but all to no avail.¡± After several attempts, he slowly opened his eyes and said. ¡°The method to communicate with the Heavenly Book entirely depends on the divine soul and I have not concealed anything. In this case, it is possible that the restraining power on the Heavenly Immortals was greatly reduced when the Heavenly Book split apart. The connection of these Heavenly soldiers and generals with the divine souls on the Heavenly Book might have been completely severed by someone.¡± Li Jing pondered slightly and said. ¡°If so, hasn''t this Heavenly Book become a useless object?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°This is just a conjecture, it is also possible that these Heavenly soldiers and generals were seriously injured in the previous battles and had to choose self-sealing. Under these circumstances, the Heavenly Book cannot summon them.¡± Li Jing continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo suddenly raised an eyebrow and a question arose in his heart. ¡°Elder, since this Heavenly Book is split into several parts, does that mean that others also control the Heavenly Book? In this case, what will happen if other people are also summoning the heavenly soldiers and generals on the Heavenly Book?¡± ¡°This is the third possibility I wanted to mention. Others may have gotten the other parts of the Heavenly Book before you and have taken control of this part of the heavenly soldiers and generals using the power of the Heavenly Book. In this case, you naturally cannot summon them again.¡± A hint of approval flashed in Li Jing''s eyes as he nodded and said. ¡°I understand.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°Take good care of this part of the Heavenly Book. In the future, try to collect all the Heavenly Books and control their power completely. By then, even if you encounter a great demon or troll on the level of the Taiyi True Immortal, you will have the power to counter them.¡± Li Jing''s gaze fell on Shen Luo, and he slowly said. The way he looked was like an elder instructing a junior in the family, both a form of entrustment and a kind of inheritance. ¡°Elder has aided me in my cultivation and has passed the Heavenly Book to me. I would like to know how should I proceed in the future, I hope elder can guide me on this path.¡± With a wave of his hand, Shen Luo sent the Heavenly Book back, it entered in-between his brows and disappeared in a flash. ¡°The invisible hand of fate guided you to me, and it will also guide you on your journey in the future. There is nothing else that needs to be explicitly mentioned here.¡± Li Jing said. As he finished speaking, the golden glow of Li Jing began to fade gradually, as if his strength was also slowly disappearing. Yet, his gaze remained as calm as still water. At that moment, a strange look flashed in his eyes, as if he had finally remembered something. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. ¡°What?¡± Shen Luo immediately stepped forward to ask. Li Jing''s divided soul was running out of energy too fast to finish his sentence. A look of sudden realization crossed his face. Then the golden light faded and he dissipated into a wisp of smoke. ¡°Elder¡­¡± A wave of inexplicable sorrow rose in Shen Luo''s heart, and he couldn''t help but murmur. At the same time, the golden skeleton atop the throne also collapsed in an instant, turning into golden dust. It completely dispersed, leaving only the miniature golden pagoda, which fell to the ground. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed slightly, and he hurriedly stepped forward to pick up the golden pagoda. Looking at the layers of the pagoda''s body, he felt an increasing sense of heaviness in his heart. On his journey, he saw more and more apocalyptic scenes and experienced more and more hardships. As he learned more and more abilities, it seemed as if he was also carrying an increasing amount of responsibility. The Dao of talisman inscriptions taught by Yu Meng''s father, the alchemy secrets taught by Granny Ma, the various immortal methods of Mount Fangcun, and now the entrustment of the Heavenly Scroll by Pagoda Heavenly King ¨C all these contributed to making him the Shen Luo of today. He put away the golden pagoda. Looking around, he saw points of golden light twinkling in the surrounding void, as bright as fireflies rising up and then dispersing rapidly like fireworks. At the same time, a vast expanse of azure sea sprawled under a clear sky without a cloud in sight. Suddenly, an enormous shadow appeared over the sea, its massive shade eclipsing the sun and completely obscuring an island that stretched hundreds of feet into the sea below. The immense figure spread its wings, which were a thousand feet wide. It seemed to be the legendary Kunpeng giant bird. A desolate wail came from its mouth, and its feathers began to fall off rapidly, turning into numerous stray feathers whisked away by the wind. The white feathers decayed rapidly as soon as they detached from the bird''s body. They did not fly far before they started emitting black smoke and vanished into thin air. The bare Kun peng started plummeting rapidly, and white smoke rose from its exposed flesh. This shrouded an area of several tens of miles around the sea. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Accompanied by a loud ¡°boom¡±, the descending Kun peng heavily crashed onto an isolated island. Its huge body spanned the entire island, with its head, claws, and tail sticking out from the island and sinking into the sea. The white smoke from the body of the Kun peng continued to rise, its flesh and skin decaying quickly, evaporating in large amounts. Soon, only a stark white colossal skeleton remained. From the hollow underbelly of the skeleton, a golden light finally lost its last glint and disappeared. Three figures emerged slowly from where the golden light had vanished. The man in the center was Shen Luo. After he steadied himself, he turned to see a handsome man clad in golden scaled armor with short horns on his head, standing not far from him. Chapter 570 – 570 566 The Three Chapter 570: Chapter 566: The Three-Headed Jiao Turns into a Demon Chapter 570: Chapter 566: The Three-Headed Jiao Turns into a Demon ¡°Ao Hong¡­¡± Subconsciously, Shen Luo was about to call out the name of the handsome man, but his line of sight quickly shifted to the figure that appeared in the distance on the other side. Underneath a giant Kun peng bone over there, a burly man dressed in a black robe with an eight-sided black crown on his head was standing. His long black hair was spread behind him, and the black demonic Qi that had been surrounding him when Shen Luo first saw him was gone, revealing the face of an ordinary middle-aged man. He was the three-headed demon flood dragon. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful¡­¡± As Ao Hong saw the two of them, he immediately shouted a warning. As he spoke, he turned his wrist and held the Flying Dragon Spear in his palm, rushing towards Shen Luo. However, his movements seemed slightly delayed. As soon as Shen Luo heard the shout, he instinctively took a step back. But once he had steadied himself, he suddenly remembered that he was already in the early stage of a True Immortal and was no longer weak as before. He couldn''t help but let out a bitter smile and shake his head. However, the Three-headed Demon named Ao Qing didn''t take the advantage to launch a sneak attack. Instead, he curved his ten fingers, striking a pose that suggested he wanted to kill. With a flicker of his divine sense, Shen Luo scanned his surroundings and his eyebrows fluttered as if he had found something. However, he quickly focused his divine sense on the three-headed flood dragon and began to inspect it unabashedly. Ao Qing clearly noticed Shen Luo''s inspection, he snorted coldly, and a black light suddenly lit up from the big eight-sided black crown atop his head, expanding outwards like a big umbrella. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When Shen Luo''s divine sense fell on the black crown, it bounced back as if it had hit a fluffy tree crown. However, just from that brief contact, he felt something was amiss. ¡°It seems like he''s seriously injured and has lost a great deal of vitality.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes glittered as he turned to Ao Hong, who was nearby, and said. As he finished speaking, he also noticed that Ao Hong''s aura was unstable, his face was somewhat pale, and he appeared to be significantly depleted as well. Upon hearing this, Ao Hong''s eyes brightened as well. He intently stared at Ao Qing and let out his divine sense to examine him. However, a moment later, his divine sense was repelled by the black crown on Ao Qing''s head, and he could not detect anything. Just as he was somewhat disappointed, he glanced at Shen Luo, and his eyes lit up with confusion. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s with your aura?¡± he asked. At his words, Shen Luo was taken aback. He subconsciously inspected himself and his expression changed. ¡°What''s going on?¡± He was startled to find that the fluctuation of Mana emanating from his body was equivalent to that of the middle stage of the Mahayana. ¡°Brother Shen, when I saw you outside the golden tower earlier, you were only at the Nascent Soul Stage. How did you reach the middle stage of Mahayana so quickly?¡± Ao Hong was astonished. Shen Luo was momentarily stunned. When he used his divine sense to probe his Dantian and meridians, he realized that the richness of the Mana stored within him was far beyond what one in the middle stage could possess. Unsure of what was happening, he turned to Ao Hong and said, ¡°I entered the golden tower that day and gained some insight after undergoing some trials. That''s why I transformed. By the way, did you see anyone else?¡± During his investigation just now, he found that there was no trace of anyone else in this small island and a vast sea area around it. No matter the demons and ghosts, or the descendants of the Dragon Palace, all seemed to have evaporated from the human world. Even Bai Bi and Shen Yu, all of them have disappeared without a trace. Something suddenly dawned on Shen Luo, his face darkened considerably, and when he was about to verify his suspicion, he sensed an unusual breath and lifted his eyebrows. His head immediately tilted to the right, and almost simultaneously, a short burst of black light zipped past his ear. Its sound was very faint, Ao Hong didn''t notice it at all. Moments later, the black light shot into the sea behind him, giving off a loud ¡°boom¡± and stirred up a huge wave nearly a hundred feet high. Only then did Ao Hong notice the anomaly and immediately turned his gaze to the Three-Headed Jiao. Ao Qing opened his mouth slightly, his face odd, mumbling: ¡°It''s impossible to dodge, could it be a coincidence?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes darkened, his brows furrowed tightly, he turned to face Ao Qing, unleashing a cold murderous intent in his eyes. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful. This Three-Headed Jiao itself has a True Immortal Stage realm, and its power is even greater after being demonized. Although it is severely injured, so am I. Although you have already reached the middle stage of Mahayana, we may not have a fifty percent chance of winning together. If anything unexpected happens, I will try to stop him. You seize the opportunity to escape and don''t hesitate.¡± At this time, Ao Hong''s voice sounded in Shen Luo''s sea of knowledge. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Shen Luo did not explain anything and simply replied with two words. On the other side, a glint of cold light flashed in Ao Qing''s eyes. he raised his palm and slashed it violently towards Shen Luo. As soon as the mana ripple started on his body, Shen Luo noticed it. He secretly operated the Huangting Technique, having already mobilized mana a step earlier. At this point, he finally confirmed that the residual souls of the heavenly soldiers and generals integrated into his divine soul greatly benefited his divine soul to some degree, making his divine sense several times more sensitive than before. But before he could make a move, Ao Hong had already blocked him, pointing the spear in his hand forward, and a cold light flashed at the tip of the spear. Following that, a golden river of light emerged as swiftly as a flood dragon emerging from the water. Just a few feet after Ao Qing''s slash flew out, a sudden surge of black light mixed with demonic Qi turned into a giant half-moon arc, colliding with the golden long river, creating a thunderous explosion. The dazzling golden light and black demonic Qi exploded simultaneously, rising into a black cloud with golden edges. Ao Hong stepped forward, continued to stab the long spear forward, and the body of the gun shook with a large golden vortex rippling out, creating a huge hole in the black cloud. His body also followed with a leap forward, intending to go directly through the hole and attack Ao Qing. But just then, something tightened around his waist. A crystal-blue water rope suddenly wrapped around him from behind, and before he could react, it jerked him back. ¡°Shen Luo, you¡­¡± After Ao Hong stabilized himself, he was puzzled and was about to ask why Shen Luo stopped him when a sharp sound rang out from in front of him! He saw that the black cloud he had punched a hole in had completely dissipated, revealing its true nature. It was a huge silver ring, blunt outer ring and sharp inner ring. If Ao Hong had blindly charged in just now, he would probably have been decapitated by now. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± His hand holding the spear tightened, he said to Shen Luo. Chapter 571 Chapter 571: Chapter 567: Avenging a Friend Chapter 571: Chapter 567: Avenging a Friend ¡°Your insight is indeed remarkable, presumably you had a premonition to dodge my death-lock flying blade?¡± Ao Qing''s gaze bypassed Ao Hong and fell on Shen Luo, asking. Shen Luo wasn''t in the mood to explain, he just stared at him coldly, not uttering a word. Only then did Ao Hong realize that Shen Luo''s transformation by his side was probably not as simple as a breakthrough in his realm. ¡°Let me take care of the matters from here,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, lightly patting Ao Hong''s shoulder. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under his feet, a flash of moonlight appeared, and within moments, he was hovering face-to-face with Ao Qing with only a short distance between them. In an instant, the moonlight under Shen Luo''s feet scattered again, he swiftly appeared next to Ao Qing, raised a palm and aimed it towards Ao Qing''s head. Ao Qing seemed unprepared for Shen Luo''s speed, and hastily raised an arm to block his head in a posture of wielding authority. A gust of palm wind howled towards him, making a ¡°pop¡± sound as it hit! Ao Qing felt an enormous force pour into his arm, causing him to stagger back several steps before regaining his balance. Seeing this scene, Ao Hong''s eyes flashed with astonishment. As he examined Shen Luo again with his divine soul, he discovered that Shen Luo''s energy was growing at a rapid pace, and had astonishingly reached the Late Mahayana Stage. Before he could comprehend his astonishment, Shen Luo leapt forward again, striking towards the Three-headed Jiao. Upon seeing this, Ao Qing, equally surprised, realised that Shen Luo''s energy had changed more quickly than he had detected, which was why he didn''t immediately attack the two of them, but waited for his own injuries to stabilize before making his move. It seemed to him now that he had been careless. ¡°Daoist friend, we have no grudges or resentments. How about we cease fighting and leave this place peacefully?¡± Ao Qing beckoned, recalled his Silver Ring to his side and offered a truce. Hearing this, Ao Hong was surprised. He reasoned that even with Shen Luo''s Great Mahayana Peak, it was unlikely to make the Three-headed demon willingly retreat, unless he was feigning? Just as he was about to warn Shen Luo telepathically, he heard Shen Luo reply, ¡°Indeed, you and I have no grudges. However, you seem to have a deep-seated hatred with Ao Hong. He is my friend, and thus, I will help him resolve this vendetta.¡± ¡°And you thought I was actually afraid of you?¡± Ao Qing''s face darkened, replying coldly. Shen Luo just crossed his arms and watched him with a smirk. Ao Hong on the side was stunned, unable to fathom why Shen Luo was not only avoiding a fight but also initiating it. ¡°Could it be that Brother Shen has the strength to kill the Demon Flood Dragon?¡± A thought flashed through Ao Hong''s mind, but he immediately dismissed it as absurd. During the time spent within the Kun Peng, Ao Hong had also continued his diligent practice, resisting the absorption of the Kun Peng. Although he was uncertain about how much time had passed, he was certain that it definitely hadn''t been decades. Yet, within this period, Shen Luo''s cultivation level had undergone earth-shattering changes. How extraordinary were those opportunities? Before he could sort his thoughts, a deafening roar exploded in front of him. Ao Qing waved his hands, and the huge Silver Ring hanging in mid-air spun rapidly and fell towards Shen Luo. A whirl of silver light ejected like a downward cascading cage from the sky. Shen Luo''s expression remained the same. Flicking his wrist, a black whip appeared in his palm and he tossed it into the sky. A flash of light from the Six Chen Whip transformed it into a Black Sun, ripping loose a piece of the Kun Peng''s rib and shot towards the sky, colliding with the Silver Ring. A deafening ¡°rumble¡± echoed! The black sun, the moment it touched the silver ring, its luminosity soared several times, swallowing the silver ring while a series of violent collision sounds emerged from within. Ao Qing stared at the mass of black light in mid-air, both hands fully activated the magic spell, and cold sweat was already streaming down his forehead. However, a few moments later, his chest suddenly heaved violently, and he spat out blood with a ¡°pfft¡±. The black light high in the sky burst open. The Six Chen Whip flew back and landed in Shen Luo''s hands, while the silver ring reappeared, already severely distorted and too damaged to be used again. Ao Hong saw this and was extremely surprised. Upon investigating Shen Luo again, he found that Shen Luo''s energy was constantly growing during the battle and had now reached a level comparable to the late Mahayana stage. Ao Qing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes a blaze of anger, and in a twist of his wrist, a small red Elixir Pill appeared in his palm. On it, a faint shadow of an incredibly intricate black flood dragon was seen spiraling. ¡°Since you''re seeking death, I''ll oblige.¡± With that, he threw the Elixir Pill into his mouth. Immediately after, a trace of pain flashed across his face. He coughed a few times, covering his mouth with his hand, and a bit of blood and a large amount of black fog burst from his fingers, enveloping his entire face. A dim black light also lit up around his body, and his energy started to grow rapidly. ¡°Brother Shen, it''s not good. That guy took a Soul Igniting Pill. For a short time, he will at least recover to a level close to the middle stage of the True Immortal. You can''t possibly be his match, leave quickly,¡± Ao Hong warned hastily upon seeing this. Seeing this, Shen Luo frowned slightly. After a brief moment of consideration, he put away the Six Chen Whip in his hand. ¡°Hehe¡­ thinking of running now? It''s too late,¡± Ao Qing saw this and thought Shen Luo wanted to stop fighting and escape, so he chuckled weirdly and said. As soon as his words fell, a rolling Demonic Qi began to emerge from around him. His figure also rapidly enlarged in the Demonic Qi. Pieces of black scale armor appeared on his skin, and he quickly transformed into an incredibly giant three-headed demon. The three heads of the demon flood dragon swayed up and down. Its six lantern-sized yellow eyes shone with vortex-like dark yellow light. It roared angrily and simultaneously lunged to bite Shen Luo. Shen Luo stood still. Facing three massive heads attacking from different directions caused the void to shudder incessantly. The heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi around rolled and rolled, forming an aura of flattening cities and ruins. Seeing this scene, Ao Hong''s expression changed dramatically. He was about to take on his real golden dragon body, but when his gaze fell on Shen Luo, he froze, standing still. In his vision, a layer of dim fog had misted up behind Shen Luo. Within the fog, golden lights whirled, revealing one massive golden illusion after another. Six golden giants lined up behind him, while six golden dragons circled above. Each stuck their heads high towards the sky, full of fighting spirit. For a moment, Ao Hong even felt that standing in front of him was no longer a human cultivator, but an ancient ferocious beast. The aura it radiated was in no way inferior to the three-headed demon. When the demon flood dragon came near, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly focused, and two rays of golden light burst out. He took one step forward; his right hand formed into a fist and fiercely swung it towards the front. With a single punch, the dragon and elephant roared. The golden dragons behind him swam out, and the golden giants trampled and charged, each exuding extraordinary momentum with heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi, smashing towards the three-headed demon. In a flash, the entire island seemed to be divided by two walls of light, one black and one gold. At the spot of their collision, the ¡°rumble¡± sounded like thunder, causing the whole heaven and earth to shake violently. The ¡°boom, boom¡± explosions continued. The remaining skeleton of the Kun peng shattered under this force and flew out towards the surrounding seas. The island under the three of them, following a violent roar, cracked a huge chasm from the middle. Then, it quickly collapsed to both sides, splitting apart entirely. Chapter 572 Chapter 572: Chapter 568: Slaying the Demon Flood Dragon Chapter 572: Chapter 568: Slaying the Demon Flood Dragon A glint flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as he sprung up and leapt into mid-air, swinging another heavy punch downwards. The roar of the Dragon Elephant again echoed, a magnificent heavenly might descended from above, and it directly smashed the recently repulsed three-headed demon flood dragon, flattening it to the ground. ¡°Hmph, if you want to fight to death, you need to have enough resources for that,¡± said Shen Luo, standing arrogantly in mid-air, his hands began to quickly form seals. The gigantic head of the three-headed demon flood dragon defiantly raised high and roared, ¡°An insignificant human, you dare to humiliate me so? You want to exchange lives, I will oblige¡­.¡± As soon as it finished speaking, an intense black light abruptly shone from its forehead, from the middle one of the three heads. While the black light flickered, the body of the three-headed demon flood dragon began to shrink rapidly, the colossal body continuously becoming smaller, eventually restoring its human form bit by bit. However, the dense black light at its head turned into a rapidly spinning black vortex during the shrinking process, with noticeable heavenly and earthly spiritual energy continuously gathering within from around the vortex. Ao Hong naturally recognized this at first glance, the black vortex was the demon pellet of the three-headed demon flood dragon. It appeared as an insatiable black vortex, incessantly devouring and compressing the surrounding heavenly and earthly spiritual energy. But moments later, a black pill emerged from the black vortex, appearing to be entangled in black lightning, making a fizzling noise, looking as if it would explode at any moment. But just then, Shen Luo planted his firmament step, made hand seals with both hands, pointed to the high altitude, and his eyes flickered with light. His whole body was enveloped in an incredibly dense layer of starlight. ¡°Three Stars¡­ Demon Slayer.¡± Just listened to Shen Luo''s booming voice, his Dantian and thirty-three meridians lit up simultaneously. Mana gushed out like a river, pouring into his arms, the palms of his hands lighting up with a snow-white glow, suddenly pulling onto the void. In the distant star river, an unknown force responded in turn. Immediately afterwards, three glowing stars emerged one after another from the depths of the thousand-feet-tall firmament, tracing a light mark across the sky like a meteor, falling towards this sea area. Just moments later, the clouds of the entire sea area were illuminated by an intense golden light, becoming incredibly dazzling. Following that, three enormous voids were blasted open in the clouds, and three huge golden stars emerged from within, each of them a thousand feet in size. As the stars continued to fall, their surfaces seemed to ignite, turning completely red. The more they fell, the fiercer the burning red light became. The surrounding heavenly and earthly spirit Qi seemed to evaporate under this hot force, as if the entire void had been solidified. As the red light on the three stars became brighter, their sizes began to shrink rapidly. The momentum emanating from them became stronger, and they echoed each other from afar, forming a massive triangular airspace region between them. In that airspace, a formidable prohibition power condensed, just like an invisible barrier descending. Ao Hong was completely stunned, standing there dumbfounded, looking up at the high altitude. Ao Qing shivered all over, stunned for a moment by the pressure of the momentum that seemed as if it would grind heaven and earth. However, he quickly regained his senses, determination flashed in his eyes, and he began to mobilize his mana with all his might, accelerating the self-destruction process. But just as the black lightning on the black pill in front of his forehead began to explode, the three red stars had already fallen, and the prohibited airspace also pressed down. Time on the small island seemed to freeze at that moment, and Ao Qing only felt that he was locked in an indescribable force and his body''s mana stopped circulating all at once, and the exploding Dantian became stagnant in his forehead. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, his thoughts were not stagnant. His eyes moved restlessly, he could not control his actions, and he could only watch while the three stars settled down. ¡°Boom!¡± A violent explosion! The three starlights detonated simultaneously, and three golden pillars descended from the sky, instantly engulfing the bodies of the Three-headed Jiao. A heart-wrenching roar echoed from inside the golden light pillar. It only lasted for a few breaths before quickly disappearing. The figure of the Three-headed Jiao rapidly faded into the golden light and turned into ashes. Under the settled golden light, half of the island had completely collapsed. But the sea water had also been squeezed away by this force, churning up a hundred-foot-high wave, which scattered in all directions. Deep in the hole in the sea, where the golden light spread, a golden image with three golden stars interweaved and surrounded by cloud patterns could be seen for a long time without fading. Shen Luo made a gesture, and a black pill with dense black light flew back from above the three-star golden image and landed in his palm. It was Ao Qing''s Demon Pellet. He floated back and landed next to Ao Hong. Only at this time, Ao Hong finally recovered, looking at Shen Luo in front of him with an inexplicable expression. ¡°Are you really still the Brother Shen I know? Or have you been taken over by the Kun peng''s spirit?¡± He was shocked to find that Shen Luo''s aura had reached the early stage of True Immortal and he couldn''t help but ask. ¡°What are you talking about? Of course, I am Shen Luo. Why else would I help you fight the Demon Flood Dragon?¡± Shen Luo responded with a wry smile. Ao Hong swallowed and said slowly, ¡°How have you become so powerful?¡± ¡°Ah, it''s complicated. It all comes down to the opportunities within the Golden Tower. By the way, did you see any signs of others earlier?¡± Unable to explain too much, Shen Luo decided to change the subject and asked. ¡°No. Apart from us, everyone else who was sucked into the body of the Kun peng earlier, I''m afraid, has already¡­¡± Ao Hong shook his head. Inside the Kun peng, he had previously resisted erosion and absorption, consuming a huge amount of energy. Those with lower cultivation levels than him and the Three-headed Demon Flood Dragon naturally couldn''t resist. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart sank. He came to the same conclusion as Ao Hong. All the demons and descendants of the Dragon Palace who were sucked into the Kun peng, even Bai Bi and Shen Yu, were probably swallowed and absorbed by Kun peng. Shen Luo even vaguely guessed that the Kun peng had died after being possessed by Li Jing''s remnant soul. By absorbing so much mana and life force from those demons and descendants, he could barely hang on. As his remnant soul dissipated and entrusted everything to Shen Luo, the Kun peng''s body that he had taken over also completely decayed and finally vanished. ¡°Brother Shen, what are your plans next? If you''re not too busy, could you accompany me back to the Dragon Palace?¡± Seeing this, Ao Hong asked. ¡°Didn''t you say earlier that the Dragon Palace has been captured?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, most areas of the Dragon Palace were captured earlier. My Father King and the others were forced to retreat to the Dragon Abyss. I led my troops out and came back to help when you saw that scene at the seaside. Now that most of the Demon Clan has been eliminated, I don''t know what the situation is inside the Dragon Palace. I''d like to go back and take a look first,¡± Ao Hong explained. ¡°In that case, I''ll accompany you for a visit.¡± Shen Luo nodded and agreed. Chapter 573 Chapter 573: Chapter 569: Returning to the Dragon Palace Together Chapter 573: Chapter 569: Returning to the Dragon Palace Together Shen Luo readily agreed to join primarily because he didn''t want Ao Hong to face the adventure alone. Besides, he also wanted to see if he could meet the East Sea Dragon King again to dig deeper into any new information about Chiyou. Only after gathering more information about Chiyou and his divided souls, could he use these leads to find the reincarnated souls after waking up from his dream. Perhaps, he would stand a chance to prevent the Demonic Tribulation, and stop the disaster from recurring a thousand years later. In addition, Shen Luo wanted to inquire about advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage past the Soul Condensation stage. This knowledge would lay pathways for his real-life cultivation. After all, he had only previously advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage in his dream after hearing a few Daoist sermons on Mount Fangcun. He did not have any hands-on experience that he could follow. Hearing Shen Luo''s consent, Ao Hong was overjoyed. He patted Shen Luo''s shoulder and said, ¡°Having you by my side makes me feel much better. Let''s not delay and set off now.¡± ¡°Hold on, I need to find something,¡± Shen Luo said, with a smile. With that, he walked to another side of the island and began rummaging through a pile of scattered white bones of a Kun Peng. Upon moving a large tail bone, a visible golden light emitted from the crevice of the stacked bones. Seeing this, Shen Luo excitedly moved more bones and reached in to grope around. When his arm reemerged, he held two two-foot-long Kun Peng feathers ¨C one brimming with golden light and the other shining with silver light. Strong fluctuations of spiritual power emanated from them. Shen Luo had already sensed the existence of these two feathers when he just got out of the Kun Peng''s body. However, he didn''t have the time to find them then and so had decided to collect them only after defeating the Demon Flood Dragon. After briefly examining the feathers and feeling their vibrations, he put them away without delay. ¡°We can leave now,¡± Shen Luo turned and said. ¡°The Dragon Palace lies deep beneath the sea. Cast a water-repelling spell, and I''ll lead the way,¡± said Ao Hong. Shen Luo nodded, gestured with one hand and started quietly chanting. A layer of blue light spread out, enveloping him completely. Ao Hong followed suit, circulated the mana within him, and suddenly rose high into the air while emitting a sonorous dragon chant vociferously. The golden light around him flared up as his figure extended and rapidly transformed into a hundred-foot-long golden divine dragon. Wriggling and twisting its body, it whooshed towards Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Shen, hop on,¡± the golden dragon called out. Without a delay, Shen Luo leaped onto Ao Hong''s back and sat down cross-legged. Ao Hong then surged into the high altitude again and then after reaching a hundred feet, he swooped down at full speed. Like a falling meteor, he plunged straight into the sea, stirring up a gigantic white wave hundreds of feet high at the water surface. Shen Luo followed Ao Hong all the way, headed straight to the deep seabed. The water waves around him were unable to hinder him in any way. In fact, their speed was even swifter than when they were flying in the sky. ¡°The East Sea Dragon Clan truly lives up to its name¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but admire. As they dove into the water initially, light permeated around while the water radiated a blue-green glow. Schools of fish would pass by occasionally. However, as they dove deeper, the surrounding light grew darker and fewer fishes could be spotted. When they plunged about three thousand feet down, the surroundings were already plunged into complete darkness. Only the golden light emanating from Ao Hong acted like a lone lamppost in the pitch-dark night, illuminating a very limited surrounding area. Shen Luo was feeling a bit uneasy, so he released his Divine Sense to scan the surroundings. After constant trials in the Golden Tower and absorbing the remnant souls of the heavenly soldiers and generals, his Soul Power had undergone tremendous changes, covering a radius of nearly a thousand feet. Upon scanning, Shen Luo quickly noticed many powerful presences. Some were departing from their vicinity, some were lurking in the abyss, and some seemed eager to approach them. Upon diving thousands of feet deep, Shen Luo suddenly saw that the pitch-black deep sea below was illuminated by a hazy, multicolored light, looking as if countless colored lanterns had been lit. It wasn''t until he got closer that Shen Luo saw what was truly behind the light, and couldn''t help but open his mouth in surprise. Ao Hong had taken him to the seabed, and there stood gigantic coral trees reaching a hundred feet in height, forming a vast Coral Forest. The multicolored light was emanating from these coral trees. Riding on Ao Hong''s back and passing through the Coral Forest, Shen Luo, looking at the marvel sights around him, was engulfed by a surreal feel. After the two of them passed through the forest at the Seabed, a lush green seabed grassland appeared in front of them. The grassland was full of radiant water grass swinging rhythmically with the currents of the deep sea, resembling the sight of a prairie swaying in the wind. Some seabed creatures that Shen Luo had never seen before and other oddly shaped creatures emerged from the grassland. Not only were they not fearful of Ao Hong swimming above them, they even seemed to show a sense of intimacy. Some even followed suit, trailing out a long string of fish, accompanying them on their journey. Witnessing the bustling seabed world for the first time, Shen Luo was deeply amazed. He picked up a round fish that had a candle-like thing on its head from afar, and noticed it was covered in thick armor. It took him a moment to realize that the water pressure at the seabed was comparable to the weight of a mountain, making it difficult for normal fish to bear without special bones. ¡°Something''s coming¡­¡± At that moment, Shen Luo frowned and warned with a mental message. ¡°No worries, it''s just a Stinger Beast.¡± Ao Hong responded. As soon as he finished speaking, a massive shadow swept in. A huge figure appeared, stirring dark currents at the seabed, making the seabed grassland swing. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked into the distance and saw a strange black fish covered in armor, with huge spikes protruding from its shell, slowly moving towards them. The strange fish had incredibly large yellow eyes and a huge mouth filled with interlacing sharp teeth, looking very ferocious. However, when the distance between them was less than a hundred feet, the seemingly ferocious Stinger Beast seemed to suddenly realize a golden dragon was attacking it. Looking terrified, it struggled to turn its massive body, swiftly escaping upward. ¡°This guy looks fierce, but it''s actually very timid, and has extremely poor vision. It often scares itself. But it has a sturdy shell, so it''s hard for other monsters to hurt it.¡± Ao Hong explained. Shen Luo looked up, trying to keep track of the Stinger Beast, but his expression suddenly changed. Then, a chilling roar rang out from above, causing a powerful disturbance in this part of the deep sea, stirring up a violent vortex in the water. Chapter 574 Chapter 574: Chapter 570: The Return of the Ninth Prince Chapter 574: Chapter 570: The Return of the Ninth Prince Shen Luo looked up toward the sound only to see a large quantity of fresh blood suddenly surging out from the sea above. Pieces of spiky dark green and black shells continued to drop down towards the seabed. ¡°Here it comes.¡± His eyes suddenly shrank as he roared. In an instant, the blood in the sea above rapidly spread out, revealing a huge, ferocious face emerging, its abyss-like black mouth lunging fiercely down towards Shen Luo and Ao Hong. The gigantic face was about a hundred feet, the surface seemed to be smeared with a thick layer of powder, making it frighteningly pale. Its gaping mouth stretched across its entire cheeks, the arc of its opening was incredibly exaggerated, and a swirling black vortex was spinning incessantly within it. Shen Luo, feeling the enormous pressure emanating from its body, didn''t hesitate at all. He immediately channeled all his Huangting Technique to full force. A powerful, almost tangible aura radiated from his body, bouncing away the surrounding seawater and forming a massive void around him. At the same time, accompanied by the sounds of dragon chants and elephant roars, several large golden illusions emerged, revolving around him as the Power of Six Dragons and Six Elephants started to circulate. Ao Hong, bearing Shen Luo''s body, felt as if he was shouldering a huge mountain. Even his golden dragon body was barely able to carry such weight, showing a faint tendency to sink. However, after amassing his power, Shen Luo had already leaped upward, charging straight into the high altitude. With one arm pulled back at his waist, he was mentally envisaging the Heavenly Soldiers he had dueled within the Golden Palace, combining their essence of fist techniques and Dragon Elephant Power to strike suddenly upward. The moment Shen Luo''s fist was thrown, a colossal golden fist shadow charged towards the sky amid a cluster of golden dragons and charging elephants. Even before the two forces connected, thunderous ¡°Boom¡± sounds of space being torn apart resounded, like explosive thunderclaps. ¡°Boom Boom¡± Golden light flickered in the seabed as the golden fist shadow smashed directly onto the pale face of the giant beast, causing a seismic explosion! Sounds of shattering followed. Massive cracks, like spider webs, instantly crept all over its entire face, which then burst apart with a resounding crack. ¡°Roar¡­¡± The giant beast let out a sharp roar and quickly began to retreat. ¡°It isn''t dead yet?¡± Shen Luo saw this and a touch of surprise flashed in his eyes. His gaze hardened and as he was about to swoop up to chase after the beast, he suddenly heard Ao Hong''s voice from beneath: ¡°Brother Shen, don''t pursue.¡± Hesitating slightly, Shen Luo eventually stopped and turned around. He saw Ao Hong revert to human form and fly towards him. ¡°Brother Ao, that beast is seriously injured, why shouldn''t I chase it?¡± Shen Luo asked in confusion. ¡°Brother Shen perhaps doesn''t know. Those are not any ordinary beings. They are Deep-sea Giant Monsters that have existed in the Eastern Sea since ancient times. What you shattered was just one of its heads. Such an injury is nothing to its main body.¡± Ao Hong looked somewhat troubled as he explained. ¡°Just one head? How many heads does it have?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat taken aback. ¡°It has a total of nine heads. Its body can contract and extend, change its size at will. With its currently enormous size, I suspect the rest of its heads were not nearby, which is why it chose to run rather than fight you with full force. If you follow one head to its main body, it could be dangerous if the other heads come to its aid,¡± Ao Hong continued. ¡°If just one of the heads has such power, wouldn''t it take a Taiyi True Immortal to kill the beast?¡± Shen Luo asked, taken aback. ¡°As a matter of fact, when this Fierce Ghost wreaked havoc in the Eastern Sea, it was indeed a Taiyi True Immortal sent by the Heavenly Court who assisted the East Sea Dragon Palace in suppressing it, eventually, it was sealed deep within the Dragon Abyss. It''s clear now that this beast has escaped from the Abyss, signifying that the Dragon Palace is in jeopardy.¡± Ao Hong''s concern was palpable. Seeing Ao Hong''s worry, Shen Luo patted his shoulder, reassuring him: ¡°Let''s not think too much about this for now. We should quickly head over to the Dragon Palace and see what''s going on,¡± said Shen Luo. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Hong suppressed his emotions and nodded agreement. After their brief conversation, both of them resumed their journey, quickly hurrying towards the Dragon Palace. The deep sea was dead silent, void of any other daring exotic beasts that would venture near them. The creatures that had earlier been spying at a far distance were no longer anywhere to be seen. About two hours later, after Shen Luo climbed over a range of underwater mountains, he finally saw a vast architectural complex situated between two underwater peaks. From afar, one could see a massive semi-transparent light shield covering the architectural complex. The shield was casting a dazzling array of colors, making the sea area appear extremely splendid. ¡°Is that the Dragon Palace?¡± Shen Luo asked. Ao Hong, with a complicated look in his eyes, nodded and explained, ¡°Usually, Patrol Sea Yakshas are stationed around the Dragon Palace within a range of a few hundred meters. But now, the whole palace appears dreadfully desolate. I fear that it doesn''t bode well for Father King.¡± ¡°Didn''t you say they had retreated to the Dragon Abyss? Why don''t we just head there?¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°Okay! The Dragon Abyss lies deep within the Dragon Palace. We should enter the Dragon Palace first before heading to the Abyss,¡± Ao Hong agreed. With their decision made, both concealed their aura and stopped using mana to propel their movements. Instead, they approached the transparent light shield of the Dragon Palace with cautious steps. On the eastern side of the shield, there was a crystal gate tower with a golden banner hanging above it. The banner displayed three large characters that read ¡°Crystal Palace.¡± Ao Hong led Shen Luo around the big gate to a crystal wall and pulled out a crystal token from his bag. He then activated the token with a simple manipulation. A dragon figure emerged from the token and immediately, a golden light erupted from it. The light hit the transparent shield, creating a six-foot tall golden illusionary door. Just as they were about to pass through the golden door into the Dragon Palace, a violent shout suddenly echoed, ¡°Audacious monster, you dare to trespass the Dragon Palace. You''re seeking death¡­¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow, finding the voice somehow familiar. Just as he was about to identify the source of the voice, he suddenly heard the rush of wind above him. A swift and intense silver light burst through the air and rapidly shot towards him. Unfazed, Shen Luo advanced the Huangting Technique within him and effortlessly caught the silver light. The silver light struggled fiercely and kept thrusting towards Shen Luo, creating a buzzing noise. With a cold laugh, Shen Luo abruptly shaken his arm. A soft ¡°pop¡± sound echoed as the silver light was dissipated, revealing a silver trident with scale patterns all over it. Ao Hong''s eyes flashed with surprise at the sight of the weapon, then he sighed in relief and yelled, ¡°Qing Chi, when will you stop impulsively attacking without asking questions first?¡± After these words echoed in the silence, a ghostly howl-like yell responded: ¡°Ah¡­ Ninth Prince, it''s the Ninth Prince, you have finally returned¡­.¡± Following this, a familiar towering figure appeared, excitedly rushing out from behind a nearby building and sprinting towards them. Chapter 575 Chapter 575: Chapter 571: Ruins and Broken Walls Chapter 575: Chapter 571: Ruins and Broken Walls At a glance, Shen Luo saw the tall figure. He had a bare upper body, his face painted green, with fangs. Two bundles of fire sprouted from his head. Both his back and his elbows were sprouting fish fins. This surely was the Blue Water Yaksha which he had once encountered on the Dalishi Mountain. However, unlike during their previous encounter, the Green Chi he was looking at now had a thick aura, which had shockingly reached the Late Mahayana Stage. The scars spread all over his body suggesting he had recently been through a fierce battle. After paying his respects to Ao Hong, Qing Chi looked at Shen Luo with some doubt. He scratched his head, hesitating for a moment before finally remembering, and exclaimed in surprise,¡±You are!¡± ¡°Qing Chi, do not be rude. Brother Shen is now a cultivator in the True Immortal Realm,¡± said Ao Hong with a smile. ¡°At first glance, he seemed unchanged. But upon closer inspection, you can notice that his aura, temperament, demeanor¡­ they are all different. Amazing, truly amazing.¡± Qing Chi finally paid attention, rubbing his chin and marvelled. Shen Luo twisted his wrist and handed back the silver Trident he held horizontally. He smiled and said, ¡°Daoist friend Qing Chi, it''s been a long time.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, it has indeed been a long time¡­ I remember¡­¡± Qing Chi took his weapon back. His eyes wandered upwards as though reminiscing about the past. Seeing this, Ao Hong knew that if he let Qing Chi speak, he would probably not stop, so he quickly interrupted him, ¡°Qing Chi, nevermind any of that, how is the Dragon Palace? How is my father?¡± ¡°Ninth Prince, you should go back and see for yourself¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Qing Chi''s expression instantly changed, and he sighed and said. Hearing his words, Ao Hong''s heart immediately sank. Qing Chi sighed and turned to lead the way. Shen Luo and his companions followed closely behind. When they reached the main gate of the Dragon Palace, a once majestic three-story, nine-pillar, gold-inlaid white jade archway had collapsed, and a pile of broken jade was scattered around like broken bricks. As Shen Luo and the others passed through the gate tower and continued walking, they saw that all the exquisite buildings were almost completely destroyed. Everywhere they looked they saw ruins, all stained with blood. ¡°Daoist friend Qing Chi, is Lang Sheng alright?¡± Shen Luo asked with a serious look in his eyes. ¡°You mean that shrimp? He''s gone.¡± On hearing these words, Qing Chi quickly turned back to look and said. ¡°Did he die in this battle?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No. The shrimp had average cultivation roots. He had been stuck at the same level for many years, his lifespan was running out, so he tried a risky method to make a breakthrough. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.¡± Qing Chi shook his head and said. Hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent. He was well aware that unexpected things often happened on the path of cultivation. Not everyone could enjoy smooth sailing. ¡°It''s good that he didn''t succeed. He didn''t have to live through this miserable war.¡± After a moment, Qing Chi suddenly laughed. Hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t know what to say. They continued further into the Dragon Palace. The destruction of the houses on either side became more severe. From the collapsed ruins, many corpses of the descendants of the Dragon Palace could be seen, indicating that the fighting here had been even more fierce. From time to time, they could see some shrimp soldiers and crab generals, cleaning up the aftermath, and rebuilding some salvageable buildings while gathering and burying the dead bodies. Just as they were moving along, a group of people suddenly rushed towards them. Shen Luo''s gaze focused, and he saw at the front of the group was a handsome man in a purple embroidered gold round collar robe. He had a carved flower and dragon jade pendant hanging from his waist. His hands were held behind his back, and his expression was indifferent. Following half a step behind him, was an attractive woman in bright red battle armor. Her slightly plump body was not overly enchanting, but coupled with her clean features, she had an attractive contrast to her beauty. She carried a broad bladed broadsword on her back, which was rather incongruous with her body shape. Her eyes were almost always resting on the tall man in front, and they revealed her unhidden feelings for him. Walking almost alongside this woman was an aged man with white hair and a hunched back. His face was kind, his long eyebrows hung down to his knees, almost covering his eyes. He held a shiny green staff in his hand. He looked no different from an old man of the human race. Behind these three, there were more shrimp soldiers and crab generals. Each of them was solemn, holding their weapons, and each possessing a strong killing aura. Upon seeing these people, Ao Hong immediately quickened his steps to go and greet them. ¡°Second Brother, Uncle Yuan.¡± When they got closer, he greeted them with a fist pressed against his palm. In his mind, Shen Luo also heard Ao Hong''s voice: ¡°This is my second brother Ao Zhong and the Prime Minister of the Dragon Palace, Yuan Yi.¡± Qing Chi, seeing this, also hurried up and bowed in greeting. Shen Luo arrived a bit later. After getting close, he also pressed his fist against his palm in greeting, but did not pay formal respects. ¡°The Ninth Prince is back, that''s great, the Dragon King has been waiting for a long time¡­you finally came back¡­ this humble servant, almost thought¡­thought I wouldn''t see you again¡­¡± The old man with the staff came up tremblingly, his voice also shivering as he spoke. ¡°Uncle Yuan, it''s all my fault. I came back too late. I''m truly sorry,¡± Ao Hong sighed in response to his words, quickly helping him up as he tried to bow. He looked really regretful. ¡°No worries, it''s good that you are back¡­ that you are back¡­¡± Yuan Yi gently patted Ao Hong''s hand and his eyes were somewhat moist. ¡°Little Nine, why did you come back alone? Where is your army?¡± The man named Ao Zhong saw nobody else behind Shen Luo, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he asked with an impassive voice. ¡°Those things¡­we will talk about them when we see Father¡­ First, let me introduce someone. This is Shen Luo. We have been close for many years but he has never visited the Dragon Palace. He is an Immortal¡­¡± Ao Hong, who was used to such questions, said. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Ao Zhong: ¡°When is it not a good time to bring outsiders back? Do you think that our home is not chaotic enough?¡± On hearing this, Ao Hong choked and looked a bit displeased. Although he never got along with his older brother, who was much older than him, he always respected him as his elder brother, even when thwarted or ridiculed. However, when Shen Luo was being ignored, Ao Hong felt that he could not bear it any longer. Just as he was going to argue, Shen Luo reminded him mentally, ¡°Brother Ao, there''s no need to worry about these trivial matters. Let''s go and meet the Dragon King first and understand the current situation.¡± Ao Hong hesitated slightly, then relaxed. However, his momentary pause and change of expression were all caught by Yuan Yi. Having assisted the Dragon King for countless years, he was well-versed in dealing with worldly affairs. He quickly guessed that it was Shen Luo who had calmed Ao Hong down. Immediately, he looked at Shen Luo and nodded in greeting to him. Chapter 576 Chapter 576: Chapter 572: Princess Ao Yue Chapter 576: Chapter 572: Princess Ao Yue ¡°Where is Father King now?¡± Ao Hong asked. ¡°Shuiyuan Palace is badly damaged, so Father King is currently recuperating in Shuixiu Palace. Come with me.¡± Without causing more trouble for Ao Hong, Ao Zhong turned and walked away. As he turned around, the woman in red armor who was following behind him showed a bit of a smile on her face and nodded towards Ao Hong, saying: ¡°Greetings, Ninth Prince.¡± ¡°What Ninth Prince, Ao Xin, call me Ninth Brother.¡± Ao Hong hearing this, feigned annoyance with a frown. The woman named Ao Xin in red armor pointed at Ao Zhong''s back, gently shook her head, and then with a bitter smile, silently mouthed the words ¡°Ninth Brother.¡± Seeing this, Ao Hong finally revealed a smile. After Ao Zhong ordered the people following him to patrol the nearby area, he led Ao Hong and Shen Luo''s group towards the Shuixiu Palace. Shen Luo noticed that, after arriving here, there were more people within the Dragon Palace. Some were repairing houses, some were treating the wounded. But everyone they encountered would immediately stop all actions and bow to them. This respect wasn''t for their status, but genuine admiration and gratitude from the heart. ¡°Daoist Qing Chi, this Second Prince seems to be highly respected in the Dragon Palace,¡± Shen Luo messaged the Blue Water Yaksha. ¡°Daoist friend Shen doesn''t know that the Dragon Palace was able to weather the crisis this time largely due to the Second Prince. It was he who drove back the Demon that had besieged the Dragon Abyss and rescued everyone.¡± Qing Chi quickly responded upon hearing this. ¡°A demon capable of besieging the Dragon Abyss, that certainly must be a powerful one?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat puzzled after hearing this. ¡°A three-headed Demon Flood Dragon, while not of a good nature, was genuinely formidable.¡± Qing Chi spoke sincerely. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a bit unusual, but he didn''t say anything more. Soon, everyone arrived outside a magnificent hall made of blue-green jade that stopped in its tracks. Seven or eight Water Descendants were gathered in front of the palace door. Among them were both war generals in armor and scholars in scholar''s robes. It seemed like they were the civil and military officials of the Dragon Palace. Upon seeing Ao Zhong and his group come over, they immediately greeted them. After Ao Zhong returned the courtesy, he scanned the others, then told Ao Hong and Yuan Yi, ¡°Father King is inside. Yuan Yi and I will go in, the rest should stay out.¡± Ao Hong hesitated slightly, apologized to Shen Luo through sound transmission, asked him to wait outside for a while, then went into the Shuixiu Palace with Ao Zhong and Yuan Yi. Shen Luo didn''t mind at all, and waited outside the door with the others. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, where have you been practicing these years? Why haven''t you been in contact with Ao Hong?¡± Qing Chi asked with a grin. Shen Luo was stunned upon hearing this. He thought to himself, ¡°How would I know where I''ve been?¡±, but he couldn''t respond like that. ¡°The world has been unstable these years, so I''ve been practicing on the mountain all the time. I have not left the mountain, and I haven''t been in much contact with old friends.¡± Shen Luo had to make up a story. ¡°May I ask Daoist friend Shen, which sect you are from?¡± Qing Chi asked again. Shen Luo unconsciously wanted to say Spring and Autumn Pavilion, but quickly reacted and said, ¡°Mount Fangcun.¡± ¡°Ah, so you''re a disciple of the Bodhi Ancestor, my apologies, my apologies!¡± Upon hearing the prestigious name of Mount Fangcun, Qing Chi immediately showed great respect, he said. Shen Luo just politely smiled and did not respond. He suddenly remembered something, and after minor hesitation, sent a message asking, ¡°Brother Qing Chi, what is the deal with Ao Hong and his second brother? Their relationship seems a bit subtle.¡± When Shen Luo called him ¡°elder brother,¡± it made Qing Chi feel very comfortable, but he still responded: ¡°Whether according to your realm, Brother Shen, or the relationship between you and the Ninth Prince, this form of address isn''t quite proper,¡± he said. ¡°Haha, I just think that you''re straightforward and speak your mind, elder brother, and you are older than me. I''d like to call you elder brother regardless of anything else,¡± Shen Luo laughed. Hearing this compliment, Qing Chi couldn''t help but beam from ear to ear. ¡°Originally, these are matters of the nobles like the Ninth Prince, and as a subordinate, I shouldn''t say anything. But Brother Shen, you are also close friends with the Ninth Prince, so I''ll take the liberty to share a few words with you,¡± Qing Chi shared. ¡°If it is a taboo, don''t worry about it, brother Qing Chi. I just thought it was a bit strange,¡± Shen Luo said deliberately. Qing Chi, always ready for a gossip, was already eager to share. How could he agree to stop talking? ¡°It''s okay. It''s not really a secret. Who in the Dragon Palace doesn''t know?¡± he said immediately. ¡°In that case, please tell me more, elder brother,¡± Shen Luo said with a secret smirk. ¡°Alas, when it comes down to it, our Dragon King is to blame. He has always doted on the Ninth Prince since childhood, causing dissatisfaction in the Second Prince, who was the first dragon born in the Dragon Palace,¡± Qing Chi sighed softly. ¡°The Second Prince was the first dragon born?¡± Shen Luo asked with confusion. ¡°Indeed, before the Second Prince, there was an Eldest Princess named Ao Yue,¡± Qing Chi replied. Just as Shen Luo was about to ask more questions, the door of the Shuixiu Palace suddenly opened. Standing by the door, Ao Zhong said to everyone, ¡°You all can come in now.¡± Qing Chi and Ao Xin responded in unison and took the lead to enter the palace. Shen Luo also followed. As soon as he entered, his gaze swept across the interior towards the depth of the hall, to see a White Jade Dragon Carriage. A tall man in a golden robe was leaning on it. This man, with chiseled features and short beards, looked a bit ill but still maintained his noble manner. It was, of course, the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang. At his side stood a beautiful woman in silver dragon scale armor with horns on her head. She was taller than an ordinary woman, with blue hair tied up with a gold crown. One would mistakenly think she was a handsome man from behind. The woman''s features were beautiful, yet strong, unlike the usual gentleness of other women. Her angular face, clouded brows, glowing eyes, firm nose, and thin lips made her look energetic and extraordinary. Shen Luo had a hunch that this woman was very likely the Eldest Princess Ao Yue, whom Qing Chi had mentioned. On the other side of the dragon carriage, several women dressed in immortal clothes were standing. They either appeared anxious or tearful, with gloomy expressions, presumably the other Dragon Girls. The three of them stepped forward to offer their respects and saluted the Dragon King. ¡°Friend Shen, I heard from Ao Hong that he was attacked by demons in the Eastern Sea Pinnacle and you rescued him?¡± Dragon King Ao Guang looked at the three people, slightly adjusted his posture, and first spoke to Shen Luo. When Shen Luo heard this, he was about to speak, when Ao Hong''s voice sounded in his Sea of Knowledge: Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Shen, could the events we experienced earlier, including your slaying of the Three-headed Demon, be kept secret and not revealed to everyone?¡± Although Shen Luo didn''t understand why, he agreed. ¡°Ao Hong and I are old acquaintances, and I just happened to encounter him, so I lent a hand,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Was the opponent you fought with, the Kunpeng demon?¡± Ao Guang continued to inquire. Chapter 577 Chapter 577: Chapter 573: Struggle for the Throne Chapter 577: Chapter 573: Struggle for the Throne ¡°Indeed. He is extraordinarily powerful, and we¡­ we were no match for him.¡± Shen Luo stiffened himself and spoke as instructed by Ao Hong. ¡°Having survived a confrontation with such a ferocious creature is already quite extraordinary. Moreover, I thank you for saving my son''s life. Despite the recent calamity befalling the Dragon Palace, we must still honor etiquette. In a while, I will have Ao Hong take you to the treasure vault to choose a treasure as a token of our gratitude.¡± Ao Guang contemplated silently for a while before speaking. On hearing these words, Shen Luo couldn''t help feeling a surge of excitement. After all, the Dragon Palace''s Treasure Vault was no ordinary place, concealing riches beyond the ordinary. Years ago, when the Great Sage Sun Wukong first showed his prowess, he too had visited the Dragon Palace to borrow treasures. ¡°Your Majesty is too kind. It would be disrespectful of me not to accept your generous offer.¡± Shen Luo responded, his fist clenched in a salute. ¡°Ao Xin''s contribution in assisting Ao Zhong to retake the Dragon Palace by defeating the demon clan is immense. Later, you too will go with Ao Zhong to the treasure vault and select a treasure as a reward.¡± Ao Guang nodded and then glanced over at Ao Xin before commenting. ¡°Thank you, Dragon King.¡± Ao Xin said gratefully, a look of delight on his face as he too clenched his fist in salute. ¡°Presently, chaos reigns in the world. The Heavenly Court has fallen and our Four Seas Dragon Palaces have not been spared. It''s fortunate that we managed to repel the demonic invasion this time, but I believe it won''t be long before these demons stage a comeback.¡± Ao Guang spoke softly, a heaviness to his gaze. ¡°If they dare to invade again, we will make sure they don''t return.¡± Ao Zhong immediately stated in a low but profound tone. Ao Guang paused as he listened to him, not committing to anything before continuing: ¡°In the clash with Kun Peng, I''ve suffered heavy injuries, and they are now irreversible. A downfall is only a matter of time. But a country cannot go a day without a king, nor a family without a leader. After me, someone must take the reins in the Dragon Palace.¡± These words not only stunned the people of the Dragon Palace but also made Shen Luo''s face change. He had perceived that the Dragon King was gravely wounded, but he had not expected it to be this severe, nor had he anticipated that Ao Guang would speak of it openly in his presence, an outsider. ¡°Your Highness, our Dragon Palace has plenty of immortality pills and spiritual medicine, surely they will aid your recovery.¡± Elder Prime Minister Yuan Yi was the first to speak. ¡°Father¡­¡± Ao Zhong said softly. Ao Hong looked distressed, opened his mouth to speak, but finally remained silent. Standing behind the Dragon King''s palanquin, Ao Yue slightly furrowed her eyebrows, as if she had already known about this matter. ¡°I know my condition best. There is no need to say more on this. As for who should rule the Dragon Palace and command the Water Descendants of the Eastern Sea, what are your thoughts?¡± Ao Guang waived his hand and spoke. The great hall fell silent, with no one daring to speak. After a while, a voice arose from behind the palanquin: S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Father, to succeed the position of the Dragon King and rule the Eastern Sea involves not only inheriting a position but also the legacy of the Ancestral Dragon''s Spirit. Only those with exceptional talent are qualified. This position¡­ it should be taken by our ninth brother.¡± Upon hearing these words, everyone''s gaze fell on Ao Yue, all seemingly surprised. Even Ao Hong himself seemed shocked, wondering why his older sister, who is usually reserved and seldom close to him, would actively support him as the new Dragon King? ¡°Eldest Princess, I believe you are mistaken. The state of leading the East Sea is not only dependent on talent. Selecting the virtuous and capable, managing soldiers and generals, these are indispensable. The Ninth Prince has always been unrestrained, I fear he might not be a suitable choice.¡± A middle-aged military officer, clad in bright red armor and with rather broad brows, spoke up. ¡°Has General Jie forgotten? The Ninth Prince started residing in the Luhua Palace only three hundred years ago. Prior to that many affairs of the Dragon Palace were handled by him and he was praised by everyone, wasn''t he?¡± An elderly man, thin and dressed in a Confucian robe, countered. ¡°Elder Bang, it''s precisely because of the event three hundred years ago that I believe even more firmly that the Ninth Prince is not suitable to rule the Dragon Palace.¡± General Jie retorted without hesitation. Shen Luo listened with a slight furrow in his brows, but noticed Ao Hong slightly flickering his eyes in front. ¡°Father, General Jie is correct. When it comes to ruling the Dragon Palace, I am indeed less experienced than my second brother.¡± Ao Hong fell silent for a while before speaking up. ¡°Elder Yuan, you have been assisting me for several years. What are your thoughts on this matter?¡± Ao Guang did not make an immediate decision, but instead turned to ask Yuan Yi. ¡°It falls to the Dragon King to decide the unity of the Dragon Palace. As an elder, I do not wish to say much. But amidst the last days, the Dragon Palace has already been shaking in the storm. Blindly pursuing stability¡­ may end up being the hardest thing to achieve.¡± Yuan Yi''s words were veiled, but his meaning was clear. If it were normal times, seeking stability would mean the Second Prince might be more suitable to assume power. However, in these last days, whoever has the ability to inherit the Ancestral Dragon Spirit fully and protect the East Sea would be the right choice. ¡°Father, it''s not that I desperately want this position. It''s just that the Ninth Prince has been stuck at the beginning stage of the True Immortal Realm for many years. I''ve already caught up to him. Considering cultivation alone, I am not worse than he is.¡± A stubborn look flashed in Ao Zhong''s eyes as he finally spoke. ¡°I have always seen your efforts. In our Dragon Clan, we control the water and clouds in the world, commanding the vast Aquatic Clan, creating clouds, and showering the world¡­ We actually bear an even longer-standing responsibility and mission.¡± Ao Guang said calmly. ¡°Mission? Responsibility?¡± Everyone was puzzled. ¡°You are all aware of the existence of the Dragon Abyss, and also the prison under the seabed beneath the Abyss. Some of you must also be aware. You might think that the prison is meant for criminals from the East Sea Dragon Clan, but that is not its original purpose.¡± Ao Guang continued. ¡°I know, the undersea prison was initially built to contain the Demon Clan prisoners who had once followed Chiyou in the battle against the Yellow Emperor. One of our missions in the East Sea Dragon Clan is to guard this prison and prevent any escapes.¡± Ao Zhong said at this point. ¡°Well put, not only the East Sea, but each of the remaining Three Seas also have similar prisons. The West Sea has the Great Ravine, the South Sea has the Ruins, the Northern Sea has the Flame Vault. Each of these places holds criminals from the Demon Clan. Our mission in the Four Seas Dragon Clan is to guard these four prisons. Even at the risk of death, we must not allow them to escape.¡± Ao Guang nodded. At the closing remarks, everyone''s expressions became solemn. ¡°The last days have arrived, and the Demon Clan is bound to invade sooner or later. The succeeding Dragon King may very well be the final ruler in the history of our East Sea Dragon Palace. While others may have room to retreat and escape, the Dragon King does not. Having understood this, are any of you still willing to take up the mantle of the King of the Dragon Palace?¡± Ao Guang spoke solemnly. Ao Hong and Ao Zhong looked at each other and simultaneously said, ¡°We are willing.¡± Ao Guang''s eyes softened slightly upon hearing this and he allowed a faint smile to cross his face. ¡°Father, there is something that I need to report.¡± Ao Hong suddenly recalled something and promptly spoke out. ¡°What matter?¡± Ao Guang asked. ¡°Is the Deep-sea Giant Monster still being held in the Dragon Abyss?¡± Ao Hong asked. Chapter 578 Chapter 578: Chapter 574: The Grudge of That Year Chapter 578: Chapter 574: The Grudge of That Year ¡°Confined to the second layer at the base of Dragon Abyss, why do you question this?¡± Ao Guang asked, puzzled. ¡°Earlier, on our return to the Dragon Palace with Shen Luo, we were attacked by a deep-sea giant monster. At the time, I thought Dragon Abyss had been breached, allowing this demon to escape,¡± Ao Hong immediately replied. ¡°What did you say?¡± Ao Guang''s expression suddenly turned grave. The expressions of officials and generals like Yuan Yi also started to change. The memories of the havoc caused by the deep-sea giant monster in the Eastern Sea were still fresh in their minds, revealing a hint of fear in their eyes. ¡°Are you sure it was that deep-sea giant monster?¡± Ao Guang asked, leaning forward slightly, his brows furrowed. ¡°I cannot be mistaken. Friend Shen has also fought with it, even smashing its head,¡± Ao Hong said. Upon hearing this, everyone''s gaze fell on Shen Luo. ¡°That creature has a human face and a snake body, one of its heads is a hundred feet large, and its power is immense. After I smashed one of its heads, it quickly retreated,¡± Shen Luo had no choice but to step forward and speak. ¡°What a joke! If it were the deep-sea giant monster indeed, could you repel it on your own?¡± Ao Zhong sneered upon hearing this. The rest of the crowd also started discussing among themselves, clearly not believing their words. Yuan Yi had been standing silently to the side with his head bowed, seemingly in deep thought. ¡°There are powerful prohibitions within the Dragon Abyss. Moreover, it has been sealed for many years, and we haven''t heard of any monsters escaping. This must be a misunderstanding. The Ninth Prince probably encountered some other demon,¡± said the clam spirit. ¡°Everyone, not a word we have said is false. If you don''t believe us, you can send someone to inspect the depths of Dragon Abyss. If that deep-sea giant monster is missing, it will prove that what we said is true,¡± Ao Hong said. ¡°The matter of Dragon Abyss is of great importance. Since Hong''er claims he was ambushed by the deep-sea giant monster, let him investigate the depths of Dragon Abyss himself to ascertain the truth. We will discuss the matter of the Dragon King''s succession after the investigation is complete,¡± Ao Guang said after a long silence. ¡°Father King, I would like to go and investigate with him,¡± Ao Zhong stepped forward, saying as he cupped his fist. Upon hearing this, Ao Guang looked hesitant. ¡°Father King, if something has changed in Dragon Abyss, it would be too risky for the Ninth Prince to go alone. If I go with him, he will have someone to rely on,¡± Ao Zhong added. ¡°I am willing to go too,¡± Qing Chi and Ao Xin said in unison. ¡°Alright, since this is the case, you all can go together,¡± Ao Guang agreed, nodding his head. ¡°Father King, I request to take Shen Luo with me,¡± Ao Hong said. ¡°The Dragon Abyss is a forbidden place. How can it be trespassed by humans?¡± Ao Zhong retorted immediately upon hearing this. ¡°With the Demon Clan stirring chaos, there''s no need to distinguish between the Human Race and the Dragon Clan. Since Friend Shen was able to repel the deep-sea giant monster, let him go with you. Remember, no matter what happens after entering Dragon Abyss, you must work together,¡± Ao Guang warned. ¡°Your son obeys.¡± Ao Hong and Ao Zhong exchanged a glance before cupping their fists in unison. ¡°Alright, go now,¡± Ao Guang waved his hand, looking somewhat weary. Everyone obeyed and retreated, leaving Princess Ao Yue as the only one who hadn''t exited the great hall. ¡°Princes, shall we take Friend Shen and Ao Xin to the treasury to select treasures now?¡± Yuan Yi lifted his long eyebrows slightly, seeking Ao Hong and Ao Zhong''s consent. Ao Zhong silently nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Yuan, for leading the way.¡± Ao Hong said. The elderly prime minister was smiling as he turned around and led them towards the back of Xiu Shui Palace. Shen Luo was a bit confused and wanted to directly ask Ao Hong about it, but instead, he chose to communicate his inquiry through an internal transmission to Qing Chi. ¡°Brother Qing Chi, what happened to Ao Hong three hundred years ago? Why did he go to Luhua Palace and stayed there until now?¡± Upon hearing Shen Luo''s question, Qing Chi became silent for a while before responding, ¡°Since the two of you are good friends, you might want to ask him directly.¡± ¡°Brother Qing Chi, that''s quite unsuitable of you. I saw someone in the hall just now mention this matter, and Ao Hong''s expression was a bit odd. It seems this matter had a great impact on him. If it''s something heartbreaking, how could I tactlessly ask him? Don''t you think so?¡± Shen Luo joked. ¡°Your consideration is thorough¡­ Indeed, it was a heartbreaking incident back then¡­¡± Qing Chi said slowly. From Qing Chi''s slow explanation, Shen Luo gradually learned the general outline of the event. It turned out that three hundred years ago, the West Sea attempted a marriage alliance with the East Sea, intending to marry the West Sea Dragon King''s eleventh princess to the East Sea. The East Sea Dragon King gladly agreed, and in accordance with the West Sea Dragon King''s request, intended to marry the eleventh princess to the Ninth Prince, Ao Hong. The two were equally matched, a perfect union. Such a great event should have been a celebration, yet when it came to Ao Hong, he refused. The reason being that he was already devoted to someone else. The person Ao Hong was devoted to was a charm spirit named ''Ying''er'', transformed from a jellyfish. Despite her beauty and intelligence, her low status made it impossible for her to be recognized by the Dragon Palace, let alone gain the approval of the Dragon King. Ao Hong, who had a high reputation in the Dragon Palace and was considered the next ruler, ended up having a falling out with the Dragon King over this matter. ¡°At that time, in order to force the Ninth Prince to comply, the Dragon King even imprisoned Ying''er. However, the Ninth Prince was extremely steadfast and did not care about the overarching situation of the Dragon Palace nor the East-West Sea relationship. He broke open the cage, rescued his beloved, and left the Dragon Palace to live elsewhere.¡± Qing Chi explained. Shen Luo''s face remained calm, but inside, he was silently applauding: ¡°To hell with the greater good, to hell with East-West Sea relations¡­ the most important thing is my heart''s desire.¡± S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This situation closely resembled the time when the Nie Family came to force an annulment of a marriage, only the circumstances seemed even worse now. ¡°If the incident had just stopped there, there would be nothing more to it. But something happened later that caused the Ninth Prince to leave the Dragon Palace for three hundred years, and his cultivation level has stagnated ever since.¡± Qing Chi continued. ¡°Could it be that Miss Ying''er¡­¡± Shen Luo started to guess some of the truth. ¡°You guessed correctly. Later, the place where the Ninth Prince resided was attacked by demons. Ying''er was captured by the demons while trying to save the Ninth Prince. When the Ninth Prince came back to the Dragon Palace for help, he knelt and begged for three days. Instead of getting the Dragon King''s approval, what he received was a fragment of Ying''er''s soul coming to see him for the last time. Since then, he has almost broken ties with the Dragon Palace, moved to Luhua Palace, and never returned. whether out of guilt or other reasons, the Dragon King later dispatched a group of Water Descendants from the Dragon Palace to reside in Luhua Palace.¡± Qing Chi continued. After hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inside, feeling pity for both Ao Hong and Ying''er. ¡°Speaking of which, this Miss Ying''er also has some connection with you.¡± Qing Chi suddenly said. ¡°Connection with me?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Do you remember the jade-eyed golden toad from the heavenly pit in Dalishi Mountain?¡± Qing Chi asked through internal transmission. ¡°Could it be that the person Ao Hong went to Dalishi Mountain alone to save with the jade-eyed golden toad was this Miss Ying''er?¡± Shen Luo asked, slightly surprised. ¡°Exactly, it was her.¡± Qing Chi confirmed quickly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inwardly. Chapter 579 Chapter 579: Chapter 575: Asking for Others Chapter 579: Chapter 575: Asking for Others During their conversation, Shen Luo and the others arrived in front of a big gate in the seabed mountain wall. The gate was inlaid with two exceptionally thick, cast bronze doors, on which zigzagged traces of more than a dozen charm patterns. At the bottom of the gate, about a foot high from the ground, an octagon-shaped groove was seen. Yuan Yi casually took out a green token with a turtle shell pattern engraved from his bosom, and threw it upwards. The token flew into mid-air enveloped in green light, and perfectly fitted into the groove on the bronze door. Immediately, a ray of light spread from the green token, lighting up all the charm patterns on the bronze giant door. With the continuous rumbling, the two extraordinarily thick doors began to open inwards. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beyond the bronze door, a dazzling golden light shone that made it almost impossible for Shen Luo to look straight. However, when the golden light dispersed, instead of seeing the imagined piles of gold and treasure, Shen Luo saw a huge golden octopus. There were caves of different shapes and sizes all over the cliff around the golden octopus and above its head. They were all shrouded in light with golden prohibition runes floating around them. As soon as the golden octopus saw the group enter, it slowly opened its closed eyes. Seeing the newcomers, a sparkle flashed in its eyes and it spoke in human voice: ¡°Yuan, old mate, it''s been a long time since you brought so many people¡­ oh, is that the little Ninth Prince? I haven''t seen you for hundreds of years, I was wondering if no one would come to steal my pearls anymore?¡± ¡°Respect to Elder Zhang. I was immature and caused you a lot of trouble.¡± Ao Hong stepped forward somewhat awkwardly, uttered with a fist salute. ¡°Zhang Bazhua, stop talking nonsense. Today, I brought these kids here on the order of the Dragon King, who wants to reward them with treasures. Find something suitable for them.¡± Yuan Yi said with a laugh. ¡°Treasures? No problem. As long as it''s the Dragon King''s order, you just make your requests. If it''s in our treasure house, I''ll be sure to get it for you.¡± The golden octopus said with a smile. Ao Xin looked at Ao Zhong, who nodded back to her. Then she stepped forward, made a courtesy and said: ¡°Elder, I, the junior, have mastered fire mystic arts and have reached the peak of Great Mahayana, but I can''t break through the bottleneck. If there are any elixirs or treasures that can help me out, please don''t hesitate to offer.¡± ¡°Once the bottleneck of the Mahayana peak is broken, you will have to cross tribulation to True Immortal. This bottleneck is not like any other, sometimes not being able to break through is a form of self-protection. If you forcibly breakthrough with the help of medication, you may not be able to handle the power of Thunder Tribulation. So, do you still want it?¡± The golden octopus remained silent for a moment upon hearing this, and then asked. Upon hearing this, Ao Xin cast her gaze at Ao Zhong with a mixture of intention and unintention, then stated in a firm voice, ¡°Yes.¡± The only way she could close the gap between them is if she breaks through to the True Immortal Realm. Only then, she can truly share his burdens. ¡°In that case, there exists a Inferno Pill within our treasure house, handed down from Taishang Laojun''s Biyou Palace. It was made using Samadhi True Fire. After you take it, it may help you break through the bottleneck.¡± The golden octopus said. ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Ao Xin immediately replied. The golden octopus remained silent. After thinking for a while, a colossal arm suddenly reached out from underneath. It stretched towards a cave above. A rune on the top of the tentacle lit up, and it merged with the prohibition light from the cave. Then, the tentacle passed through the layer of light and entered the cave. In a short while, when it was retrieved, a crimson box that looked like a cauldron was in tentacle, handed over to Ao Xin. Ao Xin took it with both hands, carefully opened the lid, and immediately a surge of intense heat raced out, accompanied by a crimson glow. She quickly closed the lid again and thanked it repeatedly, adding the box to her belongings. ¡°Brother Shen, tell Elder Zhang what you need.¡± Ao Hong said to Shen Luo. ¡°Elder, I want to ask you for a steady way to breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage.¡± Shen Luo, having already thought about this, stepped forward and requested. Upon hearing this, the entire room was shocked. Everyone was looking at him with incredulous eyes. ¡°It''s not for me, but for someone else,¡± Shen Luo said somewhat awkwardly. ¡°What kind of skills does that person cultivate?¡± Golden Octopus wasn''t surprised by Shen Luo''s request and asked. ¡°He¡­ He cultivates a Water Technique.¡± Shen Luo hesitated. Hearing this, the Golden Octopus fell into deep thought and spoke after a moment: ¡°Among the methods you seek, there are thirteen types available in our treasury. Among them, three are most suitable. I''ll explain them to you, and you can choose for yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Shen Luo quickly cupped his fists in thanks. ¡°The first method involves taking a Crystal Pill. This pill is made from Dragon Yuan Essence and can help stabilize the soul to reach the Nascent Soul Stage. The second method involves cultivating the ''Water Organ Opening Elemental Skill''. This skill can take one from the Qi refining stage directly to the peak of Great Mahayana, with a gradual path leading to the Nascent Soul Stage. The third method is a lost Water technique. Although its rank is much higher than ''Water Organ Opening Elemental Skill'', it has unfortunately become fragmented and incomplete. It too contains a method to reach the Nascent Soul Stage¡±. The Golden Octopus explained. ¡°Then we''ll go for the ''Water Organ Opening Elemental Skill''.¡± Shen Luo hesitated slightly, then said. He was seeking a method to reach the Nascent Soul Stage to prepare for cultivation. While the Crystal Pill might have profound effects, he couldn''t take it back with him, so that was out of the question. The fragmented technique, despite its high rank, was now incomplete. It was uncertain what kind of hidden dangers lay within. Better to choose the safer route. But as soon as he had finished speaking, he had some regrets and couldn''t help but say, ¡°May I ask the elder to fetch that fragmented method, so that I may take a look at it before making a final choice?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With that, the Golden Octopus once again waved its tentacles and reached into two different holes in the wall. A moment later, a two-inch-thick golden silk book and a moss-covered stone tablet were placed before Shen Luo. He looked back and forth between the two, suddenly feeling a strange sensation. The seemingly unremarkable mossy stone tablet seemed to exude a faintly familiar aura that drew him in. This feeling was very subtle. After some hesitation, Shen Luo changed his mind and chose the mossy stone tablet. ¡°This is yours now¡­¡± The Golden Octopus immediately retrieved the golden silk book and handed Shen Luo the mossy stone tablet. Shen Luo took it with both hands and felt the stone tablet, immediately feeling as if he was brushing his fingers over the surface of water, with ripples seemingly undulating underneath his fingertips. It was incredibly strange. However, he didn''t have time to inspect it carefully now, so he had to put it away for the time being. After a while, they bid farewell and left the Dragon Palace Treasure House. ¡°Now that we''ve selected our treasures, we shouldn''t delay any longer. We should set off for the Dragon Abyss, right?¡± Ao Zhong glanced at everyone and asked. ¡°Crown Prince, Ninth Prince, and Brother Shen just returned to the Dragon Palace and went through a battle on the way. Why not let them rest a bit before heading to the Dragon Abyss?¡± Yuan Yi suggested. ¡°Uncle Yuan, if the Deep-sea Giant Monster truly escapes, and something does happen at the bottom of the Dragon Abyss, I''m afraid we have no time to rest. The longer we delay, the more dangerous it becomes,¡± Ao Zhong argued. ¡°Second brother is right, time is of the essence.¡± Ao Hong nodded in agreement. ¡°In that case, I won''t say any more. Take care,¡± Yuan Yi said. Afterwards, they set off for the Dragon Abyss, leaving Yuan Yi behind. Chapter 580 Chapter 580: Chapter 576: Ancestral Dragon Wall Chapter 580: Chapter 576: Ancestral Dragon Wall Shen Luo and his group flew towards the depths of the Dragon Palace, where the surrounding Dragon Palace buildings gradually became sparse. Half an hour later, they stopped next to a giant mountain on the seabed. The enormous mountain was pitch black, imposingly towering, seemingly extending above the sea surface, radiating a feeling of gloominess. Shen Luo surveyed the giant mountain in front of him, his eyebrows raising slightly. The rocks of this mountain were dark-skinned, giving off a heavy decent feel. His Divine Sense found it extremely difficult to spread within it. With his formidable Divine Sense, he could actually only detect within a half-foot distance. He didn''t know what material it was made of. Below the giant peak, some tower-like buildings were erected, but they were all very old and seemed to not be maintained for a long time. Ao Zhong led the group forward and soon reached a grey small tower. ¡°We''re here,¡± Ao Zhong said. This tower is only seventy to eighty feet high. Compared to the other towers surrounding it that were tens of feet or even a hundred feet tall, it is not very conspicuous. Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted slightly. It appears that the East Sea Dragon Palace is taking extreme care in guarding the Dragon Abyss. Even the entrance has been set up with so much camouflage. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tower gate was tightly closed with a palm-sized depression in the center. Ao Zhong waved his hand, and a gold token flew out, embedding itself into the depression on the door, fitting perfectly within it. A liquid-like golden light flowed from the golden token, quickly spreading on the tower gate, and soon formed a dragon-shaped pattern. With a ¡°creak¡±, the tightly shut door slowly opened. The group entered, the token inside the stone door automatically flew back to Ao Zhong''s hand, and then the door automatically closed. Behind the door was a vast hall, with nothing inside. Only in the deepest part of the room, an enormous bronze door was embedded on the wall. On the door was a carved relief of a coiled five-clawed divine dragon holding a silver dragon orb in its mouth. It was incredibly lifelike, as if it could burst out of the door at any moment. Shen Luo looked at the five-clawed divine dragon relief in front of him. After just looking at it for a moment, the eyes of the five-clawed divine dragon seemed to come alive and indifferently looked at Shen Luo. A massive dragon might burst from the divine dragon relief, bearing down on Shen Luo. His body shook violently, and his meridians trembled, as a mouthful of blood reversed its flow and rushed towards his heart and lungs. But just then, his Heavenly Book suddenly heated up, and a warm current gushed out from it, offsetting most of this massive dragon might. The remaining bit of power was no longer a threat, and Shen Luo, his face slightly pale, took a step back, bearing the pressure of the dragon might. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, lower your head quickly. Apart from those carrying the bloodline of my East Sea Dragon Clan, outsiders cannot directly look at this Ancestral Dragon Wall!¡± Seeing this scene, Ao Zhong''s eyes flashed with an inexplicable look, immediately replaced by an anxious expression. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hurriedly lowered his gaze, catching sight of Ao Xin and Qing Chi beside him. Both of them kept their heads lowered, not looking at the bronze door. However, the two brothers, Ao Zhong and Ao Hong, directly looked at the bronze door without experiencing any ill effects. ¡°This ancestral dragon wall has such restrictions? Second Brother, since you knew about this, why didn''t you tell us earlier!¡± Ao Hong''s face darkened as he yelled. ¡°I forgot about it for a moment. Ao Xin, Daoist friend Shen, please forgive me.¡± Ao Zhong slapped his forehead, apologizing. ¡°Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± After glancing at Ao Zhong, Ao Hong turned to Shen Luo with concern. ¡°No harm.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand indicatively, his face expressionless. How could Ao Zhong forget such an important matter? Most likely, he did it on purpose. If it wasn''t for the Heavenly Book''s sudden assistance just now, he would have been injured by the dragon might. ¡°I''m sorry for involving you in the disputes of the Dragon Palace. How about this: Don''t go down, just wait for us to return.¡± Ao Hong, the sensible one, saw through Ao Zhong''s actions and communicated with Shen Luo through transmission. ¡°No problem, since we''re here, let''s go down together.¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment and then communicated back with a smile. Since Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing said that there was a clue of the reincarnated demon soul in the Eastern Sea, and the Dragon Abyss has imprisoned the Demon Clan criminals, the clue might be here. Even if Ao Zhong harbors no good intentions towards him, Shen Luo couldn''t afford to miss it. ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing Shen Luo say this, Ao Hong had no choice but to agree. ¡°Second brother, I haven''t been to Dragon Abyss many times. Are there any other dangerous prohibitions thereafter? What should I watch out for? Please tell me openly. Brother Shen is a guest I invited to the Dragon Palace, I must ensure his safety!¡± Ao Hong turned to Ao Zhong and asked slowly. ¡°Ninth brother, there''s no need to worry. Our second brother truly just forgot about the limitation of this Ancestral Dragon Wall. There are no dangerous prohibitions ahead, rest assured.¡± Ao Zhong laughed, then strode up to the Bronze Gate, raised his right hand, and a golden light flashed in his palm. His right hand quickly transformed, turning into a fierce dragon claw and, aligning with a dragon claw on the Bronze Gate. With a ¡°hum¡±, a dazzling golden light burst out from Ao Zhong''s dragon claw. The Bronze Gate immediately began to vibrate, and silver light surged from the five-clawed divine dragon on the gate. Shen Luo stared at the stone door, his gaze slightly shifting. ¡°This Bronze Gate is the entrance to the Dragon Abyss. The prohibition on it can only be opened by someone from the East Sea Dragon Clan and poses no danger.¡± Ao Hong, seeing Shen Luo staring wide-eyed at the stone door, communicated this to him. Shen Luo, hearing this, nodded slowly. The silver light quickly converged towards the silver Dragon Orb held in the dragon''s mouth. The Dragon Orb emitted glowing flashes of silver light, and then, with a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, it shot out. Shen Luo watched the Dragon Orb emitting a brilliant silver light, his gaze focusing. He could sense the terrifying power contained within the Dragon Orb. If it suddenly erupted, I''m afraid that everyone present would have a hard time surviving. At this moment, Ao Zhong''s expression was also very serious. He took out a small white mirror from his body, and after muttering words in his mouth, he threw it into mid-air. The small white mirror flashed and then turned into a white light, merging into the silver Dragon Orb. The silver light on the Dragon Orb suddenly shone brighter. Then it swayed in the wind and transformed into a silver door about ten feet in size, and with a ¡°clang¡±;, it was set into the Bronze Gate. Dark light surged out from within the Bronze Gate, pouring into the silver door. Between the doors, strands of black qi quickly surfaced. Inside it appeared to hide an incredibly deep black passage, leading to an unknown destination. ¡°It''s ready, let''s go in,¡± said Ao Zhong, withdrawing his palm. Having said that, he was the first to enter. His figure vanished into the black passage. Ao Xin and Qing Chi immediately followed behind him. ¡°Let''s go too,¡± Ao Hong said to Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded and was just about to step forward when his gaze suddenly turned towards the vacant hall on his left. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Ao Hong asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Shen Luo surveyed the void on his left, confusion flashing in his eyes as he shook his head and responded. Following Shen Luo''s gaze, Ao Hong found the place to be empty, with nothing there. ¡°If nothing''s wrong, then that''s good. Let''s hurry, this entrance passage won''t last for long,¡± he said, stepping into the light door. Shen Luo also stepped in, and their figures flickered before disappearing inside the silver doorway. The silver gate quickly dwindled and was about to vanish. However, at that moment, a dark shadow suddenly appeared inside the tower. ¡°Such a powerful Divine Sense, almost couldn''t conceal it,¡± the dark silhouette muttered to itself. It transformed into a dark shadow and shot out, slipping into the silver light door before it disappeared. Shen Luo saw numerous grey and black shadows flashing before his eyes, his body felt as if it was floating in mid-air, very light. However, this sensation didn''t last long. There was a thud, the shadows in front of his eyes dissipated and he found himself standing on a platform near a cliff. Ao Zhong, Ao Hong, and the others were also there. Chapter 581 Chapter 581: Chapter 577 Dragon Abyss Chapter 581: Chapter 577 Dragon Abyss Shen Luo calmed his mind, sweeping his gaze around. He discovered that this cliff-side platform was not small, with an area of about twenty to thirty acres, and numerous buildings were constructed on it. Surprisingly, this place did not have a hint of seawater ¨C it was as if they had arrived on land. The rocks on the ground were the kind of dark stones that could not be probed by divine sense, and beneath the precipice lay a gloomy, dark abyss. The light was very dim, only allowing sight for a dozen or so feet ahead. Within the abyss, there was no seawater, just raging black winds swirling and howling. These winds filled the entire abyss, creating huge vortexes of wind, some several miles in size, while others were only a few dozen feet in diameter. As they collided and swallowed each other, they let out loud, whining sounds, as if they could sweep up everything in their path. Shen Luo stared at the black winds rampaging in the abyss with a secret shock in his heart. Although he was now a powerful True Immortal, he felt extremely insignificant in front of these abyssal winds. Moreover, these black winds were strange; they only rolled within the abyss and showed no signs of spreading outside. With a thought, he extended his divine sense towards the black wind in the abyss. As soon as his divine sense extended into the abyss, it was immediately torn apart by a sharp, incomparable force, causing a slight pain in his mind. ¡°Is this the Dragon Abyss? It feels like we''re underground,¡± Shen Luo asked Ao Hong. ¡°Correct, we are actually deep underneath the Ancestral Dragon Wall,¡± Ao Hong replied. ¡°I see. What are these black storms? They are unbelievably powerful, easily tearing apart divine senses,¡± Shen Luo nodded in understanding, pointing to the black wind within the abyss. ¡°The Dragon Abyss is connected to the Nine Netherworld. These black winds are the Black Nightmare Whirlwinds blown out from the Underworld, extremely toxic and capable of melting flesh and bone. Even True Immortals who are swept up by it would be completely destroyed in an instant. I suspect that even if an Immortal in the Taiyi Realm came here, they might not be able to escape unscathed,¡± Ao Hong responded. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo took a sharp breath. ¡°Because of this natural danger, my East Sea Dragon Clan suppressed the demons in here. However, these winds only rage within the abyss and will not spread outside, so Brother Shen need not worry,¡± Ao Hong continued. ¡°Why is that? Is there a prohibition on these rock walls? But I don''t see any traces of prohibitions here,¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°It''s sort of. Brother Shen will understand when we go down.¡± Ao Hong smiled mysteriously, leaving Shen Luo in suspense. Shen Luo briefly showed a change in expression but said no more. Just then, a team of Dragon Palace soldiers flew over from a palace in the distance. The leader, a general with a carp head, was about to question them, but upon seeing Ao Hong and Ao Zhong, his attitude instantly became deferential. ¡°Greetings to Your Second Highness and Ninth Highness! What brings you two here?¡± The Carp General gave them a bow and asked. ¡°We are here on our Father Emperor''s orders to inspect the situation of the detained demons in the Dragon Abyss. Has there been any unusual activity down there?¡± Ao Zhong asked. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°In response to Your Highnesses, we check each level of the prison cells every day and there have been no abnormalities,¡± the Carp General hastily replied. Ao Zhong nodded with satisfaction and glanced at Ao Hong with a hint of mockery. ¡°No abnormalities? Are you sure you have checked thoroughly?¡± Ao Hong''s face darkened as he asked. ¡°Your Ninth Highness, we have never been negligent. Indeed, there is no unusual activity in the cells below,¡± the Carp General replied somewhat fearfully. ¡°Brother Ao, there''s no need to worry. If the Deep Sea Behemoth has any intentions of hiding his escape, these stationed soldiers, with their limited cultivation levels, might not be able to detect it. We''ll know once we go down and check,¡± Shen Luo transmitted his thoughts. Ao Hong glanced at Shen Luo and nodded. ¡°It seems Ninth Brother doesn''t place much trust in General Carp''s words. In that case, let us personally go down and check on the situation with the demons.¡± Ao Zhong said with a smile, descending down a set of stone steps near the platform. Ao Hong and the rest followed. General Carp originally intended to send someone to accompany them, but was refused by Ao Hong. The stone steps were only four to five feet wide. The endless Black Nightmare Whirlwind roared just outside, seemingly ready to engulf them at any moment. However, every time the Black Nightmare Whirlwind surged toward the stone steps, it was repelled when it was about a foot away from the steps, as if an invisible barrier was surrounding them. After walking down for a while, they quickly reached the end of the stone steps and a larger platform appeared before them. This platform was much larger than the one above. There were numerous caves carved into the mountain wall next to it, with hundreds of them densely packed. The entrances of the caves were barricaded with fences. The bars were filled with various runes, emanating powerful mana fluctuations, obviously powerful prohibitions. But at this moment, Shen Luo was not paying attention to these prohibitions. Instead, he looked out from the platform and saw a golden pillar as thick as several feet protruding from the depths of the abyss, standing erect within. The golden pillar was covered in star-like patterns and inscriptions of dragons and phoenixes. It exuded a steady and immovable aura like a mountain and seemed as if no force could shake it. The Black Nightmare Whirlwind within the abyss was completely repelled by the breath emanating from the golden pillar, and couldn''t approach it at all. ¡°Is it this golden pillar that repelled the Black Nightmare Whirlwind? What a remarkable treasure, what kind of treasure is this?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking at the golden pillar. ¡°This object is known as the SeSuppressing Iron Rod. It is a treasure forged from naturally formed Nine-Turn Steel and Spirit Solar Iron, and Nine Heavens Gold Essence. It has the supreme divine power to stabilize flame and suppress all evil. It is the foremost treasure of our Dragon Palace.¡± Ao Hong said proudly. ¡°Hmph! The foremost treasure? It is nothing more than a replica.¡± Ao Zhong said with a somewhat gloomy expression. ¡°A replica?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°It is said that thousands of years ago, there was a Seanchoring Divine Treasure in our East Sea Dragon Palace, a true Nine Heavens divine object passed down by the ancient King Yu. It was also placed near the Dragon Abyss, and not only did it suppress all the Black Nightmare Whirlwind, its power also radiated throughout the East Sea. However, unfortunately, a few thousand years ago, a Great Sage from the Demon Race came to the Dragon Palace and took away the Divine Treasure. My Father King had no choice but to make this replica, the SeSuppressing Iron Rod, and placed it here.¡± Ao Hong continued. ¡°The Great Sage of the Demon Race? Could you be referring to the legendary Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong?¡± Shen Luo was curious, but seeing Ao Zhong''s expression made it clear that this was a matter of disgrace to the East Sea, so he did not ask. ¡°Let''s discuss this later. First, investigate the status of the demons.¡± Ao Zhong seemed reluctant to hear more talk about the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and interrupted the conversation. ¡°Shall we go directly to the eighth floor then?¡± Ao Hong asked. ¡°Since we are here, let us inspect all of the imprisoned demons in Dragon Abyss to avoid giving others more excuses.¡± With a cold laugh, Ao Zhong turned and walked toward the prison caves. Watching his second brother''s figure, Ao Hong sighed. According to his original plan, they should have gone directly to the prison holding the Deep Sea Behemoth to investigate the situation as quickly as possible, to avoid unnecessary complications over time. However, since Ao Zhong said so, as his younger brother, he naturally couldn''t deny his elder brother''s words. Chapter 582 Chapter 582: Chapter 578: Suppressing the Group of Demons Chapter 582: Chapter 578: Suppressing the Group of Demons ¡°Brother Ao, are there many layers to this Dragon Abyss?¡± After hearing the conversation between the two, Shen Luo transmitted a message to Ao Hong. ¡°The Dragon Abyss is divided into nine layers. This is the first layer. The deeper you go, the stronger the imprisoned demons are. That deep-sea giant monster was originally kept in the eighth layer,¡± Ao Hong explained. After hearing this, Shen Luo nodded. Next, they began inspecting the first cell, where various demons were imprisoned, most of which were water-born demonic beings. The cell doors were sealed with prohibitions that cut off the Divine Sense, making it impossible to detect the breath of the demonic beings inside. However, just by their appearance, Shen Luo could tell that these demonic beings were not weak, most of them seemed to be around the Nascent Soul Stage. Some of these demons were extremely exhausted and ignored Shen Luo and the others, while others remained savage and roared angrily at them. Shen Luo observed these demons closely. They were ordinary demonic beings, and most of them had only rudimentary spiritual wisdom, like wild beasts, incapable of communication. ¡°These caves seem to have prohibitions only at the entrance. What is this black rock that is used to build these cells? It ensures that these demons can''t escape through the stone walls from inside the cave,¡± he murmured then transmitted the question to Ao Hong while patting the black mountain wall outside a cell. ¡°This stone is called Wuchen Stone, a mineral unique to our Eastern Sea. It''s extraordinarily hard and can block the transmission of all energy, be it demon power, spiritual power, or ghostly qi. This makes them ideal materials for making cells. This entire mountain is made of Wuchen Stone, and the depth of the cave''s stone wall is incredibly thick. Even true immortals of the Taiyi realm cannot escape from it,¡± explained Ao Hong in response. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo nodded in understanding, silently marveling at the wonder of creation and feeling his horizons significantly broadened. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The group continued their fast-paced inspection and quickly checked all the cells in this layer without detecting any issue. They followed a staircase down and soon arrived at the second layer of the Dragon Abyss. The number of cells here was much less than the first layer, but the demons imprisoned here were undoubtedly more powerful. Shen Luo turned his gaze to the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod that stood outside on the platform. Its color had suddenly changed from dazzling gold to bright black. Two large characters were engraved on the black shiny rod: Sea Suppressing. There seemed to be more characters below, but they were not visible from this layer. The invisible prohibitions in the nearby void were even stronger, forcing the black nightmare whirlwind in the abyss to go even farther away. They continued their careful inspection here and found no issues. Shen Luo and the others continued downward and quickly inspected the first six layers in succession. Everything seemed to be in order and they soon arrived at the seventh layer. Contrary to Shen Luo''s expectations, there was only one prison cell on the seventh layer. ¡°Starting from the seventh layer, all the imprisoned demons are at a true immortal realm. Furthermore, they possess extremely dangerous abilities, so each layer only has one cell,¡± Ao Hong explained in a heavy voice. Shen Luo slowly nodded, looking at the cell. This cell was much larger than the ones on the upper six layers. The entrance was about forty to fifty feet high. The cell door was made of a special silver material covered with golden talismans. Meanwhile, many prohibition runes had been carved onto the wall surrounding the cell door forming an array that emitted a strong prohibition fluctuation. The humming noise resonated around the door like the sound of a wind pipe. The interior of the cell was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see what was inside. ¡°Princes Ao Zhong and Ao Hong, who would have expected that both of you would come to visit me at the same time? Teehee, indeed I am very pleased,¡± a soft and sweet voice came from inside the cell. Accompanied by this voice, a figure emerged from the darkness, which was actually a frail human girl with no demon traits visible on her body. Shen Luo stood there in astonishment. This young girl was none other than Nie Caizhu. ¡°Oh, it is rare for the two princes to bring a human companion here, very unusual. I am Mei''er, nice to meet you, Daoist friend.¡± Nie Caizhu gave a bow to Shen Luo and laughed flirtatiously, her voice was so soft and tempting that it could cause people''s bones to go weak. ¡°Illusion Technique?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows wrinkled slightly, then quickly relaxed as he silently activated the Suppressing God Technique. Nie Caizhu''s face changed, and a large amount of pink mist rose from all over her body. Then with a ¡°plop¡±, the pink mist shattered and scattered, and Nie Caizhu''s figure drastically transformed into a tall demon woman with all over her body covered with purple-red scales and red hair. This demon''s red hair fluttered about. On closer observation, Shen Luo discovered that these strands of hair were tiny red snakes, hissing and gaping at the people outside the cage. Moreover, a deep-blue chain was wound around the waist of the snake demon, embedded deep into her skin, and the other end extended deep into the cell. The chain was engraved with a dragon-shaped pattern, emitting strong mana fluctuations. Even through the prohibition of the cage door, denizens could clearly sense them, which evidently was an extremely strong prohibition. ¡°Oh, this little brother of the human race has such a powerful soul power, which broke my illusion so quickly.¡± The snake-haired demon looked at Shen Luo with surprise in her voice, which had become husky but still carried a charming tone of speech, which sent shivers down Shen Luo''s spine. ¡°What is this demon that can transform into someone I remember?¡± Asked Shen Luo, ignoring the snake demon and asking Ao Hong, as his eyebrows rose. Ao Hong, Ao Zhong and others were all showing confused expressions at the moment, apparently still deep in the illusion of the snake demon in the cell. ¡°Are you the demon who followed the Demon Emperor Chi You back then?¡± Shen Luo asked with a slight frown, not attempting to awaken the others, but asked the snake-haired female demon. ¡°Oh, are you interested in the great god Chi You?¡± The snake-haired demon showed a little surprise at this question. ¡°Demon Emperor Chi You is causing chaos in the world today. Although terrifying, he can also be considered a prominent figure that has shocked the world. Naturally, I am interested. I don''t know when were you imprisoned in this Dragon Abyss?¡± Shen Luo asked nonchalantly. ¡°Are you trying to get information about Chiyou the Great from me? Lol, you don''t have to waste your effort. Such speech and calculation might work on other demons, but they are useless against me.¡± The snake-haired demon lolled, saw through Shen Luo''s purpose at a glance. A little dismay filled Shen Luo''s heart. However, just then, Ao Hong''s body trembled, and his eyes regained clarity. Only a little later than Ao Hong, Ao Zhong also freed himself from the illusion. ¡°Lol! Prince Ao Hong is really worthy of being the strongest prince in the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. He regained his clarity so quickly in face of my illusion.¡± The red-haired snake demon lolling. Ao Zhong heard these words, looked at Ao Hong, and clenched his fists. Ao Hong didn''t say anything and raised his hand, pointing a finger. Two golden lights shot out from his fingertips and entered Ao Xin and Qing Chi''s bodies respectively. The two of them shook and freed themselves from the snake demon''s illusion, hurriedly thanking Ao Hong. Chapter 583 Chapter 583: Chapter 579: The Giant Demon Has Escaped Chapter 583: Chapter 579: The Giant Demon Has Escaped ¡°This demon''s illusion technique is becoming more potent, able to affect our divine souls even while confined by the Heavenly Restraint, even through the prohibition of the cell door. Second Brother, once we get out, we should inform Father Emperor about this and strengthen the confinement of this demon,¡± Ao Hong said to Ao Zhong. ¡°Yes, we should intensify it, but for now, this demon seems fine, let''s go quickly to the eighth layer to see what''s happening.¡± Ao Zhong nodded and walked away. Shen Luo was puzzled internally. The demon within the cell could already seep demon power outside, yet they called that ''fine''? However, Ao Hong and the others didn''t seem to react too strongly and followed Ao Zhong towards the eighth level. As an outsider, Shen Luo didn''t feel it was his place to say anything and followed suit. In the cell within the seventh layer, the red-haired Snake Demon smirked wickedly as she watched them leave. Even as her figure was obscured by the mountains of rock, her laughter could still be heard. ¡°Brother Ao, what kind of demon is that snake-haired demoness?¡± Shen Luo felt uneasy. He relayed his question to Ao Hong through telepathy. ¡°This demon is known as the Tear Demon, an anomaly amongst the East Sea Demon Race. Just one look into her eyes allows her to invade the Black opponent''s divine soul, gain insight into numerous memories, and according to the weak points in your heart, transform into what most lets your guard down.¡± Ao Hong''s voice was low and melancholic as he replied. He had just been caught by this demon''s illusion technique, seeing Ying''er. ¡°Invade one''s divine soul? That''s indeed a terrifying ability,¡± voiced Shen Luo, his pupils filled with shock. Previously, he thought that the demoness was just skilled in illusion techniques, but he never knew she could invade another''s divine soul, making her illusion abilities a hundred times scarier. ¡°Indeed, the soul power of this demon is very powerful. To prevent it from causing trouble, Father Emperor set up an amazingly powerful prohibition at the entrance of the cell, which cuts off one''s divine sense. It''s just that the cultivation level of this Tear Demon has reached the level of a True Immortal. Her soul is potent, and she can still influence people outside. However, Brother Shen can rest assured, this demon is locked by the Heavenly Restraint, there''s no way it can escape,¡± said Ao Hong. After hearing these words, Shen Luo felt somewhat relieved. The group kept advancing, and they soon arrived at the eighth layer of the Dragon Abyss. There, the jail cells were nearly four to five times bigger than the seventh layer. On the cell doors were a series of sealing talismans. There were also nine stone pillars around the fretted stone walls covered in runes. The positions of the nine stone pillars, as well as the runes on them, seemed to connect with each other, clearly indicating a formation restriction. In the cell, a humongous creature sprawled across the entire prison cell, occupying every inch of it. It had a snake-like lower half covered in black scales, coiled up in a circle. It had nine enormous heads on its upper body, each bearing gruesome human faces, pale in color and chilling in sight. The gigantic creature, one of the Deep Sea Behemoths, laid in rest with its eyes closed. It was the same creature Shen Luo and Ao Hong met in the past. It seemed to have heard something. It slightly raised its nine massive heads, cast a glance at the group, and then promptly went back to rest. ¡°The Deep Sea Behemoth is right here, so how did it possibly escape?¡± upon seeing the conditions within the cell, the tense expression on Ao Zhong''s face dispersed, revealing a smile. ¡°How is this possible!¡± Shen Luo and Ao Hong both felt a sudden jolt. They clearly encountered this creature on the way to the Dragon Palace. ¡°Could it be another illusion?¡± Shen Luo pondered, silently running the Suppressing God Technique. However, there were no abnormalities detected within him, neither his mana nor his soul power, which indicated that he wasn''t under an illusion. ¡°Ninth brother, it seems that you and Brother Shen either missed details earlier, or are caught under someone''s illusion,¡± Ao Zhong laughed heartily, the sense of suffocation finally lifted. ¡°As far as I know, there are quite a few techniques in this world that can create illusions. Even though the behemoth inside looks real, it doesn''t mean it''s actually there. The cell door here is equipped with mysterious prohibitions, which prevents us from investigating the situation inside. If it''s not too much to ask, could you please open a corner of the prohibition on the cell door, Ao Zhong, so we could get a better look inside?¡± Shen Luo viewed the beast inside for a while, then suddenly made a request. ¡°Ridiculous! The power of this Deep Sea Behemoth is monstrous, comparable to a Taiyi True Immortal, and it''s not at our level to fight against. How could we carelessly unseal the prohibition?¡± Ao Zhong refused flatly, his face turning cold. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Shen Luo didn''t get upset. Instead, he released golden light from his body which all went into his eyes, turning them golden. The massive power of his divine soul also swarmed out of his brain and rushed into his eyes. A golden beam shot out from Shen Luo''s eyes, heading straight towards the cell with a ¡°hum.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ao Zhong saw Shen Luo''s movements, and in a stern voice, he shouted. He was ready to intercept the two golden beams. ¡°Don''t worry, Second Brother. Brother Shen is just trying to use a secret technique to peek into the cell. He doesn''t mean to break the prohibitions against entering the cell,¡± Ao Hong rushed in front of Ao Zhong and tried to explain. Due to Ao Hong''s intervention, the golden beams hit the cell door. As if sensing something, the nine stone pillars on the door brightened. They all emitted a white light and merged together, forming a light curtain blocking the golden beams. However, the golden light seemed insubstantial and, after a slight hesitation, penetrated the white light to enter the cell. It then disappeared in a flash inside the giant creature. The giant creature began to emit a layer of golden light, its vast body trembling violently before disappearing entirely, leaving behind the three grotesque heads of the Deep Sea Behemoth. Blood still seeped out from the severed heads, seeming like they had been cut off not too long ago. ¡°I knew it was the technique of substituting oneself with an object,¡± said Shen Luo while nodding slightly. Ao Hong, Ao Zhong, and the others were stunned by the scene before them. ¡°Is the¡­ Is the Deep Sea Behemoth really gone?¡± Ao Zhong came back to his senses, rushing to the cell door with clenched fists, his knuckles turning white. Ao Xin and Qing Chi were shocked by the sight. Only Ao Hong remained calm, his eyes shone brightly as he studied the nine pillars outside the cell door, seemingly noticing something. ¡°Impossible! This cell door was personally set up by Father Emperor years ago with the Nine Bend Heavenly Restriction. Not to mention that the Deep Sea Behemoth only possesses the cultivation at the peak of a True Immortal, even if it has reached the Taiyi Realm, there''s no way it could escape without making a sound!¡± Ao Zhong outrightly refused to believe the sight before his eyes, growling in a low voice. Ao Hong took a look at the nine stone pillars outside the cell, walked up to them, and placed his right hand onto one of the pillars, the palm radiating golden light. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ninth Prince, what are you¡­?¡± Qing Chi muttered hesitantly. Ao Zhong also heard the disturbance and turned to look. Without answering, Ao Hong simply closed his eyes and concentrated. After a while, he abruptly opened his eyes and slowly took back his hand. ¡°So it is,¡± he murmured. Chapter 584 Chapter 584: Chapter 580: Mutual Killing Chapter 584: Chapter 580: Mutual Killing ¡°What do you mean by ''as expected''? What have you found?¡± Ao Zhong asked solemnly. ¡°Second brother, you know that I''m not particularly strong in combat skills and magical powers, but I have some research on forbidden techniques. Our father personally tutored me for a period of time. He explained the Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction to me back then, so I''m relatively familiar with it,¡± Ao Hong said. ¡°And then? Get straight to the point! No need to boast about our father''s favoritism here,¡± Ao Zhong said with a cold smirk. ¡°Someone has tampered with the Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction recently. Although it seems normal on the surface, it has been meddled with from inside. That''s how the Deep Sea Behemoth escaped,¡± Ao Hong said after glancing at Ao Zhong and pausing for a moment, throwing out a startling remark. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Tampered with? How is that possible? Just now, Brother Shen was using his magic, wasn''t the Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction still working correctly?¡± Ao Zhong noticeably had his doubts. Ao Hong did not argue. He lifted his right hand and a streak of golden light shot out from the middle of his palm, forming a giant cutting knife that sliced into the nine stone pillars. A dazzling white light bloomed from the nine stone pillars, forming nine separate layers of light, one for each pillar. These layers overlapped one another forming a beautiful scene, easily blocking the golden light''s chop. ¡°The reason why the Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction is so formidable is because the nine-layer restriction is interconnected. If you want to break the first restriction, you need to solve the second restriction first, then the third, and so on. Unless one knows how to unlock the restrictions, or obliterates all nine layers of restriction at once, the Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction won''t be affected. However, in the case of the current Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction, the second and seventh restrictions have already been destroyed by someone in secret. ¡°Ao Hong explained while signaling with the other hand. Two streaks of golden light shot out laterally toward the nine stone pillars. Like two golden loaches, these streaks of light twisted and turned, quickly passing through the nine separate layers of white light to strike two of the stone pillars. The white light emitted by the two stone pillars immediately darkened, and the white light released by the whole restriction system was in disarray for a moment. Seeing this, Ao Zhong, who didn''t fully understand the mechanics of the Nine-Bend Heavenly Restriction, nevertheless realized that indeed something was wrong with it. ¡°Who could have done this?¡± He breathed heavily, his eyes tinged with red from his fury. He slapped the stone wall next to the prison gate harshly, causing a loud bang. Seeing Ao Zhong''s anger, Ao Xin and Qing Chi quickly lowered their heads. Shen Luo looked at Ao Zhong, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes. Ao Zhong is also a true immortal-level powerhouse, so why does he have such drastic emotional fluctuations? ¡°During the demon''s attack, all of Dragon Palace''s residents retreated to the Dragon Abyss for hiding. Did anyone go to the lower levels that day?¡± Ao Hong asked. Ao Zhong was facing the prison without any response to Ao Hong''s question, still seemingly sulking. ¡°Does the Ninth Prince suspect it''s someone from our own Dragon Palace? Impossible! On that day, Dragon King strictly ordered everyone to take refuge at the top of Dragon Abyss and refrain from moving around aimlessly. I myself was one of the guards maintaining order. Absolutely no one went down,¡± Qing Chi, seemingly provoked by Ao Hong''s words, spoke back with agitation. ¡°If someone were plotting to unleash the Deep Sea Behemoth, they would certainly be secretive and not let anyone discover their actions. To say something you may not want to hear, it would not be difficult for them to deceive you and secretly sneak into the lower levels.¡± Shen Luo saw that Qing Chi''s state seemed strange and after a brief pause, he deliberately stirred the pot. ¡°What did you say! When is it your turn to meddle with our East Sea Dragon Palace''s affairs!¡± Qing Chi glared angrily at Shen Luo. His eyes were faintly red, indicating that he was ready to attack at any moment. ¡°Qing Chi! What are you doing! Brother Shen is my esteemed guest, how dare you rudely treat him!¡± Ao Hong shouted loudly, his eyes ablaze with anger, at Qing Chi. At that moment, a yellow shadow flashed by, stabbing towards Ao Hong''s back with unerring speed. It reached his clothes in an instant and turned out to be a yellow war spear. However, at almost the same time, a golden fist appeared from the side and struck it. With a ¡°clang,¡± the yellow war spear was knocked away. Shen Luo''s figure flickered and appeared, slowly retracting his golden fist. Behind the yellow war spear, a figure staggered backward, it was Ao Zhong. His eyes were red at this moment, he looked at Ao Hong with a resentful face, as if they were deadly enemies. ¡°Second brother, do you want to kill me? Why? Because of the dragon throne?¡± Ao Hong, who had noticed the situation behind him, turned around and looked at Ao Zhong. His eyes filled with murderous intent. Ao Zhong didn''t answer. He steadied his figure and immediately rushed forward with the spear again. The yellow light burst from the tip of the spear, piercing like an enraged dragon ascending to the sky. ¡°Since you disregard brotherhood, don''t blame me,¡± Ao Hong shouted angrily. The golden light in his hand shone brightly, and the golden dragon spear appeared, thrusting forward. Bang! The two war spears clashed together and let out a thunderous roar. The visible shock wave spread in all directions, shaking several nearby people flying. ¡°Ninth Prince, don''t hurt the Second Prince!¡± Ao Xin, who had been standing by, exclaimed. He took out two black gold narrow swords and lunged at Ao Hong like a madman. ¡°What''s the meaning of your words just now, Shen?¡± a member of the human race, you dare to belittle me, I''ll show you how formidable our Eastern Sea Aquatic Clan is!¡± Qing Chi roared angrily. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a bright steel fork, lunging at Shen Luo with a whoosh. ¡°What''s going on? Have they all gone mad?¡± Shen Luo looked at the suddenly frenzied crowd, dumbfounded. The steel fork of Qing Chi tore through the air, emitting a terrifying screech. No less than a flying sword magical treasure attack, it instantly reached three feet in front of Shen Luo. Although Qing Chi went all out, his actions were still too slow for Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s figure shifted, easily avoiding the attack. He pointed towards a vital point on Qing Chi''s back, trying to subdue him first. But at this moment, his brow furrowed, and a faint pink mist suddenly appeared in his mind, stirring up a violent emotion in his heart. Looking at Qing Chi in front of him, he felt an indescribable revulsion and couldn''t help but want to punch him into a bloody mush. However, he had absorbed a large amount of defeated heavenly soldier remnants in the golden tower; his soul power was much stronger than ordinary true immortals. Using the Suppressing God Technique, he immediately suppressed this violent emotion. ¡°This pink mist¡­Something is wrong, it''s the Tear Demon!¡± Shen Luo finally understood. Ignoring Qing Chi, he let his powerful divine sense flood out and spread in all directions. ¡°Come out!¡± His eyes flashed sharply, and he waved his right hand. Black light shot out from his sleeve towards the direction of the stairs leading to the seventh layer ¨C it was the Six Chen Whip. In a blink, the forty or so feet distance was covered, and the Six Chen Whip pierced the wall near the stairs. With a ¡°plop,¡± it sank in almost up to the handle. A red figure emerged from the wall there and flickered before landing about a dozen feet away. ¡°Hehe! Friend Shen, I knew it. You are indeed the most troublesome among them.¡± The red figure revealed its true form. It was the Tear Demon, who chuckled. In her chuckling, the Tear Demon did not hesitate to act. She raised her hand and made a grasping motion in the void towards Shen Luo. Five smoky pink lights shot out from her fingertips, swirling towards Shen Luo. Each one was over a dozen feet long, as thick as a millstone, and looked like five large pythons made of smoke. Chapter 585 Chapter 585: Chapter 581: The Heavenly Book Displays the Spirit''s Might Chapter 585: Chapter 581: The Heavenly Book Displays the Spirit''s Might Watching the five weird giant pink pythons, Shen Luo dared not let them get near him. His feet shimmered with moonlight glamour, and he disappeared suddenly. He reappeared dozens of feet away, evading the attack from the Smoke Bead pythons. ¡°It''s you! How did you escape from the prison? Brother Ao Hong, Brother Ao Zhong, stop fighting! You''ve been caught in the illusion of this succubus!¡± Shen Luo shouted while dodging attacks. The echoing sound waves near the platform shook everyone to their core. Ao Hong, Ao Zhong and the others trembled, the red light in their eyes dimmed for a moment. But in the next moment, they returned to their former state and continued their fierce battle. ¡°Hehe, my seduction seeds have been planted in their consciousness. They won''t be so easily broken.¡± The Tear Demon continued to giggle. She made another move, launching five more smoke pythons at Shen Luo. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The previous five smoke pythons attacked Shen Luo from another direction. ¡°Thief, don''t go!¡± Qing Chi rushed after him, his water trident stabbing towards Shen Luo like the wind. The nearby surging force of water gathered into a large vortex that cut off all Shen Luo''s retreat. The color drained from Shen Luo''s face, his body flashing with golden light. Two golden dragon heads emerged in front of him, charging towards the vortex and Qing Chi. Two loud ¡°bang¡± sounds resonated through the space! The huge vortex shattered and disintegrated in an instant under the attack of the dragon''s head, like a paper wall punched through. Qing Chi was also fiercely struck by the golden dragon''s head, flying directly into the mountain wall next to the prison. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Shen Luo clapped his hands together, two house-sized golden dragon claws emerged, striking the pink pythons attacking from the left and right. An overwhelming amount of force erupted from the golden dragon claws, like a raging mountain torrent that could split mountains and rocks! The approaching ten pink fog pythons collapsed under the might, exploding into a large cloud of scattered mist. Shen Luo was slightly surprised at how he easily crushed the ten giant fog pythons, but he couldn''t afford to dwell on it. He raised his hand to attack the Tear Demon next. Just at that moment, a pink glow flashed upon the golden dragon claws. A cluster of pink light, source unknown, quickly formed into two snake-shaped figures, darting towards Shen Luo''s head. The speed of the snake-shaped figures was astonishingly fast, and Shen Luo had no time to dodge. He started the Huangting Technique at full strength, a bright golden light protecting his body. But the golden light protection seemed useless against the snake-shaped figures; they penetrated without any resistance, burrowed into Shen Luo''s head, and forcefully struck his Divine Soul. Shen Luo''s vision filled with rainbow-like glimmers, plunging his consciousness into darkness. ¡°A divine soul attack!¡± He was alarmed, immediately activating the Suppressing God Technique, summoning the Soul Power in his mind. Centering around his spiritual self, it materialized into a mountain-like structure. A steady aura spread from the massive mountain, clearing his vision and dispelling the illusions, restoring his consciousness. Just as Shen Luo fought off the two light attacks, the surrounding pink mist was ferociously fluctuating. Instead of dispersing, it formed waves of pink fury that surged toward him, engulfing all the surrounding space, giving him no chance to escape. There were little pink lights flashing in the fog, looking as beautiful as stars in the night sky. Having learnt the power of these pink lights, Shen Luo refused to let them tangle him. His whole body shone brightly, turning into a golden dragon, shooting through the air like lighting. However, as soon as the dragon-shaped golden light around him came into contact with the pink mist, the pink light shadows in the mist once again uncontrollably poured into his body, incessantly attacking his mind. But he was focusing on using the Suppressing God Technique to its fullest, successfully resisting. These pink mists did not possess much attack power, the dragon-shaped golden light easily tore through the surrounding pink mist, its speed hardly decreased, it seemed like it would shoot out of the range of the mist shortly. But at this moment, in the void ahead, a thunderous noise rang out. Out of nowhere, a black giant fist the size of a millstone appeared, colliding with the dragon-shaped golden light. With a ¡°Bang¡±, the dragon-shaped golden light shattered from this one blow, the black giant fist didn''t slow down and continued flashing towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo was taken aback, hastily swung out a punch, and collided with the black giant fist. With a muffled sound like thunder, the surrounding void also vibrated! An irresistible torrent of power came from the black giant fist, ruthlessly crushing the golden light protection on Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s body shook violently, a mouthful of fresh blood was spat out, and his entire person was blasted backward, flying back into the pink mist again. ¡°Thank you, Brother Ba!¡± The coquettish laughter of the Succubus rang out, as ten fingers flickered with speed as if playing a zither. A red shadow flitted through the pink mist surrounding Shen Luo, and from within dozens of red, bowl-thick snakes shot out, which, after a few lightning-fast coils, wrapped him up like a zongzi dumpling, looking just like the snake hair of the Succubus. And the surrounding pink mist also rushed over and engulfed his body. A large number of pink light shadows poured into Shen Luo''s body at the same time, merging into a snake-shaped light shadow that was ten times bigger than before, fiercely crashing into the giant peak transformed by the divine soul. ¡°Thunderous rumble¡± Shen Luo''s mind trembled, the giant peak shadow shook violently, and nearly half of it collapsed. His sight was flooded with countless dazzling colors, and a strong and violent emotion surged in his heart. He didn''t want to think about anything, only wanted to rush and kill in anger, to annihilate all the people in front of him. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo used all his willpower and fully operated the Suppressing God Technique, barely resisting the illusions in front of him, as well as the violent killing intent boiling in his heart. ¡°He can resist all this?¡± The Succubus showed a surprised look, and with a five-finger grip. A red smoke burst out of her palm, condensed into a smoke bead, which she then flicked with a bent finger. The bright red smoke bead flew out, instantly bridging a distance of over a dozen feet, and hit Shen Luo. A tangible snake-shaped light shadow shot out from the bright red smoke bead, emitting powerful soul fluctuations, far surpassing the random pink light shadows in the surrounding mist, eager to invade his body. Shen Luo''s face turned pale, he was already at his limit resisting the soul attacks from the mist around him. If he were to be hit by such a massive soul attack again, his divine soul would definitely not bear it. ¡°Heavenly Book!¡± He operated his mana and poured it into the Heavenly Book in his arms, summoning the Heavenly Soldiers inside to help him. Just then, a surge of heat suddenly emerged from the Heavenly Book again, and at the same time, a golden light illuminated, the heavenly soldiers did not appear, but the Heavenly Book suddenly ¡°whoosh¡± opened. A golden light flitted in front of Shen Luo''s eyes, that bright red smoke bead, the pink light shadow shooting out from it, and most of the surrounding pink mist suddenly disappeared out of thin air. His face went blank, and the Tear Demon in the distance also had a sudden change of expression. Chapter 586 Chapter 586: Chapter 582: Force Questioning Chapter 586: Chapter 582: Force Questioning ¡°What''s going on?¡± With the pink mist greatly reduced, the pressure on Shen Luo''s divine soul was suddenly alleviated. At the same time, his Divine Sense immediately probed into the Heavenly Book in his arms. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a ¡°buzz¡±, his Divine Sense managed to enter the Heavenly Book incredibly smoothly, appearing in a vast golden space. The golden space was vast, his Divine Sense couldn''t probe its end, and by visual estimation, it was at least hundreds of Li. The thick golden light was permeating everywhere, with no clear distinction between sky and ground. ¡°This place is quite similar to the golden space I was forcibly dragged into by Li Jing. It should be the same place.¡± Shen Luo looked at the scene before him in astonishment. In the golden space floated a cloud of pink smoke, which was the hallucinogenic smoke that had just been taken away. A hint of prohibition power rippled within the golden light, compressing the smoke and preventing it from dispersing. Engaged in battle, Shen Luo did not pay much attention to the golden space, quickly retracting his Divine Sense. ¡°The Heavenly Book actually has such a collection power?¡± he rejoiced in his heart. But then he remembered that Li Jing had previously put him into this Heavenly Book, and battled with those heavenly soldiers. So, it isn''t strange for the book to suddenly take away this smoke. However, he only accidentally took away the pink fog around him. If he wants to freely deploy the collecting power of the Heavenly Book, he will need to carefully comprehend it. The tear demon in the distance now had a face full of horror. Suddenly, she turned and fled into the distance. She had just used over eighty percent of her soul power to attack Shen Luo, who had suddenly captured a large part of her attack. Now with little soul power left, she dared not confront Shen Luo. ¡°Thinking of escaping now? Too late!¡± Shen Luo''s body burst into a brilliant golden light, a vast force erupted from him. The red serpents on his body all tensioned and broke. The golden light swept around like a raging tide, creating a storm. Though the pink mist was highly hallucinogenic, it had weak offensive power. Its grip was instantly torn apart by the golden light, clearing the surrounding view. Shen Luo coldly looked at the tear demon, raised his hand to counterattack, when his pupils suddenly shrank. In the distance, behind Ao Zhong, who was still fighting madly, the void moved and a black figure emerged. It moved incredibly fast past Ao Zhong, seemingly taking something from him, then instantly disappeared. Even though the black figure was a flash and then gone, Shen Luo confirmed that the black figure was the same one that had previously struck him with the black giant fist. He didn''t pay attention to the black figure, raised his right arm, spread his fingers, and pressed down on the fleeing tear demon. A boom echoed in the void above the succubus''s head, and a golden dragon claw the size of an acre appeared out of the thin air, descending slowly but surely. The tear demon only felt that the surrounding void was tightening, a terrifying, bone-chilling gigantic force pressed down, immediately stopping her escaping figure. The pink light around her twisted violently, almost pushing her to the ground. Her strength lay only in Divine Soul Attack, while her physical and demon powers were merely average, how could they withstand the attack of the Huangting Technique? However, the succubus wasn''t willing to give in. She shouted and raised both hands. Two pink light pillars shot from her palms, supporting the descending dragon claw in mid-air. The red snake hair on her head flashed with red light, quickly enlarged to become several Zhang thick pythons, also charging towards the golden dragon claw. But whether it was the two pink light pillars or the pythons transformed from the snake hair, they were instantly shattered upon contact with the dragon claw, unable to hinder its descent in the slightest. ¡°Bashan, save me!¡± Out of moves and terrified, the tear demon turned her head and shouted to the surroundings. But there was peace all around, with no response at all. The Tear Demon''s face suddenly turned pale. However, being a True Immortal, he immediately steadied his soul, and his body flashed brilliantly with red light, as if he was preparing to do something. Seeing this, Shen Luo squinted his eyes, and his five fingers immediately moved. The golden dragon claw in mid-air shone bright, its falling speed dramatically increased, shattering the pink entrapped light beam and the snake hairs, and instantly came crashing down on the Tear Demon. With a ¡°boom¡±, the nearby ground shook violently, and an indentation several feet deep was formed on the remarkably hard ground. The Tear Demon''s body was in there, but it had already turned into a mush. As the Tear Demon died, the blood in the eyes of Ao Zhong, Ao Hong, and others quickly faded, and their sanity was restored, ending the skirmish. They looked at each other with an awkward expression on their faces. They were all influential figures in the East Sea Dragon Palace, yet they fell under the illusion and were killing each other. If word got out, they would likely become the laughing stock of the entire Eastern Sea. ¡°Brother Shen, we owe you one,¡± Ao Hong sincerely thanked Shen Luo. Whereas Ao Zhong looked at Shen Luo with complex emotions. He always looked down on human cultivators. It was no surprise, the Dragon Clan was naturally strong, their cultivation talent was unparalleled, countless times stronger than the weak human race. Yet, Shen Luo, a cultivator from the human race, had reached this level, far beyond them. ¡°It''s not a big deal, don''t worry about it.¡± Shen Luo said with a light smile, then waved his hand, and shot a golden light out. Seeing this, everyone''s face was filled with fear, and they subconsciously prepared to defend themselves. But that golden light didn''t pay attention to them and directed towards a place near the big pit. Before the golden light could reach it, a pink light suddenly emerged from the ground, which after making a screaming sound, transformed into a pink radiance, shooting towards the stairs to the upper layer, with unbelievable speed. ¡°It''s the divine soul of that Succubus! Don''t let it escape!¡± Ao Zhong''s eyes flashed with anger, and he was about to act. But right at this moment, a black light shot from the side of the stairs, hitting the pink light group, it was indeed the Six Chen Whip. A shrill scream came from the pink light, and half of it was shattered immediately, the remaining part is recoiled backward. Shen Luo turned his wrist, and the palm of his hand lit up with golden light, grabbing the pink light. ¡°Friend Shen, spare my life! As long as you can spare me once, I am willing to become your spirit beast. The Succubus Clan has unique talents. Although I am now only divine soul, I can still play a powerful role, which will definitely be useful to you. As long as I find another body to seize in the future, I can quickly regain my cultivation level.¡± A mini snake-haired female demon emerged from the pink light, begging for mercy quickly. ¡°And you want to know about Chiyou, right? As long as you can spare my life, I''ll tell you everything.¡± The Succubus then communicated with divine sense. ¡°If you want to live, tell me first how you escaped from the cage? Who was that shadow just now?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes moved, he said lightly. The Tear Demon stalled. ¡°If you won''t answer the first question, then die.¡± Shen Luo''s face chilled, his five fingers beamed with golden light, ready to squeeze. Chapter 587 Chapter 587: Chapter 583: Dragon Abyss Ninth Layer Chapter 587: Chapter 583: Dragon Abyss Ninth Layer ¡°No, don''t! I confess. That shadowy figure is Bully Mountain, the deep-sea behemoth caged on this level. He was the one who released me.¡± The Tear Demon urgently stated. ¡°Deep-sea behemoth? So it really is¡­¡± Shen Luo was not surprised and muttered softly. In fact, he had caught a hint earlier. The aura of that shadow and the deep-sea behemoth he had met on his way to the Dragon Palace were strikingly similar. He just hadn''t dared to confirm it, but it turned out to be true. But why had the deep-sea behemoth that had already escaped suddenly returned? ¡°What shadow? And a deep-sea behemoth! Brother Shen, what exactly happened just now?¡± Ao Hong, hearing this, asked urgently with a change in his expression. Ao Hong and the others now too turned their gaze on Shen Luo. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All of them had been under control until recently, and although they could barely remember what had happened around them, they had missed many specific details. Shen Luo didn''t hold back and quickly recounted what had happened and shared his conjectures, particularly about the object the shadow had taken from Ao Zhong. Hearing this, Ao Zhong quickly searched his body and froze. ¡°What happened?¡± Ao Hong urgently asked when noticing this. ¡°This is horrible! The Dragon King Order is gone!¡± Ao Zhong''s face went pale as he exclaimed. The faces of Ao Hong, Ao Xin, and Qing Chi also changed visibly. ¡°Quick, to the lowest level!¡± Ao Hong suddenly remembered something and transformed into a golden light as he led the charge towards the stairs leading to the lower level. Ao Zhong and the others were a little late but accustomed quickly and followed suit. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows rose slightly. From the looks of it, Ao Hong and the rest had discovered something. As he was about to follow them, the Succubus soul in his hand brightened all of a sudden, and a potent hallucinatory soul force spread through it, instantly flooding Shen Luo''s mind. Shen Luo''s vision blurred, and the grip on the succubus spirit soul slightly loosened. The Succubus spirit soul twisted, escaping from Shen Luo''s grip and fled towards the stairs leading to the upper level. It quickly covered a distance of several tens of feet, and it seemed as though it was about to disappear from his field of vision. ¡°Seeking death!¡± Shen Luo''s vision recovered in an instant, and a ferocious light flashed across his face. He turned, grabbed the Six Chen Whip, and swung it from right to left. The Succubus spirit soul was focusing all its energy on escaping, yet the void on its right suddenly started vibrating. An invisible wave of overwhelming force emerged from nowhere and struck the spiritual soul. The Succubus spirit soul could not withstand this brute force and was involuntarily sent flying towards the left, where the endless abyss and raging black wind lay. With a terrified scream, the Succubus soul released bright light, swelling and shrinking in an attempt to escape this invisible force. However, this invisible force was dense and powerful, leaving no gaps for the spirit soul to escape. It was much more potent than Shen Luo''s earlier dragon claw attack and was beyond what a mere soul could endure. ¡°No¡­¡± The Succubus spirit soul was launched out like a fly, falling into the outer abyss. Countless terrifying Black Nightmare Whirlwinds rushed forth, swallowing and tearing the Succubus spirit soul to shreds within a blink of an eye. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod''s prohibition could resist the outer black nightmare whirlwinds, but this prohibition was one-way. If something were thrown from the inward side outwards, the restrictive force would not hinder it. After Shen Luo launched his attack, a hint of regret appeared on his face. He hadn''t had the chance to ask the Tear Demon about Chi You''s information, and now it was too late. He sighed and put away the Six Chen Whip, turning to catch up with Ao Hong and the others. Shen Luo''s feet shimmered with Moonlight Glamour, and in a flash, he surpassed Ao Zhong and the others, appearing beside Ao Hong. Upon witnessing this, the faces of Ao Zhong and the others froze. They had not detected how Shen Luo had gotten ahead of them just now. ¡°Brother Ao Hong, what is this Dragon King Order?¡± While effortlessly keeping up with Ao Hong using the Slanting Moon Steps, Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Dragon King Order is a secret treasure bestowed by our Father Emperor. It can unlock the prohibition of the ninth layer of the Dragon Abyss. The Deep Sea Behemoth intends to release the demon held prisoner in the ninth layer!¡± As Ao Hong pressed toward the stairs of the ninth layer with all his might, he explained on the go. ¡°What kind of demon is in the ninth layer?¡± Seeing Ao Hong and the others in such a frantic state, Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask curiously. ¡°That demon is named Rain Master, formerly one of the generals under Demon Emperor Chi You''s command. He can control the wind and rain, his strength is unmatched by any of us. It is essential that the Deep Sea Behemoth does not succeed! Brother Shen, we may need your assistance later.¡± Ao Hong pleaded earnestly. ¡°One of Chi You''s generals!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed. Could the clue Li Jing had mentioned be this person? ¡°Since this concerns the safety of the Dragon Palace, of course I will do my utmost.¡± He quickly nodded in agreement. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ao Hong sounded relieved. Next, the group flew down at full speed, soon arriving at the ninth layer of the Dragon Abyss. There was only one prison cell here too, and outside it was a massive platform. This layer did not have a single talisman attached to the outside of the prison, nor any formation pattern engraved. Instead, there was a golden stone stele about a dozen feet high standing in front of the prison door. Next to the stele, a figure in a black robe was holding a golden token, murmuring incantations at the stele. Deep within the cell, one could vaguely see a gigantic figure. Its real appearance was unclear, but the two blood-red eyes, as large as fighting bowls, were clearly visible, filled with icy colors. Next to the red eyes, there were also two slightly smaller golden pupils, twinkling with a touch of chilly light. ¡°Stop!¡± Seeing this, Ao Hong roared angrily. His golden Dragon Spear glowed brightly as he threw it forcefully at the figure in the black robe. A layer of golden flames burned on the Golden War Spear, which turned into a golden streamer and shot out, covering a distance of more than ten feet in an instant. The figure in the black robe did not move, and a shadow flickered behind it. With a bang, the Golden Dragon Spear was sent flying towards the abyss outside. Ao Hong''s face turned pale, and he quickly manipulated his Qi to summon the spear back. The Dragon Spear glowed brightly and barely stopped at the edge of the abyss before shooting back. Ao Zhong, Ao Xin, and Qing Chi also took their turns. A yellow War Spear, two beams of Ancient Bronze Sword light, and a Bright Steel Fork were all directed towards the figure in the black robe. ¡°If you insist on courting death, don''t blame me for being ruthless.¡± The figure in the black robe turned around in anger, revealing a man covered in black scales. Black light burst forth from his body, forming a black light group that swallowed him up. The next moment, with a ¡°whoosh¡±, three black shadows shot out from the black light. They were three heads the size of a house, which belonged to the Deep Sea Behemoth. One of the demon heads spewed out a foggy white cold aura, another spewed out black demon fire, and the third spewed out green poisonous smoke, respectively targeting Ao Zhong and the others. Meanwhile, the sound of chanting spells from the black light didn''t stop, indicating the Behemoth was still activating the Dragon King Order to break the prohibition while dealing with the group. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, a flash of green light sparked from his body, and he disappeared from his original place in an instant. ¡°Huh!¡± There was a soft exclamation from the black light. Next to the demon head spewing green poisonous smoke, a green shadow flashed. Shen Luo appeared out of thin air, holding the Six Chen Whip in both hands. The whip shot out a black ray more than ten feet long, hacking down at the giant demon head''s neck with a force capable of splitting mountains and rocks. Chapter 588 – 588 584 Demon Chapter 588: Chapter 584: Demon-sealing Monument Chapter 588: Chapter 584: Demon-sealing Monument ¡°Sneaky thief!¡± A roar sounded from the black light, causing the demon head that was spewing poisonous clouds to recoil and dodge backward. At the same time, another demon head, which had been spitting black demon flames, immediately turned towards Shen Luo, spraying a large black flame towards him. Despite the demon head''s massive size, it was unbelievably swift in altering its attack. The rolling black flame reached him in the blink of an eye. The black flame was incredibly hot, the surrounding void seemed to turn into a furnace, the scorching heat unbearable. Shen Luo was secretly stunned by the enemy''s ability. His Yimu Xuandun sneak attack had failed to bear fruit. He sidestepped just in time to dodge, while infusing mana into the Heavenly Book in his arms once again. According to his previous memory, he tried to stimulate the capturing ability of the Heavenly Book. The Heavenly Book heated up, releasing a large expanse of golden light, and its pages ¡°flapped¡± open. A golden shadow flashed across, and the black flame that was coming at him vanished into thin air. Shen Luo had swiftly deployed the capturing ability of the Heavenly Book. Elated, he continued to lash the Six Chen Whip towards the demon head that was spewing poison clouds. The Deep Sea Behemoth had thought it had driven Shen Luo back. The poison-spewing demon head hadn''t retreated anymore, but it hadn''t expected Shen Luo to easily resolve its attack. The Six Chen Whip again rushed over lightning-fast, and it was too late to dodge. The sound of ¡°puchi¡± rang out, and the neck of the demon head was severed cleanly, blood spewed out like a waterfall. Shen Luo''s current cultivation had reached the True Immortal Realm, the power of the Six Chen Whip was fully utilized. The dark glow on the whip was more fierce than flying swords and magical treasures, and it was invincible. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ah! Thief, how dare you!¡± There was a surprised and angry roar from the area of black light. The other two demon heads abandoned Ao Zhong and the others, and pounced towards Shen Luo. A bout of white cold air and a string of black demon flame intersected and hit towards Shen Luo. ¡°Heavenly Book! Capture!¡± Shen Luo had somewhat figured out how to stimulate the capturing power of the Heavenly Book. Without any fear, he immediately activated it again. A golden shadow flashed on his body, and the white cold air and black demon flame that had just arrived near his body disappeared like before and were absorbed into the golden space within the Heavenly Book. ¡°What!¡± A shocked cry echoed from the dark light. The green shadow flashed upon Shen Luo''s body, and he disappeared again, reappearing next to the demon head that had been spewing demon flame. With the Six Chen Whip in his hand, he lashed it down on its neck. ¡°Puchi¡±, another demon head was beheaded. Ao Zhong and the others who had fought with the three demon heads knew their ferocity. But in Shen Luo''s hands, the mighty demon heads seemed as vulnerable as lambs waiting to be slaughtered. The others felt both admiration and horror. Of the three demon heads, only the one that could spew cold air was left. There was a look of astonishment in its eyes as it retreated quickly. ¡°Brother Shen, kill the demon completely! It is using the Dragon King Order to break the prohibition of the Demon-sealing Monument, it must not succeed!¡± Ao Hong had already retrieved his Dragon Spear, and rushed over as he shouted loudly. Shen Luo had no intention of letting the Deep Sea Behemoth go either. He once again deployed the Immortal Escape, appearing out of nowhere next to the last demon head, and lashed the Six Chen Whip downwards. However, at this moment, in the black light sphere below, two enormous demon heads shot out. This demon seemed to know that any strong attack would be absorbed, so these two heads didn''t spit out any demon spells, instead directly headbutting Shen Luo. Two overwhelming forces rushed towards him. The nearby void rang with shrill whistles, invisible waves of force exploded outwards. Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart. Not caring about attacking the cold-spewing demon head, his body''s golden light surged wildly. The Six Dragons and Six Elephants formation appeared beside him, ramming towards the two demon heads. A series of ¡°boom¡± and ¡°boom¡± sounds echoed, the illusions of the Six Dragons and Six Elephants shattered. However, these two demon heads were also repelled a little. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo immediately swung the Six Chen Whip in his hand, and layers of whip shadows appeared above the two demon heads, heavily slamming down on them. The power of the Six Chen Whip was originally great, but when combined with the Huangting technique, its power suddenly increased several times. Before the whip shadows had even fallen, a great pressure had already surged towards them. The two demon heads felt an immediate tightness around their bodies. In an instant, they were imprisoned by an invisible force, unable to move in the slightest. Unbeknownst to anyone, as Shen Luo activated the Huangting technique, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod floating on the side of the platform suddenly radiated a golden light and flickered a few times. Ao Hong and Shen Luo had previous experience working together against enemies, and immediately took the opportunity to attack. ¡°Dragon Tornado Rain Strike!¡± The surrounding void echoed with a loud dragon chant. A blue dragon spirit emerged in mid-air. Opening its mouth, countless blue rain threads shot out, emitting a terrifying breaking sound, directly descending on the two demon heads. Ao Zhong and the others were a tad slower in their reaction, but they also launched a full attack, firing various attacks toward the opponents. The Deep Sea Behemoth let out an angry roar, and the black light surrounding its body surged wildly, enveloping several demon heads. The whip shadows, the rain threads, and the attacks from Ao Zhong and the others hit the black light group but passed through it, without any effect. ¡°Retrieve!¡± Shen Luo was not surprised but pleased. He approached the black light group and activated the retrieval divine technique from the Heavenly Book again, rolling towards the black light group. A tear-like sound was heard. Nearly half of the black light group that enveloped the Deep Sea Behemoth disappeared, being forcefully ripped apart and absorbed into the Heavenly Book. The figure of the Deep Sea Behemoth emerged, and it had already transformed into a nine-headed demon form. Apart from the three demon heads exposed just now, there was another one that was seriously injured. It was the same one that Shen Luo had wounded on the way to the Dragon Palace. This demon head held a golden token in its mouth ¨C the Dragon King Order, and it was pouring its demon power into it. The Dragon King Order hummed loudly, and dragon-shaped golden lights shot out from it, continuously merging into the Demon-sealing Monument. The Demon-sealing Monument''s golden light flashed urgently, and it trembled continuously, showing signs of collapse. ¡°Demon-sealing Monument! You villain, die!¡± Ao Hong saw the state of the Demon-sealing Monument and showed a look of horror. He chanted a spell, and the blue light around him rose. The Dragon Spear in his hand emitted blue lightning, stabbing towards the Deep Sea Behemoth in the void. A violent tremor occurred at the top of the Deep Sea Behemoth''s head, then a pitch-black rift tens of feet long appeared in the empty space above, as if space had been torn apart. Boom! Countless thick thunderbolts shot out from the black rift, forming a forest of thunder and lightning, covering the area below and lighting up the entire platform like a thunderous world. The atmosphere was terrifying. A thousand thunders fall, slaying evil demons! ¡°What kind of divine technique is this? It can even summon the power of thunder to attack the enemy!¡± Shen Luo saw this scene and was slightly shocked. He was surprised, but his hands didn''t stop. He activated the Six Chen Whip again, and countless pitch-black whip shadows emerged, transforming into raging waves attacking the Deep Sea Behemoth. ¡°Thunder Wave Piercing Clouds! Has he actually mastered this divine technique too?¡± Ao Zhong''s face showed a defeated expression as he murmured to himself. Chapter 589 – 589 585 Self Chapter 589: Chapter 585: Self-Destruction of the Spirit Chapter 589: Chapter 585: Self-Destruction of the Spirit Ao Xin and Qing Chi were also shocked into silence. Thunder Wave Piercing Clouds is Eastern Sea Dragon Palace''s ultimate Thunder and Lightning Divine Power. Only the East Sea Dragon King has mastered this art throughout the entire Eastern Sea, and none of his numerous princes have managed to grasp this technique. Yet surprisingly, Ao Hong had learned it! The three quickly recuperated, each controlling his Magical Treasures to strike, but in terms of momentum, they could hardly compare to Shen Luo and Ao Hong''s assault. A look of fury appeared on the Deep Sea Behemoth''s face. If it weren''t for Shen Luo''s ability to absorb its different attacks, it wouldn''t have ended up in such a passive position. However, the Deep Sea Behemoth didn''t attempt to dodge. Instead, it suddenly curled up its massive body around the Demon Suppression Stele, forming a protective layer with all four of its heads tucked under its body. At the same time, black light radiated intensely from its body, and dark purple lines surfaced on its skin, emitting powerful Demonic Qi fluctuations. Its black scales instantly grew bigger and thicker, as it planned to resist Shen Luo and Ao Hong''s attack with its body. The sky was filled with the shadows of the whip and thunder and lightning descending. The Deep Sea Behemoth''s scales shattered, its flesh and bone scattered recklessly, revealing the chilling sight of white bones and its internal organs as half the body was blasted away. Yet, the Deep Sea Behemoth still stubbornly clung in front of the cell door, not evading in the slightest. Underneath the Behemoth''s body, the mouths of its four heads simultaneously spewed out a stream of pitch-black Demon Power, frenziedly pouring into the Dragon King Order. The Dragon King Order let out a somewhat reluctant sharp cry, and the next moment, it released dazzling golden light. The entire token turned semi-transparent and implanted itself into the Demon Suppression Stele with a soft plop. The Demon Suppression Stele immediately started to shake violently, emitting a cracking sound, and a crack shockingly appeared on its surface. Inside the cell, the massive shadow let out an excited roar. The bloody red glow in its eyes flickered like flames, and a giant fist powerfully struck the cell door from the inside. A tremendous boom echoed! The cell, as well as the entire platform, shook violently, causing countless dust particles to scatter into the air. ¡°Stop! Thunder Wave Piercing Clouds!¡± Dread spread across Ao Hong''s face. His Dragon Spear again radiated betokening thunderous light as he aimed a strike into the Void. The black fissure above the head of the Deep Sea Behemoth illuminated with a blazing thunderous light, countless white lightning bolts poured out, striking towards the Deep Sea Behemoth once again. Seeing this, Ao Zhong and the others one after the other went all out. Shen Luo''s eyebrows slightly creased, circled his Huangting Technique to its maximum capacity immediately, and released an almost tangible breath from his entire body. At the same time, sounds of Dragon Chanting and Elephant bellowing echoed, and enormous Golden Illusions emerged, hovering around him. The Power of Six Dragons and Six Elephants was already beginning to rotate and then poured into the Six Chen Whip entirely. The Six Chen Whip let out a lengthy sound, and amidst emitting a dazzling Spiritual Light, its shape astonishingly changed suddenly, transforming into a sharp black axe. A layer of intimidating black light flickered on the black axe. In between the flickers of the black light, the black axe enlarged to an enormous size, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a black Giant Axe reaching over ten feet in length. After transforming into this form, the Six Chen Whip seemed to have lifted some Seal, and a deadly Qi burst out as if desiring to slaughter anyone nearby. Even from a distance, Ao Zhong and the others could sense the black Giant Axe''s lust for blood, their faces showing terror. Meanwhile, Shen Luo''s body radiated a wild surge of golden light, and his body also dramatically increased to over ten feet in height. His hands had transformed into Dragon Claws, and his legs into Elephant legs. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a half-human, half-beast golden Giant. He gripped the black Giant Axe with both hands, and with an aerial strike, he slashed at the Deep Sea Behemoth. A gold and black axe light transformed into a long golden crescent, slowly shooting out from the axe blade. As it moved forward, it left behind a piercing screech in the Void and a white mark, as though it were about to rip it apart. The Deep Sea Behemoth''s head, which had been low, suddenly rose to see the approaching the crescent-shaped axe light. A look of terror spread across its face, and it lashed out its thick tail towards the black axe light. As a result, with a soft plop, the black axe light effortlessly sliced off the Behemoth''s tail without slowing down, it continued to flash forward, appearing in front of the Deep Sea Behemoth in a twinkling and lightly slashing down. The massive coiling body of the Deep Sea Behemoth was cut in half as easily as if a radish was being chopped. Endless blood splattered out, staining the entire stone platform red. The black axe shadow continued to fly forward, heavily landed on the stone platform. Boom! The black stone platform trembled violently, with dust and debris flying up. A gully twenty feet long and half a foot deep was cut into the platform. Despite its slow appearance, the black axe shadow moved extremely quickly. It attacked the Deep Sea Behemoth first. Only after its hit did the others'' attack land. Rumble, Rumble! The countless Thunders summoned by Ao Hong descended, tearing the remnants of the Deep Sea Behemoth into numerous pieces, revealing the Demon Suppression Stele underneath. Gravely, three visible cracks could be seen on it, giving an impression of impending collapse. A black cluster shaped like a nine-headed snake coiled around the Demon Suppression Stele. It was the divine soul of the Sea Demon but with a substantial amount of Demon Power attached. The Monster soul had a strand of blood mang attached to it, giving it an uncanny appearance. The soul of the Deep Sea Behemoth, with it''s nine heads and eighteen blood-glowing eyes, appeared mad with excitement. It didn''t care about the destruction of its physical form, instead quickly chanting spells, rapidly floating and expanding its divine soul. Ao Hong''s face changed dramatically. Ignoring the remaining lightning around him, he turned into a golden silhouette and lunged at the Demon Suppression Stele. ¡°It plans to detonate its primordial spirit! It''s too late to stop it, Brother Ao, don''t go!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in shock. But Ao Hong didn''t listen. Like a bolt of lightning, he lunged at the Demon Suppression Stele. He had barely made it halfway when the soul of the Deep Sea Behemoth suddenly emitted a terrifying black light, and then, with a sudden expansion and contraction, it exploded violently. A black light group, with a diameter of over ten feet, suddenly appeared in the void. The light was stunning, like a miniature black sun, devouring everything within ten feet. The light on the Demon Suppression Stele flickered rapidly a few times before it shattered with a ¡°bang¡±. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A visible black halo of light crazily scattered in all directions, forming a violent hurricane that swept across the surroundings. Ao Hong was unable to evade and was hit head-on by the black halo. His chest felt as though it had been violently struck by a heavy hammer. The impact caused him to spew a mouthful of fresh blood as he was sent reeling backward. Shen Luo hurriedly came forward to meet him, releasing a golden light with his hand to steady Ao Hong''s body. But the black halo behind continued to spread, causing the void to tremble. He was about to take Ao Hong and dodge to the back, but he stopped abruptly, lifted his hand, and waved forward, activating the Heavenly Book to absorb the force. He had not yet fully mastered the Heavenly Book''s absorption capacity and wanted to seize this opportunity to learn more. All of the black halo and the accompanying violent airflow within thirty to forty feet in front of Shen Luo had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Seeing this, he slowly nodded. It seemed that the absorption range of the Heavenly Book was within thirty to forty feet of him. Just as Shen Luo was about to inquire about Ao Hong''s condition, a thunderous sound echoed from the front. A prison door flew towards them, encapsulated in rolling dust like a falling meteor, crashing towards them. Shen Luo didn''t have time to use the Heavenly Book again. Hurriedly, he pulled Ao Hong aside to avoid it, barely evading the door''s impact. However, the gust of wind brought up by the door was tangible, scraping their faces painfully and causing a sense of horror in their hearts. Chapter 590 Chapter 590: Chapter 586: Escape from the Trap Chapter 590: Chapter 586: Escape from the Trap ¡°Ha ha! I''m finally free to see the light of day!¡± A loud laughter echoed from the dust in front, piercing and mirthless. The buzzing echoed in everyone''s ears outside, the pain was like countless tiny needles drilling into their ear, involuntarily shaking their bodies and chattering their teeth, immediately moving backward. ¡°Boom!¡± A huge black figure leaped out of the dust and heavily landed. It was a humongous black man towering multiple feet high, his muscles bulged like roots of a big tree, with his eyes wide open in anger, eyebrows and hair looking like fire, appearing threatening and intimidating. Moreover, there was a red dragon wrapped around the huge man''s neck, with golden eyes, continuously growling at Shen Luo and others. As soon as Shen Luo set his eyes on this person, he trembled, as if he was facing a behemoth from an ancient era. The expression of Ao Hong and others changed drastically; Ao Zhong''s face showed fear, his eyes instinctively glanced toward the stairs leading to the upper layer. ¡°The son of the East Sea Old Dragon King? Truly worthless, thinking of fleeing at the first sign of setback.¡± The black-faced giant man sneered. Ao Zhong encountered setbacks today; under emotional upheaval, he showed a hint of retreat. He was mocked by the giant man publicly; his face instantly turned blood-red as he charged towards the massive man. In his hand, the Yellow War Spear surged with blinding yellow light, and in a blink, transformed into more than ten actual spear shadows, aiming at the big man''s body. Where the spear shadows passed, the void was marked with faint white traces, as if it was about to break open. ¡°You''ve got some skills.¡± The smirk appeared at the corner of the man''s mouth, and he stretched out his right hand. The dozen or so spear shadows dissipated instantly, only to see the Yellow War Spear held in the giant man''s palm. A look of fear crossed Ao Zhong''s face, and he strained to pull back the War Spear. At the same time, blue light shone brightly on his body, and a huge blue dragon shadow soared from within his body, and after hovering in mid-air, opened its mouth wide and sprayed downwards. Countless blue light threads shot out from the dragon''s mouth with a shrill whistling sound, attacked the black-faced man, much similar to the Tornado Rain Attack once used by Ao Hong. The gigantic man laughed, waving his hand. Ao Zhong only felt an immense force gushing out, and with a ''pop'' sound, the Yellow War Spear shattered directly, and he was thrown out involuntarily. Meanwhile, the red divine dragon on the giant man''s shoulder gently raised its head and opened its mouth in mid-air. Out of nowhere, a vast sucking force emerged, causing ripples in the void. The blue dragon shadow in the sky and the raining threads suddenly lost control, all converging towards the red divine dragon''s mouth, swallowed in a gulp. The red divine dragon then opened its mouth and spat out a water blade, which was about several feet long, slashing straight towards Ao Zhong. The inhaling and spitting occurred as fast as lightning, even the strong cultivator like Ao Zhong could not make out how it happened. He just felt his Tornado Rain Attack disappear suddenly and a blue water blade was coming at him like lightning. He waved his hands in panic and a golden round shield emerged in front of him, densely covered in golden scales, which were actually dragon scales, appeared to be invincible. The instant the golden round shield appeared, it quickly grew larger, turning into a size of one foot, spinning rapidly in front of the blue water blade. However, the blue water blade did not stop for a second, and cut through the golden round shield as if it was nothing. The seemingly invincible dragon scale shield broke silently into two, falling to the ground. Ao Zhong was shocked and terrified, he quickly dodged but the water blade''s speed did not decrease after breaking through the dragon scale shield. As the two bodies were close, in a flash, it was in front of him. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Zhong had no time to dodge, and was about to be cut by the water blade on the spot. A shadow appeared out of thin air next to Ao Zhong, pushed him out of the way, narrowly escaped a direct hit by the Water Blade, but the shadow was hit by the water blade, instantly cleaved in half, and fell to the ground. ¡°Second brother!¡± Seeing Ao Zhong in danger, Ao Hong rushed forward without a second thought. With exceptional divine sense, Shen Luo took in everything that happened. His pupils contracted slightly, feeling a tinge of fear towards the black giant and the red divine dragon on his shoulder. He hesitated for a moment but still followed. Ao Zhong narrowly escaped death, and when he turned his head, he realized that it was Ao Xin who had sacrificed his life to save him. Ao Xin was cut in the waist, blood gushing profusely, and most crucially, the blue water blade hit and destroyed his Dantian. Ao Xin was an individual of the Fire Jiao Clan, their bodies were naturally unique. Their divine soul was not in their mind but located within the Dantian, which was also destroyed with the slice. ¡°Ao Xin!¡± Ao Zhong rushed over in urgency. ¡°Your Highness¡­As long as you¡­are safe, I am¡­content¡­..¡± From Ao Xin''s mouth, a surge of blood gushed out and his divine soul quickly dissipated. He said with a difficult smile. ¡°Why are you so foolish! To even shield me from this attack ¨C I have the body of a True Dragon. Even if my head is severed, as long as my divine soul is intact, I will not perish!¡± Ao Zhong exclaimed in distress. Ao Xin was his personal guard, but more than just seeing Ao Zhong as his master, he also had attached a deep sentiment to him. However, Ao Xin, being from the Fire Jiao Clan, held a lower standing than the East Sea Dragon Clan. For this reason, he never revealed his feelings, only silently dedicated himself to serving. And Ao Zhong, in respect to Ao Xin, wasn''t devoid of feelings. ¡°Your Highness, you are worth thousands of gold¡­my life, in exchange for your safety¡­is enough¡­¡± As Ao Xin''s voice became fainter and fainter, he eventually dissipated into nothingness, closing his eyes for the last time. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Seeing this, Ao Zhong cried out towards the heavens in grief. In Ao Hong''s hands, golden lightning flickered. Once again, he unleashed Thunder Wave Piercing Clouds. Countless thunderbolts erupted skyward, aiming at the big black man. ¡°Thunder Wave Piercing Clouds? The old dragon king indeed has a remarkable son. Unfortunately, you haven''t unleashed the full power of this art. Allow me to teach you how it''s done. That way, you will witness the true power of Thunder Wave Piercing Clouds!¡± The big black man looked at Ao Hong. The tip of his finger unleashed a brilliant ray of lightning, and in mid-air, he made a swath. Suddenly a black space fracture tens of meters long emerged, causing the thunderous bolts from the sky to be completely swallowed up by the fracture, without causing a shred of damage to the big black man. ¡°What!¡± Ao Hong was taken aback. ¡°Go!¡± The big black man pointed a finger, and within the black fracture, a lightning discharge occurred. Out of it flew countless thunderballs each the size of a millstone, exploding towards Ao Hong. Each thunderball exploded into terrifying waves of thunder and lightning, creating an earsplitting roar that made the whole platform buzz. Its power was arguably ten times stronger than Ao Hong''s. Ao Hong was caught off guard and had no time to evade. As he was about to be engorged by the thunder, a familiar figure appeared in front of him ¡ª Shen Luo, followed by a flash of gold. The terrifying thunderballs in the sky disappeared out of nowhere, leaving only a few in the distance. ¡°Eh!¡± The big black man was taken aback by the sight. ¡°Take it back!¡± Shen Luo growled, flashing gold again. The air in front of him shimmered, and countless thunderballs appeared out of thin air, all striking towards the big black man. By continually activating the Heavenly Book, he gradually found the method to release the things in the golden space. The black-faced big man furrowed his brow, and his figure flashed back several meters. The crimson divine dragon on his shoulder spat out a flash of blue light, forming a giant blue water curtain in front of him. Numerous vortices appeared on it with a roaring sound. The thunderballs from the sky struck the blue water curtain, and they were all swallowed up by the vortices on the water curtain, disappearing in an instant. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s expression darkened, and he waved his hands urgently. A golden light shone brightly on his body, and golden shadows flickered in front of him. There appeared dozens of golden figures out of thin air, the mighty Heavenly Soldiers and Generals he had fought before. The bodies of these soldiers and generals were now semi-transparent like shadows, but the energy they emitted hadn''t weakened at all. Chapter 591 Chapter 591: Chapter 587: Heavenly Soldiers and Generals Chapter 591: Chapter 587: Heavenly Soldiers and Generals In the midst of the heavenly soldiers and generals, the man leading them had two blue wings sprouting from his back and was dressed in silver armor. He was thin and held a golden staff in his hand. It was none other than the Thunder Division Heavenly General, who Shen Luo had barely managed to defeat earlier. Behind the Thunder Division Heavenly General stood twenty heavenly soldiers, all of whom were at the Great Mahayana stage in their cultivation. ¡°How is it possible that you can summon heavenly soldiers and generals! Who on earth are you?¡± The huge dark-faced man gazed at Shen Luo without immediately making a move. ¡°Brother Ao, this man is far more powerful than us. If we fight hard, we will definitely suffer. Can you notify the Dragon King to send someone to help?¡± Shen Luo, not answering the dark-faced man''s question, communicated with Ao Hong through voice transmission. ¡°This won''t work. In order to prevent the demon from the Dragon Abyss from escaping, the whole Dragon Abyss has been covered by a barrier, making communication with the outside world impossible from inside. Brother Shen, since this matter doesn''t really involve you, you can leave first to notify my father in the Dragon Palace to come and save us. I will hold off this Rain Master.¡± Ao Hong replied through voice transmission, about to step forward with his Dragon Spear in hand. ¡°You are already injured, and you''ve just exhibited a lot of your miraculous power. What are you going to use to withstand him?¡± Shen Luo quickly sent a voice transmission. ¡°Huh, you two don''t need to feign ignorance and discuss your plans. Since I''ve already left the cage, today, both of you will die here!¡± The dark-faced giant man snorted coldly. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo and Ao Hong were both startled. Their secret voice transmission was somehow overheard by their adversary. As soon as the words of the giant man fell, he stepped forward, and a profound black light burst forth from his body, emitting a pressure that was extremely enormous. Shen Luo and Ao Hong''s face changed as they felt as if they were being suppressed by a giant peak, making it difficult to move. The operation of their Mana also slowed down by ten times. The red dragon on the shoulder of the dark-faced giant man spewed out tens of water blades identical to the previous ones towards the two. Shen Luo struggled to move, and it was equally difficult to operate his Mana. He was unable to activate the Heavenly Book to draw in these water blades. He already had the heavenly soldiers summoned and could command them with a thought. These soldiers, being illusions without self-awareness, were not affected by the pressure from the giant man. Just as he was about to command the heavenly soldiers to attack, the whole platform suddenly started shaking without any warning. Thousands of strands of golden light suddenly flooded in from the outside, illuminating the space on the platform. Then these golden lights suddenly condensed into one, transforming into a giant golden rod shadow several ten feet thick, sweeping past Shen Luo and Ao Hong. The incoming blue water blades were swept away by the golden rod shadow, easily exploding into countless scattered water droplets. Without any pause, the golden rod shadow, carrying an invincible momentum, swept over towards the dark-faced giant man. The dark-faced giant man changed his face, black light flashed on both his hands and they instantly transformed into two huge dragon claws and lashed out. Two huge black dragon claw shadows, several feet large, appeared out of thin air and brutally struck the golden rod shadow. A thunderous explosion that shook the heavens and the earth. The black claw light and the golden light intertwined violently, then the two dragon claws flashed and disintegrated into nothing, and the dark-faced giant man was also greatly shaken, stepping back a few steps. However, the golden rod shadow had also flashed twice before disappearing. The heavy pressure on Shen Luo and Ao Hong was swept away, their bodies recovered, turned their heads and looked behind them, their faces showing surprise. They saw Ao Zhong standing on the edge of the platform, his grief subsided, holding a golden token against the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The golden token was the Dragon King Order that had been seized by the deep-sea behemoth, and it had somehow returned to Ao Zhong''s hand again. The Dragon King Order at this moment had become semi-transparent, half integrated into the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and the myriad of golden lights was blossoming from the rod. ¡°This¡­the Dragon King Order can mobilize the power of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod?¡± exclaimed Shen Luo in surprise. ¡°Indeed, the Dragon King Order was personally refined by our Father, and it contains the power of his essence blood. It can almost activate all the prohibitions within the Dragon Palace. Moreover, the power of the prohibitions in this Demon Suppression Stele is a miniature of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The Dragon King Order can fully mobilize it. Damn it! How come I didn''t think of this before!¡± Ao Hong said half-regretfully and half-joyfully. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s face also flashed a hint of joy. This Sea Suppressing Iron Rod was a formidable treasure of unknown rank, considerably surpassing his Six Chen Whip. If he could borrow the divine power of this rod, perhaps they could truly deal with the Rain Master. He contemplated whether or not to take action, but when he realized Ao Zhong''s situation, he immediately dodged and moved backward to the outer door of the platform, distancing himself from the giant man with a black face. The twenty or so heavenly soldiers also flew over, landing next to him. Ao Hong paused slightly, and then, seeing Ao Zhong from the corner of his eye, his countenance changed and he also quickly moved outside. As for Qing Chi, who had always been outside, she now hid on the steps leading to the upper layer. ¡°Demon! You killed Ao Xin, today you will pay for her life!¡± Ao Zhong ignored Shen Luo and Ao Hong, his blood-red eyes glaring at the giant man with a black face. He seemed to have lost his reason, and he pressed his palm on the Dragon King Order exerting a great force. Boom! The golden light shining on the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod glowed even brighter, and two golden rod shadows, almost identical in size to the previous ones, emerged again, radiating an endless momentum as they violently struck the giant man with a black face. Seeing this, the giant man made a grasp in the air with his dragon claws and two black light groups, each about a foot large, appeared in front of him. Inside, black light was rolling, emitting a lower hum like that of a tsunami. ¡°Go!¡± The giant man roared softly, waving his hands. The two black light groups immediately shot out, meeting the two golden rod shadows. Simultaneously, the crimson dragon on the giant man''s shoulder also opened its mouth to spit out a blue light column that targeted the golden rod shadow. After a loud bang which made the void tremble, the golden, black, and blue spiritual lights exploded simultaneously. However, they didn''t completely disperse; they were still in intense conflict. The golden light was dominating one moment, the next the black and blue lights overwhelmed the golden light. The scene looked bizarre. Ao Zhong roared low and performed a finger maneuver towards the Dragon King Order. The golden light flickered on the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and two more golden rod shadows appeared, regardless of the clashing three-color spiritual light, they lunged towards the giant man again. The giant man remained unperturbed, though he had no choice but to resist. For a time, the platform was filled with the loud collision of the three-colored spiritual lights exploding constantly. The scattered light swept over the nearby mountain walls, and large pieces of the extremely solid rock were effortlessly swept away. Ao Zhong ironically seemed to have lost his mind due to Ao Xin''s death, and was attacking the giant man with the power of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod almost recklessly. Shen Luo and Ao Hong kept dodging left and right to evade the scattered three-colored light, but they did not leave. The power of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod was endless, giving Ao Zhong the upper hand with its aid. However, the Rain Master was also very strong, barehandedly resisting one wave after wave of Ao Zhong''s attacks. Although slightly disadvantaged, he did not have an imminent threat of destruction for the time being. Chapter 592 Chapter 592: Chapter 588: Sea Suppressing Iron Rod Chapter 592: Chapter 588: Sea Suppressing Iron Rod While dodging, Shen Luo eyed the scene playing out before him, a sense of peculiarity rising within him. The battle at hand was wildly fierce, with Rain Master seemingly stretched thin on all sides. Yet, he couldn''t shake off a sense of foreboding, as if the current state of the battle was precisely what Rain Master had intentionally orchestrated. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s wrong?¡± Ao Hong, noticing the change in Shen Luo''s expression, messaged him through magic. Just as Shen Luo was about to reply, a sharp, heaven-piercing cry erupted from the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. A square-pattern, the size of a meter, consisting of numerous golden texts of different sizes, formed on the rod. These golden texts lightly trembled, emitting powerful waves of spiritual energy, and a blinding golden light that made it seem extraordinarily mystic. ¡°Haha! Finally, it has appeared!¡± The dark-skinned giant laughed excitedly. His monstrous figure turned into a paper-thin shadow, darting out from the gaps in three golden rod shadows and pounced towards Ao Zhong. ¡°Second brother, be careful!¡± Seeing this, Ao Hong sprang into action in surprise, the dragon spear in his hand radiating a bright golden light. Dozens of spear shadows shot out, piercing the black shadow formed by the giant. Much to everyone''s surprise, Shen Luo didn''t follow suit. His eyes were fixated on the golden text on the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, showing signs of enthusiasm. With a slight moment of hesitation, and upon seeing Rain Master flying towards him, a notion swept over Shen Luo. He immediately flew over to the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, spat out a mouthful of essence blood, and rapidly enacted a spell with both of his hands. The essence blood exploded with a ¡°pop¡±, turning into a mist of blood which merged into the golden pattern on the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. A series of blood lights emerged at the peak of the pattern, within which numerous tiny runes could be faintly noticed, rapidly spreading downwards. Upon seeing this, Rain Master let out a roaring scream. Having been suppressed for innumerable years by the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, he had long been studying this treasure in the shadows. No one from the East Sea Dragon Palace, including the East Sea Dragon King, knew that while he was famed for his ability to channel wind and summon rain, he was also an adept artifact refiner. He had been studying the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in secret and had made significant progress. Very recently, Rain Master had obtained external assistance. Through this opportunity, he finally touched upon the core prohibition of this rod. If he could refine the core prohibition of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, he would gain control of this exotic artifact. Despite being suppressed by the SeAnchoring Iron Rod for all these years, he understood that its potency was enough to pierce the heavens. If he could master this treasure, let alone the Eastern Sea, even dominating all other seas would no longer be challenging. Returning under Chiyou would then greatly increase his standing. However, to trigger the core prohibition of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod with his power alone was impossible. Hence, he pretended to be suppressed by Ao Zhong earlier to bait him into continually activating the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. Assisting in the shadows, Rain Master successfully drew out the rod''s core prohibition. And yet, Shen Luo was first to act, which was unbearable for him. The black shadow formed by Rain Master showed a halo of light resembling waves, and its speed immediately doubled. Almost instantly, it bypassed the countless spear shadows formed by Ao Hong and pounced on Ao Zhong. Even though Ao Zhong had descended into a semi-deranged state at this moment, he sensed the impending threat and activated the Dragon King Order. Two streaks of golden light shot out from the SeAnchoring Iron Rod and cut towards Rain Master. Yet, Rain Master was too fast and swerved to dodge the offensive of the two golden lights, unleashing a palm strike. A loud ¡°bang¡± echoed. A black dragon claw hit Ao Zhong in the chest. The ribs in his chest cracked, not knowing how many were broken. He was flung backwards and passed out. ¡°Second Brother!¡± Ao Hong, witnessing this, couldn''t care less about attacking Rain Master, hurriedly catching Ao Zhong and then retreating urgently. Rain Master didn''t pursue them either, but spat out a mouthful of black blood and quickly made hand gestures. The black blood also exploded, dissolving into a bundle of black light that integrated into the golden pattern on the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. A layer of black light emerged at the bottom of the golden pattern, rapidly permeating upward at a speed much faster than the blood light controlled by Shen Luo. The golden pattern was obscured by two beams of light, hiding the text above making it invisible to others. ¡°You little scoundrel, you are clever enough to understand that this golden pattern IS the seal of the spirit of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod! But you, with your level of cultivation, dare to compete with this old man for the treasures, seeking your own death!¡± Rain Master''s eyes glittered with a murderous light as he transmitted a mocking laugh. The crimson god dragon on his shoulder opened his mouth wide, radiating a burst of bright blue light. The next moment, countless threads of blue rain violently erupted, enveloping Shen Luo. The blue rain threads looked delicate but emitted an incredibly sharp aura, leaving white marks in the void as they flew. Shen Luo ignored the blue rain threads, rapidly forming a series of seals with his two hands to refine the golden pattern. As a myriad of rain threads rushed towards him, a golden shadow flashed over his body, causing all the blue rain threads to disappear completely. Rain Master''s brows furrowed slightly at the sight of this scene. ¡°Go!¡± A thought crossed Shen Luo''s mind and all the heavenly soldiers and generals by his side flew out. Their sword radiance and blade shadows, resonating with powerful mana fluctuations, assaulted Rain Master. The golden pattern was the seal of the spirit of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and the golden text was the method of refining it. Despite not knowing why it happened, he was certain that if he could refine the golden pattern before Rain Master, he would be able to control the artifact, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Anger flashed across Rain Master''s face. The red dragon on his shoulder opened its mouth, releasing a sheet of blue water light which instantly solidified into the blue light screen that had appeared before with countless vortices flashing on it. As the waves of attacks from the heavenly soldiers fell on the blue light screen, they were instantly swallowed up by the vortices on the screen. At this moment, a sparkle of silver light flashed above Rain Master''s head, the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s figure materialized, and in his hand, the golden rod covered with a pattern of thunderclouds illuminated brightly. A formidable charge of violet and blue thunder and lightning gushed out, coiling around the golden rod and letting out a thunderous rumble. The golden rod transformed into a blue-purple shadow, smashing fiercely onto the blue light screen. With a ¡°chirp¡± sound, the blue light screen was torn apart in an instant. The speed of the golden rod slowed slightly, but it still continued to explode towards Rain Master, as fast as lightning. Rain Master''s brow knitted slightly. He couldn''t spare a moment for refining, one of his hands became blurry, abruptly thrusting a pitch-black fist from his sleeve. The spot through which it blazed left a thick white streak in the void as it collided with the golden rod. A thunderous boom reverberated throughout the sky! The golden rod instantly broke apart on impact, while the body of the Thunder Division Heavenly General was blasted into two halves before disintegrating, transforming into scattered silver light that drifted away. Rain Master let out a contemptuous cold snort without further attacking, instead he immediately began to devote all his strength to refining the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The tail of the red dragon on his shoulder flicked, causing ripples to spread across the surrounding blue water curtain. The area destroyed by the Thunder Division Heavenly General was swiftly mended. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just at this moment, a flash of silver light cut through the void in front of Shen Luo, and the figure of the Thunder Division Heavenly General materialized again. These heavenly soldiers and generals were just doppelgangers summoned by the Heavenly Book. Even if they were killed, they could be immediately reborn, only consuming a portion of Shen Luo''s mana. Originally, to manifest the doppelganger of a True Immortal Heavenly General, a vast amount of mana was required. However, it wasn''t known what level of treasure this Heavenly Book was. Whether it was summoning heavenly soldiers and generals or performing the capture technique, the Heavenly Book not only absorbed Shen Luo''s mana but the prohibitions inside it could also automatically absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the outside. Further, the book absorbed much more heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi than Shen Luo''s mana. Because of this, it did not consume too much mana for him to create a doppelganger of the Thunder Division Heavenly General. Moreover, Shen Luo now had as many as thirty-three meridians, his mana was incredibly profound. It would be no problem for him to consecutively materialize ten or so Thunder Division Heavenly Generals. As for the capturing technique of the Heavenly Book, it consumed even less mana, only about one-third of what was needed to create the doppelganger of the Thunder Division Heavenly General, which for Shen Luo was no burden at all. Chapter 593 Chapter 593: Chapter 589 Resonance Chapter 593: Chapter 589 Resonance ¡°What!¡± Rain Master showed a surprised expression at the scene before him. A flash of silver thunder light, and the Thunder Division Heavenly General disappeared. Then, out of nowhere, he appeared above Rain Master. In his hands, the Golden Stick emitted blue and purple thunder light and struck down again, shattering the Water Curtain. The Golden Stick continued its momentum and struck towards Rain Master''s head, identical to the previous attack. Rain Master was both startled and angry, but he had no other option. The Red Dragon on his shoulder didn''t have the capability for hand-to-hand combat, so he could only stop his refining and launch a powerful punch to kill the Thunder Division Heavenly General yet again. On the other side, Ao Hong had brought Ao Zhong to the stairs leading to the upper level, leaving him under the care of Qing Chi before rushing back to the platform. He hadn''t noticed the activation of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod''s core prohibition earlier. Although he didn''t know what Shen Luo and Rain Master were doing beside the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, he naturally sided with Shen Luo. Seeing the Thunder Division Heavenly General being killed, he immediately unleashed his Golden Dragon Spear. A humming sound resonated around him as a golden dragon-shaped light appeared, and the Golden Dragon Spear in his hand radiated an intense golden light. An incredibly sharp cry resounded as they merged into one, transforming into a spear-shaped golden light, shooting towards Rain Master like a meteor breaking through the sky. The spear-shaped golden light seemed extremely fierce. It trembled wherever it passed, its speed astonishingly fast. With a flash, it crossed the distance of dozens of feet and flew towards Rain Master. Rain Master had just killed the Thunder Division Heavenly General and was caught off guard. He was hit in the arm by the spear-shaped golden light. With a ¡°chirp¡± sound, a large bloody hole appeared in Rain Master''s arm. Blood spurted out, and his whole arm was almost pierced through, completely interrupting the refining process. His life-force black light had just occupied about 30% of the prohibition pattern at the core. At this moment, it was stuck there, showing signs of collapse. Meanwhile, Shen Luo''s life-force blood light had already spread over half and was still continuing downwards. Whether it is Shen Luo''s life-force blood light, or Rain Master''s life-force black light, when they completely submerge the prohibition pattern, it will be the moment when the prohibition is completely refined. Rain Master saw his life-force black light fluctuating and was immediately shocked. He ignored the wound on his arm. He formed numerous hand seals, and soon the black light was stabilized. But before he could continue his spellcasting, a flash of silver thunder light appeared above his head, the Thunder Division Heavenly General emerged once again, blue and purple thunder light wrapped around his Golden Stick as he struck down once more. At the same time, Ao Hong used his technique of combining himself with the spear again, transforming into a golden spear shadow, shooting towards this side like a flood dragon emerging from a cave. ¡°You, one by one, deserve to die!¡± Rain Master roared in fury, his body surging with black light, transforming into a black divine dragon tens of feet long. The black dragon was covered in black scales, with purple patterns on them. It had a pair of purple dragon horns on its head, giving it a majestic appearance. However, the aura of this black dragon was quite peculiar, emitting both a sacred and an evil breath. The sacred aura was characteristic of the Dragon Clan, and the evil aura was none other than the Demonic Qi. A flash of purple light passed over the dragon horns on top of the black dragon''s head. A surge of Dragon Qi shot out from above and entered the red dragon''s body. The Red Dragon looked as if it had taken a potent tonic, its body instantly enlarging several times. It opened its mouth and spat out a blue light column several times larger than before, merging into the surrounding water curtain. The sound of rushing water greatly intensified, and the blue water curtain enveloping the surroundings instantly thickened several times. The attacks of the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s Golden Stick and Ao Hong''s spear shadow landed on the water curtain almost simultaneously, along with the attacks of the heavenly soldiers. All various attacks fell on the blue water curtain. ¡°Boom¡± a series of loud noises echoed, the blue water curtain vibrated wildly. Water splashed everywhere, and waves of blue light rippled out, but it was not broken through. A flicker of murderous intention flashed in the eyes of the black dragon transformed by the Rain Master, as if it wanted to do something. However, seeing Shen Luo continue to push forward his vital bloodlight, he reluctantly suppressed his killing intent, converged his mind, and went all out to refine the core prohibition. The black light on the core prohibition was flourishing and rapidly spreading upwards, soon to clash with Shen Luo''s bloodlight. At that point, the real contest between the two would begin! Shen Luo saw that the attacks of the Thunder Division Heavenly General and Ao Hong were ineffective. His brows knitted slightly. He knew he couldn''t interfere with the Rain Master any longer. So, he also recollected his thoughts and pulled back the Heavenly General and his soldiers to his side, exerting full force in the refining method. A few breaths later, on the core prohibition pattern, the black and red light intersected, causing an intense conflict and the bloodlight and black light to flash wildly. During this close encounter, Shen Luo immediately felt immense pressure. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Rain Master''s cultivation level far exceeded his, and his vital black light was extraordinarily vigorous. Upon direct collision, he instantly found himself at a disadvantage. Had he not already refined more than half of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod''s core prohibition, anchoring his mana firmly in the prohibition, he would have been forced to retreat by the opponent. Although the situation was unfavorable, Shen Luo had no other solutions for the time being and could only fully operate the refining technique to resist the impact of the black light. What Shen Luo didn''t know was that the Rain Master was also enduring hardships he couldn''t express. Even though his cultivation level was higher than Shen Luo''s, he had been sealed for countless years. Outside of the prison was the Demon Suppression Stele, suppressing him. The prohibition of the Demon Suppression Stele was connected to the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, isolating the prison and the outside world. He could not absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to replenish it, and his vitality was severely depleted. He had long been a hollow shell and could not overwhelm Shen Luo. The Rain Master could only fully activate the refining technique while absorbing the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to replenish himself, striving to recover some vitality as soon as possible. Ao Hong watched this scene and faintly guessed something. However, he could no longer interfere now and could only stand by. Above the core prohibition, the black and red lights were at a stalemate for a moment, and in the end, the Rain Master''s vital black light started to dominate the battle, slowly pushing back Shen Luo''s vital bloodlight. Shen Luo''s expression darkened, he took a deep breath, and while fully operating the refining method, he also initiated Huangting Technique. His golden light increased dramatically, and the half-human half-beast body he transformed into grew another thirty percent. He then slapped his hand onto the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, pouring his vigorous mana into the rod, trying to reinforce the connection between himself and the rod, aiding the refining of the core prohibition through this method. However, when the Rain Master saw Shen Luo''s movement, his face held a hint of mockery. The prohibition in the SeAnchoring Iron Rod was extremely strict. Without a medium like the Dragon King Order, trying to inject mana into it would only invite trouble. He would be counterattacked by the prohibition inside it and might even get injured. However, the scenario that the Rain Master anticipated did not happen, as Shen Luo''s mana smoothly entered the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. Not only that, but the Iron Rod also started to hum and vibrate, with golden spirit patterns appearing on its surface, shooting out rainbow-like golden auspicious light. The entire Dragon Abyss Space was filled with golden divine light, and thousands of auspicious qi rushed towards the sky, with countless gold petals falling down in a rain of flowers. ¡°How is this possible!¡± The Rain Master looked at this scene with disbelief all over his face. And Shen Luo, seeing the scene in front of him, was also stunned. His direct infusion of mana into the SeAnchoring Iron Rod was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-considered move. When he first started refining, he felt that his Huangting Technique and the SeAnchoring Iron Rod faintly resonated with each other, as if there was some kind of connection between them. But the situation in front of him, left him utterly shocked. Chapter 594 Chapter 594: Chapter 590: Eradicate All Evils Chapter 594: Chapter 590: Eradicate All Evils As various threads of golden auspicious light ripple through this area, illuminating it into a golden world, waves of chant-like sounds fill the entire platform space. If not for the strange-shaped stones around and the weird wind tumulting in the nearby abyss, one could almost believe they have stepped into a fairyland. Bathed in this golden light, Shen Luo finds his strained mind somewhat soothed, and his mood becomes relaxed. Unconsciously, the Huangting Technique circulating in his body is also markedly sped up. ¡°Ah!¡± At this moment, a gruesome scream came from nearby. It was the Rain Master. Upon coming into contact with the golden auspicious light, the demonic qi on his body instantly erupts like boiling oil meeting water, and swiftly disperses. Simultaneously, muffled thuds continue to come from the Rain Master''s body, and blood starts seeping out from his dragon scales. Seeing the Rain Master in such condition, Shen Luo, although uncertain of the cause, recognizes the golden opportunity before him¨Can opportunity that is hard to come by in centuries. Immediately, he hurriedly prompts the refining technique to seize the opportunity to regain lost ground. While at this moment, the golden auspicious lights flickering around the platform suddenly converge and infuse into Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo feels influxes of incredibly refined spiritual power pouring into his body. The mana that he had previously expended is quickly replenished, and the circulation of the Huangting Technique inside him multiplies within an instant. A layer of golden aura appears around his body, radiant with treasure light and rolling golden divine light, as though a golden sea of clouds. Within the sanguine refining light on the core prohibition of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, streaks of golden auroras also appear, mutually reflecting with each other and pressing downwards. Meanwhile, the Rain Master, severely injured, has his black light on the core prohibition turning unstable again. The waterfall-esque sanguine golden light pours down forcefully, rapidly repelling the disorderly black light. Within several breaths, it is completely expelled out of the core prohibition. ¡°Boom¡± a deafening roar, seemingly carrying centuries-long joy since time immemorial, abruptly rings out. The SeAnchoring Iron Rod suddenly unleashes a massive wave of golden light, spreading in all directions. Once the golden wave touches Shen Luo, it automatically scatters and splits, causing him no damage whatsoever. However, the Rain Master is engulfed by the golden wave. The blue water curtain around him shatters upon impact, and thereafter his body is harshly blown away like being met with a metorite strike, embedding into the mountain wall, causing numerous fragments of stone to tumble down. On Shen Luo''s face, his surprise is mingled with delight. After catching his breath, he begins mouthing incantations and promptly stimulate the newly-refined prohibition power. The enormous iron rod of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod shrinks rapidly, transforming into a long stick, approximately ten feet long and as thick as a wrist, within a few breaths. The long stick is golden at both ends, pitch black in the middle, emanating a faint golden light from its body. It seems common at first glance, but upon closer inspection, one can find that the golden lights are formed by an abundance of miniscule golden runes. Unlike common runes, each of these golden runes gleams brilliantly, and on their surfaces, threads of silvery-white textures can be vaguely seen, incessantly dancing. An overwhelming terrifying pressure emanates from the long stick, causing the nearby void to become distorted and hazy, and forcing the Black Nightmare Whirlwind in the nearby abyss to recede a considerable distance. Not only that, with this stick as the center, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the entire Dragon Abyss Space becomes disheveled, channeled towards the long stick like a funnel. Despite holding this stick, Shen Luo feels the enormous power contained within it, giving him a feeling like he is leading a giant dragon, causing his arm to tremble involuntarily. On the distant stairs, surprise etches onto the face of Ao Hong. He too was just touched by the golden wave. Fortunately, he was far from Shen Luo''s location and had timely retreated to escape, therefore he wasn''t injured. ¡°Brother Shen, the demon is heavily injured, we must eradicate this evil thoroughly, do not let it escape!¡± Ao Hong soon comes to his senses, glances at the Rain Master still embedded in the mountain wall, and calls out to Shen Luo. Upon hearing the words, Shen Luo looked up at the Rain Master. Although the Rain Master, who had been knocked back by the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, was seriously injured, he managed to escape from the deadly golden radiance. He used all his strength to suppress the rampaging Demonic Qi inside him. Hearing Ao Hong''s words, he suddenly looked up, his gaze meeting Shen Luo''s. Seeing the cold glint in Shen Luo''s eyes, the Rain Master had countless thoughts flash through his mind in an instant. His colossal dragon body trembled as he flew out from the mountain wall, then turned into a black light shooting into the sky, attempting to flee. ¡°Stop! Take this strike from my rod!¡± Shen Luo would not let him escape that easily. He was about to channel the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod with a spell gesture. But before he could move his fingers, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod had already transformed into a stream of golden light, shooting out faster than anyone present could follow with their eyes. In a flash, it appeared above the Rain Master''s head. A golden light flashed over the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, causing the rod to rapidly enlarge. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a gigantic rod, a hundred feet long and several feet thick. An endless force circled the giant rod, making the surrounding void tremble violently. It cast a large shadow and descended onto the Rain Master in a manner that appeared slow but was actually incredibly swift. There was a dull ¡°boom¡± sound! Even before the giant rod had reached its target, an overwhelming force had already transformed into a vicious wind and enveloped everything in its path. Wherever it passed, the void trembled dramatically, as if it was about to shatter into tiny fragments. The Rain Master''s escaping figure came to an immediate stop, like a small bird being slapped down from the sky. He crashed heavily into a gentle slope on the mountain wall. As he watched the giant golden rod in mid-air, his eyes filled with terror and he howled as he made a series of rapid spell gestures. The Red Dragon next to the Rain Master suddenly exuded a large amount of black water light, its body quickly swelled, then burst open with a loud pop, turning into a stream of black water. This black stream appeared incredibly deep, yet it rippled with an immense amount of Water Spirit Qi, the level of which was many times more concentrated than the Three Origin True Water or Dual-element True Water that Shen Luo had previously seen. With a wave of both hands by the Rain Master, the black stream opened with a loud splash, turning into a black water curtain, shielding him from above. Layer upon layer of Array rune inscriptions overlapped on the water curtain, and countless black waves flashed in the void, resembling a miniature of a vast ocean. It looked incredibly intricate, clearly a highly proficient God''s Power. Just as the Rain Master finished setting this up, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod crashed down, striking the black water curtain. The seemingly mysterious black water curtain could not withstand even a single breath, and instantly exploded, turning into a shower of water light that filled the sky. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod''s speed did not falter in the slightest as it continued to fall, striking the Rain Master directly. The Rain Master''s body exploded like a watermelon, his Divine soul was crushed by the tremendous force before he could escape from his body. Furthermore, the mountain wall beneath him collapsed from the impact, causing countless large and small fragments of rock to tumble down, resulting in a thunderous roar. Shen Luo and Ao Hong had only just managed to catch up from behind, and upon seeing the scene in front of them, expressions of shock appeared on their faces. After striking, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod quickly shrank back down, reverting to about a meter in length, and disappeared in a flash. The next moment, it reappeared out of thin air in front of Shen Luo. With a lift of his hand, Shen Luo grasped the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, slightly raising his eyebrows. The layer of golden light composed of countless runes on the rod had disappeared without a trace, and that massive, uncontrollable force had also vanished. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod lay docilely in his hand, unmoving as if it had truly turned back into a common rod-shaped Magical Treasure. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 595 Chapter 595: Chapter 591: Traitor Chapter 595: Chapter 591: Traitor ¡°What''s going on? Was the power within the rod completely consumed with that last strike?¡± Shen Luo wondered to himself, silently using his refining technique to sense the circumstances within the rod, but still, he could not detect that overwhelming power. Ao Hong, who was next to him, cast a glance at the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, his eyes flickering subtly. Just as Shen Luo noticed Ao Hong''s gaze and was about to explain, Ao Hong looked away, heading towards the collapsed mountain wall. Seeing this, Shen Luo changed his mind and followed. Ao Hong landed in front of a pile of collapsed rocks, sweeping his sleeve. A golden light swept across the rocks, revealing a pile of indistinguishable flesh and skeletal remains underneath. It was the remains of the Rain Master. ¡°Although this Rain Master is a demon, his appearance seems to be that of a member of the Dragon Clan.¡± Shen Luo looked at a relatively intact dragon claw and said thoughtfully. ¡°Yes, as I know, this Rain Master was from the ancient Mo Dragon Clan. Technically, there is some blood relation with our East Sea Dragon Clan. Unfortunately, he chose to serve under Demon Emperor Chiyou back then, and now he has ended up like this.¡± Ao Hong sighed as he spoke. After saying this, he opened his mouth and spat out golden flame, which landed on the Rain Master''s remains and ignited fiercely. ¡°I wish your soul peace with my Dragon Flame. In your next life, may you never stray into the Demonic Path.¡± Ao Hong murmured. Shen Luo, standing beside him, felt a touch of regret when he saw this. This Rain Master had a profound cultivation level, probably reaching the realm of Taiyi True Immortal. His dragon blood and bones were extremely valuable, such that selling them would undoubtedly bring great wealth. However, he also knew that the Dragon Clan deeply detested human cultivators trading dragon blood and bones. After the demise of a clan member, they would incinerate them with dragon flames to disperse them between Heaven and Earth, avoiding any disgrace to their remains. Being in the East Sea Dragon Palace, Shen Luo naturally wouldn''t do something that would provoke public outrage. The golden dragon flame that Ao Hong spat out soon reduced the Rain Master''s body to ashes. The smoke and dust scattered with the wind, leaving only a piece of crystal-clear bone behind. ¡°Huh, what''s this?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. With a wave of his hand, he sucked the bone into his hand. His divine sense probed the bone, and it was instantly drawn in. Turns out, this piece of skeletal remains was a storage magical artifact with a large space inside. However, there was not much stored inside, just a few books, jade slips, and similar items. There were no materials, elixirs, or magical treasures. With a little thought, Shen Luo understood. The Rain Master was imprisoned here in this dungeon, unable to absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to replenish his vitality. Those materials and magical treasures containing spiritual power must have been absorbed by him, leaving only these items devoid of spiritual power. His divine sense swept over the covers of these books, which were all about artifact refining. Shen Luo didn''t look more, quickly withdrew his divine sense, and informed Ao Hong about the situation with the bone remains. ¡°Since this piece of skeletal remains is the Rain Master''s storage magical artifact, it naturally belongs to Brother Shen.¡± Ao Hong stated. Shen Luo didn''t stand on ceremony and accepted it. ¡°Ninth Prince, Brother Shen!¡± A shout came, and two figures flew over. It was Qing Chi and Ao Zhong. Ao Zhong, carrying Ao Xin''s corpse in his arms, had the two halves of the broken body now joined together. Qing Chi looked at Shen Luo, a look of surprise on his face, but did not say much. Ao Zhong''s chest injury had been treated, and it seemed he was no longer in serious condition. However, his face was still pale, and his mood was very depressed. It seemed that he had not yet recovered from the shock of Ao Xin''s downfall. ¡°Second brother, how''s your injury?¡± Ao Hong asked Ao Zhong. Ao Zhong glanced at the collapsed mountain wall, then looked at Ao Hong and Shen Luo. A complex expression crossed his face and he shook his head silently. ¡°That''s good. Such a big thing has happened in the Dragon Abyss, we must report to Father Emperor immediately. Let''s go back to Dragon Palace now.¡± Ao Hong said. Ao Zhong didn''t say anything, Qing Chi nodded in agreement. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± A voice sounded, it was Shen Luo who spoke. ¡°Brother Shen, what else do you need?¡± Ao Hong asked. ¡°Just now, the situation was urgent, and I had to borrow the Dragon Palace Treasure. Now that the great battle is over, I should return it. But I don''t know how to put it back to its original place, so I would like to ask you two for guidance.¡± Shen Luo lifted the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in his hand and said to Ao Hong and Ao Zhong. Ao Zhong didn''t respond to Shen Luo''s question, he just looked at Ao Xin held in his arms. ¡°This SeAnchoring Iron Rod was sealed here by the Father Emperor himself, and we don''t know how to use the spell to put it back. After we return to the Dragon Palace, let''s ask Father Emperor.¡± Ao Hong shook his head and said. ¡°Brother Ao Hong, you just said that the Dragon Abyss can withstand the Black Nightmare Whirlwind because of this SeAnchoring Iron Rod. If we take it out of the Dragon Abyss, won''t the Black Nightmare Whirlwind wreak havoc without any restrictions?¡± Shen Luo looked at the rolling black wind in the abyss and said with a slightly frowned brow. ¡°No problem. Although the prohibition of Dragon Abyss is based on this SeAnchoring Iron Rod, it doesn''t rely solely on this rod. The prohibition here can withstand the Black Nightmare Whirlwind for some time, and it won''t matter if we remove the SeAnchoring Iron Rod for a while. Such a thing has happened before.¡± Ao Hong laughed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo nodded and didn''t say anything further. The group immediately ascended upwards and quickly arrived at the entrance of Dragon Abyss. They left through a teleportation formation and arrived in the Bronze Great Hall outside. The heavy gate of Dragon Abyss slowly opened, and Shen Luo and others, tired and weary, walked out from the inside. Yuan Yi, leading people of Dragon Palace, had been waiting outside the gate. Yuan Yi looked at the woman''s corpse held horizontally in Ao Zhong''s arms and his eyebrows moved slightly, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes. Seeing this, everyone behind him didn''t dare to speak. Everyone silently returned to Shuixiu Palace. In the great hall, Dragon King Ao Guang sat high on the throne. He seemed to have recovered quite a bit spiritually, with some luster in his eyes, but his brows were furrowed deeply. Many ministers of the Dragon Palace stood below, all with stern expressions, not saying a word. ¡°I have always held Dragon Palace to be impregnable, and thought that Demon Clan breaking through was only because of inferior strength. I didn''t expect that there were already moles beneath our city walls. I just don''t know who would act this way?¡± Ao Guang swept the ministers below with his gaze and said coldly. There was a profound silence in the hall, yet no one spoke up. Just when there was a profound silence, a voice sounded: ¡°Your Majesty, Dragon King, I might know who this person is.¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as the words came out, everyone''s gaze was drawn over and landed on Shen Luo. ¡°You know?¡± Ao Guang frowned. ¡°I know, and this person is right in this palace hall at this moment.¡± Shen Luo stepped forward one step, nodded, and said. Hearing these words, everyone looked at each other. And for a while, it seemed like anyone could be the traitor. ¡°Brother Shen, do you really know?¡± Ao Hong took a step forward and asked. ¡°Who is it?¡± Ao Zhong also asked with a ghastly face. Chapter 596 Chapter 596: Chapter 592: Reluctant at Heart Chapter 596: Chapter 592: Reluctant at Heart Shen Luo''s gaze shifted to the Dragon King Ao Guang, then moved slightly, pointing to a person behind him, and said: ¡°That person is¡­ Eldest Princess Ao Yue.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± Everyone in the hall was shocked at his words. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, how could it be the Eldest Princess?¡± Elder Bang exclaimed in horror. ¡°Impudent human, remain silent.¡± General Jie''s eyes bulged wide as he yelled furiously. It was no wonder that these people reacted so strongly, the position of the Eldest Princess Ao Yue was indeed very high among everyone. After Ao Hong broke with the Dragon Palace and left that year, the one leading the defense of the Dragon Palace was not the second prince Ao Zhong, but Eldest Princess Ao Yue. This princess was not like other delicate dragon girls, she enjoyed weapons and armors from a young age, and her talent in cultivation was also extraordinary. She and Ao Bing, the Third Prince, were born to the same mother and were considered the princess and prince of the Dragon Palace that year. Ao Bing''s talent for cultivation was extremely high, even superior to the current Ao Hong. He was the heir the Dragon Palace was focusing on at that time. Unfortunately, due to a conflict with Li Jing''s son Nezha, he was tragically killed before he could grow up. Since then, the Eldest Princess Ao Yue has become even more diligent in her cultivation, fighting for the Dragon palace multiple times to protect the peace of the Eastern Sea. This is why she has such an excellent reputation and high prestige within the Eastern Sea. Compared with the shock and anger of the crowd, Ao Yue seemed relatively calm, looking straight at Shen Luo, as if Shen Luo was not pointing at her, and was not talking about her. ¡°Friend Shen, Ao Yue is the Eldest Princess of my Dragon Palace. If you don''t have proof and point the blame at her, even if you''re Hong''er''s friend, you can''t be so reckless with your words, right?¡± Ao Guang''s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked coldly at Shen Luo and said in a steady tone. ¡°Of course, why would I falsely accuse somebody without reason? Everyone knows how powerful the prohibitions within the Dragon Abyss are, if not for the pure bloodline of the dragon family, who could undo the seal and release a demon?¡± In the gaze of the crowd, Shen Luo answered calmly. ¡°Even so, you can''t assume the person who relaxed the seal was the Eldest Princess, right?¡± General Jie argued. ¡°Actually, I was so sure it was the Eldest Princess because it told me.¡± Shen Luo said. As he spoke, he pointed his finger, and a ray of light shone from his fingertips. A thick black stick extended from it, revealing its true form. ¡°What is¡­¡± Seeing this, everyone was a bit puzzled. Only Dragon King Ao Guang''s face changed immediately, and his eyes were full of surprise. ¡°The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, you were actually able to subdue this rod?¡± Ao Yue''s expression also changed immediately after. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What? Isn''t this the treasure guarding the Dragon Abyss? How dare you bring it out privately?¡± General Jie''s eyes widened even more as he questioned loudly. ¡°In the Dragon Abyss, the Rain Master suddenly broke free, we fell into a dire situation. Fortunately, Brother Shen was somehow able to shake this Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Using the power of this treasure, he killed the Rain Master. Otherwise, we might not have been able to escape.¡± Seeing this, Ao Hong took the initiative to explain for Shen Luo. ¡°Even so, this valuable treasure of the Dragon Palace can''t just be taken away by someone, right?¡± Elder Bang also sounded a bit anxious. ¡°This treasure is extraordinary, we definitely can''t hand it over so easily.¡± Another minister from the Dragon Palace spoke. The rest of the people also began to speak one after another, unwilling for the Sea Supressing Iron Rod to fall into Shen Luo''s hands. Shen Luo himself didn''t plan to take away this treasure so easily either. He had already refined a part of it, establishing a certain connection with it. To just give it up now would be rather hard to swallow. At this time, everyone''s gaze focused on Dragon King Ao Guang, waiting for his decision. ¡°The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod was crafted after the model of the Sea Suppressing Divine Needle, both made by Taishang Laojun, and is an extraordinary artifact imbued with spirit. It would not easily choose a mortal as its master. Since it accepted Shen Luo, he must have had a special opportunity. Besides, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod was originally created to suppress the Rain Master. Since the Rain Master has been killed by him, then it should rightfully go to him.¡± After a moment of silence, Ao Guang said. Upon hearing this, even if the crowd found it inappropriate, whisperings were heard but no one directly objected anymore. The authority of the Dragon Palace''s master was evident. ¡°You said this SeSuppressing Iron Rod told you, could it be that this item is actually sentient, capable of distinguishing right from wrong?¡± General Jie asked. ¡°General Jie is joking, although this rod is mysterious, it has not reached the level of being able to speak human language.¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°Friend Shen, don''t keep us in suspense anymore, please tell us what exactly is going on?¡± Qing Chi could not help but press eagerly. ¡°Fellow cultivators, please wait a moment and you shall see.¡± Shen Luo no longer delayed and grasped the SeSuppressing Iron Rod tightly. The Huangting Technique within his body started running, his mana flowed into the rod bit by bit, instantly illuminating it, and ripples of light emitted from it. At the same time, faint traces of blood started to rise from some grooves on the rod, turning into a red mist, floating in mid-air, passing by each person, eventually gently flowing towards Ao Yue. ¡°Since this Iron Rod is key to supressing the Rain Master, why is Princess Ao Yue''s bloodline aura hidden within it? From this, isn''t it obvious who broke the prohibition?¡± Shen Luo retorted. As everyone sensed the blood flow passing by them, they examined it, each was shocked and looked towards Ao Yue in silence. ¡°Yue''er¡­¡± Ao Guang uttered in a low voice. ¡°It was I who did it.¡± Ao Yue stepped forward, saluted Ao Guang with a fist, and admitted. Seeing her admit so cleanly and quickly, not only was Shen Luo shocked, but the others in the Dragon Palace were also speechless for a while. ¡°Eldest Princess, how could¡­¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± ¡°Why would the Eldest Princess collude with the Demon Clan?¡± Only after a while did the questioning voices around grow louder, gradually reaching a boiling point. ¡°Why did you do this?¡± Ao Guang asked solemnly. ¡°I¡­ I just can''t accept it. Our Dragon Clan''s fate shouldn''t be like this.¡± Ao Yue replied, bowing her head for a long time. ¡°Our Dragon Clan''s fate, is it something you can criticize?¡± A pang of hurt flashed across Ao Guang''s face. ¡°Father, during the great battle of Zulu between the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou, our ancestor Ying Dragon fought alongside them, plowing through thorns and thistles, contributing significantly. But in the end? What did his descendants get? Nothing, they ended up as jailers guarding the criminals.¡± Ao Yue argued without looking up. ¡°Criminals, jailers? Is this how you see our Dragon Clan''s mission?¡± Ao Guang retorted. ¡°It''s not me who thinks so, but the Heavenly Court¡­ When have they ever cared about the feelings of our Dragon Clan? That year, the Jing River Dragon King only made a small mistake and was immediately caught to be executed at the Dragon Execution Platform. His fate was miserable. At that time, didn''t you and other uncles pleaded with the Heavenly Court on his behalf? But what was the result?¡± Ao Yue said through clenched teeth. Hearing her words, the murmurs grew quiet as they seemed to be giving the matter some thought. Shen Luo, recalling the incident of the Jing River Dragon King, also felt helpless. Chapter 597 Chapter 597: Chapter 593: Succession Chapter 597: Chapter 593: Succession ¡°It is precisely because Heavenly Court''s laws are strict, with the words following the laws, that it can rule the Three Realms. If the Jing River Dragon King had abided by the rules of Heaven, how could he have met his death?¡± Ao Guang sighed and said. ¡°What a rigorous law system indeed. The Jing River Dragon King committed a crime and deserved to die, what about my third brother?¡± On hearing these words, Ao Yue seemed greatly stimulated. She suddenly looked up and loudly questioned. Everyone knew that the third brother she was talking about was Ao Guang''s most beloved third son, Ao Bing. Ao Guang''s expression darkened, and he fell silent for a moment. ¡°What crime did my third brother commit? He merely stopped Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing''s young son from wreaking havoc in the Eastern Sea, preventing storm-caused disasters from affecting the coastal people. Yet he was brutally murdered, his dragon tendons were extracted, leaving him without a complete body. As a result, his dragon soul had nowhere to reside and eventually dispersed in the sea breeze.¡± Ao Yue''s eyes reddened, and her emotion escalated as she spoke. Ao Hong frowned, feeling somewhat unbearable, and wanted to dissuade Ao Yue from continuing. But when he opened his mouth, he realized he didn''t know what to say. ¡°Heavenly Court didn''t care or question back then. If we hadn''t used the Sea to force Nezha to commit suicide as an act of apology, would he have done it? But even so, in the end, he was still saved by Taichi True Person. What about my third brother? His spirit scattered, where should we look for him? Is this Heavenly Court''s rigorous law system? They''re just bullying the Four Seas Dragon Palaces because no one dares to resist.¡± Ao Yue roared nearly hysterically. ¡°You''re talking nonsense. Do you know that Nezha was also in a state of having no place for his soul back then? His mother once tried to help him by making a real body out of clay to help him regain his soul. To maintain justice, Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing personally smashed the idol.¡± Ao Guang rebuked. ¡°All pretenses. Only you, Father King, would believe it. Haha¡­ But now everything''s alright. Under the butcher knife of the Demon Clan, it''s finally truly fair in Heavenly Court, the Human World, Dragon Palace¡­ everywhere.¡± Ao Yue said with a bitter smile. ¡°Are you doing all these to bring down the Dragon Palace with you?¡± The aura in Ao Guang''s eyes dimmed little by little as he slowly asked. ¡°Father King, don''t you understand? Continuing to resist will lead to total destruction. With the imminent collapse of the Three Realms, our Dragon Palace cannot resist the Demon Clan. If you continue to be stubborn, you are truly leading our Dragon Clan to extinction and destruction,¡± said Ao Yue, her face filled with sorrow. ¡°Are you going to abandon the heritage of our ancestors, the glory of our ancestors, the mission we once had, in order to pledge your allegiance under the Demon Clan?¡± Ao Guang asked, a bitter expression on his face. ¡°Because I thought I wouldn''t be able to persuade you, I tried to release the demons in the Dragon Abyss to force you to give up resistance. I just didn''t expect that Friend Shen would be able to slay the Rain Master. Well, I don''t need to worry about what will happen to the Dragon Clan and the Eastern Sea Water Descendants in the future.¡± Ao Yue shook her head a little resignedly. After saying these words, she suddenly raised her arms, her hand as sharp as a knife, and a silver light gleamed brightly on her palm. Without hesitation, she aimed at her head to behead herself. Everyone was surprised when they saw this but couldn''t stop her. At this moment, a gust of wind whirled by, a brilliant lunar light was cast, and Shen Luo''s figure instantly moved next to Ao Yue. He grabbed her arm tightly and held on to it, making it impossible for her to struggle away. ¡°How can you see the fate of the Dragon Clan and Water Descendants if you don''t live? If you don''t witness it¡­ how will you know how wrong you were?¡± Shen Luo said slowly, his eyes slightly concentrated. Seeing this, Ao Guang raised one hand for an incantation and sent it towards Ao Yue. In the void, the sound of a dragon chant could be heard, and shadows of dragon claws appeared out of thin air. They were cast respectively into several important acupoints on Ao Yue''s body. She let out a few stifled groans, a thread of blood slowly leaked from the corner of her mouth, and the qi on her body seemed to dissipate at that moment. ¡°Your cultivation level has been sealed by me. You can go deep into the Dragon Abyss and reflect on it. If the one to release you one day is the Demon Clan, then you might be right. If not¡­ you will stay there forever,¡± Ao Guang said laboriously. After saying these words, he waved and ordered her to be taken away. She would be sent into the depths of the Dragon Abyss later. After Ao Yue was taken away, it was a long time before calm returned to the great hall. It wasn''t until Ao Guang raised his hand to signal silence that everyone finally quieted down. ¡°Due to the calamity that befell the Dragon Palace this time, it''s unfortunate that the disaster originated from within. I, as a king, cannot escape my responsibility. It seems it''s time for me to give up the position of Dragon King. Ao¡­.¡± Ao Guang sat upright and slowly spoke. Just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by Ao Zhong: ¡°Father King, before you announce this, your son still has something to say.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ao Guang hesitated a bit, then responded. Just when everyone thought that Ao Zhong would make a final argument for himself, they heard him say: ¡°Father King, after the event of the Dragon Abyss, I realized that I can''t even protect the person I love. Instead, she lost her life because of me. How am I supposed to protect the Dragon Palace and shelter the Eastern Sea. I am indeed not the best candidate to be the master of this Dragon Palace. My ninth brother is the one who should truly inherit the throne.¡± Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As his voice fell, everyone was surprised, not understanding why he would voluntarily give up. ¡°The reason we were able to successfully retake the Dragon Palace was not that I was able to fight well and led my subordinates to expel the Demon Clan. It was because many of the demons and the Luhua Palace water army brought by my ninth brother had been devoured by the Kunpeng Giant Demon. The Three-headed Demon Flood Dragon was jointly killed by my ninth brother and Daoist Friend Shen. Hence, they were the true saviors of the Dragon Palace.¡± After that, Ao Zhong revealed the truth he had learned in the Dragon Abyss. After hearing this, everyone finally understood. Those who had previously opposed Ao Hong''s succession, including General Jie, also started to change their attitudes. ¡°The duty of ruling the Eastern Sea is not an easy task. It implies greater pressure and responsibility. Hong''er might not be able to handle it alone. Zhong''er, you must assist him in the future,¡± Ao Guang said slowly. As soon as his voice fell, his gaze slowly swept over Ao Hong and Ao Zhong, then fell on Shen Luo. After looking him up and down, an odd expression flashed in his eyes. ¡°Your son obeys.¡± Ao Zhong saluted with a fist. ¡°From today on, you, Ao Hong, will be the next Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. You have the duty to govern the Eastern Sea, combat the Demon Clan, guide the water transport of the world, and save as many lives as possible, even though the heavenly situation is chaotic and the geographical conditions are unfavorable,¡± Ao Guang stated. ¡°Your son obeys the edict.¡± Ao Hong saluted with a fist. ¡°Elder, arrange it. In three days, we''ll reopen the Ascending Dragon Platform and inherit the Ancestral Dragon Soul,¡± Ao Guang said, slowly standing up with the help of the dragon''s bridle, and announced it to everyone. ¡°As you command.¡± Everyone simultaneously saluted with a fist and said collectively. ¡°Alright, you all can go.¡± Ao Guang slowly sat down, a look of fatigue showed on his face. Hearing this, people left one after another. Shen Luo was also about to leave with Ao Hong, but he heard Ao Guang suddenly say, ¡°Friend Shen, could you stay for a moment?¡± Chapter 598 Chapter 598: Chapter 594: Lift the Ban Chapter 598: Chapter 594: Lift the Ban ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Luo looked at Ao Guang and nodded. The others in the room all turned around to look at him, their eyes filled with a hint of surprise. After everyone else had left the great hall, Ao Guang waved his hand, and a swath of water congealed into a seat, placed at the bottom of the stairs. Shen Luo thanked him and took a seat. ¡°Last time I heard from Hong''er about you, Friend Shen, it was hundreds of years ago. Where have you been cultivating over these years?¡± Ao Guang asked. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, this is about investigating my whereabouts. ¡°As a junior, I had been cultivating and closing myself off from the world in Mount Fangcun for a long time. It was only after my sect faced a catastrophe that I escaped from the mountain. Feeling my cultivation level was insufficient, I have been hiding and cultivating in seclusion. I was passing through the Eastern Sea this time, fleeing from a demon''s pursuit,¡± he replied casually, smiling. ¡°Oh, so you''re a disciple of Mount Fangcun?¡± Ao Guang''s gaze flickered as he spoke. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t say much. He ran the Huan Ting Jing directly, and his whole body was immediately enveloped in a golden light. ¡°Indeed, it is the technique of Mount Fangcun. It seems that there really is a divine intention in the dark¡­¡± Upon seeing this, Ao Guang nodded in silent agreement, his expression easing. ¡°What does the Elder mean by that?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, although only an imitation of the Sea Suppressing Divine Needle, is also a divine artifact. Like the Sea Suppressing Divine Needle, it carries a mission. Those who can make it their own are not ordinary people. The first master of the Sea Suppressing Divine Needle was Dyu the water controller, and the latter was the Great Sage of that time, later known as the Victorious Fighting Buddha Sun Wukong,¡± Ao Guang said, regaining some of his spirit. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt something strange. If it were to be said that he himself is ordinary, his exceptional talent and his transmigrated identity already make him extraordinary. But if it were to be said that he''s not ordinary, Shen Luo truly didn''t know what made him special. ¡°Elder, I have some questions about the Demonic Tribulation. May I?¡± Shen Luo hesitated before speaking. ¡°Oh? And what would you like to ask?¡± Ao Guang asked, surprised. ¡°During that time, along with the transmigration of the Nameless Pilgrim, five divided souls of Demon Lord Chiyou were also formed. These transformed into human forms through reincarnation. They later became a critical factor in the failure to prevent the Demonic Tribulation. Do you know anything about their whereabouts?¡± Shen Luo asked after pondering for a moment. ¡°It seems that you must be a core disciple of Mount Fangcun to know so much about the inside story concealed behind the heavy fog. Indeed, there were indeed five such people at that time. Regrettably, information about them was later wiped out by the Demon Clan. Most human cultivators only know that these five people existed, but they don''t know who they were or what they have done. I too belong to those who don''t know,¡± Ao Guang said regretfully. Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel disappointed. ¡°Elder, honestly speaking, I know I carry a heavy load. I may also have a special mission to fulfill. Right now, however, it feels like I''m lost in a maze, unsure of how to cope or where to go,¡± he sighed. The experiences he had in Dreamland, especially the entrusted task from Li Jing and the Heavenly Book he was given, inadvertently became his responsibility and burden. ¡°Even though I don''t know about those divided souls and have no idea what kind of a mission you bear or what kind of a path you are on, I can at least tell you this much. If destiny has chosen you, no matter whether you walk the path or not, this current will push you to the position where you need to take up the responsibility. It has been this way throughout the ages,¡± Ao Guang sighed softly, a reminiscing look in his eyes. ¡°If I can, I don''t want to be the one who resigns to circumstances. Instead, I want to ride on the current and actively complete my mission,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, speaking slowly. Ao Guang looked at the young man in front of him, his eyes flashing with admiration, ¡°Hand me the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod.¡± ¡°Elder, didn''t we just settle it? The Iron Rod has acknowledged me as its master, it''s practically mine now. Why do you want it back?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately tensed up, holding onto the rod. ¡°Appearing quite extraordinary earlier, how come you revealed a money-minded nature at this crucial moment? Rest assured, I''m not demanding it from you. I simply want to help you unlock a seal on the rod,¡± Ao Guang said, somewhat amused. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo chuckled and handed over the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Ao Guang reached out, and a Dragon Claw of illusory light materialized out of thin air. It grabbed hold of the rod shaft and pulled it back into his grasp. He weighed it in his hand, murmuring, ¡°It''s much lighter than the SeSuppressing Divine Needle, but it''s not something just anyone can control.¡± He then grasped the top of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and dragon blood began to seep out of his palm. It was like a flaming crimson glow. All he did was firmly hold the rod, and his hand gradually stroked from one end of it to the other, red flashes flickering along the path. With a crackling sound, a layer of black substance resembling iron filings fell off. Soon, the entire Sea Suppressing Iron Rod seemed freshly tempered, turning a brilliant red color. The intricate charm patterns on it glowed brightly, and a humming sound could be heard from within, as if an invisible wave was emanating from it. Feeling the fluctuations coming from the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, Shen Luo immediately rejoiced. After a moment, the strange sounds from the rod finally ceased. Ao Guang turned the rod upside down and handed it back. Taking the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod back from him, Shen Luo noticed it still felt warm. The glow from the various charm patterns it bore was gradually retreating, returning to their original state. However, when Shen Luo passed a strand of Mana into it, the rod vibrated and hummed, an unusual fluctuation rippling out from within, as if responding to him. With the prohibition being removed, the spirituality of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod had clearly become much stronger. ¡°Thanks to you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo carefully put away his iron rod and expressed his sincere gratitude with a fist-and-palm salute. Ao Guang nodded his head in acknowledgment, but just as he was about to speak, he seemed to exacerbate his injury. All of a sudden, he started coughing violently, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Shen Luo shouted in concern, wanting to rush up to him. Ao Guang had already covered his mouth, raising his hand to wave at Shen Luo, indicating that he was alright. ¡°I can''t handle my injuries anymore. After finishing the ceremony, I can finally unload this burden. From now on, all these troubles need to be handled by you young people.¡± Leaning back against his throne, Ao Guang chuckled bitterly. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hong''er will be a good successor,¡± Shen Luo said with resolve. Chapter 599 Chapter 599: Chapter 595: Full Edition of Nameless Chapter 599: Chapter 595: Full Edition of Nameless ¡°That year¡­ if I hadn''t stopped him from being with Ying''er, I probably wouldn''t have wasted these three hundred years¡­I guess I really was wrong¡­¡± Ao Guang muttered, a momentary daze appearing in his eyes upon hearing this. ¡°Elder, there''s no point in discussing right and wrong about what has already passed.¡± Shen Luo looked at Ao Guang standing before him. This East Sea Dragon King, the leader of the Four Seas, didn''t show a shred of royal grandeur at this moment. Instead, all he displayed was the helplessness of a father. ¡°You''re right. There''s no point in regretting now¡­You said earlier that you did not know what your mission is or what you should do. Why don''t you visit Flower Fruit Mountain in Aolai Kingdom?¡± Upon hearing this, Ao Guang paused for a moment before laughing. ¡°Flower Fruit Mountain¡­Why should I go there?¡± asked Shen Luo, confused. ¡°Before Sun Wukong became a Buddha after his journey to the west, he raised the banner of the ''Great Sage Equal to Heaven'' on Flower Fruit Mountain. If you really don''t know what to do, you might as well follow in Wukong''s footsteps. Perhaps you might gain some insights.¡± Ao Guang''s gaze landed on Shen Luo, as he slowly spoke. ¡°The elder speaks wisely. I''ll go to Flower Fruit Mountain for a visit.¡± Shen Luo pondered a moment after hearing this, then nodded. ¡°Wait for Hong''er to complete his inheritance before you leave. It is obvious how much he values your friendship,¡± added Ao Guang. ¡°That''s what I''m planning to do,¡± Shen Luo nodded. After he left Shuixiu Palace, he saw Ao Hong, who was waiting for him alone under a pillar of the corridor. ¡°Brother Shen,¡± Ao Hong immediately beckoned when he saw Shen Luo came out. ¡°Are you still worried that your Father King will detain me?¡± Shen Luo quickly approached. ¡°Brother Shen, don''t joke around. You knew in advance that my eldest sister was a traitor. Why didn''t you tell me?¡± Ao Hong sighed and said. ¡°What could you have done if I told you? Given your nature, you most likely would''ve helped conceal it and sought her out privately. But we barely went back from the mechanism in Dragon Abyss. Ao Xin lost his life, can you really overlook all these?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I¡­ ¡± Ao Hong was just about to speak but was cut off by Shen Luo. ¡°Even if you wouldn''t help her hide, you wouldn''t bear to do it. Why should I make you feel uncomfortable?¡± Shen Luo replied. After listening, Ao Hong''s furrowed brows slowly relaxed, seeming somewhat dispirited. ¡°Brother Ao, honestly, you should change this temperament of yours. When you take command of the Eastern Sea in the future, and even become the new leader of the Four Seas, you can no longer be so indecisive.¡± Shen Luo stopped walking, his face serious. ¡°I won''t be in the future,¡± Ao Hong drew in a breath and replied earnestly. After talking, he continued to move forward with Shen Luo, but he didn''t bring up a single word about Shen Luo''s conversation with the Dragon King. Then, after Ao Hong settled Shen Luo in a water mansion in the Dragon Palace, he left first. Shen Luo returned to the room and after he sat on the bed and meditated for a moment, he opened his eyes again. With a twist of his wrist, a blue stone tablet appeared in the palm of his hand. It was the piece he had obtained from the Dragon Palace''s treasure vault earlier. He caressed the stone tablet, slowly brushing over the surface covered with green moss. Where his fingertips touched, he could feel an intense wave of water-attribute spiritual energy. ¡°No wonder this green moss can survive all this while. It''s nourished by the spiritual energy inherent in the stone tablet,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After speaking, he silently channeled his mana into the stone tablet. The green moss on the stone tablet immediately stood on end, like animal fur. Simultaneously, little twinkles of blue light began shining on the surface of the stone below. After waiting for a while, the light on the stone slab became a bit brighter, the green moss on its surface seemed to have grown a bit, but that was all there was to it, and no other special situations emerged. ¡°Could it still be a magical instrument, needing refinement?¡± wondered Shen Luo in surprise. He immediately activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, intending to try and refine it, but surprisingly, there was no response at all. ¡°What is going on?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but frown. After briefly considering his options, Shen Luo once again directed his mana towards the stone slab, but this time he simultaneously performed the Nameless Cultivation Technique, connecting with the stone slab using his water-element mana. The result was that as soon as his mana was pooled, the green moss on the stone slab suddenly emitted a bright blue light, and the moss residing on it began to burn as if it was on fire, raising blue flames into the sky before finally turning into ashes. As the green moss was completely burned, the surface of the blue stone slab began to ripple with a halo of light, shining outwards. Within the blue halo, bits of golden text began to emerge, densely covering the entire room. Shen Luo was overjoyed at the sight. Shifting his gaze, he immediately began to carefully examine the golden text. After only a short time, an expression of surprise appeared on his face, with a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. ¡°This is¡­ ¡± The content reflected from the green slab surprisingly contained large parts identical to the techniques described in the Nameless Heavenly Book! No wonder he had an inexplicably familiar feeling when he touched the slab before. Shen Luo, suppressing his excitement, continued to carefully examine the content of the golden text, comparing it repeatedly with the techniques he had practiced. He finally confirmed that the techniques recorded here were in fact the ones from the Nameless Heavenly Book. However, the difference was that the techniques recorded here were not the eight-layered ones, but the thirteen-layered ones. The first one, the second one, and the last three were all lost, and the content of the seventh technique was largely incomplete. Only the remaining techniques seemed to be intact. ¡°Fortunately, the tenth to fifteenth techniques are quite complete, including how to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage. One less obstacle to deal with when I go back. If the cultivation goes smoothly, with the Nameless Cultivation Technique in hand, it''s possible to cultivate up to the Great Mahayana stage.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t conceal his joy and murmured to himself. With that, he continued to look through them and soon found a technique called the ¡°Water Soul Technique¡± within the techniques. This technique required cultivation after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, and it was a secret technique for eliciting a doppelganger from the root spirit combined with the water element. In the initial phase, the cultivator''s root spirit cannot be divided, and at most can only condense a doppelganger with independent consciousness. Although it doesn''t have the robust form of the main body, it can implement most of the main body''s mystic arts, and its strength can be as close to the main body as seventy to eighty percent. When the technique is cultivated to a deep realm, and the root spirit becomes more stable, multiple root spirits can be divided to merge into water doppelgangers, thus allowing multiple doppelgangers to act separately. The more Shen Luo read, the more astonished he became. He quickly collected his scattered thoughts, memorized all the mnemonic mantras of the Nameless Cultivation Technique projected in the light, and immediately sat cross-legged to practice. His present experience of cultivation in the Dreamland has deeply influenced him in reality, he must seize the time to familiarize himself with this technique. It''s a pity that the Huangting Technique, which he had been painstakingly cultivating previously, had always been elusive in reality, making progress agonizingly slow to the point of insignificance. In just a quarter of an hour, Shen Luo thoroughly mastered the tenth layer of the Nameless Cultivation Technique. However, since he had already passed the Nascent Soul Stage earlier, he could not feel the fine sensation of breaking through the Nascent Soul Stage again. He could only dwell on every insight he had during his practice to lay a solid foundation for practicing in reality. After finishing the tenth layer, Shen Luo didn''t take a break but continued to practice the following techniques. Chapter 600 Chapter 600: Chapter 596: Inheritance Chapter 600: Chapter 596: Inheritance Time quickly passed, it has already been three days. In the hinterland of the East Sea Dragon Palace, close to the Dragon Abyss, there is a towering stone platform, standing several feet above the ground and spanning over a hundred feet. Eighty-one Rising Dragon Pillars surround it, each engraved with a lifelike green coiled dragon, each clutching a treasure pearl, all proudly facing the center of the stone platform. At this moment, the surroundings of the stone platform have already been filled with water descendants of the Dragon Palace, each solemnly waiting for that glorious and sacred moment. Shen Luo stood shoulder to shoulder with Qing Chi at the forefront of the crowd. scanning the surroundings with his eyes, he noticed many formidable aquatic clan monks he hadn''t seen before, including the green-skinned shark people he had met before and the deep-sea giants covered in scale armor that he hadn''t, he asked Qing Chi curiously. ¡°These are soldiers of the Dragon Palace who were originally stationed in different parts of the Eastern Sea, as well as some freelance cultivators. They have all returned to the Dragon Palace, some to defend the palace, others just to witness this historic moment,¡± Qing Chi immediately replied. ¡°I see.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Hum¡­¡± At this time, eight merfolk strongmen with purplish-green skin advanced, each carrying a white conch as big as a water jar, they blew into it with all their strength. A series of unique sound waves emanated, rippling towards the sea area in all directions, spreading along the crystal light curtain of the Dragon Palace, reaching tens of thousands of feet away. The vast amount of deep-sea creatures that were roaming around, froze and stopped in their tracks as they heard the sound. But in the next instant, they appeared to have been summoned, swimming towards the direction of the Dragon Palace. At the same time, within the Dragon Palace, the stationed soldiers as well as the aquatic inhabitants all stopped their activities, standing solemnly, gazing motionlessly towards the direction of the Ascending Dragon Platform. On the Ascending Dragon Platform, golden light flickered high in the sky, two golden dragons, one large and one small, swirled and descended from the sky, landing in the middle of the stone platform. The golden light revealed the silhouettes of two figures, that were the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang and the Ninth Prince Ao Hong. ¡°Greetings to the Dragon King.¡± Seeing this, everyone bowed in reverence. ¡°I appreciate the assistance from all of you, you have guarded the Eastern Sea for eons, then again everything in the world is finite. Today, we commence the Ascending Dragon Platform again, in order to bestow our ancestor''s spirit onto the ninth prince, Ao Hong. I hope you will faithfully assist him in the future, protect our Eastern Sea water descendants in these end times, and bring prosperity to the people of the world.¡± Upon seeing this, Ao Guang waved to everyone, and said. Upon hearing this, everyone''s faces showed sadness, it was silent for a while, with no one speaking. ¡°We will adhere to the Dragon King''s command.¡± After a moment, a loud voice suddenly came from the other side of the stone platform. Everyone followed the voice and saw Ao Zhong bowing with his fists, saying those words to the two people in the center of the stone platform, indicating that it was him who had spoken. ¡°We will adhere to the Dragon King''s command.¡± Following that, another voice rang out. This time it was from the highly-respected Tortoise Chancellor of the Dragon Palace, Yuan Yi. With them leading, the people of the Dragon Palace then all began to speak in turn. The sounds of ¡°we will adhere to the Dragon King''s command¡± rang out one after another, echoing around the entire Ascending Dragon Platform. Seeing this, a very pleased Ao Guang stepped forward and raised his hand to quiet everyone down. Yuan Yi walked forward, in his hands was a Golden Threads Silk Book, carefully opening it, he began to recite the Sky Sacrifice text written on it, ¡°The Dragon Clan, anointed by the heavens, inherits from the ancestors, and gives blessings to the world¡­¡± After finishing the recitation, he glanced at the crowd and declared, ¡°The inheritance ceremony formally begins!¡± With that, the hum of spiraling sounds filled the surroundings once again, and Yuan Yi slowly descended from the Ascending Dragon Platform, leaving only Father and Son, Ao Guang and Ao Hong, on the platform. ¡°The process of inheritance will be somewhat painful. You need to bear it. The more you can endure and withstand, the more potent the inherited Dragon Soul will be,¡± Ao Guang steadily approached Ao Hong and spoke. ¡°Compared to what Father endured, it''s nothing. I won''t disappoint you again,¡± Ao Hong forced a smile. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You have never disappointed me, on the contrary, I must have let you down back then, right?¡± Ao Guang sighed. Ao Hong shook his head and said, ¡°I was confused then, but now I understand. In the end, it was my lack of strength, failing to protect Ying''er, but in the future, even if it kills me, I will protect the Dragon Palace and the Eastern Sea.¡± His final words resonated strong and impactful. Ao Guang''s eyes lite up slightly upon hearing this, nodding his head, and didn''t say anything more. Suddenly, his eyes concentrated, glowing with golden light, and he, once more, looked extraordinarily upright. Following this, he started to softly chant an incredibly ancient Dragon Clan Ballad. It was a language that Shen Luo had never heard, nor could he understand, but the ballad was desolate and forceful. It had an indescribable penetrating power that directly struck the soul of everyone present. Shen Luo only felt as if a battle song was echoing distantly and faintly in his ears. His blood felt stimulated, involuntarily surging and rolling, filling his heart with boundless war intent. Just then, as the sound of the Dragon Clan war song gradually fell, a loud and clear Dragon Chant suddenly resounded. Everyone was jolted awake and looked towards the Ascending Dragon Platform. They saw Ao Guang''s figure rising, enveloped in golden light, once again transforming into a hundred-feet Golden Dragon spiraling in the sky. His Dragon Head watched Ao Hong below, his pupils ablaze with golden flames. Ao Hong looked towards the sky, exchanging glances with his Father from a distance while the golden light in his eyes gradually brightened. Accompanied by the sound of a flame soaring, the golden blaze in Ao Guang''s eyes began to spew out, engulfing his entire gigantic golden dragon form, causing it to burn fiercely. Unimaginably rich Divine Dragon True Origin was transforming into golden light, like countless fireflies scattering, flowing towards the eight giant Coiling Dragon Pillars surrounding them. At the moment the golden light flowed in, the entire Ascending Dragon Platform shook violently. The carved dragons coiled around the eight Coiling Dragon Pillars seemed to suddenly spring to life, their forms twisted, their huge heads peered down at Ao Hong below, as though judging whether this inheritor was qualified to accept the Ancestor Dragon''s gift. Ao Hong clenched his fists, looked towards the sky, his eyes turned utterly golden. Upon witnessing the disintegration of the golden dragon in the sky formed by Ao Guang, an earth-shattering roar erupted from his mouth. Upon its resounding, the coiled dragons around the stone pillars seemed to be inspired, roaring back. However, their roars were silent, with only a pure burst of Dragon Element effusing from their mouths, converging towards Ao Hong. At the same time, the charm patterns engraved on the stone platform beneath Ao Hong''s feet began to light up, creating a vortex that spiraled out around him, attracting the torrent of Dragon Element plunging into it, submerging his entire figure within. ¡°Boom boom boom¡­¡± The booming resonated within the golden light, keeping everyone in the surroundings silent. They could only quietly watch the spectacle unfolding before them. As for Ao Hong, who was in the midst of the golden light, apart from the initial roar, there was no other sound. Through layers of golden light, they could only see his figure standing still in place, just like an unshakeable cast-iron sculpture. Chapter 601 Chapter 601: Chapter 597: Becoming King of the Mountain Chapter 601: Chapter 597: Becoming King of the Mountain At this moment, Shen Luo''s heart was filled with astonishment as he saw a huge shadow faintly emerging behind Ao Hong amid the golden light. The figure was that of a divine dragon coiling up, with two gigantic golden wings on its back, which was exactly the image of Ying Dragon. The moment this illusory figure emerged, a powerful aura began to radiate from the Ascending Dragon Platform. The surrounding Eastern Sea water descendants instantly felt an overwhelmingly powerful sense of submission. Around the stone platform, everyone kneeled in unison. Shen Luo, however, did not kneel. He slightly nodded his head, placing one hand on his chest in a show of respect. After a while, all the golden light merged into Ao Hong''s body. He stood on Ascending Dragon Platform, bathing in golden light, his aura had changed entirely. The fluctuations in his mana were so strong, they were already approaching the peak of True Immortal. Suddenly, Ao Hong''s figure rose into the sky. He transformed into a several hundred feet long Golden Divine Dragon, winding his way upward. Ignoring the Crystal Wall of the Dragon Palace, he passed directly through it, into the deep sea. ¡°Roar¡­.¡± Ao Hong roared, causing the entire East Sea to shake violently. Waves rose from all parts of the sea, stirring up enormous billows that took a long time to calm down. In various parts of the deep sea, the Aquatic Clan, joyfully swimming around the Dragon Palace, began to call out. At this moment the Eastern Sea had a new king, a king who inherited more of the Ying Dragon''s spirit than ever before. Outside the Ascending Dragon Platform, Yuan Yi looked up at the sky, his old eyes were moist, a bit blurry, but mostly filled with gratification. Qing Chi''s eyes were both bright with excitement, biting his lip so hard he wouldn''t allow himself to choke up. Shen Luo patted his shoulder, smiled and looked toward the high sky. Two days later, Ao Hong began to gather the various tribes of the Eastern Sea. These once scattered tribes had started to regroup under the new Dragon King, showing a new vitality. After two more days, Shen Luo bid farewell to Ao Hong and left the East Sea Dragon Palace for the Aolai Kingdom. Time flew by, and several months had passed in the blink of an eye. There was a coastline hundreds of miles long outside the Aolai Kingdom. The coastline was eroded by the sea, and was rugged with many reefs. On the coast, a few dark-skinned, tusk-mouthed demons were set up a bonfire against the sea breeze, with a huge oil pot on top. The flames surged below, and the oil in the pot was boiling. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Next to the oil pot laid a Black-skinned middle-aged man, his clothes weather-beaten, his hands full of old calluses and numerous cuts. At a glance, he seemed to be a fisherman who lived by the sea. His body was bound by hemp rope, rubbed raw in places and bleeding, his body was hunched, looking like a shrimp waiting to be boiled in the oil pot. Tears streaked down the man''s face and his pupils trembled violently. He was obviously terrified to the extreme. His body kept struggling, but because his mouth was stuffed with a piece of rag, he could only make muffled noises. ¡°Stop yelling, or I''ll skin you alive,¡± a blue-skinned monster by his side scolded angrily, and kicked the man. Several other creatures nearby were filled with derision, one of them shouted: ¡°Big brother, don''t scare him anymore. If he craps himself from fear, the taste will be ruined.¡± ¡°Bah, what''s the big deal? In the past, every time we would just tear it in half and eat it raw. Now we have to go to all the trouble of steaming, boiling, frying, and roasting like the human race. So annoying.¡± An elder from the Demon Race said with a face full of disgust. ¡°Old Ghost, didn''t our Great King say that eating raw flesh and blood is too bloody? Just the smell of blood alone would stink up the entire mountain. We should be more civilized. Besides, isn''t frying a lot tastier than eating it raw?¡± The lead monster laughed. ¡°That''s true, hehe¡­¡± The older demon chuckled in agreement. ¡°Alright, it''s about time to throw it in the pot. Strip him and toss him in.¡± The head demon glanced at the pot of oil and chuckled. ¡°Okay.¡± One of the little demons responded and was about to start undressing the man. Just then, the waves at the beach suddenly surged. A water blade glowing with blue light shot out from the water, piercing the head of the little demon as easily as a knife cuts through tofu. Before the others could react, the water blade looped in mid-air, piercing through the other monsters with a few light ¡°thud¡± sounds. Finally, the water blade swished past the middle-aged man and flew into the fire below the frying pan, extinguishing the fire as it dissipated. The middle-aged man felt the binds on him loosen and immediately struggled to get up. He was horrified to see the monsters around him with their heads pierced through and he fell back down, screaming in terror. Only then did he notice a young man in a grey cloak by the coast. The cloaked young man walked up and removed his hat, revealing a handsome face. It was Shen Luo, who had been traveling from the East Sea Dragon Palace. The middle-aged man, seeing he was human, immediately collapsed in tears and began to kneel and bow incessantly. With difficulty, Shen Luo stopped him and helped him to his feet, then asked, ¡°Is this the territory of Aolai Kingdom?¡± ¡°Immortal, there is no¡­ no Aolai Kingdom anymore, the capital city¡­ it has been taken over by the demons and ghosts. From the emperor to the princes, all of them¡­ they have all been eaten up¡­¡± The terrified middle-aged man stuttered. ¡°Then do you know which direction is Flower Fruit Mountain?¡± Upon hearing the middle-aged man''s answer, Shen Luo sighed silently and continued his questioning. On hearing Shen Luo wanted to go to Flower Fruit Mountain, the middle-aged man was terrified and quickly waved his hands, ¡°You can''t go there, you can''t go, Immortal. That place is off-limits.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that area also occupied by demons?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Occupied, it''s more than that. That place is now a complete devil''s den. Big and small demons are everywhere, claiming the mountain as their kingdom. Most of the people of Aolai Kingdom who hadn''t been eaten are being held there,¡± said the middle-aged man, regaining some fluency in his speech. ¡°What happened to you? How did you end up in the hands of these monsters?¡± Shen Luo took a glance at the man''s ragged state and asked. ¡°I was originally a fisherman in this seaside village. When the demons arrived, they killed and ate humans on sight. Seeing that the village was no longer safe, everyone fled to the sea. I took a risk to return this time, wanting to find some food for my wife and children. Who knew I''d bump into these damned monsters.¡± The middle-aged man lamented. ¡°This place is not safe, you should hurry back.¡± Shen Luo advised. ¡°I''ll go now, I''ll go now. Thank you for saving my life, Immortal.¡± After saying this, the middle-aged man fell back to the ground, bowed three times to Shen Luo, and stood up to point out the direction to Flower Fruit Mountain. He then quickly ran back toward the coast. Chapter 602 Chapter 602: Chapter 598: Sneaking Up the Mountain Chapter 602: Chapter 598: Sneaking Up the Mountain After standing in deep thought for a moment, Shen Luo made a spell with one hand, hiding his breath, before setting off in the direction of the Flower Fruit Mountain. Not long after walking along the shore, a fishing village appeared ahead, seemingly unoccupied, exuding a bleak and depressing atmosphere. He stooped low and stealthily passed by, looking around, he saw that the majority of the houses in the village had collapsed. Everywhere were remnants of crumbled earth walls overgrown with weeds and green moss. It was apparent that the village had been abandoned for a long time. Walking into the village, most of the sites were left scorched black, still bearing the traces of fire. At numerous corners of houses and the bottom of walls, piles of scattered human and animal bones could be seen. Some had become nests for sand crabs and centipedes, crawling in and out of the dried skulls. Getting out of the village, a twisting trail hidden in the grass led into the forest behind. Shen Luo followed the trail into the forest for half an hour until he heard rowdy noises ahead. He cautiously approached and saw several oddly looking monsters at the entrance to the mountain. One of them seemed to be the leader, a humanoid with a bear''s head, extremely tall and covered with black hair. He was wearing a worn-out iron armor and seemed to only be at the Grain Avoidance stage. In his hand, he held a short red flag, flaunting it boastfully to the other green-skinned little demons, proudly declaring, ¡°Hehe, see that, see that, this mountain patrol command was personally bestowed to me by the Third Cave Master!¡± ¡°Wow, Brother Bear sure is capable! You even got to meet the Third Cave Master? And you received a flag from him?¡± one of the little demons said with surprise. ¡°Impressive, impressive! Among us newly recruited little demons, only Brother Bear is this capable. We also get to gain some prestige because of him, hehe¡­¡± The remaining little demons all clapped in unison, complimenting him. Only a single-horned little demon with a confused expression asked, ¡°Isn''t every mountain patrol team supposed to have a patrol command? Zhu Ye Wu also seems to have one. I caught a glimpse of it from afar, and it looks quite similar¡­¡± ¡°What do you know? Is Zhu Ye Wu''s flag personally given by the Third Cave Master? Does his flag carry the fragrance of the Third Cave Master?¡± The Black Bear Demon''s expression instantly darkened at his comment and angrily retorted. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What fragrance?¡± The single-horned little demon ignorant of the ways of the world couldn''t help but ask. The Black Bear Demon rolled his eyes, reluctantly stretched the mountain patrol command flag to the single-horned demon''s eyes, gave it a quick wave, and then quickly pulled it back, asking, ¡°Did you smell it?¡± ¡°I smelled it, I smelled it¡­ It seems to be the smell of a skunky fox.¡± The single-horned little demon frowned, hurriedly covered his nose, and said. A little demon close to him quickly covered his mouth, preventing him from blabbering further. The Black Bear Demon naturally heard his comment. It held the flag to its nose and took a deep breath, a satisfied and intoxicated expression immediately spread across its face. Meanwhile, in its mind appeared the image of the Third Cave Master, a thousand-year-old fox after transforming. The seductive curves of its body caused his heart to itch unbearably. ¡°It''s because of me that you''re still alive with that loose tongue of yours. Otherwise, God knows how many times you''d have died already.¡± After savoring the scent, Black Bear Demon wiped the drool from the corner of its mouth, smacked the single-horned demon on its head with his big cattail fan-shaped hand, and said. The little demon held his head and was about to argue when his eyes suddenly lit up. He spotted a person in coarse clothes, weak and staggering, a frail scholar, coming towards them over the long deserted trail. ¡°Quick, quick¡­someone''s coming.¡± The single-horned demon hastily shouted. The other little demons were all startled and quickly formed their defense line, all turning to look. Only after they saw that it really was a weak and defenseless young scholar approaching, did they relax their guard. The scholar was, of course, Shen Luo in disguise. He initially wanted to head directly up the mountain, but considering the mountain was crawling with monsters, he was afraid of accidentally stirring up a hornet''s nest and attracting more trouble. He then came up with a plan: he simply disguised himself as a scholar and confidently strode over. As the one-horned little demon shouted out, Shen Luo pretended as if he had just seen them as well. He cried out in alarm, ¡°Ah¡­ There¡­ there are monsters!¡±, and then abruptly turned around, running away in apparent fear. After running a few steps, he ¡°accidentally¡± tripped over a stone and fell flat on his face, as if he was eating mud. The small group of monsters immediately circled around him, chortling as they pinned him to the ground in a flash. ¡°Great King, spare me, spare me¡­¡± Shen Luo feigned terror and cried out a few times, but the monsters didn''t pay him any heed, acting as if they hadn''t heard him at all. ¡°Ho ho, never thought we''d run into such a clean-looking person from the human race at this time. If we offer him to the Great King, he might even reward us with a little merit,¡± a small demon stepped on Shen Luo''s rear and laughed to himself. ¡°This small merit isn''t even worth reporting. We''d be better off roasting him ourselves. This tender and smooth meat will definitely taste good,¡± another small demon licked his lips and said, smirking. ¡°Excellent, excellent. We just happen to need to banish our hunger a little. If we miss such good fresh meat, it''ll be hard to find again.¡± The one-horned little demon also salivated, swallowing his saliva and said. The Black Bear Demon at the front furrowed his brow and shouted, ¡°When did you all start becoming so unruly? What is our Mountain Patrol Team''s duty?¡± ¡°To patrol the mountain, report immediately if any abnormality is found,¡± the one-horned little demon immediately stood up straight and replied loudly. ¡°Should the appearance of this human be considered abnormal?¡± the Black Bear Demon asked again. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the other two little demons understood his meaning and promptly replied. ¡°So, should it be reported if it''s an abnormality?¡± The Black Bear Demon''s voice rose again as he shouted. ¡°It should, it should, of course it should,¡±the other small demons chimed in together. ¡°Mm, at least you all still remember, at least you haven''t forgotten. I''ll take this human back to Flower Fruit Mountain, and if there are any rewards, I''ll definitely bring them back to you,¡± the Black Bear Demon finally nodded in satisfaction. With that, he had Shen Luo tied up with rope by the other small demons. He then lead him by the rope, pulling Shen Luo towards Flower Fruit Mountain. ¡°With this kid as an excuse, I can see the Third Cave Master again, hehe¡­¡± Only after they were out of the sight of the other small demons did the Black Bear Demon reveal a grin and murmur to himself. On hearing this, Shen Luo was left speechless, allowing the demon to urge him up the mountain. Midway, in order to make his act of being a powerless commoner more convincing, he stumbled all the way, and even pretended to faint due to exhaustion. After the Black Bear Demon had kicked him a few times and seen no signs of him waking up, he simply hoisted Shen Luo onto his shoulder. Surprisingly, their pace quickened. Shen Luo took advantage of the rare moment of relaxation and continued to pretend to be unconscious, allowing the Black Bear Demon to carry him up the mountain. From the small fishing village in front, they bypassed seven or eight checkpoints. Along the way, there were various patrolling monsters appearing in groups, some of which were even in the Nascent Soul Stage. After a covert sweep from his Divine Sense, Shen Luo felt relieved that he hadn''t acted recklessly earlier. If he had caused a major commotion, the abundant little demons all over the mountain would have been enough to drive him mad. Chapter 603 Chapter 603: Chapter 599: Heart Fox Cave Master Chapter 603: Chapter 599: Heart Fox Cave Master The Black Bear Demon strode towards the foot of Flower Fruit Mountain, paused to rest a little, and Shen Luo took the opportunity to observe his surroundings. Flower Fruit Mountain isn''t very high, but the scenery is exceptionally beautiful, with tall mountains and flowing rivers, unique and exquisite. The whole mountain is obscured by dense forests, only a barren area can be seen halfway up the mountain where rocks are slightly exposed, and in the middle hangs a magnificent white waterfall, where the rumbling sound of water can be heard from afar. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Could that be where the Water Curtain Cave of Flower Fruit Mountain is located? As Shen Luo was thinking, the Black Bear Demon had already finished resting and was continuing to carry him up the mountain. Here, the trail was no longer a rocky path, but a man-made stone path, with stretches of stone steps leading up to the middle of the mountain, and there were also many demons stationed along the way. When the two arrived at the platform at the end of the mountain path, they were stopped by a group of soldiers stationed there. The leader here was a Wild Boar Demon in the Late Nascent Soul stage, who after verifying the identity of the Black Bear Demon, carefully asked about Shen Luo''s situation. He then personally used his Divine Sense to inspect Shen Luo and the others. It was only after confirming there were no mistakes that they were allowed to take a horizontal road on the left side of the platform towards the Water Curtain Cave. Before reaching the Water Curtain Cave, the sound of the cascading waterfall could already be heard from afar. Shen Luo squinted his eyes and looked over, seeing a white waterfall hundreds of feet high pouring down from above the mountain cliff, creating waves on the mountain wall along the way, splashing water droplets like scattered pearls. Several caves were excavated on the mountainside next to the waterfall, and in front of them were buildings similar to those of the human race, with red bricks and green tiles, guarded by mighty demons. Before the Black Bear Demon even approached, he seemed to lose his nerve, and his steps involuntarily slowed down. ¡°What''s going on?¡± At this moment, a loud yell was heard. A leopard-headed man with armor, with a tiger-headed knife hanging from his waist, his eyes focused, and his face full of fierceness, came striding towards them with a group of patrolling guards. ¡°I greet the Leopard Commander, we caught a white-faced scholar and brought him to the Third Cave Master¡­¡± Seeing this, the Black Bear Demon hastily dropped Shen Luo on the ground and saluted him with a fist, his demeanor extremely respectful. The Leopard Commander heard this, walked over, kicked Shen Luo over with his foot, took a moment to inspect him, and nodded his head in satisfaction. ¡°Not bad, this is the kind of goods the Third Cave Master likes. Alright, you may leave. I will take this man to the Third Cave Master and a merit will be counted for you.¡± The Leopard Commander tilted his chin at the Black Bear Demon and said. The Black Bear Demon was taken aback when he heard this, cursing inwardly, but he dared not show any anger on his face and could only chuckle: ¡°Then I shall count on the Leopard Commander, and hope you will put in a good word for me.¡± ¡°Alright, rest assured.¡± The Leopard Commander saw that he was so cooperative, nodded in satisfaction and said. Upon hearing this, the Black Bear Demon could only curse inwardly once more and turned to leave. ¡°Go, tie this guy up.¡± The Leopard Commander smirked and instructed the little demon behind him. Two little demons immediately helped up Shen Luo, who was still feigning unconsciousness, and followed the Leopard Commander towards a cave mansion next to the waterfall. Just as they reached the entrance of the cave mansion, even before they managed to announce their arrival, they saw a graceful figure from within the gate tower, rhythmically swaying her way outside. Shen Luo stole a glance and found it to be an exquisite woman dressed in a pink gauze dress. Her bosom was high and full, her waist slim, her features flawless. The soft tenderness mirrored in her almond-shaped eyes seemed boundless, and her whole body emanated a natural seductive aura. Shen Luo was entranced even by a mere glimpse. ¡°Oh, I smelled this human aura from afar. It''s so much better than the ones confined in the cave.¡± The Fox Demon Woman came closer, leaned in, deeply inhaled, and spoke. As her body bent forward, there was a grand sight of surging curves before them. The Leopard Commander was dumbstruck by the view and stuttered: ¡°This¡­ this¡­ is specially brought to you, Cave Master, for tasting.¡± ¡°Hehe, how thoughtful of you. Hand him over.¡± The Fox Demon smirked and reached out her delicate hand. She hooked her fingers, and a pink mist flowed forth from her fingertips as if it were a clump of clouds, lifting Shen Luo''s body. The moment Shen Luo smelled the pink mist, he immediately recognized that something was amiss and held his breath. ¡°Heart Fox Cave Master, have you gone crazy with longing for men? You dare to indulge someone like this?¡± The Fox Demon Woman turned to walk into her cave mansion, but a shout came from behind. At the sound of the shout, the Fox Demon Woman frowned and turned to see a gray-haired old horse monkey leaning on a wisteria cane that looked like a coiling dragon as he wore a green robe. His cheeks were dull red, his fur dark grey, his long eyebrows shiny white and his black pupils radiated vitality, deep like an ancient well. His stature was not tall and slightly stooped, but his demeanor oddly resembled a Daoist Immortal. ¡°Ape Elder, what do you mean by that?¡± The Fox Demon Woman''s eyes narrowed slightly as she asked. ¡°Heart Fox Cave Master, I can''t believe a fox like you who''s lived a thousand years can''t see that this man is concealing his aura, pretending to be a mere mortal?¡± The old horse monkey raised an eyebrow, challenging her. The Fox Demon Woman glanced at Shen Luo, her eyes devoid of surprise. Seeing this, a look of understanding flashed across the old horse monkey''s face. He chuckled, ¡°So the Cave Master knew it. I, the old horse monkey, was being unnecessarily garrulous.¡± Their conversation had already attracted a quite a few onlookers, causing a hint of irritation to flash across the Fox Demon Woman''s eyes. She had indeed detected the anomaly about Shen Luo, realizing he was a cultivator. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have tried to muddle him with her pink mist. However, the moment she used her secret technique to see through Shen Luo''s physical transparency and the flow of energy pathways, she already desired to make him her own. Once the Water Curtain Cave Master also found out about him, he would surely seize Shen Luo and refine him into a Flesh Pill. How then would she draw the Pure Yang Qi from him? Moreover, this man had an exceptionally handsome face and was dressed as a scholar. Wasn''t he just her type? Listening to the conversation between the two, Shen Luo was feeling quite dejected. He originally planned to sneak into Flower Fruit Mountain and maybe even into the Water Curtain Cave to see whether he could find any clues about the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. If possible, he wanted to save those being detained there. But before he could act, his cover was blown. ¡°Since I can''t stay undercover, perhaps I should try a frontal approach.¡± His eyes flashed open, and he performed a backflip in mid-air to break free from the pink mist and landed on his feet. The Leopard Commander and others were shocked at this sight and immediately surrounded him. ¡°How is that possible? My Danxin Mist incapacitates any ordinary monks who even lightly brush upon it, but why isn''t he affected at all?¡± The Fox Demon looked Shen Luo up and down, a hint of surprise in her eyes, murmuring to herself. Chapter 604 Chapter 604: Chapter 600: Havoc in the Water Curtain Cave Chapter 604: Chapter 600: Havoc in the Water Curtain Cave ¡°Heart Fox Cave Master, it seems you''ve miscalculated.¡± The gray-haired old horse monkey chuckled. ¡°Ape Elder, this fellow can easily break free from my Danxin Mist, possibly a True Immortal Cultivator. Instead of mocking me, why don''t we combine our forces and capture him?¡± The fox demon named Xin Hu charmingly smiled and spoke. ¡°I''m only here to watch the fun; reminding you prior was already my obligation, I won''t meddle in your affairs anymore¡­¡± The old horse monkey didn''t buy into her talk, jestingly responded. ¡°What are you all doing just standing there, seize him!¡± Seeing the situation, a flash of anger crossed Xin Hu''s eyes and she sharply reprimanded. As her words fell, the Leopard Commander and others immediately made a move, attacking Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyes hardened, the Huan Ting Jing rotating inside his body, he made a sharp turn, swung his leg forward and released a wave of enormous Qi energy. It instantly knocked away the multitude of little demons like the Leopard Commander, causing numerous casualties. The demons stationed around sensed that things were amiss, and hurriedly started to crowd towards the situation. Seeing this, the old horse monkey''s eyes flickered with surprise, a puzzled look on his face. Noticing a large number of demons approaching, Shen Luo didn''t hesitate any further. He immediately leapt into the air, heading straight towards the waterfall on the cliff, intending to forcefully enter the Water Curtain Cave. ¡°How dare you, attempting to break into the Water Curtain Cave?¡± Xin Hu noticed and immediately exclaimed in shock. While speaking, she pushed her hands down, whereupon a surge of pink mist erupted beneath her. Nine thick fox tails emerged from behind her, shooting toward Shen Luo like nine serpents. As the fox tails neared, an identical pink mist drifted around and, like flower pollen, floated towards Shen Luo. Just when Shen Luo''s feet were about to be ensnared by the fox tails, he abruptly turned his head back and swung a punch at the fox tails. At the time of his punch, a dragon chant and elephant cry echoed from behind, a golden dragon coiled around his arm while a gold elephant charged out. Both merged into a giant golden shadow of a fist and crashed down. A semi-immortal level fox demon was not worth him exerting more Dragon Elephant Power. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A ¡°boom¡± rang out, a severe shockwave spread throughout the void. The nine fox tails were all forced back by the overwhelming power enveloped in his punch, a strong gust followed, blowing all the pink mist away. Xin Hu felt an incomparably strong force approaching. Her body, as though hitting a mountain, was thrown backward. With a ¡°boom¡±, she crashed into the gate tower of her Cave Mansion. Shen Luo, however, didn''t even glance her way as he shot past, aiming straight for the Water Curtain Cave. Just as he was about to pass through the water curtain, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly narrowed. He sensed an extraordinarily strong Breath heading towards him from the other side of the water curtain. Alarm bells rang for Shen Luo, he immediately turned his wrist, brandishing the Liuchen Whip in front of him, blocking it. Almost simultaneously, a dazzling aqugreen light filtered through, tearing the waterfall''s water curtain apart, and a Wolf Fang Club, wrapped in green light, protruded from within, striking the Liuchen Whip directly. A dull ¡°thud¡± echoed in the surroundings. A force, so massive it was indescribable, passed through the Liuchen Whip, directly hitting Shen Luo. Grunting in discomfort, he was sent flying back by hundreds of feet before he barely managed to steady himself. A hint of surprise flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as he focused his gaze in the direction of the Water Curtain Cave. What he saw was a stalwart Blue Bull Spirit ¨C an impressive figure with a bull''s head, a human torso, clad in green armor, brandishing a demon-slaying Wolf Fang Club, who stepped through the water curtain and was suspended in mid-air. The face of this Blue Bull Spirit bore a long scarring wound, and within its eyes, a faint golden light shimmered. A large cloak of black against a red backdrop fluttered about his figure, instantly asserting a fierce aura as it rustled with the wind. ¡°Who dares trespass upon my Water Curtain Cave Mansion?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit roared in anger, causing the entire Flower Fruit Mountain to tremble. Nearly all the demons below, including Xin Hu, immediately prostrated themselves on the ground in submission, proclaiming ¡°Your Majesty¡±. Only the aged horse monkey did not kneel. Instead, he held his walking stick and respectfully lowered his head. Shen Luo did not respond, he merely sized up the Blue Bull Spirit and discovered that it was a Demon of the True Immortal Middle Stage causing him to mentally murmur, ¡°This is getting troublesome.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this person pretended to be a mortal and got captured intentionally by our patrolling demons. He had been eager to infiltrate the Water Curtain Cave, it''s apparent that his intentions are to liberate those who are imprisoned,¡± Xin Hu promptly reported. Upon hearing this, the Blue Bull Spirit glanced over at Shen Luo, a hint of ridicule flashed in his eyes. He slowly stated, ¡°It''s been ages since anyone last came for these worthless captives. What kind of creature are you to have such audacity?¡± ¡°I may lack the courage of a dog, but I might get to try bull gallbladder soon. I''m just wondering if it would taste better raw, or steeped in liquor,¡± Shen Luo retorted unhurriedly. ¡°Seeking death.¡± The Blue Bull Spirit cursed, a flicker of hidden rage in his eyes. Just how many years had it been since the last time a human dared to talk to him in such a manner? Before he finished speaking, he lunged forward. His Wolf Fang Club emitted dazzling bursts of green light, unfurling gusts of howling cyclones that were launched towards Shen Luo. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo swiftly swung Li Jing''s Liuchen Whip, and it, too, began to emit gusts of black cyclones. When the two cyclones collided, they burst apart. The Blue Bull Spirit flew out from the shattered cyclones and swung his Wolf Fang Club straight down at Shen Luo. Shen Luo quickly moved Li Jing''s whip to block the attack. At that moment, his vision suddenly blurred as a flash of pink light appeared, and the Blue Bull Spirit vanished from sight. Replacing him was the sudden appearance of a woman''s shadow that drifted ethereally in front of his eyes. Sensing danger, Shen Luo was preparing to fully unleash his divine sense power when a gust of wind broke the silence above his head. The illusionary fairy-like figure in front of his eyes was torn apart by a streak of green light, and the Wolf Fang Club reappeared, landing heavy on the Liuchen Whip. A dull ''thud'' echoed out, and Shen Luo''s arms shook violently. He found himself plummeting down. Beneath him, a cloud of pink mist suddenly burst open as the ground he once perceived disappeared. A gaping mouth of a gigantic snow-white fox''s face materialized beneath him, lunging upwards to bite him. In his haste, Shen Luo found it hard to differentiate reality from illusion as he raised his whip to strike at the mouth snapping at him underneath. Instead, the creature''s massive fox face didn''t even attempt to dodge and clamped down onto Shen Luo''s Liuchen Whip with a wide-open mouth. But before he even had time to retract his whip, he felt a tension spread all over his body, as if he was captured by something. At this point, the pink smoke began to disperse rapidly, and the giant white fox face beneath Shen Luo vanished, allowing him to witness the scene before his eyes. The Blue Bull Spirit was standing there, one hand gripping his Liuchen Whip and the other holding a golden rope as thick as a thumb. The other end of that rope was wrapped tightly around Shen Luo''s body. At the feet of the Blue Bull Spirit, the Pink Skirt Fox Demon crouched, her mouth bleeding as she slowly ingested a pink Demon pellet into her stomach. ¡°This¡­ it seems like Li Jing''s Liuchen Whip. How did it end up in your hands?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit peered closely at the Liuchen Whip held in his hand, a flicker of surprise emerged in his eyes as he questioned. Chapter 605 Chapter 605: Chapter 601: The Old Master''s Former Steed Chapter 605: Chapter 601: The Old Master''s Former Steed Shen Luo, who was focused on none but using his powers, immediately began to run the Huangting Divine Power to its full extent. His body instantly erupted into a blinding golden light, with the phantoms of six dragons and six elephants starting to emerge around him. A powerful aura was then unleashed. But before the Dragon Elephant Phantom could fully form, the golden rope wound around Shen Luo suddenly radiated with golden light, giving rise to layered bird seal rune patterns. An overwhelming amount of prohibition power emanated from it. Following this, Shen Luo felt his Mana, which he just released around himself, being instantly absorbed by the golden rope, steadily flowing away like a broken dam. The Dragon Elephant Phantom, recently formed outside his body, began to dissipate rapidly with the loss of Mana. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. He hastily tried to rotate his techniques again, an attempt to break free from his bindings with one push. But the moment his Mana was mobilized, it was instantly absorbed by the prohibition rune on the golden rope. ¡°Don''t waste your energy. Unless you''re a Taiyi True Immortal, don''t fantasize about breaking free from this Golden Rope with brute strength. If you don''t believe me, give it a try. I''d like to see how much Mana you have,¡± said the Blue Bull Spirit, releasing a bit of tension from his Six Chen Whip, with a provocative smile. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo, with a subtle change of his mind, retracted the golden light around him. He stopped resisting with the Zhuangting Divine Power and instead summoned a layer of shimmering blue light, exhibiting the Water Repelling Technique. After the blue aura covering him brightened, it began to expand outward, attempting to pry open some space from the inside, to allow Shen Luo a chance to escape. However, the moment the blue light started to expand, the divine power of the Golden Rope activated once more, absorbing this portion of Mana again. Shen Luo sighed when he saw this, realizing that escaping these magical treasures using mystic arts was going to be difficult. ¡°It doesn''t seem like you''re the kind of stubborn fool who doesn''t know the ways of the world. Since that''s the case, don''t cause unnecessary trouble. Explain your origins, motives, and how the Six Chen Whip ended up in your possession,¡± the Blue Bull Spirit, seeing Shen Luo completely retract his Mana, apparently preparing to give up, mockingly said. ¡°You recognize this Six Chen Whip?¡± Instead of answering, Shen Luo asked. ¡°I saw Li Jing using it a few times when I was in Heaven. But didn''t he meet his utter demise? How did the Six Chen Whip end up with you?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit asked, puzzled. ¡°You''re an old member of the Heavenly Court?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°An old member of the Heavenly Court? Hehe¡­ I suppose so. Anyways, during the assault on Heavenly Court, many fools thought I should be standing on the side of the Heavenly Court,¡± the Blue Bull Spirit scoffed. ¡°So, you''re a traitor to the Heavenly Court,¡± said Shen Luo, appearing to understand. ¡°Given your current predicament, infuriating me will only make your death more miserable,¡± the Blue Bull Spirit sneered. In response, Shen Luo let out an amused smile, and then shouted, ¡°Rise!¡± The moment his words fell, a flicker of golden light appeared at the base of his spine, pushing him straight up into the heavens. The Blue Bull Spirit looked up in surprise as a robust pillar of gold suddenly shot up from the ground in front of him, rapidly expanding in both width and height at a visible rate, becoming both thicker and longer. ¡°This is¡­ the Ruyi Golden Cudgel?¡± The old horse monkey looked up into the sky, his eyes filled with astonishment. Shen Luo, propelled higher with the rapid expansion of the Refined Iron Stick, soon reached the clouds. The Refined Iron Stick attached to his back had grown as thick as a mountain peak. However, to his despair, the golden rope coiled around him and the SeAnchoring Iron Rod had also expanded a hundred times, still wrapped tightly around him. There was nothing to suggest that the rope was under strain or about to snap. Instead, the bird seal patterns on it only seemed to tighten. Seeing this, Shen Luo uttered another word, ¡°Retract.¡± The moment his word fell, the SeAnchoring Iron Rod immediately began to retract quickly, shrinking from being toweringly high to thousands of feet, hundreds of feet, until it was as short as ten feet¡­ To Shen Luo''s surprise, the Golden Rope that was wound around him stayed in step, shrinking rapidly with the steadily shrinking SeAnchoring Iron Rod, always bonding tightly to his body. As the Iron Rod shrunk back to its original size, Shen Luo was unable to find any opportunity to free himself. ¡°I heard long ago that after Sun Wukong took the SeSuppressing Divine Needle from the Eastern Sea, a replacement was created. It seems that you hold it in your hand now? Unfortunately, it ultimately differs from the real thing; it''s just a counterfeit item after all.¡± the Blue Bull Spirit spoke slowly. ¡°The Blue Bull of the Heavenly Court couldn''t possibly have such extensive knowledge. Could it be that you are¡­ Celestial Mount under Laojun?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo contemplated slightly and then said with a frown. The Blue Bull Spirit was taken aback upon hearing this. Before he could figure out Shen Luo''s identity, his own identity was guessed. ¡°As a wicked villain, you really shouldn''t talk too much. Now, honestly answer my question, or else I will make you wish you were dead.¡± The Blue Bull Spirit said with a cold smile. ¡°I am a surviving disciple from Mount Fangcun, I came from the Eastern Sea and went to Flower Fruit Mountain just to commemorate the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong, nothing more.¡± Shen Luo responded without hesitation. The Blue Bull Spirit was momentarily stunned. He thought Shen Luo would continue to resist, but instead, Shen Luo answered cleanly and straightforwardly, catching him off guard. ¡°Where did you get your Six Chen Whip? How are you related to Li Jing?¡± He asked after a brief moment of hesitation. ¡°Who is Li Jing? I don''t know him. This Six Chen Whip was collected by me during my travels from a battlefield relic.¡± Shen Luo answered without thinking. ¡°And what''s the deal with the imitation SeSuppressing Divine Needle Stick?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit asked. ¡°Didn''t the East Sea Dragon Palace get breached by demons before? I took advantage of the confusion and stole it.¡± Shen Luo replied. He was confident that the Blue Bull Spirit wasn''t aware of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, so he made up a wild story. Hearing this, the Blue Bull Spirit was silent for a moment before he started to mockingly laugh, ¡°In just a few sentences, there probably isn''t a single truthful one, it seems you won''t cry until you see your coffin.¡± Having said this, he turned his wrist and a palm-sized incense burner appeared in his hand. Inside it was a bright scarlet flame, yet no trace of smoke could be seen coming from it. He held the incense burner in his hand and blew a breath towards Shen Luo. The red flame in the incense burner suddenly brightened, and an incredibly hot breath immediately spewed out. A glimmering red spark flew out from the gap of the incense burner, aiming straight at Shen Luo''s forehead. Shen Luo could not dodge it, the spark hit his forehead, and he immediately felt an unbearable severe burning pain piercing deep into his mind, as if it had penetrated through his skull and into his divine soul. Making him let out a miserable cry. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A small trail of white smoke started rising from his forehead, his flesh had been burnt through in an instant. Fortunately, the power of this fire spark only lasted for an instant, exhausting its spiritual power very quickly and then extinguished and disappeared on its own. ¡°Doesn''t feel good does it, the power of Samadhi True Fire?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit derisively said. His forehead was still throbbing with pain, he could only tightly frown and shake his head, trying to alleviate the acute pain. Seeing that Shen Luo didn''t speak, the Blue Bull Spirit''s expression turned colder, he raised the incense burner ready to blow on it again. But right at that moment, a loud thud echoed from inside the mountain, followed by an enormous airwave gushing out from the entrance of the Water Curtain Cave. This huge wave scattered the water, splashing it around like falling rain. Chapter 606 Chapter 606: Chapter 602: Medicine People Chapter 606: Chapter 602: Medicine People ¡°Damn it, the Elixir¡­¡± Blue Bull Spirit''s face slightly changed. He fiercely hit his forehead, turned around anxiously, and rushed towards the Water Curtain Cave. But after taking two steps, he turned back and shouted, ¡°Take this guy to my cave mansion, and lock him up with those Medicine People.¡± After saying that, he leapt high, and in an instant, he flew into the Water Curtain Cave. On seeing this, the old horse monkey quickly walked up, ordered the little demons on either side to seize Shen Luo, and headed towards the Water Curtain Cave. Shen Luo was held up by two demons. After staggering a few steps, the severe pain in his brow began to fade. The Great Unsealing Technique started to operate by itself, a light traveled from his body to his brow, initiating the healing process for the injury. However, even before the injury started healing, the golden rope on his body got activated again, absorbing all the mana that had just started to circulate. Shen Luo sighed in his heart and could only temporarily stop trying. The old horse monkey led others and flew into the Water Curtain Cave with Shen Luo. After passing through a curtain of water, they landed on an arch bridge. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked around and found that inside the cave mansion, huge Night Pearls were embedded everywhere, emitting soft white light, illuminating the surroundings brightly. After crossing the stone bridge, Shen Luo saw a spacious open ground inside the cave. On it were stone tables and chairs, laden with various fresh fruits and trays of bloody raw meat and organs. Two rows of demon race soldiers in armor stood on either side, their posture straight like spears. At the back of this flat ground, there was a stone throne, covered with a whole tiger skin, looking quite imposing. However, the Blue Bull Spirit was not seated on it. Before Shen Luo could look around more, he was shoved by the demons, crossed that flat open ground, and came to a dark side cave on the right. ¡°Take him in,¡± the old horse monkey glanced at Shen Luo and ordered. Upon hearing this, the little demons immediately pushed Shen Luo into the cave entrance, walking fast down a slope towards the lower frontier. For some reason, the old horse monkey did not follow. Inside the side cave, there were no Night Pearls. After they had walked more than a hundred steps in, the surroundings gradually became darker. Shen Luo''s vision was unaffected by the light and darkness, allowing him to clearly see the scenery within the cave. In the area he passed, black iron cages were placed everywhere. Each one had a dark purple talisman attached to it, and the rune depicted on each talisman was different. Some were emitting weak fluctuations of spiritual power, while some had completely run out of spiritual power. Just as Shen Luo was wondering, his eyes suddenly flickered. Inside one of the cages, he saw a skeleton glowing with a white light, casually leaning against a corner of the cage. From the luster of the bones, it was easy to tell that the person was a cultivator with considerable achievements before death. As they continue to walk further inside, the number of white skeletons in the surrounding cages increased. Some were hanging from the top of the cages, some were seated in the center, and some were completely decayed into disarray of bones. ¡°Hmm hmm hmm¡­¡± Just then, a strangled sound, like it was being squeezed out from deep within the throat, rose with difficulty from the side. Shen Luo turned his head and saw an old man imprisoned in a cage beside him, who was short like a child. His tattered clothes covered his entire body. His face was without eyes, only two pitch-black holes. His nose seemed to have been cut off by a sharp tool, leaving only a scar that extended to the center of his face. It appeared that his tongue had been ripped out entirely, and he could not make clear sounds. Shen Luo only glanced once before being pushed forward, the increasingly urgent ¡°um-hum¡± sound echoing behind him. Separated by several cages, Shen Luo saw more and more people imprisoned. Few among them had intact bodies. They were all as ragged as beggars and emaciated. However, in the later hundreds of cages, it was not people but old, decrepit monkeys who were locked up. Most of them were wearing worn-out clothes, and some could even vaguely see rusty, broken armor on their bodies. Arriving at the back of the cave, the little demon stopped Shen Luo in front of an individual prison enclosed by iron bars. Using a token to open the prison prohibition, he shoved him inside. After Shen Luo staggered, he managed to steady himself and saw that seven or eight people were also locked up in this cell. Unlike the people in the previous iron cages, these individuals were cleanly dressed, and although their complexion was slightly pale, they generally looked healthy. If it weren''t for the fact they were here, one couldn''t tell they were prisoners. However, most of them were indifferent. They glanced at Shen Luo and then looked away. Some closed their eyes to rest, and some went right to sleep. ¡°Oh, finally there''s someone else tied up by the Golden Rope.¡± A hoarse voice spoke from the darkness. Following the sound, Shen Luo saw that a short old man in a grey robe was sitting cross-legged on the ground, looking up at him. ¡°My fellow Daoist here, may I know your name?¡± A young man with a clean face in a brocade robe came forward and asked. ¡°I am Shen Luo. May I know who all of you are¡­¡± Shen Luo was intercepted before he could finish speaking. ¡°What''s the point of knowing this, we are all Medicine People, we are all going to die sooner or later.¡± The man shouted with a nonchalant tone. ¡°Medicine People?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°You''ve just been caught, haven''t you? You don''t know yet that the Green Bull Beast loves Alchemy. We are kept here to serve as Medicine People for his alchemy experiments.¡± The brocade-robed young man explained. Shen Luo suddenly remembered that Xin Hu had mentioned something about a Flesh Pill earlier? ¡°Oh yes, my name is Qilianmi and I am a Wusun from the Western Regions,¡± the brocade-robed young man added. ¡°Brother Qilian, do you know who else is imprisoned here?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t return the courtesy because he was bound by the Golden Rope, so he simply nodded and asked. ¡°Most of those in this cave are scattered monks from various places and the monkeys from Flower Fruit Mountain who refused to surrender to the demons. Additionally, some ordinary people from Aolai Kingdom are kept elsewhere as Blood Meals. It is also said that some Heavenly Immortals are imprisoned in other places,¡± Qilianmi explained. ¡°Aren''t these monkeys always considered demons? Why wouldn''t they submit to them?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°I once heard an old horse monkey mention that in their hearts, they only recognize the Great Sage Equal to Heaven as their king. They would rather die than acknowledge the Blue Bull Spirit as their king. The Blue Bull Spirit seems to have some grudge against the Great Sage and is particularly cruel to Flower Fruit Mountain. After killing wave after wave of monkeys on the mountain, he finally forced some monkeys to surrender, and the rest were locked up here, to be tortured over time,¡± Qilianmi explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel sympathy for those monkeys. Chapter 607 Chapter 607: Chapter 603: The Divine Soul Body Chapter 607: Chapter 603: The Divine Soul Body ¡°Everyone, I have the audacity to ask all of you for a favor. In return, I assure you, I''ll find a way to rescue everyone. How does that sound?¡± Shen Luo swept his gaze over the crowd and spoke out. Upon hearing this, everyone turned their gaze towards him. However, their expressions betrayed little sign of hope, rather displaying a mixture of surprise, suspicion, and indifference. ¡°What a bold claim. You yourself are bound by a gold rope, yet you dare to boldly claim you''ll save us?¡± The short old man suddenly sat up straight, speaking with a tone of mockery. As soon as his words fell, those who had shown a slight interest in Shen Luo promptly turned away and ignored him. It''s no wonder they reacted this way. Too many people had been full of bravado when they first arrived, aspiring to lead everyone to freedom, but all ended up either converted into body pills or left to rot in some corner of this cave prison. After being disappointed too many times, they no longer held out hope. These brash words no longer held any effect on them. ¡°Friend Shen, do you truly have a way for us to escape?¡± Qi Lianmi pondered for a moment and queried with a frown. ¡°There is a way, whether it will succeed or not, only attempting it will tell.¡± Shen Luo confessed after slight hesitation. ¡°What favor do you require us to do?¡± Qi Lianmi asked directly, without hesitation. ¡°I need your help in restraining the golden rope for a moment, so that I can divert my mana to employ some mystic arts.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°This golden rope can consume mana and it operates extremely fast. I possess less than forty percent of my original strength, I am not certain if I would be able to restrain it. I can only give it a try,¡± said Qi Lianmi. ¡°Then, we are reliant on you, Daoist friend.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the others, and, upon seeing no one else offering to help, he nodded his head in agreement. Upon his agreement, Qi Lianmi began to form a magic spell with both hands. A hazy blue light illuminated the space around him as water veins started to appear over his body. These light marks flowed with his mana, which then gathered in the palm of his hands. Just then, a flash of purple light emerged from Qi Lianmi''s lower abdomen. A purple talisman materialized out of thin air, with a cluster of dark purple light manifesting from his Dantian area. ¡°Ah,¡± Qi Lianmi released a stifled groan, an expression of agony flashing across his face. However, he quickly suppressed the wrenching pain and slowly raised his hand, transferring his mana into the golden rope that restrained Shen Luo. As soon as the golden rope detected the fluctuation of mana, it immediately activated its divine power and began absorbing his mana. Seeing this, Shen Luo, whose arm was immobile, could only cast spells below him. He reached out his hand and a bright water-blue light immediately lit up in his palm. A chunk of water began to condense in mid-air. The water mass began to grow larger, slowly forming a human shape. Just as it was about to succeed, the light on Qi Lianmi began to tremble violently. His accumulated mana was about to be completely consumed and Shen Luo''s own mana began to disperse into the golden rope. The water sphere that was just about to solidify into a human form also began to tremble violently, teetering on the brink of failure. At that moment, a white light suddenly shot out from a nearby location and landed on the golden rope. It instantly diverted the pressure from Shen Luo and Qi Lianmi, allowing the water mass to successfully condense. Shen Luo turned his head and was surprised to find that the person who had lent a hand was the short old man. ¡°What are you staring at? I''m just joining in on the fun. You''d better hurry up and use your magic,¡± The old man glared at Shen Luo but softened his tone. Shen Luo let out a wry smile but turned his attention back to his task, closing his eyes and forming an intricate and ancient sign with both his hands, while also chanting quickly under his breath. After a few moments, a hazy white light radiated from his body. The condensed humanoid water mass seemed to respond to it and slowly enclosed and trapped his entire body. He suddenly opened his eyes. Instead of the usual black and white, his pupils had turned water-blue, as if embedded with a body of lake water. ¡°Elemental Water Mastery, soul splitting, Water Soul Technique, invoke soul.¡± Shen Luo gave a light shout. His body suddenly stiffened, and the flow of his surrounding mana was temporarily halted. From his two water-blue pupils, a hazy stream of light overflowed. It slowly fused into the layer of water that surrounded Shen Luo. ¡°Condense.¡± Shen Luo voiced out once again. The water liquid that enveloped him began to detach and form a tall, handsome lad ¨C a perfect replica of Shen Luo ¨C the moment it left his body. As soon as this body materialized, Shen Luo, who was bound by a golden rope, collapsed and fell into unconsciousness. Upon witnessing this, everyone was stunned. They rose from the ground one after another, their attention drawn back to Shen Luo. ¡°Is this¡­ the splitting technique?¡± Qi Lianmi exclaimed in astonishment. ¡°It''s not that simple. This lad has split his divine soul outside his body, coupling it to the water doppelganger. Judging from the movement on his body, it seems to be more than just simple magic control¡­¡± The grey-robed old man revealed the secret truth all at once. ¡°Thank you for your earlier assistance, eminent sir. May I ask your name?¡± The doppelganger, consolidated via the Water Soul Technique, ¡°Shen Luo¡±, greeted the old man in a grey robe, he said. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This lad is somewhat interesting, and maybe he could indeed succeed. The old man is called Hui Lu, I was once the Fire Virtue Star Lord in the Heavenly Court.¡± The man in the grey robe chuckled and said. ¡°No wonder I felt an inexplicable heat when I first saw you. So, you are the Fire Virtue Star Lord, my apologies for my lack of respect.¡± Shen Luo apologized with a bow. ¡°Enough of the nonsense. What are your plans on how to rescue us?¡± The Fire Virtue Star Lord did not entertain these formalities, and demanded impatiently. ¡°Everyone has a prohibition on them, may I take a look?¡± Shen Luo queried. ¡°There''s no harm in that.¡± Qi Lianmi was the first to respond, Having said that, he again began to form a magic spell with his hand while channeling his mana. A purple light from his Dantian location surged, and a purple talisman re-emerged. Qi Lianmi''s brow furrowed, revealing an expression of pain on his face. Shen Luo closely watched the talisman, observing its intricate scripts. He reached out and tentatively touched the talisman. Immediately, a sharp frigid feeling infiltrated his fingertip from the talisman. His finger trembled slightly and he quickly withdrew it. ¡°That is the Purple Cold Locking Seal. If you can''t even dispel this, stop spouting big words about saving people.¡± Upon seeing this, the Fire Virtue Star Lord raised an eyebrow and spoke. ¡°It may or may not work, we''ll know once we try.¡± Shen Luo hesitated slightly, before grinning. Saying this, the Huangting Divine Power within his body began to circulate, a golden light charging from his Dantian. It slowly extended down his arm, turning one of his arms into a golden color. His hand slightly curved, resembling a dragon claw. Shen Luo focused his eyes. He lifted his two fingers and abruptly pressed on the Purple Cold Locking Seal. The talisman suddenly intensified with purple light, releasing a biting and frosty aura that seeped into the body of Qi Lianmi. At the same time, it also began to invade Shen Luo''s arm. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Qi Lianmi''s face turned ashen and he let out a pained groan. Chapter 608 Chapter 608: Chapter 604: Reincarnation Chapter 608: Chapter 604: Reincarnation ¡°Brother Qilian, please bear with it a bit longer, it will be all right soon.¡± Shen Luo comforted him. Just when Qi Lianmi was about to speak, his face changed dramatically again. The purple Qi that spread from his lower abdomen suddenly deepened, quickly turning from purple to black, and shot up along Shen Luo''s arm, like a living creature. Shen Luo remained calm as the black Qi spread up his arm, but the force in his hand suddenly increased. ¡°Pfft¡± a soft sound came from his fingertip, a golden light instantly pierced the purple talisman, smashing its talisman core to pieces. A dim fire came up instantly on the talisman paper, which quickly turned it into ashes. The look of pain on Qi Lianmi''s face disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of joy in his eyes. ¡°It''s truly unraveled¡­¡± someone exclaimed softly. ¡°This kid really did it¡­¡± A clamor broke out in the prison. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen.¡± Qi Lianmi checked his Dantian and found that only a small amount of Yin cold Qi remained. The Purple Cold Locking Seal, which had felt like a nail driven into his Dantian, was completely gone. Shen Luo waved his hand, signaling him not to worry. ¡°Brother Shen, can you help me remove my prohibition too?¡± A thin man stepped forward and asked. ¡°Brother Shen, please help me too¡­¡± another man followed suit. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For a moment, almost everyone in the prison came forward and asked Shen Luo for help. ¡°Everyone, please don''t rush, let''s do this one at a time¡­¡± Shen Luo thought to himself and said. With that, the first thin man who spoke, clasped his hands on a magic spell, a purple light lit up in his Dantian. There was no fog overflow, but specks of purple golden electric threads sparking out, paralyzing him so that he wasn''t able to move. Shen Luo''s gaze narrowed and he looked at the man''s Dantian again¡­ About half an hour later, everyone in the prison had their restraints unraveled by Shen Luo, except for Fire Virtue Star Lord and Shen Luo himself. They all expressed their gratitude to Shen Luo, apologizing for their past remarks. ¡°Brother Hui Lu, it''s your turn.¡± Shen Luo turned to the Fire Virtue Star Lord and said. The Fire Virtue Star Lord hesitated for a moment, then took off his grey long robe, revealing his bare upper body. His bare skin was covered with dark red scars, scorched by fierce flames. A few black Ghost Head Nails were inserted into several key Qiao acupoints, such as his Danzhong. Shen Luo was silently astonished. What kind of flame could burn the Fire Virtue Star Lord this badly? ¡°The prohibition on my body is different from theirs. Rather than using brute force to remove the Lovesick Cold Needles nailed into the key acupoints, you have to use the Soul Calming Stone to take them out. You can''t free me,¡± the Fire Virtue Star Lord slowly explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo paused for a moment, then said, ¡°In that case, we should first escape from here and then find a way to get the Soul Calming Stone to remove the prohibition.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, there''s also a Forbidden magic array on this prison. Do you have a way to break it?¡± Qi Lianmi asked. ¡°Didn''t the little demon earlier have a token on him? As long as we take it from him, we can open the prison door, right?¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. Everyone was stunned by his words. From within our prison, how can we seize that token? ¡°You all wait here, and watch my body for me. I''ll be back shortly,¡± Shen Luo saw the doubts in the others'' eyes and smiled as he spoke. With that, he walked up to the prison''s entrance. Suddenly, a blue light brightened on his body, a human-like phantom floated away from him. Transformed into a divine soul, it passed smoothly through the narrow gap of the prison door. Meanwhile, the water clone ¡°splash¡± spread out into a puddle on the ground, and flowed out along the floor too. Outside the prison, the puddle quickly formed into a human body, and Shen Luo''s divine soul reattached to it, reconstituting the form of the water doppelganger. Upon seeing this, everyone praised Shen Luo, surprised at the turn of events. Shen Luo communicated with them and moved to find the demons near the side cave entrance that he had encountered earlier. Outside the cave, two standing demons were conversing by the entrance. Suddenly, a shadow appeared under their feet, followed by a blur in front of their eyes. Head, each felt a heavy shock and simultaneously fell to the ground. Shen Luo''s figure slipped out from the side. He reached out his hand to snatch the token from one of the demons. ¡°If I were you, I wouldn''t risk touching that Restriction Token.¡± a voice suddenly came from up ahead. Upon hearing the voice, Shen Luo looked and furrowed his brows as his heart tightened. He saw that the old horse monkey from earlier was standing not far away, staring calmly at him. ¡°That token has a prohibition on it. Once it leaves the little demon''s body, the prohibition will immediately be triggered. Then Qing Niu will immediately realize something is wrong here and will abandon whatever elixir he was refining, rushing over here. At that time, regardless of your intentions, you''re sure to end in failure.¡± The old horse monkey spoke again. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Shen Luo narrowed his eyebrows, bewildered. ¡°To help you? Whether or not I end up helping you, depends on whether you''re the one I''ve been waiting for¡­¡± The old horse monkey hesitated slightly before responding. ¡°Who are you waiting for?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°You first tell me, are you cultivating the Mount Fangcun''s Huangting Technique?¡± The old horse monkey asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo saw no need to hide this, as others could figure it out anyway. ¡°And the magical treasure you used earlier, was it the Ruyi Golden Cudgel?¡± The old horse monkey''s expression changed slightly, and his dark eyes lit up with interest. ¡°I''m not sure, I obtained this magical treasure by chance. Though it does change its length according to my will.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart stirred slightly as he slowly answered. ¡°Then why did you come to Flower Fruit Mountain?¡± The old horse monkey continued probing. ¡°I''m not sure, I just had a feeling, a feeling that I should come here for a visit.¡± Shen Luo answered. Half the truth and half a lie, the lie being the feeling, the truth being that with the appearance of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and the reminder from the East Sea Dragon King, he indeed felt that he should take a look here. Upon hearing what Shen Luo said, the surprise in the old horse monkey''s eyes couldn''t be hidden any longer. ¡°I pay my respects to the Great King,¡± the old horse monkey suddenly bowed down to Shen Luo, shouting out loud. Shen Luo was shocked by his sudden act. One must know that earlier when the Blue Bull spirit appeared, the old horse monkey didn''t kneel down, only nodded slightly. ¡°Elder, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him up. ¡°You possess extraordinary skills and have the Golden Cudgel by your side. There can''t be such a coincidence in the world. You must be the reincarnation of the Great King, the reincarnation of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong.¡± The old horse monkey refused to get up and said. Chapter 609 Chapter 609: Chapter 605: The Mural of All Beings Worshiping Buddha Chapter 609: Chapter 605: The Mural of All Beings Worshiping Buddha ¡°Elder, I really do not understand what you mean by a reincarnated body. I also have no related memories in my mind¡­¡± Shen Luo said with some difficulty. ¡°No harm, no harm. A reincarnated individual is like a child whose spiritual aperture has not been opened. Come with me, I will show you some things that the Great King has left behind. They may awaken your memories,¡± said the Old Horse Monkey. He stood up, grabbed Shen Luo''s arm, and led him away. ¡°Elder, have you already joined the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo asked, his feet hesitating, as he still wanted to save people. The Old Horse Monkey''s movements stiffened slightly. He slowly turned his head. There was a hint of sorrow and anger in his eyes as he said: ¡°That demon holds deep grudges against the Great King due to the incidents that occurred during the journey of fetching scriptures that year. When he arrived at the Flower Fruit Mountain, he slaughtered everything in sight, and many of our fellows and juniors could not escape that calamity. They all died tragic deaths under his butcher''s knife. I didn''t want to survive either. However, I believe that the Great King will definitely come back, just like when the Flower Fruit Mountain was occupied by the Chaotic World Demon King. When the Great King returns, he will seek justice for us¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt slightly moved. He remained silent and did not interrupt his elder''s speech. ¡°That''s why I can''t die yet, I have to wait for that day¡­ Otherwise, when the Great King returns, he would feel that the Flower Fruit Mountain no longer has any of its original atmosphere left. That cannot happen. We have failed to safeguard our home, but we can''t lose that last bit of presence too,¡± said the Old Horse Monkey, his voice choking slightly towards the end. Shen Luo frowned slightly and turned his head away, unable to bear watching. ¡°Luckily, I manage to wait until today¡­¡± said the Old Horse Monkey, his tone now shifting to one of joy. ¡°Elder, what do you want to show me?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Please follow me¡­¡± The Old Horse Monkey then turned around and walked deeper into the Water Curtain Cave. Shen Luo followed suspiciously. They passed the stone throne and came to a smooth mountain wall at the back of the cave. The Old Horse Monkey stepped forward and wiped the stone wall with his hand. A layer of dust fell from the smooth central area of the stone wall, revealing a groove the size of a palm, sunk into the stone wall. Shen Luo observed that the large groove was unmistakably a handprint. However, the palm was relatively short, and the fingers were exceptionally long. Furthermore, the joints of the fingers were especially large and clearly not of a human hand. ¡°Initially there were no mechanisms here, but after the Great King left that time, I set up a mechanism in secret and sealed this place up.¡± The Old Horse monkey stated as he placed his own palm into the handprint groove. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo was reminded of the giant handprint he saw on Mount Fangcun previously and understood that it was likely the handprint of a giant ape. As the Old Horse Monkey''s five fingers fit into the groove, a humming sound emerged from the stone wall. Just like ripples on water, the stone wall transformed into fluid-like spiritual power fluctuations, as if it had suddenly become malleable. ¡°Come,¡± the Old Horse Monkey said in a low voice. Shen Luo hastily walked over. Upon seeing the Old Horse Monkey gesture for him to reach out his hand, he hesitated for a moment but then reached out to touch the stone wall. However, as soon as he touched the stone wall, he was enveloped by an invisible force. A powerful force then came at him, causing him to stagger towards the stone wall. He felt a chill in his heart and was about to do something when he realized that he was unexpectedly absorbed into the stone wall the moment he collided with it. He stumbled forward and disappeared into the stone wall. Seeing this, the Old Horse Monkey did not follow but slowly withdrew his arm. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The water ripple-like patterns of light on the stone wall gradually disappeared, and the stone wall solidified and returned to its original state. ¡°If you really are the reincarnated body of the Great King, you will definitely be able to stand up by yourself,¡± the Old Horse Monkey said while staring at the stone wall. Inside the stone wall, Shen Luo managed to steady himself after stumbling forward. He scanned his surroundings and found that he was now standing on a cliff, beyond which, just a hundred feet away, was the edge where clouds undulated unpredictably. Seeing that the Old Horse Monkey had not followed him, Shen Luo turned around to inspect his surroundings. Behind him was a towering, vertical mountain wall, upon which a gigantic mural was carved. Standing in front of it, Shen Luo could not see the full mural and had no choice but to continue to retreat slowly. Only when he reached the edge of the cliff did he finally see the full image of the mural. It turned out to be a massive mural of numerous beings worshipping the Buddha. Not only were there humans depicted, but there were also hideous demons and animals yet to awaken their spiritual awareness. Some had their hands together in prayer; some were bowing their heads in worship; some fully prostrated themselves on the ground, each one appearing extremely devout. However, these creatures were all concentrated on the right side of the wall, and their object of worship was on the left side. To Shen Luo''s surprise, there were no depictions of the Buddha on the left side of the wall. Instead, a smooth, mirror-like white crystal wall that could reflect a person''s image was embedded there rather abruptly. With his eyebrows raised, Shen Luo immediately activated his divine sense to investigate the white crystal wall. ¡°As I expected, just like last time, my divine sense cannot penetrate it¡­¡± he murmured to himself, having quickly withdrawn his divine sense. Looking at the faint white lights that were reflecting off the mirror-like crystal wall, Shen Luo recognized that, apart from being larger, this crystal wall was almost identical to the one he had seen in the Observing Dao Cave on Mount Fangcun. After some contemplation, he began to gaze intently at the crystal wall. At first, there was no change. However, as he kept his gaze fixed on it, the light from the white crystal wall brightened and quickly filled Shen Luo''s pupils. He felt the world around him starting to spin and his eyes growing blurry. He began to feel a strong bout of dizziness engulf him. This sensation was not unfamiliar to him. However, he merely stabilized his divine sense slightly and did not make a conscious effort to resist it. Soon enough, the white crystal wall became more and more transparent and began to reflect his image. He stood facing his own reflection, looking back at himself. But even after quite some time, there was no further change in the stone wall. Shen Luo frowned, feeling slightly puzzled. He had the strange feeling that something was not right. With this thought in mind, he shifted his gaze to the right side of the mural, scanning the various creatures worshipping the Buddha. When he looked back at the white crystal wall on the left, he had a sudden revelation. Chapter 610 Chapter 610: Chapter 606: The Demon King Returns Chapter 610: Chapter 606: The Demon King Returns ¡°The Buddha says, all beings are Buddha. The creatures in this portrayal of all beings worshipping Buddha, could it be that the Buddha they''re observing and paying respects to is their own selves? Could it be that I''m meant to discover my true self?¡± Shen Luo mumbled to himself, his gaze flickering. At this thought, an idea suddenly struck him. He stared intently at the crystal wall while trying hard to recall what he had seen and heard on that day in the Observing Dao Cave. ¡°Clear the mind to see the nature, so as to observe my true self.¡± Suddenly, a vast and ethereal voice echoed from thin air, without a prior sign. Shen Luo felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His entire body stiffened and he froze in place, his eyes still staring at the crystal wall. Blue spiritual light started glowing in his eyes, as the reflections he saw gradually started to change. The reflection in the crystal wall was no longer an elegant-looking human, but that skinny, squint-eyed golden monkey with gaunt cheeks and a long snout dressed in a green shirt that he had observed before. But just then, the golden monkey twisted its neck slightly, flashed a grin at him, and then waved at something in the crystal wall''s reflection. Instantly, the surface of the entire crystal wall lit up begrudgedly, no longer reflecting the golden monkey but rather a mountaintop adorned with innumerable flags amid thunderous calls of murder. The peak was populated by monkeys waving flags, dancing and gesturing wildly with knives. As Shen Luo shifted his gaze, the scene on the crystal wall gently moved along. It was then that he noticed an expansive plain below the mountain, occupied by many distinct-looking demons. The leading few Demon Kings were exceptionally enormous. They were each adorned in magnificent armor, exuding power and dignity that matched any battlefield general leading a million troops. Just then, a speck of golden light sprang into life from above. Shen Luo quickly glanced upward just in time to see a radiant suit of Locket Gold Armor shining over the Golden Monkey''s body. On its head was a Phoenix Wing Purple Gold Crown and its feet had slipped into a pair of Lotus Silk Cloud shoes. The imposing figure it cut was quite invincible. Seeing this, all demons came forward to congratulate. Not long after, the Armoured Monkey switched the movement of its wrist and a golden staff appeared in its palm. As it whirled, howling winds were produced. This staff greatly resembled Shen Luo''s Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Shen Luo was astounded. Who else could this possibly be? The Golden Armored Monkey in the mural was none other than the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong. The scene on the crystal wall changed abruptly. The Golden Armored Monkey was suspended in the air, a bright red cloak waving behind him. He raised the golden cudgel in one hand and pointed it towards the remaining Demon Kings as if challenging them to a battle. He seemed to be in high spirits, elegant beyond measure. The Demon Kings glanced at each other after seeing this, and laughter sparkled in their eyes. Each one of them was rubbing their hands in anticipation, ready to try their luck. Among these, a Yu Hou Demon King, nearly a hundred feet tall, had golden hair all over his body. His intimidating tusks and bronze bell-like eyes looked like a monkey, but also enough to give anyone cold feet, making even ghosts and gods flinch. He jumped out carrying a Yangtong Mixed Iron Rod in hand, and flew over to clash with Sun Wukong. The sound of metals colliding echoed all around! The Yu Hou Demon King was considerably larger than Sun Wukong, and the Yangtong Mixed Iron Staff swung around and created gusty winds and raging fires. The whole scene in the crystal wall was filled with whirlwinds and inferno, causing the whole sky to shatter in the virtual space where the wind and fire passed through. Above ground, the echo of roaring fire kept churning the earth beneath demolishing its face entirely. Merely from a power perspective, the Yu Hou Demon King appeared to be in control, pushing Sun Wukong into a constant retreat. However, Shen Luo could see that the latter had not even started to show his true abilities and was merely evading actively. And indeed, after avoiding dozens of strikes, Sun Wukong halted his retreat, raised the Golden Cudgel in his hand, and directly dispersed the flame vortex that engulfed them. He blocked the Yu Hou Demon King''s Mixed Iron Staff. In the corner of his mouth revealed an insidious grin, and instantly thrust forward, revolved his cudgel in hand, brushed aside the Yu Hou Demon King''s Mixed Iron Staff, the cudgel traced blurry shadows during a spin in front of him, it directly hit the waist of Yu Hou Demon King. The Yu Hou Demon King was immediately driven off by a vigorous force. He was swept away nearly a hundred feet before managing to stop. With a severe roar from his mouth, he rushed again. The Mixed Iron Staff in his hands was swirling at a much faster speed. Pieces of staff shadows along with the vortex of flames now formed a net made of raging fire, directly covering over Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong did not retreat. Instead, he approached proactively, a flash of moonlight under his feet, and he suddenly entered the net of flames. The Golden Cudgel in his hands rose high, the rod lengthened nearly a dozen feet in that fraction of a second, directly hitting Yu Hou Demon King''s chin. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Yu Hou Demon King became a crimson-colored big umbrella, getting lifted high in the sky. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes widened with excitement. What Sun Wukong demonstrated was indeed the Slanting Moon Steps, combined with his unique staff skills. While fighting Yu Hou Demon King, it seemed like he could handle weight sophisticatingly. The Yu Hou King flew into the sky, a hint of annoyance flickering in his eyes as he waved his hands to few other Demon Kings. A white-haired man with a dragon head and a human body stood up from amongst them. He brandished a three-pointed, two-edged knife, creating a whirlpool of water-blue light that started flowing over the weapon used against Sun Wukong. But the Ape King didn''t flinch. He leaped towards the vortex. Following this, a golden light began to rotate within the vortex. The blue water flow outside burst immediately. Sun Wukong''s figure came out jumping and looked at the Dragon Demon King with a taunting smile. The latter didn''t get angry. He raised his weapon and started fighting close combat against the Ape King. Unlike Yu Hou Demon King, a layer of blue color fluctuated under the Dragon Demon King''s body. Regardless of whether he stood on the ground or flew up in the sky, his movements were as agile as sliding on ice surfaces. The knife in his hand was far faster in combat. The knife shadows densely connected, directly bombarding bright knife light, making it seem like a blizzard ensued. But Sun Wukong was not an ordinary man. He deftly maneuvered his Golden Cudgel, finding the Dragon Demon King''s gap situation very calmly. The Yu Hou King, seeing the Dragon Demon King was in a losing position, swooped down to coordinate with him and attacked the Golden Armored Ape King together. Shen Luo thought that the two fighting one would reverse the situation. However, Sun Wukong was getting stronger in the battle, using his extraordinary cudgel skills, moving among the two, and gradually taking the upper hand. ¡°There''s such a sophisticated cudgel martial art in the world ¡­¡± Shen Luo uncontrollably gulped, each view becoming increasingly astonishing. Chapter 611 Chapter 611: Chapter 607: Establishing Rules between Heaven and Earth Chapter 611: Chapter 607: Establishing Rules between Heaven and Earth While he was speaking, Shen Luo reflexively withdrew the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, swinging it around on the cliff side imitating Sun Wukong''s movements. At first, his movements were a bit stiff, but after only a few rounds, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod already whistled through the wind in his hands, and his movements became much smoother. However, Shen Luo understood that his sense of smoothness was based on his own grasp of the details of the movements. In essence, it was just an imitation of form, still far from reaching the realm of spirit imitation. By this time, the scene in the Crystal Wall was no longer a mere fight against the Ape King by the Dragon Demon King and Yu Hou Demon King alone, a third demon king had already joined the fray. This demon king was more than three feet tall, with a terrifying lion head with green face and fierce tusks, and huge cattail fan-like hands holding a big ring knife with golden threads. Along with the other two, they had surrounded the Golden Armored Ape King, creating a hard-fought battle. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. For a moment, the glitter of swords and blades was blinding. Shen Luo stared intently at the scene in the Crystal Wall, his mind gradually immersed in it. His originally measured steps became faster and faster, and his thoughts unknowingly began to integrate into the mural. In a trance, Shen Luo seemed to have entered the Crystal Wall, merging himself with the Golden Armored Ape King. Every move and turn of the Ape King became his. What was originally just an imitation of the stick technique, at this moment began to change from form to spirit, then from spirit to form. All the essence of the stick technique began to blend into Shen Luo''s divine soul. At this moment, he finally completely grasped the essence of the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. In the Crystal Wall, the Ape King suddenly began to spin like a top, his Golden Cudgel whirling with a howling wind. A barrage of stick shadows swept out, shrouding all around heaven and earth. In a flash, the fierce attacks of the Yu Hou Demon King, Dragon Demon King, and Lion Camel Demon King were scattered, and their figures were driven back by the overwhelming stick shadows. After the three of them gracefully landed, they did not continue to attack, but instead stopped and praised the Golden Armored Ape King. As Sun Wukong landed gently after a roll in mid-air and was about to put away his cudgel, his gaze flickered and he turned to look high in the sky. A glint flashed in his eyes and a look of eagerness to fight appeared on his face. From high in the sky, an enormous, pitch black shadow descended, a huge demon peng with wings that almost covered the entire mountaintop arrived with a shrill whistle aimed at the lower region. Upon seeing the figure of the demon peng, Shen Luo abruptly woke from the sensation of immersion in the mural and found that the body of the demon peng looked familiar. It was surprisingly similar to the kun peng that had swallowed him near the Eastern Sea. With this suspicion in his mind, he focused his attention on the demon peng. Under its wings, he saw a gold and a silver feather respectively on the left and right, identical in length, brightness, and color to the feathers he had picked up. ¡°Could they be the same one?¡± Just as Shen Luo was surprised, the giant demon peng in the Crystal Wall had already coiled its body and retracted its dark light, transforming into a handsome man in a black fur overcoat that floated down. Unlike the previous three demon kings, when he transformed into a human body, he did not retain any demon race features, and looked just like an ordinary mortal. Shen Luo noticed that he wore a silver armor under his fur overcoat. The armor was embroidered with beautiful inscriptions. However, beneath the armor, the demon peng was bare-chested. Its blueish white skin revealed bulging veins. Combined with its immaculate white face, it exuded a softer, feminine charm. The Yao Peng cocked its chin at Sun Wukong, expressing its desire for a match. Wukong was more than ready, weapon Gold Cudgel all set and ready to rush towards Yao Peng immediately. Sun Wukong activated the Slanting Moon Steps, causing moonlight to scatter beneath his feet. At the moment when he was close to Yao Peng, he extended a palm, revealing a rune with the word ¡°Binding¡± in the center. He then forcefully slammed it onto Yao Peng. Yao Peng was frozen by the gold light radiating from the ¡°Binding Talisman¡± on Wukong''s palm, unable to make a move. Sun Wukong''s golden cudgel was already aimed at Yao Peng''s chin. ¡°Is it really this weak?¡± Shen Luo had a strange feeling arising in his heart. No sooner had he finished speaking, that Yao Peng cracked a smirk and vanished without making a single sound. Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a change in his expression. With his level of insight, he could not understand how Yao peng had managed to escape. However, the Sun Wukong on screen seemed not a bit surprised. Holding the golden cudgel, he leapt straight into the sky without any hesitation, brandishing his cudgel in the void above, casting a huge shadow, towering like a mountain. The Golden Cudgel''s movement generated a strong Qi, tearing the clouds in the sky apart and revealing the figure of Yao Peng. Yao Peng extended a hand into the void, conjuring a Fangtian Halberd, and leapt towards Sun Wukong. The two had engaged in a short span of time. One had moonlight accompanying him whilst the other was surrounded by green light. They were sometimes together, sometimes apart, and sometimes near, sometimes far. Both were extremely swift, Shen Luo needed to concentrate fully to barely keep up with their moves. Sun Wukong''s golden cudgel was continuously in motion, erratic and fluid like a river. The shadow of the cudgel divided and dispersed with each quick movement, the Qi resonated between heaven and earth, yet it stayed cohesive. The Yao Peng wielded the long halberd with unparalleled skill and precision. Although it seemed lighter than the golden cudgel, the halberd clashed with the cudgel constantly. However, each strike was surprisingly nimble, perfectly deflecting Sun Wukong''s attacks. In a blink of an eye, they had performed over a hundred moves. Shen Luo observed narrowly to find something amiss. Each strike of the golden cudgel appeared random with no evident relation between them. However, as the shadow of the cudgel increased, an intricate network gradually emerged. ¡°Brilliant! I thought I had mastered the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. But there''s always someone better out there. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven is extraordinary indeed, being able to use the stick techniques to form the Array Techniques within heaven and earth.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but be amazed. As soon as his words fell, another strike from Sun Wukong caused a ripple in the void space. It spread along the shadow of the stick, quickly connecting all the residual traces of the cudgel''s shadow in the void. All the shadows of the cudgel were interconnected, instantly revealing a golden light formation. All the cudgel shadows were converging towards the center, creating a bird''s nest-like cage, trapping Yao Peng within. The top of the cudgel''s shadow was full of golden light, an invisible pressure squeezed from all sides. Yao Peng''s surrounding space was completely sealed, leaving no room for movement. His long halberd, no matter how agile, dared not make contact with the Golden Cudgel. He could only struggle by twisting his body in vain. Chapter 612 – 612 608 Thousand Chapter 612: Chapter 608: Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique Chapter 612: Chapter 608: Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique Upon seeing this, Sun Wukong hoisted the Golden Cudgel onto his shoulder. He scratched his cheek with one hand, grinned, and looked up and down at Yao Peng as if he were appreciating a piece of work. Just when Shen Luo also thought that the situation had been resolved, a gold and a silver radiance lit up on Yao Peng''s two arms, followed by a weird surge of Mana radiating from the light on his arms. The hand holding the Fangtian Halberd suddenly loosened, and he simultaneously made a weird hand gesture with both hands. The gold and silver light on both arms instantly surged and turned into countless gold and silver threads, which enveloped him entirely. Then, with a flash of the gold and silver light, the figure of Yao Peng disappeared instantly from the spot. ¡°It''s that kind of escape technique again¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flicked sharply, tracing the residual wave in the void, but Yao Peng was nowhere to be found. At this moment, Sun Wukong''s eyes shone gold, he also put away the Golden Cudgel, vaulted up, and rushed towards a position in the high altitude. The scene on the Crystal Wall also quickly shifted, moving a hundred Li away in an instant. By the time Sun Wukong landed, he saw Yao Peng already standing at the peak of a mountain, with the gold and silver light on his two arms gradually converging, revealing one golden and one silver charm pattern that looked like feathers. Looking at the scene on the Crystal Wall, Shen Luo suddenly heard a gust of wind in his ear. He originally thought it was windy on the mountain cliff, but upon careful discernment, he found that the sound was actually coming from the Crystal Wall. The Crystal Wall, which had only images and was mute just now, suddenly produced sounds. ¡°Brother, your ''Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique'' really makes me, old Sun, envious. If we ever provoke a powerful enemy in the future, we won''t be afraid of being caught. As long as we use this technique, we will definitely escape alive.¡± After landing, Sun Wukong joked. ¡°Seventh Brother, it''s not that I''m withholding from you, unwilling to teach you this ''Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique''. The truth is, this technique is one of my life''s divine powers, relying on these two innate feather plumes. If you want to master this technique, unless you snatch these two gold and silver feather plumes from me, refine them into your arms, and combine them with my secret escape technique, only then can you use it.¡± Yao Peng''s male form replied, somewhat helplessly. ¡°What are you talking about, brother? Would I, old Sun, snatch the things you like?¡± Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong laughed out loud. ¡°Seventh Brother, I brought you here on purpose because I want to pass this escape technique onto you. In the future, if you can find treasures comparable to my innate feather plumes, you might be able to do the same as I did.¡± Yao Peng said seriously. ¡°Are you serious about this, brother?¡± Sun Wukong raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised. ¡°Of course, it''s true. Seventh Brother, you have been everywhere, whether it''s the East Sea Dragon Palace or the Douluo Palace, and you have never forgotten us brothers, always bringing treasures and elixirs. I have nothing with which to return your kindness, so I can only pass on this escape technique to slightly show my gratitude.¡± Yao Peng''s male form nodded heavily and said. ¡°Haha, since you said that, brother, I, old Sun, am not one to dawdle. I will gladly accept it.¡± Sun Wukong laughed and saluted Yao Peng''s male form. Shen Luo watched this scene, his mouth almost stretching to his ears. He was probably the happiest of the three. After all, the two gold and silver innate feather plumes that Yao Peng''s male form spoke of were on him at this moment. Yao Peng''s male form didn''t hesitate, and immediately began to recite the magic spell, explaining the intricacies to Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong, the Bright Spirit Stone Monkey born of the Five-color Heavenly Mend Stone, was naturally gifted and bright. In just half an hour, he had already mastered the ''Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique''. Shen Luo, who had been observing all along, was also a person of exceptional talent. After some contemplation, he too understood it immediately. But at this moment, the Crystal Wall suddenly flickered chaotically. The figures of Sun Wukong and Yao Peng''s male form gradually blurred in the chaotic light, until they disappeared completely. With the light on the Crystal Wall completely disappearing, the incredibly smooth wall reverted back to being a simple stone wall. No matter how intently Shen Luo looked, there was no change on it. All chances of fortune had suddenly come to a halt here. In Shen Luo''s heart, he sighed silently, feeling somewhat lost. ¡°It''s time to go back, but I wonder where this cliff is located at Flower Fruit Mountain?¡± He took another look around before muttering to himself. After speaking, he made a magical gesture with both hands and started to use the ¡°Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique¡± that he had just learned. A warm sensation spread through both of his arms. His arms spread like the wings of a swan, and with a single movement, his body took off from the ground and disappeared in the blink of an eye. In a moment, Shen Luo''s figure appeared a hundred feet away, as if he had suddenly hit an invisible, soft light curtain. As soon as he touched it, he was pulled into it by a sudden force. He sank into the light curtain as if he were stuck in a swamp. However, immediately after this, his body was dropped at high speed. With a ¡°bang,¡± he fell heavily on the ground, creating a deep pit. Shen Luo stood up from the pit, dusting off his body. But when he looked around, he was stunned. The same mountain cliff was still around him. There was the same sea of nebulous clouds in front of him, and the same smooth stone wall behind him. ¡°A barrier?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but wonder. Furrowing his brows, he once again made a magical gesture with both palms and instantly disappeared from his original position. ¡°Bang¡± In the next moment, his figure fell to the ground again, returning to its former direction. Shen Luo changed his direction and used the Escape Technique again, but the result remained the same. There was no change. ¡°It''s a pity that this is only a water doppelganger. Although it can retain more than 60% of my main body''s combat power, it''s not a physical entity, so it can''t refine the Gold and Silver Feather Plumes. Otherwise, with the innate god''s power of Yao Peng, it should not be difficult to break out of this prohibition,¡± Shen Luo sighed secretly. He retracted his gaze from afar and set his eyes on the mountain wall behind him. As the power of his divine sense was poured into the mountain wall, its surface suddenly became transparent. He could see black cylinders that were the size of iron drills. These cylinders had intricate charm patterns carved all over them. They were all interlinked and had clearly formed a prohibition magic array. Shen Luo focused his mind and urged his Mana to probe into the array. One after another, the black cylinders in the array lit up. An invisible force burst from within, and it was strong enough to directly bounce off Shen Luo''s Mana. However, it seemed as though the function of this array was only to passively defend. It didn''t have any offensive capacity. After bouncing off Shen Luo''s Mana, its burst force automatically disappeared. Seeing this, Shen Luo twisted his wrist, and a Six Chen Whip appeared in his palm. He manipulated the mana within his body, activating the Huangting Divine Power. Clenching the whip in his hand, a stream of black Qi began to wrap around the whip, whistling as it spun around. At the same time, a Golden Dragon Phantasm slowly swam towards him from behind, attaching itself onto the six Chen Whip, following the stream of Qi. It transformed into a powerful golden force, interweaving with the black Qi, and began to spin around as well. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Whoosh, whoosh¡­.¡± The Qi that was gathered around the Six Chen Whip spun faster and faster. The whip seemed to have turned into a black and gold drill, generating powerful drilling forces from within. Chapter 613 Chapter 613: Chapter 609: The Rod Shakes the Sky Chapter 613: Chapter 609: The Rod Shakes the Sky Shen Luo''s expression hardened as he took a step forward, abruptly stabbing his whip into the ground. A ¡°bang¡± exploded. Sparks of light scattered from the mountain wall, rubble flying about, stirring up a chaotic cloud of dust. The whole mountain shook violently. Joy filled Shen Luo''s heart as he added more force to his hand, determined to break the prohibition with one blow. However, just as the mountain wall crumbled, a black seal from within it suddenly expanded, a strong force rebounding and directly propelling Shen Luo outwards. He flew back a hundred feet before he managed to steady himself. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, glanced at the Six Chen Whip in his hand and put it away. After that, the golden light twinkled in his palm and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod emerged. ¡°Very well, it''s time to test this Splashy Chaotic Stick.¡± Shen Luo thought, speaking slowly. Once finished speaking, Shen Luo''s figure paused mid-air, his eyes slowly closing. The images in his mind began to spin, replaying every stick-fighting style he had learned. His body was quickly enveloped in a layer of invisible Qi. A moment later, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly opened. He firmly wielded his staff, stomping on the void, his arms rapidly swung. Golden shadows of the staff began to emerge, forming and not dispersing, as if gathering in formation. As each shadow emerged, the force that had gathered in the void grew stronger, seeming to manifest an invisible oppression that began pressuring him. The more shadows he swung, the stronger the pressure from the surroundings became. ¡°Use power to control power, exchange awe with awe. The more pressure one can withstand, the more shadows one can conjure, and the greater the power when released.¡± Shen Luo''s understanding of the Splashy Chaotic Stick increased. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After swinging out forty-nine shadows in one go, Shen Luo finally reached the limit of his water soul art avatar. He stopped gritting his teeth and persevering. With a sudden leap forward, he swung his staff towards the mountain wall covered with buddha images. ¡°Boom Boom Boom¡± Before the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod had truly fallen, an array of booming sounds had already erupted in the void. The staff shadows that had gathered in the void began to shrink back, merging with the staff in Shen Luo''s hand. With each returning shadow, each carried the formidable force of the original swing. When overlapped, this force became so powerful that it was shocking. Finally, the staff fell, and the mountainside collapsed, the sound echoing in the sky. A ¡°thunderous¡± noise echoed as the black seal on the mountain wall shattered. The entire mountain wall began to collapse, drowning the cliffside like a landslide. In the void, a black vortex appeared, pulling Shen Luo into it. The next instant, ripples appeared on the side of the stone wall inside the Water Curtain Cave. Underneath a cloud of dust, a figure flew out and was caught by an old horse monkey that had rushed over. ¡°Great King¡­..¡± The old horse monkey''s eyes flickered with excitement as he called out. Shen Luo, seeing this, stood up straight, brushed the dust off his body, and was about to speak when the ground beneath him shook. A ¡°crack¡± sounded from behind him. The two looked back in surprise and saw a crack appearing in the stone wall behind them. ¡°Great King, what did you do? How did even the Water Curtain Cave get affected?¡± the old horse monkey was surprised. Shen Luo did not know how to explain for a moment and could only say: ¡°Let''s not talk about that right now. With such large movements here, the Blue Bull Spirit might be summoned. I must return to rescue them first.¡± Hearing this, he was about to rush off when the old horse monkey grabbed his sleeve and handed him an object. Shen Luo took it and found that it was the token that sealed Qi Lianmi and others in the prison. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo expressed his thanks with a fist salute, turned around, and sped towards the side cave entrance. The old horse monkey then turned around, waving his hands to start repairing the cracks on the mountain wall, helping him to cover up. Shen Luo quickly arrived at the deepest part of the side cave. He raised his hand, waved the token, and opened the prison''s Big Gate. Seeing this, everyone was overjoyed and thanked him. ¡°Good kid, you really have some skills,¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord couldn''t help but praise. ¡°I would like to ask you all to help rescue the other trapped people. I need to find a way to break free from the Golden Rope''s bondage first,¡± Shen Luo saluted them with a fist. ¡°Okay.¡± Everyone responded and immediately rushed out of the prison gate, beginning to rescue the other trapped people. Only Fire Virtue Star Lord and Qi Lianmi didn''t move. ¡°Friend Shen, quickly use your magic to free yourself. I will protect you for a while,¡± said Qi Lianmi. A touch of gratitude flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. He nodded and then looked at Fire Virtue Star Lord Hui Lu. The latter suddenly widened his eyes and said, ¡°What are you looking at? I haven''t even removed the prohibitions on myself. I can''t help.¡± After giving a wry smile, Shen Luo walked to his own body, made a magical hand sign with both hands, and leaned his body backward. As a watery blue light shone on him, the divine soul doppelganger first appeared and merged with the body until it disappeared. The remaining water doppelganger turned into a bit of glowing light and was absorbed into his body. Immediately afterward, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly opened wide, and he sat up from the ground with a deep breath. Just as he wanted to stand up with his hands, he realized that he was still tied up by the Golden Rope. He could only sit cross-legged on the spot and summoned the two Innate Feather Plumes with his mind. With a thought, two Water Ropes suddenly probed out from his sleeves like two spiritual snakes, picking up the two feathers and retracting them into his sleeves, then attached them onto his left and right arms respectively. Just after completing this action, part of the mana released from his body was instantly absorbed. Shen Luo felt helpless, but luckily refining magical artifacts doesn''t require much mana. He immediately activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique and began refining these two feathers, integrating them into his arms. Just then, a furious roar came from the entrance of the side cave, ¡°What''s going on? How did all these Medicine People escape?¡± Immediately after, the sound of clashing weapons, shouts of killing, and dull impacts began to ring out one after another. ¡°Damn it, it''s the Blue Bull Spirit,¡± Qi Lianmi''s expression suddenly changed. ¡°Even if my prohibition is lifted, I''m no match for that old beast,¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord frowned and sighed helplessly. ¡°Brother Shen¡­ ¡± Qi Lianmi wanted to ask what to do next, but as he turned his head, he saw light intermittently emanating from Shen Luo''s sleeves, flickering like a candle in the wind. ¡°Don''t disturb him, this kid seems to be refining some treasure, it''s just a pity that even though the mana he is using is very minimal, it will still be interrupted by the Golden Rope, it would not be successful in a short while,¡± sighed Fire Virtue Star Lord. Hearing this, Qi Lianmi had no choice but to give up and stood in place with clenched fists. Chapter 614 Chapter 614: Chapter 610: Into the Cauldron Chapter 614: Chapter 610: Into the Cauldron In the darkness outside the prison cell, cries of killing and outcry were mingled, and the sound of fighting became closer and closer. In a short while, the people who had escaped from the prison earlier had already retreated, and the blue bull spirit had also come with its people to the outside of the prison door. The blue bull spirit''s body was full of blood, and its large copper bell-like eyes were full of anger. It scanned everyone and said: ¡°A bunch of death-row prisoners, thanks to my great kindness, survived so far, but you don''t think of being grateful and seeking survival, instead, you dare to escape from prison. Do you really think I won''t kill you?¡± As he spoke, he raised his hand and directly dragged one person into his hands, squeezing his neck fiercely. The man struggled, but could not break free from his iron-like hand. With a turn of his wrist, his neck was directly twisted and broken, and he was killed instantly. ¡°Who led the rebellion, and who unleashed the prohibition?¡± The blue bull spirit casually threw the corpse into the crowd and said coldly. The moment he finished speaking, he noticed Shen Luo, who was refining the innate feathers. ¡°Hmph, it seems you are not a simple man, the troublemaker here must have been instigated by you. Let''s start with you.¡± Saying this, the blue bull spirit raised his hand, a green light condensed, and wrapped around Shen Luo''s neck. At this moment, a figure suddenly shifted and stood in front of Shen Luo, with a palm strike, directly dispersing the green light. ¡°Qi Lianmi, do you want to seek death too?¡± The blue bull spirit sneered and asked coldly. ¡°Everyone, we have been imprisoned here, some for a few months, some for several years, originally just waiting for death. It was the appearance of Daoist Friend Shen that gave us hope of seeing the light of day again. Even if we die today, we must protect this possibility. This may be our last chance to live as decent human beings.¡± Instead of answering, Qi Lianmi scanned everyone with piercing eyes and said. Just as he finished speaking, he was overturned by a giant palm of green light. The shadow of the blue bull spirit swiftly followed, stepping on his chest, causing him to scream and vomit a large amount of fresh blood. ¡°If it weren''t for your good talent and solid bones, and I planned to keep you to refine the Body Tempering Pills, do you think you could have survived until now? Want to see the light of day again with his help¡­ hehe, let me show you, I will refine him first.¡± The blue bull spirit sneered as he glanced at Shen Luo. Having said that, he kicked Qi Lianmi away and reached out towards Shen Luo. Just then, the dark cave suddenly lit up, a crimson dragon roared out, charging directly at the blue bull spirit. The raging flame twisted into a blazing fire circle, trapping the blue bull spirit in the middle. ¡°Hui Lu, I imprisoned you here out of consideration for our past friendship. Don''t pretend not to drink the respectful wine and want to drink the punitive wine.¡± The blue bull spirit turned a ghastly pale shade from the flame, warning him. ¡°Old Bull, since you betrayed the Heavenly Court, I have considered all the wine we drank as going down the Roaring Sky Dog''s throat. Where do we have any past feelings? Being trapped here, I am no better than a pig or a dog. I''ve been fed up with this for a long time.¡± The Fire Virtue Star Lord sneered. ¡°Good, good, good! Since that''s the case, I''ll send you on your way.¡± The blue bull spirit''s eyes turned cold when he heard this. Having said that, he stomped his foot, causing the entire underground cave to tremble violently. A layer of green light spread out from his body, turning into a powerful force, directly dispersing all the flames. Then, he stepped forward, his powerful hand pierced directly towards the Fire Virtue Star Lord''s chest. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Stop.¡± Just then, a soft command came. Upon hearing this, everyone Immediately turned their heads and saw Shen Luo, who, without being aware of when, had already sat up and was looking in their direction. The Blue Bull Spirit continued his actions with hand undeterred, only changing his target, grabbing Fire Virtue Star Lord by the neck and glared at Shen Luo coldly. Shen Luo sighed slightly in his heart. The Golden Rope''s interference with mana was too frequent. This sporadic refinement would never be successful, and even if Qi Lianmi and Fire Virtue Star Lord risked their lives to buy him time, it would be in vain. ¡°All the commotion here was caused by me; it has nothing to do with others. You wanted to use humans for alchemy, right? To tell you the truth, I just ate a Pan Peach a little while ago. If you rush, you can use me as a refining material, and perhaps you might be able to extract some essence from the Pan Peach.¡± Shen Luo said slowly. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Qi Lianmi struggled to sit up and cried. ¡°Good, a man of steel courage. Yet, I don''t know if once you are in my Qiankun furnace and burned for 49 days, will you still retain that strong-willed spirit?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit praised, then let go of Fire Virtue Star Lord''s neck. He reached out into the void and pulled Shen Luo into his hand. ¡°Minions, bring out all these things seeking death, I want them to watch as I refine this man into a top-grade Body Tempering Pill.¡± After a loud shout from the Blue Bull Spirit, he went forward with Shen Luo, striding heavily toward the cave entrance. A group of little demons, pushing Qi Lianmi and others, followed the Blue Bull Spirit back to the Water Curtain Cave. Then they went through another side cave and entered a passageway within the mountain. After crossing this passageway, the front suddenly became brightly lit. Everyone had actually come to a heavenly pit behind the Flower-Fruit Mountain. The pit was not more than a hundred feet tall, but it was several hundred feet wide. Inside was a dark green pool formed by accumulated water. In the center, there was a small island in the heart of the lake, covering only a few tens of feet. But on it, there was a bronze pill furnace, several feet high. This furnace was tri-podded with double ears and engraved with intricate charm patterns all over its side. It was clearly not ordinary. Two children about thirteen or fourteen years old stood beside it. One held a black square box in his hand, and the other held a white feather fan. The Blue Bull Spirit took Shen Luo and flew onto the central island of the lake. He lifted his hand and waved in the direction above the cauldron. The heavy lid that was on top made a buzzing sound and immediately flew into the sky. Inside, a flame several feet high sprouted up, and a scorching aura filled the entire heavenly pit instantly. The surrounding dark green pool, under the impact of the hot wave, instantly rose up in tendrils of mist, enveloping the surroundings, making the inside of this heavenly pit seem like a land of immortals, as if an immortal was making an elixir. ¡°Boy, I have already refined a large amount of spiritual materials and immortal medicines in this furnace. Now, all that remains is for you, the main ingredient, to enter. You have to be willing to help me succeed in making this body tempering pill.¡± The Blue Bull Spirit said with a big laugh. After saying that, he raised his hand and threw Shen Luo directly into the cauldron. Immediately after, the heavy furnace lid fell down heavily, but at the very instant of it closing, a streak of golden light shot out. Qi Lianmi saw clearly that it was the golden rope that had bound Shen Luo. ¡°Don''t think I don''t know what you''re scheming, wanting to take advantage of the opportunity when I take away the golden rope before entering the cauldron to escape. It won''t be that easy.¡± The Blue Bull Spirit wrapped the golden rope around his waist and sneered at the cauldron. His words had just dropped when the entire cauldron shook violently. The entire lid of the cauldron jumped up sharply and almost opened. It seemed that this was caused by Shen Luo was hitting it from inside. But then, the charm patterns on the outside of the cauldron started to light up. A layer of fine golden light spread from the bottom of the pot, converging into countless slender golden threads, wrapping up the entire cauldron tightly. As soon as this golden light enveloped them, the cauldron which had been shaking stopped suddenly as if it had cast a weight of a thousand jin, and after landing steadily, there was no more movement. Chapter 615 Chapter 615: Chapter 611: The Power of Creation Chapter 615: Chapter 611: The Power of Creation The two children next to the cauldron saw this situation, one quickly opened the square box, and desperately scattered the fire powder within it, while the other swung the feather fan in his hand repeatedly, directly fanning the fire powder onto the body of the furnace. The furnace body that was already glowing golden directly absorbed the fire powder, and a layer of red flames was ignited on the outer surface of the furnace. Seeing this, the Blue Bull Spirit''s eyes flashed with satisfaction, and on turning over his wrist, a mini incense burner the size of a palm appeared in his hand. It was the one he had used during the fight with Shen Luo. There was a hint of scarlet light shining in the incense burner, and there was no trace of smoke inside, yet waves of burning power surged out. ¡°Damn it, it''s Samadhi True Fire¡­¡± Seeing this object, the expression of the Fire Virtue Star Lord changed slightly. ¡°Is this Samadhi True Fire the Heavenly Fire mentioned in the rumors?¡± Qi Lianmi quickly asked when she saw this. ¡°Yes! This Samadhi True Fire is one of the ten Heavenly Fires, originally the flame in Taishang Laojun''s Eight Trigrams Furnace. After Sun Wukong knocked over the furnace that year, most of it was spilled on the lower realm''s Flame Mountain, only a small part was collected by Taishang Laojun. I never thought that there would still be residual Fire Essence in the hands of this Blue Bull Spirit. With the power of this fire, Shen Luo absolutely cannot bear it.¡± The Fire Virtue Star Lord said with a frown. At this moment, the Blue Bull Spirit held the incense burner in his hand, and with a single hand he initiated a spell on the incense burner. A magic spell fell into the incense burner in a flash, the lid of the furnace immediately flipped, and a scarlet Fire Essence the size of a longan shot out, directly floating towards the Qiankun Furnace. At the same time, a beam of light lit up on the Taiji Yin-Yang pattern engraved on the body of the Qiankun Furnace, directly sucking the scarlet Fire Essence into the cauldron. The cauldron, previously wrapped in golden threads and displaying a golden glow, instantly turned into a crimson color. An indistinct crimson bird phantom circled on the surface of the furnace for a while, then also immediately entered the cauldron. In an instant, a surge of scorching heat shot up into the sky, causing a sharp rise in the surrounding temperature, and the clear water was once again violently evaporated, producing rolling white steam. The two children quickly flew out backwards, flying away from the central island of the lake, leaving only the Blue Bull Spirit standing beside the furnace, his eyes full of anticipation of the harvest. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A tragic cry came from the cauldron. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Qi Lianmi''s expression changed, her eyes full of regret. The eyes of the Fire Virtue Star Lord dimmed, unable to bear to look anymore. Within the cauldron, the tragic screams continued, making people''s scalp numb. Seeing this, the Blue Bull Spirit snorted from his nostrils, a trace of disdain flashing across his face. But at this moment, that tragic howl suddenly stopped. ¡°Is he dead?¡± Everyone''s minds popped up with this question. The Fire Virtue Star Lord''s eyes flickered, vaguely sensing something unusual. The Blue Bull Spirit''s face darkened, a somewhat serious expression flashed in his eyes, and after a slight hesitation, he made a hand seal and struck towards the Qiankun Furnace. A flash of light burst out of the Qiankun Furnace, and the furnace lid floated up, releasing a blaze reaching straight for the sky. The Blue Bull Spirit flew up to midair above the Qiankun Furnace, looked into the cauldron, and his face immediately turned extremely unpleasant. In the cauldron, there was nothing but blazing flames and residual Fire Essence. The Heavenly treasures and Shen Luo he had put in previously had all disappeared without a trace. ¡°What''s going on?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit immediately opened his Divine Sense, scanning all around him. But at that moment, a fuzzy golden-silver light arrived at an inconceivably fast speed to the side of the Blue Bull Spirit. A golden staff swung out from inside with an extreme rush of power, harshly striking the Blue Bull Spirit''s back. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! The Blue Bull Spirit was hit and knocked flying before he even saw the assailant. He crashed heavily into the Heavenly Pit Mountain Wall. Such was the impact that the entire Flower and Fruit Mountain shuddered, the mountain walls crumbled, causing a massive opening dozens of feet deep. Dust and broken rocks flew in all directions and took a long time to settle. ¡°Daoist friend Shen¡­¡± Qi Lianmi looked up at the sky with both joy and confusion. In mid-air, a man stood. He was handsome and wore a new green robe. He wielded the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, with gold and silver threads flashing on both of his arms. If it wasn''t Shen Luo, who else could it be? ¡°Good kid, I didn''t expect you to have this up your sleeve.¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord exclaimed with joy. ¡°Hehe, I''m sorry for keeping you all waiting.¡± Shen Luo smiled, saying. As he spoke, he waved his hand and blue lights shot downward like a shower of flowers from a celestial maiden, scattering the many demons below. Just at this moment, from the other side of the crumbling mountain wall, a loud rumble echoed, and a Wolf Fang Club shot out like an arrow, aiming at Shen Luo''s heart. With a swing of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in Shen Luo''s hand, he swiftly flicked upward, sending the Wolf Fang Club flying. The Wolf Fang Club flew high into the sky, and soon, enveloped by green light, it flew back into the dust on the mountain wall. Then, the Blue Bull Spirit holding the Wolf Fang Club flew out, his eyes filled with disbelief. ¡°Impossible! How could you escape from the prohibition of the Qiankun Furnace?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit asked incredulously. ¡°It''s just a broken cauldron. What''s so impossible about it? Besides, I quite like the taste of the spiritual medicine inside. I haven''t had enough yet.¡± Shen Luo grinned, stating. Back in the furnace, Shen Luo quickly absorbed two of the innate plumes from Yao Peng after the Golden Rope bond was removed. Before escaping, he swallowed all the liquefied spiritual medicines inside, intending to refine and absorb them later. He had wanted to take the Fire Essence of Samadhi True Fire with him, but it was too hot. He got burnt as soon as he touched it, and only managed to avoid serious injury thanks to the help of the Great Unsealing Technique. In the end, he had to give up. The Blue Bull Spirit became even angrier, his eyes glowing red and his body emitting blue light. His bones crackled as his body size doubled. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His cloth boots exploded with a ¡°pop,¡± revealing two large blue-black cow hooves. Seeing the quickly growing aura emanating from him, Shen Luo''s eyes also reflected a hint of seriousness. Holding the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in his hands, he pointed it up and got ready for the battle. Upon seeing Shen Luo''s stance, a trace of confusion flashed in the Bull Spirit''s eyes as he found it oddly familiar. However, even after racking his brain, he couldn''t come to a definite conclusion. Dismissing the strange thought, he stomped in mid-air and charged at Shen Luo. As he struck the void with his hooves, a booming sound echoed, and a tremendous counter-shattering force abruptly surged, making his figure blur. In an instant, he was in front of Shen Luo, his speed incredibly fast. Chapter 616 Chapter 616: Chapter 612: Battle with Qing Niu Chapter 616: Chapter 612: Battle with Qing Niu ¡°Roar!¡± A ferocious bellow escaped Blue Bull Spirit''s mouth, as a green light swirled around his arms. Gripping the Wolf Fang Club tightly, he swung towards Shen Luo with an oppressive surge of power. Shen Luo''s eyes contracted abruptly. Images of the moonlight flickered beneath his feet as he swiftly sidestepped, narrowly evading the crushing strike of the Wolf Fang Club. But as the Club whizzed past him, the corner of Blue Bull Spirit''s mouth curled into a grin, revealing a sense of accomplished scheme. Suddenly, green light exploded from the Club, and sharp, conical rays of green light abruptly burst out from its head. Shen Luo couldn''t dodge in time. Blood spurted from his chest, and he was blasted away. Seeing this, Blue Bull Spirit gave him no respite. With another forceful stomp of his feet, he launched himself in pursuit, bringing his club crashing towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo, yet to regain his balance, could only ward off the blow with his pole. A thunderous ¡°Bang!¡± echoed. Shen Luo felt his arms go numb as an overwhelming force, reminiscent of Mount Tai, rushed through him. He was sent tumbling backward, crashing heavily into the Heavenly Pit Pools. Water sprayed up hundreds of feet into the air from the bright blue pool. Shen Luo had been smashed onto the bottom of the pool, amidst the rocky edifice. Undeterred, Blue Bull Spirit dived down once again. He made a hand seal, and the green light behind him rapidly expanded, forming a colossal Dharmform of a blue bull. Along with the dive of his Wolf Fang Club, it charged towards the bottom of the pool. Just then, a roar echoed from within the pool. The water of the entire Sapphire lake was almost instantly drained, coalescing into a cyan Flood Dragon with overlapping scales, so lifelike it seemed to spring to life. The dragon''s head rose high, rushing upwards towards the Dharmform of the Blue Bull. Inside the dragon''s body, Shen Luo stood tall and proud, gripping his pole. The wounds on his chest had already healed. His eyes hardened, and he quickly activated the Firmament Step under his feet. His arms began to whirl rapidly, coalescing layers of club shadows around his body. Finally, the mountain-like blue bull Dharmform and the river-like dragon collided heavily. A tremendous ¡°rumble¡± resonated throughout the forest. The cyan Flood Dragon disintegrated first, exploding into a vast wave, transforming into a violent rainstorm. Unstoppable was the blue bull Dharmform as it crashed downwards, aiming straight for Shen Luo. Within the illusion, the Blue Bull Spirit''s entire body was taut, his hands gripping the Wolf Fang Club tightly, fully intent on dealing a fatal blow to Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s gaze hardened, and a cold smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. His body was already shrouded in layers of club shadows, which formed a protective golden light curtain around him. He burst through the blue bull Dharmform, charging directly at Blue Bull Spirit. ¡°Die.¡± With a shout, Blue Bull Spirit poured all his strength into the Wolf Fang Club. The tip of the club formed a layer of substantial azure-black light, causing the surrounding void to become distorted. Shen Luo also roared, and a swing of his stick cut upwards diagonally. In a flash, 64 club shadows enveloping Shen Luo began to quickly retreat and merge into one, forming an unprecedented enormous force. This force transformed into a giant golden rod that rocketed towards the sky. ¡°Splashy Chaotic Stick¡­¡± Blue Bull Spirit''s mind recalled the distant memory upon seeing this scene. However, before he could shake off the shock in his eyes, the two mighty forces had already collided with each other. ¡°Boom Boom¡­¡± An unending succession of explosions resounded, a blend of azure and gold light erupting in a stunning display, like a gorgeous sun slowly rising within the Heavenly Pit. As the explosion occurred, waves of heat surged all around, instantly blasting dozens of gaps hundreds of feet deep into the Heavenly Pit. Qi Lianmi and others hastily retreated to avoid the blast, but they were still inevitably affected, scattered in all directions. In the midst of chaos, the Qiankun Furnace, blasted off its axis and humming, spun into a mountain wall, the force of the impact embedding the entire body of the furnace onto the mountain wall. From the toppled furnace mouth, a red Fire Essence pellet fell out, flickering uncertainly in the smoke and dust, alternately bright and dim. Not far from it, Fire Virtue Star Lord, upon seeing this, immediately ran quickly to the fallen Fire Essence. Unable to hide his joy, he immediately formed a magic spell with his hands, reciting incantations and began to operate his refined Fire God''s Power. As the chanting sound from his mouth began, the little Mana he had left after being sealed began to shift, his entire face becoming remarkably red, while ancient charm patterns began to emerge on his forehead and between his brows. At the same time, black light from the seven Lovesick Cold Needles placed on critical points like his Danzhong, began spreading a layer of deathly black qi that engulfed half his body. Fire Virtue Star Lord''s face was creased with pain, but he never stopped channeling his mana. Seeing that the deathly black qi had already extended up his neck and was about to flow to his facial area, he suddenly opened his mouth wide and a flame vortex appeared in his throat, directly sucking the Fire Essence into his abdomen. As the Samadhi True Fire''s Fire Essence entered his belly, Fire Virtue Star Lord''s painful expression intensified, but his eyes couldn''t hide his joy. Within moments, there was an intense flame over his chest and abdomen. The fierce flame suddenly burst forth from all around him, enveloping his entire body. Meanwhile, the seven Lovesick Cold Needles on his chest and abdomen acupoints shattered with a loud bang under the scorching flame, turning into ashes. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord clenched his fists and let out a hearty laugh to the sky. However, when his gaze fell on the figure suspended in the air above, his laughter abruptly stopped. A look of astonishment flashed in his eyes as he couldn''t help but think of that unruly guy who caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace. At this time, Shen Luo was hanging in the air, holding the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, bending slightly and panting heavily. Although Splashy Chaotic Stick is a brilliant technique, it requires an enormous buildup of power for its execution, which puts a tremendous strain on the body. It was quite remarkable that he managed to execute 64 out of 88 movements of this technique. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Noticing the gaze of Fire Virtue Star Lord below, Shen Luo turned back, looked down, and flashed him a little grin. ¡°Somewhat similar, yet very different¡­¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord muttered to himself with a smile on his face. Just then, a golden light mark flashed across the void above. Realizing something was wrong, Fire Virtue Star Lord wanted to shout a warning, but it was already too late. That golden Light Mark circled behind Shen Luo and instantly bound him in place. All of Shen Luo''s Mana was suddenly extinguished, and he fell from the high altitude, crashing onto the already shattered Central Island of the Lake. Immediately afterward, a figure descended from the sky, wielding a Wolf Fang Club, and heavily stomped on Shen Luo''s shoulder. With a ¡°bang¡±, half of Shen Luo''s body was crushed into the ground. The Blue Bull Spirit was now drenched in blood with his scale armor severely damaged, looking extremely tragic. His bloodshot eyes were dark red, radiating extreme anger. Chapter 617 Chapter 617: Chapter 613: Land of Thatched Huts Chapter 617: Chapter 613: Land of Thatched Huts Fire Virtue Star Lord saw Shen Luo being tied up, just about to rush forward to save him, but didn''t know when the Nine-Tailed Fox had already led dozens of little demons over, blocking his way. The old horse monkey was among them. ¡°Damn fox, get the hell out of my way,¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord cursed angrily. ¡°Hui Lu, don''t be in a hurry. After I kill this kid, I''ll send you on your way immediately,¡± said the Blue Bull Spirit, looking over coldly. ¡°You piece of bull trash, when the Roaring Sky Dog was calling you that, I was still speaking up for you. Now it seems you really are worse than a dog. If you dare, kill me first,¡± the Fire Virtue Star Lord, who was naturally hot-tempered, cursed loudly. Hearing this ¡°elegant title¡±, the Blue Bull Spirit was indeed enraged, snorting white clouds from his nostrils, and immediately tried to rush over. But at the moment he lifted his foot, he was shocked on the spot. Under his feet, it seemed like a breeze had swept up, and Shen Luo''s figure had already disappeared from the spot. At the same time, in the sky over a water area a hundred li away, Shen Luo''s figure suddenly appeared, his arms wrapped in unstable gold and silver threads, the light shining for a long time. He immediately sat cross-legged and began to meditate and adjust his breath. Within his abdomen, a group of watery essence of spiritual medicine was leisurely spinning, entwined by a stream of mana, starting to refine. After only ten breaths, Shen Luo, who had only refined less than one percent of the medicine''s power, opened his eyes again, made a magic spell with his hands, and once again used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, disappearing in a flash. In the Heavenly pit, the confused Blue Bull Spirit didn''t know what had happened. He picked up the golden rope on the ground, intending to check if there was any problem with the magic treasure. Behind him, a figure flashed rapidly, Shan Luo''s figure appeared instantly, the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in his hand was wrapped in golden light, and stabbed out like a spear, piercing the heart of the Blue Bull Spirit with a ¡°plop¡±. The Blue Bull Spirit''s whole body stiffened suddenly. Just when he was about to turn his magic around, the SeAnchoring Iron Rod that pierced his heart flashed a light and instantly thickened by a hundredfold. Accompanied by a ¡°bang¡± noise, the Blue Bull Spirit''s entire body was blown up instantly, with bones and flesh flying around and blood spattering. From his broken body, a three-inch tall Blue Bull Spirit flew out, holding a golden demon pellet in his arms, flying towards the distance and disappeared instantly. Immediately after that, Shen Luo''s figure also disappeared amid the interlocking golden and silver lights. The change in this scene happened so suddenly that everyone didn''t have time to react. It was the old horse monkey who shouted, ¡°The Blue Bull Spirit is dead, surrender now.¡± At the shout of his voice, Xin Hu and Fire Virtue Star Lord were both startled on the spot, not knowing which side he was asking to surrender? However, his next action quickly made his stance clear. His Wisteria Cane swung hard towards the Demon Fox next to him. The Demon Fox was shocked and jumped high into the sky with a leap. Upon seeing this, Fire Virtue Star Lord immediately made a magic spell with one hand, and flicked with the other towards the sky, a fireball immediately shot out, hitting the Demon Fox. With a scream, the Demon Fox was immediately drowned in a raging fire. Amid the blazing fire, his huge white fox true body was revealed, and he directly cut off two of his tails to sweep away the flames on his body, then soared straight into the sky, fleeing away. The little demons in the Heavenly Pit suddenly lost their leader and panicked, fleeing in all directions. The Fire Virtue Star Lord killed a few with fire, and didn''t chase them to the end. Instead, he summoned the people around Qi Lianmi back and confronted the old horse monkey who suddenly betrayed for no reason. The old horse monkey didn''t hurry to explain anything, he just looked up at the sky, waiting for something. After a while, a light from the sky flew over, and Shen Luo''s figure slowly descended from the sky. ¡°Greetings, Great King,¡± The old horse monkey immediately came forward and saluted. Everyone looks state in awe and disbelief, except Fire Virtue Star Lord who seemed to understood something and asked Shen Luo telepathically: S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Shen, are you really the reincarnation of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated, not knowing how to explain. ¡°If it''s a delicate topic, let''s not discuss it further, haha¡­¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s expression, Fire Virtue Star Lord laughed. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t say anything more and collected the golden rope and the Wolf Fang Club from the ground. After a moment''s hesitation, everyone that had just narrowly escaped death came to Shen Luo to express their gratitude. ¡°My friends, now that you have regained your freedom, what are your plans?¡± asked Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, everyone became contemplative and seemed somewhat confused. Most of them have lost their families and sects long ago, and were imprisoned for many years. Now that they suddenly regained their freedom, they didn''t know what to do. ¡°Brother Shen, I am now alone in this world, orbiting around unattached. I''d like to follow you from here on,¡± said one of them after a moment of silence. As soon as he said this, it was as if a spark was ignited in everyone''s heart, and several people followed his example and said they wanted to follow Shen Luo. In Shen Luo''s heart, he couldn''t help but smile bitterly. He didn''t know when he would return to the mundane world, so how could he let these people follow him? ¡°It''s true, Brother Shen. You''re skilled in cultivation and have vast powers. If we attach ourselves to you and form an alliance, that''d be a great choice in this end of the world,¡± said Qi Lianmi. Fire Virtue Star Lord also nodded in agreement. ¡°Everyone, I can see that our shared difficulties have made us friends in life and death. Supporting each other is definitely a good thing. Flower Fruit Mountain was the place where the Great Sage started his journey. It used to be a blessed land with beautiful mountains and rivers. It has been occupied by demons for many years, and is now liberated. Why don''t we all settle down here?¡± Shen Luo proposed after some contemplation. Having said this, he turned to the old horse monkey and asked for his opinion. ¡°All depends on you, Great King,¡± said the old horse monkey respectfully. ¡°Well, everywhere is a mess anyway. It would be good to stay here,¡± Qi Lianmi laughed. ¡°That''s right. By sticking together here, we''ll have a stable place to stay, which is better than drifting around,¡± someone responded. ¡°Alright, let''s do it¡­¡± As everyone spoke, it was decided. ¡°Elder, how many demon caves are there on Flower Fruit Mountain now?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Your Majesty, there are three demon caves. The demon kings are the Blue Bull Spirit, the Fox Spirit, and a Three-headed Jiao. But they were previously sent to the Eastern Sea to attack Dragon Palace and haven''t returned yet,¡± explained the old horse monkey. Shen Luo was overjoyed when he heard this. He immediately shared the latest situation of the Eastern Sea with everyone. Upon hearing that the Three-headed Jiao was dead, everyone rejoiced. Shen Luo immediately led them back to Flower Fruit Mountain. Under the guidance of the old horse monkey, they cleared out all the demons who were occupying it. Only then did the old horse monkey bring out the offspring of the monkey tribe of the Flower Fruit Mountain that he had secretly hidden, as well as some seclusive cultivators and ordinary people. Thus the whole Flower Fruit Mountain gradually regained its vitality. Chapter 618 Chapter 618: Chapter 614 Heavenly Book Projection Chapter 618: Chapter 614 Heavenly Book Projection Several days later, inside a secret chamber within the Water Curtain Cave, Shen Luo was enveloped in flickering light, his aura escalating rapidly, faintly displaying signs of breaking through his current level. Yet after the flickering light shone for a moment, his aura began to stabilize, with no further signs of rising. ¡°Seems like I''m still lacking a bit of finesse¡­¡± Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes and muttered to himself. After saying this, he turned his wrist, and the tiny Exquisite Pagoda appeared in the middle of his palm. In his mind, he silently chanted the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, attempting to refine it again. However, a moment later, he halted his magical spell, stopped his actions, and sighed in slight defeat: ¡°It seems like it still doesn''t work¡­¡± He had no idea why this Exquisite Pagoda could not be refined, even with the power of the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. ¡°Forget it, right now I have both the Six Chen Whip and the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, plus the Golden Rope and the Wolf Fang Club ¨C I don''t really lack magical treasures for now. However¡­¡± Shen Luo didn''t get to finish his words when he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. But before he could adjust his breath, an overpowering sensation of vertigo overwhelmed him, submerging him instantaneously. Shen Luo felt as if the world was spinning, and his consciousness gradually blurred. After an unknown period of time, Shen Luo finally woke up groggily, opened his eyes, and saw the familiar roof of his bedchamber. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He shook his head, looked around, and confirmed that this was his residence in the Cheng Manor. He had returned from the dreamscape of a thousand years later back to reality. He didn''t get up immediately. Instead, he just lay there, looking at the roof without speaking, motionless. ¡°Demon Emperor Chi You, five reincarnated remnants of the soul¡­¡± he murmured to himself, his expression fluctuating between light and dark. During this dream entry, Shen Luo had experienced many things. It didn''t feel significant while he was in the dreamscape, but now that he was awake and recalling those events, he felt shaken. From the words left by Li Jing, it was the existence of these five reincarnated remnants that ultimately caused the Heaven and Earth Calamity. To save everything, one could only find those five reincarnated demon souls and kill them. What bothered him was his current strength. These demon souls were split from Chi You, so their cultivation levels were presumably not low. His current cultivation level was only the late stage of Soul Condensation. Even in the Great Tang, he was considered a common monk. If he rashly tried to investigate those five reincarnated remnants, he would likely meet certain death. At this moment, the jade pillow beside him suddenly emitted bright golden light that rapidly swirled and hissed non-stop. Then a golden shadow burst out from the pillow, and out of instinct, Shen Luo raised his hand to catch it, only to find a golden book in his hand. It was none other than the Heavenly Book he had obtained from Li Jing in the dreamscape. ¡°Heavenly Book! How can this item appear in reality?¡± Shen Luo suddenly sat up. However, he quickly realized that what he was holding in his hand was not the physical Heavenly Book, but a projection. It seemed like the Heavenly Book in the dreamscape was projected into reality. Although it was a projection, he could feel the powerful might contained within this golden book. It wasn''t just a simple illusion. Just as Shen Luo was about to examine it in detail, the Heavenly Book in his hand suddenly shone brightly and began to vibrate toward the sky, as if resonating with something. The sky above Chang''an City changed dramatically. Dark clouds rolled overhead, and silvery snakes danced in the sky. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the vicinity of hundreds of miles was in turmoil like boiling water. In the depths of the dark clouds, streaks of golden light seeped out, resembling the holy light accompanying the arrival of heavenly beings. These golden lights were also flickering non-stop, and each time they flickered, a thunderous roar was triggered. City dwellers and several monks who saw the anomaly in the sky all stopped to look upward, faces filled with astonishment and curiosity. ¡°What''s happening?¡± ¡°Heavenly and Earthly anomaly. Could it be a divine spirit revealing itself!¡± No one knew who shouted, but the ordinary people showed faces full of fear and fell to their knees, prostrating in the air and incessantly chanting the names of various gods and buddhas. The monks in the city naturally wouldn''t be so ignorant; they recognized that such a celestial phenomenon must have a cause. It may have been triggered by a monk advancing in rank or it could also be an omen of the birth of a treasure. Some, who were impatient, started searching everywhere inside the city. Within the palace, Emperor Tang, who had just weathered a storm, was in bed resting. Aside from him was a young girl in palace attire, unparalleled in elegance and grace. This was indeed Miss Li. The peculiarities in the sky came in waves. Thunder roared incessantly, shaking the magnificent palace till it buzzed and hummed. ¡°What the hell is happening? Is it those demons making trouble again? Summon the guards!¡± The Emperor Tang''s face was filled with shock and anger as he flung his bedding aside and got up. ¡°Father Emperor, your body is still very weak, it''s not good for you to move around.¡± Miss Li hurriedly held Emperor Tang back. A figure elegantly appeared in the sleeping palace, it was Yuan Tiangang. ¡°Your Majesty, do not worry. I have already used my divination arts and have seen that the peculiarities in the sky are not caused by demons. It''s likely due to a fluctuation of a mystical treasure. You need not be concerned.¡± Yuan Tiangang gave a bow and said. Upon hearing that it was not due to the mischief of the demons, Emperor Tang''s expression eased. ¡°No matter what the reason is, find out immediately. Eliminate the celestial phenomenon so as not to panic the people.¡± He immediately ordered. ¡°I have already instructed the people of the Great Tang Dynasty Government to investigate. I believe there should be results soon,¡± replied Yuan Tiangang respectfully. Inside the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Cheng Yaojin stood at the main palace door, his brows deeply furrowed as he watched the peculiarities in the sky. Rays of light escaped from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, not caring about shocking the world, and rushed to various places within the city. Within the room of Cheng Manor, Shen Luo naturally also noticed the peculiarities in the sky. The frequency of tremors and flashes of the golden book matched exactly with the fluctuations of the golden light projected from the sky. Clearly, the peculiarities in the sky were caused by this golden book. ¡°This Heavenly book is really mysterious. Even a mere projection can lead to such a surprising celestial phenomenon!¡± Shen Luo was surprised. Just then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed several glimmers of light flashing across the sky. Several escape lights were frantically rushing to and fro as if they were looking for something, quickly approaching his location. His heart jolted and he quickly tried to store the projection of the Heavenly Book in his Linlang Ring. But the projection of the Heavenly Book was unmoving, revealing it clearly couldn''t be put into the storage magical tool. Shen Luo''s face darkened; in his hand, blue light shone brightly, forming a blue-light shield, trying to isolate the influence of the book. However, no matter how much he thickened the shield, the golden light emanating from the book could be easily projected out. The mysterious phenomenon in the sky did not weaken in the slightest. The few escape lights outside were getting closer and closer. It wouldn''t be long before they found this place. If the monks inside the escape light were to examine with their Divine Sense, the projection of the Heavenly Book would be immediately exposed. ¡°Damn, what should I do?¡± Thinking of this, Shen Luo broke out into a cold sweat. If the existence of the Heavenly Book was detected, the secret of the jade pillow would probably not be kept. That would be troublesome then. ¡°That''s it, the jade pillow!¡± A lightbulb went off in his head. He immediately dashed to the bed and threw the Heavenly Book Projection at the jade pillow. This projection of the Heavenly Book emanated from the jade pillow. As the saying goes one who tied the bell must untie the bell ¨C perhaps the jade pillow could be used to hide this thing as well. Chapter 619 Chapter 619: Chapter 615: The Duke Invites Chapter 619: Chapter 615: The Duke Invites With a flicker, the Heavenly Book Projection vanished into the jade pillow, and the dazzling golden light immediately disappeared, leaving no trace of a disturbance. The anomalous event in mid air disappeared instantly when its source vanished. A few breaths later, the sky returned to its previous tranquility, as if the thunderous scene just moments ago had only been a dream. Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief and quickly continued to lie on the bed pretending to sleep, in case someone tried to investigate at this moment and expose him. Time passed steadily, and after half an hour, no one came. The heart that Shen Luo had been holding tightly finally relaxed. He sat back up, picked up the jade pillow, and scrutinized it carefully. The Heavenly Book Projection was still within the jade pillow, quietly suspended, emitting a gentle golden light. ¡°Could it be that this Heavenly Book Projection doesn''t disappear and will always exist here? If so, that''s not good. This object is connected to my mana. As soon as I leave the jade pillow, the Heavenly Book will immediately appear and trigger an anomaly in heaven and earth.¡± Shen Luo frowned and pondered. He pondered for a moment, put his hand on the jade pillow, and purified his magical energy into it, and quickly let out a soft gasp. After cultivating his magic power, he had explored this jade pillow many times, but to no avail. But at this moment, when casting the spell to investigate, he sensed faint traces of magical power within, this sensation was just like the prohibition within magical instruments and treasures. Shen Luo quickly closed his eyes and concentrated, running magical power along the traces of prohibition. These traces of prohibition were as thin as spider silk, making the flow of magic power through them extremely difficult. He had to concentrate all his attentions and barely managed to make the magic power flow slowly through them. After progressing along these prohibitions for a while, these prohibitions suddenly converged to a place, forming a junction point. Shen Luo poured his magical powers into this point and an anomaly occurred immediately. This junction point emitted a suction force, continuously absorbing his magical power, while the Heavenly Book Projection within the jade pillow began to vibrate. It obviously had a significant connection with this junction point. His spirit was shocked, and he continued to operate his magical power into it. A few breaths later, with a soft ¡°pop¡±, a ball of white light illuminated the junction point, and a star pattern appeared in it. The Heavenly Book Projection inside the jade pillow immediately brightened and seemed to have grown larger. ¡°There is indeed a connection!¡± Shen Luo was secretly delighted in his heart and he operated his magical power to investigate the star pattern in the white light. The star pattern immediately started shimmering violently, countless tiny white texts emerged from it. They surged along the magical power into his body, swarming into his mind. ¡°Ah!¡± Shen Luo gave a miserable cry. Clutching his head, he collapsed onto the bed. His mind felt as if it was being stirred up with a stick, causing unbearable pain. He quickly operated the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his soul. However, the pain in his mind did not miss him and there seemed to be a force expanding within it. If this force continued to expand, Shen Luo felt that his mind was going to be exploded. Fortunately, the pain quickly subsided, and all the small white characters had completely integrated into his mind. Shen Luo was covered in cold sweat, wheezing heavily. After a while, he finally calmed down and opened his eyes. At this moment, he understood the meaning of the white characters: it was a summoning technique similar to the Summoning Spirit Binding Demon Technique. However, this summoning technique was not complete, only containing a small part of it. ¡°What''s the use of such a fragmented technique?¡± Shen Luo laughed self-derisively and muttered to himself. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A moment later, he suddenly had an insight and looked towards the jade pillow once again. He touched the jade pillow and activated the summoning technique. A layer of white light immediately emerged from the jade pillow, and the Heavenly Book Projection inside the pillow flashed a few times before abruptly disappearing. ¡°So, that''s how it is. This summoning technique is specifically for the Heavenly Book Projection.¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with delight, and he continued to cast the spell on the jade pillow. A few breaths later, the jade pillow flashed with golden light, and the Heavenly Book Projection emerged again. He continued to operate the summoning technique until he fully understood this secret technique before he finally stopped. Looking at the jade pillow, he couldn''t help but smile. After possessing the jade pillow for so long, he could finally exert some control over it. In the following time, Shen Luo continued to urge his mana to investigate the prohibition within the pillow, trying to discern more hidden secrets about the jade pillow. Unfortunately, those traces of prohibition disappeared when they reached the white star pattern and could no longer advance. Finding no way to continue his investigation, he had no choice but to give up. He turned his attention to studying the abilities of the Heavenly Book Projection and poured his mana into it. The Heavenly Book Projection brightened slightly, countless golden runes danced within it, and the book opened with a ¡°whoosh¡±. A golden light flashed above the jade pillow, and the wooden bed underneath him suddenly disappeared, leaving the tea table beside the bed untouched. As Shen Luo was sitting on the bed, his body immediately fell towards the ground below as did the jade pillow. He straightened his body and landed firmly on the ground, quickly snatching the falling jade pillow from the air, feeling secretly pleased. Although this Heavenly Book is only a projection, it still has the ability to absorb things. However, the absorption range of this projection is much less than that of the real Heavenly Book- only able to absorb things within a range of a few meters in front of it. Even if it can only absorb things within a range of a few meters, this Heavenly Book Projection is very useful. He had experienced this absorption technique in Dreamland, almost nothing made of mana can escape it. The activation of the Heavenly Book Projection for absorption, however, required the use of magic power. Although this amount of magic power may seem insignificant for him in Dreamland, in reality, his cultivation level is not high and his magic power is superficial. He estimated that he could only activate it about three times. ¡°Three times it is then. If used properly, it could change the course of battle.¡± Shen Luo was not greedy. He connected to the Heavenly Book Projection to return the wooden bed to its place. He then continued sensing the Heavenly Book to see if it had any other capabilities, such as summoning Heavenly Soldiers in reality. Unfortunately, no matter how he impelled it, he could not summon the Heavenly Soldiers. ¡°It seems that a projection will always just be a projection. Though it possesses a certain power and can absorb things, it cannot call the Heavenly Soldiers.¡± Shen Luo tried several times, then gave up the effort. He stowed away the jade pillow and began to think about how to find the reincarnated demon soul in the city of Chang''an. According to Li Jing, that person had a mark of a plum blossom on his wrist. But in a city like Chang''an, with hundreds of thousands of people, where would he begin to look for this person? After some thought, Shen Luo could only seek help from the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Given the credit, he had accumulated from his continuous achievements, Cheng Yaojin shouldn''t refuse, he hoped. While he was thinking, a series of footsteps sounded outside his door. ¡°Has Young Master Shen risen?¡± A woman''s voice came through the door. Shen Luo took a quick scan with his Divine Sense and found that the visitor was a maid from Cheng Manor. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± He kept the jade pillow and got up to open the door. ¡°The Duke has returned to the Manor. He said he has something to discuss with you and requested for your presence in the hall.¡± The maid said with her head lowered. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered upon hearing this, he secretly wondered about the purpose of Cheng Yaojin''s summon at this time. Although he had spent considerable time in the Dreamland, in reality, only one night had passed. It was unlikely that the reward promised by Emperor Tang had arrived. Chapter 620 Chapter 620: Chapter 616: Suspicion Chapter 620: Chapter 616: Suspicion Shen Luo was making calculations in his heart, but on the surface, he didn''t hesitate and nodded in agreement. The maid led him towards the mansion''s interior, quickly arriving outside a large courtyard. ¡°This is the place, Young Master, please go in. This servant will take her leave.¡± The maid gave a bow then quickly walked away. Shen Luo glanced inside. In the courtyard was a tall main hall, where two people could vaguely be seen. ¡°Who is the other one?¡± His eyebrows tightened slightly, but quickly relaxed. He stepped into the hall. One of the people in the hall was Cheng Yaojin. The other was a young Taoist priest, holding a snow-white whisk, and wearing a smiling face. This Taoist priest, who was originally laughing and talking with Cheng Yaojin, turned to look when he saw Shen Luo come in. For some reason, Shen Luo''s heart suddenly tensed. It was as if the Taoist priest could see right through him, causing his hands and feet to shake uncontrollably. He froze on the spot. ¡°Hehe, this must be Friend Shen, isn''t it? We''ve actually met once before.¡± The young Taoist priest nodded at Shen Luo with a smile. Shen Luo recovered his senses at the sound of the voice, a voice that was very familiar. ¡°Are you Master Yuan Tiangang?¡± The voice of this young Taoist priest was identical to that of Miss Li from the banks of the Styx in the Underworld. ¡°Indeed, I am Yuan Tiangang. The last time we parted hastily on the bank of the Styx, there wasn''t time to introduce myself. I hope you won''t take offense at it, cough cough¡­¡± Yuan Tiangang gave a bow with his palm up vertically. Suddenly he coughed a few times, seemingly ill. ¡°I dare not, your modesty is appreciated, Master.¡± Shen Luo quickly returned the bow, lowering his gaze. In his dreams, his cultivation had reached the True Immortal Realm, his vision was clear. The Yuan Tiangang in front of him seemed unfathomably profound, as though he were a boundless ocean. Though it appeared calm, it was, in reality, immeasurably deep. He had met many skilled practitioners, but none of them, whether it was Cheng Yaojin, Senior Yellow Wood, Jing River Dragon King, or even the East Sea Dragon King from his dreams, seemed as terrifying as Yuan Tiangang. The appearance of this man here, the reason unknown, made Shen Luo feel somewhat uneasy. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With Yuan Tiangang''s heavenly Dao-Practice, and with him being in Cheng Manor, Shen Luo wondered if he had noticed the existence of the jade pillow and the projection of the Heavenly Book. ¡°I, Yuan, am here today to visit Cheng Manor and am also a guest. Friend Shen need not be so formal.¡± Yuan Tiangang said with a smile. ¡°Alright, you two stop exchanging courtesies. Shen Luo, I called you here today because Dual-element True Water you asked for earlier has arrived.¡± Cheng Yaojin interrupted their conversation. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo forgot his speculations about Yuan Tiangang and showed a look of joy. Previously, the Great Tang Dynasty Government had promised to confer some Dual-element True Water to him. But due to the ghost troubles in Chang''an, the matter had been put on hold, and he had almost forgotten about it. As Cheng Yaojin spoke, he took out a half-foot tall silver jade bottle and handed it over. Shen Luo quickly reached out to receive it. The jade bottle didn''t look big, but it weighed hundreds of pounds. He had to secretly use his Mana in order to hold it steady. He quietly circulated his Divine Sense into the bottle and in his heart rejoiced once more. Unexpectedly, this jade bottle was filled with Dual-element True Water, several times more than what he had previously obtained from Chen Gang. ¡°Many thanks, Your Excellency the Duke, for your generosity.¡± Shen Luo tucked away the jade vial and thanked him with a salute. With so much Dual-element True Water, he was confident that he could cultivate the Nameless Cultivation Technique to the peak of the Soul Condensation Stage in a short time. As for the subsequent breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, he already had considerable confidence. Shen Luo had already experienced a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage in his dreams and knew that the most important thing for a breakthrough at this stage was that the power of the soul had to be strong enough to break through the physical limitations. The power of his divine soul had increased by more than thirty percent after absorbing two Soul Cultivators at the Styx River''s boundary, which was enough to impact the Nascent Soul Stage. Moreover, in the latter half of the Nameless Cultivation Technique he acquired in his dreams, there was a method to aid in breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage, known as ¡°Three Elements Kai Tai,¡± which could increase the chance of a breakthrough. ¡°Why are you thanking me! This is what you deserve; I am already embarrassed for giving it to you so late.¡± Duke Cheng Yaojin laughed heartily while stroking his beard. ¡°Duke, you are too kind. It''s only because of the ghost problem that the delivery of supplies was delayed. How could I not understand this?¡± Shen Luo tucked away the jade vial and saluted. ¡°The Duke and Master Yuan seem to have something to talk about. If they have no other instructions, I will take my leave.¡± He glanced at the two and said quickly. Shen Luo still wanted to ask Duke Cheng Yaojin to investigate the Demon Soul affair in Chang''an, but he was somewhat distrustful of Yuan Tiangang. This might be because Yuan Tiangang''s cultivation level was too high, or because of what Ma Xiuxiu had said at the Styx River''s boundary. Shen Luo decided to discuss it with the Duke some other day. ¡°Friend Shen, don''t be in such a hurry to leave. One of the reasons for my visit today was to see you.¡± Yuan Tiangang suddenly interjected. ¡°Why did National Master Yuan look for me?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback and turned to Yuan Tiangang. ¡°After saving the His Majesty''s spirit at the Underworld Styx River, due to time restrictions of the soul attachment secret technique, traveled back with his Majesty''s soul. According to Lu Huaming, one of Duke Cheng''s servants, you were the one battling with the Jing River Dragon King the end. This Evil Dragon has a deep grudge with our Great Tang court, and I want to ask you to recount the details of the final battle,¡± Yuan Tiangang looked directly into Shen Luo''s eyes and spoke with a smile. Shen Luo''s heart pulsed. Although he tried his best to remain calm on the surface, a slight ripple in his eyes was still caught by Yuan Tiangang. ¡°What''s wrong, young master Shen Luo? Is there a problem?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he soon let it go. Even though he somewhat knew Ma Xiuxiu, her enmity with him for the Thousand-Year Spirit Milk incident meant that there was no need to cover up anything for her. Moreover, Ma Xiuxiu once said that Yuan Tiangang had transformed into Yuan Shoucheng and intended to trap the Jing River Dragon King. With these words kept in his heart and Duke Cheng present, he wished to see what Yuan Tiangang had to say. ¡°There is of course no inconvenience. That day when I pursued the Jing River Dragon King with a sword¡­¡± Shen Luo recounted in detail what happened that day when he pursued the Dragon King. This was the first time Duke Cheng Yaojin had heard this and his expression kept changing. However, Yuan Tiangang was not surprised. He just frowned and appeared to be troubled by something. ¡°¡­Finally, Ma Xiuxiu turned into a dragon and left. I then fell unconscious and woke up in Cheng Manor. That was the cause and effect of the incident. I have not withheld any information. If the two of you still have doubts, you can verify with the Underworld.¡± Shen Luo saluted. Duke Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang were both silent for a moment, standing there in silence. ¡°Thank you, young master Shen, for your detailed account of the matter.¡± Yuan Tiangang was the first to return to his senses and thanked Shen Luo with a nod. ¡°Master Yuan is too polite. However, I have previously heard Duke Cheng speak about the incident with the Jing River Dragon King, and I have heard what Ma Xiuxiu said that day in the Underworld. There seem to be some discrepancies between the two, especially in regards to the identity of Yuan Shoucheng. They are diametrically opposed, and I don''t know what is the truth?¡± Shen Luo didn''t want to beat around the bush and directly asked Yuan Tiangang. Chapter 621 Chapter 621: Chapter 617: Something Fishy Chapter 621: Chapter 617: Something Fishy ¡°Indeed, the matter of Yuan Shoucheng is also a mystery to me, what exactly happened? Surely it''s not your doing, National Master?¡± Cheng Yaojin also turned around and asked Yuan Tiangang. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not at all, while I had some enmity with the Jing River Dragon King and had considered seeking revenge, my master''s guidance led me to let go of that past resentment entirely. Furthermore, although I cannot claim to be the most virtuous gentleman, I am one to take responsibility for my actions. If I had truly conspired against the Jing River Dragon King, I wouldn''t deny it.¡± Yuan Tiangang shook his head and replied. ¡°So what actually happened?¡± Cheng Yaojin furrowed his brows as he inquired. Shen Luo observed Yuan Tiangang''s frank expression, detecting no deceit. Perhaps this matter truly had nothing to do with him. Then who could Yuan Shoucheng really be? Judging from his maneuvers, it seemed like his intention was to instigate animosity between the Jing River Dragon King and the Great Tang Dynasty Government. ¡°Could it be that Demon Soul!¡± A thought suddenly crossed his mind. ¡°Regardless of who Yuan Shoucheng really is, he plotted against the Jing River Dragon King and attempted to frame the National Master, so he is certainly not a good person. However, given that the Jing River Dragon King is now dead, there''s no need to worry.¡± Cheng Yaojin contemplated before commenting. ¡°Although the Jing River Dragon King is dead, Ma Xiuxiu is still alive. Having acquired the Dragon Element from the Jing River Dragon King, she has metamorphosed into a Dragon. Additionally, the Refining Body Altar also survived without any substantial damage in this great battle. I''m afraid this matter is far from over.¡± Yuan Tiangang responded, shaking his head. ¡°Indeed.¡± Cheng Yaojin''s expression darkened as he nodded in agreement. ¡°Not only Ma Xiuxiu and the Refining Body Altar, but we also encountered a grey figure at the boundary of the Nether River that day. That person was able to call upon the power of Six Paths of Reincarnation from the Underworld to aid the Jing River Dragon King. I suggest the two elders get in touch with the Underworld and thoroughly investigate the origins of this person. It might provide some valuable direction.¡± Shen Luo proposed. ¡°A valid suggestion from Shen indeed!¡± Cheng Yaojin''s eyes lit up as he immediately responded. Yuan Tiangang also slowly nodded in agreement. Despite his suggestion being accepted by the two, Shen Luo didn''t take pride in it; his expression remained serious. Although the ghost menace in Chang''an had been eliminated, it seemed to hide a more clandestine undercurrent. Coupled with the Demon Soul lurking within Chang''an, a massive wave could be triggered at any time. ¡°If the two elders don''t have any other matters, I will take my leave.¡± Shen Luo noticed Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang remaining silent, and paid his respects to bid them farewell. He needed to return and quickly enhance his strength to cope with the drastic changes that might occur at any time. ¡°Go ahead, currently, the city is in a state of reconstruction and not quiet, not conducive to cultivation. Shen, you can stay at my residence for peace of mind, there''s no rush to leave.¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded and spoke. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Duke. In that case, I, the junior, won''t stand on ceremony.¡± Shen Luo paused for a moment before nodding. He then paid his respects to the two once again before taking his leave. ¡°What do you make of this lad?¡± After Shen Luo left, Cheng Yaojin asked Yuan Tiangang. ¡°Quite astute and well-mannered, he is indeed a promising young lad.¡± Yuan Tiangang nodded and chuckled. ¡°I didn''t ask for that, it''s not like we''re selecting a son-in-law. I meant our earlier topic.¡± Cheng Yaojin said, a bit irritated. ¡°You mean the person chosen by destiny? There indeed are some similarities, however, there are also differences between him and Lu Xianzhi. We need to observe further.¡± Yuan Tiangang put away his teasing smile and responded seriously. ¡°Fine.¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded. Shen Luo left the main hall without returning to his own residence. Instead, he exited Cheng Manor and headed into the city. The streets within Chang''an City were no longer bustling as before, the foot traffic was less than a third of what it used to be. Owing to the previous great battle, scars of destruction were seen all over the city. The northern part of the city was relatively unscathed as it was not directly impacted by the battle. However, the southern part, which was at the heart of the battlefield, was littered with ruins and debris. Even though the court dispatched troops to aid in the reconstruction, and citizens gradually returned home, the scene was still bleak. Nearly every household was holding a funeral, and everywhere one looked, there were expressions of sorrow and grief. Upon witnessing this devastation, Shen Luo felt a profound sadness and made a silent vow to prevent the Demonic Tribulation from harming the entire human realm. He then gathered his thoughts and arrived at a temporary gathering place for shops within the city that he had previously visited. He spent half a day there before exiting, looking somewhat pained. The immortal jade he had accumulated from several previous battles was reduced by a third, exchanged for a large batch of materials, all of which were related to array formations. Shen Luo bought these materials in preparation for breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage, specifically for the preparation of the Tri-Element Kaitai Secret Technique. Tri-Element Kaitai is a unique auxiliary breakthrough secret method, different from the many methods he had seen before. The core of this secret method is to set up a Three Element Array, which is neither a defensive nor an offensive formation, but a nourishing array. The Three Element Array is closely related to the person setting up the array, with the formation pattern and the meridians of the human body interconnected. It could even be said that an external simulation of the Dantian is created with the array. When the person setting up the array cultivates within it, the mana within their body would be transferred and stored within the Three Element Array. At the right moment, this mana would be gathered back to their body, combined with the internal mana, to break the cultivation bottleneck. This Tri-Element Kaitai Secret Technique opens up a new path and is quite ingenious. Even though Shen Luo was well-traveled and knowledgeable, he was still struck by its brilliance when he first came across this technique. Unfortunately, the amount of mana that this Three Element Array can store is limited and can only be used to assist in breaking through to the Nascent Soul Stage. After purchasing the materials, Shen Luo quickly returned to Cheng Manor and to his own residence. He first took out a set of dull yellow array flags and discs and placed them around the room. This formation is called the Thousand Mile Yellow Sand Array, which he obtained from the storage magical tool of the black-robed monk from the Refining Body Altar at the outskirts of the Underworld. It is a highly ingenious defensive array that can connect with the Earth Veins, making it extremely stable. Even if a Nascent Soul Cultivator were to attack, it would not be a concern. It also has the ability to block Divine Sense and is typically used for safeguarding cave mansions. However, this formation has a significant drawback, its conspicuousness. Once activated, it would stir up sands of yellow light, making it hard to go unnoticed. Given the importance of his impending closed-door cultivation, Shen Luo did not mind the array''s conspicuousability. He quickly set up the Thousand Mile Yellow Sand Array, before taking out the materials to set up the Three Element Array in the center of the room. The Three Element Array is extremely complex and didn''t have any pre-made setup tools available. Despite Shen Luo''s experience in setting up arrays on numerous occasions, it still took him a full day and night to set up this grand formation. Once done, Shen Luo sat cross-legged in a silver ring at the center of the formation, took out an array flag and pointed it at the outermost Thousand Mile Yellow Sand Array. The Thousand Mile Yellow Sand Array immediately started to operate, with countless yellow lights resembling sand appearing and swirling within the room. The room was unable to hide the yellow glow of the array, which soon spread outside. In just a few breaths, the entire house was shrouded in rolling yellow sand, visible from a great distance. Chapter 622 Chapter 622: Chapter 618: Seclusion Breakthrough Chapter 622: Chapter 618: Seclusion Breakthrough ¡°What happened? What is that!¡± The servants in Cheng Manor quickly noticed the situation and were greatly shocked. They immediately rushed to the main hall to report to Cheng Yaojin. Several guards in the Cheng Manor who possess cultivation abilities wanted to go and investigate, but Shen Luo''s entire small courtyard was shrouded by a storm-like force, making it impossible to approach. The guard with the highest cultivation level, a middle-aged man, roared in anger, wielding a fiery red broadsword, a magical instrument, and making a frontal assault. This man, already at the Late Grain Avoidance stage, sparked flames that were feet high on his broadsword and struck at the light shield made of yellow sand with the force of splitting mountains and rocks. With a loud ''clang'', the sand shield just fluctuated a bit before returning to normal, while the flame on the fiery red broadsword was thoroughly dispersed, and bounced back at several times the speed. The middle-aged man did not expect this to happen. It was too late to dodge, and he was about to be hit by his own magical instrument. A figure appeared out of thin air, stretched out two fingers to grasp the fiery red broadsword. The broadsword immediately halted as if it had struck stone. ¡°Duke!¡± Several guards hurriedly greeted the suddenly appeared man. The person was Cheng Yaojin. Cheng Yaojin returned the broadsword to the man and looked at the yellow sand light curtain, showing surprise on his face. ¡°Duke, this place¡­¡± The middle-aged man looked a little uncomfortable as he bowed towards Cheng Yaojin. ¡°This is an array set up by Friend Shen, no need for such a fuss,¡± said Cheng Yaojin lightly. All of them knew there was a cultivator named Shen living in the Cheng Manor who seemed to be healing, but they never thought his cultivation would be so profound. Cheng Yaojin carefully examined the array from a distance, spreading his Divine Sense towards it, but as soon as he contacted the array''s yellow light, he became immobile, unable to investigate further. Even more surprise appeared on his face, but he quickly regained his composure. ¡°Give the orders, no one is allowed to approach the small courtyard where Friend Shen is staying without my permission. You also should not disturb him.¡± Cheng Yaojin ordered the guards. ¡°Yes!¡± The several people quickly complied and retreated. Cheng Yaojin cast two more glances towards Shen Luo''s direction, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth, then he turned around and left. ¡­ The Thousand Mile Yellow Sand array could block Divine Sense, so Shen Luo couldn''t sense the situation outside either. He formed a hand seal to activate the Three-Element Array around him, and the formation patterns inside immediately brightened up with lines of silver light, as if silver snakes were darting around inside the array. The chilling sound of sharp shrieks could be heard as more than a dozen silver lights shot out from within the array, burying themselves into the meridians all over Shen Luo''s body. Within the silver light, strips of runes formed lines. Shen Luo''s mana, as if a hole had been opened, slowly leaked towards the Three-Element Array along these silver lights. Seeing this, he sighed in relief, knowing that the array had been set up correctly. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Tri-Element Kaitai Secret Technique requires a long time to accumulate effectiveness. The longer the time, the thicker the mana accumulated within the array, and the greater the effect when striking the bottleneck. At this moment, he was planning to cultivate to the peak of the Soul Condensation Stage, so he set up the array to cultivate and accumulate mana at the same time. Although the Three Element Array does absorb mana, the amount is not much. Moreover, Shen Luo had a large amount of Dual-element True Water to aid him, so he didn''t care about losing a bit of mana. He took out the silver jade bottle, applied two drops of Dual-element True Water to himself, and activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to absorb it. A cloud of mist emerged around his body, enveloping his entire being. Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the void moved towards Shen Luo along the mist. Time flew by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, half a year had passed. The water mist enveloping Shen Luo became more dense and massive, almost flooding the entire room, vast and omnipresent, like the sea tide. At this moment, two beams of blue light flashed suddenly within the deep mist, bright beyond compare, like two bolts of blue lightning. All the mist instantly rushed towards the center like a whale gulping water, disappearing completely within a few breaths and revealing Shen Luo''s figure. His eyes sparkled with blue light, his entire body cloaked in a blue shimmer reminiscent of ripples on water, seemingly attesting to a significant improvement in his cultivation level. ¡°I have finally cultivated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to the peak of the Soul Condensation Stage,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Surrounding him, the Three Element Array was filled with blue shadows, deep as a sea, and it radiated a powerful wave of Mana. It was the Mana he had accumulated over a period of half a year. Without rising, Shen Luo formed a series of hand seals at a breakneck speed and began to break through the Nascent Soul Stage. Large amounts of mist started to burst forth again, shrouding the entire room once more, and inside the Three Element Array, the majestic Mana flourished and converged towards Shen Luo. Time continued to quietly pass, and soon, more than two months had gone by. One day, as a few servants from Cheng Manor passed by the courtyard where Shen Luo lived, they suddenly heard a rumbling sound emanating from the house covered by yellow sand. From within the yellow radiance, a skyward-bound blue light column abruptly shot out. The blue light column quickly spread, transforming into countless blue waves swirling in mid-air, generating roaring noises. Waves of immense force emanated from these blue waves, the surrounding void buzzed as though it could bear the tremendous force no longer. Intense wind gusts swept across the entire Cheng Manor. The servants were swept off their feet by the gale, but they hardly paid any mind to their injuries. Instead, their eyes widened in disbelief as they stared at the strange spectacle in the sky, completely stupefied. They were servants of Duke Cheng, and as Cheng Yaojin was in charge of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, where cultivators often gathered, they would have witnessed some of the methods employed by these cultivators from time to time. However, these experiences were not remotely comparable to the current situation. The blue waves in the sky became increasingly clear and intense, and the area they covered also expanded. Correspondingly, the overwhelming force emitted from it also increased. The surrounding structures started to tremble, unable to bear the pressure radiating from above. The servants felt as though a huge stone had pressed them down, and they immediately collapsed to the ground. They wanted to flee, but they could not even move a finger, despair clearly written on their faces. At that moment, a figure appeared out of nowhere in the sky. It was Cheng Yaojin. ¡°You''ve already broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage so quickly, well done.¡± His face revealed a joyous look, and with a wave of his sleeve. A beam of golden light shot out, forming an enormous golden light curtain that covered the entire Cheng Manor, much like a large golden umbrella erected upside down, seemingly scooping up the blue waves in the sky. The tremendous force emanating from the waves was borne by the golden light curtain, and the trembling structures below instantly stabilized. The crushing pressure on the servants vanished, and they quickly scrambled to their feet. ¡°All of you can leave now,¡± said Cheng Yaojin indifferently. The servants quickly complied, bowed towards Cheng Yaojin, and fled as fast as they could. At this moment, ¡°whoosh¡± ¡°whoosh¡± sounds filled the air, as two rays of escape light shot up from the mansion below and landed beside Cheng Yaojin, transforming into two figures. One was a refined middle-aged man in a white robe, fanning himself with a paper fan. It was the Sleeping Moon Scholar that Shen Luo had met before. The other was a middle-aged beautiful woman, dressed in a blue dress, emanating an aura of cold indifference. It was none other than Immortal Qinghua. ¡°Which Daoist friend has managed to achieve such a breakthrough? Such an impressive aura. Congratulations are in order, it seems that the Great Tang Dynasty Government has acquired another strong asset,¡± Sleeping Moon Scholar looked at the blue waves in the sky, and chuckled as he folded his hands and greeted Cheng Yaojin. Chapter 623 Chapter 623: Chapter 619: The Concerns of Divination Chapter 623: Chapter 619: The Concerns of Divination ¡°Nephew Sleeping Moon, you flatter me, the friend below me, Shen Luo, has yet to serve under the command of our Great Tang Dynasty Government.¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°Not under the government''s command?¡± Both the Sleeping Moon Scholar and the Immortal Qinghua looked surprised. ¡°This young friend is named Shen Luo. During the previous great battle, he made quite a name for himself. I am sure both of you have heard of him,¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°So it''s him,¡± the Sleeping Moon Scholar and Immortal Qinghua realized. Shen Luo became quite famous in the early stages of the Ghost War by forging the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and his fame grew even more after he sabotaged the summoning formation of the Refining Body Altar with Lu Huaming and others. High-ranking cultivators like the Sleeping Moon Scholar and Immortal Qinghua had also heard of him. ¡°I remember this Shen Luo was an independent cultivator. His cultivation was just at the early stage of Soul Condensation not long ago, and now he has advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage so quickly. It seems that he has either taken some elixir to stimulate his potential or practiced a secret technique with similar effects. I thought he was a genius, but he turned out to be the kind who seeks fast success.¡± The Sleeping Moon Scholar, who had seen Shen Luo when Jing River Dragon King took back his dragon head, shook his head. On the other hand, Immortal Qinghua looked indifferent with a hint of scorn in her eyes. At that moment, the churning blue waves in mid-air suddenly vanished. The formidable pressure that had been looming over the sky also slowly dissipated. However, the yellow sand light still engulfed the entire house, heavily churning, indicating that Shen Luo would not emerge any time soon. ¡°We''ve taken much of Duke Cheng''s time today. We''ll take our leave now. As for the matters that Master Yuan and Duke Cheng discussed, we''ll report them to our sect immediately. I believe there will be a response soon,¡± the Sleeping Moon Scholar said with a bow. ¡°This matter concerns the safety of the world. I hope the two of you can hurry,¡± said Cheng Yaojin. ¡°Yes.¡± They both nodded in agreement, turned around, and sped away. Cheng Yaojin watched them leave, saw Shen Luo below once again, and then returned to the hall by flying. A figure appeared out of the fluctuating void in the hall-it was Yuan Tiangang. ¡°How did your conversation with them go?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked. ¡°It was okay. Sleeping Moon and Qinghua have agreed to report your divination results to their sects. Are you sure, though? Is the world really going to face a great catastrophe?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. ¡°I hope it''s not like that, but no matter how I interpret divination, the result is the same,¡± sighed Yuan Tiangang. ¡°According to my divinations, we need two forces to overcome this catastrophe. One is to find the Pilgrim that disappeared that year, and the other is to gather the Destiny People to fight together. I hope that the Destiny People identified by Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo are real,¡± Yuan Tiangang continued. ¡°Have you divined anything about Shen Luo? Is he one of the Destiny People?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. ¡°The case with Shen Luo is very strange. According to my hexagrams, his fate is noble and very similar to Destiny People, but it''s not exactly the same. There also seems to be a force interfering with my divination, preventing me from fully understanding him,¡± Yuan Tiangang explained. ¡°Oh, it can even affect your divination skills,¡± Cheng Yaojin seemed surprised. ¡°No matter who he is, we can''t let him go unchecked. Let''s involve him in the matters ahead,¡± Yuan Tiangang said. ¡°All right,¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded in agreement. Inside the Thousand Mile Yellow Sand Array, Shen Luo absorbed a blue light that descended from the sky and opened his eyes, his face filled with great joy. He formed a spell in his hands, a flash of blue light appeared atop his head, and a small blue figure emerged, floating back and forth inside the house. With the assistance of the Tri-Element Kaitai Secret Technique, coupled with the experiences in Dreamland, he broke through in one fell swoop, reaching the Nascent Soul realm. His lifespan increased by two to three hundred years, escaping the worry about lifespan for the time being. The Nameless Cultivation Technique, which was suspected to have been passed down from the Immortal Realm, did not disappoint. His strength greatly improved, especially his Water Manipulation Technique which, aided by the infusion of Dragon essence and experiences from Dreamland, had now reached a transcendental realm. Shen Luo led a spell, a body of flowing water formed out of nowhere in front of him, which then rapidly transformed, as though a grand painter was creating a picture stroke by stroke. First, there were buildings, underneath which formed a wide street with numerous pedestrians walking around, bustling about, akin to the real world. In the blink of an eye, it seemed as if the entire room had been transported to a bustling street. If anyone who cultivated the water-type technique saw this scene, they would surely be so surprised as to bite their tongues. Even some elders at the Great Mahayana Stage, or even half-immortal realm, may not be able to accomplish such a realistic water manipulation illusion. Shen Luo had just advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, his realm was still somewhat unstable, causing a fluctuation in the mana within his body. The street in the room shattered with a bang, transforming into streams of water, drifting in the void. He furrowed his brows, continued to sit cross-legged, circulating the Nameless Cultivation Technique, stabilizing his realm. As Shen Luo activated the technique, he reached out and pulled out a slightly curved golden short awl. It was the Dragon Horn Short Awl he had snatched from the Jing River Dragon King. Now that his cultivation had greatly improved and he had advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, he should be able to control this treasure. He formed hand seals and activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to refine this treasure. The Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique was truly a secret technique of Mount Fangcun. The Golden Short Awl immediately radiated golden lights and the layers of golden formations gradually emerged, amounting to a total of eighteen layers when counted. ¡°Eighteen layers of prohibition, a low-grade Magical Treasure.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. A top-grade magical instrument only has a maximum of sixteen layers of prohibition. Once the layer of seals exceeds this number, it steps into the category of magical treasure. He was not disappointed that the golden short awl was only a low-grade magical treasure, on the contrary, he was greatly delighted. The difference between Magical Treasures and magical instruments may only be one word, its power, however, lies worlds apart. The mana of a Nascent Soul Cultivator may be considerable, but it is too much for them to drive a Magical Treasure. Fortunately, the golden short awl is a low-grade magical treasure. If it was a mid-grade magical treasure like the Six Chen Whip, he would definitely not be able to activate it. Suppressing his excitement, Shen Luo continued to operate the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, refining the golden short awl. Time passed, and in the turn of ten days, his cultivation realm had almost harmonized, and the mana no longer ran in disarray. The golden short awl hovered before him, emitting dazzling golden light. The sixteen layers of prohibition were moving along with the golden light, already refined. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo quickly formed seals with his hands, drops of blue light entered the seventeenth layer prohibitions of the awl like rain, but no matter how much he tried, the seventeenth layer of prohibitions didn''t move at all. ¡°It seems that my mana is too weak to activate the seventeenth-layer prohibition.¡± He sighed lightly with resignation and stopped. However, Shen Luo was not disappointed. Although only sixteen layers of prohibitions were refined, the power of the golden short awl was already shocking, far surpassing the few top-grade magical instruments he had in his hands. He grabbed the golden short awl and put it away, without immediately getting up, he picked up the jade pillow. Prohibition had already appeared inside the jade pillow. Now that his cultivation had greatly improved, he wanted to probe deeper. Shen Luo activated his mana, slowly infusing it into the jade pillow, and soon felt the prohibitions as thin as spider silk that he had sensed before. He injected his mana into it, pushing forward, and arrived at the star pattern node that he had sensed before in a moment. The star pattern was still flickering here, Shen Luo injected mana into it, a flash of golden light appeared within the jade pillow, and the Heavenly Book projection appeared, more solid than before. He let out a soft exclamation, he realized that improving his cultivation did have an impact on the Heavenly Book projection. Immediately, he increased his mana input into the Heavenly Book, sensing its abilities. He quickly senses some changes in the Heavenly Book. Besides the absorption ability, it seemed to possess something else. Just as he was about to take a closer look, a white light shot in from outside, heading straight in this direction. Chapter 624 – 624 620 Water Chapter 624: Chapter 620: Water-Land Conference Chapter 624: Chapter 620: Water-Land Conference Shen Luo looked slightly startled, about to command the water to approach when the white light suddenly stopped, transforming into a ball of white light. ¡°If Friend Shen is done cultivating, can you come to the main hall? Duke Cheng and I would like to ask you for a favour,¡± a gentle voice emanated from the ball of light. ¡°Master Yuan!¡± Shen Luo''s face changed, immediately withdrawing the mana he had poured into the jade pillow and put it away. Since Yuan Tiangang was such a deep and infinite individual, he dared not be careless at all. After the voice within the ball of white light echoed, it disappeared instantly, transforming into a white talisman. ¡°So, it was a communication talisman,¡± Shen Luo sighed in relief. The white communication talisman made a ¡°whoosh¡± sound as it ignited, quickly turning into ashes. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face, and he immediately stood up, erased the traces of the Three Element Array in the room and took down the Thousand Mile Yellow Sand Formation as well. He then put the jade pillow into the storage stone box, placed it close to his body, and then he got up to leave. Since the jade pillow can summon a projection of the Heavenly Book and provide great help, he naturally needed to carry it with him. Furthermore, this item was crucial, and he did not trust leaving it in the room. Having been guided by a maid once before, Shen Luo quickly arrived outside the main hall of the Cheng Manor where three people were standing. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Aside from Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang, there was a young man dressed in white, who was none other than Lu Huaming. ¡°Brother Lu, your injuries have healed already.¡± Shen Luo greeted him with a smile. At this moment, Lu Huaming had a ruddy complexion, brimming with vitality, clearly fully recovered from his wound. Not only that, he radiated a fluorescent aura from within, seeming to have greatly progressed in his cultivation. ¡°Brother Shen, you''ve advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage.¡± Lu Huaming looked at Shen Luo slightly, a surprised expression on his face. ¡°I am indebted to Duke Cheng and Master Yuan for their Dual-element True Water.¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. Lu Huaming, who was on good terms with Shen Luo, obviously had more to say. However, seeing Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang present, he did not elaborate further. ¡°I wonder why Master Yuan has invited me here,¡± Shen Luo didn''t converse much with Lu Huaming, he turned his gaze towards Yuan Tiangang and greeted him. ¡°Congratulations to Friend Shen for advancing in his cultivation. Today, we have an urgent matter that needs handling. This situation is critical to our Great Tang Kingdom, and we have few people to execute it. You are uniquely suited for this, Shen, could you assist?¡± Yuan Tiangang waved his whisk and spoke with a single palm upraised. ¡°Master Yuan is too polite. Whatever you need, just command me.¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment, then responded immediately. ¡°Then this poor Daoist would like to thank you. The matter at hand is this, many civilians died during the ghost outbreak. Recently, there have been disturbances in the city caused by these restless souls. His Majesty has decreed a Water-Land Conference to preach and release the souls of the deceased.¡± Yuan Tiangang explained. ¡°This move signifies boundless merit, His Majesty indeed bears a saintly virtue.¡± Shen Luo turned towards the direction of the Imperial Palace and praised. ¡°The preparation for the Water-Land Conference is almost ready, but we are still missing a virtuous monk to preside.¡± Cheng Yaojin interjected. Shen Luo didn''t know what to say. Although he had been in Chang''an for several years, he had been closed up for cultivation, he hardly knew anyone, let alone any high monks. Fortunately, Yuan Tiangang didn''t let him overthink and continued speaking. ¡°After discussing with Duke Cheng, we decided to invite Master Jiang Liu from Jinshan Temple in Jiangzhou to preside over this conference. However, due to the numerous tasks that need to be handled within the city, we are understaffed. We were hoping that Friend Shen and Lu Xianzhi could make this trip for us. Would you be willing?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked. ¡°Is that all?¡± Shen Luo was surprised. Master Yuan Tiangang had spoken so solemnly about it, he thought it was some difficult matter, but they just had to fetch a monk from the outskirts of the city. ¡°Since Master Yuan has ordered it, I will certainly obey.¡± He nodded. Lu Huaming naturally agreed without hesitation. ¡°Good, the Water-Land Conference will be held on the fifteenth day of this month. That gives you five days, make sure to go early and come back early,¡± Yuan Tiangang said. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo and Lu Huaming both agreed, then prepared to take their leave. ¡°Wait a moment, Friend Shen, there is one more thing I need to discuss with you,¡± Cheng Yaojin suddenly stopped Shen Luo. ¡°May I ask what else the Duke would like to instruct?¡± Shen Luo looked baffled. ¡°This isn''t something I need you to do, but rather your reward for rescuing His Majesty has come, but you''ve been in closed-door cultivation and had no chance to receive it. It has been sitting here gathering dust,¡± Cheng Yaojin chuckled as he took out a yellow bundle and handed it over. ¡°Thank you very much for safeguarding it for me, Duke,¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy as he quickly received it. ¡°Alright, you may leave now,¡± Cheng Yaojin waved his hand. Both Shen Luo and Lu Huaming offered their courtesies before exiting, they then promptly left Cheng Manor. ¡°Brother Shen, what did His Majesty reward you with?¡± Upon exiting the Cheng Manor, Lu Huaming immediately inquired with a smile. Shen Luo was also curious about the Emperor''s reward. He opened the bundle revealing two green jade boxes and a white jade bottle. He touched the two jade boxes in mid-air, causing them to open automatically. One of the jade boxes contained a blue bead the size of a fist, exuding a profound blue light, and a spectral image of a flood dragon could be faintly seen within the bead, giving it a fascinating appearance. The other jade box contained a golden card with two characters inscribed on it: One thousand. Shen Luo picked up the blue bead, and his internal Mana began to involuntary circulate, causing the blue light emitted by the bead to greatly surge. The water vapour in the surrounding void ardently flocked together, forming a series of blue spectral waves, while the air itself started to feel viscous. He hurriedly severed the link between his Mana and the blue bead, returning the bead to its normal state. ¡°This is the SeSuppressing Bead! The Artifact Refinement Master from the Divine Water Clan, who dedicated ten years into making this top-grade magical artifact. It''s said that a seal containing the spirit of a deep-sea flood dragon was blended into the artifact, attempting to upgrade the bead into a magical treasure. Although the attempt was unsuccessful, it made this bead the topmost top-grade magical artifact! Brother Shen, since your cultivation technique is water-based, this bead matches you perfectly,¡± Lu Huaming happily explained. Though Shen Luo expected the bead to be valuable, he hadn''t anticipated it to be so extraordinary. He examined it a few more times before putting it back. ¡°What is this?¡± He then picked up the golden card. ¡°This is Ruyi Immortal Money issued by the court. The number on it implies a value of two thousand Immortal jades, and can be used in almost any major shop,¡± Lu Huaming explained. Shen Luo was surprised again. The golden card did not seem valuable, yet by itself, it was worth two thousand Immortal jade. The court indeed had a knack for business. He picked up the final white jade bottle, removed the stopper, and a hot flame-like red light immediately burst out from inside. Mixed within this red light was a pungent smell of blood, additionally, a faint sweet aroma wafted in the air. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened, a sticky, crimson liquid filled up half the bottle and appeared to be blood. It emitted a bubbling sound now and then. Chapter 625 Chapter 625: Chapter 621 Master Jiang Liu Chapter 625: Chapter 621 Master Jiang Liu ¡°Could this possibly be the legendary Qilin Blood! It''s an item even more valuable than the True Dragon Blood. Besides improving one''s constitution, it can also extend one''s lifespan.¡± Lu Huaming exclaimed in awe. Shen Luo looked at the Qilin Blood in the bottle, quickly sealed it, and put it away. He looked towards the direction of the Imperial Palace, a hint of an unusual color flashing in his eyes. All three treasures were perfect for him, especially the SeSuppressing Bead and the Qilin Blood. It was as if they were specifically made for him. What surprised Shen Luo the most was the Qilin Blood. The matter of him seeking something to prolong his life had been mentioned slightly only by Ma Xiuxiu and Dan Yangzi. He had never talked about it with anyone else. Considering Dan Yangzi had already died and Ma Xiuxiu had vanished without a trace, it was astonishing that the court could still find out about this matter. Their ability to gather intelligence was truly disconcerting. ¡°Under the heavens, all is royal soil. If the court wants to investigate something, they will certainly find out. The official cultivation power of the Great Tang Dynasty Government is only the front of the court. Behind the scenes, they have other cultivation forces for monitoring the world and collecting information. Brother Shen, there''s no need to be surprised.¡± Lu Huaming, guessing what Shen Luo was thinking, explained. Shen Luo was slightly startled by these words but quickly recovered, nodding in agreement. After that, the two did not delay any longer and immediately headed out of the city. The destroyed buildings in the city had already been repaired to some extent, and the sad scene of each household burning paper money was no longer visible. Yet, a gloomy aura still lingered in the air. ¡°There are indeed lingering souls in the city, and quite numerous.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. These souls were not Fierce Ghosts. To slay them randomly would harm the heaven''s harmony. However, if left in the mortal world, they would not only affect the living but could even turn into Fierce Ghosts, causing even greater problems. Therefore, monks usually hold rituals to send the unjustly deceased to the Underworld. This process of releasing the souls relied not on one''s mana. For example, though Shen Luo was at the Nascent Soul Stage of cultivation, he couldn''t release souls. To release these souls required sufficient virtue, a type of cultivation distinct from the cultivation of mana. Only those deep in Buddhist principles could achieve this. Shen Luo did not have much knowledge in this area, but he did know that releasing so many souls in the city required an extremely profound cultivation of virtue. ¡°Brother Lu, who is the Master Jiang Liu mentioned by Master Yuan? Can he really release so many lingering souls in the city?¡± He asked Lu Huaming. ¡°Speaking of Master Jiang Liu, he is indeed very famous. Brother Shen, have you heard of the Pilgrim?¡± Lu Huaming questioned. ¡°You mean Master Xuanzang? He made the arduous journey to the Daleiyin Temple in the west to retrieve the scriptures. This was a major event in our Great Tang, naturally, I have heard of it.¡± Shen Luo replied, nodding. ¡°After Master Xuanzang returned from his journey, he suddenly disappeared. Some say he went to the Western Paradise, others say he had died, and others believe he has reincarnated. In short, there are various conjectures, and no one knows for sure.¡± Lu Huaming continued. ¡°I have also heard similar rumors. But in my opinion, the chance of Master Xuanzang''s reincarnation is higher.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo said with a moved expression. ¡°Hmm, most people think the same. Many claimed to be his reincarnation. However, the one more convincing is Master Jiang Liu. He and Master Xuanzang both hail from the Golden Mountain Temple in the Tang State. He''s profound in Buddhist principles, saved numerous people, and is renowned even within Chang''an City. Many court officials and royal relatives have gone through the hardship to offer their devotion to the Golden Mountain Temple.¡± Lu Huaming nodded and explained. ¡°Brother Lu, from what you''re saying, I''m actually quite eager to meet this Master Jiang Liu soon.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo became curious about this Master Jiang Liu. According to Li Jing in Dreamland, the retrieval of the western scriptures was a means by the Heavenly Court and the Western powers to prevent the Demonic Tribulation, but it ended in failure. If he got to see the reincarnated pilgrim, he might be able to uncover the clues about the Five Demon Souls. The two of them talked and rushed on their journey, soon leaving the city and heading in the direction of the Golden Mountain Temple in a deserted place. The Golden Mountain Temple was located in Jiangzhou, quite a distance from Chang''an City. The two only knew the general direction and spent half a day before they found the location of the Golden Mountain Temple. To avoid startling the mortals, the two of them landed some distance away and proceeded on foot. The Golden Mountain Temple sat on Jinxia Mountain in Jiangzhou, built along the mountain contours. A winding mountain path led countless devout young and old believers to the temple, where they respected and worshipped the deities in their hearts. ¡°Wow, so many believers. It seems that Master Jiang Liu is really extraordinary.¡± Shen Luo looked at this scene in surprise. ¡°Of course, otherwise, the master and the national master wouldn''t have asked us to invite him,¡± Lu Huaming laughed. ¡°Is Golden Mountain Temple just an ordinary Buddhist temple? Do the monks inside have any cultivation?¡± Shen Luo suddenly thought of a question and asked. ¡°The Golden Mountain Temple is a well-known cultivation school in Jiangzhou. Monks in the temple study the Vajra Meditation Method taught by Elder Fa Ming and later also the Daleiyin Temple Meditation Method from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain taught by Master Xuanzang after his return from his pilgrimage. In terms of the profundity of cultivation methods, The Golden Mountain Temple is no less than our Great Tang Dynasty Government, Hua Sheng Temple, Mount Putuo and other large sects. Brother Shen, why do you ask this?¡± Lu Huaming replied. ¡°Since the Golden mountain Temple is a large cultivation sect and Master Jiang Liu is so famous, he might not be willing to go with us to Chang''an. Have Duke Cheng or Master Yuan given you any tokens or something?¡± Shen Luo asked with some worry. ¡°This mission was accepted by us together, you were there the whole time, the master did not give me any tokens,¡± Lu Huaming said in surprise. ¡°It seems that we will have to adapt to circumstances. I hope everything goes smoothly.¡± Shen Luo said after a moment of silence. ¡°Master Jiang Liu is a greatly virtuous and high monk, Chang''an City is undergoing this catastrophe, the common people are suffering, the high monk would definitely agree to go. Besides, this Water-Land Conference was decreed by His Majesty. Hosting this conference is an unparalleled honor for any Chan sect practitioner. Master Jiang Liu will not refuse. Brother Shen Luo, you don''t have to worry unnecessarily. Let''s go fast.¡± Lu Huaming laughed and pulled Shen Luo towards the Golden Mountain Temple. Jinxia Mountain was picturesque, especially in the autumn season, the mountain was golden and the scenery quite beautiful. The two climbed the mountain while admiring the beauty of the mountain. The peaks of Jinxia Mountain rose high into the sky. Apart from the mountains Shen Luo had seen in Dreamland, he had never seen higher ones in reality. The Golden Mountain Temple was built on the mountainside of Jinxia Mountain. The two of them walked for a long time but didn''t arrive. Fortunately, they were both cultivated individuals and did not feel tired. Just at this moment, a carriage galloped from behind, laden with goods, towards the Golden Mountain Temple. The believers on the mountain path gave way, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming also moved aside. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The carriage was driven by a middle-aged man, who seemed to be in a hurry, constantly urging the horses to speed up. Although the mountain path was not wide, the carriage was going very fast. When the carriage passed by Shen Luo and Lu Huaming, its wheel ran over a protruding rock and the carriage shook violently. Whether this sudden jolt was too severe or the carriage was somewhat old, there was a crack sound, and the axle unexpectedly broke, the galloping carriage inclined towards an elderly man in plain clothes going uphill. The old man in plain clothes was so frightened that he forgot to dodge. The surrounding believers, seeing this scene, cried out in shock. Shen Luo had no time to worry about startling others, his figure flickered, and he appeared in front of the carriage, pushing it with a lift of his hand. The tossed carriage immediately stopped, the goods inside rolled out. A canopy appeared to have toppled onto the roadside. The nearby crowd cried out again and scattered in fright. Chapter 626 Chapter 626: Chapter 622 Golden Mountain Temple Chapter 626: Chapter 622 Golden Mountain Temple ¡°Old man, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo paid no mind to the others and helped up the elderly man in plain robe. ¡°I''m fine. Thank you, young sir, for your life-saving favor.¡± The man, still in shock, took a while to steady himself and hastily thanked Shen Luo. The man''s family also ran over to express their gratitude to Shen Luo. ¡°It was nothing, you don''t need to be so formal.¡± Shen Luo gestured with his hand and then used a bit of strength to steady the carriage. ¡°Thank you, kind sir, for your assistance. Blame it on my reckless driving that almost caused a disaster.¡± The middle-aged coachman quickly ran over to apologize to Shen Luo and the elderly man. ¡°You are delivering goods to Golden Mountain Temple? Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Shen Luo didn''t reproach the man, understanding that coachmen like him had their difficulties. ¡°Yes, I''m delivering goods to Golden Mountain Temple. Today, Master Jiang Liu of the temple is hosting a sermon under a treasure canopy. But the old curtains in the temple were bitten by rats a few days ago, so they asked me to make a new one. I have to deliver it before the sermon. That''s why I''m in such a hurry. But now the axle of the carriage is broken, and it''s still a long way to Golden Mountain Temple. I don''t know what to do.¡± The concerned middle-aged coachman explained. ¡°A treasure canopy to shield the entire body during the sermon?¡± Shen Luo paused for a moment at these words. Normal high monks usually face believers directly during the sermon, indicating their openness and transparency. This Master Jiang Liu seemed to be quite unique. Lu Huaming also walked over at this moment, the surprise evident on his face. ¡°We two are heading to Golden Mountain Temple anyway. If you don''t mind, why don''t we take this treasure canopy for you?¡± Shen Luo quickly came up with an idea. ¡°Really? But this treasure canopy is quite heavy, and you two are unarmed, I''m afraid it might be difficult for you to carry.¡± The mid-aged coachman was relieved at first, then expressed his concern. ¡°We''re strong, it''s not a problem.¡± Shen Luo reassured him, picking up the treasure canopy from the ground. Shen Luo easily lifted the enormous treasure canopy as if it were but a handful of straw. ¡°You two are my saviors. Please give the treasure canopy to Elder Zhe Shi of Guangbu Hall when you reach Golden Mountain Temple..¡± The middle-aged coachman finally felt relieved and thanked them profusely. Shen Luo nodded, and set off for Golden Mountain Temple with the treasure canopy in hand. ¡°Shen Luo, you''re helping that man deliver the treasure canopy to probe Golden Mountain Temple, aren''t you? Why bother when there''s no way the monks at Golden Mountain Temple won''t let us in?¡± Lu Huaming inquired. ¡°It''s always better to be cautious,¡± Shen Luo responded. With their swift speed, the duo traversed the mountainous path in an instant and soon arrived at Golden Mountain Temple. Golden Mountain Temple was once just an ordinary temple, but after the emergence of the highly esteemed Master Xuanzang, the local gentry and wealthy people donated countless properties in devotion. The court also allocated funds several times to refurbish the temple. Now, the Mountain Gate of the Golden Mountain Temple loomed high, the Buddhist halls inside were glorious with gold, the palace stretched for miles, and several Buddhist pagodas, each tens of feet high were built. In terms of grandeur, it had surpassed several royal temples within Chang''an city. ¡°The Golden Mountain Temple lives up to its reputation.¡± Looking at the sight before him, Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim. Hundreds of pilgrims were gathered at the entrance of the Golden Mountain Temple, yet the doors remained firmly closed with everyone waiting on the outside. However, these people seemed to be used to this, showing no dissatisfaction. Some even lit incense and candles and recited prayers right there. After eavesdropping for a while, Shen Luo quickly understood the situation. It turned out that the Golden Mountain Temple had been doing this for several years. The Mountain Gate was not always open, and pilgrims were only allowed to enter after noon each day. ¡°This Golden Mountain Temple is so grandiose, even the Chong''an Temple in Chang''an City doesn''t have such rules, and the temple is built so strangely, with such golden bricks and jade tiles, brilliant and splendid, more ostentatious than the Imperial Palace.¡± Lu Huaming shook his head. ¡°Hey, where did you come from, little boy, daring to point fingers and make comments about our Golden Mountain Temple!¡± A loud reprimand came from the side, a tall purple-robed martial monk walked over, his voice stern. This purple-robed martial monk was enveloped in mana, a Grain Avoidance Cultivator, and his muscles were bulging all over his body, as if he had practiced some kind of Body Refining Technique, with a physical strength far surpassing ordinary Grain Avoidance Cultivators. ¡°The way your temple is built is simply ridiculous, can''t people talk about it?¡± Lu Huaming said with a smile. ¡°Golden Mountain Temple was personally built by Master Jiang Liu with the aim of spreading the holy name of Buddha. We won''t allow you to question it. Shut up and apologize immediately, or don''t blame this poor monk for being rude.¡± the purple-robed martial monk sneered, behaving rather domineeringly. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were both somewhat surprised after hearing this. So it was Master Jiang Liu who had restored the temple in such a way, this man was indeed quite unconventional. ¡°Dear master, please don''t be offended, this companion of mine always speaks without thinking. I hope you can understand.¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and said. ¡°Hey, who speaks without thinking.¡± Lu Huaming discontentedly called out from behind. ¡°The two of us are delivering a treasure canopy on behalf of someone else, and it is said to be used in the Buddhist meeting at your temple.¡± Shen Luo dismissively ignored Lu Huaming''s complaints, he held up the treasure canopy in his hand and said. ¡°Oh, the curtains in the temple did indeed break a few days ago. In that case, give me that treasure canopy.¡± The purple-robed martial monk glanced at Shen Luo and reached out to take it. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°May I ask for your name, master? This treasure canopy is to be given to Elder Zhe Shi from Guangbu Hall of your temple.¡± Shen Luo retreated slightly, avoiding this man''s grasp. ¡°How dare you! Hand it over!¡± The purple-robed martial monk''s face turned cold, and strings of golden light appeared on his fingertips, moving incredibly quickly as he reached out again to grab the treasure canopy. The prestige of Golden Mountain Temple has been growing day by day over the years, firmly establishing itself as the foremost cultivation sect in Jiangzhou. In recent years, the atmosphere within the temple has greatly improved. This purple-robed martial monk has always been used to being domineering, relying on the fame of his sect. Although he felt fluctuations of mana from Shen Luo and Lu Huaming, he didn''t care much. But as soon as the purple-robed martial monk''s hand made contact with the treasure canopy, a gentle force transmitted through. Although it wasn''t sharp, it was like a rippling water wave, continuous and unbroken, not only deflecting his grab, but also penetrating his protective mana. The purple-robed martial monk''s arm went numb, followed by a wave of weakness that spread through half of his body. Losing control, he retreated two steps back, his face changing drastically. ¡°I am entrusted with a task and cannot arbitrarily hand over the treasure canopy to others, please understand, master.¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. ¡°You!¡± The purple-robed martial monk''s face flashed with anger. He wanted to charge again, but realizing that the person in front of him had profound cultivation, and considering himself no match, he hesitated. ¡°Who''s making noise outside?¡± At this moment, the tightly closed temple door opened, and a yellow-robed monk walked out. This man was widely dressed with fat features, his ears were drooping, looking like Maitreya Buddha, except his eyes were rather cold. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming''s expressions slightly changed. This man was also at the Nascent Soul Stage, and his breath was mighty and profound, seemingly stronger than both of them. ¡°Elder Shi! These two madmen are slandering Master Jiang Liu and even snatched the treasure canopy meant to be used in the upcoming meeting. I just tried to get it back, but this man used some wicked method to shake me off. I believe they clearly intend to disrupt the order in front of the temple and disrupt the meeting today.¡± The purple-robed martial monk hurriedly walked over, spouting nonsense and turning the situation in his favor. Shen Luo frowned slightly. How could this disciple of the Buddhist Sect spew such lies? Chapter 627 Chapter 627: Chapter 623: Hidden Secrets Chapter 627: Chapter 623: Hidden Secrets ¡°Dear Daoist friends, is what Hui Ming said the truth?¡± Elder Hall Master Shi''s expression became serious as he looked at Shen Luo and his companion. ¡°Elder Hall Master Shi, you are mistaken. The reputation of the Golden Mountain Temple reverberates far and wide, respected by people all around the world. We two would not dare to disrupt your temple''s Dharma Assembly. We were entrusted by others to deliver this Treasure Canopy to Elder Zhe Shi of your esteemed temple. That''s why we didn''t hand it over to the Purple-robed Master earlier. We ask for your understanding.¡± Shen Luo quickly composed a response, intentionally raising his voice a bit as he spoke. The worshipers nearby heard the voices and cast their gaze over, murmuring among themselves. ¡°Since you two Daoist friends are here to deliver the Treasure Canopy on behalf of others, please enter the temple. Hui Ming, go and invite Elder Zhe Shi.¡± Elder Hall Master Shi glanced at the nearby worshipers and spoke to Shen Luo and his companion. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo expressed his gratitude, gave Lu Huaming a look, and they followed Elder Hall Master Shi and the Purple-robed Martial Monk into the Golden Mountain Temple. Immediately inside the temple gate was a gigantic square paved with white jade bricks. Its glittering radiance humbled all who looked upon it. In the center of the square, there were nine bronze dings, each towering over two persons high, arranged in three rows, with three dings in each row. each Ding was emanating green smoke. The thick scent of sandalwood lingered in the square, indicating that the area was used for preaching on ordinary days. Not only the square, but the rest of the Golden Mountain Temple was also constructed with grandeur; the ground mostly paved with white or green jade, the temple buildings exquisitely crafted¨C a far cry from usual Buddhist temples. Upon seeing this, both Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were taken aback. Upon entering the temple, the Purple-robed Martial Monk shot Shen Luo a covert glare, then quickly walked deeper into the temple, presumably to fetch Elder Zhe Shi. ¡°Where are you two Daoist friends from, and what brings you to our Golden Mountain Temple?¡± After the Purple-robed Martial Monk had left, Elder Hall Master Shi turned his attention back to Shen Luo and his companion, his voice holding a hint of frost. ¡°Why would you say that, Master? Didn''t I just explain? We two admired the grace of the Golden Mountain Temple and came to visit. Meanwhile, it just so happened that we agreed to help a coachman from the foot of the mountain deliver this treasure canopy here.¡± Shen Luo smiled and responded. ¡°Both of you who have reached the Nascent Soul Stage wouldn''t really help transport goods for a mere mortal, would you?¡± Elder Hall Master Shi said coldly. ¡°Insects, cattle, sheep, immortals, and mortals, they are all sentient beings. Why can''t we two do a favor for the coachman and deliver this treasure canopy?¡± Shen Luo rebutted with a smile. ¡°This¡­¡± Elder Hall Master Shi was taken aback by the question and was left speechless. ¡°Who exactly are you two? If you attempt to stir up any further trouble, don''t blame me for being discourteous.¡± Elder Hall Master Shi was evidently quick-tempered; his expression darkened. At the same time, a golden light flashed beneath his foot, and the skin on the sole of his exposed foot suddenly turned golden as though cast from the metal itself, and heavily stamped on the ground. The ground rumbled, and the nearby buildings shook. ¡°Master, your powers are admirable. This must be the Vajra Subduing Demon Great Method of the Golden Mountain Temple. It''s indeed overwhelmingly mighty. But, is this how you treat all your guests? Resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement?¡± Lu Huaming was annoyed by the continuous questioning but did not reveal his identity; he simply responded coldly. Shen Luo frowned, knowing that if he got into a fight with this fat monk, regardless of the outcome, it was likely to lead to a falling-out with Golden Mountain Temple. The Golden Mountain Temple seemed to be full of weird things; that''s why he did not reveal his identity immediately, wishing to explore the situation first before inviting Master Jiang Liu. However, under the current circumstances, if they continued to hide their identities, it could potentially make things worse. Thus, he cleared his throat, preparing to speak. ¡°Amitabha, Elder Hall Master Shi, since these two benefactors are looking for me, why don''t I attend to them?¡± A chant echoed through the hall as a tall middle-aged monk walked over, the previously gloomy Purple-robed Martial Monk trailing behind him. ¡°Junior Brother Zhe Shi.¡± The Hall Master Elder glanced at the newcomer, a faint frown on his face. Shen Luo looked at the newcomer and saw that the middle-aged monk had a deep and profound aura, obviously a Nascent Soul cultivator. However, his tall and thin figure, with his yellowish face, made him appear like a ghostly figure suffering from tuberculosis. Nevertheless, his face was full of smiles, giving people a very kind impression. ¡°Senior Brother Hall Master, the preparations for the Dharma assembly are not yet complete. Master Jiang Liu has already urged us. If we delay further, I fear we may miss the auspicious time.¡± The middle-aged monk walked up to the Hall Master Elder and whispered. ¡°Very well then, these two are in your hands. Should any problems arise, you will be held accountable.¡± Upon hearing this, the Hall Master Elder fell silent for a moment, then coldly huffed, shook his sleeves, and left. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The purple-robed martial monk hastily followed. The two soon left. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a stirring in his heart. It seemed that even within the Golden Mountain Temple, there were some power struggles. This only made him more cautious. ¡°Elder Zhe Shi, we encountered a coachman on the mountainside. His carriage was damaged and he entrusted us with delivering this treasure canopy. Please accept it.¡± He stepped forward and handed over the treasure canopy he was carrying. ¡°Thank both of you, benefactors. I was worrying about this treasure canopy. Fortunately, you two have delivered it in time.¡± Elder Zhe Shi took it, examined the treasure canopy with a quick glance, and nodded slightly. ¡°If the two benefactors have no pressing matters, would you like to join me for a cup of hot tea in my room?¡± He then looked at Shen Luo and the other with a friendly smile. ¡°We would be delighted.¡± Shen Luo readily agreed. Lu Huaming had no objections. So, Elder Zhe Shi led the two of them into the temple. They soon arrived at a Zen institute. This small courtyard was completely different from the magnificent, gilded temple outside. It had no ostentatious flair ¨C only blue bricks and grey tiles, very clean and simple. Elder Zhe Shi called a disciple over, handed him the treasure canopy, and then led Shen Luo and Lu Huaming into the building. ¡°The two Daoist friends are highly skilled cultivators, and your demeanor is extraordinary. Surely, you must not be just any unnamed persons. May I know your names? And what brings you to our Golden Mountain Temple?¡± After personally brewing three cups of hot tea, Elder Zhe Shi finally asked. ¡°I am Shen Luo, a freelance cultivator, and this is Lu Huaming, a disciple of Duke Cheng from the Great Tang Dynasty Government. We rudely visit the Golden Mountain Temple today intending to meet Master Jiang Liu. I apologize for our previous impudence. I hope Elder Zhe Shi doesn''t take offense.¡± Shen Luo didn''t hide anything but revealed their identities and intentions. ¡°So it''s Daoist Shen and Brother Lu. May I ask, for what purpose do the two of you wish to see Master Jiang Liu?¡± Elder Zhe Shi cast another glance at Lu Huaming before asking. ¡°Brother Lu, as you are part of the Grand Tang''s Government, it would be better if you speak on this matter.¡± Shen Luo glanced at Lu Huaming and communicated through a sound transmission. Lu Huaming nodded, stepped forward and said, ¡°Although Elder Zhe Shi has lived in Jiangzhou for many years, I''m sure you must have heard about the ghost chaos in Chang''an city some time ago?¡± ¡°The news of that event has already spread throughout the world. Of course, I have heard.¡± Elder Zhe Shi nodded. ¡°A few months ago, the Refining Body Altar colluded with ghosts to cause havoc in Chang''an. The Great Tang Dynasty Government and fellow Daoists joined forces to fight. Though we neutralized the crisis, many Chang''an people tragically died, leaving many aggrieved souls lingering. His Majesty, for the sake of Chang''an''s people, decided to hold a Water-Land Conference in Chang''an soon. Currently, we are still lacking a distinguished high monk to preside over it. I have long heard that Master Jiang Liu is the reincarnation of Jinchanzi with profound Buddha Dharma. Daoist Brother Shen and I are here to invite Master Jiang Liu to Chang''an to give a Dharma lecture and help the aggrieved souls pass on.¡± Lu Huaming sincerely stated. ¡°His Majesty is compassionate towards his subjects, which is a blessing for all living beings. However, Master Jiang Liu, he¡­¡± Joining his hands in a gesture of respect, Elder Zhe Shi praised, his face instantly becoming hesitant. Seeing Elder Zhe Shi''s expression, Shen Luo furrowed his brows. Chapter 628 Chapter 628: Chapter 624: Rejection Chapter 628: Chapter 624: Rejection ¡°Does Master Jiang Liu have other commitments?¡± Lu Huaming immediately asked. ¡°Not exactly, but Master Jiang Liu has always been reluctant to leave the monastery, and his status at the Golden Mountain Temple is unique. Even the abbot cannot command him, nor can I promise anything on his behalf. How about this, I will take both of you to see Master Jiang Liu and hear what he has to say.¡± Elder Zhe Shi said after a pause. Lu Huaming exchanged glances with Shen Luo, and they both nodded in agreement. Since they had important matters to attend to, the three did not waste time drinking tea and immediately began walking towards the exterior of the temple. They swiftly arrived at the exterior of an extravagant Zen Institute. The Zen Institute here was more luxurious than other places, its eaves made of gilded tiles and its walls built from stacked white jade. Even the doors and windows were made of superior quality sandalwood. ¡°This is where Master Jiang Liu resides. Master Jiang Liu has a somewhat¡­ unique temperament, you both must always maintain manners in his presence.¡± Elder Zhe Shi hushedly warned the two. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming both nodded, indicating they understood. Seeing this, Elder Zhe Shi led the two into the Zen Institute. As soon as they stepped in, a black object was thrown out from inside the house. It turned out to be a teapot, shattering into pieces on the ground. ¡°Too bland, tasteless! How many times have I said to add more honey!¡± A clear, yet harsh voice emerged from within. ¡°Yes, yes¡­ this disciple will go and brew you some fresh honey tea.¡± said a white-clothed monk, who ran out of the room in a flurry. The monk seemed extremely flustered, paying no attention to Elder Zhe Shi and the others, he paced swiftly and ran to a distance. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming watched the scene unfold, surprise showing in their eyes as they looked towards the house. There was a hall, empty of people. However, adjacent to the hall was a semi-open door which seemed to lead to the room where people were present. Elder Zhe Shi sighed, he approached the door of the Zen Institute but refrained from entering. He folded his hands and said, ¡°Jiang Liu, present here are two honored guests from Chang''an City, they come bearing the command of Duke Cheng to pay their respects to you.¡± ¡°What Duke Cheng, Duke Wang, I have to prepare for the Conference and have no spare time.¡± came a lazy response from that clear voice in the rear room, humming disdainfully. Lu Huaming had great respect for Cheng Yaojin, so upon hearing such disrespectful words, an angry look immediately flashed across his face. Seeing Lu Huaming''s agitation, Shen Luo hurriedly grabbed him, signaling for him to stay calm. ¡°Jiang Liu, Duke Cheng is the backbone of the Great Tang, do not speak indiscriminately.¡± Elder Zhe Shi also noticed the anger on Lu Huaming''s face and quickly chided. The person in the room let out a soft snicker, carefully choosing to avoid saying anything overly offensive. ¡°These two honorable guests have urgent matters to discuss with you. Because of the previous supernatural threat in Chang''an, many people have died tragically. His Majesty has decided to hold a Water-Land Conference and wishes for you to preside over it, to help release the souls of the deceased.¡± Elder Zhe Shi paused before continuing. ¡°Water-Land Conference? I''m stationed at Golden Mountain Temple, I can''t be in two places at once and as for the two outside, just please find someone else.¡± the clear voice decisively rejected. ¡°Master Jiang Liu, this matter concerns the safety of our capital, the Great Tang. We beg you to please consider leaving the temple once. If there needs to be any compensation, Master, please specify your terms.¡± Shen Luo nervously stepped forward, bowing with respect as he spoke. The clear voice hummed again, the tone filled with annoyance. ¡°Senior Brother Jiang Liu, the deceased souls in Chang''an city are just too pitiful, let''s go and release them.¡± At this moment, another voice emerged from inside the house. The voice sounded much gentler compared to Master Jiang Liu, it carried a sense of compassion. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were taken aback, evidently not expecting someone else in the room. ¡°Shut up, continue copying your¡­ Buddha''s Scripture!¡± Jiang Liu scolded angrily. ¡°But¡­¡± the gentle voice seemed to want to say more. ¡°Quiet, or else don''t bother going to Chang''an, you can directly help release the souls of our brothers here in Golden Mountain Temple!¡± Jiang Liu threatened sinisterly. ¡°Alright¡­¡± the gentle voice agreed helplessly. ¡°I have to prepare for the Conference''s Scripture recitation, the few outside, please feel free to do as you please.¡± Jiang Liu''s voice sounded again, followed by the half-open room door ¡°slamming¡± shut. Lu Huaming''s face soured, he had previously guaranteed Shen Luo that Master Jiang Liu would certainly be willing to go to Chang''an, but now, they were ruthlessly rejected without any hesitation. It''s one thing to lose face, but delaying the Water-Land Conference and betraying the trust placed in him by Duke Cheng and the others could get ugly. Shen Luo also wore a somber expression, he cast a doubtful glance towards the house. ¡°The two of you, Jiang Liu is busy. It''s best we leave for now.¡± Elder Zhe Shi turned around helplessly, giving a bow as he spoke. The host had already made his intentions clear to dismiss them, despite their reluctance, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming found it hard to justify staying. Alongside Elder Zhe Shi, they left, swiftly returning to the small courtyard where Elder Zhe Shi resided. ¡°Both of you heard it, Jiang Liu has always been like this. With him having made this decision, the prospect of going to Chang''an appears unlikely.¡± Elder Zhe Shi said with regret. ¡°Rumors state that Master Jiang Liu possesses an esteemed reputation and profoundly understands the teachings of Buddha, comparing that person to who we''ve seen, they''re like two different entities. Is the person inside truly Master Jiang Liu?¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help but question. ¡°We monks do not speak falsehoods, naturally the individual inside is Master Jiang Liu. Does Benefactor Lu not believe the poor monk? It''s essential not to blindly trust the rumors.¡± Elder Zhe Shi lowered his gaze. ¡°Naturally we both trust Elder Zhe Shi, Elder need not take Brother Lu''s words to heart. There also seemed to be someone else in Master Jiang Liu''s room. Who was that person?¡± Shen Luo hastily intervened, and then asked. ¡°The person is called Chan''er. He grew up with Jiang Liu and is his fellow disciple, Chan''er is Jiang Liu''s personal attendant.¡± Elder Zhe Shi explained. ¡°Chan''er¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Amitabha, the situation is as such. Both of you, given Jiang Liu''s obstinate character, once he decides on something, nobody can change his mind. You''d better start looking for another High Monk soon.¡± Elder Zhe Shi pressed his palms together, reciting a chant before speaking. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This matter isn''t urgent. Given that your temple is about to conduct a Conference soon, we are both quite interested in Buddhist teachings. May we stay and witness the event?¡± Shen Luo changed the topic and inquired. ¡°Of course, although Master Jiang Liu''s temper isn''t great, his preaching is skilled and beneficial to us monks.¡± Elder Zhe Shi said with a smile. ¡°Really? Then we will listen to Master Jiang Liu''s high theory.¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile. Afterwards, Elder Zhe Shi stayed to chat with the two for a while before getting up to leave and attend to the Conference preparations. Before leaving, he advised them to stay within the Zen Institute, not to roam around and to join the crowd outside once the Conference started. There are many restricted areas inside Golden Mountain Temple which are strictly forbidden for outsiders. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming naturally agreed. Chapter 629 Chapter 629: Chapter 625: Requiem for the Dead Chapter 629: Chapter 625: Requiem for the Dead ¡°Brother Shen, since Master Jiang Liu refuses to go to Chang''an, what should we do now? Moreover, this man is violent in temperament, crude in language, and indulgent in pleasure. It doesn''t look like he could be an accomplished monk. I fear that our Master and Master Yuan have been misinformed by rumors. Even if such a person is invited to Chang''an, what use would he be?¡± After Elder Zhe Shi left, Lu Huaming immediatelycoldly huffed and said. ¡°Just now, that Jiang Liu didn''t seem like a superior monk. We''ll observe him carefully during the Dharma meeting later. If he turns out to be just a fraud, we''ll return to Chang''an and ask Duke and Master Yuan to select someone else.¡± Shen Luo also had doubts about this Master Jiang Liu, he said. Lu Huaming nodded in agreement, and the two of them sat cross-legged in the room, quietly waiting to rise. The midday quickly arrived, the distant sound of the bell ringed from afar, echoing three times. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming immediately got up and went to the square near the gate of Golden Mountain Temple. At this moment, the square was full of devoted pilgrims, all looking with sincere faces towards a white jade platform at the deepest part of the square, covered by a treasure canopy, which was the one brought by Shen Luo. Shen Luo suddenly felt that someone was watching him. He turned his head and saw several purple-robed martial monks standing outside the crowd not far away, staring at them with unfriendly faces. One of them was Hui Ming. ¡°It''s those guys from before.¡± Lu Huaming also noticed the few men, and he coldly huffed. ¡°That''s normal. As two unfamiliar monks appearing inside the temple, it''s only normal for them to be vigilant. Let''s take a seat and see if Master Jiang Liu has any real skills.¡± Shen Luo laughed, found a place, and sat down. Lu Huaming also sat next to Shen Luo, closing his eyes and waiting quietly. A moment later, the faces of the crowd in the square showed excitement and a cheer erupted. ¡°Master Jiang Liu!¡± Shen Luo and the others looked up, and saw a figure appearing in front of the square, climbing on the platform. Although it was quite a distance from the platform, the two of them could easily see the situation on the platform with their sight. The person looked very young, just a boy of eleven or twelve, with clear brows and handsome eyes. A golden mark was in the middle of his eyebrows. Although he was young, he already had the demeanor of a high monk. The boy was wearing a red kasaya, full of golden patterns, and many shiny gemstones were embedded in it, shining under the sun. Shen Luo looked carefully at the boy, not at his kasaya, but at the purple Sandalwood Buddha beads hanging around his chest. The Buddha beads were full of spiritual energy and Buddha''s light, and looked like a treasure. The boy nodded slightly to the people below and walked into the treasure canopy. ¡°He is Master Jiang Liu? Isn''t his age too young?¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help but say. Shen Luo was also quite surprised by this. When they went to see Jiang Liu earlier, they were separated by a door, out of respect, they didn''t dare to probe with Divine Sense. Though they could hear his juvenile voice, they didn''t expect that Master Jiang Liu was really a child. ¡°Both of you are coming to Golden Mountain Temple for the first time? Ambition does not lie with age; although Master Jiang Liu is quite young, his level of understanding of Buddha Dharma is unfathomable. If you guys don''t know, don''t just say whatever you want!¡± An elderly pilgrim nearby was unhappy, glaring at Lu Huaming. ¡°Old gentleman, please forgive us. We really are here for the first time, don''t know anything and didn''t mean to disrespect Master Jiang Liu.¡± Shen Luo interjected with a smile. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You''re quite sensible as a young man.¡± The old man nodded approvingly at Shen Luo. ¡°It seems that you, old gentleman, are quite familiar with Master Jiang Liu. Have you visited Golden Mountain Temple many times?¡± Shen Luo started to chat with the old man, inquiring about Master Jiang Liu. Watching how skillfully Shen Luo was making small talk with the old man, Lu Huaming couldn''t help but sigh. He had spent years in the Great Tang Dynasty Government, spending time either in closed-door cultivation or in missions to eliminate demons outside. Interacting with people was not his strong suit. ¡°Of course, I am a member of the Chen Family Village near Golden Mountain Temple. I always attend the lectures whenever Master Jiang Liu is preaching. Master Jiang Liu is the reincarnation of Golden Cicada, and his Buddha Dharma is profound. As an elder, I used to have frequent backaches and pains, but ever since attending lectures from Master Jiang Liu, my back doesn''t hurt, and my body feels much better than before.¡± The old man said with admiration. ¡°Oh, so listening to Master Jiang Liu''s preaching can actually invigorate one''s physique?¡± Shen Luo was shocked. ¡°Of course! Otherwise, why would there be so many people here listening to the Master''s lecture?¡± The old man said proudly, as if he was the one giving the lecture. Shen Luo''s eyes were flashing, and he was not calm inside. There were occasional records in the Buddhist scriptures that some great accomplished monks could remove people''s illnesses by preaching and donations. He had read a record in a book of anecdotal history, that a certain city in the West had been infected with plague. Buddha Shakyamuni happened to pass by and preached for a day on the city wall, and the entire city was healed without medicine. ¡°Master Jiang Liu''s preaching is not only that, look over there.¡± The old man signaled Shen Luo to look towards the other side of the square. Shen Luo looked along the direction indicated by him, and there was indeed a coffin parked on the other side of the square, with a few people in mourning clothes and white headbands sitting nearby. ¡°Why is there a coffin here?¡± He was surprised. ¡°Master Jiang Liu''s preaching not only benefits the world but also liberates the souls of the dead. I just heard people say that the woman in the coffin had been driven out of her house by a vicious mother-in-law, fell into the water from sadness and grief. Her family was afraid that her resentment was too heavy, so they brought her to Golden Mountain Temple and asked Master Jiang Liu to preach and liberate her. Things like this happen from time to time. Regardless of how much resentment the deceased had before death, the Master can liberate them all.¡± The old man continued arrogantly. Shen Luo looked closely at the coffin, and indeed there was resentment swirling around it. ¡°Just right, let''s see this Master Jiang Liu''s ability.¡± He said to himself. At this moment, the sound of a wooden fish strike came from the treasure canopy on the high platform of the square; Master Jiang Liu began preaching. ¡°The Sage is capable because he positions himself in purposelessness, the extremes of honor and dishonor, and the successors bring forth the flow of life, and the rise and decline fit their changes. Therefore, knowing that danger and ease push each other, there are places to hide in philosophy. When you feel the tension and relaxation, the numbers have come and gone¡­¡± The loud voice came from inside the treasure canopy. Although the voice was not loud, it echoed throughout the square. At first, Shen Luo didn''t notice anything, but after listening more, his face gradually became serious, and he began to listen attentively. The substance of Master Jiang Liu''s sermon did not involve much about cultivation, it was more about teaching people how to be enlightened and relieve from suffering. However, as each sound of Buddha entered his ears, the Soul Power in his mind became calm, his mood was as if washed by spring water, becoming clear and transparent, and the annoyance he felt because Jiang Liu was unwilling to go to Chang''an began to fade, he couldn''t help showing a smile at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Hmm, my mood was actually affected by someone!¡± Shen Luo immediately noticed something wrong and stabilized his state of mind. However, he soon realized that Jiang Liu did not use any method to bewitch his mind. Instead, this person''s sermon stimulated the joyful thoughts in people''s hearts. The faces of others in the square were the same, showing great joy. The voice of the sermon echoed in the square, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi nearby started to fluctuate with it, condensing into numerous falling golden flowers. When these Spiritual Qi golden flowers touched the bodies of the people below, they immediately merged into them. Naturally, ordinary people could not see the Spiritual Qi, only individuals with cultivation levels could observe the magnificent scene in front of them. Chapter 630 Chapter 630: Chapter 626: The Abbot Appears Chapter 630: Chapter 626: The Abbot Appears ¡°The tongue unfolds the golden lotus, and the void shines brightly! Master Jiang Liu''s lecture has reached such a realm!¡± Shen Luo saw this and couldn''t help but widen his eyes. You should know, only some true powerhouses and high monks during their preaching and donation would have such a sight. ¡°This¡­ It seems that we were short-sighted. This Master Jiang Liu indeed a venerable high monk.¡± Lu Huaming also looked surprised and muttered to himself. Shen Luo slowly nodded somewhat disbelievingly. Suddenly remembering something, he turned his head to look at the coffin in the distance, the resentment around it was quickly dissipating. After only a moment, the yin qi around the coffin dissipated completely. A white-clad woman''s soul slowly emerged from the coffin. She bowed down towards the high platform in the distance, then slowly rose. Her figure faded and merged into the void. Witnessing this, Shen Luo''s soul shook. He was full of admiration for Master Jiang Liu who was still on the stage, listening intently. The lecture of Master Jiang Liu continued for half an hour before it ended. All the people below were still immersed in the lecture. The square was silent, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Shen Luo was no exception, but he soon regained his senses and opened his eyes. After listening to a lecture, he gained a lot. The golden lotus condensed with spiritual energy had little effect on his soul, but he primarily gained benefits in terms of his divine soul. Shen Luo had just advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage. Even though he had consolidated his cultivation level during a retreat, his divine soul was inevitably restless. But after listening to this lecture, his divine soul had completely become calm, saving him at least half a year of hard cultivation. After the lecture, Master Jiang Liu immediately walked out of the treasure canopy. He didn''t even glance at the people below and headed towards the temple without looking back. Many monks from the Golden Mountain Temple quickly followed up, surrounding Jiang Liu. The Hall Master Shi was among them, he was pleasingly talking to Jiang Liu. Only then did the people below come back to their senses, and all bowed to Jiang Liu from a distance to express their thanks. ¡°Fellow benefactors, the Golden Cicada Conference has ended. Please go to the Fragrant Accumulation Hall for the vegetarian meal.¡± A monk ascended the high platform, with his hands held together he bowed to the crowd, loudly declaring. The crowd below heard this and all got up, heading towards a side hall in the temple. ¡°Since Master Jiang Liu is indeed a venerable monk, we can''t miss this opportunity. Brother Shen, let''s ask him again, we must invite him to preside over the Water-Land Conference in Chang''an, no matter what.¡± Lu Huaming got up, pulling Shen Luo in the direction where Master Jiang Liu went and chased after him. However, a figure appeared in front of them, and several purple-robed martial monks blocked the way. ¡°The two benefactors, Master Jiang Liu''s lecture has ended. The place ahead is a key area of our Golden Mountain Temple, unauthorized people are prohibited from entering. Please stay.¡± Master Huiming said indifferently. ¡°Master Huiming, we are sorry for any offences caused earlier, but neither of us is here to cause trouble. We just have something to ask Master Jiang Liu.¡± Lu Huaming urged. ¡°It''s we who are carrying out Master Jiang Liu''s orders. He said he doesn''t want to see you. Please leave.¡± Master Huiming coldly responded. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed. What''s the matter with Jiang Liu, why is he so repulsed by them, directly driving people away? ¡°Several masters, we want to ask Master Jiang Liu to do something which is of great merit. This is a little token of our gratitude, please make it convenient for us. We will surely express our gratitude again later.¡± He quickly composed himself, took out a small cloth bag, which contained thirty pieces of immortal jade, and put it in Master Huiming''s hand. Listening to the crisp sound of the immortal jade hitting each other in the cloth bag, greed flashed in Master Huiming''s eyes. He reached out to accept the bag, but when his hand was halfway extended, it stopped abruptly. ¡°No, this was Master Jiang Liu''s command. Please leave the temple immediately. Don''t make it difficult for us.¡± Master Huiming shook his head vigorously, keeping a straight face. The other monks positioned themselves in a fan shape around Shen Luo and Lu Huaming, seeming like they were ready to make a move at any time. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming frowned. These monks were only in the Grain Avoidance Stage, and they could easily defeat them with a wave of their hand. But once a fight broke out, they would completely break with the Golden Mountain Temple, making it even more difficult to ask Master Jiang Liu to assist. ¡°What are you doing, stop!¡± A shout of anger came. Along with this voice, two people walked over from afar. One of them was Elder Zhe Shi, and the other was an elderly monk. This person had a dark face, dried skin, hands as thin as chicken claws, he looked like a dying old man who could be blown away by the wind. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo glanced at the old monk and narrowed his eyes slightly. This old monk looked as if he was on his deathbed, his skin was dried up, but there was a strange qi flowing inside his body. It seemed like all the essence of his body was condensed into the deepest part of his body. Even with Shen Luo''s current cultivation level and keen eyesight, he couldn''t see the depth of the old monk''s cultivation. ¡°Could this man be practicing the Buddhist Sect''s Dry Zen?¡± He remembered reading from a classic that the Buddhist Sect had this kind of Zen method. It was extremely powerful, but the cultivation conditions were strict, and only those with great perseverance and willpower could cultivate it. ¡°The Abbot! Elder Zhe Shi!¡± Master Huiming and the others hurriedly bowed to the two. Shen Luo thought, so this is the abbot of the Golden Mountain Temple, no wonder he possesses such profound cultivation. ¡°Friend Shen, Friend Lu, this is Abbot Hai Shi of our Golden Mountain Temple.¡± Elder Zhe Shi introduced to Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. ¡°We have met the Abbot.¡± Shen Luo and Lu Huaming stepped forward to greet him. ¡°The two benefactors, there is no need for formalities. The intention of your visit was told to me by Junior Brother Zhe Shi. However, the Dharma teaches us to let things take their course. Everything has its own cause and effect. The two benefactors and the reincarnated Golden Cicada are not predestined, you should not force it.¡± Abbot Hai Shi said indifferently. ¡°What does the master mean by this?¡± Lu Huaming was taken aback and asked with his hands in salutation. ¡°It shouldn''t be said, shouldn''t be said. If said, it will be a mistake.¡± Abbot Hai Shi shook his head. ¡°Brother Shen, what does this old abbot mean?¡± Lu Huaming was puzzled and turned his head to look at Shen Luo and asked via a voice transmission. Shen Luo looked at Abbot Hai Shi. His eyes twinkled, but he didn''t answer. ¡°Junior Brother Zhe Shi, the two benefactors have traveled a long way. You should not be disrespectful. Take them to the Fragrant Accumulation Hall for a meal to honor their visit.¡± Abbot Hai Shi instructed Elder Zhe Shi, then turned and left. ¡°Abbot Hai Shi, if the predestined time has not arrived yet, when will it arrive?¡± Shen Luo suddenly asked loudly. But it appeared as though Abbot Hai Shi hadn''t heard him and left at his own pace. ¡°The two benefactors, Brother Abbot cannot help with this matter either. Please come with this poor monk.¡± Elder Zhe Shi sighed and headed towards a side hall near the square. Lu Huaming couldn''t think of a solution right now. However, at least they were not being driven out of the temple, which he was rather satisfied with. He would use the meal to delay time and see if there was another way to figure it out. Thinking this, he started walking forward. Meanwhile, Shen Luo was looking at the back of Abbot Hai Shi. His brows furrowed, this Abbot Hai Shi seemed to be beating around the bush, but was not willing to say much. He really didn''t know what his intention was. At this moment, the retreating Abbot Hai Shi suddenly placed his hand on his chest and coughed three times, then put his hand behind his back and slowly walked into the distance. Shen Luo was taken aback, a strange look flashed in his eyes, but it disappeared immediately. He also followed Elder Zhe Shi. Chapter 631 Chapter 631: Chapter 627: Chan''er Chapter 631: Chapter 627: Chan''er Seeing that it was the abbot''s order, Master Huiming and the others dared not stop Shen Luo and the other man. However, they continuously followed behind the two. It seemed they received an order from Master Jiang Liu to watch over them carefully. Elder Zhe Shi brought Shen Luo and the second man to the side hall for a vegetarian meal. However, with Master Huiming and the others standing around like guards for criminals, Shen Luo and company were closely watched as they sat at the wooden table. Lu Huaming naturally lost his appetite. On the other hand, Shen Luo seemed undisturbed, eating two big bowls, to Lu Huaming''s annoyance. The Golden Mountain Temple had many believers, so Elder Zhe Shi didn''t stay too long with the two men. After finishing the meal, he bid his leave and with a swish of his sleeve walked away. ¡°Alright, both benefactors have listened to the Dharma assembly and had your meals. Please leave.¡± As soon as Elder Zhe Shi left, Master Huiming was quick to step forward, giving an implied eviction notice. ¡°We¡­¡± Lu Huaming had not yet thought of a suitable plan and attempted to stall for time. ¡°Haha, since the Golden Mountain Temple is not welcoming us, Brother Lu, we''d better leave.¡± Shen Luo patted Lu Huaming''s shoulder and stood up to leave. ¡°Brother Shen, you¡­¡± Lu Huaming was taken aback. Shen Luo''s lips moved slightly, whispering something. He pulled Lu Huaming and headed towards the exit. Lu Huaming''s eyes flickered, not resisting. He followed Shen Luo and they quickly left the Golden Mountain Temple. Seeing them walking away, Huiming and others stopped following. ¡°Brother Shen, what did you mean by what you said just now? Are we really just leaving? What do we say to Master and Master Yuan when we return?¡± As soon as they left the Golden Mountain Temple, Lu Huaming immediately asked. ¡°We can''t truly leave.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°If we don''t leave, what else can we do? They won''t let us enter Golden Mountain Temple. How are we going to invite Master Jiang Liu?¡± Lu Huaming said, frustrated. ¡°If they don''t let us in, then we''ll sneak in at night.¡± Shen Luo smiled. ¡°Sneak in at night? This is the Golden Mountain Temple, didn''t you see, there are numerous experts inside. Are you really that confident?¡± Lu Huaming looked surprised, then lowered his voice to ask. He had also considered this risky plan, but didn''t dare to voice it out. Shen Luo''s lips moved slightly, whispering something. ¡°I see, we should indeed leave for now.¡± Lu Huaming nodded repeatedly. Shen Luo nodded, and headed down the mountain. The followers of the Dharma assembly had not all left yet, many still gathered outside Golden Mountain Temple in groups, excitedly discussing the excellent teachings of Master Jiang Liu from the assembly. ¡°¡­ The so-called observing all laws and understanding their essence is to discern the many rivers and find their common source.¡± A gentle young voice came from a crowd. Upon hearing this voice, Shen Luo stopped in his tracks. ¡°This voice, is it Chan''er?¡± Lu Huaming also stopped and looked at the crowd not far away. The two men exchanged a look and squeezed into the crowd. A small monk in a gray robe sat cross-legged in the center of the crowd. He seemed to be about eleven or twelve years old, with incredibly clear and bright eyes that made people feel at peace just by looking at him. ¡°So that''s what it means. Little Master Chan''er, your understanding of Buddhism is profound. I am dull. Even though Master Jiang Liu''s preaching was very straightforward, I was still confused. I am truly ashamed, and I greatly appreciate your guidance.¡± The woman in a green dress next to the little grey-robed monk expressed her sudden understanding and thanked him. ¡°Benefactor, you are too kind. We, Buddhist disciples, preach to benefit all mankind. If you ever encounter any difficulties in understanding Buddism, feel free to ask me.¡± The little grey-robed monk joined his palms and said. ¡°Master Chan''er, what does the phrase ''accustomed impurities condense in the unborn, form burdens end in the spiritual transformations'' from the ''Three Dharma Degrees'' that Master Jiang Liu spoke about at the end?¡± Another believer asked. ¡°The meaning of this phrase is that the polluted habits cease in the true nature of non-arising and non-ceasing, and the burdens of the physical form end in miraculous transformations.¡± The little grey-robed monk answered without hesitation. Other believers, seeing this, began to ask their questions. Despite his young age, the grey-robed little monk had a deep understanding of Buddhism and explained it in a way that was easily understood. Every believer who asked a question received a satisfactory answer. ¡°The Golden Mountain Temple truly deserves its reputation as the holy place of Buddhism that educated Golden Cicada. Not only Master Jiang Liu but also this little monk Chan''er is incredible.¡± Shen Luo looked surprised and silently thought. After a while, the surrounding believers dispersed, leaving only Shen Luo and Lu Huaming behind. ¡°Do the two of you have any specific Buddhist principles that you are not clear about?¡± The little monk asked after bowing to two of them. ¡°I don''t have any specific questions. I just heard that little Master Chan''er has a profound understanding of Buddhism and was impressed. That''s why I stopped to listen.¡± Shen Luo returned the salute, smiling. ¡°I''m just a common monk at Golden Mountain Temple and I don''t deserve such praise.¡± Chan''er quickly waved his hand, modestly. ¡°Little Master Chan''er, you truly embody humility and gentleness. I''ve heard that you grew up with Master Jiang Liu. Is that true?¡± Shen Luo asked, smiling. ¡°Yes, I and Jiang Liu have grown up at Golden Mountain Temple from an early age.¡± Chan''er, the little monk, nodded. ¡°You should know a lot about Jiang Liu then. Do you know why he is reluctant to go to Chang''an to help the resentful spirits there?¡± Shen Luo asked. This was why he stopped; he wanted to learn about this matter. ¡°How did you learn about this? Oh, you''re the two benefactors who came from the Chang''an city. Has a lot of people unfortunately passed away in Chang''an?¡± Chan''er jumped up from the ground and asked anxiously. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, currently in the city, the Yin Qi is heavy; there are many resentful spirits that are unwilling to move on.¡± Shen Luo sighed. Chan''er showed a heartbroken expression and murmured a Buddhist prayer. ¡°Little Master Chan''er, you have not yet answered my question. Do you know why Jiang Liu is unwilling to go to Chang''an?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°This¡­¡± Chan''er looked hesitant. ¡°Little Master Chan''er, you know! Please, you must share with us. In Chang''an city, countless resentful spirits are lingering in the human world and unwilling to move on. If they cannot be transmigrated, I fear a major disaster will occur.¡± Shen Luo stared with big eyes, crouched and pleaded. Upon hearing this, Lu Huaming also focused his eyes on Chan''er. ¡°Though it''s as you have said, I promised Jiang Liu that I wouldn''t tell others. I hope you understand.¡± Chan''er shook his head and spoke firmly. Upon hearing this, both of their brows furrowed. ¡°In Buddhism, it is said ''If I do not go to hell, who will go to hell,'' Little Master Chan''er, do you think your personal integrity is more important, or is transmigrating the countless resentful spirits in Chang''an city more important?¡± Shen Luo asked seriously. ¡°''This¡­ Of course, transmigrating resentful spirits is more important.¡± Chan''er scratched his head and answered. Chapter 632 Chapter 632: Chapter 628: Old Affairs of the Buddhist Temple Chapter 632: Chapter 628: Old Affairs of the Buddhist Temple ¡°That''s more like it. Although coming clean about the cause of this matter might harm your reputation, you can save countless living beings. On the other hand, if you only care about your own reputation and remain silent, it just shows that you are a hypocrite, a fake monk. You lack a genuine compassionate heart, which is even worse than violating the precepts of alcohol and meat.¡± Shen Luo continued earnestly. Lu Huaming, hearing Shen Luo''s cajoling and threatening, chuckled to himself. However, he kept his face taut, not revealing a single emotion. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Chan''er''s little face showed a look of fear. ¡°If that''s the case, I will, much against my conscience, tell you that actually, Master Jiang Liu ¡­¡± Chan''er scratched his head in distress for quite a while before looking up. ¡°Chan''er, you dare to disclose my secrets to others. You are pretty audacious!¡± At this moment, a voice suddenly came from Chan''er''s body. It was the voice of Master Jiang Liu. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming heard this voice, their expressions changed. The voice had hardly faded when a burst of yellow light suddenly brightened up on Chan''er''s chest. The next moment, it magnified abruptly, forming a yellow light formation about a yard in diameter, caging Chan''er inside. Shen Luo''s eyes focused. He was about to do something, but it was already too late. The yellow light formation flashed around Chan''er. The figure of Chan''er inside the formation also disappeared instantly, leaving only a few traces of yellow afterglow, which quickly dissipated. ¡°Is this an Earth Escaping Formation? I never expected Master Jiang Liu to know such a spell?¡± Shen Luo murmured in surprise. ¡°Damn. Our snooping into Master Jiang Liu''s secret has been discovered. I''m afraid he despises us even more now. Inviting him to Chang''an will be even more difficult.¡± Lu Huaming looked worried and said with a frown. ¡°It''s useless to overthink it now. Let''s take it one step at a time, we should find a place to rest first, and come back at night.¡± Shen Luo sent a comforting message and then started walking downhill. Lu Huaming sighed and followed him. The two found a quiet place on the mountainside to rest with closed eyes. Night fell quickly. The two didn''t move right away. They only opened their eyes when it was almost the third watch of the night, and headed towards the Golden Mountain Temple. They quickly arrived outside the back door of the Golden Mountain Temple. From here, the inside of the Golden Mountain Temple was pitch black and no one was in sight. It seemed that all the monks in the temple had gone to bed. Despite this, the two dared not to be careless. They each performed a spell to hide their breath, then quietly scaled the walls and entered the temple. ¡°Have you figured out where Abbot Hai Shi lives?¡± Lu Huaming asked in a message. ¡°I don''t know, but it doesn''t matter. I''ve already had my Gu insect remember his scent. We just need to follow it.¡± Shen Luo took out Shadow Gu from his bag. The moment the Shadow Gu appeared, it sniffed the air and immediately flew forward. The pair immediately followed, trailing close behind. Both Shen Luo and Lu Huaming had reached the Nascent Soul Stage and were considered experts in the Cultivation World. Although the temple also had prohibitions, they easily bypassed them and did not attract the attention of the monks inside. They quickly arrived at a deeper part of the Golden Mountain Temple. ¡°Stop!¡± Lu Huaming raised his hand to stop Shen Luo. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo halted the Shadow Gu and asked in a message. ¡°There''s a large-scale prohibition in front of us that''s very sophisticated. We can''t go any further.¡± Lu Huaming''s eyes glowed faintly white, as if he was using a Pupil Technique, and he said in a deep voice. Upon hearing the words, Shen Luo channeled his mana into his eyes, scanning ahead but finding nothing. ¡°No matter how you look, you won''t be able to see it. This prohibition is incredibly concealed. The one who placed it has a very high cultivation level. Look through this.¡± Lu Huaming passed a white crystal ball to Shen Luo. Shen Luo took it, his brows furrowing slightly. He poured his mana into the sphere and held it before his eyes, scanning forward. His expression swiftly changed. Through the ball, he could see many small array patterns and white light points unseen before, flashing within. They shone like countless stars in the night sky. ¡°According to the Shadow Gu''s tracking, Abbot Hai Shi is ahead. Could I have guessed wrongly?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Just then, a point of fire suddenly lighted up in a small, pitch-black building beside them, incredibly conspicuous in the dark night. The expressions of Shen Luo and Lu Huaming changed, and they quickly hid. However, the Shadow Gu suddenly let out a clear cry, shooting towards the building. Seeing this, Shen Luo had a thought. After hesitating slightly, he quietly spread his divine sense towards the lit building. His expression rapidly relaxed, and he walked out from his hiding spot. ¡°Brother Lu, there''s no need to hide. It''s here.¡± He signaled to Lu Huaming, entering the building, and then going into the room with the light. This building was a simple one with worn-out and peeled-off walls. There were no furnishings inside, only a bed covered with dry straw in the corner, where Abbot Hai Shi sat. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Shen Luo could tell from the outside that the place was run-down, he had not expected this scene. Seeing Shen Luo''s actions and sweeping the place with his divine sense, Lu Huaming followed him in without worries. ¡°What business brings the two benefactors here at this late hour?¡± Abbot Hai Shi asked, looking at them. ¡°Abbot Hai Shi had invited us in the daylight, how could I not come?¡± Shen Luo gave a bow. ¡°Oh? When did this old monk invite the benefactor?¡± Abbot Hai Shi maintained his expression and asked. ¡°During the day, when I asked you when fate would arrive, you coughed three times and turned your back. Weren''t you telling us to come here through the backdoor at midnight?¡± Shen Luo answered. ¡°It turns out that the benefactor is indeed a person with wisdom.¡± After watching Shen Luo for a while, a hint of a smile emerged on the old monk''s dry face. ¡°I wouldn''t dare say I have wisdom, but tonight, we have come to ask you, it seems that Master Jiang Liu is extremely resistant to going to Chang''an to preside over the Water-Land Conference. I wonder what''s the reason for this.¡± After a deep bow, Shen Luo spoke seriously. Abbot Hai Shi''s wrinkled face twitched a bit, and he was silent for a while, seemingly considering something. ¡°This matter concerns the lives of ten thousands citizens in Chang''an, please guide us, Master!¡± On seeing Abbot Hai Shi remaining silent, Lu Huaming was anxious, he could not help but speak. ¡°Amitabha, there''s no hurry in this matter. The night is long; if the two benefactors are not busy, could you listen to some old stories about Golden Mountain Temple?¡± Abbot Hai Shi, with a sigh, slowly said. ¡°Since the Master is at leisure, I am ready to listen attentively.¡± Shen Luo looked at Abbot Hai Shi''s calm eyes and sat down on a stool next to him. Lu Huaming was anxious and had no mood to listen to any old stories, but seeing Shen Luo sitting down, he had no choice but to sit down as well. Abbot Hai Shi, using a nostalgic tone, said: ¡°Our Golden Mountain Temple was established during the previous dynasty, originally quite prosperous. But then impermanence struck, the founder of the current dynasty opened up new land, the entire Divine Land was engulfed in warfare. Our temple was also affected and almost destroyed. Although feebly rebuilt afterwards, it was already in decline and had lost its former glory. It was even raided by outside enemies who were drawn by the temple''s ancestral lineage of classics and skills. Most monks at the temple fled and only a few old monks who had nowhere to go stayed. They barely managed to survive until a change came over a hundred years ago.¡± Chapter 633 Chapter 633: Chapter 629: Let it Be Chapter 633: Chapter 629: Let it Be ¡°Over a hundred years ago, a wandering monk with a deep level of cultivation stayed in our temple. That night, the temple suddenly revealed a golden brilliance reaching up to the heavens, which lasted half the night before dissipating. This monk told the old monks of the temple that our Golden Mountain Temple has a correlation with Buddhism, and that it would surely produce a great virtuous high monk who would awe the world. Hence, he decided to stay here. The old monks in the temple naturally welcomed him. The monk then stayed, joining our ranks, and changed his name to Fa Ming.¡± Abbot Hai Shi continued. ¡°Elder Fa Ming!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze stirred. Lu Huaming had previously mentioned this person to him, so this was his background. ¡°Master Fa Ming had a profound level of cultivation. Not long after he entered the temple, the previous Abbot quickly conceded his position to him. After Elder Fa Ming took over, he greatly supported his peers and spread his Buddhism Dharma to everyone. Only then did our temple begin to flourish again. Master Fa Ming has reinvented our temple, and everyone in the temple respects him. However, he did not take in disciples, saying there was no affinity. This disappointed many in the temple. Until ten years after he had entered the temple, one day while he was playing the qin by the foot of the mountain, he suddenly heard the cry of a baby. A wooden basin drifted from downstream with a baby and a blood letter in it. The Master saved it and learned from the blood letter that this was the posthumous child of the Liuzhou champion Chen Guangrui. He took the milky name of Jiang Liu''er, raised him, and took him as a disciple.¡± Abbot Hai Shi said. ¡°This person is none other than Master Xuanzang, right?¡± Lu Huaming had been listening for a long time, his expression gradually becoming focused and devoid of anxiety, he said. Shen Luo realized, Master Xuanzang''s name had long been well-known throughout the world. However, he only knew about Master Xuanzang''s journey to the west for scriptures but was unclear about his background, so this was his origin. ¡°Correct, just as Elder Fa Ming predicted long ago, Master Xuanzang later entered Chang An, was recognized by Emperor Taizong as his figurative brother, then braved the dangers to journey to the Western Sky, enduring seventy-two trials to retrieve the real scriptures. Only then did our Golden Mountain Temple''s name spread throughout the world, achieving its current reputation.¡± Abbot Hai Shi glanced at Lu Huaming, nodded, and continued. ¡°Abbot Hai Shi, pardon my interruption, but according to the timeline when Master Xuanzang went to the Western Sky to obtain the scriptures, shouldn''t you have already met him?¡± Shen Luo suddenly interjected to ask. ¡°When I joined the temple, Master Xuanzang had already journeyed to the Western Sky for the scriptures. However, when he returned to the Golden Mountain Temple later, I had the opportunity to meet him once. Master Xuanzang had expressed to the monks in the temple a few of his experiences journeying west to Ling Mountain. The widely circulated tales of the Pilgrimage to the Western Sky originated from our Golden Mountain Temple.¡± Abbot Hai Shi glanced at Shen Luo and nodded. ¡°When Master Xuanzang recounted his experiences from his scripture retrieval journey, did he ever mention a woman with a plum blossom mark on her wrist and a monk from the Western Regions?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked again. ¡°A woman with a plum blossom mark on her wrist? Master Xuanzang is a man of Buddhism and seldom mentions the women he encountered on his journey to the Western Sky. As for the many Buddhist countries in the Western Regions, Master Xuanzang has mentioned some of the monks he met. I don''t know which monk the benefactor is referring to?¡± Abbot Hai Shi showed a surprised expression and asked. Lu Huaming was also surprised by Shen Luo''s sudden question and turned to look at Shen Luo. ¡°This person probably has demonic Qi, and caused a lot of trouble for Master Xuanzang''s journey to the Western Sky to obtain the scriptures.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Shen Luo said. ¡°A monk tainted with demonic Qi? I have never heard Master Xuanzang speak of such a thing.¡± Abbot Hai Shi thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°Really¡­¡± Shen Luo''s face showed disappointment. Could it be that Master Xuanzang and his troupe did not encounter those five reincarnated demon souls during their scripture retrieval journey? ¡°Ah, when the benefactor mentioned demonic Qi, I remembered something. Master Xuanzang once mentioned that when they journeyed through the Black Chicken Kingdom of the Western Regions, his senior disciple had once felt a very strong demonic Qi.¡± Abbot Hai Shi''s white eyebrows suddenly moved as he spoke. ¡°Oh, where did Master Xuanzang encounter this demonic Qi? What happened later?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened and he immediately asked for more details. ¡°Master Xuanzang did not elaborate on this matter, just briefly referenced it because while journeying to the west countless demons were encountered, but demonic Qi was rarely felt. This powerful demonic Qi made him feel uneasy, instructing us to be careful of demons in the future.¡± Abbot Hai Shi continued. Shen Luo made a sound of acknowledgment, his eyes flickering but he said no more. ¡°Elder Hai Shi, I also have a question. Back then, not long after Master Xuanzang returned from retrieving the scriptures, he mysteriously disappeared. Do you know what happened? People say he has already reincarnated, is this true?¡± Lu Huaming at the side also asked. ¡°We are also not sure about this issue. After Master Xuanzang returned from the scripture retrieval journey, he reported back to his Majesty before returning to the Golden Mountain Temple to cultivate in peace. However, not long after, he suddenly disappeared. The monks of our temple scouted around but found no clues.¡± Abbot Hai Shi shook his head. ¡°If that''s the case, then why is there talk of his reincarnation?¡± Lu Huaming asked curiously. ¡°Not long after Master Xuanzang disappeared, I assumed the position of the Abbot. I practice Dry Zen, emphasizing purity of mind and few desires, often going to deserted places to sit in meditation. One time when I was meditating by the river at the foot of the mountain, a wooden basin drifted downstream, carrying two babies wrapped in swaddling clothes.¡± Hai Shi Elder continued. ¡°Oh, another two babies floated down?¡± Lu Huaming''s eyes widened. ¡°These two are Jiang Liu and Chan''er. At the time, Jiang Liu had a string of Buddhist beads hanging around his neck. I had once attended Master Xuanzang''s teachings in person, and recognized that the Buddhist beads were actually the ones worn by Master Xuanzang. The monks in the temple all believed he was the reincarnation of Golden Cicada and gave him the secular name Jiang Liu from Golden Cicada''s previous life.¡± Hai Shi Elder continued. ¡°So, that''s where the claim of Golden Cicada''s reincarnation came from.¡± Lu Huaming slowly nodded. Shen Luo, on the other hand, didn''t pay attention to anything else. Hearing Hai Shi Elder finally mention Jiang Liu, his eyes instantly focused. ¡°What happened afterward?¡± He asked. ¡°Once Jiang Liu got older, he started to comprehend Buddha''s teachings and was able to eloquently express his insights during our Dharma discussions. However, he never participated in the scriptural debates within the temple. Despite being very familiar with Golden Cicada, his mannerisms weren''t at all like Master Golden Cicada ¨C flamboyant and dominant, favoring luxury and extravagance. Much of the resplendent construction within the temple was due to his insistence on changes.¡± Hai Shi Elder said with a sigh. ¡°Abbot Hai Shi, you are the chief abbot of Golden Mountain Temple. Why have you let Jiang Liu run amok? As the temple now stands, it will surely invite much criticism. Moreover, I observe that quite a few monks in the temple are frivolous, arrogant and proud, seemingly imitating Jiang Liu. If this continues, it will be detrimental to Golden Mountain Temple.¡± Lu Huaming said. ¡°Jiang Liu has a profound understanding of the Dao and has a flamboyant personality. Moreover, because of his status as the reincarnation of Golden Cicada, most of the elders in the temple admire him greatly and heed his every word. Although I am the Abbot, I can no longer restrain him.¡± Hai Shi Elder said. Hearing this, Lu Huaming was left speechless. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Abbot Hai Shi, might it be his personality that prevents Master Jiang Liu from wanting to go to Chang An?¡± Hearing Hai Shi Elder reveal up to this point without mentioning the reason why Master Jiang Liu refused to go to Chang An, Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. Lu Huaming had been distracted by Abbot Hai Shi''s words and only remembered the reason for their visit that night when he heard Shen Luo''s question. He immediately looked at Hai Shi Elder. Chapter 634 Chapter 634: Chapter 630: Conflict Chapter 634: Chapter 630: Conflict ¡°However, the reason why Jiang Liu didn''t want to go to Chang''an is tied to an event from a few years ago at the Jinchan ceremony,¡± Abbot Hai Shi finally broke his silence after a moment. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming, upon hearing him finally address this matter, listened attentively. ¡°Our Golden Mountain Temple has held a Jinchan ceremony every year, thanks to the enlightened teachings of Master Jinchanzi. That year, Jiang Liu was eight years old. He excelled in Buddhist studies, and it was his first time attending the Jinchan ceremony. His discourse was insightful and peerless, and all monks within the temple admired him. However, a demon suddenly invaded the temple just as the ceremony was about to end.¡± Abbot Hai Shi recounted. ¡°A demon? What kind of demon?¡± Shen Luo''s pupils contracted, and he immediately asked. ¡°I wondered why the aura inside the Golden Mountain Temple was somewhat strange; Turns out you two sneaked in!¡± At that moment, a cold mocking voice came from outside. Before the echo had subsided, a streak of azure light surged from the outside, carrying an azure dharma blade pierced through the window and directly aimed at Shen Luo, intending to split him in half. Shen Luo''s expression darkened, his right hand flicked, and five foot-long crimson sword auras shot out, colliding head-on with the azure dharma blade. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, the red and azure lights interwove. The azure dharma blade was repelled, and Shen Luo''s body also swayed a little, taking a step back. The violent shock wave spread from the clash, and the room, which was already shabby, couldn''t handle the shock and immediately collapsed into rubble. Several shadows flew from the distance and landed nearby; their appearance revealed them to be monks from the Golden Mountain Temple, led by Hall Master Shi. Standing next to Hall Master Shi was a Diao Mei old monk, another cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, whereas other monks were at the Soul Condensation and Grain Avoidance stages. Shen Luo''s countenance was grim, not because he feared these monks from the Golden Mountain Temple, but because he was about to get the answer from Abbot Hai Shi when these people suddenly arrived and interrupted the conversation. ¡°Hall Master Shi, what do you think you''re doing?¡± Abbot Hai Shi coldly questioned as he stood up. ¡°Apologies, Abbot Hai Shi, for destroying your dwelling. I promise to rebuild it for you afterwards. However, it would be better if you stay out of the current affairs.¡± Hall Master Shi said calmly, then turned his gaze to Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. ¡°By the order of Master Jiang Liu, seize these two!¡± Hall Master Shi gave the command indifferently. Immediately, the nearby monks took action without uttering a word, brandishing various magical instruments and releasing brilliant lights, barraging towards Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. Ever since Shen Luo entered the Golden Mountain Temple, he had been aware and said kind words to the monks. Still, he was constantly met with cold rejection. From deep within, he had long felt uncomfortable but had suppressed these feelings using rationality. At this moment, with these people causing trouble again, his eyes grew cold. Without saying a word, he stepped forward, a burst of blue light radiating from his body and turning into a blinding blue light sphere, confronting the incoming onslaught of magical instruments. In the depths of the blue light sphere, a white light flashed, radiating a chill beyond measure. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The onslaught of magical instruments arrested upon encountering the blue light sphere, as though frozen by the chill within. ¡°Take!¡± With an expressionless face, Shen Luo waved his hand, a golden flash passed over his body, and those magical instruments ensnared by the blue light and chill vanished into thin air. ¡°This¡­¡± The surrounding monks were all extremely astonished, their connection with their magical instruments instantly severed, unable to sense them no matter what. Both Elder Shi and the Diao Mei Old Monk who have not made their moves yet, were greatly shocked upon witnessing this. The manner in which Shen Luo retrieved those magical instruments was completely incomprehensible. All they saw was a fleeting golden shadow over her, followed by the disappearance of all magical instruments. Meanwhile, Shen Luo felt a thrill of surprise. Using the Heavenly Book to retrieve those magical instruments was a spur of the moment decision. When previously in Dreamland, he had only retrieved some off-body mana attacks like flames and poisonous gas from enemies. He wasn''t sure if the Heavenly Book could retrieve physical magical instruments from enemies. This attempt turned out to be a success. He took a deep breath to suppress his excitement, and took advantage of Elder Shi and the Diao Mei Old Monk''s shock. With a single hand, he launched an attack at the two of them. The blue light around him instantly formed into blue waves several tens of feet high, rushing towards Elder Shi and the Diao Mei Old Monk. Before the blue waves arrived, a tremendous force emerged, exerting a ¡°humming¡± pressure as though intending to squash Elder Shi and the Diao Mei Old Monk into meat paste. The ground was even ploughed into a deep trench. Now that Shen Luo''s cultivation has reached the Nascent Soul Stage, the power of the Nameless Cultivation Technique has gradually begun to show. Elder Shi reacted immediately. As he chanted an incantation, his whole body radiated with golden light, turning his skin completely gold. His size instantly doubled, transforming into a formidable golden person, appearing like a Vajra Arhat that exorcises evil spirits. A violent force exploded off him, causing the surrounding air to explode like firecrackers, and the ground to tremble intensely. Directly causing several thick cracks on the ground to spread out in all directions. The energy emanating from him was almost double what it was before. Originally he had just entered the Middle stage of Nascent Soul period, but now it soared to the Middle Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage, only a bit away from the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Elder Shi delivered a punch that appeared slow but in reality was incredibly swift. His fist radiated overwhelming golden light, a power that seemed to be able to shake mountains surging out from it striking the blue waves. Meanwhile, the old monk by his side also reacted, chanting a mantra, patting his waist and releasing a yellow Demon-Subduing Jade Pestle, which vanished with a shimmer in mid-air. The very next moment, the Demon-Subduing Jade Pestle appeared mysteriously above the blue waves, brightly shining in yellow light, exhibiting sixteen prohibitions ¨C a top-grade magical instrument with sixteen prohibitions. In the wind, it metamorphosed into a giant several tens of feet tall and smashed down heavily. It felt as if a small mountain was descending directly, the void seeming to distort and vibrate with a humming sound where the Demon-Subduing Jade Pestle passed. The three enormous forces collided producing a loud thunderous rumble, making the void dim for a moment and setting off a severe tremor. The blue waves eventually could not withstand the two powerful forces on the other side, and were directly blown apart, split into two halves from the middle, and flowed past both of them. But the halves of blue waves suddenly rolled up, spinning into a vortex, which instantaneously spun around the two, forming a huge vortex. From all directions, a more astonishing force surged towards the middle in a crush. The Diao Mei old man was caught off guard, his body involuntarily spinning with the vortex, while Elder Shi, despite his body feeling as solid as a mountain after his transformation into a giant golden man, was wavering due to the tremendous force of the vortex. Taking advantage of this momentary gap, Shen Luo''s path of the Slanting Moon Steps glowed brightly. In an instant, he vanished only to reappear almost instantly above their heads after crossing a distance of several tens of feet. His cultivation has now greatly advanced, and the experience of practicing the Slanting Moon Steps in Dreamland continued to accumulate constantly. As a result, his Slanting Moon Steps in reality had almost reached perfection, and he could reach a distance of several tens of feet in an instant. Chapter 635 Chapter 635: Chapter 631: Gambling Duel Chapter 635: Chapter 631: Gambling Duel A white small bag mysteriously appeared by Shen Luo, which was the Nine Yin Pouch. A peculiar, cold white light shot out from the opening of the bag, entangling the Yellow Demon-Subduing Jade Pestle of the Diao Mei Old Monk and the Azure Dharma Blade of Hall Master Shi. A thick layer of white ice crystals immediately formed on the Demon-Subduing Jade Pestle and Azure Dharma Blade, causing the two magical instruments to falter. With a wave of Shen Luo''s right hand, he once again activated the Heavenly Book''s capturing power. A golden shadow flashed by, causing the Yellow Demon-Subduing Jade Pestle and Azure Dharma Blade to disappear without a trace. Meanwhile, his left hand was not idle. A red light flashed through his palm, revealing a Red Feather Fan, the Five-Fire Fan, which he fiercely fanned towards Hall Master Shi. The seven spirit feathers on the Five-Fire Fan burst forth with a bright light, opening up like a peacock spreading its feathers. Then, a five-colored flame pillar shot out from the surface of the fan, ruthlessly striking Hall Master Shi. The golden light on Hall Master Shi''s body flickered wildly, manifesting signs of weakening. The five-colored flame pillar even radiated an exceptional heat that poured into his body. Hall Master Shi''s face turned drastically. He operated the Vajra Subduing Demon Great Method with all his might and his body''s golden light thickened, managing to stabilize himself. But at this exact moment, a crimson Sword Qi as thin as a needle shot out from the flame pillar. With a hissing sound, it pierced through the protective golden light, striking his forehead. However, Hall Master Shi''s body was extremely sturdy at this moment. The Sword Qi snapped upon impact, but a semi-transparent dark red flame shot out from the Sword Qi, a strand of Red Lotus Karmic Fire, which slithered into Hall Master Shi''s forehead like a poisonous snake. It felt as if Hall Master Shi''s divine soul was savagely bitten by a poisonous snake. Caught off guard, he let out a scream, involuntarily clutching his head. His face contorted in pain, unable to operate his skills. At this moment, the five-colored flame pillar shattered with a bang, transforming into a giant five-colored sun, fiercely slamming into Hall Master Shi. The golden light on Hall Master Shi''s body immediately vanished completely. He was flung back like he was harshly hit by a meteor, crashing into a wall, even spitting out a mouthful of blood. The Diao Mei Old Man was also affected by the five-colored sun. But since he was further away, he was uninjured but similarly flung away. The site fell silent immediately. Everyone stared at Shen Luo in shock. From the moment Hall Master Shi gave the order to attack till now, only a few breaths of time had passed. Everyone''s magical instruments were taken away by Shen Luo and Hall Master Shi was even defeated with just one strike. This was simply a direct crush! Lu Huaming also looked at Shen Luo in shock. Just how powerful had Shen Luo become? Abbot Hai Shi also looked at Shen Luo, surprise flashing in his eyes. Shen Luo exhaled lightly, the displeasure in his heart fully dissipating. He swept a glance at the monks around him, about to turn and return to his original position. ¡°You''ve got some skills. Take my attack and see!¡± A clear childlike voice suddenly rang out from an unknown location. Before the voice even died down, a Purple Gold Bowl appeared out of thin air above Shen Luo''s head. The edge of the inside of the bowl radiated a purplish-gold glow, rotating and covering him. Though the purplish-gold glow within the bowl wasn''t glaring, Shen Luo felt an overwhelming pressure. The blue light on his body intensified and was instantly dispersed. ¡°This is a magical treasure!¡± His face suddenly changed. Shooting forth Moonlight Glamour from both his feet, his figure blurred into a vague afterimage, trying to escape the area quickly. However, the Purple Gold Bowl kept following Shen Luo''s movement, always targeting him. No matter how fast Shen Luo moved, he could not shake it off and it descended even faster. Seeing that he could not dodge it, Shen Luo halted his moving figure. The fire of the Five-Fire Fan in his hand flared up as he fanned it viciously at the bowl in mid-air. The crisp cry of the phoenix shot straight into the sky, a Five-Color Fire Phoenix, several tens of feet in size, shot out from the fan, spreading its wings to collide with the Purple Gold Bowl. He hadn''t fully activated the power of the Five-Fire Fan while dealing with Hall Master Shi just now; after all, just giving him a hard blow to vent his anger potentially severely injuring him wouldn''t look good. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, a halo emerged out of nowhere, filled with multi-colored rune lights. Although it was far less dazzling than the five-colored sun before, the aura it exuded was incredibly formidable, leaving everyone present struggling to catch their breath. The Purple Gold Bowl was held up by the five-colored halo, unable to continue downward for the time being. Shen Luo, whose feet were brightly lit by moonlight, seized the opportunity to retreat and finally escaped from the cover of the Purple Gold Bowl. His body felt light, as if he had been freed from some invisible constraint. ¡°So that''s how it is, this Purple Gold Bowl relies on this invisible force to lock onto its target,¡± he exclaimed in relief; his body flickered and vanished, appearing next to Lu Huaming the next moment. ¡°Hmm!¡± The childlike voice rang out again, and at the same time, the Purple Gold Bowl brightened, a beam of purple gold light shot out from within, striking the five-colored halo below. The five-colored halo merely paused for a moment, then it was torn apart as though it was rotting wood being pulled apart, before finally dissipating completely. The Purple Gold Bowl spun round and round before continuing to chase after Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo was taken aback and immediately communicated with the Golden Dragon Cone within him. Although the Five-Fire Fan is an extremely powerful top-grade magical artifact, it is still inferior when faced with magical treasures. ¡°Jiang Liu, that''s enough!¡± At this moment, Abbot Hai Shi sternly interrupted, raising his hand and waving. A dark gold light, like a bolt of lightning, shot out ¨C it was a dark golden walking stick that collided with the Purple Gold Bowl, emitting a ringing sound and causing the nearby void to ripple with disorderly shockwaves. This dark golden walking stick appeared to be a magical treasure as well, as it managed to hold up the Purple Gold Bowl. There was a flash of light inside the Purple Gold Bowl, and Jiang Liu''s figure unexpectedly burst forth from the bowl, landing on the ground. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder Hai Shi, I have always respected you as an abbot, and we have usually kept our affairs to ourselves. Why have you used your powers to intervene in my affairs today for the sake of two outsiders?¡± Jiang Liu asked discontentedly. ¡°The incident that year was just an accident. Besides, the fact that these two know about it won''t harm you much. Why do you insist on guarding this so strictly?¡± Hai Shi, sighing, called back his dark golden walking stick and said. ¡°I don''t need you to decide for me.¡± Jiang Liu said with a huff. Hearing up to this point, Shen Luo roughly guessed what happened, Jiang Liu had kept a secret due to the previous invasion of the demon, a secret that made him reluctant to go to Chang''an. At the same time, he didn''t want the secret to be known to outsiders, so he was trying so hard to drive Shen Luo and Lu Huaming away. ¡°Master Jiang Liu, I do not know exactly why you are unwilling to go to Chang''an. However, there are countless aggrieved souls in Chang''an City urgently waiting for salvation. How about this, we will have a duel. If I lose, Lu and I will leave immediately, never to return; if I win by chance, Master Jiang Liu, you should reveal the reason why you are reluctant to go to Chang''an, how about it?¡± After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo then said. ¡°A duel? Alright! How do you want to duel?¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Liu''s eyes lit up with anticipation. He seemed extremely interested in the duel and immediately responded. ¡°Master Jiang Liu, you are highly cultivated and possess the powerful magical treasure, the Purple Gold Bowl. Your defense must be extraordinary. Master, stand there and bear my three attacks. If I can force you to step back, I win. If I can''t, I lose,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright.¡± Master Jiang Liu heard the rules for the duel, hesitated for no moment, nodded right away, and then waved his hand. The Purple Gold Bowl was suspended above his head, a Purple Gold Light swept down, encasing his body. ¡°Now you can go. Come on.¡± The Master Jiang Liu seemed very confident about the purple golden light, he didn''t summon any more defenses, and immediately beckoned. Chapter 636 Chapter 636: Chapter 632: Demonic Qi Invasion Chapter 636: Chapter 632: Demonic Qi Invasion ¡°Please forgive my rudeness.¡± A glint flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and with a single hand, he made a sign and a streak of red light flashed before him. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo emerged. ¡°Brother Shen, are you confident?¡± Lu Huaming hesitated for a moment, whispering. ¡°Rest assured.¡± A hint of confidence crossed Shen Luo''s face as his hands swiftly worked a spell. Torrents of blue magic spells rapidly fused into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Red light powerfully overwhelmed upon the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Clusters of red lotus-shaped flames erupted, then quickly melted into one. Moments later, a towering Red Lotus Karma Fire emerged around the Sword Embryo. It blazed fiercely, yet emitted no heat, appearing incredibly eerie. ¡°What the! Red Lotus Karma Fire!¡± Jiang Liu''s face went abruptly pale upon witnessing this scene. Abbot Hai Shi wore a look of surprise as well, other monks around followed suit. Shen Luo was about to continue activating the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, planning to call upon all the Red Lotus Karma Fire within it, aiming for a powerful blow. ¡°Stop! I concede this wager!¡± Jiang Liu, still within the purple hue of light, suddenly raised his hand in surrender, a hint of fear flashed through his eyes as he looked at the Red Lotus Karma Fire. Shen Luo was fairly confident he would win this duel, yet Jiang Liu''s straightforward concession stunned him. Nonetheless, Jiang Liu''s surrender was beneficial. Unless absolutely necessary, Shen Luo didn''t wish to be at odds with Jinshan Temple, he compliantly made a gesture and all the Red Lotus Karma Fire was sucked back into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo as efficiently as a whale drinking water. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo vanished into his sleeve with a flash. ¡°Well done!¡± Lu Huaming slapped Shen Luo''s shoulder hard, laughing excitedly. ¡°You all may leave now.¡± Jiang Liu dispersed the Purple Gold Bowl with a sign and waved his hands at the surrounding monks. The monk crowd revered Jiang Liu as a god. They bowed to him and turned to leave. ¡°Please hold, my apologies for my prior actions. Here are your magical instruments, please take them back.¡± Shen Luo flicked his sleeve and all the magical instruments confiscated previously by him emerged at once. The monks each took their own magical instruments back, gave Shen Luo a bow, murmured a chant of ¡°Amitabha,¡± and departed. At this moment, Hall Master Shi returned. Shen Luo had shown mercy before, only destroying his Demonic Prohibition Golden Body, not inflicting severe injuries. Hall Master Shi waved his hand, recalling his Azure Dharma Blade. He gave Shen Luo a deep look and then turned to leave. Soon, only Shen Luo, Lu Huaming, Jiang Liu, and Abbot Hai Shi remained here. ¡°The two of you, Jiang Liu, let''s go into the room to discuss further.¡± Abbot Hai Shi stood up and walked into a nearby monks'' residence. ¡°Abbot Hai Shi, since you were planning to tell them, just keep going.¡± Jiang Liu went inside and sat on the bed, humming out loud. ¡°Alright, then I''ll continue.¡± Abbot Hai Shi nodded his head. ¡°That year, a demon invaded Jinshan Temple in an attempt to harm the Golden Cicada Reincarnation. If it weren''t for Jiang Liu''s intervention, the demon would have done its harm. However, Jiang Liu''s body was infected by Demonic Qi as a result.¡± Abbot Hai Shi paused for a moment, then went on with the narrative. ¡°Demonic Qi infection!¡± Lu Huaming was startled upon hearing this. Shen Luo surveyed Jiang Liu, although quite surprised, he still retained some skepticism. ¡°You don''t believe me?¡± Jiang Liu snorted, unbuttoned his chest robe and exposed his chest. A spot of pitch black as ink, about the size of a face basin, sat right in the middle of his fair skin as though a piece of dark cloud had rooted there. Around the edge of the black spot ran a circle of golden patterns; upon closer examination, they were composed of numerous extremely tiny golden runes. It looked like a seal, trapping the black spot within. That black spot seemed like a living entity, constantly writhing and charging at the golden seal around it. Each time this occurred, a tiny swastika rune would light up at the spot where the seal was hit, pushing the black spot back. Shen Luo scanned the black spot with his Divine Sense and did indeed find threads of Demonic Qi emitting from within. ¡°Is it possible these threads of Demonic Qi can be expelled?¡± He narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°Nonsense! If they could be easily expelled, would I still be troubled?¡± Jiang Liu said angrily, readjusting his clothes. ¡°These strands of Demonic Qi are embedded in Jiang Liu like maggots in bone, nearly impossible to remove. We can only temporarily suppress it using the Buddha''s power of Jinshan Temple, which is why Jiang Liu cannot stay away from Jinshan Temple for a long time. Whenever he has no choice, he risks a great deal by leaving.¡± Abbot Hai Shi explained slowly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming realized why Jiang Liu adamantly refused to go to Chang''an City. ¡°Details of Jiang Liu''s Demonic Qi infection are extremely confidential. Only a select few within Jinshan Temple are aware of the reasons. I hope you will not disclose this, as it could potentially endanger Jiang Liu.¡± Abbot Hai Shi addressed Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. ¡°Of course, Abbot Hai Shi, rest assured that we will certainly not disclose this information.¡± Shen Luo assured him solemnly. ¡°Isn''t there any way to suppress the Demonic Qi without depending on Jinshan Temple''s power?¡± A disgruntled Lu Huaming pressed on. ¡°We have tried whatever methods we could think of over the years, unfortunately, the Demonic Qi is peculiar, and results have been minimal.¡± Abbot Hai Shi sighed. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, while saving the Chang''an City populace is paramount, he couldn''t let Jiang Liu risk his life in doing so. ¡°I wonder if Master Yuan and Duke Cheng might have a way to suppress the Demonic Qi. Yet, judging from Abbot Hai Shi''s and Jiang Liu''s reactions, it seems they don''t trust outsiders much.¡± He kept his thoughts to himself, hesitating, and didn''t vocalize them. ¡°Actually, there could be a way out. I''ve recently been closely studying the classics left by Jinchanzi. They mentioned an instrument capable of effective Demonic Qi suppression.¡± Jiang Liu suddenly spoke. ¡°Oh? What kind of instrument is that?¡± Abbot Hai Shi asked, his face lighting up. ¡°This instrument called Hunyuan Umbrella, a treasure handed down from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, is known for its ability to suppress evil demons and stabilize the spirit. However, this instrument is scrupulously rigorous to refine, also requires exceedingly precious materials. In fact, I started my attempts at refining it quite early but presently still lack a main material, which is very hard to obtain.¡± Jiang Liu explained. ¡°What material is needed? We are ready to lend a hand.¡± Lu Huaming immediately said, upon hearing that there was a glimmer of hope. Shen Luo also looked over. ¡°It''s a rare material called the Golden Phoenix Feather.¡± Jiang Liu spoke. ¡°Golden Phoenix Feather?¡± Lu Huaming''s brows arched. He hadn''t heard of this material before. Shen Luo, having read a significant number of classics about materials and travelled to countless places in Dreamland, knew about numerous unheard-of materials and treasures in the Great Tang Cultivation World. Yet, he hadn''t heard of this one either. ¡°Golden Phoenix Feather is a generic term. It can be a feather from any spiritual bird that carries the bloodline of the Phoenix.¡± Jiang Liu elaborated. ¡°Phoenix bloodline!¡± Lu Huaming drew a sharp breath. Shen Luo also frowned. Phoenix was a divine bird and more elusive than even the Dragon Clan. Its appearance in the Cultivation World has been sparse in the last few centuries. Even a spiritual bird bearing its bloodline was extremely rare. Even if there were any, they would be incredibly hard to find. With less than five days left until the Water-Land Conference, they wouldn''t have enough time to find one now. Chapter 637 Chapter 637: Chapter 633: Jin Xia Searching for the Black Phoenix Chapter 637: Chapter 633: Jin Xia Searching for the Black Phoenix ¡°There''s no need to fret over finding clues about the spirit bird. I have already found out that three hundred li from the Jinshan Temple there is a place called Hei Feng Ao. There resides a Black Phoenix Demon with a Phoenix bloodline. It has three golden spirit feathers on its head which are well suited for the Hunyuan Umbrella. However, the demon is strong, possesses Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivation level. I have sent people three times to get the spirit feathers but all returned empty-handed.¡± Jiang Liu sighed softly, stating. ¡°Since we have the location, it becomes easier. We can retrieve the Golden Phoenix Feather for you, Master Jiang Liu. Would you accompany us to Chang''an then?¡± After a slight hesitation, Lu Huaming glanced at Shen Luo and said so. ¡°Once you bring back the Golden Phoenix Feather, and I refine the Hunyuan Umbrella, I''m confident that I can suppress the demonic Qi. I would surely accompany you to Chang''an then.¡± Jiang Liu readily agreed this time. ¡°Good, then let''s make a decision.¡± Lu Huaming looked delighted and stood up abruptly. ¡°Master Jiang Liu, there are less than five days left for the Water-Land Conference, will we have enough time to retrieve the Golden Phoenix Feather?¡± Shen Luo asked, remembering something. ¡°The Hunyuan Umbrella is almost ready, only the Golden Phoenix Feather is missing. Once embedded, it won''t take much time.¡± Jiang Liu replied after a pause. ¡°That''s good. If so, we will set off right away and return within a day.¡± Shen Luo lost any trace of worry. He and Lu Huaming then bid farewell to Jiang Liu and Abbot Hai Shi and they quickly left the Jinshan Temple. More than three hundred li to the south of Jinxia Mountain was the sprawling Yunling Mountain Range. The mountains wound like a dragon''s spine with meandering waterways accompanying it. The mountain range was full of ravines and countless mountain pits and entrances. Hei Feng Ao was there. Hei Feng Ao was adjacent to Jinlong Valley, separated only by a towering vertical mountain ridge. Though there has always been a beautiful sentiment of peacefully coexisting dragons and phoenixes, the scenery was completely different. Jinlong Valley faced south, basking in the sun. A clear stream flowing through the entrance, birds filled the trees, spirit beasts ran around, always a vibrant scene; whereas the neighboring Hei Feng Ao faced north, shrouded in shadows. There was always a mist in the valley, and unknown whirlwinds often formed. It was not suitable for humans or animals. One early morning, two young men, one in a green robe and the other in a white shirt stood side by side, standing outside the entrance of Hei Feng Ao. They both looked at the perpetual mist in the valley with somewhat solemn expressions. ¡°Brother Shen, if that Black Phoenix Demon in the valley has a Nascent Soul Middle Stage strength, it would be tough to confront it directly with our cultivation level. I think we should take it down using wit.¡± The man in the white shirt, carrying a longsword, was Lu Huaming. The one standing shoulder to shoulder with him was naturally Shen Luo. ¡°What did brother Lu mean by ''using wit''?¡± Shen Luo inquired with a flicker in his eyes. ¡°I have a Soul-Suppressing Talisman given by Master Yuan. If it hits the demon''s Baihui acupoint, it can temporarily seal its soul, causing it to lose control of its body for a moment. Then we could easily snatch its golden phoenix feathers.¡± Lu Huaming explained. ¡°To accurately pin the talisman on its Baihui acupoint for a Nascent Soul Middle Stage demon will not be easy.¡± Shen Luo chuckled and said. ¡°Well¡­it''s easier than defeating it.¡± Lu Huaming responded with a helpless smile. ¡°True, let''s settle on that then. After entering the valley, I will find a way to hold the Black Phoenix Demon. You will be in charge of applying the talisman.¡± Shen Luo said after giving it a thought. Lu Huaming nodded, and the two of them started walking into the mountain pit. Just as they stepped into the valley, the mist whirling around in the valley was disturbed by the wind they brought in. At unnoticeable places on both sides of the mountain walls, a small glow shot up and disappeared almost immediately. Deep in the pit, there was a small lake, its surface an exquisite shade of jade green. Around its edge, verdant grass stretched out, with a giant ancient plane tree, towering several dozen feet high, standing in the center. The tree was lush, its leaves a vibrant green, full of vitality. A gigantic phoenix divine bird lay sprawled across the thickest branch of the plane tree. Apart from three brightly-colored golden feathers on its head, the rest of its body was entirely black. The three long tail feathers trailed from the branch all the way down to the ground, glowing dimly. Highlighted by the surrounding scenery, it was rather conspicuous. The Black Phoenix Divine Bird had its head resting on the branch, its eyes slightly shut, exhibiting a lazy demeanor reminiscent of a human''s. Just then, a crow flew over the old tree, above the branch the phoenix was lying on. However, it didn''t dare to land on the branch, instead, it hovered in mid air, flapping its wings ceaselessly to keep itself aloft. Oddly, the crow''s eyes emanated a faint golden glow. A moment later, the Black Phoenix Divine Bird completely opened its eyes. After a brief glance at the crow, it narrowed its eyes, and a murderous intent flashed in its gaze. The crow trembled, becoming a bit unsteady, and almost fell. However, soon afterwards, the Black Phoenix Divine Bird gave the crow a slight nod, upon which it flew away, seeming relieved. The Black Phoenix Divine Bird cast a distant glance towards the entrance of the mountain pit. A black light appeared around it, its plumage began shrinking rapidly, and in the guise of a divine bird, it was gradually replaced by another form amidst a burst of dazzling light. What appeared was a woman with snow-white skin and an exquisite figure, dressed in a black skirt. She sat cross-legged on the branch; her slightly skinny melon-shaped face possessed delicate features to the extreme, but her expression was very aloof, giving others a sense of detachment. ¡°Mother, what''s the matter?¡± Just then, a crisp and pleasant voice suddenly came from below the tree. Looking down, the woman who was formed from the Black Phoenix Demon saw a purple-haired girl in a long purple dress standing beneath the tree. She had a petite figure and a graceful posture, and on her back was a pair of bone wings. If Shen Luo were here, he would certainly be surprised to find that this girl was none other than Gu Hualing. ¡°Nothing, just a message from a crow. Two ignorant little mice have sneaked into the valley,¡± said the Black Phoenix Demon nonchalantly. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Humph! These human cultivators really don''t know their place. Despite you, Mother, not bothering them, they dare to provoke us. Let me go teach them a lesson,¡± said Gu Hualing, a hint of anger sparking in her eyes. ¡°You just came out of seclusion, don''t bother yourself with these trifles. I''ve already asked Xuan Zhi to deal with it,¡± said the Black Phoenix Demon, her eyes softening with indulgence as she looked at Gu Hualing. ¡°Mother has been dwelling here for a long time and is well-known for her power. Ordinary people would not dare to offend us hastily. Those two guys dare to come here because they are prepared. Xuan Zhi might not be able to handle them alone. Why don''t you let me help as well? It would also serve as a test of whether I''ve made progress during my time in seclusion,¡± Gu Hualing''s eyes twinkled as she suggested. ¡°Alright, you can go then. But remember, if you can''t handle it, don''t force yourself,¡± agreed the Black Phoenix Demon, finding her reasoning sound. Chapter 638 Chapter 638: Chapter 634: Ambush Chapter 638: Chapter 634: Ambush ¡°Hehe, don''t worry, Mother. I know what I''m doing.¡± Gu Hualing chuckled sweetly. With a flap of her wings, she soared towards the entrance of the mountain pit. Seeing this, the Black Phoenix Demon wore a faint smile, not showing any signs of worry. After all, this Black Phoenix Pit was her territory. She controlled everything within it, and any unexpected situations could be easily overcome. Meanwhile, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming were slowly advancing within the valley. They had noticed that the crows perched on the surrounding tree branches and cliffs were uncharacteristically vigilant, seeming to keep a watchful eye on their every move. ¡°It seems we are being watched,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Well, we are on other people''s territory. It''s only natural we''d be noticed by the host,¡± Lu Huaming replied with a laugh. ¡°You seem to take it lightly. Be careful not to¡­¡± Shen Luo did not finish his sentence. His brow furrowed as he raised his hand and made a gesture. Several water arrows materialized in the air and shot out, dispersing the dense fog in front of them and diving into the bushes at the foot of the cliff. Suddenly, a loud explosion rang out. A black light burst out from the bushes, scattering all the water arrows. A figure swiftly emerged and lunged towards Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. Shen Luo squinted to get a better look. The figure was a young man dressed in a black short outfit. His face was covered with a black mask, and he held two mysterious black daggers. With a light tap of his feet on the ground, he launched himself forward. As he neared, the young man crossed his daggers. A sharp clang echoed as two crescent-shaped black light blades shot out, aimed at both Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. Shen Luo''s feet moved in the pattern of the Oblique Moon Step Technique. A spray of moonlight scattered down and he instantly evaded the incoming attack. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lu Huaming, on the other hand, simply reached back to draw his longsword and parried the attack. A sharp clang echoed out! The black light was split in two by Lu Huaming''s longsword, yet instead of dissipating, it simply split into two, changing directions mid-air and crossing each other to continue their assault on Lu Huaming. Seeing this, Lu Huaming''s eyes flashed with surprise. He quickly crouched to try to dodge the attack. But just then, the young man seemed to have predicted his movement. He crouched down to follow, crossing his daggers into a scissor-like form, aiming directly at Lu Huaming''s neck. Lu Huaming was caught off guard, seemingly about to lose his head in an instant. Suddenly, a splendid sword light sped by, grazing Lu Huaming''s neck and stabbing out straight at the young man''s throat. The young man had a choice: evade and miss the perfect opportunity to behead Lu Huaming, or ignore the sword light and risk getting pierced through his own throat. He hesitated only for an instant before deciding to avoid Shen Luo''s Pure Yang Sword Embryo, bending his body backward in an indescribable posture. At the same time, Lu Huaming regained his composure. He swung his longsword in a diagnol slash. The young man didn''t even look. He merely crossed his daggers, and with Lu Huaming''s slash, he was sent flying into the fog. Just as Shen Luo sensed the young man''s presence dissipate, he immediately recalled his Pure Yang Sword Embryo and rushed over to Lu Huaming''s side. They stood back to back, their gazes vigilant as they surveyed their surroundings. ¡°This fellow''s cultivation level isn''t too high, at most the later stages of Soul Condensation. But his movements and the magical instrument in his hand are peculiar. Plus, he is capable of hiding his presence in this fog. We should not underestimate him.¡± Lu Huaming said. Shen Luo answered with a nod, not saying anything more. He turned his wrist, and a Five-Color Feather Fan appeared in the palm of his hand. Just then, a slight disturbance echoed from the mist in front of him, causing the dense fog to ripple slightly. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed suddenly, and the Five-Fire Fan in his hand shifted direction, violently fanning towards the sound. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡­¡± A wave of howling noises became intense. The scarlet light on the Five-Fire Fan shone brilliantly, and a ball of blazing flame shot out, instantly creating a three-foot squarish void in the fog, with a thunderous ¡°boom¡±. ¡°I hit it.¡± Shen Luo''s heart stirred slightly, and he hurriedly chased after the direction, with Lu Huaming also following in step. The two men continued to support each other, their backs against each other in mutual defense. Coming closer, Shen Luo saw a burnt black crow on the ground. Just as he was about to examine it more closely, the seemingly dead crow suddenly fluttered its wings and sprang up, its sharp beak directly targeting Shen Luo''s right eye and pecking fiercely. The moment the crow reached Shen Luo''s face, a sword light suddenly flashed, piercing it through and slashing it in two. Before the dead crow''s body could hit the ground, the sounds of flapping wings came from not far away. Shen Luo was about to move when a ''fluttering'' sound resonated from the other direction. Then, the sounds of wings flapping all around became incessant. Black shadows burst through the dense fog revealing their forms, swooping towards Shen Luo and Lu Huaming from every direction. Shen Luo''s eyes hardened as he swiftly waved his wrist, the light on the Five-Fire Fan flashing continuously. Flame after flame shot out in a burst, scattering in all directions like fireworks, knocking down the approaching crows. However, these crows, despite their obvious lifelessness after falling, could still launch sudden assaults, attacking him at odd angles with their sharp beaks. The crows'' attacks became increasingly intense. Relying solely on Shen Luo''s fan was insufficient. Lu Huaming chanted a sword spell, slashing his sword light all around, temporarily blocking waves of what seemed like relentless attacks. ¡°These annoying creatures seem never-ending!¡± Said Lu Huaming with a slight frustration. ¡°At this rate, our Mana will be completely depleted.¡± said Shen Luo with a frown. Having said that, the Mana in his body started flowing rapidly, pouring into the Five-Fire Fan in his hand. The five demon bird feathers on it flashed with abnormal light, and a force filled with scorching heat began to surge out crazily. ¡°Go.¡± With a low shout from Shen Luo, he threw the fan upward. The Five-Fire Fan immediately flew into the air and hung there, without falling. Immediately after, Shen Luo pointed a finger at the Five-Fire Fan, while forming a spell with his other hand. The hanging feather fan began to rotate at high speed. The light on it flash repeatedly, and fireballs like a torrential downpour poured down, instantly submerging all the crows in its vicinity. The roar in mid-air continued, and flames erupted from each crow. They fell to the ground one after another, turning into ashes. ¡°Brother Shen, why didn''t you use this trick sooner?¡± Seeing this, Lu Huaming''s eyes flashed with delight, and he couldn''t help but ask. Shen Luo gave him a glare, about to speak, when an unexpected change occurred again. Chapter 639 Chapter 639: Chapter 635: Old Grudges and New Hatred Chapter 639: Chapter 635: Old Grudges and New Hatred A sudden emergence of black light appeared above the heads of Shen Luo and Lu Huaming, the figure of the young man suddenly flashed to their heads, his hands tightly clutching two black short swords, entwined with wisp of black phantom light, stabbing down at the two. Shen Luo raised his palm, and a surge of green light propelled upwards, carrying a circular ink green shield into the sky, its surface imprinted with turtle shell cracks, and even blanketed with a layer of substantial green light akin to water ripples, planted above their heads. With a clanging sound of metal against stone, both of the short swords were stopped by the green light on the shield. ¡°Be careful!¡± Lu Huaming saw this and suddenly warned. Shen Luo immediately recalled the strange behavior of those two short swords, secretly exclaiming in his heart, sensing a bad situation. Following that, two black sword lights suddenly pierced from under the ink armour shield, almost touching Shen Luo''s arm, aiming directly at his shoulder and skull. ¡°Ha!¡± At this moment, Lu Huaming suddenly roared, and a light converged in his palm, then slapped towards the above. A palm print of fictitious light shot out, directly towards the inner side of the ink armour shield. Shen Luo understood the situation and immediately moved with the force, and the two forces were exerted at the same time. The ink armor shield, originally pressed down by huge force, suddenly turned from defense to offense and violently slammed upwards. With a muffled bang! The green light on the ink armor shield jolted wildly, directly knocking the young man flying away. Seeing this, Lu Huaming flashed to the side, intending to continue his charge into the air, but the ground beneath his feet suddenly cracked open, a white bone claw suddenly reached out, directly grabbing his ankle. Seeing this, Shen Luo had no time to retract the ink armor shield, instead, he made a sword technique with his fingers, pointing down. A sword light flashed in the air and skewered the ground nearly missing Lu Huaming''s foot. With a snap, the Ghost Claw stretching out from the ground was cut off by a sword. But before Shen Luo had time to celebrate, a cold Yin wind suddenly came from behind him and a female figure clung onto him like a ghostly specter, holding a transparent white bone sword in her hand, and stabbed directly towards his back. In this critical moment, a golden light suddenly lit up behind Shen Luo, a golden cone about half a foot long with a slight curvature appeared out of thin air. Spinning like a top, it fiercely stabbed towards the back. The golden cone and the white bone sword collided against each other, and it turned out that neither of them could overcome each other, and they remained in a stalemate. However, with this brief moment of respite, Shen Luo turned his body instantly, pinched his hand on a magic spell and was ready to push his palm outward. But just as he was turning around, he saw the face of the person attacking him from behind, and his expression suddenly changed. ¡°Gu Hualing, it''s you!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed. He had never expected to encounter this person here, who had previously forced the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to destruction and pushed him and Bai Xiaotian into a desperate situation. Gu Hualing heard Shen Luo call her name, her eyes flashed a touch of doubt, seemingly not recognizing the same-door junior in front of her. However, a hint of hatred emerged in Shen Luo''s eyes. The mana in his flatly pushed palm surged twice as much, causing the Dragon Horn Cone in front of him to tremble, shaking violently with the mana fluctuations. With a raise of his hand, the golden short awl immediately shone with intense golden light. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± A series of piercing, whistling sounds rang out as over hundreds of golden awl shadows as thick as a child''s arm shot out. Like a rainstorm, they surged violently towards Gu Hualing, almost filling the area in front of her. Upon seeing this, Gu Hualing pushed her white bone longsword forward with one hand, using the rebound force to retreat backward, while the other hand was rapidly forming spells in front of her. The bone wings on her back instantly grew several times larger, wrapping around her entire body. The golden awl shadows closed in instantly, raining down on the bone wings like a storm, creating a series of urgent explosions and sparks of golden light. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A blurry white light covered the bone wings, trembling intensely under the continuous attack of the golden awl shadows, visibly becoming fainter at an alarming rate. Observing this, Shen Luo took a step forward, abruptly waved his palm, and the hovering Dragon Horn Cone in front of him suddenly surged in brilliance and shot forward like an arrow. Already continuously being pushed back by the golden awl shadows, Gu Hualing wanted to find a way to escape but suddenly felt a terrifying fluctuation coming from the front. Alarmed, she quickly took out a white jade seal and crushed it on the spot with a ¡°snap¡±. As the jade seal shattered, a layer of milky white light flowed out and quickly covered her bone wings. Her bone wings suddenly surged in brilliance, and an array-like pattern formed on their surface. The moment the pattern emerged, the golden short awl had already launched its assault, directly hitting the intersection of her overlapping wings. A loud ¡°boom¡± followed by an explosion sounded. A potent and piercing thrust emanated from the tip of the Dragon Horn Cone, pulling a series of twisted light marks in the void. Meanwhile, the array on Gu Hualing''s wings also erupted with dazzling light ¨C both forces violently clashed. But this stalemate only lasted for a few moments and ended with another resounding explosion. The golden light pillar that burst from the tip of the Dragon Horn Cone shattered the milky-white Array at once, directly piercing through Gu Hualing''s wings, and blasted a massive bloody hole near her right collarbone. Gu Hualing let out a miserable scream with a look of disbelief in her eyes, and was blown backwards. Seeing the bloody hole in her chest, Shen Luo couldn''t help but quietly sigh, ¡°It''s still not enough. If I could thoroughly refine it, she would be a dead person by now.¡± This Dragon Horn Cone, a magical artifact, had a total of eighteen prohibitions. With his current cultivation level, he could only refine up to the first sixteen, which was the upper limit for a top-grade magical artifact. Shen Luo sneered and took a step forward to continue his pursuit. Suddenly, a residual image appeared in the void. The young man who was just repelled by the Ink Armor Shield charged forward again, seemingly trying to obstruct Shen Luo''s path in order to buy some time for Gu Hualing. However, seeing his opponent right before his eyes, Shen Luo''s eyes turned red with fury. Upon seeing the young man blocking his path, he became enraged. ¡°Out of my way!¡± He shouted angrily, waving his hand at the same time. The light on the Dragon Horn Cone surged again, and over hundreds of golden awl shadows splayed out once more, all aimed at the young man. The young man swiftly cast a short sword in his hand and recited a few spells hurriedly with one hand. The short sword flashed with dark light and suddenly scattered into numerous dense black sword lights, clashing with the golden awl shadows. Violent collisions and explosions occurred in front of Shen Luo, as the sword lights and awl shadows clashed intensely. Large portions of sword shadows shattered, while many golden awl shadows were worn away. Chapter 640 Chapter 640: Chapter 636: Incorrect Information Chapter 640: Chapter 636: Incorrect Information The young man saw that, and immediately raised his hand, tossing out another short sword. When the two swords were released together, the black sword light in the void immediately doubled, suppressing the golden awl shadow. Just as the young man was about to counterattack, he suddenly heard a hurried shout from behind him: ¡°Xuan Zhi, watch out¡­¡± The heart of Xuan Zhi, the young man, suddenly tightened. However, in the next instant, a light beam that seemed like an awl shadow suddenly accelerated and rushed forward. Its surface suddenly ignited into a red flame, and with a rapid flash, it pierced through his chest. Xuan Zhi only felt a sharp pain in his chest, and then felt as if an unnamed karmic fire rushed to his sea of knowledge, his divine soul burned out and his life was cut off in the next instant. ¡°Xuan Zhi!¡± Gu Hualing saw this and roared angrily. ¡°You''d better take care of yourself first!¡± At this moment, a stern shout suddenly rang out from behind her. Lu Huaming had unknowingly arrived behind Gu Hualing, with the longsword in his hand aiming straight for her heart. Gu Hualing stiffened all over. It was too late for her to dodge at this moment. However, just when Lu Huaming''s sword tip was only an inch away from Gu Hualing, a black semi-transparent light curtain suddenly rose from nowhere in the middle of the two, blocking his sword tip. Lu Huaming only felt that the sword tip seemed to be against a hard stone wall, and no matter how hard he tried, it was to no avail. Seeing this, Shen Luo was about to step forward to help. He saw a huge black phoenix hovering above his head, its giant claw probing towards Lu Huaming. The black light emitted from its fingertips was condensing the light curtain that prevented him. The black phoenix looked proud, looking down at Shen Luo and the others with a look full of disgust in its eyes. ¡°How dare you insignificant humans trespass into Hei Feng Ao and kill my people. You really do not know how to live.¡± The Black Phoenix, speaking in the human language, opened its mouth and spurted towards Shen Luo. A black flame surged out and rolled down like a wave. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly formed a magic gesture, waving his hand upward. A large wave of blue water rose from the void, rolled backwards into the void, and collided with the black flame. Gu Hualing, seeing this and then looking at Shen Luo''s figure, finally called out his name in a slightly surprised tone: ¡°Is it you, Shen Luo?¡± Upon hearing the sound, Shen Luo sneered. At this moment, he had no time to say anything. He was shocked to discover that the water waves he summoned using the Nameless Cultivation Technique could not extinguish these black flames. On the contrary, the black flames were even more ferocious, directly rushing down along the surface of the water waves, and were soon on him. In his haste, Shen Luo could only immediately withdraw the Water Techniques and call back the Ink Armor Shield with his hand to block in front of him. As he infused his Mana wildly, the Ink Armor Shield glowed brightly and suddenly grew ten times larger. The black flame hit the green light outside the shield and burned through the layer of light in just a few moments. The flame then attacked the shield itself. Seeing this, Shen Luo hastened to form a spell and cast it on the Ink Armor Shield. The water runes emerged one after another on the turtle shell pattern outside the shield. The turtle shell, which was initially dim, again shone with a strong green light and thus was able to bear the flame''s burning. However, before he could rejoice, the black phoenix floating in mid-air suddenly transformed into a human form, brushed the golden hair on her head, and then flicked her fingers in the air towards him. Seeing this, a chill ran down Shen Luo''s spine and he immediately crouched down subconsciously. Immediately following, a firefly-like golden light shot out from the tip of the Black Phoenix Demon''s finger, flashing by at top speed. Shen Luo could not even make out its trajectory before a sharp pain came from his chest. He looked down, only to see an additional thumb-sized hole in both his Ink Armor Shield and slightly above his heart. ¡°Your reaction is not slow¡­ You pierced Ling''er''s chest before, so consider this some sort of repayment. But, up next, it''s time for you to pay Xuan Zhi''s life back,¡± the Black Phoenix Demon watched and remarked approvingly. Having said that, she made a grab into the void with one hand, a black light appearing out of nowhere and consolidating around the vicinity of Shen Luo. A giant black claw materialised in the void, grabbing Shen Luo from afar. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She ferociously swung her other hand towards the direction of Lu Huaming. A phantom black phoenix wing appeared, sweeping across with overwhelming power, creating billowing winds and rolling black tornadoes in the void. Upon seeing this, Lu Huaming hurriedly parried with his sword, but struggled to resist the overbearing force. He was knocked out, vomiting mouthfuls of blood. ¡°Brother Shen, the intel was wrong, this Black Phoenix Demon is not just in the Middle Nascent Soul Stage but most likely at the Peak of the Late Nascent Soul Stage, or even has reached the Great Mahayana Stage¡­..¡± He still managed to relay this to Shen Luo as he was sent flying. Shen Luo, who only managed to curse under his breath, couldn''t afford to care about anything else. He could only think of escaping as quickly as possible. Making a magic gesture with his hand, a water-blue light surged from his body and a Water-Repelling Array Light Curtain immediately enveloped him. Following that, another magic spell was casted. Inside the Water-Repelling Array Light Curtain, a large amount of water liquid began to condense, inflating the light curtain like a balloon. However, despite having a form, the water was soft and weak. It only managed to slightly pry open the giant black claw before losing function. ¡°A futile plan,¡± the Black Phoenix Demon remarked smugly upon seeing this and swiftly closing its fingers. Consequently, the giant black claw in the void also contracted, exerting a surge of overwhelming force upon him from all sides. There was a loud ''bang''! The Water-Repelling Array Light Curtain instantly shattered under the heavy pressure, causing large amounts of water to splash about, mixed with the glaring sight of red bloodstains. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Seeing this from a distance, Lu Huaming couldn''t help but shout loudly. In that exact moment, a figure slipped out from the splashed water like a loach, advancing forward with a rapid sidestep. Shadows of the moon scattered underneath his foot and he shifted dozens of feet away. At this moment, Shen Luo could not afford to utilize his Great Unsealing Technique to heal his chest wound. He could only think of escaping from this Black Phoenix Cave as fast as possible. ¡°You want to run? Too late!¡± A fierce shout came from the Black Phoenix Demon as she spat out a line of black fire directly from her mouth towards Shen Luo''s back. Sensing a sense of scorching power approaching from behind; alarm bells rang in Shen Luo''s mind. He instantly adjusted his direction and tried to escape to another side, but who could have expected the line of fire pursued him as though it was alive. After a few attempts to dodge, Shen Luo not only failed to escape from the trailing fire but instead was pursued even more closely by it, perilously close. Having barely caught his breath from a distance, Lu Huaming immediately cast sword techniques with both hands, pointing it towards the Black Phoenix Demon. A clear sword sound was heard from his longsword as a bright light flickered on its surface. It immediately shot towards the Black Phoenix Demon. Seeing the sword flying towards her, the Black Phoenix Demon didn''t bother to dodge. Instead, she simply waved and created a black light shield by her side to block it. The line of fire from her mouth intensified and aimed for Shen Luo''s back. Chapter 641 Chapter 641: Chapter 637: Desperate Struggle to Death Chapter 641: Chapter 637: Desperate Struggle to Death Lu Huaming''s longsword plunged into the black light shield, but it felt like it was stuck on an incredibly hard giant stone, regardless of how much mana he expended in his attempted drive, progress was stubbornly elusive. Seeing that evasion was no longer possible, Shen Luo abruptly stopped and pushed his palms forward. All the mana from within his body poured forth without reservation, casting a brilliant golden glow on the dragon horn cone. The size of the cone doubled and shielded in front of him, successfully blocking the black firelines. The extremely hot firelines struck the golden cone, their intense heat rapidly absorbing and diminishing the golden light on the surface of the cone. It was visibly shrinking quickly and was gradually being pushed back bit by bit. Seeing that Shen Luo was about to falter, Lu Huaming''s gaze quickly shifted towards the injured Gu Hualing. ¡°I''m sorry¡­¡± he whispered, bending his fingers that were forming a sword technique. The longsword, originally locked in a contest with the black light shield, abruptly changed direction and aimed towards the defenseless Gu Hualing. The Black Phoenix Demon noticed this immediately and was filled with rage. Instantly withdrawing the Phoenix Flame Firelines, it grabbed at the flying sword. With just a squeeze, it had the longsword firmly in its grip. However, the longsword, filled with the extensive mana of Lu Huaming, was still advancing with fierce momentum. It cut two shocking wounds in the palm of the Black Phoenix Demon. Right then, the bleeding palm of the Black Phoenix Demon suddenly ignited with a raging fire. Amidst the black flames, intertwining with streaks of golden sparks, the entire longsword was quickly heated till it turned cherry-red. The Black Phoenix Demon''s gaze landed on Lu Huaming, followed by a cold snort, and then a sudden crushing grip. With a crisp ¡°crack¡±, the heated longsword snapped in the middle. After a lengthy period of refining the longsword, Lu Huaming and his weapon had a deep connection. The moment the body of the sword was shattered, it felt like numerous Qiao acupoints in his chest and belly were blasted, leading to a fiery and excruciating pain. Unable to suppress a groan, traces of blood trickled down the corner of his lips, eyes, nostrils and even ears. He had been seriously injured. The Black Phoenix Demon, now fuming at Lu Huaming''s attempt to aid Gu Hualing, picked up a fragment of the Broken Sword and violently flung it towards Lu Huaming. With a ¡°whoosh¡± echoing through the air, the Broken Sword fragment, like an arrow, left behind a crimson arc in mid-air, aimed directly at the mid-brow of Lu Huaming. At that moment, Shen Luo, who was already on his way towards Lu Huaming, stood in front of him. By his side, another red arc light exploded. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo traced a blurry arc of light, colliding fiercely with the fragment of the Broken Sword. The two red lights shattered simultaneously, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was sent flying one direction, while the fragment of the Broken Sword still charged towards them. Left with no choice, Shen Luo summoned the Dragon Horn Cone again to block it. With a resounding ¡°clang¡±, the Dragon Horn Cone shuddered noticeably, repelled and pushed back. The Broken Sword fragment, after two collisions, eventually shattered into iron slag and scattered around. Shen Luo summoned back the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The rapid depletion of his mana left him almost unable to manipulate the Dragon Horn Cone. The exhausting consumption of his spiritual power made his head feel dizzy and his Dantian felt incredibly vacant. ¡°Shen Luo, I''m afraid we might not escape unscathed this time. I''m about to perform a secret technique. It may not gravely harm the demon, but at least we can momentarily hold our own. You must seize that opportunity to escape, or I won''t be able to focus and perform at full strength here.¡± At that moment, Lu Huaming''s voice unexpectedly echoed in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. Hearing his name being called instead of the usual ¡°Brother Shen¡±, Shen Luo realized that despite Lu Huaming''s seemingly relaxed tone, their situation had reached its most dire state. ¡°Brother Lu, at such a critical moment, why are you still insisting on showing off your strength? Don''t think I don''t understand the cost of using that secret technique. The effects from the last time haven''t completely dissipated yet. You''re thinking about doing it again. Even without this demoness, you''ll be knocking on the Underworld''s door,¡± Shen Luo responded with a worried frown. ¡°Whether it works or not, we have to try. We can''t let both of us fall here, right? Enough talk, it takes time to cast this secret technique. I need you to buy me some time,¡± sighed Lu Huaming. After speaking, he didn''t wait for Shen Luo''s consent. He crossed his legs to sit down on his own. Then he took a white jade plate from his waist and clasped it in his palms, pouring his mana into it. The jade plate immediately lit up with a gentle glow. Shen Luo remembered that the last time he saw Lu Huaming using this secret technique, a dazzling white light suddenly burst out from his body. Clearly, it seemed much more difficult this time. Though he wanted to stop Lu Huaming, words failed him. He could only silently blame himself for his insufficient cultivation level, and his inability to be as powerful as he was in his dream. While blaming himself, a wave of heat suddenly surged from the front. Shen Luo quickly focused his attention, only to find a turbulent black fire wave rushing towards him. It was taking up a semicircular shape, almost cutting off most of his retreat paths. Shen Luo gave a wry smile. At this moment, he had to buy some time for Lu Huaming, and even if there was a way to retreat, he couldn''t. ¡°I can only fight¡­¡± With a steely grip on his heart, Shen Luo took an elixir from his waist meant to replenish mana. Crushing it in his mouth, he quickly swallowed it down then swiftly waved his hand forward. Then, a small seal flew out into mid-air and plunged down heavily from in front of Shen Luo. Its inscription glowed with a yellow halo while a series of spectral mountain peaks emerged one after another, cascading down before him. ¡°Boom, boom, boom.¡± Each time a spectral mountain fell, it was accompanied by a thunderous shock. As it hit the ground, it seemed to connect with the Earth''s Qi and started to root itself, drawing up the Earth''s spiritual power. This technique was the desperate measure of the Five Mountains Seal. Once cast, the seal truly connects with the Earth and can never be withdrawn. If it could continuously absorb the aura of Heaven and Earth for hundreds of years, and the essence of the sun and the moon, it could literally grow roots and transform into a physical entity over time. This technique was originally used to suppress other objects completely. The virtual-to-real Five Peaks and the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Array they formed had been very effective in suppressing common demons below the Soul Condensation stage. However, he was in a desperate situation now, and Shen Luo could not afford to hesitate. The five peaks fell one after another, their spectral silhouettes intertwining. They bisected the valley of Hei Feng Ao, blocking the burning flames. Through the semi-transparent spectral mountain scenery, Shen Luo saw the Black Phoenix Demon taking a step forward. She lifted her hand above her head, and a golden flame condensed around her palm. Then, with a swing of her arm that looked like she was wielding a knife, she slashed it down in their direction. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On her arm, the golden flame erupted into a hundred-foot golden light that solidified into a giant golden blade and landed heavily on the Five Peaks. Accompanied by a ¡°boom,¡± one of the peaks at the center of the Five Peaks crumbled immediately. Its illusion was as fragile as tofu and simply inadequate to resist the attack, scattering immediately. The trace of a crack left on the Five Peaks True Form Seal under the Central Yue Mountain Peak after the last battle instantly enlarged several times. Following one of the mountain lines on the seal, it spread out, finally shattering with a ¡°snap.¡± When the True Form Seal shattered completely, the Five Peaks vanished along with it. The unobstructed sea of flame surged forward again. Chapter 642 – 642 638 Chapter 642: Chapter 638 ¨C Power of One Sword (Request for Monthly Tickets at Month End!!) Chapter 642: Chapter 638 ¨C Power of One Sword (Request for Monthly Tickets at Month End!!) Shen Luo was anxious. His water techniques were incapable of extinguishing the golden flames. He had no countermeasures at the moment. Facing the raging flames, in desperation, he could only summon the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Holding the hilt of the sword embryo with empty hands, his eyes closed, he suddenly recalled the scene of fighting a sword-wielding heavenly soldier in the Dream Golden Pagoda. The soldier had a sky-lifting fire sword technique, which suddenly appeared before his eyes. ¡°Damn it, if I die, I die!¡± Shen Luo roared, his eyes suddenly opened wide, and he tightly held the Pure Yang Sword Embryo as if wielding a treasured sword, not swinging it downward, but making a circular arc in front of him, then suddenly lashing it out diagonally forward. Under such urgent circumstances, even though Shen Luo had never practiced the sword technique used by the heavenly soldier, driven by the desire to survive, he had already abandoned all distractions and indeed made this sword strike perfectly in both form and spirit. With a roar like a lion''s roar, a stunning crimson sword light lit up on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, forming a crescent-shaped sword arc that rapidly expanded in mid-air, slashing into the sea of flames. With a sound like a whirlwind, the momentum of the surging sea of fire was abruptly halted by this wind pressure, the crescent-shaped sword arc shot through the sea of flames, finally soaring into the high altitude and disappearing. In the fiercely burning sea of flames, a void ten feet wide astonishingly appeared. The flames there were extinguished by the slash, leaving only a black trench on the scorched ground, ranging from deep to shallow and extending several tens of feet. ¡°How is this possible?¡± The Black Phoenix Demon knitted her brows as she saw this, a surprised look flashing in her eyes. ¡°Is this really Shen Luo?¡± Gu Hualing behind her was even more astounded. How could she have imagined that the ridiculed, abandoned registered disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion of years past, had grown to such an extent? In fact, even Shen Luo himself had never expected this sword to pack so much power, it took him a moment to recover, only then did he hurriedly look back, wanting to see how Lu Huaming''s secret technique was progressing. As he turned around, he saw the disc in Lu Huaming''s hand, flickering several times before suddenly erupting with a brilliant white light almost as dazzling as the sun, making it hard to look at. In a daze, a humanoid projection emerged and gradually sat down. It seemed about to merge with Lu Huaming''s figure, and an extremely powerful aura also began to emanate from them. ¡°It worked!¡± Shen Luo was delighted, intending to approach, when the situation abruptly changed once more. Just as the humanoid figure merged with Lu Huaming, a turbulent surge of mana suddenly rose from his Dantian, directly pouring into the sea of knowledge in his head. Lu Huaming, whose eyes were originally tightly closed, suddenly showed a painful expression, his eyes wide open. He spat out a large mouthful of blood with a ''pluh'' sound. ¡°Brother Lu!¡± Shen Luo cried out in shock, and quickly stepped forward to support Lu Huaming who was falling forward. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When he lowered his head for another look, Lu Huaming''s eyes were tightly closed and he had already passed out. The eyes of the Black Phoenix Demon flickered slightly as she looked over, seeing the two guys cornered by her, consecutively bursting out with power that took her by surprise, her killing intent instantly intensified. She was unwilling and dared not give these two any more chances. She swore to annihilate them both today. He slowly walked toward Shen Luo and his companion, his hands fanning over his head as two golden flames ignited on them, rapidly consolidating into two golden fiery swords. As Shen Luo sensed the murderous intent, a trace of fear flashed through his eyes. At this moment, he was oddly nostalgic for his time in the dream where regardless of the danger, there was always a chance to start over. But now, in reality, if he were to die, it would be a true death. He held the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in his hand, wanting to channel his mana into it and launch the Sky-Lifting Fire technique. However, he discovered that the last bit of his mana in his Dantian and meridians was exhausted, leaving him unable to wield any mystic arts. He reached for the Nine Yin Pouch at his waist, transmitting a message to the Ghost General concealed within: ¡°Fei Ji, when I attract the attention of the Black Phoenix Demon, seize the opportunity to escape with Lu Huaming.¡± ¡°Master, although I am a ghost, I would never dare to betray the loyalty I pledged when alive. You did me a great favor, I would rather die in battle than run away.¡± The voice of the Ghost General echoed in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. ¡°Stop playing tough, this Black Phoenix may be a demon, but its Phoenix Demon Fire is extremely powerful, posing a great threat to your ghostly form. Otherwise, I would have called you out for help earlier.¡± Sighed Shen Luo, transmitting a message back. ¡°But¡­¡± The Ghost General started to say something, but was interrupted by the Black Phoenix Demon''s attack. Its hands crossed and swung suddenly, and two blazing golden flames whistled. The flames slashed across a huge cross in mid-air and swiftly flew towards Shen Luo. Knowing he could no longer avoid the fire, Shen Luo summoned the Ghost General. As he raised his hand to beckon the Ink Armor Shield, it flew forward under a halo of green light to block the attack. Left with no choice, the Ghost General swiftly grabbed Lu Huaming and retreated. The Ink Armor Shield flew out several meters, its green light dimming due to Shen Luo''s depleted mana. The moment the golden flame touched it, the green light shrouding the shield evaporated easily. Immediately after, the Ink Armor Shield was completely submerged by the golden flames, melting into a puddle within mere moments, annihilating completely. Shen Luo spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, staggering and nearly falling. In front of him, the golden flames raged on fiercely, the intense heat causing his disheveled hair to flutter. His body was about to be engulfed by the flames. At this critical moment, a dazzling golden light suddenly shone in front of him. A projection of a golden book materialized out of nowhere, its surface shimmering with threads of golden light, appearing extremely extraordinary. Following that, thunderous rolling sounds came from the skies above Hei Feng Ao. Large black clouds inexplicably gathered, pressing the sky almost to the peaks of both sides of the valley. With a rumble of thunder, numerous silver electric lights danced likes snakes, whitening the entire valley. Golden light seeped from the depths of the dark clouds, as though divine light descended from the heavenly realm. ¡°Heavenly Book¡­¡± Shen Luo thought, unable to understand why the Heavenly Book had appeared of its own accord. Nevertheless, he did not hesitate to channel his mana into the Heavenly Book without question. The projection of the Heavenly Book flashed slightly, countless golden runes danced within, as the book opened with a rustle, and a force both potent and peculiar surged from within, forming a golden vortex three feet wide on its surface. (Dear fellow Daoists, the New Year is approaching, according to tradition, there should be double monthly tickets. Don''t forget to cast your votes¡­^^) Chapter 643 Chapter 643: Chapter 639: Demon Suppressing Heavenly Book Chapter 643: Chapter 639: Demon Suppressing Heavenly Book The moment the golden flame approached Shen Luo, inside the golden vortex a powerful pulling force suddenly emerged. It took direct control of the two strands of golden flames. Like a cage siphoning off water, in a formidable yank, all the golden flames were absorbed into it. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but pause slightly. The Black Phoenix Demon, observing all of this, had an expression of disbelief flashing in her eyes. The golden Phoenix Demon Fire she possessed was a True Monster Fire imbibed within her golden feathers. No ordinary magical treasure could easily contain it. Moreover, the golden book appeared to be just an intangible shadow, lacking a physical form. How could it have such potency? ¡°What tricks are you playing now, boy?¡± the Black Phoenix Demon frowned and asked. ¡°If this Heavenly Book Projection can demonstrate such power, perhaps it could also summon the spirits of the Heavenly Soldiers. If I can call them out, dealing with this Black Phoenix Demon will be a piece of cake.¡± Shen Luo ignored the Black Phoenix Demon''s questioning, quietly contemplating. A strange expression flashed across his face, and he began to establish communication with the Heavenly Book wholeheartedly. However, when he poured his divine soul into the Heavenly Book, he felt no presence of the spirits of the Heavenly Soldiers, and naturally, he had no way of summoning them. Seeing Shen Luo not responding, the Black Phoenix Demon''s eyes flashed slightly. She suddenly charged forward, rushing to attack him. ¡°Halt!¡± Just then, Shen Luo suddenly let out a shout. The Black Phoenix Demon was startled by this abrupt cry. Her forward momentum abruptly stopped, and she stood in shock. ¡°Ahem, audacious phoenix demon! My treasure is the Xuantian Treasure Book, it specifically suppresses all kinds of demons. Your magic attacks have no effect on me. How dare you still recklessly offend me?¡± Shen Luo covered his mouth with his hand, coughing twice, and feigned fury. While coughing, he swiftly tossed an elixir into his mouth and swallowed it. The Black Phoenix Demon saw through his bluff with a single glance, and a trace of mockery flashed in her eyes. ¡°You want to stall for time so that the ghost and his companions can escape, don''t you? Unfortunately, unless you die, they cannot escape more than a hundred miles. No matter where they run, they''ll still be trapped.¡± the Black Phoenix Demon chuckled. ¡°In that case, wouldn''t they be completely safe?¡± Shen Luo stretched lazily, pretending to be relaxed. Seeing this, the Black Phoenix Demon said nothing more. Her figure suddenly shot forward, appearing directly in front of Shen Luo and brandishing her fire sword at close range. They were less than ten feet apart. A golden fire tongue spewed forth from the fire sword, thrusting straight at his face. Shen Luo had just restored some of his mana. He hurriedly stepped back, dancing his hands in front of him, manipulating the Dragon Horn Cone to shield him. This Phoenix Demon Fire was too powerful for any ordinary magical instrument to withstand. Shen Luo was still unsure how to operate the Heavenly Book, and did not dare to risk using the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. At the moment, only the Dragon Horn Cone could help him resist. The Dragon Horn Cone was aglow with golden light. It clashed with the golden fire tongue, but the disparity in power between the two was so great that it was quickly forced to retreat step by step. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo was inwardly suffering, continually attempting to spur the Heavenly Book with his divine soul, trying to make it display its might once more. However, the golden book projection suspended in the void did not move at all, truly appearing as if it were a useless illusion. ¡°Seems like you don''t know what this treasure is either. Since you don''t know how to use it, you shouldn''t waste such treasure.¡± Seeing his predicament, the Black Phoenix Demon jeered. Having said that, she waved her other hand, casting forth a fire rope condensed from flames, aiming to entwine the Heavenly Book Projection. But as soon as the fire rope even touched the Heavenly Book, it seemed as though it had come into contact with an illusion in the void. It went straight through the Heavenly Book Projection. Despite being widely experienced, the Black Phoenix Demon had never encountered such a situation before, which prompted it to squint its phoenix eyes in puzzlement, watching Shen Luo. ¡°Is this boy deliberately hiding his skill?¡± It muttered to itself. In fact, Shen Luo was exerting all his strength to operate the Dragon Horn Cone to resist the Phoenix Demon''s Fire, and had no extra energy to control the Heavenly Book. ¡°Regardless, I''ll kill him first.¡± The Black Phoenix Demon''s eyes focused as she raised her hand to pluck a strand of hair from her head. A painful expression flashed through her face as a golden strand of hair was plucked off. The golden strand flashed softly and transformed directly into a slender golden feather. The Black Phoenix Demon gripped the golden feather with one hand, channeling her Mana into it. The feather immediately formed a thin layer of shimmering golden light marks, sharp as a saw tooth, emanating a scorching heat. ¡°Die.¡± She cried out, sweeping her hand powerfully. The golden phoenix feather lit up, forming an approximately ten-foot long golden phoenix phantom, which let out a shrill phoenix cry and rushed towards Shen Luo. Thunderous noises filled the air as ripples resembling water waves rippled out from the golden phoenix, transforming into a strange force that enveloped an area within ten meters. Shen Luo could only feel a wave of hot breath rushing towards him. He wanted to execute the Slanting Moon Steps but felt as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on him from all directions. He couldn''t move at all. ¡°It seems I''m truly doomed this time¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed in his heart. In his mind, the images of many people flashed across like a flowing lantern, including his father, mother, Second Mother, Junior sister, Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu¡­ As the past events rushed by and old friends appeared in succession, in the end, a strange thought echoed in his mind, ¡± The reincarnated bodies of the five demon souls haven''t been found.¡± His eyes were filled with golden hues, already being reflected by the Phoenix Flame. Just as he was about to be swallowed, the Heavenly Book, which had not responded no matter how he tried to activate it, suddenly emitted an intense golden light. Fine golden lines were once again condensing on its surface, and the golden vortex re-emerged, tearing and swallowing the Phoenix Flame on the golden feather like a wind collecting clouds, devouring it completely. Even the golden phoenix feather trapped within was swayed by this force, although it wasn''t pulled into it. Instead, it hurtled through Shen Luo''s chest without losing its momentum. ¡°Puff¡± A large splash of fresh blood sprayed out, staining the ground about a meter in front of Shen Luo red. He suddenly felt a loss of strength throughout his body. Lowering his head to look at his chest, he found a fist-sized hole had been opened in the center. It seemed as if his heart had been penetrated. Shen Luo''s pupils trembled slightly as his body slumped forward. Seeing this scene, the Black Phoenix Demon recalled her golden feather, let out a sigh of relief, as if she had been holding her breath. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± At this moment, an urgent shout echoed. It was Lu Huaming who had woken up from unconsciousness. Ignoring the Ghost General''s interferences, he rushed back. ¡°Master¡­¡± The Ghost General Zhao Feiji also roared. ¡°Back so soon? Good, saves me the trouble of chasing after.¡± Seeing this, the Black Phoenix Demon laughed. Everyone''s attention was focused on Shen Luo. No one noticed that the floating Heavenly Book projection was stained with a few drops of Shen Luo''s blood instead of passing through like the demon phoenix''s flame whip had before. Chapter 644 Chapter 644: Chapter 640: The Art of Summoning the World Chapter 644: Chapter 640: The Art of Summoning the World The fresh red blood on the Heavenly Book Projection gradually blurred and lessened, as if being absorbed into it. Next, the entire Golden Heavenly Book suddenly turned dark red, and a strange power fluctuation burst from within. A large amount of red light condensed on the surface of the book, then transformed into a red pillar of light that shot straight into the sky. Only then did the Black Phoenix Demon and the others notice the strange changes happening to the Heavenly Book, and quickly turned their heads to look. The substantial dark-red pillar of light reached into the void of the high altitude, as if connecting a towering pillar between heaven and earth, stirring the dark clouds above into a whirl, with thunder roaring. At this moment, a white light suddenly shone from the depths of the pillar, vaguely wrapping around a human figure, slowly descending from the sky. ¡°Brother Shen?¡± Lu Huaming shouted in surprise the moment he saw that figure. The Ghost General was also shocked, his eyes round, at a loss for words. The Black Phoenix Demon couldn''t help but glance at the ground, where Shen Luo was still lying face down, his life or death unknown. ¡°Hmph! This human kid is playing tricks!¡± The Black Phoenix Demon roared in anger, swung his hand vigorously, and a golden flame roared out, like a golden sickle, sweeping towards the figure. The figure seemed oblivious to the oncoming golden flames, making no attempt to avoid them at all. With a ¡°bang¡±, the golden flame hit the white figure, instantly splashing countless golden sparks. However, when the flames dispersed, the figure remained unharmed and floated gently to the ground. He took a step forward, instantly reaching behind Shen Luo, and his body fell straight forward, landing exactly on top of Shen Luo, merging with him as if a soul returning to its body. In an instant, a hazy red light lit up around Shen Luo, and a strong wind blew from around him. His body didn''t make any movements, but he suddenly rebounded from the ground and stood straight on the spot. Lu Huaming watched in shock, only to see the terrifying blood hole at Shen Luo''s chest, where strands of bloody flesh were writhing and twisting like living creatures, intersecting and merging with each other, and visibly regenerating at a tremendous speed. Moreover, the faint life force on his body began to increase gradually, and his aura began to grow rapidly, climbing from the Nascent Soul Initial Period to the Middle Period, then rushing to the Late Period, with the momentum to break through to the Great Mahayana Stage. However, strangely enough, the figure that had overlapped with him did not completely merge with him, but swung slightly as if shaken by a breeze, like a willow branch swaying in the wind. ¡°Brother Shen is so strong¡­ Could he also possess a secret technique that allows him to summon his cultivation from his past life?¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help but murmur. The Black Phoenix Demon didn''t strike rashly again, his eyes fixed on Shen Luo, clearly unprepared for such a turn of events. ¡°How has he become so powerful?¡± Gu Hualing, who was healing her wounds, was also filled with shock. However, the aura emanating from Shen Luo seemed unstable, like boiling steam in a pot, gushing out wave after wave, constantly fluctuating between the Nascent Soul Stage and the Great Mahayana Stage. After the Black Phoenix Demon''s face changed several times, he clapped his hands together, holding the golden phoenix feather among them. A vague blood Qi suddenly seeped from within, followed by a loud, resonant cry of a phoenix. Immediately afterwards, a blood-red Phoenix Phantasm emerged, spreading its wings, with surging blood flames rolling endlessly, emanating a powerful spiritual pressure. ¡°Phoenix Blood Tear, mother has actually used this move¡­¡± Gu Hualing was terrified. As soon as her voice fell, the blood phoenix let out another sharp cry, like a huge fire arrow, shooting straight towards Shen Luo. On the other side, a golden dragon horn hovered in front of Shen Luo, strands of mana poured into it, eventually, the final two layers of prohibition were also refined by him. This dragon horn cone magical treasure, is finally able to exert its full power. At that moment, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly opened wide, the vague human figure instantly merged with him. Immediately, two resplendent divine lights radiated from his eyes, and his aura drastically changed, he emitted waves that made one''s heart throb, his cultivation level astonishingly surpassed the Great Mahayana Stage in one fell swoop, and surged rapidly to the Early True Immortal. His body was emitting red steam like a flame, he looked like a boiled crab. He saw his hands slowly and quickly forming a Dharma Seal in front of him, he quickly swung his hand forward, the dragon horn instantly exploded with dazzling golden light, a Golden Dragon Phantasm also immediately showed its head, it directly charged towards the Black Phoenix Demon with bared teeth and claws. A chorus of dragon chants and phoenix cries echoed through the valley simultaneously. The blood phoenix and the golden dragon, both being indomitable, collided with each other, exploding into a thunderous roar! Blood light exploded all over the sky, mixed with golden light marks swamping Heaven and Earth, making the entire valley rumble continuously. In the chaos, a golden phoenix feather burst into the sky, brought high up, and slowly fell down, Shen Luo casually summoned it into his hand. Meanwhile, the dragon horn cone flew straight, disappearing in a flash. A dragon shadow pierced through the heart of the Black Phoenix Demon, spraying out large quantities of bloody traces. Where the blood light fell, a bowl-sized bloody hole appeared, with golden dragon breath coiling around it, constantly eroding the surrounding mana and blood qi, making the wound unable to heal. The Black Phoenix Demon held her heart with her hand, all mana in her body poured into the wound in an attempt to seal the injury, but Shen Luo''s powerful mana was still mixed in the remaining dragon breath and couldn''t be expelled entirely. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Gu Hualing cried out in shock. With a flash of her figure, she came to the front and helped the Black Phoenix Demon who was about to collapse backwards. On the other side, a ray of light shone on Shen Luo, the previously vague shadow floated out gently from him, instantly returned to the Heavenly Book projection, that unreal Heavenly Book turned into a stream of light, flying into the jade pillow inside the Linlang Ring. At the same time, the dark clouds and lightning in the sky above Hei Feng Ao disappeared, and the sky returned to its original state. ¡°Plop¡­¡± A faint sound came. Hundreds of tiny wounds appeared all over Shen Luo''s body, copious amounts of blood spurting out, instantly staining him blood red. His body weakened and collapsed forward. The Ghost General saw this and rushed up, but Lu Huaming had already come to his side a step earlier, holding him by his arm. He felt like he was holding onto a red-hot iron bar, he shivered subconsciously and almost let go. Only then did he understand that the red steam emanating from Shen Luo was the vaporization of his blood. ¡°What an intolerable pain, yet Brother Shen was able to maintain his divine wisdom and not faint, this determination is beyond ordinary people¡­¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help think to himself. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 645 Chapter 645: Chapter 641: Hidden Truth Chapter 645: Chapter 641: Hidden Truth Before Lu Huaming could finish his words, a white jade porcelain vial fell from the Linlang Ring on Shen Luo''s wrist. Lu Huaming quickly grabbed the vial, and upon seeing Shen Luo''s silent mouth, immediately understood his intention. He opened the vial, poured out a fragrant elixir pill, and fed it to Shen Luo. With the Milk Spirit Pill in his stomach, a powerful medicinal force began to circulate around his Dantian, spreading throughout his body. All the wounds on Shen Luo''s body started healing rapidly, and the bleeding stopped in an observable speed. His flesh recovered, but his face remained pale, looking incredibly weak. After some respite, his expression slightly improved, and he gestured Lu Huaming to step back, slowly standing up straight. ¡°Brother Shen, are you¡­¡± Lu Huaming frowned slightly, refraining from asking aloud, instead communicating telepathically. ¡°It''s all right. It''s only natural that using secret techniques comes at a price.¡± Shen Luo''s voice was slightly hoarse in response. ¡°Sure, but it seems your cultivation from your previous life is far more superior than mine; the backlash didn''t seem that strong, though you seem to be suffering quite a bit.¡± After seeing Shen Luo''s condition, Lu Huaming heaved a sigh of relief, communicating through telepathy. Hearing this, Shen Luo could only respond with a wry smile. He had just realized, not fully understanding, that what he had borrowed was not the cultivation from his previous life, but the cultivation after he traveled through dreams, which originated a thousand years later. Although he didn''t understand the mechanism behind it, he had desperately felt it. The moment the figure overlapped with him, he had the same cultivation as he had in Dreamland for merely three breaths. However, it cost him as much as dying in the dream, consuming nearly thirty years of his lifespan. However, what he was currently running short of was lifespan, which made the cost unbearably high. Fortunately, the brief increase in Mana earlier allowed his Great Unsealing Technique to operate rapidly. Assisted by the Milk Spirit Pill, it basically healed the fatal injuries caused by the overuse of his physical body. His current condition was simply the aftermath of a severe loss of Mana. Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened. Borrowing from the effect of the spiritual medicine, rather than losing his composure, he stabilized his breath. He started walking towards Black Phoenix Demon and Gu Hualing, while controlling the Dragon Horn Cone to hover in his palm. Upon reaching near, Shen Luo with a push of his palm, had the Dragon Horn Cone flying and suspending on Gu Hualing''s forehead. ¡°Gu Hualing, do you remember me?¡± He asked coldly. Gu Hualing, pressing a wound on the chest of Black Phoenix Demon, glared back at Shen Luo, her eyes filled with rage. ¡°It doesn''t matter if you don''t remember me. Just don''t forget the resentment of the members from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion in the Underworld.¡± Seeing her silence, Shen Luo sneered, acting as if he was about to kill her. ¡°Stop, don''t, don''t kill her¡­¡± At this moment, Black Phoenix Demon suddenly spoke. ¡°Humph, if I don''t kill her, how will the vengeance of the extermination of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion be accounted for?¡± Shen Luo paused, his anger building. ¡°She was forced by me to do all these things¡­ the infiltration into the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡­ it was against her will.¡± Blood poured from the mouth of Black Phoenix Demon as she spoke with difficulty. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Mother, why are you explaining this to him? If he wants to kill, then let him kill! Today, I will follow you to the Netherworld.¡± Gu Hualing stared at him resentfully and said through gritted teeth. ¡°I deceived Ling''er¡­ I told her that the one who killed her parents was a senior ancestor from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Only then did she agree to infiltrate the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± Black Phoenix Demon looked lovingly at Gu Hualing and began to explain. Upon hearing this, Gu Hualing merely frowned, with no surprise in her eyes. ¡°It seems that you already knew about all of this.¡± Shen Luo''s face turned even colder. ¡°Yes. Not long after I entered the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, I found out. When my parents died, the senior ancestor was in seclusion, cultivating. The timelines simply didn''t match.¡± Gu Hualing admitted fankly, without refuting. ¡°If you knew he was not your enemy, why did you do what you did?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes filled with murderous intent. Gu Hualing clutched her throat, her eyebrows frowning, but she didn''t answer. ¡°So you knew all along, then why¡­ It must be the organization that forced you, right?¡± Black Phoenix Demon''s voice broke off, and then after realizing, she exclaimed. ¡°No. They just told me that they had a spiritual medicine that can suppress your blood poison¡­¡± Gu Hualing shook her head. ¡°So that''s how you got the Green Blood Pill.¡± Black Phoenix Demon said with a bitter smile. ¡°Shen Luo, no matter what, it was me who did all this. Kill me if you want, I only ask you to spare my mother. Her lifespan has already been reduced due to the effects of the blood poison, why do you have to stain your hands with such killing?¡± After remaining silent for a while, Gu Hualing began to plead. ¡°Since it was her who told you to sneak into Spring and Autumn Pavilion, she is not innocent. Also, what is the organization you mentioned?¡± Shen Luo asked coldly. ¡°You¡­ I won''t tell you!¡± Gu Hualing''s eyes flashed with anger. ¡°Ling''er¡­¡± Just as Black Phoenix Demon was about to speak, she began coughing violently again, spitting out lots of dirty blood, staining Gu Hualing''s clothes black. The light in her eyes began to fade rapidly. ¡°Mother!¡± Gu Hualing held Black Phoenix Demon, crying out in alarm. ¡°Brother Shen, your hit just now was too powerful. The Dragon''s Breath contained in the magical treasure severed most of her vitality, and her spirit is about to collapse.¡± Lu Huaming said, frowning upon seeing this. ¡°Mother, don''t, don''t¡­¡± Gu Hualing panicked upon hearing this. Seeing this, Shen Luo remained silent, shaking his head helplessly. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, Lu Huaming had an idea. He pulled out a purple talisman with golden designs from his sleeve, and slapped it onto Black Phoenix Demon''s Baihui acupoint on top of her head. The talisman shone, and a golden light surged from it, forming a seven-level pagoda that covered Black Phoenix Demon''s body. On top of the pagoda was what seemed like a Buddha Treasure Pearl, emitting a soft golden light, suppressing her Sea of Knowledge and stabilizing her spirit. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. Chapter 646 Chapter 646: Chapter 642: Silence Witnesses Chapter 646: Chapter 642: Silence Witnesses ¡°The Soul-suppressing Talisman, I didn''t get a chance to use it during the fight before. I didn''t expect it to come in handy here. However, it can only help her seal her divine soul for a while. Once the spiritual power of the talisman is exhausted, she will still die. If you have any questions, you''d better hurry up.¡± Lu Huaming sighed and said. The vitality of the Black Phoenix Demon within the shadow of the Treasure Pagoda continued to drain, but there was a slight sparkle in her eyes. ¡°What is the organization you talk about?¡± Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing this, a trace of fear flashed in the depths of the Black Phoenix Demon''s eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she said: ¡°A mysterious organization known only to few amongst the Demon Race. We despise the Human Race and our deeds are largely about killing and wiping out families and sects. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was originally my mission. At the time, my blood poison recurred and I needed to meditate. I wanted Ling''er to improve her skills, so I tricked her into going.¡± ¡°What is the name of this organization? Where is its home base?¡± Shen Luo continued to question as he looked at Gu Hualing. ¡°I don''t know.¡± Upon hearing this, Gu Hualing shook her head. ¡°The two of you are at my mercy right now, I suggest you think carefully before you answer.¡± Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and said. ¡°Ling''er hasn''t been in this organization long enough. She really doesn''t know. This organization is deeply hidden, more than you could ever imagine. Even the Great Tang Dynasty Government may not be aware of our existence.¡± The Black Phoenix Demon said. Shen Luo looked at Lu Huaming, the latter was also frowning, shaking his head. ¡°The organization doesn''t have a fixed location, we just act temporarily for each mission. I don''t know anything about the organization.¡± Gu Hualing added. ¡°So you should know.¡± Shen Luo looked at the Black Phoenix Demon and said. ¡°Indeed, I know much more than Ling''er. But if you want me to tell you, you need to agree to one thing first.¡± The Black Phoenix Demon hesitated and then spoke. ¡°Do you think you''re in a position to negotiate with me at this point?¡± Shen Luo hefted the Dragon Horn Cone in his hand and said. Seeing this, the Black Phoenix Demon''s eyes flashed with a hint of anger, but she quickly calmed down and said somewhat helplessly: ¡°Once I''ve revealed anything about the organization, it''s tantamount to betraying the organization. At that point, even if I die, Ling''er will be implicated. So, I hope you can swear that you will protect Ling''er for me until she reaches the Great Mahayana Stage. Otherwise, even if you kill us today, I won''t say a word. At least if I die today, it will be quick.¡± ¡°If the mastermind behind all this turns out to be this organization, I can agree to let Gu Hualing go and insure her safety. But I won''t make any promises about the time, and it will be within my capability.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then nodded. ¡°I don''t need your protection.¡± But Gu Hualing didn''t appreciate it. Taking a bitter look at this smile, the Black Phoenix Demon didn''t insist any further, and said, ¡°The name of this organization is¡­¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as she was about to reveal the name, Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed. His body twisted abruptly and his mana was instantly activated. He threw a palm towards his side. Lu Huaming and others were baffled to see a flash of black light from under Shen Luo''s sleeve. It smashed the golden Treasure Pagoda condensed by the Soul-suppressing Talisman in an instant, and directly penetrated through the forehead of the Black Phoenix Demon. The Black Phoenix Demon''s head suddenly tilted back and her voice came to an abrupt halt. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a touch of rage. He flung his arm towards an unremarkable boulder deep in Hei Feng Ao. A Dragon Chant came from the Cone, turning into a golden dragon shadow and shooting out. However, the Cone had just flown about ten feet when its golden light trembled and almost fell to the ground. A tornado of black light had risen from that direction, disappearing in an instant. Shen Luo was extremely drained. He could only watch the tornado disappear ¨C he and Lu Huaming exchanged glances, both of them showing a bit of contemplation. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Gu Hualing held the corpse of the Black Phoenix Demon in her arms with grief in her eyes. She was muttering with tears rolling quietly down her cheeks. The Black Phoenix Demon''s eyes were completely void of vitality. A flash of black light restored her demonic Phoenix body, but her feathers were dull and lost their usual luster. Gu Hualing slowly stood up, rendering a respectful salute to the corpse of the Black Phoenix Demon. Then, a black flame rose from the body of the Black Phoenix Demon, instantly engulfing her whole body. ¡°Shen¡­Daoist friend, did you have a clear look at that person''s face?¡± Standing by the flames, Gu Hualing stopped her tears and asked. She was so focused on the Black Phoenix Demon that she hadn''t noticed Shen Luo''s abnormality. ¡°I didn''t manage to see the face. However, judging from the way he fled, it seems he is someone familiar.¡± Shen Luo said slowly. ¡°Who is it?¡± Gu Hualing immediately turned her head and asked. ¡°Demon Wind.¡± Lu Huaming and Shen Luo said in unison. As soon as their voices fell, the flames on the Black Phoenix Demon gradually died down. When the last spark had been completely extinguished, her Phoenix body had completely disappeared. With the last ember scattering and vanishing, a piece of jade that resembled a Phoenix perched on a branch and two golden Phoenix feathers appeared on the ground. Gu Hualing immediately picked up the Phoenix jade and golden Phoenix feathers and held them carefully. Shen Luo and Lu Huaming did not stop her. After a long time, Gu Hualing turned and handed Shen Luo the two golden feathers and the Phoenix jade, saying: ¡°Regarding the Spring and Autumn Pavilion incident, I was involved no matter what. I won''t evade that responsibility. I just hope you can help me find Demon Wind so I can avenge my mother. After that, kill me or punish me as you wish.¡± Shen Luo took the Phoenix jade and the golden feathers, inspected them for a while, and then returned the Phoenix jade back to her. ¡°I have use for the Golden Phoenix Feathers. You keep this Phoenix Jade, consider it as her last memento to you. I''ve also been investigating Demon Wind. And considering the business with the organization, we certainly have the foundation to cooperate.¡± Seeing the puzzled look on Gu Hualing''s face, he explained. Gu Hualing looked at Shen Luo with disbelief, her eyes red-rimmed. She pursed her lips and said nothing, just reaching out to take the Phoenix Jade. ¡°However, you''ll have to come back with us to Chang''an. The government will question you and make a decision after the investigation. I did promise the Black Phoenix Demon that I would save your life, you can rest assured about this.¡± Shen Luo said, after hearing Lu Huaming''s voice transmission. ¡°I will go with you.¡± Gu Hualing put away the Phoenix Jade and said without hesitation. Afterward, Gu Hualing buried Xuan Zhi''s corpse and tidied things up under the banyan tree in the valley, while Shen Luo and Lu Huaming stayed in the valley to meditate and rest. As the early morning of the second day arrived, the group set off to return to the Golden Mountain Temple. Chapter 647 Chapter 647: Chapter 643: The Secret of Jiang Liu Chapter 647: Chapter 643: The Secret of Jiang Liu Shen Luo and his companions quickly returned to the Golden Mountain Temple. Inside the temple, the Buddhist ceremony of Golden Cicada was going on for three days straight, and at this moment, countless believers were once again gathered within the temple. Even more people have attended this time; the temple square was overloaded, forcing numerous people to sit on the flat land outside the temple. In order not to disturb the ceremony, the trio did not fly directly into the temple but landed some distance away on a slope without drawing any attention. Master Jiang Liu was delivering his sermon, the sound of his solid preaching echoing from afar. The three of them situated at this distance could still hear him clearly. ¡°We''ve finally made it back. There''s not much time left. Brother Shen, let''s hurry inside,¡± Lu Huaming anxiously suggested. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, equally concerned, agreed with a nod. ¡°What are you doing at the Golden Mountain Temple?¡± asked Gu Hualing curiously. ¡°Why ask so many questions? Just follow us,¡± said Shen Luo gruffly. Despite having to work with Gu Hualing to investigate the organization that had destroyed the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Shen Luo''s tone was understandably tense due to the incident concerning the Pavilion still weighing heavily on his mind. Gu Hualing huffed, somewhat displeased, but kept her anger in check. ¡°A lot of people died in the ghost incidents that happened in Chang''an City recently. We want to invite Master Jiang Liu of the Golden Mountain Temple to guide their souls to the afterlife,¡± explained Lu Huaming. ¡°Conceal your demon Qi in the temple to avoid unwanted attention,¡± he added, cautioning Gu Hualing. ¡°You want to invite who? Jiang Liu?¡± Gu Hualing looked at both of them with a peculiar gaze. ¡°Yes, you know Master Jiang Liu? You''re right, Hei Feng Ao is not very far from Jinxia Mountain; it''s only natural for you to know of such a renowned master like Jiang Liu,¡± commented Lu Huaming as he nodded slightly. ¡°On account of our future cooperation, I recommend you not to invite Jiang Liu,¡± Gu Hualing suddenly suggested. ¡°Why?¡± Lu Huaming exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Jiang Liu is quite notorious. I once came here disguised under a different name while seeking a method to heal my mother. During my visit, I discovered a secret about him,¡± Gu Hualing revealed. ¡°What secret?¡± Shen Luo asked, intrigued by her revelation. Gu Hualing gave Shen Luo a glance but decided to remain silent with her arms folded. Shen Luo frowned slightly. He had only been slightly cold in his tone earlier, but Gu Hualing had taken it to heart, brooding about it. He let out a light chuckle internally and decided not to ask any further, glancing at Lu Huaming to indicate that he should take over the questioning. ¡°My dear Daoist friends, we must cooperate fully in the future, so let''s not hold grudges against each other. Friend Gu, what exactly is the secret you found out? Master Jiang Liu''s matter is of utmost importance to us, so any advice would be greatly appreciated,¡± said Lu Huaming, easing the tension between the two by stepping in and respectfully addressing Gu Hualing. ¡°Jiang Liu is delivering his sermon right now, he should be in a treasure tent. If you want to know the truth just lift the tent. It''s up to you whether to go or not, just don''t blame me afterwards,¡± Gu Hualing replied calmly. After saying that, she moved to the side, sat down and kept quiet, seemingly still in a foul mood. On hearing this, Shen Luo found his brow furrowed. The Golden Phoenix Feather had already been recovered, and it seemed that the matter was about to be resolved smoothly. Yet, a new twist had appeared. However, Gu Hualing didn''t seem to be lying. Could it be that there was something about Master Jiang Liu that she was keeping a secret? Reflecting on the recent past, the process of getting the Golden Phoenix Feather from the Hei Feng Ao was indeed a bit strange. According to Jiang Liu, he had sent several parties to Hei Feng Ao beforehand. Yet when engaging in a fight with the Black Phoenix Demon, there was no mention of this by the demon. Furthermore, the strength of the Black Phoenix Demon had reached the Great Mahayana Stage. Jiang Liu should have known about this but had not mentioned it to him and Lu Huaming. Had the Heavenly Book not summoned the cultivation powers from Dreamland in time, they would surely have met a deadly end. Could it be that there actually was something off about Master Jiang Liu? ¡°Brother Shen, do you think Gu Hualing''s words are true or false? Could she be trying to stir up trouble out of sadness for her mother''s death?¡± Lu Huaming asked through spiritual communication. ¡°From her expression, it doesn''t seem like she''s talking nonsense. Moreover, considering the events at Hei Feng Ao, there are indeed many suspicious aspects. Furthermore, everything concerning Master Jiang Liu is related to the Water-Land Conference, we can''t afford any mistakes. Let''s do this, Brother Lu, you and Daoist Gu wait here for a bit, I''ll go and investigate inside the temple,¡± Shen Luo replied after a moment''s consideration. ¡°Don''t rush, Brother Shen. Our relationship with the Golden Mountain Temple has just started improving. If you go and cause a ruckus, our previous efforts will be wasted if things don''t turn out as Gu Hualing claims,¡± Lu Huaming hurriedly cautioned him through spiritual communication. Shen Luo had said he was going to investigate, but Lu Huaming knew that he planned to follow Gu Hualing''s advice and lift up the treasure canopy. Such an act would undoubtedly provoke the Golden Mountain Temple, especially in front of so many believers, and could have serious ramifications. ¡°Don''t worry, Brother Lu. I''ll think it through and won''t let it affect our important task,¡± Shen Luo assured him with a smile, pulling out a fox skin charm he had obtained from Dan Yangzi and attaching it to his chest, infusing it with Mana. A fluffy pink light emerged from the charm and soon enveloped his entire body, making him look as though he was covered in a layer of fox fur. A few breaths later, all the pink light disappeared into his body, completely transforming Shen Luo''s appearance and attire into that of a slender woman dressed in a pink robe. ¡°What kind of charm is this? It''s truly miraculous!¡± Lu Huaming was quite taken aback as he took in Shen Luo''s new appearance. Even with his divine sense, he couldn''t detect anything unusual. Meanwhile, not only had Shen Luo''s appearance changed, even the fluctuations of his Qi were entirely concealed by the charm. He now looked exactly like an ordinary person who hadn''t cultivated at all. Concealing one''s Qi is easy, but to completely hide all traces of Qi is extremely difficult, even if there is a realm difference among the practitioners. Gu Hualing, standing on the side, also expressed surprise upon seeing this. ¡°It''s just a little trick, not worth mentioning. Just wait for me here while I go and investigate what Master Jiang Liu is up to,¡± Shen Luo remarked lightly, roping in his surprise at how effective the fox skin charm had been. His only complaint was that the charm could only transform him into a female, which he found to be a bit awkward. Seeing that Shen Luo had such an advanced method of disguise, Lu Huaming set aside his worries and nodded in agreement. Shen Luo then headed towards the Golden Mountain Temple, carrying a gray wooden box in his hand, and quickly arrived at the temple gate. The front of the temple was filled with people. He found a narrow gap within the crowd, barely squeezing through the gate. He then followed the edge of the crowd in the square, inching closer towards the high platform where Jiang Liu was conducting his sermon. The Golden Mountain Temple was filled with highly skilled practitioners. Hence, he had to get as close as possible to the high platform to ensure that he could lift the treasure canopy. Chapter 648 Chapter 648: Chapter 644 Unveiling Chapter 648: Chapter 644 Unveiling ¡°Amitabha, female benefactor, the temple is already full of faithful devotees, please do not crowd in.¡± A middle-aged monk with a shiny face flashes his figure and blocks Shen Luo. ¡°Please forgive me, Master, the lifelong dream of my late husband was to witness Master Jiang Liu''s lecture given personally, but he never had the opportunity to come. Now that my husband has tragically passed away, I brought his ashes here to fulfill his wish. I ask, Master, that you fulfill our wish by arranging a seat close to the Master for me.¡± Shen Luo lifts the wooden box in her hand and mournfully speaks. ¡°Ah, you''ve come to fulfill a vow for your deceased husband. We should certainly grant this, but there are so many faithful devotees in the temple now, and it isn''t fair to make an exception for you.¡± The middle-aged monk swiftly sweeps a glance over Shen Luo''s body, then immediately withdraws his lecherous gaze and continues solemnly. Shen Luo is annoyed and feels a chill. She wants to take out the Dragon Horn Short Awl and give the monk a nasty blow, but for now, she has to endure. ¡°I understand that this request could put the Master in an awkward position. This is a small gift that I offer, and I ask the Master for leniency.¡± She takes out a cloth bag, which contains several pieces of immortal jade, and hands it to the middle-aged monk. The middle-aged monk hears the clinking sound of the immortal jade inside the cloth bag, a hint of greed flashes in his eyes, and he puts it into his sleeve without showing any expression. ¡°Amitabha, since the female benefactor is so sincere, then please follow me.¡± The middle-aged monk chants a blessing, then escorts Shen Luo into a group of monastic buildings next to the square. After passing through these buildings, the two surprisingly emerge near the high platform where Jiang Liu gives his lectures. This is a small open ground filled with dozens of straw cushions, most of which are already occupied. These people appear to be from rich and noble families, so it seems this place is specially reserved seating. When Shen Luo sees that she can be seated so close, she is secretly delighted. She thanks the middle-aged monk and sits down on a straw cushion. The middle-aged monk doesn''t stay for long, but quickly withdraws. After Shen Luo sits down, she immediately senses the surroundings. Although the fox-skin charms are exquisite, she is not confident that she can fool everyone, especially not Abbot Hai Shi and Jiang Liu, whose strengths are unfathomably profound. She must act quickly. Jiang Liu is very strong, and she does not rashly use her Divine Sense to probe. Even without using Divine Sense, Shen Luo still has quite a keen probing ability, she quickly senses that no one is monitoring her surroundings, and immediately prepares to take action. ¡°¡­Rulai speaks the law, a single form, a single nature, the so-called liberation form, departure form, extinction form¡­¡± The voice of Jiang Liu''s spiritual teaching comes from the treasure canopy on the high platform. ¡°Huh! This voice, it seems a bit wrong.¡± A flash sparks in Shen Luo''s eyes. The voice giving the lecture has some subtle differences from Jiang Liu''s usual voice, and if Gu Hualing hadn''t hinted at it, she would not have noticed. Shen Luo is suspicious but can''t figure out the reason for it, so she doesn''t think about it much. She takes out five talismans, the Wind Barrier Breaking Talisman, and quietly crushes them. The void near the high platform suddenly radiates a green light, and a green whirlwind tens of feet tall forms out of nowhere, like a huge tornado, emitting a looming whistling sound and fiercely rolling onto the treasure canopy on top of the high platform. The treasure canopy immediately begins to vibrate violently and is about to be blown away. However, at this moment, a bright golden light shoots out from inside the treasure canopy, and in an instant, it turns into a giant golden hand, pressing down on the shaking treasure canopy from above, stopping it from being blown away by the green whirlwind. However, before it can do anything else, a golden broken awl flies quickly like lightning and arrives in front of the golden hand in an instant. Under the radiant golden short awl, a sneaky golden awl shadow, the size of a bowl''s mouth, smashes down like torrential rain on the golden hand, emitting a sharp humming noise. The golden hand is instantly pierced by countless awl shadows and dissolves into scattered golden lights. Without the protection of the golden hand, the canopy below is naturally torn apart by the golden awl shadow behind it, scattering with the wind and revealing the situation below. A series of rapid changes take place so quickly, almost as fast as lightning. Other people only react now and realise what has happened. Looking closely at the high platform, Shen Luo freezes in place. On the high platform, there are actually two little monks sitting, one of them is Jiang Liu, and the other is none other than Chan''er. ¡°¡­ With what method of chanting, with what method of thinking, with what method of cultivation, to attain what way¡­¡± Chan''er seems unaware of the drastic changes around him and continues giving the lesson by swaying his head. ¡°This ¡­.¡± The audience under the platform stares at this spectacle, unable to believe their eyes. Without anyone explaining, all knew what had just transpired. ¡°You used Chan''er to lecture on your behalf, isn''t that why you use the treasure canopy to shield your identity during every Dharma assembly? You''re an impostor, not worthy of the ''Golden Cicada Reincarnation'' title!¡± Shen Luo gets up abruptly, rebuking loudly. She finally understands why Gu Hualing asked her not to invite Jiang Liu. The real lecturer is Chan''er. And Jiang Liu''s reluctance to go to Chang''an is probably not because he has been tainted with a demonic aura, but because he doesn''t know how to give a lecture. Upon hearing these words, the audience below buzzes with agitation. Many people begin whispering and pointing at Jiang Liu. Even though they also understand that Master Jiang Liu is a fraud, their usual reverence for Master Jiang Liu makes them hesitate to accuse him loudly. ¡°Who are you? How dare you ruin my big plan!¡± Jiang Liu suddenly stands up, furious. An eerie red color appears on his face, his eyes emit two inches of ferocious blood light. Where is the slightest bit of a high monk''s appearance? He''s clearly an evil demon. ¡°Jiang Liu, has the demonic blood in you acted up again? I will chant a mantra to calm you, don''t be rash.¡± The nearby Chan''er also notices the dramatically changed surroundings and stands up. Seeing Jiang Liu in this condition, he quickly says. ¡°Get away!¡± Jiang Liu waves his sleeve and an intense surge of qi sends Chan''er flying. Chan''er has no cultivation, wherefore he vomits a mouthful of fresh blood with a ¡°wa¡± sound. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly makes a gesture and a flow of water condenses in the void behind Chan''er, forming a soft water curtain that supports Chan''er''s body and puts him on the ground. ¡°Jiang Liu¡­¡± Chan''er seems to have not been injured too seriously and can still stand. He calls out to Jiang Liu. However, Jiang Liu ignores Chan''er. He makes a hand seal, and his body emits a strong blood light. Continuous flashes of blood-red lightning interweave in it. His body swells up rapidly, and within a few breaths, he transforms into a giant child, two feet tall. His body''s skin turns dark red; there are streaks of black qi wrapped around him. His appearance is demonic, and fierce light shines in all directions. ¡°Ah! A demon, a demon has descended!¡± ¡°Run away quickly!¡± The crowd on the square below, seeing Jiang Liu in this state, were all frightened. Someone shouted, and the faithful devotees on the square scattered in all directions. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 649 Chapter 649: Chapter 645: Suppression Chapter 649: Chapter 645: Suppression ¡°Haha, no one is leaving today! After I eradicate all of you, I will still be the Golden Cicada Reincarnation!¡± Jiang Liu laughed loudly, his voice filled with a sinister tone, and swung his hand. A thick black and red ominous light shot out from his hand, slashing its way onto the road leading down from the temple. Upon hearing a ¡°rumble¡±, the ground shook and the mountains trembled, the ground was shockingly cut into a giant black gorge that was dozens of feet long and seven or eight feet wide, blocking the way down the mountain. Some of the believers who were about to escape down the mountain saw this scene, displayed expressions of despair on their faces and knelt on the ground one after another. ¡°Jiang Liu, what are you doing!¡± The monks of the Golden Mountain Temple were shocked. A silhouette after silhouette flew to block Jiang Liu, led by Abbot Hai Shi and Elder Zhe Shi. And Hall Master Shi, Diao Mei Old Monk and the others who usually follow Jiang Liu''s orders, also flew over. Seeing Jiang Liu''s current appearance, their faces changed drastically, almost unable to believe the scene before them. ¡°You useless bald donkeys, chanting sutras every day but devoid of any real meaning, irritating to the point of giving me headaches, I''ve tolerated you long enough, all of you can go to hell!¡± Jiang Liu''s face twisted with malice, and he threw off his monk''s robe. A fist-sized purple gold light shot out, which after a spin revealed its true form, it was the Purple Gold Bowl. Between flashes of purple gold light, the bowl swelled with the wind, turning the size of a house in the blink of an eye. Carrying the roaring sound of savage heaviness, it slammed down on everyone like a Mount Tai pressing from above. Before the bowl could fall, numerous purple gold light spots suddenly emerged from the void around the monks. These light spots exuded a powerful force of restraint, imprisoning everyone inside, making it difficult, if not impossible, to move or dodge. ¡°Amitabha!¡± Abbot Hai Shi''s expression grew serious, he chanted a Buddhist mantra, and a dazzling golden light sprang up from his body. His originally withered body swelled up like a balloon, his flesh and blood became plump, and his skin became crystal clear and transparent, as soft and smooth as jade, without a trace of flaws. He looked forty years younger instantly. His breath also surged to several times its original magnitude, not inferior to the Black Phoenix Demon. He raised his hand and waved. A golden light shot out from Abbot Hai Shi, it was the Dark Gold Walking Stick, which rushed towards the Purple Gold Bowl. Golden light bloomed on the Dark Gold Walking Stick, and an illusion of Buddha emerged, instantly expanding to dozens of times its original size, it soared into the sky like an angry dragon to strike the Purple Gold Bowl. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the two Buddhist treasures collided, a loud ¡°clang¡± sound was made. The Purple Gold Bowl was clearly superior, immediately suppressed the golden light on the Dark Gold Walking Stick, and kept falling swiftly. A flush rose on Abbot Hai Shi''s cheeks, but he did not panic. With both hands forming the Treasure Vase Dharma Seal, a solemn and majestic golden light burst from his body, forming a huge golden lotus platform phantom around him. The Sanskrit Chant Sound echoed across the Square. A profound Buddhist power surged from the golden lotus platform, neutralizing much of the powerful restraining force around them, and the other monks regained some control over their bodies. They immediately took their turn to strike. All kinds of magical instruments soared into the sky, forming a thick, dazzling stream of treasure light, and collided with the Purple Gold Bowl. Hall Master Shi and Diao Mei Old Monk also took their turn to strike, offering the Azure Dharma Blade and the Yellow Demon-subduing Staff respectively, to strike the Purple Gold Bowl. A more colossal sound of thunderous explosion boomed, the violent airstream mixed with a variety of lights, pouring in all directions. The ground of the Square was scraped off raw, those white jade floor tiles were swept up and flew around like fallen leaves. A solemn Buddhist temple near the High Platform was swept up by the violent airstream, collapsing like it was made of paper. There were still many believers on the Square who didn''t have time to escape. Just as they were about to be swept up by the storm of air, blue water streams suddenly emerged around the Square, wrapping up those believers and hurled them into the distance, narrowly escaping the aftermath of the duel of magical powers. Chan''er, who was originally standing near the High Platform, was also swept up by a water stream and sent to the distance. Observing this scene, Abbot Hai Shi heaved a sigh of relief, instantly turning his head toward the Purple Gold Bowl hovering above, urging his Dark Gold Walking Stick with a spell. The Treasure Light which pooled everyone''s strength was clashing fiercely with the Purple Gold Bowl. Both hung in mid-air, their plethora of lights flashing wildly, and alternate sounds echoing. It was impossible to determine a victor. ¡°What a joke! You dare pit these second-rate Buddhist artifacts of the Buddhist Sect against my Golden Cicada Treasure!¡± sneered Jiang Liu, directing a series of incantations against the Purple Gold Bowl The Purple Gold Bowl began to rotate, its purple-gold light inside flashing once. A great amount of shiny purple sand shot out, swirling around the Treasure Light of the monks of Golden Mountain Temple like a long dragon made of purple sand. ¡°It''s Chandan Star Sand! Hurry! All magical equipment below superior grade, withdraw them!¡± Abbot Hai Shi''s face changed color as he hastily warned everyone, but alas, it was too late. ¡°Explode!¡± Jiang Liu formed a spell with both hands and shouted loudly. The purple sand shone with a blinding light, then exploded abruptly, transforming into numerous small purple suns. The void trembled with the explosions, triggering wave after wave of scorching heat. Most of the magical instruments within the Treasure Light were disastrously destroyed, torn apart and swallowed by the exploding purple light. Only Abbot Hai Shi''s Dark Gold Walking Stick, Elder Zhe Shi''s Golden wooden fish, Hall Master Shi''s Azure Dharma Blade, and the Demon-subduing Staff of Diao Mei Old Monk remained. What''s more, besides the Dark Gold Walking Stick, the spiritual light of the magical artifacts of the others suffered more or less damage. Without the help of the other monks, the Purple Gold Bowl immediately gained the upper hand, swiftly overpowering the four people''s Treasure Light. However, at this juncture, a golden light flashed behind Jiang Liu. A Golden Short Awl appeared out of thin air, aiming at his heart like a venomous snake, without a sound. Jiang Liu, engrossed in battling with Abbot Hai Shi and the others, failed to take note of the situation behind him. The Awl was about to strike. With a crisp ¡°clang¡± sound, a purple Buddha Bead, the size of a fist, automatically flew out from Jiang Liu''s body, blocking the attack of the Golden Short Awl. All eighteen layers of prohibition on the Golden Short Awl had been formulated. Its power had increased several times. The tip of the Awl flashed with a brilliant golden light. It broke the purple Buddha Bead and continued its trajectory towards Jiang Liu. But Jiang Liu had already reacted in time. He quickly sidestepped a few feet away, narrowly evading the attack of the Golden Short Awl. ¡°Seeking death!¡± He roared, sweeping his right hand. A streak of purple light shot out, aiming at the Golden Short Awl. It was a string of Purple Buddha Beads, the same one he wore. The Purple Buddha Beads were extremely agile, transforming into a purple whip-like streak and shot out. In an instant, they entangled the Golden Short Awl. At the same time, each of the Purple Buddha Beads burst into a golden light. On top of each, a rune glyph emerged, linking to form a mini Golden Array. An immensely powerful prohibitive force emanated from the Golden Array, firmly confining the Golden Short Awl. Regardless of how much it struggled, it couldn''t free itself. A smug look flashed in Jiang Liu''s eyes. About to seize this opportunity to attack when suddenly, an figure appeared out of thin air on his left ¨C it was Shen Luo. He had already resumed his normal appearance, holding an antique feather fan, he swung it fiercely towards Jiang Liu. A clear cry of a phoenix resounded up to the heavens, a multi-colored Fire Phoenix, several dozen feet in size, shot out from the Five-Fire Fan, striking Jiang Liu who was within arm''s reach. Flames erupted from the Five-Color Fire Phoenix and submerged Jiang Liu''s body within an instant, launching him off into the distance. Chapter 650 Chapter 650: Chapter 646: Fight to the Death Chapter 650: Chapter 646: Fight to the Death Jiang Liu was knocked away, and the Purple Gold Bowl was affected; the purple golden light on it dimmed considerably. The eyes of Zen Master Hai Shi and others brightened, immediately driving their magical treasures with full force. The Dark Gold Walking Stick, the Golden Wooden Fish, the Azure Dharma Blade, and the Demon-subduing Staff radiated brightly, retaliating with all their might. With a loud ¡°bang¡±, the Purple Gold Bowl was knocked away. The purple gold light spots binding the monks of Golden Mountain Temple crumbled away, and everyone''s bodies regained their freedom. Without any pause, Shen Luo shot out immediately after the strike; in an instant, he soared in front of the Purple Gold Bowl. He used the Heavenly Book''s power, a golden shadow flashed across his body. This Purple Gold Bowl was too powerful. If he wanted to subdue Jiang Liu, he must first collect this treasure. The Purple Gold Bowl shook violently. It was about to be stored in the Heavenly Book Space. Suddenly, the light on the bowl erupted drastically. A profound force erupted; it managed to escape the Heavenly Book''s capture and flew towards the five-colored sea of flames. For the first time, Shen Luo failed to capture something with the Heavenly Book, furrowing his brows. ¡°It''s you! You''re not dead yet!¡± Jiang Liu''s surprised voice arose from the five-colored sea of flames, seemingly devoid of any injury. Before his voice fell, a loud ¡°boom¡± echoed, a thick black light pillar rose from the five-colored sea of flames, reaching the sky. A black storm surged from the light pillar, sweeping around. The black storm contained a thick demonic qi. The surrounding five-colored sea of flames contacted the black storm and immediately dissipated like fire meeting water. Shen Luo was the closest to the black light pillar; despite the immediate withdrawal, he was still affected by the black storm and was swirled away. He exerted the Nameless Cultivation Technique, his body enveloped in bright blue light, rotating rapidly around his body. Only then did he stabilize his figure and land on the ground. Shen Luo recalled what Jiang Liu had just said, his eyes narrowed. As he thought, Jiang Liu''s intentions for them to go to Hei Feng Ao to get the Golden Phoenix Feathers were malicious; he deliberately concealed the strength of the Black Phoenix Demon. It seemed he wanted to use the Black Phoenix Demon to eliminate them. He snorted coldly, didn''t question Jiang Liu, but turned his head to the Golden Short Awl trapped by the purple Buddha beads on the side. Just as he was about to rush over, a sudden sense of danger struck his heart. He instantly retreated with the Moonlight Glamour radiating brightly from his feet. The ground where he had stood cracked open, and a black and red giant hand emerged. This hand was shiny black-red, with long black fingernails on the five fingers, and flashes of black fire, exuding a chilling demonic aura. It made a quick grasp, but unfortunately grasped nothing. Not only Shen Luo, but the ground underneath Zen Master Hai Shi and the others also cracked at the same time. Four black and red devil''s palms stretched out, reaching for the four. Zen Master Hai Shi dodged, and pointed with his walking stick. A dark gold light shot out, shaking Elder Zhe Shi, who was beside him, flying out of the demon''s palm''s reach. ¡°Ah,¡± ¡°Ah,¡± two screams rang out. The Hall Master Shi and Diao Mei Old Monk couldn''t dodge and were caught squarely by the black and red demon''s palm. Their protective light was like nothing in front of the demon''s palm and was easily broken. There was a ¡°splat¡± sound, and two large bloody holes were grabbed from their bodies. Fortunately, neither of them was weak. Despite being heavily injured, they forced themselves to wield the Dharma Blade and the Demon-subduing Staff and smashed the two devil''s palms with two sounds of ¡°bang¡± ¡°bang¡±. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After the impact, they could no longer hold on and collapsed weakly on the ground. There were still traces of black fire around the bloody holes in their bodies, spreading quickly. Where it passed, their flesh and blood retreated, revealing stark white bones. The surrounding monks turned pale at this sight, all retreating, afraid of being contaminated by the black fire. ¡°Sinful barrier!¡± Zen Master Hai Shi was furious, waving his arms hastily. Two golden lotus seeds shot out from his sleeve and quickly merged into the bodies of Elder Hall Shi and Diao Mei Old Monk. Instantly, an eye-catching golden halo sprang up around the two of them. They spun once, then transformed into two golden lotus flowers each about a yard in size, shielding the two of them. The black flames on Elder Hall Shi and Diao Mei Old Monk''s bodies ceased instantly, and so too did their screams. Despite that, nearly half of their bodies had been consumed by the black flame, inflicting grievous injuries that incapacitated them. ¡°Take them down! Junior Brother Zhe Shi, activate the Vajra Annihilation Array!¡± Abbot Hai Shi spoke with a face filled with sorrow and anger, first instructing the surrounding monks, then sending a telepathic message to Elder Zhe Shi. ¡°The Vajra Annihilation Array! Senior Brother, do we really have to kill Jiang Liu? He is the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada.¡± Elder Zhe Shi hesitated, communicating by telepathy in return. ¡°Use the Annihilation Golden Light to suppress him, then we''ll decide later!¡± Abbot Hai Shi slightly hesitated before replying telepathically. Elder Zhe Shi nodded hurriedly then flew towards the Golden Mountain Temple. Meanwhile, the other monks picked up Elder Hall Shi and Diao Mei Old Monk and hastily left the square. Only then did Abbot Hai Shi raise his gaze to the black light pillar, filled with roiling demonic qi. His expression was mixed as he lifted his Dark Gold Walking Stick and struck down with all his might. With a loud rumble, dozens of gigantic golden staff illusions appeared over the black light pillar, solidifying into a golden mountain. With one swift move, they slammed down on the black light pillar. After a series of massive tremors, the black light pillar shattered abruptly. But a black figure leap out and landed dozens of yards away, revealing Jiang Liu''s silhouette. His figure had drastically transformed again, taller in stature than before, his skin covered with black demonic patterns which looked eerily intimidating. His breath surrounding him surged drastically, reaching the peak of Nascent Soul stage. ¡°What a powerful force, this is the strength of a demon!¡± Jiang Liu laughed wildly, revealing a slightly crazed expression. Shen Luo, who had retreated a distance to dodge the Devil''s Palm, felt a sinking sensation upon seeing Jiang Liu''s transformation. However, he soon recovered his composure and once again aimed for the golden short awl. ¡°Your magical treasure is indeed powerful, but do you think you can take it back now that it''s been bound by me?¡± Jiang Liu''s laughter abruptly stopped, his mouth curling into a smirk, before gesturing with his hand. The string of purple Buddha beads immediately flew towards him at high speed. The golden short awl trapped inside the beads was also carried over. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo wrinkled his brow. Blue light flickered across his body as his speed increased dramatically, all the while crushing a stack of green talismans ¨C the Thunderfall Talisman. Roaring noises echoed through the air! A dozen thick silver thunderbolts appeared out of thin air, like silver dragons leaping out of the water, they sliced through the air aiming towards Jiang Liu. At the same time, without anyone noticing, a slender black figure fell from Shen Luo and stayed close to the ground, traveling around in a large circle towards Jiang Liu ¨C it was the Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart. Jiang Liu saw the dozens of thunderbolts bearing down on him and his gaze became slightly more intense. He didn''t dare to take this lightly, slashing through the air with his five fingers. A dense black and red demonic qi surged out and instantly solidified into a massive black shield. A Demonic God with three heads and six arms was inscribed on it, covering overhead. The dozen thick thunderbolts smashed into it, setting off a series of explosive thunderous noises; the black shield shattered in response, but the thunderbolts only flickered a few times before swiftly fading. Although he had blocked the attack of the Thunderfall Talisman, the black and red light surrounding Jiang Liu dimmed slightly. It was evident that the black shield was not an ordinary method, requiring a great deal of vitality to perform, which resulted in the purple Buddha beads, flying back to him, slowing down. Meanwhile, a red light shone beneath Shen Luo revealing a crimson Sword Radiance. His speed greatly increased with the unity of man and sword, looking like he was about to catch up with the beads. Chapter 651 Chapter 651: Chapter 647: Seal (Happy New Year, Daoist friends^^) Chapter 651: Chapter 647: Seal (Happy New Year, Daoist friends^^) Upon witnessing this situation, Jiang Liu frowned. He was about to cast some spell, when the ground beneath him moved, and a black thin needle sprouted out, ¡°whoosh¡± it stung his calf, it was the Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart that Shen Luo had released earlier. The Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart was extremely sharp, and it immediately pierced through Jiang Liu''s leg and aimed for the other leg. Jiang Liu bellowed in anger, and spewed out a wisp of black and red demonic flames from his mouth which smothered the Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart, enveloping and wrapping it around. The Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart emanated a pitiful clear ringing sound, the Spiritual Light on it weakened rapidly, and quickly disappeared completely, surprisingly turning into a common iron-like object that fell to the ground, leaving the others greatly shocked. However, Shen Luo disregarded this, taking advantage of the opening when Jiang Liu was delayed by the Returning Dragon Soul-Collecting Dart, he caught up with the purple Buddha beads and pointed his finger. A chilling bone-penetrating white halo shot out from his sleeve, casting a shroud over the purple Buddha beads. Around the Buddha beads, a thick layer of white ice crystal promptly manifested, freezing it within, the light from the purple Buddha beads dimmed and came to a halt right where it was. At the same time, Shen Luo raised his hand and waved, a golden shadow flashed across his body, and the purple Buddha bead along with the golden short awl inside it disappeared without a trace, they were drawn into the Heavenly Book Space. Upon seeing this scene, Jiang Liu''s eyebrows abruptly tensed, he shaped his hands into seals and pointed towards Shen Luo. As the piercing cry started, two pitch-black edges shot out from his hands, on their surfaces, thin streaks of black fire could be seen, they disappeared into the void in a blink and vanished. The initially stoic Shen Luo, his demeanor now sunk down, he immediately waved his sleeves forward, several magical tools appeared in front of him, including shields, small flags, jade tags, and such. These were all defensive magical tools he had obtained in the past, their rank was not very high, they were all low-grade or mid-grade tier. The last magical tool was a dense black massive umbrella, behind it appeared four black muscular figures, all their palms were propping up the umbrella''s surface, completely shielding his entire body behind it. This black umbrella was the very top-grade magical artifact, the Hunyuan Umbrella, that he had obtained from Lu Qing. It had fifteen layers of prohibition, and its defensive power was quite extraordinary. Just as Shen Luo had finished doing all this, the two black edges then blinked before the Hunyuan Umbrella, they harshly pierced onto these several magical tools in one swift stroke. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With two ¡°hiss¡± crisp sounds, the two black edges pierced through those defensive tools effortlessly, their speed barely changed, and they were still incredibly fast when they hit the Hunyuan Umbrella. The Hunyuan Umbrella being a top-grade magical tool, naturally it couldn''t be compared with those lower-grade and mid-grade magical tools. On the umbrella''s surface, the black light intensely flickered twice, before finally being pierced by the black edges. A ¡°pop¡± sound echoed, similar to the sound of tearing silk, the umbrella''s surface was pierced through with two small holes, the Spiritual Light on the Hunyuan Umbrella, like an air-blown balloon that was punctured, rapidly dispersed. Having pierced through the Hunyuan Umbrella, the two black edges had significantly dwindled in size, their speed had also greatly reduced, Shen Luo was finally able to cope with them, commanding his sword to swiftly retreat, while simultaneously flicking both hands. One after another, red Sword Qi shot out like a downpour, striking onto the two black edges. At this moment, if his Mana were abundant, it would be simplest to use the power of the Heavenly Book to receive the two black edges, but activating the Heavenly Book greatly depleted Mana, his continuous use of Manconsuming God''s Power had left him quite weakened, he could only resort to other methods to respond. With the sounds of a string of explosive noises echoing, one Sword Qi after another was shattered, while the black edges were rapidly being eroded. Finally, after continually shattering over twenty Sword Qi, the black edges exhausted their power, completely disappearing. And Shen Luo also let out a sigh of relief, continuing to command his sword to retreat quickly, at the same time, he probed into the Heavenly Book Space with his Divine Sense, striving to bring out the golden short awl. Jiang Liu, in his transformed state, was too powerful, only a magical treasure could contend with him. But as he sensed the situation within the Heavenly Book Space, his expression suddenly changed. Inside the Heavenly Book Space, the golden short awl was quietly suspended within a block of white ice crystals. The surrounding sandalwood Buddha beads and the golden light array had somehow disappeared. ¡°How could this be? Could it be that the sandalwood Buddha beads are not actual substance, but formed by an illusion of mana? The Heavenly Book Space has cut off its connection with Jiang Liu, and all Buddha beads and light arrays have disappeared?¡± He secretly wondered in his heart, but he didn''t pay much attention to it, waving his hand to sacrificially summon the golden short awl, infusing it with his mana. The golden short awl reappeared resplendently, shattering the surrounding white ice crystals. With a tremble, it transformed into dozens of golden awl shadows, shot towards Jiang Liu like falling stars. On the other side, Zen Master Hai Shi also activated his dark gold wand again, transforming it into a shadow of the wand, striking towards Jiang Liu. Only this time, the wand''s shadow changed its momentum, forming like a furious wave pouring down. It seemed as if thousands of rivers appeared within the shadows of the wand, tumbling down, its attack even grander and more majestic than before. Jiang Liu sneered, his ten fingers rapidly wheeling before him. Then he pointed at the Purple Gold Bowl with fused fingers. The Purple Gold Bowl increased in size once more, with layers of purple halo appearing on its surface, moving towards the furious wave-like wand shadows. There was a series of thunderous crashes. The Purple Gold Bowl constantly trembled, with a series of glaring light burst out from its surface. But apart from this, the Purple Gold Bowl showed no other anomalies. Not only that, but a large number of purple runes surfaced from the mouth of the bowl. They started to rotate rapidly, forming a purple vortex. With a ''boom'', an enormous suction force gushed out from the purple vortex, enveloping the golden awl shadows. All the golden awl shadows immediately deviated from their path, involuntarily flying towards the inside of the Purple Gold Bowl. Feeling a chill in his heart, Shen Luo quickly formed a series of gestures, ejecting a series of magic spells. From the dozens of golden awl shadows, the golden short awl reappeared, emanating a highly radiating golden light. A golden dragon shadow emerged around it, forcibly stabilizing in this suction force and slowly withdrawing, while other awl shadows had already flown into the Purple Gold Bowl. Upon seeing this, Jiang Liu frowned slightly, seeming dissatisfied for not capturing the golden short awl, but he did not forcibly activate the force again, flying towards the Purple Gold Bowl. ¡°We must not let him enter the bowl, otherwise, he would be in an invincible position, and we will no longer be able to attack him.¡± Zen Master Hai Shi warned urgently, while opening his mouth to spew out a mouthful of golden essence blood, which flashed and merged into his dark gold wand. The top of the dark gold wand revealed a Buddha''s face, its body emitting an extremely bright golden light. A series of tangible wand shadows appeared once again, their power far greater than before, striking towards Jiang Liu. The Zen Master''s hands rubbed against each other, shooting out a golden pillar of thunderfire, charging towards Jiang Liu. But whether it was the shadow of the wand or the thunderfire, as soon as they approached the Purple Gold Bowl, they were immediately sucked away by that great force, heading towards the bowl. Shen Luo, having previously seen Jiang Liu fly out from within the bowl and hearing Zen Master Haishi''s words, immediately wanted to block him, but he was quite far from Jiang Liu, and he had to stabilize the golden short awl, making it impossible for him to act. Left with no other choice, he could only take out a Thunderfall Talisman, break it, releasing a bolt of lighting, striking down towards Jiang Liu. But as soon as the silver bolt of lightning entered the range of the Purple Gold Bowl''s suction force, it immediately deviated from its path, heading towards the bowl. A hint of sarcasm flashed in Jiang Liu''s eyes, this Purple Gold Bowl was a magic treasure left behind by Jinchanzi, its power was immense, how could people like Shen Luo break it in a rush? His body shone with a black light, his speed instantly increased, and it seemed that he would be entering the bowl momentarily. But at this moment, a white light shot over from a distance like lightning, instantly covering a distance of several dozen feet, reaching the Purple Gold Bowl first. It was a white talisman, covered with complex and mysterious runes. Chapter 652 Chapter 652: Chapter 648: Possession Chapter 652: Chapter 648: Possession As soon as the white talisman came into contact with the Purple Gold Bowl, it instantly merged into it. A layer of white light shines on the whole bowl, covered with spirit lines, looking like a seal layer. The purple vortex inside the bowl was frozen and stalled, and the suction disappeared in an instant. The silver thunder and lightning and a few golden mage staffs that were about to be invested into the bowl suddenly stopped. With a loud ¡°boom¡± sound, it was actually Jiang Liu crashing into the white light, bounced back with a look of shock and anger on his face. However, Shen Luo''s eyes lit up and prompted a spell. His current cultivation level has greatly advanced, and his control of the Thunderfall Talisman has become more proficient. After its launch, he can slightly control the direction of the thunder and lightning attacks. That silver thunder and lightning immediately made a slight turn and struck Jiang Liu. Only a loud ¡°rumble¡± of thunder was heard, and Jiang Liu was struck and flown out. His chest was charred black and most of the demonic qi from his body had been dissipated. But surprisingly, Jiang Liu had nothing serious. He rolled and stood up again. ¡°This magical treasure is too powerful, my Heavenly Sealing Talisman cannot restrain it for long. Quickly capture this man.¡± A figure shot from the distance, shouted loudly, it was Lu Huaming. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and Abbot Hai Shi immediately activated their magical treasures. The golden short awl shined brightly, and a dragon-shaped phantom appeared around the short awl. With a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, it shot towards Jiang Liu, its speed increasing several times. But Abbot Hai Shi didn''t make a move. The entire Golden Mountain Temple below shook like an earthquake, and golden lights rose from various parts of the temple. At the same time, the sky above the Golden Mountain Temple also trembled quickly, and beams of golden light projected from the clouds, quickly turning the entire sky into gold. Jiang Liu''s face changed dramatically. He opened his mouth and sprayed out a piece of black demonic light, transforming into a black gun shadow, facing off the golden short awl. Immediately, the echoing sound intensified, black and gold lights intertwined fiercely, their powers were equal and for a time, it was difficult to determine the winner. Jiang Liu''s face turned pale, his breath waned, obviously, using this god''s power also exhausted him greatly. However, he braced himself, his body curled into a black and red long rainbow, swiftly flying away into the distance. Meanwhile, the white light on the Purple Gold Bowl fluctuated violently and shattered with a ¡°puff¡± sound. The purple gold light on the bowl shone brightly again, following Jiang Liu''s departure. Shen Luo''s mana consumption was also severe. Just as he was about to chase after them with strenuous effort, he noticed the abnormal conditions of the Golden Mountain Temple and the sky, as well as the nonchalant Abbot Hai Shi, and stopped in his tracks. ¡°The Vajra Annihilation Array was personally set up by Master Fa Ming back in the day. If you had run away from the beginning, you might have been able to escape, but it''s too late now.¡± Abbot Hai Shi took out a golden array banner with a flip of his hand, emitting a frightening mana fluctuation, and he pointed at the void where Jiang Liu was. The golden light in the sky above the Golden Mountain Temple suddenly intensified several times, and with a great howling sound, an incomparably thick golden light pillar descended from the sky, striking Jiang Liu with uncanny precision. Jiang Liu was instantly shot from mid-air and fell heavily to the ground, raising clouds of dust. It was as if a fly was knocked down by a palm, utterly powerless to resist. A hint of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and he flew over eagerly. But at this moment, his face changed, sensitively detecting a wisp of black qi escaping from Jiang Liu''s body and burrowing into the ground, escaping to the distance underground. The black qi exuded an extremely pure demonic qi, much more pure than the qi of Jiang Liu and many demonized creatures he''d encountered previously, appearing to be true members of the Demon Clan. Although the black qi was underground, it moved extremely fast, advancing hundreds of feet in the blink of an eye, and it was about to disappear into the distance. Shen Luo had no time to explain to Abbot Hai Shi and Lu Huaming. He summoned the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, implemented the Unity of Man and Sword technique, and instantly transformed into a red sword rainbow, pursuing at great speed. The rapid chase between the two disappeared into the horizon in a blink of an eye, leaving Abbot Hai Shi and Lu Huaming quite astonished. Shen Luo exerted all his strength to perform the Sword Controlling Technique, closely pursuing the trace of demonic Qi, and quickly flew out of the boundary of Jinxia Mountain. The other party kept moving underground. Without any better way, Shen Luo could only follow. Just then, a gurgling sound of water came from the front, and a big river appeared before him. Shen Luo''s face lit up. He reached into his pockets, took out a blue treasure bead, precisely the SeSuppressing Bead, and wielded a spell. A blue light radiated from the treasure bead, emitting the sound of raging waves. The wind and storm were getting stronger all around. The raging river several miles ahead erupted, surging upwards and forming a water curtain that spanned several tens of feet. The river water seeping into the ground formed a dense water curtain around Shen Luo, with an extensive range, blocking all paths ahead. Moreover, nearly a hundred rope-like currents surged underground, lunging at the black Qi. The power of the Water Manipulation Technique, when utilized through the SeSuppressing Bead, increased drastically. The black Qi seemed to notice this and abruptly halted, then shot out from underground. Shen Luo was overjoyed. The golden short awl in his hand emitted intense light, ready to be thrown out. ¡°Shen Luo, if I am not mistaken, this should be the third time we meet, right?¡± A somewhat hoarse voice suddenly came from the black Qi, which rapidly enlarged and transformed into a dark silhouette. Shen Luo''s pupils shrunk dramatically. He was quite familiar with the figure before him. He had just seen him not long ago at Hei Feng Ao. It was the demon wind. ¡°Demon wind? It was you who possessed Jiang Liu. No wonder his demonic Qi was so thick. So, you were behind all this?¡± He soon regained his composure, put away the golden short awl, and asked in a deep voice. ¡°That little monk needed power, and I just lent him some. What''s wrong with that?¡± Demon wind sneered. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Golden Mountain Temple is the place where Golden Cicada reincarnated. Why are you specifically targeting this area? What''s your purpose?¡± Shen Luo watched the demon wind closely. ¡°Oh, it seems you know quite a few things.¡± The demon wind squinted a little. ¡°Do you think no one would notice what you are doing, thinking that everything is perfect? To be honest with you, the Demon Clan''s movements have long been predicted by Master Yuan. I''m here under his orders to destroy your plan.¡± Shen Luo gave a cold smile, raising the banner of Yuan Tiangang. ¡°Yuan Tiangang¡­¡± The demon wind''s voice became colder, filled with apprehension. ¡°What''s your relationship with Chiyou, the Demon Ancestor? Are you his reincarnated demon soul?¡± Shen Luo saw the demon wind fall into contemplation, and he suddenly yelled. ¡°You know about the reincarnated demon soul? Where did you learn about it?¡± Hearing this, the demon wind''s body trembled, and his eyes radiated a terrifying light. Shen Luo nodded silently. Judging from the reaction of the demon wind, even if he wasn''t a reincarnated demon soul, he had deep ties with it. He didn''t attack immediately after catching up, and was idly chatting with the demon wind here, all because he wanted to extract some information about Chiyou and the reincarnated demon soul verbally. Chapter 653 Chapter 653: Chapter 649: Reunion Chapter 653: Chapter 649: Reunion ¡°I''ve told you before, Master Yuan knows everything about your Demon Clan. His profound wisdom is all-encompassing, reaching even to the Heavenly Dao. Do you really think you can deceive him with Chiyou''s tricks?¡± Shen Luo sneered, attempting to continue the conversation. ¡°Yuan Tiangang revealed this critical information to you, and you have repeatedly interfered with my plans. It''s as I initially thought, you are a person of destiny. If we don''t eliminate you, you will surely hinder the grand plan of our Demon Ancestor!¡± The demon wind quickly calmed down, and a dreadful killing intent flashed in its eyes before it made a sudden move. A large amount of black Qi surged out of its body, transforming into a dozen black spear shadows that fiercely launched themselves towards Shen Luo as forceful as a full-strength crossbow. This was the same black spear attack that Jiang Liu had previously used, capable of holding against the golden short cone. The black spears emitted a horrifying whistling sound, creating a menacing scene. Shen Luo sighed quietly, knowing that he could no longer coax information from his enemy. His body abruptly submerged into the river below, and at the same time, he formed a seal with his hands. The SeSuppressing Bead above his head flashed with blue light, causing the river surface to violently explode. More than a dozen massive water columns shot upwards. Following a sudden spin, they transformed into more than a dozen oversized blue water spears, which also burst forth to meet those black spear shadows. Bang! Bang! Bang! A series of huge explosions rang out. The blue water spears shattered open, and the black spear shadows were shocked back a few steps, ready to launch another assault. The frothing river surface churned again, and a rain of water spears, water swords, and water knives shot forth like a violent storm covering the sky. They swept towards the black spear shadows and the demon wind. A few dozen feet away in the river, a crimson Sword Rainbow emerged from the water and aimed towards the Golden Mountain Temple. At this moment, Shen Luo did not have much mana left inside his body. The demon wind''s cultivation level had improved significantly compared to when they met in Jianye City. He could not clearly gauge his opponent''s depth and didn''t want to engage in a direct confrontation. ¡°Heh heh, only trying to run now? It''s far too late. Do you think I''ve been chattering away with you till now for no reason?¡± The demon wind''s scornful voice echoed in his ear. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart sank. The next moment, his vision abruptly blurred. The mountains and rivers disappeared from sight, and he found himself in a dark purple world. There was a gigantic black sun hanging in mid-air, and underneath it was a range of purple-black mountains. Unbelievably, countless enormous Blade Peaks and Sword Forests towered on these mountains, emitting powerful Sword Qi and Sword Glow. They ruthlessly stabbed into his body. Shen Luo felt a piercing pain all over his body, and he couldn''t help but let out a soft grunt. He quickly formed hand signs, and the SeSuppressing Bead above his head emitted a significant amount of blue light, turning into a blue light shield that enveloped his body. This blue light was profound, like the deep sea. It absorbed most of the Sword Qi and Sword Glow coming from below, greatly reducing his pain. He sighed in relief. ¡°What is this place? An illusion?¡± Shen Luo activated the Suppressing God Technique, but the purple-black world around him didn''t change, and the pain in his body didn''t subside. ¡°Not an illusion? Could it be a formation prohibition?¡± His face fell, and he slightly regretted making the decision to chase after the enemy alone. ¡°Formation prohibition? Do you think our Demon Clan would use such a lowly method of your Human Race? This is ''Sumeru True Words,'' part of the twenty-four demon spells passed down by the Demon Ancestor Chiyou!¡± The demon wind emerged from the fluctuating void ahead, sneering coldly. ¡°Sumeru True Words?¡± Shen Luo''s pupils contracted as if he wanted to say something, but the next moment, a crimson Sword Light flashed below him, and he abruptly sped off in a different direction. ¡°Foolish.¡± The demon wind didn''t chase him, allowing Shen Luo to escape. Shen Luo flew forward with all his strength. However, regardless of where he flew, he only saw Blade Peaks and Sword Mountains underneath. This space was filled with an incredibly fierce aura. Despite doing his best to activate the SeSuppressing Bead for defense, his body still couldn''t withstand it. The fierce Sword Qi was not only attacking his physical body but also damaging his divine soul. His divine soul was trembling continuously in his mind, as if countless small swords and knives were drilling and piercing it. In addition to the intense pain, his Soul Power was rapidly whittling away, despite his attempts to use the Suppressing God Technique to ward off this depletion. ¡°This is the true power of the Demon Clan!¡± Shen Luo was stunned inwardly, he halted, not wasting any more mana in flight, and quickly formed hand seals. The phantom of the Flood Dragon from the Sea Guardian Bead was released, swirling around Shen Luo, emitting a resonant dragon chant to hold off the intense Sword Qi around him. ¡°No matter what Sumeru True Words are, they are nothing more than a technique similar to spatial restriction. There must be a way to break it.¡± He thought to himself, his Divine Sense reaching out to inspect the surroundings, attempting to find a flaw in this purple-black space. However, just at this moment, a demon appeared in the half-air above, reciting incomprehensible syllables, seemingly a spell of the Demon Clan, and pointed a finger at Shen Luo. Black light flashed in the sky, and an enormous black sword Qi several hundred feet long appeared out of thin air, and split towards Shen Luo as if bearing the force to split mountains and seas. The void in other places also trembled greatly, with waves of Sword Qi and Sword Glow coming flying, all stabbing towards Shen Luo, seemingly wanting to shred him to pieces. Shen Luo''s pupils contracted at the sight, he shouted and, near him, the Golden Short Awl glowed brightly. With a tremble, countless Golden Awl Shadows materialized and swarmed around him, colliding with the Sword Qi and Sword Glow. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All the defensive magical instruments he had were shattered, they could only rely on the Golden Short Awl for defense. A series of loud sounds of metal striking broke out. These Sword Qis and Sword Glows might look huge, but their power was only average, shattering with a hit from the Golden Awl Shadow. Although the Sword Qi and Sword Glow weren''t strong, their numbers were massive. Shen Luo was straining to defend, unable to find the flaw in the purple-black space due to the pressure on him. The demon was leisurely chanting spells, forming seals, with endless sword Qi and Sword Glow appearing persistently, rolling towards Shen Luo like a tide. Shen Luo defended with all his might, his inner mana was already low. Driving the Golden Short Awl with all his power to resist drained his mana quickly, it was on verge of depletion. His heart sank rapidly, after casting a cold eye, he summoned the Golden Heavenly Book with a wave of his hand, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, fusing it into the Heavenly Book. The originally ethereal Heavenly Book immediately turned into a dark red entity. He then started to drive his mana into the Heavenly Book and the jade pillow, mimicking the previous casting process, trying to summon the Dream Cultivation once more. Even if it would consume his lifespan, he couldn''t care less at this life or death moment. However, the first attempt, failed! The second attempt, failed! Three times, still failed! The Heavenly Book appeared automatically in the time of crisis before, allowing him to summon Dream Cultivation but now he could not summon it through his own invocation. Shen Luo was extremely anxious, his mana rotated at full force within the jade pillow, but he still couldn''t succeed. His mana quickly ran out, the Golden Awl Shadows around him became sparse, and gradually could not block the surrounding Sword Qi. Two sharp whistles echoed, and two radiances of sword pierced through the defense of the Golden Short Awl, slashing Shen Luo. He was left with two large wounds on his chest, fresh blood spraying out, and he was knocked flying. The defense formed by countless Golden Awl Shadows broke all at once. Millions of Sword Qis and Sword Glows rushed in like a swarm of bees, on the verge of overwhelming his body. (Wangyu wishes my fellow Daoist friends: Stay healthy and may all your wishes come true in the new year!) Chapter 654 Chapter 654: Chapter 650: Sixteen Daoist Rod Shadows (Happy New Year, asking for monthly tickets) Chapter 654: Chapter 650: Sixteen Daoist Rod Shadows (Happy New Year, asking for monthly tickets) ¡°Is this the end?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel despair in his heart, yet he was unwilling to give up, injecting all of his remaining Mana into the jade pillow, attempting one last effort. However, at this moment, an unexpected change occurred! The Heavenly Book suddenly emitted a bright red light, an odd surge of power abruptly transmitted from it, a red pillar of light soared upward, straight into the high altitude. At the same time, a power beyond measure radiated out in all directions from the Heavenly Book as its epicenter. All the Sword Qi and Sword Glow were shattered in their entirety, subsequently swept away like fallen leaves in the autumn wind, and the demon wind in mid-air was also blown away. ¡°Success!¡± Shen Luo barely escaped death, his heart filled with joy. The red pillar of light shot up into the sky, disappearing into the purple-black sky curtain in an instant, causing the purple-black sky curtain to fluctuate, astonishingly pierced by the red light pillar creating a rift, faintly revealing the blue sky outside. ¡°What!¡± The Demon Wind, who had just managed to stabilize himself, showed a stunned look on his face. In the previous battle at Hei Feng Ao, the Demon Wind arrived late and didn''t see Shen Luo using the Heavenly Book to summon his Dream Cultivation level. However, Shen Luo, excited at the sight of the sky, didn''t bother summoning his Dream Cultivation level, instead, he immediately soared towards that rift. But just then, suddenly a white light shone from deep within the pillar of light, a white figure rapidly descended from the sky and merged into Shen Luo''s body. His flying form immediately stopped mid-air, then his body was engulfed in a hazy golden light, strong winds blowing around him. The aura around his body surged at a terrifying pace, reaching the True Immortal Realm within a few breaths. At this moment, the red light pillar flickered then instantly vanished, and the crack in the purple-black space also healed. ¡°This¡­¡± The Demon Wind felt the overwhelming pressure erupting from Shen Luo''s body which agonizingly dilated his eyes, but he quickly recovered, spat out a puff of dark Qi, merging it into the surrounding void, simultaneously making hand seals. The black sun in mid-air suddenly illuminated, waves of dark light circulated throughout the surrounding space, a humming sound accompanied by twice the amount of Sword Qi and Sword Glow from before came flying. A layer of burning black glow shrouded these Sword Qi and Sword Glow, the sense of sharpness they radiated was suddenly terrifyingly intense. Despite this, Shen Luo''s face remained exceptionally calm, he pointed at the golden short cone. The golden short cone instantly expanded dozens of times, transforming into a several feet long golden giant cone, its golden light surging like a small golden sun, brighter than ever. He then waved his hand, a thunderous roar echoed out, massive golden cone shadows appeared around him, filling the range with cone shadows and golden light which swiftly spiraled and fluttered. As soon as the incoming Sword Qi and Sword Glow entered this area, they shattered immediately, unable to penetrate an inch, let alone touch Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s gaze then fell on the Demon Wind, he pointed his finger. The Demon Wind felt a chill in his heart, his figure immediately retreated, but the moment he moved, a ripple appeared in the void before him, the golden short cone materialized out of nowhere, slashing downward from the sky. A fan-shaped golden light, several hundreds of feet big, appeared out of thin air, not giving the Demon Wind any time to react, striking him. With a ¡°swish¡± sound, the Demon Wind was split in half, then engulfed and devoured by the endless golden light. However, the fan-shaped golden light didn''t stop, it continued shooting forward, fiercely smashing into the purple-black space in front of it. A deep trace emerged from the cut in the space, causing the surrounding purple-black space to vibrate intensely, appearing on the verge of shattering. But as the space rippled, a peculiar purple great bead, about the size of a human head, appeared out of thin air. This purple great bead was steaming with auspicious Qi, its interior filled with billowing mist of purple rosy clouds, radiating an immeasurable depth. The bead''s surface was adorned with intricate patterns of tiny stars, making it appear extraordinarily remarkable. With the appearance of this purple great bead, a silhouette also materialized out of thin air, it was the demon wind who had been slayed by the golden dragon cone just a moment ago, astonishingly, he looked completely unscathed, however, his aura had drastically weakened. The demon wind loudly roared and pointed a finger, projecting a thick black light into the purple great bead. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The purple great bead burst into an incredibly brilliant purple rosy cloud, merging it into the purple-black space. The intensely shaking purple-black space immediately stabilized, the purple-black radiance within the space began to glow brighter and brighter as if it had taken a potent replenishing potion. With his strike yielding no results, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, and his right hand immediately reached out into the void. Golden light surged in his palm and coalesced rapidly, instantly transforming into a golden rod shadow about a dozen feet long. He stepped forward in the void and his arms swung back and forth swiftly. The whooshing sounds of the rod rang out, one after another golden rod shadows materialized around him, like arranging soldiers in formation, their numbers reaching sixteen, it was the Ape King Stick Technique he had learned in Dreamland. Not that he couldn''t shape more rod shadows, but the rod shadow in his hand was transformed through his mana, his capacity was limited and could only maintain sixteen rod shadows. The void around Shen Luo suddenly collapsed, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from all around converged onto the rod shadow like a funnel, emitting an overwhelming terrifying might that threatened to crush the heavens and earth. ¡°What¡­What kind of God''s power is this!¡± Demon wind cried out in horror. The surrounding purple-black space began to shake violently, even before the golden rod shadow could be swung out, the entire purple-black space shattered with a crackling sound, like a paper cloth tearing apart, reappearing above the river. The mid-air was currently engulfed with rolling dark clouds, and wildly dancing lightning snakes, giving an impression of a scene capable of destroying the heavens and exterminating the earth. The purple great bead also appeared with the shattering of the purple-black space, the bead was entangled in the overwhelming might of the Ape King Stick Technique, its surface was flashing with purple light, and then there was a loud crack, a rift that spanned from top to bottom appeared on the surface of the bead, all its colored light vanished immediately. The demon wind, affected by the overwhelming force of the Ape King Stick Technique, had its lower-half of the body burst open. He looked frightened, and upon noticing the anomaly in the sky, his complexion changed drastically. Ignoring his injuries, he spat out several clusters of blood light into his broken body. Blood light emanating around him fervently, instantly transform into a blood-red long rainbow that shot off into the distance. However, right before he fled, a stream of black light emerged from the blood-red long rainbow, it swooped down on the cracked purple great bead, intending to take it with him. Yet, just at this moment, a ray of glaring golden light broke out from another side, it also twined itself on the purple great bead, easily shattering and suppressing the black light. The purple great bead was then taken by the golden light and landed in Shen Luo''s hand. A series of golden rays emerged around the bead, etching a series of golden runes, these runes rotated around the bead before all being absorbed by the purple great bead. A layer of light gold radiance appeared on the purple great bead, masking all remaining colors, evidently a powerful seal had been placed. Then, it was immediately tucked away with a flash. All these complex series of events may seem elaborate, but, in reality, they transpired in a blink of an eye. With a resentful roar, the demon wind didn''t dare to pause for even a moment. Turning into a blood ray, he dashed forward at a frantic pace, disappearing in a heartbeat, his speed astonishingly fast. Chapter 655 Chapter 655: Chapter 651 Phoenix Jade Chapter 655: Chapter 651 Phoenix Jade Shen Luo did not pursue. Watching the demon wind fly away, he quickly formed a seal with both hands, and a white figure flew out of him and returned to the Dark Red Heavenly Records. The blood light on the Dark Red Heavenly Records quickly faded, returning to its ethereal form and transforming into a stream of light that flew into the jade pillow within the Linlang Ring. The black snakes of lightning in the sky disappeared one after another, and the sky returned to normal. Shen Luo''s figure swayed, and like a stone, he plunged from mid-air, falling into the river with a splash. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± A faint sound rang out as hundreds of tiny wounds appeared all over his body. Blood spurted out in a dozen places, dyeing the river water red. Shen Luo''s whole body trembled as if in spasms, and his face became as pale as paper, devoid of any trace of color. He had just summoned his dream cultivation level a short while ago, and his injuries had not yet fully healed. Now he had again summoned his cultivation level from the dream. Moreover, the duration was even longer than the previous time. His vitality was once again drained, many of his meridians were ruptured, and his condition was more serious than before. A black figure, the Ghost General, flew out from the Nine Yin Pouch and lifted Shen Luo''s body to fly ashore. Seeing Shen Luo in this condition, the Ghost General was somewhat panicked. But his ghostly qi was too cold, he could not help Shen Luo heal his injuries, and he had no healing pills either. He was entirely at a loss. Shen Luo tried his best to mobilize the residual mana inside his body and take out healing pills from the Linlang Ring. If he could take just a little healing pill, he could replenish his vitality and temporarily stabilize his injuries with the Great Unsealing Technique. However, his body was completely empty, and without a trace of mana, he couldn''t open the Linlang Ring at all. Without external assistance and his own mana being completely depleted, Shen Luo couldn''t stabilize his injuries. Blood poured from his wounds and his body was beginning to cool. ¡°Could it be that I''m going to bleed to death like this¡­¡± he chuckled bitterly in his mind. The Ghost General was very worried. Seeing that Shen Luo''s condition was getting worse, he was about to infuse his ghostly qi into Shen Luo''s body without thinking of the consequences. Just at this moment, a bone-white escape light flew from a distance and landed not far away, revealing a graceful figure ¨C it was Gu Hualing. The Ghost General knew of the grudge between Shen Luo and Gu Hualing, and he quickly moved to stand in front of Shen Luo, looking at her with hostility. Shen Luo also noticed Gu Hualing''s arrival and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Gu Hualing looked at the severely injured Shen Luo, her beautiful eyebrows slightly knitted. She took a step forward. ¡°What are you trying to do? Stop!¡± The Ghost General roared lowly. The black light in his hands surged and condensed into two black greatswords, a piercingly sharp and cold sword qi erupted from them, icing the ground with a layer of white frost. He had absorbed a large amount of Yin Cold Energy in the underworld. His strength had greatly increased compared to before. Even though Gu Hualing''s cultivation level was higher, the Ghost General was still confident about fighting her. ¡°If you don''t want your master to die from his injuries, stand aside.¡± Gu Hualing said calmly. The Ghost General was taken aback, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. ¡°Ghost General¡­ you¡­ step back¡­¡± Shen Luo spoke with difficulty, uttering a weak voice. Upon hearing this, the Ghost General complied and stepped aside. He kept a wary eye on Gu Hualing, and the black light greatswords in his hand did not recede either. Gu Hualing ignored the Ghost General and walked up to Shen Luo. After sizing him up, she squatted down in front of him and took out an object ¨C it was the Phoenix Jade. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She placed the Phoenix Jade on Shen Luo''s chest, reciting spells as she pointed at it with her finger. A beam of white light shot out of her hand, pouring into the Phoenix Jade. Thick, blood-red light emanated instantly from the jade, vaguely forming the shape of a phoenix. This blood-red light did not possess a trace of cruelty or the smell of blood, instead pulsating with lively energy and emanating a refreshing aroma. Gu Hualing moved her finger again, extracting about a tenth of the total blood light and infusing it into Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo felt a powerful warmth enter his body, quickly moving throughout him. His pain was swept away, and his torn meridians completely recovered. Blood strings appeared on his wounds, twisting and intertwining like living things, rapidly healing the scary gashes at a speed visible to the naked eye. His once heavy injuries were fully healed in a matter of breaths. Shen Luo sat up, looking at his own body with disbelief. The healing properties of the blood light from Phoenix Jade were surprisingly even more potent than the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill. Not only were his injuries healed, but some of the vitality that he had lost due to summoning his Dream Cultivation had returned, and half of his mana too was restored. ¡°The Phoenix Jade still retains my mother''s life essence and phoenix bloodline energy. Phoenix power is inherently good at healing, so it was quite easy to cure your injuries.¡± Gu Hualing said casually as she put away the Phoenix Jade. ¡°So that''s how it is. Thank you, friend Gu. Actually, you could have simply given me some ordinary healing pills earlier, there was no need to use the Phoenix Jade.¡± Shen Luo thanked her, his hands clasped in a fist salute. ¡°You once saved my mother''s life with that precious elixir. We of the Demon Race always repay kindness with gratitude. I''m merely returning the favor,¡± Gu Hualing said calmly. ¡°Regardless, thank you Friend Gu. This place isn''t safe, and the demon wind could be back at any moment. We should head back to the Golden Mountain Temple as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo suggested. On hearing the words ¡°demon wind¡±, Gu Hualing''s eyes contracted. However, her expression did not change much, implying she had been nearby before and might even have watched the confrontation between Shen Luo and the demon wind. She nodded slightly, conjuring a white bone sword and flying on it back towards the Golden Mountain Temple. Shen Luo store the Ghost General back into the Nine Yin pouch and took out a manreplenishing pill, refining it with his cultivation. He then conjured a majestic crimson sword light from below and flew to the Golden Mountain Temple. En route, Shen Luo assessed the loss of lifespan caused by summoning the Dreamworld Mana this time and looked gloomy quickly. After he had summoned the Dream Cultivation for approximately four breaths of time, his lifespan had reduced by forty years. Fortunately, the phoenix essence blood from Gu Hualing had replenished some of his vitality and regained about seven to eight years of his lifespan. Thus, he ended up losing just about thirty-plus years. He reflected on his previous loss of thirty years of lifespan in Hei Feng Ao. His total lifespan loss had now escalated to more than sixty years! When he had advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, his lifespan had only increased by just over two hundred years. Now, he had lost a third of that in one go, which was an unbearable loss. ¡°This can''t go on. After returning to Chang''an, I must continue to find lifespan-extending items and increase my cultivation as fast as possible!¡± Shen Luo made a resolution in his heart. Thankfully, he still had the Qilin blood bestowed by Cheng Yaojin. This could also help to increase his lifespan. Unfortunately, he had been too busy recently. When he returns to Chang''an, he planned to consume it immediately, hoping it would add more years to his lifespan. Chapter 656 Chapter 656: Chapter 652: Exorcism Chapter 656: Chapter 652: Exorcism Shen Luo took a deep breath, looked ahead at the white escape light transformed by Gu Hualing, his eyes slightly flickering. The phoenix essence blood this woman had seemed to greatly enhance the lifespan. Unfortunately, her Phoenix Jade was a relic of her mother and she couldn''t possibly give it to him. Although the loss incurred from summoning Dream Cultivation twice was painful, Shen Luo also gained quite a few benefits. First, he had secretly inspected the three Golden Phoenix Feathers from the Black Phoenix Demon. These feathers contained a powerful Phoenix Flame''s Power. If he fused it into the Five-Fire Fan, its power would immediately increase greatly. However, Shen Luo did not know if the Five-Fire Fan would integrate well with the Golden Phoenix Feathers. The second thing was the Purple Great Bead he just got from demon wind. It was clearly another rare treasure. He didn''t have time to take a close look just now, but he would definitely examine it carefully later. However, his biggest gain this time was neither the Golden Phoenix Feather nor the Purple Great Bead. Shen Luo made a gesture, a crimson flying sword from the glorious sword light under him fell in front of him, and it was the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The appearance of the sword embryo had changed a lot compared to before. It was slimmer, the sword edges, the sword handle, the sword''s body were all more defined, it no longer looked like a sword embryo but had transformed into a mature crimson flying sword. Moreover, on the body of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, bright and mysterious crimson patterns emerged. With a flick, sword qi spread out wildly, becoming several times stronger than before. It could now compare to a top-grade magical artifact. During these two summons of Dream Cultivation, the mana in his body was forcefully elevated to the True Immortal Level while the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was constantly within his Dantian. The strong mana of the True Immortal Realm was injected into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, so its nourishment progressed rapidly. The first time he summoned Dream Cultivation in Black Phoenix Gully, he wasn''t aware of it until on the way back to Golden Mountain Temple. That was when he noticed the change in the Pure Yang Sword Embryo within his Dantian. Therefore, after summoning Dream Cultivation just now, while Shen Luo was fighting his enemy on the outside, he was actually circulating the Pure Yang Sword Technique inside his body, nurturing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Although the time was short, the benefits were even greater. It was just a little bit off from achieving perfection. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo differs from other magical instruments, it needed to reach perfection before the prohibition could be engraved in it, transforming it into a complete magical instrument. At that time, the power of this sword would also greatly improve. With the precious materials it was made of and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, it could also possibly reach the level of a Magical Treasure. With this thought, a glint of excitement flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. At this moment, several escape lights flew toward him. They belonged to Lu Huaming, Abbot Hai Shi, and others. Seeing each other, both parties stopped their escape lights. ¡°Brother Shen, we saw the celestial phenomenon just now, are you okay? Why did you chase out earlier?¡± Lu Huaming asked as he approached Shen Luo. ¡°Just now I sensed the aura of the demon wind and didn''t have time to elaborate before I chased after it. Although I suffered heavy injuries during the battle at the foot of the mountain, I''ve already recovered with the help of Friend Gu¡±, briefly explained Shen Luo about the previous incident. ¡°Demon wind!¡± Lu Huaming took a breath. He wasn''t very clear about the name of the demon wind before. On the way back from Black Phoenix Gully to Golden Mountain Temple, Shen Luo explained to him the things that the demon wind had done before, which made Lu Huaming extremely nervous. ¡°Amitabha, I also sensed that something unusual had escaped earlier, but I don''t know what this demon wind is. The two Daoist friends seem to know a lot about it. I kindly ask for your advice so that I can prepare in the future,¡± Abbot Hai Shi intervened. So Shen Luo simply told Abbot Hai Shi the information about Demon Wind. He also mixed in some of his speculations, such as the relationship between Demon Wind and Demonic Ancestor Chi You, as well as the possibility that the actions of Demon Wind were an attempt to break the seal and summon Chi You back to the human world. Shen Luo didn''t disclose this kind of information to Lu Huaming before, to avoid suspicion by saying too much all at once. ¡°Brother Shen, is the demon wind really aiming for this?¡± Lu Huaming was greatly shocked. ¡°I did not immediately take action after catching up with the demon wind just now, instead, I had a conversation with it and probed it out with my words. Although I can''t say for sure, I am pretty confident about it,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°If this is the case, we need to report to the Master and the National Master immediately.¡± Lu Huaming realized the seriousness of this issue and said solemnly. Chiyou, the Demon Ancestor, was something he knew about. Once it revived, the world of humanity would be mired in endless warfare, if it weren''t for the need to reincarnate the Golden Cicada, he would have wanted to return to Chang''an City immediately. Shen Luo lowered his gaze in view of Lu Huaming''s distress. He said these things mainly for Lu Huaming to convey to Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang, to strengthen the defense against Chiyou''s revival. ¡°Brother Lu, Abbot Hai Shi, how is Jiang Liu in your custody?¡± Without dwelling on this topic, to avoid drawing attention, Shen Luo tactfully asked about a different matter. ¡°We''ve already imprisoned him, but we haven''t had the chance to inquire in detail. We were afraid you might be in danger, so we hurried over here immediately,¡± said Lu Huaming. Since there was no danger on Shen Luo''s side, the group returned to the Golden Mountain Temple. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Gu Hualing was a stranger, she suppressed her demonic Qi and walked together with Shen Luo and others, so the monks of the Golden Mountain Temple did not ask any questions. Everyone soon arrived at the square inside the temple. It was in a mess, with pits all over the ground and only a small area at the innermost part of the square remained intact. As for the devout followers in the temple, they should have been sent down the mountain by now, and there was no trace of them in the temple. The golden light on various parts of the temple ground had already dissipated, and only the golden light in the sky remained. A golden light pillar descended from the sky, covering the intact area in the innermost part of the square. Jiang Liu sat within the light pillar, bound by several thick golden chains, firmly imprisoned there. The black demonic patterns on his body had disappeared, but his skin was still blood red, and his face was full of ferocity. Seeing Shen Luo and others arrive, he kept roaring at them. However, his voice was blocked by the golden light pillar and could not reach the outside. A little monk in grey robe sat cross-legged outside the golden pillar, chanting scriptures. Dots of golden light floated in the void, it was Chan''er. The golden light in the void this time was different from that during the preaching. It was not a golden lotus but a series of golden Buddhist mantras that radiated an oppressive sense of demon-suppression. With Chan''er''s chanting, these Buddhist mantras swarmed towards Jiang Liu''s body and kept integrating into it. ¡°What is little master Chan''er doing?¡± Seeing this scene, Shen Luo looked surprised and asked. ¡°Chan''er is reciting the Exorcising Demon Sutra, driving out the demonic nature in Jiang Liu.¡± Abbot Hai Shi said. He gave Chan''er a look, then, after apologizing to Shen Luo and the others, sat next to Chan''er and also began to chant scriptures. The other monks sitting nearby saw this and also sat down to chant. Dozens of golden lights slowly radiated from their bodies, gradually becoming brighter and brighter, connecting with each other, and finally forming a grand golden light array. Chapter 657 Chapter 657: Chapter 653: Purple Sandalwood Buddha Beads Chapter 657: Chapter 653: Purple Sandalwood Buddha Beads The sound of huge Buddhist chanting echoed across the square, and a brilliant golden ¡°Buddha¡± True Word appeared above the array, slowly rotating. Shen Luo, Lu Huaming, and Gu Hualing were repelled by an invisible force and pushed to the outside of the light array. The chanting sound became louder, and the world fell into solemn silence. The golden Buddha character grew rapidly, its rotation speed also began to accelerate, and under the sunlight, it became increasingly dazzling and unbearable to gaze upon. Possibly due to the influence of the Buddhist light array, Chan''er was enveloped in a layer of golden radiance, and a faint golden halo appeared behind her head. She looked dignified and awe-inspiring, invoking a sense of reverence. ¡°Could this appearance of Chan''er be¡­¡± Seeing this scene, Shen Luo showed a surprised look, and a sudden thought crept into his mind. The True Word of Buddhism in the surrounding void enlarged several times, rolling toward Jiang Liu''s body. Jiang Liu''s face showed pain, his angry roar resounding, but it was to no avail. As time passed little by little, his raging emotions gradually subsided, and the bloody color on his skin retreated, as if the demonic thoughts within his body were being purified. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A moment later, Jiang Liu returned completely to his original state, and the ferocity on his face also disappeared, leaving calmness. ¡°Buddhist Divine Techniques are truly unparalleled, they can actually exorcise the demon within!¡± Shen Luo secretly commented. Seeing Jiang Liu return to his normal state, Abbot Hai Shi and others stopped chanting, looking somewhat tired. It seemed that reciting this Exorcising Demon Sutra was quite exhausting. However, the sound of chanting around them did not dissipate. Chan''er''s eyes were tightly shut, and she was still chanting the sutra. Not only that, the golden halo behind her head became even brighter, emitting circles of golden radiance that rippled around her like water waves, and a rich scent of sandalwood somehow filled the air. Although the golden light array was gone, the True Word of Buddhism in the void did not diminish. Instead, it grew larger, continuing to surge towards Jiang Liu''s body, which was rapidly becoming transparent. ¡°What¡­ What''s happening?¡± The people of Golden Mountain Temple all wore a look of shock. Shen Luo and the others were all equally surprised, it seemed the situation was changing yet again. Jiang Liu, however, didn''t resist. He looked at Chan''er with an expression of resignation. Moments later, there was a soft sound, and he disappeared into thin air, turning into a string of Purple Sandalwood Buddha Beads that radiated a faint golden light. The Purple Buddha Beads moved slightly, flying out from inside the golden light pillar and then looped around Chan''er''s wrist. Immediately, the golden light on Chan''er shone brilliantly, too dazzling to bear. The solemn sound of chanting echoed in the sky, and an extremely mighty power surged out, pushing all those nearby back. A gentle and compassionate image of a great Buddha gradually surfaced in the golden light, its sight so awe-inspiring that onlookers felt the urge to kneel in homage. ¡°This is the Golden Cicada Dharma Appearance! I understand now, Chan''er is the real reincarnation of the Golden Cicada!¡± Exclaimed Abbot Hai Shi at sight of the Buddha illusion. The surrounding monks were startled by his words, looking at Chan''er in disbelief, yet the scenes before them left them without a choice but to believe it. ¡°If Chan''er is the reincarnated Golden Cicada, then what is Jiang Liu?¡± Lu Huaming, standing to one side, widened his eyes and mumbled to himself. ¡°Jiang Liu isn''t from the human race, but a Monster Spirit. He is the spirit of that string of Buddha beads, transformed into human form.¡± Gu Hualing, on the other hand, showed no surprise as if he had known this all along. ¡°Friend Gu, did you know Jiang Liu''s true identity all along?¡± Shen Luo had vaguely suspected this, so his face was relatively calm as he asked. ¡°Being a demon myself, I naturally can sense the aura of Jiang Liu, who is also a Monster Spirit.¡± Gu Hualing glanced at Shen Luo and said lightly. Shen Luo looked at Gu Hualing, a strange gleam in his eyes, but he said nothing. The gigantic golden Dharmform did not last long. After flickering a few times, it transformed into a vast expanse of golden light, converging toward Chan''er like a whale absorbing water, and merged into his body. A few breaths later, the golden light in the sky vanished completely, and Chan''er opened his eyes. ¡°Chan''er, why could you manifest the Golden Cicada Dharmform? Could it be that you are the true Golden Cicada reincarnation?¡± Before Abbot Hai Shi could speak up, Elder Zhe Shi asked, pre-emptively. ¡°What Golden Cicada reincarnation, what just happened here? I remember chanting the Exorcising Demon Sutra. Oh yes, where''s Jiang Liu?¡± Chan''er uttered with a look of confusion. ¡°Master, I''m here¡­¡± A weak voice sounded, apparently from inside the purple Buddha beads. ¡°A demon! The Buddha beads have gained self-awareness!¡± The monks around started a commotion again, and some anxious ones immediately brandished their magical instruments. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed, he was about to intervene. ¡°Don''t act rashly!¡± Abbot Hai Shi shouted. Abbot Hai Shi has always been highly respected in Golden Mountain Temple, so those anxious monks stopped their actions. Abbot Hai Shi slowly walked towards Chan''er, looking at the Buddha beads. ¡°You are Jiang Liu? What happened here? Although Buddhists do not kill, we will not show mercy to demons. If you want peace, tell us everything!¡± He commanded sternly. ¡°Hmph! You only managed to defeat me by relying on outsiders and array techniques. What are you so proud of?¡± The Buddha bead retorted coldly. ¡°Jiang Liu, don''t be disrespectful to the Abbot!¡± Chan''er looked at the Buddha beads in his hands, his voice stern. The purple Buddha beads seemed to fear Chan''er''s words and immediately shut up. ¡°Actually¡­ there''s no harm in telling you. Even in the state I''m in, if you can''t guess what happened, then you must really be idiots. I am the Buddha bead that Golden Cicada wore on his person. Chan''er, you are the true reincarnation of Golden Cicada. When Master died, I unknowingly tainted with magic blood. It is this that gave me spiritual wisdom and allowed me to reincarnate into a monster spirit.¡± The purple Buddha beads explained. ¡°Magic blood!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed ¡°Affected by the magic blood, I wanted to replace Chan''er as the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, to be admired by everyone. This¡­ this is common human nature, right? I forced Chan''er to preach for me. Firstly, he understands the principles of Buddhism better than I do; and secondly, chanting helps calm the magical blood within me.¡± The Buddha beads continued. Hearing this, everyone suddenly understood. No wonder Jiang Liu always asked Chan''er to accompany him and even let Lee preach on his behalf. ¡°You demon, you managed to take human form due to a stroke of chance, but instead of cultivating, you impersonated the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, tarnishing the reputation of our Golden Mountain Temple for hundreds of years. Furthermore, you have severely injured the Hall Master and Elder Zhe Shi, and for that, you should be punished!¡± A middle-aged monk shouted angrily. The monk was a disciple of Hall Master Shi, and had always admired Jiang Liu greatly. However, now that he knew that the person he admired was actually a monster spirit, he was a mix of shame and anger. ¡°I''ve done what I''ve done. If you wish to kill me, go ahead, I''m not scared,¡± The Buddha bead responded nonchalantly. ¡°You¡­¡± The middle-aged monk was furious, ready to step forward and punish the Buddha bead. ¡°Brother Huitong, Jiang Liu just has some worldly attachments and was influenced by the magic blood, leading him to lose control and hurt people. We ask that you show mercy this one time.¡± Chan''er hid the Buddha bead behind him and greeted with a single-handed salute. The middle-aged monk frowned. Now that Chan''er was the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, he dared not disrespect him. ¡°Huitong, Buddhists must prohibit anger, especially when we have guests present. Keep yourself in check!¡± Abbot Hai Shi admonished. Monk Huitong quickly responded and retreated. Seeing this, Chan''er let out a sigh of relief and brought the Buddha bead back to the front of his body. Chapter 658 Chapter 658: Chapter 654: Golden Cicada Reincarnation Chapter 658: Chapter 654: Golden Cicada Reincarnation ¡°Chan''er, my little master, did you already know that Jiang Liu was a transformed Buddha Bead?¡± Lu Huaming asked, looking at the string of purple Buddha beads. ¡°Jiang Liu told me.¡± Chan''er nodded. ¡°Then why didn''t you reveal him to the abbot, yet you preached for him?¡± Lu Huaming asked, wide-eyed, his face full of incomprehension. ¡°I believe all beings are equal. Why should there be any distinction between truth and deception? As long as it''s for the welfare of the people, preaching on his behalf is fine. If I can use this opportunity to convert Jiang Liu, then that''s even better,¡± said Chan''er sincerely. Lu Huaming, having heard this, found it both amusing and a bit exasperating ¨C this young monk was simply too naive. ¡°Abbot, since Jiang Liu has admitted his mistake, please forgive him. Let him follow me in the form of Buddha Bead to concentrate on his cultivation. Perhaps this might gradually purify all the demonic and violent energy within him.¡± Chan''er turned to Abbot Hai Shi and said. ¡°If that''s what you want, Chan''er, then so be it. From now on, Buddha Bead, you shall follow Chan''er and concentrate on your cultivation. Do not cause any more trouble and remember to protect Chan''er well,¡± Abbot Hai Shi said. ¡°Tch, like I need you to tell me that. I''ve protected him for several lifetimes already!¡± Buddha Bead huffed out. The other monks, hearing the abbot''s agreement, did not say anything further, despite some remaining dissatisfaction among them. ¡°Today''s events have greatly benefited from the assistance of you both. On behalf of everyone at Golden Mountain Temple, the old monk offers his gratitude to you both.¡± After dealing with Jiang Liu''s matter, Abbot Hai Shi turned to Shen Luo and Lu Huaming and bowed in gratitude. ¡°Your Excellency Abbot is too polite, it''s our duty to eliminate demons and protect the Taoist path. However, Brother Shen and I came here to ask for Jinchanzi''s reincarnation, the Golden Cicada, to preside over the Water-Land Conference in Chang''an. We hope you can approve our request.¡± Lu Huaming respectfully suggested. With the surprising turn of events regarding Jiang Liu and the reveal that Jinchanzi has incarnated into Chan''er, he was overjoyed and immediately proposed this. ¡°The Water-Land Conference is a national festival, our Golden Mountain Temple naturally supports it wholeheartedly. Chan''er, are you willing to go?¡± After a moment of contemplation, Abbot Hai Shi asked Chan''er. ¡°The people of Chang''an have unfortunately suffered a catastrophe. As a disciple, I want to go and deliver salvation to all beings, spreading the merciful teachings of Buddha.¡± Chan''er nodded. ¡°Thank you, little Master Chan''er.¡± Lu Huaming, filled with joy, quickly thanked him. ¡°For each day we delay, the people in the city will suffer. Benefactors, let''s set out at once,¡± said Chan''er eagerly. ¡°Due to the disaster that befell the Golden Mountain Temple today, we need to spend some time to restore it. Moreover, Chan''er was injured by Jiang Liu earlier; I need to use dharma to heal him. Can you two benefactors please wait for half a day?¡± Abbot Hai Shi asked. ¡°Of course, no problem at all.¡± Lu Huaming nodded. Since there were still a few days left until the Water-Land Conference, half a day wouldn''t delay them too much. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With this, Abbot Hai Shi was about to take Chan''er away to recover his injuries. ¡°Little Master Chan''er, please wait for a moment. I have a question to ask you,¡± Shen Luo, who had been standing there quietly, suddenly spoke. ¡°What''s the matter, Benefactor?¡± Chan''er stopped in his tracks. ¡°Since you''re truly the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, do you have any memory of why Jinchanzi chose to reincarnate?¡± Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing his question, others also started to remember this matter and looked at Chan''er all at once. ¡°Although I have transformed into the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, I really have no memory of the past of Golden Cicada. Buddhist beads, do you know anything?¡± Chan''er scratched his head, looking at the Buddhist beads in his hand. ¡°Your past is just chanting sutras, accepting disciples, and constantly being caught by various monsters. As for why the Golden Cicada reincarnated, I don''t know. I only know that when I woke up, he suddenly entered the cycle of reincarnation.¡± The Buddhist beads hummed and spoke. ¡°Then why is there magic blood on you?¡± Shen Luo looked at the Buddhist beads and asked. When he asked this question, it was not to inquire of Chan''er, he was merely a catalyst. The one he really wanted to ask was this string of Buddhist beads. ¡°Didn''t I say that, I don''t know anything. When I woke up, the Golden Cicada had already reincarnated, and my body was stained with magic blood. I have no clue about the whole matter.¡± The beads had all their plans thwarted by Shen Luo which left them feeling hostile, thus they answered coldly. ¡°Then when did that demon wind find you?¡± Shen Luo ignored the cold response from the Buddhist bead spirit and continued his questioning. ¡°It was just a few years ago. At that time, the magic blood in my body was surging very badly. The demon wind found me and said that there was a way to help me suppress the magic blood and even grant me immense power. In a moment of confusion, I agreed to him. But I did not use this power for evil deeds. This time, having you sent to Hei Feng Ao, was also something the demon wind forced me to arrange.¡± the Buddhist bead spirit whispered. ¡°Is the magic blood still in your body?¡± Shen Luo did not pursue the matter of the Black Phoenix Ridge any further and asked about the status of the magic blood. ¡°Of course it is, but after the Exorcising Mantra recited by Chan''er just now, it has calmed a lot.¡± said the Buddhist beads. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not say anything more and retreated. Upon seeing this, Abbot Hai Shi took Chan''er away and arranged a place for Shen Luo and the others to rest. Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged in a meditation room, silently operating his techniques to recover his Mana. At the same time, he took out that Purple Great Bead. There was a layer of golden light flashing on the purple bead, the True Immortal seal had been set up to summon the dream cultivation. Through the golden light, one could see the purple clouds churning inside the bead, which had not dissipated with the breaking of the bead, showing that the spirituality was still intact. ¡°It''s not affected even after such a severe injury, it seems that this purple bead is a valuable demonic treasure.¡± He muttered to himself. After pondering for a while, he held the bead in his hand, pinching his fingers to operate the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and streaks of blue light quickly entered it. Since he had to confront the Demon Clan next, it would be unwise to know nothing about the Demonic Qi. Though it was a bit risky, Shen Luo decided to try and refine this thing. However, he was fully prepared, summoning the Heavenly Book Projection in the jade pillow. The moment the bead presented a problem, he would immediately collect it into the Heavenly Book Space. To Shen Luo''s surprise, the purple big bead immediately responded to the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. The bead instantly grew several times larger, turning into a giant bead with a height of one foot, and it even bloomed with brilliant purple light, making it look extremely enchanting. The only problem was a huge crack that crossed over it, which was a bit of an eyesore. Seeing this, a hint of joy appeared on Shen Luo''s face. He immediately activated his Divine Sense to sense the situation inside the treasure, but the purple clouds inside the bead were unfathomable, as if it contained a huge space. His Divine Sense could not detect the bottom of it. Moreover, the prohibition inside the bead also very ancient, different from ordinary magical weapons and treasures. Although the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique could refine it, it could not infer what kind of magical powers this thing possessed from the prohibition. According to the previous battle, this purple bead seemed to have the effect of stabilizing space. ¡°Forget it, I''ll study it slowly later. This bead can withstand the Ape King Stick Technique displayed by the True Immortal, it must be extraordinarily sturdy and can be used as a shield.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and put away the purple bead. He would refine it slowly later and focused on recovering his Mana. Half a day passed in a blink of an eye. He suddenly opened his eyes, a ripple of blue light spread out from his body as his Mana was fully recovered. He got up and walked outside, soon arriving at the gate of Golden Mountain Temple. Chapter 659 Chapter 659: Chapter 655: Returning to Chang''an Chapter 659: Chapter 655: Returning to Chang''an At this moment, Lu Huaming and Gu Hualing had also arrived at the gate of Golden Mountain Temple. The two of them seemed to get along well and were whispering together. Seeing Shen Luo coming over, Gu Hualing immediately stopped talking and moved to one side. ¡°What private conversation are the two Daoist friends having?¡± A hint of ridicule flashed across Shen Luo''s face. Gu Hualing blushed slightly and glared at Shen Luo. ¡°Ahem! There''s no private conversation. I was telling Daoist Gu about precautions to take when going to Chang''an. Brother Shen, how is your recovery?¡± Lu Huaming coughed somewhat awkwardly and changed the subject. ¡°I''m pretty much alright now. After returning to Chang''an, a few days of seclusion and rest should heal me completely.¡± Shen Luo did not continue to tease the two and replied. While the three were chatting, Abbot Hai Shi, Chan''er and Elder Zhe Shi walked out from Golden Mountain Temple. Chan''er was in the lead, and he seemed completely transformed. He was dressed in a big red kasaya, wearing a five Buddha crown, and holding a golden tin staff. He looked completely different from his previous plain and ragged appearance. ¡°I apologize for keeping the three benefactors waiting.¡± Chan''er gave a bow with one hand. ¡°Master Chan''er, you do look somewhat like the Golden Cicada Reincarnation in this outfit.¡± Lu Huaming returned the bow and laughed. ¡°Although I''m not used to this attire, the Buddha Beads told me that since I''ve become the Golden Cicada Reincarnation, I need to pay attention to my appearance. I think there''s some truth in that, so I reluctantly dressed like this.¡± Chan''er said earnestly. ¡°As the saying goes, Buddha relies on golden adornments. If you don''t dress up and look magnificent, who would believe you? The Golden Cicada of the past had a bright, dazzling kasaya and a nine-ringed tin staff gifted by the Guanyin Bodhisattva, which were far more extravagant than your current attire.¡± Buddha Beads said. ¡°Benefactors, Chan''er rarely goes out. This time as he travels to Chang''an, I have asked Junior Brother Zhe Shi to accompany him. I entrust their safety to you on their journey,¡± Abbot Hai Shi stepped forward and said. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Rest assured, Master Abbot, we will surely protect Master Chan''er.¡± Lu Huaming thumped his chest and promised. He then waved his hand to summon a flying boat. Everyone boarded the boat, which shot up into the sky, turned into a white light, and sped towards Chang''an, disappearing from sight. The noon of the second day. Inside Chang''an City, a carriage leisurely passed through the streets, heading towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Sitting on the left of the carriage, Lu Huaming wore a bamboo hat, held a bamboo whip in his hand, not hurrying the carriage, leisurely weaving through the streets. Inside the carriage, Shen Luo and Gu Hualing sat on opposite sides. One was deep in meditation, and the other was lost in thought. In the middle of the carriage sat two monks. One, a tall but ill-looking middle-aged monk, was Elder Zhe Shi from Golden Mountain Temple. The other, a small novice monk wearing a moon-white robe, was Chan''er. The pair had returned to Chang''an on a flying boat with Lu Huaming. They had been invited to represent Golden Mountain Temple at the Water and Land Dharma Assembly. At this moment, Chan''er was holding a string of purple wood Buddha beads, slowly spinning them between his fingers. Although he was chanting sutras, he seemed somewhat restless. ¡°Chan''er, peace of mind brings serenity in meditation. If your mind is not at peace, even chanting sutras is useless to your practice.¡± Elder Zhe Shi, noticing his distress, spoke up. ¡°Elder Zhe Shi, although I have spent a long time in the temple, I have never attended a Water and Land Dharma Assembly. I can''t help but feel a bit terrified, fearing that I might not be able to save people or ghosts,¡± Chan''er stopped chanting sutras as he spoke and slowly put down his Buddha beads. Despite being the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada, and possessing an intuitive understanding of the Buddha Dharma since his early years, he was still very young. Also, constantly being suppressed by ¡°Jiang Liu¡± led to him being somewhat introverted in nature. ¡°I don''t ferry people, Buddha Dharma itself ferries. As long as the Great Mahayana Dharma of Buddha is in your heart, why worry about not being able to guide humans and ghosts?¡± Elder Zhe Shi wore a kind smile as he spoke. ¡°Disciple understands.¡± Upon hearing this, Chan''er''s eyes lit up and he clasped his hands together. Half an hour later, the carriage stopped outside the government office. The group entered the government office. Lu Huaming led Gu Hualing to meet Cheng Yaojin first while Shen Luo brought Chan''er and Zen Master Zhe Shi to the Chongxuan Hall¨Cthe institution that managed religions in the Great Tang. Though a sect like the Hua Sheng Temple held an exalted status in the cultivation world, the affairs they involved themselves in the mundane world were still subject to the supervision of the Great Tang Dynasty Government to varying degrees. Chongxuan Hall was located in the northwest corner of the Great Tang Government Office. Shen Luo had never visited here before. They asked for directions along the way and finally brought the other two through layered galleries and courtyards to this place. Compared to the bustling scene at each hall of the Great Tang Government Office, things were much quieter here at the Chongxuan Hall. There was not even a guard by the door, only two stone lions squatting to the side of the courtyard entrance. Even before entering the courtyard of the hall, Shen Luo heard the ethereal sound of a bell tolling, which was pleasing to the mind. Chan''er and Elder Zhe Shi simultaneously placed their hands together, reciting Buddha''s name. Upon crossing the courtyard door and entering inside, they saw three monks in Jinlan cassocks and a middle-aged man dressed in the official wear of the Great Tang under a Bodhi tree. The middle-aged official greeted them first as they entered. After surveying the group, his gaze rested on Chan''er. He bowed and addressed them. ¡°Are these two the Jiang Liu Zen Master and Zhe Shi Zen Master from the Golden Mountain Temple?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Amitabha.¡± Chan''er and Zen Master Zhe Shi recited the name of Buddha and returned the bow. The monks under the Bodhi tree hearing this conversation also came over and saluted Shen Luo and the others. ¡°I''ve long heard of the name of Master Jiang Liu, and today I have finally met you. You''re truly extraordinarily intelligent and worthy of being the reincarnation of the Buddha''s disciple, Golden Cicada. You radiate Buddha''s light, showing the great virtues and merits you possess. It''s indeed gratifying,¡± the lead white-browed old monk said with some excitement. ¡°Master, you flatter me. I''m merely a little novice monk from the Golden Mountain Temple with minimal cultivation experience. Where are any substantial merits to speak of?¡± Chan''er turned red at these words and replied somewhat shyly. ¡°Who is this person¡­?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This is Master Bao Shu from Baoxiang Temple in Beijing, and the other two are great virtuous monks from the same temple, Master Lu De and Master Lu Chen. This Water and Land Dharma Assembly will be presided over by Master Bao Shu. The monks of Baoxiang Temple are also responsible for setting up the venue. At that time, high monks from other temples will join them to perform rites to guide the unjustly dead in Chang''an city to the netherworld,¡± the official from the Chongxuan Hall hurriedly introduced. ¡°I greet you, respective monks.¡± Upon hearing this, Chan''er placed his hands together and bowed. Shen Luo and Elder Zhe Shi also followed suit. After a round of conversation, Shen Luo, having completed his task of escorting and guiding, planned to leave. ¡°Everyone, I still have some tasks to attend to, so I will not stay here any longer.¡± Shen Luo greeted Chan''er, then bowed to everyone. ¡°We appreciate Master Shen''s escort.¡± Elder Zhe Shi gave his gratitude. Chan''er revealed a slight smile towards him, placed his hands together, and bowed his head. Chapter 660 Chapter 660: Chapter 656: Old Friend Chapter 660: Chapter 656: Old Friend After leaving Chongxuan Hall, Shen Luo was in a hurry to meet with Lu Huaming at the government office, as he needed to discuss something with Cheng Yaojin in person. After passing through two courtyards, Shen Luo suddenly heard the sound of fighting from ahead, which surprised him. Who would dare to make trouble in such a place? Just as he thought that it was someone contemplating Daoist law, he saw a figure being knocked out of the front yard, and was about to crash into the front of the yard behind. He quickly raised his hand and waved, condensing a wave to rescue the person. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the person who had been knocked out was Gu Hualing. ¡°Bold evildoer, this is the office of the Great Tang Government, not a place where you can run wild.¡± At this moment, Lu Huaming''s angry voice came from the front yard, and there was already a bit of anger in his voice. Shen Luo frowned slightly, and just as he was about to go in and assist, he heard a somewhat familiar voice: ¡°Since when has the Great Tang Government become a shelter for monsters? You know what that demon woman has done, right? She''s acting high and mighty here. Hurry up and get the hell out of here. Don''t delay me in exterminating the demon.¡± ¡°That voice¡­¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, his eyes shining slightly. At this time, the sound of an on-going battle came from inside, evidently Lu Huaming had already gotten into it with that person. Shen Luo quickly dashed inside, and saw two people suspended in mid-air, each casting spells, releasing two dazzling light groups that fiercely collided with each other. His gaze swept over Lu Huaming and landed on the man opposite him. Dressed in a white robe he was tall and handsome, it was none other than Bai Xiaotian, whom he had not seen for a long time. Shen Luo hesitated slightly, then flashed, landed exactly below the two, raised his hand and waved it skywards. A blue cloud of water vapor instantly surged upwards, crashing into the dazzling light groups. With a loud ¡°boom¡±! The blue water vapor hit the two light groups, forcibly changing their direction and making them rush towards the sky, where they exploded with a loud sound, causing the entire government office to tremble. The two people in the sky looked down at the same time and found that it was Shen Luo who had interrupted their duel, both were slightly surprised. Then, Bai Xiaotian''s figure suddenly plummeted from the sky and he excitedly circled around Shen Luo as if he couldn''t believe what he was seeing. He came forward hesitantly and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Shen Luo, it''s really you!¡± His eyebrows relaxed instantly and he exclaimed in surprise. ¡°If it''s not me, then who else could it be? Brother Bai, it has been a long time.¡± Shen Luo smiled and greeted him warmly. ¡°I got a letter from home saying that you had returned to your hometown, and then there was no news from you. I was worried that something had happened to you, I didn''t expect you to have come to the capital. You are¡­ just now¡­ your cultivation level¡­ you must''ve reached the Nascent Soul Stage, right?¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly realized something and couldn''t help gasping in surprise. ¡°Just the beginning of the Nascent Soul Stage, it''s still less than your Nascent Soul middle-stage realm.¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°I have been at Hua Sheng Temple, every day there is spent tirelessly cultivating. Could it be that you have also joined some incredible sect, or met a hidden Immortal Master, that you''ve undergone such changes?¡± Bai Xiaotian fired off a series of questions. Shen Luo just smiled and shook his head without saying anything. Lu Huaming on the side looked dazed. ¡°Shen Luo, do you see who this is?¡± At this point, Bai Xiaotian''s face darkened again, he lifted his hand, pointed at Shen Luo. Shen Luo didn''t have to turn around to know that Gu Hualing had returned. Before he could speak, a strong wave of mana surged on Bai Xiaotian''s body as if he was about to move forward again. On the other side, Lu Huaming sensed something was wrong, his figure flashed, and he had already stood in front of Gu Hualing. Shen Luo grabbed Bai Xiaotian''s arm. ¡°Shen Luo, you¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian saw his movements and a trace of confusion crossed his eyes. ¡°Xiaotian, there are some things that I need to tell you about before you decide what to do next.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. After that, he told Bai Xiaotian all about the Black Phoenix Demon and the mysterious organization. ¡°But even so, she cannot escape punishment.¡± After Bai Xiaotian quietly listened to this, he said. ¡°Of course, but now is not the time to kill her. If we want to find clues to the organization behind her, we must temporarily suppress the flames of revenge.¡± Shen Luo placed his hand on Bai Xiaotian''s shoulder, whispering. ¡°Fine, since you''ve said this, I''ll spare her for now.¡± Bai Xiaotian turned and glanced at Gu Hualing, remembering that she hadn''t retaliated when he attacked her earlier, and heaved a sigh. Seeing his murderous intent recede, Lu Huaming finally let out a sigh of relief and sent a message to Shen Luo, asking: Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What''s the deal with your friend? Why does he want to fight as soon as he sees her?¡± ¡°He, like me, is one of the last members of Chun Qiu Sect.¡± Shen Luo replied. Upon hearing this, Lu Huaming became slightly stiff, and then helplessly turned around, asking, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Gu Hualing bent her eyebrows and shook her head silently without saying anything. ¡°You guy, you''ve got to Chang''an City and you don''t even come to Hua Sheng Temple to look for me. That''s not fair!¡± Bai Xiaotian''s face cleared up, he nudged Shen Luo with his elbow. ¡°I didn''t get any rest on the way here and had no time to find you, and of course, I didn''t want to disturb your cultivation either.¡± Shen Luo replied helplessly. ¡°Do you think someone as talented as me is afraid of being disturbed?¡± Bai Xiaotian smiled arrogantly. Remembering how Bai Xiaotian had exploded and died in Dreamland, Shen Luo couldn''t help but advise: ¡°You still need to change your temperament, and you must be more mindful about cultivation. Don''t regret it when you fail to Cross Tribulation and only become a half-immortal.¡± ¡°You think highly of me, Crossing Tribulation? Half-immortal? Although I am a genius, I dare not brag about it¡­ By the way, when did you become so arrogant? Based on your tone, a half-immortal is even beneath your notice?¡± Bai Xiaotian was stunned, and he laughed. ¡°I''m not joking with you. You must not slack off in your cultivation.¡± Shen Luo seriously adviced. ¡°You guy, don''t know how much hardship I''ve endured in Hua Sheng Temple, that''s why you dare to say that my cultivation has been slacking off¡­ But look at you, you must have suffered quite a bit too, right?¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s serious expression, Bai Xiaotian also stopped joking and spoke. After that, they looked at each other and laughed heartily. Shen Luo then called Lu Huaming over and introduced them to each other. The two could be considered as acquaintances in adversity. After chatting for a while, Shen Luo learned that Bai Xiaotian had come to attend the Water and Land Dharma Assembly with two high monks from Hua Sheng Temple. He found it boring to follow his teachers, so he came here to wander around and ran into Gu Hualing and the others. ¡°Brother Bai, we have some matters to attend to. We are going to meet Duke Cheng, so we''ll take our leave first.¡± After chatting for a while, Lu Huaming said, bowing his fist. ¡°We are all in Chang''an now, so we can catch up after you finish your business.¡± Shen Luo also spoke. ¡°Alright, you guys go ahead and do your thing, and I should also head to Chongxuan Hall.¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed and said. Chapter 661 Chapter 661: Chapter 657: Search for a Woman Chapter 661: Chapter 657: Search for a Woman After parting ways, Shen Luo and his two companions went straight to a two-story building, where a scent of wine was drifting from afar. ¡°The scent of wine is stronger than usual; Master must have received good wine from someone. We are in for a treat¡­¡± Lu Huaming sniffed, quickly licking his lips and stated confidently. Just as those words left his mouth, the voice of Cheng Yaojin came from inside the house, ¡°Rabble Rabbits, coveting my wine even before you return. Why are you lingering outside, come in!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Huaming and his companions immediately pushed the door and entered. Once they entered, Shen Luo saw Cheng Yaojin sitting on one side of a low bench in the house, holding a black clay wine jug in his hand, his face flushed from drinking. On the other side sat an old man clad in a yellow robe, who was none other than Senior Yellow Wood. However, Senior Yellow Wood wasn''t drinking. Instead, a cup of green tea was placed by his hand, emitting a faint fragrance. ¡°So, Senior Yellow Wood is also present.¡± Seeing this, the three of them quickly paid their respects. ¡°You two youngsters have worked hard.¡± Yellow Wood Senior laughed and said, his gaze however, fell on Gu Hualing. ¡°Master, Elder, the trip to Golden Mountain Temple this time¡­¡± Seeing this, Lu Huaming took the initiative and gave a brief recount of the events that transpired at the Golden Mountain Temple. ¡°I never expected that Master ''Jiang Liu'' turned out to be a Buddhist bead come alive, daring to usurp the title of the reincarnation of Golden Cicada¡­ If it weren''t for you, not only the Golden Mountain Temple but even the court wouldn''t have known for how long they would have been deceived.¡± Yellow Wood Senior sighed. ¡°Elder, do you have any news on that mysterious organization?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°As for the Demon Race organization mentioned by you, we have indeed noticed some clues. However, they act mysteriously and covertly, and are extremely ruthless. At present, there are several cases of destroyed sects, apart from Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and not a single survivor from any sect, so no substantial clues could be obtained. Hence, we don''t have anything to tell you for now. However, once there are substantial progress, we will inform you first.¡± Cheng Yaojin put down his wine jug, wiped off the wine from his beard, and said. ¡°Thank you, Elder. Junior has a favor to ask of you.¡± Shen Luo cupped his fists and said. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Feel free to speak.¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°Junior would like Elder to use the power of the government to help find a person in the capital for me.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Who?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked, puzzled. Lu Huaming was also curious. Previously, he had never heard Shen Luo mention anything about looking for someone. ¡°A woman with a plum blossom mark on her wrist¡­¡± Shen Luo said. Cheng Yaojin listened intently, but seeing that Shen Luo remained silent for quite some time, he couldn''t help but ask, ¡°That''s it?¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Even if you don''t know where she is, you should at least know her name, age, height, body figure, and what she looks like, right?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°I only know she should be in Chang''an, apart from that¡­ I don''t know anything.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said helplessly. When Li Jing told him back then that one of the divided souls of Chiyou was in Chang''an, and gave him such a clue, his reaction was identical to the people before him. However, having the Great Tang Dynasty Government look for such a person is much better than him finding a needle in a haystack. ¡°May I ask what relationship does this person share with you, and why do you want to find her?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo still did not know how to answer his question. After all, the concept of the five divided souls of Chiyou reincarnating was already a fantastic story. If they further asked him how he knew of this matter, he didn''t know how to explain it to them. Using the Jade Pillow to enter the dreamscape and traverse time and space? And even encountering the dismembered soul of the Pagoda Heavenly King? Any sane individual would find such an occurrence hard to believe.¡± ¡°He was a man of great significance to me,¡± Shen Luo could only say so. ¡°Such a significant person, shouldn''t it be a beauty you happened upon somewhere? Although, I wouldn''t mind helping you, it''s not quite proper to use public resources for personal matters¡­¡± Lu Huaming showed a knowing grin and teased. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo neither confirmed nor denied it. ¡°Forget it, this matter is nothing much. I''ll let the Ministry know and help you look around. As long as he is within Chang''an city, finding him is not out of the question,¡± said Cheng Yaojin, slapping his thigh. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo immediately greeted with a fist and palm salute. After these words were uttered, the atmosphere in the hall grew somewhat chill. Everyone''s eyes unanimously fell on Gu Hualing, who remained silent throughout, questioning: how should she be dealt with? ¡°Master, she¡­¡± Lu Huaming began with a slight hesitation. However, Cheng Yaojin waved his hand at him, signaling him to hold his tongue, and turned to ask Gu Hualing: ¡°Young lady, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°I will bear the consequences for what I have done. I only hope you can give me a chance to kill the demon wind. I ask for nothing more than that,¡± Gu Hualing replied. ¡°Do not easily trust a demon''s words. I believe we should imprison her first,¡± Elder Huangmu said with caution. ¡°This matter involves the Demon Wind and an organization. It''s better to let the National Master interrogate first, and then decide. In the meantime, you will stay temporarily at the vineyard and cannot leave at will,¡± Cheng Yaojin weighed the matter slightly before saying. Gu Hualing nodded without objection. ¡°Shen Luo, you have performed meritorious deeds again during this trip to the Golden Mountain Temple. I, Old Cheng, don''t know how to show my gratitude to you. Since two of your defensive magical instruments were destroyed, I will give you one as compensation,¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°The previous request could already be considered as compensation. Elder, please do not spend any more,¡± Shen Luo immediately waved his hand in refusal. ¡°This thing is of no more use to me, but it is just right for you.¡± As Cheng Yaojin spoke, he raised his hand slightly, and an octagonal copper mirror immediately appeared in his palm. The body of the mirror was of a dull green color, looking like it was forged from bronze. Its surface had seven vertical ridges, dividing the back into eight equal sections, with a primitive charm pattern carved into each section. ¡°The Eight Hanging Mirror¡­ Master, aren''t you a bit too biased? Is Shen Luo your disciple, or am I?¡± Noticing this, Lu Huaming, his eyes bright, immediately cried out in dismay. At the same time, Shen Luo heard Lu Huaming''s telepathic message: ¡°Brother Shen, my master has indeed invested a lot this time. This Eight Hanging Mirror was his personal magical treasure from his cultivation years. Although it only has a protective ability, its power is considerable. It can withstand a full blow from a cultivator in the early Mahayana stage; you should take it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder, for bestowing this treasure upon me.¡± Shen Luo was initially hesitant but fell at ease upon hearing what Lu Huaming had to say. Seeing Shen Luo''s attitude change so swiftly, Cheng Yaojin couldn''t help but stare, soon breaking into laughter: ¡°The Eight Hanging Mirror is, after all, considered a magical treasure. I''ll teach you a unique chant for refining it, which should help you refine all its eighteen prohibitions. In the future, manipulating it may consume more mana, but as your cultivation level grows, it won''t pose a problem.¡± After saying that, Cheng Yaojin threw the Eight Hanging Mirror towards Shen Luo while simultaneously transmitting the chant to him telepathically. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo received the Eight Hanging Mirror and expressed his respectful gratitude. Chapter 662 Chapter 662: Chapter 658: Night Talk Chapter 662: Chapter 658: Night Talk Not long after, Shen Luo took his leave first and returned to his residence in the southwest of the Government Official''s buildings. Once back in his house, he rested for a bit before retrieving the Eight Hanging Mirror. He began refining it according to the refining spell imparted by Cheng Yaojin. This spell was specifically tailored for the mirror and so Shen Luo refined it rapidly. Spending only several two-hour periods, by the time evening approached, he finished refining all the prohibitions on it. His hands forming the magic spell, he waved towards the Eight Hanging Mirror, and a surge of mana was instantly poured into it. The Eight Hanging Mirror emitted a slight tremor, leisurely flying above his head. The mirror''s surface flashed a brilliant light, casting a bright light below, forming eight curtain-like blue screens around him, like mirrors. On each light curtain, a different rune was displayed, emitting strong spiritual power fluctuations. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes sparkled. With another change in his hand spell, a large amount of Mana suddenly surged from his body. A primitive rune appeared on the center of his head-top treasure mirror, and then golden light immediately brightened across the entire mirror surface. The dazzling golden light shone downwards, enveloping the eight surrounding blue light curtains, which in that instant, transformed into eight golden light curtains. The runes on them twisted and altered, morphing into eight mythical beasts of mountain suppression as described in legends. After the appearance of these eight beasts, the guarding power of the entire Eight Hanging Mirror reached its peak instantly. Shen Luo finally understood what Lu Huaming meant previously, stating it could withstand the full force attack of an early-stage Mahayana cultivator, he was telling the truth. ¡°What a fantastic treasure.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim. He waved his hand to put away the Eight Hanging Mirror. With a twist of his wrist, several items materialized in front of him after a flash of light. Specifically, they were the ¡°Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao¡±, the walnut-sized bell, and a part of the seven-star armor engraved with the sculpture of an exotic beast head. After taking out these items, he took a brief look at them. Then he tapped his Qiankun bag at his waist. As a cloud of ghost fog diffused, the figure of Ghost General Zhao Feiji appeared. After spending time together these days, Shen Luo''s trust in him had increased significantly. Especially the words said by Zhao Feiji during the battle in Hei Feng Ao had touched him profoundly. ¡°Master.¡± Upon appearing, Zhao Feiji immediately bowed with his fist. ¡°Feiji, there are some items here that should be useful to you. Today, I''ll give them to you.¡± Shen Luo gestured him to rise with a wave of his hand, and then said. On hearing this, Zhao Feiji glanced at the items in front of him and his face flashed with delight. ¡°Thank you, Master, for your generous gifts.¡± He immediately kneeled down on one knee and gave his thanks with a fist-and-palm salute. ¡°Lately, have you recovered any memories? The way you bow at every occasion, was your past life either a military soldier or a mountain bandit?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask after looking at his manners and style. ¡°Master is joking. I haven''t recovered any memories, but I have vague recollections of scenes of battles and killing, which suggests that I probably had a military background.¡± Zhao Feiji replied, a little embarrassed. ¡°This ''Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao'' is a ghost cultivation technique. Try reading it and see if you can cultivate it?¡± Shen Luo said, looking slightly surprised, then smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhao Feiji acknowledged, took the ghost book made of human skin, and began to read it carefully. However, the further he read, the more excited his expression became, and his hands tightly gripped the ghost cultivation technique. He was shaking uncontrollably all over. ¡°How is it? Is this technique suitable for your cultivation?¡± Shen Luo asked knowingly, a smile on his face. ¡°Such a technique allows one to cultivate directly towards becoming a Ghost Immortal. Master, giving me such a technique is like giving me a second life. ¡± Zhao Feiji immediately knelt down and gave thanks incessantly. ¡°I have read this ''Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao''. The process of cultivating the technique seems ferocious and evil, but if the cultivator is righteous, and does not harm others while infusing ghosts, and only devours evil ghosts and ferocious spirits, it can also be considered the path of righteousness. If one day you cross the tribulation to become a Ghost Immortal, you can transcend the evil ghosts and ferocious spirits stored within you. This is equivalent to helping the world transcend hundreds of ghosts and is a real merit.¡± Shen Luo didn''t rush him to stand up but spoke slowly instead. ¡°Master, I will adhere strictly to your teachings. I will only target evil ghosts and ferocious spirits and will never harm others. If I violate this oath, may I be struck by the Five Thunders and have my soul scattered.¡± Zhao Feiji raised his hand to point to the sky and made a solemn oath. ¡°Alright, you may rise now. This Whistle Bell can bewilder people''s minds, and this Seven-Star Armor is a decent defensive artifact. I bestow them both to you today, hoping that you will diligently cultivate in the future and never forget the oath you made today. Otherwise, there would be no need for the heavenly thunder to judge you; I could not tolerate you myself.¡± Shen Luo raised his hand, sending the bell and the Seven-Star Armor in front of the Ghost General. Upon receiving these two magical instruments, Zhao Feiji was at a loss for words. His eyes reddened, and he gripped his hands in a fist salute, bowing deeply towards Shen Luo once again. Just then, Shen Luo''s brow twitched, detecting that someone had entered the courtyard. He promptly called out to Zhao Feiji, commanding him to return to his Qiankun bag by his waist. Shen Luo''s gaze was directed at his doorway, not waiting for the visitor to knock. He raised his hand to swing the door open himself. It was already dark outside. At the house''s entrance, Bai Xiaotian was holding two white porcelain wine pots in one hand and an oil-stained oil-paper wrap in the other. He stepped over the threshold without any hesitation, heading straight toward the table. ¡°I knew there''s no hope in waiting for you to find me. Here I am, bringing the good wine and food to you,¡± complain Bai Xiaotian as he carelessly sat down. During his speech, he had already smoothly unwrapped the oil-paper wrap. A warm aroma rose from within, the rich scent of meat permeating the whole house. Watching this scene, Shen Luo momentarily felt as if he had returned to their days in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. A smile rose to the corner of his mouth, and he closed the door with a wave of his hand. ¡°Isn''t it just because I didn''t get a chance to find you yet?¡± Shen Luo chuckled, sitting opposite Bai Xiaotian and pouring wine for both of them. The two clinked their cups together and drank their respective portions. ¡°You''re not wrong. The liquor in Chang''an City is superior to that of Chunhua County. Even the stuff from Jianye City can''t compare. However, the taste of this roasted goose¡­it falls short, can''t quite match up to that of the Hongyun Building in the town,¡± Bai Xiaotian commented after taking a bite of the meat. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What, does Hua Sheng Temple not allow you to eat meat?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t taste any difference, so he laughed and asked. ¡°Well, naturally, it''s forbidden within the temple, but our abilities to escape to the mountains and take the paths unseen have not faded. There''s no harm in sneaking out when there''s nothing going on; we won''t starve,¡± Bai Xiaotian casually replied. The two friends, reunited after a long separation, exchanged stories of their experiences over the years, full of sighs and reminiscences. ¡°By the way, did Xiao Yun run away from home to go to Hua Sheng Temple?¡± Suddenly remembering something, Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes. That little guy is quite lucky. Not long after he entered the temple, he caught the eye of Master Kong Se, who took him as his personal disciple. It was only then that I learned from him that the changes in him were actually all influenced by you. It really took me by surprise,¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded and explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was silent, only smiling in response. ¡°For this, I should thank you.¡± Bai Xiaotian raised his cup to Shen Luo in gratitude. ¡°Enough, stop with the thanks. If you continue, I''m going to have to start swearing,¡± Shen Luo tapped his cup with Bai Xiaotian''s, laughing. Once they had drunk their fill, Bai Xiaotian asked, ¡°Tomorrow, at twilight during the hour of Xu, the Water and Land Dharma Assembly officially begins. At midnight, Chang''an City''s north gate will open, and then the ghosts will be guided out of the city. Do you wish to go and see?¡± ¡°As someone who experienced the calamity of ghosts in Chang''an firsthand, I should at least accompany these ordinary Chang''an folk on their last journey,¡± Shen Luo hesitated slightly before nodding. ¡°Given the large number of deaths in Chang''an City this time, I imagine the scene will be quite spectacular,¡± added Bai Xiaotian. ¡°A tragic human event coming to its conclusion. It''s worth witnessing once,¡± said Shen Luo, polishing off his cup of wine in one gulp. Chapter 663 – 663 659 The Grand Sea Chapter 663: Chapter 659: The Grand SeLand Assembly Chapter 663: Chapter 659: The Grand SeLand Assembly The next day. The entire Chang''an City, from the Imperial Palace to the government offices, from the mansions of the high officials to the dwellings of the common people, all streets and alleys were hung with white lanterns, presenting an atmosphere of serene melancholy. Throughout the daylight hours, all forms of fire were prohibited for an entire day. Every household observed the Cold Food Festival by preparing meals without the use of fire. By evening, the ringing of the evening bells resounded throughout the city. All markets closed early, entering the period of curfew where the common people could only move about within their respective neighborhoods, not allowed to step onto the main roads of the city. In the square before the Imperial City, hundreds of monks from the Xiangguo Temple sat on the ground. In front of each one was a lotus-shaped oil lamp, and in their hands were wooden fish, which they struck while chanting the Rebirth Mantra. In the center of the square, on the altar, stood a wooden Dharma Platform towering three zhang (approx. 10 meters) high. Standing on it were six high ranking monks from Baoxiang Temple, Huasheng Temple, and Jinshan Temple. In their hands were Buddhist beads, and they too recited scriptures. Among them was the youthful Chan''er, who was wearing a brocade kasaya. Because he was still young, he stood out among the group. This recitation lasted a full hour. By the time of Hai (9-11pm), the Dharma ceremonies finally ended. The monks then began to process along every main road in the city with their lotus-shaped lamp holders, calling out to the souls of the citizens who had died tragically throughout the city. As each light began to shine throughout the city, one by one the terrifying figures of resentful souls began to appear. Some were already mentally dissipated, floating aimlessly behind the monks, while others were still crying and wailing, their voices indistinguishable from murmuring humans, converging into a dense crowd. Additionally, some of the vengeful spirits had become fierce ghosts, attempting to attack the monks, only to be repelled by the radiating light of the lotus lanterns. All of these lotus lanterns were from the Baoxiang Temple and were known as enduring lamps. They were fueled with oil given by countless believers. After repeated efforts to harm the monks, the evil spirits not only failed to cause them harm but were sanctified by the gleaming fire from the lamps. The black qi of evil gradually fell away and they slowly revealed their original forms. However, in the places where the evil energy was extremely potent, such as near wells and ice cellars, some hostile ghosts that the enduring lamps couldn''t purify appeared. In the end, these were all exterminated by monks appointed by the government. Nearing midnight, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, along with some court officials, stood on the city wall at the North Gate, looking at the city in the distance. Although the citizens were not allowed to leave their respective neighborhoods, the neighborhoods themselves still had occasional lights flickering, as the people were holding their own memorials for their neighbors who perished in this calamity. From one of the neighborhoods, the first paper-made sky lantern slowly rose into the sky. Following that, one by one, sky lanterns filled with sorrow and loss from the bereaved, started to float up from every neighborhood. Lantern by lantern, these white lights soared into the sky, some high some low, echoing the stars above. They seemed to form a bridge between heaven and earth, slowly drifting towards the north of the city. Shen Luo''s gaze slowly dropped, only to see the monks, who had been marching, standing on either side of the road near the city gate. In the middle of the main road was a solitary figure, dressed in kasaya, holding Buddhist beads in his hand, and reciting scriptures with his head bowed low. Following closely behind him were hundreds of thousands of ghostly apparitions; they followed his steps, moving towards outside of the city. When hundreds of thousands of souls gathered in one place, even if they were normal souls without any evil intentions, the concentrated qi of yin and sha was already at a horrifying level; ordinary people could not withstand it. However, at this moment, there was a hazy white glow emitted from Chan''er. It was mild like moonlight, but filled with warmth. It served as a candle in the cold night, illuminating the way forward for these souls. Chan''er slowly walked through the city gate. The moment he stepped out of the gate, there was a surge of light at his feet, projecting the shadow of a golden lotus. Following that, with every step he took, golden lotus shadows would appear on the ground. At this moment, he was indeed like the Golden Cicada, the disciple of Buddha reincarnated, carrying Buddha''s Light, offering salvation to all beings. On seeing this, everyone on the city wall felt as if divine beings were manifesting, and they all paid their respects in reverence. They saw Chan''er leading a multitude of ghosts out of the city gate. One hundred feet outside the city, thick fog suddenly rose on both sides of the road. Flowers with no leaves were faintly blooming in the fog, swaying strangely. With one glance, Shen Luo recognized that these flowers were the Other Shore Flowers that could only be found in the Yinning Land. Chan''er walked to the place where at the boundary of the fog a hundred feet away, and then stopped, no longer moving. He just put his hands together, and the light on his body became increasingly bright. The ghosts who had followed him all the way floated forward one after another. Like a river dividing its tributaries, they bypassed him and walked into the fog, disappearing one by one. However, at this moment, on the Buddhist beads worn on Chan''er''s chest, a strange light suddenly flashed, and a raging, bloody mist surged out, spreading in all directions, engulfing Chan''er and hundreds of ghosts. ¡°Not good, something has happened.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed drastically, and he leaped off the city wall directly. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He rushed down along the city wall, stepping hard on the city wall, and his body leaped like a falcon going straight into the swarm of ghosts. He flew towards where Chan''er was. The surrounding ghosts were affected by the blood mist. The originally orderly ghosts reversed their positions in an instant, and a large number of ghosts, which were originally green, turned blood-red and transformed from ghosts to evil ones. Sensing the abundant vitality within the city, these transformed spirits, like starving beasts, rushed back towards the city gate. Everywhere they passed, it was like a plague spreading, a large number of ghosts underwent an instantaneous transformation into evil spirits. In an instant, the entire gate was completely out of control. The monks of Baoxiang Temple in the city immediately rushed out with their magical instruments. Elder Zhe Shi and others also flew to the forefront, chanting Rebirth Mantras and Heart-calming Mantras, trying to pacify these ghosts. However, the ghosts infected by the blood fog seemed unable to hear these Buddhist scriptures. They continued to charge back, causing more and more ghosts to turn into evil spirits. ¡°Baoxiang Temple disciples, form a defense.¡± Master Lu De shouted aloud seeing the situation. All the monks of Baoxiang temple leapt out and aligned into a row, forming a human wall. They cut off the entire army of ghosts, on the one hand preventing the subsequent ghosts from leaving the city, and on the other hand blocking the evil spirits in the front from counterattacking. These monks began to rhythmically strike their wooden fish and other magical instruments on hand, and the chants from their mouths changed from Rebirth Mantras to exorcising mantras. All sounds mixed together, forming a series of solemn Sanskrit sounds. The sound of Sanskrit was gradually amplified, one wave stronger than the other, eventually forming a tidal wave, turning into a wave of translucent sound waves crashing into the oncoming evil spirits. The moment these evil spirits entered the range of the sound waves, they all hit an invisible gas wall and their forward rush came to an abrupt halt. However, the evil spirits were ferocious and under the blockade, their ferocity flared up even more. They continued to charge fearlessly, and the force gathered was greater every time. Every time they charged, the invisible gas wall trembled violently. The monks operating this sound word array suffered a shock each time. After a few times, some monks, with a lack of cultivation level, had already started groaning and blood started seeping from the corners of their mouths. Chapter 664 Chapter 664: Chapter 660: Exploration Chapter 664: Chapter 660: Exploration Above the City Wall, a ¡°clang¡± echoed sharply, followed by the sound of a sword drawn to its fullest length. The figure of Bai Xiaotian plummeted from the sky, diving towards the flurry of evil ghosts. ¡°Sky, these are the souls of the people of Chang''an who have been temporarily disturbed by the contamination of Magic Blood. Help to stop them, but refrain from rash killing.¡± Upon witnessing this, an aged Zen Master from the Hua Sheng Temple, who went by the Dharma name ¡°Kongdu,¡± immediately reminded him. Having said this, he stepped ahead of the other monks. With a wave of his hand, the Conch Leaf Scripture fluttered out, unfolding like a long roll of poetic painting, encircling over a hundred evil ghosts and emitting a surge of golden light towards the sky. Unable to help themselves, the evil ghosts within the scroll let out a series of screams, their mouths and noses simultaneously expelling streams of bright red vital energy. Gradually, their crazed expressions subsided, and calmness returned. At the same time, the countless ancient Sanskrit characters on the Conch Leaf Scripture peeled off one by one, replacing the souls of the people by absorbing their vital energy, and rose into the sky like fireflies, igniting into scores of starry sparks and scattering into the void. Following closely behind, Master Lu Chen waved his hand, and the Eight Treasure Sutra Pagoda descended from the sky, landing outside the City Gate, emanating colorful glaze light from all over it. Casting light on the surrounding area, it immobilized all the evil ghosts, leaving them utterly incapable of movement. Elder Zhe Shi coughed lightly and similarly flew forward, landing in front of everyone. He threaded his way through the crowd of evil ghosts, holding a Buddha''s Treasure Mirror in his hand and reflecting it one by one on the frenzied evil ghosts. Each time the light touched them, the affected evil ghosts would freeze in their tracks, immobilized on the spot. Bai Xiaotian manipulated the sword technique with his hand. A wave of his hand brought forth golden sword lights from the sky, lining up like shields along the two sides of the entrance to the city, blocking off the evil ghosts that tried to bypass the City Gate and spread around the city''s flanks. The various cultivator monks from the city''s government joined the fight, temporarily steadying the front line and holding off the counterattack of the ghost tide. On the other hand, Shen Luo plunged headlong into an area shrouded in Blood Mist. Demonic whispers echoed in his ears, and everything before his eyes became a world of blood red. However, to his surprise, he didn''t witness a horde of ghosts fighting over Chan''er. Instead, as soon as he approached, the ghosts regarded him as food and rushed towards him. Shen Luo knew well that these Yin Soul Ghosts were acting this way due to the influence of the Blood Mist. Naturally, he would not kill them outright. Hastily maneuvering his body, he activated the Slanting Moon Steps spreading moonlight under his feet, and maneuvered through these Yin Soul Ghosts. When he finally reached the deepest part and saw Chan''er, he couldn''t help but be taken aback. She was seen sitting cross-legged on the ground, there was an absent look in her eyes as she gazed upward, two trails of tears trailing down her cheeks. Opposite her floated a large white illusory figure of a monk, dressed in a snow-white kasaya, adorned with a Five-Buddha Crown and Vairocana hat. He was quite young and handsome, with a gentle smile on his face as he faced Chan''er in mutual gaze. It was the protean glow emanating from this phantom monk that protected Chan''er from the ghosts'' invasions. Seemingly sensing Shen Luo''s gaze, the monk''s phantom turned, softly clapped his palms together in salutation, and seemed to quietly chant a Buddhist mantra. Following that, the phantom monk suddenly formed a magic spell with one hand and grasped the void with his five fingers. Immediately, a gust of wind erupted around him, and the rolling Blood Mist was instantly drawn back, converging towards the phantom monk''s hand. It solidified to an extreme point, transforming into a string of nine blood-red Buddhist beads linked together by a golden thread. With blood-red beads in hand, the monk emitted a multicolored glazed light, flooding the beads with waves of righteous Buddha''s Light, his body gradually turning transparent and illusory in the process. Until all the glaze''s light was absorbed into the blood-red string of beads, the two elements neutralized each other, eventually dissipating into nothingness. The instant the blood-colored beads vanished, clarity was restored to the world. The blood-red glow in the eyes of the people of Chang''an, deluded by the ghosts, also faded away. Their eyes returning to a tranquil green, albeit their souls were considerably weakened, making them appear somewhat dazed and confused. ¡°Amitabha¡­¡± At that instant, a Buddhist incantation resonated. Shen Luo turned abruptly, witnessing Chan''er resume his stance. He walked straight towards the Yin mist ahead, chanting the Rebirth Mantra. The soft sound transformed once again into a guiding melody, leading the gloomy souls of Chang''an back to the murky realm they came from. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, retreating upon seeing this. Shen Luo, however, moved swiftly to Chan''er''s side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, invisibly protecting him on this path. The grand Water and Land Dharma Assembly, complicated by twists and turns, finally ended at the end of Uma time. Late in the night, when Shen Luo returned to his residence, images of the thousands of lamps soaring into the night sky of Chang''an and the myriad ghosts entering the underworld outside the North Gate, lingered in his mind, his emotions turbulent for a long time. He sat cross-legged on the straw cushion, meditating for a long while. A thought stirred, and he fetched the jade pillow. His palm gently stroked the jade pillow. His spirit immersed within it, he soon sensed the Heavenly Book suspended inside. Ever since he summoned the Heavenly Book for defence during a previous unexpected encounter, and projected the cultivation level of his dreams to the real world, Shen Luo had been constantly attempting to communicate with the Heavenly Book, but to no avail. However, as Li Jing once said, communication with the Heavenly Book solely relied on soul power, either his soul power was not strong enough or his spiritual thoughts were not sufficiently intense that hindered his communication at present. He had been able to summon the Heavenly Book when he fell into danger and was on the brink of death. The strong will to live and the intense fluctuations of his soul could perhaps be crucial for successful communication with the Heavenly Book. Upon such thoughts, Shen Luo calmed his emotions a bit and placed his hand on the jade pillow, fully focusing his spirit inside, and deliberately visualized it as a wisp of spiritual flame, drifting towards the Heavenly Book suspended in the jade pillow. As his spiritual flame drew nearer, the Heavenly Book suspended inside the jade pillow seemed to grow larger, almost like a palace hanging in front of him. Shen Luo''s spiritual thoughts probed into it, gently tapping as though he was knocking on a door. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Heavenly Book was merely radiating a faint light, showing no response to Shen Luo''s tentative probing of his spiritual thoughts. A moment''s hesitation later, Shen Luo''s spiritual flame shone brightly, almost sending seven-tenths of his spiritual thoughts towards the Heavenly Book, which was much like an uninvited guest pounding heavily on the door. However, the Heavenly Book''s glow flickered slightly a few times but still showed no reaction whatsoever. ¡°Still not working?¡± Shen Luo''s spiritual thoughts stirred slightly, and he made up his mind. Right after that, the flame transformed by his spiritual thoughts suddenly flared up, turning into a burning inferno, and charged forcibly at the Heavenly Book. ¡°Boom¡­¡± It was as if a thunderbolt exploded in his heart, his spiritual thoughts hit the Heavenly Book with all his might. This time, there was finally a change in the Heavenly Book. The golden light on its surface intensified, the book slowly unfolded, the texts written on it flickering brightly and darkly. A name written at the end of the book shone brightly, detaching itself from the Heavenly Book, and suspended in the void. ¡°Shen Luo¡± The moment his spiritual thoughts subconsciously read the two ancient seal characters, an incredibly strong force of attraction suddenly radiated from the Heavenly Book, instantly drawing his spiritual thoughts into it. Chapter 665 Chapter 665: Chapter 661: Mysterious Space Chapter 665: Chapter 661: Mysterious Space Shen Luo only felt a whirl of dizziness, and his divine soul had already entered a peculiar golden space. At the moment Shen Luo''s divine soul entered, the body that was sitting cross-legged in the room instantly turned into a light mark and was sucked into the Heavenly Book inside the jade pillow. After Shen Luo firmly planted his feet, he made a fist and found that his physical body had entered. This realization made him feel a chill in his heart. His divine consciousness immediately scanned all around, as his gaze moved to inspect the surroundings. He saw that the surroundings seemed to be a golden hall, very similar to the combat space that Li Jing had taken him to before, only that the area was about tens of feet in radius. Beyond that was covered by a layer of fog that gleamed with a golden luster. His sight was unable to penetrate it, and his divine sense could not probe it. ¡°What place is this?¡± Shen Luo murmured softly, and subconsciously summoned his Pure Yang Sword Embryo to appear at his side. ¡°I can still summon magical instruments¡­¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, staying alert while cautiously going towards one side of the hall. ¡°Ding Dong¡± Just as he took a step, a sound of water came from beneath his feet. When he looked down, he realized that the ground beneath him was just like the surface of a lake, and ripples were expanding out from his feet like water ripples. However, what was strange was that although the ground was as smooth as a mirror, it did not reflect any images. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo bent over, stretched out his hand to feel the ground, but found that there was no water on it. It felt just like stone jade. He had an idea and used his divine sense to sense the spiritual power fluctuations in the surroundings. Yet he found it barren, where he could feel no flow of any aura nor any changes in the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. ¡°Go!¡± There was a stern yell from Shen Luo. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo hovering in front of him instantly shot out, darting towards the fog wall opposite him. He saw a flash of sword light that zoomed past like a meteor in the void, and in an instant, it disappeared into the golden fog, without a trace. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise. After all, in his divine sense examination, the fog wall that could block his divine sense power should be some type of array. However, his sword embryo seemed to have pierced through it directly without encountering any resistance at all. Just then, he felt a sudden tightness in his heart, quickly turned his body around and plucked the thing in front of his eyes with his fingers. A streak of crimson sword light appeared out of nowhere near his glabella, he held it with his fingers, and it was his Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Shen Luo frowned and stored the sword embryo, swiveled his wrist, and waved up towards an altitude, an octagonal copper mirror immediately floated up, floating above his head, casting down eight light walls to protect him in the center. His gaze hardened immediately, he started ascending rapidly, marching towards the golden fog in the sky that was a hundred feet away. His figure disappeared into the golden fog in the void above, his sight also became blurred. Although he didn''t face any danger, before he could adjust the direction to continue ascending, he felt his body suddenly sinking and fell straight down. When he landed again and looked around, he found that he had returned to the original spot where he was standing. ¡°This space is indeed peculiar¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Instead of continuing to fly, he carefully continued to guard himself and slowly walked towards the golden fog opposite him. After about ten steps, Shen Luo''s body gradually disappeared into the fog, and his divine sense could no longer be extended outwards. His sight was still somewhat clear, but only up to a distance of three or four feet. Beyond that was all just a blur. Having taken another seven or eight steps, Shen Luo suddenly noticed an obvious boundary demarcation within the fog up ahead. It seemed as if all the fog had accumulated there, forming a Fog Wall. He stepped up to the edge of the Fog Wall, cautiously reaching out to touch it. However, the moment his palm made contact with the Fog Wall, a flash of golden light suddenly shone from its surface. In the next instant, Shen Luo''s figure disappeared from his original position. By the time he came back to his senses, he was once again standing in the Central Hall. ¡°It seems to be some kind of array, interesting¡­ But how exactly do I get out?¡± Shen Luo found himself confronted with a dilemma. Previously, he was solely focused on communicating with the Heavenly Book through his divine soul; he had not anticipated the current predicament at all. This space was encased by an unknown array, and with his current cultivation level, there was no hope in breaking it open forcefully. ¡°It seems like the only way out is through the Heavenly Book.¡± Shen Luo silently concluded in his mind. With that thought, he sat down cross-legged, once again channeling his divine soul, attempting to communicate with the Heavenly Book. This time, perhaps due to him already being within a space of the Heavenly Book, his divine soul was able to establish a connection with the Heavenly Book rather effortlessly. However, unlike the last time, it was not a projection of the Heavenly Book that appeared before him, but instead, his divine soul had left his physical body. When he looked around after his spirit had left his body, the scene that greeted him was different. It was no longer the foggy and illusory landscape, but instead, an expansive, boundless starfield. Seen through Shen Luo''s divine soul, within the vast starfield, countless stars twinkled with varying intensity. Some were as large as a ladle, some as small as a pearl, some blazed brightly with golden light, while others were dim and faded, some shrouded by layers of nebulae, and others clustered together like large fruit hanging from branches¡­ His gaze rested on a Star River hanging in the distance. It seemed to be filled with nebulae, which surged like mists and waves, looking very much like a silver river in the sky, a sea of stars flowing across it. The sight was magnificent and breathtakingly beautiful. For a moment, Shen Luo seemed to be entranced by the beautiful star-sea landscape. Reflected in his eyes were the radiant Star River and the specks of flowing light. In his daze, it felt as though he had caught sight of a strange light streaking across those stars, although its trajectory was elusive and he could not see it clearly. Just as he tried to get a better look, a massive Spiral Black Hole suddenly emerged in the starfield above his head, from which an overwhelming force of attraction emerged. Startled, Shen Luo''s spirit swiftly turned around and attempted to fly back to his body. However, he only saw the ground below his body causing ripples like a smooth mirror, gradually sinking and swallowing up his physical form. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± This was the only thought Shen Luo managed to have before, in the next instant, the suction force from the black hole above increased rapidly, pulling his divine soul inside. Almost at the same time, Shen Luo abruptly opened his eyes, panting heavily with cold sweat soaking his back. Looking somewhat panicked, he quickly surveyed his surroundings. Only after recognizing his familiar dwelling did he let out a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat off his forehead, noticing that the outside seemed to be in the thick of the night. After some thought, Shen Luo glanced at the oil lamp on the table, his eyes flickering slightly. Because of the experience of entering dreams through the jade pillow, Shen Luo was very sensitive about time. He had noticed the level of oil in the lamp when he started his cultivation, and comparing it to the present, there was hardly any discernible change. This implied only one thing. The golden space he entered just now, like the time travelling in dreams, its internal passage of time did not affect the time outside. This meant that although he felt that he had probably spent half a night in that space, to the outside world, it might not even be worth an instant. It seemed as if time outside had remained still. Chapter 666 Chapter 666: Chapter 662: Yin Sha Backlash Chapter 666: Chapter 662: Yin Sha Backlash Shen Luo sat where he was, silent and stunned. In his mind, images of the star field map he had seen previously began to whirl. The peculiar light trace started to leap in the star map within his mind. Just a few moments later, the light trace and the entire starfield map began to blur until they completely disappeared. Even when Shen Luo deliberately tried to recall the appearance of the star map, there was no corresponding image in his sea of knowledge. A moment later, Shen Luo rubbed his slightly aching temples, deciding not to dwell on it anymore. He glanced at the jade pillow, which was quietly lying in front of him, waved his hand to put it away, and decided not to touch the mysterious and unpredictable Heavenly Book projection for the time being. He got up, walked to the window, pushed the window open, glanced at the dark night sky, closed the window without a hint of sleep, sat back down cross-legged, and began to meditate and recuperate. After he had opened up numerous meridians with the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians, his cultivation aptitude had made great surprise progress. Even the Yellow Court Sutra, which he had always been unable to practice, seemed to make some progress. So, with a change of magical spell in his hand, Shen Luo began to practice the Yellow Court Sutra, and his body soon became shrouded in a thin yellow light. Following the cultivation experience from his dream, he guided the flow of his mana in his body, trying to speed up the progress of the Huangting Sutra''s cultivation, but no matter how hard he tried, there was little progress in his cultivation. More than a two-hour period later, Shen Luo finally reopened his eyes, showing a touch of disappointment and helplessness. Ever since he slightly loosened the bottleneck of practicing the Yellow Court Sutra, he had been striving to improve his cultivation effect in this area, but it had always been poor. It had only slightly enhanced his physique, and he didn''t see the noticeable changes like in his dream. Shen Luo couldn''t help but secretly doubted: ¡°Could it be that my aptitude is still too poor?¡± As soon as he thought of this, he reached out and wiped his Qiankun bag at his waist, calling out Ghost General Zhao Feiji again. ¡°Master.¡± Zhao Feiji knelt on one knee and saluted with his fist. ¡°There''s something I need your help with¡­¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Is the master planning to practice again?¡± Zhao Feiji, who had an understanding with Shen Luo, immediately guessed his intention. ¡°Correct, I need to borrow your Yin Qi.¡± Shen Luo nodded. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The ghost general didn''t say another word, and immediately sat cross-legged opposite Shen Luo, his eyes slowly closing. Shen Luo thanked him, then with a concentrated gaze, put his fingers together and began to draw over his shirt from his abdomen to his chest area. In a short while, he had drawn an intricate, blood-red rune array. Then, he pinched a magic spell with his fingers and pointed at the brow of the ghost general. As he pointed with his fingertip and quickly pulled back, a dense and pure black Yin Sha Qi leaped out from his brow, drawing a black mist line in mid-air and rushing towards the rune on his lower abdomen. The rune on that area shone brightly, with a familiar feeling of intensively gnawing pain returning. Shen Luo, who was already accustomed to this, began to meticulously perform the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Technique. About half an hour later, Shen Luo, from his abdomen through his chest to his shoulder and neck, was about to form a faint blue meridian. The wisps of Yin Sha Qi were still making their final trimmings, but the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the surrounding heaven and earth seemed to have sensed it and began to gather here little by little. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, this meridian was about to form. But just then, an unexpected situation occurred! The wisps of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi entering his body and the Yin Sha Qi suddenly initiated a fierce reaction that was unexpected, all the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi actually began to shoot into other meridians along the new meridian he had opened, uncontrollably. At the same time, the ghost general who was sitting opposite him also suddenly stiffened and began to tremble uncontrollably. A thin thread of Yin Sha Qi gushed out from his brow like boiling water, forming a thumb-thick mist rope that directly reached the new meridian and rushed straight in without any obstruction. ¡°Yin Sha backlash¡­¡± Shen Luo immediately realized what was happening, so he stopped the technique at the risk of his meridians being severed. However, even though he had stopped circulating his mana, the various anomalies within his body showed no signs of stopping. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi that had been drawn into his body still facilitated the combination of the meridians and the Yin Sha Qi. Moreover, as more and more Yin Sha Qi gathered, the meridians he had previously opened with the Xuan Yin Opening Vein Technique also lit up one after another, as if responding to the newly opened meridian. What shocked Shen Luo even more was that deep within those meridians that he had originally thought were already formed, there were still large amounts of Yin Sha Qi lurking, as if they had been dormant for a long time, just waiting for the day of Yin Sha backlash eruption. Shen Luo did not dare to be the slightest bit careless and immediately mobilized the Nameless Cultivation Technique, drawing on the power of other Dantian and other meridians to suppress and soothe the Yin Sha Qi in these meridians. But that Yin Sha Qi lurking in the meridians had long been deeply integrated with the meridians. Under the wash of his own mana, they didn''t move at all nor showed any signs of being suppressed. All the Yin Sha Qi emerged from their hidden places and gathered towards the newly formed meridian, like a fireball that had accumulated for a long time. More and more firewood and fuel were added into it, just waiting for the power to accumulate completely for the explosion. Shen Luo saw that the Nameless Cultivation Technique couldn''t subside it, and in desperation, he had to cycle the Huangting Divine Power again. But his cultivation was really poor in this area, so the effect it could play was minimal. He could already clearly feel that the Yin Sha Qi accumulating in his chest was getting denser and denser, and the mixed Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was getting heavier and heavier, which made his breathing somewhat difficult. It was nearing the brink of an eruption. If this Yin Sha power were to erupt, let alone whether this power would rupture his heart vein, even if he could miraculously protect his body, that pervasive Yin Sha Qi would be enough to destroy him. This sudden change was too unexpected. Shen Luo was extremely anxious but couldn''t think of any solution. ¡°Oh well, I can only try again.¡± At the critical moment, Shen Luo raised his hand and waved in front of him. A light suddenly flashed, and the jade pillow reappeared. He placed his hand on the jade pillow, concentrated his mind at one point, and instantly entered the jade pillow, crashing headlong into the suspended Heavenly Book. This time, his physical body didn''t change at all, and only his divine soul went inside. However, he did not enter the golden hall but came to the boundless star sea. Surrounded by heaven and earth, the star river was brilliant, with myriad lights, and a faintly discernible light trace leaped up again among the nebulae and mists. Chapter 667 Chapter 667: Chapter 663: Discussion Chapter 667: Chapter 663: Discussion Shen Luo''s divine soul turned his gaze, his sight fell on the light mark above, with its pulsating trajectory constantly moving, he seemed to see a hint of a pattern, but in the rush there was no time to think more deeply. ¡°If you can bring the mana from my dreams, then please help me once more¡­ just once more, for I cannot die yet!¡± Shen Luo''s divine soul nearly screamed to exhaustion, roaring at the boundless star sea. The void was silent, the surrounding starlight remained undisturbed, flickering intermittently as if to say, what does your life or death have to do with the cycle of the Heavenly Dao? Shen Luo didn''t know when he would be expelled from this world. If he could not successfully borrow sufficient cultivation to protect himself, then by the time his divine soul returned, it would be the moment of his death. ¡°If the Heavenly Dao has nothing to do with me, then I will seek those who are related to me!¡± Such a thought rose in Shen Luo''s heart. Immediately after, he shouted the names one by one: ¡°Zhong Ying, Jin You, Deng Yuguang, Yin Jiao, Pang Yu, Liu Ji, Ma Sheng, Wen Qiong, Wang Shan, Geng Tong¡­¡± These names belonged to none other than the Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers he had previously fought against in the Golden Tower. Their names were all written in the Heavenly Book. With his calls, a glimmer of change finally occurred in the surrounding star sea. Each name seemed to correspond to a star. When he called them, the stars responded by twinkling brightly. A glimmer of hope rose in Shen Luo''s heart, and he called out louder. However, there weren''t any unusual occurrences in the surroundings as these stars twinkled. The star sea remained the same, so did the light mark. Helplessly, Shen Luo channeled all his divine sense power, stretching it towards the surrounding stars. As his divine sense power spread, a slight change occurred in the sky around him. The light mark that was leaping between distant stars also seemed to sense it, and began leaping towards him. However, during each leap, the trajectory left by the light mark didn''t disappear as before, instead, it left densely interwoven traces. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo watched the traces, his eyes flashed with surprise, and instinctively murmured, ¡°Array¡­¡± As soon as his words fell, a sharp pain shot through his mind. His consciousness immediately blurred, indicating that he was about to be expelled from this space again. Just as his consciousness was about to scatter, he shouted out his name in an almost desperate thought. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± This shout reverberated throughout the star sea. The unstable light mark suddenly brightened, shot up from a star, no longer leaping from star to star, but heading straight towards Shen Luo. The very next moment, Shen Luo within the room opened his eyes suddenly, his eyes filled with divine radiance, and his mana fluctuations exploded instantly. With a shift of mind, he moved his hand pressing down his heart. A tremendous force surged in an instant. The Yin Sha Qi lingering there was instantly washed away by this majestic mana, it melted away as swiftly as snow under the scorching sun. However, right after, the mana fluctuations in his body quickly receded, and his face instantly turned pale. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed backwards, fainting. ¡­ After an uncertain amount of time, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, immediately seeing Zhao Feiji, who was vigilantly guarding by his side. ¡°Master, you are finally awake.¡± Zhao Feiji heaved a sigh of relief and said. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Luo massaged his painful brow, and asked. ¡°Last night, you asked me to assist you in cultivation. Partway through, an issue arose. My Yin Sha Qi was nearly drained by you, I fainted from exhaustion, and when I woke up, I found you unconscious as well. I have been guarding you since then.¡± Zhao Feiji held Shen Luo up and explained. After hearing Zhao Feiji''s account, Shen Luo recalled the previous night''s events and promptly checked his body condition using his divine sense. After checking, he found no hidden injuries in his body. All his meridians were intact, even the new ones from last night. The Yin Sha Qi hidden within was swept clean. However, as a result, his lifespan was reduced by a whole decade. Meanwhile, he also saw one thing clearly. Sometimes, the manifestation of one''s talent cannot be forcibly changed. The limit of the number of meridians his body could bear was already reached. Even if the Technique of Opening Dark Yin Meridians didn''t have the hidden danger of Yin Sha backlash, he wouldn''t be able to continue creating new meridians. Overstepping his body''s capacity could lead to the meridians breaking and causing death. Even an immortal would not be able to do anything at that time. ¡°Master¡­¡± Seeing Shen Luo deep in thoughts, Zhao Feiji couldn''t help but call out. ¡°I''m fine. You were also affected last night, you should go back and rest.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. Upon hearing the words, Zhao Feiji hesitated for a moment, then nodded, shrunk himself, and returned to the Qiankun bag. Shen Luo closed his eyes and began to calmly adjust his energy. However, very soon, he opened his eyes again, the Star Array seen last night in the Heavenly Book appearing in his mind, preventing him from calming down. ¡°That array must be related to the projection of dream cultivation. Unfortunately, I have expended too much lifespan now. I can only think of ways to increase some lifespan before I can try again¡­¡± Shen Luo pondered. ¡­ Two days later, the Government Official suddenly sent someone over to invite Shen Luo to visit the Chongxuan Hall. As per the instruction, Shen Luo went. Upon his arrival, he found the hall was full of people, including several high monks from the Golden Mountain Temple, Baoxiang Temple, and Hua Sheng Temple. Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming were also there. ¡°What happened? Is there a problem?¡± After greeting everyone, Shen Luo went straight to Lu Huaming. ¡°Don''t worry, both the National Master and the Master will be coming soon.¡± Lu Huaming whispered. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed. On taking a closer look around, he noticed that only Elder Zhe Shi from the Golden Mountain Temple was present ¡ª Chan''er was missing. ¡°Stop beating around the bush. Does it have anything to do with Chan''er?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes, you saw the spectacle at the Water and Land Dharma Assembly that night. It''s about that.¡± Lu Huaming nodded and admitted. Shen Luo recalled the image of the monk he had seen that night and fell silent. Just then, footsteps came from outside the door. Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang appeared at the same time, striding in. Behind them was a little novice, obviously Chan''er. Everyone rose to greet them. ¡°The reason I invited everyone here today is to discuss the anomaly that occurred during the ceremony. There are some matters that need to be discussed with you all,¡± Yuan Tiangang said after making everyone sit down. Chapter 668 Chapter 668: Chapter 664: Past Life Chapter 668: Chapter 664: Past Life ¡°National Master, is there any hidden danger after the religious ceremony?¡± Master Bao Shu asked with a frown. ¡°It''s about Jiang Liu Zen Master, let him explain it himself.¡± Yuan Tiangang shook his head and said. Upon hearing this, everyone''s gaze fell on Chan''er. Chan''er wore a solemn expression, completely different from usual. After giving a bow to everyone present, he began to speak: ¡°I presume everyone saw the specter of the monk that day, aiding me in ferrying thousands of ghosts, right? That was not a manifestation of my supernatural powers, but a fragment of the soul of my past life, Master Xuanzang.¡± ¡°That specter was actually Master Xuanzang?¡± Master Bao Shu exclaimed in surprise. Shock flickered in the eyes of Elder Zhe Shi and Kongdu Zen Master from Hua Sheng Temple. They all knew that Master Xuanzang mysteriously left the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda years ago and then disappeared from Chang''an City. Later, it was discovered that the eternal lamp left in the pagoda had extinguished, leading to the matter of his reincarnation as Master Jiang Liu. ¡°How could a reincarnated soul still have remnants left?¡± Kongdu Zen Master asked in confusion. ¡°Perhaps it''s because it was a fragment of the soul that reincarnated, which is why I could not awaken for a long time. The residual demon blood in the Buddhist beads was activated this time, which woke up this fragment of the soul, and it told me some things,¡± Chan''er continued. ¡°What did Master Xuanzang say?¡± Elder Zhe Shi promptly asked. ¡°It wasn''t necessarily anything in particular, more like an entrustment. The past life''s remnant soul wants me to go to the Western Regions, as a very important item has been left there, and he hopes that I can undoubtedly retrieve it,¡± Chan''er said. ¡°What item?¡± Everyone was incredibly curious. ¡°I''m not sure what item it is. The remnant soul didn''t specify, only that it concerns the lives of all beings and implored me to retrieve it regardless of the difficulties,¡± Chan''er shook his head and said. ¡°Not stating it is to hide God''s Power, to prevent anyone from discovering the matter and involving Chan''er. This also highlights the importance of the item. The National Master helped to deduce afterwards, but could only conclude that Master Xuanzang had returned to the vicinity of the Black Chicken Kingdom following his scripture collection path after leaving Chang''an City, and finally died there. As for what exactly happened, we have no way of deducing it,¡± Duke Cheng said, his brows slightly furrowed. ¡°In that case, we should send someone to the Black Chicken Kingdom to investigate the matter,¡± Master Bao Shu said with a deeply furrowed brow. ¡°Not possible. This matter is extraordinary, I believe it is best if we go there ourselves,¡± Elder Zhe Shi stated. ¡°As this matter is an entrustment from my previous life, I should personally verify it. However, the journey will be fraught with perils¡­ I hope to invite benefactor Lu and benefactor Shen to accompany me,¡± Chan''er said, turning his gaze to Shen Luo and Lu Huaming. It was evident that after the experience at the Golden Mountain Temple, Chan''er trusted Shen Luo and the rest greatly. Lu Huaming naturally had no objections, and would follow Duke Cheng''s lead on everything. ¡°Duke, regarding the person with the plum blossom mark you agreed to investigate earlier, have there been any leads?¡± Shen Luo didn''t immediately agree, but instead asked via telepathy. Hearing his question, Duke Cheng paused slightly before replying: ¡°There won''t be quick results. Even if the Ministry of Civil Affairs arranges for officials to examine the household registration records, it will take some time to get the results. Furthermore, for some people whose household registrations are unknown, they need to be checked in person.¡± ¡°I didn''t think it through earlier, this is indeed a major task, I''m making things difficult for the Duke,¡± Shen Luo apologized. ¡°No trouble at all, it''s an opportunity to check the bottom line of Chang''an City and avoid problems like the Jing River Dragon King haunting,¡± Duke Cheng replied with a smile. ¡°As for the trip to the Western Regions, I have no objections, I can go with you.¡± After getting the answer, Shen Luo spoke. He had received news from Li Jing earlier that two reincarnated demon souls were located in Chang''an and the Western Regions. Since there were no results yet in Chang''an, he might as well go investigate in the Western Regions first. ¡°However, wouldn''t it be somewhat risky with just a few of you going?¡± Master Lu De asked with worry. ¡°If there are too many people, it will be more conspicuous, which could draw unnecessary attention. It''s better with fewer people, it won''t attract too much attention. And don''t underestimate these young ones, Master Lu De. The ghost disturbance in Chang''an was resolved thanks to their contributions. But because Huaming holds an official title and has some things to investigate later, he may not be able to make time. With just Shen Luo, it indeed seems a bit too risky¡­¡± Duke Cheng contemplated aloud. ¡°I''m willing to accompany them.¡± Just then, a resonant voice echoed through the hall. Everyone looked toward the source of the sound, which came from Bai Xiaotian who had already stood up and was greeting everyone with a fist salute. Shen Luo exchanged a look with him, and they both sported smiles. ¡°If you wish to go¡­good. Having you, nephew Bai Xiaotian, accompany is more reassuring.¡± Kongdu Zen Master glanced at him and after some hesitation, he gave his approval. After a round of deliberation, everyone agreed to the arrangements. Coming out of the Chongxuan Hall, Lu Huaming went to Shen Luo''s side and somewhat apologetically said, ¡°I''m really sorry about this. I have official duties and cannot accompany you this time.¡± ¡°It''s no problem, you have official duties, they should be your priority,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and laughed. ¡°There''s been some progress with the demon wind issue, I just can''t step away now.¡± Lu Huaming looked around and spoke softly. ¡°The demon wind¡­ how''s Gu Hualing being handled?¡± Shen Luo asked. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°She''s temporarily entered the officialdom as a subordinate of mine. She''ll be working together with me on the investigation of the demon wind,¡± Lu Huaming said. ¡°You should be cautious with her around,¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°Don''t worry, I know my boundaries,¡± Lu Huaming laughed. ¡°By the way, we still have a while before leaving Chang''an. Could I ask you to use your connections to help me refine some elixirs?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°What sort of elixirs?¡± Lu Huaming queried. ¡°Healing Milk Spirit Pill and Blood Qilin Pill,¡± Shen Luo answered. He still had some Thousand-Year Spirit Milk left, but the kind that could be used to prolong life was no longer useful, and the kind to assist with vessel opening was all used up. Qilin blood could be consumed directly, but if done so, the spiritual energy in the blood would be consumed greatly. When refined into a pill, it could maximize its effect. ¡°Well¡­ the royal alchemist can refine these two types of pills. However, my influence isn''t sufficient, we will need to ask my master for help. Hehe¡­ consider this matter settled on his part,¡± Lu Huaming laughed. ¡°You agreed quite quickly on behalf of Duke Cheng,¡± Shen Luo said, slightly speechless. ¡°He makes you run such a long way, isn''t it reasonable for him to help you with this small matter? Alright, you don''t need to worry about it anymore, I will pester him until he agrees,¡± Lu Huaming, full of confidence, pat Shen Luo''s shoulder and said. Shen Luo saw this and immediately handed over the Spirit Milk and Qilin Blood to him. Chapter 669 Chapter 669: Chapter 665: Black Chicken Kingdom Chapter 669: Chapter 665: Black Chicken Kingdom Time flew by, and half a month passed in a blink of an eye. Shen Luo and his two companions were ready, and they embarked on their journey towards the Western Regions. The trio boarded a white flying boat and headed west. After a day and a night of flying through clouds and over the moon, they finally arrived at the border of the Great Tang. Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the flying boat, silently operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. A faint red light radiated from his body. He had consumed all of the Elixir of Longevity made from Qilin blood. The Qilin, a symbol of good fortune, had an essence blood whose elixir effect was even better than the Dragon Blood he had obtained before. It extended his lifespan by about fifty years. Moreover, as the Qilin is a fire-related sacred beast, just as his water-controlling ability increased when he consumed dragon''s blood years ago, his ability to control the elemental force of fire has also increased significantly now. Not long after, he opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath lightly. Although he couldn''t fully recover the lifespan he had lost, he was already quite satisfied. After all, such medicines, whether in the mortal world or in the world of cultivation, are items that defy the laws of nature, and obtaining them is itself a kind of luck that can''t be sought after. ¡°Shen Luo, Shen Luo, no wonder your cultivation has made rapid progress recently, you really work hard in your cultivation! If I weren''t helped by the resources of my master''s sect, I would probably have been left behind by you, and I wouldn''t have the face to see you.¡± Bai Xiaotian saw Shen Luo wake up, grinned and joked. ¡°Brother Bai, don''t make fun of me anymore. I''m not talented, so I have to work harder. As the saying goes, a stupid bird flies early and diligence can make up for one''s dullness. Speaking of which, where are we now?¡± Shen Luo smiled and changed the topic. ¡°We''ve just left the territory of Great Tang.¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo walked to the edge of the flying boat and looked down. The flying boat wasn''t too high, the view below was unobstructed; what appeared below was a continuous range of towering mountains. However, the mountains here were dangerous, there were no Spiritual Veins underground, and the spiritual energy was thin. Not only was it uninhabited, but there also weren''t many birds and beasts. The phrase ''wretched mountains and rivers'' was the perfect description for this place. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, according to the records, when you went to the Western Paradise to fetch the scriptures, you left the territory of the Great Tang from the Two Realms Mountain below. There are rumors that your eldest disciple, Sun Wukong, was once trapped here. After you rescued him, he protected you all the way to the Western Paradise to fetch the scriptures.¡± Bai Xiaotian pointed to the largest mountain peak below and said to Chan''er. As they were both from the Buddhist Sect, Bai Xiaotian respected Chan''er alot and respectfully addressed him as ¡°Golden Cicada¡±. ¡°So this is the Two Realms Mountain!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was slightly stunned. He looked at the mountain peak indicated by Bai Xiaotian and took a closer look. He''d read about this mountain in the literature. When the King of Great Tang was pacifying the western regions, he named this peak the Two Realms Mountain to mark the national boundary. ¡°Master Bai, what you said seems to remind me of something. Can we go down and take a look?¡± Chan''er looked at the mountain range below, his gaze a little confused, and then looked at Bai Xiaotian again. After hesitating for a while, he said so. ¡°Sure.¡± Bai Xiaotian gave a slight smile, waved his hand, and controlled the flying boat to descend. Before setting off, his sect''s elders instructed him to try his best to assist Chan''er in recovering his memories as soon as possible. Naturally, he was happy to see such a situation. Shen Luo was also interested in the natural scenery outside the Great Tang, and readily agreed. The three of them stayed in Two Realms Mountain for a day. Bai Xiaotian led Chan''er around the mountain based on the records of Master Golden Cicada''s journey to the west to fetch scriptures, hoping that it would help him recover his memory. Unfortunately, they were unsuccessful and continued their journey. Next, Bai Xiaotian controlled the flying boat and moved along the path according to the journey taken during the original pilgrimage. Chan''er had a blank look upon seeing these places, and still couldn''t remember any past memories. Because they had to revisit these old places with Chan''er, the journey naturally took longer, it took well over a month before they arrived in the Black Chicken Kingdom. ¡°Is this the Black Chicken Kingdom? Huh, why is there such a strong aura of impurity?¡± The three of them stood on their flying boat, looking at the land below. Bai Xiaotian muttered. Almost all of Black Chicken Kingdom at sight was covered with yellow sand and the Gobi Desert, very desolate, with sparse spiritual power in the air, but thin strands of black fog could be faintly seen mixed in, making the originally fair sky look somewhat grey and dull. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo slightly furrowed his brows, the situation in the Black Chicken Kingdom was somewhat similar to the one in Dreamland. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, where should we go in the Black Chicken Kingdom?¡± Bai Xiaotian turned to ask Chan''er. ¡°As a little monk, I''m not sure, I thought I would remember something when we got to The Black Chicken Kingdom, but unfortunately, I still have no clue.¡± Chan''er shook his head a bit distressed. ¡°In that case, let''s look around nearby first and find out more about the situation in the Black Chicken Kingdom.¡± Shen Luo suggested. The condition of the Black Chicken Kingdom made him feel inexplicably worried. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Chan''er nodded. Thus, the three of them searched nearby the border of the Black Chicken Kingdom, and soon found a rather large city. Judging from the name engraved on the city gate, the city was called ¡°Bai County City¡±. There was a large river and several broad roads outside the city. Looking at the geographical location, it was a key place for trade and commerce, and the city was quite large. ¡°It looks like a considerable city. We should gain some information if we inquire here.¡± Shen Luo said, as the three of them landed at a secluded spot outside the city. Neither Chan''er nor Bai Xiaoyun objected, they soon arrived at the City Gate. The architectural style of Bai County City was vastly different from the cities of the Central Region, very crude. Many rough murals could often be seen on the city gate and walls, with content entirely different from that of the Central Region, all depicting various scenes of people and beasts fighting. The city gate of Bai County City was manned by soldiers. The soldiers'' outfits were unique; donning felt hats, wearing half-body armor, and armed with spears and curved knives. These soldiers were collecting silver coins from everyone entering the city, charging one silver coin per person. Chan''er, as a Buddhist clergyman, was exempt from the entrance fees. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were ordinary people. Naturally, they wouldn''t mind spending a little money and handed a piece of crushed silver to the gatekeeping soldiers. The currency in the Western Regions was gold and silver coins. However, due to the prosperity of Tang dynasty''s trade, Tang currency could also be used here. In terms of weight, this piece of crushed silver was worth at least three silver coins. ¡°Two gold coins per person, how many of you are there?¡± said the soldier who did not take the silver coins, looking at the lavishly dressed Bai Xiaotian and said with a slight smirk. ¡°What! Isn''t it one silver coin per person?¡± Bai Xiaotian frowned. Although he didn''t care about such a small amount of silver, it didn''t mean he would be arbitrarily blackmailed by a few mortals. ¡°We decide how much to charge for entering the city. Judging by your weird clothes, you two are probably spies from another country. If you don''t want to be thrown in jail, then pay up quickly!¡± The soldier saw Bai Xiaotian dare to retort, glared at him and roared. The other soldiers, seeing this act of extortion, didn''t stop it. Instead, they raised their weapons and pointed them at Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo, with smiles on their faces as if they were tearing into a fat sheep, obviously not the first time they were doing this kind of thing. Chapter 670 Chapter 670: Chapter 666: Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar Chapter 670: Chapter 666: Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar Although Shen Luo was indignant about the conduct of these city guards, they currently had important matters to attend to and it was not suitable to attract attention. He was just about to step forward and let Bai Xiaotian give up on the matter. ¡°Amitabha, gentlemen, all beings are equal. Other people only need to pay two silver coins, so why are we alone required to pay two gold ones?¡± Chan''er, however, took a step forward and spoke before Shen Luo. Only then did the city guards notice Chan''er, their expressions changing instantly. ¡°Esteemed Master, are you companions with them? I beg your pardon, I was blind and didn''t recognize you. Misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding. Please, come on in!¡± The extortionate guard immediately let them through, his attitude now contrasting sharply from before. The other soldiers also put away their smirks and paid their respects to Chan''er with a sincere look. Chan''er too returned the gesture to the men. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian didn''t understand the situation, but they considered averting trouble as a good thing. They immediately followed Chan''er into the city. The city of Bai County was high and broad. Shen Luo thought it would be bustling inside, but was surprised to see that the streets were narrow and dirty, the houses on both sides in poor condition with humans and livestock living mixed together, and very few shops. Even the existing shops were badly rundown, and the people seemed to live in extreme hardship. However, unlike the dilapidated houses, the city had numerous temples which were well built, majestic and austere. The chanting of scriptures was faintly audible, and there were thriving offerings of incense. In his attire as a high-ranking monk, Chan''er, despite being young had an extraordinary demeanor. The city dwellers would make way and pay respect whenever they saw him. Shen Luo exchanged a glance with Bai Xiaotian. The standing of monks within the City of Bai County was unexpectedly high, no wonder the soldiers at the city gate had let them through as soon as they saw Chan''er. ¡°This city sits on the Silk Road, it should have been thriving. Yet, people live in such poverty while Buddhism flourishes so much ¨C it''s strange.¡± said Bai Xiaotian, quite astounded by the sight. ¡°Amitabha, indeed strange.¡± Nan''er nodded. ¡°What''s so strange about it? The lands of Western Regions are far from rich unlike the Central Region. And as for trading, given the conduct of those city guards, who would dare come here from the Central Region? Even if they were cheated, there''s nowhere to appeal.¡± said Chan''er with a scoff, adjusting his Buddhist beads on his wrist. Chan''er sighed upon hearing this and softly chanted the Buddha''s name. ¡°We shall look into the situation of this place later. It''s getting late, let''s find a place to stay.¡± said Shen Luo. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Bai Xiaotian agreed. ¡°Benefactors, you may go seek accommodations. I, being a monk, will lodge in the temple ahead. We will meet here again tomorrow.¡± said Chan''er. At this, Shen Luo remembered Chan''er''s presence and agreed that it wouldn''t be appropriate to lodge at an inn. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, we cannot be careless about your safety. I''ll stay with you at the temple while Brother Shen finds a place elsewhere in the city and gets some information about the Black Chicken Kingdom in passing.¡± suggested Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Shen Luo, who was already considering this, nodded in agreement. Thus, the three of them separated. After a long search in the city, Shen Luo finally found an inn to stay. The inn was quite small with only two assistants besides the innkeeper. The inn had likely not seen patrons for a long time, so the innkeeper personally sent Shen Luo to the room, graciously bringing him his tea and dinner. ¡°Landlord, It''s my first time in the Black Chicken Kingdom. I''ve heard in the Great Tang that the Black Chicken Kingdom is one of the larger nations in the Western Regions and due to its location on the Silk Road should be quite thriving. Why is Bai County City so rundown?¡± Shen Luo asked after giving the innkeeper some silver coins. ¡°Sir, you come from the Great Tang? No wonder you are so remarkable! Alas, speaking of our Black Chicken Kingdom, it used to be quite prosperous but the recent years have been marred by natural disasters, bandits and monster attacks, leading to widespread suffering among the people. Foreign merchants no longer come here, and thus, the city has fallen into disrepair.¡± sighed the innkeeper. ¡°Oh, attacks by monsters!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes sharpened. ¡°Indeed, for some unknown reason in recent years, many places in the Black Chicken Kingdom have been plagued by monsters. While the holy monks of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar have tried their best to eliminate them, the monsters are too numerous to be exterminated entirely. It may be because our devotion to the Saint is not sincere enough which is why such a calamity has fallen upon us.¡± said the innkeeper, his hands put together in prayer. ¡°Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar? What is that? A Buddhist temple?¡± asked a slightly confused Shen Luo. ¡°Ah, sir, you don''t know about the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar? I have always heard of the flourishing Buddhism in the Great Tang so I''m surprised by your ignorance.¡± The innkeeper frowned, and seemingly angered by Shen Luo''s lack of knowledge about the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, left in a huff. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, but paid it no heed. He got up and closed the door. It was already dark outside, and unlike Chang''an, most people in this place had already gone to sleep. He flew out of the window, transforming into a silent shadow that disappeared into the distance. After more than half the night had passed and it was nearly dawn, he returned from outside with several thick books in his hand. Shen Luo had strolled around the city, listening to some of the private conversations of the locals, thus obtaining a slightly better understanding of the current situation in the city. The books were historical records found in some of the smaller temples. He flicked through the books, reading quickly. With his current spiritual power, he could skim through ten lines at a glance. He read through all the thick books quickly, the expression on his face showing a sudden comprehension. Today, the Black Chicken Kingdom was weak and in turmoil, the people immersed in Buddhism in order to seek spiritual sustenance. Buddhism here was even more prosperous than in the Great Tang. The Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar was the current state religion of the Black Chicken Kingdom. Most of the temples in Bai County City were local branches of it. ¡°Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar?¡± Shen Luo''s brow knitted. In a chaotic world of hardship, it''s not entirely wrong for common people to seek spiritual sustenance. However, through some of what he had heard, it seemed that this Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar was somewhat sinister, utterly unlike the Buddhist temples in Central Region such as the Hua Sheng Temple and the Golden Mountain Temple. While these respected the principle of equality among all beings, the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar considered its followers as sacred monks, a step above ordinary people. Furthermore, they didn''t offer their monster hunting services to people free of charge. Every time they set out to exterminate monsters, they asked for a substantial amount of silver coins. One of the recorded statements in the books revealed that a monster had appeared in a city of the Black Chicken Kingdom. The City Lord had requested the help of the monks from the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar. The so-called sacred monk, however, demanded half of the city''s savings. Reluctant though the Lord was, he eventually paid half of his wealth to get the monster exterminated. Such means of collecting money was akin to robbery in the Great Tang. Still, the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar referred to it as making an offering to the Saint, and constantly brainwashed common people to accept this explanation. After a few years, the inhabitants of the Black Chicken Kingdom had gradually come to accept this. Chapter 671 Chapter 671: Chapter 667: Watch the changes quietly Chapter 671: Chapter 667: Watch the changes quietly Shen Luo was speechless at the willingness of the common people of the Black Chicken Kingdom to accept such realities. However, this was the domestic policy of another country, and he wasn''t going to meddle in it, doing thankless tasks. He quickly cast aside this thought, instead focusing on the demonic energy here. According to Master Hai Shi, when Golden Cicada was making his journey to the West that year, he had already detected a great fluctuation in demonic energy in this country. This matter could not be taken lightly. Even though, according to Li Jing, the reincarnation time of Chiyou''s Five Demon Souls and the pilgrim were similar and should have no correlation with that demonic energy fluctuation, they did not know if Chiyou had made any other moves before he released the Five Demon Souls. Moreover, demons everywhere in the Black Chicken Kingdom were far more powerful than in the Great Tang. It was almost the same as he had speculated based on the situation in Dreamland. Just as Shen Luo was deep in thought, a distant and haunting roar came from outside. Although it seemed far away, the chilling savagery in it still made Shen Luo''s heart grow cold. ¡°Not good, a demon has appeared!¡± he got up immediately, and went outside. The outside was starting to turn white, and the early-rising townsfolk were on the move. Hearing that roar their faces changed instantly. ¡°Demons! Demons have come again!¡± The townsfolk cried out, running towards their homes to lock their doors, not daring to show themselves. ¡°Customer! Hurry inside, the demons are back!¡± The innkeeper was also up, and upon seeing Shen Luo standing outside, he completely forgot his resentment and urgently shouted. ¡°Don''t worry.¡± Shen Luo nodded and smiled at the innkeeper while looking towards the direction of where the noise was coming from. A black speck appeared in the sky, growing bigger rapidly, turning into a roll of dark clouds. Sand and rocks whirled around the clouds, buffeted by the demon wind, appearing ghastly. ¡°It''s that snake demon!¡± The innkeeper turned pale with fright, not caring about Shen Luo anymore, he turned around and dove back inside, slamming his door hard. ¡°Snake demon¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, judging by this circumstance, it seemed this demon has been here before. ¡°I wonder how Chan''er is doing?¡± He suddenly thought of something and his figure turned into a crimson light as he dashed towards a temple within the city. Yesterday, while moving stealthily within the city, he had already found out where Chan''er and Bai Xiaotian were staying ¨C at a small temple. In a small temple inside the Bai County City, Chan''er and Bai Xiaotian were already up, standing in a courtyard and watching a cloud of demonic energy in the distant sky. ¡°Amitabha, who would have thought that even the countries of the Western Regions would be plagued by demons. This town is poor and the people here are weak. Brother Bai, if it''s within your power, please help the people of this city,¡± Chan''er said to Bai Xiaotian. ¡°As it should be,¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately nodded. At that moment, a crimson sword light shot from the distance coming straight for them and in the blink of an eye, it arrived, revealing Shen Luo. ¡°Master Chan''er, Brother Bai, are you alright?¡± ¡°Brother Shen, your arrival is just in time,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed with relief in his heart. The demon in the dark cloud was powerful ¨C its presence alone was overwhelming. He had been worrying that protecting Chan''er and exorcising the demon alone would be too much. Now with Shen Luo here, he felt relieved. During their conversation, the dark clouds have already reached the sky above Bai County City, expanding and spreading out, almost instantly covering half the sky and over half the city was shrouded in shadow. A loud hissing sound came from the dark cloud, which sounded like a massive python flicking its tongue. Even more horrifying, two lantern-sized red lights appeared within the cloud, seemingly two demonic eyes staring down at Bai County City below, filled with a sense of greed. A raging demonic wind shot down from the looming dark cloud, spiralling towards a house in the eastern part of the city. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s hand was enveloped by a surge of red light, prepared to unleash the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in retaliation. However, from a towering Buddhist temple in the center of Bai County City, the golden pagoda suddenly flashed with a golden light. This was from a water-jar-sized golden crystal ball embedded on the top of the tower. The crystal ball was engraved with formation patterns all around it. As one pattern suddenly lit up, the golden crystal ball''s glow intensified, emitting a massive golden light pillar which collided with the descending demonic wind. After a thunderous explosion, the golden light dispersed, whereas the demonic wind was dispersed as well, both annihilating each other in the process. Within the hovering dark cloud, a roar of fury rang out. From another part of the cloud, an even colossal demonic wind shot down, heading towards a construction site in the southern part of the city. However, a formation pattern on the southern side of the crystal ball lit up again, releasing a golden light from the southern side of the pearl, accurately blocking the demonic wind once again. The airborne demon was enraged. The black cloud churned ominously and a continuous torrent of sounds could be heard as more than a dozen demonic winds swirled downwards, transforming into a group of black snake demons and pouncing towards various parts of the city. The golden crystal ball, as if sensing the looming danger outside, had all its surrounding formation patterns light up. The pearl''s interior shone with a golden light that was several times brighter than before, with a nebulous golden cloud rapidly revolving within it. Accompanied by a humming sound, a number of thick golden beams shot out from within the golden crystal ball, confronting the black snake demons, and impressively intercepting them one by one. ¡°It seems that the city of Bai County is not without its own measures to counter demon attacks. That is the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar Temple over there. Since they have contingency mechanisms in place, as outsiders, it''s best if we adopt a wait-and-see approach,¡± Shen Luo commented upon witnessing the scene, as he offered a slight nod of agreement. ¡°Sacred Lotus Temple?¡± Bai Xiaotian expressed confusion on his face, as he seemed to have heard this name for the first time. ¡°You didn''t inquire about Bai County City and Black Chicken Kingdom from the monks of this temple?¡± asked Shen Luo with a touch of surprise. ¡°Of course we did. However, as soon as the monks heard that we were from the Great Tang, they refused to utter a single word. It seemed that they were quite hostile towards the foreign visitors,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°I see. So it was like this. According to what I discovered about the Black Chicken Kingdom¡­¡± Shen Luo came to an understanding as he quickly summarized the situation he had investigated for the duo. ¡°I never expected such circumstances within the Black Chicken Kingdom. Brother Shen is right, we should bide our time before intervening rashly,¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded in agreement. ¡°If the Sacred Lotus Temple is unable to resist the demon, we will have to take action. We can''t let the common people suffer,¡± Chan''er hurriedly added. ¡°Rest assured, it goes without saying,¡± Shen Luo said. Even though the Black Chicken Kingdom is not a part of the Great Tang, nevertheless, as a part of the Human Race, he would not sit by while its people suffer. ¡°This is not good! The power of the golden crystal ball is starting to weaken!¡± At this moment, Bai Xiaotian suddenly changed his expressions. Shen Luo and Chan''er immediately looked over. The golden crystal ball on the golden pagoda was still firing golden beams, aiming at the black cloud in mid-air. But the light was noticeably dimmer compared to before, already struggling to ward off the attacks of the airborne demonic winds. ¡°It seems that the power of the golden crystal ball is limited, we are going to need to step in,¡± Shen Luo said. At this very moment, within the Treasure Pagoda of the Sacred Lotus Temple in Bai County City, several monks with tall yellow lama hats and who were donned in grand red kasayas were seated on a violet-gold lotus platform. Virtuous light radiated from these individuals, with a faint hint of Buddhist chants around them, giving off an aura of highly respected monks. However, their faces all held a hint of brash arrogance, making them profoundly different from the general monks in the Central Region. Chapter 672 Chapter 672: Chapter 668: Battling the Demon Python Chapter 672: Chapter 668: Battling the Demon Python ¡°Lama Saints, the Holy Lotus Restriction within the city can no longer hold. We beseech you, esteemed monks, to intervene again, and drive away this demon!¡± An elderly man dressed in ornate official robes stood next to a yellow-faced monk, pleading anxiously. ¡°West Capital City Owner, it''s not that we''re unwilling to act, but as you know, our spiritual power stems from the Saint. After expelling the Earth Demon Monster some time ago, we have very little left. If we want to petition the Saint for more spiritual power, we need to present new sacrifices.¡± The yellow-faced monk shook his head, helpless. ¡°I have brought all the savings of the city owner''s mansion from the past half a year. Please, fellow monks, accept them on behalf of the Saint.¡± The official in ornate robes hurriedly turned to look at the two followers behind him. The two followers came over with some difficulty carrying a box. As they opened it, a brilliant golden light burst out ¨C more than half of the box contained gold and silver, while in one corner of the box were laid out jade, spiritual materials, and other cultivation resources. ¡°Only so little?¡± The yellow-faced monk, paying no heed to the gold and silver, looked at the jade and spiritual materials with a frown. He spoke calmly, seemingly unperturbed by the impending disaster outside. ¡°The number of traders in the city has been reducing lately, this is all the city owner''s mansion could muster. Once the demon has been driven away, I will immediately approach the wealthy merchants of the city. Surely, I should be able to gather more.¡± The official in ornate robes, wiping the cold sweat off his forehead, sounded unsure. The yellow-faced monk exchanged glances with the other monks. Just as they were about to speak, a loud boom came from outside. The monks sprang to their feet and looked outside, their expressions changing immediately. The crystal ball on the Golden Tower within the city had fended off the black demon cloud''s attacks several times, but had finally been depleted of its power, and now, it glowed dimly. From the black demon cloud in mid-air came an excited roar and a black demon wind, several feet in diameter, traversed downwards. After spinning for a moment, it transformed into a giant black hand aiming for a dwelling down below. Hidden in that dwelling was a family of three. Even before the giant hand could reach them, a chilling aura had engulfed them. Though they could not see what was transpiring in the sky, they comprehended the impending disaster. Faces filled with terror and desperation, they clung to each other, eyes shut, awaiting their doom. In that critical moment, a crimson streak of light zoomed past, faster than the eye could see, reaching the black demon hand in an instant. It was a crimson Immortal Sword. A crimson sword light, over ten feet long, rose from the Immortal Sword and in a lightning-fast move, whirled around the black demon hand, slashing through it. A sound, like the tearing of silk, filled the air ¨C the seemingly invincible black demon hand was as frail as tofu against the crimson sword light and was easily split in two. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black demon hand burst apart, turning into strands of black Qi and scattering. ¡°Who dares obstruct me?¡± came an angry, shrill roar from within the black cloud. Amid the flickering light near the flying sword, Shen Luo materialised out of thin air, his face stern. Without replying to the demon in the cloud, he pointed at the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and formed a technique with one hand. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo spun in place and two shafts of red light sprang forth from the sword body. Each emitted the same hue, but one emanated an intensely masculine vibe while the other was distinctly feminine, both intertwining with each other. After a clear clanging sound, like metal striking metal, a giant red Qi Sword, approximately twenty or thirty feet long, materialised, pointing at the black cloud in mid-air. It was the secret sword technique of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the Yin Yang Law Sword. An overwhelming wave of Sword Qi exploded from the red Qi Sword, expanding outwards like a tidal wave. The demon Qi within the black cloud was pressured by this Sword Qi and began to dissipate rapidly as if ice under the scorching sun. A trace of delight flashed across Shen Luo''s face as the might of his Pure Yang Sword Embryo greatly increased, enabling the Yin Yang Law Sword to display such formidable power. The demon in the dark cloud seemed greatly shaken by the scene, its smoke billowing and rolling as it hastily receded. ¡°This isn''t a place where you can come and go as you please,¡± Shen Luo snickered, pointing with his finger. The enormous crimson Qi Sword immediately flew out, its speed several times faster than the receding dark cloud, catching up in the blink of an eye and slashing through the sky. A red light surged from the Yin Yang Law Sword, illuminating half the sky. With a ¡°sizzle¡± sound, the dense dark cloud that blocked out the sun was cut in half, and both halves then exploded completely. The Yin Yang Law Sword, in addition to hunting ghosts, was powerful against demons. Coupled with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire that the Sword Embryo contained, it was indeed the nemesis of all Specters and Demons. A sharp cry echoed out, the dark Qi in mid-air quickly dissipated, and a gigantic black python demon appeared in the sky. This python demon was about forty to fifty feet long, with a thick silver horn on its head, a dazzling array of black scales covering its body, and four protuberances on its belly, appearing as though it was transforming from a snake into a dragon, radiating an imposing aura. However, at this moment, the python''s eyes were deep red, glaring fiercely at Shen Luo. It had a charred wound on its belly, faintly streaked with blood, apparently wounded by the Yin Yang Law Sword. But the black snake''s scales were tough, and even the Yin Yang Law Sword could not break its armored barrier, thus the extent of the python''s injury would not threaten its life. ¡°This is a Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei!¡± Shen Luo paid no attention to anything else. After observing the python''s silver horn, his eyes sparkled. He had read about the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei in the classics on Mount Fangcun in the Dreamland. This snake was a variant of the Dragon Clan. It was said to be the hybrid spawn of a dragon and a viper and its flesh and blood were excellent nourishment. However, the most precious part was its gallbladder, which contained all its vital essence. Consuming it could immensely boost one''s eyesight, making it a highly valuable spiritual material. As this information flashed across Shen Luo''s mind, his actions showed no hesitation. The Moonlight Glamour emanating from both his feet flared up, with a green light enveloping his body. After a sudden burst of light, his entire person vanished instantaneously¨Cit was the Yimu Xuandun. Now that his cultivation level had reached the Nascent Soul Stage, combined with the experience he gained in the dreamland, he had mastered the Yimu Xuandun very proficiently. The Thousand-Year Snake Mei was startled, its snake head looking around for traces of Shen Luo. As the void behind it rippled, Shen Luo''s figure emerged, raising his hand. Two purple lights shot out from his hand. They were two purple talismans ¡ª the Binding Talisman and the Fractured Talisman. With a muted ¡°pop¡± sound, the two talismans shattered, turning into a golden and a white light beam and entering the body of the Thousand-Year Snake Mei. A series of swift actions had only just occurred, and the Thousand-Year Snake Mei realised what was happening behind it. Just as it was about to turn and pounce, a golden light surged from its body, and the character for ¡°bind¡± appeared on its surface. The Thousand-Year Snake Mei''s body stiffened abruptly, unable to move at all, as if it no longer had control over its body. It had a terrified look in its eyes. At that moment, a dense layer of bright white light spread across its body, quickly spreading out. Everywhere the white light touched, the sturdy black armor that had withstood the Yin Yang Law Sword cracked and split on the Thousand-Year Snake Mei''s body, revealing numerous small wounds and becoming quite bloody. Chapter 673 Chapter 673: Chapter 669: Good Deeds Rewarded with Evil Chapter 673: Chapter 669: Good Deeds Rewarded with Evil Upon witnessing this scenario, a trace of delight flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. With a flick of his fingers, his Pure Yang Sword Embryo transformed into a crimson sword light, swirling around the neck of the Thousand-Year-Old Snake like lightning. The snake demon''s head tilted awkwardly, on the verge of falling off. Fresh blood spilled from its neck, splattering downwards. However, before its head could fall, a flash of gold passed over Shen Luo, and the massive body of the snake demon vanished completely. In this strange environment, Shen Luo had no time to entangle himself with demon creatures like the snake demon, so he simply used two high-order talismans to slay it. Prior to his journey to the Western Regions, he had specifically purchased materials to draw a batch of high-order talismans in order to enhance his strength. Now, they proved to be useful. A beam of escape light was currently shooting over from the distance, revealing the figure of Bai Xiaotian, whose face was full of astonishment. ¡°Brother Shen, you are truly skilled, effotlessly slaying this demon. It''s no wonder you have such a great reputation in Chang''an City and have gained the trust of Duke Cheng and Master Yuan.¡± Bai Xiaotian quickly regained his composure and laughed. ¡°Heh, my little techniques are hardly worth mentioning compared to the legitimate ''Vajra Subdues Demons'' technique of the Hua Sheng Temple. Brother Bai, you are too kind. Besides, even though we''ve eliminated this demon, it doesn''t necessarily mean we''ll be rewarded.¡± Shen Luo chuckled and turned his gaze towards another direction. Swish! Swish! Swish! Three beams of golden escape light flew towards them in an intimidating manner from the distance. Stopping in mid-air about thirty feet away, they materialized into three red-robed monks. The one leading was a yellow-faced monk, followed by a skinny tall monk and a short, fat monk with a chubby face and big ears. The expressions on these three were wild and arrogant. If not for their kasayas, they might have been mistaken for highway robbers. ¡°Where did these two upstarts come from, daring to run wild in our Black Chicken Kingdom! Hurry and release that demon creature. The Saint of our Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar has specifically chosen it to become a protector dragon. You better not make a mistake for yourselves!¡± The leading yellow-faced monk commanded with a grave voice. This monk did not have a strong Divine Sense. The battle between Shen Luo and the Thousand-Year-Old Snake, and the final capture of its corpse with the Heavenly Book, all happened in a blink of an eye. Plus, with the remaining black qi blocking their view, apart from Bai Xiaotian who had flown close by, the three monks hadn''t noticed that the snake demon had been killed. They just assumed that Shen Luo had subdued it. Shen Luo ignored the monk''s clamor. After taking in the three of them, his Divine Soul power, which had grown significantly after absorbing two Refining Body Platform Soul Cultivators, surpassed any ordinary early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. One glance was all he needed to clearly perceive the cultivation levels of the three monks. The lead yellow-faced monk was at the initial stage of the Nascent Soul period, while the two monks behind him were in the later stage of Soul Condensation. With Shen Luo''s powerful Divine Soul, not only could he perceive the cultivation levels of the three men, but he could also glean some insights into their flow of Mana and cultivation practices. Although they cultivated the Buddhist Divine Techniques, there was an evil aura mixed in, leaving him to wonder where they learned such a perverse form of Buddha Dharma from. ¡°The three of you are mistaken. Just now, that demon creature was clearly trying to kill the innocent. While the Buddhist Sect is vast, there''s no need to show mercy to harmful demons like it that show no remorse.¡± Bai Xiaotian had been studying in Hua Sheng Temple all these years, practicing legitimate Buddhist Divine Techniques. He could sense the weirdness in the three monks'' aura and didn''t have a good impression of them, so he spoke coldly. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The yellow-faced monk was the head of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar branch in Bai County City and held a high position. His commands were usually followed, and no one dared to defy him. Seeing Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were both Nascent Soul cultivators, he initially tried to negotiate with them a little. When Bai Xiaotian bluntly refused, he was instantly filled with rage. ¡°Fine! Fine! Since you are so obstinate, don''t blame us for being ruthless! Let''s combine our forces, kill these two heathens, and take back the snake demon!¡± The yellow-faced monk was furious. He gave a wave of his right hand, projecting a golden floating pagoda. A sheet of golden Buddha''s Light spewed forth, enveloping Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. The golden Buddha''s Light appeared to be bright and splendid, but it lacked majestic grandeur. Instead, it gave off a sense of coldness that was even more bizarre than the evil spirits and Ghost Cultivators Shen Luo had encountered before. Surges of hidden forces heaved within it, causing the void to shriek. Never before had Shen Luo seen such a technique, which caused him to raise an eyebrow. The other two monks also immediately took action, with one of them taking out a string of Buddhist beads, and the other a Dharma Wheel, both attacking Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian too was a person of lofty aspirations. Shen Luo had just slain the Snake Demon with a flip of his hand, he was not willing to be outdone, he snorted coldly and took the initiative. He conjured an ordinary-looking folding fan from thin air. The fan depicted a divine dragon soaring through clouds and fog, appearing lifelike, especially its pair of shining dragon eyes. He uttered a mantra, the Dragon Painting on the fan immediately lit up brightly and was thrown forward. ¡°Whoo, whoo¡± Amidst the sharp whistles, a wave of golden light surged out furiously, within which the shadow of a golden dragon emerged, colliding with the three magical instruments on the opposite side. As soon as the shadow of the dragon and the Buddha''s light collided, they clashed fiercely like arch-enemies, emitting a series of muffled thunderous sounds. The three magical instruments of the yellow-faced monks were knocked back, and the light from their weapons dimmed. Bai Xiaotian''s face also turned pale, he couldn''t help but retreat a step, yet the Dragon-painting Fan still shone brightly, showing no sign of weakening. It was apparently of superior quality compared to the three magical instruments on the opposite side. A glint of greed flashed in the eyes of the yellow-faced monk, as he took advantage of the moment when Bai Xiaotian was knocked back. He clamored a Jade Gourd, with a flick of his finger, a green light shot out from the inside of the gourd, covering a distance of tens of feet in an instant and engulfing the Dragon-painting Fan. This green light was particularly strange. When the Dragon-painting Fan got entangled in it, the golden light on its surface began to disperse, and the fan started to teeter in place, seeming to malfunction. Bai Xiaotian looked startled. This fan is his life-bound magical instrument, refined with great effort by a refining room monk from Hua Sheng Temple, he could not afford to lose it. He was about to cast a spell to recall it, but a beam of white chilling light shot out swiftly from his side, like lightning. Its speed surpassed that of the green light. In a flash, it hit the Jade Gourd. It was Shen Luo who noticed Bai Xiaotian''s trouble and decided to help. The gourd let out a series of cracking sounds, its surface actually formed a layer of solid ice. The treasure light on the gourd was also frozen, and the binding green light drastically reduced. Bai Xiaotian was delighted, he quickly chanted the spell. The golden light on the Dragon-painting Fan soared, it flew outwards, seeming as if it was about to break free. ¡°How dare you ruin my plan!¡± The yellow-faced monk glared at Shen Luo, his hands moved. But Shen Luo beat him to the punch. He brought out the Five-Fire Fan with a flip of his hand, and fanned it viciously at the yellow-faced monk. A thick five-colored flame pillar shot out from the fan, emanating a startling spiritual pressure. It rushed towards the yellow-faced monk like a gigantic fire dragon, its jaws wide open, ready to strike. After consuming the elixir refined with Qilin blood, his fire control ability had greatly improved, allowing him to unleash the power of the Five-Fire Fan effectively. At the same time, a white chilling beam of light from Qiankun Bag retracted and radiated a strong suction force, it enveloped the Green Jade Gourd and started to pull it towards Shen Luo. Caught off guard, the yellow-faced monk''s Jade Gourd was drawn by the Qiankun Bag, it was about to fall into Shen Luo''s hands. Chapter 674 Chapter 674: Chapter 670: Asking for Help Chapter 674: Chapter 670: Asking for Help ¡°Damn it!¡± Without any regard for anything else, the monk spurted out essence blood from his mouth and began to recite spells with his hands rapidly moving like rotating car wheels. The essence blood exploded fiercely, transforming into a blood cloud. Countless bloody runes bounced inside the cloud, forming a strange and mysterious pattern that was neither text nor drawing. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Subsequently, the surface of the Green Jade Gourd shone brightly with green light and at a distance not more than three feet from Shen Luo, it paused. But at this moment, the Five-colored Fire Dragon swooped down fiercely. It was about to hit the yellow-faced monk. ¡°Whoosh¡± ¡°Whoosh¡± Two sounds of whistling filled the air. A string of Buddhist beads and a Dharma Wheel flew from the side, crossing in front of the yellow-faced monk for protection. The two magical instruments emitted dazzling golden light which formed a golden light curtain. ¡°Boom¡± With a gigantic dull thud, the Five-colored Fire Dragon hit the golden light curtain, forcing it to retreat. Flaps of five-colored flames licked the curtain, making it swiftly thin at a speed visible to the naked eye. The golden light on it also quickly faded. The expressions of the fat and thin monks changed drastically. They quickly spurted out their essence blood, performing the same secret technique as the yellow-faced monk. The golden light on the Buddhist beads and the Dharma Wheel shone brightly as if their spirit was burning. The golden light curtain managed to stabilize and barely blocked the Five-colored Flame Pillar outside. But looking at the two of them, they wouldn''t be able to resist for long. The yellow-faced monk gritted his teeth. His hands quickly recited the magic incantation. The green light on the Jade Gourd rippled like water. The white ice crystals enveloped by the green light surprisingly melted swiftly and drifted away. The Jade Gourd flew back towards the yellow-faced monk. Surprise flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, but he didn''t panic. His eyes, which were staring at the Jade Gourd, even lit up a bit. He waved his hand, and a golden shadow flashed over him. The Jade Gourd suddenly vanished as if it had never existed. ¡°Where did you send my precious Jade Gourd? How dare you two thieves snatch my treasure? I will rip your souls out and roast them on the Yin Fire for a hundred years. I will force you neither to live nor die!¡± The connection between the yellow-faced monk and the Jade Gourd was cut off instantly. He was dumbfounded, and then he let out a furious roar. This sacred gourd was the reward presented to him by the main altar of the Sacred Lotus Dharma for maintaining the peace of Bai County City for a hundred years. Now, he just saw someone snatch it so effortlessly. How could he bear it? He was so angry that he almost spat out old blood. In his angry roar, the yellow-faced monk waved his hands. He produced a golden Buddha bead with a swastika pattern in the middle the size of a fist. The monk spat out more essence blood, which was absorbed by the Buddha bead. The bead vibrated and enlarged several times. Thousands of golden rays burst from it, each radiating with a sharp screech, as if they were countless swords, all aimed at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. Meanwhile, shouts came from the city below. Figures were shooting into the air. All of these people were wearing red kasaya. They were clearly disciples of the Sacred Lotus Dharma. While their cultivation levels were not high, their number reached hundreds. Fearlessly, they pounced upon Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. Shen Luo waved his hand, and his body flashed with the shadow of the SeSuppressing Bead. A spherical blue light shot out from his hand, forming a blue cloud in front of him and Bai Xiaotian. The golden light hit the blue cloud but disappeared as if swallowed by the ocean, but the blue cloud was also rapidly thinning, and clearly, it would not resist the golden light for long. ¡°There''s no point in continuing this fight. Let''s go.¡± Shen Luo did not intend for the blue cloud to resist for long. He lifted his hand, grabbed Bai Xiaotian''s shoulder, while a bright green light shone on his body, covering and pervading Bai Xiaotian. Their figures flicked and disappeared in the green light. At the same time, the blue light sphere also went ¡°Poof¡± and vanished into thin air. The yellow-faced monk had a ghastly pale complexion as he scanned the surroundings, but there was no sign of Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. ¡°That heretic just used an Escape Technique, they must still be within the city. Search everywhere, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground!¡± He turned and barked at the approaching monks. Red-robed monks around him responded in acknowledgment and flew in various directions. ¡°You two, activate the city''s protective prohibition. Cover the whole city. We cannot let them escape!¡± The yellow-faced monk spoke to the two monks behind him. ¡°Master, those two are very powerful. Even if we find them, we seem to be no match for them.¡± said the short and fat monk, voicing his hesitation after catching his breath. The yellow-faced monk''s expression faltered upon hearing this, but he soon responded, ¡°Don''t worry. I have a way to deal with them. I can always invite the Saint to descend. No matter what, we can''t let them take the spirit-sealing gourd and the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei away! You all know that the snake Mei is¡­¡± He suddenly stopped midway through his sentence and sharply glanced at the two monks. ¡°Yes.¡± The two monks seemed to understand something from his gaze. Their expressions slightly changed as they immediately flew downwards. The yellow-faced monk didn''t linger, he transformed into a golden light and flew towards the Sacred Lotus Temple and soon arrived at a secret chamber. There was a half-meter tall stone pillar in the room that had a golden light dancing at its top. There were runes inscribed within the light which appeared to be a part of an array. He hesitated for a moment before making a hand seal and pointing at the array. The golden array immediately began to hum and spin. After a few breaths, an illusory figure emerged from within. It looked like a monk wearing a golden crown. ¡°Lama, what do you need?¡± The monk with the golden crown inquired casually. ¡°Dragon Altar Protector, I have failed. Today, when Lord Holy Dragon came to Bai County City for his blood meal, I dealt with it as per the usual procedure but two outsiders suddenly arrived. They''re extremely powerful, not only did they steal my Jade Gourd, but they also captured Lord Holy Dragon,¡± stated the yellow-faced monk, fear apparent on his face. ¡°What? The Holy Dragon got captured by them! Who are these two people and what did they do?¡± The monk with the golden crown raised his voice in anger even though he was in a disparate state, his face visibly changing. The yellow-faced monk quickly described Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian''s looks, their cultivation levels, and the techniques and magical instruments they used. ¡°From what you described, these two are at Nascent Soul Stage in their cultivation. One of them appears to be a monk from the Central Region''s Hua Sheng Temple, but I can''t figure out the origins of the other one. What''s the situation now?¡± The monk with the golden crown''s anger slightly abated after hearing this and he asked further. ¡°We are currently searching for them within the city. But these two are extremely powerful, even with the full force of Bai County City, we may not be able to defeat them. I earnestly beg your permission to use the God Descent Talisman. I will certainly capture and bring them down, regaining the Holy Dragon,¡± pleaded the yellow-faced monk. ¡°Alright, I will cast a spell shortly to remove the seal on the God Descent Talisman. But you must recapture the Holy Dragon. I have fed it with innumerable spiritual medicines to cultivate a Pupil Technique using its gallbladder. If it''s lost, your life will not suffice!¡± The monk with the golden crown answered sternly. ¡°Yes!¡± The yellow-faced monk stiffened, then immediately assured him. The golden crowned monk''s figure faded within the array. Then, with a resounding burst, the array emitted an intense golden light. The yellow-faced monk took out a white talisman which was enveloped in a white light shield, appearing to be some kind of seal. Seeing the golden light shooting out from within the array, the yellow-faced monk hurriedly raised the talisman to intercept it. The white light shield around the talisman instantly shattered, and golden runes surfaced on the talisman, forming a seal that emitted waves of a strong Mana. Chapter 675 – 675 Six Hundred and Seventy Chapter 675: Chapter Six Hundred and Seventy-One: Seek Welfare for the World Chapter 675: Chapter Six Hundred and Seventy-One: Seek Welfare for the World The yellow-faced monk''s face brightened with joy, a malevolence flickered in his eyes. After stowing away the golden talisman, he turned and walked outside. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, within the courtyard of the small temple in Bai County City, a patch of green light suddenly manifested in the void. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian appeared from within it. ¡°Amitabha, benefactors, are you both unharmed?¡± Chan''er stood there, greeting them. ¡°We''re fine, but I''m afraid we can''t stay in Bai County City any longer. We must leave as soon as possible.¡± Without going into detail, Shen Luo grabbed Chan''er by the shoulder as he spoke. Enshrouded in green light, the three figures vanished with a flash. A green shadow flitted past a wasteland outside of Bai County City. The figures of three individuals materialized and staggered onto the ground. Shen Luo''s complexion was a bit pale. With his current cultivation level, although he could use Yimu Xuandun with the two men, it consumed a considerable amount of his mana. Considering the previous battle''s exhaustion, he retrieved a restoration pill and took it, quietly refining it with his skills. At this time, in the center of Bai County City, the treasure pagoda lit up once again with bright golden light shooting into the sky. Simultaneously, four smaller golden lights broke off and landed in the four corners of the city walls. A golden light shield in the form of an upside-down cauldron quickly materialized, enveloping the entire city. ¡°I didn''t expect this city to have a prohibition that encompasses it all. Fortunately, Brother Shen acted quickly. Otherwise, we would''ve been trapped inside,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed upon seeing this scene. Shen Luo shook his head, not showing a trace of triumph. He looked at the golden light shield enveloping the entire Bai County City, his gaze flickering slightly. Considering the ruined state within Bai County City, he estimated that the Sacred Lotus Temple wasn''t well-off. When faced with the demon''s attack earlier, the golden tower''s prohibitions faltered after a while. Now, they must''ve been reactivated to find them. Moreover, launching this golden light shield that blankets the whole city consumes significantly more than the previous attempts to thwart the snake demon. Could that jade gourd be so precious that the yellow-faced monk would go to great lengths to retrieve it? ¡°Why did the monks from the temple pursue you?¡± Chan''er asked, somewhat perplexed. ¡°Heh heh, what else could it be? Brother Shen swooped in and snatched their magical instrument. Of course the monks are going to be damn pissed off,¡± Chan''er''s Buddhist beads giggled cheekily. ¡°Benefactor Shen, is this true? Stealing is a major obstructions to great karma. Even though you don''t belong to the Buddhist sect, you shouldn''t do such deeds. I think it would be best if you return their belongings,¡± Chan''er advised Shen Luo. The Buddhist beads chuckled suitably amused, but didn''t utter a word. ¡°Master Chan''er, your compassion is truly admirable, but I was merely acting out of necessity when I took their magical instrument. Moreover, the actions of those monks have been unethical. Their cultivation methods are also very sinister. They are definitely not virtuous. If the instrument falls into their hands, it''ll cause more innocent people to suffer. My appropriation of that instrument was not robbery, but rather a measure for the benefit of the world,¡± Shen Luo gave the Buddhist beads a glance and explained in earnest. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Chan''er mused, scratching his head. ¡°Tch, justifying theft so righteously. Shen Luo, I reckon you''re even better at telling tall tales than those monks,¡± the Buddhist beads spat dismissively. Shen Luo ignored the Buddhist beads, and said, ¡°Although we''re out of the city, it''s not necessarily safe here. We should depart soon.¡± ¡°Exactly, let''s get moving,¡± Bai Xiaotian summoned the flying boat with a wave of his hand. Carried by a ray of white light, the trio promptly soared and headed into the distance, soon leaving Bai County City behind. Shen Luo sat in lotus position, restoring his mana while also taking out the jade gourd from within the Heavenly Book Space. After giving it a few looks, he closed his eyes to sense the condition within the gourd, his face quickly lighting up with delight. This jade gourd was a top-grade magical artifact, embedded with fifteen prohibitions, no wonder it could withstand the chilling light from the Qiankun Bag. He operated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to refine the jade gourd, and discovered that the refining mark left by the yellow-faced monk inside the gourd had disappeared, making the refining extremely easy. ¡°The Heavenly Book Space can actually erase the refining marks inside the magical artifacts!¡± Shen Luo was quite surprised, but upon further thought, found it to be logical. This Heavenly Book was summoned by the jade pillow from a world thousand years into the future, it was unknowably profound. When one''s magical instrument was put into it, in some ways, it was as if it was being placed a thousand years into the future. Such an obstruction across time and space would probably thoroughly isolate any refining marks. He didn''t think too much about this. He continued refining the jade gourd and quickly refined two to three prohibitions. However, as the jade gourd had fifteen prohibitions, it wasn''t clear how long it would take to refine all of them. He didn''t continue with it, and stored the gourd away. Then, his divine sense once again entered the Heavenly Book Space, looking at the corpse of the thousand-year-old snake demon, considering how to extract its gallbladder. The snake''s corpse was too large to place on the flying boat, so he had to ask Bai Xiaotian to temporarily stop. ¡°The Heavenly Book Space can isolate others'' refining marks, the mark inside my golden short awl seemed to have not been isolated when I placed it in there last time.¡± Suddenly, Shen Luo remembered something and took out the golden short awl, putting it into the Heavenly Book Space. The golden short awl radiated waves of golden light. Although the connection with his consciousness had weakened a lot, it could still be barely driven. ¡°As expected, it seems like my own magical artifacts can be exempted from this.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo muttered to himself. He then proceeded to control the golden short awl, causing a sharp golden light to rise from the tip, slashing at the belly of the thousand-year-old snake demon. The scale armor on the belly of the snake demon had been torn apart by the Fractured Armor Talisman. With a ripping sound, the belly of the snake demon was cut open, revealing a large amount of bloody internal organs. Shen Luo used his divine sense to search, then quickly directed the golden short awl forward. Meanwhile, a sheet of golden light began to rise from the awl, entering the body of the snake demon. Moments later, the golden light receded, within it was a thumb-sized silver gallbladder. A corner of Shen Luo''s mouth curled into a smile. He signaled with his hand, retrieving the golden short awl and the silver gallbladder. After putting away the golden short awl, he held the silver gallbladder for a moment, then swallowed it. The classics of Mount Fangcun have recorded that the gallbladder of a thousand-year-old snake can be directly consumed and does not need to be refined into an elixir. The gallbladder entered his stomach and quickly transformed into a potent and hot aura, like a flame, causing a moment of discomfort in his internal organs. Seeing the effects of the gallbladder was far beyond his expectations, Shen Luo quickly operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to protect his internal organs and resist the heat of this hot aura, making him feel slightly better. Just as he was about to find a way to refine the hot aura from the gallbladder, the hot aura suddenly shot upwards as though it was sentient and fearing being refined. Surprised, Shen Luo quickly operated his mana to chase after it. However, the hot aura moved extremely quickly and within a few breaths, it reached his head, split into two and poured into his eyes. Chapter 676 Chapter 676: Chapter 672: Everything Has a Cause and Effect Chapter 676: Chapter 672: Everything Has a Cause and Effect Shen Luo was caught off guard by the situation at hand, and before he could activate his mana to defend himself, a sudden piercing pain struck his eyes as if they were being burnt by flames. ¡°Ah!¡± He couldn''t help but cry out in pain, his body curled up on the flying boat, hands clutching his eyes. The burning sensation rushed through his eyes. The meridians around his eyes turned dark red and bulged, exposing themselves under the skin, appearing extremely terrifying. ¡°This can''t be good! Could there be errors in the records of Mount Fangcun!¡± Shen Luo cursed inwardly. But now, it was too late for any regrets. All he could do was grit his teeth and endure, while channeling mana into his eyes, trying to counteract the burning sensation. This scene took Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er by surprise. Bai Xiaotian hastily grounded the flying boat, landing in a desert below, intending to check on Shen Luo''s condition. Suddenly, the sand nearby exploded, and a yellow, centipede-like sandworm demon emerged from the ground, opening its blood basin mouth to attack the trio. Columns of sand surged up from the desert, converging towards the white flying boat. This sandworm was rather powerful, already reaching the Soul Condensation Stage. Bai Xiaotian, in the haste of landing the boat, was caught unprepared for the demon lurking below. Promptly, he launched a magic spell on the flying boat. The runes on the boat lit up brightly and the boat skidded forward hugging the ground, whooshing tens of feet forward to narrowly evade the attacking sandworm. In the meantime, the Buddhist beads in Chan''er''s hand glowed with a golden light, forming a protective barrier around the flying boat and fending off the assaulting sand columns. ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± Bai Xiaotian thanked Chan''er as he launched a golden fan with a sweep of his hand. ¡°Swish,¡± ¡°swish¡± came the sharp noises as countless golden light blades were shot out from the fan, inundating the sandworm and leaving its body riddled with holes. It didn''t even get a chance to scream before its life was snuffed out. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bai Xiaotian surveyed the surroundings with his Divine Sense. Upon finding no other demons, he stopped the boat to check on Shen Luo''s condition, quickly noting that his eyes were the issue. He lacked the necessary understanding of the situation, unsure of what to do. After hesitation, he began muttering incantations as his hands continuously formed magic seals. Streams of golden light were cast out from his hands, merging into Shen Luo''s body. Despite being renowned for its exorcism skills, Hua Sheng Temple also possessed numerous healing spells. Unaware of what was causing the issue with Shen Luo''s eyes, Bai Xiaotian applied all the spells he knew of on Shen Luo. With every burst of golden light entering him, Shen Luo''s body would be enveloped by a wave of golden radiance, rippling across his body. At the same time, Chan''er sat down next to Shen Luo, reciting the Scripture of Peace. As the chanting of Sanskrit verses spread out, soothing like a mother''s whispers, it seemed to pacify Shen Luo''s chaotic mind. Shen Luo''s body jolted, his struggles lessened somewhat in intensity. Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er, unsure of whose efforts had been effective, had no choice but to continue casting their spells and chanting scriptures. Time moved forward bit by bit, half an hour had passed. Only then did the burning pain in Shen Luo''s eyes recede. The swollen meridians around his eyes returned to normality. However, these meridians had all widened significantly, and even more silver, snake-like patterns appeared on the meridian barriers, clearly a result of the power of the snake gallbladder. He slowly sat up from the ground, opened his eyes, and a layer of silver light faintly emerged from the depths of his eyes. Within it, a vertical stripe flickered, appearing exceptionally mysterious, as if there was a snake eye hidden within his own. ¡°Brother Shen, how are you feeling now? Huh! Your eyes seem to be different from before.¡± Bai Xiaotian finally stopped, looking at Shen Luo''s eyes, he asked in surprise. Shen Luo looked at Bai Xiaotian, his gaze slightly paused. His vision had changed a lot, his eyesight had clearly improved quite a bit, especially in micro observation. He noticed many details he had never paid attention to before. He could see the slight changes in Bai Xiaotian''s facial muscles when his expression changed, the trembling of the eyelashes, and even the contraction and expansion of the pupil, it was downright abnormal. Not only that, but the flow of mana within Bai Xiaotian''s body also clearly presented itself in his eyes. In Shen Luo''s current vision, white lines emitting faint white light were appearing on Bai Xiaotian''s body. Some were thick, some thin, distributed all over his body. These were the meridians, clearly visible. Ten of these meridians were different from the others. The white light within them was much stronger. ¡°These are the Meridians? Bai Xiaotian''s aptitude is indeed good, having cultivated ten Meridians.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. Bai Xiaotian''s Dantian also could not escape his eyes, appearing as a dazzling white light, far outshining the Meridians and other meridians. Waves of white light surged within, emitting strong Mana fluctuations, which were much stronger than Shen Luo''s own. Shen Luo looked farther away, and although his long-distance vision had also improved somewhat, the increase was not significant. ¡°It seems that the improvement in eyesight mainly focuses on close observation and insight into Mana.¡± He thought to himself, feeling even more elated. The abilities after the changes in his eyes were extremely useful, and the previous pain was well worth it. ¡°Shen Luo, are you alright now?¡± Bai Xiaotian saw that Shen Luo remained silent for a long time, and thought he might still be unwell, so he asked urgently. ¡°I''m fine now, thank you both for your help just now.¡± Shen Luo regained his senses, thanking Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er. Despite his previous concentration on suppressing the pain in his eyes, he had also seen Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er''s actions. ¡°What was going on with you just now?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked after waving his hand. ¡°The snake demon I killed back in Bai County City was a Thousand-Year-Old Mei. As the classics state, its snake gallbladder has the effect of enhancing eyesight. I just took the snake gallbladder of the Thousand-Year-Old Mei, and my eyes suddenly began to sting¡­¡± Following a moment of hesitation, Shen Luo did not hide anything from the two, and told them as it was. ¡°So that''s what happened, I have also read about the Thousand-Year-Old Mei in the classics. It is indeed a great nourishing spiritual being, but there is a fundamental difference between humans and demons. You should not swallow the essence of these demons at will. It is safer to give them to an Alchemy Master, who can refine them into Elixirs before you take them.¡± Bai Xiaotian said thoughtfully. ¡°Brother Bai is right, I was a bit too impatient this time.¡± Shen Luo felt a tinge of fear. ¡°Amitabha, everything has its cause and effect. Benefactor Shen has done many good deeds and previously contributed greatly to the cause of slaying demons, so naturally he can turn a disaster into a blessing.¡± Chan''er smiled, seemingly unconcerned. ¡°Thank you for your auspicious words, Master Chan''er.¡± Although Shen Luo did not take Chan''er''s blind optimism seriously, he still thanked her. ¡°The delay has been due to me, we should get moving.¡± He didn''t want to elaborate on this issue, briefly glancing at the corpse of the sand worm in the not-so-far distance, he said. Bai Xiaotian nodded in agreement. But Chan''er didn''t speak, and suddenly looked towards the northwest, seemingly lost in thought. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, what''s wrong?¡± Bai Xiaotian saw this and asked curiously. Chapter 677 Chapter 677: Chapter 673: How does a Good Man Cross? Chapter 677: Chapter 673: How does a Good Man Cross? ¡°I had a sudden sensation just now, as if something in that direction was calling me.¡± Chan''er placed his hands together, murmured a Buddha''s name, then spoke. Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo were taken aback when they heard this, and turned their gaze in the direction that Chan''er was looking. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This way, if I remember correctly, the Red Valley City, the capital of the Black Chicken Kingdom, lies ahead.¡± Shen Luo took out a classic book, flipped to a page where a rudimentary map of the Black Chicken Kingdom was drawn. ¡°That''s correct, it is Red Valley City.¡± Shen Luo confirmed on the map, his memory had not failed him. ¡°Red Valley City? It seems familiar.¡± Chan''er furrowed his eyebrows and commented. ¡°We''ll know once we go take a look.¡± Bai Xiaotian mobilized the flying boat with a spell, carrying the three of them towards that direction. The Black Chicken Kingdom was expansive, and Shen Luo and the others had to be constantly vigilant of the demons that could appear at any moment, so they couldn''t travel with full speed. It wasn''t until half a day later that they arrived at Red Valley City. Red Valley City, true to its name, was built within a huge crimson valley, and the city''s area was immense, more than ten times the size of Bai County City. The streets were packed with people, and the city''s prosperity put the rest of the Black Chicken Kingdom to shame. Although it couldn''t rival Chang''an City, it was not less than Jianye. Moreover, on both sides of Red Valley City were continuous mountain ranges; the rocks of these mountains were distinctly different, exuding a dark red color. Like rusted iron, they even permeated the air with a coppery smell. ¡°These are red copper mines! So much is exposed.¡± Shen Luo examined the mountains on both sides and said in awe. ¡°Our Hua Sheng Temple has business transactions with Red Valley City; I''ve seen some recordings about the city. Red Valley City of the Black Chicken Kingdom is a famous city in the Western Regions. It is rich in red copper and is even skilled in the art of Artifact Refining. It is heralded as the crown jewel among the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions. Countless people come to Red Valley City every year seeking magical instruments, which has brought prosperity to the area.¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. Upon hearing Bai Xiaotian''s words, Shen Luo was pleased. He''s carrying top-grade materials to refine into magical instruments but find no suitable artifact refiner in Chang''an City. Now that they''re at Red Valley City, which is famous for artifact refining, he will certainly take full advantage of this opportunity. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, is this the place?¡± Bai Xiaotian saw Chan''er staring at the city in front of them, deep in thought, and asked in a soft voice. ¡°Yes, it is here, I can feel something calling me from within the city, but I cannot identify where exactly.¡± Chan''er came back to his senses and replied. ¡°Buddhist Bead, what do you think?¡± A thought crossed Shen Luo''s mind and he asked the crystal bead. ¡°Why are you asking me? I don''t feel anything.¡± The crystal bead responded huffily. Shen Luo frowned slightly. It was not due to the bead''s attitude. He initially thought they would quickly find the thing Chan''er was searching for upon arriving in Red Valley City. But looking at the current situation, it seemed they needed to conduct a detailed investigation within the city. ¡°In that case, let''s first enter the city and take our time searching.¡± He decided. Thus, the three of them landed near the city walls and began to walk forth. Soon, they arrived at the gates of Red Valley City. While they were on the flying boat, the scale was not immediately apparent. But standing beneath Red Valley City, they could see the city walls were extraordinarily tall, reaching around one hundred and fifty zhang (about 1500 feet), even exceeding those of Chang''an City. They were built with massive crimson rocks, resembling a towering mountain. Standing at the city gates made one feel incredibly insignificant, like a mere ant. Above the city gate, several large structures were built on the walls that seemed like giant beasts crouching in mid-air, waiting to pounce at any moment, filling anyone beneath with uneasy anticipation. The three of them briefly marveled at the grandeur of the Western City, then they blended into the crowd, queuing up to enter the city. Shen Luo observed the surroundings of the city, and soon he noticed something unusual. It seemed that the city gates and various parts of the wall had been repaired recently. The edges of the walls and the roads near the gates still bore traces of mending. ¡°Renovating the city at this time? According to the norm of the Black Chicken Kingdom, it''s not a major holiday, could there be some sort of celebration taking place within the city?¡± Having previously read some classics about the Black Chicken Kingdom, he speculated quietly. The process of entering the city from the city gate was fast, and it wasn''t long before it was the turn of the three of them. This time they weren''t extorted and after paying the entrance fee, they smoothly entered the city. As a major city in the Western Regions, Chigao City naturally continued the consistent rugged, heavy style of the Western Regions. The streets were paved with very large crimson stones, each the size of a tabletop and extremely thick. Although the roads were not as smooth as the Central Region, stepping on them gave a feeling of unparalleled stability, as if they would never break down. The streets in the city stood in great numbers. Unlike the square blocks of the Chang''an city, Shen Luo had just seen from mid-air that the entire Red Valley City was laid out in a radial manner, with a majestic palace in the center of the city, and many roads radiating out in all directions. The streets were bustling with people, not only were there locals from the Black Chicken Kingdom, but there were also many foreign faces, and occasionally one could see one or two merchants from the Tang Dynasty. Shen Luo and his companions did not attract attention. Just like the whole of the Black Chicken Kingdom, Red Valley City housed a large number of temples, both big and small. Buddha statues could be seen frequently throughout the city, some of them so large they were quite spectacular. There were signs of renovation in the city; virtually all houses had been painted in red, white, and yellow colors. ¡°Huh, does Red Valley City plan on hosting a festival?¡± Bai Xiaotian noticed the renovations happening in the city and asked. ¡°Seems so. I overheard some locals saying something about a Mahayana Assembly being held here,¡± Shen Luo replied after listening to the conversations of the locals. ¡°Mahayana Assembly!¡± Chan''er''s eyes sparkled, although he came to Black Chicken Kingdom to find his lost memories, as a disciple of the Buddhist sect, he was interested in exchanging knowledge at a foreign Mahayana Assembly. Just then, a commotion started ahead. A ragged figure was staggering like a madman. The man was wearing ragged clothes and was very dirty, emitting a foul odor. ¡°It''s that lunatic again!¡± ¡°The Mahayana Assembly will start soon and monks from all over have started to arrive, why is this madman still allowed to roam the streets!¡± The passersby avoided him like a plague, disgust evident on their faces. But this madman, as if he had no one around him, walked on the street and would occasionally grab passersby, asking them ¡°How can kind people be saved?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, ready to avoid the madman with Chan''er. But the madman noticed Chan''er in his monk''s robe and his eyes immediately lit up. He charged over and grabbed onto Chan''er''s monk''s robe and asked. ¡°Master, please tell me how can kind people be saved?¡± the madman asked. Caught off guard, Chan''er did not know how to respond. Although he had attended countless Dharma assemblies at the Golden Mountain Temple and understood the various mysteries of the Buddhist sect, he had never encountered this particular one. Just then, a ¡°rustle¡± of neat footsteps came from ahead. A squad of soldiers quickly ran over. ¡°It''s him, take him away!¡± yelled a squad leader pointing at the madman. A few soldiers immediately pounced on him, capturing the madman and dragging him away. But the madman clung tightly to Chan''er''s sleeve, ripping off a large piece of fabric with a ''rip'' sound. ¡°How can kind people be saved?¡± ¡°How can kind people be saved?¡± The madman continued to shout at Chan''er, his voice hoarse with desperation. Chapter 678 Chapter 678: Chapter 674 Chapter 678: Chapter 674 ¡°My apologies for the madman''s rudeness, having torn the monk''s robes. Allow me to apologize.¡± The squad leader, seeing Chan''er in his Buddhist attire, quickly rushed over and gave a bow as he spoke. Although Chan''er was young, the squad leader did not dare underestimate him. There were indeed numerous young high monks revered across the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions, several of whom belonged to the Black Chicken Kingdom. ¡°Clothing is but an external possession; its tearing is merely due to its karma, benefactor, there is no need to concern yourself. However, who is that frenzied man who was asking this humble monk about the benevolent one who could cross him over?¡± Chan''er asked after returning the bow. ¡°He''s a madman. No one knows where he came from. He''s been wandering around Red Valley City for years, babbling nonsense. Master Chan''er, please pay him no mind.¡± The squad leader assured him with a smile. ¡°Amitabha, that man is quite pitiable. Benefactor Shen, Benefactor Bai, can you cure him?¡± Chan''er, having taken a compassionate glimpse at the madman being dragged away and carelessly muttered a Buddhist chant, then asked Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. ¡°I checked the man out just now and his body is very healthy. His madness is likely a mental issue, I''m afraid it might not be easy to treat.¡± Bai Xiaotian said with some difficulty. Hearing this, Chan''er sighed, before choosing not to speak further on the subject. ¡°May I ask where you three hail from and why you have come to Red Valley City?¡± The squad leader asked once the conversation was over. ¡°We have come from the Central Earth Datang and it is our first time in Red Valley City.¡± Bai Xiaotian replied, performing a Buddhist salute with one hand. ¡°The Central Earth Datang, are you here to participate in the Mahayana Dharma Assembly?¡± The squad leader brightened up. ¡°Exactly, when will the Mahayana Dharma Assembly be held?¡± Chan''er was about to speak when Shen Luo anticipated her and asked the question. ¡°The Mahayana Dharma Assembly is scheduled for May 18th, a dozen days from now. Dear guests, please allow me to take you to the posthouse for some rest. I will send word to the venerable monks of the Sacred Lotus Assembly shortly.¡± The squad leader hurriedly spoke. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Captain.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. The squad leader dismissed the thanks and immediately ordered his subordinates to bring a carriage. After inviting the three to board, he personally drove it into the city. ¡°Benefactor Shen, we did not come to Red Valley City to attend the Mahayana Dharma Assembly. It''s not right to lie.¡± Chan''er said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Don''t stick with the rigidities, Master Chan''er. Weren''t you quite interested in the Mahayana Dharma Assembly? We did indeed come from the Central Earth, so let''s just see what grand event this Mahayana Dharma Assembly is, and also get some understanding of Red Valley City, which will be beneficial for our future actions.¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°Alright¡± Chan''er sighed in concession. The carriage continued its journey, quickly arriving at the posthouse. As the Mahayana Dharma Assembly was not too far off, the place was already populated with some people, mostly diplomats and monks from different countries. With Datang being a prominent nation in Central Earth, especially after Jinchanzi''s pilgrimage to the west, the Mahayana Sutra was introduced amongst the nations of the Western Regions. As a result, Datang''s status in the Western Regions drastically increased. The posthouse arranged the best accommodations for the three, an independent courtyard, and assigned a servant named Duke to them. ¡°Duke, we have journeyed far from Datang, and are not very familiar with the Mahayana Dharma Assembly. Could you tell us who is presiding over the assembly and why so many people are participating?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Mahayana Dharma Assembly is convened by Master Lin Da. Because of his esteemed reputation, he is able to invite virtuous monks from the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions to attend.¡± Duke replied, his face filled with admiration, seeming to revere Lin Da. ¡°Master, you''re referring to Lin Da, the Master of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, turning to Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian too shook his head, indicating that he did not know the person either. ¡°Yes. Although Master Lin Da is highly respected in the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions, he is not very old. He rose to prominence in various countries only in his twenties. As esteemed guests from the far-off Central Earth Datang, you may not be aware.¡± Duke elaborated. ¡°Oh, it seems this Lin Da is quite a legendary figure from the Black Chicken Kingdom, can you tell us more about him?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°Master Lin Da hails from a small temple in our Black Chicken Kingdom. From a young age, he was extraordinarily intelligent and well-versed in Buddhist principles. At the age of ten, he could even debate the Dharma with the former head of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, Master Jiumoluo. Later, in pursuit of the true essence of Buddhism, he traveled alone through the Thirty-Six Buddhist Countries of the Western Regions, slaying demons and spreading the true essence of Buddhism. His fame spread widely across the countries. Eight years ago, a True Immortal Demon from the North ravaged several countries in the Western Regions, leading a few smaller countries to nearly collapse. Master Lin Da fought the demon alone, eventually subduing it and converting it to Buddhism. The Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions unanimously recognized him as the best in Zen.¡± Duke explained with unabashed pride. ¡°Subduing a True Immortal Demon!¡± Shen Luo was greatly shocked. The fact that there was a True Immortal Realm master in the small Black Chicken Kingdom moved Bai Xiaotian as well. ¡°Is this Lin Da presently in Red Valley City? Duke, could you perhaps introduce this humble monk to him? It would be remiss not to visit such a grand master.¡± Chan''er requested. ¡°Master Lin Da declared a retreat a few days ago in preparation for the Mahayana Dharma Assembly and may not be available at this time. But Master Chan''er, you need not worry, you will be able to meet him at the Mahayana Dharma Assembly.¡± Duke responded, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Okay.¡± Chan''er agreed, not insisting any further. Shen Luo then asked Duke about various aspects of Red Valley City and the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions. Although Duke was only a mortal, he knew quite a bit, and answered each of Shen Luo''s questions. Shen Luo gradually had a deeper understanding of the various countries in the Western Regions. Just as he was about to inquire about the situation in the refining world of Red Valley City, footsteps were heard from outside, with four or five people dressed in bright red monk robes entering. The two leading monks were tall; one of them wore a golden crown and held a giant Chan Stick, looking somewhat out of place. The other was a thin, dried-up old man. His hands and feet were as thin as bamboo shoots, and he walked with a tremble, as if the slightest breeze could blow him over, which concerned onlookers. Shen Luo sized them up. His facial expression was unchanged, but in his heart, he tensed. Though the two were suppressing their cultivation, his transformed eyes could still clearly see their cultivation realm. The aura of their mana was strong, their cultivation levels reaching the Late Nascent Soul Stage, with the dried-up old monk almost towards the Peak Nascent Soul. ¡°Hehe, I heard that high monks from Datang have arrived. This is indeed an honor not only for Red Valley City but for the entire Black Chicken Kingdom. Apologies for not extending a prompt reception, please kindly overlook it.¡± The dried-up old monk looked at Shen Luo and the others, chuckling. The other monk with the golden crown, who was about to say something, suddenly fixed his gaze on Shen Luo''s eyes. Anger etched deep in his eyes, followed by a trace of delight, before he finally concealed all expressions. Chapter 679 Chapter 679: Chapter 675: Exposure Chapter 679: Chapter 675: Exposure ¡°Welcome, distinguished guests from Great Tang.¡± The monk with a golden crown gave a bow to the three men, a completely calm expression on his face. The change in the monk''s expression was fleeting, something the old Shen Luo might not have picked up on. But the current Shen Luo''s sight was startlingly perceptive; he saw every subtle shift in the other''s expression, missing nothing. ¡°Why did he look at me like that just now? Could he recognize me?¡± Shen Luo wondered to himself. He was sure he had never been to the Western Regions before, so the only potential enemy he could think of was the yellow-faced monk from Bai County City. Could this golden-crowned monk be connected to him in some way? Without letting his internal thoughts show on his face, he returned the bow with Chan''er and Bai Xiaotian. ¡°You are far too kind, monks. May I ask for your Dharma names?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I am Longtan, and this is Baoshan Chan Master.¡± The monk with the golden crown smiled. ¡°So you are Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master. It is an honor,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, smiling as well. Being from the Buddhist community themselves, Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er found it easy to converse with the monks. Shen Luo, with his limited understanding of Buddhism, quietly listened from the side. Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master had mainly come to greet Chan''er and others, to welcome them to the upcoming Mahayana Dharma Assembly, and thus did not stay long. They soon took their leave. Seeing the group leave, Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. Despite not looking directly at him during their conversation, Shen Luo could sense Longtan Chan Master''s continuous observation, as if confirming something about him. After bidding farewell to the monks, Chan''er, after a long day of travel, was quite tired. He excused himself to rest. Bai Xiaotian, on the other hand, wasn''t tired, and being intrigued by the Red Valley City, decided to explore. Shen Luo, choosing instead to stay at their lodging and maintain security around Chan''er. They had previously agreed to take turns protecting Chan''er. ¡°Duke, are Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master part of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar?¡± Shen Luo called over Duke and asked, rewarding him with a large bar of silver. ¡°Thank you, Elder! You are right. Longtan Chan Master and Baoshan Chan Master serve as the protectors on both sides of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, ranking just below Master Lin Da,¡± Duke, with wide eyes upon seeing such a large silver bar, respectfully answered after expressing his gratitude. ¡°So with Master Lin Da in retreat, is the ordinary business of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar handled by these two?¡± Shen Luo pressed on. ¡°Yes. It''s said that Longtan Chan Master manages external affairs, while Baoshan Chan Master handles the internal affairs of the headquarters in Red Valley City.¡± Although Duke was surprised by Shen Luo''s line of questioning, the large bar of silver held him back from probing further. Shen Luo continued to ask Duke several more questions about Longtan, Baoshan, and Red Valley City, each of which Duke faithfully answered. ¡°By the way, Duke, do you know of Bai County City?¡± Shen Luo casually asked at last. ¡°Bai County City? I do, it''s a city on the border of our country.¡± Duke thought for a while before answering. ¡°Is the branch of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar at Bai County City on very close terms with Longtan Chan Master?¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°You''ve asked the right person about this, Elder Shen. Lama, the principal of the Bai County city branch, is the disciple of the brother of Longtan Chan Master. This is a highly confidential matter that very few people know about. I happened to overhear it when working in the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar a few years ago,¡± Duke excitedly explained. A small smile played on Shen Luo''s lips upon hearing Duke''s words. He further inquired about Lama, the one whom Duke had mentioned, confirming that he was indeed the yellow-faced monk. Shen Luo thus verified his suspicions that Longtan Chan Master had learned about Bai County City''s situation and viewed him as an enemy. Seeing that Shen Luo had no more questions, Duke discreetly excused himself. Shen Luo sat in the hall, his face reflecting a variety of moods. He was trying to figure out the current situation. The Longtan Zen Master was clearly hostile towards him, and he found the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar quite strange. However, the object Chan''er was seeking was in Red Valley City. No matter what, they couldn''t leave. Fortunately, a grand Mahayana Dharma Assembly was take place in Red Valley City. Monks from the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions were gathering, making it difficult for the Longtan Zen Master to harm him. He would have to take things one step at a time. Without giving it a second thought, he cast a spell to create a prohibition within the hall, and then began to practice with the jade gourd he had taken out. The situation was delicate, and any boost in strength was beneficial. Soon after leaving the posthouse, the Longtan Zen Master returned to his residence in the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar ¡ª a luxurious and towering great hall. ¡°Leave!¡± He yelled coldly, and his attendants scurried away in fear. Soon, he was the only one left in the room. He paced back and forth a few times, then suddenly stopped and clapped his hands. ¡°Master, you were looking for me?¡± A handsome young monk dressed in white arrived a moment later. ¡°I''ve found the person who stole the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei.¡± The Longtan Zen Master glanced at the White-robed Monk and spoke dispassionately. ¡°Really? That''s great. Who is it? I shall immediately go and capture them and retrieve the Mei!¡± The white-robed monk expressed his joy and promised immediate action. ¡°It''s too late. The thief has already consumed the snake gallbladder of the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei.¡± The Longtan Zen Master stated. ¡°What? How dare he! Even a thousand cuts will not be enough for his transgressions.¡± The White-robed Monk suddenly became furious, his usually gentle face turned ferocious, resembling a fierce ghost. There is no need to panic, the situation isn''t completely hopeless. The thief has consumed the snake gallbladder but hasn''t completely absorbed it. The power of the gallbladder resides in his eyes. If we can take his eyes, we can reclaim much of the gallbladder''s power.¡± The Longtan Zen Master gestured with his hand as he spoke. ¡°That''s a relief. In that case, let''s act quickly and gouge out the thief''s eyes.¡± The white-robed monk exclaimed joyously. ¡°If it were easy to take action, I would have done so already. That thief is one of the monks from the Eastern Great Tang who have come to the Mahayana Dharma Assembly, now residing in the posthouse. The Posthouse is crowded with revered monks from various countries. Many of them have profound cultivation levels, so it won''t be easy to act. Have some people watch them day and night. After entering Red Valley City, they will definitely move around. Once they leave the Posthouse, promptly notify me. This is a portrait of the little thief.¡± The Longtan Zen Master spoke coldly before taking out a piece of white Jade stone, revealing an image of Shen Luo. ¡°Yes.¡± The white-robed monk took the jade stone. He was about to leave when he heard: ¡°Wait.¡± Suddenly, there was a flash of golden light in the hall, and the figure of Baoshan Zen Master appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Baoshan, don''t you sit comfortably in your Baoshan Hall? What brings you here?¡± The Longtan Zen Master frowned, and then grumbled unhappily. ¡°Master Lin Da has ordered that the three people from the Eastern Earth should not be watched and no malicious acts should be attempted against them.¡± Baoshan Chan Master pulled out a golden jade symbol and stated. The Longtan Zen Master''s complexion changed drastically at the sight of the golden jade symbol, he immediately fell to his knees. The white-robed monk also quickly kneeled, not daring to raise his head. ¡°Master Lin Da''s command is obeyed, I wouldn''t dare to disobey, but if we don''t act quickly, my power from the gallbladder¡­ This¡­¡± mumbled the Longtan Zen Master. ¡°You dare to defy Master Lin Da''s instruction!¡± Baoshan Chan Master said flatly. ¡°No, I dare not, I obey.¡± The Longtan Zen Master was covered in a cold sweat, and immediately agreed. The Baoshan Zen Master snorted, put the jade symbol away, and disappeared with a flicker of his figure. Only then did the Longtan Zen Master and the white-robed monk stand up. Their faces were grim, and they didn''t dare to say a word. Chapter 680 Chapter 680: Chapter 676: Boss Hua Chapter 680: Chapter 676: Boss Hua In the posthouse, Shen Luo sat cross-legged, meditating with his eyes closed. In the blink of an eye, half a day had passed, and Bai Xiaotian had not returned yet. With a slight ¡°creak¡±, Chan''er walked out from inside. ¡°Master Chan''er, why are you up? We''ve been on the road for so long, you should rest more.¡± Upon seeing this, Shen Luo stood up. ¡°No worries, I have rested enough. I want to take a walk in the city to experience the exotic atmosphere of this place, and at the same time, search for clues to my memory.¡± Chan''er gave a bow to Shen Luo and said. ¡°That sounds good.¡± Shen Luo was slightly stunned, and immediately nodded in agreement. He also wanted to explore the city, initially planning to wait for Bai Xiaotian to return before doing so. Now that Chan''er wanted to go out, it suited his intentions. The two left the posthouse, heading straight for the bustling district in the city. As they walked, Shen Luo kept a keen eye on their surroundings, noticing no signs of them being followed. ¡°No one? That can''t be right.¡± Shen Luo had some doubts in his heart. According to his prediction, since he had been recognized, he should be under surveillance. The reason he left the posthouse, apart from wanting to see the magical tools in the city, was to test the reaction of the other party. However, he didn''t think much of it. No disturbance was better. ¡°Master Chan''er, where do you want to go first?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°For this little monk, there is no specific destination. You can decide, Shen Benefactor.¡± Chan''er said. Shen Luo nodded, and took Chan''er for a stroll in the eastern, western, and southern parts of the city, but unfortunately, Chan''er did not find any clues. In the end, they arrived in the northern part of the city. The streets were lined with shops, bustling with noise, and was quite lively. Most of them were monastic shops, predominantly selling magical tools or materials for artifact refining. There were also a few mortal shops. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A glimmer of excitement flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. According to Duke, the best artifact refining shops in the city were in the north. It seemed that this was indeed the case. However, he needed to ensure Chan''er''s safety and couldn''t move around freely. ¡°Shen Benefactor, if you need to buy something, don''t mind me, please do as you like.¡± Chan''er said with a smile. ¡°Alright, Master Chan''er, stay close to me, and don''t get separated.¡± Shen Luo let out a relieved sigh, and after instructing Chan''er, he eagerly headed towards a nearby shop that looked quite decent. Half an hour later, the two emerged from another large artifact-refining shop in the northern part of the city, with Shen Luo''s brows furrowed. The magical instruments in these shops were indeed impressive. The craftsmanship of the same-level magical instruments was even higher than that in Chang''an City. However, the grades of the magical instruments were not high, most of them were mid-grade magical tools, top-grade magical tools were rare, and only a few top-grade magical tools appeared. Given his current cultivation level, he had little use for lower-tier magical instruments, only top-grade ones were suitable for him. However, until now, he hadn''t found one that he liked. ¡°Oh, couldn''t you find the magical instrument you wanted, Shen Benefactor?¡± Chan''er asked. ¡°There are many magical instruments in the city, but truly excellent ones are rare, and it''s even harder to find ones that suit me.¡± Shen Luo sighed softly. ¡°Huh, Brother Shen, Master Golden Cicada!¡± At this moment, a voice called out from up ahead. A figure approached them hastily, it was Bai Xiaotian. Behind Bai Xiaotian, followed a thin-looking young man. ¡°Brother Bai.¡± Shen Luo greeted Bai Xiaotian and looked at the thin young man. This person''s mana fluctuated weakly, he was only a Grain Avoidance Cultivator. His appearance was quite ordinary, the kind that would be hard to spot in a crowd. However, his eyes were large and revealed a hint of craftiness. ¡°How did you get out?¡± Bai Xiaotian first bowed to Chan''er, then asked Shen Luo. ¡°Master Chan''er wanted to look for some clues around the city, so I accompanied him, and took the opportunity to inspect this famous artifact-making city to see if I can find one or two handy magical tools.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°From your look, Brother Shen, it seems that you haven''t found what you''re looking for.¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed. ¡°Indeed, I haven''t found anything good. This Red Valley City is just all talk.¡± Shen Luo shrugged. ¡°Red Valley City is rich in mineral resources and has been famous for artifact refining since ancient times. In terms of artifact making, this city definitely surpasses Chang''an City. If you haven''t found a satisfactory magical tool, it is because you haven''t found the right ways.¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head. ¡°Oh, what do you mean by this?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. ¡°The refining of artifacts is the foundation of Red Valley City and even the Black Chicken Kingdom. The land of the Black Chicken Kingdom is barren, so the main source of income for the kingdom is the business of magical tools in Red Valley City. To ensure the price and sales of high-quality magical tools, the royal family of the Black Chicken Kingdom also got involved in the magical tool business. They monopolized the best magical tools and only traded with some established forces. Therefore, you cannot find the real top-grade magical tools in the shops within this city.¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°That''s the case. From what you''re suggesting, Brother Bai, it seems like you know the way?¡± Shen Luo nodded in understanding and asked. ¡°Our Hua Sheng Temple is also one of the trade partners of the Black Chicken Kingdom''s royal family. This is Sun Hai, an outer disciple of Hua Sheng Temple. He''s been residing in Red Valley City all year round, responsible for the artifact business between Hua Sheng Temple and the royal family of the Black Chicken Kingdom.¡± Bai Xiaotian pointed at the thin teenager. ¡°Sun Hai pays respects to Master Golden Cicada and Elder Shen.¡± The thin young man hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to Shen Luo and Chan''er. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was delighted and nodded at the thin youth. ¡°Sun Hai, you take Brother Shen to see the few artifact shops that our Hua Sheng Temple collaborates with. Brother Shen, you''ve already accompanied Master Golden Cicada for half a day, now leave him to me.¡± After giving instructions to Sun Hai, Bai Xiaotian then spoke to Shen Luo. ¡°Then I''ll count on you, Brother Bai.¡± Shen Luo was neither humble nor overbearing and let Bai Xiaotian take care of Chan''er. The two quickly moved forward and disappeared in the flow of people in the streets. ¡°Elder Shen, what type of magical tool are you looking to buy? The artifact shops here in Red Valley City are highly specialized. If you have a specific target, it would be easier to find.¡± Sun Hai asked. ¡°Fellow Sun, do they make custom magical tools in Red Valley City? I intend to custom order a top-grade magical tool, and I will provide the primary materials myself.¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then said. Sun Hai was stunned by the question and forgot to respond. ¡°They don''t?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. ¡°They do, I know several artifact workshops that can refine top-grade magical tools, but there is a risk of failure in refining artifacts. You may invest a lot of precious materials but end up with nothing.¡± Sun Hai hastily answered and then added a reminder. Seeing Shen Luo frowning, the young man suddenly slapped his forehead and said: ¡°Right, I know an artifact refiner. His skill in artifact refining is superb and he seldom ever fails. However, he is a bit eccentric and charges highly. Often, he would charge the price of a top-grade magical tool for making a high-grade magical tool, which has caused many to complain.¡± ¡°As long as he can refine a magical tool that satisfies me, the price can be negotiated. Take me to see him.¡± Shen Luo was not startled but rather delighted. ¡°Yes, please follow me, elder.¡± Seeing this, Sun Hai was delighted and walked towards a small alley next to a block of buildings. After many turns led by the young man, they came to a dilapidated and dark courtyard. The courtyard seemed to be of considerable size, but the gate was tightly closed. Overlooking the ridge of the gate, a black chimney in the courtyard was slowly emitting black smoke. ¡°This is the place! Boss Hua, open the door quickly, a customer is here.¡± After telling Shen Luo, Sun Hai walked up a few steps and began knocking hard on the gate. There was no response from within, as if no one was at home, but the youth didn''t stop, he continued to bang incessantly, causing dust to fall from the gate. Chapter 681 Chapter 681: Chapter 677: Lion Asks for More Chapter 681: Chapter 677: Lion Asks for More ¡°Which bastard is pounding on my door! Didn''t you see that we''ve already closed for the day? Come back tomorrow if you have business!¡± Some time passed before a rough, irate, male voice resounded from inside the courtyard. ¡°Boss Hua, it''s me, open up quickly!¡± Sun Hai raised his voice a little, pounding even harder on the door. With a ¡°clatter¡±, the courtyard door was rudely yanked open, revealing a middle-aged man clad in grey robes. His face and body were rather plump, his eyes small, and his mustache resembling the Chinese character ¡°Ba ¡°. He looked like a massive rat. ¡°So it''s you, boy. Who did you bring this time? Let''s get this clear ahead of time, take them away if they can''t afford Immortal jade. Don''t keep me from my sleep.¡± Boss Hua glared at Sun Hai, his eyes then shifting to Shen Luo standing behind, and dismissively said. ¡°Rest assured, Boss Hua, I''ll be satisfied as long as the magical instrument crafted meets my standards, and we can negotiate the price.¡± Shen Luo wasn''t upset but greeted Boss Hua with a smile while marvelling in surprise in his heart. The figure before him radiated a faint white light that separated Shen Luo from his Divine Sense and vision, preventing him from discerning his opponent''s cultivation level. Boss Hua, upon hearing this, wore a slightly shocked expression. Without uttering a single word, he motioned with his hand for Shen Luo and Sun Hai to enter the courtyard. The courtyard enclosed a rather simple shed filled with a multitude of materials haphazardly strewn about. Next to the shed was a black stone house that seemingly served as a foundry. Bursts of red light and heat radiated from the half-open stone door. ¡°Boss Hua, this is Elder Shen, who came from the Eastern Great Tang. He has heard of your superb artifact crafting skills and has made a special visit to commission a top-grade magical instrument.¡± Sun Hai glanced at Shen Luo, then turned to introduce him to Boss Hua. ¡°Oh, from the Eastern Great Tang!¡± The expression on Boss Hua''s face morphed into surprise as he looked Shen Luo up and down, his expression revealing a trace of curiosity. ¡°What kind of magical instrument would you like to have crafted?¡± However, he quickly regained his calm, walked over to a lounging chair in the courtyard, and lazily asked. Instead of answering, Shen Luo flipped his hand and pulled out several earth-yellow items, broken mirror pieces. Despite being damaged, these shards still emitted powerful spiritual fluctuations. Boss Hua took a sip from a clear cup of tea. Upon seeing these broken shards, he abruptly spat out the mouthful of tea and leaped off the lounging chair to grab one of the broken pieces. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This is a Xuan Turtle Plank! You have so many, and they''re of outstanding quality! But which idiot refined it into a mirror, incorporating the Xuan Turtle Plank in such a crude manner? It didn''t even merge with the prohibition. Otherwise, how could this mirror be easily shattered!¡± Boss Hua carefully sensed the condition of the shards, then immediately cursed out loud. Shen Luo finally understood. Back in the day, he had effortlessly shattered the bronze mirror filled with numerous Xuan Turtle Plaques and he had found it strange. So it turns out the reason was here after all. Boss Hua picked up a shard and carefully caressed it, a look of obsession appearing in his eyes. Seeing Boss Hua''s behavior, Shen Luo secretly chuckled. However, he could feel that Boss Hua was the sort to obsess over artifact crafting. His confidence in the man increased a bit. ¡°Luckily, the one who crafted it was incompetent and didn''t merge the Xuan Turtle Plank with the prohibition. Otherwise, when the mirror shattered, the spiritual nature of the Xuan Turtle Plank inside would have suffered great damage and it would be difficult to reuse.¡± Boss Hua furthered on. ¡°Boss Hua''s insight is quite profound. I want to use these Xuan Turtle Planks to make a staff-shaped top-grade magical artifact, if that''s possible?¡± Shen Luo first gave him a compliment, then put forward his intention. ¡°A staff?¡± Boss Hua responded with an ¡°oh¡±. ¡°Yes. This staff needs to be as hard as possible and be able to withstand a strong influx of mana. The heavier it is, the better.¡± Shen Luo considered for a moment, then stated his requirements. He had learnt the awe-inspiring Ape King Stick Technique within the Dreamland. However, he hadn''t found a suitable magical instrument for it in reality so he couldn''t use it in battle. During his last encounter when he summoned his Dream Cultivation to battle the demon wind, he couldn''t display the true power of the Ape King Stick Technique because he hadn''t had a good magical instrument. If he did, how could the demon wind have gotten away so easily? ¡°Tsk tsk, your requests are quite demanding. Even if this broken mirror contains a considerable amount of Xuan Turtle Planks, they cannot fulfill all your demands.¡± Boss Hua brushed his mouth and taunted. ¡°I realize my demands are a bit high. What other materials are needed to achieve these effects?¡± Shen Luo asked calmly. ¡°To meet your requirements, disregarding other supplementary materials for now, the main materials needed are Sky Mending Stone and Ink Crystal. Sky Mending Stone is renowned for its firmness while Ink Crystal can enhance the staff''s mana wielding capabilities.¡± Boss Hua explained. ¡°Sky Mending Stone, Ink Crystal¡­¡± Shen Luo momentarily stiffened. He had heard about these two materials before. Both were extremely rare and neither were inferior to the Xuan Turtle Plank. But where could he quickly find them? Feeling a little depressed, he had initially thought that among the materials he had accumulated over the years, he could at least pick out some useful ones. But who would have thought they''d all be of no use at all. Shen Luo gave a silent sigh. Just as he was about to suggest lowering the quality of the magical instrument, Boss Hua cut in: ¡°But you''re quite lucky. I have a piece of Sky Mending Stone and an Ink Crystal in hand that I can provide for you to craft the magical instrument, but these two items are my ultimate treasures. You will need to buy them first using Immortal Jade and fees for the crafting process will be calculated separately.¡± ¡°Okay, may I know how much you will charge for both items?¡± On hearing this, Shen Luo, overjoyed, promptly asked. ¡°The quality of these two materials is remarkably excellent. In particular, that Ink Crystal is a Purple Heart Mo Crystal. Let''s just say¡­ it''ll cost you five thousand Immortal Jade.¡± Boss Hua casually named the price after some thought. ¡°What! Five thousand Immortal Jade!¡± Shen Luo''s face change instantly. Even Sun Hai who was standing beside him was taken aback and almost bite his own tongue. ¡°What, too expensive? Humph! I''ve said before, if you don''t have the Immortal Jade, leave quickly. Don''t waste my saliva.¡± Boss Hua sneered, seeing Shen Luo''s expression, threw away the broken mirror shard in his hand and lay back on the lounge chair. ¡°Boss Hua, while Sky Mending Stone and Ink Crystal are precious, they can''t be worth five thousand Immortal Jade.¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. These Xuan Turtle Planks that Shen Luo had were heavily fought over at the auction at Xuanyuan pavilion because of their extreme value. Even so, these planks only fetched two thousand Immortal jade. ¡°No haggling. Go elsewhere for that. I only have a firm price here.¡± Boss Hua didn''t even give Shen Luo a second look. Shen Luo''s face darkened. Over the years, he had earned a decent amount from selling talismans and robbing other monks of their wealth, only managing to accumulate around two thousand Immortal Jade, far from enough. Even if he had enough Immortal Jade, with Boss Hua opening his mouth wide like a lion, he didn''t want to be the sucker here. His current magical artifacts were still usable, and the staff-shaped magical instrument wasn''t an absolute necessity. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Shen Luo faintly murmured, putting away the Xuan Turtle Planks, and left the courtyard with Sun Hai. ¡°Elder Shen, my apologies. Boss Hua was asking for too much this time. He''s never asked such a high price when crafting artifacts for others before.¡± Sun Hai apologized with an apologetic expression. Shen Luo waved his hand, not saying a word. Seeing his reaction, Sun Hai didn''t dare say anything further. Chapter 682 Chapter 682: Chapter 678: Contrasts Chapter 682: Chapter 678: Contrasts Shen Luo and his companion quickly left, not far away, they saw Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er approaching. ¡°Brother Bai, Master Chan''er, why are you here?¡± A look of surprise appeared on Shen Luo''s face. ¡°Master Golden Cicada says he sensed something in this area, so we came to have a look.¡± Bai Xiaotian glanced at Chan''er and asked. Shen Luo looked at Chan''er with a slightly surprised expression, while Chan''er was scrutinizing their surroundings, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. ¡°Why are you guys here? Have you found a suitable magical instrument?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. Reflecting on their previous encounters, Shen Luo silently shook his head. At one side, Sun Hai sneaked a glance at Shen Luo, quickly narrated what had happened at Boss Hua''s place and expressed his dissatisfaction with Boss Hua''s excessive demands. ¡°Boss Hua has a Purple Heart Mo Crystal! Asking for five thousand Immortal Jade is not too much,¡± Bai Xiaotian commented after hearing the story. Sun Hai was taken aback. ¡°Is Purple Heart Mo Crystal of such high value?¡± Shen Luo asked, raising his eyebrows. He knew about Mo Crystal, but he had never heard of Purple Heart Mo Crystal. ¡°Of course, the Purple Heart Mo Crystal is the top-grade Mo Crystal. Not only can it withstand the onslaught of powerful mana, but it also has the effect of storing mana. I have a Senior Brother at Hua Sheng Temple who has a ring made from a Purple Heart Mo Crystal. It can store the mana that is not usually used and supplement it during a fight, making the mana frighteningly enduring,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°Storing mana! The Purple Heart Mo Crystal has such an amazing effect?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback by the revelation. ¡°Yes, the Purple Heart Mo Crystal is worth a lot of money, priceless. Boss Hua asking you for five thousand Immortal Jade is a bit expensive, but it''s not too outrageous. If you really want to refine a magical instrument, this price is actually acceptable,¡± Bai Xiaotian commented. ¡°I see. It''s just that I barely have over two thousand Immortal Jade with me, nowhere near enough,¡± Shen Luo gave a wry smile. ¡°If Brother Shen is short of funds, I can lend you three thousand Immortal Jade,¡± Bai Xiaotian offered after brief contemplation. Shen Luo was stunned by Bai Xiaotian''s wealth, three thousand Immortal Jade was not a small sum. Even after all his years of scrounging and seizing, he had never accumulated so much. ¡°Thank you, when we return to Chang''an, I will pay you back as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo said without any pretence. ¡°Let''s go, I''m curious about this Boss Hua as well. Let''s go meet him together,¡± Bai Xiaotian proposed. ¡°There''s no harm in going with Brother Bai since he''s well-informed. But what about Master Chan''er?¡± Shen Luo turned his gaze to Chan''er. ¡°It''s okay. That strange sensation disappeared suddenly. It might have been a mistake on my part. Besides, since Boss Hua is a skilled Artifact Refiner, I''ll go see for myself,¡± Chan''er withdrew his gaze from the surroundings and said. Shen Luo nodded, turned around and walked back the way they came, soon arriving at Boss Hua''s residence. ¡°You guys? Why are you back? I''ll tell you upfront: I won''t accept less than five thousand Immortal Jade!¡± Boss Hua cast a glance at Shen Luo, speaking languidly. ¡°We didn''t return to haggle. We want to see your Sky Mending Stone and Purple Heart Mo Crystal. If the quality is good and the quantity is sufficient, we are willing to pay five thousand Immortal Jade for them,¡± Bai Xiaotian stepped forward from behind Shen Luo and spoke. The entrance to the courtyard was small, it was crowded with people. Those who stood at the front blocked those behind them. ¡°You know about the Purple Heart Mo Crystal too? Heh. Finally, I meet a knowledgeable person,¡± Boss Hua glanced at Bai Xiaotian, and retrieved two items placing them on a small wooden table next to his recliner. A half-foot-long, pitch-black pure iron and a purple crystal the size of a fist. Bai Xiaotian glanced at the black iron, nodded, and quickly shifted his gaze to pick up the purple crystal. Golden light radiated from his hand, the purple crystal instantly lit up with purple light, absorbing the golden light from Bai Xiaotian''s hand. A hint of surprise flashed across Bai Xiaotian''s face, and he nodded at Shen Luo. ¡°Fine, we will pay five thousand Immortal Jade. We hope that you will start refining the instrument as soon as possible. We will pay half of the five thousand Immortal Jade in advance, and the other half after the instrument is completed,¡± Shen Luo took out the shards of Xuan Turtle Plank mirror and placed them on the table. ¡°Don''t rush, we''ve only determined the price for these two materials. We haven''t discussed the cost of refining the instrument. Your instrument is not easy to refine. Just refining the Xuan Turtle Plank from these shards will take a lot of effort. I have a lot of other things to do, and time is precious,¡± Boss Hua revealed a cunning smile, quite different from his earlier passionate look. ¡°How much do you want?¡± Shen Luo cursed in his heart, calling him a fraud. The words had barely left his mouth when Boss Hua''s expression became rigid, his eyes fixated on a point behind Shen Luo. Chan''er emerged from behind Shen Luo, taking in the sight of the courtyard. ¡°Boss Hua, what''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian noticed Boss Hua''s strange behavior and asked. Bai Xiaotian furrowed his eyebrows, backed up to Chan''er, and shielded him. Chan''er also registered Boss Hua''s gaze, lifted his head to return the gaze. Their eyes met. A pained look appeared on Chan''er''s face, his right hand clutching his head, his body swaying slightly. ¡°Master Golden Cicada!¡± Bai Xiaotian tensed up and shouted in alarm, hastily holding onto Chan''er''s body. Upon hearing Bai Xiaotian''s cry, Boss Hua jolted, a complex expression crossing his face before he averted his gaze. Shen Luo observed Boss Hua''s successive changes in expression, his mind churning. While one of Bai Xiaotian''s hands supported Chan''er, the other was continuously casting spells to soothe Chan''er''s divine soul. Chan''er quickly recovered. Chan''er looked at Boss Hua, then scanned the courtyard again, his brows wrinkled as if he was trying to recall something. Boss Hua, by now, had regained his composure and sat quietly. ¡°Master Golden Cicada?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°I''m fine. Just now, I had a sudden headache,¡± Chan''er retracted his gaze and replied. ¡°Glad you''re okay,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed with relief, but cast a wary glance at Boss Hua. He felt that Chan''er''s headache just now had something to do with Boss Hua, but judging from the current situation, it seemed that wasn''t the case. ¡°Since Master Chan''er isn''t feeling well, Brother Bai, you should first take him back to the posthouse,¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°That''s agreeable,¡± Bai Xiaotian considered then nodded, and left the courtyard with Chan''er. Boss Hua watched as Chan''er retreated, a strange look flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. ¡°Boss Hua, let''s continue our prior discussion. How much of the Immortal Jade would you charge for refining the instrument?¡± Shen Luo asked. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you and the little monk from before traveling together?¡± Boss Hua suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question. ¡°Yes, we''re all from Central Earth Datang. Boss Hua, do you recognize Master Chan''er?¡± Shen Luo eyed Boss Hua suspiciously. Boss Hua remained silent for a moment, then said: ¡°For those two materials, I''ll charge you the cost price of one thousand Immortal Jade. As for the cost of refining the instrument, let''s forget about it.¡± Chapter 683 Chapter 683: Chapter 679: It''s No Coincidence Chapter 683: Chapter 679: It''s No Coincidence Shen Luo was taken aback. The sudden change in Boss Hua, who was demanding sky-high prices just moments ago and was now drastically lowering his prices and even offering to refine artifacts for free, was jarring. ¡°Boss Hua, do you know Master Chan''er?¡± Shen Luo knew that the changes in Boss Hua were related to Chan''er. He couldn''t help but ask again. ¡°What''s with all these questions! The real question is ¨C Will you do this deal or not?¡± Boss Hua suddenly became irate and spoke in a cold tone. ¡°Here is a thousand immortal jades.¡± Shen Luo didn''t negotiate further. He took out a thousand immortal jades and placed them on the table. ¡°Come for your goods in ten days!¡± Boss Hua said coldly, picked up the broken mirror pieces and the immortal jades, and walked back into the house without looking back. ¡°Please wait a moment, Boss Hua. I have one more thing.¡± Shen Luo said suddenly. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What else do you want?¡± Boss Hua stopped and turned around. Instead of answering, Shen Luo waved his hand and took out the Five-Fire Fan. ¡°This fan is quite good. It seems to be a replica of the ancient Five-Fire Seven Birds Fan. Unfortunately, the refining skills were poor, causing a lot of good materials to be wasted.¡± Boss Hua looked at the Five-Fire Fan for a moment, his eyes flickering. Then he scoffed. ¡°Boss Hua, I admire your ability to see through the quality of this fan at a glance. The power of the Five-Fire Fan is indeed a bit lacking. I have here three golden phoenix feathers and a sphere of phoenix flame from a Black Phoenix Demon at the Great Mahayana Stage. Can you increase the power of this fan?¡± Shen Luo then took out the three golden phoenix feathers and a golden crystal sphere he had previously acquired. Inside the sphere was a golden flame ¨C the Phoenix Flame. During the great battle at Hei Feng Ao, the Heavenly Book had collected two spheres of Phoenix Flame from the Black Phoenix Demon. The Phoenix Flame, one of the Spirit Flames, was sealed away by Shen Luo. Later, in Bai County City, his Five-Fire Fan only managed to block the combined attacks of two monks at the Soul Condensation Stage. Even though he didn''t use full strength, he discovered the limitations of this fan. Upon seeing the three golden phoenix feathers in Shen Luo''s hand, Boss Hua''s eyes lit up. He took the Five-Fire Fan, the three golden phoenix feathers, and the golden crystal sphere. He touched his fingertips on the three golden phoenix feathers and the Phoenix Flame one by one, emitting a white light. ¡°Not bad, not bad! These three feathers contain an impressive amount of the Phoenix''s bloodline power, and this Phoenix Flame is quite potent. I won''t make any promises, but I can at least double this fan''s power,¡± Boss Hua said, nodding. ¡°Double the power! Boss Hua, are you serious?¡± Shen Luo was thrilled. Originally, he just wanted to increase the power of the Five-Fire Fan by about thirty percent, which would have already satisfied him. ¡°What, don''t you believe me?¡± Boss Hua slanted an eye at Shen Luo. ¡°Of course not, I''m just a bit surprised. In that case, I''ll be back in ten days.¡± Shen Luo respectfully bowed, and then, along with Sun Hai, took his leave. ¡°Don''t worry, Elder. Boss Hua''s refining skills are excellent. Since he said he can do it, there shouldn''t be any problem,¡± Sun Hai told him. ¡°I hope so. Thank you for leading the way today, Fellow Sun,¡± Shen Luo said. He then took out a white silk handkerchief and gave it to Sun Hai. This was a low-grade magical tool that he didn''t remember acquiring from someone''s storage magical tool. It has both a defensive and a restraining effect and is quite ingenious. Although Sun Hai was only an outer disciple of Hua Sheng Temple, he only had one low-grade attacking magical tool. After detecting the grade of the handkerchief with his mana, Sun Hai was delighted, expressed his gratitude repeatedly, and then left. ¡°Master, you left the Five-Fire Fan, those turtle planks, and the thousand immortal jades behind with Boss Hua. What if he runs away with them?¡± As soon as Sun Hai left, Ghost General''s voice immediately sounded from within the Qiankun Bag. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a hint of uncertainty. Based on the current situation, this Boss Hua was unlikely to do such a thing. However, one can only know a person''s face, not their heart, so it was still necessary to take precautions. ¡°You make a good point. You should stay here to keep an eye on him. Even though your Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao is only partially complete, it contains a powerful ability to conceal your presence, which should serve you well here. This place is pretty secluded, so you shouldn''t be disturbed. Just stay underground, and you should be safe,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment''s consideration. Ghost General immediately agreed and flew out of the Qiankun bag and disappeared into the ground. He quickly burrowed deep underground and began to conceal himself. Shen Luo spread out his divine sense to explore the ground. Seeing that he couldn''t detect Ghost General''s presence, he felt relieved, but warned him nonetheless: ¡°We''re currently in the Great Buddha Country, and there are monks everywhere in Red Valley City, so you need to be very careful. Just stay underground and don''t wander around. If anything goes wrong, let me know immediately.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Master.¡± Ghost General''s voice echoed in his mind. Shen Luo turned around for a final look at the small courtyard, then left. He didn''t immediately return to the posthouse but continued to stroll around the city. After trekking through various parts of the city without finding anything suspicious, he muttered to himself, ¡°Am I overthinking?¡± He stood in a hiding spot at a street corner, looking ahead. Not too far ahead loomed a magnificent temple, with its grandiose Buddha halls and numerous stupas stretching towards the horizon, making it seem larger than the imperial palace in Chang''an. The sound of ringing bells and chanting emanated from within, instilling a sense of awe in the onlookers. This was the headquarters of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar. Shen Luo silently observed the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar for a while before turning to leave. In a dark hall deep inside the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, a blurred silhouette sat, with a sphere of white light suspended in front of it. Inside the light was an image of Shen Luo looking at the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The blurry figure chuckled, waved its hand, making the white light dissipate, and disappeared into the darkness of the hall. Shen Luo didn''t continue strolling through the city but promptly returned to the posthouse. Bai Xiaotian was keeping watch by Chan''er''s side and didn''t ask for a shift change. He suggested that Shen Luo rest more, seemingly concerned about his health. Although Shen Luo appreciated it, he didn''t put on any airs and accepted Bai Xiaotian''s kindness. Before leaving, he thought of something and asked, ¡°When we were at Boss Hua''s today, both Chan''er and Boss Hua were acting strange. Did you ask Chan''er about it when you got back?¡± ¡°I did ask. Even Master Golden Cicada couldn''t figure out the cause of the headache. He does not seem to remember anything about Boss Hua. Regarding today''s events, it might just be a coincidence,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed slightly, and shook his head as he spoke. Hearing these words, Shen Luo didn''t say anything else. He bid Bai Xiaotian farewell and left. He knew very well that it wasn''t a coincidence. That peculiar Boss Hua, who after seeing Chan''er, suddenly reduced the refining price by so much, must have some reason. However, since the other party didn''t want to talk about it, and Chan''er couldn''t remember anything, this matter could only be investigated further later. Chapter 684 Chapter 684: Chapter 680: Shattered Mirror Chapter 684: Chapter 680: Shattered Mirror After Shen Luo returned to his residence, he took out a set of formation flags and set up a prohibition around the room. Soon, a white light curtain illuminated inside the room, isolating it from the outside. Having done this, he flipped his hand and conjured a stream of water that enveloped his body. Then, he took out the remaining Dual-element True Water from earlier and smeared four or five drops on himself. Next, Shen Luo activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, absorbing the Water Spirit Qi within it. Though he was currently in the Western Regions, amid the vast expanse of yellow sand where Water Spirit Qi was scarce, he did not slack off in his cultivation. The only regrettable thing was that ever since he entered the Nascent Soul Stage, the effect of the Dual-element True Water on his cultivation had diminished greatly. As he cultivated, time flowed on. Night quickly fell, shrouding Red Valley City in its embrace. The bustling and lively Red Valley City soon quietened down. Lights across the city were extinguished one after another, plunging the vast city into peaceful darkness. Only in the Royal Palace of the Black Chicken Kingdom and the Sacred Lotus Temple did lights remain lit. Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the floor, cultivating quietly. It was at this moment that a black light suddenly lit up in between his eyebrows, and an anxious voice rang out in his mind from the Ghost General, ¡°Master, the situation has changed, I''ve been trapped by someone!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was startled and immediately stopped his cultivation. ¡°What happened? Did you leave underground? Who trapped you?¡± he stood up and walked outside, communicating and sharing thoughts with the Ghost General. ¡°No, I''m still underground. Just now, when that Boss Hua left, I didn''t feel at ease, so I quietly lurked underground as I followed him. Suddenly, I was trapped by an unknown force halfway and now I can''t move! Fortunately, I''m not wounded,¡± the Ghost General explained urgently. Shen Luo''s face darkened. Could Boss Hua truly be planning to escape? Were all the reactions he showed in daylight when facing Chan''er just an act? He gently opened the door, lightly stepped on the ground, and his whole being transformed into a shadow that silently left the posthouse, shooting off into the distance. Since he had a mental connection with the Ghost General, Shen Luo could confirm the latter''s location through careful sensing. Shen Luo didn''t want to expose his trail, so he didn''t use Escape Light. He only used the Slanting Moon Steps to travel. Luckily, the place where the Ghost General was wasn''t too far away. In less than a Half a Moment, he arrived in the vicinity. This place was a secluded section within the city, seemingly a residential area for the impoverished commoners. Shen Luo didn''t rashly approach. He stopped a distance away from there, concealed his aura, and slowly approached. The one that trapped the Ghost General was definitely no weak force, and he dared not be careless. But much to his surprise, even as he arrived at where the Ghost General was, he didn''t discover any other monks. He used a Concealment Gu to probe around, so there shouldn''t be any mistakes. ¡°There are no other monks on the surface here. You don''t seem to have been ambushed,¡± Shen Luo communicated telepathically with the Ghost General. ¡°But I still can''t move,¡± the Ghost General responded. Frowning, Shen Luo extended his Divine Sense underground to probe. Just as expected, he quickly perceived the location of the Ghost General. Ghostly light glowed around him just a couple of yards in range and seemed to originate from underground. This ghostly light didn''t seem that unusual, but it was the nemesis of ghostly qi. The moment the Ghost General was enveloped by it, he became utterly powerless, as if he was a bug caught in a spider''s web. ¡°What is this ghostly light? And where is it coming from?¡± Shen Luo wondered in surprise as he hit the ground with one hand. Blue light flashed in the soil around the Ghost General, transforming into a large blue hand made out of streaks of blue water, which gripped the Ghost General''s body. The grayish-white light could easily bind the Ghost General, yet it didn''t affect the blue sailor much. With a forceful pull of his large hand, the Ghost General was easily torn away from the grayish-white light. ¡°Thank you, Master, for saving me.¡± The Ghost General immediately regained movement once he left the grayish-white illumination, emerging from the underground to show gratitude to Shen Luo. Shen Luo waved his hand, his Divine Sense following the grayish-white glow, spreading deep underground. He was extremely curious about this grayish-white light, which could easily suppress a Ghost General at the Soul Condensation Stage. Twenty feet! Thirty feet! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Forty feet! Shen Luo''s Divine Sense soon extended over sixty feet underground, yet he could only sense the gray-white light without finding its source. The underground comprises various rocks and minerals, with mixed Qi and elemental forces, greatly impeding the investigation with divine sense. Even for a Nascent Soul Stage expert like him, the divine sense could only go sixty feet under the ground and could not penetrate further. He frowned, considering letting his spirit leave the body to enter the underground for deeper exploration. However, his spirit, like the Ghost General, was a Soul Body and would probably be immediately enchanted upon contact with the grayish-white light. There would be no one to save him then, and he didn''t possess any tools like the Escape Earth Talisman that could burrow into the ground. ¡°Right, how could I forget Mao Chun.¡± Shen Luo, while troubled, suddenly remembered his spiritual pet Mao Chun he hadn''t summoned in a while. Mao Chun could burrow underground. He first set up a prohibition around him, then immediately applied the Spiritual Communication Technique to summon Mao Chun. ¡°Daoist Shen Luo, what do you need?¡± Mao Chun hadn''t managed to break through the bottleneck of the Peak of Grain Avoidance yet. In contrast with his previous arrogance, he now regarded Shen Luo, who had already attained the Nascent Soul Stage, with considerable respect. ¡°I need to go below sixty feet underground. Do you have a way to take me down there?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Below sixty feet? Shouldn''t be a problem. As you know, I don''t have God''s powers like the Escape Earth Talisman to view soil as nonexistent. I merely have a body structure more adapted to burrowing and digging, which might pose a danger if you come with me.¡± Mao Chun said after some hesitation. ¡°No problem, I''ll ensure my safety,¡± Shen Luo wasn''t concerned. ¡°Alright then.¡± Mao Chun nodded, his long body twisted, and burrowed into the earth outside the grayish-white light area, quickly digging a black hole as thick as a water bucket. Mao Chun''s tail wrapped around Shen Luo''s body, pulling him gently towards the underground. Shen Luo applied the Water Repelling Technique to protect his whole body, keeping the sporadically falling dirt out. Seeing this, the Ghost General immediately followed. Mao Chun''s burrowing ability was exceptional, and he soon descended over twenty feet. Shen Luo extended his Divine Sense, probing towards the source of the grayish-white light in the side, and still couldn''t find the end. However, by this point, the grayish-white light had condensed significantly, indicating they were nearing the end. Mao Chun continued to burrow, soon descending another dozen feet. Shen Luo was constantly scanning the grayish-white light with his Divine Sense and finally found its source. The source was somewhat surprising: it was nothing more than a dilapidated grayish-white mirror. The grayish-white light beams emitted from the surface of the mirror, spreading towards the soil above and gradually expanded, finally forming the grayish-white light pillar. Only half of the mirror''s surface remained, filled with cracks and covered in dirt, indicating that it had been buried underground for countless years. Chapter 685 Chapter 685: Chapter 681: The Mysterious and Broken Mirror Chapter 685: Chapter 681: The Mysterious and Broken Mirror Seeing this development, Shen Luo signaled for Mao Chun to stop. Regardless, sensing the source of the grayish-white glow made things easier for them. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the SeSuppressing Bead to strengthen his Water Manipulation Technique and stretched out his other hand into the void. With a swish, a large blue hand emerged from the soil next to the grayish-white mirror, and grasped it. It then began to rise into the sky, albeit with some difficulty. It wasn''t difficult for the blue water hand to navigate through the soil, but doing so while carrying a mirror was. Luckily, Shen Luo now had immense mana, and half a moment later, he forcefully pulled the mirror up from deep underground. As the greyish-white mirror emerged from the ground and landed in Shen Luo''s hand, the greyish-white light emitted from the mirror swept across his face. His divine soul trembled violently in his mind, and his body began to shake as well. Shen Luo''s heart lurched as he quickly raised his hand, causing the grayish-white mirror to face another direction, away from him. His trembling divine soul only regained its composure when the mirror was moved away from him. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with shock, but he did not rush to inspect the grayish-white mirror. Instead, he put it away and ordered Mao Chun to return. A quarter of an hour later, Shen Luo silently returned to his room at the posthouse. He once again set up a set of prohibitions around the room, quickly setting up a blue light curtain. Only after all this did Shen Luo take out the broken Grayish-white mirror. Due to his previous experience, he did not face the mirror upwards, but instead placed it upside down on the ground and carefully examined it. He had already cleaned off the mud from the mirror, revealing its grayish-white body. Some vague patterns were carved on its surface, and the mirror''s original shiny surface now had patches of bald spots. Even though the mirror seemed as if it was about to fall apart, thin strands of treasure light still emerged from it, showing its extraordinary nature. Shen Luo studied the mirror for a moment, pressed his hand at the base of the mirror, and infused his mana into it. However, the mirror did not react in the slightest, neither did the grayish-white light emitted from the mirror become brighter or darker. Everything remained the same. He raised his eyebrows and increased the infusion of mana, but the mirror was like an unfathomable pit. No matter how much mana was infused, there was no change. ¡°Interesting.¡± Shen Luo smiled, and as he was about to pull his hand back, his palm was tightly absorbed by the mirror. His face changed color, and as he was about to do something, a strong suction force emerged from the mirror, sucking his divine sense and part of his mana into it. Shen Luo''s sight blurred, and by the time he recovered, his divine sense had already appeared in a grayish-white space. ¡°What is this¡­¡± He looked around. The surrounding gray space was filled with a chilling cold strength. Below was a boundless water area, with turbid water that was also grayish-white in color. It was somewhat similar to the Styx River he had seen before. After observing for a while, he quickly withdrew his attention and began to consider his current situation. His current situation was similar to when practicing the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, where his divine sense power entered another space. However, unlike the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, along with his divine sense power, a stream of mana was also transferred over. ¡°Either way, I should first observe what this place is,¡± thought Shen Luo. After a slight hesitation, he activated his divine sense to wander around the gray-white space. The grayish-white space was desolate, devoid of any living breath. He wandered here for a long time without encountering anything. Shen Luo wasn''t discouraged, he continued his search in the grayish-white space. Moments later, he finally detected a living creature, a gray ghostly bird, flying above the surface of the water. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ghost Bird! Seems like this place really is in the Netherworld, I wonder if I can use the Art of Spirit Communication in this state?¡± A thought crossed his mind, his divine sense flew over and seeped into the body of the Ghost Bird. Back inside the room, he started to operate the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. In an instant, countless black runes emerged from his divine sense, and like a raging tide, surged into the Ghost Bird''s head. The Ghost Bird let out a mournful scream from its mouth, with wings flapping randomly in the mid-air, it dove headfirst into the water below. ¡°It is possible!¡± Shen Luo was delighted and promptly stopped the beast taming technique. The breath of this Ghost Bird was only at the Grain Avoidance Stage. He was only testing it, without any intention of controlling this creature. The Ghost Bird let out a terrified shriek, quickly stabilized its form, flapped its wings, and flew away in the distance. Shen Luo''s divine sense also detached itself from the Ghost Bird and headed in a different direction. Moments later he finally left the grayish-white water area and arrived at a desolate plain. Several black plants were growing on the plain, with occasional trees here and there. Once on land, various ghostly creatures increased. Within moments, Shen Luo detected the presence of three ghosts: a gray skeleton, a zombie ghost, and a spectral ghost. Unfortunately, these three ghost creatures weren''t very strong. The most potent zombie ghost only had the cultivation level of the later stage of soul condensation, and it wasn''t worth controlling. Just as he was about to continue his search, a phantom suddenly flashed beside the zombie ghost. A black and red ghost appeared out of thin air, perched on the back of the zombie ghost. Meanwhile, the zombie let out a dreadful wail, its originally plump body quickly became shriveled. A few breaths later, the wail of the zombie ghost vanished, and its whole body turned into a shriveled skeleton covered with a layer of skin and collapsed with a bang on the ground. The black and red ghost jumped down from the corpse of the zombie, and Shen Luo finally had a clear look at its appearance. It was a humanoid ghost wearing a cylindrical hat-shaped black hat on its head, decorated with bloody patterns at the edges, looking very eerie. The eerie hat was emitting a faint black fog, forming a long black veil that covered the upper half of its body. One could hardly see its face. Through the black veil, there were merely two blood-red eyes visible, filled with cold light. Two long and grotesque blood-red ghost claws were stretched out from under the hat, the fingertips flashing with a cold and chilling light. ¡°What kind of ghostly creature is this?¡± Shen Luo was quite surprised. He had seen quite a few ghost creatures, but he had never seen one like this. However, he immediately locked his gaze on this black and red ghost, his heart racing. This black and red ghost was powerful, even stronger than him, reaching the middle stage of the Nascent Soul Stage. Judging by how it instantly killed the zombie ghost of the later stage of Soul Condensation just now, its combat strength was undoubtedly formidable. Thinking of this, Shen Luo immediately urged his divine sense to shoot over, seeped into the body of the black and red ghost, and also began running the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Countless black runes poured into the head of the black and red ghost. ¡°Hehe¡­yaya¡­¡± The black and red ghost, not having opened its spiritual wisdom, held its head and emitted sharp shrieks, struggling hard to resist the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Shen Luo perceived this and felt a silent joy in his heart. This kind of resistance without a proper method is the easiest to break. He was already proficient with using the Technique of Taming Beasts and summoning Spirits to subjugate his spirit pets. He skillfully operated this technique, countless black runes permeated the grayish-white space, and pressed down on the black and red ghost. ¡°YayaYaya¡­¡± The black and red ghost roared continuously, desperately resisting the taming technique, while instinctively releasing bursts of eerie and cold energy, striking back at Shen Luo''s body through the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. Shen Luo''s cultivation level had greatly advanced, he was no longer the junior cultivator he once was. With a slight operation of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, he dissolved the opponent''s attack. Meanwhile, he also urged the mana that was delivered along with his divine sense. Chapter 686 – 686 Six Hundred Eighty Chapter 686: Chapter Six Hundred Eighty-Two: Vampire Chapter 686: Chapter Six Hundred Eighty-Two: Vampire From the distance, in the grayish-white water area, ¡°Gurgle¡±, a surge of water shot out, then turned into two gray-white water blades, aiming at the body of the Black and Red Ghost. The Black and Red Ghost sensed this, its two ghost claws immediately tried to catch the grayish-white water blades, but the water blades eluded the ghostly claws, attacking the ghost from behind. The Black and Red Ghost, while trying to block the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, also had to deal with two water blades, it was being attacked from both sides that quickly drained its spiritual power and inevitably led it to surrender. Shen Luo never expected to easily subdue this ghost, all thanks to the assist of that mysterious mana that, although weak, proved to be very effective during beast taming. ¡°Seeing as using this grayish-white mirror to tame the beasts, is much more efficient than employing the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits.¡± He thought to himself. He then initiated the Art of Spirit Communication and inserted a Spiritual Communication seal into the body of the ghost. Having done all these, his mana was majorly depleted, so he did not plan on continuing communicating with the spirits and attempted to withdraw the mana and Divine Sense from within the grayish-white space. While there was no issue with his remaining mana, if he couldn''t reclaim his Divine Sense, it would greatly injure Shen Luo''s divine soul. Just as he was thinking about this, fluctuations began to occur in the void above his Divine Sense, and a grayish-white light door appeared out of nowhere. Shen Luo quickly sent his Divine Sense and mana into it, and the next moment, they returned to reality and entered his body. And his palm seamlessly detached itself from the grayish-white mirror. ¡°What a mirror! It''s so adept in communicating with the spirits!¡± Shen Luo picked up the ancient mirror, beaming. Although he didn''t know where the mirror came from, with it, he could enter the grayish-white space and communicate with the ghosts at any time. During his journey to the Styx River, he got a taste of how fierce the creatures of the Netherworld could be. Shen Luo immediately began to perform a mantra, applying a layer of prohibition on the mirror to ward off the exposure of the gray-white light emanating from the mirror, then pocketed it. He then took out an elixir, performed the refining technique, and quickly recovered his depleted mana. He made a hand seal and summoned a flow of water and initiated a summoning technique. Soon, a Blackwater tunnel appeared in the water stream, and strands of cold, black Qi emanated from inside the tunnel. Then with a whoosh sound, the Black and Red Ghost shot out from the water hole, leaving behind several afterimages, its speed was astonishing. Shen Luo, despite having known the strength of the Black and Red Ghost, was still somewhat taken aback. The Black and Red Ghost appeared, its blood-red eyes behind the black veil focused tightly on Shen Luo, still harboring a bit of hostility. The two blood-red ghost claws stretched out from under the bamboo hat, their fingertips flickered with a cold, icy light, ready to attack at any moment. ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Shen Luo asked the Black and Red Ghost in front of him, slightly smiling. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The ghost let out two unknown calls. Shen Luo didn''t understand its meaning, and the Spiritual Communication seal in the ghost''s body didn''t provide any useful information either. ¡°What is your ability?¡± Shen Luo asked again, his eyebrows furrowing. Again, the Black and Red Ghost made two ambiguous calls. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed even more. This creature was powerful, but if he couldn''t communicate with it, it was useless for it to be powerful, he wouldn''t be able to utilize it in a fight. After pondering for a moment, he performed a hand seal, and the Spiritual Communication seal in the body of the Black and Red Ghost suddenly emitted a brilliant light, the ghost seemed to have been frozen in place, unable to move at all and the eyes under the black veil radiated furious light. Shen Luo paid no mind to the angry gaze of the ghost. After immobilizing the other party with his Spiritual Communication Technique, he walked over, placed his hand on the head of the Black and Red Ghost, and started reciting an ancient, rustic spell. In his palm, a cluster of black fog rose, containing many tadpole-shaped black runes, which he pressed onto the head of the Black and Red Ghost. The black fog immediately penetrated the ghost''s head, and its blood-red eyes immediately expressed pain. Its body started to tremble, and a black and red light illuminated its body, entangled and flashing rapidly. Only after a quarter of an hour did Shen Luo finally let go. He looked a little worn out and took a step back. The body of the Black and Red Ghost was still trembling, but it recovered very quickly. Looking up at Shen Luo, a sense of clarity could be seen in its bloody-red eyes. ¡°Master¡­ Thank you¡­ for opening¡­ my Spiritual Wisdom¡­¡± The Black and Red Ghost gave a bow to Shen Luo, its voice mumbled but the meaning was clear. ¡°The enlightening technique in the Body Refining Secret Text is truly exquisite. It can really stimulate the spiritual wisdom of living beings.¡± Shen Luo didn''t pay attention to the Black and Red Ghost. Instead, he murmured in amazement. What he had just cast on the Black and Red Ghost was an enlightening secret technique recorded in the Body Refining Secret Text. This technique could forcibly stimulate the divine wisdom of ignorant creatures. He tried it on a whim, and did not expect that it would actually work. ¡°Do you have a name?¡± Shen Luo looked up at the Black and Red Ghost and asked. ¡°I¡­ belong to the Netherworld¡­ Vampire¡­ species¡­ No name¡­¡± The vampire stammered. ¡°Vampire? From now on, I''ll just call you Vampire. What abilities do you have?¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and asked. ¡°We vampires¡­ can move quickly¡­ conceal¡­ traces¡­ consume essence blood¡­¡± Vampire demonstrated its ability by making its form disappear in an instant. This sudden disappearance was very abrupt, Shen Luo did not perceive it in advance. The next moment, a shattering sound came from the depths of the room. A stone pillar erected there was pierced by a bloody ghost hand, and the figure of the vampire appeared next to the stone pillar. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. He had been completely unaware of how the vampire had suddenly appeared there. Vampire withdrew its ghost claw and as its wrist fell, the tip of its ghost claw scraped past the stone pillar, easily leaving five deep marks. The stone material used for the posthouse''s pillars was mined from a nearby mountain. It contained copper and was extremely hard, but it seemed as vulnerable as tofu before the bloody ghost hand. ¡°Impressive ability,¡± Shen Luo praised. ¡°Here¡­ there are no creatures¡­ cannot demonstrate¡­ blood-sucking ability¡­ If the creature¡­ is of similar cultivation level¡­ and not too large¡­ I can drain their blood¡­ in five breaths time¡­¡± Vampire continued in its halting speech. ¡°Five breaths of time to drain fresh blood!¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. He had previously witnessed this ghost''s blood-sucking ability, but he didn''t expect it to be so powerful. With an ability to move as quick as lightning and conceal its presence, sharp ghost claws, and the power to rapidly drain fresh blood, if one did not have any defensive magical instruments prepared in advance, encountering this vampire up close was almost a certain death sentence. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this vampire could be useful. ¡°Your blood-sucking ability, I''ve seen it before. You go back first, I will summon you during battle in the future.¡± Shen Luo now was in a posthouse inhabited by many high monks from the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions, he did not dare let Vampire stay here for long to avoid causing suspicion. He cast a spell to open the Spirit Communicating Water Hole and sent it back. (Summoning Beasts: The Vampire has entered the scene!) Chapter 687 Chapter 687: Chapter 683: Returning the Favor Chapter 687: Chapter 683: Returning the Favor After Shen Luo sent the vampire away, he patted his head, and felt a bit dizzy. The use of the enlightening secret technique consumed a great deal of Divine Sense and probably would take several days to recover. Shen Luo sat down, cross-legged and began to practice the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Soon, a blue spherical light enveloped him. Ten days passed quickly, and the blue light gradually dissipated, revealing Shen Luo''s figure. He opened his eyes, revealing bright and spirited eyes. His Divine Sense Power was fully restored. The agreed time with Boss Hua had come. Shen Luo collected the prohibition in the house and stepped outside. The Small Courtyard was empty, both Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er were not there. Shocked, he hastily inquired, only to find that Bai Xiaotian had taken Chan''er to visit the other monks at the posthouse. ¡°Chan''er is really carefree, but with Brother Bai by her side, there''s no need to worry about her safety.¡± Shen Luo sighed in relief and left the posthouse, quickly arriving at Boss Hua''s residence. ¡°Master.¡± A shadow flashed on the ground and the Ghost General emerged from underground. After he rescued the Ghost General that day, he continued to station it at Boss Hua''s place. ¡°Has Boss Hua caused any trouble during these days?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No, he''s been refining artifacts behind closed doors these past few days. Yesterday, I sensed two strong waves of Mana emanating from the courtyard. It should be that both of the artifacts ordered by the Master are ready.¡± the Ghost General said. ¡°Great.¡± Shen Luo nodded, collected the Ghost General back into the Qiankun Bag, and knocked on the door. This time, Boss Hua didn''t keep him waiting too long and quickly opened the courtyard door. ¡°You are prompt. Come in,¡± Boss Hua chuckled and ushered Shen Luo into the courtyard. He seemed back to his normal self, no longer showing Shen Luo any unpleasant expression. ¡°Boss Hua, are my magical instruments ready?¡± Shen Luo also didn''t beat around the bush and directly asked. ¡°As if anything I promised wouldn''t be accomplished. Here, take it.¡± Boss Hua waved his hand, Two bright lights, one golden and one yellow, shot out, both emanating astonishing mana fluctuations. Shen Luo quickly sent out a blue light to receive the two shining lights. Inside the golden light was a golden-red feather fan, the Five-Fire Fan. However, the fan had changed significantly from before ¨C it turned entirely golden-red, three of the seven spirit bird feathers had been replaced with golden phoenix feathers, the fan bone had become fire-red, and many mysterious spirit patterns had been inscribed upon it. He took hold of the Five-Fire Fan and infused his mana into it. Immediately, the entire Five-Fire Fan glowed brilliantly, and golden-red flames gushed out, enveloping him as if he were a fire god from ancient times. Shen Luo''s face showed surprise and delight. The Five-Fire Fan had undergone a complete transformation, and the internal prohibition layers had increased to sixteen, reaching the limit of a Top-Grade Magical Artifact. Five different types of fiery powers roiled within the Five-Fire Fan. One of them had transformed into Phoenix Fire. Although the power of Phoenix Fire was not as potent as Red Lotus Karmic Fire, it was not far off, surpassing the other four fire powers. The equilibrium state originally maintained by the five fires within the fan was broken; Phoenix Fire dominated, which caused the fire power in the Five-Fire Fan to increase drastically and become extraordinarily chaotic. However, the prohibitions on the Five-Fire Fan had completely changed. Boss Hua had replaced them with new ones. While the fire power in the fan had greatly increased, the new prohibitions somehow possessed an unforeseeable ability that successfully suppressed the violent fire power and firmly trapped it within the fan. ¡°You''re quite lucky. In the past, I had the privilege of observing the Qianyuan Fire Justice God Prohibition left behind by Fire Virtue Star Lord, and used it in this fan of yours.¡± The Boss Hua at the side said, giving an impression that Shen Luo had gotten quite a good deal. ¡°Fire Virtue Star Lord!¡± Shen Luo had seen him before in Dreamland and was slightly surprised. The Fire Virtue Star Lord was part of the Heavenly Court. This Boss Hua surprisingly knew the secret method of Fire Virtue Star Lord. This old man was not simple! ¡°Thank you, Boss Hua.¡± He didn''t inquire further and after expressing his gratitude, he stored the Five-Fire Fan and shifted his gaze towards another yellow radiance. Within the yellow radiance, there existed a Profound Yellow Long Staff of about three meters in length. It emanated a bright and pure yellow glow. The staff was divided into three segments, with the longest one in the middle being yellow and two shorter ones on both ends being black. Golden hoops were fixed at both ends of the staff, and it looked very similar to the Seaside Iron Staff. As Shen Luo held the Profound Yellow Long Staff in his hand, a strong surge of spiritual power fluctuations burst forth from within. The mana inside his body was triggered and instantly increased several times over. The Profound Yellow Long Staff also emitted a bright yellow glow that resonated faintly with the mana within his body. When the yellow glow from the staff came into contact with the ground, the surrounding earth trembled as if an earthquake occurred. ¡°This staff was forged using the secret treasure refining techniques of the Dragon Palace. Its main material is the Xuan Turtle Plank. That''s why it can resonate with the Earth Veins and channel the Earth''s power to strike the enemy,¡± Boss Hua carried on. ¡°A treasure from Dragon Palace? It must be the Sea Suppressing Divine Needle. Is it a coincidence or am I just lucky?¡± Shen Luo secretly thought, while his divine sense probed the prohibitions inside the staff, his face revealing a hint of joy. The Profound Yellow Long Staff had sixteen prohibitions inside it, marking the limit of top-grade magical artifacts. Moreover, these sixteen prohibitions were very ancient and starkly different from the ones in use nowadays. Boss Hua claimed to have used ancient secret methods to refine the staff which seemed valid. The sixteen prohibitions emitted purplish-black light and were incredibly tenacious. They possessed an amazing storage capacity, perfectly sealing in mana without leakage. ¡°This is the effect of Purple Heart Mo Crystal! This Boss Hua indeed has extraordinary skills, capable of perfectly combining Purple Heart Mo Crystal with the prohibition! And these prohibitions are so sturdy, even if they were to summon someone with Dream Cultivation, these prohibitions would certainly withstand it!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in his heart. He held the staff and lifted it up, finding it surprisingly heavy. He had to use all his mana to lift it. But once the staff was in hand, Shen Luo felt an inexplicable excitement. Twisting his wrist, he brandished the Ape King Stick Technique. He did not truly activate the essence of the Ape King Stick Technique, but merely made use of its empty shell. As a result, powerful gusts of wind burst forth from the Profound Yellow Long Staff, tearing through the air, and shaking the entire courtyard, leaving deep marks on the ground. ¡°Stop! Stop! My courtyard can''t handle your reckless behavior, if you want to play, go outside!¡± Boss Hua urgently yelled. Shen Luo laughed and stopped. ¡°Good staff! As you emit this profound yellow light, I will call you Profound Yellow Staff.¡± He came up with a name for this staff. ¡°Go name it at your own pace when you get home. I''ve finished refining the magical instruments, now get lost.¡± Boss Hua rudely dismissed him. ¡°I would like to express my gratitude to you, Boss Hua, for your help with the artifacts. If there''s an opportunity in the future, I will certainly repay you for your kindness.¡± Shen Luo put away the Profound Yellow Staff and bowed to the boss. ¡°Use these two artifacts wisely to protect that little monk and consider it as my repayment.¡± Boss Hua said indifferently. Before Shen Luo could say anything else, Boss Hua entered the house and shut the door. Seeing this, Shen Luo could only bow to the house once again, bid farewell, and leave. He didn''t linger in the streets, instead, immediately returned to the posthouse, closed the doors and began to cultivate the Five-Fire Fan and the Profound Yellow Staff. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 688 Chapter 688: Chapter 684: The Prince''s Visit Chapter 688: Chapter 684: The Prince''s Visit One early morning, Chan''er was conducting his morning rituals in the courtyard of the posthouse, chanting Buddhist prayers when he suddenly heard a commotion from the front yard. Following the source of the noise, he saw a young man from the Black Chicken Kingdom, dressed in a silk robe, hurriedly rushing in from the entrance of the posthouse. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, upon hearing the commotion, also came out from their rooms one after another to the courtyard. The young man from the Black Chicken Kingdom had slightly curly hair, a high nose, and deep-set eyes that shined a faint blue. Upon seeing Shen Luo''s party, his eyes immediately lit up with excitement. However, before the young man could reach them, Duke Du had already rushed forward to stop him. ¡°Young Master, this place is a posthouse, and irrelevant people are not allowed to enter. If someone in your family has an official position, have them come with you on your next visit.¡± Duke, seeing the opulent outfit worn by the young man, decided not to use harsh words. Ignoring him, the young man raised his hand, and while waving at Shen Luo''s party he excitedly yelled, ¡°Are you the guests from the Great Tang?¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo found it amusing yet also strange, wondering why this young man was speaking like he was the host? So, he spoke a few words to Duke Du and allowed the young man to enter the posthouse. ¡°Are you here to see us?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked with a smile. ¡°Yes, distinguished guests.¡± While speaking, the young man didn''t forget to place his right hand on his left chest, giving them a courteous bow. Chan''er clasped one hand in prayer in return. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian looked at each other, both laughing and returning the gesture. ¡°Tell us, who are you? And why have you come to see us?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I am greatly fascinated by your Great Tang Kingdom. I heard that you are esteemed monks from the Great Tang, so I boldly intruded to learn about the customs of the Great Tang and hear about the grandeur of cities like Chang''an City and Luoyang City.¡± The excitement in the young man''s eyes grew as he spoke. Shen Luo, Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er, hearing his words, were taken aback before bursting into laughter. ¡°So you admire the Great Tang. What exactly do you know about the Great Tang?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°From the books that the silk merchants brought, I learned that the city walls of Chang''an City are a hundred feet high, there stands a Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in the city, and every year on the fifteenth of the first lunar month, they celebrate the Lantern Festival. They will release more lanterns than there are stars in the sky¡­¡± The young man excitedly rattled off everything he had read in the books. Listening to the young man enthusiastically mixing fact with fiction, Shen Luo couldn''t help but smile before patiently explaining to the boy. Bai Xiaotian also chimed in, and both of them found the situation amusing. They didn''t feel annoyed at all. While telling about the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and other Buddhist temples in the city, Chan''er also chimed in. Hearing their stories, the young man from the Black Chicken Kingdom''s eyes glowed and he nodded his head constantly. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The group chatted back and forth, and before they realized it, half an hour had passed. Just when they were engaged in conversation, the bustling noise from outside sounded again. Two men from the Black Chicken Kingdom dressed in fur robes hurriedly rushed in from outside. In one hand, they showed Duke Du their token, and with the other yelled, ¡°Prince, why did you leave on your own accord? If the King finds out, he''d skin us alive!¡± ¡°He is¡­ a prince?¡± The trio looked at the young man in surprise. ¡°Ah, I snuck out without telling my father or attendants. It seems I can''t chat with you any longer.¡± The prince''s face fell, he looked downcast. ¡°Not to worry, we will be staying in the city for a while. You can let His Majesty the King know and come again another day.¡± Chan''er said, seeing the prince''s disappointment. ¡°Really? You won''t mind me disturbing your meditation?¡± His eyes lit up in surprise. ¡°Dawn sunshine, sunset clouds, moving is Zen, sitting also is Zen, speaking with you is also Zen,¡± Chan''er formed his hand in the prayer sign as he spoke. ¡°Is this way also acceptable? You senior monks are quite different from the monks in our kingdom.¡± Hearing this, the prince''s face broke into a bigger grin. Having said this, he politely excused himself and left with the palace attendants. Just as he reached the entrance of the posthouse, he suddenly ran back and said to the monks, ¡°I forgot to tell the senior monks my name, I am Qi Lianmi, the Third Prince of the Black Chicken Kingdom. You are always welcome to visit the royal palace.¡± ¡°Your name is Qi Lianmi?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback when he heard this name. His exclamation was so sudden that Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er both turned to him with confusing expressions. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± The Prince nodded, looking a bit surprised. Shen Luo, of course, was reminded of the ¡°Qi Lianmi¡± he had met in his dreams while on Flower Fruit Mountain. If he recalled correctly, his appearance changed quite a bit as he grew older, but if he looked closely now, there were still some vague similarities. He was about to speak when suddenly, his expression changed slightly. Alongside him, Bai Xiaotian also noticed that something was off. Suddenly, a howling wind sounded and a gust of wind rushed in from the entrance of the posthouse, bringing with it swirling yellow dust. The wind flew into the courtyard, flipping Duke Du and two other servants. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian quickly stepped in front of Prince Qi Lianmi, one shielding the prince and the other protecting Chan''er. After the sandstorm passed, the courtyard was filled with a hazy yellow sand, and the air was filled with a choking smell of sand. ¡°What happened?¡± Chan''er asked. Bai Xiaotian shook his head, signalling that he too was in the dark. Shen Luo ushered Prince Qi Lianmi to Chan''er''s side, summoning his Pure Yang Sword Embryo with a wave, leaping onto it and flying quickly up into the air, hovering above the posthouse. ¡°Truly the abilities of the monks from the Great Tang, remarkable¡­¡± Qi Lianmi was awe-stricken. Shen Luo, from his elevated vantage point, scanned the Red Valley City below, observing how the rolling dust and yellow sand had obscured the entire city ¨C all the streets and buildings he could see were engulfed by the sandstorm. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± The howling wind in the distance was still violent. A sandstorm was sweeping through all places without a trace of regularity, causing chaos on the streets as it tossed people and animals alike into the air. Cries for help could be heard from every direction. After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo shouted down to Bai Xiaotian and Chan''er, ¡°I''m going to help. Stay here and don''t leave for now.¡± After speaking, he soared out, heading towards a square beyond three streets. There, a stone statue of Buddha had been toppled by the sandstorm, burying an ordinary citizen who had been praying by the side underneath it. After landing, he raised his palm to support the head of the Buddha, and with a heave, managed to lift it up. The man trapped underneath quickly crawled out, repeatedly patting his chest and nodding his head at Shen Luo in thanks. Shen Luo then once again took to the air, flying towards a courtyard in the east of the city. A Sand Jujube tree from next door had been blown down by the sandstorm, collapsing a wall and burying two children playing by the wall underneath it. Upon reaching, he quickly got to work, moving the fallen bricks and stones aside, freeing the two children trapped underneath. Chapter 689 Chapter 689: Chapter 685: Meeting the Madman Again Chapter 689: Chapter 685: Meeting the Madman Again Shen Luo didn''t stop, he headed directly to the East Gate, arriving at a tower whose pillar had been damaged by wind and sand, and verge of collapse. He propped up the pillar with his hand, allowing the people inside to escape safely. After rescuing these people, he took a moment to catch his breath. Just as he was about to move on to the next place, he heard a crisp ¡°ding¡± sound from the City Gate. A blurry figure slowly walked in from the dust and sand. Shen Luo focused his attention, only to see that it was a monk with a bowl in one hand and a tin staff in the other, dressed in tattered clothes. His skin was dark, his lips cracked, but his expression was very peaceful. He carried an old bamboo box on his back and wore a pair of worn-out straw sandals on his feet. He slowly walked into the city, looking up at the yellow sky, his eyes full of pity. ¡°How dare you, monster, cause trouble for the people without remorse?¡± he shouted while raising his black bowl towards the sky. Immediately, a green glow appeared within the bowl, and gusts of wind rolled out from its mouth, sweeping from east to west, quickly clearing all the sand and blowing it towards the west of the city. In a flash, the whole Red Valley City seemed to have been washed by a great flood. Wherever the wind swept, the sand retreated, restoring its original appearance. The fear of the city''s people was slightly eased. They all saw the monk at the city gate and began to exclaim in excitement: ¡°Master Lin Da, it''s Master Lin Da¡­¡± ¡°He left his retreat, Master Lin Da left his retreat¡­¡± ¡°Master Lin Da saved us¡­¡± Listening to people''s shouts of praise, Shen Luo noticed an incredible sight. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A mysterious glow surrounded Master Lin Da, similar to the light that Chan''er had emitted during the Water and Land Dharma Assembly, but slightly different. Chan''er''s light was more white, while Master Lin Da''s light was slightly red. Under the crowd''s praise, Master Lin Da''s expression showed no clear sadness or joy, only an almost imperceptible smile, creating a sense of profound mystery. Shen Luo then released the pillar he was holding, turned around, and left amidst the sound of the collapsing tower. By the time he returned to the posthouse, his expression changed instantly. He saw that the wall of the courtyard had been smashed by a carriage, and only Duke was left, lying on the ground with a bloody face. Bai Xiaotian and the others were nowhere to be seen. ¡°What happened? What happened?¡± He rushed into the courtyard, helped Duke up, stopped his bleeding, and asked. ¡°Immortal Master, you¡­ after you left, a gust of wind suddenly blew, bringing a carriage that smashed through the wall. Bai Xiaotian blocked the carriage but when he looked around, the high monk and the prince were carried away by a demon wind.¡± Duke responded anxiously. ¡°Demon wind? Did you see where they went?¡± Shen Luo instinctively thought of that fellow. ¡°Bai Xiaotian has gone west in pursuit. The prince''s servant has also gone back to the palace to report.¡± Duke immediately responded. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo got Duke settled, he then rode the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, disappearing into the sky above the posthouse, heading directly west. By the time he was near the city gate, he saw Bai Xiaotian was also at the city gate, so he quickly landed. ¡°Brother Bai, what happened? Did you catch them?¡± Shen Luo asked hurriedly. ¡°Brother Shen, sigh¡­ I was originally following the wind and sand, but a breeze came along and blew all the sand away, even clearing the scent of Chan''er and the others hidden within. I''m not sure which direction to go in now.¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed and hurriedly spoke. ¡°Regardless, he left through the west gate. Let''s split up and search in a fan shape towards the northwest and southwest. Once we find something, we''ll alert each other and provide support.¡± After a brief moment of thought, Shen Luo immediately said. ¡°Alright.¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately responded. Having said that, the two of them ran towards the city gate, only to see the madman they had previously encountered rushing towards them upon entering the gate. ¡°Where do the good cross? Benefactor, where do the good cross¡­¡± His usual query. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had no time to deal with him and dodged him, intending to leave the city. However, in the instant they passed by, the madman suddenly said, ¡°Go west, just go directly west¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean go directly west?¡± Shen Luo stopped abruptly, turned around and grabbed the madman''s arm, staring intensely into his eyes as he asked. ¡°Go directly west¡­¡± The madman averted his gaze and didn''t look at him, continuing to mutter under his breath. ¡°His words are those of a madman, we shouldn''t take them seriously. We should hurry along.¡± Bai Xiaotian remarked upon seeing this. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, let go of the madman''s arm, and turned to leave. ¡°Go west, go directly west¡­ there''s a cave, a cave.¡± Suddenly, the madman grabbed his arm and whispered. ¡°He might be right about the direction. Let''s take him with us, head west first. If we don''t find anything, then we''ll split up and search towards the southwest and northwest, alright?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression turned serious, and he turned to Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Alright, let''s listen to this madman this time.¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded. After saying thus, Bai Xiaotian grabbed the madman''s arm and strode out of the city gate. As he waved his hand, a flying boat was summoned, taking him in its flight. They headed directly west. Shen Luo, on the other hand, flew on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo on one side. The pair kept a small distance and scanned the ground below with utmost concentration. As they left Red Valley City, within ten miles outside the city, one could still see some low-lying bushes scattered across the earth. Further west, all one could see was an endless desert. There were winding sand dunes and crisscrossing ridges that looked like undulating waves on the horizon. After watching for a while, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian couldn''t tell what was on the ground because their sight was blurred. Their Divine Sense powers were limited, and their coverage was not very large. For a while, they struggled to sense Chan''er''s presence. After flying for tens of miles, the ground remained a hazy yellow, looking nothing like a place with a cave. ¡°From the moment we left the yellow sand, we followed them all the way. There were no delays in the middle, and considering the speed of the demon wind, there''s no way they could have escaped this far during such a short period. We must have been fooled by this madman.¡± Bai Xiaotian looked into the distance, somewhat anxious. Not being able to protect Chan''er and Qi Lianmi brought him great guilt. ¡°I was naive. Let''s return and start searching to the southeast and northeast to thoroughly inspect this area.¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows and said. ¡°Sounds good.¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately turned the flying boat around and set off in the direction from which they had come. However, at the moment he turned around, the madman abruptly grabbed his arm and shouted loudly, ¡°West, west, there''s a cave¡­ a cave, beneath the stones, a big cave¡­¡± Chapter 690 Chapter 690: Chapter 686 Little Monk Chapter 690: Chapter 686 Little Monk ¡°I really don''t have time for your nonsense now, if you keep this up, I''ll throw you off¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian anxiously threatened the madman in his mind, his brows furrowed. With that, he spurred his flying boat, heading directly towards the southeast. Shen Luo was planning to fly to the northeast when he heard a startled cry. When he turned to look, he found that the madman had actually jumped off Bai Xiaotian''s flying boat and was headed straight for the ground. He hurriedly maneuvered his flying sword, swept over at top speed and managed to catch the madman just as he was about to hit the ground. ¡°You¡­have you really gone mad?¡± Bai Xiaotian followed a moment later, catching up with them. After finishing scolding, he realized that he just cursed in vain and was both angry and annoyed. ¡°He''s so determined to go west, maybe there really is something in the west?¡± Shen Luo wondered hesitantly. ¡°He''s a madman. Do you really believe him?¡± Bai Xiaotian was puzzled. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo paused, and was about to speak when he suddenly felt something unusual under his feet. He quickly pressed down. With this press, the yellow sand beside his foot flowed down, revealing hard black rocks underneath. Shen Luo extended his gaze towards the west, finding that the black rocks under his feet stretched all the way to the distance. They were covered by a winding ridge of yellow sand, which was hard to detect unless you looked closely. ¡°Let''s go and take a look over there.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright.¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded approvingly and followed Shen Luo hastily towards the west. The madman fell behind the two of them, but after a moment, he ran up again, laughing cheerfully. The group ran several tens of feet to the end of this ¡°ridge¡± when an expansive basin, several hundred feet in diameter, appeared in front of them. Inside, unlike the scene outside, it was a lush wetland. In the center of the wetland was a modestly sized spring shaped like a crescent moon, reflecting the clouds in the sky like a mirror. On the other side of the wetland, a towering sand dune stood high above, its center revealing a black rock about ten feet high, half-covered by the sand dune, looking very abrupt. ¡°Illusion¡­¡± Shen Luo had some worries in his heart and was not quite eager to enter this area. Instead, he carefully examined the scene before him with focused eyes, but with his visual power, he failed to notice anything unusual after a while. On the other hand, Bai Xiaotian also didn''t spot anything strange, but looking at this lush green basin, he still felt that something was not quite right. After hesitating for a while, he reached into his sleeve and rummaged for a moment before extracting a palm-sized wooden carving of a figure. This little puppet was round-headed, with blurry features and dressed in a roughly sewn monk''s robe, resembling a wooden little monk. Bai Xiaotian took out a talisman and stuck it onto the back of the wooden carving, clasping it in his hands and leaning his forehead against it. After reciting a few chants, he threw the wooden puppet out in front. Mid-air, the talisman ignited violently, releasing thick smoke. From the hazy smoke descended a close to four feet tall figure dressed in a gray robe, in the form of a little monk. Once the little monk landed, he twisted his head to give Shen Luo and the others a glance, his face expressionless, then stepped forward, walking towards the wetland beneath the sand dune. Shen Luo observed that the little monk''s movements were exceptionally peculiar, swaying his left hand with his left foot, and his right hand with his right foot, making for a comically coordinated spectacle. Just as he was about to remind Bai Xiaotian, he found the latter, with his fingers forming magic signs and his eyes closed tightly, seemed to be concentrating on controlling the movements of the ¡°little monk¡±. Just then, the little monk abruptly toppled and did a forward roll down the sand hill, plunging into the edge of the wetland. The little monk struggled to get up from the wetland, his clothing soaked through with water. After taking a few steps forward, he seemed to be stuck in the mud, barely able to move. By this time, Bai Xiaotian retracted his magic sign and gradually opened his eyes. Concurrently, the little monk in the wetland quickly lost all his spiritual energy, shrinking rapidly to the size of a palm. ¡°I used a diversion substitute to check it out. The wetland below seems real, not an illusion.¡± Bai Xiaoyun said. While he was speaking, a black bird slowly descended from the sky and landed on the shoulder of the wooden puppet monk, pecking at his bald head with its beak. ¡°Since it''s not an illusion, we can only try to go through it.¡± Shen Luo pondered with a frown. With that, he immediately formed a magic sign and waved it in the air. In a flash, there was a loud splash from the Crescent Moon Lake in the center of the wetland. Numerous waves of clear lake water started churning tumultuously. A sound of ¡°whoosh¡±. A water dragon as thick as a water jar poked its head out of the lake, extending its body towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo leaped and landed on the top of the dragon''s head, controlling the water dragon to move across the wetland, transporting him to the other side of the lake. Just as his body was directly above the lake, a howling sound came from below. Shen Luo quickly looked down and saw the water waves in the lake below him surging wildly, seemingly about to swallow him up. His eyes sharpened, he engaged his foot and pushed forcefully against the dragon''s back, and leaping up in the air, he skillfully evaded the erupting waves. As soon as his foot touches the head of the water dragon, the head of the dragon sinks, revealing a whirlpool that sucks in his ankle. A powerful force of execution immediately locked onto his calf. While Shen Luo was surprised, the scene in front of him changed again. No trace of the wetland or grass could be seen all around. There was only endless yellow sand. The wooden puppet from earlier was standing not far from him in the sand, and his calf was buried in a whirlpool of sand, continuing to sink inward. ¡°Shen Luo, what happened?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. In his line of sight, nothing had changed. Shen Luo was standing on the top of the water dragon''s head on the other side of the lake, not moving. ¡°Don''t come over.¡± Shen Luo shouted a warning and immediately started chanting another spell. He quickly slapped the sand ground next to his feet, generating clouds of water vapor in his palms, which transformed into water arrows shooting into the sand around his foot. The piercing power of the water arrows was not small, but when they met the flowing sand, although they could pierce it, they failed to stop the sand from sinking. Half of Shen Luo''s body was already buried in the sand dune. Bai Xiaotian also sensed that something was wrong, but he didn''t rush over right away. Instead, he went around to the other side of the basin and leaped up, flying towards Shen Luo. However, just as he leaped into the air, the grass on the ground stood up on end, shooting out like numerous flying daggers, battering Bai Xiaotian like a storm. Chapter 691 Chapter 691: Chapter 687: Past and Present Lives Chapter 691: Chapter 687: Past and Present Lives Upon seeing this, Bai Xiaotian formed a peculiar magic spell with one hand and hummed a muffled ¡°om¡±. A ripple of golden light immediately emanated from him, a blurred golden glow materializing around him, forming a bell-shaped light shield that protected his entire body. The countless flying green blades struck the golden bell, resounding with a deafening clang but failing to shatter it. On the other side, Shen Luo roared, abruptly soaring upwards as if riding on a cloud of sand. He ascended into mid-air. ¡°Infusing the yellow sand with water then manipulating the water to shift the sand is a very efficient method, clever indeed¡­¡± ¡°Hua Sheng Temple''s Vajra Body Protection technique, it is still in progress, but not bad at all ¡­¡± At this moment, a voice echoed from the other side. It seemed to be appraising, praising Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian''s performance. Shen Luo descended, and Bai Xiaotian landed beside him. They stood shoulder to shoulder. When they looked around again, their surroundings were not the verdant wetland nor the yellow sand desert, but a seemingly ordinary oasis. There were clusters of shrubs on the ground, growing rather chaotically, with patches missing here and there. It looked as if it had been chewed by a dog. A narrow stream was winding its way through the middle. The strange black bird that previously perched on the wooden puppet indeed had not been created by illusion magic. It flapped its wings and flew past Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, landing on the shoulder of the mysterious figure opposite them. ¡°Why is it you?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed when he saw the figure. Standing opposite was a man dressed in a grey long robe. He was entirely covered in fat so that his features seemed crowded together. With two strands of mustache hanging over his lips, he resembled a large rat. It was, indeed, Boss Hua. ¡°Friend Shen, are you two planning to demolish my hideout with your antics?¡± Boss Hua, with a smile on his face, shooed the bird away from his shoulder and asked while looking at the two men. ¡°Boss Hua, what do you mean?¡± Shen Luo, pointing to the black rocks behind him, asked. Next to those rocks, a black cave entrance as tall as a person was conspicuously revealed. Bai Xiaotian also approached Shen Luo, one hand hidden in his sleeve, fingers clutching an ancient peach wood symbol, his eyes filled with signs of guardedness. ¡°Enough, your reactions show me that you genuinely care about the body of Jinchanzi''s reincarnation. Follow me inside, they are in there.¡± Seeing this, Boss Hua smiled and beckoned the two men. Upon hearing this, neither Shen Luo nor Bai Xiaotian made a move, and their vigilance further intensified. Seeing this, Boss Hua somewhat helplessly exclaimed, ¡°Jinchanzi, you might as well come out yourself. Otherwise, I fear these two Daoist friends will not rest until they have my head.¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As his voice faded, the rapid sound of footsteps echoed from inside the cave, and Chan''er''s figure appeared at the cave entrance. He instantly recognized Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, called out to them, and promptly jogged over. Seeing that he was unharmed, Shen Luo, whose heart had been in his throat, finally relaxed a bit but couldn''t help but ask, ¡°What on earth happened?¡± ¡°I''m not sure either. Just now in the city, I was swept up by a sandstorm along with Qi Lianmi and brought over here. When I opened my eyes, I saw this Boss Hua,¡± Chan''er replied. ¡°And Qi Lianmi?¡± Shen Luo hastily asked. ¡°He passed out when the sandstorm swept in, and now he''s lying on a stone bed in the cave. Don''t worry. I bear them no ill will. In fact, Chan''er and I have met before,¡± Boss Hua replied. ¡°You''ve met before? Do you know the previous life of Chan''er, Master Xuanzang?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked curiously. ¡°To be precise, I know each of Chan''er''s previous iterations because the golden cicada and I are old acquaintances,¡± Boss Hua said. ¡°Are you a buddhist disciple of Mount Ling or a heavenly immortal?¡± Shen Luo asked hesitantly after a moment. Hearing this, Boss Hua hesitated for a moment before his shape suddenly changed and he was surrounded by dense fog, quickly growing in size until he was as large as a white elephant. However, he had bright fur, resembled a giant rat, had a long trailing tail, and was covered in patterns. It was clear he was a Flower Fox Mink. On seeing his transformation, Chan''er was frightened by his huge size and retreated behind Shen Luo. The Flower Fox Mink saw him trying to escape, and the dense fog around him dispersed, his body quickly shrank back, once again taking human form. ¡°I was originally a pet Violet Gold Flower Fox Mink, belonging to one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Celestial Court, Mo Lishou. I have been stationed here for about a century, waiting for the reincarnation of the Golden Cicada.¡± The Flower Fox Mink opened his mouth to speak, his gaze falling on Chan''er. ¡°A hundred years ago¡­ Wasn''t that when Master Xuanzang abruptly left The Giant Goose Pagoda and Chang''an City? He eventually perished in this western region. Was it related to you?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. Upon hearing this, a look of guilt flashed across the Flower Fox Mink''s face. ¡°This incident¡­ indeed had something to do with me,¡± replied the Flower Fox Mink after a moment of silence. ¡°What happened back then?¡± Chan''er, hearing this, immediately asked. ¡°In those days, I and my master, along with the other Heavenly Kings, guarded this¡­¡± The Flower Fox Mink showed a difficult expression, hesitating for a long while before finally starting to tell his tale. In his long narration, the truth of what had happened so many years ago gradually came to light before Shen Luo and the others. It turned out that Flower Fox Mink had accompanied his master, Mo Lishou, and the other three Heavenly Kings to guard a place that was then known as ¡°Mountain of Ash Seal¡±. They were responsible for guarding a vital seal there. Below this seal was a passageway leading to the Earth Realm, linking the human and earth realms. The Demon Clan had always wanted to open this passageway and join the human realm with the Earth Realm to prepare for Chiyou''s descent. They had coveted this place for a long time. However, the sealing array weakened over time and needed to be reinforced periodically. The reason why Master Xuanzang suddenly left Chang''an City in those days was that the seal here was rapidly weakening. He was temporarily dispatched to Mountain of Ash Seal with the Heavenly Treasure Map of Mountains and Rivers to help the Four Heavenly Kings reinforce the seal. However, the news of the weakening of the seal had been leaked. The Demon Clan, led by the Jiuming Saint Monarch, launched a surprise attack on Mountain of Ash Seal and fought with the Four Heavenly Kings and the Heavenly Soldiers stationed there. ¡°I remember the bloody scene of that day''s battle vividly¡­ My master asked me to protect Jinchanzi with some people. We fought against the subordinates of Jiuming who had snuck in. But there was a traitor among the Heavenly Soldiers, leading to the massacre of our protectors, and in the end, only I survived¡­¡± The Flower Fox Mink trailed off, his plump face slightly twitching. ¡°What happened afterward?¡± Bai Xiaotian inquired further. Chapter 692 – 692 688 A Hundred Chapter 692: Chapter 688: A Hundred-Year Period Chapter 692: Chapter 688: A Hundred-Year Period ¡°The key moment of the seal had arrived then, but the protective cover around Golden Cicada was also broken through. Out of fear, I¡­ failed to stand up for him at that time, to buy even just a moment for him, and as a result, he was severely injured by the demon clan. On the verge of dying, he chose not to save himself, but instead fearlessly protected the seal to reinforce it,¡± Flower Fox''s gaze gradually moved to Chan''er, but it seemed to see through a century, falling on Master Xuanzang of that year. His voice gradually diminished and this time, no one urged him to go on. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The golden cicada completed the sealing, but the Map of Mountains and Rivers, the treasure he carried, was also shattered into four pieces by a combined force of three demon generals who were at the True Immortal Stage, at the cost of blowing up their souls and dantians. Sun Wukong, the first disciple of Xuanzang, arrived first and took over the fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers from Xuanzang''s hand moments before his death. By the time Zhu Bajie and Monk Sha arrived a little later, all they saw was the figure of Master Xuanzang whose soul had scattered.¡± Flower Fox slowly narrated. Chan''er listened very carefully. Although she also knew this was her past, she couldn''t remember it at all. ¡°When they returned from defeating the Nine Netherworlds, everything was already too late. Even though they had all become Buddhas and immortals, Sun Wukong and his three brothers could not suppress their anger and wounded both me and Master. Even in his furious state during the uproar in the Heavenly Palace, I had never seen the Great Sage Equal to Heaven so fierce, let alone Zhu Bajie, who always greeted people with a smile on a usual day, became like a demonic god that day, full of fierce aura¡­ If it weren''t for the timely arrival of the Guanyin Bodhisattva, they would probably have already committed murder.¡± Flower Fox continued. Shen Luo merely listened, looking at Flower Fox filled with regret, but couldn''t blame him. ¡°After that, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva came in a hurry, promised Sun Wukong and the others that he would try his best to save Golden Cicada''s residual soul and ensure his smooth reincarnation. Sun Wukong and the others let us go for a while, their anger drove towards the Nine Netherworlds and the demon clan. They immediately decided to lead their respective tribes to war against the demons and vowed to eradicate all demons in the world. But once the war started, it would inevitably involve the Three Realms, causing trouble for the innocent and disaster for all living beings, of course, Guanyin Bodhisattva would not allow it. But facing the grief-stricken brothers, Bodhisattva too had nothing to say, had to persuade them to forbear for the greater good.¡± Flower Fox said. ¡°In nearly a hundred years, the Three Realms have been fairly peaceful. It seems that Bodhisattva did persuade them.¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°In that situation, the four brothers were not the kind to listen to persuasion. But in his rage, Sun Wukong remembered the last words of Master Xuanzang before his death, so he finally agreed to hold back for a hundred years.¡± ¡°What happened afterwards?¡± This time it was Chan''er who asked impatiently. ¡°Later, each of the four of them carried a piece of the Map of Mountains and Rivers and left Mountain of Ash Seal. They broke off contact with the Heavenly Palace and no one knew their whereabouts. But, before leaving, they said that unless their master reappears, they won''t show up. Otherwise, once the hundred years was up, they would see how powerful their accumulated anger was.¡± Flower Fox paused after saying this. ¡°What does that mean? Unless Master Xuanzang fails to reincarnate after a hundred years, they will declare war on the demon clan?¡± Shen Luo knitted his brows, questioning. ¡°Given the Great Sage''s character, it''s quite likely so.¡± Flower Fox nodded. ¡°Then why are you waiting here?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Back then, because we couldn''t defend well and caused Master Xuanzang''s death, we were heavily punished by the Heavenly Court. Master didn''t want me to experience the punishment of bolts of thunder too, so he dissolved our contract and set me free. But I believe that if Golden Cicada is able to reincarnate, he would definitely come here again. I would like to return everything he left to him.¡± Flower Fox replied. Upon hearing this, the attention of the three of them was immediately aroused. Before coming here, Chan''er had said that she was looking for an important object. It must be the thing that Flower Fox had. Seeing all three of them focus on him, Flower Fox twisted his wrist, and a ball of seven-colored light immediately lit up in his palm, revealing a colored glaze bead the size of a longan. The colored glaze bead was semi-transparent and its shape was irregular. A faint fragrance emanated from it. Its surface was a bit rough, but it reflected a stream of seven-colored lights and exuded a noble and auspicious aura. With just a glance, Shen Luo and the others felt a sense of peace and clarity washing over them. ¡°This is¡­the Seven Treasures Mani Relics!¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed, his eyes wide open in amazement. Typically, Buddhist high monks and laymen who have performed great deeds or have achieved great merit, might sometimes leave behind a couple of relics after they went to Nirvana and were cremated. Yet even such relics were extremely rare, let alone the Seven Treasures Mani Relics that were one in a million. ¡°This is the relic left by Master Xuanzang after he went to Nirvana. If Chan''er can comprehend its mysteries, he may very well achieve enlightenment and regain his memories of the past life,¡± Flora Fox said. With that, she carefully held the relic and handed it to Chan''er. Chan''er took it carefully, holding it in his hands, and studied it closely for a long time without speaking a word. ¡°How is it? Can you see anything?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Chan''er shook her head and said. ¡°Try putting the relic at your third eye and see what happens,¡± Bai Xiaotian suggested. Chan''er nodded, did as Bai Xiaotian suggested, and put the relic at her third eye. She then closed her eyes, opening herself to the relic''s resonance. After a while, she slowly opened her eyes, faced everyone''s expectant gazes, and shook her head helplessly. ¡°Never mind, it''s not easy to recall memories from a past life in a reincarnated body. Since we have already obtained the relic, we should not rush.¡± Seeing Chan''er lose herself in disappointment, Shen Luo voiced words of comfort. ¡°Indeed, we have obtained the relic, and our journey to the Western Regions is not in vain. There''s no need to rush about regaining your memory. If all else fails, we can seek help from the National Master when we return to Chang''an City,¡± Bai Xiaotian added. Hearing these words, Chan''er nodded, put the relic away, and stopped fretting over it. ¡°Boss Hua, you made such a big fuss just to see Chan''er. You even performed spells in Red Valley City, causing us to think the city was under attack by some demon,¡± Shen Luo complained after everything settled down. ¡°The situation was critical at that time. I had to use this tactic to remove Jinchanzi from Red Valley City; otherwise, his life would have been in danger,¡± Flora Fox replied solemnly. Upon hearing this, Chan''er''s expression changed slightly. ¡°In danger, what do you mean by that?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. Bai Xiaotian also looked puzzled; they were by Chan''er''s side at the time, but they had detected no danger. Chapter 693 Chapter 693: Chapter 689: The Prince of the Past Chapter 693: Chapter 689: The Prince of the Past ¡°There are already people in the city who knew that Chan''er is the reincarnation of Jinchanzi. Had I not acted in advance, sabotaging their plans, Chan''er might have already fallen victim,¡± Flower Fox explained. ¡°Who exactly are you talking about and why does he want to kill Chan''er?¡± Shen Luo asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°The person in question has quite a unique status. It was only after secret investigations spanning quite some time that I discovered some traces of his background. I only know that he and Lian¡­ Be careful!¡± Midway through her sentence, Flower Fox suddenly cried out in alarm. Within a single step, her plump body collided with Bai Xiaotian, standing protectively in front of Chan''er. Shen Luo was shaken and abruptly turned only to see a nearly transparent arrow silently darting toward them from a distance, puncturing his sleeve and shooting towards Chan''er. The transparent arrow''s trailing feathers produced a whooshing sound while its point ¡°swished¡± as it drove right through Flower Fox''s plump body, piercing the chest and exiting from the back, continuing to threaten Chan''er with unadulterated force. Chan''er''s eyes widened instantly, witnessing the arrowhead halt an inch above her brow, trembling resentfully, emitting an overwhelmingly strong Yin Sha Qi. Flower Fox had one hand on Chan''er''s side, while the other tightly gripped the feathered end of the arrow that had pierced her body. Spitting blood from a corner of her mouth, carrying a smile she turned to ask, ¡°Are you okay?¡± In her previous life, she had feared death and couldn''t protect Xuanzang. This life, she will not make the same mistake when Chan''er is in danger. A warm sensation spread across Chan''er''s face ¨C it was Fox Flower''s blood. Hastily, she wiped her hand, her palm, and eyes were already red. A flash of anger crossed Shen Luo''s eyes. He turned to gaze into the distance, his eyes rapidly darting from place to place like a hawk seeking its prey, meticulously inspecting the direction the arrow had come from. ¡°Over there¡­¡± A moment later, a roar burst forth as he swiftly cast the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, followed by a spreading of moonlight under his feet, transforming his silhouette into a blur, as he swiftly followed it. ¡°Protect them, beware of those trying to lead us from the main path.¡± Bai Xiaotian yearned to give chase, but had to restrain himself when he heard Shen Luo''s voice in his mind. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo flew at lightning speed, drawing a sword arc mid-air, and shooting straight into a sand dune on the distant mountainside. A thunderous crash echoed. A cloud of dust exploded from the sand dune, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo being repelled, drawing an arc in mid-air before plunging back into the swirling dirt. At the same time, Shen Luo''s figure had also hastened to reach the spot. Moonlight scattered beneath his feet, as he plunged directly into the cloud of dust. A dark silhouette flashed out of the billowing dust, seemingly draped in ghost fog. Even with Shen Luo''s keen eyes, he could only make out the faint outline of a man, unable to perceive his visage. The man appeared uninterested in dealing with Shen Luo. With a flick of his robes, he summoned a flurry of arrows from the black fog at his feet, raining them down at Shen Luo as if they were pear blossoms in a storm. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, hastily he thrust an arm into the air, activating the Eight Hanging Mirror. Eight mirror lights enveloped him from above, shielding him. The arrow storm clattered against it, its power vastly inferior to the arrow aimed at Chan''er. Knowing that he had been tricked, Shen Luo immediately dropped the shield and lunged forward. Yet he found that his target was already wrapped in a dark cloud, soaring toward the horizon, leaving him no time to catch up. Frustrated, he had no choice but to return. Upon his arrival, he found Flower Fox lying on the ground, her head resting on Chan''er''s lap, her eyes gazing lifelessly at the sky. She had already breathed her last. At his chest, a conspicuous wound pierced his heart. Within it, a thick black qi was huddling like a living creature, continuously drilling deep into his flesh and blood, sucking away the last bit of his life force. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a sorrowful sigh, Shen Luo glanced at Chan''er only to see him lowering his head, silently chanting the Rebirth Mantra. At this time, on a distant sand dune, the figure of a madman suddenly emerged from the dust storm. Unbeknownst to them, he had buried himself in the sand, and now, he was shouting at the top of his lungs: ¡°Non-conduction, non-conduction¡­ death is emptiness, all is illusion, better to kill, kill, kill¡­¡± At that moment, a cry for help awakened Shen Luo and the others, reminding them that Qi Lianmi is still inside the cave. Just as Bai Xiaotian was about to enter the cave to find him, a young boy with a tear-stained face bolted out. He collided with Bai Xiaotian, smearing snot and tears all over him. ¡°Help, there''s a monster¡­¡± Qi Lianmi cried incessantly, and it took Bai Xiaotian a great deal of effort to soothe him. They buried the Flower Fox next to the mountain cave after a simple funeral. Seeing Chan''er''s deeply furrowed brows and serious expression, Shen Luo walked over, gave him a light pat on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Don''t worry, you''ll remember it eventually.¡± ¡°The Flower Fox died for me, but I still can''t recall even the slightest memory. Am I too idiotic? Am I truly the reincarnation of Master Xuanzang?¡± Chan''er looked up at Shen Luo, unable to resist asking. Confronted with a series of questions, Shen Luo paused briefly before answering: ¡°Whether it''s true or not, I can''t tell you the answer. Perhaps no one else can either. Only when you have accomplished it can you know the answer.¡± Shen Luo actually understood Chan''er''s feelings very well. When tasked with Li Jing''s entrustment, Shen Luo also questioned himself: was he really that special someone? Could he prevent everything that was about to happen? He didn''t have the answer now. All he could do was to keep going, striving to find the answer. At Shen Luo''s words, Chan''er gripped the colored glaze relic in his hand tightly and fell into deep contemplation, remaining silent for a long time. Afterward, the group returned to Red Valley City. ¡°You are here to save people, why did you bring a madman like Zhan Guo?¡± asked Qi Lianmi, somewhat puzzled. ¡°We didn''t bring him here, he led us here,¡± Bai Xiaotian gritted his teeth and replied. ¡°He led you here¡­ No wonder, before he completely lost his mind, he did indeed love running around this place.¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Lianmi nodded his head in understanding and said. ¡°Zhan Guo Madman, is his name Zhan Guo?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°Yes, don''t be fooled by his craziness now. Believe it or not, he was once a prince just like me. Moreover, he had quite a good reputation in the entire Western Regions,¡± said Qi Lianmi. ¡°A prince of a country, how could he fall so far?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°It''s a long story. If you really want to hear it, I can tell you. To the north of our Black Chicken Kingdom, there is a neighbouring country called the Danhun Kingdom. The territory is not large, with a population less than half of Wusun. However, it is a place where Buddha Dharma thrives- from the king to the common people, all are devout believers of Buddha,¡± explained Qi Lianmi. Chapter 694 Chapter 694: Chapter 690: A Single Thought Becomes a Demon Chapter 694: Chapter 690: A Single Thought Becomes a Demon Hearing Qi Lianmi''s account, the expressions on Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian''s faces gradually darkened. As they watched Zhan Guo sitting quietly in a corner of the flying boat behind them, they couldn''t help but feel some compassion for him. It turned out that Zhan Guo was the king of Danhun Kingdom and had been raised in a temple since he was a child. Because of this, he was kind-hearted, believed strongly in Buddha Dharma, and became the rightful successor to the throne when the old king died. After becoming the new king, he devoted himself to governing the country, reducing taxes, building temples, spreading kindness throughout the country, making great vows, and doing good deeds, hoping to accumulate merit and achieve enlightenment through good deeds. During his short reign of three years, he had several times become a monk, devoting himself to the largest temple in the country, Kong Lin Temple, and was several times redeemed by his ministers at a high price. Zhan Guo''s actions, although they brought peace and prosperity to the people and won the hearts of the people, gradually aroused the criticism of the ministers, and undercurrents were surging in the court. Finally one day, the general in charge of the military staged a coup, put him under house arrest, and forced him to abdicate. Zhan Guo, who had no interest in state affairs, willingly gave up his position as ruler of the country. The general did not make things difficult for him, gave him some money, and let him, the queen, and their two princes move out of the palace and live the life of ordinary people. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhan Guo, who was already content with little desires, was not greatly discomforted by this change in his life. Plus, the queen was virtuous and kind. Their life might have become ordinary, but it was peaceful and happy, and their family was filled with joy. Even as an ordinary person, Zhan Guo continued to chant scriptures and worship the Buddha, cultivating good deeds and kindness in his daily life. Until one day, Zhan Guo found a man covered in blood outside his house. Although he knew that this man was a notorious villain, he saved him and looked after him in compliance with the Buddhist precept that all life should be cherished. Moreover, during this process, he patiently used the teachings from Buddhist scriptures to try to guide this man on the right path, in hopes that he would repent and abandon his evil ways. However, instead of turning away from evil, this villain harbored wicked thoughts about the queen who had helped look after him. When Zhan Guo was out doing charity work, the villain tried to violate the queen. In the end, the queen chose death over dishonor, and she and her two young princes were killed. When Zhan Guo returned home, the villain had already fled without a trace, and everything was already too late. Upon witnessing the tragic state of his wife and children, Zhan Guo was overwhelmed with grief and despair. All his years of studying and practicing Buddhism could not help him escape from his suffering. All his pain, regret, and fury became the fury of Diamond Vajra and he determined to find the villain and take revenge. However, when he finally found the villain after many years of relentless searching, the man had already given up his murderous ways and taken refuge in the Buddhist sect under the guidance of a senior monk. When Zhan Guo confronted the man, the villain kneeled before him with a remorseful expression, saying that his past evil karma still haunted him, and that even after chanting scriptures and worshipping the Buddha for many years, he was unable to achieve peace. He begged Zhan Guo to help him find liberation. Holding a steel knife high, Zhan Guo hesitated. He could see the man truly regretted his past deeds. However, driven by hatred, he decided to kill the villain, otherwise, he would not be able to face his deceased wife and children. But a senior monk from the temple stopped him, telling him, ¡°Put down the butcher''s knife and become a Buddha on the spot.¡± Zhan Guo fell into a state of shock, trapped in chaos. Although he held a steel knife, he did not yet have any blood on his hand. The villain, although clasping his hands in prayer, had fresh blood on his fingers. They were all asking him to put down his butcher''s knife, but was the knife in his hand really a butcher''s knife? Good and evil, cause and effect, everything became entangled at that moment. ¡°Reportedly, Zhan Guo had already lost his mind. He shouted to the sky, questioning what was good and what was evil. Who held the butcher''s knife and what was the consequence? Could a person who had committed countless evils transcend to Buddha simply by putting down his butcher''s knife?¡± said Qi Lianmi. ¡°Did the senior monk provide an answer?¡± Chan''er asked. ¡°The senior monk simply told him that the sea of suffering had no shore, but turning back would lead him to it. As long as he sincerely repented his evil deeds, even ferocious tigers and evil dragons could be transformed into Buddhas,¡± Qi Lianmi answered. Upon hearing these words, Chan''er shook her head, clearly unsatisfied with such an evasive answer. ¡°What happened next?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, frowning. ¡°Eventually, Zhan Guo went mad. He slaughtered all three hundred monks in the temple in a single day. He thrust his long knife into the ground in front of the temple, wrote in blood on the temple''s gate, ''Evil ones can become a Buddha by laying down the butcher''s knife. The good ones have no knives, how can they transcend?'' Afterward, he disappeared. When he was seen again three years later, it was here in Red Valley City. Initially, he had occasional episodes of madness, but then he became like this, always asking people how a good person can transcend,¡± answered Qi Lianmi slowly. Shen Luo and the others were left in somber reflection after hearing the story. When they turned to look back at Zhan Guo, they saw that even though he had a smile on his face, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he seemed completely oblivious to it. ¡°Amitabha, one who worships Buddha wholeheartedly should not fall into such obstacles,¡± Chan''er muttered, a hint of sympathy flashing in her eyes. ¡°It seems that his insanity is likely due to unresolved issues in his heart. Is there any way to bring him back to reality?¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed and asked Chan''er. ¡°Mister Shen, is it possible to bring him back to the posthouse with us? I am willing to use my own knowledge of Buddha Dharma to help him break free from this chaos and suffering,¡± Chan''er said solemnly to Shen Luo. ¡°Certainly,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile, nodding his head. When Shen Luo and company returned to Red Valley City, there were hundreds of soldiers assembled outside the city, some on horseback and others leading camels. They seemed to be preparing to leave the city to search for Qi Lianmi. Seeing Shen Luo and the others descending from the sky, all the soldiers dismounted and bowed in reverence, shouting, ¡°Immortal Master!¡± Upon seeing that Qi Lianmi was also among the crowd, they were overjoyed and sent a faculty messenger back to the city with the news. Under the escort of the soldiers, Shen Luo and others returned to the posthouse. Before they could go inside, a large entourage charged in from outside and completely surrounded the posthouse. Not long after, a tall man with a gold crown, dressed in a brocade robe, with slightly curled hair and bluish pupils entered the courtyard under the escort of the crowd. As soon as Qi Lianmi saw him, his face broke into a brilliant smile. He called out, ¡°Father King,¡± as he threw himself into the arms of the tall man. Understanding dawned upon Shen Luo. He realized that this man must be the king of the Black Chicken Kingdom, Jiao Lianmi. His eyes swept over the crowd and noticed that several people behind the king were emitting fluctuations of Mana, among whom the strongest was none other than the Chan Master Lin Da, whom they had previously encountered at the city gate. As for the Chan Masters Longtan and Baoshan and the others, they stood respectfully behind Master Lin Da. However, unlike the raggedy clothes he wore earlier, Master Lin Da was now wearing a red monk''s robe, with a string of white stone beads irregularly linked together, hanging on his chest. Chapter 695 Chapter 695: Chapter 691: Conversion of Zhan Guo Chapter 695: Chapter 691: Conversion of Zhan Guo ¡°I am grateful to the Immortal Masters for stepping in and ensuring the safe return of my son to the palace. I am here to express my thanks.¡± King Jiao Lianmi, accompanied by his son, came closer and made a gesture of respect across his chest as he spoke. Seeing this, Shen Luo and the rest also hastily returned the courtesy. Only Madman Zhangguo, upon noticing the outfit the King was wearing, pointed to the crown placed atop of the King''s head and burst into loud, unintelligible laughter. The guards on standby, seeing this, were about to detain him, yet they were stopped by King Jiao Lianmi. He naturally knew about Zhangguo''s background, hence he did not take it personally, and then asked, ¡°I heard that several masters have come from the Eastern Great Tang. My previous neglect is regrettable, and I hope you will excuse me.¡± ¡°Your Majesty need not apologize. Since our arrival in the city, we''ve been escorted to the posthouse for rest. We have been treated with great respect during our short stay, and there''s no room for accusations of neglect. We are, indeed, very grateful,¡± Bai Xiaotian responded with a fist and palm salute. ¡°May I ask the Immortal Masters what kind of demon was causing trouble earlier? How did you manage to save my son? Has the creature been dealt with? If not, with Master Lin Da present, we will surely be able to subdue it,¡± Jiao Lianmi queried. As he finished speaking, he subtly moved aside, enabling Master Lin Da, who was standing behind him, to step forward half a step and greet Shen Luo and the others with a folded palms salute. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It was just a common sand demon, which has already been dealt with. There''s no need to trouble Master Lin Da with this matter,¡± Shen Luo returned the courtesy. ¡°That is indeed good news. This young monk seems to have an extraordinary aura about him, hinting at remarkable virtues. May I ask from which temple in the Central Region has he hailed?¡± Lin Da, slightly nodding, shifted his gaze towards Chan''er and asked. ¡°The venerable monk overpraises me. I am merely a novice monk from the Golden Mountain Temple,¡± Chan''er responded with a salute. ¡°The Golden Mountain Temple¡­ Could it be the same temple where Master Xuanzang was ordained?¡± The expression on Master Lin Da''s face changed slightly as he muttered, surprised. Chan''er did not reply but simply nodded his head. ¡°No wonder the young monk exudes an aura of Buddha''s Light. So, he is a high monk from the Golden Mountain Temple. Master Xuanzang braved many hardships to bring back the Mahayana Buddhism Sutras from the Western Buddha Land, accruing immeasurable merits. Now, with you, who have inherited his mantle, returning to the Western Regions, it is a sign of divine will. The Mahayana Dharma Assembly is due to be held in a few days, and we earnestly invite you to ascend to the Dharma Platform and sermonize to tens of thousands of monks from the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions,¡± declared Master Lin Da, full of excitement as he again performed a deep bow. Seeing this, Chan''er appeared to be in a difficult position, glancing at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, who also had helpless expressions on their faces. He had no choice but to reply, ¡°I''m just a novice monk with limited scholarly and Buddhist accomplishments, hardly suited to sermonizing from a high podium.¡± ¡°There is no hierarchy in the Dharma. Merely your presence is an immeasurable merit, even if you choose not to sermonize to the monks,¡± stated Master Lin Ta. ¡°If that is the case, I cannot simply decline,¡± said Chan''er, who realised he couldn''t shake off the responsibility. ¡°We are honoured,¡± Master Lin Da said again. ¡°The posthouse is a humble place. I would prefer that the Immortal Masters move into the royal palace so that I can extend my hospitality and express my gratitude for saving my son,¡± King Jiao Lianmi proposed. ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty. We are already accustomed to staying here, and moving to the palace would inconvenience many. It is not really our desire. We hope Your Majesty understands,¡± responded Shen Luo after a moment of hesitation. ¡°Good, good, no crossing, no crossing¡­¡± While they were in conversation, Zhangguo was relapsing into his madness again, babbling incoherently. Chan''er looked at him for a moment, then turned back to exchange bows with the rest before excusing himself and leaving, leading Zhangguo into his chamber. ¡°What is the young monk doing¡­?¡± Master Lin Da asked, somewhat bewildered. ¡°Master Chan''er intends to help Zhangguo regain his sanity,¡± Qi Lianmi explained. ¡°The karma on Zhangguo is heavy; little Zen Master, you truly are a compassionate high monk, willing to vow to guide him towards enlightenment. I admit that I am not as good as you.¡± Upon hearing this, Master Lin Da''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, showing a hint of surprise, but he quickly laughed it off. Then, after several exchanges, Jiao Lianmi led the group out of the post house. Before leaving, Qi Lianmi asked Shen Luo if they could visit them again, to which Shen Luo agreed with a nod. After seeing them off, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian went to Chan''er''s house and knocked gently on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Chan''er''s voice came from within. Shen Luo pushed the door open and saw two straw cushions placed on the ground in the room. Chan''er was sitting cross-legged on the left one, and Zhangguo was slumping on the right one, his gaze wandering around the room. ¡°Master Shen, Master Bai, I''m going to use the Purifying Heart Mantra to open his wisdom. Please watch over us from outside, no matter what happens inside. Unless I ask for help, do not come in.¡± Chan''er looked at them and said earnestly. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian looked at each other and nodded in unison. ¡°If anything unexpected happens, call us in immediately.¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat worried. ¡°Alright.¡± Chan''er nodded. After saying that, he got up, picked up a delicate three-legged incense burner from the table, lit a stick of calming sandalwood incense, and then sat back down. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian then left the room, closed the door, and stood outside. Soon, the sound of a wooden fish being struck could be heard from inside the room. ¡°Dong dong¡­¡± Accompanied by the steady sound of the wooden fish, Chan''er''s chanting also began. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, separated by the door, felt calmed by the Sanskrit chanting. Almost subconsciously, they sat down cross-legged, closed their eyes, and began to meditate. After an unknowable length of time, the sky outside had completely darkened, and candles were lit inside the room, casting a warm glow through the door. Suddenly, there was a loud noise from inside the room! Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, who were meditating, simultaneously opened their eyes and quickly stood up. Instinctively, Bai Xiaotian was about to push the door open, but Shen Luo raised his hand to stop him. He walked up to the door, peered through the crack, and saw a copper incense burner lying on the ground inside. Zhangguo, who had been sitting opposite Chan''er, was now sprawled beside him. His facial features were contorted, and his expression was frantic, his face completely ferocious. He was punching and kicking Chan''er. Chan''er, however, had his eyes closed tightly, his hands striking the wooden fish, chanting scriptures from his mouth. He was completely unaffected by Zhangguo''s attacks, still as steady as a Buddha statue. After beating Chan''er for a while, Zhangguo seemed unsatisfied, turned around, grabbed the incense burner that had rolled onto the floor, and raised it to strike Chan''er''s head. Shen Luo''s eyes this action, ready to intervene immediately. But then he saw Chan''er, eyes still closed, lightly shake his head in his direction, signaling him not to interfere. Chapter 696 Chapter 696: Chapter 692: Fame Spreads Far and Wide Chapter 696: Chapter 692: Fame Spreads Far and Wide A muffled ¡°thud¡± came! Shen Luo hesitated for an instant, but Zhan Guo had already brought down the incense burner on Chan''er''s head. However, his body was trembling, his hands unsteady. This blow did not hit Chan''er''s skull squarely but grazed his eyebrow corner and struck the floor behind, bouncing up violently, and fell aside. Chan''er''s eyebrow corner was split open, fresh blood mixed with incense ashes smeared half of his cheek. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, but seeing that Chan''er didn''t frown throughout the process, let alone somewhat reassured, he suppressed the impulse to push the door open. After throwing the incense burner, Zhan Guo started to smash things in the room crazily, knocking over all the furniture in the room. He also tore down the canopy over the bed and shredded it into pieces. After messing up the room, he rushed back and punched and kicked at Chan''er, until he was utterly exhausted, then he finally sat limply facing Chan''er on the straw cushion, gradually calming down. By this time, Chan''er''s face and body were covered with bruises. Half of his cheek was covered with bloodstains, half of his face clean, half dirty, half pale, and half black, looking like a hermaphrodite. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not until Zhan Guo finally calmed down did he slowly open his eyes. A pair of eyes were slightly shining, serene, without a trace of blame or anger. After nodding to Shen Luo, indicating that he was okay, he slowly closed his eyes again and continued chanting scriptures. Shen Luo watched for a while and seeing that Zhan Guo did not continue to be violent, he slightly felt relieved and slowly shifted his gaze away. But this time, he didn''t continue meditating. Instead, he leaned gently against the door panel, quietly listening to Chan''er''s chanting of scriptures. To his surprise, he waited for three days and three nights. Not until the evening of the third day did the sound of the wooden fish, which had lasted for three days inside the room, finally stop. Chan''er''s chanting also stopped. Suddenly, a warm white light radiated from the room through the crack of the door. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian immediately approached the crack of the door and carefully looked inside. In the room, they saw Chan''er looking pale as paper, but a white light shone from within his robe, forming a blurry halo around him and illuminating him like a Buddha. ¡°This is¡­ Buddha''s Light!¡± Bai Xiaotian said slightly surprised. Shen Luo, however, noticed that Zhan Guo, who had been hanging his head low opposite, suddenly raised his head. He slicked his messy hair behind his ears. His facial expression was calm, and his eyes were no longer lifeless as before. He kneeled on the straw cushion, bowed three times to Chan''er. ¡°Master, I am no longer obsessed with the debate between good and evil, but there are still doubts in my heart. Please enlighten me.¡± Zhan Guo''s voice was hoarse as he spoke. ¡°Putting down the butcher knife makes you a Buddha on the spot. The ''butcher knife'' here refers not only to the weapon of killing but also to the obsession with the three thousand afflictions. Everything is emptiness, what is emptiness? Not that things do not exist, but that the heart does not exist. Only by truly giving up obsession can one truly cultivate Zen.¡± Chan''er slowly explained in response. ¡°So, Master, you mean that if a wicked person abandons killing, he can become a Buddha? However, good people do not kill, what has to be let go of then?¡± Zhan Guo asked again. ¡°You only see the evil person dropping the butcher knife in his hand, but you never see him relinquishing the butcher knife in his heart, eliminating his evil thoughts, and giving rise to good thoughts ¨C this is only the beginning of becoming a Buddha. Carrying the burdens of his past evils and practicing Buddhism is just the beginning of rigorous cultivation. For a good person, it is the opposite. Without evils, they are attached to their consequences. Once they have a sudden enlightenment, they have already become a Buddha.¡± Chan''er continued. Upon hearing this, Zhan Guo was silent for a long time before finally prostrating himself in admiration once again. Afterwards, he was radiant, stood up from his original spot, and left the house with a smile on his face. In the house, Buddha''s Light gradually receded from Chan''er''s body, but he suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and fell to the ground weakly. Shen Luo was greatly alarmed and rushed into the house. He picked up Chan''er and after a careful examination, his expression finally eased. ¡°How is he?¡± Bai Xiaotian hurriedly asked. ¡°After all, he is a mortal body. Three days and three nights without food and drink, coupled with excessive thinking, he has suffered considerable internal injuries. Fortunately, there''s no danger. But he needs a good rest and recuperation for a while,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. A day later, the news that Chan''er from Eastern Great Tang had converted Zhan Guo spread quickly throughout Red Valley City, causing a sensation. After all, Zhan Guo had a notorious reputation, and the controversies surrounding his actions that year were hard to resolve. Even a high monk like Master Lin Da admitted that he couldn''t convert him. Upon hearing that Chan''er had suffered a severe injury because of this, Master Lin Da immediately came to visit. However, because Chan''er was still in a coma, he did not get to see him, and only left a bottle of healing pills before leaving. Over the next few days, many great and virtuous monks from the thirty-six monasteries of the Western Regions came one after another from all over the place. The citizens of the surrounding cities also disregarded the long journey and came to gather in Red Valley City. The already bustling Red Valley City became so crowded that it was congested everywhere. Left with no choice, King Jiao Lianmi had to issue a royal decree, urging the citizens who had come from outside the city or even from foreign countries to camp outside the city-state and not continue to flood into the city. At the same time, Master Lin Da personally went outside the city and told everyone that, due to the limited space in the city, the venue for the Mahayana Dharma Assembly had been moved to a relatively open area outside the west city gate. So, not only the foreign citizens, but even those who originally lived in the city started setting up tents outside the city early. They were waiting for the day of the assembly, wanting to see the true face of the high monk from Eastern Great Tang and listen to his teachings. However, it was not until half a month later that the king issued a proclamation. Because of the crowd from every country had come to observe the ceremony, making the area outside the west city gate extremely congested, he suddenly moved the location of the Dharma Assembly westward and fully relocated it into the middle of the desert. In just over half a month''s time, the king had people build a wooden platform in the desert with a circumference of a hundred feet. On it, there were 72 lecturing platforms each ten feet high for monks from the thirty-six nations to preach. On the day the proclamation was issued, tens of thousands of citizens from all nations moved their tents around the Dharma Platform overnight. At night, the bonfires lit in the desert stretched out for several miles, reflecting the stars in the night sky. By the early morning of the second day, the west gate of Red Valley City was opened. King Jiao Lianmi, along with the queen and several princes, gradually ascended from the gate in a cloud chariot, led by two red-robed monks, and flew in the direction of the meeting location. Monks from the thirty-six nations, those with magic powers flew up into the air, following right behind the king''s cloud chariot. The mortals were led by cultivators, traveling in flying boats or magical treasures. From below, a large number of citizens followed, yet they could only ride horses and camels or go on foot. Chapter 697 Chapter 697: Chapter 693: Dharma Platform Sermon Chapter 697: Chapter 693: Dharma Platform Sermon Chan''er naturally accompanied Bai Xiaotian on the flying boat. After days of recuperation, his physical condition had fully recovered, though he still looked somewhat dispirited. He hadn''t thoroughly discussed with Shen Luo the details of the three-day heart-to-heart with Zhan Guo. In fact, apart from chanting the Purifying Heart Mantra, he had also had debates with Zhan Guo who would occasionally regain consciousness. Zhan Guo''s proficiency in Buddhism far surpassed his expectations. Even though Chan''er had eventually won the debate, it was also a great test for his mind and spirit. Finally, by continuously communicating with the relics left behind from his previous life and borrowing their power, Chan''er was able to fully awaken Zhan Guo. ¡°Mr. Bai, have you seen Zhan Guo since that day?¡± Sitting behind Bai Xiaotian, Chan''er suddenly asked. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No. It is said that he was seen going out of the city gate. Many speculate that he returned to his homeland to atone for his sins. Anyhow, after that day, no one has seen him.¡± replied Bai Xiaotian. ¡°What''s up, does Master Chan''er need him for something?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°Not really, but after I talked him out of his predicaments that day, I felt that there were some Zen teachings I didn''t explain clearly. It has been troubling me.¡± Chan''er replied. ¡°Master Chan''er shouldn''t worry too much. It is said that Zhan Guo tidied himself up and left the city with a smile on his face. Apparently, you have already helped him transcend the cycle of suffering.¡± Shen Luo consoled him. Hearing this, Chan''er nodded without saying anything else. The group soon arrived at the meeting location. When they saw the tents stretching over a dozen miles in the desert, they all found it truly spectacular. The three of them descended from the sky and arrived at the open area directly in front of the assembly. The monks who had arrived were all congregated there, dressed neatly and quietly reciting scriptures. Although Qi Lianmi was the king, he wasn''t standing on the assembly platform. Like the common believers, he just set up a tent with an overhanging eave right in front of the assembly platform and sat there with the queen and the princes. Seeing Shen Luo and his party land on the platform, Qi Lianmi immediately waved at them with a smile on his face. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian waved back, and Chan''er just gave a bow with his palms pressed together. ¡°The supreme, profound and subtle dharma, difficult to encounter in billions of eons. Today I have seen and heard it, received and maintained it, and I vow to realize the Tathagatas'' true meaning.¡± Master Lin Da stood before the monks and introduced the topic using verses from the ¡°Buddha Speaks of Amitayus Sutra¡±. ¡°So, we heard.¡± The monks responded collectively, bowing and reciting. Tens of thousands of people gathered around them, all sitting on the floor. The previously cacophonous sounds all quieted down. ¡°May all great benevolent ones ascend the Dharma platform and prepare for sermon.¡± Master Lin Da scanned the crowd and said. Right after his statement, he first flew up and landed on the central altar of the assembly location. He joined his hands and sat cross-legged on the Lotus Zafu. Following him, monks from the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar like Longtan, Baoshan, and others also rose one after another. Sixteen monks in total scattered and landed on the higher platforms around. ¡°Master Chan''er, are you ready?¡± Shen Luo asked in a low voice. Chan''er looked at Shen Luo and nodded, appearing somewhat nervous. Seeing this, Shen Luo smiled and made a magic spell with his hand. He waved it towards the ground, and a clear spring bubbled up, forming a spiral of water waves. This lifted Chan''er gently into the sky and took him to the Dharma platform. After Chan''er seated cross-legged, he felt the wind slowly passing by him. Suddenly, an unfamiliar yet familiar scene vaguely appeared in his mind. It seemed that at some point in time, he had also sat high on the Dharma platform, engaging in a spiritual debate with others. However, this scene vanished quickly. Only an isolated image appeared in Chan''er''s mind, leaving a vague impression. Chan''er only slightly lost focus before regaining his attention. He held the prayer beads silently in his hand and began chanting the Heart Sutra. The other Zen Masters from various institutes also ascended the platform one by one. They all sat cross-legged and chanted to focus their mind. The disciples that came with these Zen Masters also sat on the ground in the lower frontier of their master''s Dharma platform. ¡°Master Tuo Lan, for this Dharma assembly, which scripture will you be using as the basis for your sermon?¡± Master Lin Da, as the presiding monk of the Mahayana Dharma Assembly, did not start preaching first but selected a master from the Cheshi kingdom to be the first to hold a sermon. The thin and elderly monk bowed towards Master Lin Da from afar upon hearing this and then began speaking: ¡°This poor monk will be using the ''Sutra of the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action'' as the basis to discuss buddhas and bodhisattvas'' methods for cutting off evil karma and alleviating hardships. If sentient beings wish to cut off all troubles, they need to vow to practice the Ten Wholesome Ways of Action: Not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not engaging in malicious gossip, not using harsh language, not engaging in idle chatter, renouncing envy, quenching anger, and getting rid of foolishness¡­¡± Although Shen Luo wasn''t a member of the Buddhist sect, he had read some Buddhist scriptures in the past. He knew that the old monk was preaching the fundamental methods of practicing the Buddha Dharma, which was to renounce these ten forms of evil behavior and discipline oneself. Later on, Master Tuo Lan continued to speak about being a conscientious individual which stemmed from these Ten Wholesome Ways of Action. His content was easy to understand and broadly encapsulating. As a practitioner himself, his voice penetrated a span of ten miles around the Dharma platform. Not only were the monks enraptured, but the common people around them listened with great interest as well. After Master Tuo Lan finished speaking, Master Lin Da and the monks bowed to him. After chanting the phrase ¡°Amitabha¡±, he instructed the second Zen Master to commence his sermon. This monk used the ''Sutra of Round Enlightenment'' as a reference, telling stories about Sakyamuni Buddha and numerous bodhisattvas regarding how to cultivate the Bodhisattva Way. With many poetic verses and Zen stories quoted in his lecture, the sermon was quite engaging. Shen Luo, sitting cross-legged next to the Dharma platform below Chan''er, glanced at Bai Xiaotian next to him who was meditating with his eyes closed as if listening intently to the monk''s sermon. Just as Shen Luo was about to close his eyes and meditate, he noticed a trace of arc-shaped light flashing under the wooden planks below him, causing his pupils to contract slightly. However, when he looked closely, the light had already vanished. ¡°An illusion?¡± Shen Luo was surprised. Then, he released his divine sense and began to investigate below. Through this investigation, he discovered that under the square he was sitting on, there was indeed the fluctuation of mana. It was orderly revolving, but after careful inspection, Shen Luo found that this Array was merely a common one for gathering the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. The gathering speed was not fast, and the amount of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was not large. There was nothing special about it. To be on the safe side, Shen Luo still informed Bai Xiaotian about this through a voice transmission. Chapter 698 Chapter 698: Chapter 694: Sudden Change! Chapter 698: Chapter 694: Sudden Change! ¡°This formation doesn''t seem to be anything formidable, it seems to be absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to replenish the high monks.¡± Bai Xiaotian complied with the observation and also found it somewhat strange; he immediately relayed this to Shen Luo through telepathy. After all, not all the high monks here were practicing disciples; there were also many mortals among them. This Dharma assembly was certainly not going to end in a short time, and if they continued to sit on the high platform without any replenishment, these people might not be able to hold on. ¡°It''s possible, let''s see.¡± Shen Luo replied. After saying that, he abandoned the effort of meditation and instead closed his eyes to concentrate, focusing his attention entirely on the changes at the bottom of the square. The Chan masters took turns interpreting the Buddha''s Scriptures. Some spoke at length with clear and profound explanations, others were obscure and confusing. Though the high monks understood, the citizens striving to comprehend were left bemused. When it was Chan''er''s turn to interpret, because he is now a mortal, his voice was young and gentle. It was only through the operation of the Array in the Dharma Platform beneath him that his voice was projected. He interpreted the extensively circulated ¡°Prajna Heart Sutra¡±. Although everyone had heard it nearly entirely, each saw it differently based on their personal understanding. Chan''er''s interpretation simplified it, and in his eloquence, many of the citizens'' doubts were instantly resolved, even many high monks found themselves nodding along. Although Shen Luo has been paying attention to the surrounding changes, he did not miss the nuances of the interpretation. However, after listening to a round, he noticed something strange. All the monks appointed by Master Lin Da were all from the other countries, but not a single Chan master from the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar has preached yet. With this doubt, Shen Luo focused on observing these people. He found that regardless of who was interpreting, people like Dragon Altar and Baoshan always closed their eyes and kept murmuring something, they never looked at anyone and their expression never changed. This made Shen Luo increasingly suspicious. Just as he was considering reporting this suspicion to Bai Xiaotian, he heard Master Lin Da say: ¡°Longtan Chan Master, what is your understanding of Mahayana Buddhism?¡± ¡°In terms of my humble opinion¡­¡± Upon hearing this, the Longtan Chan Master began to speak. ¡°It seems I thought too much¡­¡± Upon seeing this, Shen Luo thought to himself with bitter laughter. However, just as this thought arose in his mind, there came a sudden change. On the high platform, Longtan Chan Master suddenly said: ¡°All the wonderful laws are but dreams and illusions, instead of seeking the law, it is better to embrace the Dao. Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar''s masters, if not now, then when?¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as his words fell, the sixteen monks of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar raised their hands one after another and pushed forward, muttering something akin to ghostly whispers with their mouths. In the palm of their hands, a bloody red ¡°ghost¡± character appeared, and a stream of blood-red aura emanated from their bodies, stringing the preaching platforms together like threads of red silk. Before the crowd could react, the towering platforms were stained with red light, lighting up the square like large red lanterns. A red light shield covered the top of the Dharma platform and confined all the preachers on the platform. Upon seeing this, Master Tuo Lan raised his hand and made a flower-picking gesture, softly chanting a Buddha''s name, and suddenly slapped forward. A Buddha''s Illusion immediately emerged behind him, forming the same flower-picking slap gesture. Where the light hand passed, golden light swelled, and a giant handprint of Buddha heavily slapped on the red light shield. ¡°Boom!¡± A muffled sound echoed, the red light shield shook violently, causing the entire Dharma Platform to shake violently. However, when the vibrations subsided, the red trembling light shield was not affected at all, instead, Master Tuo Lan himself was hit by the backlash. He spat out blood and collapsed within the light shield. On the other side, other Zen masters also took action, but without exception, they all ended up in the same situation as Master Tuo Lan, unable to break through the light shield from the inside. Even Master Lin Da, who was in the central Dharma Platform, was also trapped in the light shield. However, he remained calm, continuing to perform the finger-twisting ritual and not being disturbed by external factors. Chan''er looked a bit troubled, standing at the edge of the Dharma Platform, peering down. He saw Shen Luo looking up and shaking his head at him, signaling him not to worry. This reassured Chan''er, and he immediately sat down cross-legged again. Observing this, Bai Xiaotian turned his wrist, and a flash of golden light appeared in his palm, revealing a Buddhist Vajra Pestle, one end round, the other pointed. He held the Vajra Pestle in one hand at the middle, lightly tracing the pointed end with the other hand, a rich golden light illuminated, immediately emitting a tremendous burst of energy. ¡°Buddha pervades all things, Vajra breaks the demon!¡± After a low shout from him, the Vajra Pestle in his hand radiated a red-hot light, piercing fiercely into the platform beside him. A ¡°bang¡± sound echoed. The red light on the Dharma Platform trembled violently, clashing fiercely with the golden light of the Vajra Pestle. The two forces seemed to be like water and fire, collision with each other, causing ripples of turbulence, and the entire platform also trembled violently under this force. Bai Xiaotian, seeing this, sneered and made a seal with one hand, and once again fiercely slapped the pestle. A series of Sanskrit runes appeared on the Vajra Pestle. The golden light at the tip twisted into a spiral shape, its penetrating power increased magnificently, directly piercing the red light on the Dharma Platform. It seemed like it would pierce through the platform any moment. But at that very moment, a tragic cry echoed from above. Chan''er was lying on the edge of the Dharma Platform, with blood at the corner of his mouth, looking extremely pained. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly pulled Bai Xiaotian away from the platform to stop him from casting his spells. ¡°Shen Luo, you¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian was cut off before he could finish his sentence. ¡°This array is very peculiar, it''s linked with the lives of the people inside. If you had continued to break the array just now, I''m afraid that Chan''er''s life would be at risk.¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°What?¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed. When he looked around, he saw the other monks also attempting to save their masters with their Dharma Protectors, but like him, they all ended in failure. For the same reason, not because the array was indestructible, but once they forced their way through the array, they would likely harm the lives of the masters inside. Thus, they were forced to abandon attacking the Dharma Platform. The people standing outside did not understand what was happening. They all looked at each other in confusion and discussed in low voices. ¡°Father King, what''s happening to the masters?¡± Qi Lianmi, nestled in her father''s arms, asked in a puzzled manner. As the King, Jiao Lianmi naturally noticed something was amiss, he did not answer his son''s question, but instead whispered to the bodyguard beside him to take the Queen and the Princes away. The Queen and the others didn''t understand, and while they were puzzled, they heard someone on the Dharma Platform shouting, ¡°Long Tan Zen Master, what are you doing? How dare you set up an array to imprison Master Lin Da and other venerable monks?¡± His shout cleared the doubts of the onlookers. Chapter 699 Chapter 699: Chapter 695: Desire to Ascend to Immortality Chapter 699: Chapter 695: Desire to Ascend to Immortality ¡°What? Dragon Altar Chan Master betrayed Master Lin Da?¡± Someone shouted in surprise. ¡°Impossible, how could Dragon Altar Chan Master¡­ Master Lin Da is his master¡­¡± ¡°Master Lin Da, what''s going on¡­¡± ¡°Master Lin Da¡­¡± Soon, the calls overlapped, merging into one cohesive sound. Master Lin Da was, after all, the hope in everyone''s hearts; they were all looking forward to his explanation. With the tense anticipation of the crowd, Master Lin Da slowly stood up, raised his hand and gestured to the crowd, and the commotion gradually quieted down. ¡°I apologize for the rude and sudden actions of that unruly disciple, causing everyone to panic,¡± Lin Da apologized, waving to the crowd. After saying that, he raised his hand and waved in front of him, a green light flew out from his sleeve. With a mild ¡°popping¡± sound, the blood-colored light cover that caged him shattered into fragments. Seeing this, the crowd was overjoyed. ¡°Master Lin Da really is remarkable¡­¡± the citizens expressed their joy and excitement. The high monks on the platform in the square also breathed a sigh of relief. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian exchanged a glance. Their expressions became somewhat solemn. They both noticed that when Master Lin Da just apologized, he did not perform the Buddhist monk''s rites for some reason. ¡°Please forgive me everyone, the actions of Dragon Altar were all directed by me, so there''s no need to panic excessively.¡± Master Lin Da continued. Hearing this, the crowd was first surprised, then a few felt reassured. Some people even said, ¡°So it''s Master Lin Da''s arrangement, then it''s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Since it''s Master Lin Da''s arrangement, it must not be harmful¡­¡± ¡°There must be a reason for Master Lin Da''s actions¡­¡± Hearing the words around him, many of which were from a Protector of the Law monk, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel somewhat sad. ¡°All these people are practicing Buddhism, for enlightenment, to dispel the confusion of all sentient beings, how come they are not superstitious about Buddha but are superstitious about this Master Lin Da?¡± Bai Xiaotian said confusedly. ¡°The Buddha is too far away, the Buddhist teachings are too deep, and Master Lin Da is right in front of them. They heard that he has traveled around the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions, suppressed demons and performed a hundred good deeds. The miracles he left behind may be even more numerous than the Buddha''s. It''s no surprise that people believe him,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°The world is ignorant¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed. ¡°Master Lin Da, what are you planning by imprisoning these high monks?¡± Shen Luo asked loudly. ¡°How dare you directly call the Master''s name?¡± Chan Master Baoshan looked at Shen Luo and immediately shouted in anger. The citizens also looked at Shen Luo angrily. ¡°I''ve always felt there''s something wrong with your Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar. It seems it''s disastrous from the root. At this point, is there still any need to keep up the pretense?¡± Shen Luo showed no deference and scoffed. ¡°Foreigner, do not slander the Sacred Altar, let alone defame Master Lin Da.¡± Before Baoshan could speak up, a citizen shouted out loud. ¡°Arrogant fool, dare to talk nonsense here¡­¡± ¡°Drive this impudent person out¡­¡± The citizens began to roar. The king''s face was grave, urging his guards to send Qi Lianmi and others away first while secretly ordering city guards to be deployed. ¡°What are we doing? You will know soon. Being able to witness this very person ascend to immortality is a huge blessing for you mortal beings, hahaha¡­¡± Master Lin Da laughed loudly. His attitude was arrogant and looked completely different from his usual peaceful demeanor. Even the citizens, who were just shouting about dealing with Shen Luo, lowered their voices. Looking at this suddenly unfamiliar Lin Da, they felt a chill down their spines. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, not immediately grasping the deeper meaning of Master Lin Da''s words. ¡°It''s about time. We can start now.¡± Master Lin Da said. His sixteen disciples, upon his command, descended from the altar. Some rushed into the square while others went directly into the crowd. The chilling screams then started. Those Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar disciples who broke into the crowd started a killing spree without any sign. Several Dharmapala monks were caught off guard and were pierced through their hearts, losing their lives instantly. Among the crowd, it was even more brutal. Those from the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar didn''t even have to use spells. They just released their own breath, forming sharp edges that swept through the crowd, cutting hundreds of citizens into pieces, like a slaughter blade. It was not until this moment that the illusions in the hearts of all citizens had completely shattered. Everyone was panicked and began to escape in all directions. King Jiao Lianmi also fled rearward under the protection of remaining guards. He originally thought that if he stays back, the situation would stabilize, but this sudden bloody massacre made the scene completely out of control. ¡°Insanity.¡± Bai Xiaotian roared angrily, and flew into the crowd. He raised his vajra and struck towards a skinny Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar monk. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The latter immediately turned around with both hands in front of him, a round bloody mirror appeared in his palms, and a blood light shot out from it towards the vajra. However, Bai Xiaotian didn''t hold back his attack. The vajra emitted a vortex of golden light, directly dispersing the blood light, flying straight towards the monk and shattering the bloody mirror into fragments. The skinny monk was only at the mid-stage of Soul Condensation and, relying on his magical instrument that was shattered and could no longer resist, was pierced through the heart by the vajra and killed in one fell swoop. Four other Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar monks saw this and immediately attacked Bai Xiaotian under the leadership of a Zen Monk at the Nascent Soul Initial Stage. ¡°Go and help them.¡± Shen Luo patted the Nine Yin Pouch on his waist and summoned Ghost General. ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Zhao Feiji disappeared on the spot like smoke. Shen Luo glanced at the altar in front of him, and after a slight hesitation, raised his hand, revealing a red flying sword in his palm. Just as he thought about it, a red light flashed on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and a layer of faint flame emerged on the surface. ¡°This Array, inside and out, reeks of an eerie Yin energy. Since I can''t break it with power, let''s see if this Red Lotus Karmic Fire is effective?¡± Shen Luo controlled the flying sword to approach the altar. As he was afraid of hurting Chan''er, Shen Luo did not directly attack the altar with the flying sword. Instead, he guided a strand of flame from the flying sword towards the red light on the altar. The moment the flame approached, the red light on the entire altar trembled violently as if it was fearful of the flame. Shen Luo was overjoyed and immediately exerted more force to strike the long sword directly at the altar. At this time, Lin Da in the center of the formation also noticed the anomaly on his side. His eyes narrowed, and he shouted loudly: ¡°How dare you destroy my Array!¡± At his loud rebuke, his robe fluttered as if it was in the wind, a powerful aura immediately radiated out of him. It turned solid, forming a storm with him in the center, swirling in all directions. Many Dharmapala monks on the square, who were still trembling, were blown away by this storm. They were unable to stand firm, retreating staggeringly and almost falling over. Chapter 700 Chapter 700: Chapter 696: Substitution Robbery Chapter 700: Chapter 696: Substitution Robbery Shen Luo, along with his flying sword, was forced to retreat three feet by the gale unleashed by Master Lin Da. It was to his astonishment that he realized Master Lin Da was actually a cultivator at the beginning of the Mahayana stage. Having barely regained his balance, he looked up at Chan''er on the Dharma platform and speculated on a possibility, feeling incredibly anxious. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No matter what, I must save Chan''er first.¡± Resolute, Shen Luo immediately performed the Slanting Moon Steps and moved towards the Dharma platform. Simultaneously, his internal mana rushed out, pouring into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. He energized the Red Lotus Karmic Fire hidden in the sword, which burst forth, forming a layer of flame around the sword''s edge. He lunged at the Dharma platform with all his might. ¡°Stubborn fool, seeking death,¡± a voice thundered at that moment. Master Lin Da uttered a cry of rage and made a symbol in the air, slapping it forward aggressively. From the folds of his sleeves, a red-tinted sinister dark energy surged out, forming a massive black mist vortex, spiralling downwards. It directly engulfed Shen Luo and instantly swept him hundreds of feet away. Within the black mist, a transparent blood-red lotus appeared. From it, a beam of blood light shot out, wrapped the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and dragged it into the heart of the lotus. Then the lotus petals closed, trapping the sword embryo inside. Shen Luo immediately realized that his connection with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had been crudely severed. Even more troublesome was the fact that in the black mist vortex surrounding them, Yin Sha Qi was continually attacking him, washing over him like waves crashing against the shore, making his entire body feel as if it had fallen into an ice cellar, with chill penetrating his bones. All the Protector Monks present on the square were no match for the likes of the Dragon Altar and Baoshan, and soon suffered heavy casualties. The few who remained were essentially fighting a losing battle and wouldn''t hold out for much longer. Baoshan Chan Master led two others toward Bai Xiaotian for an attack. Bai Xiaotian, although assisted by a Ghost General, was at an impasse and could not spare a moment to save anyone else. Master Lin Da, standing at the central high platform, looked out at the bodies strewn all over and the flames consuming the distant tents. A satisfied smile spread across his face. ¡°After all this time, finally, I can let loose,¡± he murmured. After a sweep of his eyes over the captive Chan masters, he spoke again, ¡°Esteemed Chan masters, today I shall ascend with the Truth here. Whether I succeed relies on all of you, your contributions will be greatly appreciated.¡± He seemed to be grateful for their cooperation, but in reality, he needed no such thing¨Call was firmly under his control. His words dropped, and his face turned serious, a flicker of anxiety appeared in his eyes. He clenched both hands in a weird technique and a low melancholic chanting resonated from his mouth. He raised his hands high into the air, as if to carry the heavens. Straight away, layers of red light shone behind him, each ring larger than the last, every bit as brilliant as the Treasure Light behind a Buddha Bodhisattva. Beneath him, specks of blood light gathered, forming a colossal Blood Crystal Lotus Platform. Master Lin Da''s eyes brightened, the Flower-picking Finger technique activated. In the blink of an eye he sat cross-legged, a powerful aura surrounding him that caused his clothes to explode off, revealing his naked upper body. He was seen sitting half-naked, his body wrapped in layers of golden Buddha''s Scripture, which emitted a Buddha''s Light. Dense Buddhist texts were inscribed onto it. But the pages of the Buddha''s Scriptures, which should have been gloriously golden, were almost entirely corrupted from bottom up to a pitch-black color. They looked as old and decayed as mud. Master Lin Da, with an amused smile on his face, made a slight gesture, causing the golden pages of Buddha''s Scripture to tear open from the middle, gradually peel off from his body, and fall to the ground. ¡°What is that¡­¡± ¡°Evil Ghost, that is a fierce ghost from Purgatory¡­¡± ¡°How can it be, how can such a thing exist on his body¡­¡± ¡°Sin, sin¡­¡± When the upper half of Master Lin Da''s body was completely exposed, the imprisoned Chan masters could no longer remain calm. Their eyes were fixed on him, and their mouths were filled with horrified exclamations. At this moment, with a ¡°roar¡±, a dragon chant resounded, and a dragon-shaped flame soared into the sky, dissipating the black vortex. Shen Luo, holding the Dragon Horn Cone in his hand, rushed into the high altitude and escaped from the spot. When he saw the current appearance of Master Lin Da, he could not help but change his expression, muttering to himself: ¡°Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao, Lin Da the demon monk, are you from the Refining Body Altar?¡± The Ghost General on the other side, after repelling the coordinated attack of two disciples from the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, also looked at Lin Da, shocked beyond belief. Lin Da''s upper body''s skin had turned bloody red with numerous large bumps all over him. On top of each bump, inherent, terrifying ghost faces were visible. These ghost faces did not resemble humans at all. Each had one or two sharp horns on its head and sharp tusks sticking out from their mouths, which made them indistinguishable from devils. Shen Luo had seen the entirety of the Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao and thus was well aware that this situation only meant one thing: Lin Da had perfected the Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao. The current energy fluctuations emitted from his body only validated that he had mastered the Great Skills to perfection. His cultivation level had reached the peak of Great Mahayana, being merely a step away from transcending the realm to become an immortal. Apparently, he painstakingly arranged this Great Mahayana Dharma Assembly to take this step. ¡°The Refining Body Altar¡­ surprised to know about the Refining Body Altar? It seems that the rebellious disciple, who usurped my position as Saint, did not disgrace the altar I created. After I ascend as an immortal, I will return to the Central Region to reminisce with him,¡± Lin Da''s eyes flashed with a hint of reminiscence before he coldly laughed. In thought, Shen Luo speculated that the rebellious disciple mentioned by Lin Da was most likely the current Saint of the Refining Body Altar. When he looked at Lin Da again, Shen Luo was almost convinced that only someone harboring such a technique and such evil karma could be the reincarnation of the Demon Soul hiding in the Western Regions. At this moment, a ¡°boom¡± resounded. Originally a clear sky over the desert, suddenly, gales picked up, as numerous layers of black clouds rolled in, clouding the sky for a hundred miles within moments. Everyone, not understanding the events, assumed that it was Lin Da''s move, but Shen Luo detected an unusual breath from it. After another glance at the virtuous high monks surrounding him, he finally understood Lin Da''s intentions. When he practiced the Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao, in order to facilitate the speed of his cultivation, he must have never restricted himself and therefore murdered innocents liberally, causing his sins to add up and karma to ensnare him. The cycle of the Heavenly Dao is unerring. The greater the sin, the more difficult it would be for a monk to attain immortality. When they have to break through the Great Mahayana bottleneck to enter the True Immortal Stage, the Heavenly Tribulation they face would be deadly. If for an ordinary monk the chances are one in ten, for them it would be one in a thousand. They must certainly find a life-saving technique to deal with Heavenly Tribulation, and there was no guarantee that it would work. Chapter 701 Chapter 701: Chapter 697: Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldier Chapter 701: Chapter 697: Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldier ¡°So you intend to use these high monks as your life-saving technique?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°Unexpectedly, a mere Nascent Soul Cultivator knows about the life-saving technique? Haha, you''re right. It''s indeed their supreme honor to take the heavenly punishment in my place,¡± Lin Da laughed with slight surprise. ¡°Humph! The Heavenly Dao shows no favoritism. You''ve committed such grave sins, and you won''t escape celestial punishment,¡± Shen Luo rebuked. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heavenly Dao shows no favoritism¡­haha. I am fully aware that my Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao isn''t accepted by the Heavenly Dao. I''ve suppressed my inner demon and acted as a Zen Master, practicing the Buddha Dharma for a hundred years. During this time, I''ve avoided killing and sincerely done good deeds, hoping to eliminate my karmic obstructions. But who would have thought my meritorious deeds would amount to nothing against my sins? Since the Heavenly Dao isn''t giving me a chance to atone for my sins, then so be it. With these dozens of virtuous high monks sharing my divine punishment now, I''d like to see how the Heavenly Dao remains impartial! Haha¡­¡± Lin Da laughed maniacally. ¡°Your cultivation of the Buddha Dharma may be genuine and your good deeds may also be real, but your intention for practicing the Buddha Dharma is a fraud, so how can the consequences be real? No wonder when I saw you that day, although you were enveloped with Buddha''s Light, a red glow emanated from within you. In the end, you are not a true virtuous person,¡± Shen Luo mocked. ¡°Even after all these words, what can a small Nascent Soul Cultivator like you do to me?¡± Lin Da paid no heed. As he spoke, his hands suddenly spread out, and his body rose with the blood-red lotus platform, hovering in the high altitude. The hideous ghost faces all over him started to move as if alive, writhing their skulls, and bulging out from underneath his blood-red skin. It looked as if they were all going to break his skin and burst out from his body. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Without Lin Da opening his mouth, a roar like a beast echoed from his body. All the hideous ghost faces opened their bloody mouths at this moment, forming hundreds of densely packed pitch-black holes around him. With the gusts of howling wind, a strong suction force constantly came from those bloody mouths. The thousands of people who had just died in the square were shrouded in black smoke. The Yin spirits of those who had just died and had not yet entered the Netherworld were all torn apart by this force and fell into those bloody mouths. As these Yin spirits were absorbed, Lin Da''s already formidable aura rocketed again. The red halo behind him surged into the sky instantly, turning the evil qi into a pillar of blood that directly penetrated heaven and earth. His stagnating cultivation level was finally broken through at this moment, officially entering the True Immortal Stage. The oppressively thick clouds in the sky seemed to have sensed something. The heavy layers of clouds accumulated to a distance of only a few hundred feet from the ground. It was as if the entire canopy of the sky had fallen down, causing an unbearably suffocating feeling. In a short time, several rays of celestial light emerged from the clouds, and the mist in the depths of the cloud layer slowly formed four incredibly sized vague faces. ¡°Boom, boom¡­¡± With three thunders of the Kui Drum, the heavenly tribulation arrived! Shen Luo knew that the four huge faces that appeared in the sky were the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers manifested by the Heavenly Dao, but he found their appearances very different from what he had seen in his dream. What he saw then were four godly men dressed in golden armor, each holding a magical axe in their hands. Although they also had an indifferent look on their faces, their godliness seemed to radiate no spiritual aura, making them look much more righteous than the ones in front of his eyes at the moment. In comparison, these four massive faces floating in the high altitude were all condensed from the mist, their features unclear, looking neither human nor non-human. They exuded an eerie ghostly aura that was indescribable. However, the ghostly aura on their bodies appeared extremely pure, as if free of any impurities, embodying the most pristine Yin Sha energy in the world. Zhao Feiji, who was at a distance, looked up at the sky with a face full of excitement. This descending heavenly tribulation was not directed at him. As a fellow cultivator of the Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao, he could feel an invisible affinity under this mysterious rotation of heavenly and earthly qi. The Mana within his body seemed to operate on its own without the need for control, and although everyone else under this oppressive canopy of leaden clouds felt somewhat breathless, he felt more relaxed than ever before. ¡°Boom.¡± With the last thunder drum sound, the four huge faces began to shrink, their facial features becoming more and more clear. Their complete bodies gradually emerged from the thick fog. Unlike the Armored Heavenly General, these four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers were all bare-chested, their hair disheveled, holding a snake in one hand and a Demon-Subduing magical instrument in the other. They glared furiously, staring fiercely at the ground below, looking like a Vajra deity. ¡°Amitabha.¡± Seeing this, the high monks clasped their hands together and recited the Buddha''s name. ¡°This day¡­ has finally come¡­¡± Lin Da looked up at the sky, his eyes complex, filled with excitement, anger, and fear. No sooner had his words fallen than mysterious chanting started echoing between heaven and earth. At the same time, waves of Mana rippled over the bodies of the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers. A cross-shaped Array formation pattern began to take form. Shen Luo''s breath hitched slightly as he immediately noticed that the air flow around him had visibly stalled. The surrounding heaven and earth seemed to be enveloped in a void, becoming eerily quiet. The chaotic battle of Bai Xiaotian and others also briefly halted at this moment. Everyone''s attention focused on the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers that emerged in the sky. Just then, the two black eyeballs on the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers rolled around, and the Demon-Subduing magical instruments in their hands were simultaneously lifted. They clashed together in the sky above Lin Da''s head. A sharp ring broke the silence at that moment. The Array hovering in the void immediately shone with a blood-red light. Accompanied by an oppressive ¡°boom¡± sound, a black thunderbolt as massive as a pillar instantly pierced the cloud layer and poured down from the sky. Seeing this, Lin Da, who had already entered the True Immortal Stage, also revealed a hint of surprise in his eyes. He quickly formed a magic spell with his hands and waved towards the sky. In an instant, hundreds of hideous ghost faces on his body spat out black light, merging into a massive pitch-black ghost creature comparable to the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldier. Holding a Demonic Spear, it lunged towards the sky. Chapter 702 Chapter 702: Chapter 698: Heavenly Dao is Unfair Chapter 702: Chapter 698: Heavenly Dao is Unfair Boom! The black lightning column transformed by the Heavenly Tribulation clashed with the tip of the Demonic Spear sacrificed by Lin Da. Immediately, a thunderous explosion sounded, and countless black thunder and lightning rays exploded from the collision point, as if a huge black flower was blooming in the sky, dazzling and shaking, making one''s heart tremble. The aftermath of the explosion spread out at an altitude of hundreds of feet, rolling up strong winds that swept dozens of miles away, instantly clearing all the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around. At this moment, Shen Luo, whose palm was hidden in his sleeve, suddenly scratched his palm with his fingernail. When the blood splashed out, he manipulated it into a blood symbol in the void and shot it straight at the Blood Crystal Lotus hanging in mid-air. As it approached, the blood symbol flashed brightly, fiercely burning in mid-air, transforming into a ball of Crimson Flame, engulfing the Blood Crystal Lotus. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo trapped in the blood crystal immediately struggled violently. Shen Luo, who felt the reestablishment of his connection with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, was overjoyed. He immediately activated the Pure Yang magic spell, and stepped on the Firmament Step. His body swayed greatly, and his palm also swiftly pulled back. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo immediately burst into a layer of raging flames, with its tip pointing to the high altitude, it rushed up forcefully. Crack! The petal of the Blood Crystal Lotus that was closed was shattered, turning into crystal powder and dissipating. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo soared into the sky, turned its body in mid-air, and flew back to Shen Luo at high speed. Lin Da was fully engaged in dealing with the first Thunder Tribulation just now and didn''t have the chance to pay attention to this side. This gave Shen Luo the opportunity to rescue his flying sword. He was annoyed that the power of the Thunder Tribulation was far beyond his expectation, and seeing Shen Luo causing trouble, he was immediately enraged and ordered: ¡°Longtan, kill this man quickly, crush his body and bones into ashes. Don''t fully exterminate his spirit and soul, leave at least a third of it for me. After I survive the tribulation, I will settle accounts with him.¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your orders are my command.¡± Zen Master Longtan replied with a palm clasp. Having said that, he flashed and surged directly at Shen Luo. Shen Luo had just summoned back the Pure Yang Flying Sword and was planning to continue to save Chan''er. Suddenly, he felt a strong wind behind him. Without turning his head back to look, he executed the Slanting Moon Steps and swiftly dodged. Zen Master Longtan held a white Chan Stick made of human bones in his hand. As he passed by Shen Luo, he suddenly reached out to grab behind him. A bloody red ¡°prohibition¡± character emerged from his palm. Before it touched Shen Luo''s clothes, an invisible prohibition pulled Shen Luo''s body, causing his body to stiffen and be locked in place. Before he could break free, the white-bone Chan Stick in Longtan''s hand had already suddenly probed and pointed at his brow. A faint ¡°thud¡± echoed in Shen Luo''s mind. The scenery in front of him changed instantly, no longer was it a vast desert, but he was back in Chunhua County Town. The surrounding area was filled with hustle and bustle, continuous hawking, a variety of chaotic sounds, filled with the atmosphere of human life. ¡°Husband.¡± A soft call came from behind. Shen Luo turned his head in surprise, only to see a beautiful bundled-haired woman standing by a carriage. She was drawing the hanging curtain from the carriage, and said, ¡°What are you in a daze for? Come back when you''ve finished buying, we still have to go out of the city for a picnic.¡± Her smile was gentle, her face was pretty, if not Nie Caizhu, who could it be? Shen Luo looked down dumbfounded, only to find that he was holding a bunch of tempting Candied Hawthorn in his hand. ¡°Ah.¡± He responded absentmindedly, walked to the front of the carriage, braced against the carriage''s shaft, and was about to jump on the carriage. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± At this moment, a vigorous voice, like a roaring lion, suddenly sounded. Shen Luo swiftly opened his eyes, instantly returning to the Great Desert battlefield. ¡°Shen Luo, beware of the Dream-eating Demon.¡± Bai Xiaotian''s voice echoed from a distance. It was him who had just awakened Shen Luo with the Buddhist Lion''s Roar. Only then did Shen Luo terrifyingly discover that atop the Soul Attracting Staff in the hands of Longtan Chan Master stood a semi-transparent little man, no more than three inches tall. His lower jaw and ears were long, and his mouth was full of fishbone-like sharp little teeth, biting a human-shaped phantom that extended from between his eyebrows. Looking at its silhouette, it was shockingly Shen Luo''s own soul. He froze in his heart, his mind jolted, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flashed across, instantly cutting the tiny figure into two pieces. Longtan Chan Master glared in anger, thrusting his staff forward fiercely, and a sharp white light burst out of the top of the staff, piercing directly towards Shen Luo''s forehead. Almost at the same time, an octagonal copper mirror was suspended above Shen Luo''s head, and eight beams of light curtain fell around him, protecting him. The white light from the staff hit the light curtain and ¡°boom¡± ¨C it was directly bounced back towards Longtan. Seeing this, Longtan''s eyes flashed with a different color, his body immediately moved back, dodging. Just as Shen Luo was about to step forward to chase, he heard a ¡°rumble¡± ¨C a dull sound that once again struck from the high altitude. The second thunder tribulation descended. A pillar of black thunder and lightning far thicker than before poured down from the sky, with traces of silver light throughout, its might was several times greater than before. Lin Da''s gaze stayed focused on the sky, refusing to be distracted. He had called these high monks to cope with the ninth and most dangerous thunder tribulation. By mixing their merits and breath with his own, they could help him share the power of the Heavenly Dao''s thunder strike. As for the first eight thunder tribulations, he believed he had the strength to resist. But from the current situation, he had underestimated the power of the heavenly tribulations, or at least he had underestimated the power that the heavenly tribulations should exert on him. If this power stacked, even if he resisted with all his strength, he could only withstand up to the seventh thunder tribulation. By the time of the eighth tribulation, he would have to rely on these high monks and masters to share the burden, and the ninth thunder tribulation, which he originally planned for, would once again become an unknown. In order to successfully crossing the tribulations, he had painstakingly planned for more than a hundred years. It was not to wait for such an accident. ¡°Damn the Heavenly Dao, isn''t it supposed to be selfless? Why is it relentlessly pursuing me? Such injustice, it vainly claims to be Heavenly Dao!¡± Lin Da spat lightly, swearing in his heart. After cursing, he manipulated the magic spell with both hands again and waved towards the sky. The giant ghost, made up of ghostly qi, stood tall, like a celestial and demon figure. With the Demonic Spear in his hand, he once again struck at the raging thunder and lightning. A burst of black light erupted from the tip of the Demonic Spear, mingling with the thunder and lightning, and then exploded concurrently. Thunder and lightning exploded all over the sky, creating a chaotic scene, as if doomsday had come. The large spear in the giant ghost''s hand was severed by the electric light, silver lightning rain poured onto its body, punching holes all over, making it a pitiful sight. With a wave of his hand, Lin Da let the beaten ghost''s body start to dissipate, transforming into a rolling fog that flowed back and was sucked back into his body by the ferocious ghost face. Chapter 703 Chapter 703: Chapter 699: Luring the Enemy Chapter 703: Chapter 699: Luring the Enemy Lin Da drew a virtual press with both hands in front of him, letting out a soft breath. He managed to withstand the second thunder tribulation safely. Looking down, he saw that the Dharma Protectors brought by the monks of the Western Regions had been slaughtered, and his own subordinates had suffered heavy casualties. Now, including Baoshan and the Dragon Altar, there were only seven left. Among them, three were chasing after the remaining Dharma Protectors. Baoshan and another were teaming up against Bai Xiaotian. Ghost General Zhao Feiji had also held one back. Leaving only the Dragon Altar to fight Shen Luo alone. The Dragon Altar was the first disciple Lin Da took in after he was betrayed by the current Sacred Master of Body Refining Altar and fled to the Western Regions. He had put the most effort and energy into cultivating him. Thus, he exceeded the rest in strength. Shen Luo, relying on the protection of the Eight Hanging Mirror, continuously attacked with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Dragon Horn Cone. Even though the Dragon Altar looked as if it was in continuous retreat, it seemed to be suppressed by him. However, Shen Luo was very clear in his heart. The opponent was merely familiarizing himself with his attack methods and had not unleashed his full strength yet. After about a dozen rounds of fighting, the Dragon Altar suddenly smiled and said to Shen Luo, ¡°Your Excellency, I already have seen enough of your techniques. If there are no more trump cards to play, I might have to retaliate.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt somewhat frustrated in his heart. Although he had completely refined the Dragon Horn Cone now, his current realm and cultivation level ultimately made it impossible for him to stimulate all its might. As such, he couldn''t guarantee a one-hit-kill against the Dragon Altar. More importantly, he was still worried about Chan''er''s safety, so he had to divide his attention to observe the changes in the Dharma Platform. This made it even more impossible for him to go all out. Just as he slightly diverted his gaze, the Dragon Altar seized the opportunity. His body suddenly stirred up ripples, like a ghost, blurred slightly before it instantly disappeared in place, and then appeared behind Shen Luo from out of nowhere. With a palm strike, a ¡°Burst¡± character on a purple talisman in his palm suddenly lit up. Then, a deafening explosion rang out. A blistering explosion erupted behind Shen Luo''s neck. The light curtain cast by the Eight Hanging Mirror broke apart, and under the impact of this immense force, he was propelled forward, collapsing heavily on the ground. The back of his neck was blurred with blood and flesh, and under the pink membrane, one could faintly see the white cervical vertebrae. The sight was truly gruesome. The Dragon Altar saw Shen Luo struggling to lift his head while his cervical vertebrae were teetering on breaking. A hint of a victorious delight flashed in his eyes. He darted over, stepping heavily on Shen Luo''s back. ¡°Benefactor, seeing your present state, you should stop struggling. Keeping your soul intact is better for the poor monk. After all, torturing a single soul isn''t as interesting for my Master. Only when your divine soul is full, can you enjoy the fun of the Sky Lighting Lamp and watch your divine soul burn little by little. Then you would know what real exhaustion feels like¡­¡± He talked while pressing Shen Luo''s head down with the Soul Attracting Staff in his hand. Barely finished, he felt the sight before him flash a few times and his vision got blurry. ¡°Sometimes, it''s quite awkward to laugh too early.¡± Just then, Shen Luo''s voice suddenly sounded in front of him. The Dragon Altar was startled and instinctively tried to escape. But as soon as the Mana in his body started to flow, it abruptly stopped. His entire body froze on the spot, unable to move at all. Then, as if a fog was lifted, he saw the truth under him. Shen Luo was still under his foot, only not prone, but supine. He looked at him with a smile, and there under his chest was a huge sea star, milky white all over, with a light purple center. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sea star too, stared at him with its large, watery eyes, filled with a look of grievance and fear. Unbeknownst to all, Shen Luo had summoned White Star in advance. Using its illusion technique, he obscured the Heavenly mechanisms which led the Dragon Altar to mistakenly believe he was severely injured. In reality, the power of the Burst Talisman that shattered the light curtain of the Eight Hanging Mirror had indeed been formidable, but its strength was entirely depleted and it hadn''t injured Shen Luo in the slightest. In his arrogance, Shen Luo took advantage of the moment to immobilize the Dragon Altar with a Binding Talisman. ¡°Benefactor, your abilities and cunning are remarkable,¡± the trapped Dragon Altar began, his smile fading slightly. ¡°How about joining our Saint¡­¡± However, his words were cut off halfway as a Dragon Chant abruptly rang out. The once humbled Shen Luo, now beneath his feet, had shoved him away with a push of his palm. The Dragon Horn Cone transformed into a Golden Dragon and instantaneously pierced his chest. ¡°Puff¡­¡± A cluster of blood burst instantly. The Dragon Horn Cone tore through the Dragon Altar''s heart without much resistance. His eyes widened in disbelief, his body stiffened, and fell backwards. Shen Luo rose to his feet, dusting off the sand on his body, and sneered, ¡°Even villains now know that talking too much leads to death, why would I speak to you more?¡± Having said that, he reached out and patted White Star, perched on his chest, implying she didn''t need to be afraid. He comforted her by saying, ¡°Don''t be afraid. You''ve been a great help this time. I''ll send you back first and thank you properly later.¡± White Star only ¡°hmm¡±ed softly. Her powers were greatly reduced on land, and every time she was summoned by Shen Luo, she was thinking about how to return as quickly as possible. Shen Luo immediately applied the Art of Spirit Communication, sending her back. Afterwards, he dashed towards Chan''er, who was standing under the Dharma Platform, and called up, ¡°Chan''er, Master, wait a moment, I''ll get you out.¡± As he finished speaking, he lifted his hand and the flames on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo rose up, stabbing at the Dharma Platform above. Just as the Sword Light was about to penetrate the platform, a crystalline blood red light fell from the sky, blocking the path in front of the platform. When the Pure Yang Sword Embryo struck the crystal light, there was a loud ¡°bang¡±. It was rebounded back. Shen Luo looked up and saw Lin Da, who had just blocked the fourth Heavenly Tribulation''s strike, exuding fury. ¡°Waste! You can''t even handle a Nascent Soul Stage monk.¡± After spitting out his discontent, Lin Da lifted his hand and slapped his belly. A terrifying face broke free from the restraint of his skin and burst out of his body. The ghostly face turned into a red-black ghostly Qi as soon as it split from the body. It lunged straight at the body of the Dragon Altar. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately flicked his wrist, slashing at it with all his might. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out with his will, catching up with the black ghostly Qi and slashing down. The crimson Sword Light flashed brightly, and the black ghostly Qi split into two at its sound. However, even after being split, its forward momentum did not decrease. One after another, it plunged into the body of the Dragon Altar. Chapter 704 Chapter 704: Chapter 700: Rebirth Mantra Chapter 704: Chapter 700: Rebirth Mantra Dragon Altar''s body convulsed violently, a low growl of ¡°uh¡± erupted from his throat as it suddenly sat upright from the ground. The wound on his chest had disappeared, with only the tattered hole in his clothes remaining. The Binding Talisman that was plastered on his lower leg instantly turned black and disintegrated into ashes like rottenness over a long time. ¡°How dare you, how dare you¡­ I must kill you today!¡± Dragon Altar roared loudly, turning with eyes burning with rage towards Shen Luo after taking a few deep breaths. ¡°What kind of trick is this?¡± Shen Luo originally thought this was some sort of soul-seizing technique employed by Lin Da, but he did not expect that there seemed to be no difference in the divine wisdom of Dragon Altar after his ¡°resurrection¡±. It still seemed to be Dragon Altar himself. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without waiting for him to think clearly, Dragon Altar''s body had already pounced, and his Soul Attracting Staff was enveloped by a layer of black fog, turning it into pure black and swung it violently toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo held the Dragon Horn Cone with one hand, raising it horizontally to block the black magic staff. With a ¡°boom¡± loud noise! The black magic staff shook violently, and a layer of black dust began to float on its surface. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, he didn''t know what it was, but he immediately held his breath. At this moment, a golden light suddenly lit up on the Dragon Horn Cone. Without waiting for Shen Luo''s command, the golden light rose like a flame. The black dust that fell on its surface was instantly burned away. Shen Luo held a Thunderfall talisman in his free hand and slapped it forward. A loud rumbling sound came! A dazzling white light lit up in front of him, forming a white thunderbolt as thick as an arm falling down. A black light suddenly lit up around Dragon Altar, as if a layer of armor was put on him. The white thunderbolt fell on the black armor, exploded with a bang. Countless snow-white electric threads scattered, Dragon Altar under the electric light was unharmed, not a trace of thunder and lightning was left. ¡°Hmph! With the aid of Master''s Dharmakaya, your attacks are nothing more than scratching an itch. Time to die!¡± Dragon Altar sneered, and his black staff heavily pressed down. Shen Luo immediately felt a massive force pressing against him and had to withdraw his energy. His body hastily retreated. ¡°You cannot run.¡± Seeing Shen Luo retreating, Dragon Altar shouted loudly and chased him again. At this moment, Lin Da could no longer afford to be distracted. He had severely underestimated the power of Heavenly Thunder Tribulation and underestimated even more the karmic obstacles he had accumulated from his past actions. All evil causes become evil consequences. Today is the time for retribution. ¡°Boom¡­¡± A violent thunderclap sounded from the Nine Heavens, causing the entire desert to shake violently. The thunder was like anger from the heavens, the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers'' indifferent expressions didn''t change a bit. Their Demon Subduing Pestles collided again, and thunder and lightning clustered on the Cross Array, forming a pillar of black and silver intertwined lightning. Looking at all this, Lin Da couldn''t help swearing again. His hand movement did not dare to slack off and quickly made a seal. All the ghost faces around him roared and clamored, spewing bursts of blood-red fog from their mouths. The fogs intertwined and mixed with each other, quickly forming a semi-transparent building that looked like a Buddha''s High Seat with three layers. Lin Da sat cross-legged in the center of the Buddhist hall, with his hands clasped together, reciting a mantra, presenting an aura reminiscent of Buddha''s high seat. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed through. The black and silver thunder pillar finally formed, crashing down from above the array, striking the top of the Buddhist hall. The treasure spire at the top of the Buddhist hall was the first to come in contact with the thunder and lightning, bursting apart with a loud explosion. Immediately after, the roof eaves of the top floor collapsed, beams flew horizontally, the roof tiles of the second floor took flight, columns shattered, until the eaves of the third floor were also completely reduced to ashes. Seated in the hall, Lin Da gave a low shout, forming a Buddhist Sect''s Lion Seal with his hands and slammed it toward the thunder and lightning in the sky. The aura around his body condensed into a gigantic red lion, that was tens of feet tall. It roared and soared into the sky, colliding with the thunderlight. In a brief stand-off, the lion was defeated, torn to pieces by the thunderlight, and Lin Da''s figure was then submerged in the two-colored thunderbolt. Ten breaths later, the thunder and lightning subsided, and Lin Da''s figure reappeared, still in his cross-legged position, without any visible external wounds. Only the Buddha''s light enveloping his body dimmed somewhat. However, if someone looked closely, they could see that the dimmed Buddha''s light had lost some of its dark red color but gained a bit of faint golden yellow hue. If he truly survived all the thunder tribulation, it was highly possible that he could cleanse his mortal realms and be reborn. To enter the immortal registry through the Ghost Path, this might truly be the ultimate path of the Hundred Ghosts Infused in Body Dao. Excitement flashed in Lin Da''s eyes, and he took out several elixirs with a dark gold luster and swallowed them without chewing. ¡°Ha ha¡­ ha ha¡­ ha ha!¡± After laughing maniacally, he looked around at the newly added corpses in the square and started manipulating hand seals again. With his arms swinging, the many ghost faces on his body started to absorb frantically, and the souls of those monks separated from their bodies and flew towards Lin Da in utter horror. The souls of these cultivators were far stronger than ordinary people. Their strengths brought significant benefits. Lin Da could replenish the toll of resisting the thunder tribulation using these benefits. Just as those souls were about to be swallowed by the ghost faces on Lin Da''s body, a Buddhist chant suddenly rang out. ¡°All living beings suffer, my Buddha is compassionate, Amitabha.¡± Accompanied by the resounding voice, a stone scripture pillar descended from the heavens, crashing down at the side of the square with a ¡°boom¡±. A figure appeared by its side, forming hand seals, enveloped by Buddha''s light, and that figure was none other than Bai Xiaotian. As the scripture pillar landed, its surface immediately lit up. Numerous golden words flew out, then scattered on the ground like pieces of stone, paving a golden highway that led to the square. ¡°It is the Rebirth Mantra¡­ you dare!¡± Lin Da recognized the content of the scripture at a glance, and he was immediately furious, ready to attack Bai Xiaotian. However, at that moment, the sound of thunder exploded in the sky again. The fifth thunder tribulation was about to fall. He had no choice but to focus his mind and look up to the sky with full concentration. Bai Xiaotian''s face was unusually solemn, reciting the spells swiftly, his hand seals changing accordingly. The ¡°Rebirth Road¡± paved by the golden text grew brighter. The souls being absorbed by the ghost faces as if sensing the existence of this rebirth road, suddenly moved toward it like lost children who had found their way home. One by one, they stepped onto the rebirth road. As they approached the scripture pillar, their expressions of fear faded away, replaced by a sense of tranquility. Their figures gradually faded in the golden light, bypassing the soul-hooking envoy''s guidance, and went directly to the Netherworld. Chapter 705 Chapter 705: Chapter 701: The Last Moment Chapter 705: Chapter 701: The Last Moment ¡°How dare you thwart my plans, seeking death!¡± At this moment, Baoshan let out a furious roar, wielded a Buddhist Convenient Shovel, and fiercely hurled it towards Bai Xiaotian. The edge of the Convenient Shovel emitted a radiant black light, and even before it got close, layers of half-arc light blades formed like ripples, chopping down towards Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian had to maintain the ¡°Path to Rebirth¡± from dispersing and was unable to deal with the attack; he could only summon a Golden Bell Artifact. ¡°Dong¡­.¡± With the sound of an ancient temple bell ringing, the Golden Bell Artifact floated above his head. A radiant golden light shone down, forming a large, gold bell phantom around him, whirring and spinning. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Golden Bell was also inscribed with tiny words, as small as grains of rice, carving the Buddhist Unmoving Ming King Mantra. ¡°Dong¡± roared a thunderous sound. The first layer of the half-arc light blade on the Convenient Shovel struck the Golden Bell illusion. Then a continuous ringing sound echoed, and layers of light blades fell on the Golden Bell illusion like a sudden storm. The Golden Bell illusion shook with tumultuous light, and the Golden Bell itself, suspended above Bai Xiaotian''s head, was also shaking. However, even amidst the tumultuous bell sound and the shaking bell, Bai Xiaotian''s heart remained unmoving, determined to purify all the remaining dark souls on the square. ¡°Boom¡± The body of the Convenient Shovel finally landed on the Golden Bell illusion, and the resounding noise rang throughout the Square. The Golden Bell illusion shattered in response, exploding into countless fragments of illusory light. Among the chaos, the last dark soul also dispersed on the Path of Rebirth. Bai Xiaotian was finally relieved. With a quick change of hand seals, he formed the Unmoving Ming King Seal. Only to hear a ¡°hum¡± sound, the Golden Bell itself radiated brightly. The shattered Golden Bell illusion dissipated, and a Ming King phantom emerged from it, as if Dharmform came into the world. It enveloped Bai Xiaotian, bursting out of dazzling golden light. Encountering the golden light, the Convenient Shovel was shaken back with a ¡°bang¡±. Bai Xiaotian stood up from where he was, retrieved the Sutra Banner, and took a step towards Baoshan. He lifted his palm and fiercely chopped down. The phantom of the Ming King outside his body also took a step forward, chopping down a hand-towards Baoshan. Seeing this, Baoshan forcefully spat out a mouthful of fresh blood onto the Convenient Shovel that had been knocked back. He made a hand seal and pointed forward. The Convenient Shovel reversed its trajectory like a flying sword and rapidly charged towards Bai Xiaotian again. As soon as the Convenient Shovel got stained with blood, it turned blood-red. A layer of blood flame surged on the surface and clashed with the giant palm of the Ming King. The blood flames somehow instantly broke through the Ming King''s palm and flew right towards Bai Xiaotian. Quickly retreating, Bai Xiaotian formed hand seals at a rapid speed, planning to intercept the Convenient Shovel. Unexpectedly, the already swift Convenient Shovel suddenly sped up, directly cutting through the Ming King''s chest, aiming straight for Bai Xiaotian''s heart. Bai Xiaotian''s chest robe was dyed by the blood flames and instantly turned to ashes, exposing his muscular chest. However, as soon as his chest was exposed, a golden light suddenly enveloped his body. His skin instantly turned golden as if it had been poured over with golden juice. ¡°Vajra Body Protection!¡± Bai Xiaotian shouted. This Vajra Body Protection was a secret self-defence method passed down in Hua Sheng Temple, which core disciples could not learn. With a ¡°clang¡±, the shovel smeared with blood flame seemed to hit on fine gold, and was ricocheted again. Seeing this, Baoshan was slightly surprised. His blood flame edges had always been invincible, no one below the same rank was able to block it, but he did not expect today to be caught by Bai Xiaotian with his physical skills. When he raised his hand to catch the convenient shovel, his eyes could not help but shrink. Seeing Bai Xiaotian, who was maintaining the form of Vajra, move extremely fast and after accelerating forward, he directly flew over like a sword, stepping on his convenient shovel and flew over together. Just as Baoshan was about to control the direction of the shovel, Bai Xiaotian stomped heavily on it. His figure was incredibly light, and he directly rushed into the sky, and then pressed down heavily on him like Mount Tai. Feeling the intense pressure, Baoshan couldn''t help but panic. He dared not receive the attack forcefully, but immediately recited a spell, lowered his body and shrank underground to escape. Bai Xiaotian''s pupils shrank, his fists turning into palms and slammed on the ground. A loud ¡°rumble¡±! With a swell of ripple-like air wave directly pouring down, the entire desert was shaken, and the ground suddenly sank to form a huge palm print that was a hundred feet wide. The sand dunes at the edge of the palm print suddenly bulged, a figure was sent flying out, it was Baoshan. Bai Xiaotian seemed to have calculated his position. Without waiting for him to fall, he was already one step ahead, waiting there, and he punched towards his heart, piercing straight through Baoshan''s chest. Baoshan''s eyes were wide, his face was full of shock, his physique jerked a few times, and then stopped moving. The color faded from his eyes, his eyeballs bulged out, and he died with his eyes wide open. Bai Xiaotian dropped his corpse, the golden glow on his body quickly receded, he exhaled a breath, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth and his ears, like small snakes wriggling out. The Vajra Body Protection technique was hard to practice, and he could maintain it for a very short time, so he was holding his breath just now to withstand the internal injuries, and barely made it to now. ¡°Shen Luo, Master Golden Cicada, please wait for me for a while¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian sat down cross-legged, swallowed an elixir, glanced at Chan''er first, and then looked at Shen Luo. At this point, the fight between Shen Luo and Dragon Altar had also reached a crucial instance. Reborn by Lin Da''s secret technique, the Dragon Altar''s mana was even stronger than before. He was covered in a layer of extremely sturdy black armor. Shen Luo had completely fallen into a disadvantage and was forced to retreat continuously. On the other side, Lin Da, after resisting two Thunder Tribulations, the seventh Thunder Tribulation was also coming down. The lead clouds in the sky were pitch black, the surroundings were extremely dark, and almost indistinguishable from night. There wasn''t a sound of wind in the void, other than the sounds of the human fights, no other sounds were heard. A silence, solemn and unsettling atmosphere was sweeping across. In the high sky, the cold expressions on the faces of the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers had suddenly changed slightly, revealing signs of anger. Lin Da looked at the dark clouds in the sky. It seemed that there were faint flashes of thunder, but there was no sound of thunder. This silence before the storm made him feel a bit nervous. ¡°It seems I need to act earlier.¡± he muttered under his breath. As he spoke, he waved his hand forward, with a burst of blood light in the center of his palm, a red blood flower spilled out and was suspended in the air without falling, and with another wave of his hand, he scattered them. Each drop of blood flower sprayed out, shot towards all directions, falling extremely fast onto the red light shield outside the Dharma Platform, entering smoothly without any hindrance. Some of the blood droplets fell accurately on the foreheads of the monks in the Dharma Platform. Of course, the monks knew that this wasn''t a good thing and tried to wipe it off. Yet, before their sleeves could touch the drops, the blood had already seeped into their flesh, leaving only a rouge-like mark on the center of their foreheads. Chapter 706 Chapter 706: Chapter 702: Reincarnation of the Golden Cicada Chapter 706: Chapter 702: Reincarnation of the Golden Cicada ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­¡± A thunderous rumble echoed from the high skies above, signaling the imminent descent of the seventh Thunder Tribulation! Lin Da''s brows were deeply furrowed, his expression solemn beyond measure. His hands rapidly formed seals, akin to the spinning of a Car Wheel in front of him. A glow started illuminating the Blood Crystal Lotus Platform beneath him. ¡°Endless creation, boundless benevolence.¡± With a low shout from his mouth, the ghost faces around him retreated one by one, becoming still and solidifying onto his body, their once vicious expressions now inanimate, like death masks. The Blood Crystal Lotus Platform beneath Lin Da began to rotate, emitting a radiant light. Delicate, bud-like crystal threads sprung forth, wriggling and twisting, extending in all directions, linking all the Dharma Platforms together. Each Dharma Platform heralded the emergence of blood-red runes that bounced up and down in the intertwined crystal threads, their eerie aura spreading across the square. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Master Tuo Lan was the first to notice the anomaly, exclaiming in surprise. He saw his robes billow as if caught in a nonexistent wind, a faint white brilliant light radiating from him suspended around him like countless fireflies. He was entirely enveloped in the light. ¡°What is this?¡± someone else exclaimed, struck by the same phenomenon. Not far from Master Tuo Lan, another Zen Master was similarly bathed in light. In no time, the entire higher platform of the square was almost entirely illuminated. Some were bathed in moonlight-like pale light, others radiated bright light as if a lamp, some sprinkled with Starlight, and some looked like a sun suspended in the sky with a disk forming behind them. Only Chan''er showed no signs of illumination. ¡°Huh, how could this be? Did I misjudge him?¡± Lin Da cast a glance at Chan''er, perplexed. ¡°So this is the manifestation of accumulated benevolence, unique to each individual.¡± Chan''er was advancing his gaze around, looking at everyone''s radiating light, and spoke with a hint of intrigue. At his words, everyone finally came to their senses ¨C the light shining from them was the benevolence they had accumulated over years of cultivation. ¡°You do have a discerning eye, yet unfortunately you''re good for nothing after all.¡± Lin Da was disappointed to see that Chan''er lacked benevolence, and retorted. Having said that, he no longer paid attention to the others. His hands joined together and he began reciting scriptures in a low voice. His posture was devout and earnest, and had it not been for all that had happened before, everyone might have believed him to be genuinely the most devout and focused amongst them. As the chant from his mouth echoed, Lin Da began to radiate, yet the light around him was reddish, brighter and more magnificent than anyone else''s. It slowly coalesced outside his body, forming a Bodhisattva image about thirty feet tall. The image bore some resemblance to Manjushri Bodhisattva, its expression compassionate, benevolently cherishing all sentient beings. As soon as the Bodhisattva image materialized, a white light suddenly flashed across the sky, illuminating the area within a hundred miles, and a deafening boom resounded, as if to explode a hole in the Vault of Heaven. A pure white bolt of lightning, like a waterfall from the Nine Heavens, fell from the sky, pouring down towards Lin Da. Lin Da raised his hand and pushed upwards, and the Bodhisattva''s phantom image mimicked the action, pushing its palm towards the sky. This massive palm acted like an umbrella, receiving the onslaught of the thunder and lightning on Lin Da''s behalf. However, the power of this Tribulation Lightning was beyond imagination. The moment it entered the palm of the Bodhisattva, it broke through, thousands of strands of electric currents falling intertwined, continuing towards Lin Da. Upon seeing this, Lin Da swiftly made another seal with his hands. The phantom image of the Bodhisattva lifted its other hand to shield against the onslaught, managing to block the lightning for the second time. However, the leftover branches of lightning spattered from within his palm onto the Bodhisattva''s illusory figure, just like sparks hitting muslin, instantly burning countless holes. This naturally caused extreme pain for Lin Da, who was in the middle of it all. Against the torrential gush of electric rivers, the two palms seemed like two small dams trying to stop a river, barely being able to resist and yet inevitably not able to escape their ultimate fate of being destroyed. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Lin Da could not just leave it like that, he lowly roared from his mouth, a burst of blood light surged from the center of his eyebrows, the blood crystal lotus platform beneath him radiated brightly, and all the blood colored lines connected to it also lit up one after another. For high monks on the dharma platform, they felt their eyebrows scalding hot, the merits embodied on the exterior of their bodies followed those blood crystal lines and flowed away one by one, gathering on the blood crystal lotus platform underneath Lin Da. In a flash, a brilliant light shone from the blood crystal lotus platform, right over the blood-red base color of the lotus petal, blurring into a layer of white light that enveloped it. The Bodhisattva''s illusory figure also had a layer of muslin-like monk''s robe condensed from white light around him. The lightning that fell on the muslin robe greatly reduced its might, and could not burn through the robe. Seeing this, joy flashed in Lin Da''s eyes as he hurriedly intensified the absorption of the high monks'' merits. High Monks like Master Tuo Lan were fine, as they were inherently virtuous and could support this for a moment; on the other hand, some Zen Masters with shallow foundations were quickly sucked dry of their merits, and their life forces also swiftly began to dwindle. Those Zen Masters, originally appearing middle-aged, saw their skin drying out rapidly, their eyebrows and beards growing quickly and turning white before ultimately falling off. Their bodies kept shrinking until finally only dry bones remained. Chan''er, who had not shown any proverbial merits, began to lose his vitality from the moment his eyebrows felt the burn. Not knowing what to do, he could only guard his spirit and chant the Heart Sutra. At this very moment, the relic on his chest suddenly emitted a golden shine, encompassing him. This rich light shone like the break of a new day, overshadowing all the high monks nearby. ¡°What is that¡­¡± Zen Master Tuo Lan exclaimed in shock. ¡°Is that merit? Why is it so majestic¡­¡± ¡°Impossible! How could it be¡­¡± Amidst everyone''s astonishment, a giant golden cicada avatar began to form behind Chan''er. ¡°The reincarnation of Jinchanzi, I was right! With you here, there is nothing to worry about crossing the tribulation. Hahaha¡­¡± Lin Da, seeing this, became exhilarated to the point of losing his composure. He had already speculated about Chan''er''s identity. When he was in the city, he wanted to take action against Chan''er, but it was disrupted by the Flower Fox, forcing him to chase and take action at the Mountain of Ash Seal. Later, when Lin Da found out that Chan''er had indeed catalyzed Zhan Guo, he firmly believed that Chan''er was the incarnation of Jinchanzi, and thus enticed Chan''er to participate in the Mahayana Dharma Assembly. ¡°With the reincarnated Jinchanzi here, the others are of no use. Hahaha¡­¡± Lin Da waved his hand, directly retracting his control over the other Dharma platforms. He reached out towards Chan''er, seizing him from his platform, suspending him in front of him. Chan''er was bathed in golden light with many memories of his past life appearing in his mind, his face was surprisingly calm. Lin Da clasped his hands into a magic spell, pulling the golden merit-Buddha''s light from him, it flowed atop the blood-colored lotus seat under him, painting it pure gold. Also, a layer of golden kasaya was condensed onto the illusory figure of the Bodhisattva. With this boundless merit serving as protection, the reflected golden light rocketed towards the skydome, interacting with the silver-lightning, both quickly dissolving into each other. The leaden clouds deep in the sky seemed to be consumed by the golden light, thinning down considerably. In the invisible space, the intent of Heavenly Dao to obliterate Lin Da had also weakened a few points. Chapter 707 Chapter 707: Chapter 703: Returning to Nothingness Chapter 707: Chapter 703: Returning to Nothingness ¡°Haha¡­ heaven aids me¡­ hahaha!¡± At this moment, Lin Da, feeling sure of victory, couldn''t help but burst into laughter. On the other side, Shen Luo was extremely anxious as he watched the many twists and turns unfolding here. However, the Dragon Altar was closing in on him step by step, leaving him no chance to leave and rescue Chan''er. ¡°Didn''t you want to save that little monk? I will let you watch with your own eyes as he takes the Heavenly Tribulation on behalf of his Master, and gets reduced to ashes! Enjoyable, enjoyable!¡± Seeing the situation at the Dharma platform, the Dragon Altar couldn''t help but become somewhat smug. After his declaration, he even stopped pressing his attack, instead standing beside solemnly, leisurely watching Shen Luo. The anxiety in Shen Luo''s eyes was clear for all to see. His gaze flitted between Chan''er and the Dragon Altar, as if he was considering whether or not to risk bypassing the Dragon Altar and rush over to save Chan''er directly. After a brief hesitation, Shen Luo moved. The Moonlight under his feet twinkled, his body shot out from the right side, heading straight for the Dharma Platform where Chan''er was. Upon seeing this, a smirk flashed across the Dragon Altar''s eyes. He had been waiting precisely for Shen Luo to take this gamble. The moment Shen Luo moved, the figure of the Dragon Altar disappeared from its original position. The next instant, it suddenly appeared in front of Shen Luo. A hand rushed out, from the palm of which countless thin black crystal threads emerged, piercing towards him like millions of steel needles. Shen Luo''s head glowed momentarily, the Eight Hanging Mirror once more casting a layer of light curtain, protecting him in the center. However, at the moment when the black crystal threads touched the light curtain, something strange happened: they actually pierced directly through the light curtain, stabbing towards Shen Luo''s chest. Caught off guard, Shen Luo was impaled by the crystal threads, immediately feeling a chill overtake his body. His own blood began to flow along the black crystal threads into the body of the Dragon Altar. At the same time, the black magic staff in the Dragon Altar''s hand pointed forward, touching the center of Shen Luo''s forehead. His spirit was violently shaken, his body swayed several times, and he stood still in his place. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian cried out in shock when he saw the situation. He no longer cared about continuing his recovery, but hurriedly rose into the air, flying towards Shen Luo. On the other side, Zhao Feiji also repelled his opponent and gave chase. However, halfway through their journey, they suddenly saw a light flash in Shen Luo''s right hand, and a flat vortex of water began to condense in the palm of his downward-facing hand. From the center of the vortex, a pink demonic energy was emerging, and then a huge pink sea cucumber flew out. With a pair of small green eyes rolling around, it suddenly opened its mouth and sprayed. A thick pink mist gushed out, spraying directly at the Dragon Altar. The latter reacted extremely quickly, immediately holding his breath and leaping back as soon as he saw this, creating a distance from Shen Luo. But at this moment, a flash of crimson sword light suddenly appeared, shooting straight for his forehead. The Dragon Altar looked at the swiftly approaching sword light. His vision suddenly blurred and his mind felt cloudy. He struggled to gather mana in his hands and swiped at the sword light, only to find that it distorted and couldn''t be hit. At this point, he realized that he had been poisoned, despite acting quickly before. The poison had spread through Shen Luo''s blood, entered his body through the black crystal threads in his palm, and had been drawn back. But understanding this now was already too late. The crimson sword light instantly pierced his forehead, and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire ignited within his Sea of knowledge. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After landing, the Sea Cucumber swiftly came to Shen Luo''s side, opened its mouth, and suddenly sucked at Shen Luo''s wound. It then spat to the side with a ¡°Pah¡±. ¡°It''s mixed with that guy''s Yin Cold poison, really disgusting.¡± Mao Chun said with some disgust. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Shen Luo, cupping his hands in gratitude after recovering. ¡°Heh, it''s this lord you have to rely on in critical times.¡± Mao Chun said, somewhat arrogantly. No sooner had his words landed, a thunderous ¡°rumble¡± echoed through the high sky, startling him. ¡°Ah, this place is so dry, hurry up and send this lord home.¡± Mao Chun shrinks his neck, nervously replied. ¡°Many thanks, I will send you home now,¡± Shen Luo swiftly waved his hand, using the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits to send him back home. Finally, Bai Xiaotian and Zhao Feiji arrived and joined Shen Luo, with the three heading towards the Dharma Platform where Chan''er was. On the other side, the three remaining Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar monks returned and blocked their path. ¡°We''ll stop them, you go to save Chan''er.¡± Bai Xiaotian ordered Shen Luo upon seeing this. Shen Luo nodded and went to the center of the plaza where he saw that the Eighth Heavenly Thunderbolt had already condensed into a cluster of golden lightning. Carrying a overwhelming righteousness, it smashed downward from the sky. Meanwhile, Lin Da was continuously drawing on the Buddha Light Merit from Chan''er, filling his own Bodhisattva Dharmakaya. Chan''er was still floating in the air with Lin Da, surrounded by a blood-colored light shield. She remained with her eyes closed, but her face had become deathly pale. ¡°Master Chan''er¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but cry out loudly. He controlled the Pure Yang Sword Embryo with both of his hands, with no more hesitation, he charged it towards Lin Da. ¡°No¡­¡± Lin Da was busy dealing with the Heavenly Tribulation. He glanced at this scene from the corner of his eyes and immediately became infuriated. At that moment, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo burnt the fiercest red flames yet. Once it pierced into the blood-colored light shield, it melted rapidly, like snow scorched by fire. The blood-colored light shield disappeared, and upon hearing Shen Luo''s call, Chan''er slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Empty visions return to oblivion¡­¡± Her eyes reflected the luminous color of colored glaze. The golden light radiating from her body began to retract rapidly, and the Golden Cicada''s shadow faded away too. Without the support of Chan''er''s merit, the figurative Bodhisattva around Lin Da shed off its golden body, blood and evil aura rampaging uncontrollably. The Eighth Thunder Tribulation that was about to fall sensed the change below. The thunderous sound intensified, the might of the divine thunder increased several times, causing the dark clouds in the sky to dispel a little, revealing a thunder pool overflowing with electricity. The scene caused Lin Da to panic, he no longer cared about catching Chan''er. He tried to control the other Dharma Platforms, using the remaining merits and lives of the many high monks to protect himself from this disaster. But then, a streak of black light suddenly rushed from a thousand feet away. Turning into a black lock chain engraved densely with charm patterns. It tied him and the Blood Crystal Lotus Platform together, suspending them was in mid-air. ¡°Who is it?¡± Lin Da was shocked and furious, his mana didn''t retract at all, emitting from his body in full force. It formed a bloody flame outside his body and fiercely burned the black chain. He was unable to melt it for the time being. The ominous divine might that had been suppressed for a long time could no longer be held back. It turned into a cascading thunder pool, washing over Lin Da. ¡°Roaring¡­¡± Within heaven and earth, no other sound could compare to the thunder at this moment. Hundreds of thunder points lashed out uncontrollably, relentless reigning down upon this waste land. Chapter 708 Chapter 708: Chapter 704: The Puppet Master Behind the Scenes Chapter 708: Chapter 704: The Puppet Master Behind the Scenes Shen Luo hastily took flight, rescuing Chan''er, while the surrounding Zen masters who had escaped from the trap also helped each other to flee. Everyone didn''t dare to stop until they had escaped a thousand feet away, where they looked back at the situation. Amidst the sky full of lightning, Lin Da''s body rapidly expanded, with a thick, black fog swirling around him. Ghostly faces detached from his body, resembling souls, shrouded in black ghost fog, and swirled unpredictably around him. ¡°No¡­¡± Lin Da screamed in despair. But the surrounding golden thunders didn''t stop at all, splitting the ghost faces into pieces, turning them into black smoke and completely dispersing them. On top of the sky, at the center of the thunder pool, a golden thunder pillar akin to the Pillar of Heaven pierced down, striking directly above Lin Da''s head. The dazzling golden light washed down like a torrential rain; his body was torn apart by the golden light in an instant, turning into ashes and vanished completely. Only a black crystal-like dragon eye pill was unaffected by the lightning, it flew out. The golden thunder pillar violently crashed onto the earth, the violent impact caused the vast desert to surge up with hundred feet sand waves. The unrelenting power seemed to pour directly into the earth veins, triggering a series of explosion sounds. ¡°Boom boom boom¡­rumble¡­¡± Under the vast desert, the explosions grew stronger by the moment. Like a string of pearls, they extended towards the depths of the desert, constantly blasting out sand waves on the ground. A hundred-feet-long ground fissure canyon emerged as a result. After an unknown amount of time, all the explosive sounds subsided. The dark clouds in the sky also disappeared with the end of the Thunder Tribulation. The remaining three people on the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar were dumbfounded. Coming back to their senses, they did not dare to stay and fled in all directions. Zhao Feiji and Bai Xiaotian didn''t bother to pursue them any further. Instead, they flew back towards Shen Luo. Halfway through, Zhao Feiji suddenly sensed something and spotted the black crystal pill half-buried in the desert. With a wave of his hand, he collected it. ¡°How are you all doing, are you okay?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. Shen Luo slowly set down Chan''er in his arms, shook his head, was about to speak but his expression suddenly changed. He turned his head towards the split canyon. At its end, a pitch black cave entrance about the size of a room abruptly appeared. It was surrounded by a sealing array formed by nine stone pillars. However, most of them were already broken. ¡°Rumble.¡± A muffled sound came from the depths of the black cave entrance. A thick black cloud suddenly spouted out from the ruptured seal like a fountain. This cloud of black Qi was very viscous and dense. It seemed heavier than water and smelt foul, emitting a gloomy Qi as it moved. Seeing such dramatic change, Shen Luo and the others were shocked and quickly dodged away. However, a middle-aged monk who was closer to the entrance and suffered serious injuries had a slower reaction. He failed to avoid it and the black Qi touched his legs. The skin of his legs immediately turned black and spread quickly upwards. The middle-aged monk let out a horrified scream, and his body emitted a bright golden light in an attempt to resist the invasion of the black Qi. But the black Qi didn''t stop, instead, the golden light was immediately swallowed up as soon as it touched the black Qi. The monk turned black all over in a flash. His screams became sharp, and his body swelled rapidly. Scales the size of copper coins grew on the surface of his body, shining black. Even more alarming, bloody demon-like bones grew on his hands and feet. In the blink of an eye, the Buddhist monk transformed into a colossal demonic being, over two to three stories tall. His eyes also turned blood red, without a trace of humanity left, causing everyone to shudder at the sight. All those present were terrified and stayed far away from the black Qi, as if it was a venomous snake or a scorpion, flying even further away. As Shen Luo was about to move back as well, from the corner of his eye he saw a figure not only refusing to retreat but, instead, flying straight towards the seal. He quickly made a move, waving his Profound Yellow Staff and launched an attack. A yellow shadow of the staff, like lightning, shot out towards that figure. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wherever the staff shadow went, waves rippled in the void, causing a horrifying hiss. The man uttered a surprised and doubtful grunt, flicked his sleeve, and a grey-white light shot out, transforming into a grey bone banner. The banner was entirely made of bones, it was unclear whether they were human or animal bones. They were covered in a layer of blurry black fog, with many grey-white runes appearing and disappearing from view. At the top of the bone banner, there were five human-shaped skulls. The tusks in their mouths were disorderly, and they emitted creepy chuckles that disturbed one''s mind and made the blood go into turmoil. The five skulls shrieked together. The black glow on the bone banner burgeoned and blocked the path of the Profound Yellow Staff. The two clashed with a huge bang. With a booming sound, the white bone banner that appeared to be exceedingly formidable in defense, shattered on impact. Large fragments of broken bones flew around like rain. There was a slight pause, and the Profound Yellow Staff continued to strike towards the black shadow. But at this moment, a black shadow swept past up ahead. A tall, black figure darted over; it was the transformed middle-aged monk, with both hands emitting a black light. Two black demonic claws, the size of millstones, appeared and grabbed the Profound Yellow Staff. With a muffled thump, the Profound Yellow Staff hit the middle-aged monk. His body exploded like the bone banner. However, the force of the Profound Yellow Staff was exhausted, and it ceased moving. That figure continued to shoot forward and landed where the seal had broken. Standing amidst the billowing black mist, its figure becoming visible, it was Zhan Guo. ¡°Zhan Guo, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo''s face was one of astonishment. Standing in the black mist, Zhan Guo was unfazed, and was not being eroded by the black mist at all. ¡°Did you set all of this up?¡± Shen Luo commanded, after seeing this scene. Zhan Guo ignored Shen Luo and formed a gesture with a straight face. Immediately, the majority of the black mist around him turned into giant black tendrils that moved like lightning and reached dozens of feet into the deeper parts, reaching for everyone present. The remaining bit of the mist rushed towards the seal, rapidly eroding the patterns on the seal. However, the spiritual light on the patterns was unusually strong. Although the black mist tried its best to infest it, there was no effect. Because everyone nearby had already retreated quite a distance, even though the black tendrils this time were swifter, they didn''t catch anyone. However, the bodies of those from the Dragon Altar, Baoshan, and others that were nearby were rolled up by the black tendrils and swallowed into the black mist. Shen Luo was also targeted by two black tendrils, sweeping towards him menacingly. But he didn''t care about those black tendrils; his gaze was fixed on the eroding seal. With a pale face, he brandished his Five-Fire Fan, causing a fire phoenix to fly out from the fan. The fire phoenix did not have the magnificent radiance that the five-colored phoenix emitted the previous time, but the spiritual pressure it emitted was much stronger¨Cso much so that a horrifying high temperature surrounded the fire phoenix. It clashed with the two black tendrils. As soon as the two black tendrils touched the fire-red phoenix, they immediately melted like ice encountering fire. The fire-red phoenix then spread its wings piercing through the black mist and headed straight for Zhan Guo. At the same time, Shen Luo threw out a handful of Thunderfall Talismans. A moment after these talismans flashed a light, they all broke apart. Bolts of lightning flashed in mid-air, and thick lightning bolts appeared out of thin air one after another. There were over a dozen of them, forming a thunder forest and all of them struck down towards Zhan Guo. They hit Zhan Guo''s body at almost the same time as the red phoenix did. Chapter 709 – 709 705 Half Chapter 709: Chapter 705: Half-Demon Chapter 709: Chapter 705: Half-Demon Boom! Boom! Boom! With a series of earth-shattering booms, the sun-like crimson light and blinding silver thunder completely submerged Zhan Guo''s body. The explosive sound of ripping fire and the roar of thunder intertwined, transforming the area of several dozen feet around into a sea of roaring fire and thunder, seemingly obliterating all the Black Qi. The onlookers from afar gasped in disbelief at this scene. Bai Xiaotian too, couldn''t help being amazed when he saw this. Although his cultivation was one realm higher than Shen Luo, when it came to attack methods and the ability to exhibit power in a short time, he still fell short. But at this moment, a cold snort emanated from the sea of thunder, and the ground shook vigorously. Streams of Black Qi, much more refined than before, spewed out and amazingly were unaffected by the surrounding fire and thunder. It rolled into a hideous black demonic head in the blink of an eye. The demonic head towered twenty or thirty feet high, with three horns protruding from its forehead. The majority of its skull was covered in layers of dark, scaly armor that made it look ferocious and horrifying. It had long tusks sticking out of its mouth and eyes glowing in dark red. With a single inhalation, the demonic head brought forth an astounding force of absorption, eagerly sucking in the surrounding thunder and fire. Zhan Guo''s figure emerged at the side of the black demonic head, but he looked quite different. His body had enlarged several times over, transforming into a giant that was forty to fifty feet tall. His skin had turned pitch black, and a layer of purplish-black scales had sprouted all over his body. It bore a striking resemblance to the middle-aged monk they''d seen earlier. Although Zhan Guo''s eyes were slightly red, they remained clear, not having lost their lucidity. A tide of demonic Qi was radiating from him, far exceeding the Nascent Soul Stage and comparable to the Great Mahayana Stage. The expressions of those around drastically changed upon seeing this scene. ¡°He intends to break the seal here and release the zhuo qi of earth here, even the demonic beings, into the Human World! We can''t let him succeed; the consequences would be unimaginable!¡± Shen Luo didn''t immediately take action but retreated, turning his head and shouting at the crowd in the distance. At this moment, Zhan Guo, transformed into a demon, was extremely formidable. Shen Luo couldn''t possibly handle him alone, unless he summoned his Dream Cultivation stage. But when the people in the distance heard his words, they only exchanged glances without responding to Shen Luo''s call immediately. Only Bai Xiaotian sped over to Shen Luo''s side. Apart from the ones from Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar, all the monks came from other Western Regions states. They had just been schemed against by Lin Da and barely escaped death, so, of course, wouldn''t be willing to take action now for the sake of Red Valley City. Some of the faint-hearted ones even began to retreat, intending to flee from this place. ¡°Demonic beings! The demonic beings from more than a hundred years ago are back!¡± Zen Master Tuo Lan cried out in alarm as he saw Zhan Guo''s transformation. ¡°Zen Master Tuo Lan, what are you talking about? The demonic beings from over a hundred years ago? Have we in the Western Regions ever encountered such demonic creatures?¡± A monk next to him asked urgently. ¡°Yes, we have. Many such demonic creatures appeared all of a sudden at the time, killing many people. Only when immortals descended from the Heavenly Court were they annihilated! We must kill him quickly, otherwise more demonic beings will appear and the entire Western Regions will be destroyed!¡± Pointing at Zhan Guo, Zen Master Tuo Lan cried out. A divine golden light shot out from him towards Zhan Guo. Given Zen Master Tuo Lan''s high prestige, many monks around him, seeing this, used their magical instruments and aimed at Zhan Guo. Shen Luo, delighted, swung the Five-Fire Fan in his hand vigorously; a red fire phoenix shot out once again, swooping towards Zhan Guo. Meanwhile, a flash of crimson sword light appeared in front of him, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo emerged. He grabbed it with five fingers and gave his wrist a shake; the Pure Yang Sword Embryo instantly transformed into dozens of crimson sword shadows and, like a mountain of swords, rolled towards Zhan Guo. Bai Xiaotian too flipped out the golden fan in his hand, which generated a deafening roar of golden winds. Immediately transforming into a golden tornado column dozens of feet high, it rollercoastered towards Zhan Guo, creating a terrifying momentum. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhan Guo, seeing this scene, intensified the black light on his body and waved his hands in incantation. The black demonic head opened its mouth wide once again, spewing a dense, ink-like black gas, forming a black gas wall, colliding with everyone''s attack. ¡°Boom!¡± A series of loud explosions sounded, everyone''s attacks were all pushed back, and a chilling power invaded, leaving everyone''s bodies half numb and their mana flow also became sluggish. A fair amount of black gas even adhered to some people''s magical instruments, whose spirituality fluctuated violently, as if being polluted by the black gas. The owners of the instruments hastily applied magic to dispel it, and it took quite a while to remove it. In contrast, the black gas wall just trembled slightly, and soon resumed its calm. ¡°Hum! You dare to resist the mighty fire of the Demon Clan with the strength of ants!¡± Zhan Guo sneered. Everyone present looked uncomfortable, each refining the invading cold power, not daring to attack again for a moment. ¡°Don''t be deceived by him. Zhan Guo has not fully become a demon. He is only using half-demon constitution to forcibly use demon Qi to block our attack. At this moment, his inner vitality is in chaos, he is just bluffing!¡± A voice sounded: it was Shen Luo who coldly rebuked. He stared at Zhan Guo, shadow of a snake pupiling emanated from each of his eyes, shooting out several inches of silver light. Zhan Guo''s face sank, turned to look at Shen Luo, his eyes flashed with a swift intent to kill. The others in the field, hearing Shen Luo''s words and seeing the change in Zhan Guo''s expression, suddenly realized and once again launched an attack. Various magical instruments and secret technique attacks dragged out long tails of light, and like shooting stars, blasted towards Zhan Guo, emitting shrill shrieks, even more fierce than the first wave of attacks. Zhan Guo''s face was gloomy, the purple-black demon patterns on his body shone brilliantly, and his hands rapidly formed incantations like a spinning wheel. The surrounding black gas wall rolled tumultuously, confronting the attacks from everyone. After a series of loud noises, everyone''s attack was again repelled, but the black gas wall also rolled violently, clearly struggling to hold up. Meanwhile, Zhan Guo''s body also shook violently, but he didn''t stop, continuing to form incantations, stabilizing the black gas wall. ¡°Everyone, the demon can''t hold on anymore, let''s push harder!¡± Bai Xiaotian shouted loudly, spewing out a clump of golden light and infusing it into the golden folding fan. The golden folding fan glowed with a multitude of Buddha images, a Vajra Buddha flew out from the surface of the fan, charging towards Zhan Guo with a formidable presence. Although the momentum of this vajra Buddha was much smaller than the previous golden whirlwind, it emanated an exceptionally heavy power. Wherever it passed, the void made a low humming sound. With both hands forming the Vajra Seal, the previous Sutra Banner emerged again, crashing down on the black gas wall amid the surging golden light. To conserve mana, Shen Luo did not activate the Five-Fire Fan again, but instead circulated the Pure Yang Sword Technique. A flash of red light appeared on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, clusters of Red Lotus Karmic Fire emerged, covering the sword body, and in an instant, the whole sword turned into a flaming sword. Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, the sword emitted a loud whistling sound, a mountain of flaming swords appeared, slashing on the black gas wall. And the others present on the scene, also launched even more powerful attacks that hit the black gas wall. Chapter 710 Chapter 710: Chapter 706: Delay Chapter 710: Chapter 706: Delay Under the heavy onslaught of everyone, the black Qi wall trembles violently, quickly thinning and about to shatter. While spurring the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to attack, Shen Luo narrows his eyes at Zhan Guo. He senses something off about Zhan Guo who has been standing still, enduring everyone''s attacks with his demonic Qi alone. With his strength at the Great Mahayana stage, wouldn''t it be to his advantage to dodge and fight? ¡°Could he be planning something else?¡± A bright silvery light flares up in Shen Luo''s eyes as he looks at Zhan Guo''s feet. His expression changes instantly. Case in point, faint streams of black and red light are seeping up from the ground, continuously merging into Zhan Guo''s feet and spreading throughout his body. These black and red lights were extremely thin, and if it wasn''t for his Kui Snake Pupil Power, Shen Luo wouldn''t have noticed it. Shen Luo focused his sight intensely and quickly discerned the changes in Zhan Guo''s body as these black and red lights entered it. The black and red light fused directly with the mana inside Zhan Guo. His mana instantly transformed at a high speed, quickly tainted by demonic Qi, becoming a sort of cold energy. His overall mana also rapidly increased. ¡°Everyone, break this Qi wall as quickly as possible! Zhan Guo is stalling for time and absorbing demonic Qi to boost his strength!¡± Shen Luo was startled and immediately warned everyone out loud. Simultaneously, he ceased to conserve his mana and took out the Five-Fire Fan, flipping it open in his hand. Upon hearing Shen Luo, everyone else became more serious and intensified their attacks. Zhan Guo turned sharply and looked over as he heard Shen Luo''s shout. A flash of fierceness crossed his eyes, soon replaced by a mocking smile. He extended his right hand towards the front. Five streaks of blood-red light shot from his fingertips and penetrated the black demon head. A trace of blood-colored light emerged in the eyes of the giant black demon head. Its mouth once again opened wide, and seven or eight black shadows shot out, piercing through the black Qi wall, and pounced towards everyone at lightning speeds. These were the corpses that had been swept away by the black tendrils. These people were now alive again, their broken bodies having been fully restored. However, there were some drastic changes in their appearance. Their skin was now covered in faint black spirit patterns, and a layer of purple-black scales had sprouted on their arms and thighs, intermittently flashing an eerie light. Their eyes were dull, and low beast-like growls could be heard emanating from their mouths. Clearly devoid of any sense, they had even lost the ability to speak, much like the middle-aged monk they encountered before. While these people hadn''t become larger, their speeds were astonishing, described aptly by ''as fast as lightning''. In a blink of an eye, they were already near the Western Region monks, many of whom had yet to react. ¡°Watch out!¡± Shen Luo quickly formed a hand seal. The SeSuppressing Bead emerged on his side with a flash of blue light. Simultaneously, a large wall of water condensed out of nowhere in mid-air, blocking the demonized men. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon seeing the wall, the demonized men let out a low growl as black light surged in their hands. With a few tearing sounds, the wall of water was easily torn apart. Shen Luo sighed inwardly. The Western Regions were vast and filled with yellow sand, with very little water. Even with the help of the SeSuppressing Bead, the power of a water-based spell was still lacking. Although the water wall was instantly destroyed, it still delayed the demonized men for a moment. The other cultivators quickly reacted and began fighting with these demonized men. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief internally. However, just at this moment, a harsh wind rose in front of him, and a dark silhouette appeared nearly instantaneously, its two dark demonic claws aiming for Shen Luo''s chest, striking as fast as two bolts of black lightning. Fortunately, with his vastly improved vision, Shen Luo was barely able to detect a trace of movement just as the dark figure struck. The Moonlight Glamour erupted under his feet, swiftly retreating as he narrowly evaded the dark figure''s attack. Only now was he able to clearly see that this dark figure was Dragon Altar. The immense demonic Qi fluctuations erupting from him had reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, just a step away from the Great Mahayana stage. A shrill scream echoed from nearby as an Nascent Soul cultivator was pierced through by the hands of another black figure. The dark figure was Baoshan, emanating powerful fluctuations of Qi, indicating a reach to the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. Suddenly, Baoshan ripped the monk''s body into two with his hands, scattering entrails and a shower of blood from mid-air, terrifying everyone nearby. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense sensed this scene and a chill went through his heart, prompting him to retreat hastily. At that moment, the corners of the Dragon Altar''s mouth curled into a smug smile as its feet stomped the ground. A cracking sound echoed from its bones as its figure blurred and disappeared out of thin air. Shen Luo saw this and immediately concentrated his Divine Sense to find its location, but he was unable to locate the Dragon Altar as if it had vanished suddenly. ¡°What kind of divine power is this? It can actually dodge the detection of my Divine Sense!¡± A chill ran down his spine, and he swiftly summoned the Eight Hanging Mirror to hover above his head. The reflection on the mirror flickered and cast a bright light downwards, forming a blue light curtain that looked like eight mirrors surrounding him. On each light curtain, a unique spirit pattern bloomed, emitting powerful spiritual power fluctuations. Just as the blue light curtain took form, a black aura emerged at his back. The Dragon Altar''s figure appeared out of nowhere with two fists covered in black scales, smashing down fiercely. Shen Luo didn''t turn back, but his Divine Sense instantly sensed everything behind him and poured more Mana into the Eight Hanging Mirror. An ancient rune surfaced on the face of the treasure mirror, and the illumination glowed golden. The radiant golden light reflected downwards and transformed the blue light screen into a golden one. The spirit patterns on it writhed and morphed into eight revered beasts of Mountain Suppression, amplifying the defensive power of the Eight Hanging Mirror. Two loud ¡°bang¡± noises echoed, and the golden light curtain quivered violently with the Eight Hanging Mirrors humming. Inside the light screen, Shen Luo felt the incoming tremendous force and was swept away. Despite the golden light screen safeguarding him, he felt a prickling numbness on his back. His body momentarily lost control which sent a chill down his spine. The Eight Hanging Mirror was one of the top-grade defensive magical instruments, which couldn''t even withstand the brute strength of the dragon altar''s fists. It made him wonder how much the strength of the demon-possessed Dragon Altar had increased. The Dragon Altar, following its attack, vanished again in a flash of black light, only to materialize next to Shen Luo again the next moment, brandishing its fists down once more, giving him no time to react at all. A loud ¡°bang¡± echoed! Shen Luo was struck flying again, this time sustaining a greater impact. The consolidated Mana in his body was shattered by the powerful fist force, causing the golden light curtain to dim momentarily. The Dragon Altar let out a beast-like, excited roar and its body bent and twisted bizarrely- elongating as it swiftly closed in behind Shen Luo, its fists thundering out towards his back. An ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, facing such an attack as swift as lightning, would have certainly met a disaster. Shen Luo, however, had a wealth of experience in combat. After being struck twice, he barely managed to seize an opportunity. His feet emitted the glow of Moonlight Glamour and his body shot forwards, barely distancing himself from the Dragon Altar, causing the Dragon Altar to miss his attack. At the same time, he waved his sleeve. A burst of purple light shot out, transforming into a giant purple pearl about a foot wide, which acted as a shield behind him. It was the purple bead that was seized from the demon wind. The Dragon Altar''s fists struck the giant purple pearl, causing two loud ¡°thud¡± noises. The purple bead shook violently and flew backwards. However, the purple clouds inside the bead churned violently, exuding a powerful suction force that swallowed up the Dragon Altar''s fist power abruptly. As the pearl stabilized, no force penetrated to Shen Luo''s body. Chapter 711 Chapter 711: Chapter 707: The Injustice of Heaven and Earth Chapter 711: Chapter 707: The Injustice of Heaven and Earth Shen Luo''s eyes lit up, seemingly shocked by the astonishing defensive power of the purple giant pearl, which could even absorb the opponent''s attack. He had attempted several times after obtaining this purple bead, yet this absorption scenario never happened. It was the first time it was happening now. ¡°Could it be that this pearl can only absorb the attack of demonic Qi?¡± He speculated internally. However, his actions weren''t slowed down due to this. He immediately maneuvered the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. With a snap of his fingers, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo transformed into a sword mountain, ruthlessly charging towards the Dragon Altar. The Dragon Altar''s lifeless face showed an emotional ripple, seemingly wary of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. It turned into an afterimage and disappeared again. With the protection of the purple giant pearl, Shen Luo was no longer completely disadvantaged. He began to stand off against the Dragon Seat. But the demonized Dragon Altar was astonishingly powerful, and also possessed a technique that could conceal his movements. Shen Luo could only barely maintain his undefeated status, and he was unable to divert his attention to deal with Zhan Guo. As for the others, the demonized men were incredibly powerful. Despite their number being only seven to eight, they still held up everyone here. Meanwhile, Baoshan was facing off against Bai Xiaotian, Master Tuo Lan, and another monk in the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, holding the upper hand despite being outnumbered. With nobody to obstruct Zhan Guo, he sped up the absorption of the demonic Qi from the underworld, his strength escalated rapidly, and soon reached the Mahayana Middle stage. The black Demon Head beside him also grew quite a bit larger, and the hollow eyes started to show some signs of liveliness, as if it was coming to life. ¡°Amitabha! Benefactor Zhan Guo, are you indeed determined to fall into the demonic path and commit this world-ending evil?'' The young monk Chan''er, who had been standing far away, suddenly stepped forward, chanted a Buddha''s name and asked. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, do not draw near that man!¡± Seeing Chan''er step forward suddenly, Bai Xiaotian cried out in alarm, attempting to move backwards. However, restrained by the powerful Baoshan, his attempts to retreat were repeatedly thwarted. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo''s expression also changed. His right hand made a seal, and a cluster of red light shone from his fingertip. The light of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo drastically increased, creating a downpour of sword rain, pushing the Dragon Altar to a distance. Taking this opportunity, his left hand summoned a stream of water, performing the Art of Spirit Communication at an inconceivable speed. A red shadow shot out from the Water Hole, which was none other than the vampire he had just tamed. ¡°Go protect the little monk below.¡± Shen Luo conveyed to the vampire. The vampire acknowledged and disappeared from the spot in a flash. These series of spells were cast extraordinarily quick, most were oblivious to the vampire''s existence. ¡°Why? I once faithfully believed in the righteousness of heaven, but what is the result? My innocent wife, my son, all died tragically! The murderer received his just deserts, how unjust! Is there anything more absurd in this world?¡± Zhan Guo burst out laughing. Chan''er remained silent, having nothing to say about Zhan Guo''s tragic circumstances. ¡°Since heaven and earth are so unjust, I''d rather fall into the demonic path and resist till the end!¡± Zhan Guo''s laughter abruptly stopped. His dark red eyes stared at Chan''er, and he spoke in a cold voice. ¡°Benefactor''s tragic circumstance, I can commiserate. But this act of yours isn''t resistance, it''s merely cathartic rage.¡± Chan''er calmly stated. ¡°Cathartic rage? Right, I want to vent my rage! Since heaven and earth are so unfair to me, I want all people to experience the feeling of losing their spouse and children!¡± Zhan Guo''s face was filled with resentment and bitterness, it sent shivers down one''s spine. ¡°Amitabha.¡± Chan''er showed a sighing expression, softly chanting a Buddha''s name. ¡°Moreover, you monk, claiming to be righteous, do you realize that today''s predicament was caused by you!¡± Zhan Guo''s face showed a shade of mockery. As these words were uttered, the astonished expressions surfaced on the faces of those nearby. ¡°What is the benefactor''s meaning by saying this?¡± Chan''er also looked surprised. ¡°I''ve fallen into the Demonic Path, my body has absorbed too much Earthly turbid Qi. For the most part of each day, my mind is in a state of frenzied madness. Although I barely managed to set up a plan to use the power of Lin Da''s Tribulation to blast open the seal connecting to the Underworld, my mind was unclear and I wasn''t confident of carrying it out successfully! But you used the Buddha Dharma to resolve the recoil of the turbid Qi in my body, allowing me to return to normal and successfully complete all this. To put it simply, I should thank you! Hahaha!¡± Zhan Guo burst into hearty laughter, appearing extremely satisfied. The people around were stunned, and the gazes directed towards Chan''er were filled with blame. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt worried. Although Chan''er was the reincarnation of Golden Cicada, he was still just a child, fearing that he would take a serious hit facing such reality. He once again forced back Dragon Altar with his sword, his eyes turned towards Chan''er. Contrary to Shen Luo''s expectation, Chan''er stayed silent, but did not show any signs of regret. ¡°You caused everything that is happening now! The entire Red Valley City, the Black Chicken Kingdom, even the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions are now on the verge of becoming a purgatory. Are you saying you don''t feel any regret?¡± Seeing Chan''er in this state, Zhan Guo seemed surprised. He asked in a cold taunting tone. ¡°As a little monk, I used Dharma to save you, it was just an act of compassion from the Buddhist Sect. There is nothing to regret. As for your actions now, as a monk, I will do my best to stop you even if it costs me my life.¡± Chan''er spoke softly, then sat down cross-legged and began chanting Buddha''s scripture. ¡°You''re going to stop me no matter the cost? Well then, let me send you on your way to meet Buddha in the Western Paradise!¡± Zhan Guo''s face changed back and forth between somber and bright. He quickly gave a cold snort, then spread his arms. A monstrous demonic Qi, mixed with black Yin wind, exploded from him in an instant. The astonishing aura, as dark as pressing clouds, charged towards Chan''er. ¡°Master Golden Cicada!¡± Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian was about to ignore everything and fly over to rescue him. A red shadow flashed behind Chan''er, a vampire emerged and reached out to pick Chan''er up and retreat. However, at that moment, a Buddha''s light in golden color emanated from Chan''er. The Buddhist beads on his wrist sprayed out golden rays of light and several Buddhist Mantras, which were rapidly rotating. The golden light on Chan''er''s body, as if stimulated, quickly brightened until it was resplendent and dazzling. Among the boundless Buddha''s light, an illusion of Buddha emerged, it was the Golden Cicada Dharmform that had been manifested before. In the empty surrounding space, the sound of Sanskrit chanting began to echo, growing louder and louder until it reverberated between Heaven and Earth! An overwhelming Buddha force seeped out, resisting the overwhelming demonic Qi. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The vampire was also affected by this overwhelming Buddha force. Like a leaf in the autumn wind, with no power to resist it, it was thrown back. ¡°Buddha Dharma Image!¡± Zhan Guo frowned slightly, and after a moment of hesitation, bit his tongue. A mouthful of essence blood spurted from his mouth and merged into the black demon head. He immediately began chanting a bizarre curse. Although the voice of the spell was not loud, it was extremely uncomfortable to the ears as if a demon was humming. In the hollow eyes of the black demon head, two balls of blood light shone, looking like two blood-red eyeballs. The originally lifeless demon head burst to life as if it had gained life. It raised its head and let out an excited roar, as if it had broken free from the shackles it had been trapped in for hundreds of years and resurfaced in this world. The aura of the demon head did not become much stronger, but a denser and stronger murderous intent surged from its body, as if it harbored resentment against all things in the world and wished to destroy everything. Feeling such a horrifying murderous intent, the people in the distance looked in its direction with great fear. Chapter 712 Chapter 712: Chapter 708: Unexpected Joy Chapter 712: Chapter 708: Unexpected Joy After the black demon head roared towards the sky, it immediately calmed down, staring at Chan''er with bloodshot eyes, its mouth opened, spewing out a black light with a dark aura, shooting towards the Golden Cicada Dharmform. Compared with the surging golden glow around it, this strand of black light was insignificant, as if it were a grain in the vast ocean. However, even amid the pervasive golden light and layers of Buddhist power, this strand of black light tenaciously survived, flashing momentarily before stabbing into the center of the Golden Cicada Dharmform''s brow. The forehead of the Golden Cicada Dharmform was immediately tainted with a layer of blackness that quickly spread outward. The originally compassionate Dharmform''s face became violent and increasingly ferocious. And the Sanskrit chant sound that rang across the void abruptly stopped. The once tumultuous world became quiet in an instant, and Chan''er''s little face showed traces of pain while the golden light on her body decayed rapidly. Just at the critical moment, a cluster of golden light suddenly emanated from Chan''er''s chest ¡ª the relic. With a flash, it merged into the Golden Cicada Dharmform. The Golden Cicada Dharmform, just as if it had devoured a powerful restorative, instantly grew many times larger, and the blackness on its face was quickly driven away. The Sanskrit chant sound in the void resumed. As the golden lights flickered, the originally vague appearance of the Golden Cicada Dharmform swiftly became clear. This Buddha was entirely golden, with long eyebrows, emitting a golden glow, adorned with a bright cinnabar mark at the brow, spiritedly soothing eyes, and a smiling face that exuded a sense of extreme kindness and benevolence. Just looking at this Dharmform, everyone unconsciously developed unyielding willpower and infinite confidence, as if no difficulty could stand in their way. Brilliant golden light blossomed from the Golden Cicada Dharmform, dazzling like an eastern sunrise, enveloping the entire auction hall, and even the clouds in the sky were rimmed with gold. The demonic Qi gushing out from the underworld, stretching and snarling, started to dissipate rapidly as if it had encountered its nemesis. And the demonized men in the distance, who were also exposed to the golden light, had their demonic Qi dissipated, resulting in shrill screams as they fled in all directions. The Dragon Altar in the distance was no exception for its demonic Qi was also scattered, and after a sharp roar, it flickered and vanished. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with silver light, as he took out a Thunderfall Talisman and crushed it with one hand, while the other hand pointed into the void. With a crack of thunder, a huge silver electric arc descended from the sky, striking a nondescript spot several yards away ¡ª precisely the point toward which his finger was directed. The sound of thunder crackled, and a dark silhouette stumbled out, revealing itself to be the Dragon Altar. Since the fight started, the Dragon Altar''s movements were strange, but Shen Luo with his striking vision and strong Divine Sense, had gradually noticed the regularities in its tactics. After using the Thunderfall Talisman, Shen Luo''s feet emitted the Moonlight Glamour and vanished instantly. The next moment, he reappeared next to the Dragon Altar, almost simultaneously as the Dragon Altar appeared. With the Five-Fire Fan in his hand already blazing with a red glow, he swung it fiercely towards the Dragon Altar. A soaring red light erupted from the Five-Fire Fan, and a fire phoenix, several yards in size, burst out of the fan, spreading its wings towards the Dragon Altar within reach. However, the Dragon Altar also reacted quickly, stabilizing its figure with a flicker, swinging both hands out hastily. A large patch of black and red demonic Qi gushed out of its body, forming a curtain of black and red light around its body just before the fire phoenix lunged. The phosphorescent blood-colored lights that flashed within the light curtain resembled blood-colored lightning, creating an incredibly uncanny sight. Having done this, the Dragon Altar''s breath rapidly declined, evidently, the black and red demonic Qi was not ordinary, likely involving its primal force. The fiery red phoenix colliding with the black and red light curtain resulted in a thunderous explosion. A cold smile appeared on Shen Luo''s face as he raised his hand to cast a blue light, striking the black and red light curtain. ¡°Take!¡± he muttered. A golden shadow flashed on him, and the fiercely struggling black and red light curtain suddenly disappeared into thin air. Without an opponent, the fiery red phoenix continued to soar forward. Shocked, the Dragon Altar''s ash-colored eyes clouded over, but before it could do anything, the fiery red phoenix slammed into it. A deafening explosion echoed as a mysterious red halo, constantly emanating red runes, suddenly emerged, engulfing the Dragon Altar. The red halo didn''t seem particularly dazzling, but it exuded a great spiritual pressure and high temperature that almost made people gasp for air, causing nearby void to tremble. But at this moment, a dark figure shot out of the red halo. It was the Dragon Altar, with half of his body burned to a charred black and his right arm completely burnt off. Despite this, his speed did not seem to suffer much, still moving quickly away like a flash of lightning. However, Shen Luo had already stationed himself outside the red halo; he pulled out the Profound Yellow Staff. Seeing the Dragon Altar spring out, he swung the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, causing a great surge of yellow light, directly smashing down on the Dragon Altar. A vast force engulfed it first, causing the void around the Dragon Altar to emit a shrill sound of compression. The figure of the Dragon Altar instantly sank, as if trapped in a quagmire, with its speed substantially slowed. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He abruptly raised his head, with the intact left hand radiating a wild black light, and a large release of Demonic Qi, hitting violently upward. A pitch-black fist shadow burst skyward from thin air, emitting a piercing shriek, and violently collided with the yellow staff shadow. A earth-shattering bang! The black Qi wave and the yellow light interspersed, but the power of the two was vastly unequal. The black fist shadow flickered and disintegrated, while the yellow staff shadow remained unmoving, continuing to fall. The Dragon Altar let out a low roar, and quickly bent his knees. He raised his remaining left arm, with a surging black Qi above it, and stalled the yellow staff shadow with the stance of ¡°Overlord''s Resistance¡±. With a ¡°bang¡±, the left arm of the Dragon Altar exploded directly, and his body fell like a meteorite from mid-air, crashing into the ground and leaving a large pit. At the center of the large pit, half of the Dragon Altar''s body was embedded in the ground, up to his chest. Yet even so, it seemed that the Dragon Altar was unharmed. The black light on his body surged wildly, quickly spreading around and causing the nearby dirt to be swept up. He jumped up from the ground, and his body rolled with Demonic Qi, disappearing with a flash. ¡°He''s fine after all that?¡± Shen Luo''s face showed a look of surprise, then his eyes released a brilliant silver light. He glanced around and immediately crushed a Thunderfall Talisman in his hand. In mid-air, a flash of lightning emerged and thick silver Thunder and Lightning fell from the sky, striking another void twenty zhang away. ¡°Boom¡± Countless silver electric arcs exploded and spread around. A mass of black light was torn apart by the lightning, revealing the staggered figure of the Dragon Altar. The black and red meat buds on its broken arm swelled crazily, and not a small amount of both arms had already regrown. Shen Luo''s heart shuddered. Without thinking, he held up the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, exerting force to throw it forward. All sixteen prohibitions on the Profound Yellow Staff emerged, and the staff itself burst forth a blinding yellow light, causing a shrill sound as it cut through the void. The Dragon Altar let out a low growl and moved to dodge. However, next to his feet, a movement in the void revealed the figure of the Vampire. Both of its bloodied claws left two bloody trails, catching the Dragon Altar''s feet. With a ¡°shriek¡±, two deep wounds were cut into the Dragon Altar''s feet, almost separating them from his body. His imminent evasion was temporarily halted. Just at this moment, the Profound Yellow Staff flew and struck the Dragon Altar. The weight of the Profound Yellow Staff, combined with the power of the sixteen prohibitions, turned this staff into an all-conquering sword. With a ¡°putt¡±, it pierced through the Dragon Altar''s chest, nailing him to the ground. Shen Luo then immediately gave a great rise in the moonlight glamour around his feet, flashed beside the Dragon Altar, grasped the Profound Yellow Staff with both hands and turned it, using the Splashy Chaotic Stick. The Splashy Chaotic Stick is but a God''s Power. Although he currently cultivates the Nameless Cultivation Technique, he could still attempt to use this staff technique of God''s Power. Just as he began to execute this technique, a massive drawing force emanated from the Profound Yellow Staff, surprisingly almost sucking away half of the Mana in his body. Shen Luo was so frightened that he almost threw away the Profound Yellow Staff. Fortunately, the Splashy Chaotic Stick also demonstrated formidable power; two staff shadows emerged and enveloped the body of the Dragon Altar, swiftly shearing towards the middle like a pair of scissors. The Dragon Altar, originally unbreakable and seemingly invincible regardless of the attacks it faced, suddenly turned fragile at this moment. Enveloped by the two staff shadows, it transformed into countless exploding fragments, completely falling apart. Seeing this, joy filled Shen Luo''s eyes. Although with his current cultivation level, it was a strain to execute the Splashy Chaotic Stick, the power of this staff technique amazed him. Chapter 713 Chapter 713: Chapter 709 Vajra Demon Breaking Chapter 713: Chapter 709 Vajra Demon Breaking The exchange between Shen Luo and the Dragon Altar was complex, but ended within a few breaths, which greatly shocked Bai Xiaotian and Master Mo Ye who were watching from afar. Keep in mind, they had barely held off the Demonized Baoshan Chan Master when they combined forces. To their surprise, Shen Luo had promptly slain the Dragon Altar by himself. With a slightly labored breath, Shen Luo gestured, and from the wreckage of the Dragon Altar''s corpse, a silver light flew out, revealing a silver ring. Without a glance, he stowed it away, popping a Restoration Pill and with a flash of his body, he went hurtling towards Chan''er while the vampire disappeared in a blink. Zhan Guo paid no attention to the downfall of the Dragon Altar but stared at the enormous Dharmform surrounding Chan''er. The splendid golden light shone on him, and the Demonic Qi within his body began to dissipate rapidly. Much of the ruthless look in his gaze faded, replaced by a trace of bewilderment. Upon seeing Zhan Guo looking like this, the black Demon Head''s face flickered with a touch of irritation, but quickly disappeared. Suddenly, its gaze fixed on Chan''er as its eyes radiated a bloody light. With a gaping mouth, the Demon Head spit out a large amount of blood-red light threads, engulfing Chan''er. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sheer number of these strands was stunning, akin to a rolling dark tide, accompanied by a piercing whizzing sound. ¡°Master Golden Cicada!¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed upon witnessing this scene. Just as Chan''er''s Dharmform''s golden light sent the demonized Baoshan fleeing, Bai Xiaotian disentangled himself from the fight and shot towards Chan''er like lightning. Yet he was too far away from Chan''er, and clearly wouldn''t make it in time to help. At this moment, Shen Luo materialized before Chan''er and conjured up the Eight Hanging Mirror, encapsulating both of them in a golden light shield. Moreover, a blue light flickered beside him, and the SeSuppressing Bead surfaced, emanating a bright blue light. It transformed into a blue light screen, forming a second layer of defense. Considering the formidable force of the blood light strands, Shen Luo wouldn''t be careless; subsequently, he took out a tremendous purple bead, which grew in size almost instantly to shield them, establishing a third layer of defense. Before Shen Luo could do more, the blood-red strands made contact with the golden light shield created by the Eight Hanging Mirror. Amidst a symphony of impact sounds, the golden light shield quickly transformed into a deep red hue-as though corrupted-allowing the subsequent strands to penetrate it effortlessly, which then struck the second defense formed by the SeSuppressing Bead. Similar to the previous scenario, the blue light screen created by the SeSuppressing Bead was also promptly stained red, and the following light strands of blood easily broke through it. Despite significantly reducing the number of blood-red strands after breaching the two initial defenses, a sizable patch of strands continued their onslaught, carpeting the huge purple bead. The sequence of events happened swiftly, leaving Shen Luo, who only just processed what was happening, in shock. ¡°This is the Depraved Demonic Light of the Demon Clan! Hurry, retract your magical bead! Resist with your ordinary instrument instead. If the Depraved Demonic Light hits directly, any artifacts will be completely ruined!¡± A frantic voice radiated from Chan''er''s Buddhist beads and reverberated in Shen Luo''s ear. Shen Luo knew that this Buddhist bead used to be owned by Jinchanzi and was greatly knowledgeable. He was about to retract the purple bead when he ran out of time. A large group of blood-red strands brutally struck the purple bead, melting into it, and started to corrode from inside. The bright purple glow from the bead dimmed instantly. Anxious, Shen Luo reached out to his Linlang Ring, intending to activate the divine power of the Heavenly Book, disregarding the consumption of his Mana to retract these strands of blood light. However, at that moment, the purple clouds inside the purple bead churned again, drawing in all of the bloody strands, akin to a whale sucking in water. The purple cloud seemed to be nourished, and not only did it grow larger, there was a faint light on the cracks of the bead, seeming to mend some of the damage. This time, the black demon head was taken by surprise. He glanced at the purple big bead with a touch of annoyance flashing in his pupils. Shen Luo was overjoyed, but he did not dare to compete with this peculiar demon head relying solely on the bead. He jumped backward, at the same time emitting a blue light to try to lift Chan''er and retreat together. But at this moment, Chan''er''s body suddenly became extremely heavy, and he felt like he was trying to lift a mountain. His mana was like a dragonfly trying to shake a column ¨C it couldn''t make Chan''er budge an inch. ¡°What''s going on?¡± He felt a sinking feeling in his heart, so he sent forth his divine sense to scan the surroundings and investigate if there had been any other accidents. Unexpectedly, there were no abnormalities in the surroundings. At this moment, the golden cicada dharmform around Chan''er suddenly let out a huge howl, enveloping Chan''er''s body, and it flew towards the big seal on the ground. Everywhere the golden cicada dharmform passed, golden light shimmered, and all the demonic Qi was completely cleared away. Seeing this, the black demon head flashed a trace of urgency in his pupils, and opened his mouth to launch another attack. But a sharp cry echoed in midair, and a Vajra Exorcism pestle emerged, surrounded by a rich golden light, and exuded a strong wave of Buddhist power. ¡°Buddha''s grace is universal, Vajra breaks evil!¡± Bai Xiaotian hung behind the exorcism pestle, and with a shout, flexed a finger. The Vajra shone with a burning light and fell like a meteor, hitting the black demon head. A small golden sun emerged, wrapping up half of the black demon head''s body. This part of the black demon head''s body exploded and was then swallowed by the golden sun. The black demon head was furious, and spat out a jet of light that went straight towards Bai Xiaotian. This time the light was pitch black, emitting a sharp whistling sound as it tore through the air, obviously a destructive attack. Bai Xiaotian was struck with horror and quickly dodged to the side, and at the same time, he drove the sutra banner to block it. The sutra banner expanded in the wind, grow several dozen feet high in an instant, and stood in front of him, a golden light shield even appeared on its surface. Despite his desperate evasion, the speed of the black light silk was too fast and they were too many. He was still unable to avoid it and was hit, but fortunately, there was a golden sutra banner in front of him. Some of the black light hit the sutra banner. The golden light shield was easily punctured like paper mache, and the black light hit directly on the body of the sutra banner. The golden sutra banner trembled violently, and the surface was pierced with deep pits, but this sutra banner seemed to have an astonishing defensive power. It resisted the attack of these black lights without being pierced through. Bai Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief and quickly fled into the distance. A loud ¡°boom¡± sound came from below, the ground violently shaking. The golden cicada dharmform, wrapped around Chan''er, took the opportunity to land on the sealing array during the rift between the black demon head and Bai Xiaotian''s battle. Streams of golden light flowed out of the Golden Cicada Dharmform, poured into the formation pattern, and immediately lit up the formation pattern on the seal. The originally infiltrated portion quickly returned to its original form. The place where the seal was cracked was also covered with golden light from the Golden Cicada Dharmform. The demonic Qi that was surging out disappeared at great speed, but this demonic Qi emerged from underground. The source was too fierce, and it was not completely eliminated, but was reduced by nearly half. The black demon head landed not far from the seal and was opposite to the Golden Cicada Dharmform. The Dharmform''s golden light also shone on the demon head, but the black Qi on the demon head was strong and was not evaporated by the golden light. Chapter 714 Chapter 714: Chapter 710: Change of Target Chapter 714: Chapter 710: Change of Target The black demon head wouldn''t tolerate the existence of the Golden Cicada Dharmform. A black light suddenly surged on its body, fading almost immediately. In this swift transition from light to dark, the entire demon head started to squirm crazily, and a ghastly, blood-red cyclops eye appeared on its forehead, emitting strands of bright blood light. A blood-colored flame was fired from the blood-red cyclops eye and entwined around the Golden Cicada Dharmform. The blood-colored flame emitted an incredibly chilly aura, causing the overall temperature of the auction hall to drop rapidly, shrouding it in a surrounding of deep cold. However, three fire-red tridents rushed in from the side, blocking the blood-colored flame just before it could hit the Golden Cicada Dharmform. Shen Luo, having noticed the peculiar nature of the blood-colored flame, had moved swiftly to ward it off. But the moment they touched, the three fire-red tridents let out a mournful wail. The spiritual light on them flickered a few times before being swallowed up completely by the blood-colored flame. Having lost their spiritual essence, the three tridents turned into ordinary pieces of iron and fell down. Seeing this, Shen Luo was taken aback. These three fire-red tridents were rare set of magical instruments, originally obtained from the Body Refining Platform Monk. Each trident was a top-grade magical instrument, and when combined, their power was even greater, rivaling that of ordinary top-grade magical artifacts. Yet they had instantly been destroyed by the blood-colored flame, showing just how formidable it was. After destroying the three tridents, the blood-colored flame continued to fly forward, winding itself around the Golden Cicada Dharmform. Yet the Golden Cicada Dharmform stood tall and unmoving. Despite being exposed to the blood-colored flame''s intense burning, it showed no signs of changes. Seeing this, the black demon head''s gaze turned to gloom. On the other hand, Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief. With a flicker in his eyes, he took out the Profound Yellow Staff from his hand and with a ¡°pu¡± sound, stabbed it into the ground. The staff''s body released a bright yellow light that quickly spread underground. The ground trembled violently as yellow light beams shot out from the nearby area where the seal had broken, forming a yellow light shield that covered up the broken seal. The gushing demonic Qi was temporarily put on hold by the seal. However, the demonic Qi from the underworld did not stop flowing out, but rather it permeated the yellow light shield at an astonishing pace, immediately darkening it to a black and yellow color. An intense Yin Sha Qi emanated from the yellow light shield, reaching over and attacking Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s eyebrows knitted together, but he did not stop unleashing his techniques. He gathered the Pure Yang Sword Embryo into his body, and changed the way his Mana circulated, activating the Pure Yang Sword Technique. A pure Yang Qi rose from his Dantian, immediately countering the Yin Sha force. Another thunderous sound echoed in mid-air as a streak of Golden Light flew in from afar, blasting towards the black demon head. Bai Xiaotian had launched another attack from the distance. ¡°You two juniors, you''re seeking death!¡± The black demon head''s expression finally darkened. For the first time, it let out a hoarse voice, then it opened it mouth one more time, spewing out a sticky black and red light that fused with Zhan Guo''s body. Zhan Guo''s body trembled, the previously seen confusion in his eyes disappeared immediately, and his eyes once again filled with loathing. His whole body shone with an intense black light, like a black flame burning. His body transformed again: black lights flickered on both sides of his head, and two fierce heads grew out audaciously, muscles on his shoulders squirmed violently, ¡°puchi,¡± four elongated arms that reached past his knees extended from within, forming a monstrous three-headed and six-armed creature. The aura exuding from Zhan Guo surged once again, rising nonstop, soon passing the Great Mahayana Stage and astonishingly reaching the True Immortal Realm. Then, his body gradually levitated from the ground, no longer absorbing the black and red light emerging from it. ¡°Ah!¡± His eyes blazed with blood light, and the previously seen ferociousness resurfaced on his face. It seemed that little of his sanity remained. His six arms spread out. ¡°Boom¡±, the black light surrounding Zhan Guo surged again, transforming into a wave of black Qi sweeping out in all directions. All the people nearby, including the demonized men, were blown back by the wave. The battle was temporarily halted. Everyone could sense Zhan Guo''s terrifying cultivation level, and their faces mirrored their fear. Shen Luo was also affected by the black light, but he held onto his Profound Yellow Staff that was embedded in the ground, which prevented him from being blown back. Upon sensing the aura from Zhan Guo, his heart sank with apprehension. ¡°Quickly kill them all! Especially that little monk! I have disrupted Tianji with my magic, preventing the gods of the Heavenly Court from sensing this place, but I can''t maintain it for long!¡± The black demon head, now significantly smaller due to the tremendous consumption of his magic, spoke in a deep voice. Hearing this, Zhan Guo instantly turned his gaze towards Chan''er. He disappeared in a flicker, only to reappear in front of Chan''er the next moment. From his large hand, billowed flames of pitch-black fire several feet high, reaching towards Chan''er. Chan''er was chanting with his eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the external threats. However, his Golden Cicada Dharmform reacted, a golden palm slapped out, colliding with Zhan Guo''s demon claw. With a loud bang, a whirlwind of black and gold light swept around them, creating a gust of wind even more potent than the black wave Zhan Guo had churned up earlier. Shen Luo couldn''t hold his ground this time and was sent flying together with his staff. The yellow light that had been surrounding the broken seal dissipated immediately, and the demonic qi rushed out once more. Zhan Guo was repelled, but the golden light on the Golden Cicada Dharmform merely rippled a little before instantly restoring to its original state, seemingly unaffected. Zhan Guo''s face displayed annoyance as he pounced again. Six of his demonic claws radiated bright blood light, growing blood-red talons like those of a hawk, simultaneously scratching at various parts of the Golden Cicada Dharmform. The Golden Cicada Dharmform''s hands came together, and with a flash of golden light in front of him, an enormous Sanskrit character emerged. From the character, a powerful Buddhist force erupted. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a thunderous noise, Zhan Guo''s six demon claws were repelled, even before they could touch the Golden Cicada Dharmform. Zhan Guo grew increasingly furious. Despite his continuous attacks, the formidable strength of the Golden Cicada Dharmform repelled him time and time again. Seeing this scene from afar, Shen Luo''s heart returned to his stomach as he thought to himself that it seemed Chan''er did not need him to worry about. He looked towards the far distance where the fighting had once again commenced. Bai Xiaotian had already flown back to hold back the demonized men with the Western Region Monks. Shen Luo was contemplating whether he should also go help. ¡°This Dharmform is quite potent, let''s stop for now! Let''s kill the others first!¡± At this moment, a hoarse voice rang out. It was the black demon head speaking, his blood-red eyes focused on Shen Luo. The yellow light that Shen Luo had previously put up to restrain the breaking seal was no more, and demonic qi flowed out once again, nourishing the black demon head. Upon receiving the supply of demonic qi, the demon head began to grow bigger. Feeling the demon head''s gaze, Shen Luo''s face turned pale, and without any hesitation, he shot backwards. Hearing this, Zhan Guo turned his gaze towards Shen Luo, his body flashing with black light as he disappeared. Suddenly, Shen Luo felt as if he was plunged into a freezing lake. A piercing pain shot through his eyebrows; strangely, an image emerged in his mind¨Ca sharp force piercing his head, scattering his white brain pulp everywhere. He was horrified and moved backward rapidly. In a flurry, he channeled his mana into the jade pillow, summoning the Dreamworld Mana. Perhaps because he had already learned how to summon it or because he was facing a life-threatening danger, the process completed instantaneously as if by magic. A flash of golden light shimmered in front of Shen Luo. The Heavenly Book Projection appeared and instantly solidified. A massive light column surged up from the Heavenly Book, shooting straight into the high altitude. A colossal power erupted from the center of the Heavenly Book, spreading out in all directions. Chapter 715 Chapter 715: Chapter 711: Reincarnation of the Demon Soul Chapter 715: Chapter 711: Reincarnation of the Demon Soul At a distance less than ten feet from Shen Luo, Zhan Guo''s figure suddenly appeared out of thin air, with a sharp black light shooting from the tip of his finger towards Shen Luo''s head. But he was immediately affected by the power burst from the Heavenly Book, causing his figure to stagger back a couple of steps. However, the black light attack in his hands dissipated. Right then, just halfway up in the sky, a sudden dark cloud loomed overhead, with silver serpents darting around, a pressure from heaven and earth shot down, signifying the imminent advent of heavenly thunder. ¡°This is¡­¡± The black Demon Head peered at the sky, then turned his gaze towards Shen Luo and the Heavenly Book in his hands, the blood glow in his eyes jolted. At this moment, there was a flash deep within the pillar of light that pierced the sky, and an obscure humanoid figure rapidly descended. In a blink of an eye, it merged into Shen Luo''s body. Immediately, a dazzling golden light brightly lit up around Shen Luo, and the Qi he exuded soared explosively from the Nascent Soul Initial Period, reaching the realm of True Immortal in an instant. The pillar of light shooting towards the sky and the Heavenly Book Projection disappeared after a flash, and the immense power revolving around him was also concealed. Upon witnessing the astounding transformation happening to Shen Luo, the black Demon Head promptly opened his mouth, and a clump of purple-gold light flew out of his mouth, vanishing into Zhan Guo''s body in a flash. Once again, Zhan Guo''s three-headed six-armed body underwent a massive transformation, purple-gold demonic patterns appeared all over his body. The surrounding Qi surged again, and simultaneously, each of his six palms grasped at the void, each clutching a clump of purple-gold light, which then solidified into six heavy weapons like a hammer, ge and axe. The very next moment, he took a massive stride forward, his body blurred and disappeared on the spot, and then reappeared in front of Shen Luo in the next moment, smashing down fiercely with the six heavy weapons controlled by his six arms. Shen Luo only felt a purple-gold light flickering before his eyes, and an overwhelming colossal force poured down over him. His face remained calm, the moonlight under his feet radiated brilliantly, forming two bright moons. Without any sound or trace, he merged into the void and mysteriously disappeared from sight. There was an enormous ¡°Boom¡± sound! Six sturdy purple-gold lights slammed onto the ground where Shen Luo had previously stood, the aftershock caused the space to distort erratically, like it was about to shatter. Meanwhile, behind Zhan Guo, a flash of moonlight appeared, and Shen Luo''s figure materialized out of thin air. In his hand, the Profound Yellow Staff emanated a radiance hundredfold brighter than before, striking down at Zhan Guo''s head. Zhan Guo, unable to turn in time, raised two arms behind his back, as a purple-gold hammer and a purple-gold long ge intersected to meet the Profound Yellow Staff. There was a ¡°clang¡± sound of a metal collision! The purple gold hammer and the long ge were immediately bent, as an overwhelming force surged across from the opposite side, sending Zhan Guo flying away. He slammed heavily onto the ground below, creating a deep pit. Zhan Guo leaped up from the ground, intending to counterattack. A flash of golden light appeared before his eyes. Shen Luo was following him like a shadow, bringing down the Profound Yellow Staff onto his chest. Zhan Guo swung the six weapons in his hands, blocking the Profound Yellow Staff. Shen Luo twisted the arm gripping Profound Yellow Staff, mysteriously diverting the staff body, bypassing the blockage of the six demonic weapons and sweeping towards Zhan Guo''s waist. A terrifying humming sound emitted from the Profound Yellow Staff, a noticeable white mark was left in the void as it passed, such a strike would split Zhan Guo''s innately tough body in two if it landed. Zhan Guo''s lowermost left arm suddenly shone with black light. His entire arm made an explosive ¡°cracking¡± sound, uncannily rotating at an unimaginable angle, the Rod-shaped Demon Soldier held in his hand appeared in front of the Profound Yellow Staff. With another loud noise, the Profound Yellow Staff was stopped. ¡°Swoosh¡± A golden light appeared from Shen Luo''s body, it was the Golden Dragon Horn Short Cone. With a flash of its golden silhouette, it flew towards Zhan Guo, making a hovering cut down from the sky. A fan-shaped blade of light, a hundred feet in size, materialized out of thin air, emanating an incomparably sharp breath. Without giving Zhan Guo any time to react, it severed his left three arms. Blood light burst forth! Zhan Guo''s three arms were neatly severed by the golden light blade, and three strands of black and red blood gushed from the amputation site. Shen Luo twisted his arm, and the radiant light on the Profound Yellow Staff intensely amplifies, creating a golden staff shadow around him. They gathered together without dispersing, like soldiers in formation, totaling thirty-two in number. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under the enhancement of the True Immortal realm and with the complementary use of the Profound Yellow Staff, he was finally able to manifest the Splashy Chaotic Stick in reality! A horrifying force, enough to crush heaven and earth, leaked out from the thirty-two staff shadows, enveloped Zhan Guo''s body, and twisted viciously. Zhan Guo''s other three arms exploded in response, turning into countless pieces of flesh scattered all around. The rest of his body started showing cracks and seemed to be crushed to pieces under the force of the Splashy Chaotic Stick. At this moment, a black shadow suddenly flashed over from a distance, penetrating through the force of the Splashy Chaotic Stick and merging into Zhan Guo''s body. A black light shield suddenly formed around Zhan Guo, incredibly withstanding the Splashy Chaotic Stick! From the time Shen Luo summoned the Cultivation level from Dreamland through the Heavenly Book until now, while it may sound complex, it happened in a fleeting moment. Most people only saw Shen Luo and Zhan Guo''s figures alternating a few times, failing to see the intense fight between them! ¡°Worthless! As my reincarnation, you lost to the mere Human Race, wasting so much of my Demon Essence! Since you are so useless, give your body completely to me!¡± A detached voice came from Zhan Guo''s body. Zhan Guo''s whole body released a ¡°boom¡± sound, emitting a layer of black light resembling flames, which burned mercilessly and spread outward. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank. The Profound Yellow Staff in his hand had long been shot out, and the thirty-two staff shadows closely followed, enveloping Zhan Guo''s body again with a more ferocious force for another vicious twist. But Zhan Guo''s body suddenly became incredibly slippery at this moment. The torrential staff power hit him, but simply slid past, failing to inflict much damage. A surge of black light enveloped him, and his speed increased several times. In a ¡°swoosh¡±, he flew out of the range of the Splashy Chaotic Stick, coming to a halt hundreds of feet away. At this time, Zhan Guo was encased in black flames, a painful expression on his face. An explosive crackling noise came from within his body, and the six arms, which had previously been broken, regrew surprisingly fast, instantly retaining their original form. The other wounds on his body healed rapidly, and purple-gold demonic patterns emerged all over his body. His eyes completely turned blood-red, devoid of any sense of spirituality, and he appeared more fierce and terrifying than before. At the same time, a vague dark silhouette appeared behind Zhan Guo, having three heads and six arms as well, giving off a very desolate and ancient feel, seeming to have existed since the dawn of heaven and earth. ¡°Chiyou!¡± Even though Shen Luo had never seen Chiyou, the sight of this dark silhouette instantly gave him this thought. Chapter 716 Chapter 716: Chapter 712: Fight to the Death Chapter 716: Chapter 712: Fight to the Death ¡°Today, I''ll see just how capable you really are!¡± Zhan Guo spoke, but his voice was completely changed, raspy and unpleasant. Even before his words had fully faded, he reached out into the void with his hand. Above Shen Luo''s head, black light flickered, and out of nowhere, a giant black claw appeared, reaching down as if to blot out the sun and sky. Shen Luo''s face paled as he moved his Profound Yellow Staff. Another thirty-two shadowy projections of the staff appeared, bearing an immense amount of power as they collided with the black demon claw. With a ''boom'', the place where the staff shadows and demon claw collided trembled violently. The void there shattered like a mirror. The black demon''s claw slightly trembled but quickly stabilized. Its five fingers abruptly closed together, managing to catch all thirty-two shadowy projections of the staff. The demon claw powerfully closed, and its sharp edges directly crushed the thirty-two shadowy projections of the staff, causing them to explode. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s body shook tremendously. He was struck and flew backward, the Profound Yellow Staff also flung out of his hand. Not waiting for him to regain his balance, Zhan Guo, with a savage look on his face, appeared before him. All six arms moved simultaneously, smashing down six demonic weapons viciously. A bright golden light radiated from Shen Luo, and the illusionary shadows of Six Dragons and Six Elephants emerged all around him, meeting Zhan Guo head-on. The sound of concentrated explosions rang out. The illusionary shadows of the Six Dragons and Six Elephants were shattered by the demonic weapons. Still, Shen Luo got a moment of respite. The moonlight glamour emitting from his feet shone brightly. His figure disappeared in a flash, reappearing next to the Profound Yellow Staff in the distance, reaching out to grab it. But at that moment, a black shadow suddenly emerged from the Profound Yellow Staff. It was a black snake about the length of a foot, which rapidly coiled around Shen Luo''s arm. An extremely cold, dark energy seeped in, and Shen Luo felt his whole arm suddenly lose all sensation. The black snake succeeded in its move and its shape turned into a streak of black light, striking like lightning, biting towards Shen Luo''s neck. Shen Luo didn''t expect that in just an instant of contact, his opponent had already tampered with the Profound Yellow Staff. Nonetheless, he kept his calm despite the surprise. He opened his mouth and spat out a Red Flying Sword. It shot straight into the mouth of the black snake. A fierce Sword Qi erupted from the Red Flying Sword, and the sword body burst into a cluster of Red Lotus Karmic Fire, directly tearing the head of the black snake apart, reducing it into strands of black Qi that dispersed in the air. At the same time, a flash of golden light appeared next to him. The Dragon Horn Short Awl emerged and slashed towards the body of the black snake. Dazzling Red Sword Qi and sharp golden light burst forth from the Flying Sword and the Short Awl simultaneously, crossing and slicing the black snake. With a ''puu'', the black snake''s entire body exploded, turning into countless strands of black Qi that scattered. But before Shen Luo could catch his breath, Zhan Guo had already pounced. The six demonic weapons in his hands vanished, replaced by a colossal black sword that blazed with black fire. The sword moved as swiftly as a bolt of black lightning, aiming directly at Shen Luo''s chest. Shen Luo, barely able to defend himself, swung the Profound Yellow Staff. At the same time, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Golden Short Awl also advanced, clashing with the black giant sword. With two resounding ''clangs'', a mighty force swept over. The Profound Yellow Staff was knocked away while the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Golden Short Awl were also sent flying. However, the giant black sword was deflected by the Profound Yellow Staff and only grazed past Shen Luo''s side. With a ''splat'', a large gash was sliced open on Shen Luo''s waist, blood splattering. A considerable amount of black fire could also be seen along his wound. But, in this critical moment, Shen Luo rolled backward mid-air, his body flying dozens of feet away. A hint of horror passed through his eyes. Ignoring the wounds on his body, he quickly chanted spells, formed seals with both hands like a turning car wheel, and starlight radiated between his fingers into a ball of golden light. At the same time, moonlight flashed beneath his feet, and in an instant, he disappeared from the spot. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± a massive black sword light descended from the sky and struck where Shen Luo had just been, splitting the ground to form a trench hundreds of feet long. Zhan Guo''s eyes flamed with bloodlust as he glanced in a certain direction. He saw the void ripple some fifty to sixty feet away, revealing the figure of Shen Luo. The demonic Qi rumbled within Zhan Guo. There was a crackling sound as if he was about to rush towards Shen Luo using the Demon Clan''s escape technique. But Shen Luo took the initiative. Brilliant golden light burst from his hands. He formed a dharma seal and pointed towards the sky. The dark clouds in the sky shook violently, brightening several times over as countless bright stars appeared, densely covering the sky. The daytime sky suddenly turned into night. ¡°Three Stars Demolishing Demons!¡± Shen Luo yelled out, and a golden starlight shone from his body. The stars in the sky brightened, numerous rays of starlight descended from the sky, tearing apart the dark clouds in an instant. Then, these intense starlights converged, forming an extraordinarily thick golden starlight pillar, striking towards Zhan Guo like a falling comet. It illuminated the desert outside the city, and even the Red Valley City wall in the distance turned golden. The nearby demonized men screamed in agony, struggling painfully as the black Qi on their bodies quickly dispersed, faster than when they were irradiated by the Golden Cicada Dharma Appearance before. A few of the closer demonized men were directly evaporated, turning into several skeletons. At this moment, a surge of complex emotions, inexplicable excitement, flashed through Shen Luo''s mind. The power of this Three Stars Demolishing Demons technique, launched with the strength of the True Immortal Realm, was so significant that it directly caused the illusion of countless stars appearing in the sky. Facing the golden starlight pillar''s fall, Zhan Guo did not dodge, either due to the inability to react in time or other reasons. He waved his six arms, and spheres of black light shot from his hands, floating around his head aimlessly, looking like blooming black flowers. At the same time, he stomped heavily on the ground. The ground rumbled and cracked open. Thick black Qi emerged from the cracks, infused into the black spheres above his head. With a soft ¡°plop¡± sound. The light flashes on those black spheres suddenly intensified, rapidly spread out, and quickly formed a massive black light array. Numerous purple-black demonic patterns flickered within it, resembling a formation. Just as it formed, the golden starlight pillar arrived and smashed onto the black light array. The golden light and black Qi violently clashed, resulting in a deafening blast at their junction that sounded like thunder or the clash of numerous weapons. The golden starlight clearly suppressed those black demonic Qi, melting away upon contact, like ice on fire. However, the black light array put up by Zhan Guo was extremely sturdy. Numerous demonic patterns resonated on the surface, and it managed to withstand the golden light pillar''s assault, although the whole array was somewhat distorted. Rolled black demonic Qi continuously surged from underground, endlessly pouring into the black light array. Although the area above the black light array was continually shattered by the Three Stars Demolishing Demons attack, the overall array maintained its brightness and did not weaken. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth. Summoning the power of Dreamland caused incredible strain on his body. It had been several breaths of time now, and if this continued, even if he won, he would die due to the exhaustion of his lifespan. In the fraction of a thought, Shen Luo quickly made seals with both hands. The golden starlight on his body grew brighter, and the golden light pillar descending from the heavens thickened. A cold smirk flashed across Zhan Guo''s mouth. He was about to do something when the ground suddenly shook. The rolling black demonic Qi surging from underground suddenly stopped. Deprived of the demonic Qi supply, the black light array quickly dimmed and was rapidly suppressed by the golden light pillar, causing it to sink. Chapter 717 Chapter 717: 713 Chapter 717: 713 Zhan Guo turns to look at the distant seal, his expression changes. Just then, the Golden Cicada Dharmform was seen sitting cross-legged on the gap in the seal, its gigantic body completely blocking the gap, naturally preventing the Demonic Qi from spilling out. This sight made Zhan Guo very angry. He had just reluctantly summoned the Demon Head to help, and before leaving, had set up some measures on the seal. Now, the seal has been quietly broken. Zhan Guo was confident that he could break the Golden Dharmform with a wave of his hand, but the golden starlight pillar above him was increasing in power. If he was slightly distracted, the erected Black Light Array would collapse immediately. Shen Luo noticed what was happening with the seal far away, he was thrilled. One hand continued to perform the Three Stars Demolishing Demons spell while the other hand reached out to the void. The Profound Yellow Staff near him flew back into his hand, then with a single swing, it was plunged heavily into the ground. The staff radiated a layer of yellow light, flashed, and disappeared into the underworld. Zhan Guo watched this scene, slightly stunned. But his expression immediately changed, with the Black Qi pouring out all over his body, spreading to the ground below, while the Black Qi gathered on his body, condensing into Black Armor. But before he could take any more actions, a streak of yellow light, as fast as lightning, broke out from the black Qi on the ground, ¡°poof¡± sound pierced into his abdomen, easily passing through. Zhan Guo looked at the Profound Yellow Staff that had punctured him, slightly dumbfounded, unable to believe that his body protected by the Devil Armor had been breached so easily. But the traces of golden starlight mixed within the yellow light of the Profound Yellow Staff made him understand. The Profound Yellow Staff contained the Purple Heart Mo Crystal, which stored Mana. Before Shen Luo activated this staff, he had already infused part of the demonic-breaking Starlight Power of Three Stars Demolishing Demons into it. Although it didn''t enhance the power of the staff, it significantly increased its ability to destruct the Demonic Qi. Shen Luo felt his strength beginning to dwindle. He knew he couldn''t continue for much longer. Gritting his teeth, he gestured and urged with one hand. The yellow light on the Profound Yellow Staff that pierced Zhan Guo''s body flared up and it started to wield on its own. Sixteen illusions of the staff appeared around the staff itself and a huge force exploded. Zhan Guo''s face darkened, and the Black Qi surged from his body, forming a Black Vortex and enveloping the Profound Yellow Staff. A suction force strong enough to consume Heaven and Earth emerged from the Black Vortex, hindering the Splashy Chaotic Stick from manifesting its power. It was an unknown God''s Power. But Zhan Guo was restricted from many sides at this moment, and the circulation of Demonic Qi in his body was difficult. His body was pierced by the Profound Yellow Staff, and in the end, the force of the Splashy Chaotic Stick exploded first. The sixteen illusions of the staff wrapped around Zhan Guo''s body in one twist, with a loud ¡°chirp¡± sound, Zhan Guo''s body broke into two at the waist, with blood pouring out like a waterfall. As Zhan Guo was seriously injured, the Black Light Array above also collapsed. The Golden Starlight Pillar crushed the remaining light array effortlessly, enveloping Zhan Guo, and swallowed his figure. The ground shook, and a powerful wind instantly spread out, scraping off a deep layer of the ground. The sand and dust were rolling around, and everything nearby was swept away. Shen Luo was gasping hard and couldn''t hold on any longer, half-kneeling on the ground. The wound at his chest and abdomen continued to bleed, almost dying his lower body red. The Black Fire on the wound was spreading rapidly, having dyed the nearby skin and flesh pitch black. He immediately activated the Great Unsealing Technique, and at the same time took out an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill from his pocket and threw it into his mouth. Numerous blood silk appeared at the wound, attempting to heal it. But as these blood silks touched the black flame on the wound, they were immediately burned out. Moreover, a stubborn cold power emerged from the Black Fire, firmly lodged on the wound. The Great Unsealing Technique was actually unable to heal it. Not only that, the black flames exuded a chilling aura that had already spread to a large area such as the chest and abdomen, making it completely cold and numb. A chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart, and with a thought, he invoked his power. A golden shadow flashed in front of him, and the Heavenly Book appeared with a flash, absorbing the black flames into its inner space. The cold power around Shen Luo''s wound also dissipated. With the obstruction of the black flames gone and the dual effects of the Great Unsealing Technique and the Milk Spirit Pill, the enormous wound quickly began to shrink, and the pitch-black skin also started to heal. Shen Luo did not dare to relax. He forced himself to stand up but did not dare to dismiss the summoning spell. He looked up at Zhan Guo and gestured. A gale swept in, sweeping away the drifting dust around and revealed the situation inside. The golden light pillar had already disappeared. The Starlight Power summoned had condensed into a golden array on the ground, sealing Zhan Guo''s broken body. Zhan Guo had been cut in half at the waist at this point, but his body had returned to human form. He now looked like a fly encased in amber, trapped within the seal and unable to move at all. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, ready to dismiss the summoning state, when a faint puff of black qi suddenly flew out from Zhan Guo''s body, completely ignoring the seal of the Three Stars Demolishing Demons, and easily flew out. The black qi faintly revealed a three-headed, six-armed figure, which looked exactly like the shadow of Chiyou. A chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart, as he quickly stepped back and summoned the Profound Yellow Staff. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the golden short awl circled around him, ready for battle. ¡°I will remember you. We shall meet again.¡± The dark figure didn''t attack but spoke to Shen Luo, then disappeared into the ground with a flicker. Shen Luo stood there stunned, feeling an inexplicable chill run over his body. After the shadow disappeared, all the demonic qi on Zhan Guo''s body within the seal disappeared. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo finally completely relaxed and quickly unbuckled the spell to dismiss the summoning. A golden figure shot out of his body towards the sky. The Heavenly Book quickly reverted to its ethereal form and turned into a beam of light that flew into the jade pillow within the Linlang Ring. The dark clouds in the sky reappeared but rapidly faded, and the sky returned to normal. Shen Luo''s breath fell quickly and in the blink of an eye, he reverted back to the Nascent Soul Stage. His face suddenly turned deathly pale, his inner vitality was again depleted, and he fell trembling onto the ground. The time he had summoned the Dream Cultivation this time was significantly longer than the previous two times, and the cost he had to pay was much greater. He felt every muscle in his body convulsing violently while his vitality was fast draining. With the sound of tearing, numerous minute wounds were torn on his body, blood splattering out. Every inch of his meridians shattered from within and his entire body resembled a torn bag, with not a piece of intact flesh left. His body temperature was rapidly falling. He tried to forcefully retrieve an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill to ingest, but a wave of severe pain suddenly struck him, and his consciousness quickly blurred. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just before he completely lost consciousness, he heard a cry of alarm and vaguely saw Bai Xiaotian flying towards him with a look of anxiety on his face. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a slight warmth in his heart. The next moment, his vision blackened, and he completely lost all consciousness. Chapter 718 Chapter 718: Chapter 714: Unemployed Chapter 718: Chapter 714: Unemployed Bai Xiaotian descended next to Shen Luo, hastily took out two Healing Pills and stuffed them into his mouth, then his hands swiftly formed seals, with magical tactics falling on Shen Luo like raindrops. Shen Luo''s body occasionally shone with clusters of Golden Light, slowly healing the wounds all over his body, but his breath did not recover at all, and was instead continuing to weaken. Bai Xiaotian, unthinkingly, broke out in a heavy sweat that rolled down his cheeks, but his actions hastened even more, continuing to perform the healing magic of Hua Sheng Temple. After Shen Luo was gravely injured and fainted, the golden array that had caged Zhan Guo''s body shattered, rapidly dispersing, and Zhan Guo''s figure once again appeared within everyone''s line of sight. At this time, his body was sliced in half at the waist, the cut was soaked with fresh blood, but strangely, not a drop of blood flowed out. His tightly closed eyes slowly opened, revealing that he had not yet fallen. However, his whole person had become extremely old, his face covered in countless wrinkles, looking as if he had suddenly turned into a dying old man. The ferocity that once resided in Zhan Guo''s expression was entirely absent, his eyes were full of confusion, seemingly having lost all hope, he also didn''t attempt to heal his wounds. Despite Zhan Guo making no moves, Bai Xiaotian, with his advanced cultivation skills, immediately noticed the change in the man''s breath. With one hand, he slowly propped up Shen Luo, while with the other, he released a Golden Knife Artifact, its surface rolling with golden light, ready to completely kill Zhan Guo. ¡°Your Excellency Bai, please wait.¡± Chan''er''s voice came from afar, he had been sitting cross-legged within the Golden Cicada Dharma Appearance and had unknowingly opened his eyes. Bai Xiaotian had always respected Chan''er, so upon hearing his words, he immediately stopped. Just at this moment, multiple loud ¡°bangs¡± came from the distance, that was the end of the battle from the other side. The demonic men who were eliminated by Shen Luo''s Three Stars Demolishing Demons, including Zhan Guo who was also defeated, the remaining demonized men''s morale greatly decreased. Including the demonized Treasure Mountain, all of the demonized men were killed by the numerous monks of the Western Regions. The gap in the seal was blocked by Chan''er''s Golden Cicada Dharma Appearance. The originally demon Qi-filled auction hall returned to its clearness once more, giving the surviving people a feeling as if they had gone through a lifetime. Of course, one discordant point was that the instigator of it all, Zhan Guo, was still alive. The monks who had lost their companions suddenly showed anger, and with a loud ''whoosh'', more than ten magical instruments went maliciously shooting towards Zhan Guo. But a golden light curtain appeared in front of Zhan Guo, and with a thunderous rumble, the golden light curtain shook violently, rebounding the instruments back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± These monks glared angrily at Bai Xiaotian nearby. They clearly saw that this golden light curtain was indeed released by Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Fellow Cultivators, please stop for now, Master Golden Cicada wishes to question this Zhan Guo.¡± Bai Xiaotian raised his left hand into a vertical position and bowed towards everyone. His right hand formed a Dharma Seal, pressing against Shen Luo''s chest, gentle golden light continuously infused into Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s rapidly weakening breath surprisingly began to stabilize. No one knew what secret technique he was using. The monks had also seen the existence of the Golden Cicada Dharma Appearance early on and greatly respected Chan''er. Upon hearing this, they all stopped their movements. ¡°This Zhan Guo is colluding with the Demon Clan, nearly allowing the Demon Clan to descend to this world. He is without a doubt a heretic. There''s no point in discussing such a person. He should immediately be sliced to pieces to avenge the fallen cultivators!¡± A few individuals, blinded by their hatred, refused to agree and angrily responded. ¡°Amitabha. Honorable Masters, no one is without fault. This benefactor Zhan Guo was deceived by the Demon Clan, leading him to commit these sins. From the looks of it, he won''t live much longer. There have already been many casualties today. Why add to the sin?¡± Chan''er walked over, his hands in prayer, and spoke. The Golden Cicada Dharmform did not accompany him but remained behind on the seal, clogging the broken gap. Chan''er appeared somewhat different from before, less naive, and more solemn, calm, and radiant ¨C reminiscent of Buddha''s Bao Xiang. The aggressive monks couldn''t speak a word and were momentarily stunned upon Chan''er''s glance. ¡°Are you showing pity for me? Hmph! No need! I, Zhan Guo, do what I do and bear the consequences alone. Do as you wish with me!¡± Zhan Guo''s eyes regained a bit of their old spirit as he coldly spoke. ¡°If I wanted to kill or flay you, I wouldn''t have stopped these masters just now, Benefactor Zhan Guo. Are you still oblivious today? All worldly matters of good and evil are but illusions. All sentient beings deceive and quarrel, yet think not of revenge. Let everything follow its natural course. Those who understand this are wise indeed.¡± Chan''er walked up to Zhan Guo and spoke. ¡°Let everything follow its natural course! Haha, what an easy thing to say. You''ve never had a wife or children, how could you possibly understand my suffering!¡± Zhan Guo laughed heartily before suddenly speaking in a cold voice. His eyes showed a violent yet slightly sad expression. ¡°Benefactor, even if you are in pain, you must not side with the Demon Clan out of personal desire and try to bring chaos to the world. The innocent people don''t deserve this. Your actions have led to countless individuals facing disaster and families being torn apart. Can you really bear to see this?¡± Chan''er continued. Zhan Guo furrowed his brows and fell silent. ¡°Looking at your features, Benefactor, you aren''t a wicked person. That you fell to the Demonic Path was beyond your control, and your actions were influenced by the Demonic Qi. Now that you are free from the control of the evil demon, why not put down the slaughter and turn back?¡± Chan''er earnestly looked at Zhan Guo and spoke. Zhan Guo, after hearing these words, seemed to soften his gaze for a moment. But the next second, his body shuddered, his expression returning to severity. ¡°Trying to convert me? Save your breath, Your Excellency. It''s my own fault for pledging myself to the Demon Clan and ending up in the state I''m in now. Do what you want with me! But if you think I''ll rejoin the Buddhist sect, forget it!¡± Seeing this, Chan''er sighed and said nothing more, sitting down next to Zhan Guo. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Zhan Guo saw Chan''er''s movement and seemed to realize something. He took a cold drink. But his breath was growing weaker and weaker, although he was still trying to shout angrily, his voice had lost its strength and was unthreatening. ¡°If the master is adamant, this little monk certainly doesn''t dare to force it. It''s just that the master has committed too many sins. If you go to the Underworld like this, you will certainly suffer endless torment. Allow this little monk to offer slight assistance, recite scriptures on your behalf, perhaps it might wash away a bit of your Karma Force.¡± Chan''er said, then began to recite the scriptures. With his lips moving, he was bathed in a brilliant golden light, like Buddha''s Bao Xiang. The surrounding void rippled with faint golden waves. Innumerable golden Buddhist Mantras emerged from the waves, forming tiny streams that flowed towards Zhan Guo''s bisected body. As soon as they touched his body, they disappeared into him. ¡°Stop it! Don''t meddle in my affairs!¡± Zhan Guo, whose body couldn''t move, roared in anger. But Chan''er was unmoved and continued to recite the scriptures. As numerous Buddhist Mantras entered Zhan Guo''s body, the pain on his face seemed to subside considerably, but his anger deepened. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 719 Chapter 719: Chapter 715: Desolate Ruins Chapter 719: Chapter 715: Desolate Ruins ¡°Get out of my way! Get out of the way! I don''t need your hypocritical kindness!¡± ¡°Stop, I, Zhan Guo, will not appreciate this!¡± Zhan Guo continued to yell, but Chan''er ignored his enraged shouting, calmly reciting the scripture without pause. More and more Buddhist mantras emerged, and the golden light became more and more intense. Soon centered around Chan''er, the golden light surged in all directions like a tidal wave, and Sanskrit chants arose in the void, echoing in the distance, the entire auction hall was solemn with golden light, as if it had become a Buddhist sanctuary. The faces of the monks present were bathed in a soft golden glow, and their mood was relaxed. Those who still harbored resentment had their anger gradually fade away, and their mindset surprisingly became calm. ¡°Holy monk!¡± An old monk looked at Chan''er, his face filled with longing, and he knelt in worship. The other western region monks had admired Chan''er greatly. Seeing the old monk in this state, they all bowed to Chan''er in succession, and then sat down around him, together they began to recite the scripture. A large swath of golden light rose from the people, forming a golden light pillar that shot straight into the sky, the Sanskrit chant sound was stimulated, echoing across the entire desert. The citizens of Red Valley City in the distance, seeing such a Buddhist spectacle, fell to their knees one after another, praying towards the golden light outside the city, reciting the holy names of many Buddhist Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. Inside the golden light pillar, Zhan Guo''s anger faded away and his face became serene. He slowly closed his eyes. An illusion rose from his dead body, by the facial features it was indeed Zhan Guo. Yet at this moment, there was no more resentment in his expression, but he looked at Chan''er with complicated eyes. Chan''er stopped chanting when he saw this scene. The spell seemed to have consumed him greatly, revealing a tired expression on his face. ¡°Benefactor Zhan Guo, the path to the Netherworld is long. Don''t linger in the Human World, you should reincarnate as early as possible.¡± Chan''er wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up to speak. Zhan Guo didn''t say anything and remained silent for a while and then raised his hand. A white light flew out from his corpse and fell into the divine spirit''s hand, it was a jade slip. Zhan Guo pointed at the jade slip, and his finger quickly flickered with white light, which then quickly dissipated. He waved his hand, and the jade slip shot towards Chan''er. A golden light shot out from Chan''er''s Buddhist beads, holding up the white jade slip, and then permeated into it. ¡°Oh! This is the method to repair the seal on the ground.¡± The Buddhist bead said in excitement. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Benefactor Zhan Guo.¡± Chan''er rejoiced at these words and bowed to Zhan Guo. Zhan Guo did not respond to Chan''er at all. He looked up at the numerous corpses around him, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes. Suddenly, his hands formed a seal, and his body exploded with a bright white light, which grew brighter and brighter. ¡°Benefactor Zhan Guo! Don''t!¡± When Chan''er saw this scene, his face changed dramatically. He raised his hand, intending to do something, but it was too late. A white light wheel with a diameter of about a foot suddenly appeared, its radiance was so blinding that it made everyone squint their eyes. The white light wheel suddenly shrank, then ¡°boom¡± it exploded, half of the sky was covered with white light particles, which looked extremely brilliant. These white lights dispersed and completely turned into nothingness. ¡°Benefactor Zhan Guo, why cause such pain¡­¡± Chan''er sighed softly, whispering the Buddha''s name. Shen Luo fell into endless darkness, where enormous forces seemed to be tearing at him, every inch of his body filled with boundless pain. Even though he was unconscious now, the pain did not diminish at all, as if it intended to grind him from his physical body to his divine soul into fragments. He wasn''t sure how much time had passed before the pain began to ease and his scattered consciousness began to reassemble. He opened his eyes. In front of him was a large rooftop, the surrounding beams and walls were carved with some archaic patterns. It looked like a grand hall of great antiquity. However, several big holes had been broken in the roof of the hall, revealing the gloomy sky outside. ¡°Where is this?¡± Shen Luo sat up and looked around in confusion. In the center of the hall stood a statue. It had already broken apart from the middle. The pieces and the hall door were casually laid on the ground without anyone bothering to clean up. It was a desolate sight. Shen Luo slowly got up, then remembered his injuries. As he checked himself, he felt a powerful force of mana roaming within his body, astonishingly reaching the True Immortal Realm. ¡°So I am dreaming again.¡± He raised his hand and looked at the strands of golden light on his fingertips. After heaving a sigh, he said. Shen Luo''s complexion sank and a thoughtful expression appeared. Earlier, when he was fighting against Zhan Guo and later the phantom image of Chiyou, he had summoned his dream cultivation for far too long, a lot longer than the sum of the previous two times. Needless to say, he had lost a considerable amount of lifespan. He wasn''t sure how much lifespan he had left in reality¡­ His spirits sank for a while, but soon he cheered up. What had happened, had happened. There was no point worrying, the key was to find a solution. In reality, Shen Luo had just reached the early stage of the Nascent Soul Stage, with a long way to go before he could reach the Great Mahayana Stage. It was unlikely that he could look towards breaking through to increase his lifespan. He could only seek treasures and elixirs for lifespan extension. Shen Luo fell silent for a moment, then stood up and circled inside the hall. He found nothing unusual, so he went out. When he came out of the palace door, he realized that he was on top of a high mountain. Outside the palace was a long white jade staircase, gradually stretching downwards. There were also half-collapsed buildings erected on the side of the mountain. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There was no trace of any human activity here, and dust had accumulated on the White Jade stairs. It looked like it was some sort of ruins. ¡°Have I been transported to a place similar to Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Despite their dilapidated state, the buildings farther down emanated the aura of the Immortal Path and were beyond the realm of ordinary worlds. They looked like remnants of a cultivation sect, places like this often hid treasures. He extended his divine sense but found only some broken buildings and ordinary rocks, plants, and trees. There was no trace of any treasure. But he was not disappointed. His divine sense had only conducted a general investigation, and a search for treasures required careful scrutiny. Shen Luo returned to the great hall and carefully explored around. But unfortunately, he didn''t discover anything. He then jumped on and flew down, searching from one building to another. Half an hour later, he emerged from a building halfway up the mountain. He had searched for so long, but these broken buildings were all empty, and he hadn''t found anything useful. ¡°Could this be just a hollow ruin?¡± Shen Luo frowned but didn''t give up. He continued to extend his divine sense carefully sensing the surroundings. Efforts bore fruit eventually. Finally, after a time equivalent to when an incense stick was burned, he sensed an unusual fluctuation on a mountain wall near a waterfall. Despite being very faint, it hinted a prohibition fluctuation from that mountain wall. If his divine sense wasn''t strong enough, he wouldn''t have detected it. Shen Luo walked to the front of the mountain wall and pointed his finger to the void. A golden light shot out from his hand and hit the mountain wall, but the mountain wall remained undisturbed. He kept his hand still, closed his eyes to sense the situation of the mountain wall, and slowly moved his finger forward. The golden light gradually merged into the mountain wall. The originally calm mountain wall finally showed signs of change. A layer of yellow light appeared on the surface, and the solid stone wall began to become transparent, seeming like an entirely different place inside. Chapter 720 Chapter 720: Chapter 716: A Unique Cave Chapter 720: Chapter 716: A Unique Cave ¡°There''s really something in here!¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy, his five fingers emitted a radiant golden light, and he reached out to grasp at the void in front of the mountain wall. A golden dragon claw shot out of his hand, fiercely scratching at the yellow light curtain. With a harsh ¡°crack¡±, five ripples appeared on the yellow light curtain, causing the entire curtain to tremble violently for a moment, but it quickly stabilized. ¡°This prohibition is indeed sturdy,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, yet was too lazy to waste time with it. He then pulled out his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and struck the yellow light curtain with it. With the might of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, a single casual strike was several times stronger than the dragon claw. The whole mountain peak rumbled and shook a little, and the yellow light curtain shattered with a ''bang'' like a mirror. The blurry mountain wall disappeared to reveal a black hole. Threads of white light shone out from it, revealing a cave. The cave was somewhat twisted, making it impossible to see what lay in its depths. Shen Luo put away his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, probed into the cave with his divine sense, didn''t find anything unusual, and stepped in. The cave was not deep, he quickly reached the end; the space here suddenly became broad, with a hundred feet in size. The ground was made into an open field, which turned out to be a medicine garden. The garden was filled with numerous spirit grasses and fruits, their spiritual energy abundant, obviously not ordinary things. ¡°This is a Thick Earth Ganoderma! It has already grown nine petals, it must be at least two thousand years old!¡± Shen Luo looked at a nine-petalled spirit mushroom, his eyes lit up, murmuring to himself. This thing was a treasure for those who cultivated wood-based skills, a two-thousand-year-old Thick Earth Ganoderma would have significant benefits even for a true immortal cultivator. He suppressed the excitement in his heart and turned his attention to the other plants. ¡°Dragon Spirit Fruit! Dream Dew Flower! Xuan Guang Vine!¡± As he called out the names of these spirit grasses, his eyes became brighter and brighter. All of these spirit grasses were extraordinarily precious, some even rumored to be extinct in the outside world. It was unbelievable to find so many here, let alone they were of high medicinal age. ¡°So many precious elixirs in this place, could it be the remains of a prominent sect?¡± Shen Luo quickly calmed down and speculated in his heart. However, it didn''t stop him from acting. He harvested all the spirit grasses and fruits. After doing these, Shen Luo searched the medicine garden but didn''t find any other treasures. He left and continued searching further down the mountain. Ever since he found this medicine garden, his luck seemed to improve. He made some gains from time to time and soon arrived at a grand building near the foot of the mountain. The building complex was expansive, consisting of forty to fifty palaces and towers. It looked like a mountain gate, must have been grand in its day, but unfortunately, most of it is now in ruins. But the ruins did not seem to be from natural decay, but rather a result of conflict. Abroken plaque hung askew on the front of the main hall, covered in dust, and the inscriptions on it were blurry. He raised his hand and sent out a beam of golden light, wiping away the dust on the plaque, and three big words appeared: Treasure Hall. ¡°Treasure Hall! One of the Three Great Business Associations of Datang, could this place be within the Tang Dynasty?¡± Shen Luo had only briefly probed here with his divine sense and did not scrutinize it; he was now surprised. He didn''t stop, and stepped into the palace complex. There were traces of intense battles everywhere in the palace complex, it was heavily damaged. He walked around inside but found nothing of value. Just as Shen Luo was about to leave, intending to explore other places, his expression subtly changed. Swiftly, he conceal himself behind a nearby large rock and suppressed his presence, lifting his gaze towards the distance. A gray streak of escape light appeared on the distant horizon, shooting towards him. The light moved fast and in the blink of an eye, it was nearby, transforming into a figure that gently landed nearby. This figure, dressed in a gray robe, possessed rather strong cultivation. He had already reached the True Immortal Realm. A layer of black qi shrouded his face, concealing his appearance. From his white hair, it could be inferred that this was an old man. The old man in the gray robe seemed quite familiar with this location. After landing, he immediately glanced around and then confidently moved towards the location where Shen Luo was hiding. A chill rose in Shen Luo''s heart. Could it be that he had been discovered? However, he didn''t harbor any fear. This person''s cultivation had only reached the early stage of the True Immortal Realm. If a struggle ensued, Shen Luo could possibly capture this man and inquire about this place. However, the scenario Shen Luo anticipated didn''t materialize. The old man in the gray robe appeared to have not discovered him. The man walked past Shen Luo, proceeding for about a hundred or so yards before he halted. There lay seven or eight stone sculptures randomly strewn about. Shen Luo had checked that place before and had not discovered anything unusual. The old man in the gray robe looked around his surroundings, then crouched down in front of a small stone sculpture, fumbling for a long time. About a quarter of an hour later, the sound of gears rotating echoed out. The stone sculpture along with the surrounding ground slowly sank, revealing a tunnel leading to a lower frontier. ¡°A hidden mechanism?¡±, Shen Luo''s eyebrow rose slightly as he watched the scene unfold. ¡°It is indeed here!¡±, the old man in the gray robe murmured excitedly. He immediately proceeded down the tunnel. After the figure of the old man in gray disappeared into the tunnel, Shen Luo emerged from his hiding spot. He turned his gaze to the black tunnel and extended his Divine Sense towards it. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But an invisible force filled the tunnel. The moment his Divine Sense entered, it was immediately confined and unable to move at all in there. A trace of surprise flickered across his face. Shen Luo moved to the entrance of the tunnel, hesitated for a moment, and then strolled down the passage. As soon as he entered the tunnel, he felt the force of it''s prohibitions, swaying in the void like a gentle breeze. Luckily the prohibition only restricted his Divine Sense and had no impact on his cultivation. The tunnel was filled with steps extending down to the ground, covered in dust. Footprints trailed off towards the lower frontier, left behind by the old man in gray. After Shen Luo evaluated the situation, he lifted his body from the ground and floated into the tunnel, not leaving any footprints on the ground. The passage was not deep, it ended abruptly, two paths appeared ahead, unveiling two corridors, each leading to the left and right respectively. Both corridors were quite long; one could not see their ends from here. On the ground of the left-hand corridor, another set of footprints existed, indicating the direction the old man in gray had gone. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t hesitate to fly down the right-hand corridor. This place seemed to be a hidden treasure trove probably harboring precious items or some kind of secret technique. Naturally, he did not want to miss out; perhaps there might even be a solution to his current lifespan issue. The corridor was lengthy and winding. There was nothing on either side of the passage, leaving him somewhat disappointed. Shen Luo continued advancing, and after quite a while, he finally reached the end where something appeared. At the termination of the corridor, on either side were two stone chambers, their doors were unlocked. He gently pushed open the stone door on his right. Within it was a quite large stone chamber. The chamber was not overly extensive, merely seven or eight feet wide. There were two wooden shelves inside, with various bottles and jars arranged on them. These were all medicine vials, each marked with their names underneath: Huayang Pill, Purple Ginseng Pill, Blood Lotus Pill¡­ Chapter 721 Chapter 721: Chapter 717: Treasure Register Chapter 721: Chapter 717: Treasure Register Shen Luo''s gaze quickly scanned the labels on the wooden shelves, noting many elixirs that he had previously read about in the classics, all of considerable importance. He took a closer look. Unfortunately, the bottles were either empty or their contents had been stored for too long and lost their potency. Despite his disappointment, he continued searching in the stone chamber, hoping against hope. And his patience was rewarded when he found a black jade bottle in a corner. The jade bottle was cool to the touch, seemingly made from a certain kind of cold jade. It appeared relatively new, with its mouth tightly sealed, covered with a green talisman. The bottle was meticulously preserved. A faint green light flashed on the talisman, showing no signs of decay. Shen Luo picked up the jade bottle. After a brief moment of contemplation, he held it in his palms radiating golden light. After making these preparations, he removed the green talisman, then carefully grasped the stopper and yanked it off forcefully. With a soft ¡°pop¡±, the stopper came off smoothly. Before he could see what was inside, a puff of black Qi emerged. Shen Luo''s gaze hardened as the golden light in his hands surged, trapping the black Qi inside, allowing not a single strand to escape. Given that the Huangting Technique was a treasured scripture of Mount Fangcun, not only was it incredibly powerful, but it also had a superior restraining power against poisons, miasmas, and the likes. Hence, containing this black Qi was almost guaranteed. But as soon as the golden light touched the black Qi, the black Qi dissolved into the golden light and disappeared. Shen Luo felt as though something had merged into his body. His face changed color immediately. He hastily replaced the stopper to prevent more black Qi from coming out and resealed it with the green talisman. He then set down the black jade bottle, closing his eyes to check his own condition carefully. But he could perceive nothing amiss; he felt no discomfort, and there was no hindrance to his use of Mana. But he dared not become careless given what had just happened. ¡°Forget it, now is not the time for detailed investigation, I''ll examine it later.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself before storing the black jade bottle away. He examined the stone chamber for a while longer but found nothing. He then turned and proceeded to the stone chamber opposite. The door to this chamber was also unlocked and was easily pushed open. The size of the room was similar to the previous one, only, this one appeared to be a bedroom. The front half of the room housed a redwood table, with a rattan chair situated behind it. Against the wall next to the table was a bookshelf crammed with numerous books. All the items in the front half of the chamber were like that. The back half of the chamber contained a large stone bed. To the left of the bed was a one foot tall green stone stool. On the stool were a few books and a bronze candlestick. And on the bed, lay a person, or to be accurate, a corpse. It was already desiccated, a skeletal frame. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow but didn''t pay any attention to the corpse. He began searching swiftly throughout the chamber and in no time had checked most of the books. These books were all about spiritual grasses and materials. Their quality was on par with those in Mount Fangcun, clearly they were all quite precious. Shen Luo always valued such useful books, so he collected them all without hesitation, to be read later at leisure. After doing so, he approached the corpse. Without the ability to utilize his divine sense here, Shen Luo had to physically search the corpse, but he found nothing. The identity of the corpse was a mystery, and there were no storage magical tools, magical weapons or treasures on it. It was dressed only in a black robe which was already largely decayed. Feeling somewhat disappointed, Shen Luo returned the corpse to the bed. In his disappointment, he handled the corpse a bit roughly, causing it to hit the bed with a ¡°thump¡±. When Shen Luo heard the noise, he came back to his senses and admonished himself internally, silently apologising to the corpse in his mind. But just then, with a soft ¡°clatter¡±, something fell from the corpse. It was a white jade slip. This jade slip looked quite different from ordinary ones. Its surface had an ever-changing glow to it. Shen Luo bent down to pick up the jade slip. When he cast his divine sense into it, his expressions swiftly changed. Indeed, this jade slip was different from the usual ones. Its storage capacity was over a hundred times that of a normal jade slip, which was an incredible feat. The massive storage space within the jade slip was filled with densely packed small characters. Starting from basic herbs, it gradually extended to provide detailed introductions to various kinds of spiritual grasses and medicines found in the cultivation world. Information about tens of thousands of kinds of spiritual grasses was covered, including their origins, properties, and cultivation methods, all recorded in great detail, making it an encyclopedic work on spiritual grasses. Shen Luo had read the books on spiritual grasses at Mount Fangcun, and had perused some similar books at the Bai Family and in Chang''an City. Yet, when compared to the content of this jade slip, they all seemed quite lacking. What delighted him most was that the jade slip impressively recorded about twenty to thirty Dan formulas at the end. Covering various realms and different uses, some could assist in breaking through realms, some could cure injuries and detoxify, while others could strengthen the body, showing him a whole new world of possibilities. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among these Dan formulas, there were two or three which could increase lifespan. Although the necessary materials were rare, they were not as nearly extinct as Thousand-Year Spirit Milk or Dragon Blood. It was quite likely that they could be found in reality. ¡°As they say, the Treasure Hall excels in elixir refinement. They truly live up to their reputation.¡± Shen Luo looked through the jade slip for a long while before reluctantly withdrawing his divine sense, and then carefully stashed it away. This was a priceless treasure. Ruining it would be a disaster. Just as he was about to continue his search in the stone chamber, the tightly shut door suddenly opened and the old man in gray robe appeared outside. ¡°Damn it, I was so engrossed in checking the jade slip that I didn''t notice the movement outside.¡± Shen Luo cursed his negligence in his mind. ¡°Huh! Shen Luo! It''s you!¡± The old man in the gray robe was as surprised to see Shen Luo as Shen Luo was to recognize his name. ¡°You recognize me? Who are you, Your Excellency?¡± Shen Luo was quite taken aback. He had entered the Dreamland several times and recognized some people, but this old man in a gray robe was quite unfamiliar. He should not have met him. The eyes behind the old man''s gray robe seemed to flicker twice. He then suddenly turned and fled outwards. ¡°Wait, don''t run!¡± Shen Luo was momentarily stunned before quickly chasing after him. It wasn''t easy to fly in the Underworld here, so the two could only chase and run on foot. The old man in the gray robe moved as if he was a snake darting around¨Cquite agile. Shen Luo, for the moment, was unable to catch up. The two of them chased and fled, soon rushing out of the passageway and reaching the ground outside. The old man in the gray robe immediately surrounded himself in a massive black light, turning into a black serpent-like light, and darted off into the distance at an incredible speed. However, Shen Luo''s fleeing speed was not something the old man in the gray robe could match. Shen Luo wielded the Six Chen Whip, and in the blink of an eye, he turned into a pitch-black rainbow, many times faster than the serpent-like light. Soon, he caught up with the old man in the gray robe. Chapter 722 Chapter 722: Chapter 718: Puzzle Chapter 722: Chapter 718: Puzzle Shen Luo reached out towards the old man in the gray robe not far in front of him and grabbed in the void. A golden dragon claw appeared above the escape light formed by the old man in the gray robe and suddenly grabbed down. With a ¡°snip¡± sound, the escape light transformed by the old man easily broke, and the dragon claw directly grabbed the old man in the gray robe. The old man in the gray robe changed his face in a hurry, raised his hand and swung it. A gray Treasure Light rushed up into the sky, turning into a gray big flag. On the surface of the flag, gray light flashed, raising a gray cloud to block in front of him. This gray big flag is a powerful treasure. The golden dragon claw grabbed on it, as if grabbing on a ball of cotton that was not affected, it had no effect. But Shen Luo had practiced the Huangting Technique for a long time, he was able to use this dragon claw with absolute proficiency. Although the gray big flag blocked the dragon claw, the fierce claw force still wrapped around from both sides and still grabbed the old man in the gray robe. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo did not want to hurt people, in order to avoid causing resentment, he only grabbed the black qi on the old man''s face. With a ¡°snip¡± sound, the black qi was torn apart, revealing an old face. ¡°It''s you!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. This old man in the gray robe was none other than Manager Ma, who followed Ma Xiuxiu to open a store in Jianye City many years ago. He was surprised to meet this person here and couldn''t help but think of many puzzles. What surprised him even more was that Manager Ma was only at the Qi Refining Stage back then, but now he has reached the True Immortal Realm! Seeing that his true face had been seen by Shen Luo, Manager Ma''s face showed more surprise. He turned his hand and took out a black talisman and attached it to his right arm. His hand suddenly emanated a layer of black, gloomy light, and the whole palm swelled several times. On the skin, black pustules appeared one after another, and even more, a black claw emerged. In the blink of an eye, Manager Ma''s right hand turned into a ferocious black demon hand, and he grabbed upwards. A black demon claw the size of a house appeared out of thin air and fiercely grabbed the golden dragon claw. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the golden dragon claw was knocked back several feet. And Manager Ma, taking advantage of this force, flew backward tentatively. At the same time, he also took out a black talisman and attached it to his body, and the black light instantly merged into his body. With a ¡°whistling¡± sound, a dragon-shaped cloud floated under Manager Ma''s body supporting him. He shot forward at an unimaginable speed, covering several miles in a flash, and was about to disappear at the end of the sight. ¡°Want to fly away¡­¡± Shen Luo giggled, two feather patterns appeared on his arms, each presenting gold and silver colors. He spread out his hands, and the feather patterns sprayed out gold and silver lights. His body disappeared from the spot and transformed into a golden and silver afterimage. He shot forward at a terrifying speed, several times faster than Manager Ma''s Black Cloud Escape Method. He caught up with the old man in the gray robe in the blink of an eye, and was about to strike. But at this moment, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense sensed that Manager Ma''s mouth suddenly showed a strange smile. He suddenly had a bad feeling, promptly gave up the attack, and stopped. Seeing Shen Luo stop, Manager Ma showed a hint of regret, but he continued to fly forward. At the same time, he took out something and slapped it on his body. A silvery light in the shape of feathers rose from his body, enveloping him completely. It seemed like some kind of special protection method. Shen Luo looked ahead and sent his Divine Sense forward, only to be startled. He saw silver images appearing in the void ahead, some were clear, some were blurry, and some were faintly visible. These silver images varied in size, some of them were only a foot in size, some were several feet and even tens of feet long, floating in different places in the void. Moreover, there were more of these silver shadows in the deeper void, spread out thickly to an unknown distance ahead. ¡°What is this!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened, not daring to approach casually. However, Manager Ma seemed indifferent to these silver shadows, flying straight ahead. Once these silver shadows touched the silver feathers on his body, they automatically retreated to the side. With the protection of silver feathers, Manager Ma''s escape speed did not slow much, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared deep into the silver shadows. Upon this, Shen Luo''s face slightly darkened, but he did not rush to chase. During their earlier confrontation, he had already planted a soul imprint in that gray banner. As long as the distance was not too far, he could track Manager Ma through this imprint. He flicked his finger, and a long golden light was shot out, colliding with several silver shadows. With a few soft ''hissing'' sounds, the silver shadows were like indestructible treasure swords. The golden light collided with them and was instantly cut off without any resistance. The originally long golden light was instantly sliced into several segments, exploding into countless golden spots. Shen Luo''s gaze grew heavy. These silver shadows were too sharp, somewhat like the spatial rifts recorded in the classics. He extended his divine sense to examine these silver shadows carefully; the spatial fluctuations on the silver shadows were extremely violent and full of destructiveness. ¡°Could this really be spatial rifts?¡± His brows furrowed tightly. If these were indeed spatial rifts, even though he had reached the True Immortal Realm, they were beyond his ability to resist. After some thought, Shen Luo emitted a strong golden light that spread for dozens of feet around him. He did not shrink the protective golden light, and fearless, flew straight ahead in its formation. The intact golden light was immediately cut with marks by the silver shadows, but the position of the silver shadows was clearly revealed in return, none excluded. Even areas with faintly visible silver shadows that he had not noticed before were uncovered. Only then did Shen Luo feel reassured. Carefully avoiding the silver shadows, he flew onward. There were more and more silver shadows in front of him, but using this straightforward but effective method, he was able to quickly fly forward for hundreds of li. When he reached this place, the silver shadows suddenly disappeared, and a dark abyss appeared in front, pitch black everywhere, seeming to have no end. ¡°What is this place?¡± Shen Luo watched the scene in front of him, his brow furrowed tightly, not daring to approach rashly. He summoned a silver heavenly soldier from the Heavenly Book and commanded it to probe the abyss ahead. Above a gray sea area, the sea surface was rippling with a faint dark qi. All around was silent, and there were no waves on the sea surface. The black fog did not drift much, and there were no signs of fish activity in the sea. Everywhere was suffused with deathly qi, seeming like a dead sea. But at this moment, the seawater at a certain place on the sea''s surface started to churn into a large vortex, rolling thunderously. More than a dozen tentacle-like thick dark qi emerged from the depths of the vortex, intertwining and forming a large black net, as if to trap something. Suddenly, a hole was torn in the black net, and a stream of golden light burst out of the sea vortex and headed straight for the sky. Several strands of dark qi immediately shot out from the vortex to entwined the golden light. But a gold and silver pair of feather apparitions emerged from inside the golden light, and their speed surged tenfold in an instant, leaving the dark qi far behind. In the blink of an eye, they flew to the horizon and disappeared like a golden spot. Those dark tentacles roared and danced furiously for a while before slowly retracting to the sea surface. The large vortex gradually disappeared, and the sea surface returned to its previous calm. Chapter 723 Chapter 723: Chapter 719: Tracking Chapter 723: Chapter 719: Tracking A hundred miles away from the black vortex, the rapidly rushing golden light slowly stops, shrinks quickly, and then reveals a figure, it was Shen Luo. A strange black Qi surfaced on his face as if he was poisoned, and there were several wounds up and down his body, but fortunately, they did not seem deep. He looks down at the black sea area beneath him and a lingering fear flashes across his face. After passing through countless spatial rifts, he encountered the black abyss. After much hesitation and exploration, he eventually entered it. The abyss was filled with a corrosive dark power that could erode both Mana and the physical body. Occasionally, a wide-ranging black storm would suddenly erupt within, not only was its destructive power terrifying, but it also carried a tremendous tearing force that tried to pull people into the depths of the abyss. Luckily, Shen Luo was highly skilled and had the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and the Heavenly Book as his treasured protections. Even so, he had to expend a lot of energy to barely make it through the black abyss and enter a water area below, which was the black sea area. This sea area was also filled with danger, containing a strong Corpse Air, and this Corpse Air was different from the usual one as it contained a potent poison; the entire sea area could be considered a Poison Sea. Many monsters formed by the convergence of Corpse Air lived within the sea, not only were they extremely powerful, but they could also use the poison to attack. As soon as he entered this sea area, he immediately activated the Huangting technique to resist the erosion of the poisonous Corpse Air in the sea water, then simultaneously used the Yimu Xuandun and Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, making every effort to fly upwards, barely escaping with his life. Shen Luo quickly retreated his gaze, operated the Great Unsealing Technique, and absorbed the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to heal his injuries. However, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in mid-air above the sea surface was very thin, but the Corpse Air, on the contrary, was quite dense. His injuries not only did not get any better, but his poisoning got even worse. He inexplicably became irritable and punched into the sea area below. A golden light shot out from his hand and disappeared into the sea water. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An earth-shattering explosion sound emitted from the sea, and the originally calm sea surface stirred up a raging surge, as waves of golden storms rose to the sky from the sea, wreaking havoc around. After a while, the golden storm subsided, and the sea surface returned to calm. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, and his mood relaxed. ¡°Eh, why did I suddenly get angry just now?¡± As his mood settled, he immediately realized that his state just now was a bit abnormal, as he was not an impulsive and irritable person. ¡°Could this be due to the severe poison in my body? I''d better leave this sea area first.¡± Shen Luo immediately made a decision and looked around. The situation in the sea areas in all directions was more or less the same, except the cloud at the edge of the sky to his left hand seemed a bit unusual, so he immediately flew towards that direction. While he was flying, he tried to sense the Soul Imprint in Manager Ma''s body, but couldn''t sense anything. Shen Luo was not surprised. He had spent a long time crossing the spatial rifts, the dark abyss, and the poison sea below. Judging from Manager Ma''s previous state, it seemed he was prepared for these dangers and would have used less time. By now, he might have flown to who knows where. This Soul Imprint was a secret technique in the Body Refining Secret Text and required a cultivation level of the Great Mahayana Stage to cast. However, it could only sense things within a range of ten thousand Li. He had been delayed for so long, Manager Ma must have flown out of this range. Shen Luo shook his head slightly, not minding. After flying for half an hour, a touch of green appeared at the end of the sky. He finally reached land. Shen Luo was overjoyed, and he sped up his flight. He quickly flew out of the black sea area. The land at the edge of the sea was a desolate forest, but it was still filled with a heavy Yin Qi. He did not stop there, and continued to fly inland. Only after flying hundreds of miles did the Heavenly and Earthly spiritual Qi become more abundant. He landed in a mountain range, dug a mountain cave on the side of the mountain, and went inside to heal his wounds. Lines of meridian shadows illuminated Shen Luo''s body, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi immediately gathered like a tide, washing away the severe poison that had infiltrated his body. The black qi on his face gradually receded. Half a day later, Shen Luo''s complexion finally regained its rosiness, indicating that the potent poison had completely dissipated. He didn''t immediately leave, but took out the Golden Rope and Wolf Fang Club he had acquired from his last Enter Dream journey, and circulated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to refine them. After obtaining these two treasures during his last dream journey, he hadn''t had a chance to ritualize before returning to reality. Now with some spare time, he immediately ritualized these two treasures to enhance his strength. Unlike the Exquisite Tower, these two treasures quickly reacted with the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, and Shen Luo''s mana gradually refined the prohibitions within. But at this moment, a piercing howl came from afar, the howl filled with horrifying cries of ghosts and wolves, which made people shiver involuntarily. Shen Luo frowned, stopped his ritualizing, stood up, and walked to the cave entrance. After concealing his own aura, he looked outside. He saw a massive black cloud, blocking the sun, rushing past not far from the broken temple. This cloud emitted a monstrous demon qi. Countless black skeletons hidden in the cloud emitted sharp cries, which was hair-raising. The black cloud was flying not too high, so the mountains below were also affected. The mountain forest rustled with movement, and many wild beasts living there fled in fear. However, occasional bursts of black demon wind from the cloud would sweep up some large wild beasts and pull them into the cloud. ¡°What kind of demon is in the cloud? What does it want with ordinary wild beasts?¡± Shen Luo wondered in his heart, choosing not to reveal himself. The aura of the demon in the black cloud was extraordinarily strong, not inferior to his. But since he had hidden his aura earlier, he was not noticed by the demon. The black demon cloud quickly flew away after a brief search in the mountain forest. It was incredibly fast, disappearing from the horizon in just a few breaths. After a slight hesitation, Shen Luo''s body flashed with green light, and he used the Yimu Xuandun technique to move dozens of li forward. He then appeared in a grove. He looked up to the end of the horizon where the black cloud appeared. He could still see a bit of it. But the black cloud was incredibly fast, and that bit of it soon disappeared as well. Seeing this, Shen Luo used the Yimu Xuandun technique again and continued to follow it. He did not get close to the black cloud, but instead followed it from a safe distance to avoid being detected. After so many Enter Dream journeys, Shen Luo had a general understanding of the dream world. But he still knew very little about the motives of these demons. Hence, he was closely following this demon, hoping to gain some insights into the demons'' movements. Following it for over an hour, the black cloud finally slowed down and descended towards a mountain range. Shen Luo appeared outside the mountain range and looked out. The mountains in front of him were grey and black, with high and steep peaks, lots of rocks, and very few plants. It looked extremely desolate. Above the mountains, the sky was full of dark clouds, which looked very gloomy and felt suffocating. Just as Shen Luo was about to investigate further, a look of surprise appeared on his face. The manager Ma, who had escaped from his hands, was also in this mountain range. Chapter 724 Chapter 724: Chapter 720: Demon Base Chapter 724: Chapter 720: Demon Base ¡°Excellent, effortless.¡± A smirk crept onto Shen Luo''s face, and his bones creaked slightly. Almost immediately, his appearance transformed into a round-faced young man. His aura changed as well, so much so that even his closest acquaintances wouldn''t recognize him as Shen Luo. That Manager Ma ran at the sight of him, there must be a significant reason for this. Changing his appearance would be beneficial for capturing Manager Ma. Having done this, Shen Luo turned into a blur and headed deep into the mountain range. ¡­ In a dimly-lit cave, Yin Qi swirled around, Sha Qi shot into the sky, and there was a pungent stench of blood that almost made one nauseous. A black cloud shot into the cave and halted, revealing a tall figure. It was a bird-headed humanoid demon with black feathers and a golden beak. A black fog-like Demon Qi surrounded it, and its sharp eyes were icy and chilling. As the black cloud around the Eagle Demon dissipated, a large heap of objects fell to the ground, making a series of thudding noises. They were all kinds of beasts ¨C wolves, tigers, lions, leopards, and they were all motionless, apparently affected by some mesmerizing Demon technique. ¡°Why are there only a few of them?¡± A rugged voice came from deep within the cave. ¡°We''ve been here for over half a year, and the surrounding forests, thousands of miles around, have been searched many times. It took me a trip out to the ten-thousand-mile distance to find these many. If you think it''s not enough, you can be the one to go hunting for blood meals next time. I don''t want this crappy chore anymore,¡± the Eagle Demon grumbled. The rugged voice paused, then said, ¡°It''s fine if there''s less, hopefully the important guest doesn''t mind.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, why are we not allowed to hunt the Human Race? Their essence blood is far superior to the blood of these assorted animals, and it''s better suited for blood sacrifices. Besides, the humans are as numerous as ants. There''re as many as we want.¡± The Eagle Demon questioned. ¡°It''s the command from the big shot. What can I do?¡± The rugged voice sighed. ¡°Hmph! I heard that the big shot was once part of the Human Race. Maybe, she is being merciful to these ants. It''s the compassion of a woman.¡± The Eagle Demon let out a cold laugh, showing some obvious discontent towards the big shot. ¡°Shut up! The big shot is right here. She is a favored servant under the great god Chiyou. Are you not afraid of death when talking behind her back?¡± The rugged voice warned in a panic. For a slip of the tongue, the Eagle Demon immediately shut up, his eyes looking inwards warily. His body slightly tensing, it seemed he''s ready to flee at any sign of trouble. Luckily, time ticked without any incident. The Eagle Demon let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Alright, you can come in now. You''ve been frequently out recently and have missed a lot of training,¡± said the rugged voice. Upon hearing this, the Eagle Demon''s eyes lit up, and he quickly walked deeper into the cave. ¡­ Not long after Shen Luo entered the mountain, a large demon base emerged in front. The demon base resided within a valley, surrounded by tall watchtowers. Various little demons stood on them, and many demon soldiers were patrolling and practicing various war formations near the base. There were at least tens of thousands of these demon soldiers. At the center of the base, there was a cluster of large houses. Despite how elaborate the setup of the demon base seemed, the watchtowers and the houses in the middle were crude, suggesting that they weren''t established for a long time. Oddly, there weren''t any array barriers set up around it. ¡°This place seems more like a hastily built fortress than a demon base. Could it be that these demons are in a war with someone?¡± Upon seeing the situation, Shen Luo had this thought, then he immediately sneaked into the valley. Although there were many demon soldiers near the demon base, Shen Luo''s cultivation level was far superior to theirs. Narrow Moon Steps and Yimu Immortal Escape made it impossible for the demons to catch a glimpse of him. Shen Luo easily passed through the layered defenses and quickly arrived next to the house at the center of the valley. He didn''t continue forward, instead, he found a hidden spot to hide, listening intently to any noise coming from inside the house, but no sound was heard. ¡°No one?¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrowed. This was impossible. He had just clearly seen the pitch-black cloud descend into this place. After a moment of contemplation, he took the risk of extending his Divine Sense toward those houses for detection. In more than a dozen houses, only a few small demons with Soul Condensation Stage and Nascent Soul Stage cultivation were present. There were no Great Mahayana or True Immortal Stage demons. That Old Ma was not here either. Just as Shen Luo was about to sense more carefully, a conversation reached his ears. ¡°Brother, It''s been some days since we came to Black Wolf Mountain. The Great King strictly ordered us not to go out. Every day is spent in training soldiers, which is incredibly dull.¡± Inside one of the houses, a Black Pig Demon complained to a Wolf-headed Demon next to him. ¡°Who can say otherwise? However, this is an order from the Great King, and we can only obey. I just hope these hellish days end soon,¡± the Wolf-headed Demon replied. ¡°Black Wolf Mountain? It seems this is the Southern Sub-Central Continent,¡± Shen Luo murmured, nodding slightly after hearing this. He, Bai Xiaotian, and Chan''er had previously journeyed to the Black Chicken Kingdom, passing through many places. He had roughly understood the names of various places in the Western Regions through Bai Xiaotian, and Black Wolf Mountain was one of them. ¡°Staying in this desolate mountain is fine, but we can only eat coarse food every day, it''s really suffocating. Brother, the Great King is always in retreat, and the Second King just returned and is likely to go into seclusion again, he won''t come out for a short period. Shall we go to Tianyou Country and snatch some Human Race''s blood meals?¡± the Pig-headed Demon whispered. ¡°Brother Pig, your skin may be thick and your meat may be hardy, you don''t fear the torment of blood refining. But, I can''t, I have to endure for a while longer,¡± the Wolf-headed Demon shook his head and answered. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo had no further doubts. Tianyou Country was one of the kingdoms in the Western Regions, and this place was in the Western Regions of the Southern Sub-Central Continent. Moreover, according to the two demons, the leader of the demon base here was in retreat. His Divine Sense immediately searched all around the houses and detected an anomaly under one of the houses. Underneath this house was a black passage leading to the deep underground. The passage was pitch black, its end was not visible at all. A faint black mist arose from the depths of the passage and came up, clearly, there was something significant underground. The two Great Kings should be here. Shen Luo didn''t continue to use his Divine Sense to explore further. He waved his hand, and a golden light flashed on his body, a Silver Heavenly Soldier emerged next to him. ¡°Go down and take a look.¡± Shen Luo applied a seal on the Heavenly Soldier to seal its Qi fluctuations. He also attached a wisp of Divine Sense onto the Heavenly Soldier''s body and gave it a faint order. The Silver Heavenly Soldier nodded its head, its body flashed and disappeared into the ground. The Heavenly Soldier was a spiritual body, it traversed through the ground unimpeded and quickly entered the passage, diving towards its deep end. The passage was extremely long, and it took quite a while for the Heavenly Soldier to reach the end. The end of the passage was an enormous underground cave, nearly a thousand feet in size. Several gray-black stalactites rose within the cave which was quite rich in Spiritual Energy. The most abundant thing here, however, was a Yin Sha Qi. The air was filled with a blood-red fog, all of which originated from the center of the cave. Chapter 725 Chapter 725: Chapter 721: Blood Pool Skulls Chapter 725: Chapter 721: Blood Pool Skulls Shen Luo directed the Heavenly Soldier towards the center of the cave, his heart shuddering. He saw that the ground in the center of the cave had been dug out to create a dozen or so pools of varying sizes, filled with a blood-red liquid. Numerous bubbles rose to the surface, and a strong stench of blood wafted from them, making it evident that it was fresh blood. Next to each blood pool, there stood ten or so dark red pillars, on which runes had been carved, forming what seemed to be Arrays. The arrangement of these blood pools also followed a pattern, the scattered setup forming a strategic formation, the corresponding surrounding Arrays joined together, forming a large scale Array consisting of smaller ones. A multitude of dark red runes blinked unevenly, the Arrays humming as they operated, causing the blood in the pools to churn and emit an endless wave of bloody vapor. In addition to the smell of blood in the pools, there was also a strong whiff of demonic Qi, the two mingling together. In each blood pool, several demonic creatures were soaking, their auras extremely massive, basically all at the Great Mahayana Stage or above, absorbing the vital essence and demonic Qi within the pools. Seated within the largest blood pool were two large demonic creatures, one was a black tiger demon, having a human body but a tiger head, its body heavily muscled, with a golden pattern of the word ¡°king¡± on its forehead. The other was a large demon having a human body but an eagle head ¡ª precisely the same eagle demon from before. These two demonic creatures emitted demonic Qi at the True Immortal Level, not inferior to Shen Luo himself. However, what Shen Luo was most interested in was the purple-black stone placed in the middle of the dozens of blood pools; it radiated a luminous purple light and appeared to be an extremely precious treasure. Above the purple-black stone hung a purple sphere, with a faintly discernible figure seated inside, its appearance and form unclear. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Streams of blood light following the formation pattern on the ground, converged from the blood pools within the Array, first entering into the purple-black stone, then emerging from the other side of the stone. The blood light became extremely pure, then injected into the purple sphere. Blood-colored charm patterns surfaced on the surface of the purple sphere, shining brilliantly, appearing to absorb these blood lights. The figure inside the purple sphere had an elusive aura, Shen Luo surprisingly unable to gauge its scale; he had only ever experienced such a situation with the likes of those entities who had surpassed the True Immortal Stage. ¡°Could there be a powerful entity at the Taiyi Realm inside?¡± Shocked, he immediately shifted his gaze away a moment after he had glanced at it, so as to avoid being detected. At the same time, he had the Heavenly Soldier merge into the nearby soil to conceal its aura. The blood pools within the cave worked in unison; the amount of blood quickly diminishing, over half of it consumed in the blink of an eye, and yet, the auras of the demon creatures in the blood pools had notably strengthened. ¡°What kind of method is this that can increase someone''s strength so quickly?¡± Witnessing this scene, Shen Luo was secretly taken aback. ¡°Honorable One, the essence blood in the blood pools has been depleted again. Recently, following your instructions, all the Demon Soldiers have been stationed within Black Wolf Mountain, none of them have been out hunting for blood meals. The current stock of blood materials is running low, so it seems like the refinement of the Blood Essence Banner will have to be slowed down,¡± said the black tiger demon creature after rising up and giving a bow in front of the purple sphere. ¡°No, if there is a shortage of blood meals, then seize some from your subordinate soldiers. The refinement of the Blood Essence Banner is related to Lord Chiyou''s complete release from distress and must not be slowed down!¡± From within the purple sphere, a cold voice replied indifferently. ¡°This voice¡­¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, the voice stirred some kind of familiarity within him for some unknown reason. On hearing these words, the face of the black tiger demon creature changed and he remained silent. As for the eagle demon creature, after hearing this, a flash of anger crossed its eyes and was about to say something, but he was held back by the black tiger demon creature. ¡°What? Do you object?¡± The figure inside the purple sphere slowly turned around, looking at the black tiger demon creature, its tone icy. ¡°No, no, dare not! I will arrange it immediately.¡± The Black Tiger Demon Creature shook its body, seemingly terrified of the figure inside the sphere, and agreed hurriedly. ¡°What! Chiyou hasn''t fully gotten out of the trap yet?¡± Above the ground, Shen Luo was stunned. According to the information he had learned, Chiyou was supposed to have broken free on the day of the Demonic Tribulation. Why was he not free yet? His feelings surged, the seal he placed on the Heavenly Soldier momentarily disrupted, and a hint of the Heavenly Soldier''s breath leaked out. ¡°Who is it!¡± The figure inside the purple sphere suddenly raised its head, looking in the direction where the Heavenly Soldier was hiding. Shen Luo was taken aback, and immediately controlled the Heavenly Soldier to escape towards a distant place. But before it got far, a flash of black light appeared above the Heavenly Soldier''s head, and an illusory image of a pitch-black bone claw appeared, ignoring the surrounding mud, and grasped downwards. A silver light flashed in the Heavenly Soldier''s hand, and a silver war spear appeared, shooting out like a vicious dragon emerging from its hole, stabbing onto the black bone claw. When the two collided, there was a ¡°crack¡± sound. The silver war spear was easily cut into several pieces by the black bone claw. The claw then grabbed the Heavenly Soldier. It cut it into several pieces as if tearing through paper. Shen Luo''s wisp of divine sense inside the Heavenly Soldier was also torn apart by the claw. On the ground, Shen Luo groaned softly, a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes. Without any hesitation, he immediately activated the Wood Immortal Escape Technique. In an instant, his entire body was enveloped by green light, his body shimmered and disappeared, entering the space created by the escape technique. With the help of the Wood Qi within it, he silently continued to move forward, moving away from the Demon Base. Through this period of practice, he had already cultivated the Wood Immortal Escape Technique to a profound level. Not only was his escape speed much faster than before, but his breath was also much more concealed. ¡°Want to run! Having discovered the secrets here, leave your life behind!¡± but as soon as Shen Luo entered the green space, a cold voice was heard in his ear. With that voice, a green light appeared from behind, chasing after him extremely quickly. Within the green light was a black skeleton, draped in a golden robe. The style of the robe was simple and ancient, clearly very old, but still looked brand new, emitting a faint golden glow. The bones of the black skeleton were shiny black, giving off a faint sense of transparency, like black crystal. Blood-colored charms were faintly visible on the surface of the bones, making it look very eerie. The black skeleton was clearly proficient in the Wood Escape Technique too. The distance between the two quickly shortened. Clearly, the skeleton''s knowledge in the Wood Escape Technique far surpassed his. Shen Luo''s face changed, he made a decision on the spot and was about to leave the space of the escape technique and use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique to escape. The black skeleton opened his fingers and grasped at the void where Shen Luo was. Shen Luo was suddenly surrounded by a green light ten times more intense than before, and it immobilized him, preventing him from escaping from here. He snorted coldly, flipped his hand to take out the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and performed the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Thirty-two stick shadows emerged and, with a bang, blasted the surrounding green light apart. With a flicker, he left the green space and appeared outside, having already escaped from the black mountain range. Shen Luo moved his arms, and a gold and silver light burst out from his arms, and he was about to perform the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique to escape. This black skeleton definitely had the strength of the Taiyi Realm, and there were also many experts in the Demon Base. Although he was confident in his strength, it was hard to fight four hands with two fists, so it was better to escape first. But before he could perform the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, a green light flashed above his head, and the black skeleton appeared as well. A pitch-black bone claw reached out, the fierce claw wind causing Shen Luo''s facial skin to sting from the pain. Chapter 726 Chapter 726: Chapter 722: The Three Disasters Chapter 726: Chapter 722: The Three Disasters ¡°You really think I dare not fight back!¡± Anger rose in Shen Luo''s heart, with the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in his hand casting a radiant golden light, ready again to use the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. However, the pitch black bone claw was too fast. It grabbed the SeAnchoring Iron Rod before he could unleash his stick technique. Immediately, the iron rod was immobilized. However, Shen Luo didn''t show a flinch, as a streak of golden light shot out of his sleeve, binding the black skeleton firmly. It was his unfinished Golden Rope. ¡°Golden Rope!¡± The black skeleton exclaimed in surprise. Its body flashed with black light and grew several times larger. But the Golden Rope soon radiated thousands of golden lights, expanding with the black skeleton, holding it tightly, without breaking. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet the black skeleton flashed again with black light, and its several-meters tall body shrank by more than ten times in an instant. The diminishing speed was extremely fast, by countless times faster than the earlier expansion. In a blink of an eye, it transformed from a gigantic skeleton into a dwarf-sized creature. But the Golden Rope also immediately shrank, sticking to the skeleton, without being torn apart even slightly. ¡°Die!¡± Shen Luo sneered, as his eyes turned slightly red. He waved the SeAnchoring iron rod in his hand, and sixty-four rod shadows appeared around the black skeleton, furiously strangling it. The black skeleton showed no sign of imminent danger, instead it gazed at Shen Luo''s red eyes, a strange light flashing in its dark, hollow sockets. But in the next moment, the sixty-four rod shadows radiated with an intense golden light, engulfing the black skeleton. With a resounding explosion, the black skeleton shattered into pieces, turning into countless fragments in the sky, utterly destroyed in the onslaught. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but be taken aback. Although he had full confidence in his SeAnchoring Iron Rod and the Splashy Chaotic Stick techniques, he didn''t expect to slay this powerful being of the Taiyi Realm with a single strike. Just at this moment, with a sharp squeal, a black shadow zipped towards Shen Luo like a bolt of lightning ¨C it was the skull of the black skeleton- and it arrived in front of him in a blink, opening its mouth to spew out something. A fog-like black light shot out, aiming straight for his face. Shen Luo''s face changed dramatically. Although he didn''t know what this black Qi was, he knew it definitely wasn''t anything good. Golden light shimmered around him, a golden light curtain appeared in front of him, and his feet emitted intense moonlight vibration, as he rapidly retreated backwards. The black Qi collided with the golden light curtain, immediately being deflected without causing any impact. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t relax. Instead, his eyebrows furrowed even tighter. He wouldn''t be foolish enough to consider the black skeleton''s final counterattack to be weak. There must be some trick to this black Qi. ¡°Black Qi¡­¡± Suddenly in Shen Luo''s mind, it reminded him of a black bottle he had found in the ruins of the Treasure Hall. The bottle had also once emitted a black Qi which was very similar to the black Qi he was currently facing. His expression drastically changed, and he formed a seal intending to withdraw the golden light curtain. However, he was one step too late. The black Qi had already attached itself to the light curtain and disappeared within it. Shen Luo felt a warm sensation, as a strange force poured into his body. His mana couldn''t resist it at all. The experience was similar to when the black Qi entered his body in the ruins, but this time it felt much stronger. As he was thinking of a countermeasure, this strange force suddenly erupted, turning into a cold and suppressive killing intent. This aura was extremely strange. It was neither Yin Qi, Demonic Qi nor any tangible cold forces. It was intangible and seemed not to have substance, yet it truly existed. Black Qi appeared around him, wrapping like black smoke, making him look fierce and murderous, like a mad killer. Realizing his condition, Shen Luo felt an inexplicable irritation, and a strong desire for slaughter surged in his heart. Rumble! The sky above suddenly changed with swirling black clouds that engulfed the entire sky. In the clouds, electric snakes danced wildly, and an overwhelming aura seeped out, firmly locking onto Shen Luo. Shen Luo was startled. What was happening? How had he triggered a thunder tribulation? His cultivation level hadn''t broken through, and the strength of the tribulation cloud was far more forceful than the one he had faced when he ascended to the True Immortal Realm years ago. ¡°Could it be the advent of the three calamities?¡± A passage he had previously read in a classic text suddenly surfaced in Shen Luo''s mind. The so-called three calamities are the three trials that cultivators who have reached the True Immortal Realm or higher must face. Once one has cultivated to the True Immortal Realm, they have an extremely long lifespan and can basically have a lifespan parallel to that of Heaven and Earth. However, eternal life is a secret of the creation of Heaven and Earth. True Immortal cultivators are essentially seizing the creation of Heaven and Earth and infringing upon the mysteries of the sun and the moon. They are not tolerated by gods and demons, hence tribulations come. Among the three calamities, one was the thunder disaster. However, when he had read that classic, he was still far from reaching the True Immortal Realm, so he had not paid much attention to it. Shen Luo greatly regretted this, but regret was of no use now. ¡°Wait, this thunder disaster chose this particular time to come. It''s too coincidental. Could that black qi have triggered it?¡± He suddenly remembered something and felt that something wasn''t right. However, now that the thunder disaster had come, Shen Luo could not afford to pay attention to other things. He reached out and grabbed the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, preparing to resist. At that moment, a golden light suddenly flashed over him, and the fragment of the Heavenly Scroll flew out of nowhere and hung above his head. A golden glow shot out from the scroll, enveloping the black qi surrounding him. With a soft ¡°click¡±, the Heavenly Scroll suddenly opened. The black qi around Shen Luo trembled and disappeared completely. The tribulation clouds in the sky quickly dissipated, and the Heavenly Scroll returned to his hand. His eyes widened. He didn''t understand what had just happened, but he quickly grabbed the golden rope and the SeAnchoring Iron Rod and spread his arms open. From his two arms emanated a powerful golden and silver light. In an instant, he transformed into a golden and silver phantom and shot forward at a horrifying speed, disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye. Behind Shen Luo, in the void, the skull silently watched Shen Luo''s figure fade in the distance, a look of surprise on its face. ¡°This is Peng Demon King''s Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique! How does this human know it?¡± The skull muttered to itself. Black light flickered on the skull, and the bones shattered by the SeAnchoring Iron Rod flew back, quickly reforming into a complete skeleton that showed no signs of damage, reattaching itself to the black skull. Right at this moment, three escape lights flew from behind. They belonged to the Eagle Demon, the Black Tiger demon creature, and Manager Ma. ¡°Honorable One! Has the enemy been dealt with? Who spied on our conversation?¡± The Black Tiger demon creature asked first, looking around as if searching for the enemy''s body. ¡°No, he got away,¡± said the black skull, nonchalantly. ¡°What!¡± The Black Tiger demon creature, Eagle Demon, and Manager Ma all looked shocked and incredulous. ¡°What do we do now? Should we chase him? The existence of the blood pool must not be noticed,¡± the Black Tiger demon creature asked. ¡°The conversation we had was not a secret, so it doesn''t matter if he overheard. And as for the blood pool, indeed, it should not be known. Since most of the wild beasts around Black Wolf Mountain have been caught, it''s a good chance for us to change our base,¡± said the Black skull. ¡°Yes,¡± both the Black Tiger Demon Creature and Eagle Demon nodded, agreeing. ¡°You two leave first, Ma Zhong stay.¡± The black skull ordered. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± both the Black Tiger Demon Creature and Eagle Demon acknowledged and withdrew, leaving only Manager Ma. ¡°Master,¡± Manager Ma stepped forward. ¡°Give me a detailed report of your encounter with that man at the Treasure Hall Ruins,¡± the black skull commanded quietly. Chapter 727 Chapter 727: Chapter 723: Heavenly Book Broken Land Chapter 727: Chapter 723: Heavenly Book Broken Land Using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, Shen Luo sped forward, flying almost ten thousand miles before stopping and landing in a mountain stream. Seeing no one pursuing him, he breathed a sigh of relief and silently cultivated the Huangting Technique, recovering his mana. At the same time, he took out an object from his sleeve. It was the black bottle he''d found in the Treasures Hall Ruins. What happened before was extremely weird, and despite having resolved it with the aid of the Heavenly Book powers, he wasn''t at peace until he fully understood what had occurred. However, this bottle was made of special materials that could isolate divine sense; only by opening it could he discern its contents. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have risked opening it before. After a moment''s contemplation, he removed the green talisman covering the bottle. Then, he took out a set of simplified Array Techniques discs and placed them around the bottle before activating them with a hand gesture. The discs immediately lit up, creating a blue light shield that enveloped the bottle. Based on his previous experiences, the black qi in the bottle could infiltrate his body by simply coming into contact with his mana. Now he, relying on the power of the Array to confine it, had no personal connection with it¨Cthe black qi should not affect him, right? With this thought, Shen Luo picked up the medicine vial, gingerly removed the stopper, then immediately put the bottle on the ground and retreated. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A puff of black qi surged out of the bottle, promptly trapped by the blue light shield of the Array. Inside the light shield, the black qi surged around, unable to break free and escape, nor blend into the shield itself. Upon witnessing this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and approached the light shield to look through it into the bottle. The black qi obstructed his view making it difficult see clearly, but it appeared that a pitch-black elixir was inside the bottle, emitting the black qi. He didn''t know what kind of elixir it was. He contemplated for a moment, then sent a strand of his divine sense carefully through the blue light shield and into the bottle. However, as soon as his divine sense touched the strand of black qi, it immediately melded into it. But Shen Luo was prepared for this and promptly discarded the contaminated strand of divine sense. His mind throbbed slightly, but he''d successfully blocked the intrusion of the black qi. ¡°This black qi truly is bizarre; it can even penetrate divine sense.¡± He thought to himself, eyebrows furrowing. For the time being, Shen Luo couldn''t think of a solid method to investigate this, but upon seeing the black qi''s peculiar nature, he became more convinced that the previous thunder disaster had been triggered by this qi. ¡°This black qi can trigger thunder disasters and infiltrate the body with a slight touch, quite useful against enemies.¡± This thought suddenly occurred to him. After pondering for a moment, he activated the prohibition power to suppress the black qi back into the bottle, re-corked it, and put the black medicine bottle away. Having done this, Shen Luo took out the Heavenly Book and immersed his divine sense within it. Just now, the Heavenly Book had suddenly absorbed the black qi from his body, hinting at the book''s mysterious capabilities not yet being fully discovered. Just as Shen Luo was about to carefully sense this, the Heavenly Book suddenly released a powerful suction, releasing a blinding golden light. His vision blurred and changed as he was engulfed by the massive golden light. All Shen Luo felt was the golden light scattering before his eyes, his feet touching solid ground, and the sound of ¡°ding-dong¡± ringing under his feet, causing ripples to spread out. He looked down to see that the ground beneath him was as smooth as a mirror, casting no reflection of him. It became clear that he was back inside that odd golden hall within the Heavenly Book. While Shen Luo was still feeling bewildered, a hoary voice drifted faintly from far behind him: ¡°Are you¡­ new here?¡± ¡°Who''s there?¡± Startled by the voice, Shen Luo''s shoulders gave a slight jerk as he immediately turned his head towards it, only to find endless fogs and mists, with nothing else in sight. ¡°Could this be the fourth man?¡± The hoary voice muttered again, seemingly to itself. A chill ran down Shen Luo''s spine as he looked up, only to find a giant figure towering a hundred feet high, standing tens of feet in front of a golden fog wall. A white robe enshrouded it within the mist, hardly noticeable unless one looked closely. What frightened Shen Luo more was that, despite this figure''s colossal size, it did not emit any breath or aura. He hadn''t detected its presence at all until now. ¡°May I ask who you are, elder?¡± After brief hesitation, Shen Luo cupped his hands and paid his respect, asking. ¡°In this place, asking others about their identity is not very polite,¡± the voice echoed again, its tone quite placid, without any sign of offense. Even though those words were spoken, Shen Luo dared not let his guard down. He carefully chose his words: ¡°Don''t misunderstand, elder. I happened to lose my way and unintentionally stumbled into this peculiar space. If I disturbed you, please forgive me. I will leave immediately.¡± ¡°Haha, lost your way¡­ That''s interesting. But don''t worry, I bear you no resentment. You don''t need to conceal anything¨Cwithout a fragment of the Heavenly Book, it''s impossible to enter this space.¡± The voice laughed and said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. At first, he thought to continue his ruse, but with little deliberation, he understood that it was pointless to lie at this point. It was better to be truthful and gain some useful information from this person. ¡°So you, too, have a fragment of the Heavenly Book, elder. So our meeting here is all due to the Heavenly Book?¡± Shen Luo craned his neck, trying to make out the person''s face. However, obstructed by the dense golden fog, he could make out nothing. At this moment, the hundred-foot-high figure waved its sleeve, steadily shrinking until it was nearly the same height as Shen Luo. This figure revealed itself to be a white-robed elder. He had a snow-white robe on, a vermilion ribbon around his waist, a snow-white whisk in one hand emitting a dazzling gloss, which was evidently no ordinary magical treasure. Neveretheless, as Shen Luo continued to look upwards, he saw only a strand of snow-white beard drooping onto the elder''s chest, while his face was obscured by an orb of golden fog. Even with his current visual prowess, Shen Luo could see nothing of it. ¡°Boundless Heavenly Emperor,¡± the elder raised a palm and waved his whisk, paying his respects to Shen Luo in a manner typical of the Daoist school. ¡°Nice to meet you, Daoist Master,¡± seeing this, Shen Luo immediately cupped his hands and bowed respectfully. ¡°You''re here for the first time; no need to panic. We call this area the Heavenly Book Broken Land, a virtual world created by the Heavenly Book fragments interacting and resonating with one another,¡± the white-robed elder began, his voice serene. ¡°Heavenly Book Broken Land¡­ We? Are there others here?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, asking. ¡°You seem unaware that when the Heavenly Book shattered, it broke into five fragments. They ended up lost in the Three Realms, and gradually, as destiny would have it, ended up in the hands of a few people. You will meet them shortly,¡± said the white-robed elder. Right after his words, a huge figure arose from the fog wall across him. The figure was more than a hundred feet tall and clad in silver scale armor¨Cbelted with a Barbarian Lion Belt, crowned with a Clustered Pearl Crown, booted with Hide Blue Cloud Boots. The figure stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his aura as majestic as mountains, yet his face was shrouded in a golden fog, and he emitted no aura. Chapter 728 Chapter 728: Chapter 724: The 4th Person Chapter 728: Chapter 724: The 4th Person Then a figure also appeared, on the other side of the fog wall facing the giant figure. He too was hundreds of feet tall, yet he was dressed in a golden beast face chainmail, draped in a bright yellow robe, fastened around the waist with a raw silk tasseled belt, and wearing black tiger-headed boots on his feet. Standing opposite the other figure, he looked like a mighty deity. Shen Luo noticed the golden mist covering the man''s face as well, and for a moment, he was not sure if their faces looked the same as his. After revealing themselves, the two figures glanced at each other, humphed coldly, and then turned to look in this direction. Upon seeing the two figures on the ground, both of them exclaimed in unison, ¡°Eh¡±. They were then promptly shrunk down to the size of Shen Luo and walked over. ¡°Daoist Master, could this be the fourth person?¡± asked the Silver Armored Man, who was slightly ahead of the other, his voice warm and mellow. ¡°Indeed, this Daoist friend is the fourth person we have been eagerly waiting for,¡± said the White-robed Old Taoist. The Yellow-robed Man, who had been closely following, looked Shen Luo up and down and said, ¡°We''ve been waiting for so long, and now the fourth person has finally shown up. So we''re only waiting for the last one who hasn''t appeared yet?¡± His voice was somewhat strange, sounding rather sharp and even a bit shrill to the ear. ¡°I have a clue about the last one. You don''t need to worry about it,¡± the White-robed Old Taoist remarked. ¡°That''s good to hear. Shall we continue where we left off?¡± the Silver Armored Man suggested. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo was puzzled by the conversation but noticed that the two newcomers continuously scanned him without questioning his identity. When the White-robed Old Taoist mentioned the ownership of the final piece of the Heavenly Book, both men stirred slightly. Even though he couldn''t see their faces, he could tell they were both rather excited. However, like before, they did not ask any questions about the identity of that individual. It seemed to confirm what the White-robed Old Taoist has said, uncovering one''s identity in this place is indeed a major taboo. ¡°Let''s not rush things. Our newcomer friend has just arrived, and likely is unaware of why we''ve gathered and more importantly, what it means to possess a fragment of the Heavenly Book,¡± the White-robed Old Taoist said. ¡°Right, we need to clarify a few things first,¡± the Yellow-robed Man concurred, nodding his head. ¡°Our friend here, there is no need to mention your name. But please share your race, previous sect affiliation, and the current predicament you are in,¡± The Silver Armored Man requested. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo remained silent for a moment, then, carefully crafting his words, he began to speak: ¡°I¡­I am a human cultivator. I used to be a¡­ disciple of Mount Fangcun. After the sect was destroyed, I had been wandering. Before this, I was in the Eastern Sea¡­¡± ¡°There''s no need to mention your location.¡± Before he could finish, the Silver Armored Man abruptly interrupted him, issuing a caution. Shen Luo paused, bristling slightly. ¡°Not permitting you to disclose your location is for your safety. We, the possessors of the Heavenly Book fragments, are all like thorns in the eyes and flesh of the Demon Clan. Once our whereabouts are exposed, great risks would be presented. We have to be careful,¡± the White-robed Old Taoist advised. ¡°Seems like a fairly inexperienced junior; it''s curious how the Heavenly Book chose him,¡± the Yellow-robed Man spat out in exasperation as he took in the scene. Of course, Shen Luo was not a naive boy, his claim to be a disciple of Mount Fangcun was a deliberate cover for his true identity, knowing full well that his name would not be found on the ancestral hall lineage record of Mount Fangcun. ¡°The Heavenly Book selects its hosts according to the guidance of the Heavenly Dao. It can''t be wrong. Anyway, let me tell you about our situation first. As of now, the Three Realms¡­¡± the White-robed Old Taoist began. Shen Luo paid close attention, a frown deepening on his face. For the first time, he began to comprehend the current state of all the Three Realms. Apparently, after the seal was broken, the Demonic God Chiyou fled from the Earthly Realm. After devouring the essence of Heaven and Earth, the Three Realms descended into chaos. Both the Heavenly Court and the Western Paradise fell into ruin, with even the Jade Emperor and Buddha succumbing to their demise. The Pagoda Heavenly King, the Four Generals of the Demonic Clan, the Juling God, and many other Heavenly Generals died one after another. Guanyin Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva fell as well, taking with them more than half of the gods and Buddhas in the sky. The cycle of death and rebirth was broken, as the Human World plunged into hell. The Heavenly Court and the Western Paradise were overthrown by Demonic Beings. The world became rampant with demons and ghosts, causing the mountains to change colors as the heavens and earth were turned upside down, leaving the Heavenly Dao in critical danger. Fortunately, during the fall of the Heavenly Court and the Western Paradise, Buddha, the Jade Emperor, and Taishang Laojun joined forces to inflict heavy damage on the Demonic God Chiyou, forcing him into temporary dormancy and earning a brief respite for the Three Realms. Now, while the Demon Clan continues its onslaught, they work on both sides to liberate more remnants of the Demon Race from the ancient Battle of Zhulu, meanwhile trying to revive Chiyou. The few powerful remnants of the Heavenly Court and Western Paradise are also rallying all their forces in preparation to annihilate the Demon Clan and seal them once again before Chiyou awakens. ¡°Who are the strong ones that are still working for the Three Realms?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°In the earlier apocalyptic battle, both the Heavenly Court and the Western Paradise suffered heavy losses, with almost all their powerful figures falling. In contrast, the earth immortals who remained in the Human World were less affected. It''s said that the Bodhi Ancestor knew about the instigator of this demon calamity and that''s why Mount Fangcun was attacked and destroyed first by the Demon Clan. Later, other sects such as the Wuzhuang View made preparations and managed to avoid total annihilation. As for now, all factions have temporarily appointed Town Primordial Great Immortal as their leader.¡± The White-robed Old Taoist responded. ¡°Moreover, more and more cultivators are choosing to avoid the world and preserve their lives. Unfortunately, the Demon Clan intends to destroy the Three Realms and even the Demon Race that initially joined them in launching the war is also on their cleansing list. Therefore, more and more powerful figures of the Demon Race are quietly joining the resistance after realizing the situation.¡± The Yellow-robed Man added. ¡°Then you guys¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°The Demon Clan''s infiltration into the Human and Demon races is severe. Their overt contacts are easily discovered. However, this place, the Heavenly Book Broken Land, is an excellent hub for exchanging information. We serve as the contact point between all forces.¡± The Silver Armored Man explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo finally understood why their identities could not be revealed. Once the Demon Clan discovered their true identities, they could uproot the entire resistance army, shattering the last hope of the Three Realms. ¡°I see. You are all the future hope of the Three Realms. I am sincerely impressed,¡± said Shen Luo, deeply moved. ¡°We, the holders of the Heavenly Book fragments, are extraordinary, each with a mission to fulfill. You, being the last to know, also need to protect yourself and the fragment. It will be the cornerstone of our future counterattack against the Demon Clan.¡± The White-robed Old Taoist advised. ¡°I will do my utmost to protect the Heavenly Book fragment from falling into enemy hands,¡± Shen Luo vowed, making a fist. ¡°Alright, we''ve told him everything he needs to know for now. Let''s proceed to other matters.¡± The Yellow-robed Man stated upon seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. Chapter 729 Chapter 729: Chapter 725: The Three Calamities Chapter 729: Chapter 725: The Three Calamities ¡°How is the Heavenly Court''s old department preparing?¡± asked the white-robed old Taoist. ¡°The majority of the remaining heavenly soldiers and generals have returned to our control. The Underworld is beyond repair and there''s no one left capable of doing anything significant. The Four Seas Dragon Palaces were previously attacked, with the Southern Sea, Northern Sea, and Western Sea already obliterated. The remaining forces have all escaped to the Eastern Sea and we are already in contact with them,¡± the Silver Armored Man said in response. ¡°The Eastern Sea¡­ Wasn''t it also besieged by Demon Peng''s troops before, with a situation even more dangerous than the other three Seas Dragon Palaces? How come they have managed to turn from danger to safety now?¡± the Yellow-robed Man questioned. ¡°What, are you displeased that we, the former Heavenly Court, still have strength remaining?¡± Hearing the words, the Silver Armored Man snorted disdainfully. ¡°Hmph, we all understand the strength of Demon Peng. Do you believe that they could resist with only the power of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace?¡± The Yellow-robed Man retorted with a cold snort. ¡°Isn''t it the disaster that was nurtured by your Western Buddha Land?¡± The Silver Armored Man became even angrier at the comment. During the year when the Heavenly Court was breached, Demon Peng was extremely powerful, with countless heavenly soldiers and generals losing their lives to him. Listening to the discord among the two, Shen Luo pieced together their comments along with what was said previously, understanding that the Silver Armored Man represented the old forces of the Heavenly Court, and the Yellow-robed Man seemed to come from the Western Buddha Land. ¡°The two Daoist friends, what is the point of arguing about this?¡± The white-robed old Taoist asked. His tone was steady, without any emotional fluctuations, but he was the one who could suppress the anger that had sparked between the two. ¡°I am just worried, has the Eastern Sea which was turned from danger to safety, still at the command of the Heavenly Court?¡± The Yellow-robed Man said in a calm manner. The meaning behind his words was that he was worried that the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace may have surrendered to the Demon Clan in order to survive. ¡°You¡­¡± The Silver Armored Man was furious. ¡°Both of you calm down, I happened to receive some news. Demon Peng was severely injured in the battle of the Heavenly Court. It is likely that the Pagoda Heavenly King left some trump card during his final battle with it, which eventually led to the downfall of Demon Peng. After that, there were some upheavals in the Eastern Sea. It is said that the Eldest Princess was imprisoned, and the Old Dragon King passed away. The former Ninth Prince has become the new Dragon King.¡± The white-robed old Taoist calmly explained. ¡°So much has happened¡­¡± The Yellow-robed Man muttered in surprise. The Silver Armored Man also seemed to have just learned of these secrets and couldn''t help but sink into contemplation. Although Shen Luo''s face showed no emotion, his heart was a sea of stormy waves. These events were the deepest secrets of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace. Who exactly was this white-robed old Daoist, who could know so much? He was even more curious about whether his own identity had been discovered by him? However, after speaking those words, the old Daoist did not mention it anymore. He didn''t say anything about Shen Luo, and he didn''t know whether the dragon palace had completely sealed the news about him, or the old Daoist was hiding something. Later, the three discussed some other deployment plans, and Shen Luo just listened quietly, without uttering a word. Finally, the white-robed old Daoist began to speak, ¡°You don''t know how we hold meetings, right?¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°Due to some reasons, we can''t meet too often, and we will not communicate with each other unless necessary. When the meeting is needed, one person would send an invitation to others through the Heavenly Book Fragments. After receiving the invitation, one would need to enter the Heavenly Book Broken Land within half an hour. This time, the proposer is me,¡± explained the white-robed old Taoist. ¡°May I ask the elder how to use the Heavenly Book Fragments to send out invitations?¡± Shen Luo questioned. ¡°It seems that you have gotten the fragment for a short time, and you don''t understand the mysterious use of the Heavenly Book. Never mind, I will brief you on it.¡± The white-robed old Taoist slightly hesitated and spoke. Upon saying this, the old Taoist raised his hand and slowly opened a fragmentary image of the Heavenly Book above his head. The image contained the names of heavenly soldiers and generals and various heavenly spirits, but these names were covered by floating lights. No matter how hard Shen Luo tried, he couldn''t see them clearly. At the very end of the fragment, there were three imprints, shining with slight light. For the Silver Armored Man and the Yellow-robed Man, it was followed by three identical marks on their Heavenly Book Fragments. ¡°Could it be that this mark is the key to the invitation?¡± Shen Luo questioned. ¡°Exactly. As long as we leave marks on each other''s Heavenly Book, we can invite others by using the mark after entering this space,¡± the Silver Armored Man affirmed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated a little. He then activated his own Heavenly Book Fragment. Seeing this, the three raised their thumbs and pressed them into the void. A strand of divine soul flowed out and was imprinted on the Heavenly Book Fragment. With one look, Shen Luo also learned the method and left his mark on their Heavenly Book Fragments in the same way. ¡°The time in this Heavenly Book Broken Land where we are staying is stagnant, but that doesn''t mean we can stay here indefinitely. In fact, we can only stay here for a very limited time each time, with a maximum of only three two-hour periods. So, if you have any questions you want to know, you should ask right away,¡± the white-robed old Taoist continued. ¡°Elder, can we exchange things in this Heavenly Book Broken Land?¡± Shen Luo asked. He had tried to take out his Pure Yang Sword Embryo previously, and he didn''t know if he could exchange it with others. ¡°Even though we seem to share the same room, there''s some differences. It''s not difficult to exchange things here, but it does need some mana,¡± the white-robed old Taoist said. ¡°I see, I have learned a lot¡­ I have one more question that I hope to ask,¡± Shen Luo said, suddenly recalling something. ¡°Just speak,¡± the Yellow-robed Man said. ¡°May I ask, what is the ''Three Disasters''?¡± Shen Luo asked seriously. ¡°Are you really a disciple of Mount Fangcun? How do you not even know what the ''Three Disasters'' are?¡± The Silver Armored Man sounded rather cold. Shen Luo had already expected them to ask this, and he immediately answered: ¡°I entered the sect very late, and on the day of the sect''s annihilation, I didn''t even have the chance to fight the Demon Clan, and so I was able to survive up to now. Some of the sect''s secret skills have not been completed, let alone increasing this kind of knowledge?¡± Upon hearing this, the three fell silent for a while before accepting his answer. ¡°Before the Demon Clan eradicated the world, these Three Disasters are the common enemy of all cultivators, regardless of whether they are humans, demons, spirits, Meis, or ghosts. Once they cultivate to the True Immortal Realm, their lifespan becomes unlimited.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inwardly. Does that mean if he reaches that state in the real world, he won''t fear the death claim in his Jade Pillow Dream anymore? ¡°However, this act goes against the cycle of the Heavenly Dao, and it''s an act of stealing the creation of Heaven and Earth. It''s not tolerated by the Heavenly Dao. Therefore, a disaster will fall every five hundred years, which are the Thunder Disaster, Fire Disaster, and Wind Disaster,¡± the White-robed old Taoist said. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°May I ask, what is the Thunder Disaster, Fire Disaster, and Wind Disaster?¡± Shen Luo asked in confusion. Chapter 730 Chapter 730: Chapter 726: Gifted Talent from Heaven Chapter 730: Chapter 726: Gifted Talent from Heaven ¡°This Thunder Disaster, is rather simple to comprehend. It''s a heavenly Thunder Tribulation that will strike you as a test from the heavens. If one cultivates properly, recognizing one''s true nature and enlightening one''s mind, it can be foreseen and thus avoided. If dodged, one could prolong their life to match the heavens, and if not, they naturally would meet an abrupt end,¡± continued the white-robed old Taoist. ¡°I wonder how this Thunder Disaster compares to the Thunder Tribulation of Ascending to Immortality?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°They are not to be mentioned on the same day. One can resist the Thunder Tribulation with mystic arts and God''s power, but it''s impossible to resist the Thunder Disaster. Your only hope is to foresee it and avoid it, otherwise it would spell the end,¡± the white-robed old Taoist immediately answered. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo felt a slight tautness in his heart and quickly committed the information to memory. ¡°The Thunder Disaster can be avoided by enlightening oneself, but the Fire Disaster that follows in 500 years is not so easily avoided. The fire is not worldly, nor heavenly, but ''Yin Fire''. Once it descends, it begins burning from the Yongquan point at the sole of the foot, burning persistently through the Mud Palace, reducing your internal organs to ashes, and limbs to withered husks. Even if you have cultivated diligently for a thousand years, it''s hard to escape from turning to dust,¡± the white-robed old Taoist spoke slowly. Amidst Shen Luo''s shock, the Silver Armored Man chimed in: ¡°In another 500 years, the Wind Disaster will descend. It''s not the ordinary wind of south, east, north, and west of the Human World, not the golden north wind, nor the wind of flowers, willows, pines and bamboos. It''s called ''Bi Wind''. It blows into the Six Viscera from the top of a human''s skull at the point of the fontanelle, through the Dantian, penetrating the nine orifices, causing body to dissolve, and one''s body ceases to exist.¡± ¡°I originally thought that after I cultivated to the True Immortal Realm, I could live as long as the sun and the moon. I didn''t expect such numerous life-threatening tribulations. I wonder if there is a way to break them?¡± Shen Luo asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°There are no ways to break them, but there are some methods that can be used to avoid them,¡± said the white-robed old Taoist. ¡°Fellow Elders, please kindly enlighten me,¡± said Shen Luo with a bow. ¡°When the Three Disasters arrive, they target the body''s spirit and soul of a person. So, avoiding the Three Disasters in fact means using a transformation technique to deceive the heavens and the earth, hence preventing the Three Disasters from locking onto you,¡± the white-robed old Taoist explained. ¡°Transformation Technique? It should not be an ordinary illusion technique, right?¡± Shen Luo speculated after a brief thought. ¡°Of course not, how could the Heavenly Dao be so easily deceived? It must be a real transformation technique that changes one''s physical form, spirit, breath, and divine soul. Only this can make the Three Disasters unable to trace you. Once the time limit passes, one can be safe for another 500 years,¡± said the Silver Armored Man. ¡°Speaking of which, your Mount Fangcun usually handles the Three Disasters alone, without outside help. The secret manual ''Earth Evil Seventy-two Changes'' is the ultimate secret method for dealing with these Three Disasters. Don''t tell me you haven''t studied it?¡± The yellow-robed man asked in surprise. ¡°I have not,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°Without practicing the Seventy-two Changes, how can you call yourself a disciple of Mount Fangcun? How could the Heavenly Book choose such a person?¡± The yellow-robed man looked at him somewhat incredulously. Shen Luo sensing a hint of discontent, still respectfully responded, ¡°Respected elders, do you have any Transformation Art that you could impart to me?¡± ¡°Transformation Arts are all classified secrets of individual sects, how can they be freely disseminated?¡± The yellow-robed man said coldly. ¡°I am willing to exchange something of equal value for it,¡± Shen Luo offered. ¡°Ideally, given the danger facing the Three Realms, we shouldn''t be sticking to our sects, a transformation art shouldn''t be greatly treasured. However, some rules were established at the start of this gathering, so exchanges are permissible, but what do you have that is worth trading?¡± asked the white-robed old Taoist. ¡°I only have some aged Spiritual Medicine and Immortal Herbs, and a few unimpressive talismans. Would any of the elders find them suitable?¡± After a brief thought, Shen Luo was about to mention his Gold Rope and Wolf Fang Club, among other magical treasures, but he quickly cut himself off and said something different. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Following this, he waved his hand and several two-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs and a few purple talismans appeared in succession. ¡°Thick Earth Ganoderma, Dream Dew Flower, Xuan Guang Vine¡­¡± the yellow-robed man muttered to himself with a light ''oh'' of surprise. ¡°Thunderfall Talisman, Fractured Armor Talisman, Binding Talisman¡­¡± The Silver Armored Man leaned forward slightly, showing some interest in these three talismans. ¡°If these medicinal herbs were presented 500 years ago, they would have been useful to me, but now their significance is rather limited,¡± the yellow-robed man shook his head and said. However, the Silver Armored Man took a step forward and said, ¡°I''m somewhat interested in these three talismans. Their quality is not low, and the one who drew them is quite skilled, they are in excellent condition. I''d like to take them and teach you the White Crane Transformation Technique, how about it?¡± ¡°Thank you, elder.¡± Shen Luo didn''t hesitate at all and immediately nodded. Following his words, he waved his hand, pushing the three talismans towards the Silver Armored Man. Seeing the three talismans floating towards him, the Silver Armored Man didn''t directly pick them up. Instead, he held his fingers together in front of him, the tip of his fingers gathering mana bit by bit, illuminating a strong silvery glow. His fingers pointed forward and the empty space stirred a wave of ripples, just as if they were peering into the water''s surface, penetrating through the thin barrier of space and holding onto the three talismans. He then gently pulled them back. It was then that Shen Luo understood why the white-robed old Taoist had said that exchanging objects here wasn''t easy. Although this place was a separate space, the four individuals who were connected didn''t belong to this place. In order to exchange items here, they needed to pierce through the spatial barrier. Suddenly, the Silver Armored Man flipped his hand and a jade slip shot straight towards Shen Luo and the same way, stopped in front of Shen Luo. ¡°You''re being a little unreasonable. How could a newcomer like him know how to penetrate the barrier to retrieve an item?¡± The yellow-robed man said with a mocking smile as he saw the situation unfold. Shen Luo also looked at the Silver Armored Man. Since his face could not be seen clearly, Shen Luo had no idea of his expression. However, seeing his lack of movement made it clear that he didn''t intend to help Shen Luo. Undeterred, Shen Luo also put his two fingers together and began to gather his mana towards his fingertips, gradually creating a pinpoint of golden light. ¡°Oh, he seems to be getting the hang of it¡­¡± The yellow-robed man laughed. However, as his voice fell, the golden light at Shen Luo''s fingertips suddenly ¡°popped¡± and shattered. ¡°Don''t rush, control the speed of your mana flow. It shouldn''t be too fast or too slow. Gradually increase the force until it''s stable enough to break through the barrier,¡± the Silver Armored Man suddenly advised. Following his advice, Shen Luo once again began to gather the golden light at his fingertips. ¡°If he can comprehend it in just a few words, wouldn''t he be a¡­¡± The yellow-robed man didn''t believe that Shen Luo would get it with just a few words. He was about to make a mocking comment, but his words were left hanging as he froze in place. It turned out that during Shen Luo''s next attempt, not only did the golden light not shatter, but his fingertips very smoothly pierced through the spatial barrier. He had caught onto the jade slip and was slowly pulling it back. ¡°A natural genius¡­¡± The yellow-robed man finally uttered the last four words. Chapter 731 Chapter 731: Chapter 727: The Trust of the Spokesman Chapter 731: Chapter 727: The Trust of the Spokesman Shen Luo held his breath and focused his mind, finally retracting the jade slip. The ripples that whirled in front of him also vanished in an instant. However, just this momentary action had considerably exhausted his mana, and sweat could be faintly seen on his forehead. ¡°Worthy of being chosen by the Heavenly Book, truly exceptionally intelligent. Being able to grasp this Art of Change on the first try, it''s truly remarkable.¡± Looking at this, the white-robed old Taoist couldn''t help but praise. The Silver Armored Man, on the other hand, silently nodded, seemingly quite satisfied with Shen Luo''s performance. Shen Luo didn''t bother with their reactions, instead, he directly cast his divine soul into the jade slip and began to carefully investigate it. Soon after his examination, he realized that the content of the said jade slip wasn''t all that understandable, but the whole passage was only a few dozen words that gave him a rather familiar feeling. But as to why he would have such a strange feeling, he didn''t know. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A moment later, he put away the jade slip, only then noticing that the other three were all staring at him. He asked puzzledly, ¡°Elders, is there something inappropriate?¡± ¡°Aren''t you taking the opportunity to ask about the tricks of this Transformation Art while we''re all still here?¡± The white-robed old Taoist said with a smile. ¡°I don''t know why, but this junior feels a particular connection with the White Crane Transformation Technique. At first glance, I didn''t feel any difficulty in it, so I believe there will be no difficulty in practicing it.¡± Shen Luo paused slightly before answering. The three of them were quite surprised when they heard this. ¡°It seems that indeed, you do have a heaven-endowed talent, my old Daoist self, here, also has a Transformation Art that allows transformation into a brocade carp in the river. I wonder if you would like to learn this?¡± The white-robed old Taoist asked. ¡°I wonder what the Elder would like in exchange?¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly and asked. For the Three Calamities, the more Transformation Art, the better. ¡°I don''t need any Magical Treasures from your possession, just need you to help me with something.¡± The white-robed old Taoist stroked his beard and smiled as he said. ¡°Please, elder, do tell,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°As previously mentioned, you should already have a clear understanding of the situation in the Three Realms. Right now, the Human Race and the realms of the immortals and Buddhas are still united. Only the Demon Race remains divided, like scattered sand, and is unable to achieve anything. In order for us to fight the Demon Clan, we need to unite the power of all in the Three Realms who can consolidate. So, the Demon Race shouldn''t be an exception.¡± The white-robed elder began. ¡°Could it be that the elder wants this junior to make contact with the Demon Race?¡± Shen Luo asked, confused. ¡°Yes, and no. The Demon Race is now divided among many. Among them, many tribes have willingly fallen, becoming demonized and joining the Demon Clan. Those left are fighting for themselves, without a unified command. If the Great Sage Equal to Heaven were still here, with his prestige, he could deter the group of monsters, and he would be the King of All Monsters, uniting the monsters. Unfortunately¡­now the only Demon King with such ability is probably one,¡± the white-robed old Taoist nodded then shook his head. ¡°Who is it?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Of course, it''s Sun Wukong''s sworn elder brother, the Great Strength Bull Demon King,¡± The Silver Armored Man spoke. ¡°So to speak, the elder wants this junior to persuade the Bull Demon King?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow. ¡°Haha, isn''t the Daoist Master joking? Although the Bull Demon King has not joined the Demon Clan, he has always been at odds with us, the powers of the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain. Letting this guy go, wouldn''t it be sending him to his death for nothing?¡± The Yellow-robed Man laughed. ¡°Indeed, the Bull Demon King had a conflict with the pilgrimage team because of Red Boy and Princess Iron Fan, mother and son, which led to a siege from the Heavenly Court and hence, a disaster. Afterward, he broke off his connection with the Heavenly Court, marking a great enmity. It''s quite difficult to win him over now. But considering the current situation in the Three Realms, we have no option but to try to make this happen,¡± sighed the white-robed old Taoist. ¡°The elder would certainly not send me to death. There must be a viable method,¡± Shen Luo said, carefully weighing its pros and cons, instead of rushing to refuse. He then asked. ¡°The Bull Demon King has blocked an eight-hundred-mile radius around his Drill Mountain, prohibiting people from the Heavenly Court and the Demon Clan from entering. If discovered, you will be killed without mercy. Even if you go there with the identity of the Human Race, it''s hard to get in, not to mention to see him. I don''t want you to confront the Bull Demon King, but rather hope you can find out some news about Drill Mountain through the Jade Fox Clan,¡± the white-robed old Taoist said. ¡°The Bull Demon King has a deep relationship with the Jade Fox Clan, it''s indeed a breakthrough point. However, after the death of the Jade Fox Clan''s elder daughter, Princess Jade Face, under the rake of Zhu Bajie, the Jade Fox Clan, although daring not to speak out, was resentful towards the Heavenly Court. Now that the Heavenly Court is in decline, the Jade Fox Clan might not be willing to help,¡± the Silver Armored Man contemplated. ¡°What you said is right, but this is the best method we can come up with at the moment, so we have to try it. Besides, coming from Mount Fangcun, this Daoist friend does have some connections with the Demon Race, which is certainly useful,¡± the white-robed old Taoist said. Back then, the Bodhi Ancestor held a public seminar on Mount Fangcun, always adhering to the principle of ''teaching all without partiality''. In his teachings, there were disciples from the Demon Race, like Sun Wukong, hence he had much respect in the Demon Race. The few of them had a conversation and then turned their attention to Shen Luo, seemingly waiting for his decision. ¡°I''m willing to go. But I wonder where are the Jade Fox Clan are currently residing?¡± Shen Luo agreed and spoke seriously. ¡°As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows. The Jade Fox Clan back then was able to settle down in the Cloud Brushing Cave on Jilei Mountain under the protection of the Bull Demon King. After the death of Princess Jade Face, though the Jade Fox Clan superficially lived in the Cloud Brushing Cave, it is likely that they have long opened other cave mansions in Jilei Mountain. Specifically, where to look for them, I''m not sure yet,¡± the white-robed old Taoist said after pondering. After hearing this, Shen Luo found it quite a coincidence. The place where he had escaped earlier was not far from Jilei Mountain. After returning, with a bit of recuperation, he could go to find the Jade Fox Clan. ¡°In that case, this junior will first go to the vicinity of Jilei Mountain, and then search for the whereabouts of the Jade Fox Clan. If there''s any gain, I will contact the elders through the Heavenly Book Broken Land,¡± Shen Luo bowed and said. ¡°Nowadays, without the Heavenly Court to manage the Three Realms, these clans of demons have become much more violent and wild than before. The Jade Fox Clan has also sealed off a hundred miles around Jilei Mountain, prohibiting outsiders from entering. You have to be careful when you go there in person,¡± The old Taoist nodded and reminded him earnestly. ¡°This junior will indeed be careful,¡± Shen Luo bowed and said. ¡°Thank you,¡± the white-robed old Daoist bowed and said. After bidding each other farewell, they each gradually faded away and disappeared in the Golden Hall. Next to a mountain stream, a golden light suddenly appeared out of thin air. First was the Heavenly Book showing up in the air, then it cast down a golden light, and Shen Luo slowly descended from the light. After coming to a stop, he raised his hand and put away the Heavenly Book, then released his Divine Sense to investigate the surroundings. A moment later, realizing there were no abnormalities around, he then withdrew his Divine Sense, sat cross-legged by the water, and began to digest the information he had received from the Heavenly Book Broken Land. Chapter 732 Chapter 732: Chapter 728: Small Town at the Foot of the Mountain Chapter 732: Chapter 728: Small Town at the Foot of the Mountain ¡°Regardless, I have already taken on the task of investigating Drill Mountain. I should find the Jade Fox Clan first. But beforehand, I need to master this White Crane Transformation Technique.¡± After thinking for a while, Shen Luo muttered to himself. Having said that, he took out the jade slip again and invested his divine sense in it, scrutinizing it carefully. After finding no particularly difficult aspects, he held his breath and concentrated, chanting spells and activating the divine sense power and mana according to the method recorded in the jade slip. The Transformation Art is different from illusion techniques. It''s not a false trick to fool people, but a genuine change in one''s shape, soul, breath, and divine soul. Hence, it requires perfect coordination of the divine soul power, mana, breath, and physical strength. This is supposed to be a very difficult task. However, Shen Luo, already in the body of a True Immortal with enough mana and strong divine soul power, combined with his cultivation of the Huangting Technique, found the process unusually smooth. Within half an hour, Shen Luo stood up from his place, extended his arms like a bird flapping its wings, chanted the transformation spell softly, and then took a deep breath. Suddenly, his body felt lighter. White feathers grew from his arms. His body quickly shrank and transformed. He turned into a magnificent, graceful red-crowned crane with bright plumage. He lifted his foot to take a step forward but felt his foot unsteady. His hands involuntarily swung back and forth, and he seemed to dash forward in a small run. Being a human, Shen Luo had never paid attention to how birds take flight. Even his previous flights were facilitated by mystic arts. Suddenly transformed into a crane, he was momentarily unsure of how to take off. After a few runs and wing flaps, he finally managed to flap his wings and soar into the sky. Shen Luo flew high among the clouds and looked down upon the Earth. He could see his own image reflected on the surface of the stream. At the beginning, because he was not used to it, his wings flapped too frequently, and his legs were not stretched backward, making his posture look a bit odd. But after flying for a half moment, with his continual adjustments, he came to resemble a real crane. Locating the direction of Jilei Mountain, he did not transform back to human form but flew towards it with wings outspread. Midway, when flying over a mountain forest, Shen Luo suddenly heard a gust behind him. Seeing a large shadow covering his own in his line of sight on the ground, he immediately understood what was happening. He hurriedly twisted his body sideways as two shiny black hooks scraping past his chest. A gray-black figure then brushed past him, flying up with a small dip, looping in the high sky, and swooping at him again. ¡°A peregrine falcon¡­¡± Shen Luo''s pupils slightly contracted. He glanced down, sped up, and like a piercing spear, he darted into the thick forest below. The peregrine falcon dove and chased after him, also falling into the thick forest. Just as it entered the forest, a water arrow suddenly shot out from below, grazing the falcon''s wing and soaring high into the sky, instantly knocking off many feathers from its wing. The startled falcon immediately flew out of the forest, high into the sky and away. A moment later, Shen Luo''s figure emerged from the dense forest and flew towards Jilei Mountain, a grin on his face. Although he had just been caught off guard by the peregrine falcon, it had proven the uniqueness of the White Crane Transformation Technique. After flying hundreds of kilometers, Shen Luo finally reached the vicinity of Jilei Mountain by dusk. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. About tens of kilometers away, Shen Luo saw a vast mountain range of blackish-green hills. Instead of rashly entering the mountains, he flew downward towards a faintly visible light denoting human habitation on the exterior of the mountains. Only after landing did Shen Luo realize that the place was actually a dilapidated small town at the foot of the mountain. As the Jilei Mountain is rich in Black Basalt Stone, perhaps due to the policy of relying on the mountain for livelihood, the ruined houses in the town were mostly built with black stone blocks. Outside the entrance of the town, there stood a stone archway with three large words ¡°Mining Town¡± that have already been faded. Shen Luo suppressed his breath, picked up a wooden stick covered with green moss from the roadside, wiped the dew and dirt on it onto his clothes, and then, leaning on the stick, limped towards the inside of the town. From the scale of the town and the state of the houses, it seemed that Mining Town must have been prosperous once. To this day, many doors are still piled with stone materials as high as a person, covered with a thick layer of mud and moss, obviously, they hadn''t been moved for a long time. Many houses on both sides had also fallen into disrepair and collapsed, presenting a scene of ruin and desolation everywhere. Shen Luo walked for quite a while before finally seeing the lights he saw from high altitude, which were surprisingly in the central part of the town, in a courtyard that occupied the largest area and was also the most majestic. It is only majestic when compared to the surrounding houses, in fact, it is nothing more than a three-section courtyard. The front and the back courtyards remained intact, only the middle part had all collapsed. The yellow light was beaming out from the last section of the courtyard. When Shen Luo reached the front courtyard, he took hold of the copper ring on the door and knocked a few times, but there was no response from inside one. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Shen Luo called out a voice, which sounded like he has been traveling for a long time and no longer had the strength, so the voice came out low and timid. There was no reply from the courtyard. Shen Luo knocked harder on the copper ring on the door. Unexpectedly, the door creaked open on its own. With a slight frown, he peeked through the door, called out again ¡°Is anyone there?¡±, and then pushed the door open and walked into the courtyard. Barely stepping into the courtyard, a sound of hurried footsteps rang out. A middle-aged man with a yellow and gaunt face and deep-set eye sockets came rushing out from the ruins of the middle courtyard. Upon seeing that the intruder was a grubby young man, a flash of disgust crossed the middle-aged man''s face, and he scolded, ¡°Where did you come from, you damned ghost? What are you doing barging in?¡± ¡°My family has met with a disaster. I have been fleeing here without having a bite of food for several days. I am really too hungry. Seeing that there is still light in the courtyard, I wanted to come in and see if I could ask for some food.¡± Shen Luo sighed and said weakly. ¡°You want to ask for food at this hour? Are you out of your mind? Get out¡­¡± The middle-aged man''s deep-set eyes showed a gloomy color as he shouted angrily. ¡°Uncle, you¡­¡± Seeing that Shen Luo still wanted to argue, the man became even more furious and picked up a piece of broken tile from the ground, intending to throw it at Shen Luo. ¡°Stop¡­¡± This time, a clear voice stopped him. Shen Luo tilted his body to one side, looked past the middle-aged man to the back, and saw a young man dressed in black, as pale as a sheet, walking towards him. Chapter 733 Chapter 733: Chapter 729: Continuous Ghost Stories Chapter 733: Chapter 729: Continuous Ghost Stories ¡°Wang Qiu, how did you come out?¡± The middle-aged man noticed this and, disregarding Shen Luo, threw down the debris in his hand and went up to the man. The man called ¡°Wang Qiu¡± seemed to have a severe illness and was unsteady on his feet. After being supported by the middle-aged man, he stopped and looked over at Shen Luo. His gaze scanned Shen Luo a few times before he said: ¡°Young man, my family has also suffered a calamity. We fled here to cure my illness. We really don''t have much food left. Fortunately, we managed to hunt some game a few days ago. If you don''t mind, feel free to share some.¡± ¡°Wang Qiu¡­¡± the middle-aged man hurriedly called out. ¡°Times are tough, and it''s not easy for anyone. Saving a life would count as accumulating some virtue,¡± Wang Qiu shook his head and said. ¡°Accumulating virtue is pointless when you''re in this state¡­¡± The middle-aged man said bitterly. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo immediately responded. ¡°Come, follow us inside,¡± Wang Qiu said before he and the middle-aged man guided him towards the Inner Courtyard. Shen Luo slightly altered his line of sight, glanced around the courtyard, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Following them, he passed the collapsed central yard and reached the relatively intact backyard. He walked towards the lit main house. Upon reaching the house, Shen Luo wrinkled his nose at a strange smell that was somewhat musty and foul. It was very unpleasant. After entering the house, a bonfire was lit in the middle of the dilapidated room. Three or four people huddled around it, each of them turned to look at Shen Luo. Their clothes were ragged and torn. The exposed skin on their arms and cheeks seemed to be covered in an ashy scab, indicating some serious skin disease. Deadly qi constituted more than ninety percent of the energy in their eyes, making them seem incredibly desolate and lost. Shen Luo felt uncomfortable under their gaze and smiled sheepishly at them. Seeing this, they didn''t move their eyes, not even blinking once. ¡°This is¡­Alright, young man, what''s your name?¡± Wang Qiu asked. ¡°My name is Shen Jiacheng,¡± Shen Luo promptly replied. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re also a poor soul who had fallen into trouble. We should help each other if we can,¡± Wang Qiu explained to the others in the room. After hearing this, they finally looked away. One of them even moved aside somewhat, making some room for Shen Luo. Once Shen Luo sat down, he noticed cooking pot on the bonfire, it contained chunks of an unidentifiable meat and pitch-dark soup, which was bubbling. Thick steam rose from the pot. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Please don''t mind, Brother Shen. This fox meat was hunted a few days ago, and to keep it preserved, we smoked and grilled it. We''ve been making soup with it,¡± Wang Qiu explained upon noticing Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°No worries. It''s already not easy to have something to eat during these times. How could I be picky?¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. After speaking, his gaze circled around again. Against the wall on the other side of the room, a makeshift wooden frame held several ashy-white fox skins with dark-brown blood spots on them. The fox skins had their eyes gouged out, leaving behind round hollow sockets that showed the mottled wall behind. ¡°There are not many other animals near Mining Town, just a lot of foxes. The people who lived here before worshipped these beasts as Guardians. They even built idols for them. Now, all those people are dead, but the foxes are still running all over the hills. So much for being Guardians,¡± the middle-aged man said, tearing off a chunk of the dark meat from the pot. Seeing the dark red strands torn off by the man and smelling the strange odor around them, Shen Luo felt slightly nauseated. ¡°Brother Shen, don''t just sit there. You''re starving, aren''t you? Eat something. It''s okay,¡± said Wang Qiu, noticing Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°Then, I won''t hold back,¡± said Shen Luo, reaching for the meat in the pot. Suddenly, he heard a strange sound from behind him. He stopped and turned around. Behind him against the wall was a large lacquer wooden box secured with a brass lock. If one didn''t look carefully, they would hardly notice the tiny charm patterns engraved on the lock. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and looked carefully at the charm patterns. Suddenly, the box jumped violently, and a strange noise came from inside. ¡°What is this?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°Oh, it''s a little fox we caught yesterday. We didn''t have the heart to kill it yet, so we just locked it in there,¡± said Wang Qiu casually. ¡°You little beast! You''ve been locked up all night and you still can''t quiet down,¡± the middle-aged man said, huffing coldly. He walked over and kicked the box, causing the noise inside to cease. ¡°Ah, in these times, it''s hard for people and animals alike. It''s really not easy¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Hah, I didn''t expect you to be such a bleeding heart. Don''t eat the meat in the pot, then. Starve and be done with it¡± scoffed the middle-aged man. ¡°Do not be disrespectful, cough, cough¡­¡± Wang Qiu reprimanded before breaking into a fit of coughing. ¡°It doesn''t matter, it doesn''t matter. I spoke out of line,¡± said Shen Luo, hastily waving his hand. ¡°It''s getting dark, Brother Shen. After you''ve eaten, there''s no need to hurry on your way. Stay here for the night. Don''t go out,¡± Wang Qiu said. ¡°It''s quite enough to have something to eat. I wouldn''t impose more upon your hospitality. After I eat, I will leave,¡± Shen Luo responded deliberately after a moment of thought. ¡°Brother Shen, it''s not that I want to¡­ cough, cough¡­ scare you, but it''s not safe to stay in Mining Town at night. There''re Demons and Ghosts roaming around. If you''re not careful, we won''t be picking you up from the road tomorrow, we''ll be picking up your corpse,¡± Wang Qiu quickly said. ¡°What? There are monsters?¡± Shen Luo feigned surprise. ¡°This three-part Courtyard used to be the ancestral home of a prominent family in town, and there''s an Eight Trigrams mirror hanging at the gate, which seems to have some effect. I haven''t seen any ghost entering this Courtyard. You can stay here peacefully for a night, it''s not too late to leave tomorrow morning,¡± Wang Qiu continued. ¡°If that''s the case, I won''t insist on leaving. Pardon my intrusion,¡± Shen Luo replied, showing no change in his expression. However, he had started contemplating: ¡°What a load of nonsense. Although there is an Eight Trigrams mirror hanging at the big gate, there is no trace of Mana fluctuation on it. When I stepped into the Courtyard just now, I noticed a Formation that had been laid out. Isn''t that the reason why the monsters dare not approach?¡± Chapter 734 Chapter 734: Chapter 730: Fox Hunting Chapter 734: Chapter 730: Fox Hunting ¡°Brother Shen, don''t be too polite. Have some food and rest early. The night is filled with the cries of ghosts and wolves outside. You might not be able to sleep.¡± Wang Qiu reminded Shen Luo after he accepted. ¡°Okay.¡± Shen Luo responded straightforwardly, and his stomach growled in sync. He took a pair of dark chopsticks from someone next to him with a sheepish smile, picked up a chunk of meat from the pot and brought it to his mouth. As he was about to bite, a cry from a wild beast was suddenly heard from outside. Then, a chaotic noise came from outside the courtyard. Wang Qiu''s expression changed slightly as he turned to look outside the door. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± A violent wind suddenly swept in, blowing the door open with a ¡°crash¡± sound, and sparked a flurry of bonfire embers inside the house. ¡°What¡­what''s going on?¡± Shen Luo covered the chunk of black meat, carefully put it in his sleeve, and then pretended to chew a few times. He asked in a panic. The outside was completely dark, the empty yard was pitch black, and nothing could be seen. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wang Qiu withdrew his gaze, seeing Shen Luo swallow as if he were eating, a smile appeared on his face, and he said, ¡°It''s okay, the wind is always strong at night.¡± Shen Luo tried to suppress a cough, pounded on his chest a few times, and gave him an embarrassed smile. ¡°Brother Shen, eat slowly.¡± Wang Qiu said. ¡°That''s enough, how could I be so greedy.¡± Shen Luo motioned for him to stop, saying. Seeing this, Wang Qiu did not insist. The middle-aged man trudged up, cursing, and closed the door again. Just as the door was about to close, Shen Luo suddenly saw a green light on the ridge of the roof in the courtyard, as if the light was emanating from the eyes of some wild creature. However, he didn''t say a word. He just wrapped his clothes tightly around him, leaned back a bit, and began to take a short nap. At night, the sound of tiles churning came. Shen Luo subconsciously wanted to open his eyes but forcibly held himself back, pretending to be oblivious. As the sound grew louder and more intense, he pretended to wake up. When he opened his eyes, he saw that those who were sitting by the fire before were now standing straight with their backs to him, while Wang Qiu and the middle-aged man were standing off to the side. ¡°Brother Shen, you awake?¡± Wang Qiu asked with a smile. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Nothing much, some animals have just gotten a bit braver, and dared to venture into the courtyard tonight.¡± Wang Qiu explained. The middle-aged man glanced back irritably and said, ¡°What''s going on? Is there something wrong with your Gu insect? Why hasn''t there been any change?¡± ¡°We underestimated Brother Shen. He didn''t eat the insect meat at all, right?¡± Wang Qiu turned to Shen Luo and asked. Hearing that, Shen Luo stopped pretending, got up, and shook out the black chunk of meat onto the ground. ¡°It''s not that I don''t want to eat, but the appearance of the meat you prepared is so unappetizing. It''s hard to swallow just looking at it.¡± Shen Luo spread his hands in resignation. ¡°In these troubled times, a real refugee wouldn''t care about the taste of meat and just eat to survive. Brother Shen can afford to be picky, you must be a cultivator who has already achieved Grain Avoidance. I wonder what your cultivation level is?¡± Wang Qiu gave an awkward laugh and asked. ¡°Daoist Wang Qiu can see for himself. Whatever you think my level is, that''s what it is. But before that, I would like to ask, what are you trying to do with these zombies and the formation laid out in the yard?¡± Shen Luo responded dismissively. Hearing that Shen Luo had figured out their plan, Wang Qiu was slightly taken aback. He was about to reply when suddenly a gust of wind rose outside and the close door was blown open again. In the ruins outside, a silhouette seemed to be walking through the ruins of the courtyard in the hazy light, coming in their direction. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes to look, and found it to be a white-haired old man in brocade robes, holding a purple fir walking stick. Even though his hair and beard were white, his face showed no signs of age, and his skin was fair and rosy, giving him a youthful appearance. ¡°Hehe, indeed his own daughter. The old fogy came personally.¡± The middle-aged man smirked. Wang Qiu glanced towards the courtyard, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and a hint of hesitation flickering in his eyes. At this moment, behind the white-haired old man, dozens of pairs of eyes glowing in green light lit up one after another, totalling over a hundred pairs. ¡°Brother Shen, now that things have gotten to this point, it''s no longer a secret. We came here solely to hunt the Fox Demon and get her demon pellet to refine an immortal pill. We are all from the Human Race, and in this situation, we should put aside old grudges and work together. After the matter, you will certainly be rewarded. What do you think?¡± Wang Qiu suggested with a focused look on his face. ¡°In the face of adverse circumstances, you choose to seek allies. Daoist Wang Qiu is indeed good at judging the situation.¡± Shen Luo remarked ambiguously. Having said that, he took a few steps back and sat down on the lacquer wooden box placed against the wall. Seeing this, Wang Qiu''s eyes narrowed, and a fleeting killing intent was seen in his eyes, but it was replaced by a smile. He said sincerely: ¡°Then let''s take a step back. As long as Brother Shen doesn''t interfere, we will offer you generous gifts after the matter.¡± It was evident that he attached great importance to the ¡°thing¡± in the box. Shen Luo raised his hand and gestured to indicate ¡°as you wish¡±, without explicitly expressing agreement or disagreement. ¡°It''s here.¡± At this moment, the middle-aged man who had been staring outside suddenly called out. Shen Luo also looked towards the courtyard. He saw the white-haired old man step into the yard. The eyes of a stone lion buried under a broken wall gleamed with a golden light. A formation pattern emerged on a horse tethering post standing next to the wall. Then, a stone tablet inscribed with the words ¡°Solid Step Self-seal¡± and a piece of dull black old wood buried in the ground also lit up with a formation pattern. The golden light flowing from the eyes of the stone lion fell on the stone tablet, the old wood, and the tethering post, from each of which refracted golden light, forming a golden net in the courtyard. The white-haired old man stood in the middle of the golden net, trapped by an invisible force, and his figure became somewhat blurred and distorted, making him difficult to see clearly. Watching the refracted and twisted light, Shen Luo thought to himself whether he could break the formation, which would give him an estimate of the level of the formation and the strength of the two men before his eyes. When he first arrived at the outskirts of Jilei Mountain, he had noticed the formation here from mid air. Therefore, he had come directly here to investigate. However, to hide his identity, he sealed all his breath and divine sense power, which prevented Wang Qiu from figuring out his strength. Judging from the aura the two of them were emanating now, they appeared to be at the middle stage of Mahayana. Therefore, Shen Luo was not in a hurry to make a move, and chose to observe the situation. Chapter 735 Chapter 735: 731 Chapter 735: 731 ¡°Audacious renegade, you have been slaughtering my fox offspring in my Jilei Mountain realm for several days, and even dared to kidnap my young daughter. If you let her go unharmed now, I might spare your lives. If not, I will make you wish you were dead.¡± The old man trapped in the formation kept a calm demeanor, speaking in a loud voice. ¡°Elder Fox King, we have already captured her. It is impossible to simply let her go. If you want your daughter back, first break this Golden Net Array.¡± Wang Qiu shouted with a smile. ¡°The Fox King? Could it be the Ten Thousand Years Fox King of Jilei Mountain?¡± Shen Luo muttered, feeling confused. ¡°Seeking death.¡± The white-haired old man in the brocade robe burst into a violent cry. Raising his purple fir walking stick, he pointed it fiercely at the void. The purple polygon stone set at the top of the stick emitted dazzling beams of crystal light, radiating in all directions. Shen Luo slightly squinted his eyes, feeling the dazzling purple light almost piercing his eyes. Wang Qiu and the middle-aged man were taken aback and turned their heads away, not daring to look directly. Sharp sounds echoed in the courtyard. The crystalline rays were like sharp swords slicing through the very fabric of reality, shredding the void apart. The Golden Net Array was unable to block these extremely sharp rays, and was broken apart by them. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­¡± Items used for formations in the courtyard such as the tethering post and the stone lions exploded one after the other, bursting into countless fragments. The white-haired man in the brocade robe, who had been standing in the courtyard, suddenly turned into a series of afterimages, arrived in the room through a quick dash, and was almost upon Wang Qiu. The latter was shocked and quickly backed off, pulling his hands through the air. The four zombies instantly moved like marionettes, blocking in front of him. The middle-aged man was also scared stiff and ended up sitting on the ground. They never imagined that the Golden Net Array, which should be capable of easily trapping a True Immortal Cultivator, would fail to hold the Ten Thousand Years Fox King for even a moment. This rendered their mission given by the Cloudstepping Beast completely unachievable. The elder in the brocade robe briefly paused his momentum, and scanned several people. His gaze fell on Shen Luo, and he asked: ¡°Are you also an accomplice?¡± ¡°Elder, you misunderstand. I just happened to pass by and watch the excitement. The person you''re looking for is right here. I helped to look after her for a bit.¡± Shen Luo patted the wooden box beneath him and said. As he spoke, he hopped off the wooden box. ¡°This box is sealed with the prohibition that my king has bestowed. Without the method to release the seal, you can''t let that little fox loose.¡± Wang Qiu saw Shen Luo''s action with hatred, and spoke out. ¡°There is some trick to your prohibition seal, but this box doesn''t look like a heavenly treasure, so it shouldn''t be hard to break it with brute force.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°If you want to break the prohibition by force, you can try. But when the prohibition seal explodes, whether or not the little fox will survive is hard to say.¡± Wang Qiu sneered. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King frowned at this, clearly at a loss as to how to respond. All he did was raise a hand, a bale of ghostly purple flames immediately lit up on his fingertips, flickering slightly but emitting no heat. ¡°Purple Ghost Bone Fire, it doesn''t burn flesh, nor souls. It only refines bones. Have you heard of it?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King smirked, looking at Wang Qiu. Upon hearing that, Wang Qiu couldn''t help but shudder. Shen Luo''s eyelashes trembled slightly in agitation. The Purple Ghost Bone Fire was akin to the Samadhi True Fire and Red Lotus Karmic Fire and was an extraordinary fire of Heaven and Earth. Its properties were especially unique ¨C it would not burn the human flesh and souls. Instead, it would incinerate bones to the point where a person''s skeletal system would crush to a fine powder, leaving the flesh unharmed but rendering it as weak as a pile of mud, leaving them in a state worse than death. ¡°I will give you three breaths time, immediately lift the prohibition, or you will taste the power of the Purple Ghost Bone Fire,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King coldly uttered. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo found it somewhat strange and inspected the robed elder once again. Upon hearing this, Wang Qiu clearly harbored some fear, a hint of hesitation flashed within his eyes. However, seeing the Fox King about to throw the Purple Ghost Bone Fire his way, his face immediately changed and he quickly interjected, ¡°Don''t be hasty, Fox King, I will lift the prohibition now¡­ it''s just this seal is uncommon and it will take some time to remove, I hope you can wait patiently for a moment.¡± Just as the Ten Thousand Year Fox King was about to respond, Shen Luo intervened, ¡°Don''t believe him, he is just stalling for time.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Having been exposed, Wang Qiu was instantly infuriated. However, before he could finish his words, a cold purple fire had already flown inches away from him. Wang Qiu immediately silenced, swiftly walked over to the wooden box, formed a Dharma seal with both hands, and shot a ray of mana from his fingertips at the prohibition seal on the box. A faint golden light illuminated from the talisman affixed to the lid of the box, a series of long charm patterns emerged as chains from the box, interlocking as they wrapped around the box for tens of rounds, reminiscent of actual chains. Wang Qiu furrowed his eyebrows, murmured the word ''to remove'', and the charm-patterned chains on the box quickly began to recede, disappearing line by line. When only a third of the charm patterns were left, a roaring noise echoed throughout the courtyard. A tall figure, featuring a winged back and a dog''s head with a human body, descended from the sky, forcefully landing outside the ruins of the front courtyard. The aftershock of its landing stirred up a whirlwind that swept across the courtyard and the interior of the house. The figure of the Ten Thousand Year Fox King, who had been standing within the house, dissipated like smoke when hit by this sudden gust. Horrified by what he saw, Wang Qiu instantly wanted to cease his effort. However, Shen Luo had already flashed behind him, pressing his shoulder to infuse his meridians with a dominant form of mana. Without getting a chance to withdraw his hands, Wang Qiu shot mana inadvertent from his fingertips due to Shen Luo. This accelerated the unlocking process, dissipating the remaining third of the prohibition seal on the box in an instant. With the lifting of the prohibition seal on the box, a loud thud echoed from within. ¡°Bang!¡± The wooden box spontaneously cracked, and three white fox tails shot out from within, aiming straight for Wang Qiu and Shen Luo. Shen Luo let go of Wang Qiu''s shoulder, calmly dodging the attack while taking a glance at the direction of the tails. From amidst the shattered pieces of wood, a young girl with a pale face stood up. She was wearing a short white skirt, exposing large swathes of her fair skin. Three huge and robust fox tails were upright behind her. The girl gritted her teeth, her face exuding a ferocious aura. However, the pair of sharp teeth protruding slightly from her lips, and the innocent yet wild beauty emitting from her body made her an unforgettable sight. ¡°I just saved you, don''t bite the hand that feeds you.¡± Shen Luo flashed to the side, stating somewhat helplessly. The young girl could not take in any of his words. She leaned against the wall, eyes filled with wariness and anger as she glared at everyone present. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 736 Chapter 736: Chapter 732: Shen Luo Makes a Move Chapter 736: Chapter 732: Shen Luo Makes a Move Wang Qiu, who was just now hit by the girl in the short skirt, had already risen in embarrassment. However, he had no time to bother with the fleeing girl. Instead, he looked outside apprehensively. The middle-aged man had already fallen to the ground and was crawling, not daring to move. Shen Luo turned his gaze to the center of the courtyard. He saw, after the dust dissipated, that the Golden Net Array was fully intact in the courtyard, and the one trapped inside it wasn''t the ¡°Ten Thousand Years Fox King¡± from earlier. Instead, it was a beautiful woman in a long red dress. The shape of her body was charming and her figure was voluptuous, her face alluring and seemingly fox-like, but her expression was very cold. ¡°You two idiots, deceived by a mere illusion, really doing more harm than good,¡± the beast with the head of a dog and body of a man scolded angrily. ¡°No, it''s not the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, Lord Quan Xi, then my Lord''s plan¡­¡± ¡°I thought that capturing his beloved young girl would lure him out; I didn''t expect the old fox to be so afraid of death that he only sent a Great Mahayana Stage Six-Tailed Fire Fox,¡± said the creature called Quan Xi, frowning. ¡°Xiao Yu, how are you doing?¡± asked the woman in the red skirt loudly. ¡°Sister Li, I¡­I''m alright¡­¡± The young girl answered in a loud voice at once. ¡°These beasts are collaborating with the Demon Clan to attack our Jilei Mountain, and for the greater good, the Fox King can only remain on defense, you shouldn''t blame him,¡± said the woman in the red skirt, her voice slightly relaxed. She continued. ¡°It''s not the Fox King''s fault. I''m the one causing everyone trouble,¡± said the girl named Xiao Yu, her voice filled with remorse. ¡± To the daoist inside, although I do not know your name, if you have not surrendered to the Demon Clan, I ask you to save my sister. The Jade Fox Clan will definitely thank you in the future,¡± said the woman in the red skirt to Shen Luo. ¡°Just save your sister? What about you?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°This Golden Net Array cannot be broken by me, I am resigned to the fact that I won''t be able to escape. All I ask from you is to save my sister,¡± the voice of the woman in the red skirt came through again. ¡°Sister Li¡­¡± ¡°Humph! Today, none of you shall leave,¡± sneered Quan Xi. As soon as him saying that, his figure leapt forward, like a giant stone, directly towards the rooftop of the house. ¡°A loud rumble!¡± The whole house collapsed; dust was everywhere and a vague moonlight scattered around. Shen Luo moved quickly like lightning. Before the Fox Clan girl could react, he had already held her by the waist, and brought her out of the ruins, placing her in the front yard. ¡°Stay here and don''t move.¡± At Shen Luo''s command, he once again flew to the side of a stone lion near the wall inside the courtyard. With a turn of his wrist, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod was already in his hand. A whirl of wind formed around him, the Splashing Sky Stick Art was released, and a golden rod shadow converged and struck the stone lion This chain of movements flowed like water; they were extremely quick. ¡°Stop!¡± Quan Xi obviously hadn''t expected Shen Luo''s movements to be so swift; he tried to stop it but was too late. With a ¡°bang,¡± the stone lion was filled with radiant golden light, exploding into fragments. With the loss of one pillar of the Golden Net Array, the golden light became messy and was unable to form any cohesive structure. The woman in the red skirt rejoiced, quickly withdrawing herself from the courtyard, returning to the young girl''s side. Shen Luo landed on a hitching post, standing on one foot, a rod laid horizontally on his shoulders. He provocatively looked at Quan Xi. If Shen Luo were trapped inside a Golden Net Array, he would have to use his all to break the array by wielding the Splashing Sky Stick Art. But since he was outside the array, it was much easier to destroy it. The woman in the red skirt and Little Jade looked at the silhouette of Shen Luo, both full of doubts. They exchanged puzzled glances, unable to understand how a human cultivator like him had suddenly appeared, and why he was siding with them? ¡°You''re seeking death¡­¡± Quan Xi roared angrily, his double wings ferociously fanning. Immediately, a black whirlwind enveloped him, and he disappeared from sight instantly. Shen Luo squinted, gripped the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in one hand, and abruptly twisted his body. He swung the rod horizontally behind him. Just as Quan Xi materialized, he saw the long rod covered in golden light, sweeping in his direction. In a blur, he vanished again. Shen Luo had swung his rod at empty air, but he wasn''t worried. He raised his head to look above him. There, Quan Xi appeared, flapping his wings, looking down at him, his face very stern. ¡°You two idiots are complicating matters, where did this guy come from?¡± He couldn''t help but redirect his anger at Wang Qiu and the others. ¡°This guy hid too well, we didn''t realize he was a cultivator. I actually wanted to drive him away, but Wang Qiu wanted to make a fifth living corpse out of him, and that''s how we got his attention,¡± the middle-aged man hurriedly replied. On hearing this, Wang Qiu looked ashen, but he could not think of an explanation. ¡°I''ll settle the score with you two later, now go and catch those two fox spirits!¡± Quan Xi angrily ordered. Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man hastily nodded. His skin instantly turned blackish-blue, as if he was stained with deadly poison. He emitted a purple-black Qi. He darted out, bypassing Shen Luo and headed straight for the little Jade and the other woman. Wang Qiu fell behind, not moving immediately. He knew very clearly that whoever acted first against the fox women would be the first target of that troublesome ¡°Brother Shen¡±. As expected, just as the middle-aged man rushed past the middle of the courtyard, Shen Luo sprang into action. The ground beneath him scattered moonlight, and he disappeared from his spot. Next instant, he appeared behind the middle-aged man like a ghostly specter, smashing his long rod towards the back of his head. ¡°Now!¡± A stern shout erupted, and Quan Xi chased after him like a leech. His deliberate instructions to Wang Qiu and the other to attack was to catch Shen Luo off guard while he was attacking someone else. He wanted to seize the moment when Shen Luo could not retract his rod and kill him with a single strike. However, a smirk appeared on Shen Luo''s lips. The long rod he swung out was just a feint. He completely missed the middle-aged man, sweeping over his head and surprisingly aimed it at Quan Xi in a full circle. Quan Xi was taken aback. He thrust out the black spear he held in his hand to block the attack. A crisp ¡°crack¡± sounded! The magical instrument spear made of fine iron broke on impact, split into two by the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Quan Xi felt an overwhelming force bearing down on him. His arms went numb, and he lost control of his body, flying backward. Shen Luo didn''t pay attention to the middle-aged man. Instead, he flashed and rushed forward, chasing Quan Xi and continued his pursuit. The middle-aged man narrowly escaped death. He knew he had been used as bait. Although he cursed inwardly, he still chased after Little Jade and others. Chapter 737 Chapter 737: Chapter 733: A Multitude of Staff Shadows Chapter 737: Chapter 733: A Multitude of Staff Shadows ¡°Be careful, if the situation turns awry, run immediately. Remember, do not return to Jilei Mountain immediately,¡± the red-skirted woman cautioned. ¡°Sister Li¡­¡± Before Xiao Yu could ask why they couldn''t go home, the red-skirted woman was already moving, a slender longsword materializing in each of her hands as she charged at the middle-aged man shrouded in purple-black. Before she even got close, a faint stench of decay wafted from the middle-aged man. The red-skirted woman got a whiff of it, feeling a wave of dizziness. Without delay, she held her breath and retreated. Seeing her reaction, the middle-aged man was elated. He immediately advanced, dancing his hands around. His sleeves billowed, and a great volume of purple-black poison gas rolled out, transforming into two poisonous Ruans, entwining and lunging at the red-skirted woman. Sharp teeth protruded from the Ruan''s mouths. They ceaselessly spewed a purple-black Qi. Extending from his sleeves, their attack range extended several times, continually gnawing at the red-skirted woman. After holding her breath, the red-skirted woman found that the purple-black Qi could no longer disturb her. Instead of dodging, she moved deftly near the middle-aged man, brandishing her longsword and repeatedly attacking his vulnerables. For a moment, even though the middle-aged man was enshrouded in poison gas, he was suppressed tightly and unable to escape. Xiao Yu anxiously watched the battle between the red-skirted woman and the middle-aged man. From time to time, she would glance at Shen Luo, but she was ultimately more worried about her ¡°Sister Li¡±. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King had countless wives and even more offspring. Although she and Sister Li were not born of the same mother, Xiao Yu regarded her dearly. When her mother passed away, it was always Sister Li who looked after her. So even if the Ten Thousand Years Fox King wouldn''t allow it, Sister Li had secretly escaped from Jilei Mountain to rescue her. Being preoccupied with her concerns, Xiao Yu didn''t notice that four zombies had quietly surrounded her from a not too distant place. Wang Qiu had been cautiously observing the courtyard. Only after confirming that Shen Luo and the red-skirted woman couldn''t break free did he command the four zombies to surround Xiao Yu. With a single thought, the four zombies leaped and pounced on Xiao Yu simultaneously. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Xiao Yu, being taken by surprise, couldn''t help but let out a horrified cry. At the sound of her cry, the red-skirted woman was startled. Wanting to return and aid, she was hindered by a Ruan from the man''s sleeve which quickly circled past her and bit at her nape. She had to hastily defend, unable to save Xiao Yu. Seeing the zombies about to succeed, Wang Qiu thought his efforts were finally paying off. However, a thunderclap suddenly rang out. A thick silver lightning bolt descended from the sky. Its surface spurted out numerous whip-like tendrils, sweeping around and striking at the foreheads of the four zombies. Instantaneously, their brains were pierced like by blades, a few burnt Gu insect corpses consequently falling. Wang Qiu who controlled the zombies from a distance felt the backlash. His body shuddered and he couldn''t help but spit out a bit of fresh blood. As the four zombies collapsed, the little fox girl, Xiao Yu, remained crouched on the ground in the gesture of activating a talisman. ¡°My goodness, this is so powerful¡­¡± Seeing the tremendous power of the talisman, Xiao Yu couldn''t help but exclaim. When she was saved by the human cultivator earlier, he had given her a talisman called ¡°Thunderfall Talisman¡±. He had taught her how to use it, saying it was for life-saving purposes in times of crisis. She didn''t realize how much of a great help it was. Shen Luo, hearing the commotion, took a glance and was quite pleased with Xiaoyu''s performance. He gripped his Refined Iron Stick firmly, no longer holding back, and started to use Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. The initially coping Quan Xi quickly felt immense pressure, akin to a heavy mountain, when Shen Luo got serious. The densely compact stick shadows materializing all around seemed like a golden web being woven, trying to trap him, a winged bird confined within the cage. Shen Luo''s stick technique became faster, the force of the stick became fiercer, and it became harder for Quan Xi to deal with. Panic started to rise in his heart and he suddenly wanted to retreat. He saw two flying rings suddenly thrown at Shen Luo from his hand, transforming mid-air into two huge light-wheels about ten feet in diameter, they screamed towards him. However, his own figure darted in the opposite direction. Seeing this, Shen Luo swung the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand, violently smashing it down. The golden stick shadows enveloping the area began to converge, following the trajectory Shen Luo smashed down, one after another they fell. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the golden stick shadows fell, one blow after another transformed into a Pillar of Heaven nearly a thousand feet long. The surrounding light stirred, directly knocking down the two flying wheels and catching up with the fleeing Quan Xi. The latter''s wings were tangled up by the golden light of the stick shadow, immediately causing bloody flesh to fly, his body also under the heavy pressure, was smashed down heavily, falling like a meteorite outside of Mining Town, leaving a deep pit several feet deep. Shen Luo''s figure leapt out, not waiting for him to get up again, he had already lifted his hand and swung out a golden rope, wriggling out like a snake and firmly binding him, no matter how he struggled, he couldn''t free himself. ¡°Audacious human, daring to oppose us, you''re seeking death!¡± Quan Xi in the deep pit yelled. Shen Luo frowned, raised his hand and pulled him up, bringing him through the air and flew back to the three-entry courtyard. Wang Qiu and the middle-aged man were stumped when they saw that Quan Xi was captured. The middle-aged man was distracted and the red-skirted woman seized the opportunity. The two slender long swords in her hands crossed, pierced through his heart, and two streams of thick black heart blood gushed out. ¡°Quickly retreat,¡± Shen Luo shouted in a low voice. The red-skirted woman immediately let go of her long swords and rushed back. The thick black blood emitted strands of white smoke and had strong corrosive characteristics, instantly corroding her double swords. If she hadn''t escaped in time, her current situation would be even more grievous. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± The red-skirted woman gratefully expressed to Shen Luo with a clenched fist. Shen Luo''s gaze, however, shifted to the Wang Qiu who was trying to sneak away. He smiled and said, ¡°Daoist friend Wang Qiu, don''t be in a hurry to go, first have something to eat.¡± As he said that, he raised his hand and tossed out the black piece of meat he had pretended to eat earlier, offering it to Wang Qiu. ¡°I only did this because I was forced by the demon. I beg the elder to spare my life. I promise to reform in the future and submit to you like a beast of burden,¡± Wang Qiu, seeing this, turned deathly pale, and fell to his knees to plead for mercy. ¡°It''s not hard to live, just answer my questions honestly,¡± Shen Luo, seeing the situation, asked with a smile. ¡°Yes, yes, I will spare no detail and not dare to withhold anything,¡± Wang Qiu hastily replied. ¡°Did you catch this little fox to lure the Ten Thousand Years Fox King away from Jilei Mountain?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Correct. The Jade Fox Clan, relying on the backing of the Bull Demon King, has always refused to submit to the Demon Clan. They hide in Jilei Mountain and never come out. The Demon Clan can''t find their real hiding spot, and can only resort to such a low trick,¡± Wang Qiu immediately answered. Chapter 738 Chapter 738: Chapter 734: Forcing a Confession Chapter 738: Chapter 734: Forcing a Confession ¡°How is the situation at Jilei Mountain before you left?¡± Shen Luo asked, turning to the red-skirted woman after listening. ¡°It has been surrounded by the Demon Clan and demons, but they haven''t attacked yet. It seems they are waiting for the news of Father King leaving the mountain,¡± the red-skirted woman said after a moment of thought. ¡°So they want to coax the fox out of the mountain, trap the Fox King with the Golden Net Array, and deal with the left-alone Ten Thousand Years Fox King when the dust settles on Jilei Mountain. You all really have a good plan.¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but laugh. ¡°Fortunately, the Fox King wasn''t fooled¡­¡± Wang Qiu said with a sheepish smile. ¡°Wang Qiu, you''re asking for death by playing both sides.¡± Seeing this, Quan Xi couldn''t help but scold angrily. ¡°I was forced in the past and had to secretly side with whoever was advantageous. Now, with Elder Shen''s rescue, I will draw a firm line against you demons in the future. There is no room for reconciliation,¡± exclaimed Wang Qiu righteously. Shen Luo found this amusing. He admired Wang Qiu''s thick-skinned ability to portray himself as a victim of oppression rather than the perpetrator with just a few words. It was really¡­ shameless. ¡°Enough with the nonsense. Who led the assault on Jilei Mountain this time?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It''s a Cloudstepping Beast that has been possessed by demons. It brought tens of thousands of demons. Other than this rabid dog, there is a Purple Pheasant demon and an Earth Dragon demon under its command,¡± Wang Qiu quickly replied. ¡°A Cloudstepping Beast¡­what is its realm, and what special abilities does it possess?¡± Shen Luo asked with a furrowed brow. Just as Wang Qiu was about to speak, Quan Xi suddenly shouted, ¡°Die!¡± In an instant, a prohibition seal appeared on Wang Qiu''s forehead, and his head exploded like a ripe watermelon. Quan Xi had barely managed to mobilize his mana, activating the prohibition planted in Wang Qiu''s body. The mana immediately got absorbed by the Golden Rope, but he wore a smug expression on his face. Shen Luo, seeing this, couldn''t help but shake his head in resignation. He squatted down beside Quan Xi and said sympathetically, ¡°I really don''t know what you were thinking. If you kill him, won''t I have to question you?¡± ¡°Hmph, I won''t say a thing,¡± snorted Quan Xi. ¡°Oh, that''s what I admire, your fortitude.¡± Shen Luo chuckled. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Quan Xi, seeing this, felt a sudden chill in his heart for some reason. ¡°Did you know that the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong used to have a treasure called the ''SeSuppressing Divine Needle Iron''? Mine is similar, it can become big or small. What do you think would happen if I put it in your ear?¡± Shen Luo said, holding the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand. ¡°Isn''t death the worst thing you could do? Stop threatening me!¡± Quan Xi scoffed at these words. ¡°Good. You have guts.¡± Shen Luo applauded, then shrank his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod down to the size of a needle and carefully inserted it into Quan Xi''s ear canal. Quan Xi only felt a tickling sensation in his ear and involuntarily jerked. However, just as he moved, the needle in his ear suddenly expanded, growing into a small toothpick. ¡°You¡­¡± Before Quan Xi could finish a sentence, the toothpick thickened again, completely blocking his ear, causing his whole body to stiffen. If the injury were on the outside of his body, he wouldn''t fear even being invaded by a blade or an axe. Yet, slight changes in these vulnerable parts of his ear could make him feel it very acutely. ¡°Shh, from now on, except for answering my questions, don''t make any noise, or move. If you do, this Sea Suppressing Iron Rod will grow even further¡­¡± ¡°Screw you¡­ Ah¡­¡± Before Quan Xi could finish his sentence, he suddenly screamed. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his ear had grown to the thickness of a thumb, his ear canal had deformed severely. ¡°I know you''re not afraid to die, we''ve only just started. Wait until this Iron Rod crushes your skull bit by bit. I''ll completely open the top of your skull and extract your divine soul. I''ll light it with a never-ending soul lamp and offer it to the Jade Fox Clan. I''m sure they''ll take good care of you and won''t let your soul enter the cycle of reincarnation.¡± Shen Luo laughed. Upon hearing this, Quan Xi''s face was immediately covered in cold sweat. The Underworld was in chaos. Even if he died, he could still be reborn and take over another body through the Demon Clan''s secret technique. But if his soul were lit by a soul lamp, it would be a fate worse than death for at least a thousand years. ¡°Alright, let''s talk business. What realm is the Cloudstepping Beast in, and what are its special abilities? How is the Great Army deployed, and how do they plan to capture Jilei Mountain?¡± Shen Luo asked with a serious face. Upon hearing this, Quan Xi gritted his teeth and remained silent. Seeing this, Shen Luo gave a mere thought and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in Quan Xi''s ear instantly doubled in size, leading to a sharp ringing sound of a bronze bell striking in Quan Xi''s ear. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± He couldn''t help but let out a miserable cry. ¡°Sorry, I forgot to mention that if you don''t answer the question, you''ll get the same treatment,¡± Shen Luo added with a laugh. A look of despair flashed in Quan Xi''s eyes. His past opponents consisted mostly of stragglers from the Immortal Realm or monks from lower realm sects. After a stern reprimand, they would usually fight to the death. How could they ever have encountered someone like Shen Luo? ¡°Even if you knew all this, it would be useless. Jilei Mountain has already been flattened by our king,¡± Quan Xi finally spoke up. ¡°What¡­?¡± The red-skirted woman exclaimed in horror. Xiao Yu also looked startled. ¡°Don''t believe his nonsense. If Jilei Mountain was so easy to conquer, they wouldn''t have worked so hard to capture you in order to lure the Ten Thousand Years Fox King out of the mountain,¡± Shen Luo didn''t believe it and laughed to disprove his words. ¡°Luring the old Fox King out was just part of the plan. If that doesn''t happen, we''ll naturally have other means to breach Jilei Mountain,¡± chuckled Quan Xi. ¡°With you lot? What other methods can you have? Judging from your situation, that Cloudstepping Beast probably isn''t that smart either,¡± Shen Luo continued to mock. ¡°Bullshit! Our King has already laid out secret schemes in the Fox Clan. Even if the Fox King doesn''t come out today, we were already going to break through. You¡­you deceiving bastard!¡± Quan Xi cursed halfway and then realised something was off. He had fallen for Shen Luo''s trap. ¡°It looks like there really is something wrong at Jilei Mountain. We don''t have time to waste here; we must return immediately,¡± Shen Luo finally stopped joking and spoke seriously. On hearing this, the red-skirted woman and Xiao Yu, who were already extremely anxious, quickly nodded in agreement. ¡°What about this guy?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat hesitantly. The red-skirted woman glanced at Xiao Yu''s injury. She strode forward and took out a curved blade. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Quan Xi asked in fear seeing this. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately lifted his hand and waved. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in Quan Xi''s ear instantly grew a hundred times larger, transforming into a massive pillar standing upright. Naturally, Quan Xi''s body below became a mess. ¡°Let''s go.¡± He waved his hand, collected the storage bracelet that had fallen, and said to the two women. Chapter 739 Chapter 739: Chapter 735: Ten Thousand Years Fox King Chapter 739: Chapter 735: Ten Thousand Years Fox King Xiao Yu''s large watery eyes were fixed on Shen Luo, expressing wholehearted trust in the human standing in front of her. She was about to follow him when the red-skirted woman, apparently more cautious, spoke up, ¡°Elder, the Junior has no way to repay your kindness in saving our lives. It is wrong of me to harbor any doubts about you. However, please forgive my rudeness, but if you cannot verify your identity truthfully, I cannot lead you back to our mountain.¡± ¡°I am Shen Luo, a disciple of Mount Fangcun. Unfortunately, I don''t have anything on me right now that can prove this. As for whether you believe me or not¡­that''s for the two of you to decide.¡± Shen Luo answered. ¡°Junior has had the fortune of witnessing Mount Fangcun''s Huangting Technique. If elder could demonstrate it, it would verify his identity.¡± The red-skirted woman stated with slight hesitation. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo broke into a smile. Thankfully, they didn''t ask him to perform the Earth Evil Seventy-two Changes or the Somersault Cloud technique, otherwise, he would''ve had a hard time proving his identity. ¡°That can easily be done. Please watch carefully.¡± After giving a heads up, Shen Luo initiated the Huangting Divine Power. His powerful Qi started to radiate outwards. ¡°Indeed, Elder is a disciple of Mount Fangcun. Junior Li Qiu has been rude.¡± The woman in the red skirt expressed her gratitude and respect with a formal bow. Xiao Yu also followed suit by giving a respectful bow. ¡°Now is not the time to quibble over these matters. It is more important that we return to Jilei Mountain. I can use the Escape Technique to get us there. But, do you know where the Ten Thousand Years Fox King is?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Our people have been scattered across the nineteen fox caves in Jilei Mountain. Father King is currently defending the Cloud Brushing Cave with most of our clansmen. We can go directly there.¡± Li Qiu responded promptly, providing the location. ¡°Okay, you both hold on to my arms tightly, we''re leaving right now.¡± Shen Luo instructed. Having said this, Shen Luo reached out his arms. The two women held tight, one on each side, and he then activated the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill and they vanished instantaneously. At Jilei Mountain, outside the Cloud Brushing Cave, the shouting and killing resonated throughout the sky. The mountain forests were engulfed in a sea of flames. Several hundred demons with wings on their back brandished their feathers in the air and hovered. In their hands, they all held curved bows, continuously shooting feathered arrows towards a cave located halfway up the mountain. These arrows carried intense amounts of magical power. Every arrow as it fell appeared like a bolt of thunder. The moment they exploded, they gave rise to crimson flames, igniting more and more of the forest. The vast sea of flames moved towards the mountaintop, forming a semi-circling wave. The Cloud Brushing cave was now less than a hundred feet away from it. Amongst the flames, thousands of demons, tough-skinned and fearless, wielded weapons and advanced uphill through the fire. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The protection lines of Jade Fox clansmen at the valley entrance and the mountain entry paths had been breached. They couldn''t halt the attack of the demons for very long. The beleaguered clansmen of the Fox Clan could only fall back continuously, now defending the entrance of the Cloud Brushing Cave. They couldn''t fall back any further. In the square in front of the cave, there was a tall wall of ice crystals, shielding the area from the heat rising from below. This couldn''t stop the falling arrows from above, causing the walls to have a multitude of holes. Behind that wall of ice crystal, an old man clad in a magnificent robe and having youth-like complexion, was holding a purple fir walking stick in one hand and the Big Dipper Seven Stars sword in the other. He was deeply furrowed by the young man who was kneeling in front of him. ¡°Father King, I don''t want to die, I don''t want to die. Can''t we surrender to the Demon Clan? After all, we would only go through the process of demonization but we could still survive, Father King¡­¡± The young man''s face was drenched with tears and mucus. He was clutching the robes of the white-haired man, pleading incessantly. The white-haired man was the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. As he looked at the young man in front of him, he didn''t see any resemblance with himself. His brow relaxed as his fingers gently nudged the scabbard in his hand. There was a soft ¡°Shhhh¡± sound. A flash of cold light filled the air and the head of the young man came rolling down. The splattered blood dyed red spots on the white-haired man''s snow-white clothes, standing out like plum blossoms blooming in the snow. ¡°The traitor secretly collaborated with the demon clan, leading our Jilei Mountain to such a predicament. He deserves to die.¡± The Ten Thousand-Year Fox King said coldly. ¡°Long live our wise king.¡± the gathered Fox Clan people cried out in unison upon seeing this. ¡°During the Battle of Zhulu, our Fox Clan ancestors also took part, fighting to death with the demon clan. As the descendants of the Jade Fox Clan, how can we shamefully join hands with the demon Clan? There is only death.¡± The Ten Thousand-Year Fox King continued. ¡°Fight to death,¡± everyone echoed in unison, their voices shaking the heavens. ¡°Haha, what a ''fight to death.'' Old fox, a tiger would not even eat its own cubs, but you have even killed your son. You are more ruthless than us demons.¡± A deep voice echoed from high above. Everyone looked up and saw a towering figure with a lion''s head, human body, a pair of wings, and in blue-black armor, brandishing a green-black spear, poised mid-air. On his left and right were a seductive purple-robed woman and a bald big man in dark red scale armor, his face full of wrinkles. ¡°Enough talk, come meet your demise.¡± The Ten Thousand-Year Fox King glanced contemptuously and spoke coldly. ¡°Brazen words, old fox, take my first strike.¡± The bald big man roared angrily. He charged forward first, his wrinkled face relaxing to reveal a large mouth filled with sharp teeth, letting out a ferocious roar towards Cloud Brushing Cave. A ring of yellow light emerged from his gaping mouth and a flood of black mud spewed out, like a landslide rushing towards Fox Clan people. ¡°Father, let me handle this.¡± Without waiting for the Ten Thousand-Year Fox King to act, an exquisite woman in azure clothes darted forward, her hands forming seals as six enormous azure fox tails appeared behind her, stirring in the mid-air. Blue light gathered in front of her fox tails, forming a huge barrier. The onrush of mud and stones struck the barrier, resulting in thunderous noises, but they could not shake the barrier at all. Instead, they were repelled by the flashing blue light on the barrier. The rolling mud fell into the mountain forest, burying hundreds of demons in an instant and solidifying into numerous stone sculptures. The woman in azure clothes turned her wrist, a blue long sword appeared in her palm and she darted towards the bald big man. The bald man also rushed to meet her, and they began battling. Following that, a tall young man in silver armor stepped forward from behind the Ten Thousand Year Fox King. He pointed his silver spear at the purple-robed woman behind the cloud-stepping creature and challenged, ¡°Purple Pheasant, dare to fight me?¡± ¡°Hehe, since the young master is inviting me, how could I refuse?¡± the purple-robed woman smirked seductively, then leapt out. The two weapons crossed, and they also deviated towards elsewhere. The Ten Thousand-Year Fox King looked at the approaching demons below and told his clan, ¡°Kill these invaders and protect our Jade Fox Clan''s territory.¡± Having said that, he flew up and charged towards the cloud-stepping creature. The Jade Fox Clan people picked up their weapons and rushed to the edge of the mountain cliff, roaring and charging towards the demons below. Chapter 740 Chapter 740: Chapter 736: Confronting Each Other''s Sharp Points Chapter 740: Chapter 736: Confronting Each Other''s Sharp Points ¡°The magnificent Fox King of the Jade Fox Clan, still hiding behind a mask at this time, don''t you find it boring?¡± The Cloudstepping Beast shouted across the void, his tone full of mockery. Upon hearing this, The Ten Thousand Years Fox King nonchalantly swung his sleeve, and his brocade robe immediately disappeared. In its place was a pure white outfit that made him look exceptionally handsome. However, his hair remained white as it always was. He floated upwards, facing off against the Cloudstepping Beast from high altitude, his snow-white clothes fluttering in the wind, giving him an overall air of an Immortal. ¡°Actually, I don''t want the Jade Fox Clan to surrender at all. I can''t stand the way you curry favor with the Human Race. You''re a proud demon race, why must you act like the human race all the time? It''s disgusting.¡± The Cloudstepping Beast sneered. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King didn''t bother to argue, he simply gripped the handle of his sword, casting a cold gaze at the Cloudstepping Beast, his body beginning to radiate an intense chilliness. Seeing this, the latter narrowed his eyes slightly. His long spear suddenly vibrated to create a spear flower in front of him. A stream of pitch-black Demonic Qi began to spread out from his body, caging him like a substantial matter. Black fog also started to entwine around his long spear, igniting a cluster of black fire at the tip of the spear. As he flapped his double wings, pitch-black winds swiftly emerged from his sides. His figure abruptly shot out, flying towards the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. As he neared, he thrust his jet-black spear. The black flame condensed on the spear tip erupted massively, transforming into a black dragon and rushed at the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King stepped forward, the longsword in his hand quickly unsheathed with a sharp shiiing sound, transforming into pure white sword light that pierced the clouds. A suppressed thunder seemed to sound from among the clouds, countless giant ice cones poured down like a torrential rainstorm. The black dragon got swallowed by the ice cones, pierced with countless holes in an instant. However, its form remained undispersed as it continued to charge towards the Ten Thousand Years Fox King through the heavy downpour. When it was close, the head of the black dragon reformed, and bit into the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. For some unknown reason, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King actually remained still, allowing the black dragon to bite off more than half of his body. However, what was odd, there was not a single drop of blood, but rather, a stream of white smoke began to emerge from his body. The remaining half of his body disappeared into the smoke. Almost simultaneously, a powerful gust of wind erupted behind the Cloudstepping Beast. A sword light transformed from the Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword suddenly struck across from behind, aiming straight at his nape. Somehow, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King had secretly cast an illusion, his figure was already concealed, silently executing a sneak attack. The Cloudstepping Beast sensed something amiss behind him, but his expression didn''t change. Staying still, he furiously spread his wings, protecting his nape like two shields. With a clang, the Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword struck the Cloudstepping Beast''s wings, it was as if it had chopped onto metal or a rock, unable to advance a single inch. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King glanced over and realized that each feather on the beast''s wings were showing a black metallic lustre. It was completely different from its original state. ¡°The benefits of becoming a demon, you can''t even imagine. Although we are both at the Late Stage of the True Immortal Realm, you are no longer a match for me,¡± the Cloudstepping Beast slowly spoke, his back towards the Fox King. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s gaze slightly hardened, and in an instant, his longsword glowed a brilliant white. An icy mist poured out from the body of the sword and swallowed the Cloudstepping Beast. When the white frost dispersed slightly, the Cloudstepping Beast had already been frozen into an ice sculpture. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King raised his sword, spinning it around. The tip of the sword condensed an icy Sword Qi into a spiral cone, directly drilling towards the back of the Cloudstepping Beast''s head. But just as the sword tip was about to touch the back of his head, the rigid body of the Cloudstepping Beast suddenly shivered violently, and the black fire on its long spear, held in its hand, rolled back, spreading along the body of the spear and covering the entire beast, drowning out his entire body. In an instant, he was enveloped in black flames, his figure began to rapidly grow, white bone cones emerged from his shoulders and elbows, and a white bone armor covered half of his face, transforming him into a nearly hundred-feet tall Pillar of Heaven Giant Demon. The breath of demonic flames radiated from his whole body, far surpassing the Late True Immortal Stage and closing in on the Taiyi Realm. Upon witnessing this, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s expression finally changed, and the battling Fox Demonic Soldiers below also felt a strong sense of oppression. He raised his hand and threw, the Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword in his hand then regressed in light, transforming into a tiny mini sword of a few inches in length, he opened his mouth and swallowed it directly into his belly. Subsequently, his body glowed brilliantly, his figure also began to grow rapidly, the snow-white long hair behind him fluttered, and white hair began to grow all over his body, quickly transforming into a Giant Fox Demon over a hundred feet tall. With a roar from his mouth, eight long tails emerged from behind him, dropping like eight celestial pillars from the sky aiming at the Pillar of Heaven Giant Demon that the Cloudstepping Beast had transformed into. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± A series of loud drum-like rumble sounds continued to echo, the eight giant Fox tails furiously swung down, the Cloudstepping Beast held the long spear in its crossed arms in front of its body, pounded back by the omnipotent force. Its figure, like a plowing blade, carved a deep ravine on the ground, retreating hundreds of feet away before finally stopping. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Haha, with just this little ability, it''s enough to give me a little tickle.¡± The Cloudstepping Beast sneered. Having said that, he stepped forward, the jet-black spear in his hand violently thrust forward, the black flame on the spear body surged, transforming into an overwhelming Sea of Flames, rushing towards the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. Seeing this, the latter didn''t dodge at all, instead rushing towards the Sea of Flames in its wild beast form. A layer of white crystal light enveloped his two giant claws, directly plunging into the black demon flame. He pulled both ways, tearing apart a large cluster of flames, and ripped open a path in the raging fire. The spurting flames around him left a large patch of speckled traces when they splashed on his fur. However, at this moment, The Ten Thousand Years Fox King didn''t care about this at all, he just charged forward relentlessly. His figure soon broke through the last layer of Demon Flames and reached the front of the Cloudstepping Beast. The Cloudstepping Beast had been waiting for a long time, the long spear in his hand was fully charged, and as soon as the figure of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King appeared, it stabbed straight out. The spear brought up a howling whirlwind that tore apart the surrounding void, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King felt as if the space around him had solidified, binding his figure in place, unable to move forward. All he could do was steady his figure and thrust his paws out, firmly catching the incoming long spear. However, the force contained in the spear was immense. Even though the Fox King had grabbed the body of the spear with his paws, he couldn''t stop its thrust, causing his paws to rub out a row of sparks. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King roared, and his eight tails behind him reached out at the same time, winding around the body of the long spear, like eight hands exerting force all at once, resisting the spear''s thrust. At last, the momentum of the jet-black spear''s thrust slackened and could no longer move an inch further. Chapter 741 Chapter 741: Chapter 737: Shen Luo Makes a Move Chapter 741: Chapter 737: Shen Luo Makes a Move But before the Ten Thousand Years Fox King could breathe a sigh of relief, the Cloudstepping Beast''s wings suddenly flapped on its back, a powerful blast of energy pushed back, and the spear in its hand surged in force, once again charge forward. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± A burst of bloodlight suddenly erupted, and the Ten Thousand Years Fox King ultimately couldn''t withstand this attack. The long spear pierced into him, directly through his chest. The strength of the Cloudstepping Beast after its transformation was indeed formidable, steadily suppressing the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°I heard you have a son-in-law, the Great Strength Bull Demon King? With such a grand event today, where is he to help?¡± The Cloudstepping Beast''s hands held the spear tightly, pushing the Ten Thousand Years Fox King back step by step. Upon hearing these words, a flash of anger swept across the Fox King''s eyes. ¡°Your insolence is unbearable,¡± he didn''t issue any threats, just simply said this sentence. In the next instant, his huge mouth suddenly opened, and a swift white light flashed through. A snow-white flying sword surged out of his mouth at once, and with a flash, it punctured the heart of the Cloudstepping Beast. The Cloudstepping Beast let go of the long spear in his hand. The huge force carried by the flying sword pushed his body back several steps. He opened his mouth and gave a few wails, his eyes filled with disbelief. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King slowly pulled the long spear out of his chest, casually threw it away, and his white light converged, transforming him back to human form. He raised his hand for a call, and the Big Dipper Seven Stars sword swiftly swept back and landed in his hand. At this moment, a scream suddenly came from the distance. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King turned to look, and saw that hundreds of feet away, the bald big man had transformed into a monster of a hundred feet, and was holding the blue-clothed fox girl, preparing to feed her into his mouth. The brows of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King furrowed, and just as he was about to go and rescue, a shadow spread over his head. The Cloudstepping Beast, whose heart had been shattered by the white jade flying sword, astonishingly stood up unscathed, and raised his giant foot towards the Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s head and stomped down. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King was completely caught off guard, and there was no time to defend, seemingly about to take a serious blow. At this moment, in the skies above the Cloud Brushing Cave, a light suddenly flashed, and Shen Luo, carrying with him two fox girls, emerged from thin air. With one hand, he swung forward harshly, the Golden Rope shone brightly, flying out like a coiling snake, and with the other hand gripping the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, he swung it out. The Golden Rope shot directly towards the bald big man. After growing a hundredfold in length, it bound him on the spot. His mana was sucked dry, his figure quickly shrank, and he collapsed to the ground. The Iron Stick grew hundreds of times larger, turning directly into a Pillar of Heaven, and with a thunderous crash landed on the Cloudstepping Beast''s waist. The overwhelming force surged out, catching the unsuspecting Cloudstepping Beast off guard, knocking him over and sending him flying. Shen Luo''s figure bobbed down, landing in front of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. His thunderous methods of repelling two demons at once caused a stir on the battlefield as all eyes turned eagerly towards him. ¡°Elder Fox King, are you okay?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Who are you?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox king inquired unflappably. ¡°Big Brother Shen is a disciple of Mount Fangcun¡­¡± At this moment, Xiao Yu and Li Qiu also came down and helped explained. ¡°Xiao Yu, how did you¡­¡± Seeing her daughter suddenly appear, delight finally flashed across the Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s face. ¡°Father King, Li Jiejie and Big Brother Shen saved me.¡± Xiao Yu quickly said. With a complex expression, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King looked at Shen Luo, opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. ¡°Elder, doubting my identity is understandable, but could we discuss the verification of my identity after I''ve dealt with the Cloudstepping Beast?¡± Shen Luo responded sincerely. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King nodded, not saying anything more. He glanced over Xiao Yu and Li Qiu, seeing their injuries were not severe, finally, he slightly let down his guard. Meanwhile, Li Qiu had secretly related everything about Shen Luo to the Fox King. ¡°Where did this meddlesome creature come from, daring to interfere in affairs of the Demon Clan? Do you have a death wish?¡± The Cloudstepping Beast roared, having regained its footing. Although Shen Luo''s attack just now was powerful, it didn''t inflict substantial damage on him. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo merely raised his eyebrows, saying nothing. His figure stepped into the void with the Moonlight shadow dispersing beneath him. In a flash, he appeared in front of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. His Sea Suppressing Iron Rod enlarged hundreds of times, aiming directly for its head. ¡°Slanting Moon Steps¡­¡± a thought passed through the mind of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King as he saw this. Having been taken by surprise once, the Cloudstepping Beast was no longer careless. Thrusting its long spear heavily, it collided with Shen Luo''s iron rod, causing a deafening boom to reverberate. This time, the Cloudstepping Beast didn''t move an inch, whereas Shen Luo was forced back hundreds of feet. ¡°You arrogant human, you dare to compete in strength with us demons, you overestimate yourself.¡± The Cloudstepping Beast gloated over its perceived advantage. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo hovered in mid-air, his eyes slightly squinting and a smile curling up at the corner of his mouth. His figure rushed forward again, the Huangting Technique within his body sped up, with each forward surge, golden light billowed out behind him, forming the illusionary figure of a five-clawed golden dragon and a golden elephant. Every time another illusion appeared, the aura emanating from Shen Luo doubled. His imposing and oppressive momentum as he charged forward was akin to an ancient ferocious beast. The Cloudstepping Beast widened its eyes in shock as a touch of fear rose in its heart. ¡°How is this possible? How does such a mere human possess such an intimidating presence?¡± It couldn''t help expressing its astonishment. ¡°Layers of the Huangting Technique have been cultivated by this person. Surely, this must be a top disciple of Mount Fangcun. Strange, why haven''t I heard of his name before?¡± A glimmer of joy flitted across the eyes of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°Maybe, like Sun Wukong back in the day, he must have received teachings of Bodhi''s Ancestor in secret, and was instructed not to reveal his identity. Now that his sect has been destroyed and the ancestor is no longer there, isn''t he just revealing his hidden capabilities?¡± Li Qiu guessed. The Ten Thousand Year Fox King frowned slightly when he heard sun Wukong''s name, and gave a cold humph. Shen Luo''s momentum exploded. He rushed to the side of the hundred-feet-tall Cloudstepping Beast, his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod swung down fiercely. Six golden dragons rushed down with a huge golden rod shadow, and six golden elephants charged downward with it. The entire void trembled violently, golden light flickered, it seemed like it was about to collapse. The Cloudstepping Beast''s expression turned solemn, releasing all the energy it had accumulated in its body without reservation. The black spear in its hand was fiercely lifted, stabbing at Shen Luo''s golden rod shadow. Black cyclones emerged from the ground and transformed into a dozen gigantic twisters, charging up with the black flame at the tip of its spear, colliding with the golden dragon, elephant, and rod shadow. ¡°Boom¡­¡± Golden light vibrated in the sky, countless black flames fragmented and transformed into heavenly fire, spreading in all directions. Wherever it landed, it exploded like thunderfire, igniting huge fires. In the center of the clash, half a mountain forest completely collapsed into the ground. The surrounding groves were burned to ashes, leaving everything in ruin. Chapter 742 Chapter 742: Chapter 738: The Three Stars Destroys the Cloud Chapter 742: Chapter 738: The Three Stars Destroys the Cloud Inside the collapsed pit, the Cloudstepping Beast had returned to its original form, its eyes full of disbelief. ¡°Who on earth are you?¡± the Cloudstepping Beast questioned resentfully. ¡°The one who sends you on your way,¡± Shen Luo chuckled, finally replying. Having said that, his figure jumped down, and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand stabbed down like a long spear. ¡°Since you have forced me to this extent, let''s perish together,¡± the Cloudstepping Beast''s eyes glowed with ferocity as it roared loudly. It took out an oval fruit of concentrated black color from its pocket. The fruit emitted a strong demonic Qi. Shoving it into its mouth, its cheek was full of black juice in no time. In an instant, its body sprung from the ground. Its skin appeared fractured like a turtle shell, with numerous turtle shell cracks appearing. Thick demonic Qi emanated from within those fissures. After spreading in all directions, it dyed the Earth pitch black. Shen Luo halted his thrusting motion, looking carefully, he discovered that the wounds on the Cloudstepping Beast had all been healed. Even its breath had magnified considerably, much stronger than just a moment ago. In the midst of astonishment, the completely demonized Cloudstepping Beast suddenly roared towards the sky. A strong black light gushed out from its mouth, reaching right in front of Shen Luo within a blink of the eye. Shen Luo had no time to dodge, he could only use the iron rod to block hastily. With a ¡°bang¡±, Shen Luo felt a numbness in his arm. Looking at the part of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod that was hit, he found that it had turned a thick black. ¡°Such a powerful erosion power¡­¡± Shen Luo was slightly startled, and with the swing of the iron rod, the golden light on it intensified, shattering the black light. Just then, a black shadow flashed in front of his eyes, and a giant black claw was suddenly thrust out, slashing towards his throat. Shen Luo, while bending backward, narrowly avoided the claw and quickly retreated. The Cloudstepping Beast followed immediately, rushing at him with a much faster speed than before. Shen Luo repeatedly used the Slanting Moon Steps, just managing to keep pace. Relying on his agile movements and the Splashy Chaotic Stick, he exchanged more than a dozen moves with the beast. ¡°Whooah.¡± Shen Luo yelled, driving the Cloudstepping Beast back with a strike. However, he couldn''t help but breathe heavily. The demonic Qi emanating from the beast was getting thicker. In such a close combat, even though Shen Luo had already sealed his five senses, he still felt the encroachment. With his thoughts racing, he saw the Cloudstepping Beast charging at him again. He tightly gripped the iron rod with one hand, infusing all his strength into it, and hurled it like a spear, smashing it towards the beast. At the same time, his mind worked like flashing lightning. As he began to form hand seals, he looked up at the sky above. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Cloudstepping Beast hit the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod away with a claw, slightly hindered, it sped up towards him again. Just as it was about to reach him, a divine light suddenly shone in Shen Luo''s eyes. He jerked down one hand and bellowed, ¡°Fall!¡± As his voice fell, in the distant starry sky, as if an invisible force was pulling, stars revolved, with glimmering radiance. Following that, a light suddenly lit up among the clouds, and three enormous golden stars broke through the layers of clouds and fell, illuminating the entire night sky. The trailing trajectory of their fall was marked by three lines of glittering golden light trails, splendid beyond compare. The Cloudstepping Beast naturally felt it ¡ª that tremendous, terrifying oppression had firmly locked onto it. Motionless, the beast stood its ground, raising both hands to the sky. Its body rapidly engorged again, transforming back into a hundred-foot tall form. The first golden star descended, the beast resisted with both hands, stubbornly holding back the momentum of the falling star, even managing to counter-push the star considerably. However, the second star fell atop the first. Two waves of demon-annihilating forces stacked upon each other, instantaneously pressing the Cloudstepping Beast to its knees. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Although it hadn''t fallen completely, it lacked the strength to rise, only able to roar in defiance. Only when the third star fell, a dazzling golden light suddenly ignited from among the three stars, stirring up a huge golden arc of light, sweeping in all directions, wiping out all demonic qi around it. ¡°Boom¡± Afterward, an intense explosion sounded, as countless golden electric sparks burst out in all directions. The arc of electricity jolted out wildly, flickering incessantly. After a while, all electric light and firelight gradually dissipated. A gigantic ravine spanning several miles appeared on the ground, the scorched earth within, emitting flames and white smoke in places. On the fractured ground surface, a vague, giant black pattern could be seen. In the middle were three pentagonal star patterns, with cloud patterns encircling them, emitting waves of unparalleled stellar heat from within. Shen Luo summoned back his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, took a deep breath, and walked towards the edge of the deep pit. Inside, there was nothing. The Cloudstepping Beast had been thoroughly turned to ash. ¡°The Power of Three Stars Extinguishing Demons is indeed powerful, but the consumption is also considerable.¡± Shen Luo''s Mana within his Dantian was mostly depleted. At this moment, he felt somewhat weak. He took out a white jade porcelain bottle, poured out two Elixirs and swallowed them immediately after chewing, then turned and roared, ¡°The Cloudstepping Beast is dead. If you do not retreat from Jilei Mountain, I will kill without mercy.¡± His voice was like rolling thunder, filling the entirety of Jilei Mountain. All the invading demons heard it and were terrified. No one dared to hesitate any longer, they all retreated like the tide. The Jade Fox Clan suffered heavy casualties, and the Ten Thousand Years Fox King stopped his demon soldiers, ordering them not to pursue any further. Everyone returned to the front of the Cloud Brushing Cave, their faces all filled with curiosity and fear. They didn''t understand who Shen Luo, this divine warrior who fell from the sky, really was. ¡°Daoist Shen, are you really a disciple of Mount Fangcun?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King approached him, saluted first, and then asked. ¡°Miss Li Qiu has already verified it. In any case, the Yellow Court Sutra Skill I displayed just now belongs to my sect. I think Elder Fox King, with your discerning eyes, should not have missed this, right?¡± Shen Luo cheerfully replied. ¡°It''s surprising that you, a highly skilled individual like Shen Luo, still exist. Mount Fangcun has been destroyed for some time now. It''s indeed a bit surprising to learn that you happened to pass by and saved people on a whim.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King said. ¡°Haha, I don''t think Elder Fox King would believe such a story. Indeed, I did not coincidentally pass by. Instead, I intentionally visited Jilei Mountain. However, it was a coincidence that I came across Xiao Yu and Miss Li Qiu.¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°Oh? You deliberately visited Jilei Mountain. May I ask why?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King furrowed his brows and asked. ¡°To tell the truth, I came to get in touch with the Jade Fox Clan to join the great army that will be battling the Demon Clan.¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°I had heard that there are still remaining forces in the Human Realm resisting. They have also previously attempted to contact Jilei Mountain. However, due to certain reasons, I have never responded. I thought that I could stay out of trouble. I didn''t expect to be attacked by the Demon Clan today. It seems that all beings in the Three Realms are ultimately unable to escape from the Demon Clan''s evil clutches. Fine¡­ I am willing to lead my clan and join you.¡± After pondering for a moment, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King said. ¡°That''s great. I have an additional request, Elder Fox King.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What is it? Feel free to speak.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King asked, frowning. Chapter 743 Chapter 743: Chapter 739: Demons Attack Chapter 743: Chapter 739: Demons Attack ¡°It''s not easy to talk here, can we go somewhere else to discuss?¡± asked Shen Luo, glancing around at the many Fox Clan members nearby. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King gave a nod, instructed the lady in blue robes and the silver-armored youth to check the casualties of the Fox Clan, and led Shen Luo into the Cloud Brushing Cave. From the outside, Cloud Brushing Cave was an ordinary mountain cave, but inside it was spacious, with various halls carved out, adorned with colourful gemstones and jade, almost as grand as an imperial palace. ¡°We''re alone here, Friend Shen, go ahead with whatever you want to say.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King said, having sat down in one of the halls with Shen Luo. ¡°I heard that the Jade Fox Clan is close to the Great Strength Bull Demon King. So, I''m here kindly asking the Fox King to introduce me to Great Strength Bull Demon King.¡± Shen Luo found out that the Ten Thousand Years Fox King didn''t like beating around the bush, so he got straight to the point. ¡°To meet the Great Strength Bull Demon King?¡± The Fox King''s face darkened. Seeing this, Shen Luo was slightly taken aback and muttered to himself, wasn''t Jilei Mountain claimed by the Great Strength Bull Demon King? Why did the Ten Thousand Years Fox King look so angry at the mention of the Bull Demon King''s name? Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, there was a faint sound of commotion from afar. ¡°What''s the matter? Making such a ruckus! Someone go see what''s happening!¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King roared in anger. A member of the Fox Clan appeared outside the hall, was about to go out when a bloodied demon soldier flew in. ¡°Great king, it''s bad, those demons are attacking again!¡± The demon soldier shouted without even bowing. ¡°What!¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King stood up suddenly, his body blurred into a white light shooting outside in an instant. Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows. The demons he had defeated were actually daring to return? As he thought this, Shen Luo followed closely behind the Fox King. They quickly arrived outside the Cloud Brushing Cave where countless demons, in addition to those who had previously fled, there were even more new demon creatures never seen before, were rushing towards them. These demon creatures all had a hint of blood-red in their eyes, making them look very eerie. A man from the Fox Clan swung a green longsword in his hand, it slashed across a wolf demon with comparable strength, creating a huge wound on the wolf demon''s shoulder, breaking several of its bones. However, the wolf demon''s sharp claws also simultaneously pierced through the man''s chest, going right through it. The wolf demon let out a harsh howl, its wickedness waxing and waning on its body, swinging its arms and tearing the fox tribe man into two halves, blood splashing everywhere. Meanwhile, the wound on the wolf demon''s chest healed quickly as blood threads appeared, disappearing within a few breaths. Seeing this, both Shen Luo and the Fox King wore shocked expressions. Among these demons, there was no shortage of strong individuals. There were as many as twenty at the Great Mahayana Stage, and countless at the Nascent Soul Stage. Shen Luo scanned the twenty or so demons at the Great Mahayana Stage, and let out a light exclamation. These demon creatures were the ones from the blood pool beneath Black Wolf Mountain. The Fox Clan had suffered a lot in the previous fight, their strength greatly diminished. Seeing these eerie blood-eyed demons, the Fox Clan army were losing ground, on the verge of being routed. ¡°Attack!¡± In desperation, the Fox King retrieved the Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword from his sleeve. The white light at the top of the sword surged enormously. Suddenly, millions of light rays refracted and slashed towards the demon army, tearing dozens of demon creatures to shreds and blood splashed everywhere. Shen Luo didn''t stand idly by, but rather than attacking himself, he summoned more than ten Great Mahayana Stage Heavenly Soldiers and a True Immortal Realm Thunder Division Heavenly General, directing them into the demon army. With the help of the Thunder Division Heavenly General and more than ten Great Mahayana Stage Heavenly Soldiers, they quickly stabilized the situation. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King gratefully glanced at Shen Luo before leading the charge into the fiercest part of the battle. On his Big Dipper Seven Stars Sword, a white light churned. No demon could withstand a strike from him. In just a few breaths, the Fox King had slain hundreds of demons and thrown the Demon Clan Army into chaos, easing the pressure on the Jade Fox Clan. Shen Luo watched the Fox King, full of awe, before suddenly shouting in warning. ¡°Fox King, watch out!¡± His expression changed abruptly as he grabbed his Six Chen Whip. His arm burst with golden light as he hurled it towards the Fox King. With a piercing scream, the Six Chen Whip crossed a distance of twenty or thirty feet in an instant. It shot towards the Fox King like flash of black lightning. There was a metallic clash, a reverberating ''BANG!'' The Six Chen Whip was deflected but soon a tall, dark shadow stumbled out from the void next to the Fox King. This figure, one of a humanoid tiger dressed in pitch-black armor, held a Mountain Splitting Giant Saber, was the Black Tiger Demon Creature previously seen in the underground cave of the Black Wolf Mountain. The Fox King was taken aback by the creature''s audacity to approach him so closely and immediately retreated a distance. ¡°Who are you that can see through my invisibility?¡± The Black Tiger Demon Creature did not pursue the Fox King but instead turned its bell-sized eyes to Shen Luo. Ignoring the creature, Shen Luo called back his Six Chen Whip and inspected his surroundings, warning the Fox King that there were other True Immortal Realm Demons around. ¡°No matter who you are, dare to obstruct the Demon Clan Army, and you''ll die!¡± Enraged by Shen Luo''s disregard, the Black Tiger Demon Creature swung its Mountain Splitting Saber. The saber flashed with nine dark shadows, each emitting a large beam of black light. This dark field occupied half of the sky and bore down onto Shen Luo. However, Shen Luo effortlessly disappeared into the void with the Moonlight Glamour beneath his feet. The Black Tiger Demon Creature paused, and Shen Luo reappeared behind it like a ghostly specter. The creature''s complexion changed, and it swiftly turned to strike. However, just as it did, a golden thread shot out from Shen Luo''s hand before twining itself around the creature. The golden rope engulfed the Black Tiger Demon Creature''s body, imprisoning the creature''s internal demon qi. A black light descended from the sky, and Shen Luo''s Six Chen Whip cracked towards the creature''s head. Caught off guard, the Black Tiger Demon Creature had no choice but to prepare for the worst. As if that''s not enough, a green glow emerged around it, revealing a green array. With a ''whoosh'', the creature was swallowed and vanished. Shen Luo''s whip hit nothing. Before he could react, a green shadow appeared behind him. A pitch-black claw emerged and lunged at Shen Luo''s head. His Six Chen Whip surged with black qi, blocking the incoming attack at the last moment. With a loud ''BANG'', the whip vibrated violently and was knocked away by the claw. But it had bought Shen Luo some time. With a flash of golden light, Shen Luo brought forth his Seaside Iron Staff. The staff created several golden shadows that appeared in the air behind him. These shadows struck the black claw as it approached. There was a series of thunderous ''BOOMs'', and the black-gold lights exploded around them. All of the staff shadows were shattered, but the black claw was also repelled a few steps back. Chapter 744 Chapter 744: Chapter 740: Ping Tian Saint (Seeking Monthly Tickets) Chapter 744: Chapter 740: Ping Tian Saint (Seeking Monthly Tickets) Shen Luo produced trails of afterimages under his feet and darted forwards about twenty or thirty feet, turning swiftly to face the opposite direction. In the void next to the black bone claw, the black skeleton emerged. ¡°It is you! You didn''t die?¡± Shen Luo, having already identified who it was from the Yimu green light and the black bone claw''s aura, asked coldly. ¡°Although Your Excellency''s club technique is powerful, I am, after all, at the Taiyi realm. Naturally, I would not be unable to withstand even a single blow from you,¡± said the black skeleton indifferently. ¡°Is heaven really going to annihilate the Jade Fox Clan?¡± Upon sensing the Taiyi realm aura emitted by the black skeleton, the Ten Thousand Year Fox King''s face changed and he couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. At that moment, the void beside the black skeleton flickered continuously with green shadows, revealing the True Immortal Black Eagle Demon Creature and Manager Ma. The Black Tiger Demon Creature also emerged a dozen feet away, but its body was still bound by a golden rope. The battle temporarily ceased, and the demons retreated behind the black skeleton, while the Jade Fox Clan flew behind the Ten Thousand Year Fox King. With a wave of his hand, Shen Luo caused the Six Chen Whip to fly back from a distance and land in his hand, while the dozen or so Heavenly Soldiers and the Thunder Division Heavenly General also temporarily retreated and stood beside Shen Luo. ¡°Dear Brother Shen, this is a grievance between us and the Fox Clan. As a member of the human race, there is no need for you to get involved. Considering our previous encounter, it would be best for you to leave as soon as possible,¡± said the black skeleton as it glanced at the Heavenly Soldiers and generals. Upon hearing these words, the Ten Thousand Year Fox King looked at Shen Luo with a flash of worry in his eyes. The enemy before them was unprecedentedly strong, and the Jade Fox Clan was absolutely at a disadvantage. If Shen Luo chose to leave, the Jade Fox Clan might really be annihilated today. ¡°Why is your Demon Clan attacking Jilei Mountain?¡± Shen Luo fell silent for a moment, then asked. ¡°This matter has nothing to do with Your Excellency. It''s better for you not to know,¡± said the black skeleton. ¡°Your Excellency is kind, and I understand that, but the Ten Thousand Year Fox King and I have become allies at first sight. How could I stand by and watch while my allies are in trouble?¡± Shen Luo said with a slight smile. The Ten Thousand Year Fox King felt a weight lift from his heart and tightened his grip on his longsword. ¡°So you really intend to be an enemy of our Demon Clan?¡± The tone of the black skeleton dropped. Shen Luo remained silent, raising his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. ¡°Since you insist on seeking death, die with these foxes!¡± The black skeleton let out a cold laugh and raised its bony hand. Shen Luo''s heart sank, and in his hand, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod shone with golden light. ¡°A demon spawn dares to run wild on Jilei Mountain!¡± At that moment, a thunderous roar suddenly exploded in the sky, making everyone''s ears ring. Those with lower cultivation levels even spat out fresh blood, becoming instantly injured. A tall figure descended from the sky, accompanied by a pressure as heavy as a mountain, rushing towards the invading demons. All the demons, including the black skeleton, trembled and backed away a few steps before regaining their stability. The tall figure held up a yellow light in his hand, concealing whatever was within, and swung it forcefully forward. The sky and earth changed color instantly. The void in front of them trembled violently, and pillar-like yellow whirlwinds appeared, sweeping towards the black skeleton and other demons. The whirlwinds surged like a tide, forming numerous enormous wind blades that wrapped around the wind pillars and slashed forward. The whole space was filled with flying sand and stones, and booming sounds echoed throughout, creating ripples in the void from the overwhelming wind force. The black skeleton and the other demon creatures were instantly engulfed by the yellow gale, as the lesser demons below were swept away like fallen leaves. Shen Luo stood slightly ahead, not directly attacked by the yellow storm, but affected by their residual waves. His whole body emitted a radiant golden light, with a golden light shield appearing around him to protect himself, flying backward in retreat. However, the surrounding area was filled with boundless yellow winds. The golden light shield buzzed like a small boat in a stormy sea, which could capsize at any moment, unable to retreat. As for the heavenly soldiers and generals around him, they were caught up by the yellow hurricane and swept away all at once. The hurricane flashed with golden and silver shadows as the heavenly soldiers and generals disappeared completely. Shen Luo''s face looked grim as he exerted all his strength to run the Huangting Technique, solely to protect himself. He could not perceive who the tall figure ahead was, as his Divine Sense would be dispersed by the violent winds as soon as it left the protective shield. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, the yellow squall didn''t last long, soon coming to a stop. Shen Luo steadied himself, raised his head and glanced over, a touch of surprise flashing in his eyes. The several mountains that used to be there had vanished into thin air, and a fan-shaped abyss, extraordinarily deep and dark, appeared on the ground. The black skeleton and the other demons disappeared without a trace, seemingly annihilated by the earth-shattering squall. Shen Luo suddenly narrowed his eyes, sensing the Great Golden Rope appear hundreds of miles away. Judging by the restraining condition of the rope, the Black Tiger Demon Creature had not fallen. From the previous situation, it was most likely caused by the black skeleton''s methods. It seemed that the other demon creatures should be safe. Shen Luo moved with a thought, immediately releasing the Black Tiger Demon Creature bound by the Golden Rope, and it flew back. At this moment, the tall figure also showed its true form. This person was eight feet tall, with a strong and burly figure that looked extremely formidable. He bore dual horns on his head and wore a finely polished iron helmet. His body was clad in richly-ornamented golden armour. His feet were shod in pink-soled deerskin boots, and around his waist was a three-strand lion mane belt. His eyes looked as clear as a mirror, and his eyebrows as colourful as rainbows. His mouth seemed like a blood-basin, and his teeth looked like copper plates. In his hand, he held an Xuanhuang Treasure Fan that gleamed with brilliant light. The face of the fan was engraved with a wind and cloud pattern, a clump of golden feathers hung at the top, and a red rope fell from the handle of the fan, surrounded by a whirl of yellow wind. The yellow wind was small in scale, but it contained intense spiritual fluctuations that frightened Shen Luo. ¡°Could it have been this object that cast those terrifying squalls just now? Could this object be the Banana Fan? Then is this horned man¡­¡± His thoughts turned, and his eyes gleamed. ¡°So it''s the Ping Tian Great Sage, what are you doing here?¡± The Fox King''s countenance brightened before he regained his cool facade and spoke frigidly. Shen Luo muttered a silent ''as expected'', certain that the horned man is the Bull Demon King, the one he had intended to meet on this journey. ¡°Father-in-law, upon hearing that the Demon Clan is attacking Jilei Mountain, I set on my journey in haste. I arrived a little late and caused you a fright, I hope you''ll forgive me.¡± The Bull Demon King put away his Xuanhuang Treasure Fan, speaking respectfully to the Fox King. ¡°Who is your father-in-law? If it wasn''t for your fickle-minded behaviour, would my daughter have died in vain!¡± The Fox King snorted with anger. A hint of gloom flashed across the Bull Demon King''s face, but he did not argue back. (It''s the beginning of the month, and I forget to ask for votes. I hope you, Daoist friends, could vote for Dream Master ^^) Chapter 745 Chapter 745: Chapter 741: The Downfall of the Princess Chapter 745: Chapter 741: The Downfall of the Princess The Ten Thousand Years Fox King ignored the Bull Demon King and flew towards Shen Luo. ¡°Friend Shen, thank you for your assistance just now. The Jade Fox Clan will forever remember your kindness,¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King said with a bow ¡°Elder Fox King gives me too much credit. I, who has limited abilities, could only drive back these demons thanks to the timely arrival of the Ping Tian Great Sage,¡± Shen Luo said modestly, nodding his head towards the Bull Demon King. A ray of golden light flew from afar; it was the Golden Rope, which vanished into his sleeve after a flash. The Bull Demon King stared at Shen Luo, giving him an up-and-down look, with a strange glint in his eyes. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King responded with a cold hum, did not reply, and took Shen Luo flying towards the Cloud Brushing Cave. Looking at their figures, the Bull Demon King''s face showed a hint of surprise. The demon soldiers from the fox clan gathered around, the powerful members of the Fox Clan showing great respect for the Bull Demon King; they approached him, led by the Lady in Blue Robes and the Silver-Armored Youth, to express their gratitude. ¡°There''s no need for formalities, everyone. Jilei Mountain and I, the Great Strength Bull Demon King, are closely connected. I would absolutely not tolerate the Demon Clan''s rampant abuse here,¡± The Bull Demon King said solemnly. Upon hearing these words, everyone from the Fox Clan was overjoyed and couldn''t help but cheer. ¡°With the Ping Tian Great Sage keeping watch here, there is nothing to fear no matter how many Demon Clan members come,¡± the Silver Armored Youth exclaimed excitedly. ¡°Of course, by the way, who was that human cultivator just now? The Fox King traditionally does not have a high opinion of human cultivators, but he seems to make an exception for him.¡± The Bull Demon King asked the Silver Armored Youth. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you referring to Daoist Shen? He is a visiting human cultivator who wishes to form an alliance with us at Jilei Mountain. My father has already accepted his proposal,¡± the Silver Armored Youth replied. ¡°Forming an alliance?¡± The Bull Demon King faltered, quietly repeating the Silver Armored Youth''s words. Inside the Cloud Brushing Cave, Shen Luo and the Ten Thousand Year Fox King had returned to the hall again. ¡°Friend Shen, it seems you were familiar with the demon clan members who appeared just now? What exactly is their origin?¡± As soon as the Ten Thousand Year Fox King sat down, he asked immediately. ¡°I don''t exactly know them. I happened to come across those demons on Black Wolf Mountain not long ago,¡± Shen Luo did not hide anything, and briefly narrated his encounters on Black Wolf Mountain. However, he did not share with Ten Thousand Year Fox King the fact that the Heavenly Book had absorbed the black Qi around the Black Skeleton during their final confrontation. That was a secret. ¡°So, that''s how it is. I''ve heard of a blood sacrificial method in the Demon Clan that can quickly increase their strength and transform their bodies into half-demons, it seems it really does exist,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King with a solemn expression. ¡°That kind of rapid self-healing ability is indeed troublesome. However, it is useless as long as we attack their heads or their Dantian,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°That''s an excellent idea, Friend Shen.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s eyes lit up. Shen Luo looked at the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, wanting to speak but withholding. ¡°You wish to meet the Bull Demon King; well, Old Bull is right outside. You can see him whenever you want,¡± The Ten Thousand Year Fox King sighed and told Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you, Fox King.¡± Shen Luo looked delighted. He raised his fist to thank the Ten Thousand Year Fox King and stood up, ready to walk out. ¡°Please wait, Friend Shen,¡± the Ten Thousand Year Fox King suddenly called out to Shen Luo. ¡°Does the Fox King need anything?¡± Shen Luo stopped in his tracks. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King took out a green jade box, opened it, and placed it on a nearby table. Inside the box lay a peach-shaped white jade spirit fruit. It exuded a refreshing aroma and surged with spiritual energy, clearly not an ordinary item. ¡°Fox King, what is this?¡± Shen Luo, seeing this, raised his eyebrows. ¡°This Jade Spirit Fruit is a unique spiritual object from Jilei Mountain, consumption of it can increase your cultivation and lifespan by 500 years. It''s also beneficial for human cultivators. Given that Master Shen has aided the Fox Clan twice, I have no way to reciprocate your kindness, hence this Jade Spirit Fruit is a small token of my gratitude.¡± The Ten-thousand-year Fox King handed over the jade box and said. ¡°This item is too precious, I can''t accept it. When I assisted the Fox Clan, it was definitely not for these Immortal Fruits. Considering the many members of the Jade Fox Clan who were seriously injured in the battle, Your Highness would be better off bestowing it upon them.¡± Shen Luo, looking at the Jade Spirit Fruit, was visibly moved, but still shook his head to refuse. ¡°Although this Immortal Fruit is precious, compared to the safety of my Fox Clan, it accounts for nothing. Our Demon Race has always repaid kindness. If you, friend Shen, insist on declining, it would tantamount to despising my Jade Fox Tribe.¡± The expression of the Ten-thousand-year Fox King turned a bit stern. ¡°If that''s the case, I''d be rude to refuse.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to accept and then excused himself to leave. Just after he stepped out of the Cloud Brushing Cave, the Bull Demon King approached him. ¡°Great Saint Ping Tian, I am Shen Luo. I''ve long heard of the Great Saint''s reputation and am fortunate enough to meet you today.¡± Shen Luo hurriedly greeted. ¡°Friend Shen, you''re too polite. I already heard about your numerous instances of aiding the Jade Fox Tribe. I can''t thank you enough for that.¡± The Bull Demon King waved his hand, laughing boisterously. ¡°Great Sage, you flatter me. Those Demon Clan members are common enemies of all beings in this world. Although I belong to the Human Race, I cannot stand by and watch them oppress the Demon Race.¡± Shen Luo said earnestly. ¡°Well said, friend Shen. With your broad mind, I''m glad to have made a friend like you. However, I still have other matters to discuss with the Fox King, I must bid you goodbye for now.¡± The Bull Demon King said with a respectful fist salute. ¡°Please, Great Sage.¡± Shen Luo nodded with a slightly surprised smile. As the Bull Demon King took large strides towards the cave, Shen Luo watched his retreating figure, his gaze flickering. ¡°Elder Shen, you''ve had a tiresome day battling multiple times for our race. I''ve prepared a place for you to rest. If you have no other matters, let me guide you there.¡± A graceful silhouette approached, it was Li Qiu, her face filled with reverence. ¡°Sure.¡± Shen Luo was indeed somewhat tired. Furthermore, it was uncertain when the Bull Demon King would reappear. It wasn''t appropriate to keep waiting at the cave entrance, so he didn''t refuse. Li Qiu led Shen Luo towards the depths of Jilei Mountain and soon arrived at a secluded Cave Mansion. The spiritual energy here was quite dense, and outside the Cave Mansion, a waterfall cascaded down, making the environment very tranquil. ¡°How do you find this place? If you''re not satisfied, I can arrange a different Cave Mansion for you.¡± Li Qiu said carefully. ¡°Good, I''ll stay here.¡± Shen Luo was quite pleased with the place and nodded in accord. ¡°You should rest well, Elder Shen. I''ve arranged for someone to keep watch nearby. If there''s anything you need, just give the command.¡± Li Qiu breathed a sigh of relief, then, not wanting to disrupt Shen Luo any further, intended to excuse herself and leave. ¡°Daoist friend Li Qiu, hold on a moment.¡± Shen Luo suddenly called out to her, his gaze shifting. ¡°Brother Shen, is there anything else you need?¡± Li Qiu hurriedly turned around. ¡°No, not really. I just want to ask about the Great Strength Bull Demon King. It appears that he''s quite close to your Jade Fox Clan, but the Fox King seemed to have a bad attitude towards him.¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Great Strength Bull Demon King is a son-in-law of our Fox Clan. The Fox King''s eldest daughter, named Princess Jade Face, was married to him as a concubine. However, a thousand years ago, because of the Bull Demon King, a powerful enemy was instigated and Princess Jade Face was killed. Hence, the Fox King has quite a hatred towards the Bull Demon King.¡± Li Qiu explained. ¡°Oh, with the prowess of the Great Sage Ping Tian, who dared to kill his wife?¡± Shen Luo recalled the words of the white-robed elder and others in the Heavenly Book Broken Land and asked with certainty. ¡°I''m not entirely sure, but it''s said to have been someone from the Buddhist Sect.¡± Li Qiu shook her head. ¡°Buddhist Sect, I see.¡± Shen Luo slowly nodded. According to the words of the white-robed elder and the others, Princess Jade Face had been killed by Zhu Bajie, indeed an act committed by someone from that sect. Seeing that Shen Luo had no further questions, Li Qiu excused herself and left. Shen Luo sat down cross-legged in the Cave Mansion, pondered for a while, and then closed his eyes to circulate the Huangting Technique, recovering his mana. Chapter 746 Chapter 746: Chapter 742: Discuss the World Chapter 746: Chapter 742: Discuss the World Hundreds of Li outside of Jilei Mountain, in a dark valley, there were indeed a dozen large green arrays set up, functioning rapidly, releasing rays of green light. Black Skeleton, Manager Ma, the Black Tiger Demon Creature, and other demons who previously attacked Jilei Mountain were all here. However, they all looked disheveled, and many of the little demons were severely injured. ¡°Damn it! I didn''t expect that the old bull would suddenly arrive at a crucial moment. Fortunately, Honorable One, you were thoughtful and set up the Yimu Immortal Array in this valley in advance, and quickly teleported us back. Otherwise, we would all have died under that Banana Fan.¡± Manager Ma cursed angrily, then respectfully spoke to Black Skeleton. The other demons also agreed and praised Black Skeleton for his foresight and wisdom. The Purple Pheasant and Bald Big Man who had previously attacked Jilei Mountain also came over, and these two were surprisingly Black Skeleton''s subordinates. ¡°The Jade Fox Clan and Bull Demon King are close. If Jilei Mountain was attacked, the Bull Demon King would not sit idly by. Also, the reason I arranged for you to attack Jilei Mountain was to draw the Bull Demon King here,¡± Black Skeleton said indifferently. ¡°I see, you thought well ahead. What shall we do next?¡± The Black Tiger Demon Creature, who was captured by Shen Luo after a single move and was quite ashamed, perked up after hearing Black Skeleton''s words and asked. ¡°You can rest and recuperate here for now. I have some preparations to make. Once that''s done, I guarantee even that Bull Demon King will have to obediently obey our orders,¡± Black Skeleton said with a hint of a smile on his lips. Although the other demons did not understand, they all agreed. Inside the cave mansion of Cloud Brushing Cave, Shen Luo was surrounded by golden light, with the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi gathering from all directions. His mana expended from the previous battle quickly recovered. Just as he was about to continue consolidating his cultivation level, a knock on the door resounded from outside. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo investigated with his Divine Sense, and his face showed a trace of surprise. He got up and opened the door. A tall figure stood outside ¨C it was the Bull Demon King. ¡°So it''s the Ping Tian Saint, please come in,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Brother Shen, there''s no need to be so formal. We, from the Demon Clan, don''t like these rituals. If you respect me, you can simply call me Old Bull,¡± the Bull Demon King laughed heartily. ¡°If that''s the case, I will boldly address you as Brother Niu,¡± Shen Luo said, knowing the nature of the Demon Clan and not insisting otherwise. He laughed heartily. The Bull Demon King was magnanimous, and Shen Luo was also very generous. The two went through some formalities and quickly became familiar with each other. ¡°May I ask the reason Brother Niu visited me?¡± Shen Luo asked after inviting the Bull Demon King to sit down. ¡°Brother Shen, I suppose you''ve heard about my relationship with the Fox Clan, haven''t you?¡± The Bull Demon King sighed slightly and asked in return. ¡°I heard some about it,¡± Shen Luo truthfully nodded. ¡°Back then, I rashly made a decision that brought a great enemy upon us, causing the Jade Face to die in tragedy. I''ve been feeling guilty all these years and have been trying hard to compensate the Fox Clan. However, as you''ve seen, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King has always been cold towards me. Brother Shen, you are a prestigious guest of the Fox King. If there''s an opportunity in the future, could you please speak well of me and fulfil this long-standing wish of mine? I would be eternally grateful,¡± the Bull Demon King said earnestly. ¡°Since Brother Niu has spoken, I cannot refuse. I will certainly find opportunities to appease the situation on your behalf. Actually, I think that while the Fox King may seem cold towards you on the outside, he recognizes your worth on the inside,¡± Shen Luo earnestly promised, and then added. ¡°Really?¡± The Bull Demon King''s face lit up. ¡°I am confident that I was not mistaken. When Brother Niu first arrived, the Fox King''s initial joy instantly turned into anger, a reaction that needs no further interpretation,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°I hope so,¡± the Bull Demon King replied with a hint of happiness. ¡°Right, when I was conversing with the Fox King earlier, he mentioned that your visit to Jilei Mountain was intentionally meant to seek me out. What is the purpose?¡± asked the Bull Demon King, his happiness dissipating. ¡°What does Brother Niu think about the current state of the world?¡± Shen Luo responded with a question of his own after a moment of silence. ¡°The state of the world? With the rise of the Demon Clan, chaos has been churned across the land, forcing humans, demons, and immortals alike to retreat. Why would Brother Shen ask such a question?¡± The Bull Demon King asked, a hint of surprise fleetingly gracing his features. ¡°With the current world in chaos, it''s said that everyone has a responsibility when the world is in fortune or calamity. Although my powers are insignificant, I can''t bear to see the living beings suffer at the hands of the Demon Clan. I am trying to negotiate alliances with various strong factions to resist the Demon Clan. Is Brother Niu willing to join forces with me to accomplish this monumental task for the sake of the world''s populace?¡± Shen Luo asked passionately, watching the Bull Demon King attentively. Hearing Shen Luo''s words, the smile slowly disappeared from the Bull Demon King''s face, replaced by a touch of indifference. ¡°It seems that Brother Niu is not interested in this?¡±, Shen Luo asked, hiding a slight disappointment beneath his calm expression. ¡°May I ask from which Immortal Mountain Brother Shen hails?¡± the Bull Demon King inquired. ¡°I am a mere Freelance Cultivator. However, I was fortunate enough to have visited the ruins of Mount Fangcun once and acquired a few skills and secret techniques, so I suppose you could consider me half a disciple of Mount Fangcun.¡± Shen Luo replied truthfully. ¡°A disciple of Mount Fangcun? No wonder there''s a breath of the Huangting Technique upon you, but I also sense my Third Brother''s Qi, Peng Demon King, on you.¡± Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King''s indifferent expression softened a little. ¡°The details of this story are somewhat lengthy. Previously, I was escorting a group of people to the Eastern Sea ¡­ ¡± Shen Luo recounted his experiences of being swallowed by the Peng Demon and gaining Peng Demon King''s Gold and Silver Wings, although he chose not to reveal his encounters with Li Jing, the Heavenly Book, and the Xuanhuang Tower in the belly of the Peng Demon, instead explaining that he and Ao Hong had combined their efforts to find a way to escape from the Peng Demon''s belly. ¡°What! My third brother has fallen?!¡± The Bull Demon King exclaimed with a huge change in expression, abruptly standing up. ¡°Please accept my condolences, Brother Niu,¡± he replied, not knowing how to comfort the Bull Demon King. ¡°The glory days when our Demon Race''s seven Great Saints held sway across the world were majestic indeed. I never thought my third brother would fade away so silently,¡± lamented the Bull Demon King, pounding his chest in grief. ¡°From my observations and the narrations from the people of the East Sea Dragon Palace, it seems that the Peng Demon King had been controlled by the Demon Clan with Demonic Qi. The demonic body couldn''t bear the onslaught of Demonic Qi, resulting in the body turning into White Bones.¡± Shen Luo shared the details once the Bull Demon King had somewhat calmed down. ¡°Damned demons! You killed my third brother. I swear we won''t be called demons if we don''t avenge him!¡± the Bull Demon King exclaimed with rage. Shen Luo was quietly pleased by this turn of events. ¡°Brother Shen, thank you for bring me the news about my third brother. But tell me the truth, are you acting on behalf of others, seeking to build an alliance with this old bull to fight against the Demon Clan?¡± The Bull Demon King abruptly swiveled his head towards Shen Luo, his gaze sharp as a blade. Shen Luo was caught off guard by the Bull Demon King''s intense gaze, that made it feel as if his secrets were laid bare. ¡°This Bull Demon King has an incredibly strong Soul Power, he has definitely reached the Taiyi Realm!¡± He was inwardly taken aback. ¡°Since Brother Niu has been forthright in his query, it is only right for me not to obscure the truth. Yes, indeed, there is someone who wishes to join forces with you, and so entrusted me to come to Jilei Mountain on their behalf,¡± Shen Luo said without hesitating, choosing not to conceal the truth from the Bull Demon King. Chapter 747 Chapter 747: Chapter 743: The Strategy of Repelling the Enemy Chapter 747: Chapter 743: The Strategy of Repelling the Enemy ¡°Brother Shen, the Demon Clan is the mortal enemy of my Demon Race, and naturally I will confront them with all my strength. Teaming up with you and Mount Fangcun is also acceptable, but if Brother Shen wants me to join forces with those immortals and Buddhas, I would kindly ask you to refrain from such a request!¡± The Bull Demon King said, his tone changing towards the end, with each of his final words ringing with authority. Shen Luo paused, surprised. Although he didn''t know the identities of the people in the ruined land of the Heavenly Book, he could sense that they had a deep connection with the immortals and Buddhas. ¡°I have a rough understanding of Brother Niu''s conflict with the immortals and Buddhas, but these are all old matters. The most important thing now is to fight against the Demon Clan together. It wouldn''t hurt to put aside past disputes for the moment¡­¡± He persuaded. ¡°Brother Shen, it''s not as simple as just a grudge. I share deep hatred with the people of the Immortals and Buddhas, an enmity that cannot be reconciled! If you continue advocating on their behalf, we won''t even be able to remain friends.¡± The Bull Demon King interrupted Shen Luo''s words with a wave of his hand, his expression had become very cold. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo found it difficult to say anything more. Instead, he talked to the Bull Demon King about what he had seen on the Flower Fruit Mountain and finally discussed cultivation matters. The Bull Demon King was profound in his cultivation and knew a great deal about the skills of humans, immortals, and Buddhas. Often, just a word of advice would provoke flashes of understanding in Shen Luo. After talking for half a day, the Bull Demon King took his leave. As soon as the other side left, Shen Luo''s face immediately fell. This Bull Demon King turned out to be so hostile to the way of the immortals and Buddhas, and it would be a thousand times difficult to pull him into the anti-demon alliance. However, no matter how hard Shen Luo thought, he couldn''t figure out a way to dissolve the Bull Demon King''s grudge. ¡°Forget it, I''ll discuss it with those inside the Heavenly Book''s broken land later.¡± He simply decided not to overthink it. Anyway, the task given to him by the white-robed old Daoist was to contact the Bull Demon King through the Jade Fox Clan. He had already completed this task. Shen Luo sat down cross-legged again and took out the Jade Spirit Fruit given to him by the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. Just after his conversation with the Bull Demon King, he vaguely grasped the opportunity to advance to the True Immortal Middle Stage. Now, what he lacks is only the accumulation of Mana, and this Jade Spirit Fruit seems to be an Immortal Fruit that can enhance his cultivation level. Having experienced the formidable strength of the Black Skeleton and the Bull Demon King, Shen Luo was eager to upgrade his cultivation. He used his divine sense to investigate every inch of the Jade Spirit Fruit carefully. Although the Fox Clan wouldn''t harm him, it was always better to be careful. After inspecting it closely, Shen Luo confirmed that there was no problem with this Jade Spirit Fruit. He swallowed it in a few mouthfuls and started to cultivate and refine the spiritual power in the fruit. With a muffled ¡°boom¡±, he felt an immense spiritual power gushing out from the fruit and pouring into his body. Shen Luo operated the Huangting Technique to absorb this spiritual power, and his mana started to increase at an exceptionally rapid speed. In the blink of an eye, a day and a night passed. The mana inside Shen Luo''s body had increased to the peak of the early stage of the True Immortal Realm, but half of the enormous spiritual power converted from the Jade Spirit Fruit was still left. Without any hesitation, he continued to absorb the spiritual power of the Immortal Fruit, attempting to break through the bottleneck of the True Immortal Middle Stage. Once one''s cultivation level reached the True Immortal Level, every upgrade in the realm became extremely difficult. Shen Luo thought this attempt to break through would take a considerable amount of time and effort. However, something unexpected occurred! As soon as he attempted to break through, the mana within his Dantian and meridians began to quiver. The surge of mana, like a wave, started to flow, and the bottleneck to the True Immortal Middle Stage immediately began to loosen. He couldn''t help but find it hard to believe in his heart, but he didn''t relax a bit, continuing to circulate the Huangting Technique through the practice of calming the mind and stabilizing his Qi. In a hall within the Cloud Brushing Cave, the Bull Demon King was hosting the elite warriors of the Jade Fox Clan, discussing strategies to resist the Demon clan. For some unknown reason, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King was not present. Based on the situations investigated a short while ago, those demons had not retreated, but were encamped in Yin Wind Hollow, five hundred Li away, seemingly planning something. Aside from the Jade Fox Clan, two demonic bulls have appeared, who are at the True Immortal realm stage. One of them is dressed in green armor and has two green horns on his head, seemingly a Green Bull turned into a spirit; the other is pure white, seemingly a transformed White Bull. These two were subordinates of the Bull Demon King, who somehow arrived at the Cloud Brushing Cave unknown when. ¡°With the presence of Great Sage, these petty clowns are not worth mentioning. In my opinion, we should just march directly to Yin Wind Hollow, no matter what they are up to, and vanquish all schemes with force,¡± said the Silver Armored Youth. ¡°Brother Yuqiu is right! Great King, you just need to use the Banana Fan to destroy Yin Wind Hollow and avenge our clan members who died at the hands of those demons!¡± The Green Bull shouted furiously, pounding the table. The other demons all nodded in agreement, clearly having great confidence in the strength and skill of the Bull Demon King. This was understandable. The Bull Demon King''s mana is immense, his divine powers are vast, and there are few among the top celestial and demon martial artists today who can match him, so dealing with a group of demons was naturally a piece of cake. ¡°Do not underestimate those from the Demon Clan, Chiyou might be in deep sleep now, but there are still many experts among the Demon Clan. The Black Skeleton among the Demon Clan yesterday was not weak at all. It not only managed to escape unscathed from my Banana Fan but even managed to save all those demons, so we cannot take it lightly. I can destroy Yin Wind Hollow with the Banana Fan without much difficulty. Still, if he can save those demons once, he can save them a second time, so we must not be careless,¡± the Bull Demon King said calmly, not at all swayed by the flattery of the other demons. ¡°Then, Great King, what is your plan?¡± the White Bull asked. ¡°The most important thing now is to find out what those demons are up to. White Cloud, Green Horn, each of you lead a group of men and go to Yin Wind Hollow to scout out the situation. If you can''t find anything, just capture some demons and bring them back. I have ways of prying the truth out of their mouths,¡± the Bull Demon King ordered. ¡°Yes.¡± The two demonic bulls agreed at once and got up to leave. ¡°Those demons are targeting my Jade Fox Clan, so we shouldn''t let Brother Bai and Brother Qing take the risk. I''ll take care of the reconnaissance,¡± the Silver Armored Youth said, blocking the two demons, White Cloud and Green Horn. ¡°Thanks for your concern, Brother Yuqiu, but no offense to you, we are more suitable for this task than you, and it''s not dangerous for us,¡± the White Bull laughed. ¡°Why is that?¡± the Silver Armored Youth was confused. ¡°It''s not a good time to explain it to Brother Yuqiu. You will understand later,¡± the Green Bull glanced at the Bull Demon King and took over the conversation. The Silver Armored Youth frowned, about to ask further. Just at that moment, a loud piercing howl sounded from afar. The void trembled, and a huge golden light pillar shot up into the sky. The outline of six dragons and six elephants emerged around the pillar of light, wandering in the void, roaring towards the sky, causing visible ripple-like disturbances in the void. The Bull Demon King stood up and walked outside the hall, looking at the scene in the distance, a smile appeared on his lips. ¡°It looks like someone has made a breakthrough in their cultivation. With such an astonishing aura, could it be a Late True Immortal? However, there is no demon Qi in this golden light. It''s more like the mana of a human cultivator,¡± the White Bull walked out, squinted at the pillar of light, and commented. Chapter 748 Chapter 748: Chapter 744: Juling God Chapter 748: Chapter 744: Juling God ¡°Brother Shen''s cultivation has broken through, he is a human cultivator¡­¡± An expert from the Fox Clan explained Shen Luo''s background at the side, making the White Bull Man realize. ¡°Truly heaven is on our side! With Brother Shen''s great advancement in cultivation, we can be more confident in our battle against the demons. White Cloud, Qing Jiao, off you go,¡± ordered the Bull Demon King. Upon hearing this, the two demons agreed and quickly left. The Bull Demon King again looked at the distant golden light pillar, then turned and walked back into the hall. In another cave mansion of the Cloud Brushing Cave, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King was astonished by the sight of the soaring golden light before his eyes. From the golden light pillar, he sensed a hint of Jade Spirit Fruit''s aura, it was clear that Shen Luo had breakthrough with the help of Jade Spirit Fruit, but this was too fast, Shen only got the Jade Spirit Fruit just a day ago. ¡°It seems he''s a rare genius, his future achievements will certainly not stop here.¡± The Fox King murmured, seemingly making a certain decision. Inside the quiet cave mansion, Shen Luo absorbed the soaring golden light into his body. After a while, he opened his eyes, a hint of joy sparkling in his eyes. Progressing to the middle stage of the True Immortal, his strength has improved significantly, with his mana doubling, it should be easy to perform the Splashy Chaotic Stick and Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique. However, the increase in mana in this advancement was secondary to the substantial improvement in physical strength. Shen Luo stood up, lightly clenched his fists, a faint golden halo appeared on them, his whole body''s bones shattered loudly, and the surrounding void brought up a ripple. All the bones in his body turned to a light gold color, his muscles and blood also showed a golden gloss, they were tightly intertwined and almost fused together, forming an incredibly strong defense, as if he had turned into gold. Shen Luo flicked his arm and it made a metallic sound. With a focused gaze, he raised his right hand vertically as a blade and swung it horizontally. His palm emitted a faint golden light. The void trembled violently where his palm-blade swiftly passed, faint ripples appeared and a throbbing hum was heard. ¡°I can''t believe the Huangting Technique can strengthen the body to such an extent when cultivated to the deepest level. This is just the middle stage of the True Immortal, if it reaches the Late True Immortal Stage, or even the Taiyi Realm, how powerful will the physical strength become? No wonder Sun Dasheng was able to fight against all the heavenly soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Court on his own,¡± thought Shen Luo to himself. He felt a surging energy inside his body, his bones itched, and he needed to vent it out promptly. But this was Jilei Mountain and it was not appropriate to act recklessly. ¡°Now that my cultivation has improved, and my body has enhanced to a higher level, along with the power of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and Splashy Chaotic Stick, I should be able to match the Juling God,¡± Shen Luo quickly thought of a place and took out the Heavenly Book. A golden beam of light shot out from the Heavenly Book and enveloped him. Shen Luo''s vision blurred, the surroundings changed drastically, and he appeared on the previous golden arena. In the front, a hundred feet away in the void, a giant ten feet tall appeared. His body was blue-green, and it was the Juling God general who had easily killed him earlier. ¡°You are the Juling God?¡± Shen Luo took out the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, without immediately attacking, he spoke to the opponent. As he now controlled the Heavenly Book, he wanted to try communicating with these heavenly soldiers and generals. ¡°Correct.¡± The Juling God opened his eyes, shooting two electrifying glows from copper bell-like eyes, he replied in a deep voice. ¡°Since you are a Heavenly Soldier listed in the Heavenly Book, you should be able to sense that the Pagoda Heavenly King is dead. Now that the Heavenly Book is in my hands, you need to heed my call.¡± A sense of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as he spoke sternly. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I can sense it. Heavenly King Li has indeed perished. However, before the last bit of his soul power dissipated, he left me a command ¨C only if you can defeat me, can I obey your orders! Take this!¡± Juling God spoke coldly, launching an attack with a huge double-sided axe as he spoke. With a flash of the axe blade, a huge blue axe roared out, splitting the void in two and rushing straight towards Shen Luo. ¡°Good shot!¡± Shen Luo did not retreat. With a ¡°hum¡± sound, the SeAnchoring Iron Rod turned into a golden phantom and collided with the double-sided axe of the Juling God. A terrifying explosion thundered out from the center of the two, and the formidable forces exploded in all directions, causing the nearby golden space to shake violently like ripples on water. The golden arena also swayed unsteadily. Nevertheless, the arena, constructed out of an unknown substance, remained motionless despite suffering the attacks of two True Immortal powerhouses. Not a single crack appeared on its surface. After their clash, the two shadows quickly separated. Shen Luo steadied himself after retreating three steps, while the Juling God was forced to take five steps back, with a flicker of shock in his eyes. He was renowned in the Heavenly Court for his divine strength, yet he lost in the area he was most proud of. ¡°Wonderful! Take another hit from me!¡± Shen Luo let out a hearty laugh. His sesuppressing iron rod swept out like a golden Flood Dragon. He shot out along with the shadow of the rod, leaving behind traces of his afterimages. The Juling God let out a roar, and his huge axe fell down like thunder and wind. His body followed the movement of the axe, its form ever-changing. ¡°Bang, bang, bang¡­¡± A series of intense sounds echoed around the golden space. The figures of Shen Luo and the Juling God were no longer visible. One could only vaguely see two phantoms interweaving together, with rod shadows and axe shadows flying about. In terms of strength, Shen Luo held a slight advantage. However, he had just recently mastered the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique and hadn''t fully understood this set of rod technique. Although the arena was filled with flying golden rod shadows, and it had suppressed the Juling God and his blue axe shadows, it was unable to completely defeat the opponent. Shen Luo''s face flashed with a bit of impatience. His body emitted a bright golden light and, transformed into five substantial golden doppelgangers, each holding a golden long rod, casting rod shadows that attacked the Juling God. Suddenly, the golden rod shadows on the arena become several times denser, completely suppressing the Juling God. In an instant, more than half of the blue axe shadows were shattered. The Juling God''s brows furrowed tightly. With a roar, he gripped the double-sided axis tightly with both hands and knelt on the ground, slamming the axe into the arena. With a dull ¡°thump,¡± a golden ring of light rippled out from the spot where the axe handle hit. Shen Luo had previously experienced this divine power of the opponent in their last encounter, which could immobilize everything within the golden ring of light. His feet burst with Moonlight Glamour, and his body shot high into the air like a bird, avoiding the golden ring of light. However, the five doppelgangers were fixed by the golden light and instantly frozen in place. In mid-air, Shen Luo didn''t pay any attention to the five doppelgangers. The iron rod in his hand shimmered with golden light and, with a flick, it turned into nine stick shadows, attacking the Juling God from different angles while he was still kneeling. ¡°Clang, clang, clang¡­¡± Nine consecutive loud noises echoed as the Juling God''s giant axe spun around, breaking Shen Luo''s Splashy Chaotic Stick technique even while still half-kneeling. However, the strength of the Splashy Chaotic Stick was extremely powerful. Although the Juling God had broken the attack, his body trembled, sliding backward while still in the half-kneeling position. Chapter 749 Chapter 749: Chapter 745: Visit from the Fox King Chapter 749: Chapter 745: Visit from the Fox King A trace of surprise flashed across Shen Luo''s eyes. His movements, however, did not lag as he spun around swiftly, paired with his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, which gave off sixty-four shadows. His enormous strength, enough to suppress heaven and earth, rained down upon Juling God. The body of Juling God felt heavy, as though a ten thousand Zhang''s Gigantic Peak was pressing onto him, making it incredibly difficult to lift a finger. He suddenly let out a wild roar. A muffled sound came from within his body, as if his muscles abruptly swelled. His face turned bloody red, and the fluctuations he emitted momentarily grew several times stronger. Clearly, he had employed some sort of secret method to push his potential. The green light emanating from the giant axe in Juling God''s hand flared. As his body surged upwards, a whirlwind began forming in which he stood. Accompanied by the green light spinning around him, in an instant, he turned into a green tornado filled with countless flashing axe shadows, striking the sixty-four rod shadows. ¡°Boom!¡± ¡°Boom!¡± ¡°Boom!¡±¡­ Continuous colossal crashes erupted, deafening to the human ear. The golden and green lights clashed intensely, causing the entire golden space to boil, making the golden light in the distance surge up like furious waves. After the sixty-four rod shadows attacked, the green tornado was almost completely shattered, leaving only a thin layer. However, the power of the rod technique had been exhausted. Shen Luo bellowed loudly, his right fist emitting a dazzling golden light. A phantom image of an elephant''s leg appeared around his fist, and he rammed it into the green tornado. The surrounding air seemed to be compressed by the punch, giving off a suffocating feeling. With a ¡°crack¡±, the green tornado shattered upon impact and turned into countless sparks of green light. The golden fist, maintaining its speed, continued to shoot forward, striking Juling God''s shoulder like a streak of golden lightning. The towering body of Juling God was flung away like a bundle of hay. Shen Luo''s left hand, emitting an intense golden light, hurled the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod forward. With a sharp whistling sound, the rod turned into a golden shadow, instantly catching up with the flying Juling God. The rod pierced into his chest and shot out from his back, nailing him to the ground. ¡°Well done, your strength is commendable. This general will gladly serve you,¡± Juling God looked at his chest and then at Shen Luo, with no hint of pain on his face. Instead, a smile appeared on his lips. As soon as he stopped speaking, a flash of golden light enveloped him, causing his massive body to explode into countless golden specks. A cluster of bright white light shot out from the scattered golden light and integrated into Shen Luo''s body. The surroundings changed, and Shen Luo found himself back in the Jilei Mountain Cave Mansion. The white light appeared in his mind, transforming into a massive soul power, much larger than any remnant soul of the heavenly soldiers he had absorbed before. It integrated into Shen Luo''s Divine Soul. A look of joy flashed across Shen Luo''s face as he hastily activated the Suppressing God Technique to absorb the remnants of the soul. It took him half a day before he opened his eyes. His gaze was unusually bright, like two streaks of lightning that could startle anyone who looked upon him. The remnant soul power of Juling God was incredibly massive. After Shen Luo absorbed it, his soul power nearly doubled, and a swelling feeling appeared in his forehead. His original soul power was already comparable to that of a Late True Immortal. Now that his soul power had doubled, he was nearing the limit of the True Immortal Stage. Not only was this remnant soul of Juling God''s powerful, but the memories it contained were much more than those of other heavenly soldiers and generals. Shen Luo managed to retain the Xuanhua Axe Method, the God''s Power of paralysing people with golden light, and the secret technique for stimulating potential. ¡°All these are excellent techniques,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but grin. He then remembered something, and with a wave of his hand, he retrieved the golden tower given to him by Pagoda Heavenly King. He waited for a while, but no more golden pills appeared from the tower. ¡°It seems that the pills in the tower have all been consumed,¡± Shen Luo felt a bit disappointed. But he soon regained his spirits. The harvest from entering the Heavenly Book this time was already substantial. He had received the remnant soul power of Juling God, learned his secret techniques, and most importantly, he could summon Juling God, a Late True Immortal Heavenly General, in the future. He shouldn''t be greedy for more. Having calmed his surging power, Shen Luo did not enter the Heavenly Book again. He sat cross-legged and soon recovered the mana he had exhausted in the battle with Juling God. Shen Luo took out the Heavenly Book, ready to continue venturing into it and subdue more heavenly generals. Although the previous battle with Juling God was intense, Shen Luo did not consume much of his energy. According to the usual sequence of strength of the heavenly generals within the Heavenly Book, the next one should be at the Peak of True Immortal Stage, which he believed he could handle with his current strength. Moreover, he still had yet to use his trump card the Golden Rope. However, at that moment, there was a knocking sound from outside. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A hint of annoyance crossed Shen Luo''s face, but he didn''t ignore it. After extending his Divine Sense to check outside, a look of surprise appeared on his face. He put away the Heavenly Book and got up to open the door. A figure stood outside. It was the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°Clan Leader, what brings you here? Please come in,¡± Shen Luo invited the Ten Thousand Years Fox King into the Cave Mansion. ¡°Daoist Shen Luo, your cultivation has progressed to the Middle Stage of True Immortal. It''s truly a joyous and commendable event,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King smiled. ¡°Thank you for the Jade Spirit Fruits you gave me, Clan Leader,¡± Shen Luo knew that the commotion when he advanced would definitely have been noticed by the Jade Fox Clan and candidly expressed his gratitude. ¡°Daoist Shen Luo, you are too modest. With your exceptional talent, you could easily make a breakthrough and advance to the next Stage. Within the Jilei Mountain, there are three Liuxiang fruit trees that produce about ten fruits every 500 years. However, not many in the Fox Clan can rely on this fruit to achieve breakthroughs.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King chuckled. ¡°Clan Leader, you previously mentioned that the Jade Spirit Fruit has a life-prolonging effect. May I ask how long one can prolong their life with each fruit?¡± Shen Luo asked, his interest piqued. ¡°About two or three hundred years. However, the primary benefits of Jade Spirit Fruit lie in enhancing cultivation, while their life-prolonging effects are average. Daoist Shen Luo, do you want to use this fruit to extend someone''s life? If so, I can have people send you two more pieces later,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King looked at Shen Luo with surprise and said. ¡°This fruit is a treasure of Jilei Mountain. I was already immensely fortunate to have consumed one. How could I dare to desire more? I was just asking casually a moment ago. Clan Leader, you do not need to trouble yourself,¡± Shen Luo quickly waved his hand and said. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King merely smiled lightly and didn''t continue the conversation. In recent years, the Demon Clan had frequently invaded them, leaving the Jade Fox Clan desperately trying to strengthen themselves. As a result, they had already used more than half of their stored Jade Spirit Fruits and only had a few left. The words he had previously spoken were merely politeness. ¡°May I ask why the Clan Leader came to see me?¡± Shen Luo invited Ten Thousand Years Fox King to sit down and asked. ¡°What, can''t this old man come to chat with Brother Shen Luo? Or does Brother Shen Luo find me too old and can''t bear to talk to this old guy?¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King said jokingly. ¡°How can that be, Clan Leader? You are vigorous and far surpass most of the youthful folks around. No one could ever call you old,¡± Shen Luo laughed out loud. ¡°Alright, enough with the idle talk. I do indeed have a matter to discuss with Brother Shen Luo,¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King dismissed the topic and stopped joking. Chapter 750 Chapter 750: Chapter 746: Son of Bull Demon King Chapter 750: Chapter 746: Son of Bull Demon King ¡°I''m all ears.¡± Shen Luo said, a serious look on his face. ¡°The Demon Clan has descended upon us, treating all creatures, especially the human and demon races, like worthless dogs. They are killing at whim. As you travel far and wide, Friend Shen, it''s clear you are aware of this.¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King gravely. ¡°Indeed, that''s the case.¡± Shen Luo replied, his expression darkening as he nodded. ¡°Our Jade Fox Clan has also suffered much harassment from the Demon Clan. Not only do they slaughter our people, but even more despicably, they lure them into the Demonic Path with their evil powers. It''s truly unforgivable!¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s eyes flashed with a touch of hatred as he spoke. ¡°What is it you want to say, Fox King? Feel free to speak your mind.¡± Shen Luo opted not to beat around the bush with the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, and asked directly. ¡°Since you asked, I''ll get straight to the point. I want to invite Friend Shen to serve as a Guest Elder for our clan. What are your thoughts?¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°A Guest Elder? Fox King, I must say I''m surprised at such a proposition. We''ve already formed an alliance, why take another step? And there has always been some hostility between the human and demon races. Isn''t Fox King worried about criticisms within your clan for inviting me to serve as a Guest Elder?¡± Shen Luo asked, noncommittally. ¡°Friend Shen, you are extraordinarily talented and your future accomplishments will be immeasurable. Naturally, I wish to build closer ties with you. As for the hostility between the human and demon races, now that the Demon Clan is causing chaos all over the world, facing this formidable enemy, the humans and demons should join hands. Moreover, you have helped our Jade Fox Clan many times, and our clan members admire you. How could there be any criticism?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King said with a smile. Shen Luo looked at the Ten Thousand Years Fox King curiously, thinking that this old fox was certainly more reasonable than the Bull Demon King. Considering the Bull Demon King was trying to mend relations with the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, maybe he could use this old fox to put some pressure on the Bull Demon King. ¡°Of course, I wouldn''t ask you to do this for nothing. Please accept these three treasures as a token of my sincerity.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King waved his hand and three jade boxes appeared on the table beside him and automatically opened. In the first jade box was a yellow talisman paper, emitting circles of yellow light that concealed the runes on it. The second jade box housed a piece of white jade immortal fruit, the Jade Spirit Fruit. And the third jade box contained a fist-sized white ball marked with sealing runes. It looked like a sealed magical instrument, with a bit of purple flame, the Purple Ghost Bone Fire that the Ten Thousand Years Fox King had wielded, floating inside the ball. ¡°This is one of my Heavenly Fox Enchantment Talismans, personally made by my daughter, Princess Jade Face, using ancient methods, and has an exceptionally strong bewitching effect. It can be used several times. What''s more, unlike ordinary talismans, the stronger the cultivator using it, the greater the power it can unleash. This Heavenly Fox Enchantment Talisman has only been used two or three times, it''s full of energy inside, and still has seven or eight uses left.¡± The Thousand Year Fox King started to explain without waiting for Shen Luo to speak. Shen Luo turned to look at the yellow talisman and, after focusing for a moment, immediately felt dizzy. He quickly looked away, and his head returned to normal. ¡°You''re probably well aware of the Jade Spirit Fruit, so I won''t elaborate. As for the last item, the Sealed Ball of Law contains some of my Purple Ghost Bone Fire. Shen Luo, you seem to be quite interested in this Bone Fire. Although there is only a bit of Purple Ghost Bone Fire in the ball, it''s under seal. There will be quite a bit more once it''s unsealed.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King looked at Shen Luo, laughed meaningfully, and continued speaking. Shen Luo was silently taken aback by the Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s sharpness. He had paid extra attention when he first saw the Purple Ghost Bone Fire because of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. He never expected such minor details to be noticed by the other party. ¡°If you, Fox King, regard me so highly, it might seem rude for me to keep declining. However, I am currently occupied with matters and can''t stay at Jilei Mountain permanently.¡± He said after a moment of contemplation. ¡°That''s alright. This is a Communication Paper Kite. When our clan faces danger in the future, I will use this talisman to notify you. Your cultivation has already reached the mid-stage True Immortal, and you''re extremely fast. Even if you are far away, it won''t take much time for you to get here.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King took out a radiantly shining green talisman and handed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded and took the talisman. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King, seeing that the matter was discussed properly, got up to leave. ¡°Fox King, please wait a moment, I have something to discuss.¡± Shen Luo called out to him, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°Please speak, Daoist friend Shen.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King sat back down. ¡°To be honest, I came here to seek the Great Sage in order to join forces with him, to collectively resist the Demon Clan.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°So Shen Luo''s real purpose in coming to Jilei Mountain was to form an alliance with the Bull Demon King. It makes sense, that Bull, although lustful and fond of beauty, his strength cannot be denied. He is not something our small Jade Fox Clan can compare to.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King realized in comprehension, speaking lightly. ¡°Elder Fox King, I did not mean to look down on the Jade Fox Clan¡­¡± Shen Luo sensed resentment hidden within the Fox King''s words, and hurriedly attempted to explain. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, there is no need to explain. Regardless of your true intentions, the fact that you have repeatedly helped our clan cannot be erased. My gratitude towards you won''t change.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King raised his hand to stop Shen Luo in his tracks. Shen Luo sighed in relief when he heard these words. ¡°Let''s cut to the chase, let''s talk about that Bull. While it is indeed a good thing to join forces and resist the Demon Clan, that Bull is known for his hostility towards the inhabitants of the immortal and buddhist realm and has a stubborn nature. Your invitation to him may not be smooth, right?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King redirected the conversation. ¡°Your wisdom is admirable, Fox King. You guessed correctly. I am not very familiar with the Great Sage. Since the Fox King has known him for many years, I am hoping you may be able to give me some advice. Is there a way to make the Great Sage reconsider?¡± Shen Luo said respectfully. ¡°The Bull Demon King has a stubborn temperament. Once he makes a decision, no one can change it, I''m afraid your journey will be in vain.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King pondered and shook his head. ¡°Is he truly so stubborn that nothing can influence his decision?¡± Shen Luo asked persistently. ¡°If we''re talking about things that can influence the Bull Demon King, there are indeed two.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King twirled his beard in thought, speaking slowly. ¡°What are they? I would appreciate it if Fox King could enlighten me.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up as he immediately asked. ¡°Both of these things are extremely difficult, almost impossible to achieve, but since you want to know, I''ll tell you.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King glanced at Shen Luo with a complicated expression, sighing lightly. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo listened attentively. ¡°The first thing is about the Bull Demon King''s son, Red Boy. That young lad is rough and unmanageable. He used to cause trouble for the pilgrims, until Guanyin Bodhisattva took him in and named him Wealth Dispensing Child. After Chiyou was born, the Demon Clan army invaded Mount Luojia, and Red Boy, who is naturally fierce, joined the Demon Clan. Now he has become a great general of the Demon Clan. The Bull Demon King very much wants his son to escape from the clutches of the Demon Clan, but he is helpless due to the tremendous strength of the Demon Clan, and the ever-changing whereabouts of Red Boy.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s face darkened. This is indeed a difficult task, the Demon Clan is wreaking havoc in the world, how easy would it be to rescue Red Boy from them? Especially considering that Red Boy willingly joined the Demon Clan. Chapter 751 Chapter 751: Chapter 747: Try Separately Chapter 751: Chapter 747: Try Separately ¡°And what about the second task?¡± Given how difficult the first task has been, the second one was bound to be no simpler. Nevertheless, Shen Luo asked, still harboring a glimmer of hope. ¡°The second matter involves my daughter, Princess Jade Face. She was killed by the Pilgrim that year, and her soul took refuge in the Nine Netherworlds. Counting years, she should have been reincarnated by now. If you can find her, let alone teaming up, the Bull Demon King might comply with anything you ask. However, with the invasion of Demon Clan, the Nine Netherworlds were attacked too. It is said that the Well of Reincarnation is shattered, making it impossible to trace reincarnated souls.¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King said. Shen Luo gave a bitter smile. This truly was another task that was nearly impossible to achieve. ¡°These are the matters. Whether they can be achieved or not depends on Friend Shen''s abilities.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King stated, before rising to his feet and intending to leave. ¡°Elder Fox King, speaking of Princess Jade Face, the resentment towards the immortals and Buddhas for her demise must have pained Bull Demon King, being her father you must also be enraged, so why are you willing to join hands with me?¡± Shen Luo rose to his feet to see the Ten Thousand Years Fox King off at the entrance of the Cave Mansion, and still asked the question that was on his mind. ¡°I am not that stubborn bull. Despite the deep-seated hatred for Jade Face''s culprits, the lives of my tribesmen also matter to me. I am just doing what a leader of the Jade Fox Clan should do.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King gazed at the sky before softly adding a moment later. After saying this, he stepped forward and slowly walked away. Shen Luo watched the Ten Thousand Years Fox King leave, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes before he turned around to return to the cave. With a wave of his hand, he took out the Heavenly Book. Instead of continuing to subdue the Heavenly general, he entered the Heavenly Book Broken Land, and contacted the White-robed Elder. In the Fog Wall, the golden mist soon began to churn, forming the figure of the White-robed Elder. ¡°Daoist friend, you summoned me so quickly. Does it mean you have made progress in contacting the Bull Demon King?¡± The White-robed Elder asked as soon as he saw Shen Luo. ¡°I''ve reached Jilei Mountain, and convinced the Ten Thousand Years Fox King of Jade Fox Clan to join our alliance against the Demon Clan. Moreover, I''ve even met the Bull Demon King on Jilei Mountain.¡± Shen Luo stated calmly. ¡°You''ve managed to persuade the Jade Fox Clan to join the alliance and have met the Bull Demon King already, that''s quick!¡± The white-robed elder was both shocked and overjoyed. ¡°¡­ That''s roughly how it went; lots of twists and turns. However, when I proposed to the Bull Demon King that we join forces to resist the Demon Clan, he rudely rejected, stating that he would never collude with the immortals and Buddhas. His attitude was very firm.¡± Shen Luo briefly recounted what had happened. ¡°Alas, due to the past events, the Bull Demon King had a fallout with the immortals and Buddhas, mending the rift would likely be difficult. Regardless, you have fulfilled your task, Daoist. Here is the Transformation Art of the brocade carp, please memorize it.¡± The white-robed elder sighed, quickly composed himself, didn''t pass over a jade slip, but waved his robe instead. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the void in front of him, golden characters gradually appeared. It was the Transformation Art of the brocade carp. Shen Luo recited the Transformation Art, and soon had it memorized by heart. ¡°Elder, do not be discouraged. I''ve learned a bit about the Bull Demon King from the Jade Fox Clan. From what I know, if we complete two tasks, he might still be persuaded.¡± He looked at the white-robed elder and added. ¡°Is that true!? What are those two tasks?¡± The white-robed elder abruptly looked up, his eyes gleaming with tangible, astonishing light. Despite the barrier of the Fog Wall, Shen Luo still felt a chill run through his body, his estimation of the white-robed elder''s cultivation level increased several notches. ¡°Of course. However, these two tasks are not easy to accomplish. The first task is to find Red Boy, the son of Bull Demon King¡­¡± Shen Luo started to explain about the two tasks the Bull Demon King was obsessed with. He told the white-robed elder about these matters mainly to repay the latter''s favor of teaching him the Transformation Art twice, and also to observe if he could accomplish these two tasks, thus evaluating his cultivation realm. Shen Luo was on high alert regarding the owners of these Heavenly Scroll Fragments. ¡°Daoist friend, you have acted swiftly. I thank you here. Indeed, the matters of Red Boy and Princess Jade Face are difficult to handle. I will call the other two in, and we can discuss together.¡± The white-robed elder said, raising his hand and pointing towards the void. The golden fog in the distance rolled, and the figures of the yellow-robed man and the silver-armored man soon appeared. ¡°What brings us here? The new Daoist friend is also here. Could it be that the matter of Jilei Mountain has been resolved?¡± The yellow-robed man glanced at Shen Luo and said. ¡°Exactly, the Daoist friend has already completed the task of contacting Bull Demon King and there''s more to it¡­¡± The white-robed elder briefly talked about the two matters of the Bull Demon King. ¡°Despite the arduousness of these two tasks, they relate to contacting the Demon Race. If the two Daoist friends have any good strategies, we would appreciate your guidance.¡± The white-robed elder continued. ¡°As for the search for Princess Jade Face''s reincarnation, I''m unable to be of much assistance. However, I can help to find the whereabouts of the Red Boy. As for how to persuade him to return to Bull Demon King, we''ll discuss that more once we''ve found him.¡± The yellow-robed man pondered and said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was astonished and looked at the yellow-robed man. This man could actually find someone in the realm of the Demon Race. Could it be that he had insider information or possessed some extraordinary divine capacities for tracking people? At the same time, he noticed that the white-robed elder and the silver-armored man were not surprised as if they already knew about it, which made his heart skip a beat. ¡°I can send someone to investigate the traces of Princess Jade Face''s reincarnation, but I cannot guarantee to find her.¡± After the yellow-robed man finished speaking, the silver-armored man also opened his mouth. ¡°I appreciate your efforts.¡± The white-robed elder thankfully clasped his hands together. Shen Luo stood by quietly and listened to their conversation without interrupting. The three quickly came to an agreement, and the white-robed elder turned to Shen Luo: ¡°When we have the results of our investigation, we might need your help with the Bull Demon King.¡± ¡°No problem. However, Jilei Mountain is not a safe place, and there is a group of the Demon Clan attacking it. The leader is a Taiyi Realm creature named Black Skeleton. He is using the blood sacrificial method to enhance the cultivation level of his demons. If Jilei Mountain cannot withstand the attack, I, being weak, will have to leave there.¡± Shen Luo slowly said. ¡°Of course, Daoist friend, you must prioritize your own safety. Even if we fail to win over the Bull Demon King in the end, it doesn''t matter.¡± The white-robed elder stated immediately. Shen Luo was stunned for a moment. His intention of saying all of that was to take advantage of the fact that the white-robed elder and the others were eager to get in touch with the Bull Demon King in order to extort some benefits from them. Unexpectedly, the white-robed elder advised him to prioritize his own safety, which made him feel as if he had landed a punch in thin air. ¡°Since we''ve almost discussed everything, I have important matters to attend to, so I''ll leave first.¡± The yellow-robed man said and was about to leave. ¡°Would the yellow-robed Daoist friend please wait for a moment?¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke up. ¡°What is it, young Daoist friend?¡± The yellow-robed man looked towards Shen Luo, his face revealing a slight smile. ¡°It''s regarding this matter. My family name is Shen, please call me Friend Shen, not young Daoist. And how should I address you all? If you do not wish to reveal your family names, you can use code names. We will surely have to meet frequently in this place. It''s very inconvenient if we keep addressing each other as Daoist.¡± Shen Luo secretly rolled his eyes and said irritably. It seemed like these three people were all important figures who had enough influence to investigate situations within the realm of the Demon Race, let alone at Jilei Mountain. His identity would be naturally revealed sooner or later, so he made it clear right there. Moreover, he might have to leave the Dream World at any moment. It didn''t matter if these people knew his family name. Chapter 752 Chapter 752: 748 Chapter 752: 748 ¡°Friend Shen says nothing but truth, it was indeed an oversight on my part. From now on, all of you can just call me Daoist Yuan.¡± The white-robed elder stroked his long beard, saying so. ¡°Heehee, then I will be called Daoist Lei.¡± The yellow-robed man gave a sly smile. As soon as he finished speaking, his figure flickered and disappeared. ¡°Daoist Hua.¡± The Silver Armored Man spoke, his figure moving and disappearing as well. ¡°Daoist Lei and Daoist Hua are both forthright people, they mean no disrespect to you, Friend Shen, I hope you won''t take offense.¡± The white-robed elder said to Shen Luo in a good-natured manner. ¡°It''s a trivial matter, I won''t hold it against them.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°That''s good then. The old man has some matters to attend to, I will take my leave.¡± The white-robed elder spoke, preparing to leave. ¡°Please wait a moment, Daoist Yuan.¡± Shen Luo spoke again. The white-robed elder halted, looking somewhat surprised at Shen Luo. ¡°I acquired two items at Jilei Mountain, however, my own strength is negligible, I wanted to ask Daoist Yuan to help check if these two objects are safe, and if there is any compensation required for your assistance, Daoist Yuan can name it.¡± Shen Luo produced the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law he had just obtained from the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°Just checking some objects, there''s no need for compensation. However, I do have something to attend to now, so you may have to wait for a period of time before I can return these two items to you.¡± The white-robed elder abided. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s fine, Daoist Yuan can take his time to examine them.¡± Shen Luo used his mana to wrap up the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law. Having already experienced this once, he didn''t spend much time successfully passing the fruit and the ball over this time. Golden light flashed before Shen Luo''s eyes and he quickly returned inside the cave, a smile spreading on his lips. The excuse of the white-robed elder checking the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law was just that, an excuse, but his real intention was to perform a test. He could enter the Heavenly-Book Space in reality too and meet up with the other three persons. So he wanted to try and see if he could also accept items from the Dream World in reality? If it were possible, then he wouldn''t have to worry anymore about his short lifespan in the real world. ¡°Let''s hope it can be.¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, and then stopped thinking about it, closing his eyes to adjust his mental and physical condition. Moments later, he opened his eyes, used the Heavenly Book to enter the Golden Arena, and started recruiting celestial generals. ¡°I wonder which celestial general will appear this time.¡± Shen Luo took the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, feeling somewhat uneasy for some reason. A flash of lightning on the stage opposite to him, a gigantic Celestial General appeared. He had thick eyebrows, a big nose, and three eyes, not angry but majestic, donned in bright battle armor, wielding a couple of dark-green whips. Each whip was entwined by a Flood Dragon. They had slightly odd exteriors, one male and one female, each spewing dark-green lightning, hissing continuously. Shen Luo, looking at the celestial general in front of him, suddenly let out a light ''huh'' sound. The celestial general in front of him was different from the celestial soldiers and generals he had met before. His vitality was strong, his eyes gleamed with intelligence, as if he was as much a person as Shen Luo himself. ¡°So, you''re the new master of the Heavenly Book? A greenhorn at the True Immortal Middle Stage, how on earth did Li Jing hand over the Heavenly Book to you!¡± The Three-eyed Celestial General opened his eyes, gave Shen Luo a once over, and said with a cold hum. Shen Luo felt a tingling sensation of being wrapped in electricity when the Celestial General looked at him, which gave him quite a start. ¡°Well, since Li Jing chose you, you must have some exceptional traits. Take this whip from me first.¡± The Three-eyed Celestial General raised his right hand, the purple long whip in his hand emerged with thick purple thunder, thundering sound deafening and the arena trembled. Shen Luo''s face turned pale, ran his Huangting Technique with full force, the apparitions of six dragons and six elephants appeared around him, roaring and wandering about. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand also shone brilliantly. The intense stabbing sensation subsiding considerably, he felt a bit relieved. Three-eyed Celestial General glanced at the Dragon Elephant Phantom around Shen Luo, his eyes revealing a flicker of interest, and his hand clutching the long whip tightened slightly. The purple lightning on his long whip flared up, and the purple flood dragon body on the whip began to twist as if it had come to life, with nine dragon-shaped lightning appearing around the whip. The feeling of electric pain surged all over Shen Luo again, ten times more intense than before. His pupils contracted, the golden light on his body flickered violently, and his body transformed. His legs quickly thickened into two elephant legs, and his arms also became thick. A myriad of thick dragon scales appeared on his skin, quickly transforming his arms into extremely robust dragon arms, bursting through his sleeves. In this form, Shen Luo''s aura surged by a few times, and the golden light on the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand erupted like a mountain flood. ¡°Are you ready? Then take this!¡± The Three-eyed Celestial General paid no heed to Shen Luo''s transformation; he lifted his thunder whip and unleashed a strike into the void. A flash of purple light appeared in the void above Shen Luo, and nine dragon-shaped lightning struck down recklessly without any warning. Boom! Boom! Boom! A power of thunder, strong enough to crush the heavens and the earth, descended from the sky. The golden space seemed unable to withstand this overpowering force of thunder and lightning and started shaking violently, as if it would break apart. Although Shen Luo had anticipated that the attack from this Heavenly general would be extraordinary, he had never imagined it to be this terrifying and fast. In his shock and anger, he swung the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod wildly, exerting his full force to perform the Splashy Chaotic Stick. His meridians started to crack due to the violent rotation of his mana. Sixty-four shadows of the rod, each larger than usual, instantly appeared and struck with full force, clashing with the nine dragon-shaped lightning. Shen Luo''s vision was instantly taken over by the bright purple lightning. His eyes stung so much he was almost reduced to tears. The sixty-four unmatched shadows of his rod shattered like paper mache, turning into nothing. Only half of the nine dragon-shaped lightning dispersed. The remaining lightning continued to shoot forward, striking Shen Luo who could hardly open his eyes. Boom! Boom! Boom! His figure was instantly engulfed by the force of the lightning. Large, rampant streaks of lightning appeared everywhere on the golden arena, crackling as if turning the world into a world of lightning. After a few breaths, all the lightning dissipated, and Shen Luo''s figure was nowhere to be seen, as if it had been vaporised completely. ¡°Hmph! He ran away quickly.¡± The Three-eyed Celestial General snorted, his figure disappeared with a flicker. Inside the Mountain Cave Mansion, a figure stumbled and appeared, it was Shen Luo who had already retracted his Dragon Elephant transformation. But now his face was pale, his clothes ragged, more than half of his body was severely burnt, emanating a charred smell, and his aura was also greatly reduced, clearly severely injured. Shen Luo stumbled, hurriedly reached out to support himself against the wall of the mansion to maintain his balance. Having mastered the Heavenly Book, he now had the ability to enter and exit the arena space. He didn''t have to fight to the death like before. ¡°I almost got killed! I couldn''t have imagined that Three-eyed Celestial General could be so powerful!¡± he gasped. The cultivation level of the Three-eyed Celestial General was definitely beyond the True Immortal Stage, no less than the Bull Demon King. Moreover, his thunder and lightning divine power was terrifying. A name flashed in his head. ¡°Could it be the rumored Puhua Tianseng of the Nine Heavens, who advocates the power of thunder?¡± he muttered to himself. Shen Luo murmured the name a few times, shook his head, leaning against the wall, and slowly walked into the secret chamber of the mansion. Chapter 753 Chapter 753: Chapter 749: Volunteering for Duty Chapter 753: Chapter 749: Volunteering for Duty A day and a night later, Shen Luo emerged from the secret chamber of his dwelling. He was now in clean clothes, all of his injuries had completely disappeared, but his complexion still looked a bit pale. He sat down in the hall, took out the Heavenly Book, and did not attempt to enter it again. The Three-eyed Celestial General was so terrifying that it was absolutely impossible for him, in his current state, to subdue it. He sensed the white-robed elder and the others, and upon receiving no messages, he put away the Heavenly Book and began to inspect the jade slip he had acquired from the Treasures Hall Ruins. In the following days, Jilei Mountain remained peaceful. The Demon Clan did not launch an attack, nor did they retreat. The Bull Demon King and the Ten Thousand Years Fox King were busy deploying troops and setting up formations. Shen Luo spent these days in tranquility, healing his wounds and stabilizing his realm in his dwelling every day. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King had announced Shen Luo''s appointment as a Guest Elder to the entire Jade Fox Clan. Most members of the Jade Fox Clan welcomed him warmly and did not stop him when he visited the library of the Jade Fox Clan in his spare time to read some of the classics. There were many books about talismans in the library of the Jade Fox Clan. After Shen Luo read through them, he found them very rewarding. He found three useful talismans: the Escape Earth Talisman, the Invisibility Talisman, and the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. The Escape Earth Talisman and Invisibility Talisman were high-order runes, while the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman was of a higher grade, a Pseudo-Immortal Talisman. The materials required for these three talismans were quite precious, especially the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. However, Shen Luo, with his abundant assets in the Dreamland and his status as a Guest Elder of the Jade Fox Clan, procured a large quantity of materials for the three talismans from the Ten Thousand Years Fox King after a short notice. After practicing for a few days, Shen Luo quickly mastered the Escape Earth Talisman and the Invisibility Talisman. However, just like the Thunderfall Talisman, the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman required lightning from a storm to be created. He only mastered the rune method for this talisman because of weather conditions, and was unable to create it. Half a month passed quickly, and one day, Shen Luo lifted his head while reading a book of talismanic classics in his dwelling. He retrieved the Heavenly Book with a wave of his hand, entered the ruins of the Heavenly Book after activating it, and found that the white-robed elder and the others were already waiting there. ¡°Now that everybody is here, let''s begin. After investigating these days, I''ve located the Red Boy.¡± The yellow-robed man spoke upon seeing Shen Luo arrive. ¡°Brother Lei, your work is indeed efficient. May I inquire where is Red Boy now?¡± The white-robed elder praised and questioned. ¡°In order to find Red Boy, I expended a lot of effort and even lost some manpower. Do you think I would just tell you?¡± The yellow-robed man replied with a light chuckle. ¡°Tell us what you want in return,¡± the white-robed elder replied nonchalantly. ¡°The thing I asked for last time,¡± the yellow-robed man said. ¡°Alright,¡± the white-robed elder agreed without hesitation and handed over a white jade box. The yellow-robed man accepted the box, and as he opened it, a yellow light flashed in his hand, obscuring the interior and preventing Shen Luo from seeing what was inside. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Haha, excellent! Brother Yuan, your munificence astounds me,¡± the yellow-robed man laughed and put away the jade box. ¡°Stop wasting time and get to the point,¡± the white-robed elder urged. ¡°This information is only worth telling Brother Yuan. What about you, Brother Hua, Brother Shen? If you too wish to hear it, shouldn''t you pay a price? Or do you intend to listen for free?¡± The yellow-robed man, turning to Shen Luo and the Silver Armored Man, asked with a smile. ¡°Brother Lei, you should know when to stop. If I know this information, it means Brother Hua and Brother Shen know as well.¡± Before Shen Luo and the Silver Armored Man could speak, the white-robed elder was already a little angry. ¡°Alright then, Red Boy is currently at Fire-spreading Mountain,¡± the yellow-robed man casually shared. ¡°Fire-spreading Mountain?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows, for he had not heard of this place before. ¡°That''s a mountain range in Northern Ju Lu Continent. What is the Red Boy doing there? Is there a chance of persuading him to return to the side of the Bull Demon King?¡± The white-robed elder explained to Shen Luo and asked afterwards. ¡°Not likely. Red Boy now holds a high position in the Demon Clan, already one of the Twelve Distinguished Ones, and has a significant number of Demon Soldiers under his control. He''s on the rise and certainly doesn''t want to return to his parents to be restrained again,¡± the yellow-robed man replied, shaking his head. ¡°Be that as it may, we still cannot give up. We should first send someone to try and persuade him, and if we truly cannot, we should find a way to suppress him forcefully and bring him back to the Bull Demon King,¡± the white-robed elder stated. ¡°You make it sound easy, Brother Yuan. Nowadays, the witch and demon tribes of Northern Ju Lu Continent basically all submit to the Demon Clan. The place is well-fortified, sending people there is suicide,¡± the yellow-robed man retorted with a cold chuckle. ¡°Has the situation in Northern Ju Lu Continent degenerated to such an extent? In that case, we must send a capable envoy. By the way, what is the Red Boy''s current strength?¡± the white-robed elder inquired. ¡°Red Boy initially had the strength of the Late True Immortal Stage. After allying with the Demon Clan, his body got invaded by Demonic Qi and his strength rose further, now comparable to the True Immortal Peak. Moreover, this demon is skilled at wielding Samadhi True Fire. Even the Great Sage Equal to Heaven got burnt by him during his journey to the west. Ordinary people who go there are essentially committing suicide. Now that our manpower is dwindling, none of our subordinates can match him, and we are too busy to attend to this matter. Let''s discuss this at a later date,¡± the yellow-robed man advised. The white-robed elder remained silent for a long time. ¡°Since none of you has suitable manpower, how about I go?¡± Shen Luo eyed the three of them and proposed. ¡°Oh, Brother Shen, are you willing to go?¡± The white-robed elder''s eyes lit up. ¡°Since the matter of contacting the Bull Demon King is connected to resisting the Demon Clan, and since the three of you can''t make yourselves available, I naturally can''t shirk my responsibilities. However, I am weak. To be honest, my cultivation level is only at the True Immortal Middle Stage. I fear I''m no match for Red Boy. I hope the three of you can offer some assistance,¡± Shen Luo confessed and implored. ¡°Of course. Brother Shen, you are risking your life for the sake of all beings in the Three Realms. We will definitely lend you a hand. I have a treasure that I can lend to you,¡± the white-robed elder immediately responded, taking out a yellow silk handkerchief after a brief pause, and passing it over with a spell. ¡°Brother Yuan, you¡­¡± Both the yellow-robed man and the Silver-Armored Man were taken aback when they saw the item; evidently recognizing the treasure. Shen Luo saw the reaction of the others and understood that this yellow silk handkerchief was undoubtedly extraordinary. He reached out and accepted it. As soon as the handkerchief touched his hand, his expression instantly changed. The handkerchief appeared delicate and light, but it felt extremely heavy in his hand, as if he was holding a mountain. There were two weird characters written in the center of the handkerchief, the meaning of which was unknown. The yellow light on its surface was circulating endlessly and it looked incredibly mysterious. He quietly initiated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique, trying to manipulate the treasure, but the yellow silk handkerchief didn''t budge. It didn''t react to the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique at all. ¡°Thank you, Brother Yuan. But how do I activate this treasure?¡± Shen Luo took a light breath and raised the question with a bow to the white-robed elder. Chapter 754 Chapter 754: Chapter 750: Not Stingy with Gifts Chapter 754: Chapter 750: Not Stingy with Gifts ¡°This brocade handkerchief is an innate spiritual treasure, nurtured by heaven and earth, the common means of refining and invoking it cannot be utilized. This here is an innate treasure-refining technique that Brother Shen, with your astuteness, should quickly master,¡± the white-robed elder said, and handed over a jade slip. Shen Luo probed the jade slip with his divine sense and found it recorded a unique refining secret method that was exceptionally abstruse and completely different from the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique. Luckily, his aptitude in the dream world was extraordinary. By silently operating it twice, he quickly mastered this refining method and used it to stimulate the yellow brocade handkerchief. With a flash of light on the yellow handkerchief, it instantly enlarged a hundred times and enveloped his body in an instant. Shen Luo felt only the endless yellow light covering him as if he was in the endless depths of the earth. The infinite earth around him was his defense, and no one could hurt him. ¡°What a treasure!¡± After a brief attempt with the yellow silk handkerchief, he immediately put it away and praised. ¡°This item not only serves as defense, but also can be used for hiding and escaping underground. If Brother Shen encounters danger, you can use this treasure to escape through the earth. Although there are many treasures in the three realms, few can compare with this handkerchief when it comes to the ability to escape through the earth,¡± the white-robed elder said. ¡°Many thanks, Daoist Yuan.¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed upon hearing this and expressed his thanks once again. ¡°Since Daoist Yuan is so generous, I shouldn''t be stingy. This Blazing Flame Pearl is made by gathering the Earth Lung''s fire poison over a hundred years and refining it. Even a powerful person in the Taiyi Realm could be wounded by it,¡± said the yellow-robed man, handing over a reddish round pearl. Even from a distance, one could feel a fiery high temperature that caused Shen Luo''s cheek to sting painfully, despite his high cultivation level. Shen Luo hurriedly took it, put it away, and thanked him once again. ¡°Compared to the two of you, I am not as well-off. But here is a pale paper doll that can take hits on behalf of Shen Daoist friend. It can withstand two fatal blows for you,¡± the silver-armored man took out a white paper doll and handed it over. ¡°Many thanks, Daoist Hua.¡± Shen Luo thanked him once again. He volunteered to find Red Boy for his own reasons. Although he verbally expressed hope for the others to support him, the reality was he didn''t have high expectations. He thought the others would at most give one or two useful magical treasures, or perhaps a few talismans or elixirs. However, was pleasantly surprised by their generosity. With so many treasures, he was much more confident about this journey. ¡°Actually, the Heavenly Book we hold is a Heavenly Treasure. If used properly, it is no less than any other treasure. However, Shen Daoist friend, it seems that you are not yet proficient in using this item?¡± the white-robed elder said. ¡°I can currently only use it to absorb attacks and summon the remnant souls of heavenly soldiers to fight for me. As for other aspects, I indeed need guidance. I ask for your advice, Daoist Yuan,¡± said Shen Luo, eager for help. ¡°Absorbing objects and summoning heavenly soldiers are just the superficial uses of the Heavenly Book. The main purpose of this Heavenly Book is to tame other creatures. As long as you refine the creature''s divine soul into the book, no matter where they are, you can summon them to help you. Furthermore, even if a person whose soul has been refined into the book falls, they can survive in the form of a remnant soul through the book''s soul imprint,¡± the white-robed elder explained. Heavenly King Li had told Shen Luo about these matters, but he didn''t explain in as much detail as the white-robed elder. ¡°That''s to say, as long as the soul imprints are stored in the Heavenly Book, they won''t completely perish?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked. ¡°One could say that, but once captured by the Heavenly Book, one entirely loses their freedom. It''s not necessarily a good thing,¡± the white-robed elder said with a slight sigh. ¡°I would like to ask Daoist Yuan for guidance on how to use the Heavenly Book to tame other creatures,¡± Shen Luo asked eagerly, disregarding the elder''s warning. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The white-robed elder looked at Shen Luo, and without comment, he shared the method of taming creatures with the Heavenly Book. This method was extremely complex, but with Shen Luo''s talent and cultivation level, he quickly understood it after silently reciting it a few times. He thanked the white-robed elder once again. Meanwhile, the yellow-robed man and the silver-armored man remained indifferent to all this, clearly already knowing the method of using the Heavenly Book to tame creatures. ¡°Daoist Hua, is there any progress in the reincarnation of Princess Jade Face?¡± the white-robed elder asked the silver-armored man. ¡°I have sent people out to inquire everywhere, but there is still no news.¡± The silver-armored man shook his head. The white-robed elder seemed a bit disappointed upon hearing this. Nonetheless, he encouraged the silver-armored man to continue the investigation. The group then discussed the details of their trip to Fire-spreading Mountain, and the meeting ended. The yellow-robed man and the silver-armored man left one after another. As Shen Luo was about to leave the Heavenly Book Broken Land, the white-robed elder suddenly called to him. ¡°Wait a moment, Brother Shen. I have inspected the two items you gave me earlier and found no issues. I will return them to you now.¡± The white-robed elder took out the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law. ¡°There''s no hurry. To be honest, it might not be safe to keep these two things with me. Could Daoist Yuan keep them for a while? I will get them back once everything is settled here.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Very well.¡± Although the white-robed elder found this strange, he did not refuse. With a blink of an eye, Shen Luo left the Heavenly Book Broken Land, and returned to his cave mansion. After sitting quietly in the cave for a while, Shen Luo got up and headed to the residence of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°Brother Shen, have you found out where Red Boy is?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King asked, astonished. ¡°I entrusted others to investigate, and just received news that Red Boy is currently at Fire-spreading Mountain in the Northern Ju Lu Continent. The situation at Jilei Mountain is stable, and with the Ping Tian Great Sage there, there should be no problem. I am thinking of taking a trip to Fire-spreading Mountain.¡± Shen Luo didn''t hide anything from the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King was surprised. The Bull Demon King had been trying to find Red Boy for years without success, yet Shen Luo managed to locate him in just over a week? ¡°What kind of power does this man have behind him? Although Mount Fangcun is a great Immortal School, it doesn''t have this capability, does it?¡± The Fox King wondered, feeling he had misjudged the depth of this human, and regretted appointing him as guest elder of the Jade Fox Clan. ¡°Fine, Brother Shen, you can go with ease. But the Northern Ju Lu Continent is now controlled by the Demon Clan, and is extremely dangerous. Please be careful.¡± Despite his inner confusion, the Fox King didn''t let any of it show on his face. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Fox King. I''ll take my leave now.¡± Shen Luo gestured with his hands. A flash of yellow light enveloped him and he instantly disappeared into the ground. The Fox King swept his Divine Sense around, but could not find any trace of Shen Luo, indicating that Shen Luo had evaded his Divine Sense. ¡°Mount Fangcun is renowned for their Yimu Xuandun, but Shen Luo is also skilled in the Earth Escaping Technique?¡± The Fox King muttered to himself, feeling that he could not fully understand Shen Luo. Shen Luo manipulated the yellow brocade handkerchief, darting through the earth. Whether it was mud or rock, it did not hinder him and he moved at a remarkable speed, no slower than flying. Moreover, this brocade handkerchief could conceal his aura. None of the creatures living underground, not even the Earth-walking demons, detected his presence as he traveled underground. ¡°Indeed, it''s a good treasure.¡± He was delighted. The only troublesome part was that operating the yellow brocade handkerchief drained his Mana significantly. Even with his mid-stage True Immortal cultivation level, he found it strenuous. Fortunately, he could stop to meditate and recover at any time. Chapter 755 Chapter 755: Chapter 751: The World of the Demon Clan Chapter 755: Chapter 751: The World of the Demon Clan The yellow brocade kerchief was astonishingly fast as it traveled underground; in half a day, Shen Luo arrived at the border of the Southern Sub-Central Continent. An endless and muddled water area appeared before him, it was the same sea area encountered when he previously left the Treasures Hall Ruins. From the conversations of the white-robed elder and the others, he knew that this sea area was known as the Yinming Sea, a natural moat-like region between the Northern Ju Lu Continent and the Southern Sub-Central Continent. The existence of this perilous landscape stemmed from the time of the Ancient Witch-Demon Great War. The Gonggong Family, in their rage, collided with Mount Buzhou. The pillar of heaven collapsed, causing massive destruction to the human realm. To prevent this disaster, a sage severed one of the giant turtle''s four feet from Northern Ju Lu Continent to support the skydome. The giant turtle, dying in indignation, released an endless stream of miasma that enveloped the entire Northern Ju Lu Continent. This miasma also infected the surrounding sea area, turning it into a Poison Sea. But it was precisely due to this natural barrier that the witch and demon races exiled to the Northern Ju Lu Continent after the Witch-Demon Great War couldn''t easily leave for the other three continents. Shen Luo had personally experienced the horror of this sea area, and he couldn''t utilize the Earth Escaping Technique in this sea area, making crossing exceedingly troublesome. However, his strength had increased considerably since then, and he had a few more treasured protective artifacts on hand, hence he wasn''t afraid. In the interest of time, he summoned the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, merged his body with it, and transformed into a streak of golden light akin to a comet, shooting towards the depths of the sea area at breakneck speed. Not long after he began his progress, the turbid sea surface split open, and a black Qi several dozen feet in diameter shot out from it, emitting an overwhelming, bone-chilling aura. It easily blocked the golden light and attempted to drag it down. At this moment, a streak of yellow light flashed outside the golden light and permeated the void, dying it yellow for several tens of miles around. The moment the thick black Qi made contact with the light, it was effortlessly scattered. The golden light didn''t pause at all, continuing onwards, leaving the black Qi behind in the blink of an eye. Within the golden light, Shen Luo glanced at the yellow kerchief in his hand, his lips curving into a grin as he accelerated. After traveling a full day and night, the vast Yinming Sea was finally crossed. The Northern Ju Lu Continent appeared before his eyes, but the entire continent was enveloped by a layer of black clouds reaching the skydome, endless and boundless. ¡°Is this the miasma left behind by the giant turtle?¡± Shen Luo stopped before the black cloud, inspected it for a moment then summoned the yellow kerchief to protect himself. Without any hesitation, he flew into it. Chichi! The moment he touched the black miasma, the protective yellow light began to flicker, while it was constantly eroded and extinguished. However, the protective capability of the yellow kerchief was formidable, and it naturally wouldn''t fear this miasma. Boundless yellow light gushed from within the kerchief, resisting the erosion of the miasma. A few breaths later, Shen Luo''s vision cleared abruptly. Finally, he had passed through the black miasma and appeared above a desolate mountain peak. ¡°Is this truly the Northern Ju Lu Continent?¡± he wondered aloud, looking around at his surroundings. Below was a range of towering mountains, but unlike the mountain peaks of the Southern Sub-Central Continent, most of the mountains here were barren and void of any spiritual energy. The occasional patch of trees and forests was of a gray-black hue. There were very few birds, beasts, or insects in the forests, and the air was filled with a putrid and sour scent. It felt incredibly oppressing. Shen Luo frowned. To describe this place as poor mountains and bad waters would be a gross understatement; it could more fittingly be called a domain of death. After scanning his surroundings for a moment, he quickly retracted his gaze, pulling out a jade slip in the process. This contained the map of the Northern Ju Lu Continent drawn for him by the yellow-robed man, where the location of Fire-spreading Mountain had been marked. Just as he was about to work out his current location, his expression changed suddenly. He dived towards the ground. The yellow light flickered as he burrowed into the ground without making a sound, diving nearly two to three hundred feet deep underground before stopping and laying low. Immediately after that, Shen Luo silently activated the Concealment Divine Skill taught by the white-robed elder, urging the yellow brocade handkerchief. The yellow handkerchief increased in size instantly by dozens of times, transforming into a roll of yellow silk that enveloped his body. The aura of his body extinguished in an instant, thoroughly disappeared. It was as if he had vanished from the surface of the earth. His heart was overjoyed. Just after Shen Luo had done this, a ball of black cloud shot over from a distance, revealing a group of demon soldiers in black armor, totaling fifty or sixty. The skin of these demon soldiers was purplish-black, their hands, feet, and other parts showed varying degrees of decay and infection, their appearance even more ferocious than the demon soldiers Shen Luo had seen before. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo learned from the white-robed elder and others that the beasts in the Northern Ju Lu Continent were mutated due to long-term exposure to miasma, however, because of this, the beasts of the Northern Ju Lu Continent were much tougher than ordinary beasts and most of them were proficient in the use of miasma, venom, and other divine powers. The leading black-armored man had no mutation in his body but his strong demonic Qi was mixed with a deeply demonic energy. This demon possessed a very strong cultivation level and had reached the middle stage of True Immortal, and the other demon soldiers were also all at the level of the Great Mahayana Stage and Nascent Soul Stage. The black-armored man held a dark red bead in his hands, which constantly revolved while emitting waves of red light that radiated outwards, probing around their location. The location where Shen Luo hid was covered by the red waves, but the yellow handkerchief was indeed extraordinary. The red waves passed over the yellow silk without being detected. ¡°Strange, I clearly felt a commotion from the miasma formation here just now, how come it disappeared all of a sudden?¡± The black-armored man frowned and said. ¡°It might be the Yin beasts from the Yinming Sea who accidentally touched it, the movements of those beasts outside recently are fierce.¡± A demon form the Great Mahayana Stage said without care. ¡°Not necessarily, I''ve heard that the surviving people, immortals, and demons who were unwilling to accept defeat are secretly gathering strength in the dark, aiming to counter-attack when Chiyou dozes off. We must not be careless! I''ll continue to search here, you guys go around and check, don''t miss any clues!¡± The black-armored man said in a deep voice. ¡°Yes!¡± The other demons hurriedly straightened their expressions, and after responding, they flew off in all directions. The black-armored man held the dark red bead in his hand and searched back and forth nearby several times. He did not retract it until he gradually dismissed the doubt in his heart, taking the group of demon soldiers away. Deep underground, Shen Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but did not move, quietly lying there. After nearly half a day had passed, he was sure that the demon soldiers had truly left, then he dismissed the Concealment Divine Skill of the yellow brocade handkerchief. However, Shen Luo did not return to the surface, but simply stayed underground and moved forward using the Earth Escaping Technique. Although this was consuming mana, it was safe. He tunneled around for a while, confirmed his location, compared it with the map, and then set off in the northwest direction. The Northern Ju Lu Continent was truly a world of the Demon Clan as stated by the yellow-robed man in the broken land of the Heavenly Book. Almost all the demons had pledged allegiance to the Demon Clan. Moreover, it seemed that there were guards everywhere here, and patrol teams led by the Demon Clan or half-demons were everywhere. Although Shen Luo was traveling underground, he still almost got detected several times. Fortunately, his cultivation level was already very high and he was alert. The treasures such as the yellow handkerchief were exceptionally mysterious, which helped him narrowly escape the detection of the Demon Clan without any danger. Chapter 756 Chapter 756: Chapter 752: Sheng Ying King Chapter 756: Chapter 752: Sheng Ying King Two days and one night later, Shen Luo halted his journey in the underworld, then silently emerged from the ground, and looked forward. Ahead lay endless mountain peaks, but their color had changed to a black-red hue, indicating that they were all volcanoes. Some towering up to a thousand feet, while others were only several dozen feet high. Billowing thick smoke spewed from these mountain tops, occasionally, crimson lava shot skyward, and deep in the mountain range was even more filled with scorching red light, making it appear as though the entire mountain range was ablaze. Even on the outskirts of the mountain range, Shen Luo could feel waves of scorching heat hit his face. This place was his destination, the Fire-spreading Mountain range. ¡°The scope of this Fire-spreading Mountain Range seems extensive, I wonder where in the mountains that Red Boy is?¡± He looked at the vast expanse of mountains ahead and couldn''t help but feel vexed. Moreover, the ground of this volcanic zone was filled with lava, and the spiritual power of fire was abundant, making it challenging to carry on his earth escaping technique. Shen Luo tucked away the yellow silk handkerchief and took out a white talisman to stick on his body, this was the invisibility talisman he had recently mastered. The talisman turned into a ball of white light and merged into his body, his whole body rapidly became transparent. After a few breaths, he disappeared entirely from the spot, even his breath was almost entirely concealed. ¡°Not bad.¡± A faint smile appeared on the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth as he took to the air and flew ahead, albeit at a slow pace. Although this invisibility talisman concealed his tracks, his cultivation level was too high, in comparison, the invisibility talisman of the Jade Fox Clan seemed of a lower grade. Calling upon too much mana at once would disturb the effects of the talisman, giving away his position. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, Shen Luo was currently looking for clues and not rushing on a journey, so there was no need to fly too fast. The Fire-spreading Mountain was quite desolate, he flew for a while without encountering a creature. The demon soldiers that often patrolled elsewhere seemed to have disappeared entirely. His patience started to wear thin, considering there was no one around, he wondered if he should pick up some speed. Just as this thought crossed his mind, a chunk of red demon cloud soared out from the depths of the Fire-spreading Mountain range and flew towards him. But the red cloud seemed unstable, fluctuating, and midway it suddenly collapsed; a red demon fell from it and landed not too far ahead of Shen Luo. Shen Luo halted, activated his powers to hide his breath and looked attentively in its direction. The demon took on a humanoid form but was so emaciated it resembled a skeleton, with large round eyes, bulbous nose, big mouth, yellow teeth and was incredibly ugly. It looked like a small monkey, and its skin and hair were all a fiery red color with a set of fiery red wings on its back ¨C it appeared to be some kind of fire demon. However, one of its wings was severely injured, almost entirely severed with just a bit of skin still attached. That little Fire demon''s cultivation level wasn''t strong, only at the early Nascent Soul stage. As soon as it hit the ground, it immediately flipped over and leaped up, and continued to walk and run forward, a look of terror on its face. At this very moment, two beams of black light appeared in the distant sky, shooting towards them. The little Fire demon''s face went even paler. It flickered with red light on its wings, and a ball of red fire cloud emerged around its body, lifting it slightly back into the air. Shen Luo''s mind raced, his figure flickered as he swooped next to the little fire demon and raised his hand. A swathe of golden light shot out from his palm, enveloping the small fire demon and then gently moved it. The small fire demon disappeared into thin air, and the golden light vanished along with it. Two beams of black light moved pretty fast. In a few breaths, they were closer, showing a large and small humanoid birdhead. Both of them were demon soldiers with a curved knife in hand. Their cultivation levels were quite high, with the smaller one reaching the Nascent Soul Middle Stage and the larger one reaching the Late Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°Eh! The Fire Slave was just here, how could it have disappeared in the blink of an eye?¡± The smaller bird-headed demon soldier cried out in a sharp voice. ¡°It''s all your fault, you idiot. You can''t even keep an eye on a Nascent Soul initial stage of a Fire Slave. If it escapes, the Great King will burn all your feathers, quickly look for it!¡± the larger demon soldier growled angrily. The smaller demon soldier remained silent and started searching around hastily. The larger demon soldier stood aside for a while before he couldn''t hold back and joined the search. They didn''t find anything in their surroundings, not even a hair of the young Fire demon seemed to evaporate into thin air. ¡°I''m going to search ahead! You search to the left and right!¡± After a roar, the larger demon soldier flew forward. The smaller demon soldier agreed and flew to the left. Once both demon soldiers left, Shen Luo''s vague figure appeared not far behind a large stone. He swept his gaze towards the direction where the two demons had gone and then flew into the distance. He flew twenty or thirty miles before he stopped in a mountain stream and his divine sense entered the space of the Heavenly Book. In the golden space, the little fire demon looked around with a terrified face, but didn''t dare to act rashly. Just at that moment, the golden light surged and formed a translucent golden figure. It was Shun Luo. The little fire demon saw this and immediately fell to Shen Luo''s feet. ¡°I, Huo San, would like to thank the great immortal for saving my life.¡± ¡°Oh, how do you know I was saving you? Maybe I just needed some rations and caught you for soup.¡± Shen Luo saw that the little fire demon was quite sharp-witted. He teased him with a slight smile on his face. ¡°The Great Immortal has immeasurable divine powers, if you had wanted to kill me, you could have done so long ago. Moreover, you saved my life, even if I owe you my life in return, there would be nothing wrong with that.¡± Huo San said humbly. ¡°Such a clever little thing,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, ¡°But don''t pretend to be grateful. I captured you because I needed to ask you some questions. I am not interested in your life. As long as you answer satisfyingly, I will let you go soon, and even reward you.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, Great Immortal. Please feel free to ask anything, I promise to answer everything honestly.¡± Huo San replied with great joy and thanked him again. ¡°I saw you flying out from the depths of the Fire-Spreading Mountain, are you a monster from this mountain range? Why were those two bird-headed monsters chasing to kill you?¡± Shen Luo asked. In response, Huo San revealed, ¡°Honorable Immortal, I originally lived in this Fire Vast Mountain as a part of the Fire Charm Tribe. A few years ago, a group of demons occupied this mountain, captured all of us from the Fire Charm Tribe, and forced us to summon fire from the earth''s lungs every day to refine an array for them. Although our tribe naturally possesses fire-controlling divine powers from birth, our strength is not very high. The fire from the earth''s lung even contains various types of fire poisons. Prolonged contact leads to slow death by poisoning. I didn''t want to die like this, took advantage of the negligence of the demon soldiers, and managed to escape, but still got seriously injured by patrol demon soldiers. I was fortunate to have met you.¡± ¡°Is there a demon called Sheng Ying King or Red Boy among that group of demons?¡± Shen Luo didn''t pay any attention to the rest and continued to ask. ¡°Yes, indeed. The Sheng Ying King is the leader of those demons! He looks like a child and holds a Fire Gun. He is very powerful.¡± Huo San immediately answered. ¡°Yes, that''s the demon I''m talking about. Where in the Fire-Spreading Mountain are they located? Besides the Sheng Ying King, are there other powerful demons among them?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened and he asked with a follow-up question. Chapter 757 Chapter 757: 753 Chapter 757: 753 ¡°That group of demons reside in the Suspended Cave, located deep in the heart of the Fire-spreading Mountain, five hundred Li away. As for their cultivation level, I am weak in strength and was locked in a cage all the time, so I really don''t know about the cultivation level of those demons,¡± explained Huo San with a worried look on his face. Shen Luo slightly furrowed his eyebrows. Observing Huo San, he did not seem to be lying, and soon enough, his expression relaxed. ¡°Good, I am somewhat satisfied with your answer. However, I have some things to do and can''t let you leave for now. You should stay here for a while,¡± he suggested, lifting his chin slightly. Huo San''s eyes flickered inconsistently, speechless for a moment. ¡°What? Are you dissatisfied?¡± Seeing Huo San''s expression, Shen Luo asked lightly. ¡°Great Immortal has saved my life ¨C I dare not have such thoughts. My hesitation just now was due to something else. May I humbly ask if you intend to go to the Suspended Cave?¡± Huo San quickly expressed his gratitude, then timidly asked his question. Shen Luo did not deny it, and nodded. As Huo San was currently in the Heavenly Book Space, completely isolated from the outside world, he did not fear the leak of this information. ¡°If you are going to the Suspended Cave, I implore you to rescue the other members of my tribe as well. I can ensure that all members of my tribe will work for you. Although the power of my Fire Charm Tribe isn''t strong, we do carry the bloodline of the Ancient Golden Crow and excel in the art of multiple strikes. We can gather the entire tribe''s power to form the Ancient Mysterious Fire Battle Array. Its power is enough to incinerate mountains and boil seas. When Sheng Ying King arrived at the Fire-spreading Mountain that year, our Fire Charm Tribe persisted for several days based on this Mysterious Fire Battle Array. Eventually, Sheng Ying King had to personally act and attacked our Clan Leader using Samadhi True Fire. Our tribe was then defeated. We will definitely be useful to you,¡± Huo San pleaded, kneeling on the ground. ¡°If I get the opportunity, I will try, but I can''t guarantee success.¡± Shen Luo pondered for a while before speaking. He didn''t promise too much, though he did develop a little interest in the Mysterious Fire Battle Array. ¡°Thank you, Great Immortal. Thank you, Great Immortal.¡± Huo San repeatedly bowed to Shen Luo. Shen Luo waved his hand at him, and with a surge of his Divine Sense, he exited the Heavenly Book Space and arrived outside, heading deep into the mountain range. He hadn''t flown far when a black shadow flew over from a distance. It was that bird-headed demon from before. ¡°I was about to look for you. I did not expect you to come to me so willingly.¡± Shen Luo was delighted and immediately flew forward to meet it. The bird-headed demon had a troubled expression. Huo San was an anomaly within the Fire Charm Tribe, naturally carrying Fire Essence, which is very important to the Great King. It was imperative that he was not lost. While it was fleeing, it looked around. At this moment, a golden light suddenly appeared in front of it. The bird-headed demon was startled, cried out in surprise, but before it could finish speaking, its body was enwrapped by a powerful suction force. The world before its eyes seemed to spin, as if it had fallen into a bottomless abyss. When the bird-headed demon regained its senses, it found itself in a golden space. Its sight could only reach two or three zhang away, any further was blocked by golden light. The cultivation level of the bird-headed demon was far above Huo San''s. It could vaguely sense a huge pressure surrounding it, as if a giant sword was hanging overhead, ready to fall at any moment. ¡°Who dares to imprison me with an array? I am the vanguard under the command of Sheng Ying King; do you want to die?¡± The bird-headed demon shouted sternly. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense entered the golden space. He was about to reveal himself and talk to the bird-headed demon, when he suddenly remembered the method of enslaving spiritual creatures that the white-robed elder had previously taught him. ¡°Although it seems a bit wasteful to use it on this guy, let''s give it a try,¡± he murmured to himself. In accordance with what the white-robed elder had said, the number of living creatures recorded in the Heavenly Book was limited. This fragment of Shen Luo''s Heavenly Book could only accommodate about thirty more. Moreover, once a living creature was recorded, it could not be deleted, nor could it be replaced. So, every recording must be chosen carefully. However, since Shen Luo now had plenty of slots available, wasting one for a trial didn''t matter much. Murmuring incantations, he formed a hand seal and pointed into the Void. There was a humming sound around the bird-headed demon, and six golden lights suddenly appeared out of thin air, transforming into six golden ancient mirrors pointing at its body. The bird-headed demon was horrified, red lights like flames emerged from the curved knife in its hand. It was about to strike the golden ancient mirror when the golden ancient mirrors simultaneously flared up with golden light. Six golden light pillars fell and enveloped the bird-headed demon''s body. The bird-headed demon''s body stiffened instantly, as if it was fixed in place. It opened its mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Shen Luo silently operated the secret method, constantly forming hand seals. Bizarre patterns emerged on the golden ancient mirrors and countless tadpole-like runes appeared within the six light pillars. They continuously merged into the body of the bird-headed demon. The bird-headed demon''s body started trembling like chaff, its expression reflecting extreme pain and resentment. However, as the tadpole runes permeated its body, the bird-headed demon''s countenance quickly changed. Its whole body radiated golden light, and its expression of resentment turned serene, as if it had gained a profound understanding. However, its eyes quickly rolled back, and it fainted. A golden light flashed in front of the bird-headed demon, and the figure of Shen Luo emerged. He pointed and made a hand seal. The six golden ancient mirrors disappeared with a flash, and the bird-headed demon collapsed on the ground of the space, motionless. ¡°Is that a success?¡± This was Shen Luo''s first attempt at enslaving a spiritual creature. He had no experience and relied solely on the chant taught by the white-robed elder to activate the spell. As for whether it was truly successful, he had no idea. Moments later, the bird-headed demon slowly awakened. Seeing Shen Luo in front of it, it immediately knelt down in reverence, ¡°Greetings, Master!¡± Shen Luo felt a jolt as a connection was established between him and the bird-headed demon, as if a Spiritual Communication Seal had been planted inside it, allowing him to clearly perceive the demon''s emotions. He used his technique to perceive the listings within the Heavenly Book and indeed, a new entry for the bird-headed demon in front appeared at the end of it. Now Shen Luo finally believed that he had truly subdued the demon before him. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he spoke: ¡°What is your name? What is your position under Sheng Ying King? And why did you come to the outskirts of the mountains?¡± Although the other party did not seem to be lying, he was still worried. ¡°Reporting to Master, I am Black Feather, a member of the patrol troop under the command of Sheng Ying King. I am responsible for monitoring the safety of the Suspended Mountain. Today, a member of the Fire Charm Tribe escaped. That Fire Charm was a member of the Fire Charm Royal Clan, carrying the power of Fire Essence. Sheng Ying King values him quite a bit, and I was ordered to capture him,¡± the bird-headed demon reported respectfully. Hearing this, Shen Luo sneered inwardly, realising that Huo San had indeed hidden some information. ¡°Is Sheng Ying King currently in the Fire-spreading Mountain? What is he doing?¡± he asked immediately. ¡°The Great King has been refining a treasured item in the secret chamber of the Suspended Cave these days. However, I don''t know what the treasure is,¡± replied Black Feather, shaking his head. ¡°Refining a treasure¡­ How many demons with cultivation at or above the True Immortal Stage are there in the Suspended Cave now?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, and then asked the question he was most concerned about. Unlike Huo San, Black Feather was a guard of the Suspended Cave and would certainly know the strength of the experts inside. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 758 Chapter 758: Chapter 754: Provocation Chapter 758: Chapter 754: Provocation ¡°Originally, there were five real immortals at the Hanging Cave headed by Sheng Ying King. However, a few days ago, four important individuals arrived at the Hanging Cave. Sheng Ying King seemed to value them highly. They must all have cultivation levels equivalent to True Immortal Stage,¡± Hei Yu explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt a sinking feeling in his heart. If there were only the Red Boy and four other True Immortal Stage demons in this place, he could just barely cope with them using his current strength, together with the Thunder Division Heavenly General, the Juling God, and other Great Mahayana Stage Heavenly Soldiers contained within the Heavenly Book. However, now that the enemy had been reinforced with four additional True Immortal Stage demons, he had no chance of winning at all. And as for the Mysterious Fire Battle Array that Huo San was talking about, it could only possibly be depended on if all of the Huo Mei clan were rescued which was entirely unlikely. However difficult the situation might be, giving up was not an option. ¡°What was it for which those four True Immortal Stage demons came to the Hanging Cave?¡± After pondering a moment, Shen Luo asked. ¡°I don''t know. I only heard that the four of them were always inside that secret chamber during the day. Maybe they are helping Sheng Ying King refine that artifact,¡± Black Feather said. Shen Luo also had a guess in this regard. It seemed that the artifact was very impressive. ¡°Take me into the Suspended Cave. Do not let anyone notice. Can you do it?¡± After a moment of silence, he said to Black Feather. ¡°We can try,¡± Black Feather hesitated a moment, then nodded. Shen Luo could feel Black Feather''s emotions. Although he did not seem totally confident, he was likely around 60 to 70 percent sure. Shen Luo then waved his hand, releasing Black Feather from the Heavenly Book. Black Feather''s mind was already connected with Shen Luo, so even though Shen Luo was currently concealed by the Invisibility Talisman. he knew Shen Luo''s whereabouts. Black Feather gave a bow and then flew deep into Fire-spreading Mountain. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo leisurely followed behind. The two quickly arrived at the depths of the Fire-spreading Mountain. The air was filled with a pungent sulfur smell. More black flames and volcanic ash were drifting around, making the air very unpleasant. More importantly, the flame aura in this area was several times thicker than outside and extremely grating, making Shen Luo slightly uncomfortable. Black Feather took out a red talisman and pasted it on his body. A red glow emanated from his body, counteracting most of the surrounding heat, and he calmly went to an area of a mountain pit that was more than ten miles wide. On both sides of the mountain pit stood a huge active volcano. From time to time, pillars of magma and smoke shot up into the sky. Within the pit was a vast hole straight to the underworld, so deep that one could not see the bottom at a glance The hole was perfectly cylindrical, appearing to be man-made rather than naturally formed. There were many caves carved out on the inside walls of the hole, densely packed like a beehive, with demon soldiers going in and out from time to time. ¡°Master, here is the Suspended Cave,¡± Black Feather communicated with Shen Luo via their spiritual link. ¡°Take me into the cave to take a look,¡± Shen Luo, after glancing at the scene in front of him for a few moments, communicated his thoughts using his spiritual link. Black Feather consented, then flew towards the Suspended Cave. There were quite a few demon soldiers patrolling outside the Suspended Cave, but thankfully, their cultivation level wasn''t high enough to penetrate Shen Luo''s Invisibility Talisman. On seeing the return of Black Feather, several demon soldiers immediately approached to greet him. The leader was a middle-stage Nascent Soul Stage eagle demon with a tuft of golden feathers on his head, looking quite extraordinary. ¡°Isn''t this Captain Black Feather? I heard that you went to pursue the escaped Fire Three. How come you came back alone? Did you fail to catch him?¡± The eagle demon looked at Hei Yu, sneering, his words filled with schadenfreude. Even though he had been taken by Shen Luo, Hei Yu''s natural temperament remained, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes. He said coldly, ¡°Jin Lin, I will report the matter of Fire Three to Lord Yan Luo myself. I don''t need your finger-pointing! I have something else to do. I don''t have time to chat idly with you, step aside!¡± However, Jin Lin did not move aside but smirked instead: ¡°Hmph! You''re still talking tough. Huo San, who was designated as a key offender by Sheng Ying King, ran away from your custody. Your Pillar of Fire Punishment is inevitable. Seeing that we''ve been colleagues for many years, if you give me your dual Fire Separation Knives, I''ll ask my uncle to plead for you with Lord Yan Luo. At the very least, he will spare your life.¡± The Pillar of Fire Punishment was the ultimate sentence in the Suspended Cave. A copper column would be erected inside the mouth of a volcano, the criminal would be tied to the column to endure the heat from the molten lava for forty-nine days. The criminal''s body would be baked into a corpse, then petrified into stone sculptures by the volcanic ash, displaying their agony. The pain they suffered was indescribable! ¡°Jin Lin! Are my words unclear, or are you deaf? Get out of my way!¡± Having been absorbed into the Heavenly Book by Shen Luo, Black Feather had long since thrown the Sheng Ying King to the back of his mind, let alone any kind of punishment. He bellowed sternly. Jin Lin was not an easy bird to deal with¨Che relied on the strength of his uncle and enrollment under the Sheng Ying King''s command, he was a terror within the Suspended Cave, acting as he pleased without fear. Although Black Feather was stronger than him, he was not afraid, and instead, he had always coveted Black Feather''s curved knives. ¡°How dare you, Black Feather! Disregarding my goodwill! It''s your fate that I have taken a liking to your Fire Separation Knives. Hand them over if you are wise. If not, await your imminent Pillar of Fire Punishment!¡± Upon seeing Black Feather''s denial, Jin Lin was instantly enraged and verbally attacked. Summoned by Shen Luo, Black Feather was to take him to the Suspended Cave. Now that Jin Lin was blocking their way, he was already seething with rage. He wished nothing more than to behead Jin Lin, but that might bring trouble to Shen Luo''s investigation. ¡°Who is the uncle of this Eagle Demon?¡± Invisibly alongside, Shen Luo asked Black Feather via a message. ¡°Jin Lin''s uncle is a Golden Flame Eagle at the Great Mahayana Stage named Jin Li. He is one of the Five Great Commanders of the Suspended Cave. Ordinarily, Sheng Ying King and the True Immortals under his command don''t intervene in affairs. The daily matters inside the Suspended Cave are handled by the Five Great Commanders,¡± Black Feather messaged back. ¡°I see, you don''t need to worry about me.¡± Shen Luo gave him a thoughtful look. ¡°Teach this boy a lesson and hurry into the Suspended Cave,¡± he messaged back. Overjoyed, Black Feather materialized a crimson curved knife in a flash of red light and swung it at Jin Lin''s head. ¡°You dare to attack me!¡± Jin Lin was shocked and angry, completely unexpected, that Black Feather dared to attack him in public. He hastily drew out a deep-green battle knife to block it. A metallic ¡°clang¡± echoed resonantly, the green blade just managed to withstand the blow, causing Jin Lin to stagger. Before he could regain his balance, another flash of red light slashed across his body. The lethal blade Qi exploded within the Eagle Demon. Jin Lin was hurled backward, flipping on the ground and spat out a mist of blood. He fell unconscious instantly. ¡°Captain¡­¡± The demon soldiers were shocked to silence by Black Feather''s ambush. After a while, they regained sense, hurried over, and helped up Jin Lin, their gazes toward Black Feather filled with fear. The other patrolling demon soldiers were equally stunned, dizzily watching Black Feather. ¡°Hmph! Overestimating your capabilities!¡± Black Feather sneered, sheathed his dual blades, and then leapt into the Suspended Cave. Only then did the crowd of creatures snap out of their stupor. A shocking uproar broke out. Black Feather was indeed powerful but had always kept a low profile. Now, out of the blue, he had made such a daring move. However, the surrounding demon soldiers did not stick around. They all swiftly dispersed. Jin Lin had a rough temperament, and having lost his face this time, he would undoubtedly hold grudges against those who stayed to gawk at his embarrassment. Under the care of several trusted demon soldiers, Jin Lin stirred awake slowly. ¡°Where''s that guy Black Feather?¡± Jin Lin stood up with effort, his face dark with fury as he asked. Although the injury he sustained was severe, he was, after all, a Nascent Soul Stage demon with a resilient body, aiding him in his movements. ¡°He went down there, Captain. What do we do now?¡± One of the demon soldiers asked. Chapter 759 Chapter 759: Chapter 755: Tracing Clues Chapter 759: Chapter 755: Tracing Clues ¡°That Black Feather dared to attack you, our Captain. We can''t just let it go!¡± another Demon Soldier growled through gritted teeth. ¡°Of course we can''t let it go. Let''s go. Immediately find Uncle! We''ll tell him that Black Feather failed to capture Huo San. This time, we must ensure he suffers the Pillar of Fire Punishment, when he''s dead, the Fire Separation Knife will be mine!¡± Jin Lin said ferociously, pushing away the Demon Soldier who was trying to steady him, and left with long strides. ¡­ Black Feather ignored the commotion behind him and went straight to his residence, a cave inside the Middle Layer of the Suspended Cave. ¡°¡­The bottom of the Suspended Cave has a large Fire Spirit Vein. The closer you get to the bottom, the more concentrated the spiritual power. The distribution of the cave dwellings is that the stronger the individual''s strength, the closer their residence is to the lower section. The Sheng Ying King and some of the True Immortal Period Demons all live on the very bottom floor,¡± Black Feather detailed the situation of the Suspended Cave to Shen Luo. To be clear, he even drew a simplified map of the Suspended Cave. ¡°I see, so where is that Refining Treasure Secret Room you mentioned before?¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, then asked. ¡°It''s deeper down in the dwelling of the Sheng Ying King. It is close to the magma area at the bottom, where the temperature is too high for habitation, but it is quite suitable for treasure refinement,¡± Black Feather pointed at a location on the map. ¡°Where are those Fire Charm Clan members imprisoned?¡± Shen Luo remembered something and asked again. ¡°Below the Refining Treasure Secret Room, there is a naturally formed Magma Melt Cave. The entire Fire Charm Clan is imprisoned there,¡± Black Feather pointed at an area below the Refining Treasure Secret Room. ¡°That''s even closer to the bottom of the earth. Can the Fire Charm Clan survive in such a scorching environment?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°The Fire Charm Clan are different. Unlike ordinary Demon Races, the hotter it is, the more they thrive,¡± Black Feather explained. Shen Luo marveled and then further questioned Black Feather about the Magma Melt Cave. However, since the Magma Melt Cave was located at the underworld, Black Feather never been there and didn''t know its exact conditions. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t ask him further. His Divine Sense entered into the Heavenly Book Space, and he began to question Huo San. ¡°Great Immortal, have you already entered the Suspended Cave? That Magma Melt Cave is hundreds of feet large and sits adjacent to the Underground Fire Spirit Vein Lake. It is connected to the Refining Treasure Secret Room by a Nine Flames Returning to the Origin Array. On normal days, we, the Fire Charm Clan, refined Fire Essence in the Magma Melt Cave and transmitted it to the Refining Treasure Secret Room using the Array,¡± Huo San meticulously described the conditions inside the Magma Melt Cave. Shen Luo nodded upon hearing this and then asked, ¡°Since the Fire Charm Clan was imprisoned inside the Magma Melt Cave, which is located at the bottom of the earth, how did you escape?¡± ¡°Great Immortal, even if you didn''t ask this question, I intended to tell you. In fact, before the arrival of the Sheng Ying King at the Fire-spreading Mountain, our Fire Charm Clan had already discovered the Magma Melt Cave. At the very bottom of the Melt Cave, there is a narrow passage that connects to the outside world. As we needed to traverse several magma areas, the Sheng Ying King and others were unaware of it. I used that narrow passageway to escape,¡± Huo San explained. Shen Luo''s eyes slightly brightened. If Huo San could escape through that passage, he should be able to infiltrate through there. Beside the Magma Melt Cave was the Refining Treasure Secret Room, if he could sneak in without anyone noticing, many things would become a lot easier. As for crossing several lava areas, although it was not easy, it was not impossible either. Shen Luo asked Huo San to draw the entrance of that passage in detail, as well as the conditions in between. He then withdrew his Divine Sense from the Heavenly Book Space and continued the negotiation with Black Feather. He began to inquire in detail about the True Immortals under Sheng Ying King, trying to find their weak points. At that moment, he suddenly turned his head to look outside. ¡°Jin Li is coming. Proceed as per the plan,¡± he told Black Feather before turning a yellow silk handkerchief over his body, and soundlessly merged into the ground of the Cave Mansion. Just as Shen Luo disappeared, the great door of Black Feather''s Cave Mansion exploded with a bang and fell into the cave, creating a dust cloud. Several figures with formidable air strode in. Leading them was a man dressed in a golden robe who had already fully dismissed his demon form, appearing no different from ordinary humans, with the only exception being his somewhat curved nose. His aura was rugged and unrivaled, his eyes sharp as lightning. Right behind the man in the golden robe was Jin Lin, who we just saw earlier. Beside Jin Lin were a few demon soldiers who came along earlier. One of the demon soldiers was carrying a creature¨Ca small bird demon that was looking for Huo San with Black Feather earlier. The small bird demon was covered in blood and had already fainted. ¡°Black Feather, how dare you! You not only lost Huo San, you even attacked your comrade for no reason! This is a complete disregard for laws and regulations. Are you trying to rebel? Kneel down!¡± The man in the golden robe, packed with an aggressive expression, released a tremendous pressure from his Great Mahayana Stage cultivation, applying it toward Black Feather. Black Feather reeled in shock; he retreated several steps backwards, but he soon regained stability. Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed across the man in the golden robe''s face. He had done more than just used his imposing aura to oppress Black Feather. He had utilized Soul-shaking Divine Technique within his shouted words. Even a monk of the same stage would become unstable after taking a hit, yet Black Feather seemed to remain unaffected. ¡°Could it be that Black Feather has been hiding his real strength? Or perhaps he possesses a certain treasure that helps stabilize his soul?¡± the man in the golden robe wondered. In fact, the reason Black Feather could easily withstand the man in the golden robe''s soul-shaking technique was because most of his soul had already been imprinted on the Heavenly Book, so of course, the man''s attack had no effect on him. ¡°Commander Jin Li, please stay calm. All I have done earlier was under Lord Yan Luo''s secret orders. If I''ve offended you in any way, I hope you''ll overlook it.¡± said Black Feather, cupping his hands politely. ¡°Lord Yan Luo!¡± Jin Li''s expression became serious. Yan Luo was the head of the Five Great Commanders. His cultivation level had already reached the peak of the Great Mahayana stage. He was one step away from Crossing Tribulations and Becoming Immortal, far ahead of Jin Li. ¡°What secret orders did Lord Yan Luo give you?¡± Jin Li''s stern expression softened a little, he asked. ¡°Uncle, this Black Feather made me look so bad in public today, we can''t just let it go!¡± Seeing things taking an unexpected turn, Jin Lin hastily interjected. ¡°Shut up!¡± Jin Li cast a sidelong glance and coldly commanded. Jin Lin fell silent, clearly displeased. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The secret order that Lord Yan Luo gave was for me. Commander Jin Li, you are eager to know as well, are you not afraid Lord Yan Luo will hold it against you?¡± Black Feather responded. Jin Li burst out laughing, and his right hand shot out like lightning, aiming for Black Feather''s neck. Feeling great fear, Black Feather''s wings flickered black light from his back. He moved sideways to dodge, but Jin Li''s cultivation level surpassed him by far. A golden light flashed over his palm, becoming foggy all of a sudden. He caught Black Feather''s neck with one grasp. ¡°I have a technique called Yin Fire Soul Refining, capable of making someone wish they were dead. Would you prefer to speak obediently, or try my Yin Fire Soul Refining before we proceed?¡± Lifting Black Feather, Jin Li threatened grimly. Jin Lin was overjoyed when he saw that Black Feather had been captured. ¡°Fine, I can tell you. But this matter must not be known to a third person.¡± Choked at the neck, Black Feather struggled to speak, his eyes directed towards the secret chamber deep within the mansion. Chapter 760 Chapter 760: Chapter 756: Ancestor Mountain Chapter 760: Chapter 756: Ancestor Mountain ¡°Wait here,¡± Jin Liwei ordered, pausing for a moment before he led the others, including Black Feather, to the secret chamber. With a wave of his sleeve, a golden light fell onto the wall of the secret chamber, transforming into a layer of golden light that quickly spread throughout the room. ¡°Now, speak,¡± Jin Li commanded, throwing Black Feather forward. Black Feather tumbled heavily to the ground with a thud, but began to smile. Upon seeing the smile on Black Feather''s face, a sense of unease rose in Jin Li''s heart. ¡°Since you''re so eager to know, I''ll tell you,¡± a voice suddenly echoed in Jin Li''s mind. Jin Li quickly stepped back, his expression changing drastically as a beam of golden light shot from the void behind him, attempting to envelop his head. A powerful tugging force swept up everything in its path. Soon, he found himself in a golden space. A golden silhouette stood smiling before him ¡ª it was Shen Luo. ¡°Who are you, human cultivator? What are you doing here!¡± Jin Li retreated in terror. ¡°Now that we''re here, let''s be honest,¡± Shen Luo replied casually, invoking a spell. A golden mirror appeared above Jin Li''s head, and a golden light pillar fell from it, enveloping him. Instantly, Jin Li came to a halt, unable to move even the slightest bit. Shen Luo began to use the Heavenly Book to subdue Jin Li. However, remembering the limited spaces available in the Heavenly Book and its inability to be replaced, he paused. ¡°Better use the Spiritual Communication Technique. It''s enough to control him and can be discarded at any time,¡± he murmured, pressing his hand onto Jin Li''s head and activating the Spiritual Communication Technique. Countless black runes enveloped Jin Li. Due to Shen Luo''s superior cultivation, Jin Li quickly surrendered and was implanted with the Spiritual Communication Seal in his mind. ¡°I pay respects to my master,¡± Jin Li said grudgingly, kneeling on the ground. ¡°The Spiritual Communication Technique is far from the Heavenly Book. It only forcibly implants a seal into the other party''s divine soul, controls them, but cannot make them completely submissive.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo sighed secretly. ¡°What are your usual duties as one of the Five Great Commanders of the Suspended Cave? Where is the Sheng Ying King now?¡± He quickly gathered his thoughts and asked. Jin Li hesitated at the question. ¡°I have implanted a seal in your soul. I am able to perceive all your thoughts. Do not attempt to lie!¡± Shen Luo warned coldly. ¡°Reporting to Master, I am usually responsible for the internal affairs of the Suspended Cave, such as resource allocation and personnel management. The Sheng Ying King is currently in the secret chamber of refining treasures, working with several demon envoys to refine a highly valued object.¡± Jin Li replied truthfully, giving up the last bit of his delusion. ¡°Do you know what that treasure is?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The treasure is of great importance, and the Sheng Ying King has kept it a secret. However, I have been to the refining chamber and saw a glimpse from afar. It seemed to be a sword,¡± Jin Li answered. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A sword¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised, his sensitivity towards swords heightened due to the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. However, seeing Jin Li''s unclear knowledge about the sword, he did not inquire further. ¡°How many True Immortal stage demons are currently in the refining secret chamber?¡± Shen Luo continued his questioning. Although Black Feather had mentioned this before, his cultivation was low, and the information he had might not be accurate. Shen Luo needed to confirm it. ¡°Initially, the Suspended Mountain¨C including the Sheng Ying King ¡ª had five high-level True Immortal stage experts. Recently, four demon envoys arrived, and their cultivation has also reached the True Immortal stage,¡± Jin Li answered without hiding. ¡°Demon envoys?¡± Shen Luo nodded, acknowledging that Black Feather''s information was correct. However, he quickly paid attention to this particular term used by Jin Li. ¡°The four of them came from Ancestor Mountain. Sheng Ying King referred to them as demon envoys.¡± Jin Li explained. ¡°What is Ancestor Mountain?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I have never been there, it is said to be located at the heart of Northern Ju Lu Continent. It is said that Lord Chiyou is in deep slumber there.¡± Jin Li replied. Shen Luo''s heart stirred. This information was extremely important, he wondered if the white-robed elder and his companions were aware of it. ¡°What are the names of these people? What are their specific godly powers?¡± He calmed down after a while before asking again. ¡°Sheng Ying King possesses a Fire-tipped Spear, proficient in fire attribute godly power, and even more so, he can cast the godly power of Samadhi True Fire which is extremely powerful. The four generals under Sheng Ying King''s command are respectively known as Golden Tiger General, Wood Qin General, General Shuichuan, and Earth Lin General. They each excel at gold, wood, water, and earth attributes of Divine Power respectively¡­¡± Having already said so much, Jin Li saw no need to conceal anything else. He explained the godly powers and magical treasures of each one. However, when it came to the newly arrived four Demonic Envoys, Jin Li had only seen them once and was not familiar with their godly powers. As Shen Luo listened to these circumstances, he was internally calculating his strategies. Just around that time, Black Feather outside abruptly sent a telepathic message ¨C someone was looking for Jin Li. ¡°Who is looking for you?¡± Shen Luo asked, furrowing his brows at Jin Li. ¡°It should be the people refining the Heavenly Dragon Water under my command. The time to deliver the Heavenly Dragon Water should be imminent, so they have come to report to me.¡± Jin Li considered before replying. ¡°And what is this Heavenly Dragon Water?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°It is a kind of True Water that can resist extreme heat and restore mana. The Sheng Ying King summons his four generals and four demonic envoys to refine treasures in the Refining Treasure Secret Room. The room is extremely hot, and the refining process consumes a lot. Although the Sheng Ying King is not affected, the others cannot bear it and need to constantly take the Heavenly Dragon Water. I am responsible for delivering it daily.¡± Jin Li hurriedly explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. A moment after he hesitated, he straightforwardly released the spiritual communication seal in Jin Li''s mind. Jin Li felt a momentary dizziness before he swiftly recovered and to his amazement, found that the restriction on his divine soul had disappeared. ¡°Thank you for sparing me, Your Excellency. Rest assured, I will not leak any information about you.¡± Although he didn''t know why Shen Luo lifted the soul imprint, he immediately kneeled to thank Shen Luo. However, there was a hint of mockery in the depth of his eyes. ¡°I''ve heard people say that the human race is indecisive and harbors foolish compassion for their enemies. It seems to be true. As soon as I leave this place, I will report this man''s activities to Lord Yan Luo!¡± Shen Luo''s expression remained calm and he did not respond. He activated an array with a wave of his hand. The void around Jin Li stirred, making six golden ancient mirrors appear. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jin Li noticed his surroundings and shouted in terror. Shen Luo ignored him, activated the array with a wave of his hand. Six rays of golden light beamed out, enveloping Jin Li''s body, rendering him immobile again. Shen Luo circulated the Heavenly Book, deploying its subjugation technique. After a while, the secret chamber door ¡°boom¡± opened, and Jin Li walked out with a calm expression, followed closely by Black Feather. ¡°Uncle, have you guys finished talking?¡± Jin Lin jumped out excitedly seeing that Black Feather was unharmed. Jin Li disregarded him and glanced at a bear demon covered in black hair inside the room. The demon was holding a jade plate in his hand with a pile of blue jade bottles on it. ¡°Has the Heavenly Dragon Water been refined already?¡± Jin Li asked, raising an eyebrow. Chapter 761 Chapter 761: Chapter 757: Karma Force Consequences Chapter 761: Chapter 757: Karma Force Consequences ¡°Yes, a total of sixteen bottles, do you want me to send them over now?¡± the bear demon respectfully asked. Jin Li picked up a jade bottle, opened the stopper, and half a bottle of light blue liquid was stored inside of it. A rich aura of Water Spirit Qi and cold air overflowed from the bottle, causing the entire stone chamber to feel chilly. ¡°Send them.¡± He nodded, put the stopper back on the bottle, and waved his hand. ¡°Very well.¡± The bear demon complied and quickly walked out. ¡°Uncle, about Black Feather¡­¡± Jin Lin couldn''t help but approach after the bear demon left. ¡°I have important matters to attend to right now, you should leave. I do not want to hear about today''s events again!¡± Jin Li said indifferently. ¡°Why? I was publicly humiliated by Black Feather, are we just going to let the matter rest?¡± Jin Lin exclaimed with dissatisfaction. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jin Li struck Jin Lin with a heavy slap. ¡°If I say leave, then you should get the hell out of here. If you delay my important matters, I will pluck all the hair off your body!¡± Jin Li roared angrily. Jin Lin covered his burning face, looking at his enraged uncle in fear. It took him a while to react before he hit the road, scurrying out with his tail between his legs. Nobody else dared to linger and hastily fled. Jin Li and Black Feather jointly fixed the broken Big Gate and set up several layers of protective prohibition inside the cave. A figure appeared in the cave, it was Shen Luo. With a thoughtful look on his face, he took out the Heavenly Book and contacted the White-robed Elder and the others. Within the Heavenly Book Broken Land, golden lights flashed continuously, and the White-robed Elder and two others all appeared. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, where are you now?¡± The White-robed Elder immediately asked with concern as soon as he appeared. ¡°I have arrived at Fire-spreading Mountain and have managed to infiltrate the Demon Army of the Red Boy. The Red Boy is currently refining a treasure with eight other True Immortal Stage demons¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly described the situation of the Suspended Cave. He also mentioned the matter of the Ancestor Mountain, but the White-robed Elder and the others did not react much, evidently, they had known about it already. ¡°I didn''t expect that Daoist friend Shen would handle things so proficiently, and already gained control over so much information.¡± The White-robed Elder praised. The other two people did not speak, but their expressions showed surprise. ¡°However, I didn''t expect that there would be nine True Immortals gathered with the Red Boy. You are alone, Daoist friend Shen, even with our assistance, I am afraid there may not be much chance of winning.¡± The White-robed Elder added with a serious voice. ¡°Things are not hopeless. According to the information I have at present, those people are now refining treasures in a heated underground location. They need to take something called Heavenly Dragon Water to withstand the intense heat for a long time. This provides me an opportunity. I''ve gathered you here to ask if anyone has any potent poison that can be mixed into this Heavenly Dragon Water. It would be ideal if we can poison them to death, but even if it just causes them temporary trouble, I can seize the opportunity to capture the Red Boy and take him back to Jilei Mountain.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Daoist friend Shen''s plan is brilliant. However, poisons that can take down True Immortals are not common. Moreover, the most important thing about this poison is that it needs to be concealed and cannot be detected, otherwise it would do more harm than good.¡± The Yellow-robed Man clapped his hands and praised, seemingly very interested in this matter. ¡°I do have two types of Immortal poisons, Bitterwood Poison and Illusory Ice Poison, both of which can take down True Immortal Realm Cultivators. However, these two potent poisons are quite noticeable and not suitable for mixing into drinks.¡± The White-robed Elder said. The Yellow-robed Man was silent, apparently not having a suitable poison either. ¡°I do have a dose of Water Origin Poison here, which is extremely powerful. Although it can''t be fatal, it can cause Qi chaos in five internal organs, causing unbearable abdominal pain and difficulty in movement. Even Taiyi True Immortals can''t escape it.¡± The Silver Armored Man, who had been quite silent, suddenly spoke. ¡°Water Origin Poison? Is this poison concealed?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Strictly speaking, Water Origin Poison is not a potent poison. It is a Yin-and-Yang Water Element force that was born before the opening of the heavens and the earth. Mixing it into the Heavenly Dragon Water, as you just mentioned, even a Taiyi Realm Immortal won''t be able to detect it.¡± The Silver Armored Man confidently stated. ¡°That''s great. May I know what it will take to exchange for your Water Origin Poison?¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed and said with a salute. ¡°Attracting the Bull Demon King is our common goal. Although I, Hua, am not talented, I won''t take advantage of others like some people do. Daoist friend Shen, you can take this Water Origin Poison.¡± The Silver Armored Man glanced at the Yellow-robed Man, took out a white jade bottle, and passed it to Shen Luo using a spell. ¡°Many thanks, Daoist Hua.¡± Shen Luo quickly thanked him. The Yellow-robed Man snorted angrily but didn''t refute. The Silver Armored Man then gave Shen Luo some precautions about the Water Origin Poison, which Shen Luo remembers clearly. ¡°Speaking of potent poison, some time ago, I found a black medicine bottle in a relic. I don''t know what''s stored in the bottle, but as soon as I opened it, black qi immediately gushed from the bottle mouth. It was very strange. Whether it came into contact with mana or Divine Sense, it immediately penetrated and entered my body, making me filled with murderous intent. Shortly after this happened, I encountered a Taiyi Realm Black Skeleton. During the fight, the opponent sprayed a black qi which almost made me attract the Thunder Disaster from the triple calamities. You all are knowledgeable, do you know the origin of this black qi? Is it some sort of potent poison?¡± Thinking of a long-standing doubt in his heart, Shen Luo took out the black jade bottle and asked for the others'' opinion. The Yellow-robed Man and the Silver Armored Man were both surprised and after thinking for a moment, they both shook their heads to indicate that they didn''t know. ¡°Black qi? Brother Shen, please lend me the black jade bottle for a moment.¡± The White-robed Elder broke the silence and spoke. Knowing that he had a lead, Shen Luo was overjoyed and passed the jade bottle over using a spell. The White-robed Elder waved his hand first, opening a white light curtain in front of him, then he opened the black jade bottle. A puff of black air immediately emerged, but it was blocked by the white light curtain and couldn''t penetrate. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but praise the prowess of the White-robed Elder. The White-robed Elder carefully observed the black qi, then took a few more glances inside the bottle, and soon chuckled. ¡°As I thought, it''s a Karma Pill. I didn''t expect that Daoist friend Shen would be able to obtain one.¡± ¡°A Karma Pill?¡± Shen Luo was astonished, so were the Yellow-robed Man and the Silver Armored Man. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, do you know what Karma Force is?¡± Instead of immediately explaining, the White-robed Elder asked. ¡°I read about it in some classics. It''s said that Karma Force is a manifestation of the cause and effect relationship, typically referring to the impact of individual past, present, or future behaviors. It is generally divided into Good Karma and Evil Karma, which is commonly known as good gets good and evil gets evil.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That''s correct. The Karma Pill is a pill refined by collecting Evil Karma. However, this pill is not for consumption but an offensive weapon. After hitting an enemy, the Karma Pill will integrate into the enemy''s body, greatly increasing their Evil Karma and inducing disasters similar to Thunder Disasters.¡± The white-robed elder nodded and said. Chapter 762 Chapter 762: Chapter 758: The Divine Tree Lends Assistance Chapter 762: Chapter 758: The Divine Tree Lends Assistance ¡°I never thought such an attack method existed in this world. Daoist Yuan, you really are a man of vast learning. But karma is elusive. How can it be collected?¡± Shen Luo was enlightened, but then felt incredulous. ¡°Karma is elusive, ordinary people indeed can''t collect it. However, the demon clan, adept at harnessing the Power of Seven Emotions, is the only race capable of collecting karma. Still, to my knowledge, only Chiyou from the demon clan can refine Karma Pills.¡± said the White-robed Elder. Shen Luo was stunned. The Karma Pill was of such significance, and it was refined by Chiyou himself? ¡°The karma contained within this pill is astounding. Use it wisely when you run into a formidable enemy.¡± The white-robed elder stopped the bottle and handed the black medicine bottle back to Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Daoist Yuan.¡± Shen Luo thanked him sincerely. ¡°Is there anything else Daoist Shen need?¡± asked the White-robed Elder, waving his hand. ¡°There is indeed one more thing. The Suspended Cave is filled with fiery lava, and the deeper parts underground are likely even hotter. If you have any fire-resistant treasures, could you lend me one or two? I promise to return them later.¡± Shen Luo made a polite request once again. ¡°That''s easy. I have a string of Red Flame Beads here. They are carved from Fusang Divine Wood. If you wear it, it will automatically help you resist the heat.¡± The Silver Armored Man said. He took out a string of vermilion wooden beads and passed them using a specific skill. Shen Luo had read about the Fusang Divine Wood in classics. It is one of the top ten divine woods of ancient times and was said to be the resting place of the Ancient Golden Crow. ¡°Thank you, Daoist Hua.¡± He happily accepted it. ¡°I have a Profound Ice Mask here. It was obtained incidentally when I annihilated a group of demons many years ago. It contains the power of extreme cold, which can counteract all kinds of fire. This item is of no further use to me, so I''ll give it to Daoist Shen.¡± The White-robed Elder took out a white mask and passed it on to Shen Luo using his powers. ¡°I can''t just take your treasure, Daoist Yuan. I will return it after this matter is resolved.¡± Shen Luo thanked him with a bow and then accepted the white mask, instantly feeling a chilling hurt on his fingers. He quickly conjured his mana to resist the chilling air from the mask. The few of them discussed a little while longer before ending the meeting. Shen Luo left the Heavenly Book Broken Land and returned to Black Feather''s cave mansion. Holding the jade bottle, beads, and mask in his hand, he marveled at the fearsome power of the Heavenly Book Broken Land. No matter where he was, there were always three powerful figures who surpassed the True Immortal Stage standing behind him, supplying an endless stream of treasures. At this point, he was fully confident about capturing the Red Boy. ¡°Here''s the item for you. Add a drop of it to a bottle of Heavenly Dragon Water next time you deliver it to them.¡± Shen Luo handed the Water Origin Poison to Jin Li. ¡°Yes,¡± Jin Li agreed, stored away the jade bottle, and left. Shen Luo stood still, took out two white talismans after a moment of silence, and handed them to Black Feather. ¡°Keep these two invisibility talismans, monitor the movements of the demon soldiers under the command of the other leaders in the Suspended Cave for me.¡± He instructed Black Feather in an indifferent tone. ¡°Yes.¡± Black Feather agreed, accepted the invisibility talismans. Shen Luo conjured the yellow silk handkerchief, and his figure disappeared into the ground in a flash. He began using the Earth Escaping Technique to sneak up. The ground here in the Suspended Cave contained a dense fire elemental force, so an ordinary Earth Escaping Technique could hardly be used. Fortunately, this handkerchief was truly exquisite; despite the difficulties, he finally escaped. Half an hour later, he arrived at a remote small canyon about dozens of miles away from the Suspended Cave. This place was close to the giant volcano on the east side of the mountain pit. The rocks in the canyon were all fire red, like burning coals, and the air was also rippling due to the high temperature. Shen Luo swept his gaze around and continued to move deeper into the canyon, soon arriving in front of a hidden, foot-high mountain cave. The mountain cave meandered downwards where one could vaguely see some flame light. The deeper it went, the hotter it presumably got. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is it here?¡± Shen Luo abruptly asked, raising his hand at the same time. A small red figure appeared. It was Huo San. ¡°That''s right, Great Immortal, follow me.¡± announced Huo San as he ventured into the cave. The temperature inside the cave was twice as high as outside, but Huo San was unfazed. Instead, he seemed to find it quite comfortable. Shen Luo followed closely, his brow furrowing as he silently executed his skills to resist the surrounding high temperature. The cave was winding, and the two of them went downwards, quickly advancing several hundred feet. Threads of red flame began to appear on the walls of the cave, with fierce hot winds constantly blowing from below, threatening to turn anyone into a dried corpse. Shen Luo''s face turned beet-red. He performed a hand-seal, his body emanated a dazzling golden light that formed a light shield around him. Although the Huangting Technique was powerful, it didn''t seem to excel in resisting fiery heat. At this moment, he was already using fifty percent of his mana, but the effect was still less than satisfying. ¡°I didn''t expect the Huangting Technique to have this kind of weakness.¡± he remarked, deeply surprised. Luckily, the temperature of this place wasn''t too high yet. He could still withstand it. ¡°Great Immortal, are you alright?¡± Huo San observed Shen Luo''s condition and asked. ¡°I''m fine, let''s continue.¡± Shen Luo waved away his concern. ¡°Good. The temperature here is not that high. The real challenge lies ahead.¡± Huo San breathed a sigh of relief and continued on. Shen Luo''s expression stiffened slightly, but when he recalled the Red Flame Beads and the Profound Ice Mask, his face softened a bit. After advancing a little further and turning a bend, the red light ahead suddenly intensified. Both sides of the stone wall turned crimson, showing signs of melting. The air was dyed red, like flames, and the surrounding temperature surged several times, charging aggressively like a furious beast. The cause of all this was right in front of them. Along with a ¡°gurgling¡± sound, a surge of orange-red lava blocked the passageway. The temperature here was truly horrifying. Shen Luo felt dizzy, the air he breathed into his lungs seemed to be burning, and the golden protective barrier around his body flashed wildly a few times, beginning to waver. He hurriedly circulated the Huangting Technique but still couldn''t resist the surrounding high temperature. In haste, he took out the string of Red Flame Beads and wore them on his wrist. A layer of red light immediately soared from the beads, continuously absorbing the surrounding scorching heat. He instantly felt relieved and gasped in a deep breath of lesser heated air. ¡°This layer of lava is not thick. Great Immortal, come with me.¡± Huo San said to Shen Luo, his body glowed with red light, partially transparent, and just like that, he plunged into the turbulent orange-red lava. Shen Luo didn''t have Huo San''s God''s Power. Though his body was sturdy, he dared not touch the lava directly. He took out the SeAnchoring Iron Rod and struck the air in front of him. A surging golden light shot into the lava and exploded, creating a hole about ten feet in size in the tumbling lava; fiery red droplets splattering all around. The layer of lava here wasn''t very thick, only several tens of feet. Shen Luo turned into a streak of golden light, shooting through the hole in the lava before it closed up. Huo San was waiting on the other side. Seeing Shen Luo passing through using this method, he was momentarily stunned. Only then did he beckon Shen Luo to continue with their journey. The cave beyond the lava was filled with intense red light everywhere, the flames on the walls were more numerous, and the temperature was much higher than before. Fortunately, the Red Flame Beads carved from the Fusang Divine Wood were truly extraordinary. They continuously absorbed the surrounding heat, enabling Shen Luo to endure. On the subsequent journey, they encountered such small layers of lava seven-hundred or eight-hundred times. However, relying on the numerous treasures on his body, Shen Luo managed to pass through each of them successfully. Chapter 763 Chapter 763: Chapter 759: Infiltration Chapter 763: Chapter 759: Infiltration Half an hour later, Shen Luo and Huo San found themselves in front of another torrent of lava. This lava was different from before ¨C it was a mixture of crimson and gold, scorching hot, with tongues of fire occasionally whipping over its surface. ¡°Once we cross this lava, we''ll reach the Lava Cave. However, this layer of lava is extremely thick, and we need to navigate several bends. I''m afraid the methods you used to cross lava earlier might not work this time.¡± Huo San warned. Shen Luo thoughtfully nodded his head, then pushed out into the void with both hands. Two strands of tangible golden light shot out from his hands, merging into a thick golden cone that pierced into the molten lava. Although the lava was intensely hot, it was soft, a conical void was immediately created upon impact. Even though the lava had been pushed aside, a fearsome blazing heat permeated through the golden cone. Shen Luo''s hands felt as though they''d been stabbed with flaming swords, and even his Red Flame Beads couldn''t counteract it. In a hurry, he took out the Profound Ice Mask and put it on his face. A burst of icy breath instantly flowed throughout his body, greatly alleviating the piercing sensation in his hands. ¡°I''m glad I borrowed these two treasures.¡± Shen Luo exhaled a sigh of relief. The golden light on his body fluctuated, forming a golden shield. At the same time, a flash of yellow light emerged from his body, revealing the Yellow Silk Handkerchief. It added a layer of defense inside the golden shield. The Yellow Silk Handkerchief had some heat-resistant properties. It''s better than nothing. ¡°Let''s go.¡± After finishing these preparations, he plunged into the lava. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Huo San also dove into the lava, leading the way. Even though Shen Luo had traversed through seven or eight layers of lava, he had always passed through it instantly, never lingering within. Now, as he made his way through the lava, oppressive waves of heat emanated from all around, leaving him gasping for breath. Although the Profound Ice Mask filtered out most of the heat, the remainder still made him feel as if he was being chopped up with a knife. Huo San also noticed Shen Luo''s predicament and led the way with all his might. However, due to the winding path within the lava, Shen Luo couldn''t travel at full speed. After what felt like half a cup of tea''s worth of time, Shen Luo felt a surge of relief. Through his Divine Sense, he sensed the end of the lava in front of them, implying that they were finally going to leave this lava region. At this point, his whole body was baked red, and his skin even started to crack. If he was forced to endure for another incense stick''s time, he wouldn''t be able to hang on any longer. Just as he was about to muster his energy and charge out in one burst, he suddenly heard Huo San''s voice transmission in his ear. ¡°Great Immortal, hold on.¡± ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, stopping in his tracks. ¡°Once we pass this section of lava, we will be at the Magma Melt Cave where our Fire Charm Clan is imprisoned. There are guards there, and with my recent escape, the guarding there is definitely tighter. We need to think of a reliable way to sneak in, or we''ll be discovered if we just head out directly.¡± Huo San quickly explained. ¡°I see. You rest a bit, and let me handle this.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, swept Huo San into the Heavenly Book Space with a wave of his hand, then took out an Invisibility Talisman and attached it to his body, making his tracks invisible again. The invisibility talisman worked well, successfully concealing the golden light on his body too. He nodded slightly and slowly propelled himself forward. After a dozen breaths, he felt himself lighten as he finally left the magma zone. Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly brightened as he emerged into an enormous cavern. The cavern was huge, spreading out a few hundred feet wide. Below was a layer of blazing red magma, forming a large scorching lake that filled the lower part of the cavern. Boiling red bubbles in the lake constantly surfaced and burst, filling the entire cavern with a heat so intense it could drive one mad. However, the temperature here was not nearly as unbearable as inside the magma. Upon emerging, Shen Luo even felt a wave of coolness wash over him, and he involuntarily took several deep breaths of the outside air. Opposite the magma lake was a flat surface of red rocky ground, which appeared polished and tiled, somewhat like a square. The red rock square was also quite large, with two to three hundred circular arrays that were about a foot in diameter, arranged like a chessboard. In the center of each array stood an empty crimson jade pillar that seemed to pass through to the core of the earth. Within each array sat two members of the Fire Charm Clan, handcuffed, their hands tightly pressed onto the jade pillars. Their bodies emitted a shimmering red light while the circular array around the jade pillar rotated rapidly. Pure crimson flames spurted from the jade pillars, each giving off waves of exceptionally pure fire elemental force that shot up directly into the sky. ¡°The Fire Charm Clan indeed has unique techniques when it comes to controlling fire. They can actually refine such pure flames from magma.¡± On seeing this, Shen Luo silently appreciated them in his heart. However, just as Huo San had described, long exposure to the molten lava, especially when attempting to summon earth fire, was harmful to the Fire Charm Clan. The bodies of the clan members on the Red Rock Square all showed patches of black spots, and they appeared to be struggling while summoning the earth fire, their bodies trembling slightly. Shen Luo quietly observed this without making any moves. A group of demon soldiers in dark red armor stood on the red ground, pacing back and forth, guarding these Fire Charm Clan members. The demon soldiers were all quite strong, at least at the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Among them, there were even two or three at the Great Mahayana Stage. It wasn''t the demon soldiers that Shen Luo refrained from dealing with, but because according to Jin Li''s information, Sheng Ying King and the other True Immortal Period Demons were right at the top of the cavern. Should any commotion occur below, they would certainly perceive it. The two to three hundred red flames rose like huge fiery dragons dancing in the sky above the Red Rock Square. Then they converged into a towering fire pillar, about twenty or thirty feet long, before shooting straight into the sky, disappearing into the stone wall at the top of the cavern. On the stone wall at the top of the cavern, a enormous crimson array was engraved. It hummed and emitted a devouring force that easily swallowed the giant fire pillar filled with terrifying strength of flames. Shen Luo glanced at the array at the top a few times and quickly withdrew his gaze. Through a spiritual message, he communicated with Huo San inside the Heavenly Book Space, ¡°Is there any detection array inside this magma cave?¡± ¡°There wasn''t before. This cave is quite deep underground and our clan is rather weak. Sheng Ying King didn''t bother much about it and just sent some demon soldiers to guard it. That''s how I was able to escape. But whether there is a detection array now, I can''t tell.¡± Huo San replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo carefully scanned the cavern with his eyes and cautiously his divine sense to thoroughly search the cavern. However, he couldn''t sense any prohibition-related energy. ¡°It seems there are none. It makes sense. Huo San escaped not long ago and Sheng Ying King is busy refining the treasures. He wouldn''t have set up the prohibitions so quickly.¡± Finally assured, Shen Luo flew cautiously towards the corner of the Red Rock ground before landing and dispersing his mana. ¡°Great Immortal, have you already entered the magma cave? How are my clan members doing? Did they get punished because I escaped? Can I take a look at the outside?¡± Huo San hurriedly asked a series of questions. ¡°It''s not convenient now. Stay obedient inside. The Fire Charm Clan isn''t being punished, they are just normally summoning earth fire.¡± Shen Luo replied. Hearing these words, Huo San slightly relaxed. Chapter 764 Chapter 764: Chapter 760: Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique Chapter 764: Chapter 760: Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique ¡°Only four or five hundred of you are from the Fire Charm Clan?¡± Shen Luo swept his eyes across the blast furnace ground filled with the Fire Charm Clan, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. ¡°Only a part of the Fire Charm Clan is here. The other half are locked in the cages on the stone wall of the lava cave. Due to the severe heat of the lava, the Sheng Ying King has arranged us to summon Earth Fire in two groups alternately,¡± Huo San hurriedly explained. Shen Luo looked in the other direction of the Magma Melt Cave. There, a huge cage had been carved into the cliff face, it was filled with shadowy figures who looked like they could be from the Fire Charm Clan. Shen Luo nodded slightly, sat cross-legged on the spot, took out an elixir, and carefully began refining it. His depleted mana slowly recovered, and his wounds quickly healed. ¡°Great Immortal, you plan to deal with the Sheng Ying king here, within this melt cave, right? Please allow me to interact with the members of my clan. I am confident that I can convince my people to assist you,¡± Huo San spoke after pondering a while inside the golden space. ¡°Let''s wait a while longer, I will let you handle it when the time is right,¡± Shen Luo responded mildly. He might seek the help of the Fire Charm Clan, but at the crucial moment, before those real demon immortals above take the Water Origin Poison, he couldn''t afford any mistakes. ¡°Great Immortal, the reduction in number of our Fire Charm Clan may not be of much value to you, but I have a fire control secret technique that could prove to be useful. It is a secret passed down from ancient times. If you save our Fire Charm Clan, I am willing to share this technique with you, as gratitude for your kindness,¡± Huo San said after considered that Shen Luo might not help due to the reduced numbers of the Fire Charm Clan. ¡°Fire control secret technique?¡± Shen Luo was startled. ¡°Yes, this secret technique is a closely guarded secret passed down from generation to generation within our Fire Charm Clan. It is extraordinarily profound. Our clan''s strength is weak, but our ability to control fire is so exquisite. It''s not because our bodies contain the bloodline of the ancient Golden Crow as we''ve claimed, but because of this fire control secret technique,¡± Huo San explained. ¡°Oh? What is so magical about this secret technique?¡± Shen Luo, who had heard all this, became interested in the secret technique. ¡°This secret technique is called the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique. It has the ability to purify flames, manipulate flame transformations, and enhance the power of flame divine powers. It will definitely be useful to you. If you learn this technique, you could easily solve the problem of the high temperature of the flames outside. There are countless subtleties in this fire control technique that our clan''s weak strength and dull aptitude couldn''t fully comprehend. However, a highly-skilled Daoist like you is bound to make the technique shine,¡± Huo San said confidently. ¡°Alright, give me this Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique. I promise to save your Fire Charm Clan from torment,¡± Shen Luo, who was somewhat swayed by Huo San''s words, said after a brief contemplation. He initially intended to save the Fire Charm Clan people. Now that he also got the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, it was indeed a double win. ¡°Thank you, Great Immortal, let me first impart the secret technique to you. It will increase your chances of victory in the upcoming battle,¡± Huo San said joyously before reciting the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique. Shen Luo listened quietly, somewhat casually at first, but gradually grew serious. He felt enlighten by the initial explanations about the power of flames in this Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, and was immensely benefitted and eye-opened by the exquisite fire control methods that followed. The Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique didn''t contain much content, so soon Huo San had finished imparting it. Shen Luo closed his eyes in retrospection, silently operating the technique. The moment the scorching fire force around him encountered his body, it was as if water meeting a reef, directly drifting to both sides. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The temperature within the Magma Melt Cave remained the same, but he felt a significant reduction in the heat. ¡°Indeed, this is great!¡± Shen Luo was extremely pleased with the unexpected gain. In his dreamland form, he didn''t know any flame attacks, so the value of the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique wasn''t much, but in reality, he had the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. In the past, due to his lack of sophisticated fire controlling methods and his practice of the water-type Nameless Cultivation Technique, he couldn''t fully utilize its power even though he had the heavenly fire. Now with this Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, the situation was different. As long as he could comprehend the technique thoroughly, the power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire would definitely shine. Shen Luo exhaled a breath, calmed his feelings, and refined the elixir to recover his mana while contemplating the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique. Time slowly passed and in the blink of an eye, a day and night had passed. Inside the Suspended Cave, Jin Li was sitting in a stone chamber, his eyes closed in meditation. The sound of knocking came from outside. The bear demon that had been there before came in, carrying a jade plate. Sixteen vials of Heavenly Dragon Water were set upon the plate. ¡°Commander, the Heavenly Dragon Water has been refined, please look over it.¡± The bear demon placed the jade plate in front of Jin Li. ¡°Good, leave it here for now. I will personally deliver it later.¡± Jin Li didn''t open his eyes, and simply waved his hand nonchalantly. The bear demon paused, usually he was the one to do this kind of thing. However, since Jin Li insisted on doing it himself, he dared not say anything. He set down the jade plate and left, closing the door behind him. Jin Li suddenly opened his eyes and stroked his fingers in the air, setting up a prohibition within the room. A moment later, he left the room and passed through various corridors, coming to a concealed stone chamber. Inside the chamber was a teleportation array, and a black-robed fox demon stood guard beside it, drowsy-looking. Jin Li coughed loudly, and the black-robed fox demon woke with a start. ¡°Commander!¡± The fox demon hurried to his feet and saluted upon seeing Jin Li. ¡°Today I will personally deliver the Heavenly Dragon Water to Sheng Ying King, and also report on some matters. Take me there.¡± Jin Li ordered calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± The black-robed fox demon answered hastily, drawing out a token and flashing it over the array. A white light shot out from the token into the array, which immediately began humming and shooting out white light all around. Jin Li stood on the array, the scenery before his eyes rapidly changing. Once his vision cleared, he found himself in another stone chamber. Red light flooded this space, as if one was in a purgatory of flames. This place was even hotter than the magma melt cave below. Jin Li quickly pulled out a set of red face-covering armor and put it on. It was a specially crafted Red Scale Battle Armor, capable of insulating against extreme heat. All the demon soldiers in the magma melt cave also wore such armor. Then, he applied a red talisman to his body. A red light enveloped his body, adding another layer of protection. Only then did he step out of the stone chamber and head to the passageway outside. The red glow was stronger ahead, and at the end there was another stone door, from which a dull, rumbling noise constantly resounded. Lowering his eyelids, Jin Li, with the jade plate in his hands, quickly moved towards it. Behind the stone door was a stone chamber a hundred feet in size. At its center was a square pool filled with roaring, hot earthfire that swirled chaotically within. There was a large array carved into the ground around the pool, in a nine-palace configuration, highly complex. Above the pool, there was a giant refining furnace the size of a house, full of red light and fierce flames. A blood-red array was visualized in the void above the refining furnace. Although it was much smaller than the nine-palace array below, it housed a blood-colored round pearl filled with intense blood light. It emitted countless sharp cries, and upon close inspection, one could see it was filled with countless human and beast souls all crying out in agony. Nine figures sat within the nine-palace array on the ground, jointly casting a spell to activate the array. As the nine-palace array emitted a bright red light and spun rapidly, the blood-red array above the refining furnace rotated in tandem. Nine blood rays shot out from the blood-colored round pearl, each carrying a soul, continuously pouring into the refining furnace. Past the flames and blood light, one could vaguely see a blood-colored sphere suspended inside the furnace, emanating a brutal aura. It ceaselessly absorbed the power of the flames and the souls of the blood-colored round pearl. The aura of the blood-colored sphere grew even more massive, like that of a peerless demon fetus, slowly gestating, waiting for the day of its birth. Chapter 765 Chapter 765: Chapter 761: The Four Demon Envoys Chapter 765: Chapter 761: The Four Demon Envoys ¡°Who would have thought that Daoist Sheng Ying could actually gather the power of the five elements ¨C gold, wood, water, fire, earth, along with countless blood souls and the demonic blood power of Chiyou. Perhaps he really could refine the Spirit Rhinoceros Divine Sword. If this sword is refined, it''ll undoubtedly be a great achievement!¡± A black-robed elder cackled. This man was thin, with white hair and an ugly face. He looked old, yet his eyes were extremely sharp and bright. There was a string of exceptionally bizarre black beads hung on the elder''s chest, composed of black skeletons, which looked extremely sinister. Behind the black-robed elder were three people. One was a thin middle-aged man with deep-set eyes that were red, like an evil ghost ready to devour humans. Another was a sturdy big man with a full face of stubble and an intense oppressive aura, like a giant beast lying in hibernation. The last one was a woman in a black skirt, tall and slender, with painted eyebrows and a face filled with murderous aura. She had a golden axe pinned to her waist. Opposite the black-robed elder sat five people. The one in the lead was a boy about seven or eight years old, with a powdered face and rouge-stained lips. He was dressed in a red embroidered battle skirt with a gold hoop on each wrist, ankle, and around his neck. He looked very cute, but the three points of ferocity on his face made him something to be taken seriously. Behind the red-skirted boy sat four people, each clad in full armor which hid their body shapes and faces. However, their armors were colored gold, yellow, green, and blue, which evidently were the Four Generals under Red Boy''s command mentioned by Jin Li. All around, the gathered people lit up in various colors, each having a distinct aura. Among them, the black-robed Elder had the densest and purest demonic qi, virtually devoid of any other mixed breath. The three behind the elder and Red Boy were all mixed with demonic and demon qi, while the Four Generals behind Red Boy were pure Demon Race, not yet invaded by demonic qi. ¡°General Hao Tan is too kind; it''s all down to luck. Whether this Spirit Rhinoceros Divine Sword can be refined, we still need your combined efforts,¡± the Red Boy laughed. ¡°Of course. But it seems that the firepower is a bit insufficient. Did you catch that escaped member of the Fire Charm Royal Clan?¡± the black-robed elder asked. Upon hearing this, Red Boy was about to activate a spell using a green bead when there was a knock from outside. ¡°Come in,¡± Red Boy put down the bead and said. The Stone Chamber Gate was pushed open, and Jin Li walked in, holding a jade plate. ¡°Great King Sheng Ying, four eminent Demon Generals, I have come to deliver the Heavenly Dragon Water,¡± he announced politely as he stopped outside the array. The room was unbearably hot, causing Jin Li great discomfort despite having two layers of protection on his body. At Jin Li''s words, the Four Generals behind the Red Boy and the three people behind the black-robed elder were all delighted. They were far inferior in cultivation to the Red Boy and the black-robed elder. Although they all wore fire-resistant items, they still found it unbearably painful. They had used up all of yesterday''s Heavenly Dragon Water and were waiting for today''s supply. ¡°Bring it over quickly,¡± the sturdy big man behind the black-robed elder urged impatiently. Jin Li complied and waved his hand. The sixteen bottles of Heavenly Dragon Water on the jade plate shot out, falling in front of the eight people besides King Sheng Ying, two in front of each. The sturdy man reached out for a bottle, preparing to take a sip. ¡°Wait!¡± The black-robed elder suddenly raised his hand to stop the big man''s arm. ¡°Brother Hao, what''s wrong?¡± Red Boy asked curiously. The others also looked at the black-robed elder. Trusting the elder, none of them drank the Heavenly Dragon Water in their hands. ¡°The one who used to deliver the Heavenly Dragon Water wasn''t you. Where''s that previous bear demon?¡± Instead of paying attention to the others, the black-robed elder stared at Jin Li with hawk-like eyes and asked coldly. ¡°General Hao, you are right. I am Jin Li, and I''m here today to replace a previous attendant to deliver the Heavenly Dragon Water for His Majesty and the Demonic Envoys.¡± Jin Li removed the helmet of his armor and gave a bow to everyone present. ¡°Jin Li, why are you here?¡± The Red Boy showed a frown upon seeing Jin Li. ¡°Your Majesty, I have some information to report to you about the escaped Fire Charm clansman, so I replaced the Bear Demon Attendant and came here,¡± Jin Li hastily explained. ¡°Oh, did you find Huo San?¡± The Red Boy''s face brightened up. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I apologize for falling short, Your Majesty. I had assigned the Black Feather and Black Mountain to chase him. They were close to capturing him, but then a mysterious man suddenly appeared and rescued Huo San,¡± Jin Li explained, lowering his head. ¡°Were you able to identify this person?¡± The Red Boy''s eyes flashed with anger, but considering the presence of the black-robed elder and others, he restrained himself and asked in a deep voice. ¡°No, sir, his cultivation level is too high. After rescuing Huo San, he escaped immediately. However, Black Feather and the others found some clues and are chasing him,¡± Jin Li hurriedly replied. ¡°Very well, find out as soon as possible who this person is and catch Huo San. Feel free to mobilize the troops at the Suspended Cave!¡± The Red Boy softened his expression and ordered. ¡°Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Jin Li showed his gratitude with a bright look on his face. Ignoring Jin Li, the Red Boy turned to the black-robed elder and said, ¡°General Hao, this man is the commander of Suspended Cave, and is not a person of suspicion.¡± The black-robed elder''s expression eased a little. He picked up a bottle of Heavenly Dragon Water and examined it carefully, still with a watchful look in his eyes. ¡°What do you mean by this, General? Do you think I have poisoned the Heavenly Dragon Water? This liquid is made by my own hands. If you think it''s poisoned, I will drink it first and die!¡± Jin Li''s face reddened with anger when he saw the black-robed elder''s action. ¡°Jin Li! Do not disrespect General Hao!¡± The Red Boy rebuked sternly. ¡°Yes.¡± Jin Li responded, with anger still evident on his face. ¡°Your Majesty, you do not need to blame Jin Daoist. I do have some doubts about this Heavenly Dragon Water. Since Jin Daoist said so, please take a sip first,¡± said the black-robed elder, without any anger, then tossed the jade bottle to Jin Li. Seeing this, the Red Boy''s eyes flashed with displeasure, but he didn''t say anything. ¡°General Hao, Jin Daoist is the commander of the Suspended Cave, he is one of us, you don''t need to do this,¡± a sturdy, large man behind the elder, noticing the Red Boy''s displeasure, said quietly. ¡°The matter we are handling now concerns Lord Chi You, we can afford no lapses. The Red Boy will understand, won''t he?¡± The black-robed elder, with a smile, asked the Red Boy. The Red Boy looked at him, their eyes colliding in the void, seemingly sparks flying, but then they both subtly looked away. ¡°What you said makes sense, General Hao,¡± Red Boy said, his tone slightly colder. Jin Li caught the bottle, and without any hesitation, uncorked it and took a large gulp. Everyone in the cave watched Jin Li. Time ticked by slowly. After about fifteen minutes, Jin Li showed no signs of discomfort, and his aura remained unchanged. ¡°Jin Daoist is fine, this Heavenly Dragon Water should be safe to drink, right?¡± The large man with flushed cheeks from the heat asked impatiently. ¡°It''s fine,¡± The black-robed elder said indifferently, without a trace of guilt for doubting Jin Li. The large man immediately brought the jade bottle to his mouth and drained a large gulp, the redness on his cheeks fading rapidly and he breathed a sigh of relief. Besides the Red Boy and the black-robed elder, everyone else also drank their Heavenly Dragon Water. Chapter 766 Chapter 766: Chapter 762: Falling into the Trap Chapter 766: Chapter 762: Falling into the Trap ¡°Alright, Jin Li, you can go now. Continue to investigate Huo San. Let me know immediately if there''s any news,¡± the Red Boy waved his hand, instructing Jin Li. Jin Li agreed and left. As soon as he stepped out of the stone chamber, a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes. Without pausing, he quickly walked away. ¡°We''ve succeeded!¡± Shen Luo in the magma melt cave below suddenly opened his eyes, standing up. The Water Origin Poison was incredibly covert ¨C even that black-robed elder, who must be in the Late True Immortal Stage, was completely oblivious to its existence. ¡°Thankfully, to be prepared for this situation, I asked Daoist Hua for two doses of the antidote for the Water Origin Poison earlier. I had Jin Li take them in advance; otherwise, we''ve have been exposed,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. He promptly took out an Invisibility Talismans and sent it into a golden space to Huo San. ¡°Use this talisman to hide, and try to contact the imprisoned Fire Charm Clan members. Let them be ready to take action immediately,¡± Shen Luo communicated to him. ¡°Yes!¡± Huo San was anxious, but hearing this, he was overjoyed. Shen Luo waved his hand and let Huo San out. Huo San immediately activated the Invisibility Talisman, concealing himself and flying towards the distant prison. Meanwhile, in the refining room upstairs, the Red Boy and others continued to activate the array, refining the Spirit Rhinoceros Divine Sword within the furnace. The sturdy big man''s body was flashing with green light, which was constantly being infused into the array underground, alleviating the intense heat. His expression relaxed considerably from before. He looked at the black-robed elder next to him, seemingly wanting to say something, but then his face suddenly took on a strange color. He hugged his abdomen, with the green light on his body quickly fading, and he fell to the ground. His mouth was wide open, but he couldn''t make a sound. His forehead veins were bulging, and sweat was dripping down. ¡°Daoist Gu! What''s wrong¡­¡± The young woman in the black skirt next to him turned pale and quickly asked. Before she could finish, her face also changed. She clutched her abdomen and collapsed to the ground, her pretty face turning deathly pale. At this moment, the skinny middle-aged man near the young woman, and the Four Generals behind the Red Boy also did the same, hugging their stomachs as they fell to the ground, their faces showing expressions of pain. ¡°It was that Jin Li just now! There''s something wrong with the Heavenly Dragon Water!¡± The black-robed elder leaped up from the ground and shouted angrily. His cultivation level was profound, allowing him to withstand the extreme heat. He still had some of yesterday''s Heavenly Dragon Water left, so he didn''t drink the Heavenly Dragon Water that Jin Li had just brought. The Red Boy''s expression instantly turned exceedingly solemn. He stood up abruptly, about to do something. But with the eight people inside the Array stopping their actions, the flames and the blood light in the refining furnace immediately became chaotic. The blood-colored light sphere inside also started trembling, continuously bulging. The Red Boy and the black-robed elder didn''t hesitate. They quickly made wheel-like gestures towards the refining furnace. Runes fell into it, and the blood-colored light sphere inside gradually stabilized, although it still showed signs of instability. Upon seeing this, the Red Boy bit the tips of his right-hand fingers, then flicked his hand upwards. Five streams of blood light shot out, transforming into five blood-colored chains that sank into the refining furnace, fastening the blood-colored light sphere within it. The blood-colored light sphere finally stabilized thoroughly. The flames and blood light in the refining furnace calmed down as well. Once he completed these actions, the Red Boy went slightly pale, but he instantly recovered. ¡°I''d like to ask you, Daoist Hao, to stay and guard the refining furnace,¡± he said to the black-robed old man, then his right hand grabbed into the void. With a ¡°clang¡± sound, a crimson war spear appeared in the Red Boy''s hand. The entire spear was aflame with burning red fire. The Red Boy instantly turned into a red shadow and flew towards outside. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, the door to the stone chamber opposite to the corridor was instantly shattered into pieces, revealing the teleportation array inside. Deep inside the core of the ground in the refining room, not connected to the outside with any passageway, the comings and goings were facilitated by this teleportation array. Red Boy was about to leap onto the array and teleport to confront Jin Li when at the moment, the normally functioning array suddenly lit up brightly, then quickly dimmed down. Apparently, the array above was destroyed by someone. ¡°I''m damned!¡± Red Boy blazed with fury. He lifted his fire-tipped spear upwards and with a mountain like shadows of spears, attacked the stone wall above in resentment. The stones here were burnt by the underground fire for millions of years, and had become as hard as iron but still, they were fragile as tofu in the face of the spear shadows. Boom! A large piece of the stone wall collapsed and crushed down towards Red Boy. However, Red Boy''s body ignited with raging flames, those stones transformed into green smoke with a sizzling sound before they could even touch his body. Below in the magma melt cave, Shen Luo felt the movement from above, his face was full of joy. Raising his hand, he waved it forward. In front of him, an array of silver flashes, revealing more than ten Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers with cultivation levels of the Great Mahayana Stage. The Heavenly Soldiers didn''t have an invisibility talisman, and the demon soldiers in the cave discovered them immediately. ¡°Who''s there!¡± A man with a snake''s head appeared near the Heavenly Soldiers, drew out a bluish snake spear; he was one of the three Great Mahayana Stage Demon Race. The reaction of the other two Great Mahayana Stage Demon Races was also extremely fast, instantly flying forward of the Fire Charm Clan, readied to defend them. This Fire Charm Clan needed to refine the earth fire for the Sheng Ying King, which would supply the refining room above. They couldn''t allow any problems to happen. The other demon soldiers on the field also reacted, lunging towards the Heavenly Soldiers like wolves and tigers. ¡°Kill all these armored demons, leave none alive.¡± Shen Luo ordered indifferently, his tone seemed ice cold. The quietly standing Silver Heavenly Soldiers instantly assaulted, transforming into more than ten silver lightning storms, plunging into the crowd of demon soldiers, body after body of demon soldiers exploded resulting in limbs flying all over the sky, and blood scattering in all directions. These Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers were the elite among the Great Mahayana Stage, easily handling these Nascent Soul Stage demon soldiers. In just a few breaths'' worth of time, countless demon soldiers on the field were wiped out. ¡°Quick! Report to the Great King quick!¡± The snake-headed man trembled all over, turned and shouted to the other two Great Mahayana Stage Demon Races, his figure recoiled backward. The other two Great Mahayana Stage Demon Races didn''t bother with protecting the Fire Charm Clan and retreated hastily. One of the lion-headed demon races took out a green round pearl, preparing to motivate it using a magic formula. With a squeaking sound of something breaking the silence, a silver arrow shot through the air, faster than anyone''s eyes could follow, accurately striking the palm of the lion-headed demon race. The palm of the lion demon exploded, scattering broken bones and spilling blood, the green round pearl was also blown away. Among the dozen Heavenly Soldiers, a Silver Armored Female General stood quietly, holding a silver grand bow. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The lion-headed demon race screamed horribly, enduring the severe pain of his broken limbs, extended his other hand this time to capture the green round pearl. However, this action sounded the death knell for this lion-headed demon. The hand of the distant Silver Armored Female General became hazy, a silver light shot out. A silver light flashed before the lion demon and another silver arrow virtually appeared out of nowhere at an unimaginable speed, faster than sound itself leaving no time for the lion-headed demon to react, and hit him straight on the head. With a muffled sound of a ¡°bang¡±, the head of the lion-headed demon at the Great Mahayana Stage burst open, marking his instant death. Other Heavenly Soldiers rushed towards the snake-headed demon race and another demon race, both had no power to resist and were instantly killed. At this moment, the people of the Fire Charm Clan on Red Rock Square, who had by now stopped summoning the earth fire, retreated to the side, looked frightened at the dozen or so Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers on the square, fearing that they too would be slaughtered. Just then, a loud explosion reverberated from afar, the stone gates on the stone walls cracked open, all the imprisoned members of the Fire Charm Clan flew out, lead by Huo San himself. Chapter 767 Chapter 767: Chapter 763 Samadhi True Fire Chapter 767: Chapter 763 Samadhi True Fire ¡°Young Master! You have returned!¡± Seeing Huo San, the Fire Charm Clan on Red Rock Square were overjoyed, but they didn''t dare to move due to the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers. The members of the Fire Charm Clan that were released by Huo San stood afar, equally terrified of the Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers. Huo San was also frightened by the dozen Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers. He swallowed hard, tried to maintain his composure, and shouted, ¡°Everyone, do not be afraid! These Silver Armor elders are warriors under the Great Immortal, they are our people. Great Immortal, are you still here?¡± At the end of his speech, Huo San looked around, seeking to find traces of Shen Luo. The figure of Shen Luo appeared in the void above the crowd''s heads. ¡°Great Immortal!¡± Huo San called out in delight. However, Shen Luo ignored both Huo San and the Fire Charm Clan. He looked up at the huge array ceiling of the cave, took out the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod from his hand, both of his arms radiated a strong golden light and quickly became thick. Furthermore, golden dragon scales emerged, rapidly transforming into two robust dragon arms. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod suddenly rose up like the brilliant sunlight, casting a light so bright that the demons below could not open their eyes. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo commanded, heaving the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod upward and throwing it out. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod transformed into a dazzling golden light and disappeared in a flash. The next moment, the void beneath the cave wall erupted in noise as the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod reappeared, but it had already transformed into a massive golden stick, several dozens of feet long and about a foot thick. It was ruthlessly jabbed into the cave wall. The solid cave wall seemed to turn into soft tofu, the massive stick effortlessly jabbed into it, embedding itself more than halfway. Huge cracks appeared around the giant stick on the cave wall, which quickly spread around. Those ten or so heavenly soldiers also flew up, and various attacks such as sword Qi, sword glow and arrows blasted onto the ceiling of the cave, leaving dozens of deep pits. ¡°Quick! Form the Mysterious Fire Battle Array to assist the great immortal!¡± Seeing this, Huo San immediately shouted. Red light radiated from his body and rapidly spread around him, soon forming a ball of red fire cloud several feet wide around him, emitting a strong wave of the Power of Flames. Huo San''s words were commanding; the other members of the Fire Charm Clan immediately flew up and merged into the flame transformed by Huo San. Every time a Fire Charm Clan member came in, the red fire cloud transformed by Huo San grew larger, and the wave of fire emitted was stronger. All the Fire Charm Clan swiftly flew into the fire cloud, expanding the red fire cloud to the size of a few dozen feet. A terrifying wave of the Power of Flames rolled out, overwhelming the heat from the magma lake below, Shen Luo couldn''t help but look over. All of these seemed complicated, but it was accomplished in the blink of an eye. ¡°Golden Crow Transform!¡± A loud shout came out from the fire cloud, it was Huo San''s voice. The entire fire cloud immediately surged, transforming into a three-legged Golden Crow tens of feet large hovering in mid-air, its wings and three claws burning with intense golden flames. Just a slight quiver could unleash a terrifying heat wave. As soon as the Golden Crow took shape, it flapped its wing towards the cave wall. Its burning beak pecked furiously into the ceiling of the cave, burying itself in. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An explosive power like a volcano was injected into the cave wall and exploded furiously. The already severely damaged cave roof could no longer hold up and collapsed with a bang. In the refining room upstairs, the Black-robed Elder stared in shock at the golden giant stick that suddenly sprung from the ground. He quickly waved his hand to emit a black light, bringing up the seven fallen people and the furnace. Meanwhile, the frustrated Red Boy in another stone chamber heard the commotion from the refining room and quickly flew back. But before he could return to the Refining Room, huge cracks appeared on the ground beneath his feet. Dazzling red light burst out from the cracks, and then the ground collapsed with a bang. Everything began to fall downwards. Caught off guard, the Red Boy also started falling downward. But a flash of red light stabilized his form immediately. The collapsing ground turned into countless big and small stones and ended up falling into the magma melt cave beneath. A huge wave was stirred up on the magma lake, and the Red Rock Square was buried by the falling stones. But, the Red Boy and the black-robed elder could still see the corpses of the demon soldiers on the square. ¡°Who did this?¡± The Red Boy looked furious and fiercely scanned his surroundings. In the magma cave, only the colossal Golden Crow ¡ª the illusion conjured by the Fire Charm Clan ¡ª remained visible. Shen Luo and the Heavenly Soldiers disappeared once again. There was no trace of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod that had pierced the rock wall. The Red Boy glancedat the giant golden crow and then darted towards it, turning into a red afterimage. However, at this moment, a long golden light suddenly shot out from the pile of huge stones below. The Golden Rope, amazingly powerful, targeted the Red Boy''s body. Although the Red Boy was in a rage, his cultivation level was high, and his reaction was extremely fast. The tip of his fire-tipped spear rotated, ripped open the air, traced a twisted arc, and precisely struck the Golden Rope. However, the Golden Rope suddenly wrapped around the Fire-tipped Spear and sped forward along the spear in an instant, binding the body of the Red Boy. Not far away, the void above a pile of huge stones fluctuated, and Shen Luo reappeared. He darted towards the Red Boy like a bolt of lightning, his hands emitting golden light. He intended to imprison the boy within the Heavenly Book. He had full control over the Heavenly Book space. As long as he could capture the Red Boy inside it, he could fully immobilize even a Taiyi True Immortal. But at that moment, an unexpected change occurred. Five golden rings suddenly flew out from Red Boy''s wrists and neck, turning into five large golden hoops and wrapping around him. Golden Buddhist mantras appeared on the massive rings, and an overwhelming Buddhist power burst out. The Golden Rope was suddenly forced open by the five large golden rings and could not restrain the Red Boy''s mana. Shen Luo looked surprised, but didn''t stop. Instead, he continued to charge forward. The Red Boy was shocked. He clenched his fist and punched himself in the nose twice, and then he spat fiercely towards Shen Luo. A stream of colored glaze-like, almost transparent flame shot out and surged towards Shen Luo. The coloured glaze flame emitted no high-temperature aura, but it made Shen Luo''s heart pound. He instantly stopped charging forward, commanded the Heavenly Book to encapsulate these coloured glaze flames, and was about to take them in. But these colored glaze flames fluctuated slightly, and a force of the purest fire surged out, swallowing and burning away the force of the Heavenly Book. They continued to fly forward. Shen Luo''s expression changed. His feet emitted dazzling Moonlight Glamour, and he rapidly shot backwards, narrowly avoiding the sweep of the colored glaze flames. The Red Boy sneered and made a gesture with his hand. The colored glaze flames swirled back and coiled around the Golden Rope. The golden light on the Golden Rope quivered violently, producing a crackling sound as it twisted incessantly, appearing to scorch painfully. ¡°What kind of flame is this that it can even burn the Golden Rope!¡± Heartache shot through Shen Luo for his treasure. He quickly raised his hand to retract the Golden Rope, and retreated another dozen feet. The exchange between the two happened as quick as lightning, and they separated in the blink of an eye. The giant golden crow in the distance, as well as the black-robed elder and the others, had only just reacted to what happened. They flew over to their respective sides. ¡°Be careful, Great Immortal! Those coloured glaze flames are Sheng Ying King''s Samadhi True Fire. They can incinerate anything and are extremely frightening,¡± warned Huo San through a transmission. Shen Luo''s heart pounded as he stared at the coloured glaze flames, his eyes filled with surprise. On the other side, the black-robed elder had settled the poisoned ones in a safe corner of the cave, before flying over to the Red Boy''s side. ¡°Are you okay, Sheng Ying friend?¡± the elder asked with concern. Chapter 768 Chapter 768: Chapter 764: The Demon Slayer Chapter 768: Chapter 764: The Demon Slayer ¡°It''s okay, just a bit startled. It seems like this man is the culprit behind all the misfortunes! Hao Daoist, let''s join hands and kill this man!¡± Red Boy stared at Shen Luo with a menacing look in his eyes. ¡°Alright!¡± The black-robed elder was prudent and wanted to ask about Shen Luo''s background first. However, seeing that Shen Luo''s actions clearly indicated malice towards them, asking about it seemed pointless. He suppressed the confusion in his heart and shouted sternly. Before his words had fallen, he reached for the black skull prayer beads around his neck and tossed them towards Shen Luo. Whoo Whoo Whoo! The black skull prayer beads rapidly enlarged tenfold, with black light swirling around the eighty-one skulls on it. The sounds of the wailing of demons echoed in the surrounding void. Each skull was marked with scent scars and was radiating a ring of Buddha''s light. They seemed to be skulls formed from the fall of the Buddha, but these Buddha''s lights were tainted black by the demonic light, enhancing their power. Each strand of Buddha''s light was as heavy as a mountain. With eighty-one strands of Buddha''s light overlapped, the entire magma melt cave was also trembling continuously. Impatient, Red Boy immediately lunged forward, spear in hand. The spearhead sprayed out a vast expanse of red flames. The flames, accompanied by thick smoke, surged in all directions. ¡°I thought I could be lazy, but it seems I''m going to need to exert myself after all.¡± Shen Luo murmured, raising his hand and making a swiping gesture. The golden and silver light flickered around him, and a dozen silver heavenly soldiers and two armored heavenly generals appeared out of thin air in front of him: the Thunder Division Heavenly General and the Juling God. The black-robed elder and Red Boy both changed their expressions when they saw this scene. ¡°You go and hold Red Boy off. Be careful of his Samadhi True Fire,¡± Shen Luo said. Hearing this, the Thunder Division Heavenly General and Juling God transformed into two golden lights and shot out towards Red Boy, with the silver heavenly soldiers closely following them. The Thunder Division Heavenly General transformed into thunder and lightning and in an instant, came over Red Boy''s head. He swung his long stick horizontally, and several thick lightning bolts burst out, instantly tearing the flames in front of the Red Boy and striking his body. Red Boy was taken aback. The five golden rings around him immediately radiated a golden light, forming a golden light shield. With a loud ¡°clang¡± sound, the five golden rings trembled violently but managed to withstand the lightning attack. Murderous intent flashed in Red Boy''s eyes. His fire-tipped spear moved like a venomous snake, and in an instant, it had reached the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s face. The Thunder Division Heavenly General, whose Thunder Technique was powerful but not skilled in martial arts and had a weaker cultivation level than Red Boy, tried to block with his golden staff, but was a step too slow and was about to be pierced. With a sharp ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a green giant axe swept in from the side, knocking the fire-tipped spear away. Sparks flew, and the Juling God had finally arrived. After knocking the fire-tipped spear away, the Juling God spun his body around rapidly, and his giant axe turned into a green shadow slicing towards Red Boy''s neck. There was a loud ¡°clang¡± sound! Red Boy blocked the slash with his spear sideways. Young and weak, he was pushed back a few steps. The heavenly soldiers flew over, attacking Red Boy like a rainstorm. The giant golden crow, formed by the Fire Charm Clan, hesitated for a moment before flapping its wings towards Red Boy. It pecked and clawed, launching a series of fierce attacks. Although Red Boy was attacked from both sides, his deep cultivation level and extraordinary martial arts allowed him to handle it. His fire-tipped spear was unpredictable, and the five golden rings flying around his body offered strong defense. He was not at a disadvantage even when facing multiple foes. Shen Luo ignored the Red Boy and rushed towards the Black-robed Elder, taking out a yellow silk handkerchief as he moved. The yellow silk handkerchief unfurled with a ¡°whoosh¡± and, expanding a hundredfold in the wind, blocked the series of black skull prayer beads. Seeing that Shen Luo had responded in such a simple way, the Black-robed Elder was overjoyed. Although his Buddha Bone Prayer Beads looked ordinary, they were in fact crafted from the remains of the Western Paradise Buddha that had been slain by the Demon Clan. Furthermore, with the Heavenly Demon Technique, he had converted the Buddha''s light from the Buddha into Demonic Qi. They say Buddhism and demonism are but a mere thought apart. Buddha Monks who fall into depravity become evil demons. This converted Demonic Qi was incredibly powerful, not only possessing a formidable attack but also able to invade the souls of those who come into contact with it during a clash of mana. In minor cases, it would cause peoples'' spirits to fall into chaos, in serious cases, their souls could be controlled, reducing them to the walking dead. Having obtained this Demonic Treasure, the Black-robed Elder had hardly ever met a match among monks of the same level, let alone anyone of a lower realm than him. With a flipping motion, the Black-robed Elder took a tree fork-shaped Black Thorn Treasure from his long robe. The 6-pronged top was incredibly sharp and emitting a black light that would make one''s skin crawl. An unbearably acrid smell of blood indicated that it was an extremely malicious demonic artifact. He planned to slay Shen Luo at once when his soul was invaded by the Demonic Qi. The prayer beads and the yellow silk handkerchief collided, creating a series of loud bangs. The yellow silk handkerchief only trembled slightly before it easily endured the collision, and not a hint of the pitch-black Demonic Qi on the prayer beads pierced through the handkerchief. ¡°What?! This is impossible!¡± The Black-robed Elder''s face showed incredulity. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo rushed up to the Black-robed Elder and took out the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, unleashing the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique and swinging horizontally towards the elder''s waist. The Black-robed Elder reacted only then. He released the Black Thorn Treasure from his hand, which transformed into a black light and blocked the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. As his other hand reached toward the storage bag around his waist, he prepared to take out other magical treasures. As Shen Luo tightened his grip on the SeAnchoring Iron Rod, the golden light on its body surged and golden patterns surfaced. Suddenly, the surrounding space collapsed and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushed towards the SeAnchoring Iron Rod like a funnel. A dreadful aura capable of ruining the heavens and the earth erupted. After advancing to the True Immortal Middle Stage, the power of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod gradually began to show, and the speed of his horizontal swing increased drastically, striking the Black Thorn Treasure. With a soft ¡°bang¡±, the Black Thorn Treasure exploded on contact and turned into a large swirl of black fireflies. The SeAnchoring Iron Rod, neither decreasing in speed nor force, struck the elder''s waist with a flash. The Black-robed Elder didn''t have time to take out other magical treasures. His body was cleaved in two, and the parts instantly exploded. But they didn''t turn into mutilated limbs, instead, they transformed into two lumps of pitch-black demon qi, rolling over each other and rapidly merging into one, trying to escape into the distance. However, the aura of the black qi had slumped by almost half compared to before. Apparently, despite using a secret technique to avoid his downfall, the Black-robed Elder was still badly injured by the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. ¡°Damn it! From where did this pesky star come? What kind of treasure is that golden stick? And that yellow silk handkerchief, it''s so amazing; it must at least be at the level of an Innate Spiritual Treasure. How am I supposed to fight this?¡± The Black-robed Elder retreated, cursing in his heart. Just then, a streak of golden light shot over from the side. It was the golden rope, ensnaring the black qi with its incredible speed. The black qi immediately dispelled, revealing the Black-robed Elder, tightly bound by the golden rope. The Black-robed Elder was not able to resist the golden rope treasure, and all the demonic qi throughout his body was effectively restrained. He plummeted down like a stone, his heart sinking into an abyss. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A golden rod shadow flashed past as the SeAnchoring Iron Rod grew a hundredfold in the wind and sliced through the Black-robed Elder''s head, leaving trails of afterimages. The elder''s head shattered soundlessly, and before his divine soul could escape, it had vanished into thin air. Pity the Black-robed Elder. Despite being in the Late True Immortal Stage, he had unfortunately met Shen Luo, who was a perfect counter against him. He was killed without being able to execute any of his techniques. Shen Luo waved a streak of golden light, which gathered the Black-robed Elder''s storage magical tool and the string of Buddha Bone Prayer Beads and placed them into his pouch. Chapter 769 Chapter 769: Chapter 765: Secret maneuver Chapter 769: Chapter 765: Secret maneuver ¡°General Hao!¡± Red Boy over at the far side was startled as he watched the black-robed elder being killed in the blink of an eye. He threw another punch at his nose and spewed out a breath. Boom! A large spray of Samadhi True Fire erupted and rolled towards surrounding figures like Juling God, Thunder Division Heavenly General, and others. Juling God and the Thunder Division Heavenly General, recognizing the intensity of the flames, hastily retreated. But Red Boy pinched his fingers together, with two clusters of red light appearing at his fingertips, pulsating incredibly with his magic spell. The nearby Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushes to converge, and the originally several-feet-wide Samadhi True Fire expands rapidly, transforming into an acre-wide glazed fire cloud, which suddenly descends. Within this confined space of the cave, figures like the Thunder Division Heavenly General and Juling God, along with those Heavenly Soldiers, did not avoid in time and were all engulfed in it. Only the Fire Charm Clan, who seemed to have witnessed the magic of the Red Boy, retreated quickly before he could cast his magic, and used the illusion technique to retreat into the magma, barely avoiding it. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fire Incineration of the Three Realms!¡± Ignoring the Fire Charm Clan, Red Boy shouted aloud while changing the magic spell in his hand. The entire fire cloud churned and roiled like boiling water. Each wisp of Samadhi True Fire within the cloud underwent a strange change, absorbing the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi like mad, becoming more robust. Its already extremely high temperature increased several times again, causing the nearby void to distort severely, as if it was going to be dissolved by the Power of Flames. The Thunder Division Heavenly General and Juling God within the cloud were quickly swallowed up by the Power of Flames and turned into nothingness, let alone those Heavenly Soldiers in the Great Mahayana Stage. ¡°The Red Boy just used the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique!¡± Upon seeing this scene, Shen Luo was not angry but delighted. Manipulating the Samadhi True Fire with the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique could unleash such a formidable power. The magic of that fire cloud is truly irresistible. If the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique is used to stimulate the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the power will certainly not be inferior. With plethora of thoughts racing in his mind, Shen Luo transformed his body into a golden light with a flash and shot straight towards the Red Boy. Red Boy had been paying attention to Shen Luo''s situation. Seeing this, he immediately sank into the glazed fire cloud, quickly pinched out a myriad of crimson magic spells in his hands and sent them into the fire cloud. Immediately, the Samadhi True Fire inside the fire cloud rose several times, and it swirled around him, forming a glazed flame tornado that was about forty or fifty feet tall. The tornado reflected off the fire, creating a terrifying scene. A flash of golden light appeared several feet next to the Red Boy, revealing the figures of the Thunder Division Heavenly General and Juling God. The Golden Thunder Stick and the Green Giant Axe struck onto the flame tornado. The flame tornado shook violently, and the swirling rays of light and air currents fanned out from the two as the center, spreading outward. Wherever it passes, it causes the earth to shatter, and large rocks and fallen leaves are blown away. Towering waves are whipped up in the nearby magma lake. A large gap was struck in the flame tornado, revealing the figure of Red Boy. ¡°How is it possible! You guys were clearly refined by my Samadhi True Fire!¡± Red Boy was astonished, but his response was not slow. He quickly changed the magic spell in his hand. The Samadhi True Fire beside him flew out, transforming into two flame pythons, immediately wrapping themselves around the Thunder Division Heavenly General and Juling God, quickly tightening after several wraps. At this moment, Shen Luo shot through the gap in the flame tornado and charged straight towards the Red Boy. ¡°I knew you would pull this stunt!¡± Red Boy didn''t seem surprised, sneered and clapped his hands together as they shone with red light. A layer of glazed fire screen appeared in front of him with the glossy fire light of liquefied glass. But Shen Luo did not stop, his dragon-like arms reached out like lightning and reached into the fire screen, fearing not the terrifying power of Samadhi True Fire. Samadhi True Fire instantly wrapped around Shen Luo''s body, spreading from his arms to all over his body, but his gaze never flickered. His sharp-as-knife dragon claw continued to clutch at Red Boy. A look of astonishment crossed the Red Boy''s face, and without time to think, he stepped back. At the same time, he shot his fire-tipped spear, which momentarily transformed into two spear shadows that stabbed into the dragon claw. The fire-tipped spear was incredibly sharp, and two bloody holes were immediately pierced into the golden dragon claw. However, the golden light on the dragon claw surged, ignoring the injury on his hand, and suddenly grabbed, gripping the fire-tipped spear in his hand. Red Boy tried hard to pull it back, but the spearhead seemed to be cast into the dragon claw, unable to be drawn out. His expression changed, and between the opening of his lips, a piece of Samadhi True Fire shot out from his mouth, which in the blink of an eye, condensed into a thick fire arrow, aimed at Shen Luo''s chest. Shen Luo also opened his mouth and spat out a yellow Talisman, which was the Heavenly Fox Enchantment Talisman. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, the Samadhi Fire Arrow struck Shen Luo''s chest and went straight through. However, Shen Luo''s body emitted a white light, his body quickly becoming thin. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a white paper doll, which was then devoured by the Samadhi True Fire. ¡°Substitution Paper Doll!¡± Red Boy realized, about to do something. Then the Bewildering God Talisman suddenly emitted a bright yellow light and spun, conjuring countless changing yellow fox shadows. The Red Boy, struck by the changing yellow light, had fox shadows also appearing in his eyes, his expression becoming dazed. At this moment, a thick golden light flew from outside again. It was a golden giant stick, crashing down on Red Boy''s head with a force that could destroy heaven and earth, causing the entire cave space to rumble and shake again. The five golden rings on Red Boy''s body were extremely responsive. Although Red Boy was currently confused, the five golden rings still emitted bright light, automatically meeting the impact. However, a golden light suddenly separated from the Sea Anchoring Iron Rod, it was the Golden Rope, taking advantage of the five golden rings leaving Red Boy''s body, it rapidly wound around him. Red Boy jolted, breaking free from the confused state, but his body was bound by the Golden Rope, with all the mana inside his body being completely sealed, unable to operate at all. Without his mana support, the surrounding Samadhi True Fire quickly dispersed, and the huge flame vortex rapidly extinguished. ¡°Golden Circlet Rings!¡± Red Boy tried to raise his hand to summon the five golden rings. These were the spiritual treasures that Guan Shi Yin used to restrain him back in the day. However, over the years, he had already refined these five golden rings and turned them into a defensive treasure. This golden ring was extremely spiritual and could be used reluctantly even without his mana support. The five golden rings immediately flew towards Red Boy, but with a thud, the Sea Anchoring Iron Rod fell, the golden light on it surged, suppressing the five golden rings beneath it. At this moment, the void space next to Red Boy moved, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared. Raising his hand in a wave, a piece of golden light covered Red Boy''s body. Red Boy''s eyes widened, just about to say something, when his vision blurred and he found himself in a golden space. Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief. These few measures seemed ordinary but had already exhausted all his God''s Power, even using the Substitution Paper Doll and the Heavenly Fox Enchantment Talisman, but fortunately, it was a success at one go. He raised his hand to recall the Sea Anchoring Iron Rod and collected the five golden rings into the Heavenly Book Space. He took out a Restoration Pill and swallowed it, refining it by circulating his energy. At this moment, he suddenly thought of those who had been poisoned by the Water Origin Poison. They were all minions of the Demon Clan, and could not be let go. As he turned his head to look towards the corner of the cave, his expression froze. In the corner of the cave, the seven Demons that had fallen to the ground were nowhere to be seen, and the cauldron that had been there was also gone. Chapter 770 Chapter 770: Chapter 766: Escort Back to the Mountain Chapter 770: Chapter 766: Escort Back to the Mountain ¡°The seven of them have been poisoned and incapacitated, seeming like they have been silently rescued by someone?¡± The thought sent a chill down Shen Luo''s spine. Whoever managed to completely evade his Divine Sense and rescue the seven individuals, they had to be at least a Taiyi Realm cultivator. He retrieved the Blazing Flame Pearl given to him by the yellow-robed man and scrutinized the various parts of the cave, spreading his Divine Sense further, but didn''t notice anything unusual. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not linger any longer, transforming into a streak of golden light and entered the magma waterfall. Half an hour later, a flash of yellow light on the ground a hundred li away from the Fire Vast Mountain Range, revealed the figure of Shen Luo. Only after he had traveled far away from the Fire Vast Mountain Range did he relax his spiritual tension, but his brows remained deeply furrowed. Inside the Magma Melt Cave, why did that person rescue the seven demons, but not the Red Boy and the black-robed elder? Could there be someone exceptional among those seven demons? Thoughts churned in Shen Luo''s mind, but he found no answer. ¡°Forget it, regardless of that person''s intentions, at least capturing the Red Boy has been accomplished.¡± He shook his head quickly, dismissing the issue and transferring his divine sense into the Heavenly Book Space. In the Heavenly Book Space, the Red Boy was bound by the Golden Rope and struggled desperately, reminiscent of a seared shrimp. However, he lacked any mana at present, rendering his struggles futile. His fire-tipped spear and the five golden rings lay beside, all immobile and trapped by the golden light shield. An empty void above him shimmered, and a figure composed of golden light appeared ¨C it was Shen Luo. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± The Red Boy struggled to sit up and demanded fiercely upon seeing Shen Luo. ¡°You don''t need to know who I am. You are the Sheng Ying Great King Red Boy, right? I''m the one your father sent to fetch you home.¡± Shen Luo casually answered. ¡°My father sent you?¡± The Red Boy''s rage subsided slightly upon hearing this. His fiery brows raised in an expression of little surprise. ¡°The Ping Tian Great Sage saw you lost in the Demonic Path and could not bear to see father and son separated, even potentially meeting on opposite sides of the battlefield. Therefore, he sent me to bring you back,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°I''m doing fine here, you don''t need to bring me back!¡± Red Boy snorted. ¡°What''s so good about staying with the Demon Clan? All you crave is the sense of decadence from their reckless behavior. Now that Jilei Mountain and Cuiyun Mountain stand firmly against the Demon Clan, will you be able to fight against your parents in the future?¡± Shen Luo calmly countered. Taken aback, Red Boy fell silent, but his rebellious nature did not take long to rekindle. ¡°Since you''re on my father''s side, release me now! Or else, when I return, I won''t spare you!¡± ¡°I''m a disciple of Mount Fangcun, not your father''s servant. Once we reach Jilei Mountain and meet your father, I will release you. For now, it''s best that you behave and stay here.¡± Shen Luo gave a slight smile and disappeared in a flash. Outside, a flash of yellow light enveloped him and he burrowed into the ground, headed towards Jilei Mountain. In Jilei Mountain, inside the Cloud Brushing Cave¡­ S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Bull Demon King and the Ten Thousand Years Fox King faced each other, both of them sporting displeased expressions. ¡°Daoist Shen is a benefactor to our Jade Fox Clan. Regardless of your thoughts, our Jade Fox clan will surely partake in this campaign against the Demon Clan,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King proclaimed coldly. ¡°Isn''t it clear to you yet, after this demonic invasion? The collapse of the Three Realms is an foregone conclusion. Even the Heavenly Court was powerless to prevent their downfall when they were still in their prime, it''s naive to think that with the current residual power we could turn the tides.¡± Bull Demon King said grimly. ¡°Naive? Believing you can remain uninvolved amidst these troubled times is naive. When the Three Realms completely fall under the control of the Demon Clan, do you think you can truly remain unscathed?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King retorted with a sneer. ¡°Arguing about it won''t change anything now, if he can actually bring back my son, I will consider joining the led battalion against them.¡± The Bull Demon King was not in the mood to argue with his father-in-law and step back, conceding somewhat. ¡°Your Red Boy, how much trouble has he caused for you since birth? After refusing to follow the teachings of the Guanyin Bodhisattva, he remains stubbornly unrepentant, sympathizing with the Demon Clan is sheer degradation. As for Brother Shen''s trip this time, we have no idea what dangers lie ahead. If anything goes wrong, my Jade Fox Clan will feel forever indebted to him.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King expressed his concern with a furrowed brow. ¡°Reporting, Great King, Brother Shen has returned with the young prince¡­¡± Before Ten Thousand Years Fox King could finish his sentence, a Demon Soldier rushed in with a report from outside the cave dwelling. Both the Ten Thousand Years Fox King and the Bull Demon King immediately stood up upon hearing this, their faces shifting before they quickly made their way outside. As soon as they left the room and entered the Cloud Brushing Cave hall, they saw Shen Luo leading a child, both of their bodies bound by a Golden Rope. ¡°Red Boy¡­¡± the Bull Demon King called as soon as he saw this, and he immediately approached ¡°Father King¡­¡± Red Boy bit his lip and called out softly. Seeing this, Shen Luo withdrew the Golden Rope with a quick motion of his hand. ¡°Good boy, you''ve suffered.¡± The Bull Demon King crouched down and held Red Boy''s shoulders with both hands, his eyes full of affection. ¡°Shen, you shouldn''t have brought me back.¡± Just then, Red Boy suddenly spat out grimly. As soon as his voice fell, a burst of red light suddenly rose from his chest and abdomen. ¡°This is bad.¡± The Seven Stars Sword of the Big Dipper was instantly drawn by the Ten Thousand Years Fox King who hung it around his waist momentarily. In front of him and a few others, a huge wall of ice appeared suddenly, blocking Red Boy. The next moment, a burst of crimson flame shot out from his mouth and nose, turning into a flame tongue and attacked, burning a large hole in the ice wall in just an instant, after which it filled the entire hall with white mist. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King had already shielded Xiao Yu and they had stepped aside early. Shen Luo also retreated several meters. A flash of golden light flashed in his hand and the Golden Rope appeared, poised to strike at the suddenly difficult Red Boy. ¡°Bang¡± Just then, a loud rumble sounded. The Bull Demon King suddenly made a move, punching Red Boy hard in the back and knocking him heavily to the ground. His body bounced up due to the impact and then fell again. The flames gushing from Red Boy''s mouth and nose also stopped abruptly. ¡°You demon, what are you trying to do?¡± The Bull Demon King grabbed his son from the ground and rebuked him angrily. ¡°Father King, use¡­ use the SeCalming Pearl¡­¡± Red Boy''s mouth was bleeding, struggling to speak. The Bull Demon King frowned slightly but didn''t hesitate much. He immediately raised his hand and made a gesture, and a hint of blue light rose in his palm. A fist-sized blue pearl soared from his palm to hover above Red Boy''s head, emitting a piece of blue water light, enveloping his entire body. Shen Luo frowned slightly and noticed that the power emerging from the blue pearl was as vast as the sea and contained a clear prohibitive force. Obviously, it was a powerful prohibitive magical treasure. Everyone present was puzzled as to why Red Boy suddenly turned hostile, and why he asked the Bull Demon King to use the SeCalming Pearl to subdue himself. They all could not fathom what was happening, and were all astounded. Chapter 771 Chapter 771: Chapter 767: Perhaps Worth a Try (Happy Spring Festival, Daoist friends ^^) Chapter 771: Chapter 767: Perhaps Worth a Try (Happy Spring Festival, Daoist friends ^^) ¡°Red Boy, what on earth is going on?¡± the Bull Demon King asked with a frown. Wreathed in blue light, Red Boy gave a bitter smile. Slowly, he pulled open the front of his shirt. Only then did everyone see, on the upper part of his abdomen, a black sphere about the size of a longan embedded in his flesh. A faint black Qi swirled around it, with black lines looking like blood vessels branching out and sinking deep into his flesh and blood. ¡°What is this?¡± the Bull Demon King asked abruptly, his face changing dramatically. ¡°It''s the Devil-Infusing Bead, a technique used by demons. The demonic Qi of Chiyou contained within it will gradually infect my body until the day I fully turn into a demon,¡± Red Boy said. ¡°Is this why you joined the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Otherwise, do you think I am willing to stoop to their level? Have I not listened to Bodhisattva''s teachings over so many years? During the fall of Mount Putuo, I also fought to the death, but alas¡­ ¡± Red Boy sighed and said slowly. ¡°You foolish boy, why didn''t you seek help from your Father King? I would surely have found a way to save you,¡± the Bull Demon King said. ¡°It''s too late. This Devil-Infusing Bead has already fused with my flesh and cannot be removed.¡± As he spoke, Red Boy stripped off his upper garment and turned his back to everyone. ¡°What¡­¡± the Bull Demon King''s eyes popped open in rage. On Red Boy''s back, a network of black lines, like ancient tree branches, sprawled across his entire back. The situation appeared far worse than from the front. ¡°Moreover, there''s a prohibition on the Devil-Infusing Bead. Once I leave Drill Mountain for more than seven days, this prohibition will activate. The bead will explode along with my Dantian. At that time, the Samadhi True Fire within me will leak out uncontrollably and engulf the entire Jilei Mountain,¡± Red Boy continued with a melancholy expression. Only at this moment did everyone truly understand that the Red Boy in front of them was indeed no longer the Chaotic World Demon King from back then. Shen Luo stepped forward, his eyes narrowed as he closely examined the Devil-Infusing Bead on Red Boy''s chest. As expected, he saw a series of extremely tiny talisman letters. However, they were unlike any common talisman or inscriptional characters he knew, and he didn''t recognize them at all. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King also stepped forward and stared for a while, his expression growing serious. ¡°This is not a common prohibition rune. It''s written in demon script. I''m afraid the usual methods of prohibition removal would be useless,¡± he said after a moment of contemplation, shaking his head. After hearing this, the Bull Demon King fell silent for a while. Finally, he raised his head and asked: ¡°Boy, are you resigned to falling into the Demon Clan?¡± As soon as the Bull Demon King raised this question, Shen Luo instantly became tense and the Ten Thousand Years Fox King''s expression abruptly changed. Both of them were worried, afraid that the Bull Demon King would join the Demon Clan because of Red Boy''s descent into the demons. ¡°Father King, how could I willingly join the Demon Clan? I was merely forced to do so. I''ve barely survived until now because I couldn''t let go of some resentments,¡± Red Boy said with a bitter smile. ¡°In that case, your Father King knows a method. It may not save your life, but it can at least preserve your Divine soul,¡± the Bull Demon King said. ¡°Father King, are you serious?¡± Red Boy immediately asked. The Bull Demon King did not speak, but nodded heavily. ¡°If there really is such a method, I would not be afraid of my body being destroyed, nor would I want to endure this torment day by day,¡± Red Boy instantly shouted. Hearing this, the Bull Demon King nodded, and with a wave of his hand, a golden light flashed in front of him and a golden book floated before him. ¡°The Heavenly Book¡­¡± Shen Luo''s gaze fell on the golden book, and sensing the aura emanating from it, his heart jolted. This fifth fragment of the Heavenly Scroll was actually in the hands of the Bull Demon King ¨C could it be that he too was a chosen one of the Heavenly Dao? ¡°What is this object, the aura it emanates is so powerful?¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King exclaimed. ¡°Heavenly Book¡­ Father King, how is the Heavenly Book in your hands?¡± Red Boy was also surprised upon seeing this. ¡°A Heavenly Book that contains a large part of heavenly immortals'' divine souls?¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King said in shock. ¡°Don''t be surprised, this is just a fragment of the Heavenly Book. Once I have collected your divine soul into this Heavenly Book, even if you die, you can resurrect your soul with this Heavenly Book,¡± said Bull Demon King. ¡°The Heavenly Book only contains residual souls, could it be that Bull Demon King, Elder, intends to incorporate all of Red Boy''s soul into it?¡± Shen Luo guessed his intentions and said. ¡°Exactly, this way his divine soul can be completely preserved.¡± Bull Demon King agreed. ¡°This indeed is a solution,¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King said joyfully. Just when everyone thought they had found a solution, Red Boy poured a bucket of cold water on it: ¡°Father King, this method¡­ is useless.¡± Everyone was stunned at his words. ¡°How can it be useless?¡± the Bull Demon King frowned. ¡°Could it be¡­ you have left a soul imprint in the Heavenly Book?¡± Shen Luo immediately thought of a possibility. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Correct, back when I entered the tutelage of Guanyin Bodhisattva, I had already left a soul imprint in the Heavenly Book, so now I cannot be incorporated into it again.¡± Red Boy affirmed. Upon hearing this, the spark of hope in the Bull Demon King''s eyes was extinguished, leaving his face ashen. Although Red Boy had already left a soul imprint, it was only a fragment of his soul. Even if he could find the Heavenly Scroll Fragment holding the record of his son''s residual soul, what could be summoned was only an incomplete residual soul. If so, he would rather not. ¡°The one who set the ban must lift it. Which one of you set this prohibition? I will find him.¡± The Bull Demon King''s eyes turned red as he said this. ¡°Finding him will be of no use, Father. I only have seven days left and I cannot wait for your return. Moreover, the Devil-Infusing Bead is filled with Chiyou''s demonic Qi, and the one who set the prohibition might not be able to lift it.¡± Red Boy sighed. ¡°In that case, you¡­ go back to Drill Mountain.¡± Upon hearing this, a look of despair appeared in the Bull Demon King''s eyes. He raised his hand to remove the SeCalming Pearl, preparing to let Red Boy leave. ¡°Wait, Elder.¡± Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side, stopping the Bull Demon King''s arm. ¡°You dare to stop me?¡± The Bull Demon King turned to look at Shen Luo, his eyes icy cold. ¡°I have a method which may work; I wonder if you''re willing to hear it out?¡± Shen Luo said, maintaining his usual calm. ¡°Are you serious?¡± The Bull Demon King looked doubtful. ¡°Of course, it''s true. However, the likelihood of success is only about fifty percent. How you choose to act is still up to you,¡± Shen Luo replied, nodding. Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King frowned, falling into deep thought. ¡°Father King, I am willing to take the risk.¡± Red Boy suddenly interjected. ¡°The possibility of success is only fifty percent¡­¡± Bull Demon King hesitated. ¡°If we don''t try, even if I can cling to life, within a year''s time, I will be thoroughly infiltrated by the demonic Qi, falling into the Demon Clan. When that time comes, I might be controlled by others, used against Jilei Mountain- would you truly want to witness such a scene?¡± Red Boy reasoned. ¡°What is your method? Let''s hear it,¡± The Bull Demon King glanced at Shen Luo, speaking with difficulty. Chapter 772 Chapter 772: Chapter 768: Substitute Container Chapter 772: Chapter 768: Substitute Container ¡°The Life-saving Technique.¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°The Life-saving Technique?¡± Elder Fox King asked doubtfully. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It was initially a minor technique used to block calamities. With some modifications, it can be used to transfer the Devil-Infusing Bead and prohibitions on Red Boy to another person.¡± Shen Luo explained. This wasn''t a technique he had acquired from elsewhere but had learned from Lin Da, the master of the Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar. When Shen Luo saw it on that day, he had already memorized the appearance of the array. However, because of his limited aptitude in the real world, despite being able to reluctantly remember the appearance of the array, comprehending its subtle points was difficult. Now, within the dreamland, he had understood the crux and could even make it slightly more perfect. However, for transferring the prohibition and the Devil-Infusing Bead, he actually only had a one-third chance of success. ¡°Tell me specifically about this technique. After I''ve listened, I will make a decision.¡± Bull Demon King said seriously. ¡°To execute this technique, we first need a vessel¨Ca person whose cultivation level and mana is not much different from him, or slightly higher. Then¡­¡± Shen Luo meticulously explained, bit by bit. ¡°This technique¡­ may indeed work.¡± After hearing the final part, the Bull Demon King pondered for a long time before finally uttering. ¡°Where can we find someone whose cultivation realm is similar to Red Boy? After all, once he becomes the vessel, he can only face death.¡± The Elder Fox King asked. ¡°I''ll handle this matter. You don''t need to worry. Daoist Shen, when will you be able to set up the array for my son''s Life-saving Technique?¡± The Bull Demon King thought for a while before speaking. ¡°The array for the Life-saving Technique is a modification of mine, so I can''t apply it directly and must make some adjustments and changes. Additionally, I need to prepare some special materials. Three days should be about enough.¡± Shen Luo frowned and pondered for a moment before saying so. ¡°Fine, I''ll leave Jilei Mountain for a bit in the meanwhile and will undoubtedly return on time after three days.¡± said Bull Demon King. ¡°Father king¡­¡± Red Boy said, showing some concern. ¡°You''ll be fine. Just wait patiently here.¡± Bull Demon King stepped away with heavy strides, leaving the Cloud Brushing Cave. ¡°Elder Fox King, can you arrange a quiet retreat chamber for me?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°No problem, Xiao Yu, take Daoist Shen to my retreat chamber.¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King tossed a white jade token towards Xiao Yu after saying that. ¡°Alright.¡± Xiao Yu caught it and responded accordingly. Following this, they led Shen Luo deeper into the Cloud Brushing Cave. Nighttime. Shen Luo sat alone in the stone chamber. A ring of light from glowstones lit up the surrounding walls, illuminating the entire room with a snow-white glow. In the center of the stone chamber, a cubit-wide sand table was placed, filled with fine white sand. At the moment, it was being consolidated by his finger movements into miniature sand platforms. ¡°Lin Da''s formation was meant to use the merits of many monks to offset the heavenly punishment over him. Red Boy need not do the same. However, it still necessitates a minimum of six late-stage True Immortal cultivators to control the formation and assist in transferring the Devil-Infusing Bead and its prohibitions¡­¡± Shen Luo looked at the sand table in front of him, talking to himself. As he spoke, his wrist turned, and the sand platforms set on the periphery of the sand table fell one after another, leaving only seven standing ¨C one in the center and six around it. ¡°However, since Bull Demon King has the cultivation level of Taiyi realm, even if there''s one less True Immortal cultivator to assist, it''s no problem. Having too many people might actually lead to errors.¡± Shen Luo continued to speak to himself. He raised his hand once more, and two more sand platforms standing on the sand table instantly disappeared, leaving only four defending the four directions: east, south, west, and north. The sand platform in the center lifted off and floated in the middle. ¡°This formation still needs to coincide with the yin and yang reversal array. It needs two magical treasures with compatible properties to act as the formation''s base. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod can be used as one, and the SeCalming Pearl seems to be able to serve as the second one, the rest is just to perfect the battle formation map¡­¡± After finishing speaking, Shen Luo lifted his finger and began to sketch in the void bit by bit. On the sand table, shallow and deep formation patterns began to emerge. Time passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already three days later. In a relatively flat valley in Jilei Mountain, large patches of trees had been cleared, and a square altar covering an area of more than ten meters was erected in the center of the valley. Early in the morning, when the first ray of sunlight rose in the valley, the surroundings of the altar were already filled with people. Shen Luo stood with his back to everyone, holding the Six Chen Whip in his hand, and he was engrossed in engraving symbols on a section of the stone pillar at the center of the altar. His forehead was permeating with thin sweat, and his eyes were full of blood silk. He started carving the symbol patterns here last night. Even though he had already drawn it on the sand tray at least a hundred times, he deliberately slowed down his pace to ensure not a single mistake, engraving bit by bit. Until the last formation pattern was connected, he put away the Six Chen Whip, slowly straightened his body, and took a long breath. ¡°How is it?¡± The Bull Demon King, who had been waiting for a long time, took the lead in bringing the Red Boy over to ask. ¡°It''s complete.¡± Shen Luo nodded, his eyes slightly bloodshot. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, thank you for your hard work.¡± The Bull Demon King said solemnly, clasping his fists. ¡°You''re welcome. Now you can bring Red Boy over. Apart from you and me, we still need two more cultivators at the late True Immortal stage to assist.¡± Shen Luo said, gesturing with his hand. ¡°I''ll do it with you.¡± The Ten Thousand Year Fox King volunteered immediately. ¡°We need one more.¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°If only cultivators in the late stage of True Immortal are required, can ghost cultivators be used?¡± The Bull Demon King was hesitant. ¡°As long as their cultivation level is sufficient, it can be.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Good.¡± Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King raised his hand and rubbed a piece of purple jade inlaid in the center of his belt. A purple smoke came out from the purple jade, and soon it condensed in the void and turned into a young man wearing a bamboo hat and dressed in black clothes. ¡°Master.¡± The young man appeared and immediately bowed to the Bull Demon King. ¡°Qing Mang, follow me in setting up the formation later and listen to Daoist Shen here.¡± The Bull Demon King instructed. ¡°Yes.¡± Upon hearing the words, the young man responded and then bowed to the Bull Demon King and Shen Luo. Shen Luo returned the bow and secretly praised in his heart that the cultivators in the Taiyi Realm are indeed extraordinary, even the ghost cultivators serving under them are in the Late True Immortal Stage. ¡°Now that everyone is here, we can begin. Where is the container for the life-saving technique?¡± Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King raised his hand, took out a palm-sized cloth bag from his sleeve, opened the bag, chanted a few words in a low voice towards the ground, and a green light sprayed from the bag''s mouth, and a figure tumbled out from within. Shen Luo looked closely and found out it was a middle-aged man in a gray-white Taoist robe. While this person looked similar to an ordinary person, his appearance was rather strange. He had an upturned black nose and two drooping ears on the top of his head. It turned out to be a member of the demon race. Around him, yellow cloth strips were wrapped around him. The strips were written with densely packed talisman texts, which locked his limbs and even blocked his mouth. He could only groan, unable to speak a word. Chapter 773 Chapter 773: Chapter 769: Removal of the Devil''s Pearl Chapter 773: Chapter 769: Removal of the Devil''s Pearl ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Shen Luo withdrew his gaze from the Dog Demon, looking towards the Bull Demon King, and spoke in surprise. ¡°The Demon Clan previously aimed to attack Cuiyun Mountain. This creature, relying on its cultivation level at the late True Immortal Stage, ceaselessly challenged from outside, creating an intolerable ruckus. So I caught him and have kept him in my cave mansion,¡± the Bull Demon King explained. ¡°His cultivation is just right, enough for the diversion of calamity. Let''s not delay. We each will enter the array. I will transmit to you the spell for activating the array and we can begin the process,¡± Shen Luo spoke. Everyone voiced their agreement. Shen Luo walked to the exact center of the array, stomping his foot, causing the entire altar to shake. Due to the rebounding force, the stone pillar in the center rose by several inches. Shen Luo lightly lifted the three-foot-high stone platform into mid-air with a simple toe punt. He brought out the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, slammed it into the ground, perfectly catching the falling stone pillar. Next, he picked up the Dog Demon disguised as a Taoist priest and threw it beneath the stone pillar, with its back leaning against the iron rod. The poor Dog Demon, unable to move its entire body or speak, could only look towards the Bull Demon King with a pleading gaze, whimpering non-stop. The Bull Demon King simply ignored this, waving his hand and the red light shed from the SeCalming Pearl above Red Boy''s head was moved to the top of the iron rod on the stone pillar. Shen Luo and the others each flew and settled on a separate stone pillar, sitting cross-legged. ¡°Once I instill my mana into the iron rod, Elder Bull Demon King can simultaneously infuse his mana into the SeCalming Pearl. There is no need for too much, just roughly equivalent to mine. After that, the rest can start chanting the magic spell,¡± Shen Luo said after sitting down. The other three nodded their heads, indicating they had understood clearly. After instructing the contents of the magic spell to the others through psychic transmission, Shen Luo began to cast the spell with a single hand. He sent a stream of mana into the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The rod began to emit a golden light. Seeing this, the Bull Demon King immediately controlled his mana to flow into the SeCalming Pearl, causing it to emit a more brilliant blue light. As the light shone, Shen Luo and his team also began to chant the magic spell. With the echo of each magic spell, the mana from the four people also started pouring into the stone pillars beneath them. The charm patterns on the pillars ignited with mana, and each emitted a blood-red light. Then, the magic symbols engraved on the sacrificial altar also began to light up; blood-red light beamed from the ground, looking like clusters of flames had ignited. On the stone pillar supported by the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, a red light also began to glow. Red Boy, sitting shirtless on the stone pillar, had a slightly stiff expression on his face, clearly nervous. His throat moved, he swallowed a gulp of saliva, looking down at the Devil-Infusing Bead on his chest and abdomen. Until now, nothing unusual had appeared on the Devil-Infusing Bead. The only thing is that prohibition runes engraved on it seemed to have noticed the influence of the array and started flickering faintly. Seeing this, Shen Luo nodded towards the others. The others, recieving the signal, moved in unision; each raised one hand, pushing towards the Red Boy in the center. From the center of their palms, a stream of mana surged out and struck Red Boy''s body. ¡°Uhm¡­¡±, Red Boy let out a muffled grunt, his brows instantly furrowing. The Devil-Infusing Bead embedded in his chest finally sensed the danger. The prohibition rune embedded on its surface suddenly brightened, and it seemed on the verge of exploding the entire bead. At this point, Shen Luo suddenly shouted from his mouth: ¡°Rise¡±. The next instant, the red light gleaming on the surrounding stone pillars and the ground began to surge like a tide towards the central pillar, forming a spiral whirlpool, enclosing both the Red Boy, the stone pillar, and the dog demon at the center. A peculiar force seeped out from inside and flowed into Red Boy, the glowing charm mark on the Devil-Infusing Bead then faded as if it fell asleep. Seeing this, the Bull Demon King finally relaxed slightly. ¡°Do not let your guard down, we temporarily suppressed the prohibition, it''s time to start separating the Devil-Infusing Bead,¡± Shen Luo reminded. When they heard this, everyone got a bit nervous again. At this time, Shen Luo said to Red Boy, ¡°This is the most critical step now. Should the separation succeed, everything would be self-explanatory. But if it fails, you must fully suppress the Devil-Infusing Bead for a while. I will use an Escape Technique to take you away from Jilei Mountain.¡± Upon hearing this, the Red Boy looked nervous, and he nodded at Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s expression grew focused, and his hands began to make fast incantations, suddenly he reached into the void and grabbed. The red whirlpool enveloping Red Boy collapsed inward, and a hand made of condensed light emerged from the void and reached into the whirlpool, inexplicably grabbing the Devil-Infusing Bead embedded in his body. At the time of Shen Luo''s low growl, his hand suddenly exerted strength, and pulled it out vigorously. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Red Boy immediately let out a heartbreaking scream. ¡°Bear with it, guard your Divine Sense!¡± Shen Luo screamed, and his strength intensified in his hands. Under his pull, the skin and flesh on the Red Boy''s chest and abdomen were pulled out. The Devil-Infusing Bead also began to separate a little bit from his flesh and blood. However, this situation didn''t last long until the Devil-Infusing Bead, which had been relatively stable, suddenly lit up with a pitch-black light, and dense black qi began to radiate from it. Luckily, a red whirlpool was encasing the surroundings, keeping the black qi from spreading. Instead, it condensed around Red Boy, lingering for a while. At the same time, the black threads sprawling over Red Boy like roots started to move. However, instead of being uprooted, they spread to other parts of his body even faster and more aggressively, as if trying to root more deeply into Red Boy''s body. The Devil-Infusing Bead, which was pulled out just a bit by Shen Luo, was retreated back again, almost half of it sinking back into the flesh. ¡°What happened?¡± Asked the tightly strung Bull Demon King. ¡°The Devil-Infusing Bead realizes we''re trying to extract it, so it''s fighting back. Since the Array blocks its external path, it tries to fully possess Red Boy,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°What should we do then?¡± The Bull Demon King asked with worry. ¡°Don''t worry, it''s just a tug-of-war right now. Listen for my command and, in one fell swoop, pull it out and seal it into the dog demon,¡± Shen Luo replied. Having said that, the incantations formed by his hands changed again, the Huangting Divine Power within his body began to revolve, and he pulled outwards with both hands again. A mighty force burst forth from him, and the Devil-Infusing Bead was jerked away from Red Boy''s body. Behind it trailed clusters of black threads, thrashing and writhing as if they were alive. These threads had already connected with Red Boy''s veins and blood vessels. The slightest disturbance brought intense pain, let alone Shen Luo yanking them with all his might. It was as if a floodgate of pain had been opened. Overwhelmed by waves of unbearable, intense pain, Red Boy gave out a mournful howl. As his eyes filled with blood, he suddenly rolled his eyes up to the sky and fell unconscious. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 774 Chapter 774: Chapter 770: Danger Lurks Everywhere (Wishing all Daoist friends a happy New Year, may all your wishes come true!) Chapter 774: Chapter 770: Danger Lurks Everywhere (Wishing all Daoist friends a happy New Year, may all your wishes come true!) ¡°This is bad¡­¡± Shen Luo exclaimed softly as he saw the situation before him. As soon as his words fell, the black Demonic Qi permeating the surroundings started to be inhaled through the nose and mouth of the Red Boy. His previously closed eyes suddenly reopened. The formerly bloodshot eyes now looked pitch black, as though they were stained with ink. A slight smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. He raised his hand and grabbed at the void, a strong pulling force emanating from his palm. He was actually trying to draw the Devil-Infusing Bead back to him. At the same time, clusters of black Demonic Qi began to condense, spiraling up along the illusory hand in the light, attempting to break out of the red light vortex and seize Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo had the Huan Ting Jing inside him revolve at full speed. Golden light burst forth from his body, creating the illusion of a golden dragon with a massive body. An even more enormous power seeped into the red light vortex. The illusory hand in the light inside the red light vortex was instantly shrouded in golden light, directly scattering the coiling Demonic Qi into nothingness. ¡°His divine sense is temporarily disturbed by the Demonic Qi, everyone, act together quickly and pull the bead out.¡± Initially, Shen Luo was careful not to harm Red Boy''s body, but now he couldn''t afford to hold back any longer. Hearing his words, the Bull Demon King and the others did not dare hesitate. They spurred on their mana and poured all their strength into the stone pillar beneath them. Instantly, three powerful forces surged along the ground array into Shen Luo''s body, causing the golden dragon and giant elephant''s illusions behind him to simultaneously raise their heads and roar. ¡°Get out!¡± Shen Luo roared and forcefully pulled outward. Red Boy''s body violently trembled, and a large splash of fresh blood erupted from his body. In a flash of blood light, the Devil-Infusing Bead was torn out. Nearly a hundred black crystal-like tendrils stretched out from it, writhing uncontrollably like a group of wild snakes, persistently attempting to reenter Red Boy''s body. Meanwhile, Red Boy''s eyes were tightly shut, once again falling unconscious. ¡°Once the Devil-Infusing Bead leaves its host, it will immediately seek a new one. I need to insert it into the Dog Demon''s body right away. Otherwise, if the bead bursts, the overflowing Demonic Qi will be difficult to contain,¡± Shen Luo declared upon seeing the situation. The other three people heard this and immediately began chanting according to Shen Luo''s previous instructions. Forming hand seals, they each directed their mana toward the central stone pillar. The glow on the stone pillar became brighter. The red light vortex that enveloped the surroundings immediately narrowed, turning into the shape of a funnel. The traces of blood staining Red Boy''s body began to dissolve one by one, transforming into a pink mist that swirled downwards into the funnel, flowing incessantly into the Dog Demon trapped beneath it. The light on the Dog Demon''s body flickered red, and his breath abruptly changed, eerily echoing that of Red Boy''s. The crystal tendrils dancing on the Devil-Infusing Bead, which originally extended just toward Red Boy, now started to move downwards, feeling their way toward the body of the Dog Demon. Seeing this, Shen Luo gave an inward cheer, waving his hand deliberately to guide the Devil-Infusing Bead downward. The black crystal tendrils on the Devil-Infusing Bead curled down around the stone pillar much like octopus tendrils. They gradually approached the Dog Demon, finally extending into him and piercing his forehead. In a split second, the Dog Demon''s body froze. The black crystal tendrils plunged straight through his skull and deep into his body. The Devil-Infusing Bead embedded into his flesh, with more than half of it enveloped by his flesh and blood. A layer of blood spread across, the Devil-Infusing Bead in his forehead spun around for a moment, looking oddly like an eyeball. However, this was short-lived as the flesh soon closed over it, completely swallowing the Devil-Infusing Bead. At the very moment when the Devil-Infusing Bead was entirely absorbed into his flesh and blood, the Dog Demon''s eyes suddenly popped open. His entire eyeballs were pitch black, and black, worm-like veins burst out around his eyes, spreading all the way to his neck, quickly spreading over his entire body. The Dog Demon''s rigid neck turned a half circle, and a sudden crackling sound echoed from his body. His flesh and bones instantly swelled, and with a ¡°hiss¡±, the prohibition entangled around him burst open. A dense black demonic Qi circulated around him, and his aura began rapidly rising. Soon, he reached the pinnacle of the True Immortal Stage, and there even seemed to be signs of the boundary breaking through. ¡°Woo woo¡­ Bull Demon King, I will trample your Cuiyun Mountain¡­¡± the Dog Demon hollered vaguely, as if he still retained some sanity. ¡°How did this guy turn into a demon so quickly?¡± exclaimed the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°The Red Boy has Samadhi True Fire inside his body, which to a certain extent slows the invasion of demonic Qi. This Dog Demon has already been demonized, plus the invasion of Chiyou''s demonic Qi, naturally speeds up the demonization process.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°When shall we take action?¡± Bull Demon King, looking at the Dog Demon, asked with a frown. ¡°Wait a bit longer, we need to wait until he has absorbed the demonic Qi to the limit, only then can we strike to kill him, which will eradicate these demonic Qis to the greatest extent. If they are not completely eliminated, it''ll still be quite difficult to handle.¡± Shen Luo instructed. As soon as his voice fell, his expression suddenly changed. A ¡°pop¡± sound of breaking echoed, a cut suddenly burst out of the Dog Demon''s forehead. The prohibition that was originally suppressed on the Devil-Infusing Bead, unexpectedly exploded at this moment. The Devil-Infusing Bead shattered, the residual demonic Qi inside was completely released without any obstruction, and was entirely absorbed by the Dog Demon. The body of the Dog Demon, which had already doubled in size, began to swell again. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two, three, five, ten¡­ Seeing the Dog Demon''s body swelling like a balloon, a trace of unease rose in Shen Luo''s heart, and he immediately shouted: ¡°Now is the moment, take action.¡± As his voice just raised, the Bull Demon King, who had already prepared, placed a Purple Talisman on his palm, and immediately cut down towards the Dog Demon''s head. A purple light condensed in the void with his slashing movement, turning into a huge purple light blade that fell atop the Dog Demon''s head. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound, the Dog Demon''s head was severed and dropped to the ground. The remaining part of his body, after continuing to swell a bit more, ¡°Boom¡±, exploded. It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded on Jilei Mountain, causing the mountain peak to shake violently. A powerful air wave swept out from the center of the Array in all directions, where tornados blew, blowing large areas of forests across the mountains into a complete mess. People waiting outside the array seeing the situation, quickly started resisting with their abilities. A moment later, an enormous chasm, tens of feet deep, appeared on the ground in the center of the explosion, where the array was almost completely destroyed. Only the stone pillars on which Shen Luo and the others were standing remained in their original state. Standing on the central stone pillar, the Bull Demon King carried Red Boy sideways under his ribs, raised his hand and retracted the SeCalming Pearl floating in the mid-air. He then began to smoothly infuse his mana into his son''s body. There was a groan from Red Boy''s mouth, and he slowly opened his eyes. After looking around, he looked up at the Bull Demon King and whispered, ¡°Father, I¡­¡± ¡°Good boy, it''s okay now, you are all right.¡± The Bull Demon King said with a smile. Seeing this, Shen Luo and the others also breathed a sigh of relief, sat down on the spot, and began to meditate to adjust their breath. Just when everyone thought that everything had settled down, an unexpected change happened! Chapter 775 Chapter 775: Chapter 771: Demonic Qi Enters the Body Chapter 775: Chapter 771: Demonic Qi Enters the Body A pitch-black silhouette appeared abruptly behind Shen Luo, without a hint of detectable aura. With a swift movement, it seized Shen Luo''s shoulders and merged into his body. By the time Shen Luo realized something was wrong, it was too late. The moment the dark silhouette invaded his body, Shen Luo felt a bone-chilling cold at his Dantian, while a burning feeling invaded the depth of his mind. His vision suddenly blurred, and the sounds in his ears became muffled. His consciousness swayed forward and backward, as if he was about to collapse. ¡°Not good, the Demonic Qi has entered his body¡­¡± The Bull Demon King immediately shouted when he noticed the situation. Seeing this, everyone''s face changed dramatically. After all, the Demon Qi that had escaped from the Devil-Infusing Bead belonged to the Demonic God Chiyou. ¡°What should we do?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King asked with furrowed brows. ¡°First, try to keep it under control. Once fallen into the Demonic Path, the heart may be filled with murderous intent.¡± The Bull Demon King made his decision without hesitation. With that, he twisted his wrist and a round vine ball the size of a palm appeared in his hand, densely engraved with runes. It was a type of magical treasure used for confinement. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, I apologize,¡± The Bull Demon King said, his brows furrowed. Just as he was about to make a move, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King suddenly called out, ¡°Wait, don''t rush!¡± The Bull Demon King was taken aback, and as his gaze fell on Shen Luo, he immediately stopped casting his spell. Although Shen Luo was still swaying unsteadily, a golden halo had already lit up around him. Wisps of faint golden mist were rising above his head, and his internal mana seemed to be operating at an incredibly fast speed. ¡°What''s going on? Shen Luo does not possess the Samadhi True Fire. This Demonic Qi is not like the slow and steady invasion of the Devil-Infusing Bead. How could he possibly resist it?¡± The Bull Demon King said, puzzled. ¡°Shen Luo has been diligently cultivating the Huangting technique, which inherently possesses the power to destroy demons. He must be relying on this technique to resist,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King guessed. At this moment, although Shen Luo''s eyes were wide open, he felt as though he was blinded by a layer of black cloth; he could not see anything clearly. The bone-chilling cold feeling in his Dantian was constantly surging up and invading his meridians, so he had no choice but to mobilize the Huangting Divine Power with all his might to prevent his internal mana from being frozen and sealed. At the same time, it seemed as though a raging fire was burning in his Sea of Consciousness. Amid the fiery reflections, he could vaguely see countless blurry figures fighting each other. Waves of bloodthirst and killing intent assaulted his rational mind. With this simultaneous torture of his spirit and body, even Shen Luo was having a hard time resisting. His chest began to heave violently, and his breath became muddled. Although his hands were forming a spell, his mana operation was disrupted by the icy Qi from his Dantian. Gradually, it was becoming hard for him to maintain control. ¡°Not good, he can''t hold on much longer!¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King sensed that something was wrong and immediately shouted. After a slight hesitation, the Bull Demon King waved his hand, and the SeCalming Pearl took flight once again, landing above Shen Luo''s head. With a single hand forming a magic spell aimed at the SeCalming Pearl, countless strands of blue light radiated from it, forming a wave-like ripple, as though they were ripples caused by the sway of the sea waters. ¡°Alright, you saved my son''s life, so I will give you the SeCalming Pearl,¡± The Bull Demon King murmured after a bit of hesitation. As he said this, he pressed his palm downward, and the SeCalming Pearl slowly sank down. Changing from solid to void, it began to sync with Shen Luo''s Baihui and gradually merged into his body. In Shen Luo''s Sea of Consciousness, a sea of blood and fire was about to engulf him completely. Outside the sea of blood and flame, endless black Demonic Qi was slowly eroding his Sea of Consciousness. It seemed like he was about to be consumed by it. At this moment, a patch of bright blue light suddenly descended from the sky above his Sea of Consciousness. Like a rainstorm landing on a parched earth, it greatly suppressed the surrounding extremely hot aura. Shen Luo looked up at the sky, and saw a large, moonlike blue light ball floating above his head. Emitting bursts of majestic and cooling spiritual energy, similar to the sea. As these spiritual energies seeped in, Shen Luo''s divine wisdom began to recover. The Soul Power began to dominate his Sea of Consciousness again. With one single thought, a massive wave surged in his Sea of Consciousness, pushing towards all directions. The tidal wave of divine soul energy soon engulfed the sea of blood and fire, colliding with the surrounding black Demonic Qi, and the situation was at a stalemate. In his Dantian, the icy cold, black Demonic Qi was rapidly circulating, trying to infect his mana and invade his meridians. Under the suppression of the Huangting Divine Power, a trace of it was still being eroded. If it remained unchecked, Shen Luo''s transformation into a demon was inevitable, despite him managing to buy a little time. ¡°Everyone, I fear my own mana will not be enough to suppress this Chiyou Demonic Qi. I need the aid of the elders here,¡± Shen Luo said through divine soul communication after recovering control of his Sea of Consciousness. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What should we do?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King promptly asked. ¡°Infuse mana into my Divine Gate, Danzhong, Baihui, and Dazhui simultaneously. I will guide it into the meridians, backwards pressing the Demonic Qi in the Dantian, in an effort to expel it from my body,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Alright, let me call for one more person,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King said. ¡°Let me do it¡­¡± At this point, the Red Boy''s voice suddenly echoed. He had recovered a fair amount after awakening. ¡°Child, you¡­¡± The Bull Demon King hesitated. ¡°Father, I''m fine. Brother Shen gave me a second chance at life; allow me to lend a hand,¡± the Red Boy lifted his hand and interjected. Seeing this, the Bull Demon King nodded in silence. They took positions around Shen Luo. Each of them raised two fingers and pointed at the four acupoints on his body. Simultaneously, they began to mobilize their mana and transfer it into Shen Luo''s body. The Bull Demon King, with his deep cultivation level, infused his pure Demon Power into Shen Luo''s Baihui Acupoint first. It flowed into Shen Luo''s meridians like a direct waterfall from a mountain peak. Next, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King followed, infusing his mana into Shen Luo''s Divine Gate. The mana turned into a cooling Qi following his Heart Meridian, merging smoothly with Shen Luo''s own mana. Both Qing Mang and Red Boy stood in front and behind Shen Luo, respectively, and infused their mana into his Danzhong and Dazhui acupoints. Qing Mang practiced the Ghost Path and had cold Yin mana, while the Red Boy possessed a mixture of Buddhist Divine Techniques and Yang mana. Their mana interacted harmoniously within Shen Luo. When the four people''s mana entered Shen Luo''s body, he didn''t immediately feel any relief, instead, his body rejected the four different types of mana. He was only able to avoid repulsion by guiding them with his divine soul. At this moment, Shen Luo was like a commander deploying foreign troops to quell a revolt within his territory; he carefully directed the four types of mana to reinforce his Dantian. Chapter 776 Chapter 776: Chapter 772: Reincarnation of Yu''er Chapter 776: Chapter 772: Reincarnation of Yu''er The mana of the four men made its way through the meridian and finally burst into Shen Luo''s Dantian at the last moment before his mana was invaded by the demonic Qi. It collided head-on with the demonic Qi of Chiyou. Shen Luo gritted his teeth in anticipation of a fierce battle between them. He was even prepared for his Dantian to burst, and then carry out a limit repair using the Great Unsealing Technique. However, an unexpected scene happened. The Chiyou demonic Qi that had been infiltrating Shen Luo''s Dantian and seizing territories, did not have a violent collision when it was attacked by the five sets of mana, including Shen Luo''s. Instead, they congealed together, twining and rotating into a vortex of ash that was about the size of a longan fruit. For some unknown reason, these six different powers were absorbed by each other and fused together. Before Shen Luo could figure out what was happening, the ash-grey vortex suspended in his Dantian suddenly revolved fiercely, emitting an overwhelming suction force. To be cautious, the Bull Demon King and others did not hastily withdraw their mana. However, this sudden force caught them off guard, causing their internal mana to surge out like a tide, rushing into Shen Luo''s body and converging into the ash-gray vortex. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Shen Luo felt as if the meridians were river channels hit by a sudden flash flood, relentlessly washed by the rolling mana, causing intense pain, and was on the verge of collapsing. ¡°What is going on¡­¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King exclaimed in shock. ¡°Quickly withdraw your mana.¡± Bull Demon King roared. However, their mana had been drawn by the vortex, how could they easily break free? For a while, none of them could withdraw their mana. Red Boy, who was already severely injured, soon had his mana drained, he fainted again with a roll of his eyes. ¡°Red Boy¡­¡± The Bull Demon King let out a soft call, a ray of light trembled from his body, forcibly cutting off the mana. He then bent down to pick up his son and started to check his condition. As their influx of mana was cut off, a certain balance of the ash-gray vortex seemed to be disrupted too, the rotation gradually slowed. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King and others finally managed to free themselves, simultaneously heaving a sigh of relief. At the same time, the ash-white vortex in Shen Luo''s Dantian finally ceased its spinning, it no longer continued to corrode Shen Luo''s mana. It seemed to have returned to a quiet state, with no other movements. However, Shen Luo knew better than to let his guard down. He kept his divine senses taut and carefully maneuvered his mana towards the ash-gray vortex. But the vortex had become extremely tranquil at this moment. Its rotation speed was very slow, and there were no fluctuations emanating from it. It showed no reaction to Shen Luo''s approaching mana either. After a long time, Shen Luo gradually stilled his breath and slowly opened his eyes. At this moment, he saw the Bull Demon King and the others all gathered around him, their eyes filled with queries, seemingly asking him what happened. ¡°Elders, I also have countless questions in my mind. All I know is that our mana and the demonic Qi seem to have formed a special balance that has made it temporarily calm.¡± Shen Luo gave a wry smile and said. The Bull Demon King and the others frowned, each deep in thought. ¡°Anyway, Chiyou''s demonic Qi is no longer backfiring, which is ultimately a good thing. Just be cautious in the future.¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King hesitated slightly before speaking up. ¡°We have no other choice.¡± The Bull Demon King nodded. Shen Luo let out a heavy sigh, stood up from the ground, his expression shifted slightly as his gaze swept towards the sky. The Bull Demon King too followed suit and looked up towards the distant sky. The winds were changing on the horizon, a layer of dark cloud was rolling in with overwhelming pressure, soon half of the sky was covered by it. Above the clouds, the sound of drums echoed, resembling thunder, shaking the entire Jilei Mountain slightly. Shen Luo frowned and saw countless figures standing vaguely above the clouds, each dressed in armor and holding weapons, and everywhere emanated a strong Demonic Qi. It was as if the heavenly soldiers had descended to earth in some formation. Until this moment, he hadn''t noticed that his divine sense power had increased several times more than before. ¡°These evil beasts have just gained some power for a few days, have they already learned from the Heavenly Court?¡± the Bull Demon King rebuked. ¡°Bull Demon King, I remember you too are a great hero. I hope you will comply with the will of heaven and surrender early.¡± At this time, a loud shout came from the high altitude, the voice thunderous like a roll of thunder. Shen Luo looked in the direction of the sound and found that the speaker was the Taiyi Realm Black Skeleton. ¡°If you are willing to be the dog of the Demon Clan, that''s your choice, but don''t come bothering me. If you don''t leave quickly, I''ll make sure you''ll never return.¡± The Bull Demon King shouted out loud, his voice booming like a bell. ¡± Bull Demon King, don''t be in such a hurry. Since you''re not minded to surrender, how about we make a deal?¡± the Black Skeleton calmly suggested. But in reply, Bull Demon King said only one word: ¡°Scram.¡± The Bull Demon King''s shout was no longer just louder, but it also incorporates his deep Mana into it, transforming into visible sound waves that shot directly into the sky. Many of the Demon Soldiers standing on the dark clouds were knocked out by these sound waves and fell one after another from the clouds like raindrops. ¡°Since you refused my respectful offering, you''ll drink the punitive liquor. Bull Demon King, look who this is?¡± With a sneer, the Black Skeleton suddenly shouted something. With that, the Demon Soldiers behind him moved aside to make a passage, and a woman in a white long dress was escorted by two Demon Soldiers to the front. The woman had a charming figure, remarkably beautiful. Her phoenix eyes were full of tears, and her face held an innocent and frightened look, her gaze wandering aimlessly, just like a frightened young fox. The moment they saw the woman''s face, both the Bull Demon King and Ten Thousand Years Fox King were stunned. ¡°How is this possible? Could it be¡­ Yu''er¡­ ¡± stammered the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. The Bull Demon King was speechless, his eyes fixed on the woman''s cheek. From the curve of her eyebrows, the shape of her nose, down to the small, pale cinnabar mole on the corner of her mouth, everything seemed so familiar. ¡°She looks too similar. If it weren''t her reincarnated body, no one else could look exactly like her¡­¡± murmured the Bull Demon King. Listening to their whispers, Shen Luo gradually understood the situation. The woman who had been brought out by the demons was likely the beloved daughter of The Ten Thousand Years Fox King, and the Bull Demon King''s beloved, reincarnated Princess Jade Face. ¡°Both elders, the Demon Clan is treacherous. Let''s see what happens next before deciding,¡± Shen Luo reminded them a moment later through telepathy. The Bull Demon King clenched his fists and said to Qing Mang, ¡°Use your Ghost Eye Divine Skill to see if there''s anything suspicious about her.¡± Upon hearing those words, Qing Mang nodded, made a spell with both hands and held it over his eyes, in this peculiar pose he ¡°stared¡± at the woman. A moment later, he let go of his hands and began to speak: ¡°The bone structure appears normal, there''s no trace of any concealing magic, and her bones haven''t been excised or altered. Yet it seems her divine soul is somewhat incomplete.¡± ¡°Since her bone form hasn''t changed, she could very well be Yu''er. Looking at her lost and clueless appearance, it appears she can''t recognize us, probably due to her incomplete Divine Soul,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, grief discernable in his eyes. Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King''s face also wore an expression of grief and guilt. ¡°Bull Demon King, can we now discuss the conditions?¡± asked the Black Skeleton. ¡°What do you want? If you want the two of us to not get involved, that''s possible¡­ But if you want me to become a lapdog for the Demon Clan, that will never happen. If you dare harm a hair on Yu''er''s head, I will make you pay a thousand times over,¡± said the Bull Demon King, his eyes narrowing, his voice cold. Chapter 777 Chapter 777: Chapter 773: True Purpose Chapter 777: Chapter 773: True Purpose ¡°I knew it, the renowned Bull Demon King is a true hero. Don''t worry, since your unwillingness to submit is as unshakeable as a rock, we won''t force you. You can stand aside, we can even guarantee future peace between us and your Cuiyun Mountain, Jilei Mountain, and Drill Mountain, without interfering with each other.¡± The Black Skeleton spoke slowly. ¡°Spare me the nonsense, what are your conditions?¡± The Bull Demon King asked coldly. ¡°We only have one condition, and that''s to hand over the Heavenly Book in your possession immediately,¡± the Black Skeleton said. With these words, the Bull Demon King''s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°How did even the Demon Clan find out about the Heavenly Book possessed by the Bull Demon King?¡± Shen Luo''s heart jumped too. ¡°You''ve made all this fuss just to seize this object?¡± The Bull Demon King didn''t deny it, but sneered instead. ¡°Daoist friend, you are mistaken. Our initial orders were to invite you to join us. Only because you were adamant did we resort to a secondary plan to request the Heavenly Book,¡± the Black Skeleton said. ¡°So, as long as I hand over this item, you will release Yu''er and cease your aggression in the Jilei Mountain area?¡± the Bull Demon King asked, raising an eyebrow. Seeing his unchanged expression and calm tone, Shen Luo''s heart sank. ¡°Yes, as I promised before, the various factions of the Demon Clan will be at peace with you and your affiliated tribes in the future, and will no longer wage wars against you,¡± the Black Skeleton nodded. ¡°This Heavenly Book is a relic of the old Heavenly Court. I find it annoying too, you can have it. But if you cause any trouble henceforth, don''t blame me for fighting till the end,¡± the Bull Demon King sneered. ¡°That''s natural¡­¡± the Black Skeleton replied joyfully. ¡°The Demon Clan is cunning, don''t trust them easily,¡± seeing the unfolding situation, Shen Luo quickly cautioned. ¡°With Yu''er in their hands, what choice do I have?¡± The Bull Demon King glanced at him and said. ¡°Elder Fox King, please advise him,¡± Shen Luo turned to the Ten Thousand Years Fox King and said. The latter looked at the woman in the clouds, his face showing difficulty, but he hesitated to speak. Seeing this, Shen Luo sighed silently, knowing that whatever he said now would be useless. The Bull Demon King''s figure was about to ascend on a cloud of green from beneath him. ¡°Daoist friend, stay where you are and just hand over the Heavenly Book,¡± the Black Skeleton advised at this time. The Bull Demon King furrowed his brows but stopped and said, ¡°In that case, let''s move together. I hand over the Heavenly Book, you return Yu''er, alright?¡± ¡°Very well, it''s a deal,¡± the Black Skeleton agreed almost without any hesitation. The Bull Demon King''s eyes narrowed slightly, and with a wave of his hand, a golden book sparkled before him. He only glanced at the book, clearly not liking it. Subsequently, he swiped at it, flinging it away. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Heavenly Book floated in the void, flying towards the Black Skeleton. ¡°Elder, I''m sorry, but the Heavenly Book can''t fall into the hands of the Demon Clan.¡± Just then, a figure suddenly darted out, seizing the Heavenly Book and trying to escape. ¡°Brother Shen.¡± A furious shout rang out, and nine immense snowy white fox tails appeared from all around, blocking his escape route. Before Shen Luo had time to use his escape technique, a huge black hand reached out from the void, grabbed him. ¡°I''m letting you off this time for your past kindness to us, don''t take more than you bargained for,¡± the Bull Demon King flew up to Shen Luo, pulled the Heavenly Book out of his hand and flung it towards the Black Skeleton. Upon seeing this, the Black Skeleton raised a hand and pushed the woman reincarnated from Princess Jade Face off the edge of the cloud. Witnessing this, the Bull Demon King immediately released Shen Luo and soared up to catch her. However, just as Princess Jade Face approached the Bull Demon King, a brilliant white light suddenly lit up from her Dantian. A force that had been suppressed for a long time was about to break loose. ¡°Self-destruction of the Dantian¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly shrank. This demon had indeed played a trick. The force of Princess Jade Face''s self-destruction of the Dantian might not hurt the Bull Demon King much, but her death would definitely be a fatal blow to him. The Bull Demon King''s eyes widened in shock. His figure dramatically accelerated and almost instantly rushed to the woman''s side. Placing a palm on her lower abdomen, he slowly infused her with a gentle force, forcibly suppressing her imminent detonation of power. ¡°You''re asking for death¡­¡± the Bull Demon King thundered, holding the woman close to him. However, before he could finish his sentence, something unexpected happened. The woman in his arms, who had been showing a pitiful, teary face, suddenly displayed a cruel smile. A pitch-black dagger slid from her sleeve and stabbed brutally towards the heart of the Bull Demon King. ¡°No¡­¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King yelled, but it was already too late. The Bull Demon King, with little defense against the woman, spat out a mouthful of blood from his heart, smearing it over the woman''s face. The woman''s cruel expression vanished as soon as the hot blood hit her face. She hastily released her grip on the dagger with her eyes filled with panic. ¡°Father King¡­¡± the Red Boy cried out in shock. ¡°What¡­ what have I done¡­¡± the woman looked at everything in front of her in disbelief, screaming fearfully. ¡°It''s okay, it''s okay, I owed you this.¡± The Bull Demon King gently stroked her hair, soothing her in a soft voice. ¡°Watch out!¡± At this moment, Shen Luo suddenly bellowed. Behind the Bull Demon King, a black silhouette emerged abruptly, holding a black spike. In line with the black dagger, it viciously stabbed towards his back. ¡°Seeking death.¡± Without needing to turn around, the Bull Demon King growled. He forcefully flung an arm backward. A surge of Mana exploded from within his body, wrapping around his arm in a dazzling green light. With this armor of light akin to a green glowing armguard, he swept across in a shining blast, bursting out an eye-catching flash. With a thunderous ¡°boom¡±, a violent energy wave spread out in all directions from high up in the air. The clouds in the void swirled, ripples stirring, and the Black Skeleton was violently flung back thousands of feet into the midst of the demon army by the overwhelming force. This charge shattered hundreds of demon soldiers, scattering their remains all over the place. The storm that was stirred up in the void tore through the black cloud carrying the demon soldiers, causing the entire demon army to scatter and flee like locusts. A thousand feet outside the void, the Black Skeleton was standing miserably. One of its arms had been completely shattered, one-third of its ribcage had been broken, and worst of all, there was an almost penetrating crack on its spine. His attempts to heal it with Mana were futile. ¡°The Great Strength Bull Demon King, truly deserving of his reputation. Fortunately, I still managed to get the Heavenly Book, at least I won''t return empty-handed¡­¡± The Black Skeleton, with its only remaining withered hand clenching the golden book, said somewhat relieved. However, when its gaze landed on the book, the two balls of ghost fire in his eyes sockets suddenly shivered violently. Following that, his whole body began to tremble. The book, previously glowing with golden light, was now a deep dark blue. The mocking golden words ¡°Ghost Tales¡± on it made him feel utterly humiliated. And in this book, there was even a shiny fox hair tucked inside! Chapter 778 Chapter 778: Chapter 774: Promise Chapter 778: Chapter 774: Promise The Black Skeleton only realized at this moment that he had been played by the Bull Demon King and the others. The conflict they had initiated before was solely to divert his attention, including the Human boy''s snatch and grab, all performed for his benefit, to convince him that this thing was indeed the Heavenly Scroll Fragment. But before he could react, he saw a figure swiftly rushing from the void, with green lights condensed on his arm, like being entangled with a strand of green flames, smashing towards his head. The Black Skeleton was shocked. At this moment, he was already severely injured. If he were to be punched by the Bull Demon King again, his entire skeleton would surely shatter. Even if he were lucky enough to survive, half of his cultivation level would be lost, so naturally, he didn''t dare to resist. Suddenly his figure flashed, rushing off into the distance. The Bull Demon King stopped in his tracks when he saw the skeleton fleeing. However, before he could slowly land, it was as if he had suddenly lost all his strength, plunging straight down from the sky. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo and the others were taken aback, and quickly rushed over to his side. When they got close, they saw the Bull Demon King lying on the ground in pain. The short dagger was still stuck in his chest, and strands of black light spread from it, penetrating his chest. ¡°This is¡­Blood Demon Poison.¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King furrowed his brows, stating solemnly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s face turned pale. The Blood Demon was indeed one of the mighty beings in the Demon Clan under Chiyou''s command, and his Demonic Blood Technique was famously dreadful. The sharp, poisonous blood was so toxic that even Taoyi Immortals found it hard to withstand. The black short dagger could very well be contaminated with this poison. Everyone was helpless in the face of this kind of poison, and they could only look on anxiously. ¡°Red Boy, you come over¡­¡± At this time, the Bull Demon King suddenly spoke. ¡°Father King.¡± Red Boy immediately leaned down to his side. ¡°I wasn''t able to block the poison in time while repelling that guy earlier. Some of it has already entered my heart veins. Now, I need you to use the Samadhi True Fire to sear my wounds and temporarily suppress the poison, to prevent it from spreading throughout my heart veins,¡± The Bull Demon King said. ¡°Father King, this fire burns fiercely, and I''m afraid that while burning the poison, it could harm your heart veins,¡± Red Boy voiced his concern. ¡°It doesn''t matter, just do it. Even if it hurts my heart veins, it''s better than being corroded by the poison,¡± the Bull Demon King said. ¡°Alright, I will do my best to protect your heart veins,¡± Red Boy agreed after a moment''s hesitation. The Bull Demon King nodded in appreciation and then turned to the frightened woman next to him, saying tenderly, ¡°You come here, stand by my side.¡± The woman was somewhat scared and guilty. After struggling for a moment, she moved closer and kneeled down. The Bull Demon King gently held her hand, shook her head at her, signaling that he was okay. ¡°Daoist Friend Qing Mang, could you please carefully examine her again to see if there are any hidden dangers within her?¡± Shen Luo said. The Ghost Cultivator glanced at the Bull Demon King and at his nod, stepped forward. He raised a hand and gently passes it over the woman''s head, black halos released from his palm, exploring within the depths. A moment later, he withdrew his hand, his brows knitted together, ¡°Her soul is not whole, with a part of it held elsewhere. The previous sudden attack attempt was likely due to manipulation by others.¡± ¡°Can you locate where her soul resides?¡± The Bull Demon King inquired . ¡°We can create a Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp. Through the connection between souls, we can locate it. However, this method only works within a certain distance. If the distance is too far, it will be useless,¡± Qing Mang replied. ¡°They must be at their¡­ ugh¡­¡± The Bull Demon King grunted suddenly, stopping his speech. It was because Red Boy had begun casting his mystic arts. He held his hand over his mouth and nose, condensing a wisp of Samadhi True Fire into a thread of fire, and shot it into the Bull Demon King''s wound. ¡°They are sure to be at their lair. I regret that I cannot move now, or I would wipe out these demons.¡± The Bull Demon King gritted his teeth fiercely. ¡°Her soul is still in the hands of the Demon Clan. I''m afraid we can''t act rashly¡­¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King cast a glance at the woman and hesitated to take action. ¡°That''s right, not only can we not act rashly, we must find a way to rescue her soul as soon as possible. The demons must have discovered that they''ve been deceived about the Heavenly Book. If we do not rescue her soul, we will be hindered at every turn,¡± Shen Luo nodded. Red Boy carefully controlled the flame, burning the scar at the Bull Demon King''s heart. A large amount of magic blood could be seen being burned, with black smoke dispersing, accompanied by wafts of the smell of charred flesh. Besides a moment at the beginning when he seemed somewhat intolerant, the Bull Demon King appeared to normal now. However, the beads of cold sweat continuously dripping down the sides of his forehead spoke volumes of the intense pain he must be enduring. ¡°Even if I can control the demonic poison for now, my injuries will take some time heal. But since I''ve severely damaged the Black Skeleton earlier, I''m not worried about him coming back. The problem is how to rescue her.¡± The Bull Demon King hesitated. ¡°I am proficient in illusion techniques. I could sneak in and there may be a chance to rescue her soul,¡± after a moment of thought, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King proposed. ¡°The demons will attack again sooner or later. Elder Fox King, you must guard Jilei Mountain and should not leave for now. Before coming to Jilei Mountain, I had spent some time in Black Wolf Mountain, where these demons reside, and have some understanding of the situation there. Why not let me handle the task of finding this woman''s soul?¡± Shen Luo suggested. The image of the mysterious figure enveloped in the purple sphere in the Blood Pool of Black Wolf Mountain popped up in his mind. He had an inkling that the person controlling Princess Jade Face''s soul might be him. ¡°Friend Shen''s words make sense. But this is our problem at Jilei Mountain. How can we let you take such a risk?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King pondered for a moment before responding. ¡°We are all in the same battle against the Demon Clan. Let''s not distinguish amongst us so much.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively. If they could retrieve the soul of Princess Jade Face''s reincarnated body, then it would be basically set in stone that the Bull Demon King would join their camp against the Demon Clan. Furthermore, the Bull Demon King had the crucial fifth fragment of the Heavenly Scroll in his hand, which increased the significance of this matter manifold. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Are you really confident of doing this?¡± the Bull Demon King asked. ¡°I only have one life. Why would I risk it without absolute certainty?¡± Shen Luo replied but after finishing the sentence he felt something was off and spaced out for a moment. ¡°If you really can save the souls of Yu''er, I promise you that I will allying myself with the Heavenly Court and Earth Immortals to jointly crusade against Chiyou and the Demon Clan from this point onwards,¡± the Bull Demon King solemnly declared upon hearing Shen Luo''s words. Chapter 779 Chapter 779: Chapter 775: One Soul, One Spirit Chapter 779: Chapter 775: One Soul, One Spirit ¡°The elder''s promise is naturally good, but everything has to wait until after Junior returns victorious.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Well¡­ How do you plan to infiltrate the Demon Clan''s lair?¡± Bull Demon King asked. ¡°I have a Magical Treasure that can help me mask my breath, and sneak into the heartland of the Demon Clan''s lair. After that, I can only play it by ear.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Earlier, to help you suppress Chiyou''s Demonic Qi, I sealed the SeCalming Pearl in your Sea of Knowledge. Now, I''ll impart to you a special Refining Technique that can help you completely refine this pearl. With this pearl, you can completely hide your Divine soul fluctuations, even Taoyi Immortals, unless they have some special Magical Treasure or have cultivated some special Divine Soul God''s Power, would find it difficult to detect your Divine sense fluctuations.¡± Bull Demon King said. ¡°No wonder I felt as if my Divine Sense Power has somewhat improved recently, it turns out I owe it all to the elder for sealing such a treasured item. I''m deeply humbled.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo said in surprise. ¡°It was simply to repay you for saving Red Boy, so you need not worry. This pearl has other uses too, I won''t tell you for now, but you''ll discover them for yourself later on.¡± Bull Demon King replied. Having said that, he started to impart the Refining Technique to Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Shen Luo said with a bow. ¡°Shen brother, this journey is dangerous, I don''t have anything special to give you, only this life-saving piece of fox fur I can give you, it has no special use, can help you transform three times, as long as you know the Breath fluctuations of the object of transformation, you can transform into it perfectly, without any flaws within an hour, even a Taoyi Immortal won''t be able to detect it.¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King said, as he flipped his wrist, revealing a piece of light golden fox fur in his palm and handed it over. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo immediately received it. ¡°The usage doesn''t differ much from usual Illusion techniques, just hold the fox fur tightly in your palm, envision the person''s appearance, mannerisms, and Breath fluctuations that you want to change into, and then use Mana to stimulate it.¡± Ten Thousand Years Fox King cautioned. ¡°I''ll keep that in mind.¡± Shen Luo nodded. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having said that, he turned to Qing Mang and said, ¡°Please take time out to make a Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp.¡± ¡°It will take half an hour.¡± Qing Mang nodded. ¡°That''s just right, I will go and refine the SeCalming Pearl and take a rest for a while.¡± Shen Luo chuckled. Qing Mang came to the side of Princess Jade Face''s reincarnation, flipped his hand to reveal a White Lotus, pulled a strand of blue silk from above her head, rolled it around his finger, then pointed it at her third eye. Immediately, a faint white light was drawn out, enveloping the blue silk with its soft radiance. Afterward, he took out a white lamp from his sleeve and placed the blue silk and white lotus inside it. He started to form a magic spell with his hands, reciting spells, and inputting Mana into the lamp. Meanwhile, Shen Luo had already sat down cross-legged, beginning to refine the SeCalming Pearl according to the method taught by the Bull Demon King. In his Sea of Knowledge, the SeCalming Pearl was still emitting a clear light, similar to a bright moon in the sky. However, when his Mana began to wrap around it, trying to refine it, the moon''s Gloss suddenly brightened a hundredfold. Almost instantly, this shining light filled his Sea of Knowledge. It was like a gentle breeze sweeping past, cleaning all impurities within his knowledge, and he suddenly entered into a meditative state. Shen Luo was quite shocked. Although he used to cultivate very quickly in the Dreamland because of his excellent aptitude allowing him to quickly enter into this state, this feeling of entering the meditation state almost instantly without any effort, still made him feel quite wonderful. As the refining process continued, the SeCalming Pearl, which was originally sealed in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge, gradually became unsealed, and its connection with him gradually grew stronger. This meant that he could now have full control over this treasure and use it from his Sea of Knowledge. ¡°No wonder the Elder Bull Demon King said that this SeCalming Pearl has other wonderful uses. Now it seems that his words were not false, it is actually a high-rank water attribute magical treasure.¡± Shen Luo was thrilled. Half an hour quickly passed, Shen Luo and Qing Mang finished and stood up from their original positions. On the other side, the injuries of the Bull Demon King have been dealt with. He now needs to find a way to heal and detoxify his wounds on his own. Qing Mang held a white lamp and walked over to Shen Luo. He said: ¡°The Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp attracts souls due to its soul-soothing effect and the link it creates with the original divine spirit. With the Jade Pool White Lotus as a foundation, the divine soul''s spiritual light as a flame, and the green silk as a wick, the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp is made. When you are within a certain range, light the wick with your mana, and the lamp will detect the presence of the individual''s soul. The flame will then shift towards that direction.¡± ¡°How large is this range?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Within a thousand feet will be enough, the closer you are, the brighter the flame will be. However, the lamp oil is limited, so the time that this lamp can maintain its light is also limited. You should enter the Demon Clan''s lair first before you use it.¡± Qing Mang instructed. ¡°Alright, I will determine a range first, then light up the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Also, you must be aware that the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp works by detecting the vibrations between souls. Therefore, the vibrations it emits cannot be hidden. Regular demons might not notice it, but the person who stripped her of her soul will definitely be able to sense it. The moment you light up the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp, you risk exposing your presence.¡± Qing Mang cautioned once more. ¡°When that time comes, it will all depend on my luck.¡± Shen Luo said with a slight frown and a nod. He had already made up his mind; as soon as he got hold of the souls, he would immediately use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Escape Technique to escape from Black Wolf Mountain. After that, he would conceal his breath and run back here. ¡°Brother Shen, the success of this task depends on you,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King with a salute. The Bull Demon King also cast Shen Luo a hopeful glance. ¡°I''ll be on my way now, everyone, I hope to bring back good news,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Having said that, he disappeared from everyone''s sight in a burst of escape light. As the evening approached, when the sky was neither dark nor light, the figure of Shen Luo slowly descended from above a dense forest. At this moment, he was only about a hundred Li away from Black Wolf Mountain. After landing, he turned his wrist and a yellow silk handkerchief emitting a hazy glow appeared in his hand. It was the Innate Spiritual Treasure given to him by Yuan Daoist. Shen Luo followed the method given by Yuan Daoist to activate the yellow brocade handkerchief. Its light flashed and magnified a hundred times, wrapping him up. He plunged downward and instantly sank into the earth. Yellow light enveloped him, and although he was closely connected with the earth, he seemed unaffected by the soil and rocks. He silently said the word ¡°fast¡± in his heart, and his body violently shot forward. He began to travel rapidly under the earth; his speed was no slower than flying. After about a few dozen breaths, Shen Luo''s figure suddenly burst out from the earth and landed directly into a massive gash in the underworld. His figure dropped for more than dozens of feet, landing on a winding staircase that led downwards. Chapter 780 Chapter 780: Chapter 776: Rebuke Chapter 780: Chapter 776: Rebuke Before Shen Luo could steady himself, he heard a noise coming from above. Instantly, he urged the yellow silk handkerchief, shrinking his figure and slipping under the stone steps. At the same time, he activated the SeCalming Pearl with a thought, covering all his Qi fluctuations, and pricked up his ears to listen carefully. Soon, heavy and chaotic footsteps came from the ground. Two members of the Demon Race, one in front and one behind, came down from above. ¡°Have you heard? This time, the Black Bone King went out and got absolutely nothing. He even had half his body bones broken by the Bull Demon King. Tsk, tsk, losing his wife and his troops, that''s a real loss,¡± one of the demons began, seemingly taking pleasure in others'' misfortunes. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You''re really not afraid of death, daring to criticize the Black Bone King behind his back. Aren''t you afraid he''ll break your bones?¡± The other demon was much more cautious and admonished him. ¡°Why should I be afraid¡­you aren''t going to report me. Besides, the Black Bone King is not in Black Wolf Mountain right now, maybe he''s being scolded by the Honorable One!¡± The former demon remained resolute and continued to speak with an indifferent attitude towards death. ¡°Well, that''s true, they all moved out, but left us two here. We''re suffering without complaint and also have to bear the brunt from the Black Cave, sigh¡­¡± the other demon sighed. ¡°Moved out?¡± Shen Luo''s heart was filled with doubt upon hearing this. ¡°The Black Bone King has always been strict with our Demon Race. This Black Cave under his control is even more so. Apart from a few of us with higher cultivation levels who can get some respect, aren''t we, small fries like you and me, just ants at their feet?¡± ¡°Sigh, you''re right. We chose to join the Demon Clan simply to struggle for survival in this world. Now, it''s still a precarious situation, we are constantly worried about being used as cannon fodder, and also fear being casually crushed by these demons. It''s really frustrating. It would be better to return and submit to other big demons.¡± The other demon sighed, speaking with a melancholy. ¡°Now, going back is hard. Those big demons, one by one, either surrender or hide and dare not come out. Who can we run to? Sooner or later, we are going to get captured by the Demon Clan. Even the Demon King like Bull Demon King does not want to stand up, who else can protect us?¡± The first demon replied with a bitter smile. After speaking, both demons fell silent. After a few moments, they both said in unison: ¡°If only the Great Sage Equal to Heaven was still here¡­¡± Listening to the gradually fading footsteps of the two little demons, Shen Luo slowly emerged from the stone steps and started walking inside. The stone steps wound their way down, extending downwards, with an occasional light far off to the sides. As Shen Luo could still vaguely hear the intermittent chatter of the two little demons in front of him, he was hesitating whether to take out the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp to explore when suddenly he heard a furious shout from ahead: ¡°You two blind beasts, seeking death?¡± Immediately after, the pleading voices of the two small demons followed. ¡°You took so long to fetch some wine and water, are you courting death?¡± Another furious shout resounded. Cautiously, Shen Luo followed and arrived at the end of the stone steps., He saw a spacious, underground hall, where bonfires were lit all around, making it very bright. In the center of the hall, was a Demon man standing. His body was pitch black, and his face was like an evil ghost''s. He was baring his tusks and reprimanding two small demons who were kneeling in front of him. One of them had curved horns on his head and a tuft of goatee under his jaw, clearly a Goat Demon. The other had wood grain on its face and grey-brown skin, apparently a Tree Spirit. ¡°Sir Black Cave, spare us, we didn''t delay on purpose. We were afraid of spilling your liquor, so we didn''t dare to walk too fast. Please don''t be angry, forgive us¡­¡± Both were kowtowing incessantly to the demon, exhibiting extreme fear. But even so, the anger of the Demon man did not subside. He raised one hand. In the palm, a lump of black fog gathered and reached out towards the Goat Demon. Seeing this, the Goat Demon was instantly scared out of its wits, quivering, ¡°Spare me, Lord Black Cave¡­¡± ¡°Why are you shouting? Having absorbed my demonic qi, you might stand a chance at transformation. You wouldn''t have to do this menial work in the future.¡± The demon man known as ¡°Black Cave¡± scoffed disdainfully. ¡°Lord Black Cave, as we all know, not every one of us can transform. If the demonic qi isn''t pure, or if the physique is too weak, we would not survive the process. Please spare me¡­¡± the Goat Demon pleaded almost tearfully. The Tree Spirit next to him could only crouch trembling on the ground, not daring to utter a single word in his favor. What the Goat Demon didn''t expect was that this statement would thoroughly infuriate Black Cave. ¡°Are you implying that my demonic qi isn''t pure enough?¡± Black Cave sneered, asking. ¡°No, no, I''m only saying that I''m too weak to bear¡­¡± The Goat Demon, realizing his mistake, quickly explained. Before he could finish his words, Black Cave had already lost patience with his prattle. His hand, imbued with demonic qi, reached out directly towards the Goat Demon''s head. ¡°Stop.¡± Just then, a stern order was heard. Upon hearing this, Black Cave was taken aback. He looked up to see a figure descending the staircase. Seeing the change in this figure''s demeanor, his stupefied expression quickly turned into a fawning one, as he rushed up to meet the figure. ¡°Great King!¡± As Black Cave ran, he respectfully addressed the figure. In front of him stood a black skeleton, its bones bearing many cracks, and its breath seemed very unstable. It was none other than the leader of the demon clan who had attacked Jilei Mountain earlier, the Black Bone King. ¡°Aren''t you supposed to be at Heimeng Mountain now? Why are you here?¡± Seeing the Black Bone King silent, Black Cave asked cautiously, a hint of suspicion in his heart. Obviously, the figure before him wasn''t the real Black Bone, but an illusion created by Shen Luo using the Primordial Fox Tail. From the encounters they had had before, he was quite familiar with the black skeleton''s breath and appearance, hence the transformation. ¡°Do I have to listen to you now on where I should go? All day long, you''re not doing what you''re supposed to, only bickering with these little lackeys. Do you have any ambition left?¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly. ¡°The Great King is right, it''s all my fault.¡± Black Cave immediately bowed his head in apology. The two little demons were so scared by the Black Bone King''s voice that they dared not move, not even permitting themselves to take any pleasure in Black Cave''s misfortune. ¡°You two evil beasts, aren''t you going to scram? Are you trying to be a eyesore?¡± Shen Luo rebuked in a low voice. Upon hearing this, the two little demons breathed a sigh of relief. They started to roll their bodies toward the stone steps without hesitation. Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief, turned to Black Cave and said, ¡°It''s been a while now, you still haven''t dealt with everything here?¡± On hearing this, Black Cave felt a chill, hesitantly replying: ¡°Great King, the construction of this blood pool has been in progress for many years, and cleaning it up is really difficult. Over the past two days, I, indeed, have been working incessantly. However, we still need more time to get it completely finished.¡± Chapter 781 Chapter 781: Chapter 778: Heading to Heimeng Mountain Chapter 781: Chapter 778: Heading to Heimeng Mountain Upon hearing the Black Cave''s words, the ghostly fire in Shen Luo''s eyes flickered slightly. He thought to himself, so these demons moved out only two days ago? According to what those two little demons said, they moved to a place called Heimeng Mountain. But despite pondering over it for a while, Shen Luo could not recall the place. ¡°Ahem¡­ Okay, let the others handle the matters here. You, come with me back to Heimeng Mountain,¡± Shen Luo cleared his throat and instructed. ¡°Go back to Heimeng Mountain? That''s not convenient, Great King. The Honorable One instructed before they left that I should not leave until the traces of the blood pool have been completely cleaned up,¡± the Black Cave quickly objected. ¡°Don''t forget, are you a subordinate of the Honorable One or mine?¡± The ghostly fire in Shen Luo''s eyes contracted as he asked coldly. The Black Cave was very familiar with Shen Luo''s demeanor. It was usually how Black Bone King would behave when he was angry. ¡°You, Of course, it''s you. If you say I should go back, then you must have important matters to attend to, and I naturally should accompany you. However, regarding the Honorable One¡­¡± the Black Cave hastily replied. ¡°You don''t need to worry about them. I''ll handle it,¡± Shen Luo''s tone softened slightly. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Black Cave responded immediately. ¡°Okay, enough talking, go inform the others, we are leaving immediately,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand. ¡°Yes.¡± Black Cave rushed away, heading towards a passageway on the other side of the hall. After delivering the message, he quickly returned to Shen Luo''s side. The two of them emerged from the stone steps back to the surface. On the way, they passed by the blood pool that Shen Luo had seen before, which had been completely dried up. Many areas had been dismantled, but crystal strands could still be seen, extending towards the ground. It was evident that there was an array supporting the blood pool beneath the ground, and it was not as common as it seemed on the surface. Once they returned to the surface, Shen Luo told Black Cave, ¡°You handle the flight. I need to tend to my injuries.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Black Cave didn''t dare hesitate and responded immediately. With that, he waved his hand, and a dark light flickered before him, revealing a pitch-black wooden flying boat. ¡°Great King, please,¡± Black Cave obsequiously said. Shen Luo jumped onto the flying boat and sat down cross-legged towards the back. Seeing this, Black Cave quickly boarded the boat too. He shaped his hands into a magical gesture and began to channel his Mana to propel it. The black flying boat rose into the air, wrapped in rolling devil clouds. In a flash, it had reached a high altitude of ten thousand feet. The black light then suddenly flashed, turning into a stream of light and speeding away. Shen Luo was slightly surprised. This Black Cave only seemed to have a cultivation level at the peak of Mahayana, but the speed at which he was propelling the flying boat was no slower than a true Immortal. They flew for more than half an hour and not long after leaving the territory of Black Wolf Mountain, there appeared a range of mountains stretching across the earth. The mountain range was winding like a centipede curled up. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo recognized the mountain range, known as the Mountain Range. The main peak was a solitary peak thousands of feet high called Eye Nail Mountain. Just when he thought they were going to cross the peaks, Black Cave lowered the bow and descended towards the bottom of the main peak. ¡°Couldn''t this place be Heimeng mountain? Did these demons change its name?¡± Shen Luo was surprised but did not ask. Once they landed in the mountain forest, a team of demon soldiers rushed up to them. Recognizing their identities, they immediately saluted. Shen Luo strode towards the entrance of the mountain. Black Cave promptly followed. Just after taking a couple of steps, Shen Luo suddenly stopped and looked back at Black Cave, asking, ¡°I want to meet the Honorable One. Are you coming too?¡± Black Cave felt a bitter feeling in his heart obliquely muttering, ¡°Wasn''t it you who told me to come back with you?¡± ¡°So, Great King wants me to¡­¡± However, he dared not say such words aloud and only asked. ¡°You wait down here. I will have a task for you after meeting with the Honorable One,¡± Shen Luo indifferently said. ¡°Yes.¡± Black Cave responded immediately. For some reason, he felt that today''s Black Bone King seemed a bit off? Shen Luo nodded and continued towards Heimeng Mountain, leaving Black Cave standing bewildered on the spot. After walking about a hundred steps into the mountain path, he saw a watchtower stationed with seven or eight demon soldiers along the way. Seeing Shen Luo, they all saluted. Shen Luo ignored them and continued inward. When he reached a secluded place with no one around, he once again took out the yellow silk handkerchief, covered his figure and vanished into the ground, directly heading towards the inner part of the mountain. Inside the mountain, Shen Luo returned to his original form. He was enveloped in a yellow light, and with a twist of his wrist, he produced a white oil lamp in his palm. Inside the lamp was a milky-white oil of some unknown origin, slightly emitting a faint fragrance. He rubbed the wick with his fingertip, transferring a thread of Mana into it. Immediately, a flicker of fire lit up, illuminating a serene green glow. Shen Luo stared attentively at the lamp flame. Naturally, there was no wind inside the belly of the mountain, yet the flame swayed as though being blown by the wind, veering slightly towards the right direction. He promptly used his Earth Escaping Technique and moved towards the right. After traversing about a hundred feet through the belly of the mountain, the space before him suddenly opened. Shen Luo''s head burst out of the rock wall, and he was met with the sight of a reasonably large space inside the mountain belly lit by a large bonfire. Astonishingly, there were dozens of blood pools of different sizes constructed in the center. The configuration appeared almost identical to the one he had seen at the Black Wolf Mountain. Dark red pillars, engraved with various charm patterns, were standing all around. However, no lights were shining on them, seeming as if they weren''t activated yet. Looking middle of the blood pools, Shen Luo saw a giant purple-black rock emitting a shiny purple light. However, he couldn''t see the purple sphere or the figure inside it, that he had seen earlier. ¡°It looks like they just moved here, and this blood pool array has not started to operate yet,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Seeing that there was no one around, Shen Luo came out of the rock wall, hid his breath, and landed on the ground. The moment he landed, the lamp in his hand slightly shook. The flame inside quivered a few times then abruptly swung towards a certain direction. Seeing this, Shen Luo concentrated his gaze and looked in that direction. He saw a pitch-black cave entrance on the opposite mountain wall. He immediately dashed towards it. Upon entering the cave, Shen Luo followed a passage through the mountain for about a hundred steps and arrived at a small square stone chamber. Its four walls were embedded with luminescent stones, emitting a cold light. He had just reached the entrance when the flame in the lamp suddenly flickered and directly bowed towards the direction of the chamber. Following its direction, Shen Luo saw a long stone table against the wall of the chamber. On it was a glazed jade bottle with mist rising out of it. One could vaguely make out the figure of a young fox curled up at the bottom of the bottle. ¡°It''s indeed here¡­¡± Shen Luo felt a surge of joy in his heart and immediately released his divine soul to scan the stone chamber. Chapter 782 Chapter 782: Chapter 779: Green Spirit Profound Girl Chapter 782: Chapter 779: Green Spirit Profound Girl Upon seeing no anomalies in the stone chamber, Shen Luo cautiously entered, making his way to the side table. His gaze rested on the young fox inside the bottle. Noticing its languid expression, seemingly quite tired, a sense of worry crept into his heart. After all, souls are intangible. If they leave their original bodies for an extended period of time, they gradually weaken until they dissipate into thin air. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Princess Jade Face''s soul had been separated from her body and manipulated by someone, certainly depleting even more of her vitality. If she could not return to her original body in time, there was indeed a risk of completely dissipating. Shen Luo hesitated no longer. He turned off the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp in his hands, picked up the Glazed Jade Bottle, and put it immediately into his sleeve. ¡°Daoist friend, aren''t you aware that taking something without asking is stealing?¡± came a chilly voice from the entrance of the stone chamber. ¡°When did you get here?¡± Shen Luo looked startled upon hearing the voice. Despite his divine sense power, he had failed to notice when this person had approached. ¡°Oh, forceful manipulation of someone''s soul¡­ This is arguably worse than theft, isn''t it?¡± Shen Luo composed himself and retorted with a cold laugh. As his eyes swept across, he saw a woman with a willowy figure standing at the entrance. She wore golden silk fish scale armor that enveloped her whole body, outlining two enchanting curves. Only her slender, white neck and two jade-like palms were revealed. Her cheeks were rather thin, and she wore a black metal mask on her face. It bore the visage of an evil ghost with protruding tusks. It neatly contrasted with her perfect figure, giving her an appearance reminiscent of a Rakshasa maiden. A little probing from Shen Luo revealed that the woman''s mask was extraordinary. It effectively isolated his divine sense power entirely, making it impossible for him to see her true face. This was likely the reason he had not detected the woman''s approach earlier. ¡°I, the Green Spirit Profound Girl, am a demon by nature. Isn''t it natural for me to do terrible things? Since you have risked entering this place, there''s no need for you to leave. The blood pool here just happens to lack ingredients of your vitality,¡± the woman sarcastically smiled while speaking. ¡°Apologies, but I didn''t come here to fight with you. If there is a chance in the future, we shall spar then,¡± He casually laughed and bowed as he spoke. After saying this, he covered himself with the Yellow Silk Handkerchief, his body suddenly shrank, and he attempted to escape into the underworld. ¡°I didn''t say you could leave.¡± The woman, who referred to herself as ¡°Green Spirit Profound Girl,¡± was taken aback. With a sudden stomp of her foot, a humongous wave of Qi erupted from her body, instantly interrupting Shen Luo''s escape method. Hit by such an intense force, Shen Luo''s body flipped over and crashed into the wall behind him. ¡°It''s her¡­¡± The instant Shen Luo sensed this breath, he was sure that the woman in front of him was the same person who was hiding inside the purple sphere in the center of the blood pool formation before. He raised his hand to lean on the wall and impulsively pushed back, his body spun around, launching a punch towards the Green Spirit Profound Girl. Inside his body, the Huangting Divine Power was running at high speed. Behind him, the phantasm of a Golden Elephant and a Golden Dragon appeared and rammed into the woman along with him. Seeing this, the latter put one hand behind her, took a step back, and then moved her finger like a claw, punching it directly towards Shen Luo. In the void, a swift break of air flows echoed like a Dragon Chant. A giant black dragon claw materialized out of thin air and collided with Shen Luo''s fist. A loud ''boom'' echoed. A massive shock wave emanated from their clashing fists, sweeping in all directions, causing the surrounding mountain walls to crumble, and revealing numerous spider-web-like cracks. Shen Luo only felt an incredibly large force rushing at him. Without holding on for too long, it shattered the Golden Dragon and Golden Elephant behind him, and with an immense force threw his entire body out. ¡°As a fellow practitioner of the Taiyi realm, this woman''s strength is astonishing. She''s far stronger than the Black Bone King,¡± Shen Luo thought in shock. In the meantime, he propelled himself using this force, like a javelin, towards the already cracked stone wall. At the same time, he was already preparing to activate the Yellow Silk Handkerchief, planning to use the Earth Escape Technique to flee as soon as he entered the ground. However, it seemed as though the Green Spirit Profound Girl had already seen through his intentions. Before he could touch the stone wall, a massive black dragon claw reached out from above him, quickly grabbing him in its grip. There was a ¡°snap¡± sound. The Green Spirit Profound Girl''s hand abruptly tightened, and the black dragon claw holding Shen Luo did the same, intending to crush Shen Luo into dust. However, the Green Spirit Profound Girl''s eyes suddenly changed, showing surprise. When she tried to tighten her grip even further, she discovered an invisible force supporting her palm, making it impossible to tighten any further. Looking ahead, she saw a large yellow sphere embedded in the center of the black dragon claw, which she couldn''t grasp or break no matter how hard she tried. In the middle of the sphere, Shen Luo stood with his arms folded, looking quite relaxed. ¡°Could this magical treasure be¡­¡± The Green Spirit Profound Girl suddenly grew pensive, her eyes reflecting her thoughts. After a brief thought, she withdrew her dragon claw and flicked her right thumb and index finger, creating a snap sound, and a cluster of black flame immediately rose from her fingertip. ¡°Let''s try this.¡± She uttered a command and waved her hand forward. The moment the flame left her fingers, it suddenly transformed into a dense black fire that rolled onward, engulfing the yellow light sphere. However, no matter how the black flame burned, the yellow light sphere remained impenetrable, showing no sign of breaking. Shen Luo activated the Yellow Silk Handkerchief, forming the yellow light sphere, in accordance with the secret method taught by Yuan Daoist. It''s known as a defensive God''s Power, but he had no idea how strong it was. Through this experiment, Shen Luo realized that this treasure may be on par with or even surpass the Six Chen Whip in certain aspects. ¡°Daoist friend, I didn''t expect that you could get your hands on such a treasure, you must have experienced some great adventures.¡± Trapping Shen Luo with a black flame, the Green Spirit Profound Girl did not continue to attack but instead started to taunt him. For some unknown reason, Shen Luo felt a strange sense when he heard her words. Looking at her again, he inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity. However, after thinking carefully, he could not remember anyone like the Green Spirit Profound Girl in his memory, nor could he figure out who she might be. ¡°This treasure merely happened to catch my eye on the roadside. I still don''t know its special features. Could you please explain?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. Naturally, the Green Spirit Profound Girl didn''t believe Shen Luo''s words, so she just shook her head and stayed silent. Just as Shen Luo was pondering what the woman was up to, his expression suddenly changed, and he immediately covered his lower abdomen where his Dantian was located. ¡°Finally noticed¡­ I had a vague feeling that there was residual Demonic Qi in your body when I first saw you. It seems like it was transferred from Red Boy. This demonic flame is not meant to burn you, it just wants to provoke the Demonic Qi in your body.¡± The Green Spirit Profound Girl said with a cold sneer. Chapter 783 Chapter 783: Chapter 780: Dangerous Struggles Chapter 783: Chapter 780: Dangerous Struggles ¡°So you didn''t attack all this time just to wait for this?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°I can''t break your Earth Wall Barrier from the outside, so I have to find a way to break it from the inside,¡± the Green Spirit Profound Girl said with a smile. Shen Luo''s expression changed increasingly for the worse, as the strange sensation in his abdomen grew stronger. He finally could not bear it and fell headfirst forward. Following that, the yellow light sphere cloaking him began to gradually dissipinate. The moment a fissure appeared in the yellow light sphere, all the black flames rushed in like living beings, all landing on Shen Luo. He could not help but let out a miserable howl, struggling to get up and rushed over to another stone wall. Seeing this, the Green Spirit Profound Girl shrugged, her fingers formed a chopping motion, and a black light descended from above, instantly splitting the ceiling of the stone chamber and Shen Luo in half. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A bloodline appeared on Shen Luo''s body. His body had not yet split apart when it was buried by the debris falling from above, sending blood flying everywhere. After the Green Spirit Profound Girl struck, she flashed away instantly without lingering. Soon after she left, Shen Luo''s corpse in the rubble lost its colour, it turned into two paper dolls. Amid a spark, they burned into ashes. At the same time, Shen Luo, who had managed to escape, quietly emerged in a forest tens of miles away ¡°That was close¡­ Thank god for Daoist Hua''s paper man puppet¡­ who knows if I could''ve withstood that attack¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered, looking back with lingering fear. Earlier in the mountain belly, the Demon Clan woman, who called herself the ¡°Green Spirit Profound Girl¡±, had indeed made contact with some of the gray whirlwinds sealed within his body when she deployed her Black Demon Flame. However, it did not truly stimulate the demonic Qi to backlash, he had merely played along. Her final cleaving strike was so potent that if Shen Luo had not hesitated and directly used the paper doll to block the lethal injury, he would have been grievously wounded by now. ¡°It''s not safe to stay here for a long time. I''d better get away quickly.¡± Shen Luo spread his arms, the golden and silver light on his arms blazing suddenly. He prepared to flee, getting off the ground in an instant. However, just then, a dark silhouette appeared precisely on the trajectory of his flight. It swung its hand down and a giant black dragon claw emerged from the void, clawing towards Shen Luo. Gloomy light shed from the black dragon claw, causing the surrounding void to distort. If Shen Luo persisted in using the Thousand-Mile Wing Flapping Escape Technique, he would be caught by this power and trapped in the Black Dragon Claw. ¡°Huh! Persistent¡­¡± he had to cut off the escape technique and stop in mid-air. With a twist of his wrist, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod emerged in his palm. He swung it forcefully, aiming for the Black Dragon Claw. Mid air, the Huangting Divine Power in Shen Luo''s body ran at full power. The huge golden shadows of six dragons and six elephants appeared behind him. They all pressed forward together as he swung his stick. Golden light spread all over the high altitude. The sound of dragon chants and elephant roars non-stop. A great domineering pressure emanated, causing the surrounding air currents to surge towards the Demon Clan girl. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod quickly elongated in the void, gleaming with golden light, and landed heavily on the Black Dragon Claw. With a ¡°boom¡±, a massive tremor resonated! A wave of overwhelming shock surged from the point of impact, stirring up a ring of hurricane-like gusts spreading in all directions, toppling all the trees within dozens of miles radius from the mountain forest below. The black dragon claw shattered upon contact, disintegrating into specks of black light that dispersed. The void had not quieted down yet, but the Green Spirit Profound Girl had already swiftly rushed over. In her hand was a twisting black long sword, like a snake. In the moment she approached Shen Luo, she stabbed ruthlessly at his heart. Shen Luo was already on the defensive. He parried the sword with his long stick, and prepared to counterattack with the Splashy Chaotic Stick move. Just as the black longsword was deflected, the tip of the sword quivered. It suddenly became blurry and surprisingly transformed into dozens of sword shadows, striking towards the vital points of his body. It was too late for him to activate the yellow silk handkerchief for protection around his body. Without hesitation, he invoked the SeCalming Pearl hidden in his Sea of knowledge, causing it to emit a bright light. Almost simultaneously, waves of water-blue light surged from his body, resembling massive sea waves rushing in all directions. They directly pushed back the dense sword shadows and the female figure, retreating them a hundred feet away. ¡°The SeCalming Pearl, the Bull Demon King actually gave this treasure to you?¡± The Green Spirit Profound Girl exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this. Shen Luo ignored her doubt and rushed towards her with the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand. He swung it extra fast and started performing the Splashy Chaotic Stick move towards the Green Spirit Profound Girl. In the void, the howling sound grew louder as a series of condensed rod shadows began to emerge all around, continuously surrounding the Green Spirit Profound Girl. Her eyes flashed slightly, she made a hand seal and tossed the black snake sword in her hand forth. The sword suddenly emitted a radiant black light and turned into hundreds of black long snakes in mid-air, attacking each rod shadow. As the flying rod shadows made contact with the long black snakes, they were entangled together, effectively disrupting Shen Luo''s momentum to build his attack with his rod. Seeing that his rod was unable to build up, he stopped spinning it. Instead, he rushed directly towards the Green Spirit Profound Girl. Upon seeing him, she had another black snake spear appear in her palm, and they engaged in a fierce battle. One wielding a rod and the other a spear, both moved extremely fast. Their afterimages crisscrossed in the void. What astonished Shen Luo was that this woman''s strength was great. Even when he was driving the full force of the Huang Ting Jing technique, he could not suppress her. After about a dozen rounds, the Green Spirit Profound Girl suddenly pushed Shen Luo back with her spear and let out a fierce yell. The space behind her appeared to ripple, and a snarling black dragon materialized from thin air. Its eyes were furious, its whiskers fluttering as it opened its mouth and spat out a stream of black demonic flames towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo had nowhere to dodge. He steeled himself, and a streak of golden light appeared in front of him. The Heavenly Book that was hidden inside his body suddenly flashed out, a dazzling golden light emerged from it, absorbing all the rolling demonic flames. Within a few moments, all the demonic flames were absorbed by the Heavenly Book. But before Shen Luo could breathe a sigh of relief, a streak of green light fell from above his head, transformed into a platform-sized stone, and instantly smashed towards him. Shen Luo looked up, and all he could sense was an overwhelmingly strong, bloody aura. He raised his long stick to topple the falling stone platform, only to have waves of muffled sounds come from the stone platform. It sounded like cries of unwillingness and mourning. It was as if a demonic sound had pierced into his mind. Chapter 784 Chapter 784: Chapter 781: The Souls Return to their Positions Chapter 784: Chapter 781: The Souls Return to their Positions Shen Luo could only feel a sudden darkness before his eyes, hundreds of headless shadows silently emerged around him, charging at him like evil ghosts claiming lives. Embittered resentments, intense beyond compare, gathered together, threatening to shatter his heart and spirit in an instant. Fortunately, light shone suddenly from the SeCalming Pearl, casting a beacon for him amidst oppressive darkness. Shen Luo roared out, using his divine sense power to disperse all resentments, and his vision returned to normal. However, just as his sight was restored, the long stick in his hand had already braced against the green stone platform crashing down from above. On it, traces of slashes and cuts from swords could be seen, as well as large amounts of blood stains, imbuing it with a sordid appearance. A muffled thud resonated. The moment the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod braced against the stone platform, an invisible force of bondage surged from it, entrapping Shen Luo where he stood. His surroundings was even yet again filled with resentment. At the same time, the Green Spirit Profound Girl had once again charged at him. She thrust her Snake Spear towards his heart. Just as Shen Luo was about to be fatally pierced through his chest, his eyes suddenly hardened. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, and he forcefully spat towards the woman. With a light whoosh, a crimson round pearl shot from his mouth, aiming for the woman''s forehead. The moment the pearl appeared, an incredible heat radiated from within it. It was the Blazing Flame Pearl that Daoist Lei had lent to him. The Green Spirit Profound Girl had no time to dodge, and could only raise her arm for protection. Despite this, she still thrust her Snake Spear foward. The Blazing Flame Pearl collided with the woman''s forearm at the exact moment the long spear pierce through Shen Luo. The sound of an explosion rang out. The earth lung flames within the Blazing Flame Pearl erupted instantaneously, blasting apart in front of the Green Spirit Profound Girl. The powerful shockwave shattered the woman''s arm-guards and mask. The Snake Spear in the Green Spirit Profound Girl''s hand had only managed to penetrate halfway into Shen Luo''s body. With that, the girl was forced to retreat. Enduring his severe injuries, Shen Luo broke free from his restraints and swung his Sesuppressing Iron Rod towards the Green Spirit Profound Girl. The Green Spirit Profound Girl deflected with her Snake Spear and stopped the iron rod. When Shen Luo''s gaze fell on her wrist, his pupils suddenly contracted. Astonishingly, on her delicate white wrist were five points of blood-red marks grouped together, looking exactly like a blooming plum flower. ¡°A Reincarnation of demon soul¡­¡± A thought chilled his heart. Just then, the damaged faceplate of the Green Spirit Profound Girl loosened and seemed to be on the verge of falling down. With a swift movement, she retracted her long spear, held onto her faceplate, and chose to retreat. Meanwhile, from below in the forest, chaotic noises came wailing out. Seven or eight streaks of escape light soared up from the ground, rushing to chase after them. Despite eagerly wanting to see the face of the woman, the excruciating pain in his chest reminded Shen Luo that he could not afford to linger. He immediately put away the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and Blazing Flame Pearl, spread his arms, gold and silver light shone on him. In an instant, he transformed into a gold and silver phantom with terrifying speed, shooting forward and disappearing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After flying countless miles away and thoroughly leaving the Hei Meng region, Shen Luo covered his entire body with a yellow silk handkerchief and descended into a mountain valley. After he sat down cross-legged, he began using the Great Unsealing Technique to cure his injuries, but his mind could not calm down for a long time because of the sudden appearance of a person who was the Reincarnation of a Demon Soul. Every reincarnated body of a demon soul could potentially be the cause of the disaster of demons. If he could figure out the identity of this person, he would be able to take precautions and nip the bud once he returns to the real world. Having finally healed his injuries, Shen Luo pulled out the glazed jade bottle hidden in his sleeve. Seeing that the young fox inside was on the verge of death, he did not dare to delay any longer. Immediately, he used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Escape Technique again and returned to Jilei Mountain. The people waiting at Jilei Mountain did not expect Shen Luo to return so quickly. They all thought that his rescue mission had ended in failure. Unexpectedly, as soon as Shen Luo returned to the Mo Yun Cave Mansion, he immediately shouted loudly: ¡°Quickly, bring Daoist Friend Qing Mang!¡± Everyone didn''t understand the situation, while Bull Demon King, with a pale face and not yet fully healed, also called out Qing Mang''s name with a puzzled look. ¡°This soul is very unstable. Please hurry and return it to the body of Princess Jade Face,¡± Shen Luo immediately took out the glazed jade bottle and handed it to him. As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of Bull Demon King and Ten Thousand Years Fox King changed at the same time. Both of them cast their eyes on the jade bottle and when they saw the soul of the young fox, their eyes turned red. After taking the jade bottle, Qing Mang didn''t say a word but immediately moved his hand to input a trace of Soul Power into the bottle, then asked, ¡°Where is the princess?¡± At this time, the crowd quickly spread out, and Xiao Yu led that somewhat fearful girl up front. Seeing this, Qing Mang raised his hand and took out a strangely shaped black talisman, quickly swiping it with a unique technique and quickly stuck it to the girl''s forehead. Afterwards, he plucked a hair from the girl''s forehead, not pulling it off, but leading it into the mouth of the glazed jade bottle. With the insertion of that strand of hair, the young fox in the bottle seemed to have smelled a familiar scent. It followed the hair and climbed up, soon leaped out of the bottle, and rushed into the girl''s forehead. A flash of light appeared at the girl''s brow, and the black talisman on her forehead began to burn on its own. When the talisman paper was completely burnt, the girl''s tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, and suddenly opened. Ten Thousand Years Fox King immediately walked up and was about to speak, but was stopped by Qing Mang: ¡°Her soul has just returned, she is still at a loss, don''t talk to her yet, let her rest.¡± The girl''s gaze shifted slightly, fell on the face of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, and after a while she suddenly called out, ¡°Father¡­¡±. Just this soft call immediately brought tears to the eyes of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. The girl''s gaze shifted again, this time to the Bull Demon King, and her originally dazed look suddenly changed. However, just as she opened her mouth, her vision went black and she fell to the ground. The Bull Demon King rushed forward and held her in his arms. Accidentally, he pulled his wound, causing him to wince with pain. However, he couldn''t care about that right now and hurriedly asked in a deep voice, ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Don''t worry too much, she''s fine. It''s just that her souls suddenly returned and when she saw you, some of her past life memories began to recover. She couldn''t bear such a shock and passed out. Let her rest for some time, then she will be fine,¡± Qing Mang said after checking the girl. Upon hearing this, everyone finally heaved a sigh of relief. Chapter 785 Chapter 785: Chapter 782: True Identity Chapter 785: Chapter 782: True Identity The Ten Thousand Years Fox King came to his senses and immediately turned around, bowing deeply towards Shen Luo, saying: ¡°Friend Shen, there is no way I can repay this kindness. If there is ever a need in the future, my Jade Fox Clan will surely lend you all our strength.¡± S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder, you are too serious.¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him up. ¡°Friend Shen, what I promised you before, I will surely fulfill it. When the time comes to join the punitive army, I will definitely fight against the Demon Clan with all my might.¡± The Bull Demon King, cradling Princess Jade Face in his arms, spoke with serious tone. ¡°Elder, your injury¡­¡± Shen Luo furrowed his eyebrows slightly after noticing a touch of black Qi lingering around his brow. He couldn''t help but worry, and immediately asked in a whispered conversation. ¡°The ''Demon Blood Poison'' exceeded my expectations, and the Red Boy''s Samadhi True Fire could not stop its spread. Right now, it''s already dispersing throughout my body along my meridians.¡± The Bull Demon King did not hide anything and told the truth. ¡°Is there a way to treat it?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°I can only go into deep meditation as soon as possible, relying on my own skills to resist. Without spiritual materials and immortal medicines that can directly target this condition, I''m afraid it''ll be just a matter of time before my entire body gets infected.¡± After the Bull Demon King said this, he looked at the girl in his arms regretfully again. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t know what to say either. ¡°Elder Fox King, right now, I have no other requests, except to borrow the secret chamber for healing again.¡± Then, he turned around and spoke to the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. Without saying any words, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King immediately led Shen Luo to his own secluded secret chamber. After leaving several high-level healing pills from the Fox Clan''s secret collection, he then departed. Shen Luo''s injuries had almost recovered, at this moment he was seated cross-legged in the secret chamber, mainly sorting out his thoughts. The identity of the female demon made him very concerned. ¡°Forget it, let me contact the elders first, and then tell them about the situation here. Perhaps they might have news about this woman¡­¡± Shen Luo was contemplating to himself while he held the Heavenly Book. His divine soul moved slightly, peering into the Heavenly Book, he found that the black demon flame that he had previously absorbed was formed into a large ball of black fire, suspended in a golden space. Shen Luo did not know how to deal with these demonic flames at the moment. Seeing that they were obediently bound by the Heavenly Book, he decided to leave them alone. Then, with another move of his divine soul, his body was sucked into the Heavenly Book and appeared in the golden hall. Shen Luo used his summoning skills, and a moment later, the white-robed elder and others appeared one after another. ¡°Friend Shen, we have not been able to contact you for a while. How''s the situation over your side?¡± The white-robed elder asked immediately after everyone gathered. The Silver Armored Man and the Yellow-robed Man also looked over. ¡°I have successfully rescued Red Boy and returned to Jilei Mountain. However, many things have happened on Jilei Mountain and the situation is critical, so I couldn''t communicate with everyone on time.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Friend Shen is truly amazing to have successfully rescued the Red Boy. What happened over at Jilei Mountain?¡± The white-robed elder praised before asking. Shen Luo explained the situation on Jilei Mountain, emphasizing the female demon with whom he had fought. ¡°I feel ashamed, I didn''t expect that the Demon Clan would find Princess Jade Face first. Fortunately, Friend Shen, you managed to rescue her successfully.¡± The Silver Armored Man spoke with a touch of shame. ¡°Right now the Demon Clan is the most powerful force in all the Three Realms. Daoist Hua, there''s no need to feel this way. What is the stance of the Bull Demon King? Is he willing to form an alliance with us?¡± Just as always, the white-robed elder played the good guy, comforting the Silver Armored Man before asking Shen Luo. ¡°The problem should not be big, but the Bull Demon King currently has the ''Demon Blood Poison'', and I still have not discussed the matter with him in detail. Today I called everyone, on one hand to report the situation here, on the other hand, I also wanted to ask you for any possible solution for the demonic poison that the Bull Demon King was poisoned with.¡± Shen Luo said, respectfully bowing a little. ¡°Demon Blood Poison?¡± The white-robed elder furrowed his brows, seemingly lacking any solutions for the time being. The Silver Armored Man fell silent momentarily. Shen Luo noticed their reactions, his eyebrows faintly furrowed. ¡°I have a Buddha Heart Heavenly Treasure Pill here. Friend Shen can try using it,¡± The yellow-robed man suddenly spoke, producing a yellow-skinned gourd and passing it over. ¡°Buddha Heart Heavenly Treasure Pill! This is a secret elixir from the Great Daleiyin Temple in the Western Sky, most proficient in curing all kinds of Yin and demonic toxins! Yet the main ingredient, Heavenly Treasure Golden Lotus needed for this pill has been extinct since the Great Catastrophe, and the Buddha Heart Heavenly Treasure Pill is no longer produced. Brother Lei, you actually have one?¡± The white-robed elder questioned in surprise. ¡°I, too, stumbled upon it by a fortunate coincidence, resulting in acquiring this Buddha Heart Heavenly Treasure Pill,¡± The yellow-robed man vaguely responded, apparently not wanting to elaborate on the origins of the pill. ¡°Thank you, Brother Lei.¡± Shen Luo witnessed the prestige of this pill, his face beamed with joy as he thanked and accepted the pill. ¡°As for that demon woman who named herself the Green Spirit Profound Girl, others addressed her as an Honorable One. Do any of you know her origins?¡± He then continued to inquire. ¡°Green Spirit Profound Girl¡­ In Chiyou''s dominion there are Twelve Distinguished Ones, organized according to the Chinese zodiac. From your description, Friend Shen, this woman should be Chen Dragon Venerate,¡± The white-robed elder immersed himself in thought, speaking. ¡°Chen Dragon Venerate? She''s a transformed Demon from the Dragon Clan?¡± Shen Luo recalled the woman''s God''s Power, indeed related to dragons. ¡°I am not certain about this,¡± The white-robed elder shook his head. ¡°I know this woman''s origins, I, Hua, have had dealings with this Chen Dragon Venerate before. She is of mixed human-dragon blood, her surname is Ma. Allegedly of Great Tang origin, it is unknown why she joined the Demon Clan,¡± The Silver Armored Man voiced. ¡°Mixed human-dragon blood, surname Ma, originates from Great Tang!¡± Shen Luo''s countenance changed abruptly. With so much information, if he could not infer the origins of this woman, he would be considered a simpleton. ¡°Is she Ma Xiuxiu? No wonder Manager Ma was with her, using black qi to conceal her figure when we fought. She has a plum blossom mark on her wrist. Could she be the reincarnated demon soul from Chang''an?¡± Varying thoughts interwove within Shen Luo''s mind, his face fluctuating between joy and worry. Luckily, the golden mist barrier obstructed him and the others couldn''t see his changing expressions. ¡°This Chen Dragon Venerate is very powerful. You used your means to snatch a soul from Princess Jade Face; she might not give up so easily. Immediately use Brother Lei''s Buddha Heart Heavenly Treasure Pill to heal Bull Demon King when you return, as only the Bull Demon King can resist her on Jilei Mountain at present,¡± The Silver Armored Man reminded him. ¡°I would be careful.¡± Shen Luo calmed down his senses with a light breath, then nodded. ¡°Apart from what we just discussed, there is still something I have to tell everyone. Bull Demon King possesses a fragment of the Heavenly Book.¡± He glanced at the other three, slowly declaring. The Silver Armored Man and yellow-robed man were taken aback. Even though their faces could not be seen, their shock could still be felt. ¡°Hehe, as expected?¡± The white-robed elder seemed relatively calm, chuckling. ¡°Daoist Yuan, did you already know about this?¡± Shen Luo looked towards him. ¡°I had some suspicions before. I previously asked Friend Shen to go to Jilei Mountain to connect with Bull Demon King partly to recruit him to join the Alliance and partly to investigate this matter, indeed consistent with my predictions,¡± The white-robed elder slowly delivered his words. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but furrow his brows. Chapter 786 Chapter 786: Chapter 783: State the Purpose Chapter 786: Chapter 783: State the Purpose ¡°This matter is of great importance, and I do not have absolute certainty, so I did not inform Daoist Shen in advance. Please do not take it to heart.¡± The white-robed elder slightly nodded his head to Shen Luo in apology. ¡°Not a problem.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand. ¡°In this way, the five pieces of Heavenly Book fragments have been assembled. Not only has Daoist Shen persuaded Bull Demon King to join the alliance, but he also unearthed the whereabouts of the last piece of the Heavenly Book fragment. His merits are exceedingly grand. I think a substantial reward should be given. What do Daoist Hua and Daoist Lei think?¡± The white-robed elder looked at the silver-armored man and the yellow-robed man. The two of them exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. ¡°I appreciate your kindness, but I have not truly persuaded the Bull Demon King to join us yet. Let''s discuss any reward after everything is concluded,¡± Shen Luo, took the initiative, said before the two could respond. His current cultivation is smooth, and he has no dire needs, so he does not want to waste this rare opportunity for nothing. ¡°That''s fine, then. We each owe a favor to Daoist Shen which can be redeemed as per your request at any time.¡± The white-robed elder nodded in agreement. ¡°Now that things have been settled, I should return the precious items I borrowed.¡± Shen Luo rejoiced silently but did not let his feelings show on his face. He took out a yellow silk handkerchief, the Red Flame Hand Bead, and the Profound Ice Mask to return to the white-robed elder and the silver-armored man. They did not stand on ceremony and tucked the items away. The group discussed some more about the details of appealing to the Bull Demon King to join their cause, and the meeting ended quickly. Shen Luo then returned to the real world. He didn''t linger in the secret chamber. He immediately got up and left, soon arriving at the Bull Demon King''s dwelling. ¡°Elder Shen!¡± A white bull demon in the Great Mahayana stage, who was guarding the place, looked grave. Seeing Shen Luo approach, he quickly gave a bow. ¡°How is the Great Sage''s condition?¡± Shen Luo glanced towards the tightly shut Big Gate and asked. ¡°Father King and Fox King have tried many methods to expel the poison, but none have worked,¡± answered the white bull demon sadly, shaking his head. ¡°I just received a detoxifying elixir specifically for demonic poison. It might be of use for the Great Sage''s injury. Could your Excellency please relay the information for me?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Indeed? I''ll report it immediately. Elder, please wait for a moment.¡± The white bull demon, hearing this, was overjoyed and immediately went into the house. Not long after, the bull demon came back out. ¡°Father King invites you in.¡± The bull demon gave Shen Luo a bow and opened the door. Shen Luo slightly nodded and walked in. A dense medicinal smell immediately hit him as he stepped inside. The Bull Demon King was lying on the bed, his lips purplish and cheeks displaying copper coin-sized, multicolored poisonous spots. It was a shocking and horrifying sight. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King and a girl in white were by his side; it was Princess Jade Face, who seemed to have returned to normal. The two bore worried expressions. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re here,¡± said the Bull Demon King, lifting his head to look at Shen Luo and attempting to put on a smile. ¡°Brother Niu, how did your condition deteriorate to this point?¡± Shen Luo asked, taken aback by the sight of Bull Demon King''s appearance. ¡°Sigh, I never thought that this Demon Blood Poison would be so potent. Despite all my efforts, I have not only failed to dispel it, but the potent poison has started to devour my inner vitality. This poison is probably incurable,¡± the Bull Demon King said weakly. ¡°Brother Niu, don''t be pessimistic. I have just acquired a detoxifying elixir, it might be useful,¡± Shen Luo said. Taking out the yellow-skinned gourd, he poured out a golden pill from it. The pill had seven pill patterns forming a golden lotus. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The golden lotus emitted a faint light of the Buddha, slowly spinning like it had a mind of its own, as if it were alive. ¡°A Buddhist elixir!¡± Bull Demon King''s face darkened. ¡°That''s the Buddha''s Light Relic!¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King recognized this elixir and exclaimed with joy. ¡°Father, will this pill really work on the great strength poison?¡± Princess Jade Face was overjoyed at hearing this but she also asked with some uncertainty. ¡°Certainly! This pill is a detoxifying medicine from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, it has been extinct for a thousand years. It specializes in detoxifying demonic toxins, it must work!¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King explained. Princess Jade Face was delighted, she took the pill and prepared to give it to the Bull Demon King. However, Bull Demon King did not open his mouth and his face was somber. ¡°What? Red Boy and Jade Face have returned, are you still dwelling on the past? Besides, Brother Shen, put in a lot of effort to find you this detoxifying medicine, what grudge are you still holding?¡± The Ten Thousand Years Fox King chided coldly. ¡°Brother Niu, I understand that you harbor resentment against the Buddhist sect. Even though Princess Jade Face has returned, in our opposing demon clan, a Taiyi Realm master has not emerged. My humble exchange with him didn''t fare well. With a clever calculation, I managed to snatch back a soul and a spirit from his hands on behalf of Princess Jade Face. If this person attacks, we would not be his match. We have to rely on you, Brother Niu. Please prioritize the overall situation,¡± Shen Luo also persuaded. The expression of the Bull Demon King changed slightly. He kept silent for a while before he opened his mouth and swallowed the Buddha''s Light Relic. A strange noise suddenly came from inside the room. It was like a dragon chanting and thunder roaring, continuous and unending. After a moment, a bright golden light penetrated from the cracks in the door. It was as dazzling as a splendid morning sun, filled with an auspicious aura, colorful and dazzling, it made people dazed. ¡°What happened?¡± The white bull demon was greatly shocked. The golden light and auspicious aura lasted for a good quarter of an hour before they slowly dissipated, and tranquility was restored in the room. ¡°Could the occurrence just now be an anomaly due to Elder Shen detoxifying the Great King? I wonder how the situation is now?¡± The white bull demon was curious about the situation inside but did not dare to barge in rashly. Inside the room, the golden light on Bull Demon King''s body disappeared quickly. The toxin spots on his skin disappeared entirely and his skin was restored to normal. More than that, a warm golden light emerged subtly from beneath his skin. He looked much better than before he was poisoned. ¡°As expected of the Spiritual Mountain''s Holy Medicine, the demonic poison in my body has almost gone. The remaining traces are negligible and can be driven away slowly with my inner work. Thank you, Brother Shen.¡± Bull Demon King decided to take the medicine, casting aside doubt, he spoke freely. ¡°No need to be polite, Brother Niu, as long as the medicine is useful, it''s good,¡± Shen Luo also felt relieved. ¡°Father-in-law, Jade Face, you both leave first. Keep a close watch on the Demon Clan nearby. I have something to discuss with Brother Shen,¡± the Bull Demon King said to the Ten Thousand Years Fox King and Princess Jade Face. The two looked at each other and, without asking for any explanations, they left the room. ¡°Brother Shen, please sit,¡± the Bull Demon King got up and pointed at a stone stool next to him. Without any reservations, Shen Luo sat down. ¡°Brother Shen, this Buddha''s Light Relic is invaluable. Where did you get it?¡± The Bull Demon King stared at Shen Luo and asked. ¡°The value of this pill is too extensive for me to possess. With regards to its origin, I suspect you already have an idea, Brother Niu,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. The Bull Demon King fell silent, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. ¡°Brother Niu, the people of the Immortals and Buddhas had some grievances with you in the past. However, now that the Heavenly Court has fallen and the Ling Mountain has been destroyed, it''s best to let the past be the past and let it drift away with the wind. At present, the enemy of all creatures in the Three Realms is the Demon Clan. We, the survivors, have the profound duty to protect our kin. Joining hands against the demons is our only way out,¡± Seeing that the other party did not speak but did not show much resistance either, Shen Luo persuaded. Chapter 787 Chapter 787: Chapter 784: Identity Chapter 787: Chapter 784: Identity ¡°Brother Shen has gone to great lengths to save Red Boy and Jade Face, and today he even saved my life. I, too, am not entirely heartless. Very well! I agree to your request to jointly resist the Demon Clan.¡± The Bull Demon King took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and spoke solemnly. ¡°Brother Niu understands the greater good, I thank you on behalf of all beings in the Three Realms.¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed and said. ¡°In that case, please introduce me to the people behind you.¡± The Bull Demon King asked briskly. ¡°Of course, however, the others are scattered across the three realms. I communicate with them through the Heavenly Book, and you also have a copy. I will teach you how to access the Heavenly Book Broken Land.¡± Shen Luo did not hesitate, took out his Heavenly Book, and explained the method to enter the Heavenly Book Broken Land to the Bull Demon King. The Bull Demon King glanced at the Heavenly Scroll in Shen Luo''s hand, then took out his own, and began to operate his demon power according to Shen Luo''s method. His vision blurred and he quickly entered a golden space. Golden mist was surging everywhere, and a towering, endless golden fog wall stood up in front of him. It was the Heavenly Book Broken Land. Just then, a figure moved a few tens of feet away from the Bull Demon King, revealing Shen Luo. ¡°This place is called the Heavenly Scroll Broken Land. The other owners of the Heavenly Scroll fragments and I communicate here. They are located across the Three Realms, but no matter where they are, they can enter here to exchange ideas and even items.¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Exchange items?¡± The Bull Demon King was surprised. ¡°Yes, otherwise, where would I find a Buddha''s Light Relic in such a short time.¡± Shen Luo laughed. ¡°Indeed, the Heavenly Scroll is truly a treasure of the Heavenly Court, even the fragments possess such godly powers.¡± The Bull Demon King looked around and exclaimed. ¡°Brother Niu seems to know very little about the Heavenly Scroll fragments. Didn''t the person who gave you the fragment tell you all this?¡± Shen Luo asked tentatively. The Bull Demon King looked at Shen Luo, but did not answer. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hehe, I apologize for my excessive talk. I''ll summon the others now.¡± Shen Luo laughed and summoned the others. A moment later, golden figures flashed in the Heavenly Book Broken Land, and the white-robed elder and others appeared one after another. ¡°Everyone, let me introduce you. This is the owner of the fifth Heavenly Scroll fragment, the Great Saint Ping Tian.¡± Shen Luo began. ¡°Hehe, Great Saint Ping Tian, I have heard much about you.¡± The white-robed elder was the first to speak. The Silver Armored Man and the Yellow-robed Man also saluted and introduced themselves. ¡°Let''s skip the pleasantries as you all don''t know who I am. I don''t know where you come from or where you will go. I am here today solely because of Brother Shen. As for the three of you I don''t know, if you want to cooperate, you should at least reveal your identities.¡± The Bull Demon King glanced at each of them, and spoke calmly. The white-robed elder and the other two exchanged glances. Shen Luo secretly praised the Bull Demon King''s keen mind for taking this opportunity to question their identities. He himself hadn''t thought much about it before, simply joining without knowing their identities. However, at that time the white-robed elder and others also didn''t know about his identity, so everyone was on an even playing field. ¡°Great Saint Ping Tian is right, however, cooperating against the Demon Clan is a big issue, and revealing our identities could increase our mutual trust, but it also greatly increases the possibility of exposing our identities. Suppose an extreme scenario; if one of us falls into the hands of the Demon Clan, the identities of others will also be exposed, I don''t see it as a good thing. What do you think, Great Saint Ping Tian?¡± After a moment of silence, the white-robed elder said. ¡°Oh, then how should we handle the matter of my identity, as you all already know it?¡± The Bull Demon King scoffed, unimpressed by this explanation. ¡°On this matter, Great Saint Ping Tian is indeed somewhat at a disadvantage. How about this, although we can''t reveal our identities, we can tell you the power we control. Afterwards, each of us will give a gift to the Great Saint as an apology, what do you think?¡± The white-robed elder suggested after exchanging a few silent words with the Silver Armored Man and the Yellow-robed Man. The Bull Demon King thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°Alright, for Brother Shen''s sake, let''s do it.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Great Saint. I will start then. I am an Earthly Immortal and have extensive connections with residual cultivation sects in the Human World. I also control a lot of resources from the Cultivation World. If you need me, Great Saint, just let me know.¡± The white-robed elder was overjoyed and spoke first. Shen Luo was surprised when he heard these words. He had read about Earth Immortals in some ancient texts. Earth Immortals refer to those who have attained immortality and control lands of fortune in the Human World. Their strength is formidable, and they have many disciples. They are not under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Court and live in freedom. Speaking of, Bodhi Ancestor of Mount Fangcun is actually one of them. ¡°It turns out that Daoist Yuan is an Earth Immortal, my respects.¡± The Bull Demon King relaxed significantly and bowed to the white-robed elder. Earthly Immortals in the Human World generally live in peace and concentrate on cultivating their Dao. They have good relationships with Demon Kings. Some open-minded Earthly Immortals even have good relationships with them. ¡°I am a Heavenly General from the Heavenly Court. After it was destroyed by Chiyou, most of the remaining Heavenly Immortals are with me.¡± The Silver Armored Man began. Hearing that the Heavenly Court was destroyed, the Bull Demon King scoffed and seemed gleeful. The Silver Armored Man glared at the Bull Demon King, who returned his gaze without backing down, creating a tense atmosphere in the broken land. ¡°Cough! Since we intend to cooperate and resist the Demon Clan together, let''s not bring up past grudges. Otherwise, we will begin arguing amongst ourselves even before we take on the Demon Clan, which would be absurd.¡± Shen Luo coughed and tried to mediate. ¡°Indeed, both of you should take a step back.¡± The white-robed elder also advised. The Bull Demon King snorted and looked away, while the Silver Armored Man withdrew his glance as well. ¡°So Daoist Hua is a Heavenly General, I wonder how many forces were preserved in the Heavenly Court?¡± Shen Luo looked at the Silver Armored Man and asked. ¡°More than half of the hundred thousand registered heavenly soldiers and generals were lost, and now there''s less than ten percent left. The other immortal officials and heavenly generals who didn''t register in the Heavenly Scroll were either slain by the Demon Clan or scattered everywhere. I am currently trying to contact them, but progress has been slow given the Demon Clan''s dominance.¡± The Silver Armored Man sighed. ¡°Is that so? I wonder if you are together with the Nine Heavens Yuan Thunder Puhua Tianseng?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Nine Heavens Yuan Thunder Puhua Tianseng! After the Heavenly Court was attacked, I lost all contact with him. Is he still alive? Brother Shen, do you know his whereabouts?¡± The Silver Armored Man asked with both surprise and happiness. ¡°He is still alive, I can contact him using my Heavenly Scroll pieces.¡± Shen Luo paused for a moment and didn''t lie. Chapter 788 Chapter 788: 785 Chapter 788: 785 ¡°That''s a relief. The Nine Heavens Primordial Thunder Venerate Puhua possesses immense strength. He is a crucial God General in the Heavenly Court. I hope that Daoist Shen will utilize his power wisely.¡± The Silver Armored Man sighed in relief, advising earnestly. Shen Luo gave a bitter smile. Of course, he wanted to make good use of it, but Puhua, the Nine Heavens Primordial Thunder Venerate, hadn''t yet agreed to assist him. He couldn''t figure out why Li Jing had decided the only way to make him submit was by defeating him in battle. He had assumed that if Puhua, the Nine Heavens Primordial Thunder Venerate was with the Silver Armored Man, it could constrain the latter. It seemed like there was no hope for that now. ¡°I am Lei, a Buddhist disciple from Ling Mountain in the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain. After Ling Mountain''s great battle with Chiyou, our situation was similar to that of the Heavenly Court. Almost all monks, Luohans and Bodhisattvas were gone, and most of them are with me now,¡± the man in the yellow robe interjected. ¡°Brother Niu, the Buddha''s Light Relic was also a gift from Brother Lei,¡± Shen Luo chimed in. ¡°Thank you,¡± Bull Demon King glanced at Lei and responded with a courteous bow. ¡°Great Sage Ping Tian, there''s no need to be overly polite,¡± the man in the yellow robe returned the gesture. ¡°All of you are aware of my identity. Unlike you, I am alone with no one to lean on. However, because of this, I''m not restricted and can move freely. If any of you need something in the future and it''s inconvenient for you to act, feel free to ask me,¡± Shen Luo concluded. ¡°Excellent! Although the Demon Clan is formidable, as long as the five of us unite, we still have a chance of winning!¡± The white-robed elder burst into laughter. The Bull Demon King, the Silver Armored Man, and the man in the yellow robe nodded in agreement. The meeting was just an occasion for Bull Demon King and the others to meet. They didn''t discuss much and soon, it was over. Shen Luo and the Bull Demon King returned to reality. Having recovered from the demonic poison, Bull Demon King immediately left to guard against possible invasions from the Demon Clan. Shen Luo, having nothing to attend to, returned to his Cave Mansion. With the Bull Demon King''s recovery, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. He sat cross-legged, healing his injury while attuning to the ashy Qi whirl within his body. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, at this moment, his vision suddenly darkened, and his consciousness blurred quickly. He soon lost all sense of cognizance. After an unknown period, his scattered consciousness slowly gathered, gradually returning back to clarity. An extremely strong surge of pain radiated from all over his body. It felt as if his body was wrung out numerous times and then soaked in a vat of vinegar for three years. ¡°It hurts¡­¡± He moaned lightly, forcing himself to open his eyes with the remnants of his strength. A golden temple ceiling filled his vision. A large ''Buddha'' character hung in the center, surrounded by circular golden patterns and many Buddha images, it was evidently a Buddhist temple. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re awake!¡± Bai Xiaotian''s face suddenly appeared above him, giving Shen Luo a start. ¡°It seems I have left the Dreamland,¡± he sighed to himself. ¡°Brother Shen? Are you okay?¡± Bai Xiaotian waved his hand in front of Shen Luo''s eyes, who was staring blankly at the ceiling, and asked anxiously. ¡°I''m not dead yet, stop waving. I can''t see clearly,¡± Shen Luo responded grumpily. As soon as he opened his eyes, his strength started to recover quickly. He tried to sit up. ¡°No, you''re too weak. You need to rest and can''t move around,¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately pressed down on Shen Luo''s shoulder. Shen Luo examined his internal conditions and his face changed slightly. His body was in chaos, his meridians were disordered, and his Qi and blood severely depleted. His condition was worse than any previous summoning of Dreamworld Mana. What frightened him the most was that he had lost a lot of his lifespan. The lifespan that he had gained from advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage was almost depleted, leaving him with less than five years. Shen Luo''s heart was as cold as ice, nearly giving way to despair. ¡°What secret technique did you use earlier, Brother Shen? It was powerful, but the backlash was too severe, almost costing you your life,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°If not this way, how could we possibly have defeated Zhan Guo.¡± Shen Luo said helplessly. ¡°I''m glad you woke up, just rest. I am just outside, call me if you need anything.¡± Bai Xiaotian, knowing how seriously Shen Luo was injured and unsure how to comfort him, said and then turned to leave. ¡°Wait, how long have I been unconscious?¡± Shen Luo called Bai Xiaotian back. ¡°It has already been seven days,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Seven days, I''ve been unconscious for so long! How was the situation the day I passed out? Is Zhan Guo dead?¡± Shen Luo, his mouth agape, quickly asked. ¡°Yes, Zhan Guo died by his own hand¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian gave a detailed account of the situation after Shen Luo passed out. As for the broken seal, after Zhan Guo''s death, it suddenly self-repaired and then disappeared without a trace. ¡°The seal repaired itself?¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrowed. That sealing array was extremely complex, set by the immortals of the Heavenly Court to seal the passageway to the Demon World, how could it repair itself? ¡°Could it be that the people of Heavenly Court sensed the Array''s destruction and resealed it?¡± He suddenly thought of a possibility, the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. ¡°What about the remains of Zhan Guo?¡± Shen Luo quickly thought of another question and asked. He didn''t bear much animosity to Zhan Guo, a pitiful being. On that day, Zhan Guo was able to directly absorb the Demonic Qi and elevate his cultivation to such a realm. This was not an ordinary case of being tainted by Demonic Qi. If the body were still around, he wanted to investigate again and see if he could find anything unusual. Given the circumstances, the Demon Soul reincarnation from the Western Regions mentioned by Li Jing was likely Zhan Guo. ¡°His body is in the great hall of the Sacred Lotus Temple. Chan''er and the monks of the Western Regions are presiding over the memorial ceremony for Zhan Guo and other deceased monks,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the remains were still there, but immediately remembered something else. ¡°Chan''er is at the Sacred Lotus Temple! Isn''t it dangerous for him to be there alone?¡± He asked urgently. ¡°Don''t worry, after Lin Da, Zhan Guo, Baoshan and others had been executed, the Black Chicken Kingdom had sealed all Sacred Lotus temples across the country. Any monks who had been practicing evil techniques have been arrested. We are currently inside the Sacred Lotus Temple in Red Valley City. There''s no danger here now, and Master Golden Cicada has the Buddha bead with him. There should be no problem,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Still, you should go and stand guard there. I''ll be fine on my own,¡± Shen Luo relaxed and said. ¡°You''re right, then rest at ease. I''ll go and see,¡± Bai Xiaotian, slightly uneasy by Shen Luo''s words, nodded and left. Shen Luo averted his gaze, silently cultivating the Nameless Cultivation Technique to mobilize the remaining mana in his body to recover his injuries. Unfortunately, his current internal state was in such a mess that the mana he could mobilize was almost insignificant. Unable to mobilize his mana, even taking healing pills would be useless. At this moment, a ripple appeared in the void next to Shen Luo, and a blood-red figure emerged. It was the vampire spirit beast that he had recently subdued. Shen Luo passed out immediately after his battle with Zhan Guo and had no time to open the Spirit Communicating Water Hole to send it back. So, the vampire had been lingering in this world. The reason why Shen Luo urged Bai Xiaotian to leave was that he sensed the presence of the vampire close by. Chapter 789 Chapter 789: Chapter 786: The Reward from the Black Chicken Kingdom Chapter 789: Chapter 786: The Reward from the Black Chicken Kingdom ¡°You''re uncomfortable here, aren''t you? You want to go back?¡± Shen Luo looked at the vampire, showing no panic, and smilingly asked. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The vampire answered in a deep voice. ¡°I understand, but I''m badly injured at the moment. I need a couple of days to recover before I can help you get back.¡± Shen Luo looked somewhat helpless. The vampire scrutinized Shen Luo''s body, and suddenly leaned over and bit his arm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrowed. Before his words fell, a cool stream of Qi and blood flooded his body, quickly flowing through every part of him. Although this Qi and blood power didn''t completely match his own, it considerably relieved his Qi and blood deficiency, and surprisingly, contained notable healing effects. Several damaged meridians recovered significantly. ¡°What did you just do?¡± Shen Luo''s face showed astonishment. ¡°Apart from moving quickly and¡­feeding¡­I can also give my essence blood to others¡­It can help you heal¡­¡± The vampire stuttered while explaining. ¡°I see, thank you.¡± Shen Luo perked up, quietly operating his Nameless Cultivation Technique. After the vampire''s treatment, the mana he could mobilize within his body increased significantly, barely reaching ten percent, enough to implement the Art of Spirit Communication. He silently launched the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, opening a portal via the Water Hole. The vampire transformed into a blood light and disappeared into it. Shen Luo sighed with relief, quickly dispelling the mana of the Beast Taming Technique, and closed his eyes to heal his injuries. Being able to harness ten percent of his mana made healing much easier. He took a Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, operated the mana for refining, and simultaneously ran the Great Unsealing Technique for healing. His body was quickly lit up with blue and white lights, his disrupted meridians were gradually smoothed out, and his wounds recovered rapidly. Two days later, although Shen Luo''s injuries weren''t fully healed, they no longer hindered his movements. In the main hall of the Sacred Lotus Temple, a large golden lotus platform stood, several feet wide. The platform was currently engulfed in a raging fire, crackling loudly. Two halves of a torso were placed within the flames. It was Zhan Guo, barely stitched back together. Surrounded by raging fire, Zhan Guo''s torso showed no signs of melting. ¡°Very strange that this Zhan Guo has already died, but his corpse remains intact, even the flames cannot destroy it,¡± Bai Xiaotian, who stood nearby, frowned and said. Apart from Bai Xiaotian, Shen Luo, Jinchanzi, several high monks from the Thirty-Six Nations of the Western Regions, the king of the Black Chicken Kingdom, and Qi Lianmi were also present. Shen Luo glanced over Zhan Guo''s body, a sharp glint fleeting across his eyes. His spiritual sensitivity and divine sense had greatly improved after his experience in Dreamland, allowing him to detect an invisible force surrounding Zhan Guo''s body, shielding it from the surrounding flames. This force was intangible and extremely subtle, but he believed it was related to demonic qi. ¡°Since the fire cannot destroy it, we should resort to other measures. We can''t just leave it like this because it may pose a future threat,¡± a Western Regions high monk said. The others nodded in agreement, still frightened by the strange resurrection tactics of the Demon Clan witnessed during the previous battle. Shen Luo''s face changed slightly, and he was about to intervene. ¡°It''s not quite proper. This corpse was possessed by a powerful demon soul. If we study it carefully, perhaps we could find some clues about the Demon Clan. Since you are all not comfortable with it being kept in the Black Chicken Kingdom, why not let this humble monk take it back to Great Tang for disposal?¡± Chan''er, who was standing to one side, was the first to voice his opinion. Upon hearing this, the Western monks were taken aback for a moment, and then began to look at each other. It was quite unfitting to let a foreigner walk off with the body after the mess Zhan Guo had stirred up in Red Valley City. However, after the previous great battle, Chan''er''s already high fame in Black Chicken Kingdom increased once again. He was practically seen as a living Buddha by the Buddhist disciples in Red Valley City and ordinary people held him in high esteem. They had to consider his words carefully. Moreover, they didn''t have to worry about anything if Zhan Guo''s body was taken away and nodded in agreement. ¡°In that case, we''ll have to trouble Saint Monk Chan''er,¡± the King of Black Chicken Kingdom also agreed. He didn''t care how Zhan Guo''s body was disposed of, as long as it didn''t affect the Black Chicken Kingdom again. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chan''er gave a bow to everyone, then stepped forward and waved his hand. A golden light shot out from his hand and wrapped around Zhan Guo''s body in the flame, lifting it up. Shen Luo knew that Chan''er had recovered some of his mana but it seemed that he had restored a lot of Jinchanzi''s memories and was very skilled at manipulating his mana. ¡°The Release Spirit ceremony is over; the three of us will bid our farewell now.¡± Chan''er bowed to the King of Black Chicken Kingdom and the other monks around and proposed to depart. ¡°Don''t rush, you all have helped Black Chicken Kingdom thwart the Demon Clan''s plot and haven''t been properly thanked yet. I have prepared a victory feast in the palace, please do honour us with your presence,¡± the King of Black Chicken Kingdom hurriedly dissuaded. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness, but we are outsiders so a feast is unnecessary.¡± Chan''er shook his head to refuse. ¡°Indeed, we appreciate your good intentions, Your Majesty,¡± Shen Luo also spoke up. He was severely lacking in lifespan and urgently needed to return to Chang''an City to seek longevity materials; he didn''t want to waste any time here. Seeing their expressions, the King of Black Chicken Kingdom knew they truly did not wish to attend the bustling feast and didn''t insist. ¡°If you all say so, then we can skip the feast. However, I would feel uneasy if I do not give you something in return for your great favour. The Sacred Lotus Temple has been eradicated, and the items they collected for cultivation were all kept in the treasure room at the back of the temple. You all may go and choose a few things, consider it a small token of appreciation from Black Chicken Kingdom.¡± The King of Black Chicken Kingdom suggested. Shen Luo needed resources urgently and was tempted. Bai Xiaotian also showed interest. ¡°As a humble monk, I have no need, but Brother Shen and Daoist Bai, if you want, you can go take a look.¡± Chan''er noticed the expressions of Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian and proposed. ¡°In that case, consider us obeying your respectful command.¡± Shen Luo said with a salute. ¡°Father King, you all carry on the conversation here. I''ll take Shen Immortal and the others there.¡± Qi Lianmi on the side offered. ¡°Very well.¡± The King of Black Chicken Kingdom nodded. Qi Lianmi promptly led Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian toward the depths of the Sacred Lotus Temple. They soon arrived in front of a grand hall. ¡°Everything is inside, please wait.¡± Qi Lianmi said, taking out a token and waving it. A white light hit the stone door of the great hall, causing a ripple of white light on it, and then it slowly opened. Inside the hall were dozens of large wooden racks, each with four or five layers, each layer filled with various things: minerals, spirit grass, as well as many Talismanic Instruments, magical instruments, etc. These items were arbitrarily placed without any arrangement, looking quite chaotic. ¡°These things were just confiscated from all the Sacred Lotus Temples in the country, not yet sorted out. You can take a look, as much as you want.¡± Qi Lianmi waved his hand, speaking very generously. Chapter 790 Chapter 790: Chapter 787: Fruitless Effort to Prolong Life Chapter 790: Chapter 787: Fruitless Effort to Prolong Life ¡°Are we really allowed to take anything we want? We have a lot of space in our storage magical tools, maybe we might just clean out everything here?¡± Bai Xiaotian joked. ¡°The Sacred Lotus Temple is domineering and is a huge tumor in our Black Chicken Kingdom. To speak truthfully, our royal family has long wished to eradicate it, but unfortunately, their strength is too strong, we can only tolerate and compromise. Now that the three of you have eradicated this tumor, it is a great merit to our Black Chicken Kingdom, it is not something that can be compared to these treasures.¡± Qi Lianmi said with a smile. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo understood why the king of the Black Chicken Kingdom was so enthusiastic towards them. In that case, he decided not to stand on ceremony anymore and started to wander around the hall, looking for treasures that could be of use. However, his cultivation level was already quite high, and he currently didn''t need any magical instruments or similar items. After looking for a while, he didn''t find anything suitable. In contrast, Bai Xiaotian, without any hesitation, quickly picked up several items. Making a turn, Shen Luo suddenly stopped, looking towards a shelf ahead. Laying on it were dozens of white spiritual conches, each adorned with golden specks, their spiritual energy quite impressive. ¡°Whitestar Conch!¡± he exclaimed with joy. The Whitestar Conch was the main material for creating an Invisibility Talisman, which was quite rare. He didn''t expect to find so many here. Having thought of this, Shen Luo immediately gathered all the Whitestar Conches. Next to the Whitestar Conches were two pieces of blood-red jade, which were actually two Sunstones. These two sunstones were extremely pure. Although there wasn''t much spiritual energy fluctuation, they exuded a vibrant energy that made one''s spirit vibrate. ¡°Such pure Sunstone, while it isn''t much use to me, it would benefit common people if they keep them close. It can refresh the mind and prolong life. I will inscribe two Peace Talismans later and ask Brother Bai to deliver them to Father and Aunt.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself and picked up the two Sunstones. He continued to look around the great hall, and quickly found two more useful ingredients, which were the spiritual materials for an Escape Earth Talisman. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo had already covered more than half of the great hall and was soon at the end. He didn''t find any other useful materials. However, being able to find spiritual materials for Invisibility Talisman and Escape Earth Talisman had already left him quite satisfied. Just as he was about to leave, a wooden box caught his attention. The wood box was half-open, and inside was a piece of earth-yellow rootstock which didn''t look impressive with its wrinkled surface. ¡°Is this¡­?¡± Upon seeing the earth-yellow fruit, an excited look appeared on Shen Luo''s face. ¡°Brother Shen, what have you found? What is this? It''s so wrinkled and its spiritual power is quite low.¡± Bai Xiaotian came over, curiously looking at the earth-yellow fruit. ¡°This is Octagonal Lotus Leaf, a rare Immortal Fruit, which can only be found in the Penglai Immortal Island. Not only does it greatly enhance one''s abilities after consumption, but it can also add quite a lot to one''s lifespan. Its ugly appearance and concealed medicinal properties make it hard to recognize.¡± Shen Luo explained with some excitement. ¡°Octagonal Lotus Leaf? I''ve never heard of this name before. I didn''t expect Brother Shen to know so much about spiritual fruits. You''ve lost so much lifespan this time, you better consume this fruit quickly.¡± Bai Xiaotian urged. Shen Luo was able to identify the Octagonal Lotus Leaf because he had seen the information about it in the jade slip he had obtained from the Treasures Hall Ruins in the Dream World. This fruit was exactly what he needed urgently. Without any hesitation, he gulped it down. The Octagonal Lotus Leaf dissolved quickly inside his body and turned into a stream of pure vitality that integrated into him. Shen Luo sat down cross-legged, activating the Nameless Cultivation Technique to absorb the medicinal efficacy. His wounds healed rapidly. Half an hour later, his wounds completely healed. His spiritual power joyously circulated within his body. Blue light surged from his body and exploded into waves of blue light, spreading in all directions. Bai Xiaotian hastily waved his hands, generating a prohibition to withstand the impact of the blue light waves, preventing any damage to the items in the hall. The medicinal strength of the Octagonal Lotus Leaf was unexpectedly strong. After healing Shen Luo''s injuries, it still had quite a surplus left over. Naturally, he wouldn''t waste it. He circulated his skills to continue absorbing its power. His cultivation realm advanced immediately, and the progression was surprisingly fast. Shen Luo felt both amazed and joyful with the situation, yet he was also somewhat puzzled. He had only broken through the Nascent Soul Stage not long ago, and his foundation was just becoming stable; even with the help of spiritual medicine, he should not be progressing this rapidly. What Shen Luo didn''t know was that because he always cultivated by himself without guidance from a master, his understanding of cultivation was not deep. His countless battles and cultivation insights in the Dream World had a significant effect on his cultivation in reality. He had already polished the realm of the Nascent Soul Stage long ago, and that''s why he was progressing so fiercely. By the time he had absorbed all the medicinal power of the Octagonal Lotus Leaf, half a day had already passed. His cultivation level made a drastic leap, reaching the peak of the initial period of the Nascent Soul Stage, and he was just a step away from the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm. Shen Luo opened his eyes, and noticed that he was enveloped in a golden restriction which was resisting the waves of blue light from his body, each wave stronger than the last. Bai Xiaotian was standing outside the golden restriction, clenching his teeth in a strained effort to maintain it. ¡°Brother Bai, I apologize for my neglect, to recklessly start cultivation like this and trouble you for the protection.¡± Shen Luo quickly retracted the rampaging mana around him and apologized. ¡°It is of no matter, congratulations on your progression. However, how is your lifespan recovery coming along?¡± Bai Xiaotian dispersed the golden light curtain and after observing Shen Luo for a moment, he asked. Only then Shen Luo remembered about his lifespan issue. He hurriedly closed his eyes to examine it. The excitement on his face gradually receded, and his complexion turned pale. His cultivation level had greatly improved, but after absorbing the medicinal strength of the Octagonal Lotus Leaf, his lifespan hadn''t recovered at all. ¡°Could it be that I''ve consumed too many lifespan-increasing elixirs hence such spiritual items no longer have any effect on me?¡± Shen Luo said to himself. When refining the Lifespan Increase Spirit Milk Pill, Dan Yangzi had mentioned something similar to him, could it be that there is such a thing as building up resistance against it? ¡°What happened?¡± Bai Xiaotian noticing Shen Luo''s change in complexion, hastily asked. Shen Luo slowly explained about his lifespan not improving. ¡°How can this be? The medicine''s power was so strong, and I could sense its lifespan-increasing effect, how it can be ineffective?¡± Bai Xiaotian said with disbelief. Shen Luo''s face looked rather unwell, and he remained silent. ¡°Brother Shen, don''t be upset. Our understanding is not enough, let us return to Chang''an City and ask Yuan Tiangang and Duke Cheng for their insights. Both of them are knowledgeable and may know the reason,¡± Bai Xiaotian suggested. ¡°Right, let''s quickly return to Chang''an City!¡± Shen Luo, worried and at a loss, didn''t think of this and hastily said. The two left the treasure room. Qi Lianmi was waiting outside. Just now, when Shen Luo was cultivating inside, the rolling spiritual pressure made it unbearable for him, so he came out to wait. ¡°Have you two found what you needed?¡± Qi Lianmi greeted them as Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian emerged. ¡°Yes, thank you, Prince Qi, for showing us the way. We need to return to Chang''an City for an urgent matter, so we must take our leave now.¡± Shen Luo made a bow with hands clasped to Qi Lianmi, then transformed into a blue light, shooting forward. Bai Xiaotian also greeted Qi Lianmi and, transformed into a streak of golden light, followed closely behind Shen Luo. Chapter 791 Chapter 791: Chapter 788: Reincarnation of Demon Soul Chapter 791: Chapter 788: Reincarnation of Demon Soul A moment later, a white light shot out from within Red Valley City, streaking towards the east like a meteor. In an instant, it disappeared into the distant horizon. Shen Luo sat cross-legged atop the white flying boat, his eyes closed as he tried to sense the condition within his body. No matter how he tried to investigate, he couldn''t find the reason why his lifespan wouldn''t increase. Chan''er sat cross-legged at the stern of the boat. With a wave of his hand, a flash of gold illuminated the area, revealing the corpse of Zhan Guo. He touched the center of Zhan Guo''s brow with his finger. There was a glimmer of golden light at his fingertips. Long after, he withdrew his hand. ¡°Master Golden Cicada, have you discovered anything?¡± Bai Xiaotian walked over and asked. Feeling the fluctuation of mana, Shen Luo also awoke from his meditation and looked over. ¡°I haven''t found anything just yet. However, judging from this corpse and the previous battle, this Zhan Guo is by no means a common demonic cultivator.¡± Chan''er spoke slowly. ¡°Why does Master Chan''er think so? Is there something wrong with this body? Is it because it can''t be destroyed by fire?¡± Shen Luo walked over and asked. ¡°That''s just one of the reasons. I examined Zhan Guo''s body in detail and feels he bears a striking resemblance to me.¡± Chan''er nodded and replied. ¡°Resembles you?¡± Bai Xiaotian stood there speechless. ¡°You mean?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Zhan Guo resembles the reincarnation of a certain individual, not just an ordinary member of the human race who has been corrupted by Demonic Qi.¡± Chan''er spoke slowly. ¡°You mean he is a reincarnation of the Demon Clan?¡± Bai Xiaotian''s complexion changed slightly. Shen Luo didn''t speak, but his countenance changed continuously, appearing enormously unsettled. He had been suspecting Zhan Guo''s identity before. Now, it seemed to be true. Zhan Guo was indeed one of the five Demon Soul Reincarnations. Now, due to a fluke, he had eliminated one of Chiyou''s reincarnations in this world. He wondered what impact this would have on the current or future world? ¡°Perhaps so, but I am still not very knowledgeable. It would be better to hand this corpse over to Master Yuan and Duke Cheng for further examination.¡± Chan''er softly chanted a Buddhist mantra. Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo also slowly nodded. Shen Luo also checked the body of Zhan Guo and then quickly returned to his original position and sat down. Despite the trials and tribulations of this journey to the Western Regions, the fact that he managed to eliminate a reincarnation of a demon soul was still a significant gain. If he could find and eliminate the other four demon souls, perhaps he might even be able to prevent disaster of demons. During this dream journey, he had also obtained clues about another demon soul. Shen Luo lowered his gaze to look at his wrist, and after a moment, he closed his eyes again. The white flying boat journeyed through the clouds and moonlight, quickly returning to the border of the Great Tang, and re-entered Chang''an City. Both Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin attached great importance to Chan''er''s Western journey. Upon hearing of their return, they immediately called for a meeting with them in the Great Hall of the Duke''s Palace. Elder Zhe Shi had been waiting in Chang''an City and hurriedly joined them upon receiving the news. ¡°¡­ That''s roughly what happened.¡± Bai Xiaotian carefully explained their journey and experiences to the three of them. ¡°So, the Demon Clan has begun to breach the seal. I''ve heard about this Master Lin Da before, but it''s surprising to learn that he''s actually of the demonic path.¡± Cheng Yaojin sighed. ¡°This is the corpse of Zhan Guo. We brought it back with us. With their deep cultivation levels, Master and Duke Cheng should be able to see something.¡± Chan''er waved his hand, and Zhan Guo''s corpse appeared on the ground in front of them. Yuan Tiangang looked at Zhan Guo''s corpse and frowned. He flicked his whisk, and it extended with the wind, wrapping around Zhan Guo''s body as swiftly as a white ribbon. ¡°After discussing everything and delivering the corpse, there are still some things that the little monk needs to take care of, so I must take my leave first.¡± Chan''er gave a bow to the two of them, suddenly asking to excuse himself. ¡°Please, Master Golden Cicada, feel free.¡± Cheng Yaojin seemed slightly surprised but nodded in agreement. Chan''er and Elder Zhe Shi left. Their figures soon disappeared from view. Shen Luo watched Chan''er''s retreating figure. After recovering some of the memories of Golden Cicada, he felt that Chan''er had changed. He didn''t talk much with them on the way. What was he going to do with such an abrupt departure? Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin stared intensely at Zhan Guo''s corpse, their expressions quickly turned serious. ¡°This¡­ Master Yuan, could this be?¡± Cheng Yaojin turned to Yuan Tiangang. ¡°Yes, this person is indeed one of the reincarnations of the Demon Clan. If he hadn''t revealed his true form himself, even I wouldn''t have been able to see through his real identity.¡± Yuan Tiangang manipulated his fingers and sighed. ¡°If even Master Yuan can''t see through it, doesn''t it mean that anyone around us could potentially be a reincarnation of the Demon Clan?¡± Although Bai Xiaotian already knew on the road that Zhan Guo might be a reincarnation of the Demon Clan, he was still taken aback by Yuan Tiangang''s words. ¡°Well, not really. This reincarnation technique costs a lot to deceive the Underworld. Therefore, the number of beings that can reincarnate certainly isn''t large. According to my estimate, there shouldn''t be more than ten.¡± Yuan Tiangang said. Bai Xiaotian sighed in relief at these words. ¡°However, since the Demon Clan has mastered this reincarnation technique, they must have already used it. We need to find a way to seek out those reincarnated beings immediately, or else it will pose a significant risk in the future.¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°Duke Cheng speaks wisely.¡± Yuan Tiangang slowly agreed. ¡°Master Yuan, Duke Cheng, I have something to report to both of you. Before the ghost disturbance in Chang''an, I met an old fortune-teller in Chang''an City. He told me something related to the reincarnation of the Demon Clan, although I don''t know how much of it is true.¡± Shen Luo took a step forward, hesitated slightly and spoke. ¡°Oh? What did the man say? Tell us quickly!¡± Cheng Yaojin immediately responded. Shen Luo repeated the story of Chiyou''s split soul reincarnating. However, he changed the source of his information to the fortune teller. Despite how unbelievable Shen Luo''s information sounded, the expressions of Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin changed considerably upon hearing it. A common reincarnation of the Demon Clan was already shocking enough to them. And now, they had to deal with the reincarnation of Chiyou''s split soul. ¡°What did the fortune teller look like?¡± Cheng Yaojin followed up. ¡°He wasn''t very tall and was dressed in an old Taoist robe. He had a long, three-section beard, and his facial features were unusual.¡± Shen Luo described an arbitrary appearance. ¡°Changing appearances is easy, so asking that doesn''t mean much. What else did he say?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked, looking sharper than ever before. ¡°He also said that he had found the traces of two of the reincarnated demon souls. One of them is in Chang''an, a woman with a plum blossom mark on her wrist.¡± Shen Luo, seemingly reluctant to meet with Yuan Tiangang''s gaze, lowered his head and continued. ¡°So the woman with the plum blossom mark you asked me to find earlier was due to this reason.¡± Cheng Yaojin suddenly realized. ¡°Yes, I was skeptical at first, but considering the significance of this matter to all the people of the world, it was better to believe it than not. That''s why I bothered Duke Cheng to help keep an eye out.¡± Shen Luo responded. ¡°This is a significant matter. Shen has done nothing wrong. I will later instruct the people in the palace to help search for her. And the other demon soul?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked. ¡°According to him, the other one is in the Western Regions, a crazy monk.¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°A crazy monk? But wasn''t Zhan Guo a manic monk?¡± Bai Xiaotian''s face changed, he blurted out. Chapter 792 Chapter 792: Chapter 789: Immortal Apricot Chapter 792: Chapter 789: Immortal Apricot ¡°Indeed, I didn''t initially believe the old man''s words. However, after what I experienced on my journey to the Western Regions and my encounter with the Zhan Guo, I am now inclined to think that his words may not have been mere fabrications.¡± Shen Luo glanced at Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin and whispered. ¡°This issue is of great importance. Whether or not it was a coincidence, we must pay serious attention to it. Duke Cheng, please report this to His Majesty later.¡± Yuan Tiangang paused for a moment before saying to Cheng Yaojin. ¡°Alright.¡± Cheng Yaojin responded with a nod. ¡°Duke Cheng, I had previously asked you to help me find someone with a plum blossom mark on their wrist. Have you found any leads?¡± Shen Luo looked at Cheng Yaojin and interrupted. ¡°Chang''an City has a population of a million. It is quite troublesome to find someone based on the single feature of having a plum blossom mark on their wrist. I still have no leads.¡± Cheng Yaojin frowned and shook his head. ¡°Regarding this, I had a sudden thought when I was in the Western Regions. During my battle in the Underworld with the Jing River Dragon King, I came into contact with his daughter, Ma Xiuxiu. It seemed that there was a plum blossom-shaped scar on her wrist.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Really?¡± Cheng Yaojin''s eyes narrowed. ¡°I should be right. I initially thought that the plum blossom mark was some kind of tattoo. It was not until I saw a person with a scar in Red Valley City that I realized it could also be a scar. This reminded me of Ma Xiuxiu.¡± Shen Luo explained. Cheng Yaojin looked at Yuan Tiangang, who narrowed his eyes slightly, and then slowly nodded. ¡°If Ma Xiuxiu is indeed suspicious, then I will immediately send people to investigate her whereabouts.¡± Cheng Yaojin responded with a firm nod. ¡°You have all worked hard on your journey. Go and rest now. Leave the Zhan Guo''s body here. We will take care of the rest.¡± Yuan Tiangang waved his whisk and said. ¡°Please wait a moment, Master Yuan. There''s one more thing I would like your help with.¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly said. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Cheng Yaojin looked over. ¡°It''s not my business, but rather Shen Luo. Earlier, he was forced to fend off the Zhan Guo¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian glanced at Shen Luo, then briefly described the secret technique Shen Luo had used during the battle which consumed his lifespan, and how his lifespan was unable to increase even after consuming the Octagonal Lotus Leaf. Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaojin immediately dashed over, grabbed Shen Luo''s wrist, and emitted a warm current of tremendous energy into him, whizzing around his body. ¡°Nonsense! Your meridians look fine from the outside but there are signs of atrophy within. Furthermore, your vitality is mixed and impure. You''ve used this lifespan-consuming secret technique many times and replenished your lifespan with life-extending treasures, haven''t you?¡± Cheng Yaojin looked horrified as he scrutinized Shen Luo and reprimanded him sternly. Shen Luo remained silent and nodded. ¡°The vitality is the fundament of life! How can you use it recklessly? Life-extending treasures may increase your lifespan but they also consume your life potential. The effect of other life-extending substances on you will get poorer and poorer. How could you behave so recklessly?¡± Cheng Yaojin''s face revealed an expression of indignation and regret. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo thought to himself that consuming too many life-extending treasures indeed has its drawbacks. ¡°Can Brother Shen''s condition still be cured?¡± Bai Xiaotian, hearing this, looked quite alarmed and asked. Shen Luo also looked at Cheng Yaojin, his eyes filled with a glimmer of hope. Cheng Yaojin frowned and thought for a long time, then helplessly shook his head: ¡°I''m afraid there''s nothing I can do to restore the damage caused to Brother Shen''s vitality.¡± Shen Luo felt his heart lurch. His face instantly turned pale. He had worked extremely hard both inside and outside of Dreamland, giving double the effort others did, undergoing experiences and dangers that ordinary monks could hardly imagine. With so much sweat and sacrifice, he had finally achieved a little, only for it to end like this. If he only has three or four years left to live, what''s the use of being powerful? ¡°Why are you all so anxious? Although I can''t do it, isn''t Master Yuan still here? Master Yuan, do you have a solution?¡± Seeing the distressed expressions on Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian''s faces, Cheng Yaojin comforted them and turned to ask Yuan Tiangang. Yuan Tiangang walked over, waved his whisk, and a white light enveloped Shen Luo''s body, flowing slowly. A moment later, it flashed and disappeared. ¡°While Brother Shen''s injuries are indeed difficult to heal, that does not mean it is impossible.¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°Really? Master Yuan, Please tell us!¡± Shen Luo said, his face recovering some of its color as he bowed. ¡°There''s no need for such formalities, Brother Shen. You have been seriously injured while protecting the people of the world. It is our duty to aid you.¡± Yuan Tiangang held up a hand and returned the bow. ¡°To heal your internal injuries, there are two actions needed. First, you need to practice the ''Divine Wood Grace''. This skill is a secret teaching of my sect, capable of absorbing the essence of plants to nourish the body and heal injuries. When practiced to a high level, it can temper the life vitality, eliminating what''s unneeded and preserving the essential. It is well suited to rebalancing your current condition.¡± Yuan Tiangang paused before continuing. Although Shen Luo had never heard of Divine Wood Grace, if it were a skill that Yuan Tiangang held in such high esteem, it must be extraordinary. ¡°And the second action?¡± Suppressing his excitement, he asked. ¡°While Divine Wood Grace can rebalance your life vitality, it cannot restore it to its normal state. To heal your body completely, external help is still needed. However, since you have consumed too many life-extending substances, ordinary life-extending spiritual objects will no longer suffice. I can only think of the immortal apricot from Mount Putuo as being useful to your injuries. This object shares a similar nature to Divine Wood Grace and is easier to refine.¡± Yuan Tiangang continued slowly. ¡°Immortal apricot?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, recalling the jade slip from his dream, which contained information about the immortal apricot on Mount Putuo. According to the jade slip, the Mount Putuo has three congenital spiritual roots, ten-thousand-year immortal apricot trees, which are reputedly from the Heavenly Realm and hold unimaginable effects. The exact effects of the immortal apricot were not clearly stated on the jade slip, instead there were some unreliable rumors. Some say if you eat an immortal apricot, you could improve your cultivation by a thousand years. Others say it could increase your lifespan by a thousand years, or even ascend to immortality in broad daylight. ¡°The immortal apricot from Mount Putuo? That''s right, only such an item from the Immortal Realm could cure his injuries. Master Yuan, are you suggesting that he should participate in this Immortal Apricot Conference?¡± The standing Cheng Yaojin interrupted. ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference?¡± Shen Luo was stunned. He had not heard of it. ¡°The immortal apricot of Mount Putuo is a renowned fruit in the Cultivation World. It can be directly consumed or used for refining elixirs with excellent effects. All the major sects of the Cultivation World dream of getting it. However, the yield of the Immortal Apricot is extremely low, only producing a few every few hundred years. To avoid unnecessary fights caused by the apricot, Mount Putuo holds the Immortal Apricot Conference every time the fruits mature. The talented young people from all sects gather and decide their ownership through a martial competition.¡± Yuan Tiangang explained. ¡°Isn''t the conference held only once every few hundred years? How can Brother Shen wait for so long?¡± Before Shen Luo could speak, Bai Xiaotian questioned. Chapter 793 Chapter 793: Chapter 790: A Year''s Deadline Chapter 793: Chapter 790: A Year''s Deadline ¡°Hehe, it''s a coincidence that the next Immortal Apricot Conference will be held a year from now. I can recommend you, Young Master Shen, to participate in the conference on behalf of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Whether or not you can get an immortal apricot will depend on your abilities,¡± Yuan Tiangang waved his hand and continued. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief. Shen Luo also relaxed. With his current cultivation level and the treasured items he owned, he could even stand against monks at the Great Mahayana Stage. He was not concerned about the younger generation from various sects. ¡°Thank you, Master Yuan, for securing this opportunity for me,¡± Shen Luo bowed and thanked. ¡°Friend Shen, for every Immortal Apricot Conference, the major sects always send out their strongest disciples. Don''t underestimate your strength and become careless,¡± Cheng Yaojin reminded him. ¡°Thank you, Duke Cheng for the reminder. I will do my best,¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and replied with a nod. ¡°You still have a year before the Immortal Apricot Conference. You should first comprehend this Divine Wood Grace,¡± Yuan Tiangang flicked his finger and a green light flew over. It was a green jade scroll. Shen Luo reached out to catch it, and again expressed his gratitude. ¡°Alright, you may all go now,¡± Yuan Tiangang waved them off. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian gave a bow and took their leave. ¡°How much of what Shen said was true?¡± After they left, Cheng Yaojin asked. ¡°Most of it was true, except for the source of the news, the fluctuation in his divine soul was rather large, he probably made that up,¡± Yuan Tiangang said lightly. ¡°This youngster is still as crafty,¡± Cheng Yaojin laughed and scolded. ¡°Perhaps he wanted to conceal some secrets, which is understandable, as long as he does not go astray,¡± Yuan Tiangang revealed a slight smile. ¡°We should report the matter of the five reincarnated demon souls to the Heavenly Court. Only they can fight against Chiyou, our strength is still too weak,¡± Cheng Yaojin proposed. ¡°Sounds good,¡± although Yuan Tiangang seemed somewhat reluctant, he finally agreed. ¡°Brother Shen, you focus on understanding the techniques while in seclusion. I have to report back to my sect, so I will take my leave,¡± Bai Xiaotian stepped out of the great hall, informed Shen, and turned to leave. ¡°Brother Bai, wait a moment,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly said. ¡°Does Brother Shen need something?¡± Bai Xiaotian turned back. ¡°It''s not a big deal. I found two top-grade Sun Stones in the treasure house of the Sacred Lotus Temple, which I refined into two jade pendants. I would like to trouble Brother Bai to use the worldly power of the Bai Family to deliver them to my father in Chunhua County Town,¡± Shen Luo took out two blood-red jade pendants. The Sun Stones had shrunk quite a bit after he refined them, but the breath they emitted was even more pure and rich. ¡°Brother Shen, your filial piety is commendable. I promise to deliver them!¡± Bai Xiaotian assured him patting his chest. Shen Luo watched Bai Xiaotian walk away and let out a sigh. He was now involved in the conflict with the Demon Clan and dared not return home even more. If a member of the Demon Clan were to discover his family''s whereabouts, the Shen Family would face a catastrophe. Shen Luo returned to his previous dwelling, sat cross-legged inside the house, and immersed his divine sense within the green jade scroll. The jade scroll was densely covered with minute characters, neatly written, recording the secret technique of the Divine Wood Grace. Shen Luo chanted it word by word. The incantation of the Divine Wood Grace was somewhat obscure, and bore an ancient feel. The phrase usage and textual style was vastly different from the current techniques, appearing to be a technique passed down from the ancient times. If an ordinary monk were to comprehend this technique, it would surely be difficult. However, Shen Luo, having experienced numerous techniques in the Dreamland, was immensely experienced. He soon completely comprehended the Divine Wood Grace. He practiced this skill according to the Divine Wood Grace mantra. Shen Luo had never practiced a wood property skill before, but Yimu Xuandun is a wood escape technique, which he had already cultivated to profound depths. With this experience, he quickly mastered Divine Wood Grace. Strings of green light quickly appeared all over his body, converging towards his Dantian as the skill operated, forming a green whirlpool. The green whirlpool had bright and dark green lights which varied in color, looking very messy. These were the wood qi from various elixirs he had taken before, hidden in various parts of his body. With the operation of Divine Wood Grace, these mixed wood qi slowly fused together, forming a pure Wood Spirit Power, which seeped into his liver. Shen Luo felt that his body had become much lighter, as if he had put down some kind of burden. The wood qi hidden in various parts of his body were all hidden dangers. They would inevitably erupt over time. Now that Divine Wood Grace has fully refined these mixed wood qi, his body naturally relaxed. He secretly praised the profoundness of Divine Wood Grace, continued to rotate this skill, and a warm feeling gradually rose from the depths of his body, and his vitality followed him, which was something he had never noticed before. Shen Luo hurriedly concentrated on investigating, and soon vaguely sensed his own vitality, which, like those wood qi, were mixed with as much as five or six kinds. The largest one, completely matching his body, was the vitality born of his body. There were four or five different kinds of vitality, some of which were dragon breath, Phoenix Power, Qilin Power, thousand-year stalactite, etc. These breaths were mixed with his own vitality and, although they did not cause harm, they gave a feeling of being broad but impure, unable to accommodate other longevity objects. Shen Luo sighed quietly and continued to operate Divine Wood Grace. After a long time, the mixed vitality was actually gradually mobilized, slowly showing a trend of unity. ¡°Master Yuan''s words were really true. Divine Wood Grace does have the effect of purifying the vitality.¡± He was very happy and continued to operate Divine Wood Grace. Three days and three nights passed in a flash. Shen Luo opened his eyes with a smile on the corner of his mouth. Whether it is the effect of the Dreamland experience or his unique talent in Divine Wood Grace, after three days of hard work, a small portion of the mixed principle has already been integrated. As long as he persists, it should take about half a year to fully integrate. Shen Luo''s cultivation of the Divine Wood Grace is related to his lifespan problem, so he plans to retreat immediately afterwards to refine his vitality before leaving the retreat. However, before he closed his doors, he had some things to do. Shen Luo took out a silver ring, which was the storage magical tool of the Dragon Altar. After the great battle ended, he had been so busy that he had not had time to check out this object. As he poured his divine sense into the silver ring, he was overwhelmed with joy at the sight of a large amount of immortal jade. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The storage ring of Dragon Altar was as large as a room, half of which was full of these immortal jade. He roughly scanned them and there were more than fifteen thousand of them, which was three times more than his previous assets. But considering that the other party was one of the two big heads of the Sacred Lotus Temple, having so much immortal jade was normal. Thinking of this, Shen Luo shifted his attention from the immortal jade and looked at other things. In addition to Immortal Jade, there were also many high-grade spiritual materials in the storage magical tool, all of which were precious. Chapter 794 Chapter 794: Chapter 791: Fiancee Chapter 794: Chapter 791: Fiancee ¡°There''s Wind Vine and Thousand Water Stone, along with a few materials I found in the treasure room of Sacred Lotus Dharma Altar. The materials for the Escape Earth Talisman are collected now. While there are still missing materials for the Invisibility Talisman, what remains are not precious items and should be available in the market.¡± Shen Luo showed a delighted expression, mumbling to himself. Besides these materials, the remaining items in the Storage Magical Tool were two jade slips, one gold and one grey, two medicine vials, and three crimson talismans. Shen Luo took these items out and checked them one by one. The Golden Jade Slip recorded a technique called ''Six Paths Reincarnation True Scriptures'' which was a heterodox Buddhist Dharma. It was unclear where it was learned from. The grey jade slip contained several exquisite secret techniques, but most of them were based on the ''Six Paths Reincarnation True Scriptures'', thus they were of no use to Shen Luo. However, at the end of the grey jade slip, a Pupil Technique called the ''Ghost Eye of the Netherworld'' was recorded. It could enhance visual acuity, especially in seeing through illusions. Seeing through illusions was just one ability of the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. The most powerful ability of this Pupil Technique was to cast a fascinating God''s Power, causing those who met his gaze to unknowingly fall into an illusion. However, this Pupil Technique was troublesome and difficult to cultivate. Firstly, it required raising a Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei, feeding it a large amount of precious elixir to cultivate the illusion power within its body, and then swallowing the snake''s gallbladder when the time was right and using the secret technique to absorb the power of the gallbladder. Afterward, one had to regularly prepare a kind of Illusionary Spirit Liquid, drop it into the eyes, cultivate and refine it. After about a hundred years of persistence, one could master this Pupil Technique. ¡°A Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei! No wonder after I killed the Snake Mei, those from Sacred Lotus Temple in Bai County City were frantically searching for me. It turns out the Thousand-Year-Old Snake was raised by Dragon Altar to cultivate the ''Ghost Eye of the Netherworld''.¡± Shen Luo finally understood. Eating the gallbladder of the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei was a fortunate accident that greatly improved his vision. ¡°How funny! Since Dragon Altar first gifted me the gallbladder of the Thousand-Year-Old Snake Mei, and later sent the cultivation method of the ''Ghost Eye of the Netherworld'', helping me complete most of the prerequisites.¡± Shen Luo was secretly delighted in his heart and decided to cultivate this Pupil Technique. As for the Illusionary Spirit Liquid, it was not complicated to prepare. Moreover, most of the materials had already been collected in the Dragon Altar''s Storage Ring. The rest could be gathered with some effort. He put away the grey jade slip and continued examining the remaining items. Of the two medicine vials, one contained seven or eight healing pills, high-grade goods, but incomparable to the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill. The other medicine vial contained a golden pill. A lotus flower pattern appeared on it, exuding a golden buddha''s light, identical to the ¡°Buddha''s Light Relic¡± obtained in the Dreamland. However, this pill only resembled the Buddha''s Light Relic in appearance and did not have its divine charm of Buddhas light shining universally. It was probably a counterfeit. Despite being a counterfeit Buddha''s Light Relic, this pill was nevertheless precious. Shen Luo treasured it and put it away carefully. It might come in handy someday. As for the last three talismans, they were three fire attribute talismans. He didn''t recognize what talismans they were, but judging from the mana fluctuations they emitted, they should be High-Order Runes. Shen Luo collected all these things and sat pondering for a while before getting up to leave, quickly arriving at the Cheng''an City market. He was currently well-off, so he gathered materials extravagantly in the market, buying the remaining materials for the Invisibility Talisman and the Illusionary Spirit Liquid. He also inquired about the materials for the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, but only managed to collect some common parts. The Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman was a Pseudo-Immortal Talisman, and the main ingredients were very precious and unavailable for purchasing. After buying these things, Shen Luo immediately returned to the Duke''s Mansion and closed himself off from the outside world. In a blink of an eye, more than a year has passed. At the southernmost end of the Southern Sub-Central Continent, standing on a spread-out coastline is a considerable majestic coastal city named Sea Tooth City. The city is built on the edge of a cliff carved out by seabed erosion. Just outside the city lies the finest deep-water port on hundreds of square miles of coastline. Whether it''s the early morning or in the evening, you can find nearly a hundred fishing boats entering and exiting the harbor, giving off an extraordinary bustling atmosphere. Outside the port, above the coastal cliffs, a several hundred-feet long stone fence is built, blocking off the cliffs, making the cliffside an excellent viewing spot. Standing by the sea, you can see the bustling scene of the nearby boats going in and out, and by looking at the distance, you can appreciate the expansive view of the open sea. Hence, from morning till night, there are plenty of locals and tourists who come from far and wide to stay around the coast. The local fishermen thus started doing business at the edge of the cliffs, setting up small stalls next to the fence, displaying all kinds of brightly colored and uniquely shaped seashells and conches. There are even some who use delicate wooden boxes to hold pearls and red corals harvested from the sea, selling them to tourists. At this moment, there was a handsome man in a white robe near the seaside cliffs, being pestered by a dark-skinned fisherman to buy a pearl the size of a pea. The handsome man, annoyed, swayed his figure like a ghostly specter at the moment when the other party wanted to cling on him, going past him and proceeding towards the front. By the time the fisherman came back to his senses, the man in white was long gone. The handsome man uncorked the wine gourd at his waist, took a small sip, walked to a stall, and jokingly patted a green-robed man who was squatting on the ground and carefully picking out hairpins. ¡°Shen Luo, you''re an old bachelor. Why are you always choosing these women''s accessories?¡± The one who was speaking was none other than Bai Xiaotian, and the one squatting on the ground was naturally Shen Luo. They had been in Sea Tooth City for a few days. Shen Luo suggested staying for a few days, saying he wanted to have a good look around. Since the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡± was still some time away, Bai Xiaotian was not in a hurry. He agreed to Shen Luo''s request and stayed in Sea Tooth City. However, he did not expect that Shen Luo would suddenly take an interest in women''s accessories like hairpins. For several days, they had been touring the city, but they never seemed to find one that he liked. Bai Xiaotian had no interest in these items and had been looking for places to drink in the city. Unfortunately, most coastal cities relied on fishing and had only a few farming households cultivating grains. Due to the limited raw material, the quality of brewing was naturally not as good as in the inland regions. After staying for a few days and finding it uninteresting, Bai Xiaotian urged Shen Luo to hit the road and head towards the coast. But who would have thought that Shen Luo would still want to find a beloved hairpin among these stalls even after arriving here. ¡°Have you forgotten? I have a fiancee.¡± Shen Luo said without raising his head. ¡°I''ve always heard you talking about her, but I''ve never seen her,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a twist of his mouth. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don''t worry, once we''re on Mount Putuo, you''ll be able to meet her,¡± Shen Luo chuckled. ¡°You mean your betrothed cousin, she''s on Mount Putuo?¡± This piece of news caught Bai Xiaotian by surprise. Chapter 795 Chapter 795: Chapter 792: Mount Putuo Gate Chapter 795: Chapter 792: Mount Putuo Gate ¡°Cai Zhu was taken as a disciple by the Immortal Master of Mount Putuo that year. I thought it would be much longer before I had a chance to come here, but I didn''t expect to come so soon.¡± Shen Luo, reminiscing about the past, commented with a touch of melancholy. ¡°Good kid, a reunion after such a long absence, and you''re gifting a pearl hairpin? Since she''s a monk, shouldn''t you at least present a magical instrument as a gift?¡± Bai Xiaotian slapped his shoulder and said. ¡°The thought matters more than the price of the gift. Besides, I don''t even know what skills Cai Zhu is currently practicing. Even if I wanted to gift a magical instrument, it would need to be compatible with her, wouldn''t it?¡± Shen Luo replied with a grin. In the middle of their conversation, he finally chose an exquisitely crafted plum blossom hairpin. After paying, he placed it in a fine wooden box and put it away. ¡°We were told that Mount Putuo would send disciples to greet the arriving Conference attendees, but where exactly?¡± Shen Luo inquired, standing up. ¡°Mount Putuo is an Oversea Immortal Mountain in the Southern Sea. To put it plainly, it''s actually a significant island, accompanied by eighteen small islands in its periphery. Previously, the Jieyin was conducted on Star Island, and I presume it will be the same this year.¡± Bai Xiaotian replied after a moment''s thought. ¡°In that case, let''s head directly to Star Island.¡± Shen Luo suggested. Bai Xiaotian nodded, and the two promptly arrived at a deserted beach. Each of them rode on their Flying Swords, transforming into two beams of light, disappearing into the distance. It was midsummer, with clear, azure skies and gentle breezes fluttering across the sea, causing waves to ripple. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian flew for hundreds of li, passing numerous islands and reefs, but there was no sign of Mount Putuo. ¡°Xiaotian, are you sure about the path you''re taking? Why haven''t we seen any trace of Mount Putuo yet?¡± Shen Luo expressed his skepticism while looking at the vast expanse of the sea. ¡°Mount Putuo, after all, is an important Buddhist site and the training ground for the Guanyin Bodhisattva. It won''t be so easily found. Remember the eighteen auxiliary islands we mentioned before? They form part of an Array that guards the main island and create a cloaking formation. Those without the correct path will indefinitely circle the islands without being allowed entry.¡± Bai Xiaotian responded with a chuckle. ¡°All this talk, do you even have a clue on how to find the sect?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Of course I do. Before leaving, the temple gave us a token. With this to guide us, how could we get lost?¡± Bai Xiaotian replied, raising his arm. On his wrist, a red thread was tied, from which hung a fish-shaped talisman. It was fluttering against the wind with the tail of the fish pointing in the southwest direction, swaying slightly. No matter how Bai Xiaotian moved his arm, the fluttering fish-shaped talisman, its tail would always point in the same direction, unwavering. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why do you have this talisman, and the National Master didn''t give me one?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Our Shenghua Temple and Mount Putuo are both part of the Buddhist Sect, so we have a closer relationship than your Great Tang Dynasty Government.¡± Bai Xiaotian gave him a look, acting as if it were a matter of course. ¡°That''s true¡­heh heh, lead the way.¡± Shen Luo said, laughing and nodding his head. ¡°Will do.¡± Bai Xiaotian responded and continued to fly in the direction pointed out by the talisman. About half an hour later, a gray island, not more than a few hundred feet in radius, appeared on the sea surface ahead. There were sparsely spread trees and a faint glimpse of a thatched cottage constructed on it. When Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were near, the flying fish-shaped talisman suddenly fell. ¡°We''re here.¡± Bai Xiaotian''s eyes lit up, and he said. ¡°Is this the place?¡± Shen Luo glanced at it, feeling somewhat surprised. But when he probed the island with his Divine Sense, he quickly noticed something unusual ¨C his divine soul simply could not penetrate the seemingly unremarkable thatched cottage. Just then, a man and a woman, two figures emerged from the thatched cottage. The moment they laid eyes on Shen Luo, their expressions changed simultaneously, albeit differently. The woman, who originally had no trace of a smile, couldn''t help but beam when her gaze fell upon Shen Luo. The man, on the other hand, who had been grinning previously, now wore a grave face, his complexion darkening. ¡°Well, what a coincidence. It''s you two who are in charge of the guidance.¡± Shen Luo expressed his surprise. As it turned out, the man, and the woman were none other than the Nineteenth Princess of the Great Tang Dynasty, Li Shu, and Wuming. ¡°Big Brother Shen, how are you here¡­ Could it be that you also came for the Immortal Apricot Conference?¡± Li Shu inquired surprisingly. Since the ghost problem of the Jing River Dragon King last time, Li Shu''s admiration for Shen Luo and Lu Huaming had been consistent and endless like a rolling river. Seeing them again now made her feel a sense of familiarity. Wuming standing beside them felt even more irritated, unconsciously clenching his fists inside his cuffs. ¡°The National master allowed me especially to represent the Great Tang Dynasty Government at this conference.¡± Shen Luo was not too concerned about this and responded with a smile. Bai Xiaotian on the side frowned and after a while, unexpectedly asked: ¡°Shen Luo, is this lady your fiancee, Cousin Cai Zhu you mentioned earlier? Should I address her as a junior sister then?¡± ¡°Don''t talk nonsense, she is the Nineteenth Princess of our Emperor Tang.¡± Shen Luo quickly corrected. ¡°And who might this be?¡± Li Shu glanced at Bai Xiaotian, asking somewhat puzzled. ¡°So it''s the princess, I am Bai Xiaotian, invited by the Hua Sheng Temple to attend the conference.¡± Bai Xiaotian saw the resentment in Wuming''s eyes whenever he looked at Shen Luo, deliberately ignoring him, hardly sparing him a glance at all. ¡°Brother Bai is a fellow disciple of the Chan Sect in Hua Sheng Temple. We are somewhat related by our affiliation to the same sect.¡± Li Shu chuckled and performed a fist-in-palm salute towards Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Junior sister Li has such a temperament; it''s hard to believe you''re royalty. I like it. In the future, you can just call me Brother Bai or Big Brother Bai. Don''t bother with the Daoist friend title, haha¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian''s friendly nature made him react with laughter. ¡°Okay. What was that Brother Bai mentioned about Cousin Cai Zhu earlier? Big brother Shen, are you engaged?¡± Li Shu asked while laughing. ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Enough with your gossiping, we should do the real work first.¡± Just as Bai Xiaotian was about to speak, Shen Luo cut him off. ¡°Right.¡± Bai Xiaotian scratched his head with a wry smile. With that said, both of them took out their passes and tokens and handed them to Li Shu for inspection. ¡°Everything seems fine. The two of you, please follow me for registration.¡± The always sidelined Wuming stepped forward first and after careful verification declared. ¡°Brother Wuming, how about I''ve accompany Shen and his companion for registration?¡± Li Shu suggested. ¡°Junior sister, aren''t you supposed to wait here for Daoist Liu Qing? Leave this small matter to me. Don''t worry, I will make sure that your two elder brothers are properly settled in. Is that okay?¡± Wuming assured her, thumping his chest. Li Shu glanced at the distant sea surface and the sky, showing a hesitant look on her face. Chapter 796 Chapter 796: Chapter 793: Celebrating the Festival Chapter 796: Chapter 793: Celebrating the Festival ¡°Since Miss Li is still waiting for someone, it''s not necessary to bother her. Let''s have Martial Friend Wu lead the way. We''ll be around your sect for a while anyway. We can catch up anytime.¡± Shen Luo smiled and said. ¡°Well¡­ okay then.¡± Li Shu slightly hesitated and nodded. After bidding goodbye, WuMing took Shen Luo and another person into the thatched cottage. The cottage was simply furnished with only an Eight Immortals Table and four long benches, with tea set in the middle. WuMing didn''t offer them seats but directly led them towards the back door of the cottage. As they passed through the door, the brightness of the sky rushed clear. It was no longer the bleak appearance of lonely islands in the blue sea that they had seen outside. Outside the cottage was a white stone square nearly a hundred feet in size, with buildings constructed on either side. It was bustling with people wearing attire bearing the symbol of Mount Putuo passing back and forth. The terrain the square was gradually rising, forming a mountain peak nearly a hundred feet high, a spiral mountain path was built according to the topography, extending to the top of the peak. Halfway up the mountain, there was a quite flat cliff, hanging a few Mount Putuo disciples. They were holding hammers and chisels, knocking and hammering on the mountain wall, seemingly carving murals. Shen Luo recognized it carefully. Judging from the silhouette that has already been carved, it seemed to be a picture of Buddha preaching. ¡°Why do the disciples of Putuo have such coursework?¡± He couldn''t help but ask. After hearing his words, WuMing glanced at the cliff and sneered: ¡°These people? They are nothing more than servants who come to Putuo Mountain to work. How could they be our Putuo disciples? Are they good enough?¡± ¡°Buddha said all beings are equal. As fellow disciples of the Sangha, how can you talk like that?¡± Bai Xiaotian frowned, hearing this. Although he did not become a monk, he still adhered to Buddhist doctrine, so he felt annoyed at WuMing''s words. Hearing this, WuMing sneered and remained silent. Bai Xiaotian wanted to respond, but Shen Luo shook his head at him, so he gave up. The two of them followed WuMing around the peak of Star Island and came to the other side of the island, looking forward to the sea. We can see the desolate mist and fog on the sea, with the vague outlines of mountains and islands visible in the distance, each far apart from each other. ¡°This is the Virtual Barrier Sea. The sea surface has several mist barriers. They are harmless, only capable of making people lose their sense of direction. Therefore, one cannot fly arbitrarily here. Only when we Putuo disciples guide you on a Stepping Sea Boat can you cross the sea.¡± WuMing said. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± Shen Luo replied. Upon hearing this, WuMing waved his hand, and a small black boat about six feet long appeared on the coast in front of him. The sides of the hull were engraved with a pattern resembling water waves, making it look very delicate. ¡°Let''s go.¡± After WuMing finished speaking, he jumped onto the boat first. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian followed immediately and stood on the Stepping Sea Boat. One-handedly, WuMing casted a magic spell, pointing at the boat, and a strand of mana was introduced to it. The sea wave pattern on the boat immediately lit up, automatically directing the sea water on both sides to the rear, and the hull shook slightly, carrying Shen Luo and the others towards the sea. The small boat was neither fast nor slow, and soon it left Star Island and entered the sea fog. The fog was thick on the sea. Shen Luo tried a little bit and found that the fog could block people''s divine sense. Once you enter it, the line of sight is blocked, and the divine sense will be hindered, and it is not easy to identify the direction. ¡°Don''t bother trying. Even the divine sense of a cultivator from the True Immortal Realm may not be able to break through this mist. You guys, don''t hold your breath.¡± Without guessing, WuMing knew what Shen Luo and the others were trying to do, so he said first. ¡°Is this also your sect''s protective array?¡± Hearing the words, Shen Luo retracted his divine sense and said. ¡°Not exactly. This sea area was once a battlefield in the Ancient Gods and Demons War. There are many hidden reefs and ocean trenches on the bottom of the sea, the sea surface has mist barriers covering, which often lead to ship sinking and disappearing here. Later, the Bodhisattva made a wish and used her great power to move Mount Putuo and the eighteen sub-mountains. The mountains were moved into the sea for the current layout. The array formed by the eighteen sub-mountains is the protective array.¡± WuMing deigned to explain in response to his words. ¡°I see, with Mount Putuo at the helm, it just so happens to suppress this strange sea area. If any ships pass by, they will be guided away from here by the array, so there won''t be any shipwreck tragedies anymore.¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°Although this is not a protective array, it is still a barrier for our sect. Some traps have been laid out in the sea. If any insignificant people want to forcibly sneak in, they would be¡­¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. WuMing didn''t finish his words when the Stepping Sea Boat below suddenly hit a reef with a ¡°dong¡± sound. He was thrown forward and fell straight into the sea. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian stumbled but quickly stabilized. They didn''t fall off the boat. But when they looked at the sea again, they couldn''t see WuMing anywhere. ¡°Ha, Shen Luo, do you have any issues with this kid? As soon as we arrived, we got such a big surprise.¡± Bai Xiaotian couldn''t help but laugh when he saw this and asked. ¡°We had a bit of a conflict before, but I didn''t expect him to hold such a long grudge.¡± Shen Luo was also somewhat at a loss whether to cry or to laugh. ¡°Now that he''s dumped us here, what should we do?¡± Bai Xiaotian spread his hands and asked. ¡°Can your Fish-shaped Talisman still be used?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This thing is pointed towards Mount Putuo. It worked outside, but we''re inside now, it''s useless.¡± Bai Xiaotian raised his wrist and laughed. ¡°Then we''re out of ideas. We''ll have to rely on ourselves. But this mist is indeed odd, it seems that what WuMing said before wasn''t all false, and we''d be better not to fly recklessly.¡± Shen Luo looked around, he could not see any other figure over the vast sea area, he said. ¡°Of course.¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded in agreement. Shen Luo squinted his eyes slightly, looked at the front, pointed at the void above the boat, and infused mana into it. The charm on the boat lit up slightly, the hull trembled a little, but did not move forward. Shen Luo hesitated slightly, his internal mana surged abruptly, and he infused double the mana into the small boat. The light on the boat brightened suddenly, the hull jerked forward, it directly crossed the reef in front and headed towards the sea below. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian weren''t steady and almost fell into the sea. In a critical moment, Shen Luo resorted to Water Techniques, brought over a water wave, supported the boat''s body, and finally landed safely. Chapter 797 Chapter 797: Chapter 794: Mechanism Chapter 797: Chapter 794: Mechanism ¡°Shen Luo, I suggest we should stop commanding this broken ship. Controlling the water waves to push us forward would be a safer option,¡± Bai Xiaotian teased. ¡± Good idea,¡± responded Shen Luo after a moment of thought. He sat down cross-legged, quietly cultivating the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and extended a hand into the sea water to control the waves around the boat. As his mana flowed into the water, a swishing sound began to rumble outside the Stepping Sea Boat. Pushed on by the water waves, the boat raced ahead. With his full concentration, Shen Luo deftly directed the waves while simultaneously probing the underwater terrain for any reefs, ensuring a smooth journey. He had no precise direction, relying only on an estimate to navigate towards the main island of Mount Putuo. Not far away, lurking in the sea fog, was Wuming. A green luminous talisman was stuck to his forehead and his eyes glowed pale golden, allowing him to see clearly through the mist. Seeing that Shen Luo and his companion were not trapped and were even making their way out of the foggy area, he let out a cold snort. His feet lightly tapped the sea surface as he started to chase after them. About half a moment later, despite stumbling stops and starts, Shen Luo finally found the right direction. He had reached the edge of the foggy sea area and could faintly see the majestic silhouette of a huge peak in the distance. ¡°Well, we''re really lucky. It seems we''ve made it out,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, standing at the bow. With a casual flick, he opened his folding fan and started wafting it around, exuding an air of casual elegance. Shen Luo had been directing the boat through the water, looking more like Bai Xiaotian''s personal boatman. ¡°Can you at least offer to help¡­,¡± Shen Luo began, but his expression suddenly changed. The Stepping Sea Boat beneath him started to glow and accelerated abruptly, uncontrollably charging forward. Bai Xiaotian stumbled, quickly stabilizing himself. He thought Shen Luo was playing tricks and turned around to retort. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Shen Luo grabbed him by the wrist and jumped onto a flying sword, shooting up into the high altitude. No sooner had they taken off than the out-of-control Stepping Sea Boat crashed into a black reef protruding from the sea, shattering into pieces which flew scatteringly in all directions. ¡°What just happened?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, his eyebrows furrowed. ¡°If this is just a show of power, I must say it''s quite excessive,¡± Shen Luo replied with a grimace. He was clearly angry. As he finished speaking, a swishing sound started resonating from the water beneath them. A huge vortex, about a dozen feet in diameter, began to form, revealing a massive shadow steadily ascending from its center. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Without hesitation, Shen Luo grabbed Bai Xiaotian and darted towards the outside of the foggy sea area. Just as they left, a whistling sound erupted from behind. A dozen sturdy, black iron chains shot out from the vortex. Like octopus tendrils, the chains lunged straight for them. Shen Luo took a closer look and noticed the chain links, as thick as bowls and engraved with charm patterns. The ends of the chains were tipped with sharp cones that emanated a cold black light and were heading directly towards them. ¡°Trapped in a formation array¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered, his brows furrowed. He and Bai Xiaotian quickly split up. Observing them disperse, the chains also divided targets, launching themselves towards Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian separately. Shen Luo wasn''t planning on getting entangled. He dispersed his Moonlight, manipulating his movements to easily avoid the impending chain attack. Just as he relaxed, he heard a gust of wind from behind. The three chains he''d just evaded turned abruptly and aimed for his heart. Without turning back, Shen Luo gestured vigorously. A golden light burst forth from behind him, propelling a golden Dragon Horn Cone into the air. It collided with the black chains, sending them all flying. A massive shockwave emanated from the collision, startling Shen Luo. The array was much more powerful than he had anticipated. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, we can''t defeat this array on our own,¡± Shen Luo shouted while retreating as he continued, ¡°Let''s head to Mount Putuo. The elders there will not remain indifferent.¡± Bai Xiaotian replied with a grunt, joining Shen Luo as they sped off towards Mount Putuo. However, the more hurriedly they retreated, the faster the chains behind them pursued. Just as they crossed the boundary of the fog, seven or eight chains had already caught up with them. Shen Luo drew full power from the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and thrusting his hands downwards, created a howling gale in the sea below. As he pulled his hands upwards, a huge surge created massive water dragons that rose up into the sky, colliding with the black chains and scattering water everywhere, emitting a deafening rumble. The spectacle attracted a wave of onlooking disciples from Mount Putuo. Some flew over from the main island to watch from the skies, others approached within a hundred feet on their boats, while some stood on the brink of the main island, gazing at the events from a distance. Nobody knew what was going on or how these two people had triggered the underwater formation array. After Shen Luo repelled the chain attack and continued to fly with Bai Xiaotian towards the main island, nobody noticed a large, dark shadow beneath the water. It was also creeping towards the main island, moving even faster than they were. ¡°Boom!¡± A moment later, a muffled explosion echoed from the sea bed. A huge wave, tens of feet high, suddenly rose from the sea in front of them. Hundreds of black chains sprung from below like a dazzling peacock''s tail, before returning to take aim at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian once more. Seeing this, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian''s expressions grew solemn. Together, they activated their treasures; Shen Luo calling forth the Dragon Horn Cone, Bai Xiaotian, the Demon Subduing Pestle. Together, they manipulated the charm patterns, causing each treasure to emit a blinding light. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, bathed in a layer of golden light as if covered in liquid gold while Shen Luo, utilizing the Dragon Horn Cone, formed a colossal phantom dragon head around himself and charged towards the incoming black chains. A dragon chant seemed to ring out as the black chains hit the golden dragon''s shadow, were repelled, and fell back in all directions. One of the chains struck the tip of the Dragon Horn Cone, causing a golden explosion. The chain was flung out by a hundred feet, launched at high speed towards a Stepping Sea Boat. The boat was occupied by a promising young girl in the early stage of Grain Avoidance. Chapter 798 Chapter 798: Chapter 795: A Vengeful Person Must Get His Revenge Chapter 798: Chapter 795: A Vengeful Person Must Get His Revenge The young girl on the Stepping Sea Boat initially only planned to join in on the excitement, but unexpectedly got caught up in a sudden incident. Seeing the pitch-black chain heading straight for her, she panicked to the point of not knowing what to do, even forgetting to dodge. Just when both the girl and her boat were about to be pierced by a single strike, a green light suddenly shot over from the direction of Mount Putuo, reaching the girl almost instantly, and stood in its way. Within the green light, a young man with an ordinary face and a slender figure appeared. He raised a palm as white as jade in a flat push, and a white halo lit up in the centre of his palm. The Zhui Tou at the end of the chain fiercely hit his palm, emitting a loud ¡°bang¡±. There was a gust of wind around his body, a ripple effect rippled through his body, his clothes fluttered, and his black hair fluttered backward. Yet, his body didn''t move an inch. Even the water surface under his feet only stirred up a light ripple. ¡°Wei¡­ Uncle Master, thank you, Uncle Master Wei Qing.¡± The pretty young girl realised belatedly, and hurriedly thanked him. ¡°Quickly go back.¡± The young man named Wei Qing spoke without looking back. Hearing his words, the girl hurriedly navigated her boat towards the main island of Mount Putuo, leaving as if escaping. Wei Qing glanced at the two people in front of him, who were still entangled with the Array chain. He slightly furrowed his brows and was about to move forward when a green light suddenly lit up from the seabed. Following that, the dull sound of mechanical winding came to him. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It''s closed¡­¡± He murmured and stopped moving. Shen Luo had noticed the commotion here just now, told Bai Xiaotian, and they both flew over here together. ¡°Thank you for your help just now, Daoist friend.¡± Shen Luo bowed his fist towards him. ¡°There''s no need for formalities. It seems the two of you are Daoists from other gates attending the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡±?¡± Wei Qing waved his hand and asked. ¡°Exactly, I am Shen Luo, appointed by the Government of the Great Tang Dynasty.¡± ¡°I''m Bai Xiaotian, a disciple of the Hua Sheng Temple.¡± Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian each gave a brief introduction. ¡°I am Wei Qing. Since you are both visiting Daoists, there should have been disciples to guide you. How could you interplay with the mechanism?¡± Wei Qing asked with a puzzled look. ¡°This¡­¡± Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian exchanged a knowing glance. They didn''t know how to explain for the time being. ¡°Master Wei, Master Wei¡­¡± Just then, a rapid cry came from a distance. The three of them turned their heads to look at the same time and saw a silhouette soaked through and through, looking like a drowned chicken, stepping on a blue Flying Sword, hurriedly heading towards them. It was Wuming. ¡°Brother Shen, Daoist Bai, I sincerely apologize. It''s all my fault. I momentarily lost my vigilance and the Stepping Sea Boat hit a reef. It caused you two to mistakenly trigger the Array mechanism. Please forgive me.¡± Wuming hurriedly explained and bowed deeply to the two of them. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian remained stoic, watching this performance coldly. Wei Qing on the side was frowning, and he could already tell from the reaction of Shen Luo and the others that something was amiss. At this moment, an elderly man wearing a grey long robe flew over from a distance and landed beside them. ¡°Little Brother Wei is also here, huh? What happened just now? Why was the water beard Array invoked?¡± The man greeted Wei Qing first upon seeing him and asked. ¡°Elder Yu, I think you should let Wuming explain.¡± Wei Qing returned the greeting, suggesting. Elder Yu raised an eyebrow, looked at Wuming, and the latter had no choice but to retell the previously mentioned incident. After hearing his explanation, Elder Yu hesitated a little, then said: ¡°Since you did not intend for this to happen, we will not pursue the matter this time. But you still need to apologise to our two Daoist friends.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, Daoist Bai, I sincerely apologise for my negligence this time, I hope you can forgive me.¡± Wuming bowed as soon as he heard it, saying. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian exchanged glances, neither of them spoke. ¡°Since Martial Friend Wu has apologized several times already, and we were not injured, let''s let it slide this time. I believe Martial Friend Wu will be more careful in the future, so as not to inadvertently harm others.¡± As the atmosphere was gradually turning awkward, Shen Luo finally spoke. ¡°Won''t, won''t¡­¡± Wu Ming was saying, his teeth gritted. ¡°Since there''s nothing else, shouldn''t you guide our Daoist friends to Leisure Valley for registration and accommodation?¡± Elder Yu glanced at Wu Ming and said. ¡°Yes.¡± Wu Ming responded. ¡°Never mind, you can return to Star Island. I myself will lead these two Daoist friends to Leisure Valley.¡± Suddenly, Wei Qing spoke. ¡°Younger Brother Wei, you are an elder of the sect. This is not proper¡­¡± Elder Yu hesitated. ¡°There is no need to trouble Uncle Master Wei. I will surely escort these two Daoist friends wholeheartedly.¡± Wu Ming was already sweating profusely and quickly spoke. Shen Luo and the other were somewhat surprised. ¡°Let it be like this then. These two Daoist friends, please follow me.¡± Wei Qing said, raising his hand. A blue flying shuttle appeared in front of him. ¡°We are much obliged.¡± Shen Luo and the other thanked him, then boarded the flying shuttle. The three took off directly into the sky, flying towards the main island of Mount Putuo. ¡°Are you acquainted with that Wu Ming?¡± After flying a hundred feet, Wei Qing directly asked. Shen Luo pondered briefly. Seeing no reason to hide it, he said directly, ¡°We met in the vicinity of Chang''an, and we did have some friction.¡± ¡°So he deliberately made things difficult this time?¡± Wei Qing asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Facing such direct questioning, Shen Luo was somewhat at a loss for words. ¡°Wu Ming''s talent isn''t exceptional, but his family is prominent and he has some connections within the gates of Mount Putuo. His narrow-minded nature might create problems in the future. It would be best for you to keep your distance.¡± Wei Qing already seemed to have his answer and continued. ¡°Thank you for your advice, elder.¡± Shen Luo discerned Wei Qing''s good intentions and responded. ¡°Just call me Daoist friend. We are probably about the same age.¡± Wei Qing said. ¡°Daoist friend¡­ Wasn''t Elder Yu just calling you Senior Brother?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°I am one of the senior elders of the sect and I have accepted a closed-door disciple. As a result, my status has been greatly elevated. As you are not disciples of Mount Putuo, you do not need to worry about these details.¡± Wei Qing explained. As they spoke, they landed on the ground. Buildings have been built along the coast beneath them. The closer they got to the central mountain of the island, the denser the houses became. However, Wei Qing did not seem to intend to land at this point. Instead, he controlled the flying shuttle and headed towards the mountain area, eventually landing at the entrance to a valley formed by two mountain ridges. The protruding wall of the valley bore the three calligraphic characters ¡°Leisure Valley¡±. ¡°The disciples from different sects who are participating in the Immortal Apricot Conference will be temporarily staying in Leisure Valley. Come with me to register at the Affairs Pavilion in the valley, and then you can choose a residence there.¡± Wei Qing spoke. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian expressed their thanks again. The group then walked along the blue stone path into the valley. Along the way, they encountered many mortals performing menial tasks in the valley. When they saw Wei Qing, they surprisingly did not show any fear. Instead, they greeted him warmly, each calling him ¡°Immortal Master Wei¡±. Wei Qing responded to each of them in return. He was not overtly warm, nor did he seem remotely distant, appearing quite natural. This left Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian somewhat astonished. Chapter 799 Chapter 799: Chapter 796: Indifferent by Nature Chapter 799: Chapter 796: Indifferent by Nature ¡°Wei¡­Daoist friend, I''m baffled about something. Why are there so many common mortals doing menial tasks on Mount Putuo?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Every visitor to Mount Putuo has the same question, after all, in other sects, even if it is menial work, it''s mostly done by outer disciples, rarely do they shelter so many mortals.¡± Wei Qing wasn''t surprised, and he explained. ¡°Yes, as far as I know, most sects try to avoid excessive interaction with mortals where they are located in the mountain gate, which is precisely what confuses me.¡± Shen Luo said this, Bai Xiaotian didn''t speak on the side, but his face showed profound agreement. ¡°The mortals who can come here are either ardently aspiring for the Buddha Dharma or deeply trapped in the sea of suffering and come here naturally to seek for the Buddha, to seek liberation. However, some people, they harbor hopes that they can be lucky enough to be seen by the Immortal Master and be able to start cultivating in the Zen gate, which unfortunately, the chances are too slim.¡± Wei Qing''s mouth curled slightly as he slowly explained. ¡°So, it''s as they say, ''The mortal path is obscure, the immortal path is vast'', it''s just like that.¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully. During their leisurely chat, they walked hundreds of feet along the blue stone mountain path. After passing through a narrow passageway, the terrain in front suddenly opened up and revealed a flat valley, with various two-story detached wooden houses built within. Not far from these wooden houses, the only building with a hipped roof stood not far from the narrow passageway. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian followed Wei Qing into the main hall, and on meeting the sight, they saw a fat middle-aged man in charge seated behind a desk. As soon as he saw Wei Qing leading two people in, he immediately stood up from his chair with a ¡°whoosh¡±. ¡°Uncle Master Wei, what brings you to Leisure Valley?¡± The fat administrator adjusted the hat on his head that was about to slip and asked a somewhat frightened question. ¡°Nothing much, bringing two fellow Daoists from other sects to register for the Immortal Apricot Conference. Arrange accommodation for them.¡± Wei Qing spoke calmly, without any visible change of expression. ¡°Oh, it turns out they are honored guests from other sects. Uncle Master Wei, rest assured, since you personally brought them here, I will certainly entertain them well.¡± The fat manager rubbed his hands and flattered. ¡°They¡­ never mind, they''re all yours.¡± Wei Qing saw his misunderstanding and had the intention to explain, but then thought it unnecessary. Having said this, he bade farewell and walked out of the palace door, leaving elegantly. Watching his figure disappear at the end of sight, the fat administrator''s smile on his face didn''t diminish a bit, and he carefully asked Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian: ¡°May I ask, who are you two relative to Uncle Master Wei?¡± ¡°We are nobody special, we just got acquainted with Elder Wei today.¡± Shen Luo casually replied. ¡°That''s strange¡­¡± The fat manager was surprised. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What is strange about that?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, frowning. ¡°You know, Uncle Master Wei has always been quite indifferent in personality. Inside the sect, apart from cultivating, he rarely involves himself in other matters. He has never personally led people to Leisure Valley before today.¡± The fat manager chuckled and explained. Hearing this, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were also somewhat surprised and became more interested in Wei Qing. ¡°Elder Wei doesn''t seem like that. Many people greeted him along the way, and he seemed quite friendly.¡± Shen Luo deliberately said. ¡°You¡­ you mostly saw ordinary mortals, right?¡± The fat manager hesitated slightly, but still asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± Shen Luo nodded. The fat manager smiled, revealing an enlightened look, and said: ¡°That''s another strange point, Uncle Master Wei has never shown much friendliness to cultivators within the sect, only occasionally stopping to chat when he encounters some mortals.¡± ¡°Different paths lead to different ends. It is indeed rare for the immortals on the mountain to get close to mortals, but it''s not that unusual, it doesn''t count as too strange.¡± Shen Luo commented with a laugh. ¡°Hehe, it''s inappropriate to gossip about the elders of our sect behind their backs. I shouldn''t have¡­¡± The fat manager lightly patted his own face and said with some regret. ¡°Elder Wei''s personality is unique and makes people long for it. We are just expressing our admiration for him, not gossiping about him.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Right, right, right, what Daoist friend said is correct, it''s not gossiping.¡± The fat manager heard and his face immediately beamed with smiles. ¡°Elder, how should we register?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Just hand over your tokens to me, I will record your names and affiliated sects on the register.¡± The fat manager replied. ¡°Junior Shen Luo, I represent the Great Tang Dynasty Government this time.¡± Saying this, Shen Luo handed over his token. ¡°Junior Bai Xiaotian, from Hua Sheng Temple.¡± Bai Xiaotian also took out his own token and handed it to the manager. The manager took the tokens from the two, inspected them and found nothing unusual. He then recorded the two''s information in the register. ¡°Here is the map of Leisure Valley. You can look at it and choose your desired residence on it.¡± While speaking, the fat manager fetched a long scroll. He spread the scroll on the table. After a puff of smoke rose from the surface of the scroll, a miniaturized version of Leisure Valley appeared on the scroll, depicting every single building within the valley vividly. ¡°These red marked towers have already been chosen by others, the rest you can choose from.¡± The fat manager continued to explain. Shen Luo glanced at it, the total number of towers in the valley were over a hundred, most of them concentrated in the most flat area at the center of the valley, only a few were located near the cliff or on protruding ridges within the valley. The best areas in the center of the valley already had four or five towers that had turned pure red, while the rest were displayed more like sketch scrolls, not colored. ¡°How about these two?¡± After Shen Luo looked for a while, he pointed to two adjacent towers on a ridge and asked. ¡°I don''t mind, whatever you choose is fine.¡± Bai Xiaotian glanced and casually replied. ¡°You two have really good foresight, these two towers are at the highest location, standing on the second floor one can have a panoramic view of the valley, the view is excellent.¡± The fat manager said, laughing. ¡°Let''s take these two then, thank you elder.¡± Shen Luo declared. ¡°Okay.¡± The fat manager nodded, took a white jade seal from his waist, and stamped each of the two houses. There was no ink on the seal, but when it fell, both towers turned bright red in an instant. ¡°Done. These houses are cleaned by servants all year round. You two can move in directly.¡± The fat manager informed them. Chapter 800 Chapter 800: Chapter 797: Wuming''s Request Chapter 800: Chapter 797: Wuming''s Request Meanwhile, on a hundred-feet sea cliff on the main Island of Mount Putuo, a exquisitely crafted two-story tower loft had been constructed, the ornate and intricate eave carvings on the corners of the roof were an absolute delight for the eyes. A cliffside platform had been fashioned in front of the tower, akin to the courtyard in the front of a house, beside which stood a begonia tree, under which a young man dressed in white sat by a stone table. His deep-set eyes and handsome face with sharply defined features, his high cheekbones and the bridge of his nose, a tuft of his black hair was nattily tied up, bound by a purple-gold inlaid jade crown, giving him an air of sophistication and unsophisticated charm. At the moment, he was gently playing with a white jade teacup in his hand, growing increasingly impatient as he listened to the endlles chatter of the person next to him. The person beside him seemed completely oblivious to his annoyance and continued to prattle on, ¡°Brother Zhou Yu, you must help me teach those two a lesson this time, otherwise I really don''t know how to let this pass¡­¡± ¡°Thud¡±, the teacup ended up crashing onto the stone table before the person could finish what they were saying. Surprisingly, the white jade teacup didn''t shatter on impact, instead, an imprint circled around the cup was hammered into the stone table. The noise ceased the ceaseless chatter of the person next to him who cautiously turned to look at the man in white. ¡°Brother Zhou Yu¡­¡± ¡°Wuming, you''ve got some nerve to speak, putting self-interest over official duty this time nearly resulted in the injury of your fellows, it''s already considered lenient that you weren''t sent to the Law Enforcement Hall for punishment, do you have anything else to say?¡± The white-clothed man arched a brow, speaking coldly. The person standing beside him was none other than Wuming who had just returned from Star Island, he was full of grievances and was looking to vent to Brother Zhou Yu, however, he didn''t expect such a stinging rebuke. ¡°Brother Zhou Yu, I admit my mistake, but I''ve had it in for those two from before and they dare to come to our Mount Putuo, please help me teach them a lesson.¡± Wuming refused to back down. ¡°Help you¡­how? Bust down their door? Use your head. They have come to participate in the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡±. They are guests, not enemies.¡± Zhou Yu chuckled cynically upon hearing this. ¡°Regardless, as long as you are willing to help, the offerings my family sends next year will be doubled, how about that?¡± Wuming gritted his teeth and muttered. Zhou Yu''s eyebrows relaxed slightly upon hearing this. The Wu Family is an aristocratic family of the Great Tang, they are immensely wealthy. In order to send the family''s legitimate grandson, Wuming, to cultivate on Mount Putuo, they had spent a great deal of money and still forked out a fortune as a donation to Mount Putuo every year. Additionally, as Zhou Yu, being the one to ensure admission for Wuming, and his biological family, receive a substantial annual tribute. If it could be doubled, it would indeed be a tempting offer. ¡°You''re saying it as if it''s so easy to teach someone a lesson without leaving a trace. It won''t be that simple. You know very well that my Master is the Ancestor Master of Law Enforcement. If he got to know, I won''t be able to escape severe punishment.¡± Zhou Yu hesitated. ¡°Brother Zhou, I know that you''ve always cared for Sister Nie, she has failed multiple times when attempting to advance to the Great Mahayana Stage simply because she lacks a ChenYue Pearl. Our family happened to obtain one three months ago. I can ask my grandfather to bestow it upon me. He always agrees to whatever I ask him for. Then you can give the ChenYue pearl to Junior Sister Nie which will definitely help her break through to the Great Mahayana Stage. It will be just like delivering coal in a snowstorm. You will definitely win her over.¡± Wuming resorted to this as Zhou Yu still did not give in. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your family has a ChenYue Pearl?¡± Zhou Yu''s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ¡°Yes, we purchased it from a demon hunter in the Eastern sea with a large sum of money. Although it was only from a three hundred year old Mirage Demon, fortunately, the quality is quite good and its preservation is also perfect¡­¡± Wuming was interrupted by Zhou Yu before he could finish speaking: ¡°I will be presiding over the trials in the Immortal Apricot Conference this time. It wouldn''t be difficult to arrange an accident causing him to be injured. At most, it would sever his hands and feet. But, if you wish for a severe revenge, then forget it. If any serious consequences occur, being the person in charge I will be held accountable by the sect. You do understand what I''m saying, right?¡± ¡°Understand, understand¡­ that''s enough.¡± Wuming chuckled and nodded repeatedly. ¡°Tell me in detail about those two people¡­¡± Zhou Yu picked up the teacup on the table again and slowly began to speak. Immediately, Wuming lowered his body and began to talk excitedly. On the other hand, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had returned to their respective homes. After a brief rest, Shen Luo came to the second floor of the loft and sat down on a straw cushion in his room. He held his Dantian with both hands, and with a slight move in his heart, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flew out from his Dantian, hanging quietly between his palms. With a thought, the mana within his body began to gush out from the palm of his hand, strand by strand it wrapped around the Sword Embryo, slowly nourishing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Compared to cultivation, cultivating a flying sword was more boring. Usually, it could also be nourished in the Dantian by relying on its connection with the sword embryo, but the progress was very slow. Meditative cultivation like this was much more efficient. However, previously, in order to quickly improve his cultivation realm to increase his lifespan, Shen Luo didn''t spend a lot of time consciously nourishing the flying sword. Most of the time he relied on the Dantian to nourish it automatically. Now that his cultivation advancement within a short time is unlikely to break through, it would be better to take this opportunity to nourish the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, as preparation for the upcoming ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡±. As evening approached, Shen Luo suddenly heard shouting coming from outside. He withdrew the flying sword, went to the window and opened it to look outside. The evening glow shot in from beyond the valley, marking the whole valley with spotted patches of light and shadow. Everything in the valley, the flowers, the trees, and the buildings, were covered with a gentle halo, which was very beautiful to look at. ¡°Big Brother Shen.¡± At this time, a voice came from the base of the tower. Shen Luo looked down and saw Li Shu waving at him smilingly. Next to her stood a girl in purple clothes who was about her height, with her head slightly lower and hands behind her back ¨C she looked very demure. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile, jumping down from the window and landing in front of them. ¡°I heard some disciples saying that you encountered danger in the sea of mist today, I was a bit worried and came to see you.¡± Li Shu said. ¡°We met Elder Wei Qing by chance, so it wasn''t a big deal.¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°That''s good¡­ Oh, this is my newly made friend, named Liu Qing, I want to introduce you to her.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Shu said. ¡°Daoist Liu.¡± Shen Luo made a fist salute towards her. ¡°Nice to meet you, Daoist Shen.¡± The girl named Liu Qing had fairly round cheeks and when she smiled, her eyes curved in a cheerful manner. ¡°Daoist Liu, are you also here to participate in the ''Immortal Apricot Conference''?¡± Shen Luo asked. Chapter 801 Chapter 801: Chapter 798: Trajectory of the Stars Chapter 801: Chapter 798: Trajectory of the Stars ¡°No, this conference is somewhat different from previous years. Due to the frequent demon disturbances across the land and the instability of the world, the sect did not send out extensive invitations to many sects. Some of them have also experienced some kind of internal changes and sent notifications saying they would not participate in the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' this time. Sister Liu''s sect was not among those invited; it is I who invited her to observe and gain experience,¡± Li Shu shook her head as she spoke. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I only have the opportunity to observe, not to participate, so at that time, it will be Brother Shen who displays his divine might,¡± Liu Qing said with a smile. ¡°I will also cheer for Big Brother Shen,¡± Li Shu joined in. ¡°May I ask which sects are attending this conference?¡± Shen Luo asked with an unconcerned smile. ¡°Aside from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Hua Sheng Temple, and our Mount Putuo, there is also the Dragon Palace, Qinglian Temple, Jiuhua Mountain, Giant Sword Sect, Taiying Pavilion, and sects from Mount Emei coming. Each sect is only sending one Nascent Soul Stage disciple, and the number is less than a third of previous years,¡± Li Shu explained. ¡°The Dragon Palace is participating, too?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, it is said that the Ninth Prince from the East Sea Dragon Palace will be attending,¡± Li Shu replied, her expression becoming a bit unnatural. Shen Luo knew that the relationship between the Li Tang Royal Family and the Dragon Clan was a delicate one. He decided not to pry any further. In his heart, however, he felt a twinge of happiness at the prospect of possibly seeing Ninth Prince Ao Hong. Moreover, listening to Li Shu, the substantial reduction in participants at the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' was also good news for him. After all, this meant fewer competitors vying for the immortal apricot. ¡°However, although there are fewer participants this time, those who can come are basically the most outstanding disciples of the same realm from their respective sects. Take our Mount Putuo, for example, Senior Sister Lu Ying is likely to participate, and she is now at the Late Nascent Soul Stage,¡± continued Li Shu. ¡°Miss Li, do you happen to have a Daoist Nie Caizhu in your sect?¡± Shen Luo asked with a slight frown and a smile. Upon hearing Shen Luo''s query, Li Shu suddenly realized something, clapping her hand and saying, ¡°Ah, I almost forgot about Junior Sister Nie. She has now reached the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, but¡­ given her disposition, she probably wouldn''t attend the ''Immortal Apricot Conference''¡­¡± Her voice trailed off more and more, sounding almost as if she was talking to herself. ¡°Cai Zhu is¡­ already at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage?¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat at the news, but he quickly calmed down and cheered up again. That year, having been picked out by that mysterious elder and forcibly taken to Mount Putuo for cultivation, she must have had exceptional talent. It wasn''t surprising that she had cultivated to the Peak Nascent Soul Stage. After all, even in his dreams, his own cultivation time wasn''t long, and yet hadn''t he already ascended through Crossing Tribulation? ¡°Big Brother Shen, why did you suddenly ask about Junior Sister Nie?¡± Coming back to her senses, Li Shu asked. ¡°She is my fiancee,¡± Shen Luo stated indifferently. Upon hearing this, Li Shu''s eyes widened, her pupils quivering as her face expressed utter disbelief. As for Liu Qing standing aside, her gaze flickered slightly but showed no further reaction. ¡°You and Junior Sister Nie are¡­ engaged?¡± Li Shu couldn''t help but exclaim. ¡°A childhood betrothal, settled many years ago,¡± Shen Luo said calmly, unaffected by her reaction. After listening, Li Shu remained silent for a long time, digesting the news, then murmured, ¡°No wonder no matter how much effort Brother Zhou Yu put into pleasing her, Junior Sister Nie remained unaffected.¡± ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Shen Luo let out a slight embarrassed smile and couldn''t help but cough twice. ¡°This news is quite sudden, I was a bit out of sorts for a moment. I apologize,¡± Li Shu said slightly embarrassed. ¡°No need to worry,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, shaking his head. ¡°Big Brother Shen, would you like to see Junior Sister Nie? I''m not familiar with her, but I do know where her Cave Mansion is, and could guide you there,¡± Li Shu offered earnestly, as if to make amends. ¡°No need. Now that I am here at Mount Putuo, there''s no rush. After the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' concludes in a few days, it won''t be too late to meet her then,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said with a smile. ¡°Alright, then I won''t persist further,¡± said Li Shu. ¡°Yo, Shen Luo, how come wherever you go, you always have a beauty by your side? Truly making others green with envy,¡± just then, a teasing voice came from afar. Shen Luo looked helplessly in the direction of the voice and saw Bai Xiaotian walking over with a red wine gourd in one hand and a fine steel fan in the other. ¡°Brother Bai,¡± Li Shu called out from a distance. ¡°Junior Sister Li¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian greeted her with a smile as he approached. After Li Shu''s introduction, Bai Xiaotian and Liu Qing also got to know each other. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I borrowed a pot of wine from Fellow Zheng Jun of the Giant Sword Sect,¡± Bai Xiaotian lifted the wine pot in his hand and said with a smile. ¡°You met an old acquaintance here?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Not an old acquaintance, but a new friend I just made. I smelled the scent of wine from a distance just now and couldn''t resist heading over. Fellow Zheng is a generous man, it''s like meeting a kindred spirit over wine, haha¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian laughed. ¡°I''ve heard about this Brother Zheng Jun before; they say he''s already reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage, and just two years ago he participated with his elders in thwarting a plot by the Demon Clan, quite a strong figure,¡± Li Shu mused for a moment and said. ¡°What, Junior Sister Li, are you here to bring me news?¡± Bai Xiaotian raised his eyebrows, pretending to be surprised. ¡°Big Brother Shen doesn''t know much about the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'', so isn''t it good if I can lend a hand?¡± Li Shu said. ¡°Haha, that''s naturally excellent,¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded and laughed. After chatting idly for a while longer, Li Shu and Liu Qing said their goodbyes and left. ¡°Shen Luo, I never realized before, but you''re quite the ladies'' man, aren''t you?¡± Bai Xiaotian stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Shen Luo, nudging him with his shoulder and said with a grin. ¡°What, jealous?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Alas, I am now a monk and must restrain my desires,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed deeply. ¡°If that''s really the case, shouldn''t you be starting with giving up wine?¡± Shen Luo retorted. ¡°That''s unreasonable. Don''t you know ''though meat and wine pass through the body, Buddha stays in the heart''?¡± Bai Xiaotian said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo gave him a sidelong glance and said no more. ¡°But seriously, why do I feel there''s something odd about the way that girl looks at you?¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly turned serious, stroking his chin. ¡°Don''t talk nonsense, she is the Princess of the Tang Dynasty,¡± Shen Luo scolded lightly. ¡°Not her, I''m talking about the other girl, Liu Qing,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head and said. ¡°You must have drunk too much, it''s becoming more and more far-fetched¡­¡± Shen Luo, not wanting to argue further, waved his hand and turned to head back to the tower. Bai Xiaotian smiled and said nothing more, turning to return to his own tower. Chapter 802 Chapter 802: Chapter 799 Shadow Chapter 802: Chapter 799 Shadow Night. Within the tower, a faint light was glowing. Shen Luo sat cross-legged, hands embracing his element, surrounded by a layer of dim light that made him appear as if he was bathing in the stars, At this moment, however, his divine soul had already entered the Heavenly Book Projection, arriving in that void space. Having gained a deeper understanding of the Heavenly Book in his dreams, his mastery over it had ascended to another level. Now, without the need to summon the projection out of the jade pillow, he could freely traverse it with his divine sense. In the midst of that starry sea, the paths of the stars he had seen before became increasingly clear. With repeated memorization and tracing, a Star Array gradually revealed itself before Shen Luo''s eyes. He could vaguely feel that the operation and changes of this Array were key to accessing the cultivation level from his dreams. Only by controlling this Array and using his own divine sense to activate it could he use his dream cultivation at will in the future, rather than waiting for a life-or-death situation to have a chance to summon it. After watching for a long time, Shen Luo did not attempt to activate the Star Array by following the trajectory of the stars. He was worried that if he accidentally triggered the Array and summoned his dream cultivation level, the little lifespan he had left would probably be exhausted immediately. His eyelids trembled slightly, and he slowly opened his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he put away the jade pillow beside him. Just as Shen Luo was about to stand up, his brows furrowed slightly, and he heard the voice of Ghost General Zhao Feiji from the depths of his heart, ¡°Master, something sneaked in downstairs. ¡°Is it a Yin Soul ghost?¡± Shen Luo''s heart stirred, and he inquired through a transmitted message. Ever since absorbing Lin Da''s leftover soul in the Black Chicken Kingdom, Zhao Feiji''s strength had greatly improved. He had now reached the late Nascent Soul Stage, and his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld had been completely refined. His power to perceive Yin Sha ghosts had become even stronger than before. ¡°Yes, its strength doesn''t seem strong, but its breath is very concealed,¡± Zhao Feiji replied. ¡°Are you confident you can apprehend it?¡± Shen Luo asked. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I can try,¡± Zhao Feiji responded. ¡°Then go, remember to leave it alive,¡± Shen Luo instructed. After speaking, he stood up, stretched lazily, and made his way towards the bed. A shadow quietly slid out of the Qiankun Bag at his waist, merging into the shadows on the ground along the hem of his clothes. Before long, a noise of furniture being knocked over came from downstairs, followed by a loud ¡°bang.¡± The tightly shut door was suddenly hit and flung open. ¡°It escaped¡­¡± Shen Luo''s brows creased slightly, and in a flash, he was already downstairs. The first-floor room was in disarray, with no person in sight; the Ghost General had already given chase. After a brief hesitation, Shen Luo leaped up and chased out the door as well. Deep into the night, the entire valley was silent, with only the light from several lanterns casting patchy shadows from one tower to another. Shen Luo''s gaze swept across the area, and he immediately saw, a hundred feet ahead on the side of the mountain slope, Zhao Feiji moving up and down, entangled in a struggle with a pitch-black shadow. He immediately executed the Slanting Moon Steps, scattering moonlight under his feet. His figure turned into a blurred shadow and chased in that direction. The black shadow was very alert. As soon as it noticed Shen Luo''s approach, a large amount of black fog burst from its body. With a roll on the spot, it escaped Zhao Feiji''s attack range, and then rolled and jumped away, fleeing towards the outside of the valley. Shen Luo caught up, and together with Zhao Feiji, they pursued the black shadow. ¡°What''s going on? What is that thing?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It seems to be some kind of charm spirit, but its body emits an eerie ghostly aura. It has very strong perception; I had just sneaked downstairs when it detected me. As soon as I made a move, that thing didn''t bother to stop, it just slipped away,¡± Zhao Feiji explained while running swiftly. ¡°Whatever it is, let''s catch it first. You take the left, and I''ll take the right; don''t let it get away,¡± Shen Luo said. As soon as he finished speaking, the two split apart and accelerated again, chasing after the target. After rolling for a hundred feet, the black shadow suddenly bounced up high and spread its body out wide, gliding forward like a kite. Seeing this, Zhao Feiji soared into the air, his body turning into a cloud of ghost fog, and chased after the creature. However, just as he was about to catch up, the black shadow suddenly contracted and plunged straight towards the ground, disappearing into the earth in an instant as black light flashed across its body when it hit the surface. Shen Luo was a step late, and as he reached out, he only managed to grab a small clump of black hair, letting it escape. ¡°It can escape into the earth?¡± Zhao Feiji landed and said with some surprise. ¡°Its attack power and aura fluctuations aren''t that strong. It seems it was just sent to scout me out. There''s demonic Qi¡­¡± Shen Luo rubbed the clump of hair in his hand, his brow suddenly furrowing. ¡°Master, just wait, I''ll catch this scoundrel right away,¡± Zhao Feiji said with a deeply furrowed brow. ¡°No need, after all, this is Mount Putuo, and it''s not suitable for your ghost identity to act here. Go back into the Qiankun Bag. I''ll pursue it myself,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Zhao Feiji hesitated for a moment, then understanding Shen Luo''s concerns were valid, turned into a wisp of smoke and returned to the Qiankun Bag tied to Shen Luo''s waist. Shen Luo sniffed the hair in his hand, then with a wave of his hand took out a brand-new Escape Earth Talisman and stuck it on his chest. The talisman paper immediately flashed with light, and a yellow halo spread from it, covering Shen Luo from head to toe. His figure shrank and in an instant, he disappeared into the ground. No sooner had he entered the earth than Shen Luo felt all the soil around him press in, causing a strong sense of suffocation to rise in his heart, which was worlds apart from when he used the brocade handkerchief lent to him by Yuan Daoist in his dream. But soon, he adapted to the sensation and, guided by the aura from the clump of hair, picked a direction and gave chase. Fortunately, with the aid of the Escape Earth Talisman, his speed underground was not slow at all, and he quickly covered a few hundred feet. Before long, he saw a black shadow loitering ahead underground, looking left and right as if it had lost its way and didn''t know where to go. Seeing this, Shen Luo was delighted and immediately sped up to chase it down. The black shadow, sensing the pursuit, was startled and without any hesitation, dashed off in one direction. Its movements underground were quite peculiar; it contracted into a ball and rolled forward. A faint black light enveloped its body, giving it a very fast traveling speed. Shen Luo, seeing this, immediately forced all his might to pursue it. But the black shadow seemed to be an expert in the art of escaping through the ground, and no matter how much Shen Luo accelerated, he could not catch up. Shen Luo chased for half a moment, with the light from the Escape Earth Talisman on his body gradually weakening, about to run out of power. Without any hesitation, he took out a second talisman and stuck it to his chest. As the light from the second Escape Earth Talisman ignited, Shen Luo''s speed increased a little more, while the black shadow ahead appeared to be running out of steam, its speed noticeably slowing down. Chapter 803 Chapter 803: Chapter 800: You Little Rascal Chapter 803: Chapter 800: You Little Rascal Shen Luo''s lips curled into a smile, and with a swift movement, he went directly behind the black shadow. He reached out with a palm, attempting to grab the shadow''s back. However, just as his hand was about to touch it, the black shadow''s body suddenly shrank, transforming from the size of a watermelon to that of a fist. In the instant it dodged Shen Luo''s palm, the black shadow surged in size again and shot forward, bolting a straight three feet before a ring of light suddenly illuminated its body. In a flash, it disappeared from Shen Luo''s sight. Shen Luo was surprised to find that the moment its figure vanished, he could no longer perceive any fluctuations in its breath. But before he could figure out what had happened, a sudden roar came from above. A tremendous force then plummeted from the sky, smashing the ground open. Shen Luo jumped back just in time to avoid the strike but was hit by the shock wave that it generated. His chest felt heavy, and the rebounding force sent him flying off the ground. As he burst forth from the earth, a cold light flashed in front of him. A nine-ringed broadsword whistled towards him, slashing horizontally at his eyes. Shen Luo was shocked, but he quickly reacted. Moonlight fell beneath his feet, and his figure flickered, pulling a series of blurred afterimages in the moonlight as he narrowly dodged the attack. After evading the strike, Shen Luo didn''t dare to hesitate. Retreating rapidly, he scanned his surroundings carefully. He then saw, standing about thirty feet in front of him, a tall figure nearly ten feet tall. Clad in black gold armor with a dark robe draped over it, a black and green silk sash tied around the waist, feet in reddish leather boots, and wielding a nine-ringed broadsword¨Cit was not a member of the human race, but a bear demon. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Whoa there! What brazen thief dares to barge into the Purple Bamboo Forest?¡± the creature glared at Shen Luo, its round eyes full of rage as it bellowed. ¡°Elder, please calm your anger. I am not a thief intruding without cause. I was merely pursuing a demonic being and accidentally entered here¡­ the creature has already broken in¡­¡± Shen Luo steadied himself and quickly waved his hands as he spoke. ¡°Nonsense, I guard this place, and with an array as a barrier, if there really was a demon, how could it escape my notice?¡± Upon hearing this, the Black Bear Demon flew into a rage, poised to attack again. ¡°That demon excels in concealing its tracks. It fled by burrowing through the ground all the way here and passed directly through the array. It has truly already gone inside,¡± said Shen Luo with an urgent expression, looking past the Black Bear Demon and quickly explaining. Looking behind the demon, he saw a thick purple bamboo forest shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see the situation inside. ¡°Presumptuous! Still trying to spy, I see? How audacious!¡± the Black Bear Demon suddenly roared, swinging the long knife in its hand down at Shen Luo. Knowing he was no match, Shen Luo didn''t want to contend and continued to retreat. Just then, a pleasant voice suddenly came from within the Purple Bamboo Forest: ¡°Protector Elder, please cease your attack¡­¡± Upon hearing the voice, the Black Bear Demon''s movements paused, and it truly stopped. ¡°That Daoist friend wasn''t lying. A demon really did invade the Purple Bamboo Forest just now. I wanted to capture it, but it used an escape technique to flee,¡± a figure then walked slowly out of the forest. Shen Luo looked in the direction of the voice, his expression suddenly stiffening, and he stood there in a daze. She was clad in a goose-yellow dress, her skin surpassing the snow, eyes like ink, her dainty nose slightly prominent, and her ruby lips like jade. Her lovely face sported brows that were sparsely and suitably light; all traces of childishness gone, she appeared exceptionally charming. Yet it was no stranger, but his very own fiancee, Nie Cai Zhu. ¡°Did you manage to see clearly what that thing was, which silently passed through the barrier outside the Purple Bamboo Forest?¡± Upon hearing this, the Black Bear Demon immediately asked. ¡°It seems to be some kind of charm spirit, though it carries a faint trace of Demonic Qi on it, so it should still be in the process of demonization,¡± Nie Cai Zhu replied, her gaze never leaving Shen Luo. ¡°You know¡­ You rascal, what are you staring at so intently?¡± The Black Bear Demon intended to ask Shen Luo, but turned his head to find him gazing stupidly at Nie Cai Zhu. Shen Luo hadn''t heard a single word of the Black Bear Demon''s question. ¡°You thief, do you think Miss Nie is your daughter-in-law? Can''t stop staring, can you?¡± The Black Bear Demon immediately felt some discontent, muttering ¡°scoundrel¡± in his heart and raising his voice as he shouted. It was only after this outburst that Shen Luo returned to his senses, and almost at the same time, he and Nie Cai Zhu exchanged a smile. ¡°Miss Nie, weren''t you still in closed-door cultivation? How did you come out on your own, aren''t you afraid of being punished by your Master?¡± The Black Bear Demon, oblivious to their peculiar interaction, asked. ¡°Protector, I actually ended my retreat early this evening. I couldn''t get past that bottleneck, so I decided to follow Master''s advice and put it aside for a period of time,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said. ¡°Your talent is already the best I''ve seen in the Human Race over the years; even Wei Qing falls a bit short compared to you. How many years have you been on Mount Putuo? Now you''re already at the peak of the Nascent Soul Phase, pressing close to the Great Mahayana Stage. But to tell you the truth, advancing too quickly in cultivation is not entirely a good thing. The reason your current bottleneck seems unbreakable is also related to your previous too smooth cultivation,¡± the Black Bear Demon pondered for a moment before speaking. ¡°This¡­ Master also mentioned it to me.¡± Nie Cai Zhu hesitated a bit. ¡°Haha¡­ Talking won''t make any difference. Nowadays, who on Mount Putuo doesn''t know your name as ''Daoist Devotee''? Over these years, if you''re not in closed-door cultivation, then you''re on your way there,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a laugh. ¡°Protector, please stop making fun of me. Could you please help check the formation of the barrier in the Purple Bamboo Forest for any abnormalities?¡± Nie Cai Zhu''s cheeks flushed with a touch of crimson as she hurriedly spoke. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I almost forgot about the important matter at hand,¡± the Black Bear Demon said, nodding his head repeatedly. No sooner had he turned to leave than he noticed Shen Luo was still standing in the same place, and couldn''t help but grunt, ¡°This is a forbidden area of Mount Putuo. Why are you still here, you rascal?¡± ¡°On my way here, I traveled underground the whole time; now that I''m on the surface, I''m not sure how to go back to Leisure Valley,¡± Shen Luo said, scratching his head awkwardly. ¡°Don''t know and didn''t ask? You just¡­¡± Before the Black Bear Demon could finish his sentence, Nie Cai Zhu interrupted him. ¡°Protector, I have nothing pressing at the moment, so why don''t I guide him?¡± she offered. Upon hearing this, the Black Bear Demon suddenly wondered if the moon had risen from the west that night, as Nie Cai Zhu''s behavior was unusually out of character ¨C when had she ever shown interest in matters like these? But before he could even speak, Nie Cai Zhu had already bade farewell and walked ahead to lead Shen Luo away. Gazing at the two figures walking away side by side, the Black Bear Demon suddenly felt that he had figured something out. Slapping his thigh with a ¡°pop,¡± he couldn''t help but exclaim, ¡°So it''s this damn kid.¡± Chapter 804 Chapter 804: Chapter 801: Walking Side by Side Chapter 804: Chapter 801: Walking Side by Side Shen Luo walked shoulder to shoulder with Nie Caizhu, covering a good distance in silence, with neither initiating conversation. ¡°Cousin, in the matter of cultivation, aside from diligence, it''s also important to let things take their natural course. Why push yourself so hard?¡± At last, it was Shen Luo who broke the silence, asking the question. However, having said that, he felt somewhat amused. Nie Caizhu''s cultivation level was now much higher than his; his words carried a hint of playing the teacher. ¡°There''s no way around it,¡± Nie Caizhu explained, ¡°After the Master brought me back to the Mountain Gate, I always wanted to return, but she never allowed it. She issued a strict command that I was not to leave the Mountain Gate until my cultivation reached the Great Mahayana Stage.¡± ¡°Doesn''t she treat you well?¡± Shen Luo felt a stir in his heart and asked. ¡°Not at all, don''t misunderstand; Master is very good to me. Despite being the current head of Mount Putuo and busy with numerous matters, she has never been negligent or perfunctory in guiding my cultivation. Otherwise, no matter how diligent I was, I could never have achieved my current cultivation level,¡± Nie Caizhu quickly waved her hands and explained. ¡°That''s good then¡­ I originally thought it would be many more years before I could see you again. I didn''t expect¡­ to come to Mount Putuo so soon,¡± Shen Luo said with a deep sigh. Nie Caizhu stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked carefully at Shen Luo, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo, thinking he had said something amiss, immediately looked somewhat flustered. ¡°Only after I began cultivating did I realize just how much suffering is involved. Even with the support of the sect, there have been many times when I felt I couldn''t carry on. Your journey must have been very difficult too, right?¡± Nie Caizhu said with furrowed brows and a soft voice. Shen Luo felt warmed by her concern. Looking at the woman before him, now devoid of youthful naivety, he couldn''t help but lift his hand and gently pat her head, as if he were back in Chunhua City that year. ¡°Although I do not have the support of a sect, I have met quite a few noble people over the years, so it hasn''t been as difficult as you imagine,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Despite facing life-and-death situations many times over the years and constantly being on the brink of exhausting his lifespan, it somehow all didn''t seem so hard anymore. ¡°Eh, is that Junior Sister Nie?¡± Just then, a surprised shout came from not too far away. Only then did Shen Luo realize that the two of them had unwittingly arrived at a small square. Although it was night and not many people were around, they still drew the attention of others. After one female disciple recognized them and called out, the three or four others around turned their gazes toward them as well. ¡°Who is that person? He doesn''t seem to be a disciple of our sect¡­¡± ¡°How can this be? Why would Junior Sister Nie be so intimate with this man?¡± ¡°And it''s not Brother Zhou Yu¡­¡± ¡°That man does look decent, but he''s far from Brother Zhou Yu¡­¡± A series of low murmurs and whispers from the surroundings began to sound. Shen Luo frowned slightly, but without much hesitation, he directly took Nie Caizhu''s delicate hand and walked forward at a leisurely pace. Nie Caizhu offered no resistance, although the tips of her ears grew somewhat warm. She followed him silently, leaving behind the Mount Putuo disciples, who uttered sighs and cries of amazement at the scene. Hidden in the shadows of a tree''s canopy, Wuming clutched the trunk beside him, his fingers digging into the bark as he could not conceal the jealousy and rage in his eyes. But a moment later, his eyes suddenly brightened, and he let out a long breath, murmuring to himself, ¡°It seems his intentions are not toward Sister Li Shu. Now the one who should be anxious isn''t me, heh heh¡­¡± After speaking, though he still struggled to contain his excitement, he set off towards Zhou Yu''s Cave Mansion that very night. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu stepped out of the square''s boundaries, and once again, silence enveloped them, yet neither released the other''s hand. ¡°When did you find out I had come to Mount Putuo?¡± Shen Luo asked. He knew that Nie Caizhu''s sudden end to her seclusion today was by no means a coincidence. ¡°It was getting close to evening when Sister Lu Ying suddenly sent me a message. She said that some scoundrel from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, claiming to be my fiance, had arrived and asked if I wanted help in teaching him a lesson. At first, I couldn''t believe it was you, but I hoped it was, so I ended my seclusion early and came out. I just didn''t expect to bump into you here in the Purple Bamboo Forest right after coming out,¡± said Nie Caizhu slowly. ¡°It must have been Daoist Friend Li Shu who told her,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but laugh. ¡°Cousin, how did you come to represent the Great Tang Dynasty Government at the ''Immortal Apricot Conference''?¡± Nie Caizhu asked, puzzled. ¡°That¡­ would take quite a long time to explain¡­¡± Shen Luo wasn''t sure where to start. ¡°It''s alright, take your time. I''m listening,¡± said Nie Caizhu, her lips curving into a smile. Any last hints of awkwardness that lingered from their initial meeting had now completely disappeared. ¡°After you left, it wasn''t long before I left Chunhua County too, and then I went to¡­¡± Shen Luo began to meticulously recount his experiences over the years. However, he omitted every detail about the jade pillow and entering dreams; such incredulous content was too fantastical to comprehend, and even Nie Caizhu might not fully believe it. The sound of their light footsteps and Shen Luo''s hushed voice echoed along the mountain path, making the night in the mountains even more tranquil. Listening to Shen Luo''s calm narration, Nie Caizhu detected many dangerous escapades, her emotions fluctuating as if soaring on the wind ¨C sometimes high, other times low, with no peace. Shen Luo also did not disclose the fact that his lifespan was nearing its end to Nie Caizhu, but she seemed to detect something in his words and pursed her lips, remaining silent. Just then, a green light suddenly descended from the high altitude, manifesting three feet in the void above their heads, revealing an elegant figure. The woman wore a cyan gossamer gown, with bare snow-white feet suspended in the air, standing aloof. Her beautiful face was natural, without makeup, and her unique greenish-blue hair hung down her back, giving her an aura of chilly detachment. Shen Luo recognized her at a glance; she was the Immortal Master from Mount Putuo who had taken Nie Caizhu away all those years ago. ¡°Master,¡± Nie Caizhu promptly released Shen Luo''s hand and stepped forward to pay her respects upon seeing her. ¡°Greetings, Qinglian Master,¡± Shen Luo also bowed his fists in salute. ¡°Even if you''re escorting someone, it''s about time to go back,¡± said the woman, her expression unchanged. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu looked at Shen Luo reluctantly. Shen Luo smiled at her and nodded, prompting Nie Caizhu to say ¡°Yes,¡± somewhat unwillingly. After taking a few steps away, she turned back and saw that her master, Qinglian Master, was still standing in the same place, seemingly with no immediate intention of leaving. Her brow furrowed slightly, intending to come back and say something, but then she saw Shen Luo wave his hand at her. ¡°You go ahead,¡± Shen Luo said. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Caizhu pursed her lips once more before finally departing completely. Chapter 805 Chapter 805: Chapter 802 Fight for Yourself Chapter 805: Chapter 802 Fight for Yourself After Nie Caizhu''s figure had completely disappeared, Qinglian Master finally opened her mouth and said, ¡°I had originally thought that with your talent, you should not harbor any hopes of seeing Cai Zhu again in this lifetime.¡± ¡°May I know if the Elder now feels disappointed?¡± Shen Luo looked up at her and asked. ¡°On the contrary, I am not disappointed, but somewhat surprised. With your talent, being able to cultivate to the Nascent Soul Stage in such a short period of time is already a remarkable feat. It''s just a pity¡­¡± Qinglian Master said, trailing off with a look of regret. ¡°It''s just a pity that Junior''s lifespan is not much longer,¡± said Shen Luo with a smile, finishing her sentence for her with an incredibly calm tone. ¡°You''re participating in the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' to extend your lifespan, aren''t you? However, frankly speaking, using external means to supplement one''s lifespan is only a temporary measure. The true solution is to break through in cultivation, to ascend and become immortal. But with your current cultivation level, reaching the ascension to become a True Immortal is far too difficult, even if you had the chance, you don''t have enough time left,¡± Qinglian Master said slowly. ¡°The Elder once thought that Junior could not possibly achieve his current cultivation level, so who can be sure about the future?¡± Shen Luo responded with neither humility nor arrogance, smiling as he spoke. ¡°Your future is worrisome, yet Cai Zhu has great prospects ahead. Don''t you think that appearing before her again will only hold her back?¡± Qinglian Master asked, her expression unchanging. ¡°Had I not met her previously, I might have harbored such doubts, but having seen her, I no longer fear it. Please, Elder, do not underestimate Cai Zhu; neither of us will be a burden to the other,¡± said Shen Luo with a smile. ¡°I have never worried about her talent; it is only her temperament that I am not quite assured of. In the past, in her rush to leave the mountain, she cultivated without restraint, and now she faces a bottleneck that is hard to break. Can you say this was not because of you?¡± Qinglian Master said, frowning. ¡°The rule that one must reach the Great Mahayana Stage before leaving the mountain was established by the Elder, so how can you unjustly blame me? Besides, there''s no need for the Elder to worry; such a bottleneck will not stop Cai Zhu,¡± replied Shen Luo with a hint of helplessness. ¡°Regardless of the outcome at the ''Immortal Apricot Conference,'' afterwards, I can give you an immortal apricot that should increase your lifespan by at least two hundred years, as long as you promise not to obstruct Cai Zhu''s path to enlightenment and cultivation,¡± said Qinglian Master bluntly, seeing that persuasion was ineffective. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Elder, but there are some things I will never give up, and others I prefer to strive for on my own.¡± Having said this much, Shen Luo himself didn''t feel like continuing. He cupped his fists, turned around, and left without another word. ¡°Are you so certain that you can win the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' in one fell swoop?¡± Qinglian Master asked. Shen Luo simply waved his hand without turning back and continued to walk away. Qinglian Master watched his retreating figure, her eyes flashing briefly before her figure disappeared from the spot in an instant. Time flew by, and several days later arrived. Inside Xumi Valley of Mount Putuo, a vast square occupying a thousand feet was bustling with noise and excitement. A large number of Mount Putuo Disciples gathered around the square, enthusiastically discussing the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' that was about to begin. Many usually busy servants also found time today to come and watch the great event. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, led by an Elder Steward of Mount Putuo, made their way to Xumi Valley. Before the two of them had even entered the valley, a loud shout came their way: ¡°Bai Daoist friend, Shen Daoist friend.¡± Looking back, Shen Luo saw a tall man wearing Azure Armor swiftly approaching them, leaving the Elder Steward of Mount Putuo behind. He was over nine feet tall, with neatly trimmed short hair and a ring of beard around his mouth that was longer than the hair on his head. On his back, he carried a giant sword that was as wide as a door, making him look like a towering iron pillar from a distance. ¡°Daoist Zheng,¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed with joy. It was Zheng Jun, a disciple of the Giant Sword Sect who also came to participate in the ''Immortal Apricot Conference''. ¡°Two Daoist friends, how are your preparations coming along?¡± Zheng Jun stepped forward and asked with a smile. ¡°What''s there to prepare for? It''s just a competition among fellow cultivators, friendship first, competition second, right?¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a laugh. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could you muster up some spirit? Hearing you speak like that, even I''m losing motivation,¡± Zheng Jun said helplessly upon hearing the remark. ¡°I don''t believe that''s how you truly feel, Daoist friend. Don''t you want to make a good impression in front of Sister Lin Qianqian from Mount Emei?¡± Bai Xiaoyun said scornfully upon hearing that. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Zheng Jun''s ears turned slightly red, but he did not beat around the bush and admitted directly, ¡°You may say that, but with Sister Lin here, even if I''m not too concerned about that Immortal Apricot, I indeed want to try and win it for her.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaotian simply glanced subconsciously at Shen Luo but said nothing. The Immortal Apricot, an item that could increase one''s lifespan by at least two hundred years, was incredibly important for cultivators at their stage. Who wouldn''t want it? However, his main reason for coming was to help Shen Luo win the Immortal Apricot. As the three conversed, they had already entered the valley and walked along the passageway that led directly to the square, stepping onto the white square. Along the way, the Mount Putuo disciples were buzzing with discussion, pointing at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, some praising their handsome and spirited appearance, others dismissing them as nothing special, and some comparing Shen Luo with one of their own Senior Brothers. As for the rumors about Nie Caizhu, most sneered at them. Shen Luo, hearing all this, remained indifferent, his expression calm, and he even seemed quite relaxed as he observed the surroundings of the square. In the center of the square stood a statue of a woman more than ten feet tall, her right hand forming the Fearless Seal, her left holding the Jade Purification Bottle, with a thousand arms fanning out behind her like the spread plumes of a peacock¨Cindeed it was a statue of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin. In front of the statue, there was a Lotus Pond nearly a hundred feet across, where lotus plants grew tall and upright, blossoming brilliantly. The surrounding lotus leaves were spread out, emerald as jade, forming a beautiful contrast with the pink petals. By now, there were already a few people standing by the Lotus Pond. Seeing the group moving towards them, each person reacted differently. Among them, a charming girl in a pale green long skirt, petite and lovely, was the first to come forward and greeted them warmly: ¡°Junior Brother Zheng, Junior Brother Bai, Junior Brother Shen¡­¡± This girl was Sister Lin Qianqian, whom Zheng Jun had mentioned¨Cover the past few days, they had all become acquainted through Bai Xiaotian''s introductions. Shen Luo and the others quickly returned the greeting. Zheng Jun, initially at ease, now wore a broader smile, but he seemed somewhat stiff after Lin Qianqian approached. Following Lin Qianqian, a young monk clad in azure monastic robes, and a young monk in a moon-white robe came over to the three men, placing their palms together and chanting a Buddhist greeting. Shen Luo had not seen these two before, but he learned about them from Bai Xiaotian, who had the ability to hear all: the former was Master Kulin from Qinglian Temple, and the latter was Master Zanyue from Jiuhua Mountain. Qinglian Temple, although under the Buddhist Sect, had a unique stand and did not follow most of the traditional precepts, focusing its practices on subduing and eliminating demons with considerable destructive power. Jiuhua Mountain was even more unique; affiliated with the Underworld tradition, an extension of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva''s teachings, its practices focused more on guiding ghosts and mitigating karma, thus revealing their power when facing Yin Sha ghosts and similar beings. Chapter 806 Chapter 806: Chapter 803: Hua Lian Secret Realm Chapter 806: Chapter 803: Hua Lian Secret Realm ¡°I am Shen Luo, and it is a pleasure to meet fellow Daoist friends,¡± Shen Luo greeted everyone with a bow before turning his gaze toward the person standing behind them. She was a tall and slender woman, donning a gray and white Daoist robe, dressed in the attire of a Daoist nun, her face obscured by a veil of white silk, concealing her features. As Shen Luo looked her over, the woman also gazed back unabashedly, yet she seemed to have no intention of coming forward to exchange pleasantries. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo could only offer an awkward smile and a fist-and-palm salute, to which the woman still didn''t react. It was only after returning to the Lotus Pond and being introduced by Lin Qianqian that the woman began to speak a few words with Shen Luo and the others. It was then that Shen Luo learned that her sect was the Taiying Pavilion, a Daoist Sect comprised solely of female disciples. At that moment, two streaks of light shot from a distance at high altitude, gradually descending toward the ground. As the Escape Light touched down, a halo spread out, and from within, two figures took shape¨Cone of average looks, while the other was extraordinarily handsome. The arrival of the two, especially the handsome man dressed in pure white, caused a burst of cheers and applause from the Mount Putuo Disciples gathered around. ¡°Brother Zhou, it is Brother Zhou¡­¡± ¡°Brother Zhou Yu, he is truly a vision to behold¡­¡± ¡°Junior Sister Nie must be blind to have rejected Brother Zhou¡­¡± The chatter of the crowd outside the square was endless, many expressing their relief while also showing indignation on behalf of Zhou Yu. Wei Qing furrowed his brows slightly, clearly disliking the scene enfolding before him. Zhou Yu, who had been enjoying the attention, noticed his companion''s subtle change in expression and immediately raised his hand to issue a command, ¡°Silence.¡± In a flash, a gentle yet overwhelming wave of sound swept across the square, and the clamor from the crowd came to an abrupt halt. ¡°Grateful for the support from all our friends and their sects, the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' is hereby convened as scheduled. Entrusted by my teachers, I, Zhou Yu, will be presiding over this conference. If there are any shortcomings, I hope fellow cultivators will be forgiving,¡± said Zhou Yu. ¡°The entire conference is led by the disciples?¡± Shen Luo asked under his breath, surprised. ¡°The ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' is indeed aimed at the exchange and competition between junior disciples, so it is entirely managed by them. Aren''t we also here alone without the company of any elders from our sect? Moreover, do not underestimate Brother Zhou Yu. Although he has been practicing for just over a century, he has already reached the Early Mahayana Stage,¡± explained Lin Qianqian, coming forward to clarify. On hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows twitched slightly, and he said no more. At that moment, his mind was occupied with another matter: why the people from the Dragon Palace had yet to show up, considering that even a long journey should not prevent their timely arrival. Just then, a pale-yellow streak of light shot forward from the distance, twirling gracefully like a light yellow butterfly, slowly descending to the square. Shen Luo''s eyes brightened and a smile touched the corners of his lips; Nie Caizhu had arrived. ¡°Junior Sister Nie, what brings you here?¡± Zhou Yu, in the midst of speaking, stiffened and asked. ¡°Respects to Uncle Master Wei and Brother Zhou,¡± Nie Caizhu stepped forward and gave a bow. Wei Qing simply nodded, too eager for the ceremony to end to speak. Zhou Yu, meanwhile, sensed a possibility and a flicker of anger not easily noticed passed through the depths of his eyes. ¡°Under the Sect Leader''s orders, and to break through my cultivation bottleneck promptly, I''m here to replace Sister Lu in participating in this ''Immortal Apricot Conference,''¡± said Nie Caizhu with a smile, saluting with her fist in her palm. ¡°A change of participants at this stage¡­ this is quite unexpected,¡± said Zhou Yu, his brow furrowed with difficulty. ¡°No matter, since it is the Sect Leader''s command, we should naturally comply,¡± Wei Qing said before he could finish his sentence. ¡°Yes, thank you Uncle Master Wei, Brother Zhou,¡± Nie Caizhu''s smile blossomed on her face as she gave a bow to the two men and then walked towards Shen Luo and his group. Bai Xiaotian, seeing her approach, tactfully stepped aside, leaving a spot for Nie Caizhu. She naturally walked over and stood beside Shen Luo. Below the stage, whispers immediately filled the air. ¡°Cousin, what''s going on?¡± Shen Luo asked through a transmitted message. ¡°For the immortal apricot, I''m here to help you,¡± Nie Caizhu replied simply. Shen Luo, hearing this, filled his eyes with smiles. He didn''t continue to ask anything further. This answer was already enough for him. ¡°By the way, do you know why people from the Dragon Palace haven''t attended the conference?¡± He suddenly remembered and asked. ¡°The day before yesterday, I heard from Master that there seems to be some problem within the Four Seas Dragon Palaces. The Eastern Sea only sent a letter, stating that they have to miss this conference and did not offer any specific explanation,¡± Nie Caizhu answered. Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help feeling a foreboding sense of unease. Outside the square, Li Shu and Wuming stood shoulder to shoulder at the forefront of the crowd. Next to them was a woman with a slender figure, a high nose bridge, and slanting eyebrows. She wore a black robe and her hair was tied up high, her attire strikingly similar to that of a man. ¡°Sister Lu, what is¡­ going on?¡± Li Shu couldn''t help asking the woman beside her, looking at the situation on the stage. It was none other than Lu Ying, who had been replaced by Nie Caizhu. ¡°What else could it be? She begged me to give up my spot for her fiance¡­ I really don''t know what''s so great about that kid Shen Luo,¡± Lu Ying sighed helplessly. ¡°And about the Sect Leader¡­¡± Li Shu probed tentatively. ¡°There was no command from the Sect Leader. She acted on her own accord, and now we will inevitably be affected; punishment is unavoidable,¡± said Lu Ying with increasing dismay. ¡°Just keep digging your own grave¡­¡± Wuming sneered internally as he listened to their conversation. Two days ago, when he had told Zhou Yu about the relationship between Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, the latter, although appearing calm, involuntarily clenched his fist on the table, with his knuckles turning white. Wuming believed that the more affectionate Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu appeared, the more ruthless Zhou Yu''s response would be. ¡°This play is getting more and more interesting¡­¡± Wuming thought smugly to himself and couldn''t help but mutter. ¡°What play?¡± Hearing this, Li Shu looked at him, somewhat puzzled, and asked. Wuming looked embarrassed and quickly waved his hand, saying, ¡°Nothing, nothing¡­¡± Li Shu, hearing his response, didn''t pursue the matter and turned her gaze back towards the stage. After a brief lapse, Zhou Yu regained his composure and continued, ¡°Due to the smaller number of participants, this ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' will differ slightly from previous ones. The contest will not be based on battles between participants but will instead be a venture into a secret realm.¡± ¡°An adventure into a secret realm, what kind of contest is that¡­¡± ¡°If it''s not a fight, how can we watch it¡­¡± The spectating crowd immediately burst into discussion. ¡°A secret realm¡­ Is the Hua Lian Secret Realm reopening?¡± Some of the more senior disciples had already guessed the situation. On the square, Shen Luo and his group were also quite surprised, obviously unaware of this beforehand. Chapter 807 Chapter 807: Chapter 804: Seven Days Limit Chapter 807: Chapter 804: Seven Days Limit ¡°Silence! There is no need to be puzzled, everyone. The entire competition will be projected through the Suspended Sky Mirror for all to watch attentively,¡± Zhou Yu suppressed the chaos at the scene and then slowly said. As his words fell, behind the image of the Thousand-Handed Guanyin on the square, a burst of blue dazzling light lit up, and seven huge bronze mirrors flickering with blue light rose gradually, floating in mid-air. Each green light mirror reflected a yellow, hazy halo, looking even more blurred than ordinary household bronze mirrors. But right after that, Zhou Yu formed a magic spell with both hands and cast a green light towards the seven ten-foot-tall yellow bronze mirrors, one by one. As the green light entered, each bronze mirror''s surface began to display a ring-shaped charm pattern, which then lit up with a layer of blue light from the center, spreading outward and swiftly clearing away all the yellow light on the mirror surface. As the glow on the mirror dissipated, various paintings of landscapes, each different from the others, quickly appeared on them. Many among the crowd were witnessing such magical instruments for the first time and could not help but express their amazement with continuous exclamations. ¡°What is revealed on the Suspended Sky Mirror are the scenes within the Hua Lian Secret Realm. Henceforth, you will be able to observe the performance of disciples from various schools inside the Secret Realm. Next, please allow Uncle Master Wei Qing to explain the rules of the competition in detail,¡± said Zhou Yu, satisfied with the crowd''s reaction, as he nodded and spoke. Wei Qing, upon hearing this, hesitated slightly before stepping forward to speak: ¡°Daoist friends, the Hua Lian Secret Realm trial lasts a total of seven days. After the Secret Realm is opened, you will be randomly teleported to the boundary area of the Secret Realm. Whoever can be the first to overcome the numerous obstacles within the Secret Realm, and reach the Bitter Melia Tree in the center, to take down the Commanding Banner placed there, will be declared the winner,¡± Wei Qing said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and the others began to ponder the rules Wei Qing had described. ¡°Uncle Master Wei, if after seven days, no one reaches the Bitter Melia Tree, what then?¡± Lin Qianqian was the first to ask. ¡°The trial of the Secret Realm has a seven-day limit. If after seven days no one wins, then this Conference will end with everyone failing,¡± Wei Qing said slowly. ¡°Elder Wei, if someone doesn''t take seven days, and reaches the Bitter Melia Tree ahead of time and obtains the Commanding Banner, what then? Will the trial end early?¡± Shen Luo also asked. ¡°No, staying in the Secret Realm for seven days is itself a kind of test,¡± Wei Qing shook his head and said. ¡°So you are saying that if someone obtains the Commanding Banner early on, they must still guard it and prevent others from snatching it until the end of the seven days?¡± Shen Luo mused. ¡°You understand correctly; that''s indeed the case. Moreover, you must be reminded that the one who gets the Commanding Banner must stay under the Bitter Melia Tree and cannot conceal their tracks or flee elsewhere,¡± Wei Qing stated. Upon hearing this, everyone''s expressions inevitably changed, frowning and pondering the implications. This meant that the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡± this time would be much more difficult than before; it wasn''t enough just to race ahead and strive to reach the Bitter Melia Tree as fast as possible. Once someone obtained the Commanding Banner, they would become the target of everyone else, facing continuous challenges. Naturally, enduring until the end would become incredibly hard. Shen Luo felt frustrated and even suspected that the sudden change in the trial''s content was specifically designed to target him by the Qinglian Sect Leader. ¡°During the trial, all of you should act according to your capabilities. In case of danger, do not try to overexert yourselves. If there is a dispute over possession, do not deliberately harm others'' lives. Violators will be severely punished. Unless there is a fatal crisis, our Taiying Pavilion will not intervene in the trial. Did you all understand?¡± After speaking so much, Wei Qing could not help but ask. ¡°Understood,¡± Shen Luo and the others exchanged glances, hesitating for quite some time before finally responding, somewhat disjointedly. ¡°Now that the rules have been made clear, we can begin preparations to start,¡± Wei Qing said upon seeing this, nodding to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu, in response, raised his hand to unfasten an oval token the size of a palm from his waist, pinched a magic spell with one hand, and pointed a finger at the token, into which a strand of Mana flowed. Immediately afterward, a flash of light emanated from the oval token, and silver charm patterns spread out from it, becoming a three-foot-square illusionary image filled with strange fluctuations. Then, he threw the token into the air, and it leaped up, flying above the lotus pool. The projection from the token subsequently expanded several times in size, encompassing a cluster of lotuses right in the center of the pool. Shen Luo focused his gaze and noticed that this lotus was very different from the others; its pink petals seemed to be edged with a ring of golden lines, gilding the entire lotus. With the reflection of the illusionary image, all the petals appeared as translucent as jade, truly extraordinary. As the peculiar nature of this lotus became apparent, the illusionary image covering it began to materialize bit by bit, eventually forming the entrance to a circular passageway about ten feet in diameter, from which waves of faint, fluctuating green light emanated. ¡°All assembly Daoist friends, enter immediately,¡± Zhou Yu commanded. The female disciple from Taiying Pavilion, whose name Shen Luo still didn''t know, flew up first, plunging straight into the passageway and disappearing into the green light. The ascetic from Qinglian Temple and Master Zanyue from Jiuhua Mountain closely followed, flying away as well. ¡°I''ll go ahead, everyone,¡± Lin Qianqian said with a smile, swiftly flying into the entrance. ¡°Sister Lin, wait for me,¡± Zheng Jun shot into the air, swiftly chasing after her. Only Shen Luo and his two companions remained, exchanging glances. Although they knew that even if they entered together, they would be teleported to different areas, they still flew in together. ¡°Be careful,¡± Shen Luo subconsciously advised Nie Caizhu, but before he could wait for a response, his vision was overwhelmed by the brightening light, and he couldn''t see anything else. He only felt a great force tug at him from nowhere, pulling his body involuntarily in one direction. He quickly lost the sense of Nie Caizhu''s and Bai Xiaotian''s presence by his side. However, the blinding brightness began to recede, and as it gradually dimmed, Shen Luo immediately felt his body plummeting at high speed. Before he could call forth the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, his feet had already landed on the ground. With a soft ¡°plop,¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo felt a chill in his feet and realized he had landed in a swamp. Looking around, within a hundred feet in every direction, there were pools of water, large and small, all murky and bubbling up with white froth from time to time. As for the farther areas, they were obscured by a layer of faint white mist, rendering them completely indiscernible. He conjured a magic spell with a flick of his hand, and the Accumulated Water in the pool began to converge, transforming into a stout, transparent Water Python. With a lift of its head from beneath, it hoisted Shen Luo up into the air. Chapter 808 Chapter 808: Chapter 805 Trial Begins Chapter 808: Chapter 805 Trial Begins Shen Luo stood atop the Water Python, releasing his Divine Sense to scout out the surroundings. It didn''t take long before he discovered that in the direction behind him, hardly ten miles away, his divine soul hit what felt like a wall and was repelled. His mind slightly stirred, and he redirected his Divine Sense upwards toward the sky. However, just as his Divine Sense had flown out a few hundred feet, a piercing, intense pain suddenly exploded in his mind, causing the thread of his divine soul to disperse completely. ¡°Such a formidable prohibition, I''m afraid it''s not just against the Divine Sense¡­¡± Shen Luo rubbed the sore spot between his eyebrows, thinking to himself. With this thought, he spent quite a while searching the ground until he found a piece of stone. Mustering all his strength, he threw it diagonally upward toward the sky. That inconspicuous fragment of stone, wrapped in a layer of Mana, shot through the air like a meteor, reaching the height where Shen Luo''s Divine Sense was shattered in a blink of an eye. ¡°Bang!¡± A sudden explosive noise erupted, and the stone that had flown high up shattered into dust on cue. Shen Luo watched the dust created by the fragmentation of the stone in the sky and silently congratulated himself for his caution, grateful he hadn''t recklessly engaged in Sword Flight. After discarding his stray thoughts, he probed forward, in the direction before him. This time, seemingly without any hindrance, his Divine Sense extended to the very limits of its reach. ¡°It seems that''s the direction to head toward, but this swamp appears to be even livelier than I thought¡­¡± Having confirmed his forward path, Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No sooner had his words fallen than the water in a large pond before him began to bubble and churn as if boiling. Then, a monster over thirty feet tall burst out of the water, bearing its fangs at Shen Luo. Shen Luo couldn''t identify the creature, only noting its dark green, slick skin that seemed to have a layer of sticky substance on the surface¨Cit looked somewhat like a giant leech. The leech''s wide-open mouth was filled with hundreds of sharp, densely packed white teeth, oozing a light green slime and emitting a nauseating rotten stench. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly, and with a wave of his hand, a stream of water from the swamp instantly coalesced, forming a gigantic liquid fist that shot upwards and hit the leech square in the mouth. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the monster''s head burst on impact, the liquid fist creating a massive void as green goo splattered everywhere. Shen Luo, having been prepared, had already raised a Water Curtain in front of him. The large amount of green slime hit the Water Curtain and immediately began to hiss, quickly followed by billowing green smoke. Shen Luo''s eyebrows knitted together as the Water Curtain in front of him was corroded, creating holes, and a smell somewhat reminiscent of sulfur rushed into his nostrils. He hurriedly sealed his breath, but he soon felt dizzy, clearly having inhaled some of the substance. At the same time, in the square outside the Secret Realm, seven Suspended Sky Mirrors were hanging high, displaying the figures of everyone undergoing trials within the realm. Everyone was captivated by the novel trial scene, and the whole square had grown much quieter. At this moment, a figure slowly made their way through the crowd, coming up beside Li Shu to gently pat her on the shoulder. Li Shu turned her head and her face immediately brightened with joy as she exclaimed, ¡°Liu Qing, didn''t you say you had some disturbance in your cultivation last night and that you couldn''t make it today? How come¡­?¡± ¡°I still couldn''t bear to miss the trials of the Immortal Apricot Conference, after all, a big reason for coming to you was precisely for this matter,¡± Liu Qing said with a slightly pale face. ¡°Are you sure your body is alright?¡± Li Shu asked with concern. ¡°The qi within my body is still somewhat chaotic, but I''ve forcefully suppressed it. It''s not a big problem,¡± Liu Qing explained with a smile. ¡°That''s good to hear, that''s very good,¡± Li Shu immediately relaxed and said with a smile. Liu Qing swept her gaze over the Suspended Sky Mirrors above the square, a trace of doubt flashing in her eyes as she asked, ¡°Eh, why don''t I see Friend Shen Luo?¡± ¡°I don''t know what''s going on inside our sect; there are clearly eight people, yet they only prepared seven Suspended Sky Mirrors. Now, each person''s image corresponds to one, except for Big Brother Shen''s,¡± Li Shu said with a frown, also sounding somewhat dissatisfied. Lu Ying, who was standing by their side, didn''t seem to care much, her gaze fixated on the mirror reflecting Nie Caizhu. ¡°Junior Sister, don''t worry. Once these people get closer to the central region and gather together, you''ll be able to see Brother Shen,¡± Wuming said with a smirk at the corner of his mouth, comforting from the sidelines. Li Shu, whose attention was not on him, naturally did not notice the playfulness in his smile and nodded, ¡°That''s also true.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qing did not say anything more. At the summit of Mount Putuo, within a towering great hall, the eighth Suspended Sky Mirror was conspicuously floating, and the image appearing on it was none other than Shen Luo. There were three golden chairs arranged in the middle of the great hall, and on these chairs sat three individuals side by side. On the furthest left sat a burly old man with light yellow hair and beard, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, his expression stern, watching Shen Luo''s image in the mirror as he subtly rubbed his palm hidden in his sleeve. In the central seat was a hunched old man, whose hair on the top of his head had almost completely fallen out, but two thick eyebrows almost covered his eyes, making his facial expression indiscernible. Even while sitting, he propped himself up with a thick walking stick gleaming with golden light, as if to support his teetering body. To the right of the old man sat a woman dressed in a long blue dress and barefoot¨Cnot someone else but the Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, Fairy Qinglian. ¡°Sect Leader, is it really necessary to target a Nascent Soul Middle Stage junior like this?¡± the burly old man with light yellow hair and beard asked. ¡°Elder Huang Zhanglu, your words are not entirely correct. You''ve seen Cai Zhu''s qualifications¨Cwithout any unforeseen incidents, her future achievements in cultivation are very likely to match or even exceed yours and mine. And Shen Luo is that possibility, the greatest and most unexpected one,¡± Fairy Qinglian said indifferently, taking no issue with the matter. The old man with the yellow beard was none other than the Master of Law Enforcement of Mount Putuo, Huang Tong, and also Zhou Yu''s master. ¡°Fairy Qinglian, your concerns are not unreasonable. A gust starts from the tip of a willow and might eventually knock down trees and scatter stones, wreaking havoc in the forest, so we must be cautious. Since this man has the potential to disrupt Cai Zhu, it''s better to suppress him early. After all, it''s not the first time we''ve suffered such losses,¡± the hunched old man said, his voice quivering slightly as he spoke. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, you misunderstood my point. I just think that a mere Nascent Soul Middle Stage junior, aiming to be the best among these disciples, is simply an impossible feat. There''s no need to put in this effort to reopen the Hua Lian Secret Realm, and even deliberately sending him to the most densely populated area of monsters,¡± Huang Tong said respectfully, turning to the hunched elder. The hunched old man with bushy eyebrows was no other than Guan Yue, the uncle of both Huang Tong and Fairy Qinglian. With profound cultivation and a very high status within Mount Putuo, he had taken Wei Qing as his closed-door disciple and in just a few decades, nurtured him into a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator. Chapter 809 Chapter 809: Chapter 806 Giant Crocodile Chapter 809: Chapter 806 Giant Crocodile ¡°` ¡°To say it was suppression is not entirely accurate¡­ what do you think of Shen Luo''s age?¡± Fairy Qinglian pondered for a moment before suddenly asking. ¡°Judging by his aptitude and constitution, there''s nothing extraordinary. To cultivate to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, I reckon he must be at least two hundred years old,¡± Huang Tong hesitated slightly before speaking. However, after he finished speaking, his eyebrows twitched slightly, feeling that he had still underestimated. ¡°Huang Zhanglu, you are mistaken. In fact, he has a childhood betrothal with Cai Zhu, and their ages are not much different,¡± Fairy Qinglian shook her head and said. Upon hearing this, not only did a look of surprise and doubt flash across Huang Tong''s eyes, but Master Guan Yue''s eyebrows also involuntarily raised a little. ¡°Not to mention Huang Tong as my junior, even I have made a mistake. Could it be that this person has an unusual constitution and is not of the common sort?¡± Master Guan Yue couldn''t help but ask. ¡°That year when I brought Cai Zhu back to the sect, was the first time I saw him, his cultivation level was barely at the Early Stage of Grain Avoidance and his constitution and aptitude at a glance, was merely mediocre, hardly worth noticing. Yet in such a short period, he has actually managed to cultivate to such an extent, whether his constitution is unique or he has encountered some incredible opportunity, he must certainly have something exceptional about him,¡± Fairy Qinglian said. ¡°So you also want to take this opportunity to thoroughly understand his background?¡± Huang Tong frowned and said. ¡°That is part of the consideration. As a Master, how could I not see that Cai Zhu is deeply attached to him? Sometimes it''s better to clear the way than to block it. If Shen Luo truly has value worth cultivating, I don''t mind bringing him into our Mount Putuo. However, before that, I must eliminate some possibilities,¡± Fairy Qinglian nodded and said. ¡°You''re worried he''s been tainted by the Demon Clan?¡± Huang Tong''s expression became somewhat grave. Master Guan Yue also sat up straighter. ¡°A person who appears to be of average aptitude achieving rapid cultivation progress in a short time is highly unusual in itself. Moreover, his lifespan does not match his current realm. If I remember correctly, the Demon Clan does have certain secret methods to burn lifespan in exchange for the advancement of cultivation level,¡± Fairy Qinglian said with an unchanged expression. Hearing this, the other two fell silent. ¡°In that case, Fairy Qinglian''s arrangement is indeed very appropriate,¡± in the end, it was Master Guan Yue who concluded. Having said that, the three of them turned their gaze back to the Suspended Sky Mirror. At this moment, in that swamp, vast amounts of black water were churning, with dozens of massive black leeches surrounding the area, all surging towards Shen Luo. Each one of them opened its blood basin mouth, from which they condensed balls of green venom, spitting them out towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo raised his hand and summoned, outside his body, layers upon layers of Water Waves surged forth wildly, blocking off the green venom. At the same time, a Dragon Chant sounded, and the Dragon Horn Cone transformed into a golden streak of light, rushing past him at extreme speeds, and where it passed, the heads of the black leeches burst open one after another. Shen Luo then formed another magic spell with one hand, summoning a Water Python which rapidly charged forward. After rushing forward for over ten miles, the Water Python beneath Shen Luo suddenly shattered with a ¡°bang,¡± and he was flung forward, crashing heavily upon a piece of grey-white rock. After falling to the ground, Shen Luo struggled to sit up, trying to operate his divine soul to survey his surroundings, but his vision was blurry and his head somewhat dizzy, making it difficult to focus for the time being. So, he reached for the Qiankun Bag at his waist, and a wisp of Black Fog drifted out, with the figure of Ghost General Zhao Feiji appearing beside him immediately. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Zhao Feiji as soon as he appeared, immediately asked with concern. ¡°It''s nothing serious, I just need to meditate for a moment to cleanse the toxins inside my body; I need you to protect me for a short while,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Understood, Master, concentrate on your meditation, I will take care of this place,¡± Zhao Feiji said, fist in palm. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said, then immediately started to meditate with folded arms, beginning to mobilize his mana to cleanse the leech venom. ¡°` Since Shen Luo had timely sealed his breath earlier, he didn''t inhale much poison. It was only because he breathed it in through his mouth and nose that it reached his head and face so quickly, disturbing his vision and Divine Sense. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Therefore, it did not take much effort to nearly completely rid his body of the toxins. However, just at that moment, Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes, looking in a particular direction, and Zhao Feiji beside him had also turned his gaze that way. ¡°Master, two Monster beasts in the Mid-stage of Soul Condensation are approaching us. I''ll go and take care of them,¡± said Zhao Feiji. ¡°I''m almost recovered here too, go ahead,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± After receiving the order, Zhao Feiji immediately turned into a shadow that sped close to the ground and disappeared from Shen Luo''s sight after a short while. Shen Luo slowly retracted his gaze and continued to sit cross-legged with closed eyes, purging the poison. However, just moments later, the ground beneath him suddenly cracked, and after violent shaking, it collapsed downwards. Immediately following, a large mouth full of snow-white tusks burst out of the Underground, snapping shut from left and right, threatening to swallow Shen Luo in one bite. A faint smile played at the corners of Shen Luo''s mouth, with not the slightest sign of surprise. He simply pressed his hand downward, paying no heed to the giant mouth closing in on either side of him. As the Talisman Paper in the palm of his hand lit up, a thunderous boom of lightning suddenly exploded. A column of snow-white lightning shot through from within, crashing down towards the ground below with great force. ¡°Boom¡± In a series of explosive roars, the snow-white lightning column shattered the fragmented rocks into pieces, firing into the mouth of the Exotic Beast below. ¡°Awooo¡± The Exotic Beast howled in pain, the closing jaws forced to open again as Shen Luo leaped up, retreating from its grasp. Standing atop the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in mid-air, he looked below only to see a huge Blue Crocodile, its massive body almost entirely Underground, with only its colossal head visible. Peak Soul Condensation level was evident from the Spiritual Power Fluctuations it emitted, but its physical strength was comparable to the Early Core Formation Stage. Hurt by Shen Luo''s strike, the Blue Crocodile grew even more enraged. Its eyes turned a bloody red, and its fluctuating power increased significantly. The beast twisted frenetically on the Ground and suddenly burst forth from beneath it. The moment it broke free from the Earth, its body twisted sharply, and the thick, muscular tail it trailed behind swept across, aiming for Shen Luo. The sound of air being torn apart could be heard in the void, and even before the tail arrived, the sound of thunder was already audible. Shen Luo faced the attack, not retreating but advancing towards the heavy, forceful tail of the Giant Crocodile. But just as he neared, Moonlight shone under his feet, and with a boost from the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, he agilely leaped over the tail with his Slanting Moon Steps and dove down towards the Giant Crocodile below. At the same time, Mana circulated wildly within his body. With a fierce swing of his hand, the Dragon Horn Cone reappeared, piercing straight into the Giant Crocodile''s head like a rigid steel awl. ¡°Bang!¡± The huge head of the Giant Crocodile smashed into the Earth, causing the Ground to quake again, and cracked lines spread anew, extending over a hundred yards long. Chapter 810 Chapter 810: Chapter 807 Puppet Chapter 810: Chapter 807 Puppet ¡°` ¡°Eh, quite tough¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured in light surprise, seemingly caught off guard. Despite the overwhelming force behind the Dragon Horn Cone''s strike, it only managed to pierce half through the skull instead of penetrating the head completely. Seeing the Giant Crocodile still had the strength to counterattack, Shen Luo, who had little mastery of the Huan Ting Jing, quickly set it in motion. He spun around in mid-air, using the momentum to dive down and punched forcefully on top of the Dragon Horn Cone. A layer of faint golden light, almost imperceptible, suddenly flared up around him, enveloping his entire figure into an indistinct Golden Fist Shadow that hammered down heavily onto the Dragon Horn Cone. ¡°Boom¡± A thunderous roar erupted as the Golden Fist Shadow, carrying an immensely powerful force, struck through, driving the Dragon Horn Cone deep underground and, in the process, mashing the Giant Crocodile''s head into a blur of flesh and blood. Fairy Qinglian and her two companions saw this through the Suspended Sky Mirror, a trace of surprise flickering in their eyes. ¡°Did you notice that the way he delivered that punch seems to bear a resemblance to the Tiangang Qi?¡± Huang Tong was the first to speak. ¡°It''s not just a resemblance to the Tiangang Qi; that punch seems to be quite similar to one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers of the Heavenly Palace, at least to the extent of forty to fifty percent. But the strangest part is that the way he circulates his Mana is also somewhat related to the Huangting Divine Power from Mount Fangcun,¡± commented Master Guan Yue, who was experienced and knowledgeable. Their observations were correct; Shen Luo''s punch was indeed learned from the Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers in his dream. Although in the dream he could replicate it to ninety percent accuracy, in the real world, he could only mimic it to about forty or fifty percent. ¡°Wasn''t he from the Great Tang Dynasty Government? How could he know the mystic arts of the Heavenly Palace?¡± Huang Tong frowned and inquired. ¡°I''ve heard from a disciple who knows Shen Luo that he joined the Great Tang Government midway. Previously, it was known that he was a disciple of the Little Straw Mountain lineage, and later he stayed with the Jianye Bai Family. What experiences he had afterward are unclear; perhaps he had acquired inheritance from the Heavenly Palace and Mount Fangcun before joining the government,¡± Fairy Qinglian said thoughtfully. ¡°If that''s the case, his rapid advancement becomes more comprehensible. And we can almost rule out the possibility that he''s practicing the Demon Clan''s secret techniques, as it would be difficult to ensure that when cultivating both the Celestial and Demons'' Skills, one would not conflict with the other,¡± suggested Master Guan Yue, analyzing the situation. ¡°What the Master Uncle said makes sense,¡± agreed Huang Tong. ¡°In that case, there''s no need to keep a close watch anymore. When the results of the Secret Realm trial are in, if he truly emerges victorious, I will find a way to draw him into our Mount Putuo,¡± Fairy Qinglian declared after a moment of silence. Having said that, she waved her hand, and the image on the Suspended Sky Mirror first blurred as if obscured by clouds, but the haze quickly dissipated, and the figure of Nie Caizhu appeared. ¡°Are you still not reassured about your disciple?¡± Huang Tong asked. ¡°Cai Zhu is not weak in her realm, but over the years, in her pursuit of breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage as quickly as possible, she has always been in seclusion, with hardly any real combat experience,¡± Fairy Qinglian replied. ¡°Even so, there''s no need to worry. We''ve already confined all monsters above the Late Nascent Soul Stage. The ones still moving around are lower-level monsters that pose no fatal threat to them,¡± Huang Tong reassured. Hearing this, Fairy Qinglian nodded silently and casually retracted the Suspended Sky Mirror. Inside the Secret Realm, after Shen Luo killed the crocodile, he had just extracted its Demon Pellet when Zhao Feiji returned, holding the corpses of a Mad Leopard and a Cat Spirit in each hand. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Let''s go. The ruckus we just stirred up was not little, let''s not invite any more trouble and leave this place first,¡± Shen Luo said to Zhao Feiji after putting away the magical treasures. The latter, having just seized the souls of two monsters, returned to the Qiankun Bag at Shen Luo''s waist and began to silently cultivate. Strangely enough, after leaving the vicinity of that swamp, Shen Luo did not encounter any more monster attacks on the way and soon arrived at a dense, primeval jungle. Approaching the edge of the mountain forest, Shen Luo suddenly heard the sounds of a battle ahead. He carefully concealed his breath and quietly followed the noise to take a closer look, only to see a woman in the thick forest ahead engaging in combat with two dark silhouettes. The two dark silhouettes were of the same height and build, wearing identical clothing, and even the bamboo hats on their heads were nearly the same. One was holding a black long spear, while the other wielded a curved knife. ¡°How could it be her¡­¡± Shen Luo recognized the woman at a glance to be the female crown from Taiying Pavilion. She held a white duster in her hand, which, with every sweep, sent thousands of crystal filaments flying towards the two dark figures, but they were always able to either dodge it or repel it back. The two dark figures coordinated with each other extremely smoothly and accurately, one engaging at medium distance and the other attacking up close, actually managing to force the female crown into a continuous retreat. Watching the movements of the two, Shen Luo could feel waves of spiritual power fluctuations but could not detect any breath from them, leading to some confusion in his heart. Just then, the female crown let out a fierce shout and, with a sweep of the white duster in her hand, forced back the figure with the long spear, while with her other hand, she suddenly slapped towards her own side and back. The palm of her hand flashed with a crimson light, and a piece of talisman paper in her hand suddenly ignited, unleashing a ¡°whoosh¡± of crimson flame that engulfed the knife-wielding figure pursuing her closely. ¡°Boom¡± With a loud explosion, the ball of flame suddenly burst open, and the dark figure stumbled out from within, showing signs of burning all over. Especially the bamboo hat on its head, which was almost completely burned through. Through the burned bamboo hat, Shen Luo could finally see the ¡°face¡± of the man. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He saw that the face was hollow, with no features, just an oval facial contour with faint wooden patterns on it, obviously carved from wood. ¡°No wonder I couldn''t detect any breath¡­¡± Shen Luo had an epiphany; the two men in black were indeed puppets. After watching for a moment, Shen Luo decided to bypass this place and continue on his way to the Bitter Melia Tree. But just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard a cry of alarm. He hastily stopped and looked back towards where the cry came from. He only then saw that where the female crown was fighting the puppets, a cluster of dense vines had unexpectedly burst forth from underground. Several thick, arm-sized black vines had already entwined around the woman''s legs. A slight panic was evident in her eyes as she swung her duster forcefully, aiming it at the vines below her. However, before she could even make contact, even more vines shot up from the ground, rapidly entwining her arms and the duster with swift speed. Immediately afterward, the black vines tugged in all directions, and the female crown felt a powerful tearing force, causing her to cry out in pain. Chapter 811 Chapter 811: Chapter 808: Fire Giant Chapter 811: Chapter 808: Fire Giant The female crown winced in pain, and her brows furrowed tightly. Chanting sounds immediately rose from her mouth, and golden light began to shine around her body. The gray-white Taoist robe she wore billowed without wind, starting to push against the black vines that were entwined around her. However, the moment the black vines sensed her resistance, their surfaces lit up as if an electric current had passed over them, and more black vines from the surroundings lunged at her, completely wrapping her up. At the same time, the two black puppets swiftly attacked from atop the vines. It seemed that the vines attacked by sensing the breath of living things, and they did not hinder the two puppets in the slightest. Upon reaching the female crown''s side, one to the left and one to the right, each holding a weapon, they prodded through the gaps in the vines with sudden force, and stabbed toward the female crown inside. The golden light outside the female crown''s body had not yet managed to break through the vine restraints when the puppets attacked. With a light ¡°bang,¡± it shattered into countless golden specks and dispersed. The puppets'' weapons drove straight in, and just as they were about to pierce the female crown''s body, a golden and a red light shot over simultaneously, revealing the true forms of the Dragon Horn Cone and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The two puppets, sensing something amiss, tried to withdraw their weapons, but it was too late. Two muffled ¡°bangs¡± were heard as the chests of both puppets burst open with big holes, and the Dragon Horn Cone and Pure Yang Sword Embryo passed through their chests without the slightest pause before immediately slashing down at the vines on the ground. Streaks of light continuously bloomed on the ground, and large swaths of vines were cut by the light. Unable to help it, they trembled and retreated in one direction, including those wrapped around the female crown. When all the vines had finally dispersed, the female crown''s figure reemerged, and on the Daoist robe outside her body, numerous black symbols appeared densely packed, emanating a strange fluctuation. Seeing this, Shen Luo realized that his intervention had been somewhat unnecessary, and that even if he had left her alone just now, the female crown would have been able to free herself. When the female crown saw Shen Luo, a clear look of surprise flashed in her eyes. The two exchanged somewhat awkward glances for a moment, but it was Shen Luo who first raised his hand in a fist-and-palm salute and then turned to leave. ¡°Brother Shen, wait a moment,¡± came the female crown''s voice from behind him just then. Shen Luo turned back with a puzzled look on his face. ¡°Huang Ting from Taiying Pavilion, thanks Brother Shen for your assistance,¡± the female crown said, giving a salute. ¡°No need for thanks, even if I hadn''t acted, you would have freed yourself,¡± Shen Luo replied, and waving his hand, he continued on his way. Hearing this, Huang Ting said nothing more and also followed him in the direction he was heading. The two seemingly agreed to travel together and hurried toward the deeper part of the mountain forest. Time swiftly passed, and three days went by. At night, Shen Luo found a clear space in the forest to light a bonfire, with Huang Ting sitting across from him. Although the two had been traveling together for a few days, they mostly hurried along their way with very little conversation. Only when they encountered monsters that tried to stop them did they occasionally support each other. While not exactly in tune with one another, their cooperation significantly increased their traveling speed. At this moment, Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged, silently nourishing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo within his body. After such a long time of cultivation, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had grown a lot since the beginning. Shen Luo had originally thought that the Red Lotus Karmic Fire contained within would not change, but in recent days, he discovered that the Red Lotus Karmic Fire inside the sword body had also quietly increased a lot. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Across the bonfire, Huang Ting looked at Shen Luo. Over the last few days together, she had become somewhat curious about him. While she was somewhat distracted, Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes. Huang Ting quickly averted her gaze, and her cheeks turned a bit embarrassed and red. ¡°Something is coming¡­¡± Shen Luo completely failed to notice her strangeness and spoke up. Having said that, he flipped over and stood up, his gaze intensively scanning the surroundings. Around them was pitch blackness, with only the faint sounds of wind and insects stirring, creating an eerily tranquil atmosphere. However, such tranquility was far from normal in this mountain forest teeming with monsters. Huang Ting had also become alert by now, standing in place, she released her Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. But after a long while, her Divine Sense returned without detecting anything. ¡°Friend Shen, could you possibly have¡­¡± Huang Ting had not finished her sentence when Shen Luo suddenly made a silence gesture. Upon hearing this, Huang Ting frowned slightly and closed her mouth. ¡°Be careful, move back quickly,¡± Shen Luo suddenly exclaimed at that moment. Both of them shrank back simultaneously, retreating explosively. Just then, within the bonfire between them, a pair of black eyes appeared, and the fire within ¡°whoosh¡± split apart, transforming into two fire pythons that lunged at them. Shen Luo reacted by forming a hand seal and waving forward, immediately coalescing vapor in the void into blue water dragons that collided with the fire pythons, hissing as they met and quickly filling the surroundings with white steam. Huang Ting, on the other hand, pushed her palm forward, and the green jade bracelet on her wrist shimmered, conjuring a round shield in front of her that blocked the oncoming fire python. No sooner had they fended off the fire pythons when the ground beneath them started shaking violently, and thick black vines burst from the earth, frantically entwining around Shen Luo and Huang Ting''s bodies. Caught off guard, Shen Luo and Huang Ting were bound by the black vines, and that''s when he noticed sharp spikes growing on the vines, piercing their skin with an intense burning sensation. His brows furrowed slightly as he waved a hand and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo soared out, unleashing a dense array of sword light around him and instantly slicing through the encroaching vines. Before he could even catch his breath, the fire pythons, which had just been repulsed, merged back together, forming a fire giant three zhang tall with horns on its head and wielding a Flame Longsword, chopping down at him from above. The moment the fire giant adopted a human shape, the previously hidden aura fluctuations finally burst forth, evidently at the Nascent Soul Initial Period. Shen Luo dared not take this lightly; he raised his hand again, and from his sleeve flashed a golden light. The Dragon Horn Cone glinted brightly, and a Dragon Chant resonated as it flew out, colliding with the Flame Longsword. With a ¡°boom,¡± a loud bang erupted! The Flame Longsword was knocked aside by the Dragon Horn Cone, scattering a large burst of flames, and the golden light on the cone also dispersed. As Shen Luo raised his hand to swing again, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo traced an arc in mid-air, speeding back from a distance, and thrust directly at the back of the fire giant''s head. Unaware of the impending strike, the fire giant gripped its Flame Longsword tightly, and its black eyes suddenly brightened with golden light. The flames on the sword abruptly condensed, the firelight became extremely intense, and the outer flames turned serrated, slashing down at Shen Luo once more. Seeing this, Shen Luo was not afraid but instead delighted, stepping forward to meet the attack head-on and deliberately drawing the fire giant''s attention. He raised his hand to grab the Dragon Horn Cone, no longer controlling it from afar, but instead held it horizontally above his head to block the blow. The fire giant''s Longsword came down heavily, bringing a scorching hot breath directly in his face. Just as the Flame Longsword was about to strike the Dragon Horn Cone, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had also arrived, piercing into the back of the fire giant''s head. Chapter 812 Chapter 812: 809 Chapter 812: 809 Joy had yet to fade from Shen Luo''s eyes, but his expression involuntarily stiffened. He saw that the moment the Pure Yang Sword Embryo pierced through the back of the fire giant''s head, it protruded from its forehead. The fire giant, however, seemed utterly unharmed as if not even slightly injured, and its longsword in hand continued to smash down heavily. With a ¡°boom,¡± the Flame Longsword finally fell onto the Dragon Horn Cone, and a massive force surged over, causing Shen Luo''s knees to slightly bend. Right after, a scorching wave of fire surged down, engulfing him. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Huang Ting, who was entangled with the vines, cried out in shock upon seeing this scene. No sooner had her words fallen than a layer of water-blue light shone within the flames, with white vapor rising around it. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo formed the Water Repelling Technique with his hands and added another layer of water curtain around him, isolating the Power of Flames. His figure suddenly passed under the Flame Longsword, and with a wave of his hand, he sent the Dragon Horn Cone flying out. ¡°Ao¡­¡± Accompanied by the sound of a dragon chant, the Dragon Horn Cone was enveloped in a layer of ethereal golden light, and it violently shot straight toward the fire giant''s chest, piercing through it. However, just like the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, this strike seemed to hit nothing at all and did not inflict any damage on the fire giant. ¡°Strange, what kind of oddity is this that it seems to have no physical body?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim in amazement. But before he could figure it out, the fire giant, which had just passed by him, had already turned around with a sword, slashing horizontally towards him. Shen Luo''s figure abruptly crouched down, dodging the strike, and from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the vine remnants scattered all over the ground. At that moment, a flash of insight struck him, and he understood. ¡°The true bodies of these two creatures are underground. Continuing to fight like this is pointless and will only lead to a waste of energy,¡± Shen Luo immediately warned aloud. Upon hearing this, Huang Ting immediately understood and without hesitation, leaped up and stood on a Willow Leaf-shaped Flying Sword in mid-air. She flicked the whisk in her hand, transforming it into a beam of white light that thrust fiercely towards the ground below. The whisk lit up with light, and thousands of crystal-clear, snow-like threads turned into countless transparent steel needles, plunging towards the ground and turning the towering black vines into fragments. All the threads extended a hundred times their length, going deep into the ground, tracing and attacking down the root system of the vines. Shen Luo also took out an Escape Earth Talisman and affixed it to his body. The moment the light around him brightened, his form shrank and he directly burrowed into the underworld. Upon entering the underworld, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, and his Divine Sense instantly detected an intense heat emanating from one direction. ¡°So you''re hiding here,¡± said Shen Luo without a second thought, immediately pursuing in that direction. After traveling a hundred yards underground, he burst into a small underground stone cave and immediately saw a strange armored figure in purple Armor with a purple Cloak inside the cave, floating in the void. Underneath its clothes, there was no solid body, but instead a mass of faint purple flames. Flames surged vigorously beneath it, buoying its bizarre body as it floated up and down. At first glance, Shen Luo was unable to recognize what it was, but the other had also noticed him. Seeing Shen Luo charge towards him, the mysterious figure did not retreat but instead actively moved to meet him, suddenly radiating an immense aura. His cultivation level shockingly reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Shen Luo, upon seeing this, did not back down either. With a quick single-handed seal, the Nameless Cultivation Technique inside his body operated to its limit. The water liquid from the surrounding Earth Veins was rapidly summoned, quickly condensing into three ten-zhang-long blue water dragons that surged towards the mysterious figure. The mysterious figure shook his sleeves, and two streams of purple flame roared out, instantly transforming into sleeves of fire pythons clashing with the water dragons. An unbearably hot aura instantly spread throughout the entire cave. The moment the water dragons touched the purple flames, they were instantly evaporated cleanly, completely vaporized and disappearing from sight. A chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart as he thrust his hands forward with force. A dragon chant suddenly emanated from the dragon horn cone, generating a golden dragon with faintly visible fine scales that crashed into the purple flame pythons. When the golden dragon collided with the flame python, they were just a few zhang away from Shen Luo. The terrifying heat carried by the rolling hot air blew against Shen Luo,s clothes, causing them to flutter loudly. At that moment, he swiftly turned his hands, and the dragon horn cone that was thrust into the flames began to spin violently, causing the golden dragon to tumble within the fiery blaze, just like an earth dragon turning over. The whirlwind stirred by the dragon''s body entwined like a steel knife, scattering all the flames. The sparks of spirit that sprayed out were also extinguished by a sweep of Shen Luo''s sleeves, yet his clothes were burned with numerous tiny holes. But just then, a thunderous boom sounded, and the dragon horn cone was suddenly struck by a tremendous force and sent flying. The mysterious figure abruptly appeared close by, raising a sleeve and reaching out towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, watching the sleeve aimed directly at him, from which surged and rolled an intense purple flame, much like erupting magma, spewing towards him. In the critical moment, his spirit suddenly sank, reaching into the jade pillow. Immediately after, a bright golden light burst forth in front of him. A Heavenly Book Projection suddenly emerged in front of him, from which shot out a beam of golden light, swirling towards the purple flame that had just burst forth. The next instant, something incredible happened! The massive purple flames, as if drawn by a mighty dragon drinking water, were pulled by a strange force and rushed into the Heavenly Book Projection en masse. The once ferocious purple flames disappeared into the Heavenly Book Projection without causing even a slight ripple, as if the purple flames were inherently a part of the Heavenly Book. Seeing this, the mysterious figure was shocked. With a raise of his hand, another sleeve lifted, from which another stream of purple fire surged forth, burning towards Shen Luo. Of course, it was once again swept up by the golden light and sucked into the Heavenly Book Projection. The mysterious figure, realizing something was amiss, shook his sleeves, attempting to retract the flames. Shen Luo, seeing this, was not about to agree, promptly driving the Heavenly Book with all his might, even more swiftly gathering up the flames. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Just then, from under the hood of the mysterious figure''s cloak, a roar of anger resounded, and a surge of purple flames suddenly burst out, enveloping his entire body before quickly shrinking back. During this expansion and contraction, the Heavenly Book Projection was shaken by the force, with its surface golden light trembling greatly. A large portion of the purple flames gushed out, forming two fire pillars flying toward the silhouette, returning to his sleeves. Before Shen Luo could take action again, the figure transformed into a large cluster of purple flames, rushed towards the sky at extreme speed, and crashed into the rock layer above. Chapter 813 Chapter 813: Chapter 810: Convergence at the Square Chapter 813: Chapter 810: Convergence at the Square Shen Luo saw this, and quickly activated the Escape Earth Talisman to follow. However, by the time he returned to the surface, the strange figure had already disappeared. A hundred feet away, Huang Ting was holding a green vine monster with the head of a flamboyant flower. The flower-like cheeks had human-like facial features, which at this moment were extremely fierce-looking, glaring angrily at Huang Ting, while its body was covered with dense vines rooted underground. Just then, Shen Luo suddenly raised his eyebrow, shouted ¡°Watch out¡±, and with a flick of his wrist, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out instantly, flying past Huang Ting''s ear and severing a vine that was sneaking up behind him. ¡°Incorrigible.¡± Huang Ting''s expression suddenly turned cold, and she cursed angrily. After speaking, a dazzling green light erupted from the palm of her hand, and a burst of green flames flared up, engulfing the vine monster in an instant. The demon''s human-like features immediately showed an expression of immense pain, yet it made no sound. The vines beneath it writhed frantically, as if struggling, but were soon burned to ashes. ¡°Thank you.¡± Huang Ting breathed a sigh of relief and quickly thanked Shen Luo. ¡°What was that thing?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°A Vine Demon Flower, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage demon.¡± Huang Ting explained. ¡°Why are there so many monsters in this secret realm?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help asking. ¡°This Hualian Secret Realm was originally used by Mount Putuo to train sect disciples; it''s just that, for some reason, it had been closed for many years. Now that it''s reopened, we got to experience it first,¡± Huang Ting explained, as she picked up a Demon Pellet from the remains of the Vine Demon Flower and put it away. ¡°So, the puppet you encountered earlier is also part of the trial. By the way, did you see a purple fireball rush out just now?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then asked again. ¡°I saw it. After it rushed out from underground, it absorbed the fire giant outside and fled. If I''m not mistaken, that should be the Yunyou Fire, belonging to one of the mythical creatures that have survived since ancient times. Unexpectedly, Mount Putuo''s secret realm still harbors them,¡± Huang Ting nodded and said. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows knit slightly. ¡°However, you needn''t worry, that guy is not like the Vine Demon Flower; it''s naturally timid. After being repelled by you, it probably won''t dare to come back and chase after us,¡± Huang Ting added, seeing his reaction. Hearing that, Shen Luo silently nodded. After the tumult of the long night, dawn was already breaking, and neither of them felt like resting, so they continued towards the central region of the secret realm. Three days later, Shen Luo and Huang Ting finally burst out of the dense mountain forest, and in front of them appeared a massive, circular square paved entirely with white stones. It was referred to as a circular square because, in the central region of the square, one could easily see a towering, hundred-feet-tall semi-transparent light shield, shaped like a half-sphere as if a giant pot had been overturned on the ground, enclosing a patch of the mountain forest within it. Just as Shen Luo and Huang Ting stepped onto the square, two figures quickly flew towards them from afar. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± ¡°Cousin¡­¡± The voices of Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu came over together. ¡°Cousin, Xiaotian.¡± Shen Luo''s face showed joy as he quickly went up to meet them. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What''s the matter with you, kid? Why did it take so long, making us wait for you for so long?¡± Bai Xiaotian punched Shen Luo on the shoulder as he came over and said. ¡°I also wanted to come earlier, but I kept being entangled in battles with monsters on the way, which really slowed me down,¡± Shen Luo said helplessly. Upon hearing this, both Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu showed somewhat strange expressions on their faces. ¡°What''s wrong, could it be that someone has already won?¡± Shen Luo''s face changed slightly as he asked. ¡°No one has won yet, but when you mentioned that you have been continuously entangled by monsters on the way, did you encounter any formidable ones?¡± Nie Caizhu hesitated before asking. ¡°They were alright; all were about at the Nascent Soul Stage,¡± Shen Luo replied, feeling relieved. ¡°Nascent Soul Stage? You really are unlucky, on my way here, I barely encountered any monsters, and the strongest was only a Wolf Monster at the later stage of Soul Condensation,¡± Bai Xiaotian clicked his tongue and said. ¡°My situation was similar; it seems the location where you were transported was particularly bad,¡± Nie Caizhu also said. As they were speaking, Huang Ting also came over. Seeing Shen Luo chatting lively with the two, he just gave a salute but did not say anything and walked away. Shen Luo wanted to call out to him, but then he thought that they were about to reach the Bitter Melia Tree and their cooperative relationship would soon turn into a competitive one, so he swallowed his words. ¡°Since you both arrived earlier, why haven''t you hurried over to the Bitter Melia Tree?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking toward Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu. ¡°Not only us, but the others have also arrived one after another. However, everyone is being blocked outside by that barrier,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, pointing to the overturned semi-transparent ¡°big pot¡± in the distance. ¡°Can''t open it?¡± Shen Luo looked into the distance, puzzled. ¡°Regardless of whether trying to decode the Array by the rules or to break it by force, all attempts by those before us have failed without exception,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head and said. ¡°What kind of Array is it, has anyone figured it out?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Brother Kulin from Qinglian Temple said it seems somewhat similar to the Buddhist Sect''s Vajra Demon Suppression Circle, yet there are differences. Beyond this Array, there''s another layer of array, completely concealing the Vajra Demon Suppression Circle''s pivot, making it impossible to solve,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Hearing this, Shen Luo subconsciously looked over at Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu was slightly embarrassed and said, ¡°After I joined the Sect, I''ve been busy with cultivation and rarely moved around inside the Sect, so I don''t know much about many things within the Sect.¡± ¡°No matter, let''s go over and take a look,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Afterward, the three of them crossed White Stone Square and came in front of the semi-transparent Light Shield. Through the gaps of the trees inside, Shen Luo immediately saw the central Bitter Melia Tree. He raised his hand and touched the Light Shield gently, feeling like he was touching the warm shell of an egg, but when he pressed down harder, the Light Shield became even firmer. ¡°If one were to attack with force, the Light Shield becomes even more unbreakable, and the rebounding force could very likely injure the attacker,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained after seeing this. Shen Luo''s gaze shifted downward to the ground at the base of the Light Shield, where he saw a complex set of charm patterns engraved and extending along the edges of the Light Shield on both sides. He furrowed his eyebrows and followed the base of the Light Shield, walking forward while closely observing the charm patterns on the ground. After walking around nearly half the circle, he came upon Kulin and Zhan Yue, who were also earnestly examining the charm patterns on the ground, their brows furrowed deeply, showing an expression of not being able to solve the problem. ¡°Do you two Daoist friends have any clues?¡± Shen Luo inquired. Chapter 814 Chapter 814: Chapter 811: Only because I am in the midst of the mountains Chapter 814: Chapter 811: Only because I am in the midst of the mountains ¡°It can be confirmed that it''s our Buddhist Sect''s Vajra Demon Suppression Circle Formation, but it''s a pity no matter how we search, we can''t find where the array pivot is.¡± Zhan Yue shook his head, expressing some helplessness. ¡°The two of you could try expanding the search area, there might still be other discoveries to be made,¡± said Shen Luo after a brief moment of thought. ¡°Expand the search area?¡± Zhan Yue and Kulin both hesitated for a while, they then stepped back a bit and began to carefully examine the square outside again. Shen Luo did not say anything more, he smiled and, with Bai Xiaotian who was still confused, continued to move forward and examine the area. It wasn''t long before they came across Zheng Jun and Lin Qianqian, who were sitting on a large stone. Lin Qianqian had her hands propping up her chin on her legs, her face full of a dejected expression, while Zheng Jun looked at her with smiling eyes, seemingly not much concerned about whether the barrier could be broken or not. When the two of them saw Shen Luo and the others approaching, they greeted them, but said little else. Shen Luo and his companions didn''t linger much and continued on their way. When the three of them had walked around a large part of the barrier, a booming sound suddenly came from ahead. When Shen Luo looked up towards the sound, he saw Huang Ting alone, holding a snow-white longsword, hacking at the boundary light curtain. Immediately after, it was as if a chant in the Sanskrit language arose, and on the semi-transparent curtain, a gigantic golden palm seal appeared out of nowhere, pressing down toward Huang Ting''s sword. ¡°Boom,¡± another even more violent boom erupted. Huang Ting, along with her sword, was repelled by this immense force and sent flying backward, flying a hundred feet away while spewing a mouthful of fresh blood, which instantly soaked the white silk covering her face. Struggling, she got up from the ground, took off the silk to wipe the blood from her face, quickly replaced it with a new one, and concealed the diagonal scar near her mouth. ¡°Daoist Huang, this formation is extremely fierce, it cannot be overcome by force,¡± said Shen Luo, seeing that Huang Ting was about to try again, he couldn''t help but speak out to warn her. Upon hearing this, she finally stopped and nodded at Shen Luo as a way of thanks. Shen Luo sighed slightly in his heart. They weren''t even at the final stage of competing for the immortal apricot, yet the group had already vaguely split into factions. Kulin from Qinglian Temple and Zhan Yue from Jiuhua Mountain, Zheng Jun from Giant Sword Sect and Lin Qianqian from Mount Emei, himself with Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu, with only Huang Ting alone. However, it looked like the three of them¨Chimself, Bai Xiaotian, and Nie Caizhu¨Chad a slightly greater chance of success. After walking around the semi-transparent light curtain in a full circle, Shen Luo eventually stopped at the point from where they had started. He stood still, pondered for a moment, then stepped back and began to examine the stone bricks on the ground. A moment later, his eyebrows suddenly knitted together. He quickly backed away until he was outside the whole square before he stopped his steps. Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu followed him out with puzzled expressions on their faces, not understanding his actions. Once Shen Luo stood still, he silently recited an incantation, and with a gentle wipe over his own eyes, his pitch-black pupils suddenly shined with a strange light, as if glowing charm patterns had appeared within them. ¡°Pupil Technique¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian was slightly surprised, not knowing when Shen Luo had mastered such a secret technique. In fact, this technique was the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld that Shen Luo had previously acquired from Dragon Altar. Throughout this period of time, besides cultivating his sword embryo, the technique he practiced the most was this one. Just two days ago, while they were traveling at night, he had been cultivating this technique and was on the verge of a breakthrough. As the brightness in his eyes grew stronger, the scenery in front of him began to change. He saw that outside the White Stone Square, there was also a faint light curtain, slightly yellow in color, shaped like an inverted iron pot, covering the entire range of the ground. Shen Luo was puzzled. As the light in his eyes dimmed, he deactivated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, and the light curtain before him disappeared as well. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But when he used his Pupil Technique again, the light curtain in front of him reappeared. ¡°Haha, I understand now¡­¡± He couldn''t help but laugh happily. ¡°What do you understand?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked in surprise. ¡°Outside this Vajra Demon Suppression Circle Formation, there''s an Illusion Array,¡± Shen Luo said excitedly. ¡°Isn''t that stating the obvious? I told you that already. It''s just that everyone couldn''t find the trace of the Illusion Array, couldn''t break the Mist Barrier, so they couldn''t locate the pivot of the Vajra Demon Suppression Circle Formation and were kept outside,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, staring at Shen Luo as if looking at an idiot. ¡°Mountain heavy water complex; one doubts there''s a path out, but it is because one is in the mountains,¡± Shen Luo said, unconcerned, with a laugh. ¡°Hey! Can''t you speak properly? What''s with the riddles!¡± Bai Xiaotian rolled his eyes and said, somewhat irritated. ¡°To put it simply, they couldn''t find the Illusion Array because as soon as they set foot on White Stone Square and arrived at the perimeter of the Vajra Demon Suppression Circle Formation, they already entered the Illusion Array. Searching for the flaw of the Illusion Array within the Illusion Array is a fool''s errand,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°You mean, the Illusion Array encompasses the entire Square, and to dispel it, one must find the flaw from the outside?¡± Hearing this, Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu both understood. ¡°I''ve already found it,¡± Shen Luo said with a chuckle. Having said that, he waved his hand, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo quickly flew towards him, carrying him up into the sky, to an altitude of a hundred feet. Suspended in mid-air, Shen Luo looked down, his eyes flickering with light, and the full layout of the Array began to reveal itself before his eyes. His gaze sharpened, and he looked towards the very top of the Array, that is, the center of the ¡°pot bottom,¡± and murmured, ¡°It''s right here!¡± With that, he swung his palm, and a burst of golden light surged beside him, accompanied by a dragon chant. The Dragon Horn Cone, entwined with golden light, shot towards the ground below, and in an instant, hit the center of the light curtain. There, suspended in the void, was a pale yellow feather, which at the moment of being struck by the Dragon Horn Cone, blazed up in fierce flames with a ¡°whoosh¡± and quickly reduced to ashes. As the feather vanished, a layer of light visible to the naked eye finally shone in the void, retreating like a tide in all directions, and ultimately disappeared completely. Startled by the noise above, Zheng Jun and the others all looked up, only to see Shen Luo slowly descending from the sky. At the same time, the ground of White Stone Square below them began to undergo earth-shattering changes. The once pristine white stone tiles covering the ground now seemed as though they had gone through a thousand years of erosion, becoming mottled and fragmented, but at the four cardinal directions of east, south, west, and north, black charm pattern lines appeared, extending outward. ¡°Brother Shen, he¡­ he seems to have broken the Illusion Array?¡± Zheng Jun said in astonishment. Lin Qianqian''s face immediately showed joy upon hearing this. Kulin, Zhan Yue, and the others also felt astonished and delighted. After a brief delay, they began to search around for the pivot to break the Vajra Demonic Circle Formation¡­ At the same time, inside Mount Putuo, watching from the Suspended Sky Mirror, the crowd couldn''t help but burst into cheers. ¡°Incredibly meticulous. Brother Shen is really impressive¡­¡± ¡°So the Illusion Domain was here¡­¡± someone said, suddenly enlightened. ¡°Amazing, amazing! Worthy of being the man chosen by Junior Sister Nie. Truly impressive.¡± Chapter 815 Chapter 815: Chapter 812: Capture the Flag Chapter 815: Chapter 812: Capture the Flag Hearing the praises and cheers for Shen Luo coming from all around, the most frustrated person at the moment was naturally Zhou Yu. Earlier, instructed secretly by the sect leader, he had meddled and transported Shen Luo to that swamp. Then, he continuously lured monsters to attack Shen Luo, certainly not wishing for him to succeed. In the scene, Shen Luo had already stepped onto the square, and everyone began to break the Vajra Demonic Circle Formation. ¡°Thanks to Friend Shen for breaking the Illusion Array, otherwise our ordeal this time might have ended in a total defeat with no one succeeding,¡± Lin Qianqian said with a slight smile. ¡°Indeed, with that in mind, is there still a need to contend for the immortal apricot?¡± Master Zanyue said with one hand raised. ¡°Credit for breaking the Array naturally goes to Friend Shen. But after all, this is a trial, and we carry the orders of our masters to compete for the immortal apricot. How could we so easily give up?¡± Kulin Tuo frowned and said. ¡°There''s no need for concern, personal relations aside, the practice is distinct. Who will come out on top must still be seen through ability. Moreover, by showing such deference, wouldn''t you belittle me?¡± Shen Luo said upon seeing this. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Friend Shen makes sense. If you all do not give it your all, that would be the true disappointment to our sects and all the competitors,¡± Zheng Jun also said. Upon hearing this, everyone''s fighting spirit was reignited, and they exclaimed, ¡°Haha, since it is so, it would be great to have a forthright battle with you all, which would not be in vain.¡± After discussing, everyone started to work on breaking the formation. Even without the Illusion Array obstructing the pivot of the Vajra Demon Suppression Circle, the Array remained extremely sturdy. It simply couldn''t be broken by a single person''s power. Ultimately, several people had to join forces and attack together before they finally managed to break it. The moment the light shield covering the grove shattered, a bright light suddenly illuminated around Shen Luo and the others. Each of them surged with power and charged onward, rushing towards the direction of the Bitter Melia Tree. Huang Ting, at some point, had produced a green talisman and affixed it to her chest. Immediately, she was engulfed in a green whirlwind and with a ¡°whoosh¡± launched forward, leading the way straight towards the Bitter Melia Tree. However, just as she had covered a distance of a hundred feet, a green light suddenly bloomed in front of her, and a giant sword as wide as a door plank descended from the sky like an insurmountable wall, crashing down and blocking her path. The sword hilt of the Door Plank Giant Sword was connected to an iron chain as thick as an arm. The chain clanked loudly as it rapidly retracted, pulling down Zheng Jun from high altitude, who landed steadily on the sword hilt. ¡°Sorry about this, but I will take the immortal apricot for Junior Sister Lin,¡± Zheng Jun said with a guileless smile. Lin Qianqian''s figure flitted past him like a nimble butterfly, lightly leaping as she said ¡°Thank you¡± and then rushed straight towards the Bitter Melia Tree. ¡°Amitabha¡­¡± Just then, a chant suddenly resounded. Lin Qianqian looked back and saw that Master Zanyue stood about ten yards away with one palm raised, rapidly chanting something under his breath. Feeling an ominous premonition, she was about to speed up when suddenly the earth in front of her shook violently. A gate tower, pitch black as if cast from copper and iron, rose from underground, blocking her path. Seeing this, Lin Qianqian raised her hand to form a magic spell and fiercely struck out at the space in front of her. A radiance flew out from her palm and struck the gate tower, bursting into a violent explosion. ¡°Boom¡± A loud noise echoed, the brilliance scattering in all directions from the explosion, yet the gate tower remained unmovable. Just as Lin Qianqian was about to approach, the two door leaves engraved with the faces of evil ghosts under the gate tower suddenly opened inwards, revealing a pitch-black vortex that rotated leisurely. A strong pulling force came from it. Lin Qianqian instantly felt as if she were entangled by countless invisible threads, and her speed immediately slowed down. Zhan Yue took a step forward, with moonlight condensing under his feet as if gathering into a spirit boat that skimmed the ground, carrying him swiftly past and heading straight for the center. ¡°Daoist friend Zhan Yue, no need to rush.¡± At this moment, Bai Xiaotian''s voice suddenly came through. He was arriving on a flying sword, his hand not holding the usually used Demon Subduing Pestle but a folding fan instead, his renowned ¡°Dragon Painting¡± folding fan magic treasure. This treasure was a family heirloom of the Bai Family, but the family was not aware of the true origin of the item. It was only after joining the Hua Sheng Temple and with his master''s guidance that Bai Xiaotian truly understood its formidable power. As soon as Bai Xiaotian finished speaking, he opened the fan with a ¡°whoosh¡± and swept it towards Zhan Yue. On one side of the fan surface was an image of the Buddha, and the other side depicted twin dragons playing with a pearl. As Bai Xiaotian brandished the fan, golden lines lit up around the edges of the many Buddha images, and the dragon orb on the other side also shone brightly. In a flash, the sound of thunder and wind blasted from the fan surface, and the aura of clouds and rain surged forth, turning into powerful wind and rainstorms that rushed out, dissipating the moonlight beneath Master Zhan Yue''s feet and forcing him to halt completely. Meanwhile, Kulin Tuo did not entangle himself on this side. With a swift motion, he distanced himself from everyone, took a slight detour, and headed straight for the Bitter Melia Tree. His movements, naturally, did not escape Nie Caizhu''s vigilant eyes. She had already taken off, blocking his path. Shen Luo was left alone, with no one to obstruct him. He scratched his head somewhat sheepishly and then immediately executed Slanting Moon Steps, charging toward the Bitter Melia Tree. The Bitter Melia Tree, a hundred feet high and resembling a ginkgo tree, had a straight trunk and lush foliage. It emitted a faintly bitter scent. Underneath it lay an irregular grey-white stone platform, with a bright red triangular flag inserted at an angle. A Guanyin statuette was embroidered on the flag, looking quite exquisite. Shen Luo quickly reached the base of the tree, scanned the surroundings using the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, and finding no prohibition in place, he hurried forward and grabbed the flag from the stone platform. Outside the Secret Realm, everyone watching this scene burst into cheers. ¡°Big Brother Shen really got it. As long as he holds on until the end of the time, he wins¡­¡± Li Shu also exclaimed with joy. ¡°Didn''t you see everyone else is letting him win? Even if they weren''t, with Junior Sister Nie and the assistance from Hua Sheng Temple, wouldn''t it be impossible for him not to win?¡± Lu Ying rolled her eyes and spoke somewhat speechlessly. Liu Qing''s bright eyes were fixed on Shen Luo''s face, as if pondering something. Next to her, Wuming''s face was stiff, and his eyes gradually showed signs of urgency as he glanced toward Zhou Yu standing on the square. On the square, Zhou Yu was sitting on a large chair, looking calmly at Shen Luo. However, the hand hidden in his sleeve was clenched tighter and tighter. Suddenly, his eyebrows seemed to twitch slightly, and the tight grip in his sleeve relaxed, revealing the corner of a bronze array plate in his palm, where a hint of golden light flickered for a moment. Wei Qing, sitting beside him, seemed to have noticed something and turned his head to look for a moment before refocusing on the Suspended Sky Mirror. Chapter 816 Chapter 816: Chapter 813 Frog Spirit Chapter 816: Chapter 813 Frog Spirit In the mountain forest, everyone was still engaged in a fierce battle, and aside from Nie Cai Zhu, it seemed that the intensity of the combat was escalating, transforming from initial restraint to increasingly ferocious exchanges. ¡°Haha, how rare to engage in such an exhilarating battle, this journey is not in vain,¡± someone exclaimed. Zheng Jun''s giant sword created a gust as it swung, sending layers of sword Qi bursting forth like a raging wind that uprooted trees and ground them into dust. Zhan Yue felt Bai Xiaotian, a fellow from the Buddhist sect, was a formidable opponent, and their fight grew more intense as the sound of explosive collisions of mana resounded incessantly around them. Despite being slightly higher in realm and stronger in mana than Kulin, Nie Cai Zhu lacked the experience of fighting against others and was gradually being suppressed. On the other hand, Lin Qianqian, who was temporarily disengaged, joined the combat against Shen Luo. Although this trial lacked the biennial back-and-forth duels of past years, witnessing such a grand melee battle satisfied the onlooking disciples, who ceaselessly cheered them on. Shen Luo, inferior to Lin Qianqian in cultivation level but not in battle experience, deftly controlled the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Dragon Horn Cone to launch successive attacks, holding his own and even earning applause from many onlookers. As soon as Shen Luo noticed Nie Cai Zhu gradually falling behind, he used his sword to fend off Lin Qianqian and immediately leapt to Nie Cai Zhu''s aid. Seeing this, Lin Qianqian quickly followed in pursuit. For a time, the pattern shifted from individual skirmishes to team combat, with Shen Luo joining forces with Nie Cai Zhu to confront Kulin and Lin Qianqian. Just as the crowd was getting into the spirit of the fight, a strange beastly roar came from a distance. Immediately afterward, the expressions of Shen Luo and the others changed as they all sensed an immensely powerful presence rapidly approaching. Before they could figure out what was happening, a whirlwind suddenly swept through the high altitude, and a massive shadow fell from the sky, hurtling towards them. ¡°Scatter quickly,¡± Shen Luo shouted explosively, pulling Nie Cai Zhu to retreat first, while the others scrambled in different directions. A thunderous boom resounded. The towering shadow hit the ground like a crashing mountain peak, causing the entire earth to shake violently; billowing smoke and dust waves surged from its surroundings, instantly destroying the surrounding trees and leveling the ground. Shen Luo waved his hand to clear the dust and fixed his gaze, only to see, in the place of the former grove, a massive, blue-green toad, dozens of feet tall. Its limbs were much longer than those of an ordinary toad, and atop its head was a peculiar white extrusion. ¡°A frog spirit¡­¡± Nie Cai Zhu whispered softly. ¡°You recognize it?¡± Shen Luo asked, furrowing his brow. ¡°I heard about it from Sister Lu Ying before. An elder in our sect, adept at alchemy, spent years gathering spirit grasses in this secret realm to refine a Beast Decree Pill. But before he could consume it, a common toad happened to swallow it whole. Enraged, the elder tried to kill the toad to retrieve the pill, only to find the toad had gained demon power from the elixir and transformed into a spirit, escaping. After searching for many years, when the elder finally found the toad spirit, it had already reached the Nascent Soul Stage. Unable to reclaim the elixir, the elder was instead killed by the toad spirit,¡± Nie Cai Zhu hurriedly recounted the past event. Upon a closer inspection of the frog spirit, Shen Luo noticed its aura had clearly surpassed the Nascent Soul Stage, almost reaching the Mahayana Middle Stage. His brows furrowed tightly, and he couldn''t help but wonder, ¡°Could this also be a part of this trial?¡± However, before he could figure it out, the toad spirit suddenly let out a ¡°gurgle¡± and opened its gaping maw to expel streams of purple-black poison, which rapidly engulfed everything in all directions. Shen Luo pulled Nie Cai Zhu back repeatedly while making a hand gesture with one hand, furiously channeling the Nameless Cultivation Technique within his body and pushing his palm forward. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a flash, a towering wave emerged from the void, colliding with the poison mist. As soon as the two made contact, the water stream controlled by Shen Luo was quickly dyed purple-black and turned into venom. Left with no choice, Shen Luo could only steer the water away, and faced with the surging toxic miasma, he instinctively shielded Nie Caizhu behind him. Nie Caizhu watched Shen Luo''s back and a trace of warmth flashed in her eyes. She lifted her hand to gently pat his back, signaling him to move to the front. Only then did Shen Luo remember that Nie Caizhu was no longer the mundane woman who could only hide behind him that year. He smiled awkwardly and stepped aside to give her space. Nie Caizhu then moved forward, her hands quickly forming magic spells in front of her while she also quietly chanted magic spells under her breath. As her chanting voice sounded, a layer of blue light immediately shone around her, condensing into slender strands of light that extended along the ground like rivers. The light threads stretched into the poison fog, seemingly unaffected, while the poisonous gas actively made way for them. A moment later, as the poison gas closed in on Shen Luo and her like a storm cloud bearing down on a city, Nie Caizhu suddenly let out a gentle cry: ¡°Blooming Clear Lotus.¡± As soon as she spoke, a brilliant light erupted from all the blue light threads on the ground, and numerous blue lotus silhouettes emerged, emitting layers of serene light that instantly cleared all the nearby purple-black poison. The remaining toxins, fearing the light, floated up and hung several feet high in the void. Shen Luo silently praised her in his heart. Looking ahead again, he found Bai Xiaotian and others lying scattered on the ground, only Zhan Yue was temporarily unharmed, enveloped in a Black Lotus. ¡°Gulp¡­¡± A beastly roar rang out once more as the Frog spirit suddenly lifted a paw and swatted towards Huang Ting, who was closest to it. Shen Luo immediately frowned, and using the Slanting Moon Steps at full force, his figure flashed and at the critical moment, he managed to pull her over and placed her behind Nie Caizhu. Immediately after, he darted out again and rescued Bai Xiaotian. However, before he could steady his stance, the Frog spirit attacked again, swatting towards Lin Qianqian this time. Shen Luo wanted to save her, but it was already too late. ¡°Evil beast, don''t touch her¡­¡± At that moment, an angry roar came. Not far away, Zheng Jun, whose body was already covered in purple poison spots, suddenly stood up and swung the giant sword in his hand with all his might. The whooshing sound of the Door Plank Giant Sword filled the air as it cleaved towards the Frog spirit with Zheng Jun''s fury. The latter''s massive head turned around, its eyes filled with disdain. Its long tongue shot out, instantly coiling around the giant sword and with a tug, swallowed it whole. During this moment, Shen Luo had already rescued Lin Qianqian as well. At this point, the Frog spirit finally noticed Shen Luo, turning its body towards him; its massive purple-black tongue shot out instantaneously, aiming for Shen Luo''s face. Shen Luo dared not take the hit and quickly somersaulted to dodge, weaving through with the Slanting Moon Steps and rescued Zheng Jun as well. Meanwhile, on the other side, Zhan Yue had temporarily removed the Black Lotus Treasure and rescued Sister Lu Ying. Chapter 817 Chapter 817: Chapter 814: The Trial Ends Chapter 817: Chapter 814: The Trial Ends ¡°This demon possesses at least the strength of the Middle Mahayana Stage, and its poison is too fierce for us to withstand,¡± Zhan Yue said with a solemn expression and a sigh. ¡°There isn''t much time left until the end of the challenge, if we can just hold on, we''ll be fine,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. ¡°They were caught off guard and have already been poisoned, they can''t even run away, I''m afraid they won''t last until then,¡± Zhan Yue said, frowning deeply. ¡°Then we can only draw the monster''s attention to buy them time,¡± Shen Luo said decisively without any hesitation. Upon hearing this, Zhan Yue looked at him for a while, saw the seriousness in his expression, and couldn''t help saying, ¡°But that''s a Middle Mahayana Stage demon, I''m afraid we are no match for it.¡± ¡°But these people are our comrades, do we have a choice?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze swept over Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu, then he glanced at Zheng Jun and the others, and said. ¡°You two protect me for a moment; I will expel the poison from them,¡± Nie Caizhu, who had been meditating and regulating her breath, suddenly spoke up. Shen Luo and the other looked at her doubtfully, then immediately stood in front of her, facing the Frog Spirit. Nie Caizhu formed hand seals with both hands, her mana circulated at full power, and after a series of light chants, her eyes suddenly opened wide as she cried out: ¡°Pure Lotus Tide Sound¡­¡± As soon as she finished speaking, a surge of Green Light, like the sound of a tidal wave, spread from her body, sweeping over Bai Xiaotian and the others in layers. The wisps and strands of mana infiltrated their bodies, manifesting a layer of Green Lotus phantoms outside their bodies. Under the reflection of the Green Lotus phantoms, the purple poison spots on their bodies began to fade away, bit by bit. At the same time, outside the Secret Realm, it was in uproar, with the disciples watching and discussing fervently. Like Shen Luo, they considered the sudden appearance of the Frog Spirit as the final ordeal, only Wei Qing noticed that something was amiss. ¡°Zhou Yu, what is going on here?¡± Wei Qing sent a message inquiring. Zhou Yu, also showing a look of astonishment, replied, ¡°Junior doesn''t know what''s going on either, perhaps the Frog Spirit escaped from its enclosure on its own.¡± ¡°Open the Secret Realm quickly and go to rescue them,¡± Wei Qing said without wanting to argue, commanding immediately. ¡°This¡­ Uncle Master Wei, you know that unless the Sect Master personally comes, the gate to the Secret Realm cannot be opened until the appointed time,¡± Zhou Yu said with a troubled look. ¡°Then report to the Sect Master right now! There''s still half a two-hour period left; how can they last? If someone gets hurt or dies, how can we bear the responsibility?¡± Wei Qing erupted in anger. Zhou Yu finally seemed a bit panicked after hearing these words. He was just jealous for a moment and wanted to put Shen Luo in a deadly situation, but he didn''t intend for everyone to die inside, especially Nie Caizhu. ¡°I will send a message right away, I will send a message¡­¡± Zhou Yu said repeatedly, hurriedly getting up and leaving. Wei Qing, on the other hand, stared at the scene displayed on the Suspended Sky Mirror, his face ashen. At this moment, Shen Luo and the others had gathered in one spot, and the Frog Spirit also turned its head and followed them. Its Blood Basin opened wide again, and from within, two Bloody Vortexes suddenly appeared. It contracted abruptly around its lower abdomen, and the two Blood Vortexes spun rapidly. Shen Luo internally cursed, ¡°This is bad,¡± and immediately urged his internal mana with all his might, sparing no effort to infuse it into the Dragon Horn Cone, while Zhan Yue once again took out the Black Lotus and spat a stream of essence blood onto it. The Golden Dragon appeared on the Dragon Horn Cone, and Blood Light spread across the Black Lotus, as both magical treasures were stimulated to the fullest extent of their current powers by their owners, and shot towards the Super-True Toad Essence. Almost at the same time, the Bloody Vortexes violently shook, and two thick and long blood arrows shot out from within, targeting Shen Luo and the others at great speed. As the Blood Arrows passed, the Void trembled, and layers of dark red ripples kept stirring. ¡°Boom, boom¡± Two explosive sounds almost simultaneously erupted; the Dragon Horn Cone and the Black Lotus were shattered at the same time. The Blood Arrows also disintegrated but didn''t vanish entirely; they turned into two masses of Blood Mist, still hurtling towards Shen Luo and the others. ¡°Vajra Body Protection¡± Just then, a thunderous shout rang out. Shen Luo and Zhan Yue felt a Warm Current flow through their bodies, and a golden light brightened around them instantly. It was as if they were enshrouded in a layer of Golden Light armor, which collided with the two masses of Blood Mist. ¡°Bang, bang,¡± two soft sounds¨Cthose two clouds of blood mist collided with their bodies, then spontaneously dissipated. Shen Luo turned his head and saw the spellcaster was Bai Xiaotian, and he was immediately overjoyed. Glancing at the others, he found the toxins on their bodies had already been cleansed, except for Nie Caizhu, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, looking extremely pale. ¡°Caizhu, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo immediately bent down and asked. ¡°Just an excessive consumption of mana, nothing serious,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head and smiled. ¡°Be careful, here it comes again.¡± At this moment, Zhan Yue gave a warning. Shen Luo suddenly turned his head just in time to see the Frog spirit jump high into the air, then heavily plummet back, its previously swollen belly now sunken inward, appearing as if holding a breath. ¡°Not good, be careful, it''s about to use God''s Power,¡± Shen Luo immediately warned. Upon hearing this, everyone promptly used their techniques, their bodies shining with light, and raised their Magical Treasures for protection around them. As the Frog spirit heavily landed, at the very moment of hitting the ground, it suddenly opened its mouth and let out a croak. ¡°Croak¡­¡± This croak, coupled with the impact of its landing, amazingly contained an unimaginable, majestic power. A visibly dark red sound wave rolled toward them, ravaging everything in its path, uprooting trees and stripping the ground of several feet of soil, clashing and merging together as it charged straight at Shen Luo and the others. They were like a solitary boat under a tsunami''s giant waves, instantly capsized, each of them blown hundreds of feet away before crashing down heavily, spitting out blood and unable to move. But the Frog spirit didn''t intend to spare them; its tongue darted out and its hind legs pushed off the ground, propelling it forward in pursuit. Zheng Jun struggled towards Lin Qianqian, who was far away and stained with blood, dragging himself over to her, while Zhan Yue also braced himself and sat up. Bai Xiaotian''s eyes were fixed on the Frog spirit, his hand clutching a Talisman, waiting for it to get closer. Shen Luo was still protecting Nie Caizhu behind him, his own front clothes also spattered with blood. Facing such a powerful Monster, their strength was ultimately insufficient to resist. ¡°Croak¡± Another beastly croak resounded as the Frog spirit''s Long Tongue shot out, directly targeting Shen Luo. Bai Xiaotian''s eyes sharpened, the Talisman in hand ready to intercept and fight to the bitter end. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo also met the attack head-on, his divine soul already linking up with the Heavenly Book, ready to summon the Cultivation in the dream at the cost of his lifespan, determined to slay the Frog spirit and save everyone, even if it meant dying in the attempt. Just when the situation seemed dire, a radiance erupted from above everyone, as a Sword Edge descended from the sky. Accompanied by a phantom of a Green Lotus, like countless Lotus Petals fluttering down, it sliced the Frog spirit''s Long Tongue into a thousand pieces in an instant. A figure then drifted down from high altitude, reaching out to grab the Longsword firmly planted in the ground. ¡°Elder Wei Qing¡­¡± Everyone immediately recognized the silhouette. ¡°The trial of the Secret Realm has concluded; you may leave now,¡± Wei Qing said without turning back. At his words, noticing the bright Void that had appeared above, everyone was elated. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± said Shen Luo and the others, sincerely expressing their gratitude after surviving the ordeal. ¡°Go on,¡± Wei Qing remained indifferent. Everyone bowed to him from afar and helped each other up, soaring into the sky and entering the bright Void. Looking back, Shen Luo saw Wei Qing''s Longsword slashing through the air, sending forth a hundred-foot-long Sword light that swept across and gashed the Frog spirit trying to attack, hurling it back. Only after landing did Shen Luo and the others realize that the disciples outside the Square had been dispersed, with only a few Mahayana Elders from Mount Putuo coming forward. After examining their injuries, they led them back to their Residences to cure injuries and recuperate. Chapter 818 Chapter 818: Chapter 815 Evidence Chapter 818: Chapter 815 Evidence Shen Luo returned to his residence, with Nie Caizhu following behind out of concern. He sat down inside the room, his brows slightly furrowed. ¡°Cousin, you have already won the trial, what''s still bothering you?¡± Nie Caizhu inquired. ¡°I''m thinking about that frog spirit. That fierce demon''s cultivation level far surpasses ours. Its appearance in the trial is quite strange,¡± Shen Luo replied. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Indeed, it''s somewhat odd, but the frog spirit is a demon imprisoned within the Hua Lian Secret Realm. It could be that there was a temporary issue with the prohibition, allowing it to escape,¡± Nie Caizhu suggested. ¡°If it''s just a coincidence, that would be fine, but if someone intentionally did this, then the implications would be very different,¡± Shen Luo asserted. ¡°In that case, we will go see Master and ask her to investigate this matter,¡± Nie Caizhu, slightly stunned, hesitated before responding. Seeing this, Shen Luo nodded. Inside Mount Putuo, within a great hall. Fairy Qinglian, Huang Tong Daoist, Wei Qing, and several other elders were all gathered here. Fairy Qinglian''s expression was indifferent, and the others were silent as well, seemingly waiting for something, creating a somewhat oppressive atmosphere. A moment later, two figures walked in from outside the hall; it was Zhou Yu and a gray-haired old man. ¡°How did it go?¡± Fairy Qinglian immediately asked. Although the question was abrupt, Zhou Yu and the gray-haired old man clearly understood. ¡°Uncle Master Wei and I have already checked. One of the array eyes of the seal that held the frog spirit had loosened, allowing the frog spirit to escape during the trial,¡± the gray-haired old man gave a bow and reported. ¡°Please rest assured, Sect Leader. Elder Wuhuan and I have already reinforced the array eye, and Uncle Master Wei has severely injured the frog spirit. It definitely won''t be able to escape again,¡± Zhou Yu also gave a bow and stated. Huang Tong Daoist and the other elders nodded upon hearing this, their tense expressions easing slightly. ¡°Elder Wuhuan, you single-handedly set up the prohibition within the Hua Lian Secret Realm, and all the formation tools used were of the highest quality. Why did the array eye of the frog spirit''s seal suddenly loosen, especially right during the trial?¡± Fairy Qinglian suddenly asked. ¡°Is Sect Leader implying that there is something fishy about this incident?¡± Huang Tong inquired. Zhou Yu''s heart skipped a beat, sensing trouble. The reason why the frog spirit had come out was because he had tampered with the frog spirit''s prohibition before the trial began, while inspecting the Hua Lian Secret Realm ¡ª all under the guise of a common disciple investigating the realm, who didn''t even understand the weight of his actions. However, Zhou Yu wasn''t worried. After the trial began, he had found an excuse to send that person away from Mount Putuo. Now far away, thousands of miles away, there was no way the person could trace anything back to him. ¡°I have carefully examined it, and there were signs that the array eye''s prohibition was corroded by a yin poison. It seems that the frog spirit, with much scheming and effort, secretly used a poisonous pill to corrode the array eye, which led to the loosening of the prohibition,¡± the gray-haired old man explained. ¡°Zhou Yu, what do you think?¡± Fairy Qinglian turned to look at Zhou Yu. ¡°My array techniques are far inferior to Elder Wuhuan, and I did not notice anything unusual with the prohibition,¡± Zhou Yu, caught by Fairy Qinglian''s calm gaze, suddenly felt an inexplicable panic and lowered his head to reply. ¡°Is that so?¡± Fairy Qinglian scoffed. Her voice was not loud, but the accusatory tone contained within made everyone in the hall suddenly change their expression. ¡°Sect Leader, what do you mean by this? Are you suggesting that Zhou Yu is related to the frog spirit''s escape?¡± Huang Tong''s eyes were filled with anger as he asked in a deep voice. ¡°As a disciple of Mount Putuo, I''ve also contributed much to the sect over the years. Although you are the Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, you cannot groundlessly accuse me,¡± Zhou Yu said, his pores standing on end and his heart clenching fiercely. However, his face betrayed no sign of this as he knelt on the ground with a ¡°plop,¡± and spoke in a tone filled with grief and indignation. Seeing Zhou Yu''s grief-stricken expression, the other elders couldn''t help but believe him a little. ¡°You don''t need to put on such an act. If I said this, I naturally have evidence. However, considering your past contributions, I''ll give you a chance. Confess everything, and I might deal with you leniently,¡± Fairy Qinglian said indifferently. ¡°I have never done anything that would harm our sect. Sect Leader, if you have any evidence, just present it. If it can prove this matter was done by me, I am willing to die to apologize!¡± Zhou Yu said, lifting his head. His heart was already in turmoil, but at this point, he could only keep up a stubborn defense. ¡°Huang Zhanglu, what do you have to say?¡± Fairy Qinglian looked at Huang Tong. ¡°Zhou Yu is my disciple. I can assure you; he would never commit such atrocious acts,¡± Huang Tong suddenly stood up and said coldly. ¡°With Huang Zhanglu saying this, I am reassured,¡± Fairy Qinglian said with a faint smile. With a single flip of her hand, a bronze mirror appeared in her palm. ¡°The Suspended Sky Mirror? Why has the Sect Leader brought out this object?¡± Huang Tong frowned and asked. ¡°This Suspended Sky Mirror is a treasured artifact of our sect, and it was not refined by our Artifact Refiners. Instead, it comes from the hands of a unique individual from overseas. This treasure can not only project all things but also record the scenes it reflects,¡± Fairy Qinglian explained. Zhou Yu''s pupils contracted, wondering if the scene of that disciple tampering with the prohibition was recorded within the Suspended Sky Mirror? ¡°No, the Suspended Sky Mirror was only activated at the beginning of the trial and wouldn''t have recorded anything before that,¡± he comforted himself, yet he still couldn''t find peace of mind. Fairy Qinglian glanced at Zhou Yu and pinched her fingers towards the mirror. The surface of the mirror emitted strands of green light, and soon a picture appeared. However, it was not the Hua Lian Secret Realm but rather the scene at the square outside the realm. Upon seeing this, everyone was shocked, and Zhou Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°The Suspended Sky Mirror is a priceless treasure. The mirror has two sides; one side records the situation within the Secret Realm, while the other side records what happens outside,¡± Fairy Qinglian said indifferently as she turned her hand. When the Suspended Sky Mirror was turned around, another scene appeared, which showed the inside of the Hua Lian Secret Realm. ¡°I didn''t expect the Suspended Sky Mirror to have such an effect, but why are you showing us this? Is there evidence inside?¡± Huang Tong said irritably. Fairy Qinglian did not reply but her fingertips flickered with a faint green light. The scene on the Suspended Sky Mirror rapidly flipped, stopping moments later and quickly zoomed in to reveal two figures sitting on large chairs¨CZhou Yu and Wei Qing were clearly visible. In the scene, Zhou Yu''s brow twitched slightly. His tightly clenched hand in his sleeve loosened and a corner of a bronze Array Plate could be seen in his palm, a sliver of golden light twinkling momentarily. Next to him, Wei Qing seemed to sense something and looked over but quickly turned his head away again. Zhou Yu''s face paled upon seeing this scene, and the expressions of the others also darkened. Fairy Qinglian''s finger turned and the Suspended Sky Mirror flipped again, displaying the situation of the frog spirit within the Secret Realm. The frog spirit was surrounded by a layer of cyan prohibition, which suddenly flashed violently at one corner and dimmed quickly, revealing a gap. Upon seeing this, the frog spirit showed a look of surprise and joy on its ugly face, then with a forceful push off the ground, it transformed into a streak of green and flew out from the gap. Chapter 819 Chapter 819: Chapter 816: Uninvited Guest Chapter 819: Chapter 816: Uninvited Guest Zhou Yu, upon witnessing the scene in the Suspended Sky Mirror, immediately collapsed onto the ground, his face deathly pale. He had calculated every possibility but had not expected that the mirror could record events happening outside. If there had been only a single image, he could have denied any small slip-up, but now that there were images both inside and out, he had no ground for argument. Huang Tong''s face turned an ashen hue, and with a sudden movement, he struck his palm toward Zhou Yu''s head. But a streak of red lightning shot forward, blocking above Zhou Yu''s head. The force of Huang Tong''s palm hit the red shadow, producing a loud ¡°bang,¡± and energy surged in all directions. The red shadow merely trembled before returning to form. It was a vermilion long ribbon, emitting brilliant spiritual light, clearly a precious treasure. Zhou Yu''s face had already turned ghostly white, indicating that if Huang Tong''s palm had landed on his head, he would have undoubtedly been killed. ¡°There is no need for such severity. Although Zhou Yu was misled and made a mistake, he has yet to cause a great disaster. His crime does not warrant death. It would be better to strip him of his cultivation and confine him in the dungeon,¡± said Fairy Qinglian, raising her hand. The tail end of the vermilion long ribbon flicked out like a snake and shot into Zhou Yu''s Dantian with a ¡°swoosh.¡± With the destruction of his Dantian, Zhou Yu''s mana dissipated like smoke, and he collapsed limply to the ground. Huang Tong''s eyes twitched, but he said nothing. ¡°Take him away,¡± Fairy Qinglian ordered with a wave of her hand. ¡°Sect Leader, we have not yet interrogated Zhou Yu as to why he committed such an act,¡± an elder stood and said. ¡°There is no need for questioning. I have already ascertained that due to old grievances with Wu Ming and that Shen Luo, he incited Zhou Yu against the latter. Zhou Yu, indulging in emotions and driven by jealousy, plotted to take Shen Luo''s life during the trial by releasing that Frog spirit,¡± Fairy Qinglian stated indifferently. Upon hearing Fairy Qinglian reveal his deepest secrets, Zhou Yu''s last bit of false hope vanished completely, and he lowered his head in resignation, filled with endless regret. When the elder heard this, he looked at Zhou Yu, sighed, and stood up to escort Zhou Yu out. ¡°Sect Leader, I have failed in my oversight of my disciple and no longer deserve the authority of enforcing our sect''s laws. This is the Punishment Order token; I ask that you take it back,¡± Huang Tong said as he took out a bright token and placed it on the nearby tea table. The token, smooth as a mirror and with the character ¡°Law¡± inscribed on it, appeared quite extraordinary. Seeing this, the expressions of the other elders shifted. The position of Mount Putuo''s Discipline Elder carried immense power, second only to the Sect Leader. Over many years, two factions had formed within Mount Putuo: one led by Fairy Qinglian and the other by Huang Tong. Now with Huang Tong relinquishing his disciplinary authority, there would undoubtedly be a significant shift in the power dynamics of Mount Putuo. After placing the token down, Huang Tong turned and walked out without waiting for Fairy Qinglian to speak. ¡°You all may leave,¡± Fairy Qinglian said with a sigh. The several elders and Wei Qing in the great hall, upon hearing this, stood up, gave a bow, and left one after another. Fairy Qinglian gestured and the Punishment Order token flew into her hand with a ¡°swoosh.¡± As she caressed the smooth token, a slight smile appeared on her lips, and she vanished from the great hall in a shimmer. ¡­ The next day, on the square of Mount Putuo, everyone gathered for the conclusion of the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference,¡± where the ownership of the immortal apricot was to be announced. On the high platform was an altar table with a white jade box containing a golden-yellow immortal apricot about the size of a pigeon''s egg. At first glance, it looked no different from an ordinary apricot, but the glowing light it radiated from within was a sign not to be underestimated. The whole jade box was covered by a dome-shaped white light curtain, drawing the attention of everyone present. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo had arrived early and watched the apricot on the platform, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. His body''s chaotic vital energy had already been refined. As long as he obtained this immortal apricot, his lifespan problem would be immediately resolved. ¡°Congratulations, Brother Shen,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a smile. He knew Shen Luo''s physical condition and was sincerely happy that Shen Luo had won the immortal apricot. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said. Zheng Jun, Lin Qianqian, Zhan Yue, and others who had recovered came up to thank Shen Luo, who responded to each of them in turn. In a secluded area not far away, two graceful figures stood. They were Li Shu and Liu Qing, who were looking at Shen Luo from afar amidst the crowd. ¡°I can''t believe he actually won,¡± Li Shu said with a smile, her eyebrows curving into a half-moon. ¡°This Shen Luo indeed has quite a bit of ability,¡± Liu Qing also said with a smile. Suddenly, Li Shu sighed softly, sounding wistful. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Liu Qing asked, seeing Li Shu like this. ¡°Nothing much, just thinking that Junior Sister Nie has good judgment,¡± Li Shu said with some emotion. ¡°Oh, is our very own prestigious Princess Shu actually taking a liking to that Shen Luo? You are a princess of the Tang Dynasty, marrying him as Prince Consort wouldn''t be too bad,¡± Liu Qing teased with a giggle. ¡°There''s no such thing. I hold only respect for Big Brother Shen. Don''t talk nonsense, Daoist friend Liu. Besides, as a member of the royal family, I am not the one to decide my own marriage matters,¡± Li Shu said with a slightly blushed face. After all the factions had gathered, Fairy Qinglian of Mount Putuo, Huang Tong Daoist, and others also appeared on the square. ¡°The Immortal Apricot Conference concludes with this. Thank you fellow Daoists for your participation. Despite some unforeseen events that occurred during the conference, we managed to get through it safely. Today, we shall announce the ownership of the immortal apricot,¡± Fairy Qinglian announced. There was a murmur among the crowd below, with many eyes turning towards Shen Luo. ¡°May Nephew Shen of the Great Tang Dynasty Government now please come up,¡± Fairy Qinglian said indifferently. Shen Luo emerged from the crowd and ascended the high platform. ¡°Nephew Shen, with your remarkable strength, has won the first place. According to the conference''s rules, this immortal apricot is yours now. Please make sure to use it well,¡± Fairy Qinglian said, a slight smile showing at the corner of her mouth as she looked at Shen Luo. For the first time, Shen Luo saw Fairy Qinglian smile, which indicated she was in good spirits. ¡°Thank you, Sect Leader,¡± he said, giving a bow. ¡°Cai Zhu, please take out the immortal apricot and hand it to Shen Luo,¡± Fairy Qinglian told Nie Caizhu who was standing beside her. Nie Caizhu responded and went to get a white jade talisman from the offering table. ¡°Haha! The Immortal Apricot Conference is over just like that? That''s really disappointing. Let us join in the fun as well!¡± Just at that moment, a booming voice came from afar. The voice was like a tidal wave breaking through the sky, causing the whole square to rumble. ¡°Who goes there!¡± Fairy Qinglian''s expression changed as she called out coldly. The void above the square fluctuated, and seven or eight tall figures emerged. The leader was a giant clad in black armor, towering at two zhang high, resembling the Juling God, with two pitch-black dragon horns on his head¨Cclearly of the Demon Race. The others, although humanoid, had more or less features of the Demon Race, and were clearly all members of it. Among them, an eagle-nosed man and a hunchbacked old man exuded overwhelming presence, each standing beside the black-armored giant. Shen Luo observed the group, his expression changing slightly. The breath coming from the black-armored man was profound and unfathomable. Shen Luo could not fathom it, but it was at least that of a True Immortal Stage being. The eagle-nosed man and the hunchbacked old man were also likely to be at the True Immortal cultivation level, while the rest were unmistakably at the Great Mahayana Stage. Chapter 820 Chapter 820: Chapter 817: Intent on the Immortal Apricot Chapter 820: Chapter 817: Intent on the Immortal Apricot ¡°` ¡°Black Jiao King! What are you doing at Mount Putuo?¡± Fairy Qinglian''s pupils contracted as she coldly shouted at the arrival. Her heart was greatly shaken because, due to an accident during the conference, all the prohibitions within Mount Putuo had been activated. How had these members of the Demon Race bypassed all the prohibitions? Above the high platform ¡°swish swish swish¡± several figures flashed in succession, revealing the presences of Wei Qing and several Mount Putuo elders, all of whom had cultivation levels above the Great Mahayana Stage. ¡°What, both my Black Dragon Pool and your Mount Putuo are located in the Southern Sea; we''re practically neighbors. When your Mount Putuo is hosting such a grand conference, we specifically came to show support. Fairy Qinglian, could it be that you''re not welcoming us? That would not be the proper way to treat guests,¡± the Black Armored Giant laughed heartily, taking long strides as he began descending toward the ground below. Around the square, the void flickered continuously, revealing red, blue, and white layers of a prohibition light curtain, with runes circulating on its surface and radiance shining in all directions, clearly all sophisticated prohibitions. The Black Armored Giant''s face showed a trace of disdain as he continued his descent. With a ¡°puchi¡± sound, the moment his body came into contact with the triple-layer light curtain of prohibition, it shattered like paper. The Black Armored Giant landed on the square in front of him, and the other members of the Demon Race also followed, settling onto the square. The disciples from various sects on the square hastily avoided the demons and gathered beside the high platform. A trace of anger appeared on Fairy Qinglian''s face as she was about to speak. ¡°Our fellow demon cultivators have come from afar, and naturally we welcome you. Someone, prepare seats for our distinguished guests,¡± Daoist Huang Tong suddenly raised his hand to interrupt her and spoke indifferently. Fairy Qinglian glanced at Huang Tong, a flash of gloom passing through her eyes, but she remained silent. ¡°There''s no need for seats. Our purpose here is to discuss a matter with you and we will be leaving soon,¡± the Black Jiao King waved his hand and said. ¡°Oh? Brother Black Jiao King, what matter brings you here? Feel free to speak openly,¡± inquired Huang Tong nonchalantly. ¡°Today, you at Mount Putuo are hosting the ''Immortal Apricot Conference,'' and naturally, I have come for the immortal apricot,¡± the Black Jiao King''s eyes fell upon the immortal apricot on the high platform, licking his lips with a trace of greed flickering in his gaze. ¡°You desire the immortal apricot? I''m afraid that will disappoint you all. The output from the immortal apricot tree this time was not substantial, yielding only three fruits, and they have already been allocated for specific purposes. There is no surplus. If you truly want our sect''s immortal apricot, you may have to wait another few hundred years,¡± said Huang Tong with a smile. ¡°We need this immortal apricot to help Turtle Taoist Friend withstand a great calamity of wind disaster, and we cannot wait. Isn''t there one right here? I''ll trade one True Immortal Demon Pellet and three Ten-thousand-year Dragon Bone Corals for it. Daoist Brother Huang Tong and Fairy Qinglian should have no objections, right?¡± After glancing at the Hunchbacked Old Man beside him, the Black Jiao King swept his sleeve, and a gesture brought forth a sky-blue demon pellet and three golden corals. Around the demon pellet swirled a blue qi laden with countless points of light, resembling the stardust of the Heavenly River; the three golden corals, shaped like dragon horns, emanated astonishing fluctuations of spiritual power. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed as he looked towards Fairy Qinglian. The four treasures brought out by the Black Jiao King were obviously rare and valuable, possibly worth as much as the immortal apricot itself, so Fairy Qinglian might agree to the trade. ¡°Big Brother Shen, rest assured, Master will not agree to such an impolite demand!¡± Nie Caizhu''s voice rang in Shen Luo''s ears. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt slightly relieved. ¡°This immortal apricot is the prize for the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' and cannot be used for trading. You may leave; we will not see you off!¡± Fairy Qinglian spoke coldly, giving them a direct dismissal. ¡°Is that so? Are you saying that you refuse to give this face, Fairy Qinglian?¡± The Black Jiao King narrowed his eyes, his tone carrying a veiled threat. ¡°Hmph! By the look of things, you didn''t come to exchange for the immortal apricot but to cause trouble instead,¡± Fairy Qinglian said sternly. ¡°` ¡°Haha! Fairy Qinglian, to accuse us so is to wrong us, we have come here merely to take this immortal apricot.¡± The Black Jiao King laughed heartily, his hand suddenly reaching into the void. A flash of black light in his palm, and the phantom of a black flood dragon appeared, lunging viciously towards the high platform. Before the phantom of the flood dragon arrived, a surge of chilling power rushed forward, causing everyone on the high platform to shiver as their blood nearly froze. ¡°How dare you make your move! Seeking death!¡± Fairy Qinglian roared in anger, her hands quickly forming seals and drawing them in. The two mountain peaks nearby rumbled, and countless silver thunderbolts erupted, striking the black flood dragon phantom. The phantom was immediately pierced with countless holes, and after a muffled groan, the black flood dragon phantom dissipated, and the chilling power in the void scattered as well. However, those silver thunderbolts did not vanish; they continued to strike towards the Black Jiao King and the other demons. At the same time, a roaring sound filled the sky above the square, and a golden spirit lamp with seven flames appeared out of thin air, with numerous golden flames rolling down from the sky, plunging straight towards the Black Jiao King and the others like a rain of fire. ¡°The Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp!¡± Someone among the crowd near the high platform who knew their stuff exclaimed. Shen Luo''s gaze shifted; before coming to Mount Putuo, he had done his research and learned a bit about this sect. The Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp was one of Mount Putuo''s mountain-guarding magical treasures, reportedly personally refined by Guanyin Bodhisattva, possessing boundless might. Fairy Qinglian had activated this treasure; it seemed that the Black Jiao King and the other demons would not have a good time. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet Shen Luo found it puzzling; the Black Jiao King and his companions were too audacious, causing trouble within the Mount Putuo sect itself. Even if their strength was formidable, surely they could not match the thousands of years of accumulation of the entire Mount Putuo. The Black Jiao King also grew solemn, opened his mouth and spat out a pitch-black demon flag. With a whooshing flick, a thick black demon cloud suddenly appeared above, shielding all the demons within it. Within the cloud, countless human and demon souls struggled in pain, roaring towards the heavens. The once clear and bright square instantly turned gloomy, with a chilling Yin Qi pervading the air, as if it had become Yama''s Palace. The silver thunderbolts and the golden rain of fire struck the demon cloud, immediately creating countless explosive thunderous sounds that echoed across the sky. The silver thunderbolts and golden flames burst open and interweaved, constantly tearing and evaporating the black demon cloud, which quickly thinned out. Fairy Qinglian continued her incantation, and Huang Tong next to her did not stand idly by, lending his aid with magic as well. The silver thunderbolts and golden rain of fire falling from above became even more intense, and the black demon cloud dissipated even faster, on the verge of being completely pierced through. A trace of joy appeared on Fairy Qinglian''s face, ready to put in extra effort to leave these demons no chance of escape. But at that very moment, sudden treachery struck from behind her. With all attention directed towards the fierce conflict below, two sharp lights suddenly shot out from Wei Qing, who stood behind Fairy Qinglian, and hit her unprotected back. Thud! Fairy Qinglian''s body was instantly pierced with two bloody holes, and she spewed a mouthful of fresh blood, her magic spell dissipating in hand. Huang Tong was also attacked by two beams of light from behind, but they were met with two loud clangs; his body was jolted, but he remained unharmed. Looking through the torn clothes, Huang Tong was wearing a faint golden inner armor. His magic spells also dissipated, and the silver thunderbolts and golden rain of fire that had been descending from mid-air abruptly halted. Elsewhere on the high platform, and even within the crowd below, there were sudden screams of agony as many were grievously wounded by unexpected attacks. In an instant, everything descended into chaos, with sharp cries and roars merging into one tumultuous din. Chapter 821 Chapter 821: Chapter 818: Civil War Chapter 821: Chapter 818: Civil War The series of sudden changes at the scene also startled Shen Luo, who was urgently thinking of a strategy when his expression abruptly changed. In the midst of the chaos, two figures dashed straight for the divine apricot on the table. One of them was a man in a green robe, a participant in the conference whom Shen Luo did not recognize, and the other was Liu Qing. With a thought, Shen Luo''s feet shone with the Moonlight Glamour, and he performed the Slanting Moon Steps, disappearing from his original spot in a flash. The man in the green robe moved with eerie agility, his body flashing with green light as he left behind a long snake-shaped phantom, reaching the offering table first. He flipped his hand to produce a gleaming dagger, which he thrust fiercely against the golden light shield around the divine apricot. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the golden light shield trembled violently but did not break. The man in the green robe snorted coldly, flicked his wrist, and a layer of liquid-like black light emerged on the dagger, stabbing at it again with force. Meanwhile, Liu Qing had also reached the table, a black dragon-headed war blade in hand, which she brought down fiercely. A dragon-shaped blade light appeared, striking the golden light shield at the same time as the black dagger. The golden light shield shook wildly, unable to bear the assault any longer, and with a ¡°bang,¡± it exploded, turning into countless golden fireflies. The divine apricot was caught by the airflow from the shattered light shield and flew towards Liu Qing. A glint of joy flashed in Liu Qing''s eyes, and with her other hand becoming hazy, she reached for the divine apricot. But at that moment, a mysterious yellow stick abruptly appeared above, striking down towards Liu Qing''s left hand. Before the long stick even reached her, an immensely heavy force pressed down, causing Liu Qing''s arm to sink. ¡°Seeking death!¡± Liu Qing raged. The black dragon blade shot out in an instant, turning into a bolt of black lightning, slashing at the mysterious yellow stick. A figure appeared out of nowhere beside the mysterious yellow stick¨Cit was Shen Luo. He twisted his wrist and performed the Splashy Chaotic Stick. In his haste, he only managed to create six stick shadows, which tore through the air with a dull burst of air, colliding with the black dragon blade. An explosion like a muffled thunder roared! The six stick shadows dissipated, the Profound Yellow Staff was knocked out of hand and flew back, while Shen Luo staggered a couple of steps. But the black dragon blade was sent flying even faster, and Liu Qing, who was holding the blade, was also sent flying with a jolt, her face filled with disbelief. The man in the green robe''s expression also changed drastically, clearly not having expected that Liu Qing would lose to Shen Luo after their confrontation. Although shocked, the man did not stop his actions. With a sharp whizzing sound, a black claw-shaped magical instrument shot out from the man''s hand, its tips shooting out five black lights, seizing the moment Shen Luo was off-balance to grab at his chest. Simultaneously, the man pointed with his other hand, and a sparkling green long whip shot out from his sleeve, sweeping towards the divine apricot. Shen Luo, who was determined to get the divine apricot, would not let this man snatch it away. Ignoring the need to stabilize himself, he immediately waved his hand. The purple great bead shot out, instantly enlarging tenfold with a loud clang, effortlessly blocking the strike from the black claw. At the same time, a golden cone shadow flew out from Shen Luo''s sleeve, colliding with the green long whip. Shen Luo didn''t care about the consumption, his body exploded with blue light as he called up all his mana. The golden awl shadow suddenly expanded tenfold, transforming into a several zhang long golden giant awl. It emitted an extremely sharp breath, slashing heavily upon the green long whip. With a ¡°hiss,¡± the green long whip was neatly cut in half. The massive awl, with its momentum undiminished, streaked towards the man in the green robe like lightning, while the purple giant pearl let out a whoosh as it smashed towards him, carrying a heavy, frenzied wind. The man in the green robe had not expected Shen Luo to fight so desperately or to cast spells so swiftly; unable to dodge in time, he was struck squarely by both the golden giant awl and the purple great bead. With two thunderous ¡°bangs,¡± the man in the green robe was also sent flying, his body splattered with fresh blood as the golden giant awl slashed a long wound across his shoulder. Shen Luo did not pursue him but instead darted straight towards the immortal apricot. With a flick of his sleeve, a flash of gold, the immortal apricot vanished into thin air. The rapid succession of exchanges was as quick as lightning, ending in the blink of an eye. Liu Qing and the man in the green robe, upon seeing the immortal apricot fall into Shen Luo''s hands, both displayed expressions of anger and resentment but did not move forward to snatch it back, instead retreating quickly towards the Demon Race at the square. ¡°So Liu Qing is also one of these Demon Race people!¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows upon seeing this. From a distance, Li Shu''s pretty face turned instantly pale upon witnessing the scene. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Meanwhile, from within the crowd, ¡°swoosh, swoosh,¡± over a dozen figures flew out, landing near the Demon Race, including Wei Qing among them. ¡°Wei Qing! What, what are you doing?¡± Fairy Qinglian''s mouth gushed with fresh blood as she barely stood with the support of Nie Caizhu, a look of shock on her face as she pointed at Wei Qing and shouted. Huang Tong Daoist also wore a look of shock, then looked towards his allies. His heart sank. The targets of the recent sneak attacks were almost exclusively the Elders of Mount Putuo. Out of the seven or eight Elders present, five or six had been injured. Among the experts of the other sects, four or five were also caught in the ambush. ¡°What am I doing? I''m ambushing you, can''t you see that?¡± Wei Qing was laughing wildly as if he had suddenly become someone else entirely. As he spoke, he raised his hand and summoned two streaks of white light that flew towards him. They were two sharp short blades, looking extremely sharp, and the blades were stained with a hint of ominous green, clearly smeared with deadly poison. ¡°Uncle Master Wei, have you gone mad?¡± Nie Caizhu looked at Wei Qing with a mix of shock and anger as she shouted. The other Mount Putuo disciples also stood there dumbfounded, gazing at Wei Qing as if looking at a madman. Wei Qing simply looked up and laughed heartily, not bothering to answer Nie Caizhu''s question. ¡°Wei Qing, you''ve turned to the Demon Race? Was it you who informed them about the prohibitions within the sect? Is that why these monsters from Black Dragon Pool could so easily invade the depths of our sect, is that it?¡± Elder Huangtong demanded coldly. ¡°Elder Huangtong, as the former Chief Enforcer, you guessed perfectly,¡± Wei Qing said, his laughter finally subsiding, a hint of mockery emerging at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Why would you turn to the Demon Race of Black Dragon Pool? Where has the sect wronged you?¡± Elder Huangtong asked sternly. ¡°Why? Haha, do you remember Jinlin from that year? I watched her being killed by the people of Mount Putuo! You, Huang Tong, were there that day!¡± Wei Qing laughed maniacally to the sky, his voice filled with madness and sorrow. Huang Tong and Fairy Qinglian''s expressions changed drastically upon hearing this. Most people present showed puzzled looks, but the Elders of Mount Putuo and a few senior disciples turned pale. Shen Luo caught everyone''s reactions and slightly raised his eyebrows. Bai Xiaotian flew over from below, standing beside Shen Luo. After experiencing several great battles together, they had come to regard each other as reliable allies, instinctively joining forces when danger arose. ¡°Who is Jinlin? Brother Bai, do you know?¡± Shen Luo communicated to Bai Xiaotian through a voice transmission. ¡°I don''t know either, let''s wait and see,¡± Bai Xiaotian replied with a wry smile and a shake of his head. Shen Luo said no more and continued to watch Elder Huangtong and Wei Qing. Chapter 822 Chapter 822: Chapter 819: Coming Prepared Chapter 822: Chapter 819: Coming Prepared ¡°` ¡°What is your relationship with Golden Scales?¡± Daoist Huang Tong asked in a deep voice. Wei Qing let out a cold laugh, his mouth opening as if to reply. ¡°Don''t fall for his trickery. This Huang Tong is luring you into conversation, stalling for time so that Elder Guan Yue can make his way here!¡± Black Jiao King barked sharply, interrupting Wei Qing. Hearing this, Wei Qing''s expression stiffened. ¡°It''s already too late for you to realize. I''ve just sent a message to inform Uncle Guan Yue. His elder is speeding here from the Shuiyun interlude, and will arrive in moments! You vile demons dare to offend Mount Putuo; none of you will escape today!¡± Huang Tong retorted with a sneer. ¡°Master Guan Yue is the pillar of heaven of Mount Putuo, having reached the Taiyi Realm. Although these demons are mighty and have used treacherous schemes to severely injure many elders of Mount Putuo, as soon as Daoist Guan Yue arrives, a flick of his wrist could eradicate them all,¡± Bai Xiaotian''s voice transmission reached Shen Luo''s ear. ¡°Since we dared to come to your Mount Putuo, naturally we came prepared. Do you think we would neglect to account for that Elder Guan Yue?¡± Black Jiao King said with a cold smile. Huang Tong''s face froze at these words. At this moment, a series of thunderous noises came from beyond the mountain gate. By the time they reached here, only the aftereffects were left, yet it still made the void tremble and the whole of Mount Putuo shake. Everyone looked far into the distance, only to see a gold and a black light colliding intensely at the ends of the sky. With every collision, the sky shook and clouds tumbled. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue!¡± Fairy Qinglian and the others'' expressions changed dramatically. Despite the great distance, they recognized at a glance that the golden light belonged to Master Guan Yue. ¡°Without Elder Guan Yue''s protection, let''s see what waves you can still make. All of you, prepare to die!¡± Black Jiao King laughed wildly, gesturing towards the black banner in front of him. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± an endless burst of black demon qi erupted, instantly occupying the entire square, engulfing everyone with its rolling waves. The black demon qi didn''t cease, continuing to spread swiftly towards even more distant places. Shen Luo''s vision turned dark as he was enveloped by dense demon qi, which emitted an oppressively heavy breath, like an onrush of lead water, threatening to crush him alive with its formidable force. Not only that, but the demon qi also contained numerous vicious souls, cackling and tearing towards him. Taken aback, Shen Luo remained composed. He took a deep breath, and then his hands hidden in his sleeves suddenly swept outward. The sound of swords resonated loudly, and a red flying sword appeared above his head, spinning rapidly. Red sword shadows began to materialize around him, whirling swiftly. Each sword shadow exuded an exceptionally sharp aura, easily slicing through the overwhelming pressure surrounding him. As soon as the vicious souls in the demon qi touched the red sword shadows, they fizzled into green smoke and vanished without even brushing his clothing. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo, after being nurtured and tempered during the last summoning of Dream Cultivation, had finally reached perfection, its power not the slightest bit inferior to the Dragon Horn Short Awl among the magical treasures. A flash of profound yellow light zoomed past as the Profound Yellow Staff also flew back, striking toward the dark clouds around them. Beside Shen Luo, Bai Xiaotian also brought forth his Golden Demon-subduing Pestle and Dragon-painting Fan, wrapping his body in two layers of golden light to withstand the impact of the surrounding black demon qi. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, his Demon-subduing Pestle and fan were not as powerful as the Pure Yang Sword Embryo; the golden light shuddered continuously under the assault of the demon qi. ¡°This won''t do. The demon qi here is too dense; we need to get out fast!¡± Bai Xiaotian resisted for a moment and then immediately shouted to Shen Luo. Shen Luo frowned, but before he could reply, a series of explosive bangs erupted from the front. It seemed that the experts at the True Immortal Stage and Great Mahayana Stage had begun to clash, with roars and screams intermingling in the tumult. ¡°` A massive tremor passed through, and the high platform beneath their feet collapsed as easily as if it were made of paper, while the surrounding black demon Qi churned like raging waves, creating huge swells. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were like small boats in a huge wave, easily slapped away. Fortunately, both of them reacted extremely quickly, immediately retreating with the momentum, unharmed by the shock, and in the blink of an eye, they had fallen back to the edge of the square. There, the black Qi was no longer as dense, barely allowing them to make out their surroundings. ¡°Those demons are too strong, our strength is of little help here, we should retreat and protect ourselves first,¡± Bai Xiaotian said again. Shen Luo did not retreat immediately but looked up ahead, a trace of urgency flashing in his eyes. Cai Zhu had just been beside Fairy Qinglian in the heart of the battle, and he had no idea how she was faring now. They had just been sent flying by the massive shock, completely disoriented, and now the black Qi was also blocking their Divine Sense, making it impossible to determine Cai Zhu''s whereabouts. ¡°Let''s retreat a distance first and assess the situation before we do anything else,¡± Shen Luo said after a brief hesitation, ready to retreat with Bai Xiaotian. At that moment, a pained cry came from the front left. Shen Luo''s body shuddered, the voice belonged to none other than Nie Caizhu. His Pure Yang Sword Embryo Sword Light flared up above his head, enveloping his body, and in an instant, he turned into a red sword rainbow that shot towards that direction. Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian''s body shone with golden light, promptly chasing after him. The red sword rainbow easily tore through the black demon Qi in front of him, covering dozens of feet in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo fully activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, shooting two beams of green light from his eyes, scanning the surroundings. Although the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was not particularly adept at seeing through these demon Qi, it did enhance his vision somewhat, thinning the dense black Qi around him enough to see a bit further. After swiftly bypassing several battle circles, a look of surprise and delight appeared on his face as he barely caught a glimpse of a white figure in his field of vision; it seemed to be Nie Caizhu, and he immediately flew up to her. Nie Cai Zhu''s lower abdomen was pierced through, leaving a gaping bowl-sized bloody hole with blood gushing out, staining her skirt red. Behind the black demon Qi, a flash of purple light revealed a purple net shooting out, entwined with strands of purple lightning. It flung open into a giant purple net tens of feet wide, descending over Cai Zhu. Behind the purple net was a purple-robed demon clan man with a single horn on his head and cruel light exuding from his triangular eyes; it was indeed the Mahayana stage demon who had just appeared. This demon was wielding a dark shuttle-shaped magical treasure, with each wave creating dozens of black shuttle shadows, striking at Cai Zhu in a mix of feints and solid hits, seemingly unstoppable. Although Nie Caizhu was seriously wounded, she showed no sign of retreating. A silver ribbon twirled around her, creating trails of silver light that intercepted the black shuttle shadows. With her other hand, she flung a white short rod that shot out to meet the purple net. Atop the short rod was inlaid a peculiar black and white bead, emanating great black and white lights that formed into a colossal Black and White Taiji Diagram, flickering with light, a God''s Power of unknown kind, which collided with the purple net. Blinding light erupted like the sun, shining so brightly that it was impossible to look directly at it. The formidable Purple Lightning Net was surprisingly held back by the Taiji Pattern. However, the Taiji Pattern only persisted for a few breaths before it was shattered by the purple lightning on the net, and the white short rod was also sent flying, whirling into the surrounding dark clouds. Chapter 823 Chapter 823: Chapter 820: Fighting the Giant Beast Chapter 823: Chapter 820: Fighting the Giant Beast ¡°Sun and Moon Light Brilliant Stick! I didn''t expect Mount Putuo to have bestowed this Immortal Stick upon you. Alas, your strength is too weak; you simply cannot bring out its full power. Die!¡± The purple-robed man sneered coldly as his fingers grasped at the void. Bursts of thunder erupted from the purple net, suddenly flinging dozens of thick purple bolts of lightning at Nie Caizhu, mercilessly striking down upon her. Nie Caizhu''s face turned pale as she struggled to activate the silver ribbons swirling around her, but the ribbons were firmly entangled by the other''s dark black long shuttle and couldn''t split to come to her aid. The purple lightning suddenly swelled several times in size, engulfing the surroundings within tens of feet and leaving Nie Caizhu no way to evade. She was about to be overwhelmed by the purple lightning. Just at that moment, a sharp whistle suddenly pierced the air from the dark cloud behind, revealing a house-sized purple giant pearl that blinked and flew to hover above Nie Caizhu''s head, blocking the assault of the purple lightning. All the purple lightning struck the giant pearl, and amidst the rumbling booms, clusters of purple light burst forth, like miniature suns tearing easily through the nearby dark clouds and creating a large open space in the void, which quaked as a result. However, the purple giant pearl remained unscathed, merely shaken violently a few times, without even a scratch on it. ¡°What!¡± The purple-robed man was taken aback. This purple lightning net was a magical treasure with at least twenty prohibitions. Yet, it could not even scratch the purple giant pearl. What kind of treasure was this pearl? Greed flashed in the eyes of the purple-robed man. He formed hand seals with his fingers, causing the purple lightning net to suddenly fall, aiming to cage the purple giant pearl. From the dark cloud beside Nie Caizhu, the sound of a flying sword resounded, and a dragon-like red sword rainbow shot out, slashing towards the purple-robed man. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The man in the purple robe raised an eyebrow slightly, unconcerned. Although this sword rainbow was powerful, its emitted breath revealed it as God''s Power wielded by a Nascent Soul cultivator. As a member of the Demon Race at the Mahayana stage, why would he care? The purple-robed man produced a purple thunder hammer from his hand, its surface flickering with terrifying lightning, its might even surpassing that of the purple net and dark black long shuttle, striking toward the red sword rainbow in one blow. His primary focus remained on the purple giant pearl, his other hand pointing at the purple lightning net, urging it to constrain the pearl. With a thunderous roar, ten thousand strands of purple lightning burst forth from the hammer, illuminating the area for tens of feet with a blinding light! The red sword rainbow shattered inch by inch, revealing Shen Luo''s figure, his face pale and a trace of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. Yet he didn''t stop. His feet flickered with moonlight as he continued to charge toward the purple-robed man like lightning, the Xuanhuang stick in his hands flashing as sixty-four stick shadows appeared out of thin air. The nearby void trembled violently, the rippling waves and the sixty-four stick shadows merged into one, resembling a rapidly spinning giant millstone covering the man''s head. The purple-robed man felt a heavy weight on his shoulder and was shocked to find his body felt as if it was being pressed by a giant mountain, becoming incredibly heavy, and moving his limbs became difficult. His expression finally changed, and as he regarded Shen Luo, his eyes filled with seriousness. He moved his hands, and the net around the purple giant pearl abruptly stopped moving, then shot upward, colliding with the sixty-four stick shadows. The ¡°boom¡± of the explosions reverberated, and thick bolts of purple lightning hammered viciously onto the stick shadows, even larger than those aimed at Nie Caizhu earlier. However, the sixty-four stick shadows merely swirled slightly, and a terrifying force poured out as if the millstone was grinding beans, completely pulverizing all the purple lightning. The net of lightning below was jolted away, with even the sound of tearing heard from the net, which was torn with several gashes. The sixty-four stick shadows only paused briefly before descending once again. With both hands flashing with lightning, the purple-robed man, who was just about to unleash some powerful ability, had his expression change drastically. He immediately dispersed the lightning in his hands. As the purple lightning around his body flared up, his body rapidly swelled, and sharp claws grew out on his hands and feet, while his skin sprouted one after another of purple scales. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into a monstrous beast standing twenty or thirty feet tall, with a thick single horn on its head and a body clad in purple scale armor, looking fierce and fearsome. The purple-scaled beast let out a roar. The thick horn on its forehead surged with purple lightning, which violently stabbed at the sixty-four stick shadows that were attacking. The terrifying purple lightning exploded, illuminating dozens of feet around with an unbearable brilliance, nearly impossible to look at directly with the naked eye. With a thunderous boom, a streak of lightning as thick as a millstone shot out from the horn of the purple-scaled beast. The tip of the lightning formed a sharp angle, and as it passed, it left a black mark in the void as if it were about to tear it apart. This immensely powerful streak of purple lightning covered a distance of more than ten feet in an instant, colliding with the sixty-four stick shadows. A thunderous explosion that shook the heavens and earth thundered out as the sixty-four stick shadows were penetrated with difficulty by the lightning and then burst into pieces. Shen Luo, who was behind the stick shadows, had blood spurting from his mouth as he was sent flying backward. But the purple lightning also burst apart, turning into numerous fine bolts of lightning that spread in all directions. The body of the purple-scaled beast shuddered violently and staggered backward. Just at that moment, a red flying sword shot out from amidst the sky-filling purple lightning. It was the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, which flashed forward and appeared in front of the purple-scaled beast, stabbing down viciously. The purple-scaled beast, no longer underestimating Shen Luo, tried to dodge to the side, but couldn''t completely avoid the attack. With a ¡°puchi¡± sound, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo pierced through the beast''s scales and fiercely stabbed into one of its forelegs, causing blood to gush out. ¡°Is that all?¡± The purple-scaled beast was taken aback for a moment. The flying sword had not struck a vital point, and as the sword was not long, it hadn''t even reached its bone; the damage barely affected the creature''s combat ability. Shen Luo, flying backward, revealed a slight smile at the corner of his mouth and began forming rapid hand seals that looked like flames. A flash of fire on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and a vast expanse of Red Lotus Karmic Fire emerged. Spiraling once, it transformed into two Red Lotus Fire Pythons, which coiled into the beast''s body, rushing upwards through the claw toward its brain. Shen Luo knew well that no matter how exquisite his Splashy Chaotic Stick technique was, his current level of cultivation could not threaten the Great-Consummation Stage Monster. This series of attacks was all to set up for the final strike of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Only the Red Lotus Karmic Fire could genuinely harm the opponent. Wherever the Red Lotus Fire Python passed, the claws of the purple-scaled beast rapidly became numb, losing all sensation as if they no longer belonged to the beast. The purple-scaled beast was greatly shocked; its scales slightly parted, and purple lightning flickered all over its body in an attempt to stop the two strands of Red Lotus Karmic Fire. However, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was Heavenly Fire, and Shen Luo had learned the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique in Dreamland, which greatly enhanced the power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. It forcefully broke through the blockade of the lightning and aimed straight for the beast''s brain. The monster soul in the brain of the purple-scaled beast trembled inexplicably, exhibiting an unusual fear towards the rapidly approaching Red Lotus Karmic Fire, as if it had encountered its natural predator. The beast roared wildly and flung itself backward, spewing out a purple lightning blade from its mouth and striking its own forepaw where the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had stabbed. The forepaw was severed at shoulder height, and blood cascaded down like a waterfall, but at the same time, the two strands of the power of flames also detached from its body. The beast didn''t dare to hesitate and continued to fly backward, vanishing into the dark clouds in the blink of an eye, disappearing from sight. Chapter 824 Chapter 824: Chapter 821 Cure Injury Chapter 824: Chapter 821 Cure Injury Shen Luo cursed under his breath but didn''t pursue the giant beast. He waved his hand to recall the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Purple Giant Pearl, then leaped over to Nie Caizhu''s side and scooped her into his arms. ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Nie Caizhu murmured weakly, before she could no longer hold on and fell unconscious. Bai Xiaotian also flew over from behind and, upon seeing Nie Caizhu''s condition, his expression changed drastically. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Shen Luo said to Bai Xiaotian, red light erupting from his body, engulfing him as he transformed into a red sword rainbow, shooting off into the distance. Bai Xiaotian followed swiftly behind, and soon the two had flown out of the range of the black Demon Qi, only then could they see the current situation of Mount Putuo. The black demon cloud had spread extremely fast, submerging more than half of Mount Putuo Sect, from which countless tigers, leopards, wolves, bears, and other members of the Demon Race emerged, amounting to nearly ten thousand in number. These Demon Race members were also not ordinary in strength. There were many powerful demons at the Nascent Soul and Soul Condensation Stages, engaged in fierce combat with the rushing disciples of Mount Putuo. What was once a serene Sect was now filled with cries of battle, with people or demons dying at every moment. ¡°This¡­ I''ve heard of the Black Dragon Pool, a fairly large Demon Race force in the Southern Sea, but they don''t have this many members on their own. It seems the Black Dragon Pool has joined forces with other Demon Race powers. Could it be that they intend to destroy Mount Putuo?¡± Bai Xiaotian''s face changed as he spoke in a low voice. However, Shen Luo paid no attention to the surroundings, his gaze fixed on Nie Caizhu in his arms. Nie Caizhu''s breath was feeble, and it was weakening rapidly; she needed immediate treatment. Red light flickered beneath his feet as the direction of the red sword rainbow shifted, flying towards a place with less conflict. Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian hesitated for a moment, but still followed him. The two''s escape lights were swift, and they quickly flew out of Mount Putuo Sect''s territory. A dense Purple Bamboo Forest appeared ahead, surrounded by swirling White Fog and rich with spiritual energy, a location seldom frequented by others, indeed a good place for healing wounds. ¡°Is this that Purple Bamboo Forest?¡± Shen Luo had been here before, it seemed to be an important place of Mount Putuo. But he didn''t stop for a second and flew straight into the bamboo forest. ¡°Brother Shen, wait for me!¡± Bai Xiaotian, who was coming from behind and saw this scene, urgently called out to stop him, but it was too late. The red sword rainbow that Shen Luo had turned into had already disappeared into the bamboo forest ahead. Strangely, as soon as the red sword rainbow flew into the forest, it vanished immediately. ¡°There''s indeed a prohibition!¡± Bai Xiaotian stopped outside the Purple Bamboo Forest, murmuring to himself. He paced back and forth outside of the forest, then, gritting his teeth, he too flew in and instantly disappeared. Bai Xiaotian sped through the bamboo forest, surrounded by thick White Fog that limited visibility. He dared not fly too fast, cautiously moving forward for a while, until an Open Ground appeared quickly. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu were there. Nie Caizhu was lying on the ground, while Shen Luo held her hands, infusing his Mana into her body. He had already administered an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill to Nie Caizhu and was now concentrating on helping her refine the Elixir. Blood silk appeared at the wound on Nie Caizhu''s lower abdomen, swiftly intertwining, but the healing was very slow. Fortunately, after taking the Elixir, Nie Caizhu''s breath had stabilized and was no longer weakening. Bai Xiaotian floated down and immediately upon touching the ground, he anxiously asked, ¡°How is Miss Nie''s injury?¡± ¡°I had already administered her a Milk Spirit Pill, but I do not know by what she was harmed, for her wounds are exceedingly difficult to heal,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°These wounds are indeed somewhat odd, they somewhat resemble poisoning,¡± Bai Xiaotian took a glance at Nie Caizhu''s wound, and with a slight gasp, he said. ¡°Poisoned?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, he had carefully examined the wound and had not discovered any sign of severe poison afflicting Nie Caizhu''s wound. ¡°This is a type of a very strange poison, Brother Shen, you are not deeply versed in poisons, so naturally, it would not be easy for you to spot. Leave it to me,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a smile, his hands forming seals rapidly. Golden light intensified around his body, forming a golden Buddha Illusion around him, and then he pointed at Nie Caizhu. A mass of golden light also lit up around Nie Caizhu, forming a hemispherical golden light shield that rapidly spun around her. Numerous Golden Runes appeared on the light shield, converging on Nie Caizhu''s body like a tide, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around them followed the Golden Runes into Nie Caizhu''s body. The wounds on Nie Caizhu''s lower abdomen healed at a pace several times faster, with wisps of blood-colored vapor spilling from the wounds, writhing as if alive, an unknown entity. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed green, his pupils dilating and contracting rapidly, and he soon saw the true identity of these blood-colored vapors ¨C they were countless tiny, blood-red worms. ¡°Gu insects!¡± he exclaimed in shock. Images from the ¡°Medicine Immortal Collection¡± he had previously read emerged in his mind; it contained many records of miraculous Gu Techniques, and these blood-colored worms looked very much like them. ¡°Brother Shen is also aware of Gu creatures? The poison that Brother Nie has been afflicted with is Blood Poison Gu. These Gu insects are incredibly toxic, they consume the host''s Qi and vital essence, and once they encounter flesh and blood they blend into it, imperceptible to the Divine Sense,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo suddenly realized why Nie Caizhu''s injuries had been healing so slowly. He took out a Blaze Talisman, and a burst of flames engulfed the blood-colored worms, turning them to nothingness. With the disruption from the Gu insects gone, Nie Caizhu''s wounds healed rapidly, and in a few breaths, the wounds had completely disappeared, but Nie Caizhu remained unconscious. Shen Luo''s Divine Wood Grace had already been cultivated, giving him a keen sense of the vital essence of life, and he detected that Nie Caizhu''s had significantly diminished ¨C which led to her continued unconsciousness. ¡°Could it be that those Gu insects just now could devour a person''s life force?¡± he wondered with alarm. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If that were true, such Gu insects were indeed terrifying. ¡°I am grateful for Brother Bai''s help. What kind of godly power did you just use to have such a miraculous healing effect?¡± Shen Luo gave Bai Xiaotian a clasped-hand salute in thanks. ¡°That was a secret technique of my Hua Sheng Temple, the Mysterious Hand of Rejuvenation, capable of resolving ten thousand poisons,¡± Bai Xiaotian uttered a breath, his complexion somewhat pale, as if the use of this secret technique had been extremely draining. Shen Luo expressed his thanks once again, then took Nie Caizhu''s hand, continuing to channel his mana into her, while also running his Divine Wood Grace to regulate Nie Caizhu''s lifeforce. Nie Caizhu''s pallid complexion slowly regained its color, and a moment later she uttered a moan, regaining consciousness. ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Seeing Shen Luo, a tinge of joy surfaced on Nie Caizhu''s face as she slowly sat up. ¡°Your internal organs have been gravely injured and have not fully recovered; do not move rashly. Here, take another Milk Spirit Pill,¡± Shen Luo said with a tight expression, quickly pressing down on Nie Caizhu''s shoulder and taking out another Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill. ¡°There''s no need to worry. We at Mount Putuo are adept at healing injuries; I will be well shortly. Do not waste your precious elixirs, cousin,¡± Nie Caizhu sat up, took out a green talisman that bore the pattern of a willow branch, and emitted an incredibly vibrant vitality. She crushed the green talisman, and a burst of green light emerged, within it a verdant willow branch, which merged indistinctly into her body. A ring of green light suddenly appeared around Nie Caizhu, and intense mana fluctuations transmitted from within her body as her internal organs rapidly healed and her complexion regained its rosiness. Not only that, but Nie Caizhu''s mana also instantly returned to its peak, and she slowly stood up. Chapter 825 Chapter 825: 822 Chapter 825: 822 Shen Luo looked at Nie Caizhu, who was already unscathed before his eyes, and his mouth couldn''t help but open slightly. Nie Caizhu''s internal organs had been heavily damaged, and even after taking an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, she would need a long time to recover. Her mana was also less than thirty percent, and with the best restoration pills, it would still take at least half an hour to recover. Yet, with just a glance at this talisman, she was all healed up? ¡°This is our Mount Putuo''s secret technique ''Willow Dew.'' It can quickly heal injuries and recover mana. However, this technique is too profound for me to use, so Master sealed it into the talisman to protect myself,¡± Nie Caizhu explained when she saw the look of surprise on Shen Luo''s face. Shen Luo nodded and glanced at Bai Xiaotian, who sat nearby meditating, sighing to himself that Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo, with their long heritages, held all sorts of unimaginable secret techniques, and were in no way inferior to Mount Fangcun. He had easily dispatched Wuming during their previous encounter and slighted Mount Putuo somewhat in his heart. Now, it seemed the depth of these ancient sects was truly profound. ¡°This is the Purple Bamboo Forest! How did you guys end up here?¡± Nie Caizhu finally took notice of their surroundings, exclaiming in shock, her expression growing more anxious. ¡°You were gravely injured and needed a quiet place to heal. There were Demon Race invasions all over Mount Putuo, so I brought you here. Is there something wrong with this place?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I once heard from the elders in my sect that the Purple Bamboo Forest is a forbidden area of Mount Putuo, supposedly related to Guanyin Bodhisattva. Is that true?¡± Bai Xiaotian ceased his cultivation, opened his eyes, and interjected. He had just taken a Restoration Pill, and his pale complexion had recovered quite a bit. ¡°Guanyin Bodhisattva!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Yes, this Purple Bamboo Forest is the Bodhisattva''s place of seclusion!¡± Nie Caizhu said slowly. ¡°What! Guanyin Bodhisattva is here! Then we must hurry to see her. Although it''s somewhat impolite for us to come in like this, with the invasion of demons, we can''t worry about that. As long as she takes action, she will surely be able to subdue those demons outside,¡± Bai Xiaotian said excitedly. ¡°Bodhisattva Guanyin has long left Mount Putuo. This place is just where she used to seclude herself,¡± Nie Caizhu said. ¡°I see, since the Bodhisattva isn''t here, and now with the invasion of demons, the situation is special. What''s the harm in us coming in?¡± Shen Luo replied nonchalantly. ¡°What you don''t understand is that the Purple Bamboo Forest has prohibitions laid down by our sect. It''s easy to enter, but getting out is difficult,¡± Nie Caizhu sighed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked around. The bamboo forest was filled with white fog everywhere, and his line of sight couldn''t reach very far. He exercised his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings, and his brow quickly furrowed. An invisible force of prohibition permeated the void, restricting his Divine Sense to a mere dozen or so yards, beyond which it could no longer extend. Moreover, this invisible force was not merely confining his Divine Sense, but it was constantly shifting, affecting his perception. The scenery before Shen Luo suddenly started spinning, and the power of his Divine Sense in his mind became disordered, a strong sense of vertigo overwhelming him. His expression changed, and he hurriedly withdrew his Divine Sense, while silently operating the Suppressing God Technique. Only then did the dizziness subside. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What a formidable prohibition!¡± Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes and exhaled softly. ¡°Master said that the prohibition here is called the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. It''s said to be an ancient array, and although it''s reportedly not fully deployed, it''s not something we can break,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a wry smile. ¡°The Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array! That''s one of the ten famous formations from ancient times,¡± Bai Xiaotian gaped. Shen Luo''s eyes also widened; with such a significant prohibition in place, escaping would indeed be difficult. ¡°Because of that Wei Qing, the outside is swarming with invading demons. It might be more dangerous for us to go out, but staying here might not be a bad thing,¡± he mused for a moment before saying. ¡°How can I hide here and care only for myself when my sect is in trouble!¡± Nie Caizhu said urgently. ¡°All right then, let''s try to find a way out,¡± Shen Luo said, seeing Nie Caizhu looking somewhat angry. He quickly raised his hand and walked in the direction they had come from. The three of them moved forward following their memory of the path they''d taken, but after a while, they still hadn''t seen any sign of leaving the bamboo forest. ¡°Wait a moment, continuing to wander aimlessly isn''t a solution,¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly spoke up. ¡°What, Brother Bai, have you discovered something?¡± Shen Luo stopped in his tracks and asked. ¡°Take a look at this bamboo,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, pointing at a piece of purple bamboo in front of them. Shen Luo looked over and saw nothing special about the bamboo, except for a white mark slashed across its body. ¡°This is a mark I left earlier,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°You mean we''ve been going around in circles, it really is a formidable illusion array,¡± Shen Luo muttered, frowning. The three of them looked at each other in silence. Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu were not adept at the way of arrays and could only wait anxiously. Shen Luo was silent for a moment, then activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, shooting out two beams of green light from his eyes, scanning the surroundings. Around him, in the foggy bamboo forest, lines of vague white marks appeared, crisscrossing everywhere¨Cseemingly chaotic yet containing profound mysteries. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re also knowledgeable in pupil techniques?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, surprised. ¡°Just a little. This pupil technique of mine can see through illusions and might help us find a way out,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Really?¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed with joy. He was representing Hua Sheng Temple at the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡±, and if something happened to Mount Putuo while he was absent, it would also affect the reputation of Hua Sheng Temple. ¡°Then please, Cousin!¡± Nie Caizhu also spoke with a happy expression. ¡°I''ll do my best,¡± Shen Luo nodded, the green light in his eyes flickering as he concentrated on observing the surroundings. However, this Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array was too subtle, and his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld had not been cultivated to a profound realm; he could only barely make out a few traces. Yet, these few traces were enough to provide significant guidance, ensuring they wouldn''t blindly wander around as before. After surveying the surroundings for a while, Shen Luo started walking in a certain direction. Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian hurried to follow him. The three of them moved through the bamboo forest, no longer going straight ahead. Shen Luo moved left and right, sometimes even turning in circles on the spot. After walking for a while, Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu were pleasantly surprised to find that the bamboo forest around them had changed significantly. The bamboo became sparser, and the mist had thinned a great deal. ¡°We''ve really made it out, Brother Shen is indeed remarkable,¡± Bai Xiaotian said happily. ¡°No, we haven''t left the Purple Bamboo Forest but have come to its deepest part,¡± Nie Caizhu said, her expression changing as she looked ahead. ¡°What!¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed in shock, looking in the direction of Nie Caizhu''s gaze. They saw that the bamboo ahead had grown even sparser, and through the white fog, they could faintly see a mountain peak that was not very tall, with golden light casting out from the base of the peak. ¡°This is the deepest part of the Purple Bamboo Forest? My pupil technique can only glimpse a little of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array''s traces. Following these traces, I can''t be certain if we are leaving or going deeper,¡± Shen Luo also noticed the situation up ahead and said with a heavy expression. Nie Caizhu didn''t speak and walked towards the mountain peak. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian hurriedly followed, and the two soon saw the whole picture of the mountain peak. This was a short mountain of over a hundred zhang high, entirely emerald green as if constructed from some kind of jade. The spiritual energy here was incredibly abundant, and many flowers and plants grew on the mountain, all appearing to be high-level spiritual materials. Chapter 826 Chapter 826: Chapter 823 Chaoyin Cave Chapter 826: Chapter 823 Chaoyin Cave ¡°Purple Lightning Flower!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed as he looked at a purple plant. The leaves of this plant were twisted, resembling the shape of lightning, and the petals of the flower were the same, with purple lightning vaguely visible on them, making it look extraordinary. This Purple Lightning Flower was exactly the main material needed for the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. He had gone to the Chang''an market multiple times over the year in search of it, but had not been able to find it, only to discover it here. ¡°Cousin, if you need this Spirit Grass, go ahead and pick it. I will report this matter to our sect later,¡± Nie Cai Zhu hesitated before saying. ¡°This was my doing; how can I let you be troubled? I will explain the situation to Mount Putuo''s people afterward,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, then plucked the Purple Lightning Flower and stored it in the Linlang Ring. Bai Xiaotian paid no attention to the Spirit Grass on the mountain and walked forward, soon stopping with a look of astonishment on his face. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo followed closely behind and let out a light exclamation. Their eyes were drawn to a rather large Stone Door on the mountain, covered with all kinds of runes, flickering with Golden Light. The Golden Light they had seen just now had emanated from this door. There were also three big characters carved on the Stone Door: ¡°Chaoyin Cave.¡± ¡°The compassionate master atop Mount Luojia, Guanyin inside the Chaoyin Cave. These two phrases are titles of respect for your Mount Putuo. Could this cave be the Cave Mansion of Guanyin Bodhisattva?¡± Shen Luo said, his face showing surprise. Nie Cai Zhu looked towards the Chaoyin Cave with a face full of respect and bowed deeply in salute. Bai Xiaotian was about to speak when¨C ¡°Silence!¡± Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed, and he reached out to grab Nie Cai Zhu and Bai Xiaotian, whisking them away into the white fog at the side. They disappeared without a trace inside the White Fog. A few breaths later, the sound of footsteps approached; it was five figures, led by the two True Immortal stage demon beasts previously seen at the Square¨Cthe Hunchbacked Old Man and the Eagle-nosed Man. The Eagle-nosed Man was carrying someone in his hand¨Cit was unexpectedly Wei Qing. Wei Qing was bound from head to toe with a black rope, his clothes were torn, and there was blood around his mouth and nose, seemingly badly beaten, and he had passed out. Following behind were two others; one was a withered old man in a black robe, holding a pitch-black Walking Stick. It was a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator they had encountered before. However, this old man was of the Human Race, not a demon cultivator. The final person was none other than Liu Qing. ¡°It''s them! What are these members of the Demon Race doing here?¡± Shen Luo hid in the distance, using the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to carefully observe these demons. At this distance, neither Bai Xiaotian nor Nie Cai Zhu could see anything, so Shen Luo had to continue observing while relaying the situation to the two of them through messaging. ¡°I was previously injured by that withered old man,¡± Nie Cai Zhu immediately whispered a warning upon hearing the description of the people present. Startled by her words, Shen Luo scrutinized the withered old man. ¡°Didn''t Wei Qing ally himself with those demons? How come he''s in such a state?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, puzzled. Shen Luo couldn''t understand it either. ¡°Not good! If those demons have come here, could it be that they''re after the treasures inside Chaoyin Cave?¡± Nie Cai Zhu''s face changed abruptly. ¡°There are treasures inside Chaoyin Cave?¡± Shen Luo asked urgently. ¡°That year, when the Bodhisattva left Mount Putuo, she sealed several treasures inside Chaoyin Cave!¡± Nie Cai Zhu said anxiously. ¡°These demons are very powerful, with two of them at the True Immortal stage. We''re no match for them, so it''s best not to act rashly,¡± Bai Xiaotian said through messaging. ¡°Don''t worry, Big Brother Bai, I won''t act recklessly,¡± Nie Cai Zhu took a deep breath and replied. Relieved, Shen Luo continued to watch Wei Qing and the others'' movements. ¡°This is Chaoyin Cave? The treasure hiding place of Guanyin Bodhisattva?¡± The eagle-nosed man looked at the stone door, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes. ¡°Yes, I''ve investigated clearly, but there is a Luojia Divine Prohibition on the stone door; it won''t be easy to open,¡± Liu Qing said. ¡°With Your Excellency here, what prohibition can''t be broken! The Black Jiao King is currently engaging the Mount Putuo Sect''s people, so we don''t have much time. We must fight quickly and decisively, let''s start immediately!¡± The eagle-nosed man grinned, revealing a row of shiny, scarily sharp teeth. ¡°I''ll do my best,¡± Liu Qing nodded and took out a black banner with a wave of her hand. Embroidered on the banner was a bizarre black face with horns on its head, red eyes, and a broad nose, looking rather ferocious. While speaking, Liu Qing formed a gesture with both hands. The black banner immediately flew up, and strands of sticky black Qi began to emerge from it. A chilly breath spread out, and the nearby white fog seemed to be corroded, quickly dissipating. ¡°This is Demonic Qi!¡± Shen Luo was startled. That black Qi was undoubtedly Demonic Qi, and terrifyingly pure. ¡°How can this woman control Demonic Qi? Could she be from the Demon Clan?¡± He pondered in his heart. Liu Qing urged her hand gestures, a layer of black Qi appearing around her body as streaks of black light shot out. The Demonic Qi on the banner swarmed toward the stone door, forming a pitch-black Devil Cloud that engulfed the stone door. The Devil Cloud churned as if alive, writhing. A hissing sound came from within as golden light burst forth from the stone door''s prohibition, piercing through the black Demonic Cloud and fiercely colliding with it. Clearly, the Demonic Qi was corroding the prohibition on the stone door. ¡°Cousin, what''s the situation now?¡± Nie Caizhu saw Shen Luo''s expression change and quickly asked. The prohibition here not only isolated Divine Sense but also greatly affected hearing. Hiding so far away, Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian could neither see the people outside nor hear their conversation. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but still informed Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian of what he had seen. ¡°Another member of the Demon Clan has appeared!¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed in shock. ¡°No, we can''t let them break the Chaoyin Cave prohibition and take away the Bodhisattva''s treasure. We must find a way to stop them!¡± Nie Caizhu was worried about something else and spoke urgently. ¡°From what they said, there''s some Luojia Divine Prohibition on the cave entrance, and although the Demonic Qi has a strong corrosive effect, it probably can''t break that prohibition so quickly. There''s no need to panic,¡± Shen Luo quickly held Nie Caizhu back. Although he couldn''t hear the conversation of the people outside, he could roughly infer the content of the conversation from the shape of their mouths. ¡°Bold fiends, who dares to intrude into Chaoyin Cave!¡± At that moment, a thunderous voice sounded. The bamboo forest prohibition seemed to have no effect on this voice, shaking the crisp mountain and the nearby ground violently. The distant trio of Shen Luo felt a buzzing in their ears, their complexions turning pale. Outside, Liu Qing and the withered old man staggered, nearly falling to the ground, while the hunchbacked old man and the eagle-nosed man remained unscathed, though their expressions also changed. ¡°A True Immortal stage expert!¡± Liu Qing''s pretty face changed. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. No sooner had the voice faded than thunder and lightning flashed in the sky overhead, and a thick bolt of black lightning suddenly struck down from the sky, heading straight for Liu Qing and the others. The hunchbacked old man and the eagle-nosed man shouted and acted, immediately transforming into one blue and one green light that shot out, barely intercepting the black lightning. Two earth-shattering booms exploded, causing the Void near the mountain peak to tremble violently, and a large area of the surrounding white Qi was dispelled. Shen Luo quickly pulled Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu back to retreat further, careful not to reveal their whereabouts. Seeing this, Liu Qing didn''t bother trying to break the stone door''s prohibition any longer, grabbing Wei Qing on the ground and fleeing to the side. The withered old man followed without a word. Chapter 827 Chapter 827: Chapter 824 Rebellion Chapter 827: Chapter 824 Rebellion In the mid-air, black, green, and blue lights clashed fiercely, emitting a string of loud explosions before each recoiling away from one another. When the black light dissipated, it revealed a formidable man covered in black hair on his face. Clad in black gold armor and wearing black leather boots, he wielded a black tassel spear and donned a monk hat, looking rather out of place. This was none other than the Black Bear Demon whom Shen Luo had encountered once before. Two deep gashes now marred the surface of the Black Bear Demon''s black gold armor, from which fresh blood oozed. The Hunchbacked Old Man and the Eagle-nosed Man weren''t faring much better either, each sporting a scorched black wound from which blood gushed forth. ¡°Black Bear Demon! I knew it was you! You are also a member of our Demon Race, yet you willingly submit to the monks of Mount Putuo. How pitiful!¡± the Eagle-nosed Man scoffed. ¡°Hmph! Who do I think it is? If it isn''t Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram from Black Dragon Pool! What are you doing away from Black Dragon Pool to be in Mount Putuo, daring to come to the forbidden lands of the Purple Bamboo Forest?¡± The Black Bear Demon ignored the Eagle-nosed Man''s provocation and demanded coldly, seemingly unaware of the situation outside. At that moment, Wei Qing, who was lying beside Liu Qing, suddenly stirred awake. Twisting his body, he broke free from the black rope and transformed into a streak of green light, shooting towards the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Protector, save me quickly! I am Wei Qing, a disciple of Master Guan Yue. These demons seek to steal the treasures within Chaoyin Cave and have bound me here to extract the secret to opening the door from me!¡± Wei Qing cried out as he fled. ¡°Where do you think you''re escaping to?¡± Liu Qing waved her sleeve. A purple handkerchief flew from her hand like a shooting star, enveloping Wei Qing. Due to his injuries, Wei Qing''s escape was slow, and the handkerchief was about to catch up with him. The Black Bear Demon, seeing this, swiftly pointed with his black tassel spear, and two pitch-black lightnings streaked from its tip. One bolt of lightning wrapped around Wei Qing''s body, pulling him to its side, while the other struck the purple handkerchief. With a thunderous boom, the purple handkerchief was repelled, and Wei Qing was pulled to the Black Bear Demon''s side, collapsing to the ground. These rapid changes were as quick as lightning, leaving Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram without time to react before everything had settled. ¡°Thank you, Guardian Deity.¡± Wei Qing struggled to sit up and express his gratitude. ¡°Hurry and heal yourself. I can save you once, but I can''t save you a second time,¡± the Black Bear Demon said swiftly, without taking his eyes off Wind Breath and the other demons. Wei Qing acknowledged and swallowed an Elixir he produced. ¡°So that''s how it is!¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized, and with a flip of his hand, he brought out the Profound Yellow Staff. Blue light burst from his arm as he fiercely hurled the Profound Yellow Staff outward. Outside the white fog, Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram, both demons with faces full of fury, lunged towards the Black Bear Demon. Wind Breath''s hands flickered with green light, and two green curved knives flew from his grip, turning into lingering afterimages as they sliced towards the Black Bear Demon. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Turtle Diagram did not bring out any Magical Treasures but instead opened his mouth to expel something. A blue water ball shot out, quickly swelling in the wind to the size of a house and barreling down on the Black Bear Demon like a meteor. The water ball was woven with streaks of blue light, rumbling with thunderous roars, its might terrifying. Facing the assault of the two demons, the Black Bear Demon did not dare take it lightly. The black tassel spear in his hand blazed with black thunder, transforming into two black thunder spears, each confronting the green curved knife and the blue water ball. However, just at this critical moment, Wei Qing, who was slumped beside him, suddenly leapt into action. Two shiny short blades flew from his hands, aimed straight at the Black Bear Demon''s back. Consumed with the confrontation against Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram, the Black Bear Demon hadn''t paid attention to Wei Qing. It was already too late to dodge; the blades were moments away from striking. At the critical moment, a profound yellow light shot out swiftly from the nearby white fog, accurately intercepting the two gleaming short blades. The profound yellow light was also repelled, revealing a Profound Yellow Long Staff. Wei Qing was greatly shocked, but he dared not launch a second attack and quickly flew toward Wind Breath and the Turtle Diagram. At this moment, the black thunder spear, the green curved knife, and the blue water ball collided, creating a thunderous roar. The void trembled, waves of air energy splattered in all directions, instantly forming white hurricanes soaring into the sky. The Black Bear Demon floated back, his face indescribably ugly. With a flip of his hand, a gold shield appeared and transformed into a golden glow, enveloping his whole body. ¡°Let''s go, we''re heading out,¡± Shen Luo said, flying towards the outside. Nie Caizhu immediately followed, Bai Xiaotian hesitated for a moment, but then followed behind the two, shooting out to the outside. ¡°It''s you!¡± When Wei Qing flew next to Wind Breath and the other Demons and saw Shen Luo and the others, surprise and immense hatred filled his heart simultaneously. His meticulously planned scheme was just one step away from success, yet it was disrupted by Shen Luo and these two vermin. Whereas Liu Qing, upon seeing Shen Luo, a glint of something different flashed in her eyes. ¡°So it''s you guys, thanks for that move just now. What''s been happening on Mount Putuo, and why have these Demons come to the Purple Bamboo Forest?¡± The Black Bear Demon nodded towards Shen Luo and his companions, then inquired. ¡°Protector, today marks the end of the ''Immortal Apricot Conference'' on Mount Putuo, but unexpectedly a group from the Black Dragon Pool allied with Wei Qing attacked Mount Putuo¡­¡± Nie Caizhu realized the Black Bear Demon knew nothing of the situation at Mount Putuo and swiftly briefed him on the current situation. ¡°Elder, quite a number of Demons have invaded Mount Putuo. My Master Fairy Qinglian and several Elders have been seriously injured by Wei Qing''s treacherous schemes; we definitely need your help,¡± she said, bowing earnestly as she pleaded for assistance. Hearing all this, the Black Bear Demon''s gaze shifted to Wei Qing, sending a blade-like breath piercing through the air towards him. Wei Qing''s facial skin tingled with pain, showing a hint of fear, but he quickly regained his composure. ¡°Hmph! I''ve already said not to use such low and sneaky tactics!¡± Turtle Taoist, who had been silent, snorted lightly, expressing his disdain for such stealthy underhanded methods. ¡°What are you saying, Turtle Taoist friend? Our goal is the treasure inside Chaoyin Cave. As long as we reach our objective, any method is acceptable,¡± Wind Breath said gravely. Turtle Diagram frowned, but said nothing further. ¡°Wind Elder, the plan for a surprise attack has failed, what do we do now?¡± Wei Qing communicated through a secret transmission. ¡°Since cunning didn''t work, we''ll just have to go with a brute force approach. The only threat is the Black Bear Demon. Turtle Taoist friend and I will deal with him. Yuan Qiu, you take care of those three useless Nascent Soul Stage trash. As for you, Wei Qing, and Liu Daoist friend, continue attempting to break the prohibition of the Chaoyin Cave,¡± Wind Breath pondered briefly before replying through transmission. All the Demons nodded upon hearing this and then sprang into action, each heading straight for their targets. Wei Qing and Liu Qing rushed toward the stone door of Chaoyin Cave, while Wind Breath, Turtle Diagram, and the withered old man directed their attack towards Shen Luo and others. The Black Bear Demon''s eyes flashed sharply, and the black tassel spear in his hand lit up with thunder. With a point into the void, over a dozen thick black electric arcs shot out, turning into a score of black pythons a zhang long, aiming at Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram. The black electric pythons were astonishingly fast, striking Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram in a flash. The thunder resonated, a pitch-black sea of thunder emerged, faintly forming a Thunder and Lightning Array, and countless pitch-black thunderbolts raged within, trapping Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram. Chapter 828 Chapter 828: Chapter 825 Relentless Pursuit Chapter 828: Chapter 825 Relentless Pursuit ¡°` The Black Bear Demon, taking advantage of the moment when the Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram were trapped, pulled out a white commanding banner and tossed it to Nie Caizhu. ¡°This is the Taiji Banner, which can manipulate the Liangyi Micro-dust Array here to protect yourself.¡± The voice of the Black Bear Demon resounded in Nie Caizhu''s ears. Nie Caizhu was about to express her gratitude when the Black Bear Demon had already transformed into a streak of black light and leaped out, plunging into the black thunder sea, from where thunderous collision sounds were transmitted. The withered old man circumvented the sea of thunder and flew towards Shen Luo and the other two. This person was also at Great Mahayana Stage; despite appearing frail and old on the surface, he was extremely fast, reaching not far from the three in the blink of an eye. Before his figure arrived, he raised his hand and waved it. A swathe of black fog shot out from within his sleeve, enveloping Shen Luo and the others like a sky-filling blanket. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with green light, clearly seeing that the black fog was composed of countless tiny black insects, very similar to the Gu insects forced out of Nie Caizhu''s body. ¡°The black fog is full of Gu insects, don''t let them touch you at all costs!¡± He leaped backward, flipping his hand to take out the Five-Fire Fan, ready to swipe it out. From dealing with these Gu insects before, he realized that they seemed to be quite afraid of fire. But before Shen Luo could make his move, the surrounding White Fog suddenly began to boil tumultuously, with countless new streams of white fog rising from the void. In the blink of an eye, everything was submerged. Shen Luo''s vision turned white, and all around him became white, visible only to a distance of two or three feet. He could no longer see Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian beside him, and their voices were cut off by the White Fog. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Cousin! Brother Bai!¡± He retreated and called out, but received no response. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, looking around. Somehow, the power of the prohibition in the surrounding White Fog had increased by more than tenfold. He used to be able to just barely make out some traces, but now he couldn''t grasp any signs of the illusion array. Feeling a sinking sensation in his heart, he hurriedly waved his hand to summon the Purple Great Bead and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to protect himself. After doing all this, Shen Luo flew toward the direction he remembered Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian being, but they were no longer there. He didn''t know if they had flown away or if an accident had occurred. Anxious in his heart, but with several powerful demons in the vicinity, he was eager yet dared not wander around carelessly. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, landed on the ground, put away the Purple Great Bead and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, took out an Escape Earth Talisman, and stuck it on himself, activating it with his mana. A burst of yellow light erupted from the talisman, and he directly burrowed underground, heading in one direction. Although the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array was powerful and there was no white fog underground, divine sense still couldn''t spread out. Shen Luo could only stay close to the surface, using his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to spy on the conditions above ground. After moving forward for a few moments, a pair of blurry feet came into Shen Luo''s field of vision. Despite being indistinct, he recognized them as belonging to the withered old man. A cold light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. He silently operated the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, his hands quickly forming seals like a flurry of flames. Two threads of scarlet fire shot out from his sleeves. They were the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, rapidly piercing through the soil and entering the feet. Having done this, Shen Luo immediately moved from his position, quickly flying to the side. The withered old man felt pain in his feet. Two strands of searing flame entered his body from the soles, rapidly climbing upward, like two vicious snakes tunneling through his insides. Wherever the flames passed, his legs swiftly became numb. ¡°` The withered old man was greatly alarmed, his profound mana from the Great Mahayana Stage pouring out in its entirety, channeling into his legs in an attempt to stop the upward movement of the two strands of Red Lotus Karmic Fire. At the same time, a thick Yellow Light shot out from a ring on his right hand, transforming into a yellow light halo in the sky. Inside the halo, fleeting glimpses of light revealed the phantom of a mountain peak, with perilous terrain and bizarrely shaped rocks. It flashed and then plunged into the ground, leaving only a small portion of its peak exposed. ¡°Quick!¡± the withered old man bellowed. The Yellow Light on the mountain phantom flickered continuously, rapidly expanding more than tenfold, then fiercely plummeted downward. The ground within a few miles trembled violently, unleashing a thunderous boom, and following the mountain phantom, it suddenly sank three feet. This ring, known as the Five Mountains God Ring, could summon the phantom of mountains and control the earthly elemental energy, making it especially adept at dealing with enemies underground. After the strike, the withered old man did not continue to attack. He leaped into the air and shot back several hundred feet, hovering in midair, his face alternating between shades of gloom and clarity. Then, lifting his left hand, he viciously slapped his chest with a single palm. A flash of red light shone from the area of his heart as countless crimson Gu insects gushed forth ceaselessly, quickly reaching his legs and swarming towards the two strands of strange fire, seemingly trying to devour the flames within. However, upon contact with the two strands of fire, these crimson Gu insects immediately perished, utterly ineffectual. Cold sweat drenched the old man''s forehead in an instant, as he was about to use another one of his godly powers. Just at this moment, a piercing screech tore through the air, as countless Blue water blades shot out from the White Fog to the right, raining down like a squall onto the old man. The withered old man''s heart tightened, as he hadn''t anticipated that, having already taken flight to escape the Illusion Array, the enemy could still pinpoint his location with such accuracy. Without hesitation, his figure flashed to the side, while he raised one hand and threw out a pot-lid-shaped earthen yellow magical treasure. It instantly grew to the size of several meters and positioned itself in front of him. Suddenly, a large expanse of Blue Light blossomed on the pot-lid magical treasure, emitting a series of explosive sounds. The Blue water blades were surprisingly powerful, and most of the withered old man''s mana was focused on suppressing the strange fire in his legs, causing the pot-lid magical treasure to shake incessantly and be repeatedly pushed backward. Within the White Fog, about a dozen feet behind the withered old man, Shen Luo stood in the void, with the SeSuppressing Bead suspended above his head, and two White Flags in front of him¨Cthe Taiji Banners of the Cloud Array. The Vampire and the Ghost General stood on his left and right, forming a trinity. The two also each held two formation flags, channeling their strength through the Cloud Array into Shen Luo. Both had profound cultivation levels, especially the Ghost General, who had reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Before long, an extraordinarily powerful force surged around Shen Luo, astonishingly reaching the level of the Late Nascent Soul Stage. With his left hand forming a seal to control water and his right hand retrieving the Five-Fire Fan, he violently fanned forward. Amid a clear phoenix cry, a Fire Phoenix the size of a house shot out, tearing through the White Fog with a long trailing flame, flying forward and disappearing into the void in a flash. The next moment, within the White Fog behind the withered old man, a flash of red light appeared, and the Fire Phoenix emerged, ferociously pouncing on the old man''s back. The old man, only then noticing the existence of the Fire Phoenix, waved both hands rapidly as his face underwent a drastic change. The pot-lid magical treasure in front of him flew backward, creating a trail of afterimages before swiftly positioning itself behind him, just in time to block the approaching bird. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed as a sea of red flames, emitting a terrifying spiritual pressure, emerged. A tide of extremely hot enormous flames surged forward, battering the pot-lid magical treasure! The withered old man, along with the treasure, was sent flying backward, the earthen yellow light on the pot-lid trembling violently. A sharp ¡°crack¡± resounded¨Cthe pot-lid actually showed several fractures on its surface. Chapter 829 Chapter 829: Chapter 826: Lifespan Gu Chapter 829: Chapter 826: Lifespan Gu The withered old man was horrified, but before he could react, a yellow glint flashed through the white fog behind him, and sixty-four yellow stick shadows flew out, each carrying a terrifyingly huge force. The sixty-four forces converged and struck down hard. The wither old man''s expression changed again, and he quickly used his magical treasure shaped like a pot lid to meet the attack. The stick shadows struck the pot lid, emitting a thunderous boom. The pot lid magical treasure could no longer hold up and shattered into countless pieces, and the withered old man was also hit by this tremendous force, causing his chest bones to crack loudly, breaking several of them. He was sent flying backward, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood. After suffering such a heavy injury, the mana suppressed within the old man''s legs dissipated, and two streaks of red light shot out from his legs, rapidly spreading upward. The old man was both shocked and furious, but he also quickly realized that the opponent had locked onto his position through the two mythical fires in his legs; staying in the same place would only make him a target for further attacks. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He took out a healing elixir and swallowed it, then mustered all the mana within his body to suppress the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and, without daring to linger, leaped forward and flew away. But just at that moment, a red light flashed in front of him, and a red flying sword appeared out of nowhere, slashing towards his neck as fast as lightning. Although the withered old man was severely wounded, his reaction was still extremely quick, and he dodged the slash of the red flying sword with a twist of his body like a nimble snake. But at that moment, the red light on the red flying sword intensified, and a mass of Red Lotus Karmic Fire, several meters in size, burst forth, enveloping half of the withered old man''s body. Countless red lotus fire snakes shot out from the flames, swarming into every part of the old man''s body. The withered old man was panic-stricken, and black light flashed wildly over his body. A black flag and a yellow jade album swiftly flew out, rapidly transforming into a black and a yellow light curtain to shield his whole body. But it was already too late; many red lotus fire snakes had already merged into his body ahead of them. The old man''s eyes bulged, his face flushed with strands of red light, and inside his eyes, two flames of Red Lotus flared up and exploded violently. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, the old man''s eyes melted away like ice and snow, leaving two black cavities. Then his entire body collapsed to the ground with a ¡°thud¡±, instantly lifeless, and the black flag and yellow jade album also fell to the ground. Within the white mist, a figure shifted, and Shen Luo''s form appeared beside the old man''s corpse, his face full of joy. Having managed to wield some of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire''s power by controlling it with the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, he had managed to eliminate this Great Mahayana Stage being in one fell swoop. Although most of the credit for this battle goes to the surrounding prohibitions, the power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was still evident. He quickly suppressed the joy in his heart and looked towards the corpse of the withered old man, not daring to approach. Shen Luo had seen in the ¡°Medicine Immortal Collection¡± that the corpses of Gu Masters could also be very dangerous. Some Gu insects would not die with the fall of their master; instead, they would devour the master''s body, becoming even more ferocious and dangerous. After a moment of contemplation, he waved his hand, emitting a streak of blue light, which enveloped the withered old man''s corpse. ¡°Whoosh¡± A swarm of colorful insects suddenly rose from the old man''s body, various Gu insects fiercely rushing towards Shen Luo. But faster than these Gu insects was a streak of black light that shot out from within the withered old man''s corpse, a tiny black bug as slender as a mosquito or a fly, racing along the blue light emitted by Shen Luo and shot directly at him. Shen Luo was prepared for this, and with a flash of green light above his head, the Eight Hanging Mirror emerged, enshrouding his entire body with a blue light curtain. Those Gu insects were instantly blocked from the outside, but the black insect suddenly burst with a ¡°puff,¡± turning into a stream of black Qi that pierced through the blue light curtain and continued to shoot towards Shen Luo like lightning. In the blink of an eye, it reached Shen Luo''s arm. The black insect''s mouth fiercely opened, revealing teeth that were actually multi-colored, flickering with various ghostly lights, clearly containing several kinds of strong poisons, as it ferociously bit down on his palm. Shen Luo was greatly startled and immediately stimulated the power of the Heavenly Book; a golden book shadow flashed across his body. Just as the black insect was about to bite him, its vision suddenly blurred, and it found itself inside a golden space. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that he had reacted quickly. Otherwise, if he had indeed been bitten by that black insect, being infected with the Gu poison would have been a huge trouble. ¡°What was that black insect just now, capable of dematerializing to penetrate the defense of the Eight Hanging Mirror!¡± He frowned, sensing the situation within the Heavenly Book Space with his divine sense. Although the prohibitions here prevented his divine sense from spreading outward, he could still sense the storage magical tool on his person. ¡°What¡­what is this place?¡± In the golden space, the black insect looked around and, astonishingly, let out a human voice¨Cthe voice of the withered old man¨Crevealing a shocked expression on its insect face. ¡°It can speak? Could this insect be the withered old man''s life-bound Gu?¡± Shen Luo sensed this scene and his gaze shifted. According to the Medicine Immortal Collection, there are generally two types of Gu Masters: one practices external Gu refinement, storing the Gu insects in spirit beast bags similar to the Qiankun Bag, and releasing them during combat. This method of external Gu refinement is relatively safe, as there is no worry about the Gu insects backfiring on oneself. However, only ordinary Gu insects with limited power can be refined through this approach. The other type of Gu Master refines Gu within their body, cultivating the insects with their own essence blood, which allows for the creation of extremely powerful Gu insects. Almost all powerful Gu Masters refine Gu internally. However, this manner of refinement comes with significant disadvantages. One is the danger of the refining process, which can easily cause serious harm to the practitioner''s body. The second is that such refined Gu insects cannot be stored in spirit beast bags; they must be carried at all times and nurtured with essence blood. The Gu insects are strong and fiercely aggressive, with the constant possibility of turning on their master. To prevent the life-threatening backlash from the internal Gu insects, Gu Masters refine a life-bound Gu that is linked to their lifeforce. If the life-bound Gu dies, all the other Gu insects would also perish, thus restraining them. In order to effectively control those insects, the life-bound Gu contains a split part of the Gu Master''s divine soul, akin to an independent doppelganger. The black insect tried to move, but a powerful prohibitive force from the surrounding golden space emerged, firmly restraining it, making it impossible to move even an inch. Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then extended his hand to draw over the black flag and the yellow jade booklet. After a brief inspection, a hint of joy appeared on his face. Both items were top-grade magical artifacts of extremely high quality, not inferior to the Five-Fire Fan and the Profound Yellow Staff, and what was even more precious was that both were defensive magical instruments. He put away the two items and then emitted a stream of blue light that enveloped the withered old man''s body and those surrounding Gu insects, attempting to collect them into the Heavenly Book Space as well. But, a strong resistance suddenly appeared, and he wasn''t able to succeed in drawing them in. ¡°Eh?¡± he exclaimed softly, increasing the input of his mana, but still failing to succeed. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then spurred on his divine sense and poured nearly seventy percent of his mana into the Heavenly Book, finally managing to collect the withered old man''s body and those Gu insects into the Heavenly Book Space. He also noticed the source of the resistance: it emanated from those Gu insects. Shen Luo considered for a while and then understood the reason. These Gu insects were all living creatures, and there were many of them. His Heavenly Book was only an apparition, which easily collected inanimate objects, but struggled when it came to living beings. Chapter 830 Chapter 830: Chapter 827: Contract Chapter 830: Chapter 827: Contract Shen Luo exhaled softly and let his Divine Sense flow back into the space of the Heavenly Book. The Gu insects, once inside the space of the Heavenly Book, also remained motionless, bound by the power of the Book. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The golden light within the space converged, quickly forming a doppelganger illusion of Shen Luo. ¡°Are you this old man''s lifebound Gu?¡± Shen Luo looked at the black insect and asked in a deep voice. The black insect''s tiny eyes whirled, glancing at the withered corpse not far away, before immediately lowering its eyelids, pretending to be an ordinary insect and not responding. ¡°Stop playing tricks, I already heard your muttering to yourself just now.¡± Shen Luo sneered. The black insect trembled imperceptibly but continued its act, remaining unresponsive. ¡°If you refuse to answer, then I will have to offend you.¡± Shen Luo''s expression cooled as he brought the Pure Yang Sword Embryo into the space of the Heavenly Book. A swirl of Red Lotus Karmic Fire appeared on the Sword Embryo, clawing towards the black insect. ¡°Stop, stop! I''ll talk, I am indeed the lifebound Gu refined by Yuan Qiu.¡± The black insect no longer dared to pretend and showed a frightened look, hastily responded. After the previous event, it was extremely terrified of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. As it spoke, the black insect desperately tried to crawl to the side to distance itself from the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. However, the binding power of the Heavenly Book space was so strong that it was not something a small insect could resist, and after struggling for a long time, it still hadn''t moved an inch. Shen Luo raised his hand and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire came to a halt, which made the black insect sigh in relief. With another gesture, a yellow ring, a green token, and a small black bag flew out from the withered old man''s corpse. These were the only three items on the old man''s body besides the Gu insects and clothes. ¡°If you were this cooperative earlier, you wouldn''t have had any trouble.¡± Shen Luo said, playing with the yellow ring. ¡°What do you plan to do with me, Your Excellency?¡± the black insect looked at Shen Luo. ¡°You are in my hands now, I will dispose of you as I wish,¡± Shen Luo said leisurely. ¡°As you said, victory goes to the king and defeat to the bandit. Since Yuan Qiu lost to you, and my surprise attack just now failed, it naturally falls upon your discretion to kill or to maim me. However, Your Excellency has not made a move until now, which probably means you want to get some information out of me, right?¡± the black insect said. ¡°Smart. I indeed have quite a few questions for Your Excellency, why would a member of the human cultivators cause trouble at Mount Putuo with those Demons?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, inquiring. The black insect just looked at Shen Luo, offering no reply. ¡°Since Your Excellency does not wish to answer that question, let me change it then. You want to take over this corpse of Yuan Qiu, correct?¡± Shen Luo said with a sardonic smile, continuing. ¡°You, you¡­¡± The black insect stiffened, looking at Shen Luo in shock, temporarily at a loss for words. A lifebound Gu and its host''s body have a rather intricate relationship. A lifebound Gu can be regarded as a branch of the host''s life or as a completely new entity. After a Gu Master falls, as long as the body isn''t too severely damaged, the lifebound Gu can take over the corpse and continue to live. In a sense, this is also a kind of life-saving method for a Gu Master. However, this matter is extremely secretive among Gu Masters and outsiders have never known about it. How did Shen Luo come to know this? ¡°I happened to obtain a volume of the Medicine Immortal Collection, and I saw the record of the Life-bound Gu in it,¡± Shen Luo said, as he still had important matters to discuss with the Life-bound Gu, he did not conceal this fact. ¡°The Medicine Immortal Collection! You have a volume of the Medicine Immortal Collection!¡± The black insect suddenly became excited. ¡°Oh, you know about the Medicine Immortal Collection?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. ¡°Of course I know, the Medicine Immortal Collection is considered a holy scripture for us Gu Masters! Ever since the Medicine Immortal Sect disappeared over a thousand years ago, the Medicine Immortal Collection has also vanished. I joined the Divine Wood Forest and allied with those from the Demon Race just to find this book!¡± The black insect spoke with a hint of excitement in its tone. Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised slightly; he hadn''t expected the Medicine Immortal Collection he had stumbled upon to be of such significance. He spoke slowly, ¡°I have this book in my possession, but it is only one volume and incomplete. It records numerous Gu refining methods, the highest level of which is Eight-grade insects.¡± ¡°Eight-grade! That is already a top three grades Gu insect, useful even for True Immortals, and even those in the Taiyi Realm!¡± The black insect, hearing this, became even more excited. ¡°I can let you possess Yuan Qiu''s corpse, and in the future, I might even let you take a look at that volume of the Medicine Immortal Collection,¡± Shen Luo said, his eyes flashing as he continued. The black insect was overjoyed, but it quickly calmed down and said, ¡°Aside from what I know about those demons, what do you want?¡± ¡°I want to implant a Contract Imprint within you. After you possess Yuan Qiu''s corpse, you will work for me for a hundred years. After one hundred years, I will set you free,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°A hundred years? That''s too long. Occupying Yuan Qiu''s corpse, my cultivation level can no longer advance an inch, and Yuan Qiu''s lifespan is not much. After undergoing this great calamity, it''s uncertain whether he can live for a hundred years,¡± the black beetle spoke slowly. ¡°Fifty years will do,¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and said. With a continuous flow of experiences from Dreamland bolstering him, his cultivation level was advancing rapidly. In fifty years, he likely wouldn''t need the other party anymore. ¡°Agreed, it''s a deal!¡± The black insect''s eyes flickered, and it quickly regained its decisiveness, spitting out an agreement. Shen Luo felt joy in his heart, and with a finger, he touched the black insect, black light continuously merging into the insect''s body. The black insect showed a trace of pain in its eyes and its body trembled, but it clenched its teeth and endured. A moment later, Shen Luo finished casting the spell and withdrew his finger, at the same time lifting the binding spell of the Heavenly Book Space. The Contract Imprint he had just implanted in the insect was a secret technique from the Body Refining Altar. While it was not as powerful as the Spiritual Communication Seal, the Soul Power within the black insect was not strong, and this Contract Imprint was enough to restrain it. The black insect also regained its composure. After giving Shen Luo a look, its body twisted, and with a ¡°swoosh¡± sound, it flew onto Yuan Qiu''s corpse and burrowed through his forehead. A layer of black light appeared on Yuan Qiu''s corpse, starting out faint but quickly becoming bright. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand and summoned another stream of pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the outside, which he poured into Yuan Qiu''s corpse. The black light on Yuan Qiu''s body surface suddenly intensified, and with a light ¡°pff¡± sound, two green lights surfaced in his hollow eyes. Flesh and Blood grew even more rapidly, and within a few breaths, a pair of eyes tinged with green were regrown. Yuan Qiu moved his hands and feet, his body gradually emitting the Breath of a living creature once again. The Gu insects that had scattered around him returned like rivers to the sea, once again entering his body. Seeing this, Shen Luo could not help but admire the mysterious nature of the Life-bound Gu. He once again guided a stream of pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi into Yuan Qiu''s body. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen. Regarding those from the Demon Race, I actually don''t know much. I am a Freelance Cultivator who was recruited by those demons to participate in today''s attack on Mount Putuo. I''m not clear on the objectives of those demons. The reason I came to the Purple Bamboo Forest with Wind Breath and the others is that I have cultivated a Gu insect known as the Yuan-Devouring Gu, which is very effective in breaking prohibitions,¡± Yuan Qiu offered his thanks, and then without waiting for Shen Luo to ask, he spilled everything he knew. Chapter 831 Chapter 831: Chapter 820 Inside the Cave Chapter 831: Chapter 820 Inside the Cave ¡°You recover well here; when I need you, I''ll give the orders,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and spoke. Afterward, his figure flickered and vanished from the space, along with the yellow ring and the other two items. Yuan Qiu was a Great Mahayana stage being; now resurrected by his life''s Gu, his strength had diminished, yet he remained formidable. Naturally, Shen Luo would not simply release him; it was safer to keep him in the Heavenly Book Space. Bound by various limitations, Yuan Qiu dared not say much and could only close his eyes to absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, treating the injuries within his body. Shen Luo closed his eyes and stood still, sensing that Yuan Qiu was obediently staying in the Heavenly Book Space. Only then did he open his eyes and looked toward the three items he brought out. He first slipped the yellow ring onto his finger, tried casting a spell, and a delighted expression appeared on his face. This yellow ring contained twenty layers of prohibitions and was a bona fide magical treasure; the spiritual power it contained was no less than that of the Dragon Horn Short Awl. ¡°Not bad!¡± Shen Luo was pleasantly surprised in his heart. He silently refined his mana and turned his gaze to the green token. The green token was not a magical instrument but a common token, one side engraved with a giant tree pattern and the other side bearing the three big characters ¡°Divine Wood Forest.¡± ¡°Divine Wood Forest? Just now, Yuan Qiu mentioned joining this place; it seems to be the name of a sect,¡± Shen Luo mused. The green token was entirely jade green, apparently a special type of wood that contained an exceptionally strong life force. He examined it briefly, then put away the token without delving deeper and looked toward the final black bag. The black bag was a Storage Magical Tool. As his Divine Sense penetrated it, his face immediately showed surprise and delight. As a Great Mahayana powerhouse, Yuan Qiu''s Storage Magical Tool contained numerous treasures, far exceeding Shen Luo''s. There were nearly a hundred thousand pieces of Immortal jade alone, with all kinds of precious materials, elixirs, and magical instruments in abundance, though regrettably, there were no other magical treasures. Shen Luo had no time to identify each item carefully. By communicating with Yuan Qiu in the Heavenly Book through his Divine Sense, he quickly understood the information about these materials, elixirs, and magical instruments. At that moment, a series of dull thuds came from ahead, and the surrounding white fog rolled like boiling water, showing signs of dispersing, considerably expanding his field of view. ¡°Eh, what''s happening?¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly. He put away the black bag with a flip of his hand, activated the Escape Earth Talisman once more, and headed underground toward the source of the loud noise. A few breaths later, he arrived at the source of the loud noise and found, to his astonishment, that it was the entrance to Chaoyin Cave. Wei Qing and Liu Qing were not there; rather, it was Nie Caizhu who stood there alone. The white flag given to her by the Black Bear Demon was inexplicably bursting with light, infused upon the prohibition of the Chaoyin Cave''s Big Gate. The prohibition on the Chaoyin Cave''s Big Gate was also radiating golden light, flashing urgently, and the two seemed to resonate with each other. Nie Caizhu''s face was flushed red as she strenuously tried to retrieve the white flag, but the white light on the flag seemed to be sucked in by the stone door, unable to be retracted at all. Just then, two piercing shrieks shot out from the white fog behind, heading straight for Nie Caizhu; they were Liu Qing and Wei Qing rushing towards her. Shen Luo, greatly alarmed, was about to burst from underground. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, the golden light on the Chaoyin Cave suddenly surged, emitting a barrage of piercing sounds, creating a golden ring. Countless golden lights tumbled within it, buzzing noisily. A tremendous suction force emerged from the golden ring, and Nie Caizhu, with no power to resist, was sucked in, ¡°whooshing¡± out of sight. The approaching Liu Qing and Wei Qing looked shocked and tried to halt their momentum. However, the suction force emanating from the golden ring was so tremendous that despite their cultivation levels, they could only pause slightly before being swallowed as well. ¡°Cousin!¡± Shen Luo, upon witnessing this, was greatly startled and, without a second thought, emerged from underground and plunged straight into the golden ring. His vision blurred, and he felt as though he had fallen into a violently churning vortex. His body was being torn at by massive forces, as if he were about to be ripped apart. ¡°` However, the tearing force did not last too long, and a few breaths later, Shen Luo''s body lightened, and he was thrown out, the next moment he violently hit a water area. With a ¡°splash¡± sound, a large splash of water flew up. Shen Luo felt pain throughout his body and his mind paused for a few breaths, but his consciousness quickly recovered. By channeling Mana, he stabilized his body and flew out again. Surroundings brightened, he found himself in a bright spacious space. Around him was a place resembling a pond, filled with lotus flowers ¨C red, green, white, and even gold, quite dazzling. These lotus flowers were no ordinary entities, each radiating faint pulses of spiritual energy. ¡°Where is this? Inside the Chaoyin Cave?¡± Shen Luo looked around, while simultaneously performing the Art of Spirit Communication, causing the water to instantly separate from him and his clothes to dry instantly. The pond was surrounded by a vast wilderness that stretched to the horizon with no buildings in sight, appearing to be a desolate and abandoned place. Moreover, although there was no white fog here, the effects of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array were still present, as the void was filled with an invisible force that prevented Divine Sense from leaving his body. Worried about Nie Caizhu''s situation, Shen Luo scanned his surroundings and immediately flew in a certain direction. But just as he flew out of the Lotus Pond range, with a ¡°thump,¡± he collided head-on with something. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo''s head ached from the impact, he looked up forward, frowning. In front of him, a blue Light curtain had appeared out of nowhere in the void, forming a semi-spherical shape that entirely enclosed the pond within. ¡°Prohibition!¡± He narrowed his eyes and uttered coldly, flicking his finger toward it. A golden rainbow shot out from his hand ¨C it was the Dragon Horn Short Awl; in a flash, it transformed into a golden giant awl shadow tens of meters long, and viciously stabbed the blue light screen. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the giant awl shadow instantaneously burst apart, turning into a mass of dazzling golden light, completely submerging the blue light screen within a radius of several meters, temporarily blinding one from seeing the inside, as the surrounding light screen trembled incessantly. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s frown deepened. The surging golden light quickly dissipated, and the Dragon Horn Short Awl was seen stabbing the blue light screen, which remained completely unharmed without even a scratch. ¡°Such a sturdy prohibition!¡± He muttered to himself, retracting the Dragon Horn Short Awl and casting the Art of Spirit Communication. The water beneath him stirred and the pond swiftly began to swirl, quickly forming a Water Hole from which the Vampire emerged flying. At the same time, a shadow flashed at Shen Luo''s waist, and the figure of Ghost General Zhao Feiji also appeared. ¡°Quick, lend me your strength.¡± Shen Luo took out the formation flags of the Cloud Hanging Array, swiftly assembling the Cloud Hanging Array a white halo enveloped the three of them. Zhao Feiji and the Vampire''s Mana immediately gathered through the array, and Shen Luo''s Mana surged several times stronger, with his meridians feeling as if they were about to burst. He took out the Profound Yellow Staff and put all his strength into executing the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Sixty-four staff shadows emerged, shaking the void, while the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi churned violently. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo shouted fiercely, and the sixty-four staffs shadows hit the blue light screen solidly. The blue light screen trembled violently, deeply indented inward, the ground nearby it exploded open, and the Pond Water inside the pond burst forth, destroying all the spirit lotuses growing within. Chapter 832 Chapter 832: Chapter 829: Consuming the Immortal Apricot Chapter 832: Chapter 829: Consuming the Immortal Apricot As Shen Luo''s Splashy Chaotic Stick struck down, the blue light on the light curtain quickly dissipated, vanishing to almost a tenth of its original in the blink of an eye, but the power of the Splashy Chaotic Stick was exhausted, and the spirit patterns on the light curtain flickered. The scattered blue light restored rapidly, and in a few breaths, it was as good as new, and the dented area also returned to its original shape. Shen Luo''s complexion turned somewhat unsightly. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Using the Cloud Array to enhance his mana and executing the Splashy Chaotic Stick was almost the strongest attack he could muster at the moment, and still, he could not break through the prohibition. While the Red Lotus Karmic Fire within the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was formidable against living beings, it was useless for breaking prohibitions. If he were only locked up, it wouldn''t be too bad, but Nie Cai Zhu''s current situation was unknown. This woman, along with Wei Qing and Liu Qing, had been transported here one after another, and if they were sent to the same place, their safety would be worrying. His heart was anxious, yet he was helpless. ¡°Master, since you ended up in this situation after entering, the others should be the same, and most likely they''re also detained within similar prohibitions. There''s no need to worry too much about that Nie Cai Zhu,¡± Zhao Feiji said from inside the Qiankun Bag, able to peer at the outside situation. Understanding Shen Luo''s feelings, he spoke to comfort him. ¡°You make some sense,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze flashing as he nodded slowly. This Chaoyin Cave is the dojo of the Guanyin Bodhisattva, and it''s normal for it to imprison intruders. Nie Cai Zhu was the first to be sucked in by Chaoyin Cave''s prohibition, Wei Qing and Liu Qing were the second wave, and he was considered the third wave. The interval between their arrivals was miniscule. He was imprisoned alone, so Nie Cai Zhu probably wasn''t detained together with Wei Qing and Liu Qing either. At this thought, Shen Luo''s burning anxiety eased slightly. ¡°Speaking of which, we are not entirely without hope of breaking this prohibition,¡± Zhao Feiji continued. ¡°Oh? What do you suggest? Do tell,¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. ¡°With our current strength, although we can''t break the prohibition, we''re not far off. Master, you are only half a step away from the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, and you''ve also acquired the immortal apricot. Why not consume it here and try to break through your cultivation level bottleneck with the power of the immortal apricot? I observe that the spiritual energy here is rich and there is no danger, making it an excellent place for cultivation,¡± Zhao Feiji explained. Shen Luo''s eyes lit up; in his haste, he had actually forgotten about the immortal apricot. The immortal apricot is an object of the Immortal Realm, and its efficacy is undoubtedly much stronger than that of the Octagonal Lotus Leaf. The Octagonal Lotus Leaf had already made his cultivation level advance by leaps and bounds, not to mention the immortal apricot. And even if the immortal apricot couldn''t advance his cultivation level, as long as it could add some lifespan, he would be able to summon his Dream Cultivation and break the prohibition in one fell swoop. Shen Luo glanced at Zhao Feiji. After absorbing the remnant soul power of Lin Da, Zhao Feiji was not only much advanced in cultivation, but his mind had also become much quicker than before. But these were all good developments, and he didn''t bother too much. He sat cross-legged above the Pond, silently sinking into the water without a trace. ¡°Vampire, go guard over by the Pond. Although there should be no danger within this prohibition, we cannot afford to be careless,¡± Zhao Feiji instructed the Vampire. A fierce light flashed in the Vampire''s eyes, and it growled lowly, clearly dissatisfied with the Ghost General giving it orders. ¡°What, looking for a fight? I''m a ghostly soul; your bloodsucking divine powers are useless against me,¡± Zhao Feiji scoffed. The Vampire glared at Zhao Feiji for a long moment, snorted, and then flew to the other side of the Pond and stood still. At the bottom of the Pond, Shen Luo silently practiced his skills, a layer of blue light illuminating from his body, keeping all the Pond Water at bay beyond a zhang. Just as Zhao Feiji had said, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within this Chaoyin Cave was surprisingly strong. Before long, the mana within his body had recovered to its optimal state. He took out the immortal apricot and swallowed it down. The immortal apricot melted upon entry, turning into a stream of cool Qi that merged into his limbs and bones. For a moment, Shen Luo only felt comfortable all over, as if all 36,000 pores in his body were open and breathing, inadvertently letting out a comfortable grunt. However, he didn''t indulge in this sensation, quickly regaining his composure and began refining the power of the immortal apricot with his practice. Mana surged within him, beginning as a small ripple but quickly becoming an unstoppable tidal wave, rushing towards the bottleneck of the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. Time trickled by, and half a day passed in the blink of an eye. Zhao Feiji and Vampire guarded by the Pond, daring not to slacken in the slightest. At that moment, a clear whistling sound suddenly erupted from the bottom of the Pond like a giant wave rising to the sky, each surge taller than the last, shooting straight to the heavens. The water in the entire Pond boiled and churned as thick columns of water burst forth, scattering in all directions like dragons, slamming against the Blue Light Screen and producing a series of dull thudding sounds. These water columns contained no small amount of force, causing the surrounding Blue Light Screen to tremble. Zhao Feiji and Vampire dodged these water columns, their expressions revealing a joyous light. Connected by heart and mind with Shen Luo, they knew he had already broken through the bottleneck. After a long while, the boiling Pond Water finally calmed, and a blue figure shot out from the bottom, it was Shen Luo. He appeared no different from before, but the aura surrounding him had vastly changed, more than doubling in strength. ¡°Congratulations, Master, on your great advancement in cultivation, reaching the Nascent Soul Middle Stage,¡± said Zhao Feiji as he flew over and bowed. Shen Luo suppressed the still restless mana in his body and nodded at Zhao Feiji. Feeling his mana had more than doubled inside his body, a smile appeared on his face. He hadn''t expected the Immortal Apricot to have such a tremendous effect, rapidly advancing his cultivation to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage in just half a day. Concerned about Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian''s situation, Shen Luo stopped cultivating as soon as he made a breakthrough, now holding quite a lot of the Immortal Apricot''s power within his body. And his lifespan issue, just as Yuan Tiangang said, the Immortal Apricot indeed proved useful for his longevity ¡ª his vital essence was significantly replenished, increasing his lifespan by around one hundred and fifty years. In the future, by refining the stored Immortal Apricot''s power, his lifespan could increase even more. Vampire also flew over, about to offer his congratulations. ¡°No need for any other words, let''s break this prohibition first,¡± Shen Luo raised his hand and said. Four beams of white light shot out from his sleeve, landing in the hands of Vampire and Zhao Feiji, which were indeed the formation flags of the Cloud Array. The two got to work without a word, quickly maneuvering the spell, and soon a white circular light formed, enveloping the three of them. Shen Luo fully activated his Skills, with Blue Light bursting forth from his body like a dazzling mini-sun. Now that his cultivation level had greatly improved, and with the aid of the Cloud Array''s power, his mana impressively reached the peak of the Nascent Soul Phase. For a regular monk, such a sudden and immense increase in mana would certainly bring about control difficulties, but Shen Luo, bolstered by his Dream Cultivation experience, could handle even True Immortal Stage mana with ease, so this little amount of mana was nothing to him. He reached out and grabbed his Profound Yellow Staff but did not immediately begin to break the prohibition. Instead, he waved his hand forward. A flash of golden light, and a cloud of ash flew out from his hand, filled with countless sesame-seed-sized gray bugs that enveloped the Blue Light Screen ahead. These gray bugs quickly attached themselves to the screen and astonishingly burrowed in. Upon entering the Light Screen, the gray bugs immediately turned into strands of Gray Mist. The initially clear and bright Blue Light Screen quickly became cloudy and dim, its Blue Light rapidly weakening. Chapter 833 Chapter 833: Chapter 830: 7 Daoist Prohibitions Chapter 833: Chapter 830: 7 Daoist Prohibitions Seeing this, Shen Luo''s face immediately showed delight. These ash-colored little insects were the very Yuan-Devouring Gu that Yuan Qiu had mentioned before, which were very effective in breaking prohibitions. It seemed Yuan Qiu hadn''t been exaggerating. He had been worried about Nie Caizhu before and had momentarily forgotten about this matter. Judging by the effectiveness of the Gu now, he should have gotten out if he had employed them earlier. He quickly gathered his thoughts and exerted all his strength to deploy sixty-four shadowy images of his staff around him, much clearer than before, with the surrounding force also much stronger. The yellow light on the Profound Yellow Staff grew more intense, and the sixty-four shadowy staff images began to revolve around Shen Luo''s body, quickly forming a massive yellow vortex. A terrifying force spread out into the surroundings, the water in the pond violently exploded, and the lotuses and the mud on the shoreside instantly turned into powder, swallowed by the yellow vortex, with the void trembling as a result. The center of the vortex was the Profound Yellow Staff in Shen Luo''s hands, radiating blinding yellow light, as he struck out, hitting the blue light curtain. The titanic force contained within the yellow vortex poured out onto the blue light curtain. The light curtain trembled violently, holding on for a few breaths before finally shattering with a loud crash. The momentum of the yellow vortex didn''t stop, continuing to sweep forward, completely grinding up everything in its path and pushing out a deep pit dozens of feet long before stopping. ¡°Finally, out,¡± Shen Luo exhaled lightly, retracting the Profound Yellow Staff and looking around, his eyes immediately widened. The scenery had changed dramatically. It wasn''t the vast wilderness he had seen within the prohibition before, but a forest of tall willows grew around him, with lush branches and leaves, the greenery providing shade like a canopy. Not far beyond the willow forest, the eaves of a building stood tall, seemingly a palace nestled there. ¡°It seems that the blue prohibition also had an illusion effect,¡± Shen Luo let out a long breath and muttered to himself before he dispelled the Cloud Array, calling back the formation flags to his hand. ¡°You all have worked hard. Go back for now, and once the affairs here are settled, I will find a way to reward you,¡± Shen Luo said as he opened the Spirit Communicating Water Hole. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Vampire entered the water hole without a word and disappeared, and Zhao Feiji also flew into the Qiankun Bag. Shen Luo adjusted his physical state and flew towards the building. He quickly cleared the willow forest, and an open square appeared in front of him. To the left of the square was a huge lotus pond, where various colored Spirit Lotuses grew. However, these Spirit Lotuses were not the most eye-catching. In the center of the pond, there were seven colorful hemispherical prohibitions suspended, very similar to the one that had imprisoned him. The half-sphere prohibitions glowed with shifting light, obscuring the interior, but they were all trembling, evidently imprisoning people within. On the right side of the square stood an exceptionally tall white palace, reaching a hundred feet high, made entirely of white jade and looking incredibly luxurious¨Cthis was the building he had just seen. ¡°Someone here? With these seven prohibitions, besides me, could the other seven be here?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the distant white palace, quickly returning his gaze to the seven hemispherical prohibitions in front. Three of these prohibitions were incredibly strong, at the True Immortal Level, two were slightly weaker at the Great Mahayana Tier, and the last two were at the Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°The prohibition that imprisoned me was also at the Nascent Soul Stage. Could it be that after Chaoyin Cave captured us, it set different strengths of prohibitions based on each person''s cultivation level? Is this supposed to be a test?¡± A thought arose in Shen Luo''s mind, and then his eyes flashed with green light as he looked at the seven hemispherical prohibitions. The three True Immortal Restrictions were too powerful, and his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld couldn''t see through them; he could only make out vague shadows in the two Great Mahayana prohibitions. However, the last two Nascent Soul Stage prohibitions weren''t as mysterious, and his Ghost Eye could glimpse inside. Two blurry figures appeared in Shen Luo''s eyes. Although not very clear, they were likely Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu. Both of them were strenuously attacking the prohibition, but it exceeded their strength by quite a margin. Although the hemispherical light curtain swayed continuously, there was no sign that it would break. ¡°I don''t know which one of those three True Immortal Restrictions is holding the Black Bear Demon, and I don''t have the ability to help. However, I can still manage to help break these two Nascent Soul Stage prohibitions,¡± Shen Luo weighed in his mind before his Profound Yellow Staff struck a golden spherical restriction inside a pool. A staff shadow that seemed tangible shot out, hitting the golden restriction, and with a loud bang, the hemispherical prohibition violently shook. Standing inside the prohibition was a young man, launching various attacks at the golden light curtain¨Cit was Bai Xiaotian. Feeling the unexpected tremor from the light curtain, he immediately stopped his hand. ¡°What happened? Did someone just help me from outside?¡± Bai Xiaotian''s eyes flickered. Regrettably, he couldn''t see through the golden prohibition. After pondering for a moment, he spat out a golden fan¨Cit was the Dragon-painting Fan. He grabbed it with both hands, and golden radiance rolled and surged from his body. The Dragon-painting Fan instantly inflated several times in size. Its surface revealed countless golden runes whose brilliance circled around, forming three layers of golden flame. ¡°Buddha''s Light Ignite!¡± Bai Xiaotian''s arm muscles bulged as he swung the giant fan, unleashing his full power in one strike. Countless golden lights gushed from within the fan, merging into a golden light ball the size of a building. Deep inside the ball, a swastika rune appeared, surrounded by brilliant yellow flames¨Cits power and spectacle were truly shocking. The moment the golden light ball appeared, it shot towards the front like a shooting star, hitting the golden light curtain with a thunderous boom! The golden light curtain trembled violently but still managed to hold on. At that moment, the swastika runes within the ball flew out, striking the golden light curtain like arrows leaving a bow. This single swastika rune, only the size of a human head, caused the golden light curtain to shake wildly upon impact and cracks appeared with a crisp sound¨Cit was several times more powerful than the golden light ball itself. Buddha''s Light Ignite is a secret technique from Hua Sheng Temple; those brilliant yellow flames are the rage of Destruction Mingwang and carry destructive power against everything. Outside the restriction, Shen Luo looked at the cracking prohibition with a hint of joy. He swung the Profound Yellow Staff, employing the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. Sixty-four staff shadows emerged, heavily striking the fractured area of the golden light curtain. The golden light curtain, already pushed to its limit, couldn''t withstand the power of the Splashy Chaotic Stick and finally collapsed. With an explosive cracking sound, the golden light curtain burst into pieces, revealing the figure of Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Brother Shen, it turns out to be you, thank you very much.¡± Bai Xiaotian looked around, his face showing surprise. His gaze finally landed on Shen Luo, and he thanked him with a salute. ¡°A small matter, just glad that you''re alright,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Could the others all be locked inside these prohibitions? Eh, Brother Shen, has your cultivation level broken through to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage?¡± Bai Xiaotian looked towards the other light curtains, then suddenly stared at Shen Luo, exclaiming in surprise. ¡°I consumed an immortal apricot and luckily made a breakthrough. Enough about that, let''s first rescue Cai Zhu together,¡± Shen Luo briefly explained and then rushed towards another white spherical light curtain. Chapter 834 Chapter 834: Chapter 831: Mysterious Palace Chapter 834: Chapter 831: Mysterious Palace Bai Xiaotian, although surprised by Shen Luo''s progress in cultivation, knew now was not the time to discuss such matters and quickly followed after him. Before long, with the combined efforts of Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, aided by the attacks from Nie Caizhu within the light curtain, they easily broke through the white restriction. ¡°Cousin, Bai Daoist friend¡­¡± Nie Caizhu flew out from within the restriction, her face showing a look of surprise and joy. ¡°As long as you''re fine,¡± Shen Luo said, seeing that Nie Caizhu was unharmed. He nodded slightly, finally putting his mind at ease. ¡°Where is this place? Is it really inside Chaoyin Cave?¡± Bai Xiaotian looked around and asked for confirmation. ¡°It should be. There are rumors within our sect that there is a secret realm opened by Guanyin Bodhisattva inside Chaoyin Cave. It must be this place,¡± Nie Caizhu said, also looking around. ¡°I see. However, earlier outside, in the Purple Bamboo Forest, the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array suddenly increased its power. A surge of white fog emerged out of nowhere, separating us, and then the prohibition on the Big Gate of Chaoyin Cave erupted, pulling all of us inside. Do you have any idea what happened?¡± Bai Xiaotian oh-ed, then continued with his inquiry. Shen Luo was also very puzzled by this and looked towards Nie Caizhu. From what he had seen before, it seemed the incident was related to Nie Caizhu. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It''s all my fault. Earlier, when that old man pounced towards us outside, I panicked and activated the White Flag given by the Protector; I tried to control the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array to counter him, but I made a mistake in my haste, which caused the array''s power to suddenly surge. Then, I stumbled upon the entrance to Chaoyin Cave. The White Flag resonated with the prohibition of Chaoyin Cave, triggering the eruption of the secret realm''s entrance, which pulled all of us in here,¡± Nie Caizhu indeed admitted with her head lowered in apology. ¡°So that''s what happened, but it''s really bad that those from the Demon Race have entered Chaoyin Cave,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, looking towards the remaining five prohibited light curtains. ¡°It was my mistake,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a downcast expression, blaming herself. ¡°Everything happened due to a fortunate coincidence; cousin, you shouldn''t blame yourself too much,¡± Shen Luo comforted. ¡°You''re right, it''s not your fault. Now is not the time to talk about this. What should we do next? Should we join forces to release that Protector while the others haven''t come out yet?¡± Bai Xiaotian changed the subject and suggested. ¡°Better not. These three True Immortal restrictions are too mysterious, and I can''t see through which one imprisons the Protector. If we release the wrong person by mistake, we would have no place to bury ourselves. In my opinion, while the others are still imprisoned, we should first look for the treasure that Guanyin Bodhisattva hid here. On one hand, we can prevent the treasure from falling into the hands of those thieves, and on the other, we can use it to protect our own lives. Once we escape the danger, we can then hand over the treasure to Mount Putuo,¡± Shen Luo urgently advised, then explained. ¡°Brother Shen speaks wisely,¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately nodded. ¡°But what if, after we leave, someone from those demons comes out first, releases other demons, and they all join forces against the Protector? That''s not right; there were five demons altogether, plus the Protector, there should be six restrictions left here. Why are there only five? Could it be that someone wasn''t brought here?¡± Nie Caizhu raised an objection, then suddenly asked. ¡°The number of restrictions is correct. That withered old man outside has already been slain by me. As for the Protector''s safety, cousin, you need not worry. With his great strength, even if he is overwhelmed by the enemy, he will certainly be able to defend himself,¡± Shen Luo said. Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian were both shocked and incredulously looked at Shen Luo. There is a vast chasm between the strength of a Great Mahayana Stage cultivator and a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. Earlier during the trial, they could only think about preserving their own lives against that Great Mahayana Stage Frog spirit, yet Shen Luo could slay a Great Mahayana Stage! Nie Caizhu felt a pride she couldn''t quite explain as she was shocked. And Bai Xiaotian sighed inwardly, his feelings complex. ¡°We shouldn''t stay here for long; let''s leave this place,¡± Shen Luo said without elaborating further and flew towards the white palace on the opposite side of the square. Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu, without saying more, promptly followed Shen Luo. The three of them soon landed in front of the white palace. As they got closer, they could feel the grandeur of the white palace even more. The entire surface of the palace was engraved with golden runes, among which the Buddhist mantras could be faintly seen, and one could feel the surging power of the Buddha from a distance. The structure of the white palace was quite strange, with no Big Gate. In the front, there was a long passage leading deeper inside, where it quickly became dark and the deeper areas were unclear. ¡°Cousin, as a disciple of Mount Putuo, do you know what''s inside?¡± Shen Luo looked into the depths of the passageway and asked. ¡°This Chaoyin Cave was the cultivation site of the Guanyin Ancestor Master. I only heard my master say that many years ago, when the Ancestor Master left Mount Putuo, she sealed several treasures here. As for the specific situation inside, she did not tell me,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head. Shen Luo frowned upon hearing this. However, he didn''t hesitate, secretly gripping the Eight Hanging Mirror and the Purple Great Bead and taking the lead in entering. Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian also each brought out protective treasures and followed closely behind. The passageway was quite long, and as the three of them didn''t dare to walk too fast, it took a good while before they reached the end, where an exit radiating a faint golden light appeared before them. The three exchanged glances and stepped into it together. After everything in front of them blurred, a great hall appeared. The hall was immense, spanning forty to fifty zhang wide, majestic and grand. In the central part of the great hall stood a lifelike statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, carved so expertly it seemed to be alive. Behind the statue of Guanyin were three passages leading in different directions. Seeing the statue of Guanyin, Nie Caizhu immediately paid her respects reverently. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian also did not dare to neglect to bow in respect. ¡°There are three passages here. Since the Chaoyin Cave is the treasure hiding place of the great Bodhisattva, those treasures should be ahead,¡± Shen Luo said, looking towards the three passages with a flashing look in his eyes. ¡°We''re pressed for time, and those monsters might break through the prohibitions at any moment. We should split up to explore and quickly secure the treasures,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a slight nod. Neither Shen Luo nor Bai Xiaotian had any objections to this. ¡°Here are two Mount Putuo tokens. Keep them on you. There might be guards protecting the treasures ahead, and if you encounter any, you can use them to identify yourselves,¡± Nie Caizhu took out two white jade tokens and handed them to Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Brother Nie is thorough indeed,¡± Bai Xiaotian praised as he accepted the token. Shen Luo also received the token and tucked it away close to his body. The three then each chose a passage. Bai Xiaotian, perhaps spurred by seeing Shen Luo slay the withered old man, was the first to set out, flying into the passage on the right. Shen Luo chose the leftmost passage and was about to enter when Nie Caizhu suddenly called out to him. ¡°Cousin, what is it?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°I have a Universal Deliverance Talisman here. Although it''s not as miraculous as the Willow Dew Talisman, it can also help quickly recover mana. Keep it on you, just in case,¡± Nie Caizhu took out a green Talisman with a flower pattern on it and handed it over. Chapter 835 Chapter 835: 832 Chapter Baby Dragon Girl Chapter 835: 832 Chapter Baby Dragon Girl Warmth filled Shen Luo''s heart as he took the Universal Deliverance Talisman. He had previously seen the effects of the Willow Dew Talisman with his own eyes, and he reckoned this Universal Deliverance Talisman must be no less powerful, capable of saving lives in critical moments. ¡°These two talismans, one is an Invisibility Talisman, and the other is an Escape Earth Talisman, keep them on you,¡± Shen Luo immediately took out two talismans and handed them over. Nie Caizhu did not refuse, gave a sweet smile, and leapt into the passageway in the middle. Shen Luo quickly followed, while also summoning the Eight Hanging Mirror to protect his body as he flew forward without touching the ground. The passageway ended quickly, and as the light ahead brightened, a quiet canyon emerged. The sound of ¡°whooshing¡± water echoed in the void, a clear stream meandered from within the secluded valley, and at the end, a large patch of lush green lotus leaves was growing, with a pink lotus the size of a millstone in the middle, radiating faint golden light. This scene was almost picturesque. Shen Luo''s expression froze, this place should be within the palace, how could such a secluded valley appear here? ¡°Could it be an illusion?¡± His gaze darkened as he operated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to scrutinize his surroundings carefully. He was still unable to deploy his Divine Sense here, but fortunately, the valley was not wide, and he could see its edges at a glance. He did not notice anything unusual, except that within the lotus, there was a treasure light shining through, far from ordinary. ¡°Could it be that the treasure is inside the lotus?¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy, and he gestured a spell towards the pink lotus. A Blue Water Palm emerged from the stream, reaching for the lotus. ¡°How dare you!¡± An icy shout suddenly arose as a stone nearby the pink lotus cracked, and a blade-wave shaped Blue Light shot out from it, effortlessly slicing the Water Palm in two. The blue blade did not stop, turning into a blue streak of light continuing to slash towards Shen Luo, amazingly fast. Shen Luo frowned, he hadn''t noticed any other monk''s presence when he was checking the secluded valley, and that''s why he made a move for the treasure; it seemed this guardian was not to be underestimated. However, with his current strength, he naturally would not cower, and he waved his sleeve. A Crimson Sword Light shot out from his sleeve and collided with the blue blade-wave. A loud explosion sounded as if thunder had struck out of the blue. The blue blade-wave exploded, but the Pure Yang Sword Embryo also tumbled and shot back, its brilliance greatly diminished. Shen Luo was shocked and quickly raised his hand to recall it. After being nurtured several times with Dream Cultivation, the power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was no less than that of the Dragon Horn Short Awl, yet it had been wounded in the first encounter! Once the Sword Embryo flew back to his hand, he then noticed the oddity: the spirit of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was unharmed, but there was a blue spot on its body that contained strong sealing power, significantly sealing away much of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo''s might. ¡°So, it''s the Sealing Divine Power.¡± Shen Luo''s heart settled, and with a thought, he took the Pure Yang Sword Embryo into the Heavenly Book Space. The Heavenly Book Space was completely isolated from the outside world, and with no one in charge of the seal''s power within the sword body, it immediately became chaotic. He activated the power of the Heavenly Book to envelop the blue seal inside the sword body, and in one move, he peeled it away from the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, which instantly regained its spirituality. Shen Luo beckoned with his hand, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flew out of the Heavenly Book Space, circling and dancing around him, its sword body''s red light having been restored to its original state. ¡°Eh!¡± An astonished voice came from ahead, followed by a sharp whistling sound as a blue figure shot out from a crevice in the stone, revealing the shape of a blue-haired young girl. This girl had the head of a dragon and the body of a human, with two translucent coral-like dragon horns on her head, seemingly of the Dragon Clan. She was also quite beautiful, but her demeanor carried an air of arrogance, making it difficult to feel fond of her. ¡°Eh! Baby Dragon Girl!¡± Yuan Qiu let out a surprised sound in the Heavenly Book Space. ¡°Baby Dragon Girl? You know of this girl''s background?¡± Shen Luo, sensing Yuan Qiu''s voice, communicated with him telepathically. Yuan Qiu, well-informed and knowledgeable, was carried by Shen Luo as a Gu insect for convenient consultation, as Yuan Qiu could glimpse slightly outside the Heavenly Book Space. Having set a contract mark inside Yuan Qiu''s divine soul, he was not worried that the other party would do anything against his interests. ¡°Before I came to Mount Putuo, I thoroughly investigated some information about it and heard about this dragon girl. It''s said that she was a water serpent in Mount Putuo, enlightened by Bodhisattva who opened her spiritual wisdom, and often listened to the Bodhisattva''s teachings, transforming into a half-dragon body. However, this Baby Dragon Girl was ungrateful, and after gaining her way, she became arrogant and presumptuous. She even claimed to be the Bodhisattva''s direct disciple and caused quite a few troubles in the Human World, which led to her being suppressed. Unexpectedly, she has appeared here,¡± Yuan Qiu quickly said. ¡°Who are you if not a Mount Putuo Disciple, daring to intrude into my Chaoyin Cave and attempting to steal the Bodhisattva''s treasures!¡± The blue-haired young girl looked at Shen Luo with slight surprise, then scolded coldly. Her body surged with blue light, and the pressure of a peak Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivator was unmistakably displayed as she was about to make a move. ¡°Please wait, Dragon Girl, I just now acted impolitely. I am a disciple of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, not a suspicious person. My entry into Chaoyin Cave also has a reason, please allow me to explain¡­¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed, and he hurriedly took out the token given to him by Nie Caizhu to try to explain. The Baby Dragon Girl''s expression softened somewhat upon seeing the token, but upon hearing Shen Luo''s identity, her eyebrows suddenly shot up, and she summoned a spikey blue whip with a flip of her hand, powering it with a flick. The blue whip instantly lengthened dozens of times in the wind, sweeping towards Shen Luo like a mighty dragon, emitting a fearsome whistling sound. The whip moved at an extraordinary speed, reaching him in an instant. A forceful and fierce wind howled towards him. Although Shen Luo had mana protecting his body, his face still felt a stinging pain, as if it was about to be cut open. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His face slightly changed, and he promptly retreated while simultaneously waving his sleeve. The purple great bead emerged and instantly enlarged a hundredfold, turning into a purple giant pearl the size of a palace and blocking in front of him. There was a loud clang as the purple giant pearl trembled violently, with purple light shooting in all directions, but it blocked the hit from the blue whip. ¡°Dragon Girl, please calm your anger. I truly am not a villain. Commanded by a disciple of the Mount Putuo leadership, I have come to seek treasures here. Now, several powerful demons have invaded Chaoyin Cave from outside, and we must rely on these treasures to drive them back!¡± Shen Luo called out loudly, trying to explain. ¡°Hmph! You dare to snatch the Mount Putuo Disciple''s token and covet the Treasured of the Bodhisattva! Today, you won''t be allowed to leave alive!¡± The Baby Dragon Girl didn''t listen at all, her eyes filled with ferociousness, as she shook her whip again, a layer of hazy blue light now suffusing it. Hundreds of identical vast whip shadows appeared out of thin air, raising whip waves that covered the sky and struck Shen Luo from all directions, leaving no room for escape, with an extremely frightening potency. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, and after a flash of green light in his eyes, his figure shot towards the left, completely ignoring the whip shadows that were coming from that direction. The whip shadows reached him, but they held no power; it turned out that they were all phantoms. Chapter 836 Chapter 836: Chapter 833: Taming the Dragon Girl Chapter 836: Chapter 833: Taming the Dragon Girl ¡°Your Excellency, Dragon Girl, we''ve just met for the first time, and I have not offended you in any way,¡± Shen Luo said, landing dozens of yards away with a cupped fist salute, a hint of coldness already on his face. Dragon Girl Baby snorted angrily, placing her left palm upright in front of her chest as the blue whip in her hand began to whirl like a windmill. ¡°Indigo Blue Sea!¡± she shouted sharply, and a splendid blue light burst forth from the whip, sweeping around like countless waves. The blue light contained an extreme cold force, instantly dropping the temperature to its utmost where it passed, freezing everything in a thick layer of solid ice. Shen Luo''s expression changed as he unleashed the Moonlight Glamour from his feet, transforming into a ghostly specter-like afterimage as he bolted toward the entrance of the passageway. However, the blue waves were faster. Just as he retreated halfway, they caught up with him, instantly encasing him in solid ice, turning him into a blue ice sculpture. In the blink of an eye, the entire secluded valley was covered in a thick layer of ice, transforming into an icy world. Baby Dragon Girl revealed a triumphant expression, and with a flick of her blue whip, like a python lashing its tail, she viciously struck at Shen Luo with no mercy, obviously intent on taking his life. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, red, golden, purple, and yellow lights suddenly burst forth from the encased Shen Luo, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, Dragon Horn Short Awl, Purple Giant Pearl, and Profound Yellow Staff appeared all at once, each unleashing a powerful force. The solid ice encasing him cracked all over, then with a loud bang, it shattered. The yellow light from the Profound Yellow Staff surged violently as it struck out horizontally, with a clang, blocking the blue whip once again. ¡°If you attack again, Dragon Girl, don''t blame me for not showing any mercy!¡± Shen Luo said gravely. ¡°How is this possible! Your mana was not frozen by the cold from Indigo Blue Sea!¡± Dragon Girl Baby ignored Shen Luo''s warning, her face showing shock. Indigo Blue Sea was a secret water-attribute spell from Mount Putuo, which when perfected could freeze anything. Its coldness could penetrate the enemy''s body, freezing their mana and guaranteeing a victorious position. She had practiced her Indigo Blue Sea to a profound extent, yet it couldn''t freeze the mana inside Shen Luo. In fact, the coldness of Indigo Blue Sea had already penetrated Shen Luo''s body, but he had the Heavenly Book at his disposal. He immediately activated the Heavenly Book''s power of absorption, drawing most of the coldness into the space of the Heavenly Book, with the remaining bit naturally unable to freeze him. ¡°Green Lotus Pull!¡± Dragon Girl Baby dismissed Shen Luo''s warning with disdain, continuing to attack furiously with the long whip, which coiled like a serpent. The temperature in the secluded valley plummeted once again, and even colder and sharper green ice lotuses appeared out of thin air before shooting towards Shen Luo like raindrops. A trace of anger flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. With a flash of green light, his entire being disappeared in an instant. ¡°Yimu Xuandun!¡± Dragon Girl Baby''s eyes flashed with surprise as she instantly recognized Shen Luo''s divine power. A green shadow flickered in the void behind her, Shen Luo appeared out of nowhere, pointed his finger, and the Dragon Horn Short Awl turned into a streak of golden light, aiming at Dragon Girl Baby''s back. But Dragon Girl Baby did not panic; instead, a cold smile appeared on her lips. A green light flashed behind her, and a green ice lotus about three feet in diameter appeared out of thin air as if it had been waiting there, enveloping Shen Luo with a swoop. A misty green light burst from the giant lotus, containing an overwhelming coldness over ten times stronger than the other lotuses, about to envelop Shen Luo''s body. But at that moment, a golden light flashed on Shen Luo''s body, and a powerful force of absorption emerged out of nowhere, reversing and enveloping the green ice lotus. The green ice lotus vanished in a flash, revealing Dragon Girl Baby''s unguarded body. The golden light transformed by the Dragon Horn Short Awl pierced through with a ''putt,'' penetrating Dragon Girl Baby''s body. Dragon Girl Baby let out a ''wa'' and spat out a mouthful of blood, flying forward, with the blue whip also flying from her grasp. Showing a mixture of shock and anger on her face, her hands still moved as if attempting something else. But a streak of purple light beat everyone to it, landing on the body of the Baby Dragon Girl, revealing itself to be a Purple Talisman. The moment the talisman touched her, it immediately transformed into a mass of golden light and merged into the Baby Dragon Girl''s body. A layer of golden light suddenly appeared on the Baby Dragon Girl, and a large ¡°Binding¡± character emerged on her skin. Following this, the ¡°Binding¡± character flickered and turned into several streams of golden light that continuously wound around her, signifying that it was a Binding Talisman. The Baby Dragon Girl''s body instantly stiffened, covered by a strong force of restraint, and her eyes betrayed a look of shock. Shen Luo did not stop his assault. With a flick of his fingers, nine gray needles shot out from his hand and pierced into nine vital points near the Baby Dragon Girl''s Dantian. This set of needles, stored within Yuan Qiu''s Storage Magical Tool, was named the Locking Yuan Needle, capable of sealing an opponent''s Mana. Each needle was of the Top-Grade Magical Artifact level. The Baby Dragon Girl had a profound cultivation level; a single Binding Talisman alone could not restrain her. With the nine needles embedded in her body, all Mana fluctuations on the Baby Dragon Girl disappeared, and she fell to the ground, completely immobile. ¡°Friend Shen possesses remarkable God''s Power. The Baby Dragon Girl''s aquatic divine abilities were almost divine, yet you subdued her in a counter move, showing that Yuan Qiu''s previous loss was not unjust,¡± Yuan Qiu, in the Heavenly Book Space, said with a contraction of his pupils and a sigh. Shen Luo heard this but said nothing. Now, he possessed many treasures, including the supreme Heavenly Book, and had extensive combat experience. It was very likely that no monks at the Nascent Soul Stage could match him anymore. The Baby Dragon Girl was subdued but still glared furiously at Shen Luo, showing no hint of fear. ¡°Your Excellency, why are you attacking me? We don''t have any deep enmity, do we?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°If you want to kill me, just do it! Stop talking nonsense!¡± The Baby Dragon Girl snorted in anger, still refusing to explain. Shen Luo found her truly baffling, much like what Yuan Qiu had said, not knowing what was good for her. ¡°If that is the case, then I apologize for the offense.¡± He could not be bothered to argue with her anymore. With a wave of his sleeve, a blue light enveloped the Baby Dragon Girl and carried her to a distant location. Having done all this, Shen Luo did not delay a moment longer, swiftly landing in front of the Pink Lotus and giving his sleeve a flick. A stream of blue light shot out, wrapping around the Pink Lotus and attempting to permeate its interior, but a resilient prohibition within the lotus effortlessly blocked the blue light from entering. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, and he pointed his finger. The Dragon Horn Short Awl transformed into a fan-shaped golden light, fiercely striking the Pink Lotus. With a muffled ¡°thump,¡± a layer of golden light appeared on the Pink Lotus, effortlessly bouncing the Dragon Horn Short Awl away. The lotus itself did not even tremble from the impact, causing Shen Luo''s expression to finally darken. ¡°The prohibitions on the Pink Lotus were personally set by our sect''s leader, who has reached the True Immortal Realm. You think you can break it with your strength? Overestimating yourself,¡± the Baby Dragon Girl said with a mocking tone from afar. Shen Luo ignored the Baby Dragon Girl and pulled out the Profound Yellow Staff, performing the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. Sixty-four staff shadows surfaced around the Pink Lotus, enclosing it from all sides. They twisted together fiercely, exuding a suffocating mighty force that made the surrounding void tremble repeatedly. The golden light on the Pink Lotus began to waver, and the ground within dozens of yards of the lotus was affected by the Splashy Chaotic Stick, booming open and creating a huge pit tens of yards wide. Cracks spread rapidly from the pit, reaching across the entire secluded valley in an instant. The mountain peaks on either side of the valley shook violently, numerous boulders tumbling down as half of both mountains collapsed. Watching this scene, a glint of fear flickered through the eyes of the Baby Dragon Girl. Chapter 837 Chapter 837: Chapter 834: Willow Branch Chapter 837: Chapter 834: Willow Branch Shen Luo did not pay attention to his surroundings, his gaze fixed tightly on the Pink Lotus. The golden light on it flickered for a while before gradually returning to calm. ¡°Such tenacious prohibition, leave it to me.¡± Inside the Heavenly Book Space, Yuan Qiu''s face showed excitement. He flicked his sleeve, and two streams of ash clouds swarmed out, which were the Yuan-Devouring Gu insects. Shen Luo''s eyebrows moved slightly as he raised his hand with a wave. A flash of golden light passed over his palm, and a swarm of Yuan-Devouring Gu appeared, enveloping the Pink Lotus. Each insect landed on the Pink Lotus and immediately turned into a wisp of ash, swarming into the prohibition of the Pink Lotus. The Golden Restriction suddenly showed specks of gray, its light starting to dim. However, unlike when he broke the semi-spherical prohibition before, this Golden Restriction was obviously much stronger. In just a few breaths, tens of thousands of Yuan-Devouring Gu had invaded it, and the light of the Golden Restriction only dimmed slightly. ¡°Your Yuan-Devouring Gu really have a miraculous effect on breaking prohibitions, but isn''t this effect a bit too slow?¡± Shen Luo communicated with Yuan Qiu via Divine Sense. ¡°Don''t worry, the Yuan-Devouring Gu are essentially a wisp of Yuan-corrosive energy, which I refined from an artifact left from ancient times. They can corrode all Spiritual Power. Let me put it this way, as long as it is a prohibition formed by Spiritual Power, my Yuan-Devouring Gu can break it, this one included. It just requires a larger number of insects, that''s all,¡± Yuan Qiu confidently said. ¡°Then you have enough Yuan-Devouring Gu?¡± Shen Luo, after hearing this, felt assured and immediately asked again. ¡°I was brought in by those Demons for precisely this purpose, so naturally, I have prepared enough insects,¡± Yuan Qiu said, releasing another batch of Yuan-Devouring Gu. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo completely let go of his worries and released this batch of Yuan-Devouring Gu from the Heavenly Book Space. Wave after wave of Yuan-Devouring Gu invaded the prohibition of the Pink Lotus, and indeed, as Yuan Qiu had said, the Golden Restriction on the Pink Lotus continuously became dimmer and thinned rapidly. Half a Moment later, the Golden Restriction had thinned by half. Shen Luo did not continue to wait. He took out the Profound Yellow Staff with a flip of his hand, moved with the staff in hand, and performed the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Sixty-four staff shadows enshrouded the Pink Lotus in a twist, and the remaining Golden Restriction on the Pink Lotus trembled violently, revealing seven or eight cracks. Blinding golden light shot out from the cracks, spreading rapidly, soon covering the entire Pink Lotus. With a ¡°bang,¡± the Golden Restriction completely shattered. ¡°How is this possible!¡± Baby Dragon Girl, from a distance, saw this scene and could not believe her eyes as she stared wide-eyed. Joy surfaced in Shen Luo''s eyes, and with a flick of his sleeve, a burst of Blue Light enveloped the Pink Lotus. The half-open Pink Lotus immediately bloomed rapidly, and at the center of the lotus, an item was revealed¨Cit was a Purple Gold Ring with three Golden Bells hanging on it, plugged with bell plugs, and engraved with some mysterious patterns, looking far from ordinary. ¡°What Magical Treasure is this?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and took the Purple Gold Ring into his grasp, turning it over. On the inner side of the ring, three ancient seal characters were engraved. ¡°Purple Gold Bell.¡± He was now well-versed in ancient seal script, easily reading these three characters, though he had not heard of this name before. ¡°Yuan Qiu, have you ever heard of the name of this treasure?¡± He communicated with Yuan Qiu through a message. ¡°I have not,¡± Yuan Qiu shook his head. Hu cared not, as this Purple Gold Bell, although obscure, was surely a treasure since it was placed there. He activated the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique to refine it, but the Purple Gold Bell showed no response, and the Mana poured into it evaporated like a mud ox into the sea, without any effect. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed as he employed the refining method passed down by Cheng Yaojin, but the Purple Gold Bell still showed no sign of being stimulated. His heart turned cold upon realizing that if he couldn''t activate the treasure, obtaining it would be futile. ¡°In the Dreamland, Daoist Yuan imparted the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, claiming it could refine Innate Spiritual Treasures. I wonder if it will work on the Purple Gold Bell,¡± he thought of the technique and began to apply it. A series of purple-gold radiance rose from the Purple Gold Bell, and he immediately established a slight spiritual connection with it. ¡°Indeed effective!¡± Shen Luo was delighted. Although he had only refined it a little, he had gained knowledge of the Purple Gold Bell''s divine powers. There were three bells: the Fire Bell, which could emit flames to injure the enemy; the Smoke Bell, which could release divine smoke; and finally, the Wind Bell, which could release yellow sandstorms. However, he couldn''t determine the extent of the power of these flames, smoke, and sandstorms, although he expected that it wouldn''t be insignificant. There was no time to ponder at the moment. He tucked the Purple Gold Bell into his bosom, continued refining it with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, and immediately flew towards the Outside. As he passed by the Baby Dragon Girl, Shen Luo raised his hand, calling back the nine Locking Yuan Needles, and the Mana fluctuations around the Baby Dragon Girl''s body instantly recovered. The Baby Dragon Girl''s expression relaxed, but the resentment in her eyes as she looked at Shen Luo intensified, wishing she could swallow him whole. ¡°With your divine powers, Your Excellency, you will likely break the Binding Talisman soon. After that, you can decide what to do for yourself.¡± Shen Luo did not pay attention to the Baby Dragon Girl and shot down the Passageway, in search of Nie Caizhu and Bai Xiaotian. With his speed, he reached the previous great hall in a few breaths and was about to dash down the middle passageway towards Nie Caizhu when a loud noise came from Outside. The Ground in the Hall also shook violently, as if someone had broken through the prohibition. He didn''t know who it was. Shen Luo''s face changed, and he immediately waved his hand, and the Ghost General materialized with a flash. ¡°Go and assist Sky; secure the treasure there. Take this Invisibility Talisman with you, and if the enemy is too strong, prioritize survival,¡± he ordered gravely, handing over an Invisibility Talisman. ¡°Yes.¡± The Ghost General agreed and turned into a black shadow darting down the farthest Passageway. Shen Luo himself turned into a red shadow, racing down the middle Passageway, and in just a few breaths, he reached the end where a white light gate appeared before him. Without stopping, he flew straight through, and his vision blurred. A dense Forest appeared before him, with trees so large that each one was several dozen, even a Hundred Feet tall, some taller than small mountains, which was rather astonishing. Shen Luo flew into Mid Air to look around. This space was much larger than the secluded valley he had been in before. Giant trees spanned as far as the eye could see, stretching to the horizon without end. Shen Luo moved swiftly towards the deeper part of the Mountain Forest. Just as he entered, a series of muffled explosions came from ahead. Huge waves of Qi, mixed with billowing dust, surged like tidal waves, toppling the great trees. He immediately increased his speed and in the blink of an Eye passed through the dust and qi waves. An Open Ground in the forest came into view. On the Ground, there stood a Huge Altar, twenty or thirty feet tall. Nie Caizhu was flying near the altar, engaged in a fierce battle with a black figure. That black figure was also a Bear Demon, dressed in black armor, wielding a Dark Red Spear, similar to the Black Bear Demon outside, but smaller in size and of lesser cultivation level, only at the Early Mahayana Stage. Nie Caizhu was at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, just a step away from reaching the Mahayana Stage. Her Magical Treasures were sharp, and she was only slightly at a disadvantage. At the top of the sacrificial platform below, there was a Golden light shield, and on the Stone Platform within, there was a lush Willow Branch, glowing brightly. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 838 Chapter 838: Chapter 835 Little Bear Monster Chapter 838: Chapter 835 Little Bear Monster ¡°Could this willow branch be the treasure of this place?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, yet he did not reach for the treasure and instead charged directly at the two in mid-air. With a flick of his sleeves, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Dragon Horn Short Awl left his body, transforming into a red and a golden rainbow that shot straight toward the back of the Little Bear Monster. The Little Bear Monster was fully engaged in combat with Nie Caizhu and hadn''t noticed the situation behind him until they flew within ten feet of him, at which point he suddenly became aware. ¡°Sunlight Brilliance!¡± he shouted in a low voice, the golden light from the long spear in his hand shone brightly like the sun, and the body of the gun trembled violently, emitting a buzzing, piercing sound. In the midst of the trembling, the long spear suddenly vanished, as if it had teleported away. The next moment, that gleaming golden long spear appeared out of nowhere in front of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Dragon Horn Short Awl. The golden light around the body of the gun transformed into a sword Qi, over ten feet long and as wide as a door, radiating boundless sharpness as if it could pierce through anything, and it slashed down with unparalleled swiftness. The rainbows formed by the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Dragon Horn Short Awl were fast, but compared to the current speed of the long spear''s sword Qi, they were as slow as snails. With a sound like thunderous explosion, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Dragon Horn Short Awl were repelled, their surfaces shimmered with spiritual light, dimming slightly, as if they had been struck and their spiritual nature injured. The long spear also shot back, with its surrounding golden light already shattered. Shen Luo waved his hand to recall the two treasures and stopped his charging figure. He looked at that long spear, a deep wariness flashing in his eyes. The God''s Power just now used by the Little Bear Monster was truly astonishing; with teleportation-like speed, and breath that was extremely fierce, it seemed capable of slaying gods and buddhas in its path. Fortunately, he had not approached. Otherwise, if that Little Bear Monster had used this move at close range, he would have most likely been decapitated before he could defend himself. ¡°That''s the Sunlight Brilliance God''s Power from Mount Putuo, which can activate gold-type magical instruments and treasures at an astonishing speed to inflict damage on the enemy. However, this technique has a limited range of attack, and as long as you don''t get close to that Little Bear Monster, you''ll be fine,¡± Yuan Qiu said from within the Heavenly Book Space. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo suddenly understood and withdrew an object with a flip of his hand¨Cit was the Purple Gold Bell. ¡°It is only polite to return the favor. Take my move,¡± he said with a cold laugh, removing the plug of the Fire Bell and giving it a forceful shake. The sound of ¡°ding ling ling¡± from the bells spread around, and the Fire Bell grew several times larger in the wind, turning into a giant bell several feet in size. A stream of heaven-reaching red flames shot out from within the Fire Bell, covering the Little Bear Monster. The firelight exploded into myriad golden sparks, and the flames shot out thousands of red rainbows, their might shockingly terrifying. A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Shen Luo''s face; although he had guessed that this Purple Gold Bell was not weak, he had not expected it to be this powerful. ¡°Purple Gold Bell!¡± the Little Bear Monster shouted aloud, but instead of flying back, its eyes shone with an even hotter fire. It repeatedly thrust its war spear. The tip of the spear shone with a bright blue light, then turned into waves of blue light that spread out, releasing an extremely cold breath. It was the same Indigo Blue Sea secret technique used by the Baby Dragon Girl, which withstood the assault of the sky-filled red fire. However, the Indigo Blue Sea technique used by the Little Bear Monster was clearly not as powerful as the Baby Dragon Girl''s, only blocking some of the Purple Gold Bell''s red flames, with a few penetrating the blue light and hitting the Little Bear Monster. The armor on the bear monster''s body was burned through with holes immediately, and its hide was scorched through, emitting a charred smell. ¡°Unperturbed by the roughly sea!¡± the Little Bear Monster, though surprised, did not retreat and uttered a loud cry while making a bizarre hand seal. A transparent ring of light suddenly appeared on its body, and with a flash, it exploded. Countless blue runes surged out instantaneously, rapidly coalescing into a blue shield that protected its entire body. The shield flickered with countless wave-like blue shadows, appearing exceptionally mysterious. The red flames that followed continued to fly towards it, striking the blue shield, only to be immediately deflected. ¡°Cousin, stop!¡± Nie Caizhu was able to identify that it was Shen Luo who appeared and urgently called out. Meanwhile, she waved her colored ribbon, sweeping it toward those red flames. Shen Luo, although greatly puzzled by Nie Cai Zhu''s actions, still pointed to the Purple Gold Bell and cast a spell. The sky full of red flames suddenly began to retreat, and within a few breaths, they all flew back into the Purple Gold Bell. ¡°Cousin, the little bear monster has agreed to give me the Yangliu Branch; he''s not an enemy,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said, flying over with a sigh of relief. ¡°If he is not an enemy, why did you start fighting just now?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°This little bear monster is a descendant of the Protector Elder. He made a mistake in the past and was sent here to guard the treasures of Bodhisattva. He''s been living alone here for years, and inevitably felt lonely. After I explained the current situation to him, he agreed to give up the Yangliu Branch, but only on the condition that I have a great battle with him,¡± Nie Cai Zhu quickly explained. Shen Luo listened and showed a surprised expression on his face. The little bear monster at this moment also flew over, looking Shen Luo up and down, its pupils suddenly contracting. ¡°Boy, you''re not weak. If you''ve really got skill, don''t use the Purple Gold Bell. Let''s have a real fight with real swords!¡± The little bear monster''s eyes, narrow with surging fighting spirit, suggested. ¡°Once matters here are settled, I will gladly accept your challenge, Your Excellency. However, when I arrived here just now, I felt that someone outside had already broken the prohibition. I''m not sure who it is, so for safety''s sake, could both of you stop fighting for now and secure the Yangliu Branch first?¡± Shen Luo said in a grave tone. ¡°Little bear monster.¡± Hearing this, Nie Cai Zhu''s pretty face changed as she turned to the little bear monster. The little bear monster, upon hearing this, also reigned in his demeanor and leapt onto the altar, pulling out a golden token and throwing it. The token turned into a ray of golden light and merged into the golden light shield. The shield flickered wildly for a few times, then silently disappeared. ¡°So the guardian possesses the method to break the prohibition?¡± Shen Luo saw this and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. ¡°Take it,¡± said the little bear monster indifferently. Nie Cai Zhu was overjoyed, flying to the front of the sacrificial platform, bowed three times to the Yangliu Branch, and reached out to take it. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Stop!¡± A thunderous roar came from outside, and before the sound faded, a streak of golden light shot towards the sacrificial platform like lightning from a distance. Within the golden light was Wei Qing, his eyes full of blood vessels, staring dead at the Yangliu Branch on the platform. But at that moment, the void in front of Wei Qing shifted, and sixty-four yellow stick shadows emerged, striking at Wei Qing from all directions. The void also started to spin with the stick shadows, forming a huge vortex. Shen Luo''s figure appeared behind the yellow vortex, his expression extremely cold. An incredibly vast force surged wildly from the stick shadows, forcing Wei Qing''s rushing figure to a halt, as he bellowed furiously. This delay allowed Nie Cai Zhu to snatch the Yangliu Branch into her hands. Seeing the Yangliu Branch with Nie Cai Zhu, Wei Qing''s eyes instantly turned blood-red, and with a flash of green light in his hand, he now held a green sword. This sword was quite peculiar, its blade unsharpened, adorned with lotus-shaped patterns, and the hilt shaped like a lotus platform. ¡°Hand over the Yangliu Branch! Lotus Heart Sword Intent!¡± Wei Qing shouted angrily, and thousands of green lights bloomed from the green sword. Each ray of green light was a terrifying blast of Sword Qi, which, after a spinning motion, condensed into a hundred-foot-long giant green sword shaped like a lotus and slashed instantaneously upon the sixty-four stick shadows. With a light ''crackle'', the sixty-four stick shadows were surprisingly split in half as easily as if they were made of paper. Chapter 839 Chapter 839: Chapter 836 Mount Putuo Traitor Chapter 839: Chapter 836 Mount Putuo Traitor ¡°` ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo was startled, as the Splashy Chaotic Stick had never been so easily broken through before. However, the Splashy Chaotic Stick was an unparalleled divine technique, and although the Green Lotus Giant Sword had sliced through it, reducing its size by nearly half, it didn''t stop and continued to slash towards Shen Luo. ¡°Cousin, be careful, that''s the Qinglian Sword! The famous treasure of Mount Putuo!¡± Nie Caizhu''s voice came through. Shen Luo ignored Nie Caizhu''s call, his expression dramatically changing as he swiftly retreated. At the same time, a flash of green light passed in front of him, and the Eight Hanging Mirror emerged, shooting out a green light pillar as thick as a water jar, which held off the Green Lotus Giant Sword. Eighteen spirit patterns appeared on the surface of the mirror, and the light within the green light pillar flashed continuously. Eighteen mirror-like light curtains instantly condensed into form, layering upon each other, and stood in the path of the Green Lotus Giant Sword. Having advanced to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, Shen Luo was now able to unleash the full power of the Eight Hanging Mirror. No sooner had the eighteen light curtains been put up than the Green Lotus Giant Sword pierced through the green light pillar and struck the eighteen layers of green prohibition. A series of ¡°hissing¡± sounds rang out as the air seemed to ignite with spectacular green fireworks. The green light curtains were shattered layer after layer, with more than half of them broken in the blink of an eye. Although the speed of the Green Lotus Giant Sword began to wane, it still pressed forward resolutely. Shen Luo''s face changed, and he hastily waved his sleeve, causing the Purple Giant Pearl to emerge and fly into the green light curtain. The Profound Yellow Staff followed closely behind the Purple Giant Pearl, emitting a burst of yellow light. It transformed into a thick yellow light pillar and struck out fiercely. With a ¡°clang,¡± the void trembled, the remaining green light curtains violently shook, and were completely shattered. A ¡°crack¡± sound was heard from the Eight Hanging Mirror in front of Shen Luo, which astonishingly developed a crack. The Purple Giant Pearl flew back, its purple glow dimmed, and its surface bore a several-inch-deep gash. The Profound Yellow Staff also tumbled and flew back, its spiritual light dimmed, clearly also having suffered considerable damage. However, the Green Lotus Giant Sword was finally blocked, and after flashing wildly, it flew backwards. ¡°As the saying goes, return the favor. Take one of my moves too!¡± Shen Luo looked at the damaged Magical Treasures with a pang of distress in his heart, and once again shook the Purple Gold Bell in his hand. The ¡°dinging¡± of the bell sounded, and a stream of red flames shot out, covering the sky and overwhelming Wei Qing. Nie Caizhu was about to fly over to help, but upon seeing the fiercely hot flames, she quickly stopped in her tracks. ¡°The Purple Gold Bell!¡± Wei Qing had also regained his composure by now, and he flicked the Qinglian Sword in his hand. A series of green Sword Qi burst out, emitting dense sword cries, and like a sword rain, they slashed onto the red flames, blocking them for an instant. But the subsequent waves of flames surged forward like raging waves, easily engulfing and burning up the Sword Qi. However, seizing this brief moment, Wei Qing''s feet shone with a bright green light, which then condensed into two blue lotus phantoms, rotating with incredible speed. Wei Qing''s figure blurred instantly, and in the next moment, he inexplicably appeared hundreds of feet away, unbelievably fast. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows but did not forcefully pursue with the Purple Gold Bell. After several continuous displays of large techniques, more than half of his Mana was depleted. ¡°Mount Putuo''s Sitting Lotus Body Method is indeed extraordinary,¡± Yuan Qiu remarked from within the Heavenly Book Space. ¡°` ¡°The Sitting Lotus Body Method? Is it the flying escape technique that Wei Qing just used?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Exactly. This divine power is a fusion of movement techniques and the Wood Escape Technique, and in terms of speed, it ranks within the top three in the world,¡± Yuan Qiu said. A trace of surprise flashed through Shen Luo''s eyes; indeed, Wei Qing''s movements were faster than the Slanting Moon Steps. ¡°Friend Shen, the Five Elements Secret Technique of Mount Putuo is incredibly exquisite. You must want to get it too, right? This Wei Qing is now a traitor to Mount Putuo, deserving of death by everyone''s hands. With the Purple Gold Bell in your possession and your strength greatly increased, why not kill him here and confine his divine soul in this golden space? I have a Gu Technique that is adept at soul interrogation; we''re bound to get something out of him,¡± Yuan Qiu said with a sly chuckle, speaking softly. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered upon hearing this suggestion, but he said nothing, waving his hand to collect the Eight Hanging Mirror and the Purple Giant Pearl before taking out the Universal Deliverance Talisman and crushing it in his hand. The talisman turned into a green light and merged into Shen Luo''s body. A green halo immediately appeared around him and flashed rapidly. Each flash of the green halo drew a continuous stream of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the surroundings, transforming it into his Mana. In a matter of two or three breaths, the green halo flashed nine times before disappearing. A look of joy appeared on Shen Luo''s face as the effect of the Universal Deliverance Talisman proved to be excellent. Although his Mana was not fully restored, it had recovered substantially, and the fatigue in his body had also vanished. He began to stimulate the Purple Gold Bell once more. Not only that, but he also removed the plug from the Smoke Bell and simultaneously activated both bells. The sky once again erupted with Red Flames while the Smoke Bell emitted a vast expanse of smoke¨Cnot smoke from cooking stoves or burning vegetation, but Five-Colored Spirit Smoke in blue, red, white, black, and yellow. The dazzling and blinding Five-Colored Spirit Smoke caused Nie Caizhu and Little Bear Monster, who were merely watching from a distance, to feel a sharp pain in their eyes and a flow of tears, prompting them to quickly retreat further back. With the fire and smoke working together, the might of the Red Flames suddenly surged, and like an angry tide from the deep sea, they swept towards Wei Qing. Everywhere they passed, the forest below fiercely burned, turning to ashes. The Ground cracked, and the once lush and verdant forest was destroyed in the blink of an eye. ¡°Damn it, kid, there''s a limit to how far you should go, even against an enemy!¡± yelled the Little Bear Monster as it saw its dwelling turned to this state. It was furious and continuously roared at Shen Luo, but did not dare to approach. Nie Caizhu also showed a look of shock and hurriedly moved back again. She immediately reached for the Yangliu Branch and poured her Mana into trying to activate it, but no matter how she tried to use the techniques taught by her sect to refine it, she couldn''t establish the slightest connection with the green branch. ¡°Don''t bother trying. This Yangliu Branch is a close personal treasure of Bodhisattva Guanyin; without her unique refining technique, you''ll never be able to activate it,¡± the Little Bear Monster flew over and said. Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu was momentarily dumbfounded. The main reason she came to this palace with Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian was to obtain the treasures left by Bodhisattva Guanyin before anyone else, in order to counter Wei Qing and the others. Without the ability to activate it, how could she use them against the enemy? ¡°Elder, do you know the refining techniques?¡± Nie Caizhu hurriedly asked. ¡°I''m just a guardian; how could I know such things? I''m afraid that within the whole of Mount Putuo, only Master Guanyue knows the refining techniques; not even Master Qinglian,¡± the Little Bear Monster shook its head. Nie Caizhu was greatly disappointed, but she immediately realized another issue. ¡°If these treasures require Bodhisattva Guanyin''s unique refining techniques, then how can my cousin activate the Purple Gold Bell?¡± ¡°I''ve also been wondering about that. Where did this kid learn the refining technique? Could it be that he has some connection with Bodhisattva Guanyin?¡± wondered the Little Bear Monster, its gaze flickering as it watched Shen Luo''s back. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 840 Chapter 840: Chapter 837 Obtained Chapter 840: Chapter 837 Obtained Although Wei Qing''s cultivation was profound, and his Qinglian Sword was powerful, it was somewhat insufficient when facing the Purple Gold Bell. Confronted with Shen Luo''s almost barbaric offensive, Wei Qing could only constantly use the Sitting Lotus Body Method to retreat and dodge continuously. However, the range of the Purple Gold Bell''s fireworks was too vast, and the space here was limited. Led purposefully by Shen Luo, Wei Qing was quickly cornered. Shen Luo had no mercy for Wei Qing, who had betrayed the Sect and ambushed his elder. He stimulated the Purple Gold Bell once more, and fierce fireworks rushed forth, threatening to turn Wei Qing into ashes. Just at that moment, a white light flashed beside Wei Qing, and a White Jade Small Bottle appeared out of thin air. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s brow couldn''t help but furrow. The mouth of the White Jade Small Bottle tilted slightly, pouring out a gushing sound of water, as it drew a line in the air. A streak of Blue Light shot out, forming a blue light circle around Wei Qing, somewhat similar to the ¡°Unperturbed by Ripples¡± protective cover that the Little Bear Monster had just used. The skyful of fireworks bombarded down, striking the blue light circle, which emitted a tremendous booming sound as it brightly lit up. Countless blue runes shot out from within the circle, with each rune instantaneously expanding several times in size, taking on a semi-transparent form. The result was that the skyful of red flames immediately died out with a sizzle as soon as they touched the blue light circle, as if encountering their bane. The five-colored divine smoke that touched the light circle was also easily bounced away, utterly unable to shake the circle in the slightest. On the contrary, the spatial barrier behind Wei Qing trembled violently, as if it could not withstand the might of these fireworks and was about to collapse. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, but his fighting spirit was also aroused, and he urged the Purple Gold Bell with all his might. The surrounding fireworks immediately intensified, and huge waves of fire several zhang high appeared, rolling directly towards the other side, determined to extinguish water with fire. At this moment, the exclamations of Nie Caizhu and the roars of the Little Bear Monster came from behind. Alarmed, Shen Luo turned his head and saw a figure fighting fiercely with Nie Caizhu and the Little Bear Monster. It was Liu Qing. Her body was interwoven with blue and black light, with the black light being Demonic Qi. The two complemented each other, greatly enhancing Liu Qing''s aura, reaching the Great Mahayana Stage. With every gesture, she unleashed tremendous immense force, battling two against one and still gaining the upper hand, forcing both to keep retreating. Shen Luo panicked and turned around to assist them. Just then, with a ¡°whoosh¡± from inside the White Jade Small Bottle, a crystal-clear blue water stream burst forth, spreading swiftly and turning into a giant blue net several miles wide in the blink of an eye, shooting towards Shen Luo with a swoosh. The blue net was laden with heavy water vapor, extinguishing the red flames wherever it passed, and it cleaved through the sea of fire and smoke with unstoppable momentum, swooping down straight onto Shen Luo. Shocked, Shen Luo hurriedly halted and raised his hand with a wave. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Dragon Horn Short Awl flew out, turning into a red and a golden rainbow, crisscrossing and slashing towards the blue water net. However, upon contact with the blue water net, all the light from the two rainbows immediately vanished as if melting snow under the spring sun. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Dragon Horn Short Awl fell down like rocks, and both treasures were tainted with a layer of bizarre blue light, their spiritual power fluctuations completely disappearing, just like the Sealing Divine Power that Baby Dragon Girl had used earlier. Shen Luo''s expression changed, and he urgently stimulated the Power of the Heavenly Scroll, the golden light flickering on his hand as he collected the two treasures into the Heavenly Book Space. As before, the blue light on the two treasures dispersed as soon as they entered the Heavenly Book Space. Only then did he feel relieved and channeled his mana into the inner part of the Purple Gold Bell''s Smoke Bell. This blue water net completely countered the Fire Bell''s divine power, and he hadn''t yet refined the prohibition of the third bell, the Wind Bell, so he could only rely on this Smoke Bell. A large swathe of five-colored smoke emerged and upon condensing, turned into a solid-looking five-colored cloud mass that supported and met the blue water net. Once they touched, a series of dull and continuous sounds erupted. The blue water net flickered with light, each strand of Water Rope becoming a sharp Water Blade, constantly breaking through the resistance of the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke and falling down, but their speed was greatly reduced. Shen Luo''s tense expression relaxed, and the Moonlight Glamour beneath his feet intensified as he shot toward the outside. But at that moment, the white small bottle shook into appearance above the blue water net, a stream of Blue Light pouring down and infusing into the water net. The water net suddenly bloomed with a burst of Blue Light, increasing in size by several times, its edges shooting out and ¡°thud, thud, thud, thud¡± all piercing into the ground, enveloping the Five-Colored Cloud along with Shen Luo below, forming a cage and imprisoning Shen Luo within. Liu Qing, seeing this scene, relaxed, and struck out into the void with both hands. Two blue palm shadows, each a zhang in size, shot out from her hands and slammed toward Nie Caizhu and the Little Bear Monster. Nie Caizhu let out a fierce shout, her Sun and Moon Light Brilliant Stick shining with a Black and White Tai Chi Pattern, which spun and condensed into a Black and White Tai Chi Pattern to meet the blue palm shadow. Her protective colored ribbon also shot out, weaving rapidly like fabric, and in the blink of an eye set up a colorful screen behind the Black and White Tai Chi Pattern. Meanwhile, the Little Bear Monster''s Long Spear''s Golden Light surged, a massive Golden Sword Qi forming around the spear body, once again displaying the Sunlight Brilliance Divine Power, the spear slashing with a ¡°hiss¡± at the blue palm. At the same time, Ghostly Qi flashed on his body, and a pale Ghost Hand silently emerged, burning with green Ghost Flame, its fingers like blades fiercely grasping toward the blue palm. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Liu Qing chuckled lightly, and a flash of blue light appeared in her hands, a black rune emerging in the center of her palms. The two blue palm shadows suddenly doubled in size, a ball of black Demonic Light appearing in their centers, and as they closed into fists, they struck the Black and White Tai Chi Pattern of Nie Caizhu and the Sword Qi Ghost Claw of the Little Bear Monster. Several loud ¡°boom, boom, boom¡± noises erupted! A dazzling blue-black Spiritual Light burst open, sending ripples and hurricane-like waves rolling out in all directions. Whether it was the Black and White Tai Chi Pattern, the colored ribbon screen, the Golden Sword Qi, or the pale Ghost Claw, all were shattered and broken as they were swept up by the blue-black ripples. Nie Caizhu screamed, her body blown away and a small mouthful of blood spewed from her lips. And the Little Bear Monster''s body shook violently, retreating step by step, his face flashing an abnormal flush of red. Liu Qing''s whole body gleamed with black light, and with a sudden leap, she blurred and disappeared from the spot. The next moment, a shadow flickered in front of Nie Caizhu, and Liu Qing suddenly appeared with a gust of wind, her hand extending fiercely as her fingers, like iron hooks, went straight for the Storage Magical Tool on Nie Caizhu''s wrist. Not far away, the Little Bear Monster finally realized that this woman''s target was actually the Yangliu Branch on Nie Caizhu''s body. ¡°Demonic wench, how dare you!¡± the Little Bear Monster roared angrily, his body swelling with black and Demon Qi, stabilizing his form as the Long Spear in his hands surged with black light, cleaving the void. A ¡°hiss¡± rang out sharply as a crescent-shaped Black Light, over a dozen zhang long, suddenly rolled out and slashed toward Liu Qing''s back, attempting to hinder her theft. A Green Light suddenly shot out from the fireworks behind her, spanning a distance of several dozen zhang in an instant, overtaking the crescent-shaped Black Light with a swifter strike. With a ¡°clang¡± of impact, the crescent-shaped Black Light was deflected by the Green Light, which then revealed itself to be Wei Qing''s Qinglian Sword. The Little Bear Monster''s eyes turned bloodshot, realizing his intervention was too late, and could only watch helplessly as Liu Qing succeeded. But at that moment, an unexpected change occurred! Chapter 841 Chapter 841: Chapter 838 Evacuation Chapter 841: Chapter 838 Evacuation Nie Caizhu was standing when a yellow light flashed across the ground before her, and a figure popped up from underground. A thick yellow staff as wide as a bowl mouth turned into a streak of yellow light, cleaving forward. There was a thunderous boom, like a clap of thunder. Under the interweaving of yellow light and black Qi, a hurricane surged toward the sky, with roiling Qi waves sweeping out in all directions. At the center of the explosion, two figures flashed and shot out in opposite directions, each stabilizing their form after staggering a dozen or so feet away. One of them was Liu Qing, her right hand bleeding profusely from her shattered fingernails. However, this woman didn''t care about the injuries on her hand at all, her eyes were fixed on the figure opposite her¨Cit was Shen Luo. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo held the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, his face slightly pale, but he seemed much better off than Liu Qing. The little bear monster, seeing this scene, was overjoyed, its legs flashed with green light turning into two lotus phantom shadows, and in a blur, it appeared behind Nie Caizhu and reached out to support her. Nie Caizhu thanked the little bear monster, her bright eyes turning toward Shen Luo with a hint of joy at the corner of her mouth. At that moment, another figure shot out from behind the smoke and fire¨Cit was Wei Qing. Seeing the situation before him, a flash of murderous intent crossed his face, but he still flew down next to Liu Qing, his eyes steadfast on Nie Caizhu. ¡°How did you get out so quickly?¡± Liu Qing didn''t pay attention to the others and just stared at Shen Luo, asking in a deep voice. ¡°Nothing special, just an Escape Earth Talisman,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°An Escape Earth Talisman! It''s my oversight. I didn''t expect you to have such a rare talisman in your hands. That''s right, Your Excellency is skilled in making talismans,¡± Liu Qing said with a wry smile. ¡°Your Excellency has some good tricks too, letting Wei Qing enter first, drawing our attention, then catching us off guard to snatch the Yangliu Branch. This feint attack was exquisitely executed. However, who exactly are you, and why do you carry the Demonic Qi?¡± Shen Luo said coldly. Hearing this, Liu Qing suddenly burst into giggling laughter, as if she found Shen Luo''s question extremely amusing. At the same time, a white light flew in from behind¨Cit was that white bottle¨Cwhich landed in the woman''s hand. ¡°That white bottle is the Jade Purification Bottle, the magical treasure of the Guanyin Ancestor Master, containing water from Three Rivers and Five Lakes, as well as from the Eight Seas and Four Rivers. With the refining power of the Jade Purification Bottle, it is the nemesis of the Purple Gold Bell Flames'' power,¡± said the little bear monster as a reminder. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed sharply upon hearing this, and his figure swiftly retreated toward the entrance of the passage. Seeing this, the little bear monster immediately followed with Nie Caizhu close behind. ¡°Think you can leave? Can you really?¡± Liu Qing''s laughing stopped abruptly, her face showing a cold sneer as she pointed into the void with both hands. The ground at the entrance of the passage flashed with blue light; a thick blue light burst forth from underground, quickly spreading out and instantly forming a large blue net that blocked the cave entrance. Shen Luo and the others'' expressions changed, and they hurriedly stopped in their tracks. The sound of howling came from behind; it was the same blue water net from earlier soaring through the air, descending upon the trio. The little bear monster and Nie Caizhu grew anxious, their bodies shining with the light of magical treasures, ready to resist the water net. ¡°Don''t use magical treasures! These water nets have an extremely strong sealing effect; any magical treasure will be sealed upon contact,¡± Shen Luo urgently warned them, channeling mana to activate the Purple Gold Bell, with a large swath of red flames and five-colored spirit smoke swarming out. With his hands moving like turning car wheels, the red flames and five-colored spirit smoke intertwined, and after a low roar, more than a dozen long smoke fire dragons took shape, each twenty or thirty feet in length, complete with dragon horns, scales, and claws, vivid and lifelike. The dozen smoke fire dragons formed and let out long dragon chants, charging toward the oncoming blue water net, and the two collided with a thunderous impact. ¡°` With a thunderous roar, the blue light on the water net intensified, as a surge of dense and incomparable water qi rushed forward, attempting to extinguish the flames on the firework dragons. However, the water net''s divine power seemed to have failed this time. The bodies of the dozen firework dragons hissed, and although the flames on them were being extinguished, the process was excruciatingly slow. The dragons shook their heads and swished their tails, stubbornly holding against the water net and preventing it from advancing even a fraction. ¡°What!¡± Liu Qing''s expression changed at the sight. Yet a smile crept onto Shen Luo''s lips as he once again urged the Purple Gold Bell, and a large swarm of fireworks rushed out. With his hands forming seals as if turning the wheels of a car, all the fireworks he expelled this time converged at one point, followed by an earth-shattering dragon chant sound. A firework dragon, several hundred feet in length, emerged into view. If one were to enlarge this dragon a hundredfold, they would see the incredibly intricate combination of the fireworks and the red flames that composed the dragon''s body, especially the red flames that turned into extremely fine threads of fire, wrapping around the five-colored spirit smoke in a particular pattern to form this titanic firework dragon. Although the water qi on the blue water net was dense, Shen Luo employed an extraordinarily delicate control over the power of flames, combining it with the five-colored spirit smoke to fend off the water net, preventing it from swiftly extinguishing the power of flames. ¡°Go!¡± With a push from the spellcaster, the firework dragon immediately rushed out, its long claws manifesting as a massive residual shadow, viciously scratching the blue water net at the entrance of the passage. With a ripping sound, the blue water net was torn open, leaving a gap about a yard wide. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Shen Luo immediately waved the Purple Gold Bell, and two streaks of purple-gold light shot out, wrapping around the bodies of Nie Caizhu and the little bear monster. Though merely the escaping spiritual light from the Purple Gold Bell, the power was shockingly strong, restraining Nie Caizhu and the little bear demon so that they could not move. The three turned into a streak of purple-gold light, shooting out through the fissure and entering the passageway. Liu Qing and Wei Qing''s expressions changed drastically, and they immediately shot towards this direction, but the colossal body of the firework dragon suddenly coiled up, forming a small mountain that firmly blocked the entrance of the passage. Shen Luo sped forward through the passageway, once more activating the Purple Gold Bell. A large amount of five-colored spirit smoke and red flames shot out, flying into the passageway behind him and exploding with a thunderous boom. The passage behind them collapsed instantly, countless giant stones falling and completely sealing off that area. From their prior conversation, it appeared that Liu Qing and Wei Qing probably didn''t possess talismans or magical treasures capable of escaping earth, so the collapsed passage should be able to hold them back for a while. In this manner, Shen Luo caused the collapse of most of the passageway before finally stopping, also halting his own movement. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to continue collapsing the passageway; it was that the mana within his body was once again depleted. The Purple Gold Bell was extremely powerful and consumed a great deal of mana. ¡°We''ve already escaped this far; can you put me down now?¡± came the cold voice of the little bear monster. Nie Caizhu didn''t mind being carried by Shen Luo, but the little bear monster couldn''t stand it. ¡°Just now, the situation was critical, and I acted rashly; I hope Your Excellency won''t take offense,¡± Shen Luo quickly manipulated the Purple Gold Bell, dispelling the two beams of purple-gold light. The little bear monster snorted and turned to look outside. ¡°Cousin, do you have any talismans left to recover mana? Please help me recover,¡± Shen Luo said to Nie Caizhu, ignoring the little bear monster. ¡°I''ve used up all the talismans, but I can cast Delivering Sentient Beings,¡± Nie Caizhu replied, then started chanting spells. The Sun and Moon Light Brilliant Stick lit up with a bright green light, which she then pointed at Shen Luo in the void. A green light entered Shen Luo''s body and flashed nine times in succession; his drained mana was instantly restored by nearly half. Nie Caizhu''s complexion turned a shade paler, clearly indicating that casting this spell was quite draining. Chapter 842 Chapter 842: Chapter 839: The Dragon Slayer Chapter 842: Chapter 839: The Dragon Slayer Shen Luo let out a light sigh, quietly praising the restoration spells of Mount Putuo for their wondrous effects. He took out a Restoration Pill and swallowed it, refining it to slowly recover his remaining mana. Seeing this, Nie Caizhu raised the Sun and Moon Light Brilliant Stick again. ¡°Cousin, you were injured before, and using Salvation of All Beings consumes a lot of energy. Don''t push yourself too hard,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly stopped her. ¡°It''s okay, my injuries aren''t serious, and my strength is weak, negligible. Cousin, you should recover your combat ability as quickly as possible,¡± Nie Caizhu said, shaking her head. ¡°How could that be, cousin? You''ve acquired the Yangliu Branch, which is also one of Bodhisattva''s Magical Treasures. Quickly try to refine it, and it will certainly be of great use,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°The Yangliu Branch requires a unique refining technique from the Guanyin Ancestor Master to be activated, which I do not know. I can''t use it,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head and said. Then, without waiting for Shen Luo to speak, she raised the Sun and Moon Light Brilliant Stick and used Salvation of All Beings once more. Green light flashed continuously on Shen Luo''s body, and his mana was nearly fully restored. Nie Caizhu wiped the sweat from her forehead, revealing a slight smile. ¡°Speaking of which, Young Master Shen, why could you activate the Purple Gold Bell? This bell also requires the unique refining technique of the Guanyin Ancestor Master to be activated. Could it be that you have some connection with the ancestor Master, knowing her secret technique of refining?¡± the Little Bear Monster turned and asked. Nie Caizhu also looked at Shen Luo with curiosity. ¡°I don''t know the refining techniques of Bodhisattva. It''s just that I happened upon the Innate Treasure-refining Technique in the past, and refined this Purple Gold Bell with it,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Innate Treasure-refining Technique! You actually know the Innate Treasure-refining Technique!¡± exclaimed the Little Bear Monster, its eyes widening with shock. ¡°Is there a problem with that technique?¡± Shen Luo asked, raising an eyebrow at the Little Bear Monster''s reaction. ¡°Of course, there''s no problem. The Innate Treasure-refining Technique is known as the foremost refining divine power from ancient times to present. It''s said to have been created by the Sage Nuwa when she refined the Five-Colored Stone to repair the sky. It can refine all treasures in the world! Where did you acquire this technique?¡± The Little Bear Monster barely suppressed its amazement, explaining, and a trace of greed flashed imperceptibly in its eyes. Shen Luo was also taken aback upon hearing this. He had acquired the Innate Treasure-refining Technique some time ago and, although he found it exceedingly profound, he had not realized it had such an incredible origin. ¡°This technique was something I chanced upon in a secret realm many years ago. I had not heard of its reputation before. Since the Innate Treasure-refining Technique can refine all Magical Treasures, cousin, I will pass it on to you now. Try and see if you can refine the Yangliu Branch,¡± Shen Luo said, and with a gesture, he touched Nie Caizhu''s forehead. A stream of consciousness flowed from the tip of his finger into Nie Caizhu''s mind, containing the chant of the Innate Treasure-refining Technique along with some of his insights about the technique over the years. ¡°Thank you, Cousin,¡± said Nie Caizhu with joy on her face, closing her eyes to comprehend the technique. She seemed to enter a state of transcendence, unaware of her surroundings. Shen Luo did not wait there. He shook the Purple Gold Bell again, and a stream of purple-golden light shot out from it, wrapping around Nie Caizhu''s body as he continued to flee towards the Outside. The Little Bear Monster followed close behind Shen Luo, and the two soon flew out of the Passageway and returned to the great hall they had been in before. Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed. He saw a body lying on the Ground of the great hall¨Cit was that of the Baby Dragon Girl. The girl had a blood hole the size of a finger in the center of her forehead, with fresh blood staining the ground. ¡°Baby Dragon Girl!¡± The Little Bear Monster bellowed hoarsely, pouncing forward to check on Baby Dragon Girl, seemingly having a close relationship with her. There was also a blood hole at the back of Baby Dragon Girl''s head; she was clearly pierced through the skull by some attack, her divine soul shredded, having long since lost all breath of life. ¡°Baby Dragon Girl was the one guarding the Purple Gold Bell. Did you kill her?¡± The Little Bear Monster suddenly turned towards Shen Luo, eyes blazing with fury. Inside Chaoyin Cave, there was no one else except for the Little Bear Monster, Baby Dragon Girl, and the three guardians of the treasure at the end of the passageway on the right. They had lived together for many years and formed deep bonds, especially the Little Bear Monster, who harbored a hint of affection for Baby Dragon Girl. Now, with Baby Dragon Girl''s corpse sprawled here, Little Bear Monster was enraged to madness. ¡°No, I just took the Purple Gold Bell from Baby Dragon Girl and did not lay a hand on her. It is very likely that she was killed by Wei Qing and Liu Qing,¡± Shen Luo naturally denied. Baby Dragon Girl had been immobilized by him with a Binding Talisman, and with her strength, she would have broken free soon. It seemed that she had chased after Shen Luo to settle the score and just happened to encounter Wei Qing and Liu Qing in this great hall, where she was killed by them. Although he did not like Baby Dragon Girl, seeing her dead here, he couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. The Little Bear Monster, hearing these words, had some of the rage in his eyes diminish, snorted, and pressed a finger to Baby Dragon Girl''s forehead, his mouth murmuring incantations. A white light shot from the Little Bear Monster''s fingertip and entered Baby Dragon Girl''s body, swiftly making a circuit before returning to his finger, spinning into a bright white light ball. ¡°Eh! The Bright Soul Curse from the Bottomless Pit! I didn''t expect this Little Bear Monster to be capable of using it,¡± Yuan Qiu exclaimed softly from within the Heavenly Book Space. ¡°Bright Soul Curse? What secret technique is that? And what place is the Bottomless Pit?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Bottomless Pit is a mysterious sect in West Niu Hezhou Continent. Its disciples seldom walk among humans, hence few people know about it. I also learned of this sect through a chance encounter. The Daoist techniques of the Bottomless Pit are exquisite, not inferior to Mount Putuo''s, especially in the art of the spirit. This Bright Soul Curse is one of their arts, capable of probing the residual soul on a corpse, projecting the deepest memory before death, which is usually the appearance of the murderer,¡± Yuan Qiu explained. ¡°There''s such a secret technique!¡± Shen Luo was surprised for a moment, and his heart relaxed at the same time. With Little Bear Monster using this technique to find Baby Dragon Girl''s murderer, Shen Luo''s suspicion would naturally be cleared. The white light ball pulsed, with vague shadows constantly flashing within it, and after a few breaths, a figure emerged, which was none other than Shen Luo. Shen Luo was startled, his face showing an expression of disbelief. ¡°It was indeed you!¡± The Little Bear Monster suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with deadly intent, as the temperature around him dropped significantly. ¡°Your Excellency used the Bright Soul Curse, right? I''ve heard of this technique, which can probe the lingering soul of the deceased and find the deepest memory before death. However, I can swear on the Heart Demon that she was absolutely not killed by me!¡± Shen Luo met Little Bear Monster''s gaze and spoke solemnly. ¡°Yuan Qiu, what''s going on here? Didn''t you say the Bright Soul Curse shows the murderer? Why is it showing me!¡± At the same time, he communicated with Yuan Qiu in his mind. ¡°This¡­ Typically, that is the case. However, Baby Dragon Girl harbored intense hatred toward you, Friend Shen. If she was killed in a sneak attack without seeing her murderer, the Bright Soul Curse might indeed show your image,¡± Yuan Qiu hesitated for a moment, speaking rapidly. ¡°Humans are always cunning; do you think I would believe such so-called oaths!¡± Little Bear Monster''s eyes emitted a cold gleam, his body flickering with black light, seemingly about to strike at any moment. Chapter 843 Chapter 843: Chapter 840: Reunion Chapter 843: Chapter 840: Reunion ¡°As far as I know, the Bright Soul Curse can only find the most profound memories of the deceased from when they were alive, which doesn''t necessarily mean it''s the killer. When I went to get the Purple Gold Bell, I don''t know why, but this Baby Dragon Girl harbored an intense hatred for me. I had no choice but to use measures to restrain her, forcibly breaking the prohibition and taking the Purple Gold Bell. If the Baby Dragon Girl was killed in a sneak attack and didn''t see her murderer, it is possible that the Bright Soul Curse showed my image,¡± Shen Luo, holding the Purple Gold Bell, was not afraid of the Little Bear Monster but didn''t want to turn hostile and fight, so he explained. Upon hearing this, the killing intent in the Little Bear Monster''s eyes slightly subsided, but it still stared at Shen Luo intently. Just at this moment, a ¡°rumbling¡± thunderous noise came from the farthest right of the passageway, causing the great hall to shake as well, clearly indicating an intense battle was taking place there. ¡°Senior Black Bear Demon and two True Immortal Demon Beings are likely clashing there. We should hurry over and lend a hand! As for the matter of the Baby Dragon Girl, since you and I hold different views, it''s not too late to investigate afterward. You can take the female corpse with you. There''s a lot of information to be found from the wounds on the body. With careful examination, the murderer will surely be found,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently and then, without paying further attention to the Little Bear Monster, he channeled a spell into the Purple Gold Bell. A burst of red flames shot out from the Fire Bell and flew into the central passageway. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± a series of explosive noises erupted, and the flames explosively expanded, causing the remaining passageway to also collapse. After doing all this, Shen Luo did not linger any longer, and immediately, with Nie Caizhu, who was still engrossed in her comprehension, flew into the right passageway. Watching Shen Luo''s retreating figure, the Little Bear Monster''s gaze flashed, and after a cold snort, it waved its hand to collect the corpse of the Baby Dragon Girl and also flew towards the right passageway. The right passageway was longer than the previous two, and Shen Luo, flying at full speed, reached the end after a few breaths. A blue Light Door appeared ahead, with a continuous series of thunderous rumbles coming from it. With enemies present in the space ahead and the possibility of traps at the entrance, Shen Luo didn''t rashly enter. He stopped before the Light Door and threw a punch forward. A wave of blue light surged out, crashing into the blue Light Door like angry waves, with no sensation of an attack coming from outside. Only then did Shen Luo feel relieved, swooshed through the Light Door, and after a blur of vision, appeared on a green island. The Island was not large, only a few miles across. Aside from a small stone mountain, the rest was flat land, turned into patches of flower beds by someone, clearly showing the island''s previous inhabitant had a taste for gardening. However, these flower beds were now left in disarray, with deep gashes crisscrossing the ground and numerous deep pits, some still emitting wisps of green smoke. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Near the small stone mountain stood a stone tower, which had also collapsed, seemingly chopped in half from the middle. A corpse lay amidst the chaotic stone pile formed by the tower''s collapse, covered in wounds, with many areas so mangled they were unrecognizable. You could barely tell it was the body of a Demon with a deer head and human body. Around the island was a boundless expanse of azure sea, over which three figures were darting¨Cthe Black Bear Demon, Wind Breath, and Turtle Diagram. The three Demons clashed fiercely, making contact from time to time, each collision causing massive tremors, shaking the Void, creating fierce storms, and occasionally, when one of their attacks hit the sea surface, it would raise towering waves. ¡°Indeed, it''s them,¡± Shen Luo narrowed his eyes. The Little Bear Monster''s figure also flew out from the blue Light Door beneath the small stone mountain and, seeing the situation, especially the corpse of the Deer Demon in the stone pestle, displayed a look of deep sorrow. ¡°Brother Deer!¡± he said quietly, the sorrow in his voice quickly turning to profound hatred. Just then, a thunderous boom came from mid-air; the Little Bear Monster looked up and saw the Black Bear Demon, his face revealing an expression of excitement. Shen Luo paid no heed to the Little Bear Monster and looked around, his brows slightly furrowed. The island wasn''t large, so he could see the edge at a glance, with Bai Xiaotian and the Ghost General''s traces nowhere to be found. He was mentally connected with the Ghost General and knew it hadn''t fallen, could it have hidden away? ¡°Brother Shen.¡± Just at this moment, a somewhat weak voice came from the nearby seaside. Shen Luo looked over and saw two half-transparent figures slowly emerging from the sea, they were Bai Xiaotian and the Ghost General, whose ethereal forms quickly solidified. Bai Xiaotian''s face was extremely pale, and his clothes were stained with a lot of blood, one of his right hands was missing, and he seemed to have suffered very serious injuries. The Ghost General, on the other hand, wasn''t seriously injured and only looked slightly weakened. ¡°Brother Bai, how did you end up like this, are you okay?¡± Shen Luo flew over in a hurry and asked. ¡°It''s nothing, I was heavily injured by that thief Wei Qing, and the Jade Purification Bottle which was almost in my hands got snatched away by that demon woman Liu Qing. Fortunately, Brother Ghost had an Invisibility Talisman, which he used to hide me away, otherwise, I''d really have fallen here today,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a wry smile. ¡°Who killed that deer demon?¡± Little Bear Monster flew over and asked coldly. ¡°Who is this?¡± Bai Xiaotian gave Little Bear Monster a look and didn''t immediately answer, glancing over at Shen Luo. ¡°He is Little Bear Monster, the guardian of another treasure, one of our own,¡± Shen Luo said. Little Bear Monster, hearing this term ''one of our own'', a flash of something different passed through his eyes. ¡°So it''s Senior Little Bear Monster, I am Bai Xiaotian from Hua Sheng Temple, and that deer elder was killed by Wei Qing,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Wei Qing¡­¡± Little Bear Monster''s face covered with a layer of killing intent, faintly emitting a terrifying green light. ¡°Never mind the treasure being taken, as long as you''re alright, here''s an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill for you, Brother Bai, take it to heal your wounds,¡± Shen Luo said, ignoring Little Bear Monster and passing an Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill over. Bai Xiaotian, knowing the miraculous effects of the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, didn''t stand on ceremony and swallowed it down. ¡°You two hide to the side for now and look after Cai Zhu for me; I''m going to help out the Protector,¡± Shen Luo looked up at the three demons in the sky and handed Cai Zhu over to the Ghost General, then his figure suddenly shot up into the heavens. The Black Bear Demon and Wind Breath, although they were in the midst of combat, immediately noticed Shen Luo''s actions. ¡°What''s this Great Tang Dynasty Government official doing coming up here?¡± the Black Bear Demon frowned. He was much stronger than the two opposing demons, and it wasn''t a problem for him to fight the two of them alone, but to protect Shen Luo, who would be a burden, was more challenging. As Wind Breath saw Shen Luo flying up, a glimmer of joy flashed in his eyes. A green light flashed behind his back, and a pair of spirit feathers, each twenty or thirty feet long and completely cyan, appeared out of nowhere, fanned towards Shen Luo in the void. Immediately, the sound of roaring winds intensified, and a deep green storm shot out, swelling massively into a straight cyan hurricane in the blink of an eye. The hurricane was two to three hundred feet tall, like a towering pillar of wind, covered in countless shadows of green, each a door-sized green wind blade, emitting a continuous, thunderous rumble. It swept towards Shen Luo, threatening to change the very color of heaven and earth. Chapter 844 Chapter 844: Chapter 841: Full Throttle on Three Bells Chapter 844: Chapter 841: Full Throttle on Three Bells The Black Bear Demon''s complexion changed; Wind Breath''s strike was mighty, and even for him, it was extremely difficult to withstand. How could Shen Luo, a Nascent Soul Cultivator, possibly hold out against it? Although he was dissatisfied with Shen Luo''s unilateral entry into the battle, he was not about to stand by and watch him die. In his hands, the black War Spear burst into thunder and lightning in a flash, condensing into five thick Thunder Dragons, ready to make a move. Shen Luo flipped his hand and took out the Purple Gold Bell, removing all three bell plugs at once and shaking it with all his might. With the crisp ¡°ringing bells,¡± the three bells instantly enlarged several times, spewing out a pillar of fire that reached to the sky, a cloud of five-colored spirit smoke, and a flurry of yellow sand. The wind fueled the flames, and the flames carried the force of the wind. Urged by the five-colored spirit smoke and yellow sand, the red pillar of fire immediately surged tenfold, becoming a sea of red flames that enveloped nearly half of the sky. Within the sea of flames, fireworks mingled, and the already scorching temperature skyrocketed once more. The nearby void turned crimson, as if it couldn''t endure the divine might of the Purple Gold Bell and was about to melt away. The sweeping green hurricane met with the red sea of flames and instantly melted away, consumed by the sea of flames. The red sea of flames continued to fly forward, perhaps due to the addition of the yellow sand, its speed was astonishingly fast, reaching Wind Breath in an instant and engulfing the shocked Wind Breath. A terrifying high temperature permeated from mid-air, instantly withering the vegetation on the island below, and evaporating much of the sea water within a few miles around, lowering the sea surface by a full ten feet. On the island, Bai Xiaotian, Little Bear Monster, and others showed shocked expressions. In mid-air on another side, the Black Bear Demon was first stunned and then overjoyed, ¡°Friend Shen, well done!¡± ¡°The Purple Gold Bell!¡± Turtle Diagram saw the object in Shen Luo''s hand, his expression dramatically changing as he cried out in shock, immediately disengaging from the battle and rushing towards the red sea of flames, seemingly trying to rescue Wind Breath. ¡°Heh heh, the two of you joined forces, and I had not been able to handle you up till now. Now that Wind Breath is trapped, you think you alone can stir up any waves!¡± The Black Bear Demon sneered, raising the Long Spear in his hand, shooting out nearly a hundred black lightning bolts from the spear body. These black lightning bolts grew several times thicker once they left the Gun body, reaching Turtle Diagram''s sky in a flash. The Black Bear Demon opened his mouth and spat out a cloud of Black Qi, which also shot into the sky above Turtle Diagram in a flash, merging with the black lightning bolts to form a house-sized black lightning bear paw, which struck down ferociously. Before the giant paw even arrived, an unimaginable colossal force enveloped the area. Turtle Diagram felt an immense weight, as if sinking into an endless quagmire, his speed of flight slowed to a tenth, forcing him to halt and quickly slapped both hands on his body. With a ¡°hum,¡± a set of ancient yet majestic Golden Armor appeared on his body, with a thick Turtle Shell on the back and the edges lined with sharp barbs and hooks, faintly flashing with lightning, indicating the armor was not only for defense. Golden light burst forth from the Golden Armor, and upon gathering, it transformed into a massive golden turtle that shot towards the black lightning bear paw in mid-air. Turtle Diagram''s right hand flashed with yellow light, and he brought out an ancient yellow bronze Shield. With a shake, layers of mountain phantoms emerged and ascended to counterattack. With a series of continuous ¡°boom¡± sounds, the giant golden turtle and mountain phantoms all exploded and disintegrated, and the lightning bear paw shattered as well, dissipating into strands of black lightning. However, Turtle Diagram himself was struck from mid-air and crashed into the sea surface below like a meteorite. ¡°Friend Shen, fully activate the Purple Gold Bell and trap that Wind Breath!¡± the Black Bear Demon shouted to Shen Luo, his entire figure turning into a thick bolt of black lightning as he pursued Turtle Diagram. Shen Luo''s face was somewhat pale at the moment, the Purple Gold Bell, with all three bells fully unleashed, was greatly increased in might, but the consumption of his Mana also surged, like a bottomless pit crazily devouring his Mana. In just a few breaths of time, nearly twenty percent of his Mana had been devoured. However, after hearing the Black Bear Demon''s words, he took a deep breath and without stinginess, he channeled his Mana with all his strength, pouring it into the Purple Gold Bell to maximize its power. Especially that Wind Bell, a Yellow Storm that swept the sky erupted from it, charging into the Sea of Flames. The crimson Sea of Flames immediately surged wildly, quickly shrinking to a few hundred feet in size, and with a condensing force, shot up into the sky, transforming into a giant, several hundred feet tall flame pillar, spinning rapidly like a tornado, trapping the Wind Breath firmly within it. The thunderous sound echoed through the void, as the Wind Breath in the center of the fire pillar endured the indescribable heat from the high temperatures and the immense pressure from the spinning of the pillar. Yet, the Wind Breath was not at all in a sorry state at this moment, as its entire body was wrapped in a Bloody Banner magical treasure, layers of Blood Light continuously shooting out from the banner, fending off the surrounding Power of Flames. This Big Banner magical treasure seemed to be both offensive and defensive, not only protecting the Wind Breath but also continuously shooting out blood-storms that were much more powerful than the previous green storms, attempting to break through the giant flame pillar. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the Purple Gold Bell was none other than the Bodhisattva''s protective magical treasure, unimaginable in might, and although Shen Luo, with his limited strength, could only exert a very small portion of its power, it was not something the Wind Breath could break through. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed as he formed a seal and tapped the Wind Bell again. A Yellow Storm shot out from within the bell, merging into the giant flame pillar. The rotation speed of the giant flame pillar suddenly increased by thirty percent, and inside the flame pillar, huge Yellow Wind Blades appeared and the surrounding flames also converged, intertwining and twisting with the wind blades. In the blink of an eye, the several yellow wind blades turned into giant Fire Blades, looking similarly sharp. With the rotation of the flame pillar, these giant Fire Blades, like gears, brutally grinded towards the Bloody Banner. The Blood Lights around the banner were easily cut through, and the Red Fire Blades directly struck the Bloody Banner. A series of dull, massive thuds sounded, the Bloody Banner trembled violently, but there was no sign of breaking. ¡°Humph! Youngster, although the Purple Gold Bell is powerful, sadly your cultivation level is too weak to break through my Bloodthirsty Flag,¡± said the Wind Breath with a cold laugh, hands crossed. Shen Luo frowned and with a single hand seal, he dispersed those fire blades. He had hoped to break through the Blood Banner using the might of the flame pillar, further aided by the combined forces of wind and fire. It seemed hopeless now, due to his insufficient strength. However, this attempt was not entirely fruitless, as he had gathered some experience in utilizing the Wind Bell and Fire Bell in combination. ¡°My task was only to entangle Your Excellency. Once The Protector deals with your other comrade, he will naturally come to deal with Your Excellency,¡± said Shen Luo calmly. Wind Breath''s expression stiffened, his eyes flashing with Green Light, as if he was using a Spirit Eye Divine Ability to peer through the flame pillar into the distance. The Black Bear Demon and the Turtle Diagram were fighting in the sea area below. The Black Bear Demon, surrounded by pitch-black Thunder and Lightning, kept switching between lightning and solid form, extremely unpredictable. Its black War Spear was even more elusive, at times creating thousands of Spear Shadows, at times transforming into a hundred-foot-long giant spear, launching wave after wave of attacks. Against the relentless onslaught of the Black Bear Demon, the Turtle Diagram was in an absolute disadvantage, being forced to retreat constantly. Its Golden Armor was shattered in multiple places, and the Yellow Shield in its hand was almost half-sliced through, barely holding against the attacks of the Black Bear Demon, but it seemed unlikely to last much longer. Chapter 845 Chapter 845: Chapter 842: Unable to Wake up Chapter 845: Chapter 842: Unable to Wake up ¡°Damn it! What are Wei Qing and Liu Qing, those two good-for-nothings, doing? They have the Jade Purification Bottle with them. How could they let the Purple Gold Bell fall into the hands of this Human Race boy! Several people from Mount Putuo are here; where the hell did those two good-for-nothings die?¡± Wind Breath''s eyes flashed with a trace of anxiety, and he cursed angrily in his mind. Shen Luo no longer attempted anything futile; he urged on the Purple Gold Bell to maintain the operation of the giant flame pillar, conserving the consumption of his mana. But the Purple Gold Bell really drained too much vitality. Despite his efforts to save power, his internal mana was still rapidly depleting, and at this moment, it was already less than thirty percent. He took out two Restoration Dan Medicines and swallowed them. ¡°Haha! I almost forgot, with your current cultivation level, you simply can''t sustain the consumption of the Purple Gold Bell. Your mana must be nearly exhausted by now, right? Human Race boy, you dare to obstruct our Demon Race''s grand plans. Once I get out, I will tear your body into ten thousand pieces and imprison your divine soul in demon fire, tormenting you for a hundred years!¡± Wind Breath said with a laugh upon seeing Shen Luo''s actions. Shen Luo ignored Wind Breath''s threats as if he hadn''t heard them, doing his best to operate his mana smoothly and refining the Elixirs as well. At the same time, he contacted the Ghost General through a mental message, telling him to wake Nie Caizhu and cast spells to help him recover mana. The reason he chose to trap Wind Breath this way was precisely because he had Nie Caizhu, who could replenish his mana in time. ¡°Brother Nie! The Master''s situation is critical; please cast a spell to help him recover some mana.¡± The Ghost General, having received Shen Luo''s order, immediately said to Nie Caizhu. But Nie Caizhu stood there with her eyes closed, as if in a trance, unresponsive to the Ghost General''s words. Her Yangliu Branch in hand was emitting waves of green light, obviously, she had already begun refining it. ¡°Brother Nie, I have not cultivated any restorative God''s Power of Mount Putuo. You can continue refining the Yangliu Branch later. First, restore the mana of the Human Race boy above us.¡± Although the Little Bear Monster had some friction with Shen Luo, he understood the current situation and spoke up. But Nie Caizhu still did not respond, apparently in meditation. ¡°What''s happening? Brother Nie?¡± Bai Xiaotian sensed something was wrong and raised his hand to pat Nie Caizhu''s shoulder. By now, he had already swallowed the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill, and the injuries on his body began to recover rapidly, his complexion not as pale as before. However, just as his palm was about to touch Nie Caizhu''s shoulder, the green light on the Yangliu Branch suddenly intensified and erupted in all directions. Before Bai Xiaotian could touch Nie Caizhu, the green light repelled his hand. A flexible yet immense force surged, sending Bai Xiaotian flying backward, spewing a mouthful of fresh blood. The Ghost General and the Little Bear Monster were also affected by the green light, retreating several steps. ¡°What''s going on with Nie Caizhu?¡± The Ghost General waved his hand, releasing a stream of Black Qi to catch Bai Xiaotian as he flew backward, and asked in shock. ¡°It seems she is refining the Yangliu Branch and has accidentally entered some profound state. The Yangliu Branch has also recognized her as its master, repelling any foreign object that approaches Nie Caizhu,¡± said the Little Bear Monster after observing Nie Caizhu for a moment. ¡°The master is currently fighting with that True Immortal Stage demon. We can''t afford to let Nie Caizhu be lost in comprehending the treasure. Wake her up!¡± the Ghost General commanded sternly, flicking his finger. A stream of Black Qi shot from his fingertip, turning into a gigantic black arrow several zhang long, shooting towards Nie Caizhu. Surrounding the arrow body was a layer of black, fierce wind. But as soon as the black arrow got within three feet of Nie Caizhu, the green light around the Yangliu Branch flashed again, and with a loud ¡°bang,¡± the black arrow shattered to pieces. The Ghost General''s expression darkened, and he pointed into the void. Ghostly Qi gushed out from him, quickly forming a Black Skeleton Head about the size of a zhang, with blood-red eyes, that screeched towards Nie Caizhu. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A stream of Black Sound Waves burst forth from its mouth, stirring up violent winds as it rushed fiercely towards Nie Caizhu, slightly trembling the nearby Void. But as soon as the black sound waves approached Nie Caizhu, the green light on the Yangliu Branch surged once again, easily shattering the black sound waves. ¡°Nie Caizhu, wake up! Earth Raging Fire!¡± The Little Bear Monster immediately took action, as a great quantity of red light flamed up on the war spear in its hand, then fiercely stabbed it into the ground, with half of the gun body instantly sinking in. And right in front of Nie Caizhu, the ground suddenly burst open, revealing a crack around one zhang wide and more than ten zhang long. With a huge muffled boom, a column of deep red flames gushed out from the giant crevice like a volcanic eruption. The flames, which were as large as a house, contained scorching high temperatures and thick Yin Sha from the depths of the Earth, making their power more than ten times greater than ordinary spiritual flames. The rolling flames abruptly condensed, transforming into a fire giant blade about seven or eight zhang in length and fiercely cleaved toward Nie Caizhu. The green light on the Yangliu Branch seemed to sense the threat, suddenly becoming ten times brighter, then contracted inward, forming a light green sphere around one zhang in size around Nie Caizhu, enveloping her within. A few shoots of green light resembling tree roots shot out from the green sphere into the ground. The deep red flame blade flew and fiercely struck the green sphere. The sphere only trembled slightly before quickly returning to calm, not retreating in the slightest. A tremendous force rebounded, and the giant blade of fire shattered with a bang, turning into countless sparks and remnants of flames that scattered. Nie Caizhu stood quietly inside the light sphere, completely unaffected. The Little Bear Monster and the Ghost General were stunned by the scene, but they quickly recovered and continued launching various attacks, trying to awaken Nie Caizhu. Bai Xiaotian, who was silently running his skills to stabilize his injuries on the side, immediately flew over to join the ranks of the Ghost General and the Little Bear Monster. In mid-air, Shen Luo also noticed the situation on the ground, and his expression changed. ¡°How can this be?¡± He had seen Nie Caizhu enter meditation to comprehend the Innate Treasure-refining Technique before, but he never imagined that she would fall into such a deeply mesmerized state, and that the Yangliu Branch would even begin to protect its master. Shen Luo greatly regretted giving the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to Nie Caizhu, as it unexpectedly led to his current dire predicament. However, he immediately took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and avoided any unnecessary depletion. At the same time, he took out various treasures for recovering mana, attempting to replenish his vitality. But no matter how hard Shen Luo tried, his mana rapidly depleted to the bottom, the giant pillar of fire slowly shrunk, and its rotation began to slow down. Seeing this, Feng Xi immediately rejoiced, opened his mouth to spit out a mouthful of essence blood, and quickly formed hand seals with his hands. The essence blood burst into a cloud of blood mist with a pop and merged into the Bloodthirsty Flag. The flag''s surface suddenly radiated blood light intensely and a giant demon head appeared. The demon head let out a ghastly chuckle then opened its mouth to spit out a blood-colored light pillar as thick as a water jar, emitting a horrifying Yin Sha Qi, and slammed forcefully against the surrounding columns of fire. The pillar of fire let out a loud boom, violently shaking. Although it did not immediately shatter, it had significantly reduced in size. Far from being angry, Feng Xi was delighted, and his hands quickly formed more seals, intending to continue driving the power of the Bloodthirsty Flag to break the fire pillar in one fell swoop. Just at that moment, within the green sphere below, Nie Caizhu''s brow glowed with a patch of green light, revealing a willow leaf mark inside. But the next moment, the green light instantly dispersed, the willow leaf mark also faded and disappeared, her delicate body shook, then she suddenly opened her eyes, and the green sphere around her vanished in a flash. Chapter 846 Chapter 846: 843 Chapter 846: 843 ¡°` ¡°Brother Nie, you''ve finally awakened! Quickly help Brother Shen recover his mana, Wind Breath is about to escape from the fire column!¡± Bai Xiaotian saw this and was overjoyed, hastily speaking. Nie Caizhu heard this and lifted her head to look into mid-air, her pretty face changing as she immediately waved the Yangliu Branch in her hand. The Yangliu Branch shone with a bright green light, its few tender green willow twigs swelled in the wind, instantly growing tenfold in length, and with a whoosh, they disappeared into the void, vanishing from sight. Within the fire column, suddenly a green light flashed in the void around Wind Breath, and several emerald-green willow twigs sprouted out of nowhere. These willow twigs, supple and flexible like snakes, swiftly coiled around Wind Breath''s body, winding around him several times. Wind Breath''s expression drastically changed as he struggled with all his might. The willow twigs seemed fragile but were extraordinarily tough; he exerted his full strength in an attempt to break free but couldn''t, and in the shock that followed, he spurred his Bloodthirsty Flag by his side once more. A surge of blood light emerged from the flag, then violently shot out, turning into slashes of half a zhang long blood blades, fiercely chopping at the willow twigs. Amidst a series of muffled ¡°bang bang bang¡± sounds, the blood blades all shattered to pieces, yet not a single white mark was left on those willow twigs. ¡°What!¡± Wind Breath''s expression was shocked once again. Seeing this, Shen Luo let out a long sigh of relief. Down on the ground, Nie Caizhu turned into a streak of green light as she soared into the sky, and in the blink of an eye, she was by Shen Luo''s side, waving the Yangliu Branch in her hand. A shadow of a willow twig shot out from the Yangliu Branch, disappearing into Shen Luo''s body in a flash. Shen Luo''s body radiated a bright green light, forming an emerald halo around him, as the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him roared and converged toward him, restoring his mana rapidly. In just two or three breaths, he had fully recovered, a much better result than the previous Salvation of All Beings talisman. Overjoyed, he nevertheless had no time to thank Nie Caizhu. He shook the Purple Gold Bell again, but this time he did not activate all three bells together, only the Wind Bell. A yellow storm burst forth like an angry dragon, heading straight for Wind Breath. Now, with all his mana focused on the Wind Bell, the might of the yellow storm was terrifying, causing waves of ripples and resonant hums in the void it passed through. Seeing this, Wind Breath''s expression changed but he did not panic. His hands, restrained by the willow twigs, each formed a Dharma Seal. The Bloody Banner increased several times in the wind, wrapping around his body several turns, almost forming a blood-colored cocoon that tightly enveloped him. However, the willow twigs wrapped around Wind Breath''s body were also encased within it. Just as Wind Breath completed this technique, the yellow storm howled towards him, fiercely sweeping across the Bloodthirsty Flag. The flag''s blood light trembled wildly as if it was about to be blown away, and the flag itself flapped more violently, as if it were about to break free from Wind Breath''s body. At that moment, a low growl came from within the flag, and the blood light on the Bloodthirsty Flag suddenly intensified, immediately stabilizing it, clearly something Wind Breath had done from within. Shen Luo frowned slightly, ready to cast another spell, but Nie Caizhu beside him made her move first. Her delicate hand formed a Dharma Seal, pressing it onto the Yangliu Branch. The Yangliu Branch glowed brightly with green light, and the Bloodthirsty Flag inside began to wriggle faster and swelled rapidly, with Wind Breath''s roars coming from within. ¡°Create a gap in this flag!¡± Shen Luo understood immediately what was happening and said to Nie Caizhu, while at the same time tapped the Purple Gold Bell. With a ¡°ding dong,¡± a stream of five-colored spirit smoke shot out from the bell, mingling with the yellow sandstorm. Hearing Shen Luo''s words, Nie Caizhu''s hand shone with a golden light, and the green light on the Yangliu Branch intensified once again. The wriggling inside the Bloodthirsty Flag intensified considerably, and with a puff, several thick willow twigs drilled out from somewhere on the flag, exposing a gap at the edge of the twigs. ¡°` Shen Luo''s eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his hand to point, and with a whoosh, a bit of yellow sand and five-colored spirit smoke drilled into the crevice. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Wind Breath''s cry of pain came from within, as if he had suffered some kind of attack, causing the blood light on the Bloodthirsty Flag to dim. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Cai Zhu was overjoyed, and without waiting for Shen Luo to speak, she poured all of her mana into the Yangliu Branch, which then shone with a bright green light. The writhing within the Bloodthirsty Flag surged once again, and willow branches sprouted from all over the banner, creating a dozen or so more fissures. Shen Luo''s eyes sparkled with delight, he swept his sleeves with both hands, and the circling yellow sand and five-colored spirit smoke promptly split into a dozen streams, swiftly piercing through the gaps from all sides. Wind Breath suddenly let out a shriek, but in the next moment, it stopped abruptly, leaving no clue as to what had happened. The blood light on the Bloodthirsty Flag suddenly dispersed greatly and seemed to lose control as it unfolded from its cocoon-like state. Shen Luo reached out into the void with a single hand, and a Yellow Big Hand emerged from nowhere amidst the surrounding storm, grabbing the Bloodthirsty Flag and snatching it away, revealing Wind Breath''s figure. This demon''s eyes were rimmed with red, tears streaming down, and his face was blank, his gaze vacant, as if his divine soul had suffered a heavy blow. Seeing this, Shen Luo was not surprised. Among the three bells of the Purple Gold Bell, the Wind Bell was the most yin-poisonous; the sand and gravel within the wind could scatter one''s spirit. Once this spirit-siphoning sand entered through one''s nostrils, it would assault the spirit. However, Wind Breath was of True Immortal cultivation level, with powerful soul power, so this small amount of spirit-siphoning sand could not directly scatter his spirit, but it was enough to daze him for a short while. The Bloodthirsty Flag, held aloft by a Yellow Big Hand, flew over, the very one siezed previously. Shen Luo reached out to grab the banner, with a flash of golden light he stowed it away into the Heavenly Book Space. At the same time, killing intent flashed in his eyes as he waved his right hand after making a magical gesture. A gigantic wind blade, wide as a door, appeared out of thin air beside Wind Breath, silently slashing towards his neck. From afar, Turtle Diagram saw what was happening and his face turned into a panic, but he was firmly suppressed by the Black Bear Demon, and he was already struggling to protect himself, let alone attempt a rescue. Just as Wind Breath was about to meet a confused end, a white light shot from a distance, faster than lightning, crossing tens of yards instantly, and in a flash, struck the yellow wind blade. With a loud ¡°clang,¡± the yellow wind blade shattered on impact, and the white light revealed its true form, the Jade Purification Bottle. Shen Luo''s face darkened, and he quickly made another magical hand gesture. Amidst the flashing yellow light all around, a dozen giant wind blades emerged from thin air, slashing fiercely at Wind Breath from every angle. But from the bottleneck of the Jade Purification Bottle, a bright white light burst forth, casting a pale glow ahead of all the wind blades and enveloping Wind Breath. Wind Breath''s body drastically shrank rapidly, escaping the restraints of the willow branches and shooting into the Jade Purification Bottle with a whoosh. On the Island below, Wei Qing and Liu Qing appeared from within the blue Light Door. Both were covered in dust, looking wearied, suggesting they had forcefully breached the collapsed passageway created by Shen Luo''s explosion to get out. Liu Qing swiftly formed magical seals with both hands, remotely controlling the Jade Purification Bottle in midair. The Ghost General and Bai Xiaotian, upon seeing the two, had their expressions change dramatically and quickly leapt into the sky, fleeing into the distance. Chapter 847 Chapter 847: Chapter 844 Absorption Chapter 847: Chapter 844 Absorption ¡°Wei Qing!¡± The Little Bear Monster didn''t retreat, its eyes blood-red as it stared at Wei Qing, and with a single shake of its hand, the Long Spear in its grasp dazzled brilliantly with Golden Light before vanishing in a flash. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment, the Golden Long Spear appeared out of nowhere above Wei Qing''s head, chopping down with a terrifying speed that was several times faster than the usual flight of Magical Treasures. Encircling the body of the spear was a massive Golden Sword Qi, which was the ¡°Sunlight Brilliance¡± God''s Power. Having just flown in from the Blue Light Door, Wei Qing was immediately met with such an attack and was shocked. However, his Cultivation level was profound, and his reaction was incredibly swift. A flash of golden light from the Qinglian Sword in his hand and a beam of Golden Sword Qi instantly condensed into being, also a Sunlight Brilliance God''s Power, and by the looks of it, his Cultivation of the technique was far more profound than that of the Little Bear Monster. The Qinglian Sword moved as quickly as lightning to parry upwards, blocking the Little Bear Monster''s strike even though it was unleashed later. A burst of golden light erupted from both of them, spreading outwards. Liu Qing, who was nearby, did not come to Wei Qing''s aid. Instead, she vaulted to one side and gestured towards the sky with a hand seal. The Jade Purification Bottle in midair flashed with white light and shot downward. Seeing the ''cooked duck'' about to fly away, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with anger, unwilling to just watch the Jade Purification Bottle leave so easily, he immediately waved the Purple Gold Bell. A Yellow Storm blasted out again, instantly encompassing an area of dozens of yards, and the Jade Purification Bottle was caught in the storm, with numerous Yellow Wind Blades materializing to ferociously slash at the bottle. A series of clanging noises sounded, and the Jade Purification Bottle was sent tumbling backward, and while its body was undamaged, the White Spiritual Light on it was completely scattered. Meanwhile, Nie Caizhu waved the Yangliu Branch in her hand, and the willow branches that had originally restrained the Wind Breath coiled upwards, wrapping around the Jade Purification Bottle several times. Nie Caizhu clearly hadn''t expected to succeed so easily and was both shocked and delighted. She immediately spurred the power of the Yangliu Branch once again. Beams of green light shot from the willow branches, enveloping the Jade Purification Bottle in layer after layer, seemingly intent on completely immobilizing it. Down below on the Island, Liu Qing did not seem greatly alarmed but instead, her eyes revealed a trace of joy as her hands formed a new seal. Shen Luo, with his extraordinary eyesight, caught sight of Liu Qing''s expression from afar and his face darkened as he called out: ¡°Cousin, stop! Withdraw the Yangliu Branch quickly!¡± Hearing this, Nie Caizhu was briefly startled but immediately caught on, urging the Yangliu Branch with a hand seal. Though she didn''t understand why Shen Luo would say such a thing, she acted out of trust in him and promptly proceeded. The Yangliu Branch that had immobilized the Jade Purification Bottle instantly spread out, retracting backward. But at that moment, the mouth of the Jade Purification Bottle radiated a great flash of white light, and a surge of white roselight shot out in the opposite direction, wrapping around the tender green willow branches. The tender green willow branches engulfed by the white roselight instantly became exceedingly docile and entered the Jade Purification Bottle without resistance. Nie Caizhu''s Yangliu Branch trembled violently, as if it were about to escape her grasp and fly into that Jade Purification Bottle. Not far off, Wei Qing, witnessing the situation unfold in midair, had an expression of immense excitement on his face and grasped the Qinglian Sword with one hand, giving it a flick. Nearly a thousand petal-shaped Sword Qis formed nearby, swirling together at Wei Qing''s beckoning. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a vast Sword Mountain that descended upon the Little Bear Monster''s head. Faced with such a formidable Sword technique, the Little Bear Monster''s expression changed, and it hastily retreated. Wei Qing did not pursue, but with a flicker, he appeared behind Liu Qing, pressing a single hand on her back and channeling a surge of mana into her body. The white light at the bottle mouth of the Jade Purification Bottle immediately intensified, and its devouring force increased several times. Nie Cai Zhu''s Yangliu Branch trembled in her hands, and despite her full effort in running the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, it was to no effect. With a flash of green light, the Yangliu Branch shot out of her hand with a whoosh, and amidst Nie Cai Zhu''s cries of alarm, it flew towards the Jade Purification Bottle. But at that moment, a figure flashed beside the Yangliu Branch as Shen Luo appeared out of nowhere, grabbing the Yangliu Branch with his right hand and striking the Purple Gold Bell with his left. The Yellow Light on the Wind Bell shone brightly, and a yellow storm poured out again, submerging the Jade Purification Bottle. A vast expanse of yellow wind blades once again slashed at the Jade Purification Bottle. After a series of loud ¡°ping ping pang pang¡± noises, the Jade Purification Bottle was once again knocked away, its white light on the surface nearly half dispersed, and the devouring force momentarily vanished. The Golden Light shone brightly on Shen Luo''s right hand holding the Yangliu Branch, as the Heavenly Book Projection appeared and with a shimmer, the Yangliu Branch disappeared, absorbed into the Heavenly Book Space. Meanwhile, the Willow Branches already taken by the Jade Purification Bottle flashed twice and then vanished into nothingness. With no more objects to capture, the white light shooting from the bottle mouth also disintegrated. Seeing this, Nie Cai Zhu was stunned, while Wei Qing and Liu Qing were both astonished. Shen Luo, however, did not pause for a moment, as his hands quickly formed seals, and the enormous yellow storm immediately contracted, turning into a yellow tornado column several zhang high, enveloping the Jade Purification Bottle within it. As the storm shrank, its power condensed, and the entire tornado column seemed almost solid. The tremendous force of the storm swept over the Jade Purification Bottle, causing it to spin helplessly within, unable to escape. At the same time, a flash of Green Light enveloped Shen Luo, and he vanished, only to reappear inside the tornado column the next moment, reaching out towards the Jade Purification Bottle with splayed fingers. Down below, Liu Qing, upon seeing this scene, instantly came to her senses, recalling how Shen Luo had just now removed the Yangliu Branch. Her complexion changed, and she began forming seals with unprecedented swiftness. A flash of blue light emerged from the mouth of the Jade Purification Bottle, and a stream of blue water shot out from within. The trickle of water, as soon as it left the Jade Purification Bottle, expanded a thousandfold, turning into a roaring torrent as if the Heavenly River itself had broken, pouring down. In an instant, the space inside the tornado column was completely filled, and the raging torrent spilled out into the surrounding void of several dozen zhang. Although the yellow storm was not wary of flowing water, the volume of the water was so immense that the tornado column, even as it was resisting and flushing, was dispersed with a single blow. Shen Luo was also hit by the torrential waters, flung backwards by the wave, as an overwhelmingly potent Power of Water Spirit along with a tidal force of fury flowed into his body. His internal organs were in excruciating pain, as if they would be crushed by this mighty force in an instant. Shen Luo''s face lost color as he fully operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, attempting to neutralize this vast power. No sooner had he started operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique than the potent Power of Water Spirit, as if recognizing its ancestor, roared into it. His whole body blazed with blue light, and the Nameless Cultivation Technique accelerated to an unbelievable speed. Shen Luo felt as if a profound and unfathomable vortex had suddenly appeared within him, sucking in that mighty force and dispersing it completely within moments. He stood there stunned for a moment, vaguely grasping something but unable to perceive it clearly. The white light on the Jade Purification Bottle intensified, shooting straight down at incredible speed, landing in Liu Qing''s hands. Seeing this, Shen Luo could only inwardly sigh with regret. The blue light flashed a few times on his body, and he flew out from the torrential water, landing beside Nie Cai Zhu. Chapter 848 Chapter 848: Chapter 845 Trap Chapter 848: Chapter 845 Trap ¡°Cousin, are you alright?¡± Nie Cai Zhu came up to him, showing concern as she asked. ¡°It seems the Jade Purification Bottle can capture the Yangliu Branch. In the upcoming great battle, be sure not to let this treasure come into direct contact with that Jade Purification Bottle,¡± Shen Luo felt warmth in his heart, shook his head, and then took out the Yangliu Branch and handed it to Nie Cai Zhu, warning her. Nie Cai Zhu nodded her head, took the Yangliu Branch, and firmly grasped it in her hand, about to speak. A deafening explosion came from the side, where the void trembled. A visibly chaotic wave of qi wildly scattered in all directions, instantly forming an extremely fierce hurricane that swept everything within several miles into its maw. Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly as he hurriedly pulled Nie Cai Zhu and retreated backward. In the eye of the hurricane, shadows flickered as the Turtle Diagram and the Black Bear Demon were flung out. The form of the Turtle Diagram had undergone a great change; its body had grown by an entire size larger. Blood-red patterns surfaced across its skin, faintly forming the image of a mad lion, which looked bizarre. Moreover, its qi had suddenly become violent and risen significantly, shockingly reaching the level of a True Immortal in the middle stage. As for the Black Bear Demon, there were no noticeable changes, except for two additional wounds from which blood gushed out. ¡°Mad Beast Secret! You''re from the Demon Race of the Lion Camel Ridge!¡± the Black Bear Demon ignored its own injuries, with eyes bulging in shock, it cried out. ¡°Lion Camel Ridge?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. Nie Cai Zhu looked on in surprise while Yuan Qiu inside the Heavenly Book Space remained silent, as if he also did not recognize the place. The Turtle Diagram paid no attention to the Black Bear Demon. With its qi having surged, there was no intention to continue the fight. It leapt down toward the lower frontier. ¡°Stop!¡± the Black Bear Demon bellowed, his Long Spear not slowing in the slightest as he thrust it forward repeatedly, the tip of the spear flashing with lightning. Clusters of dark sun-like thunderballs emerged, each the size of a water jar, raining down on the Turtle Diagram like a torrential downpour. The thunderballs crackled with radiant electricity that linked together, causing the nearby void to vibrate and grow hot from the friction. The Turtle Diagram, unruffled by the danger, reached out with one hand, summoning a Green Giant Axe in its grip, then swung it through the air with one slash. An Axe Shadow a hundred feet tall tore through the air, half green and half red, within which a blood-red mad lion phantom could be faintly seen, appearing eerily demonic. The giant axe shadow, swift like a falling comet''s trail, flashed by and struck the sky-full of thunderballs. With a sharp ¡°Zzzt!¡± the seemingly unstoppable thunderballs were cleft in half, creating a passageway through the middle, and the nearby thunderballs shattered into pieces under the might of the Axe Shadow. ¡°Shibo! You truly are from the Demon Race of the Lion Camel Ridge!¡± the Black Bear Demon exclaimed in shock. The massive Axe Shadow did not dissipate but continued to fly forward at breakneck speed. In a flash, it appeared above the Black Bear Demon and savagely slashed downward. The Black Bear Demon, wary of the Axe Shadow''s power, flashed with a Green Light under his feet, forming two Green Lotus phantoms, and swiftly moved to the side. A blood shadow plummeted downward, landing next to Wei Qing and Liu Qing in the blink of an eye, revealing the figure of the Turtle Diagram. Seeing this, the Black Bear Demon sighed and the Green Lotus phantoms on his feet intensified, causing his entire figure to vanish instantly. In the next moment, he appeared next to Shen Luo and Nie Cai Zhu. Bai Xiaotian and the Ghost General rushed over. The Little Bear Monster, although eager to avenge Wei Qing, realized from the recent skirmish that it could not easily achieve this and also leaped into the fray. Both parties gathered their forces and for a moment, neither side made a move to attack again. ¡°Father,¡± the Little Bear Monster approached the Black Bear Demon, gave a bow, and wore a respectful expression. ¡°I asked you to guard the Bodhisattva''s treasure here, and incidentally to cultivate your temperament. Why are you so rash!¡± There was a flicker of joy deep in the Black Bear Demon''s eyes, but his face scolded. ¡°That Wei Qing killed my friend, how could I let him off,¡± the Little Bear Monster said defiantly. ¡°You¡­ Never mind, I''ll discipline you after we settle matters here.¡± The Black Bear Demon glared at the Little Bear Monster, but upon seeing its stubborn face, he couldn''t help but sigh and then turned his head away, no longer paying attention. Nie Cai Zhu murmured an incantation and waved the Yangliu Branch in her hand. Three shadows of the branch shot out: one merged into Shen Luo''s body, another flew into Bai Xiaotian''s, and the last one into the body of the Black Bear Demon. A bright green light emerged on Bai Xiaotian, and his injuries healed at a speed visible to the naked eye; his mana also recovered. After a flash of green light over Shen Luo''s entire body, the mana he had expended was also fully restored. The Black Bear Demon''s body flashed with green light as well, and all of its wounds healed, with some of its demon power restored. However, being at the True Immortal cultivation level, its mana was far more robust than Shen Luo''s and Bai Xiaotian''s. It seemed that the Yangliu Branch couldn''t instantly restore its demon power to full. ¡°The Yangliu Sweet Dew from Mount Putuo really is miraculous. However, casting this technique consumes a great deal of true essence. Brother Nie, it''s fine to restore mana for the Protector and Brother Shen, but there''s no need to waste your mana on me,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with great joy as he moved his body around and expressed his thanks. ¡°That wasn''t Yangliu Sweet Dew; it''s a recovery god''s power inherent to this Yangliu Branch and doesn''t require much of my mana to use,¡± Nie Cai Zhu shook her head slightly, and indeed, the fluctuations of her body''s mana didn''t seem to have weakened much. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed. If the recovery god''s power they just used could be cast continuously, it would be immensely helpful during the great battle. ¡°Cousin, don''t directly join the fight later. Just focus on restoring us,¡± he whispered to her. Nie Cai Zhu hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Friend Shen has impressive skills, using the various god''s powers of the Purple Gold Bell so adeptly is truly admirable,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a smile and a bow to Shen Luo after they finished speaking. With the Purple Gold Bell in hand, Shen Luo''s combat strength was not inferior to his, and the Black Bear Demon implicitly began to treat him as a peer. ¡°The Protector flatters me. The opponent''s forces are gathering, how should we proceed, Elder?¡± Shen Luo humbly replied, returning the bow before asking. After hearing this, the Black Bear Demon''s face showed a thoughtful expression. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Across from them, Liu Qing touched the Jade Purification Bottle with a hand seal, and a figure flew out from it ¨C it was Wind Breath. His divine wisdom had been restored, but the demon Qi in his body had greatly weakened, especially his pale complexion. His spirit was severely injured by the Yellow Sand from the Purple Gold Bell. ¡°Elder Wind, are you alright?¡± Liu Qing asked. ¡°I wasn''t vigilant and fell into that kid''s trap, but it doesn''t matter,¡± Wind Breath said as his face flashed with green light and returned to normal. He shot a venomous glance at the distant Shen Luo but soon withdrew his gaze and casually spoke. He was the leader of this small team but ended up being seriously injured by Shen Luo''s sneak attack. If not for Liu Qing''s timely rescue, he nearly died here embarrassingly. He strongly suppressed the various hidden injuries inside him and pretended nothing was amiss. ¡°Elder Turtle Diagram, how about you?¡± Liu Qing''s gaze shifted as she turned to look at Turtle Diagram. ¡°I''m all right. They now have two of the three treasures of Guan Shi Yin; especially that Yangliu Branch. And it looks like they can operate it at will, which is quite unfavorable for us,¡± Turtle Diagram spoke, the blood-colored lion tattoo on him not fading, but still lively and bright, indicating that the secret technique to stimulate potential lasted quite a while. ¡°No matter what, we must take back that Yangliu Branch,¡± Wei Qing said fervently and anxiously as he looked at the Yangliu Branch in Nie Cai Zhu''s hand, his eyes flashing with impatience and excitement. ¡°Daoist Wei, do you have a good strategy?¡± Wind Breath saw Wei Qing''s expression and sneered inwardly, but he asked politely. ¡°This¡­¡± Wei Qing was suddenly at a loss for words. Seeing this, Wind Breath''s estimation of Wei Qing dropped another notch. He didn''t think much of Wei Qing, who had betrayed his Sect for a vague and elusive goal, relying on the power of the Black Dragon Pool for his revenge. Little did he know, for the Black Dragon Pool, Wei Qing was nothing but a pawn. Once the major event concluded, it would be Wei Qing''s doomsday. (Monthly votes, monthly votes, monthly votes! I''ve heard that for something important, you must say it thrice for people to take notice, right? ^^) Chapter 849 Chapter 849: Chapter 846: Attack Together Chapter 849: Chapter 846: Attack Together ¡°By the way, how come only the two of you have returned, where is Yuan Qiu? Didn''t you encounter him outside?¡± Wind Breath suddenly remembered something and asked. ¡°We never ran into him, perhaps he didn''t enter Chaoyin Cave?¡± Liu Qing shook her head and said. ¡°Could it be that he met with an accident and has already died at the hands of those people?¡± Turtle Diagram blurted out. ¡°Such a useless thing!¡± Wind Breath scoffed coldly. ¡°Let''s not bother with Yuan Qiu for now. Now that all three treasures have emerged, we don''t need him anymore. Both Elders have suffered considerable injuries, so I have two Tianxin Pills that can rapidly restore vitality. I ask that the two Elders please accept them,¡± Liu Qing said as she took out two light purple elixirs enveloped in a purple aura, which looked extremely extraordinary. Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram''s eyes brightened, and without any politeness, they took the elixirs and swallowed them. A blush of purple light rose on their faces, and their depleted inner vitality visibly began to recover at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°Many thanks, Daoist Liu,¡± Turtle Diagram said joyfully in thanks, while Wind Breath also voiced his gratitude. ¡°No need for thanks. If the two Elders truly wish to express your gratitude, then offer up your essence blood and souls,¡± Liu Qing suddenly giggled, her tone lacking any trace of respect. Turtle Diagram and Wind Breath, seeing the coldness in Liu Qing''s eyes, felt a bad premonition and immediately tried to flee backward. But at that moment, they shockingly discovered that their bodies were completely beyond their control, and they could not move even a finger. Their skin hissed as one purple pattern after another rapidly appeared and swiftly spread. Shen Luo and the others, who were discussing strategies, noticed the situation on the other side and their expressions changed. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Be wary, perhaps they are executing some sort of trickery,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, his gaze flickering. Shen Luo and others heeded the warning, closely monitoring the situation on the other side and their surroundings. ¡°What have you done?¡± Unable to move, Wind Breath could still speak and he asked sternly. ¡°Nothing much, I merely want to use the two of you to test out the Demon Rebirth Technique taught by the Demon Emperor,¡± Liu Qing said with a smile. However, her smile appeared as ghastly as that of an Evil Ghost in the eyes of Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram. Wei Qing stood by with an indifferent expression, clearly already aware of the situation. ¡°I get it now, it was that elixir just now!¡± Turtle Diagram suddenly realized. ¡°How sharp-witted you are, Elder Turtle Diagram,¡± teased Liu Qing with a chuckle. ¡°Now that a major enemy is before us, and you dare to secretly harm us!¡± Wind Breath exclaimed in both shock and anger. ¡°I, the little girl, was indeed hoping the two Elders would deal with those people on the other side, but it''s a pity that the two Elders are not up to scratch. I guess there''s no choice but to sacrifice you,¡± Liu Qing said with a beaming smile, as she began to form hand signs. Both had a mass of black light shine from their abdomens, and the purple patterns on their bodies started to glimmer with streaks of black light, clearly indicating the presence of Demonic Qi. Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram felt their inner vitality rapidly draining and their meridians felt as though they were being gnawed by thousands of insects, causing excruciating pain. ¡°We are the trusted aides of the Green Lion Great King of Lion Camel Ridge, you dare to strike against us! Are you not afraid of inciting the wrath of our Great King!¡± Turtle Diagram yelled in both shock and rage. Liu Qing''s gaze grew sharp, but then she continued to form hand signs, and two streaks of black light shot from her hands, entering the bodies of Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram. The demons on their bodies exuded intense purple-black demonic patterns, which actually detached from their bodies, flew out, and began to grow rapidly. Feng Xi and Turtle Diagram, who were standing close to each other, saw the demonic patterns intertwine as they shot out encircling their bodies in a rapid spiral and in a few breaths formed a purple-black cocoon around them. In the center of the cocoon, Feng Xi''s and Turtle Diagram''s bodies seemed to slowly draw closer, each showing signs of fusing into one. ¡°Protector Elder, looking at the situation across from us, Wei Qing and Liu Qing seem to be using Feng Xi and Turtle Diagram as sacrifices, casting some kind of demonic power. Although I don''t know what they are trying to do,¡± Shen Luo said, his expression changing as he turned to address the Black Bear Demon, ¡°I think we should not let them continue their actions unopposed.¡± ¡°Exactly! Let''s join forces and stop them!¡± The Black Bear Demon immediately nodded and with a loud shout, produced his black tassel spear. The body of the spear flickered with arm-thick black lightning, crackling loudly. He opened his mouth and a black light entered the spear, and immediately, black charms appeared on its body. The already shiny black lightning grew even more violent, looking like several dragons of thunder rolling and lashing out, causing the nearby void to tremble incessantly. With a loud ¡°crack,¡± the Black Bear Demon''s arm suddenly grew thicker, and then he forcefully threw the black tassel spear. With a piercing blast of thunder, the black tassel spear turned into a streak of black lightning, shooting towards the opposing purple-black cocoon. Shen Luo, who had been ready to make a move, promptly activated the Purple Gold Bell in his hand. Amidst the sounds of ¡°dingling,¡± the three bells of the Purple Gold Bell swelled several times in the wind, sending forth a stream of red flames, a puff of green mist, and a gust of yellow sand which rapidly intertwined and transformed into a hundred-feet-long tri-colored giant dragon. The rolling flames, mist, and sand wrapped around the dragon''s body as it fiercely charged toward Liu Qing and the others with bared fangs and claws. The flames, mist, and sand each radiated an overwhelming spiritual pressure. Now combined, the three fused into one formidable force that was in no way inferior to the black tassel spear. Bai Xiaotian and the Little Bear Monster also made their moves, with Bai Xiaotian offering up his Dragon-painting Fan, which, with one flick, sent a house-sized golden light group shooting out like a falling star. The Little Bear Monster also threw his Long Spear, but he was using the Sunlight Brilliance Power. The Long Spear was enveloped in a colossal Sword Qi, hurtling straight towards the other side with a terrifying speed. Nie Cai Zhu, heeding Shen Luo''s words, did not attack but took out an Elixir and swallowed it, restoring the vitality she had spent in the great battle. Meanwhile, she tightly held onto the Willow Branch, ready to replenish Shen Luo and the others'' mana whenever necessary. Liu Qing, seeing Shen Luo and others make their move, showed not the slightest concern and flicked her finger at the Jade Purification Bottle. The Jade Purification Bottle vanished in a flash, the next moment it was floating in mid-air above her head. She flicked her finger again, and a white light zipped out, with a pop adhering it to the Jade Purification Bottle, which was a White Talisman. A dragon-shaped pattern faintly emerged on the talisman, its spiritual light flaring up, and a huge aura burst forth from it. Inside the Jade Purification Bottle, a thunderous boom sounded; the mouth of the bottle emitted a great blue light which enveloped her, Wei Qing, and the purple-black cocoon within it, then the blue light suddenly solidified, transforming into a blue shield identical to the Jade Purification Bottle. Liu Qing''s series of spells were executed with incredible speed, managing to be completed just before the attacks of the Black Bear Demon and Shen Luo arrived. The black tassel spear, becoming lightning, was the first to hit the blue shield, revealing a pitch-black sun where countless thick thunderbolts rolled inside, ruthlessly striking the blue shield. The tri-colored dragon also arrived, slamming into the blue shield, with red, green, and yellow glows erupting from its body. A wave of scorching heat burst forth all at once, and the surrounding void instantly billowed red-hot as if it was about to boil. The flickering flames of the tri-colored aura spun swiftly and then turned into a sea of fire. In a flash of light, waves of immense flames rose tens of feet high, violently crashing against the blue light shield, swallowing much of the adjacent black lightning as well. Bai Xiaotian''s and the Little Bear Monster''s attacks also shot out, hitting the blue shield one after another. The blue shield was immediately overwhelmed by their attacks, myriad colors flashing wildly, the surrounding void distorted and trembling, seemingly on the brink of shattering. A series of roaring gales burst forth, rolling in all directions, changing the color of heaven and earth, while the sea surface below surged with waves reaching for the sky. Chapter 850 Chapter 850: Chapter 847: Abandoned Piece Chapter 850: Chapter 847: Abandoned Piece After a good while, the various glimmers of light finally dissipated, revealing the situation inside. Shen Luo and the others all widened their eyes. At the center of the dispersing light, the blue shield floated quietly, unchanged from before. The combined attack of several cultivators was like a gentle breeze, failing to cause the slightest damage to the blue light shield. ¡°How is this possible!¡± the Black Bear Demon''s eyes couldn''t help but widen. Just now, had he been the one to withstand the joint attack of several cultivators, he would have been gravely injured, yet it didn''t so much as shake this seemingly ordinary blue shield. ¡°You might as well stop wasting your energy. This is a protective cover formed by the innate power of the Jade Purification Bottle. Let alone you fellows, even if Guan Yue Elder from Mount Putuo were here, he wouldn''t be able to break it,¡± Liu Qing said indifferently. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and the others all showed signs of dismay. ¡°Daoist Wei, it''s about time,¡± Liu Qing turned to Wei Qing, who was beside her, and spoke. Wei Qing nodded, sat down cross-legged, formed a hand seal in front of his body, and a crystal light flickered on his forehead. Suddenly, a strong Yin wind blew around him, chilling to the bone. A pitch-black human-shaped soul shot out from Wei Qing''s body with a whoosh and flew into the purple-black cocoon. ¡°This is the soul cultivation method of the Refining Body Altar!¡± Shen Luo''s pupils constricted as he immediately recognized the divine power Wei Qing was using. Judging by the might of his soul leaving his aperture, Wei Qing''s soul cultivation divine power was fully accomplished. In terms of soul power alone, he was already no less than a True Immortal cultivator. Qingfeng felt a chill in his mind, a cold sensation invading and rapidly devouring his divine soul. ¡°Impossible! Wei Qing was supposed to be the expendable one. Could it be that the real expendable ones are us? I am not willing¡­¡± Qingfeng roared in his heart, his consciousness quickly blurring. The situation with the Turtle Diagram was the same, his soul being rapidly engulfed by Wei Qing. ¡°Who would have thought that Wei Qing had even learned the soul-consuming divine power, truly worthy of being¡­¡± Liu Qing murmured to herself, then she sat down cross-legged and with a flick of her sleeve. A series of shadows shot out from her sleeve and landed around the purple-black cocoon, which was actually a total of eighteen pitch-black statues. These statues looked neither wooden nor stony, it was unclear what they were made of. Black Qi intertwined around them, which were the extremely pure Demonic Qi. Liu Qing''s fingers moved nimbly, blossoming like orchids, and eighteen thin spider silk-like black threads shot out from her hands, each entering one of the eighteen black statues. With a point of her hands, the eighteen black threads flew out and entered the purple-black cocoon. The Demonic Qi on the black statues surged, forming eighteen columns of black Qi as thick as water buckets, rolling towards the purple-black cocoon. A powerful fluctuation emerged from deeper within the cocoon, and the rich Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the surroundings also violently trembled. Countless colorful points of light appeared in the void, looking quite dazzling. Inside the purple-black cocoon, light flickered as the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, along with these points of spiritual power, began to surge. They then turned into a tide of spiritual energy, converging towards the purple-black cocoon like rivers flowing into the sea. This series of dramatic changes seemed complicated but was completed in just a few breaths. Shen Luo and others saw this scene, and their expressions changed drastically. At this juncture, even a fool could tell that Liu Qing and the rest were executing a grand conspiracy. Although the specifics were unknown, it was definitely bad news for everyone. ¡°Protector Elder, what do we do now?¡± Nie Caizhu looked anxiously at the Black Bear Demon and asked. The gazes of the others were also concentrated on the Black Bear Demon, but Shen Luo still stared at the purple-black cocoon underneath the blue light shield, with a flickering light in his eyes. ¡°Friend Shen, can you make out what these guys are up to?¡± Noticing Shen Luo''s expression, the Black Bear Demon raised his voice and inquired. Upon hearing this, everyone else turned their attention to Shen Luo. ¡°I can''t say for certain what''s happening, but based on my past encounters with members of the Demon Clan, I have some understanding of their powers. My bold guess is that Liu Qing is employing a malevolent demonic power to fuse the bodies of Wind Breath and the Turtle Diagram, then allow Wei Qing''s divine soul to possess this newly forged body,¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully. ¡°Merge two Demon Race bodies to create a new one? Has Brother Shen been drinking? How could such a thing be possible¨Cit''s not like shaping clay figures that can be squeezed together. Even if Liu Qing could merge two demonic bodies, it would be impossible for Wei Qing''s spirit to possess this demon body. The spirit and the body must match perfectly for a successful union, and even some soul-snatching secret techniques require a lengthy period of adaptation. How could Wei Qing accomplish that in a short time?¡± The Little Bear Monster had a grudge against Shen Luo and scoffed at his words, full of sarcasm. ¡°Your Excellency may not know, but the Demon Clan is most adept at such bizarre secret techniques. I have witnessed the Demon Clan using demonic qi to repair some broken bodies, bringing them back to life directly. It''s not impossible to merge two demonic forms. As for Wei Qing''s soul taking over a demon body, based on my observations, Wei Qing has practiced the Soul Cultivator''s technique from the Refining Body Altar, which makes the merging with a physical body far easier than normal soul possession,¡± Shen Luo explained with a calm smile. ¡°Indeed, the Demon Clan is extremely skilled at body modification; Brother Shen and I have experienced this firsthand,¡± Bai Xiaotian chimed in with a nod. The Little Bear Monster, unwilling to accept this, was about to argue back. ¡°Enough, don''t embarrass yourself. The powers of the Demon Clan cannot be gauged by common sense. I believe what Friend Shen says is highly likely,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, casting a glance at the Little Bear Monster. The Little Bear Monster sulkily closed his mouth and dared not speak further. ¡°Regardless, we absolutely cannot allow Liu Qing''s actions to succeed; we need to find a way to break through this blue protective cover. However, this shield appears to be exceptionally sturdy, and with my low cultivation level, I''m afraid we would need the Protector''s help to breach it,¡± Shen Luo said. The Black Bear Demon furrowed his brows and remained silent, apparently without a good solution either. ¡°This protective cover is formed by the power of the Jade Purification Bottle. To break it, we''ll probably need the help of the other two treasures of the Bodhisattva. The Yangliu Branch is a divine healing item with no offensive capability, but the Purple Gold Bell is a weapon for tough battles. It''s just a shame that Brother Shen''s cultivation is too weak. Father, if you were to wield the Purple Gold Bell, you should be able to break through this blue shield,¡± the Little Bear Monster said meaningfully, casting a glance at Shen Luo. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, a glint appeared in the Black Bear Demon''s eyes. He had thought of this earlier; the Purple Gold Bell was a cherished personal treasure of the Bodhisattva. Though it was impossible to claim as his own, using it for a period could allow him to comprehend its profound prohibitions, which would greatly benefit his cultivation. But the Purple Gold Bell was in Shen Luo''s possession, and considering his status, how could he brazenly ask for it? Now that the Little Bear Monster had spoken out, the Black Bear Demon didn''t reprimand him and quietly awaited Shen Luo''s response. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked at the Black Bear Demon''s reaction and slightly furrowed his brows. The Purple Gold Bell''s might was immense, and he was very fond of it. However, as an item from Mount Putuo, he had never thought about claiming it for himself; it was only to counter Wei Qing and the others that he had invoked the treasure for battle. If the Black Bear Demon could use the Purple Gold Bell to break through the blue shield, Shen Luo had no objections and would hand it over immediately. But, activating this bell required the unique consecration method of the Bodhisattva, which the Black Bear Demon was most likely not privy to. The Little Bear Monster''s words not only demanded that he hand over the Purple Gold Bell but also implied that the Innate Treasure-refining Technique would have to be turned over as well. Chapter 851 Chapter 851: Chapter 848: Little Tricks Chapter 851: Chapter 848: Little Tricks ¡°What a greedy little bear demon! Truly thinks I am someone he can easily bully,¡± Shen Luo huffed coldly in his heart. The Innate Treasure-refining Technique is profoundly mystical, and Nie Caizhu is not only his cousin but also his fiancee, so imparting the method to her is unproblematic, but this Black Bear Demon is neither kin nor kith to him, and he has no desire to so readily divulge the secrets of the technique. Originally, if everyone were in the same boat, sharing the Innate Treasure-refining Technique with the Black Bear Demon wouldn''t matter much, but the Little Bear Monster''s sarcastic demeanor had suddenly made him feel quite displeased. After all, Liu Qing and that Wei Qing''s objective was Mount Putuo, which had little to do with him, Shen Luo. ¡°Excellency Little Bear Monster, I forgot for a moment there. The Purple Gold Bell should return to its rightful owner, and with the Protector''s profound cultivation level, certainly, he can break this blue shield,¡± Shen Luo slapped his forehead and handed the Purple Gold Bell over to the Black Bear Demon. Bai Xiaotian, being unaware of the situation between Shen Luo and the Little Bear Monster, showed a delighted expression upon seeing Shen Luo hand over the Purple Gold Bell. With Shen Luo''s cultivation level, the Purple Gold Bell was incredibly powerful, and surely, with the Black Bear Demon wielding it, the blue shield would be broken. Nie Caizhu''s lips moved slightly as though she wanted to say something, but was stopped by a look from Shen Luo. ¡°I have no intention of seizing this treasure; it''s just that to break this shield, the full power of the Purple Gold Bell must be unleashed. Please, Friend Shen, do not take it to heart,¡± the Black Bear Demon didn''t expect Shen Luo to give up the Purple Gold Bell so easily and, without standing on ceremony, took it and explained. ¡°Of course not,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Seeing this, the Black Bear Demon nodded in satisfaction and immediately began to cast spells to refine the Purple Gold Bell. ¡°Father, you don''t understand, to activate this Purple Gold Bell, it requires either the exclusive refining technique of the Guanyin Ancestor Master or the rumored Innate Treasure-refining Technique. Ordinary refining methods are useless,¡± the Little Bear Monster said, casting a meaningful glance at Shen Luo. ¡°Is that so? Miss Nie, do you know the Ancestor Master''s exclusive artifact refining secret?¡± The Black Bear Demon was taken aback and asked Nie Caizhu, looking at her. He had also heard of the exclusive artifact refining secret technique of the Guanyin Ancestor Master, rumored to be a secret of the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, extremely profound and mystical. Among those from Mount Putuo, only Master Guan Yue was privy to it, and among the present company, only Nie Caizhu, being a direct disciple of the sect leader, might know the technique. And since Shen Luo could freely activate the Purple Gold Bell, it naturally must have been taught by Nie Caizhu. ¡°Father, you''ve misunderstood me. Brother Nie does not know the secret technique of the Ancestor Master. The reason she and Brother Shen can activate the Yangliu Branch and the Purple Gold Bell is that Brother Shen knows the Innate Treasure-refining Technique,¡± the Little Bear Monster hurriedly spoke up when he saw that the Black Bear Demon had misunderstood. ¡°What! Friend Shen knows the Innate Treasure-refining Technique!¡± The Black Bear Demon exclaimed, his eyes suddenly turning towards Shen Luo. ¡°I know a thing or two, but this technique is a secret passed down in the Shen Family, and I''m afraid it''s not appropriate to teach it to others. I ask for the Protector''s understanding,¡± Shen Luo glanced at the Little Bear Monster, said indifferently, and then stepped aside to stand. The Black Bear Demon, seeing Shen Luo''s demeanor and then recalling the Little Bear Monster''s attitude towards him, furrowed his brow. ¡°What exactly is going on between you and this Shen Luo?¡± He grabbed the Little Bear Monster and his voice echoed in the Little Bear Monster''s mind. Although the prohibitions in the area prevented Divine Sense from leaving the body, the Black Bear Demon, who had guarded the Purple Bamboo Forest for many years, had other means to transmit messages through Divine Sense. ¡°Father, here''s what happened¡­¡± The little bear monster felt secretly pleased with himself as he recounted the story of Shen Luo''s possession of the Innate Treasure-refining Technique and their personal grievances. ¡°Father, you must take vengeance for me and seize his Innate Treasure-refining Technique!¡± the little bear monster implored at the end. As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp pain assaulted the cheeks of his soul''s form within his mind, as a force struck him fiercely across the face, rendering him momentarily speechless from the pain. ¡°Utterly foolish!¡± A glowing silhouette resembling the Black Bear Demon flashed inside the little bear monster''s mind and sternly chastised him with a cold voice. ¡°Father¡­¡± The little bear monster touched his cheek with his soul''s form, an expression of panic spreading across his face. ¡°You already bear a grudge against Shen Luo, why would you be so brazen in demanding the Innate Treasure-refining Technique? Such shallow and crude tactics lack any strategy, they will only lead to Shen Luo''s refusal to surrender the technique!¡± The Black Bear Demon berated his soul''s form with a look of frustrated disappointment. ¡°Father, Shen Luo has already handed over the Purple Gold Bell, he''s simply no match for you. If you command him to relinquish the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, how could he dare refuse? Moreover, given the dire situation, even for the sake of his own life, he would not be stingy with a mere artifact-refining secret,¡± the little bear monster said, trying to justify himself. ¡°Bullshit! Who do you think you''re fooling with that little trick of yours! We are all in the same boat right now. If he must think of his own life, don''t we have to as well? What you''re pressing right now is not him, but me!¡± the Black Bear Demon exclaimed angrily. At those words, the little bear monster stood frozen and speechless. ¡°I thought that after so many years of cultivating your nature here, you might have shown some improvement. To think you are still so foolish! When things are settled here, you can continue to stay,¡± the Black Bear Demon said, having vented his anger. He then gave the little bear monster a disdainful glance before his figure flickered away and vanished. The little bear monster''s face suddenly turned ashen. ¡°Friend Shen, though your Innate Treasure-refining Technique should not be casually shared, everyone is now trapped inside the Chaoyin Cave, unable to leave. If the other party completes their spell, we may all perish here. In desperate times, it''s prudent to flex the rules. Of course, I won''t ask for your treasure-refining secret for nothing. I am knowledgeable in several secret techniques, and I''m willing to exchange these three secret methods with you, Daoist friend,¡± the Black Bear Demon approached Shen Luo and said with a ingratiating smile. As he spoke, he waved his sleeve and the void in front of him flashed with white light, revealing three white jade boxes, each inscribed with the name of a secret technique: Xuanming Cold Technique, Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, Palm Thunder. ¡°This Xuanming Cold Technique is a frigid secret technique. It is a divine power I conceived while listening to the Bodhisattva''s teachings. When refined to a profound realm, it can freeze everything. It harmonizes with your Water-type Technique. The Teleportation and Transfiguration Technique is an extremely profound skill of movement; observing your remarkable agility, this technique will surely enhance it further. Lastly, the Palm Thunder is a special Thunder Technique, not only powerful but also possessing a sealing effect, particularly adept at sealing others'' Magical Treasures. These two secret techniques, which I chanced upon years ago, are certainly more exquisite than the Xuanming Cold Technique,¡± explained the Black Bear Demon patiently. ¡°If the Protector goes to such lengths, it would be utterly inconsiderate of me to refuse¡­¡± Shen Luo glanced at the three jade boxes and sighed before responding. The Black Bear Demon''s face instantly brightened with joy. ¡°Protector Elder, I''m afraid that won''t be possible,¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly interjected. Everyone''s expression shifted upon hearing this. ¡°Brother Nie, although Shen Luo is your cousin, don''t forget you are a disciple of Mount Putuo!¡± The little bear monster thought Nie Caizhu was trying to protect Shen Luo and snapped at her. ¡°Silence! Miss Nie is not that type of person!¡± the Black Bear Demon rebuked loudly. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The little bear monster curled his lip but did not dare to say anything more. Chapter 852 Chapter 852: Chapter 849: Enduring the Secret Technique Chapter 852: Chapter 849: Enduring the Secret Technique ¡°Miss Nie, why would you say such a thing?¡± The Black Bear Demon looked at Nie Caizhu with a smile, his eyes also carrying a hint of doubt. ¡°Protector Elder, Senior Little Bear Monster, please do not misunderstand me, I have no intention of preventing Elder Black from obtaining the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. I was just now using my cousin''s Innate Treasure-refining Technique to refine this Yangliu Branch, and by a fortuitous coincidence, I touched upon the deeper prohibition within the Yangliu Branch. Bodhisattva left some information there, stating that the three treasures within the Chaoyin Cave are left for the fated ones, allowing only one person to refine them. Afterward, the prohibitions within the treasures will close automatically and will not open up to other people''s mana,¡± Nie Caizhu explained. ¡°There''s actually such a thing!¡± The Black Bear Demon frowned, but he seemed not quite convinced. Shen Luo''s gaze also shifted; he had been refining the Purple Gold Bell only on its outer prohibitions and had not touched upon the deeper ones, hence he was unaware of this message. ¡°I, Shen, have not attained proficiency in refining the Purple Gold Bell and am unaware of the Bodhisattva''s message. Protector Elder, this is the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, you may try it,¡± he said, and immediately took out a jade slip inscribed with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique and handed it to the Black Bear Demon. The Black Bear Demon took the jade slip and immediately began to comprehend it. Shen Luo also did not hesitate to pick up the three jade boxes and opened them; inside were three jade slips. He was quite interested in these three secret techniques; he opened his mouth and exhaled a blue light, wrapping around the three jade slips and swallowing them into his body, not wasting any time to examine their contents. The Xuanming Cold Technique and his Nameless Cultivation Technique were of the same lineage, and Shen Luo quickly grasped the essence of this skill; with a slight operation, a sharp cold air penetrated his body, revealing specks of ice flowers in the surrounding void. He nodded; the Xuanming Cold Technique was quite powerful, but he preferred the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique from Mount Putuo, still vividly remembering the grace with which the Baby Dragon Girl used this technique. Unfortunately, such divine techniques were secret treasures of the sect, absolutely impossible to be taught to outsiders. Shen Luo then went on to comprehend the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing and the Palm Thunder; both of these God''s Powers were also exceptionally mystical, especially the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, which not only had miraculous footwork complementing the Slanting Moon Steps but, when cultivated to a profound degree, could even create illusions of indistinguishable doppelgangers that perplexed the enemy. Just as he began to study these three God''s Powers in depth, the Black Bear Demon had already finished comprehending the Innate Treasure-refining Technique and started to refine the Purple Gold Bell. Seeing this, Shen Luo stopped and looked over. The Black Bear Demon activated the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, his hands moving as if turning a car wheel, while profound magic spells shot out like a torrential downpour, pouring into the Purple Gold Bell. But no matter how he cast his spells, the Purple Gold Bell showed no response. ¡°It seems that what Miss Nie said is true; others can no longer stimulate this bell,¡± the Black Bear Demon said forbearingly, his face sinking. ¡°What should we do now?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked anxiously. Shen Luo''s expression also darkened, his eyes flashing as he considered whether or not to borrow power from his Dream Cultivation again. His lifespan had just recovered over a hundred years, and with the blue shield being so robust, even if he borrowed power from Dream Cultivation, he might still be unable to break it. And even if he managed to break it with great difficulty, it would not take a short time, and his lifespan would be depleted again. At that moment, a muffled sound came from the blue light shield. They hastily turned to look, only to see the purple-black cocoon beginning to emit strands of dim black light, as if some drastic change was occurring. The Wind Breath and Turtle Diagram inside the cocoon were now indistinguishable from each other, apparently having truly merged into one. Around the cocoon, the twelve Demonic figures shone with black light, countless black Demonic inscriptions surged out, and along with the Demonic Qi, they continuously gathered inside the purple-black cocoon. The surrounding Spiritual Energy Vortex grew even more massive, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi being drawn in was also many times faster than before. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo and the others'' expressions changed. ¡°We can''t delay any longer. I have a secret technique that can transfer one''s own refined cultivation to another. Friend Shen, since the Purple Gold Bell cannot be activated by anyone but you, you will have to bear this technique,¡± the Black Bear Demon gritted his teeth, tossed the Purple Gold Bell to Shen Luo, and said resolutely. Shen Luo caught the Purple Gold Bell, but upon hearing the Black Bear Demon''s words, his expression couldn''t help but freeze. ¡°Wait a moment, Protector, are you talking about the Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement?¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly interjected. ¡°That''s right, I didn''t expect you to know about this secret technique,¡± the Black Bear Demon showed a hint of surprise. ¡°My Master mentioned it to me. He said that this technique was created by the Bodhisattva and has unimaginable God''s Power. However, using this technique will cause great damage to both parties, right?¡± Nie Caizhu said. Upon hearing her words, Shen Luo''s gaze immediately sharpened. ¡°This technique can temporarily cause a person''s cultivation to soar dramatically, naturally, there will be injuries, but the situation is urgent now, and we can''t hesitate any longer,¡± the Black Bear Demon said urgently. ¡°Protector, I am not someone who is ignorant of reason. If my efforts are needed, I will not refuse. But, please tell me honestly, what price must I pay to endure this secret technique?¡± Shen Luo asked, with his hands clasped together. ¡°The difference in our cultivation levels is too great. Bearing my cultivation will cause great damage to your body. Your meridians will be harmed, and your internal organs will be injured, but these are not the biggest concerns, as they can be recovered with good Elixir. The most troublesome aspect is that this technique will transfer my vitality into your body as well, which will make your vitality mixed and have a profound impact. Moreover, controlling mana far beyond your realm will also impose a huge burden on your spirit and soul, and it will take a long time to adjust,¡± the Black Bear Demon explained in detail, possibly to reassure Shen Luo. After listening to this, Shen Luo''s thoughts stirred. These two major issues seemed to be no problem for him, as the Wood Spirit True Skill taught to him by Yuan Tiangang could purify his vitality, and he had summoned the Dream Cultivation several times. Controlling the middle-stage True Immortal level of cultivation of the Black Bear Demon was also not difficult for him. ¡°Will this technique affect my lifespan?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then asked. ¡°That it won''t, but my lifespan will be reduced a little due to the loss of my vitality,¡± the Black Bear Demon paused, then said. ¡°What! This technique will reduce Father''s lifespan!¡± The Little Bear Monster exclaimed in shock. ¡°The loss is not great, just over a hundred years. We, the Demon Race, have a long lifespan, it''s fine, you don''t need to make a big deal out of it,¡± the Black Bear Demon waved his hand and said. Hearing this, the Little Bear Monster calmed down. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°In that case, I have no objections, go ahead and cast the spell,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Cousin, Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement is no ordinary secret technique. Are you really sure you can bear it?¡± Nie Caizhu''s face showed urgency as she expressed her concern. ¡°Rest assured, cousin. I know my limits. Protector, please cast the spell,¡± Shen Luo gave Nie Caizhu a smile, then said to the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Friend Shen, please sit down and try to relax. Everyone else, step back,¡± the Black Bear Demon nodded and sat down cross-legged not far in front of Shen Luo. Shen Luo sat down and closed his eyes. The others retreated far and spontaneously guarded the surroundings to prevent Liu Qing and others from foul play. Chapter 853 Chapter 853: Chapter 850 Time Waits for No One Chapter 853: Chapter 850 Time Waits for No One Nie Cai Zhu glanced at Shen Luo, who was seated cross-legged, and leapt into the air, positioning herself between Shen Luo and the other two, and Liu Qing, waving the Yangliu Branch in her hand. Green light flickered in the void, and willow trees materialized from nowhere, intertwining with each other. In a matter of breaths, a green wall of trees, hundreds of feet high and nearly a hundred feet wide, formed, shielding Shen Luo and the others from the blue light shield. The Black Bear Demon paid no attention to the surroundings, closing its eyes and murmuring unintelligibly. Bright golden light illuminated its body, undulating like waves. Moments later, strands of golden patterns emerged from within, rapidly spreading through the void. Within a few breaths, a Golden Array spanning twenty or thirty feet in mid-air appeared. Innumerable golden Buddha lights danced within the Array, the sound of Buddhist chants filled the void, instilling a sense of solemnity in anyone who heard them. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around them trembled in resonance with these golden lights, creating countless golden Buddha figures. Although Shen Luo''s eyes were closed, he could sense the surrounding activities, a flicker of surprise crossing his mind, but he soon returned to a state of calm. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Black Bear Demon suddenly opened its eyes, waved both hands, and as its fingers flashed with golden light, seven or eight nail-like golden objects appeared. With a lift of his hand, punctuated by several ¡°pfft¡± sounds, the Black Bear Demon actually stabbed these golden nails into critical parts of its body such as the crown, chest, and Dantian. Any damage to these areas could lead to severe injury or even death, yet the Black Bear Demon appeared unphased after having the nails pierced into it, continuing to chant and gesture with hand seals. The surrounding Golden Array rapidly began to spin, emitting swathes of golden light. Strands of Golden Array Pattern suddenly shot out from within the Array, piercing into various parts of Shen Luo''s body. A trace of pain appeared on Shen Luo''s face, but he soon regained his composure. As the Array spun, the dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi suddenly fluctuated, collapsing toward the Golden Array and forming a massive Spiritual Energy Vortex that corresponded to the Purple-black cocoon on the opposite side, vying for the spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth. In the blue light shield across from them, Liu Qing suddenly opened her eyes and looked in the opposite direction, but unfortunately, Nie Cai Zhu''s summoned wall of great trees obstructed her view, preventing her from seeing the situation on the other side. The area was heavily restricted, and even Divine Sense could not spread out. Liu Qing''s delicate eyebrows furrowed. Although she could not see what the others on the opposite side were doing, she was certain they were trying to stop her. After a moment of contemplation, she flicked her fingers continuously, sending out one Blood Talisman after another. Exactly eighteen talismans flew out and merged into the eighteen Magic Puppets. A blood-colored mark appeared on the brows of the Magic Puppets, and the surge of Demonic Qi from them instantly increased manifold, rolling into the Purple-black cocoon. Liu Qing then took out an object, a palm-sized blood-red bone with a black Demon Head pattern etched on it. The bone emitted wisps of Black Qi and a nauseating odor that made one want to vomit upon smelling it. Indistinct sounds emanated from the bone, as if bones were grinding against each other, or as if teeth were chewing on something. Liu Qing''s hand trembled slightly as she looked at the bone, a trace of fear flashing in her eyes, but she quickly composed herself, clamping the bone between her hands and pressing hard. A crisp ¡°crack¡± resonated as the bone shattered into seven or eight pieces. The woman first pointed at the White Talisman on the Jade Purification Bottle. After the talisman brightened, a series of white lines spread out, quickly covering the entire blue shield. The originally transparent blue shield was suddenly overwhelmed by a white light, and the sounds and fluctuations of Qi from outside disappeared without a trace. Seeing this, Liu Qing finally relaxed. With a flick of her finger toward a blood-red bone fragment, it burst with a pop, turning into a thick mass of blood light that whooshed into the purple-black cocoon. The black light inside the cocoon suddenly began to flash violently, and at the same time, a shrill scream emanated from within, unmistakably the voice of Wei Qing. However, the scream did not last long, subsiding after just a few breaths. The black light inside the cocoon stabilized and expanded considerably. ¡°Good, you have adapted to the blood and bones of Lord Demon Emperor so quickly,¡± Liu Qing said with a delighted expression, flicking her finger once more towards another blood-red bone fragment, which also transformed into a mass of blood light and merged into the cocoon. Wei Qing screamed again, but it quickly died down. The black light inside the cocoon became noticeably brighter, and Liu Qing pointed her finger at the third blood bone fragment. In this manner, all the blood-red bone fragments were soon invested into the purple-black cocoon. The black light within brightened by more than tenfold, and a terrifying presence spread out from within the cocoon as if something monstrously formidable was gestating inside. Feeling this, an unusual fervor appeared on Liu Qing''s face as she formed incantation gestures with her hands rapidly like turning wheels. ¡°Why has there suddenly been no movement on the other side? Eh!¡± Across the tree wall, Bai Xiaotian suddenly uttered a light exclamation, flashing past the tree wall and then exclaiming in surprise again. ¡°What happened?¡± Both the Little Bear Monster and Nie Caizhu circled around the tree wall to see, with their expressions changing immediately. They only saw that inside the blue shield, a layer of white light suddenly enveloped everything, completely isolating the fluctuations within, to the degree that they were indiscernible. ¡°It seems that Liu Qing is about to perform some kind of secret technique that must not be witnessed; hence the isolation of both Qi and sight. Protector, Brother Shen, you must hasten your pace,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Inside the Golden Light Array, the Black Bear Demon murmured an incantation, and the light on those golden nails on his body flickered continuously. Pure, intense white beams of light shot out, following the pattern of the Array and pouring into Shen Luo''s body, adhering to his meridians and Dantian. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, drawn together, was absorbed and transformed by the Golden Array before swarming into Shen Luo''s body as well. Mana within Shen Luo''s body increased rapidly; his meridians expanded quickly under the covering of the white light to accommodate the surging mana. His aura strengthened swiftly, advancing from the Middle Stage of the Nascent Soul Stage to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, and then breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage in the blink of an eye. The Little Bear Monster and Nie Caizhu witnessed this and showed expressions of astonishment. To elevate someone''s cultivation level so dramatically was truly astonishing. Although they had heard of the Lingdong Nine Heavens Secret Technique, seeing it for the first time was quite a different matter. As Bai Xiaotian had seen Shen Luo use similar methods to forcibly enhance his cultivation realm several times before, he remained calm. In contrast to Shen Luo''s continuously rising cultivation, the aura of the Black Bear Demon began to weaken rapidly. However, the Black Bear Demon didn''t pay attention to his own condition. Sensing the rate of Shen Luo''s cultivation increase, his brow furrowed, as he still felt it was insufficient. The Black Bear Demon bit his teeth slightly and then suddenly clasped his hands in front of him, forming a strange seal. His entire body suddenly burst forth with bright, pure white light, like a small sun. The white light, as if alive, writhed and eventually detached from his body, gradually coalescing to form a white figure. Chapter 854 Chapter 854: Chapter 851: Go All Out Chapter 854: Chapter 851: Go All Out The Black Bear Demon gasped for breath, his aura plummeting to the Nascent Soul Stage, his face showing deep fatigue. However, he still mustered the strength to pinch a magic spell, pointing with his finger. ¡°Go!¡± The detached white silhouette immediately shot out and appeared beside Shen Luo, merging into his body. Shen Luo''s aura boomed, skyrocketing in an instant, crossing several realms to reach the True Immortal Middle Stage. His body emitted an explosive blue light that spread outwards rapidly, engulfing the Golden Array and nearby people, including Nie Caizhu. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo, the Purple Gold Bell, and the Purple Giant Pearl¨Cthree treasures that Shen Luo carried¨Cresponded to the surging mana, shining brightly as they automatically flew out, circulating and dancing around his body, emanating excited, resonant chimes. Shen Luo opened his eyes, looking at the whistling blue light around him with a slight smile on his lips. The Nine Heavens Ling-move Secret Technique forcibly elevated his cultivation level without altering the nature of the mana within his body, unlike borrowing the Dream Cultivation. This was good; if his mana had been replaced with the Demon Qi of the Black Bear Demon, he might not have been able to control it easily. Shen Luo silently operated his skills, reining in the surging mana within him. The overflowing blue light rushed out like a whale sucking water, all of it returning into his body, not a trace left outside. Nie Caizhu and the others, having been enveloped by the blue light just moments ago, felt as though they were in the throes of deep sea turmoil, which was quite uncomfortable. Now relieved, they quickly flew a distance away, to avoid being affected again. The Black Bear Demon inside the Golden Light Array was surprised to see this scene, astonished at how quickly Shen Luo managed to contain his mana. Shen Luo raised his hand, and the three brightly shining Magical Treasures obediently flew back, settling beside him. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo glowed a dense red, almost solidifying in nature, with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire within it showing signs of movement; occasionally, flames flashed along the Sword body. The Spirit Patterns on the Purple Gold Bell were all lit up, emitting purple-gold radiance, and the three bells jingled eagerly, as if they couldn''t wait to unleash their contained power and engage in battle. As for the Purple Great Bead, it displayed mysterious purple Demonic Patterns shifting from place to place, flickering constantly. ¡°I have been unable to successfully refine this pearl since I acquired it, but now it seems to have changed. Right, the Little Bear Monster said the Innate Treasure-refining Technique could refine all magical instruments; I wonder if it can refine this treasure of the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo, seeing the change in the Purple Great Bead, was moved and began silently operating the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to refine it. The prohibitions within the Purple Great Bead responded immediately, rapidly being refined, and the Demonic Patterns on the bead began to increase swiftly. ¡°It really works!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart. At the same time, he also understood what kind of Demonic Artifact the Purple Great Bead was. ¡°So this bead has such divine powers¡­¡± murmured Shen Luo. At the same time, he also operated the Innate Artifact Refining Secret, refining the Purple Gold Bell, whose prohibitions were being refined layer by layer, effortlessly like cutting through bamboo. ¡°Friend Shen, the Nine Heavens Ling-move Secret Technique doesn''t last long, do not delay, make your move quickly!¡± The voice of the Black Bear Demon suddenly resounded in Shen Luo''s mind. Shen Luo''s eyes shifted, startled by the Black Bear Demon''s ability to send messages here, but then he remembered that all his newly acquired cultivation came from the other party, and he understood, transforming into a streak of blue light and pouncing towards the opposite side. Nie Caizhu, from a distance, hurriedly waved the Yangliu Branch, causing the green light on the wooden wall to flash and swiftly scatter, blending into the void and revealing the blue shield behind it. Shen Luo, upon seeing the white light rising within the shield, a trace of surprise flashed across his face, but he didn''t pay it any heed. He flipped his hand to take out the Purple Gold Bell and poured a torrent of mana into it. The purple gold light on the Purple Gold Bell greatly intensified, and its size instantly increased tenfold, with the Fire Bell and Wind Bell on it growing to the size of millstones. With a ¡°boom,¡± two columns of fire and wind, each a hundred feet thick, shot out, entwining with each other. With the aid of the wind''s power, the fire column expanded more than tenfold, and then with a coalescence, it transformed into a colossal crimson dragon hundreds of feet in size, pouncing toward the blue shield with bared fangs and claws. An indescribably intense heat began to pervade the surrounding void, as if everything had been set alight directly. The island below instantly caught fire, and the nearby sea water evaporated in a flash, revealing a dry area several miles across. The power of this flame dragon greatly surpassed that of the tricolored dragon previously formed by the power of three bells. Before it even arrived, the blue shield seemed to sense the threat, vibrating with a buzzing tremor. Liu Qing, within the light shield, saw the changes in the blue shield and a layer of white light appeared in her eyes, allowing her to see through the shield. Her expression changed drastically, and she turned to look at the purple-black cocoon behind her. The aura within the cocoon had become terrifyingly immense, fluctuating violently as if a heart was throbbing vigorously, ready to burst forth from the shell. ¡°Just a little more, I''ll stake it all!¡± she murmured to herself, gritted her teeth, and pinched a magic spell, waving her sleeve. A black light shot out from her body; it was the Black Dragon Blade from before. The surging black light on the Black Dragon Blade caused it to transform instantly into a giant black blade tens of feet long, with its fierce sword glow swallowing the nearby void, sizzling as it passed through and causing even the void to tremble. Its power had increased many times over compared to when it had clashed with Shen Luo, and it struck down towards the crimson dragon overhead. In an instant, the giant black blade collided with the crimson dragon amidst a flash of blinding light, silent and without any sound or ripple of energy! The Black Dragon Blade struck the top of the crimson dragon''s head, sinking deep into it! However, the crimson dragon was completely unharmed. A vast expanse of crimson flames burst from within the dragon''s head, wrapping around and engulfing the black blade in a swirl. A faint sizzle was heard, and the black blade melted into tiny crystal droplets, vanishing into thin air. Liu Qing''s delicate body shook, and she spewed a mouthful of essence blood. Though the Black Blade wasn''t her natal magical treasure, she had imprinted her divine sense into it, and its destruction caused her significant harm, rendering her face filled with horror. Meanwhile, the crimson dragon did not slow down in the slightest and reached the blue light shield in a flash, crashing into it fiercely. With a deafening ¡°boom,¡± the dragon''s body exploded, transforming back into a sea of crimson flames that enveloped the blue shield within it. Within the sea of flames, yellow wind howled and fire waves churned, sending the already extremely high temperature soaring even higher, wave after wave assaulting the blue light shield. The blue light shield began to flicker violently, its blue light rapidly dissipated, and it thinned at a visible rate, looking as though it would shatter at any moment. The white light on the shield also collapsed swiftly, apparently scorched by the high temperature, revealing the scene within. Sounds could now be transmitted from within, but the breath was still blocked. Inside the blue light shield, Liu Qing''s hair quickly turned withered and yellow. Her expression changed again, and she spouted a clump of black light that wrapped around a set of pitch-black armor, which disappeared in a flash into the purple-black cocoon. At the same time, her hands moved rapidly, forming seals, and suddenly countless strands of white qi burst forth from her body. Thousands and thousands of them enveloped her figure completely in swirling mists, from within which erupted an extraordinarily fierce and tyrannical aura. Chapter 855 Chapter 855: Chapter 853 Unbelievable Chapter 855: Chapter 853 Unbelievable ¡°I''m afraid that won''t work. To be frank, my mastery of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique is not profound; I''ve only reached the second layer and there are several aspects I''ve yet to fully integrate. Even using it myself is a struggle, let alone assisting Friend Shen. You''ve experienced it yourself just now; the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique is different from other techniques¨Cit requires the cultivation of cold chi within the body before it can be released to harm the enemy. If one attempts to force it without fully integrating the technique, the cold chi could backfire and cause self-injury. As a Demon Race member, I possess a stronger physique that barely withstands the backlash of the out-of-control cold chi. Friend Shen, your physical body is not strong enough; it''s absolutely not advisable,¡± the Black Bear Demon quickly explained. ¡°Cold chi backfire? It''s no trouble, I have some methods to defend against those uncontrollable cold chi. Elder, please feel free to assist me. To eliminate the strong enemy before us, I am willing to take some risks.¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised slightly, and after glancing at the Linlang Ring, he resolutely stated. With the Heavenly Book on hand, should the cold chi get out of control, he was confident that he could immediately collect it. ¡°Well¡­ Since Friend Shen insists, I won''t say more and will certainly assist you with all my might,¡± the Black Bear Demon said gravely after a brief silence. Shen Luo thanked him and immediately began operating the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, his body suddenly exuding a much brighter icy blue light than before. The exchange between the two through divine soul communication was almost instantaneous, hardly taking any time at all. Inside the Blue Light Shield, Ma Xiuxiu saw the power of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique and was instantly shocked, quickly urging the Jade Purification Bottle to dissolve the frozen torrent. A blue glow shot out from the bottle, immediately turning into thousands of threads of light that scattered and pierced into the frozen torrents. Whatever nature these threads of light were, the cold chi from the frozen torrents automatically gathered towards them, and the torrents began to melt rapidly. Seeing this, Ma Xiuxiu let out a sigh of relief and continued to exert force on the Jade Purification Bottle, quickly resolving half of the frozen part. At that moment, a flash of green light passed outside the light curtain, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared. His face was tinged with blue, and his right arm was covered with a chunk of ice, looking quite unwell. However, his eyes were shining brightly with extraordinary excitement. His right hand emitted a brilliant blue cold light, four to five times brighter than before, which struck out into the void and in a flash hit the Blue Light Shield. With a ¡°boom¡±! An extremely cold aura, several times more intense than before, erupted, instantly freezing nearly half of the remaining torrents into ice. The inside of the Blue Light Shield was not spared either; the entire Jade Purification Bottle was covered in a layer of solid ice, and the purple-black cocoon, along with the eighteen Magic Puppets around it, were enveloped in thick blue ice crystals. Liu Qing''s expression changed drastically, her hands lifted as if to do something, but it was too late. The intensely cold aura engulfed her, and with a flash of blue light, she turned into a blue ice sculpture. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wei Qing''s body was not spared either, and with a ¡°crack,¡± he too turned into an ice sculpture. The distant Black Bear Demon and others also felt a bone-piercing cold chi coming towards them and hastily retreated further, their faces showing a look of shock. ¡°Father, how is the situation over there?¡± the Little Bear Monster asked. Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu also turned their attention to the Black Bear Demon. From such a distance, they could no longer see the situation by the Blue Light Shield, but only the Black Bear Demon, who was connected to Shen Luo by mana, knew the details of the battle. ¡°This¡­ He really managed to execute the second layer of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique! And its power is so strong, far surpassing mine, how is that possible?¡± the Black Bear Demon murmured in disbelief without answering the Little Bear Monster''s question. It wasn''t just the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique; Shen Luo''s control of the True Immortal Stage mana was exceptionally adept, with no sign of strain, as if it were his own mana. ¡°This man is indeed extraordinary, possessing such divine powers at the Nascent Soul Stage. When his cultivation level rises in the future, who knows how powerful he will become. It seems we should strive to forge a closer alliance,¡± the Black Bear Demon took a deep breath, concealing the surprise in his eyes, and thought to himself. ¡°Father?¡± the Little Bear Monster asked again. ¡°Don''t worry, the current battle situation is good. Friend Shen has already restrained the raging torrents of the Jade Purification Bottle,¡± the Black Bear Demon said after glancing at the others. ¡°How is Cousin''s mana? Does he need me to go over and use the Yangliu Branch to help him recover?¡± Nie Cai Zhu asked, her face full of concern. ¡°There''s no need for that at the moment, but be prepared to act when I give you the signal,¡± the Black Bear Demon said, chin lifting slightly after a moment''s thought. Nie Cai Zhu immediately responded with an affirmation and closed her eyes to circulate her mana. Shen Luo''s face showed a look of pleasant surprise. The power of the second layer of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique was so great that it made his risky execution worthwhile. Just now, with the help of the Black Bear Demon and the protection of the Heavenly Book, he had finally managed, after much difficulty, to complete the mana circulation for the second layer of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. However, this divine technique was perilous, and even with the Heavenly Book''s protection, a bit of cold had penetrated into his body, causing him serious injury. He took out a healing pill and swallowed it, then, without wasting any time, he started to vigorously activate the Purple Gold Bell. The Wind Bell and Fire Bell chimed, and two hundred-foot waves of red flames and yellow storms gushed out. His hands quickly changed through several hand seals, then with a snap, he clapped them together. The two waves of red flames and yellow sand storms shook and then quickly merged together. In just two to three breaths, a spiraling red storm appeared. Previously, when Shen Luo merged the forces of wind and fire from the Purple Gold Bell, he had used fire as the main force with wind as a supplement, harnessing the intense heat of the flames to harm the enemy. However, this time he made wind the primary element. Within the storm, every strand of wind was enveloped by red flames, and at the center of the storm, there were huge wind blades spiraling around, each also entwined with red flames. The entire storm seemed to be burning, and the destructive cutting power was instantly increased tenfold. As the storm spiraled, the nearby Void shook violently, seemingly unable to withstand its terrifying power, as if it was going to shatter. Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy. He secretly pinched a magic spell with his right hand and then reached into the Void. The red storm quickly transformed, turning into a small mountain-sized red giant claw in the blink of an eye. The tips of the claw were several tens of feet long, flashing with a chilling cold light, looking exceedingly sharp. Among the piercing screeches, the giant claw shot downwards, and with a flash, it grasped onto the blue light shield. ¡°Split!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a cold light, and his hand clenched suddenly. The fingers of the red giant claw also closed fiercely, and with a crisp ''crack'', the blue light shield was torn effortlessly like paper by the giant claw, which then completely shattered with a bang. The Jade Purification Bottle was caught by the giant claw, and after a loud noise, it rolled and flew into the distance. Ma Xiuxiu and Wei Qing, who had been frozen like ice sculptures, were also shaken and swept away, but the purple-black cocoon remained in place. With the blue light curtain gone, the aura of the purple-black cocoon was fully exposed. An intense aura of Yin Sha instantly filled the space above the sea surface, causing even Shen Luo to feel the hairs on his body stand on end. Shen Luo''s left hand waved his sleeve, sending out three streaks of blue light that flew towards the Jade Purification Bottle, Ma Xiuxiu, and Wei Qing. Meanwhile, his right hand continued to reach into the Void, the red giant claw shrank to a fraction of its size in an instant, but the flames it bore blazed more fiercely as it fiercely grabbed towards the purple-black cocoon. With the sound of tearing silk, the purple-black cocoon was easily ripped open by the giant claw, and the surrounding black magic puppets were sliced through like tofu. But then, with a loud bang, the giant claw stopped abruptly in its tracks. (This chapter was mistakenly released ahead of time. Once a subscription chapter is published, it cannot be retracted. Dear Daoist friends, you get to enjoy it in advance. The missing chapter will be released on time tomorrow at noon. Additionally, Wang Yu would like to ask our Daoist friends for monthly votes, so friends with tickets, don''t forget to cast one for Dream Master.) Chapter 856 Chapter 856: Chapter 852 Indigo Blue Sea Chapter 856: Chapter 852 Indigo Blue Sea Shen Luo''s gaze shifted on seeing the situation within the blue light shield, and he immediately formed a magic spell, enhancing the prowess of the Purple Gold Bell Flames. Massive crimson flames, tens of feet high, erupted and fiercely crashed against the blue shield. A strange howling sound came from within the mist, which then parted to reveal a half-human half-dragon girl with patches of black dragon scales on her skin and two coral-like black dragon horns on her forehead. Moreover, this girl looked nothing like Liu Qing. ¡°It''s you!¡± Shen Luo frowned. The half-dragon girl was none other than Ma Xiuxiu, who had disappeared in the Underworld that day and had not been seen since. Ma Xiuxiu''s cultivation breath surged once again, reaching the level of the Mahayana Middle Stage, and she opened her mouth to release. A beam of white light, imbued with intense Dragon Element, shot out from Liu Qing''s body and entered the White Talisman on top of the Jade Purification Bottle. With a hissing sound, the White Talisman shattered, turning into a half-foot-long white dragon shadow. Powerful mana fluctuations emanated from the white dragon projection, even stronger than Shen Luo at the moment, astonishingly reaching the Late True Immortal Stage. As soon as the white dragon shadow appeared, it immediately shot upwards and vanished into the Jade Purification Bottle. A shrill whistle resounded instantaneously; the bottle emitted a bright white light, growing a thousand times larger in an instant, transforming into a palace-sized giant bottle. From the mouth of the bottle emerged a circle of rainbow-like blue light that poured into the blue shield. Immediately, the blue shield became more stable and quickly thickened, regaining its original state within a few breaths. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo''s expression darkened. He formed a magic spell with both hands, about to unleash some divine power. Numerous dull thunderous sounds came from within the Jade Purification Bottle, and torrents of blue water cascaded out, much like thousands of blue dragons diving down or the Milky Way being overturned and falling from the Nine Heavens. The Water Spirit Qi in the area surged in concentration by more than a hundred times in an instant, making it difficult even to breathe. Tens of thousands of torrents surged out, striking fiercely against the surrounding Sea of Flames. With a sizzling sound echoing through the Void, infinite white mist rose up, and the Scarlet Fire Sea was scattered by a significant part in an instant. Shen Luo was hit by tens of thousands of torrents, about to cast a spell to resist, but his gaze suddenly flashed, and he stopped his action, even retracting his protective spiritual light, allowing his body to withstand the impact of the torrents. He had a deep memory of his body resisting the Jade clean bottle water flow attack before, causing the Nameless Cultivation Technique to undergo a strange change; he wanted to try it again. He faintly felt that through this incident, he could grasp something. As last time, a colossal force mixed with rich Water Spirit Qi surged into Shen Luo''s body. He hurriedly circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and like before, the rich Water Spirit Qi was instantly absorbed. Shen Luo closely monitored the changes within his body. Once the Power of Water Spirit entered his body, it all gathered in the Dantian. Assisted by the Nameless Cultivation Technique, the speed of circulation suddenly increased by an unknown amount. A flicker of light appeared in the Dantian, revealing a faint five-color light group. The light group, vortex-like, emitted the distinct auras of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. However, they did not repel each other; instead, they merged, supporting and intertwining with each other, exuding an extremely mysterious ambiance. A powerful absorbing force seeped out from the vortex of the Five-color light group. In an instant, the vast force that surged along with the Water Spirit Qi was completely absorbed. Upon absorbing the colossal force, the Five-color light group immediately flashed away, as if it had never appeared. ¡°Indeed, it appeared again! What is that Five-color light group? It seems to be triggered by the Nameless Cultivation Technique, absorbing the vast force within the deluge in an instant. What kind of peerless divine power is it?¡± Shen Luo''s thoughts tumbled in his mind, and his figure shook as he flew out of the raging torrents, forming a magic spell to urge on the Purple Gold Bell. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± two thick flames shot out from the Fire Bell, swirling once before transforming into two seven- or eight-foot-long crimson Fire Phoenixes. The two crimson Fire Phoenixes and the Fire Phoenix formed by the Five-Fire Fan were almost identical, but the disparity in power was like heaven and earth. With a flick of their wings, they brought forth billowing scarlet flames, swooping toward the blue shield from above. Within the blue shield, Liu Qing immediately formed a magic spell with his hands and drew it forth. Two streams of water shot out from the Jade Purification Bottle, and in the blink of an eye, transformed into two blue Water Dragons, clawing and biting as they lunged at the two crimson Fire Phoenixes. The dual dragons and phoenixes thus engaged in close combat, the red and blue lights fiercely clashing. The fight ended quickly, one Fire Phoenix was entangled by a Water Dragon, its head bitten off. The other was torn in two, dissipating into countless red embers that scattered about. ¡°Water can overcome fire, Friend Shen, don''t waste energy clashing with the Purple Gold Bell Flames. I''ll teach you the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique from Putuo Mountain. Based on the skills you''ve been cultivating, with my help, you''ll be able to use it immediately,¡± the voice of the Black Bear Demon rang out again, followed by a flow of information entering Shen Luo''s mind¨Cthe very Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. Shen Luo was overjoyed. The Fire Phoenix attack was just a test to gauge the casting speed of the Jade Purification Bottle, preparing for subsequent attacks. He didn''t expect to gain a new divine technique for nothing, and it was exactly the Indigo Ocean he desired. He quickly reviewed the magic spell of the Indigo Ocean and immediately began operating the divine technique. The Indigo Ocean was a Putuo Mountain Secret Technique, profoundly intricate and mysterious. However, the Nameless Cultivation Technique that Shen Luo practiced was an extremely pure and refined water-based skill, highly compatible with the Indigo Ocean. Although it was his first time using it, he managed to perform fittingly, with only a few obscure points where the flow of mana slightly stumbled. At that moment, an invisible force suddenly emerged within him, aiding in the flow of mana, allowing him to smoothly overcome those obscure points. At the same time, a layer of blue light shone from Shen Luo''s body, his inner mana undergoing dramatic changes, turning into an icy chill that would freeze one''s heart and soul, traveling along his meridians. His eyes widened a bit, and he quickly activated other mana to wrap around this frosty aura. Although he was prepared, the intensity of the Indigo Ocean''s chill still exceeded his expectations. It lurked deep within him, and if it burst forth all at once, he would either die or be gravely injured. But what surprised Shen Luo occurred next¨Cthe other mana, upon touching the frosty aura, was promptly devoured by it, causing the chill to rapidly intensify instead. His heart chilled, Shen Luo immediately connected with the Heavenly Book Projection, and a power of retraction seeped into his body, enveloping the icy aura. From the previous great battle with Baby Dragon Girl, he had confirmed that the Heavenly Book Projection could assimilate inner cold aura even faster than external substances. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although this Indigo Ocean chill was unlikely to harm his body, Shen Luo felt at ease using this technique for the first time under the Heavenly Book''s protection. Indeed, the frigid aura obediently flowed through his meridians, and other than chilling his body, it caused no discomfort. The icy aura swiftly completed a circuit along his meridians, eventually gathering in his palm and shining with a crystal clear blue light, within which a terrifyingly cold aura surged. ¡°This is the Indigo Ocean¡­¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy before his palm strikingly moved forward. Immediately, layers of blue light waves radiated from his palm, spreading rapidly in all directions, instantly submerging the area for dozens of miles around. With a flash of blue light, the sea surface within dozens of miles below instantly froze over, islands were encased in thick blue ice, and countless snowflakes appeared in the void. The high temperatures created by the Purple Gold Bell Flames disappeared in an instant, and the area transformed into a world of ice. Before Shen Luo displayed the Indigo Ocean, Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and others, upon the advice of the Black Bear Demon, had already retreated to an extremely distant place with him and were not affected by the chill. However, curiously enough, only half of the countless streams sprayed out from the Jade Purification Bottle were frozen, while the half closer to the bottle remained intact. ¡°Eh!¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim softly upon seeing this scene. ¡°The streams from the Jade Purification Bottle are not ordinary water, and your Indigo Ocean is only at the novice stage, at the first level, so it''s normal that it can''t freeze everything. The extent it has reached now is already far beyond my expectations,¡± the voice of the Black Bear Demon rose again. ¡°To receive praise from the Protector is an honor for me. However, given the current situation, the first stage of the Indigo Ocean is not enough to deal with Liu Qing and the Jade Purification Bottle. Elder, could you assist me in performing the second stage?¡± Shen Luo said politely, his eyes flickering as he spoke. The Indigo Ocean is divided into five stages, with each advance greatly enhancing its power. According to the technique, upon reaching the Great Perfection Level of all five stages, one can instantaneously freeze everything in the world. Chapter 857 Chapter 857: Chapter 854: Deceive the Heavens to Cross the Sea Chapter 857: Chapter 854: Deceive the Heavens to Cross the Sea Shen Luo concentrated and gave a closer look, his expression changing slightly. He saw a pitch-black shield as dark as ink appear before him, which, although it didn''t seem particularly strong, managed to block the giant claw''s strike. At that moment, the blue ice encasing Ma Xiuxiu shattered with a ¡°bang,¡± and then the woman''s figure swayed and transformed into a dragon-shaped blue shadow that vanished into thin air. The next moment, hundreds of feet away next to the Jade Purification Bottle, the void rippled and Ma Xiuxiu''s figure silently appeared and ¡°whooshed¡± into the bottle. ¡°Hee hee, I didn''t expect Brother Shen to have such formidable strength now. This little girl won''t accompany you any further and will take her leave for now,¡± Ma Xiuxiu''s voice came from inside the Jade Purification Bottle before it too disappeared without a trace. Her series of actions was as quick as lightning, and Shen Luo was unable to stop her. Meanwhile, the three streaks of blue light Shen Luo had released had only just arrived, with two missing their target and only the last one wrapping around Wei Qing''s body. ¡°Just now, that was the Dragon Swimming Evasion Technique! Brother Shen, be careful, that Liu Qing might be from the East Sea Dragon Palace!¡± Yuan Qiu immediately spoke from within the Heavenly Book Space, his tone carrying a hint of respect. Shen Luo''s current strength might have been temporary, but the immense potential he had shown had already caused Yuan Qiu to feel reverence. Frowning upon hearing this, Shen Luo waved his sleeve. The streak of blue light enveloped Wei Qing''s body and rapidly flew back. ¡°Leave the body!¡± At this moment, a sonorous voice, metallic in nature and grating to the ear, came from ahead. Before the voice had faded, a black beast head appeared on the black shield, it opened its mouth to expel something. A mass of black sound waves burst forth, initially silent, but quickly erupted into an earth-shattering boom, enveloping the red giant claw within it. The red giant claw trembled violently, its light flashing wildly, as the blended forces of wind and fire became incredibly unstable. Shen Luo''s expression changed; he was about to cast a spell to stabilize it, but it was already too late. With a ¡°thunderous¡± boom, the red giant claw exploded entirely, turning into countless remnants of wild flames and winds scattering in every direction. The black sound waves continued to advance, now enveloping the streak of blue light. The blue light immediately became dim and blurred, tearing and collapsing in an instant, causing Wei Qing''s body to fall towards the ground below. The series of events might sound complicated, but in reality, they occurred in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo''s gaze flashed as he used the Moon Shadow technique to transform into a lingering image, pouncing towards Wei Qing''s body. But just as he moved, a blue shadow beside Wei Qing flickered, and a figure had already appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Wei Qing''s body. Wei Qing''s body shook and then disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, and he immediately halted in his tracks. The blue shadow also revealed its true form: a tall man dressed in black armor with blue double wings on his back. This man''s face bore an eightfold resemblance to Wei Qing, except he had a slightly pointed nose and somewhat stubby hands and feet. However, the muscles on his body were like ancient vines wrapped around old trees, seemingly containing endless strength. Shen Luo glanced at the newly appeared Wei Qing, feeling a sense of shock in his heart. This newly reborn Wei Qing seemed to have combined features of the Turtle Diagram and the Wind Breath from the Demon Race, and the Demon Clan''s secret technique for modifying bodies was exceedingly profound. Even though divine sense was suppressed in this place, preventing a clear perception of his cultivation realm, Shen Luo, relying on his intuition, felt that Wei Qing at this moment was extremely terrifying and was no longer the same person as before. ¡°Hmph, you also dare to covet my body,¡± Wei Qing looked at Shen Luo with disdain in his eyes. ¡°It''s natural for Your Excellency to reclaim your body, but there is one thing I always fail to understand, why would Daoist Wei, being an elite disciple of Mount Putuo, choose to defect to the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo did not get angry, but instead asked calmly. ¡°My affairs are none of your concern. Where is Nie Caizhu? Let her hand over the Yangliu Branch, and I might spare your lives!¡± Wei Qing looked around with a deep voice. The look in Shen Luo''s eyes shifted. Wei Qing had been fixated on the Yangliu Branch from the beginning. Was the Yangliu Branch so important to him? S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is that so? What a pity. Just now, the Protector took Cai Zhu and the others and left this place. If you want the Yangliu Branch, I''m afraid Your Excellency will have to search Mount Putuo,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile on his face while communicating with the Black Bear Demon through his mind, telling it to hide Nie Caizhu and the others as soon as possible. ¡°What!¡± Wei Qing''s expression changed, and he immediately turned into a verdant afterimage, shooting towards the island''s exit. A glint of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. Although the reformed Wei Qing had greatly increased in strength, his head seemed to have diminished in sharpness. If he could deceive him into leaving for a while, Shen Luo could take the opportunity to do some things. His figure swayed slightly, ready to take action. However, at that moment, Wei Qing suddenly stopped and turned around to look at Shen Luo, his eyes shooting out a vicious light. ¡°You dare to deceive me!¡± Shen Luo slightly raised his eyebrows, looking around with a smile. ¡°It seems Miss Ma is still here, why not show yourself?¡± As Shen Luo spoke, his heart was on alert. He silently operated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to sense the moisture in the surroundings, trying his best to locate Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Prepare to die!¡± Wei Qing shouted angrily, his figure abruptly turning into a verdant shadow that rushed forward. Before his figure arrived, a misty green gust of wind howled towards him, spreading out into fierce cyclones that connected to the sky and the earth, lifting the sea water below and rolling towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo faced the towering cyclones with no change in his expression and pointed at the Purple Gold Bell with a gesture. A red light burst forth from the Fire Bell, and a surge of flames that reached the sky erupted, colliding head-on with the misty green wind. Although the towering cyclones were filled with Demon Qi and had an imposing momentum, how could they compare to the flames produced by the Purple Gold Bell? With a sizzling noise, the entire cyclone was engulfed and swallowed by the flames. Shen Luo poured more Mana into the Purple Gold Fire Bell, and the blazing surge of flames suddenly intensified several folds, rolling towards Wei Qing''s figure. Wei Qing didn''t have Guanyin''s Treasure in his hands. He wanted to see what the other party was relying on to act so arrogantly. Facing the soaring red flames, Wei Qing''s charging figure did not slow down one bit; he flew directly into them. Seeing this, Shen Luo showed a hint of surprise on his face, but since the other party had charged straight into the attack range of the Purple Gold Bell, he naturally did not hesitate. He immediately pointed at the Purple Gold Bell. The sky of flames quickly converged from all sides, gathered into a bundle, and shot up towards the sky. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a huge pillar of fire tens of feet high, trapping Wei Qing inside and burning fiercely. Wei Qing''s escaping figure hit the edge of the pillar of fire and was repelled back with a thump. Shen Luo''s eyes turned cold as he pointed at the Wind Bell with a gesture, and a yellow storm roared out, merging into the towering pillar of fire. Boom! The flames on the pillar of fire suddenly intensified, spewing out thick tongues of fire. The original pillar of fire, already tens of feet high, swelled more than ten times in an instant. The temperature within the pillar of fire increased tenfold, and even the Void shook from the heat. ¡°Merely flames, you think they can harm me?¡± Wei Qing laughed coldly. The Black Armor on his body shone, and a rise of inky demonic light formed a Black Light Shield around him, isolating the extreme heat from around. Chapter 858 Chapter 858: Chapter 855 Wood Immortal Escape Formation Chapter 858: Chapter 855 Wood Immortal Escape Formation Shen Luo frowned upon seeing this, and took a closer look at the armor Wei Qing was wearing. The armor was pitch black with a rather fierce design, with spikes protruding from places like the knees and shoulders, and the surface was covered with scale-like demonic patterns. It seemed to be a set of armor designed for both offense and defense, and the Demonic Qi within it seemed unfathomably deep. He was about to use his magic to amplify the power of the Purple Gold Bell''s flames when Wei Qing suddenly let out a roar, and numerous purplish-black demonic patterns spiraled around his body. With the surge of demonic light, his body started to grow wildly. In the blink of an eye, the opponent had turned into a demonic being tens of feet tall with a pair of purplish-black curved horns on its head. Its muscles were bulging, and it was covered with purplish-black demonic patterns, looking like a fierce Demonic God. The black armor he was wearing also grew in size, fitting perfectly onto the demonic being''s body. A shock went through Shen Luo''s heart, as Wei Qing''s transformation was quite similar to the Demonic Body change that Zhan Guo underwent previously. Recalling the terrifying power of Zhan Guo''s transformed state, his expression turned solemn, and he immediately formed a hand seal with one hand, then shook his sleeves. The flames on the pillars below immediately surged, and four giant fire snakes, each several feet thick, shot out from the pillars, entangling the demonic being''s limbs in an attempt to restrain them. The fire pillar itself immediately shrank by half, clearly indicating that the fire snakes had consumed a significant amount of its power. The pillar then instantly transformed, rapidly shrinking, and in the blink of an eye became a huge white-hot fire ring that was tightly wrapped around the demonic being''s waist. Streams of white flame burst forth from the fire ring, piercing through the protective black demonic light surrounding the demonic being and striking fiercely against the black armor, causing it to roll and smolder. This white fire ring was condensed from the majority of the fire pillar''s power. The white flames were far more powerful than the previous red flames, and although the black light on the black armor managed to block them, the horrifying heat penetrated the armor, seeping inside. The Flame Devil God let out a pained roar, and its two incredibly thick arms reached down, grabbing hold of two of the fire snakes on its legs. The constriction from the fire snakes on its arms seemed trivial to it. A flash of black light passed over the Demonic God''s thick fingers, and it clenched fiercely. The two giant fire snakes entwined around its legs immediately disintegrated, turning into countless flames that scattered away. At the same time, sharp spikes on the shoulders of the black demon armor flashed with black light, and two streaks of black crystal brilliance shot out, swiftly cutting through the two fire snakes on its arms. With a ¡°chila¡± sound, the two giant fire snakes were effortlessly sliced into two halves like cotton and dissipated. The Flame Devil God then moved its arms, grabbing the white fire ring around its waist. The purplish-black demonic patterns on its arms shone brightly, and the already thick arms bulked up even more, pulling with force. Two incredible forces erupted, causing even the nearby air to vibrate with a buzzing sound. After several flashes, the giant fire ring exploded, turning into countless white lights bursting forth. Shen Luo''s body shook, and he stepped back several steps, a hint of shock flashing across his face. Just then, the space in front of him rippled, and the figure of the Flame Devil God appeared out of nowhere. A purplish-black giant hand tore through the void as if from nowhere and reached down with spread fingers, pressing down with astonishing force. ¡°Hand over the Yangliu Branch!¡± The Flame Devil God''s eyes were filled with fierce bloody light, and it seemed to have lost much of its Spiritual Wisdom as it roared. Shen Luo''s expression changed dramatically, he had no time to counter-attack, and his feet shone with Moonlight Glamour as he swiftly flew to the side. However, the immense strength exuding from the purple-black giant hand greatly affected his speed, and even though he exerted his full strength to perform Slanting Moon Steps, he was not guaranteed to dodge completely. Just at this moment, the Mana in his legs suddenly activated on its own, shining strands of starlight. In an instant, his entire being vanished from the spot, leaving only an afterimage that was crushed by the purple-black giant hand. Tens of feet away in the void, a flash of starlight passed, and Shen Luo''s figure emerged out of thin air. ¡°Thank you, Protector, was that just now the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing technique? Indeed, it is a marvelous method of movement,¡± he sighed softly, speaking in a low voice. ¡°No need for thanks, Wei Qing in his current state is indeed frightening, the Demonic Powers are truly formidable. Friend Shen, do you have a way to win?¡± the Black Bear Demon asked. But before Shen Luo could reply, the space in front of him darkened suddenly as another palm from the Flame Devil God struck again like lightning, moving even faster, with streaks of sword-like purple light shooting from the Devil''s Palm. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Hand it over!¡± the Flame Devil God continued to bellow. Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly widened, the moonlight glamour on his feet shone brightly, and the starlight on his legs burst forth, as he once again disappeared in an instant. But this time, he didn''t manage to completely dodge, for a streak of purple light brushed him just before he faded away. A hundred feet away in the void, his figure flickered into existence, a wound appearing on his shoulder, and fresh blood splattered out. This time, without waiting for any reaction from his surroundings, he once again exerted his full might to use Slanting Moon Steps and Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, and his figure flashed to an even further location. As soon as he appeared, he began to chant, and his body lit up with an incredibly bright green light that almost dazzled the onlookers, akin to a small green sun. ¡°Fast!¡± With a gesture, Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, the green light on his body flickered, and simultaneously, a whistling sound arose as dozens of green lights flew from his body, shooting in all directions and dispersing over a range of a hundred li. Once the green lights touched down, they immediately transformed into light balls the size of millstones, with countless green runes flashing within, forming a small Array. Having done all of this, his complexion turned slightly pale. Just at that moment, two long black crystal lights shot out, flickering and appearing just a foot away from either side of his body, crossing and slashing down viciously, moving even faster than the clasping Devil''s Palm. But with a flash of green light on Shen Luo, he vanished into thin air, reappearing the next moment inside one of the green light balls several li away, which immediately collapsed and dissolved into nothing. This was the Wood Immortal Escape Formation, a technique that could be executed only after reaching an advanced level in cultivation, scattering teleportation light groups beforehand, allowing for instant transmission when needed. However, employing this Divine Power required a significant expenditure of Mana. Given the Flame Devil God''s swift movements and the lack of suitable defensive Magical Treasures on Shen Luo, who dared not face the attacks head-on, he had no choice but to use this Divine Power. ¡°I hadn''t expected the Demonic Powers to be so cunning, Friend Shen, you must be extremely cautious!¡± The Black Bear Demon''s heart was tight with tension, and only now did he slightly relax, still shaken, as he spoke, all the while holding great admiration for Shen Luo''s instantaneous reaction. If roles were reversed, he doubted he could have reacted as Shen Luo did. The distant Flame Devil God, upon witnessing this scene, was momentarily stunned, then let out a furious roar. His massive body twisted and transformed into a blurry black shadow, lunging at Shen Luo. Seeing this from afar, Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and tapped the Purple Gold Bell with a gesture. The Smoke Bell immediately enlarged tenfold, and billowing five-colored smoke gushed from within, engulfing the area for several li around and still rapidly spreading. Chapter 859 Chapter 859: Chapter 856: Purest Flame Chapter 859: Chapter 856: Purest Flame The Flame Devil God moved as if a ghostly specter, darting into the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke. His bulging eyes were contaminated with quite a bit of the Spirit Smoke and immediately began to hurt fiercely. His flying figure halted abruptly as he covered his eyes and cried out in pain. Shen Luo, pleased at the sight, promptly pointed at the Wind Bell, unleashing a Yellow Storm that made the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke spread even faster around him. Amid the Yellow Storm, a large number of dissipated soul sand and gravel materialized, swirling towards the Flame Devil God with the enveloping Spirit Smoke. Shen Luo''s figure also shot out, hiding within the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke as he stealthily approached the Flame Devil God. The Flame Devil God''s ears filled with the howling sound of countless crescent-shaped wind blades flying towards him like torrential rain, each flickering with a stunning cold light, looking exceedingly sharp. Shen Luo had already refined the prohibitions of the Purple Gold Bell to a profound degree, and coupled with the formidable mana of a True Immortal in the middle stage, these wind blades were far more powerful than before. But the Flame Devil God had no intention of dodging. Covering his eyes with both hands, bursts of purple light flickered beneath his palms, seemingly healing his injured eyes. Consequently, the myriad wind blades sliced upon the Flame Devil God''s body like rain beating against a fence, without exception. There was a loud ¡°ding dang¡± sound as the Yellow Wind Blades struck the Flame Devil God, bursting into countless circles of yellow light before being deflected, unable to harm the Flame Devil God in the slightest. It wasn''t just the Black Armor; even the Flame Devil God''s exposed skin was extremely hard, not even a white mark was left behind. ¡°My King Pan''s Great Devil Art has been cultivated to the peak realm. I am impenetrable by sword or gun, immune to both water and fire. Do you think mere wind blades can hurt me?¡± The Flame Devil God let go of his hands covering his eyes and laughed sinisterly. His eyes had already recovered, and two balls of purple light shone forth, blocking the surrounding Five-Colored Spirit Smoke from approaching. However, before his voice faded, a chill touched his nostrils, and two streams of Yellow Light flashed, shooting inward, mixed with a large number of yellow sand and gravel. The eyes of the Flame Devil God suddenly widened, seemingly about to do something, but in the next moment, his gaze turned murky, his body stiffening on the spot. Just then, the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke next to the Flame Devil God rippled, and Shen Luo''s figure emerged with a hint of a cold smile on his lips, his hands swiftly forming seals, as he furiously poured more of his surging mana into the Purple Gold Bell. All the Spirit Patterns on the Purple Gold Fire Bell lit up, the bell itself turning semi-transparent, With a soft ¡°puff¡±, a blindingly bright Red Flame shot out from within the fire bell, swirling nimbly into a Red Lotus about three meters in size. This Red Fire Lotus appeared crystal clear, as if carved from the purest jade, devoid of any dazzling flames or searing heat emanating from it, lightly drifting towards the Flame Devil God''s head. If there were an expert in Flame Divine Powers present at this moment, they would be utterly aghast. This was the Purest Flame, formed by refining away all impurities within a flame, and concentrating the power to an incredibly pure, infinitely inward level, reaching the pinnacle of mastery over flame control techniques. Many monks specializing in Flame Divine Powers spend their entire lives pursuing this realm. ¡°The Purest Flame! Even if I were to cultivate the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique strenuously for another hundred years, I might not be able to gather such Purest Flame. That the Purple Gold Bell could achieve this solely with the power of its prohibitions is fitting of a Treasured Amulet guarded by Bodhisattva!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze brightened, but his hand movements did not stop, as he continued to drive the Red Fire Lotus forcefully towards the Flame Devil God''s head. The Fire Lotus suddenly accelerated, reaching just a meter in front of the Flame Devil God''s face in a flash, before striking fiercely down. Just at that moment, the Flame Devil God''s body shook violently, abruptly coming out of his stupor. Seeing the Red Fire Lotus so close, the Flame Devil God seemed to sense its terror. His expression drastically changed as he immediately retreated backward. At the same time, his arm that hung by his side moved, and the next moment, a palm as large as a house appeared in front of his face, swinging out ferociously. A surge of fury, like a tidal wave of tremendous power, gushed forth, hammering against the Red Fire Lotus. At the same time, the purple-black Demonic Patterns on the Devil''s Palm glowed, countless beams of sword-like purple light erupted from above, crisscrossing as they slashed at the Fire Lotus. But the Red Fire Lotus merely swirled slightly, as both the oncoming might of the surge and the rain of purple light from the sword energies were instantaneously rendered null, leaving the Lotus unharmed, not even causing it a moment''s pause. The Red Fire Lotus continued to speed forward, vanishing in a flash as it collided with the colossal Devil''s Palm, melting into it in an instant. With a thunderous ¡°boom¡±, a vast expanse of crystalline Red Flames suddenly blazed up all over the Devil''s Palm, an unbelievably scorching power burst forth, causing the surrounding void to tremble violently. Within the flames, the indestructible Devil''s Palm hissed and promptly dissipated into a wisp of green smoke. And from within the translucent flames, the Red Fire Lotus shot out in a flash, continuing its trajectory towards the head of the Flame Devil God, albeit now slightly diminished in size and a bit more transparent in color. Although the Devil''s Palm had been effortlessly incinerated by the Fire Lotus, it had managed to buy the Flame Devil God an instant''s time. Wearing a trace of fear, the Flame Devil God retreated swiftly backward while suddenly spewing forth from its mouth. A stream of black Sound Waves erupted, their piercing shrieks resounding through the void, the same Divine Power that had shattered the Red Giant Claw earlier, fiercely striking the Fire Lotus. However, at this moment, the figure of the Flame Devil God shifted in the void, and Shen Luo''s figure emerged from nowhere. In his right hand, a dazzling Blue Light burst forth, the very Divine Power of the Indigo Ocean, and with one strike, it landed on one of the legs of the Flame Devil God. A layer of Blue Light immediately appeared on the Flame Devil God, and an extremely cold breath burst forth, indicative of the second level of the Indigo Ocean Technique''s power, though its range of attack wasn''t extensive, spreading only a few dozen feet around. The massive body of the Flame Devil God was instantly frozen in a thick layer of Blue Ice Crystals, leaving only its head exposed outside, and its retreating form came to an abrupt halt. The series of actions taken by both the man and the devil were completed in the blink of an eye. On the other side, the black Sound Waves and the Red Fire Lotus collided at that moment. Just like before, the black Sound Waves, once in contact with the Lotus, were easily burned to nothingness, and had no effect whatsoever. The Red Fire Lotus continued its descent, appearing in front of the Flame Devil God in a flash, the Purest Flame touching its cheek and immediately scorching black a wide area, threatening to turn even the Flame Devil God''s head to ashes and end this great battle. But just then, a sudden change occurred. A red light flashed across the Flame Devil God''s forehead, and a Blood-Colored Bone Fragment appeared between its brows. A thick Blood Light shot from the Blood-Colored Bone Fragment, holding off the Red Fire Lotus, forcing it back by a distance of about ten feet. The Purest Flame on top of the Lotus roiled, but it seemed unable to affect the seemingly inconsequential Blood Light at all. From within the Blood Light radiated an immensely demonic Qi, filled with Yin Sha. Even though Divine Sense couldn''t be used in this place, one could still keenly feel its presence. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Chiyou''s aura!¡± Shen Luo, having confronted Zhan Guo in the Black Chicken Kingdom, recognized this aura from the black Demon Head, couldn''t help but exclaim in shock. Chapter 860 Chapter 860: Chapter 857: Foldback Chapter 860: Chapter 857: Foldback ¡°` In a boundless land of darkness within the Three Realms, a gigantic figure sat, the darkness around it so dense that its true form couldn''t be seen. Only a pair of blood-red eyes flickered with endless cold light. Just at that moment, the blood-red eyes suddenly lifted slightly. ¡°Heh heh, you actually did it! Xiao Xiu''er, you indeed didn''t disappoint me.¡± The gigantic figure let out a chuckle, and the entire dark realm trembled along with it. The gigantic figure raised its arm and pointed towards the void in front. Within the pitch-dark space, a red light slowly appeared, revealing an exceedingly blurry image that seemed to be a blue water area. After the blood-colored bone fragments appeared, the Flame Devil God''s eyes were completely overtaken by a vast expanse of blood light, leaving not a trace of autonomous spirit. At the same time, the purple and black demonic patterns on the Flame Devil God''s body glowed fiercely, and a surge of black light erupted from them. The thick blue ice crystals that coated the demonic figure immediately showed countless cracks, then exploded and shattered with a loud bang. The black shockwave continued to burst forth, instantly sweeping over an area of several dozen zhang around it. Shen Luo, who was only a short distance away, was caught in the blast, and a tremendous force like an angry wave struck him. His protective spiritual light rapidly dissolved, and his expression changed as he swiftly cast Yimu Xuandun. A green light flashed over his body, and he disappeared in an instant once again. The Flame Devil God showed no reaction to Shen Luo''s disappearance, its blood-red eyes fixated only on the red Fire Lotus, with a flicker of blood light in its pupils. The next moment, the bone fragment between the Flame Devil God''s eyebrows glowed with blood light once more, and countless blood-colored filaments shot out, striking the red Fire Lotus. A piercing shriek resounded as the red Fire Lotus was punctured in the blink of an eye, riddled with holes. Its internal fire energy rapidly depleted, it swiftly shrank and, after a few breaths, shattered with a pop and dispersed. ¡°What kind of attack is that blood-colored filament? It destroyed the Pure Fire Lotus with such ease!¡± Shen Luo, from deep within the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke, watched this scene from afar, his expression involuntarily changing. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the controller of the Purple Gold Bell, no one knew better than he the astonishing power of the Pure Fire Lotus. Just now, if it had hit the Demon Head, everything would have ended. Yet those blood-colored filaments had so easily broken it. At this moment, two streaks of blood trailed from the corners of his mouth, showing he had sustained no light injuries despite having teleported away in time. Shen Luo took out a Healing Pill and consumed it, ready to urge on the Purple Gold Bell to continue his attack. Suddenly, a thunderous boom erupted from nowhere, reverberating through the entire space, which erupted with patches of kaleidoscope-like, unpredictable white light that flickered rapidly. Shen Luo''s expression changed. Those white lights were the glow of the prohibitions of this place. Was someone shaking the prohibitions of the Chaoyin Cave? Who could it be? Just as he wondered, another thunderous roar louder than before resounded, and the white light throughout the space trembled violently, on the verge of scattering. Before the echoes died down, a third, even louder roar came through, louder than both previous ones and mixed with a great cracking sound. The white lights within the space quickly collapsed, transforming into countless white points of light that drifted away. Shen Luo''s eyes widened as the prohibitive power against Divine Sense in this place suddenly vanished, freeing his Divine Sense to finally expand outside his body. In the next moment, his eyes narrowed into slits and he looked toward the Flame Devil God ahead, a flash of cold gleam in his gaze. Now that his Divine Sense could be freely utilized, he clearly sensed that the Flame Devil God''s aura and realm had reached the Late True Immortal stage and was infinitely close to the Taiyi Realm. However, for some unknown reason, the demon now stood quietly there without any action, not reacting at all to the surrounding prohibitions being broken. ¡°` Shen Luo felt a sense of unease, flicked his Purple Gold Bell, and suddenly furrowed his brows. He shot backward, quickly flying out of the range of the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke. Several streaks of escape light shot from the distance and landed beside him, it was Nie Caizhu and the Black Bear Demon among four people. ¡°How did you all come out?¡± Shen Luo looked at the group with a slightly reproachful tone. ¡°Miss Nie insisted on coming over here after I told her about the situation outside and that you were injured. Now that my cultivation level has greatly decreased, I couldn''t stop her,¡± the Black Bear Demon said helplessly. Nie Caizhu didn''t speak. She looked at the bleeding corner of Shen Luo''s mouth and immediately began chanting, waving the Yangliu Branch in her hand. A shadow of a willow twig shot out and entered Shen Luo''s body. A surge of green light rippled over Shen Luo''s body. The injuries he had received from the previous impact healed significantly, and he regained some Mana. At this moment, from the depths of the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke, the Flame Devil God suddenly turned its head to look in Shen Luo''s direction. Its blood-red eyes, now devoid of Spiritual Wisdom, began to show a flicker of movement. ¡°Yang¡­ Liu Branch¡­¡± The Flame Devil God uttered these three words with some urgency and difficulty. Its enormous figure blurred into a shadow and shot towards where Shen Luo and the others were. Shen Luo was about to talk to the group when his complexion changed drastically. ¡°Don''t resist!¡± he suddenly roared, golden light emanating magnificently from him, revealing a massive projection of the Heavenly Book. A beam of golden light shot out from the projection, caging Nie Caizhu and the others, forcefully attempting to draw them in. However, the Heavenly Book Projection had difficulty absorbing living beings, the bodies of the four merely trembled without being pulled into the Heavenly Book Space. Behind them, the Five-Colored Spirit Smoke surged violently, and a massive figure shot out from it. It was the Flame Devil God, lightning-fast, with its blood-red eyes fixedly staring at the Yangliu Branch in Nie Caizhu''s hand. The Blood-Colored Bone Fragments on its forehead surged with blood light, and countless blood crystal threads spurted out again, heading straight for Nie Caizhu. ¡°Get in there!¡± Shen Luo, fully aware of the terrifying power of those blood crystal threads, glared with wide eyes. Mana from within his body surged into the jade pillow, enhancing the absorbing strength of the Heavenly Book Projection. Although he had previously borrowed Dreamland''s cultivation for combat, such an immense amount of Mana had never been injected into the jade pillow before, and he subconsciously used the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. The mysterious prohibitions inside the jade pillow were easily broken open and partially refined. The Heavenly Book Projection within the pillow rapidly solidified, nearly becoming tangible. Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly widened, seemingly discovering something, and he stood there stunned. The golden light enveloping Nie Caizhu and the others suddenly intensified tenfold, their figures blurred, and they disappeared from their original place, causing the blood crystal threads to miss their target. The Flame Devil God, furious, moved its arms as swiftly as lightning. Two huge fists covered in Demonic Patterns appeared before Shen Luo, and it delivered a fierce pounding down. The right hand, which had been burnt by the Pure Fire Lotus, had somehow been restored to its original state. Dark light shone from his fists, and a series of thunderous explosions suddenly rang around Shen Luo. A force, stronger than before by double, surged down directly, causing Shen Luo to feel as if the void nearby tightened and his body became unbearably heavy. Not only that, but two thick surges of Demonic Qi vibrated from the fists of the Flame Devil God, scattering the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within dozens of yards in an instant, leaving a void of Wood Spirit Qi around Shen Luo. Executing the Yimu Xuandun required the support of Wood Spirit Qi within the Void, and now he was unable to rely on the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation to teleport away instantaneously. Though the Flame Devil God seemed to have lost all its Spiritual Wisdom, its fighting instincts were still intact. It immediately exploited the weakness of the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation in its attack. However, Shen Luo showed no reaction to the situation around him, still standing there idly, as if he had given up on resisting. Chapter 861 Chapter 861: Chapter 858: The Living Dead, Birthing All Things Chapter 861: Chapter 858: The Living Dead, Birthing All Things The Flame Devil God saw Shen Luo standing still, and with a ferocious roar, his fists continued to smash down. But at that moment, a burst of soaring golden light suddenly erupted from Shen Luo, forming a huge golden halo that spread around at an unstoppable speed. When the Flame Devil God''s fists struck the golden halo, a sizzling sound emitted, and the originally spherical halo dented deeply. However, an incredibly tenacious force burst forth, managing to block the Flame Devil God''s fists for an instant. But it was only for that instant, for the next moment the black light on the Flame Devil God''s fists surged wildly, forming two pitch-black suns. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the golden halo immediately shattered into pieces, and several golden lightning bolts shot out. The Flame Devil God''s fists flashed into the golden light, colliding within. ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± Rings of black sound waves instantly swept out, erasing all the surrounding golden light, but the area was already empty, Shen Luo''s figure having vanished without a trace. Hundreds of feet away, amid the sound of thunder, Shen Luo''s figure appeared, standing behind him was a tall golden Heavenly general, his body crackling with electric arc, wielding a gold Thunder war club¨Cit was the Thunder Division Heavenly General. However, the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s expression was wooden, devoid of any spirit, as if he were a puppet, very different from when he was summoned in Dreamland. Shen Luo looked at the Thunder Division Heavenly General, exhaling a breath of air. He had infused his True Immortal Stage mana into the jade pillow and, through a fortunate mistake, had refined a large part of the prohibition, deepening his connection with the Heavenly Book Projection. Now, he could summon his Dream Cultivation at will, without having to rely on luck as he had before, and he was also able to make use of the Heavenly Book Projection to summon the Heavenly soldiers and generals within the Heavenly Book as he pleased. Moreover, unlike summoning his Dream Cultivation, summoning the Heavenly soldiers and generals only required the consumption of his mana and the cost was not great. ¡°Hand over¡­ the Yangliu Branch¡­¡± The Flame Devil God once again growled lowly, his eyes firmly fixed on Shen Luo, showing complete disregard for the suddenly appeared Thunder Division Heavenly General and reached out abruptly into the void. Above Shen Luo''s head, the void ¡°thundered¡± ominously, and two palace-sized black claws appeared out of nowhere, descending rapidly. ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom,¡± two loud noises erupted, and two stronger waves of Demonic Qi exploded, not only dispersing all the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi but also turning the void as hard as steel, making it difficult for the Thunder Escape Technique to work. But Shen Luo, having already fallen for his opponent''s trick once, would not be tricked a second time. Before the giant claws appeared, he had already preemptively activated the Yimu Xuandun, and with a flash of green light, he disappeared. The Thunder Division Heavenly General did not leave with him. After a loud thunderous roar, his entire body transformed into a golden thunder dragon tens of feet long, which, with a roll of its body, shot out smaller bolts of golden lightning in all directions. The golden lightning contained an extremely wild thunderous energy, which instantly tore apart the restrictions in the surrounding void. The golden thunder dragon immediately turned into a streak of golden lightning, striking towards the Flame Devil God. Meanwhile, Shen Luo''s figure also appeared on the other side of the Flame Devil God, vigorously shaking the Purple Gold Bell. Accompanied by rumbling sounds, countless red flames rolled out, engulfing the Flame Devil God''s body. Heaven-shaking, earth-shattering noises erupted at that place, with thunder, flames, and black light interweaving and flashing. While the outside battle was earth-shattering, inside the Heavenly Book Space there was tranquility, Nie Caizhu and the others looked around in amazement. ¡°What place is this? Inside a spatial treasure?¡± The Black Bear Demon, with the broadest knowledge, recalled the situation just now and immediately guessed. ¡°Most likely so, huh! It''s you!¡± Bai Xiaotian echoed a remark and suddenly cried out in surprise. A figure flew in from ahead; it was none other than Yuan Qiu. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bai Xiaotian had earlier heard from Shen Luo that he had already killed Yuan Qiu. Seeing this person again, his face couldn''t help but show a look of astonishment. He flipped his hand and brought out the Dragon-painting Fan. A burst of golden light shot out from the fan, protecting himself and the others around him. However, the little bear monster was belligerent by nature. Seeing no opportunity to join the great battle outside, he instantly grasped with one hand when he saw Yuan Qiu appear, and after a sharp cry, the red War Spear flashed out, ready to strike. ¡°Fellow Daoists, hold on, I am not the Yuan Qiu from before. That person has already been killed by Brother Shen. I am a doppelganger of Yuan Qiu, now in control of this corpse. Moreover, I have already surrendered to Brother Shen and am not an enemy to you all,¡± ¡°Yuan Qiu¡± said hastily, raising his hand as he saw the little bear monster''s action. Everyone was taken aback at these words. ¡°That''s right, he''s not an enemy now.¡± In the space, golden light converged, and in the blink of an eye, it coalesced into the form of Shen Luo. The little bear monster snorted and put away his War Spear. ¡°Cousin, how are you now? Has that Flame Devil God harmed you?¡± Nie Caizhu flew over immediately. ¡°Don''t worry, I have the Purple Gold Bell to protect my body. That Flame Devil God can''t hurt me,¡± Shen Luo nodded to Nie Caizhu with a light smile. Relief washed over everyone else upon hearing this. Although they were safe inside Shen Luo''s spatial treasure now, if Shen Luo had been killed, calamity would have befallen them instantly. ¡°Even so, cousin, you still have to be very careful. It seems that the Flame Devil God is after the Yangliu Branch in my hand. Even when he was Wei Qing before, he had tried many times to obtain this item. Cousin, take the Yangliu Branch with you. If push comes to shove, let him have it. After all, I have already refined this object, and no one else can activate it. We''ll find an opportunity to take it back,¡± Nie Caizhu took out the Yangliu Branch and handed it over. ¡°There''s no rush. Although the strength of that Flame Devil God is formidable, I can still cope with it. The Yangliu Branch is a treasure of Mount Putuo and definitely cannot fall into the hands of outsiders. That Wei Qing has already defected to the Demon Clan. The Demon Clan''s methods are unfathomable, and it''s possible they might find a way to refine the prohibition left by the Bodhisattva,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, refusing to take it. ¡°Brother Shen speaks the truth,¡± the Black Bear Demon and the little bear monster immediately nodded in agreement. Nie Caizhu glared at the two, but did not continue on this topic. ¡°Besides, this Yangliu Branch has a very strong healing effect. Cousin, you can activate the healing effects of the Yangliu Branch here. This golden space is connected to my body, and any healing spells cast here can directly merge into my body,¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Really? That would be wonderful,¡± Nie Caizhu said happily upon hearing this. ¡°Regarding this Yangliu Branch, I have something to ask the Protector. Besides being able to recover Mana, cure injuries, and trap people in the void, does it have any other divine powers? Wei Qing, not caring about anything else, also wanted to obtain this item. Just these three abilities don''t seem worth his madness,¡± Shen Luo looked at the Black Bear Demon. ¡°To my knowledge, the Yangliu Branch only has these three capabilities,¡± the Black Bear Demon thought for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Shen Luo sounded somewhat disappointed. ¡°Friend Shen, don''t be in a hurry. I haven''t finished speaking. Whether the Yangliu Branch has any other abilities, this old bear does not know. However, if you combine the Yangliu Branch with the Jade Purification Bottle, you can elevate the healing abilities of the Yangliu Branch to a whole new level¨Creviving the dead and spawning myriad things are trifles,¡± the Black Bear Demon added, waving his hand. ¡°To revive the dead and spawn myriad things! Does it really possess such miraculous power?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly. Chapter 862 Chapter 862: Chapter 859: Old Matters of Years Past Chapter 862: Chapter 859: Old Matters of Years Past ¡°It''s absolutely true. That year, Zhenyuanzi''s ginseng fruit tree was once knocked down, and it was the Guanyin Ancestor Master who saved it by using the Yangliu Branch combined with the Sweet Dew Water from the Jade Purification Bottle,¡± the Black Bear Demon said somewhat proudly. ¡°To revive the dead, to bring forth all creatures, to revive the dead¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, then his eyes suddenly brightened as he recalled something. ¡°Protector Elder, earlier, on the Mount Putuo square, Wei Qing colluded with demons and ambushed Master Qinglian, mentioning a name called ''Golden Scale.'' Do you know who this person is? Judging by the reactions of the other elders of your sect, this name seems to be of no small importance,¡± he immediately asked again. Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu had also been curious about this matter and looked over as Shen Luo spoke. ¡°Golden Scale!¡± The Black Bear Demon''s body shook, and his face quickly darkened. Seeing this, Shen Luo knew his guess was not wrong; this Golden Scale indeed involved some major affair. ¡°Protector Elder, I don''t know what affair this Golden Scale is involved in, but now Mount Putuo is in imminent danger. If we can find the reason behind Wei Qing''s betrayal, perhaps we can find a semblance of a chance to prevail,¡± Shen Luo said with a cupped fist salute. ¡°Sigh, since Friend Shen speaks so, I will conceal it no longer. Golden Scale was a golden fish monster spirit on Mount Putuo many years ago, who gained Spiritual Wisdom after listening to lectures by the Guanyin Ancestor Master. He had profound cultivation and was very kind-hearted, much beloved by the disciples of Mount Putuo,¡± the Black Bear Demon sighed and said. Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched, but knowing that the Black Bear Demon must have more to say, he remained silent, waiting quietly. ¡°The Bodhisattva is full of compassion, enlightening countless beings; truly, her merits are boundless,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with hands pressed together, showing a look of deep veneration. ¡°To speak of the affair of Golden Scale, we must go back over a hundred years. At that time, the leader of Mount Putuo was not Fairy Qinglian, but her elder fellow disciple, the Green Moon Immortal. That year, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Mount Putuo traditionally held its annual competition among disciples. The inner disciples were assessed on their cultivation progress over the past year, and it was even more important for the common servant disciples who had yet to be taken as students. Those who distinguished themselves in this competition could be chosen to join the ranks of Mount Putuo and practice more advanced Daoist arts. The competition was more than halfway through when suddenly, chaos erupted; a servant disciple displayed the inner sect Daoist arts during the competition and severely injured his opponent. The elders of Mount Putuo were enraged and confined that person in a water prison. After a deliberation, they decided to cripple his meridians and expel him from the mountain,¡± the Black Bear Demon slowly said. ¡°Merely injuring a fellow disciple during a competition led to such severe punishment? That seems rather excessive,¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The heavy punishment on that servant disciple was not because he injured a fellow disciple during the competition, but because he had stolen the Daoist skills. Mount Putuo is extremely forbidding toward the secret learning of skills, and once discovered, the offender''s meridians would be immediately crippled, and they would be expelled from the sect,¡± the Black Bear Demon explained. ¡°Although all sects frown upon the secret learning of skills, this seems a bit too harsh,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head in disapproval. ¡°Cousin, what you don''t know is that the reason why Mount Putuo has such rules is because of an extremely vile Feng Feng incident hundreds of years ago, which caused our Sect a great hidden loss,¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly interjected. ¡°The Feng Feng incident?¡± Shen Luo was startled. ¡°Roughly four or five hundred years ago, Mount Putuo had a servant disciple named Feng Feng who did chores in the Spirit Beast Hall. The steward disciple there was brutal and often beat and bullied the servant disciples like Feng Feng. After suffering severe injuries several times, almost losing his life, Feng Feng, being sly by nature, didn''t retaliate but instead stole Mount Putuo''s cultivation methods and silently practiced them. Feng Feng indeed had exceptional talent. After years of hiding, he astonishingly developed a formidable Dao-Practice on his own. Upon mastering his skills, Feng Feng killed the steward disciple of the Spirit Beast Hall with a single strike. Then, he sneaked into critical areas of Mount Putuo, killed the guarding Elder, and stole numerous treasured artifacts of the Sect. The whole Sect was shocked and sent out experts to capture him, but they still underestimated Feng Feng''s strength. Two Elders and several core disciples were slain by him. Although Feng Feng was gravely injured in the process, he ultimately escaped and disappeared without a trace,¡± Nie Caizhu explained. Upon hearing such a bloody history, Shen Luo took a slight breath. ¡°Because of Feng Feng, Mount Putuo suffered greatly, remaining silent for nearly a hundred years before recovering. Since then, the Sect established strict rules, prohibiting disciples from stealing and learning skills. Discoveries of such actions were met with meridians being destroyed at best, death at worst,¡± the Black Bear Demon continued. ¡°So that''s how it is, no wonder. What happened to that servant disciple who was locked up in the water prison? Oh, what was his name?¡± Shen Luo said in realization, then asked. ¡°His name is Mu Yi, and he is the son of an outer Sect Steward who handles mundane affairs for Mount Putuo. On the night before Mu Yi''s execution, Golden Scale suddenly sneaked into the water prison, knocked out the guard disciple, rescued Mu Yi, and fled Mount Putuo with him. It was only at this moment that many Elders of Mount Putuo realized that it was Golden Scale who had privately passed on the Dao methods to Mu Yi. Moreover, the two had been in each other''s company for a long time and had even developed a forbidden romance,¡± the Black Bear Demon said indignantly. Shen Luo frowned slightly; given today''s strict social customs, even those sharing the same surname could not marry, let alone the love between a human and a demon of different races. Moreover, since Golden Scale had taught Mu Yi the Dao, she was considered to be his half-Master, making their romantic involvement even more contrary to propriety. ¡°Stealing the Dao methods is a serious crime, and a human-demon romance is even more at odds with social decorum. The Green Moon Sect Master personally led a chase and finally caught up with them at the Great Tang Border. After a fierce battle, both Mu Yi and Golden Scale were severely injured, but Green Moon Sect Master and the others also learned the reason why Mu Yi had stolen the Dao methods,¡± the Black Bear Demon said and then suddenly let out a deep sigh. ¡°Could it be that there''s more to this incident?¡± Shen Luo, seeing the Black Bear Demon''s expression, couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Indeed, although Mu Yi is of the Human Race, he carries the Yin Bloodline, same as his father, said to be a hereditary trait in their family. If this bloodline manifests in a woman, it is a stroke of luck, enhancing a woman''s Yin Qi and promoting the growth of her cultivation level. But in a man''s body, it is harmful; the power of the Yin Bloodline conflicts with a man''s Yang Qi. Without a proper method of harmonization, survival past adulthood is difficult,¡± the Black Bear Demon continued to narrate. ¡°The Yin Bloodline¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched slightly; he had seen records of this bloodline in ancient texts and it was indeed as the Black Bear Demon had said. ¡°Mu Yi''s father, an outer Sect Steward, had some cultivation level and had been forcefully exerting his skills to suppress the Yin Veins in Mu Yi since his childhood. However, the father''s cultivation was limited, and after years of exerting his Skills, he eventually induced his own Yin Vein backlash. In order to save his father, Mu Yi took a great risk to steal and learn the Sect''s Dao methods,¡± the Black Bear Demon said. ¡°From what you say, Mu Yi was fulfilling his duties of filial piety. But why didn''t he inform the Sect of his situation and seek permission to learn the Dao of Mount Putuo openly? Given Mu Yi''s special family circumstances and that his father was a Mount Putuo Steward, surely your Sect would not stand by and watch him die,¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. Chapter 863 Chapter 863: Chapter 860: The Identity of the Flame Devil God Chapter 863: Chapter 860: The Identity of the Flame Devil God ¡°` ¡°The affair of the Mu family was indeed an oversight of the sect. Father Mu had diligently worked for Mount Putuo for many years, but the elder in charge of supervising the steward disciples was selfish and cunning. For his own benefit, he deliberately suppressed the affairs of the Mu family. No matter how many times the Mu family father and son pleaded, it was useless. It was only then that Mu Yi took the risk and stole the teachings,¡± said the Black Bear Demon with an ugly expression. ¡°No matter the sect, disciples are always a mixed bunch. The Protector needn''t worry about this. What happened afterwards?¡± Shen Luo continued to ask. ¡°After learning of this, the Green Moon Sect Master couldn''t help but feel compassion and was planning to take the two back to the sect to be lightly disciplined. But at that moment, a group of demons suddenly appeared and brutally attacked the Green Moon Sect Master and several elders. The demons were strong, and the powers they utilized were particularly effective against the mana of human cultivators. The accompanying elders were gravely injured and fell after only a few exchanges, and only the Green Moon Sect Master and Master Huang Tong were still desperately holding on. It looked as though they were about to be utterly defeated, when Golden Scale revealed his true form, held off the group of demons, and allowed the Green Moon Sect Master and Master Huang Tong to escape. However, Golden Scale died at the hands of those demons,¡± continued the Black Bear Demon. ¡°And what of Mu Yi?¡± Shen Luo felt there was something strange about the story and pressed on. ¡°Mu Yi had weak cultivation and had already been injured and passed out during the initial scuffle with the Green Moon Sect Master and the others. He probably died at the hands of the demons as well,¡± the Black Bear Demon replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, but he said nothing. ¡°After the Green Moon Sect Master returned to the sect, he was depressed for months, and then his great tribulation of the three calamities suddenly descended. Because his mental state was unstable, he did not survive it and fell. Fairy Qinglian then took over as the sect leader. Because of Golden Scale''s involvement in the former sect leader''s death, Qinglian Sect Leader strictly forbade the disciples from mentioning this name,¡± the Black Bear Demon said. ¡°So that''s the whole story. Thank you for informing me, Protector. I understand now,¡± Shen Luo said after hearing all this and nodded silently. ¡°I don''t know what your intentions are in inquiring about these matters, but there isn''t much time left for the Lingdong Nine Heavens Secret Technique. If you have a strategy to defeat the enemy, you''d better use it quickly,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with an even heavier look of fatigue, sitting down cross-legged and slightly panting. ¡°I understand, Protector. Rest well here,¡± said Shen Luo, his heart sinking at the sight of the Black Bear Demon''s condition. He spoke swiftly. ¡°Cousin, I will need to borrow your Yangliu Branch in a moment,¡± he then turned to Nie Caizhu and said, immediately dissolving into countless golden lights and vanishing. Outside in the secret realm, Shen Luo stood in the Void, his eyes slightly closed, and then suddenly opened with a flash of sudden realization in his pupils. In front of him, the Purple Gold Bell had grown a hundred times larger, becoming a giant ring. The three bells on it spewed out streams of red flames, a yellow storm, and five-colored spirit smoke, enveloping the Flame Devil God. The Thunder Division Heavenly General, who had transformed into a thunder dragon, flew rapidly around the Flame Devil God, continuously spitting out giant thunderballs like raindrops on to the Flame Devil God. However, after the appearance of the blood-colored bone fragments in the Flame Devil God''s brow, his strength had undergone tremendous changes, and with the wave of his hand, he neutralized the attacks from the Purple Gold Bell and the Thunder Division Heavenly General. Shen Luo gestured to the Heavenly general, and the raining down thunder and lightning attacks immediately ceased. He pointed a finger at the Purple Gold Bell to stop the attack and took out an object with a flip of his hand, which was the Yangliu Branch. ¡°The Yangliu Branch¡­ hand it over!¡± The Flame Devil God, seeing the Yangliu Branch, had his blood-red eyes flicker again, showing emotional fluctuation. His massive figure shook and disappeared, and in the next moment, he shot towards Shen Luo, his enormous demon palm reaching down to grab it. But Shen Luo, with a flash of the Body''s Green Light, had already vanished and appeared behind the Flame Devil God. ¡°Daoist Wei¡­ no, if I am not mistaken, your real name is Mu Yi, right?¡± Shen Luo spoke indifferently. The Flame Devil God turned with lightning speed, and his body, poised to leap again, froze in place, a trace of shock showing through his blood-red eyes. ¡°It seems my guess is not wrong. You''re so insistent on obtaining the Yangliu Branch, probably because you want to use it in combination with the Jade Purification Bottle to save someone, right? Let me guess again, is it the Golden Scale you mentioned earlier?¡± Shen Luo kept speaking. ¡°Who are you? How do you know about this?¡± The Flame Devil God, with increasingly turbulent emotions showing on his face, asked in a deep voice, having even forgotten to snatch the Yangliu Branch. ¡°` ¡°Who I am is not important, what''s important is that Your Excellency understands who you really are.¡± Shen Luo saw the reaction of the Flame Devil God and knew his guess was right, as he said with a faint smile. ¡°What does that mean? If you''re trying to shake my resolve with words, I''m not interested in listening to your nonsense!¡± The Flame Devil God said coldly, the ferocity in his eyes intensifying, showing a tendency to suppress his rationality once again. ¡°I have no other meaning, it''s just that due to a variety of coincidences, I have had numerous encounters with the Demon Clan and know that they are most adept at stirring people''s desires to achieve their unspeakable purposes. I''ve already seen such a victim in the Western Regions, Your Excellency resembles that person quite a bit. I don''t know what your exact purpose is, but I advise you not to place too much trust in those from the Demon Clan, beware of becoming their pawn,¡± Shen Luo said directly without beating around the bush. Upon hearing these words, a sharp light flashed in the eyes of the Flame Devil God. In an endlessly dark space, the blood-colored light group still hovered in mid-air, emitting a glowing radiance. Inside the light group, the figures of the Flame Devil God and Shen Luo could be seen, and their voices carried over as well. The massive figure''s two blood-red giant eyes narrowed slightly, lifting a finger. A ray of blood light shot out from the giant eye and traced across the finger, causing a drop of purplish-black blood to flow out. The massive figure formed a seal with its hands and the purplish-black blood exploded, transforming into a purplish-black demonic pattern that flew into the blood-colored light group. ¡°The Western Regions you spoke of¡­¡± The Flame Devil God began coldly, apparently wanting to inquire about the Western Regions, but abruptly fell silent mid-sentence. A purplish-black demonic pattern appeared on the blood-colored bone fragment on its forehead, and the rational light in its eyes quickly faded, leaving them vacant in the blink of an eye. Seeing the change in the Flame Devil God''s expression, Shen Luo''s heart chilled, and he immediately summoned back the Purple Gold Bell. At that moment, the Flame Devil God suddenly looked towards Shen Luo, his eyes now only filled with icy intent to kill. With a single sway of his massive body, he disappeared from where he stood. Shen Luo''s eyes immediately widened slightly, and he hurried to activate the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation to leave. With a thunderous boom! The instant he disappeared, two purplish-black rays of light struck just a step away from where he had just stood¨C it was a purplish-black sledgehammer and a purplish-black giant axe. The shockwaves caused the fabric of the void to distort and tremble, revealing several cracks. The restrictions of this secret realm had dissipated, and the space seemed to have become less stable as well. It was only then that the Flame Devil God''s figure flashed out of the disturbances, with those two massive demon weapons appearing in his hands from nowhere. The Flame Devil God''s eyes flickered with blood light as he immediately turned his head in a particular direction. He took a big stride, ready to use the Demon Clan''s blink technique to pursue once more. But at that moment, the space near his feet fluctuated, and a gigantic purple-gold ring appeared out of nowhere¨C it was the Purple Gold Bell¨C and snapped around the Flame Devil God''s ankle. Flames, winds, and spirit smoke surged out from the Purple Gold Bell, engulfing the body of the Flame Devil God. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 864 Chapter 864: Chapter 861 Confirming Identity Chapter 864: Chapter 861 Confirming Identity The Flame Devil God roared incessantly, its legs shaking, trying to shake the Purple Gold Bell off, but the bell clung tightly to its body, refusing to be easily thrown off. A green light flashed, and Shen Luo appeared in the distance, his hands quickly forming seals. The flames, storms, and spiritual smoke around the Flame Devil God immediately began to swirl around the demon, blending together. In just two or three breaths, a gigantic light formation with a diameter of over a dozen miles formed, with a thick mist swirling around its outer layer, like a whirlwind. Inside, huge columns of wind, fire, and smoke surged tumultuously. Shen Luo''s figure shot forward, and with a flash, he entered the massive light formation. The power of the flames, storms, and spiritual smoke within the light formation immediately started to churn violently, attacking the Flame Devil God from all directions. The Thunder Division Heavenly General also flew in at this moment and entered the light formation with a flash. Immediately, thick golden lightning also coursed and rolled within the formation, striking the body of the Flame Devil God and emitting a series of deafening roars. The massive light formation hummed as it operated, with the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from nearby surging toward it like rivers into the sea, causing the color of the formation to deepen rapidly. Soon, the figures of the Flame Devil God, Shen Luo, and the Thunder Division Heavenly General were obscured, and the entire light formation showed signs of evolving into a mini-world. But at that moment, the gigantic light formation suddenly expanded, and beams of blinding blood-red and black light pierced through the light group, painting the Void with hues of black and red. Then the light formation trembled violently and burst into clouds of red and yellow light, sending a shockwave rolling out in all directions. Two figures were sent flying backward by the yellow light, and those were none other than Shen Luo and the Thunder Division Heavenly General. Shen Luo''s mouth was stained with blood, his complexion pale, and his clothes were torn in many places, indicating he was not lightly wounded; the Purple Gold Bell had already returned to his hand. The situation of the Thunder Division Heavenly General was even worse; his left arm and a large portion of his torso had vanished, and the golden thunder rod in his hand was also broken. A towering figure strode out from the burst of yellow light, each step echoing with thunderous booms as if a ferocious deity from ancient chaos were advancing¨Cit was the Flame Devil God. The body of the Flame Devil God had grown even more massive, almost a hundred feet tall, with purple-black massive scales forming on its skin, emitting an aura far more powerful than before. What was most shocking was the Blood-Colored Bone Fragment on the forehead of the Flame Devil God, which had now become crystal clear, like blood jade, radiating dazzling blood-red light in all directions. ¡°Damn it! This demon grows stronger with battle!¡± Shen Luo''s face looked grim. The stubborn flesh, the frightening strength of the demon, were bad enough, but the most troublesome was the blood bone on its forehead. It could shoot out blood-colored threads as well as several other unfathomable divine powers. The Purple Gold Bell seemed of little use against it. All the measures he had prepared fell short before the Blood-Colored Bone Fragment, and he couldn''t help but think of retreating. Just then, an earth-shattering boom came from a distance, causing the entire space to shake violently. The void above vibrated incessantly, tearing open huge cracks, and the originally azure sky quickly turned gray; below, the sea''s surface roared with imposing waves, and the sebottom ground also cracked open with massive fissures. The entire Secret Realm seemed to be on the verge of destruction, pervaded by an aura of annihilation. ¡°What''s going on? Is this place about to collapse because it can''t hold up?¡± Shen Luo grew cold inside, no longer caring about dealing with the Flame Devil God, and turning into a red shadow, he shot toward the Light Door on the island below. The Flame Devil God''s eyes flashed with a fierce glint, and its gigantic body disappeared with a flicker. Just then, a thick bolt of golden lightning descended from the sky, striking the ground twenty or thirty feet ahead. A mass of black Demonic Qi erupted from there, fiercely clashing with the golden lightning. The body of the Flame Devil God then appeared, staggering slightly, but in its hand, it clutched something emitting golden light¨Cnone other than the Thunder Division Heavenly General. The Heavenly General, already badly damaged, now appeared even more pitiful, with his right arm and leg bent at odd angles, his entire body nearly crushed. Due to this delay, Shen Luo''s figure had already disappeared into the light gate on the island. Full of murderous intent, the Flame Devil God let out an enraged howl and, with a flash of black light in his hand, was about to crush the Thunder Division Heavenly General. But the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s body shone with lightning, bursting forth with blinding golden light. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s body exploded, transforming into a golden sun that engulfed the Flame Devil God. Many huge lightning runes tumbled within the sun, and the terrifying power of the thunder and lightning made the void nearby buzz and tremble, with the cracks in space around it suddenly expanding further, as though the entire space might collapse at any moment. Shen Luo, within the passageway behind the light gate, sensed what was happening behind him and a flicker of joy crossed his eyes. The Thunder Division Heavenly General had unleashed his final move of thunder and lightning divine power, ¡°Five Thunders Boom,¡± concentrating all the lightning power in his body to self-destruct and strike the enemy. Given the cultivation level of the Thunder Division Heavenly General and his current state, it was unlikely he would be able to kill the Flame Devil God, but facing this attack head-on, the Flame Devil God was definitely not going to have an easy time. Shen Luo snorted coldly, flying forward with all his might, while also activating Yimu Xuandun. A flash of green light, and he disappeared within the underground passage. When he reappeared, he was already outside the palace. The space outside had also undergone drastic changes, with gigantic cracks appearing in mid-air and currents of a spatial storm rushing out, similar to the sea area space inside. However, unlike there, the void here was shrouded in layers of white radiance, within which laid innumerable white formation patterns, condensing into layer upon layer of prohibitions, forming an extremely complex Great Formation of unknown depth. And at the center of these prohibitions, unbeknownst to when, two tall altars appeared, both shaped like triangles¨Cone entirely gold and the other pure white like jade. The golden altar had been completely destroyed, collapsed in its original place, with fresh breaks that showed it had just been destroyed. The white altar was still mostly intact, the upper half enveloped by nine layers of a white light curtain, with something at the very top flickering incessantly. Around the altar stood nine white stone pillars, each engraved with various formation patterns that faintly corresponded with the surrounding white Great Formation. But of these nine pillars, five had already been chopped down from the middle, and a figure stood atop the altar, none other than Ma Xiuxiu. The dragon scales on her body had disappeared, reverting to the appearance of a young girl, wielding a blood-red longsword in her hand. The longsword, with its ancient design, was wrapped in blood-colored threads of light, emanating a strange glow that gave one the eerie feeling that their soul might be sucked in upon a single glance¨Ctruly demonic. Seeing the situation here, Shen Luo immediately understood the source of the previous thunderous noise that had shaken the space, no wonder this secret realm was on the verge of collapse¨Cit was the doing of Ma Xiuxiu. He then noticed that Ma Xiuxiu had returned to her human form and immediately looked at her wrist, his pupils shrinking suddenly. On Ma Xiuxiu''s right wrist was a conspicuous red mark, forming a plum blossom when put together. ¡°She really is one of the reincarnated Demon Souls¡­¡± Shen Luo mused silently. Although he had long suspected it, actually confirming Ma Xiuxiu''s identity still stirred an indescribable feeling in his heart, one that contained both vigilance and murderous intent, as well as a touch of regret and pity. If Ma Xiuxiu was indeed a reincarnated Demon Soul, for the sake of the people of the world, she must not be allowed to live on, but he had known her since Jianye City, and she had many unspeakable past circumstances and difficulties. Could he really bring himself to eliminate Chiyou by striking down this girl mercilessly? Chapter 865 Chapter 865: Chapter 862: Catching Them Off Guard Chapter 865: Chapter 862: Catching Them Off Guard Shen Luo noticed Ma Xiuxiu at the same moment Ma Xiuxiu also immediately sensed Shen Luo''s presence. Her pretty face changed abruptly, and with a flip of her hand, she took out an object, which was the White Flag previously given to Nie Caizhu by the Black Bear Demon that could control the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array, and waved it in the air. The layers of white light curtain surrounding Shen Luo immediately came to life, squeezing towards him. Meanwhile, Ma Xiuxiu turned around like lightning towards the altar and swung the blood-red longsword in her hand, slashing fiercely. A piercing shriek emanated from the sword, followed by a sky-piercing burst of blood light. The longsword shot forth a blood-colored sword radiance more than ten feet long. With a crisp ¡°crack¡± sound, the outermost white light curtain was slashed through and broken. The surrounding white restrictions swarmed in, and the view in front of Shen Luo was quickly enveloped by layers of white fog, causing the altar and the figure of Ma Xiuxiu to vanish from sight. Shen Luo did not make any move, and even felt a sense of relief when he saw Ma Xiuxiu activate the prohibition to conceal her own figure. ¡°This is the location of the Array Core of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. I can''t believe it''s here! Young Master Shen, don''t be dumbfounded, break these prohibitions quickly, and get the things on top of the altar. That Dragon Girl seems to want those things as well. You absolutely can''t let her succeed!¡± The voice of the Black Bear Demon rang out in Shen Luo''s mind, filled with excitement. Shen Luo''s body shook, and he was brought back to his senses. With a flip of his hand, he summoned the Purple Gold Bell. Red light surged wildly on the Fire Bell, and a large amount of pure red flames burst out. Although they hadn''t reached the level of the Purest Flame, they weren''t far off, and they fiercely impacted the white fog in front. Instantly, sounds of ¡°sizzling¡± rose as the white fog was confronted by the red flames and melted away like snow under the sun, revealing the layers of white light curtain once more. The red flames rolled forward, and with a convergence, transformed into a red Fire Phoenix more than a dozen feet long, flapping its wings and charging ahead. With continuous ¡°puff¡± ¡°puff¡± sounds, these light curtains were easily burned through, completely unable to stop the Purple Gold Bell''s flames by a hair. ¡°What is on top of the altar?¡± Shen Luo followed closely behind the red flames, flying towards the deeper part of the prohibitions, while simultaneously sending a message to ask. ¡°No need to ask more, you will know once you get it. Break these prohibitions quickly,¡± urged the Black Bear Demon''s voice impatiently. Atop the Sacrificial Platform, Ma Xiuxiu was rapidly swinging the blood-red longsword in her hand, releasing waves of blood-colored sword Qi, breaking through several layers of the light curtain and quickly closing in on the top of the High Platform. At that moment, a series of cracking sounds were heard, and when she looked back, her expression darkened. She saw a red Fire Phoenix rampaging within the outer Array''s light curtain, effortlessly melting and piercing through the prohibitions, looking as if it would break free at any moment. Ma Xiuxiu gritted her teeth slightly and threw out the White Flag in her hand. The small flag burst into a dazzling white light, transforming into a white light that merged into the outer prohibitions. Immediately, beams of white light radiated from the light curtain surrounding the red Fire Phoenix, rapidly thickening many times over and seemingly increasing in power. The swiftly fleeing red Fire Phoenix seemed to be suppressed by a Giant Mountain, its speed significantly slowed down. Moreover, the white light of the surrounding light curtain prohibition began to flash continuously, quickly rotating around the Fire Phoenix at the center, vaguely forming a huge vortex that trapped it inside. Ma Xiuxiu''s face brightened with joy, and she turned back around, looking towards the four remaining layers of prohibitions on the top of the Sacrificial Platform. These prohibitions seemed even more profound and were faintly adorned with countless mysterious runes, appearing quite extraordinary. The woman''s gaze turned fierce as she suddenly bit her tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood onto the blood-red longsword, while her hands swiftly formed seals. The blood light on the longsword immediately brightened several times over, swelling into a giant sword three zhang long. Most of the sword body emitted a demonic crimson hue, giving off a nauseating scent of blood. However, the remaining part of the sword shone with a grand and pure golden light, creating a sharp contrast with the sinister blood-red. Yet, instead of clashing, the two seemed to subtly fuse together. Ma Xiuxiu horizontally held the blood-red longsword and slashed at the sacrificial platform''s weighty void with the force of a thousand catties. Sudden intense spatial fluctuations emerged at the top of the sacrificial platform, as a giant sword qi, twenty or thirty zhang long, appeared and ruthlessly struck down towards the four prohibitions at the top of the altar. The immense sword qi, intermingled with gold and red, had only fallen halfway when the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was sucked into it as if all rivers flowed into the sea. The sword qi, initially only twenty or thirty zhang long, instantly grew to a hundred feet in size and struck the four layers of prohibition. Sst! Sst! Sst! Sst! Four consecutive crisp sounds of breaking followed, and the four prohibitions were shattered with a single slash, revealing the items at the top of the sacrificial platform: an ancient white jade talisman the size of a palm and a round pearl the size of a fist, radiating five-colored light. The jade talisman was pure white, but around the edges, there were faint gray and white runes appearing occasionally, making it look very mysterious; however, there were several cracks on it which made it seem as though it could crumble at any moment. The five-colored round pearl also had two cracks on its surface that seemed about to shatter. Ma Xiuxiu''s bright eyes lit up as she raised her hand and sent out a black light towards the jade talisman and the five-colored round pearl. But just at that moment, a streak of blue light shot in from the side, preempting her and enveloping the jade talisman and the round pearl, snatching them away in an instant. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ma Xiuxiu grasped at nothing, and her pretty face instantly changed as she immediately formed seals and pointed at the surrounding prohibitions, trying to activate the prohibitions around the altar to block the thief. But the prohibitions that she had been able to control just now suddenly did not respond to her spellcast. With a swishing sound, the blue light carrying the white jade talisman shot through several prohibitions and landed in the hands of someone-it was none other than Shen Luo. Ma Xiuxiu''s mouth fell slightly open as she quickly turned around to look at the prohibitions outside, only to find that the massive prohibition vortex had disappeared without a trace at some point. Shen Luo caught the jade talisman with one hand, and from his waist and abdomen, a blue light shot forth, condensing into a light hand that held the white flag controlling the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. ¡°You¡­ How did you get out?¡± Ma Xiuxiu retreated with a blink, demanding sternly. If it had been Shen Luo alone trying to break through the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array, even if his cultivation level had advanced to the middle stage of True Immortal, he would have been trapped within the array, unable to escape in a short time. What Ma Xiuxiu did not know was that most of Shen Luo''s mana was transferred to him by the Black Bear Demon, who was hiding inside him, capable of controlling this mana. Furthermore, the Black Bear Demon had been guarding the Purple Bamboo Forest for many years, and few people on Mount Putuo could rival the Black Bear Demon''s understanding of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. To break through the prohibition vortex that Ma Xiuxiu, a novice, had activated was naturally a piece of cake. However, Shen Luo did not answer Ma Xiuxiu''s question; his eyes were firmly fixed on the white jade talisman in his hand, with the blue light in his pupils flashing continuously. There was a strong resonance between the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and the talisman in his hand. Waves of intangible illusion power transmitted from the white jade talisman into Shen Luo''s eyes, where the foundation of the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil''s divine power spun rapidly, absorbing the illusion power and enhancing its strength swiftly. ¡°This jade talisman seems to be the core of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array, likely a talisman of some illusory technique. My Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil is also an eye technique of illusion, so it makes sense that absorbing the power of this talisman would enhance it!¡± After shaking off his shock, Shen Luo soon understood and took the white jade talisman inside his body, continuing to absorb the talisman''s illusion power to upgrade his pupil technique. ¡°Haha! At last, I''ve obtained it, the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead! With this item, I can break through my current cultivation level bottleneck and reach the Late True Immortal Stage within a hundred years!¡± Just as Shen Luo was about to store the Five-Color Orb, the Black Bear Demon''s laugh echoed in his mind. Chapter 866 Chapter 866: Chapter 863: Leaving the Cave Chapter 866: Chapter 863: Leaving the Cave ¡°Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. He had not heard of this name before, but judging from the bead''s appearance and aura, it seemed to be a Dragon Clan''s Inner Dan. ¡°Young Master Shen, let''s make a deal. You give me this Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead, and you can take the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman. We both benefit and afterwards, let''s not publicize the matter. How about that?¡± The voice of the Black Bear Demon once again echoed in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°These two items are the key to the Liangyi Micro-dust Array; are you sure it''s okay to take them away just like that?¡± Shen Luo also very much wanted the jade symbol. His eyes lit up as he spoke. ¡°It''s fine. The Chaoyin Cave''s Secret Realm has already begun to collapse, and the Liangyi Micro-dust Array has been mostly destroyed by the Dragon Girl, beyond repair. These two objects are no longer of much use, and moreover, the spiritual power within them has been depleted by sixty to seventy percent. Mount Putuo does not hold them in high regard,¡± the Black Bear Demon said. ¡°Since the Protector says so, then it''s settled.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo dispelled the last of his doubts, pocketed the Five-Color Orb, and planned to give it to the Black Bear Demon later. Nie Caizhu, the little bear monster, Bai Xiaotian are all inside the Heavenly Book Space. Giving the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead to the Black Bear Demon at this moment would cause quite a few troubles. Ma Xiuxiu saw this scene and glared resentfully at Shen Luo before her figure flew backwards in retreat. ¡°Don''t think of escaping!¡± Shen Luo''s mind had already stabilized. He immediately had the Black Bear Demon stimulate the White Flag, causing a burst of white light to spread. The surrounding layers of prohibition instantly changed direction, sweeping towards Ma Xiuxiu en masse, and even more waves of white light emerged around, blocking all of Ma Xiuxiu''s retreat paths. In terms of controlling the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array, the Black Bear Demon was much stronger than Ma Xiuxiu. No matter what, since Ma Xiuxiu was the reincarnation of Chiyou''s residual soul, Shen Luo could not let her go. He decided to first capture her and then make further arrangements. But Ma Xiuxiu was not panicked. The blood-red Longsword in her hand flared brightly, and she slashed out again with lightning speed. A dazzling, glittering streak of gold and red Sword Qi shot out from the sword. It was even larger than before, a good two or three hundred feet long and seven or eight feet wide. With a ¡°whoosh¡±, all the surrounding prohibition light curtains were cut open like paper by the Sword Qi. Ma Xiuxiu''s figure turned into lightning, and with a ¡°swoosh¡± she flew beyond the prohibitions. With another gesture, she summoned something. A burst of white light exploded from her body, and in an instant, she disappeared, leaving behind a little white bottle at the original spot, which was the Jade Purification Bottle. ¡°Brother Shen is powerful, and I admit inferiority. The treasures of Chaoyin Cave are yours to take. However, things are not over yet. We will meet again!¡± The voice of Ma Xiuxiu emerged from the Jade Purification Bottle. As her voice fell, the Jade Purification Bottle shone brightly and turned into a white rainbow that shot straight into the sky and into a spatial rift, vanishing from sight. Ma Xiuxiu''s series of actions were as fast as lightning, preventing Shen Luo from stopping her. ¡°What treasure is that blood-red Longsword? Its power is so immense! And what did she mean by her last words?¡± He furrowed his brows and muttered to himself. Just then, a thunderous roar came from the Palace''s direction, like a huge wave cleaving through the skies. The whole Secret Realm shook, and the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array here at the altar also trembled incessantly. ¡°It''s that Flame Devil God!¡± A chill ran through Shen Luo''s heart. However, judging by the sound''s might, not only was the Flame Devil God not severely injured by the Thunder Division Heavenly General''s suicidal explosion, but its strength had also increased since then. And judging from that sound, it seemed the Flame Devil God was rapidly heading outside. ¡°Protector, do you have a way to let me leave this Chaoyin Cave?¡± Shen Luo urgently communicated with his mind to the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Previously, I had no method, but now the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array is right before us, and we hold the control of the Spiritual Banner. Although this array is mostly destroyed, sending you out is still possible. And since that Flame Devil God is still inside Chaoyin Cave, this could also be an opportunity for us!¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a sharp tone. ¡°An opportunity? Could it be that you are thinking of¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched, and his expression changed as he blurted out the next moment. The Black Bear Demon didn''t answer him, but instead channeled the Mana inside Shen Luo to activate the White Flag. A round of white light, even brighter than before, burst forth from the flag, casting dazzling spiritual brilliance from the white prohibition around it. Rings of white runes subsequently appeared in the void around the altar, merging with the local prohibition and forming a large White Array. At that moment, a thunderous boom came from the direction of the Palace, as golden patterns emerged on the grand structure, ejecting blinding Golden Light. With a violent tremor, a network of huge cracks appeared on the Palace, and then the entire structure collapsed with a roar. A gigantic figure shot up from Underground, none other than the Flame Devil God. Its form had changed once again and looked even taller, with a densely packed array of Scales covering its body. The most striking alteration was the two thick arms that had grown from its back, making it look even more ferocious. As soon as the Flame Devil God emerged from the ground, its blood-red eyes fixed on Shen Luo, and its colossal body turned into a blur as it lunged towards him. ¡°Teleport!¡± But the deep voice of the Black Bear Demon came from inside Shen Luo. The White Array emitted a huge humming noise, burst forth with blinding white light, and then as the brilliance condensed, the spot was empty. The Flame Devil God had lunged at nothing, its massive body crashing heavily onto the altar. The large altar collapsed with a thunderous crash as if it were made of paper and mud, but the surrounding Array Techniques and prohibition didn''t disappear; instead, they grew even more luminous. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within the entire Secret Realm stirred, and then the altar and the nine Stone Pillars around it emitted a terrifying fluctuation of Mana. A strange look flickered in the blood-red eyes of the Flame Devil God, and its huge body immediately flew backward, distancing itself from the altar. However, before it could get far, after the altar and Stone Pillars trembled, they each shot out a white pillar of light that soared straight into the sky. A thunderbolt roared in Mid Air! Ten pillars of light converged in one spot, and the air vibrated suddenly, as an enormous white Array, over a Hundred Li in diameter, appeared out of nowhere. The Array hummed and at its center, a vast white vortex appeared. As it roared, a tremendous sucking force emanated, enveloping the Flame Devil God. The backward hurtling figure of the Flame Devil God came to an abrupt halt, as the light in the gigantic Array flashed, turning the surrounding air viscous like a mire, trapping it in place. Outside Chaoyin Cave, in the Purple Bamboo Forest, Shen Luo stood suspended in the void, his body radiating bright blue light, with his face also covered by a layer of blue light that faintly revealed the face of the Black Bear Demon. With his hands moving rapidly to form seals, Shen Luo then gave his wrist a flick, and the White Flag flew out, with countless runes floating from it, rushing toward the Big Gate of Chaoyin Cave. The light above Chaoyin Cave surged wildly, and a translucent thread of light shot out, piercing straight into the sky and cutting through the clouds in an instant, reaching into the boundless Void. ¡°Extinguish!¡± Shen Luo pointed a finger at the White Flag, and with a ¡°whish¡± sound, the flag caught fire, turning into a ball of white flame that merged into the light thread. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The light thread flashed wildly and with a rumble, it transformed into a White Pillar of light with a diameter of a Hundred Feet, engulfing Chaoyin Cave. A terrifying aura of destruction emanated from the white pillar, and with a booming rumble, rolling white light furiously swept in every direction, instantly submerging the entirety of Chaoyin Cave and the surrounding mountains. Whether it was the surrounding mountains or Chaoyin Cave Mansion, they were all utterly shattered. The white pillar quickly disappeared, and Chaoyin Cave along with the mountain peak vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed, leaving behind a huge dark hole of several hundred feet on the ground, pitch black within and leading to unknown depths of the Underworld. Chapter 867 Chapter 867: Chapter 864: Accidental Comprehension Chapter 867: Chapter 864: Accidental Comprehension Shen Luo''s face, where the blue light had briefly flashed, returned to its original appearance. He viewed the completely obliterated Chaoyin Cave and Bottomless Deep Hole with a trace of shock flashing through his eyes. ¡°I never imagined that the self-destruction of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array would be so powerful! The might of the blazing white light pillar just now absolutely surpassed the strike of an ordinary Taiyi Realm powerful person!¡± Shen Luo let out a breath as he spoke. No sooner had his voice faded than the surprised voice of the Black Bear Demon echoed in his mind: ¡°Oh, Brother Shen has also seen quite a few of Taiyi Existence''s God''s Powers? Such formidable beings are already rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns in the Human World, only likely to be found within a few top forces.¡± ¡°I''ve had the chance to see one or two by a coincidence. Has that Flame Devil God already been annihilated by the self-destruction of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array?¡± Shen Luo did not wish to elaborate on this question and gave a vague response before swiftly changing the subject. ¡°I do not know. Even if it isn''t dead, the demon surely has suffered severe vitality injuries, and it''s the perfect opportunity to eliminate it. Friend Shen, I''m counting on you,¡± the Black Bear Demon did not dwell on the previous question either and replied in a grave voice. At this juncture, Shen Luo naturally didn''t hesitate, and with a flip of his hand, he took out the Purple Gold Bell, ready for battle. Just then, with a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a cluster of blood light shot out from the depths of the black hole in the ground. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo immediately urged the Purple Gold Bell into action. A flame as pure as can be, the Purest Flame, burst forth from within the Fire Bell, entirely engulfing the blood light. As soon as the blood light was enveloped by the Purest Flame, it disintegrated into nothingness, revealing the object within ¨C a blood-colored crystal over a person tall, misty light within it, and a vague silhouette faintly discernible inside. Shen Luo was shocked as the nature of this blood-colored crystal was unknown to him; even the Purest Flame seemed unable to melt it. Just as Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, about to deploy other techniques, a surge of blood-colored ripples suddenly rose from within the blood-colored crystal, sweeping outward. The Purest Flame was extinguished completely by this tide. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo''s face changed in response. The red Spirit Fire within the Purple Gold Bell already possessed immense power, and once refined into the Purest Flame, it seemed almost nothing could withstand its heat. Only the Blood-Colored Bone Fragments of the Flame Devil God had broken through it before, so what was this blood-colored ripple that it too could unravel the Purest Flame? The blood-colored ripple continued to spread outward with a fierce gleam flickering within. Shen Luo didn''t dare to meet it head-on; he hastily dodged, with the Starlight and Moonshadow flickering beneath his feet, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared some two to three hundred feet away. He looked surprised, as the dodge he had just performed unexpectedly utilized the Teleportation and Transfiguration Technique. The Black Bear Demon had not assisted; the dodging was solely his own action, and it was unexpectedly successful! This caught him off guard. Shen Luo was very clear about his own talents in reality; they were extremely mediocre. He had always relied on the boost from Dreamland experiences to learn his current skills. However, he had not Entered Dream this time; he had only deployed the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing a few times during the previous battle with the help of the Black Bear Demon, so how did he suddenly achieve enlightenment? ¡°Could it be that this Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement not only temporarily boosts cultivation level but also assists in mastering secret techniques?¡± Shen Luo pondered in his heart. Indeed, his guess was spot on. The Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement of Mount Putuo, created by Bodhisattva after referencing the Great Ling Mountain Thunder Sound secret technique combined with her own enlightenment, not only transferred cultivation but also allowed the minds of the practitioner duo to meld. When one person deployed a God''s Power, the other could immediately sense it and feel as if they were the one performing it, thus mastering it quickly. At this moment, the blood-colored crystal suddenly issued a ¡°crack¡± sound, and fissures began to spiderweb across it. Shen Luo hurriedly refocused his mind and stared intently. The cracks on the blood-colored crystal quickly spread, soon covering its entire body. Then with a faint sound, it broke apart piece by piece, revealing a naked figure ¨C it was Wei Qing. He had already returned to the size of a normal human, and the demonic patterns and scale armor on his skin had all disappeared, but his breath hadn''t weakened in the slightest. Moreover, the blood-colored bone fragment between his eyebrows shone even more brilliantly than before. Shen Luo''s eyelids twitched continuously. Although Wei Qing no longer possessed the awe-inspiring presence of the Flame Devil God, for some reason, he felt even more terrifying to Shen Luo, who subconsciously took several steps back. ¡°How is it possible! The self-destruction of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array is immensely powerful, yet Wei Qing was able to walk away unharmed!¡± Inside the Heavenly Book Space, the Black Bear Demon was equally astonished. Next to the Black Bear Demon, the Little Bear Monster and Bai Xiaotian stood silently, unable to see the situation outside. They could only judge through the expressions of the Black Bear Demon. Seeing the Black Bear Demon so pale, their faces grew somber as well. They were eager to ask about the outside situation but did not presume to speak out of turn. Meanwhile, Nie Caizhu was sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, holding the Yangliu Branch in her hands, seemingly refining the treasure once again. As for Yuan Qiu, he was not present, seemingly having left. Wei Qing''s blood-red eyes swept over Shen Luo, and his figure suddenly blurred, then disappeared, leaving behind only an afterimage that drifted away with the wind. Where his real body went was unseen by anyone. ¡°Not good, where did Wei Qing go? Friend Shen, did you see anything?¡± Alarmed, the Black Bear Demon hurriedly asked. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with green light as he turned to look in the direction of Mount Putuo Sect, beyond the Purple Bamboo Forest. His Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil had already absorbed a considerable amount of power from the Jade Symbol, greatly enhancing his vision, just enough to make out Wei Qing heading toward the Mount Putuo Sect. ¡°He went toward the direction of the Sect? Friend Shen, hurry and pursue him!¡± Seeing this, the Black Bear Demon urged hastily, his voice already breathless. ¡°Protector, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo''s Divine Sense reached into the Heavenly Book Space and his expression changed as he transmitted his voice to ask. The Black Bear Demon''s complexion looked utterly ashen, and his breath fluctuated violently, suggesting that the Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement Secret Technique was nearing its limit. Shen Luo''s heart sank. Without the Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement Secret Technique, his restored Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivation would be of no use. ¡°I''m fine, I can still hold on, quickly pursue that Wei Qing,¡± the Black Bear Demon shook his head, urging with urgency. ¡°Cousin, you pursue Wei Qing. I will take care of the Protector''s issue,¡± Nie Caizhu, who had been sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened her eyes and spoke. Surprised, Shen Luo didn''t say anything further. He immediately transformed into a red rainbow and chased in the direction where Wei Qing had disappeared. Inside the Heavenly Book Space, Nie Caizhu slapped the ground, and her entire body shifted horizontally in an instant, floating in front of the Black Bear Demon. Her hands moved rapidly, forming signs, while she chanted under her breath. Streams of Green Light continuously flew out from the Yangliu Branch and entered the Black Bear Demon''s body. The fluctuating breath of the Black Bear Demon immediately calmed down significantly, and his gray complexion also showed signs of recovery. However, Nie Caizhu seemed unsatisfied with this improvement. She frowned, then spat out a small mouthful of essence blood which flashed into the Yangliu Branch. The branch instantly emitted a dazzling green light. One of its twigs shook violently, and two willow leaves floated down, landing on the Black Bear Demon''s forehead and merging into it. The Black Bear Demon''s eyes immediately widened, a green lotus platform pattern appeared on his forehead, and ripples of green light spread out from it. The chaotic breath on his body stabilized in an instant and even increased a bit, his complexion quickly recovered, no longer pale but showing a hint of ruddiness. Chapter 868 Chapter 868: Chapter 865: The Demons Attack Chapter 868: Chapter 865: The Demons Attack As Shen Luo flew away, he sensed the transformation happening to the Black Bear Demon in the void and couldn''t help but widen his eyes. ¡°This is the ''Lotus Wonderful Method'', a secret technique inherently in the Yangliu Branch that I have just comprehended from within it. This technique is a sacred healing god''s power secretly passed down from the Bodhisattva, capable of restoring vitality temporarily to even the gravely injured, as long as a single breath remains. However, as I have just begun to learn this technique and can only maintain it for a quarter of an hour with the aid of the Yangliu Branch, after a quarter of an hour, the Protector will revert to his previous condition,¡± Nie Caizhu explained. ¡°A quarter of an hour is already enough. Cousin, you take good care of the Elder,¡± Shen Luo said, relieved. After speaking, he withdrew his Divine Sense from the Heavenly Book Space and flew forward with all his might. With Wei Qing''s current strength, no one on Mount Putuo could be his opponent, except for Master Guan Yue. If Wei Qing were to strike from the shadows, the unsuspecting Master Guan Yue might not be able to avoid his ambush, and Fairy Qinglian and the others would be even less likely to escape unharmed. If that were the case, the entire Mount Putuo would likely be destroyed by Wei Qing''s hands. Although Shen Luo did not have much of a connection with Mount Putuo, the immortal apricot that cured his lifespan issue was an item from Mount Putuo. Adding Nie Caizhu''s kindness into the equation, he could not just stand by and watch all this happen. More importantly, if he wasn''t sensing it wrong, this Wei Qing was likely, like Zhan Guo and Ma Xiuxiu, a reincarnation of a Chiyou''s demon soul, which he could not ignore. The Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array had already self-destructed, and the prohibitions in the Purple Bamboo Forest had dissipated with it. He burst out of the Purple Bamboo Forest in an instant and soon arrived in front of a great hall at the edge of Mount Putuo. The place was in absolute chaos. Seven or eight Grain Avoidance Stage Mount Putuo disciples and several demons were fighting fiercely here. Magical instruments and demon Qi flew all over the sky, and the intense collision sounds echoed across the square. The battle situation was extremely fierce. Though the Mount Putuo disciples outnumbered their opponents, the several demons they faced were far stronger, including a Soul Condensation Stage deer demon. The disciples were clearly at a disadvantage, and two had already fallen into pools of blood. When the demons saw Shen Luo suddenly appear, far from stopping, a wolf demon with bloodthirsty eyes howled and lunged at him with mouthfuls of Black Qi. The other demons, including the Soul Condensation Stage deer demon, also had red, bloodthirsty eyes, as if intoxicated by the thrill of the slaughter. Shen Luo frowned at this scene. Those demons, especially the Soul Condensation Stage deer demon, should already possess significant Spiritual Wisdom. Seeing his speedy escape light, they would normally be afraid to approach, so why were they rushing towards him so foolishly? Even though he found it strange, Shen Luo didn''t care to investigate. He simply flicked his finger at the approaching demon, and suddenly a blinding red light shot out. The wolf demon let out a piteous howl; its protective demon Qi couldn''t withstand the attack at all and was instantly cut in two by the Sword Qi, leaving its body to fall to the ground. Streams of crimson mist poured out from the wolf demon''s body and swiftly dissipated into the void. ¡°That''s the Demon Breath Technique from Lion Camel Ridge! No wonder these demons are so fearlessly fierce,¡± the Black Bear Demon lightly exclaimed. ¡°Demon Breath Technique?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°The Demon Breath Technique is an evil method derived from the Mad Beast Secret of Lion Camel Ridge. It can be cast over a wide range and stimulates the blood and Qi inside humans and demons alike, greatly increasing their fighting strength, but at the cost of weakening their mental faculties,¡± the Black Bear Demon quickly explained. Shen Luo nodded as he understood, growing a bit more curious about Lion Camel Ridge. The Turtle Diagram had previously used the Mad Beast Secret from Lion Camel Ridge, and these demons had been subjected to the Demon Breath Technique from the same place; could it be that all these demons had come from Lion Camel Ridge? The other demons finally realized the extent of Shen Luo''s terrifying strength. The deer demon took the lead to turn and flee. A cold light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as the scene before him reminded him of the destruction of Spring and Autumn Pavilion. He immediately performed the Five Finger Rapid Shot, releasing five Sword Qi from his hand that disappeared in a flash, piercing through several demons'' bodies. ¡°Puff puff,¡± several Demon creatures were engulfed in a red light, and before they could even scream, they turned into ashes. ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Elder!¡± A few Mount Putuo Disciples exclaimed joyfully and stepped forward to express their gratitude. However, Shen Luo didn''t pay attention to them. With a flash of red light on his body, he continued to fly forward. At the same time, his Divine Sense spread out, searching the surroundings for Wei Qing''s traces. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Wei Qing seemed to have vanished without leaving a trace of his Qi, and Shen Luo couldn''t find him, so he had to keep searching forward. The deeper into the sect of Mount Putuo he flew, the grimmer Shen Luo''s expression became. Along the way, he passed several places where Mount Putuo Disciples and Demons fought each other to a standstill. It seemed as if the entire Mount Putuo was invaded by the Demon Race, with the battles more intense than before. Along the way, a few unsuspecting Demons attacked him, and naturally, he killed them effortlessly. ¡°What are these Demon Race planning to do? Do they really intend to destroy Mount Putuo?¡± Shen Luo, who had been searching for a while and still couldn''t find any traces of Wei Qing, finally stopped on the top of a great hall, looking at Mount Putuo engulfed in war with tightly knitted brows. Then he raised his hand, and with a flash of golden light by his side, the figures of the Little Bear Monster and Bai Xiaotian appeared. Upon seeing the scene before them, both changed their expressions. Bai Xiaotian showed a look of pity, whereas the Little Bear Monster''s eyes were filled with eager fighting spirit. ¡°I need to pursue Wei Qing. I''ll leave this place to you. Be very careful,¡± Shen Luo said briefly without time to elaborate, and continued to fly ahead. He moved like lightning and soon reached the deepest part of the Mount Putuo Sect, near that huge Square. The battle here was even more fierce than outside, with cultivators and Demons fighting everywhere, and almost all the experts from both sides were concentrated here. The most conspicuous sight was the massive Dark Cloud in mid-air, which obscured half the sky, the very same Black Banner that the Black Jiao King had previously set in motion. Beneath the roiling Dark Cloud, countless Monster souls and ghosts leaped out, densely packed, forming a torrential flood of ghosts wielding Sharp Claws, lunging at the opposite side. Opposite the Dark Cloud stood a person, Fairy Qinglian. Her injuries seemed largely healed as nearly a hundred Golden Flying Swords circled around her, transforming into a Giant Lotus-shaped Sword Array, whose dazzling Sword Light illuminated half the sky. The Sword Array fiercely collided with the Dark Cloud. Ghost after ghost was minced by the Golden Sword Qi, but those Monster souls and ghosts seemed to have a strong contaminating effect. Although the Sword Qi killed them, the Sword Qi itself would immediately turn black and dissipate as Black Qi. Neither side could overcome the other, resulting in a war of attrition. Master Huang Tong was nowhere to be seen here; his whereabouts unknown. And the Seven Treasures Exquisite Lamp that used to be in mid-air above the Square was gone, leaving one to wonder if it had been destroyed. The silver thunder prohibitions on the nearby mountain peaks were still there, raining down like a downpour. Below on the Square, the forces from both sides were clearly separated, each occupying one side of the Square. Explosions and howls reaching for the sky, the whole Mount Putuo seemed to be trembling slightly. The Mount Putuo Disciples wielded Magical Weapons and Treasures. Under the leadership of the Elders of Mount Putuo, the light from various Magical Instruments and Treasures intertwined, forming a Magnificent Light Wall combined with the silver thunder prohibition near the Square. On the Demon''s side, some wielded magical instruments, others spewed Demon Light and Demon Qi, and some Demons directly resisted the Mount Putuo Disciples with their Demon bodies, their formation seeming somewhat disordered. Chapter 869 Chapter 869: Chapter 866: Shen Luo Makes a Move Chapter 869: Chapter 866: Shen Luo Makes a Move The oncoming demons were disorganized, yet numerous, and each appeared to fight bloodthirstily as if they had been possessed by demonic techniques; the Mount Putuo disciples were clearly at a disadvantage. Besides Mount Putuo''s disciples, cultivators from other sects who had come to attend the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference¡± also joined the battle, as these demons seemed intent on sparing no one. Zhan Yue, Zheng Jun, Lin Qianqian, Li Shu, and others stood together, forming a temporary small group, resisting wave after wave of attacks from the surrounding demons. Although they were all among the elites of their respective sects, they had yet to truly grow strong; their cultivation levels were still at the Nascent Soul realm, and any random demon on the square possessed Nascent Soul-level strength, making it very difficult to defend against them. Especially for Zhan Yue, Zheng Jun, Lin Qianqian, and the others, who had not yet fully recovered from the injuries they sustained at the ¡°Immortal Apricot Conference,¡± they quickly showed signs of fatigue as the battle dragged on. Lin Qianqian summoned a white jade ruyi, from which a tiger head phantom burst forth, clashing directly with a monster with a leopard''s head. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the tiger head phantom on the jade ruyi shattered upon impact, flinging itself outwards, while Lin Qianqian''s pretty face paled as she spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, staggering backwards. But the leopard-headed demon was powerful, its body shook briefly as if nothing had happened, and it reached out with a dark black claw towards Lin Qianqian in the void. Suddenly, a flash of dark light sped forth, and numerous black claw shadows flashed before Lin Qianqian''s face, viciously clawing down towards her. Lin Qianqian, off balance, was not able to defend in time, and the claw shadows were about to wound her. A giant sword shot over from the side like lightning, and with a tremble, nearly a hundred sword shadows emerged, slicing through all the black claw shadows, with Zheng Jun on the side stepping in to help just in time. However, in saving Lin Qianqian, Zheng Jun exposed a vulnerability, and a pitch-black demon fire, like a shooting star, came flying towards him. It passed through the gap between two black gold iron plates in front of Zheng Jun and hit him hard. A green jade pendant at Zheng Jun''s waist burst with a ¡°snap,¡± transforming into a sphere of green light that covered his body and blocked most of the black demon fire, but his chest was still brutally struck by the remaining fire, ¡°crack,¡± two ribs broke, and he spewed blood from his mouth. With both Zheng Jun and Lin Qianqian injured, a large gap appeared in their line of defense, and several demons immediately took advantage and launched a fierce attack, threatening to completely overwhelm them. At that moment, a thick column of red fire descended from the sky, sweeping from left to right, hitting several demons who, unable to withstand the unbelievably high temperature of the fire column, let out a horrible scream, their bodies instantly tearing apart and turning into ashes. Not just those demons, but other nearby ones were also affected by the fire column, resulting in many casualties. Zheng Jun, Lin Qianqian, and the others were also forced back several steps by the extremely hot blast, and only then did they look up to see a figure that had appeared out of nowhere in mid-air, it was Shen Luo. ¡°Shen¡­ Brother Shen!¡± Zheng Jun and the others were dumbstruck. Shen Luo had displayed considerable strength in the Hua Lian Secret Realm, but not much more than them. In just a short time, how had his strength skyrocketed to such a level? Zheng Jun swept his Divine Sense over Shen Luo, and his mouth fell open in shock. The aura emanating from Shen Luo was unfathomable and completely beyond his comprehension. ¡°Roar!¡± The nearby demons continued their frenzied charge. Several fierce demons went straight for Shen Luo. ¡°Evil Beast, seeking death!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes turned cold as he pointed at the Purple Gold Bell. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± a pillar of Heavenly Fire shot out from the Purple Gold Bell, engulfing all the demon beasts within it and easily turning them into ashes. The roaring flames continued to surge forward, quickly engulfing nearly half of the demons on the square. These demons struggled in the red flames for a moment before turning into ashes. The Mount Putuo''s side witnessed this scene with shock, yet at the same time, their spirits were greatly lifted. They immediately counterattacked and quickly suppressed the demons'' offensive. After launching that strike, Shen Luo did not make another move. He soared into midair, disappearing and reappearing next to Fairy Qinglian. ¡°Shen Luo! It''s you! How did your cultivation level suddenly¡­ I understand now, someone must have cast the Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement secret technique.¡± Fairy Qinglian, while operating the surrounding Sword Array to resist the Black Jiao King, took a look at Shen Luo and immediately understood the ins and outs. ¡°Elder Fairy is correct, indeed it was a Protector from the Purple Bamboo Forest who performed the Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement, transferring his cultivation level to me. But let''s not talk about that now; I have something extremely important to tell you¡­¡± Shen Luo quickly conveyed to Fairy Qinglian through a telepathic message what had happened inside Chaoyin Cave and the situation with Wei Qing. However, he did not inform her about the possibility that Wei Qing could be a reincarnation of Chiyou''s remnant soul. ¡°What!¡± As the Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, Fairy Qinglian was no stranger to a broad range of knowledge, but upon hearing this, she was shocked, causing the Sword Array to reveal a flaw in its operation. The Black Jiao King''s gaze turned sharp, and with a single hand, he grabbed into the void. A massive black Ghost Hand, about an acre in size, shot out from the dark clouds, flames of black fire flickering, emitting an eerie, indescribable aura of desolation. Like lightning, the Ghost Hand advanced swiftly and disappeared, seizing the opening in the Golden Lotus Sword Array. The black light burst forth, and a surge of ghostly Qi violently exploded, puncturing a big hole in the Sword Array with a sizzling noise. Although the Ghost Hand had shrunk significantly, its speed was not diminished in the least, still rapidly advancing towards Fairy Qinglian. Fairy Qinglian, startled back to her senses, was about to activate a powerful Magical Treasure for defense, when a yellow storm shot out from the side, enveloping countless grains of sand within it, and positioned itself in front of the black Ghost Hand in a preemptive move. It was Shen Luo who had activated the Wind Bell to unleash the Soul Sand Storm. Seeing this, the Black Jiao King''s mouth revealed a hint of disdainful sneer. This black Ghost Claw may seem ordinary, but it was in fact his most potent move called the Black Heavenly Spirit Claw, summoned by activating his lifebound Magical Treasure, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner; chilling to the bone and unconcerned even with the red flames Shen Luo had used earlier, let alone this storm attack. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a thought from his divine soul, the black Ghost Hand instantly doubled in size, crashing ferociously into the yellow storm, intending to tear it apart in one fell swoop. However, as soon as the two touched, there was a loud crackling sound, and the black Ghost Hand was immediately punctured with countless tiny holes, with large amounts of Black Qi quickly dissipating. Piercing the Ghost Hand were the Soul Sand Grains, which not only could disperse human souls but also restrained the power of ghostly spirits. The core of the black Ghost Hand was made of pure ghostly spirit power, caught off guard and struck by the Soul Sand Grains, it was no wonder it disintegrated. In the next moment, a howling wind sounded within the storm, and immense wind blades slashed across the Ghost Hand. The black Ghost Hand collapsed with a boom, turning into countless streams of Black Qi that scattered away. This series of changes may sound complex, but in fact, they happened in the blink of an eye. To onlookers, the yellow storm engulfed the black Ghost Hand, which then instantly ruptured and collapsed. ¡°What!¡± The Black Jiao King was shocked, hardly believing what he saw. The yellow storm kept sweeping forward, striking hard against the dark cloud as the Black Jiao King urgently spurred the Ten Thousand Demons Banner to withstand the storm''s onslaught. ¡°That''s the situation. I will eliminate some more of the Demon Race for you, then I''ll continue to look for Wei Qing. You must be extremely careful on your own.¡± After his strike, Shen Luo didn''t pursue further but instead flicked the Fire Bell. Another vast wave of flames gushed out, engulfing many demons on the square and burning them all into ashes. Chapter 870 Chapter 870: Chapter 867: Demonic Sacrifice Chapter 870: Chapter 867: Demonic Sacrifice Shen Luo had just finished when the sky suddenly darkened. Clumps of dark clouds quickly appeared, accumulating more and more, and in the blink of an eye, the entire sky above Mount Putuo was covered with rolling dark clouds, with streaks of pitch black thunder and lightning darting through the clouds. An eerie and cold breath emanated from within the dark clouds. ¡°Demonic Qi!¡± Shen Luo halted in his tracks and abruptly looked up. The other monks and demons also noticed the changes in the sky, showing looks of alarm. ¡°It has finally succeeded¡­¡± The Black Jiao King saw this scene and his face relaxed. At that moment, the dark clouds in the sky churned as if boiling, with countless vortices, large and small, appearing within the clouds, rapidly colliding with each other, emitting strange noises like people screaming and crying. The monks of Mount Putuo felt an uncontrollable surge of frenzy in their hearts when they heard these sounds, and a hint of blood red flashed in their eyes. As for the demons, already full of a desire to kill, the sound turned their eyes completely blood red, crushing the last vestiges of their sanity, and they madly rushed to slaughter the monks of Mount Putuo. The two sides became even more frenzied in their battle, with blood spraying and spattering everywhere, mixed with some severed limbs and arms raining down like rain. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, in the blink of an eye, dozens of Mount Putuo disciples perished, and the losses on the demons'' side were even greater, but the demons had completely lost their minds and showed no signs of stopping. The Mount Putuo disciples had no choice but to fight with all their might, and the previously orderly battle formation began to fall into disarray, with the elders trying in vain to stop them, to little effect. Fairy Qinglian, in mid-air, also felt a wave of irritation and murderous intent rising within her, but with her profound cultivation, she immediately suppressed this murderous intent. She looked down and her expression changed. After gritting her teeth, she took out a silver disc and tapped it with her fingers. The silver disc spun rapidly, emitting two beams of silver light, which entered two mountain peaks near the square. The silver lightning shooting down from the two mountain peaks suddenly stopped and intertwined quickly, soon forming a large silver lightning curtain with numerous lightning runes flashing on it. As soon as the silver lightning curtain formed, it plummeted downwards towards the ground, stopping about ten feet above. A tremendous force bore down, enveloping everyone in the square as if a massive mountain was pressing on them. Suddenly, both the disciples of Mount Putuo and the demons were immobilized, unable to move a muscle. Shen Luo, however, paid no attention to this, his eyes flashing with green light as he scanned the corpses of the humans and demons on the ground. Unnoticed, faint black light began to appear on the ground, enveloping the corpses of humans and demons. Their bodies rapidly dissolved, turning into wisps of black Qi that merged into the ground. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Shen Luo''s pupils shrank, and his figure immediately shot towards the ground like lightning. The moment he hit the ground, he took out a yellow talisman and slapped it on himself. A burst of yellow light suddenly enveloped his entire body, and he silently sank into the ground. Fairy Qinglian, seeing Shen Luo''s actions, immediately also noticed the changes with the corpses on the ground. Her pretty face changed once more, and with a flip of her hand, she took out a white talisman and crushed it. Deep underground, there turned out to be a spherical space a hundred feet in diameter, in which a dark silhouette was suspended, radiating black light. It was none other than Wei Qing, whose hands were continuously forming seals. Wisps of black Qi seeped in from above, drifting within the spherical space. When these black Qi had spread out earlier, they were nothing special. But now, as they converged, faces of humans and beasts in agony appeared within the Qi, belonging to the fallen disciples of Mount Putuo and demons on the ground. Each face howled in despair and radiated resentment. What Wei Qing was now employing was the extremely vicious Heavenly Demon Sacrifice from the Demon Clan. It sacrificed bodies that had just died, along with their divine souls that hadn''t yet fully dissipated, transforming them into pure resentment to absorb and nourish himself. The great battle at Mount Putuo today resulted in countless casualties among the disciples and demons, making it the perfect place to perform the Heavenly Demon Sacrifice. With so much resentment stacked together, it had already condensed into a tangible form that could even overwhelm the minds of True Immortal Cultivators who stepped into this place, driving them insane. The blood-colored bone fragments at Wei Qing''s forehead flashed with light, small vortices appeared on its surface, resembling the tiny mouths of infants, greedily swallowing the surrounding black Qi with hungered and delighted sucking sounds that chilled the heart of any onlooker. Black Qi surged around him, and his strength rose rapidly. Soon, one of his feet had stepped into the Taiyi Level. Outside the spherical space, a flash of yellow light passed, and Shen Luo''s figure flashed into appearance, but he did not continue to move forward. The resentful Qi was too dense ahead. He had forcibly raised his cultivation level to the middle stage of True Immortal using the Lingdong Nine Heavens Secret Technique, but his soul power had not increased, and his resistance to resentment was far inferior to a true True Immortal. ¡°It really is Wei Qing. I didn''t expect his strength to have increased again!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed green as he looked ahead, frowning deeply without making a move. Wei Qing''s original strength was already beyond his ability to contend with. Now that Wei Qing''s strength had increased further, the gap between them was even greater. Provoking him now would likely put his own life at risk. But from the looks of it, if he didn''t take action, Wei Qing''s strength would continue to rise, and the situation would only worsen. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered decisively, and he immediately flipped his hand to summon the Purple Gold Bell. At that moment, a large hand suddenly stretched out from the void behind him and grabbed Shen Luo by the shoulder. Shen Luo was startled. With his current strength, someone had managed to get so close without his notice, and he immediately tried to turn around, his body erupting with even brighter blue light. But before he could turn, an immense force came from the hand, involuntarily sending his body flying backward. Then, his vision blurred, and he found himself inside a light golden space. Now Shen Luo could turn around. An old man, hunched and decrepit, stood quietly there, leaning on a thick, bright golden walking stick. ¡°Who are you?¡± Shen Luo vanished in a shimmer and reappeared hundreds of feet away, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints as he asked in a deep voice. The old man looked frail as if he might be blown over by a gust of wind, but confronting him, Shen Luo''s spirit shook slightly¨Csomething that hadn''t even happened when facing Wei Qing. ¡°Are you Shen Luo? Not bad, a worthy young man, fit to match Cai Zhu. I am Guan Yue; you should have heard this name,¡± the old man observed Shen Luo closely, especially taking a longer look at the Purple Gold Bell he held before turning his gaze away and speaking with a faint smile. ¡°Guan Yue¡­ You are Senior Guan Yue, the only remaining Taiyi powerhouse from Mount Putuo!¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself before his eyes widened in shock. ¡°Correct. You''ve inherited the cultivation of the Black Bear Demon using the Lingdong Nine Heavens, right? Good timing, because the situation is dire. I don''t have time to explain, follow me quickly,¡± Master Guan Yue said before turning and flying deeper into the golden space. Shen Luo was somewhat overwhelmed by the rapid developments but seeing Master Guan Yue taking off, he quickly stowed the Purple Gold Bell and hurried after him. Chapter 871 Chapter 871: Chapter 868: The Five Immortal''s Combined Strength Chapter 871: Chapter 868: The Five Immortal''s Combined Strength ¡°Senior Guan Yue, I do not know where this is, but right now that Wei Qing is outside using the Demon Clan''s evil technique to absorb the corpses of Mount Putuo Disciples, converting them into his own power. This person is extraordinary, and his cultivation level is about to reach the Taiyi Realm. If we let him succeed, the entirety of Mount Putuo will be in danger. We must stop him, and if you take action, you will surely be able to do it,¡± he said urgently after catching up. ¡°Impossible, even if I take action, I cannot stop Wei Qing,¡± Master Guan Yue said without looking back, shaking his head slightly. ¡°You are aware of what Wei Qing is doing outside?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°Though I am old and dim-witted, my eyes are not so bad that I would be oblivious to the commotion that Wei Qing is causing. Wei Qing has a Taiyi Realm expert guarding him. If I take action, that person will also intervene to stop me. It''s no use,¡± sighed Master Guan Yue. Shen Luo''s expression changed, and then he remembered what the Black Jiao King and Fairy Qinglian had said at the beginning. Their side had a Great Taiyi Ability entangled with Master Guan Yue; it seemed that the one outside was that very individual. With this thought, his heart sank. Wei Qing has the protection of a Great Taiyi Ability. Who could interfere with his advancement in cultivation? From what had been seen earlier, it wouldn''t be long before Wei Qing could advance to the Taiyi Realm. At most, Master Guan Yue could only stop one, and the other Taiyi Existence would be sufficient to slay everyone. Could it be that Mount Putuo really could not escape this calamity¡­ ¡°Don''t wear such a mournful expression; the situation isn''t yet hopeless. The secret techniques of the Demon Clan are mysterious, somehow able to elevate a Mahayana junior to the Taiyi Realm. Our Mount Putuo lineage, inheriting from the Bodhisattva, is not idly practiced. I have a method that can deal with both Wei Qing and another Taiyi thief. However, this method requires the combined efforts of one Taiyi Cultivator and five True Immortal Cultivators. With the Black Bear Demon suddenly gone, we lack the necessary number of people. But fortunately, you appeared in time. It seems we are blessed by the Bodhisattva!¡± Master Guan Yue said with a hint of excitement in his tone. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Luo asked, his spirits lifting on hearing this. ¡°I would not deceive you. Follow me,¡± said Master Guan Yue, waving his sleeve. Below the two of them, a huge green lotus appeared, slowly spinning, vaguely resembling Mount Putuo''s Sitting Lotus Divine Ability. The two''s speed of travel suddenly increased, and they quickly arrived at the deepest part of the golden space. Shen Luo was stunned. This place was the site of an immense super Array that had been laid out, with countless colorful lights intertwining with each other, and dense formation flags and formation discs suspended in the air, connected to an enormous Array that nearly encompassed Heaven and Earth. This Array was composed of five parts, each displaying the colors of red, yellow, blue, green, and gold, fitting together like the five petals of a plum blossom. In the central part of the Array, a small mountain-like cylindrical altar was suspended, towering at four to five hundred feet high and nearly a thousand feet in diameter, and like the surrounding Array, it was also made up of red, yellow, blue, green, and gold regions, looking as though it were constructed from five different materials. However, this altar showed obvious signs of repair, with several edges and a substantial portion of the bottom area significantly different from other parts. The entire altar was covered in five-colored charm patterns, and countless large and small formation flags were planted on it. Amidst the flickering spiritual light, thick lines sprawled out, connecting with the surrounding giant Array. This Array was more vast and complex than the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array, and at the summit of the altar, there was a miniature light Array, also made up of red, yellow, blue, green, and gold lights, arranged in a plum blossom shape. Three figures were seated cross-legged there, one of whom was indeed Huang Tong Daoist, seated within the gold region. The other two Shen Luo had not seen before: one was a bearded old man, and the other a bronze-skinned strongman, each seated in the yellow and gold regions, respectively. The auras of these two were immense; they were also True Immortal Cultivators. The three on the altar also saw Shen Luo. Huang Tong Daoist''s face showed surprise, and the other two exchanged astonished looks. ¡°What is this Array? And where is this place?¡± Shen Luo stared blankly at the huge Array before him, took a while to regain his senses, and asked. Master Guan Yue''s face flickered with hesitation and he did not immediately reply. ¡°If the elder has secrets they find difficult to speak of, I shall not press the matter,¡± Shen Luo said upon seeing this. ¡°It''s not exactly a matter that''s difficult to discuss. This array is called the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, an immortal array passed down from ancient times. I am unaware of which High People created it, but it elucidates the Five Elements Truth, and its intricacy is unmatched. When the Bodhisattva Ancestor Master founded the lineage of Mount Putuo that year, many of the skills and secret techniques for curing injuries were derived from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, but the Five Elements Divine Abilities such as the Indigo Blue Sea and Earth Splitting Fire were comprehended by her from within this Great Five Elements Primordial Array. As for this place, it is the Array Method Space of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array. Given the urgency of the situation, let''s discuss these matters later. You, friend Shen, possess a Water-type Technique of exceptional purity, which makes you perfectly suitable to preside over the water array. This will benefit you without harm, so there''s no need for concerns. This is Friend Shen, the esteemed guest I have invited to help!¡± Master Guan Yue swiftly explained a few sentences before addressing the bearded old man and the bronze-skinned strongman with his last sentence. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, although Brother Shen''s cultivation level is sufficient, he is not a disciple of Mount Putuo; how could he¡­¡± the bearded old man hesitated in his speech. ¡°The situation is critical, and we must take expedient measures. There''s no need for further discussion.¡± Master Guan Yue waved his hand and, with a flicker, appeared above the altar, reaching up with one hand. A flash of golden light shone in the void above the altar, and Fairy Qinglian appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, is everything finally prepared?¡± The moment Fairy Qinglian appeared, she glanced at Shen Luo with slight surprise, then joyfully asked Master Guan Yue. ¡°With the arrival of Friend Shen, preparations are finally complete. Get ready!¡± Master Guan Yue said solemnly. Hearing this, Fairy Qinglian soared down into the green light formation area of the altar. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo no longer hesitated and flew toward the top of the altar, landing within the blue area. The blue area was filled with incredibly complex Formation Patterns that seemed to form a system of their own yet were closely connected to the surrounding areas. It was truly profound, and the same held for the other areas. At the center of the blue Formation Pattern, there was a blue ring, two feet in size. The other areas had the same feature, with both Huang Tong Daoist and Fairy Qinglian now sitting within a ring. Seeing this, he also moved into the center of the blue array and sat down cross-legged. ¡°Elder, since you have requested, this junior will naturally comply. However, as this is my first encounter with the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, I would need guidance on how to apply the skills,¡± Shen Luo bowed and said to Master Guan Yue. ¡°I will handle the operation of the Array. You only need to adjust the flow of Spiritual Power within the Array,¡± Master Guan Yue said. Shen Luo nodded and said no more. Seeing that the five people were ready, Master Guan Yue took out an ancient golden token, the size of a palm, and waved it toward the sky in front of him. A ray of Golden Light descended from the sky, landing at the intersection of the five-colored areas. There was a clicking sound at that place, and a stone stele, about a zhang tall and as thick as a millstone, slowly emerged. The stone stele had five faces, each displaying the color of one of the Five Elements and was facing the five of them. It was covered in complex symbols that were neither fully letters nor fully pictures, exuding a sense of mystery. The patterns on each of the five faces of the stele were different. Shen Luo closely examined the blue stele in front of him and soon noticed some clues. Though these symbols seemed chaotic, their arrangement and trajectory still adhered to certain rules. As he followed these rules, the symbols on the stele seemed to surge like torrential waves, with foam splashing. Engraved at the top of the stele was a much simpler pattern: a somewhat blurred golden scroll. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 872 Chapter 872: Chapter 869: All Annihilated Chapter 872: Chapter 869: All Annihilated ¡°` Shen Luo''s Divine Sense swept over the top of the stone stele, and his eyes involuntarily widened a touch. That scroll pattern was nothing else but the Heavenly Book! ¡°Why is the Heavenly Book Pattern appearing here? Does this Great Five Elements Primordial Array have something to do with the Heavenly Book?¡± His thoughts spun wildly. Fairy Qinglian, sharp as ever, noticed the change in Shen Luo''s expression and was about to ask when the five-colored formation patterns on the ground suddenly lit up simultaneously. Red, yellow, blue, green, and gold rays of light burst forth, enveloping the five of them. Fairy Qinglian quickly collected her spirit and a burst of green light rose from her body, stabilizing the surroundings of the array. A blue aurora also enveloped Shen Luo, and he immediately felt a heaviness in his body. Before he could react, an extraordinarily vast, yet extremely chaotic, water spiritual power infused his body from the aurora. He hurriedly circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, stabilizing the spiritual energy. The Nameless Cultivation Technique was extremely subtle and profound, and the more he practiced over the years, the deeper he realized the technique''s extraordinary nature. After only a few cycles, the chaos within the spiritual energy completely dissipated, becoming exceptionally tame. The other four were doing the same, stabilizing the spiritual power within the array, but judging from their expressions, it took them all longer than it took Shen Luo. Among them, Fairy Qinglian was the first to finish adjusting the spiritual power. She pointed with her hand, and a thick green light shot out from her fingertip, merging into the green stele. A layer of green light emerged on the green stele, and the mysterious symbols carved upon it immediately started to move as if coming alive, swiftly swimming around to form various profound patterns, both large and small, long and short, exceedingly mysterious. Fairy Qinglian''s eyes sparkled as she adjusted the spiritual energy within the array and scrutinized the marvelous changes on the stele. She hungrily read every detail, not willing to miss a single bit. The other three also stabilized their spiritual power and were making similar motions. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, formed a seal with his hands, and pointed towards the golden stone stele. A pure blue light shot from his hand, pouring into the stele. The blue stele lit up as well, its runes also began to move, transforming into countless water flow patterns, expounding the mysteries of flowing water. ¡°These water attribute changes have some connection to the Water-splitting Technique, and these water patterns seem to be expounding the mysteries of cold ice¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes grew wide as he used Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, straining to observe all the patterns on the stele and not missing a single one. Now he understood why Master Guan Yue said activating this formation would be beneficial and harmless to him. All the formation patterns on the altar lit up, and the Great Five Elements Primordial Array immediately began to buzz and operate, filling the space with a surge of five-colored light that instantly filled the area. The clouds over Mount Putuo were thick and heavy, like a massive lid covering the sky, and the light over Mount Putuo grew extremely dim, as if it suddenly turned to night. The surge of Demonic Qi leaking from the clouds became several times more intense, almost suffocating to those below. The disciples of Mount Putuo below had their killing intent rising, their eyes blood-red, almost completely losing their sanity; only a few with higher cultivation levels could barely maintain a shred of rationality, but they too were struggling mightily. Fairy Qinglian had disappeared, and three Great Mahayana Stage elders took over the hosting of the Golden Lotus Sword Array in mid air. The full name of the sword formation in mid air was the Vajra Golden Lotus Sword Array, the number one sword formation of Mount Putuo, with unrivaled ingenuity. The three elders could barely control this sword formation; its might was far less compared to when Fairy Qinglian presided over it, barely holding up against wave after wave of the Black Jiao King''s increasingly fierce attacks with the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. Moreover, they had to divert their attention to fend off the killing intent in their minds, which made it even more strenuous. ¡°` ¡°Sect Master, you must hurry,¡± the three elders strained to maintain the Sword Array, praying fervently in their minds. At that moment, streaks of five-colored light suddenly emerged in the void surrounding the square. Initially faint, the lights brightened considerably after a few breaths, enveloping Mount Putuo in a resplendent five-colored radiance. The next instant, everyone''s vision blurred, and when it cleared, their surroundings had shifted dramatically. Mount Putuo and the Demon Clouds in mid-air had vanished without a trace, and everyone was now in a pale golden space¨Cthe Array Method Space of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array. The positions of everyone within the space varied, some to the east, some to the west, but generally aligned with their previous positions on Mount Putuo. Without the Demon Cloud overhead, the maddeningly powerful force also disappeared. The Mount Putuo Disciples quickly regained their wits, and the bloodthirstiness in the demons'' eyes diminished significantly. ¡°What is this? An Illusion Technique?¡± The expression of the Black Jiao King darkened upon seeing the changes around him. ¡°All Mount Putuo disciples and fellow Daoists, retreat immediately!¡± The three Mount Putuo elders heaved a sigh of relief and began to maneuver the Sword Array backwards while shouting loudly. Though the Mount Putuo disciples, along with Li Shu, Zheng Jun, and other Sect members were shocked by the sudden change, they promptly retreated upon hearing the elders, distancing themselves from the demons. Despite not knowing what the Mount Putuo people intended to do, the Black Jiao King would not allow the enemy to have their way and was about to order his demon minions to move forward to stay mixed with the Mount Putuo disciples. But at that moment, an unexpected change occurred overhead. A five-colored flash illuminated the skies, and a Five-Color Altar appeared, with Shen Luo and others seated cross-legged on it. Surveying below, Shen Luo saw familiar faces like Li Shu and Zheng Jun unharmed and without casualties. Further away, Bai Xiaotian and the Little Bear Monster were also alive. He let out a sigh of relief and shifted his gaze even lower. Thousands of feet below, a dense cloud of Black Qi hung in the air, forming a Dark Cloud a hundred feet in size that spun rapidly, concealing whatever lay within. This scene was not unfamiliar to him¨Cit was exactly how Wei Qing had used the Demonic Clan''s Evil Technique before. A tremendous surge of Demonic Qi emanated from within, clearly reaching the Taiyi Realm, no less formidable than Master Guan Yue. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A flash of light burst from the Five-Color Altar, revealing the vast Great Five Elements Primordial Array nearby that enveloped everyone within. Only the Dark Cloud was too low to be covered by the Five Elements Primordial Array. Seeing the massive Array around him, the Black Jiao King''s expression underwent a drastic change. He quickly stowed away the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, a layer of Black Flame covered his body, and he transformed into a burning black light, shooting downward with incredible speed, ignoring the demons above. Whatever escape technique he employed, his speed was alarmingly fast, and in a blink, he was outside the range of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array. No sooner had the Black Jiao King fled that the Five-Color Altar began to spin. The nearby Great Five Elements Primordial Array suddenly lit up brightly as five massive streams of Five Elements Spiritual Power poured into the array, causing it to hum into action. Yellow flashes filled the Array, and an array of millstone-sized rocks appeared above the heads of the demons, radiating yellow light, and viciously smashing downward. Although the Mount Putuo disciples were also within the Array, the rocks seemed to have eyes of their own, skillfully avoiding them as they approached. The demons, clouded by the Demon Breath Technique, only realized the danger when the rocks were upon them. They tried to dodge in haste, but it was too late. Nearly half of the demons were struck by the rocks. The force of the rocks was astoundingly powerful; those demons hit by the stones, regardless of their cultivation level, had their bodies explode on impact. The surviving demons, shocked by the strength of the rocks and with some of their wits restored, began to scatter frantically, attempting to escape the bounds of the Array. Chapter 873 Chapter 873: Chapter 870: Another Taiyi Chapter 873: Chapter 870: Another Taiyi Above the altar, Master Guan Yue''s lips curled into a cold smile as he waved the token in his hand. The scattering Demons, with a flash of golden light above their heads, witnessed countless Golden Blades appearing out of thin air, striking wildly to create a storm of gold. Masses of Demons were engulfed by the Golden Blades, emitting ¡°hissing¡± sounds as they were minced into mush by the relentless blades. Before the Golden Blades dissipated, a green light flashed within the Array, and gigantic green logs, ten zhang long and thick as millstones, emerged, smashing down on the Demons. The logs, rubbing and crashing against each other, thundered like roaring thunder, lashing out streaks of green lightning hundreds of zhang away. Upon contact, the bodies of the Demons burst into intense green light, before exploding violently. After the logs, gentle waves of blue ripples appeared, seemingly tender as spring flowers, yet radiating a bone-chilling coldness. Demons touched by the ripples immediately froze into icy sculptures. Lastly, red light flashed across the sky, and balls of crimson flame shot down like meteors, falling onto the Demons with explosive rumbling impacts. Such was the rotation of the Five Elements Divine Ability, and not a single one of the tens of thousands of Demons survived; they were all reduced to ashes, not one spared. The Mount Putuo Disciples who had already left the Array watched this scene, stunned at first, then broke into a resounding cheer. Above the altar, Shen Luo was shocked by the formidable power of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array displayed before his eyes. He quickly collected himself, however, and continued to observe the blue Stele. The runes on the Stele were changing in profound and unparalleled ways. Although he had only been comprehending the Stele for a short time, his understanding of the Water Spirit''s power had already advanced significantly. Especially the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, which had derived from the Great Five Elements Primordial Array; comparing them side by side, Shen Luo''s enlightenment of the Indigo Ocean had surged, and he was on the verge of reaching the third level of the realm. Master Guan Yue paid no attention to the others, his eyes fixed on the Dark Clouds below as he pointed his finger. Immediately, the Five-Color Altar plummeted downward, reaching the Dark Cloud in the blink of an eye, with the vast Array engulfing both the cloud and the nearby Black Jiao King. Red light flashed around the Array, and hundreds of thick, crimson thunderbolts shot out, striking at the black cloud formation and the Black Jiao King. Having just witnessed the might of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, the Black Jiao King dared not resist head-on and hastily turned into a black light, plunging towards the clouds below. His speed was fast, but the crimson thunderbolts were faster, and it seemed he would be struck at any moment. ¡°Elder Mao, save me!¡± the Black Jiao King''s face turned pale as he abandoned any pretense of dignity and cried out loudly. Just then, a dazzling silver Whip Shadow suddenly shot out from beneath the black cloud, coiled around the Black Jiao King, and retracted with incredible swiftness. This swift extension and contraction, unbelievably fast, snatched the Black Jiao King into the safety below the clouds before the sky-engulfing flames could descend. Hundreds of thunderbolts followed, exploding once more into a towering Sea of Flames, engulfing both the black cloud and the Black Jiao King, rolling and burning tumultuously. An intense heat, capable of igniting the Void itself, emerged, and though Shen Luo and the others were at high altitude, they still felt the oppressive heat wave and had to use their abilities to defend themselves. The surrounding golden space twisted continuously, being burnt away by the Sea of Flames, but as the fragmented space crumbled, five-colored rays flickered, reconstituting the space, patching it up. However, the relentless heat persisted, quickly reducing the newly-formed space back to fire, and the Great Five Elements Primordial Array continued its work of repair. In this way, the space around them constantly flickered in and out of existence, causing the entire golden space to tremble. Shen Luo was contemplating the mysterious inscription on the stone stele when he caught a glimpse of the surroundings out of the corner of his eye and was secretly astonished. This crimson sea of flames seemed ordinary, but its power was much greater than that of the purple gold bell''s flames. He wondered how Wei Qing and the Black Jiao King were faring. Logically, within such a terrifying sea of flames, neither of them should have had any chance of survival; yet Wei Qing had been transformed into a member of the Demon Clan, and could not be judged by ordinary standards. As for the Black Jiao King, saved by that whip shadow of silver, he had called the person master, and given the demon''s cultivation level and status, the whip''s owner was very likely that Taiyi who had entangled with Master Guan Yue. The sea of flames was powerful, but it might not necessarily trouble someone with the great ability of Taiyi. While Shen Luo was thinking, a dazzling silver light suddenly shot out from within the sea of flames, unaffected by the surrounding flames, and a huge silver pupil could be seen suspended within it, commanding and intimidating, daring not to be underestimated. A strange laughter came from within the silver light, and then from the huge eye burst forth a vast expanse of silver light that spread out incredibly quickly, and in an instant, it had actually enveloped the sea of flames. An eerie scene unfolded. Wherever the silver light passed, the surging crimson flames disappeared without a trace, as if evaporating into thin air. In an instant, the entire sea of flames turned into nothingness, and the dark cloud within it, along with the Black Jiao King, also vanished, revealing a vast expanse of emptiness. The altar here was also affected. A layer of silver light appeared around it, obscuring the five-colored stone stele and interrupting the contemplation of Shen Luo and the others. ¡°What divine power is this?¡± Shen Luo looked around, ready to use the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to break through. Master Guan Yue, however, let out a cold snort and once again urged the Great Five Elements Primordial Array. A sky-obliterating burst of five-colored light erupted from the array, enveloping nearly all the void below. The five-colored light immediately interwove and began to rumble and spin, forming an enormous vortex that almost encompassed half the space. ¡°This is¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened. He had seen this five-colored vortex before; it was the very same vortex of five colors that emerged in his Dantian when the Water of the Jade Purifying Bottle touched the Nameless Cultivation Technique. But the five-colored vortex that appeared within him was as small as a mustard seed compared to the ocean-like vastness of the vortex before him, incomparable by any means. As soon as the five-colored vortex appeared, an unbelievable swallowing force erupted from it. The void below cracked and rippled as if it couldn''t withstand the force and was about to shatter. All the vitality, spiritual power, fluctuations, and even sounds in the void were sucked towards the rumbling vortex, instantly ground into the most primitive particles of vitality. The Mount Putuo disciples in the distance were also affected by this dreadful suction force. Some who stood close and had lower cultivation levels involuntarily flew towards it. Fortunately, a few Mount Putuo elders quickly cast spells and grabbed them in time. ¡°Quick! Everyone get away from here!¡± An elder shouted loudly, and everyone hurriedly flew backwards. In a part of the void below the five-colored vortex, there was a crackling sound as a clump of silver light emerged, but it immediately popped like bubbles and turned into specks of silver light that entered the vortex. The black cloud, the Black Jiao King, and a middle-aged fat man wearing a blue robe and felt hat staggered into view. The terrifyingly powerful force of the five-colored vortex surged wildly towards them, and like leaves in a gale, they had no control as they were pulled towards the center of the vortex. Not only that, but the protective spiritual light around the Black Jiao King and the middle-aged fat man disintegrated upon contact with the surrounding five-colored light, merging into it, and the mana within their bodies also rapidly drained away, pulled by the vortex. No matter how they cultivated their skills or cast spells, they simply could not stop it. The black cloud also rapidly scattered, turning into wisps of dark Qi that melded into the five-colored vortex. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 874 Chapter 874: Chapter 871 Regrets Too Late Chapter 874: Chapter 871 Regrets Too Late Shen Luo stared at the scene before him, greatly shocked in his heart. What kind of God''s Power was this five-colored vortex? Not only was its attracting force terrifying, as if it could devour all the vitality in the world, but even Demonic Qi could not escape it. It was truly fearsome. The silver light around them vanished, and the Five-Colored Stone Stele reappeared, but the blue runes on its surface had disappeared. In their place was a pattern of a five-colored vortex, spinning rapidly. Countless five-colored runes flashed upon the pattern, expounding on numerous profound changes, seemingly demonstrating the God''s Power of the vortex below. Shen Luo was initially stunned, but in the next moment, he immediately recovered and hurriedly observed the vortex pattern, trying to comprehend its changes. He did not expect to truly understand the God''s Power of the five-colored vortex; if he could grasp even a little of its superficial aspects, the benefits would be boundless. The middle-aged fatty''s aura was tremendous, having reached the Taiyi Realm. Under such circumstances, he still did not lose his composure, immediately forming a hand seal with one hand, and with a flick of his sleeves, a glazed hua cover shot out. ¡°Whoosh¡± Clusters of colored glaze flowers shot out from the cover, flickering ceaselessly, dancing unpredictably in the surrounding void. ¡°Pff¡± A soft noise. With a sudden flash, these colored glaze flowers formed a huge white and blurry Array that rapidly expanded, enveloping both individuals and the Dark Cloud beneath it. This Glazed Hua Cover, an unknown treasure, flashed with countless runes inside the light Array. It barely managed to withstand the immense suction of the five-colored vortex, and their figures immediately came to a halt. However, waves of five-colored light swept over one after another. The Array''s Spiritual Power quickly drained away, and its area rapidly shrank. ¡°A mere colored glaze cover also wants to resist the Reversed Five Elements Art!¡± Master Guan Yue uttered coldly, spat out a mouthful of essence blood, and merged it into the Golden Token. The Golden Token instantly turned into a golden cloud and, with a flash, merged into the Five-Colored Stone Stele of the altar. The light on the altar suddenly brightened, and the rotation speed of the five-colored vortex below unexpectedly doubled. The friction between them became so intense that streaks of electricity appeared, and the strength of the suction increased several fold. The white Array, already struggling to hold together, now twisted and wailed before bursting apart with a loud noise, the Glazed Hua Cover tearing apart like fabric. The middle-aged fatty and the Black Jiao King''s figures reappeared once more, thrown towards the center of the vortex. With the Black Jiao King''s weaker cultivation and without anyone to aid him, he had no power to resist the force of the vortex. With a whoosh, he was pulled into the five-colored vortex, and before even a scream could escape, he disintegrated into nothingness. The middle-aged fatty turned pale, without a moment''s hesitation he moved both sleeves, and various dazzling treasures flew out from within, in the blink of an eye more than twenty pieces were hurled into the five-colored vortex. ¡°Explode!¡± He quickly formed hand seals and belted out loud. Boom! The treasures lit up, and immediately, they transformed into blinding orbs, exploding. These twenty or so treasures were all extraordinary. Each could be considered at the level of Magical Treasures; their collective explosion created a gap in the five-colored vortex, interrupting the frightening suction. The middle-aged fatty grabbed the Dark Cloud, retrieved from his hand an object ¨C it was a brilliantly shining Silver Long Whip, which he lashed fiercely towards the void in front of him. ¡°` Hisss! A spatial rift was carved into the void, its edges shimmering with silver light, and numerous silver runes flickered, forming a silver array. The middle-aged fat man moved as fast as lightning, flying towards the silver rift. ¡°Don''t go!¡± Master Guan Yue saw this scene and let out a furious roar, his figure flickered onto the Five-Colored Stone Stele, with his golden light surging and nearly half of his mana being poured into the stele. Seeing this, Shen Luo and the others abandoned their attempts to comprehend God''s Power and hurriedly increased their mana input. The light radiating from the altar suddenly became ten times brighter, even masking the Five-Colored Vortex. Then, with a condensation of light, it transformed into a mountain-sized Five-Colored Giant Seal, its surface radiating brilliant light with numerous mountains and rivers patterns appearing, accompanied by a wooing sound of strange howls. As soon as the Five-Colored Giant Seal appeared, it immediately descended, blurring the void below with a sudden tremble. The middle-aged fat man had one foot already stepping into the silver rift when a thunderous boom resounded in midair. The void within dozens of miles suddenly experienced a terrifying force, compressing the air until it became as solid as reinforced steel. The man felt as though he was crushed under a gigantic peak, rendered immobile, as the nearby silver spatial rift now seemed as distant as the horizon. ¡°Damn it, I never thought that Mount Putuo would have such a horrific Great Formation! Such an array is rare even in the Immortal Realm, how could it appear in a sect in the lower realm! If I had known this, I would not have agreed to that person''s conditions and waded into these troubled waters!¡± The middle-aged fat man was full of regret, frantically trying to come up with a plan in his mind. Meanwhile, the dark cloud beside him also remained motionless, seemingly suppressed and unable to move. Atop the altar, Master Guan Yue''s complexion turned pale as well, obviously struggling to wield the Five-Colored Giant Seal. However, he persevered, his walking stick flashing with five-colored light, and he struck heavily upon the stele. With a resounding ''boom,'' a wave of five-colored ripples burst forth from the Five-Colored Giant Seal. The silver spatial rift shook violently as it was affected by the five-colored ripples and then burst with a loud boom, shattering and disappearing like porcelain. The middle-aged fat man''s body was hit by the five-colored ripples and vibrated countless times instantly, exploding into a mist of blood. After the strike, the Five-Colored Giant Seal disintegrated and dissipated, the light above the altar and the Five-Colored Vortex below became chaotic, and Master Guan Yue''s face turned even paler, and he let out a muffled grunt. At that moment, a green light shot out from the blood mist, revealing a Divine Soul little figure, clutching a silver long whip the size of a chopstick in its hands. The silver whip emitted a circle of silver light, enveloping the green little figure within it. It seemed that the treasure had protected the soul from being damaged by the recent ripples. The Divine Soul little figure had a look of terror on its face, and as it chanted an incantation, the surrounding blood mist hissed into flames, wrapping around the little figure and transforming into a streak of blood-red rainbow shooting off into the distance. The series of spells cast by the middle-aged fat man''s Divine Soul little figure was as quick as lightning. Master Guan Yue, due to the severe depletion of vitality from forcibly activating the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, was unable to cast a spell in time to stop him, and could only watch helplessly as he fled. That middle-aged fat man was a powerful person from the Taiyi Realm, his means and abilities far beyond those of a True Immortal like the Black Jiao King. Even if he couldn''t defeat Master Guan Yue and the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, he had more than enough ability to escape. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But at that very moment, a black arm suddenly shot out from the side and pierced through the blood-red rainbow, emerging on the other side, its hand firmly grasping the green little figure. The black arm had come out from the dark cloud that had also been struck by the five-colored ripples and had shrunk by nearly half, but the breath emanating from within did not seem to have weakened much. ¡°Wei Qing, what are you doing? I came here to help you, and yet you dare to strike me down!¡± The green little figure, firmly grasped and unable to move, shouted in shock and anger. Chapter 875 Chapter 875: Chapter 872 Demonization Chapter 875: Chapter 872 Demonization ¡°Haha, then I''ll help you out thoroughly!¡± A hideous cackle echoed from within the dark clouds, and immediately a figure tumbled forward, enveloping both the green little figure and the blood-red rainbow completely within. The blood-red rainbow struggled forcefully, like a blood dragon fighting for its life, but a black and red whirlwind suddenly rose from within the dark clouds, spinning rapidly. An overpowering evil aura leaked out from the whirlwind, followed by a piercing wail from the green little figure from within the dark clouds, but the next moment it weakened. The blood-red rainbow ceased its struggling and was quickly absorbed by the whirlwind into the dark clouds. This series of changes happened in the blink of an eye, and by the time Shen Luo and the others reacted, everything was already over. Master Guan Yue had caught his breath by this moment, his expression extremely grave as his hands formed incantations and flicked repeatedly. The altar''s radiance stabilized, and the five-colored vortex also returned to calm, emitting strands of five-colored light that shot out, enveloping the cluster of dark clouds. However, the aura within the dark cloud surged violently, and its volume abruptly increased several times, with bunches of pitch-black flames emerging on top, burning fiercely. The light from the five-colored vortex swept over, but upon touching the black demon flames, it was immediately burnt to nothingness, dissipating into thin green smoke, unable to absorb any vitality from the demon fire. ¡°What!¡± Master Guan Yue''s face showed shock, and he formed incantations again with a flick of his finger. ¡°Boom!¡± A loud noise thundered! In the center of the giant vortex, countless five-colored runes appeared all of a sudden, unleashing a force even more massive than before that surged toward the black fire cloud. The black fire cloud shook violently, becoming blurred for a moment, and then the demon flames finally began to peel away due to the suction, casting themselves into the five-colored vortex. Seeing this, Master Guan Yue''s tight lips finally showed a hint of a smile, just as he was about to strengthen his Mana to urge the Array. ¡°No good, this is an Illusion Technique! Senior Guan Yue, be careful, that Wei Qing has used a Demon Clan Escape Technique and gone elsewhere!¡± Shen Luo, his eyes emitting a Green Light, stared intently at the fire cloud, his expression suddenly changing as he shouted out. Upon hearing this, Master Guan Yue hurriedly looked at the five-colored vortex. The demon fire that had entered exploded with a pop, not because it was swallowed by the vortex, but because the illusion was forcibly unraveled and disappeared. Master Guan Yue''s face turned ashen in an instant, his eyes shining with Golden Light, bright as Sirius, clearly some kind of Pupil Technique as he scanned his Surroundings. Shen Luo also activated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, looking around him, his gaze halting on the direction of the Mount Putuo Disciples. Master Guan Yue also turned towards the Mount Putuo Disciples, his voice thundering with extreme anger and urgency as he abruptly bit the tip of his tongue, spraying a mouthful of essence blood mingled with pure Mana onto the Stone Stele of the altar, his hands forming incantations like turning Car Wheels. Suddenly a black light shone from within the group of Mount Putuo Disciples, and a figure appeared within it¨Cit was Wei Qing. He still had a human shape, but his skin had turned pitch black, with only the eyes and the blood-colored bone fragments in the centre of his forehead radiating waves of blood light, giving off an eerily bizarre appearance. The nearby Mount Putuo Disciples were greatly alarmed, retreating in succession. Wei Qing raised his hand and from below the black light, thick black demon flames shot out, the very ones from just before, stretching more than several ten feet, like fierce pythons, lunging towards the surrounding Mount Putuo Disciples, sweeping up dozens in an instant. These demon flames were astonishingly powerful; the Mount Putuo Disciples ensnared by them didn''t even have the chance to groan before they were consumed with a sizzle, leaving behind their substantially damaged Magical Treasures and instruments clattering to the ground. And with each person devoured, the Black Demon Flame grew even more significant, attacking the remaining Mount Putuo disciples faster and more ferociously. ¡°All disciples, retreat!¡± The three Mount Putuo elders, who had been outside activating the Sword Array to resist the Black Jiao King, flew over. The sound of sizzling surrounded them as they appeared, and countless golden Sword Shadows emerged from nowhere. There were over a thousand of them, forming a Sea of Swords, blocking the path of the black Demon Fire. The leader, with a nose red from drinking, formed a Sword technique with his hands, and the Golden Sea of Swords started trembling with a buzz. Numerous interwoven Golden Sword Qi flashed, and a colossal and overwhelming Sword Array of a thousand feet in dimension materialized, sweeping most of the Demon Fire within its range and fiercely slicing downwards. However, as soon as the Sword Light touched the black Demon Fire, it was immediately tainted pitch-black, showing no effect at all. And the Black Demon Flames, unfettered, burst out from within the Golden Sword Array and in a flash enveloped the three elders. Although the three elders were Great Mahayana Stage beings, they stood no chance against the Demon Fire and were instantly devoured, their robust essence Qi and Divine souls merging into it. A thunderous ¡°BOOM¡± resounded! The black Demon Fire, as if having consumed a great tonic, grew more than tenfold in an instant, turning into a Sea of Black Fire. The billowing Demon Flames spread out like evil dragons, attacking the other Mount Putuo disciples. However, at this moment, the Void above the black Sea of Fire shifted, and the Five-Color Altar appeared out of nowhere. The Great Five Elements Primordial Array also materialized, no longer a vortex of Five Colors but transformed into a field-like Five-Colored Light Array. It descended rapidly, caging Wei Qing along with the entire Sea of Black Fire inside it. Wei Qing''s vision blurred as the surroundings changed drastically once more. The pale golden space disappeared without a trace, replaced by a Five-Colored space. This Five-Colored space was filled with an extraordinarily strong confining force. The Void turned into something as hard as fine steel, and even with Wei Qing''s current Cultivation level, moving was difficult. His limbs were stiff, and even a slight movement was tremendously hard, and the Sea of Black Fire beneath him was also immobilized. ¡°Trivial tricks!¡± Wei Qing let out a light cold chuckle. He interlocked his fingers, and his body immediately radiated a purple-black glow. A Demonic God Dharmform with three faces and six arms emerged behind him. This Dharmform exuded a terrifying aura, let out an angry roar, and vanished into Wei Qing''s body in a flash. Wei Qing''s skin then suddenly emitted a blinding purple-black light, and the Blood-Colored Bone Fragment on his brow surged with light, flashing incessantly like countless blood-colored lightning bolts across heavens and earth. Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi converged like an angry tide, and his body swelled up wildly. Purple-black Scales and a myriad of Blood-Colored Spirit Patterns burst forth from his skin, with purple-black light groups on his cheeks and back flickering madly. After a loud shout, a hundred-foot-tall Ferocious Demonic God with three faces and six arms instantly appeared in the Void. No sooner had the Demonic God materialized than its six arms moved at once, pressing its gigantic Devil''s Palms toward various areas around them. The Void thundered resoundingly as six palace-sized purple-black giant palms appeared throughout the Five-Colored space, striking down viciously. The Five-Colored space cracked with a ¡°snap,¡± shattering instantaneously. Within the pale golden space, the Five-Colored Light Array formed by the Great Five Elements Primordial Array collapsed with a loud bang, and the vortex of Five Colors disappeared as well. The six forces of immense strength continued unabated, surging forward and striking various parts of the Array forcefully, with a purple-black giant palm even landing squarely on the Five-Color Altar. The Great Five Elements Primordial Array, under the assault of the six giant palms, became disordered. It weakened nearly by half in an instant, barely maintaining its shape. And the Five-Color Altar also shook as if the mountain was moving, with the bottom part stricken by a huge palm imprint several feet deep. Master Guan Yue''s face showed a look of shock as he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, slumping down next to the Five-Colored Stone Stele, weakened. Shen Luo and the other four were also shaken, some staggering a few steps back with difficulty to steady themselves, spitting out a small mouthful of fresh blood. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 876 Chapter 876: Chapter 873: Slaying Demons with Broken Sword Chapter 876: Chapter 873: Slaying Demons with Broken Sword Shen Luo''s heart was filled with indescribable shock. The giant demon that Wei Qing had transformed into possessed such overwhelming demonic might that with one strike, it almost broke the Great Five Elements Primordial Array¨Cthis was the formation that had easily defeated the middle-aged fat man, a Taiyi Existence. Fairy Qinglian and the other three all showed expressions of utter despair. The Five-Colored Light Array collapsed, and the ferocious Demonic God also revealed its form, its six cold gazes turning towards Shen Luo and the others. A sinister smile appeared at the corners of its mouth, and its six gigantic palms clenched into fists, launching another void strike towards the surrounding array. Six fist shadows shot out like meteors, striking harshly against the array that surrounded them. The sound of crackling explosions rose sharply, the formation patterns of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array shattered and collapsed incessantly, and the Five-Color Altar trembled violently, revealing numerous cracks. The pale golden space around them emitted sounds of a world-shaking catastrophe, with huge spatial rifts appearing everywhere, seemingly on the verge of total collapse, just like Chaoyin Cave before. Despite coughing up blood, Shen Luo was not gravely injured. Witnessing the scene around him, he fully activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, attempting to stabilize the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, but to no avail. Just at that moment, Master Guan Yue, who had been lying listlessly beside the Five-Colored Stone Stele, suddenly stood up. He sat cross-legged in front of the stele, pressed his right hand upon it, and held his left hand erect in front of him, while rapidly chanting cryptic spells. The Golden Light emanating from his body suddenly brightened immensely, resembling a rising eastern sun, dazzling and incredibly brilliant. The Great Five Elements Primordial Array, which had been on the brink of collapse, suddenly brightened, each of its formation patterns emitting dazzling light, even more splendid than before. Strangely, mixed within it were streaks of blood mang, and the array''s destruction halted abruptly. The next moment, rumbling sounds erupted, and the immense Five-Colored Vortex reappeared, enveloping the ferocious Demonic God within it. This series of spellcasting might sound complex, but in reality, it was completed in the blink of an eye, and the six fist shadows that had been flying out were also covered by the Five-Colored Vortex. Master Guan Yue, using some unknown method, had not only reactivated the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, but its power had increased several times over, surpassing its previous strength. A tremendous force surged from within the array, imprisoning the ferocious Demonic God and the six fist shadows, rendering them unable to move for the moment. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, have you used the Red Lotus Huayuan Destruction Technique? How could you do this, stop now!¡± Fairy Qinglian, seeing Master Guan Yue''s condition, exclaimed in shock, her face drastically changing. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s gaze shifted, and he immediately communicated with the Black Bear Demon, asking about the Red Lotus Huayuan Destruction Technique and what kind of God''s Power it was. ¡°The Red Lotus Huayuan Destruction Technique is a secret method created by one of our sect''s ancestors, the Red Lotus Ancestor. It can burn one''s essence blood and Souls to ash, transforming into unparalleled power, releasing several times the battle strength. However, the user will end up with their essence blood dried up, their Souls shattered, and they will perish, losing forever the chance to enter the cycle of reincarnation,¡± the Black Bear Demon sighed. Hearing this, Shen Luo displayed a look of somber resignation. The other three, hearing Fairy Qinglian''s words, also changed their expressions but did not speak out to stop it. The situation was dire. If Master Guan Yue did not use this technique to hold off the ferocious Demonic God, everyone would die here. Master Guan Yue, as if he had not heard Fairy Qinglian''s words, continued chanting the spells. The Golden Light on his body grew brighter, but his cheeks began to look clear and lustrous, slightly translucent. He let out a low shout, stood up with one finger, and drew a solemn line downwards. The space around them issued a thunderous crack as clear as the sky, the Five-Colored Vortex churned and condensed, instantly transforming into red, gold, blue, green, and yellow giant rings. The five giant rings quickly constricted like the instruments of execution, tightly binding around the neck, chest, and abdomen of the ferocious Demonic God, sinking deeply into its flesh. The ferocious Demonic God burst into a furious rage, its six arms reaching for the rings while pitch-black Demonic Flames surged up from beneath, attempting to destroy them. ¡°` Yet the five rings, formed by Master Guan Yue through the Red Lotus Huayuan Destruction Technique, driving the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, were immensely powerful. Even as the ferocious demonic god''s hands burned with fire, it could not destroy them immediately. At that moment, a white light flashed beside the Demonic God, and a small white bottle appeared out of thin air, from which a figure flew out¨Cit was Ma Xiuxiu, the woman. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, and Master Guan Yue, Fairy Qinglian, and the others were also startled. But now, as everyone was inside the Array, none could afford to divide their attention to deal with this woman. ¡°Congratulations to the Demonic God for returning to the Human World!¡± Ma Xiuxiu saw the scene before her, a look of shock on her face, but she immediately concealed it and bowed down to the giant demon. ¡°You have come at the perfect time! Quickly give me the Magic Extinguishing Sword, so I can break these prohibitions!¡± The ferocious demonic god, upon seeing Ma Xiuxiu, showed a flash of joy in his eyes and immediately spoke. Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuxiu''s expression stiffened slightly. ¡°What, are you worried I will covet your treasure? Or do you intend to betray me now that things have come to this?¡± The ferocious demonic god spoke slowly, his voice as cold as the yin wind blowing from a thousand-year-old icy pond. ¡°This subordinate dares not. The Magic Extinguishing Sword is here, please take it, Demonic God.¡± Ma Xiuxiu, trembling, quickly produced an object and held it above her head with both hands. From a distance, Shen Luo''s pupils constricted. It was an ancient, dark golden longsword that was broken in the middle, unfortunately a broken sword, yet it still radiated a grand and righteous qi of utmost yang. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, nearly half of the sword''s body was infiltrated by a thick blood color, seemingly refined by some kind of evil method, and emitted an aura of utmost yin and evil. ¡°This aura that contains both righteous and evil forces, it appears that the blood-red longsword Ma Xiuxiu previously wielded is this, and to think it''s a broken sword,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. ¡°The Magic Extinguishing Sword? This is bad! Young Master Shen, forget the Array for now. Now that Master Guan Yue is using the Red Lotus Huayuan Destruction Technique to drive the Array, being one person short won''t matter. Hurry and prevent the demonic god from getting that broken sword!¡± The Black Bear Demon urgently cried out. Although Shen Luo did not understand why the Black Bear Demon was so agitated, he still had considerable trust in him and immediately exited the Array, turning into a streak of blue light and shooting directly towards Ma Xiuxiu. As he leaped forward, he flipped his hand and pulled out the Purple Gold Bell, activating it with all his might. With a ¡°boom,¡± the Purple Gold Bell sounded its three chimes simultaneously, with wind, fire, and smoke spraying out to envelop Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°The Purple Gold Bell? Though the treasure is valuable, it''s a pity your cultivation is too weak to fully unleash its power,¡± Ma Xiuxiu did not react, but the ferocious demonic god sneered coldly, and shot out two streaks of black demon fire from beneath. One met the wind, fire, and smoke head-on, and the two forces actually stalemated there. The other, like lightning, swirled towards Shen Luo, reaching not far in front of him in a flash, a foul smell assaulting his nostrils. Having experienced the terror of this demon fire before, Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart. Not daring to meet it head-on, he hastily dodged to the side. But this slight delay was all it took for the demonic god to beckon with his right hand, and the broken sword in Ma Xiuxiu''s hands immediately flew towards him, landing in his grasp. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo sighed, flashed back, and resettled at the top of the altar. ¡°Friend Shen, the Great Five Elements Primordial Array requires the combined efforts of the six of us to operate. How could you leave the Array at will?¡± Fairy Qinglian said, somewhat reproachfully. ¡°No, Friend Shen did exactly the right thing just now. It''s unexpected that the Magic Extinguishing Sword would appear! It''s a pity that I realized it one step too late to lend Friend Shen a helping hand. Now that the sword has fallen into the hands of the demonic god, it seems these five rings will no longer restrain him,¡± Shen Luo did not speak, while Master Guan Yue said with an extremely troubled expression. Chapter 877 Chapter 877: Chapter 874: Observing the Fire in the Cave Chapter 877: Chapter 874: Observing the Fire in the Cave Fairy Qinglian was somewhat startled by the remark, just as she was about to ask what the Magic Extinguishing Sword was, Master Guan Yue continued to speak: ¡°You all maintain the Array! Don''t panic, I have a way to deal with that Demonic God,¡± Master Guan Yue spoke first, with a flicker of determination in her eyes. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo quickly sat down within the Array to operate his skills and maintain its operation, and the others also hurriedly acted according to Master Guan Yue''s instructions. Master Guan Yue''s right hand flexed and extended her fingers, rapidly tapping on the Five-Colored Stone Stele, continuously shooting out streams of essence blood from her fingertips, injecting it into the stele. At the top of the Stone Stele, interweaving golden runes suddenly emerged, emitting strange golden light. The golden light differed from the golden light of the Buddhist Sect''s Mount Putuo and instead resembled the summoning golden light emitted by Shen Luo when he activated the Heavenly Book. The Heavenly Book pattern on the top of the Stele also brightened and formed a small Array. Inside the jade pillow, the Heavenly Book Projection seemed to be summoned, ¡°buzzing¡± and trembling, as if ready to fly out and enter the small Array. Shen Luo felt a shock in his heart, quickly silently operating his Skills to stabilize the encased Heavenly Book Projection. He still didn''t know the purpose of this golden Array and naturally couldn''t allow the Heavenly Book to manifest itself. Just at that moment, a thunderous ¡°boom¡± from below erupted, followed by a dazzling red light shining upwards. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense swept downwards, and his expression immediately darkened. Below, the Ferocious Demon God held the Broken Sword, its Sword body once again surging with a dense blood-red Sword light, shooting out hundreds of feet away. A tragic and tumultuous breath burst from the Sword body, far surpassing the time when it was in Ma Xiuxiu''s hands. The Red Giant Ring on the body of the Demonic God had disappeared, apparently shattered by the Blood Sword; the loud noise just now was indeed caused by the explosion of the Red Ring. The others also saw this situation and felt extremely anxious, but Master Guan Yue, as if she heard nothing, continued to form hand seals, urging the Golden Array. The Demonic God flicked its wrist, and the Blood-red Longsword transformed into a massive Sword Rainbow, slashing down onto the green Ring. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the green Ring was cut asunder, exploding into a cluster of dazzling green light that scattered, and the surrounding Void also buzzed and trembled. But the Demonic Body was incredibly resilient, and this explosive green light failed to leave a single mark on it. The Demonic God paid no heed to anything else and only looked at the Blood-red Longsword in its hand, a hint of eagerness in its eyes. At that moment, a sudden loud noise came from above the altar, and an immense and majestic breath filled the area. The Demonic God abruptly raised its head to see the golden light at the top of the altar surging upwards, rushing straight to the sky. Moreover, in that soaring golden light, a projection of a Golden Heavenly Gate, over thirty feet tall, flashed into existence. The entire pale golden space above emitted a wooing howl, and huge swathes of golden clouds suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with thunder and lightning weaving through them, as if Heavenly Thunder had come into the world. Shen Luo saw this scene and was slightly taken aback. This was quite similar to when he used the Heavenly Book to summon Dream Cultivation. At the top of the altar, the others were also stunned by the sight before them. ¡°The Great Five Elements Primordial Array actually has such variations¡­¡± Fairy Qinglian murmured to herself, extremely astonished. Master Guan Yue paid no heed to the celestial phenomena above his head and flipped his hand to produce a golden talisman embroidered with the pattern of the Heavenly Book. The talisman emitted a vigorous breath that was unmistakably the fluctuation of the Heavenly Book''s energy. Upon seeing the talisman, a flash crossed Shen Luo''s eyes. Master Guan Yue flipped his palm and pressed the golden talisman into the Array at the top of the Stone Stele. The Array inside flashed with golden light, and the talisman merged into it just like that. Boom! The thunder and lightning in the sky suddenly intensified, and the projection of the Golden Heavenly Gate within the column of light solidified almost instantly. Then, the sound of thunder roared from within the gate, and countless fist-sized thunderballs, exhibiting the colors of the Five Elements and a translucent crystal quality, burst forth like rain, pummeling the ferocious Demonic God below. With three giant rings yet to be released from its body, the Demonic God had no way to dodge and was quickly submerged by the five-colored Divine Thunder that faintly glowed with a crystal radiance. For a time, the blinding crystal brilliance of the Five Colors filled the entire Great Five Elements Primordial Array. All the lights of the Array Techniques, the Demonic Body, and the Demonic Flames were overshadowed, with everything suppressed by these crystal radiances. An immense and supreme yang energy permeated the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, sweeping away all the malevolent energies in an instant. Shen Luo, curious about the scene below, was suddenly struck full-on by the surging brilliance, and his eyes instantly suffered a severe pain, as if two burning blades were fiercely thrust into them. Then, he could see nothing at all. ¡°What''s going on?¡± He was greatly shocked and quickly closed his eyes, silently stirring his Divine Sense, sensing the condition of his eyes. Upon examination, Shen Luo''s heart sank, and his complexion turned deathly pale. The Xuan Yin Illusion Power that he had painstakingly accumulated in his eyes for over a year was completely cleansed by the five-colored brilliance, vanishing without a trace. Although the foundation of the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil was still there, and he could continue to cleanse his eyes with the medicinal liquid and accumulate the Xuan Yin Illusion Power from the start, over a year''s worth of hard work had gone to waste. ¡°Forget it, I''ll start over.¡± Although Shen Luo was reluctant, he did not pay too much mind to it and began to nourish his eyes with his Mana. But at that moment, the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman within him suddenly trembled violently, and a power of illusion tremendously richer than before burst forth, more than a hundred times greater than what he had absorbed initially, flooding into his eyes. Green light burst forth from Shen Luo''s eyes, even piercing through his eyelids, rapidly accumulating the Xuan Yin Illusion Power within his eyes. To say it was Xuan Yin Illusion Power was somewhat inaccurate, as the power contained within the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman was somewhat different. Fortunately, this new power did not conflict with his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, and its effects seemed even better. His eyes greedily absorbed this illusion power, and the stabbing pain quickly vanished, replaced by an indescribable sense of relief. Overjoyed, Shen Luo continued to cultivate the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, absorbing the power from the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman. The green light in his eyes grew brighter by the moment, and his cultivation of the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil progressed by leaps and bounds. It was at this moment that his eyes suddenly twitched, and deep within them, two unusually faint cyan runes converged, forming circular shapes and emitting mesmerizing light, looking exceptionally profound. And the surge of illusion power from the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman also abruptly came to a stop, reverting to its former state. Although complex, these successive changes took only the span of seven or eight breaths. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, which now had a layer of translucent jade-like green, astonishing to behold. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The world around him underwent a drastic change, with everything suddenly appearing extremely bright and clear. Things that were once invisible to him, even the most minute details, suddenly seemed magnified, clearly visible before his eyes. His insight into Mana had also improved dramatically. With one glance, the flow of Mana within his body was revealed without missing a single fine meridian. Even the Mana circulation within Fairy Qinglian, Huang Tong Daoist, and even Master Guan Yue was crystal clear to Shen Luo, as plain as the lines on one''s palm, transparent as if seen through fire. Chapter 878 Chapter 878: Chapter 875: Feigning Retreat to Lure the Enemy Chapter 878: Chapter 875: Feigning Retreat to Lure the Enemy Master Guan Yue continued to cast spells, manipulating the Five-Color Altar. The golden array atop the altar had already become dim, and the golden Heavenly Gate above had disappeared. Yet he did not cease his spellcasting, his hands still rapidly forming seals. The forceful mana within him surged turbulently, massively authoritative, but Shen Luo could clearly see that his essence blood was almost entirely burnt out, strong on the outside but hollow within, unable to sustain much longer. Shen Luo inwardly sighed, then shifted his gaze and began to observe the other four individuals. He had already met Huang Tong Daoist and Fairy Qinglian before, but the bearded old man and the bronze-skinned strongman were strangers to him, so he took an extra moment to look them over. He had just now secretly inquired about them from the Black Bear Demon and learned that the two were named Ming Yu and Di Zhong, two elders from Mount Putuo. However, these two often secluded themselves and rarely made appearances in the sect, which is why most of the sect disciples were unaware of them. The bearded old man''s mana was as heavy as a mountain, clearly having cultivated an Earth Attribute Cultivation Technique. His external appearance was aged, but his flesh was extraordinarily robust. In particular, his bones showed an eerie yellow color and were marked with Earth Spirit Patterns, indicating that he had cultivated some body-strengthening God''s Power. Within the body of the bronze-skinned strongman, mana flowed like fire, extremely volatile, having cultivated a Fire Attribute Technique. The burly man had a rugged physique, but his physical strength was not particularly formidable. The reason for his physique was due to his flesh and blood containing a large amount of pure mana, which fostered muscle growth. This bronze-skinned strongman, through some unknown God''s Power, had managed to store mana within his flesh. The amount of mana in his body was more than double that of a monk of the same realm, resembling the unique function of opening Meridians. While Shen Luo was scrutinizing the two, the elder and the strongman seemed to sense something and simultaneously turned to look his way. Shen Luo''s Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil was fully activated. Once their gazes met, the bearded old man and the bronze-skinned strongman''s visions instantly became dizzyingly distorted. The next moment, a blur appeared before their eyes, and they found themselves in a world where Green Light flowed, appearing infinitely deep, as though they were in a boundless starry sky. ¡°Illusion Technique!¡± The bearded old man and the bronze-skinned strongman exclaimed in shock. However, both were experienced and broad-minded, and though surprised, they remained calm and immediately began channeling their Soul Power to employ various methods from Mount Putuo to break the illusion. But no matter what techniques they used, they were unable to alter the surrounding Illusion Domain in the slightest, let alone break free, which truly caused them to panic. ¡°Who would have thought this young man with the family name Shen was adept at such a profound and unfathomable Pupil Technique, but why is he casting it on me now? Could it be he has been colluding with the Ferocious Demon God in secret and has chosen this moment to strike?¡± The bearded old man was shocked and anxious, but without any solution. Just at that moment, a flash of Green Light burst before his eyes, and all the illusions disappeared without a trace, returning them to the top of the altar. The gaze of the bronze-skinned strongman also returned to clarity, unharmed and unaffected by any foul play. ¡°Elder Ming, please forgive my actions. It was not my intention to cast the technique on you, it''s just that I''ve only recently mastered this Pupil Technique and still can''t control it at will. Unconsciously, it might pull someone into the Illusion Domain.¡± The voice of Shen Luo echoed in the bearded old man''s mind, filled with apologies. Realizing he had been mistaken, the bearded old man''s eyes flickered with a deep wariness. He shook his head to indicate he didn''t mind. Shen Luo also apologized to the bronze-skinned strongman. The strongman was mildly angry yet, given the urgent situation at hand, it was apparent he had no time to settle scores with Shen Luo. Shen Luo silently operated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and quickly concealed the Green Light in his eyes, returning them to their normal appearance, but inwardly he was overjoyed. The power of the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil was indeed great; having just attained proficiency, he was able to subject two Great Elders of Mount Putuo to an illusion. Should he continue to refine this God''s Power, its might would surely grow even stronger. He took a deep breath, suppressed the excitement brewing within him, and looked down once more. The five-colored brilliance that had filled the majority of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array began to recede, soon revealing the figure of the Ferocious Demon God. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank slightly at the sight. At this moment, the Ferocious Demon God looked extremely pitiable. Its originally hundred-feet-tall body had startlingly shrunk to about a dozen feet, and most of its scale armor was shattered. Half of its Flesh and Blood had turned charred, with some areas even exposing Bones. The four arms originally on the back of the Demonic God had all vanished, leaving only the two in front. The left hand was covered in wounds and had become nearly unusable, while the right hand holding the Magic Extinguishing Sword was still intact¨Cperhaps the sword itself was protecting its bearer. The Demonic God, though a horrific sight to behold, had also lost the remaining three giant rings on its body. Nearby, Ma Xiuxiu was nowhere to be seen. With the girl''s cunning, she had likely used the Jade Purification Bottle to escape. The Blood Light on the Bone Fragment on the Ferocious Demon God''s forehead had dimmed, and the blood radiance within its eyes also dissipated significantly, revealing a different expression. With the great advancement of his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, Shen Luo could now notice many details about the Ferocious Demon God that he hadn''t caught before. Inside the body of the Ferocious Demon God, Demonic Qi surged. It had weakened by over sixty percent compared to before, yet the remaining Demonic Qi was still incomparably pure and far superior to that of ordinary Demonic Monsters. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo paid no attention to this Qi, instead, his gaze went towards the Demonic God''s mind, revealing a look of surprise in his eyes. Indeed, an image reflected in his vision was that of the situation inside the mind of the Demonic God. Within the mind of the Demonic God, the tiny figure of Wei Qing''s divine soul was entangled with streams of blood-red light, appearing dazed as if in some slumber state. Within the blood-red light, a shadowy figure loomed, ghost-like, clinging onto Wei Qing''s Soul Power, seemingly invading it continuously. However, now that ghostly blood shadow appeared to have been injured by the Five-colored Divine Thunder just now, looking quite weak as the blood light rapidly dimmed. In contrast, the green light above the tiny figure of Wei Qing''s divine soul was becoming brighter, indicating signs of awakening. ¡°Indeed, someone is secretly controlling Wei Qing. Master Guan Yue is at the end of his strength. I wonder if he can still summon the Divine Thunder from just now. We can''t let someone continue to control Wei Qing. We must find a way to awaken him, only then will we stand a chance of victory,¡± Shen Luo thought rapidly, leaving the Formation once more and flickering in front of the Demonic God. He reached out and took out an object¨Cthe Yangliu Branch. ¡°Daoist Wei, the Yangliu Branch you desire is here. If you are willing to retreat, I can give you this object. It wouldn''t be a problem,¡± Shen Luo called out aloud. As he spoke, he silently activated his Pupil Technique, with the green light in his eyes flickering, stimulating Wei Qing''s divine soul. The Demonic God, seeing the Yangliu Branch and coupled with the stimulation from Shen Luo''s Pupil Technique, saw the blood color in its eyes fade rapidly, revealing a refreshing clarity. Seeing this, Shen Luo was immediately overjoyed. Within Wei Qing''s mind, the blood shadow glanced outside for a moment, its face revealing a strange expression before suddenly vanishing, and did not struggle for control of the body with Wei Qing. Above the altar, although Master Guan Yue, Fairy Qinglian, and others did not have Shen Luo''s insight to see directly into Wei Qing''s mind, given their extensive experience, they all had a good guess at Wei Qing''s current state. Seeing Shen Luo possibly waking Wei Qing, they were all pleased. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, can you still summon the Five-colored Divine Thunder one more time? One more attack and we should be able to eradicate this demon completely!¡± Fairy Qinglian transmitted her voice to Master Guan Yue. Chapter 879 Chapter 879: 876 Chapter: The Truth Chapter 879: 876 Chapter: The Truth ¡°I had already been preparing, and there''s still one Heaven Commanding Lightning Talisman that can summon the Supreme Sun God Thunder from the Heavenly Court once. But the Heavenly Gate has already closed, and I need time to summon it again¡­ Friend Shen, try to delay some time,¡± Master Guan Yue didn''t turn back, continuing to operate the Golden Array and speaking through a transmission, the last part was sent to Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s gaze slightly flashed before immediately returning to calm. ¡°Yangliu Branch! Quick, give it to me!¡± A glint of frenzy flashed in Wei Qing''s eyes as his massive form vanished in an instant, then, like a ghostly specter, he appeared in front of Shen Luo. His Devil''s Palm swelled and the five fingers lunged toward the Yangliu Branch to grasp it fiercely. Even with severe injuries, the Demonic God''s speed was still like thunder and lightning, something a True Immortal cultivator could not evade. But Shen Luo, with greatly enhanced senses, immediately noticed the moment Wei Qing concentrated Demonic Qi, and he performed the Slanting Moon Steps and the Teleportation and Transfiguration Technique. As the Devil''s Palm appeared, Shen Luo''s body had already blurred and then vanished. The grasp missed, causing Wei Qing to momentarily freeze in surprise. ¡°Daoist Wei, why the haste? As long as you leave Mount Putuo and swear never to invade again, I will immediately give you this Yangliu Branch,¡± Shen Luo''s figure appeared hundreds of feet away behind, he said with a light smile. ¡°Impossible!¡± Wei Qing turned to look at Shen Luo and shouted coldly. ¡°Daoist Wei, I have already heard from The Protector about your affairs. Senior Jinlin wasn''t killed by someone from Mount Putuo¡­¡± Reflecting on Master Guan Yue''s words, Shen Luo looked at Wei Qing, briefly recounting what he had heard from the Black Bear Demon. ¡°¡­ I also deeply regret what happened to Senior Jinlin; she too perished at the hands of those demons while protecting Mount Putuo and the Green Moon Sect Master. Even if Mount Putuo did err, they do not deserve death. Perhaps you were caught in someone else''s trap and did not understand the truth of that year, prompting you to rebel. But it''s not too late to turn back now. Don''t become a pawn of the Demon Clan,¡± Shen Luo added in the end. ¡°Do you think I wouldn''t know about the things you mentioned, having been on Mount Putuo all these years?¡± Wei Qing heard this and showed no surprise, instead, the corner of his mouth curled into a cold smirk as he retorted. Shen Luo, hearing this, was taken aback. ¡°Shen Luo, it''s you who has fallen into someone else''s trap. Do you believe everything that Black Bear Demon told you?¡± Wei Qing said with a look of mockery. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, and he was silent. ¡°Just right! Since you want to know the truth of that year, I will tell you everything and show you and everyone here just how hypocritical these so-called righteous monks from Mount Putuo are!¡± Wei Qing turned to look at the people around him and said with a distorted expression. ¡°Audacious! Wei Qing, you have betrayed the sect and sided with the Demon Clan, and your sin is so great that it cannot be tolerated by Heaven and Earth. Yet you still dare to muddle the facts and tarnish the reputation of Mount Putuo!¡± Huang Tong Daoist suddenly shouted angrily from the altar. ¡°What, Huang Tong Daoist, are you feeling guilty? Hahaha, I insist on telling, let everyone see your filthy true face. All the events of that year, everything was orchestrated by you and that thief Madam Qingyue,¡± Wei Qing laughed heartily. At these words, not only Shen Luo and the others but also the remaining disciples of Mount Putuo nearby all changed their expressions. Countless eyes looked towards Huang Tong Daoist, but his expression remained unchanged. ¡°Shen Luo, that Black Bear Demon told you that year my father and I bore the Nine Yin Absolute Vein, and thus we were plagued by illness, a claim utterly ridiculous. Indeed, my father and I possess a constitution of extreme Yin, but not the Nine Yin Absolute Vein; it is instead the Kui Yin constitution. The reason for our afflictions lies in someone having planted a Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint within us.¡± Wei Qing''s eyes flickered with a cold light as sharp as ice. ¡°Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint? What is that?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. ¡°With your advanced cultivation, you should know that upon reaching the True Immortal Stage, one will encounter Three Major Disasters, correct?¡± Wei Qing did not answer, but instead posed a question. ¡°Of course, I am aware of that,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°The calamities among the Three Disasters are incredibly fierce, and a single misstep could result in the soul being scattered to the winds. People of some heretical paths in ancient times concocted the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint; this imprint, once carved into a monk''s body, gradually erodes the host''s divine soul, eventually refining it into a doppelganger. When the Three Disasters descend, one could rely on this imprint to transfer the calamities onto the doppelganger, thus aiding oneself in Crossing Tribulation,¡± Wei Qing said with a sneer. ¡°Yuan Qiu, have you ever heard of the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint?¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo did not ask the Black Bear Demon, but instead communicated with Yuan Qiu through his divine soul. ¡°I have heard of it, indeed as Wei Qing describes,¡± Yuan Qiu replied. ¡°Both my father and I have the Kui Yin constitution, and naturally possess formidable divine soul power, making us excellent candidates for enduring the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint. We were both implanted with it; Thief Madam Qingyue was the one who planted the imprint in me, while it was Huang Tong Daoist who planted the soul imprint in my father.¡± Wei Qing looked towards the top of the altar, her eyes revealing an extreme bitterness. Upon these words, the crowd was once again in uproar. Atop the altar, Fairy Qinglian''s pupils flashed with a tinge of anger. She and the Green Moon Sect Master were close friends from their time in the mortal world, entering Mount Putuo together, sharing meals and sleep over the years, forging a deep relationship. Fairy Qinglian always admired the former Sect Master Qingyue, and hearing Wei Qing''s defamation, rage was already swelling in her heart. But since she needed to bide for time, she had to suppress her anger and did not lash out. ¡°Nonsense. I have long been bestowed with multiple Tian Gang Transformation Techniques by my sect. To Cross the Three Disasters would be effortless for me; why would I resort to such measures?¡± Huang Tong Daoist retorted with a cold voice. Shen Luo had also anticipated this point; possessing Tian Gang Earth Evil Transformation Techniques, Crossing the Three Disasters would not be so difficult. Given Mount Putuo''s resources, it would be unlikely they hadn''t collected some transformation techniques. ¡°Your words may deceive others, but they do not fool me. Indeed, using the transformation techniques of Tian Gang Earth Evil can hide from the prying eyes of Tianji and avoid the harm of the Three Disasters. But the Heavenly Dao is vast and impartial; can it really be so easily cheated? A True Immortal cultivator who avoids the Three Disasters using Transformation Techniques, upon advancing to the Taiyi Realm, will face a Taiyi Tribulation many times more powerful. Such an act is like drinking poison to quench thirst; would you elders of the great sects really commit to such deeds?¡± Wei Qing''s face showed a mocking smile as she sternly questioned. ¡°So there''s such an argument¡­¡± Shen Luo was quite astonished. Huang Tong Daoist''s eyes narrowed slightly, and a fleeting glint of viciousness appeared, but it came and went swiftly, returning to calm so quickly that the people around didn''t notice. Only Shen Luo, standing nearby with his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil adept at noticing minor changes, caught this fleeting expression. ¡°Could it be that everything is true, judging by Huang Tong Daoist''s expression¡­¡± a chill went through Shen Luo''s heart. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°My father and I suffered terribly with the burden of the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint, finding no rescue, so we had no choice but to pray day and night by the side of the Golden Lotus Pond to the Bodhisattva. As fate would have it, I encountered Jinlin, whose nature is kind. She taught me Mount Putuo''s Skills to gather Qi and restore the origin, slightly alleviating the agony.¡± As Wei Qing spoke to this point, she seemed to recall Jinlin and a tender expression appeared on her face. Chapter 880 Chapter 880: Chapter 877: The Return of the Golden Scales Chapter 880: Chapter 877: The Return of the Golden Scales ¡°` ¡°This assertion seems inappropriate. I''ve heard that Senior Jinlin''s cultivation level is profound. Could she not see that a Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint was planted in your body? All you needed to do was reveal this, and the Qinglian Sect Leader and Senior Huangtong would have faced severe punishment from the sect. In that case, none of the subsequent events would have occurred,¡± Shen Luo suddenly interjected. ¡°That thief Madam Qingyue and Huang Tong Daoist''s Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint on me and my father is no ordinary soul brand. It''s a unique imprint, and they''ve also used a secret technique to conceal it. Initially, Jinlin didn''t recognize it either,¡± Wei Qing snorted as he spoke. What Wei Qing described could indeed make sense, but Shen Luo still felt there were some problems with it, though he couldn''t quite put his finger on them at the moment. ¡°Later, during the sect''s grand competition, I was discovered by Mount Putuo''s disciples to have learned their Daoist techniques. Left with no choice, Jinlin had to flee with me. Only at this moment did I learn about the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint that thief Madam Qingyue planted within me. Not just that, but my encounter with Jinlin, her transmission of Putuo Techniques to me, and even the exposure of my cultivation level during the sect''s grand competition, were all arranged by her in secret. The purpose was to force Jinlin out of the sect and to secure her position as the leader of Mount Putuo,¡± continued Wei Qing, his voice seemingly capable of freezing people into ice. ¡°Shut up, sister Qingyue is a person of high morals and integrity, placing the sect above all; you have no right to slander her like this!¡± Fairy Qinglian couldn''t bear it as Wei Qing repeatedly called her ¡°thief Madam,¡± and her eyes nearly spat fire. ¡°High morals and integrity? Haha, what a global joke! Sect Leader Qinglian, although you and Qingyue have been in the same sect for many years, you truly don''t understand her character! That thief Madam has mediocre talent but is extremely competitive. Unfortunately, among her peers, whether it''s you or Jinlin, her talent is far inferior. Her heart is always filled with fear, afraid that your cultivation level will surpass her by too much, which is why she used the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint,¡± Wei Qing sneered continuously, his eyes brimming with disdain. Upon hearing these words, Fairy Qinglian stood there in a daze, recalling memories long past. Some things were indeed as Wei Qing described, she had just never paid attention to them. The Mount Putuo elders and some senior disciples, recalling the behavior and style of Qingyue as Sect Leader, found that Wei Qing''s words largely matched. They couldn''t help but become somewhat skeptical. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°When Jinlin and I escaped Mount Putuo, that thief Madam Qingyue, fearing the exposure of her actions, pursued us together with Huang Tong Daoist. They caught up to us at the Southern Sea. To cover my escape, Jinlin alone held them all off and ultimately was exhausted to death. It was then that I told myself, for as long as I live, I must destroy Mount Putuo to avenge her deep-seated grievance!¡± Wei Qing glared at Fairy Qinglian, Huang Tong Daoist, and others, his eyes revealing endless hatred. When he yelled these last few sentences, he did so with great force, his voice booming and echoing in the space. Everyone present turned pale, and for a long time, no one spoke. ¡°Elder Huangtong, when you and sister Qingyue went out chasing Jinlin and the others that year, only the two of you returned. Since sister has passed away, you''re the only one who knows the whole truth. Is what Wei Qing says true?¡± Fairy Qinglian''s face was deathly pale. She slowly turned to look at Huang Tong Daoist, her gaze sharp and piercing, causing tremors in the hearts of those who met it. Huang Tong Daoist''s gaze flickered, about to deny it, but under Fairy Qinglian''s intense stare, he inexplicably trembled, unable to utter a word. Seeing his reaction, everyone knew that what Wei Qing said was not false. They all sighed inwardly. Shen Luo furrowed his brows. What Wei Qing said appeared to be true, but he still felt something was not quite right. Moreover, throughout Wei Qing''s lengthy talk, the blood shadow in his mind surprisingly didn''t take the opportunity to act up, which was indeed odd. At this thought, he quietly operated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil again, discreetly peering into Wei Qing''s divine soul, and a shock flashed through his eyes. In Wei Qing''s mind, the red shadow had disappeared without a trace. As Wei Qing finished speaking, he started to breathe heavily, as if revealing these words had consumed a great deal of his mental effort. ¡°Yi Lang, you''ve suffered much over these years.¡± A gentle voice suddenly came from behind Wei Qing. Wei Qing''s body shook violently, and he froze in place. In the next moment, as if waking from a dream, he swiftly turned around, only to see a woman in a golden long skirt, hair like clouds, standing there, appearing out of nowhere. The woman looked to be in her mid-twenties. Her features were not particularly stunning, but her clear, bright eyes and her smiling lips made every movement vastly comforting. She exuded a gentle and soothing demeanor from the inside out. Shen Luo was also startled. He was the closest to Wei Qing and, although he was considering the situation, he had not let his guard down. He hadn''t noticed where this long skirt woman had come from at all. ¡°` ¡°Jinlin¡­ Jinlin¡­¡± Wei Qing looked at the long-skirted woman, his face filled with an expression of disbelief, so much so that his speech began to stutter. On the altar, Fairy Qinglian, Huang Tong Daoist, and the others also had their expressions change drastically. They had all seen Jinlin before, and this long-skirted woman was indeed her, but wasn''t Jinlin supposed to have fallen? How could she appear here? ¡°It is I.¡± The long-skirted woman slowly stepped forward, walking up to Wei Qing and raising her hand to gently stroke his body. At that moment, Wei Qing was in his Demonic God State, towering much higher than the woman, so she could only brush the lower part of Wei Qing''s leg with her hand. ¡°Are you really Jinlin? Impossible! I preserved your physical body in the Ten Thousand Years Ice Cave of the Great Snow Mountain, and I haven''t even obtained the Yangliu Branch yet. You cannot possibly be resurrected at this moment! Who are you really? Why do you take on Jinlin''s appearance to deceive me?¡± Wei Qing paused, then immediately stepped back, shouting sternly. ¡°Daoist Wei need not be so surprised. Our clan also possesses secret techniques and treasures capable of resurrecting the dead. Moreover, Daoist Ao has already obtained the Jade Purification Bottle. We used the Sweet Dew Water inside, in conjunction with other treasures, to attempt this and, unexpectedly, succeeded in bringing Daoist Jinlin back to life ahead of time,¡± said the long-skirted woman as a black-robed figure emerged from the void beside her, speaking with a light smile. Shen Luo took a sharp breath when he saw the newcomer. This person was dressed in a black robe, wearing a bamboo hat, and surrounded by a halo of purple-black light. It was the demon wind whom he had met several times before. Moreover, the demonic Qi around the demon wind was surging powerfully, and his cultivation had improved significantly, having reached the Late Mahayana Stage, not far from becoming a True Immortal. Next to the demon wind, the void shifted again, and Ma Xiuxiu''s figure also appeared out of thin air. Seeing this, everyone else grew tense, paying close attention to their surroundings, fearing that other members of the Demon Clan might appear out of nowhere. ¡°Is what you say true?¡± Wei Qing''s colossal body flashed with black light, instantly shrinking to human size, as he called out to the demon wind with both nervousness and longing. ¡°You and Daoist Jinlin were lovers, and you have been keeping her physical body for many years. You should know best whether she is the real one or not,¡± said the demon wind with a smile. Upon hearing this, Wei Qing immediately looked towards Jinlin, muttering words to himself and pointing into the void with his finger. A blue light glowed on Jinlin''s chest and slowly emerged, turning into a sky-blue round pearl. The pearl sparkled with light, clearly a kind of extraordinary treasure. ¡°It''s true. This is the Appearance Fixing Pearl that I personally refined to maintain your physical body''s integrity. Jinlin, is it really you?¡± Wei Qing''s whole body trembled, his eyes welling up with tears as he spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°Yi Lang, I''ve heard about all you''ve done for me over the years. It''s okay now,¡± Jinlin moved forward and embraced Wei Qing. ¡°Jinlin, you have finally come back to life, that''s great, that''s so good¡­¡± Wei Qing tightly hugged Jinlin, his face brimming with happiness and satisfaction as he muttered dreamily. As the two embraced each other in public, which went against the conventional propriety, everyone had just heard of the tragedy of Jinlin from Wei Qing. Now that Jinlin had been resurrected, it was as if the lovers were finally united, so no one had any objections. Instead, they offered silent blessings. But just at that moment, a soft ¡°puh¡± sound was heard, and a bloodstained bone-white sword blade suddenly protruded from Wei Qing''s lower back and abdomen, with blood gushing out. Chapter 881 Chapter 881: Chapter 878 Driven Insane Chapter 881: Chapter 878 Driven Insane Wei Qing stiffened, looking down at his lower abdomen to see a White Bone Sword deeply plunged into it, the hand holding the longsword''s handle belonged to golden scales. Blood gushed from his mouth, disbelievingly staring at the longsword pierced into his abdomen, then slowly raised his head. Golden scales stared back calmly, but there was no trace of gentleness in his expression anymore. His eyes were extremely cold, as if regarding a stranger. This sudden change shocked everyone present, who couldn''t believe what they were seeing from golden scales. Golden scales flicked his wrist, withdrawing the longsword swiftly. A fountain of blood shot forth from Wei Qing''s belly, splashing several meters forward. ¡°Ah, spit, after faking such grace and goodness for so many years, it makes me want to vomit, and today it finally comes to an end!¡± golden scales flicked the fresh blood off the sword, saying so with great impatience. Her voice was still the same, but her expression and the way she spoke had changed completely. ¡°It was your own choice to stay at Mount Putuo. If anyone''s to blame for your bad luck, it''s yourself,¡± demon wind said with a sinister chuckle. The two''s conversation, as if no one else was present, left everyone stunned, unsure of what was actually happening. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, and he immediately took the Yangliu Branch back into the Heavenly Book Space and floated back, retreating to the altar. He sat down with his legs crossed within the Blue Array. The situation was too strange; although he did not know what demon wind, golden scales, and the others were doing, he felt some sense of safety only upon returning to the altar. Fairy Qinglian and the others were too shocked by what transpired below to pay any attention to Shen Luo. Wei Qing had been stabbed in the Dantian and was severely injured. Barely able to stand, he staggered a couple of steps before falling to the ground. ¡°You are not golden scales. Why do I find my Appearance Fixing Pearl inside you? Who are you?¡± Wei Qing ignored the wound on his body, fixing his gaze dead on golden scales as he demanded to know. ¡°Me? I am golden scales, don''t you believe it? Then let me share some things that only we know. The first time we met was at the northwest corner of the Golden Lotus Pond. That day, you were wearing a blue long robe with scattered flowers and offered Bailin Fruit as tribute, praying to the Bodhisattva; the second time we met, you gave me a piece of crystal jade; the third time, you bought me three mundane steamed buns¡­¡± golden scales chuckled, ticking off each event with her fingers. At first, Wei Qing glared at golden scales, but the more he listened, the more his heart trembled, his expression becoming bewildered, his gaze increasingly vacant. The many things golden scales mentioned were all known only to the two of them. Learning by stealth was a great taboo at Mount Putuo. Their every meeting was held in a hidden place. It was one thing for someone to know about one or two incidents, but the woman before him knew too much; it was no coincidence. ¡°How do you know all this? Are you really golden scales? But how could you¡­ It''s impossible! What in the world is going on?¡± Wei Qing shouted hoarsely, almost appearing mad. ¡°Idiot, can''t you understand such a simple matter? The golden scales in your heart never existed; it was all my disguise! Pretending for so many decades, really, what a burdensome task.¡± golden scales lifted her hand to rub her shoulder, feigning weariness. ¡°Disguise¡­¡± Wei Qing stared blankly at golden scales. ¡°Golden scales, aren''t you being hypocritical? That year, you, Green Moon Taoist Nun, oh, and Huang Tong Daoist, the three of you placed Soul-splitting Shadow Imprints inside this young man and his father. The agreement was to cultivate both of them, and whoever faced their tribulation first would use them. That Shepherd was a letdown, couldn''t bear the Soul-splitting Shadow Imprint, died early, and you betrayed your promise. You faked your death first to plot against Green Moon Taoist Nun and then kicked Huang Tong Daoist out of the game, keeping this young man in your palm. Now, your Heavenly Tribulation is near, and he is almost ready. You must be quite pleased with yourself, putting on such an act for all to see,¡± demon wind stated blandly. ¡°Heh heh, demon wind is just demon wind, seeing right through everything at a glance,¡± golden scales laughed heartily. Hearing this, everyone around them exchanged looks once again. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. Just now, after hearing Wei Qing recount the past, he sensed many inconsistencies, especially with golden scales'' odd reactions in several instances. So this was the story. He looked at Wei Qing, with a flicker of pity flashing through his eyes. For the golden scales, Wei Qing betrayed his Sect twice, spending his entire life striving for revenge; yet, from beginning to end, he was merely being used. ¡°No, why does the golden scales bring this up at this moment? If she wanted to use Wei Qing to fend off the Heavenly Tribulation for her, continuing to deceive him would be better, wouldn''t it?¡± Shen Luo immediately realized something was amiss. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So you''ve been lying to me all this time, my lifelong perseverance is nothing but a joke¡­ haha¡­ haha¡­¡± Wei Qing laughed tragically as he looked up to the sky, his voice filled with desolation. Everyone present, upon hearing this tragic laugh, couldn''t help but change their expressions. Ma Xiuxiu slightly lowered her head, a hint of sigh passing through her eyes, but beside her, the demon wind and the golden scales showed no change in their expressions, quietly watching Wei Qing. ¡°The demon wind and the golden scales are both old and cunning, they would never do anything without aim. Yuan Qiu, can you guess their intentions with this move?¡± Shen Luo communicated with Yuan Qiu through divine soul. ¡°I also can''t figure it out; looking at them, it seems like they want to drive Wei Qing mad,¡± Yuan Qiu shook his head as he spoke. ¡°Drive mad? Could it be they want to¡­¡± Shen Luo''s body shook, and he activated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil once more. Wei Qing laughed tragically a couple of times, his body slowly falling backward, his eyes completely void of life, utterly devoid of vitality, clearly overwhelmed by heartbreak and disappointment, his divine wisdom completely shattered. At that moment, the blood light from the blood bone on his forehead shone brightly and rapidly spread to other parts of his body. In an instant, Wei Qing''s entire head turned blood-red, presenting an exceptionally eerie sight. Inside his mind, his divine soul, embodied as a tiny figure, was once again entangled by numerous blood silks, and that blood-colored shadow appeared again, attaching itself to Wei Qing''s divine soul and swiftly invading inward. Wei Qing''s divine wisdom seemed to have completely collapsed, showing no resistance at all, with a large part of his divine soul quickly being tainted with the color of blood. ¡°So that''s it, their goal has always been this! Fellow Cultivators, let''s act together. The demon wind and the golden scales intend to break Wei Qing''s spirit to allow the Demon Clan to completely take over his mind!¡± Shen Luo''s expression drastically changed as he raised the Purple Gold Bell in his hand. The other four, upon hearing Shen Luo''s words and considering the situation at hand, immediately understood and their bodies lit up with various glowing lights. Although taking action now would affect the operation of the Array, the situation was urgent, and they couldn''t care about that much anymore. At this moment, the golden Array on the altar''s Stone Stele suddenly lit up, and the voice of Master Guan Yue echoed in everyone''s minds. Their expressions immediately brightened, and they dispersed the light surrounding them, concentrating on operating the Great Five Elements Primordial Array. Shen Luo too put down the Purple Gold Bell and closed his eyes to focus. Below the altar, demon wind''s face revealed great joy as he flipped his hand to produce a pitch-black bottle and flung it out. The bottle flew instantly above Wei Qing''s head, with the bottle mouth immediately turning upside down. With a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, a stream of pitch-black liquid splashed down, turning into a vast cloud of black rain upon meeting the wind. Although the black rain seemed to cover a broad area, it only enshrouded a small region around Wei Qing, with nearly all of the raindrops falling onto his body. The black rain contained an incredibly dense Demonic Qi, and as soon as it touched Wei Qing''s body, it merged into him. Chapter 882 Chapter 882: Chapter 879: Descent Chapter 882: Chapter 879: Descent In a flash, black light erupted from Wei Qing''s body, a layer of pitch black spiritual light appeared all over his body, and his physical injuries instantly healed. The Demonic Qi dispersed by the Five-colored Divine Thunder rapidly reformed, and his body swiftly started to enlarge, as if he was about to transform into the three-faced, six-armed form of a Demonic God once more. A huge surge of Demonic Qi burst forth from him, vastly different from the Demonic Qi fluctuations he exhibited earlier; it was filled with limitless bloodlust and carnage, devoid of any trace of compassion or agility. However, at this moment, a sudden burst of Golden Light exploded from the top of the altar, and an enormously thick Golden Light Pillar shot straight into the sky, revealing the previously seen Golden Heavenly Gate within. Once again, the Void above their heads underwent drastic changes as thunder roared and lightning flashed. ¡°Not good! The master is trying out Wei Qing''s body and must not be disturbed. Daoist Ao, quickly use the Jade Purification Bottle to take Wei Qing away!¡± shouted the demon wind. Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuxiu immediately conjured the Jade Purification Bottle. A shaft of white light shot from the mouth of the bottle toward the rapidly enlarging Wei Qing. But at this moment, the Void around the Jade Purification Bottle suddenly shifted, and countless lush green willow branches appeared out of thin air, tightly binding the bottle, with several branches even stretching into its mouth. At the top of the altar, Nie Caizhu appeared at some unknown time, with the Yangliu Branch floating before her. She rapidly formed seals with both hands, seemingly fearless of the Yangliu Branch being taken away by the Jade Purification Bottle. The Black Bear Demon had also arrived outside the Heavenly Book, sitting cross-legged next to Nie Caizhu. Although Nie Caizhu was using the Lotus Wonderful Method, he still began to look haggard and out of breath as time passed, seemingly reaching his limit once again. The Yangliu Branch glowed brightly green, and the Jade Purification Bottle also shone with a dazzling white light. The two resonated with each other, the green willow branches continuously entering the bottle; however, Ma Xiuxiu was temporarily unable to activate it. Seeing this, the demon wind''s expression changed, and he reached into the Void with his five fingers. Five incomparably cold streams of Black Qi shot out, like five malicious black swords, slashing at lightning speed toward those tender green willow branches. Golden Scales also flung her hand, and the White Bone Sword flew out, its white light flashing consecutively. In an instant, it turned into a giant sword dozens of feet long. Without a second thought, she urged the sword technique with both hands. The giant sword was enveloped with clusters of White Bones Flames, which, despite their lack of heat, were eerily cold and unsettling. It too slashed fiercely down on those tender green willow branches. But at that moment, two faint blue lights shot out like lightning, colliding with the five streams of Black Qi and the giant Bone Sword. With two loud ¡°bangs,¡± an extreme cold atmosphere erupted, instantly freezing the five streams of Black Qi and the giant Bone Sword in layers of Blue Ice Crystals. They hung motionless in mid-air, as if even the surrounding Void had been frozen. At the top of the altar, Shen Luo''s expression remained calm as he lowered his hand, with the blue light on his palm quickly dispersing. ¡°Freezing the Void! This is the effect of the third layer of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique!¡± Fairy Qinglian exclaimed with a flash of shock in her eyes. Shen Luo smiled faintly. His enlightenment of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array had greatly enhanced his understanding of the Indigo Ocean. He had touched upon the realm of the third layer of the Indigo Ocean. Furthermore, his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil had made great progress, and his level of insight into mana had increased. Correspondingly, his control over the manipulation of mana had greatly improved. The combination of these factors finally pushed the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique into the realm of the third layer. The expressions of demon wind and the rest changed drastically, especially Golden Scales. With the Bone Sword frozen, its embedded mana was also locked in ice. No matter how she channeled her energy, the giant sword would not respond. Seeing Shen Luo''s intervention, the Bearded Old Man and the Bronze-skinned Strongman seemed to have a competitive spirit as they immediately took action, targeting the Jade Purification Bottle. ¡°Earth Splitting Fire!¡± The Bronze-skinned Strongman''s fingertips flickered with firelight as he made a sweeping gesture in the Void towards the Jade Purification Bottle. A chittering sound echoed through the void above the Jade Purification Bottle, and a massive crack a mile long split open, spewing out countless molten lavlike liquid fireballs from within. These fireballs were utterly pure, and though they hadn''t reached the degree of the Purest Flame, they were not far off, as they fiercely struck the Jade Purification Bottle. Thunderous booms resonated, and the void near the crack turned completely crimson, as the Jade Purification Bottle was sent flying, with an intense scorching presence infiltrating the inside of the bottle. Ma Xiuxiu''s face instantly became flushed, and a trickle of fresh blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. However, she did not stop her efforts and was about to forcefully stimulate the Jade Purification Bottle. A flash of yellow light appeared out of nowhere in the void above the Jade Purification Bottle, enveloping the top of it. ¡°Giant Rock Breaks into Five Finger Mountain!¡± the bearded old man chanted atop the altar, his five fingers punctuating the void. That cluster of yellow light surged and transformed into the phantom of a five-finger-shaped mountain peak, imprisoning the Jade Purification Bottle within it, rendering Ma Xiuxiu''s magic ineffective and the bottle immobile. All of a sudden, a loud rumbling noise came from the top of the altar, and the Golden Heavenly Gate trembled. Countless semi-transparent five-colored divine thunders cascaded out once more, instantly engulfing Wei Qing''s figure. The nearby demon wind, golden scales, and Ma Xiuxiu, unable to dodge in time, were also devoured by the relentless assault of five-colored divine thunder. Dazzling five-colored crystal light erupted once again, covering a hundred-foot area entirely, emitting terrifying gleams of light and causing the void to collapse continuously, accompanied by earth-shattering thunderous roars. No shadowy Demonic Qi could survive there. Fairy Qinglian and others let out a sigh of relief. With the might of these Supreme Sun God Thunders, and considering the outcome of the battle just now, annihilating Wei Qing and the others should pose no problem. Shen Luo closed his eyes, daring not to look directly at the five-colored crystal light lest his eyes suffer more damage, but he inwardly let out a sigh. But suddenly, a piercing blood light burst forth, forcibly penetrating through the countless Supreme Sun God Thunders and radiating out from that area. The blood light quickly expanded, pushing aside the surrounding five-colored divine thunders and forming a blood-colored light pillar several feet in diameter. Through the blood light, one could vaguely see several silhouettes inside, precisely Wei Qing, demon wind, Ma Xiuxiu, and golden scales. Wei Qing had once again returned to human size, with multiple injuries on his body. However, the blood bone on his forehead still shone brilliantly. The other three were also covered in wounds and had suffered greatly. Countless blood-colored runes flickered on the blood-colored light pillar, appearing extremely sturdy. Regardless of how the surrounding five-colored thunderballs struck, the pillar only trembled but showed no signs of shattering. ¡°How can this be!¡± Master Guan Yue''s eyes reflected disbelief. ¡°I did not expect you to be able to summon the Supreme Sun God Thunder from the Heavenly Realm a second time! I have indeed been careless, but now that I have descended, such degree of Supreme Sun God Thunder is too insignificant to display,¡± said ¡°Wei Qing¡± coldly, his tone and demeanor entirely different from before. Before his words fell, he waved his sleeve, and a surge of blood light spread out. The surrounding five-colored divine thunders were rapidly dyed blood red and then silently vanished. Not only that, but two thick blood lights shot out and in a flash, merged into the top of the altar''s Golden Light Pillar. With two light hissing sounds, the Golden Light Pillar was corroded, creating two big holes. The Golden Light Array at the altar''s top dimmed instantly, and the Heavenly Gate within the pillar began to fade. But in that moment, a figure blurred, and Shen Luo appeared next to the Golden Light Array. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 883 Chapter 883: Chapter 880: The Void Chapter 883: Chapter 880: The Void Shen Luo raised his hand without a word, and a substantial-looking Heavenly Book Projection appeared beside his hand, falling into the Golden Light Array. Accompanied by a huge, piercing shriek, light as fierce as the sun burst forth from the Golden Light Array, spinning over ten times faster than before. The Golden Heavenly Gate in midair shook violently, becoming completely solidified and growing several times larger in size. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± countless transparent Divine Thunders swarmed out from the Golden Heavenly Gate, striking fiercely upon the blood-colored light pillar. Within the blood-colored light pillar, Wei Qing''s expression changed, but before he could take any action, the countless transparent Divine Thunders submerged the light pillar. ¡°Colorless Thunder! This is what happens when the Supreme Sun God Thunder is condensed to the extreme!¡± Master Guan Yue''s eyes widened with wild joy. Cracks appeared instantly on the blood-colored light pillar, shaking madly for a few moments before the entire pillar burst thunderously, completely exploding apart. Rolling, transparent Thunderballs swarmed down, engulfing everything in their path. The White Jade Pillow within the Linlang Ring trembled ceaselessly, its light flickering rapidly. A few breaths later, the light on the Jade Pillow suddenly scattered, and the Heavenly Book Projection within the Array vanished as well. The furiously spinning Golden Light Array immediately came to a halt, the Golden Heavenly Gate in midair flashed away, and the swarming transparent Thunderballs stopped abruptly, as if a dam had closed. Within the Great Five Elements Primordial Array, the transparent lightning quickly dispersed, revealing the scene inside. The remains of a figure clad in Black Armor lay silently there, it was Wei Qing, whose limbs and head had all disappeared, leaving only the torso beneath the Armor. The demon wind, Ma Xiuxiu, and the one with golden scales had completely vanished without trace, as if they had been directly turned into nothingness by the Divine Thunder. Disciples from Mount Putuo in the distance saw this and erupted into mountainous, oceanic cheers. Shen Luo paid no attention to others, his figure flying down from the top of the altar, flashing to the side of the Black Armor in an instant. The Black Armor was cracked in many places but remained mostly intact, rippling with a layer of black light on its surface as if it had not lost its spirituality. This armor, I do not know what treasure it is, remained unmarked by all my efforts during the Chaoyin Cave battle. Now, it has withstood the attack of the Supreme Sun God Thunder without breaking. Next to the Armor, there was also a dark golden broken sword, the very Magic Extinguishing Sword, whose Blood Light had completely faded. It was unknown if it was because it had been purified by the Supreme Sun God Thunder, but the areas of the Magic Extinguishing Sword that had been tainted by blood had retreated greatly, leaving only a bit still remaining. Master Guan Yue, Fairy Qinglian, and others also flew over, landing beside Shen Luo. Nie Caizhu followed, holding not just the Yangliu Branch, but also a White Jade Bottle¨Cindeed, the Jade Purification Bottle. Earlier, the Bearded Old Man had sealed the bottle with the Five Finger Mountain, but just now, the wide reach of the Supreme Sun God Thunder broke the Seal, With Ma Xiuxiu either slain or escaped, Nie Caizhu took advantage of the connection between the Yangliu Branch and the Jade Purification Bottle to take this treasure into her hands. ¡°Friend Shen, where did that book you just used come from?¡± Master Guan Yue stared into Shen Luo''s eyes as he asked. ¡°That was not a book, but rather a phantasmal projection of a talisman. I encountered it during a fortuitous adventure several years ago. Just now, the talisman was drawn to the array, and seeing the urgency of the situation, I took the liberty to cast it into the Golden Array, hoping Senior Guan Yue will not take offense,¡± said Shen Luo, tactfully avoiding the full truth. ¡°No offense taken, not at all. Mount Putuo was able to preserve itself today thanks to the help of you, Friend Shen. I, Guan Yue, hereby express my gratitude.¡± Master Guan Yue quickly shook his head and then solemnly bowed to Shen Luo. Fairy Qinglian and the others also bowed. ¡°There''s no need for such formality, elders. It was only through the collective effort of everyone that we were able to repel the Demon Clan. However, the Great Five Elements Primordial Array is based on the Five Elements, so how could it summon the Supreme Sun God Thunder from the Heavenly Realm?¡± Shen Luo hurriedly helped them up and then asked a question that had been on his mind for some time. ¡°This summoning array is not an original feature of the Great Five Elements Primordial Array. It was specially left behind by the Guanyin Ancestor Master before she left Mount Putuo. Through this array, one can communicate with the Thunder platform in the Heavenly Realm and summon Divine Thunder to strike down enemies,¡± explained Master Guan Yue. ¡°So that''s how it is,¡± Shen Luo said, feeling suddenly enlightened. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, the lightning was too dazzling just now, and divine sense could not get close. We did not see what happened within the lightning. However, your Extreme Light Vision is adept at scouting such situations. Did you see what happened inside? Were those people all slain by the Supreme Sun God Thunder, or did they manage to cast spells to escape?¡± Fairy Qinglian asked Master Guan Yue. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted; he too looked towards Master Guan Yue. ¡°Just before the blood-colored light pillar shattered, Wei Qing cast a spell to send the other three away. He himself also wanted to leave, but did not manage in time, and was bombarded to death by the Supreme Sun God Thunder,¡± said Master Guan Yue slowly. ¡°So Wei Qing was truly slain, but did his Divine Soul escape?¡± Shen Luo was still not at ease and sought confirmation. Wei Qing''s Divine Soul was indeed the reincarnation of Chiyou''s Demon Soul; Shen Luo had to be sure of the outcome. ¡°You can rest assured, Friend Shen. Wei Qing''s Divine Soul has been completely annihilated by the Supreme Sun God Thunder and did not escape. This is what I personally witnessed; there is no mistake,¡± Master Guan Yue assured. Shen Luo, upon hearing this, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Wei Qing''s fate was tragic, stirring pity, but after all, he was the reincarnation of Chiyou''s remnant soul, and under no circumstances could he be allowed to escape. Master Guan Yue looked towards Wei Qing''s remains, sighed, performed a hand-seal, and a ball of golden light fell onto Wei Qing''s body. There was a loud boom, and the body was engulfed in golden Buddha Fire. In just a few breaths, Wei Qing''s body was reduced to ashes, leaving only the Black Armor behind. ¡°This armor is remarkably sturdy; I wonder what treasure it is. Although it is somewhat cracked now, it still serves as an excellent defensive armor. As for this broken sword, if I am not mistaken, it should be the Holy Sword Demon, used by an ancient emperor that could suppress all Demonic Qi. Legend has it that Chiyou was beheaded with this sword. Since Wei Qing was slain by you, Friend Shen, these two treasures naturally belong to you,¡± Master Guan Yue said, waving his sleeve and presenting the two items before Shen Luo. ¡°If that''s the case, I will not be polite,¡± Shen Luo gladly accepted the items and took out the Purple Gold Bell to return it to Master Guan Yue. ¡°Thank you, Friend Shen,¡± said Master Guan Yue, gesturing Fairy Qinglian to receive it. Nie Caizhu, upon seeing this, also passed the Yangliu Branch and the Jade Purification Bottle over, but Fairy Qinglian only accepted the Jade Purification Bottle, not taking back the Yangliu Branch. ¡°Cai Zhu and I inadvertently entered Chaoyin Cave today. Due to the urgency of the situation, I refined this bell to fight the enemy. Cai Zhu mentioned that a prohibition had been placed inside the bell, which only allowed one person to use it, causing some trouble. May I inquire if the elders have a way to break this prohibition?¡± Shen Luo asked, bowing his hands together. ¡°Friend Shen, you need not worry; this prohibition can be broken,¡± said Master Guan Yue. Shen Luo heard this and felt relieved. At that moment, a broad golden light surged up from his body, with countless white lights flashing within it, surging like raging waves toward the distant altar. Chapter 884 Chapter 884: Chapter 881: Ghost Pearl Chapter 884: Chapter 881: Ghost Pearl Shen Luo, a True Immortal at the middle stage of cultivation, felt his formidable cultivation level rapidly diminishing. Within a few breaths, he was back at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage realm. His entire body''s meridians trembled in unison, and his blood and Qi rushed back into his heart, causing excruciating pain akin to being sliced by knives wherever it passed. His chest pained so severely that even with his resolute will, he couldn''t help but grunt, nearly fainting. Nie Caizhu hurriedly stepped forward, supporting Shen Luo''s body, and activated the Yangliu Branch, with a streak of green light entering his body. Green light flickered over Shen Luo, significantly easing the intense pain. He gave Nie Caizhu a slight nod. The thick golden light that had shot out returned and merged into the body of the Black Bear Demon on the altar. The Black Bear Demon''s cultivation aura surged rapidly, quickly recovering to the True Immortal Middle Stage, but he appeared extremely weak. ¡°Father!¡± The Little Bear Monster flew from afar, landing beside the Black Bear Demon. ¡°I''m fine, just need some rest,¡± the Black Bear Demon shook his head, signaling the Little Bear Monster not to overreact. Master Guan Yue turned back to the struggling altar, formed a hand gesture, and shot out a streak of green light that contained traces of blood. It flashed before disappearing in front of the Black Bear Demon, entering his body. A green light shimmered over the Black Bear Demon, with a layer of blood light surfacing on his face. His haggard expression also visibly recovered a fair bit. ¡°Uncle Guan Yue, don''t use any more mana! We should hurry to the Golden Lotus Pond, there might still be ways to help,¡± Fairy Qinglian said urgently. Shen Luo looked up, noticing that Master Guan Yue''s aura had already begun to weaken. His whole body was clear and lustrous, slightly transparent, clearly not far from completely transforming into a rainbow. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a sharp pain in his heart. ¡°Once the Red Lotus Huayuan Destruction Technique is cast, it won''t stop until blood essence and divine soul are thoroughly exhausted. Now that I have protected Mount Putuo''s foundation, I am content, haha¡­¡± Master Guan Yue laughed heartily. Tears appeared in the eyes of Fairy Qinglian and others, and disciples from Mount Putuo also flew towards them from afar. ¡°Crying and wailing, what a spectacle! You all go first. The Great Five Elements Primordial Array was slightly damaged during the previous battle. There''s a bit of time left, so I''m going to see if it can be repaired,¡± said Master Guan Yue, suddenly sweeping his sleeve. The light from the Five-Color Altar intensified, and the dazzling multicolored light filled everyone''s vision. In the next moment, everyone felt a blur before their eyes and found themselves back on Mount Putuo. The Devil Cloud in the sky had vanished without a trace, leaving a clear, bright sky. Shen Luo turned and gazed into the void behind him, quietly uttering a Buddhist mantra. ¡°This calamity of Mount Putuo owes much to the aid of all Daoist friends here. I offer my thanks. There are still affairs to attend to in the sect, so I ask that you return to your residences and rest for a few days. Once all affairs of Mount Putuo are settled, we will offer some form of compensation,¡± Fairy Qinglian took a deep breath, pushed down the sorrow in her heart, stepped forward, and spoke aloud. The other sect members present voiced no objections and departed from the location, returning to their respective residences, and it was evident that there were 30% fewer people. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s gaze flickered. These were elite disciples from various sects, and the losses so heavy; Mount Putuo would have a difficult time appeasing the anger of the various sects. However, this matter was unrelated to him. Just as he was about to return to his residence, a tall figure blocked his path. ¡°Shen Luo, Mount Putuo owes much to your assistance in this calamity. I thank you. As for the death of the Baby Dragon Girl, I will continue the investigation. If it turns out you are indeed responsible, even if you have done my sect a favor, I will still seek justice from you!¡± The tall figure was none other than the Little Bear Monster, who spoke in a cold voice. Shen Luo was startled, having nearly forgotten about this matter amidst the ongoing tumult. ¡°Your Excellency, do investigate by all means,¡± he nodded. The little bear monster snorted and turned to walk away. ¡°Cousin, the little bear monster is straightforward and also holds great affection for the baby dragon girl. That''s why he has offended several times; I hope you won''t take it to heart,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said from the side. ¡°That won''t be an issue. I actually don''t dislike the little bear monster''s forthright and unpretentious nature. However, I do have a question for you concerning the baby dragon girl,¡± Shen Luo said with a slight smile, and he recounted the process of obtaining the Purple Gold Bell to Nie Cai Zhu. ¡°Does the baby dragon girl have some prejudice against the people of the Tang Dynasty Government? Why did she become so enraged and insist on fighting me to the death as soon as I mentioned I was from the Tang Dynasty Government?¡± Shen Luo finally asked. ¡°I happen to know about this matter. My Master once told me, that year after the baby dragon girl became enlightened, cosuming to the power of faith, she went to the Tang Dynasty on her own, showed off her divine powers, intimidated the people, and forcefully sought worship. Later, she was defeated and captured by the Tang Dynasty Government monks and sent back to Mount Putuo. Mount Putuo was both shocked and angry, and they suppressed the baby dragon girl in Chaoyin Cave, where she was tasked with guarding the cave. However, the baby dragon girl is stubborn and still doesn''t believe she was in the wrong to this day. Instead, she harbors extreme hatred towards the disciples of the Tang Dynasty Government,¡± Nie Cai Zhu explained. ¡°So that''s how it is. Truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint sneer. ¡°Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± At that moment, Bai Xiaotian came over from the distance. His clothes were torn, and his face showed exhaustion, but his expression was uplifted, as if he had made a breakthrough in the prior great battle. ¡°I''m fine. Brother Bai, it looks like you''ve gained something?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Brother Shen, you flatter me. I''ve just had some insights into the Incarnation Temple''s Vajra Subduing Demon Great Method, but this achievement can''t compare to yours,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head slightly. Since Shen Luo was injured, the three of them did not stay to talk, and soon returned to Shen Luo''s residence. Nie Cai Zhu, worried, once again channeled her Yangliu Branch, casting several healing spells consecutively before stopping. ¡°I''m fine now. Cousin and Brother Bai, you both have fought repeatedly today and expended a lot of vitality. You should rest for a while,¡± Shen Luo gestured with his hand and said. Indeed tired, Nie Cai Zhu and Bai Xiaotian did not leave. They found spots in Shen Luo''s residence, sat down cross-legged, and began to rest with closed eyes. But Shen Luo sat down in the inner room and did not rest immediately. He flipped his hand and took out two items¨Cthe Black Demon Armor and the Demon-slaying Broken Sword. He held the Black Demon Armor in hand and observed it closely. The armor was indestructible but surprisingly soft to the touch and exceptionally smooth, as if an invisible flow of Qi glided over its surface, giving no sensation of pressure. Shen Luo''s eyes lit up, and with a slap on the armor, which produced a soft ¡°puff¡± sound, the armor remained unscathed. However, the ground nearby issued a ¡°boom,¡± resulting in several cracks. The invisible flow on the armor had actually diverted the force of his palm to the surroundings. ¡°What a fine armor!¡± Shen Luo rejoiced. The only downside was that the armor had several cracks from the strikes of the Supreme Sun God Thunder, creating many flaws. If faced with a powerful person who targeted these flaws, the armor would be unable to divert the force. ¡°Ah, how could I forget about this.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, and a purple light flashed by his side, revealing a purple bead with a bizarre face pattern on it that opened its mouth to inhale. A stream of purple light shot out, enveloping the Black Demon Armor and with a ¡°swish,¡± sucked the armor into it. After refining the purple bead with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, Shen Luo had already understood its function. This bead, called the ¡°Ghost Pearl,¡± was made from a Demon Clan mighty warrior''s skull and turned into a demonic treasure. The ability of this bead was quite simple; it could absorb Demonic Qi, store it inside, and release it when necessary to assist in battle. Containing extremely pure Demonic Qi, the bead could nurture the Black Demon Armor with that Qi, possibly enabling it to repair itself automatically to some extent. Chapter 885 Chapter 885: Chapter 882: Dreaming Back to Jilei Mountain Chapter 885: Chapter 882: Dreaming Back to Jilei Mountain Shen Luo flipped his hand and pocketed the purple bead, grasping the Demon-slaying Sword and channeled his mana into it, the sword body immediately emitted a brilliant golden light. ¡°Eh, it can be used directly without any need for consecration. That''s right, Wei Qing also managed to stimulate it immediately when he got the sword,¡± he felt somewhat surprised, but then he understood and continued to pour more mana into the sword. The golden light of the sword body grew more intense, and with a ¡°sizzle,¡± a half-yard-long golden sword light surged from the blade, causing the surrounding void to tremble as it pulsed. ¡°Such a sharp sword light, it could easily sever magical treasures! And the pure solar qi within the sword qi is so pure, no wonder it can suppress demonic qi!¡± He felt the golden sword qi for a moment, delighted by its power. However, Shen Luo could also sense that the power contained within the sword was ocean-like in its depth, and with his current cultivation level, he could only barely activate it. To truly unleash its power, one would need at least the strength of the True Immortal Stage. Despite being unable to harness the full power, the broken Demon-slaying Sword was still the most powerful among all the magical treasures he possessed. His injuries hadn''t healed, and after activating treasures twice in a row, he started to gasp for air and did not attempt to continue. ¡°This sword contains a solar essence; it matches well with the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. I''ll integrate it into my body for nurturing,¡± Shen Luo opened his mouth and spat out a blue light, absorbing the broken Demon-slaying Sword into his Dantian, then lay down on the bed. After the series of fierce battles today, both his mana and spirit were severely depleted, and he soon fell into deep sleep. He didn''t know how much time had passed when a thunderous ¡°Boom¡± like the roar of heavenly thunder exploded next to his ear, startling the still-sleeping Shen Luo, who suddenly opened his eyes. But then came another thunderous boom! Shen Luo only saw the rock ceiling of the cave above his head suddenly shake violently, and a layer of dust ¡°whooshed¡± down. He quickly rolled off the bed and onto the ground with a swift motion, hearing panic-stricken shouts around him. ¡°What''s this¡­¡± Shen Luo concentrated and probed outside, his brow quickly furrowing. All around, there were mana fluctuations coming from every direction, mixing chaotically, obviously signifying a fierce battle had erupted. He rushed to the entrance of the stone chamber, intending to exit, only to find a crack had opened above the doorway, and collapsed rocks had sealed the Stone Door completely shut, impossible to open. Shen Luo had no time to bother with the Stone Door; with a punch, he shattered it, and his figure flashed to the Outside before the falling rocks could crush him. In the passageway Outside, there were large and small, crisscrossing cracks all over the Stone Walls, which looked like they wouldn''t hold much longer before a complete collapse. Scattered around the passageway were the belongings of the Jade Fox people, leftovers from what looked like a panicked flight. Shen Luo did not hesitate, immediately dashing towards the entrance of the Cloud Brushing Cave. Upon reaching the Hall of the Jade Fox Clan, it was already an utter mess, various furnishings shattered on the floor, and under some collapsed walls were the bodies of the unascended members of the Fox Clan, with crimson bloodstains everywhere. ¡°Boom¡± Another loud noise resounded, the entire cave shook violently once more, and the cracked lines on the ceiling finally widened further as the collapsing rocks fell like rain. Shen Luo hurriedly performed Slanting Moon Steps, darting swiftly among the rocks, and soon he flew out through the gap left in the cave entrance. The moment he burst out of the cave entrance, half of Jilei mountain collapsed completely with a thunderous boom. The entire cave entrance was engulfed by the falling mountain, kicking up a huge dust cloud hundreds of feet high, which blotted out the sun. Shen Luo soared into the sky, barely escaping the dust-covered area, when a roaring gale swooped down from above. As he turned his head, he saw a giant fireball the size of a millstone, ablaze with raging flames, plummeting down from the clouds directly towards him. His gaze sharpened, and with a sweep of his hand through the air, the SeAnchoring Iron Rod materialized instantly. Shen Luo gripped the long stick with both hands, twisted his body, and swung his arms down fiercely. A giant golden rod shadow extended from the long stick and struck the fireball ten-odd feet away. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded. The struck fireball exploded into pieces with a blast, scattering into countless fire clusters that fell like meteors. However, as one fireball was intercepted by Shen Luo, dozens more continued to sweep in from the sky, whizzing past from all around him, pouring down on the now half-collapsed Jilei Mountain. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed tightly as he looked towards the source of the fireballs. He saw towering long-necked beasts raising their heads high on a distant mountain peak, with glowing fireballs shining in their gaping maws. Looking down again, he could vaguely discern many figures under the dissipating dust, of which only a small part belonged to the Jade Fox Clan. The rest were a mixed group of the Demon Race and Demonic Beings. The Jade Fox people were reduced to less than five hundred, and they had been split into three parts, all surrounded by the Demon Race and Demonic Beings, which outnumbered them several times over. Shen Luo saw at a glance that hundreds of Fox Clan members on the mountain''s western flank were the most numerous. Leading them was the Jade Fox Clan Leader, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, who was fighting one against two with True Immortal Realm Demonic Beasts, while his people also fought desperately. Not far away, another portion of the Jade Fox people and their vassal Demon Race was trapped on an exposed patch of rock. They were mostly encircled by the Demon Race, with only a few Demonic Beings among them. These Demonic Beings were wrapped in pitch-black Demonic Qi, with crimson eyes, clearly brute creatures that knew only slaughter. Unable to tear through the Jade Fox Clan''s defenses, they immediately leaped over the Demon Race, charging at them on their own. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But as they just leapt into the air, a wave of crimson flames surged skyward from below, engulfing them. Under the scorching flames, the Demonic Beings'' Demonic Qi rapidly dissipated, and the skin and fur that were revealed began to melt away quickly, exposing their bones which then turned into charred black. ¡°Samadhi True Fire¡­¡± Shen Luo recognized the flames at once and quickly spotted the child-like figure of Red Boy among the crowd. He couldn''t help wondering, in such a perilous battle situation, why wasn''t there a trace of the Bull Demon King? As the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly heard a muffled and heavy rebuke from the depths of the sky, sounding like rolling thunder that went on without end. Shen Luo hurriedly looked up, only to see dark clouds occupying the deep skydome, where two vague silhouettes were faintly visible. The one on the left was burly, with a hulking frame. He was covered in a magnificent golden armor lined with jade, now full of scars and streaked with splotchy blood. He wielded a stout Mixed Iron Staff in his hands and had a Divine Fire Fan inserted behind his waist. It was none other than the Bull Demon King. The other figure battling the Bull Demon King was no less imposing, adorned with sharp horns on the head and a face covered by a Bone Armor. He wore a white bone armor with Dark Demonic Qi leaking from the seams, and Demonic Flames formed rings behind him. In his hands was a pitch-black Five Ding Mountain Splitting Axe, and a huge Purple Gold Gourd hung at his waist. Bloodlight shot from his eyes as he exchanged fierce blows with the Bull Demon King, neither yielding an inch. Chapter 886 Chapter 886: Chapter 883: A Tide of Dust Rolls In Chapter 886: Chapter 883: A Tide of Dust Rolls In Shen Luo was utterly astounded when suddenly, a familiar cry for help came from the mountain forest beneath him. He hastily looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the last group of less than a hundred Jade Fox people were being besieged by more than three hundred demons in a valley. At the center of the Jade Fox people, two figures were being protected; they were none other than Princess Jade Face and the Fox Clan''s Little Princess Xiao Yu, who had both recovered their previous life''s memories. At this moment, they both wore expressions of panic, clinging to each other. The leader, a Late Mahayana Stage pig demon, wielded a Ghost Head Knife in his hand and yelled arrogantly, ¡°Kill all the foxes, big and small, but leave those two beauties for me. Today, I''ll have a taste of the Bull Demon King''s fun.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the little demons echoed the call. ¡°All of you attack,¡± commanded the pig demon. The horde of monsters immediately swarmed forward. The already exhausted Jade Fox people were swiftly slaughtered by more than half. The pig demon gestured with his hand, and a Skull Pendant whistling ¡°clang¡± shot out, clasping onto Xiao Yu''s shoulder. A strong demonic power seeped through the Bone Claw into her body, causing her to stiffen all over, unable to move again. ¡°Heh heh, got the little girl,¡± the pig demon said with a lewd smile, fiercely yanking her towards him. Xiao Yu, pulled by an immense force, cried out in pain instantly. Princess Jade Face desperately embraced her with one hand while trying to remove the White Bone Claw from her shoulder with the other. However, the claw was already buried deep into her shoulder blade, and any attempt to remove it caused fresh, crimson blood to flow. ¡°Xiao Yu¡­¡± Princess Jade Face said, her voice filled with distress. She had only recently recovered her memories and had very little mana left, certainly not enough to contend with the pig demon. ¡°Heh heh, don''t worry, beautiful,¡± the pig demon jeered, black light flashing over his body as he yanked his arm fiercely, ready to pull her over. But just at that moment, there was a sharp ¡°crack.¡± A figure fell from high altitude like a meteor, with the Golden Rod Shadow in his hand chopping down swiftly and striking the pig demon''s arm. The strike was incredibly forceful, and the Golden Staff broke the pig demon''s arm cleanly off. The head of the staff smashed into the ground with a thunderous noise, splitting the earth with a deep trench. The pig demon didn''t even have time to understand what had happened before a hefty blow to his bulky head sent him sprawling to the ground. Then a cloth boot stomped down forcefully, crushing his head into the underground. In their horror, the group of monsters all turned to look in that direction, only to be met with the sight of a human cultivator holding a Long Stick, his face fierce and emanating an aura even more ferocious than that of the demon race. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­¡± Xiao Yu exclaimed with joy upon seeing Shen Luo''s arrival. Shen Luo''s expression softened when he saw her, his gaze growing gentler. Noticing the pig demon still struggling underfoot, he circulated the Huangting Divine Power within him, unleashing a powerful force that crushed down mightily. With a loud ¡°thump,¡± The pig demon''s head burst like an overripe watermelon, scattering apart instantly. Seeing this, the group of monsters scattered in a panic. Shen Luo didn''t pursue the fleeing demons but instead flicked the pig demon''s corpse with his toe, sending it flying a hundred feet away. Seeing the crisis averted for the moment, the Jade Fox people finally gathered around. ¡°Xiao Yu, what happened? How did Jilei Mountain end up like this?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked. ¡°Big Brother Shen, where did you go? After the demon was repelled last time, it stormed back even stronger. This time, Nine Netherworlds himself took the lead. We couldn''t hold them off. Sister Liqiu and several elders¡­ they all, sob, they''ve all died in battle¡­¡± Xiao Yu''s eyes reddened as she spoke through sobs. ¡°Don''t be afraid, I''ll lead you out of here first,¡± said Shen Luo, not knowing how else to explain. The Jade Fox people heard this and looked around, seeing that the dispersed Demon Race had not completely left but instead had formed an encirclement at a distance, a look of despair inevitably flashing through their eyes. ¡°Don''t be afraid, just follow me,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze slightly stern as he gripped the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand, addressing everyone. At the moment, he didn''t know where to take these people, so he thought of at least leading them away from the valley to meet up with the others ahead. Having said that, Shen Luo charged ahead. The surrounding demons, though fearful, dared not flee from the battle and could only brace themselves to charge towards them. Shen Luo''s Long Stick whistled as he swung it, executing the Splashy Chaotic Stick move¨Chis stick''s shadow billowed like snowflakes before him. Any little demon that dared get close, if even grazed or brushed against, would instantly burst open, turning into a mangled corpse. In no time, hundreds of little demons perished on the spot, no longer daring to charge forward recklessly. Shen Luo, leading these Jade Fox people, charged forward like a hot knife through butter for hundreds of feet. Just as they were about to break out of the valley, suddenly, two figures flew overhead, hovering above them. Shen Luo looked up and saw the two people suspended in the void. Among them, the woman was clad in a purple robe and had enchanting features, while the man''s face was covered in wrinkles, and he wore dark red scale armor¨Ca burly bald man. Shen Luo was familiar with both of them; they were the Purple Pheasant and Earth Dragon who had previously attacked Jilei Mountain with the Cloudstepping Beast. The two were astonished to find that the person who had caused chaos here was none other than Shen Luo. Previously, Shen Luo had left a deep impression on them during the battle with the Cloudstepping Beast, and now seeing him again, they naturally did not dare to engage in battle and turned to flee. ¡°Since you''re here, don''t even think about leaving,¡± Shen Luo shouted. With that, he waved his hand, and the Golden Rope shot out from his sleeve like a spirit snake aiming for the two. Purple Pheasant, being particularly adept at Escape Techniques, reacted a bit faster and was in the lead, while Earth Dragon was much slower and was instantly caught by the Golden Rope, which entwined around his waist. ¡°Damn it,¡± Earth Dragon let out a low exclamation. He twisted his wrist and a Black Long Knife appeared in his palm. He mustered all his strength to hack at the Golden Rope. However, the moment he began to summon his mana, it was completely absorbed by the Golden Rope, and by the time his knife fell, it was already lacking much of its power, hitting the rope weakly and ineffectively. Seeing this, Shen Luo gently chanted and sharply flicked his wrist; the end of the rope wrapped around Earth Dragon immediately extended, pursuing the ahead fleeing Purple Pheasant. The latter, seeing Earth Dragon entangled, paused briefly and looked back, only to find the relentless Golden Rope chasing after her once again, which sent her into a sudden panic and she sped away in escape. But the Golden Rope had already extended tenfold, directly ensnaring her ankles. Shen Luo snorted coldly and yanked downward forcefully, pulling down the two now connected individuals. ¡°Boom¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two demons hit the ground hard, stirring up a violent cloud of dust. Shen Luo quickly stepped forward, the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand resting against Earth Dragon''s head as he asked, ¡°Where is your Chen Dragon Venerate?¡± Upon hearing this, Earth Dragon''s expression changed slightly, and he seemed somewhat surprised, not understanding why Shen Luo would ask him this. Chapter 887 Chapter 887: Chapter 884: Old Acquaintance Chapter 887: Chapter 884: Old Acquaintance Shen Luo saw that the Earth Dragon didn''t respond and had no time to tangle with it, so he immediately lifted his rod and smashed it down on its head. Seeing Shen Luo suddenly delivering a killer move, the Earth Dragon''s expression panicked instantly, and a strange earth-yellow halo emerged from its body. Its torso started tearing apart right from where the Golden Rope bound it. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, but his actions didn''t stop as he brought the stick down with force. With a ¡°boom,¡± the Earth Dragon''s head burst open, and its entire upper body turned into dust. Shockingly, its remaining lower half still ran wildly for several feet before suddenly diving Underground, escaping. On the other side, the Purple Pheasant took advantage of Shen Luo''s distraction, its body igniting with purple flames, and with a spread of its arms, sprouted two wings of purple feathers, flapping them to take off into the High altitude. Shen Luo, seeing this, yanked the Golden Rope with one hand and with the other he thrust his long stick like a spear. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod suddenly extended many times its length, and with a ¡°pu,¡± pierced through the Purple Pheasant''s heart. As the purple flames on its body gradually extinguished, it plummeted from the sky. ¡°It''s safe now, let''s go,¡± Shen Luo flicked his wrist, retracting the Golden Rope, and turned to tell Everyone. Xiao Yu and the others felt reassured at the sight, and they all followed along. But Just now as they walked out of the valley entrance, they saw a woman with a slender figure walking slowly towards them from the smoky battlefield ahead. Although her face was covered by an armored mask, Shen Luo recognized her at a glance. She had many identities now, being the Green Spirit Profound Girl and one of the twelve Venerates of the Demon Clan, but to Shen Luo, she was most familiar as the daughter of the Jing River Dragon King, Ma Xiuxiu. Behind Ma Xiuxiu, followed a dwarf Man shorter than her, clad in black scale armor covering his entire body. The pale cheek exposed under the armor was crammed with features, lips stretched by buckteeth adorned with a pair of mustachios, and at first glance, one could only think of the phrase ¡°a rat''s cunning and a deer''s face.¡± However, the aura emitting from his body was no less intense, almost on par with Ma Xiuxiu''s. ¡°Should I address you as Chen Dragon Venerate, Green Spirit Profound Girl, or simply as Miss Ma?¡± Shen Luo looked at the Girl and asked. ¡°Oh, an Old Acquaintance, huh¡­¡± The dwarf man chuckled at the words. ¡°Zi Shu, let''s take action together, quickly and decisively,¡± Ma Xiuxiu didn''t answer, but instead gave Shen Luo an expressionless glance and then whispered. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The dwarf man, surprised by her words, had not seen her take the initiative to ask for an alliance in their infrequent joint battles before. ¡°Alright,¡± he promptly put away his playful demeanor and nodded. No sooner had he spoken than the dwarf man took the lead and walked toward Shen Luo. ¡°You all step back a hundred feet away and don''t come closer,¡± Shen Luo saw the approaching figure, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he turned to instruct the people behind him. Everyone, though puzzled, receded as told. Shen Luo''s gaze intensified as he looked back at the dwarf man. He was enveloped in a layer of pitch-black radiance, and in the Void behind him, there emerged a huge rat shadow as large as a mountain, its pupils exuding Blood Light, and emanating threads of black Qi that soared into the heavens, emanating a fearsome presence. Still some ten feet away, the dwarf man, who was the Rat Venerable, suddenly pushed a palm forward, and the mammoth rat shadow behind him also reached out a claw and struck Shen Luo''s head. As the shadowy giant claw descended, Shen Luo instantly felt an oppressively strong surge of malevolent Qi bear down from above, and before it even touched him, it seemed to be drilling directly into his Sea of knowledge. Shen Luo snorted coldly, grabbed the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod with one hand, and swung it abruptly. A pitch-black whip shadow immediately surged upwards, striking towards the phantom giant claw. After the Six Chen Whip flew into the air, it whistled through the air, spinning and sending out layers of whip shadows. The moment they touched the phantom giant claw, they dispersed the phantom, turning it into wisps of Black Qi. Just as the giant claw was disrupted, the figure of Rat Venerable suddenly vanished from in front of Shen Luo''s eyes. A shiver ran through Shen Luo''s heart, and he immediately leaped high into the air. From the shadow beneath him, the figure of Rat Venerable abruptly emerged, holding a long, dark green, slender spike and chasing after Shen Luo in the air. Seeing this, Shen Luo spun the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand with a whistling sound, bringing it down onto Rat Venerable''s head with the momentum of cleaving Mount Tai. Golden light erupted from the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and although it was plainly a bludgeon, it revealed an incomparably sharp aura at that moment. The golden light that burst forth was like the blade of an axe, swiftly chopping downwards. Rat Venerable saw this but showed no hint of retreat. Instead, his ascent became even more furious, and the spike in his hand burst forth with a layer of green dazzling light, colliding head-on with the iron rod. A metallic clang rang out. The dark green spike, made of some unknown material, was only slightly bent by the impact but managed to staunchly withstand the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. A hint of surprise flashed across Shen Luo''s eyes. Under the pull of his thoughts, the Six Chen Whip that had flown out just now instantly flew back, stabbing swiftly toward Rat Venerable''s back. Just as the Six Chen Whip was about to pierce through Rat Venerable''s back, a light shone again from him, and his solid body turned ethereal in an instant. The whip passed through him, leaving no wound whatsoever. Shen Luo was taken aback, but there was no time for a closer look. He immediately felt an intense oppressive force from above. Looking up, he saw a huge pitch-black Dragon Claw descending from the sky with the force of Mount Tai crashing down on him. He could faintly see the figure of Ma Xiuxiu within the center of the Dragon Claw, her hands forming a magic spell as she hung there. At the same time, a strong Dragon Breath converged from all directions, binding him in place, and for a moment, he was unable to escape far from there. He shouted angrily, and the Huangting Technique within him rapidly circulated. He stepped into the void and leaped out a hundred feet, clutching the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in both hands, hoisting it onto his shoulders. Then, just as the Dragon Claw descended, Shen Luo braced against it with the stance of carrying a mountain. ¡°Get away from me.¡± He bellowed, using his shoulders as a pivot, he forcefully levered with the long rod in his hands, flinging the pitch-black Dragon Claw, along with Ma Xiuxiu inside it, into the air. But at that moment, Rat Venerable had already seized the opportunity, leaping out from Shen Luo''s shadow once again and surging upwards at a devious angle, his spike aiming diagonally at Shen Luo''s chest. Shen Luo, still spinning the long rod, found himself unable to defend and was forced to watch as the strike approached. However, just then, a golden light suddenly burst forth from his chest, the dark green spike coiling down and rushing towards Rat Venerable. ¡°Golden Rope, too bad you can''t stop it!¡± exclaimed Rat Venerable. After weighing the pros and cons, he realized that even if he were bound, Shen Luo wouldn''t be able to stop this blow. He did not dodge but instead lunged more vigorously towards Shen Luo. However, just as his spike was about to penetrate Shen Luo''s chest, a blue light suddenly shone from Shen Luo''s forehead. A fist-sized water blue pearl floated out, emanating an overwhelming selike aura of water Qi, instantly enveloping an area of a hundred feet around. Chapter 888 Chapter 888: 885 Chapter 888: 885 ¡°Stabilize the winds,¡± Shen Luo uttered softly. The Water Blue Pearl suddenly gleamed intensely, dispersing an incomparably powerful prohibition force in an instant. Zi Shu found that the sharp awl in his hand had stopped mere centimeters from Shen Luo''s heart, and his body was also immobilized in place, with only his eyes trembling uncontrollably. Shen Luo stepped back, casually flicking Zi Shu''s awl aside, and the space that had been frozen around them once again came to life. Zi Shu''s awl missed and stabbed the air beside him while the Golden Rope did not miss its mark. It tightly wrapped around Zi Shu''s body, binding him. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo pushed the Huangting Technique within him to its limits, radiating waves of golden light from his body. The Dragon Elephant Phantoms flew out one after another, gradually transforming into solid rays of light before surging into the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand. ¡°Die,¡± Shen Luo roared, swinging the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod that was now ablaze with light, smashing it down onto Zi Shu. Zi Shu, sensing the astonishing power, couldn''t believe such strength could come from a True Immortal cultivator. ¡°Chen Long, save me, save me¡­¡± He called out frantically without a second thought. As he cried out for help, Ma Xiuxiu had already disappeared from her original place, abruptly appearing behind Shen Luo. Her hand shot forward, showing no signs of illusion or tricks. Her palm revealed the true form of a dragon claw, with sharp talon-like fingers, lunging straight at Shen Luo''s heart. Shen Luo merely shifted slightly to the side. He didn''t choose to dodge completely and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand didn''t pause at all. He stubbornly smashed it toward Zi Shu, almost as if he were willing to exchange his life for his. This move not only stunned Zi Shu but also brought a flash of surprise to Ma Xiuxiu''s eyes. Xiao Yu and the other Jade Fox people couldn''t help but cry out. ¡°Big Brother Shen!¡± With a desperate shriek, blood burst through Shen Luo''s right chest. Ma Xiuxiu''s dragon-clawed arm pierced through Shen Luo''s back and out his chest, her fingers still clutching half a dripping, bloodied heart. Almost at the same moment, an explosion sounded in front of Shen Luo. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod struck Zi Shu''s head without any reduction in force, exploding into a violent energy that tore both his body and soul into fragments. Everyone present was stunned by the scene before them; no one had expected Shen Luo to actually trade lives with Zi Shu. Ma Xiuxiu''s expression beneath her helmet was somewhat stiff. When Shen Luo had reappeared before her, she had imagined killing him more than once. Yet when the moment truly arrived, her mind suddenly went blank. She withdrew her hand aimlessly, letting Shen Luo''s body slowly slide down in front of her arm before collapsing to the ground. Just then, an enraged roar thundered from the high sky, shaking the skydome. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Bull Demon King, having seen the scene of Shen Luo''s death below, descended from the sky like a meteorite. Seeing his fierce momentum, Ma Xiuxiu did not dare to clash with him. Once he touched down, she had already escaped a hundred feet away, creating distance between them. The moment the Bull Demon King landed, he drew the Banana Fan from his back and ferociously fanned it toward Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Boom¡­¡± The world instantly changed color, and the void began to tremble violently. Towering wind pillars sprouted from nowhere, yellow and rolling, surging towards Ma Xiuxiu. A giant wall of sand and dust rose from the Earth, shattering the ground full of broken trees and branches, sweeping over everything in its path. It seemed as if the very skin of Jilei Mountain was being peeled away, leaving chaos in its wake. Ma Xiuxiu was caught by the fierce wind, and her form instantly became unstable. She was involuntarily whisked high into the sky, spinning several times before finally stabilizing somewhat, yet she still couldn''t avoid being blown far away. The various demons lurking in the mountain forests were also affected by the tempest, with many frail skeletons being torn apart by the hurricane, turning directly into dust. Naturally, the other demons were also blown high into the sky without any means to resist. Just as the numerous demons were being blown back by the fierce wind, another figure plummeted from the skies, standing immovably in front of the demons, blocking the howling gales. The man was burly, clad in bone armor; it was none other than Ghost, who had previously battled with the Bull Demon King. In his hand, he held a Purple Gold Gourd that radiated seven-colored rays. Suspended from the mouth of the gourd was a golden Elixir Pill, only the size of a longan, emitting waves of intense golden halo, rippling out like tides. With every wave of the halo that swept around, the impact of the wild hurricane was diminished a bit. As the layers of the halo continued to ripple out, the hurricane summoned by the Banana Fan was gradually quelled, until the surroundings were without a single ripple, restoring calm. The Bull Demon King stared intently at the Purple Gold Gourd and the golden Elixir Pill in Ghost''s hand, his eyes burning with intensified rage. ¡°That would be the legendary Wind-fixing Bead, wouldn''t it?¡± A voice suddenly rose from behind him. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± No sooner had the Bull Demon King spoken than he realized something was amiss. He swiftly turned around and, upon seeing who it was, exclaimed in great joy, ¡°Brother Shen, you''re unharmed?¡± ¡°Almost had my heart pierced through, but luckily she was off by a fraction,¡± Shen Luo patted his chest, saying with aftershock. Of course, his words weren''t entirely true; Ma Xiuxiu''s strike had indeed penetrated his heart, although it hadn''t completely destroyed it. For an ordinary monk, this would have been a fatal blow, but Shen Luo survived by relying on the Great Deconstruction Technique to mend the deadly injury completely. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re quite lucky. If you can escape with your life today, there''s sure to be great fortune in your future,¡± said the Bull Demon King, unable to help himself from commenting. However, after saying this, his expression grew increasingly heavy. ¡°Why not use an Escape Technique to lead everyone out?¡± Shen Luo asked urgently with a frown, transmitting his voice telepathically. ¡°It''s not so simple. The demons came well-prepared this time. Not only has Ghost personally led the team, but they have also laid the Heaven-sealing Array around Jilei Mountain to seal it off before their assault,¡± the Bull Demon King explained. Shen Luo looked up into the skydome, only to realize that although it appeared normal at a glance, the clouds suspended in the sky seemed to be nailed in place, without a hint of motion. ¡°It''s impossible for so many to get out unscathed. Brother Shen, in a moment, I''ll try to break through the sky''s seal. I need you to lead Jade Face away from here. I already owe her one life; I cannot let her die again,¡± the Bull Demon King conveyed through voice transmission. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Bull Demon King expressed his gratitude and then took a step forward. He was suddenly engulfed in azure-black light, and his body shook fiercely as he rapidly grew in size, transforming into a hundred-feet-tall majestic giant within the blink of an eye. In his hands, he wielded a massive Mixed Iron Staff, swinging it with a whoosh, ready to thrust at the sky above. But just at that moment, a towering figure also shot up from the ground. Ghost had also transformed into a hundred-feet figure, holding a Soul-crushing Axe in his hand, viciously slashing towards the Mixed Iron Staff of the Bull Demon King. Chapter 889 – 889 886 Six Chapter 889: Chapter 886: Six-Eared Macaque Chapter 889: Chapter 886: Six-Eared Macaque ¡°Clang¡± With a tremendous metal clashing sound, the giant axe came down upon the head of the mixed iron staff, sparking a shower of golden sparks. Both forces were immensely strong, and under this violent collision, a huge blast wave erupted, impacting the void around it, spreading out in all directions. A fierce gale swept forth, and Shen Luo staggered violently, nearly unable to maintain his stance. He hastily circulated the Huangting Divine Power, countering with the Dragon Elephant Power, barely managing to shield Xiao Yu and the others behind him. Looking at the massive figures of Bull Demon King and Nine Netherworlds in front of him, his heart was greatly shaken. Even among Taiyi Realm cultivators, there were levels of strength, and without a doubt, these two stood at the pinnacle of Taiyi powerhouses. Just then, Bull Demon King suddenly let out a thunderous roar, and rings of black halos began to shine around his body. His eyes also emitted a blood-red color, and steams of vapor rose from his body, emitting billows of white mist. His bones ¡°crackled¡± loudly, and at that moment, the mixed iron staff, which had been suppressed by Nine Netherworlds, suddenly surged upward, unleashing an incredibly powerful force that directly pushed away Nine Netherworlds'' giant axe and thrust towards the heavens. The mixed iron staff stirred the Heaven and Earth Aura, emitting many layers of crimson light, reflecting the false heavens in a sea of blood-red, as if the sky was awash with fire at dusk, covering the entire canopy. At this moment, the reputation of the Great Strength Bull Demon King was fully displayed! Shen Luo turned back to look at everyone behind him, hesitated slightly, and his brows furrowed into a knot. However, he quickly made a decision; after all, he could not simply abandon the others and flee with only Princess Jade Face. Shen Luo''s wrist turned, and the Golden Rope then emerged from within the sleeve, binding and linking dozens of people behind him. A sensation of burning heat passed through his arms as he was about to unleash the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Escape Technique. But just at that moment, a sudden change occurred in the high sky. Just as the burning clouds, along with the layer of void sealed by the Heaven-sealing Array, were about to be pierced by Bull Demon King''s staff, a figure abruptly appeared behind him. This person was hunchbacked and thin, seemingly insignificant next to the Bull Demon King''s mountainous frame, yet the terrifying demon power emitted from his body startled even Shen Luo. Just as he was about to warn him, Shen Luo suddenly felt that the figure looked familiar. Although the figure was clad in armor, its exposed body was covered in hair, with broad and long limbs, clearly not of the Human Race but of monkey lineage. ¡°Great Sage Equal to Heaven?¡± Shen Luo could not help but exclaim in his heart. However, the next instant, he saw that the demon monkey was holding a pitch-black spear, grinning as it stabbed into the Bull Demon King''s back. This thrust was not forward but downward, sticking closely to the Bull Demon King''s spine as it was thrust in. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Roar¡­¡± A wild roar came from the Bull Demon King''s mouth, countless black fogs rising from the wound on his back, halting the momentum that was about to burst into the skies, causing him to stagger and struggle to move. Shortly after, he seemed to lose all his strength, his figure rapidly shrinking, quickly returning to normal size. And with the shrinking of his body, the spear that had pierced his spine was slowly squeezed out. The demon monkey stepped forward, picked up the spear with one hand, and prodded the Bull Demon King''s throat with it, grinning to reveal sharp white fangs, asking with a snicker, ¡°Hehe, old Bull, haven''t seen you in a long time, have I¡­?¡± Still trembling, the Bull Demon King dropped his mixed iron staff; he clenched his fists, sized up the demon monkey, and then burst into laughter. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± the demon monkey asked as he saw mockery in the Bull Demon King''s laughter. ¡°Hmph, after all these years, you''re still so pathetic, Six-Eared Macaque,¡± the Bull Demon King said, undiminished in his amusement. At these words, the demon monkey''s expression shifted slightly, and his face immediately took on a fierce look. ¡°I may not get along with that monkey, but I truly despise you. What now? You''ve joined the Demonic Path; do you want to be like him too? If you really want to be like him, shouldn''t you at least match the Victorious Fighting Buddha?¡± the Bull Demon King continued to taunt. ¡°Like him? That stinking monkey has long since rotted away in some corner; why should I follow him?¡± the Six-Eared Macaque looked up at the sky as the anger on his face gradually vanished, returning to calm. Seeing this, a look of surprise also flashed in the Bull Demon King''s eyes. ¡°Surprised? I''m no longer that monkey''s shadow, and I won''t let you provoke me again,¡± said the Six-Eared Macaque, raising an eyebrow with a smile. ¡°I heard that after the Demon Clan resurrected you, you joined them and became one of the so-called ''Twelve Distinguished Ones.'' Just with this, you can''t even be his shadow,¡± the Bull Demon King spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and sneered. ¡°Trying to anger me doesn''t benefit you, does it?¡± the coldness in the Six-Eared Macaque''s gaze deepened as he spoke. The Bull Demon King, however, remained utterly indifferent. ¡°I know you''re not afraid of death, but even you must have someone you care about, right?¡± The Six-Eared Macaque said this and looked up at Red Boy, who was engaged in battle, then glanced at Princess Jade Face, who was being protected by Shen Luo. ¡°Target me all you want, but using the lives of others as a threat will only make me despise you even more,¡± the Bull Demon King declared. ¡°I have no desire to bully women and children. Just hand over the Heavenly Book, and I can at least guarantee that the two of them will leave here alive,¡± the Six-Eared Macaque stated. ¡°Whether they live or die, I''m afraid that''s not for you to decide, is it?¡± Suddenly, the voice of Nine Netherworlds came through. The Six-Eared Macaque''s brow lifted at these words, and a hint of murderous intent surfaced in his eyes. ¡°Don''t forget, I am the main force behind this attack on Jilei Mountain; you are just here to assist,¡± Nine Netherworlds said with a cold laugh, not avoiding the Six-Eared Macaque''s gaze. Upon hearing this, the Six-Eared Macaque''s eyes flashed with suppressed rage, revealing some hesitation. But soon, he collected himself, withdrew the spear that had been at the Bull Demon King''s throat, and left without looking back. Seeing this, Nine Netherworlds'' eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of anger appeared on his face. With the Bull Demon King already severely injured, the presence of the Six-Eared Macaque was of little consequence; he could handle the subsequent matters alone. ¡°I''ve been trying to win you over, but you, high and mighty, looked down upon the Demon Clan. Now, what do you have to say?¡± He walked slowly to the Bull Demon King and spoke. ¡°You can only claim victory through the Six-Eared Macaque''s sneak attack; what do I have to say to you?¡± retorted the Bull Demon King. ¡°The victor becomes king, the loser the bandit; wasn''t that the lesson we from the Demon Race learned from the Battle of Zhulu? Don''t you know that?¡± Nine Netherworlds replied without a care. ¡°Enough talk. If you want to fight, then come. I will not hand over the Heavenly Book to you,¡± the Bull Demon King said with a cold laugh. ¡°Why the rush? Even if I do kill, you will be the last one to die. Those from the Demon Race and Fox Clan who follow you will all die one by one right before your eyes,¡± Nine Netherworlds said with a smile. After saying this, he raised his hand, and an invisible force pulled a female Jade Fox Clan member who was standing beside Princess Jade Face, instantly flying into Nine Netherworlds'' hand. He grabbed the woman by the neck, and with a light twist, he snapped her head off and threw it, as a sign of defiance, in front of the Bull Demon King. Chapter 890 Chapter 890: Chapter 887: Fearless and Resolute Chapter 890: Chapter 887: Fearless and Resolute The Bull Demon King''s eyes twitched slightly, knowing that he had deliberately grabbed someone from beside Jade Face, yet he still kept silent. Nine Netherworlds didn''t hurry either, casually grabbing another person, killing them in the same way, and throwing the body beside the Bull Demon King. ¡°Stop wasting your effort,¡± the Bull Demon King said indifferently. ¡°Like I said, no need to rush, let''s take our time,¡± Nine Netherworlds replied, not caring in the slightest. He lifted his hand and reached out into the void towards Princess Jade Face''s back. Xiao Yu, who was hiding behind her, suddenly felt an irresistible force coming at her and cried out in shock as she was yanked over. Just then, a golden rod shadow suddenly fell from midair, with powerful mana waves emanating from it, breaking the force that was pulling Xiao Yu directly. At the same time, Shen Luo''s figure had already shuffled out, standing in front of Xiao Yu. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­¡± Xiao Yu said in a panic. Shen Luo didn''t look back at her, but stared intently at Nine Netherworlds in front of him, not daring to be distracted in the slightest. ¡°Someone still dares to rush to their death at this time? Oh¡­ he''s from the Human Race,¡± Nine Netherworlds said in surprise after seeing Shen Luo''s face. Shen Luo''s brows were furrowed tightly, hesitating whether to use the Heavenly Book or not. Once he borrowed the power of the Heavenly Book, he might not be able to withstand this person''s attack, and he might draw the Demon Clan''s ire, making his situation much more difficult if he managed to escape this time. Seeing that Shen Luo remained silent, just staring at him intensely, Nine Netherworlds couldn''t help but find it somewhat amusing. He felt that Shen Luo''s expression was like prey fixating on the arrow in the hunter''s hand, thinking that if he concentrated hard enough, he might have a chance to escape. ¡°Like mantises blocking the cart, fearless of death,¡± Nine Netherworlds mockingly said as he abruptly reached out towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo immediately felt his body locked by a powerful force, and then he was pulled forward, flying towards Nine Netherworlds. Xiao Yu tried to pull Shen Luo back but grabbed at thin air, tumbling to the ground. Just as Shen Luo was about to reach Nine Netherworlds, a golden light burst from his sleeve, shooting straight out with the powerful suction and instantly reaching Nine Netherworlds'' side, coiling around his arm. ¡°The Golden Rope¡­¡± Surprise flickered in Nine Netherworlds'' eyes as he shook his arm violently, and a burst of invisible force shook off his sleeve, puffing it up. The Golden Rope wound around but was blown away by this force before it could tighten its bind. At the same time, Shen Luo took advantage of the momentary slack in the pulling force to pinch an Escape Earth Talisman, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± he dived into the ground and disappeared from sight. Nine Netherworlds grasped the Golden Rope, only to realize that Shen Luo had already escaped. But soon, his eyebrows raised slightly, and he said with a smile, ¡°I gave you a chance to escape, you should''ve taken it cleanly. Hiding in the dark like this, aren''t you seeking death?¡± As he spoke, he suddenly lifted his foot and stomped on the ground. With a ¡°boom,¡± the Earth shook violently, dense cracks burst from the ground, and a figure shot out from the largest fissure, revealing itself to be Shen Luo. Before he could land, Nine Netherworlds made his move, slapping down towards him. However, at that moment, the Bull Demon King, who had been lying on the ground, burst into blood light and suddenly rose, charging towards Nine Netherworlds with the two curved horns atop his head. Behind him, a huge black bull phantom materialized in the Void, also charging fiercely towards Nine Netherworlds. With a ¡°bang,¡± Nine Netherworlds was struck by the powerful force, his body involuntarily staggering and almost falling. Shen Luo, who was just now forcibly expelled from underground, did not take advantage of the situation to attack, but for some reason had already put away the SeAnchoring Iron Rod and began to quickly form seals with his hands, looking up into the high altitude. ¡°Three Stars Demolishing Demons, descend now!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up with a divine gleam, and he abruptly pulled his hands downwards and shouted loudly. As soon as his voice fell, in the distant Star River of the deep sky, it seemed that an invisible force was pulling, causing the stars to revolve and shine brilliantly. Following that, in the depths of the sky sealed by the Heaven-sealing Array, there suddenly appeared a dazzling light, with three massive golden stars breaking through the void and descending, illuminating the entire Jilei Mountain as bright as day. The trajectory of their fall left behind three extremely long golden fiery light marks, resplendent beyond compare. Different from usual, this time it was not three stars descending one after another, but all three began their descent together, crashing down towards this area all at once. As they neared the Heaven-sealing Array, the stars caused intense friction with the array''s barrier, and the light flared up, doubling in intensity, changing from golden yellow to incandescent brilliance. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sound of ¡°rumbling¡± was almost ear-splitting, making one feel as if the skydome itself were collapsing. The people fighting below couldn''t help but stop their combat and look up into the sky. Nine Netherworlds glanced up at the sky briefly and then set his gaze on Shen Luo, expressing some surprise, ¡°You, a lad of the Human Race, actually possess the God''s Power of Three Stars Demolishing Demons; indeed, you can no longer be spared.¡± With those words, he stepped forward, charging straight towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo dared not take the blow and hastily used the Slanting Moon Steps to dodge, and at the same time, he took out the SeAnchoring Iron Rod to protect himself by his side. However, the moment he moved, Nine Netherworlds was already upon him, slamming a fist down toward his chest. Shen Luo had no time to dodge and could only brace his arm in front of himself. There was a ¡°crack¡± sound, and Shen Luo''s arm broke upon impact, and he was sent flying by this enormous force. Just as he was about to stand, Nine Netherworlds had already reached him in an instant, lifting a foot and stomping heavily on his chest. In that instant, Shen Luo had already activated the Huangting Divine Power to resist, but a crisp sound still came from his chest, which caved in to form a deep depression. Intense pain surged over him like a tide, and even Shen Luo found it somewhat unbearable. Just then, a loud boom suddenly came from the high sky, and one of the stars, after colliding with the Heaven-sealing Array and exhausting a great deal of power, directly shattered. The intense explosive impact blasted a hole open in the Heaven-sealing Array, and the remaining two stars, dragging their golden tails, finally crashed down. The moment they broke through the barrier of the array, the two golden stars finally locked onto Nine Netherworlds and plummeted straight towards him. Nine Netherworlds frowned deeply, kicked Shen Luo away, and with a forceful stomp of his feet, he raised a fist and smashed it towards the stars in the high sky. ¡°Boom¡± A golden fist shadow soared into the sky, swelling a hundredfold with the wind, and impacted one of the stars. The golden star shook explosively, its surface flame doubling in size, slowing its descent momentarily, but it soon continued to fall. Seeing this, Nine Netherworlds'' eyes flashed with surprise, and his body shone as his muscles and bones began to swell, quickly transforming into a giant tens of meters tall, lifting both his hands up to catch the falling golden stars. ¡°Boom, boom¡± Two violent explosions sounded, and Nine Netherworlds indeed managed to lift the two golden stars, one in each hand, as though holding up the sky. But his knees were slightly bent, and his arms trembled, obviously under great strain. Chapter 891 Chapter 891: Chapter 888: Negotiating with a Tiger for Its Skin Chapter 891: Chapter 888: Negotiating with a Tiger for Its Skin ¡°Whoosh whoosh,¡± the sound of the wind was deafening. Two stars, like two clumps of Heavenly Fire, flickered uncertainly in Nine Netherworld''s palm, with the force of Demolishing Demons pouring down unceasingly, but ultimately, they failed to press his figure down even an inch. ¡°Boom boom,¡± two explosive sounds erupted almost simultaneously. The two Demolishing Demon stars finally exhausted their last bit of power and burst apart with a loud bang. Shaken by this wild force, Nine Netherworld finally staggered back two steps before steadying himself. ¡°With just this measure of power from your Three Stars Demolishing Demons, compared to the God''s Power used by Bodhi Ancestor that year, there''s truly a gap as wide as the heavens and the earth.¡± He glanced at his own arms, scorched to a bloody red, then looked at Shen Luo with a mocking smile on his face. That moment, the contemptuous smile on his face was deeply etched into Shen Luo''s heart. Facing a powerful person like Nine Netherworld, he was simply too weak after all. ¡°Bull Demon King, my patience has been exhausted by this human brat. If you are unwilling to hand over the Heavenly Book, I won''t kill them one by one¨CI''ll just kill them all at once,¡± Nine Netherworld said coldly, speaking slowly. As his words fell, one of his palms slowly rose up, the dark red Thunder and Lightning intertwining at his fingertips, ¡°thunderbolt¡± crackling, and a terrifying pressure emanated from within. With a flick of his finger, a bolt of red Thunder shot out, transforming into an arc of light that struck Shen Luo''s abdomen. Shen Luo''s belly was instantly torn open by the Thunder, the flesh charred and horrific to look at. Seeing Shen Luo collapsing to the ground in pain, a look of triumph filled Nine Netherworld''s eyes. He rubbed his fingertips again, and the electricity in his palm began to dance wildly. ¡°Stop, I''ll give you the Heavenly Book. I''ll face the consequences. Let the others go,¡± the Bull Demon King ground out through clenched teeth. ¡°Hehe, if you had said so earlier, I might have agreed, but now¡­ in addition to the Heavenly Book, I want that boy as well,¡± Nine Netherworld pointed at Shen Luo and laughed. ¡°Nine Netherworld, don''t push your luck. Worst comes to worst, I''ll destroy the Heavenly Book, and we can perish together in mutual destruction,¡± the Bull Demon King said with a sinking gaze, full of loathing. Hearing this, a hesitant light flickered in Nine Netherworld''s eyes, as if weighing whether to press the Bull Demon King further. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fine, I''ve already set my sights on that boy. He might escape this time, but he won''t escape the next. I agree to your terms, hand over the Heavenly Book,¡± Nine Netherworld sighed and said. ¡°First, make them all stop,¡± the Bull Demon King said. Nine Netherworld glanced at the still-fighting Demon and Jade Fox Clan off in the distance and bellowed: ¡°All Demons, heed my command, cease your attacks!¡± This thunderous roar instantly spread throughout Jilei Mountain. Hearing this command, all Demons halted their pursuit of exterminating the Jade Fox Clan, and the remaining few Jade Fox people gathered together, converging towards where the Bull Demon King was. With the Great Unsealing Technique, Shen Luo repaired the wound in his abdomen and, with Xiao Yu''s support, stood up. Looking at the surrounding Jade Fox people, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of desolation. Once a clan of thousands, after enduring these successive ordeals, only about three hundred of the Jade Fox Clan remained, each one wounded, their expressions weary and their plight exceedingly pitiful. ¡°Father King,¡± Red Boy rushed over upon seeing the Bull Demon King seriously injured. The Ten Thousand Years Fox King, also grievously injured, was helped over by clan members. ¡°I won''t say much. Organize yourselves and leave Jilei Mountain quickly,¡± the Bull Demon King said. ¡°To make a covenant with the Demon Clan is like seeking the skin of a tiger. Our Jade Fox Clan has survived through a hundred generations and was bound to face this calamity. It''s simply a fight to the death, who''s afraid?¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, his brows furrowing deeply as he spoke. ¡°We are not afraid,¡± said the Fox Clan people behind him in unison. ¡°It''s not about fear or lack thereof, it''s just senselessly throwing away lives, which is meaningless,¡± Bull Demon King shook his head and said. ¡°Take advantage of my not having second thoughts yet, and all of you lackeys better scram,¡± Nine Netherworlds said with a willful laugh. Upon hearing this, the Jade Fox Clan people became extremely angry, glaring at each other with rage-filled eyes. ¡°You''re not someone who lacks clarity of mind, don''t engage in pointless strife, take them and leave, take good care of Yu''er,¡± Bull Demon King looked deeply at the Ten Thousand Years Fox King and said. Upon hearing this, Ten Thousand Years Fox King was silent for a long while before slowly nodding his head. ¡°I don''t trust Nine Netherworlds'' words, I can only stall him here for a bit longer. If something unexpected happens, can you use the Escape Technique to take Yu''er and the others as far away as possible? If you can, take them to seek refuge with Town Primordial Great Immortal,¡± whispered Bull Demon King''s voice suddenly within Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°I¡­ I promise you,¡± Shen Luo sighed deeply in his heart and replied. Having heard this, Bull Demon King''s eyes showed a slight smile, and then he summoned Red Boy to his side, giving him instructions. This scene looked very much like entrusting one''s last wishes, a sight that squeezed the heart. ¡°You''ve already squandered too much time, don''t push your luck too much,¡± said Nine Netherworlds. Upon hearing this, Bull Demon King turned his head, looked at him coldly, and with a flick of his wrist, a golden book appeared in his palm. Nine Netherworlds caught sight of the golden book and his expression immediately changed. ¡°The Heavenly Book is right here, I said I would give it to you, I won''t go back on my word. What is your hurry?¡± Bull Demon King asked. Nine Netherworlds snorted coldly, and said no more. ¡°Great King, Yu''er will stay with you,¡± Princess Jade Face said, leaning against Bull Demon King, calmly. Gently stroking her hair, Bull Demon King spoke softly, ¡°Go with the Fox King first, I will catch up with you later. With you here, it will be hard for me to escape.¡± ¡°The Great King has suffered such grievous injuries, how could the Demon Clan possibly spare the Great King? Why must you deceive me? In this life, to have awakened from my aimless drifting, and to have spent these days with the Great King, I am already very content. Now, I only wish to live and die with the Great King, with no regrets,¡± Princess Jade Face continued without changing her expression. ¡°Yu''er¡­¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, unable to refrain from speaking out. With eyes filled with indulgence, Bull Demon King pulled Princess Jade Face into his embrace and patted the back of her neck gently with his hand, causing her to go limp and faint. ¡°Take them and leave¡­¡± He struggled to stand up and handed Princess Jade Face to the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. Carrying the beloved daughter in his arms, Ten Thousand Years Fox King solemnly nodded. Then, he gave the order and the people of the clan mounted their flying magical instruments, one after another ascending into the high altitude. Shen Luo gave Bull Demon King a fist salute, then took Xiao Yu''s hand, also flying into the high sky. Red Boy stood with his head lowered on the spot for a long time, but eventually, at the roar of Bull Demon King, he followed the others and soared up. Only when the people had flown hundreds of feet high, did a light curtain suddenly shine below, once again enveloping Jilei Mountain¨Cit was the Heaven-sealing Array which had been destroyed by the Three Stars Demolishing Demons Array, now repaired and closed again. ¡°I''ve let them go as agreed, now it''s your turn to show sincerity,¡± Nine Netherworlds said, glancing at the sky. Chapter 892 Chapter 892: Chapter 889: Each Has a Plan B Chapter 892: Chapter 889: Each Has a Plan B ¡°` ¡°Don''t rush, give them some time to get away,¡± Bull Demon King said with a grin. Upon hearing this, Nine Netherworlds frowned but didn''t say anything. A moment later, his eyes slightly narrowed as he said, ¡°Alright, no more tricks, now hand over the Heavenly Book.¡± Bull Demon King hesitated for a moment but still waved his hand and sent the Heavenly Book flying towards Nine Netherworlds. The Heavenly Book turned into a streak of escape light, speeding directly towards Nine Netherworlds. Seeing this, Nine Netherworlds did not immediately reach out to receive the Heavenly Book but instinctively dodged to the side, merely using a tinge of mana to capture the remnants of the Heavenly Book and gradually drew it to his hands. With mana emanating from his hands to levitate the Heavenly Book, he scrutinized it carefully and, after confirming it was authentic, a rich smile began to spread across his face. ¡°Haha, good! I''ve finally got it,¡± Nine Netherworlds laughed heartily. ¡°Now tell me, how do you want to dispose of me?¡± Bull Demon King asked. ¡°Although you are a considerable force in battle, it''s a pity I don''t believe you''d actually switch sides. Naturally, I won''t entertain the naive notion of taking you in. You''re destined to die either way, so why not become my puppet instead?¡± Nine Netherworlds asked. ¡°I''m not interested. I''d rather choose to self-destruct than become a walking corpse,¡± Bull Demon King answered. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s not necessarily a bad choice, but before that, I''d like to let you know that I have a backup plan outside. They won''t actually be able to escape,¡± Nine Netherworlds said slowly with a victor''s smile on his face. ¡°It doesn''t matter, as long as you''re here, that''s enough,¡± Bull Demon King responded, his expression unchanged. At these words, Nine Netherworlds suddenly sensed something was amiss and instantly looked at the Heavenly Book in his hands. Just then, the Heavenly Book burst with golden light, and a series of golden inscriptions flew out, looking like ancient seal script names. As these names left the Heavenly Book, golden light expanded in the void, the names grew brighter and transformed one by one into golden silhouettes wielding weapons, charging towards Nine Netherworlds. ¡°Heavenly soldiers and generals¡­¡± Nine Netherworlds said, surprised at the sight. With one hand controlling the Heavenly Book, he waved his other hand abruptly, and a series of ''zzz zzz'' sounds of thunder and lightning followed. Streams of red thunder struck out, instantly forming a dense net of electricity that surged in all directions, shattering rocks and stones, with dust flying and everything breaking apart. The golden illusions of the heavenly soldiers and generals, hit by the dark red thunder, hardly put up any resistance and were all scattered. However, no sooner had the illusions of the heavenly soldiers been dispersed than new figures emerged from the Heavenly Book and continued to relentlessly rush at Nine Netherworlds. After repelling three waves of attacks, Nine Netherworlds quickly noticed that many identical figures appeared among the golden silhouettes; those he had disrupted a moment ago were emerging from the Heavenly Book again in the next instant. ¡°No wonder the Master so greatly values this item; it indeed possesses profound mysteries. It''s a pity that the item is incomplete, and the summoned heavenly soldiers and generals are equally flawed, with terribly weak combat power,¡± he said, glancing at Bull Demon King. But what he saw was Bull Demon King sitting cross-legged on the ground, blood streaming from the corners of his eyes, his body enveloped in a layer of dark red light. It seemed that beneath the heavily injured body, he could no longer sustain the Heavenly Book, which demanded immense power. Sure enough, the ¡°resurrection¡± rate of heavenly soldiers from the Heavenly Book soon slowed down. ¡°You didn''t use this before because you were worried about excessive consumption and couldn''t confront me, right?¡± Nine Netherworlds asked with a smile. Bull Demon King didn''t reply, but the magic spell he was forming with his hands was quietly changing. ¡°` Just then, his eyes suddenly snapped open, covered with blood silk as if all mana had been drained from him in an instant. His figure swayed violently, nearly causing him to fall. He managed to steady himself and abruptly brought his hands together, aiming at the Heavenly Book above, and fiercely pointed a single finger. A blinding beam of red light burst forth, shooting straight towards the Heavenly Book. Feeling the fluctuations of mana emanating from it, Nine Netherworlds couldn''t help but change his expression. He finally realized that the Bull Demon King''s harassment with the remnants of the Heavenly Soldiers was not a futile effort, but merely a way to buy time, to seek an opportunity for mutual destruction. The Bull Demon King was indeed planning to self-destruct the Heavenly Book. Anger surged on Nine Netherworlds'' face as he immediately tried to throw the Heavenly Book away, but an invisible force had emerged from the book, firmly locking his arm in place, making it impossible to release it. As the golden light within the Heavenly Book grew increasingly intense, Nine Netherworlds frowned deeply, raised his other hand, and fiercely chopped it down toward his own arm. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Accompanied by a burst of blood light, Nine Netherworlds'' arm, which was locked by the Heavenly Book, was severed, and as it fell through mid air, he kicked it with his foot, sending it flying directly toward the Bull Demon King. The Bull Demon King, seeing this, flashed a hint of disappointment in his eyes, but didn''t plan to stop the self-destruction. After all, if he stopped now, he would no longer have the strength to restart the self-destruction, and by then, even if he wanted to die, he would not be able to control his own fate. But at this critical moment, a thunderous boom suddenly echoed from deep within the skydome above. The Heaven-sealing Array that enveloped this realm suddenly collapsed, and a massive rift exploded open at the dome above. A thick black column thrust through the breach, followed closely by half of a hundred-foot-tall warship piercing through. With continuous explosive roars, the entire Heaven-sealing Array finally crumbled completely, revealing the huge black battleship adorned with dark red patterns floating in the high altitude. The battleship''s design resembled that of mundane royal warships, except its hull seemes to be covered with layers of black scale armor, almost like it was clad in the hide of some exotic beast, with three rings of Array light shining below, keeping the entire ship suspended in the void. ¡°Get on quickly¡­¡± A loud shout came from the warship. The Bull Demon King heard the call, immediately ceased his self-destruction, and looked up. He saw half of Shen Luo''s body leaning out from the side of the warship, waving at him. Although the Bull Demon King didn''t understand what was happening, he still grabbed both Nine Netherworlds'' severed arm and the Heavenly Book and leapt upward, shooting straight towards the high altitude battleship. ¡°Where do you think you''re going?¡± Nine Netherworlds bellowed, his figure soaring from the ground, a Soul-crushing Axe in hand, as he pursued the Bull Demon King. At the same time, all the demons on the ground also began to fly, scrambling towards the warship in the sky. But before they could even cover a hundred feet, dark silhouettes suddenly popped up around the gunwales of the ship, leaping down directly from the vessel to meet the pursuers below head-on. These figures wore uniform attire¨Cshort clothes of black color and a Bamboo Hat on their heads¨Cemitting not even a trace of mana, but upon engagement, they repelled most of the pursuers. After the first wave of dark silhouettes descended to attack, another batch quickly appeared on the ship''s edge, jumping down once more to battle with the pursuers. By this time, the Bull Demon King had already approached the ship and was about to board, but Nine Netherworlds had caught up. Chapter 893 Chapter 893: Chapter 890 Tianji City Chapter 893: Chapter 890 Tianji City The Nine Netherworlds swung his giant axe upwards, aiming it at the Bull Demon King, and with a surge of blood light from the axe, a hundred-foot-long blood-colored axe shadow was formed, ripping through the Void and chasing after the Bull Demon King. Just as the axe shadow was about to strike the Bull Demon King, suddenly, there came a commotion from above the warship. The dark red charm patterns on the hull of the ship lit up one after another, and the three-layered ringed Array suspended below the hull began to ¡°rumble¡± and spin as a black light pillar burst forth from it with tremendous force. ¡°Boom¡± A loud, violent roar echoed throughout the skydome as the black light pillar struck the blood-red axe shadow, causing it to explosively burst into pieces. A massive shock wave erupted from the center of the explosion, transforming into two ferocious wind pressures, each pressing towards the heavens and the earth. Below, the Nine Netherworlds found themselves immobilized by this immense force, while the colossal warship above was lifted into high altitudes by the impact of this force. And at the last critical moment, the Bull Demon King was entwined around his waist by the Golden Rope, pulled onto the warship by Shen Luo. No sooner had the Bull Demon King landed on the deck of the warship than Princess Jade Face plunged into his embrace, and Red Boy, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, and the others gathered around as well. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Seeing that the escaping group was safe and sound, the Bull Demon King was somewhat incredulous for a time. ¡°We were saved by a Daoist friend from Tianji City,¡± explained the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°Wasn''t Tianji City destroyed by the Demon Clan long ago?¡± Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King was stunned for a good while before mumbling in response. Meanwhile, the sound of a car wheel rolling approached, and the crowd automatically parted, leaving a passage in the middle. A young man who seemed to have a disability was seen slowly approaching in a wheelchair made of an amalgamation of bronze and sandalwood. The man appeared to be in his twenties or thirties, extremely handsome, with his black hair neatly bundled atop his head with a jade crown; he wore a black bodysuit, which gave him a somewhat stern demeanor. There was no one pushing the wheelchair from behind; no spiritual power fluctuations could be seen coming from it, only the faint sound of various gears turning, with a series of fine metal friction noises. ¡°Tianji City has been destroyed, but we of Tianji City have not perished. I came to the rescue at the behest of Elder Zhenyuanzi, thankfully not arriving too late,¡± said the young man slowly. ¡°I don''t know how to address you, my Daoist friend, the debt of rescue is indeed hard to repay¡­¡± said the Bull Demon King, clasping his fists. ¡°You may call me Yan Ze. Everyone has just been through a great battle, so rest well on this ship. I need to concentrate on piloting to leave this place as quickly as possible,¡± said the young man indifferently, then turned to manipulate his wheelchair to leave. ¡°What about those people just now?¡± The Bull Demon King frowned and couldn''t help but ask. ¡°There''s no need to worry about them,¡± said Yan Ze, leaving with only that remark. Before everyone could understand what was happening, the entire giant warship rose again, directly entering the clouds above and causing tumultuous waves as it raced swiftly in one direction. It was only when the demons and monsters engaged in combat below shatter the bamboo hats on the heads of the dark silhouettes that they realized what appeared under the hats weren''t human heads but blocks of round wood without even faces. By the time they had destroyed all the dark silhouettes into pieces, they realized that these were all mechanical devices similar to puppets, driven by Talisman Paper and some black stone blocks. Above the clouds, the warship continued to fly at high speed, quickly leaving the territory of the Jilei Mountain Range. On the deck of the warship, nearly everyone was meditating with their eyes closed, sitting cross-legged to circulate their energy and heal their injuries. Shen Luo stood alone on the side of the warship, staring out at the boundless sea of clouds, lost in thought. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± At this moment, the voice of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King suddenly rang in his ear. ¡°Among the Demon Clan, how many beings are there as powerful as Nine Netherworlds?¡± Shen Luo came to his senses and asked. ¡°That year, the two emperors of Yan Huang joined hands to battle with Chiyou. He had eighty-one brothers, and Nine Netherworlds was one of them. However, Nine Netherworlds always regarded Chiyou as his master, so very few people know about him in later generations,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. ¡°Eighty-one?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in astonishment. ¡°Many had perished in that great battle, so the few who have survived to this day will not be many,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King said. ¡°If a fierce demon like Nine Netherworlds is already so powerful, the strength of Chiyou is simply unimaginable,¡± Shen Luo remarked, feeling a mix of awe and concern. ¡°Indeed, it''s not just you who cannot imagine it. Even an old guy like me finds it hard to conceive. But the fact that the ancestors of the Human Race were able to defeat him that year proves that he is not invincible, which means there is still a chance,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. While speaking, he fixed his gaze on Shen Luo, scrutinizing his every expression for any changes. Shen Luo was silent for a moment. Hope was evident on his face, though he showed not a hint of despair. ¡°I am far too weak right now. How can I become stronger?¡± he asked abruptly, gripping the ship''s railings with both hands. Upon seeing this, the Ten Thousand Years Fox King initially appeared surprised, but soon a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes as he said, ¡°Since you were born on Mount Fangcun, why were you not able to learn the Seventy-two Transformations?¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That¡­ is a long story,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Do you know that the Seventy-two Transformations are not merely a Transformation Technique?¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King continued to inquire. ¡°It''s not just a Transformation Technique, then what else is it?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°In legend, the Seventy-two Transformations also have another name, ''Eight-Nine Profound Art''. It is the ultimate technique of transformation, reaching the limits of change. Once fully understood and integrated, it is a divine power that encapsulates all of creation,¡± explained the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. After hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes lit up with excitement, but he soon felt disheartened, regretting why he hadn''t been able to learn this divine power from Mount Fangcun years ago. ¡°Elder, do you know if there is anywhere in this world where I can find the Seventy-two Transformations?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Seventy-two Transformations are the secret techniques of Mount Fangcun, likely only accessible to the direct disciples of the Bodhi Ancestor. I fear that only Fangcun might hold the key to learning them,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo thought to himself, could it be necessary to return to Mount Fangcun once again? ¡°However, Mount Fangcun has been destroyed for many years, and after numerous calamities since then, even if there are remnants, I fear they are no longer within the mountain,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King sighed. Shen Luo thought back carefully to when he entered Mount Fangcun years ago, and he too felt that it was no longer possible for there to be any remnants of the Seventy-two Transformations there. ¡°Elder, do you know if the Bodhi Ancestor taught the skills to any disciples back then and if they have any descendants who continue the lineage?¡± Shen Luo asked, still not giving up hope. ¡°The succession of Mount Fangcun has always been secretive. The true disciples who received the Bodhi Ancestor''s teachings were often required not to mention it in front of outsiders. The only person I know who received his teachings was that damned monkey who helped kill my daughter, Sun Wukong,¡± said the Ten Thousand Years Fox King without much thought. Upon hearing this, it was as if a light suddenly turned on in Shen Luo''s mind. Previously, at the Flower Fruit Mountain, he had already gained an opportunity from the secret chamber left by Sun Wukong. Why not follow his tracks further? Perhaps he might find something else. Chapter 894 Chapter 894: Chapter 891: Verification Chapter 894: Chapter 891: Verification ¡°Elder, I''ve decided to leave for a while and won''t be joining you to meet with Town Primordial Great Immortal just now,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said. ¡°Why the sudden decision?¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King asked, quite surprised. ¡°I have an idea that needs to be verified, and if it''s successful, I shouldn''t be so embarrassed even if I face the Nine Netherworlds next time,¡± Shen Luo said, exhaling a breath of stale air. ¡°If that''s the case, then go. Just be more careful in the future as the Demon Clan has probably set their sights on you,¡± the Ten Thousand Years Fox King said with a smile, seeing that Shen Luo seemed to have resolved his inner turmoil. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. He had already made up his mind that once his injuries were healed, he would head for Five Finger Mountain. Sun Wukong was once imprisoned there for 500 years. If there was anything left by Sun Wukong, the most likely place to find it would be there. Time flew by, and more than half a month had passed. On the colossal ship soaring through the sky, a figure rose with the wind, waved goodbye to everyone on board, and transformed into a rainbow light, speeding off into the distance. Amid the roaring wind, the figure''s clothes fluttered, and his expression was serious¨Cit was Shen Luo. After this period of recovery, his injuries had almost completely healed. Not only that, but the experience of battling against a Taiyi Cultivator had also solidified his Late Stage of True Immortal Realm, making his breath even more stable. What was most important was that he now had a more direct understanding of the power of Taiyi Realm cultivators and finally realized the vast gap that still existed between himself and that level of powerful person. ¡°The journey ahead is long; it''s the perfect time to try out the treasure Yan Ze gifted to me,¡± Shen Luo looked back one last time. The massive ship had disappeared from view, leaving only a long trail in the sea of clouds. With that thought, he immediately waived his hand, and a piece of black iron shaped like two outspread wings, engraved with complex charm patterns and with an octagonal bronze furnace in the center, materialized before him. When Shen Luo first saw this object, he was also greatly surprised, not expecting to see a flying boat of such design. After a demonstration by Yan Ze, he finally understood the wonder of this object. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He rotated his wrist, and a fist-sized dark red Crystal Stone naturally covered with patterns resembling both flames and scales appeared in his palm. According to Yan Ze, this item, known as Fire Scale Flint, was the core mechanism for propelling the flying boat. He placed the Fire Scale Flint inside the central octagonal bronze furnace of the flying boat and pointed at the furnace body, transferring his mana into it. The moment his mana entered, the originally dark red Fire Scale Flint immediately brightened to the color of a lantern, and without any visible flames, the surface patterns resembling flames began to flicker, emitting streams of heat. At the same time, all the engraved patterns on the black flying boat lit up with bright red light, and the boat itself started to tremble slightly in the void. Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the flying boat, which then dipped slightly before stabilizing. No sooner had his intention arisen than the charm patterns on the flying boat flashed again, with strands of flame-like light spilling from the tail of the boat, and a tremendously powerful thrust gushed out in an instant. The entire flying boat shot forth with a ¡°whoosh,¡± racing off into the distance. Shen Luo, sitting on the flying boat, felt a bit unaccustomed at first. Aside from the initial launch that drew a small amount of mana, the flying boat seemed to require none of his mana to fly; it was entirely powered by the Fire Scale Flint. ¡°No wonder Yan Ze said that with this Fire Feather Boat, traveling would be effortless; he did not deceive me. One piece of Fire Scale Flint can sustain the boat for eight hundred li, and Yan Ze gave me enough to reach Five Finger Mountain,¡± Shen Luo mused to himself. After experiencing it for a while and realizing he needed only a fraction of his consciousness to control the direction, no further manipulation was necessary. Shen Luo sat down cross-legged and began to meditate and cultivate. Time flew by like a white steed flashing past a crack, and more than three months had passed in no time. Evening fell, the sunset sky aglow. Above a verdant green mountain forest, a streak of escape light descended from the sky, slanting into the woods and landing on the ground. Where the escape light settled, a figure appeared, clad in a green shirt, with a handsome appearance¨Cit was, of course, Shen Luo. However, his face at this moment was tightly furrowed, completely filled with frustration. ¡°How can this be? How can such a vast Five Finger Mountain be completely untraceable?¡± Shen Luo was utterly astonished. He had scoured the area for several days according to the location indicated by the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, but within a thousand li, apart from plains and forests and basin lakes, he hadn''t even found a small hill forty or fifty feet high, let alone a hundred-foot mountain peak. ¡°Could it be that vast changes have occurred over time, that mountains and rivers have shifted, and Five Finger Mountain has already sunk underground?¡± Shen Luo''s confusion deepened. He pinched his fingers together and pulled out an Escape Earth Talisman; a yellow light enveloped him, and he suddenly shrank into the underworld, beginning to rapidly search beneath the ground. However, despite his arduous search, he found nothing underground. Just as Shen Luo emerged from the ground, soiled and dispirited, several not very loud explosion sounds suddenly came from afar, causing him to tense up immediately. He immediately focused his eyes and released his divine soul to probe his surroundings. In a short while, his eyebrows raised, he couldn''t help but utter a light ¡°Eh¡± to himself, murmuring: ¡°What''s going on? Everything was fine just a few days ago. How has the heaven and earth aura around here become so disordered all of a sudden, to the extent that my divine soul is disturbed and can''t detect anything?¡± No sooner had his voice faded than that booming sound once again picked up. Shen Luo''s thoughts shifted slightly, and he immediately concealed his own breath. His figure dashed out, flying towards the direction of the booming sound. After flying several hundred feet, the mountain forest ahead began to thin out, and a winding road appeared down below. At a glance, Shen Luo''s eyebrows knotted even more tightly. ¡°That''s not right. I''ve explored this area within a thousand li more than once before. It seems like I''ve never seen a road through the woods before¡­¡± Before he could come to an understanding, an even more bizarre scene unfolded before him. At the end of the road extending from the midst of the mountain forest, a quaint little town of no small size had suddenly appeared. As Shen Luo flew closer, he opted not to land immediately; instead, he hovered above the mountain forest, looking towards the town. With the sky now dark, clouds of cooking smoke rose here and there in the town, and lights glowed orange through the windows of the houses, exuding a somewhat warm feeling. In the center of the town, the only large residence with stone lions at the entrance had two bright red lanterns hanging at the door, each adorned with a huge ¡°double happiness¡± character, while a red curtain was hung beneath the eaves. The house looked festive, as if brimming with celebratory cheer. Inside the residence, lights shone brightly, and the courtyard was arranged with seven or eight banquet tables, all of which were empty, with no guests seated yet. The bursts of popping sounds that had been heard were from the firecrackers set off at the front of the large house. Accompanied by a lively sound of music and drums, a young man decked in red and adorned with flowers, riding a tall horse, led a wedding procession to the front of the Big Gate. Following the team was a palanquin carried by eight people, from which a veiled bride emerged. Escorted by a matchmaker, she walked up to the groom. They led each other towards a basin of fire at the doorway. Chapter 895 Chapter 895: Chapter 892: There is Demon Qi Chapter 895: Chapter 892: There is Demon Qi ¡°` Shen Luo looked at the scene of a wedding procession in this seemingly ordinary Human World, and his eyebrows couldn''t help but furrow tightly. This ordinary scenario seemed particularly odd in the current end-of-the-world environment, to say the least, it was abnormal. However, after Shen Luo scrutinized the scene for a long time, he couldn''t find any trace of demons, which made him wonder, ¡°Could there really be such a paradise in this apocalyptic world?¡± He hesitated for a moment, then his figure moved, darting towards the outside of the Town, where he descended. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outside the Town, there stood a stone Archway with several large seal characters engraved on it: ¡°Two Realms Town.¡± Shen Luo looked at the name and felt it familiar, but he couldn''t remember where he had seen it before. He took a step forward and walked into the Archway. The instant he stepped through the Archway, Shen Luo suddenly felt an extremely peculiar fluctuation, like a curtain of water sliding over his body, but when he tried to inspect it closely, the sensation had disappeared. With a slight movement in his heart, Shen Luo turned around and walked back towards the outside of the Town. However, when he turned around, he found that the Archway he had just passed was now ten zhang away. He walked a few steps forward, and his eyes couldn''t help but narrow, only to see that he was still ten zhang away from the Archway. ¡°Heh, it''s not that simple after all¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed, dispersed the Moonlight under his feet, and his Body Rushed out. He executed Slanting Moon Steps, crossing a distance that was certainly more than ten zhang, but when Shen Luo landed and looked again, the Archway was still ten zhang away. He rubbed his forehead slightly, and without trying further, turned back and continued walking towards the inside of Two Realms Town. On both sides of the road nearest to the Archway, there was a Blacksmith Shop and a noodle and soup stall. The Furnace Fire at the entrance of the Blacksmith Shop was still lit, though the blacksmith had gone to rest. Shen Luo approached the deserted shop, reached a hand into the fire, and found it emanated a scorching heat, not an illusion. As he was pondering, he suddenly heard someone calling, ¡°Hey, young man, at this time, Blacksmith Wang doesn''t take work, if you need to forge Things, come earlier tomorrow.¡± Shen Luo turned around at the sound and saw a dark-skinned Old man with a cloth wrapped around his head, smiling at him from the doorway of the noodle stall. ¡°The young man seems new here, from the Outside, right? Have you eaten? How about a bowl of scallion egg noodles for three Wen Coins, guaranteed to fill you up?¡± the Old man cheerfully invited. Shen Luo swept his divine soul over the Old man and found no signs of Mana in him, just an ordinary person. ¡°No, thank you, elder, I have to deliver a gift right now.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said with a smile. ¡°Oh, a Guest of Official Lu, that explains it. You should hurry, the Banquet should be starting,¡± the Old man hurriedly said. Shen Luo acknowledged with a sound and walked towards the interior of the Town. When he passed a Private School, he paused to look inside, seeing through the doorway only a void of darkness and silence. Continuing inside, the houses gradually became more numerous, and the sound of humans and dogs barking slowly increased. As he passed in front of a House, he could even hear the voice of an adult testing a child''s homework and the cries of a baby. Everything around seemed to indicate that this was just an ordinary small Town. Shen Luo walked halfway through the Town, and when he passed an Ancient Scholar Tree, he saw someone drawing water from a Well below it. He took the opportunity to say he was thirsty and asked the person for a ladle of water. ¡°` He had investigated the well and found that although the water quality was not too good, it contained no Yin Qi, nor was there anything strange about it. ¡°Could it be that this place is truly a utopian paradise that has just survived by luck through the apocalypse?¡± Shen Luo caressed his chin, pondering in doubt. He suddenly recalled the scene when he had inadvertently entered Longevity Village that year, hesitated for a moment, and then asked a townsman who was fetching water: ¡°Big Brother, is there a Five Finger Mountain near our Two Realms Town?¡± ¡°Five Finger Mountain? Never heard of it, but there is a Two Realms Mountain, and our town''s name comes from that mountain,¡± the middle-aged man said while shouldering his water bucket and continuing. ¡°Two Realms Mountain? Where is it?¡± Shen Luo looked around in surprise as he asked. ¡°No need to look, I don''t know what happened, but that mountain suddenly collapsed many years ago, and now you can''t see it from the village anymore,¡± the man said as he efficiently carried the water, preparing to return home. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then suddenly remembered that Five Finger Mountain''s original name was supposed to be Five Elements Mountain, which had descended to the Human World when Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty. After the Great Tang Dynasty expedition to pacify Dingguo, it was renamed Two Realms Mountain. The Five Finger Mountain he was looking for, wasn''t that the Two Realms Mountain mentioned by the townsman? As for the unexplained mountain collapse, it was most likely due to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven being rescued by Master Sanzang, causing the collapse of Five Finger Mountain when he broke free from his plight. At this thought, Shen Luo was immediately overjoyed, but on second thought, he felt something was not quite right. The man saw the peculiar expression on Shen Luo''s face and mumbled to himself before leaving with his water. Shen Luo left the well and made his way to Official Lu''s residence in the central area of the town. He saw the entrance decorated with lanterns and streamers, exuding a festive and joyous atmosphere. He hesitated for a moment, then rummaged through his Storage Magical Tool and specifically picked out a ginseng that was not very old. He placed the ginseng in a rectangular brocade box and then headed straight to the gate of the residence. The steward, who was welcoming guests in, saw that Shen Luo was a stranger but kept a smile on his face as he approached him. Before he could ask anything, Shen Luo had already handed over his gift and said with a cheerful smile, ¡°I, Junior Shen Luo, congratulate the Lu family on their joyous occasion. I have brought a modest gift to show my respect.¡± The steward took the brocade box, opened the lid, and was immediately greeted with a strong and refreshing fragrance. Upon closer inspection, he was overjoyed. Judging by the ginseng''s crown and root, he realized that this was a ginseng with at least five or six hundred years of medicinal age, truly a treasure worth a fortune. Too excited to ask about Shen Luo''s identity, he hurriedly called out, ¡°Young Master Shen Luo''s congratulatory gift, a hundred-year-old ginseng.¡± The steward writing down the list of gifts glanced over upon hearing the call and quickly noted down the item. ¡°Quickly, escort Master Shen to the seat of honor.¡± The steward hastened to summon a maid to lead Shen Luo inside. Shen Luo followed the maid into the courtyard of the residence, where the tables were already nearly full of people. The tables were laden with chicken, duck, fish, and various drinks and dishes, and the host family''s relatives and neighbors were merrily toasting one another¨Cit was quite lively. The maid led Shen Luo to a table close to the host family, prepared his bowl, chopsticks, and cup, and then respectfully excused herself to leave. The people at the table did not find Shen Luo''s presence strange, taking him for a relative or a guest of the host family, and warmly offered him drinks. It had been a long time since Shen Luo had seen such a lively market atmosphere, and he too was affected by the mood. So, he picked up his cup and joined the drinking and revelry. The newlyweds of the host family had already completed the customary rituals. The groom began to move from table to table, toasting the guests and thanking them for their gifts. After making the rounds, the groom''s face was flushed red, and his steps were a bit unsteady. He was supported by friends and led to the bridal chamber. While everyone was enjoying themselves, Shen Luo suddenly furrowed his brow and muttered, ¡°There''s Demon Qi.¡± Chapter 896 Chapter 896: Chapter 893: A Dream of Yellow Millet Chapter 896: Chapter 893: A Dream of Yellow Millet Affected by the chaos of the Heaven and Earth Aura, Shen Luo was only able to perceive a very limited range, and the Demon Qi he sensed was also extremely faint, not realizing something was amiss until this moment. ¡°Ah¡­¡± But no sooner had he spoken than a dreadful scream suddenly came from the backyard. Immediately after, there was a sound of ¡°crash crash¡± as roof tiles shattered. The noisy clamor in the courtyard drowned out the sounds behind it, and only Shen Luo sensed that something was wrong. He put down his wine cup and vanished from the midst of the crowd like a ghostly specter. He had just reached the entrance of the courtyard door when he saw a Lu Mansion servant, his face stricken with horror, running out from behind, flailing his arms and shouting incoherently, ¡°Ah, there''s, there''s a demon, a¡­ a demon ah¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Luo grabbed the servant by the collar and demanded. The servant was completely panicked by now, trembling violently and reeking of an unpleasant odor as Shen Luo held him up. Shen Luo channeled a thread of Mana into his body to calm him down before asking, ¡°Speak, what did you see?¡± ¡°A marten, a large white marten, as big as a house, it took away the Madam, took her away¡­¡± It was only then that the servant finally regained some sense and reported to Shen Luo. Shen Luo released his grip, and the servant immediately collapsed to the ground, fainting. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo leapt, instantly arriving at the doorway of the newlyweds'' room in the backyard. Outside the room lay two maids; Shen Luo bent down to check on them and found both were just unconscious, which was a relief. He straightened up and pushed open the wooden door that was bolted from the inside, walking in. Upon entering, Shen Luo saw overturned tables and chairs with dried fruits such as peanuts, dates, and lotus seeds scattered on the floor, but there was no sign of the bride and groom. There was a water jar-sized hole in the roof, exposing the dark clouds and moonlight above. By now, people from the front courtyard had gotten wind of the situation and came towards this side in a disorderly crowd. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and with a leap, he swept out through the big hole in the roof, hovering in the sky a hundred feet high, surveying his surroundings. Beyond the moonlight on the dark mountain forest, nothing else could be seen. ¡°It''s an Immortal Lord, it''s the Immortal Lord¡­¡± At this time, the townspeople below also spotted Shen Luo above, and they all knelt down, worshipping ceaselessly. Shen Luo looked towards the deep forest behind Two Realms Town and saw a blurry mountain shadow with undulating peaks and valleys, which seemed to be the collapsed Two Realms Mountain mentioned by the townsfolk. He had the intuition that if there was a demonic presence, it was most likely related to that area. He soared straight towards it without delay. ¡°Whoosh whoosh¡± Wind whistled past Shen Luo''s ears as he flew for quite some time but was surprised to find that the distance to the mountain shadow was not getting closer; instead, it seemed to be growing farther away. A tinge of surprise arose in his heart, so he immediately halted, looking around to realize that he was indeed flying toward the mountain shadow and that the distance from Two Realms Town was also increasing. However, for some reason, the distance to the mountain shadow was actually growing farther away. ¡°Could there be some kind of Spatial Array at work, or is some Illusion Technique causing mischief?¡± Shen Luo was astounded. His eyes narrowed as he probed further, but still, he found nothing. The Aura of Heaven and Earth here was simply too chaotic; not to mention that divine soul had little use, even the efficacy of the Pupil Technique became extremely limited once a certain distance was reached. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before stretching out his arms, and a sudden burst of gold and silver light shimmered on his arms. His figure blurred in an instant as he began to use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique and disappeared from his original spot. A streak of light flashed through the void thousands of miles away, and the figure of Shen Luo emerged. After he stabilized his figure, he looked down at the surroundings below once more. This time, Shen Luo was stunned on the spot, seeing the town below brightly lit, with cries and wails emanating from a mansion in the center. It was still the Two Realms Town. ¡°How could this be?¡± puzzled, Shen Luo looked up again toward the distance, only to see the silhouette of Two Realms Mountain still looming beyond the mountain forest. He frowned deeply, with gold and silver light sparkling on his arms, and used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique once again. When his figure reappeared, the ancient town was gone beneath him, but he still had not reached Two Realms Mountain¨Cinstead, he was above a section of mountain forest. As he searched toward the silhouette of that mountain again, he was shocked to find that it now appeared in a different direction, with the distance from him just the same as before, unchanged at all. Shen Luo moved his figure and flew through the high air while carefully surveying the ground below. Sure enough, it was not long before he spotted a light on the ground, and as he flew above, it was still Two Realms Town. ¡°This time, it seems to be even trickier than Mount Fangcun. With the ability of an escape technique, I can''t fly out of this area. I''m afraid I''ll be trapped here, let alone finding Five Finger Mountain,¡± Shen Luo''s brow knitted into knots. His figure gradually descended, attempting to land outside the town, but as he approached the ground, the same odd fluctuation he initially felt swept over his body like a water curtain. By the time his feet touched the ground, he found himself already standing inside the archway. ¡°Since I can''t fly out, why not try escaping underground?¡± Shen Luo''s brows raised slightly as he thought to himself. With that thought, he immediately took out an Escape Earth Talisman, pinched it between two fingers, and poured mana into it to activate it. As the Talisman Paper lit up, a layer of earthy-yellow glow enveloped Shen Luo. His body shrank, and he instantly burrowed underground, down to over a hundred feet deep. After determining the direction of the silhouette of the mountain, he quickly traveled through the underground, heading straight toward it. Shen Luo continued to travel underground for tens of miles, and by his estimation, he should have already reached the mountain silhouette by then, only to surge upward and rush straight toward the surface. However, the instant he broke through the soil, a dazzling white light shone down from above, making his eyes sting and involuntarily raising his hands to cover them. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his eyes and looked up into the sky, only to discover that it was bright daylight, and the sun was high above. ¡°Impossible, from entering the village in the evening to searching several times, at most two to three hours had passed, how could it be daylight? What in the world is going on?¡± In the midst of his surprise, Shen Luo suddenly noticed another odd thing. The flow of spiritual energy in the heavens and earth around him had astonishingly returned to normal. He quickly circulated his divine soul, scanning his surroundings, but found nothing. Shen Luo immediately soared into the high sky, looking around and beginning to carefully examine the mountain forest below. All that met his eyes were plains and forests, interspersed with some lakes, neither the shadow of Two Realms Mountain nor any trace of Two Realms Town was to be seen. ¡°Could it be that everything I saw last night was nothing but a dream?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his eyes, suddenly frozen in place with bewilderment. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 897 Chapter 897: Chapter 894: The Brocaded Sable Chapter 897: Chapter 894: The Brocaded Sable Shen Luo had this thought and lifted his sleeve to his nose to steady himself. His clothes still clearly carried the scent of alcohol from last night, and the more than 500-year-old ginseng that had been in his Storage Magical Tool had also disappeared without a trace. There must be something strange here. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo once again descended into the mountain forest and began to search everywhere within the woods, but despite spending the whole day, he found nothing. As it approached evening, he relied on his memory and returned to the patch of mountain forest he entered last night, but the area remained densely wooded and lush with verdure. Apart from the evening mountain breeze, there was no other movement in the forest. ¡°Although last night''s events were accidental, it seems they likely weren''t isolated incidents; I just don''t know what conditions are needed for it to occur again,¡± Shen Luo said, leaning against a thick ancient tree and sitting down cross-legged. While pondering whether there had been any different circumstances the previous night, he also looked around, attentive to any disturbances in his surroundings. However, after much thought, he couldn''t identify anything peculiar. Last night''s ancient town seemed to have emerged from thin air, leaving no clue to its existence. ¡°Well, I can only wait by the tree stump for the rabbit now¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed, folded his hands before his stomach, and began to meditate with closed eyes. Time trickled slowly by. In the middle of the night, his eyes suddenly snapped open. There were no sounds of insect chirps around him. Almost subconsciously, Shen Luo released his divine soul to probe his surroundings, and soon a look of surprise appeared on his face. It wasn''t because he discovered something; on the contrary, it was because he couldn''t sense anything at all. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him had once again become chaotic. Without the slightest delay, Shen Luo immediately leaped up and looked down at the mountain forest below. However, after a moment, his brow furrowed involuntarily. The entire mountain forest was dark, and looking around, there was not a speck of light to be seen, nor any sound to be heard, not resembling a place where the Human Race lived at all. Shen Luo gazed intently for a while, then suddenly his eyes lit up and his figure plunged straight down towards a direction. After landing, he immediately looked up and saw a mottled and decrepit stone archway standing in front of him, riddled with holes and scars of time. The inscriptions in the center of the archway had become very vague, but the characters ¡°Two Realms¡± could still be faintly made out. Shen Luo''s eyebrows shot up, his heart filled with astonishment. ¡°This place? Could it be¡­¡± Carrying endless doubt, he stepped through the archway, but when he turned around, the decrepit archway was suddenly standing ten yards away. Shen Luo immediately confirmed in his heart that this was indeed the Two Realms Town where he had been last night. He stepped towards the town, his gaze sweeping past the buildings on both sides. What his eyes met were ruins and broken walls, leaving behind only dark broken masonry, and all the wooden beams and rafters had rotted away into mud. Shen Luo walked inward, following the memories of last night, and eventually reached the mansion of Official Lu. The once rather imposing mansion was now completely in ruins, with not a single intact house in the entire courtyard. ¡°What on earth is going on? How has Two Realms Town seemed to have spanned hundreds of years after just one night?¡± Shen Luo was incredibly bewildered. At that moment, a huge shadow suddenly rose behind him, enveloping his entire figure within it. Sensing something was wrong, Shen Luo''s feet scattered the moonlight as he immediately retreated at high speed. And as his figure twisted, the giant shadow that appeared behind him also revealed its full form, which turned out to be a giant white marten as big as a house. Its body was snowy white, and its fur shone brightly, but its eyes flashed fiercely with a blood-red light. Shen Luo immediately thought of the monsters mentioned by the servants from Lu Mansion last night, and his heart tightened. Could it be that this Fierce Ghost was the main culprit behind the cataclysmic changes here? He quickly raised his hand and summoned the Six Chen Whip into his grip. Seeing him draw a weapon, the eyes of the ornate-furred white marten blazed with ferocity, and it raised a giant paw, swiping down at him. Cold light shimmered on the giant paw of the white marten, leaving five blade-like trails in the void that caged Shen Luo. Shen Luo swung his arm to the side, and the black light on the Six Chen Whip flared as a powerful momentum burst forth, shattering the blade-like trails during the collision. The massive body of the ornate-furred white marten was sent flying by this force, letting out a piteous howl as a gush of fresh blood spilled from the corner of its mouth. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his eyebrows slightly, apparently surprised. The cultivation level of this white marten was weaker than he had anticipated. He charged forward, pursuing the white marten. The injured marten on the ground was enveloped in a glow and directly sank into the ground, escaping underground. ¡°Still trying to escape?¡± Shen Luo sneered, holding an Escape Earth Talisman in one hand, and followed suit into the earth. The size of the white marten underground rapidly shrank to that of a palm, surrounded by a spiral of white light. It pulverized the surrounding soil and cast it behind, quickly tunneling through the earth in a winding path. Shen Luo pushed the Escape Earth Talisman to its limits, accelerating in pursuit of the white marten, but he couldn''t match its speedy flight and was left trailing by tens of meters, unable to catch up. However, Shen Luo wasn''t worried; the white marten had already sustained serious injuries and, even if it could temporarily escape using its native divine power, it wouldn''t be able to hold out for long with Shen Luo following closely. As expected, as time ticked by, after Shen Luo had chased it for more than a hundred miles, the speed of the ornate-furred white marten obviously slowed down, and the distance between them was quickly closing. ¡°Evil Beast, you can''t escape.¡± Shen Luo sneered, waving his hand, and the Golden Rope shot out like a snake, circling in the earth in a loop and lassoing towards the head of the white marten. Seeing this, the ornate-furred white marten''s eyes flared with a bright red light, and it suddenly surged forward, passing straight through the loop of the Golden Rope and plunging forward. Just as the ornate-furred marten demon was about to break free, the Golden Rope suddenly tightened and captured the long tail of the white marten. The mana of the ornate-furred white marten was quickly drained by the Golden Rope, leaving it trapped like a turtle in a jar. Shen Luo pulled his arm, preparing to capture it and bring it back. At that moment, something unexpected happened. A ring of golden patterns suddenly shone in the blood-red eyes of the white marten, and its weakening body burst forth with an enormous strength from nowhere, making a leap forward, nearly breaking free from the Golden Rope''s bindings. At the same time, a strange fluctuation came from the void. Shen Luo saw the ornate-furred white marten enter a bizarre light curtain that shimmered with white brilliance, its figure disappearing little by little from his sight. Shen Luo had no time to think as he too leapt forward, following the ornate-furred white marten into the light curtain. Chapter 898 Chapter 898: Chapter 895 Bai Ling Chapter 898: Chapter 895 Bai Ling The moment the light curtain swept past his body, Shen Luo felt as if he had been crushed by a massive force, his bones seemingly falling apart, and his mind as if struck by a heavy hammer, nearly losing consciousness. Fortunately, he promptly circulated his divine sense power, steadied his divine soul, and finally landed steadily on the ground. Once he steadied himself, Shen Luo quickly turned around to look and saw a faint white light curtain flickering in the void between light and dark for a few moments before slowly disappearing from his view. He lifted his arm and tried to touch in that direction, but he grasped only empty space; there was nothing there. And alongside him, the mountain forest that had been there had vanished, replaced by a somewhat vast plain. The dense grass was caressed by the cool Moonlight and the breeze, undulating like waves. Remembering the white mink by his side, Shen Luo quickly tugged at the Golden Rope in his hand, causing a nearby clump of grass to rustle intensely. He walked a few steps forward, pushed aside the wild grass, and couldn''t help but freeze in place. There, in the midst of the grass, lay a petite and pretty young girl in a white long dress. Her skin was as white as snow, reflecting a pallid glow in the Moonlight. Her white hair, almost as long as she was tall, spread out beside her like a waterfall, covering half her body. Seeing that she was still unconscious, Shen Luo flicked his wrist, and the Golden Rope wrapped around her, binding her securely in place. Then, he approached, took out an Elixir from his sleeve, placed it into the young girl''s mouth, and then helped her circulate it with his mana. A moment later, the girl let out a soft moan and slowly opened her eyes. But the moment her eyes opened, the blood-red pupils violently contracted. Her originally beautiful face suddenly distorted into ferocity as white light flickered on her body, and powerful waves of mana surged from within her. However, before she could struggle, the Golden Rope lit up with bursts of light, draining all the mana from her body. Yet, as if devoid of reason, the girl disregarded everything and continued to struggle mightily, still trying to summon her mana. Regardless of how many times she tried, the mana was promptly drawn away by the Golden Rope without a trace. After several attempts, the blood in her eyes dimmed and her complexion turned increasingly pale. As the blood-red light in her eyes weakened, the girl''s expression gradually became more peaceful. She slowly turned her head and her gaze fell upon Shen Luo, her eyes showing a hint of bewilderment. ¡°Who are you¡­ what¡­ person?¡± the girl asked hesitantly, struggling like a child learning to speak. Before her words had completely faded, she had already passed out again. Seeing this, Shen Luo grew more puzzled. He stepped forward, placed a hand on the girl''s forehead, and began to examine her carefully. Upon examination, he discovered that not a single one of the girl''s meridians was completely open. Almost without exception, each connection point of her meridians was blocked and in disarray. ¡°With her mana in such a disordered state, no wonder she went mad. If I help her sort it out, she should be able to regain some divine wisdom, and then maybe I can get some useful information from her,¡± Shen Luo mused, rubbing his chin. He sat down cross-legged beside the girl, hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand to remove the Golden Rope from her body. He lifted her up and placed a palm on the location of her Dantian. Then, a formidable surge of mana burst forth from within him, attacking the girl''s body with the force of a river breaking through a dam. At the same time, his mind ran like lightning, starting the Great Unsealing Technique. Using his own mana as a blade, he began from the Dantian and started to sort the girl''s meridians. As Shen Luo''s mana entered the girl''s Ren meridian, it advanced bit by bit along the acupoints within her body, gradually righting the chaotic meridians one by one. The girl''s eyebrows wrinkled tight, her eyelids twitched slightly, and just as she seemed about to wake up, Shen Luo quickly pointed at her forehead. A faint halo rippled from between the young girl''s brows, and she immediately fell back into a deep sleep. Shen Luo withdrew his fingers and continued to help her sort through her meridians. Time trickled by, and soon the sun began to rise, bringing early morning the next day. Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged nearby in meditation when he suddenly heard a soft exclamation. As he opened his eyes and looked over, he saw that the young girl had woken up and was struggling to free herself. Noticing that her eyes were no longer blood-red, he asked, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°I want to ask you the same question,¡± responded the young girl, gradually calming down and looking at Shen Luo with full eyes of confusion. Seeing that Shen Luo was just staring at her and not answering, the young girl continued, ¡°Was it you who cured my injuries?¡± ¡°What''s the matter with the meridians inside your body?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Cultivating in this damned place for hundreds of years, you''d end up like this too,¡± the young girl said slowly, her brow furrowed. ¡°It seems it''s indeed due to the chaotic Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi,¡± Shen Luo murmured thoughtfully with a frown. ¡°Did you come from outside?¡± the young girl suddenly changed the subject, her eyes lighting up with a hint of hope. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo admitted without concealment and nodded. ¡°Then can you take me out of here?¡± Joy appeared in the young girl''s eyes, and she stopped trying to escape her bindings as she asked. ¡°Whether I can take you out or not depends on whether you''ll cooperate,¡± Shen Luo said in an even tone. ¡°I must have attacked you when I was confused earlier, didn''t I? Not only did you not kill me, but you also helped sort out my meridians and restore my senses, why wouldn''t I cooperate?¡± the young girl quickly said. ¡°What¡­is your name?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°I¡­don''t have a name, but Little Xi called me Bai Ling,¡± the young girl replied, a look of sadness crossing her face suddenly. ¡°Little Xi?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Little Xi is the daughter of a teacher from Two Realms Town. I was her pet, and after mistakenly eating a Spiritual Orange, I gained spiritual wisdom and inadvertently began cultivation. Bai Ling is the name she gave me that year,¡± Bai Ling said. ¡°So the demon vixen who attempted to snatch a groom in Two Realms Town the night before¨Cyou were that demon?¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly then asked. ¡°The night before?¡± Bai Ling''s brow furrowed even tighter, clearly perplexed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo recalled what he saw in Two Realms Town yesterday, vastly different from the night before, and for a moment did not know how to explain. Bai Ling fell silent, her gaze dropping as if lost in memory. After a long time, she suddenly shook her head before starting to speak: ¡°That was all many years ago. Back then, I had just begun to make progress in my cultivation and couldn''t even manage to shapeshift. When I found out that Little Xi was being forced to marry Official Lu''s son, that''s when I went to snatch her away.¡± Shen Luo recalled the banquet from the evening before; the guests were all in high spirits, and it didn''t seem like there was any kind of forced marriage. ¡°Later I found out that Little Xi''s copious weeping before getting into the bridal sedan was only because of the local custom of ''crying at the wedding'', not because she was being forced. If anything, she was frightened by my actions,¡± Bai Ling said with mixed feelings of laughter and tears as she continued. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 899 Chapter 899: Chapter 896 Land of No Way Chapter 899: Chapter 896 Land of No Way ¡°How many years have you been cultivating here?¡± Shen Luo asked, a guess gradually forming in his heart. ¡°I''ve been living in a daze over these years, and I''ve long lost track of the time. But it must have been a few hundred years at least,¡± Bai Ling hesitated slightly before answering. ¡°A few hundred years¡­ During these centuries, have you ever left this place?¡± Shen Luo asked pensively. ¡°No. Here, the aura of heaven and earth is in chaos; it''s truly a place of no return. With your abilities, Elder, perhaps you can come and go freely, but I can''t. I''m unable to pass through the archway of the Two Realms Town,¡± Bai Ling shook her head and said. Hearing this, Shen Luo became even more puzzled. How he had previously left the town, he did not know, but how he came to be here was clear to him; he had followed Bai Ling. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, this place is precisely where the Five Finger Mountain used to be. After Sun Wukong broke free from his confinement, the collapse of the mountain''s terrain and the disorder of the five elements caused time and space here to overlap, creating many little worlds where time stood still, influencing each other, similar to that of a Blessed Land. That''s why, last night, I encountered the scene of you snatching a bride in the town,¡± Shen Luo said with a furrowed brow. Bai Ling''s face showed a look of confusion, seemingly unable to comprehend what Shen Luo was saying. Seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hand and took back the Golden Rope that was binding Bai Ling. ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Bai Ling leapt up gracefully, and after stretching her limbs, she felt all the blockage in her body had cleared, and she felt indescribably comfortable and refreshed. Shen Luo gave her a glance and then cast his gaze toward the distance, beginning to survey his surroundings. ¡°May I ask, Elder, how do people normally address you?¡± Bai Ling inquired. ¡°Shen Luo.¡± ¡°How did Elder Shen come to be here?¡± Bai Ling asked curiously. ¡°I came to find that very Five Finger Mountain, also known as the Two Realms Mountain by the townspeople,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Elder wishes to go to the Two Realms Mountain?¡± Bai Ling asked. ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± Shen Luo asked, raising his eyebrows. ¡°I have a vague memory; that year, the Spiritual Oranges were found in the Two Realms Mountain. Afterward, I saw a stone carving mural inside the mountain, and then, inexplicably, I began to be able to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth,¡± Bai Ling said. ¡°Can you take me to the place where you saw the mural?¡± Shen Luo, delighted by the news, quickly said. ¡°It was such a long time ago, and I''ve only been there once. I cannot guarantee that I can lead Elder Shen there,¡± Bai Ling said hesitantly. ¡°No matter, just try your best to search following your memory. If you can find that place, I can take you out of here,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Really?¡± Bai Ling''s eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°I assure you with no falsehood,¡± Shen Luo guaranteed. ¡°Alright, I''ll lead the way,¡± Bai Ling slapped her chest and said. After speaking, she turned her head to carefully search the surroundings. ¡°The place where I entered the mountain back then is very similar to here. Although there doesn''t seem to be any mountains around, as long as we find a red-skinned dead tree, we''ll be able to locate the entrance to the mountain,¡± but after looking for quite some time, her face gradually frowned. ¡°A red-skinned dead tree?¡± Shen Luo frowned and echoed. ¡°My memory is quite hazy. I only remember that I entered through a tree hole underneath that red dead tree, then walked a long stretch of underground passage before finally seeing the Two Realms Mountain,¡± Bai Ling recalled after a while. ¡°In that case, let''s start searching,¡± Shen Luo said, and, reaching out, he grabbed Bai Ling''s arm and with a leap, they both soared into the sky. The two hung suspended a thousand feet high in the sky, gazing into the distance below, where a rather peculiar sight greeted their eyes. Below them, a verdant grassland stretched no more than a hundred li, yet it was shrouded in a faint five-colored dazzling light. When standing on the grassland itself, one simply couldn''t detect these lights; they were only visible when soaring at high altitudes. Shen Luo''s gaze intensified as he attempted to find that red dead tree amidst the colorful dazzling light, but no matter how carefully he looked, he just couldn''t see it. ¡°How about it, did you see anything?¡± Shen Luo asked. Bai Ling frowned and didn''t speak for a long while. After a long moment, she suddenly raised her eyebrows and pointed to a certain area below. ¡°That place looks familiar.¡± Following the direction she pointed, Shen Luo saw nothing resembling a red dead tree, just a dark jagged rock on the ground. He dived down, taking her along as they flew towards it. As their figures continued to descend, the dazzling lights in the void gradually disappeared. Just as they were getting close, Shen Luo suddenly realized that something was amiss. Before he could stop, an imposing stone wall several dozens of feet high materialized out of thin air ahead of them. There was a dull ¡°thud.¡± The two collided with the stone wall and fell back down. ¡°What happened? How did a stone wall suddenly appear out of nowhere?¡± Bai Ling exclaimed in surprise. Without a word, Shen Luo pondered for a moment before once again grasping Bai Ling''s arm and soaring back into the sky. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This time, as they looked down, both of them were stunned on the spot. The grassland that had been there moments before was gone, replaced by an exceedingly desolate Gobi Beach. The Gobi Beach was dotted with steep rock walls. Some were just a dozen feet high, while others towered hundreds of feet. Above them in the void, the same five-colored dazzling light lingered. ¡°Take another look. Can you find the place we just saw?¡± Shen Luo asked. Bai Ling''s gaze sharpened, and she began to search carefully again. After a long while, she pointed toward an area covered with gravel. ¡°Over there.¡± Shen Luo looked into the distance and, indeed, saw the same rugged stone again. ¡°Let''s go.¡± He gave a light shout, and their figures plummeted once more, heading straight towards the strange rock. They descended quickly, reaching above the strange rock, and this time, as the dazzling light dissipated, nothing unusual occurred. Shen Luo touched down, only to find emptiness beneath his feet, and suddenly splashed up a handful of water, falling directly into the water, while the rugged strange stone they had just seen dissolved like a mirage. He waved his hand lightly, and the water surged up, slowly lifting both him and Bai Ling, standing them on the surface of the water. As the ripples on the water''s surface gradually calmed, Shen Luo looked again, and the same rugged stone stood silently on the water''s surface, seemingly within reach. ¡°It''s up there.¡± Bai Ling suddenly called out. At her words, Shen Luo looked up into the sky, and in place of the clear sky and bright sun, a stretch of chaotic Gobi filled with boulders spanned a hundred li overhead, exactly the area they had seen before. The chaotic Gobi overhead had peaks that hung upside down like the sharp edges of blades, an intimidating sight. The surface of the water below reflected it perfectly, the intersecting jagged profiles creating the semblance of a gaping maw threatening to swallow the sky. ¡°Yin and yang reversal, five-element disorder. It seems that after the Five Finger Mountain collapsed, this place was deliberately transformed into such a grand Heaven and Earth Array. The question is who did this? Could it be the Great Sage Equal to Heaven¡­¡± Shen Luo pondered aloud upon witnessing this strange sight. ¡°Elder Shen, look quick.¡± Just then, Bai Ling suddenly cried out in surprise. Chapter 900 Chapter 900: Chapter 897: Venturing Alone into the Deep Chapter 900: Chapter 897: Venturing Alone into the Deep Shen Luo heard the noise and immediately looked down. Just below, the calm surface of the water suddenly turned a bright red, and a scorching heat emanated from the bottom of the lake. Following that, the entire water area began to boil, as white steam bubbled up with a ¡°gurgling¡± sound, and clusters of flame-like red lotuses rose from the bottom of the lake, surging up towards Shen Luo and Bai Ling. Seeing this, Shen Luo promptly grabbed Bai Ling and ascended into the air, flying up toward the Gobi in the high altitude. As they neared one of the mountain peaks, a layer of colorful dazzling light spread over them, and the world seemed to suddenly flip upside down, causing Shen Luo and Bai Ling to involuntarily fall towards the mountain peak. Just as the two were about to land, the surrounding scenery changed once more, and lush mountain forests and trees suddenly sprouted from the ground, quickly obscuring the Gobi and in an instant, transforming it into a vibrant oasis. A ¡°rumble¡± resounded through the high skies, and as Shen Luo looked up, he saw the skydome seemingly ignite, turning a thorough red, with sky-filling flames raining down like meteor showers from the high altitudes, smashing towards the earth. As the flames drew closer, the surrounding air grew hotter, and Shen Luo silently circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, with a wave of his hand, summoning the void''s moisture to form a blue water curtain above their heads. No sooner had the water curtain formed than the sky-filling flames fell upon it, stirring up waves upon the blue curtain, with copious amounts of evaporation caused by the fire creating dense white fog, obscuring the sky. Fortunately, the fire''s strength was not great, mostly being extinguished by the moisture upon hitting the water curtain. After a long time, the rumbling in the sky gradually subsided, and the fiery red that filled the skydome also faded away. When all sounds had disappeared, Shen Luo waved his hand to dissolve the water curtain in the sky, and looking up into the high altitude, he saw that all traces of water and fire phenomena had vanished, and the skies were clear once again. ¡°Did you encounter this phenomenon when you entered last time?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°Back then, I was just a little white mink without Spiritual Wisdom. If I had encountered these phenomena, I wouldn''t have survived,¡± said Bai Ling, still shaken, shaking her head. ¡°Well then, let''s keep looking,¡± Shen Luo sighed upon hearing her words. With that, he leapt up to the top of a Towering Ancient Tree, looking off into the distance. This time, not having flown too far from the ground, Shen Luo did not see the colorful dazzling light that had previously obscured his view. He looked around and indeed spotted the black, rugged strange stone again. However, this time the rugged strange stone appeared atop the central mountain peak of this mountain forest. ¡°Elder Shen, it seems a bit different this time,¡± said Bai Ling, who had also flown up by now. ¡°What''s different?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This time, there are no colorful lights swirling around that stone,¡± Bai Ling said, pointing towards the mountain peak. ¡°You can see the colorful lights?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. He could only see those lights when he flew high and looked down, but Bai Ling was able to see them from below. ¡°I thought you could see them too, so I didn''t mention it just now.¡± Bai Ling was somewhat surprised seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. After listening, Shen Luo''s gaze became fixed on Bai Ling''s eyes as he inspected them closely. After a while, he frowned slightly, and in her pupils, he saw strands of floating golden lines. ¡°No wonder you can see the colorful dazzling light, you actually have a natural Spirit Eye,¡± Shen Luo said in amazement. ¡°Spirit Eye?¡± Bai Ling asked in confusion. Realizing her bewilderment and remembering that she had stumbled into cultivation by meditating on murals, Shen Luo knew she wouldn''t understand what a Spirit Eye was, and promptly explained, ¡°It''s a unique type of eye ability that allows you to see things ordinary people can''t, or to unleash some special mystic arts.¡± ¡°So that''s what it is,¡± Bai Ling said, nodding her head in confusion. ¡°Let''s go and have a look over there,¡± Shen Luo said, and, grabbing Bai Ling''s arm, he flew with her towards the mountain peak. Approaching the area, Shen Luo didn''t land directly on the rugged strange stones on the ground. Instead, after asking Bai Ling, he landed on the perimeter where the colorful dazzling light didn''t cover. There were no tall trees on the mountain top, only some low bushes. Shen Luo saw at a glance that these bushes grew only in the area beyond a radius of tens of feet from the rugged strange stones. Between them, it was as if an invisible barrier stood that neatly blocked the growth of the bushes. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within the ¡°barrier¡±, the mountain rocks were completely exposed, and on the flat ground stood the rugged strange stone, still with no sight of the red dead tree. ¡°That''s the one,¡± Bai Ling suddenly exclaimed. ¡°What?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This stone is that dead tree, it has just been broken off, and the tree hole below is covered up,¡± Bai Ling said immediately, pointing at one side of the strange stone. Shen Luo looked intently and indeed saw wood grain on the strange stone; it was just that the color was so deep that it blended in, making it look like a stone at first glance. And that dead tree had broken into two parts, with one end of the treetop fallen to the side, revealing half of a black hole beneath. ¡°It''s that hole,¡± Bai Ling''s eyes lit up with excitement, and she made a move towards the hole. Shen Luo quickly stopped her and casually flicked a water droplet from the void towards the space ahead. There was a faint ¡°whoosh¡± sound. The water droplet shot out straight; just as it passed the edge of the bushes, a powerful spiritual power fluctuation rippled through the void, and suddenly a whirlwind rose around the rugged strange stone. Then, the sound of metal and stone clashing rang out. Within that area, streaks of golden light crisscrossed, like razor-sharp sword edges slicing through, shredding that piece of the void to pieces. Bai Ling, seeing this scene, suddenly stood there stunned. If Shen Luo had not stopped her in time, she would have been minced into a puddle of flesh by now. Watching this scene, Shen Luo grew more puzzled. How exactly had this little white marten gotten in, that year? ¡°Elder Shen, I really don''t know what''s going on¡­¡± Bai Ling saw Shen Luo sizing her up and guessed what he was thinking and said. ¡°Perhaps after you went in and came out that year, this place has changed,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Then Elder, how are we going to get in?¡± Bai Ling asked. ¡°Not ''we'', just myself. Your physical body is too frail, it''s too dangerous for you to go in,¡± Shen Luo, looking at Bai Ling, said. On hearing this, Bai Ling''s eyes flickered with a hint of disappointment. However, after another glance at the golden light remnants that still hadn''t settled around the dead tree, she sensibly shrank her neck. ¡°Then I''ll just wait here for Elder Shen to come out,¡± Bai Ling said. Shen Luo nodded, walked slowly to the edge of the bushes, swung his hand in front of him, and then took a step forward. The instant Shen Luo stepped into that area, he immediately felt a tightness all over his body. An invisible force of constriction swept in from all directions, leaving only an aura of suppressing kill between heaven and earth. His eyes focused, and suddenly, extremely fine lines of golden light appeared before him. At first glance, they appeared to be golden silk threads, but upon closer inspection, they turned out to be blades as thin as cicada wings. Chapter 901 Chapter 901: Chapter 898 Waiting for a Rabbit by a Stump Chapter 901: Chapter 898 Waiting for a Rabbit by a Stump ¡°` Shen Luo''s eyes were electric as he swiftly scanned his surroundings and was surprised to find that the flight trajectory of each golden sharp blade was unique. They interwove with one another yet did not interfere, creating a layer around him that was an impenetrable net of blades. However, despite the sharp aura emanating from the golden blade net, Shen Luo''s expression remained indifferent. Just as the blades were about to tear through him, Shen Luo casually waved his hand and a golden light shone forth in front of him. A Golden Book flew out from thin air, emanating thousands of golden beams, sweeping around him and absorbing the incoming sharp blades within it. Upon witnessing this scene, Bai Ling''s eyes widened in astonishment, thinking to herself that, with such a treasure at the elder''s disposal, bringing her along should pose no problem; she also longed to take another look at the murals. Just as the thought crossed her mind, a roaring sound suddenly intensified in front of her. In the void that was just cleared, countless golden lights emerged anew, even more numerous than before. The sky was filled with the descent of golden blades, while the Golden Book hovering in front of Shen Luo pulsated with golden light, engulfing them once again. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo''s figure leaped rapidly towards the direction of the dead tree. Yet, as if endless, no sooner had the blades been collected than new ones emerged without interruption, their numbers doubling those of just now. After only a few steps forward, the golden blades around him had multiplied several times over, and the light emitted by the Golden Book alone could no longer absorb them all at once. Having no choice, Shen Luo pushed the Heavenly Book forward with one hand, and with the other, he took out the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and executed the Splashy Chaotic Stick Technique, brandishing the rod in all directions, sending layers of dense rod shadows dancing out. The Golden Heavenly Book absorbed a large number of blades, and whatever few remained were shattered one by one by the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Bai Ling watched from outside with dazzled eyes, her heart pounding even more frantically. In fact, Shen Luo was moving at an extreme speed, but he still couldn''t withstand the increasing density of the golden blades in this particular Heaven and Earth, and more and more small wounds began to appear on his body. At first, it was just his clothes getting ripped, with many intersecting cuts appearing. As time went on, the cuts grew deeper, and gradually, startling blood-red marks began to emerge on Shen Luo''s body. A mere distance of a few dozen feet now seemed as difficult to cross as a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, but what made Shen Luo suffer even more wasn''t the golden blades that were increasing in speed and density but the growing invisible restraining force within the surrounding Heaven and Earth. The sensation wasn''t quite like being trapped in mud. Shen Luo felt as if his body was entwined with seven or eight Golden Ropes, which, while not absorbing his mana, seemed to be tied to a towering mountain on the other end, making each step forward feel like dragging a mountain along with him. In the short span of a few breaths, Shen Luo''s body was covered in at least a thousand cuts, half of which were slowly oozing fresh blood, nearly dyeing him a blood-soaked figure. His breathing grew increasingly labored, and with each inhale, it felt as if delicate blades were flaying the flesh off his bones, an unbearable sensation. Left with no choice while wielding the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, he continually circulated the Great Unsealing Technique within his body to heal the wounds he had sustained. One step, two steps, three steps¡­ S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo moved with great difficulty, drenched in blood, almost beyond recognition as human, while Bai Ling, watching from outside the formation, felt a tingling sensation coursing through her scalp, no longer daring to watch, and quickly turned her eyes away. After what felt like an eternity, Shen Luo finally reached the two halves of the dead tree. Clasping the Refined Iron Stick in his hand, he exerted his strength and pried open the section of the tree that lay across the ground, revealing the pitch-black cave entrance below. ¡°` Shen Luo didn''t hesitate much, but after a slight probe with his divine soul, he cloaked himself in a layer of light and leaped down. A flash of white light at the cave entrance and his figure immediately vanished, while the various strange phenomena around the cave dissipated as well. Bai Ling stared at the empty space on the other side, standing bewildered for a while, then found a spot to sit down and wait for Shen Luo to come out. But at this moment, right above her head, a crack suddenly appeared out of nowhere, revealing a shadow that instantly enveloped the earth below. Bai Ling, sensing something, looked up and her eyes widened in shock. She saw a black light column plummeting from high altitude, directly caging her. Bai Ling felt as if she had been hit by a mountainous force, and her body slammed into the ground, leaving her unable to rise again. Within the black light column, a figure gradually appeared, tall and wrapped in black robes, with a gaunt face, sharp features, a slightly hooked nose, thin lips, and an extremely stern expression. ¡°Where is that Human Race boy who came in with you?¡± He stepped on Bai Ling''s cheek, yet his gaze was directed toward the tree hole. ¡°Went¡­ went in,¡± Bai Ling managed to say, trembling under the oppressive aura exuding from the man, stronger than what Shen Luo had given her. Upon hearing this, the man turned and walked toward that area. Bai Ling watched him step by step, praying silently in her heart, ¡°Go in, just go in¡­¡± Yet, just as the man was about to step into the area, he stopped in his tracks. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out a black knife and casually flicked it forward. A sharp ¡°swoosh¡± sound pierced the air. The black flying dagger traced a straight line through the void, instantly entering the fray. But after it had flown only about ten feet, the flying dagger''s speed abruptly slowed down, with intense fluctuations surging from Heaven and Earth all around, even stronger than when Shen Luo had entered just now. Hundreds of golden light beams crisscrossed and sliced through the air, and the black flying dagger immediately shattered in response, broken into countless fragments. Watching the fragments of the flying dagger fall to the ground, the Man in Black Cloak narrowed his eyes slightly and a killing intent surfaced on his face. Looking at Bai Ling, he said coldly, ¡°You say, facing such sharp golden edges, that Human Race boy went in?¡± ¡°He really went in; I''m not lying to you. He just¡­¡± Bai Ling quickly nodded and told the Man in Black Cloak every detail about how Shen Luo had entered. ¡°Oh, I didn''t expect this person to have such a treasure on him; this is a pleasant surprise.¡± The man first expressed astonishment upon hearing this and then showed delight. Seeing his reaction, Bai Ling knew she had spoken more than she should have, but in order to save her own life, she had no other choice. ¡°Don''t worry, I won''t kill you for now. Rather than risking injury to venture in, it''s better to wait here for the rabbit. When he comes out, that will be the end of your lives,¡± the Man in Black Cloak chuckled ¡°heh heh¡± and said slowly. Bai Ling was inwardly distressed, thinking to herself that she would have been better off living as ignorantly as before. Chapter 902 Chapter 902: Chapter 899 Spiritual Orange Chapter 902: Chapter 899 Spiritual Orange At the same time, at another location, Shen Luo also appeared in a mountain forest area, after being shrouded in dazzling white light. The surrounding scenery was quite familiar, very similar to the area where he had previously searched for the Five Finger Mountain. The only difference was that instead of being an area of lowland marshes, a mountain peak over a hundred feet tall now stood erect. The summit of this mountain had fractured and collapsed, but half of it still stood isolated like broken fingers, exactly five in number. Below the broken fingers, one could see the ¡°palm¡± buried underground, covered in green moss. Gazing from a distance, at the center of the palm, one could see three distinct ravines intersecting like the lines on a person''s palm. Seeing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed and, regardless of his own injuries, immediately ran towards the Five Finger Mountain. When he reached the base of the mountain, he saw that the lines in the mountainside were actually stone steps and plank roads built into the mountain, with their intertwined center being the exact middle of the palm. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo released his Divine Sense to scan the area and found no special aura around, but the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was rich to the extreme, a stark contrast to the chaotic mixture of Spiritual Qi outside, like the difference between heaven and earth. He approached the mountain, and at the entrance to the plank road, he saw a statue of a monk, slim and with a kind countenance, holding a tin staff in one hand and a bowl in the other, standing there peacefully. ¡°This¡­ could it be Master Xuanzang?¡± Shen Luo found the figure somewhat familiar and wondered silently. He then clasped his hands together and bowed to the monk, before quickly starting to ascend the mountain, heading straight for the center of the palm. Although the mountain path was winding and rugged, there were no further twists and turns, and Shen Luo soon arrived at the middle of the mountain waist. At this point, the constructed path came to an abrupt halt, and a stone platform about ten feet in diameter appeared in front of him. On the right side of the platform grew a red-orange tree, six to seven feet tall, with four or five bright red fruits hanging from it. Shen Luo wrinkled his nose and took a light sniff, immediately feeling a not very strong fragrance enter his mind, which clarified his thoughts and made his limbs feel filled with Spiritual Power, extremely refreshing. He closely examined the tree and saw that the fruits hanging from it glowed with a translucent red light, looking like little, exquisite red lanterns, very delicate and charming. ¡°These are the Spiritual Oranges that Bai Ling ate¡­¡± Shen Luo''s throat moved slightly, unable to resist the urge to swallow. He raised his hand, reached for the lowest hanging Spiritual Orange on the tree, and plucked it. The Spiritual Orange felt surprisingly heavy in his hand, its skin marked with unique, raised patterns, emitting an extremely rich Spiritual Qi. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then decided not to peel it and instead bit into it directly. As the skin and flesh were punctured, orange-red juice immediately flooded his mouth, a bittersweet taste lingering on his tongue, accompanied by strong currents of pure Spiritual Qi flowing into his stomach. Shen Luo felt a cool sensation flowing down from his chest to his abdomen, merging with the Mana in his Dantian, causing it to instantly boil with activity. In a flash, the Mana in his Dantian began to overflow, nourishing his flesh and blood, and the meridians it passed through lit up with light, turning his skin red as well. A feeling of fullness and swelling emerged from within him, making him feel hot all over, as if he was about to burst. Shen Luo hastily put away the uneaten part of the Spiritual Orange and immediately sat down cross-legged to begin the magic spell motions, circulating the Huangting Technique and silently cultivating his Qi. As the spiritual power expanded within his body, his meridians seemed to be stretched open as well, allowing his spiritual power to flow through like traveling on a sun-lit expressway, unobstructed and smooth. He almost only needed a single thought for his mana to complete a circuit within his body, making his cultivation speed much faster than before. Furthermore, as the mana continued to circulate within him, his flesh and blood seemed to be impacted by the force of the mana, becoming incredibly invigorated. Soon, Shen Luo''s eyes shone brightly, and his Divine Sense was exceptionally clear; he could acutely feel every inch of his muscles absorbing spiritual energy, and each drop of blood was courageously surging. Under his ragged clothes, the wounds he had suffered were healing at a visible pace, even the sharp aura that seemed attached to his bones was being washed away layer by layer by the spiritual power until it dissipated. Shen Luo shouted out loud, feeling an unprecedented sense of exhilaration throughout his body, and even sensed the bottleneck that he had encountered upon entering the Taiyi Realm starting to loosen. After a while, when all the spiritual energy from the Spiritual Orange had been absorbed, that hot and excited feeling gradually subsided. ¡°Just one mouthful of Spiritual Orange, and it actually has such an effect!¡± Shen Luo stood up and stretched his limbs, a smile quickly spreading across his brows. He glanced at the three remaining Spiritual Oranges on the tree, grinned, and plucked them one by one. After picking the Spiritual Oranges, Shen Luo did not intend to consume more, knowing he had reached the bottleneck for breaking through to the Taiyi Realm¨Ca chasm that no amount of magic pills could help cross. Eating more Spiritual Oranges would just be a waste, so he decided to save them for later. Shen Luo searched around the Spiritual Orange tree and did not find the murals mentioned by Bai Ling, only a stone cave about half a person high, which was pitch dark inside, and nothing could be seen. ¡°If Bai Ling didn''t remember wrongly, then it can only be inside here.¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. He bent his body and crawled into the half-person high cave. The entrance to the cave was extremely narrow at first; the protrusions on the rock walls scraped Shen Luo''s clothes from time to time. But after only about a dozen steps, the terrain suddenly opened up. Shen Luo slowly straightened up and continued into the cave, releasing his Divine Soul to probe and guard as he went. After walking about a dozen steps, a light suddenly penetrated from ahead. Shen Luo quickened his pace and arrived at the exit of the passageway. Before him, a vast cavity inside the mountain unfolded, with a fist-sized, milky white pearl hanging from the dome of the cave, emitting white light that shone down, illuminating the surroundings with brilliant clarity. Shen Luo immediately noticed a massive stone sculpture on the rock wall directly opposite him in the cave. It depicted all manner of flowers, birds, fish, insects, and beasts in intricate and interweaving detail, crowded and dense. Most of these flora and fauna were common sights and none were rare spirit beasts. When Shen Luo scanned them, he did not find anything particularly unusual. However, as his gaze settled on a monkey with an outstretched arm looking out, a strange occurrence suddenly happened. The monkey wasn''t large, seemingly a breed of the golden-thread monkey, and carved vividly to life, especially the eyes, which looked exceedingly spirited. As Shen Luo looked, he found that the eyes of the stone-carved monkey suddenly whirled about and seemed to be looking right back at him. Chapter 903 Chapter 903: Chapter 900 Observing Everything Chapter 903: Chapter 900 Observing Everything ¡°` In the moment when man and stone monkey locked eyes, the stone monkey''s eyes suddenly brightened as if two golden vortexes came to life within them, spewing out copious amounts of light that scattered in all directions. Shen Luo saw this and felt it odd, but did not take any action, simply quietly observing the changes. As the golden light spread bit by bit, the originally grayish-white body of the stone monkey seemed to be painted over, slowly tinting with the color of golden fur, gradually becoming lively. Just then, a sharp ¡°squeak¡± suddenly sounded, and the stone monkey, with one arm hanging from the tree, shook its body and leaped straight out from the stone wall, pouncing towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo, seeing this, remained calm and composed, slightly circulated his mana and raised his hand to block in front of himself. However, the moment his palm touched the golden stone monkey, the latter flashed with golden light, transforming into a stream of golden light and merging into his body. ¡°Damn it, I was careless!¡± A ¡°thump¡± echoed in Shen Luo''s heart, and a sweltering sensation suddenly came from his Dantian. Soon after, without waiting for him to do anything, the mana in his Dantian began to run on its own, rushing up from the Ren meridian, circulating through the acupoints in his body. Although Shen Luo felt the hot energy scurrying around inside, there seemed to be no other abnormalities, and with a slightly relieved heart, he hurriedly began circulating the Nameless Cultivation Technique in an attempt to guide this mana back to his Dantian. But just as he began to try, the mana that had just traveled to the Zhongwan acupoint resisted as if recoiling, opposing his control and causing him a sharp pain in the chest, forcing him to stop hastily. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo frowned involuntarily. After a moment''s hesitation, he sat down cross-legged, no longer trying to reverse the flow of his mana himself, but instead began to examine as an observer what was happening with the spontaneously moving mana. Shen Luo closed his eyes and inwardly observed for a moment, then suddenly let out a light ¡°eh¡± of surprise and opened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Isn''t the order of flow through these acupoints precisely the sequence of the Huangting Technique?¡± After a moment of hesitation, Shen Luo once again formed hand seals and instead of circulating the Nameless Cultivation Technique, he began to silently recite the seventy-two phrases of the Huang Ting Jing in his mind, trying to operate the Huangting Technique. With this thought, not only did the mana flowing out of his body not recoil, but it actually accelerated its circulation, beginning to move within his body. Before long, this mana had completed a full cycle and returned to the Dantian, where everything settled as before. ¡°Is it over just like this?¡± Shen Luo carefully examined himself and, finding no changes, couldn''t help but exclaim in astonishment. Based on Shen Luo''s past experiences with two murals, each contained tremendous opportunities and couldn''t possibly be as unremarkable as this time. After pondering for a short while, he once again actively started to circulate the Huangting Technique, his eyes sharpening as he looked towards the cave stone wall. When his gaze once again landed on the stone wall, the stone monkey that was hanging by one arm a moment ago had vanished without a trace; however, the eyes of a lone wolf depicted beside the monkey brightened with golden light. Immediately afterward, the lone wolf was enveloped by the golden light and leaped out from the stone wall too, pouncing towards Shen Luo. ¡°` This time, Shen Luo did not resist at all, welcoming the lone wolf that rushed into his body, once again stimulating a surge of Mana to circulate within him. At the same time, his gaze continued to scan the other animals on the Stone Wall. Before long, birds and beasts one after another started to be swept over by the Golden Light, leaping out from the Stone Wall and rushing into Shen Luo''s body. The Mana in Shen Luo''s Dantian had been completely released, circulating through the meridians in his body to the extent that all the vessels glowed with golden light, casting his physical body in a translucency akin to that of Jade. In comparison, his body seemed like a leaf under the sunlight, while all the meridians were like the veins on the leaf, resembling the ¡°Gold Branch Jade Leaf¡± physique described in the ancient book about Daoist Immortals. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Shen Luo had no time to closely examine this phenomenon; as more creatures from the murals entered his body, his Sea of Knowledge was also impacted, and his divine soul involuntarily began to release. At that moment, a dazzling white light flashed before his eyes, and he entered an unexpected state of ethereal tranquility. Around him, the cave Stone Wall, Qionglu Jiao Pearl, and murals of everything began to fade, dissipating bit by bit, leaving the heaven and earth vast and empty as if returning to the Void. Shen Luo sat alone amidst a snow-white Heaven and Earth, looking around somewhat blankly. Then, the sound of ¡°squeaking¡± came to him, and a golden-furred monkey suddenly scurried over his head, raising its arms high above, as if grasping a tree trunk and swinging forward one grasp after another. Shen Luo watched the golden-furred monkey in astonishment. He could see that Mana seemed to be flowing through its body as well, revealing meridians connected by golden lines, with each acupoint lighting up one after another. Soon after, a peacock with vibrant green feathers flapped past him, flying low, its long tail dragging on the ground, sweeping past like a broom. When Shen Luo looked at it, he could clearly see a meridian pathway circulating in the peacock''s body. Before he could finish his astonishment, the Void in front of him rippled like a dragonfly skimming water, sending waves outwards, and a plump red brocade carp swam slowly past him, also revealing a meridian on its body. ¡°Although not all things in the world cultivate, they hold spiritual energy flowing within. This is perhaps the true essence of Heavenly Dao bestowed upon all and harmonized with everything¡­¡± A sudden enlightenment dawned in Shen Luo''s heart. With this thought emerging, the circulation of the Huangting Technique in his body doubled in speed, becoming faster and more agile, and as a result, various birds, beasts, fish, and insects born from this realization appeared at an even greater pace in the snow-white space before his eyes. After that, wild grasses, trees, vines, and flowers materialized one after another, and what was once a vast and desolate white space quickly filled with all manners of things, becoming crowded. Correspondingly, the various things carved on the Stone Wall Outside started to disappear rapidly. Who knows how much time had passed when a ¡°boom¡± echoed through the cave. Shen Luo''s eyes snapped open, and for a moment, a tangible Golden Light shot out from his eyes, reflecting the multitude of things he had just witnessed in their depths. Unknowingly, he had accomplished the feat of ¡°Observing Everything¡±. Shen Luo slowly exhaled a breath of stale air from his mouth, and the unusual light in his eyes gradually faded. But he felt none of the satisfaction typically experienced after completing a session of cultivation; instead, he felt an extraordinary heaviness and fatigue. The sensation was akin to his stomach being suddenly filled with a variety of foods, unable to digest them all at once, leaving him feeling uncomfortably bloated. Chapter 904 Chapter 904: Chapter 901 General Provisions Chapter 904: Chapter 901 General Provisions Shen Luo steadied his forehead with one hand and slowly looked towards the stone wall in front. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. All he saw was the entire mountain wall enshrouded in misty dust, and the murals depicting ¡°the birth of all things¡± that he had just seen had already crumbled and collapsed. But as the dust gradually settled, a new mural appeared on the stone wall. It depicted a figure in the form of an ape, ten zhang tall and clad in armor. It was sitting cross-legged with its hands joined in front of its chest. Outside its armor, it was unexpectedly draped in a kasaya, and resting upon its legs was a carved long stick, very similar in appearance to the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Looking at this scene, how could Shen Luo not recognize the figure depicted in the mural? It was none other than the Great Sage¡­ no, the Victorious Fighting Buddha Sun Wukong. The eyes of the Victorious Fighting Buddha in the mural were downcast, his demeanor calm and serene; this was in stark contrast to the unruly and rebellious Great Sage Equal to Heaven as depicted in legends. He looked exactly like a revered Bodhisattva. Shen Luo stood up, joined his hands in front of him, and paid his respects to the stone sculpture from a distance. At that moment, it was as if thunder had exploded in his ears, and he heard a resounding ¡°boom!¡± Following that, a solemn and respectful voice echoed in his sea of knowledge:, ¡°The Dao of all things, the transformation of the utmost, the laws of all beings, widely propagated in their developments, though different in name when they come forth, are referred to as the mysterious. And mysterious yet again, the gateway to all wonders¡­¡± The instant this voice sounded, it was as if a bell chimed in Shen Luo''s heart, as if unlocking a door of fetters. In the depths of his being, he experienced a profound moment of sudden enlightenment. In a flash, the meridians throughout his body lit up with light, his eyes reflecting an unusual brilliance. All kinds of things that he had just been contemplating appeared before his eyes like a revolving lantern, beginning to flicker one after another. At the same time, inside his body, the Huangting Technique once again started operating on its own. This time, a feeling unlike any before enveloped Shen Luo''s heart, and he finally understood:, ¡°The words resounding in his ears were not from an external source, but were the missing general outline of the Huangting Sutra.¡± Although Shen Luo had cultivated the Yellow Court Sutra with his astonishing talent and had always proceeded smoothly, an infusion of understanding like today was unprecedented. Now, with the guidance of the general outline, Shen Luo''s comprehension of the Huangting Technique deepened significantly. With a thought, he began to operate the Huangting Divine Power with his newfound understanding. Immediately, spiritual energy from the surrounding heaven and earth began to converge towards him ceaselessly, flooding into his body. The moment the spiritual energy filled his body, Shen Luo felt a slight surprise. He suddenly realized that the Taiyi Realm bottleneck he had already sensed was no longer perceivable. Yet what surprised him even more was that his cultivation level had not changed; he was still in the Late True Immortal Stage and had not broken through to a new realm. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo realized that it wasn''t that his breakthrough bottleneck had disappeared, but that at the moment he acquired the general outline of the Yellow Court Sutra, that breakthrough threshold had been invisibly raised. This also meant that the threshold for him to step into the Taiyi Realm had become even higher. As to whether this was good or bad, Shen Luo did not yet know. He did not have the luxury to concern himself with it at the moment and, after a brief distraction, refocused all his thoughts and began to cultivate wholeheartedly. As he recited the seventy-two phrases again, Shen Luo felt every pore of his body open up, starting to condense the Heaven and Earth Aura into threads as thin as hairs, absorbing them into his body. At that moment, the power of his divine soul surged rapidly, and two dazzling beams of golden light burst forth from his eyes. Shadows of plants and shapes of wild beasts emerged one after another, surrounding his body. With his eyes flickering with light, Shen Luo stared at the visions of all things, and the threads of Heaven and Earth Aura extending from his pores began to slowly twitch, drawing in the light shadow of a Rain Swallow in flight, slowly merging with his body. The next instant, the light around Shen Luo''s body converged, his bones ¡°crackling¡± loudly as his form quickly shrank. Within a burst of light, he transformed into a small and exquisite black Rain Swallow. Immediately thereafter, as the Rain Swallow spread its wings, a thread drew a sunflower shadow closer and, as it merged inside its body, the Rain Swallow gently landed and turned into a golden sunflower. Afterward, as the Heaven and Earth Aura continuously drew the myriad shadows of all things into his body, Shen Luo''s form also changed into a variety of birds and beasts and strange flowers and exotic plants amidst waves of light. The evolution of the Dao lies in adaptability; the Dao is not permanent, change has no set pattern. If it is said that all ninety-nine can be returned to one, then the eighty-nine changes are infinite. Only at this moment did Shen Luo finally understand that the inheritance skill of Mount Fangcun he was practicing was none other than the Eight-Nine Profound Art, which was the lost general chapter of the Yellow Court Sutra, and the Seventy-two Changes that the Bodhi Ancestor would not impart to non-disciples. With bursts of light flickering on and off Shen Luo''s body, his form transformed again and again, and the light shadows of all things that surfaced around him disappeared one by one. At the same time, Shen Luo also noticed that the aura on his body was also getting stronger with each change. The previously somewhat blurry bottleneck had once again become distinctly perceptible. Time trickled away, and in the blink of an eye, three days and nights had passed. Outside the Tree Hole, the Man in Black Cloak stood motionless outside of the area with his eyebrows tightly knitted and an ominous expression on his face. Although Bai Ling was not bound anymore and was squatting next to a Giant stone, she also did not dare to let out a breath, much less harbor any thoughts of escaping. She was acutely aware that the person in front of her was far too strong for her, and with a single finger, he could easily crush her to death. Seeing that Shen Luo hadn''t come out after such a long time, Bai Ling couldn''t help but feel some worry. One, she was worried that something had happened to Shen Luo in the cave; two, she feared he might never come out, angering the Evil and Ferocious Deity before her, and she would certainly be the one used to vent his anger. ¡°Could it be that I overestimated him? Could he have already died inside?¡± the Man in Black Cloak muttered to himself, looking down. After speaking, he turned his head towards Bai Ling, hesitating over whether or not to continue waiting. Bai Ling was glanced at by him, and immediately, her body shivered, and cold sweat began to trickle down her forehead. The Man in Black Cloak pondered for a moment, then began walking slowly toward Bai Ling. Seeing this, Bai Ling shook uncontrollably, not knowing whether she was scared out of her wits or resigned to her fate, as if she were glued to the Giant stone and unable to move an inch. The man stopped in front of Bai Ling, looked her up and down, and suddenly lifted his hand as if to strike her. Bai Ling''s face turned ashen, she raised her hands subconsciously to shield herself, opened her mouth to shout, but couldn''t utter a single word. Chapter 905 Chapter 905: 902 Chapter 905: 902 Just then, a strange noise suddenly came from inside the tree hole in the dead tree, and waves of intense spiritual power surged out, causing the area to erupt in turmoil, with countless golden streaks of light emerging immediately afterward. The man in black robes stopped his hand just less than an inch from Bai Ling''s forehead, shifted his palm slightly, and gently stroked Bai Ling''s head. ¡°You should be grateful that he''s not dead, otherwise¡­ there wouldn''t be any need to keep you around.¡± The man grinned, revealing a row of ghastly white teeth, and spoke. Having said that, the man withdrew his hand and returned to where he had been standing before, waiting quietly once more. Bai Ling, having had a narrow escape from death, was already scared out of her wits; at this moment, she was in tears, praying incessantly in her heart for Shen Luo to come back alive. Meanwhile, inside the cave, Shen Luo was still sitting on the ground, but he had now assumed the same position as Sun Wukong depicted in the mural, with hands joined in prayer and sitting cross-legged ¡ª the earlier phantoms that had surrounded him had all disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, still vibrating with the afterglow of the mana fluctuations, and a smile appeared on his face. He stretched out his hands and clenched them tightly, his knuckles cracking crisply, and he felt as if a current of electricity was flowing through the muscles in his arms, making him feel full of explosive power. ¡°From the Huangting Technique to the Seventy-two Changes, it seems that the changes aren''t limited to the mystic arts; this body also seems much more resilient than before. I just don''t know whether the power of the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique will be increased if I were to use it now?¡± Shen Luo pondered the changes in his body, murmuring to himself. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, a streak of light passed over the stone wall opposite him, and a flash of green light in the eyes of the Sun Wukong mural caused a layer of light shadow to fly out from within. Shen Luo focused and saw that within the light shadow, two exceedingly complex prohibition amulets emerged. As he wondered how to respond, the two green light amulets suddenly dissipated into a burst of light and vanished. Soon after, the pair of eyes etched into the mural seemed to come alive, the layer of stone skin covering them peeling away to reveal two gem-like round sapphire eyes. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Sensing the strong waves of spiritual power emanating from it, Shen Luo couldn''t help but be surprised. But in the next instant, a sudden change occurred. The two red orbs suddenly shot out, flying from the eye sockets of the stone sculpture and heading straight for Shen Luo. The speed of the two gems was incredibly fast, tearing a visible trail in the void the instant they flew out and arriving right before Shen Luo''s eyes in a blink. Before he could react, they pierced directly into his eyes. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but cry out in agony. An intense, unbearable pain filled his eye sockets, accompanied by a sense of scorching heat that almost overwhelmed him. His vision blurred, he flailed his hands wildly toward his eyes. However, the moment Shen Luo''s hands touched his cheeks, they were immediately greeted with a searing sensation, as if flames were scorching him; his eye sockets were indeed ablaze with raging fire. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Shen Luo was utterly baffled and quickly tried to control liquid water to pour into his eyes. However, the ordinary water didn''t even have the chance to touch his cheeks before being incinerated by the burning air, evaporating into thick white steam. Before long, Shen Luo felt as if flames were about to pierce through his eyes and hastily began to employ the Great Unsealing Technique, attempting to repair them. However, the moment he activated the technique, the scorching temperature at the location of his eyes suddenly began to drop. When he brushed them with his hands, he discovered that the raging flames had actually extinguished. Yet, the pain in his eyes persisted without diminishing in the slightest. Without giving it much thought, Shen Luo focused all his efforts on the Great Unsealing Technique, continuing the repair of his eyes. However, as his mana surged into his pupils, an intense abnormal sensation emerged from the sockets, where golden and red lights converged, gradually forming two massive spiritual energy vortices. The moment the spiritual energy vortices took shape, they started spinning rapidly, stirring the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi once again, frantically surging into the maelstroms. Shen Luo felt an unbearable weight on his eyes as if a great force was pressing down on them, causing his entire head to feel heavy and stifled. However, a moment later, the burning sensation on his eyes gradually faded away, replaced by a cool and refreshing feeling spreading throughout. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushing into his eyes not only lingered there but also traveled along the meridians deep within his body, converging into his Dantian. That sensation of fullness within his body also began to intensify. Shen Luo sensed it, the opportunity for a breakthrough had arrived. At this moment, his eyes, which were obscured by flames and pain, snapped open, the upper and lower eyelids still not fully repaired by the Great Unsealing Technique, with visible blackened scars remaining. The pair of eyes that were revealed, however, were incredibly divine; within the pupils shone rings of golden lines, while the whites of his eyes were completely red as if stained with blood. Shen Luo scanned his surroundings but didn''t notice anything unusual. Instead, he felt as if a dark red shadow veiled his vision, still making things somewhat unclear. He blinked hard several times, exerting the Great Unsealing Technique to its fullest to repair his eyes. A moment later, when he opened his eyes again, the blood color in them had entirely receded, leaving only the golden lines around the pupils still visible. Just then, Shen Luo suddenly had an intuition and looked up sharply. With that one look, the golden light in his eyes shined brilliantly, his sight piercing directly through the thick layers of rock above his head, through the thousand feet of void above the mountain peak, seeing the ceaseless flow of clouds in the sky. ¡°The Thunder Tribulation is coming¡­¡± Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly. About advancing to the Taiyi Realm, he had already gained some understanding beforehand, knowing that, like when advancing to the True Immortal Realm, he would also undergo a Thunder Tribulation, though there is a vast difference between the two. Moreover, once one advances to the True Immortal Realm and continues to cultivate further, each major realm thereafter has different emphases. The Taiyi Realm focuses on refining the body, seeking a pure, colored glaze-like unblemished form, which is why the Thunder Tribulation it faces, though also responding to the Heavenly Dao and descending from the Nine Heavens, every bolt of lightning can penetrate deep into the flesh, striking directly on bones and internal organs. Human bodies, with their five organs and six entrails, are like a tree''s roots; bones are like the branches, and the flesh and blood are like the veins and leaves. There''s a saying about cultivating the physique called ¡°Gold Branch Jade Leaf,¡± which means that the refined body and bones are like gold, and the flesh is like jade, achieving purity and colorlessness. As long as one endures this challenge, after reaching the Taiyi Realm, the cultivator''s body itself will be stronger than most ordinary magical artifacts. With profound cultivation, it''s not entirely impossible to even withstand powerful magical treasures like the Six Chen Whip. When the flesh becomes pure to the point of containing not a trace of impurity, there emerges the possibility of advancing further, cultivating to the Heavenly Venerate Realm. Chapter 906 Chapter 906: Chapter 903 Desperate Situation Chapter 906: Chapter 903 Desperate Situation Speaking of which, for Taiyi Realm cultivators who wish to break through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, ¡°purity¡± is the most critical factor. Even if a cultivator follows the Ghost Path, as long as their body is purely Yin or purely evil, and their essence is refined to a certain degree, they can potentially break through their limits and become a Heavenly Venerate of the Ghost Path. When the time comes to break through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, the most dangerous checkpoint on the road of cultivating immortality will descend¨Cthat is, facing the invasion of extraterrestrial demons shaped by one''s heart demons. This fierce ghost is intimately related to the cultivator and often stems from the unwholesome aspects of the cultivator''s mental state. If one fails to successfully endure, they will fall victim to the extraterrestrial demons, and eons of cultivation will turn into nothingness in an instant. But if one can defeat it, it means they have overcome their greatest flaw, mended their mental state to completeness, and at that time, they can successfully advance to the Heavenly Venerate Realm. Only then can they truly break free from the shackles of lifespan and no longer be troubled by the three disasters. As for the legendary Great Heavenly Venerate Realm, it concerns the cycles of the Heavenly Dao and is closely related to the myriad causes and effects in the cosmos. One needs to endure countless perils, amass extensive virtue, and pave a new path of cultivation for the world to succeed. Since the beginning of chaos, only a handful of people have reached that level. Shen Luo rose from the cave and, with a leap, arrived at the peak of the broken mountain of Five Finger Mountain, then sat down cross-legged. At this moment, above the vast skydome, the clouds surged, turning into unusual circular layers, as if a passageway had been carved out in the high altitude, leading something to descend to the Human World. Shen Luo looked up and saw something different from the faces in the void he witnessed during the True Immortal Stage Thunder Tribulation. The manifestations of the Heavenly Dao were not as clear as before, but the breath coming from deeper in the skydome felt even more ancient and majestic. ¡°Rumble Rumble¡± A suppressed sound of rolling thunder came from deep within the skydome, and the entire void seemed to tremble along with it. Shen Luo saw a light flare up within the hollow passageway, and a tremendous pressure began to descend. It got brighter and more oppressive as it approached closer. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But in a few moments, Shen Luo saw an immense crimson fireball, almost filling the entire passageway, wrapped around with thick golden thunder chains, smashing down directly above him. When it was still a hundred feet away, a wave of unbearable heat had already hit him in the face. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, and with a single hand, the Six Chen Whip materialized in the void and appeared in his grasp. ¡°Go.¡± With a light shout, Shen Luo activated the Huangting Technique within him. A Golden Dragon Phantasm coiled out along his arm, wrapping around the Six Chen Whip as he flung it out. The sound of a whistling roar erupted as the Dragon Chant sounded powerfully from the Six Chen Whip, which instantly swelled dozens of times in size and shot towards the crimson fireball and the gold thunder. With a thunderous boom, the Six Chen Whip struck the giant fireball like a metal spike, and the Golden Dragon Phantasm on it roared, splitting into several shadows that burrowed into the fireball. The next instant, an even more intense explosion roared forth. The crimson fireball and gold thunder burst apart, transforming into a shower of meteoric fireworks that rained down. The sky full of fire sparks fell, still entwined with strands of gold thunder that persistently struck Shen Luo''s body. However, the rest of the power was no longer sufficient to harm Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not relax in the slightest, but his expression became even more solemn. The power of this first strike of thunder tribulation exceeded his expectations. After this strike of thunder tribulation, the sky temporarily stabilized for a moment, only for the sound of thunder to come once more shortly afterward. Shen Luo looked up and saw trails of clouds deep in the high altitude, swirling around streaks of white lightning that seemed to be rapidly condensing. ¡°Rumble rumble¡± The sound of thunder grew more urgent, and the white clouds carrying the lightning began to take shape, revealing themselves to be four hundred-foot-tall thundercloud pillars. Shen Luo concentrated and observed that each of the snow-white thundercloud pillars was engraved with countless dense patterns of clouds, and at the top stood a fearsome statue with wildly flaring hair and beard, a face like an evil ghost, and a pair of wings on its back. The four statues looked similar in appearance, but each wore different clothing and held different objects in their hands; two of them were pulling chains, another held a hammer and chisel, and the last one had a massive bronze drum slung over its shoulder. No sooner had the four statues taken form than the four thundercloud pillars descended straight down from high above. Seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hand, and a surge of black light burst from the Six Chen Whip, as a massive shadow of the whip condensed and fiercely swept toward one of the thundercloud pillars. However, as the whip shadow swept across, striking the thundercloud pillar, it was as if it had hit a clump of cotton. There was no force behind the strike at all; it simply swept through the air and missed, hitting nothing. Only a wisp of white cloud from the thundercloud pillar was whisked away, but it quickly drifted back and merged into the pillar again. ¡°As expected¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed softly in his heart. No sooner had the sound of his voice faded than the four thundercloud pillars had already landed on the ground, causing a series of roars. The pillars, which had seemed ephemeral just moments before, now rooted themselves firmly upon contact with the ground, turning from ethereal to solid. Bursts of thunderbolt sounds immediately followed, emanating from them. Shen Luo''s expression tightened as he looked at the thundercloud pillars surrounding him. He reached into the void with his hand and grasped the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. ¡°Clang clang clang¡± Just then, a rapid sound of chains rang out. The snow-white chains held by the statues on two of the thundercloud pillars had already shot out, rushing toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo hurriedly swung the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, creating a powerful whirlwind that deflected the two snow-white chains from their original trajectory. However, though the chains had veered off slightly, they still wound around the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod like snakes, extending rapidly and still heading straight for Shen Luo''s chest. Shen Luo''s eyebrows shot up, a burst of golden light shone from his body, and two golden dragon phantasms together with a golden elephant phantasm appeared behind him, charging toward the snow-white chains. Just as they were about to collide, a thunderous sound erupted from the snow-white chains, and countless bright strands of electricity burst forth, striking in all directions. At the same time, the two snow-white chains also suddenly turned from solid to ethereal, piercing through the Golden Dragon and Golden Elephant phantasms, and stabbed directly into Shen Luo''s chest. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He gave a light groan, his heart suddenly tightening, and his body went limp. He could no longer hold onto the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, which clanged to the ground. Shen Luo slowly looked down only to find that the two snow-white chains had pierced through his chest and emerged from his shoulders, piercing right through his clavicles. Upon examining himself, he discovered that although his mana was still present, it had been largely blocked off, with only a tenth remaining at his disposal. Shen Luo''s heart sank heavily, for in such a state, he had no power to contend with the thunder tribulation. Chapter 907 Chapter 907: Chapter 904: Crossing the Tribulation Chapter 907: Chapter 904: Crossing the Tribulation Just as Shen Luo felt completely at a loss, the patterns on the four thunder cloud pillars lit up one after another, as if tracing a layer of gold around the edges, shining with golden light. The fierce deities standing on the thunder cloud pillars also had golden light shining in their eyes, and with a spreading of their double wings, their figures began to move. The two holding chains each formed hand seals with one hand, their bodies crackling with electricity. The one holding the hammer and chisel took a stance, raised the tools high, aiming directly at Shen Luo below, while another raised a fist, ready to strike the bronze drum he hugged in his arms. On the body of the drum, a one-legged Kui Ox was carved as if gradually awakening, with its eyes slowly opening and the lightning patterns all over its body lighting up one by one. ¡°Boom¡± The first to make a move was the deity with the drum, whose fist fell and struck the surface of the bronze drum. The eyes of the Kui Ox on the drum suddenly lit up, with the lightning patterns all over its body flashing simultaneously. A green thunderbolt shot out from the surface of the drum like a sharp spear, directly piercing Shen Luo''s Dantian. ¡°Ah¡­¡± An excruciating pain suddenly struck, and even Shen Luo could not bear it. He felt a sharp force tearing his Dantian apart, overwhelming pain assaulting him, and his entire lower abdomen felt as though it was on fire, while the mana accumulated inside was completely scrambled in an instant, making it impossible for him to use it to resist the thunder and lightning. At that moment, he felt not as if he was undergoing Thunder Tribulation, but as if he was suffering Thunder Punishment, utterly powerless to resist. As soon as one wave subsided, another arose. The deity holding the hammer and chisel then made his move, raising the hammer high and bringing it down heavily onto the chisel, where their meeting instantly sparked a burst of crimson sparks. A crimson thunderbolt shot out from the iron chisel, heading straight for Shen Luo''s brow. ¡°Bang¡± resounded as the sound of an explosion. Shen Luo''s forehead was struck by the lightning, sending him jerking backward, only held back from falling to the ground by the two snow-white chains. His Sea of Knowledge was in turmoil, chaotically turbulent, even his Divine Sense starting to dissipate. ¡°The strikes are all aimed at vital points, very well¡­ let me test the might of your thunder,¡± Shen Luo suddenly roared up to the sky. The blocked mana in his body also started to circulate on its own at this moment, the Great Unsealing Technique spontaneously activating as well, beginning to repair the damage he had sustained. If it had been before attaining the 72 Transformations, relying solely on the physique cultivated from the Huang Ting Jing, Shen Luo would have had no way to endure such intense lightning strikes; just the one that tore through his Dantian would have been enough to severely injure him. However, while he had managed to withstand it, the pierced clavicle slowed down his healing greatly, and it was doubtful whether he could survive the subsequent and increasingly powerful Thunder Tribulation. Just as his Dantian was about to finish repairing itself, the sound of the drum thundered again. This time, a crescent-shaped black pattern emerged on the surface of the bronze drum, turning the green thunderbolt that shot out from it into a blackish-green color, still like a steely spear piercing his Dantian. Shen Luo let out a muffled grunt, his temples sweating profusely, feeling as though his Dantian had shattered, and he could even sense his mana rapidly draining away with that explosion. Clenching his teeth, with the Divine Sense that had just stabilized, he spurred the Great Unsealing Technique, focusing first on repairing his Dantian. At that moment, the two chains that had pierced his clavicle also finally began to move, flashing with snow-white light. Electric light from the ends of the chains, illuminated by the two deities, crackled as it surged toward Shen Luo. The next instant, an overwhelmingly intense sensation of paralysis swept over him like an incoming tide, disrupting the flow of Mana in every joint that was circulating within him and preventing it from maintaining its course. All of Shen Luo''s techniques seemed to have been strangled, stifling any possibility of their use. But at that moment, the Thunder Tribulation also ceased, as if to grant Shen Luo a brief respite. With a ¡°thud¡± in his heart, Shen Luo hastily looked up into the high altitude. At that glance, his complexion involuntarily changed. Above in the sky, from within the void of the clouds, the sound of Water Waves roared, and a golden River surged forth, rolling down towards the Lower Frontier. At the same time, the fiery meteoric rain that had scattered all over the Ground earlier started to gather together, using four Thunder Cloud Pillars as boundaries to lay out a crimson carpet of fire at Shen Luo''s feet. As soon as the crimson carpet took form, the cloud patterns on the surrounding pillars lit up. A layer of hazy white light spread out from the four pillars, standing tall around Shen Luo like towering walls. Only then did Shen Luo realize that the Taiyi Thunder Tribulation had step by step constructed a Nine Heavens Thunder Pool around him. There was no way to dodge now; he could only resist with the strength of his physical body. Shen Luo''s heart sank, and he no longer entertained other thoughts. Instead, he simply closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and ran the Huangting Technique in his body to its utmost limit. Golden Light erupted from all around him, and six Golden Dragon Phantasms emerged first, encircling him and roaring defiantly towards the heavens. Close behind them, the figures of six massive elephants also condensed, all of them Standing Position around him, facing outward in a protective stance. The Six Dragons and Six Elephants joined forces in a seemingly simple positioning but occupied the six directions of Heaven and Earth, naturally forming a Dragon Elephant Prajna Formation, seemingly isolating a little world of their own for Shen Luo to stand his ground. As soon as the Formation took shape, it displayed an impressive sight. The six massive elephants fluttered their trunks, continuously drawing in spiritual energy from the surroundings, which hovered around their bodies, reflecting dazzling multicolor hues. The six Golden Dragons circling overhead were also spewing golden light, converging together to form an enormous golden Dragon Orb. The Golden Elephants absorbed spiritual energy, and the divine dragons spit out orbs, each manifesting divine wonders that had never appeared before. Shen Luo knew that this was undoubtedly greatly related to his recent completion of the summary of the Huangting Technique. At this time, the roar of thunder Above the Nine Heavens sounded like the bellowing of a giant beast, and the golden River formed by the condensing thunder was already pouring down overhead, plummeting to the Human World with resplendent heavenly might. The Crimson Flames on the Ground were stirred by the Heavenly Thunder and surged up violently, burning fiercely towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyes were tightly shut as he guarded his Divine Sense and vigorously stimulated the Huangting Technique. Around him, the colorful light from the Six Elephants surged, spreading like a mantle over the land, forcefully suppressing the rising ground fire. Yet even from within, Shen Luo could still feel waves of searing heat piercing through his skin and penetrating deep into his internal organs. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The eyes of the Six Golden Dragons were concentrated with pure and solid golden light. The Golden Dragon Orb formed between their Dragon Heads erupted with a tremendously powerful aura, colliding against the falling golden water of the Thunder Pool. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± The chaotic sound of thunder erupted, with large swathes of Golden Lightning splattering from the Dragon Orb, spraying in all directions, making the Void thunder and shake incessantly. Even more of the Thunder Pool''s golden fluid escaped and flowed towards the Thunder Pool that had Already been constructed on the Ground. When the golden liquid from the Thunder Pool mingled with the crimson fire on the ground, the two elements not only completely avoided conflict, but also blended smoothly together, creating a pool of fiery golden thunder liquid where water and Flame intertwined. This thunder liquid was even more potent than the original golden fluid; the moment it formed, it began to surge dramatically, attacking Shen Luo from all sides. Even with the protection of the Golden Elephants and Golden Dragons, they could only deflect most of the thunder and fire, with thin strands of thunder still penetrating their defenses and striking directly at Shen Luo''s bodily flesh. Chapter 908 Chapter 908: Chapter 905: A Charred Corpse Chapter 908: Chapter 905: A Charred Corpse ¡°Zzzt zzzt¡± A series of electric lights exploded around Shen Luo, causing his scalp to tingle all over, and his body couldn''t help but twitch. At this moment, he was as if trapped in a Heaven and Earth furnace, being scorched and refined by the Heavenly Thunder and earthly fire, with absolutely no way to escape. The Dragon Elephant Prajna Array, although already very strong, was naturally insignificant compared to this Thunder Pool imbued with the might of the Heavenly Dao. It was only a matter of time before it would be breached. Shen Luo was aware of this and thus did not solely rely on the protection of the Dragon Elephant Prajna Array. While operating the Huangting Technique, he diverted a wisp of divine soul to activate the Great Unsealing Technique. Although his eyes were tightly closed, he still used his Divine Sense to scan the surroundings; his hands rapidly changing the magic spells and pointing toward a place in front of him, he hooked his finger, and a strand of crimson-gold thunder and lightning immediately pierced through the Dragon Elephant Prajna Array, retaining its original power, and directly stabbed into the Laogong Acupoint of Shen Luo''s palm. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± A heart-piercing pain hit him, and Shen Luo couldn''t help but roar out loud; cold sweat quickly began to trickle down from his forehead. He felt as though his entire arm had been penetrated by a sharp force, his entire palm burning painfully, and the Laogong Acupoint was particularly numb, almost completely losing sensation. It was just this instant of change that almost caused him to lose his composure, and even the Dragon Elephant Prajna Array sheltering him from the outside showed a hint of instability. It took a good while for Shen Luo to finally calm down. He was somewhat relieved that he had not carelessly allowed the lightning to enter the vital acupoints of his chest and abdomen, or that instant just now would have been enough to disrupt the flow of his mana. If his mana had been obstructed and the Great Formation disabled, that pool of crimson-gold thunder liquid would have been enough to dissolve his bones and melt his flesh, turning him to ashes. After regaining his composure a bit, Shen Luo checked the Laogong Acupoint again, and soon a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. As he had anticipated, after the thunder refined it and with the successful repair by the Great Unsealing Technique, faint threads of electricity now coiled within the acupoint, which had expanded to double its original size. This meant that the resilience of this acupoint and the amount of mana it could accommodate had both at least doubled in strength. Shen Luo understood that it was better to divert than to block. The Dragon Elephant Prajna Array would not hold for long, which is why he attempted this, wanting to introduce the lightning into his own Qiao acupoints bit by bit before the Array was breached by the Thunder Pool''s golden liquid, to gradually adapt his body to the lightning strikes. Once his body gradually adapted to the might of the lightning and grew increasingly tough, he would have the chance to withstand the great tribulation of thousands of thunderfires when the Dragon Elephant Prajna Array was breached. After a brief rest, Shen Luo raised his finger again, and another strand of lightning entered the Array, striking directly at his acupoint. Several days passed in the blink of an eye. There were no longer any Heavenly Thunders falling on the top of Five Finger Mountain, but the Ground-formed Thunder Pool was stirring up a violent storm. Thousands of lightning bolts surged from all directions and converged into roaring waves, rushing straight to the center. The Six Dragon Six Elephant Illusory Shadows outside of Shen Luo had become extremely faint. After these days of continuous consumption, they were at the end of their strength, on the verge of collapse. And Shen Luo, who was in the midst of it, was even worse for wear. There was hardly a place on his body that was intact; it was completely blackened, and there were dried traces of blood in various places. Yet, faced with this earth-shattering blow, he still sat still at the center, unmoved. ¡°Boom¡± A thunderous sound that shook Heaven and Earth erupted, and the six Golden Dragon Phantasms exploded on the spot. The six giant elephants below were also torn apart by the thunder and fire, and the Crimson Thunder liquid instantly engulfed Shen Luo. ¡°Zzzt zzzt¡± Sparks of electricity emerged from Shen Luo''s body, amidst which billows of smoke rose. His already charred skin was torn further, resembling a piece of Earth cracked from prolonged dryness, with turtle-shell-like fissures. And within those cracked fissures, blood with a faint golden Gloss flowed out, like winding trails of blood that spread across Shen Luo''s entire body. He was like a lone boat in the Thunder Sea, floating uncertainly, but the Breath of life emanating from his body was gradually growing weaker. At the same time, outside the Tree Hole, the Man in Black Cloak was pacing back and forth with a look of intense concern. His patience had long since worn thin, and had it not been for the golden light around the dead tree becoming increasingly violent over the past several days, he would have already rushed in recklessly. ¡°The changes in the past several days are indeed abnormal. Has that kid really died?¡± the Man in Black Cloak stared at the entrance of the tree hole, murmuring to himself. Suddenly, his gaze shifted and he fiercely turned to Bai Ling, squeezing out a few words through clenched teeth, ¡°Enough, I won''t wait any longer.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having said that, he took big strides toward Bai Ling and walked over. Bai Ling knew something bad was about to happen and turned to run away, but a big hand clamped onto the back of her neck like an iron claw and lifted her up. ¡°Blame only that kid for not coming out, my patience is already exhausted. Keeping you is of no use anymore,¡± the Man in Black Cloak sneered viciously. With that, he swung his arm, hurling Bai Ling toward the dead tree. ¡°No, don''t¡­¡± Bai Ling couldn''t resist at all, and as she was about to fall into the area with intersecting golden light rays, her expression was one of extreme terror. Subconsciously, she closed her eyes, resignedly waiting for death to come. There was a soft ¡°thump.¡± Her legs hit the ground, but fear made her lose her balance and she fell to the ground. There was no severe pain, no flashing of golden sharp blades, and even more absent was a bloody and unbearable sight. ¡°I, I''m not dead¡­¡± Bai Ling''s eyes suddenly snapped open, speaking in disbelief. ¡°It''s gone?¡± the Man in Black Cloak also spoke up right after. Hearing his voice, Bai Ling was startled and, without thinking why the prohibition here had vanished, her body surged forward and she dived into the tree hole, disappearing from sight. Seeing this, the Man in Black Cloak quickly followed suit, leaping up and diving into the tree hole as well. Bai Ling saw a flash of light before her eyes, and soon she saw the collapsed Five Finger Mountain. ¡°Elder Shen¡­¡± She yelled loudly while running towards the mountain top. The figure of the Man in Black Cloak appeared soon after her, also looking in this direction. However, his vision was far clearer and farther-reaching than that of Bai Ling, and he quickly noticed a blurry figure sitting cross-legged on the ruins of the mountain, his body charred black and already turned into a piece of charcoal. The Thunder Pool that had been surrounding him had disappeared at some point, leaving only countless pits of various sizes on the ground, as if it had been pockmarked by a thousand strikes. By the time Bai Ling reached the mountain top, the Man in Black Cloak had caught up with her in a flash. ¡°Elder Shen¡­¡± As soon as Bai Ling saw Shen Luo, she was utterly shocked. ¡°It seems this kid was unlucky, attempting to cross tribulation without any protection, what a pity he failed,¡± the Man in Black Cloak concluded after a brief investigation, finding no signs of life from the ¡°charred corpse¡± and chuckled to himself. Bai Ling''s face was filled with bitterness, as her last hope for survival was also gone. Indeed, without saying another word, the Man in Black Cloak casually waved his sleeve, slapping it towards her. The wind from the sleeve swept past, kicking up a cloud of dust from the ground. Shen Luo, who was already resembling a piece of charcoal, had bits of ashes lifted from his body, the crimson sparks scattering along with the ashes. ¡°Crack¡± With a faint sound, a blackened piece of charred skin flaked off his body and fell to the ground. Chapter 909 Chapter 909: Chapter 906: A Bit Stronger Chapter 909: Chapter 906: A Bit Stronger The man in the black cloak raised his sleeve and paused in mid-air, turning to look at the ¡°charred corpse¡± on the ground, his eyebrows slightly raised in a hint of surprise. Beneath the peeled-off charred skin, a section of bone as white as jade was exposed, supplemented with a layer of dense blood-red blood vessels, yet it bore no trace of flesh and blood attached to it. Subsequently, a series of ¡°crackling¡± noises ensued as the charred skin of the ¡°corpse¡± peeled off one piece after another, revealing a complete skeleton, which appeared exceedingly eerie. ¡°He clearly showed no signs of life just now, this¡­¡± the man in the black robes muttered in a slight daze. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he spoke, the jawbone of the charred corpse suddenly moved, opening and closing subtly as if chewing on something. Along with a green light emerging from its throat, a rich concentration of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi began to emanate from its body. ¡°Fruit¡­¡± Bai Ling cringed, wrinkling her nose at a scent all too familiar. The one who had turned into the charred corpse, Shen Luo, was chewing a Spiritual Orange in his mouth. The intensity of the Taiyi Thunder Tribulation he faced earlier was more formidable than he had anticipated; even though he had progressively tried to draw the thunder and lightning into his body, aiming to gradually accustom himself to it, the moment the Dragon Elephant Prajna Array shattered, his flesh still failed to withstand it and nearly disintegrated. In that critical moment, he ran the Great Unsealing Technique to its limit, yet still couldn''t keep his flesh intact. Scarcely did he finish repairing it when it would be torn asunder once again within mere moments. Yet, he could not afford the slightest pause, for once he relented, should his Sea of knowledge be inundated by the Thunder Pool and his Dantian and organs destroyed, then all of his efforts thus far would have been in vain in the blink of an eye. If he were to rely on the resurrection power of the jade pillow once again, he feared the last of his already scarce lifespan would be exhausted. But after all, his mana was limited, and facing the relentless, unceasing refinement of the Thunder Pool, there would eventually come a time when his mana was depleted. After enduring 1361 cycles of bodily destruction and reconstruction, the Thunder Pool finally accumulated all its force and delivered the last blow to Shen Luo, who, in the moment he withstood the final baptism of thunderfire, saw his mana completely expended; he could no longer muster the energy to activate the Great Unsealing Technique for bodily repair. Just as his consciousness was on the verge of dissipation, Shen Luo managed to take out half a Spiritual Orange and stuffed it into his mouth, biting down purely out of instinctive reflex. ¡°Whoosh¡± Between heaven and earth, strands of Qingfeng suddenly encircled and began to whirl around Shen Luo, dancing on the wind. His body, which had been devoid of life, began to revive at that instant, and the circling Qingfeng quickly escalated into a howling gale, forming a Spiritual Energy Vortex that bridged heaven and earth. ¡°He''s actually come back to life!¡± the man in the black robes exclaimed in astonishment. However, a flash of murderous intent soon appeared in his eyes. With a reach into the void, the sleeve of his black cloak billowed, and a thick black sword light surged out, piercing instantly into the Spiritual Energy Vortex. With a thunderous ¡°Boom,¡± the Spiritual Energy Vortex exploded into pieces, revealing a vast void in the center. Bai Ling caught sight of a stark-naked man sitting cross-legged within the void, it was Shen Luo, his body shifted perfectly to one side, narrowly evading the incoming sword light. What intrigued her even more was that at this moment, Shen Luo''s skin had fully regenerated, and his body was nearly transparent, revealing the bones, meridians, and organs within. His organs were of the color of five-color colored glaze, his whole skeleton emitted a bright luster, just like jade, and his body''s blood vessels were all a golden color, appearing similar to dragon tendons. ¡°This shouldn''t be happening so quickly¡­¡± The Man in the Black Cloak''s eyes showed a hint of gravity as he noticed something amiss. He promptly raised his hand to grab at the void, and a three-foot longsword with a slightly narrow blade and without a hilt appeared in his palm, its teal body shimmering as if ripples were spreading on the tranquil lake water, clearly an extraordinary item. With a flash, he appeared in front of Shen Luo, thrusting the sword directly towards him; the green light on the blade surged, aiming straight for Shen Luo''s dantian. Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly opened wide, and there seemed to be starlight twinkling within his pupils; he didn''t flinch or dodge but raised two fingers, pinching towards what was in front of him. The teal sword edge stabbed precisely between his fingers and was firmly pinned there by his pinch. ¡°May I ask Your Excellency, for what reason do you attack me without warning upon our first meeting?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes turned frosty as he scrutinized the other party. As he spoke, his body flashed with light, and he was already wearing a brand-new set of clothes. ¡°Hmph, you''ve barely reached the Taiyi Realm, and even your breath is still unsteady. You''re truly unlucky to have encountered me at this time,¡± the Man in the Black Cloak said with a cold laugh. After speaking, his eyes suddenly hardened, and he erupted with a violent gorilllike energy that resonated with a sharp ¡°clang¡± sound. The longsword in his hand also burst forth with a layer of serrated sword radiance that collided fiercely with Shen Luo''s fingers, emitting a sharp, metallic screeching noise. Shen Luo''s fingers were parted by the sword radiance, yet there wasn''t a single scratch on his fingertips, only two white marks that lingered for a long time. Not only was the Man in the Black Cloak extremely surprised by this, but even Shen Luo himself was somewhat taken aback. The Huangting Technique he cultivated focused on tempering the body, and during his advance to the Taiyi Realm, he had forcefully raised the threshold before stepping into the Taiyi Realm. This made the Taiyi Thunder Tribulation he faced far more powerful than what ordinary cultivators endured. It was indeed perilous, and Shen Luo had nearly not succeeded, but as a consequence, once he overcame that difficult barrier, the Taiyi Realm he achieved naturally surpassed that of ordinary cultivators by a margin. But do not underestimate this small margin; once reaching the level of a Taiyi Realm cultivator, even the slightest difference can determine life and death, and stabilize heaven and earth. A smile appeared on Shen Luo''s face, and he abruptly clenched his right fist as the mana inside his dantian moved at will, flowing through his incredibly smooth meridians and reaching his palm in almost an instant. At the same time, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him seemed to be drawn in, self-gathering towards his palm. ¡°It seems like I can borrow power from heaven and earth¡­¡± Shen Luo felt the intense connection with heaven and earth that he had never experienced at the True Immortal Stage, his heart surging with excitement. Despite the flurry of thoughts in his mind, it didn''t affect his punch at all. With a punch thrown out, a resounding boom echoed through the void as if ripping it apart, and the Heaven and Earth Aura, which was invisible to the naked eye, was torn out, leaving behind a dazzling, twisted trail as it smashed fiercely toward the Man in the Black Cloak. This punch, learned from one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Soldiers, was now cast with his Taiyi Realm cultivation level, naturally exhibiting an entirely different grandeur than before. Chapter 910 Chapter 910: Chapter 907 Monster Chapter 910: Chapter 907 Monster The man in the black cloak had barely managed to dodge when the punch''s momentum suddenly intensified, continuing its assault towards his chest. In a hurry, the man in the black cloak crossed his longsword to block, and when the two forces collided, they erupted into a layer of colorful dazzling light. However, he felt as if a sun had exploded in front of his chest and realized that the energy bursting from the punch was incomparably scorching. A fierce and domineering power rushed towards him, instantly sending the man in the black cloak flying a thousand feet away. Shen Luo, having launched his punch, chose not to immediately pursue his opponent. He was aware that his breath was still unstable, and he was uncertain about his own strength, so he refrained from overreaching in his zeal. Off to the side, Bai Ling, who hadn''t dared to make a sound until now, suddenly leaped up from the ground with a carp flop and called out to Shen Luo with applause, ¡°Elder Shen, well done!¡± Shen Luo paid her no attention, instead quickly checking the changes in himself. Upon examining himself, he found that his body had undergone a drastic transformation; his bones were as luminous as jade, and his blood vessels and meridians were a golden color. He had remarkably reached the ¡°Colored Glaze Flawless Realm¡± of the Taiyi Level. However, his dantian and meridians were mostly vacant, clearly due to having his cultivation interrupted by the man in the black cloak, preventing him from absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in time to consolidate his physical body. ¡°Good, good, good, to possess such domineering power just after advancing to the Taiyi Realm¨Cwhat might you become once your breath stabilizes?¡± the man in the black cloak exclaimed, his face rife with murderous intent. Now that he perceived Shen Luo as a threat, he naturally wouldn''t allow him to stabilize his cultivation and secure his position in the Taiyi Realm. ¡°I do not kill the nameless under my sword; what is your name?¡± the man in the black cloak asked, tightly gripping the green longsword in his hand. ¡°A killing doesn''t need so much empty talk,¡± Shen Luo sneered, clearly not intending to answer. As they spoke, he reached into the void with his palm and immediately held the Liuchen Whip in his hand. ¡°The Liuchen Whip? Li Jing''s Liuchen Whip; why do you have it?¡± The man in the black cloak caught a glimpse of the weapon in Shen Luo''s hand and was immediately shocked. Without a word, Shen Luo lifted the long whip with one hand and shot forward. Seeing Shen Luo charging without a word, the man in the black cloak''s expression did not change. With a wave of his hand, a black light flashed in front of him, and a black banner about a zhang high appeared in the void. As soon as the black banner materialized, billowing Ghostly Qi spread from it, and the dense, pitch-black Ghost Fog covered the sky, quickly submerging the area within a hundred miles. In the region where the Ghost Banner stood, a series of black vortices rose from the ground, and vague figures emerged one after another. Shen Luo halted and glanced at one figure dressed in court attire, holding a Ruyi board, looking similar to a human but with a large chicken head on its neck. Where the eyes should have been, no pupils could be seen, only two huge bloody cavities from which billowing Black Qi spilled out. Next to the chicken-headed figure, another beast-headed human figure appeared, attired in court clothes and holding a Ruyi board just the same, with eyes equally filled with flowing Black Qi. Immediately following, more figures materialized beside the two, a full dozen of them, all with beast heads and human bodies, all similarly clad in court attire. Shen Luo stared at them for a while, his expression changing slightly as he exclaimed in shock, ¡°It''s actually them!¡± Shen Luo was not unfamiliar with these figures; they were, in fact, twelve of the twenty-eight lunar constellations from the once Heavenly Palace. The figure with the head of a chicken and body of a man was none other than the Mao Ri Chicken, the fourth star of the White Tiger in the west; the figure with the head of a fox and body of a man was the Xin Su Heart Moon Fox, the fifth star of the Azure Dragon in the east; and the figure with the head of a dragon-like creature and body of a man was the Jiao Su Horn Wood Jiao. Apart from these, also present were Dou Mu Xie, Yi Huo Snake, Zhen Water Earthworm, Bi Yue Crow, and the other nine star officials. Among them, Shen Luo was most familiar with the Mao Ri Chicken, Heart Moon Fox, Horn Wood Jiao, and Dou Mu Xie, for the simple reason that their names were inscribed on the Heavenly Scroll Fragment in his possession. ¡°Who exactly are you, and why can you control the bodies of these star officials?¡± Shen Luo looked coldly toward the man in the black cloak. ¡°You recognize these star officials? Indeed, you must be a remnant of the Heavenly Court, and since you hold the Six Chen Whip, you must have been secretly cultivated by Li Jing, I presume?¡± the man in the black cloak said with a smirk. ¡°You are not wrong; I am indeed under Heavenly King Li''s command, but I do not know what kind of monster you are?¡± Shen Luo openly admitted. ¡°Monster? Haha, calling me a monster is not too far off; after all, the Heavenly Court is already annihilated, so what difference does it make whether one is a deity or a demon?¡± The man in the black cloak paused for a moment before laughing sarcastically at himself. After speaking, he chanted a few spells under his breath, raised his hand with a flick, and the twelve star officials emanating Ghostly Qi all marched forward, charging toward Shen Luo with glows shining on the Ruyi boards they held. From the Ruyi board of Heart Moon Fox, a cloud of dark red mist surged toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, and he swung his sleeve forward with a swift motion, generating a powerful wave of Qi that instantly repelled all the mist, yet from within it, a figure charged out, arriving swiftly at Shen Luo''s side. The arm raised towards him was covered in black scales, resembling a Ghost Claw plunging straight for Shen Luo''s heart. Upon seeing that the person was Horn Wood Jiao, Shen Luo immediately stepped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly ghost claw, but suddenly felt a pang of pain in his back. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Dou Mu Xie, not knowing when, had already charged behind him and pressed a sharp horn against his spine. Before he could act, Horn Wood Jiao struck his chest with another claw. Shen Luo took a deep breath and suddenly let out a loud shout, his body rapidly emitting light as a furious aura exploded outwards in all directions, repelling Horn Wood Jiao and Dou Mu Xie at the same time. At the same time, a black light flashed on the Liuchen Whip in his hand as he swept it violently forward, striking Horn Wood Jiao hard in the waist. At first, only a muffled sound was heard, but quickly, the black light gathering on the Liuchen Whip burst forth dramatically. The Whip Shadow, which initially lacked cutting force, suddenly became as sharp as a sword, instantly tearing Horn Wood Jiao''s body in two. ¡°Such a physique, such strength, how can it be¡­¡± the man in black robes raised his eyebrows suddenly, feeling profoundly shocked. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he quickly composed himself, gave a wave, and a whirlpool of dark fog emerged on the Black Ghost Banner in front of him. A beam of black light flew out, wrapping around the severed corpse and pulling it back in. Horn Wood Jiao''s corpse body entered the vortex and disappeared, leaving only a vague shadow lingering on the Black Ghost Banner. In just a few breaths'' time, the vague shadow on the Ghost Banner vanished. However, a vortex emerged from the ground amidst the ghost fog not far ahead, and a figure reappeared¨Cit was unmistakably Horn Wood Jiao. Chapter 911 Chapter 911: 908 Chapter 911: 908 ¡°It''s clear that you''ve laid a solid foundation in the True Immortal Realm, and now your strength in the Taiyi Realm seems even more substantial. If we were to clash head-on, even I may not have much of an advantage. So, I''ll have to let these brothers keep you company¨Cthey are all immortal beings. I hope they make it enjoyable for you,¡± the man in the black cloak said with a cold laugh. Shen Luo naturally understood that this guy intended to exploit the fact that his qi was not stable and his mana was not yet fully replenished, aiming to exhaust his mana with these Twelve Star Officials before personally stepping in to secure the victory. ¡°Your Excellency, you seem to be ganging up on me, which is a bit unfair,¡± Shen Luo said with knitted brows, rubbing his chin. ¡°Unfair? I think it''s perfectly fair, just enjoy the game,¡± the man in the black cloak retorted, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly and stepping back. He wore a mocking expression as he watched Shen Luo. Seeing this, a smile gradually spread across Shen Luo''s face. He then waved his hand, and a burst of golden light shone forth in front of him. A golden book suddenly appeared in the void, with one name after another lighting up. Accompanied by streaks of virtual light, silhouetted figures emerged one after another, floating in the air. A moment later, more than forty figures stood before him, and the four leaders had the heads of either a fox, a chicken, a jiao, or a xie¨Cclearly, they were the Heart Moon Fox, Mao Ri Chicken, Horn Wood Jiao, and Dou Mu Xie. Behind them stood thirty-six Heavenly Soldiers, each radiating spiritual light and brimming with fighting spirit. ¡°How is this possible, you¡­ you actually possess the Heavenly Book!¡± the man in the black cloak exclaimed in shock. ¡°Now it''s fair, go,¡± Shen Luo didn''t reply, but merely grinned and casually waved his hand. At his command, the forty-plus Heavenly soldiers and generals immediately charged, surrounding the twelve ghostly Star Officials. The man in the black cloak, seeing this, instantly darted towards the Black Ghost Banner in front of him. But at that moment, his vision blurred suddenly as Shen Luo''s figure flashed in front of him. A big hand like an iron claw shot out towards his neck. In the critical moment, the man in the black cloak held up a finger in front of him, the light around his body twisted, and he disappeared from his original position. Shen Luo grabbed at empty space, then glanced to the side, a ring of golden light appearing around his pupils, chuckling softly: ¡°You''re right here¡­¡± With that said, a dazzling starlight flashed on his legs, and his figure suddenly became blurry. He vanished from where he was and nearly at the same time appeared dozens of yards away in another place. As Shen Luo''s Body Shifting and Shadow Changing form emerged, he reached out his hand as before, but this time he caught something. In front of his hand, ripples of virtual light flashed in mid-air, and the man in the black cloak emerged from it, his throat now firmly gripped by Shen Luo. ¡°How is this possible?¡± the man in the black cloak looked incredulous. But when he saw the golden light flickering in Shen Luo''s pupils, his expression momentarily went blank, then he showed a hint of realization. He naturally recognized the Golden Fire Eyes capable of piercing through illusions to discern truth from falsehood. Still, being a Taiyi Cultivator himself, the man in the black cloak was not about to surrender. He let out a light shout, his body shook violently, and almost immediately a layer of Qingxuan Qi burst forth from around him, striking at Shen Luo. The Qingxuan Qi, nearly materializing, struck Shen Luo and made a sound like metal being struck. It shook Shen Luo so that his garments fluttered, and he was forced to take a step back. However, his clenched palm did not loosen in the slightest, forcibly dragging the man in black cloak to catch up with him in a step. Shen Luo''s Six Chen Whip swung up, smashing down on the man in black cloak with a whooshing roar that erupted instantly. The dragon shadows on the Six Chen Whip were circling, as golden and black lights burst forth simultaneously, and a massive force smashed down onto the man''s shoulder. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, a bestial roar emerged from beneath his black robes, and a huge bronze lion head suddenly burst out from his shoulder, violently colliding with the Six Chen Whip. A metallic clang resonated as the Six Chen Whip forcefully struck the bronze lion''s forehead, causing the lion head to shatter on impact, and even the black cloak he wore disintegrated, revealing a dark golden Lock Armor underneath. The bronze lion head was indeed a beast-shaped shoulder guard on the Lock Armor, now in tatters, and the man''s arm hung limply by his side, as if the bones had been broken. It was only then that the man in black robes reached the peak of his fury. Ignoring the fact that Shen Luo still had him by the throat, he opened his mouth, revealing a row of sharp, interlocking fangs, and bit down on Shen Luo''s arm. ¡°Clang¡± Another sound of metal scraping echoed as the man''s fangs pierced Shen Luo''s arm, from which pale golden blood seeped out. Seeing his own blood drawn, the man''s eyes suddenly lit up with an unusual glow, and he started to suck greedily without letting go. Shen Luo, seeing his blood being consumed, immediately released his grasp, and a burst of golden light erupted from his palm, repelling the attacker. However, the man in black robes licked the blood at the corner of his mouth with his tongue as if he had tasted some delicacy of the Human World, his eyes filled with avarice as he looked at Shen Luo. A layer of Qingxuan light then shone from his shoulder to his arm, rapidly repairing the recently broken part. ¡°I never imagined your blood could be so pure and delicious, filled with such vibrant life force. If I sucked you dry, wouldn''t I be able to advance to the middle stage?¡± At this moment, the man''s expression became maniacal. He no longer had any intention of avoiding Shen Luo and, instead, stepped closer and closer towards him. Shen Luo frowned slightly, noting that traces of black flame began to rise from the man''s body, and his aura soared exponentially as well. In no time at all, the rising black flames in the Void behind him gradually coalesced into a thousand-zhang tall phantom of a monstrous beast, a Giant Wolf covered in blue-black fur. What was different, however, was that this Giant Wolf had a vertical eye on its forehead and feathered wings on its ribs, looking rather extraordinary. Shen Luo was somewhat astonished and found the appearance of the Giant Wolf oddly familiar, yet he couldn''t recall where he had seen it. Just then, the man suddenly leaned forward, bending his fingers into claws, and took on a predatory stance akin to Wild Beasts. With a forceful kick of his legs, he shot forth like an arrow. ¡°So fast.¡± No sooner had the thought crossed Shen Luo''s mind than the man pounced in front of him, raising a claw to swipe down at him. As he moved, the black flame-conjured Giant Wolf behind him also swung its massive paw down at Shen Luo''s head, causing a ripping sound in the Void. Spatial cracks visible to the naked eye appeared in midair. Chapter 912 Chapter 912: Chapter 909: Lightning Speed Chapter 912: Chapter 909: Lightning Speed Shen Luo''s mind advocated, and a flash of starlight above his legs, he once again launched the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing technique. However, to his surprise, this time his figure had only moved a mere several feet before being forced to stop. The surrounding void was distorted by the enormous claw marks, and an indescribable pressure bore down from all directions. With no other choice, Shen Luo had to use his arms to horizontally brace the Six Chen Whip in defense. A sharp and resounding ¡°clang¡± echoed through the air. A massive black claw streaked past the Six Chen Whip, immediately followed by a burst of crimson sparks. The vast force transmitted through the Six Chen Whip caused Shen Luo''s arms to bend suddenly, feeling as if mountains were crashing down upon him. From where his feet stood, a thunderous boom sounded. The already fractured ground of the Five Finger Mountain split open further, and a chasm a thousand feet deep cleaved the mountain in two, sending Shen Luo plummeting towards the base of the mountain. The man in the black cloak stood at the summit, sneering as he waved his palms, continuously striking towards the fissure in the mountain, and the shadow of the giant wolf behind him, with its razor-sharp claws, pummeled downward like a tempest. ¡°Rumble rumble rumble¡± Thunderous roars continued to sound, shaking the entire Five Finger Mountain. Stones tumbled down its sides, and dust rose to the sky. Bai Ling scrambled among the dust and falling stones, fleeing down the mountain while constantly muttering to herself, ¡°It''s over, it''s over¡­¡±. The battling Twelve Star Officials and the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals were also scattered and dissolved into Heaven and Earth. After a long while, as if having vented his frustration, the man in the black cloak finally stopped his assault, but seemed somewhat annoyed as he said, ¡°I just hope it''s not broken, otherwise it would be a waste of all that essence blood.¡± Before his words had finished, from beneath the completely shattered Five Finger Mountain came a thunderous yell. A dazzling golden light shone, and six golden giant dragons roared as they soared into the sky, while six Golden Tooth Giant Elephants tore through the curtain of dust, charging forth from within. The entire Five Finger Mountain erupted like a geyser, blasting countless fragments of stone into the high altitude. Two huge golden palms suddenly shot out from underground, bracing against the ground, and soon after, a colossal golden head gently rose from beneath the Earth, its facial features somewhat blurred, yet the aura it exuded was terrifyingly immense. The golden giant leaped up, shooting up like a mountain, and a man was standing right in front of him in mid-air¨Cnone other than Shen Luo. At that moment, golden light was radiating from his entire being, his body almost translucent. Golden dragons coiled around his sleeves, and traces of thunder and lightning flickered as his clothes billowed, giving him the appearance of a deity descending to the world. After clashing with the man in black robes for a moment, he had roughly gauged the man''s abilities and found him unworthy of fear. The man in black robes had thought Shen Luo was new to the Taiyi Realm, with unstable cultivation and presumably insufficient mana, but he had no idea of Shen Luo''s extraordinary talent and the extent of his meridians, far beyond that of an ordinary man. Moreover, now that he had stepped into the Taiyi Realm, the feeling of integration with Heaven and Man grew ever more intense, and his ability to absorb the aura of Heaven and Earth was like that of a whale feeding, nearly insatiable. Only, the grandeur that should have manifested was deliberately suppressed by him. Since the man in the black cloak didn''t have Golden Fire Eyes, how could he possibly see it? Shen Luo appeared to casually raise his hand, his sleeve billowing as a swarm of thunder and lightning flickered within, ¡°crackle and pop¡± resounding as the golden dragons coiled around his sleeves stretched out, lunging at the man in the black cloak. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The golden Dharma body that appeared behind him also raised its arms and thrust out a palm towards the front. In a flash, the void trembled, and the colors of heaven and earth changed! The palm of the golden Dharma body shone with blinding light, with the Five Thunder condensed within, forming a brilliant thunderous radiance that enveloped the man in the black cloak from above. ¡°Just in time!¡± The man in the black cloak let out a loud shout, his eyes flashing with a ferocious gleam. Far from retreating, he instead stepped forward and struck out with both palms, which were filled with streaks of azure-black light that surged toward Shen Luo. The black Giant Wolf behind him seemed to leap over his head instinctively, charging at Shen Luo with its four limbs flying, its third vertical eye suddenly opening at this moment, showing no eyeball or pupil, just a vast expanse of deathly Qi. A thunderous boom resounded. Swarms of azure-black light were dispersed by the charge of the Golden Dragon, flooding outwards like a tidal wave, while the Golden Dragon itself seemed to be caught in shallow water, bound by an invisible force that greatly reduced its speed, its golden radiance rapidly diminishing, gradually becoming dim. Soon after, a strange light flashed from the vertical eye of the azure-black Giant Wolf, as if the floodgates had suddenly opened, torrents of dense dark-green deathly Qi surged out, heading straight for Shen Luo. The area where the deathly Qi flowed immediately became drab and gray. As the Golden Dragon was tainted by it, its golden scales also began to peel off, and ultimately it decayed completely, dissolving into the unseen. Seeing this, Shen Luo simply frowned slightly, but his hand movements did not stop at all. The golden body Dharmform behind him smacked down with its palm, and the clustered Five Thunder golden light within it suddenly brightened and exploded violently. In the void, a dazzling white light rose like the proud sun, then transformed into thousands of snow-white serpentine bolts of electricity, shooting out in all directions and merging into the rolling deathly Qi. Endless intersecting thunderbolts crackled continuously, countless fine threads of electricity spat out and collided, relentlessly releasing tremendous power. The dark-green deathly Qi was slashed by the electric light, disintegrating rapidly like snowflakes under the fierce sun. Just as all the deathly Qi was about to be melted away, the vertical eye of the Giant Wolf lit up once again. However, just as the suppressed force within it was about to explode, a sound of tearing through the air suddenly rang out. A golden staff flew through the void like an arrow, piercing straight through layers of resistance and into the eye of the Giant Wolf. ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± A mournful scream burst forth from the mouth of the man in the black cloak then abruptly stopped. The Giant Wolf''s shadow behind him too opened its blood basin of a mouth, made an angry roar as if in rage, struggling intensely. At that moment, the golden Dharma body in the void disappeared without a trace, and a minuscule figure flashed through the void, arriving above the head of the man in the black cloak. He held the SeAnchoring Iron Rod embedded in the vertical eye of the Giant Wolf with both hands, hoisted the staff onto his shoulder with his back turned, and leveraged it with all his might, like carrying a mountain. The staff, acting as a lever, was suddenly pried upward, lifting the thousand-foot-tall Giant Wolf into the air. Right after, his legs flickered with the light of stars, and his figure plummeted like a mountain, landing on the ground with a thundering crash. In an instant, he charged towards the man in the black cloak straight ahead. All of this happened too quickly, and by the time the man in the black cloak realized what was happening, it was clearly too late. Chapter 913 Chapter 913: Chapter 910 Traitor Chapter 913: Chapter 910 Traitor ¡°Splashy Chaotic Stick.¡± Shen Luo shouted explosively, the Golden Dragons wrapped around his sleeves roaring forth, coiling up the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hands. His hands danced, casting out a series of densely packed golden dragon shadows, emitting waves of dragon and tiger roars. With the reverberating sounds masking Heaven and Earth, countless stick and dragon shadows merged into one, all striking the man in black robes. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± A series of thunderous roars kept sounding, the man in black robes'' body flickered with a bluish-black light, and cracking noises came from the scale armor he wore. By the time the roaring noises had fully subdued, his magical treasure armor had completely shattered into fragments on the ground, and his body was bathed in blood, battered beyond human recognition. However, his body remained standing tall, though the obsessive look in his eyes for Shen Luo''s essence blood had completely faded, replaced by shock. It was only now that he realized, the guy who had just advanced to the Taiyi Realm didn''t seem to follow common sense. ¡°After all, he''s a Taiyi Realm cultivator, such attacks can''t seriously injure him. It''s also about time to try this¡­¡± Shen Luo thought to himself and immediately put away the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. He took a step back and quickly formed seals with his hands. A dazzling golden light burst forth from his palms. Pointing towards the high skies, he shouted, ¡°Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique!¡± No sooner had his words fallen than a tremendous shock came from the sky. The bright firmament didn''t show any sign of storm clouds gathering, yet it suddenly dimmed. Stars began to twinkle brightly above, countless distant stars emerging densely scattered across the sky. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with golden light, and using Golden Fire Eyes, he peered into the void. He could see every star in that vast starfield had light marks like fine threads descending to the Human World, fluttering and dissipating in the wind. Behind the layers of Star Rivers were colossal stars, flickering with intense light, forming a special connection with him that was difficult to express in words. He could feel the stars responding to him as if they were waiting for him to draw their power to the Human World. At the thought of Shen Luo, those stars shone with brilliant starlight, and three enormous stars he guided seemed to descend in corporeal form toward the Human World. They only drew near a little before stopping, each emitting a fierce ray of starlight, bursting towards the Earth like pillars of light from a long river. At the same time, it seemed as if the starry night sky was set ablaze, a massive star''s projection slowly forming, numerous lines of light converging upon it, rendering it increasingly real, its emitted breath also growing more terrifying. The man in black robes looked up at the phenomena in the sky, his courage faltering. Without the slightest hesitation, he activated his lifeblood God''s Power, bringing the Giant Wolf phantom back into his body to merge with it. His appearance began to change, his head gradually turning into a wolf''s, while a pair of black feathered wings grew from his back. As he spread his wings, a surge of blood energy gushed out, forming a large blood energy sphere around him, enveloping his whole body. ¡°Where do you think you''re going?¡± Shen Luo shouted. The not-yet fully formed golden star immediately tore through the void and crashed down. ¡°Boom!¡± a loud crash. The already shattered Five Finger Mountain was finally leveled by this strike, leaving behind only a massive star pattern on the Earth. Shen Luo deactivated the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique, his legs suddenly gave out, nearly making him collapse to the ground. Frowning, he looked towards the area but couldn''t sense even a trace of the man in black robes; the latter had clearly escaped. After sitting cross-legged, and recalling the half-wolf, half-human figure of that guy, Shen Luo suddenly realized and remembered an old story from the Heavenly Palace. It was said that back then, when the Demon Clan attacked the South Heaven Gate, the four Heavenly Kings defending it all suffered defeat, and thirteen of the 28 Lunar Mansions'' Star Officials went to support, only to be ambushed en route, resulting in total annihilation. It is said that their defeat was so thorough because there was a traitor among their ranks, the Kui Wood Wolf. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo stopped thinking too much and quickly sat cross-legged on the ground, beginning to regulate his breath. In this battle, he wasn''t injured, but his inner energy was severely disturbed. If he didn''t straighten it out immediately, many hidden problems would arise on his future cultivation path. Several days passed in a flash, and Shen Luo was shimmering with light as he slowly woke from his meditative state. Upon opening his eyes, he saw Bai Ling standing far away, looking at him with apprehension. Shen Luo smiled, beckoned to her, and called her over. ¡°Shen, Elder Shen¡­¡± Bai Ling said with a smile that seemed a bit forced. ¡°I''m not going to attack you, what are you so scared for?¡± Shen Luo said, a bit exasperated. ¡°Elder, you don''t know, the other day your body was emitting light, and I was thrown away when I got within thirty feet of you; I passed out for two days before I woke up,¡± Bai Ling said pitifully. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Shen Luo was somewhat speechless; he had no knowledge of this. ¡°After the destruction of the Five Elements Mountain, the prohibitions of heaven and earth here should have disappeared. Why haven''t you left yet?¡± Shen Luo asked. Bai Ling hesitated for a moment, then ran to a giant stone in the distance and came back dragging a black ghost banner. Upon seeing this object, Shen Luo''s eyes immediately brightened. The ghost banner contained the corpses of the twelve star officials, which might actually be of some use to him, so he took it. ¡°Thank you. What are your plans now?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Elder Shen, is everyone outside as powerful as you?¡± Bai Ling asked hesitantly. After pondering for a bit, Shen Luo said, ¡°Although not everyone possesses such strength, the world outside is indeed not very kind.¡± ¡°In that case¡­ I better not go out,¡± Bai Ling said with a smile, shaking her head. ¡°This place has just been through a fierce battle and will likely attract the attention of others. You should leave here first, and after a period of time, when things have calmed down, you can come back,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright, I''ll follow your advice,¡± Bai Ling nodded. Shen Luo looked at her and then at the surroundings and said, ¡°I have some skills here suitable for your cultivation. Take them and practice, but remember not to be greedy and rash. You must progress steadily, as that is the true path.¡± As he spoke, Shen Luo took out three books from his storage magical tool and handed them to her. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Bai Ling immediately bowed and reached out to receive them. However, with a soft ¡°snap,¡± the three books fell to the ground in unison. As Bai Ling looked up, she realized that the space in front of her was empty; Shen Luo''s figure had already disappeared. ¡°Elder¡­¡± She tentatively called out, but there was no response. ¡°What a strange person, not even saying goodbye before leaving,¡± Bai Ling muttered, picking up the cultivation books from the ground. Chapter 914 Chapter 914: Chapter 911: Essence of Myriad Waters Chapter 914: Chapter 911: Essence of Myriad Waters Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes to find the ceiling of the Mount Putuo guest room above him. His internal organs ached faintly, a clear sign that he had returned to reality. He lay in bed for quite some time before he slowly sat up. The experience of entering Dreamland had left him feeling even more somber. When the disaster of demons arrived, no force could escape, not even those with powerful backers ¨C one could only rely on oneself. Shen Luo quickly shook his head, no longer dwelling on the dream as he sat cross-legged on the bed. The external injuries on his body had been healed by Nie Caizhu using the Yangliu Branch, but the damage the Nine Heavens Ling-move Secret Technique had inflicted on his internal organs was severe. It required quiet recuperation and was not going to be completely healed so easily. He did not take out the Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pills to consume. Those were life-saving elixirs and were already running low, so they had to be saved for critical moments. After sitting quietly for moments with his eyes closed, Shen Luo spurred his thoughts and began to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique. A layer of blue light appeared on his body, but unlike before, the blue light was threadlike. It burst forth from within his Dantian, spreading into the acupoints in his limbs and head, then through the meridians and internal organs, before finally returning back to the Dantian. His appearance now was like he was enveloped in a blue cocoon, with streams of blue light moving like water on its surface. This time in Dreamland, his cultivation level had broken through to the Taiyi Realm, and he had also completely mastered the Seventy-two Changes, reaching a new level of understanding in the Dao of cultivation. With the aid of the experiences from Dreamland, his comprehension of the Nameless Cultivation Technique had reached an unprecedented degree. The healing methods he was using now were a fusion of the Seventy-two Changes, the Huangting Technique, and the Body Refining Secret Text, a set of skills he had created. As he ruminated, the blue light on Shen Luo moved rapidly. With each circulation, his internal injuries healed a bit more. In just one day and one night, the pallor on his face had disappeared, his complexion fully restored to a rosy hue, and his internal injuries had already mostly healed. Just then, a sharp cry sounded, and the blue light around Shen Luo fluctuated before dissipating quickly as he opened his eyes. A ball of white light was dancing in the room ¨C it was a Communication Talisman. ¡°Cai Zhu or Bai Xiaotian?¡± He reached out to draw the Communication Talisman over and, after sweeping his Divine Sense within it, his eyebrows raised slightly before he got up and went out. In the living room, two figures stood there ¨C one was unfamiliar, dressed as a Mount Putuo Disciple, and the other was tall and burly, unmistakably the Black Bear Demon. Neither Bai Xiaotian nor Nie Caizhu was present, suggesting they had likely returned to their respective residences. ¡°Protector, why have you come in person? Please have a seat,¡± Shen Luo said warmly. ¡°Friend Shen is too courteous. It''s good to see that you''ve recovered well. If the Nine Heavens Ling-move Secret Technique had left any lasting issues, this old bear would have felt guilty,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, scrutinizing Shen Luo and concealing his surprise with a smile. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Protector,¡± said Shen Luo, also smiling in response. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the three sat down. ¡°For this great calamity at Mount Putuo, the entire sect is grateful for your help. Today, I have come on the Sect Leader''s orders to bring some gifts as thanks, and I hope that Friend Shen will not refuse them,¡± said the Black Bear Demon. Shen Luo was taken aback, only then remembering that Fairy Qinglian did seem to mention something about this after they had repelled the Demon Clan. However, he had almost forgotten due to entering Dreamland. ¡°The Qinglian Sect Leader is too kind. Moreover, I am just a junior; how could I trouble the Protector to come personally?¡± said Shen Luo modestly. ¡°It is only proper,¡± laughed the Black Bear Demon, giving a meaningful glance to the Mount Putuo Disciple by his side. Understanding the signal, the disciple took out two items ¨C one was a blood-red jade box and the other a green jade bottle, which he placed on the table beside Shen Luo. ¡°` ¡°Inside this blood-colored jade box is our sect''s sacred healing medicine, Red Snow Powder, which excels at treating all kinds of internal injuries. No matter how severe the injuries are, it can help the recovery process. However, considering your current condition, you might not need this medicine. Keep it with you as a precaution for unexpected needs. As for the green jade bottle, it contains a drop of Sweet Dew Water,¡± explained the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Sweet Dew Water! Could it be the True Water that you mentioned earlier, birthed from the Jade Purification Bottle, capable of reviving the dead and regenerating white bones?¡± Although Shen Luo felt indifferent towards the Red Snow Powder, he showed a surprised look upon hearing the great name of ¡°Sweet Dew Water.¡± ¡°Sweet Dew Water must be used in conjunction with the Yangliu Branch to revive the dead, and the Sweet Dew contained in this bottle is rather special. It has no healing properties, but Fairy Qinglian used a secret technique of our sect to refine it and extract only the pure essence of Water Spirit Qi. Since you practice the water-related Skills, this drop of Sweet Dew can be of great use to you,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a smile. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t wait to take the green jade bottle, and his arm immediately sank with its weight. Surprisingly heavy, the green jade bottle weighed several hundred pounds. He hastily channeled his Mana to stabilize his arm and opened the bottle to look inside. Inside the bottle, a blue drop of water lay still, emitting a radiant glow, appearing very thick and viscous while a pale blue mist surrounded it. A dense and nearly tangible wave of Water Spirit Qi stealthily escaped from the mouth of the bottle, making the air within the entire room feel viscous. The Three Origin True Water and Dual-element True Water he had obtained before could not be compared to this. Shen Luo had never seen the legendary One-yuan True Water, which was said to be the source of all waters, but this drop of Sweet Dew would probably not be inferior to it. The Mana within his body was stirred by the Sweet Dew, eagerly wanting to rush out and devour the Water Spirit Qi within. ¡°Indeed, the essence of tens of thousands of waters! This item will be of great benefit to me. Many thanks, Protector,¡± Shen Luo said joyously, then gave a bow. ¡°It''s a small matter,¡± chuckled the Black Bear Demon. Holding the jade bottle, Shen Luo fondled it lovingly, unable to let go. The Black Bear Demon watched Shen Luo, his words stopping at the tip of his tongue. ¡°Does Elder have something else to discuss?¡± Shen Luo noticed the Black Bear Demon''s demeanor and asked curiously. Frowning slightly, the Black Bear Demon turned to the disciple and said, ¡°I have some matters to discuss with Friend Shen; you should return and report back to the Sect Leader.¡± The disciple quickly agreed, gave a bow to the Black Bear Demon and Shen Luo, and withdrew from the room. ¡°Friend Shen, you wouldn''t be thinking of keeping the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead for yourself, would you?¡± The Black Bear Demon returned his gaze to Shen Luo and spoke in a slightly cold tone. ¡°Damn, I''ve been preoccupied with healing these two days and utterly forgot about it. The Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead is here. Please take it back, Elder,¡± Shen Luo suddenly remembered, and handed over the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead. The Black Bear Demon eagerly took it, glanced at it briefly, and immediately swallowed it as if afraid of it being seen by others. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s heart tightened slightly. Was the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead so crucial? It made the Black Bear Demon so anxious. If so, he would need to be careful with his Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman as well. Once the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead entered his belly, the Black Bear Demon''s Demon Qi immediately converged upon it. At the same time, a burst of five-colored light emerged from the bead, violently colliding with the Demon Qi and then slowly merging together. After this collision, the Demon Qi engulfing the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead became much purer, seemingly with the ability to refine the Demon Qi. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with streaks of Blue Light as he watched the changes in the Black Bear Demon''s body, secretly amazed. His cultivation level had fallen back to the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, but the realm of his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil had not diminished; it was only that his current Mana was too weak to fully activate its power. Chapter 915 Chapter 915: Chapter 912: Recruiting Talent Chapter 915: Chapter 912: Recruiting Talent The Black Bear Demon sensed the change within itself, his expression slightly pleased, clearly very satisfied with the magic of the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead, deeming the long yearning for it worthwhile. He exhaled a breath of turbid air, opened his eyes, and just happened to lock gazes with Shen Luo. ¡°Who would have thought that the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead could actually purify demon power? With the protector already at the Mid-Term Peak of True Immortals, now having acquired this bead, it seems advancing to the Late True Immortal stage is just around the corner,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, offering his congratulations. Upon hearing this, a flicker passed across the eyes of the Black Bear Demon. Shen Luo''s words were purely complimentary, in addition to admiring the effects of the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead, but to the Black Bear Demon''s ears, they took on additional layers of meaning. ¡°Hehe, I have to thank Friend Shen for this. Otherwise, this old bear would never have gotten this treasure. How are you coming along with your study of the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman? Speaking of which, I have also been very interested in array techniques. In these years guarding the Purple Bamboo Forest, I have carefully studied the Liangyi Micro-dust Array there, and, referencing the classics for setting up the array, I have created a simplified version of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. Although it is a simplified formation, with the Liangyi Talisman in Friend Shen''s hands, it can still unleash about thirty percent of the full array''s power. This set of prohibitions isn''t much use to me, so I shall gift it to Friend Shen today as a small token of my gratitude,¡± the Black Bear Demon laughed heartily, taking out a stack of shining formation flags and discs and placing them on the table. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. However, with his sharp mind, he quickly understood that the Black Bear Demon had misunderstood his words, but he did not point it out. ¡°In that case, I will not be polite,¡± he said, seeing no reason to refuse a free gift. ¡°Friend Shen, since you are injured, you might as well rest here on Mount Putuo for a while. There''s no need to hurry off,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a relaxed expression and a smile, seeing Shen Luo pack away the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. Shen Luo thanked him upon hearing this. Mount Putuo was one of the rare blessed lands in the world, where Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was exceptionally dense, far superior to that of Chang''an City. Both healing and cultivation would benefit greatly from this, so naturally, staying here longer would be advantageous. The Black Bear Demon went back to refining the Five-Color Rhinoceros Dragon Bead and didn''t stay long before taking his leave swiftly. Shen Luo rose to see him off, then returned to the inner chamber to look over the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array given to him by the Black Bear Demon. Having only a rudimentary knowledge of prohibitions, Shen Luo could still recognize the extraordinariness of this set of array equipment, made of top-quality materials, even though setting it up was a bit troublesome. After observing it for a while, Shen Luo stored it away and continued to meditate and heal. In the blink of an eye, another two days passed, and all of his internal injuries had healed. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t delay. With a flip of his hand, he took out the green jade bottle, activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and absorbed the intensely rich Water Spirit Qi within the Sweet Dew Water. With a ¡°rumble,¡± a stream-like blue light shot out from the bottle and merged into his body. This Water Spirit Qi was too plentiful, too concentrated; even his Nameless Cultivation Technique couldn''t absorb it. Instead, his mana and vigor tumbled wildly, almost to the point of making him vomit blood. He quickly ceased the absorption and then ran his skills to regulate his mana and qi, taking a good while to recover. ¡°It seems that having too concentrated Water Spirit Qi isn''t necessarily a good thing. I need to find a way to split this drop of Sweet Dew Water,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. A blue light surged in his palm, drawing the Sweet Dew Water out of the bottle and suspending it in midair. He then raised his hand, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo appeared. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo made a sword gesture with his hand, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo''s crimson light intensified, and then, with a flicker, it vanished from sight, replaced by more than a dozen crimson threads. They appeared extremely delicate but were incredibly sharp. Shen Luo stood frozen in place, then his face lit up with extreme joy. These crimson filaments are not ordinary items; they are a manifestation of a very high realm in sword control, the transformation of the sword into silk, with a power far surpassing that of ordinary Sword Qi and Sword Radiance. His talent in the way of the sword could only be considered average, and even with another hundred years of arduous practice, he would not be able to transform his sword into silk. However, this time his cultivation level had increased so much within Dreamland, and his experience in casting spells had grown immensely rich, that he unexpectedly managed to reach this realm in one fell swoop. Shen Luo took a deep breath, steadying his heart and mind, and brought together two fingers of one hand, pointing at the drop of Sweet Dew Water as he formed a seal. A dozen or so of the red sword silks immediately shot out, briefly wrapping around the Sweet Dew Water in a flash before gently tightening. The Sweet Dew Water split open like tofu, turning into ten pesized droplets of blue water. Shen Luo quickly took out ten jade bottles, filled them with the water droplets, and sealed them with talismans to prevent the Spiritual Power within from dissipating. He then dispelled the sword technique, storing away the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the other jade bottles, keeping only one bottle. He started up the Nameless Cultivation Technique again, attempting to absorb it. A surge of Water Spirit Qi emanated from within the bottle, merging into Shen Luo''s body. This time, there were no incidents like before. Although the Water Spirit Qi was still exceptionally dense, it was much less overwhelming than previously, and his body could now bear it. Shen Luo hurriedly absorbed it, and his inner mana rapidly shot up at a pace that was much more effective than any Three Origin True Water or Dual-element True Water he had previously used. ¡°As expected of the Sweet Dew Water from the Jade Purification Bottle, truly not an ordinary spiritual substance. After absorbing this drop of Sweet Dew Water, my strength will definitely make another great leap forward, reaching the Middle Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. Then I can look for a way to make a breakthrough!¡± Shen Luo said to himself, continuing to focus on his cultivation. Lost in cultivation, a month passed by in the blink of an eye. This one-tenth of the Sweet Dew Water was fully absorbed by Shen Luo, increasing his spiritual power so much that it almost equaled the result of three years of intense practice. Shen Luo was astonished by the incredible effects of the Sweet Dew Water, but he did not stop and continued his cultivation. In the blink of an eye, over a year passed. The Big Gate of Shen Luo''s residence remained tightly closed, with the light of prohibition flickering inside, clearly indicating his dedication to ascetic cultivation. The Mount Putuo disciples did not dare to disturb him and only dispatched a disciple to guard the place, quietly waiting for Shen Luo to emerge. One day, a sudden, strange cry arose from Shen Luo''s room, reminiscent of a dragon''s chant and a tiger''s roar, and myriads of blue light shot out from his room, illuminating the nearby area for dozens of yards. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around his residence fluctuated wildly, swarming into the room as if attracted by something unknown inside. The Mount Putuo disciple standing guard outside was shocked but did not dare to rashly enter to inquire; after a moment''s hesitation, the disciple quickly turned and left to report to the higher-ups. Within a certain palace of the Mount Putuo Sect, Fairy Qinglian and the Bearded Old Man, along with the Bronze-skinned Strongman, stood together, looking at an old mirror. Master Huang Tong was not there. The mirror revealed Shen Luo''s residence, the dazzling blue light, and the loud cries, transmitting them as if the scene were right before them. ¡°Judging by these extraordinary signs, it seems that Shen Luo has made a breakthrough in cultivation. This fellow''s talent is truly exceptional. I heard that he''s the betrothed of Cai Zhu from the mortal world; indeed, he seems to be a worthy match,¡± the Bearded Old Man remarked with a stroke of his beard. ¡°It is said that this person is a Freelance Cultivator who has undertaken tasks for the Great Tang Dynasty Government multiple times, but he never truly joined their ranks. Such talent is rare. Since he is Cai Zhu''s betrothed, perhaps we could invite him to stay and join our Sect?¡± said the Bronze-skinned Strongman at his side. Chapter 916 Chapter 916: Chapter 913: Attached Spirit Jade and Nine Brahmanic Lotus Chapter 916: Chapter 913: Attached Spirit Jade and Nine Brahmanic Lotus ¡°` ¡°No, Cai Zhu''s cultivation of the Free Heart Method is at a critical juncture, and it should not be disturbed by external things. Shen Luo staying on the mountain is harmful rather than beneficial to Cai Zhu. Helping him advance his cultivation a step further is sufficient to repay him for his help to Mount Putuo.¡± Fairy Qinglian said indifferently. Whether it was the influence of the great battle a year ago or not, Fairy Qinglian seemed even more aloof and indifferent than before. Seeing this, the Bearded Old Man and the Bronze-skinned Strongman sighed silently but said nothing. In Shen Luo''s residence, the vast blue light that filled the entire room quickly retracted and entered into his body. He slowly opened his eyes, his face showing a look of pleasant surprise. After more than a year of closed-door cultivation, he had finally absorbed the celestial dew which he came by some time ago, and his cultivation level had risen significantly, reaching the Middle Peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. Shen Luo felt that he was in good condition and attempted a breakthrough. He did not harbor much hope, knowing that after reaching the Nascent Soul Stage, each breakthrough would be extremely difficult, requiring either an inspiration or the aid of external objects. To his speechless surprise, with the aid of the Enter Dream experience, he was able to break through the bottleneck with ease, as naturally as a channel forms to direct the flow of water, and reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage realm. He was secretly glad to have obtained the jade pillow and quietly channeled the Nameless Cultivation Technique to stabilize his realm. One day and one night later, the door of the secret chamber creaked open, and Shen Luo walked out. A white figure was standing quietly in the hall, it was Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Brother Bai!¡± Shen Luo''s face showed surprise. Having been in closed-door cultivation for over a year, he had thought that Bai Xiaotian would have left long ago and did not expect him to still be there. Moreover, the aura around Bai Xiaotian was slightly turbulent, indicating that he too had made a breakthrough to the Late Nascent Soul Stage and his realm was not yet completely stable. ¡°Mount Putuo is rich in spiritual energy, even more so than at Hua Sheng Temple. I had an epiphany regarding a cultivation breakthrough during the last great battle and immediately went into closed-door cultivation. Luckily, I made a breakthrough. However, I did not expect Brother Shen to reach the Late Nascent Soul Stage; it seems your talent far exceeds mine,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, noticing Shen Luo''s surprise and explaining. ¡°Brother Bai speaks too modestly. The Qinglian Sect Leader was grateful for the role I played in the previous great battle and bestowed several spirit objects upon me. These treasures were exceedingly compatible with the cultivation skills I practice, which is why I luckily made a breakthrough. In terms of talent, you are certainly above me!¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. Bai Xiaotian did not say anything in response. In terms of cultivation talent, he did not consider himself inferior to Shen Luo, but when it came to actual combat ability, he was far less competent. However, Bai Xiaotian understood that this was a difference in experience. Over the years, he had been in closed-door cultivation at Hua Sheng Temple, having very few opportunities to spar with others¨Cmost of his experiences were limited to sparring with fellow disciples, whereas Shen Luo had been out in the world, fighting countless bloody battles. Given more opportunities and increased combat experience, he was sure he could catch up with Shen Luo. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two began to discuss their next move. ¡°After all, we are not from Mount Putuo, and having stayed here for over a year, it is time to leave. I wonder what plans you have in mind, Brother Bai?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°This time, I left on a journey and do not plan to return to Hua Sheng Temple any time soon. I''m fine with going anywhere, it all depends on Brother Shen,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, looking at Shen Luo and smiling slightly. In the time spent traveling with Shen Luo, although they had faced many dangers, Bai Xiaotian had also encountered many novel experiences that he would not have seen at Hua Sheng Temple or the Bai Family. Especially after being tempered through several great battles, his combat prowess had improved significantly, with the epiphany during the last battle being the best proof of his progress. ¡°` Shen Luo''s face revealed a pensive look. After over a year of arduous cultivation, the power of the immortal apricot that had been stored in his body had been completely absorbed, and his lifespan had recovered to more than two hundred years. He temporarily did not need to worry about the issue of his lifespan. However, he didn''t dare to relax at all¨Cwhether in Dreamland or in reality, both were reminding him that the disaster of demons was imminent and could descend at any moment. He must continue to improve his strength. His cultivation level had already reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage, and the next step was to prepare for the breakthrough to the Great Mahayana Stage. He had several experiences of attempting to reach the Great Mahayana Stage inside the Golden Tower in Dreamland, but his aptitude in reality was far too poor. Even with the assistance of experiences from Dreamland, the probability of success was still not high. He would need to prepare a few auxiliary items to assist him. Shen Luo had been preparing for this for a while now. Initially, in the Dream World''s Dragon Palace and Jilei Mountain, he had seen many classics. After deliberate searching, he had already found a few secret methods and treasures that could assist in breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage. It was now time to start collecting them. ¡°Brother Bai, being a disciple of Hua Sheng Temple, you must have extensive knowledge. Have you ever heard of Attached Spirit Jade and the Nine Brahmanic Lotus?¡± he asked Bai Xiaotian. The Nine Brahmanic Lotus was a legendary sacred lotus that had drifted from the Immortal Realm to the Human World. It not only contained huge essence qi but the lotus flower bud could also help one to Calm the Mind and Stabilize the Qi, making it remarkably effective for assisting in the advancement to the Great Mahayana Stage. As for the Attached Spirit Jade, it was also a treasure that could assist in advancing to the Great Mahayana Stage. This treasure could merge with the Dantian, expanding its capacity and thereby increasing the total amount of Mana within the body, which was also helpful for advancing to the Great Mahayana Stage. ¡°Attached Spirit Jade and Nine Brahmanic Lotus? I haven''t heard of Attached Spirit Jade, but I''ve read about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus in books. It''s a treasure that can assist in breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage. Brother Shen, are you preparing for advancing to the Great Mahayana Stage?¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a look of surprise on his face. ¡°As I do not belong to any Sect, I have to make preparations early. Do you know where to find those things?¡± Shen Luo smiled and asked. ¡°I''m afraid I must disappoint you, Brother Shen. Although I''ve seen records of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus in the Sect classics, I''ve never seen the actual thing and do not know where it could be found,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly, somewhat disappointed. Bai Xiaotian didn''t know, so it seemed he would have to inquire with Fairy Qinglian and others. Hopefully, they would know. ¡°Friend Shen, as for the whereabouts of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, I actually know,¡± a voice rang out in Shen Luo''s mind at that moment¨Cit was Yuan Qiu. ¡°You know? Where can it be found?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, not communicating telepathically but speaking out loud. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Since Bai Xiaotian already knew about Yuan Qiu''s existence, there was no need to hide and keep secrets. Hearing Shen Luo suddenly speak, Bai Xiaotian showed a hint of surprise on his face, then understood the situation and did not speak to interrupt. ¡°What''s in it for me if I tell you, Friend Shen?¡± Yuan Qiu asked, instead of responding. ¡°What do you want?¡± Shen Luo was not angry but replied with a smile. ¡°I want to take a look at the Medicine Immortal Collection,¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice carried a tinge of eagerness. ¡°To see the Medicine Immortal Collection? That can be arranged. As long as you can help me find the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, I will give you half of the Medicine Immortal Collection,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Really?¡± Yuan Qiu asked with unexpected joy, not angered by only getting half. ¡°Naturally,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Very well, then it''s a deal! As far as I know, the Nine Brahmanic Lotus is extremely rare in the Cultivation World. Only four or five appear every hundred years in circulation, and without exception, they all originate from the Luo Star Archipelago in the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent,¡± Yuan Qiu was overjoyed but did not make Shen Luo swear any oaths and simply continued forthrightly. Through his interactions over this period of time, Yuan Qiu had roughly understood Shen Luo''s character¨Che was not a person to break his word. Chapter 917 Chapter 917: Chapter 914: The Immortal City in the Sea Chapter 917: Chapter 914: The Immortal City in the Sea ¡°` ¡°Luo Star Archipelago?¡± Shen Luo had not been to the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, and had never heard of the name Luo Star Archipelago. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°The Luo Star Archipelago is situated on the northwestern frontier of the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, a quite famous group of islands for cultivating immortality. It''s too far from the Southern Sub-Central Continent, so it''s natural that Friend Shen hasn''t heard of it,¡± Yuan Qiu said so. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Alright, then I''ll go to the Luo Star Archipelago. If I find the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, I will certainly let you view half of the Medicine Immortal Collection,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before making the promise again. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°I naturally trust it''s Friend Shen!¡± Yuan Qiu said with a smiling face. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Brother Shen, were you just now talking to Yuan Qiu? Are you going to the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Without any other clues for now, let''s go there and see. It''s a good opportunity to experience the customs and culture of other continents. Brother Bai, do you have any concerns?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Not at all, as it happens, I''ve never been to the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent either, so it''ll be a good chance to travel around,¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded and said. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°If that''s the case, then let''s set off as soon as I say goodbye to Cai Zhu,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°As far as I know, Miss Nie is currently in retreat and I''m afraid she won''t be able to meet us for a short while,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, hesitating slightly. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Retreat? Could it be?¡± Shen Luo thought of a possibility. ¡°` ¡°` Moments later, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian arrived at Nie Caizhu''s residence, which was empty. They learned from the nearby disciples that she had gone to a forbidden area in Mount Putuo. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo was considering whether to go to that forbidden area or visit the Qinglian Sect Leader when, suddenly, Fairy Qinglian''s figure appeared out of thin air. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Qinglian Sect Leader.¡± Shen Luo gave a bow, and Bai Xiaotian also hurriedly bent over in a salute. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Cai Zhu is currently in retreat, trying to break through to the Great Mahayana Stage. This breakthrough requires a special ceremony for assistance and she won''t come out for at least half a year. Is there something you need from her?¡± Fairy Qinglian asked with a detached expression. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Brother Bai and I have been in Mount Putuo for over a year, and, thanks to the Sect Leader''s care, it is time for us to leave. We came to say farewell to Cai Zhu. Since she is in retreat, please convey our regards on our behalf, and also remind her that a disaster of demons is approaching and she must hasten her cultivation,¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly as he said this, bowing towards Fairy Qinglian. ¡°` ¡°` The Qinglian Sect Leader''s eyes shifted, but she said nothing. She nodded slightly, and then her figure blurred and vanished from the spot. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°A disaster? Brother Shen, are you talking about the disaster of demons? Are those rumors outside all true?¡± Bai Xiaotian was startled, his expression somewhat grave. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Certainly. I hope everything goes smoothly on this journey to the Eastern Sea,¡± Shen Luo said, with a somber expression. ¡°` ¡°` The two did not continue to stay at Mount Putuo, and soon left. ¡°` ¡°` However, before leaving, Shen Luo wrote a letter to Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang, detailing that he had restored his lifespan and recounting his experiences during this period of time; of course, he omitted some sensitive parts. He entrusted a disciple of Mount Putuo to deliver the letter to the Great Tang Dynasty Government. ¡°` ¡°` Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian also wrote a letter to Hua Sheng Temple. Shen Luo happened to see the content of the letter, which mentioned news about Huang Tong Daoist. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Huang Tong Daoist has been sealed in his cultivation and imprisoned in Mount Putuo''s Locking Heaven Peak?¡± Shen Luo showed a hint of surprise on his face; Locking Heaven Peak was the place in Mount Putuo where criminals were detained. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°It''s something that I also found out by chance. It seems there is quite a bit of dissent within Mount Putuo, but Qinglian Sect Leader stood firm against the majority opinion and insisted on imprisoning Huang Tong Daoist,¡± said Bai Xiaotian. ¡°` After hearing this, Shen Luo nodded slightly. He had not been particularly fond of Fairy Qinglian, but now it seemed that as the Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, she handled matters quite fairly. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Several days later, following Yuan Qiu''s guidance, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian arrived at a city in the eastern part of the Great Tang, Liubo City. Liubo City was a city built by cultivators, and to avoid shocking the world, it was constructed on an island more than a hundred miles away from the coast of the Eastern Sea. Liubo City was not large, but there were many streets within, lined with tall buildings selling all kinds of items related to cultivating immortality. The streets were bustling with people, presenting a very prosperous sight. Bai Xiaotian seemed to know the place, and upon arrival, he parted ways with Shen Luo, saying he was going to purchase some things. ¡°Who would have thought that there was such a city of cultivators in the Eastern Sea? But why take such a long detour to Liubo City? Isn''t the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent just across the sea from Mount Putuo? Wouldn''t it save trouble to fly directly over?¡± Shen Luo, while looking at the shops around, communicated with Yuan Qiu. ¡°Do you think the Eastern Sea is as safe as the inland of the Great Tang, where you can easily fly over?¡± Yuan Qiu sneered. Having spent more time together, Yuan Qiu''s attitude when speaking to Shen Luo had become much more casual, revealing his personality traits: arrogant, conceited, and fond of mocking others to set off himself. However, these were trivial things. Since they still needed to rely on Yuan Qiu for this trip, Shen Luo was not angry. ¡°Are you saying there are many dangers in the Eastern Sea?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Of course, there are a great number of demonic beasts and sea beasts living in the Eastern Sea Region. Many of them are incredibly powerful. Running amok in the sea is definitely seeking death,¡± Yuan Qiu snorted. Shen Luo recalled the scene when he used the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, and indeed, it was as Yuan Qiu had said. ¡°Isn''t the Eastern Sea within the territory of the East Sea Dragon Palace? Doesn''t the Dragon Palace restrict the actions of those demonic beasts and sea beasts?¡± he then asked. ¡°The East Sea Dragon Palace is indeed the largest power in the Eastern Sea, but they can''t manage all areas of the Eastern Sea. Moreover, the East Sea Dragon Palace and us cultivators are not friends, so naturally, they won''t restrain those demonic beasts. However, this isn''t necessarily a bad thing. Many monks come to the Eastern Sea to hunt demonic beasts to earn Immortal jade. If the East Sea Dragon Palace had good relations with the Cultivation World, that would actually be inappropriate,¡± Yuan Qiu explained. ¡°Then how do we get to the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent? With our strength, can we cross the Eastern Sea safely?¡± Shen Luo nodded and asked immediately. ¡°It will be very tough, and there''s a high chance of perishing in the sea, which is why I brought you here,¡± Yuan Qiu said somewhat proudly. ¡°Is there something special about this place?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, looking at the surrounding streets. ¡°Nothing particularly special about Liubo City itself, but the islands are numerous along the sea route from here, forming a continuous path all the way to the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, with the Luo Star Archipelago at the end of the sea route. Over the years, cultivators from all over have gathered along this sea route, establishing many cities for cultivators. Those sea beasts are also reluctant to approach this sea area, so setting out to sea from here is much safer than from other places,¡± Yuan Qiu said. ¡°So that''s how it is. Yuan Qiu, you know so much, have you been here before?¡± Only then did Shen Luo suddenly realize, and he asked. ¡°Of course I have been here, just never crossed the Eastern Sea. This archipelago area is a prosperous place in the Cultivation World of the Southern Sub-Central Continent, rich in cultivation resources and far from the sphere of influence of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Mount Putuo, Hua Sheng Temple, and other major sects. Many freelance cultivators of some strength come here. On the contrary, it is you who is surprising, not knowing about this place?¡± Yuan Qiu was quite surprised. Shen Luo chuckled dryly. He had not been in the Cultivation World for long and had always been busy traveling between reality and Dreamland. So he knew very little about the situations in the Great Tang''s Cultivation World, which was not very consistent with his current cultivation realm. Chapter 918 Chapter 918: Chapter 915: One Medicine House (Seeking Monthly Votes) Chapter 918: Chapter 915: One Medicine House (Seeking Monthly Votes) ¡°This Liubo Island may not be very large, but it has an abundance of cultivation materials. Before we set off, you can look around. Oh, and don''t forget to buy a detailed sea chart before we leave,¡± Yuan Qiu seemed to sense Shen Luo''s unspoken difficulties and didn''t dwell further on the issue, instead changing the subject. ¡°A sea chart?¡± Shen Luo''s brows twitched slightly. ¡°Although there are quite a few islands in this sea area, they are insignificant compared to the vast, boundless Eastern Sea. The ocean is immense and getting lost can be extremely dangerous, so a sea chart is absolutely essential,¡± Yuan Qiu explained. Shen Luo nodded and agreed, then quickened his pace, moving among the various shops, looking for the items he needed. The materials available here in Liubo City were indeed rich, and not much different from those in Chang''an City''s market, especially the water-attribute spiritual materials. Too bad his cultivation level was already so high that these spiritual materials were of no use to him. A moment later, Shen Luo stopped in front of an elixir shop, glanced inside, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. His vision now was incredible, and even from outside, he could easily take in the details within the store. To his shock, the shop was selling pills for advancing the cultivation of those in the Soul Condensation stage! It was well known that in both Jianye City and Chang''an City, pills for advancing one''s cultivation were extremely precious. Yet here, this small shop with a storefront just two zhang wide, was selling such elixirs! After his gaze flickered, he stepped inside. ¡°Does the elder wish to purchase elixirs?¡± The shop''s old man, with sparsely haired, rushed up to greet him warmly after sensing Shen Luo''s cultivation level. ¡°Do you have any pills to advance one''s cultivation in the Nascent Soul Stage?¡± Shen Luo asked directly. He still had some of the Dual-element True Water left from before, but since he had already advanced to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, those were now useless, and he needed to find a new method to quickly advance his cultivation. ¡°You just advanced to the Late Nascent Soul Stage, didn''t you? And you''re already looking for pills to help you advance further? Advancing in cultivation too quickly without your comprehension keeping pace can lead to quite some trouble,¡± Yuan Qiu cautioned. Shen Luo slightly smiled to himself and didn''t respond to Yuan Qiu. He had recorded countless cultivation experiences in the Dreamland, so he didn''t need to worry about such things. ¡°Hmph! No appreciation for goodwill. As long as you think it through, that''s fine. But you did pick the right place to buy elixirs. The Eastern Sea has more elixirs and spiritual materials than Chang''an City. You just won''t find the good stuff in a small store like this. If you want to buy quality elixirs, continue forward,¡± Yuan Qiu snorted and then said. ¡°Nascent Soul Stage elixirs! Those are too precious, our shop does not carry them. However, our shop does have a treasured item, a Detoxification Holy Pill specially good for neutralizing all sorts of demon poison. Would the elder like to take a look?¡± Sure enough, hearing Shen Luo''s inquiry, the old shopkeeper immediately shook his head and then began to promote his merchandise. Of course, Shen Luo had no interest in what so-called treasures the shop had. He quickly took his leave from the shop and continued along the street, arriving at a square at the city center moments later. The ground here was paved with large blocks of white jade, shining brightly. A massive, misty blue protective cover loomed over the square, clearly distinct from the other areas. But what caught the eye most was the four tall, luxurious shops situated in the center of the square, all built from jade. The one directly facing Shen Luo was lush green and even emitted a faint luminescence. A huge plaque hung above the emerald green building, inscribed with three large characters ¨C ¡°Qingyu Pavilion¡±. Next to the plaque, there was also a flag embroidered with a blue Ganoderma. Shen Luo had seen many markets and was quite experienced in this regard; this Qingyu Pavilion was most likely in the business of selling Spirit Grass. The other three buildings were also monochromatic, in white, blue, and red, and were named White Cloud Residence, One Medicine House, and Tianhuo Tower, respectively. His Divine Sense swept over, and he found that the Jin Yun Residence sold Monster materials and minerals, One Medicine House offered Elixirs, and Tianhuo Tower was involved in Artifacts Refining business. ¡°The place you just mentioned, where one can buy good Elixirs, is it this One Medicine House?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Exactly, the Elixirs refined by One Medicine House are even better than those of Treasure Hall, a famous Alchemy house in Great Tang,¡± Yuan Zhen said with a chuckle. ¡°I hope so. Speaking of Treasure Hall, it''s a bit strange; with so many cultivating immortals here and such prosperity, why haven''t any of the Three Great Business Associations of Datang ¨C Treasure Hall, Xuanyuan Pavilion, and Bowu Line ¨C set up shop here?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up at first, then he asked with confusion. ¡°You think they don''t want to? The Qingyu Pavilion, White Cloud Residence, One Medicine House, and Tianhuo Tower we saw earlier are the Four Great Merchant Alliances of the East Sea Maritime Route, with their base in Luo Star Archipelago. Their strength is not inferior to the Three Great Business Associations of Datang. The Three Great Business Associations once tried to extend their influence into this maritime route, and the Four Great Merchant Alliances also wanted to do business in the Mainland of the Tang Dynasty''s cultivating world. After many years of contention, an agreement was eventually reached that drew a line at sea; the Four Great Merchant Alliances would absolutely not set foot ashore, nor could the Three Great Business Associations open shops on any island in the Eastern Sea,¡± Yuan Zhen elaborated. Shen Luo hadn''t expected that the four shops in front of him had such significant backgrounds and had even clashed with the Three Great Business Associations. However, he wasn''t interested in these matters and walked straight into One Medicine House. Inside One Medicine House, counters were lined up, displaying various kinds of Elixirs, and a refreshing medicinal fragrance filled the air, invigorating the spirit of anyone who entered. Many customers were walking around the shop, in search of the Elixirs they needed. A blue-robed attendant saw Shen Luo come in and was about to step forward to greet him, but was held back by a middle-aged man who looked like a manager. ¡°Elder, may I ask what kind of Elixir you are looking for? With your cultivation level, these common Elixirs out here must hardly catch your eye. Why not follow this junior to the back hall? Our shop''s truly high-grade Elixirs are all there,¡± said the middle-aged manager, who had reached the Soul Condensation Later Stage and recognized at a glance that Shen Luo was a Nascent Soul Cultivator. He approached enthusiastically. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently, as the Elixirs outside indeed did not catch his interest. Seeing Shen Luo''s cool reaction, the middle-aged manager''s smile did not diminish, and he led Shen Luo to a side hall in the back. The side hall was not large and had seven or eight big chairs with four or five cultivators with distinguished manners seated on them. In the middle sat a green-clothed young woman, by her attire, she appeared affiliated with One Medicine House. All these people had reached the Nascent Soul Stage, especially the green-clothed young woman, who had attained the peak of the Late Nascent Soul Stage, a notch higher than Shen Luo. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The middle-aged manager did not enter the hall; after giving a bow to the green-clothed young woman outside, he turned and left. ¡°Please take a seat, Daoist friend. My name is Green Pearl, and I am the owner of this One Medicine House. What assistance do you require?¡± The green-clothed young woman smiled gracefully at Shen Luo, her voice both soft and sweet, that it swayed one''s heart, seeming to have cultivated some kind of Charm Technique. ¡°I''ve heard that One Medicine House is one of the Four Great Merchant Alliances of the Eastern Sea, specialized in the art of Elixir Refinement. I, Shen Luo, have come with great expectations to purchase some Nascent Soul period cultivating advancement pills, the more precious the better.¡± Shen Luo, whose Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil was fully developed, was unaffected by any Charm or Illusion Techniques and took a seat with a calm expression. (The double monthly vote has started, dear Daoist friends who have tickets, don''t forget to cast one or two votes for ¡°Dream Master¡± ^^) Chapter 919 Chapter 919: Chapter 916: The Frog in the Well Chapter 919: Chapter 916: The Frog in the Well The green-clothed young woman, seeing that her tried-and-true seductive sound technique had no effect on Shen Luo, flashed a hint of astonishment in her eyes and hurriedly retracted her divine power, lest she offend a High Person. Upon hearing Shen Luo speak with such grandiosity, the four Nascent Soul Stage guests all looked over, each with a different expression, ranging from surprise to disdain. ¡°So it''s Daoist Friend Shen. I am flattered by your interest. These fellow cultivators are also looking to purchase this kind of elixir from my establishment. I have already sent someone to fetch them. Could you please wait a moment? How about we review them together later?¡± the green-clothed young woman said with a smile. Shen Luo nodded slightly, then glanced towards the other four people. Among these four were two young girls, charming and gorgeous, with features roughly seventy to eighty percent similar to each other, apparently sisters, both of whom had reached the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. The two ladies were dressed daringly, wearing only close-fitting clothes on their upper bodies that exposed their arms as white as lotus roots. They wore extremely thin, pink skirts on the lower half, with two long, snow-white legs faintly visible, looking incredibly enticing. As for the other two individuals, they were men. One was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a long robe made of white satin, holding a white paper fan. He had handsome features and, at first glance, appeared like a wealthy young master; however, his brow hinted at a touch of ruthlessness. This man''s cultivation level was strong, not inferior to Shen Luo''s, having already reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage realm. The other man was a yellow-faced fellow with large, constantly moving eyes and two tufts of yellow mustache quivering over his lips, resembling a big rat, with a cultivation level in the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. Shen Luo glanced at the four people and then withdrew his gaze, having no intention of striking up a conversation. ¡°Daoist Friend Shen looks quite unfamiliar. Could it be that you''re from the mainland of the Great Tang? My name is Qin Yun, and this is my younger sister, Qin Xiang.¡± Despite Shen Luo''s lack of interest in chatting, the elder of the two sisters smiled and asked Shen Luo. ¡°That''s right.¡± Shen Luo nodded briefly and then fell silent. ¡°Daoist Friend Shen''s cultivation is profound, and I admire that. My sister and I are monks from the Mure Lotus Island in the Eastern Sea. We have visited Liubo City many times and are well versed in the shops on the island. Daoist Friend Shen may find it unfamiliar being new here; how about letting us sisters be your guides?¡± Qin Yun, seemingly unaware of Shen Luo''s indifference, said with sparkling eyes. ¡°Yes, there are many shops in Liubo City. If Daoist Friend Shen were to inspect them one by one, it would take several days at least to see them all. It would be better if my sister and I could guide you, saving you a lot of time and effort,¡± the younger sister, Qin Xiang, also said with a charming smile that would be difficult for any man to resist. The two sisters'' enthusiasm towards Shen Luo didn''t elicit much reaction from the green-clothed young woman and the yellow-faced man. However, the young man in white looked displeased and a hint of hostility flashed in his eyes as he looked at Shen Luo. ¡°There is no need. Other than elixirs, there''s nothing I need to buy,¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently, having no intention of engaging with the charming sisters. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Shen Luo''s response, the Qin sisters showed signs of disappointment and did not continue the conversation. The green-robed young woman observed everyone''s expressions, her gaze flickering slightly, before she turned the conversation to some idle topics, ensuring the atmosphere in the hall didn''t turn awkward. Some moments later, a maid in blue walked in from outside, carrying a large silver tray covered with white silk, looking bulging underneath, evidently filled with items. ¡°Sorry to have kept the fellow cultivators waiting. The elixirs have been fetched. Allow me to explain in detail to everyone,¡± the green-clothed young woman took the silver tray, removed the white silk cover, and revealed five jade bottles with different colors and shapes within. Clearly, these jade bottles contained top-grade elixirs, with a fragrance escaping through the bottle mouths that was much more potent than the elixirs on the counters outside. The eyes of the Qin sisters, the young man in white, and the yellow-faced man all brightened, but Shen Luo only glanced at the medicine vials briefly before shifting his gaze away, displaying a lack of interest. The green-clothed young woman, upon seeing this scene, was greatly surprised. ¡°The White Jade Bottle contains Yuxin Pills, which use the demon pellet of the Yuxin Beast as the main ingredient; the Blue Bottle contains Blue Eye Pills, made with the demon pellet of a blue-scale demon and the spiritual eye of a monocular fish as the main ingredients. They not only speed up cultivation but also enhance one''s eyesight¡­¡± The young woman then regained her composure, opened each of the five bottles in turn, and detailed the Elixirs within. ¡°Could madam allow me to take a closer look at those Blue Eye Pills?¡± The young man in white looked at the Blue Eye Pills with an infatuated expression. ¡°These Blue Eye Pills are the most potent among the five types of pills. Young Master Min has good taste. Please have a look,¡± the green-clothed young woman said with a slight smile, without a hint of hesitation, as she passed over the Blue Eye Pills. The young man in white took the medicine vial and examined it closely, nodding repeatedly. ¡°Good, I''ll take these Blue Eye Pills then. How much for one bottle?¡± The teenager quickly put down the vial and asked loudly. ¡°To refine these Blue Eye Pills requires materials from a Nascent Soul Stage blue-scale demon and a monocular fish; the auxiliary spiritual materials are also of high quality and quite valuable. One bottle costs one hundred immortal jade,¡± said the green-clothed young woman with a smile. The Qin sisters and the yellow-faced man gasped when they heard the price. A single bottle of Elixir was worth as much as a top-grade magical instrument. Moreover, these kinds of Elixirs are unlike other things; one or two pills are not very useful, you must consume them in large quantities to see effects. ¡°The Blue Eye Pill is so precious that it''s worth the price. Give me ten bottles,¡± the young man in white, having noticed the reactions of the Qin sisters and the yellow-faced man, flashed a hint of smugness in his eyes. He spoke with a wave of his hand as if spending money like water. The green-clothed young woman was secretly pleased and promptly agreed, directing an attendant to fetch the Elixirs. The Qin sisters and the yellow-faced man looked at the other medicine vials with pensive expressions. ¡°Which Elixirs have caught your eyes, Fellow Daoists Qin? Just say the word, and I, Min, will purchase them for you,¡± said the young man in white, glancing at the Qin sisters, a fleeting lustful gleam in his eyes. ¡°No need. We sisters brought enough immortal jade,¡± replied Qin Yun coldly, seemingly quite averse to the young man in white. A flash of anger crossed the young man in white''s eyes, but after glancing at the green-clothed young woman, he suppressed it. Qin Yun then asked about the price of one of the Elixirs and bought five bottles; soon after, the yellow-faced man also selected an Elixir. ¡°It seems that Friend Shen is not interested in these Elixirs. Could it be that such items are not worthy of your discernment?¡± The green-clothed young woman looked towards Shen Luo, who had been silent all this while, and asked with a light smile. ¡°While these Elixirs are decent, they aren''t of much use to me,¡± replied Shen Luo calmly. ¡°Hmph, what arrogance! The Blue Eye Pills are powerful and more than sufficient even for a Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. If you can''t afford them, just say so. How dare you boast such nonsense!¡± sneered the young man in white. ¡°The frog at the bottom of the well!¡± Shen Luo had already sensed some hostility from this man. Originally, he didn''t take it to heart, but now that the man had spoken insultingly, Shen Luo immediately retorted with disdain. ¡°What did you say!¡± The young man in white became furious and stood up abruptly, slamming the table. Chapter 920 Chapter 920: Chapter 917: Big Deal Chapter 920: Chapter 917: Big Deal ¡°Both of you Daoist friends are valued guests of the One Medicine House, and our establishment always promotes harmony and prosperity, strictly forbidding any strife. Please, in consideration of this humble woman, could both of you take a step back?¡± The green-clothed young woman''s figure flashed, ghost-like she appeared between Shen Luo and the young man in white. A yellow flag phantom flickered across her body, and a mist-like yellow glow diffused out. The young man in white was enveloped by the yellow glow, and his body immediately felt as if it had sunk into a quagmire, finding it difficult to even move slightly. His expression changed, and he immediately shouted loudly, while a ¡°hissing¡± sound came from inside him. Streaks of meteor-like blue sword light shot out, fiercely striking the yellow glow with an alarming momentum. Unfortunately, the yellow glow was even more powerful, all the sword light that struck it disappeared without a trace, just like mud cows sinking into the sea, without any effect. ¡°Da Zhuhuan!¡± The young man in white seemed to remember something, exclaimed in shock, and stopped making any moves. Meanwhile, Shen Luo, also enveloped in the yellow light, sensed the power it contained. However, he simply raised his eyebrows, his expression still serene. ¡°You both are esteemed guests, and the One Medicine House treats you with all due respect; I ask that you both also follow the rules of our establishment,¡± the green-clothed young woman said indifferently as she withdrew the yellow glow with a hand gesture. The young man in white''s face showed great loss of face, he huffed coldly, and strode out, not even buying the elixir he had come for. The green-clothed young woman lost a sale and her expression turned somewhat unpleasant. The Qin sisters, seeing the atmosphere turn sour, got their elixir and promptly took their leave. The yellow-faced man did not linger either. He got up, bade farewell, and gave Shen Luo a meaningful look before leaving. Shen Luo certainly noticed the man''s actions, but his facial expression remained unchanged. ¡°Brother Shen, be cautious. The Eastern Sea Region is unlike the inland of the Great Tang. Among cultivators here, a disagreement can quickly lead to murderous conflicts, and ambushes for the sake of wealth and life are even more common,¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice echoed in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Yuan,¡± Shen Luo replied without much worry. With his current level of cultivation, and the many treasured items he possessed, he could even confront a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator. If some foolhardy individuals came seeking death, he wouldn''t mind making his purse a bit thicker. After the others had left, only Shen Luo and the green-clothed young woman remained inside the room. ¡°Does your establishment have better elixirs?¡± Shen Luo asked, his expression still calm, seemingly unfazed by the recent incident. ¡°Oh, it seems that Brother Shen is not your ordinary Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. My apologies for not realizing sooner. Someone, bring here the three types of elixirs that have just arrived from our headquarters,¡± the green-clothed young woman''s eyes flashed with a strange light as she gently swept the hair from her forehead and clapped her hands. The attendant responded and quickly left. The green-clothed young woman warmly engaged Shen Luo in conversation, casually attempting to glean information about the origins of Shen Luo''s mentorship. Naturally, Shen Luo did not divulge any real information about himself, artfully dodging her inquiries. The green-clothed young woman did not manage to glean any useful information and felt greatly frustrated. Just then, the attendant who had left earlier returned, carrying a tray with three exquisitely made jade bottles resting upon it. Shen Luo didn''t wait for the young woman to introduce the item; his eyes immediately moved to the jade bottle on the far left. The mouth of the jade bottle was tightly sealed, yet an extremely pure cold air was still seeping out from it. ¡°Brother Shen has good taste, to have noticed the Snow Soul Pill at first glance? This elixir is a spiritual pill recently refined by the alchemists of One Medicine House. Its medicinal power is enormous, and it contains energy from ice marrows, which greatly aids those cultivating frost-related God''s Powers in improving their cultivation level,¡± the green-clothed young woman picked up the jade bottle Shen Luo was intently watching and gently opened it, revealing five snow-white elixirs the size of a thumb inside. Shen Luo beckoned with his hand, and an elixir flew out. The elixir was crystal clear, resembling a bead of cold jade. It was surrounded by a dense white Spiritual Light and emitted such a cold aura that the temperature in the hall dropped a little. ¡°What a fine elixir!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart. The medicinal strength of this Snow Soul Pill was extraordinarily strong, more than twice that of the previously mentioned Blue Eye Pill, and most of the materials used for it were water-attribute Spiritual Materials, which matched his Nameless Cultivation Technique perfectly. It was as though the elixir had been specially tailored for him. ¡°The other two types of elixirs, although not as good as the Snow Soul Pill, are also top-notch,¡± the green-clothed young woman opened the other two medicine vials. The elixirs inside were also of high quality, with medicinal powers above that of the Blue Eye Pill, but they paled in comparison to the Snow Soul Pill, and their compatibility with the Nameless Cultivation Technique was not high. Shen Luo gave them only a glance before dismissing them from his attention. ¡°I''ll take the Snow Soul Pill. How much for a bottle of immortal jade?¡± Shen Luo took the entire bottle of Snow Soul Pills into his hand and, while playing with it, asked. ¡°The refinement of the Snow Soul Pill isn''t easy, and all the materials used are extremely valuable, especially the main material, which is from a rare monster of the Eastern Sea, hard to find. Therefore, the price of the Snow Soul Pill is a bit steep, requiring two hundred immortal jades per bottle,¡± the green-clothed young woman, acting on her merchant instincts, praised the Snow Soul Pill before stating the price. ¡°Two hundred immortal jades!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes darkened. ¡°Considering the medicinal power of the Snow Soul Pill, this price is not too high,¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice echoed in his mind. Hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Two hundred then. I''ll take thirty bottles.¡± Thirty bottles of the Snow Soul Pill should be enough to push his cultivation level to the peak of the Late Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°Thirty bottles?¡± The green-clothed young woman was startled. Thirty bottles of Snow Soul Pill, that was a huge business deal worth six thousand immortal jades. She obviously had not expected Shen Luo, who seemed so ordinary, to possess such substantial wealth. ¡°I appreciate your generous patronage, friend, but these Snow Soul Pills have just begun to be produced by our establishment, and we only received the first batch half a month ago. Most have already been sold, and now less than ten bottles remain. I am truly sorry,¡± the green-clothed young woman said apologetically with a wry smile. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly. Everything had seemed to be going well, so why was there suddenly a shortage? Could it be that this woman, seeing his wealth, intended to use this as an opportunity to raise the price? ¡°Madam, if you have any conditions, please speak plainly,¡± he said coolly, displeased and with a chill in his gaze. ¡°Brother Shen misunderstands, what I have said is the complete truth. The Snow Soul Pill is a new product recently refined by Master Shen Miaoyi of our establishment according to an ancient method. The other materials are manageable, but the main material comes from a magical beast of the Eastern Sea, the Tear Demon. This creature is extremely rare, and once mature, its strength is comparable to a monk at the middle stage of Nascent Soul Stage. Moreover, it''s adept at hiding and difficult to kill, hence the limited production of the Snow Soul Pill. I have no intention of raising the price unfairly,¡± the green-clothed young woman, swept by Shen Luo''s icy stare, felt a shiver down her spine and broke out in a cold sweat, quickly explaining. ¡°Just who is Shen Luo? A mere look from him could leave me in such trepidation. Is it possible that he is not at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, but rather a Great Mahayana Stage existence who has concealed his cultivation level?¡± The young woman inwardly marveled in alarm. No wonder she was mistaken. Although Shen Luo''s cultivation level was at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, his mastery over mana and aura far surpassed the capabilities expected at the Nascent Soul Stage, and furthermore, he had cultivated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, making his gaze as intimidating as any Great Mahayana Stage monk. Chapter 921 Chapter 921: Chapter 918 Refusal of Invitation Chapter 921: Chapter 918 Refusal of Invitation Shen Luo did not know the thoughts of the green-clothed young woman, his fingers lightly tapping on the armrest as he sank into contemplation. The woman spoke with seemingly unwavering conviction, but she looked cunning and calculating. Who could tell how much of her words were the truth and how much were falsehoods? ¡°What this woman says should reflect the reality. One Medicine House monopolizes the Elixir business along the Eastern Sea maritime route and their reputation is not bad. It''s unlikely that they would damage their own reputation for such a trifling profit, jacking up prices without care. Besides, as far as I know, the Tear Demon really is rare and hard to hunt,¡± Yuan Zhen''s voice resonated in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°Alright, how many bottles of the Snow Soul Pill do you have now? I''ll take them all,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment of silence, hearing this. ¡°At present, our house has eight bottles of Snow Soul Pill. I will fetch them now; please wait a moment, Daoist friend,¡± the green-clothed young woman said with relief at Shen Luo''s acquiescence, and hurriedly stood up to personally retrieve the Elixirs. With the young woman gone, Shen Luo''s expression grew grim; a mere eight bottles of Elixir were far from enough. Fortunately, he was headed for the Luo Star Archipelago. The numerous islands and city walls he would pass by should all have a branch of One Medicine House. He should be able to gather the needed Elixirs by searching them one by one. With this thought, his mood also eased. Looking at the Snow Soul Pill in his hand, he suddenly thought of something. ¡°Daoist Yuan, the Elixirs from One Medicine House are quite different from those in the Mainland of the Tang Dynasty. The main ingredients in the Elixirs of the Great Tang are various Spirit Grasses and Spiritual Materials, but the Elixirs here all use Demon Pellet materials,¡± Shen Luo asked Yuan Zhen through a message. ¡°Indeed, the Eastern Sea maritime route lacks Spirit Grass, hence the use of locally sourced materials, treating Monster materials as Spirit Grasses and Spiritual Materials. Moreover, the Demon Pellets contain even more abundant Spiritual Power. In terms of medicinal strength, the Elixirs here are indeed superior,¡± Yuan Zhen explained. ¡°I see, the Alchemy Masters on this maritime route are truly remarkable for thinking up such a method of Alchemy,¡± Shen Luo admired. ¡°No, this method of Alchemy was not invented by Alchemists on the maritime route but was passed down from the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent,¡± Yuan Zhen replied. ¡°Oh, the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent?¡± Shen Luo was momentarily surprised at the mention. ¡°The Eastern Victorious Divine Continent is vast with few of the Human Race, but teeming with Demonic Beasts and Spirit Beasts, hence the method of Alchemy. It is said that the methods for cultivating immortality there are greatly different from those in the Southern Sub-Central Continent. I have always wished to experience it myself but unfortunately have never had the chance. Now that we are going to the Luo Star Archipelago, I hope to witness it,¡± Yuan Zhen said with a trace of excitement. Hearing this, Shen Luo too began to harbor some yearning for the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. The two chatted casually about matters related to the Eastern Sea maritime route when footsteps approached from outside. The green-clothed young woman had returned with the Elixirs. Shen Luo inspected the eight bottles of Snow Soul Pill. Seeing no issue, he immediately paid with Immortal Jade, rose to his feet without a word, and left. The green-clothed young woman had something else to say to Shen Luo, but seeing his grim expression as he stood and left, she dared not detain him and swallowed her words. After leaving One Medicine House, Shen Luo did not immediately depart the area. Given his rewarding experience at One Medicine House, he stopped underestimating Liubo City. He immediately turned towards the White Cloud Residence, Qingyu Pavilion, and Tianhuo Tower, visiting all three shops swiftly. Unfortunately, it seemed his luck had run out at One Medicine House; he found nothing of use at the other three. Feeling disappointed, Shen Luo was about to leave the square and head towards the City Gate to wait for Bai Xiaotian when a voice suddenly called out from behind him. ¡°Brother Shen, would you please hold up a moment!¡± Shen Luo halted, turned around, and his gaze instantly sharpened. The caller was none other than the yellow-faced man he had encountered once before at One Medicine House, approaching with a broad, beaming smile. ¡°So it was Daoist Friend Zhen who stopped me, what is the matter?¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, as he had already learned the man''s surname back at the One Medicine House. ¡°Hehe, Brother Shen comes from the mainland of the Great Tang, and this time you''ve come down the East Sea Maritime Route. May I ask what your plans are? I''ve been on this sea route for several years and am quite familiar with this area. If there is anything you need, I would be glad to help,¡± said the yellow-faced man with a smile, cupping his hands. ¡°I merely come from the inland and have heard that the East Sea Maritime Route is bustling. I am just here for a visit, nothing more. If Daoist Friend Zhen has stopped me, it must be for more than small talk. Please speak your mind,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°I see, Brother Shen is a straightforward person, so I won''t beat around the bush either. I, admittedly lacking in many ways, have formed a hunting group with a few fellow freelance cultivators to go out to sea and hunt monsters. Since you have no urgent matters, Brother Shen, I wonder if you would be interested in joining us to hunt monsters at sea?¡± the yellow-faced man invited enthusiastically. ¡°Hunting monsters at sea? I have just arrived in Liubo City and have no such intentions,¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and declined. ¡°Is Brother Shen worried about safety? The fellow cultivators in our hunting group are all upstanding individuals, and two of them are even monks from orthodox sects. We have worked together many times without any problems. Moreover, hunting monsters at sea can earn Immortal Jade very quickly. With Brother Shen''s considerable strength, if you join the hunting group, you could amass a large sum of Immortal Jade in just a few years, preparing you for breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage,¡± the yellow-faced man hastily persuaded again. ¡°It''s not what you think, I simply have no plans for hunting at sea,¡± Shen Luo declined again with an even tone. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Since Brother Shen has other plans, I will not bother you further. Let us meet again in the future,¡± seeing Shen Luo''s resolute demeanor, the yellow-faced man didn''t persist in persuading him and left with a wry smile after cupping his hands. Shen Luo didn''t mind it and continued to walk outside the city. Soon, he returned to the place where he and Bai Xiaotian had parted ways earlier. Bai Xiaotian had returned and was standing there waiting, calm in demeanor but his eyes occasionally flashing with irrepressible joy, as if he had made quite the fortune in Liubo City. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re back. Have you found anything?¡± Bai Xiaotian approached and asked upon seeing Shen Luo returning. ¡°I bought a few bottles of elixirs that could be useful. How about you, Brother Bai?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I''ve been fortunate. In a general store in Liubo City, I found a damaged poison scripture. It appears to have been left by a powerful figure from ancient times and is of great benefit to me,¡± Bai Xiaotian was not secretive with Shen Luo and spoke while trying to suppress the excitement in his heart. ¡°Is that so? That''s wonderful.¡± Shen Luo had come to know over the past days that aside from advancing his cultivation at Hua Sheng Temple, Bai Xiaotian had also learned much about medicinal skills and was particularly fond of poisonous techniques. Knowing that his companion had obtained the Ancient Poisoning Scripture, Shen Luo was truly happy for him. Neither of them had other matters to attend to, so they continued their journey, embarking on a white flying boat, following the sea chart and heading deeper into the Eastern Sea. ¡°Brother Bai, could you please control the flying boat for a while? I will take over later,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Sure, Brother Shen, go ahead with your matters first,¡± Bai Xiaotian was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Shen Luo thanked him and seated himself at the stern of the boat, raising his hand in a gesture. Suddenly, more than a dozen white lights fell around him¨Cthese were formation flags that formed a protective cover, sealing off everything. After completing these preparations, he took out the medicine vial containing the Snow Soul Pill, took out one, and swallowed it eagerly. As the elixir entered his stomach, it quickly dissolved, turning into a vast surge of pure medicinal power that filled his Dantian and meridians, including a pure, cold essence. A look of delight immediately appeared on Shen Luo''s face. The power of the Snow Soul Pill was indeed as potent as he had anticipated. Apart from the Sweet Dew Water, the Three Origin True Water, the Dual-element True Water, and other elixirs he had taken before, none gave the feeling of having his meridians filled with such vitality. He calmed his mind and hurriedly began to absorb the powerful medicinal power with the Nameless Cultivation Technique, his mana rapidly increasing. As for the cold essence contained within the medicinal power, he also quietly used the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique to absorb it. Chapter 922 Chapter 922: Chapter 919: Lost Chapter 922: Chapter 919: Lost Time ticked slowly away, and after nearly half a day had passed, Shen Luo finally fully absorbed the power of the entire Snow Soul Pill, and his cultivation level soared significantly. ¡°Good! As long as there are enough Snow Soul Pills, I won''t need a year to reach the peak of the Late Nascent Soul Stage!¡± Shen Luo exhaled a long breath and clenched his fists. The only thing he was worried about now was the insufficiency of Snow Soul Pills. He hoped he could gather some on the next island. At this moment on the Eastern Sea, danger could come at any time. After testing the effects of the Snow Soul Pill, Shen Luo did not continue to cultivate and undid the white protective cover around him with a hand gesture. Bai Xiaotian stood at the bow of the boat, both steering the flying boat forward and attentively scanning the surroundings, his face showing a hint of fatigue. ¡°Brother Bai, you''ve worked hard. Let me take over steering the flying boat,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°That would be much appreciated, Brother Shen,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, indeed tired, he nodded and took a seat at the stern of the boat. Shen Luo performed hand gestures and continued to propel the flying boat forward. Liubo City was still in the coastal waters, with few monsters. The two men switched turns steering the boat, and at a good pace, they arrived at the second island with cultivator city walls, Cangyue Island, after one day and one night. Cangyue Island was quite larger than Liubo Island, but the city on the island was smaller, and the number of monks was far less than in Liubo City. No wonder, since Liubo City was located by the sea and had shops established by The Four Great Merchant Alliances, it not only attracted monks from the maritime routes but also monks from various sects on land who would gather there, naturally making it more prosperous than Cangyue Island. The white flying boat stopped outside the island, and Shen Luo leaped down, heading towards the city. However, Bai Xiaotian did not land on the island. He stayed on the boat, took out a tome on poisons, and began to study it, completely engrossed in the content. The layout of Cangyue City was similar to that of Liubo City. A square was built in the center of the city walls, with all the higher-end shops gathered around it, including One Medicine House. Shen Luo strode into the shop, and an attendant hurriedly came up to greet him. ¡°Go call your master. I have a big deal to discuss with him,¡± Shen Luo said, not waiting for the attendant to reply, waving his hand. Seeing Shen Luo''s manner, the attendant did not dare to take him lightly. While leading Shen Luo into an inner room, he sent someone to summon the shop''s owner. Shen Luo waited in the inner room for moments before a scholarly middle-aged man walked in. ¡°I am Yuan Lang, the owner of this One Medicine House. May I know the esteemed name of the Daoist friend?¡± the scholarly man greeted with a bow. ¡°My family name is Shen. Let''s skip the formalities. I''m here to buy some Snow Soul Pills from your shop. I''ll take as many as you have,¡± Shen Luo said bluntly without beating around the bush. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Snow Soul Pills? Daoist friend Shen actually knows our shop has this elixir. However, I''m afraid I must disappoint you, as our One Medicine House does not sell Snow Soul Pills,¡± said the scholarly man, first startled then with a wry smile shaking his head. ¡°No Snow Soul Pills? How can that be? I bought several bottles at One Medicine House in Liubo City,¡± Shen Luo''s face darkened. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, you are not aware. That Snow Soul Pill is a precious elixir recently refined by our master, and its production is extremely scarce. Currently, only the One Medicine House headquarters in the Luo Star Archipelago and Liubo City, which is closer to land, have it for sale. Other places have not received this medicine,¡± explained the scholarly man. Shen Luo had been carefully observing the scholarly man and judging from his tone and demeanor, he didn''t seem to be lying, which immediately sank Shen Luo''s heart. If what this man said was true, Shen Luo''s idea of collecting elixirs along his way would be dashed. Even if the Luo Star Archipelago had Snow Soul Pills, with such a miraculous effect, there would definitely be many people looking to purchase it, and he might not be able to secure any. The more he thought about it, the uglier his expression became. ¡°Daoist friend Shen need not be pessimistic. The biggest obstacle in refining Snow Soul Pills is the main material, the Tear Demon Pearl. Our One Medicine House has issued a task at the headquarters. Any Daoist friend who can provide Tear Demon Pearls can get the pills refined by our master for free, and the elixirs obtained will be split fifty-fifty. Seeing as your cultivation level is powerful, Daoist friend, you might try looking for the Tear Demon in the Eastern Sea. If you can find several, why worry about not getting Snow Soul Pills?¡± the scholarly man, seeing Shen Luo''s face becoming increasingly troubled, revealed a piece of news. ¡°There''s actually such a matter!¡± Shen Luo was initially delighted upon hearing the news, but his mood quickly dimmed. According to Yuan Qiu, Tear Demons were rare creatures in the Eastern Sea, and it was difficult to find even one, let alone several. Besides, he had to search for the Nine Brahmanic Lotus on this trip, so he had no time to look for Tear Demons. ¡°Thank you for the information, I must take my leave now.¡± Since the Snow Soul Pill was not here, Shen Luo did not stay any longer and quickly got up to say goodbye. Since things weren''t going his way, he had no desire to loiter around in Cangyue City and immediately left the city. ¡°Brother Shen, didn''t you manage to buy that Snow Soul Pill?¡± Bai Xiaotian, noticing Shen Luo''s expression, put down the book he was holding and asked. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were close friends. On their way here, he had already told Bai Xiaotian about the Snow Soul Pill. Shen Luo sighed and roughly recounted the situation of attempting to purchase the elixirs at One Medicine House. ¡°This matter is indeed troublesome, let''s go check out the Luo Star Archipelago first. If we can''t buy the elixir, we''ll make long-term plans,¡± Bai Xiaotian suggested, not having any better solution. ¡°That''s the only option,¡± Shen Luo said with another sigh. The two of them then spurred their flying boat on, continuing towards the deeper parts of the Eastern Sea. Over the vastness of the Eastern Sea, a shuttle-shaped flying boat sped through the sky, trailing a long white tail light behind it. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian stood at the prow and the stern, respectively, squinting their eyes and scanning the surroundings, as if searching for something, both with grim expressions. ¡°How''s it going? Found anything?¡± Bai Xiaotian, after a long search to no avail, looked towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyes were flickering with green light, but unfortunately, his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil was not adept at long-range observation, yielding no results, and he shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Who would have thought that the East Sea Maritime Route would be so vast. We got lost in a moment of inattention. If I had known, I wouldn''t have tried to be clever and taken the new route,¡± Bai Xiaotian lamented. More than ten days ago, the two set out from Cangyue Island and continued deeper into the Eastern Sea. Since they couldn''t buy the Snow Soul Pill along the way, they decided not to stop anymore and chose to follow the maritime route to the Luo Star Archipelago in one stretch. Although there was only one sea route, it wasn''t a straight line; it meandered around many islands along the way. Taking turns in controlling the flying boat, Bai Xiaotian, during one of his turns, deviated from the chart at a bend and ventured into a vast sea fog, thus losing their way. Afterward, they tried to find their bearings, but the sea was uniform in appearance, lacking any landmarks, making the search for the route like groping in the dark, utterly clueless, and impossible to find. Only then did the two realize the severity of the situation. Shen Luo quickly sought advice from Yuan Qiu, but even Yuan Qiu had no solution. With no other choice, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had to continue eastward while searching. It was unsure whether they were unlucky or the Eastern Sea was simply too vast, but after searching for over ten days, they did not encounter a single person, although they encountered many monsters. Fortunately, both of their cultivation levels had significantly progressed, and the treasures they possessed were very powerful, allowing them to overcome these challenges one by one. ¡°Let''s move on; I refuse to believe we won''t come across a single person,¡± Shen Luo declared. Bai Xiaotian nodded slightly and continued to pilot the flying boat eastward. Chapter 923 Chapter 923: Chapter 920 Mirror Fiend Chapter 923: Chapter 920 Mirror Fiend Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian flew forward for half an hour, when the sound of Mana clashing came from far ahead, mixed with the roars of Monsters. ¡°We''ve finally come across someone!¡± Both of them were delighted and hurriedly urged the flying boat forward. In just a few breaths, they had covered over ten miles and arrived at the source of the sounds. On the sea surface, five or six monks were both fighting and fleeing, with a Monster in hot pursuit behind them. The Demon was hidden within a vortex in the sea, and it wasn''t clear what it was. A strong Demon Qi emanated from the vortex, and many blue lights flickered, emitting a rumbling like the sound of thousands of horses roaring. The five or six monks all had remarkable cultivation levels. Four of them had reached the Nascent Soul Stage and the remaining two, although at the Soul Condensation Stage, were also at the peak of Soul Condensation Stage. Together, they activated a yellow Stone Stele treasure, and its power was no less than that of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. ¡°It''s him!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze fell on a Nascent Soul Cultivator. This person was none other than the Dark-skinned man who had invited him to go out to sea. Apart from the Dark-skinned man, the other three Nascent Soul Cultivators were two men and a woman: a Middle-aged man in a Green Robe, an Elder with a black beard, and a Lady in a Golden Skirt with a pair of phoenix eyes and an extremely good appearance, looking to be in her twenties. The two Soul Condensation Stage Peak Teenagers were wearing strange priestly Long Robes, their skin was as dark as the bottom of a pot and they looked quite bizarre. Despite being six against one, the sea Demon was incredibly formidable. The Demon''s blue light surged and shrank, drawing the surrounding sea water to launch various attacks, and it could also spew out many Blue Light Spheres containing astonishing Thunder and Lightning power, with a shocking might. As soon as the magical instruments and treasures of the Dark-skinned man and the others touched the blue lightning, they were immediately knocked away, unable to get close to the Demon. Had they not been so numerous, injuries would have already occurred. Even so, they were all sweating profusely and their Mana was depleted by more than half, unable to hold on for much longer. Just then, the group also noticed Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Brother Shen! Please lend a hand, we will definitely reward you handsomely!¡± The Dark-skinned man saw Shen Luo and his face immediately lit up, he shouted loudly and, without waiting for a response, turned and flew towards the flying boat. Seeing the Dark-skinned man''s actions, the others also flew over. Shen Luo shook his head slightly, disdaining their actions of trying to drag him into the fray. However, since he still needed to inquire about things from these people, he couldn''t just stand by and let them perish. He thus leaped from the flying boat and shot straight toward the sea Demon. Seeing Shen Luo take action, the Dark-skinned man was overjoyed, but he was startled upon seeing Shen Luo charge directly at the sea Demon. ¡°Is this guy a fool, just rushing in like that?¡± The man halted his advance, wondering whether to turn and flee or to go forward and assist. The sea Demon seemed to sense the danger and stopped chasing, its surrounding blue light rapidly rotating, emitting a piercing long cry. The next moment, a thunderous rumble erupted from the depths of the vortex, and countless fist-sized blue thunders shot out, striking Shen Luo with a fierce momentum and an incredibly sharp edge. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful! That''s the Mirror Fiend''s Water Gange Divine Thunder, it''s extremely powerful!¡± The Dark-skinned man hurriedly warned. But Shen Luo didn''t even glance at the Water Gange Divine Thunder. A flash of blood light shimmered around him, and a Bloody Banner materialized out of thin air, enveloping his body¨Cit was the Bloodthirsty Flag Magical Treasure from Wind Breath. Over the past year, he had managed to refine this treasure in his spare time and taken it for his own use. As soon as the blue lightning touched the Bloodthirsty Flag, a large expanse of blue lightning exploded, causing the nearby sea surface to boil and the Void to buzz and tremble. Yet the Bloodthirsty Flag remained unmovable, easily blocking all the thunder outside. This Bloodthirsty Flag was an exquisite Magical Treasure painstakingly refined by Wind Breath, with prohibitions reaching as many as fifty-four layers. Its defensive capabilities were extremely strong; even Shen Luo''s Purple Gold Bell couldn''t break through it, let alone the sea Demon''s water thunder. Shen Luo did not stop his flying figure, braving the countless thunders and quickly approaching the Demon, finally getting a clear view of its true form. The Demon had a human upper body resembling a woman''s, with purple scale armor covering its skin, while the lower half was a serpentine monster body. What was most surprising was that the Demon was holding a flickering blue mirror in its hands. ¡°Is this the Mirror Fiend?¡± Shen Luo felt a slight surprise, but his movements didn''t hesitate as he flicked his finger. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo immediately shot out, in a flash transforming into eight curved sword lights interweaving with each other, consolidating into a crimson sword pillar, which violently crashed towards the demon in front of him. This move called ¡°Eight Directions Wind and Rain¡± was a swordsman divine power from the Pure Yang Sword Canon, first dividing the sword light then fusing them into one, its might several times more powerful than ordinary attacks, albeit at a great consumption. The Mirror Fiend, sensing the formidable power of the crimson sword pillar, let out a piercing screech, the blue mirror in its hands suddenly radiating more intensely, projecting a hazy blue light, and collided with the sword pillar. An unimaginable scene occurred! Striking the blue light, the crimson sword pillar inexplicably vanished within it as if swallowed by the sea, vanishing in an instant and causing Shen Luo to let out an involuntary soft exclamation. The next moment, a streak of red flashed within the blue light; a crimson light pillar appeared out of nowhere, lashing back at Shen Luo¨Cthe very Eight Directions Wind and Rain sword technique he had cast. Within the light pillar, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo vibrated with a buzzing sound, having broken free from Shen Luo''s control. The sword pillar roared with sword energy, the void trembled, and its power was several degrees greater than before. ¡°Can that mirror actually reflect the opponent''s attack?¡± Shen Luo was greatly surprised but didn''t panic; with a flicker of moon and starlight on his legs, his form vanished into thin air, only to reappear behind the Mirror Fiend, his hands forming a seal. A tendril-like thick blood light shot out from the Bloodthirsty Banner surrounding him, a dense and unparalleled stench of blood spread out, easily piercing through the water flow vortex around the Mirror Fiend, swooping down upon it. The Mirror Fiend, shocked by Shen Luo''s ghostly figure, immediately raised its blue mirror. A beam of blue light shot out, illuminating itself. The Mirror Fiend''s body flickered repeatedly with blue light, astonishingly conjuring seven or eight identical Mirror Fiends in midair, escaping in all directions. Each of these Mirror Fiends was solid, their bodies emanating fluctuating demon Qi, not illusions, and even Shen Luo could not discern which was the real one. But he didn''t bother to distinguish. A layer of water-like blue light emerged beneath his right foot, lightly touching the sea''s surface, the blue light intensifying at his toes. An extreme coldness burst forth, and instantly, the seawater within hundreds of feet around him turned into solid ice, freezing those Mirror Fiends into seven or eight ice sculptures. The Elder Zheng and others off in the distance were also affected by the cold, and though the chill had greatly diminished, their protective spiritual lights and treasures still could not hold up against it. With several ¡°crackling¡± sounds, they too were turned into ice sculptures, falling onto the icy surface below. Bai Xiaotian on the white flying boat also felt a wave of coldness assail him; the circulation of mana within his body becoming sluggish at once, and blocks of blue ice crystals began forming on the flying boat, threatening to freeze it as well. Startled, he hurriedly circulated his mana, pouring it into the flying boat. The white flying boat suddenly radiated bright white light, shooting backward like a shooting star. It was only after flying several miles that it completely left the range of the coldness, coming to a halt. Shen Luo turned around and looked at the ice-sealed world around him; though he felt joy, concern also surfaced. The third layer of the Indigo Blue Sea''s power was too immense, with his current cultivation level he could not fully control it. It seemed he needed to be more cautious in using it in the future to avoid harming the innocent. He raised his hand and beckoned, the distant ice-sealed crimson sword pillar flickered with blue light and exploded loudly. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo had regained its connection and flew back, entering his sleeve. The Bloodthirsty Banner was also retracted along with the Sword Embryo. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 924 Chapter 924: Chapter 921: Having Other Plans (Please Vote) Chapter 924: Chapter 921: Having Other Plans (Please Vote) ¡°` Shen Luo retracted his Pure Yang Sword Embryo and Bloodthirsty Flag, then turned to look at the few Mirror Fiends encased in ice. However, at that moment, a flash of blue light passed through the eight icy Mirror Fiend sculptures, and seven of them slowly dissipated, vanishing completely after a few breaths, leaving only one, which appeared to be the main body. Shen Luo walked over, scrutinized the Mirror Fiend within the ice, and a hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes as he placed his hand on the sculpture. A flash of golden light passed over his hand, the Heavenly Book Projection flickered, and the Mirror Fiend ice sculpture disappeared without a trace, absorbed into the Heavenly Book. He thought the abilities of this Mirror Fiend were decent and could be useful in the future, so he decided to keep it. Shen Luo then walked over to the frozen Middle-aged man with the family name Zhen and others, and with a flip of his palm, a spread of blue light dissipated the freezing Qi that had enveloped them, and the blue solid ice also began to crack. One by one, the group of six stood up, each with patches of blue and white on their faces. Fortunately, they were quite far from Shen Luo when they had been frozen and hadn''t suffered any frostbite, and by circulating their own Qi, the blue hues on their faces quickly faded away. ¡°Daoist friend Zhen, and fellow cultivators, I have not yet fully mastered the Ice Divine Power I used just now, and I apologize for having allowed you to be frozen by the Qi.¡± Shen Luo clasped his hands in apology. ¡°It''s not a problem, no problem at all,¡± the Middle-aged man with the family name Zhen hurriedly waved his hands, his gaze filled with awe when he looked at Shen Luo. The rest were the same, silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to utter another word. On the East Sea Maritime Route, where no one governed, the law of survival of the fittest applied, with frequent incidents of road robberies, and murder for money, and with Shen Luo''s strength far surpassing that of the others, they were naturally trembling with fear. ¡°I, Shen Luo, and my companions are out at sea for the first time and have gotten a bit lost, accidentally ending up here. May I ask where the nearest island is?¡± Seeing the others so frightened, Shen Luo could only volunteer his situation and ask for directions. ¡°The nearest island from here is Red Zhidan Island, about three thousand miles southwest of this place,¡± replied the Middle-aged man with the family name Zhen, his hesitant demeanor slightly relaxed now that he saw Shen Luo bore no malicious intent, eager to answer. ¡°Red Zhidan Island¡­¡± Shen Luo recalled the situation on the sea map. This island was a small one on the northern fringes of the Luo Star Archipelago. He had gone astray and ended up further away than expected, nearly flying past the vicinity of the Luo Star Archipelago. If he hadn''t encountered the Middle-aged man with the family name Zhen and the others, he might have flown straight to the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent after another two days. He silently praised his luck, then said to the man named Zhen, ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Daoist friend Zhen. I''m keeping that Mirror Fiend as it might be useful to me. Please accept this Nascent Soul Phase Roaring Bull Demon I hunted two days ago as compensation.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he said this, he waved his hand, and the corpse of a monster resembling a green ox fell in front of them with a thud. ¡°We have already been graced by your life-saving beneficence, Daoist Shen, and have not yet had the chance to repay you; we couldn''t possibly accept more from you. Please take it back,¡± the Middle-aged man with the family name Zhen hurriedly said. The black-bearded Old Man and the others also came to their senses and unanimously declined. ¡°It is just a Nascent Soul Phase monster; I don''t give it a second thought. Please accept it,¡± Shen Luo said, with a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth. Since he had gone the wrong way, he had encountered numerous monster attacks along his journey, slaying a good twenty or thirty of them. This one didn''t matter to him in the slightest. After speaking, Shen Luo turned to leave. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, please wait,¡± the Middle-aged man with the family name Zhen suddenly stepped forward. Shen Luo stopped in his tracks and turned around. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Fellow cultivator generously bestows a monster upon us, which we cannot refuse without appearing ungrateful. However, should we not repay the great kindness of saving our lives, we would feel restless. I have something to inform fellow cultivator about, concerning that Mirror Fiend. Our strength is insufficient, to merely be aware of this matter and powerless to do anything about it. Brother Shen, with your profound cultivation, will surely be able to reap the benefits, which will serve as our way of expressing gratitude,¡± said the man surnamed Zhen hastily. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Shen Luo became quite curious from what the man surnamed Zhen had said. The expressions of the few people beside the man surnamed Zhen shifted slightly, and they intended to stop him in secret, but the man had already spoken. ¡°This matter started several months ago when I and these fellow cultivators went out to sea to hunt demons. We stumbled upon a seabed fissure, where treasure light was faintly visible. Upon entering for a closer look, inside was another world, a cave, teeming with precious spirit materials. Just as we were about to collect the treasure, the Mirror Fiend appeared out of nowhere. This demon is powerful and possesses a strange reflective divine power. We were no match and had to retreat. After preparing thoroughly, we returned to that Ocean Eye yesterday to explore again, only to find that aside from the Mirror Fiend, there was an even more formidable Tear Demon. We were soundly defeated again, and two of our companions even perished there,¡± the man surnamed Zhen said with a sigh. ¡°What! A Tear Demon!¡± Shen Luo was both shocked and thrilled upon hearing this. He had been worrying over the Snow Soul Pill and did not expect to come across a lead on the Tear Demon here. ¡°Having suffered such a heavy blow, we quickly fled. The Tear Demon did not give chase, only the Mirror Fiend pursued us. It seemed to harbor a grudge against us for entering the Ocean Eye repeatedly, chasing us relentlessly. Fortunately, we encountered Brother Shen. Otherwise, we likely would not have survived today,¡± said the man surnamed Zhen, unaware of the change in Shen Luo''s expression, continuing his story. ¡°This Mirror Fiend''s cultivation has reached the late Nascent Soul stage, and its reflective divine power is indeed tricky and difficult to counter. If the Tear Demon''s strength is above the Mirror Fiend''s, has it reached the Great Mahayana Stage?¡± Shen Luo had calmed down and pressed for answers. ¡°It should not have. From what I observed, the Tear Demon''s strength is probably just at the peak of the Nascent Soul Phase. Otherwise, how could we have escaped with our lives?¡± the man surnamed Zhen replied. Shen Luo thought about it and nodded slightly. ¡°Where is this seabed cave located?¡± he then asked. ¡°Right here.¡± The man surnamed Zhen took out a sea chart and marked a spot on it. Shen Luo looked up, committed the location to memory, and found it conveniently on the way to the Luo Star Archipelago. ¡°Alright, I''ll go and check it out now. Thank you, Brother Zhen, for the information,¡± he said, then turned around and flew back to the white flying boat. Bai Xiaotian, who had been listening to the conversation, stimulated his flying boat with a spell, and with a whoosh, the white flying boat turned into a white rainbow shooting towards the south. Seeing Shen Luo leave, the man surnamed Zhen and his companions finally relaxed their tense nerves. ¡°Brother Zhen, why did you tell that man about the location of the seabed cave? Even if we are no match for the Tear Demon, we could have invited more help to explore again. Now that this Shen knows, what share can we claim? Haven''t we been busy for nothing all these days?¡± the black-bearded old man complained, unable to contain himself. ¡°Brother Huyan, don''t be anxious. That day, when we entered the seabed cave, I was the closest to the Tear Demon and saw it clearly. The Tear Demon is not at the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage but has already reached the Great Mahayana Stage. It must have just broken through recently, its realm still unstable, which is why it didn''t pursue us. With Shen entering there, an intense fight with the Tear Demon is inevitable. If we follow quietly and they both suffer losses, we can take advantage of the situation. Wouldn''t that be perfect?¡± the man surnamed Zhen said, his face devoid of the respect shown earlier, and a sinister, cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°So Brother Zhen had a plan all along. I was overthinking it. If that''s the case, let''s quietly make our way there,¡± said the black-bearded old man, enlightened, then quickly spoke with impatience. ¡°Wait, that Shen''s magical treasures are formidable and his Ice Seal divine power unusually strong. He might not necessarily lose to the Tear Demon. Even if he and the Tear Demon inflict heavy losses on each other, with our strength, can we really deal with them?¡± the man in green robe suddenly interjected, his face showing hesitation and a lack of courage. The two Soul Condensing cultivators stood behind the man in green robe, clearly looking to him as their leader. ¡°Brother Li need not worry about this. Some time ago, I made the acquaintance of Young Sect Leader Min of the Golden Yang Sect, who is nearby. I will send a message to him now and invite him to join us. With his assistance, we can ensure complete safety,¡± the man surnamed Zhen chuckled, taking out a white communication talisman. Upon hearing this, the others felt assured, packed up the monster carcasses gifted by Shen Luo, and hurriedly departed. (It''s the beginning of the month, and your support with monthly tickets would be greatly appreciated, fellow readers.) ¡°` Chapter 925 Chapter 925: Chapter 922 Details Chapter 925: Chapter 922 Details While the men surnamed Zhen were talking, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had already flown a hundred li. Shen Luo informed Bai Xiaotian of the location of the underwater cave, then sat down at the stern of the boat. With a flick of his fingers, he once again opened the White Light Curtain, enveloping his figure within. After completing these preparations, he raised his hand and a flash of golden light passed before him, and a blue ice sculpture appeared out of thin air¨Cit was the frozen Mirror Fiend. Shen Luo sized up the demon with a glance and a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Instead of thawing it out, he placed his hand on its head and began to perform the Technique of Beast Taming and Summoning Spirits. The Tear Demon in the Ocean Eye was tied to the Snow Soul Pill, and he could not afford to let it go, no matter what. Although the Zhen surnamed man had said that the Tear Demon was only at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, Shen Luo did not dare to be careless and decided to enslave the Mirror Fiend as a spirit beast and in the process, inquire about the Tear Demon''s situation. As for the Spiritual Materials and treasures within the underwater cave that Zhen surnamed man had talked about, he wasn''t particularly interested in them. Countless black runes shot out from his palm, continually merging into the Mirror Fiend''s head. The Mirror Fiend, completely frozen by the blue ice, could not move; only its eyes could still shift, reflecting a look of pain. Shen Luo''s cultivation level was on par with that of the Mirror Fiend, and his Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits was already fully matured. The Mirror Fiend, being restrained by him, found itself at an absolute disadvantage in every aspect. However, moments later, the Mirror Fiend helplessly surrendered and agreed to become Shen Luo''s spirit beast. Shen Luo refined a Spiritual Communication Seal and embedded it within the Mirror Fiend''s body, then waved his hand to dissolve the blue ice around it. The Mirror Fiend regained its freedom, but its body had been seriously damaged by the cold Qi of the Indigo Blue Sea. Its body was cracked in several places, and the meridians inside were also severely injured, giving it a listless appearance. Now that the Mirror Fiend was his spirit beast, Shen Luo naturally had to care for it. He placed his hand on it and a stream of pure Mana flowed into the Mirror Fiend''s body, swiftly circulating and absorbing all the residual cold Qi. He didn''t stop there but took out a healing Talisman and crushed it. A ball of green light merged into the Mirror Fiend''s body. Traces of green light emerged on the body of the Mirror Fiend, and its wounds quickly began to heal. Its entire body suddenly emitted a bright blue light that was dazzling to behold. Soon, the blue light dimmed and disappeared, revealing a tall woman dressed in a purple skirt, with blue eyes and white hair, her forehead adorned with a Jade Belt inlaid with a Purple Bead, exuding a sense of bewitching charm mixed with a bit of elfin quirkiness. ¡°Greetings, Master.¡± The Mirror Fiend looked at Shen Luo with a complex expression, then bowed down gracefully, her voice surprisingly crisp and melodious, like the singing of an oriole. ¡°No need for such formalities. Although I have taken you as a spirit beast, I won''t make undue demands of you. Simply lend me your strength in battle in the future,¡± Shen Luo comforted her. With a temperament that was much gentler than that of typical demons, the Mirror Fiend, closely resembling the Human Race, was far more intelligent than ordinary monsters. It usually hid in secluded areas of the Eastern Sea, cultivating in hardship and rarely stirring up trouble. It wouldn''t have pursued and killed if not for the repeated intrusion of people like the Zhen surnamed man into her residence. It was a shame that her fortune was poor. The first time she emerged in over a hundred years, she encountered Shen Luo and was taken as a spirit beast, her heart filled with unspeakable grievance. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, much relieved by Shen Luo''s words, and complied with a response. ¡°Let me ask you, what is your relationship with the Tear Demon inside the Ocean Eye? How strong is its cultivation level?¡± Shen Luo, seeing that the Mirror Fiend had accepted its current situation, quietly nodded and inquired. Upon hearing this, the Mirror Fiend''s expression changed, and she hesitated without speaking. ¡°What''s the matter? Are you unwilling to speak? It seems that you and that Tear Demon are quite close. In that case, I won''t force you,¡± Shen Luo hummed, and his eyes filled with a burst of green light, the circular green rune markings in the depths of his pupils spinning like a whirlwind. As the Mirror Fiend locked eyes with Shen Luo, her vision immediately started to whirl and spin. She was shocked and immediately tried to look away, but her eyes had been captured by the green light of the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, and her body became uncontrollable, unable to move in the slightest. Shen Luo activated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and his pupils suddenly flashed with countless changing visions, rapidly moving as if in a kaleidoscope. The Mirror Fiend''s face struggled for a few moments, but soon it became expressionless, as though she had turned into a puppet. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo felt a surge of silent joy in his heart. He had just activated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil''s soul-bewitching technique, and indeed, its power was immense, subduing the Mirror Fiend, whose cultivation was not beneath his own, in the blink of an eye. ¡°What about that Tear Demon''s cultivation level?¡± he quickly gathered his thoughts and asked. ¡°She¡­ just now¡­ advanced¡­ to the Great Mahayana Stage¡­ and is consolidating her cultivation level¡­¡± The Mirror Fiend spoke in a flat tone, with lifeless eyes, mechanically. ¡°Already advanced to the Great Mahayana Stage!¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched, yet he wasn''t too concerned. With his current cultivation level, coupled with several treasure items on him, he feared not even a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator, especially with Yuan Qiu and Bai Xiaotian to assist him. ¡°What is your relationship with that Tear Demon?¡± He continued to inquire. ¡°I and the Tear Demon¡­ are old acquaintances¡­ Since our youth, we hid and cultivated¡­ within a seabed cave¡­ as close as sisters¡­¡± The Mirror Fiend said indifferently. ¡°Which Divine Powers does the Tear Demon excel in? Does she have any formidable methods?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, wondering, and then pressed on with his questioning. ¡°She is adept in water-attribute ice Divine Powers¡­ the Tear Demon is formed from resentment¡­ Her tears contain strong resentful Qi¡­ Those struck by them will experience mental confusion, falling into madness¡­¡± the Mirror Fiend stated woodenly. ¡°Tears? Resentful Qi?¡± Shen Luo''s face showed a strange expression. Earlier, the store owner at One Medicine House had mentioned the Tear Demon Pearl, referring to a kind of bead formed from the tears of a Tear Demon. Unexpectedly, the tears also contained resentful Qi that could drive a person into madness. As for the Tear Demon''s ice Divine Powers, he wasn''t particularly concerned, being in possession of the unique skills of the Indigo Blue Sea. He asked a few more questions about the Tear Demon, as well as the Mirror Fiend''s own Divine Powers, before he withdrew the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil. ¡°What have you done to me?¡± The wooden look in the Mirror Fiend''s eyes dispersed quickly, returning to clarity as she frantically asked, seemingly not remembering what had just transpired. ¡°No need to ask what I did,¡± Shen Luo said nonchalantly, simply instructing her, ¡°Just stay aside.¡± Now under his control, the Mirror Fiend could only stand anxiously to one side. Just at this moment, the white Protective Cover surrounding him suddenly vibrated. Shen Luo gestured, dissolving the white Protective Cover around him, to see Bai Xiaotian standing outside. ¡°Brother Shen, we have arrived at the location of that seabed cave,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, glancing at the Mirror Fiend with some surprise before speaking to Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded and looked down toward the sea area, dispersing his Divine Sense, probing the seabed. The situation on the seabed here was extremely complex, with ocean trenches and ridges everywhere; he could not immediately find the location of the Ocean Eye, indicating that the place must be very well hidden. He didn''t bother to search laboriously and turned to the Mirror Fiend at his side, saying, ¡°Lead the way.¡± With no other choice, the Mirror Fiend leaped into the sea and dived towards the seabed. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian put away the flying boat and followed. The two men and the fiend quickly dived to the seabed, to a remote seabed fissure where it was pitch black, and one could hardly see much of a distance. The Mirror Fiend''s figure flickered and she slipped into it, vanishing into the darkness. Chapter 926 Chapter 926: 923 Chapter: The Cunning Sparrow Lies in Wait Chapter 926: 923 Chapter: The Cunning Sparrow Lies in Wait ¡°Brother Shen, can this demon be trusted? Let''s not be led into a trap,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with some concern as he looked at the bottomless fissure on the seabed and transmitted his voice. ¡°Don''t worry, Brother Bai, it has already been marked with the Spiritual Communication Seal by me, and now it is my spirit beast, completely under my control. Should it harbor any ill intentions, I would sense it beforehand,¡± Shen Luo transmitted back. Bai Xiaotian, upon hearing this, showed a look of surprise on his face. The Art of Spirit Communication to tame demons is practiced by various sects, but to subdue a demon of equal cultivation level in such a short time is truly unbelievable. ¡°Brother Shen claims that he has been cultivating alone all these years, yet he knows more divine powers and secret techniques than I do. It seems he harbors many secrets, and is far from an ordinary freelance cultivator,¡± Bai Xiaotian silently sighed to himself, but was also happy for his friend Shen Luo for having such good fortune. The two of them then entered the crevice on the seabed, closely following the Mirror Fiend. The crevice was winding and twisting, and they descended following the demon for a quarter of an hour before stopping. Here, the fissure was very wide, measuring dozens of feet across, and it had also reached its lowest point, revealing a hidden cave under the sea in front of them. This cave was no longer dark; a faint white light shone through, and the depths were winding and complex, making it impossible to see the bottom from the entrance. ¡°The Tear Demon is inside. Master, I don''t know why you want to deal with the Tear Demon, but could you please spare her life? Your humble servant would be eternally grateful for your grace!¡± the Mirror Fiend suddenly knelt before Shen Luo with a ¡°plop,¡± pleading with tear-filled eyes. ¡°Rest assured, I have no intention of harming the Tear Demon. I merely seek her help with a matter,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. ¡°Thank you, Master, thank you!¡± The Mirror Fiend broke into smiles through tears, profusely thanking Shen Luo while bowing repeatedly. Shen Luo paid no heed to the Mirror Fiend and looked up at the deep cave, pondering for a moment before taking out a stack of formation flags and discs, the Liangyi Micro Dust Array given to him by the Black Bear Demon. Having obtained this Array, he had yet to use it. Now that the Tear Demon''s cultivation had reached the Great Mahayana Stage, it seemed like a good opportunity to test the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. He quickly set to work at the cave entrance, and as Bai Xiaotian also had some knowledge of Array Techniques, he stepped forward to help. At this moment, tens of thousands of miles away from Shen Luo on a coral island in the sea, the Zhen surnamed man and his party of six stood silently, anxiously awaiting someone. A moment later, a speck of silver light appeared on the distant horizon. But in the next instant, the silver light flashed and arrived in front of the six people with unbelievable speed¨Cit was a silver-colored flying shuttle, over a dozen yards in size. Two figures stood atop it, one a teenager holding a white fan, and the other a chubby red-robed monk wielding a golden Chan Stick, emitting a bright golden light that could be felt from afar due to its profound and heavy pressure. The White Fan Youth was none other than Young Master Min, whom Shen Luo had encountered earlier at the One Medicine House on Liubo Island. ¡°Zhen Nanru, why did you summon me here? What''s the matter?¡± the White Fan Youth asked with an arrogant look on his face. He was the Minor Sect Leader of the East Sea Jinyang Sect. Although the Jinyang Sect could not compare with great factions like Mount Putuo or Hua Sheng Temple, its power was significant, with Mahayana monks within its ranks. He naturally felt a sense of superiority towards freelance cultivators like the Zhen surnamed man. Seeing the White Fan Youth''s manner, the Zhen surnamed man and his companions felt indignant, but since they needed his help, they did not show it. ¡°If I have asked Young Master Min to come, naturally, it is a matter of great importance. And who might this master be?¡± the Zhen surnamed man chuckled, his gaze shifting to the red-robed monk beside him. The monk had an unfathomable presence, compelling his attention. ¡°This is Master Bao Xiang from Xuan Gui Island, a good friend of my father, who is helping me with a certain matter, so he came along,¡± the White Fan Youth replied disdainfully to the Zhen surnamed man''s antics, but since the red-robed monk was an elder, he couldn''t just ignore the introduction. The Zhen surnamed man and his companions had all heard of the renowned Master Bao Xiang, who was well-known on the East Sea Maritime Route and had reached the Mahayana Stage. However, this monk rarely ventured out, so not many knew him personally. ¡°So it is Master Bao Xiang, Junior and company pay their respects.¡± The group of people hastily performed a salutation. ¡°Fellow Benefactors are too kind.¡± The red-robed monk was very amiable, showed no airs, and returned their gesture with his hands together. ¡°Alright, let''s skip the pleasantries, what''s the matter for which you invited me here?¡± the White Fan Teenager said with great impatience. ¡°Does Minor Sect Leader Min still remember that Shen fellow we encountered at One Medicine House in Liubo City?¡± The man with the surname Zhen spoke directly, not beating around the bush. ¡°That wretch! He caused me to lose face in front of everyone, deserving of a thousand deaths! It''s just a pity that I had pressing matters that day and didn''t seek him out on Liubo Island to settle the score. Now, what, do you have his whereabouts?¡± Upon hearing this, the White Fan Teenager''s face turned cold as he spoke. ¡°Indeed, we just encountered that man. He¡­¡± The man with the surname Zhen briefly explained their recent encounter with Shen Luo as well as their subsequent plans, not hiding their intention to repay kindness with malice. On the East Sea Maritime Route, moral values were shallow and such matters were all too common. ¡°What! A Great Mahayana Stage Tear Demon!¡± After hearing this, the White Fan Teenager hadn''t responded yet, but Zen Master Bao Xiang''s eyes lit up with surprise, exclaiming aloud. ¡°That''s right, that Tear Demon just achieved the Great Mahayana Stage.¡± The man with the surname Zhen nodded and said, secretly pleased. Seeing Zen Master Bao Xiang''s interest in the Tear Demon was significant, and they thought if they could get him on board, this mission would be foolproof. ¡°Good, since that demon is present, I and Minor Sect Leader Min can lend you a hand. You can take whatever else you want, but the Tear Demon must be handed over to me,¡± Zen Master Bao Xiang said, his eyes shining brightly with excitement. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No problem,¡± replied the man with the surname Zhen and his companions. They had no particular interest in the Tear Demon and immediately agreed. ¡°Since Master Bao Xiang has agreed to assist you, I, Min, naturally will not refuse. After the deed is done, I want that Shen fellow and half the treasure in the seabed cave,¡± the White Fan Teenager also stated. ¡°No problem,¡± the man with the surname Zhen and his companions agreed with some pain, but knowing they would still gain half of the treasures in the cave, they considered it a substantial harvest. ¡°In that case, everyone board my Cloud-piercing Shuttle, we depart immediately, else we risk complications!¡± Zen Master Bao Xiang seemed very eager, making a gesture that increased the size of the remaining silver shuttle by twofold. The man with the surname Zhen and the others quickly boarded the shuttle. With a flash of silver light, the shuttle transformed into a silver shooting star, racing off into the distance. ¡­ In front of the seabed cave, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were still setting up the formation. Even though the Liangyi Micro Dust Formation was a simplified version, it was still very complex. The two had been busy for half an hour and had barely set up half of it. ¡°Master, people are coming, quite a few of them!¡± the Mirror Fiend by the side suddenly looked up into the sky, a flash of cold light in her eyes as she spoke. She had lived in this section of the seabed cave for many years, deploying numerous sensing methods within the seabed fissures for safety. ¡°Who is coming?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed. The Mirror Fiend took out the Blue Mirror, her hands swiftly forming seals. After a few flashes from the mirror, it revealed the images of seven or eight figures, none other than Zhen Nanru, the White Fan Teenager, and their group. Shen Luo, whose mind was astute, realized in a flash why Zhen Nanru and the others had followed them¨Cit seemed they aimed to play the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, with two additional allies to boot. He sneered and took out the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman, throwing it into the half-set Illusion Array. The Illusion Array immediately burst into bright white light, enveloping the entire cave entrance. Chapter 927 Chapter 927: Chapter 924: Tear Demon Chapter 927: Chapter 924: Tear Demon ¡°` ¡°Coming at just the right time, let me test the illusionary capabilities of this Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array.¡± Shen Luo changed his mind and formed hand seals, the magic spells shifting rapidly. The white Illusion Array immediately transformed, the Array itself disappearing without a trace, and a layer of white fog emerged, enveloping the entire cave entrance, deep within the fog appeared a scene of intense magical battle, with various colors of light clashing fiercely. However, separated by a layer of white fog, the scene was not clear. Thunderous booms and intense fluctuations of mana kept coming from within the fog, indistinguishable from a real fight. Shen Luo nodded in satisfaction, this simplified version of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array might not be as powerful as the true Liangyi Micro-dust Array, but it was much easier to activate. Bai Xiaotian, shocked at the illusion that seemed so real, opened his mouth to say something. ¡°They''re almost here, into the Array,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, emitting a great blue light, which enveloped Bai Xiaotian and the Mirror Fiend, and they entered into the fog, vanishing from sight. Not long after their disappearance, a group flew in from above, landing at a concealed spot outside the cave; it was exactly the group led by the man with the family name Zhen. Seeing the scene inside the Mountain Cave, they all rejoiced. ¡°Hehe, everything really is as Brother Zhen predicted; that Shen and the Tear Demon are fighting.¡± The impatient Elder with Black Beard was ready to rush in immediately. ¡°Brother Huyan, don''t be hasty. Let them fight a little longer, we can enter after the winner is determined,¡± the man with the family name Zhen hastily stopped the old man. ¡°You''re right, Brother Zhen, my apologies for being anxious,¡± the Black-bearded Old Man realized his hastiness and said with an apologetic smile. ¡°What are we waiting for? With Young Master and Master Baoxiang here, what are a mere late Nascent Soul Stage junior and a newly ascended Great Mahayana Stage Tear Demon considered?¡± The White Fan Youth snapped his folding fan shut and said with a sneer, looking as if he looked down on everything and everyone. However, Master Baoxiang was very cautious, eyeing the fog inside the cave entrance with a slight frown. ¡°What''s wrong? Master, have you noticed something?¡± Although the White Fan Youth seemed arrogant and overbearing, he was quite cunning on the inside. Seeing Master Baoxiang''s expression, he immediately asked. Master Baoxiang didn''t answer him, still staring into the cave, lost in thought. Even though the battle inside the fog seemed real, and the violent fluctuations of mana were flawless, he still felt something was off. ¡°I didn''t expect there to be a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator. Only half of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array is set up. It seems unlikely to lure them into the Array. I need to change tactics,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself after seeing this scene, heaved a sigh, and shaped a new handseal. The white light at the cave entrance suddenly became several times brighter, casting light outward, illuminating dozens of yards around the outside, and the white fog within the Array started spinning faster, emitting a whooshing sound. The White Fan Youth, the man with the family name Zhen, and the others were startled and hurriedly hid in the shadows to avoid being touched by the white light. ¡°Wrong, get out of here fast!¡± Master Baoxiang exclaimed. While their attention was drawn to the white light at the cave entrance, they failed to notice when white lines appeared on the ground beneath their feet, looking ancient and mysterious. ¡°Impressive for a Great Mahayana cultivator, truly alert, but it''s too late!¡± Inside the Array, Shen Luo let out a cold laugh, as his hand seals changed. The white lines suddenly burst into bright light, engulfing the entire group within it. The White Fan Youth, the man with the family name Zhen, including Master Baoxiang, saw a flash before their eyes, and when they regained their senses, they found themselves in a place enveloped by swirling white fog. ¡°What place is this?¡± The White Fan Youth''s face changed drastically as he looked around in panic. The man with the family name Zhen and the others were just as shocked, but Master Baoxiang remained relatively composed. ¡°It seems we are in an Array, we all underestimated that Shen youngster.¡± Master Baoxiang said gravely, his Gold Chan Stick striking out in a flash of lightning in all directions. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°` Fourteen-foot-long golden staff shadows shot out, striking the surrounding White Fog. Several loud booms echoed as four golden hurricanes surged skyward; however, the entire white space only trembled slightly before stabilizing immediately. Seeing this, Master Baoxiang''s expression turned completely stern as he continued to wield the Gold Chan Stick to attack the Array. Seeing his actions, the others also made their moves. The White Fan Youth opened his mouth to emit six Red Flying Swords, forming a Red Sword Array, mercilessly chopping towards the surrounding white space. Zhen, the big man, took out a fiery red gourd with a flip of his hand. With a pinch of a magic spell, a shower of crimson sand and gravel burst forth, each piece the size of a bean. Once in the air, they grew upon contact with the wind, quickly linking into one mass, forming a vast Fire Cloud. The Elder with Black Beard sacrificed a pitch-black Ghost Head Saber that emitted sorrowful wails. Enshrouded by a layer of black Yin Fire, he fiercely struck down on the white light curtain. The Man in Green Robe and the two Soul Condensation Stage Cultivators formed a three-person Formation, jointly wielding the yellow Stone Stele. Countless earth-yellow Thunderballs rained down from it, following closely after the others. At last, the Lady in Golden Skirt above her head sacrificed a long Gold Banner, embroidered with a pattern that looked like a gold-colored glaze bottle. This Lady in Golden Skirt cast a spell to activate the Gold Banner. As it waved, a bright mirror-like Golden Light shot out from it, slashing at the surrounding white space. Their attacks were all formidable, but sadly, the white prohibition space was exceptionally resilient. Apart from causing a few ripples, there were no other effects. In the depths of the white space, Shen Luo sneered slightly. Although the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array had only been half set up, its power was immense; with the current cultivation levels of Master Baoxiang and the others, he knew they had no hope of breaking it through sheer force. However, he couldn''t let them continue to bombard it without consequence. He turned his head to look deeper into the cave, flicking his finger. A thick Red Sword Qi burst out from within the Formation, disappearing into the depths of the cave in a flash. With a loud boom, a burst of crimson light exploded there, causing numerous fragments of stone, big and small, to rain down, collapsing and burying most of the cave. A sharp, angry roar came from the depths of the cave, followed by a great Blue Light shooting out incredibly fast. With a resounding crash, it broke through the stones burying the interior of the cave and stopped at the entrance. The Blue Light flickered and dispersed, revealing a demon in blue. This demon took on a human shape, wearing a long blue dress with blue skin and hair. Everything about it was blue, which looked quite eerie. But her appearance was enchanting, especially the large, lively eyes. However, her face bore a malevolent air with a mix of stubbornness and viciousness in her gaze. ¡°Is this the Tear Demon?¡± Shen Luo observed the blue demoness with keen eyes. The Tear Demon, seeing the white light filling the entire entrance of the cave, did not act immediately. Although she detested human cultivators, she acknowledged their powerful capabilities. The mass of white light placed a great pressure on her, making her hesitant to act rashly. ¡°It seems it''s going to be troublesome here as well,¡± Shen Luo sighed and flicked his finger again. A Red Flying Sword shot out from within the white light, turning into a crimson rainbow that shot towards the Tear Demon. Chapter 928 Chapter 928: Chapter 925 Plaything Chapter 928: Chapter 925 Plaything ¡°` A blue light, liquid-like, emerged beneath the Tear Demon''s feet, her form instantly melding into it and vanishing from sight. The next moment, about twenty or thirty feet away, a blue light flashed on the ground, and the Tear Demon burst forth from it. However, the crimson sword rainbow flickered and disappeared, reappearing above the Tear Demon''s head in a blink, sword light blazing brightly. In an instant, the sound of tearing through the air loudly resounded! Hundreds of red sword shadows appeared out of thin air, raining down on the Tear Demon like a torrential downpour. The Tear Demon, in a rage, opened her mouth and spat out a blue ice flame, which rapidly expanded in size. In the blink of an eye, it swelled to dozens of feet wide, submerging all of the sword shadows. But at that moment, formation patterns of white light emerged from the ground at her feet, and brilliance flared before her eyes. Then she found herself in a white space, and quite close to Master Baoxiang and his company. The massive blue ice flame was also drawn into the white space, casting down towards Master Baoxiang and the others. ¡°Tear Demon!¡± Master Baoxiang exclaimed in shock at the sight of the Tear Demon and the vast expanse of blue ice flames, his gold Chan Stick emanating bright golden light as he smashed it down towards the flames with lightning speed five times. With thunderous booms, the void below the blue ice flames undulated, and five tower-sized shadows of the gold Chan Stick burst forth from the void, clashing with the ice flames. Five sun-like bursts of golden light exploded, tearing through the blue ice flames, though the five shadowy Chan Sticks also disintegrated. The others were a bit slower in their reaction but immediately summoned their Magical Treasures and attacked the Tear Demon. Enraged, the Tear Demon spun her body, and a great expanse of blue mist laced with potent cold Qi billowed out from within her, submerging her form and sweeping toward the group. At the same time, a layer of mournful black water light surfaced in the Tear Demon''s eyes. The next moment, more than a dozen black tear beads flew out from them, disappearing into the blue mist in a flash. The originally blue mist instantly intensified several times over and turned into a dark blue-black, emitting a heavy, pervasive resentment. As the Magical Weapons and Treasures of people like the Zheng surnamed man came into contact with the black and blue mist, their radiance immediately dimmed, and their surfaces quickly developed layers of black as if tainted with resentment. ¡°So these are the Tear Demon''s tears? Their power is indeed extraordinary,¡± Shen Luo observed from a distance, nodding slightly as he watched the battle. While contemplating silently, he performed hand seals and activated the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array, isolating the exchange of sound and Divine Sense between the two parties and stirring up the fighting between them. As the Tear Demon was outnumbered and outpowered, Shen Luo occasionally activated prohibitions to help her fend off some attacks, maintaining a balance in the battle. Thus, inexplicably, the Tear Demon and Master Baoxiang along with others found themselves locked in fierce combat. Even though both sides realized they had fallen into a trap and did not wish to fight to the death, everything within the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array was under Shen Luo''s control. Given the array''s capability to create illusions, inciting a fight between them was all too easy. Bai Xiaotian stood beside Shen Luo with a complex expression. This was a battle between two Great Mahayana stage beings and a group of Nascent Soul experts, yet they seemed like playthings in Shen Luo''s hands, to be toyed with at will. The Mirror Fiend also stood nearby, looking towards Shen Luo with eyes full of awe. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time slowly passed, and in the blink of an eye, half an hour had elapsed. By this point, the fight between the Tear Demon and Master Baoxiang and the others had all but ended. On the side of the human cultivators, apart from Master Baoxiang, everyone else had fallen to the ground, their skin turning a bluish-black color, as if poisoned. Both the Tear Demon and Master Baoxiang were still warring, but they were each wounded. Master Baoxiang, like the others, had a layer of bluish-black on his face and multiple frostbite injuries on his body. The Tear Demon was also seriously hurt, one arm broken and twisted at an unnatural angle, with a fist-sized bloody hole pierced through her lower abdomen, among other injuries. The intensity and speed of their attacks had noticeably weakened compared to the beginning of the fight, clearly showing that both were at the end of their strength. ¡°It''s time to end this,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently, his figure vanishing in a flash. A flash of crimson light passed overhead the Tear Demon, and countless red sword shadows emerged, enveloping her in a sky-covering assault. ¡°` The demon was greatly alarmed, and with a wave of its remaining right hand, it released a thin layer of freezing mist, meeting the Sword Shadows head-on. Upon seeing this scene, Master Bao Xiang knew that the person controlling the Array here had finally made a move. His eyes narrowed, and he suddenly let out a low shout. His arm suddenly thickened by a wide margin, and the Gold Chan Stick in his hand shone even brighter, emitting a sharp roar akin to that of dragons and tigers. ¡°Go!¡± Master Bao Xiang swung his arm, throwing the Gold Chan Stick, which transformed into a gold arc, charging forward with unstoppable force, fast as lightning, stabbing towards the Tear Demon''s chest! At the same time, Master Bao Xiang''s other hand withdrew back into his sleeve, with a barely visible fine needle appearing in his palm, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Having battled with the Tear Demon for so long, he had already noticed that the person arranging the Array was aiding the Tear Demon, seemingly not wanting it to die. If that was the case, he would kill this Tear Demon and force the culprit to show themselves. The moment they revealed themselves, he would use the Shadowless Divine Needle, tempered with Heavenly Thunder, to greet them. Even if he couldn''t kill the opponent, he would afflict them with a heavy injury and take the opportunity to escape from this accursed Array. The direction of the Sword Shadows above the Tear Demon''s head suddenly changed, slashing all towards the Golden staff shadow. ¡°Clang¡± ¡°Clang¡± ¡°Clang¡±¨Ca series of loud noises rang out, a chain of crimson sparks burst forth, and the Golden Staff Shadow was instantly struck away, flying past the Tear Demon''s body. Simultaneously, the figure behind Master Bao Xiang blurred, and Shen Luo''s figure materialized out of thin air, wielding a Profound Yellow Long Staff, and he swung fiercely down towards Master Bao Xiang''s head. An overwhelming Qi surged towards Master Bao Xiang. A sly smile appeared at the corner of Master Bao Xiang''s mouth, and his Big Red Kasaya shot out from his body, meeting the Profound Yellow Long Staff. But faster than the kasaya was his left hand. He suddenly flicked it out, and the fine needle in his hand turned into a strand of hair-thin black light, vanishing in a flash as it struck Shen Luo. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± sounded! An eye-piercing lightning explosion erupted, and thick white Thunder and Lightning swept out in all directions, lashing the nearby white space like whips, causing the white space to violently shake. Shen Luo was swallowed by the lightning and completely vanished, along with the Profound Yellow Long Staff, neither striking down. Master Bao Xiang''s tensed face relaxed. He had little Mana left in his body, and this strike was a desperate gamble. If it had failed, he would have accepted his fate, but fortunately, everything went smoothly. Just as he relaxed his guard, a sharp golden light appeared behind him, wrapping lightning-fast around his neck. Master Bao Xiang felt a chill on his neck, and the next moment his head tumbled down, rolling on the ground. The Divine soul inside his head was also extinguished by the intense Qi within the golden light. The golden light revealed its true form, which turned out to be a Dark Gold Broken Sword, none other than the Magic Extinguishing Sword. Opposite Master Bao Xiang, the Tear Demon''s face showed shock, but it quickly recovered, retreating backward, and took the opportunity to look for a chance to flee from this place. However, the Void around her suddenly flashed, and several figures of Shen Luo emerged out of nowhere, as many as seven or eight, surrounding her in the middle. Each Shen Luo wielded a Profound Yellow Staff, striking towards various parts of the Tear Demon''s body. The Tear Demon couldn''t help but widen her eyes, preparing to defend herself. Suddenly, a hand reached out from the white space, pressing on the Tear Demon''s shoulder before she could react, and a surge of overwhelming coldness came crashing in, instantly halting all the Tear Demon''s movements. Not only that, but Blue Ice began to form on the Tear Demon''s body, and with the sound of ¡°crack¡± ¡°crack¡± of freezing, it rapidly thickened. A few breaths later, the Tear Demon was encased in a several-feet-high Blue Iceberg, immobilized. Chapter 929 Chapter 929: Chapter 926: Tear Demon Pearl Chapter 929: Chapter 926: Tear Demon Pearl As the Tear Demon was sealed within the Blue Iceberg, the seven or eight Shen Luos all stopped moving and then disappeared like bubbles. The space behind that palm trembled, and the real Shen Luo slowly emerged, raising his hand with a summoning gesture. The Demon-slaying Broken Sword flew back and landed in his hand. Looking at the broken sword in his hand, Shen Luo''s mouth revealed a slight smile. Over this period of time, he had also used the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to consecrate this divine sword, and he had already cultivated a considerably strong connection with it, capable of unleashing a small portion of its might. Today was the first attempt to activate it, and indeed, it had accomplished a great feat in one fell swoop. Two figures flashed into existence behind Shen Luo, one being Bai Xiaotian, and the other was the Mirror Fiend, holding that blue mirror in her hand. The Tear Demon inside the Iceberg saw the Mirror Fiend and Shen Luo standing together and immediately showed a flame-like rage in her eyes. Seeing the expression of the Tear Demon, the Mirror Fiend subconsciously wanted to explain, but after glancing at Shen Luo in front of her, she swallowed back her words. Having become Shen Luo''s spirit beast, the Mirror Fiend subconsciously felt fear towards him. Shen Luo had come looking for the Tear Demon, and she did not know why; she was afraid that speaking out of turn would disrupt Shen Luo''s plans. ¡°Master, you promised me before not to harm her life,¡± she said hesitantly, still filled with guilt, but eventually spoke out. ¡°Don''t worry, since I promised you, I will do it,¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently, putting away the Demon-slaying Broken Sword with a flip of his hand. The Mirror Fiend let out a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Shen Luo glanced at the Mirror Fiend, a trace of unusual color flashing through his pupils. The sudden appearance of seven or eight Shen Luos was exactly the result of the Mirror Fiend''s Mirror Avatar God''s Power. These were not ordinary doppelgangers and could simulate all of the breath, abilities, and even Magical Treasures of the original body, also possessing one-tenth of the original body''s strength. It was quite a useful auxiliary ability. Unfortunately, as the Mirror Fiend''s cultivation level was not high, creating eight doppelgangers was her limit. Shen Luo turned his head to look at the Ice Mountain where the Tear Demon was confined and made a pinpointing gesture. A streak of Blue Light shot from his hand and entered the Ice Mountain. The blue ice crystals around the Tear Demon''s head melted a bit, restoring her ability to speak. ¡°Mirror Fiend! I treated you like a sister and have been protecting you all these years, yet you conspired with a human cultivator to betray me!¡± the Tear Demon immediately roared in anger. Her shrill voice echoed within the white space, almost piercing through one''s eardrums. ¡°I''m sorry, but I didn''t want to¡­¡± Tears cascaded from the Mirror Fiend''s eyes as she vigorously shook her head. ¡°Your Excellency needs not be so furious. It was I who had the Mirror Fiend bring me here. She has become my spirit beast and cannot defy my commands,¡± Shen Luo interjected before the Mirror Fiend could continue, his tone calm. The voice of the Tear Demon inside the Iceberg ceased abruptly, her eyes losing their anger, replaced by pity and sorrow. However, after a few breaths, an even stronger fury emerged on her face. This time, her anger was directed at Shen Luo. ¡°How dare you enslave my sister, human monk! Don''t let me catch an opportunity, or I will make your divine soul soak in my tears of resentment, making you suffer daily from the invasion of grievances!¡± the Tear Demon howled furiously. Shen Luo inwardly rolled his eyes. Was this Tear Demon a fool? She had already been captured, and yet she still dared to utter such threats. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There''s no need for such excitement, Your Excellency. I have made the Mirror Fiend my spirit beast not out of a desire to enslave her but to borrow her abilities when necessary. Moreover, after a period of time, I will grant her freedom,¡± he spoke calmly. The Tear Demon was startled to hear this, and the Mirror Fiend beside her felt the same. ¡°Master, are you telling the truth?¡± the Mirror Fiend quickly recovered, and with a mix of shock and joy, it sought confirmation. ¡°Since I have spoken, of course, I will make it happen. The more you aid me in the future, the sooner you will regain your freedom,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°I understand, Master. Rest assured, I will put in the effort and will not slack off in battle,¡± the Mirror Fiend said, brimming with happiness. Shen Luo nodded satisfactorily and turned his attention to the Tear Demon, saying, ¡°As for why I have sought Your Excellency, I likewise have no intention of harming you. I simply need a favor.¡± The Tear Demon looked at Shen Luo, and while the hatred in her eyes had diminished somewhat, it was still filled with hostility. ¡°What do you want me to do for you?¡± After a while, she asked, somewhat reluctantly. ¡°I wish to obtain some Tear Demon Pearls from you that do not contain despair,¡± Shen Luo stated his most essential purpose for this visit. On his way here, he had already learned from the Mirror Fiend the method to create the Tear Demon Pearls¨Cusing one''s innate vitality, combined with demon power, to condense the pearls. For a Tear Demon at the Nascent Soul Stage, producing these pearls was quite difficult, as it would consume innate vitality. However, the Tear Demon before him had advanced to the Great Mahayana Stage, with robust vital force, so making some Tear Demon Pearls was no issue for her. Upon hearing his request, the Tear Demon inwardly sighed with relief but showed no sign of it on her face. ¡°You want my tear beads? Hmph! It''s not impossible, but what will you offer me in exchange?¡± She sneered, deciding to extort the human cultivator in front of her. ¡°Your life,¡± Shen Luo stated indifferently. The Tear Demon''s expression froze, then she glared at Shen Luo with resentful eyes for a long time without speaking. ¡°Your Excellency may be a bit stronger than me, but this Iceberg has been forged with a God''s Power of Ice far beyond yours. With your current state, it''s impossible for you to break through. So let''s not waste time and my patience,¡± Shen Luo said lightly, with a hint of Green Light flickering in his eyes suddenly. The Tear Demon was shocked. She had been talking so much to Shen Luo, indeed to buy time while secretly accumulating demon power to break through the Iceberg. This human cultivator, clearly less powerful than her, had seen through her ploy at a glance. ¡°Fine, I will produce a batch of Tear Demon Pearls for you, but you must release the Mirror Fiend and swear not to disturb us here again!¡± the Tear Demon, after a moment of silence, said. ¡°You''re not in a position to negotiate with me right now. I have already made significant concessions. If you continue to push your luck, I won''t hesitate to take another approach and extract your innate vitality to condense the Tear Demon Pearls,¡± Shen Luo''s tone turned cold as he spoke. After saying this, he did not speak again but placed his hand on the Iceberg surrounding the Tear Demon. A projection of the Heavenly Book appeared above his palm and unfolded with a whoosh. The Tear Demon and the Iceberg around her shook a few times and then vanished in a flash, collected into the Heavenly Book Space. Only by taking her into the Heavenly Book Space could Shen Luo feel at ease. ¡°Where''s the Tear Demon?¡± the Mirror Fiend, upon seeing this, expressed a look of surprise. ¡°She''s in one of my Spatial Treasures. You should go in as well,¡± Shen Luo explained briefly, and after a moment of thought, he also brought the Mirror Fiend into the Heavenly Book Space. With these matters addressed, he went over to the headless corpse of Master Baoxiang that had fallen. The Divine soul of Master Baoxiang had been utterly destroyed by the overwhelming might of the Demon-slaying Broken Sword at the moment of decapitation. Shen Luo waved his sleeve, emitting a Blue Light, which gathered Master Baoxiang''s Storage Magical Tool, along with the Gold Chan Stick and the Red Kasaya lying nearby. The Red Kasaya was just an ordinary Defensive Magical Treasure. Already possessing the Bloodthirsty Flag, he was not particularly interested in this treasure. However, the Gold Chan Stick immediately caught his eye. This stick was also a Magical Treasure, and its quality was not low. Still, Shen Luo was not concerned about this. What drew his attention was the material of the Chan Stick, which contained a large amount of Spirit Solar Iron. This Divine Iron was a material for refining the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. If he could extract it and merge it into the Profound Yellow Staff, its power would surely increase once again. Chapter 930 Chapter 930: Chapter 927 Gathering Chapter 930: Chapter 927 Gathering Shen Luo heaved a silent sigh, gathering up the kasaya, Chan Stick, and all of Master Baoxiang''s stored magical tools. To refine these items, a skilled Artifact Refiner would be necessary. It was a pity that Boss Hua from the Black Chicken Kingdom was no longer around, as that would have spared him the trouble. With a thought, Shen Luo turned his gaze towards the fallen White Fan Youth and the man with the surname Zhen among others. These people had been afflicted with the grievance power of the Tear Demon, which was extremely cold and sinister, even worse than some poison. Having been affected for so long, their vitality was as thin as a thread, and the two Soul Condensation Stage cultivators had already perished. Since these people wanted to kill him, Shen Luo naturally wasn''t going to show them mercy. A cold flash in his eyes, he raised his hand to send them on their final journey, when his expression suddenly changed. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among the group of the fallen man with the surname Zhen, one was missing; the Lady in Golden Skirt had disappeared without anyone noticing when. ¡°Yuan Qiu, did you notice there was a Lady in Golden Skirt here?¡± Shen Luo asked hastily. ¡°I saw her earlier, huh, when did she disappear?¡± Yuan Qiu was also surprised. The look in Shen Luo''s eyes flickered; it seemed he and Yuan Qiu had both been fooled. Among the group led by the man with the surname Zhen, there was such an expert hidden, who had managed to escape the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array unnoticed. However, the woman''s escape was neither here nor there. He flicked his fingers in succession, and several dazzling red Sword Qi shot out from his hand, piercing into the bodies of the man with the surname Zhen and the others. There were several muffled ¡°bang¡± and ¡°bang¡± sounds as their bodies exploded and were engulfed in flames, turning into ash in the blink of an eye. However, one person suddenly leaped up from the ground and rapidly swept to the side, dodging the attack and stopping a dozen or so feet away. It was the White Fan Youth. His face was now deathly pale, and his limbs were still shaking, but a golden sun pattern had appeared on his forehead, seemingly the effect of a Talisman, which forcibly restored his mobility. ¡°I am the Young Master of the Golden Yang Sect, you can''t kill me!¡± the White Fan Youth said tremblingly, his face full of fear, regret swelling in his heart. He never expected Shen Luo to be so powerful that even Master Baoxiang had been easily dealt with. If he had known this would happen, no matter how bold he was, he would not have dared to provoke Shen Luo, this harbinger of doom. ¡°Since you came with these people to kill me, why can''t I kill you?¡± Shen Luo sneered coldly, showing no mercy as he made a gesture with his hand. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out from his hand at a speed several times faster than the Sword Qi, appearing suddenly in front of the White Fan Youth and sweeping across his body. The Crimson Sword Light shone brightly, like a red dawn flashing past. With a ¡°crisp¡± sound, the White Fan Youth''s body was split in half, and then a red flame ignited, turning even his remains into ash. Shen Luo waved his sleeve and emitted a burst of Blue Light, which rolled back all the treasures and storage magical tools of these people, collecting them all. Bai Xiaotian had been standing by the whole time without speaking, observing Shen Luo''s every move, contemplating and learning continuously in his heart. ¡°Let''s go and see what''s inside.¡± Shen Luo packed up the surrounding Liangyi Micro-dust Array, said to Bai Xiaotian, and walked towards the deeper parts of the cave. Bai Xiaotian came back to his senses and hurriedly followed. The cave was quite deep, twisting and turning. Despite traveling several dozen feet, they still hadn''t reached the end, but the rock on the cave walls began to show a snowy white color as if they had turned into jade, and emitted soft white light. In some parts of the cave walls, there started to appear some spirit grass and minerals, although they were not of a high grade, so the two did not bother collecting them. ¡°Hmm, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here is much denser than outside,¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly said. Shen Luo had been observing the surroundings and had not noticed this detail. Once he activated his Divine Sense to sense it, he indeed found it to be true. ¡°It seems this place is quite special, perhaps it is the location of some spiritual vein, hence the birth of these Spiritual Materials,¡± Shen Luo speculated. As the two of them were speaking, they finally reached the end of the Underground Cave. Suddenly, a spacious cavern of about a hundred feet appeared in front of them. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here was abnormally dense, almost three to four times that of the outside. The Spirit Grass and minerals in the cavern were even more abundant, occupying most of the space, making it seem not like the Underworld, but a magnificent Garden. ¡°Moon Star Child, Ice Cap Grass, Purple Quartz, Lingxin Heart Jade¡­¡± Shen Luo identified these Spiritual Materials, only recognizing less than half, but it was enough to leave him astounded. The grades of these Spiritual Materials were very high. He had seen them in some Nascent Soul Stage Dan formulas and Artifacts Refining materials, amongst which a few were also very useful to Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators. A rough estimate of the value of these Spiritual Materials placed them at close to ten thousand Immortal jade. ¡°Finders, keepers, let''s split them equally between the two of us,¡± Shen Luo said. Bai Xiaotian had taken a liking to quite a few of the Spirit Grasses here and was hardly going to refuse; the two immediately started to collect them, swiftly taking away all the Spiritual Materials. On one side of the cavern''s Stone Wall, two Stone Houses had been carved out, which seemed to be the Residence of the Tear Demon and Mirror Fiend. Inside, many Things were placed, including some Spiritual Materials, Monster materials, as well as some magical instruments and Magical Treasures obtained after killing human cultivators¨Call precious items. Each taking one stone chamber, they collected the treasures inside. This great battle was primarily fought by Shen Luo, so he got to take the Tear Demon''s stone chamber. Beyond those treasures, the Tear Demon''s stone chamber''s walls were embedded with numerous white pearls¨Ctwenty or thirty of them¨Cemitting a bone-chilling cold that made the stone chamber seem like an Ice Cave. ¡°These are Tear Demon Pearls! Such strong cold Qi, no wonder they can be used to refine Snow Soul Pills,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up as he waved his hand to emit a Blue Light, collecting all the white pearls. ¡°Eh!¡± When he was gathering the white pearls, he suddenly noticed something unusual about the wall at the back of the Tear Demon''s stone chamber; strands of pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi were seeping out from inside. ¡°What''s inside there?¡± Shen Luo flicked his finger. A thick Sword Qi shot out, striking the wall. With a crisp ¡°clang¡± sound, the Sword Qi shattered on impact, leaving only a small, fist-sized dent in the wall. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± He sucked in a breath of cool air. With his current level of Cultivation and the power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, a casual Sword Qi from him was comparable to a strike from a Top-Grade Magical Artifact, yet it only made such a small dent. How sturdy was this wall, and what material was it made of? However, Shen Luo quickly stopped his pointless pondering. After a moment''s thought, he flipped his hand and took out the Demon-slaying Broken Sword. Of all his treasures, this sword was the sharpest. Holding the Demon-slaying Broken Sword in his hand, he channeled Mana into it. The break in the blade immediately emitted a brilliant Golden Light, forming a sword blade that completed the broken sword. Shen Luo swung his arm, and the Longsword turned into a golden shadow, slashing at the Stone Wall. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± a large chunk of Stone was cut off, as easily as slicing through tofu. He felt joy in his heart and continued swinging the Magic Extinguishing Sword, digging into the depths of the wall. The Stone Wall here was exceedingly tough, containing abundant and dense Vitality, making techniques like the Escape Earth Talisman completely ineffective for penetration, but unexpectedly, the Demon-slaying Broken Sword was useful. Chapter 931 Chapter 931: 928 Chapter 931: 928 Bai Xiaotian stepped out from the neighboring Mirror Fiend''s stone house and noticed Shen Luo''s actions, immediately walking over. He quickly noticed the unusual nature of the spiritual energy at this place, but unfortunately, he did not have any sharp objects at hand, so he could only help Shen Luo by carrying the chiseled stone to the outside. With the unrivaled sharpness of the Magic Extinguishing Sword, Shen Luo quickly excavated a passageway dozens of feet deep in the stone wall. The deeper he went into the stone wall, the richer the spiritual energy seeping out became. Shen Luo realized that the reason the spiritual energy within this seabed cave was so dense lay right here. The stone wall became increasingly harder to dig into as they progressed, but fortunately, he had the Magic Extinguishing Sword, otherwise it would have been impossible to go any further. Shen Luo wielded his sword with all his might to break through the rocks, advancing several more feet, when suddenly the rocks in front vanished, and a white light curtain appeared abruptly ahead. ¡°Huh, what is this?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened. The light curtain flickered with rune shapes like earthworms, looking extremely mysterious, and there seemed to be another world beyond the curtain, yet despite straining his eyes, he could not peer through it at all. ¡°It seems the spiritual energy of this seabed cave comes from inside this light curtain. What place is this behind here? Could it be some sort of secret realm?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze swept across the white light curtain while his mind raced with thoughts. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This aura? The place behind this light curtain is extraordinary! Brother Shen, let me try it with the Yuan-Devouring Gu,¡± Yuan Qiu, who was in the space of the Heavenly Book, also sensed the aura of the white light curtain and, showing an excited expression, waved both sleeves. Hearing this, Shen Luo formed a hand seal and pointed ahead; a golden light flashed from his fingertips, and a cloud of ash appeared out of nowhere, filled with countless tiny grey insects. They surged onto the white light curtain, turning into wisps of ash that seeped into it. However, just like when the Lotus prohibition was broken in Chaoyin Cave, all the Yuan-Devouring Gu disappeared inside the light curtain, and the glow of the white restriction dimmed only slightly. To break this restriction with the Gu insects would require at least ten times the current number, and it would take several months to erode and break through. Normally, this period would not be unacceptable, but Shen Luo could not wait that long. ¡°No need for that trouble, let me try with this Magic Extinguishing Sword,¡± Shen Luo said blandly, channeling mana into the Demon-slaying Broken Sword. This time, however, he was not activating the Nameless Cultivation Technique, but the Pure Yang Sword Technique. The Magic Extinguishing Sword contained a formidable and unparalleled Pure Yang Power, which made it much more compatible with the Pure Yang Sword Technique. As he infused mana, the golden light on the Magic Extinguishing Sword grew ever more dazzling and intense, and a fierce and powerful Sword Qi suddenly burst forth, causing the nearby void to tremble uncontrollably. Yet Shen Luo''s intuition told him that this level of Sword Qi was still not enough to break through the white restriction ahead. He continued to circulate the Pure Yang Sword Technique, pouring more mana into the Magic Extinguishing Sword. After a few breaths, a cracking sound emitted from within the Magic Extinguishing Sword, as if a certain limit had been breached. The golden light on the Magic Extinguishing Sword suddenly became ten times brighter, radiating light for thousands of miles! The red marks on the sword body completely crumbled away, stripped clean, leaving the entire sword pure and bright, as if forged from condensed golden light, without a single flaw. An immense Pure Yang Power erupted from the sword, forcibly repelling all the surrounding sea water. The cold energy that existed here due to the seabed location was thoroughly evaporated, and the warmth of the rising sun filled every corner. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo within his body suddenly emitted an excited tremor and spontaneously flew out, joyfully circling around the Magic Extinguishing Sword like a happy little swallow. Furthermore, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was rapidly absorbing the Pure Yang Power flooding out of the Magic Extinguishing Sword. Faint golden patterns emerged on the Sword Embryo, its aura remarkably rising at a rapid pace. Shen Luo looked at the scene unfolding before him, his face exhibiting a look of surprise. ¡°What¡­ what''s going on?¡± Bai Xiaotian had just returned from sending out the piece of rock Shen Luo had cut off, his expression one of shock as he saw the state of the Demon-slaying Sword. ¡°It''s nothing.¡± Shen Luo, having recovered, said indifferently before waving his arm. The golden holy sword chopped forward, striking the white light curtain in front, and with a ¡°zhi la¡± sound, like tearing tough hide, the mysterious white light curtain was rent with a gap about a yard wide. ¡°It''s broken through!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in delight, his eyes peering past the light curtain. However, before he could get a clear view, a thick purple mist surged out from the fissure, enveloping Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s expression changed instantly, and he retreated swiftly, but his left hand was still contaminated by the purple haze. His left hand instantly turned purple, losing all sensation, and what''s more, the purple spread rapidly upwards, reaching his elbow in the blink of an eye. ¡°Poison!¡± His pupils contracted, as he immediately put all his energy into operating the Great Unsealing Technique, and a layer of crystal light appeared on his left hand. Almost at the same time, Shen Luo uttered a low shout, and his right hand holding the Demon-slaying Sword did not hesitate to chop down, severing his left arm at the elbow. ¡°Brother Shen!¡± Bai Xiaotian, upon seeing this, changed color dramatically and waved his arm immediately. A streak of green light shot out from him, standing in front of Shen Luo with a ¡°whoosh¡± and swelling into a jade disc shrouded in a misty green light. Upon it, a lifelike green flood dragon seemed ready to emerge, completely blocking the cave ahead. The surging purple mist was stopped by the green jade disc, but the green light originally emitted by the disc instantly turned purple, spreading rapidly to the outside. It wasn''t just the green jade disc, the exceedingly hard walls of the passageway were also swiftly stained purple, and Shen Luo''s severed arm dissolved directly into a puddle of purple sticky liquid. ¡°Such a terrifying poison! Let''s get out of here quickly; my Panlong Jade Disc won''t last much longer!¡± Bai Xiaotian sucked in a breath of cold air and urged anxiously. Shen Luo watched the poison mist ahead and instead of leaving as Bai Xiaotian suggested, he activated the Great Unsealing Technique. A layer of white light appeared at the stump of his left arm and with a soft ¡°puff,¡± a new arm grew out right there. The moment he was contaminated by the poison mist, he had activated the Great Unsealing Technique. With his previous experience in Dreamland, the technique had made significant progress, and regrowing a severed arm was no longer an issue. Bai Xiaotian was momentarily startled by the scene before him, but he didn''t ask any further questions. Shen Luo restored his arms, and immediately raised both hands, pressing towards the purple poison gas behind the green jade disc from afar. His palms radiated golden light and emitted a ¡°sizzling¡± screech; the Heavenly Book Projection appeared out of thin air before him, its pages turning rapidly. A golden vortex about a yard in size materialized around the Heavenly Book Projection, exerting a powerful devouring force. As his cultivation level deepened, the Heavenly Book Projection''s power to absorb also strengthened considerably. The white curtain, already half-infected by the purple mist, vanished in an instant and the purple mist rushing behind it surged forward, only to be swiftly absorbed by the golden vortex. The crack in the light curtain within the depths of the passageway closed quickly, and within a few breaths, it disappeared completely, with no more purple mist pouring out. The purple poison mist within the passageway was also entirely drawn into the golden vortex, and everything returned to calm. Bai Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief; the purple poison fog just now was shockingly powerful, and even though he was skilled at detoxification, he was helpless against that poison fog. Fortunately, Shen Luo had a way to deal with it. As for his Panlong Jade Disc being taken by Shen Luo, he didn''t mind it, as the disc, being infected by the poison mist to that extent, could no longer be used. Chapter 932 Chapter 932: Chapter 929: Luo Star City Chapter 932: Chapter 929: Luo Star City ¡°Brother Shen, could you give me some of that poison mist? I want to do some research on it and see if I can find a way to resist it,¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly thought of something, turned to Shen Luo, and asked. ¡°Do you have a container that can hold the mist without being contaminated?¡± Shen Luo asked. He was considering ways to deal with the poison mist, after all, this was an unknown secret realm of immeasurable value, and they couldn''t possibly give up exploring it just because of some poison fog. Bai Xiaotian volunteering was naturally the best outcome. ¡°Yes, use this.¡± Bai Xiaotian took out a translucent crystal bottle with a crystal stopper tightly sealing the mouth, looking quite extraordinary. Shen Luo took the crystal bottle, looked it over, then placed it into the Heavenly Book Space and filled it with a bit of the purple poison mist. The bottle, whatever it was made of, was impervious to the purple poison mist. Shen Luo nodded slightly, took out the bottle, and handed it back to Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Let''s go, the identities of the few people we just killed are not ordinary, and it''s possible that someone will come after us. Being newcomers here, it would be troublesome if we were cornered by the local cultivators,¡± Bai Xiaotian said somewhat urgently as he took the bottle. Shen Luo had no objections to this. However, before leaving, he resealed the passageway to prevent it from being discovered and thoroughly cleaned up the area where the previous battle occurred, erasing all remaining traces of their presence. A moment later, a white flying boat carrying the two of them burst out from the sea surface and continued to shoot southward. No more than a quarter of an hour after their departure, two long rainbows, one red and one gold, sped from a distance and arrived above the seabed fissure in the blink of an eye. After the blinding radiance receded, a burly middle-aged man in a golden robe with oddly golden skin and a tall monk with a face full of cross flesh appeared in mid-air. Their auras were exceptionally vast, far surpassing Master Baoxiang and the Tear Demon, reaching the Late Mahayana Stage. ¡°The last lingering breath of the Golden Sun treasure talisman on my son ends here! Who dares to kill the young master of the Golden Sun Sect!¡± The golden-skinned man''s face was livid with fury as he roared. ¡°Master Baoxiang and Young Master Min were together, and by the looks of it, he is probably more unlucky than fortunate! What kind of barbarian villains dare to attack people from both the Golden Sun Sect and Xuan Gui Island at the same time? We must find out who did it and deal with them severely, as a warning to others!¡± The tall monk was also exceptionally angry. While venting their anger, the two did not forget to extend their Divine Sense to investigate the situation below in the sea area. But the situation at the bottom of the sea was complicated, and the location of that cave was extremely hidden. Shen Luo had completely erased the remaining breath of Master Baoxiang and others, so even after a long search, they could not find the cave. Looking down at the sea area, the golden-skinned man was not only angry but also secretly anxious. It was painful for him that his own son had perished, but what was most important in his heart was something on the white fan youth, which he obtained at great risk. If it were to be discovered, the consequences would be unimaginable, and he had to get it back immediately! After a stern look, the golden-skinned man took out a palm-sized communication talisman full of runes. ¡°Bring all the disciples of the Golden Sun Sect here!¡± He hissed at the talisman, then pointed a finger at it. The talisman immediately turned into a white light and disappeared into the void. Seeing the actions of the golden-skinned man, the tall monk showed a look of surprise, then he too took out a communication talisman and whispered into it. Shen Luo and his companion were unaware of the situation behind them and continued flying forward towards the south. Bai Xiaotian sat at the bow of the ship, studying the purple poison fog, while Shen Luo steered the flying boat. Not far from their starting point, a small island appeared beneath the sea surface; it was covered with many brightly colored plants and flowers which, at a glance, were evidently filled with deadly poison. In the distance, beyond this small island, a massive island could be faintly seen, similarly covered with poisonous vegetation. Upon seeing this scene, Shen Luo silently breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the man with the surname Zhen had not deceived him; the Luo Star Archipelago was indeed to the south, and judging from the sea map, that huge island in the distance should be Colorful Cloud Island, located on the fringes of the Luo Star Archipelago. His sea map was the most detailed one, which not only recorded the names of the islands but also marked the circumstances of each island. Colorful Cloud Island was an island filled with deadly poisonous substances, extremely dangerous; aside from a few who gathered poisonous insects and herbs, very few cultivators from Luo Star Archipelago ventured there. ¡°The secret realm filled with purple poison fog is not far from Colorful Cloud Island, which is rife with deadly poison. Could there be a connection between the two?¡± The thought occurred to Shen Luo, but he did not delve deeper and continued to propel the flying boat forward. Ever since encountering Colorful Cloud Island, he met more and more islands, ranging from large to small. The largest one was almost as big as a county in the Great Tang, with many ordinary people living on it. Similarly, Shen Luo had come across quite a few islands inhabited by regular people, and each one of them had cultivators in it. Unlike in the Great Tang, the people here were accustomed to cultivators and did not require separation like in Tang territory. Shen Luo made a brief stop in one or two cultivation cities, collecting some information about the Luo Star Archipelago before continuing on. According to the information gathered, the Luo Star Archipelago had an extensive range, comprising hundreds of islands, large and small, with the overall area being comparable to that of the Great Tang. Since the archipelago was located in the Eastern Sea, it was teeming with monsters that frequently harassed the islanders. Without the protection of cultivators, the islanders could not live in peace. In such an environment conducive to cultivators, coupled with the rich resources of the Eastern Sea, the culture of cultivating immortality in the Luo Star Archipelago was even more prosperous than in the Great Tang, with many cultivator sects besides The Four Great Merchant Alliances. Of course, there were also some freelance cultivators from the Great Tang and the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. The Luo Star Archipelago was far from the Great Tang, where cultivators were few, and most freelance cultivators came from the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. After understanding these conditions, Shen Luo was pleased with the prosperity of the Luo Star Archipelago but also remained vigilant, proceeding without further stops along the way. One day and one night later, the flying boat slowly came to a halt before a gigantic island. There was a white mountain towering on the island, with its colossal outline like a column supporting the heavens, exuding a majestic aura that invoked an involuntary reverence. The mountain''s summit pierced the clouds, its top blanketed in thick snow, and below it lay an exceptionally large city, at least five times larger than Liubo City. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This city was called ¡°Luo Star City,¡± the largest city in the Luo Star Archipelago; nearly half of the archipelago''s cultivators were concentrated on this island. In terms of scale, Luo Star City was still not comparable to Chang''an City or even to Jianye City. However, almost all the residents on this island were cultivators, and the island''s structures were mostly shops related to cultivation. The whole city was akin to a massive market, and from this perspective, Jianye City and Chang''an City could not compare. It was no wonder they said that the culture of cultivating immortality in the Luo Star Archipelago surpassed that of the Great Tang. Chapter 933 Chapter 933: Chapter 930 Seeking the Pill Chapter 933: Chapter 930 Seeking the Pill ¡°` Shen Luo sighed inwardly and immediately steered the flying boat towards Luo Star City. At this time, Bai Xiaotian was not on board, as he was at a critical moment in his research of the purple poison fog and needed to conduct some experiments, so Shen Luo had him enter the Heavenly Book Space. As they flew a distance forward, streaks of escape lights began to appear in the sky. The closer they got to Luo Star City, the denser these lights became, as if a myriad of immortals were paying homage. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo couldn''t help but marvel and then sped up the flying boat, soon arriving above Luo Star City. There were no flying prohibitions above Luo Star City, and unlike Chang''an City, where every cultivator had to register, these escape lights descended directly into the city. ¡°This truly is the freedom befitting of cultivators,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and also drove the flying boat to descend directly into the busiest area of the city. The streets of the city were exceptionally wide, enough for four carriages to ride side by side. The ground was also paved with flat blue stones, and the sides of the roads were lined with rows of tall buildings, which clearly bore an exotic charm, vastly different from the houses in Great Tang. The streets were bustling with cultivators shoulder to shoulder, ten times busier than Liubo City, and not all the cultivators were from the Human Race; a considerable part of them were from the Demon Race. However, the breath of these Demon Race cultivators differed slightly from the murky and fierce qi of sea monsters like the Mirror Fiend and Tear Monster ¨C they seemed lighter and more agile. Shen Luo had once read about the situation before him in the classics. These members of the Demon Race all hail from Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, where the land is vast and bountiful, rich in goods and abundant with various demons. Although the majority of the demons there are still ferocious and barbaric, some have a naturally gentle nature. They respect the heaven and earth, the laws and customs, dabble in literature and ink, and even establish monster cult platforms similar to human sects, nearly indistinguishable from the Human Race. Gradually, this type of gentle Demon Race has been accepted by the humans of Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, allowing the two to coexist relatively harmoniously. ¡°Humans and demons coexisting harmoniously is something impossible to witness in Great Tang. This trip really has been quite eye-opening.¡± Yuan Qiu exclaimed in admiration within the Heavenly Book Space. Shen Luo did not reply. After standing on the street for a moment, he turned and walked into a nearby shop to inquire before heading towards the center of the city walls. A moment later, he arrived in front of a gigantic tower that stood twenty or thirty feet tall, built entirely from green jade. A plaque was hanging above the tower''s big gate with the characters ¡°One Medicine House¡± written on it. The complex of green buildings behind the tower stretched out over an area of twenty or thirty acres, all enveloped in layers of prohibitions. This was the headquarters of One Medicine House. The tower in front was for selling elixirs, while the buildings behind were dedicated to their refinement. Shen Luo stepped inside; the interior was a very spacious and brightly lit giant hall housing up to a hundred counters, each displaying a dazzling array of elixirs. The hall was bustling with cultivators coming to purchase elixirs. The cultivators there possessed no low cultivation levels. Nascent Soul cultivators like himself were spotted at first glance quite a few times, and the shop''s attendants were busy explaining the properties of elixirs to customers all over the place. Just as Shen Luo was about to ask someone, a purple-robed young girl suddenly appeared in front of him, looking about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a beautiful face that carried a hint of childishness. ¡°Are you Elder Shen? Have you come to One Medicine House this time for the Snow Soul Pill?¡± The purple-robed young girl gave a bow. ¡°Who are you? How do you know me? How do you know I''ve come for the Snow Soul Pill?¡± Shen Luo''s pupils shrank slightly. ¡°I am Little Purple, a maidservant under Elder Wang of One Medicine House. Elder Shen had appeared to purchase Snow Soul Pills in both Liubo City and Pale Moon City. Our One Medicine House always regards cultivators of your stature with the utmost importance, and your name has already reached us here. These past days, I''ve been waiting for your arrival,¡± Little Purple said with a bow, her smile easy and confident. Shen Luo''s heart grew cautious, deeply impressed by the vast influence of One Medicine House considering the timely appearance of Little Purple, who likely recognized him as soon as he neared the establishment. ¡°` ¡°Little Purple is right, I did indeed come for the Snow Soul Pill. In recent times, I was fortunate enough to collect some Tear Demon Pearls and have come here specifically to refine elixirs,¡± he thought, and said calmly. ¡°Elder Shen actually managed to get the Tear Demon Pearls! That''s wonderful, please come with me. I will take you to see Elder Wang of our One Medicine House,¡± Little Purple said, her face showing surprise before she happily spoke. ¡°Lead the way,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. With an affirmative reply, Little Purple led Shen Luo upstairs. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The building had five or six floors, and the two of them walked through several flights of stairs before quickly reaching a small, exquisitely decorated hall on the fifth floor. Inside the hall, there was already one person sitting¨Ca corpulent, vulgar-looking middle-aged man, wearing a Civil Officer Hat, who was brewing a pot of hot tea with steam rising and the fragrance of tea pervading the room. ¡°Elder Wang, Elder Shen is here,¡± Little Purple said respectfully as she entered the room, addressing the middle-aged man. ¡°Haha, Daoist Shen, welcome to One Medicine House. Please, have a seat; my name is Wang Fulai, the deacon of One Medicine House,¡± the middle-aged man greeted him warmly. ¡°Elder, you are too kind,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly. His Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil had already reached its full potential; however, he had not slackened in these days, still practicing his Pupil Technique daily, absorbing the illusory power from the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman. His pupil power had improved, nearly able to see through anything, and he saw at a glance that this Elder Wang''s cultivation level had reached the Great Mahayana Stage, moreover, it was the Mahayana Middle Stage, significantly stronger than the Tear Monster and Master Baoxiang. However, for Shen Luo as he was now, a Great Mahayana Stage cultivator wasn''t much of a concern, so his mood didn''t fluctuate at all. ¡°I just brewed a pot of Cloud Mist Spirit Tea. This tea comes from the Aolai Kingdom of the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. Daoist friend, please have a taste,¡± Wang Fulai said, his eyes flashing a hint of surprise as he poured a cup of spiritual tea for Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo nodded but did not touch the cup of spiritual tea that looked quite fine. ¡°Daoist Shen, did you come to One Medicine House this time for the Snow Soul Pill? Unfortunately, I might have to disappoint you. The Snow Soul Pills we refined this month have all been sold out,¡± Elder Wang said without seeming to mind, expressing his regret. ¡°Elder Wang, Elder Shen has some Tear Demon Pearls in his possession. He has come to refine the Snow Soul Pill,¡± Little Purple interjected. ¡°Daoist Shen has the Tear Demon Pearls!¡± Elder Wang''s eyebrows shot up, turning his gaze towards Shen Luo. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo nodded. During his day and night in Luo Star City, the Tear Monster finally yielded, agreeing to produce enough Tear Demon Pearls on the condition that Shen Luo would release her immediately and promise to release the Mirror Fiend within three years. ¡°That''s not a problem then. The alchemy tasks of our House are ongoing. Daoist Shen, how many Tear Pearls do you have?¡± Elder Wang nodded and then asked. ¡°Roughly a hundred,¡± Shen Luo sensed the number of Tear Demon Pearls in the Heavenly Book Space and answered. Creating Tear Demon Pearls required consuming the Tear Demon''s own vital essence and the process was quite slow. So far, the Tear Monster had only produced seventy pearls, and together with the thirty pearls obtained earlier in the Tear Monster Cave, he had barely managed to gather a hundred. He wondered if that would be enough. Chapter 934 Chapter 934: Chapter 931 Inquiring Chapter 934: Chapter 931 Inquiring ¡°` ¡°A hundred beads!¡± Elder Wang showed a surprised expression as he carefully sized up Shen Luo, as if reassessing the man''s worth. In recent times, quite a few monks had obtained Tear Demon Pearls and come to One Medicine House for pill refinement, but what they brought were merely twenty or thirty pearls. This seemingly ordinary monk from Great Tang actually brought a hundred all at once. ¡°I wonder, how much does it cost to refine a Snow Soul Pill? How many Tear Demon Pearls are needed to refine a single Elixir?¡± Shen Luo, observing Elder Wang''s expression, inquired. ¡°According to the Dan formula, one Tear Demon Pearl can refine one Snow Soul Pill. However, the refinement process is quite difficult, and the success rate is not high. Even our Master Shen Miaoyi from One Medicine House has a success rate of less than fifty percent,¡± Elder Wang answered without hesitation. While Shen Luo was asking, he was silently observing Elder Wang''s facial expressions with his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and could almost be sure the man wasn''t lying. His brows furrowed slightly. Based on what the man said, a hundred Tear Demon Pearls were far from enough; at most, they could refine fifty Snow Soul Pills. Half would go to One Medicine House, leaving him with only about twenty-five pills, which was nowhere near enough for cultivation. Fortunately, the Tear Demon could continuously produce pearls, so it would just take a few more days to gather enough. ¡°All of the Tear Demon Pearls are here. Please, Elder Wang, refine them into Snow Soul Pills as soon as possible.¡± Shen Luo produced a jade box and handed it to Elder Wang. Elder Wang took the box and opened it to find the pearls neatly arranged inside. A burst of astonishing cold air erupted, covering Elder Wang''s arms with a layer of ice crystals and frosting the nearby tables and chairs with a white frost. His face slightly changed as he suddenly raised a red light in his hand, enveloping the jade box, managing to resist the burst of cold air. ¡°The cold qi in these Tear Demon Pearls from Daoist friend Shen is abundant and unspoiled. The quality is extremely high, and the Elixirs refined from them will surely be much stronger. Rest assured, I will immediately send them to Master Shen Miaoyi, and they should be refined into Snow Soul Pills in about seven to eight days,¡± Elder Wang said with a smile. ¡°Then I''ll trouble you, Elder Wang. These pearls are just the first batch. I have a larger batch of around four hundred Tear Demon Pearls that will be delivered in a few days. I intend to refine all of them into Snow Soul Pills, and I''ll visit again at that time.¡± Shen Luo glanced at a wall in the hall, bowed to Elder Wang, and stepped out without the slightest worry that One Medicine House might covet his Tear Demon Pearls. Elder Wang was shocked by the mention of four hundred more Tear Demon Pearls. It wasn''t until Shen Luo strode towards the exit that he reacted, hastily rising to see him off. Watching Shen Luo''s figure disappear, Elder Wang stood at the hall''s entrance for a while before turning back and sitting down inside. ¡°What do you think of this Daoist friend Shen? Is it possible to capture him and force the origin of his Tear Demon Pearls?¡± he suddenly spoke as if talking to the air. ¡°This person is definitely out of the ordinary. His cultivation level is only at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, but his strength is exceptionally great. Especially, his aura of slaughter is so dense that even we fall short in comparison. Better not to do such foolish things.¡± A white figure suddenly appeared in the hall. It was a white-clothed young woman. With eyebrows like willow leaves and eyes shaped like phoenixes, her nose defined and her looks quite beautiful, yet her face was cold as ice, exuding a chill and lethal aura. What was peculiar about her was the two long rabbit ears atop her head and the fact that the aura swirling around her body was undeniably Demon Qi ¡ª she was actually a Demon. ¡°Oh, his aura of slaughter is so dense! The Heavenly Slaughter Technique you practice is strange and profound, capable of leveraging lethal aura to break through limits. That year, in order to advance to the Mahayana Stage, you spent decades out at sea hunting Monster Beasts. If we''re talking about the intensity of the aura of slaughter, you would definitely rank in the top three among the many Elders of One Medicine House. This man surnamed Shen is merely a Nascent Soul Cultivator, yet his aura of slaughter even surpasses yours!¡± Wang Fulai exclaimed, his face full of surprise. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°` ¡°The beasts I hunted that year were all at the Nascent Soul Stage and the Soul Condensation Stage, merely weak existences. Killing them didn''t accumulate much of the malevolent aura. It was only by slowly accumulating over time that I managed to break through my bottleneck. This kid with the family name Shen has a dense and vast malevolent aura, seemingly from slaying many whose cultivation levels were far above his own. Moreover, when he left, he glanced over at where I was hidden. He must have detected me long ago, but chose not to expose me, using it as a warning for us not to play any tricks,¡± the white-clothed young woman sighed lightly and said. ¡°How is that possible! Your Asura''s Invisibility Technique is a personal transmission from the sect leader. Even late-stage Mahayana cultivators might not be able to detect it. How could that kid have noticed!¡± Wang Fulai was truly shocked and stood up abruptly. ¡°Perhaps he has cultivated some kind of perception secret method, or he may have a certain treasure. In any case, this person is extremely troublesome. Notify the Elixir Workshop that they should not shortchange his elixir in any way. We shall primarily seek to befriend such an extraordinary individual,¡± the white-clothed young woman waved her hand dismissively and said. Wang Fulai, having heard this, slowly nodded his head. Shen Luo had just left the One Medicine House, his expression slightly relaxed. Finally, there was a solution for the Snow Soul Pill, and next would be the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. ¡°Yuan Qiu, you said the Nine Brahmanic Lotus comes from the Luo Star Archipelago. Now that we are here, where should we go to find this item?¡± He communicated with Yuan Qiu through his mind. ¡°This¡­ I''ve only heard that it comes from the Luo Star Archipelago. I don''t know the exact location, so I''m afraid we''ll have to search for it,¡± Yuan Qiu said with a dry chuckle. Shen Luo had anticipated this response and rolled his eyes inwardly. After a moment of contemplation, he headed towards a nearby shop selling spirit grass. The largest spirit grass shop in Luo Star City was naturally the Qingyu Pavilion, but the powerful information-gathering capabilities of the One Medicine House made him wary, so he didn''t want to inquire about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus from the largest force in Luo Star City for the time being. ¡°What kind of spirit grass would you like, customer?¡± There weren''t many customers in this shop. The shopkeeper was an old man with yellow spots on his face who seemed very amiable, and he immediately came forward to greet Shen Luo when he saw him. Shen Luo looked around the shop for a while and selected a few pieces of spirit grass that he could barely make use of. They weren''t cheap. The yellow-spotted old man''s gaze became even more amiable towards him, nodding and bowing as he followed behind. ¡°Shopkeeper, there is something I would like to inquire about. Have you ever heard of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus?¡± It was then that Shen Luo brought up his real need. ¡°The Nine Brahmanic Lotus? Of course, I''ve heard of it. It is quite famous in the Luo Star Archipelago. It appears every hundred years, drawing the coveting of all major forces, each of whom fiercely competes for it. Every competition results in great turmoil and bloodshed. It''s truly terrifying,¡± the yellow-spotted old man said, trembling slightly, a look of fear in his eyes. Shen Luo had originally thought he would need to investigate for quite some time before he could find any information on the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. To his surprise, a casual inquiry immediately led him to the information, and his eyes briefly widened in astonishment. ¡°It appears every hundred years? Where do these Nine Brahmanic Lotuses come from?¡± He immediately recovered and continued inquiring. ¡°That''s something I don''t know,¡± the yellow-spotted old man shook his head. ¡°When was the last time the Nine Brahmanic Lotus appeared, and where was it seen?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened as he asked again. Chapter 935 Chapter 935: Chapter 932 Ten Thousand Poisons Chapter 935: Chapter 932 Ten Thousand Poisons ¡°The last time the Nine Brahmanic Lotus appeared in the world, I had just arrived in Luo Star City. It should have been about ninety-something years ago, yes, ninety-six years to be precise. As for where it appeared, this old man is not sure. I only heard that a great battle broke out near Redstone Island over the contention for those few Nine Brahmanic Lotuses,¡± the yellow-spotted old man clearly knew how to be sensible and related everything he knew without holding back. Shen Luo nodded, then asked the old man a few more questions about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus before bidding farewell and leaving. ¡°Who would have thought that the Nine Brahmanic Lotus would be so well-known in the Luo Star Archipelago, where even the owner of a random shop knows so much information. It seems that finding it won''t be difficult,¡± Yuan Qiu said with excitement in his tone. By finding the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, he would be able to get half of the Medicine Immortal Collection. The powerful Gu insects mentioned therein were of secondary importance to him, as he had barely come back to life by relying on his life-bound Gu to control his body, though his cultivation level could no longer advance. The Medicine Immortal Collection was the sacred text of the lineage of Gu Masters, and he hoped to find a way to break through his predicament within its pages. ¡°I hope so,¡± Shen Luo said softly. After pondering on the street for a moment, he headed to another, larger shop. A moment later, he came out and walked toward a third shop. In the blink of an eye, a day passed, and in the evening, Shen Luo arrived at a quiet inn in the city that catered exclusively to high-ranking cultivators and booked a top room. After checking the room and finding no issues, he waved his hand and several streaks of white light landed in every corner of the room, solidifying into a white restriction. After making these arrangements, Shen Luo finally sat down, though he didn''t look very pleased. Over the course of the day, he had inquired about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus everywhere. Not just the small shops, but he had also visited Qingyu Pavilion, White Cloud Residence, and Tianhuo Tower and spent quite a lot of Immortal jade to gather information. Unfortunately, he still couldn''t find out the origin of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. Almost every place recounted the same details: every hundred or so years, several Nine Brahmanic Lotuses would appear out of thin air in the Luo Star Archipelago, and each time they appeared at different locations without any pattern. No one knew where the Nine Brahmanic Lotuses came from. However, he did hear a rumor about the Luo Star Archipelago. In addition to The Four Great Merchant Alliances, there was a mysterious sect with strength that surpassed the alliances. It was said that the Nine Brahmanic Lotus was under the control of this mysterious sect, which distributed a few lotuses every hundred years. As for information about the sect itself, it was unknown to anyone. ¡°It seems the Nine Brahmanic Lotus is indeed not so easy to find. In my opinion, the origin of this treasure must be related to those Four Great Merchant Alliances,¡± Yuan Qiu said from within the Heavenly Book Space, looking even more upset. Coming to the Luo Star Archipelago had been his idea, and if he couldn''t find the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, it wouldn''t just mean no hope for the Medicine Immortal Collection¨Chis own reputation would also be thoroughly tarnished. ¡°Such confidential matters, even if we spend Immortal jade to buy information, it''s highly likely that no one will be willing to tell us,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, stopping his research on the purple poison mist to discuss the matter of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus with Yuan Qiu. His cultivation level had reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage, and Hua Sheng Temple had already prepared some auxiliary means for his advancement to Mahayana, but this was not a guarantee of absolute success. Naturally, he was also very much interested in such treasures as the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. ¡°If it really comes down to it, we can just capture an elder from The Four Great Merchant Alliances and interrogate them at our leisure. With Brother Shen''s Pupil Technique combined with my Gu Techniques, I don''t believe we can''t get the answers,¡± Yuan Qiu said with a flash of ferocity in his eyes. Bai Xiaotian stared at Yuan Qiu and secretly thought that it was no wonder this man dared to confront demons and fight his way up Mount Putuo; at the slightest disaccord, he was ready to abduct someone. ¡°There''s no need for that. The waters of Luo Star City seem deep, and since we''ve just arrived, it''d be better to be cautious. There''s still time, so let''s continue searching for a few more days,¡± Shen Luo hastily interjected. Yuan Qiu had blurted out those words in a moment of impatience and wasn''t really planning to kidnap someone, so he dropped the subject. After discussing for a while longer, the group ended their deliberations, each returning to their own matters. Shen Luo considered other methods of finding the Nine Brahmanic Lotus for a while but came up with nothing. He shook his head and stopped thinking about it, deciding to rest with his eyes closed instead. A moment later, he flipped his hand to take out six or seven storage magical tools, which belonged to Master Baoxiang, White Fan Youth, and others. He had been too busy traveling to examine them before, but now that he had time, he needed to thoroughly investigate them. A moment later, Shen Luo had examined the Storage Magical Tools of the five men with the surname Zhen. All five were freelance cultivators with meager possessions and nothing of great value. He shook his head, picked up the Storage Magical Tools of Master Baoxiang and the White Fan Youth, and his Divine Sense entered both simultaneously, finally revealing a trace of a smile on his face. The origins of the two were extraordinary; the contents of their Storage Magical Tools were quite rich, including several thousand pieces of Immortal Jade alone, a few good Magical Treasures, and lots of precious materials. ¡°Eh, Phoenix Tail!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly lit up, as he took out a fiery red Spirit Wood from Master Baoxiang''s Storage Magical Tool that resembled a phoenix tail feather and was thus named. It was one of the main materials needed for the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. The main materials needed for the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman were three types: Purple Lightning Flower, Phoenix Tail, and Moon Star Child. He had found the Purple Lightning Flower at Chaoyin Cave on Mount Putuo that day, and now he had acquired this Phoenix Tail, leaving only the final Moon Star Child and some auxiliary materials to find. The Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman was a Pseudo-Immortal Talisman with powerful might. According to the Classics of the Dreamland Jade Fox Tribe, it was no less powerful than a strike from a True Immortal Cultivator. In Dreamland, he might not need it, but for him in the real world, it was definitely a treasured item of last resort. Shen Luo happily stored the Phoenix Tail and continued to search. His eyebrows suddenly rose as he took out an object from the White Fan Youth''s Storage Magical Tool, which was a fist-sized bead. This bead was light purple all over, its texture was like jade but not jade, and there was a wave of Spiritual Power fluctuations within, looking quite extraordinary. The White Fan Youth had stored this bead at the very bottom of his Storage Magical Tool and had sealed it with several Sealing Talismans, evidently cherishing it greatly. ¡°Could it be some sort of Magical Treasure?¡± Shen Luo injected his Mana into it, and the bead emitted a faint purple light, but beyond that, nothing else happened. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He examined the purple light but could not discern any special effects. ¡°Hmm, what is this?¡± Shen Luo looked toward the interior of the bead. The purple light on the bead flickered, revealing two small characters within. He increased the input of his Mana, and traces of Green Light emerged in his eyes as he activated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and finally made out the two small characters, which read ¡°Ten Thousand Poisons.¡± ¡°Ten Thousand Poisons? Could this be a poison bead?¡± Shen Luo was startled and recalled encountering the Purple Poison Fog in the seabed cave, hurriedly stepping a few paces to the side. Fortunately, the situation he anticipated did not occur, and his body showed no signs of being poisoned. ¡°Since it''s not for administering poison, could it be an antidote?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, flipping his hand to store the bead into a certain spot within the Heavenly Book Space. There, a large expanse of Purple Poison Fog was floating, but it was firmly restrained by the Golden Light within the space, preventing it from spreading. The Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl appeared above the poison fog and slowly descended, making contact with the Purple Poison Fog soon after. With a ¡°hum,¡± the purple light on the bead was stimulated and suddenly became ten times brighter, forming a light circle about half a zhang in size around it. Once the poison fog made contact with the light circle, it quickly dissipated, as if it had met its nemesis. Chapter 936 Chapter 936: Chapter 933 Peeking Chapter 936: Chapter 933 Peeking ¡°Indeed, it is an antidote, such formidable purple poison fog, yet the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl can actually neutralize it!¡± Shen Luo was delighted upon seeing this. He immediately took out the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl and, after a moment of contemplation, decided not to put it away in the Storage Magical Tool but instead wore it close to his body for easy access when encountering highly toxic substances. Shen Luo continued to inspect the storage items of the two individuals, and soon finished the inspection without finding anything special. He put all the things into the Linlang Ring, then lay down on the bed. During this period of time, he had been traveling day and night over the sea, his spirit indeed somewhat weary, and he soon fell into a deep sleep shortly after lying down. The next day, early in the morning, Shen Luo left in high spirits, continuing his search for the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. Meanwhile, Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu also left the Heavenly Book Space, each going their separate ways to investigate within the city. After spending this period of time together, Shen Luo had gotten a good grasp of Yuan Qiu''s character. Moreover, with his own strength increasing day by day and having the contract seal in place, he was no longer afraid that Yuan Qiu would harbor any ulterior motives, so he did not keep him confined and let him out. In the following days, despite their repeated investigations, the three of them unfortunately came up with nothing. Though they hadn''t found the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, Shen Luo had nonetheless made considerable gains in other areas. He had found all of the auxiliary materials required for the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, with only the Moon Star Child remaining. Furthermore, Shen Luo had made the acquaintance of a competent Artifact Refinement Master in the city in the past few days. After some communication, he handed over both the Profound Yellow Staff and the Chan Stick containing Spirit Solar Iron, requesting the master to fuse the two treasures into one and enhance the power of the Profound Yellow Staff. The appointed time to deliver the Snow Soul Pill was fast approaching; Shen Luo arrived at One Medicine House, looking for Wang Fulai. As soon as he entered One Medicine House, Little Purple immediately came to greet him, seemingly having been waiting there all along. ¡°Elder, you''ve arrived, Elder Wang is waiting for you upstairs,¡± Little Purple said respectfully with a bow. Shen Luo nodded slightly and was just about to step upstairs when he suddenly turned swiftly and looked out towards the street outside the shop. ¡°Elder, what''s the matter?¡± Little Purple, who was standing beside him, looked surprised and also glanced out towards the busy street, where throngs of people walked by without anything seeming out of the ordinary. Shen Luo stared at the bustling street, silent for a moment, then withdrew his gaze. ¡°It''s nothing,¡± he said, shaking his head and continuing upstairs. ¡°Friend Shen, just now, what did you detect?¡± Yuan Qiu asked in the Heavenly Book Space. ¡°I felt someone was spying on me from outside,¡± Shen Luo replied through a voice transmission. ¡°Spying? Did you see who it was?¡± Yuan Qiu asked, taken aback and immediately responding. At their level of cultivation, they were highly sensitive to any gaze directed upon them; they could not be mistaken unless the other party''s cultivation was far superior to their own. ¡°I didn''t see clearly, just caught a glimpse of a fleeting shadow,¡± Shen Luo replied through the voice transmission. ¡°We''ve just arrived at the Luo Star Archipelago and haven''t offended anyone. It''s possible that some local forces have taken notice of us because of our search for the Nine Brahmanic Lotus in the past few days. You shouldn''t worry too much about it,¡± Yuan Qiu said. ¡°I hope so,¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently, but he had a feeling it wasn''t that simple; otherwise, his reaction just now wouldn''t have been so strong. In a deserted and run-down alley two blocks away from One Medicine House, a flash of golden light streaked across, revealing a golden-colored glaze mirror. A beautiful young girl dressed in a golden skirt leaped out from within the golden-colored glaze mirror, the very same golden-skirted young girl who had been with the man named Zhen and others, and had then disappeared into thin air from within the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. ¡°I didn''t expect him to also come here¡­¡± the golden-skirted young girl looked in the direction of One Medicine House and murmured a sentence before her figure vanished once again. ¡°Friend Shen, you''ve arrived right on time,¡± Wang Fulai greeted Shen Luo as soon as he arrived in the previous room, laughing heartily with an even warmer attitude than before. ¡°I wonder if the Snow Soul Pills have been refined?¡± Shen Luo felt a bit curious but did not dwell on it, promptly inquiring about the matter he cared about most. ¡°Since Wang here has promised Friend Shen, naturally I wouldn''t go back on my word. The elixirs were delivered this morning.¡± Wang Fulai flicked his sleeve on the table, and five bottles of elixir appeared. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo took a bottle of the elixir, opened the stopper, and a strong chill gushed out, filling the entire side hall with a coolness of ice and snow, as if in an instant it had become winter. The bottle contained five Snow Soul Pills, each of better quality than those he had purchased on Liubo Island. He checked the other bottles and found them to be the same, which set his mind at ease. ¡°One Medicine House is indeed the first famous alchemy house on the East Sea Maritime Route. I admire your work,¡± Shen Luo said, taking the five bottles of elixir and praising with a bow. ¡°You flatter me too much, Brother Shen. By the way, you said before that you had a batch of Tear Demon Pearls. Did you bring them today?¡± Wang Fulai laughed and then asked. Without saying a word, Shen Luo raised his hand and swept it across the table, and after a flash of blue light, four jade boxes identical to the previous ones appeared on the table. Wang Fulai opened the jade boxes to find them brimming with Tear Demon Pearls. ¡°Friend Shen really has incredible means to have obtained so many Tear Demon Pearls; I should be the one admiring you!¡± Wang Fulai took a breath and then exclaimed with admiration. Shen Luo just smiled and said nothing. It had been a stroke of luck that he had captured a Great Mahayana Stage Tear Demon, enabling him to continuously produce so many Tear Demon Pearls. ¡°Will all these Tear Demon Pearls be refined into Snow Soul Pills?¡± Wang Fulai immediately asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Alright, rest assured, Friend Shen. Our house will surely fulfill the entrusted task and complete it within half a month,¡± Wang Fulai said, taking the jade boxes and solemnly promising. ¡°Then I''ll leave it to you. I''ll come back in half a month. By the way, Elder Wang, do you know of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus?¡± Shen Luo nodded, then asked. These last few days, he had asked many powers within the city, but had not stepped into One Medicine House again. ¡°The Nine Brahmanic Lotus? Such an item is extremely precious, and currently, only the Luo Star Archipelago has it. Naturally, I am aware of it. Are you looking for this item, Brother Shen?¡± Wang Fulai showed a hint of surprise on his face. ¡°Correct. Does Elder Wang know where I can find the Nine Brahmanic Lotus?¡± A flicker of hope shone in Shen Luo''s eyes. ¡°I''m truly sorry. Our One Medicine House specializes in the art of alchemy, and we have also expended great effort to investigate the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, but unfortunately have found no clues. I''m afraid we can''t be of help to Brother Shen on this matter. However, based on the pattern of the appearance of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, a few more should resurface in the coming years. If Brother Shen is still on the archipelago by then, you may have a chance to vie for one,¡± Wang Fulai said, shaking his head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t show much disappointment and soon took his leave. After leaving One Medicine House, his expression grew somber, and he sighed. All this time, he had investigated every lead he could think of, yet he had still not found any useful information. Did he really need to follow Yuan Qiu''s previous suggestion and capture some monks from The Four Great Merchant Alliances? Chapter 937 Chapter 937: Chapter 934 Daughter Village Chapter 937: Chapter 934 Daughter Village ¡°` ¡°Yes, how could I have forgotten about Daoist Yuan and the others? With something as renowned as the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, they must surely know something. Perhaps they have some clues!¡± Shen Luo suddenly remembered something and hurried back to the inn where he was staying. ¡°` ¡°` Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu had gone out to gather information about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus and were not in the inn. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo secured the doors and windows, activated the prohibition, and with a thought, entered the Heavenly Book Space. Soon, he appeared in the Golden Hall and began to summon the others. ¡°` ¡°` Time ticked by, and after well over half an hour, a figure finally materialized¨Cit was Yuan Daoist. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Friend Shen, have you summoned Poor Daoist for something urgent?¡± Yuan Daoist asked with an intense look in his eyes. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°It''s not exactly an urgent matter. I just wanted to ask Daoist Yuan if you know about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus from the Luo Star Archipelago?¡± Shen Luo didn''t beat around the bush and asked directly. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Nine Brahmanic Lotus? I have indeed heard of it. It is said to be a Buddhist Sect Spirit Lotus from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, requiring very particular growing conditions. Apart from the Western Paradise, only Daughter Village in the Luo Star Archipelago is capable of cultivating it. This lotus is beneficial for monks below the True Immortal Stage to stabilize their divine soul and assist with breakthroughs, but it is of no use to those above the True Immortal Stage. Why do you inquire about this, Brother Shen?¡± Yuan Daoist asked with a hint of curiosity. ¡°` ¡°` Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help feeling excited. Yuan Daoist indeed knew about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°I am seeking this item for a junior. I am aware of the Luo Star Archipelago, but what is this Daughter Village? The name of a sect or power?¡± He casually made up an excuse and kept pressing for information. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Friend Shen, you haven''t heard of Daughter Village? That''s also normal. Daughter Village is a hidden sect; it''s unknown who founded it. The disciples of Daughter Village are proficient in poison skills, hidden weapons, and some sealing spells¨Cvery formidable. However, members of this sect seldom walk the world and have always been very mysterious, so indeed, few people know of their existence,¡± Yuan Daoist explained. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Then where is Daughter Village located in the Luo Star Archipelago?¡± Shen Luo continued to probe. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°As for that, Poor Daoist isn''t quite clear. A disciple of mine visited once hundreds of years ago. When he returned, I briefly inquired about it. Let me think¡­¡± Yuan Daoist murmured, appearing thoughtful. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo watched Yuan Daoist anxiously, fearing he would say he couldn''t remember. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°I remember now. That disciple mentioned that Daughter Village is on Colorful Cloud Island in the Luo Star Archipelago. As for the exact location on the island, I''m afraid I do not know. You can go there and look around,¡± Yuan Daoist said. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Colorful Cloud Island¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. ¡°` ¡°` He had passed by the island when he arrived at the Luo Star Archipelago; the Nine Brahmanic Lotus was actually on it. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Thank you, Daoist Yuan, for your guidance. I will go there to search right away,¡± Shen Luo thanked Yuan Daoist with a bow. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Friend Shen, if you want the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, wouldn''t it be more convenient to just ask Brother Lei for it directly? He should have this item,¡± Yuan Daoist suggested. ¡°` ¡°` Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart began to race, and for a moment, he was speechless. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Brother Shen, what''s the matter?¡± Seeing that Shen Luo did not reply, Yuan Daoist asked in confusion. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°It''s nothing. I just remembered something. I am not very close to Brother Lei, and it seems somewhat inappropriate to rashly ask for such a spiritual item. I''ll leave it for another time. By the way, Daoist Yuan, do you still have the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law that I stored with you previously?¡± Shen Luo shook his head and then abruptly changed the subject. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Yes, do you need them? I''ll give them to you right now,¡± Yuan Daoist was surprised, and then he took out the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law, and began passing them over. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo stared intently at Yuan Daoist, a flicker of tension and hope in his eyes. ¡°` ¡°` Long ago, he had thought about the possibility of bringing things from the Thousand-Year Dream back to reality, which is why he left the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law with Yuan Daoist. However, after returning to reality the last time, there were too many matters to attend to, and he had forgotten about it until today. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo silently prayed for success. If it worked, he would not need to worry about resources for cultivation in the real world. With the superior cultivation level from the dream, he could arrange everything just right. ¡°` ¡°` Yuan Daoist held the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law, reaching out to Shen Luo. Yet, despite trying to pass them twice, they failed to penetrate the golden mist space between the two. It seemed as though a tremendously powerful barrier had manifested within that space. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Eh! Why can''t items be transferred all of a sudden? Friend Shen, where are you now? Are there any formidable prohibitions surrounding you?¡± Yuan Daoist stopped what he was doing and exclaimed with a surprised expression. ¡°So it really doesn''t work after all¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly. ¡°Yes, I am currently in a very special secret realm, and it is likely that some prohibition within this realm is blocking the transfer of items. It''s fine, I don''t urgently need the Jade Spirit Fruit and the Sealed Ball of Law right now. When I need these things later, I''ll trouble Daoist Yuan to pass them to me then,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That''s fine,¡± Yuan Daoist looked at Shen Luo intently without insisting further. Shen Luo ended the conversation quickly and returned to his room at the inn, a slight smile on his lips. Finally, he had found a lead on the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, and the worry that had plagued him for days was finally put to rest. Next, as soon as the Snow Soul Pill and the Profound Yellow Staff were refined, he would immediately head to Colorful Cloud Island in search of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. Shen Luo took a deep breath, sat cross-legged on the bed, calmed his mind, took out a Snow Soul Pill, and started the refining process with his cultivation technique. The disaster of demons loomed over him like a guillotine, ready to fall at any moment, so he didn''t want to waste even a second, working hard to improve his cultivation level. In the evening, Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu returned to the inn from outside. Both of their expressions were rather grim, evidently having made no significant findings. ¡°There''s no need for you to keep searching. I have already found out where the Nine Brahmanic Lotus comes from. Once the Snow Soul Pill is ready, we''ll head there,¡± Shen Luo disclosed the information directly to the two of them without hiding it. ¡°Really? Where is the Nine Brahmanic Lotus located?¡± Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu asked, both surprised and delighted at once. ¡°On Colorful Cloud Island. However, its exact location is still unclear, so we''ll need to search the island,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Colorful Cloud Island? I remember seeing this island on the sea chart. Isn''t it an island on the outskirts of the Luo Star Archipelago, covered with highly poisonous plants? Are you sure the Nine Brahmanic Lotus really comes from there?¡± Bai Xiaotian was somewhat skeptical. ¡°Friend Shen, who told you about this?¡± Yuan Qiu also seemed dubious. ¡°An elder. The source of the information is absolutely reliable,¡± Shen Luo glanced at them, giving no further explanation. Seeing Shen Luo so calm and confident, Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu said nothing more. In the following days, Shen Luo stayed indoors at the inn the entire time, practicing cultivation with the help of Snow Soul Pills. Yuan Qiu and Bai Xiaotian also went to the Heavenly Book Space, one staying quiet while the other continued researching methods to counteract the Purple Poison Fog. In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. Shen Luo walked out from his room at the inn, unintentionally radiating a chilling aura, with his cultivation clearly having significantly increased. With several days of intensive cultivation and the aid of the Snow Soul Pill, his cultivation had improved a great deal. Although there was still some distance from reaching the peak of the Late Nascent Soul Stage, it was now not far off. The potency of the Snow Soul Pill was even stronger than he had anticipated. From his recent cultivation progress, he estimated that only twenty bottles would be necessary to push his cultivation to the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage. A slight smile formed on Shen Luo''s lips as he stepped out the door and quickly made his way back to the One Medicine House. Half a Moment later, he walked out from the One Medicine House, then turned towards an Artifacts Refining shop within the city. Afterward, he summoned his flying boat and sped towards Colorful Cloud Island. Chapter 938 Chapter 938: Chapter 935: Fire Poison Spring Chapter 938: Chapter 935: Fire Poison Spring Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian traveled incognito on a flying boat until, in the evening of this very day, they spotted an island shrouded in five-colored rosy clouds. The island was not small in area, with broad wings on both sides and a narrower middle region. At its southern end extended two slender peninsulas, which, from afar, resembled a vivid and colorfully patterned butterfly. The two took the boat towards the narrow peninsula extending from the southern tip of the island. Before reaching it, they both simultaneously furrowed their brows. ¡°Such a dense miasma, and it seems to be quite toxic,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. ¡°Keep an Elixir Pill of the Ten Aromas Revival Pill under your tongue and it will ward off most of the poisonous mist, so there''s no need to be constantly on guard,¡± Bai Xiaotian passed over a White Jade Bottle and poured a melon seed-sized elixir pill for Shen Luo. Shen Luo pinched the elixir pill under his tongue, feeling a slightly astringent taste spread through his mouth. Suddenly, as if a cool breeze rushed into his mind, he shuddered. The two jumped down from the flying boat, and as their feet touched the ground, they instinctively felt a slight tremble beneath them. Looking down, they realized the extended long islands were actually dozens of green-black vines braided into each other. ¡°Nevermind anything else, the rampant miasma and densely vegetated ghostly appearance alone give me an eighty percent certainty that this is Colorful Cloud Island,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a laugh as he shook the vines floating on the water''s surface beneath his feet. ¡°Let''s go up and see,¡± said Shen Luo, and immediately headed toward the island. The island''s soil was rather loose. Apart from the pervasive miasma, the surroundings were indeed lush with vegetation, giving off a vibrant look. However, there were no roads at the place where they landed; it looked like a primitive jungle. When Shen Luo released his Divine Sense to scan the vicinity, he found several demons carrying spiritual power fluctuations, though most of their energies were not very strong. As they threaded through the densely intertwined vines, a rustling ¡°sasha¡± sound of leaves rubbing against each other suddenly came from ahead. Shen Luo''s eyes flashed and he immediately exclaimed, ¡°Be careful!¡± No sooner had his words fallen than a fire-red python as thick as the mouth of a bowl burst out from the mountain forest. As it neared them, it suddenly opened its blood basin-like mouth and spewed out a yellow mist, thick with the scent of sulfur. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian scrambled to dodge, while ancient trees along the path snapped with ¡°crack¡± sounds, toppled by the large python, as if plowing furrows on the ground and carving out a passageway in the forest. However, the fire-red python seemed to have no interest in Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian; it hastily slithered past them and plunged into the depths of the forest. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian looked at each other, momentarily stunned in place. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, since we can''t seem to find our way around, why don''t we just follow the path the Fire Python has trampled out? It seemed in such a hurry; there must be a reason,¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°Sure, following the path it made is better than blindly making our way through the forest,¡± Bai Xiaotian snapped open his folding fan and nodded in agreement. Having come to a decision, they quickly followed the direction where the Fire Python had vanished. Halfway there, Shen Luo suddenly noticed a leafless, translucent white flower budding among the wild grass on the roadside, still poised to bloom and obviously not yet matured. He stopped and bent down for a closer look, his pupils constricting suddenly, revealing his surprise. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Bai Xiaotian, noticing his actions, immediately asked. ¡°It''s nothing. I just discovered a young Ghost-cutting Grass, and now I realize that the plants surrounding it are all Moon-watching Grasses,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Moon-watching Grass, Ghost-cutting Grass¡­ are these all spiritual medicine?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked immediately upon seeing this. ¡°You could say they''re Spirit Grass, or that they''re poisonous herbs as well; either would be correct. However, if you look at these petals and veins, they all have some fire-red lines growing on them, which clearly indicates that their toxicity is somewhat stronger.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Shen Luo spoke, he leaned in to sniff a leaf of the Moon-watching Grass and immediately furrowed his brow, almost coughing out loud from the pungent scent. ¡°It seems that this Fire Python is also rather unusual. There is most likely a Fire Poison Spring nearby.¡± He said while rubbing his nose. ¡°Fire Poison Spring?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked in surprise. ¡°That''s a spring eye brimming with fire poison. The overflowing poisonous gas has attracted that Fire Python. Over time, it has also influenced the growth of the various kinds of spirit grass here. To have such a strong influence, it must be an extraordinary Fire Poison Spring, and there are probably special Poisonous Herbs growing around it. It''s worth trying our luck there. The question is, can your Ten Aromas Revival Pills suppress it?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Why wouldn''t they be able to suppress it? It''s just a bit of Earth''s lung fire poison, what''s there to be afraid of?¡± Bai Xiaotian said indifferently, waving his folding fan casually. ¡°That''s good then.¡± Shen Luo nodded and continued on their way. After about half an hour, a cave the size of a jar mouth appeared under an ancient tree in the dense forest ahead. The traces left by the Fire Python also ended here, vanishing without a trace. ¡°The temperature here is already much higher than the places we''ve passed before, and there''s a wave of scorching breath coming from this cave. It seems we are not far from that Fire Poison Spring,¡± Shen Luo commented. ¡°Not just ''not far''; we''re almost there,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, pointing to the sky above the forest in front of them. Shen Luo followed Bai Xiaotian''s gaze and saw a layer of red mist condensing in the void several hundred feet ahead, resembling a cloud, yet it was only about ten or so feet high, not even taller than many of the treetops. The closer they got to that area, the more intense the scent of burning sulfur and saltpeter in the air became. Just then, a pleasant singing voice suddenly came from the mountain forest ahead, sounding like a folk tune from somewhere. Although Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian did not understand the exact content of the song, the light and cheerful voice made them genuinely feel delighted. ¡°There are people¡­¡± The two exchanged a look and said in unison. The presence of people meant that this place was definitely not an uninhabited wilderness. As for whether it was Colorful Cloud Island and whether Daughter Village existed, they would find out by asking. The two of them immediately quickened their pace and rushed towards the source of the sound. When they neared the area, Shen Luo stopped Bai Xiaotian with a hand and warned in a mental voice, ¡°The poison barrier here is already quite thick. Whoever is active and singing over there is probably not an ordinary person. We better be careful.¡± Bai Xiaotian agreed completely, and both of them concealed their Qi, suppressed the fluctuations of their Mana, and stealthily made their way towards the sound. When they arrived at the edge of the dense forest and pushed aside some bushes to look inside, they saw a pool about seven to eight feet in diameter. The contents of the pool were a fiery red, like lava, violently churning and bubbling with large white bubbles. ¡°Bai¡­¡± Shen Luo was about to speak when he felt a burning sensation in his throat. When he turned to look at Bai Xiaotian, he found that he was standing there, staring straight ahead, eyes locked on the scene in front of them, having forgotten to wave his fan, as if he had been frozen in place. Chapter 939 Chapter 939: Chapter 936: Stirring Beauty Chapter 939: Chapter 936: Stirring Beauty Shen Luo saw Bai Xiaotian standing still, dumbfounded, and felt somewhat astonished. He came to his side and followed his gaze. Only then did he discover a young girl in a goose-yellow dress standing across from the Fire Poison Spring amidst a cluster of crimson red Fire Core Grass. She was bent over with a green bamboo basket in hand, picking something from the ground. The girl seemed not to have noticed Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. She was turned to the side, and her delicate figure was outlined by the goose-yellow dress, looking exceptionally gentle and beautiful. Her exposed profile with a slightly tall nose, thin lips, and the slightly sharp chin that curved up a bit, was like a finely carved piece of jade without any flaw. Especially her eyes, which seemed to reflect the stars, twinkled with a clear light, while her long and slightly upturned eyelashes added to her charm, making one forget the mundane world upon seeing her. However, Shen Luo soon noticed that what the girl''s delicate hands were picking was not a wildflower or fruit, but a brightly colored flower with intricate petals and covered with fine, sharp spikes. He recognized it at a glance¨Cit was none other than the Wolf Poison Fire Ling, a plant with extreme toxicity. Ordinary monks would not dare to touch it with their hands, let alone pick it; even if contained within a jade case, there was fear of inhaling the scattered pollen and suffering from internal rot. From this, it was clear that this girl was no ordinary person. With this thought in mind, Shen Luo was about to mentally alert Bai Xiaotian, only to find that he had already stepped out of the bushes and walked straight to the shoreside of the Fire Poison Spring. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, you¡­¡± Shen Luo was at a loss for words. The girl in the goose-yellow dress also noticed the commotion here and lifted her head to look over in their direction. If her profile was only seven parts beautiful, then her front-facing appearance was surely a full ten. Even when Shen Luo saw her for the first time, he couldn''t help but be slightly moved. However, his heart was already tied to Nie Caizhu. While he was moved, it was only a reflex, and he soon returned to normal. But when he looked at Bai Xiaotian, he saw that the young man''s face was wearing a foolish smile. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, what are you daydreaming about?¡± Shen Luo said helplessly, stepping out and asked through telepathy. ¡°Shen Luo, did you see that? She seems to be smiling at me,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, not paying attention to Shen Luo''s questioning and speaking to himself. Shen Luo, at a loss, faced palm but noticed that the girl indeed wore a faint smile, as if responding to Bai Xiaotian''s silly grin. ¡°Girl, may I ask if this is Colorful Cloud Island?¡± Bai Xiaotian shouted loudly. However, due to the steaming poisonous gas of the Fire Poison Spring, his voice sounded somewhat hoarse. ¡°Yes, did you come from outside?¡± the girl straightened up and asked. Her voice when speaking, unlike her singing, sounded much more steady and soft yet seemed to carry more penetration. ¡°Correct, we are looking for a place called Daughter Village. Have you heard of it?¡± Shen Luo wanted to stop him, but it was too late; Bai Xiaotian had blurted out their purpose in coming here. ¡°I haven''t heard of it.¡± The girl tilted her head to think for a moment, then immediately shook her head. But soon, she added, ¡°I don''t live here, I just occasionally come to the island to gather Poisonous Herbs for refining medicine, so there might be a village on the island, but I''m not clear where it is.¡± ¡°Then may I ask, Miss, during your time gathering herbs on this island, have you ever seen any particularly special phenomena or places?¡± Shen Luo did not allow Bai Xiaotian to continue asking and instead he proactively asked with a frown. ¡°This island is quite large, but the territory granted to me by my Elders for gathering herbs is limited, so I haven''t seen the special places you mentioned¡­ wait, that''s not true, I have seen one,¡± the girl in the goose-yellow dress said as if suddenly recalling something. ¡°Where?¡± Shen Luo urged. The young woman turned in a circle, surveying her surroundings, and then lifted her hand to point in the southwest direction and said, ¡°If my memory serves me right, about ten miles from here there is a small valley where, occasionally, a glow of colorful clouds emerges, quite different from any other place. That is the area our elders from the sect strictly forbid us to venture into, so I''m unsure what exactly is in there,¡± the goose-yellow-dressed girl spoke. ¡°Thank you, girl,¡± Shen Luo expressed his thanks with a cupped fist. ¡°Daoist friend, you''re too polite,¡± the young woman replied with a curtsey, then lowered her head to the green bamboo basket hanging by her waist and began to tally up her spoils of battle. ¡°Girl, I am Bai Xiaotian. May I ask how to address you?¡± At this moment, Bai Xiaotian spoke again. The young woman on the other side seemed quite surprised by this and, after freezing for a few breaths, replied with a slightly embarrassed expression, ¡°I am Lin Xinyue.¡± ¡°May I ask which sect the girl hails from?¡± Bai Xiaotian continued inquiring. Upon facing his persistent questioning, Lin Xinyue displayed a touch of displeasure on her face and remained silent. ¡°Please don''t take offense, girl. It''s just that upon first seeing you, I felt a sense of deja vu, and couldn''t help wanting to ask,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, scratching his head awkwardly. ¡°I''ve already answered what you wanted to know. To keep pestering me so persistently, is truly impolite,¡± Lin Xinyue ¡°hmphed¡± softly, picked up the green bamboo basket in her hands, and departed directly. ¡°Miss Lin¡­¡± Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian hurried to move forward and follow. Shen Luo quickly grabbed his sleeve and yanked him back, asking, ¡°Bai Xiaotian, have you gone mad?¡± Upon hearing these words, Bai Xiaotian was momentarily stunned before he stopped his actions. ¡°Is there truly such a woman in the world, with a face that is a work of art and a heart as pure as orchids?¡± He still gazed longingly in her direction. ¡°I can understand ''a work of art'', but how do you discern a ''heart as pure as orchids''? What, have you secretly cultivated some divine power that probes the hearts of others?¡± Shen Luo teased him purposefully. ¡°You don''t understand. Some people you could look at all your life and find as dull as dirt and dogs, but some you only need to look at once, and it''s worth more than a thousand years. Isn''t there a saying? A single meeting by the jade dew is worth more than countless encounters in the Human World,¡± Bai Xiaotian replied dismissively. ¡°I haven''t seen any jade dew, but someone''s love-struck face certainly scared the girl away,¡± Shen Luo replied unsparingly. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaotian rubbed his cheek and muttered to himself, ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± ¡°Bai Xiaotian, you didn''t really fall for her just from that brief encounter, did you?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. ¡°What''s wrong with love at first sight? It''s just a pity I didn''t get to find out which sect she belongs to,¡± Bai Xiaotian stated earnestly. ¡°Enough, let''s get back to our main task. Once it''s done, I promise I''ll accompany you back here to properly look for Miss Lin Xinyue, alright?¡± Shen Luo resigned himself, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°That''s noble of you. So, where are we headed now?¡± Bai Xiaotian said, giving a thumbs-up. Shen Luo looked at Bai Xiaotian as if he were looking at an idiot, realizing that Bai Xiaotian had spent the better half of the time just staring at the young woman, paying no heed whatsoever to the matter of asking for directions. He felt compelled to repeat the issue of the valley phenomenon to Bai Xiaotian, and only then did the two set off in that direction. Chapter 940 Chapter 940: 937 Chapter Bee Attack Chapter 940: 937 Chapter Bee Attack Just before leaving, Shen Luo suddenly asked Bai Xiaotian to wait a moment and returned to the other side of the Fire Poison Spring. With a wave of his hand, he used the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to cut off a Wolf Poison Fire Ling. He then swiftly caught it with a jade casket without ever touching it with his hands. ¡°What do you want with that thing?¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately asked with curiosity when Shen Luo turned back. ¡°Keep it for a use, don''t worry about it,¡± Shen Luo replied vaguely and started to make his way forward. Bai Xiaotian had no choice but to scratch his head and follow. According to Lin Xinyue, the valley wasn''t far from here and was not difficult to find. It took Shen Luo and him only half an hour to pass through the dense forests and arrive there. Standing at the valley entrance, Shen Luo thought to himself that this was indeed a small valley. The entrance was as narrow as the mouth of a gourd, only wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Fortunately, the distance was short, only about ten feet long, and beyond that point, the terrain suddenly opened up. ¡°There isn''t any colorful aurora rising from the valley; could we have gone the wrong way?¡± Bai Xiaotian looked into the valley and voiced his doubts. ¡°Coming from the southwest, this is the only valley within a dozen miles. The others are too far away to match the valley she mentioned,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head. ¡°In that case, this must be the place. Since Miss Lin said that the auroras occasionally appear in the valley, they aren''t constant. It''s normal that we can''t see them right now,¡± Bai Xiaotian nodded and analyzed. ¡°Isn''t it possible that she just made something up to send you, a philanderer, on a wild goose chase?¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°Miss Lin is not that kind of person. Let''s be cautious and use Divine Sense to check anyway,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, and immediately closed his eyes, pressing his two fingers to his forehead and began to extend his Divine Sense to scout the area. ¡°Divine Sense can''t penetrate it.¡± Only moments later, he opened his eyes again and shook his head. Hearing this, Shen Luo also immediately closed his eyes and probed inward. ¡°Huh, the Miasma and Poison Mist inside actually block the Divine Sense.¡± Shen Luo voiced his finding too. ¡°Doesn''t that just confirm it?¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately exclaimed. ¡°Confirm what?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Aren''t you looking for an ancient and mysterious place with anomalies? This is it,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a laugh. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo found himself somewhat at a loss for words. ¡°Stop overthinking. Let''s just go in and take a look,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a casual smile. With that, he took the lead and stepped into the valley. Shen Luo followed, and after walking only a dozen steps, a gust of valley wind suddenly blew toward them, bringing with it a thick wave of white fog that engulfed them in an instant. Before they could figure out what was going on, the ground beneath their feet suddenly shook violently. Immediately after, both of them staggered, nearly falling to the ground, and then uncontrollably rushed forward into the thick fog ahead. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Just as Shen Luo uttered his question, a great force latched onto his ankles. Something had suddenly locked onto his legs, rendering him immobile. ¡°The ground is moving, the ground is sliding forward,¡± Bai Xiaotian called out. Shen Luo immediately raised his hand and waved it, generating a whirlwind from his sleeve that swept away some of the thick white fog beneath them, revealing two black vines as thick as a child''s arm wrapped around his ankles. And beneath his feet was not the earth but a network of vines, twisted and intertwined with each other, forming a mesh that was now dragging them swiftly toward the valley. Halfway through, Shen Luo suddenly heard the sound of ¡°buzzing¡± wings vibrating from the thick fog ahead, followed by fist-sized black shadows bursting through the layers of fog, rushing toward him and Bai Xiaotian. Shen Luo quickly formed the Water Repelling Technique with his hands, condensing a water-blue light curtain around him for protection, while not far from his side, Bai Xiaotian chanted softly, with a golden light also shining on his body, forming a defensive light shield around himself. There was a series of ¡°thump thump¡± sounds as those speeding shadows struck the protective shields of the two men, only to be rebounded. Following that, the shadows fluttered their wings, hovering all around them. Shen Luo looked closely and discovered that these shadows had stripes of yellow and black, like tiger patterns, with a three-inch long, crystal-clear, dark green stinger at the end of their tails. ¡°Tiger Stripe Poison Bees!¡± Shen Luo recognized them immediately. The bees were extremely venomous and bloodthirsty, attacking relentlessly once they discovered any living creature nearby, not ceasing even if their stingers broke, until their target was completely poisoned to death. After hovering in midair for a moment, the bees'' transparent wings flapped even faster, and one after another, they turned their tails around, aiming their stingers at Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian as they launched rapid strikes. Two sharp ¡°ting ting¡± sounds rang out. Shen Luo looked outside and found that the Water-Repelling Array Light Curtain he had around him had been pierced through, leaving dozens of tiny holes. Sharp stingers protruded in from those holes, the nearest one only an inch away from his eyes. ¡°Be gone.¡± S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo snorted coldly, and his presence suddenly surged, releasing a strong aura that instantly stimulated from his body, propelling the entire Water-Repelling Array Light Curtain in all directions. ¡°Whoosh¡± With this gust of wind, an immense, invisible force spread out in all directions, scattering the Tiger Stripe Poison Bees. However, these little creatures, though small, were extremely resilient and quickly regrouped for another assault. Left with no choice, Shen Luo raised his hand and swept it in front of him, releasing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, which appeared before him as a Sword Rainbow. He formed a Sword Technique with one hand and waved it, sending the Pure Yang Sword Embryo darting out with a ¡°swoosh,¡± instantly slicing seven or eight bees charging toward him into two. But soon, even more Tiger Stripe Poison Bees attacked from all around, and the sound of their wings flapping grew as intense as a torrential downpour. Seeing the dense swarm of bees, Shen Luo''s scalp tingled. He quickly activated the Water Repelling Technique again to shield his body while commanding the sword with his thoughts, darting around like a swimming dragon. Sword lights flickered constantly. Although killing the bees was as easy as slicing through vegetables, their sheer numbers, as many as the hairs on an ox, quickly overwhelmed the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, enveloping it in a giant black ball. Feeling frustrated, Shen Luo flicked his wrist, and his palm was suddenly filled with a dozen green Talisman Papers. He tossed them out in front of him, and they flew out like a flight of paper kites, plunging into the swarm of bees. ¡°Explode,¡± Shen Luo uttered softly. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± A series of explosive sounds erupted continuously, and from the bursting runes, balls of Crimson Flame gushed out, engulfing large swaths of the Tiger Stripe Poison Bees. Chapter 941 Chapter 941: Chapter 938: Obsessed with Ghosts Chapter 941: Chapter 938: Obsessed with Ghosts Large swaths of tiger stripe poison bees had their wings burned off and fell to the ground, yet they still struggled to charge towards Shen Luo. ¡°Vajra Body Protection!¡± Just then, a thunderous shout came from nearby. Shen Luo suddenly felt a warm current spreading over his body. Golden ripples began to ripple at his feet, and a hazy golden light rose from beneath him, coalescing and transforming into the shape of a huge golden bell light shield. It expanded outward, pushing back all the fog and poison bees around him. Shen Luo focused his gaze on Bai Xiaotian, who was not far apart, and saw him forming a weird technique with his hands, surrounded by intense fluctuations of mana. ¡°Since when could your Vajra Body Protection shelter two people?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°After the battle in the Western Regions last time, I had some insights after returning. This God''s Power has since improved. Don''t mention two people; even if two more came along, I could still cover them,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a self-satisfied smile. He had just finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed. The mana he was releasing fluctuated wildly, and the golden bell light shield enveloping him and Shen Luo started to buzz and flicker, looking as if it would disappear imminently. ¡°Look at you, bragging over nothing. Now¡­¡± Shen Luo hadn''t finished speaking when he suddenly felt his mana rapidly draining. He quickly looked down and saw faint light streaming along the green-black vines wrapped around his calves, clearly absorbing his mana. Shen Luo waved his hand, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo immediately swept back, slashing towards the green-black vines. Just as the sword light was about to fall, Shen Luo''s body suddenly tilted sharply, being forcefully dragged down by the vines, and he collided head-on with his flying swords. Fortunately, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was attuned to Shen Luo''s mind and veered away, missing his cheek by a hair''s breadth. The Sword Embryo, having shot into mid-air and away from Shen Luo, then slashed at the vines further away. A sharp ¡°clang¡± rang out. A streak of sword light struck the ground, cutting through a segment of vines buried deep underground, instantly causing a dark green sap to spray out from below, hissing and emitting white smoke. On this side, although the vines wrapped around Shen Luo had stopped absorbing mana, they still didn''t let go of him. Instead, they were pulling him forcefully into the ground, seemingly trying to reattach themselves to the original severed end. Naturally, Shen Luo would not allow them to reattach. His body suddenly dropped, mana surged into his legs, and he forcefully executed the Slanting Moon Steps, breaking free from the vines'' grasp. The cut segment of vine swiftly burrowed into the ground at an astonishing speed and disappeared without a trace. ¡°Vajra Guardian, Demon Descent True Form,¡± Bai Xiaotian shouted angrily, the golden light around him quietly faded, and his skin turned pitch black in an instant. His long hair stood on end, his aura changed dramatically, and his originally handsome face taken on a ferocious and fierce look, becoming the spitting image of the Vajra Guardian from the temple. Shen Luo glanced at him and saw his body shimmering with a metallic gloss, not the least bit afraid of the poison bee stingers penetrating him, only producing ¡°ding ding dang dang¡± sounds, but leaving him completely unharmed. ¡°Absorbing my mana¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian roared, raising his palm and pointing his fingers like a knife, plunging fiercely into the ground. Almost in an instant, his palm pierced through the green-black vines beneath him, and a burst of dark green juice shot out from inside, staining his clothes and arms. ¡°Hiss hiss,¡± white smoke billowed up as the clothing on Bai Xiaotian''s chest corroded rapidly, large pieces falling off, yet there were no changes on his arms. ¡°Come out,¡± Bai Xiaotian bellowed immediately after. With a powerful yank of his arm, he turned his back towards the valley entrance and flung something over his shoulder with force. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± A series of sounds of the land splitting arose near Shen Luo and the others, continuously transmitting towards the depths of the valley. A colossal figure was pulled out from the dense fog, arcing through the high altitude, and smashed viciously towards the valley entrance. As the massive figure descended from the sky, the fierce wind it brought howled, forcing the dense fog in the valley to be pushed aside up against the mountain walls, creating a vacuum in the valley in an instant. Shen Luo immediately saw that the thing Bai Xiaotian had yanked out was a huge vine made up of numerous entwined branches, with the main stem''s fine and intricate vines knotted together to form a bizarre and fierce face. At the top left corner of that face hung a black beehive the size of a water jar, and on the right side grew an enchantingly colored flower shaped like a trumpet flower, but tens of times larger. ¡°So it''s this Vine Flower Demon sneaking up on us,¡± Bai Xiaotian spat, saying. ¡°It''s not them sneaking up on us, we''ve trespassed into their territory. Can''t you see? Lin Xinyue played us,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Miss Lin¡­ really? People are just trying to kindly show us the way. They haven''t been here before either. I think it''s mostly a coincidence,¡± Bai Xiaotian, upon hearing this, obviously didn''t believe it. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, have you been bewitched?¡± Shen Luo said, finding it somewhat absurd. He thought to himself, could it be that Lin Xinyue used some Mesmerizing Technique on Bai Xiaotian? Otherwise, why would the usually calm Bai Xiaotian act so out of character today? Before he could figure it out, a vague whisper suddenly came from behind: ¡°Kill, kill¡­ kill.¡± Shen Luo frowned and looked over, only to see that the Vine Flower Demon''s mouth wasn''t moving, yet the voice¡­ was indeed coming from that giant trumpet flower on its head. As the muffled voice ceased, the enchantingly colored trumpet flower suddenly closed its petals, turning from an open mouth to a contracted tube-like shape. Then, with a ¡°puff,¡± the contracted trumpet flower suddenly bloomed again, and a white powder was violently ejected from the heart of the flower, falling down like a volcanic eruption. Shen Luo and his companion immediately retreated and swiftly sealed their breaths. At the same time, he raised a hand in mid air with a sweep, instantly condensing a layer of blue water curtain that formed a hemispherical shield overhead. The white powder fell silently onto the water curtain, disappearing like dust into water. While Shen Luo wondered about the Vine Flower Demon''s seemingly formidable yet ineffective action, the blue water curtain above unexpectedly began to spread with purplish-red patches, as if dye had been dropped into water. But then, a surprising scene unfolded. The spread-out patches of color suddenly gave birth to small trumpet flowers, from which countless thin vines stretched out, densely covering the sunlight above Shen Luo''s head. The water curtain he had cast was instantly dissolved by the vines, which absorbed all of its moisture. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 942 Chapter 942: Chapter 939: Breakthrough Chapter 942: Chapter 939: Breakthrough Shen Luo finally realized that what the vine flower demon just sprayed out was indeed its spore dust. Fortunately, he used the water curtain in time to block it; otherwise, had those things landed on them, they would probably have already sprouted from him and Bai Xiaotian. However, the situation was far from optimistic. Vines densely packed like arrows shot down from the sky, raining down upon the two of them. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian had no choice but to move quickly, retreating backwards. Many of the vines failed to pierce the two men and plunged into the ground instead, but they quickly grew tenfold, breaking through the soil and lunging at them once more. Some even changed direction in mid-air, continuing to surge towards the pair. ¡°Go up.¡± With a loud shout, Bai Xiaotian leaped up first, charging toward the sky above the valley, followed closely by Shen Luo. However, before they could rise high above the mountain wall, a yawning abyss-like maw appeared out of thin air in the canopy above, snapping shut on them. ¡°The vine flower demon¡­¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. The extravagant trumpet flower on the vine flower demon''s face had now grown even larger than its own body, its petals wide open like a blood basin. Within, countless writhing pistils seemed to reach out for Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. Smelling the potent, putrid scent coming from the flower''s core, Shen Luo''s head spun with dizziness, and he felt an urge to vomit. He looked down and saw that the entire valley below had been completely overrun by the proliferating vine flower demon, and vines were rapidly spreading up the sides of the mountain walls as well. Clearly, there was no route of escape. ¡°No choice now, we must break out in one go¡­¡± He waved his hand, and mana surged out from within him. A dragon horn spike appeared in front of him, and with a shimmering light, it emitted a loud Dragon Chant, charging fiercely at the flower demon''s gaping maw. The dragon horn spike shone brilliantly with golden light; a whole Golden Dragon coiled around it, hurtling with an irresistible force into the heart of the vine demon, only to be tightly ensnared by numerous pistils, greatly slowing its progress. At the same time, a sword light followed closely behind. As it neared the pistils, the sound of the sword''s hum intensified; dazzling light flickered along the sword body, and countless razor-sharp sword lights burst forth, severing most of the pistils in an instant. However, the dragon horn spike was still being torn at by many pistils and couldn''t break free immediately. Just then, a pitch-black figure rushed past and plunged right into the flower, exploding with a shout near the dragon horn spike: ¡°Vajra Guardian.¡± The next instant, the darkness around him faded away as the naked torso of a Vajra Guardian emerged behind him, rising to strike a powerful punch in tandem with him. The Vajra Guardian shone brightly, and in the instant of striking, dissipated into specks of light, all of which merged into Bai Xiaotian''s fist, emitting a dazzling white light. A dull thud echoed. Bai Xiaotian''s punch, containing the full power of the Vajra Guardian''s divine might, heavily struck the tail end of the dragon horn spike. The golden light on the dragon horn spike blended with the white light, instantly tearing through the pistils wrapped around it and shooting forward rapidly, causing the center of the trumpet flower to resonate with explosive sounds. The very next moment, a loud boom resonated. ¡°Boom¡± The entire trumpet flower burst open from the back, countless particles of golden light shooting out, tearing it into fragments. With the sky suddenly brightening before him, Shen Luo didn''t hesitate for a second and shot out. He grabbed the somewhat weakened Bai Xiaotian, recalled his magical treasure, and flew out of the valley. After flying out of the valley for several miles and seeing no pursuers behind them, Shen Luo finally helped Bai Xiaotian to land slowly. Both of them landed on the ground, each plopping down on their behinds. ¡°Man, that Vine Flower Demon was really fierce. If we had been ensnared by those saplings spawned from its spores, it would''ve been tough for us to get out,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, patting his chest with lingering fear. ¡°With that sort of creature hiding in the valley, there''s no way Lin Xinyue didn''t know about it. Let''s rest for a moment and then go settle the score with her.¡± The thought of that woman deliberately leading them here filled Shen Luo with anger. ¡°Heh, Brother Shen, don''t be in such a rush to get angry. I don''t think Miss Lin necessarily did it on purpose,¡± Bai Xiaotian hastily said with an awkward laugh upon seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If it wasn''t done on purpose, are you saying she was forced by someone else?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrow and said angrily. ¡°That''s¡­ not impossible, right?¡± Bai Xiaotian chuckled and said. ¡°I think you''re truly bewitched beyond hope,¡± Shen Luo said with a stern look, glaring at Bai Xiaotian. ¡°I won''t say any more, okay?¡± The latter immediately raised his hands in surrender. Without paying him any more attention, Shen Luo thought for a moment, and a streak of light flashed before him, revealing a figure that appeared in front of him¨Cit was Yuan Qiu. ¡°Master, what are your orders for calling me out?¡± Yuan Qiu asked. ¡°Release the Gu insect to search for someone for me,¡± Shen Luo instructed. ¡°Do you have something with their scent?¡± Yuan Qiu asked. Shen Luo flipped his palm over, revealing a white jade box in his hand. With a snap, he opened it to show a fiery red plant stem inside¨Cit was the very Wolf Poison Fire Ling he had plucked earlier. ¡°This flower was tainted by that woman''s skirt. Sniff it and see, is there any scent left?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Shen Luo, did you go and pick the flower earlier just for this?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, surprised. ¡°That woman dared to touch the Wolf Poison Fire Ling with her bare hands; how could she be an ordinary person? Naturally, I had to be prepared,¡± Shen Luo said, glancing at him. Yuan Qiu immediately took the jade box, simply fanning above the toxic flower with his hand before leaning in to sniff the air, frowning almost instantly. ¡°What''s wrong? Is there something off?¡± Shen Luo promptly asked. ¡°There''s nothing unusual; it''s just that this Wolf Poison Fire Ling has a kind of fishy, stinking scent that''s quite overpowering,¡± Yuan Qiu reported. Upon hearing this, both Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian were taken aback, as they hadn''t detected any scent at all. ¡°Master, the woman you''re speaking of is most likely from the Fox Clan,¡± Yuan Qiu disclosed. ¡°The Fox Clan, that explains it. Have you been hit with their Soul-Attracting Secret Technique?¡± Shen Luo had a sudden realization and turned to look at Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Impossible, I haven''t been affected by any Soul-Attracting Secret Technique,¡± Bai Xiaotian asserted with certainty. ¡°He indeed hasn''t been affected by any illusion nor has his soul been seduced,¡± Yuan Qiu concurred. ¡°That''s even worse, you''ve simply lost your soul then,¡± Shen Luo lamented upon hearing this. While they were speaking, Yuan Qiu rubbed his fingers together and small green specks of light appeared in his palm. Four tiny green Gu insects, each about the size of a grain of rice, with silently flapping wings, darted out in four different directions. Soon, a flash of light shimmered over the four Gu insects, and they vanished into the void. It was only a dozen breaths later when Yuan Qiu suddenly widened his eyes and exclaimed, ¡°Master, the person you''re looking for is hiding nearby. She just killed one of my Gu insects just now.¡± Chapter 943 Chapter 943: Chapter 940 Daughter Village Chapter 943: Chapter 940 Daughter Village ¡°It seems she has been following and watching us all along¡­ Bai Xiaotian, do you still dare to say she''s innocent?¡± Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaotian immediately shook his head like a wave drum. ¡°Let''s go, take us there,¡± Shen Luo said gravely. Yuan Qiu acknowledged with a sound and immediately leaped into the air, rapidly pursuing in the direction where the Gu insect had just been killed. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian also quickly followed. The three of them moved swiftly, chasing for several miles toward the north, and soon arrived at a higher-sloped ground. On the tallest old cypress tree, Yuan Qiu found the crushed corpse of the Gu insect. ¡°Now it will be easier to find,¡± he said, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth upon this sight. He then took out another Gu insect, this one colored gray-white, and waved it over the remains of the dead one. The gray-white Gu insect, upon detecting the scent, immediately took flight, zooming toward the east. Shen Luo and the others quickly pursued the Gu insect again. After fleeing for more than ten miles, Shen Luo suddenly raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Found her.¡± The woman had been concealing her breath until now, but apparently, in her rush to escape the pursuing Gu insect, she couldn''t help releasing her Divine Sense to check behind her, and just this momentary fluctuation of divine soul was instantly captured by Shen Luo. Without any hesitation, he immediately activated Yimu Xuandun, chasing after Lin Xinyue. Lin Xinyue was fleeing in haste when she suddenly saw a figure appear behind her within an instant, just ten-odd miles away, which greatly alarmed her. Her surroundings lit up with a layer of white light, and her figure blurred in the void, then disappeared from Shen Luo''s sight. Shen Luo immediately spurred on Yimu Xuandun again and pursued. However, this time when he appeared, he only saw the figure of Lin Xinyue descending towards a dense mountain forest below. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But by the time he also descended, there was no one to be seen on the ground. When Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu arrived, they saw Shen Luo circling around a huge, bizarre flower, examining it. The strange giant flower was several dozen feet tall, blood-red in color, with neither stalk nor green leaves, as if a solitary blossom had grown out of the earth from nothing, exuding an eerie air no matter how one looked at it. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked in confusion. Before Shen Luo could speak, Yuan Qiu retrieved the gray-white Gu insect from the strange flower and said, ¡°It seems she disappeared right here.¡± ¡°We may have lost the woman, but it seems we''ve found the village,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What? You found Daughter Village? Where is it?¡± Hearing this, Bai Xiaotian quickly looked around. But after scanning for a while, he still couldn''t find a trace of the village. ¡°Stop looking; it''s inside this giant flower,¡± Shen Luo said. He had already scrutinized the area with Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil just now and had vaguely seen the phantom of a village within the heart of this massive flower. ¡°There must be some sort of array or prohibition here. Yuan Qiu, try using your Yuan-Devouring Gu,¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Yuan Qiu said, eager to try, as he flung his sleeves, releasing two swirls of gray clouds that surged toward the strange giant flower¨Cit was naturally the Yuan-Devouring Gu insects. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, seeing this, both stepped back slightly to avoid the little creatures emanating an air of corrosion. As the Yuan-Devouring Gu insects settled on the flower, it too began to emit red light and started to flicker slightly. All the Yuan-Devouring Gu insects quickly turned into wisps of gray mist, beginning to infiltrate various parts of the giant flower, causing its blood-red color to gradually dim. However, just moments later, the gray mist clinging to the giant flower began to peel off, transforming back into ash-colored insect shapes and flittering into the air. But they didn''t even reach Yuan Qiu''s sleeve before they fell to the ground, one after another, all devoid of life. ¡°Dead?¡± Shen Luo''s heart tightened. ¡°The spiritual energy forming this prohibition contains violently toxic poison, which even the Devouring Yuan Gu Insects cannot decompose and digest,¡± Yuan Qiu said as he looked at the Gu insects littering the ground with a pained expression in his eyes. Shen Luo''s brows were tightly furrowed as he quietly contemplated a countermeasure. Bai Xiaotian stepped forward, circling the giant flower for a long time but naturally was not able to discern any clues. ¡°Earlier in the valley, I seem to have been contaminated with some venom and need to recover for a moment, I''ll trouble you to protect me for a while,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said. ¡°Why are you only mentioning this now?¡± Bai Xiaotian frowned and asked. ¡°It''s not a big problem, I''ll be fine after a bit of recovery,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu then took positions several feet away to protect him. Shen Luo''s eyes closed, but instead of truly circulating his mana to recover, he projected his Divine Sense into the Heavenly Book Space. Faced with the enigmatic structure of the giant flower''s array, he was completely clueless and had no choice but to shamelessly ask Yuan Daoist for advice. And as Shen Luo''s thoughts moved, he was sucked into the Heavenly Book, appearing in the Golden Hall. A moment later, golden mist swirled up in the Golden Hall, gradually coalescing into shape, and from within emerged the figure of Yuan Daoist, clothed in a white robe. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, what''s the matter? Has something occurred again?¡± Yuan Daoist cut to the chase and asked. ¡°Nothing''s happened; it''s just that I encountered an array in a secret realm and I''m at a loss on how to break it. With no other choice, I came to bother Elder,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°It''s fine, it''s fine, tell me about this array in the secret realm that has stumped you,¡± Yuan Daoist said. Shen Luo then recounted the details of the giant flower barrier in Daughter Village to Yuan Daoist. ¡°Eh, how did you end up in Daughter Village?¡± Yuan Daoist asked in surprise. ¡°How does Elder know this is Daughter Village?¡± This time, it was Shen Luo''s turn to be astonished. ¡°The flower barrier you mentioned, called One Flower, One World, is a profound array art of the Buddhist Sect. As it happens, I know a secret art to unravel it, which I will pass on to you,¡± Yuan Daoist said. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo quickly expressed his gratitude. Yuan Daoist then began to explain bit by bit, with Shen Luo listening intently, completely engrossed. After a long while, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes. He had already left the Heavenly Book Space, a smile playing on his lips as he stood up from the ground. ¡°In such a short time, you''ve recovered already?¡± Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian hurried over with concern. ¡°I said it was just a minor poison, nothing to worry about,¡± Shen Luo said, waving his hand with a smile. With that, he approached the giant flower, brought his fingers together in one hand, carefully recalling the secret incantation Yuan Daoist had taught him. Then, following his instructions, he began to move around the giant flower. After one circuit, the chanting sound from his mouth was unending, and the magic spell in his hand unchanging, he continued on to the second circuit. Despite his doubts, Bai Xiaotian, trusting in the relationship with Shen Luo over many years, did not disturb him and watched in silent accord. After completing three rounds following the circuit, Shen Luo suddenly stamped on the ground, then turned and began to walk in reverse around the giant flower, not more or less, also completing three rounds. After three rounds, Shen Luo stood in place and loudly commanded, ¡°Open!¡± Chapter 944 Chapter 944: 941 Chapter 944: 941 Just as Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu were utterly confused, the giant red flower in front of them suddenly lit up with a layer of bright red light, which spread up from the body of the flower like a layer of luminous water liquid, surging toward the surroundings. Wherever it passed, the ground shimmered and ring-shaped charm patterns rose from the ground, continuously expanding outwards and within a moment, they had already spread out to a thousand feet away. As a blinding red light flashed, Shen Luo and the others subconsciously closed their eyes. When they lifted their eyelids again, the scenery around them had changed, and they were already in another Heaven and Earth. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as his gaze swept around, and he soon realized that the giant red flower had completely disappeared, but the ancient trees around them, covered in vines, had become even more luxuriant. And through the gaps in the dense ancient trees, Shen Luo could see at a glance a mountain village shrouded in cooking smoke and White Fog nestled among the mountain forest ahead. ¡°Shen Luo, how did you do that?¡± After staring blankly for a while, Bai Xiaotian couldn''t help but step forward and ask. Yuan Qiu also looked over with a puzzled face. The way Shen Luo had just unlocked the prohibition on the giant flower clearly wasn''t any sort of prohibition-breaking technique; it rather seemed like he knew the method to open this prohibition, but if he had known all along, why didn''t he do that from the beginning? ¡°This¡­ I''ve read some miscellaneous books on normal days and tried a method recorded within, and surprisingly it worked.¡± Shen Luo said with an awkward laugh, casually playing it off. Of course, he couldn''t tell those two that he had gone to the Heavenly Book Space to seek teachings from Yuan Daoist and had learned this method. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaotian couldn''t help but roll his eyes, clearly disbelieving, while Yuan Qiu shrank his neck and tactfully turned his head to one side. ¡°Alright, no need to ponder over it anymore. If nothing goes wrong, that village over there should be Daughter Village,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Mysterious as always, fine, let''s go,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, seeing that he didn''t want to explain, and did not pursue the matter further. The three of them then made their way through the grove, and soon arrived in front of the village. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo and the others realized that the village was actually enveloped in a semi-transparent array light shield, like a huge bowl turned upside down over the mountain forest. Inside the array, the houses in the village were generally low, with the tallest having only two stories, and the rooftops were all covered with thick green turf; the Wall Side also mostly nestled with various kinds of flowering trees, looking quite idyllic and pastoral. Many houses had chimneys of varying heights, and at this moment, there were threads of smoke rising from them, looking very peaceful and serene. ¡°One array isn''t enough, so there''s another layer?¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. ¡°Master, this array is closely connected to their living village and likely won''t be fiercely toxic. Let me try with the Yuan-Devouring Gu again,¡± Yuan Qiu volunteered. ¡°Forget it, since we''ve come this far, we might as well find the main entrance and pay a visit,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Shen Luo was hesitating when he suddenly heard an angry shout: ¡°Hey! Brazen thieves, you dare to come to our Daughter Village?¡± As soon as the voice fell, a woman dressed in tight black clothes had already charged over from one side of the mountain forest. This young woman had delicate features and an extremely slender figure, with the black clothes outlining her perfect curves vividly, although her overall skin tone was dark, not as fair and clear as ordinary women. ¡°Ah, girl, we are not any kind of thieves¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian started to explain hurriedly when he saw this. However, before he could finish, the woman had already taken a short bow from her waist, strung it with an arrow, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± shot it straight at his chest. ¡°` The short arrow was incredibly ferocious, its shaft wrapped in a layer of faintly visible green qi flow that ripped through the Void, emitting a long, piercing whistling sound as it rapidly closed in on Bai Xiaotian''s chest. ¡°Vajra Body Protection!¡± Bai Xiaotian bellowed. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While retreating explosively backward, a surge of golden light erupted from his body, condensing into a large golden bell that enveloped him. Only then did he notice that the arrowhead was not tipped with iron but bound with a beast tooth from some creature, its tip flickering with a light green gloss, clearly containing some kind of potent poison. A ¡°Dong¡± sound of a bell rang out. The arrow, ultimately faster, caught up to Bai Xiaotian in an instant, making his golden bell violently tremble. Bai Xiaotian let out a muffled grunt, his heel slammed down hard on the ground, and after a brief gathering of strength, he ceased retreating. Instead, he puffed out his chest and lunged forward, releasing a Buddhist Lion''s Roar from his mouth. ¡°Roar¡­¡± With this roar, the golden light of the bell covering him surged, instantly resisting the arrow, and then with a ¡°bang,¡± it shattered the arrow. As the arrow broke apart, the golden light surrounding Bai Xiaotian gradually dissipated. ¡°You woman, how unreasonable, why do you attack without listening to others?¡± Bai Xiaotian said somewhat angrily. ¡°Hmph! There''s nothing to discuss with you thieves, take another arrow,¡± the girl still appeared full of murderous intent. Once again, she bent her bow and aimed at Bai Xiaotian. Unlike the previous hasty shot, this time the girl had been gathering strength for quite a while. Behind her, a dark green floral shadow emerged, at first blooming as large as a millstone, but soon shrinking into a streak of light, converging into the arrow. The once ordinary-looking arrow, upon the influx of this flowery shadow, immediately revealed a layer of dark green charm patterns on the shaft, followed by green light condensing on the arrowhead, enveloping it completely. The girl''s mouth twitched into a cold sneer, and then she released the string of her drawn bow. However, at this moment, a figure suddenly appeared out of thin air beside the girl and reached out to slap her bow-holding wrist. It was Shen Luo. The girl only felt a great force strike her, and her arm, as stable as Mount Tai, couldn''t help but tremble. The just-released arrow was also deflected off its original trajectory, shooting out rapidly. Bai Xiaotian saw the incoming arrow and simply titled his head slightly, easily dodging it. The arrow shot through the air and struck a towering ancient tree behind it. The ancient tree exploded in the middle immediately after being hit, and ¡°bang¡± sounds continued without cease as a dozen trees, large enough for several people to embrace, were pierced through by the arrow. In the end, the arrow embedded itself into an exposed rock on the ground, the arrowhead and half of the shaft sinking deep into it. But then, the entire rock was permeated by a layer of dark green aura, rapidly corroding and crumbling apart completely. Seeing her wrist seized by Shen Luo, the girl drew an arrow from behind her back with her other hand and stabbed it towards his right eye. Shen Luo knew that the arrow was clearly poisoned and that it would be unwise to grab it with his hands, so he immediately scattered the ¡°Moonlight¡± beneath his feet and used ¡°Slanting Moon Steps¡± to dodge away. ¡°Girl, we really mean no harm, please stop being so aggressive,¡± Shen Luo shouted loudly after steadying himself. Chapter 945 Chapter 945: Chapter 942 House Arrest Chapter 945: Chapter 942 House Arrest ¡°Granny has always said that men in this world are all full of sweet talk and flattery, and I don''t believe a single word that comes out of your mouths,¡± the woman sneered, drawing her bow and arrow once again, this time aiming at Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a trace of displeasure in his heart, since he had never before encountered such an unreasonable woman. His expression darkened, and in a flick of his wrist, the Pure Yang Flying Sword had already silently swept out of his sleeve, while a stream of azure water began to coil around him. The woman, witnessing this, also became somewhat tense, her hand pulling the arrow went taut, and a green vortex gradually began to condense around the arrow cluster. ¡°Fei Xu, stop,¡± an elderly voice called from behind just then. The woman, upon hearing the voice, did not lower her bow and arrow but turned slightly to greet the newcomer, ¡°Granny, these thieves are somewhat skilled.¡± Shen Luo looked back and saw a white-haired woman wearing a purple dress slowly walking from inside the village. As she approached the array, she waved her hand casually, and a gateway automatically emerged on the array, allowing her to pass through. Although the woman had white hair, her face was very young, and she was extremely beautiful and well-proportioned; how could she be the ¡°Granny¡± the woman in black had mentioned? ¡°Fei Xu, stop it, they are not villains,¡± said the white-haired woman. ¡°But, Granny¡­¡± ¡°The two of them, one used the God''s Power of Hua Sheng Temple and the other used Mount Fangcun''s body techniques; both are from prestigious schools. You fought with them just now, but they were always restrained. Otherwise, how could you still be standing here unharmed?¡± the white-haired woman explained. Hearing this, the woman in black reluctantly set down her bow and arrows. ¡°Junior Shen Luo pays respects to the Elder,¡± Shen Luo said, promptly stepping forward with a cupped fist salute. Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu did the same, reporting their names. ¡°My surname is Sun; you may call me Granny Sun,¡± the white-haired woman said, glancing at the woman in black. ¡°Liu Feixu,¡± the woman in black had to introduce herself to Shen Luo and the other two with a face full of reluctance. ¡°Fellow Cultivators, though my Daughter Village may not be a grand immortal sect, it is not a place just anyone can enter. How did you get in?¡± Granny Sun asked, looking over the three of them. Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu remained silent while Shen Luo stepped forward and said, ¡°To tell you the truth, it was an Elder of our sect who taught us the way to enter this place.¡± ¡°Elders of your sect¡­ Well, since you''re here, you are guests. Follow me into the village,¡± Granny Sun hesitated for a moment but did not probe further. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± the three of them quickly expressed their gratitude. Seeing this, Liu Feixu could only follow behind Granny Sun and walk towards the inside of the village. After entering the array, Granny Sun continued, ¡°You shouldn''t blame Fei Xu for her rashness; the village has not been at peace lately. One of my disciples, Lili''er, has gone missing. She was abducted by an outsider male whose appearance and stature are very similar to yours.¡± ¡°Similar to me?¡± Shen Luo was surprised to hear this. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What resemblance, they are clearly identical. Granny, I think this guy is just feigning ignorance,¡± Liu Feixu said. It was only at this moment that Shen Luo realized why Granny Sun had allowed them to enter the village. Whether the person who abducted Lili''er was Shen Luo or not, it was evidently related to Shen Luo, and they feared that getting the Nine Brahmanic Lotus from the village wouldn''t be so straightforward anymore. However, after pondering for a long time, Shen Luo was still clueless, not understanding why someone would impersonate him to abduct a female disciple from Daughter Village. ¡°Granny Sun, I really have no knowledge of this matter. I came here to seek a Nine Brahmanic Lotus, but I did not expect such a thing to have happened in the village,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Wishful thinking. You, who abducted Lili''er, dare to covet the Nine Brahmanic Lotus? That is the treasure of our Daughter Village; how can it possibly be given to an outsider like you?¡± upon hearing this, Liu Feixu couldn''t help but burn with anger. ¡°Eh, why would you know about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus? Although it is a treasure indeed, it is rarely known in the world, and there shouldn''t be many who know of it,¡± Granny Sun stopped in her tracks, held up her hand to stop Liu Feixu, and said with confusion. ¡°This¡­ I was also informed by a nobleman,¡± Shen Luo responded. ¡°No matter who informed you or what master or elder you have behind you, the Nine Brahmanic Lotus will not be given to you. You can dispense with that hope. It seems that Lili''er''s disappearance is greatly related to you, so until this matter is clarified, you may not leave the village,¡± Granny Sun turned and continued to lead the way, saying without turning back. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo exchanged a glance with Bai Xiaotian, sighing in his heart; it was indeed as he expected, they were under house arrest. ¡°Elder, I have no objections to the investigation, but if this matter arose because of me, I wish to participate in the investigation to prove my innocence,¡± Shen Luo reverted to the respectful term ¡°Elder¡± as he spoke. ¡°Fine, as long as you don''t leave the village, your movements within can remain unrestricted. Of course, this excludes some places which are strictly off-limits. Feixu will clarify these to you later on,¡± Granny Sun nodded and said. ¡°Thank you, Granny,¡± Shen Luo once again said. ¡°Shen Luo, how do you plan to prove your innocence?¡± At that moment, Bai Xiaotian''s voice echoed in his sea of knowledge. ¡°Since someone is targeting me, by coming here, they won''t pass up the opportunity to strike at me. I just need to wander around the village a bit. It would be best if I can draw the snake out of its hole; if not, I can only take this chance to explore the situation regarding the Nine Brahmanic Lotus,¡± Shen Luo communicated back with his mind. Upon entering the village, they continued to meet various people along the way, including youthful and beautiful young girls, aged women showing signs of decline, and even more children who were chasing and playing around the village. No matter which group it was, upon seeing Granny Sun, they would all respectfully greet her as ¡°Granny.¡± And after doing so, these people would then invariably take a few glances at Shen Luo and his companions. The younger ones mostly looked curious, while those who were a bit older seemed to harbor some disdain and hostility in their eyes. Among them, there were both cultivators with mana fluctuations and ordinary mortals; without exception, they were all female, not a single man present. Having been aware of the local customs here, Shen Luo was not surprised. They arrived in front of a two-story wooden building in the village. Granny Sun halted and said to Liu Feixu, ¡°Go and arrange their accommodation. Be sure to explain to them what they need to know.¡± ¡°Yes, Granny.¡± Liu Feixu replied, shooting Shen Luo a reluctant glance. ¡°Thank you, Granny Sun,¡± Shen Luo and his companions were also quick to bow in gratitude. Granny Sun nodded, turned, and entered the wooden building, while Liu Feixu stood with hand on hips, glaring unfriendly at Shen Luo. Chapter 946 Chapter 946: Chapter 943 Old Family Friends Chapter 946: Chapter 943 Old Family Friends ¡°Miss Liu, thank you for your trouble,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Liu Feixu couldn''t help but feel a surge of guilt and resentment burning inside her when she thought of watching that person holding Lili''er under his rib and fleeing that day. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Miss Liu, whether you believe it or not, I am truly not the one who took Lili''er. But since the matter is related to me, I won''t just stand by idly. I will try my best to help you find her,¡± Shen Luo said with a steadfast gaze. Liu Feixu saw the determination on his face and was momentarily stunned. ¡°Come with me.¡± A moment later, her expression turned serious again, and she turned to speak. Shen Luo and his two companions followed her towards the central part of the village. On the way, Shen Luo suddenly spotted a woman in a white long dress standing in front of a wooden house ahead. She had two pointed ears on top of her head¨Ca Demon Race member, no doubt. The woman was talking to another young girl, who had a smile plastered across her face, clearly enjoying their conversation. ¡°Miss Liu, isn''t Daughter Village supposed to only accept women of the Human Race? Why are there Demons here?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. Hearing this, Liu Feixu slightly stiffened, feeling a bit displeased. She had already made an exception to guide him, and he still dared to ask so many questions? However, moments later, she explained, ¡°What''s so strange about that? Daughter Village may be hidden, but it''s not isolated from the outside world; otherwise, thieves like you wouldn''t have been able to find us.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Shen Luo was somewhat at a loss for words. ¡°Although Daughter Village does not have much interaction with the outside world, we have our friendly sects. The Demon woman you saw is a disciple of Pansi Cave. Our two families have been allies for generations, and there is some secret interaction between us.¡± Liu Feixu continued, her tone slightly softer this time. Shen Luo nodded in understanding. ¡°Miss Liu, is there a fairy in your village who wears a light yellow dress?¡± Bai Xiaotian suddenly interjected. ¡°You lecher, why do you ask?¡± Liu Feixu glared fiercely at Bai Xiaotian after hearing this and rebuked him. ¡°So there is one, is she called Lin Xinyue?¡± Bai Xiaotian beamed with joy upon hearing her response. Liu Feixu gave him a cold glance and refused to speak further. The group walked near the center of the village and stopped in front of a two-story tower beside a tall ancient tree. ¡°You will be staying here. Since Granny said that your movements aren''t restricted, aside from the Meeting Hall in the village east, the Training Ground, the Jade Medicine Garden in the village west, and the area near the Ancestral Flower Tree, you are free to move about elsewhere,¡± Liu Feixu looked at the three of them and said. ¡°Alright,¡± responded Shen Luo and his companions in unison. ¡°Additionally, unless necessary, don''t interact with the people of Daughter Village. If I discover any of you engaging in inappropriate or overstepping behavior, I''ll ensure you have no place to be buried,¡± Liu Feixu warned with a heavy tone. ¡°Alright, Miss Liu, rest assured,¡± Shen Luo said somewhat awkwardly. No sooner had he finished speaking than his eyes suddenly narrowed a fraction, and he spotted a woman in a light yellow dress holding a bamboo basket and walking gracefully not far opposite. ¡°Miss Lin¡­¡± Before Shen Luo could say anything, Bai Xiaotian had already dashed toward her with the speed of an arrow. But before he could get close, a figure appeared between them, aiming a bow and arrow straight at Bai Xiaotian''s throat. ¡°You lecher, stop being so presumptuous!¡± Liu Feixu shouted angrily. ¡°Miss Xinyue¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian''s gaze went straight past her, waving towards Lin Xinyue who was behind her. Lin Xinyue of course noticed this, but approached with an indifferent expression, her face showing no emotion. ¡°Fei Xu, what''s wrong? What happened?¡± She arrived behind Liu Feixu and patted her shoulder, signaling her to relax. ¡°Sister Xinyue, they said they know you?¡± Liu Feixu put away her bow and arrow and asked with confusion. ¡°We have met before.¡± Lin Xinyue nodded her head and did not deny it. ¡°Miss Lin, why did you deceive us into entering that valley?¡± Shen Luo stepped forward to ask. ¡°You should already know that the village has encountered some problems recently. When you, with your foreign appearances, suddenly arrived, inquiring about Daughter Village, how could I not be cautious?¡± Lin Xinyue argued without looking directly at Shen Luo. ¡°The girl speaks reasonably, it''s our oversight.¡± Bai Xiaotian looked at Lin Xinyue with eyes full of laughter, finding everything she said to be justified. ¡°Even so, it wasn''t right to lead us towards the territory of the Vine Flower Demon and Poison Bees without any clear distinction of right and wrong. If we weren''t skilled enough, wouldn''t we have been consigned to our doom by you just like that?¡± Shen Luo glared and spoke coldly. Hearing this, Liu Feixu also seemed surprised, subconsciously giving Lin Xinyue a glance. But soon, she spoke up very defensively, ¡°Since you all came out in one piece, let''s not fuss over this matter. If you hadn''t come to our Daughter Village, this would not have happened, right?¡± Her words were absurd, and even Liu Feixu herself felt somewhat embarrassed after speaking, her face flushing with shame. Shen Luo sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn''t pursue the matter further, and thus did not speak anymore on it. ¡°May I ask if Miss Lin is also a disciple of Daughter Village?¡± Bai Xiaotian, seeing Shen Luo drop the subject, smiled broadly and asked again. ¡°Sister Xinyue is a disciple of Pansi Cave. You flirtatious man, I advise you to stop entertaining those ridiculous thoughts, or you''ll be in for more than you can handle,¡± Liu Feixu huffed coldly, her words carrying an obvious warning. Hearing that the woman was from Pansi Cave of the Demon Race, Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly flashed with a hint of realization. He had heard before that the women of Pansi Cave excelled in bewitching techniques that captivate the soul, some even capable of leading people into invisibility, making one completely unaware of their presence and even think that it all came from one''s own heart. However, if she really used some kind of enchantment, why was Bai Xiaotian the only one affected? Shen Luo looked at Bai Xiaotian, whose eyes were full of infatuation, and was filled with doubts. ¡°Since she is not from Daughter Village, what was said earlier about not being allowed to make contact doesn''t count anymore.¡± Bai Xiaotian clapped his hands and laughed. ¡°You¡­¡± Liu Feixu was at a loss for words. ¡°Fei Xu, let''s go. Today, I''ve gathered quite a lot of poisonous herbs, and I was hoping you could help me mix their poison,¡± Lin Xinyue tugged at Liu Feixu''s sleeve and said. ¡°Okay.¡± Liu Feixu was not stingy with her smiles towards her, and they left arm in arm. However, after not walking far, she turned back and fiercely gestured with two fingers at Shen Luo and his companions, then pointed at her own eyes, a blatant ¡°I''m watching you¡± warning. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but chuckle. The three of them pushed the door and entered the small building, finding a living room on the first floor with a small, wooden table and four chairs, and nothing else superfluous. A spiral staircase led up to the second floor, which only contained two rooms. This was clearly Liu Feixu''s intentional arrangement, which Shen Luo found rather speechless, and so he let Yuan Qiu temporarily return to the Heavenly Book Space. Chapter 947 Chapter 947: Chapter 944 Difficulties Chapter 947: Chapter 944 Difficulties On the other side, after returning to the wooden building, Granny Sun sat in the hall for a long time before suddenly getting up and walking into the back hall. On the wall of the back hall hung an octagonal copper mirror. Granny Sun waved her hand, and the mirror began to creak and turn. Following its movement, a stone block about six feet square on the wall slowly sank down, revealing a pitch-black cave entrance. Inside the cave entrance, a faint light of fire could be seen, and on the ground stretched a winding stone staircase leading downward. Granny Sun followed the stone staircase down into a gloomy underground stone chamber. Within the stone chamber, there was a large rectangular stone table with several gray-white stone chairs with backs around it, upon which sat seven or eight figures. The aura of most of them was strong; nearly all were Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators. ¡°Granny Sun, what''s the situation with those few people?¡± an old woman dressed in a grey cloak, seated on a chair closer to the inside, leaned forward slightly and asked. Her cheekbones protruded high, her eye sockets deeply sunken, her face aged, and her skin was riddled with wrinkle lines like earthworm tracks, appearing close to death''s door, yet she was one of the few True Immortal cultivators in the village. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°They''re just some outsiders who strayed into the village; pay them no mind. Let''s talk about the important matters at hand,¡± Granny Sun said as she took her seat at the head, speaking slowly. Upon hearing this, everyone ceased discussing further and fell silent for a while. Seeing that no one else spoke, Granny Sun began speaking of her own accord, ¡°You are all aware of the village''s condition. Ever since the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead was lost, it''s been a long time since a new True Immortal Cultivator has appeared in our village.¡± As these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the stone chamber became even heavier, and all the cultivators remained silent. ¡°It''s an unavoidable issue. Our Daughter Village has been cultivating the ''Poison Sutra'' skills for generations. Although our cultivation speed far exceeds that of other sect''s secret methods and our power is impressive, to advance to the True Immortal Stage, one must consume Ten Thousand Poisons as an aid, or else the chance of falling is extremely high. But the possibility of being backfired by the poisons consumed is also very high, and once the poison acts up, death and the destruction of one''s path is the outcome,¡± a tall woman draped in a purple cloak couldn''t help but say. ¡°The Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead could suppress all poisons in the world; it was the key to overcoming this problem, but unfortunately¡­¡± another person also couldn''t help blurting out. ¡°Let''s not talk about this fait accompli anymore. The Refining Body Altar claims they can help us with this matter; what do you think?¡± Granny Sun cut off her words and asked again. After another moment of silence, the aged old woman with the declining visage spoke, ¡°The reputation of the Refining Body Altar has always been poor among the outside sects and forces, who consider them an evil demon''s crooked path. Although they have indeed done some things over the years, they''re not the actions of the upright path. I find their claims untrustworthy.¡± ¡°Elder Park''s words are not quite right. Our Daughter Village''s cultivation techniques and divine powers also depend on the path of poison. It''s only because we seldom walk in the outside world that we''re not seen as part of the orthodox way. As for the distinction between good and evil propagated outside, I don''t think we need to take it seriously. Most importantly, is the Refining Body Altar''s offer substantial and can we make use of it?¡± Another young woman in a white robe with a plump figure said. Her name was Li Jianxue, also one of the village elders of Daughter Village, but she was only at the peak of the Mahayana Stage. She had long coveted the True Immortal Stage just a step away, and if there really was a chance now, she didn''t want to miss it. ¡°About that, I''m not too worried. Refining Body Altar, this once obscure and mysterious sect, must have some unique aspects that allowed it to rise so quickly. Perhaps the body refining technique they''ve researched to achieve immortality is not entirely false,¡± said a hunchbacked old woman, her voice hoarse. ¡°Elder Qiushui makes a good point. Without some real abilities, Refining Body Altar wouldn''t have drawn so much attention from other sects. Their initiative to ally with us is also a good thing, better than them targeting us, right?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, several Great Mahayana Elders immediately expressed their agreement. ¡°I never said they were definitely fake, but when dealing with such sects, one cannot be too cautious,¡± Elder Park said with a frown, deepening the wrinkles on her face. ¡°Refining Body Altar wouldn''t be so generous without a motive. They want us to trade some of the ''Poison Sutra'' techniques and thirteen secret poisons uniquely crafted by Daughter Village,¡± Granny Sun stated. ¡°Some of the techniques¡­ I wonder how much that encompasses?¡± Elder Park''s frown grew deeper. ¡°I''ve inquired in detail. Not much, just the basic first three volumes,¡± a voice with a hint of seduction suddenly rang out, and a wisp of white smoke poured from the passageway, gradually forming into a human shape. Everyone first tensed up but relaxed after recognizing the newcomer. The figure was delicate and petite, with snow-white skin, stunning beauty, a cinnabar mole at the corner of her right eyebrow, a naturally charming round face, and almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with moisture, exuding an enthralling allure. However, in this stone chamber filled with women, there was little need for seduction. ¡°Elder Murong, don''t you think it''s a bit rude to barge in like this?¡± Elder Park stood up and said displeased. ¡°Oh dear, Elder Park, our Pansi Cave and Daughter Village have always been close as family, why bother with such mundane formalities? I just got the confirmed news from them and was in a rush to inform you all,¡± the seductive woman cooed, immediately rushing over to the old woman''s side and lightly tugging at her arm, complaining. ¡°All right, Elder Murong is no outsider. Let''s sit down and discuss this together,¡± Granny Sun said with a wave of her hand. The seductive woman was named Murong Yu, a Great Mahayana Elder from Pansi Cave. She was instrumental in establishing a connection between Refining Body Altar and Daughter Village this time. ¡°Everyone, let''s not paint Refining Body Altar in such an unfavorable light. Over the years, they''ve only been disgraced because of their conflict with the Great Tang Dynasty Government, which led to defamation from sects in cahoots with the government like Hua Sheng Temple. We have neither old grievances nor recent disputes with Refining Body Altar; had they no intent, they would not have bothered us,¡± Murong Yu began persuading as soon as she sat down. ¡°Did you get a clear answer about what they want our Daughter Village''s three volumes of ''Poison Sutra'' for?¡± Granny Sun asked, her voice stern. ¡°I did ask, and they said it''s to help stabilize the foundations of their disciples and to incorporate a technique of body refining using poison into their skills. They didn''t disclose the specifics, as it''s confidential. Granny Sun, do you think we could provide them with the three volumes?¡± Murong Yu nodded and quickly responded. ¡°Did you get the names of the thirteen unique poisons they want?¡± Granny Sun didn''t answer right away but continued inquiring. ¡°I have them, I almost forgot¡­ Please have a look first,¡± Murong Yu slapped her forehead as if just remembering, and hastily handed over a finely made scroll. Chapter 948 Chapter 948: Chapter 945 Picking Flowers Chapter 948: Chapter 945 Picking Flowers Granny Sun took the scroll from Murong Yu''s hand, slowly unrolled it to take a look, frowned for a moment, then her expression relaxed, but she did not speak. ¡°Refining Body Altar also said there''s no need to rush an answer from your side, Granny. To show their sincerity, they are willing to use a secret method to help a Great Mahayana Peak Cultivator from Daughter Village successfully ascend to the True Immortal Realm. Afterward, you can decide whether or not to continue the cooperation?¡± Murong Yu gauged her changing expressions and then added. Upon hearing these words, Granny Sun''s expression stirred. The Mahayana Stage Elders present also showed a trace of eagerness in their eyes, but seemingly out of respect for Granny Sun, no one spoke. However, their gazes unanimously turned towards her. ¡°If that''s the case, then it''s not a problem.¡± Granny Sun barely hesitated before she responded. ¡°However, they also said that to cast this technique, it is best to choose a place with rich spiritual energy. The Refining Body Altar can provide such a place, but the energy consumed would have to be borne by Daughter Village,¡± Murong Yu paused before continuing. ¡°No need for that. If we really end up cooperating, are we going to send people to the Refining Body Altar every time? Our Daughter Village itself has places rich in spiritual energy. If they are sincere, let them send someone over here. We will prepare whatever is needed ourselves,¡± Granny Sun said without much hesitation. ¡°Alright, I''ll relay this to them right away; I don''t think it will be a problem,¡± Murong Yu said with a relieved smile. In the stone chamber, smiles also appeared on the faces of the others, for this matter was closely related to most of them. Whether or not they would have the chance to step into the True Immortal Realm in the future depended on the success of this cooperation. Time flew by, and several days passed. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian, after familiarizing themselves with the village for a few days, found that, just as Granny Sun had said, as long as they didn''t wander off, the village indeed did not interfere with their actions. However, wherever they went, there would always be people from Daughter Village casting all sorts of measuring glances towards them. At first, they felt like they were walking on pins and needles, but as it became more common, they got used to it, and so did the other villagers. This day, in the early morning. Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged in the living room on the first floor, practicing breathing and cultivation while nurturing the Pure Yang Flying Sword inside him. Footsteps came from the stairs behind him, and Bai Xiaotian hurried down. ¡°You''re going again?¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes and frowned. ¡°Of course, what''s most important when pursuing a girl? Isn''t it persistence?¡± Bai Xiaotian smirked, proudly saying. ¡°Are you sure that bringing her wildflowers every day is truly effective?¡± Shen Luo asked, barely holding back a laugh. ¡°Oh, Shen Luo, Shen Luo, you don''t understand. All women in the world love beauty. The first bunch of dew-laden flowers of the morning are precisely the most beautiful things that complement a woman,¡± Bai Xiaotian had his own theory. ¡°Has she accepted them yet?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. ¡°She will accept them today,¡± Bai Xiaotian declared with certainty. ¡°That''s what you said yesterday too,¡± Shen Luo mercilessly pointed out. ¡°You¡­ Never mind, I won''t argue with you, I''ll be late if I dawdle any longer.¡± Bai Xiaotian pointed at Shen Luo, then dashed out of the house. Shen Luo watched his disappearing figure, shaking his head helplessly. Starting from the next day after they had settled in, Bai Xiaotian would go out early in the morning to gather flowers from around the village, putting together a large bouquet for Lin Xinyue. Each time, she seemed indifferent, never even glancing at them before she headed out of the village to gather poisonous herbs. Bai Xiaotian, unable to leave the village, could only wait eagerly until the bouquet in his hands wilted and faded. The two of them, one picking flowers, the other gathering poison, actually complemented each other quite well. After being interrupted by Bai Xiaotian, Shen Luo decided not to continue meditating and stood up, then sat down beside the wooden table. He rested one hand on the tabletop and seemed to murmur to himself, ¡°Yuan Qiu, these past several days you''ve released at least thirty Gu insects, right? Still no news at all?¡± ¡°Master, this village is called a village, but in fact it''s a medium-sized sect with a rather large area of land. Throwing out thirty-something Gu insects is like tossing a few grains of sand into a lake¨Cit''s practically useless. Otherwise, I could release a few hundred or a thousand more Gu insects, and maybe the efficiency would be higher,¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice resonated in Shen Luo''s sea of knowledge. ¡°How could you do that? If too many Gu insects are released at once, there''s a risk they''ll be discovered. It''s better to use fewer and be safer. Focus on places like the Jade Medicine Garden, where Liu Feixu expressly forbade me to go. Those are the key areas to search,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, solemnly instructing. ¡°Got it,¡± Yuan Qiu replied. ¡°Family name Shen¡­¡± Just then, a shout suddenly came from outside. Shen Luo frowned slightly, got up, opened the door, and discovered that it was Liu Feixu outside. ¡°Miss Liu, what brings you to look for me today?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile on his face. ¡°Cut the chatter and follow me,¡± Liu Feixu''s attitude was as unpleasant as ever. ¡°To do what?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Why ask so many questions? Can''t I take you to see the sights of Daughter Village?¡± Liu Feixu said coldly, her face impassive. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Alright.¡± Liu Feixu saw that Shen Luo had hardly hesitated before agreeing and her expression eased slightly. She then uttered the word ¡°Let''s go¡± and turned to lead the way out of the village. Before long, they arrived at the edge of the village''s array. Liu Feixu quickly took out a palm-sized green wooden token from her sleeve and waved it at the array. A beam of light shot out from the token and struck the array, opening up a narrow door about a zhang high. ¡°Aren''t you afraid I''ll take the chance to escape?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°Your friend is still in the village, isn''t she? Besides, haven''t you yet to achieve your goal?¡± Liu Feixu didn''t even turn back as she retorted. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Didn''t Granny Sun previously tell me to give up hope? What now? Do I still have a chance?¡± asked Shen Luo, surprised. ¡°You could still try to sneak a peek,¡± Liu Feixu turned and looked at him, her gaze becoming very cold. ¡°I''d need to know where the Nine Brahmanic Lotus is for that,¡± Shen Luo replied, his expression unchanged. In fact, he did indeed entertain the thought of stealing it, as it seemed to be the only option left in the absence of other alternatives. Hearing this, Liu Feixu said nothing more and stepped outside the village. Shen Luo followed her out and found they were at the same place where they first met; he understood what this implied. ¡°Was Lili''er lost in this area?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Was it really you who did it?¡± Liu Feixu''s expression suddenly froze, and she turned around, drawing her bow and aiming an arrow at Shen Luo. ¡°Ah, can''t you use your head a little? If it really had been me, do you think I would ask such a stupid question?¡± Shen Luo sighed. Chapter 949 Chapter 949: Chapter 946 Clues Chapter 949: Chapter 946 Clues ¡°How do you know that Lili''er disappeared here?¡± Liu Feixu stared at Shen Luo with a skeptical gaze and asked, frowning. ¡°I encountered you here before, and this time you brought me straight here again, which clearly shows you often linger in this place. I think this must be the place where Lili''er disappeared. You keep coming here to look for any clues you might have missed.¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°She is my sister, closer to me than a real sister. Do you really know where she is?¡± Hearing this, Liu Feixu''s expression softened, and she almost pleaded. ¡°Do you still think I abducted her?¡± Shen Luo asked seriously upon hearing this. ¡°I just¡­ really want to find her¡­¡± Liu Feixu''s face showed a sorrowful look, and she murmured. Seeing this, Shen Luo sighed, and a faint light flashed in his eyes as he began to employ the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, looking around him. ¡°Did you manage to injure that person?¡± A moment later, he frowned and asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°My arrow grazed his shoulder, but unfortunately didn''t hit him,¡± Liu Feixu suddenly lifted her head and nodded vigorously in response. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No, you did hit him, or you would have found that arrow by now.¡± Shen Luo''s lips curled into a smile as he spoke. Upon hearing this, Liu Feixu''s expression changed again, ¡°How do you know that arrow was lost?¡± ¡°Because you hit that scoundrel, and he fled with the arrow. You just didn''t notice the blood left on the ground, so you assumed you missed, but in fact, you did wound him.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Impossible, I checked carefully. If I really hit him, how could I have failed to find any blood?¡± Liu Feixu said, getting agitated. ¡°The one who abducted Lili''er is likely a Gold Glaze Demon, which can transform into colored glaze radiance and change into various forms. Moreover, its blood is quite special, usually transparent and colorless.¡± As he spoke, Shen Luo picked a leaf from the ground and handed it over. Liu Feixu, half-believing, took the leaf from his hand and examined it closely before her eyes. ¡°The blood of Gold Glaze does not evaporate when it dries, but instead forms into crystal-like substances. Hold the leaf up to the sunlight, and you should be able to see it,¡± Shen Luo continued. Liu Feixu went to an area where the trees were sparse and sunlight filtered through, held up the leaf to the sun, and indeed found a thin layer of transparent crystals on the surface of the leaf, refracting the sunlight. ¡°Now, do you believe me?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I''ve never heard of a Gold Glaze Demon before. How can I know what you''re saying is true or false?¡± Liu Feixu hesitated. ¡°That''s easy to verify. I''ll show you the area where the crystals are scattered. Recall the route that the kidnapper took when he fled, and you should be able to judge whether what I''ve said is true or not,¡± Shen Luo confidently suggested with a smile. After saying this, he continued to use the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to search and pointed out a possible escape route of the Gold Glaze Demon in the mountain forest. Liu Feixu followed the trail and finally confirmed that it was completely consistent with what she had seen on the day of the disappearance. She looked at Shen Luo for a long while, with what seemed like a hint of apology in the depths of her eyes. But her lips were pressed tight, unable to verbalize an apology, and she stammered, ¡°Are you truly¡­ willing to help find Lili''er?¡± ¡°Of course, this matter concerns my innocence as well. Helping you is helping myself. Besides, if I manage to make a meritorious deed, Granny Sun might just give me a Nine Brahmanic Lotus,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°You shouldn''t get your hopes up about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. Even if you help find Lili''er, Granny won''t give it to you. That item is also important to Daughter Village, not something that can be given away to outsiders,¡± Liu Feixu said, her tone now free from the previous coldness. Shen Luo nodded noncommittally, not holding out much hope. If that failed, resorting to desperate measures would be the only option left. ¡°If Lili''er was indeed kidnapped by the Golden Lucent Beast, I believe she wouldn''t be in too much danger. Such demons are known for their mild nature, and there have been few reports of them attacking other species. Neither have they been known for a bloodthirsty and cruel reputation. However, once they make a move, there''s always a hidden reason behind it, and I fear it could involve more than just one Golden Lucent Beast,¡± Shen Luo said, looking into the distance. ¡°But have you offended this demon before?¡± Liu Feixu asked. ¡°I''ve never encountered this demon in the past. The only reason I know of it is from a story a little monk from Chang''an once told me,¡± Shen Luo replied helplessly. The information about the Golden Lucent Beast was something Little Monk Jiang Liu had shared with him on the way to the Western Regions. Liu Feixu was somewhat disappointed upon hearing this. Now, even if they knew that Lili''er was taken by the Golden Lucent Beast, it seemed to be of no use. ¡°Don''t lose heart; at least knowing that Lili''er is in the hands of the Golden Lucent Beast can be considered good news,¡± Shen Luo comforted her. Upon hearing this, Liu Feixu nodded and said nothing more. ¡°By the way, your Daughter Village is skilled in poison and adept at cultivating all kinds of exotic flowers and plants. Does your tribe have any other kind of Spirit Grass that can prolong life?¡± Shen Luo changed the subject and asked. ¡°As you said, we are adept at poisons; where would we have any Spirit Grass that prolongs life?¡± Liu Feixu gave him a reproachful glance and countered. Shen Luo was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°However, while the world of medicinal herbs is divided into spiritual and poisonous, it also depends on how they are used. Some poisonous herbs, if used well, can also have the effect of spiritual medicine, or even better. But I''ve never heard of any poison that prolongs life. Why don''t you check the shops in the village? Perhaps you''ll find what you''re looking for,¡± Liu Feixu suggested after some thought. ¡°There are shops in the village?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°Nonsense, our Daughter Village cultivates so many poisonous herbs and Spirit Grasses. Do you think we use them all ourselves? Of course, we trade a part of them with the outside world,¡± Liu Feixu explained. ¡°Since there''s trade and exchange, there must be other Spiritual Materials. Can you take me to have a look?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened as he spoke. Liu Feixu hesitated for a moment and then said, ¡°Alright.¡± The two returned to the village and made their way inside, passing the Jade Medicine Garden on their journey. After a while, they finally arrived at a relatively open area. This place was slightly different from the dense woods elsewhere; here stood a stone-paved square that covered a substantial area. On the north side of the Square, there was a row of single-story Wooden buildings connected together, totaling seven or eight rooms, with a simple signboard hung above, inscribed plainly with the words ¡°Shop.¡± These exteriors seemed far too ordinary, even a bit shabby compared to the conventional shops found in regular streets. ¡°Could there really be what I''m looking for here?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but doubt inwardly. Chapter 950 Chapter 950: Chapter 947: Slip of the Tongue Chapter 950: Chapter 947: Slip of the Tongue ¡°` Shen Luo followed Liu Feixu into the central shop and discovered that there weren''t many people inside, most of them were disciples from Daughter Village, with a small number from the Demon Race of Pansi Cave. Seeing the two enter, a young girl not far into adulthood immediately bounced over to greet them, calling out ¡°Sister Liu¡± to Liu Feixu before sizing up Shen Luo with a look full of suspicion. ¡°I am Shen Luo, currently a guest in the village,¡± Shen Luo greeted the girl proactively. ¡°I know who you are, Sister Liu, why did you bring him here?¡± the girl asked Liu Feixu eagerly. ¡°It''s all right; Granny has allowed him to come to the shop. Just treat him normally,¡± Liu Feixu said, patting the girl''s head. ¡°Okay then, what are you looking to buy?¡± the girl asked bluntly. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, rubbed his chin, and started looking over the rows of wooden shelves at the back of the room, only to see them densely packed with various bottles, each labelled with its own name. After looking for a while, his eyes began to blur; he had never even heard of most of the things listed there. ¡°Girl, do you have any spirit grass that can extend one''s lifespan?¡± Shen Luo asked. The girl paused for a moment, a look of surprise spreading across her face. ¡°Elixirs will do too,¡± added Shen Luo, seeing her reaction. The girl''s gaze shifted to Liu Feixu, seeking guidance. Liu Feixu said nothing, but silently shook her head. ¡°Most who come to Daughter Village are looking to buy poisons or hidden weapons that kill without a trace. You''re the first one to ask for spiritual medicine that extends life,¡± the girl couldn''t help but say with a disdainful look. ¡°We use poison to counter poison here, and have some that can cure various rare poisons of the world, but as for those that increase lifespan, we truly do not have them,¡± Liu Feixu spoke up. ¡°What about herbs like the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, even ones less effective will do,¡± Shen Luo persisted, unwilling to give up. Looking at him as if he were a fool, the girl couldn''t help but blurt out, ¡°The Nine Brahmanic Lotus, is that a spiritual medicine? That grows in the Nine Brahm¡­¡± ¡°Little Deer.¡± Liu Feixu chided her softly, cutting the girl off mid-sentence. ¡°That¡­ That is an elixir; even if we in Daughter Village had it, we wouldn''t sell it,¡± the girl spoke, sticking out her tongue. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered as he immediately caught the slip in the girl''s words, the Nine Brahm¡­ Realm. It seemed that the Nine Brahmanic Lotus did not grow in ordinary places like the Jade Medicine Garden within the village but must be in some unique secret realm. The question was, where could it be? S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the past few days, to avoid drawing attention, he hadn''t wandered around the village much himself but had sent Gu insects to scout every nook and cranny, of course, avoiding any places guarded by high-ranking cultivators. ¡°What mischievous plan are you concocting now?¡± Liu Feixu interrupted Shen Luo''s train of thought. ¡°Oh¡­ nothing much. I was wondering if you have a kind of spiritual material called ''Moon Star Child''?¡± In his haste, Shen Luo came up with an excuse on the spot. The Moon Star Child was not just any material; it was precisely the last spiritual material he needed to refine the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, which he had been searching for a long time without success. Now, he had subconsciously mentioned it. ¡°We have that,¡± the girl responded after a brief consideration, straightforwardly. ¡°` Shen Luo didn''t react at first, but soon his eyes brightened, and he looked at the young girl and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Didn''t you ask if we have Moon Star Child? Our shop has it in stock.¡± The young girl was surprised at Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°Where is it?¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed. ¡°Come with me.¡± The young girl glanced at Shen Luo and walked towards the shelves behind her. Before long, the young girl returned to Shen Luo''s side, extended her hand with a transparent crystal bottle inside of which were four or five thumb-sized black crystal stones. Shen Luo examined them and saw that the surface of the crystal stones faintly showed a layer of flowing water-like patterns, each with three white spots, neither big nor small, at their centers like stars in the night sky. ¡°Not bad, these really are Moon Star Child. How much are they selling for?¡± Shen Luo nodded approvingly. ¡°Two hundred immortal jade,¡± the young girl quickly quoted a price. ¡°Isn''t this just refining material for talismans, why so expensive?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but express his surprise. ¡°Who says Moon Star Child can only be used for talismans? This is also an important auxiliary material for many artifact refinings. It''s always been in high demand here,¡± the young girl immediately retorted upon hearing his words. ¡°Even so, isn''t that price a bit of a rip-off? Miss Liu, I''ve just helped out, you can''t just stand by and watch me get slaughtered.¡± Shen Luo directly sought help from Liu Feixu. ¡°Don''t look at me, I don''t have any say in the shop''s business. How the prices are set is beyond my control,¡± Liu Feixu said, although she was saying this, her eyes subtly hinted at the young girl. ¡°Fine, since you helped Sister Liu, I''ll take one hundred and fifty immortal jade for the Moon Star Child,¡± the young girl, getting the message, immediately whispered the offer. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo knew that the Moon Star Child''s real value should be around one hundred immortal jade, but he also didn''t feel it was right to negotiate further. ¡°Alright, then thank you, girl,¡± he said. He promptly took out one hundred and fifty immortal jade and handed them to the young girl, successfully exchanging them for a small bottle of Moon Star Child. The quantity of these Moon Star Child indeed wasn''t much, but when making talismans, they needed to be ground into a powder and mixed with other materials to make talisman ink, so they wouldn''t be used up too quickly. For now, it was enough for his use. ¡°Besides Moon Star Child, do you need anything else? Our Daughter Village''s shop is best known for poison. The poisons we concoct are difficult to counteract outside,¡± the young girl began her sales pitch again. Poison? Shen Luo hadn''t really paid much attention at first, but hearing her mention it, he asked again, ¡°Won''t the effect of poisons be limited against high-ranking cultivators?¡± ¡°That depends on the poison. Our Daughter Village''s poisons are not afraid of any Vajra Indestructible Divine Skills you cultivate. Even if you seal your Qiao acupoints and temporarily prohibit your five senses, you''d still struggle to resist,¡± the young girl said with a smirk. ¡°There''s poison like that? Even if it''s mixed with the Heaven and Earth Aura, sealing my Qiao acupoints should be able to block it somewhat, right?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°Some poisons can be transmitted just by the fluctuation of the Divine Sense. You might seal your Qiao acupoints, but can you really not have any emotional fluctuations?¡± the young girl laughed lightly, covering her mouth. ¡°Just emotional fluctuations can lead to being afflicted? Isn''t that invincible?¡± Shen Luo clearly didn''t believe it. ¡°Of course not, silently and lethally putting someone in a fatal situation is something only a few secret, non-disclosed poisons of our sect can accomplish, and they require the combination of our Daughter Village Cultivation Technique to be used. The ones we can sell, which can poison someone through emotional inducement, are very few, and their potency isn''t too strong. But in a life and death fight, sometimes a very small advantage can lead to the reversal of the outcome. Don''t you agree?¡± the young girl explained with an air of experience. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo nodded silently. ¡°Since that''s the case, which of these poisons are for sale?¡± After a moment, Shen Luo asked again. Chapter 951 Chapter 951: Chapter 948 Anomalies Chapter 951: Chapter 948 Anomalies ¡°Currently, the shop can only sell two types of poison to outsiders, one is Dissolving Flower Language, and the other is Jade Fragrance. Don''t be fooled by the pleasant names¨Cthey can incapacitate an opponent for a certain period.¡± The young girl said. ¡°How do you use them?¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment and asked. ¡°Originally, they were meant to be used in conjunction with our Daughter Village''s unique abilities, Flower Language Interpretation and the Jade-Like Fragrance. Only then can you silently and effortlessly afflict your enemies during combat. However, since outsiders can''t cultivate the Daughter Village Cultivation Technique, they must attach it to their weapons, hidden projectiles, or combine it with their own skills and divine power when applying it to the enemy. These two poisons are silent and inconspicuous; even without the support of the Daughter Village''s divine powers, they are still hard to defend against,¡± the young girl explained. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo looked at the girl with an inquiring gaze. Understanding his look, she immediately responded, ¡°The price is the same for both, at fifty Immortal jades each.¡± ¡°That''s not too bad, not too expensive¡­¡± Shen Luo hadn''t finished speaking when the young girl interjected, ¡°Per drop.¡± ¡°Per drop? That''s a bit outrageous, fifty Immortal jades for just a drop of liquid?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened at her words. ¡°It depends on what kind of opponent you are dealing with. If they are below the Great Mahayana Stage, you can dilute the poison a bit, and one drop can affect ten people at once. But for someone at the Great Mahayana Stage, a drop is best used on a single individual.¡± The young girl explained. ¡°And what if it''s a True Immortal?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. The enemies he was going to face were not just at the Great Mahayana Stage, but True Immortals, and perhaps even higher than that, Taiyi. ¡°Uhh¡­ If you''re dealing with a True Immortal, then I advise you not to engage and better to run for your life,¡± the young girl said with a glance at Shen Luo, smiling. Liu Feixu, standing by the side, also showed a slight smile. Shen Luo didn''t mind and, after some consideration, decided that the poison might still be useful. He haggled a bit and ended up spending two hundred Immortal jades to buy three drops of each. Afterward, Shen Luo left the shop and bid farewell to Liu Feixu, returning to his residence alone. Back at the wooden building, there was no one inside; Bai Xiaotian had gone to look for Lin Xinyue and hadn''t returned yet. With no choice but to shake his head, Shen Luo closed the door and took out the materials needed for talisman crafting, planning to quickly create a few Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans. Such talismans were quite powerful, and for him at this moment, they were a significant help. Although he was making the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman in reality for the first time, Shen Luo felt more confident than ever. On one hand, naturally because he had drawn this talisman multiple times in Dreamland and had gained sufficient experience. On the other hand, talisman crafting is a skill that improves with practice, and even in reality, he was gaining more insight into the art of talisman refinement, and his skills were becoming increasingly proficient. As evening approached, there came a knock on the door. Shen Luo rubbed his somewhat sore brow and stood up from the chair. Upon opening the door, he saw Bai Xiaotian, looking excited as he rushed in. ¡°Bai Xiaotian, you seem to be in a good mood¡­¡± Shen Luo teased. ¡°She accepted my flowers today,¡± Bai Xiaotian said somewhat excitedly. ¡°This morning?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No, when I came back in the evening,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head. Upon hearing that, Shen Luo sat back down in the chair and closed his eyes again. ¡°You don''t understand; the flowers were already wilting, and she didn''t mind at all,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, still beaming with joy. ¡°You must have been pestering her all the way home. She probably couldn''t stand you anymore and accepted them.¡± Shen Luo remarked disapprovingly. ¡°I''ve been pestering her the same way the last few days, and she didn''t accept them,¡± Bai Xiaotian dismissed the idea. Shen Luo didn''t want to argue with him. He had spent the entire day and used up all the materials for making talismans, but he only managed to successfully create three Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans, and the consumption of his divine soul was not light. ¡°Still can''t compare to Dreamland¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. ¡°Tomorrow, I must continue to strive,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, rubbing his fists and wiping his palms, looking eager to try. Having said that, he noticed Shen Luo''s exhausted appearance. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± ¡°Refining talismans, it''s nothing serious,¡± Shen Luo said without even bothering to shake his head. ¡°Honestly, back in the day at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, when you said you wanted to refine talismans, I really didn''t think you could succeed. Now, I didn''t expect you to have actually entered this path,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a nostalgic expression on his face. ¡°What path have I entered? I''ve been fussing all day and only managed to produce three semi-finished products,¡± Shen Luo said with self-mockery. ¡°Semi-finished products?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, puzzled. ¡°The Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, like the Thunderfall Talisman, also requires the gathering of thunder and lightning. I''ve only managed to draw it successfully; I haven''t yet attracted thunder into the talisman,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Oh. How''s the search for the Nine Brahmanic Lotus going?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°Heh¡­ you still remember to care about that. Haven''t you been totally bewitched by Lin Xinyue?¡± Shen Luo said with disdain. ¡°Hey, why mention that? It''s rare to encounter a kindred spirit in life. Besides, I haven''t completely disregarded it; I''ve been quietly helping you gather information in the village these past few days,¡± Bai Xiaotian replied with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Then tell me, what have you found out for me?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Well¡­ there''s no concrete news for the moment. However, people from Pansi Cave have been visiting the village more frequently lately, and it seems like something is about to happen,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, stroking his chin as if he had made some important observation. ¡°Isn''t Daughter Village always on good terms with Pansi Cave? Isn''t it normal for people from Pansi Cave to come more often?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°It''s different, the atmosphere in the village has changed a lot these few days. This morning, I even saw Granny Sun leading many disciples of Daughter Village out of the village, and when I came back in the evening, I ran into them hurrying back,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent. After a long while, a thought suddenly popped into his mind, ¡°Could they have gone to some secret realm in the village?¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked after seeing Shen Luo silent for so long. ¡°Nothing much¡­ Do you think there could be a secret realm somewhere in Daughter Village?¡± Shen Luo asked after a slight hesitation. ¡°You mean the Nine Brahmanic Lotus is hidden in a secret realm within the village?¡± Bai Xiaotian immediately grasped Shen Luo''s implication. ¡°Yes, that''s a possibility,¡± Shen Luo said. At this point, Shen Luo suddenly remembered that during his previous dream chasing the Tear Demon near the Eastern Sea, he had sensed the existence of a secret realm nearby, but at that time, it was filled with purple poison fog, and he had not entered it. ¡°Could it be that place?¡± Shen Luo rubbed his chin, remaining quiet for a long time. ¡°It looks like you really have a clue. What are you planning to do?¡± Bai Xiaotian, familiar with Shen Luo''s gesture, knew he was mulling over an idea and asked. ¡°We need to find a way to leave the village,¡± Shen Luo said gravely. ¡°Leave?¡± Bai Xiaotian''s face changed immediately upon hearing this. His relationship with Lin Xinyue had just made a little progress, and now Shen Luo was talking about leaving? ¡°You guy¡­ Lin Xinyue is certainly not a simple woman. Can''t you recover a bit of your past rationality? Don''t wait until something happens and then regret it,¡± Shen Luo earnestly advised. ¡°Alright,¡± Bai Xiaotian said quietly, seeming to take the advice to heart after a few moments. ¡°But, it''s not so easy to just leave. I haven''t been absolved of the charge of kidnapping Lili''er, and Granny Sun won''t let me go,¡± Shen Luo said with some helplessness. ¡°Then we''ll have to play the long game,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, seeming stoic and serious. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Shen Luo caught a slight twitch of Bai Xiaotian''s mouth and couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. Chapter 952 Chapter 952: Chapter 949 Leaving the Village Chapter 952: Chapter 949 Leaving the Village Shen Luo had originally thought he would stay in the village for a few more days, but early that morning, something unexpected happened. He was still cultivating in his room when he soon heard someone calling his name. By the time he came out, before he had a chance to speak, Liu Feixu grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him to a meeting hall in the east of the village. Along the way, the sky was gloomy, as if a black lid were covering everything above, stuffy to the point of making it difficult to breathe. Shen Luo asked Liu Feixu what had happened, but she refused to explain and simply pulled him along. Upon reaching the meeting hall, Shen Luo saw that quite a few people had already gathered there. Granny Sun sat at the central wooden table in the hall, with two people draped in cloaks sitting beside her, while the others stood respectfully to the side. With a glance around, Shen Luo noticed that everyone was surrounding a young girl dressed in pink in the center of the area. She was in shabby clothing, her hair somewhat disheveled, her complexion pale, and her eye sockets slightly sunken. At that moment, she was crouching on the ground with her arms around her knees, shivering slightly. ¡°Granny Sun, what is this¡­¡± Shen Luo frowned and began to ask. ¡°Lili''er, lift your head and look. Is this the person who took you away that day?¡± Granny Sun ignored his question and instead addressed the young girl. Lili''er? Was this the girl who had disappeared? ¡°How did she come back?¡± Shen Luo was extremely surprised in his heart. As soon as the girl saw Shen Luo, she let out a scream and hurriedly moved closer to Granny Sun. Seeing this, everyone turned their angry glares towards Shen Luo. Even Liu Feixu, standing behind him, frowned and a complex expression flashed in her eyes. Shen Luo looked innocent and was about to speak, when he saw the girl shivering and looking at him cautiously, as if assessing him. After a while, a hint of bewilderment appeared in the girl''s eyes. She stood up, her movements slow, and came close to Shen Luo, wrinkling her nose and sniffing carefully around him. Shen Luo, not wanting to startle her, stood still at his spot, cooperating with her. After a while, the look of terror on Lili''er''s face slightly calmed down, and she said in a low voice, ¡°Granny, it''s not him. The person who took me away is not him.¡± ¡°But where is the evidence?¡± Granny Sun asked with a slight raise of her eyebrows. ¡°That day, when that person took me away, I scattered Non-stop Grass seeds on him, hoping to leave a trace as a clue for you,¡± Lili''er slowly explained. ¡°But we never found traces of Non-stop Grass,¡± Liu Feixu interjected. ¡°The seeds were discovered by him, so they didn''t succeed in sprouting. But his body would definitely retain the scent of Non-stop Grass. As you all know, that scent is not easily detected, but it can''t be completely removed for at least a year. This man¡­ he doesn''t have that scent,¡± Lili''er continued. Hearing this, Liu Feixu''s gaze inadvertently flashed, as if she also felt some relief. ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. ¡°This is Lili''er, the disciple who disappeared from the village a few days ago. She was found unconscious outside the village early this morning. After waking up, she claimed she was abducted by someone and had been held captive for a long time until today when she managed to escape while her captor was unguarded,¡± Granny Sun explained. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed as he inquired, ¡°Is it just that simple?¡± ¡°What else do you think?¡± Granny Sun asked, her eyebrows knitted. ¡°Ahem, nothing, nothing. It''s good that she could return. But it''s best to investigate and see whether the one who came back is really the same Lili''er,¡± said Shen Luo after coughing twice. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Someone beside Granny Sun immediately asked coldly. Shen Luo merely glanced at her and, unwilling to say much more, shook his head and said, ¡°Now that Lili''er Girl has returned safely, my innocence should be cleared, right?¡± ¡°Since Lili''er herself said the person she met on her way was not you, naturally, your suspicion can be ruled out,¡± Granny Sun spoke. ¡°So can we leave the village now?¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Of course, even if you didn''t want to leave, we would still have to ask you to do so,¡± Granny Sun said bluntly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but recall Bai Xiaotian''s words from yesterday and felt that Daughter Village seemed to be preparing for something, that something was about to happen here. But since it likely had nothing to do with him, he didn''t bother to think too much about it. After all, he had originally intended to leave this place immediately to search for the secret realm he had accidentally discovered when capturing the Tear Demon that year. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said with a fist salute. ¡°For detaining you in the village these days, we in Daughter Village were rude first. The Nine Brahmanic Lotus you desire is really beyond our ability to give, but we in Daughter Village do have some things we can offer. This time, we will give you three ''Hundred-corpses Pills'' as compensation, how about that?¡± Granny Sun spoke. ¡°Hundred-corpses Pill?¡± Shen Luo asked in confusion. He had never heard the name of this elixir before and didn''t know its effects. ¡°The Hundred-corpses Pill is our Daughter Village''s Detoxification Holy Pill. It can neutralize even the most powerful poisons of our village,¡± Liu Feixu''s voice transmission suddenly rang in Shen Luo''s mind at that moment. ¡°Then thank you very much, Granny Sun,¡± Shen Luo quickly expressed his gratitude. ¡°Well, since the misunderstanding has been resolved, we won''t keep Friend Shen and your company any longer,¡± Granny Sun said. Seeing that he had been given the order to leave, Shen Luo naturally had nothing more to say. ¡°Once I find Bai Xiaotian, we will leave together. Upon leaving the meeting hall, the overcast clouds in the sky had gathered densely, and within them, flashes of lightning could be seen briefly illuminating the sky. ¡°Boom¡± A muffled roar of thunder erupted from the depths of the heavens, shaking heaven and earth. However, despite the thunderous explosions, no raindrops fell, and the atmosphere in Daughter Village became increasingly oppressive. Shen Luo had some difficulty finding Bai Xiaotian, but upon hearing they were to leave, Bai Xiaotian was immediately unhappy. In the end, it was only after Shen Luo explained they were just leaving the village and not Colorful Cloud Island for the time being, that Bai Xiaotian reluctantly followed him. When they were leaving, only Liu Feixu came to see them off, apologizing profusely to Shen Luo. Once the two had left the village, they quickly followed the path to the edge of Colorful Cloud Island and soared away on the flying boat. ¡°Shen Luo, you lied to me again, didn''t you say we''re not leaving the island for now?¡± Bai Xiaotian complained on the flying boat. ¡°The people of Daughter Village are watching us, how could we not leave immediately? But there''s no rush, we''ll circle back later if needed,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Then where are we going now¡­?¡± Bai Xiaotian wondered. ¡°Crafting talismans,¡± Shen Luo said. As soon as he finished speaking, a snow-white streak of lightning flashed high in the sky, followed by a thunderous roar. ¡°Swoosh¡± A sudden torrential downpour descended from the sky onto the sea area. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, however, steered the flying boat to land on a barren and uninhabited island in the center of the sea. Chapter 953 Chapter 953: Chapter 950: Secret Realm Chapter 953: Chapter 950: Secret Realm Two days later. Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian left Colorful Cloud Island and headed straight for the Tear Demon''s cave dwelling. ¡°Brother Shen, why are we coming back here?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked with some curiosity. ¡°Brother Bai, do you remember the white restriction light curtain inside the Tear Demon''s lair?¡± Shen Luo asked instead of answering. ¡°Of course I remember, but what about it?¡± Bai Xiaotian replied with a start, nodding his head. Shen Luo recounted the matter of the Nine Brahman Secret Realm to Bai Xiaotian. ¡°No wonder you mentioned the secret realm last time, so you think that behind the white light curtain in the Tear Demon''s cave dwelling lies the Nine Brahman Secret Realm?¡± Bai Xiaotian, being a quick thinker, immediately grasped Shen Luo''s meaning. ¡°The Tear Demon''s cave dwelling is so close to Colorful Cloud Island; there wouldn''t be such prohibitions at the bottom of the sea for no reason. It''s likely just as you said.¡± Shen Luo spoke slowly. ¡°That''s great, then let''s pick up the pace,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with excitement. With their speed of escape, they soon arrived in that sea area. Bai Xiaotian looked toward the seabed, ready to dive down. ¡°No, someone''s here!¡± Shen Luo suddenly grabbed Bai Xiaotian and concealed himself in the sea. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A white escape light flew from afar, revealing the figure of a Man in Golden Robe, who looked around, puzzled. ¡°Was it just my imagination? Just now it seemed like there was some movement here?¡± The man muttered to himself, then shook his head and flew off in another direction. ¡°Why would we hide all of a sudden? What''s there to fear if someone''s here?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°That man is no ordinary human cultivator who goes out to hunt demons; did you notice his attire just now?¡± Shen Luo looked towards the direction where the man had disappeared, speaking indifferently. Bai Xiaotian, recalling the man he had seen moments before, remembered the golden robe the man wore, which had a golden sun emblem embroidered on it. ¡°That''s the insignia of the Golden Yang Sect! The monk just now was from the Golden Yang Sect!¡± he exclaimed all of a sudden. ¡°Exactly. And there are more than just that one in the waters ahead. My Divine Sense has detected three others, all from the Golden Yang Sect. It looks like after I killed the Young Master of the Golden Yang Sect, they''ve traced the clues to this location,¡± Shen Luo said with a chuckle, showing no particular concern. Bai Xiaotian hurriedly extended his Divine Sense. While his Divine Sense wasn''t as strong as Shen Luo''s, he quickly detected the other two Golden Yang Sect cultivators Shen Luo mentioned. ¡°Among these three, two are at the late Soul Condensation Stage, and one at the Initial Nascent Soul Stage. It seems the Golden Yang Sect has significant strength. I wonder if they have already found the Tear Monster''s cave; if they have, it might be difficult for us to sneak in,¡± said Bai Xiaotian with some worry. Shen Luo had also considered this and wore a contemplative expression. ¡°No worries, I have an idea.¡± He quickly smiled and said, concealing Bai Xiaotian within the Heavenly Book Space and then following with his own Divine Sense. Somewhere within the Heavenly Book Space, golden light gathered, forming a hundred-foot-wide light shield that imprisoned the Tear Demon within. ¡°Let me out, let me out this instant!¡± The demon currently wore an agitated expression, occasionally raising her hand to fiercely slam the surrounding golden light shield. However, the light shield merely trembled lightly and immediately restored its calm, showing no sign of damage. At that moment, the golden light outside the light shield suddenly converged, and after a few breaths, shaped into the figure of Shen Luo. He looked at the golden light shield and a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face. Even though the Heavenly Book summoned by the jade pillow was just an apparition, this Heavenly Book Space was no different from the one inside Dreamland, with the power as vast as mountains and seas. Once inside this place, even True Immortal cultivators would have to obediently do as he commanded. Unfortunately, it is highly difficult for this Heavenly Book Space to absorb living beings, making it impossible to use in the midst of battle. ¡°Human cultivators, I have already condensed enough Tear Demon Pearls according to your orders, so why are you still keeping me locked up? Release me quickly!¡± the Tear Demon immediately roared at Shen Luo. ¡°Your Excellency need not be so angry. The reason I kept you here was out of concern that there might be a shortage of Tear Demon Pearls. Now that I am certain there is enough, I will release you,¡± Shen Luo said, lifting his hand and dispersing the golden light shield. The anger on the Tear Demon''s face eased slightly, but she still glared at Shen Luo resentfully, not launching any attacks. She could see that Shen Luo was only a doppelganger at the moment and she had a deep understanding of the power of this golden space; She knew better than to act rashly. ¡°Here is an Invisibility Talisman that can conceal your form. I will give it to you as a token of gratitude,¡± Shen Luo raised his finger, and a white light descended from the sky, stopping in front of the Tear Demon and turning into a White Talisman. Looking at the Invisibility Talisman, then glancing at Shen Luo, the Tear Demon huffed and took the talisman. Seeing this, Shen Luo smiled and waved his hand. Before the Tear Demon''s eyes, she vanished from the golden space and appeared above the vast sea surface, while Shen Luo stood quietly by the side. The demon looked around and quickly determined their location, right above her cave dwelling. ¡°It seems you have some integrity, but you must keep our other promise and release the Mirror Fiend soon,¡± the Tear Demon said coldly after taking a deep, intoxicated breath of the familiar sea breeze. ¡°Of course,¡± Shen Luo nodded in response. Hearing this, the Tear Demon no longer paid attention to Shen Luo, she leaped into the water, and swam towards her cave dwelling. Watching the Tear Demon depart, Shen Luo began to softly chant ancient spells. His body suddenly shrunk rapidly, transforming into a thin long sea fish with a fan-shaped tail, and with a ¡°plop¡± sound, he fell into the sea. There wasn''t the slightest hint of mana fluctuations on the sea fish, whether it was the scales, fins, or tail, everything appeared lifelike and indistinguishable from an ordinary sea fish. What Shen Luo had just performed was the Transformation Technique, turning into a sea fish. This Transformation Art was extremely mysterious. He had also mixed in the Seventy-two Changes he learned the last time he Entered Dreamland, completely concealing his presence, making it nearly impossible for even True Immortal Cultivators to detect him. As wonderful as this Transformation Technique was, it was quite limited by his cultivation level. Now being a real fish, he couldn''t use any mana. If attacked, his only hope would be to promptly revert back; otherwise, he would have to resign to his fate. Shen Luo wriggled the unfamiliar body of the fish, quickly gaining control, and swam towards the Tear Demon''s cave dwelling. This sea fish was extremely fast, swimming through the water as swiftly as a Soul Condensing cultivator, which was why he had specifically chosen it. At this moment, right outside the Tear Demon''s seabed cave, a dazzling white light formed a square white light curtain, which pushed aside all the sea water within the cavern. Around twenty to thirty disciples from the Golden Sun Sect and seven or eight monks stood there, all looking towards the stone chamber where the Tear Demon lived. Inside the stone chamber, the passageway that had been blocked by Shen Luo was dug open again as large chunks of stone flew out from it, landing outside. Soon, all the stones inside were removed, and the Golden-skinned Man from the Golden Sun Sect and the Tall Monk stood at the deepest end of the passageway, with the white light curtain standing silently in front of them. ¡°Who would have thought that such a powerful prohibition exists within this Tear Demon''s lair. From what we see here, this passageway appears to have been carved out by someone, most likely the murderer of Jiang''er and Bao Xiang, our Daoist friend,¡± the Golden-skinned Man said in surprise, which then turned into sorrow. ¡°The Old Monk also believes so. I used Heavenly Eye Vision to inspect the situation beyond the prohibition, and it looks very much like a secret realm!¡± the Tall Monk said. ¡°A secret realm! Are you sure, Daoist Bao Shan?¡± the Golden-skinned Man asked in shock, immediately pressing for confirmation. Chapter 954 Chapter 954: Chapter 951 Invasion Chapter 954: Chapter 951 Invasion ¡°The Old Monk''s Heavenly Eye Vision may not be deeply cultivated, but I still possess such discernment,¡± Monk Bao Shan said with a slight smile. ¡°Min apologizes for his careless words. Please don''t take offense, Daoist friend Bao Shan,¡± the golden-skinned man said in a low voice, his eyes flickering restlessly, clearly unsettled. Monk Bao Shan waved his hand slightly, indicating it was of no concern. Both men then turned their gazes towards the white light curtain, their eyes shining with eagerness. An unknown secret realm, although they didn''t know what exactly was inside, there were bound to be many good things, and there might even be some major treasure hidden, inevitably exciting them. After exchanging a glance, they immediately struck out at the light curtain. The golden-skinned man conjured a magical instrument resembling golden cymbals, which transformed into a golden rainbow and slashed fiercely against the white light curtain. Meanwhile, Monk Bao Shan murmured spells, and a golden Wolf Fang Club flew out from his sleeve, appearing in a flash before the white light curtain and striking down hard. Two blinding golden flashes erupted on the light curtain, emitting a piercing shrill, and the white light curtain trembled, though it showed no sign of breaking. The brows of the two men furrowed as they increased their mana input. The golden cymbals and the Wolf Fang Club shone even brighter as they continued to bombard the light curtain. Instantly, a hurricane arose, golden light crisscrossed, and thunderous sounds emanated continuously from the underworld; even the rock walls of the passageway, stable as Mount Tai, began to shake under the power of the two magical treasures. Yet no matter how the two of them attacked, there were still no signs of the white light curtain breaking; it only trembled more intensely. ¡°This light curtain is remarkably sturdy. I''m afraid it''s beyond our power to break through it alone. The person who dug this passageway must have also been unable to break the prohibition and thus sealed the passageway,¡± the golden-skinned man said, stopping his onslaught and furrowing his brow. ¡°What should we do then? The Sun Golden Gong and my Destroying Evil Magic Stick are our most powerful magical treasures. Are we to just stand by and watch?¡± Monk Bao Shan, facing the secret realm, lost his prior ethereal demeanor and spoke with reluctance written all over his face. A thoughtful look appeared on the golden-skinned man''s face, as though he was considering something. ¡°Do you have a strategy, Daoist friend Min? Please, feel free to share,¡± Monk Bao Shan asked, seeing the golden-skinned man''s expression. ¡°Min does have a method, but I cannot complete it alone. I would need the help of Daoist friend Bao Shan, and your disciples Ming Zheng and Ming Yang, as well as two of my Late Nascent Soul Stage disciples. Moreover, once this method is used, it will cause significant harm to our cultivation levels,¡± the golden-skinned man said. ¡°Oh? You have such a method? What kind of divine power is it?¡± Monk Bao Shan asked, his eyes briefly flashing with curiosity. ¡°I possess a treasure that requires the mana of the True Immortal Stage to unleash its power. To activate this treasure, I paid a great price and acquired a secret method from Flower Fruit Mountain in the Aolai Kingdom. It can temporarily merge the mana of several monks into one. The two of us, combined with four Late Nascent Soul Stage monks, can barely reach the threshold of a half-step True Immortal and might be able to break this white prohibition. However, as I just mentioned, there is a great cost to using this secret method as it will injure our meridians, and we will need many years of recuperation to recover. Whether to use this method is for you to weigh, Daoist friend Bao Shan,¡± the golden-skinned man said hesitantly, in an even tone. Monk Bao Shan''s expression changed multiple times upon hearing this, and after a moment''s hesitation, he bit down and said, ¡°As the saying goes, fortune comes with risk; how can one reap rewards without taking some chances? Let''s use this secret method.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the golden-skinned man said, his face brightening with joy as he turned and called out towards the outside. Monk Bao Shan also called out to the outside. Soon, four monks quickly entered from outside, two disciples from the Golden Sun Sect, with the other two being monks. The golden-skinned man instructed the four to sit down at the spots he had designated, and then he took out a White Spirit Pattern Pen and began to etch formation patterns on the ground. He quickly set up an Array measuring several zhang in size. Inside the Array, there were six rings, and these four individuals were seated within four of them. Upon seeing this, Monk Bao Shan leaped into one of the remaining rings, while the golden-skinned man moved and settled into the last ring area, sat down with his legs crossed, and began chanting Spells. A stream of bright golden light erupted from his body. After flickering for a while, it slowly detached from him and moved along the Formation Pattern towards a disciple of the Golden Yang Sect next to him. After pausing over this person, the golden light once again flowed out slowly and headed towards another cultivator of the Golden Yang Sect. However, the first disciple of the Golden Yang Sect turned pale and his breath weakened considerably after the golden light left his body. Within the deep sea, the Tear Demon, filled with excitement, dove towards the bottom of the undersea Cave. Just as she was about to reach the seabed fissure, three streaks of escape light appeared ahead, belonging to three disciples of the Golden Yang Sect, all at the Soul Condensation Stage. ¡°Human cultivators! How dare you trespass my territory!¡± The Tear Demon''s eyes flashed with murderous intent, unleashing the anger that had built up from being suppressed by Shen Luo these past days. A large swath of blue mist surged from her body, engulfing the three with a wave of fury. ¡°This is bad, it''s a Mahayana Stage sea demon!¡± The three disciples of the Golden Yang Sect were terrified. While deploying their magical instruments to defend themselves, they attempted to flee backward. But their Cultivation level was far inferior to that of the Tear Demon. Having retreated only a few dozen feet, they were enveloped by the blue mist, and a bone-chilling cold erupted, instantly freezing them into three ice pillars. After killing the three, the Tear Demon felt slightly relieved and continued her descent to the seabed. However, she hadn''t descended much further when she encountered two more human cultivators ahead, also dressed in the attire of the Golden Yang Sect. Although not particularly intelligent, the Tear Demon sensed something amiss. This secluded location now saw several human cultivators appearing suddenly, all seemingly from the same sect. Something must have happened during the time she was away. After a moment of contemplation, the Tear Demon retrieved the Invisibility Talisman that Shen Luo had given her and activated it with her Demon Qi. Her body was immediately enveloped in a faint layer of white light, rapidly becoming transparent and soon completely blended into the sea water, vanishing from sight. The two distant cultivators of the Golden Yang Sect flew past by, whizzing by her without noticing the Tear Demon''s presence at all. ¡°It seems that this Invisibility Talisman that Shen Luo gave me is quite effective,¡± the Tear Demon nodded to herself, her resentment towards Shen Luo dissipating slightly as she continued on towards the bottom of the sea. During the rest of her journey, the Tear Demon encountered several more groups of human cultivators, but thanks to the mystical Invisibility Talisman, none of them noticed her, allowing her to reach the seabed fissure smoothly. However, what the Tear Demon failed to notice was a slender fish trailing far behind her. With sea fish aplenty, that particular fish did not stand out at all. The Tear Demon entered the cave she had resided in for many years and quickly reached the bottom, where the white light curtain and the cultivators of the Golden Yang Sect and Xuan Gui Island came into her view. Moreover, her dwelling, the stone house, had undergone dramatic changes; the walls had been dug out, forming a long passageway, from which dazzling golden light burst forth. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 955 Chapter 955: 952 Chapter 955: 952 ¡°Damn it! These human cultivators dare to cause such chaos in my territory!¡± The Tear Demon burst into rage, flailing her arms as she summoned all the surging demon power within her. The invisibility effect of the Invisibility Talisman was immediately shattered by the demon power, and vast swathes of blue mist swarmed out from her body, swiftly invading the inside of the white light curtain. At the same time, the Tear Demon''s eyes radiated a thick ink-like black light, and a string of black tear beads shot out from them, merging with the blue mist. The mist immediately turned into a dense blue-black color, swooping down towards the disciples of the Golden Yang Sect and the monks from Xuan Gui Island. From the Tear Demon''s casting to the blue-black mist swooping down, it all happened in less than two breaths'' time. Before the monks from the Golden Yang Sect and Xuan Gui Island could react, they were enveloped by the blue-black mist. A chill enveloped the cultivators on both sides, their blood seeming to freeze, as waves of resentment energy assaulted their divine souls. Their expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly erected protective covers around themselves. ¡°It''s the Tear Demon!¡± Both groups of cultivators quickly identified their attacker and summoned their Magical Treasures to counterattack. ¡°Prepare to die!¡± Although the Tear Demon was facing multiple opponents, the cultivators'' cultivation levels were all lower, with not even one in the Late Nascent Soul Stage, so she did not fear them in the least. The cold mist around her billowed out, overwhelming the sky as it enveloped her adversaries. ¡­ Behind a large rock outside the cave, Shen Luo, disguised as a fish, lay in wait quietly. ¡°The Golden Yang Sect''s people have indeed come here. Looking at the situation, they seem to be trying to break through that white light curtain. In my current state, maintaining the fish form is more of a hindrance; it''s better to revert to my original appearance.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself and immediately discontinued the transformation, promptly reverting to human form. After a brief contemplation, he raised his hand, and the Mirror Fiend''s figure suddenly appeared beside him. ¡°Master, you summoned me. What do you wish to do?¡± The Mirror Fiend looked around with a surprised expression on his face but didn''t ask further, simply giving Shen Luo a respectful bow. Shen Luo took out a stack of formation flags and discs, which were the set of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array and a jade slip. ¡°Take these Array Tools and find a safe place nearby to set up the Array. The method for setting up the Array is recorded in this jade slip.¡± Shen Luo instructed. During his time in Luo Star City, he had learned about the sects in the Luo Star Archipelago, and given his enmity with the Golden Yang Sect, he had investigated them thoroughly. The Golden Yang Sect was quite powerful, with its Sect Master Min Chuan''s cultivation level having reached the Late Mahayana Stage. With Shen Luo''s current strength, facing any Mahayana cultivator didn''t faze him, but it was still best to be cautious. ¡°Understood, Master. Rest assured, I have previously slain a human cultivator and acquired an Array Techniques classic from them, which I have studied for some time. I have a fair understanding of Array Techniques.¡± The Mirror Fiend took the stack of formation flags and discs, made a reassuring gesture, and silently flew towards the outside. Shen Luo watched the Mirror Fiend leave and then turned his gaze back to the Mirror Fiend''s Stone House. He took out an Invisibility Talisman, activated it, and his figure vanished as he quietly slipped into the cave. Inside the passageway of the stone house, the Golden-skinned Man and five others formed an Array, within which a grand and majestic Golden Light flowed. It emanated from Monk Bao Shan''s body and returned to the Golden-skinned Man. Monk Bao Shan''s breath also suddenly dropped, his face paling considerably. On the contrary, the Golden-skinned Man burst forth with golden light that was significantly more powerful than before. He formed a vast golden halo around him, radiating blinding golden light in all directions. The cultivation aura of the Golden-skinned Man also surged, nearly reaching the True Immortal Realm. The Golden-skinned Man showed a look of joy, then took out an object from his chest. It was a bronze short axe, covered in rust and tarnishes¨Centirely unremarkable at first glance. Yet, he held it with great caution, as if the object was exceedingly dangerous. The golden-skinned man stared at the short axe, muttering to himself. The bronze short axe flew out of his hand, floating up and bursting into a green glow that became brighter and brighter. The rust on the short axe swiftly receded, turning exceptionally brilliant and luminous, as a savage aura rose from the blade. Just at that moment, a chilling and powerful breath suddenly came from outside, mingled with shocked cries from the disciples of the Golden Sun Sect and the monks of Xuan Gui Island. ¡°A demon is attacking!¡± Monk Bao Shan, who had been closely watching the short axe in the golden-skinned man''s hands, cried out in alarm at the noise outside and was about to take action immediately. ¡°Hold, Daoist friend Bao Shan! The Array has just started to take effect. At this time, no one can leave; otherwise, it will only lead to all of us being severely injured by the Array''s backlash!¡± the golden-skinned man urgently stopped him. Hearing this, Monk Bao Shan could only halt his movement, looking outside with concern. The golden-skinned man, however, paid no more attention to the outside and instead focused on urging the bronze short axe. Outside the passageway, Shen Luo sensed the breath inside the passageway and his expression shifted slightly. He was just about to rush in when a formidable Divine Sense spread from within, in no way inferior to his own. He frowned and immediately stopped, exerting full force to activate the Invisibility Talisman, his hidden form becoming even more hazy. Besides invisibility, the Invisibility Talisman also had a certain effect in blocking Divine Sense, but it could only work while he remained motionless. Once he moved, the effect would immediately be broken. The Divine Sense inside the cave failed to detect Shen Luo and spread directly towards the fight within the cavern. The Tear Demon also sensed the sudden surge of terrifying breath inside the passageway but did not get distracted, concentrating on urging the blue-black mist, prioritizing the elimination of these human cultivators. Shen Luo watched the passageway, considering how to sneak in and see what was happening inside. The Divine Sense that had just spread out was extraordinarily strong; he didn''t dare to activate his Divine Sense to probe inside, as it would be discovered. ¡°Brother Shen, if you want to check the situation inside the passageway and are afraid of being noticed by the people inside, try my Gaze Moth Gu,¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice rang in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°Gaze Moth Gu?¡± Shen Luo communicated back telepathically. ¡°This is a type of surveillance Gu insect that can transmit whatever it sees to the user''s eyes. It''s extremely tiny¨Cabout the same size as dust particles in the air, and difficult for Divine Sense to detect. Normally, I attach this Gu to you to observe the outside,¡± Yuan Qiu explained. ¡°I''m not a Gu Master. Can I see what the Closing Eye Gu sees?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo marveled at the miraculous abilities of the Gu Master lineage and had a question. ¡°Brother Shen, you and I have a bond through a contract, allowing me to transmit the images to you via the power of the contract,¡± Yuan Qiu said with a smile. ¡°Then, please do so,¡± Shen Luo promptly replied. A few breaths later, his eyes flickered with light, and a scene suddenly appeared showcasing the inside of the passageway. ¡°This golden-skinned man looks sixty to seventy percent similar to the White Fan Youth¨Cit must be Min Chuan, the Sect Master of the Golden Sun Sect. This monk looks very much like Monk Bao Shan from Xuan Gui Island, and this Array on the ground is¡­¡± Shen Luo observed each of the six people inside the cave and his gaze fell on the Golden Array on the ground. The Array looked somewhat similar to his Cloud Hanging Array. The rust on the bronze short axe in the hands of the golden-skinned man had disappeared completely, emitting a blindingly bright green light that was aimed at the white light curtain in front. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this and having a grudge over the death of his son against the golden-skinned man, Shen Luo immediately thought to destroy the Golden Array and thwart the golden-skinned man''s plan, but after a second thought, he stopped. Although he could break the prohibition with the Slayer''s Broken Sword, it would take some time. If the golden-skinned man could use the seemingly extremely powerful bronze short axe to break through or severely damage the white light curtain, it would save him a lot of trouble. Chapter 956 Chapter 956: 953 Chapter: The Pearl Chapter 956: 953 Chapter: The Pearl The golden-skinned man''s hands moved quickly, forming seals, and the bronze short axe began to enlarge inch by inch. In just a few breaths, it transformed into a giant axe that was several lengths in size, its blade aimed at the white light curtain. ¡°Chop!¡± He shouted loudly, and with a flick of his wrist, the green giant axe suddenly turned into a streak of green light, like a raging thunderbolt, and slammed down harshly on the white light curtain. A sky-piercing green light burst onto the white light curtain, emitting a series of ear-piercing, crackling noises. Although it seemed extremely difficult, the green giant axe still cleaved into the white light curtain and cut open a two-foot-long crack, which was not yet wide enough for a person to pass through. ¡°It seems that the power of this axe is not small, but it still falls far short of the Magic Extinguishing Sword. That is to be expected, as that sword is said to have once injured Chiyou, an artifact.¡± Shen Luo looked on calmly at the scene before him, thinking to himself. The golden-skinned man, upon seeing the white light curtain being breached, showed a look of pleasant surprise and was about to urge the giant axe to widen the crack further. Just at that moment, a dense purple fog suddenly surged out from within the crack, quickly spreading throughout the passageway and rapidly approaching the golden-skinned man and the others. ¡°This is the Purple Heart Poison Fog! Could it be that this place is¡­ Retreat quickly! This poison fog is extremely toxic, almost impossible to remove once contaminated, and will result in immediate death by poisoning!¡± The golden-skinned man''s eyes suddenly widened as he hastily retracted the green giant axe and exclaimed loudly, seeming to recognize this poison fog. Before his voice faded, he pointed at the array beneath him. The formation patterns within the array lit up abruptly and then exploded, forming a tumultuous wave of white light that erupted in all directions, blowing the spreading purple fog backward for some distance. Taking advantage of this brief respite, the golden-skinned man flew backward in retreat, his expression filled with regret. He deeply regretted giving the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl to his son for safekeeping. The secret realm he had been searching for so desperately was right before his eyes, but without the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl, there was simply no way to enter. The other five people, upon hearing the big man''s warning, also used their own methods to retreat outside the passageway in the first instance. At that moment, a mass of purple light suddenly lit up next to the golden-skinned man and others, and the figure of a man in a green robe materialized out of thin air, although his face could not be seen clearly. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The purple light around the man suddenly changed, turning into a purple light ring that encircled him, and then, with this light ring, the man in the green robe actually plunged directly into the Purple Poison Fog. ¡°Ten Thousand Poisons Shield! The Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl is on you!¡± The golden-skinned man saw the purple light ring around the man in the green robe, cried out in shock, and then a golden light shot out from his hand, striking towards him. But the man in the green robe moved like lightning, dodging the golden light''s attack in a flash and disappearing into the Purple Poison Fog. The Purple Poison Fog that touched his purple Protective Cover was completely blocked out, and furthermore, the fog that came into contact with the light ring dissipated rapidly, as if it had met its nemesis. Seeing this, Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief, his figure flashed to the side of the white light curtain, and he took out the Slayer''s Broken Sword. He channeled mana into it, and the Magic Extinguishing Sword burst into myriad beams of golden light. The crack on the white light curtain had already begun to close. Without enough time to fully unleash the sword''s power, Shen Luo commanded the sword to chop down hard on the fissure in the curtain. With a ¡°chi-la¡± sound, the crack was once again widened slightly, reaching three feet in length, just enough for a person to pass through sideways. Shen Luo''s figure blurred, and he turned into a streak of green shadow that passed through the crack in the curtain and disappeared. The golden-skinned man, watching this scene from afar, was filled with a mix of shock and fury, his eyes almost splitting open in anger. The man possessed the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl, so his son must have been the one he slew; however, as the poisonous fog rapidly spread within the passageway, he dared not get close, let alone give chase. Outside the passageway, the Tear Demon sensed the violent breath inside, as well as two Mahayana monks shooting out rapidly. It immediately decided to abandon entanglement with these people and flew out of the cave. While fleeing, she again activated the Invisibility Talisman, and her figure instantly vanished from sight. Shen Luo felt a blur before his eyes, and the next moment, he found himself in a purple space. He carefully looked around and saw that there was purple poison fog everywhere, shading the sky and preventing him from seeing any end, as if he were in a world of extreme toxicity. Fortunately, with the protection of the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl, the poison fog did not harm him. The ground was a purplish-black soil, apparently also tainted with potent poison, leaving it barren without any signs of life. Behind him, a white light curtain stretched from the sky to the ground. Judging by the situation, the light curtain seemed to wholly enclose the space of the secret realm. ¡°Oh, who would have thought that there would be such a world behind the white light curtain.¡± Yuan Qiu exclaimed with surprise from within the Heavenly Book Space. Bai Xiaotian stood beside him, but lacking Yuan Qiu''s ability to peek outside, he had to ask Yuan Qiu to describe the situation. ¡°I didn''t expect Brother Shen to have already found a way to counteract the purple poison fog. I had obtained two high-grade Detoxifying Elixirs from Daughter Village, but it seems they won''t be needed. How did you manage it?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked in surprise after hearing Yuan Qiu''s description. ¡°I found a pearl that wards off poison in the storage magical tool of that White Fan Youth¡­¡± Shen Luo did not hide anything and shared the story of the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl. ¡°The Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl!¡± Upon hearing this, both Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Qiu exclaimed in surprise. ¡°What''s wrong? Is there a problem with this pearl?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised by their strong reactions and asked. ¡°When I was using the Gu insects in Daughter Village to search for clues about the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, I accidentally overheard two Nascent Soul cultivators from the village discussing a treasure named ''Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead,'' said to be the ultimate treasure of Daughter Village, capable of neutralizing all poisons. Unfortunately, it had been lost many years ago. Could it be that what you have is that very bead?¡± Yuan Qiu explained slowly. ¡°I also heard Lin girl mention the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, and it sounds very similar to the one you have,¡± Bai Xiaotian added. Shen Luo was momentarily taken aback upon hearing this. Could it really be such a coincidence? Could the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl truly be the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead? And how could the ultimate treasure of Daughter Village be in the possession of the White Fan Youth? ¡°Regardless of whether it is or not, I should be careful to keep this pearl well-hidden from now on,¡± he thought to himself. Shen Luo soon stopped pondering these matters, looked around briefly, then, with a flip of his hand, took out a black crystal stone and channeled his Mana into it, causing its contents to quickly turn blue. He threw it downward, and the black crystal stone transformed into a beam of black light, making a ''plop'' sound as it merged into the ground and stopped about two to three fathoms from the surface. The Mana inside this crystal stone served as a marker. Later, when he returned, he could rely on the Mana within the stone to accurately locate this spot. Shen Luo then erased any trace of the crystal stone''s entry into the soil and, discerning his direction, leaped forward, turning into a streak of purple light, and shot towards the distance. During his swift escape, a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind, and he activated the white jade pillow. The Heavenly Book Projection flashed into existence and then flew out of the protective cover formed by the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl, hovering on the outside. Chapter 957 Chapter 957: Chapter 954 Illusion Domain Chapter 957: Chapter 954 Illusion Domain The Heavenly Book ¡°flipped¡± noisily, emitting a strong devouring force. The nearby poisonous purple fog was immediately devoured and absorbed in large quantities, causing the dense fog to tumble. The reaction of the Golden Yang Sect''s golden-skinned man and Monk Bao Shan to the purple poison fog made Shen Luo realize that if used properly, the fog could be a great offensive tool. After all, the space within the Heavenly Book was vast, and he controlled everything within it, ensuring that Yuan Qiu and the others wouldn''t be accidentally harmed. After flying forward for a while, the surrounding purple poison fog finally began to fade, signaling the end of the deadly mist. Shen Luo felt a surge of joy in his heart and sped up his escape technique slightly, finally completely flying out of the range of the purple fog after a moment. In front lay a muddy black swamp, the air filled with the stench of decay, and bubbles occasionally rose to the surface, bursting with ¡°plop¡± ¡°plop¡± sounds. The swamp nearby was rich in Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi and nurtured many spirit grasses and creatures, as well as some lower-level monsters. Shen Luo paid no attention to the things below and tried to extend his Divine Sense, but a strong prohibitory force immediately arose in the Void around him, preventing the spread of his Spirit. ¡°Just like the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, it can restrict the spread of Divine Sense, which is annoying,¡± he muttered, frowning. ¡°Do you need my Gu insects to help you search? This place seems quite large,¡± Yuan Qiu offered. ¡°That might be good,¡± Shen Luo nodded after a moment''s thought, activating the Heavenly Book and working with Yuan Qiu to release a large swarm of Gu insects. The insects quickly dispersed, flying in all directions. Shen Luo also put away the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl and chose a direction to shoot towards. This secret realm could be the Nine Brahman Secret Realm, so he dared not fly too quickly. At the same time, he activated his Invisibility Talisman again to conceal his tracks. After flying forward for some distance, the muddy swamp gradually disappeared, turning into a clear body of water, seemingly a vast lake. Seeing the environment before him improve, Shen Luo felt a surge of unease in his heart, as if something was lurking beneath the calm waters, and the inability to extend his Divine Sense in this place made him more cautious. He frowned, contemplating whether to increase his speed. At that moment, the water below suddenly made a loud splash, and a white and savage blood basin fiercely leaped out, snapping viciously at him with an astonishing speed. ¡°It can actually see through my invisibility!¡± Shen Luo''s heart chilled, but he moved even faster, and with a flash, his legs lit up with the glow of ''Starlight and Moonshadow,'' propelling him rapidly to the side to narrowly avoid the gaping maw. Only then did he see clearly that his attacker was a seal-like monster, but ten times the size of a normal seal, with a mouth full of fierce teeth and giant spines growing from its back, making it look exceptionally ferocious. Having failed to bite him, the seal monster flicked its tail, and a surge of water sharp as Sword Qi shot towards Shen Luo. ¡°Evil Beast, seeking death!¡± Shen Luo formed a sword technique with his hands, and a crimson sword light flew out from his grip, reaching the seal monster in an instant. It swept across its body with such speed it resembled a flash of lightning. After last time absorbing the Pure Yang Power of the Magic Extinguishing Sword, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had undergone significant changes and its power had greatly increased. The seal monster''s body silently split in two, but no blood flowed out. Instead, the two halves of the monster''s body suddenly became transparent and vanished. ¡°Huh, an Illusion Technique? Or a monster transformed by Mana?¡± Shen Luo murmured, halting in place. At that moment, a thunderbolt sounded from the sky above, and a thick white lightning fiercely struck down, almost hitting his head. The searing heat and the smell of burning filled the air as it tore through it. However, a bloody banner suddenly appeared, shielding Shen Luo''s body. The white thunder struck the surface of the banner, but then it vanished without a trace, as if it were an illusion; not even the red light on the Bloodthirsty Flag flickered. ¡°The seal demon just now was like this, and now this thunder and lightning too. Could there be an extremely powerful illusion domain here?¡± Shen Luo speculated in his heart. To prevent any danger, he had already activated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, yet he still couldn''t find any trace of the thunder and lightning illusion technique. The level of illusion here might not be inferior to that of the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. At the same time as he felt alarmed, Shen Luo also felt a secret surge of joy. If there was such a powerful illusion prohibition in this place and if there really were treasures in this secret realm, then they would likely be up ahead. Considering that he had already triggered the prohibition, Shen Luo decided to no longer hide himself; below him, the crimson sword light burst forth, and his entire being instantly turned into a red sword rainbow, charging forward with all his might. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This move seemed to stir up a hornet''s nest. Amidst the roaring of beasts, one demon after another burst forth from the sea below, lunging towards the red sword rainbow. Although the speed of the sword rainbow was extremely fast, these demons were able to keep up effortlessly, fiercely tearing at it as they came. Not only that, the sky flickered with thunder and lightning, and several thick bolts descended, all striking at Shen Luo. ¡°These demons are all illusions, which is why they can keep up with my speed. The same goes for those thunderbolts, I need not worry about them¡­¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, the sword rainbow continued its swift and fierce advance, consecutively penetrating several demons and thunderbolts without being affected. ¡°As I thought.¡± A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. In mid-air, the sound of thunder cracked, and another thick bolt of lightning fell. Shen Luo glanced at it but paid it no heed. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful, this thunderbolt is not an illusion!¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice suddenly resounded in Shen Luo''s mind. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately spurred the Pure Yang Sword Embryo beneath him, shooting forward several feet in distance. With a ¡°boom,¡± white lightning struck the tail end of the red sword rainbow, causing the sword rainbow to violently shake and dissipate significantly. Almost simultaneously, a shark-shaped demon burst out of the water, bit onto the front of the red sword rainbow with a large mouth, and ¡°crack,¡± bit off a small part of the front of the sword rainbow. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Luo cursed silently, quickly urging the Bloodthirsty Flag to protect both his body and the sword rainbow beneath him. However, with the impediment of the Bloodthirsty Flag, the speed of the red sword rainbow was greatly reduced. ¡°Boom,¡± ¡°boom,¡± two loud bangs echoed as soon two real thunderbolts struck down, easily blocked by the Bloodthirsty Flag, but they shook him from side to side, further slowing his speed. Shen Luo grunted softly, mana rushed into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and his escape speed suddenly recovered to its original state, and it even seemed a bit faster, pressing forward through the attacks of both thunder and demons. With the defense of the Bloodthirsty Flag, an artifact of protection, Shen Luo no longer worried that the illusion domain would cause him any harm. He had to cross this area as quickly as possible; if the people from Daughter Village realized someone had infiltrated, it would become difficult to steal the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. Although flying at full speed like this would greatly increase the consumption of his mana, he had no choice but to do so for the sake of achieving his goal. Time passed by bit by bit, and half a moment quickly went by. Shen Luo did not stop his full-speed flight for even an instant, yet the thunder and demons around him did not decrease, and there was no sign of reaching the end up ahead. ¡°Brother Shen, if my guess is correct, you are now trapped in this place''s illusion domain, moving in circles just like in the Liangyi Micro-dust Array previously.¡± Yuan Qiu''s voice once again resounded in Shen Luo''s mind. Chapter 958 Chapter 958: 955 Chapter 958: 955 Shen Luo, upon hearing Yuan Qiu''s reminder, felt a movement in his heart, stopped his flying escape, and operated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil with all his strength, emitting two beams of green light from his eyes and looking around. In the void before his eyes, some abnormal illusory colors appeared. Apart from those, however, there was nothing else, and he could not discern anything from these illusory colors. ¡°Daoist Yuan, how did you discern that the lightning was not an illusion?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment, somewhat puzzled as he communicated telepathically with Yuan Qiu. He had been silently observing the surroundings with the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and had not noticed the abnormality of the lightning and demons; how had Yuan Qiu managed to detect it? Although Yuan Qiu''s cultivation level was slightly higher than his own, Shen Luo did not remember him being particularly proficient in breaking illusions. ¡°Yuan does not specialize in illusions, nor does he have any method of breaking them. It is entirely due to Friend Shen''s golden space that I can see through the illusions outside. This space seems to effectively isolate the power of illusion, and I can see much of the illusion outside while here. Friend Shen, did you not know this?¡± Yuan Qiu fell silent for a moment before speaking again, his tone full of surprise. Shen Luo was taken aback; he indeed had not realized that the Heavenly Book Space had this capability, and he had been completely unaware of it previously. ¡°I have indeed been careless, it seems I need to study this Heavenly Book Projection more in the future,¡± he thought to himself, then after a quick thought, he raised his hand and waved. A figure blurred, and Bai Xiaotian''s form appeared. ¡°Brother Shen, what is it that you called me out for?¡± Bai Xiaotian, having not heard the telepathic conversation between Yuan Qiu and Shen Luo, looked completely bewildered. ¡°Brother Bai, take this ¨C I will tell you how to move in a moment, and you will follow my directions.¡± Time was of the essence, so Shen Luo did not explain, but directly took off the Linlang Ring and handed it to Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Alright.¡± Although Bai Xiaotian didn''t understand the reasons, he still agreed. Shen Luo''s form shifted, and he disappeared on the spot, entering the Heavenly Book Space. He spurred the power of the Heavenly Book Space, allowing his vision to project outside and look around. Indeed, as Yuan Qiu said, with the obstruction of Heavenly Book Space, the surroundings transformed significantly; the colorful lights became clearer, and numerous illusory formation patterns emerged. From these formation patterns, Shen Luo started to discern quite a few things. ¡°Truly miraculous, I never thought the Heavenly Book Space was so mysterious. But it makes sense since this space belongs to a place a thousand years later, completely isolated from reality; naturally, the illusion techniques and prohibitions in the secret realm can''t affect those within it.¡± He thought it over carefully and felt this was reasonable. ¡°Brother Bai, fly forward towards the left front,¡± he quickly gathered his thoughts and conveyed his instructions to Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian heard him and immediately flew in that direction. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Turn right!¡± ¡°Retreat three hundred feet!¡± ¡°Fly upwards¡­¡± Shen Luo, within the Heavenly Book Space, watched the outside and guided Bai Xiaotian''s movement, while also dodging the attacks from the real lightning and demons. In the blink of an eye, half a moment passed, and the scenery before Bai Xiaotian''s eyes suddenly blurred, with an island appearing ahead. The island was not too large, only spanned about twenty or thirty miles in circumference, but it was entirely golden in color, for some unknown reason. Moreover, the heavenly and earthly spiritual qi here was extremely rich, surpassing even the Chaoyin Cave in Mount Putuo. ¡°We have finally arrived!¡± From his high vantage point, Bai Xiaotian could see that several spiritual fields had been cultivated on the island, planted with numerous spirit herbs and spiritual materials, each one a high-grade material, with several he had been ardently searching for. Unfortunately, layers of light curtains covered those spiritual fields, flashing with spiritual light, evidently all formidable prohibitions. Bai Xiaotian''s gaze swept around, quickly turning towards the center of the island where a tall golden tower stood, reaching seven or eight stories high, gleaming with gold and splendor, adorned with many Buddha patterns. At the top of the golden tower, brilliant golden light burst forth, as if some Buddhist treasure were placed there. Beside the golden tower, there was a pond about half an acre in size, its waters also a pale golden color. Bai Xiaotian, with his keen senses, perceived that this pond was the center of the island''s spiritual energy, and it seemed to hide a spiritual eye at the bottom, from which pure and boundless Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi continuously gushed out. Within the pond grew a vast expanse of lotus leaves, and more than a dozen golden lotuses floated silently, emitting tranquil and clear scents. ¡°Nine Brahmanic Lotus!¡± Bai Xiaotian''s breath suddenly stopped, and he immediately dove down. With a ¡°thump,¡± a muffled sound! Bai Xiaotian suddenly stopped about a hundred feet from the ground, stopped by a white light curtain shaped like a hemisphere that enveloped the entire island. This white light curtain, moreover, was identical to the one in the passageway before, and seemed even thicker. ¡°What the hell is this thing!¡± Bai Xiaotian cursed under his breath. ¡°As expected of a treasure-hiding place, it''s impossible not to have powerful prohibitions guarding it.¡± From the side, the void shifted, and Shen Luo''s figure emerged, his face showing a trace of excitement as he looked at the golden lotuses in the golden pool. ¡°This prohibition is even stronger than the one inside the passageway. Do you think you can break it, Brother Shen?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked with some worry. Just now, when he had crashed into the light curtain, it felt as though he had hit a great mountain, utterly immovable; he estimated that only the power of a True Immortal could possibly break it. Shen Luo didn''t answer immediately, instead using his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to carefully observe the situation below, confirming there were no ambushers. He then flipped his hand and took out the Magic Extinguishing Sword, beginning to channel the Pure Yang Sword Technique. Hum! The Magic Extinguishing Sword blazed with sky-reaching golden light, the sword body completely turning a pure gold color, and a sun-like grand Pure Yang power burst forth. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out from his Dantian again, merrily circling around the Magic Extinguishing Sword and absorbing the Pure Yang Power it emitted. Ignoring these phenomena, Shen Luo held the sword in both hands and, with the might of splitting mountains and cleaving seas, struck down on the white light curtain. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the light curtain, despite being much thicker, was split open, revealing a fissure several feet long. Bai Xiaotian stood dumbfounded, gazing at the broken sword in Shen Luo''s hands, scrutinizing it several times. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Shen Luo''s figure flickered like lightning, and with a ¡°swish,¡± he darted through the crack. Bai Xiaotian finally snapped to his senses and hurried to follow, barely entering through the narrowing crack in the light curtain. As soon as Shen Luo entered, he immediately headed for the golden pond. But when he stepped within a dozen feet of the pond, Buddhist chants resounded in the void, and bright golden light appeared ahead, forming a golden light array that enveloped the pond within. Buddhist chants immediately filled the surroundings! Numerous Buddhist mantra runes flashed in and out of sight within it, and the surging Buddha power felt from a distance was awe-inspiring. ¡°Go!¡± With a low shout from Shen Luo, the Magic Extinguishing Sword flew from his hand, ¡°sizzling¡± through the light array and creating a large hole, while his figure flickered and darted inside. Chapter 959 Chapter 959: Chapter 956 Collusion Chapter 959: Chapter 956 Collusion Within the Golden Light Array, Shen Luo looked at the Nine Brahmanic Lotus which was within an arm''s reach, and a smile that he could no longer suppress finally appeared on his face. He raised his hand without any hesitation and flicked his finger. ¡°Swoosh¡± ¡°Swoosh¡± Two beams of red Sword Qi shot out rapidly, vanishing into the Golden Pool in the blink of an eye. Although it seemed like no one was chasing him at the moment, he wouldn''t feel at ease until he had secured the Nine Brahmanic Lotus in his hands. ¡°Hiss¡± ¡°Hiss¡± Two soft sounds were heard, and the two Nine Brahmanic Lotus were sliced off at their roots. Instantly, the Pond shone with a brilliant golden light, the Pond Water making a loud noise. Several pillars of golden water splash sprang up, and a few golden fish, sensing the fierce Sword Qi, quickly fled towards the distance. Shen Luo beckoned with his hand, and the cut Nine Brahmanic Lotus immediately flew over, landing in his hand and were taken into the Heavenly Book Space. Now that he had acquired the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, his heart was finally completely at ease. Bai Xiaotian, who had been closely following, also flew above the Pool. Upon seeing Shen Luo secure the two Nine Brahmanic Lotus, a smile also appeared on his face. At that moment, the Golden Light Array above the Pool suddenly shone brightly again, the large hole Shen Luo had pierced instantly healed, and the shape of the Golden Light Array abruptly changed, transforming into a layer of golden mist that engulfed the entire Pool. ¡°This isn''t good, could it be we''ve been discovered?¡± Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed, and he was about to slash out with his Magic Extinguishing Sword. But the layer of golden mist didn''t attack the two of them, instead, it rapidly transformed, and in the blink of an eye, the Golden Pond disappeared without a trace, replaced by a Golden Ling Field where many Spirit Grasses were planted. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched, and he stored the Magic Extinguishing Sword in his palm, swiftly appearing next to Bai Xiaotian and grabbed his shoulder. A projection of the Golden Heavenly Book flashed over his body, and Bai Xiaotian was taken into the Heavenly Book Space. While performing these actions, Shen Luo quickly recited Spells, his body rapidly shrinking, and in the blink of an eye, he transformed into a golden fish, and with a ¡°plop¡± sound, fell into the Pond, disappearing among the lotus leaves. He had already investigated before, and the reason why the Pond Water here was golden was due to the addition of many Buddhist Sect spiritual objects; contact with it wouldn''t have any adverse effect on people. This series of spells might seem complicated, but in actuality, they were completed in the blink of an eye. Just as Shen Luo had hidden himself, the Golden Pagoda Gate beside him flashed with golden light, quickly spreading out to form an Array. Then, the tightly closed Golden Pagoda Gate suddenly opened, and a group of people walked out. The person in the lead was Granny Sun. Behind her were Elder Park, and over twenty other Daughter Village Elders and disciples. Liu Feixu and Lili''er were among them. The cultivation level of these Elders and disciples was not low; the weakest were at Nascent Soul Stage, with more than a dozen at Great Mahayana Stage, not to mention Granny Sun and Elder Park at True Immortal Stage. Following the people from Daughter Village were a dozen members of the Demon Race, under the command of Pansi Cave ¨C Murong Yu was among them, as well as Lin Xinyue. The cultivation level of these Demons from Pansi Cave was also far from lacking, with several leading figures being at Great Mahayana Stage. At the bottom of the Golden Pond, Shen Luo, who had transformed into a golden fish, slightly narrowed his eyes. The Golden Light Array around the Pool had been closed earlier, but he had left a few Closing Eye Gu outside, so he was still able to see what was happening outside. ¡°So that''s how it is. The people from Daughter Village seem to want to do something here, afraid that Pansi Cave might discover the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, so they cast a spell to conceal the entire pool. This is perfect; otherwise, they would immediately notice that two are missing, and my transformation might not escape the detection of a True Immortal cultivator.¡± Shen Luo felt lucky in his heart. With so many experts outside, if he were discovered, unless he summoned his Dream Cultivation, he would undoubtedly face certain death. At this moment, another group emerged from the interior of the Golden Pagoda. They were a dozen figures in black robes, wrapped tightly around their bodies, their faces concealed, but those people emitted a chilling aura from head to toe. ¡°These are monks from the Refining Body Altar! What are they doing here?¡± Shen Luo''s pupils contracted when he saw those in black robes at the back. ¡°Judging by their appearance, they seem quite harmonious. Could it be that Daughter Village has colluded with the Refining Body Altar and fallen into depravity?¡± He speculated to himself and sneered inwardly. He had dealt with the Refining Body Altar more than once or twice and understood this power too well. If Daughter Village truly colluded with the Refining Body Altar in plotting something, it would be like seeking skin from a tiger, eventually leading to their doom. ¡°Heh, this truly is a forbidden area of Daughter Village, to have cultivated so many spirit grasses and flowers. Several kinds are greatly beneficial even to True Immortal cultivators. I''ve truly broadened my horizons Today,¡± complimented the Tall Figure leading the Refining Body Altar as he glanced around. ¡°Does this environment meet your requirements?¡± Granny Sun asked, unimpressed. ¡°Indeed, it''s even better than we expected. This place is more than sufficient for the Reincarnation Initiation Method,¡± the Tall Figure acknowledged without offense, nodding as he spoke. ¡°Huh, this voice seems very familiar. It seems I''ve encountered it before. Is it that black-robed man whom I killed by the Boundary of the Nether River! Wasn''t he already dead? How could he have come back to life?¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat as he immediately recalled the events of the great battle by the Boundary of the Nether River. It took him a while to calm himself down and continue watching the situation outside. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fellow Sun should not blame us. It''s not that we insist on entering your Noble Sect''s prohibited area. The conditions for executing the Reincarnation Initiation Method are quite demanding. It must be carried out where the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi is rich. The denser the Qi, the higher the success rate,¡± the Tall Figure said, bowing with a smile. ¡°Since this place is suitable, then you should start quickly. By the way, I must warn you all that this is a forbidden area of Daughter Village, protected by prohibitions set by our ancestor Masters. Should anyone think of harboring malicious intentions, I guarantee that they will have no place to be buried,¡± Granny Sun stated flatly. ¡°This is the forbidden area of Daughter Village, and Granny Sun has to be cautious. She has no hostile intentions, so we hope Daoist Yuan will not take offense,¡± Murong Yu from Pansi Cave stepped forward, feeling that Granny Sun''s tone was a bit too harsh, trying to smooth things over. ¡°Fellow Sun worries too much. We are here only to assist Elder Li Jianxue in advancing to the True Immortal Stage. There''s no other motive,¡± the Tall Figure replied, still unconcerned, and laughed magnanimously. ¡°Daoist Yuan?¡± Inside the Golden Pond, Shen Luo''s gaze shifted. Was this tall figure surnamed Yuan? ¡°Daoist Yuan Qiu, do you know anything about the Refining Body Altar? Have you heard of this person? He shares your surname,¡± he communicated with Yuan Qiu through his mind. ¡°There are countless people in the world surnamed Yuan; why should I know him?¡± Yuan Qiu snorted with laughter. ¡°However, speaking of people within the Refining Body Altar surnamed Yuan, I do know one. The Master of the Refining Body Altar is called Yuan Zui,¡± said Yuan Qiu, continuing after his scoff. ¡°The Master of the Refining Body Altar, Yuan Zui, could this person be?¡± Shen Luo was startled upon hearing this. ¡°It''s possible. You should be careful of this person,¡± Yuan Qiu warned him. Shen Luo silently nodded his head, his eyes firmly fixed on the Tall Figure. Chapter 960 Chapter 960: Chapter 957: Seek Your Own Blessing Chapter 960: Chapter 957: Seek Your Own Blessing ¡°Indeed, Granny, let us proceed with the ritual now and discuss other matters later,¡± said Li Jianxue as well. Granny Sun glared at Li Jianxue, obviously displeased, but she didn''t say anything more. Seeing this, the tall figure waved his hand behind him. The people immediately got busy near the Golden Tower, starting to set up on an open ground close by; it took them half an hour to finally prepare a black magic array with a diameter of more than ten zhang. With a wave of his hand, the tall figure shot out eighteen dark red jade pillars from his hand, which landed around the array, each engraved with blood-red formation patterns. Wuu wuu wuu! The black magic array immediately started operating, rising up with waves of red light that reflected off the dark red jade pillars in the distance, emitting a ghastly wail akin to the cries of ghosts and the howls of wolves. ¡°This array looks somewhat familiar; yes, it''s similar to the one Ma Xiuxiu set up in Chaoyin Cave that day,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself from a distance, his expression changing suddenly. ¡°It''s ready now, Daoist friend Li, please enter the array and take a seat,¡± said the tall figure, looking towards the people from Daughter Village. Li Jianxue''s face lit up with joy, and after taking a deep breath, she was about to enter the array. ¡°Wait a moment! Are you sure this array you''ve set up, with its chilling Yin Qi and skyward blood light, is truly for the purpose of performing the Reincarnation Initiation Method?¡± Granny Sun suddenly raised her hand to stop Li Jianxue and asked in a grave voice. ¡°Chilling Yin Qi, Ghostly Qi soaring to the sky? Fellow Sun, with your profound cultivation, why do you still view things at such a superficial level? Is some Yin Qi to be equated to evil beings? Does some blood light make it a Demonic Path? Let alone monks, even ordinary people from birth to adulthood, who among them has not consumed countless living beings'' blood meals, walked over mountains of corpses and seas of blood? The path of cultivation is inherently a brutal accumulation of vitality, no matter how much one tries to embellish or beautify it, it is nothing but self-deception. Divine souls belong to Yin, and fresh blood is crimson; these are all normal occurrences, are they not?¡± The tall figure said with a faint smile, appearing unconcerned. Li Jianxue deeply agreed with the tall figure''s words and nodded continuously. ¡°How can we be at ease with such an eerie array as yours?¡± Granny Sun asked calmly, unmoved by his explanation. The other members of Daughter Village also furrowed their brows, with many of them showing a look of doubt on their faces. ¡°It seems you still do not trust us. Very well, I shall make an exception and explain the secrets of this array to you. This formation is called the ''Reincarnation Array'', which one of my predecessors in the Refining Body Altar devoted his entire life to studying diligently for many years before he finally created it. It has the effect of assisting in opening acupoints and strengthening the divine soul,¡± said the tall figure after pondering for a while, then slowly spoke up. ¡°Fellow Sun, Friend Pu, both of you are at the True Immortal Stage, and you must know that there are two major obstacles to advancing to the True Immortal: one is breaking through the Mud Palace Acupoint, and the other is the transformation and fusion of the divine soul with the body. Many monks at the peak of Great Mahayana spend years preparing and still cannot accumulate enough power to complete these two steps. However, this Reincarnation Array can help them achieve it. Furthermore, your village''s toxic scripture involves ingesting myriad poisons into the body; any slight carelessness during the advancement to True Immortal could lead to a backlash. The Reincarnation Array can penetrate all the acupoints in the human body, effectively suppressing the violent poison of the backlash. The detailed spellcasting process is all in this grey jade slip, please take a closer look, Fellow Sun,¡± the tall figure took out a grey jade slip, tossing it to Granny Sun. Granny Sun caught the jade slip, pressed it to her forehead, and after a moment removed it, her expression changing unpredictably but, surprisingly, said nothing more. She then handed it to Elder Park standing beside her. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elder Park took the jade slip and investigated its content, and also fell into silence. ¡°Having looked at the content of the jade slip, surely you must now believe in my words, Fellow Daoists?¡± asked the tall figure with a smile. ¡°From the content of the jade slip, your Reincarnation Array indeed has some methods. I can allow you to cast the spell, but it must be operated by the people of Daughter Village. According to the jade slip, the setup of this Array is troublesome, yet activating it is quite simple,¡± Granny Sun pondered briefly and exchanged a glance with Elder Park before saying so. ¡°Of course, we can,¡± the Tall Figure agreed without hesitation, somewhat to Granny Sun''s surprise. However, she didn''t say anything and let Elder Park pass the jade slip around for the other women of Daughter Village to see, then signaled to begin. Li Jianxue couldn''t wait to sit inside the Array, and eighteen women from Daughter Village also stepped forward, each taking a seat behind the eighteen dark red Jade Pillars, including Liu Feixu and Lili''er. ¡°These are the materials needed to operate the Array. Take them,¡± the Tall Figure waved his hand, and a small pile of Blood-red Gourds flew out, exactly eighteen, landing next to each of the eighteen women of Daughter Village. Having done this, he flew to the vicinity of the Golden Tower, and the others from the Refining Body Altar also approached, showing that they were staying clear of any suspicion. Granny Sun used her spell to sense the blood-colored gourds, finding they contained rich blood qi and some ghostly souls, all required for the Reincarnation Array, as recorded in the jade slip, with no abnormalities. ¡°Begin,¡± Granny Sun gave Elder Park a knowing look to keep an eye on those from the Refining Body Altar, then gave the order indifferently. The eighteen daughters of Daughter Village began to gesture and activate the Reincarnation Array, the wailing cries intensifying as patches of black light surged and soon submerged Li Jianxue''s body. Blood light shot out from the Blood-red Gourds next to the eighteen women, emitting a pungent bloody stench. Within the red light, ghostly spirits were entwined, merging into the Array. The black light inside the Array immediately turned black and red, and the wailing sounds abruptly increased tenfold. Meanwhile, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi nearby also started to tremor and gathered towards the Array, forming a giant Spiritual Energy Vortex. ¡°It seems the people of Daughter Village want to take advantage of the Refining Body Altar''s help to promote someone to True Immortal stage. With the methods of the Refining Body Altar and the Demon Clan, it''s highly likely there will be serious issues with the ascension,¡± Shen Luo mused silently from inside the pool. Although the people of Daughter Village had previously been quite hostile to him, there was no significant animosity between them. However, the Refining Body Altar was his archenemy. If possible, he wouldn''t mind assisting Daughter Village by exposing the Refining Body Altar''s conspiracy. But now that he had stolen the Nine Brahmanic Lotus, appearing would likely instantly infuriate the people of Daughter Village, leading to being captured by both parties together. ¡°Forget it, I have the will but not the strength. May Daughter Village seek their own fortune,¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly. Furthermore, this might be an opportunity for him. If the Refining Body Altar indeed had a conspiracy, a great battle was bound to occur soon and he could escape amidst the chaos. Having decided on a plan, Shen Luo communicated through his Divine Sense with Yuan Qiu, asking him and Bai Xiaotian to get ready. Near the Golden Tower, the Reincarnation Array was emitting an increasingly intense black and red light, engulfing the eighteen daughters of Daughter Village as well, hiding what was happening inside from view. However, Granny Sun held the Magical Treasure that controlled the prohibitions of this place, allowing her Divine Sense to spread outward and constantly probe the situation within the Array. Chapter 961 Chapter 961: Chapter 958 Breakthrough Success Chapter 961: Chapter 958 Breakthrough Success Within the Array, as torrents of black Qi and blood light continuously poured into Li Jianxue''s body, the breath emanating from her began to swell at an unimaginable rate, surging toward the bottleneck of the True Immortal Stage. Moreover, considering Li Jianxue''s bodily response showed little resistance, she easily accepted the Array''s assistance. Granny Sun''s face revealed surprise, and her heart held the Refining Body Altar in even higher esteem. Time slowly ticked by, and Li Jianxue''s skin gradually turned a dark red, making her appear somewhat eerie, yet she herself showed no sign of rejection; in fact, her face even displayed a hint of excitement. At that moment, her body suddenly shook violently. The tightly closed Mud Palace acupoints were burst open by her own mana, assisted by the force of the Array, voraciously absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around her. Boom! Every acupoint in Li Jianxue''s body suddenly opened up as if they were a hungry Wild Beast, greedily devouring the massive quantities of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Having absorbed massive amounts of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, her body rapidly expanded, resembling a giant meatball. The Divine Soul in her mind also began to transform, quickly becoming transparent, and started to fuse with her body. However, at this moment, a pained expression suddenly appeared on Li Jianxue''s face, and her body shuddered uncontrollably. The skin over her chest showed patches of multi-colored poison spots that rapidly spread outwards. The surging mana caused the accumulated lethal poisons from her cultivation of the poison arts to fall into chaos, backlashing against her body. Li Jianxue desperately circulated her poison arts, trying to suppress the rampaging poisons, but her swollen body and the incoming onslaught of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi made it difficult to control her mana, completely incapable of containing the poisons inside her. This was one of the most difficult hurdles for Daughter Village Cultivators when attempting to break through to the True Immortal Stage, especially since the loss of the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead made it nearly impossible to resolve. Over the years, more than ten Mahayana Cultivators from Daughter Village had perished for this reason. Granny Sun, watching Li Jianxue''s plight from the side, instantly felt her heart lift, her gaze firmly fixed on the Reincarnation Array. If the Reincarnation Array could truly suppress the poison backlash, then collaborating with the Refining Body Altar could be a viable option. Inside the Golden Pond, the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl within Shen Luo''s Treasure Ring quivered slightly as if affected by the poisons within Li Jianxue''s body. ¡°Could this bead indeed belong to the Daughter Village?¡± he wondered. Surrounding the Reincarnation Array, the eighteen Daughter Village disciples watching this scene immediately changed their magic spells. The black and red light within the Array transformed accordingly, and hundreds of black and red threads shot out, piercing into Li Jianxue''s body at various points. With a ¡°hum¡± sound, layers upon layers of black and red halos emerged around Li Jianxue, resembling a bizarre blood bloom in full display; the poison spots on her were instantly dyed black and red, slowing their spread. Granny Sun''s face showed delight; the Reincarnation Array indeed was able to suppress the backlashing poisons. It seemed her choice had not been wrong. Within the Array, the painful expression on Li Jianxue''s face also diminished considerably, and she hurriedly circulated her skills to continue the fusion between her Divine Soul and body. Next to the Golden Tower, the Tall Figure''s eyes flashed with a strange light, and the hand behind his back moved imperceptibly. On his finger, there was a blood-red ring that emitted a flash of Blood Light before hiding away instantly. Beside the Array, the eighteen Blood-red Gourds suddenly emitted a ¡°bang¡± noise, bursting open all at once. They transformed into eighteen clumps of sticky Blood Light that merged into the Reincarnation Array. The operation speed of the Reincarnation Array suddenly increased tenfold, with an almost tangible aura of shadowy spirits erupting from it, pushing Granny Sun''s Divine Sense out. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Granny Sun abruptly turned toward the Tall Figure, a flash of green light in her hand revealing a green vine staff. The vine staff was covered with barbs all over, and the tips of the barbs flickered with a faint dark green light, clearly containing potent toxins. Moreover, at the top of the vine staff, there was a green snake relief that looked incredibly lifelike and eerily strange. Elder Park''s hand flashed with black light, and he too produced an ancient black mirror, aiming it at the people of the Refining Body Altar. ¡°The two elders must not misinterpret, the shells of those gourds are also crystals of Qi and blood. When the Qi, blood, and Yin Souls inside are about to be exhausted, the gourds will self-destruct, which has nothing to do with me,¡± the tall figure explained with a spread of his hands. Elder Park raised her hand, and a fragment of a gourd from the ground beside the array flew over, landing in her hand. She pinched her fingers, and the fragment immediately burst, turning into a cloud of blood light. Granny Sun furrowed her brows at this scene, about to say something. The spiritual energy vortex surrounding the Reincarnation Array suddenly expanded several times, spinning wildly like a tornado. All eighteen Daughter Village disciples were swept away, some thrown outside, others sucked into the center of the vortex. Seeing this, Granny Sun couldn''t bother to question the tall figure; she waved her vine staff, and green vines shot out, wrapping around the disciples'' bodies, pulling them to safety. The massive Spiritual Energy Vortex suddenly dissipated quickly, revealing the figure of Li Jianxue. Her eyes shone with brilliance, and her skin emitted a crystalline glow. Every movement carried immense authority, as if she had undergone a profound transformation. ¡°Jianxue, have you successfully made a breakthrough?¡± Granny Sun and Elder Park, seeing Li Jianxue in this state, were overjoyed, no longer caring to blame the people from the Refining Body Altar. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fortuitously, yes, I''ve succeeded. I thank everyone present for their assistance,¡± Li Jianxue nodded to the two elders, then gave a respectful bow to the people of the Refining Body Altar. ¡°Our families have an agreement, a mutually beneficial relationship, there''s no need for thanks,¡± the tall figure approached, waved his hand, chuckled, and said. At this moment, Granny Sun looked at the people of the Refining Body Altar with much warmer eyes and gave Elder Park a meaningful glance. ¡°Here are the three volumes of the poison scriptures, as for the other items, they are all kept in the village; we''ll hand them over after we leave this place,¡± Elder Park''s attitude had also lightened considerably, as she flicked a jade slip. The jade slip turned into a white light and landed in front of the tall figure. The tall figure caught the jade slip, pressed it to his forehead, and after briefly probing the content within, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°If that''s the case, then we will return to Daughter Village,¡± he said, then turned and walked toward the Golden Tower. Inside the pool, Shen Luo, seeing what was happening outside, was slightly surprised. Could it be that the Refining Body Altar hadn''t played any tricks? Could it really be that he was being overly suspicious? He looked intently at Li Jianxue for a moment, and found nothing suspicious about her. ¡°It seems I was just being paranoid. It''s good that these people are leaving, so I can take the opportunity to escape as well,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Granny Sun watched the tall figure''s retreating back, her gaze flickering slightly. The Reincarnation Array was still intact on the ground behind them, and the people from the Refining Body Altar were just leaving like that, not taking the array away? Considering that the people from Daughter Village had already mastered the techniques to operate the array and that the required Qi and blood substances and the power of the Yin Souls were not hard to gather, they could use the Reincarnation Array themselves to help some of the Great Mahayana practitioners in Daughter Village advance to the True Immortal stage, henceforth eliminating the need to seek help from the Refining Body Altar. Chapter 962 Chapter 962: 959 Chapter: Making Trouble Chapter 962: 959 Chapter: Making Trouble ¡°Are these people from the Refining Body Altar using this array to make a friendly gesture toward us? But why would they do such a thing?¡± Granny Sun secretly speculated, but she didn''t stay put, motioning to the women of Daughter Village to head towards the crowd and the Golden Tower as well. However, just at that moment, a gentle breeze rose behind her, and a streak of blue lightning-like light aimed at the weak spot behind her heart. Within the blue light was a deep blue raindrop, flickering with a dim dark glow, its nature unknown. Granny Sun was shaken and alarmed, her body incredibly agile as she leaned to the side, while a green small mirror appeared out of nowhere above her head, quickly releasing a green halo that fell rapidly, covering her body before the blue light could strike. Regrettably, she was still a step too late. The deep blue raindrop had struck the green halo first, piercing through it as if through paper, and then went straight through Granny Sun''s chest, causing blood to surge out immediately. Almost simultaneously, another white light harshly struck her from behind¨Cit was a snow-white jade ruyi. With a ¡°clang,¡± a massive sound, the green vine staff in Granny Sun''s hand was flung away, flashing to appear behind her and deflecting the white jade ruyi, while Granny Sun herself swept sideways for several zhang. ¡°Li Jianxue!¡± Granny Sun roared in shock and anger. The white ruyi was Li Jianxue''s unique magical treasure, the ¡°Purple Fire Ruyi,¡± and the blue raindrop was Daughter Village''s secret lethal move, ¡°Rainfall Cold Sands,¡± created by condensing the vital energy of one''s life within their body and then mixing it with several corrosive and highly poisonous substances from Daughter Village''s secret techniques. It was a one-time attack item that excelled at breaking through protective light shields and was among the topmost concealed weapons. Having been sneak-attacked by Rainfall Cold Sands and then brutally assaulted by the Purple Fire Ruyi, it was clear that there had been some trouble with Li Jianxue. However, before Granny Sun could catch her breath, amidst the ¡°whistling¡± ear-piercing screeching sound, a black light shot directly at her; it was a black bowl-shaped magical treasure, which fiercely smashed down overhead, as the tall figure turned like lightning to launch a fierce sneak attack. The other Body Refining Platform Monks also swiftly turned, their various magical treasures emitting light like rain, striking toward the people from Daughter Village. ¡°So it was you causing trouble!¡± full of fierce rage, Granny Sun pressed one hand against the wound on her chest, while her other sleeve flicked out. The green vine staff automatically shot forward, transforming into a green flood dragon, confronting the black bowl. Granny Sun''s companions from Daughter Village also reacted, pulling out their magical treasures in both shock and anger and meeting the magical treasure barrage from the Body Refining Platform Monks. Meanwhile, Elder Park from Daughter Village, another existence at the True Immortal Realm, did not make any move against the Refining Body Altar. In her hand, the black old mirror emitted a thick light pillar, covering a figure¨Cit was Li Jianxue. At this moment, her eyes, for some reason, had turned blood red, filled with a sense of violence and cruelty. This woman was immobilized within the light pillar, motionless as if she were a fly trapped in amber, while the nearby aura fluctuations from magical treasures and such were also simultaneously frozen, seemingly sealed. After assaulting Elder Park, this woman had immediately tried to flee, but Elder Park''s movements were faster, and she used the old black mirror to trap Li Jianxue on the spot. Elder Park flung her large sleeve, releasing a snake-shaped silver small sword from her sleeve, which then transformed into nearly a hundred silver sword shadows, howling as they chopped toward the Body Refining Platform Monks. ¡°Fellow Daoist Murong, lend us your strength!¡± As she attacked, she also turned to call out to the demons of Pansi Cave standing nearby. The demons of Pansi Cave seemed stunned by the rapid succession of events, and only at this moment did they spring into action, rushing over to this side frantically. ¡°They''ve really started fighting, truly asking for trouble!¡± Inside the Golden Pond, Shen Luo''s eyes brightened, and he swiftly began chanting spells to undo his transformation. In the Heavenly Book Space, Yuan Qiu and Bai Xiaotian also started preparing for the great battle. With a ¡°clang,¡± Granny Sun''s green vine staff collided with the tall figure''s black bowl, neither gaining the upper hand. Granny Sun was not surprised, and her hand changed the magic spell. After a flash of green light at the tip of the Green Vine Staff, seven or eight emerald vines burst forth, covered with bright red flowers and tender green leaves. They were like extremely nimble tendrils, swiftly entwining the black bowl tightly. The black spiritual light on the bowl dimmed rapidly, fading to a thin layer in just two or three breaths. Granny Sun''s mouth curled into a hint of pleasure. The God''s Power executed by the Green Vine Staff this moment was called ¡°Flying Flowers Picking Leaves.¡± Once it struck an enemy, it could quickly devour their mana. If it hit the enemy''s Magical Treasures, it could also absorb their mana, rendering the Magical Treasures ineffective. She pushed this God''s Power to its limit, intending to drain all the spiritual power from the bowl and then deal with that tall figure. But the black bowl, with a loud bang, burst open. A thick black fog materialized out of nowhere, spreading rapidly and instantly enshrouding everyone from Daughter Village within it. The people of Daughter Village were suddenly plunged into an endless darkness, where they could not see even the companions beside them, as if they had fallen into an Illusion Domain, and panic inevitably set in. The tall figure''s plot had succeeded, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. The bowl had its own space inside, filled with this Dark Demon Fog that could trap people within it, robbing them of their five senses. This fog was extremely difficult to deal with. Even a True Immortal caught inside would struggle to break free for quite some time. ¡°Quick!¡± The tall figure, having successfully ambushed his enemies, shouted urgently to the other Body Refining Platform Monks, then flicked his sleeve. Amidst the sharp whistling sounds, bursts of silver light shot out, revealing small silver flags that landed around the thick black fog, arranged with meticulous precision. The tall figure''s hands moved rapidly forming magic spells, and the flags began to shine with silver light. In a few breaths, they were interconnected, forming a Silver Array. However, at that moment, violent explosions came from within the black fog, which began roiling and expanding outward. It was clear the people of Daughter Village were attacking the fog from inside. But the black fog was exceptionally sturdy. Despite the violent shaking, it did not immediately break. Seeing this, the tall figure''s expression tightened, and he sped up his spellcasting. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The light from the Silver Array suddenly intensified, its shape transforming into a giant silver swallow, flapping its wings as if ready to fly. ¡°Transport!¡± A smile crossed the face of the tall figure. He clasped his hands in front of his chest and shouted softly. The silver swallow spread its wings, and a wave of silver light surged skyward. The nearby space rippled like water, and then the entire Silver Array, including the black fog within, abruptly vanished from its original location. In the next moment, they appeared inside the Reincarnation Array far away. The dozen or so Body Refining Platform Monks had already flown to the array, taking their seats cross-legged behind the dark red Jade Pillars. Without anyone noticing, the Reincarnation Array had undergone a dramatic change. Black Formation Patterns emerged within the array, giving it a completely different appearance. A dragon-shaped pattern appeared among the Formation Patterns, emitting an extremely sinister aura. Seeing the appearance of the Silver Array, the dozen or so Body Refining Platform Monks immediately slashed their wrists, spraying blood onto the dark red Jade Pillars. The altered array emitted a ghostly wail, and swathes of blood-colored fog, along with black Yin wind, spewed from the array. In the blink of an eye, they formed a gigantic black and red Light Shield, encompassing all the people from Daughter Village. The tall figure relaxed slightly upon seeing this. With the Black Nightmare Covering Sky Array deployed, the people of Daughter Village were doomed; at that time, he would use the secret technique passed down by that great god to control the corpses of the villagers. He would continue to manage Daughter Village and gradually bring this mysterious village under the control of the Body Refining Platform. With this great achievement, the great god would surely bestow upon him even greater rewards. At this thought, the tall figure''s body trembled slightly with excitement. Chapter 963 Chapter 963: Chapter 960 Grudges Chapter 963: Chapter 960 Grudges But at this moment, a white light suddenly appeared in the mid air, as dazzling as the sun. Following that, three massive silver lightning bolts, as thick as water buckets, shot out from the white light, illuminating the entire island in an instant, and struck the same spot on the black and red light curtain in quick succession. Boom! Boom! Boom! Three thunderous explosions rang out, and the black and red light curtain trembled violently three times. After the first lightning strike, the spot on the black and red light curtain that was hit lost most of its brightness. After the second lightning strike, cracks began to appear on the light curtain. After the third lightning strike, the black and red light curtain could no longer hold, and was penetrated, leaving a big hole. The third, now nearly halved, silver lightning bolt entered the light curtain, followed by another explosive bang from within the formation, as if the silver lightning had struck and destroyed something else. The tall figure''s smile on his face instantly froze, replaced by a look of shock and anger. He dashed over to the Reincarnation Array, producing a large flag that featured a pattern of a black and red dragon, identical to the one in the array. He manipulated his hands, casting magic spells upon it, and a beam of blood light shot out from the top of the flag, merging into the black magic array. The black magic array''s operation speed immediately increased several-fold, and a huge blood-red demonic pattern appeared around the big hole on the black and red light curtain, resembling a dragon in a loop. The blood-red demonic patterns flickered rapidly, emitting piercing shrieks, and the big hole in the middle of the patterns began to close quickly. But just before it completely sealed, three beams of light shot out from it and landed on the nearby ground, revealing their figures. The first person was Granny Sun, holding a white jade album that radiated light, etched with dense runes that seemed to be some sort of battle formation map, and surrounded by silver electric arcs. It was evident that this item had just summoned the silver lightning. A green talisman was attached to the wound on Granny Sun''s chest, stopping the bleeding, but the flesh around it had turned a sinister blue, apparently poisoned by Li Jianxue''s previous attack. Next to Granny Sun was Elder Park, who was empty-handed at the moment. The black ancient mirror she had used before was not with her, and it was unknown whether it was left inside the formation to seal Li Jianxue. As for the last person, standing slightly farther away from Granny Sun and Elder Park, was Lili''er. Inside the pool, Shen Luo had reverted to his human form and took out the Slayer''s Broken Sword, intending to take out other magical treasures. After seeing the situation outside through the Closing Eye Gu, his brow furrowed slightly. ¡°Lili''er? Her strength is at the bottom tier among the people of Daughter Village, so why would she be the one to come out?¡± Shen Luo was surprised, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He wanted to grasp something, but that thought suddenly vanished, and he could not recall it no matter how hard he tried. Shen Luo quickly stopped thinking about it and took out an object, which was the Purple Great Bead. He activated it with a spell. Concentric circles of purple light appeared on the bead, and a sinister black devil armor flew out from inside, the very armor he had obtained from Wei Qing. After being nurtured in the Purple Great Bead for some time, the cracks on the armor had lessened somewhat. Just as he was about to don the Devil Armor, a golden light suddenly appeared in the pool beside him, and a figure leaped out from it ¨C it was Lili''er. Shen Luo was startled and quickly moved two zhang to the side. ¡°It''s you!¡± Lili''er was also surprised to see Shen Luo there and retreated a few steps to the side as well. Shen Luo quickly calmed down and checked the outside situation through the Closing Eye Gu; sure enough, Lili''er was nowhere to be seen outside. ¡°You are Shen Luo? How come you are here?¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s face clearly, Lili''er exclaimed in surprise once again. ¡°That question should be asked by me, shouldn''t it? How come Your Excellency is in this place?¡± Shen Luo asked indifferently. Although he asked this, he had already guessed the answer; Lili''er ignored the perilous situation of Daughter Village outside and suddenly sneaked into this place; she was very likely here for the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. Moreover, upon seeing this woman, a thought that had previously flashed through his mind suddenly became clear. ¡°Your Excellency is not the Lili''er from Daughter Village, but rather the person who kidnapped her, aren''t you? Who exactly are you, and why frame me?¡± Shen Luo sized up Lili''er and asked coldly. Concerned about the people outside, he kept his voice very low. ¡°Hehe, Friend Shen really is astute, seeing through my identity in an instant. However, under the current circumstances, it would be best if Friend Shen refrained from any rash actions; otherwise, we''ll both be unlucky,¡± Lili''er said with a raised eyebrow, straightforwardly admitting it. A murderous intent flashed through Shen Luo''s heart, but he forcefully restrained the urge to take action. Just as Lili''er had said, if the two of them were to fight here, and those people outside discovered them, the situation would become ten times worse. The two stood opposite each other, silent for a moment. Suddenly, Shen Luo let out a cold snort, and a golden light shot out from his hand. The Slayer''s Broken Sword moved incredibly fast and struck a patch of void nearby. Instantly, spiritual light flashed, and a half-transparent hand, glazing-like, was forced out from the void, then cut in two by the Slayer''s Broken Sword. ¡°Tss-la,¡± the transparent hand was severed into two by the Magic Extinguishing Sword, shattering into countless flakes of light that scattered and vanished. Seeing this, Lili''er''s complexion changed slightly, with a trace of shock flashing through her eyes. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It was Your Excellency who said not to act rashly, and yet it was also Your Excellency who made the covert move. Do you think I, Shen, am so easily bullied?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, a dangerous light coursing through them. ¡°Wait a moment, the incident just now was my fault. I apologize, little girl. I had no other intentions, I just wanted to obtain a Nine Brahmanic Lotus,¡± Lili''er said, trembling all over as though she was targeted by a primordial beast, and raised her hand in a fluster, regretting her previous impulsive act. Shen Luo let out a cold hum and didn''t respond. Although it wasn''t suitable to fight under the current circumstances, with numerous treasured items in his possession and his perfected Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, he was not without a chance to subdue this Lili''er instantly. Lili''er keenly sensed Shen Luo''s killing intent and felt the air around her suddenly become extremely heavy, pressing down on her layer by layer, almost suffocating her, and she was terrified. She had only ever felt this kind of pressure from people whose strength far surpassed hers. ¡°I was rash just now; please don''t take it to heart, Friend Shen. Here, I have a Glazed Gold Mirror Charm. This charm is a Pseudo-Immortal Talisman capable of a short-range teleport, which can also create a door and pass through walls without doors, or various prohibition light curtains, like the White Restriction outside this island. I would like to offer this charm to Friend Shen as my apology; how about it?¡± Lili''er hastily spoke, handing over a golden talisman. It had a golden glaze mirror pattern inscribed on it, which looked quite mysterious. ¡°Glazed Gold Mirror Charm?¡± Shen Luo''s brows twitched slightly. He recalled the scene where Lili''er suddenly appeared earlier; it was very likely the divine power of this talisman. The Glazed Gold Mirror Charm indeed seemed useful as it could provide him with an additional escape method if he were trapped by a prohibition in the future. As for the grievances between him and Lili''er, depending on how one looked at it, they could be considered either serious or trivial, and it was not impossible to resolve. Chapter 964 Chapter 964: Chapter 961 Betrayal Chapter 964: Chapter 961 Betrayal ¡°If you want me to forgive your previous actions, it''s not impossible, but this mere Glazed Gold Mirror Charm is somewhat too disdainful of me,¡± Shen Luo thought, while saying this out loud. ¡°Then what else do you want?¡± Seeing that Shen Luo intended to pause, Lili''er immediately breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked. ¡°The method to refine this charm,¡± Shen Luo stated indifferently. ¡°That''s possible, but the materials for this charm are rare; Friend Shen should be prepared,¡± Lili''er said without any hesitation. ¡°Naturally,¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon seeing this, Lili''er took out a blank jade slip, her hand holding the jade slip flashing with golden light a few times, and then handed over both the jade slip and the golden talisman. Shen Luo took the jade slip and the talisman, but didn''t inspect them closely, and stowed them away with a flip of his hand. After doing this, Lili''er turned and flew over to a Nine Brahmanic Lotus, reaching out her hand to pluck one. Shen Luo did not stop her but looked outside again. Outside the pond''s prohibition, Granny Sun and Elder Park were quite surprised to see Lili''er appear and then disappear so quickly. But before they could investigate, innumerable dense white spider silks suddenly appeared out of thin air above their heads, quickly enveloping them with incredible speed. Granny Sun''s body was covered in the most spider silks, which wrapped around rapidly, layer after layer. Her body immediately became weak and limp, as if her bones were doused in vinegar, leaving her powerless and unable to muster her mana, which began to circulate sluggishly. The light on the jade album in her hands quickly faded. ¡°Spider Silk Array!¡± Granny Sun immediately recognized the origin of the white spider silk, her face showing shock and anger as she tried to summon her strength and break free. But at that moment, a sharp whistling sound rang out, and a streak of spider silk shot through the air and struck her white jade album, then disappeared in a flash. This strand of spider silk was somewhat different, much thicker, and the entire thing was silvery-white, emanating spatial energy similar to the Silver Swallow Array used by the tall figure previously. Silver light shone on the white jade album, and the next moment it vanished into thin air, appearing in the hands of a person tens of meters away. That person was none other than Murong Yu of the Silk Cave Demon Race, and the other Silk Cave demons were lined up beside him, each one gesturing and controlling the white spider silks. ¡°Heavenly Silkworm Silk! Murong Yu, you''ve betrayed us and sided with these thieves of the Refining Body Altar! Have you forgotten the blood oath established by your Silk Cave ancestor and the founding ancestor of Daughter Village?¡± Granny Sun cried out mix of shock and rage, a bright green glow emerging around her, attempting to push away the spider silks. But the spider silks stuck firmly to her, some even merging into her body, refusing to be pushed away. Elder Park was in the same situation, entirely wrapped in spider silk, almost becoming a cocoon. Murong Yu''s face turned slightly dark, but soon returned to normal, ignoring Granny Sun and continuing to operate the Spider Silk Array. ¡°Murong Yu, well done, keep them trapped with the Spider Silk Array! The day of Lord Chiyou''s return to this world is near; becoming his servants is an honor for you people. I gave you several hints to submit to my master, but you stubborn old fools remained unmoved; then die here,¡± the tall figure first affirmed Murong Yu''s actions, then coldly laughed at Granny Sun. ¡°Chiyou! So it turns out you from the Refining Body Altar have been serving the Demon Clan!¡± Granny Sun suddenly realized, filled with shock and regret, having associated with such an evil demon. Just at that moment, a piece of golden Ling Field nearby suddenly burst into brilliant light, transforming into a vast array of radiance. A ¡°crackling¡± sound of tearing ripped through the air, and a streak of golden light pierced through the array, proving to be a sword shadow of a golden broken sword, missing its front half, which swiftly appeared at a corner of the black magic array and slashed down harshly. The tall figure in the distance was taken aback, continuing to manipulate the black-red big flag with his left hand, while his right hand shot out like lightning toward them. A surge of Black Qi covered the sky and wildly swept in, within it a black giant claw the size of a house, covered with black scales, emitted a chorus of wails like ten thousand ghosts, and snatched downward as fast as lightning. With a ¡°clang,¡± the sound of metal striking metal, the black giant claw actually beat the golden sword shadow to the punch and seized it. A cold snort came from within the golden sword shadow, which was already quite dazzling; suddenly, it burst forth with a splendor unmatched, transforming the vicinity of the Golden Tower into a world of golden light, as if the blazing sun had descended upon the Human World. The golden light was filled with the intense, pure essence of the Chun Yang, the nemesis of all things yin and sinister. The Black Qi around the giant claw dispersed with a bang, and the black giant claw itself emitted a hissing noise and quickly turned greyish white. The same happened with the Black Magic Array below it; plumes of black smoke rose from all parts of the array. In the center of the golden light, the golden sword shadow had completely solidified into substance, resembling a golden holy sword wielding immense heavenly authority, slashing forward through the air. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the seemingly formidable black giant claw was effortlessly sliced in half. ¡°Impossible!¡± disbelief shone in the eyes of the tall figure. The golden sword shadow didn''t stop, continuing to shoot forward like a bolt of lightning and fiercely striking a corner of the Black Magic Array. With a ¡°boom,¡± the part of the Black Magic Array that was struck exploded, turning into countless streams of Black Qi that dispersed. The originally intact Black Light Screen suddenly had a gaping hole torn in it. The tall figure grew anxious and hurriedly manipulated the black and red big flag in his hand, hoping to repair the light screen as before. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± thunderous roars suddenly erupted, thunder rolled, heading into the distance, and dozens of thick, dazzling bolts of lightning burst out from the golden light, forming a forest of thunder and lightning that struck towards the tall figure. The surrounding Void vibrated violently, emitting ear-piercing screams as if the Thunder God himself had descended his wrath from the heavens. Startled, the tall figure used one hand to maintain the array and, with the other hand, sacrificed a grey shield before him. The ferocious thunder and lightning immediately engulfed the grey shield and the tall figure. He desperately channeled the grey shield to protect his entire body, but he still couldn''t cover every part, and his black robe was torn by the terrifying force of the thunder and lightning, revealing his true appearance¨Ca middle-aged man with sword-like eyebrows and a rather handsome face. Almost simultaneously, booms of thunder resounded within the golden sword light, another forest of clawing thunder and lightning shot out from the golden light, this time aimed at the demonfolk of the Silk Cave. The demonfolk of the Silk Cave saw the formidable force of the lightning forest and dared not resist, hastily dodging aside. However, they were a moment too late; several disciples were about to be struck by the thick lightning when a figure appeared out of nowhere in front of them¨Cit was Lin Xinyue. This woman waved her hands to form a gesture, and a white light mirror several zhang in size materialized out of thin air. The mirror light seemed illusory, as if it existed on the threshold between reality and nonexistence. ¡°Illusion Mirror Technique!¡± Several thick bolts of lightning struck the mirror light and were immediately reflected back, heading straight for the magnificent sword light. But suddenly, a beam of blue light shot out from the golden giant sword, transforming into a blue ancient mirror not inferior to the white light mirror. This ancient mirror was tangible, with layers of blue water light flashing on its surface, more mysterious and superior to the white light mirror. The thick bolts of lightning struck the mirror and were absorbed as if into a bottomless pit, swallowed in an instant. The next moment, the surface of the blue mirror crackled with lightning, and the several bolts of lightning shot out again, this time not counterattacking Lin Xinyue, but heading straight for the Spider Silk Array. With continual sizzling sounds, the sky full of spider silk was ripped apart as easily as dry twigs, and the array was instantly breached. ¡°This is¡­¡± Lin Xinyue''s beautiful eyes widened, her face showing disbelief. Granny Sun and the other two were overjoyed, struggling to free themselves from the spider silk. Meanwhile, in the nearby Black Magic Array, the people of Daughter Village who had been trapped also flew out one after another from the gap. Chapter 965 Chapter 965: Chapter 962 Targeted Chapter 965: Chapter 962 Targeted ¡°` ¡°Saving you once can be considered repayment for the favor of the two Nine Brahmanic Lotuses.¡± Surrounded by majestic golden light, Shen Luo raised his hand to retrieve the blue ancient mirror, glanced at everyone in Daughter Village, and immediately turned to leave. ¡°` ¡°` A sword rainbow, several dozen zhang in length, shot towards the edge of the island, reaching the edge in the blink of an eye, where a white light curtain stood in its way. ¡°` ¡°` Without pause, the golden sword rainbow collided with the light curtain and, to everyone''s surprise, passed through without any sound or resistance, as though the white light curtain were merely an illusion. ¡°` ¡°` The golden sword rainbow continued to hasten forward, vanishing into the distant skyline in the blink of an eye. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Who was that person? How could he have been hiding within the Nine Brahmanic Lotus Pond? Eh, he seems somewhat familiar.¡± Granny Sun glanced in the direction where Shen Luo had escaped. ¡°` ¡°` However, with the situation at hand being so dire, she had no leisure to ponder this matter and immediately directed the people of Daughter Village to throw themselves at the Refining Body Altar and Pansi Cave. ¡°` ¡°` Daughter Village disciples finally recuperated enough to join the battle, launching a vast array of attacks, magical treasures, hidden weapons, poisonous insects, and more, covering the sky in their assault on the people from Refining Body Altar and Pansi Cave. ¡°` ¡°` The tall middle-aged man from Refining Body Altar had barely managed to fend off the attacks from the thunder and lightning forest. Shen Luo had long since fled, and all the people of Daughter Village had also escaped their predicament. ¡°` ¡°` He had planned for a long time for today''s matter, yet it was ruined by some inexplicable person. Furious to the extreme, he wished he could split Shen Luo in two, but the situation being as it was, he had no choice but to face the battle. ¡°` ¡°` The two sides immediately clashed fiercely, with flashes of various lights wildly shining and the void trembling with the impacts. ¡°` ¡°` Amidst the fierce battle, no one noticed that Lin Xinyue''s figure had disappeared without a trace. ¡°` ¡°` ¡­ ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo, controlling the Slayer''s Broken Sword for escape, was several times faster than when using the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and soon left the island far behind. ¡°` ¡°` Contrary to his expectations, the illusion prohibitions within the surrounding lake did not activate, perhaps due to the great battle happening on the island. ¡°` ¡°` This was a stroke of luck for him, and after further flight, the awe-inspiring long rainbow gradually came to a stop. ¡°` ¡°` Although wielding the Slayer''s Broken Sword with full force was powerful, the mana consumption was not insignificant. Shen Luo had used up a great deal of mana on the way here and, having used the Slayer''s Broken Sword to break through several enemies, he had finally depleted his mana reserves. ¡°` ¡°` Once the vast sword rainbow dissipated, Shen Luo''s figure was revealed. ¡°` ¡°` He was donned in that set of black demon armor, still wearing a Ghost Face Mask, to prevent his identity from being recognized. ¡°` ¡°` With the grand golden light concealing him, coupled with the demon armor and mask, no one should have noticed his true identity. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo took out a Restoration Pill and swallowed it, preparing to continue forward. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Brother Shen, you expended a great deal in the earlier battle. It would be better to enter this golden space, and allow Bai Xiaotian to continue the flight outside,¡± Bai Xiaotian said from within the Heavenly Book Space, having learnt of the situation outside from Yuan Qiu. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo, upon hearing this, did not stand on ceremony and released Bai Xiaotian, with a word of caution, ¡°Travel at full speed; those behind us might catch up.¡± ¡°` ¡°` ¡°I understand,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, nodding his head with a grave expression, fully aware of the severity of the situation. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo then pointed out the exit direction of this space and took off the Linlang Ring, ready to hand it over to Bai Xiaotian. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Hold on,¡± a cold voice suddenly rang out, seemingly coming from a great distance but also as if the speaker were very close by. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Who''s there?¡± Bai Xiaotian''s expression changed. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo''s gaze also darkened, activating his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to survey his surroundings, his vision suddenly falling on his own left arm. ¡°` ¡°` There, unbeknownst to him, was a strand of spider silk, extremely fine and utterly transparent, with no weight or breath to it. Had he not used the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, it would have been impossible to detect. ¡°` ¡°` The other end of the spider silk led towards the island, apparently someone had secretly attached it to himself when leaving earlier. ¡°I can''t believe I didn''t notice this!¡± Shen Luo waved the Magic Extinguishing Sword and cut the spider silk from his body, but the silk got stuck to the sword, as if impossible to shake off. He frowned tightly and flicked his fingers immediately. A blue light shot out from his hand, turning into a sharp ice blade that cut the spider silk. Although the silk stuck to the ice blade, the blade fell into the lake below, no longer in contact with Shen Luo. But at that moment, the transparent spider silk suddenly turned silver, and the tip bloomed with bright silver light, inside which countless silver runes flickered, forming an array. A yellow-clad figure emerged within it, which was Lin Xinyue. ¡°Miss Lin!¡± Bai Xiaotian exclaimed with surprise upon seeing the newcomer. ¡°It''s you guys!¡± Lin Xinyue also clearly froze for a moment upon seeing Bai Xiaotian and Shen Luo. ¡°Miss Lin? What are you doing here all by yourself?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed slightly, somewhat shocked by the way this girl appeared, which was somewhat similar to the ¡°Heavenly Silkworm Silk¡± divine power used by Murong Yu during the great battle on the island earlier¨Cit was also an application of the power of space. ¡°You''re Shen Luo? I didn''t expect you to have a set of devil armor; it''s indeed very difficult to detect your true identity under the cover of demonic Qi,¡± Lin Xinyue observed Shen Luo for a moment and said. Shen Luo snorted and took a step towards Lin Xinyue. Although he did not know the woman''s purpose, they could not allow their whereabouts to be exposed; he must capture this woman. ¡°Do not misunderstand, dear friends, I did not come here to chase after you. You must have gained a lot from hiding in that lotus pond earlier today. The little girl here wants to exchange a few treasures for a Nine Brahmanic Lotus,¡± Lin Xinyue seemed to realize Shen Luo''s intentions and took a step back, hastily saying. Shen Luo chuckled softly, and his figure suddenly and slowly dissipated, turning out to be an afterimage. At the same time, a red light flashed behind Lin Xinyue, and a red flying sword appeared out of nowhere, viciously stabbing towards her back. The girl did not look back but sensed the movement behind her and was instantly startled. Stars suddenly appeared around her legs. Her body split into eight identical afterimages in an instant, each shooting off in different directions¨Cit was the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing Technique. But the red flying sword reacted extremely quickly as well, quivering and turning into thousands of fine red sword silks in the light, enveloping the area of several tens of meters below. The eight afterimages of Lin Xinyue created by this technique were all pierced by the sword silk and dissipated with the wind. At the edge of the range of the sword silk, blood light suddenly erupted, and a yellow-clad figure staggered into view, retreating rapidly¨Cit was Lin Xinyue. Her arm was penetrated by sword silk, with more than a dozen bloody holes from which blood gushed out, yet she was incredibly stoic, keeping silent as if the injuries were not her own. Seeing the woman retreat, the red sword Qi immediately pursued, emitting a piercing ¡°si si¡± shriek, terrifying in its ferocity. Lin Xinyue now regretted her impulsive decision to come alone, but it was already too late to retreat. ¡°Coiling Silk Array!¡± she exclaimed in a low voice, spreading her hands. The sound of ¡°si si¡± intensified as countless white spider silks shot out from her hands, vaguely forming a white silk array that crashed into the red sword silks. These spider silks seemed alive, winding around the sword silks upon contact. The momentum of the red sword silks was immediately slowed, and the sharp light on the silks rapidly dissipated, as if a peerless warrior had fallen into a tender snare, and tough steel became pliable around bone. Nearly a thousand deadly sword silks were thus blocked by these white spider silks. Chapter 966 Chapter 966: Chapter 963: The True Purpose Chapter 966: Chapter 963: The True Purpose Lin Xinyue managed to counterattack successfully, but she did not show any triumph and turned around to flee immediately. At this moment, the void ahead fluctuated, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared. With a wave of his sleeve, he released a Golden Dragon Horn Short Cone from his palm, striking fiercely towards Lin Xinyue. Meanwhile, the Red Sword Silk bound by Spider Silk behind her suddenly brightened and converged rapidly, forming a Red Giant Sword several zhang in length with flames erupting from it. With a booming sound, it shot forward. ¡°Crack,¡± the sound of breaking echoed loudly as the spider web was torn apart, and the Red Giant Sword burst forward instantaneously, closing within a few zhang behind Lin Xinyue. Attacked from both front and back, Lin Xinyue was startled but not panicked. A green light flashed in her palm, and she formed an ancient horn, deep green in color. She blew into it forcefully. ¡°Woo¡±! An extremely piercing soundwave spread rapidly, causing the nearby void to buzz and tremble, generating waves of storm-like forces that expanded in all directions. Both the Dragon Horn Short Cone and the Red Giant Sword were the main targets of this soundwave storm. Sharp forces struck the awl and the sword, creating loud cracks and sparks flew in all directions. Whether it was the Dragon Horn Short Cone or the Red Giant Sword, both were halted in their tracks. Following the Dragon Horn Short Cone, Shen Luo suddenly clutched his head, his face twisted in agony. Farther away, Bai Xiaotian''s head as if severely struck, his vision went blurry, and he groaned in pain. This soundwave even contained the ability to attack the divine soul! At this moment, the sound of the horn suddenly deepened, no longer as sharp and piercing. It wailed low and continuous, resembling a woman''s crying, intermittent yet deep, causing dizziness to those who heard it. ¡°Demonic Soul-Attracting Sound!¡± Bai Xiaotian couldn''t help but flail his limbs uncontrollably, unable to restrain himself, and exclaimed in horror. Lin Xinyue, her uninjured left arm, swung and released a green shadow. It was a Green Vine Willow Leaf Whip bound with willow leaf blades, the blade lights flickering with a threatening aura. The green Whip Shadow elongated with the wind and traversed a hundred feet in a flash, faster than lightning, and with a swoosh, it pierced Shen Luo''s body, going straight through. ¡°Brother Shen!¡± Bai Xiaotian yelled, wanting to rush forward to help, but the weeping sounds were still echoing around the void, preventing him from controlling his body. The offensive of the Dragon Horn Short Cone and the Red Giant Sword came to a halt, their radiance quickly dimming. ¡°I had no intention of harming you, Your Excellency forced my hand, so you can''t blame me,¡± Lin Xinyue snorted and shook her hand to retract the whip. But just at that moment, Shen Luo''s body that had been pierced by the whip suddenly disintegrated into countless blue lights and disappeared. ¡°Doppelganger!¡± Lin Xinyue''s eyes widened, then she noticed something else. That was, at some point, a Silver Ring adorned with several turquoise-like gemstones had been slipped onto the tip of the Green Vine Willow Leaf Whip. The woman was taken aback, but she immediately reacted, shaking the whip to throw off the Silver Ring. But she was a step too late. A hand flashing with blue light stretched out from the void next to Lin Xinyue and gently patted her shoulder. ¡°Crackle,¡± Lin Xinyue''s body was instantly enveloped in a layer of shimmering blue ice armor, turning into an ice sculpture that stood still, and the green horn, now encased in solid blue ice, fell silent. The figure of another Shen Luo appeared behind the hand, reaching out to take the silver ring from the Green Vine Willow Leaf Whip. ¡°Don''t worry, I have no intention of harming you,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile, pressing his hand on the blue ice sculpture. His palm shone brightly with golden light as the Heavenly Book Projection emerged and unfolded with a whoosh. The blue ice sculpture disappeared in an instant, absorbed into the Heavenly Book Space, and the surroundings returned to calm. With the horn''s sound gone, Bai Xiaotian regained control of his body and flew over. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s going on here? How did you withstand her Demonic Soul-Attracting Sound by lurking beside her?¡± he asked eagerly, completely confused by the battle''s intricacies. Especially that Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound from the horn, which was so powerful Bai Xiaotian believed even those at the Great Mahayana Stage couldn''t resist it, yet Shen Luo seemed completely unscathed. ¡°Nothing much, my true body was hidden in the golden space from the start, letting my doppelganger engage her with the Linlang Ring. The Demonic Soul-Attracting Sound naturally had no effect on me. During the battle, I managed to get the Linlang Ring close to Lin Xinyue and then struck from the golden space the moment she let her guard down, freezing her in an instant,¡± Shen Luo explained simply. After hearing all this, Bai Xiaotian''s expression became complicated. The process sounded simple, but to conceive and execute such tactics in the split seconds of combat was beyond his abilities. ¡°Is Girl Lin alright? She seemed to have no ill intentions when chasing us,¡± Bai Xiaotian then asked with some concern. ¡°She''s fine. She''s just been frozen by the chill of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. I''ll thaw her out in the golden space shortly. You should continue onward; there might be more pursuers coming,¡± Shen Luo handed the Linlang Ring to Bai Xiaotian and vanished into the Heavenly Book Space. Bai Xiaotian didn''t linger and immediately continued flying forward. The scene before Shen Luo''s eyes blurred, and he found himself in a certain part of the Heavenly Book Space. Lin Xinyue''s ice sculpture stood quietly there, motionless. He placed his hand on the sculpture, and his palm emitted a great blue light. The ice sculpture rapidly shrank, and within a few breaths turned into a cloud of blue chill, which merged into his palm. Shen Luo glanced at his palm, a hint of satisfaction on his face. After days of taking the Snow Soul Pill for cultivation, his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique had absorbed plenty of cold energy, making it even more exquisite, to the point where he could recapture the released cold energy. As the blue ice vanished, Lin Xinyue regained her freedom, looking around in shock. She immediately flew backward, distancing herself from Shen Luo. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But suddenly, the golden light around her condensed into a square golden transparent protective cover, trapping her inside just as it had previously confined the Tear Demon. ¡°What are you planning to do, Brother Shen? I truly only pursued the two of you to exchange for a Nine Brahmanic Lotus, with no other ulterior motives,¡± Lin Xinyue said, looking as if a gigantic peak had trapped her, making any movement difficult. She stopped resisting and gazed at Shen Luo with the pitiable innocence of a deer kicked for no reason, compelling an instinctive desire to protect. ¡°I am not Bai Xiaotian, and such Charm Techniques won''t work on me. Tell me your real purpose. I have no interest in lies and won''t hesitate to use special means to pry open your mouth,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently, and countless Gu insects flew out from behind him with a swish. Some resembled maggots, others leeches, and some ants. They writhed together in a mass, creating an utterly repulsive sight. ¡°Are you a Gu Master?¡± Lin Xinyue''s scalp tingled, with every hair on her back standing on end, her tone full of fear. Chapter 967 Chapter 967: Chapter 964: To Demand Chapter 967: Chapter 964: To Demand ¡°` ¡°Answer my question, or I won''t hesitate to throw these Gu insects on you, believe me, they are not just fearsome to look at, they also possess abilities that match their fierce appearance,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes were cold. As soon as the words fell, all the Gu insects swarmed out, enveloping the golden light shield layer by layer, constantly drilling towards the inside as if they couldn''t wait to attack Lin Xinyue. ¡°No, don''t, I''ll talk,¡± Lin Xinyue''s face turned deathly pale, extremely grateful for the golden light shield around her, and she hurriedly said. Shen Luo couldn''t help but sneer inwardly, even if Lin Xinyue didn''t speak, considering Bai Xiaotian''s face, he wouldn''t have done anything to her. He was just trying to scare the woman, and now it seemed that these fierce-looking insects had a deterrent effect on women far beyond his expectations. ¡°Speak,¡± he raised his hand and beckoned, and all the Gu insects stopped their drilling, but they still didn''t leave. ¡°I came to ask you about something, the person who fought with Yuan Zui on the island before was you, wasn''t it, Brother Shen?¡± Lin Xinyue saw those disgusting Gu insects stop and settled down a bit before saying, then hurriedly added an explanation when she saw Shen Luo''s eyes turn cold again. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank slightly, so that tall middle-aged man was really Yuan Zui, the Master of the Refining Body Altar. But back at the Boundary of the Nether River on that day, how could Yuan Zui have been so weak that he was killed by him, who only had the cultivation level of the Soul Condensation Stage? Could it be that what he had killed that day was only something like a puppet, and Yuan Zui possessed a similar divine power? The more Shen Luo thought about it, the more it seemed plausible. That day, the Refining Body Altar, Jing River Dragon King, and a mysterious person from the Underworld had cooperated, and it wasn''t appropriate to send an ordinary disciple. Only a Doppelganger of the Refining Body Altar Master could dominate the scene. Seeing Shen Luo''s serious expression, Lin Xinyue thought he was annoyed by her counter-questioning and quickly added, ¡°This question is very important, it is directly related to my purpose.¡± ¡°That''s correct,¡± Shen Luo collected his thoughts, glanced at Lin Xinyue without explaining, and nodded his head. ¡°That''s great, I came chasing after to ask Brother Shen, where did you get that blue Old mirror that reflected thunder and lightning attacks?¡± Lin Xinyue''s face showed a trace of excitement as she immediately asked. ¡°What do you want with it?¡± Shen Luo was greatly surprised by Lin Xinyue''s question but did not answer it, instead asking back. ¡°That mirror is the magical treasure my sister cultivated as her life''s essence. She disappeared without a trace after leaving Pansi Cave years ago, and I have been searching for her. Please, Brother Shen, if you could give me some information, I would be eternally grateful,¡± Lin Xinyue hesitated before saying, and after speaking, she gave a deep bow to Shen Luo. Shen Luo silently operated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, closely observing Lin Xinyue''s eyes, and was fairly certain this girl was not lying. ¡°That Old mirror is currently being used by one of my spirit beasts, why she has that mirror, I do not know. I will take the opportunity to ask her later. For now, please wait here patiently,¡± he said after a moment of silence. Having said that, without waiting for Lin Xinyue''s response, his figure disappeared from the spot, leaving Lin Xinyue alone there, with the golden light shield still in place, continuing to imprison her within. Lin Xinyue looked around and sat down on the ground after being silent for a moment, lost in thought. Shen Luo changed his position and brought those Gu insects to where Yuan Qiu was. ¡°Using Gu insects to scare a little girl isn''t very gentlemanly,¡± Yuan Qiu tsk-tsked. ¡°For someone who has joined the Refining Body Altar and once tried to frame me, I don''t think I need to show any courtesy,¡± Shen Luo said. Yuan Qiu chuckled, having just casually teased and not saying anything else. ¡°Does your Closing Eye Gu have a distance limit? Can it see the outside of the cave through the white light curtain at the edge of the Secret Realm?¡± Shen Luo had come to Yuan Qiu with another important matter and asked directly. ¡°It can, but the lifespan of the Closing Eye Gu is very short, only less than half an hour. The ones I left in that cave have already died,¡± Yuan Qiu was a bit confused by Shen Luo''s train of thought, hesitated, and then said. ¡°Understood, give me some Closing Eye Gu later.¡± Shen Luo nodded his head and said. ¡°No problem,¡± Yuan Qiu nodded. ¡°` He had used up all his Closing Eye Gus previously, but with his Life-bound Gu at hand, which contained the life essence of all Gu insects he possessed, he only needed some time to quickly breed new Gu insects. Shen Luo took a jade slip from within his robes and handed it over. ¡°This is¡­¡± Yuan Qiu was momentarily startled, then seemed to think of something, and an excited expression appeared on his face. ¡°I have already obtained the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. You have fulfilled your promise, and this is the first part of the Medicine Immortal Collection,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Yuan Qiu said, clutching the jade slip tightly and only after a long time did he calm down and speak. ¡°It''s what you deserve,¡± Shen Luo said calmly, his figure disappearing on the spot and reappearing in another part of the Heavenly Book Space. ¡°Master, are you unharmed?¡± A purple figure stood here, holding the old mirror in her hands¨Cit was the Mirror Fiend. Earlier, while in the pool, Shen Luo, worried about being discovered, had wanted to make use of the Mirror Fiend''s powers, so he summoned her using the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. ¡°It''s nothing serious. How is the Liangyi Micro-dust Array coming along?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and asked. ¡°I have only set up less than half,¡± the Mirror Fiend said with a touch of shame. ¡°Then you continue with the setup, but wait a while and I will summon you again, as I need you to do something,¡± Shen Luo nodded, opened the Spirit Communicating Water Hole, and sent the Mirror Fiend back without asking about her Blue Ancient Mirror. He planned to discuss this matter with the Mirror Fiend once he was completely safe. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After doing all this, Shen Luo sat down on the ground. Only now did he completely relax, showing signs of exhaustion on his face. Although it seemed that he had easily escaped the island just now, it was all thanks to the Magic Extinguishing Sword and two Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans. Shen Luo had a sober understanding of his own strength. The Magic Extinguishing Sword and Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans were external aids; on his own, he was merely a junior cultivator at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, and without external help, he might not even be able to defeat an early-stage Great Mahayana cultivator. Fortunately, Daughter Village, Pansi Cave, and the Refining Body Altar were in the midst of a great battle, and it would likely be some time before anyone would come after him. The reason he had taken the risk of releasing the people from Daughter Village just now was not only to repay the kindness of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus but also to use Daughter Village to hold back the forces of the Refining Body Altar and Pansi Cave. Shen Luo closed his eyes and rested for a moment, and the fatigue of his spirit eased considerably. He then took out two damaged talismans, which were Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans. The power of these Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans was surprisingly tremendous; it was not in vain that he had painstakingly gathered materials. Once he advanced to the Mahayana stage, he planned to buy another batch of materials and refine several more Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans. Having put away the destroyed talismans, he hurriedly began to recover mana by refining and absorbing the elixirs. Half an hour later, Shen Luo''s mana had recovered by nearly half. Bai Xiaotian had also arrived at the Poisonous Fog Area, but with no way to neutralize the intense poison, he had to notify Shen Luo. Shen Luo went outside, brought Bai Xiaotian into the Heavenly Book Space, and after sensing the markers he had left before, he took out the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl to protect his body and flew toward that location. Before long, he returned to the place where he had first entered the secret realm. The underground marker was intact, and there were no signs that others had tread upon the surrounding ground, suggesting that the monks from the Golden Yang Sect and others had not yet figured out a way to enter. Shen Luo smiled slightly, not immediately using the Magic Extinguishing Sword to break the prohibition, but instead sat down cross-legged on the spot, took out an elixir and swallowed it, then closed his eyes to continue recovering his mana. Chapter 968 Chapter 968: Chapter 965 Unique Chapter 968: Chapter 965 Unique ¡°` Half an hour later. ¡°Closing Eye Gu.¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes and uttered a phrase. Yuan Qiu, engrossed in reading the incomplete Medicine Immortal Collection, was momentarily stunned before realizing what was happening and hurriedly separated a batch of Closing Eye Gu. In Shen Luo''s hand, a flash of golden light revealed a fist-sized, very faint gray mist. He activated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil and carefully observed the mist, barely making out the tiny insects inside. ¡°So this is the Closing Eye Gu,¡± he assessed briefly before quickly looking away and shaping a stream of water with his hand to perform the Art of Spirit Communication. ¡°Master.¡± The silhouette of the Mirror Fiend leapt out from within the Spirit Communicating Water Hole. ¡°First, use that mirror to create a few doppelgangers for me, then take this mist back there and release it into the cave where your previous cave mansion was located,¡± Shen Luo handed the mist to the Mirror Fiend and then took out the Slayer''s Broken Sword, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and the Bloodthirsty Flag as he instructed. Hearing the command, the Mirror Fiend accepted the grey mist and then summoned the Blue Ancient Mirror, shining it upon Shen Luo. Shen Luo closely examined the old mirror, noticing mysterious runes flashing and circulating on its surface. It reminded him of Lin Xinyue''s Illusion Mirror Technique, and their powers seemed quite similar. It seemed that this mirror indeed had a connection with Pansi Cave. As he pondered, blue light rapidly flickered over his body, and three identical Shen Luos appeared beside him, each holding the Slayer''s Broken Sword, Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and the Bloodthirsty Flag. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Master, these magical treasures are too powerful. The burden is heavy when creating mirror avatars, so I could only make three,¡± the Mirror Fiend said, wiping sweat from her forehead. ¡°That''s enough; you''ve worked hard. Go back now,¡± Shen Luo nodded and sent the Mirror Fiend away with a wave of his hand, granting her a Snow Soul Pill as well. The Mirror Fiend saw a flash before her eyes and found herself back in a hidden cave at the bottom of the sea. This place was near the underwater cave where the Tear Demon resided, and many similar caves existed within the massive seabed fissure. The area here was quite large, with a relatively flat ground in the center of the cave, engraved with numerous formation patterns and studded with many formation flags¨Cit was the Liangyi Micro-Dust Array, yet to be fully set up and only halfway done. The Mirror Fiend looked at the Snow Soul Pill in her hand, sensing the rich medicinal power within, and a happy smile appeared on her face. Suddenly, she felt that serving as Shen Luo''s spirit pet might not be so bad after all, as it allowed her to experience many things she had never known before, and she occasionally received some nice rewards. She quickly regained her composure, carefully storing the Snow Soul Pill and looked at the gray mist in her hand, pondering how to release it into that cave. There were many human cultivators in that cave now, and with her cultivation level, she didn''t dare get too close. Just then, the Mirror Fiend''s expression changed abruptly as she looked outside; a dark shadow was approaching their location. ¡°Could it be that those human cultivators have discovered this place? Impossible, this cave is very concealed; it''s extremely difficult to detect it, even with Divine Sense,¡± the Mirror Fiend grew panicked. Shen Luo had instructed her to set up an Array here, mostly to deal with the human cultivators outside. If they discovered this place, the purpose of setting up the Array would be for naught. ¡°I can''t let this person leave alive!¡± A hint of murderous intent flashed in the Mirror Fiend''s eyes as she was about to stealthily move out and ambush the newcomer. ¡°What are you doing? You''ve become his spirit pet, and now you even want to kill your sister?¡± The dark shadow outside the cave revealed its true form, turning out to be the Tear Demon. ¡°Sister, it''s you! You really scared me to death. Why didn''t you reveal your presence sooner? I thought it was a human cultivator sneaking over,¡± the Mirror Fiend said with great relief as she greeted her. ¡°` ¡°If I hadn''t hidden my aura, I wouldn''t have made it here, with so many human cultivators outside,¡± the Tear Demon snorted. After saying that, she glanced inside the cave and frowned slightly, ¡°Little sister, are you really willing to work for that human?¡± ¡°The master treats me well, and during battles, he only asks for my assistance, never putting me in danger. Plus, he often gives me nice Things, unlike other human cultivators,¡± the Mirror Fiend shook her head as she spoke. ¡°You were too naive, always cultivating within the cave. Think there are nice human cultivators?¡± the Tear Demon snorted. ¡°Regardless of other human cultivators, I think the master is not bad, and the more I help him, the sooner I can regain my freedom,¡± giggled the Mirror Fiend. Hearing this, the Tear Demon didn''t argue but instead looked at the ground''s Array and asked, ¡°What are you doing here? What kind of Array is this? It looks mysterious.¡± ¡°This is what the master asked me to set up. Oh, the master just gave me a new task, asking me to throw this Thing into the cave we lived in before. But there are too many human cultivators outside, so I''m scared to go. Could you help me out, Sister?¡± The Mirror Fiend explained and then lifted the gray mist in her hands. ¡°And you said he doesn''t make you do dangerous Things. With so many human cultivators outside, wouldn''t your level of cultivation walking out be like seeking death? Give it to me,¡± the Tear Demon glared at the Mirror Fiend in annoyance, taking the gray Qi sphere from her. Then, she turned into a shadow and streaked outside. The Mirror Fiend let out a sigh of relief and got back to her busy work. Within the secret realm, at the edge of the White Restriction, Shen Luo sat cross-legged, seemingly waiting for something. A moment later, he abruptly opened his eyes and looked towards the white light curtain of the Ban on Light Curtain. His field of vision was filled with scene after scene, exactly of the cave opposite. ¡°Good job, Mirror Fiend!¡± Shen Luo silently praised her and carefully observed the situation within the cave. Just as he had expected, the cultivators from the Golden Yang Sect and Xuan Gui Island were prepared for battle within the cave opposite the light curtain. Both sides had gathered even more disciples than before, clearly having recalled every disciple deployed outside. They had set up many traps within the cave, with as many as three Arrays, and inside the excavated stone passageway, they had installed numerous mechanisms. Shen Luo smiled faintly, waved his hand, and a figure appeared within the purple light circle¨Cit was Lili''er. ¡°According to our previous agreement, you will help in the upcoming battle,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°Is this the secret realm exit you mentioned? No problem, leave it to me to get through this restriction,¡± said Lili''er curiously after glancing at the Surrounding purple Poison Mist, and then nodded after her gaze fell on the white light curtain ahead. ¡°Breaking through the light curtain isn''t your task; leave that to me. There are many cultivators lying in ambush on the other side, along with some difficult mechanisms and formation prohibitions. I''ll use these poison mists as the vanguard to see their reactions; the second wave of attacks after the mist will be your job,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. He had previously agreed with Lili''er, promising to take her out of this secret realm, but during the process, Lili''er had to help Shen Luo with one thing within her capabilities. ¡°You can see through this skydome restriction and observe the situation on the other side?¡± Lili''er looked surprised. She had noticed Shen Luo''s Pupil Technique but didn''t expect it to be so mystical that it could even see through the protective great formation of the Nine Brahman Secret Realm. Chapter 969 Chapter 969: Chapter 966: Unexpected God''s Power Chapter 969: Chapter 966: Unexpected God''s Power ¡°I merely used some other methods. Your Excellency, there''s no need to be distracted by that matter. Among the monks outside, there are two leading Great Mahayana Stage cultivators, and even more Nascent Soul Stage and Soul Condensing cultivators totaling over a hundred. You''d better think about how to deal with them. I have only one request¨Cdisrupt their formation,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Hehe, just two Great Mahayana Stage cultivators, leave them to me,¡± Lili''er chuckled confidently. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t waste any more words, and with a flip of his hand, he summoned the Magic Extinguishing Sword and began to operate the Pure Yang Sword Technique. Soon, the Magic Extinguishing Sword radiated a splendid golden light, and a massive wave of Pure Yang power burst forth, its might being stimulated once again. As always, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo quickly flew out, absorbing the Pure Yang power emitted by the Magic Extinguishing Sword to replenish itself. This was Lili''er''s first time observing the Magic Extinguishing Sword up close. Her face remained calm, but inside, she was greatly shocked. She had only felt such a vast aura on a few Immortal Artifacts, and even those artifacts seemed somewhat inferior to this broken sword. Who exactly was Shen Luo? Shen Luo paid no attention to Lili''er beside him. He wielded the sword in both hands with practiced ease and slashed at the white light curtain. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± a gap about a zhang long was cut in the light curtain, and the surrounding purple poison fog immediately surged out. Shen Luo took out several green talismans from his hand, which were the Wind Barrier Breaking Talismans, and crushed them in one go. Instantly, several clearly visible green whirlwinds appeared out of thin air, swirling the surrounding poison fog into the stone wall passageway behind the light curtain. The speed at which the poison fog poured out increased more than tenfold, quickly filling the entire stone wall passageway and rushing into the cave outside the passageway. But just at that moment, a thick light shield surrounded by spiritual light suddenly lit up at the front end of the passageway, resplendent with golden light. Countless grain-sized ancient Buddhist texts emerged on the shield wall, like blooming golden flowers, dazzling yet exuding an aura of solemnity. The purple poison fog hit the golden light shield and was completely blocked. Moreover, even the highly corrosive poison fog, attempting to erode the golden light shield, failed to penetrate it at all. Seeing this from afar, Shen Luo couldn''t help but let out a soft exclamation. ¡°This is the Sumeru Vajra Formation! I didn''t expect to see it here,¡± Lili''er''s eyes sparkled with golden light, as if she had cultivated some kind of pupil technique that allowed her to see to the end of the passageway. Shen Luo had read about the Sumeru Vajra Formation in the classics, a well-known formation of the Buddhist Sect known for its firmness. It seemed that the Golden Yang Sect and Xuan Gui Island had spent a great deal to capture him. ¡°This formation is incredibly sturdy. If it were someone else, it would indeed be troublesome. But for me, this formation means nothing,¡± Lili''er said with a sneer, her body radiating an intensified golden light, and then she disappeared in an instant. Almost simultaneously, a burst of golden light lit up inside the cave outside the Sumeru Vajra Formation, and within it, a golden mirror reflection could faintly be seen. A figure burst out from within it¨Cit was Lili''er. ¡°Who''s there!¡± The disciples of the Golden Yang Sect and Xuan Gui Island inside the cave quickly reacted, rushing towards Lili''er as various Magical Treasures and secret techniques cascaded down like raindrops. In the center of the cave, the Golden-skinned Man and Monk Bao Shan stood shoulder to shoulder. Seeing Lili''er, both of their faces showed surprise. ¡°This isn''t the man from before, could there be others inside the Secret Realm?¡± Monk Bao Shan frowned and said. ¡°No matter who this woman is, let''s capture her first,¡± said the Golden-skinned Man in a deep voice, waving his right hand. Two streaks of golden light shot out from his hand, the same pair of golden cymbals he had used before. In a flash, they arrived at Lili''er''s sides before anyone else and had already transformed into two giant cymbals several zhang in size. It seemed only then did Lili''er come to her senses, shooting forward hastily. Yet the two giant cymbals closed first, with a clang they sealed tightly together, without any gaps, trapping Lili''er within. ¡°Monk Bao Shan''s pair of golden cymbals are indeed mysterious, not only are they extraordinarily powerful, but they can also be used to imprison. I admire that,¡± Zen Master Bao Shan praised. The golden-skinned man showed a pleased look and raised his hand to recall the golden cymbals. But dozens of feet away in the void, a flash of golden light revealed a golden mirror image, and Lili''er''s figure emerged from it once again. ¡°The treasure is good, but it''s useless against me,¡± Lili''er said with a smile. ¡°What!¡± The golden-skinned man was shocked; his pair of golden cymbals were the product of stumbling upon an ancient treasure crafting technique, which he spent many years painstakingly refining. Once someone was imprisoned within, no one had ever escaped before¨Chow had this woman managed it? Just as he was about to activate the golden cymbals again, Lili''er made her move first. With a swing of her arms, she threw four or five pink spherical objects that exploded upon reaching the crowd below. Bang bang bang! The pink spheres burst one after another, turning into a vast expanse of pink mist that rapidly spread around. Seven or eight cultivators from the Golden Yang Sect and Xuan Gui Island were immediately racked with coughs and breathing difficulties upon contact with the mist, pink spots appearing on their bodies¨Cit was evident that the pink mist contained a strong poison. After doing all this, without waiting for the crowd to rush in, Lili''er flashed with golden light and vanished from the spot once again, appearing dozens of feet away in another location. She raised her hand and threw several blue spheres, which exploded into a blue poison mist, taking down several more people. ¡°Damn it!¡± The golden-skinned man roared furiously, raising his hand to throw the golden cymbals again, while the Zen Master Bao Shan below also summoned his Wolf Fang Club magical treasure and struck with a whoosh. Meanwhile, inside the cave, the noise of ¡°woo woo¡± rose as two array restrictions lit up, unleashing countless yellow sand and gravel and a green whirlwind from within the arrays, enveloping Lili''er in a sky-covering assault. The space inside the cave was limited, and the attack range of the two arrays was wide. Lili''er had no chance to dodge and was quickly hit by the sand and whirlwinds. However, Lili''er''s Golden Mirror Teleportation technique was incredibly mysterious and was unaffected. As soon as she was attacked, she would teleport to another location, flickering like a ghost throughout the cave, continuously throwing deadly poison balls, causing the group of cultivators inside the cave to quickly fall into utter chaos. Inside the Heavenly Book Space, Shen Luo stood quietly, observing the situation in the cave through the Closing Eye Gu. ¡°I didn''t expect this Lili''er to possess such teleportation powers. But teleportation that swift cannot solely rely on that what¡­ Golden Mirror Liuli Talisman,¡± Yuan Qiu said beside him, unable to help but praise. ¡°It''s likely that this woman carries some kind of mysterious magical treasure,¡± Shen Luo speculated thoughtfully. ¡°I don''t understand, Brother Shen, you have the ''Immortal Escape'' divine power, and if you wanted to leave here, those people outside couldn''t stop you. Why go through all this trouble?¡± Bai Xiaotian also stood to one side, expressing his confusion. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yuan Qiu also looked towards Shen Luo, equally puzzled by Shen Luo''s intentions. ¡°Leaving here is indeed easy, but there''s something I need to understand before I go,¡± Shen Luo said as he formed a hand seal. In front of the Sumeru Vajra Formation, a golden light flashed, and a Broken Sword irradiated with sky-reaching golden light appeared out of nowhere, striking fiercely at one corner of the array. With a ¡°boom,¡± the nearby passageway shook violently like an earthquake, and the golden light shield trembled violently as well, yet it did not Chapter 970 Chapter 970: 967 Chapter Breaking the Ice Chapter 970: 967 Chapter Breaking the Ice ¡°The Array is indeed known for its sturdiness, even the Magic Extinguishing Sword can''t break through it,¡± Shen Luo''s figure appeared beside the light shield, murmuring in admiration before he raised his hand to recall the Magic Extinguishing Sword. Then he quickly started chanting spells, his whole body radiating green light, and in a blink, he disappeared from the spot. Outside, a green light flashed at the entrance of the melting cave, and Shen Luo''s figure emerged, with crimson sword light rising beneath him as he sped away incredibly fast. ¡°Thief! Halt!¡± The golden-skinned man was currently near the cave entrance, his eyes lit up, and he immediately abandoned everyone inside the cave to give chase. Monk Bao Shan, who saw this scene from afar, also followed in pursuit, but just as he reached the entrance of the melting cave, a golden light flashed in front of him, and Lili''er''s figure appeared, her hands weaving a series of afterimages. ¡°Heavenly Blossom Rain!¡± Various hidden weapons shot out from her hands, coated with various deadly poisons, forming a colorful torrent with the intense sound of wind, akin to the terrifying wail of ghosts, enveloping Monk Bao Shan from all sides. Monk Bao Shan was shocked and quickly halted, pointing his Wolf Fang Club forward, summoning a golden protective barrier in front of him. A succession of crisp ''dingling danglang'' sounds rang out as the hidden weapons struck the barrier, sparking bits of golden spiritual light. These hidden weapons were astonishingly powerful, some piercing inches deep into the barrier, causing the golden protective barrier to tremble continuously. The spiritual light on its surface peeled away rapidly, and he was shaken back repeatedly. Monk Bao Shan''s expression soured, and he soon let out a cold snort. A brilliant golden radiance surged from his body, revealing a phantom of a Luohan within. The golden protective barrier around him immediately stabilized. He flipped his palm and firmly stomped the Wolf Fang Club into the ground. With a thunderous ¡°boom¡±, rings of golden light waves rippled out, vigorously shaking the air to create powerful storms that blasted all the hidden weapons away, with some even reflecting back on their original path. But by this time, Lili''er had vanished without a trace, and nobody knew where she had gone. Shen Luo and the golden-skinned man had long since disappeared without a trace. ¡°Pursue him!¡± Monk Bao Shan bellowed, shooting towards the outside. But just at that moment, a blue light dazzled at the cave entrance, and a figure appeared¨Cit was Shen Luo. His entire body was gleaming with intense blue light, and an astonishing chill burst forth. The sea water within a hundred feet radius around the cave entrance instantly froze, thoroughly blocking the path ahead. At the same time, a golden broken sword shot out from him, merging with him into a hundred-foot long, incredibly sharp sword qi that seemed like it could cut through heaven and earth, as it cleaved down at Monk Bao Shan from above. Monk Bao Shan was greatly startled by Shen Luo''s sudden appearance, only reacting when the huge sword qi was upon him, waving his Wolf Fang Club to block. After several fierce collisions, the Wolf Fang Club in Monk Bao Shan''s hands was etched with several sword marks, but the terrifying sword qi was also repelled. Monk Bao Shan stood with one hand before him, a silver Dharma Wheel flying out from his fingertips, while he chanted a series of spells. The silver Dharma Wheel spun in mid-air for a moment, then suddenly shot out rays of seven-colored spiritual light, forming an extremely broad light curtain that enveloped Shen Luo within. Shen Luo did not immediately attempt to break through the light curtain; instead, he formed a magic spell with a flick of his wrist, and a blood-colored big banner appeared around him. In the flash of blood light, it expanded tenfold in size, and in a reversal, wrapped around his body. Monk Bao Shan found Shen Luo''s reaction rather strange, but he did not dwell on it, instead turning around to command the people behind him. ¡°All disciples of Xuan Gui Island, heed my command. Ignore the ice at the exit and use all your strength to capture this man!¡± Before his words even fell, the magic spell in his hand changed, and the five-colored light shield around became denser and more solid, firmly locking down all directions to prevent Shen Luo from escaping. The Wolf Fang Club treasure in his hand was thrown out, transforming into a grand golden light that struck fiercely against the big banner. Monk Bao Shan did not know why Shen Luo was here, but he had earlier seen that this person was carrying a treasure that could counteract the deadly poisons of the Secret Realm. If he could get his hands on it, he would surely have a great advantage in exploring the Secret Realm. Moreover, Shen Luo had entered the Secret Realm and was certainly carrying his gains on him. Thinking so, Monk Bao Shan''s heart grew even more excited. He raised his hand and hurled another Golden-Ring Knife towards the Bloody Banner. Hearing this, the other people from Xuan Gui Island all pounced towards Shen Luo, their Magical Treasures'' light bombarding the Bloody Banner. The disciples of the Golden Yang Sect were secretly anxious, but without Min Chuan present, they simply couldn''t compete with Monk Bao Shan. A few leading disciples exchanged glances, then rushed towards the blue ice at the cave entrance, wielding their treasures to bombard it, hoping to break through the ice quickly to inform Min Chuan of the situation here. But those Blue Ice Crystals were exceedingly tough; after one strike from their treasures, they were only able to shatter ice crystals the size of millstones. It would be impossible to completely break through without at least a quarter of an hour. Within the five-colored protective cover, the Bloody Banner initially withstood the attacks from Monk Bao Shan and others, but after several continuous bombardments, the blood light on the surface of the banner rapidly dimmed and soon, with a ¡°hiss,¡± it burst open completely, revealing Shen Luo inside. Shen Luo''s body was torn apart by the explosion just now, leaving only his upper body and one leg. Monk Bao Shan saw this and was overjoyed, ready to capture him. However, a smile appeared on the face of Shen Luo, whose body was covered with wounds. His body suddenly collapsed, turning into many blue light spots that dissipated. And the Golden Broken Sword, Bloodthirsty Flag, and other objects in his hands also vanished as if they were bubbles popping. ¡°This is Doppelganger God''s Power! Damn, I''ve been tricked!¡± Monk Bao Shan was stunned for a moment, then spoke in annoyance. The others also suddenly realized that Shen Luo first blocked the entrance to the cave and then engaged them in a great battle, clearly aiming to hold everyone back here. Such ploys were not difficult to see through, but none of them had expected the Shen Luo they saw before to be a doppelganger. ¡°Quickly destroy this ice. His target must be Daoist friend Min Chuan; he is most likely in danger now,¡± Monk Bao Shan urged, as the Wolf Fang Club and the Golden-Ring Knife turned into two streaks of golden light, fiercely striking the solid ice, and with a ¡°boom,¡± a large section of the ice collapsed. The other people from Xuan Gui Island quickly followed, with streaks of light from their treasures striking the blue solid ice at the entrance. The Golden-skinned Man was currently suspended above a boundless sea area, surrounded by a thick mist that limited visibility to only a few dozen feet, with everything beyond that shrouded and unseen, even by Divine Sense. From within the mist a dozen or so feet away, Shen Luo made a magic spell gesture, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo left his hand, flashing and transforming into nearly a hundred Crimson Sword Silks that whistled towards the Golden-skinned Man''s back. But, as if he were deaf, the Golden-skinned Man didn''t notice until the Sword Silks were about four or five feet away, and he hastily raised his Golden Cymbals to block behind him. The Red Sword Silks made a series of piercing clangs against the cymbals, which, though exceedingly hard, didn''t get pierced; the Man behind them didn''t seem perturbed in the least. A huge whooshing sound descended from above, which turned out to be a shadow of a Demon-subduing Staff, about a dozen feet in size, striking down with a force that seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth. Similarly, the Demon-subduing Staff was only noticed when it was a few feet from the Golden-skinned Man, who gestured towards another Golden Cymbal. The cymbal shimmered and shifted to block above his head. With a ¡°clang,¡± the staff shattered, and the cymbal quivered briefly before returning to its original state. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before the Golden-skinned Man could catch a breath, seven or eight Black Flying Swords and a Blue Lightning Sphere filled with electric arcs shot from two different directions towards his exposed weaknesses. At the same time, the previously deflected Crimson Sword Silks shot from another direction, raining down like a storm. But the Golden-skinned Man spun around slickly, his two Golden Cymbals leaving trails of golden afterimages as they deflected the Black Flying Swords, the Blue Lightning Sphere, and the Crimson Sword Silks. Chapter 971 Chapter 971: Chapter 968 Origins Chapter 971: Chapter 968 Origins Shen Luo furrowed his brows at the scene before him. This was not the sea surface, after luring the golden-skinned man away with a stratagem, he had managed to bring him into the cave where the Mirror Fiend had set up the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. This space resembling a sea surface was actually an illusion created by the array. Shen Luo, Bai Xiaotian, the Mirror Fiend and Yuan Qiu lay in hiding around the perimeter, attacking the golden-skinned man under the cover of the Great Formation. He had originally thought that the four of them working together, assisted by the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, would easily capture this man. However, the golden-skinned man was indeed a late-stage Mahayana cultivator and, despite being at a disadvantage against four opponents, he did not show any signs of defeat. ¡°We can''t go on like this, the people trapped in the melt cave won''t take long to break free. We must capture Min Chuan as quickly as possible,¡± Shen Luo waved his hands and shot out two rays of light, one white and one gold. The golden light flashed and reached the man instantly; it was the Slayer''s Broken Sword, chopping down through the air. The golden-skinned man seemed to have found a way to cope with the situation at hand. When the Magic Extinguishing Sword was still ten feet away, a golden cymbal spun towards it to meet the attack. Unfortunately for the golden-skinned man, this time he had miscalculated as the approaching weapon was the Magic Extinguishing Sword. With a ¡°crack¡±, the golden cymbal was split in half, and the Slayer''s Broken Sword continued down towards the golden-skinned man''s shoulder. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as Monk Bao Shan had guessed, Shen Luo had gone through the trouble of using Lili''er to stir up the situation with the purpose of capturing Min Chuan to interrogate him, which is why he did not deliver a killing blow. Greatly alarmed, the golden-skinned man immediately dodged to the side. Unfortunately, he could not fully evade the attack this time and his right arm was severed at the elbow, blood spraying out. In that moment, with a ¡°whoosh¡±, a white light flew towards him from above; it was a White Jade Bottle smashing down on his head. The golden-skinned man didn''t dare to be careless in the slightest, flashing to the side once again. At the same time, a Yellow Bronze Mirror appeared on his chest, emitting a bright yellow light that shot out and instantly thickened into a yellow Protective Cover, shielding his entire body. When the White Jade Bottle made contact with the shield, it immediately exploded with a ¡°bang¡±, and a cloud of purple poison fog emerged, enveloping the man along with the shield. The intense purple poison immediately adhered to the protective shield, infiltrating rapidly towards the inside. Not only that, but a silver bracelet rolled out of the bottle and clung to the yellow shield ¨C it was the Linlang Ring. The golden-skinned man was startled at the sight and continued to dodge away, but a silver glow enveloped arm suddenly appeared out of nowhere near the silver bracelet, pressing against the yellow Light Curtain. Blue light burst forth from the palm, a freakishly cold power erupted, and a blue Iceberg tens of feet high appeared out of thin air, freezing the entire golden light shield inside. The body of the golden-skinned man inside the shield was also eroded by the icy chill, which was exceptionally powerful. Even with his profound cultivation, his mana was instantly frozen, leaving his body rigid, unable to move. The same hand continued to press against the shield as a golden light flashed in the palm, forming a shadow of a book which then flipped open with a whoosh. The golden-skinned man along with the surrounding blue Iceberg vanished in a flash, taken up into the Heavenly Book Space. The figure of Shen Luo then materialized, collecting the dispersed purple poison mist into the Heavenly Book Space and taking back the Linlang Ring to wear on his hand once more. This strategy of hiding oneself within the Heavenly Book Space, then throwing the Linlang Ring close to the enemy before striking from within, was practically impossible to guard against. The only regret was that the Linlang Ring could not be manipulated like a magical instrument, otherwise it would have been perfect. He soon stopped thinking about these matters, ceased the incantation, and halted the operation of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array; Bai Xiaotian, Yuan Qiu, and the Mirror Fiend''s figures emerged. Previously, Shen Luo hadn''t restricted the Divine Sense of the three individuals with the Liangyi Micro-dust Array; they had watched everything, looking at Shen Luo with rather complex expressions. A Late-stage Mahayana Cultivator, captured just like that? ¡°Those people outside will be here soon. You all hide in the golden space first. We''ll talk after we''ve completely left this place,¡± Shen Luo said as he moved swiftly towards the three, ushering them into the Heavenly Book Space, and then he waved his sleeve. A blue light shot out, collecting all the formation flags of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array from the ground and into the Linlang Ring. With the Liangyi Micro-dust Array gone, the cave interior returned to its original state. Shen Luo was about to cast Yimu Xuandun to leave when he suddenly stopped, as a figure appeared outside the cave, a Lady in Golden Skirt. ¡°It''s you!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly; he had seen her before. She was the same Lady in Golden Skirt who had conspired against him with the man surnamed Zhen and had subsequently disappeared into thin air from within the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. ¡°The Lili''er from before was an illusion created by you, right? And in Luo Star City, you spied on me outside One Medicine House. You found out then that we were heading to Daughter Village, so you impersonated me to kidnap Lili''er, diverting Daughter Village''s attention towards me while you took the chance to sneak into the village¨Ca truly cunning plot,¡± said Shen Luo, recognizing the woman before him as Lili''er, and piecing together some previously incomprehensible events. ¡°Hehe, Friend Shen indeed has a keen eye, seeing through my true form in an instant. I apologize for any previous offenses, but let''s consider all those matters forgiven as we leave the Secret Realm together,¡± said the Lady in Golden Skirt with a charming smile. ¡°Naturally, I mention these things only to confirm. Since the issues between us are settled, Your Excellency, what brings you here?¡± Shen Luo asked calmly, his gaze lingering on the woman''s fair, jade-like face. ¡°Friend Shen is truly impressive, and I greatly admire you. We have met several times, yet we never had the chance to become acquainted officially. Thus, I have come to introduce myself formally. I am Gold Glaze, and I wish to become friends with you,¡± the Lady in Golden Skirt said, giving a bow. ¡°I have no interest in idle chatter, Your Excellency. If you have something to say, then speak,¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently. ¡°People of Great Tang are known for their charisma, but why is Friend Shen so rude? This isn''t the hospitality of a prestigious nation,¡± Gold Glaze said, her expression darkening slightly as she lightly touched her hair. ¡°If Your Excellency has nothing important, I shall take my leave,¡± Shen Luo said, as pursuers could arrive at any moment, not wishing to continue with the pointless talk, his body lighting up with green light. ¡°Wait, I''ll speak,¡± Gold Glaze said, her attitude softening immediately upon seeing this, and she hurriedly spoke. The green light on Shen Luo''s body did not continue to intensify; he just looked at the woman. ¡°I''ve come to ask Friend Shen for a favor,¡± said Gold Glaze, taking a palm-sized fragment of Golden Glaze from her body. Shen Luo looked at the fragment of colored glaze, his expression involuntarily shifting. This fragment contained an extremely powerful spiritual nature, one that could be sensed from a great distance. ¡°With your insightful discernment, I''m sure you''ve already figured out the origins of my true form, haven''t you?¡± Gold Glaze did not immediately make her request but brought up another matter. ¡°Your Excellency has a unique aura, not that of an ordinary spiritual being turned demon, and you carry a slight aura from the Upper Realm, light and ethereal. If I''m not mistaken, Your Excellency, you must come from the Heavenly Realm,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before saying. Chapter 972 Chapter 972: Chapter 969 Cooperation Chapter 972: Chapter 969 Cooperation ¡°Friend Shen indeed has perceptive eyes, and you guessed correctly, the little girl does indeed come from the Heavenly Realm. I am a fragment of a Glazed Spirit Item from the Upper Realm that has taken on a life of its own. Due to certain reasons, I ended up in the lower realm, and there are three other fragments with me: Blue Liuli, White Gauze, and Purple Liuli. It seems to me that Friend Shen often travels the world. I have been searching for them, but unfortunately, I have not yet found any. The favor I ask of you, Friend Shen, is quite simple: carry this Gold Glaze fragment with you, and when you travel around in the future, please be aware of this fragment''s condition. It can sense the presence of the other three Liuli fragments. If you make any discoveries, the little girl will surely reward you handsomely.¡± Gold Glaze handed over the fragment she was holding and gave a bow once again. ¡°This matter does not seem complicated. If you''re seeking help, there are countless others you could ask. Why seek me out?¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo looked at the Gold Glaze fragment in his hand and inquisitively asked. His question was a probe; the woman before him had been intentionally or unintentionally getting in touch with him, and since she was from the Heavenly Court, could it be that she had seen some of the secrets he held? ¡°When seeking help, of course, one must search for a suitable assistant,¡± Gold Glaze chuckled, seemingly oblivious to Shen Luo''s intentions. ¡°And why should I help you? Although we are not enemies, we are certainly not friends either,¡± Shen Luo asked directly, his probing having yielded no results. ¡°This Liuli fragment is transformed from my vital essence. If you soak it in a bowl of clear water, after three days and three nights, you will obtain a bowl of Glazed Golden Liquid, which is the main material for crafting the Golden Mirror Liuli Talisman,¡± Gold Glaze chuckled lightly. As soon as Shen Luo heard this, his Divine Sense penetrated into the Linlang Ring and he investigated the jade slip for crafting the Golden Mirror Liuli Talisman. The main material listed there was indeed Glazed Golden Liquid, while the other auxiliary materials were not very rare and would not be difficult to gather. ¡°Since Young Master Gold has shown such sincerity, if I keep refusing, it would be quite unfriendly,¡± he glanced over the Gold Glaze fragment and agreed to the request. ¡°Then I thank you, Friend Shen,¡± Gold Glaze said, a smile appearing on her face. ¡°When I find a clue, how should I inform Your Excellency?¡± Shen Luo recollected something. ¡°This Liuli fragment is connected with my mind and spirit. You just need to write on it, and I will be able to sense it. The little girl has spent some time in the Heavenly Court and is quite knowledgeable. If you have other matters to consult me about, you can also use this method,¡± Gold Glaze explained. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes brightened, and he nodded. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Since Friend Shen is in a hurry to leave, then I will not bother you any further,¡± after finishing the discussion, Gold Glaze turned around to leave. ¡°Wait a moment. You transformed into Lili''er to sneak into Daughter Village, so where is the real Lili''er?¡± Shen Luo suddenly called out to Gold Glaze. ¡°Unexpectedly, Friend Shen has such a kind heart. After being detained by Daughter Village for several days, you''re still concerned about their people at this point,¡± Gold Glaze looked at Shen Luo in surprise and chuckled. Shen Luo didn''t say anything but simply watched her. ¡°Don''t worry, I was born in the Heavenly Court and am not one of those crazed killers from the Demon Clan. Lili''er has already been freed from her constraints and will soon return to Daughter Village,¡± Gold Glaze said. Shen Luo nodded, then activated his Yimu Xuandun, blending into a flash of Green Light and vanished out of sight. Just at that moment, the sound of rushing Escape Light came faintly from afar. Gold Glaze glanced in that direction, her body shining with bright Golden Light. A mirror image flickered within it, and her form disappeared without a trace. At a certain place above the sea surface, a burst of Green Light suddenly appeared and then dispersed in all directions, forming a Green Array. Shen Luo''s figure emerged from within it. He glanced around and, without the slightest hesitation, summoned the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and darted away. After flying for several hundred li, he finally stopped, once again submerged into the seabed, hiding in a concealed spot, and re-entered the Heavenly Book Space. In a part of the Heavenly Book Space, a blue iceberg, standing about a dozen meters tall, quietly loomed. Surrounding the iceberg were rings of Golden Light that firmly trapped the iceberg and the Golden-skinned Man within it. ¡°` Shen Luo''s figure flashed into appearance, giving the man a glance before pressing his palm against the Ice Mountain. The blue light flickered in his palm, and the gigantic Ice Mountain quickly shrank, becoming a cluster of blue ice flowers that melded into his palm within a few breaths. The golden-skinned man revealed his true form, but his body was still restrained by several golden hoops of light, unable to move at all. ¡°What place is this? And who are you?¡± With the Ice Mountain gone, the man was now able to speak. After looking around, he demanded in a deep voice. ¡°Your Excellency, being the Sect Master of Golden Sun Sect, should be a wise man. Surely you cannot fail to see the situation clearly. There is no place for you to speak here,¡± Shen Luo replied with a cold smile. ¡°It was you who killed my son, wasn''t it? You dare to kill the Young Master of Golden Sun Sect, and now you have captured me. Your courage is indeed great. Although my sect is not large, we have the backing of a major power from Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. I have already notified them to come here. I advise you, if you are wise, release me quickly. Otherwise, you will be hunted to death by an overwhelming force you have never understood!¡± The golden-skinned man''s expression stiffened, but he soon sneered again. ¡°It seems that you really won''t cry until you see the coffin. In that case, I have nothing more to say to you. I will directly communicate with your divine soul,¡± Shen Luo said, tired of wasting words. His eyes emitted a strong green light as he activated the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil in an attempt to control the golden-skinned man''s divine soul. ¡°You¡­¡± The golden-skinned man cried out in shock and anger, but his expression quickly grew muddled, though he did not completely give in and struggled desperately. The Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil unexpectedly failed to control him. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, and while he continued to exert the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil at full strength, he simultaneously took out an item¨Cthe Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman¨Cto enhance the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil''s power with the illusionary force enclosed within. But the golden-skinned man, being a Late Mahayana Stage monk, had an incredibly strong divine soul. Even with the help of the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman, Shen Luo was still unable to take full control over his divine soul. He tried several times to forcefully take control, but each time he was just a bit short. ¡°Although the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil is mysterious, unfortunately, with my cultivation only at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, the power of my divine soul is too weak to bring out its full potential,¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly, sweat beads forming on his forehead. The Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil was quite manconsuming, and using it for such a long time was also a great drain on him. He did not continue to force it, but snapped his fingers. A sword Qi shot out from his hand and, with a ¡°puff¡±, pierced through the golden-skinned man''s lower abdomen and Dantian. The man instantly lost his qi and cultivation, collapsing to the ground. Not just that, with a flicker of golden light by Shen Luo''s side, Yuan Qiu''s figure emerged. Yuan Qiu glanced at Shen Luo and the golden-skinned man, then promptly waved a hand. Seven or eight pink butterflies shot forth, circling and dancing around the golden-skinned man, their wings fluttering rapidly. Pink scales drifted down, enveloping the golden-skinned man''s body, burrowing into him through his nostrils and mouth. The tightly wound power of the golden-skinned man''s divine soul in his mind suddenly became disordered. His mana was completely lost, and his resistance to Shen Luo''s Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil slackened. Shen Luo quickly seized the opportunity, grasping the other man''s divine soul and injecting the illusionary power of the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil into it. The golden-skinned man''s face twitched a few times, and soon became completely empty. Chapter 973 Chapter 973: Chapter 970 Liu Feiyan Chapter 973: Chapter 970 Liu Feiyan ¡°At last, it''s done. Thank you, Yuan Qiu Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo sighed with relief and expressed his gratitude. ¡°The effect of the Mad Powdered Butterfly''s scales lasts only half a moment. If you have anything to ask, Friend Shen, it''s best to hurry. Once the time is up, this man''s divine soul will quickly recover,¡± Yuan Qiu said. Shen Luo nodded, waved to send Yuan Qiu away, and began to interrogate the golden-skinned man''s divine soul. ¡°Is that Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl your son carries given to him by you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I gave it to him for self-protection. With this pearl, he can neutralize all poisons¡­¡± the golden-skinned man said in a monotone voice. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Where did you get this pearl from? Do you know its origin?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze intensified as he continued to ask. ¡°Many years ago, I joined forces with a few Daoist friends from the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent¡­ planned and ambushed a Mahayana cultivator¡­ and obtained this pearl from him. After investigations, I discovered that the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl is an item from Daughter Village,¡± the golden-skinned man continued. ¡°The person you killed, was he a cultivator from Daughter Village?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes lifted, and he hurriedly pressed on. ¡°I don''t know¡­ The man was male, so he probably wasn''t¡­¡± the golden-skinned man replied, his voice flat and without inflection. Shen Luo frowned. He had thought that the Ten Thousand Poisons Pearl was snatched by the golden-skinned man from Daughter Village and that behind the Golden Yang Sect stood a power at odds with Daughter Village. However, it seemed that this was not the case. ¡°You just mentioned that the Golden Yang Sect has connections with the major forces of the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, is that true?¡± He pondered for a moment before asking another question. ¡°That was nonsense I spouted. These past years, I have always wanted to defect there, but sadly, those people do not accept me,¡± the golden-skinned man said. ¡°So, that''s how it is.¡± Shen Luo chuckled lightly, putting his mind at ease. He then asked a few more questions related to Daughter Village. The golden-skinned man knew very little about it, only having heard of the Nine Brahman Secret Realm and the abundant spiritual materials that grow there. Shen Luo was somewhat disappointed. He asked about the Luo Star Archipelago, inquiring for some secrets unknown to ordinary people, and then slapped the golden-skinned man''s head with his palm. With a ¡°bang,¡± the man''s head burst apart, and his divine soul was shattered, dispersing into strong Yin winds that swirled in every direction. As the howling sounds arose, the Ghost General flew out from the Qiankun Bag, open its mouth to inhale. The scattering Yin winds immediately converged and were swallowed by the Ghost General. ¡°This cultivator''s divine soul is very powerful; it would be a shame to let it simply dissipate.¡± Having done all this, the Ghost General realized that it had acted on its own without Shen Luo''s permission and said somewhat embarrassedly. ¡°No bother, in the future, when I defeat enemies, you can come out and absorb any overflowing divine souls,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, unconcerned. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± the Ghost General said joyfully, gave a bow to Shen Luo, and then flew back into the Qiankun Bag. Shen Luo looked at the corpse of the golden-skinned man, raised his hand to beckon, and a storage bracelet flew out, landing in his hand. His divine sense entered it, and his breathing involuntarily quickened. The golden-skinned man, being the Sect Master of Golden Yang Sect, was indeed wealthy beyond measure. There were forty to fifty thousand Immortal jades alone, with other precious spiritual materials in even greater abundance. ¡°There are actually Three-Star Stones and Purple Lightning Flowers. Last time I refined the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, there were quite a few Phoenix Tails left over. Now, I won''t need to go out of my way to collect the main materials, and can soon start refining the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman,¡± Shen Luo took a quick look and found two types of spiritual materials useful to him, immediately overjoyed, and then he continued to check the storage bracelet. Besides these, there were several magical treasures inside the storage bracelet, all of decent quality. However, their attributes did not match well with the golden-skinned man''s skills, so he did not use them in the previous battle. ¡°` His gaze suddenly halted, his hand beckoned, and a flash of blue light appeared before him, revealing a blue three-pronged trident. Shen Luo gripped the trident, channeling his mana into it, and the trident immediately burst into a bright blue glow. With a flick of his arm, three threads of sharp blue light shot out from the tips of the trident, slashing at the golden light in the surrounding space. With a ¡°hiss,¡± the golden light was cleaved with three long and deep fissures, which took a good while to heal back to their original state. Shen Luo nodded slightly, for due to the influence of the Heavenly Book, the golden light in the surrounding space was exceptionally tenacious. This casual strike from the trident achieved such an effect, demonstrating its great offensive power. He flicked his fingers, and a ball of flame fell onto the golden-skinned man''s corpse, turning it into ashes. Then, with another move, the image of the Mirror Fiend flashed and appeared. ¡°Master.¡± The Mirror Fiend gave a bow to Shen Luo. ¡°The matter has ended, and I plan to leave the Eastern Sea next. What are your plans? Will you follow me, or remain here in the Eastern Sea?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I¡­ I have grown accustomed to living in the Eastern Sea¡­¡± The Mirror Fiend paused, then lowered her head. ¡°That''s fine, then you may continue to stay here in the future. I will summon you with the Spiritual Communication Technique if needed,¡± Shen Luo said, not wishing to force her decision. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± The Mirror Fiend was overjoyed. ¡°Today''s event was fortunate due to your assistance. I obtained this three-pronged trident from that golden-skinned man''s storage magical tool. I will give it to you as a gift to protect yourself,¡± Shen Luo passed the trident to her. The Mirror Fiend did not expect a reward and, sensing the trident, immediately realized its extraordinary nature. She hurriedly thanked Shen Luo with great joy, holding the trident dearly in her embrace. The Demon Race is not skilled in artifact refining, and many demons simply seek out materials from the seabed, use demon fire to crudely refine them into weapons, and then consecrate them with demon power over many years to gradually enhance their might, a far cry from the magical weapons and treasures of human cultivators. The Mirror Fiend''s means of attack were quite limited, and now with this trident, her strength had increased substantially. ¡°Where did you get the old blue mirror in your hand? Since you are a Mirror Fiend, could it be a magical treasure naturally nurtured by you?¡± Shen Luo looked at the blue old mirror in her hand and asked. ¡°Our Mirror Fiends indeed naturally give birth to a treasure mirror within our bodies, but this mirror of mine was not purely nurtured by myself. Over a decade ago, I obtained a mirror magical treasure from a human cultivator and merged my life-bound treasure mirror into it, refining it into the mirror I have now,¡± the Mirror Fiend said, gently caressing the blue treasure mirror in her hand, shaking her head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s attention was piqued. Could it be that this mirror of the Mirror Fiend was truly the life-bound magical instrument of Sister Lin Xinyue? However, Lin Xinyue was a Fox Demon, so her sister should also be of the Demon Race. ¡°Do you know the name of that person? What is her background?¡± he asked after a moment of silence. ¡°That person was a woman, who seemed to be called something like Liu Feiyan. As for her background, I do not know. I was cultivating under the sea that day when Liu Feiyan and another human man fought their way nearby. That man, despicable and shameless as he was, resorted to treachery when he couldn''t beat Liu Feiyan. Disliking the injustice, I aided her, and to show her gratitude, she gave me a white mirror, saying it would aid my cultivation,¡± the Mirror Fiend recounted the origin of the mirror. ¡°Liu Feiyan? With a name differing by just one character from Liu Feixu of Daughter Village, could she possibly be a cultivator from Daughter Village?¡± Shen Luo stroked his chin, speculating inwardly. ¡°Is that Liu Feiyan skilled in using hidden weapons and deadly poisons?¡± he then inquired. ¡°Exactly, she uses double rings and flying needle hidden weapons, and is very formidable. Master, do you know her?¡± The Mirror Fiend immediately nodded, then asked. ¡°What about the person she fought with? What magical treasures did he use? Did he have any distinctive features?¡± Shen Luo did not answer, but continued his questioning. ¡°That man wasn''t particularly notable; all I remember is that he wielded an earth-attributed flying sword, and his Five Elements Technique was extremely powerful,¡± the Mirror Fiend recalled and said. Chapter 974 Chapter 974: Chapter 971 Parting in Sorrow Chapter 974: Chapter 971 Parting in Sorrow ¡°Alright, I understand. Regarding this matter, do not speak of it to anyone else,¡± Shen Luo said softly after a moment of silence. ¡°Yes, Master, rest assured,¡± the Mirror Fiend replied hastily upon seeing Shen Luo''s solemn expression. Shen Luo did not say anything more. He waved his hand, sending the Mirror Fiend away, and continued flying forward, quickly arriving at another area within the Heavenly Book Space. A golden cage sat quietly there, with Lin Xinyue still imprisoned inside. Bai Xiaotian was standing next to the cage, trying to say something to Lin Xinyue, but she seemed indifferent to his words. Shen Luo, upon seeing this scene, shook his head inwardly. Although he himself had no experience in pursuing women, he could tell that Bai Xiaotian''s one-sided attempts to please her would only backfire. ¡°Shen Luo, how long do you intend to keep me locked up?¡± Lin Xinyue stood up immediately upon seeing Shen Luo appear. ¡°Miss Lin speaks too seriously. I do not wish to imprison you; it was just that I encountered enemies outside earlier and had to temporarily restrict your movements. Now that the matter has concluded, once you answer a few questions for us, you may leave freely,¡± Shen Luo said with a slight smile. ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± Lin Xinyue looked at Shen Luo with a wary gaze. ¡°Miss Lin is a favored disciple of the Silk Cave, as far as I know. Silk Cave has always had good relations with Daughter Village, so why would you assist the Refining Body Altar in moving against Daughter Village this time?¡± Shen Luo squinted his eyes as he asked. Upon hearing Shen Luo''s question, Bai Xiaotian also turned his gaze towards Lin Xinyue. ¡°How would I know? I am merely an ordinary disciple of Silk Cave. We can only follow the orders given by those above us,¡± Lin Xinyue huffed. ¡°Is that really the truth? Miss Lin, you might not be aware, but I have cultivated a Pupil Technique that allows me to judge whether someone is lying through their eyes. This technique has a somewhat mesmerizing effect, capable of coaxing out one''s innermost secrets. Considering that we are old acquaintances, I do not wish to use this technique on you, but I hope you won''t force me to employ it either,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes turned blue, each swirling with a rapidly spinning vortex that made one feel dizzy at a glance, as if it could suck in the spirit and soul of a person. Lin Xinyue''s expression stiffened, and after a moment of silence, she said, ¡°I have heard the elders within my Sect discuss that the Refining Body Altar seemed to have made a deal with Bai Patriarch of our Sect, exchanging a treasured item for Silk Cave''s alliance.¡± ¡°A treasured item? What kind of treasure?¡± Shen Luo asked eagerly. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This matter is a strict secret within our Sect, not something someone of my status is privy to,¡± Lin Xinyue said openly, spreading her hands. Shen Luo was silent for a moment, then looked towards Bai Xiaotian and asked, ¡°Brother Bai, do you have any questions for her?¡± Bai Xiaotian was taken aback by Shen Luo''s question and hesitated for a moment before looking at Lin Xinyue, ¡°Miss Lin, you should understand my feelings by now, during this period of time. Is there truly no chance for me?¡± ¡°You are a human cultivator, and I am from the Demon Clan. Men and demons follow different paths; it is impossible between us. There''s no need for you to waste your time with me,¡± Lin Xinyue said without any hesitation, shaking her head. Bai Xiaotian opened his mouth but sighed in disappointment, his expression turning somber. Seeing this, Shen Luo also sighed and cast a spell to dissolve the cage surrounding Lin Xinyue. ¡°Now that I am in your hands, how do you intend to dispose of me?¡± Lin Xinyue, having regained her freedom, did not attempt to flee but instead looked at Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Bai, what do you think?¡± Shen Luo looked towards Bai Xiaotian. ¡°Let her go,¡± Bai Xiaotian said after a moment of silence. Upon hearing this, Lin Xinyue showed a hint of surprise on her face, yet she did not say anything. Shen Luo gave a faint smile upon hearing this, formed a hand signal, and waved. The trio left the Heavenly Book Space and appeared in an ocean trench on the seabed. ¡°Shen Luo, did you manage to inquire about that blue ancient mirror for me?¡± Lin Xinyue asked as she felt relieved leaving the golden space. ¡°I did. That mirror was acquired by my spirit beast from a human cultivator¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly repeated what the Mirror Fiend had told him earlier, but he omitted the name Liu Feiyan. ¡°For the rest, my spirit beast doesn''t remember much, but I''ve already sent her to investigate; perhaps she''ll uncover something,¡± Shen Luo concluded. Since Lin Xinyue was a disciple of the Silk Cave and she deeply cared about her sister''s affairs, Shen Luo naturally kept something to himself, considering he might exchange it for some vital information from her in the future. ¡°Thank you, Friend Shen. If you find out anything later, please use this to inform this little girl. I will surely express my gratitude grandly,¡± Lin Xinyue said after a moment of silence, taking out a Communication Array Disc and passing it over. ¡°Although there was some discord between you and me before, as long as Miss Lin doesn''t become an accomplice to the Demon Clan, we can still be friends rather than foes,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile as he took the Communication Array Disc. Lin Xinyue nodded, bowed slightly to the two, and then turned into a silver streak of escape light, speeding away into the distance. Bai Xiaotian watched Lin Xinyue''s figure getting further and further away, eventually turning into a small silver dot on the horizon, and he was reluctant to look away. ¡°There''s a destiny that lies in the unknown. If there''s fate between you two, there might still be an opportunity to meet again someday,¡± Shen Luo said, patting Bai Xiaotian on the shoulder. Bai Xiaotian fell silent at Shen Luo''s words, and didn''t look away until the silver light on the horizon finally disappeared from view. He then reluctantly retracted his gaze and let out a long breath. ¡°Let''s go,¡± he said. Above a vast sea area, Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian flew low in their flying boat, leaving a long trail on the sea surface with the airflow they created. ¡°Shen Luo, what now? Should we return to Chang''an, or¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian asked gloomily, standing in the front. ¡°Speaking with such a lack of strength, what''s the matter? Still can''t get over that Fox Beauty?¡± Seeing his state, Shen Luo couldn''t help but chuckle. ¡°No, it''s nothing¡­ I just didn''t expect that so many people would be bewitched by the Refining Body Altar,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed. ¡°How difficult it is to cultivate to become immortal. The Refining Body Altar claims to have found a shortcut, who amongst the cultivators wouldn''t be tempted? It''s just that this is tied with the Demon Clan, making things quite complicated,¡± Shen Luo said with a solemn expression. ¡°Let''s not worry about this for now. We''ve been out for a long time; we should head back to Chang''an. Everything that happened here should be reported to the Sect and the Government Official,¡± Bai Xiaotian contemplated. ¡°Indeed, haha, it looks like you''ll be hard at work piloting the flying boat on the way back. I''ve had some new insights recently and can vaguely sense the threshold of the Peak Nascent Soul stage,¡± Shen Luo said jovially. ¡°Are you serious? It hasn''t been long since you broke through to the late stage. Shen Luo, tell me honestly, have you secretly learned some crooked techniques from the Refining Body Altar?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, turning his head in disbelief. ¡°Have you seen through me?¡± Shen Luo asked with feigned surprise. ¡°Never mind, forget it. I really didn''t realize before that you had such good aptitude,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, pursing his lips. Shen Luo smiled but did not respond, and began to meditate and cultivate with his eyes closed. Chapter 975 Chapter 975: Chapter 972: The Young Are to be Feared Chapter 975: Chapter 972: The Young Are to be Feared Time flashed by, and more than half a year had passed. Within the Chang''an Government Office, a golden light curtain enveloped the surroundings of a particular other garden, forming a square-shaped Golden Array that entirely enclosed a great hall along with its surrounding courtyard. At each corner of the courtyard stood a stone pillar half the height of a man, inscribed with complex runes, all of which were now emitting a faint golden shine. Outside the Array, strands of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, converged from all directions, flowing into the golden light and surging madly towards the central great hall. Contrary to the calm appearance outside the Array, above the great hall within the Array, a funnel-shaped vortex had formed. The vast Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from outside the Array was being crazily drawn in and incessantly poured into it. Inside the great hall, Shen Luo sat cross-legged on a Straw Cushion. All items around him had been cleared away, except for a Green Lotus suspended in front of him. At this moment, he was shrouded in a ring of golden flame. A different-colored flame rose from both his brow and his Dantian, flickering in all directions as if they might go out of control at any moment and set his body alight. Although Shen Luo had completed numerous such integration attempts in his dreams, his mind was still very tense at the moment. Unlike in the dreams where he could try multiple times, he had no chance to start over in reality. If he failed, he would be burned to ashes by the Three Element Fire, and all would be for naught. Shen Luo tensed all over, his eyes focused intently on the space in front of him as he began to form seals with his hands to lead the process. Around him, the layer of golden light began to contract, converging towards the position of his chest, and the flame on his brow slowly descended. Meanwhile, the flame in front of his Dantian rose in the opposite direction, with the Three Element Fire gradually coming together. As the three types of flames drew nearer to one another, Shen Luo felt an intense heat in his chest and a stabbing sensation in his Dantian, but the most noticeable sensation was in his Sea of Knowledge, which felt as if it was on fire too. This feeling was vastly different from when he broke through to the Great Mahayana Stage in his dreams, and Shen Luo didn''t know if it was due to differences in innate talent or constitution that made his tolerance to the Three Element Fire far less than in the dreams. ¡°If this continues, I''m afraid that before the flames merge, my Sea of Knowledge will be burned through first,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself as he felt the intense changes in his body, his heart gripped with dread. The gap in talents made him fear that he might actually be destroyed by the Three Element Fire at this moment. ¡°No matter, let''s first try the effect of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. If that doesn''t work, I''ll have to use the Heavenly Book to absorb these flames. The backlash is inevitable, but it''s still better than being truly burned to death,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself resolutely. With that thought, he pointed his fingers forward, and a strand of golden flame, guided by his Mana, wound around the Nine Brahmanic Lotus. In the next instant, the Nine Brahmanic Lotus burst into golden flame and began burning. Shen Luo watched in astonishment as the petals of the Nine Brahmanic Lotus withered and turned to ashes in the flames: ¡°Isn''t the Nine Brahmanic Lotus said to be a sacred Lotus that fell to the Human World from the Immortal Realm? It not only contains huge Essence Qi, but its flower bud is also said to help one Calming the Mind and Stabilizing the Qi, and it''s supposed to be remarkably effective in aiding the breakthrough to the Great Mahayana Stage. Why is it burned before it even shows its effects?¡± He distinctly remembered the usage recorded in the Classics, which was to ignite the Nine Brahmanic Lotus with the Three Element Fire, not to make it into medicine to be ingested. Could it be that the books were misleading? Shen Luo felt like weeping but had no tears; was there still time to consume it? Just then, the hovering layer of ash in front of him gradually fell away, and amidst the burning golden flames, small specks of blue light started to appear one by one¨Cmore and more of them. As the blue specks of light kept emerging, the silhouette of a Lotus flower gradually condensed in the Void, emanating gentle ripples of light like Water Waves, spreading throughout the surrounding area. Shen Luo felt that soft power surge towards him, akin to waves hitting the shore¨Cnot intense, but unceasing and persistent. His sea of knowledge, under the constant washing of this power, the sweltering burning sensation gradually subsided, and his divine soul also gradually stabilized. ¡°Indeed, the Spirit Grass of the Immortals¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed in his heart, and quickly raised his hand to beckon. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Nine Brahmanic Lotus, condensed from the starlight, seemed to be brushed by a gentle breeze, slowly dispersing, the specks of light upon it, like burning embers, surged towards his body, merging with the flames that had ignited on him. In a flash, a vigorous vitality burst forth. Shen Luo finally showed a hint of joy in his eyes, his hands formed another seal, and he shouted, ¡°Merge.¡± With his words, the three flames suddenly collided together, entwining and becoming embroiled with each other, forming a spherical flame. Although one could still see the distinct colors resisting each other, Shen Luo was now able to suppress them with sheer force. His palms slowly came together, and the three types of flame began to slowly rotate within a large fireball, continuously absorbing the blue starlight, beginning to gradually merge into one, their individual colors also gradually becoming uniform. Suddenly, the fireball violently contracted, drawing close to Shen Luo''s body and directly merging into it. Inside the sea of knowledge, the little man that was Shen Luo''s divine soul trembled abruptly a few times, and with a ¡°puff,¡± it shattered, turning into numerous semi-transparent light orbs, which also began to merge into his body. A thunderous boom resounded. Shen Luo could no longer distinguish whether it was in his sea of knowledge or the outside world. He just felt a trembling in his ears and could no longer hear anything clearly. The next moment, a shattering sound came from above his head, the tiles on the rooftop were instantly smashed by the converging Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, and a visibly swirling vortex of spiritual energy poured in furiously through the top of his skull. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but let out a long howl to the sky. Outside the great hall, the skies over half of Chang''an City echoed with unusual sounds, like thunder in broad daylight without the gathering of dark clouds. In an instant, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within nearly a hundred li with the Chang''an Government Office at the center was stirred. Countless differently colored groups of spiritual energy appeared out of thin air in the nearby void, then rapidly converged towards the great hall, expanding the original spiritual energy vortex by more than tenfold, to the point where even the golden array could no longer conceal it. At this, many within the Great Tang Dynasty Government stopped in their tracks, looking towards this direction, and even within Chang''an City, numerous people looked up to the sky, full of confusion. Several hundred feet away in another great hall, a burly man with a beard suddenly rushed out, glanced at the sky where the unusual sounds were coming from, and his bell-like eyes widened even more. ¡°Good kid, is just breaking through to the Great Mahayana Stage supposed to be like facing the Heavenly Tribulation?¡± Cheng Yaojin sighed softly. As he spoke, he took out a talisman, chanted a spell, and tossed it into the sky. No sooner had the talisman entered the sky than a golden shine lit up, and corresponding lights lit up in many corners of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. In a short while, an array as powerful as a Sect Protecting Array started to operate, erecting an even more enormous Array Light Screen, covering the entire Great Tang Dynasty Government. As a layer of flowing light flashed across the light screen, all abnormal sounds vanished without a trace, except for the thunderous sounds, which continued for a long time. ¡°One to be feared by the younger generation indeed¡­¡± Cheng Yaojin clapped his hands, placed them behind his back, and turned to walk back into the great hall. Chapter 976 Chapter 976: Chapter 973: Respect not the Gods and Buddhas, but Respect Heaven and Earth Chapter 976: Chapter 973: Respect not the Gods and Buddhas, but Respect Heaven and Earth After a long time, all the strange phenomena in Chang''an City had finally dissipated. Inside the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Shen Luo still maintained a sitting position, his Qiao acupoints had not yet fully closed, and golden light still spilled from his body, making him look as though he were caged in treasure light, possessing an air of an Immortal. However, after a few deep breaths, the radiance surrounding his body gradually dimmed, and as the spilling light slowly receded, Shen Luo himself appeared even more contained in his divine splendor. He stretched his body and slowly stood up from the ground, looking up at the hole above his head with a fleeting look of joy in his eyes. ¡°I''ve finally broken through¡­ I should have caught up with Lu Huaming. I wonder what got into Bai Xiaotian, he immediately went into seclusion after returning last time. Has he come out yet?¡± As Shen Luo pondered secretly, he suddenly felt a strange sensation. ¡°Thump thump¡­¡± His heart started to beat uncontrollably and rapidly, giving him a sense of unease. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo''s mind tightened, having never before experienced such an inexplicable feeling. It was then that he felt something and suddenly turned his head to look at the Storage Ring on his hand. A ray of light shone from the Storage Ring even without his mental control; an object flew out on its own. ¡°Jade pillow¡± Shen Luo let out a light cry, and a sudden change took place. Unlike the drowsiness of the past, the jade pillow flew out directly this time, its surface shining with starry light, and a white whirlpool condensed on its surface, emitting strong suction forces as it spun leisurely. Shen Luo''s soul trembled violently as if it were about to leave his body in an instant, all his conscious thoughts drawn into it. ¡°What''s happening¡­¡± A sense of indescribable crisis rose in Shen Luo''s mind, and the next moment, he lost consciousness. Time passed unknowingly. Shen Luo''s head was heavy, and he gradually opened his eyes, but his vision was still blurry, only faintly sensing the surrounding environment full of smoke and fog. ¡°There''s no time left¡­¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a daze, he heard such a low chant, the tone sorrowful, the voice hoarse, like the unwilling lament of someone at death''s door. Shen Luo rubbed his eyes hard, his brows suddenly furrowed, and he turned over to sit up sharply, looking around warily. It wasn''t just because of his blurred vision that he couldn''t see anything clearly in the misty surroundings. ¡°The scent of blood¡­¡± Shen Luo frowned. He smelled an incredibly strong scent of blood, a mixture of sweet and nauseating, with a hint of warmth, close by. Shen Luo''s eyes condensed, and the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil''s gloss shone as he scanned the surroundings. Ahead, within the mist barrier, there loomed an enormous ancient pine tree, its bark charred black, burned to a crisp, with sporadic flames flickering upon it, emitting thick white smoke. Behind that ancient pine, a long stone stair stretched upward, seemingly leading to an old building at its end. ¡°I''ve left Five Finger Mountain, but what is this place? Why can I feel the lingering traces of an Array?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered with confusion. The fog around was not merely smoke, but the remnants of a protective formation after its collapse, mingling with Heaven and Earth Aura to form what was present. ¡°Not only can it disrupt the Divine Sense, but even the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil can''t fully see through it. It seems that before this Array collapsed, it must have been a powerful Sect Protection Formation,¡± Shen Luo''s Divine Sense had already swept around the area. He formed a hand seal and softly chanted the word ¡°Prohibition,¡± instantly suppressing the Mana fluctuations on his body, and carefully walked toward the ancient building, soon arriving under the old pine tree. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the ancient tree had been burned through by Raging Fire, and half a metal Talisman was exposed in the heart of the tree, with the incomplete words ¡°Great Prohibition¡± visible on it. It was clear that this ancient pine tree was originally the location of the Array pivot for the Sect Protection Formation. Puzzled in his heart, Shen Luo''s gaze followed the stone stairs all the way up and saw a black and white Daoist temple standing at the top of the one hundred and eight steps. The main gate of the temple had white walls and black tiles, the Big Gate was tightly closed, and at first glance, nothing seemed unusual except for a slightly tilted plaque hanging over it. Shen Luo''s gaze swept over the plaque, and upon seeing the three big characters written on it, his expression couldn''t help but slightly change. ¡°Wuzhuang View¡­¡± He softly chanted, his figure becoming ethereal like smoke as he dashed through the Void, leaving a lingering trail behind and instantly appearing in front of the temple''s main gate. The main gate of Wuzhuang View appeared plain and unadorned, looking slightly better than that of Spring and Autumn Pavilion, without any of the grandeur of grand cults. The tightly closed gate was spotless as if it had just been cleaned, with no trace of damage. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed tightly, and he lifted his hand, pushing open the two thick black wooden doors. ¡°Creak¡± Following the sound of the doors turning, the two gates slowly moved backward and opened. ¡°Whoosh¡± As if a gust of wind swept through, an incredibly thick smell of blood surged forth like a flood, confronting Shen Luo head-on. Seemingly invisible and intangible, it nonetheless soaked his entire garment red as it swept past him. Shen Luo didn''t dodge or try to dispel the blood with mystic arts; instead, he let it wash over him, within which he sensed many familiar breaths. ¡°What¡­ happened here?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes trembled slightly, and even he couldn''t help but feel his scalp tingle at the sight before him. Behind the gate, the Courtyard was littered with mangled corpses and severed limbs, piled haphazardly. The great hall at the back was almost completely collapsed, and everywhere the eye could see was soaked in blood. On the Ground, the fluids leaking from the corpses mixed with blood, already forming a stinking Blood Pool, with severed limbs floating on top of the bloodied waters. Among the chaotic heaps of bodies, Shen Luo saw many Heavenly Soldiers in Silver Armor, numerous strongmen with exposed torsos, and also people from the Jade Fox Clan. They really did escape here, yet it seemed they still could not evade their doom. Shen Luo felt a chill throughout his body, but a fire of anger started to fiercely burn in his heart. He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and step by step, crossed the yard full of corpses, walking towards the remaining part of the great hall. To say it remained was illusory¨Cthe hall was half collapsed, looking as if a giant Demon had stomped down, shattering half of it, and the other half was also teetering on the brink of collapse. Entering the half-ruined hall, the incense table for veneration of the gods was still in place, and even the Incense burner on it had five sticks of long Incense, purple-black and not yet fully burned, three long and two short. Behind the incense table, there was no collapsed deity statue, only a hanging scroll with ¡°Heaven and Earth¡± inscribed on it. Shen Luo had some understanding of the Master of Wuzhuang View; Yuan Daoist, whom he had met in the Heavenly Book Space, was indeed that famous Earth Immortal Ancestor, Zhenyuanzi. Only a powerhouse like him could forgo worshipping gods and Buddhas and instead revere Heaven and Earth. Chapter 977 Chapter 977: Chapter 974: Mountain of Corpses Chapter 977: Chapter 974: Mountain of Corpses Shen Luo fell silent and with a flick of his finger, the long incense in the burner was neatly severed. The tips ignited into a sanguine blaze, and wispy smoke curled into the sky. He stepped out of the great hall and headed toward the backyard. No sooner had he passed through the arched gate than he froze in place. In the white stone Square not far ahead of him, a corpse pile had been meticulously constructed to half a man''s height, each bloodied head stacked upon it, sending chills down one''s spine at a glance. ¡°Fox King¡­¡± At the top of the pile, Shen Luo noticed a head, unmistakably that of the Ten Thousand Years Fox King. His eyes were still open, and although life had vanished from his pupils, the aura of resentment lingered undispersed. ¡°Elder Fox King¡­ who is it that you harbor such resentment against?¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly. His gaze shifted toward the back of the pile, where an ancient tree over thirty feet tall stood, its body dead and utterly lifeless. The Ginseng Tree¡­ And at that moment, on the branches of the ancient tree, vines hung upside down, with corpse bodies dangling from them. A glance from Shen Luo caused his pupils to constrict suddenly¨CRed Boy, Princess Jade Face, Yu''er¡­ every familiar face was there. ¡°How could this¡­¡± Shen Luo clenched his fists tightly, his brows furrowed, his entire body quivering uncontrollably. He felt an unprecedented surge of rage, a murderous intent flooding his heart. ¡°It''s the Demon Clan, it must be the Demon Clan, but why¡­ why were they taken by surprise? Could it be¡­ has Chiyou awakened?¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. He looked at those bodies, their blood not yet coagulated and still dripping, and forced himself to remain calm. ¡°Zhenyuanzi''s and Bull Demon King''s presence are not here, they''re not dead yet¡­ but where could they have gone? Where else could they possibly go?¡± Shen Luo wondered. With that thought, a strand of his Divine Sense had already flown into the Heavenly Book. Shen Luo had returned to reality once and was utterly clueless about the situation here; his only option was to contact Daoist Lei and the others through the Heavenly Book Space. However, half an hour later, Shen Luo withdrew his Divine Sense from the Heavenly Book, his expression growing increasingly solemn. Unable to make contact¡­ whether it was Daoist Lei or Huadaoren, he couldn''t reach either of them. The situation was potentially far worse than he had imagined¡­ Just then, his Divine Sense suddenly wavered, picking up on a distinct breath. ¡°How can this be?¡± Shen Luo''s heart shuddered violently, and his eyes instantly shot downward, focusing on the base of the dead Ginseng Tree, where a fragment of a Pearl Hairpin peeked out from near the roots. ¡°No, it can''t be¡­¡± Shen Luo was deeply shocked. That Pearl Hairpin, that breath¡­ there was no mistake, it was her, was it her? Shen Luo had never imagined that, after crossing a thousand years into Dreamland, he would encounter her from a thousand years later. But that Pearl Hairpin was the very one he had given her on his first visit to Mount Putuo; Shen Luo could not be mistaken. This time, his heart also raced with panic. Shen Luo hurried to the tree''s base, dug through the soil, and there appeared a Pearl Hairpin and a piece of a garment. He grabbed the Pearl Hairpin, holding it tightly in his palm, hesitating for a long time before daring to pull out the piece of the garment. He was frightened, even afraid to examine closely with his Divine Sense, fearful of finding Nie Caizhu''s corpse beneath the garment. Shen Luo''s arms felt rigid as he slowly tugged, and a stretch of blue garment came out. Fortunately, there was no corpse. Shen Luo''s throat was dry, but he breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He picked up the garment and saw a line written in blood on it, ¡°If it isn''t you, do not seek, flee alone, but if it is you¡­¡± If it is you, the rest wasn''t written; it seemed she didn''t know how to end it either. Shen Luo was clear in his mind that this message was definitely meant for him, but he somewhat couldn''t understand the meaning hidden within these words. If it isn''t me, don''t come looking for you, but if it is me, I naturally must find you no matter what! Shen Luo silently put away the piece of garment, then looked at the pearl hairpin in his hand and kept both items close to his chest. His gaze shifted slightly, looking towards the rear side, a group of guys exuding black Demonic Qi had quietly surrounded him, unbeknownst to him. ¡°Hehe, there indeed are fish that escaped the net. We''ve waited so long, finally, it''s not in vain, just unfortunate that your cultivation level is not high.¡± The demon man leading them, with a beheading axe on his shoulder, said with a cold laugh. His aura was not weak, already resembling that of a True Immortal at the middle stage, but at this moment Shen Luo was suppressing his own aura, and the slight leak made it seem like he was merely at the Nascent Soul Stage. The demon followers behind him were mostly of the Nascent Soul and Mahayana stages, and at a glance, it was clear they were just those guys who cleaned up after the great battle, like the scavenging vultures and hyenas. Shen Luo slowly stood up, facing the group, his eyes devoid of life. The demon leader seemed to sense something was off but still loudly ordered, ¡°Kill them!¡± At his command, dozens of demons rushed forward, pouncing towards Shen Luo. ¡°Indigo Blue Sea¡± With a light cry from Shen Luo and a gentle touchdown of his toes, a mist mixed with an extremely cold breath instantly surged forward. Like a cold tide passing through, the demons charging at him still maintained their forward momentum, but they were all frozen in place, turned into icy sculptures. Shen Luo took steps toward the leader, tapping lightly on the foremost frozen demon sculpture. ¡°Crack¡±, a crisp sound echoed. All the frozen demons, without exception, shattered into ice chips, swept by Shen Luo''s sleeve and turned into fine powder. Only the demon leader remained, his legs also frozen, but not casually killed by Shen Luo. ¡°You, you¡­ you are a Taiyi True Immortal¡­¡± He showed a face full of terror, never expecting that after such a great battle, there would still be a Taiyi True Immortal alive and daring to come here alone. Shen Luo did not bother with idle talk. His silhouette instantly reached in front of him, with a fingertip poking into the demon leader''s forehead. The next moment, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense forcefully surged into the demon leader''s sea of knowledge, rummaging recklessly within. Within moments, a muffled ¡°bang¡± resounded. The demon leader''s sea of knowledge could not withstand the Divine Sense of a Taiyi True Immortal and exploded on the spot. ¡°Have they escaped to the Underworld?¡± Shen Luo withdrew his finger, furrowed his brows, and muttered to himself. After pondering for a while, it became clear in his mind. Wuzhuang View was already considered the last fortress of the Human Race; if it could be breached, there would be no place left in the Yang Realm to harbor them, so fleeing to the Netherworld suddenly made sense. However, Shen Luo also remembered that when he first ¡°Entered Dream¡±, he had gone into the Netherworld and even encountered Soul Hook Horse Face there, and together, they were chased by the Black Mountain Old Demon. ¡°In that case, the Underworld should have fallen by now, could it be that it was recaptured?¡± Shen Luo wondered in his heart. However, despite his astonishment, Shen Luo knew he had to make his way to the Underworld. The Underworld can also be considered a Sect, with Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva revered at its head, housing various monks of the Ghost Path and Ghost Immortals. Zhong Kui and the Ten Halls Yama King are part of the Ghost Immortals under its jurisdiction. That year, Shen Luo was directly brought into the Underworld by Dreamland, but now, having to go to the Underworld on his own, he was somewhat at a loss for where to start. He remembered discussing some details about the Underworld with Ma Mian back then, but those discussions were never deep. At that time, Shen Luo had no intention of going to the Underworld on his own, and they talked more about how to summon Ma Mian out of the Underworld. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 978 Chapter 978: Chapter 975: Yellow River Crossing Chapter 978: Chapter 975: Yellow River Crossing Shen Luo recalled for a moment and then suddenly remembered that back in the Western Regions, Little Monk Jiang Liu had talked about how the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had made the great vow, ¡°Not until the hells are empty will I become a Buddha,¡± and afterwards took up residence in the Underworld, to redeem the ten thousand ghosts there. At that time, he had mentioned that the Underworld has ferry points for guiding lost souls scattered across the Four Great Continents, and those established within major State Cities are namely the City God Temples. Those distributed in remote mountains are called ¡°Ghost Mountain Gates,¡± under the jurisdiction of some minor mountain gods, while those located in the Rivers and water areas are under the control of the Water Deity and are called ¡°Yellow River Crossings.¡± However, because there are fewer people who die in the mountains compared to those who perish in rivers, it''s hard to find Ghost Mountain Gates, whereas Yellow River Crossings are easy to locate. After burying the unfortunate dead from Wuzhuang View, Shen Luo soon left. Now with the lands broken apart, the major state capitals and city walls have almost all been completely destroyed. Even those that remain have long been occupied by demons and the temples related to the Heavenly Court and Underworld have also been taken over. Instead of searching for a City God Temple, Shen Luo directly found a Yellow River Crossing a hundred li away from the Wuzhuang View. This place called Yellow River Crossing was not actually a ferry, but rather the mouth of a bend in a river. When he arrived here, from a distance he could see the riverbank densely packed with ¡°shadows,¡± roughly amounting to thousands, nearly ten thousand in number. Without getting any closer, Shen Luo already saw black fog enveloping the riverbank and resentment piercing the sky. The dense crowd lining the river was not humans, but ghosts¨Cwandering ghosts without anyone to guide them. After the Underworld was breached, the cycle of the Six Paths of Reincarnation had been disrupted long ago. There were no more emissaries from the Yinning to lead ghosts from the Yang Realm. Those departed souls with incomplete divine senses had gathered here simply because they felt the aura of Yinning coming from the Yellow River Crossing. The moment Shen Luo descended, attracted by the vitality emanating from his body, a massive number of ghosts immediately revealed ferocious expressions and swarmed toward him. For a time, the resentment stirred, like a Ghost Tide''s invasion. Shen Luo''s body radiated light, and as he raised his sleeve, a formless pressure brewed. With just a light sweep, he could eliminate nearly ten thousand ghosts along both banks of the river. However, after a slight hesitation, he lowered his sleeve and casually waved forward. Immediately, a blood light shone, and a huge Ghost Banner stood before him, from which countless streaks of blood light shot out, sweeping around in all directions. Within a few breaths, it had rolled up all the ghosts along the river and pulled them into the banner. Inside the Ghost Banner, ten thousand ghosts screamed, their voices reverberating to the heavens. Shen Luo sighed, waved his hand, and sealed the Ghost Banner before putting it away. He did not refine these ghosts, just collected them, intending to bring them all to the Underworld together. Otherwise, if he let these ghosts accumulate here, it was only a matter of time before resentful spirits converged and devoured each other, and a Ghost King would be born. The Human World was already chaotic enough. It was better to keep it as serene as possible. In an instant, the ghosts that had filled the riverbanks were cleared, and the accumulated resentment began to gradually disperse with the blowing of the river wind. Shen Luo reached the bend in the river and looked around but did not see any ferry. His eyes brightened, and as his gaze shifted to the center of the river, he noticed an inconspicuous vortex in the rushing current of the river bend. The water was turbid, but faint traces of Yinning aura were seeping out. ¡°It seems this is the place.¡± Moved by a thought, Shen Luo suddenly caught sight of something at the river bottom near the shore. He gestured gently with his hand, and a cluster of green flames suddenly lit up from the river bottom and began to rise slowly, reaching the water''s surface. ¡°A ferryboat?¡± Shen Luo was slightly surprised. What emerged was an ancient wooden boat, pointed at both ends and curved upward. The boat was riddled with cracks, and repair marks were visible everywhere. At the front of the boat stood a long pole, atop which hung a lamp burning with green flames. Shen Luo boarded the wooden boat, which creaked and sank a bit under his weight. ¡°Good, it''s not as fragile as it looks.¡± Shen Luo casually took the long pole, removed the lamp from it, and discovered that inside was a clump of yellow, greasy fat¨Cthe corpse oil extracted from a human body. With some distaste, he hung the lamp dripping with corpse oil on the sharp tip at the bow of the boat and pushed off the river bottom with the pole, steering the boat slowly toward the vortex at the heart of the river. The boat, though seemingly shabby, was not affected by the river water at all and steadily reached the edge of the vortex. First, the bow dipped downward, followed by the whole boat wobbling and plummeting below. Shen Luo stood upon the boat, his form unwavering, not moving an inch. As he and the boat continued to descend, there was a ¡°splash¡± noise, and Shen Luo, along with the boat, plunged into the water. But the moment he hit the water, not a droplet splashed upon him; instead, it felt as if he had penetrated through some kind of array. The next instant, the boat that had dived into the water flipped out of nowhere and appeared on the surface of another river. Shen Luo was slightly surprised and looked down at the river beneath him, only to see dots of green light shimmering up from the river bottom, signaling that he had entered the Netherworld. After observing for a moment, he withdrew his gaze and released his divine sense to survey the surroundings while pushing the pole with one hand, moving along with the direction of the river currents. At that moment, his eyebrows knit together slightly as he turned to look behind him. Behind him in the river, the green lights blinked rapidly as shadows of something unseen floated up from the depths. ¡°Water ghosts¡­¡± After a brief inspection, Shen Luo found they were just a few water ghosts, not even of the Nascent Soul Stage, and thus paid them little mind. He maneuvered the bamboo pole, hastening the boat''s speed. Ahead, the terrain seemed to change as the water flow grew more and more rapid. Meanwhile, the few water ghosts from behind suddenly sped up and, within moments, approached close to Shen Luo. As they got near, the water ghosts seemed to sense the strong aura emanating from Shen Luo. They dared not make any aggressive moves, but instead, hurriedly glancing at him, they swiftly floated toward the front. Shen Luo, noting their behavior, suddenly scowled and raised his hand, thrusting it forward vigorously. A streak of golden light shot from his hand, transforming into a curved blade that sliced into the water. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± a hundred-foot-high wave exploded on the surface of the river. The river water stopped flowing momentarily, revealing a stretch of riverbed covered in white bones, while the shadowy figures of the water ghosts were instantly cleaved by the golden light, turning to ashes. With a casual gesture, a small hand formed from condensed river water emerged from below the boat and handed him a dark red talisman. ¡°Blood Explosion Talisman¡­ should be enough for an early True Immortal¡­¡± he sneered. Clearly, a Ghost King of True Immortal Stage had set his sights on him and sent these water ghosts to test his depth, uncertain of Shen Luo''s cultivation level. Shen Luo turned to look behind again but detected no unusual qi. ¡°Your ability to conceal your presence is impressive, but stop testing me. If you know what''s good for you, get lost quickly, or else¡­¡± Shen Luo paused and did not finish his threat. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But within just an instant, the Netherworld river stretching nearly a thousand li behind him froze over. Hundreds of li away, in the midst of the river, a man in blue robes with a snow white complexion¨Cclearly a demon¨Cwas following the river in a Nether Ship made from a great demon''s skull and found the water beneath him suddenly frozen solid. Sensing something was wrong, he had just leaped up when the Nether Ship below was completely sealed in ice. The man''s figure was somewhat ethereal as he stared directly at Shen Luo, his ghastly pale face showing a hint of hesitation. However, it was soon resolved as he reached a hand into the ice layer, a green ghostly flame burning past, quickly thawing the frozen Nether Ship and dragging it onto the ice. He boarded the Nether Ship again, not bothering to melt the surrounding river, and simply chased down the ice flow. Chapter 979 Chapter 979: 976 Chapter Daring Chapter 979: 976 Chapter Daring Shen Luo drifted along the river, and gradually the surroundings became darker, with more and more water ghosts floating by beneath him, like clusters of ethereal willow fluff. Seeing they had no intention of bothering him, Shen Luo couldn''t be bothered to contend with them either; right now, he just wanted to reach the Underworld as soon as possible without any further complications. It was at this moment that the water ahead suddenly became turbulent, and the small boat beneath him seemed to lose control, speeding towards the front. Before Shen Luo could regain control, it crashed into a protruding reef in the water. There was a loud ¡°bang¡±. The already ancient and tattered boat disintegrated upon colliding with the reef, exploding apart instantly. Shen Luo was thrown into the air by the momentum of the forward rush, leaping directly into mid-air. A frown creased his brow, and a flash of anger flickered in the depths of his eyes. It wasn''t the currents that had changed just now, but rather an invisible force that had drawn the boat, making it suddenly accelerate. Mana began to circulate within Shen Luo, and he immediately stabilized his form, slowly falling towards the water surface. But at that moment, the same invisible force reappeared, this time directly targeting Shen Luo himself. He felt a sluggishness all over as if suddenly shackled, his body sank abruptly, plummeting into the river. At the same time, the water below rapidly receded to both banks, revealing a riverbed of white bones from which countless snow-white skulls gathered together, forming into a colossal skull nearly a hundred feet in size. There were no fluctuations of Qi emanating from the skull, just a gaping maw that slowly opened, revealing a black vortex within where deathly Qi coalesced, slowly swirling towards Shen Luo. ¡°Seeking death.¡± Shen Luo bellowed furiously, his body aglow with golden light, instantly breaking free from the binding force that was on him. He clenched his fist in one arm and hammered forward with force. A white jade-like gloss shone on his arm, as layers of mana seemed to vaporize around his fist, spiraling with his punch, which smashed into the massive skull. With a loud ¡°boom¡±, the mana and Qi wrapped around Shen Luo''s fist instantly transformed into a golden pillar of light, shooting straight into the gaping mouth of the white bone skull, striking the black vortex within violently. For a time, the deathly Qi boiled, the rolling black fog did not dissipate; instead, it spread out in all directions, causing the water ghosts attracted by the commotion to flee. Those who were unfortunately touched by it were immediately tainted by the deathly Qi, fading into nothingness. The rolling deathly Qi also climbed up the golden light pillar, assaulting Shen Luo. But before the deathly Qi could rise by much, a strong shockwave exploded below. The white bone skull on the riverbed shattered, and the black vortex was disintegrated. The man in blue robes who had just approached saw this and felt a subtle shock, but without a hint of hesitation, he raised his sleeve towards Shen Luo and waved. A green light emanated from his cuff, and a four-sided Ghost Seal with a ghastly ghost face carved upon it descended from the sky, instantly growing a hundred times larger, smashing down on Shen Luo from above. ¡°So it was you making mischief, wasn''t it?¡± Shen Luo scoffed, unfazed, and with a casual wave of his hand, the Six Chen Whip transformed into a streak of black light that shot out and struck the Four-sided Ghost Seal, causing a series of explosions. The man in blue robes, upon seeing this, had a drastic change in complexion. Shen Luo, however, didn''t pay too much attention to that man, as he only diverted a wisp of his spirit to control the Six Chen Whip and engage in battle with him, his gaze instead shifting to another part of the mountain wall that appeared empty and uneven. ¡°Since it''s an ambush, shouldn''t you all act together? What''s the point of attacking one by one?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. No sooner had he spoken than the rock wall his gaze fell upon let out a dull roar. A large section of the ¡°rock wall¡± actually separated from the mountain and lunged at him. Features rapidly formed on that piece of rock wall as it split into limbs, one of which was a massive fist that smashed towards Shen Luo. At the same time, the numerous white bones that had just been scattered below him had reassembled, transforming back into a giant skull with green ghostly light shining from its wide-open mouth, where a Chaotic Vortex eerily emerged. ¡°Three True Immortal Middle Stage Ghost Kings, and you have the audacity to ambush me?¡± Shen Luo scoffed coldly. He lifted an arm which radiated a pure luster, and for an instant, his entire being seemed somewhat translucent. The mana surged through the golden bones and converged toward the fist. ¡°Whoosh¡± A punch was thrown, and the sound of wind amplified. A giant golden fist shadow formed in front of him, its bone structure clearly visible as if Shen Luo''s arm was magnified a hundred times, colliding with the mountain wall giant ghost''s fist. After a muffled ¡°bang,¡± a series of explosive sounds followed. The mountain wall giant ghost''s arm shattered inch by inch, blasting into countless fragments of stone and revealing a pitch-black ghostly evil spirit with blood-red eyes hidden inside. Half of its arm was blown to pieces, and the ghost''s body uncontrollably retreated, violently crashing against the rock wall. Meanwhile, the green vortex in the giant skull ghost king''s mouth had already unleashing strands of green deathly Qi around Shen Luo''s leg. The corrosive power emanating from it immediately turned his clothing to grey-white ash, which then disintegrated into ashes. The exposed calf also began to corrode bit by bit, gradually turning grey-white. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the other hand, the man in blue robes was not idle. He was the first to notice Shen Luo entering the Netherworld and had contacted the other two ghost kings to ambush Shen Luo en route. Despite his internal panic, he knew he couldn''t back down. The scenario of the three joining forces could still hold; once they fled, certain death awaited. Hanging in the void from afar, his hands moved swiftly, seemingly operating the Ghost Seal at full strength, trying to suppress the Six Chen Whip. Suddenly, a strange fluctuation transmitted through the void, and the man in blue robes, who had been suspended there, dissolved like smoke and vanished from the spot. Almost at the same time, behind Shen Luo¨Cwhere there had been no ripple of mana¨Ca figure abruptly appeared. ¡°Got him¡­¡± A glimpse of triumphant joy flashed across the man in blue robes'' face as he suddenly thrust a semi-transparent short blade toward Shen Luo''s heart. The short dagger was engraved with complex charm patterns, emanating waves of sealing power. Once it pierced Shen Luo''s body and touched his blood, it could activate an instant seal, locking all his mana. At that moment, golden light burst forth from around Shen Luo, and the image of a golden tower materialized out of thin air, enveloping him in the center. ¡°Clang¡± The short blade of the man in blue robes struck the golden tower shadow and was immediately repelled. (Dear Daoist friends, the manuscripts in Wangle''s hands are running low. For the time being, updates will be reduced to two chapters a day for a while. Once I have accumulated enough manuscripts, I will immediately return to three chapters a day ^^) Chapter 980 Chapter 980: Chapter 977: Styx River Water Spirit Chapter 980: Chapter 977: Styx River Water Spirit Shen Luo turned back and swung his arm horizontally, unimpeded by the shadow of the golden tower, and smashed a fist onto the cheek of the man in blue robes. The man in blue robes felt as if struck by a force of ten thousand jun, his cheek instantly caved in. Though no blood spewed from his mouth, green light continuously seeped from his nostrils and mouth, and he was sent flying horizontally for a thousand feet. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, golden flames suddenly surged from beneath the Golden Tower, instantly spreading across Shen Luo''s legs and scorching downward. The green deathly Qi that had been on fire began to dissolve and retreat back into the vortex. However, the flames were relentless, pursuing further down and engulfing the white bone skulls. Wails of agony came from below as the raging flames rapidly dissipated the green deathly Qi. The face of the Void Ghost became increasingly insubstantial until it vanished entirely. On the other side, the guy who Shen Luo had punched back into the mountain wall, daring not to attack again, quickly merged with the stone wall. ¡°Trying to escape?¡± Shen Luo sneered, withdrew the shadow of the Treasure Pagoda shrouding his body, grasped the Six Chen Whip, shattered the Ghost Seal with a strike, and then plunged down fiercely, swinging the whip toward the stone wall. Black light erupted on the Six Chen Whip, as multiple overlapping whip shadows shot out, continuously bombarding the stone wall beside the River. The sound of ¡°rumbling¡± was incessant, with large pieces of mountain wall collapsing, yet not much dust was stirred up, and the figure of the Mountain Wall Giant Ghost had already disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo frowned slightly, but did not probe further. Instead, he turned around and pursued the man in blue robes. Having his Ghost Seal shattered by Shen Luo and already reeling from backlash, coupled with the heavy blow from Shen Luo''s fist earlier, the man in blue robes was now seriously injured. He no longer possessed his former ease and had already fled forward. Shen Luo spread his arms wide, employing his Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, and in an instant, transformed into a streak of light. The man in blue robes, sensing the intense fluctuations coming from behind, dared not look back and, in terror, plunged straight into the Styx River below. Shen Luo, catching up from behind, did not rashly enter the water but closely followed from above, carefully examining the scene. The water of the Styx River was very clear, becoming turbid only when reaching the vicinity of the Netherworld. At this moment, one could clearly see the man in blue robes racing along with the current. Along the way, the phosphorus fires in the water were collected into his sleeve, and the water ghosts he encountered were also absorbed into his body. His wounds, too, were healing at a rate visible to the naked eye. Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened, his wrist turned over, and in the palm of his hand appeared an Exquisite Pagoda. ¡°Suppress¡± With a soft shout from his mouth, his hand flipped downward. The Exquisite Pagoda on his palm immediately burst forth with a radiant divine light, plunging directly toward the man below. Concentric rings of light rippled out beneath the Pagoda, instantly repelling a great amount of water from the Styx River, and the man in blue robes was quickly revealed, forcibly pressed to the bottom of the riverbed. Seeing this, Shen Luo, using the Water Control Technique, immobilized the water of the Styx River and descended with the Six Chen Whip in hand. He pressed the long whip against the man in blue robes'' throat and asked, ¡°Who are you, and why do you block my path?¡± The man in blue robes frowned upon hearing this, but did not speak. Shen Luo knit his brows, the light on the Exquisite Pagoda pressing down on the man suddenly intensified, and a tremendous power burst forth from the tower, pressing down towards the area below. A sound of cracking bones came from the chest of the man in blue robes, and his chest caved in significantly. ¡°I am¡­ I am the water god of this Styx River,¡± the man in blue robes said, his complexion paling as he spoke hastily. ¡°The Styx River has a water god?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise. He was genuinely unaware of this. ¡°Even if the Styx River has a water god in control, now that both the Heavenly Palace and the Underworld have fallen, why are you still alive and well? And why did you attack me?¡± Shen Luo asked coldly. ¡°When the Demon Clan captured the Underworld, I was just a wandering soul. Because I helped them by leading the way, they didn''t kill me. They entrusted me with these eight hundred li of the Styx River and strictly ordered me to execute all non-demon living beings,¡± the man in blue robes explained cautiously. ¡°You received merit for leading the way for the Demon Clan?¡± A hint of killing intent flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. ¡°Celestial Immortal, please quell your anger. The Demon Clan was overwhelmingly powerful, and at the time, I was nothing but a wandering soul; how could I dare to defy them? Besides, even without me leading the way, they would have been able to invade the Underworld just the same,¡± the man in blue robes said, terribly frightened. Shen Luo furrowed his brows but did not dwell on this issue any further and continued to ask, ¡°In recent times, has there been any unrest in the Underworld?¡± ¡°Unrest¡­ Are you referring to the incident a few days ago where a group of surviving Human Immortals fled and attacked the Underworld?¡± the man in blue robes quickly responded. ¡°They attacked the Underworld; who were they?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°I¡­ I don''t know. How would I dare to join such a scene? It was that Stone Corpse Ghost who came back and talked about it. They say the leader was a very powerful white-bearded old man, and also a Bull Demon King. In any case, there were quite a number of them, and they soon defeated Lord Black Mountain¡­ no, the Black Mountain Old Demon here,¡± the man in blue robes answered after a slight hesitation. ¡°Black Mountain Old Demon?¡± Shen Luo was momentarily startled. When he had dreamt of entering the Underworld before, he had been chased by the Black Mountain Old Demon, but back then, the Black Mountain Old Demon was only at the Nascent Soul Stage; how could he be worthy of being addressed as ''Lord'' by the man before him? ¡°You are unaware, Lord. Black Mountain was originally just a Nascent Soul Stage Ghost King, but later, for reasons unknown, he gained the favor of the Demon Clan. They infused him with Chiyou''s Demonic Qi, and his cultivation level soared to the True Immortal Peak,¡± Qing Lu guessed Shen Luo''s thoughts and immediately explained. ¡°What happened after that? What became of those people?¡± Shen Luo asked, not particularly concerned about the previous topic, and continued his questioning. ¡°The Stone Corpse Ghost did not see it all, but I heard that later, more Demon Clan experts came to reinforce and drove them into the Eighteen Levels of Hell. However, which specific level they were pushed into, I truly do not know,¡± the man in blue robes said, his gaze flickering. ¡°As long as they''re not dead, that''s good¡­¡± Shen Luo felt slightly relieved at the news. ¡°Celestial Immortal, I really didn''t intend to act against you. After you gave me a minor punishment earlier, I''ve been cautiously following behind. As long as you leave the range of the Styx River, I would be considered to have completed my task. Who knew that those idiots, Stone Corpse Ghost and Dirty Skull, would actually try to capture you to seek favor from the Demon Clan? I was dragged into this and had no choice but to act. I hope you can be magnanimous and spare my life,¡± the man in blue robes said with a bitter expression. ¡°You, a dead thing, talk about a living path?¡± Shen Luo sneered. He did not believe a word the man in blue robes said; the three attackers ¡­ no, three ghosts, who had ambushed him before, with this man in blue robes as the first to detect him, looked more like he had summoned the other two to specifically lay an ambush on the road ahead. ¡°Celestial Immortal, I genuinely have no intention of opposing you. You seem to be seeking those people, am I right? I take the liberty to advise you, truly, do not go. Since the Demon Clan took over, the Underworld has been all in disorder. The Eighteen Levels of Hell are unmanaged and no one knows what they have become. Those who went in likely have little chance of good fortune. Moreover, there are powerful persons from the Middle Stage of Taiyi and even Late-stage experts stationed in the Underworld, you simply won''t be able to get in,¡± the man in blue robes earnestly advised Shen Luo, seemingly out of concern for him. Chapter 981 Chapter 981: 978 Lead the way Chapter 981: 978 Lead the way Shen Luo, upon hearing these words, had a thought, ¡°This is indeed a problem.¡± With his current strength, complemented by the Heavenly Book and the Exquisite Tower, he was able to contend with a Middle Stage Taiyi Cultivator and, at the very least, had no worries about preserving his life; however, if he encountered a master in the late stages of the Taiyi Realm, escaping would be problematic. ¡°Do you know of any way to bypass these guarding Demon Clan members and directly enter Purgatory?¡± Shen Luo stared at the Man in Blue Robes and asked. ¡°This¡­¡± The Man in Blue Robes hesitated. ¡°Speak,¡± Shen Luo said with a cold expression in his voice. ¡°To bypass the Demon Clan and directly enter Purgatory is not impossible,¡± the Man in Blue Robes said with a shiver, ¡°but such a path is extremely perilous, comparable to confronting the demons head-on, or maybe¡­ even worse than a straightforward assault.¡± ¡°Let''s hear about these dangers,¡± Shen Luo''s interest piqued, and he pressed for an answer. ¡°What you may not know, Honorable One, is that beyond the road at the end of the Styx River in the Underworld, there is a special place called ''Hell Maze.'' If one can successfully traverse this maze, they will reach Purgatory. However, within the maze lurk numerous dangers, and to blindly barge in would surely lead to a dead end. Moreover, even if one managed to get through, they would arrive at the Eighteenth Layer of Purgatory, from which leaving again would be more difficult,¡± the Man in Blue Robes explained with a distressed look on his face. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows knit together. If what he said was true, this route might indeed be even less desirable than fighting one''s way through from the Yellow Springs Road. ¡°By the way, which members of the Demon Clan currently guard the Underworld?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°I do not know the exact number of people,¡± the Man in Blue Robes said, his voice getting softer, ¡°but they are led by the Jiuming Demon Monarch, under whom are several Life and Birth Honored Ones, plus the Black Mountain Old Demon who had been previously defeated and fled¡­¡± Shen Luo felt speechless. With such a force guarding the Underworld, breaking through by force was out of the question, and sneaking in discreetly seemed hardly possible. In that case, was attempting the Hell Maze¡­ a more likely opportunity? ¡°Is there a map of this Hell Maze?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°Honorable One, do you really intend to brave this maze?¡± the Man in Blue Robes exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Is there really a map?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked. ¡°There¡­ there is one, but I do not possess it. It might be in the¡­ the Heishan Old Demon''s Cave,¡± the Man in Blue Robes hesitated to say. ¡°Where is his cave? Take me there,¡± Shen Luo demanded coldly. ¡°Honorable One, I¡­¡± The Man in Blue Robes looked bitter. ¡°Cut the chatter. Make yourself useful while you still can, or do not blame me if I unintentionally exterminate you.¡± The black light on Shen Luo''s Six Chen Whip intensified as he threatened. ¡°No, no, no¡­ My Lord, I''ll take you, I''ll take you right now,¡± the Man in Blue Robes begged for mercy. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo put away the Exquisite Tower that had been pressing down on the Man in Blue Robes and used the Six Chen Whip to lift his chin, picking him up from the ground. ¡°Do not play any tricks; you only have one chance,¡± Shen Luo said coldly. ¡°The Ghost House of the Black Mountain Old Demon is near Yellow Springs, not far from Naihe Bridge and Ghost Gate Pass. If the Honorable One goes there so rashly, it is very likely you will be discovered,¡± the Man in Blue Robes lamented cautiously. ¡°You need not worry about that. Just lead the way,¡± Shen Luo said. Having said that, a faint light flickered over his body as he activated the Seventy-two Mystical Transformations, causing all traces of his Qi to vanish, and his figure began to turn ethereal. Ghostly Qi overflowed from him, and in an instant, he transformed into the spirit of a deceased soul. Upon witnessing this, the man in blue robes rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Had he not seen Shen Luo undergo such a transformation with his own eyes, he would have found it extremely difficult to accept that the spirit before him was a result of his metamorphosis. ¡°What are you dazed about, lead the way,¡± Shen Luo chided in a low voice. The man in blue robes trembled slightly, speaking with a hint of fear, ¡°Celestial Immortal, with such a transformation art, why not just sneak in secretly yourself? Surely those of the Demon Clan might not even notice.¡± Naturally, he did not wish to guide Shen Luo; regardless of whether they were discovered or not, there was a possibility that he could lose his life. The risk was just too great, and he would rather Shen Luo proceed on his own. ¡°Enough of your prattle, it''s not hard for my transformation art to deceive a common Taiyi, but with the Nine Netherworlds¡­ Hurry up and lead the way to get the map,¡± Shen Luo huffed coldly. Although the Seventy-two Transformations were indeed powerful, Jiuming, as one of Chiyou''s generals and a main proponent of Chiyou''s revival, possessed both strength and status surpassing those of the common Twelve Distinguished Ones. There was no guarantee that he wouldn''t have some special methods or Magical Treasures. Rather than facing such a great risk, why not choose another path? Besides, as long as he got the map, wouldn''t the difficulties of the Hell Maze be easily resolved? ¡°Fine, but I hope that on the way, the Celestial Immortal will pretend to be a spirit I am guiding. Please, make no other unusual moves to avoid being discovered by others,¡± the man in blue robes, resigned to his fate, warned. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo suddenly remembered something and with a flicker of his body, he returned to his original form. ¡°Celestial Immortal, spare my life, spare my life¡­¡± The man in blue robes, thinking Shen Luo was having second thoughts, was instantly scared out of his wits. ¡°I almost forgot, there''s still a hidden threat,¡± Shen Luo said as he glanced at him. The next moment, Shen Luo''s figure vanished on the spot, and shortly after, a thunderous boom could be heard from a hundred yards away. The man in blue robes had initially thought to take the opportunity to flee but, after a brief consideration, he gave up the idea. He looked in that direction and saw the Stone Corpse Ghost''s body crushed under Shen Luo''s foot, its last bit of divine soul ground into dust, sending a shiver down his spine. ¡°That stupid Stone Corpse Ghost didn''t even run away and dared to watch from a distance¡­ Well, its head was a stone to begin with, not at all smart,¡± the man in blue robes cursed under his breath, somewhat relieved he hadn''t fled. In an instant, Shen Luo was back at his side and quickly transformed his appearance, becoming a drifting soul once again. The man in blue robes wiped the nonexistent cold sweat from his forehead and hastened to lead the way at the front. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said. The man in blue robes tensed up and turned around to look. Shen Luo casually took out a pitch-black Ghost Banner, gave it a shake, and black light surged forth as ghostly shadows emerged one by one, the very same spirits that had gathered at the Yellow River Crossing earlier. These spirits materialized above the Styx River, mostly not water ghosts who would sink into the river; hence, like Shen Luo, they floated in the Void. He whispered a few words to the man in blue robes, who nodded continuously. Seeing Shen Luo hidden among the crowd of ghosts, the man in blue robes began to form a magic spell, beckoning in the Void. An invisible force like a breeze brushed past all the spirits. The once disoriented spirits now had a faint glimmer in their eyes. Under the guidance of the man in blue robes, they drifted toward the lower current of the Styx River. Chapter 982 Chapter 982: Chapter 979: The Old Black Mountain House Chapter 982: Chapter 979: The Old Black Mountain House Shen Luo and the man in blue robes traveled more than a dozen miles along the Styx River until they were met by a procession of ghost soldiers, led by a demon man with a purple complexion. Upon seeing someone approaching, the man in blue robes was initially delighted, but then somewhat disappointed; he was well aware that a Demon Clan member in the middle stage of True Immortalhood was no match for Shen Luo. ¡°Qing Lu, who was fighting upstream just now?¡± the demon man asked rudely upon seeing them. ¡°It was that fool Stone Corpse Ghost. He saw me leading quite a few lost souls and wanted to snatch them to feed, but I gave him a beating and drove him off,¡± the man in blue replied, following Shen Luo''s instructions. ¡°Fighting over scraps like stray dogs¡­ Let me tell you, those guys in Purgatory can''t hold on anymore and are itching to escape. Lord Black Mountain has also already gone to provide support. You fellows had better keep a good watch over the Styx River; otherwise, if any issues arise, there will be hell to pay,¡± the demon man said disdainfully upon hearing this. ¡°Understood,¡± the man in blue responded with a bowed head and clenched fist, his teeth secretly gritted. Seeing this, the demon man paid him no further attention and continued upstream with his retinue of ghost soldiers. As they faded into the distance, Qing Lu remained silent and continued to lead a large group of ghosts towards the Netherworld. After about half an hour, the current in front began to slow, and the waters of the Styx River became murkier and murkier. Shen Luo looked into the distance from within the crowd of ghosts and saw a lake of considerable size ahead in the river. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the center of the lake, there was a yellow-brown vortex with boiling yellow soup swirling inside, whence strong spiritual power fluctuations emanated. ¡°The Netherworld has arrived¡­¡± Amid his confusion, he heard Qing Lu speak, ¡°Celestial Immortal, that Ghost House by the Netherworld is the residence of the Black Mountain Old Demon. He was supposed to be recovering from his injuries there after being hurt by that group of people. Judging by the looks of things, though, he seems to have been called away recently as well.¡± ¡°I don''t need you to tell me that; I heard about it earlier. But to be safe, you go first to his mansion to inquire. I want to double-check,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°Celestial Immortal, I''m not well acquainted with Lord Black Mountain, nor do I have a direct relationship with him. If I go rashly, I fear¡­¡± Qing Lu hesitated upon hearing this. ¡°If he''s not in the mansion right now, you can just go to verify. You''re unwilling to even do that; could it be that there is some deceit involved?¡± Shen Luo''s tone grew colder. ¡°Dare not! Be assured, Celestial Immortal, there is absolutely no deceit. Please wait a moment, I''ll verify right away,¡± Qing Lu immediately responded. ¡°No rush, I''ll go with you,¡± Shen Luo said, detaching himself from the group of ghosts to follow behind Qing Lu. ¡°Yes,¡± Qing Lu cursed inwardly but didn''t dare to speak out of line. He had no choice but to wave his hand, prompting all the ghosts to proceed to the Netherworld on their own while he and Shen Luo disembarked, drifting toward the lakeside Ghost House. The big gate of the Ghost House was tightly closed with no guards outside. Above the blood-red big gate, hung two white lanterns with ¡°Black Mountain¡± written on them, giving off an eerie, gloomy aura. ¡°Water ghost of the Styx River, Qing Lu, seeks an audience with Lord Black Mountain,¡± Qing Lu called out in front of the gates. Inside the mansion, silence prevailed, with no one responding. Frowning slightly, Qing Lu, with no other choice, called out two more times before the blood-red big gate creaked open slowly. An old man with a hunched back emerged from within the gate; his face was pale as ash, deeply wrinkled, and looked extremely dry. Shen Luo''s gaze was deep and masked the brilliance that should have been present. He surveyed the old man and noticed not only the deeply wrinkled skin on his face but also the creased garments on his body, looking crumpled and worn. ¡°The master is not here; go back,¡± the hunched-back old man said, his voice as dry as the rest of him and devoid of any emotional fluctuations. ¡°Then I shall take my leave¡­¡± Before Qing Lu had finished speaking, a figure had already flashed past him in a blink of an eye. The next instant, a crack tore open from the top of the old man''s head straight to his feet, splitting him in two. A palm then burst through the old man''s cleft torso, seizing a talisman that had just started burning at one corner, enveloping it in a layer of golden light, trapping it within the palm. The talisman, now shrouded in golden light, seemed to freeze in place; although the fire hadn''t completely died out, it stopped spreading. Qing Lu''s mouth hung open slightly, surprised by Shen Luo''s sudden move, but also feeling fortunate he had not made any foolish moves himself, otherwise Shen Luo could indeed kill him instantly before he could even sound the alarm. What surprised him even more was that the hunched-over old man torn apart by Shen Luo''s hand didn''t bleed or release any spiritual power; instead, he instantly turned into two paper effigies that began to burn on their own. ¡°Paper puppets¡­ I had heard Lord Black Mountain was suspicious by nature, but to think that even the people in his mansion are puppets,¡± Qing Lu couldn''t help but mutter. Shen Luo waved his hand to gather all the ashes and secured the reporting talisman before grabbing Qing Lu and darting into the Black Mountain Old Demon''s Ghost House. Once inside, Shen Luo didn''t act immediately, but instead, his eyes condensed as he activated his Golden Fire Eyes, scanning the surroundings. ¡°As expected, there''s an array,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. In his vision, the courtyard in front of him was covered with various symbols and formation flags. Some were obvious, meant to attract attention, while others were more concealed, set to awaken Lord Black Mountain at the slightest touch. However, all of these couldn''t escape the sight of the Golden Fire Eyes. Shen Luo, clasping Qing Lu as if he were holding a chicken, leapt and dodged swiftly through the courtyard, avoiding all the formation setups, and soon crossed the courtyard. There were many paper puppets and hidden arrangements in the courtyard as well, all of which he effortlessly evaded, quickly arriving in front of a tower lit with Ghost Head Lamps in the Inner Courtyard. ¡°Lord Black Mountain usually resides here,¡± said Qing Lu. Shen Luo, who had reverted to his original appearance, quickly discovered a secret chamber in the tower after a sweep with his Golden Fire Eyes. After entering the room, Shen Luo immediately came to the side of a black stone writing desk in the Inner hall, which was holding an incense burner. He turned it a few times and opened a hidden door behind the desk, all under Qing Lu''s astonished gaze. As the hidden door was revealed, Shen Luo didn''t rush in but instead stretched out his hand to perform a magic spell, using his mana to condense sharp spikes, embedding them one by one in certain spots beside the hidden door. Then, a layer of flowing light rippled over the entrance of the hidden door, and an invisible force dissolved along with it. Only then did Shen Luo flash in with Qing Lu. The secret chamber was not large; it appeared to be Black Mountain Old Demon''s usual cultivation space. The room''s furnishings were simple¨Cbesides a straw cushion for meditation, there was only a black wood shelf with several bottles and jars on it. Shen Luo swept his gaze over them and noticed that most of the things had traces of deathly qi, which seemed to aid in the cultivation of the Ghost Path and were of no use to him; by contrast, Qing Lu was eyeing them with great interest. At that moment, his gaze fell on a wooden box placed at the top of the wooden frame. He reached out into the void, and the box flew into his hands. There was no trick to the wooden box, as if the Black Mountain Old Demon hadn''t thought the contents inside were of importance. After examining for a while, Shen Luo lifted the lid, revealing an ancient scroll made of an unknown race''s hide within. ¡°Celestial Immortal, this should be it,¡± said Qing Lu, leaning in and taking a glance at the scroll inside the box, speaking somewhat ingratiatingly. Chapter 983 Chapter 983: Chapter 980: Discovered Chapter 983: Chapter 980: Discovered ¡°Take it yourself if you''re not afraid that Black Mountain has tampered with the things on the wooden frame,¡± Shen Luo said casually. Although he had received Shen Luo''s approval, Qing Lu hesitated after hearing what he had said. Shen Luo didn''t bother with him and took out the leather scroll to open it, only to see a very complicated map etched on it like a tattoo, with thousands of intersecting lines. On the side of the map, there were ancient seal characters that read ¡°Hell Labyrinth Map.¡± Shen Luo stared at the map and examined it carefully, his brows inevitably furrowing. The map was meticulously drawn, not sloppily at all. However, it didn''t seem to indicate the correct path to follow; it seemed more like a map of the terrain distribution. Moreover, the layers of the map were very complex. At a glance, Shen Luo saw dozens of intersections with lines crisscrossing intricately, like a spider web. He was about to take a closer look when his expression suddenly changed. ¡°We''ve been discovered¡­¡± Before he could warn Qing Lu, who was still indecisive, a howling wind echoed from outside, and the already dim and lightless sky turned even more gloomy. With a ¡°Boom!¡± a loud thud, a figure heavily landed in the center of the Ghost Manor Courtyard. Shen Luo put away the Hell Labyrinth Map, turned, and walked out of the secret chamber. After a moment of hesitation, Qing Lu, still in conflict, decided to toughen up and swept up all the things on the wooden frame, taking them with him. ¡°I''m dead either way this time. What the hell¡­¡± he muttered under his breath, then took the initiative to catch up with Shen Luo. Just as he caught up with Shen Luo, he saw a tall dark silhouette rushing out of the front courtyard. ¡°Celestial Immortal, do not entangle with him. Once the Nine Netherworld comes, it''ll be too late¡­¡± Shen Luo looked back at Qing Lu, surprised that he would offer a warning. ¡°Here, I''ve been biting my tongue for more than a day or two. With the Celestial Immortal stirring up such a fuss, I practically have no way out anyway. I just ask the Celestial Immortal to take me with you; I can be of use on the road,¡± Qing Lu said with a resigned expression. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then with a sweep of his sleeve, he half-constrained, half-dragged Qing Lu and took off into the sky. ¡°Where do you think you''re going¡­¡± An enraged roar came from below, and the yellow clouds in the sky billowed and churned tumultuously. A huge, distorted ghost face emerged, nearly identical to the one Shen Luo had seen that year. At this moment, the aura emanating from this ghost face was far stronger than before. The rolling Demonic Qi it emitted already overwhelmed Qing Lu. Although both were at the True Immortal Stage, with a slight difference in minor realms, the disparity in strength between them was as vast as that between clouds and mud. However, Shen Luo was no longer the one who could only flee in panic that year, who could only survive by the sacrifice of the Soul Hook Horse Face. If he didn''t want to waste time here, he even felt like killing the Black Mountain Old Demon on the spot. Shen Luo clenched his fist, silently channeling the Huangting Divin Power, his Mana surging throughout his body, a golden jade gloss faintly visible around him. Accompanied by a resonant Dragon Chant, he threw a punch towards the ferocious ghost face. A golden dragon shadow seemed to swim up from his spine, rushing along his arm and transforming into a golden fist shadow that smashed into the middle of the ghost face. ¡°Boom¡±¨Ca thunderous explosion resounded. High above, a golden sun burst apart, with ten thousand rays of golden light bursting forth, instantly tearing apart that ferocious ghost face. The rolling yellow clouds were also smashed open, creating a huge gap as if even the heavens had split asunder. Just as the Black Mountain Old Demon had leaped into the air attempting to catch up, he was immediately severely injured, spurting fresh blood as he fell back down. Qing Lu, being dragged behind by Shen Luo, also watched this scene in shock. Shen Luo had merely punched through the air to break the Old Demon''s magical powers, and the backlash alone had caused such severe damage to him. Shen Luo, however, did not bother with this as he pulled Qing Lu out of the void shrouded by the yellow clouds. No sooner had the two of them flown out when Shen Luo''s heart shook violently. A formidable and ancient power bore down on them as a black hand, a hundred feet in size, crashed down upon them from above. ¡°Not good, Nine Netherworlds is coming¡­¡± cried Qing Lu with almost a sob in his voice. Shen Luo let out a roar, his body shining brilliantly with golden light as a golden tower shadow emerged and directly met the enormous hand from above. ¡°Boom¡±¨Ca muffled sound. The golden tower shadow violently shook, and even with its obstruction, a vast and boundless force like an ocean, still bore down relentlessly, continuously pressing upon Shen Luo and Qing Lu. Shen Luo''s body radiated with golden light as he steadfastly faced the massive force. The powerful wind pressure squeezed his clothing tightly against his body, and even his facial skin trembled slightly. Qing Lu below him was even less able to withstand it, the corners of his mouth oozing fresh blood, feeling as though his divine soul were shaking. The entire golden tower, along with Shen Luo and Qing Lu, was forced back down by this immense pressure. Seeing this, the Black Mountain Old Demon hurriedly followed them. Shen Luo twisted his wrist, and the SeAnchoring Iron Rod was immediately in his hand, ready to strike out. From beside him came the faint voice of Qing Lu, ¡°Celestial Immortal, do not fight with brute force; the Netherworld is also one of the entrances to the Underworld Labyrinth, let''s go that way.¡± Shen Luo glanced upwards to see a dark silhouette shooting through the void, rapidly descending towards him. After a brief hesitation, he raised his hand and threw Qing Lu towards the yellow vortex in the center of the lake. ¡°I¡­¡± Qing Lu cursed silently to himself, but felt somewhat helpless as well. At this moment, he was firmly bound to Shen Luo, and without following him, he only had one path left: death. The instant Shen Luo threw Qing Lu, his figure spun, waving the SeAnchoring Iron Rod in his hand. He struck out wildly in all directions with the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique, creating stick shadows that solidified without dispersing in the void, continuously emerging and merging. As the silhouette of Nine Netherworlds was about to land, all the stick shadows finally merged into one, transforming into a solid, rolling golden light giant rod, fusing with the rod in Shen Luo''s hands and striking out with a sky-scorching might. The golden stick shadow surged towards the sky, and the air around seemed to be vacuumed out instantaneously, with gusts of wind madly rushing towards Shen Luo. The Black Mountain Old Demon, who had been planning to ambush Shen Luo, was also swept up by this power and uncontrollably dashed towards Shen Luo. The golden stick shadow collided with the descending figure, instantly bursting like the sun at high noon, radiating thousands of rays of light. ¡°Boom¡±¨Camidst the explosive sound, the golden stick shadow shattered first. However, the unstoppable momentum erupted once more, forcibly sending the true body of Nine Netherworlds flying thousands of feet away. At the same time, although Shen Luo too was shaken by the impact, the ground under his feet cracked completely, revealing traces resembling a turtle shell, but he managed to catch the Black Mountain Old Demon as he was drawn in front of him and punched down with a fist. The punch, wrapped in golden light, did not fully utilize the power of the Huangting Technique. Nevertheless, it still caused half of the Black Mountain Old Demon''s body to burst open, directly embedding him in the ground below. Chapter 984 Chapter 984: Chapter 981: Entering the Netherworld Chapter 984: Chapter 981: Entering the Netherworld When Shen Luo wanted to land another punch to completely annihilate the Black Mountain Old Demon, a roaring sound came from behind him. He had no time to think more, using Slanting Moon Steps to dodge swiftly without looking back, and immediately executed the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, appearing above the yellow vortex in the center of the lake. At this moment, Qing Lu was surrounded by thousands of souls in the middle of the vortex, vigorously waving at him. Shen Luo dived headfirst, and the moment he fell into the Netherworld, he felt a lightness in his body and was immediately horrified. His divine soul started to separate from his flesh the instant it hit the Netherworld, with his body plummeting deeper into the vortex, while his soul floated on the water. Just when he thought Qing Lu had set him up, he heard him shouting loudly, ¡°Celestial Immortal, the Netherworld cleanses the soul and does not carry the flesh. Hurry, let your soul return to your body and grab onto me. As we sink together, we will be able to reach the Hell Maze below.¡± Shen Luo, not caring whether it was true or false, immediately attracted his divine soul, repelled the waters of the Netherworld with the Water Control Technique, grabbed Qing Lu, and began to fall. The instant he caught up with his body, they merged. Just then, a thick black light fell from the sky above, slamming heavily into the Netherworld. With a ¡°boom¡±, the black light exploded, causing the Netherworld to churn, and in an instant, the thousands of souls floating on the water were swept away, completely annihilated, their souls scattered. Beneath the Netherworld, the figures of Shen Luo and Qing Lu had already disappeared. By the lake''s edge, the figure of Nine Netherworlds slowly descended, glancing at the cracked pit next to him; the Black Mountain Old Demon''s shattered body was slowly healing itself, with a particularly sinister look in his eyes. ¡°Someone¡­¡± Nine Netherworlds gave a low shout. ¡°My lord.¡± Seven or eight silhouettes arrived belatedly, prostrating themselves before him. ¡°Lock down all the exits of the maze. The moment you detect those guys, report it immediately,¡± Nine Netherworlds ordered. Upon hearing this, they all replied in unison, ¡°Understood.¡± Elsewhere, Shen Luo, with Qing Lu in tow, kept falling, as if through a long and dark passageway, until they finally fell out of the Netherworld. The place where they landed was a barren plain, surrounded by red soil for thousands of miles, not a blade of grass in sight. Shen Luo looked up at the sky and saw a spiral vortex in the void above slowly disappearing, with the aura of the Netherworld dissipating bit by bit. He glanced at Qing Lu, pale-faced beside him, took out the Hell Labyrinth Map, and began to examine it. The map''s divided areas were many, and the terrain was very complex, with mountains, trenches, canyons, and swamps, resembling a continent. Shen Luo studied it for a while but could not identify their current location. At this time, Qing Lu also leaned in, looking at the map with a grave face for a long time before pointing to a small area in the lower right corner and saying, ¡°Celestial Immortal, we might be here.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo looked and saw that the red area was no larger than a fingernail. He agreed with Qing Lu''s theory. The size of the scroll was limited; it did not depict the entire expanse of red soil, meaning they had not actually entered the maze yet. ¡°Let''s go, we''ll head to the Swamp of Desire and see,¡± Shen Luo put away the map and, grabbing Qing Lu once more, rose into the air and flew toward a swamp next to the red soil area. Soon, the two flew to the edge of the red soil region, but before they could see the swamp, they first came upon a grey cloud wall towering tens of thousands of feet high, standing in front of them. Shen Luo''s mind stirred, and his Divine Sense immediately probed towards the cloud wall, and, as expected, it was repelled. He brought Qing Lu to the edge of the cloud wall and descended, his eyes focused and a golden light ignited, using the Golden Fire Eyes divine ability to scrutinize the inside once more. This time, he wasn''t completely blocked and managed to see an area of about thirty feet in radius. The ground within was obscured by black water, with large quantities of green-black water plants floating on the surface. Every so often, there was a black floating island, but they too were covered with black mud. ¡°Celestial Immortal, it''s said that the Swamp of Desire is permeated with a poisonous miasma that can bewitch the spirit and soul, causing one to experience illusions of desire. This matter is unrelated to realm, but connected solely to the strength of the divine soul. Even some Taoyi Immortals find it difficult to withstand,¡± Qing Lu cautiously reminded him. Shen Luo had some confidence in the strength of his divine soul and, having the Golden Fire Eyes divine ability, felt no worries. He took the lead and stepped into the swamp, and Qing Lu had no choice but to steel himself and follow. The grey cloud wall seemed to soar into the clouds, yet it wasn''t very thick. Shen Luo walked only about a dozen yards before passing through it. Upon entering the swamp, the view suddenly became clear, free from any shrouding mist, and the area hundreds of miles ahead was fully revealed, identical to what they had seen from the outside. ¡°It doesn''t seem to have any special features¡­¡± After entering, Qing Lu also showed a puzzled face. No sooner had he spoken than a strange look flashed in his eyes, and immediately, he began to walk forward as if his soul had left his body, step by step towards the front. ¡°Has he been hit by it already?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo knitted his brow slightly. His divine soul immediately spread out and, in the instant it enveloped Qing Lu, the scenery before his own eyes suddenly changed. It appeared as if a layer of white light had spread around, and the once desolate swamp was replaced by a bustling market street. ¡°Crack-crackle¡± A series of firecrackers exploded, instantly turning the previously silent scene lively with cheers and applause resounding all around, and the streets on both sides swarmed with crowds. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the end of the alley, a grand mansion stood with dozens of men and women, old and young, in front, all beaming with joy. And now, Qing Lu was no longer in a green shirt, but in a red robe, riding a Black Horse, even sporting a silk red Safflower on his chest. People were clearing the way for him, ringing gongs and loudly announcing, ¡°The top scholar returns home, clothed in glory and honor.¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, was Qing Lu once a scholarly laureate? But he quickly realized that this scene of the laureate returning home was nothing more than his fantasy, his obsession. In reality, Qing Lu was indeed a scholar but after a decade of taking exams and repeatedly failing, he ended up embittered. He drowned himself in the Jing River outside Chang''an City, becoming a water ghost. Shen Luo watched for a moment and was about to awaken Qing Lu when someone suddenly grasped his arm, and his arm also bumped into something soft. He focused his gaze and immediately turned his head to look, but couldn''t help but pause. ¡°Cousin, where shall we go today?¡± The person snuggling against his side, smiling beautifully, was none other than Nie Caizhu. ¡°Cai Zhu, how could you¡­¡± Shen Luo''s heart trembled. ¡°What are you startled at? Are you envious of someone else''s successful examination?¡± Nie Caizhu asked with a laugh. At her words, Shen Luo looked ahead once more, only to see that nothing had changed there; the noise was as loud as ever, with Qing Lu having already reached the mansion''s gate, dismounting from the horse, and kowtowing to his parents. He knew very well that the scene before him must be an illusion, yet couldn''t understand why he was also affected? As he was pondering, Qing Lu stood up and by chance glanced in his direction, a trace of confusion crossing his face. Chapter 985 Chapter 985: Chapter 982: Like a Dream, Like an Illusion Chapter 985: Chapter 982: Like a Dream, Like an Illusion ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Shen Luo heard this soft call and couldn''t help but frown deeply, he grasped ¡°Nie Caizhu¡±''s wrist tightly, his eyes flickering with golden light as he stared intently at her. Under the enhancement of his Golden Fire Eyes, Shen Luo saw that the ¡°Nie Caizhu¡± standing before him was entirely made up of strands and threads of golden light, and above her head was a thicker strand of light extending outward, connecting directly to his own forehead. Suddenly, a chill came up from under his feet. Looking down, he saw that his feet had sunk into the mud, and beneath the swamp, a strange force wrapped around his legs, pulling him downward. Shen Luo moved his legs slightly and found that the force wasn''t very strong, so he didn''t rush to pull them out but turned to look towards Qing Lu instead. Unlike Shen Luo''s initial plight in the swamp, half of Qing Lu''s body was already submerged, yet a joyously self-satisfied smile remained on his face, completely unaware of the danger he was in. The silhouettes of buildings surrounding them still hadn''t disappeared; golden threads extended from them, all connecting to the center of Qing Lu''s forehead. At the same time, obvious fluctuations of soul power were emanating from Qing Lu''s body. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo instantly realized that the poisonous miasma within the Swamp of Desire seemed harmless to the body but could trigger the divine soul. The slightest carelessness could lead to the leakage of soul power in the person who ventured deep within, creating illusory visions based on their thoughts and desires. The maintenance of these illusions relied entirely on the soul power of the controlled person, the more complex the envisioned scenes, the more soul power was consumed, the deeper the person sank into the swamp. Once the soul power was completely drained, the controlled person''s divine soul could no longer sustain itself, leading to its collapse and disappearance, and the person would then be completely swallowed by the swamp, utterly eradicated from Heaven and Earth. ¡°If this continues, this guy won''t be able to last much longer.¡± Shen Luo''s brows knit slightly. Without another glance at ¡°Nie Caizhu¡± beside him, he lifted his hand and swiped across his forehead, severing the golden thread connected to his brow. With the link to his divine soul cut off, the image of ¡°Nie Caizhu¡± became ethereal and began to fade, and the golden light within her dissipated until it vanished. Immediately after, Shen Luo''s thoughts moved, and the Huangting Technique within him began to operate. His legs shook violently, shattering the strange force ensnaring his feet. With a nimble jump, he freed himself from the fetters. Afterward, he remained vigilant of his divine sense as he quickly caught up to Qing Lu and leaned down to place a hand on his shoulder. In the illusion, just as Qing Lu was about to step through the gates of his family mansion, surrounded by his family, he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw a blurry figure pulling at him, and his brows furrowed, about to shout in anger. However, Shen Luo saw that Qing Lu''s eyes had become extremely dim. His body, being that of a Ghost Immortal, also seemed to grow faint, a clear sign of excessive soul power depletion. Shen Luo quickly severed the link to his divine soul and pointed to Qing Lu''s forehead, sealing off the leaking soul power. Qing Lu only saw a flash before his eyes, the figures of his family began to warp, and the buildings around them started to crumble away, turning to dust and dispersing. ¡°No, don''t go, please don''t leave¡­¡± He was unable to wake from the illusion immediately and kept shouting desperately. ¡°Wake up!¡± Shen Luo suddenly bellowed, as if executing the Buddhist Lion''s Roar. Qing Lu felt a shock in his Sea of Knowledge, his pupils abruptly contracting, and at last, he was fully awakened. He had just tried to move when he realized that over half of his body had already sunk into the swamp, with only his chest and above still exposed outside. ¡°Celestial Immortal, this¡­¡± Qing Lu struggled while shouting. ¡°Don''t flail, you just fell into an illusion and nearly exhausted your divine soul to death. I''m pulling you out now,¡± Shen Luo said in a low voice. At the sound of his voice, Qing Lu noticed that there were dots of golden light dissipating around him. Feeling the familiar breath emanating from them, he vaguely guessed something. ¡°Celestial Immortal, can this swamp absorb the power of one''s divine sense?¡± he asked, steadying his spirit. ¡°Correct. However, those with firm wills or strong divine souls can remain unaffected. Although you are a Ghost Immortal who specializes in cultivating ghosts, your will is not firm, and you had too many obsessions in life. That''s why you fell into the illusion. I have temporarily sealed your divine soul,¡± Shen Luo explained. Shen Luo''s own willpower was indeed hundreds of times more steadfast than Qing Lu''s, and his divine soul was also strong enough. He should not have fallen into the illusion, but when he probed the latter''s divine soul, he gave the miasma an opportunity to lead out his divine sense power as well. ¡°Thank you for saving my life, Celestial Immortal.¡± At this moment, Qing Lu''s complexion could no longer be described as pale; it showed signs of becoming translucent. He hurriedly expressed his gratitude. ¡°No need for more words. I''ll pull you out in a moment. You should also circulate your mana to your lower body and try to cooperate with me in repelling that entangling power,¡± Shen Luo said. Without saying anything more, Qing Lu just nodded emphatically. Shen Luo immediately crouched down, one hand pressing on the moist ground of the swamp, the other grabbing Qing Lu''s shoulder, and suddenly shouted: ¡°Now, rise!¡± As his words sounded, the palm on the ground formed a gesture, operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique. He stirred the water within the swamp to violently agitate, surging towards the sky above the surface, and the arm that had grabbed Qing Lu''s shoulder manifested flaked golden scales, with fingers instantly turning into a dragon claw, powerfully lifting upward. A dull ¡°boom¡± came from underground. A surge of black water waves shot up into the sky, with Qing Lu''s figure enveloped within, directly flying into high altitude. ¡°Could I have guessed wrong¡­¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows at the sight. Before his thoughts could settle, the ground of the swamp that just sent up the water waves suddenly trembled violently, and a massive figure arched out of the ground, flipping the mud over for hundreds of feet around. It opened its massive maw, aiming to swallow both Shen Luo and Qing Lu above. Escape light flashed on Shen Luo''s body, and he had already rushed up into the sky a hundred feet high. Only then did he clearly see the silhouette of the giant beast. It was a huge black catfish monster spirit. As its massive maw opened wide, billows of black fog spewed out from its mouth. The moment Shen Luo touched it even slightly, his sea of knowledge stirred tumultuously and a force of divine sense involuntarily leaked out from his forehead. And Qing Lu in midair looked even paler. His body, like a sieve, had streams of divine sense power flowing out intermittently, like wisps of smoke, dispersing and extending towards the surroundings. If this continued, he wouldn''t even need the catfish monster spirit to swallow him; his ghostly body would cease to exist. Chapter 986 Chapter 986: Chapter 983 Ruin Kun Chapter 986: Chapter 983 Ruin Kun ¡°Evil Beast, seeking death,¡± Shen Luo uttered a low shout. A flash of golden light appeared in front of him as a heavenly book materialized, from which streaks of rosy light flew out towards the ground below, absorbing all the black fog that could induce the dispersion of divine souls. At the same time, Shen Luo''s wrist turned, and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod appeared in the palm of his hand. He grasped the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, plummeted downwards, and swung the long stick in mid-air. It buzzed without end, hundreds of golden rod shadows converging and smashing down towards the head of the catfish demon. The golden rod shadow smashed down with a thunderous crash, striking the massive head of the catfish demon squarely, yet without making the slightest noise. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo felt a void beneath his stick, as the golden rod shadow seemed to hit a void, piercing through the body of the catfish demon without any resistance, cutting from head to tail in its path. ¡°Transforming into Emptiness¡­¡± Shen Luo said, slightly surprised. ¡°Celestial Immortal, that thing is not a catfish demon, it is a Ruin Kun. It can transform between illusion and reality; once you fall into its belly, it will undoubtedly switch from illusion to reality and trap you inside,¡± Qing Lu''s voice came from a distance, sounding extremely urgent. Shen Luo was inwardly alarmed. If it wasn''t for Qing Lu''s reminder, he almost failed to recognize this creature. It was said that those who died following their destiny would enter the Underworld for judgment of their deeds in life, then be reborn into the Six Paths of Reincarnation. However, those who died untimely or wrongful deaths, with resentment that could not be dissipated after death, would not enter the cycle of reincarnation. Instead, they would become wandering ghosts until their souls dispersed. Yet these dispersed souls didn''t vanish completely, merely drifting in the Yinning Land like fluff, until over time, a large mass of fragmented souls, mixed with thoughts of greed, anger, ignorance, and resentment, coalesced into one, and attaching to the corpse of a mystical Kun, transformed into a ¡°Ruin Kun.¡± This fierce ghost roamed between the land of the living and Yinning, its aura capable of soul-snatching and capturing souls irrespective of man, ghost, celestial, or demon. It devoured their bodies, and each of its appearances in the world caused a disaster. It was said that later, it was Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, accompanied by the Divine Beast Listener, who fought against it for eighty-one days, finally defeating it. Unfortunately, it could not be killed and ultimately had to be suppressed in a location within Yinning. And it seemed that this Hell Maze was where it had been suppressed. Just as Shen Luo''s body was about to penetrate the illusory body of the Ruin Kun, his arms shone with a golden and silver gloss, and the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique was activated in an instant. His figure suddenly vanished from the spot. Qing Lu only felt a blur before his eyes, and then only he and the Ruin Kun were left in this heaven and earth. The Ruin Kun, realizing that Shen Luo had disappeared, returned to its solid form and made a strange sound from its mouth. A layer of sound waves, difficult to detect with the naked eye, then rippled from its body, spreading out in all directions. Qing Lu was shaken by this sound, and his already precarious soul almost shattered in an instant, splitting into three weak parts, each on the verge of dissipating. However, in the instant the sound waves ceased, a golden light suddenly shone in the high altitude, and an Exquisite Pagoda swiftly grew in midair, transforming into a hundred feet tall structure, crashing down from the skydome. With a thunderous rumble! The hundred-feet-tall tower smashed heavily onto the back of the Ruin Kun, pressing it from the high altitude straight down into the swamp. Shen Luo''s figure emerged from the void, with fingers pinched into a hand-sign, chanting under his breath. As his chant continued, waves of golden array patterns rippled on the Exquisite Pagoda, containing powerful forces of suppression and prohibition, pushing the Ruin Kun''s form down continuously. Afterward, with a sweep of his robe, the three fragmented souls of Qing Lu merged back into one and were pulled in front of him by Shen Luo. This moment, Qing Lu became even weaker. He opened his mouth, but could no longer make a sound. Shen Luo lifted his hand to press against his brow, a thread of mana seeping in to help him stabilize his divine soul. Once he was able to emit a faint fluctuation of Divine Sense, Shen Luo stopped, and placed him in his sleeve. After he had taken care of everything, he looked down again, his brows furrowed tightly. On the ground below, only a solitary tower, a hundred feet high, was half-submerged in a swamp, and the figure of Ruin Kun had disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo waved his hand, and the Exquisite Pagoda rapidly shrank, flying back into his hand. ¡°This is no place to stay for long. I must leave quickly,¡± he thought, and a silver and gold light brightened on his arms as his figure shot away in an instant. However, having flown only a thousand feet, Shen Luo''s heart suddenly sounded an alarm. A sense of extreme danger enveloped him. With a shake of his arms, his body made a ninety-degree turn in midair, speeding off in another direction. But at the moment he turned away, his head was suddenly covered by dark clouds, and a black shadow appeared beneath his feet. The two merged, closing in on him from above and below. Shen Luo was greatly alarmed and somehow had entered the mouth of the Ruin Kun without realizing it. At the same time, the airflow behind him changed dramatically, a massive black vortex spun wildly, emanating waves of powerful swallowing force. Despite his Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill, it hook his body, preventing his escape. Seeing no way to escape, Shen Luo threw out his hand, and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod instantly glowed with golden light, transforming into a stout iron pillar, beginning to grow rapidly. Unfortunately, just as the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod had managed to extend a mere dozen feet, the swallowing force from the vortex pulled it in, sucking it straight into the midst. Shen Luo hurried to shrink and retract the rod, but it was too late. The Iron Rod flew uncontrollably away, and he too was caught by the force and pulled into the vortex. The moment he entered the black vortex, Shen Luo immediately felt a throbbing pain in his head, as waves of chaotic and powerful divine soul power crazily rushed into his Sea of Knowledge, assaulting his divine soul. In the vision of the tiny figure in his Sea of Knowledge, he saw blood qi spreading from all directions, seemingly carrying legions of soldiers, condensing into blood-red figures and blood beasts, rushing towards him. All around, it seemed as if earth-shattering cries of battle were echoing, mixed with countless sounds of despair. Those blood figures and beasts appeared both as aggressors and victims, continuously collapsing and reforming as they rushed towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s divine soul was on edge, his divine sense power fully unleashed, radiating ripples of golden light, forming waves of shockwaves that surged outwards. The golden waves clashed with the blood qi in the sky, both briefly pausing, locked in a stalemate. But then, an even more unbearable searing pain afflicted Shen Luo''s divine soul. The divine sense power he was dispersing was being eroded and consumed rapidly. Each collision with the blood qi felt as if he was being bitten by wild beasts. What was even more unbearable was that with the continuous infection of this bloody breath, more and more memories that were not his own appeared in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. In a trance, he saw a city fall, countless demons crossing the City Wall, biting and tearing apart the monks and soldiers guarding it, a scene of extreme bloodshed. In the blink of an eye, he saw a residence being plundered by famine victims, the entire household lying in pools of blood. On one side were road-side piles of corpses stacked like mountains, with dark putrid fluid running across the ground. On the other side was the Corpse Pile, the heads of the dead level with the city walls, the place thick with crows covering the sky, a chaotic throng of wild dogs vying for scraps. The cries of battle in the sky gradually twisted, turning into desperate shouts. Some laughed sinisterly, some whispered timid prayers, and some cried out ¡°hungry¡­¡± Chapter 987 Chapter 987: Chapter 984: Ksitigarbha King Chapter 987: Chapter 984: Ksitigarbha King Shen Luo''s Divine Sense became increasingly chaotic, and before his eyes, there seemed to be a layer of blood-red gloom, as if shrouded in haze. Through the murkiness, he saw a figure of a little girl with thin, straw-like hair, staggering towards a wooden-faced, emaciated middle-aged man. The little girl''s cracked lips parted and moved as though she were calling out ¡°Daddy,¡± but the middle-aged man remained expressionless. He slowly drew a sharp knife from behind his back, its blade stained with black blood and faintly gleaming with a cold light. Next to him, in a soot-blackened iron pot, yellow soup churned and bubbled. ¡°No, this cannot be¡­¡± Shen Luo watched the man''s Adam''s apple move once, and the sharp knife in his hand inched towards the little girl''s shriveled chest. His last reserves of rationality finally began to lose control. The next instant, the blood-colored tide raging around him suddenly surged double in size. The golden light that had been able to resist it to some extent instantly collapsed, and Shen Luo''s divine sense power was overwhelmed, forced into retreat. His Sea of Knowledge was completely stained with blood, the divine soul I was frozen in place, unable to move, and half of his body was already covered in blood. Moreover, copious amounts of blood-qi continued to surge upwards, spreading towards his head. Only his body maintained the position of reaching out an arm, attempting to stop what was happening. ¡°To maintain compassion at a time like this is a mark of great goodness,¡± a sighed voice wafted over at that moment. As Shen Luo''s divine soul was on the verge of falling, his divine sense suddenly saw a dim yellow light ignite before him, slowly drifting his way. The light was small as a bean yet shone undiminished amidst the blood-filled heavens. It was not only unaffected by the corruption but also had the power to repel it, creating a barrier that kept the surging blood-qi at bay. As the tiny light drew closer, the blood-qi around it dispersed slightly, and the blood color on Shen Luo''s body receded to his waist. His divine sense regained a trace of lucidity, and he saw that the approaching entity was not a light, but a figure shrouded in white light. The figure appeared to be of old age, not tall, with thin cheeks, and a pair of bushy white eyebrows that laid over tranquil, clear eyes. He had an unimposing nose and modest lips, portraying an image of kindness and benevolence. He wore a red kasaya and a Pilu crown upon his head, resembling the garb of a monk. ¡°Who are you, Benefactor, and how have you fallen into this Hell Maze?¡± The High Monk stood before him and asked. Shen Luo''s brows were tightly knitted; he did not answer. This High Monk''s sudden appearance within his Sea of Knowledge was indeed very strange, and Shen Luo even worried that he might be an embodiment of the Ruin Kun''s divine soul, intentionally harming him. ¡°One should be cautious indeed. I see that your divine soul bears traces of the Huangting Technique. Could it be that you originate from Mount Fangcun?¡± The High Monk seemed not to mind the silence and continued to inquire. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo, who had been reluctant to use his divine soul to probe, now adopted a ''damaged jar'' mentality and began to investigate the High Monk. However, the moment his divine soul touched the High Monk, mysterious chanting resounded throughout his Sea of Knowledge. Waves of Buddhist chanting echoed around him, and a gentle force enveloped his divine soul I, scattering away all the blood-qi that stained it. ¡°Who would have thought that the Benefactor also possesses a root of wisdom, quite predestined with our Buddhist Sect,¡± the High Monk remarked, as if surprised. ¡°May I ask for the High Monk''s dharma name?¡± Shen Luo, now daring not to be negligent, swiftly inquired. ¡°I observe Ksitigarbha''s majestic divine power, the Ganges sand robbery speaks of untold hardships, witnessing and revering within an instant, benefits the human and heavenly realms beyond measure.¡± The High Monk did not speak, yet a Buddhist chant reverberated through Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. ¡°To think it is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Junior has been disrespectful,¡± Shen Luo realized, with the divine soul I immediately bringing its hands together in prayer. ¡°No wonder, no wonder,¡± the monk neither denied nor admitted, continuing to inquire, ¡°Could you be a disciple of Mount Fangcun?¡± ¡°Junior, Shen Luo, although I have not officially joined Mount Fangcun, the divine powers I cultivate indeed come from under the Bodhi Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Why have you fallen to this place?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva asked with a furrowed brow upon hearing this. After a moment of thought, Shen Luo promptly recounted the events at Wuzhuang View and his subsequent experiences. After listening, the monk remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, ¡°Could it really be the workings of Heavenly Dao, that all Heavens are to undergo this trial?¡± ¡°Bodhisattva, what makes you say so?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°All sorts of karma and fate toy with people. I myself have fallen into hell and made great vows precisely to relieve all beings from suffering, to dissipate the rancor within the Three Realms, and to prevent the seals from becoming loose. However, it seems that in the end, I cannot escape this calamity,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said slowly. After he finished speaking, his gaze fell upon Shen Luo, and a flicker of unusual brightness suddenly passed through his eyes. Then, Shen Luo''s vision blurred, involuntarily drawn to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva''s eyes. But in the instant of their gazes meeting, it was as if he saw an expanse of a starry sea. Yet in a mere blink, as if he had just come out of a trance, the stars before his eyes disappeared once again. And there in front of him, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva stumbled backwards two steps before regaining his balance. The white light that had shone upon him immediately dimmed a notch. ¡°Bodhisattva¡­¡± Shen Luo vaguely guessed that the Bodhisattva must have done something to him just now. ¡°No matter, no matter¡­ It seems that you have come here as part of a predestined fate. Unfortunately, I am now like a candle flickering in the wind, able to glimpse some of the past and illusions, but unable to see too far into the future. Your fate¡­ is quite chaotic. Not to mention it, maybe you are the greatest variable,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said, his expression a mixture of joy and concern. The more Shen Luo listened, the more bewildered he became. ¡°Bodhisattva, what exactly do you mean by all this?¡± Shen Luo could not help asking. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It cannot be said, when the time comes, you will know on your own. If it''s not time, revealing the secrets of Heaven will only bring more variables. Enough, enough, today I shall break a precept and take a chance,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a shake of his head and a wry smile. Before Shen Luo could ask anything more, the chanting sounds grew louder and louder. The white light on the monk in front of him shone even brighter and, along with the chanting, escalated in intensity. However, Shen Luo could tell that the light now was more like the last embers of a fire burning out. As the white light intensified, the monk''s figure grew increasingly blurry, and the vast blood energy within Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge was completely engulfed and dissolved by this white light. Bathing in this white light, Shen Luo''s little divine soul felt a warm comfort as the lost Soul Power began to replenish swiftly. His divine soul''s ephemeral light coalesced, gradually revealing a gold and red kasaya. ¡°This is¡­¡± At this moment, how could Shen Luo not understand that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva was transferring his own Soul Power to him? With his Sea of Knowledge now stabilized, Shen Luo''s eyes opened once again. Chapter 988 Chapter 988: 985 Chapter 988: 985 Shen Luo''s gaze swept around, and he found the surroundings pitch black and very quiet. He didn''t see the black vortex that had previously sucked him in, only feeling as if he were suspended in a realm of nothingness. ¡°Come over here.¡± At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from afar. Upon hearing the voice, Shen Luo turned his head and saw a faint light shining in the pitch-black space not far behind him. He walked slowly toward it and gradually saw that, in that corner, there was an old man sitting cross-legged, his clothes tattered and emanating a deathly Qi. ¡°Bodhisattva¡­¡± Shen Luo tentatively called out. ¡°Your weapon is quite remarkable; it''s not inferior to the Victorious Fighting Buddha''s Ruyi Golden Cudgel,¡± the old man said. As Shen Luo approached, he saw the old man holding his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, gently caressing it. The old man was Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. However, unlike the one he had seen in the Sea of knowledge, who emanated white light and had a compassionate appearance, the Bodhisattva before him was ragged, and although there was still some light on his body, it was already as faint as the glow of fireflies. ¡°Bodhisattva, what''s happened to you¡­¡± Shen Luo asked, looking at Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who appeared to be at death''s door. ¡°This celestial body has long been decayed. Hiding inside the body of the Ruin Kun is merely to avoid the demon''s pursuit and cling to a miserable life,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a smile, handing back the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod to Shen Luo. ¡°Bodhisattva, since you haven''t perished, why not contact Town Primordial Great Immortal and the others? It''s surely better than being here alone, consumed by the Ruin Kun,¡± Shen Luo squatted down, took the long stick, and asked. ¡°It''s not that I don''t want to, but I cannot. That traitor is still lurking within the resistance team of the Human and Immortal Clans. If I recklessly return, it is bound to bring disaster upon them, and the hope of sealing Chiyou to restore the Heavenly Dao would also be destroyed,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva shook his head and spoke bitterly. ¡°Traitor?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Indeed, the Underworld was not so easily defeated back then because that traitor was there. Half of the Ten Yama Kings were either sabotaged or turned by him, and we had already suffered great losses before facing the Demon Clan''s attack. Furthermore, it was because of his leading that the defenses laid by the Underworld were easily breached, leading to its eventual fall and the near-extinction of the resistance,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva explained, his eyes not filled with hatred but with compassion. Shen Luo thought back to the terrible situation at Wuzhuang View and immediately understood. With Town Primordial Great Immortal in charge, the fall of Wuzhuang View, even with the addition of the Bull Demon King and others, must also be the work of that traitor. ¡°Bodhisattva, who exactly is this traitor?¡± Shen Luo promptly asked. ¡°To my shame, I only have a guess about that person''s identity but cannot confirm it. That year, he personally attacked me with Demonic Powers. I originally thought he was a member of the Demon Clan, but it was revealed later that he might be from the Immortal Clan. Unfortunately, before we could confirm his identity, the one who discovered it, was killed in battle,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a sigh. ¡°Bodhisattva, even a guess should be shared with everyone, so that we can all be on guard,¡± Shen Luo thought of the possibility that this individual could still be together with the Bull Demon King and others, and that Nie Caizhu might also be there, and felt a sense of panic. ¡°` ¡°Monastics don''t tell lies, how can one recklessly speak of things that cannot be proven? Moreover, the Human Immortal Alliance is already not monolithic; if word were to spread that there is a spy within¡­¡± Before Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva could finish speaking, Shen Luo understood. Once everyone knew that there was a traitor among the Immortals, doubt and suspicion would surely grow between them, ultimately leading to the failure of their union and the Demon Clan slaughtering them all. Such a situation was likely what the traitor anticipated. ¡°Bodhisattva, we''re truly at the final moment. Once Town Primordial Great Immortal and the others are slaughtered, the last hope of the Three Realms will be completely extinguished. Do you know how to escape from the belly of this Ruin Kun? I must meet up with them as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo urgently said. ¡°You also have a part of the Heavenly Book, right?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva did not follow up on the previous topic, but instead said. Hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated slightly but did not hide anything. With a wave of his hand, a golden book appeared beside him, emitting waves of a golden halo. ¡°That''s right, it can now be basically confirmed that you are that variable,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva nodded and seemed somewhat pleased. ¡°Elder, you''ve mentioned a few times that I''m a variable, but what does that mean exactly?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°A variable¡­ is just that, a variable. You don''t need to worry too much about it. When the time comes, you''ll understand. Do you know what the purpose of this Heavenly Book is?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva continued. ¡°Junior only knows that the Heavenly Book is created as a response by the Heavenly Dao, and it contains the true names of all heavens'' immortals and Buddhas; it is an extremely important weapon against the Demon Clan and even the key to suppressing Chiyou,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What you said is correct. Indeed, the book was created in response to the Heavenly Dao. After it was split into five parts, it means that the Heavenly Dao has been fragmented, and the laws of the Heavenly Dao cannot circulate normally; therefore, we cannot use the power of Heavenly Dao to suppress Chiyou,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva explained. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Using the power of Heavenly Dao to suppress Chiyou? Does that mean, if we gather the five parts of the Heavenly Book and recombine them, we can turn the power of the Heavenly Dao and suppress Chiyou anew?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, asking immediately. ¡°It''s not that simple. If merely by the power of the Heavenly Dao Chiyou could be suppressed, how would he have been able to break the seal when the Heavenly Book was still intact?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva countered. ¡°Then what else is needed?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. After thinking for a moment, he remembered something and continued, ¡°Could it be that it also requires the Map of Mountains and Rivers?¡± ¡°You are very smart. Indeed, the Map of Mountains and Rivers is needed as a vessel. Chiyou cannot be killed, only the Map of Mountains and Rivers can seal him. In addition to that, there is another thing needed,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva continued. ¡°What is it?¡± Shen Luo asked, still confused. ¡°The human heart, or one could say faith. The Human Race may seem caught between Celestials and Demons, yet they are actually capable of influencing the balance of the Three Realms. The first to defeat Chiyou and seal him was none other than the ancestors of the human race, Huangdi Xuanyuan and Yandi Shennong, and the role of the human heart is crucial,¡± the Bodhisattva answered. ¡°So, the journey of Master and Disciples of Tang Monk to the West to obtain the true scriptures and later spreading Mahayana Buddhism extensively was actually also to rectify human hearts, to break human desires like greed, hate, ignorance, and desire, to correct the qi of the Human World, and thus to strengthen the seal?¡± Shen Luo muttered. ¡°Unfortunately, the Human World has been peaceful for too long, and they have already forgotten the terror of the Demon Clan, trapped in an overpowering tide of material desire, unable to extricate themselves. Even with the spread of Buddha Dharma, it was too late to turn back the tide. I realized it was too late when I noticed the increasing number of Evil Ghosts in the Underworld¡­¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said with a bitter smile. Chapter 989 Chapter 989: Chapter 986: The Final Mission Chapter 989: Chapter 986: The Final Mission ¡°Bodhisattva, I must confess, the Five Heavenly Books have now been collected, but after the Map of Mountains and Rivers shattered that year, it was taken by the disciples of Tang Monk, and as of now, I do not know where to begin searching,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Naturally, there is nowhere to find it in the Human World, for the Map of Mountains and Rivers has never actually been circulated among the masses,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva suddenly said with a laugh. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes immediately lit up. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva turned his wrist, and with a flash of light in his palm, four scrolls of various sizes appeared, two of which had rods, while the other two did not and were simply rolled up haphazardly. ¡°That year, after the Victorious Fighting Buddha and others were reincarnated, they actually placed the fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers with me. That is why I have been struggling to hold on to this last breath of life. Your arrival means that my wait has not been in vain,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva waved his hand, and all the fragments flew to Shen Luo''s side. Shen Luo, looking at the Map of Mountains and Rivers before him, couldn''t help but be slightly stunned. ¡°To preserve this Map of Mountains and Rivers, you do not know what the Master and Disciples of Tang Monk had to sacrifice, but I hope you can restore it. This is the last chance to save the Three Realms,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva urged. ¡°Junior will certainly not let down the Bodhisattva''s entrusted task, but how should this Map of Mountains and Rivers be mended? In such a broken state, I fear it cannot be used, can it?¡± Shen Luo''s expression grew solemn. ¡°The Map of Mountains and Rivers is also a divine object that resonates with Heaven. To repair it, you need to rely on the power of the Heavenly Book¡­¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva spoke, his voice growing fainter, and his figure gradually became ethereal. ¡°Bodhisattva¡­¡± Shen Luo sensed something, quickly brought his fingers together, and sent a strand of his Soul Power towards him. ¡°My strength has already been exhausted. Don''t waste your effort,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said, waving his hand in refusal. ¡°Bodhisattva, as long as you still have a shred of your divine soul, you can inscribe your true name on the Heavenly Book. Thereafter, there may still be a chance to revive you¡­¡± Shen Luo suddenly remembered something, quickly grabbed the Heavenly Book in his hand, and said urgently. ¡°The Heavenly Book can only bear true names below Taiyi, and for those supreme above¡­ they cannot be inscribed. Do not be sad, my mission has been completed, and from here on, it depends on you all,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva smiled and said. ¡°Bodhisattva¡­¡± Although it was only a brief encounter, Shen Luo had felt the truly great compassion and great mercy of this Bodhisattva, who declared, ¡°If I don''t enter hell, who will?¡± His heart couldn''t help but feel somewhat wistful. ¡°This Ruin Kun possesses neither good nor evil, only the instinct to devour. I confined it within this Hell Maze, not wishing it to go out and ravage living beings. Now that hell has truly become Hell, it doesn''t matter anymore. Just let it go free.¡± As Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva''s ethereal voice faded, a Golden Talisman emerged from the void, igniting into a blaze in mid-air, gradually dissipating. As the talisman burned out, Shen Luo faintly heard the low growl of an Exotic Beast, and a violent tremor passed through the space around him. Shortly after, the darkness that had enveloped him began to brighten, and the black shadow surrounding him gradually became transparent. Only then did Shen Luo realize that he had left the Swamp of Desire and was now unexpectedly in the midst of a Black Bamboo Forest, surrounded by silence, with only the whistling sound of the wind through the bamboo gaps. As his feet touched the ground, Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, and his Golden Fire Eyes lit up. He immediately saw the half-transparent shadow of a Ruin Kun skimming through the bamboo forest, drifting away into the distance. The figure of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva sitting before him had skin that had begun to darken considerably, and his entire body emitted an aura of decay. ¡°Unfortunately, there aren''t many things I can give you now. This last parting gift, I hope it can help you,¡± he sighed softly and with a flick of his finger, he touched Shen Luo''s brow lightly. Before Shen Luo could utter a word, he felt a cool sensation on his forehead, and a speck of golden light appeared in his Sea of Knowledge, like a Night Pearl suspended in the midst. Without waiting for him to take a closer look, the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in front of him began to decay rapidly, soon turning to ashes, which were blown away by the wind among the trees, completely dissipating between heaven and earth. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo sat bewildered in his original spot, unable to regain his composure for a long time. In his left hand, he held a fragment of the Heavenly Book, and in his right, a piece of the Map of Mountains and Rivers; he suddenly felt as if a tremendous burden weighed upon him. The thought of a traitor still being among Nie Caizhu and the others filled him with worry. ¡°Bodhisattva, even if you just had suspicions, it would have been better to inform me of whom you suspected, so that I could take precautions. But now, you weren''t even willing to say who it might be¡­¡± After sighing, he put away the Heavenly Scroll Fragment and the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and took out the Hell Labyrinth Map again. He was about to examine it when he remembered Qing Lu was still in his sleeve, so he hurriedly waved his sleeve and let him out. Qing Lu floated to the ground, also looking bewildered at the situation. Previously, his soul had been unstable, on the verge of collapse. After being taken away by Shen Luo, his senses were sealed, so he had no idea what had happened afterwards. Now, upon returning, he was surprised to find that his soul had stabilized again, even stronger than before. ¡°Thank you, Celestial Immortal,¡± he said, coming back to his senses. Assuming it was Shen Luo''s doing, he immediately bowed down in gratitude. Seeing this, Shen Luo was also a bit surprised, but soon understood that when Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had dispersed his soul power to him earlier, some of the residual energy had inadvertently helped Qing Lu as well. ¡°Stand up, come over and look with me. Where are we now?¡± he didn''t explain and said instead. Upon hearing this, Qing Lu immediately stood and walked over to Shen Luo, starting to examine the map with him. ¡°Celestial Immortal, looking at this terrain, we are surrounded by mountains. Although there is no miasma, the wind of Yin Sha is far stronger than before; we must be in the Valley of Evil Yin. Look, if we go out from this Black Bamboo Forest ahead, we should reach Netherworld Ghost Streams. Once we cross Netherworld Ghost Streams, it would mean we have left the Valley of Evil Yin¡­ Have we, perhaps, already escaped the maze?¡± Qing Lu grew somewhat incredulous as he examined the map. After speaking, he looked up at the sky, puzzled. Could it be that it had been ten days or half a month since Shen Luo had taken him away? Otherwise, how could they be on the verge of so easily escaping the maze? However puzzled he may have been, he was tactful enough not to ask anything more. Following his guidance, Shen Luo looked over the map and basically agreed with his assessment, and the two of them once again set out towards the outside of the Black Bamboo Forest. The Black Bamboo Forest was larger than they had imagined, and after walking for nearly half an hour, they had yet to exit. If it weren''t for Shen Luo''s repeated use of his Golden Fire Eyes along the way, he would have thought he was again ensnared by some illusion, endlessly hitting a ghost wall. Just as Shen Luo began to doubt, a rustling wind suddenly arose among the bamboo, followed by billowing clouds of thick white fog that rolled towards them from all directions. Chapter 990 Chapter 990: Chapter 987 Zhong Kui Fights the Ghost King Chapter 990: Chapter 987 Zhong Kui Fights the Ghost King ¡°` Seeing this scene, Shen Luo subconsciously released his Divine Sense, probing into the White Fog, and his eyebrows gradually furrowed. Amidst the dense White Fog surrounding them, undetectable until now, surged a massive fluctuation of Soul Power from what seemed to be hundreds of people quietly encircling them. ¡°There are ghosts coming.¡± Just then, Qing Lu suddenly shouted loudly. No sooner had his voice faded than hundreds of ghost soldiers clad in ancient copper armor charged out of the fog ahead, their onslaught fierce and imposing. Shen Luo, prepared to make a move, realized those ghosts seemed to have no intention of attacking them. Instead, upon noticing the two of them, they veered aside, bypassing them. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Qing Lu asked in surprise. ¡°Someone is hunting them down,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. With that, he concealed his aura, and with a swift motion, he sped towards the direction ahead. After covering a hundred steps, he heard the sound of a fierce battle raging in front of him. By the time he pursued another hundred feet, he had arrived at the edge of the Black Bamboo Forest. The Earth in front of him seemed as if cleaved by a godly sword, revealing a gargantuan chasm, a hundred feet deep, filled with Corpse Air billowing upwards into the mid air. The view before him was Netherworld Ghost Streams, and across the valley stood two towering mountains. Between their peaks lay a valley entrance, which was also the exit of the Valley of Evil Yin and the other end of the Hell Maze. As Shen Luo was gazing across, a blaze suddenly illuminated the depths below, and a dragon-shaped Flame, a hundred feet tall, burst into the sky, exploding like a magnificent firework. In the midst of the sprawling sparks, a figure in ancient Dragon Bone Armor, with Black Smoke coalescing a hazy silhouette within, appeared. Its smoky hands grasped a Dark Iron Spear and made a distant stab towards the lower reaches of the abyss. The tip of the spear surged with ferocious Yin Sha Qi, which in an instant, gathered to resemble a tumultuous sea and mountains, heading straight for the Lower Frontier of the abyss. Witnessing this scene, Shen Luo couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows slightly; the ghost before him seemed to be no ordinary Ghost King, its aura threateningly close to the late stages of the True Immortal Realm. Qing Lu would likely be a poor match for such a formidable Ghost King. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Haha, Youming Ghost King, is that all you''ve got?¡± At that moment, a bold laugh echoed from the abyss below. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt the voice was somewhat familiar. Before he could ponder further, a howling wind surged from below, and an immense Spiral Vortex emerged from the abyss, swiftly drawing in all the Yin Sha Qi into its core. Immediately afterwards, a figure in a Bright Red Robe shot up towards the sky, one hand held high, and at the base of the thumb, a faintly visible Qi Acupoint could be seen, from which the raging wind vortex extended. In the midst of the roaring winds, all traces of Yin Sha Qi were completely absorbed and vanished. The man in the red robe chased after the Youming Ghost King, brandishing a Crimson Treasure Sword, pursuing the Ghost King with slashing blows. Recognizing the patterns of Court Attire and the Phoenix Wings fluttering atop the man''s cap, Shen Luo identified him¨Cit was indeed Zhong Kui, the Ghost-catching Heavenly Master. At this moment, Zhong Kui''s aura was far stronger than when Shen Luo had first encountered him, already at the Taiyi Level. Zhong Kui caught up with the Youming Ghost King in flight, wielding his Demon-subduing Treasure Sword to fight fiercely, the Sword Edge clashing with the spear light, scattering countless sparks above the abyss. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The sounds of explosions reverberated above Netherworld Ghost Streams. The two combatants increased their speed, their figures becoming more blurred as they pursued and attacked each other, moving off into the distance. When Qing Lu caught up, he saw the two figures receding into the distance, battling each other, and couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration, ¡°The rumors claimed that Zhong Kui had fallen, yet here he stands¡­¡± ¡°` Shen Luo didn''t say much to him, and chased after the two people as well. ¡°Boom¡± Another explosion sounded in the high altitude as a mass of black light burst apart, a bright red robe rustling as it plummeted from the sky and crashed heavily onto an old rope bridge spanning the Netherworld Ghost Streams. The bridge seemed ancient, with exposed iron chains and many rotten wooden planks, already in a dire state of disrepair, seemingly about to collapse at any moment. However, when Zhong Kui''s body smashed onto the iron chains, it only caused the bridge to shake violently, but it did not break apart. After he stood up, he looked up into the sky where the Youming Ghost King was still absorbing the surrounding Yin Sha Qi, and his shattered body began to gradually repair itself, even the broken armor was slowly restoring. Nevertheless, the aura emanating from him was much weaker than before. ¡°You still refuse to surrender? If we continue to fight, you will only be blown apart by me again and again,¡± Zhong Kui declared loudly. The Youming Ghost King in mid-air remained silent, continuing to absorb the Yin Sha Qi and restore his strength. ¡°Stubborn to the end. If that''s the case, then I shall help you find peace,¡± Zhong Kui''s eyes narrowed slightly, lifting his Demon-subduing Treasure Sword once again, ready to strike at the Youming Ghost King once more. ¡°Cang lang lang¡­¡± Just then, a faint sound of chains rattling rang out, and Zhong Kui''s body suddenly stiffened in place. At the end of the rope bridge behind him, a white figure abruptly materialized, its neck bound with a rope, its body hanging from the archway at the bridge''s entrance, swaying eerily in the Yin wind. Its complexion was ghostly pale, with eyes of pure white, no black pupils to be seen, and a gaping, blood-red mouth that gradually revealed a scarlet, purple tongue, extending all the way to Zhong Kui''s neck, dozens of feet away. Shen Luo was slightly surprised in his heart, as he hadn''t been aware of the Hanging Ghost''s presence before. Just as he was about to step forward to help, Zhong Kui''s figure had already twisted around, and with a fierce breath, a torrent of crimson flame spewed from his mouth, burning along the scarlet long tongue towards the Hanging Ghost. However, as the flames surged, the Hanging Ghost seemed completely unaware, showing no reaction whatsoever. With but a breath, a stream of blue-cold Qi poured out of its nostrils, rushing back along the tongue, frosting and extinguishing the flames on contact in a chilling burst. A hint of surprise flashed in Zhong Kui''s eyes, evidently not anticipating that the Hanging Ghost''s cold Qi was so powerful. Meanwhile, the sound of something tearing through the air came from behind him as a black spear light aimed straight for the back of his head. By the time he thought to swing his sword to block, an even stronger wave of cold Qi had already been unleashed, causing his movements to become sluggish. But it was this brief pause that sealed his defeat. Just as the black spear light was about to pierce through his skull, a black light fell from the sky, a pitch-black whip wrapped in layers of whip shadows, striking the spear light and shattering it to pieces. At the same time, a figure appeared silently behind the Hanging Ghost¨Cit was Shen Luo. Chapter 991 Chapter 991: Chapter 988: Traitor? Chapter 991: Chapter 988: Traitor? After Shen Luo appeared, he did not immediately attack the Hanging Ghost. Instead, he made a chopping motion with his hand as if it were a knife, aiming at the rope that hung from the doorframe and striking it. The Hanging Ghost sensed something amiss and quickly released its long tongue from Zhong Kui, rapidly coiling it back. In a flash, it stabbed straight toward Shen Luo''s chest. ¡°Freeze.¡± From Shen Luo''s brow, a round pearl flew out, emitting a layer of water-blue light that instantly solidified the surrounding void. ¡°The SeCalming Pearl¡­ that is¡­¡± Zhong Kui first recognized the round pearl, then looked at Shen Luo with a hint of disbelief. At that moment, Shen Luo naturally had no time to acknowledge him. Using the SeCalming Pearl to temporarily solidify the void and delay the tongue''s thrust, he cleanly cut the hanging rope with a palm strike. The moment the rope broke, a massive amount of Yin Sha energy scattered from the Hanging Ghost''s body, its aura suddenly weakened. Shen Luo grabbed the retaliating tongue, gave it a fierce tug, and quickly wrapped it around its own neck. As he restrained the Hanging Ghost, Zhong Kui had already leapt up and thrust his sword through the chest of the Youming Ghost King. Without giving him a chance to absorb more Yin Sha Qi to recover, Zhong Kui pressed his thumb into the wound on his chest. His thumb opened an acupoint, and from it came a powerful suction force, steadily draining the Youming Ghost King of all his Yin Sha Qi. The instant all his Yin Sha energy was sucked away, the Youming Ghost King''s form could no longer coalesce, and the Bronze Armor supported by the Black Fog shattered into dust, all of which flowed into the acupoint on Zhong Kui''s thumb, completely dissipating. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand to retrieve the Golden Rope and bound the Hanging Ghost. He tossed it at Zhong Kui''s feet with a flick of his wrist. ¡°Shen Luo?¡± Zhong Kui stepped on the Hanging Ghost and frowned as he looked over. ¡°Daoist friend Zhong Kui, long time no see,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile on his face. Upon hearing this, Zhong Kui''s expression didn''t change at all. Instead, his brows furrowed even more tightly. ¡°They said you were still alive. I didn''t believe it at first, but I never expected you to be truly alive,¡± Zhong Kui said after a moment of silence, his tone somewhat complex. Shen Luo frowned slightly, sensing an unusual meaning in his words. Before he could ask anything further, several figures flew out from the opposite valley and chased toward Zhong Kui''s direction. Shen Luo glanced at them and saw that the person in the lead was wearing a purple-gold Daoist robe and a Lotus Treasure Crown. He had a slightly slender figure, a very refined and handsome face, and three strands of white beard floating in front of his chest, an image of an elder immortal. Upon seeing this person, Shen Luo somehow found his stature and outline eerily familiar. Close behind him was a tall man clad in a yellow monk''s robe. Although he dressed like a member of the Buddhist Sect, his hair was not shaven but rather tied up into a simple bun. This person was also a peculiar sight, with a broad face and wide mouth, ears hanging to his shoulders, and two thick, golden eyebrows across his ring-shaped eyes, giving him a very distinctive appearance. And alongside him was a figure Shen Luo recognized¨Cit was the Bull Demon King. However, the Bull Demon King now looked gloomy, his body showing many wounds. One of his curved horns had been broken off, leaving only a short stub, making his appearance rather pitiful. Qing Lu, who was hiding in the Black Bamboo Forest, dared not come out. Now, watching these figures approach, he felt increasingly anxious, unknowingly beginning to tremble. ¡°Elder Bull Demon King,¡± Shen Luo called out hastily. The Bull Demon King also spotted Shen Luo with just one glance, and his eyes immediately sharpened. A complex expression flashed across his face as he swiftly flew towards Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s heart leaped with joy, and he hurriedly went to meet him. As they neared each other, just as Shen Luo was about to clasp his fist in greeting, the rushing Bull Demon King suddenly erupted in black demonic flames and his body instantly grew to a hundred feet tall. He raised his foot and violently stomped down on him. Shen Luo had no idea the Bull Demon King would suddenly turn on him, and had no defense ready. In his hastiness, he could only channel the Huangting Technique at full speed, redirecting all his mana to raise his arm in an attempt to block. The Bull Demon King was known for his great strength, and the foot he suddenly stomped down on him didn''t seem to hold back at all. The force was far more powerful than Shen Luo had anticipated. He was immediately trampled back to the other side of Netherworld Ghost Streams, landing with such force that he collapsed half of a mountain cliff. Meanwhile, another figure flew over from the valley and arrived before the yellow-robed monk, also looking somewhat surprised by the scene before him. This man was tall and straight, with an extraordinary demeanor. He was dressed in Coiled Dragon Cloud Pattern Armor, adorned with a White Jade Dragon Crown, wielded a Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, and wore a Spirit Rhinoceros Moon-Viewing Bow on his waist. His face was remarkably handsome, his features bursting with heroic energy, and a deep jujube-red mark sat on his forehead, embedded with a vertical golden pattern. ¡°Yellow Eyebrow Monk, what''s going on?¡± the tall man asked, frowning. ¡°How should I know? Old Ox went crazy the moment he saw that person¡­¡± the yellow-robed monk furrowed his brows and replied. On the side, the long-bearded old Daoist did not speak. He simply pinched his beard with two fingers, his eyes lighting up slightly as if he had figured something out. Just then, the mountain cliff above exploded in golden light, and a giant elephant phantom suddenly stood up from the shattered rock, forcibly supporting the huge foot of the Bull Demon King. ¡°Bull Demon King, have you lost your mind? I''m Shen Luo!¡± declared Shen Luo, appearing within the body of the giant elephant. His entire body shone as if his bones and muscles were made of light as he shouted at the Bull Demon King. ¡°You traitor, also at the Taiyi Realm¡­¡± The Bull Demon King snorted coldly. Instead of retracting his godly power, a ring of black light shone around his body, unleashing an even more immense force as he stomped down once again. This time, Shen Luo was prepared, fully channeling the Huangting Technique. Suddenly, the sound of dragon chants filled the air as six massive golden dragons soared to the sky, and six giant elephants raised their hooves high, colliding with the Bull Demon King''s stomp. ¡°Boom!¡± A thunderous roar echoed above Netherworld Ghost Streams. Shen Luo''s Power of Six Dragons and Six Elephants came forth together, not only resisting the Bull Demon King''s blow but also showing a trend of toppling it. ¡°What traitor?¡± Shen Luo was extremely bewildered in his heart. But in that moment, a streak of golden light suddenly flashed, and the long-bearded old Daoist''s figure appeared atop the Bull Demon King''s foot. He seemingly floated down gently. However, as soon as he stood on the Bull Demon King''s foot, an immense Mount Tai-like force pressed down. The Six Dragon Six Elephant Illusory Shadow around Shen Luo could no longer withstand it and was crushed, scattering apart. ¡°What exactly are you trying to do?¡± Shen Luo''s angry shout came from underground. A beam of golden light soared into the sky once more, but this time it was not the Dragon Elephant Phantom; instead, a golden tower rose from the ground, supporting the Bull Demon King''s stomp and growing ten feet taller. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s figure leapt out from the tower, hanging in the air. He beckoned the Exquisite Pagoda to shrink and brought it into his hand, while the other hand clenched in the void to reveal a golden staff. He pointed the tip of the staff at the Bull Demon King, clearly incensed to the core. Chapter 992 Chapter 992: Chapter 989 Suspicion Chapter 992: Chapter 989 Suspicion ¡°The Exquisite Pagoda is in your hands, Shen Luo¡­ then the Heavenly Book that Pagoda Heavenly King was guarding should also be with you,¡± the long-bearded old Daoist spoke first, without waiting for the Bull Demon King to speak. Upon hearing this, the Yellow Eyebrow Monk and the Silver Armored Man''s expressions slightly changed, both turning to look at Shen Luo. ¡°Yuan Daoist?¡± Shen Luo, after pondering his words, tentatively asked. The long-bearded old Daoist did not deny it; he simply sighed deeply and said, ¡°What a pity¡­¡± Shen Luo frowned more tightly, his displeasure growing inside him, truly unable to understand why the Bull Demon King would start a fight with him upon their meeting. Had it not been for confirming the identity with Golden Fire Eyes, he would have suspected that the Bull Demon King in front of him was an imposter. ¡°Speak, why did you betray us?¡± Finally, the Bull Demon King spoke, his voice unusually hoarse. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows knit tighter, and he angrily said, ¡°Betray? When did I ever betray you?¡± ¡°Shen Luo, is it? So it was because of this guy that everyone suffered so greatly this time,¡± the Silver Armored Man also showed a bit more anger in his eyes as he spoke out. ¡°Somebody warned me back then that your background was unclear and told me to beware of you. Still, I ended up trusting you, even giving you the SeCalming Pearl, how ludicrous, how lamentable¡­¡± The Bull Demon King glared at Shen Luo, his eyes bloodshot as he spoke. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What exactly has happened during this period of time that I was absent?¡± Shen Luo suppressed the dissatisfaction in his heart and asked. ¡°Hmph, what happened, you say? Wasn''t it you who leaked our whereabouts to the Demon Clan? When Jilei Mountain was raided before, you happened to be absent, and now, when Wuzhuang View was besieged, you were absent again. I am very curious, what exactly is your identity?¡± the Bull Demon King questioned coldly. ¡°I¡­ I just went to Five Elements Mountain to undertake secluded cultivation; otherwise, how do you think I achieved this level of Taiyi cultivation?¡± Shen Luo stiffened slightly, then explained further: ¡°Besides, during every battle with the Demon Clan, have I ever acted deceitfully or cunningly? Haven''t I fought with all my strength every time? Let''s be frank, my trip to Jilei Mountain at the beginning was facilitated by you, Yuan Daoist, wasn''t it?¡± ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal, what does he mean by that?¡± Faced with Shen Luo''s questioning, the Bull Demon King turned to look at the long-bearded old Daoist. Town Primordial Great Immortal? Shen Luo merely let a slight surprise flash through his heart before feeling somewhat relieved. He had already speculated about Yuan Daoist''s identity. ¡°Enough, there''s nothing that can''t be said now. Indeed, it was we who sent Shen Luo to Jilei Mountain to win you over,¡± the long-bearded old man sighed and said. ¡°We¡­ Does that mean you two are Daoist Lei and Huadaoren?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment and looked towards the Silver Armored Man and the Yellow Eyebrow Monk. Neither of the two denied it, and no one spoke. ¡°You''ve guessed correctly. In fact, it''s only today that the few of us are truly gathered together, it''s just a pity¡­ that it is under such circumstances,¡± the Town Primordial Great Immortal slowly said. ¡°That person is actually him?¡± The Silver Armored Man looked at Shen Luo, still somewhat in disbelief. ¡°Gentlemen¡­ may I interrupt for a moment,¡± at this point, the usually silent Zhong Kui suddenly said. ¡°Daoist friend Zhong Kui, please feel free to speak,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal nodded in approval. ¡°Shen Luo¡­ I had many dealings with him a thousand years ago, and although I am not sure if anything about him has changed now, I fought against the Youming Ghost King and the Hanging Ghost on the Rope Bridge earlier, and had it not been for his help, I fear I would have been in grave danger today,¡± said Zhong Kui. ¡°Hmph, how do you know that this isn''t just one of his usual tricks? When the Jade Fox Clan was in danger, it was also he who came to their aid during their difficulties. Otherwise, how could the Ten Thousand Years Fox King, with his experience, fail to see through his ambition?¡± the Bull Demon King retorted with a snort. ¡°What you guys are saying isn''t quite right,¡± a weak voice came from the bamboo forest at this time. Everyone turned to look in that direction and saw a pale-faced man walking out of the forest. Shen Luo was slightly surprised to see Qing Lu coming out. ¡°You people¡­sigh. To find you in the Underworld, Elder Shen first went to the Black Mountain Old Demon''s mansion to steal the map, then was forced to combat Black Mountain and the Nine Netherworlds after being discovered. After barely escaping into the Hell Maze, he encountered the Ruin Kun. Do you know how dangerous that journey was? If he were truly a traitor, are you suggesting that all those experiences were just an act? Yet, if it were only a show for me, what use would that be?¡± Qing Lu couldn''t bear to listen any longer and spoke out in defense. ¡°Whether he is or isn''t, your word alone dictates it. How can we know the truth?¡± said the Bull Demon King with a cold snort. Clearly, the deaths of Princess Jade Face and Red Boy had dealt him a great blow. ¡°Maybe it''s just a ruse. Besides¡­who knows if you are simply lying to help him?¡± the Silver Armored Man said, frowning. ¡°Yang Jian, old Bull, both of you should not rush to conclusions. Friend Shen, if you have a way to prove your innocence, it would be best for you to speak now. If not¡­there are other methods. I have a treasure called the ''Heart-testing Mirror''. If you are willing to submit yourself for trial, we can certainly take you back and try to discern the truth with it. Are you willing?¡± Huang Mei Monk suddenly stepped forward and asked. ¡°The Heart-testing Mirror?¡± Not only did Shen Luo frown, but even Town Primordial Great Immortal and the others also showed signs of surprise. ¡°Huang Mei Monk, after your master Maitreya Buddha perished that year, everyone thought that the Heart-testing Mirror had fallen into the hands of the Demon Clan. Who knew it would be in your hands?¡± Yang Jian looked toward the Yellow-robed Monk and said. ¡°Now that we have the Heart-testing Mirror, we could use it to conduct a test. Daoist friend Shen, are you willing?¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal asked, joining the conversation. ¡°What is this Heart-testing Mirror? If it probes memories and divine soul, then I think we should forget it. I came here intending to meet with everyone, and yet I find myself accused of groundless charges as soon as I arrive. If my memories are to be probed, then I''d rather part ways with you all now,¡± Shen Luo said flatly, refusing the suggestion. ¡°I''m afraid it''s not up to you now. If you cannot prove your innocence, do you really think you can leave this place? Dream on,¡± Yang Jian said, his eyes narrowing and voice icy. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s face showed a look of anger. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, rest assured, the Heart-testing Mirror simply detects changes in your emotional state. We will ask you some questions and judge the truth by the mirror''s reaction. It will not, and cannot, probe your divine soul memories,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal explained. ¡°If that''s the case, then I am willing to submit to the inquiry of the heart,¡± Shen Luo replied after a moment of hesitation, putting away the Exquisite Pagoda and the SeAnchoring Iron Rod. ¡°Just to be on the safe side, we must restrain you before proceeding,¡± Yang Jian added. ¡°Do not overstep,¡± Shen Luo said angrily. ¡°If you have nothing to hide, why fear?¡± the Bull Demon King also said. Inwardly, Shen Luo cursed, worried about the true traitor hiding somewhere. At this moment, a commotion was heard from a distant valley, and several figures emerged, hastening towards their location. Chapter 993 – 993 990 Self Chapter 993: Chapter 990: Self-Inquiry Chapter 993: Chapter 990: Self-Inquiry Shen Luo swept his gaze across the crowd and immediately caught sight of a woman dressed in a white gauze skirt. Although her face was covered by a light veil, those gentle eyes were unmistakably familiar¨Cit was Nie Caizhu. When he saw Nie Caizhu, she also spotted him. A trace of joy flashed in her eyes, but it soon cooled down. It seemed she was somewhat puzzled and helpless, with a touch of resignation in her gaze. After lingering his gaze on her for a moment, Shen Luo quickly scanned the others and noticed a not-so-tall child with a somewhat immature face, who had been staring at him since arriving. Although the person was male, he sported two buns on his head and was dressed in a scale armor skirt adorned with lotus patterns, with a red sash tied around his waist and a golden ring slung diagonally across his chest, looking rather peculiar indeed. ¡°Are you Shen Luo?¡± When they approached, Nie Caizhu didn''t say anything. Instead, it was the child who spoke up first. His voice was clear, indeed carrying a hint of childishness. ¡°That''s me,¡± Shen Luo nodded in response. ¡°The Exquisite Pagoda is on you, isn''t it? I can sense its presence,¡± said the child. Shen Luo didn''t understand what he meant, so he nodded again. ¡°My father is always cautious. Since he entrusted the Exquisite Pagoda to you, I am willing to believe you are not a traitor. By the way, my name is Li Nezha, and Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing is my father,¡± the child nodded and explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was slightly moved and gave a respectful salute with his fists. ¡°Why did you still come after me? Didn''t I leave you a message, telling you not to seek me out, to escape alone?¡± At that moment, Nie Caizhu''s voice echoed in his Sea of Knowledge. ¡°If it is not you, do not seek, escape alone; if it is you¡­¡± The words on the piece of cloth came back to Shen Luo''s mind, and only at that moment did he finally understand the true meaning of the sentence. If the traitor was not him, Nie Caizhu hoped he would not try to find them and just escape alone, or else he would face the current situation; but if the traitor was indeed him, then Nie Caizhu wouldn''t know what to do. ¡°It''s not me, I did not betray,¡± Shen Luo said firmly, sweeping his gaze over everyone. His words were meant for the others to hear, but even more so for Nie Caizhu. Upon hearing this answer, Nie Caizhu''s expression eased slightly. Even after a thousand years, seeing him face to face and hearing those words from Shen Luo, the stone in her heart had finally fallen. She believed him¨C he was not a traitor. ¡°In that case, are you willing to accept the Heart-testing Mirror''s interrogation?¡± the Huang Mei Monk asked slowly. ¡°I am willing,¡± Shen Luo nodded and placed his hands behind his back. Zhenyuanzi observed the change in Shen Luo''s attitude and his brief eye contact with Nie Caizhu, discerning something vaguely but chose not to say anything. He waved his hand, and from his sleeve, a silver ring flew out. It rapidly expanded and descended from above, encircling Shen Luo, then immediately shrank and bound him around the waist. ¡°This is my Dragon-binding Circle, which can temporarily seal your mana. As long as you don''t try to force it open, it won''t harm you in the slightest,¡± Zhenyuanzi explained. ¡°No matter, since I''ve agreed to the test, I won''t do anything unnecessary,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°If so, let''s head back first,¡± Zhenyuanzi nodded and said. With that said, he swept his robe, a gust of wind surged, and immediately, Shen Luo and Qing Lu were enveloped, as Zhenyuanzi flew them over the Netherworld Ghost Streams and down into the valley on the opposite side. The others followed suit. ¡°As expected of the Earth Immortal Ancestor, this Sleeve Qiankun is indeed impressive,¡± Qing Lu remarked in admiration as he and Shen Luo were now in Zhenyuanzi''s sleeve space. ¡°It is somewhat surprising that you would stand up and speak for me,¡± said Shen Luo, looking at him. ¡°When you saved me several times before, I was also surprised. To you, I didn''t have much use left, yet you chose to save me, didn''t you? Moreover, I believe you''ve been wronged. When Nine Netherworlds made a move against you, that was clearly a deadly blow,¡± Qing Lu laughed and said. ¡°I didn''t expect that at this point, only these few people still believe in me,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh. ¡°A few people? I thought I was the only one¡­¡± Qing Lu said, slightly startled. Shen Luo gave a bitter smile and shook his head, lost for words. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡­ After a long time, Shen Luo''s vision suddenly blurred, and he appeared alongside Qing Lu. Looking around, they found themselves on a shattered white stone altar, surrounded by the indistinct shapes of about a dozen people. Beyond this circle of people, they could also see the stirring forms of several hundred more. Everyone was silent as the Yellow Eyebrow Monk stepped forward, untying a palm-sized yellow cloth bag from his waist. He reached inside and pulled out an exquisitely small bronze mirror, casually tossing it onto the altar. With a few soft chants from his mouth, the delicate bronze mirror instantly shone brightly, enlarging a hundredfold in a moment, spreading across the center of the altar. Its surface flashed with silver light, becoming exceptionally clear as if it were the surface of a lake, reflecting the heavy clouds above. ¡°Friend Shen, once you step onto this Heart-testing Mirror, we''ll ask you some questions. When you answer from your heart, at most a slight ripple will appear on the mirror surface. However, if you lie or deceive, the mirror will stir up waves. Do you understand?¡± Yellow Eyebrow Monk asked. ¡°I understand.¡± Shen Luo nodded, and without waiting for instructions from others, he already stepped onto the Heart-testing Mirror. He set foot on the mirror, producing a faint sound, but the mirror''s surface remained smooth as ever, showing no irregularities. ¡°Good, in that case, let Town Primordial Great Immortal pose the questions,¡± Yellow Eyebrow Monk said. Zhenyuanzi did not decline and stepped forward, asking directly, ¡°Did you betray the Human Immortal Alliance by informing the Demon Clan of various pieces of intelligence?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shen Luo answered sharply and decisively. As his voice fell, the surface of the mirror remained stable, without the slightest ripple. Seeing this, the crowd exchanged glances and began whispering to each other. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Could it really not be him?¡± ¡°Since it is the Heart-testing Mirror, there should be no mistake¡­¡± ¡­ Nie Caizhu looked at the calm surface of the mirror and let out a sigh of relief, a renewed sparkle appearing in her eyes as she gazed at Shen Luo. ¡°Asking like this is useless. If he wasn''t part of our camp from the start, then how can we speak of betrayal?¡± At that moment, a cold voice interrupted the murmurs of the crowd. ¡°Right, if he had been one of the Demon Clan''s guys from the beginning, acting against us wouldn''t count as betrayal,¡± someone realized aloud. ¡°Yes¡­ nearly let him slip by us.¡± The crowd again stirred. ¡°Have you already joined the Demon Clan?¡± Zhenyuanzi asked once more. ¡°No,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. At that moment, a slight ripple briefly appeared on the mirror''s surface beneath him but quickly disappeared. Chapter 994 Chapter 994: Chapter 991: No One Believes (Double, Asking for Monthly Tickets) Chapter 994: Chapter 991: No One Believes (Double, Asking for Monthly Tickets) ¡°Did Li Jing give you the Heavenly Book willingly?¡± Zhenyuanzi suddenly changed his tone and asked. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated a bit. Initially, it was only with the help of the jade pillow endowing him with the ability to be reborn again and again that he managed to pass Li Jing''s test. Whether this counted as willing, he was uncertain. No sooner had he answered than the mirror beneath him stirred up a ripple much larger than before. Seeing this, everyone''s gaze towards Shen Luo couldn''t help but change slightly. In the crowd, even Nezha''s expression turned more solemn. If Shen Luo had truly received the Exquisite Pagoda by carrying on Li Jing''s will, Nezha would not have any objections; but if not, then his father''s possession must not fall into the hands of insignificant people. ¡°Is the Heavenly Book still within you?¡± Zhenyuanzi asked again. ¡°It is.¡± This time, Shen Luo did not hesitate, and the mirror surface remained as calm as before. ¡°Where were you when Wuzhuang View was attacked?¡± suddenly interjected the Bull Demon King. ¡°I went to Five Finger Mountain for seclusion, attempting to break through to the Taiyi Realm.¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before speaking. As he finished speaking, ripples once again disturbed the mirror beneath him, though not to a great extent. In this time and space, he had indeed gone into seclusion. ¡°Then, during the attack on Jilei Mountain, why did you disappear without a trace?¡± The Bull Demon King stepped closer and pressed for an answer. ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Luo fell silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. He didn''t know how to answer this question; at that time, he had traveled back to the present day and was simply not in this time and space. Seeing Shen Luo hesitate without speaking for a long time, everyone''s expressions became more serious. Nie Caizhu also stared at Shen Luo without blinking, as if encouraging him to give an answer. ¡°The words I am about to say¡­ you may find them hard to believe, but they are indeed what I have experienced,¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows tightly and began to speak. If he wanted to prove his innocence, he could only tell the truth. ¡°Just give your answer, and the Heart-testing Mirror will tell us whether it is true or false,¡± the Bull Demon King said with an unchanging expression and a cold tone. ¡°I am actually not a person of this era.¡± As soon as Shen Luo spoke his first sentence, everyone present was stunned, all looking at him with astonished faces. ¡°I thought you would at least make up a plausible lie, but I didn''t expect you to talk such sheer nonsense,¡± Yang Jian frowned, and the mark between his brows became even deeper red. ¡°I am someone from a thousand years ago, who, by chance, obtained a peculiar fairy pillow. Whenever I entered dreams periodically, I would travel through time to arrive here, a thousand years in the future. Each dream crossing consumes my current world''s lifespan, without a fixed duration, hence I have no control over the timing of these travels. During the previous attack on Jilei Mountain, I had returned a thousand years back, and by the time I came back, the great battle had already begun. This time, it was the same; by the time I returned from the dream, Wuzhuang View had already been blood-washed,¡± Shen Luo explained gravely without regard for the others. Upon his words, the surroundings fell silent. Zhenyuanzi furrowed his brows deeply, his eyes flickering uncertainly on Shen Luo, seemingly having thought of something. Shen Luo looked down at the mirror beneath him, which was only rippling lightly with no significant change. Everyone was astounded, exchanging glances, wondering if what he said could be true. But at that moment, Shen Luo suddenly felt a shake beneath him. The mirror that had only been rippling slightly erupted with waves as if a sudden storm had surged, unable to calm down anymore. ¡°How can this be?¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed abruptly upon seeing this. ¡°Hmph, as expected, nothing but lies,¡± Yang Jian scolded angrily. The rest of the crowd couldn''t help but relax their expressions at this sight, showing an acknowledgement that ¡°this is how it should be.¡± Nie Caizhu looked at Shen Luo, a struggle flashing in her eyes. She very much wanted to believe him, but his words were simply too inconceivable, and with the Heart-testing Mirror reacting this way, even she couldn''t help but harbor doubts. ¡°Given the facts before you, what else do you have to say?¡± Bull Demon King roared loudly. ¡°Believe it or not, I am telling the truth,¡± said Shen Luo with a bitter smile. ¡°Less nonsense, hand over the Heavenly Book,¡± Yang Jian demanded coldly, pointing the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife at Shen Luo. ¡°And the Exquisite Pagoda, it''s my father''s possession, you are undeserving to control it,¡± Nezha also said with furrowed brows. ¡°I¡­ I can''t give them to you,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze flickering slightly as he lifted his head. ¡°Amitabha, Friend Shen, there is no point in resisting now. If you refuse to hand over the Heavenly Book willingly, we will have no choice but to end your life and extract the Heavenly Book using a secret method,¡± Huang Mei Monk said. ¡°The Heavenly Book was entrusted to me by a predecessor, and I promised to take good care of it, not to be handed over lightly to others. If you insist on taking it by force, then let''s try and see, even at the risk of both sides losing everything,¡± Shen Luo retorted with a cold snort, standing his ground firmly. ¡°Hmph, refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit,¡± Yang Jian said angrily, his eyes and brows slanting. With that, his figure suddenly flashed behind Shen Luo, raising his palm and forming a claw to strike down at the top of Shen Luo''s skull. ¡°Don''t¡­¡± Nie Caizhu shouted in alarm upon seeing this. She was about to step forward but was stopped by someone beside her with a cross arm. ¡°Do not act recklessly,¡± Huang Mei Monk slowly withdrew his arm, shaking his head gently at her. Nie Caizhu, now the leader of the surviving disciples of Mount Putuo, belonged to a Buddhist Sect headed by Huang Mei Monk. And at this moment, Yang Jian''s hand had already clasped Shen Luo''s head. Rings of golden ripples emerged continuously from his palm, rippling down toward the lower part. ¡°Soul Capture Technique¡­¡± Zhenyuanzi frowned as he spoke. This technique used mana mixed with divine sense power to forcefully invade another''s Sea of Knowledge, taking direct control of the Divine Soul, causing great damage to the controlled person''s Divine Soul. Once the Divine Soul was controlled, it would be commanded like a puppet, with no possibility of defiance. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Like this, there''s no fear of him not handing over the Heavenly Book,¡± Yang Jian said with a smile of confidence on his face. As his voice fell, his eyes closed, and the divine sense power began to flow down through the palm of his hand, seeping into Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. Inside Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge, a diminutive Divine Soul was seated cross-legged when he suddenly sensed an intense light above him. A colossal hand seemed to tear through the sky of the Sea of Knowledge and reached down toward him. In the center of that hand, ancient charm patterns emerged. Transparent crystalline lines stretched from the splayed fingers, probing toward all parts of the Divine Soul''s surroundings. The Divine Soul just looked up briefly before lowering his head again, choosing to ignore it. Just as the transparent crystalline lines were about to pierce the Divine Soul''s body, his kasaya radiated gold and red lights like a solid barrier, protecting the outside of Shen Luo''s Divine Soul. These crystalline lines, upon striking the kasaya''s radiance, were immediately repelled. ¡°Eh, there''s actually a Divine Soul barrier? Watch me break it,¡± Yang Jian opened his eyes in surprise. After speaking, he closed his eyes again, his other palm performed a hand seal, and he began chanting softly. He pointed a finger towards the palm that was clasped over Shen Luo''s head. (My Daoist friends, the double monthly ticket event has started again, I humbly ask for your votes^^) Chapter 995 Chapter 995: Chapter 992: Bright Soul Chapter 995: Chapter 992: Bright Soul ¡°Hey, Yang Jian, go easy, don''t accidentally destroy his divine soul.¡± Seeing the situation, the Yellow Eyebrow Monk quickly called out. Yang Jian turned a deaf ear to his words. Just now, after probing, he had discovered that the barrier on Shen Luo''s divine soul was not weak. If he didn''t use his full strength, he might not be able to break through it. ¡°Take this, break!¡± With a light cry from his mouth, a flash of golden light appeared at his fingertips and instantly shot into the top of Shen Luo''s skull. Shen Luo''s whole body jolted, and a thunderous roar simultaneously came from within his Sea of Knowledge. A golden lightning bolt appeared out of thin air in his Sea of Knowledge, striking down toward his divine soul avatar. A sharp, excruciating pain transmitted from Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge as the bolt of lightning directly pierced through the radiance emitted by the divine soul''s kasaya and struck the divine soul avatar. Just as Yang Jian thought he had finally broken through the barrier, a Buddhist chant suddenly resounded in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. Followed by the kasaya emitting a bright light, several blade edges condensed from divine senses shot out from it. Before everyone could react, a sudden shriek from Yang Jian was heard. He sharply pulled back the hand that was placed on Shen Luo''s head, clasped his own head, and staggered back a few steps, almost falling off the altar. ¡°This is¡­ a counterattack from the divine soul,¡± the Yellow Eyebrow Monk said in surprise. Zhenyuanzi, standing nearby, flashed a look and quickly stepped forward, placing a palm on top of Shen Luo''s head. Shen Luo''s body shook, and he suddenly felt as if all the strength had been drained from his body, slumping down to sit. On the other side, Yang Jian had also steadied himself, looking incredulously toward Shen Luo, his expression quite complicated. ¡°Even the Soul Capture Technique is useless?¡± the Yellow Eyebrow Monk murmured. ¡°Why bother with all this trouble; just kill him. After collecting the remnants of his soul, there is still a way to extract the Heavenly Book,¡± the Bull Demon King stepped forward and said. ¡°Haha¡­¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but laugh aloud toward the sky. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± the Bull Demon King bellowed angrily. ¡°I laugh at your inability to discern right from wrong, to distinguish black from white, and I laugh at myself for traveling through such great lengths, crossing the Netherworld Hell to come here and face death,¡± Shen Luo said with a desolate look, his voice filled with desolation. ¡°The Heart-testing Mirror has already proven your nonsense. Do you think we''ll still believe what you say now?¡± someone rebuked. ¡°Believe it or not, if you''re going to kill me, just do it. In Dreamland I won''t truly die anyway. After revival, at worst I''ll just take the Heavenly Book and defect to the Demon Clan. Associating with a bunch of muddle-headed fools like you, I would be dragged down to death sooner or later anyway,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head with a smile. ¡°You¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, the others became even more uncontrollably angry. ¡°Kill him, kill him¡­¡± someone shouted. ¡°This guy is beyond redemption, kill him.¡± More people echoed. The surrounding crowd was enraged; everyone silently condemned Shen Luo to death, considering him a traitor who deserved to die. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Calm down.¡± At this moment, Town Primordial Great Immortal suddenly spoke. Among these remaining forces, Zhenyuanzi had always been recognized as their leader. However, since the battle at Wuzhuang View, he seemed to have become quite dejected and rarely interfered in matters lately. After Shen Luo appeared this time, he had been mostly silent, letting Yang Jian and the others handle the situation. But now that he spoke up, everyone couldn''t help but quiet down and turn to look at him. ¡°This concerns the Heavenly Book; we cannot act rashly. If the Heavenly Book is damaged, all our efforts to suppress the Demon Clan would have been in vain, and those who died would have sacrificed for nothing,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°Great Immortal, then what should we do? We can''t just let him continue his rampaging, can we?¡± someone asked. ¡°Great Immortal, do you have another method?¡± the Yellow Eyebrow Monk asked. Zhenyuanzi pondered for a moment and said: ¡°Indeed, there is another method. It is somewhat similar to Yang Jian''s Soul Capture Technique, only more troublesome. It requires setting up a Minghun Formation. Of course, its effect is stronger than the Soul Capture Technique, and breaking through his divine soul barrier should not be a problem.¡± ¡°If that''s the case, it would indeed be more prudent,¡± Yang Jian contemplated for a moment and said. The Bull Demon King, on the other hand, showed a hesitant expression, saying nothing. ¡°If you all think it''s worth a try, let''s first imprison this Fierce Ghost, and tomorrow, after I''ve set up the Array, we''ll try to capture his soul again, how about that?¡± Zhenyuanzi looked at everyone and asked. ¡°Let''s do as the Great Immortal suggests,¡± the Yellow Eyebrow Monk was the first to respond. The others then nodded in agreement, one after another. ¡°Great Immortal, this guy is quite capable. To prevent him from escaping, why don''t we trap him with my Golden Cymbals combined with your Dragon-binding Circle? That will ensure there are no slip-ups,¡± the Yellow Eyebrow Monk suggested. ¡°That sounds good,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal nodded. After bowing with a palm-pressed salute, the Yellow Eyebrow Monk waved his hand and a beam of light flew out from his sleeve. It swept Shen Luo up into mid-air and then a pair of golden-shining Golden Cymbals whirled out, one from above and one from below, clashing together with a ¡°clang¡± to seal Shen Luo within. In the last moment as the Golden Cymbals closed, Shen Luo looked at Nie Caizhu and the corner of his mouth lifted in a faint smile. Seeing this, the latter felt even more heartbroken. ¡°Alright, I''ll leave this place to you guys now. I need to go back and prepare the Array,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, and then he turned and left. After he had gone, Yang Jian looked at everyone and asked, ¡°Who will take up the duty of guard?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Zhong Kui volunteered immediately. ¡°You?¡± The Yellow Eyebrow Monk expressed his surprise. ¡°This place is within the Netherworld Hell. Are you worried about a rescue from the Nine Netherworlds, or do you distrust your own and Town Primordial Great Immortal''s seals?¡± Zhong Kui looked at him and asked. ¡°Since you''ve offered yourself, I''ll leave this matter to you then,¡± the Yellow Eyebrow Monk shrugged nonchalantly. With that, he turned and left as well. Afterward, the onlookers gradually dispersed, leaving only Zhong Kui, Nie Caizhu, and the Bull Demon King still standing there, not leaving for a long time. Inside the Golden Cymbal, Shen Luo found little room to move. After a brief attempt, he discovered that inside the cymbal all spiritual power and Divine Sense fluctuations were blocked. In here, he could not draw upon even a trace of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, nor could he release his Divine Sense to the outside. He truly found himself in a situation where calling to Heaven gained no response, and calling to Earth got no reaction. Still, he could faintly hear the sounds from outside; they were not entirely cut off. As the crowd around him gradually cleared out, the surroundings became quieter by the moment. After an indeterminate amount of time, suddenly, a voice came from outside: ¡°Shen Luo, where have you been all these years? Why has there been no news of you for hundreds of years?¡± ¡°I didn''t expect you would be the one left to guard me,¡± Shen Luo heard Zhong Kui''s voice and replied. ¡°There are some things I want to ask you,¡± Zhong Kui said. ¡°What are they?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Have you met Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva? There seems to be some of his breath on you,¡± Zhong Kui informed him through spiritual transmission. On hearing this, Shen Luo was slightly startled, then replied, ¡°I have not met Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Hasn''t he long since perished?¡± There was a silence from outside, as if Zhong Kui was pondering something. ¡°You truly haven''t seen him?¡± After a long time, his voice rose again. ¡°No,¡± Shen Luo maintained. Who the traitor was had yet to surface, so naturally he couldn''t trust anyone yet. Chapter 996 Chapter 996: Chapter 993: Hooked Chapter 996: Chapter 993: Hooked Shen Luo''s voice fell, and once again, silence encompassed the outside. ¡°If I remember correctly, it was the Heavenly Court that first fell, followed by the Demon Clan''s attack on the Underworld, right?¡± A moment later, Shen Luo broke the silence and spoke up. ¡°Correct,¡± Zhong Kui answered. ¡°In that case, the Underworld should have been prepared, so why did it suffer such a quick defeat that year?¡± Shen Luo continued to inquire. After a long while, Zhong Kui''s voice finally came through: ¡°That year¡­ the events of that year were also quite mysterious. In theory, with the arrangements made by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, even if we ultimately couldn''t resist the Demon Clan, we wouldn''t have lost so swiftly, so miserably. So much so that for many years afterward, we were criticized, accused of being surrenderists, people claimed we hadn''t resisted at all.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t say anything more, his gaze slowly dropping to the Dragon-binding Circle in his hand, lost in thought. Zhong Kui outside, seeing Shen Luo fall silent, didn''t speak further either. It''s unsure how much time had passed when Shen Luo suddenly heard a strange noise from the outside, followed by Zhong Kui''s sudden shout: ¡°Who?¡± However, as soon as his voice started, it was as if something was blocking his throat, immediately making a choking sound, but the noise quickly disappeared. ¡°Who''s out there?¡± Shen Luo instantly realized something was wrong and spoke in a low voice. ¡°It''s me.¡± A somewhat dry voice came from outside. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Cai Zhu?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. ¡°This Golden Cymbal is Master Huang Mei''s Magical Treasure; I can only open a slit at most. Are you confident you can get out?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. ¡°How did you get here?¡± Shen Luo quickly asked. ¡°Let''s not talk about that now. I''ll rescue you first,¡± Nie Caizhu said urgently. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a brief moment and then nodded. Outside the Golden Cymbal, Nie Caizhu looked at the unconscious Zhong Kui beside her with a complex expression, holding a delicate White Jade Purifying Vase in her hand, her fingers pinching a segment of the Yangliu Branch inserted into it, and she began to chant silently. Moments later, she pinched the Yangliu Branch and suddenly pulled it out of the vase, pointing it towards the Golden Cymbal. A drop of crystal-clear water fell from the tip of the Yangliu Branch, flying into the joint where the Golden Cymbal''s components met. The perfectly sealed Golden Cymbal began to tremble rapidly the instant the drop of water entered the crevice, with golden light flickering on it as well. Seeing this, Nie Caizhu''s expression tightened, she formed hand seals with one hand, and mana surged out of her body, almost losing the reserve as it coursed into the drop of water. That drop of water, continually nourished by her mana, began to shine with a snow-white light, and started to expand like a bubble, struggling fiercely to force open an almost imperceptible slit between the two parts of the Golden Cymbal. An instant later, the light on the Golden Cymbal surged, and the expanding drop of water ¡°pop¡± burst apart, causing the two sides of the Golden Cymbal to close back together. A look of despair flashed in Nie Caizhu''s eyes as her mana became depleted, and she nearly collapsed. At that moment, a broad shoulder suddenly appeared behind her, steadying her. ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Seeing that it was Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu turned around and was immediately filled with overwhelming joy. ¡°This is not the place to talk. Let''s head to the Netherworld Ghost Streams first,¡± Shen Luo said softly, his hands still confined by the Dragon-binding Circle. ¡°I''ll lead the way,¡± Nie Caizhu nodded and summoned up her spirits again. Under her guidance, the two of them swiftly and quietly escaped the altar, heading towards the direction of the Hell Maze. At the same time, not far from here within a dilapidated building, Zhenyuanzi, who was seated cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes and furrowed his brows as he said, ¡°It seems like the bait has been taken.¡± Having said that, another figure transformed from his body, and in an instant, it vanished into thin air, disappearing from the spot. ¡­ Elsewhere, Shen Luo and his companion hastily fled to the entrance of the Evil Yin Valley, but Nie Caizhu suddenly stopped in her tracks. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo asked anxiously upon seeing this. ¡°Cousin, are you truly not a traitor?¡± Nie Caizhu stared intently into Shen Luo''s eyes and asked seriously. ¡°I am not,¡± Shen Luo replied, his gaze unwavering as he firmly shook his head. ¡°Then I''m relieved. Go ahead, I''ll escort you this far,¡± Nie Caizhu said, letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°You''re not coming with me?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°You carry the entrusted wishes of others, as do I have my sect''s dying command. I can''t bear to see you throw your life away so vainly, but I also cannot abandon my duty, so I cannot go with you,¡± Nie Caizhu said with her lips slightly trembling. ¡°I¡­¡± Shen Luo was momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°Cousin, the thing you said about time travel, is that also true?¡± Nie Caizhu asked again. ¡°It''s true,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°If you truly can return to a thousand years ago, I hope you can either change The Disaster of Demons that took place back then and save this terrible future or¡­ I hope you can stay by my side. I don''t want to be that lonely again,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a complex smile, speaking slowly. ¡°I promise you,¡± Shen Luo said after a long pause, nodding earnestly. Having received Shen Luo''s answer, Nie Caizhu''s smile finally relaxed somewhat. She said no more, only waving at Shen Luo before turning around and walking back the way she came. Watching her somewhat desolate figure, Shen Luo couldn''t help feeling a twinge of guilt in his heart. However, after watching her for a moment, he too turned and made his way toward the Iron Chain Bridge. Just as Shen Luo crossed the bridge, a figure emerged slowly from within the Black Bamboo Forest ahead, seemingly waiting for him. ¡°Brother Shen, where might you be heading?¡± the man asked with a smile on his face. ¡°Daoist Huang Mei¡­¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and called out. ¡°Seeing your reaction, you don''t seem too surprised. What, you knew I would stop you?¡± Huang Mei Monk furrowed his brow slightly and asked upon seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°After all, the Golden Cymbal is your Magical Treasure, how could you not know about the trouble here? I didn''t dare touch the Dragon-binding Circle of the Town Primordial Great Immortal for fear of alarming him. But still, I''m somewhat surprised, how did you arrive so quickly?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°There''s nothing strange about it. Since I''ve already stopped you, don''t bother struggling in vain. Hand over the Heavenly Book, and while I can''t guarantee what others will do, I can offer you a way out,¡± Huang Mei Monk said. ¡°And here I thought you''d tell me to obediently come back with you,¡± Shen Luo said, puzzled. ¡°To take you back with me would be to drive you to a dead end, and why would you agree to that? Anyway, it doesn''t matter to me whether you''re an inside agent of the Demon Clan or not, just hand over the Heavenly Book. Don''t obstruct our efforts to rectify the chaos and restore the Heavenly Dao, as for the Jilei Mountain and Wuzhuang View¡­ that''s your private grudge with them,¡± Huang Mei Monk stated frankly. ¡°You talk quite openly, but why should I believe you?¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°A monk does not speak false words. Hand over the Heavenly Book and I can indeed let you go,¡± Huang Mei Monk said, gesturing with his hand. ¡°Ha, hand over the Heavenly Book¡­ I think not. There''s no need to pretend anymore at this point, I truly have defected to the Demon Clan. I intended to make one final stand, but unfortunately, I was discovered by you as soon as I arrived. Now, Lord Jiuming has already deployed forces from two directions, striking here from both the Eighteen Layers of Hell and this Hell Maze,¡± Shen Luo said with an easygoing demeanor, laughing aloud. Huang Mei Monk frowned slightly upon hearing this, uncertain whether Shen Luo''s words were true or false. Chapter 997 Chapter 997: Chapter 994 Identity Chapter 997: Chapter 994 Identity ¡°Haha, Friend Shen, that joke was a bit much, even I almost believed it. Since my kind advice falls on deaf ears, I''ll just have to go to some trouble to take you back,¡± The words of the Yellow Eyebrow Monk had barely ended when his figure suddenly blurred, and with one step he appeared in front of Shen Luo, slapping his palm down towards the top of Shen Luo''s head. With his hands bound by the Dragon-binding Circle, Shen Luo''s ability to manipulate mana was limited and he could only perform the Slanting Moon Steps to dodge with a swift move. Just as the Moonlight under his feet dispersed, the ground suddenly shook violently. Massive chunks of earth and stone rose on their own, causing Shen Luo to falter and his movement slowed for an instant. Just as he was about to be hit, Shen Luo let out a thunderous shout from his mouth, not hesitating to call upon all the remaining mana in his body to summon the Exquisite Tower. As a flash of Golden Light surrounded his body, a golden tower emerged from the ground, enveloping him just in time to be struck by the palm, causing the Golden Light to tremble wildly and the shadow of the tower to shrink a little. ¡°With your hands bound by the Dragon-binding Circle, I would like to see how long you can last?¡± The Yellow Eyebrow Monk said, his smile undiminished as he raised his hand and delivered another palm strike. This palm seemed slow but was actually swift, with great force and more momentum than before. With a ¡°bang,¡± it made the shadow of the tower dim and the base unstable, shrinking further and pressing Shen Luo to involuntarily bend his waist. Seeing the Yellow Eyebrow Monk continuing his assault, Shen Luo hurriedly shouted, ¡°Demon Wind, if you don''t come out and help now, and I get killed, you won''t get off easy either.¡± At his shout, the Yellow Eyebrow Monk''s expression changed slightly and his raised hand stiffened in mid-air. From within the Black Bamboo Forest came a great howling sound, and a dark silhouette wrapped in a hurricane vortex roared towards the Yellow Eyebrow Monk, directly colliding with him. The latter''s palm strike towards Shen Luo immediately redirected, hitting the black wind vortex. Within the vortex, the person collided with the Yellow Eyebrow Monk''s palm and was immediately blown away, revealing their true form. Clothed in black robes, their head was covered with a bamboo hat, their face concealed by black cloth, and their body emitted a thick Demonic Qi. ¡°Demon Wind?¡± The Yellow Eyebrow Monk looked at the newcomer and murmured thoughtfully. ¡°Aren''t you leaving yet? The Demon Clan Army will be here any moment now,¡± Shen Luo said, seizing the opportunity to stand behind Demon Wind, his face showing a ¡°rescued¡± expression as he looked at the Yellow Eyebrow Monk. ¡°Have you truly sided with the Demon Clan?¡± The Yellow Eyebrow Monk asked, frowning. ¡°Nonsense. With both the humans and the immortals in decline, who else to turn to for survival if not the Demon Clan? Had I not been deep undercover, I would have undergone purification and transformed into a member of the Demon Clan long ago,¡± Shen Luo retorted with a sneer. The Yellow Eyebrow Monk''s frown deepened as he gazed toward the depths of the Black Bamboo Forest, appearing somewhat hesitant. ¡°Could it be¡­ the Nine Netherworlds sent you to infiltrate?¡± A moment later, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and asked in a low voice. ¡°No, that''s not the case. My direct superior is the Chen Dragon Venerate. I''m here on a mission and revealed my identity to Lord Jiuming for borrowing strength in this task, but before this¡­ heh heh, I was very well concealed,¡± Shen Luo said, with a hint of pride. Upon hearing this, the Yellow Eyebrow Monk''s expression relaxed, and he also withdrew his aggressive stance, saying: ¡°In that case, we are essentially on the same side.¡± ¡°On the same side?¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly, surprised. But soon he showed a look of seeing through the Yellow Eyebrow Monk''s ploy, saying sarcastically: ¡°Playing such tricks even now, do you think I would believe you?¡± ¡°Hehe, I knew you wouldn''t believe it¡­ The battle formation map for the Great Formation that was used to conquer Wuzhuang View, it wasn''t provided by you, was it?¡± The Huang Mei Monk looked at Shen Luo with a smile and asked. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows knitted into a knot, and he hesitated before speaking, ¡°Are you really one of us? Besides that, do you have any other proof?¡± ¡°Proof? Why don''t you show your proof first?¡± The Huang Mei Monk faltered slightly, his eyebrows inadvertently giving a twitch. Shen Luo caught every subtle change in his expression and spoke calmly, ¡°Daoist Huang Mei jests. With my kind of identity, why would I carry any physical proof and increase the risk of exposure? I''ve always been in direct contact only with the Chen Dragon Venerate, and originally, only she knew my identity. If I must provide some sort of proof, then I know she is the daughter of the Jing River Dragon King and the Human Race, her real name is Ma Xiuxiu. Does that count?¡± Upon these words, the last bit of doubt in the Huang Mei Monk''s eyes finally dissipated. Chen Dragon Venerate was extremely secretive about her past, especially her experiences as part of the Human Race. There were very few in the Demon Clan who knew of this, so anyone who could reveal such information must have a deep connection with her. ¡°Good, I didn''t expect Brother Shen to truly be one of our own; there''s no need for us to fight to the death then. About what you mentioned earlier, the pincer attack by Lord Jiuming from both sides¡­¡± The Huang Mei Monk said with a smile, asking casually. ¡°Of course, I was bluffing you. Neither you nor I have sent out the message, so why would they act rashly? This Daoist Demon Wind was just arranged here to meet with me, that''s all,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. At this answer, the Huang Mei Monk let out a sigh of relief. Shen Luo knew that the seemingly inadvertent last question he asked was the one loaded with hidden significance. The Huang Mei Monk hadn''t sent out any messages, and Shen Luo, being new to the situation, hadn''t yet gathered any useful information to pass on. Naturally, Lord Jiuming wouldn''t rashly launch an attack. If Shen Luo had continued to insist the information was true, it would have raised suspicion and revealed his stance. ¡°Now that my cover has been blown, I''m useless. The success of the next plan will all depend on you,¡± Shen Luo said with a look of helplessness. ¡°To eradicate them is not difficult; the challenge is, before doing so, how to get the Heavenly Scroll Fragment from their hands,¡± the Huang Mei Monk said. ¡°That''s easy,¡± Shen Luo chuckled and replied. ¡°Oh? You have a way?¡± the Huang Mei Monk asked dubiously. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Heavenly Scroll is fragmented, and the Power of Heaven''s Path within must also be scattered. Since they wish to fight the Demon Clan, they''ll need to consolidate their power and will try to make the Heavenly Scroll whole again. If you can persuade them to do so, won''t they willingly bring out the Heavenly Scroll? Then you can take them by surprise, seizing it, and won''t that mean mission accomplished?¡± Shen Luo chuckled and suggested. ¡°Excellent, excellent! Indeed, it''s a good strategy,¡± the Huang Mei Monk laughed, applauding the idea. ¡°However, saying it is easier than doing it; you''ll still need a token of commitment,¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°A token of commitment?¡± the Huang Mei Monk frowned. ¡°The Heavenly Scroll is incredibly precious; to get them to bring it out easily won''t happen. You''ll need to show some sincerity first,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°You mean for me to show my piece of the Heavenly Scroll first?¡± the Huang Mei Monk asked. ¡°Exactly, that''s how you''ll be convincing. Additionally, I can also give you my piece of the Heavenly Scroll. Afterward, you can devise a reason to say I''m dead, that shouldn''t be difficult, right?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Your piece of the Heavenly Scroll too?¡± Upon hearing this, the Huang Mei Monk was quite surprised. Chapter 998 Chapter 998: Chapter 995: The True Traitor Chapter 998: Chapter 995: The True Traitor ¡°` ¡°Of course it''s not real, it''s just a wisp of spirit created from the Heavenly Book to make a fake one,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Hearing this, Huang Mei''s brows furrowed slightly, as if considering the feasibility of the matter. ¡°After all that has been said, Daoist Huang Mei, shouldn''t you first help me undo these Dragon-binding Circles?¡± Shen Luo stretched out his restrained arms and said. ¡°Very well,¡± the Huang Mei Monk, having let down his guard towards Shen Luo at this moment, nodded and said. As he stepped forward, he said, ¡°These Dragon-binding Circles are no ordinary Magical Treasures. This object is on par with Taishang Laojun''s Diamond Carving, and to open it, unless¡­¡± Mid-sentence, a fierce light suddenly shone in the Huang Mei Monk''s eyes. ¡°Chop off these hands!¡± he bellowed, and with a swift motion, he raised his hand like a blade, slashing violently towards Shen Luo''s arms. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed sharply, and his arms suddenly shone with golden light. His flesh and bones also became almost translucent. There was a clang. The Huang Mei Monk''s hand chopped onto Shen Luo''s arm, striking as if on fine steel, emitting a sound like the clash of gold against jade. At the same time, Shen Luo lifted a leg and kicked heavily into Huang Mei Monk''s chest, sending him flying back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo shouted angrily. ¡°All this talk of a fake Heavenly Book, once I bring it back, others may not notice, but could Zhenyuanzi, that old fox, not see through it? Brother Shen, where is your good will in helping me achieve merit? You''re just trying to use me to kill someone else, aren''t you?¡± the Huang Mei Monk stabilized himself and said with a smile. ¡°Daoist Huang Mei, you''re really biting the hand that feeds you now¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°I can let you live, just hand over the Heavenly Book honestly. If you really contribute, I will certainly share a portion of the merit with you. How about that?¡± After a brief pause, the Huang Mei Monk proposed. ¡°In the end, you just want to monopolize the Heavenly Book by yourself. It''s difficult to conspire with you,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and replied slowly. ¡°Your hands are bound by the Dragon-binding Circle and even with help, I can easily kill you. Do you really want to resist to the end?¡± the Huang Mei Monk said with a cold laugh, his body no longer showing any sign of a Buddhist demeanor, instead emitting strands of black Demonic Qi. ¡°Heh, it looks like you''ve already been corrupted by the demonic. How did you manage to conceal this Demonic Qi?¡± Shen Luo wondered aloud. ¡°You still have the Heavenly Book on you. Is it so hard to use it to suppress the Demonic Qi?¡± the Huang Mei Monk taunted. ¡°Oh? It can be used like that?¡± Shen Luo said, surprised. ¡°Why don''t you call out the Heavenly Book, and I''ll show you how?¡± No sooner had Huang Mei spoken than he suddenly dashed forward, reaching straight for Shen Luo''s throat. Shen Luo, on his guard, scattered the moonlight at his feet, his figure retreating explosively backwards. ¡°Zen Mountain.¡± At that moment, a low shout came. Shen Luo suddenly felt a mysterious, invisible pressure surrounding him; it was as if Mount Tai was pressing down upon his shoulders, making his body sink, his legs plunging into the Ground, rendering him unable to move. The Huang Mei Monk took the opportunity to chase after him, his palms transforming into claws, still aiming for his throat. Shen Luo burned an Escape Earth Talisman from his sleeve turning to ash in an instant, and his figure ¡°whooshed¡± into the ground, escaping underground. ¡°Where do you think you''re going¡­¡± Seeing this, the Huang Mei Monk shouted explosively, and a black Demonic Qi burst from the palm of his clasping hand, plunging directly into the earth. The next instant, the Earth cracked open, with strands of black Demonic Qi mixing with mud and rocks, transforming into sharp blades that thrust outwards, forcing Shen Luo''s figure to flee out from underground. Just as he leapt out of the Ground, Huang Mei, as if having predicted his location in advance, instantly caught up to him. As he saw Huang Mei''s palm, charged with black Demonic Qi, reaching for his throat again, a figure flashed to his side, standing in front of Shen Luo and struck out with a palm. A black whirlwind immediately swept toward the Huang Mei Monk. ¡°` ¡°Get lost¡­¡± Yellow Eyebrow slightly felt the force, plunged his palms directly into the black whirlwind, and with a fierce tug to both sides, he directly shredded it into pieces. His figure passed through it, he slapped away the demon wind, and charged straight towards Shen Luo. Golden and silver light shone on Shen Luo''s arms as the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique was about to be unleashed. A tremendously powerful breath erupted from his body, and he was about to speed away in an instant. But just at that moment, the light from the Dragon-binding Circle in his hand suddenly brightened. It seemed as if the last bit of Shen Luo''s mana had been drained, the aura on his body abruptly dissipated, and the light on his arms dimmed alongside it. His eyes widened, his face flashing with a hint of panic. Seeing this, Yellow Eyebrow was overjoyed, grabbed his neck, and squeezed hard. ¡°Crack, crack¡± A sound of crushed throat bones echoed, and Shen Luo violently spat out a mouthful of blood, which splashed onto Yellow Eyebrow''s face. Yellow Eyebrow didn''t care, and laughed loudly, ¡°I told you earlier to cooperate obediently, but you had to¡­¡± He had not finished his words when his expression suddenly changed, and the arrogant smile on his face froze. His gaze slowly moved downward and he noticed that the Dragon-binding Circle, which had been on Shen Luo''s wrist just now, was now locked onto his own wrist that was gripping Shen Luo. At the same time, golden light swirled around one of Shen Luo''s arms, and he punched Yellow Eyebrow in the chest. Yellow Eyebrow felt a heavy sensation in his chest, and his body involuntarily flew backward. On the other side, the ¡°demon wind¡± that he had sent flying just now, instantaneously appeared behind him, lifted a palm, and pressed it directly onto his back. Green light surged in the palm of the demon wind, and strands of green chains rushed out from the sleeve with a ¡°whirl,¡± not giving Yellow Eyebrow any chance to resist, and promptly bound him up neatly. Shen Luo had already landed on the ground, standing in place and coughing up blood with difficulty, while swiftly repairing his throat with the Great Unsealing Technique. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± Just then, a loud shout suddenly came from the valley, several figures dashed out swiftly, heading straight for this place. The leader was none other than Yang Jian, who now, seeing that Shen Luo had escaped while Yellow Eyebrow was under control, was immediately furious. The Bull Demon King and the others also showed angry expressions, ready to launch an attack on this side. Shen Luo''s throat had not yet recovered, he could not speak, and could only desperately wave his hands, urging them not to act rashly. But those people did not care about that, at this moment they all wanted to skin and dismember him before they would rest. ¡°Stop!¡± Suddenly, a voice rang out, immediately silencing everyone. Everyone was slightly startled and all turned their gaze to the person speaking, who was none other than the ¡°demon wind¡± that had subdued Yellow Eyebrow. He raised his hand, took off the bamboo hat on his head, and a layer of green light shone on his body, which then changed his form and revealed an eye-catching Purple-Gold Daoist Robe. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal¡­¡± Yang Jian said in surprise. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Nezha frowned. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After revealing his true identity, Zhenyuanzi did not hide his breath, and everyone could tell true from false at a glance. ¡°The traitor is not Shen Luo, but Yellow Eyebrow,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°It''s Yellow Eyebrow, the respected teacher, how could he?¡± An Arhat from the Buddhist Sect said in disbelief. ¡°I''m really not the traitor, everything I said in the Heart-testing Mirror earlier was true, it''s just that Yellow Eyebrow tampered with it, which led to everyone being misled,¡± Shen Luo said at this moment, coughing twice, defending himself. The Bull Demon King was uncertain, looking back and forth between Shen Luo and Yellow Eyebrow, for a moment not sure whom to believe. Chapter 999 Chapter 999: Chapter 996: Icebreaker Chapter 999: Chapter 996: Icebreaker ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal, what exactly is going on?¡± Nie Caizhu was also among the crowd. She had thought that Shen Luo had failed to escape and was preparing to submit to punishment with him, but the current turn of events had taken her by surprise as well. ¡°When the Heart-testing Mirror was used to test the heart earlier, I noticed interference fluctuations on the mirror. Worried that Shen Luo had some secret divine soul technique, I knocked him unconscious with a palm strike and probed his divine soul. To my surprise, I discovered that his divine soul was under the protection bestowed by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. I was puzzled; could someone who has the trust of both Pagoda Heavenly King and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva truly be a traitor?¡± Zhenyuanzi glanced at everyone and said. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Just because of that?¡± The Buddhist Arhat clearly could not be convinced by this reason. ¡°Of course not. However, under the circumstances at the time, whatever I said, nobody would have believed me. Therefore, I suggested that I put on a play with Town Primordial Great Immortal to lure him into exposing himself, thereby clearing the accusation,¡± Shen Luo continued. Everyone turned their gaze toward Zhenyuanzi, seeking confirmation from him. Town Primordial Great Immortal said nothing more but pointed lightly at his forehead, as if pulling out something, and with a tug, a beam of golden light followed his fingertip and flew out. Afterward, that golden light unfurled in the void, displaying scenes from Shen Luo''s earlier conversation with Yellow Eyebrow in the Valley, just as seen through Zhenyuanzi''s perspective, revealing it all to everyone present. After seeing the events, everyone finally understood that the traitor who had been hiding among them was not Shen Luo but Yellow Eyebrow. ¡°Amitabha, Yellow Eyebrow, it is such a shame that Maitreya Buddha trusted you so much and passed the mantle on to you. Your actions are a disgrace to the Buddhist Sect and tarnish the Buddha Dharma,¡± the Buddhist Arhat said with his hands pressed together before chastising. Yellow Eyebrow, who was restrained, remained silent but stared fixedly at Shen Luo, filled with relentless resentment. He had never anticipated that he would trip up here. The Bull Demon King''s eyes were red with fury as he strode forward, raised his hand to summon the Mixed Iron Staff in his palm, and radiating ferocity, he lifted the staff to smash it down on Yellow Eyebrow''s head. ¡°Brother Niu, don''t rush to strike. He also has the Heavenly Book on him; we need to retrieve it first,¡± Shen Luo hastily advised. Upon hearing this, the Bull Demon King stiffened, shaking uncontrollably as he struggled to suppress his killing intent and slowly lowered the Mixed Iron Staff. ¡°This guy is much too cunning. I originally planned to trick him into handing over the Heavenly Book before dealing with him, but he was so consumed by greed that he had no intention of cooperating with me. Instead, he planned to kill me to take my Heavenly Book,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said helplessly. Everyone looked at Shen Luo, their expressions varied, and for a moment, they did not know what to say. ¡°Given the circumstances, it''s inevitable for everyone to harbor doubts. Now that my suspicion has been cleared, there''s no need for anyone to take it to heart,¡± Shen Luo said, taking the initiative to speak. After listening, the Bull Demon King looked up at the sky and walked heavily to Shen Luo''s side, saying, ¡°I misunderstood the situation the most and made the biggest mistake; I owe you an apology¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he actually bowed deeply to Shen Luo. ¡°There''s no need for that. Before coming here, I was worried that you might not hold up. In fact, it wasn''t until I saw the rage within you could still erupt that I felt relieved,¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him up and responded. ¡°I won''t fall until my great revenge is complete,¡± the Bull Demon King said with a determined gaze. ¡°I''ve been to Wuzhuang View¡­ and I didn''t let their bodies be exposed to the wilderness,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°That''s good,¡± the Bull Demon King nodded. ¡°What should we do with this guy?¡± Yang Jian then looked towards Yellow Eyebrow and asked. ¡°Yellow Eyebrow Venerable Master, at this moment, do you still refuse to turn back from your misguided ways? You should know that the sea of suffering is boundless; turning back is the shore,¡± the Buddhist Arhat sighed and advised. ¡°Morona, of all the golden-body Luohans, you have the least wisdom yet you survived that great battle. How ironic,¡± Yellow Eyebrow said to the Luohan with a laugh. ¡°Although you have wisdom, you have sown it in evil soil, and in the end, you can only reap evil fruits,¡± Morona shook his head continuously. ¡°You should not entertain ideas of any kind of forceful interrogation. I''m very fragile, and if I''m not careful, I might take the Heavenly Book with me in destruction, and then all your plans of resistance will come to nothing,¡± Yellow Eyrow said, turning to address everyone without paying any further attention to him. No sooner had he finished speaking than the chains on his body suddenly sparked with electricity, crackling loudly, instantly paralyzing him and causing him to tremble uncontrollably. ¡°Take him back first,¡± Zhenyuanzi said as he swept his large sleeve, engulfing him within. Everyone immediately followed him back to the Underworld. Nie Caizhu walked at the rear and came beside Shen Luo, staring at him intently, with a trace of grievance and reproach in her eyes. ¡°I simply couldn''t inform you beforehand¡­ Honestly, I never expected you would come to rescue me,¡± Shen Luo said as he took her hand, sounding somewhat helpless. ¡°Forget it, just knowing that you are not a traitor is already very good. Earlier I had wondered how I was able to pry open Yellow Eyebrow''s Golden Cymbal so easily. Now I understand, he deliberately let you get away,¡± Nie Caizhu mused and then smiled. ¡°It wasn''t just him, Town Primordial Great Immortal''s Dragon-binding Circle didn''t really try on me either. Otherwise, how could I even think about mobilizing mana? It was pure delusion. Just look at the treatment Yellow Eyebrow is receiving now, and you''ll see,¡± Shen Luo said, rarely allowing himself to relax, and he joined in the laughter. The two walked side by side, speaking lightly as if they were not on the Iron Chain Bridge in the Valley of Evil Yin but strolling along the road out of Chunhua County on a spring outing. One day later, atop the Broken Altar in the Eighteen Layers of Hell in the Underworld, Yellow Eyebrow was bound by the Dragon-binding Circle and thrown into the center of the altar. Zhenyuanzi, Yang Jian, Nezha, Bull Demon King, Nie Caizhu, Zhong Kui, and Shen Luo, seven people, surrounded the altar, each engraving a small Array Techniques beneath them. ¡°Stop wasting your efforts. None of you are versed in the art of Divine soul. To forcefully make me hand over the Heavenly Book is absolutely impossible. I advise you to abandon your resistance sooner rather than later and submit to the Demon Clan. The trajectory of the Dao''s cycle is clearer to me than to any of you. The Heavenly Dao is already overwhelmed and on the brink of collapse. The rise of the Demon Clan and the rebuilding of the Demonic Path is the trend of the times. You are merely insignificant ants caught in the tide of destiny; no matter how much you struggle, it is all in vain,¡± Yellow Eyebrow said with composure, sneering. The others ignored his bluster, each holding their breath and concentrating, ready to activate the Array. At that moment, Zhenyuanzi gestured in front of him, and in the Void, seven darkly colored Talisman Papers with complexly and meticulously written golden charm patterns appeared. ¡°These are Ming Soul Symbols. Combined with the Bright Soul Curse that I just informed everyone about, we can activate the Great Formation,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. Everyone reached out a hand, and the seven Ming Soul Symbols immediately flew in front of them, hovering in the Void. Zhenyuanzi nodded and was the first to close his eyes, silently beginning to chant. The rest followed, also closing their eyes to start chanting. As the voices of the seven people gradually merged, a golden light emanated from the Talisman in front of each person. Chapter 1000 Chapter 1000: Chapter 997: Sack for Humans Chapter 1000: Chapter 997: Sack for Humans ¡°Minghun Formation, activate.¡± At that moment, Zhenyuanzi suddenly opened his eyes and let out a thunderous shout. In front of everyone, Talisman Papers ignited in pitch black flames, turning to ashes, leaving only the Golden Runes to condense and hover in mid-air. At the same time, the Rune Arrays beneath everyone''s feet also lit up, and from within them, beams of light shot upwards, encasing each person within them. Immediately after, a speck of light burst forth from the center of everyone''s foreheads, passing through the Golden Runes in front of them, and wrapped in the golden light, it struck Huang Mei''s forehead. Huang Mei''s body jerked violently as if struck by thunder and lightning, his head involuntarily tilting back. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A soft noise came from his throat, his head drooping forward powerlessly, as if he had lost consciousness and passed out. Meanwhile, inside his Sea of Consciousness, seven golden light spots converged at this moment, manifesting as the figures of Shen Luo and others. In the center of the Sea of Consciousness, a Yellow Eyebrow Monk sat cross-legged, looking identical to Huang Mei Monk but with a much more menacing expression. His ears were no longer drooping to his shoulders, and he wore rings on them instead. He was still clothed in a Monk''s robe, but over it, he wore a black cassock brimming with malevolent energy, giving him an extra touch of wicked aura. The miniature figures of Shen Luo and the others, as their Divine Souls materialized, made hand seals and surrounded Huang Mei''s Divine Soul. The latter showed no sign of fear, instead, he laughed wildly, ¡°Ha ha, do you think that by entering my Sea of knowledge, you can control my Divine Soul?¡± Everyone ignored his words and continued their hand gestures without pause. From each person''s hands a golden light shone bright, and golden chains made up of tiny charm patterns extended from their palms, piercing towards Huang Mei''s Divine Soul. Huang Mei focused his gaze and noted that the golden chains were densely covered with small runes, emitting waves of intense Soul Power. A serious look flashed in his eyes, and the sound of chanting began to emanate from his mouth. In his own Sea of knowledge, Huang Mei naturally had the advantage of the terrain. As soon as his chanting began, the Divine Soul Power scattered around began to contract and enter his Divine Soul body. The black cassock enveloping his Divine Soul billowed without wind, starting to expand, and its Black Light surged to meet the incoming rune chains. ¡°Clang¡­¡± A cacophony of metallic collisions echoed in his Sea of knowledge as the seven golden chains struck the black cassock, pressing deep indentations into it, but failing to break through at once. ¡°So tenacious¡­¡± Shen Luo felt the changes in the cassock and couldn''t help but exclaim inwardly that this black cassock might not be less formidable than Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha''s Divine Soul turned into a Golden Kasaya. ¡°Ignore it, his Soul Power alone cannot withstand all seven of us, continue chanting the Bright Soul Curse,¡± Zhenyuanzi''s voice rang out at that moment. Shen Luo and the others immediately refocused their minds and resumed chanting the Bright Soul Curse. The chanting at this moment was unlike before as they were chanting directly with their Souls, consuming a great amount of Soul Power. Each person''s voice was not loud, but together they sounded like a series of thunderclaps, exploding in Huang Mei''s Sea of knowledge. Huang Mei''s expression abruptly changed, and he finally understood the formidable power of the Minghun Formation. The Divine Soul fragments that had entered his Soul were but mere fractions of Shen Luo and the others, granted such might only through the empowerment of the Formation. They could wreak havoc in Huang Mei''s Sea of knowledge to their heart''s content, even if they exhausted their power and shattered within it, it wouldn''t matter. But his Sea of knowledge might not endure such turmoil. Once the Sea of knowledge collapses, the Divine Soul would have no refuge. It would be no different from floating outside the body, subjected to the harsh winds daily and eventually dissipating. Moreover, once the Sea of knowledge collapses, these people would certainly not give his Divine Soul a chance to escape. By then, it would be virtually impossible to resist the control of the Bright Soul Curse. ¡°Since you all insist on a fight to the death, then let no one have an easy time,¡± the Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul bellowed loudly. His black cassock suddenly contracted, tightly enveloping his divine soul, prompting the seven golden chains to stab towards him in quick succession, yet his divine soul stood up directly, spinning in the air, and forcefully wound all the chains around himself. As the chains were entangled and tugged, Shen Luo and the others'' divine souls were also rapidly pulled closer, moving towards the divine soul of Yellow Eyebrow. ¡°Not good, he wants to self-destruct his divine soul,¡± Bull Demon King shouted loudly. The strength of a late-stage Taiyi cultivator''s divine soul is no less powerful than the physical body, and once it self-destructs and collapses, its power is unimaginable. That''s why, before the formation started operating, Zhenyuanzi had all those aside from their group of seven relocate to a distant place. ¡°Don''t even think about it.¡± Just then, a thunderous shout came from a doppelganger of Zhenyuanzi''s divine soul. He suddenly passed over everyone else, and with a wave of his hand, transformed into a massive palm that pressed down towards the divine soul of Yellow Eyebrow. In the palm, black and white lights merged together, forming a Tai Chi yin and yang pattern that spun quietly as it descended. Seeing this, Yellow Eyebrow''s gaze sharpened, and the breath that was about to burst forth from his body dispersed suddenly. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You''ve been deceived,¡± he said with a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth. As his voice fell, a golden pouch suddenly flew out from his waist, its mouth gaping open with a ¡°whoosh,¡± scooping up the falling figure of Zhenyuanzi and directly stuffing it inside the pouch. ¡°Sack for Humans?¡± Yang Jian exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Wasn''t it said that this treasure was destroyed in the battle alongside Maitreya Buddha?¡± Nezha also voiced his shock. Shen Luo had never seen a magical treasure that could be used within the Sea of Consciousness before, and he too felt a deep sense of astonishment. With the main controller Zhenyuanzi missing from the seven-person formation, its power suddenly weakened greatly. At this point, instead of retreating any further, Yellow Eyebrow grabbed Yang Jian''s golden chain and yanked it fiercely towards himself. Yang Jian''s doppelganger staggered and was instantly pulled up, flying directly towards Yellow Eyebrow. When they were close, he kicked out fiercely, sending Yellow Eyebrow flying backward, and the golden chain extending from his palm suddenly snapped. Outside the Sea of Consciousness, Yang Jian and Zhenyuanzi both regained consciousness one after another, with the light pillars surrounding them having disappeared and looks of displeasure on their faces. ¡°Great Immortal, what should we do now?¡± Yang Jian was at a loss. ¡°I didn''t expect he would have the Sack for Humans, we were careless¡­ We can''t change the Great Formation midway once it starts, we can only wait for the rest to also fail and try again next time,¡± Zhenyuanzi stated. ¡°Will we have assurance next time? Although it''s just the doppelgangers of our divine souls, they can''t withstand such damage¡­¡± asked Yang Jian. ¡°Now that we know he has the Sack for Humans, I will be more cautious next time. It''s just uncertain if he has any other tricks up his sleeve,¡± Zhenyuanzi replied with some uncertainty. When it came to the way of divine souls, they of Wuzhuang View indeed were not adept. This Minghun Formation was also obtained in exchange with Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha back in the day, when both of them were good friends from bygone years. As the two were talking, a streak of escape light flew by, and Morona''s figure landed. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal, the forces of the Nine Netherworlds have launched an assault,¡± he announced, having barely stabilized his form. ¡°What?¡± Zhenyuanzi abruptly stood up. ¡°It must be because Yellow Eyebrow revealed himself and secretly sent a message to the Nine Netherworlds. They have already made their attack. That guy somehow summoned countless Yin Soul Ghosts, and the defenses we prepared in the upper layers probably won''t hold for long,¡± Morona said anxiously. Chapter 1001 Chapter 1001: Chapter 998: Devouring Chapter 1001: Chapter 998: Devouring ¡°Gather everyone, prepare to evacuate,¡± Zhenyuanzi commanded immediately. ¡°What about them?¡± Yang Jian glanced at Shen Luo and asked. ¡°We can only wait for Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul to crush their divided souls before withdrawing. If we forcibly terminate the awakening of the Array, the main divine soul is still connected to the doppelganger, and the damage will be even more severe,¡± Zhenyuanzi said gravely. Having said that, he looked into the distance with some unease and added, ¡°You stay here and guard; I''ll check the outside situation and try to hold off for as long as possible.¡± Yang Jian''s face showed hesitation, but he also knew that at such a time, one cannot act on impulse. He could only nod in agreement. Inside the Sea of Consciousness of Yellow Eyebrow, the doppelgangers of Zhenyuanzi and Yang Jian were continuously shattered. Naturally, the remaining few found it even harder to sustain themselves. At this moment, Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul had completely broken free, and his figure was growing ceaselessly in his Sea of Consciousness. He soon manifested as large as a mountain, while Shen Luo and the others'' divided souls seemed like ants in comparison. ¡°Don''t be scared. I won''t destroy your divided souls immediately; you still have other uses,¡± Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul spoke, his voice booming like thunder in the Sea of Consciousness. One of its palms descended like Dark Clouds covering the sky, completely engulfing Shen Luo and the others in shadow. Black demonic Qi tumbled in its palm, pouring down and overwhelming them. ¡°Be careful, he wants to demonize our divided souls, and then erode our main souls and the Sea of Knowledge,¡± Bull Demon King shouted sharply. After speaking, he activated a mind secret technique, and a strong soul power surged into this strand of divided soul. His form rapidly expanded, transforming into a gigantic Qing Niu with curved horns, and he rammed at the enormous hand above. The roiling demonic Qi under the giant hand was mostly blocked by the Qing Niu, and for a moment, it could not surge downward. Shen Luo and the others took this opportunity to burst out from the surroundings. They jumped up, disregarding the vast difference in stature, and struck with palm chains, stabbing toward the brow of Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul. Seeing this, Yellow Eyebrow slapped down with his other hand, knocking all the chains aside. The rolling demonic Qi from his palm immediately stretched out like ropes, in an instant entangling Shen Luo and the others. Shen Luo felt waves of coldness wash over his body. This strand of his divine soul doppelganger was being fiercely eroded by the demonic Qi. Elsewhere, Nezha''s body burst into flames, which slightly resisted the erosion of the demonic Qi, but he found it extremely difficult to break free. Nie Caizhu was in a somewhat better situation; it seemed as if a Yangliu Branch made of condensed light swirled around her, fending off the demonic Qi attack. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, Daoist friend Shen, you are the first one who has deceived me so miserably over these many years. I will take this divided soul of yours for now. Later on, your main soul will also undoubtedly become my prey, and as for the Heavenly Book¡­ Heh heh, I am determined to have it!¡± Yellow Eyebrow''s massive head came before Shen Luo and spoke slowly. As he finished speaking, he suddenly opened his mouth wide and swallowed Shen Luo''s divine soul doppelganger in one gulp. ¡°No¡­¡± Nie Caizhu cried out in alarm. The Yangliu Branch that had been swirling protectively around her no longer just defended and started to dance like a dragon, sweeping all around. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shadows of the willow branches emerged in the Void. Wherever they passed, countless leaves danced in the air, forcibly tearing open several gashes in the annihilating demonic Qi, spurring flourishing vitality. For a moment, it looked as though they were making a counterattack. ¡°No wonder Maitreya Buddha handed the Heavenly Book to you before he entered nirvana. It seems you truly have an extraordinary innate talent. It''s just a pity that today, you too cannot escape death,¡± Yellow Eyebrow commented with a tsk-tsk of appreciation. Before his voice faded, the demonic Qi surging toward Nie Caizhu increased exponentially. It swelled tumultuously, overwhelming like a landslide or a tsunami. The sprouting vitality surrounding her withered once again, and her situation became increasingly dire. ¡°Yellow Eyebrow, since you wish to devour our residual souls, why not have a bigger appetite? Here, take my main soul as well,¡± suddenly a thunderous roar erupted. The divine soul doppelganger of Zhong Kui burst into brilliant light, and a red-robed phantom descended out of thin air, instantly merging with the doppelganger. The bright red glow of the robe intensified, and the figure''s size increased a hundredfold, almost equal to that of Yellow Eyebrow. He tore apart the black Demonic Qi that was entwined around him and stepped towards Yellow Eyebrow, grabbing hold of his divine soul and pressed his palm down onto his head. On his thumb, a Ghost Eye suddenly opened, revealing a You Ming Qi Acupoint within, where Ghost Fog churned and a massive vortex spun wildly. ¡°Zhong Kui, you madman¡­¡± Yellow Eyebrow couldn''t help but exclaim in shock at the sight. From the Qi Acupoint vortex emerged an incredibly powerful tearing force. Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul felt unstable as strands of his soul power were being pulled into the vortex. ¡°If you want to absorb, then I''ll let you have your fill,¡± Yellow Eyebrow roared. Dark light surged all over him as rolling Demonic Qi frantically flowed out and poured relentlessly into the Ghost Eye vortex. As one exerted himself to release Demonic Qi and the other absorbed without reserve, the pressure on the Bull Demon King and the others was greatly alleviated. However, as the Demonic Qi continued to flood in, the Ghost Immortal aura on Zhong Kui''s body grew weaker and weaker, whereas the Demonic Qi became increasingly rampant. In the midst of this ceaseless absorption, he seemed to be on the verge of being purified into a demon. ¡°Haha, I want to see whether my Demonic Qi will be sucked dry by you first, or if you will succumb to becoming a demon before that happens,¡± Yellow Eyebrow laughed wildly. At the same time, inside his divine soul, Shen Luo''s residual soul had not been obliterated and was also suffering the invasion of Demonic Qi, which was spreading towards his main body through the connection with the main divine soul. Outside, Yang Jian also noticed the anomaly. Both Shen Luo and Zhong Kui''s Demonic Qi was growing heavier, especially the latter, who was almost at the level of the Demon Clan''s Twelve Distinguished Ones. Just as he was about to take action, Shen Luo suddenly let out a muffled groan, and a burst of light shone from the center of his forehead. With a ¡°pfft,¡± it shot out, piercing through the Array and striking Yellow Eyebrow between his eyebrows. ¡°Boom¡­¡± An explosive boom immediately echoed within the Sea of Consciousness of Yellow Eyebrow. Before Nie Caizhu and the others could comprehend what had happened, they saw a white light shining within that space of consciousness, as if a great sun had suddenly appeared, radiating waves of gentle and warm power. The surrounding Demonic Qi, under the influence of this power, seemed to be purified and dissipated away. ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± Yellow Eyebrow was instantly taken aback. Before he could understand what was happening, a figure suddenly burst out from within his divine soul and leaped into the high altitude. Under the assault of the Demonic Qi, Zhong Kui''s divine soul had already become very unstable. As he looked up, he realized that Shen Luo''s divided soul was remarkably merging with the white light. Both were becoming increasingly indistinct, while the figure of a gaunt old monk was becoming clearer and clearer. Chapter 1002 Chapter 1002: Chapter 999: Power and Daoist Way Chapter 1002: Chapter 999: Power and Daoist Way ¡°Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva¡­¡± Zhong Kui finally saw the person''s appearance and hurriedly prostrated himself on the ground. Upon seeing this, the Bull Demon King and others all wore expressions of disbelief. The emaciated old monk revealed a smile of compassion and waved his hand, sealing the Ghost Eye Vortex that even Zhong Kui himself found difficult to close again. He said, ¡°It behooves you all to preserve your useful bodies and not make needless sacrifices¡­¡± ¡°Ksitigarbha, impossible¡­ You should have been thoroughly dead,¡± Yellow Eyebrow screamed, his face showing horror. ¡°Amitabha, life and death, cessation and extinction, are but an illusion. As for you, if you had committed a grave error that year, are you still not willing to turn back from error now?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva intoned a Buddha''s name and asked. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A grave error? I''m merely following the trend of the times. Where is my mistake!¡± Yellow Eyebrow demanded. ¡°To follow the trend but not the Dao, if the Dao does not exist, how can there be a mistake?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva shook his head and said. ¡°If the trend destroys the Heavenly Dao, and the Great Dao succumbs to the Demonic Path, doesn''t that mean we''re following the Dao?¡± Yellow Eyebrow snorted coldly, still refusing to admit his wrong. ¡°Enough, enough, then take a look at the Dao you seek,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva ceased further discussion and pressed down with his palm. His aura surged instantaneously, and although he was within Yellow Eyebrow''s Sea of Consciousness, he seemed like the master of this place. As his palm pressed down, the surrounding Heaven and Earth changed color. Yellow Eyebrow wanted to resist, but in an instant, his view turned into a Sea of Flames. It was all dim around, with Black Qi rising everywhere, endless slaughter, wailing and mourning, blood and raging fires drenching the Earth. The Three Realms no longer differentiated between Human and Immortal domains; all territories turned into lands of demons. ¡°This scene, is this the Demonic Path you desire?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva''s voice echoed between Heaven and Earth. ¡°Just an illusion of Mount Meru, the false splendor of immortals and Buddhas, I prefer the iron and blood of the Demon Clan. I have seen enough, even if ruin is what comes, I will not repent¡­¡± Yellow Eyebrow was silent for a moment, his face gradually becoming fierce, almost screaming madly. ¡°Though you have benefitted from the Buddhist Dharma for countless years, you have never understood why the Buddhist Sect sacrifices themselves, and how they sacrifice themselves. If you don''t enter hell, who will?¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva sighed and slapped down with his palm. Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul was greatly shaken, his face showed pain as he gritted his teeth, ¡°You are nothing but struggling vainly. Little do you know that Chiyou, who lies dormant in Chang''an City, is about to awake. At that time, where in the Three Realms will not be hell? Then, wouldn''t it be better for both of us to enter hell?¡± As his voice fell, his divine soul was suddenly engulfed in blazing flames, and a Golden Book emerged within it, also beginning to curl slightly under the scorching of the soul fire. ¡°Why bother¡­¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva sighed upon seeing this. ¡°Let''s be destroyed together. To get this Heavenly Book is wishful thinking, ha ha¡­¡± Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul had twisted, but he still wore a ferocious smile, seemingly seeing the destruction of all. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva raised his hand and gently waved it, and the Yangliu Branch illusion circling around Nie Caizhu instantly fluttered over. In the Void, it contracted and condensed, turning into a dewdrop that fell into the flames. ¡°Drip¡± A light sound was heard, and the flames on the Golden Book were suddenly extinguished by the drop of water. The entire book was shrouded in a layer of water-blue light and slowly floated in front of Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu looked at Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, somewhat at a loss, upon witnessing this. ¡°Take it. Maitreya Buddha originally intended to pass it to you through Guanyin Bodhisattva''s hands that year, but unfortunately, he was ambushed later, and it ended up in Yellow Eyebrow''s hands. Now, after all these twists and turns, it has finally returned to its rightful owner,¡± Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva encouraged. After hearing this, Nie Caizhu bowed deeply to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and then she raised her hand to gently cradle the Heavenly Book. The moment her fingers touched the Heavenly Book, her divine soul instantly withdrew from Yellow Eyebrow''s Sea of Consciousness, which was collapsing, and she appeared in a golden space. On the other side, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva looked at the Bull Demon King and his companions, his eyes carrying a hint of admiration, and he slowly said, ¡°From now on, the future of the Three Realms shall be entrusted to you¡­¡± Zhong Kui and the others'' eyes were filled with reverence as they bowed deeply in salute. When they raised their heads, the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, who vowed ¡°If I do not enter hell, who will?¡± had finally completely perished and dissipated. Although Shen Luo''s divine soul doppelganger was temporarily occupied by the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, he was also clearly aware of everything and said, ¡°Let''s go. This place is about to collapse, and we need to get back.¡± A moment later, several people on the altar had their soul doppelgangers return and opened their eyes one after another. ¡°You''re finally awake. Hurry up and join up with the Town Primordial Great Immortal. We need to leave,¡± Yang Jian said with joy when he saw them awake and hurriedly spoke. ¡°What happened?¡± Everyone, not knowing what had occurred, hastily asked. ¡°The Nine Netherworlds have launched an attack. Everything outside has descended into chaos. We need to leave this place immediately,¡± Yang Jian quickly explained. While they were talking, waves of battle cries came from outside, and a great number of Human and Immortal Clan disciples had already started to retreat in this direction. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Shen Luo said in a low shout, ready to leave, but then he suddenly remembered something. He turned back and searched Yellow Eyebrow''s body, finding a very exquisite personal storage bag, which he took into his sleeve. Before the group could even move, they saw a colossal palm strike descend from high altitude, splitting the infernal skydome in two. Cloud layers churned, revealing an immense chasm. On either side of the chasm, the clouds rolled violently, and high above, Zhenyuanzi could be seen battling the Nine Netherworlds, with several figures from the Demon Clan joining from the sides, surrounding and attacking Zhenyuanzi. Just at that moment, a thunderous shout came: ¡°Get out of the way!¡± As the voice faded, a dazzling array of five-color divine light appeared above the chasm. Shen Luo and the others felt a sting in their eyes as the light injured them, preventing them from looking directly at it. Immediately following, continuous earth-shattering booms erupted, and the sky''s chasm, still unhealed, was blasted apart by even more powerful shock waves. ¡°Nine Netherworlds, if you dare to interfere again, I''ll slay you first,¡± came another furious shout. ¡°Boom!¡± The five-color divine light bloomed once again, and an enormous crater appeared in the skydome above, with Zhenyuanzi''s figure being suppressed by a column of five-color light from high above, plummeting down and crashing heavily onto the ground. Shen Luo and the others quickly followed and saw Zhenyuanzi stand up. His right sleeve rustled as he absorbed the entire column of five-color light into it. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal¡­¡± the group cried out. ¡°It''s nothing, did you get the Heavenly Book?¡± Zhenyuanzi waved his hand and after a brief inspection, noticing Yellow Eyebrow''s divine soul and breath had completely vanished, he immediately frowned and asked. ¡°We got it,¡± Nie Caizhu stepped forward and nodded. ¡°Good,¡± Zhenyuanzi, looking up at the sky, said happily. ¡°However, there is some bad news. It seems that Chiyou is about to awaken,¡± Nezha spoke up. ¡°Since the Destroyer battle that year, Chiyou had exhausted all his power and has been sleeping in Chang''an City for hundreds of years. During this time, the Demon Clan has been continuously transferring energy to him, trying to awaken him, and indeed, the time for his resurrection has now come,¡± Zhenyuanzi said without surprise, pondering. Chapter 1003 Chapter 1003: 1000 chapters of A More Powerful Existence Chapter 1003: 1000 chapters of A More Powerful Existence ¡°` ¡°Once Chiyou awakens, we will stand no chance of opposing him,¡± Yang Jian said gravely, enunciating each word. That year''s battle at the Heavenly Court was extremely tragic. As someone who had experienced it firsthand and survived, he was all too aware of the ancient war god''s true combat strength. Beyond his deep-seated hatred, there was also fear. ¡°Now is not the time to talk about this. The Demon Clan has sent more than just Lord Jiuming; there are even more powerful beings involved. We are no match for them; we need to find a way to escape and then make further plans,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. His words had barely ceased when a rumbling sound came from the skydome above, as if there were still people clashing. Just as they were puzzled, that voice cursing loudly rose again, ¡°Jiuming, I''ve said it before, those small fry are yours, Zhenyuanzi is mine. If you can''t recognize your place, I don''t mind dealing with you first.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± A cold snort came from high altitude, and the sounds of battle ceased. Shen Luo was shocked in his heart. What kind of powerful person could make a being as mighty as Lord Jiuming hold back his temper? S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Shen Luo, you came through the Hell Labyrinth, do you know the way back?¡± Yang Jian suddenly asked. ¡°I was brought here by the Ruin Kun. I only have a map, but I have no idea about the way,¡± Shen Luo said with a bitter expression, taking out the Hell Labyrinth Map. While they talked, he unfolded the map, only to freeze for a moment. On that map, a winding red line strikingly led from the Valley of Evil Yin all the way to the Swamp of Desire. ¡°Eh, isn''t that a route?¡± Nezha looked at Shen Luo with a peculiar expression. ¡°This route, I haven''t walked it; it must have been drawn by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva¡­¡± Shen Luo guessed with little confidence. At that moment, a powerful oppressive force suddenly descended from the sky, making even the Taiyi powerhouses present feel their hearts quiver. ¡°They''re upon us. We can''t worry about that now. You take the people and retreat first; I will hold them off,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, and as he did, a surge of green light exploded from him. His form grew like a mountain, stretching a thousand feet high, and he thrust a palm towards the heavens. The next instant, the sky and earth seemed to collapse, and the entire ruins did just that. Yang Jian promptly shouted and charged into the Valley of Evil Yin with everyone. Shen Luo, holding the Hell Labyrinth Map, ran at the forefront, keenly watching the paths marked on it, when suddenly he heard a familiar voice beside him, ¡°Celestial Immortal¡­¡± He turned his head to look, only to find it was none other than Qing Lu, and he couldn''t help but speak somewhat speechlessly, ¡°How have you not run yet?¡± ¡°Celestial Immortal, where can I go now? I can only follow you all,¡± Qing Lu said, his face twisted in distress. Hearing this, Shen Luo no longer bothered with him and led everyone swiftly across the Iron Chain Bridge, plunging into the Black Bamboo Forest. Only then did he finally learn that the remnants of those who had taken refuge in the Underworld numbered nearly ten thousand, and among them, the Human Immortals made up only a minority; surprisingly, there seemed to be more monks from the Demon Race. This was not unexpected, though. The Demon Clan had targeted the Human and Celestial Immortals from the very start, wooing the Demon Race until later on when they began to indiscriminately deal with anyone who refused to submit to them, exterminating them all without exception. This massive group of people rushed into the Hell Labyrinth, with the Demon Clan Army in pursuit. After passing through the Valley of Evil Yin, a vast plain appeared before Shen Luo and others, blanketed in white, devoid of any grass or trees, giving it an extremely desolate appearance. It wasn''t until they reached the edge of the plain that they realized why it appeared pure white¨Cthe ground was covered with countless white skeletons. Among them were many belonging to the Human Race, as well as the large remains of the Demon Race, though most had long since decayed into dust. Fearing to tread carelessly, the crowd could only follow the path Shen Luo was charting. ¡°` They hadn''t gone far when suddenly, to the right of the team and not far away, the ground collapsed, opening a huge pit from which a giant White Bones claw reached out, bracing itself on the ground and pulling its massive bony frame out. It was the height of a hundred feet, its overall contour no different from that of the Human Race''s skeleton, except it had four White Bones arms, each holding a Bone Spear, with cold ghostly fire burning on them. Sensing the presence of many living beings, the Ghost fire in the eyes of the White Bones giant flickered as it took a few steps and charged over, swinging all four spears in unison towards the crowd below. ¡°Ignore him and keep moving forward!¡± Nezha''s voice rang out just as he disappeared from sight. In the next instant, flames erupted and the White Bones giant''s body burst open, scattering into a pile of shattered bones on the ground. However, no sooner had they disposed of one threat than the ground on another side gave way too. Three White Bones giant elephants crawled out and charged toward them, but the Bull Demon King took them on, scattering them with a charge. The team stumbled their way forward and finally made it out of the White Bones plains, only to come upon a forest of sword-like brambles, where they were confronted by a group of Exotic Beasts covered in iron scale armors. While they were still tangled in battle, the Demon Clan, following the traces of their skirmish, had already caught up and were hot on their trail. Shen Luo handed the map to Nie Cai Zhu and, along with the Bull Demon King, flew to the back of the team to face the furiously approaching Demon Clan Army of thousands head-on. The Bull Demon King raised his hand to take out the Banana Fan. Standing tall in the high altitude, he swung his arms wildly, and whirlwinds roared forth, soon scattering the oncoming Demon Clan Army in disarray. Shen Luo was not to be outdone, flitting back and forth through the Demon Clan with the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, his SeAnchoring Iron Rod constantly crashing down in mid-air, smashing the already fragile White Bones plain into a pockmarked terrain. One by one, fierce Ghost Kings sleeping deep beneath the plains were awakened by him, and they climbed out of the ground to fight with the pursuing Demon Clan forces. After causing chaos across the whole White Bones plain, Shen Luo and the Bull Demon King flew to catch up with the others. Before the two could return, a streak of green light flashed behind them as Zhenyuanzi caught up, his robe in front stained with blood¨Che seemed to be injured. ¡°Great Immortal, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo asked with concern. Zhenyuanzi was the linchpin for all of them; should anything happen to him, their morale would surely falter, making it difficult to muster the will to resist further. ¡°I''m fine. I repelled that guy; he won''t catch up for the time being,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°Who was it?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°An unyielding and indocile guy, though I never thought he''d throw in his lot with the Demon Clan,¡± Zhenyuanzi shook his head, not willing to elaborate. Above the White Bones plains, Lord Jiuming looked over the chaotic aftermath, his face as dark as water. He knew that if that guy had been willing to join forces with him, Zhenyuanzi would not have been able to escape so easily. Unfortunately, that guy was more powerful than him and did not heed his command. ¡°Lord Jiuming¡­¡± a leader of the Demon Clan stepped forward tentatively and began to speak. ¡°Enough, there''s no use chasing them through the Hell Maze. It will only put us at a disadvantage. Go guard the exits of the maze instead; let''s wait for them to show up,¡± Lord Jiuming said with a cold huff. ¡°Yes.¡± The leader responded and summoned the Demon Clan to retreat back into the Eighteen Layers of Hell. Chapter 1004 Chapter 1004: Chapter 1001: Direct Confrontation Chapter 1004: Chapter 1001: Direct Confrontation Time flashed by, and seven or eight days had passed. Shen Luo and his companions had finally made it through the arduous Swamp of Desire. Encounters with maze beasts had resulted in nearly ten thousand casualties, but less than a thousand had succumbed to their wounds, allowing them to leave the maze area at last. However, at this point, disagreements had emerged within the group. ¡°If we head out now, the Demon Clan will undoubtedly be guarding the few exits of the maze with heavy forces. Charging in would be like walking into a trap,¡± Yang Jian said, furrowing his brows. Nezha nodded in agreement. ¡°But hiding in this maze isn''t a solution either. Besides, you all know that Chiyou is about to awaken. If we don''t act quickly, I''m afraid we''ll miss our final chance to turn the tables,¡± Bull Demon King said with great concern. ¡°Actually, it''s pointless for us to hide here. If they don''t see us come out, they''ll just come in after us. Plus, if we stay in this cursed place, everyone''s strength will continue to erode, and in the end, we won''t even have the power to resist,¡± Zhong Kui also favored taking advantage of the current high morale to burst out in one go. ¡°Shen Luo, what do you think?¡± Zhenyuanzi suddenly asked. ¡°There''s still a glimmer of hope if we fight our way out. Staying here would mean just waiting for death. Moreover, we''ve already found out how to defeat Chiyou. If we don''t take advantage of his seal and wait for him to awaken, do we really still stand a chance?¡± Shen Luo asked without hesitation. ¡°In that case, let''s fight our way out!¡± Yang Jian and Nezha exchanged glances before saying so. One day later. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yellow clouds churned over the wasteland of the maze, and a vortex that pierced through Netherworld was stirred open by someone. Shen Luo and his team, along with all the remaining resistance forces, fought their way back into the Underworld. Outside Netherworld, Black Mountain Old Demon, who was in charge of leading the team to guard this location, cursed inwardly as he saw figures continuously rushing out from inside Netherworld. He had prayed a thousand times in his heart, hoping these guys would appear at other exits, but in the end, they chose to return to the Underworld from here. ¡°Kill!¡± Black Mountain Old Demon bellowed, his voice echoing like thunder across the Void. Myriads of ghosts from the Demon Clan surged forward to engage the allied army of the various clans, filling the entire Underworld with the clamor of battle. It wasn''t long before the figure of Nine Netherworlds appeared, looking down at the scene of slaughter below with a trace of delight in his eyes, he shouted: ¡°Kill them all for me!¡± As soon as his voice fell, even more ghosts from the netherworld and the Demon Clan Army surged out, completely surrounding the banks of Yellow Spring. ¡°Engage in battle!¡± It left Shen Luo and others with no choice but to confront the assailants. All kinds of magical treasures were deployed in battle, clashing with the surrounding ghosts and demons. Zhenyuanzi, Shen Luo, Bull Demon King, Yang Jian, Nezha, Nie Caizhu, Zhong Kui, and other powerful figures charged to the forefront, wielding the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, Fire-tipped Spear, and other incredibly powerful magical treasures. They swept through the ghosts and demon army, leaving explosive deaths in their wake. While their strength was formidable, the ghosts and demon army surrounding them were simply too numerous to be completely vanquished. Moreover, it seemed as if the ghosts and demons had no fear of death. Regardless of how many were slain in front, they continued to charge relentlessly in wave after wave. Standing at a distance, Nine Netherworlds did not engage personally. Watching Shen Luo and the others locked in fierce combat, a cold smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Great Immortal, we can''t go on like this. We''ll all perish here. We must break out as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo communicated to Zhenyuanzi using Divine Sense. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± Zhenyuanzi asked. ¡°There are too many of us, which hinders our movement. All of you hide inside the Heavenly Book Space, and I''ll use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique to shake off these ghosts and demons!¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°That''s too dangerous. How could you alone escape the thousands of troops surrounding us? And with Nine Netherworlds present, not to mention his numerous powerful subordinates, even if you possess the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill, it would be extremely difficult to escape unscathed,¡± Zhenyuanzi immediately objected. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal, let me stay to help Brother Shen. I have a method that can temporarily restrain the surrounding ghosts and members of the Demon Clan. Even if the Nine Netherworlds take action, it will still be the same, and it should be enough to buy time to escape.¡± Zhong Kui suddenly said from beside them. On hearing this, Shen Luo was shocked. He and Zhenyuanzi were communicating through Divine Sense, yet Zhong Kui could hear it? ¡°Daoist friend Zhong Kui, are you confident enough?¡± Zhenyuanzi looked at Zhong Kui. ¡°I wouldn''t dare to claim it''s foolproof, but I have seventy to eighty percent confidence,¡± Zhong Kui said with a serious look. ¡°Good, then I''ll ask you two for this favor. It is somewhat troublesome to gather people into Heavenly Book; I will lend a helping hand to Brother Shen.¡± Zhenyuanzi waved his sleeve, which expanded hundreds to thousands of times in size, and a grand golden halo surged out, enveloping most of the people present. Their figures flickered and then they all disappeared without a trace. Zhenyuanzi''s form also vanished, leaving only a fragment of the Heavenly Book behind. Shen Luo brushed his sleeve to collect the Heavenly Scroll, and his right hand activated the Huangting Technique, wielding the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The rod instantly grew hundreds to thousands of times larger, turning into a hundred-feet long, golden light radiating colossal rod, sweeping in a circle around everyone. Boom! Dozens of monsters and demon soldiers nearby were struck by the glow of the gigantic rod, and their bodies exploded, turning into countless strands of Black Qi and vanishing. ¡°Everyone, hide inside the Heavenly Book; I will take you away!¡± He said as his left hand shone brightly with golden light, forming a golden Light Door about thirty feet in size. He didn''t have the means to merge the Power of Heavenly Scroll with Sleeve Qiankun like Zhenyuanzi, so he could only open a Light Door. The remaining people were startled by Zhenyuanzi''s earlier actions, but seeing Shen Luo casting spells, though confused, all flew over and entered the Light Door. ¡°Brother Shen, this Banana Fan excels at sweeping away the common soldiers; I''ll lend it to you for the time being.¡± Bull Demon King was the last to fly into the Heavenly Book, and before entering, he threw the Banana Fan over to Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed and caught the fan. ¡°Huh!¡± From a distance, the Nine Netherworlds saw this scene, and his expression darkened. He immediately ordered his forces to surround Shen Luo and Zhong Kui. The ghosts and members of the Demon Clan, who had been pushed back by the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, rushed forward again. This time, everyone''s target was Shen Luo and Zhong Kui. Countless streams of Ghostly Qi and demon lights covered the sky and the earth, with dense attacks obscuring the view, making it impossible to avoid. Zhong Kui flashed in front of Shen Luo, extending his right thumb, from which suddenly shot a sky-piercing black light. A gigantic Ghost Eye appeared within it, suddenly opening wide. Boom! Suddenly, a Qi Acupoint of the You Ming appeared out of nowhere, forming a black Vortex about a hundred feet in size and spinning madly. All the attacks, upon touching the black Vortex, were immediately sucked in, having no effect whatsoever. ¡°Brother Shen, follow me!¡± Zhong Kui shouted in a low voice, with the gigantic Vortex in front of him, he flew towards the Outside. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly followed. From inside the black Vortex came waves of an incredibly powerful tearing force, from which no ghost, demon, or anything that touched it could escape being devoured. Shen Luo involuntarily took in a breath of cold air; he had seen Zhong Kui''s God''s Power before, but it had never been this powerful. However, with the situation so urgent, he didn''t have time to think further. Following Zhong Kui, he wielded the Banana Fan in his hand, whose yellow light flickered non-stop, fanning behind them. Waves of Yellow Storm swept out, carrying away all the ghosts and members of the Demon Clan that were chasing from behind, keeping them from getting close. Chapter 1005 Chapter 1005: Chapter 1002: Martyrdom for the Daoist Cause Chapter 1005: Chapter 1002: Martyrdom for the Daoist Cause Shen Luo and Zhong Kui sped forward, and within a few breaths, they had reached the edge of the encirclement, on the verge of complete escape. Suddenly, countless blood lights surged in the void ahead, and a blood banner that blotted out the sun and sky unfurled, blocking their way! ¡°Don''t even think about escaping!¡± On the banner stood a person, none other than Lord Jiuming. As his voice fell, he reached into the void with his right hand, and numerous blood clouds arose from the blood-red banner, rolling towards Zhong Kui and Shen Luo. An overwhelming aura of malevolence enveloped them, and Shen Luo felt a darkness before his eyes upon its first charge, almost losing consciousness. ¡°It''s the Chiyou Flag! I''ll hold him off, Friend Shen, hurry and go!¡± Zhong Kui''s expression changed, and a flash of determination crossed his eyes as he exhaled a stream of black qi, merging it into the ghost eye on his fingertip. ¡°Elder Zhong Kui!¡± Shen Luo was alarmed. He could clearly see that the black qi emitted by Zhong Kui contained most of his soul power. This was a fight to the death! The black qi that Zhong Kui spewed was shattered by the vortex in an instant, and the black vortex suddenly grew more than tenfold, like a gaping maw swallowing the sky, biting into the blood banner. The blood clouds on the banner were also pouring into the black vortex, and the pervasive aura of malevolence surrounding them dispersed at once. ¡°You''re pushing the ghost eye acupoint to such a limit; aren''t you afraid of your soul dispersing completely, losing even the chance for reincarnation?¡± Lord Jiuming''s body was also affected by the power of the vortex, and he had to use all his strength to stabilize his form. Zhong Kui''s situation was extremely dire, as fast streams of blood-red demonic light began to appear in his eyes, seemingly eroded by the demonic qi he had absorbed. Moreover, his right arm was being continuously pulled into the black vortex, and it seemed the vortex was not only devouring everything in front of it, but also intent on swallowing Zhong Kui himself. ¡°Go now! This Chiyou Flag is a demonic treasure forged from Chiyou''s own essence blood sacrifice; I can''t hold out for much longer!¡± Zhong Kui said through difficulty. ¡°But you¡­¡± Shen Luo''s face showed hesitation. ¡°The ghost eye acupoint has been activated to its limit; it''s impossible to close it now. I have no chance of survival! Besides, as a ruler of the Netherworld, if I don''t enter hell, who will? Hurry, go! The rest is up to you all!¡± Zhong Kui uttered with a faint smile, showing no trace of fear. Shen Luo felt a rush in his chest, and his eyes became slightly teary. But he was not one to dither. Without saying more, he gave Zhong Kui a salute with his hand, then darted towards the side, trying to circumvent the black vortex and leave. ¡°Don''t leave!¡± Seeing this, Lord Jiuming bellowed, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood into the Chiyou Flag below him. At the edge of the Chiyou Flag, a flash of light appeared, and a thick beam of blood light forcibly broke through the restraint of the black vortex, reaching out like a tendril towards Shen Luo. ¡°The world is full of suffering, all beings are in torment, burning my remaining body, to glimpse the true nature.¡± Zhong Kui recited a Buddhist verse, and his entire being blossomed with brilliant golden light from within, flashing into the black vortex. Boom! The black vortex expanded again by several folds, frantically devouring everything around, and the Chiyou Flag and Lord Jiuming were also pulled deeply into the vortex in an instant, although their presence had not vanished, indicating they were merely trapped by the vortex. The blood light reaching for Shen Luo was naturally pulled back as well. Shen Luo took a deep breath, the Banana Fan in his hand emanating a bright yellow light, and he swung it fiercely forward. A colossal yellow storm swept forth, connecting heaven and earth, tearing apart the ghosts in front and carving out a passageway to the outside world. He then extended his arms, and two massive wings unfolded from his arms, transforming him into a meteor-like streak of golden light in an instant, shooting out through that passageway and vanishing into the distant sky. The remaining ghosts and members of the Demon Clan, not affected by the black vortex, roared in anger and gave chase, but Shen Luo''s trace was long gone, and after a futile pursuit, they had no choice but to give up. The several formidable leaders of the Demon Clan communicated briefly; one of them, vampire-like in appearance, turned and flew back towards Yama''s Palace, while the others continued the chase with their subordinates. The Vampire flew back near the Black Vortex, which was still rotating with a rumbling sound, not daring to approach, only standing at a distance with an anxious expression on his face. ¡°Chiyou''s true source, Heaven and Earth Green Blood!¡± A furious roar came from within the Black Vortex. Bundles of blood-red flames shaped like lotuses emerged out of nowhere, as if burning the surrounding void, fiercely striking at the Black Vortex. The Black Vortex trembled violently and then completely collapsed. Lord Jiuming, wrapped in the Chiyou Banner, shot out from it, his clothing ragged and his hair disheveled, looking extremely wretched. ¡°Lord Jiuming, your subordinate is incompetent and let that human cultivator escape.¡± The Vampire hurriedly approached, knelt to the ground, and said with a trembling voice. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That person has profound cultivation and is protected by powerful Magical Treasures, though you are many, it''s still difficult to stop him. Let him go then. Go and recall all the ghost soldiers and demon generals, and defend the City of Ghosts.¡± Lord Jiuming, upon hearing this, did not show any change in color and calmly commanded. The Vampire was startled for a moment, hastily acknowledged the order, and flew away into the distance. ¡°What''s the situation with the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk?¡± Lord Jiuming turned his head and spoke to an Ox Headed Ghost dressed as a leader beside him. ¡°It has already stopped operating, and the passageways connecting the Underworld with the outside world have all been closed. Currently, the only way from the Underworld to the Yang Realm is through the Reincarnation Well.¡± The Ox Headed Ghost said. ¡°Good, immediately dispatch heavy troops to completely surround the Reincarnation Well. No one is allowed to approach it. As long as we can keep these people in the Underworld for a few days, Chiyou will be able to break free completely. At that time, both of us will have great merit.¡± Lord Jiuming said. ¡°Yes!¡± The Ox Headed Ghost also showed a hint of joy on his face and immediately went to make arrangements. Lord Jiuming glanced in Shen Luo''s direction from afar, a hint of triumph appearing on his lips, then turned and flew towards the City of Ghosts. ¡­ Thousands of miles away from the City of Ghosts, above a gloomy river, a golden comet streaked from a distance and in the blink of an eye, stopped above the river. A figure appeared¨Cit was Shen Luo. He looked back with a silent sigh, waved his sleeve, and Zhenyuanzi, Yang Jian, and Nie Caizhu flew out from within the Heavenly Book. ¡°To have escaped so quickly, Brother Shen''s Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique is indeed extraordinary,¡± the Bull Demon King said, looking around in admiration. ¡°Brother Niu flatters me,¡± Shen Luo said modestly, handing back the Banana Fan. ¡°Where is Daoist Zhong Kui?¡± Zhenyuanzi said, noting Shen Luo''s expression and seemingly guessing something, yet he still asked. ¡°In order to cover my escape, Elder Zhong Kui has fallen,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. Zhenyuanzi fell silent upon hearing this, turned, and saluted in the direction they had come from. The others also fell silent and saluted along with Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Although we are already far from the City of Ghosts, this place is still not safe. It would be wise to leave as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment. ¡°Indeed,¡± Zhenyuanzi nodded slightly. ¡°Let''s return to the Human World first, gather everyone''s strength, and then head to Chang''an City!¡± the Bull Demon King took out his Mixed Iron Staff and affixed a Black Talisman onto it. The Black Talisman emitted strong fluctuations of the Power of Space, revealing it to be a Breaking Realm Talisman, capable of breaking the spatial barriers between the Underworld and the Human World. With a swing of his arm, the Bull Demon King drew the Mixed Iron Staff across the midair void above his head. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the void tore open into a giant crack resembling a Light Door; he flew into it and instantly disappeared. But in the next moment, the void tens of miles away fluctuated, and the Bull Demon King''s figure reappeared, having flown back again. Chapter 1006 Chapter 1006: Chapter 1003: River Map and Luo Book Chapter 1006: Chapter 1003: River Map and Luo Book ¡°What''s going on here?¡± the Bull Demon King, seeing the group, wore an expression of stunned shock. The others who were preparing to slice through the void stopped in place, equally dumbfounded. ¡°This Breaking Realm Talisman is definitely without issue. I traveled back and forth between the Human World and the Underworld many times. Let me try again!¡± Refusing to believe it, the Bull Demon King turned and flew into the spatial rift once more, but the very next second, his figure appeared nearby again. ¡°There''s no use trying. The Underworld has closed off the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, cutting off the spatial passageway between the Underworld and the Human World. With conventional methods, we can no longer leave this place.¡± Zhenyuanzi sighed. ¡°Why would that be?¡± Nie Caizhu showed a look of surprise. ¡°Miss Nie is unaware, but the Netherworld is located in the deepest, darkest recesses of Heaven and Earth. It''s the most independent interface among the Three Realms, relying solely on the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk to break through the Netherworld''s spatial barrier and establish a passageway connected to the Three Realms. Ghost messengers from the Netherworld travel to various places within the Three Realms to collect souls, and the rebirth of souls in the Six Paths of Reincarnation into the Human World relies on this object. With those spatial passageways, monks from the Human World and Heavenly Realm need only sufficient mana to be able to tear through the void and descend upon the Netherworld. Now that the passageway of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk is closed, it''s as though the connections between the Netherworld and other interfaces have been completely severed. Even if our mana were extremely powerful, it would be difficult to return to the Human World,¡± explained Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Is there really no other way?¡± Nie Caizhu, her pretty face turning pale, asked anxiously. ¡°Brother Nie, do not be hasty. With Town Primordial Great Immortal so calm and collected, he surely has something up his sleeve,¡± Yang Jian stated. Hearing this, the others also looked his way. ¡°Heh, True Monarch, you think too highly of Poor Daoist. With the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk shut, unless we storm Yama''s Palace and seize control of this disk, Poor Daoist has no other way to leave,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a wry smile. Everyone''s expression stiffened, and they looked at one another in dismay. ¡°Something doesn''t seem quite right. Why would Nine Netherworlds confine us in the Netherworld? I do have some understanding of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk¨Cthis disk governs the reincarnation of souls and is tied to the foundation of the Three Realms'' operation. Shutting down the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk is akin to shaking the entirety of the Three Realms. Even if Nine Netherworlds wanted to deal with us, it seems there would be no need to resort to such measures,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said. ¡°Brother Shen makes a valid point. Poor Daoist actually overlooked this aspect. Could it be that something major has transpired outside that Nine Netherworlds would go to any lengths to keep us here?¡± Zhenyuanzi nodded and slowly added. No sooner had he finished speaking than he flipped his hand, and a mysterious cyan jade dish appeared in his palm. Etched in the center of the dish was a diagram resembling the Nine Palace Diagram, yet it was much more complex, containing the mysteries of the Two Principles, the Four Symbols, the Five Elements, and the Eight Trigrams. It gave off an aura of infinite mystery, emitting a gentle green light. But around the Nine Palace Diagram, the jade dish was clearly divided into tiny jade blocks, each only the size of a pea, tightly packed together. Each tiny block was carved with an ancient rune, their meanings enigmatic. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The most surprising thing was that these jade blocks were rapidly moving, none static. Their direction of movement varied, going in every conceivable direction. It seemed chaotic at a glance, but there appeared to be some ultimate truth contained within, as if the stars themselves were shifting and wandering. ¡°River Map and Luo Book!¡± Yang Jian''s eyes brightened upon seeing the cyan dish. Shen Luo was jolted upon hearing this. He had read about this treasure in the classics. According to legend, when King Yu of ancient times was dealing with floods, he passed by the shores of Luoshui, a tributary of the Yellow River, and watched the surging torrents with a look of woe. Then, a divine turtle emerged from the waters of Luoshui, offering him a treasure on its back¨Cthe River Map and Luo Book. Upon observing the treasure, King Yu''s worries were immediately allayed. He used it to calculate changes in the sun and moon, climate and winds, and the direction of the floodwaters, eventually pioneering the successful endeavor of flood control. This treasure was said to be capable of divining any matter within the Three Realms. It was surprising to find it in Zhenyuanzi''s possession. Zhenyuanzi formed hand seals, and the tiny jade blocks on the dish moved rapidly, producing a sound reminiscent of flowing water. Dazzling green light burst from the dish, forming a light array about a meter in size around it, rapidly transforming. Zhenyuanzi stared intently at the green light array, his hands moving swiftly as he calculated, his face extremely solemn. A moment later, his finger making the incantation gesture paused, and his face changed. ¡°So it is, so it is, Chiyou is about to awaken! No wonder the Nine Netherworlds are desperate to lock us here,¡± Zhenyuanzi said gravely. Hearing this, everyone''s expressions changed dramatically. ¡°Great Immortal, have you also calculated the exact time? How much longer do we have?¡± Shen Luo immediately asked. ¡°He will definitely awaken within three days!¡± Zhenyuanzi''s face looked exceptionally grim. Shen Luo felt a thump in his heart. With only three days left, they must leave the Netherworld immediately. ¡°What should we do?¡± Nezha also became anxious, but as he had never been one to make decisions, he looked to the others for guidance. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal, since the River Map and Luo Book is so miraculous, could you please cast another divination to see how we might escape the Netherworld?¡± Nie Cai Zhu suddenly spoke up. ¡°The River Map and Luo Book is an Innate Spiritual Treasure capable of communicating with Tianji, capable of divining everything within the Three Realms. However, this treasure has a severe limitation; it can only be used once a year,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. Nie Cai Zhu opened her mouth, but no words came out. ¡°You need not be disappointed. Besides using the River Map and Luo Book, the Poor Daoist is versed in other divination techniques. Take me and let us try the Turtle Burning Technique,¡± Zhenyuanzi said as he took out a yellow jade dish. With a gesture of his hand, the jade dish burst into dazzling yellow light, forming a Dharma Platform-like yellow light formation that buzzed and whirred into action. Seeing this, none of the others dared to disturb him, standing silently to the side. Zhenyuanzi murmured incantations, and moments later, he produced an item¨Cit was a dark green turtle shell, which he threw into the yellow light formation. With a soft bang, the moment the turtle shell entered the yellow light formation, it instantly ignited with a green flame. After a few breaths, there was a gentle crack, and several cracks appeared on the shell, loosely forming the image of a fierce gaping mouth. Zhenyuanzi''s expression darkened slightly as he waved his sleeve. The yellow light formation gradually dissipated, and the burning turtle shell flew out, landing in front of everyone, its flames already extinguished. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal, what''s the result?¡± Yang Jian glanced at the turtle shell and asked anxiously. ¡°This divination is called the Deserted Spirit Turtle, behold the aspect of my mandibles! It is great misfortune,¡± Zhenyuanzi closed his eyes for a moment. Hearing this, everyone''s faces changed color. Were they really doomed to fail? ¡°I may not be versed in divination, but I believe that mankind can conquer fate. Now that only we remain among the immortals of the Three Realms, we must fight at all costs. Otherwise, how can we live up to Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the venerable Zhong Kui, who sacrificed their lives to block the Nine Nethers for us? Since reclaiming the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk is the only way to return to the Human World, then let''s head to the City of Ghosts! The Nine Nethers have closed off the Netherworld, preventing our escape, but they also won''t be able to call for reinforcements,¡± Shen Luo spoke slowly, his tone resolute as iron. ¡°That''s right, let''s fight!¡± The others'' spirits lifted, and the despair that had nearly consumed them receded. Zhenyuanzi looked at the invigorated crowd, and his appraisal of Shen Luo rose once more. He was about to say something. Yet at that moment, the turtle shell in his hand made a small sound, a fine crack appearing on it. Though the noise was slight, all present were individuals of very high cultivation levels, and their gaze immediately shifted to the shell. Chapter 1007 Chapter 1007: 104 Chapter 1007: 104 ¡°` ¡°This is¡­the will of Heaven, the will of Heaven!¡± Zhenyuanzi''s eyes lit up as he looked at the turtle shell in his hand. ¡°Great Immortal, the turtle shell cracked on its own. Could it be that the divination has changed?¡± Yang Jian asked with a glint in his eye. Among the others, he was the most knowledgeable about divination. That year during the War of Gods-Sealing, there were many who were adept at divination. Although he himself did not practice it, he had witnessed it many times. ¡°Indeed, this divination was originally a dead end, but now a crack has appeared, presenting a glimmer of opportunity within the impasse. Perhaps it can help us escape trouble,¡± Zhenyuanzi said excitedly. ¡°Oh, what kind of opportunity?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I cannot see clearly what it is, but the divination shows that the opportunity lies near the Styx River,¡± Zhenyuanzi replied. ¡°If that is the case, let us hurry over,¡± said Yang Jian, transforming into a white light and shooting towards the Styx River, seemingly very trusting of Zhenyuanzi''s divination. The others followed closely behind. With their speed, they arrived near the Styx River in half an hour. The place was just as before, shrouded in Yin Qi and with the raging waters of the Styx River, but it was eerily quiet, not a single demonic being or ghost in sight. ¡°Eh, when we came here before, this place was teeming with ghosts. Now this quiet is rather strange,¡± mused the Bull Demon King softly. ¡°It''s likely that the Nine Netherworlds summoned all the ghosts back to the City of Ghosts. Now that place is probably fortified strongly. Even if we join forces and attack, I fear the hopes are slim. We should still look for the opportunity that Town Primordial Great Immortal mentioned!¡± Yang Jian suggested. The others all nodded in agreement. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not say much and activated his Golden Fire Eyes to survey the surroundings while also spreading out his Divine Sense, but he saw nothing. The others also used their Divine Powers to search, but to no avail. ¡°Let''s split into two groups: one to search upstream and the other downstream. We can keep in touch with this item,¡± Zhenyuanzi suggested, handing a green jade pendant to Shen Luo. ¡°Alright, Brother Niu, Cai Zhu, and I will go upstream, and you, Great Immortal, along with the others, search downstream,¡± said Shen Luo as he took the jade pendant and flew upstream with the Bull Demon King and Nie Caizhu. Zhenyuanzi, along with Yang Jian and Nezha, went downstream. ¡°Cousin, do you think Town Primordial Great Immortal''s divination is trustworthy?¡± Nie Caizhu asked after they had flown for a while. ¡°Divination has existed since ancient times; it should not be a lie,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°That''s right. The Demon Race''s Great Sage Kong Xuan is skilled in divination. Unfortunately, he joined the Buddhist Sect during the War of Gods-Sealing. Nowadays, such divinatory arts have declined, but their power is beyond doubt,¡± added the Bull Demon King. ¡°Hopefully, that''s the case,¡± Nie Caizhu said thoughtfully, nodding her head. ¡°Brother Shen, you said earlier that you come from a world a thousand years past. Is this really true?¡± The Bull Demon King shifted his gaze from Nie Caizhu to Shen Luo and asked, opening the conversation. ¡°Naturally, it is true. What do you mean by that, Brother Niu?¡± Shen Luo asked with a slight squint of his eyes, feeling somewhat uncomfortable when his secret was mentioned. ¡°If Brother Shen truly comes from a thousand years ago, I have an impolite request. I hope Friend Shen can agree,¡± the Bull Demon King said with a bow. ¡°Brother Niu, just speak your mind. However, I must warn you in advance, my power in that world a thousand years ago was insignificant compared to now, and I may not be able to do anything too difficult,¡± Shen Luo responded without overpromising. ¡°The matter is not too difficult. It concerns my son, Red Boy. Regardless of the outcome of our mission to stop Chiyou''s return, when you return to reality, I would like you to keep an eye on my son and prevent him from falling into the Demonic Path. In your era, he should not have come into contact with the Demon Clan yet,¡± said the Bull Demon King hesitantly. ¡°Brother Niu, you think too highly of me. As I''ve said before, I was weak a thousand years ago, while Red Boy is powerful, having reached the True Immortal Stage and is especially skilled in Samadhi True Fire. How could I possibly control him?¡± Shen Luo shook his head and smiled wryly. ¡°` ¡°Brother Shen, there''s no need for modesty. I can tell that your strength in reality is certainly not weak. Red Boy''s cultivation level is not very strong; it''s mainly the Samadhi True Fire that''s powerful. The secret treasure vault within Cuiyun Mountain is known to me alone, as well as the method to open the Big Gate of the vault. Within it lies a secret treasure, the Water-splitting Divine Bead, which can overcome all flame divine powers, including the Samadhi True Fire. Today, I will pass this knowledge on to you. After you return, you can take the opportunity to retrieve the Water-splitting Divine Bead, and you may also take some other things as a reward for the task entrusted by me.¡± The Bull Demon King took out a jade slip and handed it over, seemingly having prepared it in advance. ¡°Since Brother Niu has said so, if I were to refuse, it would seem quite unkind. I will try to prevent Red Boy from succumbing to the demonic path, though I cannot guarantee success,¡± Shen Luo considered for a moment before accepting the jade slip. ¡°Of course,¡± the Bull Demon King did not get angry at Shen Luo''s noncommittal answer; instead, he was quite happy. Shen Luo''s divine sense penetrated the jade slip. The information regarding a location and the secret method to open the treasure vault gate didn''t seem false. However, he did not pay it too much mind; after returning to reality, he could take the opportunity to see for himself. The three of them continued to fly forward, searching for clues. After flying for a while, Shen Luo''s expression subtly changed. He sensed with his divine sense that a gray-robed figure had appeared on the surface of the river ahead, seated cross-legged on the water, with swirling yin qi converging around him and merging into his body, absorbing the yin qi of this place for cultivation. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The gray-robed figure''s cultivation level was not very high, only at the early True Immortal realm. ¡°Friend Shen, what''s wrong?¡± The Bull Demon King noticed Shen Luo''s unusual behavior and asked. ¡°It''s nothing, there''s a ghost ahead,¡± Shen Luo said. His divine sense had grown stronger and covered a wider range than that of the Bull Demon King and the others. The Bull Demon King flashed a look of surprise and flew forward quickly. Soon, he too detected the presence of the ghost, as did Nie Caizhu. ¡°Hmph! With so many cushy jobs in the Underworld, they had the nerve to send me to such a remote place. They really have no respect at all,¡± the gray-robed figure complained while continuing to absorb the yin qi. ¡°It seems to be just an ordinary ghost emissary, but his appearance is strange; let''s capture him and ask some questions,¡± said the Bull Demon King. The three continued to fly toward the figure, and after a few breaths, they appeared above the gray-robed man. Upon hearing the noise, the man turned his head, saw Shen Luo and the others, and his complexion changed drastically, as he immediately tried to flee into the Styx River. But how could the three let him escape? Nie Caizhu waved her Yangliu Branch, and several streaks of green light shot out, firmly restraining the man so that he could not move. ¡°Elders, spare my life! I am just an ordinary member of the Ghost Clan from the Underworld. Those Demonic Beings have occupied the Underworld, and to save my life, I had no choice but to pledge allegiance to them.¡± Although the gray-robed man could not move his body, his mouth could still speak, and he begged for mercy. ¡°What is your name? All the demons and ghosts have already retreated from here, so why are you still here alone?¡± asked the Bull Demon King. ¡°I am called Wu Kun, the River God of this Styx River,¡± the gray-robed man hurried to say. ¡°Immortal elder, quickly take control of his spirit. With him, we might truly be able to leave the Netherworld and return to the Human World!¡± Shen Luo suddenly heard Qing Lu''s voice in his mind. Qing Lu''s cultivation level was lower, and he had been kept inside the Heavenly Book Space the whole time without coming out. However, he was familiar with the Underworld, so Shen Luo left an opening for him to extend his divine sense outward. Hearing Qing Lu''s abrupt statement, Shen Luo pondered briefly and then pointed a finger. A golden light shot out from his fingertip, disappearing almost instantly into the gray-robed man''s body. His gaze immediately became dull, and his body motionless, as if he had become a stone statue. Chapter 1008 Chapter 1008: Chapter 1005: The Secret of the Fear of Ghosts Chapter 1008: Chapter 1005: The Secret of the Fear of Ghosts ¡°` ¡°Friend Shen, what is this?¡± The Bull Demon King showed a look of surprise. ¡°You said that by utilizing this person, we can find a way to escape the Netherworld. Is this true?¡± Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, releasing Qing Lu, and spoke. The Bull Demon King and Nie Caizhu both brightened up at his words and turned their gazes toward Qing Lu. ¡°I do not have complete assurance. This Wu Kun and I are of equal rank as Yin Chai; I have had some dealings with him, know him very well, and I''m privy to one of his secrets. If we can make good use of it, we might find an opportunity to leave the Netherworld,¡± Qing Lu said, shrinking his head a bit and pointing at the grey-clothed man. ¡°What secret? Tell us about it,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°This matter begins with Wu Kun''s original form. He is not a common ghost but belongs to the extremely rare Terrifying Ghost Clan of the Netherworld. The Terrifying Ghost Clan possesses a natural ability to split their body and divine soul into two, creating two individuals who are both independent and closely connected,¡± Qing Lu explained. ¡°Similar to a Doppelganger''s divine power?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. ¡°The split divine power of the Terrifying Ghost Clan is much more exquisite than that of a common doppelganger. Not only can they split into two individuals, but they can also transfer negative emotions such as greed, frivolity, and madness to the doppelganger during the split, leaving the main body with pure thoughts, which is extremely beneficial for cultivation,¡± Qing Lu continued. ¡°There are such gifted races!¡± Shen Luo felt his horizons expanding. The Bull Demon King and Nie Caizhu also wore faces of astonishment. ¡°So, this Wu Kun is the split identity? Who is his main body?¡± the Bull Demon King asked. ¡°Wu Kun''s other body is called Wu Yu, whose cultivation has already reached the late True Immortal Stage and is not far from the Taiyi Realm. He holds a high position in the Underworld. As far as I know, he is responsible for overseeing the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk,¡± Qing Lu continued. ¡°Even so, what can we do? Surely we can''t use this Wu Kun to threaten that Wu Yu?¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head, unconvinced. ¡°The two bodies of the Terrifying Ghost Clan have another feature: no matter the distance, their divine souls can still affect each other. We can make use of this,¡± Qing Lu said with a sly smile. ¡°You mean to say, we manipulate this Wu Kun and, through the connection between the main body and the doppelganger of the Terrifying Ghost Clan, influence Wu Yu to open the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk?¡± Shen Luo, quick-witted, immediately grasped Qing Lu''s intention. ¡°There''s no need to open the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. As long as its seal loosens slightly, we will have a chance to leave,¡± Qing Lu said. ¡°I''m afraid that won''t work. The seal of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk prevents the Netherworld''s barriers from manifesting fully. Even if we only loosen the seal slightly, even if we combine forces, we will not be able to tear the void and break through,¡± the Bull Demon King said, shaking his head. He had just tried to tear through the void and leave the Netherworld, so he knew best how strong the barrier was here. ¡°The Great Sage does not know something. This Styx River is an important spatial passageway linking the Netherworld to the Human World, and there is a tributary that leads directly near Chang''an City. There is a place there that is very peculiar and resonates unusually with this Styx River. Attracted to each other, over time, the two have formed a passage that penetrates both realms. This passageway is not opened by the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. Though the Nine Netherworlds have closed the Disk, that passage would have hardly been affected. As long as we can slightly loosen the seal of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, we should be able to return to the Human Realm,¡± Qing Lu said. ¡°So, it''s like that; then it''s worth a try. Where is this passageway?¡± the Bull Demon King''s eyes lit up. ¡°It lies ahead in a secluded place, known to very few. I also discovered it by chance while wandering the Styx River for years. Please, follow me.¡± Qing Lu immediately took the lead. Shen Luo and the others followed, at the same time using the jade pendant to signal Zhenyuanzi and the others to come over. Half an hour later, Shen Luo and his group arrived at the end of a tributary of the Styx River; Zhenyuanzi, Yang Jian, and the others had already caught up. ¡°` This place is a murky lake, only two to three miles wide, surrounded by several desolate mountains that enclose the lake in the middle, extremely inconspicuous. In the center of the lake, the water flows rapidly, faintly forming a vortex. At the center of the vortex, space slightly fluctuated, and deeper within it seemed to be connected to some unknown void. Unfortunately, now the inside of the vortex was filled with an immense force, which strongly sealed the passageway. ¡°Just as expected, although it has been sealed, the passageway is still largely intact. As long as the seal on the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk slightly loosens, we can escape from this predicament,¡± the Bull Demon King said with great joy after glancing at the lake vortex. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The key to this matter lies in using Wu Kun to influence Wu Yu. Moreover, we cannot let him detect anything, and certainly cannot allow Jiuyou and the others to notice any anomalies. Once Wu Yu is caught, we will have no chance,¡± Yang Jian continued. ¡°Leave the matter of controlling Wu Yu to me, Old Niu. The Jade Fox Clan is proficient in Illusion Technique, to which I have also devoted some study. I am aware of a Void Illusion Dream Technique that can influence a person''s mind without their knowledge. Even a Taiyi Realm cultivator wouldn''t notice. Just, once Wu Yu takes any action, I fear Jiuyou and the others might see through it,¡± the Bull Demon King said immediately, but his brows trembled as he spoke the last words. ¡°In that case, we shall feign an attack on the City of Ghosts to draw away Jiuyou and the rest. The only trouble is that this place is very far from the City of Ghosts. Once the passageway between realms opens, we won''t be able to return here in time,¡± Shen Luo offered a suggestion, but it came with an intractable difficulty. ¡°Friend Shen, your plan is workable. As for the return, leave it to me. I have a way,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, taking out a yellow silk handkerchief from his sleeve, which was the treasured earth-escape item he had lent to Shen Luo before. ¡°Can this treasure take us back from the City of Ghosts?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. ¡°This Earth Book is a personal treasure of Poor Daoist. When unfurled, it can cover an extremely vast area. If I channel all my power into this treasure, I should be able to extend it to the outskirts of the City of Ghosts. Besides protection and earth-escape, this Earth Book has another God''s Power that can instantly switch the positions of two objects within its coverage. Rest assured in your attack on the City of Ghosts; at the crucial moment, I will switch you back in time,¡± Zhenyuanzi explained. As he spoke, he chanted softly, and the yellow silk handkerchief shone brightly, ¡°whooshing¡± and spreading out, turning into a giant yellow canopy that merged into the ground. As soon as the yellow membrane merged into the ground, it immediately disappeared without a trace, its breath gone completely. Shen Luo''s face showed a look of surprise and suspicion. Even with his strong Divine Sense, he was unable to detect the existence of the yellow membrane. ¡°If that''s the case, then I ask Brother Niu and Zhenyuan Taoist friend to stay here to cast the spell, while the rest of us will feign an attack on the City of Ghosts to divert Jiuyou''s attention, creating an opportunity for Brother Niu,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then said. The others naturally had no objections. ¡°Hold on, Jiuyou is cunning and sly. What if he grows suspicious when Brother Niu and Great Immortal Zhenyuan are absent?¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly raised a concern. ¡°This indeed poses a problem,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, his face reflecting his contemplation. ¡°There''s no need to worry, I have a way,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, then plucked out two strands of his hair, chanting as he did so. The two hairs immediately turned golden, emitting a strong wave of mana. ¡°Brother Niu, Great Immortal Zhenyuan, please infuse some of your mana into these two strands of hair,¡± Shen Luo requested of the Bull Demon King and Zhenyuanzi. The two, without asking further, began to circulate their mana and demon qi, infusing it into the hairs. The hairs seemed fine and insignificant, yet they were like insatiable deep pools. No matter how much mana or demon qi the two poured in, it was all completely swallowed and accommodated. Chapter 1009 Chapter 1009: Chapter 106: Gamble Chapter 1009: Chapter 106: Gamble Shen Luo''s hands formed a spell, and he murmured an incantation. Two strands of his hair suddenly swelled rapidly, transforming into two figures, who were none other than the Bull Demon King and Zhenyuanzi. Their presence was so lifelike that they seemed no different from the true Bull Demon King and Zhenyuanzi, showing no flaws. ¡°I have long heard of the profound mystery of Mount Fangcun''s Huangting Technique and the 72 Transformations. Seeing them today, I am indeed impressed. This technique of using objects to transform is an advanced application of the 72 Transformations, truly profound. I admire it,¡± Zhenyuanzi praised. ¡°Daoist friend Zhenyuan overestimates me. We don''t have much time left. Let''s hurry and take our separate actions,¡± Shen Luo nodded and waved his hand, taking Yang Jian, Nie Caizhu, and Qing Lu into the Heavenly Book Space. Then, with a burst of golden light in his hands, he once again used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique and shot toward the direction of the City of Ghosts. Zhenyuanzi formed a spell to drive the Earth Book and spread the power of this treasure as far as possible. Meanwhile, the Bull Demon King was sitting on the ground with Wu Kun sitting across from him. He did not cast spells immediately as this required coordination with Shen Luo and the others. After half an hour, a flash of green light passed over Zhenyuanzi''s waist, and a jade pendant flew out, displaying a line of small characters: Ready. Upon seeing this, the Bull Demon King immediately employed the Void Illusion Dream Technique. His eyes gradually filled with a layer of hazy white light, which he directed toward Wu Kun''s eyes. Wu Kun''s dull eyes seemed to catch the infection, also lighting up with specks of white light, creating an indescribably eerie scene. The Bull Demon King kept forming spells, and as time passed, the white light in Wu Kun''s eyes grew more intense until both eyes turned completely white. ¡°Quick!¡± the Bull Demon King shouted lowly and touched a point on Wu Kun''s forehead with his bent finger. Wu Kun''s body trembled and then returned to normal, except for a rune resembling an eye that appeared on his forehead, slowly rotating. At this moment, inside a huge palace in a certain area of the City of Ghosts, a disc as large as a mountain hung in the air. The disc had six pitch-black holes, arranged in sequence. The depths of these holes were unfathomable, unknown where they led. A power as vast as heaven and earth, that of reincarnation, emanated from the disc. One who approached it would experience countless illusions, as if seeing their past and future lives. This object was the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, which controlled the cycle of life and death for the beings of the world. Originally, from ancient times to the present, the ceaselessly rotating Six Paths Reincarnation Disk had now stopped, and its light had also completely dimmed. At this moment, twelve monks stood around the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, all from the Ghost Clan, each holding a big black flag in their hands. The flags, with white bone poles and about a zhang long, emitted an extraordinarily powerful presence, comparable to high-grade Magical Treasures. Each of the twelve big flags was embroidered with the pattern of a monstrous humanoid creature, with some having six legs and four wings, without a face, and others with birds'' bodies and human faces, feet resting on two dragons. Each of these humanoid monsters possessed an imposing aura, as if they were great tyrants from ancient times, capable of shaking the universe with a mere glance. The twelve monks manipulated the black banners, causing ripples of black light to emerge, forming a giant hexagonal Array that enveloped the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. This mighty hexagonal Array was filled with an endless savage aura. Its power was breathtaking, sealing off the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk along with the surrounding void. It was unclear what kind of Array it was. Each of the twelve monks had reached the late stage of True Immortal, with two even at the peak of True Immortal, just a step away from the Taiyi Realm. Yet even they found it extremely difficult to operate the Array. Besides these twelve, there was a member of the Demon Clan in the hall, none other than Lord Jiuming. Outside the great palace, layer upon layer of Ghost Generals and Demon Soldiers were stationed, completely sealing off the building. ¡°Very well, continue to operate the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation for more than three days. Here is some Nine Nether Water that can rapidly restore Yin Qi, sufficiently supporting three days,¡± Lord Jiuming instructed. As he spoke, with a flick of his sleeve, twelve black jade bottles flew out and landed beside the twelve ghost cultivators. ¡°Many thanks to Lord Jiuming. We will surely cast the spells with care and will not slack off,¡± a man in a black robe said. This man bore a seven to eight-points resemblance to Wu Kun and was also one of the two peak late True Immortal stage ghost cultivators. Jiuming nodded, turned around, and walked out, heading to an adjacent side hall. There stood a demon cultivator, who was a very pure-blooded member of the Demon Clan, with a tall figure and two horns atop his head, his cultivation level reaching the peak of the late True Immortal stage. ¡°Lord Jiuming, it''s one thing to stop the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, but why bother using the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation as well? Although this formation, a remnant from ancient times, has been mostly improved upon through Lord Chiyou''s deductions, it still hasn''t been fully repaired. Activating it will cost a lot and draw vital energies from those who set up the formation. If maintained for three days straight, these twelve might suffer significant losses to their cultivation,¡± the twin-horned demon hurriedly approached upon seeing Jiuming''s arrival and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Foolish! These people are all Taiyi Cultivators. Will they contentedly abide being confined in the Netherworld once they discover they can''t leave? The remaining forces of the Three Realms are in their hands. We must not underestimate them even a little! As for those ghost cultivators outside, they are merely expendable pawns, not worthy of pity,¡± Jiuming said with an icy gaze. The twin-horned demon meekly acknowledged and dared not speak further. ¡°Have all the Underworld''s forces been recalled?¡± Jiuming asked. ¡°Apart from the River Gods, Mountain Gods, and Land Gods spread across the lands, all other forces have retreated to the City of Ghosts. Three lines of defense have been set up outside the city, and every prohibition inside the City of Ghosts has been activated. Even a Heavenly Venerable-level powerhouse would not be able to infiltrate quietly. You can rest assured, Lord Jiuming,¡± the twin-horned demon responded anxiously. Jiuming nodded, about to say something else when suddenly, a loud noise came from afar, and the ground in the side hall trembled, causing an uproar among the demon soldiers and ghost generals outside. ¡°What happened?¡± The twin-horned demon was startled and quickly took out a magical instrument for communication to inquire about the situation outside. With the city''s prohibitions all activated, their Divine Senses were blocked, preventing them from sensing the situation outside. But Jiuming remained calm, flipping his hand to produce a yellow mirror. The mirror was framed in peach wood, around the edges of which was wound a lifelike human figure carving, with an expression of extreme agony. Blood-red demonic patterns twined around the carving, emitting waves of fierce Demonic Qi, suggesting that a peach essence monster had been deeply refined into the mirror using a secret technique of the Demon Race. The eyes of the human figure flashed with yellow light, seeming very spirited. Jiuming formed a seal with his hands and pointed, and two beams of yellow light shot from the eyes onto the mirror surface, which immediately displayed an image reflecting the scenery outside the city. The remaining army of the Human Realm, including Zhenyuanzi, Shen Luo, and Yang Jian, had all emerged outside the City of Ghosts, with no one missing. Shen Luo, standing in the lead, had transformed into a giant several dozens of feet tall, his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod also magnified substantially, emanating bursts of golden light and striking a black light screen outside the city. The light screen trembled violently, showing cracks like a spider''s web. ¡°No need to panic, have the forces outside hold their position and dispatch the Black Nightmare Guards to assist. Use the prohibitions to withstand their assault,¡± Jiuming said with a faint cold smile, remaining composed as he gave his orders methodically. The twin-horned demon saw the image in the yellow mirror, his face showing shock, but upon hearing Jiuming''s instructions, he immediately recovered and ran outside. However, at that moment, an even louder booming sound came from outside, and the palace began to shake violently as if hit by an earthquake, causing even the previously composed Jiuming''s expression to involuntarily change. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1010 Chapter 1010: 1007 Chapter 1010: 1007 Outside the City of Ghosts. Shen Luo channeled the Huangting Technique and the Method of Heaven and Earth Power with all his might. His body grew more than a hundredfold in size, turning into a colossal golden giant that could reach up to the heavens and down to the earth. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand also transformed into a golden giant rod as massive as a pillar of the sky. ¡°Splashy Chaotic Stick!¡± The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hands conjured up a sky full of rod shadows, emerging like snowflakes before him, numbering as many as three hundred and sixty, signifying the full cycle of the heavens, and also indicating that this rod technique had been cultivated to the realm of Perfection. Shen Luo let out a heaven-shaking and earth-shattering roar as the three hundred and sixty rod shadows instantly merged into one. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod thrust forward, piercing the black light screen near the City of Ghosts. ¡°Puff! Puff! Puff!¡± Three light sounds rang out as the three light screens outside the City of Ghosts shattered like paper, perforated by the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The golden giant rod did not slow down in the slightest, directly penetrating into the City of Ghosts! ¡°Boom!¡± Half of the City of Ghosts collapsed amidst the thunderous noise, countless ghost soldiers and members of the Demon Clan died under the giant rod or were buried under the collapsing buildings. The three layers of prohibitions outside the city fluctuated violently a few times, issuing an explosive sound, and completely collapsed and vanished. Next to Shen Luo, Nezha, Nie Cai Zhu, Yang Jian, and others also launched fierce attacks. Nezha manifested a Dharmform with three heads and six arms, holding a fire-tipped spear. Sheets of purple flames shot out from the spearhead, pouring into the City of Ghosts. Although Nie Cai Zhu''s attack was not as imposing as Nezha''s, she wielded various Five Elements Techniques like the Indigo Blue Sea, Raging Fire, and Massive Boulder Breaker with her hands, raining down attacks and heavily striking the demons below. Yang Jian also used the Method of Heaven and Earth Power, transforming into a giant hundreds of feet tall. He maximized the operation of the Nine Transmutation Exercises, with golden spiritual light radiating from his body, and the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife in his hands cleaved horizontal swaths of light, rolling up surges of Heaven and Earth Aura. With every slash of the knife, hundreds of ghosts and Demon Soldiers turned to nothingness. Inside the side hall next to the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, Lord Jiuming saw the situation outside through the yellow mirror in his hand, his face extremely somber. He had underestimated Shen Luo and the others. He thought that with the power of the prohibitions, he could hold them off, but now it seemed that those human cultivators outside had held back during the previous great battle, especially that Shen Luo! As soon as Lord Jiuming thought of this, he immediately got up and flew towards the outside. Some of the leaders of the Demon Clan outside the main hall followed him upon seeing this. Just at this moment, among the twelve Ghost Clan cultivators operating the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation, the Ghost Clan cultivator who resembled Wu Kun had a point of white light suddenly shining from his brow, forming an eye-shaped rune. Wu Yu''s mind went blank, and he stood stiffly on the spot, pausing in his casting. The Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation required all twelve people to cast simultaneously. When Wu Yu suddenly stopped, the other Ghost Clan cultivators immediately noticed and looked over. Having flown out twenty or thirty feet, Lord Jiuming''s steps abruptly ceased. Then, like lightning, he turned around, his eyes as sharp as an eagle''s, and looked at Wu Yu. Black light surged from his fingertips as he suddenly reached out with a fierce grab. Above Wu Yu''s head, turbulence arose, and a house-sized Black Demon Claw appeared out of nowhere, viciously grabbing downwards. However, Wu Yu''s stiff body suddenly became agile and reacted very quickly. With one hand, he formed a seal while with the other, he pulled over the Black Big Flag in his hand. The Black Big Flag ¡°whooshed¡± as it expanded a hundredfold, shielding above his head. A twelfth of the black light from the Array enveloping the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk also deviated, shooting above his head, joining with the Black Big Flag to ward off the grasp of the Black Demon Claw. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± erupted, creating an earth-shaking noise as a black sun appeared out of thin air inside the hall, triggering a storm that reached to the skies. Inside the palace, the limited space prevented the storm from spreading and venting, which made its power increase tenfold. At the heart of the black sun, the dark light of the Array was forcibly torn apart, and the Black Big Flag also made a ripping sound, as five cracks appeared on it. Lord Jiuming felt a chill in his heart; these twelve flags were essential to the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation, and if they were destroyed, the entire Formation would likely be affected. Not wanting to risk damaging his precious tool, he hastily stopped using the Black Demon Claw. ¡°Lord Jiuming?¡± The several Demon Clan leaders at the entrance had not yet realized what had happened, and they cried out in alarm, only to be staggered backwards by the storm that suddenly struck inside the hall. The twelve individuals near the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk were protected by the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation and were unaffected, but they were also stunned by the scene before them, unsure of what to do. Lord Jiuming''s eyes filled with fierce light as he stared at Wu Yu inside the hall, about to use another God''s Power. Wu Yu spat out a large mouthful of blood, but still mustered the strength to make a hand gesture, and the bony pole of the Black Big Flag suddenly emitted a dazzling bone-white light. The next moment, he grasped the ends of the flagpole with both hands and snapped it furiously. With a ¡°crack,¡± the bony flagpole was broken in half. In an instant, the prohibitions and Formation Patterns etched on the flagpole completely collapsed, and the sealed souls of eighty-one evil beasts, along with boundless Demonic Qi, burst forth like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens, slamming fiercely into the seal of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. As the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation was already missing one piece, and now with the violent impact from the souls and Demonic Qi, the seal suddenly loosened. Rumble, rumble! With a moment to breathe, the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk underneath the Great Formation emitted a blinding spiritual light and began to spin with a rumble. Outside the City of Ghosts, Shen Luo sharply sensed a slight fluctuation in the surrounding void, and his face lit up with joy. At this moment, the ground below suddenly burst forth with bright yellow light, enveloping the bodies of all his allies. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly reverted from his Method of Heaven and Earth form back to his normal size. Yang Jian and the others did the same, withdrawing their God''s Powers and descending to the ground. The yellow light from the ground immediately enveloped everyone''s bodies, then suddenly intensified, causing everyone''s figures to waver before disappearing. Next to the lake that connected the two worlds, a flash of yellow light appeared, and the figures of Shen Luo and the others emerged. The passageway between the two worlds within the lake was now completely open, with countless Spatial Storms churning inside, sounding like thunderous explosions. ¡°The passageway between the two worlds is not completely stable, but we can''t worry about that now¨Cthe passageway is about to be sealed, hurry!¡± Zhenyuanzi flicked his sleeve, and a Heavenly Book flew out from Shen Luo''s body, the same one he had given Shen Luo before. As the Heavenly Book touched his large sleeve, it merged into one, and his sleeve cuff immediately showed a splendid Golden Light. Zhenyuanzi waved his sleeve again, and the cuff suddenly grew larger than a mountain, covering everyone, including Shen Luo. A dazzling Golden Light flashed, and the figures of Shen Luo and the others all disappeared, taken into the Heavenly Book. Having done all this, Zhenyuanzi unfolded his large sleeve and with a ¡°swoosh,¡± flew into the passageway between the two worlds. The Spatial Storms capable of tearing anything apart swept towards him, but Zhenyuanzi had long since brought out the Earth Book for protection, and all the storms were blocked outside, not harming him in the least. He quickly moved forward in the passageway between the two worlds, and streaks of white light appeared ahead, soon to reach the Human World. But suddenly, the spatial channel emitted an explosive sound, a fierce and violent force descended out of nowhere, and the entire channel trembled violently before collapsing with a roar. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1011 Chapter 1011: 1008 Chapter 1011: 1008 Zhenyuanzi saw the situation, his expression darkened, and he formed a hand seal with both hands. ¡°Three Flowers Gathering Atop!¡± Above his head, three bright lights suddenly emerged, one gold, one silver, and one white, within each a blossoming lotus appeared and instantly enlarged a hundredfold, supporting the collapsing passageway, managing to hold it for an instant. ¡°Stellar Shift!¡± Zhenyuanzi stepped on the Big Dipper, took seven steps in the void and his fleeing speed suddenly increased tenfold. He disappeared in a flash into the white light ahead, vanishing from sight. Just as his figure disappeared, the entire passageway emitted a series of rumbling noises and collapsed completely. Inside the great hall of the City of Ghosts, Jiuyin held two broken flags, forcefully joining them together, with blood-red demonic patterns connecting the broken ends. Beside him, Wu Yu''s body was severed into two parts, his death extremely tragic. Jiuyin paid no attention to Wu Yu. Demonic Qi from within his body poured into the flag without reservation as the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation unfolded once again, resealing the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. However, there wasn''t the slightest hint of joy on Jiuyin''s face; instead, it turned ashen. Even though he hadn''t seen it directly, his intuition told him that those people had already escaped from the Netherworld. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Dammit!¡± Jiuyin cursed in a low growl, stomping his foot on the ground. Crackles of thunder resounded, as thick dark red lightning bolts shot out from his body like tendrils of thunder and lightning, lashing the nearby ground. Amidst loud banging sounds, the ground was struck, creating big pits, and fragments of stone flew everywhere. Wu Yu''s corpse was hit by a bolt of black lightning and exploded instantly, leaving no trace behind. The rest of the Demon Clan gathered far away, silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to speak. After vents his fury, Jiuyin quickly regained his composure, turned, and left the great hall to enter a nearby hidden stone chamber. He produced a dark red round pearl and quickly formed hand seals with both hands. A blaze of red light rose from the red round pearl, soon forming a miniature red array several feet wide that slowly rotated. After a few breaths, a blurry human silhouette emerged within the red array. An eerie, chilling aura instantly filled the entire stone chamber, every pore in Jiuyin''s body seemed to be suppressed by a cold breath, he shuddered and didn''t even dare to breathe loudly. ¡°Lord Chiyou, I deserve death. Those people used some method to control a member of the Ghost Clan who managed the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, broke the seal, and despite my best efforts to stop them, they still escaped!¡± Jiuyin knelt on the ground with a ¡°plunk¡±, speaking in fright. ¡°What! You let them escape! You are useless!¡± the blurry figure in the formation shouted angrily. Although the voice was not loud, Jiuyin felt an immense pressure bearing down from above, everything went dark before his eyes, and he almost passed out. ¡°I deserve death and dare not make any excuses. But, please Lord Chiyou, considering my previous hard work, grant me a chance to redeem myself,¡± Jiuyin''s head hung even lower, almost crawling on the ground. ¡°In your previous reports about the remaining forces in the Three Realms, aside from the Bull Demon King, Zhenyuanzi, Yang Jian, is there a disciple of Mount Fangcun who practices the Huangting Technique who has come to the Underworld?¡± the blurry figure in the array asked after a moment of silence. ¡°Yes, I have ascertained that his name is Shen Luo, holding a fragment of the Heavenly Scroll, though I do not know where he acquired it from,¡± Jiuyin hastily replied. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± the blurry figure murmured Shen Luo''s name softly and fell silent for a long while. ¡°What should your subordinate do next? Please give me your instructions,¡± Jiuying waited for a moment before asking. ¡°Since they have already fled, it''s a waste to keep your troops in the Netherworld. Withdraw all of them,¡± the blurry figure said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jiuying responded. The blurry figure shimmered and vanished within the Array, and the terrifying aura that enveloped the stone chamber dispersed, allowing Jiuying to stand up from the ground and wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. ¡°Lord Chiyou''s power is growing stronger; it seems that his complete awakening is not far away,¡± he muttered to himself, excitement flickering across his face as he quickly walked towards the outside. Shen Luo and the others had a momentary blur of vision before finding themselves in a dark space. There was not a glimmer of light here, making it impossible to see even one''s own hand in front of their face, but since each of them possessed profound cultivation levels, they soon made out their surroundings and realized they were inside an enormous underground cave. The cave was hundreds of feet in size, its ground and surrounding stone walls a sinister black, cold and bone-chilling, reminiscent of black ice. The floor of the cave was relatively smooth, with several white jade pillars, around fifteen feet tall, standing erect. In total, there were three hundred and sixty-five pillars, densely packed like a forest. Many of these jade pillars were damaged and collapsed, while over two hundred remained intact, covered with formation patterns that resembled star charts, seemingly part of a seal holding something within. A terrifying Yin Qi emanated from the intact jade pillars, and although the jade forest appeared chaotic, it actually formed a sunken formation, confining all the ghostly qi within this space. The jade pillars seemed ageless, and the Yin Qi within the cave was so dense it was beyond imagination, making even Taiyi cultivators like Shen Luo feel uncomfortable. Nezha snorted coldly, and with a ¡°Boom,¡± flames of red fire ignited around him, rapidly spreading outward and driving back all the surrounding Yin Qi. ¡°Where is this? Such dense ghostly qi; could it be we''re still in the Netherworld?¡± Bull Demon King felt the aura around him and frowned. ¡°No, we have already left the Netherworld. This seems to be a Yin Cave in the Human World,¡± Yang Jian said after looking around. Shen Luo was also scanning the surroundings, feeling a vague sense of familiarity, but couldn''t immediately recall why. He quickly gave up pointless thought and expanded his Divine Sense. As long as he could figure out the situation outside, his familiarity with Chang''an City would immediately reveal where they were. However, he let out a small exclamation of surprise, as the confining power of the jade pillar formation was exceptionally strong, restraining his Divine Sense and preventing it from spreading. With a low grunt, Shen Luo activated all his Divine Sense in an effort to break through the formation of the jade pillars, and then sensed the surroundings. They were deep underground, with mud all around, but above them was something different¨Ca great mausoleum with countless ghosts wandering within, including Mahayana Stage ghosts and even Ghost Kings of True Immortal Stage. ¡°So it''s here.¡± Shen Luo immediately recognized the place. It was the mausoleum deep within the Yinling Mountains near Chang''an City. He had been there years ago when his cultivation was still low and had only roamed around the outer layers, never venturing deep inside. This cave was situated at the very depths of the Yinling Mountains'' mausoleum, but why were these unusual jade pillars here was still a mystery. Chapter 1012 Chapter 1012: Chapter 109 Ancient Witch Weapons Chapter 1012: Chapter 109 Ancient Witch Weapons ¡°Friend Shen seems to know the origin of the mausoleum above?¡± the Bull Demon King asked, looking over. ¡°I used to stay near Chang''an City and know a little about this place. This is a place known as the Yinling Mountains, and the mausoleum above is said to have been built by a prince of the former Great Tang Dynasty. For some reason, it attracted a horde of ghosts,¡± Shen Luo briefly explained. ¡°I see, but what are these jade pillars? Why is there such dense Yin Qi inside them?¡± the Bull Demon King asked curiously, looking at a nearby jade pillar. ¡°These jade pillars are not ordinary stone pillars. Engraved on them are star seals, and they contain a large number of souls. These pillars are not arranged randomly either; they seem to be set up according to the ancient and peculiar Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation,¡± Zhenyuanzi said after looking at the group of jade pillars. ¡°The Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. He had read about this formation in the classics. It was one of the ten great ancient arrays and was said to be very highly ranked, capable of drawing the power of the stars to vanquish enemies, which bore some similarities to his Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. A light shone in the Bull Demon King''s eyes as well, for the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation was a peculiar formation of the ancient Demon Race, but unfortunately, it had long been lost. He did not expect to see it here. ¡°Moreover, these jade pillars seem to contain the souls of people who were not ordinary, but rather the determined souls of soldiers,¡± Zhenyuanzi continued. ¡°Soldiers'' souls?¡± Shen Luo looked startled and turned his gaze to a pillar not far away, flicking his finger at it. A streak of black light shot from his hand, striking the jade pillar with the power of the Six Chen Whip. The jade pillar burst apart with a roar, shaking the entire underground cave. A cacophony of elated ghostly wails arose, piercing the ears of everyone present. Resentment surged from the collapsed pillar, and substantial black ghostly Qi emerged, quickly filling the entire underground space. The temperature plummeted, and the ground instantly froze. Everyone hurriedly cast spells to protect their bodies. Within the black ghostly Qi, groups of soldier-shaped ghostly figures appeared, numbering over a thousand, flying all over the place, with a might that was threefold stronger than the hordes of ghosts from the Netherworld. ¡°These indeed are soldiers'' souls, and judging by their attire, they are the military soldiers from the former Tang Dynasty. Why are they sealed here?¡± Shen Luo muttered with a furrowed brow. The heavy Yin Qi of these ghosts had little effect on Taiyi beings like Shen Luo and his companions. ¡°Looking at the situation of the star seals on these jade pillars, the person who cast the spell didn''t want to completely annihilate these soldiers'' souls but used the power of the Yin Cave here to nourish them. It seems like they planned to use them for some grand purpose,¡± Zhenyuanzi explained. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo said, suddenly understanding. According to what he knew, the army of the previous dynasty had once retreated to this place to hide, and knowing that they could not escape their doomed defeat, they set up this great formation to seal the souls of their soldiers inside. They then nourished those souls with the Yin Cave''s power, hoping to counterattack Chang''an one day. No wonder that during the Ten Thousand Demons Chang''an event, the ghosts from this place cooperated with the Refining Body Altar. What shocked him was that there was someone in the previous dynasty who knew how to use the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. The soldier ghosts soon noticed the presence of the living people like Shen Luo, their eyes filled with a thirst for fresh blood. They rushed toward the group en masse. ¡°Seeking death!¡± Shen Luo let out a cold huff, channeling mana into the Six Chen Whip. Black talismans appeared on it, and soon it began to spin rapidly, forming a black vortex with a whirring sound. A massive suction force emanated from it, causing the entire underground cave to tremble. Although there were many ghosts and their strength was not weak, they were no match for Shen Luo now. All the soldier ghosts were instantly dragged over, merging into the Six Chen Whip and devoured by it, disappearing completely within a few breaths. At this moment, the star patterns on the white jade pillars suddenly burst into bright starlight, and the ceiling''s stone wall also showed surges of starlight. The originally black cave ceiling suddenly became transparent, revealing an incredibly complex star pattern that rumbled into operation. A stream of starlight as thick as a water bucket shot out from the star formation, rich with an immense force of the stars, and struck the Six Chen Whip hard. The Six Chen Whip let out a ¡°clang¡± as it trembled violently, almost flying out of Shen Luo''s hands. Shen Luo quickly channeled his mana to firmly grasp it. But the black light on the surface of the whip suddenly surged violently, rising against the starlight and clashing with it as if sworn enemies had met, neither willing to stop until one was dead. The sound of crackling echoed in the cave space, and the nearby void also buzzed faintly. Shen Luo was shocked by the scene before him and stood there in a daze, and so did Zhenyuanzi and the others nearby. Fortunately, the starlight falling from the ceiling did not last for too long. After a few breaths, it dispersed, and the starlight on the pillars and the ceiling disappeared, returning to normal. However, the changes to the Six Chen Whip did not stop; the black light on it continued to surge and shine brighter and brighter. Within the black light, the whip itself began to change, slowly elongating, with many rust-like things falling off from it, as if undergoing some kind of metamorphosis. Shen Luo quickly recovered, eagerly channeling his mana into the body of the whip, and his eyebrows suddenly twitched. He had already fully refined the prohibitions of the Six Chen Whip, yet now new prohibitions suddenly appeared within it. There were many, and they were even more profound than those he had refined before. ¡°There were so many hidden prohibitions within the Six Chen Whip! Just in terms of quantity, they are completely comparable to the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod!¡± he thought joyfully, running the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to refine the new prohibitions that had appeared within the Six Chen Whip. The black debris on the whip continued to fall off, and in a few breaths, the entire Six Chen Whip underwent a complete transformation, turning into an ancient iron whip of bronze color, wrapped with nine black metal hoops, and a bird''s head embossment near the handle, its blood-red eyes lifelike. The ancient iron whip was enveloped in an unmatched ferocity, as if it was born for slaughter; as the black light flickered, it occasionally emitted the roar of wild beasts licking blood. ¡°This is the War God Whip, one of the twelve Witch Artifacts forged by the Ancient Witch Clan! Who would have thought it would have always been in Li Jing''s hands!¡± Zhenyuanzi said, taking one glance at the newly transformed Six Chen Whip and exclaiming in surprise. ¡°The War God Whip? The twelve Witch Artifacts?¡± Shen Luo looked at Zhenyuanzi, puzzled. Nezha, Bull Demon King, Nie Caizhu and others also looked over, their faces showing curiosity, while only Yang Jian remained calm, gripping his Three-pointed Two-edged Knife tightly. ¡°These matters are all secrets from the Witch-Demon Great War in ancient times; it''s normal that you do not know. During the ancient times, the witch and demon clans flourished, occupying the land of Hongmeng. Later, they fought a great battle for the throne of the ultimate ruler of Hongmeng. The Demon Clan''s twin saints Di Jun and Donghuang wielded the innate supreme Eastern Emperor Bell, unbeatable by anyone. To counter the Demon Clan, the Witch Clan mobilized the strength of their entire clan to craft one powerful Witch Weapon for each of the Twelve Ancestral Witches to confront the Eastern Emperor Bell. This War God Whip is one of them, and Daoist friend Yang Jian''s Three-pointed Two-edged Knife is another,¡± Zhenyuanzi explained. Everyone was shocked upon hearing this, and they looked at the War God Whip and Three-pointed Two-edged Knife with even more interest. Shen Luo examined the long whip in his hands, clearly not expecting such a significant history behind it, let alone that it was connected to the long-extinct ancient witch clan. Chapter 1013 Chapter 1013: Chapter 1110: The Remnant Formation Chapter 1013: Chapter 1110: The Remnant Formation ¡°The Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation here is an unparalleled Array of the Demon Race. That year, it was used more than once to fight against the Witch Clan. Unexpectedly, after so many years, the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation still reacts viciously to the presence of Witch Weapons and launches aggressive attacks. However, this is also good, as it has revealed the true form of Brother Shen''s whip,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a smile. ¡°By luck,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, waving the War God Whip. The void nearby immediately emitted a deep howling and vibrated incessantly, seemingly unable to withstand the might of the whip. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful. It is said that the War God Whip was a weapon of the Ancestor Witch Emperor Jiang. Legend has it that Emperor Jiang was proficient in Array Techniques and combined them with the Witch Clan''s Spirit Refining Array to set up an even more fierce Soul Devouring Array inside this War God Whip. Not only is the whip''s attack tremendously strong, but it also possesses the ability to devour souls. As soon as it touches someone else, it will immediately suck out and devour their soul, refining it away. Make sure not to harm our own people,¡± Zhenyuanzi hurriedly reminded. ¡°A Soul Devouring Array?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted, he stopped waving the War God Whip, and started to probe the inside of the whip with Divine Sense. Very soon, he found a black prohibition in its deepest part. This prohibition was rumbling and turning, forming a terrifying Black Vortex that exerted a formidable devouring force. Those previous ghosts that had been sucked in were all here, being continuously ground up and devoured by the black prohibition. As soon as his Divine Sense approached, he immediately felt as if it was being torn and devoured, which frightened him into quickly withdrawing his Divine Sense. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A few breaths later, nearly a thousand ghosts were completely devoured by the Soul Devouring Array, not a single one remaining. ¡°Such an impressive Soul Devouring Array. Nearly a thousand ghosts were refined away just like that,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself in amazement. However, at this moment, the Soul Devouring Array suddenly paused and then began to operate in reverse. The originally pitch-black Array Vortex suddenly turned white. The bird-head engraving on the War God Whip seemed to come to life, opening its mouth to spit out a thumb-sized, semi-translucent white round bead that flew out and merged into Shen Luo''s forehead, entering his Sea of Knowledge. Turns out the white round bead was actually a mass of Soul Power transformed, and as soon as it touched his divine soul, the two immediately merged into one. Shen Luo''s forehead suddenly throbbed in pain, and the Soul Power in his Sea of Knowledge abruptly increased by a good half. ¡°Unexpectedly, this Soul Devouring Array is so exquisitely designed that it can completely remove the mental imprint on the divine soul, revert it back to its original state, and transform it into a mass of pure spiritual essence, Soul Power!¡± Seeing this, Zhenyuanzi clapped his hands in admiration. Hearing this, everyone else also showed looks of envy. ¡°By luck, by luck,¡± Shen Luo smiled and turned his gaze to the other intact Jade Pillars, licking his lips in anticipation. At this moment, there were about two hundred intact Jade Pillars in the cave. If he could refine all the military souls contained within them, he wondered to what extent his Soul Power would surge. ¡°Brother Shen, I still have use for the Zhou Tian Star Battle Remnant Array here and cannot destroy it for the time being,¡± Zhenyuanzi quickly said when he saw this. ¡°What use?¡± Shen Luo curiously asked. Zhenyuanzi smiled without answering and swept his sleeve with a flourish. Streams of starlight shot out from his sleeve, landing on various parts of the white Jade Pillars. These turned out to be Star Battle banners, as many as three hundred and sixty-five, each embroidered with countless Star Patterns. With a gesture from Zhenyuanzi, the three hundred and sixty-five Star Battle banners brightened at once, emitting myriad rays of starlight. The Jade Pillar Great Formation below also shone with bright starlight, forming a starlight Cages that enveloped the entire cave. Everyone felt their bodies sink as the prohibitive force permeating the cave surged, turning the void into a sea of immense heaviness that made it difficult for them to move with their level of cultivation. ¡°Could these Star Banners be the Zhou Tian Star Banners?¡± Bull Demon King''s eyes shone as he looked at the Star Banners. ¡°Zhou Tian Star Banners?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted as he looked over. ¡°According to the records of the ancestors of the Demon Race, to set up the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation, it requires the arrangement of three hundred and sixty-five great Zhou Tian Star Banners, corresponding to the three hundred and sixty-five principal stars in the sky, and then another fourteen thousand eight hundred minor Zhou Tian Star Banners, corresponding to the fourteen thousand eight hundred subsidiary stars. Coupled with fifteen thousand one hundred and sixty-five monks casting spells, each controlling a Star Banner, one can form the immensely powerful Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation, summoning the celestial forces of the universe and the power of countless stars, which is strong enough to destroy the heavens and eradicate the earth,¡± Bull Demon King explained with a look of yearning. Shen Luo nodded slowly, looking towards the three hundred and sixty-five big banners. The Banners were surrounded by starlight, replete with numerous prohibitions, each Banner reaching the level of Magical Treasures. ¡°Not exactly. The creation of the great Zhou Tian Star Banners is difficult, and the materials are hard to gather. I only refined some imitations; their power is only half that of the genuine items. Combined with the Jade Pillar Array here, they enhance the power of the local Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation,¡± explained Zhenyuanzi. ¡°It seems that Zhenyuan Taoist friend is quite familiar with the local Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Not familiar per se, I just know a thing or two. By chance, Poor Daoist once obtained a partial battle formation map of this Array, which is how I know a bit about it,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°A partial battle formation map? May I take a look at it?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with eagerness. ¡°Could Old Bull take a look as well?¡± Bull Demon King also immediately requested. ¡°Certainly,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, taking out two jade slips and handing them to the two. Shen Luo thanked him and his Divine Sense plunged into it. The jade slip contained a record of an incredibly complex Array, the very Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. This Array was even more complex than the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, with very demanding requirements for its setup. Indeed, as Bull Demon King mentioned, it required three hundred and sixty-five great Zhou Tian Star Banners and fourteen thousand eight hundred minor Zhou Tian Star Banners. These were only the outer conditions; to arrange this Array, one would also need to establish a connection with the stars in the sky and fully comprehend the Array map, among other things. Without the cultivation level and resources of the Taiyi Realm, it would be impossible to set up the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. However, Shen Luo didn''t care about these issues; he studied the Array map of the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation intently. His cultivation had reached the Taiyi Realm, and his Spiritual Power was vast. His memory had long surpassed the level of never forgetting anything he had seen, and he soon memorized all the content in the jade slip. ¡°What are you all studying this Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation for? While the Array is indeed powerful, it is of no use to us. We should discuss the strategy against Chiyou,¡± Nezha said impatiently from the side. ¡°Daoist friend Nezha speaks wisely,¡± Shen Luo withdrew his Divine Sense and said with a light laugh. His study of the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation was not just out of curiosity; he was also looking out for his own interests in reality. Here, sealed within the Star Pillars were countless powerful army souls. Although in reality he did not possess the Six Chen Whip, if he could make good use of them, it would be an immeasurable wealth. Not to mention anything else, if used for refining Magical Treasures, they could surely create Immortal-level items¨Ca chance not to be missed. But a single Jade Pillar here encased nearly a thousand army souls. With his weak cultivation level in reality, he could only hope to subdue those army souls by mastering the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. Chapter 1014 Chapter 1014: Chapter 1011: The Heavenly Book Unites Chapter 1014: Chapter 1011: The Heavenly Book Unites ¡°Chiyou''s body is undying and indestructible; it is impossible to kill him. The only method is to use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to seal him. We have already obtained fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and next, we need to merge them into one. The Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation here has the effect of isolating the fluctuations of Qi, I enhanced the power of this formation to facilitate the merging of the Map of Mountains and Rivers,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°So that''s the case. Since Zhenyuan Taoist friend has already made preparations, let us start now,¡± Shen Luo said, flipping his hand to take out four fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. ¡°Not so fast, the Map of Mountains and Rivers is a Heavenly Treasure. Now that it''s broken into four pieces, merging and repairing it is not so simple. We need the help of another Heavenly Treasure,¡± Zhenyuanzi said as he waved his hand. ¡°What treasure? Are you talking about the Heavenly Scroll in our hands?¡± Shen Luo asked, but he immediately thought of the answer. ¡°Correct, it is the Heavenly Scroll. This item is not only a treasured item that protects the Heavenly Court but also one of the Heavenly Treasures. To thoroughly restore the Map of Mountains and Rivers, we must use the power of the Heavenly Scroll,¡± Zhenyuanzi stated. ¡°If that''s the case, let''s first unify the Heavenly Scroll,¡± Shen Luo said, flipping his hand to take out the Heavenly Scroll Fragment from his body and handed it to Zhenyuanzi. Yang Jian and Nie Caizhu also took out the Heavenly Scroll Fragments in their hands and handed them to Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, after merging the Heavenly Scroll Fragments, will there be any impact from the soul imprints of the Demon Clan that were already left inside?¡± The Bull Demon King did not immediately hand over the Heavenly Scroll Fragment, remained silent for a moment, and then asked. Unlike Yang Jian and Shen Luo, he, intending to protect his kin, had gathered a large number of soul imprints of his Demon Race into the Heavenly Scroll, and he was deeply concerned about the impact after the unification of the Heavenly Scroll. Over the years, relying on the power of the Heavenly Scroll, his Demon Race''s strength was preserved most intact, but this also deepened the link between those demons and the Heavenly Scroll Fragments. Now, it was impossible to separate them. ¡°After the Heavenly Scroll is merged, the binding force on the demons with soul imprints left inside will significantly increase, but it will not harm their lives,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, clearly understanding the Bull Demon King''s concerns; yet, he did not lie. The Bull Demon King''s expression darkened upon hearing this. The Demon Race valued freedom above all else. If the Heavenly Scroll was unified, wouldn''t the many demons inside lose their freedom forever, just like the Heavenly soldiers and generals of the Heavenly Court? ¡°Bull Daoist friend, what''s most important now is to suppress the demon Chiyou and save all creatures of the Three Realms, including the Demon Race. If the creatures of the Three Realms suffer, it''s akin to losing the lips and thus the teeth will feel cold; you should understand this principle,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°Zhenyuan Great Immortal is right. If Chiyou is allowed to be reborn, all of us will be annihilated; once we''re dead, what''s the talk of freedom?¡± Shen Luo also persuaded. ¡°You''re both right; I''ve become too attached,¡± the Bull Demon King said with a wry smile, and then he took out his piece of the Heavenly Scroll Fragment and handed it to Zhenyuanzi. Zhenyuanzi took the fragments, swept his sleeve, and the Heavenly Scroll Fragment in his hand also flew out. The five fragments hovered in midair, then connected to each other. A dazzling golden light suddenly burst forth, as if the sun had suddenly appeared in this place. Boom! An immense aura erupted from the golden light, filled with towering authority. Even with Shen Luo and the others'' strong cultivation levels, they were pushed back several steps. The surrounding Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation seemed to sense a threat and automatically began to rumble, keeping the burst of Qi from the Heavenly Scroll confined and preventing it from spreading outside the cave. A good while passed before the golden light on the Heavenly Scroll finally receded, revealing its true form. The five Heavenly Scroll Fragments had merged into one, forming a complete golden scroll. However, there were four obvious cracks on the Heavenly Scroll, and the surrounding golden light was also visibly unstable. ¡°To fully restore the Heavenly Book, it will still require a period of time for ritual refining. Leave this task to me and Brother Shen. True Monarch Erlang and Great Sage, you shall act separately, and try to contact some scattered forces throughout the Three Realms. Have them gather here, and then we''ll all head to Chang''an City together. There isn''t much time, everyone should get to their tasks!¡± Zhenyuanzi said solemnly. Yang Jian and the others immediately nodded. ¡°Zhenyuan Daoist friend, I didn''t have time to ask when we were in the Underworld, why did Chiyou awaken so much faster than we had anticipated? According to our previous estimates, there should have been two or three years left,¡± Yang Jian asked suddenly before departing. ¡°The people of the Demon Clan have lost all reason and conducted a blood sacrifice with the entire population of Chang''an City, which accelerated Chiyou''s awakening,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a heavy voice. Shen Luo''s complexion instantly turned ashen, and he clenched his fists tightly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chang''an City was one of the very few places in Great Tang that had not fallen. People who had narrowly survived from all places had gathered there; the population exceeding that of a thousand years ago. That Chiyou had conducted a blood sacrifice with an entire city''s people! Upon hearing this, both Yang Jian and the Bull Demon King had extremely unsightly expressions, but they did not ask further, employing the Earth Escape Technique, and flew upwards to leave. ¡°Cousin, Mount Putuo has been attacked by the Demon Clan and no longer exists, but there might still be some disciples left. I''ll also go out and try if I can contact them,¡± Nie Caizhu said to Shen Luo. ¡°Demons are everywhere outside, be careful on the road,¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the grief and anger in his heart, and cautioned her. ¡°Don''t worry, I have the Jade Purification Bottle and the Yangliu Branch. Even if I encounter the Twelve Distinguished Ones, I should be able to make a full retreat,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a charming smile, then her figure flickered and she vanished on the spot, using an escape technique to leave. Soon, only Shen Luo, Zhenyuanzi, and Nezha remained in the cave, with the other members of the Demon Race and the Heavenly Soldiers inside the Heavenly Book. ¡°The task of contacting the old forces of the Heavenly Court could be left to Erlang Yang. I''m not needed for that; I''d better stay and lend you both a hand,¡± said Nezha. ¡°That would be good, as the fame of the Third Prince''s Flame Divine Powers is renowned across the Three Realms. You could provide the flame necessary for repairing the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°No problem, leave it to me,¡± Nezha grinned. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, are you planning to repair the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers at the same time?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°Indeed, these two treasures are both Heavenly Treasures of the Heavenly Dao; they can influence each other, and repairing them simultaneously will save much more effort than doing so separately,¡± Zhenyuanzi chuckled, clearly having thought everything through already. Shen Luo, well aware of Zhenyuanzi''s extensive knowledge that was far beyond his own, did not say anything more and handed over the four pieces of the Map he held. Zhenyuanzi took them, waved his sleeves, and a purple Artifact Refining Furnace appeared. The furnace was about three Zhang high, engraved with the earth, sun, moon, and the patterns of the constellations. Unknown what material the Refining Furnace was made of, its entirety glowed with a purplish luster. Occasionally, wisps of misty purple qi would rise from within and form into clusters of auspicious purplish clouds around it. ¡°What is this Immortal Furnace? It is truly wondrous,¡± said Shen Luo, looking at the furnace before him and keenly sensing that it seemed to contain a world inside it, with a mysterious force roaming within. ¡°This furnace is named the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. It was a piece of Purple Lapis Lazuli Immortal Jade I obtained from Mount Buzhou during my early years of wandering through Hongmeng; it took me tens of thousands of years to refine it. I am confident that even when compared to Taishang Laojun''s Purple Gold Eight Trigrams Furnace, this Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace is not inferior,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a proud expression, gesturing with a command. Chapter 1015 Chapter 1015: Chapter 1012: What''s There to Mention Chapter 1015: Chapter 1012: What''s There to Mention As Zhenyuanzi''s magical tactics were cast, the lid of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace swung open automatically, and a stream of purple light burst forth, wrapping around the Heavenly Book and the four fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, drawing them into the furnace. Nezha also opened his mouth and spewed out a swath of red true fire, which was the Samadhi True Fire, enveloping the bottom of the furnace and burning fiercely. At the bottom of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace were nine orifices, resembling nine mouths, which sucked in the Samadhi True Fire, transforming it into nine delicate threads of flame that wrapped around the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers, slowly annealing them. Zhenyuanzi''s hands formed spells, and another marvel occurred within the furnace. With a ''puff'', a cluster of purple true fire appeared out of nowhere, its temperature on par with Nezha''s Samadhi True Fire and even exceeding it slightly. ¡°Eh, that''s one of the ten great Heavenly Fires, the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. Born between Heaven and Earth in the purest void beyond the skies, the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire is the purest form of Spirit Fire. Not only is its temperature extremely high, capable of incinerating everything, but it also has the ability to purify materials, making it most suitable for refining treasures. Zhenyuanzi''s hands formed spells and the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire also split into nine, intertwining with the Samadhi True Fire around the two treasures. The temperature inside the furnace quickly became scorching hot, and the void itself seemed to twist slightly. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, do you need my assistance?¡± asked Shen Luo upon seeing this. ¡°Your cultivation of the Huangting Technique has refined Mana, which resonates well with the foundational power of the Map of Mountains and Rivers and the Heavenly Book. Simply channel your Mana into them,¡± instructed Zhenyuanzi. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo nodded, lifted both hands, and emitted five golden light pillars from his palms. The five golden lights, one thick and four thin, poured into the Heavenly Book and into each of the Map of Mountains and Rivers fragments respectively. The Heavenly Book''s golden light immediately stabilized and ceased its intense flickering, while the four fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers also brightened. Zhenyuanzi''s expression turned serious. He struck a spell on the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace with a flick of his hands, and the flames wrapping the Map of Mountains and Rivers fragments twisted gently. The fragments slowly moved and joined together. He then waved his sleeve, and various Spiritual Materials appeared one by one in the void beside him, each emitting extremely strong Spiritual Power Fluctuations, all of which were treasures of Heaven and Earth, including two Immortal Fruits resembling babies. These Spiritual Materials entered the furnace one after another like a flowing stream, soon enveloped by the two true fires. Zhenyuanzi muttered incantations, and his ten fingers danced rapidly in the air in front of him, like flickering flames. With every magic spell cast into the two types of true fire inside the furnace, the flames wrapping the two treasures swiftly became purer, turning as translucent as colored glaze in a few breaths. ¡°Pure Essence Flame!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly. With his mastery of the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, he understood the method Zhenyuanzi was using¨Cit was also some kind of fire control art, and he had managed to purify Nezha''s Samadhi True Fire and the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire into Pure Essence Flame in such a short time. The Purple Luo Heavenly Fire might be forgivable, but the Samadhi True Fire was directly spewed out by Nezha; Zhenyuanzi was actually able to purify it with his fire control art, which was simply miraculous. After purification, the Samadhi True Fire and the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire greatly increased in power, the materials were easily melted, and they slowly fused into the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Zhenyuanzi''s spells changed again, and the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire suddenly split open, becoming numerous thin and fine purple threads, piercing the cracks of the Map of Mountains and Rivers fragments like threads sewing cloth, stitching the fragments together. At the cracks of the Heavenly Book as well, similar purple threads were swiftly intertwining. Shen Luo''s eyes shone with excitement. Zhenyuanzi''s actions seemed simple and crude in joining the two treasures, but he was also operating his Mana to join in, sensing that behind the simple stitching were extremely intricate Artifact Refining techniques. Although he wasn''t an artifact refiner, he still learned a great deal from observing. The two treasures were placed in the same furnace, their emitted spiritual light didn''t clash at all, instead, they complemented each other, helping one another. The golden spiritual light from the Heavenly Book quickly became stable, and the four broken pieces of the Map of Mountains and Rivers gradually merged into one. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the surroundings, influenced by the Map, began to boil and roll, luckily, the surrounding Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation contained all the fluctuations of spiritual power, preventing them from spreading out. Time flew by swiftly, and one day passed quickly. The four broken pieces of the Map of the Mountains and Rivers had now merged into one, forming a complete scroll. Most of this Map had become transparent, merging into the void, ripples appearing in the surrounding space as if the Map could blend into the void and disappear at any moment, looking incredibly mystical. Only the several cracks on the scroll remained, unabated and somewhat glaring to the eye. The golden light emanated from the Heavenly Book had also become completely stable, with its cracks still present as well. Shen Luo''s expression was somber. During this day, Zhenyuanzi had fused no less than a hundred pieces of precious immortal-grade spiritual materials into the two treasures. At first, these treasures had some effect, reducing the cracks in the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers a bit, but in the end, no matter how much more immortal-grade spiritual material Zhenyuanzi fused into them, the two treasures remained unresponsive. A deep frown also appeared between Zhenyuanzi''s brows. ¡°If Zhenyuan Great Immortal needs better spiritual materials, I have some here,¡± Shen Luo said upon seeing this. The storage magical tool of Yellow Eyebrow had fallen into his hands, containing quite a few precious materials. ¡°No need. I underestimated these two treasures. Mere materials cannot repair them,¡± said Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Then what can we do?¡± Nezha''s eyes widened. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhenyuanzi was silent for a moment, a look of determination flashing in his eyes before he opened his mouth and spat something out. A green and a yellow light shot out, entering the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace¨Cit was the River Map and Luo Book. With a flick of his finger, the two types of True Fire in the furnace immediately wrapped around the River Map and the Luo Book, engulfing them in intense spiritual light, as if they were burning fiercely. The Earth Book slowly melted, and clumps of liquid-like yellow light spheres emerged from it, infusing into various parts of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The light emitted by the Map of Mountains and Rivers suddenly surged, and the landscape patterns within it seemed to come to life, while the cracks on the scroll slowly started to heal. It was the same with the River Map. Streaks of green light shot out and merged into the Heavenly Book, and the cracks on it also began to diminish again. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, you''re infusing the River Map and Luo Book''s life essence into the Map of Mountains and Rivers and the Heavenly Book! By doing so, your two treasured belongings are going to be destroyed,¡± Nezha said anxiously when he saw this. Shen Luo, whose cultivation had greatly advanced, could tell that these two treasures were of no small significance to Zhenyuanzi, especially the Earth Book which was likely Zhenyuanzi''s life-bound magical treasure. Destroying them would likely have an impact on him as well. ¡°As long as it can seal Chiyou and give the Three Realms peace, what are two magical treasures worth?¡± Zhenyuanzi said without a hint of regret, continuing to form his magic spells. Shen Luo admired this in his heart. The resolve behind the phrase ¡°what are they worth¡± was something ordinary people could not comprehend. He also didn''t say much, just focused on running the Huangting Technique at full strength, not sparing any mana as he poured it into the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers to provide all the help he could to Zhenyuan, Chapter 1016 Chapter 1016: Chapter 1013: A Solution That''s Not a Solution Chapter 1016: Chapter 1013: A Solution That''s Not a Solution In the blink of an eye, another day had passed, and the Earth Book and River Map and Luo Book suspended in the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace were covered in cracks, their spiritual light growing dim, as if they could collapse at any moment. The cracks on the Map of Mountains and Rivers were almost invisible, with the last faint line barely discernible. On the other side, the Heavenly Book was in a similar condition, with four cracks nearly gone, leaving only a wisp remaining. Zhenyuanzi''s hands moved as if turning a car wheel, purple fire strands leaped on the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and lumps of yellow primordial vitality continued to fly out from the Earth Book, pouring into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The cracks on the Map of Mountains and Rivers suddenly twisted like living things, as if trying to break away from the Map itself. Zhenyuanzi''s face beamed with joy, his hands moving quickly to form incantations, and at the same time, he opened his mouth and spewed out a mouthful of essence blood, integrating it into the Earth Book. The already damaged Earth Book completely collapsed, turning into a cluster of pure yellow light with countless profound runes emerging within it, blending into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Sounds like drum music and bianzhong bells, the music of immortals, emanated from the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The cracks, somewhat unwillingly, began to fade slowly and completely vanished. All of a sudden, a beam of soaring spiritual light burst forth from the Map of Mountains and Rivers, emitting an exceedingly joyous clear ringing. The surrounding heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi also quivered with extreme delight, as if welcoming the return of a supremely exalted being. ¡°It''s finally accomplished!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed with great joy, his heart easing by half. ¡°Shen Luo, place a drop of your essence blood into the Map of Mountains and Rivers!¡± Zhenyuanzi suddenly said to Shen Luo. Taken aback by the command, Shen Luo nonetheless pricked his right middle finger and flicked it. A drop of fresh blood shot out into the furnace, landing on the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and was quickly absorbed. All the spiritual light on the Map of Mountains and Rivers converged and completely disappeared, and the Map itself quickly became transparent, vanished into the void in a flash, and was no longer visible. The next moment, a scroll materialized out of thin air by Shen Luo''s side, enveloped in a flash of spiritual light¨Cit was the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The Map brushed against his body as if alive, radiating a sense of closeness, seeming to be a living entity. Seeing this, Nezha''s eyes flashed with a hint of envy, yet there wasn''t a trace of jealousy. As an advanced disciple of the Teachings and a War God of the Heavenly Court, he already had plenty of magical treasures to utilize. While Shen Luo''s right hand continued to emit a golden light pillar, aiding in the fusion of the Heavenly Book, his left hand held the Map of Mountains and Rivers. As his Divine Sense entered the Map, he connected with its essence and soon confirmed the treasure was indeed fully restored. At the same time, he understood the God''s Power of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Inside the Map was a realm unto itself, not just any ordinary secret realm space but an actual world, complete with the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the alteration of day and night, all on its own. In the world within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, he, the controller of this Map, was akin to a god, capable of manipulating everything there at will. Shen Luo was overjoyed. With this heavenly treasure in hand, even if he faced a Heavenly Venerable Level master like Zhenyuanzi, he felt confident he could hold his own. Now, at this critical moment of treasure refining, he didn''t continue to explore the Map of Mountains and Rivers. He quickly gathered his focus to assist Zhenyuanzi in repairing the Heavenly Book. With a gesture, the Map of Mountains and Rivers reappeared in the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. A great surge of spiritual light burst forth, enveloping the Heavenly Book and aiding in the healing of its cracks. Only with the Heavenly Book, another Heavenly Treasure, restored, could they truly stand against the Demon Clan. At this moment, Zhenyuanzi''s expression was extremely grave, his hands forming afterimages as he wholeheartedly carried out the refining ritual. Of the four marks on the Heavenly Book, three had already disappeared, leaving only the last stubborn one remaining. The River Map and Luo Book were on the brink of collapse, the emitted Green Light reduced to less than one-tenth of its original intensity, yet it continued to pour into the Heavenly Book. Moments later, the last mark on the Heavenly Book began to slowly squirm as if about to heal completely. Zhenyuanzi, Shen Luo, and Nezha all showed joy on their faces. But at that moment, the golden light on the Heavenly Book suddenly became unstable and started to flicker violently. The Heavenly Book that had been closed abruptly ¡°rustled¡± and opened on its own. A burst of golden light erupted from within, spreading out like raging waves toward the surroundings, with the River Map and Luo Book being the first to bear the brunt. Zhenyuanzi''s expression changed, and he tried to intervene, but it was already too late. With a ¡°bang,¡± the River Map and Luo Book, already filled with cracks, were shattered completely by the golden light. The Map of Mountains and Rivers was also thrown by the golden light, flying out of the furnace once more, and the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace also shook for a while; fortunately, this treasure was undamaged. The turbulent golden light on the Heavenly Book soon faded, and the crack that had been there did not disappear. Zhenyuanzi coughed twice lightly, his complexion turning a shade paler, and he stopped the hand gestures he was making. The light on the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace dimmed, returning to its original state. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, are you alright?¡± asked Shen Luo with a tight look and concern. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhenyuanzi had become like this clearly because the Earth Book and River Map and Luo Book, the two treasures, had been completely destroyed, and he, their master, was implicated. ¡°It''s nothing,¡± Zhenyuanzi waved his hand and took out a green pill. His face flashed with green light as he swallowed it, and he soon recovered. ¡°Having already sacrificed the River Map and Luo Book, why can''t the Heavenly Book be completely restored? Shall we try sacrificing another treasure?¡± Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief, looking at the Heavenly Book inside the furnace, and suggested. ¡°It''s useless. Not to mention the treasures you have are not of high enough quality, even if there were, with Chiyou about to awaken, we no longer have enough time to cast spells,¡± Zhenyuanzi raised his hand to stop him. ¡°Now that only the Map of Mountains and Rivers is repaired, with this treasure alone, can we really seal Chiyou?¡± Nezha asked anxiously. ¡°I''m not completely sure myself, but we must do our best. Besides, although the Heavenly Book has not been fully repaired, its power has been mostly restored, and it can provide considerable support,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, summoning the Heavenly Book with a gesture of his hand. A vast aura emanated from the Heavenly Book, forcing both Shen Luo and Nezha to step back. With a flick of his sleeve, Zhenyuanzi infused a green light into it, and the vast aura of the Heavenly Book finally subsided. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, you are skilled in treasure refining; do you really not have a way to repair the Heavenly Book?¡± Shen Luo asked again. The aura that the Heavenly Book had just emitted was far superior to his own treasures, like the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and the War God Whip; it could indeed play a significant role, but he still could not let go. ¡°In the current situation, there''s only one way to quickly restore this treasure,¡± Zhenyuanzi said after closing his eyes and pondering for a moment, then opening them. ¡°What way?¡± Shen Luo asked eagerly. ¡°Blood sacrifice,¡± said Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Blood sacrifice? Isn''t that a method of the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°Indeed, the Demon Clan''s Blood-Sacrifice Technique, although brutal and vicious, is indeed a quick way to replenish vitality. The Heavenly Book is a very spiritual treasure, and the reason the last crack cannot be mended is due to the lack of spiritual nourishment. If we can find a sufficiently powerful soul to sacrifice, the treasure will surely be repaired,¡± Zhenyuanzi said expressionlessly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and Nezha displayed not joy, but rather unpleasant expressions. The Blood-Sacrifice Technique of the Demon Clan had always been abhorred by the righteous cultivators of the Three Realms, but now, only by resorting to this evil technique could their chances of victory be increased. However, if they used this technique, what difference would there be between them and the Demon Clan? Chapter 1017 Chapter 1017: Chapter 114 Planning Chapter 1017: Chapter 114 Planning Just at that moment, a flash of light passed over the top of the cave, and two figures descended¨Cit was the Bull Demon King and Nie Caizhu. ¡°I went to Hua Sheng Temple, Golden Mountain Temple, and several other major sects in the Central Plains. Those places have all been devastated by the Demon Clan, with not a soul left. I tried to contact the disciples from Mount Putuo too, but to no avail,¡± said Nie Caizhu with a look of despair. ¡°It''s the same on my end. The few surviving demon sects'' cave mansions now have all been destroyed. It seems that these demons are truly intent on slaughtering every creature in the Three Realms!¡± The Bull Demon King''s face was equally somber. ¡°These developments are all within expectations. There is no need for you two to be disheartened,¡± sighed Zhenyuanzi. ¡°How is the situation over here? Have you been able to repair the Map of Mountains and Rivers and the Heavenly Book?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. ¡°The Map of Mountains and Rivers has been repaired, but the Heavenly Book still has flaws. According to Daoist Zhenyuan, it requires¡­ it requires a blood sacrifice of the souls of powerful creatures to possibly be repaired,¡± Shen Luo said hesitantly. ¡°Blood sacrifice!¡± Nie Caizhu''s expression changed abruptly and she blurted out, then fell silent. ¡°You human cultivators are really troublesome, always fussing over the distinction between right and wrong, and acting with so many restrictions! If the Heavenly Book requires a blood sacrifice, then let''s just do it. To save the common people of the world, what''s sacrificing some reputations worth? If you can''t do it, then let me,¡± grunted the Bull Demon King. ¡°But¡­¡± Nie Caizhu began to protest. ¡°Now is the critical juncture for the survival of all three realms. How can we let these trifles affect us? Zhenyuanzi, are there any restrictions on the creatures used for the blood sacrifice, and can we use those from the Demon Clan?¡± The Bull Demon King waved his hand, cutting off Nie Caizhu, and looked towards Zhenyuanzi. ¡°It''s possible,¡± nodded Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Then it''s easy. There are who knows how many demons inside Chang''an City. During the upcoming great battle, we''ll simply capture a few strong ones,¡± laughed the Bull Demon King. ¡°Leave this matter to me. The Map of Mountains and Rivers is in my hands and it''s the most convenient for capturing people,¡± Shen Luo said from the side. He had thought it through. Though the blood sacrificial method was cruel and went against his principles, in these desperate times, he could not afford to consider so much. Moreover, the targets of the blood sacrifice would be those from the Demon Clan, so in a way, it was a retribution upon them with their own tactics. Nie Caizhu''s lips moved slightly, but in the end, she said nothing. ¡°Erlang True Monarch has returned, and he has not come back empty-handed,¡± Zhenyuanzi looked up towards the sky and waved his sleeve. A yellow light flickered on the stone wall in front, automatically revealing a passageway leading to the ground. Moments later, a large group of footsteps could be heard. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, Brother Shen, I have good news! I''ve found some helpers,¡± came the excited voice of Yang Jian, as he entered the cave. By his side followed a tall Heavenly General, with thick eyebrows, a wide nose, and an additional third eye on his forehead. Divine light glowed within it, and his waist held a pair of purple-blue whips. He looked formidable even without anger. Behind the two of them came a group of Silver Armored Heavenly Soldiers, numbering four to five hundred. After the group entered, the yellow light of the passageway on the ground flashed and closed automatically. ¡°Eh, it''s you!¡± Shen Luo looked at the Three-eyed Celestial General. This man was none other than Puhua Tianseng, the Thunder God of the Nine Heavens who had defeated him with one strike in the Heavenly Book Space. Shen Luo could now clearly sense this person''s strength, Taiyi Late Stage. ¡°` ¡°Hehe, it''s you¨Cthe youngster who was sent flying by a single whip of mine last time. Your cultivation has progressed quite quickly,¡± Puhua Tianseng said to Shen Luo with a faint smile. ¡°Your Excellency still recognizes me, Shen Luo. It is truly an honor,¡± Shen Luo responded, not taking offense, and gave a bow. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, it has been many years since we saw each other. I didn''t expect we would reunite today,¡± Zhenyuanzi walked forward as well. ¡°Friend Zhenyuan, I have heard about your circumstances from Erlang True Monarch. The Demonic Tribulation is upon us, and you chose to rise up against it. Unlike me, who took refuge in isolation, which truly makes me feel ashamed,¡± Puhua Tianseng said with a trace of shame on his face. ¡°Don''t speak like that, my friend. The fact that you have preserved these forces for the Heavenly Court is already extremely commendable,¡± Zhenyuanzi quickly said. ¡°Such words do make me feel somewhat better. By the way, I have been in contact with Fire Virtue Star Lord. He is currently with some members of the Demon Race. I have informed him about the plan to counterattack Chiyou, and he should be bringing people here soon,¡± Puhua Tianseng said. Hearing this, Shen Luo remembered Fire Virtue Star Lord and the others, whom he had actually forgotten earlier. The remaining strength of Flower Fruit Mountain was not weak; fortunately, Puhua Tianseng could contact them. ¡°That''s wonderful. With Fire Virtue Star Lord and the others joining us, our chances of victory have significantly increased,¡± Zhenyuanzi said joyously, then made a sweeping gesture with his sleeve. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Heavenly Soldiers, Buddhas, and members of the Demon Race within the Heavenly Book Space appeared, almost completely filling the space of the cave. The remaining forces of the Three Realms were gathered here. Some familiar faces greeted each other, and the previously oppressive atmosphere was suddenly lifted. ¡°Everyone! The disaster of demons has descended upon us, countless creatures of the Three Realms have suffered. Now that Chiyou is about to awaken, we must stop it! Otherwise, there will be no hope left for the Three Realms,¡± Zhenyuanzi said after the crowd had quieted down. ¡°Indeed it should be so!¡± The majority of people were not cowardly but rather filled with enthusiasm. Many had their eyes bloodshot, as if they couldn''t wait to immediately counterattack Chang''an. Ever since the Demonic Tribulation began, they had been constantly hunted by the Demon Clan, fleeing and hiding, accumulating an endless rage within them. Today, they could finally return it all to the Demon Clan. However, a few calm individuals looked worried. The Demon Clan was at the height of their power, and it could be said that the Three Realms were almost entirely in their hands. The forces at hand could hardly compete with them. ¡°The Demon Clan is powerful, and we are indeed inferior when compared to them. However, Heaven has looked upon us favorably. The Heavenly Treasures that sealed Chiyou¨Cthe Map of Mountains and Rivers and the Heavenly Book that suppresses the Heavenly Court¨Chave both returned to our hands and have been repaired! With these two treasures, we might not be without a chance of victory,¡± Zhenyuanzi presented the Heavenly Book with a flip of his hand. Glorious golden light burst forth, like a golden sun slowly rising, casting everyone inside the cave in a golden hue. The warm golden light soothed everyone''s unease, infusing them with endless courage. Shen Luo also summoned the Map of Mountains and Rivers, activating the treasure to emit sky-piercing white Spiritual Light. The aura of the Map of Mountains and Rivers was starkly different from that of the Heavenly Book, lacking its grandeur and feeling closer to the natural Dao, like a bright clear moon hanging high in the sky. Seeing the two treasures, the crowd cheered. ¡°Friend Zhenyuan, you are more familiar with the current situation than any of us. Just give the orders directly, and we will all follow your command,¡± Puhua Tianseng said upon seeing the two treasures restored to their original state, surprise showing on his face, then he continued. The others also nodded in agreement. ¡°Since everyone has entrusted me with this task, this Poor Daoist shall not decline. Given the current situation, we have a substantial gap in strength compared to the Demon Clan and cannot confront them head-on. We must deploy unusual strategies to have any chance of victory. My suggestion is to divide our forces into two groups¨Cone to attack and distract Chang''an City, drawing as much attention from the Demon Clan Army as possible, and another to send a few people to infiltrate Chang''an City to find Chiyou''s hiding place and use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to seal him!¡± Zhenyuanzi suggested. After hearing this, everyone nodded. Given the current situation, this was indeed the only thing they could do. Chapter 1018 Chapter 1018: Chapter 1015: The Final Preparations Chapter 1018: Chapter 1015: The Final Preparations ¡°` ¡°How should we divide our forces? Zhenyuan Taoist friend, please advise,¡± Puhua Tianseng said. ¡°I''ve just used a spell to probe Chang''an City''s situation, and the defenses are even more stringent than anticipated. Clearly, the Demon Clan is also on guard against us. The task of infiltrating Chang''an City to find Chiyou will be undertaken by myself, Brother Shen, and Brother Nie. The rest of you will be responsible for harassing Chang''an City,¡± Zhenyuanzi pondered for a moment before saying. ¡°With just the three of you, that''s incredibly dangerous,¡± Yang Jian hurriedly said. ¡°Don''t worry. The Map of Mountains and Rivers has been fully restored. It can blend into the void, thus allowing us to sneak into the city without a sound. As long as we act cautiously, we three won''t be in much danger. On the other hand, you all must draw the Demon Clan Army''s attention. Without sufficient strength, that would be impossible. As for now, eighty percent of the Twelve Distinguished Ones of the Demon Clan have already assembled within Chang''an City, so you must prepare for a tough battle,¡± Zhenyuanzi said gravely. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Alright,¡± Yang Jian reluctantly agreed. Everyone then discussed the specific details of their plan. Zhenyuanzi suddenly looked up at the sky and smiled, ¡°Ah, it seems Fire Virtue Star Lord and the others have arrived.¡± With that, he waved his sleeve to open a passageway once more, and a group of figures sped through. It was indeed Fire Virtue Star Lord, the old horse monkey, Qi Lianmi, and others. There were quite a number of them, around eight or nine hundred, and all of them were strong. ¡°Brother Shen, Zhenyuan Taoist friend, Erlang True Monarch, I couldn''t believe the news when I heard it from Puhua Tianseng¨Cthat all of you were alive and well. This is wonderful!¡± Fire Virtue Star Lord said, his face showing excitement. The simian tribe from Flower Fruit Mountain, including the old horse monkey, also came forward to pay their respects to Shen Luo, who naturally encouraged them all. Anticipating the impending battle with the Demon Clan, he took out all the Magical Treasures, Elixirs, and the treasure medicines he had obtained previously from the Storage Magical Tool of the Yellow Eyebrow and bestowed them upon the old horse monkey and the others. Zhenyuanzi repeated the plans for the battle with the Demon Clan, and Fire Virtue Star Lord and the others showed no fear at all, instantly expressing their agreement. ¡°If that''s the case, then we''ll go ahead to create an opportunity for you three,¡± Yang Jian said to Shen Luo, Zhenyuanzi, and Nie Caizhu, and then turned to leave. ¡°Wait a second,¡± Shen Luo suddenly stopped them, plucking three hairs from his head. He then used his God''s Power to transform them, causing the hairs to radiate a brilliant golden light. Nie Caizhu and Zhenyuanzi understood and infused their Mana into them. The three hairs flashed with golden light and transformed into another Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu, and Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Brother Shen is as cautious as ever,¡± Yang Jian smiled at Shen Luo before leading the way out. The others followed, and soon only Shen Luo''s trio was left in the cave. ¡°Now that everything has ended, this Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation in the cave is no longer necessary, right?¡± Shen Luo asked without leaving, looking towards Zhenyuanzi. ¡°It is no longer needed,¡± Zhenyuanzi shook his head and gestured with a hand seal. The star banners arranged around the cave all flew back and went into his sleeve. ¡°That''s good,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with excitement as he took out the War God Whip with a flip of his hand, and swung it in the air. A wave of black energy spread out, filling the entire cave in an instant, causing all the perfectly intact white jade pillars to explosively shatter. ¡°Mwahaha¡­¡± Screams of ghosts erupted as countless ghostly figures appeared, innumerable, so many that the space in the cave was insufficient. Many ghosts flew through the passageway to the outside. Shen Luo raised the Map of Mountains and Rivers in his hand, which flashed and disappeared. The next moment, the edge of the cave flickered with white light, as the Map reappeared. However, it had transformed into a massive white scroll, tens of yards wide and thousands of yards long, which connected end to end, forming a giant white circular Protective Cover that enclosed the entire cave within. ¡°` The ghosts tried to charge outside, but they were confined by the white protective cover and could only stay in this place. Zhenyuanzi and Nie Caizhu understood what Shen Luo was about to do and did not try to stop him. Shen Luo took a deep breath, exerted all his strength to activate the War God Whip, and a huge black vortex appeared, drawing in all the ghosts from inside the cave and refining them with the Soul Devouring Array. ¡°Brother Shen, even with the War God Whip in your hand, absorbing so many divine souls at once will be too much for your body to bear,¡± Zhenyuanzi exclaimed, startled by Shen Luo''s action, and hurriedly attempted to stop him. ¡°I know my limits; you needn''t worry,¡± said Shen Luo with a light chuckle. Now, with time of the essence, in order to contend with the Demon Clan, he had to enhance his strength as much as possible. Devouring the ghosts here to boost his divine soul''s power was the best choice. Such a hasty increase in the power of the divine soul entailed great risk, of course, but Shen Luo was fairly confident he could withstand it, and even if he failed, it didn''t matter since he could be resurrected. Using a few resurrections in exchange for an explosive increase in soul power was a worthwhile trade. He mobilized all his mana, pouring it into the War God Whip, driving the Soul Devouring Array to operate. The War God Whip trembled slightly, filled with power that hadn''t been so strong in many years. The Soul Devouring Array spun rapidly as if an ancient Evil Deity had awakened, craving slaughter. The black vortex expanded rapidly, covering the entire white light curtain in the blink of an eye. All the ghosts inside the cave were swallowed up in an instant. Zhenyuanzi and Nie Caizhu were also affected by the black vortex, their divine souls flickering. Zhenyuanzi looked surprised, apparently shocked by the terrifying power of the Soul Devouring Array. He waved his whisk, and a faint ripple of white light spread out, enveloping him and Nie Caizhu, instantly nullifying the effect of the black vortex on them. The immense black vortex did not last long; it disappeared after a couple of breaths. Inside the War God Whip, the Soul Devouring Array devoured and completely refined all the ghosts at once. Shock filled Shen Luo''s eyes; nearly two hundred thousand ghosts had been swallowed in one gulp? The Soul Devouring Array was even more powerful than he had anticipated, worthy of being a peerless formation created by the Ancestral Witch. The Soul Devouring Array paused for a moment and then began to rotate in reverse. One by one, white round beads shot out, merging into Shen Luo''s brow and becoming one with his divine soul. Shen Luo''s divine soul in his mind expanded rapidly like inflating, growing more than tenfold in a few breaths. His head felt as if it was filled with scorching lava, swelling continuously, with waves of pressure battering against his skull as if it would burst open any moment. However, the steady stream of white round beads emerging from the Soul Devouring Array did not stop, continuing to surge forward, infusing bunches of pure divine soul strength into Shen Luo''s divine soul. Shen Luo endured the intense pain in his mind, straining to run the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize the rampant increase of the divine soul''s power, but it was ineffective. The rapidly strengthening divine soul was like an erupting volcano that the Suppressing God Technique wouldn''t be able to suppress. The more it tried to suppress, the more intense the rebound became. Nonetheless, with an unyielding mind and the thought of being able to be reborn, Shen Luo didn''t give up despite the worsening condition of his divine soul, repeatedly running the Suppressing God Technique over and over. Chapter 1019 Chapter 1019: Chapter 1116: Divine Mind Imaging Chapter 1019: Chapter 1116: Divine Mind Imaging Time passed, moment by moment, and Shen Luo''s face began to bleed from all seven orifices, his body also trembling nonstop while the mana inside him surged chaotically, causing his body to bloat visibly. ¡°Big Brother Shen, stop now!¡± Nie Cai Zhu urgently said, with a flash of golden light on her hand, ready to put an end to Shen Luo''s continued absorption of the soul power within the War God Whip. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No rush, let''s wait and see,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, stopping Nie Cai Zhu and looking at Shen Luo with an odd shine in his eyes. The power of the divine soul in Shen Luo''s mind grew increasingly violent, akin to a pot of boiling water. But just at that moment, something strange happened at the depths of his mind, generating a suction force that swiftly absorbed the rampaging soul power. Shen Luo was startled, uncertain of what had happened, but he vaguely understood that he had overcome the ordeal and quickly began to operate the Suppressing God Technique, working in harmony with the suction force to tame the surging soul power. And the chaotic mana within his body suddenly became smooth, his swollen frame shrinking back to its normal size. The intense pain in Shen Luo''s head gradually subsided, and his body felt lighter as if he was about to fly. With a thunderous boom, a dazzling white light erupted in his mind as if a great door had been pushed open, ushering him into an entirely new realm. The surrounding heavenly and earthly spiritual qi converged tumultuously, like a tidal wave merging within him, creating a massive vortex of spiritual energy that pushed Zhenyuanzi and Nie Cai Zhu far away. ¡°Hehe, indeed, indeed,¡± Zhenyuanzi chuckled without surprise, stroking his beard. ¡°Great Immortal Zhenyuan, my cousin is alright now?¡± Nie Cai Zhu asked eagerly. ¡°Friend Shen is indeed a rare genius seen once in a thousand years; he has overcome the difficulty and ascended to the next level of cultivation,¡± Zhenyuanzi nodded and said. Inside Shen Luo''s mind, the suction force was still rapidly devouring the rampant soul power. With each fraction of soul power it absorbed, the tumult in his mind weakened, while the deep absorptive force within his soul grew stronger. In just a few breaths, the disorderly soul power in his mind was completely absorbed, leaving none behind. Only then did the inward suction in the depths of his mind cease, and the surging heavenly and earthly spiritual qi also came to a stop. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, feeling that his soul power had grown more than tenfold; if before it were a trickling stream, now it was a roaring river, and it had undergone some qualitative change. Shen Luo tried to mobilize the soul power slightly, and countless rays of light shot from around him, converging to form a vivid picture. He focused intently and couldn''t help but inhale sharply. However, the image in his mind depicted the surrounding thousand miles, everything within the Yinling Mountains, those like Yang Jian fleeing towards Chang''an City, and the situation within Chang''an City itself¨Cnumerous demons, layers of magical light prohibitions¨Call appeared clearly in that image, completely unlike using Divine Sense for inspection. Only, some prohibitions within Chang''an City were exceptionally mysterious and unfathomable, and the scroll in his mind could not see through them. ¡°What is this?¡± Shen Luo blurted out. ¡°This is the Divine Mind Imaging, a divine power only available to those in the Heavenly Venerate Realm. It does not require the sweep of divine sense; everything around you is automatically reflected in your mind, much more discreet than probing with divine sense, and it provides much more detailed information. Many from the realm of Taiyi, even after ten thousand years of hard practice, cannot take this step. You, with the help of countless ghost souls, have achieved it with ease, which is cause for celebration,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a smile. ¡°This is the Heavenly Venerate Realm! Divine Mind Imaging¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, overjoyed. As for his cultivation level, it had also made a significant leap forward, reaching the Middle Stage of Taiyi, and not far from the Taiyi Late Stage, it seemed. Now that his divine soul realm had advanced by leaps and bounds, under normal circumstances, had he found a quiet place to cultivate in earnest, he could swiftly have reached the Taiyi Late Stage or even begun challenging the threshold of the Heavenly Venerate Realm, but he had no such time now. ¡°This is bad, we''re not far from Chang''an City, how can there not be experts of the Heavenly Venerate Realm among the Demon Clan? Could it be that all we''ve said just now has been overheard by our adversaries?¡± Shen Luo suddenly thought of something and blurted out. ¡°There''s no need to worry about that. Here we have the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation, which can block Divine Mind Imaging. Moreover, I''ve already used my godly powers to protect this place. The Demon Clan won''t be able to see what''s happening here,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo remembered that the prohibitions inside Chang''an City could block his Divine Mind Imaging, so naturally, the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation could too, and this reassured him. ¡°Because of me, we''ve already delayed quite a while here. Now that Yang Jian and the others have set off, we should make our move as well,¡± he said. ¡°Alright, the Map of Mountains and Rivers is a Heavenly Treasure. It can not only be used to seal Chiyou but can also be merged into the void, advancing through the power of space with the Escape Technique. Even someone of the Taiyi Realm would have a hard time noticing it. Brother Nie and I will first hide inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Brother Shen, your divine soul realm has increased greatly. Although the surroundings of Chang''an City are covered with layers of prohibitions by the Demon Clan, with your divine powers, you should be able to infiltrate Chang''an City successfully,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°I was thinking the same,¡± said Shen Luo as he brought out the Map of Mountains and Rivers and swept it over the two of them. The figures of Zhenyuanzi and Nie Caizhu disappeared in an instant, being taken into the space within the map. Shen Luo then made a gesture at the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and the scroll rolled up around him. He vanished from the spot along with the map, without causing any disturbance in the surrounding void, nor a ripple in the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Yang Jian, the Bull Demon King, and others were moving mightily towards Chang''an City, a multitude of Escape Lights converging to form a massive torrent. Inside Chang''an City, where every corner was studded with demonic flags and banners, a thick black Demonic Qi protective cover, dense and sprawling, seemed like a gigantic lid sealing off the entire Chang''an City. Countless Demonic Beings were stationed outside the black Demonic Qi protective cover, constantly patrolling back and forth. These Demonic Beings were mostly of the Demon Race, Human Race, Ghost Clan, and the like, transformed by contamination with Demonic Qi. Their auras were mixed, and their cultivation levels not high, most being at the Soul Condensation Stage, Nascent Soul Stage, with a few at the Great Mahayana Stage. Of course, there were also some leaders with True Immortal cultivation. However, the number of these Demonic Beings was immense, covering the sky and ground near Chang''an City completely. Within the black Demonic Qi protective barrier stood many of the Demon Clan, whose auras were much purer and cultivation much higher, similarly patrolling back and forth. Near the Imperial City, layer upon layer of light curtains filled with prohibitions emerged in the void, encircling the entire Imperial City in an impenetrable barrier. The prohibition light curtains were flickering with Spiritual Light, obviously very sophisticated prohibitions, many integrated with the Power of Space, preventing monks from using high-level Escape Techniques to infiltrate. In the mid-air of the Imperial City, hovered a blood-red stone platform that was hundreds of feet in size, with twelve black banners planted around its edges¨Cthe Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation from the Underworld. Countless pitch-black Devil Clouds swarmed out from within the formation, covering the entirety of the Imperial City. Moreover, a Black Veil-like radiance hung down from the demonic clouds in the sky, enveloping the Imperial City within. Nearly a hundred figures, swirling with Demonic Qi, stood on the Stone Platform, all with cultivation beyond the True Immortal Stage, obviously the Demon Clan''s elite forces. At the very center of the Stone Platform, a High Platform was erected, with a black and red throne at the top surrounded by nine demonic dragons. Although shrouded with soaring Demonic Qi, it was still majestic and solemn. Beneath the Nine Dragon Throne, twelve smaller thrones were placed in order, most of which were vacant, except for the second, eighth, and ninth seats which were occupied. Seated on the second throne was a muscular ox demon with a single horn, dressed in green armor and wielding an Eight-Foot Steel Spear. If Shen Luo were here, he would undoubtedly recognize this individual as the Blue Bull Spirit he had slain on Flower Fruit Mountain. However, the Blue Bull Spirit''s appearance had undergone a great transformation from before, and his cultivation had advanced significantly, reaching the Taiyi Realm. On the eighth seat was the Nine Netherworlds, and next to it on the ninth seat sat a monkey in demonic armor¨Cthe Six-Eared Macaque. The Six-Eared Macaque''s eyes glowed blood-red, its aura much more vigorous than before. The black spear in its hand had become a pitch-black big stick with blood-red Demonic Patterns showing on it, and it was enveloped in an aura so sharp it seemed it could puncture the heavens. Chapter 1020 Chapter 1020: Chapter 1017: About to Erupt Chapter 1020: Chapter 1017: About to Erupt ¡°Nine Netherworlds Daoist friend, you''ve ordered all the Demon Soldiers and Generals to entirely encircle Chang''an City, making it impenetrable. Isn''t this arrangement a bit too cautious? All the immortals of heaven and the Buddhas of the western paradise have already fallen to us, and now that Lord Chiyou is about to be resurrected, who would dare to come here and run wild?¡± The Six-Eared Macaque''s eyes flashed with blood light, portraying the situation both inside and outside the city in his vision, he spoke with nonchalance. ¡°Although we have destroyed the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain, some remnants still exist. They have escaped from the Underworld before, and if those people learn of Lord Chiyou''s impending resurrection, they will surely come to stop it. Now is the critical moment, and the more cautious we are, the better. Don''t you agree, Ugly Bull Venerate?¡± Nine Nether turned to the Blue Bull Spirit beside him. ¡°Indeed, we should exercise caution,¡± the Blue Bull Spirit said in a deep voice. ¡°Let them come. My bones are itching for a fight, and it would be satisfying to engage in a fierce battle,¡± said the Six-Eared Macaque as he swung his black rod forward, unleashing a terrifying force that howled through the air. Before them, the sky-obscuring Devil Clouds surged violently, and with a ¡°zila¡± sound, they were torn apart, creating a massive rift hundreds of feet long. ¡°Ape Lord, our duty is to guard Lord Chiyou and ensure his smooth awakening. He has bestowed upon us supreme power, not for us to indulge in reckless bravery,¡± Nine Nether addressed the Six-Eared Macaque with a stern voice. ¡°Understood.¡± A flash of coldness passed the Six-Eared Macaque''s eyes, but he did not argue with Nine Nether. ¡°Daoist friend Nine Netherworlds, if an enemy attack is possible, why are only the three of us guarding this place? Where are the others?¡± the Blue Bull Spirit asked curiously. ¡°The Yin Tiger, Mao Rabbit, Chen Dragon, Hai Pig, and Xu Dog, five of the Distinctive Ones, have been summoned by Lord Chiyou to the Blood Pool. The ''Snake Venerate'' and Wu Horse are outside the city. As for the You Chicken, you know his nature; he does as he pleases, and even Lord Chiyou doesn''t bother with him. No one knows where he has run off to,¡± Nine Nether spoke with dissatisfaction regarding You Chicken, but also helplessly. As the Blue Bull Spirit was about to say something, a blood-colored jade pendant at his waist suddenly lit up with a dazzling blood light that flashed rapidly. Both Nine Nether and the Six-Eared Macaque also wore blood jades, which, at this moment, were flashing wildly with blood light. ¡°Wu Horse has sent a message; a large number of enemies have appeared outside of Chang''an City!¡± Nine Netherworlds rose to his feet abruptly and took out a yellow mirror he had used previously in the Underworld, activating it with a magic spell. Two beams of yellow light shot from the eyes on the mirror, projecting onto its surface, which then displayed an image of Yang Jian, the Bull Demon King, and others leading a great army charging towards Chang''an City. Around them were Puhua Tianseng, Shen Luo, Zhenyuanzi, Nie Caizhu, and others. ¡°It''s indeed them, and they''ve managed to recruit quite a number of people. Eh? Isn''t that the Heavenly Court''s Thunder God, Puhua Tianseng?¡± Nine Nether snorted coldly, his gaze lingering on the Thunder God, Puhua Tianseng. ¡°Since the enemy is attacking, I, Old Sun, will go and provide some support. You wouldn''t object to that, would you, Nine Nether?¡± The excitement shone in the Six-Eared Macaque''s eyes as he leaped up suddenly. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Having said that, without waiting for Nine Nether''s response, he performed a magic spell, and a cloud of ash enveloped his body before he vanished with a whoosh. ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Nine Nether started to object, but the Six-Eared Macaque was already gone. ¡°These outsiders, though they have pledged allegiance to Lord Chiyou, are all insubordinate and disobedient!¡± raged Nine Nether inwardly, although he did not show his anger. ¡°Daoist friend Nine Netherworlds, shall we also go to support?¡± The Blue Bull Spirit looked over, his Eight-Foot Steel Spear radiating a green light that rattled the nearby void with a crackling sound. ¡°No need. There are many Demon Soldiers outside the city, and with the ''Snake Venerable'' and Wu Horse present, and now with Ape Lord going there, even if the enemy is strong, they should be able to hold them off. Ugly Bull Venerable, you stay here and hold down the fort. I will go and report this matter to Lord Chiyou,¡± Nine Nether said before disappearing in a flash. The Blue Bull Spirit settled back down, his eyes emitting two dazzling beams of green light as he surveyed his surroundings. The great army led by Yang Jian and others rapidly approached Chang''an City. The demonic beings near Chang''an had already sensed them but did not immediately pounce to attack; instead, they gathered in one place. ¡°It seems that the Demon Clan Army of Chang''an is well-trained, quite different from the demon soldiers in the Underworld. There might be some of the Twelve Distinguished Ones commanding them. We must not act carelessly and should proceed according to plan,¡± said Yang Jian, a faint white light in his third eye, as he communed telepathically with the Bull Demon King and Puhua Tianseng, the Thunder God of the Nine Heavens. ¡°Alright!¡± The two responded and flew off to the left and right, darting toward two other locations around Chang''an City. Following closely behind the Bull Demon King were the demons under his command, while the several hundred Heavenly Soldiers, Fire Virtue Star Lord, and the myriad monkey demons from Flower Fruit Mountain, previously brought by Puhua Tianseng, trailed right behind him. The original Heavenly Soldiers and disciples of the Western Heavenly Buddha Gate all remained next to Yang Jian. Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu, and Zhenyuanzi, all who had transformed from hair, also stayed on the spot, yet Nezha was nowhere to be found. ¡°Attack!¡± Yang Jian swung the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, leading everyone to charge head-on toward Chang''an City. Though their numbers were far less than those of the demon clan ahead, their cultivation level was much higher. Grand escape lights converged together, shaking heaven and earth, and their momentum was no less impressive than the demon clan army that darkened the sky ahead. Standing in the depths of the Demon Clan Army were two figures¨Cone a gloomy owl-like man of abnormal height, wearing a rotten silver helmet and armor that shone with bright silver brilliance, wielding a crescent shovel that emitted a fierce chill, appearing quite formidable. The other was a Daoist clad in a yellow robe embroidered with a pattern of a yellow dragon, his three long beards reaching down to his chest, exuding an aura of an Immortal among gods. ¡°It''s Erlang Shen! Fate has brought us adversaries together!¡± The gloomy owl-like man''s expression suddenly chilled upon seeing Yang Jian, seemingly harboring old grudges between them. Meanwhile, the yellow-robed Daoist who saw Yang Jian and his company from afar showed a complex countenance. ¡°Wu Horse Venerable, now that things have come to this, you surely don''t harbor second thoughts?¡± The gloomy owl-like man said with a cold snort, noticing the expression of the yellow-robed Daoist. ¡°Snake Venerable, rest assured, I have long severed ties with the past and will not do anything unwise. The enemies are approaching in three separate groups; though their numbers are small, their strength is formidable, especially with so many Taiyi masters among them. How shall we contend with them?¡± The yellow-robed Daoist said solemnly. ¡°Although their individual strength is great, their numbers are ultimately few and not a concern. With the armies under our command, we can surely hold them off. The only trouble is those Taiyi masters, but there''s no need to worry, we just need to entangle them. I have already sent the message back to the city, and the Nine Netherworlds will soon come with the other Venerates to assist,¡± the gloomy owl-like man said with a cold laugh. ¡°That is good,¡± replied the yellow-robed Daoist, offering no objection. Seeing this, the gloomy owl-like man raised the crescent shovel in his hand and let out a thunderous shout: ¡°Attack!¡± The demons around them, stained with Demonic Qi, had become bloodthirsty and bellicose, eager to fight. Upon receiving the command, they swarmed out immediately, splitting into three paths, charging toward Yang Jian, the Bull Demon King, and Puhua Tianseng, akin to three mighty tidal waves sweeping across the earth. Chapter 1021 Chapter 1021: Chapter 1018: New and Old Grudges Chapter 1021: Chapter 1018: New and Old Grudges Erlang Yang Jian led the great army in a frontal assault; demons that approached from their direction were the most numerous, and the distance between the two sides closed rapidly, looking as if they would collide any moment. Yet, Erlang Yang Jian''s feet suddenly burst into an expanse of golden light that rapidly spread out, forming a massive golden formation that encompassed everyone behind him. ¡°Earth Penetrating Golden Light!¡± With a low shout from Erlang Yang Jian, the golden formation flared up, and everyone inside vanished without a trace. The next moment, they appeared out of thin air at the center of the demon army. The surrounding demons, caught unprepared, were all taken aback. ¡°Stir the River and Flip The Sea!¡± Erlang Yang Jian was the first to charge into the demon army, his Three-pointed Two-edged Knife bursting with piercing white light as he swung it left and right. Two hundred-foot-long bolts of white light cleaved through the air, slicing into the demon army like two ferocious, clawing white dragons. Wherever they passed, all the demons were minced to mud, their souls scattering to the winds. The two bolts of white light surged forward for several hundred feet, clearing two vast swaths of open ground before finally dissipating slowly. The other heavenly soldiers and Buddhist disciples did the same, taking advantage of the moment of the demons'' stupor to strike first. An array of magical treasures and secret techniques fell like rain into the ranks of the demon army, unleashing torrents of blood and gusts of blood-soaked wind. In almost the blink of an eye, nearly ten thousand demons were slain. The surrounding demon army soon reacted and converged from all directions. ¡°Don''t bother with the demons around, charge towards Chang''an City with all your might!¡± Erlang Yang Jian''s voice resonated in everyone''s ears. Taking the lead, he charged toward Chang''an City, his body radiating golden light and rapidly growing many times larger, transforming into a golden giant over thirty feet tall, his knife growing to a hundred feet long and casting countless illusory shadows. As the demon army faced the gleaming knife shadows, their bodies instantly burst open, unable to see what kind of attack had struck them, and none could withstand even a fraction of it. With Erlang Yang Jian at the forefront, the great army swiftly closed in on Chang''an City. At that moment, a lightning-like cold gleam suddenly shot down from above, aiming straight for Erlang Yang Jian''s neck. With a flip of his Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, Erlang Yang Jian almost teleported to appear above his head, intercepting the cold gleam. A thunderous roar exploded in mid air, shattering the void piece by piece, shaking the ground violently. Nearby demons and soldiers from the heavenly court were all blasted away, clearing an area of a hundred feet. A tall figure emerged in mid air; it was the gloomy owl-like man from before, sent staggering backward from the shock. Erlang Yang Jian also stumbled back two steps before steadying himself. ¡°Nine-Headed Insect! It''s you!¡± He exclaimed coldly as he recognized the gloomy owl-like man. That year, during the Pilgrimage to the West, he had assisted the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong at Bibo Pond in Sacrifice Country, to subdue a troublemaking demon, Nine-Headed Insect, who was none other than the man before him. ¡°Hmph! Long time no see, Erlang Yang Jian. Back then in Sacrifice Country, I greatly ''benefited'' from your attentions!¡± A deep-seated hatred flickered in the eyes of the Nine-Headed Insect. After that battle years ago, he had one of his heads bitten off, greatly diminishing his strength, and it took him decades to recover. Fortunately, he later attached himself to the Demon Clan and, with the help of the Demon Race Secret Technique, was able to regrow the head. ¡°Who would have thought we''d meet here? During the battle at Bibo Pond that year, in a moment of compassion I spared your life, and you''ve since become a traitor by joining the Demon Clan,¡± Erlang Yang Jian snorted coldly. ¡°The Heavenly Dao is cyclical, and the days of you immortals reigning supreme are long gone. With the great god Chiyou''s emergence, the Demonic Path is on the rise¨Cit''s the trend of the times. You, Erlang Shen, do possess some skill. Why not kneel and surrender? Given our old acquaintance, I''ll speak well of you before Lord Chiyou and get you a respectable position,¡± Nine-Headed Insect cackled weirdly, full of mockery. ¡°You demon, dare to discuss the Heavenly Dao? That year I let you escape with your life, but today you won''t be so lucky! Die!¡± Yang Jian didn''t bother with him and thrust out with his knife. The blade gleamed like the Milky Way, stabbing towards the abdomen of the Nine-Headed Insect. Swinging his crescent shovel, with a loud ¡°clang,¡± the Nine-Headed Insect parried the strike. Both parties had grievances already, engaging in fierce combat in close quarters. Neither showed mercy. Knife and shovel shadows flickered as the two fought, clashing for twenty or thirty exchanges in the blink of an eye, amazingly matched in skill. With Yang Jian held back, the advancing momentum of the army behind him came to a halt. They now found themselves surrounded and under attack by numerous demons, hastily forming a circular formation to fend off the assaults. In another confrontation, the Yuan Thunder Puhua Tianseng also faced a blockade from one man, the Yellow Robed Taoist. ¡°Yellow Dragon Immortal! What are you doing here?¡± Recognizing the Yellow Robed Taoist, Puhua Tianseng was taken aback. The Yellow Dragon Immortal, a great power of the Teachings, stood among the likes of Taichi True Person and Guang Chengzi as one of the Twelve Golden Immortals in the Heavenly Court. During the great War of Gods-Sealing, Puhua Tianseng had clashed with him; while the Yellow Dragon Daoist was a Golden Immortal of the Teachings, Puhua Tianseng was from the Jie Sect. He assisted the tyrant and met his end in the war of god-sealing. Now, the positions of the two had completely reversed. Without much talk, the Yellow Dragon Immortal waved his wide sleeves, and a massive yellow gust like a dragon''s wrath howled forth, heading straight for Puhua Tianseng. Puhua Tianseng flicked his long whip, and with a sizzling sound, thick silver-white lightning materialized out of thin air, interweaving into a storm of lightning that blocked the yellow gale. The dazzling thunder light and yellow aura passed by, and the lightning storm and yellow wind nullified each other. ¡°Dragon Friend, you are a Golden Immortal respected by thousands; why would you join forces with demons here? Could it be that you''re under the influence of the Demon Race Secret Technique and have lost control of your mind?¡± After striking, Puhua Tianseng hesitated to attack further and asked anxiously. ¡°The Teachings'' Twelve Golden Immortals? Hmph, I''m just a placeholder to them. As for being respected by tens of thousands, I''d say it''s more like being mocked by tens of thousands,¡± the Yellow Dragon Daoist finally spoke, his voice filled with resentment. ¡°Why would you say such a thing, Daoist friend?¡± Hearing this, Puhua Tianseng was startled. ¡°Forget the events of that year; now that you and I stand on opposing sides, let''s rely on our own abilities and settle this once and for all,¡± the Yellow Dragon Daoist said, no longer indulging in words. He flipped his hand and took out an item¨Can enormous red gourd. He pinpointed a spell, and countless red clouds billowed out. Within the clouds, chaotic red light dazzled the eye, disorienting and enveloping Puhua Tianseng like a blanket covering the sky. ¡°The 99 Soul-Scattering Gourd!¡± Puhua Tianseng was shocked. He lashed out with both whips, and thick lightning bolts tore through the air, creating an ocean of lightning that collided with the rolling red clouds. Though the ocean of thunder held great power, the 99 Soul-Scattering Gourd was a mighty creation born from the primordial chaos, a treasured item refined by Red Cloud Ancestor, with boundless force. As the two collided, the red clouds swiftly devoured the ocean of thunder, and the spreading clouds continued to surge forward, unimpeded by the lightning, and were about to engulf Puhua Tianseng. Seeing this, the Yellow Dragon Daoist''s eyes shone with an unusual excitement. ¡°Stop!¡± Puhua Tianseng shouted loudly, and a ray of golden light shot out from the vertical eye on his forehead. Within the golden light, countless fine golden threads flickered and cracked, managing to hold back the overwhelming red clouds momentarily. He hastily retreated, lashing out continuously with his twin whips. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One after another, the thick bolts of lightning shot out, striking the red clouds. Although unable to halt their advance, they did slow the clouds'' momentum. Chapter 1022 Chapter 1022: Chapter 1019: The Contest Chapter 1022: Chapter 1019: The Contest ¡°Daoist friend Wen, what do you think of the power of my 99 Soul-Scattering Gourd? That year, during the War of Gods-Sealing, my master favored others over me. He neither bestowed upon me the powerful Jade Pure Immortal Law nor graced me with Magical Immortal Artifacts. Thus, I suffered defeat after defeat in the Gods-Sealing War, and despite being one of the revered Twelve Golden Immortals, I couldn''t even overcome the likes of Ma Sui and Lu Yue. I was even captured by Zhao Gongming with the Dragon-binding Rope and hung in front of both armies'' formations, completely disgraced. Now that I possess this 99 Soul-Scattering Gourd, let''s see who dares to underestimate me!¡± The Yellow Dragon Daoist laughed wildly as his hands quickly formed seals. Red clouds swarmed out, engulfing not only Puhua Tianseng but also the Heavenly Soldiers behind him in their onslaught. But just then, a flash of red light streaked behind the Yellow Dragon Daoist, and a Fiery Red Long Spear materialized out of thin air, aiming straight for his back. This attack was exceedingly sudden. He only sensed it when it was three feet away from his back and, without time to turn around, he flung his sleeve backward. His Yellow Robe was also a treasured artifact, and as the sleeve met the wind, it billowed and wrapped around the Fiery Red Long Spear. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But suddenly, large swaths of purple flames erupted from the long spear. With a hissing sound, the sleeve was torn apart, turning into shreds of fabric, even as the spear itself was flung away. A figure appeared out of the Void ¨C it was Nezha. Distracted by Nezha, the sweeping red clouds halted momentarily, giving Puhua Tianseng the chance to quickly lead his Heavenly Soldiers in retreat, escaping the attack''s range. Puhua Tianseng did not transport his Heavenly Soldiers deep into the Demon Clan Army as Yang Jian had done. He merely clashed with them directly, advancing and retreating with much more ease. ¡°Uncle Yellow Dragon, disciple Nezha pays his respects.¡± Nezha''s expression was complex as he stood with one hand raised in salute to the Yellow Dragon Daoist. ¡°Nezha, you are unharmed, that''s good. That year in the War of Gods-Sealing, I was defeated by Lu Yue, and it was thanks to your intervention that I was able to escape with my life. My title as your uncle who was saved by his disciple echoed throughout the Three Realms. Now that we meet again, let the world see once more whether this uncle truly falls short of his disciple!¡± The Yellow Dragon Daoist''s eyes flashed with a vengeful light as he abandoned Puhua Tianseng and pounced toward Nezha. The red clouds in the sky reversed their course and rolled toward Nezha. Although the Yellow Dragon Daoist had successfully survived the Heaven and Earth Calamity, his strength was feeble, and he had not been able to establish any significant achievements during the great battle; instead, he was defeated multiple times by the enemy. After the calamity, he gained very little merit. He had secluded himself in closed-door cultivation over the years but made little progress. Moreover, due to the lack of powerful Magical Treasures, he was looked down upon by other Golden Immortals of the Teachings. Although he appeared untroubled on the surface, resentment had long been brewing within him. With the rebirth of Chiyou and the onset of another Heaven and Earth Calamity, the Yellow Dragon Daoist saw the Heavenly Court''s downfall and the collapse of the Teachings. Tempted by several treasured items from the Demon Clan, he finally defected to them. Nezha had already been lurking nearby, listening to the conversation between the Yellow Dragon Daoist and Puhua Tianseng. He sighed inwardly. For now, he preferred not to speak further. His Fire-tipped Spear spewed out a jet of purple true fire, torching the engulfing red clouds. At the same time, his Universal Garment and Qiankun Circle shot out from his body, aiming left and right at the real Yellow Dragon. ¡°Well met!¡± bellowed the real Yellow Dragon with a shout, stirring the 99 Soul-Scattering Gourd with one hand while flicking his finger with the other. A purple and a yellow light shot out, one a small purple hammer engraved with robust thunder and lightning runes, the other a yellow Bamboo Tube about two feet long, each confronting the Universal Garment and Qiankun Circle. With two loud ¡°booms,¡± purple electric light and yellow mysterious glow streaked past, and both the Universal Garment and Qiankun Circle were repelled by the blow. However, the purple hammer and yellow Bamboo Tube remained unharmed and continued to strike at Nezha. ¡°The Electric Hammer and the Fish Drum! Be careful, Third Prince; they are the body-protecting Magical Treasures of Jade Wander Palace''s Shangqing Saint, with incredible power!¡± Puhua Tianseng flew over, throwing his Male and Female Double Whips, transforming them into a gold and a silver mighty thunderbolt that struck the Electric Hammer and the Fish Drum, knocking them away with difficulty. Startled by the warning, Nezha hastily called back the Universal Garment and Qiankun Circle to join Puhua Tianseng in the fight against the Yellow Dragon Daoist. ¡°Wen Zhong, to think you have some discernment. Now that I wield several treasured items, let''s see how the two of you fare against me!¡± laughed the real Yellow Dragon heartily, unafraid of engaging in battle against the two. ¡­ On the other side, where the Bull Demon King was, there were no formidable enemies to stop him, and with the Banana Fan in his hand, one wave could send tens of thousands of demons flying. Although the Nine-Headed Insect and the Yellow Dragon Immortal had sent several powerful True Immortal demons, they were no match for the Banana Fan and were blown away early on. His great army advanced victoriously, steadily pushing forward, and in a very short time, they arrived at the base of Chang''an City. The Bull Demon King took out his Mixed Iron Staff, transformed into an enormous demon body a thousand feet tall, and struck the huge black protective cover outside the city with his staff. With a thunderous boom! A big hole was blasted into the massive protective cover, and a section of the City Wall several hundred feet long also collapsed. ¡°Charge in!¡± The Bull Demon King raised his arm and shouted, as a tide of furious demons surged into the city behind him. Next to Chang''an City in the void, a pale white shadow flickered, and an extremely blurred figure appeared¨Cit was Shen Luo. He glanced around and quickly grasped the situation outside the city, especially the Bull Demon King''s achievements, and felt a surge of delight in his heart. With such a large-scale battle, the attention of the demons inside the city would certainly be largely drawn away, facilitating his clandestine actions. Shen Luo formed a hand seal, the Map of Mountains and Rivers wrapped around him once more, and he disappeared into thin air. He flew through the breach torn by the Bull Demon King in the protective cover, then headed deeper into the city, quickly covering a considerable distance. But at that moment, a mass of ash-colored clouds suddenly shot out from the deep areas inside the city, hurtling toward the outside at an incredibly fast speed. Huge Demon Qi burst forth from the clouds, filling the void and whipping up waves of black wind. Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched, and he stopped in his tracks. The demon within the ash clouds was formidable, having reached the Taiyi Realm, and was not to be underestimated. He decided to wait until it passed before continuing forward. However, as the ash cloud passed over Shen Luo''s head, a surprised exclamation suddenly came from within, and it abruptly halted. Two beams of blood light shot out from the cloud, looking towards the spot where Shen Luo was concealed. ¡°Who''s lurking about so sneakily?¡± came a sharp, cold rebuke from the cloud. Before the words even finished, a giant black stick came crashing down at him mercilessly. Before the stick even arrived, an overwhelming force bore down, causing Shen Luo''s body to sink. ¡°To think it could see through the Map of Mountains and Rivers!¡± His expression changed slightly, mainly because he had just acquired this treasure and had not yet fully refined it. Without time to think, Shen Luo lifted his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod into the void to intercept. A black and a gold rod shadow collided, emitting an earth-shattering boom, shattering the nearby void like broken mirror glass. Shen Luo was forced to retreat two steps, revealing his form. ¡°The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod! You must be Shen Luo! I''ve heard you''re Sun Wukong''s successor, and old Sun has always wanted to have a good match with you. Take this!¡± With an excited shout, the Six-eared Macaque flew out from the ash clouds, wielding his Wandering Iron Rod to create three shadowy strikes targeting Shen Luo''s chest and arms. The extremely sharp force of the staff ripped three black cracks in the void. Facing such a fierce attack, a moonlight glamour flickered beneath Shen Luo''s feet, and his figure transformed into two afterimages. Though it didn''t look fast, he easily dodged the blow with grace. Chapter 1023 Chapter 1023: Chapter 1020: Revival Chapter 1023: Chapter 1020: Revival ¡°Hehe, the Oblique Moon Step Technique is quite good, but let''s see if you can dodge my Sky-covering Stick Technique!¡± The Six-Eared Macaque, seeing Shen Luo dodge his strike so easily, sneered and swung his black rod again. This time, the technique was a mix of feints and solid strikes, creating countless afterimages, each blurring between illusion and reality, making it impossible to discern which were mere shadows and which were the actual rod. Moreover, the force carried by these afterimages crisscrossed and encircled, forming an ever-expanding net of power. To touch any part of this force would trigger a cataclysmic attack from the entire net. ¡°Good technique, not inferior to the Splashy Chaotic Stick.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly as his feet flickered with the glow of Moonlight Glamour, his body weaving effortlessly through the gaps of the net of rod force. The strength of the Six-Eared Macaque had greatly advanced since the last encounter, and the black iron rod in his hand was far more formidable than his previous spear. However, Shen Luo''s divine soul realm had progressed too greatly, and no matter how exquisite the stick technique, it could not escape his perception. After tens of continuous strikes without even grazing Shen Luo''s robe, the Six-Eared Macaque''s expression turned utterly serious. ¡°Good, now take my all-encompassing move!¡± His eyes suddenly turned blood-red, demonic Qi surged throughout his body, and he lunged forward like a ghostly specter, finally blocking Shen Luo''s path. His Wandering Iron Rod emitted a thick black and red demonic glow, swiftly transforming into hundreds of black rods, each aiming for vital points on Shen Luo''s body, leaving no room to evade. Shen Luo was not the least bit startled, and occasionally, his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod would dart out like a dragonfly skimming the water''s surface, piercing through the multitude of rod shadows with a twist to the left and right. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the dense afterimages dispersed on cue. At the same time, a great force rebounded, hitting precisely where the Six-Eared Macaque had exhausted his old strength and new strength had not yet formed. The Six-Eared Macaque''s body shuddered violently, and he staggered back several steps. Behind him, the void fluctuated, and a huge white scroll appeared above his head ¨C it was the Map of Mountains and Rivers, descending upon him. The Six-Eared Macaque''s face showed shock as he released a blood-red demonic glow in an attempt to stabilize himself and dodge to the side, but it was too late. A swath of white light swept across, and his figure vanished from the spot, having been taken into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Six-Eared Macaque''s vision blurred, and he found himself in a white space with mountains and rivers, seemingly a real world. ¡°Where is this¡­¡± The Six-Eared Macaque paused, then leaped up into the air. But in that moment, a beam of green light shot toward him from the side, with a green ring inside, looping towards his body. The monkey howled, swinging his Wandering Iron Rod to block the green light. A billow of ash burst beneath him, and a cloud of gray lifted him, swiftly shifting to the side. But a mountain near the Six-Eared Macaque suddenly rose from the ground, slamming into him with a whoosh; nearby rivers reversed their flow, turning into thick Water Ropes winding towards his body; and the burning sun in the sky sent down meteors of fire down upon him. Each attack was astonishingly powerful, shaking the void itself. The Six-Eared Macaque turned pale with fright, frantically spinning his Wandering Iron Rod. A barrage of dense stick shadows danced around him, fending off the attacks from his surroundings. However, from behind him, the void rippled, and the green ring shot out, swiftly and lightning-fast ensnaring his body. The Six-Eared Macaque''s arms were trapped by the green ring, immobilizing him completely. A formidable and supple force infiltrated his body, and his demon power was also restrained. Next to the Macaque, figures flickered, and Zhenyuanzi and Nie Caizhu appeared. The Six-Eared Macaque, upon seeing the duo, was shocked once more and struggled violently. Nie Caizhu flicked her finger, pointing at the Yangliu Branch inside the Jade Purification Bottle. The yangliu branch swelled in the wind, and thick willow strands wound around the Six-Eared Macaque''s body, adding another layer of restraint. The macaque could no longer move and tumbled onto the ground. The Wandering Iron Rod, which was by its side, was also entangled by more than a dozen willow strands. These strands crisscrossed to form a large formation that caged the Wandering Iron Rod within. Above the Wandering Iron Rod, a black light shone brightly as Demonic Qi churned, like a demonic dragon fiercely struggling. Yet, although the willow formation appeared flimsy, the force contained within it was anything but trivial. As soon as the Wandering Iron Rod touched the formation, a green light shone upon it, easily repelling the rod. ¡°Brother Shen''s strength has become even more formidable. The Six-Eared Macaque''s strength has reached the late stage of the Taiyi Realm, and the power of that Wandering Iron Rod it holds is astonishing. Yet, it was captured in just a few moves and pulled into this Map of Mountains and Rivers. Brother Nie''s Putuo Tightening Hoop Spell is also quite impressive, indeed, as the young wave pushes forward the old,¡± Zhenyuanzi praised. ¡°Great Immortal Zhenyuan overestimates my abilities, I wouldn''t dare to be mentioned in the same breath as cousin,¡± Nie Caizhu said humbly, her heart warming upon hearing Zhenyuanzi''s praise for Shen Luo. ¡°Great Immortal flatters me, the macaque has pledged allegiance to the Demon Clan, and its crime must be punished. Great Immortal may use its blood for a blood sacrifice to the Heavenly Book. I will continue to infiltrate within Chang''an City,¡± Shen Luo''s voice echoed from within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, though he did not enter. Upon hearing these words, the Six-Eared Macaque''s expression subtly shifted, but it quickly regained its calm. ¡°Six-Eared Macaque, you were once a rare spirit beast from ancient times, yet you pledged your loyalty to the Demon Clan. Today''s fate is entirely of your own making,¡± Zhenyuanzi said, looking at the macaque with a suddenly cold expression. ¡°Hmph! I, Old Sun, was slain that year, and it was the Demon Clan that resurrected me, imparting divine powers and bestowing magical treasures upon me. Naturally, I should assist the Demon Clan. Would you have me turn against my benefactors instead?¡± the Six-Eared Macaque sneered repeatedly. ¡°Since you are so wholeheartedly devoted to the Demon Clan and show no remorse, you leave Poor Daoist no choice,¡± Zhenyuanzi said indifferently, drawing forth the Heavenly Book and performing a weird technique with his hands. A drop of blood beaded from his fingertip and fell into the Heavenly Book. A burst of golden light shot out from the Heavenly Book immediately, mingling with a dense blood mang that enveloped the Six-Eared Macaque. The golden light and blood mang were so dazzling that they completely shielded everything from view. Others could not see what was happening inside, only hearing the pitiful screams of the Six-Eared Macaque. Nie Caizhu''s face paled, and she turned away, incessantly chanting Buddhist sutras under her breath. After a few breaths, the macaque''s cries gradually weakened and were about to disappear completely. In a pitch-black place within Chang''an City lay an enormous dark red pond, thousands of zhang in size, comparable to a lake. The pond was filled with bright red blood, bubbling occasionally, and the air was saturated with an intense scent of blood. Yet it was not unpleasant to the nose; rather, it felt strangely fresh. Moreover, the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi here was extremely dense, and there was a pure Demonic Qi. Both perfectly blended with the vigor of the blood energy in this place, achieving a delicate balance. A vast silhouette lay in the blood pool, as if in a peaceful slumber, revealing only hints of a head and limbs. Even in sleep, a tremendous aura of ferocity revolved around this person. A gleam of black light hovered above the giant figure''s head, within which a black silhouette was faintly visible, its hands waving nonstop. The surrounding heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi, Demonic Qi, and the vigor of blood energy flowed ceaselessly towards the vast figure, merging into its body. The aura of the giant figure continued to rise, gradually showing signs of awakening. Chapter 1024 Chapter 1024: Chapter 1021 Devour Chapter 1024: Chapter 1021 Devour By the Blood Pool, there were twelve smaller blood pools, but the first one on the left had already burst and collapsed. People were sitting cross-legged in the third, fourth, fifth, eleventh, and twelfth blood pools, all absorbing the surrounding blood Qi, Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, and Demonic Qi. As for the other blood pools, they were empty. Those five individuals were shrouded in Blood Light and their true forms were indiscernible, but the aura of their cultivation was extraordinary, having reached the Taiyi Level. Especially the figures in the third and fifth blood pools, their cultivation had already reached the Late Stage of Taiyi. As they continued to absorb the power of this place, the auras of the five people were also rapidly increasing, and the speed of their progression was extremely fast. The two in the Taiyi Late Stage were gradually approaching the Taiyi Peak, and there were even faint signs of breaking through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm. At this moment, Nine Netherworlds was also here, kneeling next to the huge Blood Pool, casting an envious glance at those two in the Taiyi Late Stage and hurriedly stated, ¡°¡­ that is the situation, Lord Chiyou, what should we do?¡± No sooner had his words ceased than the ninth blood pool suddenly burst with dazzling Blood Light and then exploded with a loud bang, completely destroyed, just like the first blood pool. However, those figures in the five blood pools seemed deaf, not hearing the sound of the blood pools exploding, still silently cultivating. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Nine Netherworlds stood up in great alarm. ¡°The Ape Lord has also perished, it seems the attacker is unusually powerful.¡± A black shadow also looked over there and said somberly, then raised a hand in a summoning gesture. Out of the collapsed blood pool, a bloom of blood-red light erupted, filled with countless blood-colored runes, which instantly condensed into a blood-red Array. At this moment, inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Zhenyuanzi had already sacrificed the flesh of the Six-Eared Macaque, and used the Heavenly Book to confine the Divine soul of the Six-Eared Macaque. The Divine soul of the Six-Eared Macaque did not show the slightest fear, and there was a cold smile hanging on its lips. ¡°Sure enough, the demonic nature remains unchanged.¡± Zhenyuanzi''s gaze turned cold, as he was about to sacrifice it. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a blast of Blood Light erupted from the Six-Eared Macaque''s Divine soul at the brow, and then it just vanished in a flash. ¡°What''s happened!¡± Zhenyuanzi''s face showed shock, his Divine Sense immediately probing the surroundings, but he detected no trace of any disturbance. Nie Caizhu, who was next to him, also noticed the anomaly here and rushed to assist in the search, but she found nothing unusual either. ¡­ In the vast space of the Blood Pool, around the collapsed small blood pool, formation discs spun and revolved. After a flash of Blood Light, the Divine soul of the Six-Eared Macaque emerged. ¡°Thank you, Lord Chiyou, for your rescue.¡± Seeing he had appeared in this place, the Six-Eared Macaque relaxed, and bowed down to the black shadow. ¡°Who killed you?¡± the black shadow asked. ¡°I was defeated by Shen Luo and taken into a Spatial Treasure. Zhenyuanzi and another female disciple from Mount Putuo used the Heavenly Book to kill me. It seemed like they wanted to use my Divine soul and flesh to sacrifice the Heavenly Book. Fortunately, in the critical moment, your lordship reached out to assist and saved me,¡± the Six-Eared Macaque said gratefully. ¡°Shen Luo? Him again!¡± Nine Netherworlds exclaimed in surprise. Only then did the Six-Eared Macaque take notice of Nine Netherworlds at the side, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He had never held much respect for Nine Netherworlds, feeling that the other owed his importance to Lord Chiyou purely to his pure Demon Clan identity, and that in terms of strength, he was far inferior. Yet now, the humiliation of being killed by the enemy had been witnessed by Nine Netherworlds, making it difficult to save face. ¡°Where did you encounter Shen Luo?¡± Nine Netherworlds turned towards the Six-Eared Macaque, asking seriously. Nevertheless, the Six-Eared Macaque still detected a hint of mockery in the other''s eyes. With a fierce glare at Nine Netherworlds, but in the presence of Lord Chiyou, the Six-Eared Macaque dared not withhold an answer: ¡°Within Chang''an City, he had already infiltrated.¡± ¡°Lord Chiyou, please allow me to deal with Shen Luo. I will certainly take his head and Divine soul and bring them here,¡± Nine Netherworlds said loudly, half-kneeling on the ground. ¡°What is Shen Luo''s current strength?¡± The black shadow did not reply to Nine Netherworlds but asked the Six-Eared Macaque instead. ¡°Although that person''s cultivation level is only at the Middle Stage of Taiyi, his strength is remarkably high; my stick fighting techniques were completely ineffective against him,¡± the Six-eared Macaque said truthfully. ¡°Your stick technique is exquisite, and it should not be entirely useless even against a being at the Peak of Taiyi. It seems that Shen Luo''s strength has already exceeded the level of Taiyi. Nine Netherworlds, you alone are definitely no match for him, not to mention the two helpers by his side,¡± said the black shadow slowly. Nine Netherworlds nodded in agreement, but in his heart, he did not think so. He had seen Shen Luo take action a few times and indeed he was formidable, but he did not believe he was inferior to the other. ¡°Nine Netherworlds, you take Ugly Bull Venerate with you, and this treasure is also bestowed upon you for the time being.¡± With a wave of his hand, a black illusion produced a white light. A white light shot out from his hand, landing in Nine Netherworlds'' hands, which turned out to be a White Ring. Seeing this treasure, the Six-eared Macaque''s eyes flashed with intense jealousy. This White Ring was exactly Taishang Laojun''s personal protective Magical Treasure, the Vajra Ring. ¡°Thank you, Lord Chiyou, for the treasure!¡± Nine Netherworlds exclaimed joyfully and gave thanks. ¡°Just with you and Ugly Bull Venerate, as well as this Vajra Ring, it is still hard to guarantee absolute safety. Rooster Lord, you should also make a trip with them,¡± the black shadow considered for a moment before looking towards the void beside him and spoke again. ¡°Yes¡­¡± a languid voice responded. Seeing this, Nine Netherworlds was both shocked and delighted. He was shocked because Rooster Lord had been nearby all along without his noticing, and he was delighted that with Rooster Lord''s help, he had absolute confidence in defeating Shen Luo. ¡°I shall take my leave,¡± Nine Netherworlds bowed and vanished from the spot with a flash of black light. Within the Blood Pool Space, besides the five people immersed in cultivation, only the black shadow and the Six-eared Macaque remained. ¡°Lord Chiyou, with enemies approaching, I request to quickly restore my physical body to continue serving you,¡± the Six-eared Macaque said. This Blood Pool was wondrous beyond comparison, capable not only of rapidly enhancing the realm but also of reconstructing the physical body, which was why he was not afraid at all when he was captured by Shen Luo and others. After all, he could be revived. Of course, not everyone could be revived, such as that fool Zi Shu and the traitor Red Boy. ¡°I am aware of your loyalty. You have worked hard for me these years, so take a good rest for now,¡± said the black shadow. The Six-eared Macaque was taken aback, not understanding the meaning of the black shadow''s words. The black shadow opened his mouth wide, and a vast devouring force enshrouded the Divine Soul of the Six-eared Macaque, causing him to involuntarily fly towards the black shadow. ¡°Lord Chiyou, what are you doing¡­ Stop!¡± Only then did the Six-eared Macaque realize something was wrong and struggled fiercely, but to no avail. As he got closer to the black shadow, he could even see the other''s two rows of illusory snow-white teeth, shining with a cold light. This was the last scene the Divine Soul of the Six-eared Macaque saw before it could no longer resist the sucking force and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± it was swallowed by the black shadow. The black shadow flashed with a burst of blood light, quickly becoming more substantial, and his facial features became much clearer. The reawakening of the massive figure''s breath suddenly accelerated. The black shadow looked up at the figures in the five small blood pools as if to do something; however, after hesitating for a moment, the black shadow ended up doing nothing and instead gathered his hands in the void. The Blood Space rumbled loudly as the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, Demonic Qi, and the power of Qi and blood converged even faster. Chapter 1025 Chapter 1025: Chapter 1022: Sneak Attack Chapter 1025: Chapter 1022: Sneak Attack ¡°What! Such a thing happened?¡± Shen Luo''s fleeing figure came to a halt, his face etched with astonishment. Just now, Zhenyuanzi had recounted to him the sudden disappearance of the Six-Eared Macaque''s divine soul. ¡°Judging by Six-Eared Macaque''s reaction, it seemed like he was well aware that this would happen,¡± Zhenyuanzi said gravely. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed deeply, and his expression turned very solemn. The Six-Eared Macaque was capable of moving a spirit in the Map of Mountains and Rivers without the master of the map ¨C me ¨C noticing a thing. In all of Chang''an City, probably only Chiyou could achieve that feat. This suggested that Chiyou might already be aware that I had snuck into this place. Right at that moment, a long war drum sound rose from within the depths of Chang''an City, thunderously rolling. The Demon Clan within the city swiftly began to act, apparently searching for something. ¡°They sure are quick!¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly but wasn''t worried. He once again summoned the Map of Mountains and Rivers and continued to flee forth into the void. Various prohibitions within the city were fully activated, with waves of scanning pulsating everywhere. However, the Map of Mountains and Rivers, a Heavenly Treasure, could merge with the void. As Shen Luo''s control over it grew more proficient, no prohibition apart from absolutes like the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk, which could completely isolate the power of space, could stop him; the city''s numerous prohibitions were as good as nonexistent to him. He stealthily moved along, soon arriving inside the central area of Chang''an City, approaching the Imperial City, all without the Demon Clan''s notice. The entire vicinity of the Imperial City was enveloped by a black magic array, brimming with fierce and evil Qi, and twelve powerful evil deity forces enclosed within it, completely constraining the power of space. Even the Map of Mountains and Rivers could not traverse it directly. ¡°What kind of formation is this? It looks somewhat familiar,¡± Shen Luo mused as he gazed ahead, his heart filled with suspicion. Yang Jian and the others were currently outside the city, holding off the vastly larger Demon Clan Army with their smaller numbers, and it was uncertain how long they could last. Shen Luo couldn''t afford to delay, so he took out his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and War God Whip, ready to force his way in. ¡°Friend Shen, wait a moment. I obtained something from the Six-Eared Macaque, which might help you break through this prohibition,¡± Zhenyuanzi''s voice suddenly sounded, and a blood-red jade pendant flew out. Shen Luo sensed the jade pendant''s energy, which contained a black aura of extreme purity and ferocity, the same as the Qi emanating from the black magic array in front of him. ¡°Perhaps it really could be useful.¡± He formed seals with both hands and activated the blood-red jade pendant. The jade pendant immediately flew forward, sticking onto the black magic array''s light curtain. Bright black light surfaced on the blood-red jade pendant, then suddenly condensed, turning into a black light door. With a ¡°squeak,¡± the light door slowly opened, revealing what was inside. Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy, and his body turned into a black shadow as he passed through the light door. At that very moment, an eight-foot steel spear suddenly appeared in front of him, transforming into a streak of cold light, heading straight for Shen Luo''s head. Shen Luo was taken aback but still remained calm enough to respond. His body flashed to the left, and at the same time, his War God Whip cast a black shadow, ¡°clang,¡± parrying the spear with a sound. But then a screeching sound came from his left side, and another shadow, fast as lightning, slashed towards his head¨Ca Golden Axe. The eight-foot steel spear and the Golden Axe, attacking from left and right, were obviously a well-planned ambush. However, Shen Luo''s reaction was exceedingly fast. His swiftly dodging body suddenly turned and darted forward, narrowly avoiding the slice of the Golden Axe. He lifted his Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in an attempt to block this axe. But a flash of white light passed over the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and a white, vague circle materialized out of thin air, trapping the Iron Rod within. The link between the rod and Shen Luo was severed in an instant. The rod shrank rapidly and, with a ¡°swoosh,¡± was sucked into the white circle, vanishing without a trace. And with a flash, the white circle also disappeared. ¡°This¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened in disbelief. The SeAnchoring Iron Rod had long been in sync with his thoughts, inseparable, yet it was taken away so effortlessly; what kind of treasure was that white circle exactly? The figure of Nine Netherworlds flashed into view behind the Golden Axe, his arm exerting force, accelerating the speed of the Golden Axe once again. Seizing the moment of Shen Luo''s distraction, he continued to slash towards Shen Luo''s chest. Wherever the black axe passed, the void crackled and shattered like paper, with such momentum that it threatened to split him in half. Then, a white light flashed across the Map of Mountains and Rivers beside Shen Luo, and countless green Yangliu Branches swarmed out from it, instantly coalescing into a wall of trees blocking in front of Shen Luo. The Golden Axe chopped onto the green wall of trees, ¡°hissing¡± as it split the wall in half, but Shen Luo behind it had already vanished without a trace, and even his Divine Sense could not be sensed. Nine Netherworlds tensed up, took out a black bowl from his hand without hesitation, and pinched a spell between his fingers. Instantaneously, a surge of Black Demon Flame leapt out from the bowl, transforming into a black fire curtain that enveloped his body within it. The moment the black fire curtain had just formed, a flash of black light appeared behind Nine Netherworlds, and a black iron whip emerged from it like lightning, striking the black fire curtain. With a soft ¡°bang,¡± the black fire curtain, as fragile as paper, was broken by a hit from the War God Whip, continuing towards the head of Nine Netherworlds. The person holding the great iron whip also appeared, and it was none other than Shen Luo. On the other side, the figure of the Blue Bull Spirit emerged with a complex look in his eyes as he glanced at the white circle. He quickly regained his composure and joined forces with Nine Netherworlds to attack Shen Luo, wielding his Eight-Foot Steel Spear. However, the wall of trees that had been cut in half suddenly dispersed and once again turned into thousands of green Yangliu Branches, shooting toward all the vital points of the Blue Bull Spirit. Caught by surprise, the Blue Bull Spirit swung his Eight-Foot Steel Spear in defense. Meanwhile, Nine Netherworlds, who had just sneak attacked Shen Luo, now became the one being attacked. In shock, he whirled around, the Golden Axe revolving around his body, barely blocking the War God Whip. But a powerful force surged from the War God Whip, and Nine Netherworlds, scrambling to block with the great axe, couldn''t withstand the strike and was sent flying. Not only that, but at the moment of contact between the two weapons, a strange devouring force was transmitted over, acting upon the Soul Power in Nine Netherworlds'' mind, causing his Divine Soul to fluctuate violently, and his vision to suddenly blacken. Nine Netherworlds exerted his Soul Power with full strength, suppressing the turbulence in his Divine Soul, but a Golden Treasure Pagoda appeared above his head and struck down fiercely; it was the Exquisite Tower. At the end of his strength, Nine Netherworlds mustered the last of his energy and raised his Golden Axe, sending out a black axe head hundreds of feet long that struck the Exquisite Tower. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a loud ¡°clang,¡± sparks flew everywhere, and the Exquisite Pagoda was shaken off. But Shen Luo moved his arm, and like a venomous snake shooting out its tongue, the War God Whip lashed out, its sharp tip aiming straight for Nine Netherworlds'' head; if it made contact, Nine Netherworlds would undoubtedly end up with his brain pulp shattered and his Divine Soul utterly destroyed. ¡°Damn it! This Shen Luo''s strength is so formidable! I truly underestimated him before!¡± Nine Netherworlds were shocked by Shen Luo''s wave after wave of offensive but did not lose his composure and pinched a spell. The white circle that previously captured the SeAnchoring Iron Rod appeared again in front of him, spinning rapidly, trying to ensnare the War God Whip. However, Shen Luo seemed to have anticipated this. Just as the two were about to touch, he suddenly grabbed the War God Whip and pulled it back, increasing the distance between the whip and the white circle. And the ground below Nine Netherworlds cracked open with a ¡°crack,¡± as a Golden Rope shot up from within, lightning-fast binding his body. A strong prohibition permeated and locked in all the Demonic Qi within Nine Netherworlds'' body, and the spiritual light of the white circle faded away, transforming into a Vajra bracelet. Chapter 1026 Chapter 1026: Chapter 1023 Battle of the Heavenly Venerate Chapter 1026: Chapter 1023 Battle of the Heavenly Venerate ¡°` ¡°So it is this treasure! No wonder it could easily take away my Sea Suppressing Iron Rod,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. With a swift extension of his left hand, he grabbed the Vajra Ring in his palm. He didn''t channel mana to refine it and immediately stored it inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers. His right hand, wielding the War God Whip, struck down again, aiming for the head of the Nine Netherworlds. The Demonic Qi inside Nine Netherworlds was restrained by the Golden Rope, rendering it immobile, and it was about to perish. Out of nowhere, a Green Light appeared, blocking the War God Whip. The whip was effortlessly held in place, unable to press down even slightly. Shen Luo''s face showed surprise, but he didn''t panic. The Map of Mountains and Rivers beside him immediately shot out, rolling towards Nine Netherworlds. But a Red Light flashed in front, countering the Map of Mountains and Rivers. No matter how he urged it, it wouldn''t advance an inch. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Although the treasure is good, it''s a pity that your cultivation level isn''t sufficient to unleash its true power,¡± a bland voice came from the void ahead. ¡°Who''s there!¡± Shen Luo''s expression grew extremely solemn, for up to this moment, he hadn''t sensed where the person was hiding, and his Divine Mind Imaging couldn''t detect anything. The Void did not respond, but another White Light appeared, sweeping towards Nine Netherworlds on the ground. However, a piece of the White Duster, like a white ribbon, shot out from the Map of Mountains and Rivers even faster, entangling with the white light while exerting force. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the White Duster broke upon impact, and the broken piece was swept away by the white light. But Shen Luo managed to grab Nine Netherworlds off the ground, pulling it into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. ¡± Humph!¡± A cold snort came from the Void, followed by a display of Green, Yellow, Red, Black, and White lights, which grew to over a hundred feet each. Like an overwhelming force, they bore down towards Shen Luo and the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Suddenly, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the surroundings became chaotic and turbulent, forming countless Spiritual Energy Vortexes in the blink of an eye. Specks of Five-color Spiritual Light flickered within them, bright and dark, creating a dazzlingly beautiful sight. Shen Luo suddenly lost control over the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi outside, and his own mana was also affected by the wild energy, becoming less responsive. The Spiritual Light on the Map of Mountains and Rivers dimmed, seemingly inclined to join the surrounding Spiritual Energy Vortexes. ¡°Ha!¡± Shen Luo shouted, fully channeling the Huangting Technique. His body emanated Golden Light, and his skin turned golden as if he became a golden figure inside and out. His once restless mana immediately stabilized. He grabbed hold of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and the light on it brightened intensely. Merged with the Map, he flew backward. All of Shen Luo''s spellcasting moved as fast as lightning, completed in the blink of an eye. ¡°Don''t escape!¡± The voice from within the Spiritual Energy Vortex expressed surprise, then immediately let out an angry roar. Five streams of Five-color Sword Light shot out, moving at an astonishing speed. In an instant, they were right before Shen Luo, bearing down to slaughter. But out of the Map of Mountains and Rivers flew a figure, none other than Zhenyuanzi, with his sleeve waving expansively, its mouth turning completely golden. A thunderous roar resounded! A giant Golden Vortex appeared, engulfing the Five-color Sword Light, aiming to absorb and capture it. Although the Five-color Sword Light was not large, it contained remarkably powerful energy, and it was as steady as Mount Tai, showing no signs of being swept away. As it collided fiercely with the Golden Vortex, a resounding clang, like blacksmithing, echoed through the air, neither able to overcome the other. Nie Caizhu also flew out from the Map of Mountains and Rivers, wielding the Yangliu Branch and the Jade Purification Bottle, fighting against the Blue Bull Spirit. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Boom¡± The five-colored sword light and the golden sleeve shook violently at the same time, both retreating backward. ¡°Hehe, Daoist friend Kong''s Five-color Divine Light is becoming increasingly exquisite, snatching away my whisk in one strike,¡± Zhenyuan laughed. ¡°Zhenyuan Daoist friend, your Sleeve Qiankun is likewise remarkable, having truly reached the realm where a mustard seed can become Mount Sumeru. It''s just a pity that we each serve a different master, today we must truly decide a victor,¡± a tall figure emerged from within the vortex of spiritual energy. This man was eight feet tall with a bronze complexion that shimmered with a metallic gloss, making him appear as if he were made of brass, suggesting immense strength. He wore bright armor and wielded a green large pole knife, with green, yellow, red, black, and white spiritual lights flickering behind him. The tall figure''s arm moved, and the green large pole knife immediately turned into a green rainbow, chopping down towards Zhenyuan''s head. With a sharp ¡°crackle¡±, the void surrounding them for hundreds of feet was split in half. Zhenyuan''s eyes tightened, and he retrieved a whisk, which was golden. With a flick, it expanded a hundredfold in the wind, resembling a golden divine dragon soaring through the sky, clashing hard against the green blade light. A deep boom resounded, and the void where they collided could not withstand such a terrifying impact, cracking open with twisted spatial rifts. ¡°Good! Let''s go again!¡± The tall man''s eyes lit up, and he slashed out with the green pole knife again, ten times faster than before, becoming a green afterimage. Zhenyuan''s golden whisk also sped up accordingly, and the two weapons intertwined as afterimages, creating a series of thunderous booms. Soon, the figures of Zhenyuan and the tall man completely blurred, with only two vague shadows constantly touching, and spatial rifts in the void appearing and dissipating from time to time. ¡°This is the battle of those at the Heavenly Venerate Realm!¡± Shen Luo appeared in the distance in a flash, silently astonished as he watched Zhenyuan and the tall man engage in combat. However, he did not linger to watch and immediately entered the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers was his world, everything within his control. Nine Netherworld''s body was bound even tighter by the Golden Rope and pressed down by a golden mountain, immobile. The Vajra Ring was on the other side, also suppressed by a golden mountain. Shen Luo raised his hand and emitted a beam of golden light, searching on Nine Netherworld''s body, and quickly pulled out a golden needle, which was the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. ¡°Treasure, come back!¡± He exclaimed in delight and immediately activated a spell. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod shone brightly with golden light, expanding to its original size before landing in his hands. He now possessed many Magical Treasures, and while the power of the SeAnchoring Iron Rod was not the greatest, it was definitely the one he was most adept with. After recovering this treasure, Shen Luo finally let go of his worries and looked up at Nine Netherworld. ¡°I never imagined your strength would reach this level, I concede. However, with just this little skill of yours, you cannot shake Lord Chiyou in the slightest¡­¡± Nine Netherworld, completely immobilized, spoke with difficulty. But before he could finish, with a sharp whistle, the War God Whip appeared above Nine Netherworld''s head, striking down mercilessly. Since the Divine Soul of the Six-Eared Macaque could not be used to repair the Heavenly Book, it was likely the same for Nine Netherworld. Shen Luo did not care for his ramblings and made his move directly. With a ¡°bang¡±, Nine Netherworld''s head burst open, and his mind''s Divine Soul was scattered, sucked into the Soul Devouring Array within the whip. Chapter 1027 Chapter 1027: Chapter 1024 The Dissipation of the Daoist Chapter 1027: Chapter 1024 The Dissipation of the Daoist In the depths of the blood space, a small blood pool belonging to the Nine Netherworlds suddenly exploded with a loud bang. ¡°What! Nine Netherworlds has also been killed!¡± A black shadow looked over in shock, its expression becoming grave as it immediately formed a hand gesture. The exploding blood pool shone brightly with blood light, condensing into a crimson array that began to spin and started summoning the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds. However, at that moment, the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds was within the Soul Devouring Array, and although it was summoned by the blood array, it was not absorbed like the divine soul of the Six-Eared Macaque previously; it seemed that the Soul Devouring Array had quite the restraint on the blood array within the blood pool space. ¡°Eh!¡± Shen Luo also sensed this situation and immediately became overjoyed, fully powering the Soul Devouring Array to devour the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds. The divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds, already fragmented, was now exposed to the force of both arrays and instantly shattered, with the three souls and seven spirits beginning to disperse, and clusters of light and shadow peeled off from it, revealing scenes of memories. ¡°Is this the memory of the Nine Netherworlds?¡± Shen Luo saw these light and shadow scenes and was instantly shocked and thrilled. Every creature has three souls and seven spirits, with the three souls governing the cycle of reincarnation and the seven spirits carrying emotions and memories. The souls and spirits are inextricable, and external interference only leads to their complete breakdown, which is why there are almost no methods to search a person''s soul and investigate their memories, let alone when the individual is a Taiyi existence. Yet the Soul Devouring Array managed to achieve this! Shen Luo suppressed his emotions and eagerly perused the content, quickly obtaining a lot of useful information. ¡°Who could it be? Not only have they restrained the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds, but they could also peer into its memories!¡± Inside the blood pool space, a glint of shock passed through the eyes of the black shadow, which then, without hesitation, raised its hand and struck the void. Thick blood-red lightning appeared above the Nine Netherworlds'' blood pool, condensing into a giant lightning claw that forcefully struck downward. With a loud boom, the Nine Netherworlds'' blood pool completely exploded, turning into nothingness amidst flashes of lightning-like blood light. Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds collapsed thunderously, turning into countless tiny particles that disappeared, unable to be absorbed by the Soul Devouring Array. The memory scenes also collapsed, and seeing this, Shen Luo could only sigh in regret, stopping the activation of the array. If only he had a bit more time, he had already uncovered many secrets, but unfortunately, at the critical moment, the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds suddenly collapsed. It seemed someone noticed he was peering into the memories and directly destroyed the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds. Shen Luo did not dwell on this, waving his hand to collect several magical treasures and the Storage Magical Tool from the Nine Netherworlds, then seizing the Vajra Ring and began refining it with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. Soon, a layer of white spiritual light lit up on the Vajra Ring, which slowly levitated from his palm. Shen Luo''s eyes shone with surprise; the Vajra Ring was a precious treasure of the human path, the personal protection magical treasure of the Grand Pure One. He had thought it would be extremely difficult to refine, but to his complete surprise, as soon as he began using the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, he easily penetrated the many prohibitions within the ring. Not knowing why this happened, but recognizing it as a good thing, he fully powered the Innate Treasure-refining Technique and quickly finished refining. The Vajra Ring shone brightly with white light, turning into a rapidly spinning white circle. Shen Luo now understood the divine powers of the Vajra Ring. This treasure was a precious artifact forged by Sage Laozi of Human Teaching during his transformation; it could contain all treasures and also serve for self-defense against enemies, impervious to off-path invasions, truly wondrous and unmatched. Now that his possession was rich with treasures, the addition of this Vajra Ring had greatly enhanced his combat power once again. He nodded, tucking the treasure into his chest, not lingering any further within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and immediately departed, darting toward the depths of the Imperial Palace. From the memories of the Nine Netherworlds, he had found that Chiyou''s hiding place was somewhere deep within the Imperial City, but the exact location had not been clarified before the divine soul of the Nine Netherworlds was destroyed. However, knowing the approximate location was already quite beneficial, and Shen Luo was confident that with his current abilities, he would find it given some time! In the Blood Pool Space, the shadowy figure showed a moment of hesitation, but soon resolved to act, casting a spell with a flick of his fingers, producing three flashes of black light. The five cultivators practicing within jolted awake. ¡°Lord Chiyou!¡± The five hurriedly flew out of the blood pool and bowed before the shadowy figure. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. One of them was Ma Xiuxiu, her cultivation level reaching the late stages of Taiyi, with hands shimmering like gold and golden dragon scales faintly visible on the backs of her hands, rendering her seemingly invincible. Beside Ma Xiuxiu stood a woman in a pink skirt with red hair, captivatingly charming. If Shen Luo were here, he would be greatly surprised; the woman turned out to be Lin Xinyue from the Pansi Cave, though her appearance had changed significantly since before. Next to Ma Xiuxiu was another figure, shrouded in Black Qi and wearing a bamboo hat, none other than the demon wind who had been in conflict with Shen Luo and his companions in reality. Of the other two strangers, one was tall and clad in a bright red demon armor, wielding a dark red strange saber that resembled a huge tooth, with a bloody pupil near the tip that appeared to move slightly as if it were alive. With his fiery red hair and massive curved horns, he emitted a breath of Demonic Qi purer than that of the Nine Netherworlds, his gaze towards the shadowy figure filled with respect and submission. The Bicorn Gigantism was the second individual whose cultivation level had reached the late stage of Taiyi, and the aura of his dark red battle saber was even more formidable, clearly a treasure of extraordinary value complementing his own power. The last figure was a Wolf Monster clad in a yellow robe, with thick brows and a high nose, holding a Drenched Steel Knife with an imposing presence. ¡°The enemy has invaded Chang''an City; both the Nine Netherworlds and the Ape Lord have perished. Go and repel the invaders, do not let them come here and disrupt my awakening,¡± said the shadowy figure indifferently. Upon hearing this, all five were shocked and hurriedly agreed. Ma Xiuxiu was about to inquire about the intruders when the shadowy figure waved his sleeve, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves within the Imperial City of Chang''an. From all around the Imperial City came the sounds of battle cries, and the clash between Zhenyuanzi, the Rooster Lord, and their adversaries was also sensed by the five. Just as they were about to head over, a flash of white light streaked across the void, and a figure descended from the sky¨Cit was Shen Luo. Shen Luo had located this place by relying on the memories of the Nine Netherworlds, not expecting to suddenly encounter these five people, momentarily taken aback. Ma Xiuxiu and the others, upon seeing Shen Luo, were also surprised. ¡°Shen Luo, it''s you!¡± Ma Xiuxiu immediately recognized Shen Luo. ¡°He is also an enemy, kill him!¡± recognizing Shen Luo as well, demon wind made his move immediately, emitting five streams of purple-black Demon Fire from his fingertips that darted towards Shen Luo like living creatures. But Shen Luo was quicker to react. His Sea Suppressing Iron Rod swept out first, colliding with the purple-black Demon Fire. The golden light from the rod and the Demon Fire came into contact, and to his surprise, the golden light was easily pierced through. The purple-black Demon Fire wrapped around the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, issuing a sizzling sound as it burned. The Spiritual Light of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod quickly weakened. The rod''s surface even showed some marks, but most of the purple-black Demon Fire was scattered back, with only a few stubborn flames clinging to it like taffy. Shen Luo retreated quickly and simultaneously summoned the Exquisite Pagoda, which exerted a suction force from its base, swiftly absorbing the purple-black Demon Fire from the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. The others, warned by demon wind''s attack, also launched their offensive. Chapter 1028 Chapter 1028: Chapter 1025: Coercion Chapter 1028: Chapter 1025: Coercion ¡°` The first to act was the Bicorn Gigantism, whose Dark Red Strange Knife suddenly burst into roiling crimson flames with a ¡°boom,¡±¨Cit was the Red Lotus Karmic Fire that Shen Luo knew all too well. ¡°Annihilation in all directions, only Red Lotus remains! Shooting Stars, Flowing Fire!¡± With a swing of his strange knife through the void, clusters of Red Lotus Karmic Fire merged with the fierce knife Qi, shooting out like meteors, emitting terrifying screams as they struck towards Shen Luo. Lin Xinyue glanced at Shen Luo, a trace of surprise flashing through her eyes; her jade hands moved rapidly, and with a few ¡°swish¡± sounds of piercing the air, thousands of crystalline white spider silk strands shot out and spread, forming a large net in the air, aiming to cage Shen Luo. Before the spider silk even touched down, a sweet and soft scent wafted towards him from afar, causing Shen Luo''s spirit to waver, and his body to feel faintly powerless. The Yellow-robed Wolf Demon also took action immediately, flinging his sleeves. ¡°Cloud-Flowing Sleeves!¡± His sleeves stretched out like bellows in the wind and flew towards Shen Luo, two powerful forces crashing down like an avalanche. Ma Xiuxiu, seeing everyone else had made their moves, hesitated briefly before also conjuring a Golden Flying Sword, which twirled and transformed into a Hundred Feet long giant sword that cleaved at Shen Luo. Although Shen Luo had already dodged backward, how could his own escaping speed compare to the speed of the enemy''s magical treasures? In the blink of an eye, he was caught up to. While his Soul Power was formidable, his cultivation level was still only at the Middle Stage of Taiyi; facing five Taiyi masters, two of which were at the late stage of Taiyi, even his breathing halted for a moment. Shen Luo roared and frantically maneuvered the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand, creating a dense array of Golden Rod Shadows in front of him, while the Exquisite Pagoda shone brightly and expanded several times in size, shielding him. Furthermore, black, white, and gold spiritual lights flashed wildly in front of him, as The War God Whip, Vajra Ring, and Golden Cymbal materialized and spun rapidly around his body, guarding him. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± a series of loud explosions followed! Shen Luo barely withstood the attacks of the five people, his body trembling violently like a sieve, as he was sent flying backward, crashing through several palace walls to steady himself, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. However, the magical treasures of the Bicorn Gigantism, Lin Xinyue, and others were also shaken off course. Shen Luo grabbed the chance to catch his breath, disregarding his injuries, instantly activated the Map of Mountains and Rivers and rolled it towards himself, vanishing in an instant. A Burning Fire-red Giant Knife descended from the sky, fiercely striking the spot where Shen Luo had just been standing. With a loud crash, the ground was cleaved open, leaving a crack a hundred feet long and several feet deep. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Bicorn Gigantism immediately appeared above the large fissure, his dark red eyes scanning the surroundings, but he completely failed to locate Shen Luo. ¡°That person has Spatial Treasures that allow him to merge with the void. However, the Imperial City is surrounded by the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation, he can''t escape, and I can feel that he is still nearby,¡± the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon said after gliding over and standing nearby the Gigantism, sniffing the air a few times. Lin Xinyue and Ma Xiuxiu also flew over, while the demon wind was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Lord Chen Long, why didn''t you use the Seven Kill Seal that Chiyou refined for you earlier? Otherwise, that man wouldn''t have been able to fend off our combined attack so easily.¡± The Bicorn Gigantism turned and looked at Ma Xiuxiu, shooting two sharp and piercing cold glints from his eyes. ¡°Hmph! Which magical treasure I use to fight my enemies is not something I need your permission for!¡± Ma Xiuxiu responded coldly and unyieldingly. ¡°Now that we face a great enemy, there''s no need for you two, Daoist Ma and Daoist Wolf Demon of the mountains, to bear grudges over such trivial matters. Let''s focus on the enemy at hand,¡± said the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon, coughing and stepping forward helplessly to mediate. ¡°We''ll talk about this matter later. Lord Xu Dog, have you found that person''s trail?¡± The Bicorn Gigantism snorted coldly and set the matter aside for the moment, turning to the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon. ¡°` ¡°It''s no use, that person has deliberately hidden his breath, and my nose can''t locate him,¡± the yellow-robed wolf demon sniffed hard several times and shook his head. The bicorn giant''s fiery red brows furrowed as he thought of a strategy. ¡°We can''t find Shen Luo for now, so let''s go support Rooster Lord and Ugly Bull Venerate first,¡± Lin Xinyue suggested. ¡°Alright, Lord Mao Rabbit and Chen Dragon Venerate, you go and provide assistance. Xu Dog and I will stay here to search for Shen Luo,¡± the bicorn giant said. Without a word, Ma Xiuxiu turned and left, fleeing outside. ¡°Chen Long Venerate has always been like this, Lord of the Yin Tiger, you should not take it to heart,¡± Lin Xinyue said with a smile to the bicorn giant, then she too fled away. At this moment, the figure of the demon wind stood above the imperial city on the blood-colored stone platform; strangely, nearly a hundred True Immortals of the Demon Clan who were previously there had now disappeared without a trace, their whereabouts unknown. With hands forming seals, the demon wind muttered incantations. The twelve black flags planted around the stone platform emitted dazzling black light and suddenly lifted off from the platform, soaring into the sky. The black light screen that originally enveloped the whole imperial city started to roil violently, rapidly shrinking in size. Dark clouds revealed vast swathes of blood light, which flashed urgently a few times before exploding with a bang into a vast expanse of blood flames. The blood flames, heavy with demonic Qi and immensely powerful, turned everything in their path into nothingness. The Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation could isolate the spatial escape technique of the Map of Mountains and Rivers; using this method, the demon wind intended to force Shen Luo out. At the edges of the imperial city, Zhenyuanzi, Nie Caizhu, and the other three who were fighting saw this and didn''t dare to be tainted by the blood flames; they all fled towards the center of the imperial city. On the blood-colored stone platform, the demon wind, while casting spells to shrink the range of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation, also exerted its demonic power, with two beams of blood light shooting out from its eyes, scanning the surroundings in search of Shen Luo, but still found nothing. ¡°Hmph! Since you won''t come out, then I''ll kill your beloved woman and see if you can still endure,¡± the demon wind sneered, looking towards Nie Caizhu, who was fighting Qing Niu; it took out an object, which was a dark red bead, and crushed it in one hand. The dark red bead popped and exploded, turning into countless blood clouds that burst open, absorbed by the twelve black flags in mid-air. The twelve demonic god patterns on the black flags all turned a blood red color, then began to squirm rapidly as if coming to life. ¡°Roars!¡± The demonic gods let out deafening roars, clearly breaking free from the bonds of the black flags, leaping out and transforming into twelve giant hundred-foot tall primordial demons, each surrounded by an aura not inferior to a Taiyi Cultivator. As soon as the Demon Gods of All Heaven appeared, the appearance of heaven and earth immediately changed, with dark clouds surging wildly, accompanied by thunderclaps and shocking roars echoing across the skies. Seeing this scene, Ma Xiuxiu and Lin Xinyue stopped their fleeing figures and looked up at the sky in astonishment. ¡°The Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation! It can actually summon the avatars of the Twelve Ancestral Witches! This is bad!¡± Zhenyuanzi''s brows furrowed, and Nie Caizhu''s face turned even paler at a distance. ¡°Go!¡± The demon wind gestured toward Nie Caizhu in the distance and pointed. The twelve demon gods immediately launched themselves at breakneck speed, reaching the vicinity of Nie Caizhu in the blink of an eye. Giant demonic claws reached down toward her, violently shaking the void as if the sky might collapse. Nie Caizhu''s face turned pale, but she didn''t panic. Forming seals with her hands, the green light from her Yangliu Branch surged wildly while the blue light from the water in her Jade Purification Bottle also flourished immensely. Countless thick willow branches grew out, instantly transforming the area within hundreds of feet into a green forest. Her body was also concealed within it, disappearing from sight. Chapter 1029 Chapter 1029: Chapter 1026 Successive Events Chapter 1029: Chapter 1026 Successive Events ¡°` A beast-headed, human-bodied demonic god, clad in red scales, with fire snakes in its ears and fire dragons at its feet, pounced towards Nie Caizhu, who had used the Jade Purification Bottle to summon a forest, and grabbed with both of its fiery hands. Two crimson flames shot upwards, and with a hissing sound, the green forest was torn in half, revealing Nie Caizhu''s figure. Nie Caizhu was surrounded by the twelve demon gods with no way out, her complexion deathly pale. ¡°Good! The twelve ancestral witches truly live up to their reputation as mighty beings from ancient times!¡± The demon wind exclaimed with joy, ready to urge the twelve demon gods to capture Nie Caizhu. But just at that moment, alongside the twelve black flags in mid-air, a white shadow flickered, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared out of thin air, his hands raised. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A white ring shot out with lightning speed, expanding over a hundred times in an instant, and engulfing all twelve black flags. ¡°Take!¡± Shen Luo made a hand gesture, and an eerie force of absorption emanated from within the ring. The fluttering twelve-sided flags had no power to resist and quickly shrank, disappearing into the white ring, and turned into twelve little black flags about a foot tall, landing in his hands. The Vajra Ring could gather all treasures, and these twelve All Heaven Gods Evil flags were also a kind of magical treasure, naturally, they couldn''t escape the Vajra Ring''s power of absorption. Off in the distance, the twelve demon gods who were charging at Nie Caizhu suddenly froze, motionless as if they had turned into fools, and the rapidly shrinking black magic array around them also stalled, ceasing to operate. Nie Caizhu, overjoyed at this, hurriedly flew out from the gaps between the twelve demon gods, fleeing far away. Shen Luo''s series of actions were as fast as lightning, and by the time the demon wind realized what had happened, everything was already over. ¡°Shen Luo, how dare you steal my magical formation!¡± The demon wind roared in shock and anger, lunging at Shen Luo. The bicorn gigantism and yellow-robed wolf demon below saw this and also charged at Shen Luo. But Shen Luo had no intention of engaging the three of them in combat, and with a flash from the white scroll on his body, he once again vanished. ¡°Damn it!¡± The bicorn gigantism lunged into the empty air, his face turning iron blue. Shen Luo relied on a space treasure, able to come and go as he pleased, and they couldn''t keep him there. Now, with the twelve-sided Array Flags of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation in the opponent''s hands, how were they supposed to continue fighting? The yellow-robed wolf demon beside him also wore an extremely ugly expression. ¡°Both of you, don''t worry. Please help me protect the law for the time being because as for the array flags of the All Heaven Gods Evil formation, let him take them if he wants, but we''ll see if he can handle them,¡± said the demon wind, his face suddenly going from furious to a cold sneer, as if a plot had succeeded. While speaking, he took out a flag about two feet in size. Its appearance was almost identical to the black array flags of the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation, but it was black and red, and it had a battle formation map embroidered on it. The demon wind gestured rapidly, imbuing the black and red command flag with one magic spell after another. Black and red light radiated from the flag. ¡°Hai Pig Venerable, what do you mean by that?¡± The bicorn gigantism asked in confusion, and the yellow-robed wolf demon also looked over. Without answering, the demon wind focused on manipulating the black and red command flag in his hands, the light from it growing more and more intense, and the flag itself slowly enlarging. Though the black and red command flag was not big, the demon wind seemed to be exerting a great effort, as if he were holding up a mountain. Seeing this, the bicorn gigantism and the yellow-robed wolf demon held their patience, standing one on each side. ¡­ Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Shen Luo looked at the twelve black flags in his hands, his eyes full of eagerness. ¡°` From their recent conversation, he had already learned that the formation created by the twelve black flags was the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation. He had long admired this formation; the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation was the most formidable Demonic Array of ancient times, capable of summoning twelve Demonic Gods from antiquity. Its power was enough to destroy the heavens and eradicate the earth, and it was certainly not inferior to the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the patterns of the Demonic Gods on the twelve flags. Having learned about the Witch Clan from Zhenyuanzi and possessing the War God Whip, a Witch Weapon, he vaguely sensed that what the Great Formation summoned might not be ancient Demonic Gods, but the Twelve Ancestral Witches. ¡°I seem to have quite a fate with the Witch Clan. First, I obtained a Witch Weapon, and now I''ve gotten this Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself and quickly stopped pondering, his hands forming a magic spell to activate the twelve formation flags in his hands. Since the Vajra Ring had trapped and taken away the twelve flags, any traces of previous enchantments were erased, and his Mana easily infiltrated them. The twelve flags shot out and hovered in the air above his head. The flags lit up with dark cloud-like light, forming a circle with a wooshing sound as they spun and danced around. Shen Luo''s Mana was swiftly drained by the twelve flags, which also devoured his life force in a bizarre manner. Fortunately, his Huangting Technique was complete and his life force as stable as a mountain; it was not sucked away by this Supreme Ancient Demonic Array. By the Imperial City, the previously halted Black Magic Array began to operate again, its blood flames rumbling and pulsing as they continued to contract. Of the twelve hundred-foot high Ancestral Witches, three suddenly moved, regaining agility and abruptly turning to pounce towards the Blue Bull Spirit nearby. The Blue Bull Spirit was shocked. The Demon Qi and Demonic Qi within its body crazily circulated, and its body suddenly swelled a hundredfold, transforming into a hundred-foot tall giant Demon form. Its Eight-Foot Steel Spear emitted thousands of paths of starlight. With a sweep of its spear, its head vibrated, conjuring thousands of spear flowers that seemed like boundless stars falling, stabbing into the three Ancestral Witches. A series of muffled sounds erupted, but the three Ancestral Witches seemed unaffected, with only many white dots left on their bodies by the spear shadows, not even piercing their skin. ¡°What!¡± The Blue Bull Spirit was horrified. One of the Ancestral Witches, with a bird''s head on a human body and snakes under its feet, stretched out its hands and caught the Eight-Foot Steel Spear, causing the sky full of spear shadows to instantly scatter. The other two Ancestral Witches, fast as lightning, grabbed the Blue Bull Spirit''s body from the left and the right. One of the Ancestral Witches had a tiger''s body with a human face, covered in golden scales, and wings on its back. The other had a human head on a dragon''s body, entirely crimson. The Blue Bull Spirit struggled desperately, emitting waves of blue light from its body like a tidal surge, trying to break free but to no avail. ¡°Ugly Bull Venerate!¡± the Rooster Lord at the side exclaimed in alarm, his Five-color Divine Light shooting out, swirling towards the three Ancestral Witches in an attempt to rescue. ¡°Kong Xuan, you and I have yet to determine a winner, are you already thinking of changing opponents?¡± Zhenyuanzi swept his sleeve, and a massive golden sleeve appeared in the air, blocking the Five-color Divine Light. On the other side, Ma Xiuxiu and Lin Xinyue wanted to help, but they were too far away to use their magic in time. The two Ancestral Witches holding the Blue Bull Spirit let out bloodthirsty roars and viciously tore at it. With a ripping sound, the body of the Blue Bull Spirit was torn apart, its blood cascading down like a waterfall. Without the support of Demon Power, the two halves of the body rapidly shrank back to their original size and were swallowed by the two Ancestral Witches. ¡°To be slain in a single encounter, what a waste! Chiyou revived you, granted you the position of the Ugly Bull Venerate, and spent a great deal of resources to enhance your strength, all for nothing!¡± the Rooster Lord watched the scene, coldly snorting with disappointment. Chapter 1030 Chapter 1030: Chapter 1027: Sudden Change Chapter 1030: Chapter 1027: Sudden Change ¡°` In the blood pool space, as the second blood pool from the left exploded, the shadowy figure once again opened its eyes. ¡°Ugly Bull has also been killed? It seems that although using the blood pool to cultivate can rapidly increase their strength, their foundation is ultimately unstable and unfit for significant tasks. They are still better off used as sacrifices to hasten my awakening,¡± the shadow murmured to itself, raising its hand with a summoning gesture. An array emerged from the exploded blood pool, within which the soul of the Blue Bull Spirit appeared. Just as the soul of the Blue Bull Spirit was about to express its gratitude, the shadowy figure opened its mouth and inhaled. A massive sucking force enveloped the area, and the soul of the Blue Bull Spirit, powerless to resist, was sucked into the mouth of the shadowy figure with a ¡°whoosh.¡± The light of the shadowy figure fluctuated for a while, becoming somewhat more solidified. Within the vast blood pool, the gigantic body shuddered, and a layer of faint black light surfaced on its skin. ¡°Hai Pig Venerable, aren''t you ready yet? Ugly Bull Venerable has already been killed!¡± the bicorn giant anxiously asked, looking into the distance. The demon wind continued to urge the black and red command flag as if unheard. Through the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Shen Luo saw the battle outside and was both shocked and pleased. The twelve Ancestral Witch Avatars were truly formidable. The strength of the Blue Bull Spirit was definitely not weak; even if he had personally taken action, he could not have subdued it in a short time, yet now it had been slain in a single encounter. It was only a pity that he had just made contact with the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation and was not yet skilled at control, only able to command three Ancestral Witch Avatars. Shen Luo formed a magic spell with his hands and once again urged the three Ancestral Witches to pounce towards Lin Xinyue and Ma Xiuxiu nearby. Ma Xiuxiu''s face turned cold, her hands flipped over, and a blood-red large seal appeared in front of her with the words ¡°Seven Kills¡± inscribed in ancient script at the bottom, emanating a terrifying murderous aura. The woman''s hands moved rapidly, casting several magic spells in succession and pointing at the blood-red seal. A wave of blood-colored light burst from the Seven Kills Seal, containing extraordinarily astounding fluctuations of spiritual power, causing the void within dozens of feet ahead to crack with a ¡°crack.¡± The two Ancestral Witches rushing towards Ma Xiuxiu shook violently, as if hit by a meteorite, and were sent flying by the Seven Kills Seal. Lin Xinyue, targeted by one of the Ancestral Witches, slightly altered her expression. She parted her hands, and strands of spider silk shot out from her hands, forming a dense net in an instant. These spider silks were more than ten times thicker than those used against Shen Luo, pink in color and emitting an overpowering fragrance. Nie Caizhu, dozens of feet away and about to join forces with the three Ancestral Witches, caught a whiff of this fragrance and immediately felt her muscles go limp and her divine soul become intoxicated. She hurriedly stopped and fled a hundred feet away before recovering, a look of shock appearing on her face. The pink net stretched across the sky and came down, ensnaring the Ancestral Witch. The bone-corroding and soul-devouring fragrance poured into the Ancestral Witch''s body, which would have turned any man of flesh and blood into a pliable state, yet the Ancestral Witch seemed utterly unaffected, its flaming hands tearing the spider web apart. With a ¡°rip,¡± the giant spider web was torn asunder. ¡°Impossible! My seduction technique has already reached perfection; any creature of flesh and blood should be affected!¡± Lin Xinyue exclaimed in disbelief, her figure swiftly retreating backwards. Within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, a cold smirk appeared on the corner of Shen Luo''s mouth. Lin Xinyue''s bone-corroding fragrance was indeed powerful; an ordinary monk, even one at the Heavenly Venerate Realm, would not be unaffected if touched by it. ¡°` Unfortunately, Lin Xinyue at this moment was facing an Ancestral Witch, the Witch Clan does not cultivate divine powers or mana, only their physical bodies, and their resistance to poisons and enchantment divine powers was naturally much stronger than that of ordinary monks. Furthermore, the incarnation of the Ancestral Witch she was facing was Zhu Rong, the Ancestral Witch of the fire of the south, who was born with the divine power of fire, which subdued all poisons. Lin Xinyue''s seduction technique was naturally ineffective against him. Shen Luo formed a magic spell with his hands, and the Zhu Rong Ancestral Witch chased after Lin Xinyue with even greater speed. In a flash, he caught up to her. A gigantic hand the size of a castle appeared in front of Lin Xinyue, with the power to turn heaven and earth on its side, it clawed down with the speed of lightning. However, a flash of silver light passed under Lin Xinyue''s feet, and a silver spider silk appeared, extending towards the distance and hooking onto the Bicorn Gigantism. With a flash of light on the spider silk, Lin Xinyue''s figure vanished, only to appear beside the Bicorn Gigantism in the far distance the next moment. The giant hand of Zhu Rong''s Ancestral Witch avatar ended up grasping at thin air. ¡°Heavenly Silkworm Silk!¡± Shen Luo immediately recognized the origin of this silver spider silk. This was a divine power from the Pansi Cave. The spider silk contained the power of space, allowing instant movement to any location connected by the silk, regardless of distance. In reality, Lin Xinyue had secretly attached the Heavenly Silkworm Silk to him and tracked him using this divine power. Now, Lin Xinyue''s use of this divine power was refined by more than a hundredfold, and he had not even noticed the silk''s presence earlier. Shen Luo''s expression darkened. He gave up dealing with Ma Xiuxiu and urged the three Ancestral Witch avatars to charge at Lin Xinyue and the demon wind, preparing to slay them. He also stood up, flipped his hand to take out the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod and the War God Whip, planning to take action himself. The demon wind had been sitting cross-legged and casting spells from afar, which made Shen Luo feel somewhat uneasy, especially since the black-red large banner the other party summoned seemed to have some connection with the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation and could not be allowed to continue. Seeing the three Ancestral Witches charging over, the Bicorn Gigantism and the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon flashed in front of the demon wind to intercept them, ready for battle. Lin Xinyue hesitated for a moment but did not flee. She flipped her hand and pulled out a bright silver long whip inlaid with nine crystal stones that resembled stars, while beautiful music surrounded the area, suggesting that it was an extraordinary Magical Treasure. At this moment, the demon wind, who had been casting spells with closed eyes, suddenly opened them. The black and red commanding banner above his head had now expanded to a size of seven or eight zhang, billowing in the wind. The demon wind spat out a mouthful of essence blood, which merged into the black-red commanding banner, causing it to swell again in the wind and instantly transformed into a gigantic banner several dozen zhang in size. A round of sun-like blood light burst forth from it, spreading rapidly to the surroundings, and in the blink of an eye, it enveloped all twelve Ancestral Witches. The expressions of the twelve Ancestral Witches went dull, and the three Ancestral Witches controlled by Shen Luo did the same. Their flying forms suddenly stopped mid-air as if they had turned into statues. This situation was identical to when Shen Luo used the Vajra Ring to collect the twelve-faced array flags. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo frowned as the connection with the three Ancestral Witches was suddenly severed, and he could no longer direct them. Moreover, the ring-shaped formation composed of the twelve black flags also began to shake erratically, hinting at the verge of collapse. The demon wind flipped his hand and took out another dark red bead, crushing it in an instant. Countless blood clouds reappeared, merging into the bodies of the twelve Ancestral Witches. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After absorbing the blood clouds, the twelve Ancestral Witches quickly regained their vitality. Their bodies swelled by a third, their eyes turned blood-red, and they suddenly pounced towards a section of empty space. More than twenty big hands struck down simultaneously. With a thunderous boom, the void there shattered completely, and a white scroll was forcibly pulled out¨Cit was the Map of Mountains and Rivers. A salted fish with no pursuit in life entered the game world of Ling Cage as a casual player, wishing to take things easy? No chance. Check out ¡°The Casual Gamer Can''t Have Any Bad Intentions¡± by Fruity Miao, a web novel based on the world-view of Ling Cage. Chapter 1031 Chapter 1031: Chapter 1028 Unmasking Chapter 1031: Chapter 1028 Unmasking Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Shen Luo saw the situation outside and his expression finally changed as he cast a spell to propel the Map of Mountains and Rivers to escape. However, the big hands of the twelve Ancestral Witches firmly grasped the Map, the power of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation contained between their palms. The spiritual light of the Scroll fiercely flashed as it struggled mightily, but it couldn''t break free at all. ¡°I finally caught you! After learning of the fall of the Nine Netherworlds, Master Chiyou knew that the Vajra Ring had fallen into your hands. Thus, he had me use the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation''s twelve banners as bait, allowing you to steal them, to pinpoint your location. See where you can flee to now!¡± the demon wind sneered with a grim laugh as it changed the magic spell in its hands. The black-red large flag above its head surged with light, as the battle formation map pattern on it suddenly leaped out and rapidly unfolded, instantly becoming a massive formation map that enveloped half of the Imperial City. Previously, the grandeur of the formation map wasn''t fully evident on the large flag, but now that it was spread out, its hugeness was on full display, far surpassing the Zhou Tian Star Battle Remnant Array set up by Zhenyuanzi at the bottom of the Yinling Mountain Tomb. Within the massive formation map emerged hundreds of array eyes, flickering with black light, and at the center of the formation map was the Map of Mountains and Rivers. ¡°So it''s a trap!¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was then that Shen Luo fully understood, his face looking a bit ugly, as he poured all his mana within to power the Map of Mountains and Rivers with all his might. But enormous powers seeped in from all around, firmly imprisoning the Map of Mountains and Rivers there, rendering it completely immobile. ¡°Cousin!¡± From a distance, Nie Caizhu saw this scene, her pretty face losing color, and transformed into a streak of green escape light, shooting towards Shen Luo. But suddenly a golden sword light descended from the sky, rapidly wrapping around the green escape light. In a flash, it transformed into hundreds of golden sword shadows, forming into a vast sword net, enveloping the green escape light within and violently grinding it down. Nie Caizhu, inside the green escape light, was startled and quickly took refuge inside her Jade Purification Bottle. The golden sword net slashed at the Jade Purification Bottle, emitting a series of loud bangs. Although it didn''t break the bottle, it sent it flying back on its original path. Behind the golden sword net, a figure appeared, and it was Ma Xiuxiu. ¡°Brother Nie, it would be best for you to stay here,¡± Ma Xiuxiu said with a slight cold sneer. On the other side, Zhenyuanzi saw Shen Luo''s predicament and his face grew grave as he waved his sleeve and a flash of the Heavenly Book Projection passed over his body. Boom! A hundred feet wide golden vortex enveloped Kong Xuan, the void there shattered, spatial rifts also wrapped in the vortex, restraining Kong Xuan. But Zhenyuanzi''s figure flickered as he dashed towards Shen Luo. Yet, with a wave of Kong Xuan''s arm, a sweep of the five-color divine light raised a five-wave surge, enveloping the area, shattering the surrounding golden vortex. The five light waves shot forward instantly, blocking in front of Zhenyuanzi and stopping him in his tracks. ¡°Zhenyuan Taoist friend, if the Heavenly Book in your hands were complete, perhaps my five-color divine light would not be able to resist, but unfortunately, your Heavenly Book is still a piece with deficiencies, so please stay,¡± Kong Xuan laughed heartily, as countless five-color sword lights shot out from within the waves, covering the sky and enveloping Zhenyuanzi. Zhenyuanzi quickly acted to defend himself but also couldn''t make a move to save Shen Luo. ¡°So that''s how it is, just now I somewhat misunderstood you, Honorable Hai Pig. However, Shen Luo is still within this Scroll, and we must pull him out,¡± said the Bicorn Gigantism, now understanding the full story, forthrightly admitting his own mistake and then speaking. The Yellow-robed Wolf Demon and Lin Xinyue also looked towards the demon wind. ¡°Do not hurry, the three of you. Master Chiyou has already calculated everything. This formation map is the true Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation that requires one hundred and twenty people to jointly activate to fully display its power. Please assist me, using this Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation to refine the Map of Mountains and Rivers and kill Shen Luo inside,¡± the demon wind said to the three. ¡°This is no problem, however, the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-Slaying Formation requires one hundred and twenty people to activate, and we only have three. How can it be done?¡± the bicorn giant frowned and asked. ¡°Hehe, the three of you need not worry about this.¡± The demon wind chuckled and pointed a magic spell towards the black-red large flag above. A black light gate appeared on the flag with a flash, and figures shot out from it, which were the nearly one hundred True Immortal Stage demons from the blood-colored stone platform earlier. As soon as these demons appeared, they promptly landed on the many white array eyes within the battle formation map and began channeling mana into the map. The bicorn giant, the yellow-robed wolf demon, and Lin Xinyue, seeing this, were relieved and also flashed into the battle formation map, landing at three main array eyes to channel mana into it. The black battle formation map began to rotate slowly, with a thunderous boom, the sky trembled, and the earth also shook. A force great enough to crush heaven and earth enshrouded the Map of Mountains and Rivers, seeping into the interior. Inside the world of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, the heavens cracked, and the earth split asunder, all green mountains and clear waters crumbled, Shen Luo''s expression changed and his tall body bent, crushed under the pressure, unable to breathe. ¡°All Heaven Demon Fire!¡± The demon wind changed the magic spell in his hand and shouted low. ¡°Boom!¡± Countless black and red demonic flames surged within the black battle formation map, burning fiercely. In an instant, everything within the range of the formation map turned to ashes, and the void itself violently undulated as if it were about to be incinerated. These black and red demonic flames were more than ten times more powerful than the blood-colored demonic flames inside the black light shield outside. The Map of Mountains and Rivers was also engulfed by these demonic flames, which hungrily burned through everything. A terrifyingly high temperature rapidly penetrated the Map of Mountains and Rivers, brutally refining the prohibitions within. Feeling this, Shen Luo quickly channeled mana and divine sense power, activating the prohibitions of the Map of Mountains and Rivers to resist. But as soon as his divine sense power touched the power of the demon fire, his vision suddenly turned red, and in his mind appeared an endless sea of blood, within which floated countless corpses, piling up like mountains of white bones. A wave of violent, crazed, brutal energy immediately poured over, backflowing into his mind. A hint of pain flashed over Shen Luo''s face, but fortunately, his divine soul realm had greatly increased, and he was still able to bear it, quickly activating the Huangting Technique''s Suppressing God Technique in full force to resist. Within the huge battle formation map, the demon wind watched the Map of Mountains and Rivers being firmly suppressed by the great formation, still flickering with light and revealing a trace of golden light, his brow slightly furrowed, but soon relaxed. ¡°The Huangting Technique truly lives up to its reputation as the defining divine power of Mount Fangcun. However, Your Excellency is destined to fall here. Accept your fate,¡± the demon wind proclaimed with a booming voice, clearly reaching Shen Luo''s ears. The demon wind''s voice contained a force that made one involuntarily submit, as if it were the judgment of destiny itself. ¡°Heart-bewildering divine power? You think you can make me submit with such despicable means? Ridiculous!¡± Shen Luo sneered and began circulating the Huangting Technique at an unprecedented speed, his body suddenly bursting forth with dazzlingly brilliant golden light. Whether it was the frenzied circulation of skills or the great pressure sparking his potential, his enlightenment of the Huangting Technique swiftly advanced, reaching an entirely new realm. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from around him surged and gathered, and his cultivation level began advancing towards the Taiyi Late Stage. The golden light atop the Map of Mountains and Rivers brightened a bit, resisting the encroaching demonic flames around it. Chapter 1032 Chapter 1032: Chapter 1029: Remnant Soul Chapter 1032: Chapter 1029: Remnant Soul ¡°` ¡°You refuse to see reason. Since that''s the case, let your soul be thoroughly scattered!¡± The demon wind, having its purpose exposed by Shen Luo, became somewhat frantic and spat out a mouthful of essence blood. As the demon wind swiftly formed hand seals, the essence blood ¡°pop¡± exploded, transforming into a cloud of blood mist that merged into the black-red large flag. The flag, as if it had taken a powerful tonic, waved fiercely, its radiance growing much brighter. The speed of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation immediately increased significantly, as boundless demon fire enveloped the Map of Mountains and Rivers, cutting off all its connections with the outside world. Shen Luo suddenly felt the pressure surge, and with the Map of Mountains and Rivers isolated by the demonic array, even the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi couldn''t flow into it, halting the progress of his cultivation instantly. Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. If it weren''t for the problematic demonic array around him, and given a little more time, he could have stepped into the late stage of the Taiyi Realm. With immense pressures transmitting continually, allowing him no time to dwell on it, he had to muster his strength to resist. However, after consecutive great battles with the Six-Eared Macaque and the Nine Netherworlds, he had already used up half of his mana, and now, confronting the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation alone, his mana was depleting even more. Although he had some elixirs that could replenish his mana, that was merely a drop in the bucket. Shen Luo''s mana was rapidly depleting, and the spiritual light on the Map of Mountains and Rivers also began to dim. ¡°Heh, Shen Luo is close to his limit. Push harder!¡± The demon wind''s eyes brightened as it exerted its full power to stimulate the black-red large flag above, which was also the main flag of the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation. Seeing this, the others also maintained the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation with all their strength, their immense powers incessantly seeping into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The golden light on Shen Luo''s body rapidly dissipated, and his body felt hollow, not a trace of mana remaining. Yet, he did not give up; he still operated the Huangting Technique with all his might, attempting to deploy a secret technique within it that burned flesh and blood to replenish mana. But at this moment, a cluster of golden light suddenly shone on his chest, quickly expanding, revealing a golden monkey hair within. ¡°This is¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly. He was not unfamiliar with this monkey hair, it was exactly what he had seen back in the cave on Mount Fangcun when he first acquired the methodology of the Huangting Technique. How could it appear on him? The golden monkey hair quickly left his body, and the golden light it emitted suddenly became ten times brighter. A white-haired elder Daoist clad in a Taoist robe appeared, who was the very old Daoist who had imparted the Huangting Technique to him back then. Only now, the white-haired elder''s appearance was no longer vague, it became clear and distinct. This person had a peculiar appearance, with three long beards reaching his chest and an air of immortal grace about him. His eyes were particularly remarkable, bright beyond compare, with starlight flickering within as if hiding an endless vortex of a silver galaxy where myriad stars rose and sank, emitting infinite mystery. The white-haired elder waved his sleeve, and a vast presence that overpowered heaven and earth spread out, easily blocking the pressure from the outer Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation. Shen Luo straightened his body and looked at the old man in front of him with surprise. ¡°Very good. Apart from Wukong, another has finally cultivated the Huangting Technique to Perfection,¡± the white-haired elder said, looking at Shen Luo with a smile. ¡°Are you the Bodhi Ancestor?¡± Shen Luo was startled and then bowed his hands in salute, asking. Although he had never seen the Bodhi Ancestor or his portrait, the only person under the heaven capable of imparting the Huangting Technique and possessing such divine powers was none other than the Bodhi Ancestor. ¡°` ¡°You are quite astute, though I am not Bodhi; he has long since fallen. I am merely a remnant spirit he left behind,¡± the white-haired elder said with a faint smile. ¡°I see. However, it is not incorrect to address you as Bodhi Ancestor. I¡­ no, disciple pays respects to the Ancestor. That year, I mistakenly entered a secret cave on Mount Fangcun and acquired the Huangting Technique, and without your permission, I presumptuously cultivated it. Please forgive me, Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo bowed deeply in salutation. ¡°Bodhi left the Huangting Technique in that secret cave, precisely waiting for a predestined person to come and inherit the Daoist lineage of Mount Fangcun. You did nothing wrong; there is no need for such formality. Rise,¡± the white-haired elder beckoned with a palm motion. Shen Luo''s body involuntarily stood up, and his heart couldn''t help but be secretly shocked. His cultivation level had already reached the Middle Stage of Taiyi, and his physical body had become extremely formidable. Yet, he was unable to resist the slightest lift from the white-haired elder. He couldn''t help but wonder how powerful the Bodhi Ancestor must have been in his day! ¡°May I ask the Ancestor, who was responsible for the destruction of Mount Fangcun?¡± His gaze flashed slightly before he asked. The desolate state of Mount Fangcun was still vivid in Shen Luo''s mind. Although he had not been formally accepted into the sect, he had a favorable impression of it since he had cultivated many of the sect''s secret techniques. Knowing the details of the destruction of Mount Fangcun would be beneficial for him to remind the Mount Fangcun Sect in the real world and avoid the disaster of sect annihilation. ¡°This was the doing of Chiyou, who personally led his great army. It is not something that your power can stop, and it is needless for you to interfere,¡± the white-haired elder said with an indifferent gaze, seemingly perceiving Shen Luo''s thoughts. Shen Luo''s expression turned solemn, and he said no more. ¡°My time is running short, so there is no need to dwell on these matters. I have something more important to discuss with you,¡± the white-haired elder cut off Shen Luo''s words. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo replied sharply, eagerly acknowledging. ¡°Your aptitude is quite remarkable, on a par with Wukong. In a very short period of time, you''ve cultivated to your current realm, and you are brave enough to confront the Demon Clan without tarnishing the name of Mount Fangcun. Very good!¡± A look of approval flashed in the eyes of the white-haired elder. ¡°These are all things I should do,¡± Shen Luo said, and then kept silent, not wanting to waste time. ¡°Your strength is indeed considerable now, and you have the Map of Mountains and Rivers in your possession, but to confront Chiyou, it is still far from enough. This remnant spirit of mine contains the Imprint of Dao Heart of Bodhi, which holds his insights into the cultivation of the Huangting Technique and many secret techniques of Mount Fangcun. Normally, your Soul Power would be too weak to bear this imprint, but fortunately, by utilizing the Soul Devouring Array, you have elevated your divine soul to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, making you fit to receive Bodhi''s Imprint of Dao Heart. I will soon imprint it into your body, helping your cultivation to advance further. How much you can comprehend, however, will depend on your talent and fortune,¡± the white-haired elder continued to speak, his expression becoming a bit more serious. ¡°Yes, thank you for your generous gift, Ancestor!¡± Shen Luo replied with great joy and gratitude. ¡°Good, then sit down,¡± the white-haired elder immediately said. Shen Luo sat down cross-legged, calming his mind and spirit. The white-haired elder raised his hand, and a wheel-shaped golden seal emerged in his palm, glowing brightly with golden light and emanating intense mana fluctuations. Shen Luo''s own mana and various God''s Powers vibrated excitedly in response to these fluctuations. The white-haired elder''s palm moved and pressed onto the top of Shen Luo''s head. Countless golden runes flew from the seal imprint, forming an array of profound Great Dao Principles and secret techniques, pouring into Shen Luo''s mind energetically. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s body trembled uncontrollably, and his understanding of powers like Three Stars Demolishing Demons, ¡°Immortal Escape,¡± Slanting Moon Steps, and Splashy Chaotic Stick improved dramatically. His eyes shone with specks of starlight, just like the white-haired elder''s eyes. They soon converged into a brilliant galaxy, though on a much smaller scale. A green light radiated from his body, quickly growing bright. The surrounding void was also tinged green, appearing to merge with his body, ready to vanish into the void at any moment. Chapter 1033 Chapter 1033: 1030 Chapter: Anomaly Chapter 1033: 1030 Chapter: Anomaly Shen Luo''s feet suddenly erupted with one after another grand Moonlight Glamour, becoming brighter and brighter. His feet trembled fiercely, as peculiar moon shadow patterns swiftly congealed within the meridians of his feet. His body became extremely light, and he formed a strange connection with the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. With just a slight movement, he could travel a great distance. Those moon shadow patterns were the Moonlight Glyphs, the true mark of perfection for the Slanting Moon Steps! As for the Splashy Chaotic Stick skill, his understanding also deepened rapidly. Visions of the staff method''s demonstrations appeared in his mind, all the mysteries of the skill unveiled. Then these demonstration visions began to merge with each other. The initially exceedingly complicated and profound Splashy Chaotic Stick started to simplify, and soon the staff methods in his mind were reduced to simple moves like stabbing, lifting, parrying, and smashing, but their momentum became even more grand. However, what Shen Luo understood most deeply this time was still the Huangting Technique; every transformation of this skill flowed through his heart, clearer than ever before. A dazzling golden light lit up on his body and flickered rapidly, absorbing some of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi remaining inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers and advancing his cultivation level forward. But there wasn''t much Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the Map of Mountains and Rivers to begin with, and since it couldn''t draw more from the outside world to replenish it, it was quickly exhausted. The white-haired old man frowned at this scene and beckoned with his hand to the side. The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod that Shen Luo had previously put aside on the ground immediately flew over, landing in the old man''s hands. ¡°Clang¡­¡± A flood of Golden light suddenly erupted from the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. Its radiance, as blazing as the sun in the sky, dazzled the eyes and was unbearable to look at, more than ten times brighter than when in Shen Luo''s hands. The rod itself emitted a piercing roar like a dragon''s chant, soaring directly to the Nine Heavens. The white-haired old man moved his arm, striking upwards with the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand without any fancy maneuvers, appearing to be just an ordinary cleave. However, the moment the long stick was struck, the old man''s figure blurred for a moment, and the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hand also became obscure, with a dozen or so indistinct rod shadows appearing around it. The next moment, all the rod shadows reconvened, gathering on the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, and nearly half the rod plunged into the void with a whoosh. Outside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, a streak of golden light suddenly flashed within the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation, and the phantom of a mountain-sized golden giant stick appeared out of thin air, striking fiercely on the formation. With a thunderous boom, the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation was forcibly pierced by the golden giant stick, creating a huge hole. The Spiritual Light from the Map of Mountains and Rivers surged wildly, and the mountains and rivers inside it revolved, exerting a tremendous suction force. Spiritual Qi from the outside world rushed in, cascading into the Map of Mountains and Rivers like a broken galaxy from the hole created by the stick phantom. All the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi that entered the Map were immediately absorbed into Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s body greedily absorbed this Spiritual Qi, and his cultivation level leaped forward rapidly, achieving the Taiyi Late Stage in just a few breaths and then quickly reaching the Taiyi Peak. Outside, Demon Wang and others watched this scene, both shocked and furious. They operated the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation at full force, trying to hit the golden giant stick and close the hole, but it was all in vain. The golden giant stick phantom contained a terrifying breath that overpowered Heaven and Earth, and the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation could not contend with it. Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, as the mountains and rivers phantom turned, the force it exerted grew even more immense, nearly depleting the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the surrounding hundred li. Such disturbance was also noticed by Yang Jian, Puhua Tianseng, Nezha, Bull Demon King, and others outside Chang''an City, all of them showing differing expressions. The battle outside had already changed significantly from the beginning, with all three armies suffering more than half casualties. They had completed their mission of drawing the Demon Clan''s attention to create conditions for Shen Luo and others to infiltrate, and now they had joined forces at one place, confronting the demons with a war formation. The Demon Clan had also suffered considerable damage, but their strength was still much stronger than that of Yang Jian and others. However, Yang Jian and his allies were able to barely hold their ground with the proficient war formation. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi is being drained on such a large scale, something big must have happened inside. I''ll leave the situation out here to Puhua Tianseng and Nezha, and go in with Ping Tian Saint to take a look, how about that?¡± Yang Jian communicated with Nezha and Puhua Tianseng to discuss. ¡°No, second brother, let me go in with you, and leave the outside to Ping Tian Saint and Puhua Tianseng.¡± Nezha was always eager to fight, with the battle outside gradually calming down; he was very keen to meet with other Demon Venerates inside Chang''an City. ¡°Nezha, stop fooling around. The 99 Soul-Scattering Gourd of Yellow Dragon Immortal can scatter souls and possesses immense power. Only your Lotus incarnation, which has no soul and no spirit, can contend with it. It would be better to let Ping Tian Saint and Erlang True Monarch go ahead,¡± Puhua Tianseng said. Nezha glanced at Puhua Tianseng, knowing that what he said was the truth, and reluctantly nodded. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Yang Jian''s feet flashed with golden light as he utilized his Earth Penetrating Golden Light divine power to wrap himself and the Bull Demon King, disappearing in an instant. In the Demon Clan Army opposite them, Yellow Dragon Immortal and the Nine-Headed Insect also noticed the anomaly in the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi but did not pay it much attention. Most of the Twelve Demons were within the city, and with the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation in place, and with Chiyou almost awake, even if someone managed to infiltrate, it would be akin to throwing their life away. Within Chang''an City, Zhenyuanzi and Kong Xuan felt the disturbance of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from a much closer distance. ¡°Could this be¡­¡± Both of their faces showed a look of astonishment, seeing more clearly than Yang Jian and the others. Within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Shen Luo was completely enveloped in a liquid-like golden light that blurred his features. The flickering golden light emitted an increasingly immense aura, gradually surpassing the Taiyi Realm. The white-haired old man watched Shen Luo''s transformation with a trace of gratification on his face. He still had his palm on top of Shen Luo''s head, channeling the Imprint of Dao Heart from Bodhi Ancestor into Shen Luo''s body. ¡°Such a scene, could it be that Shen Luo is about to make a breakthrough to the Heavenly Venerate Realm? We must not let him succeed!¡± Inside the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation, demon wind was shocked and angry, with a hint of resolve flashing in his eyes, he raised his hand to beckon. A streak of blood light shot out from his body, revealing a blood-red large flag, the Chiyou''s Banner that had been used in the Underworld before. With quick hand gestures, the Chiyou''s Banner''s blood light flickered wildly. Then, with a ¡°pu chi¡± sound, it spontaneously exploded, turning into a mass of thick blood cloud that merged into the black-red large flag above. This thick blood cloud was the essence of the Chiyou''s Banner, originating from the same source as the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation. The light on the black-red large flag magnified, and a thick bloodstream shot out from within, turning into a blood-red giant claw. The other people had the same thought as the demon wind; they all spared no expense to increase the power of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation. The demonic flames within the formation suddenly strengthened several-fold, converging towards the blood-red giant claw. In the blink of an eye, they condensed into a hundred-foot-long flaming demonic claw. The demonic claw burned with flames, its black claws covered with blood-red scales and demonic patterns, exuding a sharpness that could tear the void. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Primordial Heaven Devil Claw!¡± Demon wind reached out and grabbed into the void. The black flaming giant claw flew out at once, traversing dozens of feet in a flash and fiercely clamping down on the golden giant stick''s phantom. With a ¡°crack¡± sound! The phantom of the giant stick was forcefully shattered, turning into countless drifting sparkles. Joy erupted on the faces of demon wind and the others, and they quickly urged the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation to life. The surrounding demonic flames and dark clouds rushed about, attempting to seal off that hole. Suddenly, thunderous roars, like rolling thunder, sounded in the void above Chang''an City. The dense demonic clouds scattered, revealing a clear blue sky. The sun in the sky suddenly became more than ten times larger, as if it were rapidly approaching the ground. The blue canopy of the sky was instantly dyed golden, and the ground of Chang''an City was also bathed in gold. Then, earth-shaking howls burst forth as streams of flame-like, shimmering light fell from the enlarged sun, forming a gigantic torrent that poured into that huge hole. The devil clouds within the formation touched this fiery light rain and immediately disintegrated. Far from sealing the hole, they were even forced to retreat, and the hole expanded rapidly. The entire Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation trembled uncontrollably, seemingly unable to withstand this sudden celestial might. On the other side of the sky, illuminated by the sun, the moon, which had not been visible during the day, also appeared, growing as rapidly and brightly as the sun. Countless beams of moonlight fell down, forming another great flood of white and also pouring into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Chapter 1034 Chapter 1034: Chapter 1031 Obstruction Chapter 1034: Chapter 1031 Obstruction ¡°Golden clouds cover the sky, the sun and moon fall from the void! Shen Luo has really advanced to the Heavenly Venerate Realm! How is this possible, he was clearly only at the Taiyi Intermediate Stage before!¡± Zhenyuanzi''s face showed an expression of disbelief, but more so excitement. Next to him, Kong Xuan had an ugly look on his face and glanced at Zhenyuanzi, with a barely perceptible fluctuation of five-colored light on his body. ¡°Where do you think you''re going!¡± Zhenyuanzi suddenly looked over, his golden duster in hand moving like a dragon breaking through the sky, fiercely striking a spot dozens of yards away where there was no one. With a ¡°zing¡± sound, the void in that area tore open a spatial rift dozens of yards long, and another Kong Xuan tumbled out of it. ¡°I didn''t expect you to be so proficient in doppelganger god''s power, but don''t think you can fool me!¡± With a sweep of his two large sleeves, Zhenyuanzi aimed at both Kong Xuans simultaneously. The situation took a drastic turn, with Zhenyuanzi now entangling Kong Xuan. On the other side, Nie Caizhu saw this unusual spectacle and recognized it as a sign of Shen Luo''s advancement, immediately overjoyed. She hurriedly urged the Yangliu Branch and the Jade Purification Bottle, unleashing various Mount Putuo Supernatural Powers to entangle Ma Xiuxiu. Inside the Great Formation, demon wind and the others had ashen faces, but the True Solar Fire that fell from the sky was the nemesis of Demonic Qi. Their strength was insufficient, unable to get close at all. ¡°We can''t let Shen Luo advance smoothly. I''ve heard that breaking through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm requires a process of remolding the body with True Solar Essence and True Lunar Essence. As long as we disrupt this process, not only will Shen Luo fail to break through, but he will also be gravely injured!¡± Lin Xinyue said. ¡°Lord of Mao Rabbit is right. We must interrupt Shen Luo''s advancement. Otherwise, should he successfully break through, even the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation might not suppress him! Hai Pig venerable, do you have any methods? The Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation is the Supreme Ancient Demon Array, surely it has more power than this?¡± The Bicorn Gigantism immediately spoke up, looking towards demon wind. ¡°The power of the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation is boundless, of course, it''s not limited to this; however, my Cultivation level is shallow, and I cannot bring out its full potential. At this point, we have no choice but to self-destruct the entire Great Formation to interrupt Shen Luo''s breakthrough,¡± demon wind said, with a flash of ruthlessness in his eyes. ¡°Self-destruct the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation? This array was painstakingly refined by Lord Chiyou, it would be too pity to destroy it just like that,¡± Lin Xinyue said, seemingly pained. ¡°Shortsighted! If we kill these people and let Lord Chiyou awaken successfully, the whole Three Realms will be ours for the taking. Why mourn the loss of a mere formation! Hai Pig venerable, proceed with the plan and immediately self-destruct the formation!¡± The Bicorn Gigantism scolded Lin Xinyue with a glance and told demon wind. ¡°Alright!¡± demon wind nodded vigorously, then spewed out a mouthful of essence blood, rubbing hands together and then lifting them. The essence blood turned into a dense swarm of magic spells, pouring into the Black-Red Large Flag like a rainstorm. The Black-Red Large Flag spun rapidly, its surface flashing fiercely with black light and blood light, inflating like being pumped up, and the battle formation map of the entire All Heaven Gods Evil Formation lit up in response. But at that moment, the True Solar Fire and lunar light that had fallen from the sky suddenly ceased, and the golden clouds dispersed along with it. Then, with a ¡°boom,¡± a loud noise erupted, and the white light on the Map of Mountains and Rivers burst forth brilliantly, an immense and majestic force, like the Heavenly River, surged out from the Map. The Twelve Ancestral Witches holding the Map were shaken away like falling leaves, completely powerless to resist. The pressure the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation had exerted on the Map of Mountains and Rivers was shattered by this force, and the entire Formation map was rocked, causing demon wind and the others'' bodies to tremble violently. The self-destruction of the Great Formation paused momentarily. ¡°What happened? Has Shen Luo already advanced to the Heavenly Venerate Realm? Impossible! How could it be so swift?¡± demon wind exclaimed in shock. In the instant of his astonishment, the sky above the Black-Red Large Flag rippled, and a mountain-sized golden giant palm appeared out of thin air, striking down like lightning and gripping the swiftly inflating Black-Red Large Flag. The sacred brilliance of golden light immediately enveloped the Black-Red Large Flag, pressing down the furious Demonic Qi within it. The demon wind was startled and was about to cast a spell to summon the Black-Red Large Flag when a white circle flew out from the center of the golden giant palm. It was the Vajra Ring, which snared the Black-Red Large Flag. The demonic qi quickly dissipated from this main flag of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation, and with a whoosh, it also disappeared into the white circle. With the main formation flag taken away, the battle formation map of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation flashed wildly a few times before collapsing with a bang. Countless black threads burst out, immediately turning into a sky-obscuring wave of black light. Within the formation, over a hundred True Immortals of the Demon Clan, as well as the demon wind, Lin Xinyue, and the bicorn gigantism, were all sent flying out. The black devil cloud light curtain enveloping Chang''an City also thinned out a lot. Ripples appeared in the void above the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and Shen Luo''s figure emerged and went away. He looked no different from before, but the feeling he gave others had undergone a drastic change. The previous Shen Luo was boldly aggressive, every move radiated immense majesty, like a towering peak standing between Heaven and Earth. Even without trying, he was incredibly eye-catching. But now, Shen Luo had no aura at all, all his majesty was concealed within, like a bottomless ocean that no one knew how deep it was or what power it hid. The white-haired old man had disappeared, and without his assistance, Shen Luo couldn''t have completed the Sun and Moon strengthening process so quickly. Shen Luo swept his gaze around, waved his sleeve, and thirteen flags of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation appeared in front of him. Tremendous mana from the Heavenly Venerate Realm was infused into them. The prohibitions within the thirteen flags were all refined, and the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation was immediately reactivated. The formation map appeared again, but it was several times larger than when the demon wind had activated it, covering the entire Chang''an City and extending beyond, even including the underworld of Chang''an City within its range. Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly as the formation map sensed a black space with a huge Blood Pool inside, and a colossal figure lying within. Although the person''s eyes were tightly shut, his body flickered with black light, and the intense Demonic Qi roiled as if he was about to awake at any moment. The entire black space was shrouded by a mysterious prohibition of the Demon Clan, hiding all signs of qi fluctuations within. If it weren''t for the fact that the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation was an ancient Demonic Array, and that it shared a similar power with the prohibition of the Demon Clan there, even with his advancement to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, Shen Luo wouldn''t have been able to detect this situation. ¡°Chiyou!¡± Shen Luo looked towards the colossal figure, his pupils suddenly constricted, and he raised his hand to sacrifice the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Now that his cultivation had greatly increased, the Map of Mountains and Rivers could unleash its full power. The scroll radiated red, yellow, green, blue, and golden lights, sweeping toward the giant figure in the Blood Pool like a five-colored Heavenly River cascading downwards. Above Chiyou''s head, the black figure suddenly looked up, seeming to sense Shen Luo''s gaze, his eyes darkened, and he grasped at the void with both hands. A black giant axe appeared in the space above the black space, its shape ancient and as big as a mountain. It shimmered with flowing light, exuding an awe-inspiring pressure that was too intimidating to face directly. Atop the Blood Pool Space, the five-colored lights intensified. The Map of Mountains and Rivers broke through the local prohibition, descending like a covering the heavens. The black figure didn''t panic, pinched a Magical Tactic with one hand, and with a lift, instantly several Magical Tactics flashed into the black giant axe. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black giant axe spun and emitted a black axe light, blocking the Map of Mountains and Rivers and preventing it from falling. ¡°What treasure is this axe that it can contend with the Map of Mountains and Rivers? Could it be the legendary Demon Clan''s treasure, the Sky Splitting Axe?¡± Shen Luo frowned. At this moment, he was multitasking, with half of his mana invested in operating the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation. He wasn''t surprised that the Map of Mountains and Rivers was being blocked. Chapter 1035 Chapter 1035: Chapter 1032: Revival Chapter 1035: Chapter 1032: Revival ¡°We must concentrate on dealing with Chiyou; leaving these members of the Demon Clan here is too unpredictable. It''s better to throw them all out.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, while telepathically informing Zhenyuanzi of finding Chiyou, his fingers formed a magic spell and pointed forward. The Array''s light shield around Chang''an City rapidly shrank, but also became thicker at an astonishing rate, resembling a rapidly constricting rice dumpling intending to wrap up all the demons within Chang''an City. At the same time, the incarnations of the Twelve Ancestral Witches controlled by Shen Luo charged towards the demon wind, the Bicorn Gigantism, Lin Xinyue, and the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon, preventing them from breaking through the light curtain and escaping. The demon wind, the Bicorn Gigantism, the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon, and Lin Xinyue, who had previously activated the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation, were greatly weakened and changed their expressions upon seeing the Twelve Ancestral Witches pounce upon them. However, as members of the Twelve Distinguished Ones, their mental fortitude was unwavering, and they each brought out their Magical Treasures to resist. Inside the Blood Pool Space, a black figure chanted spells under his breath, rubbing his hands together before thrusting them forward. The fourth, fifth, eleventh, and twelfth Blood Pools shone brightly as each one formed a bloody Array, spinning rapidly. The demon wind, the Bicorn Gigantism, the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon, and Lin Xinyue were enveloped in a flash of blood light and vanished on the spot, reappearing inside the Blood Pool Space. ¡°Lord Chiyou, the situation outside is critical; what is your purpose in summoning us back now?¡± the Bicorn Gigantism looked at the black silhouette and asked. The other three also turned their gazes toward the black silhouette. Shen Luo was also puzzled by Chiyou''s intentions, but with those four Taiyi Existences gone, his task became much easier. He directed all the Twelve Ancestral Witches towards Kong Xuan and Ma Xiuxiu; a deluge of their attacks, including flame, frost, deadly poison, and thunder and lightning, rained down without cease. These doppelgangers of the Ancestral Witches were powerful, comparable to the strength of the late stages of Taiyi. Even with Kong Xuan''s formidable power, he could only defend himself for the moment, unable to fight back. ¡°Shrink!¡± Shen Luo formed a spell with his fingers and cast out a golden magic spell with one hand. The speed at which the Array light shield of the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation shrank suddenly increased tenfold. In an instant, it reduced to a few miles in diameter, wrapping all the demons inside Chang''an City into a giant sphere suspended in mid-air. Zhenyuanzi and Nie Caizhu were not inside, having already been moved out of the light shield by Shen Luo. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo kicked out swiftly. With a kick, the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation flew away, vanishing into the distant sky in a flash. Although he wished to annihilate all the demons inside, it would require time, which was pressing at the moment, so he had no choice but to act this way. As for how long the uncontrolled Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation could confine Kong Xuan and the others, he didn''t have the luxury to worry about it. It would last as long as it could. ¡°Brother Shen, where is Chiyou?¡± Zhenyuanzi and Nie Caizhu flew over. Zhenyuanzi had also been searching for traces of Chiyou but had found nothing so far. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Deep underground¡­¡± Shen Luo was about to elaborate when his eyes suddenly widened in shock. Although the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation had been kicked away, the Map of Mountains and Rivers had invaded the Blood Pool Space, allowing him to still sense what was happening inside. Within the Blood Pool Space, the black silhouette reached out with both hands, shooting out four blood tentacles as thick as bowls from the palms, piercing through the Dantians of the demon wind, the Bicorn Gigantism, the Yellow-robed Wolf Demon, and Lin Xinyue. ¡°Lord Chiyou¡­ What are you doing?¡± The Bicorn Gigantism watched in disbelief at the blood tentacles penetrating his body, while the other three shared expressions of shock and confusion. The black silhouette did not answer the Bicorn Gigantism. Instead, with a shake of his hands, dozens of finer tendrils emerged from the blood tentacles, stabbing into various parts of their bodies. Their bodies withered rapidly, turning into four dried corpses in the blink of an eye. Their divine souls also emerged but were wrapped in several blood tendrils, rendered immobile. ¡°What is he doing? This is bad!¡± On the ground, Shen Luo saw the scene unfolding and seemed to realize something, forcefully activating the Map of Mountains and Rivers. ¡°You just asked me what I called you back for at this moment. Naturally, it is to offer your essence blood and divine souls to aid my complete awakening. This is your honor!¡± The black shadow laughed heartily, opened its mouth, and swallowed the four souls in one gulp. A round of black light suddenly erupted from the shadow, and its body rapidly became more solid, turning into a black-robed young man with handsome features. The black giant axe above the blood pool also shone with an axe glow several times more intense than before, staunchly resisting the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The black-robed youth then began to chant an ancient spell, his body swiftly shrinking into a pitch-black child half a person tall in the blink of an eye. With a flicker of his figure, he transformed into a streak of black light and entered the flesh body of Chiyou in the blood pool. The body of Chiyou opened its eyes, a demonic light surged, and an overwhelming aura that reached the heavens and earth swept out from him. Boom! Boom! Boom! The space above the blood pool directly collapsed, as did the crust and soil layers above it. The Map of Mountains and Rivers was also shaken and flew out of the ground, darting off into the distance. Shen Luo hurriedly formed hand seals, stabilizing the treasure. Beneath, the ground cracked and collapsed, and a terrifyingly large body as massive as a mountain slowly emerged from the depths, holding that black giant axe. An immense aura burst forth from the colossal body, causing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi of the entire Great Tang Kingdom to shake. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and thunder and lightning roared. Out in the oceans to the east, west, south, and north of the Great Tang Kingdom, turbulent waves rose up violently, reaching a hundred feet high before crashing down with a thunderous roar. The damaged Heavenly Court, Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, and the Netherworld underground also shook, causing all beings there to tremble with fear, as if in dread of something. ¡°This is bad! Chiyou has awakened ahead of schedule!¡± Zhenyuanzi''s face darkened. Shen Luo''s eyebrows were also furrowed tightly. It wasn''t that he had been slow to react just now; who could have anticipated that Chiyou would directly extract the divine souls of the four Honorable Ones to aid his awakening. Moreover, that place was within the Demon Clan''s Great Formation in the blood pool space, and he was powerless to intervene even if he wanted to. Nie Caizhu looked at the immeasurably large demonic body of Chiyou, her face turning pale. Her own strength was only at the middle stage of Taiyi, which was vastly inferior to Chiyou''s. Merely enduring his imposing pressure made it hard for her to breathe. ¡°Haha! Although it has taken some twists and turns, I have finally fully awakened!¡± Chiyou laughed uproariously towards the heavens. His tremendous voice rolled like mighty waves, one wave more intense and ferocious than the next. Nie Caizhu''s face turned crimson, and she coughed out a small mouthful of fresh blood, having been directly injured by the sound of Chiyou''s voice. Shen Luo was about to use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to make a move, but seeing this scene, his figure hastily flickered, appearing in front of Nie Caizhu to block the surging sound waves. Nie Caizhu''s complexion then returned to normal. She did not thank Shen Luo but quickly used the Yangliu Branch to treat her wounds and restore the Mana that she and Zhenyuanzi had expended. Just then, a flash of golden light appeared nearby, and two figures emerged. It was Yang Jian and the Bull Demon King. ¡°Brother Niu, True Monarch, I''m very sorry that I couldn''t seal Chiyou in time,¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice. Yang Jian and the Bull Demon King did not say anything else. By his lonesome might, Chiyou had destroyed the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain; his strength was far superior to everyone present. They had not expected Shen Luo and the others to truly succeed and were already prepared for a desperate struggle. Chapter 1036 Chapter 1036: Chapter 1033: Tit for Tat Chapter 1036: Chapter 1033: Tit for Tat Chiyou had now stopped his mad laughter and looked down at the five people below. ¡°To think you advanced to the Heavenly Venerate Realm so quickly, Shen Luo, you truly have potential, and Zhenyuan Taoist friend is not bad either. I have awakened, the Heavenly Dao is declining, and the Demonic Path should prosper. This is the grand trend of Heaven and Earth. Why bother hitting a stone with an egg? If both of you are willing to submit to me, I can grant you a status second only to me, above all others,¡± Chiyou''s gaze settled on Shen Luo and Zhenyuanzi, and instead of immediately attacking, he issued an invitation. ¡°Dream on!¡± Shen Luo scoffed. ¡°You are the master of the Demonic Path, and we belong to the Immortal Path. Celestial and Demons are inherently opposed. Your Excellency need not waste your words, let us fight!¡± Zhenyuanzi also said indifferently. ¡°Celestial and Demons are inherently opposed? Demonic Qi and Spiritual Power are but two forms of the forces of Heaven and Earth. With your current strength, surely you understand such a simple truth?¡± Chiyou did not get angry but spoke leisurely. Zhenyuanzi furrowed his brows and remained silent for a moment. ¡°Even if Demonic Qi and Spiritual Power have no inherent good or evil, you command the Demon Clan, slaughtering countless creatures. The entire Three Realms are now on the verge of collapse!¡± Shen Luo sneered. ¡°Those matters were done by the Honorable Ones under my command. They are the ones who collected the qi and blood of the creatures of the Three Realms to hasten my awakening. Now that I am awake, naturally, I will not continue such slaughter. As long as you are willing to submit to me, we can govern the world together,¡± Chiyou said, raising his hands. ¡°Enough of your sweet words. Just now, in that Blood Pool, I saw everything clearly. Your Divine Soul has long been revived; it just cannot merge with your Corporeal Body, that''s all. As the ancestor of the Demon Clan, why push what you''ve done onto your subordinates? If the Three Realms fell into the hands of someone like you, there would be no justice or righteousness left!¡± Shen Luo spoke with a stern voice. ¡°Is justice and righteousness really that important to you?¡± The smile on Chiyou''s face disappeared. ¡°Of course, if it weren''t for justice and righteousness, why would I endure such hardship in cultivating my Dao-Practice!¡± Shen Luo reached out and drew out the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod. ¡°Brave words! But even the Three Purities and the Rulai of the Western Paradise were no match for me. Do you think that you, a newly advanced little Heavenly Venerate, can contend with me?¡± Chiyou laughed mockingly, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. ¡°We''ll only know after we fight!¡± The Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in Shen Luo''s hand shone with a sky-piercing Golden Light. The others also summoned their Magical Treasures, ready to take action immediately. ¡°You wish to fight with me? First, you must get past the Demon Generals under my command,¡± Chiyou spoke indifferently, raising his hand in a gesture. The Demon Clan outside, and even the Demon Clan Army outside the City, had their eyes lit up with Blood Light, as Demonic Qi within them erupted completely and surged toward the city. The All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation surrounding Chang''an City had vanished, and large swathes of the Demon Clan surged in, shooting straight towards the city, approaching in the blink of an eye. Yang Jian and the Bull Demon King''s expressions shifted slightly, ready to turn around to face the attack. ¡°Leave these Demons to me!¡± Zhenyuanzi said, forming a gesture. The Heavenly Book in his hand soared into Mid Air and opened with a whoosh. From it emerged countless golden and silver figures arranged densely in the Void, numbering in the tens of thousands¨Cthe Heavenly soldiers and generals from within the Heavenly Book. However, among them, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Juling God, and a few other Heavenly Generals were not mere shadows; they were actual figures with Spiritual Power fluctuations far more potent than before. Yet, their bodies lacked the breath of living beings and were filled with Corpse Air. This was because Zhenyuanzi, wishing to enhance the power of the Heavenly soldiers and generals within the Heavenly Book, had sought out the body remains of gods like the Juling God and used a Secret Method to infuse the remnants of their souls into the dead bodies, resulting in the current situation. Although these heavenly soldiers and generals had already fallen, their remaining spiritual wisdom was not high, yet their aversion to demonic qi was ingrained in their very marrow. Upon sensing the approaching Demon Clan, these heavenly soldiers and generals needed no prompting from Zhenyuanzi; they immediately shot out in all directions, engaging in fierce combat with the demons. The strength of the heavenly soldiers and generals was formidable, and with beings like the Juling God now possessing physical bodies, they instantly kept all the demons at bay outside. Shen Luo paid no mind to the situation outside, his brow slightly furrowed. Given Chiyou''s temperament, how could he remain unresponsive to their repeated provocations? He lifted his gaze to Chiyou and activated his Golden Vision Divine Ability, his pupils flickering with golden light. ¡°Chiyou has just awakened and has yet to fully control his own strength, that''s why he''s been talking so much, he''s delaying time! Daoist friends, now is the moment!¡± Shen Luo shouted loudly, raising his hand to summon the Map of Mountains and Rivers. As he spoke, he raised both palms to the heavens, mana surging out of him like a tidal wave, an invisible pressure from heaven and earth erupting, making the earth beneath his feet tremble and sink, revealing an intricate and ancient array of charm patterns. ¡°Open.¡± Shen Luo roared skyward as a multi-colored scroll soared up from his being, unrolling with a rustling sound, stretching over ten li in length. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On the scroll, the five-colored light flickered, with the power of the Five Elements clearly circulating endlessly within, bringing to life the meticulously painted landscape of mountains and rivers, whose colors seemed to bleed into a colorful ink painting due to the moisture. At the same time, the land of Chang''an where everyone stood seemed to form an ineffable connection with the scroll, thread by thread, the aura of Heaven and Earth continuously flowed into the scroll, adding vibrancy to it. ¡°Map of Mountains and Rivers¡­¡± Chiyou, recognizing the ten li scroll, furrowed his brows and bellowed. His massive body twisted abruptly, swinging the Sky Splitting Axe in his hand, demonic patterns lighting up all over his body, unleashing a vast and primitive force from his being. At this moment, even heaven and earth seemed to change color, as the overwhelming demonic qi within a ten li radius appeared to be sucked away in an instant, all converging on that giant axe, as the surrounding void seemed to solidify. With one slash from Chiyou, a black light burst forth from the axe, stretching out for a hundred li, tearing through the void directly and aiming towards the Map of Mountains and Rivers unfurled in the high altitude. ¡°Boom!¡± The roar of the explosion reverberated through the heavens, the earth shook tremendously, and the Heaven and Earth Aura mixed with demonic qi in the void were completely thrown into chaos by the axe, a black rift emerging in the void, splitting the land and sky alike, unable to close for a long time. In the thundering tremors, Chang''an City, already in ruins, was swept over by rolling waves of Qi, utterly turning into dust, while the nearly world-destroying black light blade still headed unstoppably towards the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Seeing this, Shen Luo looked grim, ready to stop channeling the scroll, looking for a way to shift it. Zhenyuanzi also had his fingers in a Magical Tactics, preparing to help. ¡°You all cast your spells with all your might, I will hold him off,¡± came a roar at this moment. The Bull Demon King leaped forward, taking his place in front of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, with black light swelling up around him, his figure expanding in a flash to a thousand zhang tall, his eyes emitting a blood-red glow, his body seemingly enveloped in steaming blood Qi, forming a mist that shrouded his entire being. Chapter 1037 Chapter 1037: Chapter 1034: Unyielding Chapter 1037: Chapter 1034: Unyielding Shen Luo had never seen the Bull Demon King in such a state; his aura was more potent than ever before, yet it seemed extremely unstable, fluctuating ceaselessly like tidal waters. ¡°Seeking death,¡± Chiyou sneered upon seeing this. The Bull Demon King was oblivious to this, as he had already fallen into an unusual realm. There were no other sounds in his ears, and his eyes were fixed on a single streak of black light. As a vast amount of essence blood burned within his body, the aura around him finally stabilized, surmounting the last barrier of the Taiyi Peak and reaching the Heavenly Venerate level. He grasped the Mixed Iron Staff tightly with both hands, strands of hot blood climbing onto it, winding around the staff while the charm patterns lit up layer by layer. The staff appeared to ignite, turning a fiery red. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Accompanied by a thunderous shout, he stepped forward and swung the Mixed Iron Staff. A torrent of Blood Flame ignited, dyeing half the sky red and colliding with the black light of the battle axe. ¡°Boom¡± An explosive roar came from the place where the two lights collided. The seemingly unstoppable black light from the axe blade stopped, clashing intensely with the widespread Blood Flame. When bound on a narrow path, neither would give way. Chiyou saw this, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He vibrated his arms and pressed down once more. The Bull Demon King couldn''t help but retreat half a step, his entire body bathed in blood. He gritted his teeth tightly, several of them silently shattering, yet he refused to retreat any further. ¡°Go¡­¡± His voice was hoarse, squeezing the word out as if from his throat, and suddenly he turned around sharply, carrying the Mixed Iron Staff on his shoulder, heaving it upward with the effort of a man lifting a mountain. The black light of the axe blade was forcefully lifted by his staff, changing its direction and rushing straight towards the heavens. ¡°Rumble¡­¡± Above the skydome, a beam of light arose from the Earth, cleaving the sky open with a chasm ten thousand zhang deep, the Heaven and Earth Aura around it chaotically swirling, unable to flow into and fill it. The widespread Blood Flame also extinguished inch by inch, turning into a blood rain that fell. On the Earth below, that majestic figure, thousands of zhang high, had vanished without a trace, leaving only a battered and bloodied body. The Bull Demon King, now back to human size, was covered in wounds, with fresh blood streaming like trickling water from everywhere, unstoppable, yet he still did not fall. He propped himself up with the Mixed Iron Staff, supporting his scar-ridden body. Chiyou, seeing his strike blocked and the blocker still showing signs of life, couldn''t help feeling a surge of admiration. But at this moment, he had no intention of showing mercy. Grasping the battle axe in both hands, he began to gather strength once more. Shen Luo, seeing this, would not give him the chance, disregarding whether the mana in his entire body would be depleted, and he spurred it into full force. ¡°Ah¡­¡± With a roar, the scroll above the skydome was finally fully colored and burst forth with vigorous vitality at that moment. Almost at the same time, Zhenyuanzi''s figure appeared on the scroll, and with a point of his Dharma Seal, a white whirlpool appeared on the map, sucking him in first. ¡°Opening,¡± he bellowed, as a dazzling Golden Light flew out from his body, revealing a golden tome. ¡°Whoosh¡± The sound of pages flipping echoed through the air as the golden scripture opened on its own. Pages scattered and flew towards the sky in the painting, transforming into ancient golden runes, merging into the void. Zhenyuanzi hovered in the void of the painting, arms spread, head tilted back to the sky, his mouth resonating with the sound of chanting. Above the firmament, an immensely powerful force began to be drawn down, pouring into his body. His eyes underwent a transformation at that moment, one turning white, the other black. His hands drew circles in the void, finally coming together in front of his chest, one finger pointing to the sky, the other pointing to the earth, connecting Heaven and Earth. At that moment, the edges of the Map of Mountains and Rivers painting in the void began to fade away, and that force of pure Heaven and Earth swept out like a gentle breeze in all directions, seemingly silent and breathless, yet unstoppable. The black light on the battle axe in Chiyou''s hand had lit up, only to extinguish once again. Looking around, he let out a silent sigh in his heart, realizing that his figure was no longer on the great earth of Chang''an, but inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Like him, Shen Luo and a few others were also pulled into the Map. Nie Caizhu stood behind Shen Luo and the Bull Demon King, her hands forming the seal of the Treasure Vase, with the Jade Purification Bottle floating in front of her. A slender willow branch hung over the heads of the three, emanating aqucolored light rippling like water. Her complexion was deathly pale, as she simultaneously channeled the Salvation of All Beings and the Sweet Dew of the Willow to help the Bull Demon King, who was gravely injured, and Shen Luo, who had massively expended his strength, to recover their combat capabilities. Yang Jian, with the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife in hand, stood by her side to protect, blood already seeping from the vertical eye in his brow. ¡°Cai Zhu, focus on healing Brother Niu, I can recover on my own,¡± Shen Luo said, swallowing three Elixirs and simultaneously activating the Nameless Cultivation Technique and the Great Unsealing Technique. While opening his own Qiao acupoints, he drew in the Heaven and Earth Aura with the Nameless Cultivation Technique, his recovery speed proving to be extremely fast. Seeing this, Nie Caizhu didn''t insist and focused on treating the Bull Demon King. The Bull Demon King was severely injured, having nearly burned up all his essence blood, and now completely lost the capacity for self-healing, relying entirely on Nie Caizhu''s healing to keep him alive. Once her mana could no longer sustain, the tiny flame of life left in the Bull Demon King would be extinguished. ¡°Do you really think that by pulling me into this Map of Mountains and Rivers, you''ll have a chance to seal me again? Too naive¡­¡± Chiyou swept his gaze over everyone and laughed coldly. Zhenyuanzi paid him no heed. With a wave of his hand, the space within the entire Map trembled, and from the directions of southeast, northwest, ¡°rumble¡± noises resounded as a mountain rose from the ground in each direction, ascending into the high altitude. ¡°Drive the Five Peaks to suppress the evil demon,¡± he uttered lightly. The earth beneath Chiyou shook continuously, and a mountain concealed underground rose with thunderous roars. A yellow halo glowed upon it, wrapping around him. At the same time, the Four Peaks had already flown into place, rooting themselves around the Central Yue Mountain, forming a defensive formation, each glowing bright. With the Five Peaks in position, a powerful force from the Earth began to be imbued in Chiyou, a pressure far exceeding the weight of the five mountains gradually bearing down on him. Chiyou''s feet began to sink into the Central Yue Mountain, his massive frame slowly descending, as if being pulled into the ground. ¡°Insignificant tricks, do you dare to flaunt your incompetence before me?¡± With a bellow, his body erupted with black light, and with a fierce stomp, waves of shock spread out from him like a tide in all directions. The five towering mountains, each a thousand feet tall, trembled violently at this moment. Rocks crumbled from their peaks, and their bases became unstable. Upon witnessing this, Zhenyuanzi''s eyes flashed with a surge of black and white light, and he pushed his palms downward with both hands. His sleeves whipped loudly, and layers of golden light condensed as if solid, falling from the sky and pressing down until the very void collapsed beneath their weight. Chapter 1038 Chapter 1038: Chapter 1035: The Golden Arrow Chapter 1038: Chapter 1035: The Golden Arrow ¡°To actually be able to use the power of Heaven''s Path¡­¡± Chiyou looked surprised at the sight. But he immediately showed a look of disdain and no longer hurried to escape the confinement of the Five Peaks. Grasping the Pangu Battle Axe with both hands, his body was enveloped in black light, the blade of the axe facing the sky. With one strike, he chopped down. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± Amidst a series of continuous explosive sounds, layers of golden light were successively chopped apart, and the power of Heaven''s Path was actually unable to block the might of his axe. Shen Luo and the others were shocked at this scene, and they also realized how difficult it had been for the Bull Demon King to block that blow earlier. Seeing this, Zhenyuanzi''s expression remained unchanged. The black and white lights in his eyes began to brighten even more, and in the void beneath him, another set of black and white lights condensed, merging into a vast Yin-Yang Paired Fish Diagram. This diagram looked ethereal and insubstantial, but the paired fish on it were in constant motion, emitting an ancient and primitive aura. As he pressed down with his hands, the Yin-Yang Paired Fish Diagram also fell continuously downward. Wherever it passed, the golden light continually gathered into it, making it increasingly solid. After descending a hundred feet, the Yin-Yang Paired Fish Diagram finally met with the edge of the axe blade. However, unexpectedly, there was no explosive collision between the two. The moment the blade fell into the black fish, it vanished without a trace, like a clay ox entering the sea. Then, with a flash of black light at the position of the white fish''s eye, the edge of the axe blade that had just disappeared reemerged, turning to fall towards Chiyou below. ¡°Heavenly rotation, the continuity of Yin and Yang, no wonder you dare to attempt this,¡± Chiyou''s expression finally changed. He swung his axe once again, and a surge of black light shot up into the sky, shattering the recently deflected blade, and then with a shake of his arms, he let out an angry roar to the sky. It was as if a thunderclap rang out from the Nine Heavens! Shen Luo and the others felt a piercing pain in their eardrums, their souls vibrated, and they quickly cast spells to stabilize their Sea of Knowledge. Nie Caizhu bled from her seven orifices but remained unmoved, continuing her spell to heal the Bull Demon King. If she interrupted her God''s Power, there would be no chance to bring the Bull Demon King back. Shen Luo''s soul was more stable than the others. Suppressing his discomfort, he flashed beside the two, touched their foreheads with two fingers, and released some of his Soul Power to help them resist the invasion. On the other side, Chiyou let out a roar and actually managed to stop the descent of the Yin-Yang Paired Fish Diagram. He was, after all, an ancient war deity, his eyes now burning with a flame of warlike intent as his already huge stature swelled once again. Opening his mouth wide, a strong suction emerged from within, attempting to swallow the Yin-Yang Paired Fish Diagram in one gulp. Everyone was shocked at the sight. However, the next instant, the world seemed to suddenly darken. The moment that gaping maw fell, the Yin-Yang Paired Fish Diagram vanished, engulfed into his stomach. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not only the diagram disappeared but also the omnipresent golden light, which was the power of Heaven''s Path suppressing him. The progenitor of the Demon Clan, an ancient war deity, was actually so powerful that even Shen Luo felt a sense of helplessness at that moment. Meanwhile, high in the sky, the black and white lights in Zhenyuanzi''s eyes had disappeared, returning to their original state. With a slap from Chiyou, his figure vanished from everyone''s sight. ¡°Crack¡­¡± A white lightning flashed, and the rumbling of thunder filled the heavens. Looking up, Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh. He saw the sky filled with terrifying fissures, and beyond them was the true Heaven and Earth. The previous attempts at repairing the Heavenly Book had, after all, failed to restore it to its original state. Not only was it incapable of unleashing the full might of the Power of Heaven''s Path, but now, under Chiyou''s fierce assault, it even showed signs of cracking again. ¡°A shattered Heavenly Book¨Cmerely patched up and you think to suppress me with that? I really wonder if you are too naive or just plain stupid,¡± Chiyou sneered as he glanced at the sky and then at Shen Luo and the others. With that, he tossed his battle axe onto the ground with a ¡°clang,¡± the blade embedding itself in the stones. The entire Central Yue Mountain Peak shook thunderously, splitting open with a thousand-foot-long crack. Though it did not collapse, the sight was truly horrifying. Chiyou didn''t bother to look at the state of the mountain beneath him. He stretched out both hands towards the void above, and the whole sky shook violently as a result. Shen Luo quickly looked up and saw that within the rift high above, strands of black Demonic Qi gathered together, rapidly forming into two enormous hands capable of holding up the heavens. One on each side, they clutched at the edges of the rift as if they meant to tear the skydome apart. ¡°We can''t let him escape, or there will be no hope left,¡± Yang Jian growled through gritted teeth upon seeing this. Having said that, he soared into the air, his hands forming seals, and he started chanting Spells. He also unleashed the God''s Power of Method of Heaven and Earth, his figure expanding rapidly until he became a giant a thousand feet tall, standing atop the Eastern Yue Mountain Peak. He swung the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife in the void, and swaths of silver light condensed on the blade, slashing down toward Chiyou. Chiyou raised his hands high, seemingly too preoccupied with tearing apart the skydome to counter the attack. But as the knife''s light bore down, the black Demonic Patterns on his body lit up, and his muscular, sinewy back bulged as flesh and blood writhed, suddenly growing two thick arms. One hand grabbed the giant axe from the ground, holding it sideways to block Yang Jian''s sharp blade, while in the other hand''s palm, a Black Light Group condensed into a millstone-sized black sphere and hurled it fiercely towards Yang Jian. ¡°Crackle¡± sounded from the black sphere, as threads and strands of black electricity twined around it, its Breath terribly restrained. Yang Jian, of course, knew that it was no ordinary object. A beam of golden light shot out from the vertical eye on his forehead and struck the black sphere directly. The moment they touched, they both exploded simultaneously. The vertical eye''s golden light disappeared in a flash, while the black sphere expanded rapidly. It grew from the size of a millstone to the size of a house, and then swelled to the size of a mountain. The black electric threads winding around it also turned into hundred-feet long thunder whips, causing the surrounding Void to tremble incessantly. As the black sphere expanded to its limit and was about to explode completely, Yang Jian''s expression couldn''t help but change drastically. Without a moment''s hesitation, light flickered under his feet as he hastily retreated backwards. He stowed away the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife and, taking a slingshot from his waist, pulled it taut and shot an arrow towards Chiyou. ¡°Whoosh¡± The sound of something tearing through the air erupted as a specially crafted Golden Arrow streaked through the void, leaving a Light Mark in its wake, and it pierced the black sphere that was on the verge of uncontrolled explosion. The mountain-sized black sphere, now like a deflated balloon, began to collapse rapidly. The black light and electric arcs on it were dragged into a long tail by the golden arrow, shooting straight toward Chiyou. Chiyou glanced back, seemingly a little surprised, and he brought down the giant axe toward the incoming golden arrow. However, just as the arrow was about to shatter on the axe blade, the charm patterns on the shaft suddenly lit up, and the arrow deviated slightly, grazing the side of the blade and sparking a trail of golden sparks, flying towards Chiyou''s head. Even Chiyou felt a chill in that moment. He decisively abandoned his attempt to tear the sky apart, withdrew a hand, and grabbed the arrow that was already near his left eye. ¡°Buzz¡± As if with a reluctant ring, the point of the golden arrow burst forth with a burst of Golden Light, exploding like a brilliant sun. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± the golden sun burst forth instantly. The world was obscured by a blinding white light, and Shen Luo and the others were momentarily blinded, unable to see anything in front of them. Chapter 1039 Chapter 1039: Chapter 1036: Despair Chapter 1039: Chapter 1036: Despair Shen Luo activated his Golden Fire Eyes, yet could only vaguely make out the silhouettes within the white light. Yang Jian''s bow-wielding hand did not fall, as blood continuously dripped from it. And that mountain-like grand figure still stood firm, without the slightest change. After a long while, when the golden light faded, Chiyou still stood in the same place, only half of his arm had turned into a bloody skeleton, exposed outside with the flesh and skin completely blown off. His half face was just the same, half flesh and blood, half pinkish bone, looking extremely ferocious and horrifying. ¡°Just one Demon Breaking Arrow, though wrapped in essence blood, to think it could achieve this extent, is not easy indeed,¡± Chiyou said with an admiring tone as he glanced at Yang Jian, who was gasping and coughing up blood in the distance. Having said that, clouds of white vapor began to rise from the wounds on his arm and cheek, as flesh and blood regenerated at a visible rate, covering the wounds in just a few moments and restoring them to their original state. Seeing this, Yang Jian staggered backwards twice, his heart turning to ashes in an instant. ¡°Although I have not fully recovered my strength, I''ve given you too much time to struggle. It''s time to end this farce,¡± Chiyou said as if he had lost all patience, no longer fixated on tearing apart the skydome, he turned to look at these ants attempting to resist him. As he spoke, he turned his massive body around, and a giant palm descended from the sky, smacking down towards Shen Luo and the others. In that instant, a huge shadow engulfed them. Before Shen Luo and his companions could react, an indescribable colossal force pressed down from above. Nie Caizhu suddenly felt as if she was shouldering mountains, struggling to move, while the Bull Demon King had just been pulled back from the brink of death, still depleted of vitality, and was immediately flattened to the ground, unable to rise. Shen Luo, seeing this, immediately went to the aid of the two, his Mana running wildly, the Huangting Technique within his body pushed to its limit. The images of six Golden Giants manifested around his body, and upon their backs perched six Golden Dragons, forming walls of solid gold that supported their piece of heaven and earth. The pressure on Nie Caizhu and the Bull Demon King eased instantly, allowing them to stand up from the ground. ¡°You should leave this place first,¡± Shen Luo commanded with a shout. Nie Caizhu, filled with worry, took one last look at him before supporting the Bull Demon King as they fled into the distance. ¡°Bodhi Ancestor''s little contraptions¡­¡± Chiyou sneered, seeing this. As he finished speaking, the Demonic Patterns on his arm lit up with Black Light, and rings of black halo emerged on his arm. With each halo that lit up, the giant hand in the high altitude pressed down a bit further, and Shen Luo felt as if he had to bear the weight of another mountain peak. ¡°Boom, boom, boom,¡± seven consecutive booms were heard as seven black halos appeared on his arm. The seven-fold mountainous force descended, and even Shen Luo could not bear it any longer. The six Golden Dragons shattered first, their countless golden scales scattering like blown flower petals, dissipating into the void. Then, the six Giants cracked like broken porcelain, their bodies rapidly developing cracked lines before shattering in an instant. Shen Luo, watching Nie Caizhu and the other having escaped the area, silently swallowed the fresh blood rising in his throat and once again vibrated his arms, lifting them upwards as if holding up the heavens. The six Golden Giants, as if struggling in their dying moments, actually raised their hooves to collide with the heavens. With a thunderous crash! The bodies of the six Golden Giants instantly shattered, and Shen Luo beneath could no longer suppress it. He vomited a mouthful of fresh blood. However, at the same moment, his arms shone with gold and silver light, and the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill was instantly activated. ¡°Want to escape? Dream on!¡± Chiyou roared. As he finished speaking, demonic chanting rang from his mouth, waves of sound resonated, instantly covering the entire area. Shen Luo felt as if his body was bound by layers of invisible threads, his ready-to-use Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill couldn''t be unleashed, no matter how he tried. Even Nie Caizhu and another who had just now escaped to a distant place seemed to be bound by invisible forces, making it difficult to move. ¡°His power is recovering step by step,¡± Yang Jian said with near despair. ¡°Once I''ve killed you all, I will completely destroy this Heavenly Book that has suppressed the Three Realms for endless eons. Order between heaven and earth will be reshaped, and the Heavenly Dao¡­ no, the Demonic Path will be re-forged. At that time, with the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi cut off and replaced by Demonic Qi in circulation, all will revere strength above all else, without distinction of race, engaging in unrestrained combat for domination; that indeed will be the pleasure land of the Three Realms,¡± Chiyou declared with a loud laugh. With that, the pressing down of his hand intensified in brilliance and bore down on Shen Luo without hindrance. Shen Luo''s eyes were bloodshot; at this moment, his essence blood boiled too. There being no retreat, he was prepared for a battle to the death, seeking only to fight with abandon, to feel exhilarated and satisfied. He formed a sign with one hand and made an upward gesture. A water-blue pearl soared high, releasing in midair a selike mighty prohibition force that rolled in waves towards the skydome above. Layers of blue light clashed against the gigantic palm, like waves crashing against the shore, only to create splashes that would immediately shatter, completely unable to stop its oppressive descent. Seeing this, Shen Luo steeled his heart and shouted, ¡°Break!¡± The next instant, the SeCalming Pearl suspended in the high altitude erupted with a blinding brilliance, shattering to pieces. The spreading blue light extended for hundreds of Li, freezing the space it covered as if suddenly turned to ice. The huge palm caught in the blue light seemed to be compressed by a vast ocean, unable to further descend or withdraw. Shen Luo vibrated his arms and used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill once again, but instead of fleeing, he leaped upwards, positioning himself above Chiyou''s head, tightly grasping his long stick and dancing in the sky as swiftly as lightning. His Splashy Chaotic Stick created layers of stick shadows that obscured the skydome like snowflakes. ¡°Fall.¡± A loud shout from Shen Luo, and golden light emanated from his body. At that moment, the Power of Heaven''s Path above also responded to his call, shining down from the sky above, casting reflections on the myriad stick shadows, diffracting into a rainbow of dazzling light. The next instant, the multiple layers of stick shadows began to rapidly coalesce, countless illusions converging into reality, finally concentrating into one, converging on the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in Shen Luo''s hands. The rod, wrapped in colorful dazzling light, condensed into a hundred feet long multicolored stick shadow, which heavily smashed downward. Despite being a blunt weapon, at this moment the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod burst forth with astonishing sharpness, tearing through the void like a sword''s edge, as if it would split the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and it struck Chiyou''s head. ¡°Crack.¡± A thunderous crack resounded, and Chiyou''s colossal head split instantly, a massive chasm forming from its crown and as if an earthquake had rent it, descended deep downwards, his entire body splitting apart! On the other side, Shen Luo''s body exuded blood, the colorful radiance inch by inch shattering on the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in his hands, which revealed cracks on its surface, and with a ¡°snap¡±, it crumbled away. As if all his strength had been drained, he fell straight down from the high altitude without any support. Yang Jian, having already rushed over, caught his shoulder and saved him from the fall. Shen Luo''s vision was blurry, his head ached unbearably, and he asked with difficulty: ¡°Did we¡­ succeed?¡± That strike just now was the most potent he had ever unleashed in his life, nearly all of his Mana and divine sense power had been channeled into that rod; he had done his utmost. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You did it, you really did,¡± Yang Jian said, unable to contain his excitement. Upon hearing those words, blood slowly seeped from all seven orifices of Shen Luo''s face, but a slight smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°I thought that the one who could push me to this extent would at least be Zhenyuanzi. I never expected it to be you, a member of the Human Race,¡± then a voice of despair sounded. Chapter 1040 Chapter 1040: Chapter 1037: Buddha''s Light Relic Chapter 1040: Chapter 1037: Buddha''s Light Relic Yang Jian''s expression stiffened as he struggled to turn his head, only to see Chiyou, whose body had been split in two, enveloped by Demonic Qi. Black demonic patterns on his body were now emitting a golden shine, and layers of flesh and blood between the two halves of his body were connecting like a spider web, rapidly wriggling and rejoining. Before long, Chiyou had already returned to his original state. Yang Jian had already fallen into despair. The gap between them and this ancient undying war deity was simply too vast, impossible to surmount. Chiyou harbored little fluctuation in his heart, having seen too many powerful enemies during his years of conquest. Those who had been defeated by him and those who had defeated him now belonged to the past. ¡°You too shall ultimately become dust beneath history''s wheels¡­¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he lifted his battle axe and struck down towards Yang Jian and Shen Luo. It seemed as if no one between heaven and earth could stop him now. ¡°Amitabha¡­¡± Just then, a chanting of Buddha''s name arose, as if it was right beside them, yet also as if it came from the far reaches of the sky. On hearing this Buddha incantation, Chiyou''s hand swinging the giant axe involuntarily halted in mid-air, his gaze turning to look far off into the distance. At the foot of a lush green mountain peak, beneath a leafy old locust tree, stood a humble thatched cottage. A wisp of cooking smoke rose, adding a touch of homeliness to this scenic landscape. A young monk in a moon-white robe, holding a nine-ringed tin staff in one hand and the Purple Gold Bowl in the other, stepped out with a gentle expression and looked towards Chiyou. Though seemingly separated by a thousand miles, their gazes met as if they had traversed the endless void. ¡°Golden Cicada¡­¡± Chiyou faintly recalled the aura of this young monk. ¡°This poor monk''s dharma name is Xuanzang, and I have been awaiting you, benefactor, for a long time.¡± The young monk smiled, staff and bowl in hand, taking a step that spanned a hundred miles of rivers and mountains. At the same time, in the far east, an extensive range of mountains with sinuous and unique shapes, resembling a person propping up an elbow in a reclining pose, erupted with a bursting golden light and explosively shattered. In the central shattered rock of the mountain range lay a figure in an earthy yellow robe with a tiger pelt skirt, a shaggy face, who languidly stretched, rolled on the spot, and rose into the air, soaring into the high clouds. With a couple of blinks of his lively eyes, he slung a golden staff over his shoulder, mounted a cloud, and rushed towards the scene, shouting loudly, ¡°Idiot, are you still not awake?¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As his voice fell, to the south, tens of thousands of miles away in the midst of a blazing desert, there was a lush melon field. A chubby old farmer was lying in a hammock under the shade of a canopy by the field, holding a juicy watermelon in one hand and a cattail fan covering his face in the other. He suddenly sat up as if awakened from a start. The old farmer tossed aside the fan, absentmindedly took a bite of the watermelon, and threw it away. ¡°Oh dear, time to get to work¡­¡± He muttered to himself, stepped out of the canopy, and picked up the iron rake leaning against a post. His figure swelled immensely in an instant, and with an open-mouthed smile, he revealed a mouthful of white tusks. ¡°Ao¡­¡± A dragon''s chant came from the west, where an inconspicuous creek surged like raging waves. A white dragon soared, transforming into an immense figure a thousand feet tall, enveloped in clouds and mist, and charged straight towards Chiyou. And from the north, within a fog-enshrouded great swamp, the dark water roiled with a thunderous force. A shadow emerged from the water, stepping on the churning muddy waves, racing forward with equal swiftness. The first to arrive was Master Sanzang, Xuanzang himself. He took more than ten steps and positioned himself right next to Yang Jian, clasping his hands and bowing slightly, ¡°True Monarch, it''s been a long time¡­¡± ¡°Master Sanzang, what is this¡­¡± At this moment, Yang Jian no longer knew how to express his feelings. ¡°It''s a contingency planned by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Buddha Tathagata. How is Benefactor Shen?¡± Tang Sanzang asked. ¡°Little Monk Jiang Liu, hehe¡­ I''m not dead yet,¡± said Shen Luo, who had been trying to recover his energy. ¡°Benefactor Shen has the protection of heaven, blessed with great fortune,¡± said Tang Sanzang, returning the gesture with his hand. ¡°So, can I leave the rest to you now?¡± Shen Luo asked with a hint of a smile. ¡°Benefactor Shen is jesting. To break the situation, we still need your help,¡± Tang Sanzang said. ¡°Master Sanzang, what should we do?¡± Yang Jian asked eagerly. Tang Sanzang was about to speak when Chiyou attacked again, swinging his axe towards them. An oppressive force enshrouded them from high above, causing the void to shudder. Tang Sanzang merely glanced at it before continuing, ¡°The Wuji Xuanhuang Array that originally sealed Chiyou can no longer restrain him. To reseal him, we need the power of Heaven and Earth combined through the Map of Mountains and Rivers and the Heavenly Book. In this process, we also need to employ the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique to connect Heaven and Earth.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Chiyou''s giant axe was closing in, only a hundred feet away. At that moment, a dull thunderous sound erupted from the Earth; a golden pillar soared up from behind them. With a loud ¡°thud,¡± it collided with the blade of the axe, propping it up. For a moment, the mighty swing of Chiyou''s battle axe could advance no further. ¡°Let your old Sun here keep you company for a bit,¡± came a playful shout as a golden-haired monkey, full of vigor, raced up the golden pillar and, with a straight head, forcefully collided with the blade of the giant axe. ¡°Clang¡± A loud metal-on-stone clang resonated as the Pangu Battle Axe, transformed into the Pillar of Heaven, was struck by Sun Wukong''s headbutt and sent flying away. ¡°Take this, my rake!¡± Then came a thunderous roar as the gigantic Cleansing Altar Envoy, Zhu Bajie, arrived, wielding an iron rake that had grown to an enormous size, smashing down on Chiyou''s head. Chiyou spun his battle axe, launching a counterattack skyward. A black half-moon blade, ensconced in his axe, slanted into the sky to meet the iron rake. The rake''s nine teeth flashed coldly as they fell with lethal sharpness, clashing with the axe blade. Explosive roars ensued, and nine streaks of azure Tiangang Qi bore down, pressing Chiyou''s blade, forcing it to droop. ¡°What mighty strength,¡± Yang Jian couldn''t help but admire upon seeing this. In his memory, Zhu Bajie never had such formidable power. ¡°These years hidden within the Map of Mountains and Rivers, the usually lazy Bajie has made no small progress in the cultivation of his Tiangang Qi,¡± Tang Sanzang surmised Yang Jian''s thoughts and explained. Having said that, he took out a golden Elixir and handed it over. Shen Luo took it and saw that although the Elixir radiated golden shine, it had an overall translucence like colored glaze. On it, the shadow of a Golden Lotus Platform was visible, with an even more indistinct vision of a Buddha figure seated upon it. ¡°Is this¡­ the ''Buddha''s Light Relic''?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat uncertainly. Chapter 1041 Chapter 1041: Chapter 1038: Entering the Map Chapter 1041: Chapter 1038: Entering the Map ¡°Indeed, this was personally bestowed to me by Buddha Tathagata that year, and I''ve never had the heart to consume it. If you take it, even though you might not be able to absorb all the elixir''s power, you will certainly recover at least eighty percent of your vitality,¡± Tang Sanzang said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo showed a hesitant expression on his face. ¡°Precious items should be used where they are most needed. Coming up, the few of us, master and disciples, will rely on the power of the Map of Mountains and Rivers to block Chi You for you. However, the duty of resealing will still need to be carried out by you. The survival and success of the Three Realms depend on this very action,¡± Tang Sanzang sighed as he joined his hands and spoke. Shen Luo nodded, without saying much else; he immediately closed his eyes, crossed his legs, and sat down, swallowing the elixir into his stomach. Upon the Golden Core entering his mouth, a warm force instantly spread throughout, transforming into a warm current that merged directly into Shen Luo''s dantian; as the elixir rapidly assimilated, a golden light started to shine at the location of his lower abdomen. As the light shone, Shen Luo''s entire body was bathed in a dazzling radiance, and a Buddha''s phantom image materialized outside his body, its back to him, emanating a serene and warm power. At that moment, Shen Luo felt as though he was basking in gentle spring breezes and warm sunlight; his body and mind were utterly relaxed, and the Great Unsealing Technique also started to operate unconsciously, healing all the minor hidden injuries inside his body without a trace. Accompanying this, his dantian and meridians were once more filled with the immense Heaven and Earth Aura, and his mana began to swiftly recover. ¡°It harmonizes so well with the Relic Light, I guess my worries were superfluous,¡± Tang Sanzang remarked with joy in his eyes, also somewhat surprised. At the end of his speech, a booming sound was heard. It was Zhu Bajie who was struck by Chi You''s axe and sent flying thousands of feet away, followed by Monk Sha and Little White Dragon who had rushed to assist, but were each repelled one after another. At this moment, Chi You was already consumed by raging fury, with his strength continuously recovering, his attacks grew increasingly vicious. Yang Jian steadied his thoughts and suddenly looked up into the high altitude, only to see that Zhenyuanzi had somehow already returned and was now leaping into the sky, hovering where the sky was torn apart, his body emitting golden light, repairing the fissure. After a brief hesitation, he too soared into the void, joining in the repair of the Heavenly Dao. Seeing this scene, Tang Sanzang felt greatly relieved. He moved once again, arriving at Bull Demon King and Nie Caizhu''s side, taking out another elixir, this one a bright vermilion, and handed it to Bull Demon King. ¡°This is the Thousand-Year Heart-protecting Pill, especially effective in healing injuries to Qi, blood, and the physical body. You should take it first to heal your wounds, as I need to go and help my disciples,¡± Tang Sanzang said in a rush, and immediately flew upward, heading straight towards Chi You. Bull Demon King nodded at Nie Caizhu, signaling that she no longer needed to heal him, and after swallowing the pill, he started to meditate to treat his injuries. Nie Caizhu glanced at Shen Luo, then over at the fierce battle, filled with concern. At this time, the battlefield outside the Map of Mountains and Rivers had completely turned into a slaughterhouse. With the significant combat strength of Shen Luo and the four others absent, the power of the Human Immortals and the Allied Forces of the Three Demon Clans was severely weakened. With the Demon Clan Army overwhelming in both numbers and strength, to them, the situation was utterly crushing. Everywhere, people were perishing in the ongoing combat, and both inside and outside Chang''an City, the cries of war echoed through the skydome; the earth was awash with blood, a sight too horrific to bear. Nezha and others fought bloodily, yet still ultimately could not withstand the collapsing situation, being pressured to the point of breathlessness. But at this point, they had no retreat left and could only fight with their backs to the wall. In the face of this near-death frenzy, the Demon Clan too suffered great losses. Many True Immortals fell in battle, and even those in the Taiyi Realm did not escape casualties, with more than half of the Twelve Distinguished Ones dead. And now, what was causing them even more unease was that Chi You had been absorbed into the Map of Mountains and Rivers for a long time, and his connection with the outside world was almost entirely severed. Even Kong Xuan could not detect Chiyou''s breath at this moment. ¡°This won''t do. Even if we were to slaughter all these rebel armies outside, it would all be meaningless if Lord Chiyou really gets sealed by them,¡± said Nine-Headed Insect, drenched in blood, roaring at the people beside him. ¡°Do you have so little faith in Lord Chiyou?¡± Kong Xuan asked indifferently, frowning. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At these words, Nine-Headed Insect''s expression stiffened, and for a moment he didn''t know what to say. ¡°Talking about this is useless. They dare to take the risk and strike back because we have pushed them into a corner, but we must not be negligent. Besides¡­ that Shen Luo cannot be judged by ordinary standards,¡± Ma Xiuxiu suddenly spoke up. ¡°Then, what do you suggest we do?¡± asked Kong Xuan. ¡°We need to find a way to enter the Map of Mountains and Rivers, or at least figure out what situation Lord Chiyou is in right now,¡± Ma Xiuxiu said, her brow furrowed. Kong Xuan glanced at the sky above Chang''an, which was empty. The thousand-zhang scroll that had previously unfolded had already disappeared. ¡°Enter? That''s easier said than done. The Map of Mountains and Rivers forms its own world, and now it has escaped into the void. I''m afraid it won''t be easy to enter,¡± said Yellow Dragon Immortal, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Even though the Map of Mountains and Rivers has escaped into the void, it is not a true Boundary, after all. The fundamental Dao is still connected to these Three Realms. I can find the entrance to the void, but opening it is hard, and entering is even harder,¡± Kong Xuan said, rubbing his chin. ¡°So you''re saying you can do it?¡± Yellow Dragon Immortal asked in surprise. ¡°My Five-color Divine Light can break all Five Elements Techniques, and the essence of the Map of Mountains and Rivers is also based on the Five Elements'' spiritual energy. With all my strength, I can break open its void entrance,¡± Kong Xuan stated. ¡°Is that true?¡± exclaimed Nine-Headed Insect with surprise. Kong Xuan, who always found Nine-Headed Insect annoying, rolled his eyes and continued, ¡°However, by doing so, I would basically have to withdraw from the fight. The exhaustion of opening the void is too great, and I won''t have the strength to fight again for a while afterward.¡± ¡°That''s not a problem. Those remnants are nothing to fear,¡± Nine-Headed Insect promptly said. ¡°Moreover, the void entrance that can be opened will probably only allow one person to go through. More than that and the stability of the entrance cannot be guaranteed¡­ In fact, even just one person entering will also carry considerable risk,¡± Kong Xuan mused. ¡°You''re not going in?¡± Nine-Headed Insect asked with a frown. Among them, Kong Xuan had the highest cultivation level and combat strength. If he went in, it would naturally be the safest option. ¡°You think opposing the force of the Map of Mountains and Rivers is easy? If that were the case, Lord Chiyou might have already come out on his own. Maintaining the stability of the void entrance while also dividing my attention to send myself in¨Cif you can do it, then you go ahead,¡± Kong Xuan said, looking at Nine-Headed Insect as if looking at an idiot, slightly angry. Nine-Headed Insect''s face turned green, and although he was extremely annoyed, he couldn''t lash out. ¡°Who among you will go in?¡± Kong Xuan looked at the others. ¡°After what you''ve said, I''m not going. What if you tremble and squeeze me to death at the void entrance? Who am I going to reason with?¡± Yellow Dragon Immortal candidly refused. Nine-Headed Insect had initially wanted to suggest sending himself in, but upon hearing Yellow Dragon Immortal speak like this, he too hesitated. Chapter 1042 Chapter 1042: Chapter 1039: Battle within the Picture Chapter 1042: Chapter 1039: Battle within the Picture ¡°I''ll go,¡± said Ma Xiuxiu at that moment. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kong Xuan raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°Nine-Headed Insect needs to stay here to command the great army, so I''m the only suitable one to take on this task. We''ve finally managed to topple the Heavenly Court, and we must not let them have even the slightest chance of resurgence,¡± said Ma Xiuxiu. Upon hearing this, Nine-Headed Insect nodded, a hint of joy flickering in his eyes. ¡°Alright, since you''ve said so, let it be as such. Prepare yourself when I cast the spell. Six-eared will be by your side to protect the law and ensure we are not disturbed,¡± Kong Xuan nodded and said. ¡°And what about me?¡± Nine-Headed Insect asked. ¡°Didn''t I tell you? You''re to command the army. Hurry up and go kill people; there''s nothing for you here,¡± Kong Xuan said mercilessly. The fury in Nine-Headed Insect''s eyes surged, and after his expression changed several times, he turned and left. Kong Xuan watched his retreating figure and scoffed. ¡°Elder, we are after all on the same side. Perhaps you shouldn''t provoke him all the time,¡± Ma Xiuxiu couldn''t help saying. ¡°Are you teaching me how to do things?¡± Kong Xuan''s eyebrows rose. ¡°I wouldn''t dare,¡± Ma Xiuxiu said with a fist-palm salute. With a snort through his nose, Kong Xuan''s figure soared into the air, rising high into the sky; his body twinkled with a five-color light, and immediately behind him, a fan-shaped arc of light brightened like a peacock''s tail spread, within which clusters of five-color light groups shimmered. His expression grew solemn as he formed a hand seal with one hand and pointed into the void in front of him. A burst of five-color splendid light shot out from his fingertip, striking the empty space before him and emitting a dull roar. Following that, the void in front of him rippled like water, and the empty space began to distort as a tiny spiral vortex slowly emerged. ¡°Go,¡± commanded Kong Xuan. With his roar, the light groups behind him suddenly brightened, and beams of five-color divine light shot out like rainbows across the sky, entering the tiny vortex. The vortex trembled violently the moment the five-color divine light entered and then began to spin faster, gradually expanding. Although its speed increased significantly, the extent of its expansion was still rather small. Immediately, Ma Xiuxiu also leapt into the air, intently watching the vortex, ready to dive in as soon as it stabilized and expanded. On the ground, Nezha stabbed through the body of a demon cultivator with his spear and felt something unusual. He looked up into the sky and saw the rapidly spinning vortex. Although he was unclear about what Kong Xuan was doing, he had an inkling that something was amiss. With a shake of his spear, he disintegrated the demon cultivator''s corpse and propelled himself into the air with two swirling flames beneath his feet, rushing towards the action. Before he could get close, however, a figure stood in his way midair. ¡°Nezha, this way is blocked, you should turn back,¡± Yellow Dragon Immortal said with a grin. Nezha didn''t waste a word; he thrusted his long spear forward in an attack. Yellow Dragon Immortal responded by drawing out a staff to parry the spear. He hadn''t had the chance to counterattack when a gust of wind arose from behind, and a golden ring flew toward his back. Just as the ring was about to hit, Yellow Dragon Immortal suddenly contracted his body, releasing his weapon, and leaped with a nimble somersault, evading the strike from the Qiankun Circle. Immediately after, he kicked downward fiercely. The enormous force caused Nezha to crash toward the ground. After that, he pursued closely and engaged in battle at a certain place. Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Sun Wukong and his four disciples were joining forces in besieging Chiyou. From a distance, Tang Monk chanted Buddhist scriptures, brought his hands together in front of him, and, on the ground, two huge Golden Palm Seals appeared out of thin air. They moved together, as if clapping, and squeezed Chiyou between them in the center. Zhu Bajie, positioned behind, let the golden light shine brightly on his Golden-edged Rake, and smashed it down onto Chiyou''s back. The rake broke through Chiyou''s protective demonic light, but the nine teeth only lodged on the surface of his skin and failed to pierce through. Monk Sha stood right in front of Chiyou, his Demon Subduing Staff glowing intensely as it grew rapidly to a hundred feet tall in mid air and thrust towards Chiyou''s chest. Little White Dragon spiraled in the sky, breathing out icy breaths that condensed into white, cold Qi, winding around Chiyou''s body and seeping into him. Sun Wukong stood aloft, his Golden Cudgel transformed into a Pillar of Heaven, crashing down towards Chiyou''s head. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Faced with the simultaneous strike of the five disciples, Chiyou simply held his battle axe above his head to block Sun Wukong''s blow, not bothering to fully defend against the other attacks. With a thunderous boom! Chiyou''s huge form shuddered violently, his massive body stooped down heavily, and the great mountain under his feet, Central Yue Mountain, could not bear the weight and collapsed. The mountain crumbled, dust and smoke billowed up, obscuring the view for a hundred li. Sun Wukong''s eyes flashed with golden light, and his expression changed abruptly as he shouted, ¡°Not good, retreat quickly.¡± No sooner had his words fallen than an angry roar burst from the dust, along with a half-black, half-red arc of light which swept out with a booming sonic impact, slicing through the layers of dust and smoke in an instant. Thanks to Sun Wukong''s warning, Zhu Bajie instantly retracted his size, just losing a tuft of hair from his head¨Cotherwise, he would have likely been decapitated then and there. The arc of light expanded a thousand li before its might finally waned, leaving a visible slash in the sky that did not dissipate for a long time. As the dust gradually settled, everyone turned their gaze back to Chiyou and found that he had shrunken his massive demonic form to about three meters tall, axe in hand, with a smile on his lips, coldly watching them. ¡°We''re in trouble¡­¡± Tang Monk looked at the ground beneath Chiyou''s feet, his expression becoming solemn. Where the five peaks had converged, the vegetation had withered, all life extinguished, and the Earth appeared to have been doused with ink, tainted black. At the edge of that pitch-black area, layers of black light surged like living creatures, expanding outwards. ¡°No wonder he stood over there stubbornly resisting our attacks, he has been trying to erode the Map of Mountains and Rivers all this time,¡± Sun Wukong said, frowning deeply. ¡°Master, at this rate, even the Map of Mountains and Rivers won''t hold up,¡± Zhu Bajie said with a bitter face. ¡°The power of Heaven''s Path is too weak to sustain mutual support with the Earth. The grand momentum of the mountains and rivers depending on each other, the rotation of Heaven and Earth, cannot be maintained. The longer Chiyou stays awake, the stronger his regained fighting power will be. I fear we won''t be able to hold on,¡± Monk Sha also spoke up. Tang Sanzang glanced at Shen Luo and the others and said slowly, ¡°Amitabha, we merged into this Map of Mountains and Rivers to deal with such a situation, right? Let''s buy them some more time.¡± ¡°Buy time, can you really do it? You struggled for so long just to take this painting of mountains and rivers, and now you, mere juniors, talk so big?¡± Chiyou stretched his limbs and said with a laugh. As his voice faded, his figure vanished like smoke in the same spot, and the next instant, a scream rang out. Little White Dragon unexpectedly plummeted from the sky, crashing into the Earth. The ground shook violently, and a huge pit formed where Little White Dragon lay unconscious, covered in blood, his scales scattered all around. Chapter 1043 Chapter 1043: Chapter 1040 War God Chiyou Chapter 1043: Chapter 1040 War God Chiyou Everyone hadn''t even time to react when a dark silhouette wreathed in smoke had already appeared in front of Tang Sanzang. ¡°Master, be careful.¡± Sun Wukong was the first to catch the trajectory of the shadow and hurriedly rushed over. Within the shadow, Chiyou had already launched a punch, heading straight for Tang Monk''s chest. ¡°Subhuti¡­¡± The moment Tang Sanzang began to chant, the golden light around him flared explosively. One could see a colossal Vajra Manifestation just starting to form, its eyes just beginning to shine with spiritual light, when Chiyou''s punch had already smashed down. A gong-like thrumming immediately came from the Vajra Manifestation, followed by it exploding into pieces amidst dazzling golden light, and the body of Tang Sanzang wrapped within it burst in an instant, flesh scattering and blood staining the sky. ¡°Master¡­¡± Sun Wukong and the others nearly shouted out in unison. Hiding within the fragments of the Map of Mountains and Rivers during these years, they had been cultivating in stillness, without any contact with each other, each knowing well that the reunion would signify facing the ultimate trial. They were clear about the possible outcomes for themselves, but when they saw Tang Sanzang die so tragically before their eyes, it was still unacceptable. ¡°Chiyou!¡± Sun Wukong roared explosively, nearly frenzied. The first one rushed over, his muscles bulging and his entire being burning with a fiery aura, as if in an instant, he had reverted to the Demon King of All Times who once dominated Flower Fruit Mountain. The charm patterns on his Ruyi Golden Cudgel shone brightly, changing from golden color to crimson, and seemed to ignite a layer of flame on it, making the shadow of the cudgel hazy. Shen Luo also felt the change from over there and slowly opened his eyes, immediately seeing Sun Wukong leaping into the sky, bringing down his cudgel toward Chiyou. His eyes narrowed slightly, but within that swing, he noticed something unusual ¨C within the crimson flames coiling around the cudgel, he could vaguely see countless overlapping shadows of the weapon, too many to count. ¡°Splashy Chaotic Stick.¡± Shen Luo recognized it. This move, which seemed to contain only one stick, actually had countless shadows overlapping in an instant, and the power of its fall was definitely not inferior to Shen Luo performing Splashy Chaotic Stick a hundred times with all his strength. Shen Luo assessed that even if he were fully healed and in peak condition, he could not achieve what Sun Wukong had just done, merging thousands into one strike, which was indeed the ultimate expression of Splashy Chaotic Stick. While he was still shocked inwardly, Sun Wukong''s cudgel had already struck down. Facing this ferocious sudden strike, Chiyou''s eyes also showed a touch more solemnity; his figure suddenly twisted, spinning the Pangu Battle Axe with a whistling sound. His body turned around, the Demonic Patterns on him lighting up sharply. Waves of vast and unfathomable power continually flowed into the giant axe in his hands, and after quickly turning a full circle, he gathered his strength and slashed diagonally upward. The Battle Axe, for the first time, showed the same Demonic Patterns as on his body, changing its color to blood-red, clashing heavily with the Golden Cudgel. ¡°Boom¡± A heaven-shaking boom was heard, and as the Golden Cudgel and the Battle Axe collided, they resisted each other, remaining locked for a moment, as both Sun Wukong and Chiyou continued to pour their strength into their respective weapons. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sun Wukong roared to the sky, and behind him, the shadow of a giant ape pounded its chest, wave after wave of tremendous power rushing into the Golden Cudgel, while Chiyou''s body was covered in Demonic Patterns that turned from black to red, his combat power shockingly surging. Just as the Golden Cudgel was being forced back inch by inch, another explosive shout rang out. ¡°Brother Monkey, I''m here to aid you.¡± Zhu Bajie rushed over in haste, with a shadow of a black demon pig complete with tusks-like thorns emerging behind him, charging forward as if a mountain were crashing down. He placed his hands on Sun Wukong''s back, his mana also pushing forward without reservation. Following closely behind, the silent Monk Sha had also caught up and stretched out both hands to press on Zhu Bajie''s back, his mana flowing out without any reservation. Under the combined efforts of the three brothers, it was as though three peerless fierce beasts were unleashed, their momentum so strong that it even steadily overwhelmed Chiyou. ¡°Roar¡­¡± From Sun Wukong''s mouth came a wild beast-like roar as his Ruyi Golden Cudgel in hand blazed with red fire, finally overpowering the battle axe with a heavy strike that smashed down. A flash of surprise crossed Chiyou''s eyes as he fiercely brought his battle axe back, hitting his own shoulder with a sound like breaking bones, causing him to involuntarily crash towards the earth. ¡°Boom¡± The entire Map of Mountains and Rivers domain shook violently with the impact, and amidst the dust filling the sky, the figures of Sun Wukong and the others were engulfed, with only continuous booming sounds carrying through, layer upon layer of intense shockwaves that completely disrupted the Heaven and Earth Aura in the surrounding void. Even with his Golden Fire Eyes activated, Shen Luo could not see clearly what was happening inside. The intense vibrations and explosive sounds continued for dozens of breaths before finally ceasing. Soon, the figures of Sun Wukong and the others were flung out from the dust clouds, landing heavily on the earth, gasping fiercely, but their eyes were all fixed on the dust-ridden area, their expressions solemn. ¡°Haha¡­*cough*¡­¡± A laugh tinged with coughing came from within the dust, as a figure emerged slowly, covered in wounds, with the joint of his left arm completely broken and hanging unnaturally, looking exceedingly wretched. Yet, on his face was not a trace of pain, but rather an excited gleam in his eyes. ¡°Good, good, you did well¡­ Finally, it feels somewhat like the Battle of Zhulu from that year. It''s your anger, your hatred, and your will to fight that I want. Every restless, rising, slaughter-seeking thought in this world feeds my strength,¡± Chiyou praised successively. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but change his expression slightly. Could it be that Chiyou''s reputation as a war god comes from this, that the source of his power recovery is chaos, war, and slaughter? ¡°The more fiercely you fight, the stronger I become, until you can no longer defeat me,¡± Chiyou''s laughter was still echoing when his wounds began healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. ¡°As long as there is hatred and conflict in the world, I am immortal.¡± Chiyou''s final words struck Shen Luo like thunder, heavy on his heart. All around was a desolate silence, with no one speaking. At that moment, a faint cicada''s chirp rose, modest in volume, but reverberating all around. Followed by one chirp after another, as if answering the call in unison, resounding throughout the surroundings. ¡°Golden Cicada¡­¡± Chiyou said in surprise. ¡°Master?¡± Sun Wukong and the others also felt an immense surprise and looked around. ¡°All phenomena are illusory. If you see that all phenomena are not phenomena, then you see the Tathagata,¡± the chant of Buddha''s scripture came. With the cicadas chorusing, thin and transparent, like cicada wings, crystal lights appeared around Chiyou, refracting layers of light, crisscrossing and slicing through the space. Continuous cuts appeared on Chiyou''s body as blood dripped down with a ¡°drip-drop,¡± but it did not touch the ground; instead, it stained the transparent cicada wings with crimson. The Buddha''s scripture characters on the cicada wings lit up and quivered incessantly, emanating a sense of intense heat. Chiyou''s blood, enveloped by that light, began to burn, turning into strands of golden flame. The demonic blood was instantly transformed into Heaven and Earth Aura, nourishing everything in all directions. Chapter 1044 Chapter 1044: Chapter 1041: The Rise and Fall of Zen Chapter 1044: Chapter 1041: The Rise and Fall of Zen ¡°What a marvelous shedding of the mortal coil, turning decay into wonder,¡± Chiyou couldn''t help but admire upon seeing this. However, soon his expression darkened, and he added, ¡°But such efforts are but a drop in the bucket to me, what hindrance do they pose?¡± As his words fell, demonic blood still flowed from his wounds, but before the cicada wings could collect it, the blood ignited on its own, transforming into a fierce blaze that spread towards the cicada wings. With the burning of the magic blood, a vast black area in the center of the Map of Mountains and Rivers began to rapidly expand, and in a blink, it had tainted half of the landscape black. The natural order of this realm was reversing, as the vibrant scenes of spring and summer gave way to the stark desolation of autumn and winter. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Zhenyuanzi, high above, felt the changes below and was overwhelmed with concern. Due to the Heavenly Book not being fully restored, the power of the Heavenly Dao within the Map was always lacking. Now, with the demonic Qi surging and threatening to completely reverse the natural order, if successful, the Heavenly Book itself might be tainted by the demonic Qi. His brow furrowed, he was slowly coming to a resolution. ¡°The chilling autumn wind, the solemn winter cold, let us see how much longer you can hop around, you Golden Cicada,¡± Chiyou said with unchecked laughter. ¡°Amitabha, the rise and fall of the cicada, the birth and cessation of Zen, are but a thought away, no need for concern¡­¡± A serene sigh emerged from the void, followed by an amber glow forming around Chiyou, and a huge Golden Cicada Shell appeared out of nowhere, enveloping him entirely. ¡°Brother Zhenyuanzi, Brother Shen, the rest is up to you,¡± Tang Sanzang''s ethereal voice sounded once again. In the void, the soul shadow of a young monk dressed in a moon-white robe slowly descended upon the amber Cicada Shell, merging with it until it disappeared from sight. Right then, dense golden texts started to appear on the Cicada Shell, revealing the entire script of the Vajra Sutra. Once the text was completed, the entire Shell lit up, and a huge golden Buddha image appeared outside, the palms of its hands coming together in a gesture of prayer, with Chiyou encased within the Cicada Shell held between them. With the Cicada Shell and Buddha image sealing him, Chiyou''s blood flames still burned but could no longer affect the changes within the Map of Mountains and Rivers directly, and the tainted half of the landscape ceased to spread further. ¡°It''s our turn now,¡± Sun Wukong said with a grin. ¡°Brother Monkey, let''s go,¡± laughed Zhu Bajie. Sand Monk remained his usual silent self but nodded at Little White Dragon, who had already transformed into a handsome young man, in the distance. The four brothers separated once again, each leaping into the air and speeding off toward the four corners of the world. Before long, it seemed as though four stars had fallen to the ground in each of the four directions, with light shooting up into the skies, which then turned into a rain of spiritual energy that fell upon the Earth. The land, tainted by Chiyou, rapidly shed its blackness as the landscape rejuvenated, bursting with new life. Shen Luo slowly stood up and saw a streak of golden light flying across the sky; he reached out with an open hand and grasped at the void. The Golden Light fell into his hand and instantly transformed into a golden staff, with golden flames swirling around it and still carrying a hint of Wukong''s essence. It was none other than the Ruyi Golden Cudgel. Grasping the staff, he immediately felt a tremendous force coursing from the cudgel into his body, a gift left by Sun Wukong for him, a gift of power to conquer Chiyou. Shen Luo soared into the air as his aura began to climb continuously, soon surpassing his original peak condition. ¡°Boom¡± A thunderous explosion sounded, and Chiyou''s battle axe struck heavily within the golden cicada shell, splitting the void with such force that it vibrated incessantly, and the palms of the Buddha joined in prayer trembled along with it. The golden light that spilled forth from them dimmed considerably. Shen Luo immediately waved his hand, and an Exquisite Pagoda flew out, swiftly enlarging in the void, transforming into a golden Treasure Pagoda about seventy to eighty feet tall. It descended from the sky and suppressed Chiyou beneath it. As the Treasure Pagoda landed, the Samadhi True Fire within surged out instantly and burned fiercely. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with golden light as he looked into the Exquisite Tower. He could see Chiyou''s body emitting rolling Demonic Qi that, under the scorching flames, began to dissipate quickly, while the golden text of the Vajra Sutra on the amber cicada shell sparkled brilliantly. The oppressive forces converging from all directions grew stronger and stronger. Shen Luo immediately leapt up and positioned himself above the Treasure Pagoda, retracting the Golden Cudgel and quickly forming magic spells with his hands¨Cone palm facing the sky, and the other with fingers pointed to the earth. In high altitude, the fissure in the Heavenly Book, barely mended by Zhenyuanzi, flickered with faint light, and in the depths of the sky, ripples of golden light spread out. Waves of power from the Heavenly Dao were drawn down by Shen Luo, entering the palm he raised high, and poured into his body. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shen Luo experienced a sudden agony as his bones and meridians turned translucent in an instant. The force that surged into his body was like red flames, roasting and scorching every inch of his flesh and blood. His bones ¡°cracked¡± alarmingly close to breaking, his meridians stretched and expanded, his flesh throbbed as if it might explode at any moment. As his skin began to split bit by bit, patterns like turtle cracks emerged, oozing golden blood, yet not a drop flowed out. Shen Luo gritted his teeth and exerted full control over the Heavenly Dao''s power coursing into his body, forcing it out through his joined fingers and congregating it within the Golden Tower. In the instant the power of the Heavenly Dao infused into it, the entire Golden Treasure Pagoda emitted a colored glaze gloss. The Samadhi True Fire inside burned even more fiercely, and Chiyou, sealed within, withstood layers of heavy pressure. His form continuously shrank, seemingly unable to bear it any longer. But just then, an explosive shout suddenly rang out: ¡°Demon Realm Descends!¡± In the Exquisite Pagoda, where Chiyou seemed to have been suppressed immovably, he suddenly lit up with bright Demonic Patterns, and a black light sphere emerged from his chest, rapidly expanding in size. In just a few breaths'' time, the black light sphere expanded thousands of times over, transforming into a black light screen that expanded over a thousand miles, enveloping Shen Luo and the others within. In an instant, everyone felt as if the world darkened; the surroundings, with their distinct colors of mountains and earth, vegetation, and rivers, all lost their hues, turning into a monochrome world. Except for Shen Luo, everyone, including Zhenyuanzi, turned gray and white. ¡°This is Chiyou''s supreme Divine Power. For a brief period, he has transformed this region into the Demon World. Apart from the power of the Heavenly Dao, the vitality and effectiveness of all mystic arts will be greatly reduced,¡± Zhenyuanzi realized the problem almost immediately and shouted a warning. No sooner had his words fallen than a ¡°bang¡± sounded. The golden cicada shell enveloping Chiyou was the first to shatter, and closely following it, the giant Buddha with palms joined together also collapsed, scattering into specks of golden light and fading away. Chiyou shook his arms, and a mighty force surged to the sky, causing the Exquisite Pagoda above him to lift off the ground, nearly escaping. Despite the severe pain in his body, Shen Luo forcefully descended with the weight of Mount Tai, stepping firmly on the top of the tower, suppressing the pagoda down again and continuing to seal Chiyou''s movements. Chapter 1045 Chapter 1045: Chapter 1042: Cutting off Heaven and Earth''s Passage Chapter 1045: Chapter 1042: Cutting off Heaven and Earth''s Passage ¡°I''ll assist you!¡± Zhenyuanzi bellowed, his figure plummeting down and landing on the top of the Exquisite Pagoda. Like Shen Luo, he manipulated the magic spell, and in an instant, his body was infused with the Power of Heaven''s Path, directing it downwards. The rolling Power of Heaven''s Path continuously poured in, making the colored glaze on the Exquisite Pagoda shine ever brighter. The flames inside surged and tumbled into nine crimson Fire Dragons, winding around Chiyou layer by layer, ring by ring. On the ground beneath the base of the Tower, a ring-shaped Formation Pattern slowly emerged. ¡°The Wuji Xuanhuang Array?¡± Chiyou glanced at the emerging charm patterns on the ground and frowned slightly. As soon as he spoke, the smile on his lips became more pronounced. The reason was simple: the Array on the ground, which operated by the fusion of the Power of Heaven''s Path with the Earth''s strength, was evidently struggling to activate, its construction progressing excruciatingly slow. At this rate, to condense the Great Formation, even three days and three nights might not be enough. Chiyou understood this, and so did Zhenyuanzi and the others. However, the Heavenly Book was never fully repaired, like a wooden bucket riddled with leaks, and was far from posing a threat. ¡°Compared to those opponents from the past, you are far too inferior,¡± Chiyou laughed aloud. Demonic Patterns began to emerge on his forehead, and a white pointed horn slowly protruded and arched from his head, gradually growing longer. Clearly, even up to this moment, his strength continued to grow, still not having returned to its peak state. The next moment, his entire body lit up with Demonic Patterns, and a vague Black Light flickered behind him. With a swoosh, two wings formed from black light stretched open, instantly tearing apart the nine Fire Dragons that were entwined around him. The raging Samadhi True Fire could no longer harm him at all. Shen Luo and Zhenyuanzi''s bodies shook, and their skin cracked open. Blood seeped from the seven orifices of their eyes, corners of the mouth, nose, presenting a terrifying sight. ¡°It has ultimately come to this step, Brother Shen. From here on out, you can only rely on your strength to endure for a while,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a bitter smile. Before Shen Luo could understand his meaning, Zhenyuanzi''s brow shone with a Golden Light that shot directly into his forehead. He felt a tremor in his Sea of Knowledge, followed by a surge of tremendous power bursting forth within his body, which fused seamlessly with his own Mana, beginning to repair his flesh. ¡°Great Immortal, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo vaguely sensed something and hurriedly asked. ¡°The Heavenly Dao can never be fully integrated; relying solely on this incomplete power, we cannot use the natural forces of Heaven and Earth to suppress Chiyou. If we continue like this, it will all be in vain, and the Three Realms will be doomed,¡± Zhenyuanzi said slowly. As his voice resonated, his figure became like a feather in the Heaven and Earth, gently floating upward, soaring into the high altitude. Shen Luo watched in dismay as he flew higher and higher, until reaching the chasm that spanned across the Skydome, and Zhenyuanzi''s form grew increasingly vague, while a white light seemed to shine from within his body. That white light became so bright it reached an extreme, yet it emitted no heat, merely flickering and turning ethereal. Finally, the white light completely vanished, and the last trace of Zhenyuanzi''s presence in Heaven and Earth also dissipated. ¡°Town Primordial Great Immortal¡­¡± A bitter taste filled Shen Luo''s heart, while Yang Jian and the others'' eyes reddened. In the next instant, one after another, golden lights suddenly lit up in the firmament, madly gathering toward the chasm in the Skydome. The fissure, which had seemed impossible to mend, was now rapidly merging. At the same time, more Golden Light from Heaven descended, poured into Shen Luo''s body, and from him as the center, they pressed down towards the Earth, towards Chiyou. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heaven, man, earth¡­ This is not the Wuji Xuanhuang Array, it''s Juetiandi Tong!¡± For the first time, a look of astonishment appeared in Chiyou''s eyes. These people had used the Map of Mountains and Rivers as the Earth and the Heavenly Book as the sky, invoking this divine power of Heaven and Earth through Shen Luo''s human body¨Ca method long lost and severed. He hastened to look down below him, only to discover that the outer outline of a ring-shaped Array had already emerged on the ground, and the trigram Formation Patterns within were slowly taking shape. Compared to the complex battle formation map of the Wuji Xuanhuang Array, the map of the Absolute Heaven and Earth Banishment Array was much simpler, which meant that the time required to seal Chiyou was much shorter than he had anticipated. At this moment, Chiyou really panicked. ¡°You dare, ants?¡± he roared, his body whirling into a spin as he rose. The black wind blades coiled around him, forming a black tornado that shot straight into the sky, instantly shattering the Samadhi True Fire within the tower, even causing the whole Exquisite Pagoda to tremble ceaselessly. Shen Luo''s body was violently shaken. A significant part of the impact on the Exquisite Pagoda was transferred onto him. At this moment, he felt as if he was in a hell of swords and thorns, undergoing the torture of a thousand cuts. Even so, he dared not make any sudden moves and could only endure the inhumane torture, suppressing Chiyou. He could not let Zhenyuanzi''s sacrifice be in vain. ¡°Cough¡­¡± A mouthful of blood spilled from his lips, which was now black. His insides were nearly reduced to mush, continuously being crushed by the relentless impacts. Shen Luo let the blood stain his clothes red, a smile emerging at the corner of his mouth. He didn''t know what was sustaining his battered body at this moment; all he knew was to keep going, to endure further¡­ Just then, a divine light descended from the heavens and poured into his body. ¡°Brother Shen, hold on, you can do it¡­¡± He seemed to hear a gentle whisper and couldn''t help but look up, only to see Erlang Shen, Yang Jian''s figure in high altitude becoming more and more blurred until it turned into a beam of light and disappeared. At this moment, another surge of power entered his body, and he endured even more of the Power of Heaven''s Path. ¡°Brother Shen, the heavy responsibility of the Three Realms rests on your shoulders, it''s been hard on you¡­¡± Bull Demon King''s voice also rose. The grand and magnanimous figure strode into the sky, stepping into the rift of the skycloak one step at a time. His body shone with white light and was eventually engulfed by the golden light. Shen Luo''s eyes moistened; the light was too dazzling, too scorching. ¡°Roar¡­¡± At this moment, he felt as if he had transformed into a ferocious beast, with violent emotions overwhelming his Sea of knowledge and drowning his consciousness. The golden light that had poured into his body from the sky burst out from his fingertips, now tinged with a gold-red color. The moment this power infused into the Exquisite Tower, the tower''s glaze brilliance faded. In the mighty power of the Heavenly Dao, impurities emerged, the force grew stronger yet was no longer pure. At the same time, the Absolute Heaven and Earth Banishment Array slowly taking shape on the Ground below not only stopped progressing but also began to faintly regress and disappear. But Shen Luo''s eyes were blood red, and he could no longer see the changes down below. ¡°Cousin¡­¡± At this time, a soft call sounded. A figure flew up to Shen Luo''s front, raising a hand gently to touch his cheek. That cool palm was as smooth as jade. The moment it touched him, it cleared the fury and hatred that had blurred Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°Cai Zhu.¡± His eyes'' bloody hue gradually receded as he looked at the person in front of him and softly said her name. ¡°We''ve come this far; don''t let our efforts be in vain,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a smile, looking at the diminishing Heavenly Rift in the sky. Seeing her smile, Shen Luo understood her intentions and, ultimately, the words he wanted to say to stop her remained unspoken. ¡°You¡­¡± Before he could speak, a pair of cool jade lips pressed against his, sealing off any words he might have said. Then, Nie Caizhu did not look back as she charged into high altitude. Chapter 1046 Chapter 1046: Chapter 1043: Awakening from a Shattered Dream Chapter 1046: Chapter 1043: Awakening from a Shattered Dream ¡°Boom¡± A moment later, a heaven-shaking roar echoed through the air. In the skydome that had been completely sealed and mended, seven-colored rays were reflected, and sounds like Buddhist sutras or Daoist chants resonated between heaven and earth. It was not only within the Map of Mountains and Rivers; such sounds seemed to arise from the entire external void as well. The next instant, layers of five-colored heaven light descended from the skies, dragging down the entire firmament with them, continuously pressing toward the earth. The sky was collapsing! At the same time, the battle formation map drawn on the ground was finally taking shape. A yellow halo rose from the formation, spreading across ten thousand miles of territory. Roaring sounds kept emerging from the earth as it sank. Chiyou''s legs were pulled underground, and circles of yellow light wrapped around his body like shackles, trapping him in place. As the sky collapsed and the earth sank, heaven and earth merged, the two most powerful forces in the world, pressing down on him. ¡°Heaven and earth wish to obliterate me? I will break this heaven and earth!¡± Seeing this, Chiyou not only did not despair but rather his ferocious nature was stimulated to the extreme. With a fierce shout, he ignited a raging black flame all over his body. His form began to swell rapidly. His feet stomped the ground, and his hands lifted overhead, he managed to steadily catch the descending firmament. At this moment, he stood tall and majestic as if he were Pangu opening the heavens that year, trying to split apart the heaven and earth that were suppressing him. What was even more frightening was that under his support, the continuously pressing seven-colored firmament was indeed held back by him, unable to fall for the time being. Meanwhile, Shen Luo''s body had deteriorated to the extreme. He resembled a porcelain figure, with every inch of his skin cracking and peeling away from his body. Blown gently by the wind, it scattered into ashes in mid-air. ¡°Not dead yet?¡± Looking down at Chiyou below, he murmured. Only Chiyou''s roar could be heard between heaven and earth; no one responded to him. ¡°Then I''ll send you on your way.¡± Shen Luo answered himself. Immediately after, a red fire rose from his Dantian. The flame instantly spread throughout his body, and the aura that had been gradually subsiding on him began to surge once more. He was burning the little life he had left, making a final struggle. Finally, his aura reached its peak and could climb no further. His figure began to dance on the spot, his hands quickly forming seals. An intense golden light suddenly burst forth from the palms of his hands. Pointing toward the high altitude, he shouted: ¡°Three Stars Demolishing Demons!¡± As soon as his words fell, a giant tremor came from the depths of the skydome. The entire space of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, along with the area spanning tens of thousands of miles around Chang''an City, suddenly darkened. In the depths of the skydome, which seemed eternally beyond reach, tiny specs of light sparkled to life. Scores of golden stars materialized densely. Shen Luo''s eyes shimmered with golden light as he gazed at them. Behind those layers upon layers of Star Rivers, immensely huge stars flickered intensely, resonating in an indescribable rhythm with him through their alternating brightness and dimness. Those stars seemed to be waiting for his summons. ¡°Fall!¡± A thunderous shout tore through the heavens, breaking free from the bonds of space, echoing throughout the Map of Mountains and Rivers, over the skies of Chang''an City, and across the vast Star River. Three giant stars shone with dazzling starlight, approaching the Human World with their tangible bodies. This time, they did not halt halfway or merely cast starlight; they directly shattered the firmament and descended into the Human World. Above Chang''an City, the void trembled. The once-hidden borders of the Map of Mountains and Rivers emerged in the void like a Mirage City, suspended in the air. Everyone witnessed that scene, seeing the towering Chiyou who stood against the sky as well as the tiny, utterly wrecked Shen Luo. Thus, the vast night sky blazed with raging Heavenly Fire, and the three ancient stars condensed into gigantic Red-flamed Golden Stars, a thousand Zhang in size. They drew the surrounding light toward them, exuding an aura capable of Destroying the Heavens and Eliminating the Earth. ¡°Boom¡±¨Ca massive explosion! Three stars fell to Earth simultaneously, Chiyou roared with a fury that shook the heavens, sprouting two additional arms beyond the initial pair¨Cfour arms propping up the sky. Even with the God-like power of Three Stars Extinguishing Demons manifest in physical form, combined with the divine might that cut off heaven and earth, even if Pangu were alive, he might have struggled to contend. Shen Luo''s body was completely ravaged, with not a single intact spot left. Hair disheveled, he appeared deranged as he pulled downwards desperately with both hands, mustering his very last bit of strength to drag the Three Stars into the Human World, to suppress Chiyou. Pressed heavily, Chiyou''s four arms kept bending, his flesh and blood bursting explosively, but ultimately he could not withstand it. This time, the Three Realms were finally going to win. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± Just then, a shrill, agonizing scream suddenly pierced the air. Blood sprayed from Shen Luo''s chest as a fearsome dragon claw pierced through his back, tearing out his already shattered heart. ¡°Ma Xiuxiu¡­¡± Silently, Shen Luo uttered this name, as the breath in his body rapidly diminished. The stability of the Three Stars suppressing Chiyou instantly wavered, trembling violently with signs of collapse. Inside and outside Chang''an City, the fighting Human Race, Immortal Clan, and Demon Race, witnessing this earth-shattering change, saw the hope that had ignited within them extinguished in an instant. They despaired, plummeting from a fleeting glimmer of hope into the depths of despair. Almost all of them stopped their fighting, stopped resistance, and numbly accepted death. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Isn''t it just death? I, for one, have died many times already.¡± Just then, Shen Luo let out a thunderous roar; blood filled his mouth, slurring his words, but this indignant bellow reverberated through the entire sky¨Che had not given up. The very next instant, a light shone from Shen Luo''s forehead, and the small divine soul within his sea of knowledge ignited all that was left of its soul power. In the midst of the booming sound, Shen Luo''s final strength burned out, turning into a streak of light that merged into the colorful radiance of the sky. At last, the Three Stars touched down, and the battle formation map revealing the starry patterns emerged atop the Formation Pattern that severed heaven and earth. In the Map of Mountains and Rivers, heaven and earth converged, returning to nothingness. Within Shen Luo''s soul remained but a single thought: ¡°This time, perhaps I won''t resurrect again¡­¡± ¡­ After an indeterminate span of time, a cacophony of hawkers'' cries broke the silence. A young man in a green robe suddenly woke with a start from the stone steps by the street, and upon lifting his hand, he realized he was still holding a green-covered book. His eyes bleary, he looked around in confusion, only to see a bustling crowd up and down the street. Lowering his gaze to the book in his hands, he saw the cover stamped with the bold characters ¡°Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty.¡± Turning to look behind him, he saw a room next to the stairs with a plaque hanging above the entrance that read, ¡°Chang''an Bookstore,¡± in bright red paint. ¡°Could it all have been a dream?¡± The green-robed man wondered, and as he tried to push himself up, something cool touched his hand. Looking down beside him, he saw an oblong jade pillow, dull in luster, etched with wave-like patterns. ¡°Jade pillow¡­¡± The man''s brow furrowed tightly as he immediately reached out for it. With a ¡°crack,¡± the jade pillow broke apart cleanly into three pieces. (End of the first part) Chapter 1047 Chapter 1047: Chapter 1044: A Hundred Years Since Waking from a Great Dream Chapter 1047: Chapter 1044: A Hundred Years Since Waking from a Great Dream The Lantern Festival was upon Chang''an City, and although the winter cold had not yet dissipated, the city was buzzing with extraordinary warmth. Along an alley road, the shops on both sides were adorned with lanterns and colorful streamers, the scents of all kinds of food and spices permeated the street, and the noisy yet rhythmic calls of vendors were incessant, filled with the bustling atmosphere of the Human World. A man in a green shirt swayed his shoulders as he walked slowly through the crowd, his gait somewhat unsteady, contrasting starkly with the hurrying pedestrians around him who wore joyous expressions, making him seem out of place. He hung his head low, his brows knotted in worry, his mind a tangled mess of thoughts. ¡°A hundred years, it''s actually been one hundred years¡­¡± the green-robed man muttered to himself in a low voice, then slowly raised his head. The green-robed man had a fair and youthful appearance, though his complexion was somewhat pale. It was none other than Shen Luo. At this moment, the hollows of his eyes were slightly sunken, and his pupils were dark and profound, granting him a sense of aged wisdom. Just now, from the owner of the Chang''an Bookstore, Shen Luo had learned something he found hard to accept: nearly one hundred years had passed since he ¡°Entered Dream.¡± ¡°This is bad, it''s already been a hundred years; the seal on Chiyou might already be loosening,¡± Shen Luo suddenly felt anxious. In Dreamland, they had gone through countless dangers and even gambled with almost everyone''s lives to reseal Chiyou, but that had ultimately saved a dark future. If possible, he would have preferred to prevent all of that from happening. But now, a hurried one hundred years had passed, the matters of the Human World had changed enormously, and he had no idea what the current state of affairs was. With these thoughts, as Shen Luo looked at the bustling prosperity of Chang''an City, he suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness; the Citizens were still unaware of the grave future they were about to face. ¡°First, I should go to the Government Official to find Duke Cheng and others to inquire about the current situation,¡± Shen Luo decided, and he quickened his pace. After crossing an alley entrance, Shen Luo had just reached the main thoroughfare when he heard an urgent shouting voice: ¡°Quick, move aside, get out of the way¡­¡± Shen Luo turned around and saw a Qing Niu, about three meters tall, charging towards him at a gallop. On the back of the Qing Niu was a carriage, upon which sat a young, corpulent, and lavishly dressed master, who was pulling the reins with both hands, trying to make the Qing Niu beneath him stop. Unfortunately, the Qing Niu''s speed was too fast, and its momentum too strong; it simply couldn''t be halted and rammed straight toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo frowned slightly and raised his palm, blocking in front of him. ¡°Hey, are you seeking death¡­¡± The corpulent teenager, seeing that Shen Luo didn''t move aside, shouted in astonishment. Before the words finished, the Qing Niu''s massive head collided heavily with Shen Luo''s palm, his brows slightly raised. ¡°Bang¡± A muffled sound echoed; the Qing Niu''s head concaved at the impact, then its neck was crushed and shrank back into its body, which continued pressing in until it burst open. The fat teenager was thrown out by the immense inertia, heading straight towards the white stone road a dozen or so meters away. With no Spiritual Power Fluctuations evident on him, he was about to be splattered on the spot, when suddenly, a green light enveloped him, allowing him to land steadily. A Black-robed cultivator rushed over from behind, quickly protecting the corpulent young master who had now wet his pants. ¡°Who are you, and how dare you attack my young master''s carriage?¡± the Black-robed cultivator looked up at Shen Luo with anger, speaking coldly. Shen Luo ignored his reproach, instead crouching down in surprise, examining the Qing Niu that had been shattered by his collision. In front of him, the ¡°Qing Niu¡± had no hint of flesh and blood; what remained was only a variety of gears and iron armors scattered on the ground. ¡°A puppet? It doesn''t quite look like one; there''s no trace of spiritual power fluctuations on it,¡± Shen Luo muttered with furrowed brows. The fat teenager who had just now managed to recover his wits was now red-faced with anger, pointing at Shen Luo''s back, he yelled loudly, ¡°Beat him, beat him to death for me, daring to shatter my Yanshou¡­¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The black-robed cultivator, upon hearing this, had a changing expression for a moment, but he did not move. He was no child, and clearly understood how powerful the charge of a Yanshou at full speed was. The man in front of him who easily shattered the Yanshou with his bare hands must also be a cultivator, which naturally meant he couldn''t act recklessly. ¡°What is this thing?¡± As he hesitated, Shen Luo picked up a round, hollow silver sphere from the fragments of the Qing Niu on the ground and asked him. ¡°That''s the Yanshu, don''t you know?¡± the black-robed cultivator replied with some surprise. After saying this, he relaxed a little, thinking that someone who didn''t even know what a Yanshu was must be a wild cultivator who had run out from some poor and remote place; as long as the man had no background, he wasn''t afraid of offending him. ¡°Hey, you there, you''ve run into my young master, aren''t you going to come over and kowtow to admit your wrong?¡± the black-robed cultivator raised his voice a few notches and shouted loudly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo frowned slightly, performed the Slanting Moon Steps, and disappeared from the spot in an instant, reappearing right next to the black-robed cultivator, with one hand pressing on the latter''s shoulder. The black-robed cultivator, with a mere cultivation level of the fourth layer of Qi Refining, had neither the time to react nor the strength to defend himself; his knees buckled, and he was forced down onto the ground. With a ¡°bang,¡± the blue stone slabs on the ground shattered, kicking up a cloud of dust. The fat teenager, who had been quite arrogant just moments before, was suddenly stunned in place. After just one glance from Shen Luo, the teenager''s bravado vanished completely, and he knelt down beside the cultivator of his own accord, his not-yet-dry clothes dampening once more. ¡°You said this thing is called a Yanshu, what is it used for?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Elder, do you truly not know?¡± the black-robed cultivator, realizing he had encountered a tough character, no longer dared to be presumptuous and asked cautiously. Shen Luo gave him a sideways glance, as if to say, isn''t that obvious? ¡°The Yanshu is the core of the Yanshou, the furnace that drives the Yanshou. By placing flint inside, it can automatically ignite and propel the Yanshou into action,¡± the black-robed cultivator hurriedly explained. ¡°The Qing Niu just now, is that what you call a Yanshou, powered by flint?¡± Shen Luo asked with a furrowed brow. He had once used Fire Scale Flint to power the Fire Feather Boat, but that was a treasured item among flint; ordinary flint did not have such a capacity. And the Qing Niu Yanshou he saw just now was as intricate as a Flying boat; could ordinary flint really power it? And it didn''t need mana to ignite, but could be lit automatically by this so-called Yanshu? The more Shen Luo thought, the more doubts arose in his mind. ¡°Yes, the Qing Niu is indeed a Yanshou; it''s a new item that Tianji Pavilion received last month,¡± the black-robed cultivator replied immediately. ¡°This Tianji Pavilion¡­ what does it have to do with Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo mused. ¡°Tianji Pavilion is a shop opened by Tianji City. There are more than a hundred and thirty of them within the Tang Dynasty,¡± the black-robed cultivator said, looking at Shen Luo with puzzled eyes, not understanding why he was unaware of such common knowledge. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent. He knew of Tianji City; back then during the battle at Jilei Mountain, it was Yan Ze from Tianji City who had come to his aid, saving him and many from the Fox Clan. However, Tianji City had not participated in the subsequent great battle of Chang''an City against Chiyou. Chapter 1048 Chapter 1048: Chapter 1045: Grand Event of the Three Realms Chapter 1048: Chapter 1045: Grand Event of the Three Realms Shen Luo and the black-robed cultivator exchanged questions and answers, attracting more and more onlookers. The black-robed cultivator felt humiliated but dared not act rashly. Suddenly, he heard the sound of horseshoes approaching and saw a team of black-armored cavalry pushing through the crowd. He immediately yelled as if he had seen a lifeline, ¡°Thieves, there are thieves here¡­¡± Hearing the shout, the black-armored cavalry also drew their swords and charged over quickly. Shen Luo followed the noise and saw that the seven men in the team were clad in shining black armor with faint charm patterns engraved at the subtle areas, and their long knives glimmered, clearly not common soldiers. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± The leader among them glanced at the crowd and asked. ¡°We are people from the State Uncle''s Mansion, this young master is the State Uncle''s son. He was just attacked by this man and his Yanshou was damaged, quickly arrest him,¡± the black-robed cultivator shouted as he quickly stood up. These black-armored cavalry were directly under the Great Tang Dynasty Government, mostly Qi Refining third or fourth stage cultivators. They were usually responsible for the security of the Imperial City. Although their cultivation levels weren''t high, with the government''s backing, not many dared to provoke them. Listening to him twist the truth, Shen Luo stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm, making no attempt to defend himself. The leader of the black-armored cavalry, a bearded man, glanced at the remains of Qing Niu far in the distance, then sized up Shen Luo and the two kneeling on the ground, and quickly had a good idea of what had happened. ¡°Since you damaged the Yanshou, pay up and leave quickly, don''t cause any more trouble,¡± the bearded man said, looking at Shen Luo. Although his words were not polite, it was clear he intended to downplay the incident. ¡°What? He also injured our young master; we can''t just let him go like this,¡± the black-robed cultivator said sharply upon hearing this. The chubby young master, upon hearing this, was taken aback and then fell onto the ground with a wail. Onlookers all around started to jeer upon seeing this. ¡°According to the Great Tang''s laws, injuring people with a beast on the main roads of the city is punishable by imprisonment; think carefully before you speak,¡± the bearded man said sternly. Upon hearing this, the black-robed cultivator hesitated, but the fallen young master suddenly sat up and said, ¡°Imprisonment? My uncle is in the Ministry of Punishment.¡± Upon hearing this, the bearded man also felt troubled. In their daily duty of maintaining order in the Imperial City, they inevitably needed to interact with the Ministry of Punishment, so face had to be given. Seeing an opportunity, the black-robed cultivator shouted, ¡°This fellow is a cultivator with a suspicious demeanor, for all we know, he could be a wanted criminal by the government. It''s best if you take him back for some thorough questioning.¡± After hearing this, the bearded man hesitated but then said, ¡°Immortal Master, I must trouble you to come with us.¡± ¡°With no evidence, why should I go with you?¡± Shen Luo said, his expression unchanged. The black-robed cultivator was overjoyed to see this. If Shen Luo resisted and fought back, these black-armored cavalry might not be able to handle him, but afterward, it would surely draw the Government Office Cultivators. No matter how strong he was, could he still contend against the government? The bearded man was slightly annoyed seeing Shen Luo''s refusal to comply and, after a moment of thought, said: ¡°These days, Chang''an City is preparing for the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. All Immortal Masters and monks entering Chang''an need to register with the government. If Immortal Master has already registered, just show us the documents for verification.¡± The Three Realms Martial Arts Conference? ¡°Documents? I don''t have any,¡± Shen Luo said with a puzzled heart and a dismissive voice. ¡°Then I must invite Immortal Master to come with us,¡± the bearded man said with a stern face upon hearing this. ¡°Entering the city without reporting, one must be a thief,¡± said the black-robed cultivator. Shen Luo did not look at him, but instead reached behind and took out a golden token, handing it to Bearded Man, asking, ¡°If there are no documents, can this serve as proof of identity?¡± Taking a look at it, the Bearded Man''s expression changed dramatically, and he hurriedly saluted with a fist, ¡°Ah, it''s like a deluge has flooded the Dragon King''s temple, it turns out to be a cultivator from our Great Tang Dynasty Government. Elder, please forgive my impoliteness.¡± ¡°It''s of no consequence as long as you abide by the law; there''s no fault to find,¡± Shen Luo took back the token and said slowly. Upon hearing this, the Bearded Man''s expression stiffened slightly, then he shouted, ¡°Arrest this troublemaker who falsely accuses others with malicious intent.¡± The Armored Warriors immediately set upon the task and tied up the black-robed cultivator, who had already become dumbfounded, binding him tightly. He was about to plead for mercy when the hilt of a black blade heavily struck his mouth, forcibly silencing any words he might have said, and splitting his lips, causing blood to seep out. The plump young boy sitting on the ground was dumbstruck, not daring to move, and just stared blankly as the black-robed cultivator was dragged away like a little chick. Shen Luo had no intention of holding them accountable either, so after bidding farewell, he continued on toward the Great Tang Government Office based on his memories. Before long, his figure appeared outside the Government Office''s Big Gate, where he was stopped by the guards on duty. As his token was being inspected, a burst of wind suddenly arose from behind him. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he swiftly turned and raised his hand, grasping hold of a fist that was thrust at him. ¡°Hey, good kid, you''ve gone away for so many years, vanished from the Human World as if evaporated, and finally deigned to come back?¡± The owner of the fist laughed heartily, his words filled with joy. ¡°Brother Lu,¡± Shen Luo lowered his hand, a smile also appearing on his face. The person was Lu Huaming, and by his side was a beautiful woman who was not a stranger either, it was Gu Hualing. ¡°Daoist friend Shen,¡± Gu Hualing took the initiative to greet him with a salute. Shen Luo was somewhat surprised, and he soon returned the salute with a fist cupped in his palm. ¡°Where have you been all these years, with no word whatsoever?¡± Lu Huaming asked. ¡°It''s a long story,¡± Shen Luo began to say, but still did not know how to explain. ¡°Let''s talk about it later, come on, let''s go back first, let me complete my duties, and then I will prepare a banquet to welcome you back,¡± Lu Huaming laughed. Shen Luo nodded, and the three of them entered together. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It''s quite lively in Chang''an City lately, is there some grand event being held?¡± Shen Luo recalled the mention of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference by the black armored horsemen he had heard about earlier and could not help asking. ¡°Oh, the inaugural Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is about to be held in Chang''an City, don''t you know?¡± Lu Huaming asked with some surprise. Shen Luo looked puzzled and shook his head. ¡°This is the grandest event in the Three Realms for nearly a hundred years, you really didn''t know?¡± Lu Huaming asked again for confirmation. Shen Luo thought for a moment and could only reply: ¡°To be perfectly honest, these past years I accidentally stumbled into an Immortal''s Relic, and not only did I gain no benefit, but I also fell into one of the arrays'' traps and was Ice Sealed within it. Only half a year ago did I finally manage to escape, and I have just returned to Chang''an a few days ago.¡± ¡°So it was, I did not expect Brother Shen to have faced such an ordeal¡­¡± Lu Huaming was quite trusting of Shen Luo, and did not doubt his word. Gu Hualing, however, who was standing by the side, couldn''t help but subtly raise her eyebrows upon hearing this, though she did not speak. Chapter 1049 Chapter 1049: Chapter 1046: The Great Era of Healing Chapter 1049: Chapter 1046: The Great Era of Healing ¡°So it stands to reason that you''re unclear¡­ The Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is a grand martial contest co-hosted by the clans of the Three Realms. At that time, numerous sects from the clans of the Three Realms will participate in the Martial Assembly, seeking to improve themselves through battle and vie for rewards,¡± Lu Hua Ming explained. ¡°There''s Demonic Qi!¡± Shen Luo, about to speak upon hearing this, suddenly frowned, a look of alertness appearing on his face. This stream of Demonic Qi was not concealed at all, and it did not emanate from Gu Hua Ling. Immediately afterward, he followed the direction of the Demonic Qi and saw a large figure clad in Armor, a tiger-headed monster holding a stack of scrolls, striding past them with an air of nonchalance. The monster seemed to notice Shen Luo''s probing and turned its head to look over here. Shen Luo''s wrist twisted, ready to summon the Dragon Horn Cone, but a surprising scene unfolded before him. The tiger-headed monster raised an eyebrow, grinned broadly, and even enthusiastically lifted a claw in greeting, as if acknowledging an old friend. Shen Luo stared at the monster''s white, gleaming fangs, slightly stunned. Only then did he turn to see Lu Hua Ming also waving a hand in response to the tiger-headed monster. As the monster''s figure vanished around the corner of the gallery, Shen Luo still hadn''t recovered from his shock and confusion. Seeing Shen Luo''s bewildered expression, Lu Hua Ming explained, ¡°That guy is Fu Donglai. He also serves as a Government Official. Although his combat ability is not weak, he prefers clerical work.¡± ¡°If I''m not mistaken, he''s from the Demon Clan, right?¡± Shen Luo said, astonished. Upon hearing this, Lu Hua Ming slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing, ¡°I forgot that you''ve been trapped in a Secret Realm for many years and are unaware of current affairs. The disaster of demons has been resolved. Peace reigns throughout the Three Realms, and there''s no longer any threat from demons. Humans, Immortals, and Demons now coexist in an alliance of peace.¡± ¡°What did you say¡­ The disaster of demons has been resolved?¡± Shen Luo''s head buzzed as he quickly asked. ¡°Indeed, the disaster of demons has ended, and now there''s an era of great governance in the Three Realms. It''s a rare golden age,¡± Lu Hua Ming said with a hint of amusement at Shen Luo''s shocked expression. ¡°How was it resolved?¡± Shen Luo urgently asked. He had awakened to find the world filled with oddities. They had just defeated Chiyou in the future, resealing him, and by all logic, it shouldn''t have affected the present world this way. Yet, the world he had awoken in was utterly different from the one before, having undergone earth-shattering changes. ¡°That''s almost a hundred years past. Not long after you disappeared, an internal rebellion erupted in the Demon Clan. A faction of the demons, unwilling to sacrifice themselves and their descendants for Chiyou''s release, led by a Rebel Leader, secretly joined forces with the Heavenly Palace, the Great Tang Dynasty Government, and the clans of Demons and Immortals. They defeated the faction within the Demon Clan intent on freeing Chiyou and killed Nine Netherworlds,¡± Lu Hua Ming began to recount the history to Shen Luo. ¡°Nine Netherworlds is dead? What about the other Twelve Distinguished Ones?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°Some died alongside Nine Netherworlds, and most of the rest were part of the rebellion. In fact, the Major Sects of the Demon Clan suffered great losses in that battle. Even if some still harbored rebellious intentions afterward, they lacked the strength to act. Furthermore, with the Heavenly Palace having reinforced Chiyou''s Seal, the disaster of demons was thus considered resolved,¡± Lu Hua Ming continued. ¡°Who was the Rebel Leader?¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly before asking. ¡°I don''t know,¡± Lu Hua Ming shook his head. ¡°He was a Meritorious Retainer of the Three Realms. How could his identity be unknown?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°His identity is highly secretive. Even within the Demon Clan, I''m afraid there are less than ten people across the entire Three Realms who know who he is,¡± Lu Hua Ming gestured as he spoke. ¡°The Three Realms have agreed not to disclose his identity, actually as a means of protecting him,¡± Gu Hua Ling chimed in then. ¡°That does make sense. After all, there are certainly followers of Chiyou still hidden within the Demon Clan who would despise him to the bone,¡± Shen Luo considered the situation, understanding the reason behind it. ¡°It''s not just the Demon Clan. Immortals, Demons, and even our own Human Race have many traitors intent on wreaking havoc in the Three Realms. They too would seek to harm him,¡± Lu Hua Ming said. ¡°These guys are even more despicable than those radical demons,¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. ¡°Fortunately, with Chiyou''s fall, those gibbons have also mostly scattered, and these two-faced guys can no longer stir up much trouble,¡± Lu Hua Ming said with a laugh. ¡°So, the so-called Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is a martial competition between humans, immortals, and demons?¡± Shen Luo remembered something and asked. ¡°Correct. Although the Demon Race has always vehemently denied it and harbors even greater animosity towards the Demon Clan than the Human Race does, from a racial attribute standpoint, they are considered a branch of the Demon Clan too, hmm¡­ a rather special branch,¡± Lu Hua Ming explained. The three of them chatted while walking inward, and Shen Luo also learned more about the changes in the modern world from Lu Hua Ming''s explanations. After meeting with Cheng Yaojin, Lu Hua Ming arranged new accommodations for Shen Luo. Night. Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the bed, with the broken jade pillow in front of him, feeling a profound sense of melancholy. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Normally, going through various dangers during his travels felt like an unending series of terrible nightmares, but this return to the modern world and the drastic changes it presented felt somewhat unreal to him. The disaster of demons has been resolved just like this? Though from any perspective this was an enormously good thing, Shen Luo found it a bit hard to accept for the time being. ¡°Enough of that, let''s not think about these things for now,¡± Shen Luo sighed. He closed his eyes and silently activated his Divine Sense to feel around for a moment, then quickly reopened his eyes, a trace of surprise flickering within them. The projection of the Heavenly Book Fragments was completely undetectable now, which he had noticed soon after awakening, but what surprised him was that his Divine Soul had grown significantly stronger than before he had entered Dreamland. The memories of his cultivation in Dreamland, just like real experiences in this world, became incredibly clear in his mind. However, his cultivation level hadn''t changed, remaining at the initial Great Mahayana Stage. ¡°It''s a bit strange this time around. I don''t feel the pressure of my lifespan nearing its end¡­ I thought I was certainly doomed at that time.¡± Recalling the great battle when Ma Xiuxiu impaled his heart with a Dragon Claw, Shen Luo held his chest and shivered in recollection. That woman was too ruthless, but fortunately, according to what Lu Hua Ming said, she likely perished in the upheaval of the Demon Clan as well. After a bout of sighing, Shen Luo closed his eyes, brought his hands together, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo appeared in his palm. He began to practice his Skills quietly, nurturing it in silence. The next day. On the outskirts of Chang''an, in front of an ancient temple with a majestic Bao Xiang that dated back a thousand years, a Green-Robed Man stood under an old pine tree, silently contemplating something as he observed the twisted patterns on the tree trunk. Suddenly, a sharp call from the temple''s Mountain Gate shattered the serene and harmonious atmosphere of the entire temple in an instant. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± Along with the urgent call, a white figure leaped down the temple stairs and stopped in front of the Green-Robed Man, slapping his folding fan onto the man''s shoulder with a ¡°snap¡±. ¡°You, where have you been hiding without a word?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked anxiously. ¡°This¡­¡± Shen Luo recalled what he had told Lu Hua Ming previously and spun a similar tale to Bai Xiaotian, adjusting a few details in the process. ¡°Are you silly? How could you go to such a place alone? What, you were afraid I''d compete with you for the opportunity?¡± Bai Xiaotian rolled his eyes and said with feigned anger. Chapter 1050 Chapter 1050: Chapter 1047: Return to the Old Place Chapter 1050: Chapter 1047: Return to the Old Place ¡°Where do you get that from? I was also traveling outside and accidentally entered. How would I have had the chance to ask you to join me? Moreover, asking you to go would just be changing from being trapped alone to a pair trapped together,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°Anyway, it''s good that you''ve come back, so I don''t have to keep pressing Lu Huaming at the Government Office,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed and said. ¡°Why would you press him?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°I couldn''t find you anywhere, and I thought the Government Officials had sent you on some secret mission to the Demon Clan, seeing that you''d been gone for so long¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian said helplessly. Shen Luo was somewhat amused yet touched upon hearing this. ¡°After such a long separation, on such a fine day, let''s go drink. Tonight, we shall not return until we''re thoroughly drunk!¡± Bai Xiaotian clasped Shen Luo''s shoulder and pulled him away, leaving no room for argument. The two left Hua Sheng Temple and found a restaurant in Chang''an City. Having reunited after so long, they naturally drank to their heart''s content. Finally, the two parted at the City Gate. Bai Xiaotian grabbed Shen Luo''s sleeve and asked him about his plans for the future. After a long silence, Shen Luo said, ¡°I haven''t decided yet. I''ll probably go home for a bit, or maybe make a trip to Mount Putuo.¡± As he said this, his eyes dimmed slightly. A hundred years is but a blink for cultivators, yet for mortals, it''s a lifetime or even two. In Chunhua County, his family home was likely changed beyond recognition by now. ¡°I''m currently at a critical juncture in breaking through to the Late Mahayana Stage, so I can''t accompany you on this journey. Otherwise, my master would definitely unleash his Diamond Vajra''s Fury,¡± Bai Xiaotian said apologetically. ¡°A grown man like me needing you to accompany me? Ridiculous. Go back to your seclusion and strive for an early breakthrough,¡± Shen Luo said with a mix of laughter and scolding. After parting ways, each dispelled the alcohol from their system. Walking towards the Chang''an Government Office, Shen Luo pondered quietly to himself. He recalled the words Nie Caizhu had said to him in Dreamland, drawing a deep breath and muttered slowly to himself: ¡°I should head to Mount Putuo first.¡± Shen Luo left Chang''an City, called up the Pure Yang Sword Embryo around his body, and turned into a red rainbow that shot up from the ground, speeding towards Mount Putuo. With his current speed, it took less than half a day for Mount Putuo to come into view. Above Mount Putuo, clouds swirled and cranes flew; it exuded even more immortal aura than before, resembling an Immortal Land in the Human World. As Shen Luo approached Mount Putuo, several Escape Lights greeted him. He stopped, and the approaching Escape Lights landed not far ahead. As the lights dissipated, three young men and women appeared, all of whom had considerable cultivation. The leading woman in green had reached the Nascent Soul Initial Period, and the other two were Late-stage Soul Condensation cultivators. ¡°May I ask which ''High Person'' you are, Elder, and what brings you to Mount Putuo?¡± The leading woman probed with her Divine Sense and immediately felt Shen Luo''s unfathomable presence, her face showing a touch of shock as she bowed respectfully. ¡°You¡­ are you Daoist friend Shen Luo? No, Elder Shen Luo?¡± A lean teenager behind the woman in green suddenly exclaimed in surprise. Shen Luo looked at the person, unable to remember him at first. ¡°The elder might not remember me. When you were in Mount Putuo, I had the honor of serving as your attendant,¡± the lean teenager said ingratiatingly. Hearing this, Shen Luo quickly recalled that when he was in seclusion at Mount Putuo, the Black Bear Demon had arranged a disciple to guard the outside of his residence, and it was this person. He hadn''t paid much attention to the person back then, and now, a hundred years had passed with some changes to the person''s appearance, which is why he hadn''t recognized them immediately. ¡°What! You are Elder Shen Luo, the husband of the Junior Sect Leader?¡± the woman in green suddenly looked up, startled. Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised slightly. Although the woman in green did not say it explicitly, he knew she was referring to Nie Caizhu as the Junior Sect Leader. ¡°Cai Zhu has become the Junior Sect Leader of Mount Putuo? It seems that in these hundred years, the changes have indeed been great,¡± he thought to himself with a sigh. ¡°Indeed, I am Shen Luo. I have come here to Mount Putuo wishing to meet with Nie Caizhu to discuss some matters,¡± Shen Luo quickly collected his thoughts and said. ¡°Meeting the Junior Sect Leader might be a bit inconvenient¡­¡± the woman in green said, her face showing difficulty. ¡°What? Has something happened to Nie Caizhu?¡± Shen Luo frowned upon seeing the woman''s expression. ¡°Ha ha, so it is Friend Shen who has graced us with his presence. My apologies for not greeting you from afar, I hope you can forgive me,¡± a deep voice suddenly sounded, and a shadow flickered in the nearby void, revealing a black bear demon, who indeed was the Black Bear Demon. The aura of the demon Qi on the Black Bear Demon was dense and enormous, clearly indicating that he had reached the Late True Immortal Stage. ¡°It turns out to be The Protector. Congratulations on your significant advancements in cultivation, stepping into the later stage,¡± Shen Luo assessed the Black Bear Demon with one glance, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and gave a bow. The three women in green hurriedly bowed in salute to the Black Bear Demon as well. ¡°Friend Shen still possesses such sharp eyes, able to discern the realm of my cultivation with a single glance. Alright, leave this to me to handle. You all may step back,¡± the Black Bear Demon first let out a laugh, then told the three people beside him. ¡°Yes,¡± the three women in green gave a bow and then stepped back. ¡°This isn''t the place to talk; Friend Shen, please follow me,¡± said the Black Bear Demon as he turned and flew downwards. Shen Luo activated his Escape Light and followed. The two did not head to the sect''s interior but went straight to a quiet valley near the Purple Bamboo Forest at the back mountain of Mount Putuo, where a tower was situated. Outside the tower was a large Medicine Garden, divided into many areas by red, blue, purple, and yellow prohibitions. It was home to hundreds of different Spirit Grass varieties. All these Spirit Grasses were indeed of heavenly and earthly treasures caliber. Despite the prohibitions, a dense medicinal fragrance wafted out. ¡°Wuji Grass, Fragrant Candle Vine¡­ eh, is that a Purple Lightning Flower!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze intensified. In the Black Bear Demon''s Medicine Garden, there were unexpectedly Purple Lightning Flowers, and it seemed there were quite a few. He then remembered that Purple Lightning Flowers grew near Chaoyin Cave that year, so it was not strange for the Black Bear Demon''s garden to have these flowers after many years guarding the place. ¡°The Spirit Grass in this Medicine Garden was collected by me after a painstaking journey across the Three Realms. It is somewhat passable, I suppose,¡± the Black Bear Demon noticed Shen Luo''s gaze and spoke with a bit of pride. ¡°Of course, these are all extremely precious materials. Only Elders of high standing like you could have collected them,¡± Shen Luo flattered. The Black Bear Demon had invested a great deal of effort to create this Medicine Garden, but unfortunately, there were rarely people to show it off to. Bringing Shen Luo here was partly done for convenience sake and partly to boast about his garden. ¡°You flatter me, Friend Shen,¡± Shen Luo''s flattery made the Black Bear Demon feel very pleased as he laughed heartily and led him into the tower. The tower''s walls were inlaid with many pearls and jades; the ground was paved with beautiful jade, and the ceiling was adorned with various decorations, looking immensely lavish and luxurious. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo naturally praised the interior decorations a few times. ¡°Protector, has something happened to Cai Zhu?¡± As soon as they sat down, Shen Luo couldn''t wait to ask. Chapter 1051 Chapter 1051: Chapter 1048: Three Things Chapter 1051: Chapter 1048: Three Things ¡°` ¡°Hehe, Friend Shen need not worry, Junior Sect Leader is fine, and in fact, she''s doing very well. She is currently in seclusion within the Huallian Forbidden Area, attempting to break through to the True Immortal Realm,¡± the Black Bear Demon chuckled. ¡°A breakthrough to the True Immortal Realm!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. Before he entered Dreamland the last time, Nie Caizhu had been preparing to break through to the Mahayana Stage, and now she was already trying to hit the True Immortal Realm! But considering that a hundred years had passed, given Nie Caizhu''s aptitude, it wasn''t such an astonishing thing. ¡°Caizhu is already attempting to break through to the True Immortal Stage, so I must also hasten my cultivation,¡± Shen Luo''s mood tightened again, which had loosened slightly due to the disappearance of the Demon Clan. ¡°Junior Sect Leader is exceptionally talented, and with the resources of Mount Putuo at her disposal, it''s natural for her cultivation to advance quickly. However, it seems that Friend Shen''s cultivation level is somewhat lagging behind. Bai Xiaotian, who had visited Mount Putuo with you before, recently paid us a visit. He is also close to reaching the Late Mahayana Stage,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a hint of mockery in his eyes as he looked at Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed. His hundred-year sleep had caused him to fall behind his peers in terms of cultivation level. Although the jade pillow was shattered, his prior experience in Dreamland remained, and his understanding of Mahayana Stage cultivation was crystal clear. He believed that as long as there was a sufficient supply of vitality, his cultivation level could be rapidly improved. ¡°Some incidents happened to me in the past years, which kept me asleep until now, and I have indeed fallen behind my peers by quite a bit. It seems I need to catch up diligently,¡± Shen Luo chuckled. ¡°Oh? What happened that made you sleep for so many years?¡± the Black Bear Demon asked with a surprised expression, sitting up straight. ¡°It was nothing major, and the issue has already been resolved,¡± Shen Luo didn''t elaborate. Seeing that Shen Luo did not wish to discuss the matter, the Black Bear Demon didn''t pursue it further. ¡°Protector Elder, since your cultivation is profound and you have an abundance of resources, I wonder if you might have treasures or elixirs containing a large amount of water property spiritual power, similar to Sweet Dew Water? My cultivation may be weak, but I have some savings. If possible, I''d like to make an exchange with the Elder,¡± Shen Luo said after pondering for a moment, and then with a flick of his sleeve, he swept across the table. More than a dozen items shone with spiritual light appeared on the table, most of them various precious Spirit Grasses that he had gathered from Daughter Village and the Tear Demon Cave. The Black Bear Demon had gone to great lengths to create a Medicine Garden, obviously valuing Spirit Grass highly. Therefore, Shen Luo offered the most precious among them; as for the other Spiritual Materials, they were also the highest quality he had on him. The Black Bear Demon''s gaze swept over these materials, his expression unchanging. Shen Luo observed this and felt a sinking feeling in his heart. Although these Spirit Grasses and materials were precious, they were mostly useful only for Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators. The Black Bear Demon, being a Late True Immortal Stage Demon Cultivator, naturally wouldn''t be interested. He pondered in silence, considering how to use other items to move the demon. ¡°Eh! This is Ice Cap Grass!¡± the Black Bear Demon suddenly exclaimed with surprise, turning his gaze towards a snow-white Spirit Grass. ¡°Indeed, it is Ice Cap Grass. The Elder really is well-informed,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile upon seeing this. ¡°This grass has gone extinct in the Human World. I have been to various mystical Cave Mansions in search of it but have never been able to find it. Where did you obtain it?¡± the Black Bear Demon eagerly asked as he picked up the grass to examine it more closely. ¡°I stumbled upon it in a hidden cave under the Eastern Sea. I''ve only seen a brief record of this grass in an ancient tome and was unaware of its specific uses,¡± Shen Luo asked with a glint in his eye. ¡°It''s understandable that you don''t know. Ice Cap Grass is a Spirit Grass from Ancient Times. Although it''s not of high grade, it contains a trace of Chaos Evil Qi. When refined into a suitable elixir, it has the effect of stimulating the body and tempering the flesh, which is very suitable for our Demon Race''s body refining practices. During the Witch-Demon Great War in ancient times, our Demon Clan made deft use of Ice Cap Grass to push their strength to the pinnacle, often gaining the upper hand in great battles against the Witch Clan,¡± the Black Bear Demon carefully inspected the grass in his hand, not lifting his gaze as he asked. ¡°Tempering the flesh!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes gleamed, but they dimmed again shortly afterward. ¡°` The Ice Cap Grass is the only one of its kind, and although it might be possible to cultivate more through propagation, he lacked the resources and time for that. ¡°I do not have many water-element spiritual materials on hand, only two drops of undistilled Sweet Dew Water, which should sustain your cultivation for a period of time. How about we trade this Ice Cap Grass and these two pieces of spiritual material for them?¡± said the Black Bear Demon, pointing to the Ice Cap Grass and two other spirit grasses. ¡°Of course, that''s fine.¡± Shen Luo felt disappointed inside, but his face did not reveal it, and he nodded in agreement. The Black Bear Demon didn''t haggle, turning his hand and passing over a blue jade bottle. Shen Luo accepted the jade bottle and scanned the inside with his Divine Sense. Inside the bottle, two drops of Sweet Dew Water lay quietly, emitting pure water spiritual power. Although it was not as potent as the drop he had obtained earlier, the water spiritual power contained within was also quite considerable. ¡°Thank you, Protector Elder,¡± he said, gratefully pocketing the jade bottle. ¡°Heh, Brother Shen''s cultivation level isn''t high, but you certainly have a rich collection of items,¡± remarked the Black Bear Demon as he gathered the three spirit grasses, looking at Shen Luo with a smile. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Elder. Speaking of collections, I have a treasure that might be of use to you,¡± said Shen Luo, his eyes flickering with possibility as he spoke. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± The Black Bear Demon showed a look of interest. ¡°A cultivation note left by an Elder of the Taiyi Realm, which records his insights and realizations from when he made a breakthrough to the Taiyi Realm,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. This Taiyi Cultivator was none other than himself. The Black Bear Demon suddenly stood up, his face showing a look of shock. His cultivation level had already reached the Late True Immortal Stage, and his next step was to break through to the Taiyi Realm. The insights of a Taiyi Cultivator on making this realm breakthrough were critically important to him, something he absolutely had to acquire. Although Master Guan Yue of Mount Putuo had also broken through to the Taiyi Realm, her breakthrough chiefly relied on the assistance of a secret treasure of Mount Putuo, making her experience not very helpful to the Black Bear Demon. Furthermore, even so, Master Guan Yue''s cultivation notes were not something one could easily view. ¡°What treasure does Friend Shen wish to exchange for?¡± the Black Bear Demon asked after taking a deep breath to calm his excitement. ¡°I would like to trouble the Elder to assist me with three tasks in exchange for this cultivation note,¡± said Shen Luo as he took out an ancient and yellowed jade slip. ¡°What are these three tasks?¡± The Black Bear Demon fixed his gaze on the ancient jade slip, his breathing becoming rapid. ¡°First, I am currently lacking in water-element treasures for my cultivation; other items I have in abundance. Since Protector Elder''s cultivation is profound, and the circle of friends you associate with likely have high realms as well, I would like to trouble the Elder to help me collect some elixirs or treasures for cultivation,¡± Shen Luo said, having already planned what to request. ¡°No problem,¡± the Black Bear Demon immediately nodded. Although these tasks were cumbersome, with some extra time he could accomplish them without much trouble. ¡°The second task, I am very interested in the body tempering elixirs that the Elder just mentioned, which are refined from the Ice Cap Grass. When the Elder has successfully refined them, please share some with me,¡± Shen Luo paused, then continued. The battles in Dreamland told him that having a resilient body could give him a great advantage in combat. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had also attempted to practice the Huangting Technique in reality, but regrettably, due to his limited aptitude, the progress was incredibly slow, and so far, it had been fruitless. If he could get hold of the body tempering elixir made from the Ice Cap Grass, it should be greatly beneficial to his practice of the Huangting Technique. Chapter 1052 Chapter 1052: Chapter 1049 Guests Fill the Hall Chapter 1052: Chapter 1049 Guests Fill the Hall ¡°Sure, but it takes a very long time to cultivate Ice Cap Grass. It may take decades, even dozens of years, to refine the Elixir. Can I first use some other Body Refining Pills to exchange for that cultivation experience, and then make up the Ice Heart Pill later? How about that?¡± The Black Bear Demon hesitated, then said. ¡°The Protector has other Body Refining Pills? What kind are they, and what specifically are their effects?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened slightly as he asked immediately. ¡°This pill is called the Thunder Bone Pill, made by blending nineteen types of Precious Spirit Materials with the essence of thunder and lightning. After taking it, one can use the power of thunder and lightning within the pill to temper one''s bones and flesh. It is also useful for human cultivators. If combined with a Body Refining Technique, the effect will be even better.¡± The Black Bear Demon directly took out a Jade Bottle and tossed it over. Shen Luo caught the bottle with one hand and probed inside with his Divine Sense. He found it was filled with a dozen or so dark gold pills, each adorned with patterns resembling thunder and lightning. Each pill radiated a potent medicinal effect, even surpassing that of the Snow Soul Pill. ¡°The pills look good, but there are a bit few in number,¡± Shen Luo said with pleasure, stowing the Jade Bottle away. ¡°I have over a dozen bottles here, all for you, Friend Shen,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, waving his hand and sliding over more Jade Bottles. ¡°If you give them all to me, won''t The Protector have no Elixir to consume?¡± Shen Luo did not immediately accept. ¡°Given my current Cultivation Realm and physical condition, the Thunder Bone Pill doesn''t have much effect on me anymore. You just take them,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a wave of his hand. ¡°If that''s the case, I won''t hold back,¡± said Shen Luo as he collected all the pills. ¡°What about the third request from Friend Shen?¡± The Black Bear Demon asked. To exchange just these two conditions for the breakthrough insights of a Taiyi Cultivator was really too cheap. ¡°As for the third matter, I noticed in the Medicine Garden outside there are Purple Lightning Flowers. I need this Spiritual Material to refine a kind of Talisman. I hope The Protector can gift me some, and also help me find both Phoenix Tail and Moon Star Child Materials,¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment, then said. Now that the jade pillow was broken, he no longer had the trump card of summoning his Dream Cultivation. He needed to refine several Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans as a fallback strategy. ¡°Agreed.¡± The Black Bear Demon immediately consented and stood up to go outside and pick Purple Lightning Flowers from the Medicine Garden. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While the Black Bear Demon was away, Shen Luo imprinted his insights and realizations from his breakthrough into the Taiyi Realm within Dreamland on an Ancient and Unadorned Jade Slip. When the Black Bear Demon returned with five Purple Lightning Flowers, Shen Luo handed the jade slip to him. Receiving the jade slip as if it were a precious treasure, the Black Bear Demon placed it against his forehead, closed his eyes and meditated a good while before bursting into laughter and opening his eyes and thanking Shen Luo profusely. ¡°The Protector need not act like this. We both took what we needed, and regarding this insight, it is well utilized,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. The two chatted idly for Moments. Shen Luo used some Spiritual Materials he had on him to exchange for some things from the Black Bear Demon, then he took his leave. The Black Bear Demon sent him off Mount Putuo, watching his Escape Light vanish into the distance with a smile, before the smile slowly disappeared from the corners of his mouth. He pondered for a moment, did not return to Mount Putuo, but transformed into a black Escape Light and flew toward the direction of the Eastern Sea. After leaving Mount Putuo, Shen Luo did not hesitate and flew straight toward Chunhua County Town. Since that year when he left home to go to the Eastern Sea, he had not gone back, mainly out of fear of bringing trouble to his family. Now that the Demon Clan had vanished and the world was at peace, Shen Luo couldn''t wait to return and check on things. Chunhua County. With the threat of the disaster of demons gone, the Great Tang Dynasty flourished everywhere. Chunhua County also witnessed a surge in its population; the city walls had expanded by nearly half compared to before, with a bustling and lively atmosphere as people flowed like water and streets bustled with the hustle of carriages and horses. Located in the East City, the Shen Mansion was one of the top households in Chunhua County, controlling most of the medicinal herb business in our city and even producing several kinds of elixirs with miraculous effects, making a fortune every day. However, this was just the surface appearance. The few top families of Chunhua County knew that the Shen Family was not merely a business dealing with medicinal herbs. Inside the Shen Mansion, there hid experts with extraordinary abilities who could shatter stones with their fists and split the earth with their feet, far surpassing any ordinary martial artists. At the very core of the Shen Family, there were even genuine cultivators who could breathe fire and summon wind, controlling many extraordinary and mystical methods. And all of this was said to be related to the Shen Family''s eldest young master who had left home many years ago. Yet the Shen Family''s members conducted themselves modestly and had no intention of controlling others; otherwise, the entire Chunhua County would have already been under the Shen Family''s rule. Today, the Shen Mansion was decorated with festive lanterns and colorful banners, with servants and maids busily going in and out as if celebrating a significant event. An unexpected figure appeared in mid-air above the Shen Family estate, it was Shen Luo. His body faintly radiated wisps of blue light that distorted the light around him. Though he stood there in mid-air, the servants below in the mansion completely failed to notice his presence. Shen Luo''s expression was complex, and he did not immediately use his Divine Sense to investigate the situation inside the mansion. Having slept for one hundred years, even though he had left behind cultivation techniques back in the day and later asked Bai Xiaotian to bring some life-extending treasures to his family, his parents had most likely ascended to immortality. He wondered if his junior siblings were still around. ¡°Forget it, since I''m already here, why hesitate?¡± he quickly shook his head, released his Divine Sense, and enveloped the entire Shen Mansion, his expression quickly darkening. As expected, his father and Second Mother had passed away; their spirit tablets were worshipped in the Shen Family''s ancestral hall. However, his brother Shen Ci and sister Shen Mumu were still well. Shen Luo''s figure flickered and vanished from the spot. Inside the Shen Mansion''s main hall, Shen Ci, whose hair and beard had all turned white, his face lined with wrinkles, seemed in good spirits. At this moment, he wore a bright red robe for longevity celebrations, and he cheerfully accepted the congratulations of relatives and friends. Today marked his one hundred and twentieth birthday. As the Grand Ancestor of the Shen Family, the dignitaries from the city had all come to celebrate his longevity. Nowadays, the Shen Family was led by Shen Ci''s grandson Shen Li, already past his fifties, with a tall and broad stature, a black beard, and a commanding presence. Shen Li managed not only the business affairs but also had high talent in cultivation. He diligently practiced the techniques left by Shen Luo, had achieved the Dao seed, and attained the Early Stage Qi Refining. Shen Ci, too, had cultivated those techniques in his time, but due to his limited talent, he had not been able to step onto the Immortal Path and was now aged and decrepit. After bidding farewell to a guest who had come to celebrate his longevity, Shen Ci suddenly raised his hand to his chest and started coughing violently. ¡°Grandfather!¡± Shen Li rushed over immediately, excused himself to the surrounding guests, and helped Shen Ci into the inner hall where he administered a milky white pill. However, Shen Ci''s cough did not stop, becoming even more severe, and his brow even revealed an abnormal shade of black. With a grim face, Shen Li took out a set of golden needles, skillfully inserted them into more than a dozen acupuncture points on Shen Ci''s chest and back, which gradually brought the coughing to a halt. ¡°I''m alright now. Don''t worry; don''t all stay here, there are still guests outside,¡± said Shen Ci after catching his breath, managing a faint smile. Chapter 1053 Chapter 1053: Return to Hometown Chapter 1053: Return to Hometown ¡°The guests outside are taken care of by the people in the mansion, there''s no need to worry about that, your health is what''s most important,¡± said Shen Li. Shen Ci was aware of the current status of the Shen Mansion, so he said no more. At that moment, a woman dressed in an aqugreen dress walked out from there, her skin like creamy jade, her features elegant and beautiful, exuding a graceful demeanor with every move she made. ¡°Grand-aunt, Grandfather''s illness seems to have worsened again, after pondering for several days, have you thought of a way to treat it?¡± Shen Li asked respectfully, giving a bow to the newcomer. This dignified woman was precisely Shen Mumu. Her mane was far more powerful than Shen Li''s, having reached the Qi Refining Late Stage, and she possessed the art of keeping her appearance youthful, looking only in her thirties. Shen Mumu did not speak; instead, she took hold of Shen Ci''s wrist to check his pulse. ¡°Third Sister, I''m afraid I must trouble you again,¡± sighed Shen Ci helplessly. ¡°Why speak of trouble between siblings,¡± Shen Mumu replied with a slight shake of her head, focusing on taking the pulse. Seeing this, both Shen Ci and Shen Li dared not make a sound to interrupt. A quarter of an hour passed before Shen Mumu finally withdrew her hand, her expression betraying neither joy nor anger. ¡°Grand-aunt, how is it?¡± Shen Li couldn''t help asking. ¡°The source of Shen Ci''s illness lies deep within his internal organs, coupled with natural aging, the situation is extremely complex. If not treated promptly, he can only hold on for another half a year,¡± said Shen Mumu. ¡°What! Only half a year?¡± Shen Li exclaimed in shock. ¡°That''s even optimistic. If his condition continues to worsen, the time may be even shorter,¡± Shen Mumu spoke slowly. ¡°Having pondered for several days, have you thought of a method?¡± Shen Li asked urgently, his face pale. ¡°I''ve considered for days and thought of a rather risky method, with only a sixty percent chance of success. If unfortunately something goes wrong, I''m afraid¡­¡± Shen Mumu''s sentence trailed off, but everyone understood the implication. ¡°Only a sixty percent chance¡­¡± Shen Li''s brows furrowed. The odds were too low, almost a flip of a coin. Neither of them spoke for a while. ¡°Third Sister, Li, I''ve lived to this age, and that''s already a ripe old age among ordinary people. Go ahead and do as you see fit, even if it doesn''t cure me, it''s fine,¡± Shen Ci chuckled instead, appearing to take the matter lightly. ¡°Very well, let''s begin now,¡± Shen Mumu said, nodding at his words, and took out a blood-red jade pendant¨Cthe Solar Stone Jade Pendant that Shen Luo had once sent back. ¡°Using this method still relies on this Solar Stone Jade Pendant. I will use my mane to activate the Pure Yang Power within it and channel it into your body, Shen Ci, to treat the illness,¡± Shen Mumu explained. ¡°Grand-aunt, you are already able to control the Solar Stone Jade Pendant?¡± Shen Li said, pleasantly surprised. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I''ve focused on researching the Talisman Technique these years and can barely control the power inside the pendant through the Peace Talisman within as a conduit, but my control isn''t that strong, which is why I said there''s only a sixty percent chance,¡± Shen Mumu explained. ¡°Do your best, Grand-aunt. I will protect Grandfather''s spirit with my mane to reduce the pressure on you,¡± Shen Li said as he placed his hand on top of Shen Ci''s head. Shen Mumu hummed in acknowledgment, raised her hand, and placed the jade pendant against Shen Ci''s back, beginning to channel her mane into it. The jade pendant immediately emitted a soft, blood-red glow, slowly penetrating into Shen Ci''s body. However, the glow was somewhat unstable, flickering occasionally. At this very moment, a hand suddenly stretched out from the side and lightly tapped on Shen Mumu''s arm. Shen Mumu''s mane was instantly suppressed, completely immobile. ¡°Who?¡± Shen Mumu exclaimed in shock, abruptly turning her head. A man in green robe appeared in the inner hall out of nowhere, stopping Shen Mumu''s treatment. ¡°Who are you?¡± Shen Mumu shouted in surprise and waved her sleeve. A streak of green light shot out with a ¡°whoosh,¡± targeting the newcomer ¨C a green flying shuttle. The man pinched it with his fingers, easily catching the flying shuttle as if he were picking a mosquito. Seeing this, Shen Mumu was immediately terrified. ¡°Hehe, Third Sister, it has been many years, and you greet me with Talismanic Instruments as soon as we meet,¡± chuckled the man in the green robe, who was none other than Shen Luo. ¡°You¡­ you''re Big Brother!¡± Only then did Shen Mumu recognize the visitor''s face, her eyes widening with surprise and joy. Shen Li was about to use the Talismanic Instruments in his hand to aid Shen Mumu when he was startled into stopping by the scene before him. ¡°Big Brother, you''ve finally returned!¡± Shen Ci also recognized Shen Luo and stood up with great joy. ¡°Second Brother, Third Sister, I have been running around outside all these years, and it''s been hard on you both to manage our home,¡± Shen Luo said apologetically as he looked at his younger siblings, whose appearances had changed significantly. ¡°What are you talking about, Big Brother? We already heard from the Bai Family''s messenger that you have been busy with important matters outside and that''s why you haven''t returned,¡± Shen Ci hurriedly said. That year, when the Bai Family sent the Solar Stone Jade Pendant, Shen Yuange and the others pressed the messenger for information, and the envoy vaguely mentioned Shen Luo''s situation. ¡°It''s just a pity, Father and Mother couldn''t wait for you to come back,¡± said Shen Mumu, her expression darkening. ¡°I have been an unfilial son. In previous years, I fell into trouble and ended up sleeping for one hundred years; otherwise, I could have returned sooner,¡± Shen Luo''s heart soured with self-reproach as he thought of his father''s face. ¡°Sleeping for one hundred years!¡± Shen Mumu, Shen Ci, and Shen Li were all stunned upon hearing this. To ordinary people, a hundred years is a span that encompasses several generations, and Shen Luo had actually slept for such a length of time. ¡°Big Brother, have you now become an immortal?¡± Shen Ci asked with a dumbfounded face. ¡°Right now, I can merely live without eating or drinking; it''s still a long way to becoming an immortal,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. ¡°Live without eating or drinking!¡± A glint of understanding flashed in Shen Mumu''s eyes. In addition to practicing the skills left by Shen Luo, she had encountered a fortuitous opportunity over the years and her cultivation level had significantly improved to the Qi Refining Late Stage. She had much more understanding about the realms of Cultivating Immortality than Shen Ci. Being able to live a hundred years without eating or drinking, Shen Luo''s cultivation level was undoubtedly far beyond the Grain Avoidance Stage. ¡°Could Big Brother''s cultivation level have reached the Soul Condensation Stage?¡± Shen Mumu speculated to herself. As for the Nascent Soul Stage, she dared not even contemplate it, as that level was inhabited only by those terrifying individuals found within the large Cultivating Immortality sects. Shen Li, standing by, looked at Shen Luo with a face full of shock. Although he had never met Shen Luo, he had grown up listening to Shen Luo''s great reputation. Now it seemed that his great-uncle was even more formidable than the rumors had suggested. ¡°Alright, let''s not talk about this for now. Second Brother, there seems to be a problem with your body; let me first rid you of the illness,¡± Shen Luo said, redirecting the conversation without dwelling on the previous topic. ¡°I''m trouble you, Big Brother,¡± said Shen Ci, full of confidence in Shen Luo, and sat down again. Shen Luo had already examined Shen Ci''s body with his Divine Sense and knew the root cause of his illness. He pointed a finger at Shen Ci''s chest and a pure stream of mana flowed into his body, circulating within for an entire cycle. Shen Ci felt a warm current enter his body, vast and powerful beyond measure, eliminating the illness wherever it passed before a rush of heat surged up to his chest. He involuntarily crouched down and spat out a mouthful of black blood. Chapter 1054 Chapter 1054: Chapter 1051: Meeting Gift Chapter 1054: Chapter 1051: Meeting Gift ¡°Grandfather!¡± Shen Li exclaimed in alarm seeing Shen Ci vomiting blood. ¡°It''s alright, Big Brother is using his mana to cleanse Shen Ci''s internal organs, removing all sources of ailment; Shen Ci is fine,¡± Shen Mumu said. Reassured by these words, Shen Li''s concern eased. No sooner had Shen Mumu finished speaking than Shen Ci lifted his head, his brows free of the earlier blackness, his skin fair with a healthy red glow, appearing spirited and lively, with his wrinkles seeming to have smoothed out. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother, I feel much better now,¡± Shen Ci exhaled deeply. At this moment, he felt as if his entire body had been washed over by a mountain spring, completely relaxed and comfortable, and he started to get up. ¡°Not yet finished, first take this elixir,¡± Shen Luo pressed a hand on Shen Ci and took out a green pill, passing it over. The rich scent of the medicine wafted through the air, and just by catching its fragrance, Shen Mumu and Shen Li felt invigorated, lighter as if, astonishment written all over their faces. Coming from a family of medicinal heritagel, both had deep knowledge of elixirs, and could tell at a glance that this green pill was of immense value, far surpassing the Shen Family''s by countless times. ¡°What elixir is this?¡± Shen Ci, too, was knowledgeable about elixirs and could tell this pill was extraordinary, and he quickly asked. ¡°This is a life-extending elixir that can increase your lifespan by thirty years. Take it quickly, and I will help you assimilate its potency,¡± Shen Luo said. This Green Heart Pill was traded from the Black Bear Demon; such elixirs were of no use to him, but for mortals like Shen Ci, they had the effect of completely transforming one''s constitution. ¡°Thirty years of extended life!¡± Shen Ci stood there, astonished. Shen Mumu and Shen Li also stood by, dumbfounded, at a loss for words. ¡°I feel very well now, my illness is cured, and there''s no need to waste such divine medicine. It should be saved for you to take, Big Brother,¡± Shen Ci said after a while, finally regaining his senses. ¡°This pill is of no use to me anymore. Don''t worry too much, just take it,¡± Shen Luo flicked his finger lightly. The green elixir took flight, and in a flash, went directly into Shen Ci''s half-open mouth. A blue light flashed over Shen Luo''s hand, and once more, he activated his mana, guiding it into Shen Ci''s body, refining the elixir. Unable to move, Shen Ci could only close his eyes. The green pill quickly melted, turning into streams of strong medicinal power that infused into his limbs and bones. Shen Ci felt his body getting lighter and lighter, as if he were about to take flight. For years he had been practicing ¡°Green Field Essence Cultivation Technique,¡± which also stirred and rapidly circulated within him. A moment later, Shen Ci''s body suddenly trembled, and several easily opened acupoints burst open. Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi flooded into his body, and the internal flow from the Green Field Essence Cultivation Technique underwent a violent change, thunderously surging, beginning to transform into mana. ¡°He has understood the Dao seed!¡± Shen Mumu exclaimed joyfully, her gaze sweeping over Shen Luo with a flash of astonishment. Once one enters the Qi Refining Stage, they are not only able to wield great strength, but also welcome Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi into their bodies, significantly increasing their lifespan by decades. Countless individuals desire to take this step. Shen Mumu had put forth much effort to help Shen Ci enter the Qi Refining Stage over the years, but to no avail. Yet Shen Luo had achieved it with seemingly a simple gesture. However, Shen Luo''s expression remained very calm. The Black Bear Demon''s Green Heart Pill was no ordinary item, and combined with his Great Mahayana Stage mana, helping a person with a cultivation foundation understand the Dao was a natural result. He continued to operate his mana, regulating Shen Ci''s body and accelerating the tempering effect of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Hissing sounds emerged from various parts of Shen Ci''s body, which also emitted streams of white vapor, enveloping him completely. Only after more than half an hour did Shen Luo retract his hand and waved his sleeve. A wave of blue light emerged, sweeping over Shen Ci, and whisking away all the white vapor as well. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Ci''s figure appeared, his appearance drastically changed. His originally snow-white hair and beard had all turned black, and the wrinkles on his skin had vanished without a trace. His eyes were warm and sparkling, unbelievably, he had returned to his prime overnight. However, Shen Ci had not awakened and still sat there with his eyes closed, seemingly sensing the changes within his body. On the side, Shen Li rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing. He, when he had achieved understanding of the Dao seed, also underwent some physical changes, but nothing as dramatic as what Shen Ci experienced. It was as though his grandfather had experienced the miracle of reverting to youth overnight. ¡°Big Brother, your divine powers are truly inconceivable,¡± Shen Mumu also stood there, stunned, before finally regaining her composure and sincerely expressing her admiration. ¡°This is not my doing. Shen Ci has achieved the Dao seed, allowing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to enter his body for the first time, causing such drastic changes. I merely assisted him a little,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Regardless, to enable the ancestor to undergo such a transformation in such a short time is something only one with great miraculous power could accomplish,¡± Shen Li commented from the side. ¡°You are Second Brother''s grandson? Being able to break through to the Dao seed on your own, without external aid, shows good aptitude. Here are two magical instruments and a vial of Elixir as my welcome gift to you,¡± Shen Luo said, looking at Shen Li with a slight smile and sweeping his sleeve across the nearby table. A blue light flashed on the table, and there appeared a White Jade Bottle, a Blue Flying Sword, and a small yellow shield. ¡°Magical instruments!¡± Shen Li''s eyes burned with fervent desire as he fixed his gaze on the two magical instruments. The Shen Family, although currently possessing a few members who have achieved Understanding the Dao, is not weak, yet is only a minor family within the worldly domain. Lacking even a few Talismanic Instruments, they were naturally immensely excited at the sight of legendary magical instruments. As for the Elixir in the vial, since the Shen Family itself is adept in Elixir refinement, he did not pay much attention to it. Seeing this, Shen Luo shook his head slightly. The vial contained precious life-strengthening and vitality-nourishing Elixirs, potent enough to be greatly beneficial even for cultivators at the Grain Avoidance Stage. Their value was not inferior to the two magical instruments. Shen Mumu, seeing the items on the table, also had a flash of eagerness in her eyes. Her mouth turned up slightly, as if holding Shen Luo to account for not giving her anything. ¡°Mumu, this is for you,¡± said Shen Luo with a chuckle, taking out a Storage Magical Tool and handing it to her. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother,¡± Shen Mumu''s frown transformed into joy as she took the item and activated her Mana to examine its contents. Inside the Storage Magical Tool were three magical instruments; one for offense, one for defense, and one for assistance. There were also two vials of Elixirs. Shen Mumu''s attention also fell onto the magical instruments. She took out a green combat saber and began happily stroking it. ¡°Magical instruments and Talismanic Instruments are different. They require a secret technique to refine and incorporate the prohibitions. I''ll pass on to you a refining secret technique,¡± said Shen Luo as he took out two jade slips, inscribing the Ninety-Nine Wealth Technique on them, and passed them to the two. Shen Mumu and Shen Li, of course, were overjoyed and thanked him profusely. At that moment, Shen Ci, on the side, gradually came to his senses. ¡°I never thought I could achieve the Dao seed and enter the Qi Refining Stage! Big Brother, thank you!¡± Shen Ci stood up and showed deep gratitude towards Shen Luo. ¡°We are brothers, there''s no need for thanks,¡± Shen Luo helped Shen Ci to his feet. ¡°Oh! This is an Elixir for advancing cultivation level, and its power is so incredible!¡± An exclamation came from the side, it was Shen Mumu who, after inspecting the magical instruments, had opened a medicine vial. A surge of intense Spiritual Power fluctuations hit her, causing her eyes to widen in astonishment. A few years ago, she had a stroke of luck and received some cultivating advancement Elixirs, which allowed her to reach the late stage of Qi Refining. Moreover, the Elixirs she had obtained before seemed far inferior to those in the vial she was holding now. Hearing this, Shen Li hurriedly opened his own medicine vial, which also contained such potent Elixirs. He instantly became elated. Chapter 1055 Chapter 1055: Chapter 1052: Reorganize the Sect Chapter 1055: Chapter 1052: Reorganize the Sect Shen Ci looked at the medicine vials and magical instruments in Shen Mumu and Shen Li''s hands with some confusion. Shen Li explained the origins of these treasures in a low voice. ¡°Big Brother, just how strong are you now? You''re making it harder and harder for us to grasp.¡± Shen Ci couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration after hearing this. ¡°The Land of Shen Zhou is boundless, and there are countless extraordinary people. My level of cultivation is only enough to make some name for myself in one province. In the Great Tang Dynasty, there are many who are much stronger than me, and beyond the Great Tang, I am even more insignificant.¡± Shen Luo did not want Shen Ci and the others to become arrogant because of him, so he deliberately downplayed his own strength. Upon hearing this, a hint of shock and awe flashed in Shen Ci''s eyes. For years, he had managed the Shen Family''s business with diligence and caution, having not achieved anything significant in cultivation. The habit of being extremely cautious had long been ingrained in him. Learning of the vast and perilous world of cultivators, he couldn''t help feeling a sense of fear. On the other hand, Shen Mumu was not scared, but her bright eyes showed an increasing yearning for the outside world of cultivators. ¡°Shen Li, we''ve been inside for too long. Go outside and attend to the guests; make sure not to neglect them,¡± Shen Ci soon regained his composure and said to Shen Li beside him. Although Shen Li wanted to stay and hear more about the outside world from Shen Luo, he dared not disobey Shen Ci''s words and took his leave. Shen Luo and the others did not linger and went to the ancestral hall to pay respects to Shen Yuange and Second Mother. ¡°Father, your son has been unfilial and failed to awaken sooner to see you. Now that the disaster of demons has been eradicated, I won''t be running around anymore. I will make sure to visit you often,¡± Shen Luo offered three sticks of incense to his father Shen Yuange, praying silently in his heart. ¡°Big Brother, there''s no need to be sad. Thanks to the Skills and treasures you left behind and later sent back, Father lived happily past the age of one hundred and passed away peacefully, without any regrets,¡± Shen Ci said. Shen Luo nodded at these words. After the ceremony, the three of them went to a side hall to talk. ¡°Big Brother, what are your plans now?¡± Shen Ci personally brewed a cup of tea for Shen Luo and asked. ¡°Now that the calamity is over and there''s peace in the world, I don''t need to wander around anymore. I''m planning to return to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to reorganize our sect,¡± Shen Luo said. That year, the Senior Ancestor passed the ¡°Pure Yang Scripture¡± to him and asked him to revive the lineage of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Unfortunately, he had been too busy dealing with the disaster of demons over the years to attend to this matter. Now that the disaster was over, it was time for him to fulfill his oath from back then. He also intended to go into seclusion at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and cultivate for a while. With two drops of Sweet Dew Water in his possession, he could directly absorb the water''s spiritual power for cultivation; he did not have high requirements for the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. He could cultivate at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion as well. ¡°The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was destroyed overnight by demons a hundred years ago and has been in decline ever since. However, a few years ago, some scattered disciples returned and rebuilt the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Their strength is weak, with only two Qi Refining Stage monks, which is far from what it used to be,¡± Shen Mumu spoke up. ¡°Is that so? Mumu, you seem to be quite informed about the situation at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo looked at his sister. ¡°The Spring and Autumn Pavilion is not very far from our Chunhua County, and the cultivators from our area often gather to exchange items. My Green Jade Shuttle Talismanic Instrument was obtained from Daoist Qin of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Shen Mumu said as she produced the green shuttle talismanic instrument. ¡°Daoist Qin?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo recalled his former fellow disciples; counting the outer disciples, there were indeed a few with the surname Qin. He wondered which one it could be. He soon stopped thinking about this matter and looked at Shen Mumu, ¡°Speaking of which, the skills I left at home that year were only the Small Transformation Yang Skill and the Qingtian Pei Yuan Technique, both basic techniques. I did not leave behind any Qi Refining Stage skills. How did you manage to cultivate to your current realm, Mumu?¡± ¡°That year, I cultivated the Qingtian Pei Yuan Technique you left behind and with the power of the Solar Stone Jade Pendant, I fortuitously understood the Dao seed and then left to travel. I''ve been rather lucky. In the northwest Mount Cheng Huang, I chanced upon the mansion of a passed away freelance cultivator. From there, I obtained a cultivation technique and some elixirs. After many years of hard work, I finally achieved my current realm,¡± Shen Mumu said as she took out a jade slip and handed it over. Shen Luo took the jade slip and probed into it with his Divine Sense. The jade slip contained an ordinary cultivation technique named ¡°Green Wood Technique,¡± which was nothing exceptional. The only noteworthy point was that as women cultivated it, they could channel the force of their intrinsic female essence throughout their bodies, which had a certain effect of preserving youth. ¡°Thanks to the two techniques you left behind that year, and this ''Green Wood Technique,'' our Shen Family was able to develop to its current state. It''s just that in recent years, among the men in our clan, aside from Shen Li, no one else has understood the Dao seed. I wonder if this technique is more suitable for women?¡± Shen Ci also asked. Apart from Shen Li and Shen Mumu, there were two other people in the Shen Family who had understood the Dao seed, but they were currently in other places. Upon hearing this, a hint of a smile crossed Shen Luo''s face. The Solar Stone Jade Pendant he had sent back was extremely pure and had an effect of nurturing the body. Wearing it over a long time increased the chance of understanding the Dao, which enabled the Shen Family to have several people understand the Dao seed in a short period of time. This pace was actually very fast already. Shen Ci and the others, having limited understanding of cultivation, were somehow still unsatisfied. ¡°This ''Green Wood Technique'' indeed is more suitable for women to cultivate, but this technique is only average and is unlikely to lead to great achievements in the future. Third Sister, you should not cultivate this technique anymore. I have a ''Water Elemental Art'' here, which both men and women can cultivate and also has a certain effect of preserving youth. From now on, let the family''s descendants all cultivate this Art,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out a jade album and handed it to Shen Mumu. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This ¡°Water Elemental Art¡± was derived from the Nameless Cultivation Technique, which he had modified to simplify the overly difficult parts, enabling those with ordinary capabilities to advance quicker. In the back of the jade album, he also included some very practical secret methods and Five Elements Techniques to increase the Shen family descendants'' capabilities against enemies. Shen Mumu took the jade slip and immediately got absorbed by the ¡°Water Elemental Art.¡± Each sentence of the incantation contained mysteries; the words were simple yet profound, carrying much more subtlety than the ¡°Green Wood Technique.¡± After a full quarter of an hour, she finally, and reluctantly, averted her gaze. ¡°Such an exquisite technique, Big Brother, where did you obtain this from?¡± Shen Mumu asked curiously. ¡°You don''t need to ask too much about this. This technique is extraordinary. Remember, only pass it on to the trustworthy descendants within the clan,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and admonished. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Mumu and Shen Ci, seasoned from experience, knew the weight of such matters and responded solemnly. ¡°These spiritual materials, talismanic instruments, and magical instruments that I currently have no use for, can all be left with the clan to aid the development of the Shen Family,¡± Shen Luo took out another Storage Magical Tool and handed it to Shen Ci. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother, for your care,¡± Shen Ci received it and offered thanks. ¡°Big Brother, where have you been these years? Can you tell us about it?¡± Shen Mumu asked curiously, and Shen Ci also looked over, clearly very interested in Shen Luo''s experiences during this time. Chapter 1056 Chapter 1056: Chapter 1053: Under Attack Chapter 1056: Chapter 1053: Under Attack Shen Luo gave a slight smile and proceeded to share some of his experiences from the past years with the siblings, choosing to tell them not the most significant parts. Shen Mumu listened with great interest, and Shen Ci also felt as if his eyes were opened to a new world. Shen Luo then imparted some cultivation experience to the two of them, which they found enlightening. The three siblings chatted leisurely for a long time until the moon rose high in the sky before they stopped their conversation. ¡°Big Brother, you should rest at home today. Tomorrow I will bring the other junior members of the family to meet you,¡± Shen Ci said. ¡°There''s no need for that. Over the years, I have grown accustomed to cultivating in solitude, and I''m not particularly comfortable in crowded settings. I leave the family in your hands; I will take my leave now,¡± Shen Luo said as he stood up. ¡°You''re leaving so soon?¡± Shen Ci and Shen Mumu were both taken aback. ¡°I''m heading to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, which is very close to home. If you need anything, just come to find me there,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Shen Ci and Shen Mumu breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°There''s no need for you to see me off,¡± Shen Luo said to the two of them, and with a shimmer, he disappeared from the spot. Shen Ci and Shen Mumu were left feeling a sense of loss. It took them a long time to recover before they began to inspect the storage magical tool and discuss how to distribute the items inside. At that moment, Shen Luo was already at a high altitude, glancing one last time at Chunhua County Town below before turning and flying toward the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. He had no intention of interfering too much with the development of the Shen family. Although the disaster of demons had passed, there was no guarantee that none of his enemies remained. The Shen family had limited strength, and becoming too involved with him could potentially bring harm instead of good. The distance of a few hundred li was trivial for him now. The old site of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion soon came into view. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was still damaged from the demon''s destruction that year, with many buildings collapsed, leaving only a few instead of repaired. The scene looked rather desolate. There was hardly any liveliness inside the pavilion¨Cit was all quiet, without a sound, a sharp contrast to the bustling pavilion of the past. Seeing his former sect in such a state, Shen Luo sighed inwardly and flew down. As he landed inside the pavilion, his brow soon furrowed. The doors of those repaired buildings were wide open, with two doors even lying on the ground. There were also several fresh deep marks on the ground at the entrance, as if a fight had just occurred. Shen Luo''s divine sense spread out, and his expression darkened quickly. In one of the rooms inside the pavilion, there were two corpses dressed in the robes of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion disciples. His brows slightly creased, he expanded his divine sense further and soon turned his gaze toward a range of mountain peaks a dozen li away. There, spiritual energy fluctuated violently, indicating that cultivators were in conflict, and among them, he recognized the familiar mana fluctuations of the Pure Yang Sword Technique. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo immediately flew towards the location. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With his current level of cultivation, he instantly arrived at the scene of the fight and quietly landed just outside a valley. Inside the valley, two groups of monks were engaged in a fierce battle. On one side, two monks wearing qing-colored Daoist robes¨Cdisciples of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion¨Cboth at the Qi Refining Stage, were fighting. ¡°Eh, Qin Ming!¡± Shen Luo looked at a gray-haired elder in a green robe who was wielding a peach wood talisman sword. The man''s appearance had changed greatly, but Shen Luo could vaguely recognize him as a fellow outer disciple from his teenage years. They were not familiar, having only met a few times. Qin Ming was surrounded by a red light, cultivating the Pure Yang Sword Technique, and had reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining. As for the other, a round-faced young man swinging a black battle knife talismanic instrument, Shen Luo did not recognize him. He seemed to be Qin Ming''s disciple, with only early-stage Qi Refining cultivation level. Meanwhile, the three people opposite them were all dressed in black robes, their cuffs embroidered with a dark cloud pattern. Each of the three also had the cultivation level of the Qi Refining stage, one in the middle stage and two in the early stage. Although they were outnumbered, they controlled three identical black talisman swords, forming a sword array filled with Yinsha Black Qi, which seemed quite powerful. They firmly suppressed Qin Ming and his companion. ¡°Haha, Qin Ming, with your meager skills, you also want to occupy the spirit veins of Qinghua Mountain? Just obediently hand them over,¡± the black-faced elder said with a laugh, full of malice. ¡°Black Rock Old Ghost, Qinghua Mountain is the ancestral legacy of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and you will not seize it!¡± Qin Ming''s eyes blazed with anger as he slashed his finger, smearing blood on the peach wood talisman sword. The runes on the talisman sword immediately brightened, and seven or eight zhang-long red sword qi burst out suddenly, tearing a large hole in the opponent''s array of black Qi. ¡°Good! The Pure Yang Sword Technique is indeed powerful, but it''s a pity your strength is too weak to bring out its full power! Hand over the sword technique and the Qinghua Mountain spirit veins obediently, and I, the valley master, might spare your lives!¡± The eyes of the black-faced elder flashed with greed as he bit his tongue tip and sprayed a mouthful of fresh blood onto a black talisman sword, then began muttering spells! The other two did the same, and under the chant of spells, the three talisman swords surged with black light, and the sound of howling grew louder. The torn black Qi instantly healed. The black Qi inside the sword array then roared and turned into a several zhang tall massive black wind pillar, rushing towards Qin Ming and his companion. This black wind pillar was incredibly powerful, scraping off a layer wherever it passed. The talismanic instruments of Qin Ming and his companion spun uncontrollably upon contact, and both their faces changed drastically as they hurriedly retreated backward. ¡°Haha, let me show you the power of my Black Cloud Valley''s Yin Wind Array! Accept your fate!¡± The black-faced elder was somewhat out of breath, but his expression was filled with excitement as he frenziedly danced his hands in incantation gestures. A flash of black light and two black specter heads the size of millstones shot out from the violent wind, rushing towards Qin Ming and the round-faced youth. The round-faced youth, with only early-stage Qi refining cultivation, was far from Qin Ming''s match. Barely holding on as the attack approached, he had no strength to resist and closed his eyes, resigning to death. Just at that moment, a wave of heat swept over them, and a red light shot from the side, forming a thin red light curtain that blocked the two black specter heads. The black specter heads opened their large mouths and fiercely gnawed at the red light curtain, which trembled violently, but still managed to hold against the specter heads. ¡°Master!¡± the round-faced youth had a narrow escape from death and turned to Qin Ming on the side. Qin Ming was holding a fiery red talisman, his palm oozing fresh blood that flooded into the talisman, forming the red light curtain. However, the exertion of this technique was clearly draining his vitality. Qin Ming was already pale, but now he looked even more like white paper. ¡°That thief is formidable. I will hold them off, you take the chance to escape quickly!¡± Qin Ming shouted urgently. ¡°How can a disciple abandon his master and sneak away alone¡­¡± the round-faced youth said, shaking his head. ¡°Foolish! Our lives are insignificant, but the Dao of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion must not end here under any circumstances; now go!¡± Qin Ming''s eyes reddened as he bellowed. The round-faced youth paused, then summoned back his black battle knife and turned to flee into the distance. ¡°Don''t even think about it, today neither of you two will escape!¡± the black-faced elder sneered coldly, increasing the mana poured into the black talisman sword, his hands moving even faster in incantations. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Three more black specter heads shot out from the black wind pillar, crashing against the trembling red light curtain. The already quivering red light curtain could no longer hold and burst apart, dissipating into countless groups of red light. The red talisman in Qin Ming''s hand shattered, completely losing all its spirituality. He himself spewed out blood, his body thrown flying backward, while the peach wood talisman sword lost all its strength and fell to the ground like a stone with a plop. Chapter 1057 Chapter 1057: Chapter 1054: Oblivious to Death Chapter 1057: Chapter 1054: Oblivious to Death ¡°Go to die!¡± The black-faced elder''s eyes flashed with a trace of cruelty as he pointed with his finger. ¡°Roar¡± A black specter roared as it pounced over, catching up to Qin Ming in a blink of an eye and fiercely biting down with its hideous mouth. ¡°Master!¡± The round-faced youth had not run far when he turned his head and saw this scene, immediately turning back and rushing over, with his black battle knife transforming into a slash of black light aimed viciously at the black specter. Unfortunately, he was too far from Qin Ming to rescue him in time. Just as Qin Ming was about to lose his life, a slender red light appeared from nowhere, streaked through the void, and the black specter that was about to swallow him split in two, exploding with a ¡°bang.¡± Immediately afterwards, the other specter heads also stopped in mid-air and then exploded into black Qi that dissipated. ¡°Who dares to mess up Daoist''s plans? Hiding and sneaking around, is that what a hero does? If you''ve got the guts, show yourself!¡± The black-faced elder shouted angrily around him, paying no attention to Qin Ming and the other youth. The other two black-robed monks did the same, looking around with faces full of anger. As for Qin Ming and the round-faced youth, they were stunned by this sudden turn of events, having just seen one of them desperately pounce, and the other blown away by a mouthful of blood, not quite understanding what had happened. At that moment, a flash of blue light appeared next to them, revealing the figure of a man in a green robe ¨C it was Shen Luo. Qin Ming and the round-faced youth were startled, but seeing Shen Luo''s friendly expression and sensing no malice, they relaxed a bit. The black-faced elder and the two black-robed monks, upon seeing Shen Luo who had appeared silently, were all taken aback and exchanged glances, hesitant to act rashly for the moment. ¡°The two of you have worked hard; here are two healing pills, take them first,¡± Shen Luo, with his back facing the three of the black-faced elder, smiled and took out two elixirs, handing them to Qin Ming and the round-faced youth. He had arrived nearby quite some time ago, but he wanted to see if Qin Ming and his companion truly intended to revitalize the Spring and Autumn Pavilion; that''s why he only intervened at the last moment. The two elixirs emitted a refreshing medicinal strength. Just by smelling the incense of the medicine, Qin Ming felt his severe injuries lessen slightly, and his eyes immediately turned fervent. These two elixirs were better than any others he had ever seen, but he did not accept them right away. ¡°Thank you, Excellency, for your assistance just now, but these elixirs are too precious, and I am too ashamed to accept them,¡± Qin Ming said respectfully. Shen Luo smiled, as it was clear that Qin Ming did not recognize him, and without explaining, he flicked his finger and the two elixirs flew out and entered the mouths of Qin Ming and the round-faced youth. The elixirs melted upon entering their mouths, turning into two streams of warmth that coursed through their bodies. Their injuries were immediately healed, and their cultivation levels greatly improved. Qin Ming felt a surge of mana inside him, advancing to the mid-term peak of Qi Refining, while the round-faced youth''s cultivation also shot up to the early peak of Qi Refining. Qin Ming felt the changes within his body and was about to thank Shen Luo with a face full of ecstasy when his eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Elder, watch out at your feet!¡± he shouted in alarm. Before his voice had fallen, a yellow shadow passed under the dirt by Shen Luo''s feet, and a small earth-yellow scorpion shot out. Its tail turned into a yellow phantom and stabbed into Shen Luo''s ankle, burying itself into his flesh. ¡°Haha! No matter who you are, once stung by a scorpion demon, just wait for death!¡± The black-faced elder ahead saw this scene and immediately burst into a wild laugh. He had just realized that Shen Luo was not to be trifilled with, so, while Shen Luo was talking to Qin Ming, he secretly commanded the poisonous scorpion to sneak past, and, as expected, struck true in one hit. The spot where Shen Luo''s ankle was pricked instantly turned greenish-black and began to swell rapidly. But his expression did not change, and he raised his hand, summoning a layer of blue light that seeped out from the skin under his ankle, enveloping the scorpion. An intense chill erupted, and with a ¡°crack¡± sound, the scorpion was frozen into a lump of ice. Shen Luo pulled out a pale purple pearl, which was none other than the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, and touched it to the wound on his ankle. At once, strands of purple-black poison flowed out from the flesh, absorbed by the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead. The green-black skin quickly turned white, and the swelling rapidly subsided, returning to normal in just a few breaths. ¡°As expected of the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, it can not only dispel poison mist, but also directly extract toxins from wounds!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened as he murmured to himself. How could he have been unaware of the scorpion underground? He just wanted to test the effectiveness of the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, so he deliberately let himself get stung; after all, this level of poison was like a mere itch to him and posed no threat whatsoever. ¡°Impossible! My scorpion demon was cultivated with thirteen kinds of deadly toxins, even a Grain Avoidance Cultivator bitten by it can''t escape death, how can you be unharmed!¡± The black-faced elder was panic-stricken and shouted in disbelief. ¡°Shut up!¡± Shen Luo stood up, his face expressionless as he flicked his fingers, a streak of crimson light flashed. The black-faced elder''s head burst with a ¡°bang¡±, his brains and blood splattering everywhere. His headless body wobbled, then stiffly fell like a dried-up wooden stake. Meanwhile, the other two in black clothes were terrified and immediately split off in different directions, each taking out a black talisman and slapping it on themselves. After a flash of black light, a black protective cover formed around their bodies. Han Li casually flicked his hand, sending out two extremely thin rays of crimson sword light that shot from his fingertips, instantaneously appearing behind the two men and effortlessly piercing through them. The black protective covers shattered on impact, the heart meridians of the two men were shredded by the sword Qi without a single drop of blood on their skins. They fell to the ground, bereft of all breath. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Qin Ming and the round-faced youth, seeing Shen Luo effortlessly kill the three from the black-faced elder''s group with a simple gesture, turned pale once more, their eyes filled with deeper reverence when looking at Shen Luo. ¡°Elder not only saved the lives of my disciple and me but also killed those three, avenging the disciples of our Spring and Autumn Pavilion who perished. I thank you here, but may I dare ask for your illustrious name so that I can remember it day and night?¡± Qin Ming stepped forward and bowed deeply. ¡°It seems Brother Qin has completely forgotten about me. I am Shen Luo. These years, you have borne the weight of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion on your own, and have suffered greatly.¡± Shen Luo lifted Qin Ming back to his feet as he spoke. ¡°Shen Luo¡­ you¡­ you''re that Shen Luo who relied on his wealthy family and was taken in by the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, Qin Ming''s mouth dropped open in shock, and he started stammering. The round-faced youth nearby looked on at Qin Ming and Shen Luo with a confused expression, obviously unfamiliar with the name Shen Luo. ¡°It seems my reputation for relying on my family''s status to enter our sect those years ago has widely spread. Yes, I am that Shen Luo. I was lucky to escape when our Spring and Autumn Pavilion was destroyed.¡± Shen Luo said with a light smile. ¡°I was just speaking thoughtlessly just now, please don''t take it to heart, Junior Brother Shen.¡± It was only now that Qin Ming realized the bluntness of his earlier words and hastened to apologize. ¡°Hehe, those are just trifles from our youth, Brother Qin need not worry about it. Those three just now, who were they? Why did they want to kill you?¡± Shen Luo obviously did not mind the matter and deftly changed the subject. Chapter 1058 Chapter 1058: Chapter 1055: Eliminate Evil and Promote Fame Chapter 1058: Chapter 1055: Eliminate Evil and Promote Fame ¡°Those three people are monks from a sect in Black Cloud Valley, hundreds of miles away in Mount Qilian, and they covet the spiritual veins of our Spring and Autumn Pavilion, intending to claim them as their own. Tonight, they took advantage of our unpreparedness and launched a surprise attack on the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Several of my disciples were killed, and if it weren''t for Junior Brother Shen arriving in time, I''m afraid we would have really faced death today,¡± Qin Ming said. As he spoke words of gratitude, he took the opportunity to scrutinize this Junior Brother Shen, but he could not discern the level of his strength at all, which made him all the more alarmed. Shen Luo nodded slightly. The spirit veins of Qinghua Mountain were indeed desirable, and with Qin Ming and his companion''s weak strength, they naturally became an easy target. ¡°When did this Black Cloud Valley sect emerge in Mount Qilian?¡± he then asked. That year, when he was with the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, he had a good understanding of the nearby sects but had never heard of this Black Cloud Valley. ¡°Black Cloud Valley is a sect that has appeared only in recent years. It''s quite large, and besides these three Qi Refining Cultivators, they have a large number of ordinary disciples. Additionally, the skills cultivated by Black Cloud Valley belong to the demonic path, and they do not emphasize cultivating one''s moral character. They have attracted many bandits and thieves who commit crimes, and even gathered many death row prisoners through jailbreaks. They often commit acts of burning, killing, looting, and kidnapping women. The nearby sects and aristocratic families of cultivators are too angry to speak out, but now that their three leaders are dead, the other disciples, who are mostly ordinary people, will probably no longer be able to act as tyrannically as before,¡± Qin Ming said happily. ¡°Despite this, Black Cloud Valley has committed so many evil deeds and even dared to covet our Spring and Autumn Pavilion, killing our sect''s disciples; their crimes are unforgivable!¡± Shen Luo said with a chilling tone. Feeling Shen Luo''s murderous intent, Qin Ming and his companion felt as if they had fallen into an ice pit, their expressions changing. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, are you going to?¡± Qin Ming hesitated to ask. Without answering Qin Ming, Shen Luo slapped his Qiankun Bag on his waist. A shadow flew out from it, it was Ghost General Zhao Feiji. Although a hundred years had passed, the Ghost General had been hiding inside the Qiankun Bag all this time, so his cultivation level hadn''t changed much and was still at the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Qin Ming, who practiced the Pure Yang Sword Technique, was sensitive to ghostly Qi, and since the Ghost General''s ability to conceal his presence was nowhere near as good as Shen Luo''s, he faintly sensed the Ghost General''s formidable cultivation level. ¡°This ghost seems even more terrifying than the Senior Ancestor of that year. Could it be a Ghost King of the Nascent Soul Stage?¡± The shock in Qin Ming''s heart was immeasurable, yet he dared not ask directly. ¡°Brother Qin, lead the Ghost General to Mount Qilian and uproot Black Cloud Valley completely, leaving no one behind!¡± Shen Luo turned to Qin Ming. ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Ming quickly agreed, his attitude even more respectful than before. If Shen Luo could command such a terrifying ghost, his strength must be even stronger, and Qin Ming dared not show any disrespect. ¡°Going to kill people? Great, leave it to me!¡± The Ghost General, upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, showed a look of excitement on his face. Having been confined in the Qiankun Bag for more than a hundred years, he was extremely frustrated and could not wait to grab Qin Ming. He then leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of black light shooting toward the distance, and disappeared into the far sky in the blink of an eye. In the valley, only Shen Luo and the round-faced youth remained. The round-faced youth was very restrained, respectfully standing to the side with his head lowered. ¡°Are you a disciple of Qin Ming? What''s your name?¡± Shen Luo looked at the round-faced youth. ¡°Disciple Zhou Fu, I pay my respects to Uncle Master Shen,¡± The round-faced youth was startled by Shen Luo''s question and awkwardly gave a bow in a fluster. ¡°Zhou Fu? That''s a good name.¡± Shen Luo smiled. ¡°It was Master who named me. I was an orphan and nearly starved to death when Master found me and raised me. He named me Zhou Fu, hoping that I would take on the responsibility of reviving the Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Zhou Fu said, scratching his head and speaking hesitantly, seemingly not eloquent. ¡°Brother Qin has his heart set on it. Don''t worry; that day will come very soon,¡± Shen Luo looked up at the sky and said slowly. ¡°Uncle Master, are you going to stay with the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Zhou Fu might look dull, but he was actually very astute and immediately asked. ¡°` ¡°Yes, I''ve returned this time specifically to revive our Pavilion,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had ordered the Ghost General to wipe out Black Cloud Valley not only for revenge, but it was also related to the revival of the Pavilion. After all, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion had been silent for too long and needed a significant event to make its name known. Upon hearing this, Zhou Fu was overjoyed. ¡°You clean up around here; I will be heading back first,¡± Shen Luo told Zhou Fu before turning into a red light and flying toward the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Zhou Fu answered with utmost respect, his face brimming with happiness, as he headed towards the place where the black-faced elder and the other two had fallen. There were quite a few good things on those corpses. Shen Luo soon arrived back at the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and began to walk around the familiar places¨C the training grounds, his residence back then, and the area in the back mountain where he used to practice cultivation. Seeing the familiar places and recalling the past, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of sentimentality. Before he knew it, he had come to a valley in the back mountain of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, not far ahead was the place where he had found the jade pillow that year. ¡°Why would such a treasure as the jade pillow appear in the back mountain of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion? Could it have been left there by someone?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, and he quickened his pace, soon arriving at the cave where the jade pillow had been hidden that year. Back then, his cultivation level was weak, and his methods of investigation were basic. It was possible that more secrets lay undiscovered here. Thinking of this, Shen Luo expanded his Divine Sense, inch by inch, exploring every detail of the cave. Soon, he discovered something; he felt a faint trace of spiritual power fluctuations at the top of the cave. ¡°There really is something!¡± He was instantly overjoyed and reached out into the void with his hand. A burst of blue light shot out from his hand and entered the top of the cave. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± the stone wall crumbled, and the blue light flew back out, revealing a palm-sized slab of mysterious yellow jade. The material of the jade plate appeared to be the same as the jade pillow, densely covered with many patterns and characters. ¡°This is¡­¡± Shen Luo carefully examined the contents of the jade plate. The content recorded on the jade plate was exceedingly obscure and difficult to understand. Even with his current knowledge, he could barely comprehend it. Some of the special characters and rune patterns, he had seen in some Artifact Refining classics, seemed to be special characters on the path of Artifacts Refining. ¡°Could it be some kind of Artifact Refining secret technique?¡± Shen Luo speculated. Unfortunately, he had no knowledge of Artifact Refining, nor did he have anyone around who was proficient in it. ¡°Speaking of Artifact Refining, I did meet an Artifact Refiner in Luo Star City back then, who was quite a nice person. Maybe I should have the Mirror Fiend disguise its appearance and ask that person for help,¡± he suddenly remembered someone, formed a hand seal, and summoned a flow of water, employing the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. From the Spirit Communicating Water Hole emerged a powerful Demon Qi, and a blue figure slipped out ¡ª it was the Mirror Fiend. ¡°Mirror Fiend greets Master.¡± The Mirror Fiend didn''t seem to have changed much from before, but its strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching the Mahayana Stage, and furthermore, the peak of the Early Mahayana Stage. ¡°Your cultivation has improved quite a bit,¡± Shen Luo sized up the Mirror Fiend and nodded. ¡°This is all thanks to the help from Master and Sister Tear Demon,¡± the Mirror Fiend said modestly. ¡°I only gave you a magical treasure; I didn''t help with your cultivation. But never mind, I didn''t summon you to talk about this. I have a task for you to do,¡± Shen Luo smiled and changed the subject. ¡°Please give your orders, Master,¡± the Mirror Fiend straightened up and responded respectfully. Chapter 1059 Chapter 1059: Chapter 1056: Unexpected Complications Chapter 1059: Chapter 1056: Unexpected Complications ¡°Take this item to Iron Hat Alley in Luo Star City and find an Artifact Refiner named Luo San. Have him check what is written on this,¡± Shen Luo handed the mysterious jade plate to the Mirror Fiend. That Luo San was the very Artifact Refinement Master he had met that year. ¡°Go to Luo Star City? Master, I am at a critical juncture breaking through my realm. Tear Demon Sister is about to perform a secret method to help me advance to the Middle Stage of Mahayana. Could you wait until after my breakthrough to go?¡± the Mirror Fiend asked. ¡°That''s fine. There''s no rush for this matter,¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted as he nodded in agreement. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± the Mirror Fiend said joyfully, bowing in gratitude. ¡°The key to breaking through to the Middle Stage of Mahayana is to repeatedly refine the mana or Demon Qi within your body. The purer it is, the smoother the breakthrough process will be¡­¡± Shen Luo recalled his experience of breaking through this realm in Dreamland and gave the Mirror Fiend a few tips and tricks. Although the Mirror Fiend found it strange that Shen Luo knew these things, she listened carefully and committed them to memory. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A moment later, Shen Luo opened the Spirit Communicating Water Hole again and sent the Mirror Fiend back. He didn''t stay in the back mountain either but turned and returned to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°Junior Brother Shen,¡± Zhou Fu had also returned and was cleaning up the remnants of the battle within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Seeing Shen Luo return, he quickly went to meet him. ¡°Zhou Fu, are there only you and your master left in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion now?¡± Shen Luo scanned the part of the pavilion where the coffins were buried. The previously deceased disciples of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion had already been buried there. ¡°Apart from my master and me, there are a few disciples. They were sent out by my master to buy things and are not in the pavilion right now,¡± Zhou Fu said hastily. Shen Luo hummed in acknowledgment, about to ask more about the affairs of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, when he suddenly felt something and turned his head to look into the distance. A black rainbow appeared at the end of the sky and sped towards them like a shooting star. In just a few breaths, it arrived above the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and descended, revealing Ghost General and Qin Ming. Qin Ming was trembling, his face had gone white. Being just a Qi Refining Cultivator, he had never flown in the sky before. The Ghost General had whisked him through the heavens and earth without shielding him from the turbulent airstreams, scaring him greatly. ¡°Brother Qin, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo gave the Ghost General a stern look and asked. ¡°I''m, I''m alright,¡± Qin Ming wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and forced a smile. However, his still-trembling legs betrayed his true feelings. Zhou Fu hurried forward to help Qin Ming to the side to rest. ¡°How did things go?¡± Shen Luo looked at the Ghost General. ¡°All taken care of, there''s no longer a Black Cloud Valley in this world,¡± the Ghost General licked his lips and chuckled. The fight had truly satisfied him. ¡°Your aura seems a bit chaotic. Did you meet an opponent?¡± Shen Luo examined the Ghost General, his brow slightly furrowing. ¡°Truly nothing escapes the Master. Indeed, there were some complications. When I was wiping out those bandits in Black Cloud Valley, an old Daoist at the Late Nascent Soul Stage happened to pass by. Daring to be presumptuous with me, I also slaughtered him but sustained a minor injury,¡± the Ghost General said with pride. ¡°What! You dare to harm someone at will?¡± Shen Luo''s face turned ugly as he shouted angrily. The Ghost General had been locked up for too long, his desire for slaughter erupting, affecting his divine wisdom. Seeing Shen Luo''s furious face, the Ghost General then remembered that Shen Luo had always strictly forbidden him from killing indiscriminately. ¡°Please forgive me, Master. It was that grey-robed elder Daoist who struck first. I had no choice but to kill him,¡± the Ghost General said with his head bowed. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, the Ghost General Elder is right. It was indeed the old Daoist who struck first. It seems he wanted to capture the Ghost General Elder to make him his ghost pet, and that''s when the Ghost General Elder killed him,¡± Qin Ming spoke from the side. ¡°Who was that person? Are there any clues left to trace?¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo''s anger on his face slightly subsided as he asked. ¡°He did not report his name or origin, and I do not know it either. This is his storage magical tool, which I have not yet had the chance to examine,¡± the Ghost General said, taking out a black bracelet and passing it over. Shen Luo took the bracelet and his divine sense entered it. Inside, the collection was quite rich, with plenty of spiritual materials, elixirs, and other things, but they were naturally of little use to him. Shen Luo''s brows twitched, and he took out an object from the storage magical tool. It was a black token inlaid with a dark green gemstone. One side depicted a pattern of black flames, and the other side was engraved with the three large characters of ¡°Tianyin Gate.¡± ¡°Tianyin Gate? What sect is this?¡± He looked towards Qin Ming. ¡°Tianyin Gate is a renowned major sect in Qingzhou, but its methods are sinister and cruel, and it is counted among the heretical sects, not recognized by most cultivation sects and aristocratic families,¡± Qin Ming replied. Hearing this, Shen Luo nodded. Since that person was not a man of integrity, there was no issue with killing him. ¡°Considering Brother Qin''s face, I will not pursue the matter this time. However, if you dare to kill at random again in the future, I will not let you off lightly!¡± He looked at the Ghost General and said coldly. ¡°Thank you, Master. I will definitely bear it in mind,¡± the Ghost General breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly nodded in agreement, and then turned into a wisp of black Qi, flying back into the Qiankun Bag. Zhou Fu told Qin Ming about Shen Luo''s plans to leave things behind for the revitalization of the sect, and Qin Ming was naturally overjoyed. ¡°This is what I should do. Here are some immortal jades, materials, talismanic instruments, magical instruments, and other things. I''ll leave them to you, Brother Qin.¡± Shen Luo took out a storage magical tool he had prepared earlier and handed it to Qin Ming. Qin Ming activated his mana and briefly inspected it, showing great joy on his face. With these things, the strength of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion would surely rise rapidly. Coupled with Shen Luo, a great master, a return to glory was within reach. ¡°Here is also this jade pendant, which contains our sect''s Pure Yang Scripture. It was given to me by the Senior Ancestor when the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was destroyed that year. Now that you are the Pavilion Master of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, this item should be in your custody,¡± Shen Luo said, taking out an ancient jade pendant and handing it to Qin Ming. ¡°Pure Yang Scripture!¡± Qin Ming suddenly stood up, looking excitedly at the jade pendant in Shen Luo''s hand. As a disciple of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, he was also aware of the Pure Yang Scripture. He thought it had been lost in the disaster that destroyed their sect that year, only to find out it still existed. However, he did not take the jade pendant. ¡°This Pure Yang Scripture is far too precious, and with my low cultivation level, it''s not safe to carry it with me. It''s better for you to hold on to it, Junior Brother Shen. Besides, now that you have come back, the position of Pavilion Master naturally belongs to you.¡± Qin Ming took out a green token, on which were engraved the four big characters ¡°Sect Leader Seal,¡± and presented it with both hands, placing it in front of Shen Luo. ¡°Although my cultivation level is high, running a sect is not my forte, and the affairs of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion will still rely on you, Brother Qin. As for this jade pendant, just take it, Brother Qin.¡± Shen Luo did not accept the token, pushing the jade pendant directly into Qin Ming''s hands. ¡°With your profound cultivation, Junior Brother Shen, you should be the one to take charge of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. And with the Pure Yang Scripture being so precious, how could I take it?¡± Qin Ming said quickly, waving his hands. Chapter 1060 Chapter 1060: Chapter 1057: Seclusion Chapter 1060: Chapter 1057: Seclusion ¡°I have devoted myself solely to cultivation these years, with no interest in managing the sect. If Brother Qin refuses again, I will have to leave this place. As for the Pure Yang Scripture, with me here, naturally, nobody would dare to try to take it,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. Seeing Shen Luo''s insistence, Qin Ming had no choice but to take the jade pendant as told. The three of them then entered the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Shen Luo paid his respects to the ancestral masters of the Pavilion and chatted with the two for a while, learning about each other''s experiences over the years. According to Qin Ming, when the Spring and Autumn Pavilion met its downfall that year, he was away from home, and by sheer luck, he escaped disaster. By the time he returned to the sect, the Pavilion no longer existed. He searched for surviving sect members near the ruins of the Pavilion and encountered a wisp of the Senior Ancestor''s soul, which was on the verge of dissipating, in a valley. The Senior Ancestor transmitted the Pure Yang Sword Technique to Qin Ming, instructing him to preserve the Daoist lineage of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion no matter what. ¡°So your Pure Yang Sword Technique was passed down to you by the Senior Ancestor, no wonder,¡± Shen Luo realized. What was strange, however, was that the Senior Ancestor did not mention to Qin Ming about taking the Pure Yang Scripture away. After some thought, Shen Luo quickly understood. The Senior Ancestor was making a backup plan. Since he and Qin Ming were unaware of each other''s situations, even if something went wrong on one side, the Daoist lineage of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion could continue. Shen Luo also briefly narrated his own experiences over the years, of course, omitting a lot of details and some inconvenient matters. Even so, his rich and varied experiences left Qin Ming and Zhou Fu astonished. Time flew quickly, and soon the sky brightened. Qin Ming and Zhou Fu had gone through the great battle the previous night and had stayed awake all night, both feeling somewhat tired. ¡°You don''t have to keep me company, go down and rest,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, standing up. ¡°Where are you going, Junior Brother Shen?¡± Seeing Shen Luo about to leave, Qin Ming quickly got up. Now that all hopes for the revival of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion rested on Shen Luo, he couldn''t help but be anxious. ¡°Don''t worry, Brother Qin, I don''t intend to leave. I just prefer solitude. I''m going to the back mountain to establish a cave mansion for cultivation. If you have anything, come find me then,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright, Junior Brother Shen, you focus on cultivation. Leave other matters to me to handle,¡± Qin Ming finally breathed a sigh of relief. After giving a few more instructions to Qin Ming, Shen Luo quickly made his way to the back mountain. He expanded the cave where he had originally buried the jade pillow and turned it into a cave mansion, then took out several sets of formation devices and set them up around the cave, including the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array. After completing these preparations, Shen Luo sat down inside the cave mansion and closed his eyes to adjust his condition. After a long while, he opened his eyes and took out the Jade Bottle containing two drops of Sweet Dew Water. He then circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to absorb the water''s spiritual power. Streams of blue light poured out of the bottle and flowed continuously into his body. Shen Luo himself began to emanate strands of blue light, which quickly grew dense and soon engulfed his body. Time flew rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed. Inside the cave mansion, the blue light on Shen Luo''s body had become ten times more intense, making him look like a small blue sun, completely obscuring his body. Waves of strong mana fluctuations spread from it, forming selike waves of blue light that diffused outwards. At that moment, the small sun-like blue light suddenly started to flicker, then all at once seeped into its core. In a few breaths, all the blue light vanished without a trace, revealing Shen Luo''s body. The jade bottle in his hand was now empty, having had all of its Sweet Dew Water absorbed. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, a flicker of joy passing through his pupils. Indeed, the Sweet Dew Water from Mount Putuo was a treasure, brimming with abundant spiritual power of water. He had mastered the cultivation of the Mahayana stage without any bottlenecks. With this cultivation session, his cultivation level had soared. Though he hadn''t reached the Middle stage of Mahayana, he was not far from it. ¡°It''s a pity that there were only two drops of Sweet Dew Water. If there were two more, I could definitely push my cultivation level to the Middle stage of Mahayana. I wonder if the Black Bear Demon has found enough water elemental treasures?¡± Shen Luo frowned and murmured to himself. Unfortunately, after advancing to the Mahayana stage, the Snow Soul Pill could no longer satisfy his cultivation needs. Otherwise, he could have had the Mirror Fiend disguise itself and purchase some in Luo Star City, removing the worry of finding Elixirs. He immediately took out a white Transmission Array Disk, which the Black Bear Demon had given him. It allowed the two to communicate within the range of an entire continent. Shen Luo formed a hand seal with one hand, intending to activate the Transmission Array Disk to contact the Black Bear Demon about the collection of cultivation resources, but after some thought, he decided against it. ¡°Given the Black Bear Demon''s eagerness for the cultivation manual, even without my urging, it will certainly collect them diligently. I''ll wait a little longer,¡± he said and put away the formation disc. Though he had run out of cultivation resources, he didn''t idle around. He flipped his hand and took out a jade bottle, from which he poured out a dark-golden Elixir ¨C the Thunder Bone Pill. Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense to carefully inspect the Thunder Bone Pill and after confirming there were no problems, he tilted his head back and swallowed it. The Elixir melted in his stomach quickly, transforming into potent medicinal strength, and streaks of thunder and lightning emerged, rampaging through his body and meridians. Sizzle sizzle sizzle¡­ Numerous electric arcs flickered over Shen Luo''s body, and each pore emitted lightning. His Green Robe was instantly torn to shreds, and the ground nearby turned scorched black by the strength of the lightning. ¡°Such formidable power of thunder and lightning!¡± He had not expected the Thunder Bone Pill''s potency to be this ferocious. Medicinal strength like lightning bolts rampaged within his body as if countless tiny knives were twisting everywhere, causing immense pain. Fortunately, his cultivation had already reached the Great Mahayana Stage, so he could withstand it. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo took a deep breath and began to circulate the Huangting Technique. The Huangting Technique, the Sect''s Treasure of Mount Fangcun, was truly extraordinary. The moment he started circulating it, the rampaging thunder and lightning energies in his body immediately became docile and obediently integrated into every part of his body along with the movements of the Huangting Technique. Shen Luo''s muscles and bones absorbed these thunder and lightning energies, visibly growing stronger at a rapid pace. ¡°My guess was correct; Body Refining Pills can speed up the cultivation of the Huangting Technique,¡± he thought with joy. Then he concentrated even more on circulating the Huangting Technique, quickly refining and absorbing the Thunder Bone Pill''s medicinal strength. The Thunder Bone Pill''s strength was formidable, but it could not withstand such absorption by the Huangting Technique and was soon completely refined. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo took out another Thunder Bone Pill and swallowed it, continuing to cultivate and refine. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. The Thunder Bone Pills in Shen Luo''s hand were all consumed. Under the mighty push of the pill''s medicinal strength, the Huangting Technique made rapid progress, and he impressively completed the first two layers. Two Golden Dragons and two Golden Elephants revolved and danced around him, creating gusts of wind with their movements and continuous roaring sounds. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, and the Golden Dragons and Golden Elephants around him transformed into four spheres of Golden Light, which entered his body. He stood up, clenched his fists tightly, and a layer of Golden Light appeared all over his body. His bones emitted a chorus of cracking sounds, unleashing waves of formidable strength that made the surrounding air buzz and tremble. Excitement flashed in his eyes as he was about to do something, but suddenly his brow furrowed, and he turned his head to look in a certain direction. Chapter 1061 Chapter 1061: Chapter 1058: Misunderstanding Chapter 1061: Chapter 1058: Misunderstanding ¡°Who''s there sneaking around!¡± Shen Luo bellowed as he flipped his hand. A flash of golden light shone from his palm, with a Profound Yellow Staff appearing, and as he shook his arm, the long stick transformed into a golden rod shadow, striking like lightning onto a cyan prohibition light curtain some distance away. This Profound Yellow Staff was the Profound Yellow Staff indeed, but compared to before, it had undergone significant changes, with mysterious runes emerging on the body and both ends turning a golden yellow, exuding an aura twice as strong as before. Previously on Falling Star Island, Shen Luo had found an Artifact Refiner who fused the Spirit Solar Iron from Master Baoxiang''s Chan Stick into the Profound Yellow Staff, successfully upgrading it to the level of Magical Treasures. The cyan prohibition light curtain shattered like brittle paper against the golden rod shadow with a ¡°crack¡± sound, revealing a figure. The person seemed not to have anticipated being discovered, pausing before hurriedly dodging to the side. Shen Luo snorted softly, twisted his wrist, and in an instant, the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand split into three phantoms, enveloping the person''s body like lightning. ¡°This is¡­¡± the figure exclaimed in shock, but before he could finish, the three rod shadows struck the figure in succession. With a loud crash, the figure flew out like a bundle of straw and slammed against the cave mansion wall several feet away. Layers of prohibition light emerged on the wall, but the power of the Profound Yellow Staff was so frightening that the prohibition light and figure touched and shattered once more, as if crumbling to dust. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a ¡°boom,¡± a large hole blew open in the thick wall, and the figure was flung out, smashing hard onto the ground outside, where dust flew up and dispersed in all directions. Shen Luo stared at the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, his face unable to hide his elation. In the past, when he used this staff technique in real life, he couldn''t bring out its full power due to his frail physical strength, leaving this earth-shattering technique underutilized. Now that he had achieved results in cultivating the Huangting Technique, he could finally display the true might of this staff technique in reality. Shen Luo didn''t linger in his excitement and quickly regained composure. He leaped from the hole in the wall, his feet emitting a bright moonlight glamour as he rushed with extreme speed toward the outside pit. He sensed that, even though the person had been struck flying by the Profound Yellow Staff, they hadn''t lost their fighting power. ¡°Stop, Friend Shen, it''s me,¡± a voice came from within the big pit. Shen Luo''s brows raised, and he paused, stopping next to the pit. A figure covered in mud leaped out from the pit; it was the Black Bear Demon, looking disheveled and dirtied. ¡°Protector, how come it''s you?¡± Shen Luo was greatly surprised. ¡°Cough, I have collected a batch of treasures containing the power of water''s spiritual force and specially brought them to you. I didn''t expect such a misunderstanding to occur,¡± said the Black Bear Demon with a cough and a somewhat embarrassed tone. He had gone to great lengths to collect treasures infused with the spiritual force of water, and had acquired a batch from a friend within the Great Tang Dynasty, so he brought them to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. However, when the Black Bear Demon saw Shen Luo cultivating the Huangting Technique from a distance and found it fascinating, he sneaked into the cave mansion to take a closer look but ended up being detected by Shen Luo and inadvertently took a hit from his staff. Even with his late-stage True Immortal cultivation level, being struck by Shen Luo, a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator, was an indignity, though he wasn''t much hurt. ¡°So that''s what happened, it was indeed my rashness,¡± said Shen Luo as he put away the Profound Yellow Staff and apologized with a bow. ¡°The things are all inside here; take a look.¡± The Black Bear Demon didn''t wish to dwell on the matter and handed over a bracelet. Shen Luo received the storage magical tool and his divine sense probed inside; his eyes lit up. Inside the storage magical tool were three treasures containing the power of water. One was a blue jade bottle filled with a bead of blue spirit liquid, an unknown type of true water that emitted a terrifying coldness, which could be clearly sensed even through the bottle. The second item was a water-drop shaped blue crystal stone that faintly echoed with unceasing sounds of water, as if it contained a great river. The third item was a blue demon pellet about the size of a fist, with faint dragon patterns on it; the water element contained within was somewhat mixed but the overall volume of spiritual power was the highest among the three treasures. ¡°The drop in the bottle is One-Yuan True Water, known as the origin of all waters, although I had a good friend add some Cold Marrow to it. He originally planned to use it for refining a treasure, but I insisted he give it to me. The blue crystal stone is the Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal, containing the innate power of water sources. Lastly, the demon pellet is from a peak Great Mahayana Flood Dragon, and it''s teeming with an extraordinary amount of water-elemental spiritual power,¡± the Black Bear Demon briefly introduced the three treasures. ¡°These three spirit items contain a great amount of water-elemental spiritual power, which is very useful to me, thank you,¡± Shen Luo said, bowing his hands in thanks. Seeing Shen Luo satisfied, the Black Bear Demon relaxed and thought for a moment before asking, ¡°Are these spirit items sufficient?¡± ¡°Not quite enough, Elder. If you could find as many water-element spirit items, I will give you that set of cultivation notes,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then said. These three treasures were enough to allow him to break through to the Late Mahayana Stage, but from the Late Mahayana Stage to the True Immortal Stage required even more vitality. ¡°Really? Then I''ll continue searching right away!¡± Rather than getting angry, the Black Bear Demon was overjoyed, responded with excitement, and shot up into the sky, disappearing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye. As quick as its arrival, so was its departure. Shen Luo had intended to negotiate with the Black Bear Demon for some Thunder Bone Pills, but there was no time for that now. However, since he could contact the Black Bear Demon at any time with the transmission array disc, he wasn''t concerned. He turned and walked back to his cave mansion, repaired the cracked stone wall, and once again sat down in the secret chamber. Shen Luo picked up the storage magical tool and, after a moment''s thought, took out the drop of One-Yuan True Water. Among the three treasures, this drop of One-Yuan True Water contained the least amount of water-element spiritual power, but it was the most pure. He was about to break through to the Mahayana Middle Stage. Previously, when guiding the Mirror Fiend, it was necessary to purify its own demon qi for breaking through, and it was the same for human cultivators ¡ª using One-Yuan True Water for cultivation was most appropriate. Shen Luo circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique and began absorbing the water-elemental spiritual power within the One-Yuan True Water, enhancing his own mana. He did not pursue speed in increasing his mana, but repeatedly compressed it, ensuring his mana reached the utmost purity. Inside the main hall of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Qin Ming wore a dark green Taoist robe, held a golden thread whisk, and quietly looked outside. An aura circulated around his body; he had clearly reached the Qi Refining Late Stage. In the past month, he had made a smooth breakthrough with the power of the elixirs given by Shen Luo. In a small sect like theirs, the Qi Refining Late Stage was already considered a high level of cultivation, and with Shen Luo''s elixirs, Qin Ming was confident that he could break through to the Grain Avoidance Stage within half a year. By that time, even if Shen Luo left, he had faith that he could hold up the flag of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Chapter 1062 Chapter 1062: Chapter 1059 Little Straw Mountain Chapter 1062: Chapter 1059 Little Straw Mountain Outside the main hall of Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the scene was bustling with activity. Zhou Fu and several returning disciples of the Pavilion were directing a group of craftsmen, renovating the dilapidated buildings within the Pavilion. In reality, renovating these buildings did not cost much money. Although the Pavilion had fallen into disrepair, it still had some gold and silver. The reason Qin Ming and the others had previously neglected it, only refurbishing a few houses, was mainly because their own strength was too weak and they dared not flaunt their wealth, as it would easily draw outside attention. Now that Shen Luo had returned and sought to restore the reputation of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, the situation was naturally different. Qin Ming watched the busy scene outside with great satisfaction. Since he had taken charge of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, he had always dreamed that one day he could truly revitalize the Mountain Gate. Now, he had finally started to make that dream a reality. During this period of time, the reputation of Spring and Autumn Pavilion had greatly improved. The three from Black Cloud Valley attacked the Pavilion, attempting to seize the Spiritual Veins of Qinghua Mountain, but they were all counter-killed, and the foundations of Black Cloud Valley completely uprooted, leaving none behind. After this battle, the strength and ruthlessness of Spring and Autumn Pavilion had shaken the entire Cultivation World of Dengzhou. Qin Ming did not linger outside for long; he soon turned and returned to the secret chamber, took out the ancient jade pendant, and opened the prohibitions on it using the method taught by Shen Luo. The content of the Pure Yang Scripture appeared before his eyes. He read it carefully, word by word. Although this was not his first time studying this scripture, each reading still brought new insights. ¡°Pure Yang Scripture? I didn''t expect this skill to have not been lost. It seems your Spring and Autumn Pavilion has some capability,¡± a deep voice suddenly rang out in the room. ¡°Who''s there?¡± Qin Ming was shocked, hastily put away the jade pendant, rose to his feet, and looked around, while forming a hand seal with a flick of his wrist. A Peach Wood Talisman Sword shot out from his sleeve, flying around him and stabbing rapidly. ¡°Presumptuous!¡± A figure in azure clothes appeared out of thin air beside Qin Ming and flicked the Peach Wood Talisman Sword with his finger. With a ¡°bang¡±, the Peach Wood Talisman Sword directly exploded into fragments. Qin Ming let out a muffled groan and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his face filled with terror. Only then did he clearly see the newcomer''s appearance: a proud, bearded middle-aged man, tall and imposing, exuding an unfathomable aura. ¡°Who are you, Elder, and what business brings you to my Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Qin Ming took a deep breath and asked with a bow, neither servile nor overbearing. If it had been before, he certainly wouldn''t have dared to do so, but now he had Shen Luo backing him, giving him a good deal of confidence. ¡°So you are the Spring and Autumn Pavilion Master Qin Ming? Your temperament is quite good, but it''s a pity your cultivation level is too low. There''s no way you could have killed the Tianyin Gate''s Xuanyin Daoist on your own. Speak, who was it?¡± the bearded middle-aged man asked instead of answering. ¡°Tianyin Gate? Xuanyin Daoist?¡± Qin Ming was stunned, then immediately realized who the bearded middle-aged man was referring to¨Cthe old Daoist from Tianyin Gate who was killed by the Ghost General. ¡°What do you mean by this, Elder? I have never heard of this Xuanyin Daoist, and moreover, Tianyin Gate is a major sect in Qingzhou. How could my humble Spring and Autumn Pavilion possibly kill an expert from Tianyin Gate?¡± With a shiver in his heart, Qin Ming feigned a look of panic and spoke. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tianyin Gate was a major sect in Qingzhou with powerful strength, said to have a cultivator at the Great Mahayana Stage. Naturally, he wouldn''t admit to having killed the old Daoist from Tianyin Gate and bringing disaster upon the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Moreover, Qin Ming''s heart was filled with some doubts. At that time, everyone in Black Cloud Valley had been captured in one fell swoop by the Ghost General''s use of godly powers, not a single survivor was left. How did the man before him come to know of this affair? ¡°Stop pretending, your actions in Black Cloud Valley were indeed thorough, leaving no survivors. However, your luck wasn''t very good. When Xuanyin Daoist was killed, a freelance cultivator happened to be nearby, searching for medicinal herbs. He witnessed everything and later spread the news. Now, in Dengzhou''s cultivation world, there are already quite a few who know of this matter,¡± the middle-aged man with the purple beard said with a faint smile. Hearing this, Qin Ming''s face turned pale, devoid of any color. Although the Ghost General didn''t report his name when killing Xuanyin Daoist, since Black Cloud Valley was eradicated by the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, and Xuanyin Daoist was killed there, anyone with a bit of brain would connect the two events and deduce the truth. ¡°Are you from Tianyin Gate, elder? Have you come to Spring and Autumn Pavilion for revenge?¡± After a long while, Qin Ming regained his composure and asked in a deep voice. ¡°No need to worry. I''m not a monk from Tianyin Gate, nor am I here to trouble you. I''m just interested in the person who killed Xuanyin Daoist. I didn''t expect that the declining Spring and Autumn Pavilion would have someone capable of killing Xuanyin Daoist,¡± the middle-aged man with the purple beard said as he stroked his purple beard, a glint of curiosity flashing in his eyes. Qin Ming hesitated. The man before him possessed unfathomable strength; although he claimed not to be an enemy, he couldn''t be sure it wasn''t a lie. Shen Luo''s cultivation level was profound, but perhaps not enough to defeat this man. ¡°Hmph! Boy, my patience has its limits. If you don''t start leading the way obediently, beware of your life!¡± the purple-bearded middle-aged man''s gaze turned cold. A knot formed in Qin Ming''s stomach, just as he was about to say something. A piercing screech suddenly came from the direction of the back mountain, immense as a tsunami bursting forth, shaking heaven and earth; even the ground of the secret chamber trembled. ¡°Over there!¡± The purple-bearded middle-aged man abruptly turned to look towards the back mountain, and in a flash, he vanished from where he stood. Qin Ming also hurriedly flew outside, and soon after exiting the main hall, his body stiffened in place. Looking towards the back mountain, he saw a blue light column, hundreds of feet thick, shooting straight into the sky. Surrounding it were rings of blue light waves, magnificent in scale, with the great howling sound emanating from there. The middle-aged man with the purple beard was now hovering in mid-air outside the main hall, his gaze fixated on the blue light column at the back mountain, his eyes shining brightly. ¡°This wave of energy, someone has broken through to the Mahayana Middle Stage! And by the looks of this phenomenon, the skills this person cultivates are extraordinary,¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°Mahayana Middle Stage!¡± The murmurs of the middle-aged man with the purple beard weren''t loud, but Qin Ming still heard them, and he was struck as if by lightning, staring agape. He truly had not expected, or rather dared not to expect that Shen Luo''s strength would reach the Mahayana Stage, which was said to be legendary. He knew that in that year, Spring and Autumn Pavilion''s Senior Ancestor was only at the Soul Condensation Stage, far inferior to Shen Luo. ¡°Ancestors bless us, Spring and Autumn Pavilion has actually produced a Mahayana Stage cultivator!¡± Qin Ming''s lips trembled slightly, overwhelmed with emotion. Within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Zhou Fu, the other several disciples, and even the ordinary craftsmen witnessing such a phenomenon were all stunned in place. ¡°Qin Ming, who is this Daoist friend from the back mountain?¡± The purple-bearded middle-aged man descended from mid-air and asked Qin Ming. Qin Ming eyed the purple-bearded middle-aged man warily but still did not respond. ¡°You really are cautious. I''ll state it plainly then. I am Chen Shi Yuan, a monk from Little Straw Mountain. Since you are the Spring and Autumn Pavilion Master, you should be aware of Little Straw Mountain, right?¡± Seeing the response, the purple-bearded middle-aged man suddenly grew somewhat impatient but still held back, saying in a heavy voice. Chapter 1063 Chapter 1063: Chapter 1060: Return to One''s Ancestors Chapter 1063: Chapter 1060: Return to One''s Ancestors ¡°Little Straw Mountain!¡± Qin Ming suddenly looked up, his eyes glancing at the purple-bearded middle-aged man, still flashing a hint of doubt. ¡°If you don''t believe me, then examine this token carefully,¡± said the purple-bearded middle-aged man as he flipped his hand and took out a token, tossing it over. It was almost identical to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion Master''s token. ¡°This is indeed Little Straw Mountain''s token. I have seen it in our Sect classics. Qin Guan pays respect to the Elder; please forgive my earlier rudeness!¡± Qin Ming took the token and inspected it carefully, then respectfully held it up with both hands and returned it, no longer showing any doubts, and spoke with a fearful tone. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion classics contained records about Little Straw Mountain, and this identity token was undoubtedly genuine, certainly not a forgery. ¡°There''s no need for formalities now; take me to see the Daoist friend in the back,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said, nodding with satisfaction as he took back the token. ¡°Yes, Elder, please follow me.¡± Qin Ming led Chen Shi Yuan to the back mountain, to the outside of Shen Luo''s cave mansion. The blue light that shot up to the sky did not last long and had disappeared, but a large area of white fog had appeared around the cave mansion. It was layered upon layers, submerging the cave mansion and the surrounding mountain peaks within it. Qin Ming tried to approach, but the white fog was filled with a powerful resistance; after he only stepped a couple of steps into it, he could not move forward any longer. He became anxious and was about to shout out loud. ¡°The Daoist friend ahead just had a breakthrough in his realm. It seems like he is consolidating his cultivation level, which is why he triggered the protective prohibition outside. Let''s wait here for a while,¡± Chen Shi Yuan raised his hand and stopped Qin Ming. ¡°Alright.¡± Qin Ming naturally had no objections. ¡°Since there''s nothing to do at the moment, why don''t you tell me about this Daoist friend''s origins? Could it be that he is one of the Elders from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Chen Shi Yuan asked with a smile. The prohibition in the white fog upfront was extremely mystical; with his insights, he could not see through it at all. His evaluation of the person inside rose a few notches, and his tone became more polite. ¡°Elder, please do not address me so formally, just call me Qin Ming. As for the one inside the cave, he''s my Junior Brother named Shen Luo, who has been adventuring outside for many years. I do not know what kind of fortuitous encounter he''s had, but his cultivation level has soared. He just returned some time ago,¡± Qin Ming did not hold back and told everything that he knew. ¡°What! He is your Junior Brother? Seeing that you do not exceed two hundred years of lifespan, could it be that your Junior Brother has reached the Mid-Mahayana Stage in merely two hundred years?¡± Chen Shi Yuan gasped in shock. Qin Ming, with his weaker cultivation, also felt that Shen Luo''s progress was rapid, but he did not comprehend how astonishing this speed was. Seeing Chen Shi Yuan''s reaction, he too began to wonder. What the two of them did not know was that Shen Luo had also been asleep for a hundred years during that period. If they were aware of that, one wonders how amazed they would be. Chen Shi Yuan, after all, was a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator. His expression quickly returned to calmness, and he looked at the White Fog-enveloped cave mansion, lost in thought. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder, may I ask what brings you to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion this time?¡± Qin Ming watched Chen Shi Yuan, hesitated a long while, and finally asked. ¡°It''s nothing significant. I am here on behalf of the leader of Little Straw Mountain to check on the situations of the various branches scattered abroad,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said indifferently without even glancing at Qin Ming. ¡°Checking on the branches?¡± A flicker of excitement passed through Qin Ming''s eyes. As a branch of Little Straw Mountain, every Pavilion Master of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion has longed to return to the main sect. Unfortunately, the strength of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was too weak, never having the opportunity to even meet any disciple from Little Straw Mountain, let alone return to the Sect. Yet today, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion finally encountered one. ¡°Elder''s esteemed visit to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion leaves us with no suitable way to express our respect. These spiritual materials are what our pavilion has accumulated over the years. Today, they are presented to you, Elder, as a welcome gift. I hope you will graciously accept them.¡± Qin Ming gritted his teeth slightly as he took out the most precious spiritual materials from the storage magical tool gifted by Shen Luo and offered them to Chen Shi Yuan with reverence. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Pavilion Master Qin?¡± Chen Shi Yuan glanced at the items in Qin Ming''s hands without accepting them and asked with a lift of his eyebrow. ¡°Since Elder comes from Little Straw Mountain as an envoy, I won''t beat around the bush. Ever since the creation of our lineage, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion has had one aspiration, which is to recognize our ancestors and return to Little Straw Mountain. With Elder''s profound cultivation level, you must hold a high position in Little Straw Mountain. Might you lend our pavilion a helping hand? If these gifts are not enough, please speak freely. The entirety of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion will surely do our utmost to fulfill your request,¡± Qin Ming said respectfully. ¡°Allowing the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to recognize its ancestors and return to the fold? It''s not impossible,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said, his gaze shifting slowly. ¡°Truly? Whatever your conditions are, Elder, please feel free to state them!¡± Overjoyed, Qin Ming bent down to kneel on the ground. ¡°I have no need for these spiritual materials. You should take them back for now. I have a matter to discuss with Daoist friend Shen Luo that could greatly benefit both the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and Little Straw Mountain. If Pavilion Master Qin can help me bring about this matter, I guarantee that the Spring and Autumn Pavilion will be able to return to Little Straw Mountain,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said. ¡°May I inquire what issue Elder wishes to discuss with Junior Brother Shen?¡± Qin Ming''s expression faltered, but he did not immediately agree, instead cautiously inquiring. Shen Luo was now the pillar of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and, in some ways, more important than returning to Little Straw Mountain. He couldn''t do anything to chill his heart. Chen Shi Yuan gave Qin Ming a look and began to communicate with him through whispered transmission of sound. Qin Ming''s face went through a series of changing expressions. After a long time, he finally spoke slowly, ¡°I cannot agree to assist with the matter Elder has spoken of. After all, it concerns Junior Brother Shen''s safety. Whether he is willing is entirely his own decision; I will not impose my will upon him.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Chen Shi Yuan suddenly looked at Qin Ming, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. Qin Ming''s body trembled, but he did not speak, simply standing with his head bowed to one side. ¡°Very well,¡± Chen Shi Yuan quickly averted his gaze and said indifferently. The two of them then fell silent as an awkward stillness settled outside the cave. Inside the cave, Shen Luo slowly reined in the surging mana within his body and opened his eyes, a flicker of joy passing through them. This progression had gone very smoothly. While absorbing the spiritual power of True Water within the One-yuan True Water and his purified mana, he took advantage of his cultivation experience from Dreamland and naturally broke through to the Mahayana Middle Stage. However, the drop of One-yuan True Water had been completely used up. Now he only had the Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal and the Biyu Jiao Dragon''s Demon Pellet as cultivation spiritual materials in his possession, which at best could only support his cultivation up to the Late Mahayana Stage. For his further cultivation, he would have to wait for the Black Bear Demon to find new water-based spiritual materials. Shen Luo was not worried about the Black Bear Demon. With its cultivation level in the Late True Immortal Stage, it wouldn''t be difficult to find a few treasures that contained the spiritual power of water. ¡°I''ve been in seclusion for two full months. I wonder how the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is doing? It''s better to go out and take a look,¡± he thought to himself, standing up. ¡°Huh!¡± As Shen Luo''s divine sense expanded, he immediately sensed the presence of Qin Ming and Chen Shi Yuan outside. ¡°Who is this person? Such profound cultivation, already reaching the Late Mahayana Stage!¡± His eyes narrowed slightly. Why would a high-level Great Mahayana Stage master come to the now-declining Spring and Autumn Pavilion? Chapter 1064 Chapter 1064: Chapter 1061: One Condition Chapter 1064: Chapter 1061: One Condition Outside the Cave Mansion. As Chen Shi Yuan and Qin Guan fell into silence, the white mist surrounding the Cave Mansion receded to both sides, revealing a passageway, and at the same time, a man''s voice rang out: ¡°I do not know which Daoist friend has graced us with their presence, I, Shen Luo, have failed to greet you from afar, please forgive my oversight.¡± With the corners of his mouth slightly raised, Chen Shi Yuan didn''t even glance at Qin Guan and strode into the passageway of the Cave Mansion. Qin Guan did not stay outside either, stepping forward to follow. The two quickly arrived at the main hall of the Cave Mansion, where Shen Luo had already been waiting, and three cups of spiritual tea were also placed on the table. ¡°May I know the esteemed name of the Daoist friend? My humble abode is not well prepared, and I apologize for any inadequacies. Please have a seat.¡± Shen Luo gave Chen Shi Yuan a look and made a gesture of invitation. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, you''re Shen Luo, aren''t you? Pavilion Master Qin has already introduced you to me just now, having cultivated to the Mahayana Middle Stage within less than two hundred years; Truly, Brother Shen is a genius blessed by the heavens.¡± Chen Shi Yuan didn''t answer Shen Luo''s question, instead, he chuckled. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, this is Elder Chen Shi Yuan from Little Straw Mountain.¡± Qin Guan introduced from the side. ¡°Little Straw Mountain!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered momentarily. He had long admired this sect. ¡°So Brother Chen is a monk from the esteemed Little Straw Mountain. I apologize for my lack of courtesy. May I know what important matter brings Brother Chen to my Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Shen Luo quickly regained his composure and asked with a bow. Being a member of the upper echelons of Little Straw Mountain, Chen Shi Yuan had been traveling and meeting various branches. At every branch he visited, all would receive him with the utmost reverence and trepidation. Seeing Shen Luo''s calm demeanor, as though he wasn''t particularly concerned, Chen Shi Yuan felt a twinge of displeasure. Of course, some of this unpleasantness stemmed from Pavilion Master Qin''s rejection, which had sparked some animosity towards the Spring and Autumn Pavilion in Chen Shi Yuan. ¡°I have been tasked by my sect to investigate the situation of some scattered branches. During my recent visit to Dengzhou, I heard about the incident of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion killing Xuanyin Daoist of Tianyin Gate, so I came to take a look,¡± said Chen Shi Yuan indifferently. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed. Had the matter of the Ghost General killing a Tianyin Gate cultivator been exposed so quickly? He looked towards Qin Ming, who nodded in confirmation, and Shen Luo''s expression darkened immediately. Just then, he heard the Ghost General''s voice in his ear: ¡°Master, it''s my fault; I''ve brought this trouble upon you.¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly and did not respond to the Ghost General in the Qiankun Bag. If he were still alone, killing another sect''s cultivator wouldn''t matter much, but now that he had the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to consider, a lot more had to be taken into account. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Although Tianyin Gate is powerful, the branches of Little Straw Mountain are not so easily bullied,¡± said Chen Shi Yuan with a light laugh, having noticed the change in expression of Shen Luo and Qin Guan. ¡°Is Brother Chen''s visit this time to reconcile the Spring and Autumn Pavilion with Little Straw Mountain?¡± Shen Luo inquired upon hearing Chen Shi Yuan''s words. He was also aware of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion''s long-held wish to return to Little Straw Mountain. If it could truly be realized, it would not only fulfill the aspirations of generations of ancestors from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion but also provide shelter for people like Qin Guan with the support of Little Straw Mountain. ¡°It is not difficult to welcome the Spring and Autumn Pavilion back into Little Straw Mountain. However, since you''ve attracted the attention of Tianyin Gate, it would not be easy to obtain special protection from the Little Straw Mountain Sect Leader,¡± said Chen Shi Yuan, picking up the cup of spiritual tea and taking a sip, implying much with his words. ¡°Whatever requirements Brother Chen might have, please feel free to state them,¡± Shen Luo said with a bow, clearly understanding the other party''s implication. ¡°It''s not about demands. Little Straw Mountain has a matter that urgently needs handling. Coincidentally, it''s inconvenient for anyone within the sect to attend to it. If Brother Shen could lend a hand, whether it be to formally recognize the Spring and Autumn Pavilion or to shield it from the threats of Tianyin Gate, both would be effortlessly achieved,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said, putting down the tea cup with a smile. Upon hearing this, Qin Guan wanted to say something but hesitated. Shen Luo noticed the expression on Qin Guan''s face, and his eyes flickered. He turned to Chen Shi Yuan and said earnestly, ¡°May I know what the matter is? If I can be of help, I certainly won''t refuse.¡± ¡°Has Friend Shen heard about the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference that is about to take place in Chang''an City?¡± Chen Shi Yuan asked. ¡°I''ve heard a bit about it, but I don''t know the details. Please enlighten me, Brother Chen,¡± said Shen Luo, somewhat surprised. ¡°The Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is a competition jointly held by various sects of the human, demon, and immortal realms. Sects from each faction send representatives to participate. It is an extremely grand event, and the person who ultimately wins will not only receive rich rewards, but their sect will also gain the collective support of the Three Realms. Even a small sect can become one of the great sects of the Three Realms overnight,¡± explained Chen Shi Yuan leisurely. ¡°The final reward is that substantial!¡± Shen Luo was a bit startled. Setting aside the prizes won by the individual, the support gained by their sect from the Three Realms was no small matter. ¡°After the disaster of demons, many sects have suffered greatly. Holding the Martial Assembly is also a way to quickly revive the Three Realms and recover from the disasters caused by the demons,¡± explained Chen Shi Yuan. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Although the rewards of the Martial Assembly are substantial, the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is also quite brutal. The participants not only compete to determine the victors but also to divide life and death, unlike ordinary events,¡± Chen Shi Yuan then said. ¡°Both victors and life and death are decided!¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°We cultivators have long put life and death behind us; this is nothing. Compared to the rewards of the Martial Assembly, the lives of one or two individuals are trivial. Furthermore, some sects with grievances can take this opportunity to settle scores, seek revenge for hatred, and settle debts for grudges. It''s also a kind of innovation,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said with a smile. Shen Luo did not speak, standing silently to the side. ¡°During the Martial Assembly, people from the Three Realms can watch the entire process through the Suspended Sky Mirror, made by Tianji City. It''s considered quite the spectacle,¡± continued Chen Shi Yuan with a smile, as he seemed not to notice Shen Luo''s expression. ¡°Brother Chen came to find me, could it be that you want me to represent Little Straw Mountain and participate in this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Exactly, is Friend Shen willing?¡± Chen Shi Yuan nodded and looked earnestly at Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s expression became grave as he fell into silent contemplation. He definitely did not want to participate in such a monkey-show of a Martial Assembly according to his own will, but if he didn''t participate, not only would the chance of obtaining support from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion be slim, but he would also face threats from the Tianyin Gate. If he were to stay in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion all the time, it might still be alright, but in the future, he couldn''t guarantee that he wouldn''t leave Qinghua Mountain. What then would become of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion? As Shen Luo thought of this, he couldn''t help but glance at Qin Guan. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, the matters of the Martial Assembly concern your own life. You don''t need to consider the Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Qin Guan said earnestly. Hearing this, the corners of Shen Luo''s mouth twitched slightly. He stood up, went to the Cave Mansion Entrance, and looked outside. The architecture of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was faintly visible, and with his keen senses, he could also hear the bustling scene from the front of the mountain. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion had been quiet for one hundred years and had only recently begun to see a revival of prosperity. If it fell into decline again, it might never have the chance to rise anew. Now that the demonic plague had been eliminated and since that year he had taken up the urgent task given by the Senior Ancestor to rebuild the Mountain Gate, he naturally had to put that duty into action. Chapter 1065 Chapter 1065: Chapter 1062 Trapped Chapter 1065: Chapter 1062 Trapped ¡°All right, I agree to represent Little Straw Mountain and participate in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference,¡± Shen Luo recalled the promise he made to his Senior Ancestor that year and finally made up his mind, turning around. ¡°Excellent! Friend Shen is indeed a man of his word. In return, I guarantee that Spring and Autumn Pavilion will recognize its ancestor and rejoin the lineage of Little Straw Mountain, and I will protect you from the threats of Tianyin Gate!¡± Chen Shi Yuan was overjoyed as he abruptly stood up, patting his chest as he spoke. Qin Guan lowered his eyelids, his heart stirring with excitement as he silently appreciated Shen Luo''s kindness. ¡°How long until the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is convened?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°It will be held in about ten days. Friend Shen can take this opportunity to make some preparations. If you need any assistance, just ask,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said as he took out a Communication Array Disc and passed it over. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said, without being overly polite, taking it from him. After discussing the important matters of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference in detail, Chen Shi Yuan excused himself to check on the other branches and took his leave. Shen Luo did not insist on him staying, personally seeing him out. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is quite perilous. Are you confident?¡± As he watched Chen Shi Yuan leave, Qin Guan couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Brother Qin, rest assured, I know what I''m doing,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. Seeing this, Qin Guan''s heart, which had been lifted with concern, was slightly put at ease, although his brows still showed worry. After a brief exchange, Qin Guan also bid farewell and departed. Shen Luo paced back and forth in the hall for a moment, then suddenly turned and re-entered the Secret Chamber. The next day, Shen Luo left the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and soon returned to Chang''an. Chang''an City was still bustling as ever, and the city was already overflowing with people. Even outside the city, temporary tents and makeshift houses had been set up, stretching for miles in a spectacular display. At the City Gate, a notice was posted with the specific time and location of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, yet the schedule and rules were still not announced. After looking for a while, Shen Luo stepped into the city. Inside the City Gate, the throng was even more crowded than when he left, and Shen Luo, unable to bear the crush of people on the main street, turned onto a less crowded alley. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± As soon as he stepped into the alley, a familiar voice came from not far ahead. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked up and toward the corner by a restaurant on the second floor, where Bai Xiaotian was holding a wine cup, leaning out halfway and waving at him with a smile. Just as he was about to respond, another head squeezed out beside Bai Xiaotian, also brimming with a smile. ¡°Xiao Yun?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise. ¡°Big Brother Shen, come on up,¡± Bai Xiaoyun called out enthusiastically. Shen Luo smiled, turned into the restaurant, and quickly took a seat on the second floor. ¡°Big Brother Shen, since we parted in Jianye that year, it seems like we haven''t really seen each other again, have we?¡± Bai Xiaoyun poured a cup of wine for Shen Luo, speaking somewhat sentimentally. Thinking back, Shen Luo realized that it was indeed the case¨Cit seemed that his subsequent encounters with Bai Xiaoyun were all in Dreamland. The Bai Xiaoyun before him had matured a lot compared to the time at the Jianye Bai Family, the youthful look on his face was gone, and he appeared much more composed. However, he still didn''t quite match up to the White Family''s Ancestor he met in Dreamland. Looking at him, Shen Luo was momentarily lost in thought. ¡°What are you thinking about¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian slapped his shoulder and teased with a smile. ¡°In the blink of an eye, Xiao Yun has also grown up quite a bit.¡± Shen Luo returned to his senses, stunned for a moment, before continuing. Upon hearing this, Bai Xiaoyun''s face became rigid, and he said somewhat speechlessly, ¡°Big Brother Shen, no matter what, I''m already over a hundred years old, don''t still treat me like a kid with peach fuzz¡­¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Brother Bai, weren''t you in closed-door cultivation to break through to the next realm? How come you came out so quickly?¡± Shen Luo laughed upon hearing this and turned his head to ask. ¡°I was about to break through last time, and it was to meet you that I suppressed my realm and came out earlier. Not long after that, I did break through, and with Xiao Yun coming back as well, I took the opportunity to leave my seclusion. What about you? Didn''t you send a message last time saying that you were reopening Spring and Autumn Pavilion¡­ eh, speaking of which, I should call you Pavilion Master Shen.¡± Bai Xiaotian said earnestly. Shen Luo heard this, adjusted his clothes, sat up straight with authority, and looked intently at Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian was slightly taken aback, not quite catching on. ¡°Brother, Big Brother Shen is only asking you to pay respect to the Pavilion Master.¡± Bai Xiaoyun held back his laughter, covering his mouth as he spoke. Only then did Bai Xiaotian come to realize and gave Shen Luo a wistful look, but he actually stood up and gave a bow. After all, he had once been a disciple of Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°No need to bow to me; just offering incense when you have time will suffice,¡± Shen Luo feigned surprise, his mouth curling into a mischievous smile. Bai Xiaotian suddenly felt a bit stifled, sat back down, and with a folding fan in hand, started fanning himself rapidly, which sent Bai Xiaoyun into fits of laughter. ¡°You didn''t come back to Chang''an just to join in the fun and watch the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, did you?¡± Bai Xiaotian paused, then asked. ¡°Not to watch, but to participate,¡± Shen Luo nodded and replied. ¡°You''re going to participate in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± Bai Xiaotian frowned deeply, his voice inadvertently rising. Beside him, Bai Xiaoyun also furrowed his brows and looked over. ¡°What''s wrong, is there something amiss?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Why do you want to join this?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked, puzzled. Shen Luo could tell that Bai Xiaotian didn''t want him to take part in the Martial Assembly, and although he found it odd, he still explained, ¡°It''s not that I wanted to join; it''s that people from the Little Straw Mountain lineage came looking for me¡­¡± After listening to Shen Luo''s account, Bai Xiaotian still looked uneasy and asked, ¡°How much do you know about the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± Shen Luo frowned and recounted what the Little Straw Mountain lineage had told him. ¡°You, oh you, have been duped by someone this time,¡± Bai Xiaotian put away his folding fan, set down his cup, and said with a serious expression. ¡°What do you mean? Could there be more to this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± Shen Luo asked, confused. Bai Xiaotian shook his head and said, ¡°It''s not exactly additional insider information, but there are some pieces of news that circulate only within certain Sects. It''s clear that those fellows from the Little Straw Mountain deliberately kept certain things hidden and didn''t tell you. ¡°What news?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Regarding the details of the Martial Assembly''s events, they didn''t mention any of that to you, right?¡± Bai Xiaotian asked. ¡°They said that due to it being the first session of the Martial Assembly, and because the setting of the rules would have far-reaching implications, there was significant disagreement among the various tribes. Therefore, the specific event schedules and other details would be determined later,¡± Shen Luo nodded as he spoke. ¡°That''s precisely where the problem lies. In fact, if you consider the time they informed you, the rules had actually been established but not yet announced to the world. The most important rule among them is that participants must sign a Life and Death Agreement for this Martial Assembly. Once you enter the Secret Realm, you''re responsible for your own life or death,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°Previous martial assemblies mostly stopped at the point of defeat, and although there would occasionally be casualties due to accidents, I''ve never heard of a preemptive signing of a Life and Death Agreement. Could it be that the rules of this Martial Assembly encourage fighting to the death?¡± After a moment''s thought, Shen Luo asked. Chapter 1066 Chapter 1066: Chapter 1063: The Heart to Win Chapter 1066: Chapter 1063: The Heart to Win ¡°The rules issued did not explicitly encourage killing, but there are many hidden rewards in this trial, and those who enter will inevitably compete fiercely, having already signed a Life and Death Agreement. The battle for these rewards is bound to be brutal,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°I don''t think it''s as precarious as my brother describes. This secret realm trial doesn''t say that we must kill each other until only one victor remains. Instead, it stipulates that someone must find and seize the key hidden within the secret realm and open the exit. As long as one survives to the end, they can still obtain decent rewards,¡± Bai Xiaoyun disagreed with Bai Xiaotian''s viewpoint. ¡°In that case, it sounds like one could simply avoid conflict after entering and wait until the trial is over,¡± Shen Luo pondered aloud. ¡°How could it be that simple? Surviving is possible, but the amount of reward received is directly linked to the number of points one has, and obtaining points requires killing others and taking theirs,¡± Bai Xiaotian shook his head. Hearing this, Shen Luo frowned. There were others like him, who had been tricked into participating, but more likely knew the rules and had chosen to engage of their own free will. Their purpose for entering the secret realm was obvious¨Chow could they not be prepared to kill other participants? Probably, attempting to stay neutral and avoid fighting would be very difficult. ¡°By the way, are all participants like me, Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°For this Martial Assembly, the highest level of participation is set at the Late Mahayana Stage, and the lowest¡­ there isn''t one,¡± Bai Xiaotian replied. ¡°No lower limit?¡± Shen Luo was surprised. ¡°Although there''s no lower limit, it''s highly unlikely that any Qi Refining Cultivators would rush in to throw away their lives. Thus, the majority of participants are still Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators. Moreover, it''s said that among the rewards, there are elixirs and talismans necessary for Late-stage Mahayana Cultivators to break through to the True Immortal Realm. It''s very likely that this will attract Late Mahayana Stage Cultivators,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°I didn''t expect my first Three Realms Martial Arts Conference to be so lively¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°It''s precisely because this is the first, which is why there are so many unexpected rules. It''s said that future Three Realms Martial Arts Conferences will be held in turns among the human, immortal, and demon races, but the general format will be set by this inaugural event,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°So, this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is a test for the various powers, and my luck isn''t good¨CI am the fish that Little Straw Mountain has caught to test the waters,¡± Shen Luo sighed, speaking somewhat sarcastically. ¡°In a way, that''s not wrong. The original intention behind the establishment of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is a competition of power among the Three Realms, and it affects not just the participants themselves,¡± Bai Xiaotian continued. ¡°It''s easy to understand that Little Straw Mountain went through such great lengths to deceive me into coming here because there must be benefits to be gained. If I win, Little Straw Mountain''s status in the Daoist community should also rise quite a bit, right?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Naturally, if you manage to seize the secret realm''s key and become the victor who opens the exit, you will be supported by the four races of humans, immortals, demons, and devils. Whether it''s bestowing a mountain head, giving magical treasures, or granting skills, all these are no problem. Spring and Autumn Pavilion could even leap from an insignificant small sect to a medium one. As a higher-sect, Little Straw Mountain naturally benefits greatly,¡± Bai Xiaotian continued as he unfolded his fan and gently fanned himself. ¡°Now that you mention it, I''m starting to feel a bit competitive myself. Why not vie for victory?¡± Shen Luo stroked his chin and said slowly. ¡°It''s not that easy. Although the three races of humans, immortals, and demons have formed an alliance, they are not of the same kin and still have various disputes among them. However, due to the constraints of the alliance, they cannot engage in large-scale conflicts, which is why this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference was set up. Hence, the faction that wins this time will gain the right to mediate these disputes for the next hundred years¨Cessentially, they will be granted an arbitrating power,¡± Bai Xiaotian explained. ¡°So there''s such profound significance behind this. Given that, there must be key players among the ten participants from each race, acting as trump cards to win the championship,¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. ¡°Yes, among our Human Race, there is a Late Mahayana Stage Cultivator who has been in seclusion for many years, originally from Mount Fangcun, known to be a tough character. That year, with just an Early Mahayana cultivation, he managed to kill two Mid-Mahayana Stage cultivators from the Demon Race, while only sustaining minor injuries himself. However, he has been in closed-door cultivation for the past few decades, attempting to break through the bottleneck to step into the True Immortal Realm,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. ¡°Big Brother, the one you''re talking about¡­ it couldn''t be that Senior Brother Huang Yi who beat you up, could it?¡± Bai Xiaoyun said, with a cough, asking. ¡°I''m talking to Big Brother Shen, keep out of it,¡± Bai Xiaotian said, his face stiffening with anger. ¡°What''s this? He even beat you up, Brother Bai?¡± Shen Luo said, suddenly interested, and hurriedly asked. ¡°You sure perk up when it comes to my embarrassing stories,¡± Bai Xiaotian said somewhat speechlessly. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I know this story well. That time, my brother went with the temple elders to Mount Fangcun to participate in a Buddhist and Daoist debate. Originally, it was just to listen to sermons and watch the masters debate the Dao. However, the elders hadn''t yet decided who was superior, and a bunch of restless disciples had already started competing outside. My brother was challenging the Nameless disciples of Mount Fangcun and was in the limelight when that Senior Brother Huang Yi struck, and as a result, my brother got a proper beating,¡± Bai Xiaoyun hurriedly recounted with excitement. ¡°Brother Bai, not to speak ill of you, but flaunting yourself in others'' territory, challenging several of their people one after another, it''s no wonder they took care of you,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°It was the disciples of Mount Fangcun who provoked me first, and I only reacted, alright? If it were at Hua Sheng Temple, I might have given them some leeway out of respect for their hospitality. But in their territory, I couldn''t just stand by and let myself be bullied, could I?¡± Bai Xiaotian said with knitted brows. After saying that, he added with some chagrin, ¡°But truth be told, that guy Huang Yi is indeed very strong.¡± ¡°As long as he is a cultivator from our Human Race, being strong is a good thing,¡± Shen Luo said, smiling in response. ¡°That guy is a loner with strange behavior. If you ever run into him, you''d better steer clear,¡± Bai Xiaotian advised. Shen Luo nodded, smiling in agreement. ¡°This Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is just starting out, and whether its intention is good or bad, I really can''t tell,¡± Shen Luo said after being silent for a moment. ¡°Brother Shen, actually, this is already considered a good development. According to the initial intentions of the Demon and Demon Races, it would be best to have a life and death fight, with participants battling each other to the death, and only one person allowed to come out alive, enjoying all the honors of victory,¡± Bai Xiaotian said. Shen Luo frowned, feeling a surge of distaste in his heart. ¡°Fortunately, the Human Race made it clear they were opposed from the start; after all, compared to the Three Demon Clans, the Human Race is inherently weaker and not as naturally warlike as the demons. Eventually, the Immortal Clan also showed their opposition, which led to the adoption of the current scheme,¡± Bai Xiaotian continued. ¡°After this ordeal, I''m feeling a bit more determined to vie for that position of victor,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What, feeling up for a challenge after being outmaneuvered by Little Straw Mountain, hoping to use this opportunity to strengthen Spring and Autumn Pavilion and make up for losses?¡± Bai Xiaotian said, laughing. ¡°Spring and Autumn Pavilion, after all, follows the Daoist lineage of Little Straw Mountain, so let''s forget about making up for anything. But from now on, I will no longer be under their thumb,¡± Shen Luo said earnestly. Chapter 1067 Chapter 1067: Chapter 1064: The True Purpose Chapter 1067: Chapter 1064: The True Purpose ¡°Do you really insist on contending for that victory position?¡± Bai Xiaotian, seeing his determination to compete, couldn''t help but express his concern. After all, there could be only one victor, and the intensity of the competition was not difficult to predict. Although Shen Luo was strong, with his current cultivation level, it would still be quite difficult to defeat a late-stage Mahayana cultivator. Moreover, among the monks of all races participating, there would definitely be those like Huang Yi. If Shen Luo wanted to vie for the top, the risk was not small. ¡°Rest assured, I''m not a greenhorn who doesn''t know the gravity of matters. Once inside, I will act according to the situation and will not be reckless,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh as he slapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Alas, Master expressly forbade me from joining in the fun this time, otherwise I would''ve accompanied you through this ordeal,¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed. ¡°Brother, your Master may not let you go, but my Master didn''t say that I couldn''t go. Big Brother Shen, maybe I could¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bai Xiaoyun had not finished speaking before he was simultaneously interrupted by Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. ¡°You''re only in the Nascent Soul Middle Stage right now. What excitement are you looking for, rushing off to be a sacrificial pawn?¡± Bai Xiaotian said irritably. ¡°Listen to your brother. I''ll be fine,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, adding his reassurance. ¡°Okay¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun, seeing the determined stance of Shen Luo and the united front with Bai Xiaotian, immediately lost any interest in arguing. Time flew by, and half a month passed. More and more news about the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference spread out, causing a great stir in Chang''an City. Monks and people from inside and outside the city who came to witness the spectacle talked about nothing but news of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference in their leisure time, and many businesses in the city had opened betting pools to entice people to place their bets on which race of monks would emerge as the winners of the inaugural Three Realms Martial Arts Conference? As expected, the Human Race was still seen as the least likely to win. In Yongyang Square, located in the southern part of the city, there stood Qingfeng Temple, an inconspicuous temple whose doors were usually closed tightly, seldom opened to outsiders. At this moment, in front of the red-lacquered wooden door, a green-robed man was knocking on the door with the bronze beast ring handle in his hand. Hurried footsteps followed from inside, and soon, a creaking sound was heard as the wooden door quickly opened. ¡°Boundless Heavenly Emperor bless you, Brother Shen, please come in,¡± a young Daoist child emerged from inside, gave a bow with his hands folded, and said. ¡°You recognize me?¡± The man outside the door was Shen Luo, who asked somewhat surprised. ¡°Our Qingfeng Temple doesn''t usually entertain guests, so outsiders rarely visit. Moreover, Master had mentioned the day before yesterday that you would be coming,¡± explained the Daoist child. Shen Luo understood and didn''t say much else, following the Daoist child into the temple. Built within the valuable land of Chang''an, Qingfeng Temple was not large, but despite its size, it had all the essential parts, including Lingguan Hall and San Qing Temple. Guided by the Daoist child, Shen Luo quickly arrived at the San Qing Temple at the back, where he immediately saw the purple-bearded Daoist, Chen Shi Yuan, who was burning incense for the Sanqing Ancestors. It had been he who had previously gone to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to inform Shen Luo about participating in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. Next to Chen Shi Yuan stood an emaciated old man in a light gray Taoist robe, who looked respectful and appeared to be the Pavilion Master of Qingfeng Temple. ¡°Friend Shen, please come in,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said after burning incense, turning around and hurriedly inviting Shen Luo when he saw him standing outside the door. Shen Luo''s mouth twitched slightly, and he stepped inside. ¡°Master Yu, this is Friend Shen Luo, who has rekindled the incense fire of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± After introducing the skinny pavilion master, Chen Shi Yuan then said to Shen Luo, ¡°Friend Shen, this is Master Yu Hai of Qingfeng Temple. If you often stay in Chang''an, you should visit each other more in the future.¡± ¡°Friend Shen, I have long admired you. Speaking of which, Master Luo of your Spring and Autumn Pavilion and I are like Senior Brothers; we once studied Taoism together under White Mountain Daoist Master,¡± Yu Hai said with a smile blossoming on his face, attempting to establish a closer relationship. ¡°Is that so? Master Luo also taught me back then, but he has never mentioned that to me,¡± Shen Luo replied politely with a clasped-hand salute. When the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was in trouble back then, why didn''t I see you trying to get close? And now you claim to be Senior Brothers¡­ Shen Luo couldn''t help but sneer inwardly. Upon hearing this, Yu Hai smiled awkwardly. ¡°Haha, Friend Shen, I know there is resentment in your heart. About the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, I really should not have deliberately concealed it earlier. I apologize for that now,¡± said Chen Shi Yuan, giving Shen Luo a bow of apology. Shen Luo looked at him, his eyelids flicked, and he remained silent. ¡°There are some hidden details in this matter that were not appropriate to disclose at the time. Today, I will just tell you everything, hoping that you could understand,¡± Chen Shi Yuan bowed again. ¡°Let''s hear it,¡± Shen Luo said unflappably. Yu Hai, standing to the side, frowned slightly. ¡°We are asking Friend Shen to participate in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference not to force you to fight for first place, but to hope you can help eliminate one person. After that, you may hide and wait for the trial to end, which should not involve too much danger,¡± Chen Shi Yuan began. ¡°To kill someone?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Friend Shen, this person is not any kind individual; he is the closed-door disciple of the Law Enforcement Elder of Shouyang Mountain, who used the pretext of slaying demons to massacre the villagers of two villages on the territory of Little Straw Mountain, all just to refine a magical treasure with their blood. When disciples of our sect tried to stop him, he killed them, including the young son of our mountain''s Master,¡± Chen Shi Yuan stated solemnly. Shen Luo had heard of Shouyang Mountain, which was a second-rate sect within the Great Tang with considerable strength, on par with Little Straw Mountain. Although they could not compare to major sects like Mount Fangcun and Wuzhuang View, they were not to be taken lightly. ¡°Why would a disciple of Shouyang Mountain go all the way to cause trouble in the territory of Little Straw Mountain?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°That¡­ it involves a grudge between previous generations of sect elders and is inconvenient to discuss. That is also why we can''t go directly to Shouyang Mountain to demand they turn over the murderous disciple,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said, looking somewhat uneasy. Shen Luo looked skeptical, but he understood that this was essentially a sect rivalry at heart, making the other party out to be unworthy to make oneself appear honorable. ¡°Friend Shen, I understand your concerns, but if you see that scoundrel''s magical treasure in the trials, you will know I am telling the truth. If you manage to kill him this time, we are willing to confer the complete ''Pure Yang Scripture'' for the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to inherit and preserve,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said. ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying the ''Pure Yang Scripture'' inherited by the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is incomplete?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Indeed. The Pure Yang Scripture in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion contains the Pure Yang Sword Technique and the methods for refining and nurturing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, but it lacks the most important Sword Polishing Method and the Pure Yang Sword Forms,¡± Chen Shi Yuan nodded. Hearing this, Shen Luo grew contemplative. He too had noticed the underwhelming power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, initially thinking it was due to his insufficient cultivation and nurturing, but now it seemed there was another reason. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1068 Chapter 1068: Chapter 1065: Opening Ceremony Chapter 1068: Chapter 1065: Opening Ceremony ¡°` ¡°The Pure Yang Sword Technique is only the foundation for sword wielding; the methods of nurturing and polishing the sword are also indispensable. To bring out the stronger combat power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, one must employ the most suitable Pure Yang Sword Forms,¡± Chen Shi Yuan said, seeing a subtle change in Shen Luo''s expression and continued with a smile. ¡°I want to know why you didn''t send disciples from Little Straw Mountain in?¡± Shen Luo cut to the chase. ¡°You might not believe it, but among the current generation of disciples from Little Straw Mountain, apart from the few direct disciples of Ancestor Master Elders, there is not a single Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator. And that guy from Shouyang Mountain has already reached the Middle Mahayana Stage and is cultivating the peculiar Blood Burning Technique¡­¡± Chen Shi Yuan said with an awkward expression. ¡°If the direct disciples of Little Straw Mountain are all like this, it is no wonder that they are being suppressed by Shouyang Mountain,¡± Shen Luo said with a cold laugh upon hearing this. To put it bluntly, the lives of the direct disciples of Little Straw Mountain were too precious to risk in a hard fight, while his, Shen Luo, was just a life of little value, so of course, he was not afraid to bet and lose. ¡°Of course, the main reason is that we value Friend Shen''s profound cultivation and sufficient experience in dealing with enemies,¡± Chen Shi Yuan added. ¡°What about the consequences? How can you ensure I won''t be retaliated against by Shouyang Mountain?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You can rest assured on that point. Participants in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference are responsible for their own life and death. No one is allowed to pursue the matter afterward, neither openly nor secretly, or they will face the joint sanctions of Humans, Immortals, Demons, Monsters, and other races,¡± Chen Shi Yuan replied. ¡°I will consider it,¡± Shen Luo said after pondering for a long time. ¡°Shen¡­ all right then,¡± Chen Shi Yuan originally wanted to persuade him further, but hesitated for a moment and gave up. Shen Luo didn''t say anything more; he got up, ready to take his leave. ¡°Friend Shen, in order to show our sincerity, and also as an apology, please accept this Pure Yang Burning Sword,¡± Chen Shi Yuan hurriedly raised his hand, took out an item, and handed it over to Shen Luo. Pure Yang Sword Forms? ¡°Then, I thank you,¡± Shen Luo''s heart stirred slightly, and without refusal, he took it. Several days later, in Chang''an City, the streets were deserted as the square in front of the Tang Imperial Palace was packed with people. To prepare for this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, the Great Tang Dynasty demolished a large number of buildings outside the western gate of the Imperial Palace, expanding the original Vermilion Bird Square tenfold to accommodate a huge assembly hall capable of hosting a hundred thousand spectators at once. At the center of the assembly hall, a three-foot-high martial arts stage was built, with an area of thirty-three zhang square. Behind it, near the City Gate, stood a nine-foot-high platform with a row of empty seats placed on it. Outside the martial arts stage, an area is fan-shaped, with the front reserved for some watching sects, and the rear left for the general populace to watch. As the morning bell rang, enthusiastic cheers erupted around the assembly hall. On the divided roads, a stream of cultivators arrived and took their seats in the front area. Shen Luo also followed the crowd to the martial arts stage, but stood below it instead of immediately going up. Many others like him stopped below the stage. Shen Luo looked along the side of the platform and saw nine other human cultivators lined up beside him, each displaying different expressions, clearly feeling different emotions. Next to him was a white-haired old man who appeared to be in his seventies. His breath''s strength was temporarily concealed. Upon noticing Shen Luo''s evaluating glance, he showed a touch of kindly smile, which smoothed many of the deep wrinkles on his face. Shen Luo responded with a simple smile, looked beyond him, and glanced at the position two people away from the old man. There stood a tall youth in a dark black long robe, his right arm equipped with a leather vambrace. ¡°` His features were solemn, his eyebrows sloped upward like a pair of flying wings, and he stood with arms folded across his chest. His eyelids were lightly closed as if in meditation. Yet his body seemed to sway gently with the wind like a willow, shifting subtly back and forth. ¡°This Huang Yi seems to know some breathing techniques. He practices them whenever he stops, and you can tell at a glance he''s the diligent and hardworking sort,¡± Shen Luo noted, slightly amazed in his heart. Such people often have a steady character and rich Mana, making them difficult to deal with. After observing for a while, Shen Luo''s gaze shifted slightly and met the eyes of another person standing beside Huang Yi. It was a round-faced youth dressed in fine clothes and wearing a jade crown. His eyes were unusually large, giving him a somewhat childish appearance. However, the way his eyes flickered as he sized up Shen Luo carried an underlying hint of malice. This person was none other than Zhao Tong, the direct disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall Elder of Shouyang Mountain. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s heart stirred slightly. Could it be that this guy had already received news and knew that Little Straw Mountain had assigned him to deal with Zhao Tong? If that was the case, what was supposed to be a low-risk surprise attack now turned into a well-prepared siege. Shen Luo hadn''t planned to go all out from the start, and now he was even considering whether to give up on it altogether. As for the Pure Yang Burning Sword he received, Chen Shi Yuan himself said it was a gesture of sincerity and apology, not a down payment. So whether I do it or not is up to me. While Shen Luo was pondering these things, he suddenly noticed someone''s gaze upon him. Turning his head, he saw a towering tiger-headed monster waving at him from directly opposite the Martial Arts Stage. ¡°Fu Donglai¡­¡± Shen Luo immediately remembered the name of the tiger-headed monster and responded by clasping his fists in greeting. ¡°Why is he participating in this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± wondered Shen Luo. After all, Lu Huaming had mentioned that, compared to fighting and killing, this guy preferred clerical work. As his gaze moved, scanning across, he noticed that standing beside Fu Donglai were other members of the Demon Clan, all males with imposing statures radiating fierce aura. Setting aside the prejudice of ''strangers from a different race with different hearts,'' Shen Luo''s impression of the Demon Clan was not particularly favorable. After watching them for a while, he redirected his gaze to the Immortal Clan on the other side. There were quite a few women among the Immortals, making up more than half. One of them, with her hair styled in a Flying Immortal Bun and dressed in a Colorful Palace Outfit, radiated a glow resembling the rosy clouds. A five-colored tail fluttered behind her, and her looks and demeanor were so ethereal she seemed like a Moon Palace Fairy. Even among the host of Immortal disciples, all with extraordinary auras and appearances, she could capture everyone''s attention at a glance. The woman, sensing Shen Luo''s probing gaze, did not show any annoyance but instead offered a gentle smile, making Shen Luo feel somewhat embarrassed. Opposite the Immortals stood a group of Monster Clan members, among whom nine out of ten were men. The one female had fine fur visible on her face and a fluffy long tail trailing behind her, resembling a calico cat monster. This woman''s gaze was intently fixed on a tall and handsome man beside her. He was clad in light blue armor and wore a jade high crown, with neatly combed purple-blue hair, a few strands of white near his temples, and two pointed long ears standing erect. His gaze was indifferent, fixed on the void in front of him, not giving the woman beside him a single glance. ¡°These seem to be the ones from each race tasked with the mission of winning the championship,¡± Shen Luo mused to himself. Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian had also provided him with plenty of inside information through various channels, so Shen Luo could identify the names of these celebrated talents from the different races. Among them, the Immortal in the colorful outfit was named ¡°Ji Yao,¡± hailing from the Heavenly Palace. The man from the Demon Clan clad in light armor was born in the Demon King Fort and had a name as menacing as his appearance, ¡°Seven Kills.¡± And the calico cat monster, who had eyes only for Seven Kills, was named ¡°Flower Fence.¡± Chapter 1069 Chapter 1069: Chapter 1066: The Rules Chapter 1069: Chapter 1066: The Rules Shen Luo was watching when several streaks of light crossed the sky, and a few figures flew from afar, landing on the nine-foot-high platform, standing shoulder to shoulder. In the middle was the host of this conference, the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s Cheng Yaojin. To his left and right were a tall and beautiful woman adorned in a feather robe, and a Silver Armored Man who was nearly ten feet tall. The woman had an extraordinary aura, her face concealed by a light veil¨Cclearly a person from the Immortal Clan. Though the Silver Armored Man had a human body, his head was that of a six-tusked silver elephant, and his Demonic Qi was so well-hidden that one couldn''t tell he was a Demon Clan expert. On the other side of the Silver Armored Man stood a burly man with double wings, almost equal in stature, wearing a piece of black scale armor covering only half his torso and one arm, with red eyebrows and red hair, a stern face, and his tiger-like eyes fixed on the Seven Kills at the edge of the Martial Arts Stage. Next to the Immortal Clan woman stood a bearded old man in a black robe and a jade belt, his robe embroidered with a golden cloud pattern at the chest, below which were the characters ¡°Tianji¡± written in ancient seal script. ¡°People from Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, murmuring to himself. ¡°That''s a Gold-patterned Elder¨Cquite a high rank,¡± the white-haired old man next to him added. ¡°Gold-patterned Elder?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Daoist friend, could it be you do not know? Inside Tianji City, disciples and elders have a hierarchy too. They usually wear black clothes, with the most ordinary disciples embroidering the word ''Tianji'' with a white line on their cuffs, known as the lowest tier of commoners. Those one level higher add a Fire Cloud to their cuffs and are called common artificers, and those even higher have the Fire Cloud and text in red, known as Fire Refiners or Advanced Artificers. To become an elder, one must embroider the chest with silver thread for the text and Fire Cloud, thus becoming a true Yan Master. A higher level of elder is the one on the platform with gold-threaded text, known as a Grand Yan Master,¡± explained the white-haired old man, not shying away from enlightening Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you for the clarification, Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel that he knew too little about the various factions in the Three Realms. ¡°You are too kind, Daoist Friend. I am Li Changqing, the Sect Leader of the Green Forest Sect. May I inquire about your esteemed name?¡± the old man communicated through transmitted voice. ¡°I am Shen Luo from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Shen Luo replied. As they finished, both realized they had not heard of each other''s sects, and fell silent for a moment before saying in unison: ¡°I''ve heard much about you.¡± At that moment, a loud shout came: ¡°All disciples of the various clans participating in the competition, ascend the stage.¡± At Cheng Yaojin''s command, Shen Luo and the others leaped onto the Martial Arts Stage. ¡°This Martial Assembly, starting an unprecedented event in the Three Realms, a new initiative amongst the clans; all of you are creators of history, and regardless of success or failure, your names will be remembered and passed down in history,¡± said Cheng Yaojin, stirring the hearts of everyone on the stage. The audience below also felt honored by association. On the west side of the Martial Arts Stage, Bai Xiaotian and his brother, along with Lu Huaming, crowded together, jokingly said, ¡°Your Master is quite the bluffer.¡± ¡°He was forced into it; he really didn''t want to do this task, but since neither His Majesty nor the National Master was willing to show up, as the host, he had no choice but to stand up,¡± Lu Huaming replied with a smile, not taking offense. ¡°But you gotta admit, Duke Cheng has really set the scene nicely,¡± Bai Xiaotian said with a chuckling smile. On the High Platform, Cheng Yaojin delivered another round of inspiring words before finally beginning to announce the rules of the Martial Assembly. In fact, the participants were already clear on the rules, and this was more for the benefit of the common people listening. ¡°This Martial Assembly will take place in its entirety within the ''Three Realms Sword Assembly'' Secret Realm. Inside the realm, Divine Sense is limited and Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi is forbidden. Once you enter, your life and death is your own responsibility. Competition between the clans is encouraged, alliances with kin are recommended, and strive with courage to be the foremost for the sake of your clan and for yourselves. Fight for a piece of the Heavenly Dao''s fortune and for a chance in the path of cultivation,¡± Cheng Yaojin proclaimed loudly. Everyone listened intently; the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference encouraged alliances among the same clan and conflicts between different clans, heedless of life and death. ¡°Another rule,¡± every person participating in the trial starts with one point, killing another participant will earn you one point, and you will also acquire all the points they had accumulated. Until the end of the trial, the victor will have the opportunity to use the Ascension Platform once,¡± at this point, the six-tusked demonic elephant suddenly spoke out. As soon as these words were said, cheers erupted from the square, and everyone became incredibly excited. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo also couldn''t help but feel tempted. Although the Ascension Platform did not literally enable one to ascend to True Immortality, it was still a strong aid on the path of crossing tribulation in the Late Mahayana Stage, guaranteeing that even if the ascender failed, they would not die and become a Ghost Immortal. ¡°Place your bets, place your bets¡­¡± Stewards from various merchant associations began to move through the crowd, and from that moment, betting tables began to operate at high speed. Many people started to place their bets in secret, some wagering on which clan would come out on top, others on who would emerge victorious. No one cared about life or death, only victory or defeat. In the high sky, scrolls descended from above, and the forty monks on the Martial Arts Stage each caught the scroll in front of them, briefly checked the contents, then stamped it with a drop of their blood. A Life and Death Agreement was thus signed, and the Secret Realm was about to open. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After collecting all the scrolls, Cheng Yaojin nodded to the elder from Tianji City, ¡°Elder Qi Yuan, we can begin now.¡± The man in black robe heard the signal, walked to the front of the High Platform, and took out a seal. With a toss, the black jade seal flew up and landed in the center of the Martial Arts Stage. Shen Luo followed with his eyes and saw that there was a palm-sized groove in the center of the stage, where the jade seal fell precisely, fitting perfectly into it. Immediately after, the whole Martial Arts Stage began to shake with a ¡°rumble,¡± and the bricks on the ground sank, revealing an ancient Great Formation that emitted strong waves of spiritual power. ¡°A Teleportation Array¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured, looking at the patterns on the ground. As his voice fell, the elder from Tianji City formed a hand seal and directed a beam of white light toward the Martial Arts Stage. This beam of light was like a spark landing in a pile of kindling, instantly igniting the entire Great Formation. The Array on the ground lit up with dazzling white light, growing to reach the heavens, and amidst the cheers of the crowd, engulfed all the people on the stage. The next moment, the white light flared, and Shen Luo, along with the other thirty-nine individuals, disappeared without a trace. The now-empty Martial Arts Stage was bereft of the presence of people, only four thin jade walls, approximately a zhang in size, slowly rose from the ground and hovered ten zhang in the sky. The jade walls were densely covered with spirit patterns, and specks of Immortal jade were embedded around the edges, from which wisps of spiritual energy emanated, spreading across the surface of the walls. Soon, mist billowed on the four jade walls, and faint lights and shadows began to flicker within them. ¡°Open,¡± the elder from Tianji City uttered softly and pointed at a spot on one of the jade walls. The mist on the four jade walls parted instantly, revealing a layer of light curtain on which appeared the silhouettes of Shen Luo and the others. ¡°They''re out, they''re out¡­¡± shouts resounded from the crowd in the square like the roaring sea. At the same time, within many of the noble families and major sects across the Three Realms, jade walls also appeared, floating in the air, with lights and shadows flickering on them, broadcasting real-time scenes from the Martial Arts Arena. Chapter 1070 Chapter 1070: Chapter 167 Separation Chapter 1070: Chapter 167 Separation On the nine-zhang high platform, everyone had already taken their seats, and the Tianji City elders, having fulfilled their duties, were also walking toward their own seats. ¡°Elder Qi, just by selling these Suspended Sky Mirrors, your Tianji City must have made a fortune, right?¡± Cheng Yaojin teased with a smile upon seeing this. ¡°Duke Cheng jests. Our Tianji City can only rely on making these ingenious and crafty things to save up some family wealth. We can''t compare with your family''s grand enterprises and profound heritage,¡± Elder Qi replied with an embarrassed expression on his face. Upon hearing this, everyone laughed without saying anything. Tianji City of today is certainly not the small household that Elder Qi described, nor did it become wealthy by relying on ingenious craftiness. The various Yanshou, levitating machines, as well as the refined Magical Treasures they produced, were extremely attractive to both cultivators and ordinary people. They had branches all over the Three Realms, and their shops had even extended to Yama''s Palace. If it were only about trade, even if they were the number one merchant association of the Three Realms, Tianji City wouldn''t draw such attention. However, the problem is that all their Yan masters and Grand Yan Masters are without exception high-ranking cultivators with considerable cultivation levels, which is why they could stand on equal footing with the great celestial and demon sects. In the upper right corner of the Suspended Sky Mirror to the due south, a densely shaded mountain forest appeared. Shen Luo''s figure turned into a streak of flowing light, descending from the sky, and appeared in an open ground in the forest. Before he could steady himself, two streaks of flowing light fell one after another not far in front of him, and two figures emerged in succession. The first to appear was a man with a thin body and an unusually long neck, with two slanting eight-character moustaches above his lips. Although he showed no obvious beastly features, it was clear that he was not of the Human Race. The next to appear was, to Shen Luo''s surprise, none other than that tiger-headed creature, Fu Donglai. The three of them were positioned in such a way that they were at the corners of a triangle, each glancing at one another. ¡°Daoist friend, I am He Qianshan from Cloud City. What if you and I join forces to kill this demon first?¡± He Qianshan looked at Shen Luo and transmitted his voice. As he spoke, he glanced at Fu Donglai from the corner of his eye without making it too obvious. Fu Donglai, with his tiger-head and naive appearance, seemed not only devoid of fierceness but somewhat simple and honest. But after all, he wasn''t truly foolish and could clearly see through He Qianshan''s intentions. ¡°Friend Shen, and this demon friend here, I am here to replace someone else in entering this Secret Realm, with no intention to fight with others. All I want now is to wait for the trial to end and to be able to exit alive,¡± Fu Donglai confessed frankly. ¡°Do you know each other?¡± He Qianshan furrowed his brows and quickly retreated a few steps, further distancing himself from the two. ¡°Elder He''s good intentions are well-received, but let us forget the idea of forming an alliance and going together. As Duke Cheng said earlier, we are encouraged to form alliances within the same race, so we should each go and find members of our own race,¡± Shen Luo replied with a clasped fist. Seeing that Shen Luo did not reveal his intention to gang up and kill Fu Donglai, He Qianshan took the easy way out: ¡°Since that''s the case, I won''t insist, farewell.¡± With that, he abruptly turned, flapped his arms which transformed into white crane feathers, and his figure flashed out of sight among the trees. In the mountain forest, only Fu Donglai and Shen Luo were left, looking at each other. They each kept their guard up, tacitly acknowledged with a cupped fist salute, and departed in different directions. Although they both were acquainted with Lu Huaming, considering the difference in their races and the fact that they were currently in the midst of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference trial, it was natural that they couldn''t let down their guard. It was for the best for them to go their separate ways for now. After leaving for a few hundred feet, Shen Luo stopped under an ancient tree, closed his eyes, and extended his divine sense to probe the surroundings. However, as soon as he tried, he found that his divine soul could only reach a few dozen feet before being negated by an invisible force, unable to extend further, and even less than what his eyes could directly see. And in the surroundings of Heaven and Earth, although there was air and the flow of wind, he could not sense the existence of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Having known the news in advance, Shen Luo had brought with him quite a few elixirs to replenish his spiritual power. As long as he did not engage in prolonged combat, he should be able to cope until the end of this trial without any problems. He looked around, finding the forest dense and deep with no clear path, so he randomly chose a direction and started walking forward. But he hadn''t gone far when suddenly a gust of wind arose beside him, followed by the pounce of a leopard over two zhang in length that was covered with golden brown spots. It snapped a tree as thick as a bowl and lunged at him. ¡°There are monsters too¡­¡± Shen Luo turned his head and saw, to his surprise, a Grain Avoidance Stage Mad Leopard with a flash of astonishment in his eyes. Immediately, he raised his hand and swung it accurately and firmly, slapping the Mad Leopard on the head. The beast was sent spinning three times in the air before crashing heavily to the ground, its neck twisted into a braid. Seeing the now certainly dead Mad Leopard, Shen Luo could not help but remember the time, that year during the Enter Dream trial when he first encountered a Mad Leopard on Mount Fangcun and both he and Ying Luo were pitifully chased. Shen Luo chuckled to himself and continued walking deeper into the forest. Before long, he walked out of that forest and saw a mountain peak that was several hundred feet high. In the very center of that mountain peak, a crack ran from top to bottom, splitting the peak into two halves like it had been cleaved by an axe, forming a narrow canyon in the center. Shen Luo hadn''t approached yet when he heard a woman''s cry for help coming from the valley, echoing continuously against the walls of the mountain on either side. He hesitated slightly but then hastened his pace, rushing toward the canyon. After a few swift leaps, Shen Luo arrived at the entrance of the canyon. He did not rashly rush in but instead leapt onto the left side of the mountain peak, to obtain a high vantage point, and peered down into the canyon. It seemed as if a great battle had just taken place in the valley. The mountain walls on both sides showed signs of violent fighting, with many large boulders knocked down and piled up in the center of the canyon, completely blocking the way. Shen Luo frowned as he immediately spotted behind the pile of rocks, leaning at an angle, a white-clad woman. By her looks, features, and the aura on her body, she seemed to be a member of the Human Race. Her clothing was torn, her body covered in deep bone-exposing wounds, an arm chopped off and lying beside her. Her face was filled with terror as she watched two Demon men closing in on her. One of the men had green skin and tusks, while the other had a horn on his forehead and double wings on his back. Both men were wrapped in an unmistakable Demonic Qi, not bothering to conceal it at all. ¡°Didn''t the rules earlier say nothing about not eating each other?¡± the green-skinned Demon licked his sharp teeth and asked. ¡°They didn''t,¡± the one-horned Demon responded coldly. ¡°If they didn''t say it, it means we can. This woman is mine,¡± the green-skinned Demon said, salivating as he walked toward the woman. ¡°Idiot, drain her essence blood and mana quickly and let''s go. We don''t have time for you to gnaw on bones here. If more Humans come along later, we may not be able to cope,¡± the one-horned Demon scolded angrily. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Humans are the most selfish, who would risk coming here?¡± the green-skinned Demon said unconcernedly. ¡°This woman is yours by agreement, do with her what you will. But if you want to dawdle here and be a live target, I won''t stop you. I''ll be leaving first,¡± the one-horned Demon rebuked. With that, he truly abandoned the green-skinned Demon and walked toward the other exit of the canyon. Chapter 1071 Chapter 1071: Chapter 1068: Decay Chapter 1071: Chapter 1068: Decay The Green-skinned Demon looked at the departing back of the One-horned Demon, hesitated for a moment, but still pounced towards the Human Woman, biting down towards her neck, and a gush of blood immediately squirted out. The Green-skinned Demon''s eyes filled with blood when excited by the scent of blood, uncontrollable excitement surged through him, and he opened his bloody mouth wide, ready to tear and bite into the woman. It was then that a Dragon Chant suddenly exploded in the air. The Golden Dragon Horn Cone, flickering with golden light, descended from the sky, aiming straight for the Green-skinned Demon''s head. The latter, preoccupied with the pleasure of the woman''s blood filling his throat, was unprepared at the time, and was about to be pierced through the head with one strike. But at that moment, an angry roar came from the direction of the valley exit, and a purple light shot over, striking the Dragon Horn Cone and exploding with a loud bang. The scattered purple light dissipated like fireworks, the Dragon Horn Cone merely quivered violently, then immediately stabilized and continued to plunge downwards. The Green-skinned Demon had now come to his senses, with green light surging all over his body, his skin cracking and flipping out inch by inch, actually condensing into a layer of thick green scale armor. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± A sound of flesh and blood splitting rang out, as the Dragon Horn Cone directly pierced through the Green-skinned Demon''s scale armor, entering his body from the back of the neck, and before he could react further, a dazzling golden light shone on the body of the cone. ¡°Aow¡­¡± Along with the Dragon Chant, a golden dragon soared into the sky, flying into high altitude. The Green-skinned Demon''s body was likewise shattered by the golden dragon, turning into a pile of flesh. A pitch-black figure enveloped in Demonic Qi flew out from the shattered corpse, and in a flash, entered the Void, but it seemed that preparations had been made ahead, as a dense net of golden light interwoven with swords had already been formed. The pitch-black figure collided head-on into the net of swords, and was immediately cut into pieces, dissipating. All of this, from the fall of the Dragon Horn Cone to the death of the Green-skinned Demon, happened in just a few breaths, the rapid change of events was so quick that it even shocked the One-horned Demon, who for a moment was somewhat unable to react. A voice rang out in Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge: ¡°You have killed a member of the Demon Race, earning two points, accumulating a total of three points.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Master, for saving my life¡­¡± the woman behind him said with a pale face, holding her wounded neck. ¡°Protect yourself and heal your injuries quickly,¡± Shen Luo said. As soon as the words were out, he suddenly felt something was off. The next instant, he abruptly came to his senses, his figure swiftly turning. A Longsword bathed in Green Light thrust past his waist and abdomen, striking empty space, while Shen Luo, taking advantage of the situation, slapped out with his hand, sending the Human Woman who had tried to assassinate him tumbling to the ground. After the woman fell to the ground, a point of Spiritual Light in the center of her eyebrows dissipated, and her body, which was only a little depleted of vitality before, suddenly had all its life forces completely drained, turning into a dead corpse. Shen Luo''s gaze shifted, his eyes scanning the surroundings, gradually becoming more severe. ¡°The Soul Control Technique, such despicable acts are hardly proper, right?¡± he snorted coldly, angrily declared. When Shen Luo had felt the woman''s aura up close just now, he sensed something was amiss, and upon hearing the reminder in his Sea of Knowledge that he had accumulated three points, he immediately understood. Among these three points, one was his own, another was from the Green-skinned Demon, and as for the last point, of course, it was from the Human Woman who had already been killed by the Demon. The wind howled all around, with no one responding. The one-horned demon looked around guardedly. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, a strange fragrance drifted in, and the previously barren canyon burst into life, with flowers blooming everywhere. Shen Luo subconsciously urged his sword technique, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo floating by his side immediately burst into sword light, slicing all the flowers and grass within a meter radius around him. Seeing this, the one-horned demon hurriedly mimicked Shen Luo, waving his hand to ignite a ring of Black Demon Flame around him, turning the suddenly appeared vegetation into ashes. However, the ashes did not disperse but rose with the wind and wrapped around the one-horned demon. The latter, seeing this, intensified his Demonic Flames in an attempt to repel the ashes. To his dismay, the ashes seemed to pass through the Demonic Flames as if they were insubstantial, sticking to his body, layer by layer, like wrapping a rice dumpling, encasing him completely. The one-horned demon was shocked and tried to tear off the ashes on his body, but no matter how much he struggled, the black ashes clung to his skin like dog skin plaster, sealing his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. Shen Luo stood not far away, coldly watching the one-horned demon clawing wildly as if in a frenzy, knowing that he had fallen into an illusion crafted by a hidden adversary, a victim of the Soul Control Technique. Earlier, when he had cut down the flowers with his sword, a very subtle divine soul breath also tried to invade his Sea of Knowledge, but his Divine soul was much stronger than the Mahayana Stage and could not be shaken. The divine soul breath was sensible, however, retreating immediately after finding it could not break through. Shen Luo watched coldly as the one-horned demon was slowly consumed by the illusion, with no intention of helping, but instead was carefully on guard for any changes around him, to prevent himself from being ambushed again. After a while, the individual lurking behind the scenes didn''t show himself. ¡°Your Excellency, if you don''t show yourself, I''ll have to claim this guy''s points,¡± Shen Luo provocatively said. No sooner had he spoken than he waved his hand and the Dragon Horn Cone flashed golden light, stabbing straight at the one-horned demon''s head. Just as the Dragon Horn Cone was about to make contact, the one-horned demon''s head burst open like a ripe watermelon, blood splattering everywhere. A figure emerged within the blood spray, revealing a handsome young man. ¡°Immortal Clan¡­¡± Shen Luo remarked, surprised. He had originally thought it would be some soul-enthralling member of the Demon Race, but to his surprise, it turned out to be a member of the Immortal Clan, a person Shen Luo somewhat recognized as having stood not too far from Ji Yao before the valley event. ¡°Daoist friend, no offense was meant. The previous soul control against that human woman was meant to target those two ugly demons and purposely attacked you to draw out the one-horned demon. It was not really intended for you,¡± said the young man with a smiling face, cupping his fist. Shen Luo naturally did not believe his lies. If the intention was merely to lure the one-horned demon earlier, why then attack him with a divine soul mind technique? If he had not been alert earlier, he might have already died at his hand. ¡°Spare me such pointless babble. I have no desire to quarrel, but don''t come looking for trouble, or blame me for being merciless,¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly. He took a Storage Ring off of each of the green-skinned demon and the human woman, then turned and left. The young man from the Immortal Clan watched Shen Luo''s retreating figure, smiled, his shape gradually fading and disappearing. None of them noticed that the corpses of the three who had died earlier were decaying at a rapid rate, their flesh and blood turning into soil, and even the white bones gradually merging with the ground¡­ Chapter 1072 Chapter 1072: Chapter 1069: Sneak Attack Chapter 1072: Chapter 1069: Sneak Attack Shen Luo walked out of the canyon and suddenly the terrain opened up, revealing a vast plain. The horizon was dotted with clumps of low bushes, looking like little mounds of earth. As he walked, he took out an Elixir and popped it into his mouth. The battle just now had not been very draining, but Shen Luo decided to replenish his energy first, to keep himself in the best condition possible. Continuing across the plain, Shen Luo didn''t particularly intend to look for Zhao Tong; he simply wandered around to see if there might be any opportunities or treasures to discover. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion had not been rebuilt for long, and money was being spent like flowing water. Although Shen Luo had delegated the position of Pavilion Master to Qin Ming, how could he actually be a hands-off manager who didn''t take care of anything? He still had to save up the necessary funds and earn the money that was to be earned. If it hadn''t been for the Immortal Clan member with a not-weak breath he had encountered earlier, who had at least a cultivation level of the Mahayana Middle Stage, Shen Luo would have definitely stripped off even the storage ring of that one-horned member of the Demon Clan before leaving. ¡°Sigh, one doesn''t know the price of fuel and rice until they run a household¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed, clasping his hands behind his head and strolling leisurely. Some distance ahead, a sudden booming resonated and the Earth under Shen Luo''s feet trembled along with the sound. The noise was significant; could there be another fight taking place? As Shen Luo pondered this, he saw a golden light pillar suddenly rise in the distance, shooting straight into the sky. Accompanying it was a surge of potent spiritual energy fluctuation, spreading out in all directions. ¡°Treasure!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes immediately brightened. Without any hesitation, his figure soared up, turning into an Escape Light that headed directly towards the golden light. At the same time, several figures also dashed toward the light from the surrounding wilderness, two of which moved as swiftly as Shen Luo. However, since Shen Luo was closer, he was still the first to arrive on the scene. By the time he landed, the sky-high golden light had already disappeared. Not far in front of him on the ground, a circular hole had been exposed, within which shimmering ripples of water could faintly be seen. He quickly approached and saw that within the hole there was a pool of water liquid about three feet in diameter, from which spiritual energy wafted and at the surface of which a thin layer of mist floated. ¡°Is this¡­ a Spiritual Spring?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. In this Secret Realm where Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi were scarce, almost a forbidden land, how could there be a spring formed by accumulated spiritual energy? ¡°Nevermind, let''s collect it first and think later.¡± Shen Luo shook his head without giving it much thought, raised his hand to take out several bottles and jars and began to use the Water Control Technique to guide the Spirit Liquid. It formed streams exiting the hole, flowing into the containers. The surface area of the Spiritual Spring wasn''t large, and the accumulated Spirit Liquid inside was limited, so Shen Luo soon extracted it all. Just as he was about to leave, a whooshing sound came from behind, and a gloomy purple arrow tearing through the Void reached his back in an instant. Its speed was so fast that he had no chance to dodge. At that critical moment, golden light burst forth from behind Shen Luo and the sound of a Dragon Chant rang out. The Dragon Horn Cone materialized behind him, just in time to block the arrow. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± The gloomy purple arrow struck the Dragon Horn Cone, shattering the golden dragon shadow that had just emerged on the Cone. The Dragon Horn Cone also heavily slammed into Shen Luo''s back, sending him flying dozens of feet before he managed to steady himself. Twisting around, Shen Luo looked towards the sky behind him with fury in his eyes. The clothes on his back instantly frosted over, emanating waves of extreme cold. The Huangting Technique within him immediately started circulating, as a warm current spread along his spine, gradually dispelling the chill. Between them, an attractive man clad in light armor was suspended in the air, accompanied by a long-tailed woman with fuzzy facial features, unmistakably the formidable members of the Demon Race, Seventh Killer and Flower Fence, the cat demon. As Shen Luo looked at Seventh Killer, Seventh Killer was also sizing up Shen Luo, his brows furrowing slightly, as if puzzled. ¡°He actually blocked Lord Seventh Killer''s Dragon Roaring Cold Water Bow, and Lord was intent on a kill with that strike just now,¡± Flower Fence couldn''t help but exclaim with her hand covering her mouth. Seventh Killer paid her no mind. The silver-purple curved bow in his hand was drawn again, and a phantasmal arrow made of Mana and glowing with a ghostly purple hue emerged upon it, aimed directly at Shen Luo''s forehead, with its tip''s radiance gathering into a spiraling airflow. This arrow was closer and tapped into more Mana, with its power fully marshaled. ¡°Indeed, it is the Late Mahayana Stage¡­¡± In an instant, Shen Luo felt as though all his vital energies were entwined with the arrow, causing his brow to furrow tightly. He even had the feeling that if the arrow were to be loosed, he would have no chance to dodge it whatsoever. Shen Luo snorted coldly, his hands coming together in front of him as the Dragon Horn Cone radiated intense golden light. A dragon''s head emerged from the tip of the cone, coiling around the shaft as if it too was gathering strength for that bursting strike. ¡°Whoosh¡± A gust of wind howled sharply. Without prior agreement, Shen Luo and Seventh Killer unleashed their killing moves simultaneously. The ghostly purple arrow was even faster, reaching Shen Luo in an instant, while the Dragon Chant from the cone shook the heavens. The original patterns of the Dragon Horn became clear, meeting the arrow with no reserve. A loud ¡°bang¡± resounded. The ghostly purple arrow and the golden light of the Dragon Horn exploded simultaneously, blooming like a brilliant firework. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Cloud dragons gather cold water, and rivers and seas turn to ice.¡± As if a prophecy, these words hummed softly from Seventh Killer''s lips. Within the exploding light of the arrow, a massive cloud dragon phantom burst forth, spewing chilling breath. The cold instantly froze the Dragon Horn Cone and its burst of golden light. The frigid power of the void spread rapidly, and within an instant, the ground within a hundred feet was covered in frost. Shen Luo stood rigidly in place, his garment''s edges and hair tips also frosted white. ¡°Excellent¡­¡± Flower Fence immediately applauded upon seeing this. At this moment, outside of the secret realm, in the Vermilion Bird Square, several giant Suspended Sky Mirrors in the central region displayed the scene of Shen Luo clashing with Seventh Killer. Surrounded by a sea of people, cheers thundered all around. Betting parlors seized the moment to urge people to place their bets on this battle. The odds for Shen Luo against Seventh Killer were one hundred twenty-one to one for victory or defeat, thirty-three to one for life or death, and one hundred five to one for a draw. To these people, it seemed easy to determine a victor, the probability of life or death was not high, and the possibility of a draw was even more negligible. Bai Xiaotian, who had just been joking with Lu Huaming, couldn''t help but become a bit anxious. Earlier, the Suspended Sky Mirror had focused on several fierce battles, two of which involved Seventh Killer. The demon cultivator and the two cultivators from the Immortal Clan who had faced him previously had all been beheaded. His view, like those feverishly betting, was that Shen Luo stood little chance. Upon the high platform, Cheng Yaojin''s brows also knitted tightly at the scene. He had not been in favor of holding the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, but since the other three tribes were strongly pushing for it, and National Master Yuan Tiangang had also agreed in principle, he had ultimately compromised. Yet, he had not anticipated that Shen Luo would participate in it, and he could only sigh inwardly. Below the Martial Arts Stage, Chen Shi Yuan and Yu Hai were also in the crowd, eyes fixated on the Suspended Sky Mirror, cursing inwardly. They resented that Shen Luo might die at the hands of Seventh Killer even before he found Zhao Tong. Chapter 1073 Chapter 1073: Chapter 1070: Old Mirror Chapter 1073: Chapter 1070: Old Mirror Within the secret realm, Shen Luo was naturally unaware of the enthusiastic discussions and revelry taking place around the battles involving them. He felt the chill around him growing heavier, as if the blood in his veins was gradually freezing. Yet, his face did not show panic; instead, there seemed to be a glint of fire lighting up in his eyes. ¡°Do!¡± With a ferocious shout, a burst of intensely fierce pure Yang energy erupted from Shen Luo''s body, and invisible Qi Swords shot out from his sleeves, scattering searing heat in all directions. In a flash, they pierced the condensed ice in front of him, melting it. The Dragon Horn Cone simultaneously broke free from its restraints, and alongside a fiery golden Sword Edge, shot towards Seven Kills. Seven Kills, upon seeing this, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, and he immediately raised the Dragon Roar Cold Water Divine Bow in his hand and slapped the bow body. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The strings of the Silver Purple Divine Bow vibrated; layers upon layers of ice shields, following the undulating waves of the void, successively condensed in front of the Dragon Horn Cone and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Bang Bang Bang¡± A series of consecutive explosive sounds rang out. After breaking through three layers of ice shields, the Dragon Horn Cone finally stopped as its power was exhausted. ¡°Pure Yang Burning Sword¡­¡± At that moment, Shen Luo suddenly bellowed, and instantly, ¡°whoosh,¡± flames of red fire ignited on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Rings of red flame Sword Shadows surrounded the Sword body, raging like a fierce storm towards the remaining ice shields. ¡°Boom Boom Boom¡± Roaring sounds burst forth incessantly; the ice shields shattered constantly, with countless Ice Crystals shooting out in all directions as they were penetrated layer by layer. On seeing this, Seven Kills'' expression changed. He had been careless before, not acting with full force. Now, pressed by Shen Luo, he realized that he had underestimated this human cultivator, who was unexpectedly difficult to deal with. Hearing an angry shout, his entire body lit up with dazzling Golden light; a layer of golden brilliance bathed his body, solidifying into an armor that enveloped him. The Sword Shadows of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo all struck, piercing through every ice shield, only to fall on the gleaming armor. Another violent explosion resounded, the flames outside of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo rapidly converged into a blade of red and gold, inch by inch pressing into the Golden Armor on Seven Kills. At the same time, ripples swirled on the Golden Armor, dissipating the power of the Pure Yang Burning Sword layer by layer. Shen Luo stepped forward, pressed down with the palm of his hand, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo sang loudly. Seven Kills refused to take a step back, pressing forward in response to Shen Luo, standing firm against him head-on. Just when it seemed they were about to forcibly determine the victor, both Shen Luo and Seven Kills frowned simultaneously, as if by agreement, they both pulled back their hands and retreated. ¡°Seven Kills Daoist friend, when snipe and clam grapple, it''s the fisherman that profits. There''s no need for you and me to fight to the death here and let others benefit for nothing. What do you think?¡± Shen Luo asked after standing firm. ¡°You recognize me?¡± Seven Kills seemed surprised. ¡°Daoist friend is considered a leading figure among the younger generation; how could I not recognize you?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°What''s your name?¡± Seven Kills asked with a slight frown. ¡°Shen Luo.¡± ¡°Good, I''ll remember you,¡± Seven Kills nodded and said solemnly. His tone was even, without any sense of pause, conveying more of a recognition than a warning. ¡°Nothing like a fight with a Daoist friend to establish a rapport. Whatever Spiritual Spring Water is obtained here, consider it a joint find. I''ll give half to you, Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment''s thought, smiling. Having said that, he raised his hand and waved, and three white jade porcelain bottles flew out, falling towards Seven Kills. Seven Kills raised his hand and collected them, merely nodding without thanking him. He also clearly understood that Shen Luo had done this to signal to those who were rushing over from behind that what they were contending for was not some incredible Heavenly Treasure, but merely some Spiritual Spring Water. Moreover, by giving away half of the Spiritual Spring Water, Shen Luo could to some extent lessen the covetousness of others towards him. Just then, at the far end of the plain, a loud boom sounded as another pillar of golden light shot into the sky, seemingly indicating the appearance of another treasure. ¡°Brother Shen, shall we go take a look?¡± Seven Kills glanced over from afar and said with a smile. ¡°Let''s forget it, just now it was only because I happened to be nearby that I rushed over in haste. By the time we get there now, the moment will have passed, and if we encounter other powerful persons, they may not be as easy to talk to as Daoist Seven Kills,¡± said Shen Luo with a grin and a shake of his head. Upon hearing this, Seven Kills''s brow furrowed slightly, and he harrumphed softly. With a swift turn, he took to the sky and flew directly towards that place. Shen Luo chose a different direction and sped away as well. After the two of them had disappeared, the surroundings were silent for a moment, and then three or four figures appeared one after another. They were wary of each other, but none of them rashly attacked. After checking the pit where the Cultivation Spring Water was, they all cursed angrily. ¡°Those two bastards, they actually cleaned out the spring completely,¡± a Fiery Red Demon Race Cultivator cursed angrily. ¡°It would have been nice if they had fought each other to the death just now¡­¡± said another person who was with him, with some regret. ¡°Who''s to blame when you fools are so poor at concealing your presence that you were discovered the moment you arrived? Now you still have the nerve to complain?¡± A figure suddenly appeared, startling the others who had just noticed. The figure was thin with a particularly long neck and lips adorned with two diagonal ''eight character'' mustaches; it was the Demon Race Monk, He Qianshan. He also poked his head into the cave entrance and carefully inspected it. Upon seeing that indeed nothing was gained, he suddenly flapped his arms and took flight, soaring into the sky. However, after being in the air, he first looked in the direction Shen Luo had gone and then looked towards the golden light pillar. After some hesitation, he still fluttered his arms and flew towards the golden light pillar in a rainbow arc. The other few people gathered around the cave entrance also scattered, hastening towards the next place where a treasure had appeared. Meanwhile, when Shen Luo was beyond the range of detection by everyone''s Divine Sense, he immediately took out an Escape Earth Talisman and burrowed Underground. Enveloped in a yellow halo, he moved swiftly through the region a hundred feet under the ground. Before long, he saw a group of faint blue light ahead and, with a look of delight, hurried over. Upon closer inspection, the faint blue light turned out to be a cluster of Spiritual Spring Water that did not disperse. Shen Luo, without any courtesy, opened his mouth wide and sucked in fiercely, drawing the Spiritual Spring Water into his mouth with a sweet taste, turning into strands of Spiritual Energy flowing into his body. And when the Spiritual Spring Water had all been swallowed, the object that had been encased inside finally revealed its true form. It was a peculiarly shaped Bronze Ancient Mirror, its surface as bright as new, with the back engraved with charm patterns and the shadow of a laurel tree, exquisitely detailed. Shen Luo held the Bronze Ancient Mirror in his hand and felt wave after wave of Spiritual Power emanating from it, complex as the tide and unceasing, knowing then that he had found a treasure, and was immediately overjoyed. He surmised that the previously found Spiritual Spring was mostly formed by this mirror absorbing the lunar essence of Heaven and Earth. If he were to hide this mirror inside the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, over the years, he could cultivate his own private, inexhaustible Spiritual Spring. This wouldn''t greatly benefit Shen Luo''s own cultivation, but for the growth of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion Sect, it was of considerable significance. Chapter 1074 Chapter 1074: Chapter 1071: Provocation Chapter 1074: Chapter 1071: Provocation At the same time, outside the Secret Realm on the Vermilion Bird Square, everyone who witnessed the scene couldn''t help but click their tongues in amazement. There were those who admired, those who envied, and those who were jealous and cursed¡­ opinions were divided. ¡°Damn it, they actually ended in a draw¡­¡± ¡°I lost everything, those two damn things, how could they just stop fighting like that?¡± While some people were still concerned about the outcome of the battle between Shen Luo and Seven Kills, betting booths all around were shouting to continue placing bets, and other battles within the Secret Realm had begun. By the Martial Arts Stage, Chen Shi Yuan also wore a look of confusion. It hadn''t been long since he taught Shen Luo the Pure Yang Burning Sword technique, so how had he mastered it so quickly? And the power he displayed was quite impressive. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo in Shen Luo''s hand was clearly still in the nurturing stage, and not yet honed, right? How could it possibly match a late-stage Mahayana cultivator? The more he thought about it, the more he found it puzzling. Up on the High Platform, the Immortal Clan woman with her face veiled by light gauze praised Shen Luo, unable to help herself: ¡°This young friend from the Human Race is quite clever. Knowing that others were rushing over, he pretended to draw out the Spiritual Spring Water, but in fact buried the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror deeper underground to avoid others'' Divine Sense probes, and then returned to recover the treasure. Not bad, not bad.¡± ¡°Fuyao Fairy, your Heavenly Palace is really generous this time, offering up the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, which is of Magical Treasure grade, as a reward.¡± Cheng Yaojin heard this and also revealed a smile, saying. The representatives of the Demon and Demon Clans didn''t say anything but were simply watching their own disciples to see how they performed. Within the Secret Realm, Shen Luo put away the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror and took out a bottle of Spiritual Spring Water to consume. Having expended a lot during his battle with Seven Kills, he didn''t rush to leave. Instead, he hid underground and began to meditate with his eyes closed. After an indeterminate amount of time, Shen Luo felt a suffocating sensation, as if a subtle force was enveloping him from the outside, making him very uncomfortable, and he had to wake up from his meditative state. ¡°Strange, there''s clearly nothing there¡­¡± He released his Divine Sense, and after a brief investigation, he found nothing. But due to the Secret Realm''s restrictions, the range of his Divine Sense probing was very limited and could not guarantee safety. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo used the Earth Escape Technique again and returned to the surface. At this time, inside the Secret Realm, a solitary moon hung high in the sky, stars nowhere to be seen, making the skydome seem lonely and profound. He stretched lazily and circulated the Huangting Technique, dispelling all the discomfort in his body, and looked out into the distance in all directions. Suddenly, a ¡°roar¡± resounded, and a bright golden light rose from the dark night on the right side, illuminating the sky as if it were daytime. ¡°Master Chen didn''t deceive me, there really are plenty of treasures and opportunities in this Secret Realm¡­¡± Shen Luo grinned and decided to join the excitement. With that thought, he immediately soared up and flew towards that direction on the wind. Before long, the golden light ahead gradually faded and disappeared, while the whistling sound of the night wind seemed to grow louder. From a distance, Shen Luo could hear the sounds of intense fighting. He immediately landed on the spot, not continuing to rush over. The fighting sounds were very chaotic; one could tell it wasn''t just one or two people skirmishing. If he carelessly went over, he would inevitably be regarded as a new competitor and get caught up in the melee. Rather than doing that, it would be better to wait for them to finish fighting and then go over, perhaps to reap the benefits of the fisherman. He waited for a long time until the moon''s shadow gradually moved westward, and the noise over there finally died down. Shen Luo knew his opportunity had arrived, and he didn''t continue flying, but once again used the Earth Escape Technique and hurried toward that direction. Just as he was about to approach the battle area, about thirty feet away, he suddenly felt a strong surge of mana pressing down from above and immediately tensed up, swiftly changing his direction to dodge to another side. ¡°Boom¡± a loud noise thundered! Before Shen Luo could dodge, the rocks above his head had already started to collapse, falling directly towards him. Realizing that his whereabouts were exposed, he no longer hid. With a fierce shake of his arms, he directly blasted toward the falling rocks above him. A roar erupted from the ground; a mass of rocks exploded in all directions, like a volcanic eruption, blasting high into the sky as Shen Luo shot out from amidst them and remained suspended in mid-air. Looking down from above, he saw a round-faced youth smiling up at him. Not far from the youth stood another tall figure, dressed in dark black long robe with a leather vambrace on his right arm, who was none other than the human race''s powerful person, Huang Yi. ¡°Hehe, after all the trouble of searching, there was no need to; we''ve finally met, Friend Shen,¡± the round-faced youth chuckled. ¡°Oh, were you intending to find me, Daoist friend?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and asked. That annoying smirking guy was none other than Zhao Tong, a disciple of the Law Enforcement Elder of the Shouyang Mountain. ¡°We''re both smart people, let''s not play dumb. We''ve long since heard the news that Little Straw Mountain hired you to take me down. That''s why we immediately went to great lengths to enlist Brother Huang Yi''s help,¡± Zhao Tong shook his head and said. ¡°I''ve only agreed to protect him from death, not to actively help him kill anyone,¡± Huang Yi said with a neutral expression, coldly speaking. It was clear from his words that as long as Shen Luo didn''t make a move against Zhao Tong, he would not act against Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Huang, there''s no need to say that. If I provoke him a little more, he''s going to make a move against me,¡± Zhao Tong complained somewhat. ¡°I''m not interested in the grudges between your sects; I didn''t come here wanting to join the Martial Assembly. How about we each take our own path and no hard feelings?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yo, Friend Shen seems to know the situation well. Knowing that you can''t defeat the two of us, it''s wise for you to retreat,¡± Zhao Tong continued to taunt shamelessly. Shen Luo found him truly tedious; he glanced around and saw that the original battlefield had been destroyed by the previous violent tremors. Assuming that the two had already swept through, he planned to turn around and leave. However, just as he turned, a sudden gust of wind arose out of nowhere. Shen Luo spun around abruptly and threw a punch forward, only to see a blood-red nail shooting towards him, striking directly against his fist. ¡°Bang¡± was the sound that followed. A punch burst forth from the end of Shen Luo''s fist, immediately deflecting the blood nail. Zhao Tong was slightly surprised upon seeing this, genuinely not expecting his Blood Breaker Nail to fail to pierce Shen Luo''s fist energy and instead be repelled. He immediately raised his hand to beckon the nail back to him. Shen Luo snorted coldly, already having prepared a magic spell in the dark, and swung his sleeve fiercely. ¡°Whoosh,¡± a piercing sound rang out as three crystal-clear Water Arrows shot from his sleeve, directly targeting Zhao Tong. Seeing this, Zhao Tong just slightly raised an eyebrow, not taking it too seriously; he casually raised a palm to block the Water Arrows. But unexpectedly, as swift as they appeared, upon hitting his palm, the Water Arrows suddenly became supple and shapeless, dispersing on their own before they could be hit. Zhao Tong found himself swatting at nothing, as his hand suddenly experienced a freezing chill; the dispersed water liquid instantly solidified, encasing his palm in ice. As he was about to activate mana to dissolve the ice, he noticed from the corner of his eye that the moon shadow in front of him suddenly scattered like petals, and a silhouette instantly appeared at his side, holding a Dragon Horn Spike, thrusting straight towards his brow. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1075 Chapter 1075: Chapter 1072: Poisoned Blood Chapter 1075: Chapter 1072: Poisoned Blood ¡°Help¡­¡± Before Zhao Tong could cry out for help, an arm already stretched over, a hand as firm as an iron claw, clamping down on the Dragon Horn Spike, keeping its tip against Zhao Tong''s forehead without advancing an inch. Feeling that overwhelming strength, Shen Luo''s heart shook, and he couldn''t help but retort angrily, ¡°It was not I who wanted to kill him, but he who tried to kill me; am I not even allowed to retaliate?¡± ¡°He ambushed you with One Nail, and you returned Three Water Arrows; that''s why I didn''t intervene just now. But now¡­ it''s not allowed,¡± Huang Yi said, frowning. ¡°You really are stubborn¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel speechless. But just as he planned to withdraw, the Ice Seal on Zhao Tong''s hand was released, and he suddenly raised a palm, a Blood Cloud hidden within, striking straight towards Shen Luo''s forehead. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, he hastened to step back, but the palm came at a tricky angle and moved rapidly, making it impossible to dodge in that instant. ¡°Dammit.¡± Just then, a roar exploded next to their ears, resonating like a large bell. Huang Yi''s other arm suddenly lifted and struck from below upwards against Zhao Tong''s extending arm. Zhao Tong couldn''t help but scream in pain, his palm involuntarily shooting upwards towards the sky, and a Blood Cloud burst right above their heads. The sky full of Blood Cloud exploded, instantly turning into a shower of blood rain. Shen Luo and the others were restraining each other and none could avoid it, all being drenched from above. The moment the blood rain touched his skin, Shen Luo felt a burning sensation, as though hot oil had splattered on him. ¡°This is bad¡­¡± Zhao Tong was the first to exclaim in alarm, retreating rapidly and rubbing his cheeks frantically, trying to wipe away the bloodstains. But the strange blood couldn''t be wiped away at all. After rubbing violently for more than a dozen times, it seeped into his skin even faster, causing his whole body to swell red like a cooked shrimp. Shen Luo also realized the gravity of the situation and subconsciously raised his hand to his cheek, but instead of rubbing like Zhao Tong did, he used the Water Control Technique to condense tiny Water Droplets that enveloped the bloodspots, attempting to remove them. The Water liquid, however, couldn''t stick to the blood. Upon contact, they were instantly evaporated by a heat force, causing clouds of white vapor to rise from Shen Luo''s face. At the same time, the bloodstains also infiltrated Shen Luo''s skin. ¡°Thump, thump¡­¡± All of a sudden, Shen Luo felt hot blood rushing to his head, and the sound of his heartbeat became incredibly clear. An indescribable feeling of burning heat filled his entire body, turning his skin as red as Zhao Tong''s. ¡°What have you done?¡± Huang Yi wasn''t faring much better and shouted in anger. ¡°Don''t¡­ don''t use mana to suppress it. The poison in the blood will only become more excited and burn out all your essence blood,¡± Zhao Tong said with bloodshot eyes, yelling loudly. Hearing this, Shen Luo understood that this was the Blood Burning Technique cultivated by that scoundrel. ¡°Bastard, speak up, how can this blood poison be removed?¡± Shen Luo barked in anger. ¡°This poisoned blood was refined by my Master for me to use for self-protection and against enemies; I can''t undo it myself,¡± Zhao Tong said in panic. ¡°` Having spoken, he had already sat down cross-legged on the ground and began to circulate the secret methods of his sect, attempting to combat the poison of the Blood Burning Technique. Shen Luo dared not hesitate and immediately sat down cross-legged as well, but he did not follow Zhao Tong''s advice. Instead of channeling Mana, he activated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to direct the flow of his blood toward his left arm. No sooner had he begun to circulate his Mana than his blood seemed to boil within him, and his skin was scorched by the blood to the point that plumes of white vapor arose. His heart thudded violently and incessantly. Shen Luo was immediately alarmed and quickly stabilized his mind, abandoning the idea of amputating his arm to save himself. After hesitating for a moment, he began to fully activate the skills of the Huangting Technique. A pale golden light then enveloped his body, and once again the scene of steaming vapor around him emerged. However, this time Shen Luo did not stop, but continued to urge Mana through his system. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just a few breaths'' time, the skin on his cheeks was scorched red and swollen with blood-filled blisters the size of walnuts, which then spread from his cheeks to his neck and shoulders until half his body was affected. ¡°Pop pop¡­¡± One after another, soft popping sounds continued to come from his body as the blood blisters burst open, releasing fresh blood¨Cnow contaminated with poison and turned a purple-black color¨Cthick and sticky, and exuding a strange, sweet, cloying scent. To expel the poisoned blood from his body, Shen Luo gave up on the idea of transferring the poison to his arm and then amputating it. Instead, he expelled the blood mixed with the poison directly through his skin. The advantage of doing so was to minimize the migration and spread of the poison within, avoiding further infection, and allowing the poisoned blood to be expelled locally as quickly as possible, reducing the stimulation from circulating Mana. However, the downside was also evident; the area of damage was too large, affecting not just the blood and vessels but also causing serious injury to the skin and flesh and blood. At this moment, Shen Luo did not dare to slacken in the least, focusing on separating the poisoned blood while also activating the Great Unsealing Technique to repair his injuries, including part of his liver discarded due to the poison''s infiltration. The significant loss of blood and essence, as well as severe Mana exhaustion, made Shen Luo extremely weak. The parts of his body that were not consumed by the burning blood now had skin that turned grayish-white due to blood deficiency, and he appeared to have aged decades. Not far from him, Huang Yi was enveloped in a Golden Bell of illusionary light that inverted and contained him. Around the Golden Bell, circles of Sanskrit characters shone, emanating waves of spiritual power that washed over his body like tides, causing strands and wisps of Black Qi to mingle with the white steam arising from his body. His right hand formed a mudra in front of his body, while his left arm rested on his crossed legs, in the pose of a seated Buddha. Slender threads of Black Qi could be seen moving along his shoulder, continuously flowing toward his left arm. Time passed, and the sky gradually darkened, but the three of them had yet to rise. Among them, Shen Luo looked the most ghastly; his body steam appeared to have evaporated completely, leaving his skin sagging and wrinkled, his eyelids drooping, and his whole body as dry as a dead tree. Huang Yi, following a different method, had forced all the poisoned blood into his left arm. His entire hand had turned pitch black, and from the wrist to the forearm, it was all a dark purple, while the skin above the elbow was deathly pale. And the poisoned blood suppressed in his arm was continuously trying to surge back, attempting to invade up towards his upper arm. With sweat pouring down his forehead, Huang Yi''s essence was greatly depleted from trying to expel the poison. His face was deathly pale, his entire body taut as if he was gathering strength, aiming to completely expel all the poisoned blood. On the other hand, Zhao Tong, having practiced the Blood Burning Technique, was most familiar with the nature of this blood poison. Relying on the Sect''s Secret Method, he had already suppressed it and was only waiting to leave the Secret Realm to seek his Master''s help. ¡°Huff¡­¡± He exhaled a long breath, which even contained a faint flickering of purple Qi. Zhao Tong''s face revealed a pleased expression, and he immediately stood up from where he was and walked over to Shen Luo and Huang Yi, sweeping his gaze over them. His eyes gradually turned cold. Chapter 1076 Chapter 1076: Chapter 1073: The Yellow Sparrow is Behind Chapter 1076: Chapter 1073: The Yellow Sparrow is Behind ¡°Shen Luo, Friend Shen, looking at your pathetic state, caught between human and ghost, you must be in great pain, aren''t you? I''ll reluctantly show a bit of compassion and send you on your way, to spare you some suffering,¡± Zhao Tong muttered under his breath, lifting his palm to strike down on Shen Luo''s head. ¡°Stop,¡± suddenly, Huang Yi bellowed angrily. At his words, Zhao Tong hesitated, his raised hand suspended in mid-air, not truly smashing down. ¡°Why do you stop me?¡± Zhao Tong asked with a frown. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Earlier, it was I who stopped him from striking at you, so you also cannot take advantage of someone in peril,¡± Huang Yi stated slowly and emphatically. ¡°Daoist friend Huang, have you forgotten? You sought my protection to repay a favor owed to my Master, not to interfere with me!¡± Zhao Tong retorted with a light reprimand, clearly displeased. ¡°That won''t do either,¡± Huang Yi said decisively. ¡°You say it won''t do? Then you need to be able to stop me before saying that,¡± Zhao Tong said with a grin. No sooner had he spoken than a red light shone from his palm, as he heavily slapped down towards Shen Luo''s skull. There was a ¡°bang¡± sound, and Shen Luo''s entire body stumbled heavily, the ground beneath him cracking and giving way into a pit more than three meters deep. Shen Luo''s body plunged in, his head limply hanging to one side, trails of blood seeping from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, winding out like little snakes, his aura now weak to an extreme point. ¡°Zhao Tong!¡± A furious shout suddenly rang out as Huang Yi abruptly raised his right arm and struck down on his own left hand. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± A burst of blood light flashed as Huang Yi''s left arm was cleanly severed and went flying, kicked toward Zhao Tong by him. Seeing the poisoned limb rushing directly towards his face, Zhao Tong panicked and, not daring to deliver another heavy blow to Shen Luo, quickly dodged to avoid it. After Zhao Tong steadied himself, he looked at Huang Yi, whose face was deathly pale and whose aura was unstable, and felt somewhat ashamed of his earlier panic. Was the current Huang Yi even able to compete with him? ¡°Do you truly wish to be my enemy?¡± Zhao Tong glared at Huang Yi, asking coldly. ¡°I said that you can''t kill him.¡± Huang Yi spoke with blood still dripping from his arm, yet his tone remained as solid as a rock. Zhao Tong remained silent, considering in his heart. Huang Yi had killed many people earlier, accumulating quite some points. If he were to kill both Huang Yi and Shen Luo, then all those accumulated points would be his alone, wouldn''t they? Huang Yi, seeing the subtle changes in his expression, already knew that Zhao Tong had murderous intent. ¡°If you want to kill me, let''s see if you have what it takes,¡± Huang Yi said steadfastly, his eyes fixed on Zhao Tong. Zhao Tong, hearing such words, couldn''t help but harbor doubts in his heart. But soon, his vast greed overcame the last bit of his hesitation. ¡°Shen Luo is neither your kin nor your kind, and you only just met him,¡± Zhao Tong said, his intent to kill rising, yet he kept talking. ¡°Do I need to explain myself to you?¡± Huang Yi glanced at him, responding indifferently. ¡°You¡­ Fine, fine, fine, since that''s how it is, you can die with him,¡± Zhao Tong declared furiously. Before his words even faded, his figure had already charged forward, shrouded in a cloak of blood mist, and in the palm of his hand, a two-foot-long bloody crystal blade appeared from nowhere, thrusting straight towards Huang Yi''s heart. Huang Yi, now with only one arm left, faced Zhao Tong''s thrusting crystal blade and simply raised a palm while softly chanting: ¡°Arhat Golden Bell!¡± It sounded as if a bell had tolled; the fresh blood flowing from Huang Yi''s severed arm emitted a pure golden light, casting a glow around his body and turning him into a golden statue, instantly transforming him into a golden-bodied Luohan. His raised palm swung down in a horizontal strike, landing on the blood-colored crystal knife that Huang Yi thrust towards him. With a ¡°crack,¡± the blood-colored crystal knife broke on impact. Zhao Tong''s eyes bulged in surprise, but the motion of his stabbing knife did not change in the slightest. Around him, a blood fog surged wildly, winding around the surface of the blood-colored crystal knife and instantly reforming its blade, which then pierced straight into Huang Yi''s shoulder. ¡°Clang¡± The sound of metal striking stone rang out; Huang Yi''s body shook violently, golden light scattering from his chest as the blood-colored crystal knife tore open a wound. The tip of the blood-colored crystal knife penetrated Huang Yi''s chest, and a demonic gloss flashed on the blade, which began directly absorbing the essence blood that Huang Yi had sparingly left. ¡°Heh heh, you brought this on yourself; when you meet the King of Hell in Yama''s Palace, don''t come blaming me,¡± Zhao Tong sneered as he spoke. As he was lost in his triumphant arrogance, he failed to notice a shadow silently approaching from behind, growing larger and larger. By the time he realized, it was too late; a black steel awl pierced into his just-raised forehead, skewering his entire body and nailing him to the ground. The owner of the steel awl landed lightly, touching down on the tip of the awl with one foot, slowly squatting down. The white feathers on his body gradually receded, revealing the human form of He Qianshan of the Linghe Demon Tribe. He looked down at Zhao Tong, whose eyes were bulging out, and said with a mocking face, ¡°I''ve been waiting here for quite a long time, wondering if someone would come by and conveniently pick your three heads for me, waiting for another bird after the yellow one, but it seems there are no others¡­¡± Having said that, He Qianshan let out a somewhat regretful sigh. Zhao Tong, pierced by the steel awl, did not die immediately; his Adam''s apple moved slightly, and he managed to spit out a few words: ¡°You''re seeking death¡­¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a wisp of blood qi rose from the hole in his brow, winding up along the steel awl and assaulting He Qianshan. ¡°Don''t seek death; the reason I haven''t killed you is because I''m somewhat interested in your Blood Burning Technique. If you can''t appreciate that, I won''t mind sending you off first,¡± He Qianshan said with a smile. He casually took out a beast skin talisman and affixed it to Zhao Tong''s forehead. The blood qi above Zhao Tong''s head instantly dissipated, and the mana within his body was also sealed by the power emanating from the beast skin, leaving him unable to muster a shred of it. ¡°As for the other two, there''s nothing particularly curious about them, so I might as well deal with them now. Let''s start with¡­ you,¡± He Qianshan said, his gaze drifting back and forth between Shen Luo and Huang Yi at the bottom of the big pit for a moment. After speaking, he stood up and walked towards Huang Yi''s side. Huang Yi, who had suffered severe injuries earlier, was no match for He Qianshan now and had already lost any ability to resist. He Qianshan waved his hand and a black steel awl emerged in his palm, pointing straight at Huang Yi''s brow as he thrust it down. Just then, an unexpected change occurred. Suddenly golden light burst from the big pit beside Huang Yi, followed immediately by a golden sword light shooting up into the sky, wrapped in raging red flames, and directly stabbing toward He Qianshan''s face. He Qianshan''s heart tightened; even before the sword edge arrived, an unbearably scorching breath was upon him. He frowned, raised his other hand, and released a palm strike forward, as a green round shield materialized in his palm. The shield, etched with a spiraling green bird and radiating green flowing light, suddenly shot out a green whirlwind. The whirlwind swept forward, barely holding off the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, but He Qianshan''s hand holding the black steel awl did not cease for an instant, continuing to rapidly thrust at Huang Yi''s brow. Chapter 1077 Chapter 1077: Chapter 1074: A Roadblock Chapter 1077: Chapter 1074: A Roadblock Just as Huang Yi was about to be pierced through the skull, a red light suddenly lit up from beneath him, and a Bloodthirsty Flag appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around him and pulling him inside. The Black Steel Awl struck the Bloodthirsty Flag, only causing the flag to indent inwards, but it failed to pierce through it. In contrast, the shock to the Bloodthirsty Flag sent bursts of blood light across its surface, and the flag itself suddenly unfurled, charging back towards He Qianshan. Rolling torrents of blood Qi rolled backwards, and the Bloodthirsty Flag slipped off Huang Yi, encircling He Qianshan from the opposite direction. Seeing this, He Qianshan''s brows furrowed tightly, and he let out a thunderous shout, swinging his arm in front of him and firing a fan-shaped volley of Black Steel Awls forward, pinning them into the Bloodthirsty Flag and forcing it back slightly. He Qianshan hadn''t yet had a moment to catch his breath when he felt as if a shadow of the moon had suddenly descended from above; Shen Luo had abruptly flown up, drawing the Pure Yang Sword Embryo into his hand without notice. With one hand clutching the golden Sword Embryo and the other hand forming seals, he shouted, ¡°Pure Yang Burning Sword!¡± As the words fell, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo burst into Red Flames, and countless sword shadows of flame appeared all around, raining down on He Qianshan below like a fierce storm. Inside the Bloodthirsty Flag, He Qianshan, with limited room to move, could only raise the Green Round Shield above his head and bear the brunt of the sword edge''s might. ¡°Boom, boom, boom!¡± In the darkening night, thunderous explosions sounded one after another, with scattered sparks of red fire flying about, and the whirlwinds on the surface of the Green Round Shield were constantly shattered, its emitted Green Light growing dimmer and dimmer. Under Shen Luo''s relentless assault, He Qianshan was about to be overwhelmed, but a strange green light ignited in his eyes, and two wings of white brilliant light began to form on his back, causing his breath to surge rather than wane. ¡°Don''t get too cocky!¡± He Qianshan bellowed angrily, and the Double Wings on his back suddenly spread open. A powerful surge of Qi burst out from him, rushing directly into the Green Round Shield in his hand. Immediately, a loud crane cry resounded, and a Green Light Giant Bird with wings outstretched emerged, its beak streaking upwards like a spear. Every Scarlet Flame Fire Sword that struck the Green Light Giant Bird riddled it with countless holes, yet failed to stop its upward momentum; its beak collided with the tip of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, sending out a heaven-shaking boom. The body of the Green Bird exploded all at once, and a mighty storm surged skyward, sending Shen Luo flying hundreds of feet away. His disheveled hair danced wildly in the wind, and his grotesquely skinny body was splattered with blood, presenting an extremely pitiful sight. He had barely managed to drive out the blood poison from his body, and both his Mana and essence blood were severely depleted. Just now, in his eagerness to save someone, he had recklessly operated his mana without regard for his safety; now, he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground. He Qianshan didn''t fare much better, covered in wounds cut by the fire and Sword Qi, clutching the Green Shield that had lost much of its spiritual energy as he struggled out of the embrace of the Bloodthirsty Flag, his face dark as water. How could he have anticipated that Shen Luo, who seemed to have been eroded by the poisonous blood to such an extent, could still unleash such formidable power? Although He Qianshan''s injuries were not severe, he had still expended a great deal of energy. ¡°Damn that guy.¡± He cursed under his breath and violently swung his sleeve, preparing to strike Shen Luo with a Black Steel Awl. ¡°Daoist friend, hold your hand,¡± a loud shout, accompanied by a swift Escape Light, came from afar just then. He Qianshan''s complexion instantly turned the color of a liver, having thought this hunt would put him in the enviable position of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Yet with just a slight delay, someone else had joined the fray. As the person approached and he made out their features, He Qianshan''s expression could no longer simply be described as sullen. ¡°Fu Donglai¡­¡± He ground out the words through clenched teeth, feeling it was truly a narrow road for enemies to meet. When he first entered the Secret Realm, he had invited Shen Luo to join him in dealing with Fu Donglai. Shen Luo had declined, and now here he was, about to kill Shen Luo, only to be stopped by Fu Donglai. ¡°It turns out to be Daoist friend He. Since you are not a stranger, why don''t you just leave?¡± Fu Donglai said with a smile. ¡°Fu Daoist friend, I''ve fought hard for a kill, and now that I''m about to harvest my efforts, you come over and with a few casual words, expect me to hand over these people''s heads to you. I''m afraid that''s not appropriate, right?¡± He Qianshan said with a cold laugh. ¡°It does seem somewhat inappropriate¡­ Well, how about this? I will wait here for a while. Once Daoist friend He finishes them off, I will then have a fight with you. At that time, it surely won''t be considered a malicious seizure, right?¡± Fu Donglai pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Having said this, he actually found a stone upturned from the ground and sat down, arms crossed over his chest, gazing unwaveringly at He Qianshan. His breath was no longer concealed; he released it without reservation. It was clearly of the Late Mahayana Stage, much more robust than Huang Yi''s. Moreover, the uncontainable evil aura that was intrinsic to him seeped out, making the pressure emitted by Fu Donglai all the more formidable. ¡°You¡­¡± Seeing this, He Qianshan''s expression became rigid. Having already expended a lot in his fight with Shen Luo, facing Fu Donglai in combat would be like seeking his own death. ¡°Fu Donglai, under the current circumstances, I''m certainly not your match, but if we fight to the death, you won''t gain any advantages either. How about we both take a step back?¡± He Qianshan said with a hesitating expression. ¡°What do you mean by taking a step back?¡± Fu Donglai asked. ¡°Among these three, Huang Yi definitely holds the most points. His head is mine. As for the other two, you can choose one to kill. All the magical artifacts on him will also be yours. How about that?¡± He Qianshan proposed. ¡°It is a proposal indeed, but you might be mistaken, Daoist friend He. I''m not here to kill, but to save people,¡± Fu Donglai said with a smile as he stood up again. ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± He Qianshan''s face darkened with anger. He felt that Fu Donglai could only say something like that if he himself was a fool, or if he took He Qianshan for one. ¡°The third time¡­¡± Fu Donglai sighed with a wry smile. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What third time?¡± He Qianshan asked in a deep voice. ¡°Alas, I''ve encountered several life-and-death fights along the way, and I always tried to persuade them against it. Each time, they took me for a fool, thinking I was toying with them. Now, you are doing the same,¡± Fu Donglai said, shaking his head and chuckling bitterly. ¡°Before coming in, everyone signed a Life and Death Agreement. There''s no need for you to play the good guy here. Even if you wanted to fish for fame, you''ve picked the wrong place,¡± He Qianshan sneered. ¡°If you don''t believe it, that''s fine. You can try to kill them. If I manage to stop you, it''s my ability. If I can''t stop you, then that''s their fate. As for you, Daoist friend¡­ well, in a fight, accidents happen. It''s a matter of life and death, I won''t hold back,¡± Fu Donglai spread his hands and spoke frankly. He Qianshan stood frozen for a while, seeing that Fu Donglai''s demeanor was genuinely not feigned, ready to strike without a word, his expression growing increasingly grim. Chapter 1078 Chapter 1078: Chapter 1075: Settling Accounts Chapter 1078: Chapter 1075: Settling Accounts ¡°Enough¡­ Whether what you say is true or false, I''ve suffered a loss this time. We are all part of the vast mountains and rivers, may we meet again if fate allows,¡± He Qianshan shifted his gaze before dropping these words, and with a vigorous shake of his arms, he suddenly transformed into a feathered creature and flew towards the night sky. As Fu Donglai watched him leave, his expression suddenly changed. He saw a black light appear in the sky, and nearly a hundred black steel awls fell from the heavens, shooting toward Shen Luo and his two companions with incredible speed. ¡°Ha!¡± With a loud shout, Fu Donglai vibrated his arms, executing the Fierce Tiger Coming Out of Its Den Technique and aiming it at the void above. Instantly, a burst of illusory light shone around him, and an illusion of a colorful fierce tiger, a hundred feet in size, rose from the ground. It directly smashed all the black steel awls and let out an earth-shattering roar into the sky. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Would you like to try again, Daoist He?¡± Fu Donglai called out, looking up at the heavens. A cold snort came from high altitude, and it was only then that He Qianshan''s figure completely disappeared into the distance. Fu Donglai''s aura gradually receded as he looked around briefly before quickly stepping beside Shen Luo and helping him up. ¡°Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± ¡°No worries¡­ cough cough¡­¡± Shen Luo coughed lightly a few times, with fresh blood continuously seeping from the corner of his mouth. Supported by Fu Donglai, Shen Luo finally managed to sit up slowly. He lifted his hand to wipe away the blood from the corner of his mouth and said somewhat bitterly, ¡°I really didn''t expect to have my life saved by Elder Brother Fu.¡± ¡°No need to mention it, I just happened to be passing by. But, Brother Shen, how did you end up in such a state?¡± Fu Donglai shook his head as he spoke. Shen Luo glanced at Zhao Tong, who was in a worse state than dead, and bitterly recounted the events that had transpired. Fu Donglai frowned deeply as he listened, casting a disdainful look upon what he heard. After Shen Luo finished speaking, he turned his head to inquire after Huang Yi, ¡°Brother Huang, how are your injuries?¡± ¡°The injuries themselves aren''t a big deal. It''s just that I''ve lost too much essence blood, and my mana is somewhat depleted. With my current condition, I''m afraid it will be quite difficult to recover in a short amount of time,¡± Huang Yi slowly opened his eyes and replied. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, please pass this spiritual spring liquid to Brother Huang,¡± Shen Luo said upon hearing this, as he rotated his wrist and took out several bottles of spiritual spring liquid. Fu Donglai did not hesitate and immediately handed them over to Huang Yi. ¡°The two of you rest assured and meditate to recover, I will temporarily act as your protector,¡± Fu Donglai offered. ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Shen Luo said, giving a bow with his fists clasped. After speaking, he took out two elixirs and swallowed them with the spiritual spring water. After refining for a while, he continued to stimulate the Great Unsealing Technique to repair his own injuries. The night passed without words, and daylight began to shine. Bathed in the golden light of the morning sun, Shen Luo still had a somewhat pale complexion, but he no longer bore the shriveled and emaciated appearance of before. Fu Donglai, who had been quietly acting as a protector, couldn''t help but find such recovery prowess to be somewhat terrifying. On the other hand, though Huang Yi also looked much better than before, his recovery paled in comparison to that of Shen Luo. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes and stood up from where he was. He was the first to give a bow to Fu Donglai, saying, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, I cannot thank you enough for this great kindness. Should you ever need assistance in the future, I, Shen Luo, will certainly not shirk my responsibility.¡± ¡°Brother Shen need not be so polite; truth be told, before entering the Secret Realm, Daoist Lu had already asked me to support you, and to rescue you should you find yourself in danger,¡± Fu Donglai waved his hand with a smile. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt a warmth in his heart, now understanding that Fu Donglai''s rescuing actions were not solely out of righteousness. ¡°So it was like this. Whether it is the entrusted friendship of Daoist Lu or the life-saving grace of Elder Brother Fu, I have it all etched in my heart,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. After speaking, he walked slowly to Huang Yi''s side and asked, ¡°Brother Huang, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°My life is not in danger, but as for vying for first place this time, I''m afraid it''s not going to happen,¡± Huang Yi lifted his severed arm¨Cflesh and blood still not fully restored¨Cand shook his head. ¡°Is this first place very important to you, Brother Huang?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Not to me, but for our Human Race. It determines who will lead the interactions among the several races afterward. I was entrusted by my sect to contend for this, but unexpectedly, to repay a favor from a past mountain climbing trip, I ended up in this predicament,¡± Huang Yi said, glancing at Zhao Tong, who was half-dead in the distance, a hint of resentment in his eyes. Shen Luo glanced at Zhao Tong and then turned back to Huang Yi, hesitatingly transmitting his voice, ¡°Actually, since last night, I have been puzzled, why did Brother Huang help me?¡± ¡°You don''t know?¡± Huang Yi replied in surprise through telepathic communication. ¡°Brother Huang and I were strangers; we had no association before, and I really have no clue,¡± Shen Luo transmitted back. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, have you ever cultivated our Mount Fangcun''s secret Yellow Court Sutra?¡± Huang Yi asked, seeing no other choice. ¡°Indeed. Is it because of this, Brother Huang?¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized. ¡°Daoist friend Shen is not a disciple of our Mount Fangcun, so how did you obtain the Huangting Technique?¡± Huang Yi asked. ¡°That¡­¡± Shen Luo looked embarrassed, unable to explain. ¡°Daoist friend Shen need not say it; I can guess. It must have been the Ancestor who enlightened you during his travels. If the Ancestor noticed you, then even though you haven''t formally joined, you''re already half a fellow sect member. How could I not help when a sect member is in trouble?¡± Huang Yi said with a smile. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was slightly embarrassed; he had never expected Huang Yi to concoct such a story on his own, and thus he did not refute it, letting himself slide down the slope and feigning a surprised expression as if his secret had been guessed. ¡°We all know the temperament of the Ancestor, so it''s better not to speak of things that are inconvenient,¡± Huang Yi observed and became even more convinced of his own thoughts, nodding at Shen Luo. ¡°Him¡­ what do you plan to do with him?¡± Huang Yi changed the subject and asked directly. ¡°Does Brother Huang still plan to protect him? If so, I''m not entirely opposed to letting him go,¡± Shen Luo knew he was talking about Zhao Tong, and then pondered. ¡°Daoist friend Shen misunderstands. On the way here, he caused trouble numerous times, and I have already helped him many times. Even a great favor should have been paid off by now, and moreover, I am seriously injured now and unable to protect him even if I wanted to, right?¡± Huang Yi raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°Indeed, then I must properly calculate this debt,¡± Shen Luo said with a nod and a smile. Like a scarecrow, Zhao Tong was nailed to the spot, his pupils trembling involuntarily as he sensed Shen Luo''s gaze. Last night he had tried all sorts of methods to escape but was continuously unable to. Now he could only watch helplessly as Shen Luo walked step by step closer, revealing a row of ominously white teeth. Shen Luo did not remove the Beast Skin Talisman from his head but instead grasped the Black Steel Awl that had pierced through his body and slowly drew it out. With a ¡°clang,¡± he tossed it to the side. Zhao Tong''s body went limp, collapsing to the ground, still unable to move. ¡°Daoist friend Shen¡­ Let''s make a deal, what do you say to sparing my life? As long as you allow me a way out, I assure you a generous reward,¡± he pleaded urgently, watching Shen Luo slowly summon the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. ¡°Oh? I''m very curious. What kind of generous reward is worth sparing your life?¡± Shen Luo toyed with the Sword Embryo in his hand and asked with a smile. Chapter 1079 Chapter 1079: Chapter 1076: Please Chapter 1079: Chapter 1076: Please ¡°` ¡°Friend Shen, if you need any elixirs or magical treasures suitable for those at the Great Mahayana Stage of cultivation, you have but to ask and my Shouyang Mountain''s Lecture Hall lineage will certainly do our utmost to fulfill your request.¡± Seeing there was room for negotiation, Zhao Tong immediately said with great joy. ¡°Great Mahayana Stage¡­ It seems that in Daoist friend Zhao''s eyes, his own life isn''t worth much.¡± Shen Luo said with a smirk. ¡°No, no, no, I misspoke. What I meant was elixirs and items that can help break through the small realm bottlenecks within the Great Mahayana Stage. Friend Shen, just say the word, and we will undoubtedly present them to you.¡± Zhao Tong quickly corrected himself. Upon hearing this, a hint of contemplation flashed across Shen Luo''s face. ¡°Friend Shen, you also know how difficult it is to break through the small realm bottlenecks within the Great Mahayana Stage, right? The Snow Spirit Rhinoceros Pill that Master has prepared for me is meant to help me break through from the Mahayana Middle Stage to the later stage. I will be able to get it when I return to the sect, and at that time, I will hand them all over to Brother Shen without keeping a single one.¡± Seeing him deep in thought, Zhao Tong hurriedly added. ¡°Enough with the nonsense. Hand over the Blood Burning Technique you practice, and I will let you live,¡± Shen Luo said uninterestedly in the so-called Snow Spirit Rhinoceros Pill and transmitted his voice directly. Upon hearing this, Zhao Tong''s expression stiffened for a moment, and then he forcefully suppressed his rage and said: ¡°Brother Shen, this is a bit too much for anyone. The Blood Burning Technique is an inner sect secret manual of Shouyang Mountain. If I were to give it to you, it would be tantamount to betraying the sect. Even if you could let me leave, I would still be dealt with as a traitor by Master. And you, Brother Shen, would also be pursued by the sect and there would be no peace for you. Why bother with all this?¡± ¡°If you don''t hand over the skill, you will surely die here and now. If you do hand it over, perhaps there will still be a sliver of hope for survival. As for what happens after leaving the Secret Realm, whether you live or die is none of my concern, and whether I get pursued is also none of your business,¡± Shen Luo transmitted back. ¡°Friend Shen, do not push people too hard. Killing me won''t do you any good. You are just a branch of Little Straw Mountain, do you really think they will cover for you? To speak frankly, I am not only the Closed-door Disciple of the Great Elder of Shouyang Mountain''s Lecture Hall, but I am also his bloodline descendant. Even if they are limited by the rules of the Martial Assembly and cannot act against you openly, there''s an old saying ¨C there''s no perpetual burglar, but neither is there a perpetual guardian. Do you really think you can outlast Shouyang Mountain?¡± Zhao Tong said through gritted teeth. ¡°You are his bloodline descendant only while you''re alive¡­ Once you die, you''re nothing but trash. Do you truly think that the people behind you would break the rules for a dead man? Do you honestly believe that your worth is enough for them to spend a hundred years pursuing vengeance against me? If so, you really think too highly of yourself, don''t you? Having been sent into this Secret Realm to fight to the death for treasures, have you still not realized the role you play?¡± Shen Luo said, full of mockery. Zhao Tong was stunned upon hearing this, and Immediately, cold sweat dripped down his forehead. No wonder there were many within Shouyang Mountain who were of higher cultivation and had better aptitudes than him. Why, knowing they could be targeted by Little Straw Mountain, had they insisted on sending him here? A bitter smile crept onto his face. Even if he realized this fact, what could he do? Since the beginning of his practice of the Blood Burning Technique, a prohibition had been placed upon him. If he even attempted to reveal it to another person, his blood would combust, turning him into ashes. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Friend Shen, aside from that, I can agree to anything else,¡± Zhao Tong said gravely. ¡°Coincidentally, the only thing of interest to me from you is that very thing,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. No sooner had Shen Luo finished speaking than his brow suddenly rose in alarm. He saw a determined look flash in Zhao Tong''s eyes, followed by the sound of something being crushed between his teeth. The next instant, Zhao Tong uttered a soft cry, and a scorching breath erupted from the corner of his mouth, accompanied by a plume of black smoke. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, and without being careless, he swung his sword. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo flared with light, and the sword edge immediately fell toward Zhao Tong''s neck. Zhao Tong''s body was a completely crimson, as if his flesh and blood were aflame, charring his skin with lavlike cracked lines, emitting a strange scarlet glow. His eyes had also been replaced by two flames, almost spewing out of the sockets. ¡°` ¡°` The Beast Skin Talisman covering the top of his head lit up as well, a layer of aqugreen radiance spreading out from above and drilling into the hole atop Zhao Tong''s head, as if trying to suppress the flames igniting within him. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Zhao Tong let out a howl like that of a wild beast, raising an arm to shield his neck and blocking Shen Luo''s sword edge. A powerful force exploded inside his body at the same instant, turning the Beast Skin Talisman to ashes, and astonishingly, billowing black smoke began to emerge from the hole in his head. Shen Luo took some distance from him, while Huang Yi and Fu Donglai, shocked by this sudden change, came to Shen Luo''s side. ¡°Shen Luo, you forced my hand, so let''s die together,¡± Zhao Tong roared, his tone filled with unwillingness and resentment. As he spoke, he took a step forward, brought his hands together, and a Scarlet Flame Fire Sword condensed in his palms surged forth, cleaving down towards the three of them. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand and waved, and the Bloodthirsty Flag unfolded with a ¡°whoosh¡± into the air, like a large shield blocking overhead. The Scarlet Flame Fire Sword was as red as blood, and extremely hot, it did not manage to pierce through the Bloodthirsty Flag, but the flag''s surface was scorched deep red, with waves of heat continuously passing through the flag. Shen Luo and his companions felt as if their blood was being drawn out, almost about to ignite. Fu Donglai, seeing this, was about to take action but was stopped by Shen Luo. ¡°There''s no hurry, he was not lightly injured beforehand, and this action now is just a dying bite, he can''t hold on for long,¡± Shen Luo said, speaking easily. And sure enough, as soon as Shen Luo''s words fell, the scorching force from above weakened significantly. Following that, a miserable howl was heard, and the flames above were completely extinguished. Shen Luo withdrew the Bloodthirsty Flag, and only then could they clearly see Zhao Tong, whose body was no longer aflame, his skin completely burned through, and black smoke rising from all over his body as the surrounding air was filled with a burnt stench. Upon closer inspection, they could see wisps of purplish-black smoke rising from Zhao Tong''s charred corpse; the toxicity in the blood was only now beginning to evaporate completely. ¡°Shen Luo has killed Zhao Tong, accumulating five points.¡± For some reason, although Zhao Tong had died from self-immolation, the two points on his person still accrued to Shen Luo. He went forward to check and found that Zhao Tong''s Storage Ring had also been burned to ashes by the raging fire, and naturally, the things hidden in the space within were no longer retrievable. The stench of decay was truly unbearable, so although Shen Luo and his companions were not in a hurry to travel, they still moved away from there and found another place to rest. ¡°Brother Shen, I fear my injuries will not recover for a while, may I ask a favor of you?¡± Huang Yi spoke with his eyes slightly closed, seemingly in meditation, but in fact secretly sending a message to Shen Luo. Chapter 1080 Chapter 1080: Chapter 1077: Life and Death Gamble Chapter 1080: Chapter 1077: Life and Death Gamble ¡°Brother Huang, please go ahead,¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly as he sent back a telepathic message. ¡°For this Secret Realm expedition, according to the original plan, I''m supposed to strive on behalf of the Human Race. If I can find the Key to the Secret Realm and secure the top position, it would be a significant boon for our Human Race''s standing in the Three Realms over the next hundred years,¡± Huang Yi said. ¡°Does Brother Huang want me to take the top spot for him?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before replying telepathically. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Brother Huang flatters me too much. Not to mention that I have no interest in this matter, even if I were to give it my all, there''s no guarantee I could succeed,¡± Shen Luo thought with a wry smile in his heart. ¡°Friend Shen, hear me out first. Setting aside the greater good of the Human Race, this is also beneficial for you,¡± Huang Yi''s tone became grave. ¡°Oh?¡± Shen Luo expressed his puzzlement. ¡°Friend Shen should know that Shouyang Mountain''s Sect is not weak, and its Lecture Hall has always been one of the strongest branches in all Sects. Zhao Tong''s Master and Elder is known for his favoritism and narrow-mindedness. Even if he cannot use the Sect''s power against you openly, he may have other arrangements in secret that even the Great Tang Dynasty Government can handle in the light but not in the dark,¡± Huang Yi continued. ¡°What does this have to do with me winning the championship at the Martial Assembly?¡± Shen Luo asked, still not understanding. ¡°It is very much related, Friend Shen. Think about it, if you can secure this victory for the Human Race, ensuring that our voice is heard in the Three Realms for the next hundred years, you would be a hero of the Human Race. At that time, no matter who would think of targeting you, they would have to weigh the consequences very carefully,¡± Huang Yi explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression turned solemn, and his thoughts began to whirl rapidly. If he were alone, he naturally wouldn''t care much about Shouyang Mountain''s secret retaliation, but after all, he had the Spring and Autumn Pavilion''s legacy to consider; he couldn''t just ignore it. ¡°Furthermore, if Friend Shen really can do it, it would also please our venerable ancestor,¡± Huang Yi added. Shen Luo heard this and fell into deep thought again. After a long while, he sent back a telepathic message: ¡°I can only give it a try, but if it doesn''t work out, then that will have to be it.¡± ¡°That''s good enough,¡± Huang Yi nodded inwardly with relief. Half a day later, Shen Luo''s injuries were largely recovered, and by taking a large amount of Elixirs, he had replenished much of his lost essence blood. ¡°Friend Shen, what are your plans next?¡± Fu Donglai asked. ¡°I haven''t decided yet. How about you?¡± Rather than answering, Shen Luo asked in return. ¡°I want to find the Key and conclude this Martial Assembly as soon as possible,¡± Fu Donglai furrowed his brows and said. ¡°Does Daoist Friend Fu also wish to compete for first place in this Martial Assembly?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. According to Fu Donglai''s initial remarks, he was participating in the trial for someone else and didn''t come voluntarily. Why would he suddenly become interested in competing for the first place? ¡°You misunderstand me, Friend Shen. I don''t care who becomes the champion of the Martial Assembly. I just want to finish this trial as soon as possible,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head and explained. ¡°Why is that?¡± Shen Luo asked, curious. ¡°Friend Shen, throughout this Martial Assembly, you must have witnessed quite a few battles as well. It was originally just a competition for victory, which is fine, but now there''s bloodshed everywhere, and lives are at stake,¡± Fu Donglai said. ¡°That¡­ we were already aware of what we were getting into before entering the Secret Realm, weren''t we?¡± Shen Luo mused. Before entering the Secret Realm, everyone had already signed a Life and Death Agreement, so to speak of such things now seemed somewhat affected and hypocritical. ¡°Brother Shen, do you know that our battles within the Secret Realm are being live broadcasted to the Three Realms? Even at this very moment, who knows how many are wagering on our lives, sinking into large and small betting games,¡± Fu Donglai continued. Hearing this, Shen Luo also felt somewhat uncomfortable, the idea of his own life being fodder for others'' gambling jokes did strike him with some distaste. As for deeper considerations, Shen Luo hadn''t thought too much about it. ¡°Since Daoist friend Fu is intent on ending this trial quickly, I too would like to try finding the key to this Secret Realm. Since our paths align, we might as well travel together,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°That would be wonderful,¡± Fu Donglai replied with a smile. ¡°Brother Huang, what about you? Will you be joining us?¡± Shen Luo turned his head and asked. ¡°I won''t continue on with you. I plan to stay here to heal properly,¡± Huang Yi said with a smile, lifting his severed arm. After speaking, his gaze flickered slightly with a profound look at Shen Luo. Shen Luo knew he was reminding him not to forget the earlier request, so he nodded slightly in acknowledgment. After bidding farewell to Huang Yi, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai crossed a mountain peak and entered another forest. The space within the Secret Realm was much larger than they had anticipated; they even encountered a group of formidable Monsters while crossing the mountain peaks earlier. However, neither Shen Luo nor his companion wished to entangle with them and hurriedly fled. ¡°Brother Shen, have you noticed anything peculiar in this Secret Realm before?¡± Fu Donglai asked while they were on the move. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Shen Luo said, surprised. ¡°It''s nothing, I''m just not sure if it was an illusion. Previously in the Secret Realm, near a battlefield where monks had fought, I detected a faint scent of Magical Beast''s Qi, but it was so light that it felt unreal,¡± Fu Donglai said with a frown. ¡°Magical Beast''s Qi?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°It''s not much different from that of Monsters, easily confused. Although the Qi was faint, it made me feel uneasy. But then I never encountered it again,¡± Fu Donglai explained. ¡°Now that you mention it, when I previously used an underground escape technique and was healing underground, I too sensed a breath that made me very uncomfortable. However, when I tried to investigate further, I could no longer sense it, so I had to leave it be,¡± Shen Luo shared. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It is said that this Secret Realm was originally an inaccessible land hanging outside the heavens. After the Human Race, Demons, and Immortals stabilized the Three Realms, major powers from all three cooperated to draw it back. After some renovations and transformations by Tianji City, it was turned into the trial grounds for the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference,¡± Fu Donglai narrated. ¡°I have heard about this. The treasures that appear throughout the Secret Realm were actually placed there as rewards by the later generations of the Human Race, Demons, and Immortals. The existence of Monsters and Magical Beasts in the Secret Realm is also not surprising; they''re likely placed there by them as well,¡± Shen Luo added. ¡°Ordinary Monsters or Magical Beasts are not a problem, but if some particularly special Magical Beasts have been introduced, then the situation becomes more dangerous for all of us,¡± Fu Donglai said, his brow furrowed in concern. ¡°No matter, let''s hurry to find the Secret Realm key and end the trial soon,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Fu Donglai nodded in agreement, just as he was about to speak further, a sudden explosive noise arose from ahead. The two of them hastily stopped and carefully approached the location, only to see a young man in white piercing a Burly Man''s chest with a sharp sword. Both were from the Human Race, yet they were clearly engaged in a battle to the death. Chapter 1081 Chapter 1081: Chapter 1078: The Answer Chapter 1081: Chapter 1078: The Answer Shen Luo furrowed his brows as he looked around, and saw no sign of a treasure''s emergence; he didn''t understand why they were fighting each other. The burly man grabbed the teenager by the neck and lifted him into mid-air; as his palms came together, the immense strength almost crushed the teenager''s throat with a ¡°gurgle,¡± threatening to break it. The teenager''s face was beet red, but he refused to let go; he stirred the longsword with all his might, as if he was determined to shred the burly man''s heart and lungs even in death. Just as the two seemed ready to kill each other, Fu Donglai couldn''t bear to watch any longer and stepped forward; with a hand on each side, he pried open the burly man''s grip and snatched the longsword from the young man in white. ¡°Fellow Daoists, this is just a trial, why go to such lengths?¡± Fu Donglai returned the longsword and tried to persuade them. After being forcibly separated, both men took a moment to catch their breath and then looked at Fu Donglai; a flash of wariness in their eyes was quickly replaced by anger. ¡°Demon Variant, do not interfere with our fight. If you want to scavenge the corpses, wait until we have finished battling to death,¡± the burly man said angrily, holding his chest as he tried to stop the bleeding and heal. ¡°Hmph, if you had not interfered, he would already be a ghost under my sword,¡± the young man in white said ungratefully. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Even the Demon Clan friend knew enough to preserve life, intervening to prevent both of you from dying; yet you still act so unappreciative?¡± Shen Luo remarked with displeasure, showing himself and stepping forward. ¡°What do you know? Our Windfire Valley and their Evergreen Sect are sworn enemies. Under the constraints of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, we are not allowed to seek private vengeance at whim. Coming to this Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is exactly for the purpose of settling our vendettas. Those who die do so for the glory of their sect; their death is honorable. And those who survive by chance become the true heirs of their sect, and thereafter¡­¡± The young man in white stopped speaking mid-sentence. Hearing this, Shen Luo silently sighed to himself, finding it rather senseless that a Three Realms Martial Arts Conference had turned into a venue for private clan vendettas and struggles for power. Yet, reflecting on his own recent fight with Zhao Tong, Shen Luo couldn''t help but give a wry smile at the similarity to the current situation. ¡°The matter of our life and death is not for you to concern yourselves with; please stay away and don''t hinder us any further,¡± the burly man said in a low voice. ¡°If you want to act the part of the noble hero in this Martial Assembly, you are welcome to do so elsewhere; do not come here and disturb us any more,¡± the young man in white said, brandishing his sword and speaking harshly. Hearing this, Fu Donglai stood still, a look of puzzlement still in his eyes. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder. After the two left, the sound of battle resumed in the forest behind them, but it soon returned to silence. Shen Luo and his companion walked on in silence for about a mile. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, in your opinion, can humans, demons, and immortals coexist peacefully and bring tranquility to the Three Realms?¡± Shen Luo suddenly asked. ¡°I don''t know. The reason I took a position with the Great Tang Dynasty Government was to understand the Human Race and the Three Realms. Compared to the Demon Clan, the Human Race has created a more splendid civilization, and the antagonism between the Immortal Clan and the Demon Clan seems even more irreconcilable. If there is any chance of achieving peace in the Three Realms, I think the answer is most likely to be found among humans,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head and said. As Shen Luo heard this, he seemed to ponder something, looking off into the distance in silent contemplation. ¡°Brother Shen, what are your thoughts?¡± after waiting a while, Fu Donglai spoke up again. ¡°As you just saw, even within the Human Race, they fight to the death; you say the answer lies within the Human Race, but I don''t really have much confidence in that,¡± Shen Luo sighed lightly and said. Just as he had mentioned to Lu Huaming earlier, there were many traitors among humans, some of whom even wished for Chiyou''s revival more ardently than the Demon Clan. As long as such people existed, the Three Realms would never have a day of peace. ¡°I''m still observing, still learning; such infighting exists in all clans and places. As long as the world''s general direction is good, there is always hope,¡± Fu Donglai said, rather optimistically. ¡°Speaking of which, it was members of the Demon Clan who stopped the Demonic God from reviving. This is already a great merit for all beings in the Three Realms,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°The Demon Clan''s feelings towards the Demonic God Chiyou are quite complex. On one hand, he is our common ancient ancestor, and on the other, he is the cause of chaos and war in the Three Realms. Our clan once flourished because of him, but also declined because of him. Some hope he would lead the Demon Clan and stand at the pinnacle of the Three Realms once again; but that is ultimately the glory of a bygone era. It''s unfair to force such expectations on the Demon Clan of today. Not all Demon Clan members are bloodthirsty warmongers; they too have families and loved ones. Naturally, preventing a great war and sparing the lives of innocents is the best outcome,¡± Fu Donglai said, his expression growing complex as he slowly spoke. As the two were speaking, they had already arrived at a valley, and from afar, they could hear continuous roaring sounds. The colliding noises were amplified through the horn-shaped valley entrance and sounded like thunderous rumbling. ¡°That sound¡­¡± Fu Donglai''s expression changed slightly upon hearing it. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Let''s go take a look,¡± Fu Donglai said immediately. As he spoke, he took the lead and charged straight into the valley entrance. Without hesitation, Shen Luo immediately followed. The moment they arrived at the valley entrance, they saw a seven- to eight-foot-tall emerald-green young tree in the center of the valley, crystal clear like jade, with no leaves on its branches, and bearing only eight plump, longan-sized red fruits. Even from a distance, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai could smell the sweet fragrance emanating from those fruits. In front of the fruit tree stood a thin old man who looked like he was in his seventies. His body was covered in innumerable bloodstains, his gray-white hair disheveled and spreading out, presenting a very pitiful sight. ¡°It''s him,¡± Shen Luo exclaimed softly. ¡°Brother Shen knows him?¡± Fu Donglai asked. ¡°He is the head of a small human Sect called the Green Forest Sect. Before entering the Secret Realm, he stood right by my side,¡± Shen Luo replied. In his hand, the old man was holding an octagonal formation disc, embedded with a round bronze mirror, which he was now earnestly operating. It emitted a curved arc of light, like an inverted large pot, enveloping the green tree with red fruits. ¡°What are those things?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking down and frowning. Outside the barrier sustained by the old man, three monstrous creatures, resembling Qing Niu but over ten feet tall, were charging at the light curtain from different directions. The thunderous sounds were coming from them. Beyond the Qing Niu, coiled a pitch-black giant snake a hundred feet in length. It too was raising its massive tail like a long whip, continuously striking the top of the light curtain barrier. ¡°Those are Scale Bulls and a Rhino Python, all fierce Magical Beasts. The three Scale Bulls are manageable; they appear to be merely at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, but that Rhino Python must be at least at the Early Mahayana Stage. They seem not to be using their full strength; otherwise, that human cultivator would''ve already been unable to hold on,¡± Fu Donglai said with furrowed brows. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s gaze shifted slowly, surveying the surroundings, but he noticed nothing unusual. After a moment''s thought, he asked again, ¡°Does Brother Fu recognize the green tree in the center?¡± Chapter 1082 Chapter 1082: Chapter 1079: Sincerely Saving People Chapter 1082: Chapter 1079: Sincerely Saving People ¡°Those are Jade Bodhi Seeds, growing on a Spirit Tree in the Immortal land, effective for cultivation and cure injury, and even the tree itself is an excellent Spiritual Material for Artifacts Refining. However, the tree doesn''t seem to be very old, and there is no spiritual energy mist around it, which suggests that it was transplanted from the Immortal Realm within the last few decades. It hasn''t yet merged with the surrounding environment to form a connected spirit branch.¡± Fu Donglai said. ¡°It''s a good thing,¡± Shen Luo nodded secretly. ¡°It''s no good, that guy can''t hold on any longer,¡± Fu Donglai''s brows suddenly furrowed as he spoke. No sooner had his words fallen than a loud ¡°boom¡± rang out. The Rhino Python suddenly wrapped itself in Black Demon Flame, its huge tail lashing high into the air, and with a heavy strike, it smashed the barrier array that the old man had been struggling to maintain into pieces. The compass in Li Changqing''s hand shattered with a ¡°bang,¡± and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, falling to the ground with a look of utter misery on his face. ¡°The rescue is urgent,¡± Fu Donglai let out a low shout and rushed out. Seeing this, Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then hurried after him. Once the barrier array was breached, three Scale Bulls immediately rushed towards the old man, black light swirling around their sharp horns, which spun rapidly, condensing into two sharp spikes, their offensive even more ferocious than when they had been attacking the array. Shen Luo had figured it out: those four Magical Beasts apparently wanted to use the old man as bait to lure more people in. Seeing no one deceived after half a day, they resolved to kill the old man first. Just as the three Scale Bulls were about to collide with the old man, Fu Donglai landed in front of him first, his hands rapidly forming seals in front of him, immediately surrounded by a surge of black light. Three huge black Tiger Shadows suddenly sprang from his body, meeting the three Scale Bulls head-on and crashing into them. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed! The three Scale Bulls were struck by a powerful impact, sent flying backward, their sharp horns on their heads snapping off and tumbling to the ground. Fu Donglai''s body shook, the three Tiger Shadows dissipating around him, while above his head there was a loud tearing through the air as a giant tail wrapped in Black Fire plummeted down, striking towards him. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Shen Luo''s voice sounded just as a moon shadow appeared behind Fu Donglai. Right after, a golden light soared into the sky, and Shen Luo''s Profound Yellow Staff appeared in his hand, from which a staff shadow instantly grew large, shooting straight up and colliding with the Rhino Python''s giant tail. A dull heavy sound was heard as the shadow of the Profound Yellow Staff was instantly dispersed, and the Rhino Python''s tail was also rebounded. Shen Luo''s body shook, his long stick fell heavily, unleashing a torrent of immense strength, the staff hitting the ground raised dust. The Rhino Python and Scale Bulls were both pushed back, while the old man, barely surviving, almost collapsed on the ground, his eyes filled with both amazement and terror, not knowing if the man and the beast in front of him were there to save him or kill him. ¡°Are you alright, Daoist friend?¡± Shen Luo asked without turning back. ¡°Elder Shen, I am merely injured, it''s nothing serious,¡± Li Changqing also recognized Shen Luo and quickly replied. Hearing this, Shen Luo inwardly chuckled. Li Changqing was still quite cautious; even though he was seriously injured and his breath was unstable, he claimed that his injuries were light to keep Shen Luo from harboring any ill will. Since he said so, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai did not expose him and just told him to focus on regulating his Qi to heal his injuries. The four Magical Beasts, seeing their prey about to escape, immediately appeared menacing. The Scale Bulls'' bodies shimmered with a layer of blue scale light, white steam began spewing from their nostrils, they dug their hooves into the ground, tensing their bodies, ready to charge again. The Rhino Python no longer used its tail to attack, but after coiling itself up, a giant Snake Head rose high, and from its blood basin mouth came a Scarlet Letter, contracting and expanding, truly terrifying. Above its head, like the rhino, stood a black horn, naturally adorned with a Spiral pattern. ¡°Ao¡­¡± With a loud roar, the Rhino Python was the first to open its mouth and emit a howl, spurts of light green Venom accompanied by puffs of white smoke erupted from the poison glands deep in its throat, pouring down over Shen Luo and the others. Shen Luo, seeing this, waved his hand, and an old octagonal mirror flew above the heads of the group. With a gentle tremble of light, the surface of the mirror lit up with radiant light, casting a bright glow downward, where charm patterns appeared, and strong spiritual power fluctuations transmitted from it. ¡°Hiss hiss¡­¡± The venom poured onto the light curtain propped up by the Eight Hanging Mirror, immediately causing sounds of corrosion to rise sharply, making the light curtain shake tremendously, and the light dimmed at a speed visible to the naked eye. At that moment, three scale-armored bulls charged again, building up their power. These creatures seemed completely unfazed by the rhino python''s venom, not caring about the residual venom on the light curtain, as one of them rammed directly into it. With impacts on three sides, the light curtain could no longer hold, and its surface brightness suddenly intensified, followed by a complete collapse. ¡°Crack¡± A crisp cracking sound rang out as the crack on the Eight Hanging Mirror suddenly widened, and the body of the mirror shattered. Right after that, there was an explosion and the light curtain sheltering everyone burst into pieces as well. Three scale bulls charged straight in, each aiming for one of Shen Luo and his companions. Fu Donglai stepped forward and met the charge head-on, throwing a punch with demonic patterns emerging on his arm, his muscles bulging as he struck with a tiger claw made of a wush light, aiming directly at the forehead of the scale bull. The scale bull, sensing danger, twisted its head and aimed its sharp horn at Fu Donglai''s fist. Instead of retracting his fist or changing direction, Fu Donglai gave a low shout, intensifying his punch, and smacked it directly onto the horn of the scale bull. ¡°Bang¡± The scale bull''s horn broke off on impact, and its head, covered in scale armor, was still pierced by the tiger claw. The massive body was smashed and rolled out dozens of yards, only coming to a halt after crashing into and breaking a boulder the size of a house. On the other side, Shen Luo, shouldering the Profound Yellow Staff, met the charging scale bull with a mountain-lifting force, flipping it into the air. With a swing of the staff, he then smashed the bull down heavily. Without deviation, the bull that was smashed down collided with the one charging at the old man, and both were sent flying. At this point, even someone as oblivious as Li Changqing could tell that these two were indeed there to rescue him, and his eyes moistened with gratitude. He opened his mouth, intending to give thanks, when the rhino python spat out venom once more and charged at them. Shen Luo, having already lost a piece of the Eight Hanging Mirror and filled with rage, saw that beast coming again and immediately leaped up. With a wave of his hand, the Bloodthirsty Flag unfurled with a ¡°whoosh¡± and flew out. This time, the Bloodthirsty Flag didn''t act as a shield; instead of enveloping Shen Luo, it wrapped around the rhino python''s head, enshrouding its massive skull and the venom within. The rhino python, now blind, twisted its huge body and struggled desperately. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Its scales lifted, and clusters of Black Demon Flame rose from beneath them, transforming into a serpent of black flame. This caused Shen Luo to wince with distress, and he hurriedly raised his hand to call back the Bloodthirsty Flag. By now, the flag''s surface was already smeared with plenty of demonic flames, burning fiercely and diminishing the layer of blood light significantly. Shen Luo quickly made a chopping motion with his hand, sweeping away the Demonic Flames. The rhino python regained its sight, with even more Demonic Flames covering its body. It opened its mouth and once again sprayed Shen Luo and the others, this time with flames and venom mixed together, converging into a stream of purple-black poison flames. The fire''s poison potency and the venom''s flammability combined to form poison flames that, just by their emitted breath, already permeated the air with a rotten aura. Shen Luo was about to step forward when Fu Donglai shouted out loud: ¡°Let me handle this.¡± Chapter 1083 Chapter 1083: Chapter 1080: Dividing the Fruit Chapter 1083: Chapter 1080: Dividing the Fruit ¡°Let me handle this,¡± Fu Donglai''s voice had just fallen when his figure had already soared past Shen Luo, charging upwards, with a wine pot-sized, metallic white gourd in his hand that hadn''t been there a moment before. ¡°Seal,¡± Fu Donglai uttered in a low shout. A flash of white light from the gourd, and as it was tipped over, a yellow whirlwind flew out, violently sweeping up the purple-black poison flames and continuously sucking them into the gourd. As the poison flames were absorbed ceaselessly, the snowy gourd began to gradually turn pitch black from the bottom up. Shen Luo only spared it a glance before immediately confronting the two Scale Bulls, activating the Huang Ting Jing within him and swinging his Profound Yellow Staff, unleashing the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. His figure darted forward, the long stick traced shadows in mid-air, gathering strength for a hefty downward swing with the force of splitting a mountain, striking directly at the head of one of the Scale Bulls. With a thunderous explosion, the massive head of the Scale Bull burst open. Immediately after, Shen Luo''s form flashed behind the old man, using the staff to block the neck of the Scale Bull charging at him, lowering his stance to stabilize the impact, then lifting his hand for another swing, from which a sword radiance shot forth. The Scale Bull just felt a flash of golden light before its forehead, and then there was a bloody hole between its eyebrows, killing it on the spot. The old man watched as Shen Luo efficiently disposed of the two Magical Beasts and felt somewhat dazed for a moment. However, he quickly came to his senses, hurriedly prostrating in gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Elder, for saving my life. I''m in your debt.¡± ¡°Get up, I did it as a matter of convenience, no need for such formality,¡± Shen Luo did not step forward to help, merely saying aloud. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Changqing prostrated three more times before finally standing up. ¡°With such cultivation, why would you take such risks to come here? Do you value opportunity over your own life?¡± Shen Luo said, slightly displeased. Upon hearing this, the old man''s expression stiffened, and his eyes darted around, filled with shame. ¡°Alas, Junior had no choice,¡± the old man said bitterly. ¡°Could it be you were also coerced into coming here?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°No, that''s not it¡­ It''s rather embarrassing to say, but Junior has been entrusted by his mentor with the leadership of a sect, and I''m responsible for sustaining its lineage. Regrettably, my cultivation is inadequate and I''m poor at managing. The sect''s fortunes have been declining, and it''s on the verge of collapse under my watch¡­¡± The old man hesitated slightly before revealing the truth. Having heard this, Shen Luo''s tightly furrowed brow relaxed a bit. It turned out that this old man, just like him, had come here for the Revitalization of the sect. ¡°Even so, you shouldn''t act so recklessly. If you were to die here, what would become of your sect?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°I''m aware of that¡­ If it were just me, a good-for-nothing, it wouldn''t be worth the trouble. But unexpectedly, two years ago the sect took in two disciples with good potential and the makings of Mahayana cultivation. If their cultivation goes smoothly, there''s hope for the revitalization of the mountain gate. But given the dire state within the sect, we don''t even have decent Elixirs or magical instruments to offer. I might not do it for myself, but I have to risk it all for them, and for the future of the sect,¡± the old man explained with a bitter smile. After hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inwardly. Not far off, the snow-white gourd in Fu Donglai''s hand, except for a small white area near the mouth, had turned completely black, seemingly about to be filled by the poison flames. Turning to the Rhino Python, not only had the flames on its body been extinguished, but the Venom from its mouth also appeared to be nearly drained. Opening its Blood Basin mouth wide, it coughed weakly, only managing to exhale faint trails of venomous smoke. Fu Donglai revealed a smirk, sealed the gourd''s mouth with his hand, leapt upward, and positioned himself directly above the head of the Rhino Python. The Rhino Python, now clean of poison flames and severely weakened in vitality, twisted its head, attempting to flee. Fu Donglai, upon seeing this, was shrouded in a layer of greenish Xun Wind around his body, his figure as fast as lightning, quickly positioning himself above the Rhino Python. With a wave of his hand, a pitch-black rope-like object that resembled the Devil Binding Rope shot out from his sleeve, swiftly wrapping around the Rhino Python. The Rhino Python, now bound, immediately began to twist and turn its body frantically. The rhino horn atop its head emitted a black light as it charged straight towards Fu Donglai, while its long tail swept across in all directions, causing rocks to fly and dust to rise everywhere. However, Fu Donglai was not in a hurry to react. He simply dodged calmly and methodically. If there was even a slight sign of escape, he immediately controlled the Devil Binding Rope to pull it back, then let it struggle unrestrainedly. The black light on the Devil Binding Rope flickered, slowly absorbing the Rhino Python''s strength. After a fierce struggle, the creature eventually ran out of energy, its body went limp and it became unable to move. Upon observing this, Fu Donglai finally approached at a leisurely pace, took out the once-snow-white gourd that was now blackened, opened the mouth of the gourd, and ¡°smacked¡± it against the Rhino Python. Yellow light rolled out from the gourd''s mouth, shrinking the body of the Rhino Python as it was sucked inside until it was completely contained within the gourd. After storing away the Rhino Python, Fu Donglai patted his precious gourd, feeling rather pleased. ¡°Why not just kill it?¡± Shen Luo asked as he walked back. ¡°Though it is a Magical Beast, the color of the horn on its head suggests that it might already be starting to transform. It can be treated as half a demon cultivator, and cultivation is not easy, so I don''t feel right killing it arbitrarily,¡± Fu Donglai explained. Shen Luo heard this and did not say anything more. The two of them checked the old monk''s injuries and found that, although not fatal, they were certainly not light. ¡°What about these Jade Bodhi Seeds?¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°The two elders saved my life, which is a great kindness, and I should not be asking for more. But for my two disciples, I can only shamelessly plead with the two of you, could you possibly leave two Bodhi Seeds for me?¡± The Old man''s face showed embarrassment as he forced himself to speak. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai exchanged a glance, communicating with a quick exchange of thoughts. ¡°There are a total of eight Jade Bodhi Seeds. You can have four of them for yourself, and we will divide the remaining four between the two of us. How does that sound?¡± Shen Luo proposed. ¡°I wouldn''t dare have such presumptuous wishes. For me to receive two is already an enormous fortune,¡± the Old man hastily replied, bowing his thanks. ¡°The fruit tree was discovered by you, so it is destined for you. If not for your fight to the death to protect it and waiting for our arrival, I''m afraid both fruit and tree would have fallen into the beast''s belly by now,¡± Fu Donglai also spoke. The old man heard this and wanted to decline, but Shen Luo had already decisively picked four fruits and put them into his hands. ¡°With my little virtue and ability, how could I have encountered the two of you? I am truly overwhelmed with gratitude.¡± The Old man''s eyes reddened as he prepared to bow in reverence. Seeing this, Fu Donglai quickly helped him rise. ¡°The fruits and the tree, we''ll split them equally,¡± Shen Luo remarked, looking at the remaining few fruits and speaking to Fu Donglai. ¡°Agreed,¡± Fu Donglai nodded and laughed. After the two had divided the Jade Bodhi Seeds along with the tree, they turned to the old monk who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, recuperating from his injuries, and did not rush to leave. Instead, each ate one of the fruits and began to absorb it. Upon entering the mouth, the Bodhi Seed felt slightly cool, but upon reaching the stomach, it turned into a warm current that suddenly surged into the Dantian. Shen Luo felt this warm current arrive fiercely, loosening the bottleneck of his Early Mahayana Stage upon impact. Before he could even appreciate it, the current, now enveloping his mana, blasted out of his Dantian, spreading throughout his limbs and bones. As the warm current continued to surge through his body, the injuries he had sustained earlier also began to heal rapidly, and even the vitality he had lost had mostly returned. ¡°What an amazing thing¡­¡± Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes and exclaimed in admiration. Chapter 1084 Chapter 1084: Chapter 1081: Entering the Illusion Chapter 1084: Chapter 1081: Entering the Illusion After a long time, Fu Donglai also awoke from his meditation and looked up at Shen Luo with some surprise, saying, ¡°Brother Shen, the speed at which you''re absorbing the medicinal power is truly remarkable; even I, a member of the Demon Clan, am not your match.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo suddenly realized that since returning from Dreamland, his constitution seemed to have undergone some subtle changes, but he had been too close to the matter to pay it much heed. Li Changqing was awakened by their conversation and also opened his eyes. ¡°I am Li Changqing, head of the Green Forest Sect; Elder Shen already knows of me. May I ask the honorable name of this benefactor?¡± He said as he got up and clasped his fists in greeting. ¡°Lion Camel Ridge of the Demon Clan, Fu Donglai.¡± Fu Donglai returned the gesture and reported his sect affiliation. ¡°People say that members of the Demon Clan are fierce and behave in strange ways. I once encountered a woman who kept chasing and attacking me without actually trying to kill me, driving me all the way here before she disappeared without a trace. Compared with her, Elder Brother Fu of the Demon Clan is quite the surprise,¡± Li Changqing remarked somewhat emotionally. Shen Luo''s expression changed subtly upon hearing this. Fu Donglai seemed not to have noticed anything amiss and joked with Li Changqing, ¡°Not all in the Demon Clan are fond of war and welcome peace.¡± ¡°Elder Brother Fu, something''s not right,¡± Shen Luo interjected. Hearing this, Fu Donglai''s expression changed slightly, then he looked at Li Changqing as if he had realized something, ¡°Daoist Li, what did the Demon Clan woman who was chasing you look like?¡± Li Changqing was startled by their reaction, and immediately became a bit nervous. ¡°The woman was wearing a tight-fitting black dress, exceptionally beautiful, with a hint of enchantment in her eyes and brows. The magical treasure she used was a black half-moon ring about three feet long¡­¡± As Li Changqing described her, Fu Donglai''s frown deepened. ¡°It''s Li Zhu¨Cthat guy. Let''s go; we need to leave here immediately,¡± he said hastily. ¡°Is she very strong?¡± Shen Luo also remembered the enchanting woman who had stood beside Fu Donglai before the trial began. ¡°Early Mahayana cultivation¡­ Her terror lies not in her cultivation level but in the fact she is an Array Master among the Demon Clan, very skilled in using array techniques,¡± Fu Donglai explained hurriedly. In the midst of speaking, the three of them had already flown out of the valley. However, once they had left, they looked back at the valley to find it calm and undisturbed, showing no signs of anything unusual. ¡°Perhaps I was just being overly cautious¡­¡± Fu Donglai scratched his head, somewhat puzzled. ¡°It''s always good to be careful,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Maybe I was mistaken¡­¡± Li Changqing also expressed uncertainty. While they were talking, the void around them suddenly trembled violently, and although they were suspended in the void, they felt a great force rising from beneath their feet, causing them all to stagger and almost lose their balance. ¡°Illusion Domain¡­¡± Shen Luo and Fu Donglai said simultaneously with a change in expression, speaking in unison. As the words fell, dust swirled around them, and the layers of illusion shattered, revealing the true scenery once more. Only then did Shen Luo and the others realize that they were actually still in the valley and had never flown out of it. However, the Bodhi had indeed been real; otherwise, they would have noticed something was amiss from the very beginning. Amidst the shaking of the earth, black stone blocks were dislodged from inconspicuous corners as the hidden Great Formation gradually came to light. But before Shen Luo and the others could respond, an even more violent tremor erupted from underground. The valley, already riddled with cracks, instantaneously shattered, creating several ravines a zhang wide. Shen Luo quickly flew into the air, and as he looked down, he saw an incredibly thick shadow burst from the underground. A gigantic circular mouth, dozens of zhang wide, opened wide and snapped towards Li Changqing, who was falling through mid-air. Inside the giant maw were rows of sharp, white teeth, layered on top of each other in a dense mass, resembling a thousand-petal lotus in full bloom, with each pointed tooth about to swallow Li Changqing whole. At that moment, Fu Donglai flew over from the side, transforming into a whistling Xun Wind, leaving only an afterimage as he swept Li Changqing away and brought him to Shen Luo''s side. ¡°What on earth is this thing?¡± Shen Luo asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Demon Void Earth Dragon, a late-Mahayana stage demonic beast, with a fighting prowess comparable to a True Immortal¡­ I really don''t understand why they would place such demonic beings in the Secret Realm. Could it be that they wish for all the contestants to die here?¡± A hint of anger appeared on Fu Donglai''s face. Shen Luo felt the breath emanating from the demonic beast below and finally understood why, when he had previously escaped underground, he had felt a chill down his spine and an inexplicable unease. At the same time, on the side of the valley, atop a mountain peak, a graceful figure appeared. She wore a tight-fitting black dress that perfectly outlined her exquisite figure, standing on top of a rock at the mountain summit, leaning forward to gaze at the scene in the valley below, a seductive smile on her charming face¨Cit was Li Zhu. ¡°The Demon Void Earth Dragon is finally lured out, but it seems rather troublesome¡­ How will I grab the key? This really is troubling,¡± Li Zhu murmured to herself, her brow slightly furrowed as if pondering. After contemplating for a moment, her smile deepened, and she said, ¡°Who among you is willing to get the key to the Secret Realm for me?¡± ¡°I, I, I¡­¡± ¡°I am willing¡­¡± ¡°Back off, don''t fight with me¡­¡± Soon, several figures appeared on the mountain peak, including men of the Human Race and men of the Immortal Clan, punctuated by two of the Demon Clan, totaling seven people. They had greenish complexions and bloodshot eyes, looking frantic at that moment as they fought to snatch the key for Li Zhu. ¡°Stop fighting. You might as well all go for it. Whoever can take back the key can come back with me¡­ As for the rest, just die in the valley,¡± Li Zhu said to the men, hooking her finger at them with an enchanting expression. The seven men from various clans trembled as if electrified, their intoxicated expressions intensifying, their faces growing more frenzied as they, under Li Zhu''s command, one by one, flew towards the Demon Void Earth Dragon. Seeing Shen Luo and the others looking up at her with furious expressions, Li Zhu immediately pretended to be startled, her hand covering her mouth as she gasped, then broke into a giggling laugh. Just then, her face suddenly stiffened, and her laughter ceased abruptly. She turned her head to see a man and a woman slowly descending not far away, walking towards her. The man was tall and slender, exceptionally handsome, wearing light blue armor and a jade crown, his purple-blue hair neatly tied. At his temples grew a few strands of white hair¨Cit was Seven Kills. And closely following by his side was none other than Flower Fence, the cat demon. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Zhu''s gaze shifted to the two, her eyes full of wariness, but inside she was cursing incessantly. She had gone to great lengths to set up the formation, using Li Changqing and others as bait to lure out the Demon Void Earth Dragon, and now these two showed up to reap the rewards? Before she could express her anger, on the opposite mountain cliff, a seven-colored radiance descended, revealing another figure. This person wore colorful palace attire, bathed in the glow of the radiance, with a five-colored tail fluttering behind, her beauty and demeanor ethereal, like a Moon Palace Fairy¨Cit was Ji Yao of the Immortal Clan. With lightly knit brows, she glanced at the chaotic scene in the valley below and said, ¡°No wonder the men of my Immortal Clan have all vanished without a trace. It turns out they were bewitched by you, lured away to their fates.¡± Chapter 1085 Chapter 1085: Chapter 1082: Key Chapter 1085: Chapter 1082: Key ¡°Hehe, Ji Yao, your words unfairly accuse me. I did not bewitch their minds; it''s they who are weak-willed and fell for me at first sight, desperately clinging to me. I couldn''t help it,¡± Li Zhu said with a chuckle, covering her mouth. Her feelings towards Seven Kills and Flower Fence, who were from the Demon Race, were mostly just wariness and resentment, but towards Ji Yao of the Immortal Clan, she felt utter disgust and animosity. In Li Zhu''s view, the Immortal Clan was full of hypocrites and selfish individuals. ¡°Roar¡­¡± An earth-shattering roar emanated from the valley. Previously, only partially emerged, the Demon Void Earth Dragon, besieged by many, became increasingly ferocious. Its massive body soared high into the sky, the pitch-black silhouette shot directly out of the valley, flanked by towering peaks, reaching hundreds of feet into the void. Waves of immense, invisible pressure radiated from its body, creating visible black ripples that swept in all directions. The moment the black ripples swept over them, Shen Luo and the others, who were floating in the air, suddenly felt an overwhelming force pressing down from above, forcing them to the ground where their feet sunk into two half-foot-deep pits. Those who just now were in battle with the Demon Void Earth Dragon flew up only to be forced back down, each one falling clumsily to the ground in a mess. Those standing on the peaks to either side of the valley were not faring much better, each having to either release protective Treasure Light or directly wield Magical Treasures in order to barely hold on, preventing themselves from being crushed. Upon seeing this, Li Zhu''s expression turned sour. They were farther from the central part of the valley, and thus the oppressive force was weaker on their side, but still strong enough to make her take caution seriously. It was not until this moment that she realized she had underestimated the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s strength, and she finally understood that the greatest challenge of this trial was not competing with other races for supremacy, but the beast in front of her. The key to opening the Secret Realm was with this creature; if they could not defeat it, they would be unable to leave the Secret Realm, and it was very likely that none would survive. ¡°Seven Kills, we share the same lineage, can we join forces?¡± Li Zhu sent a secret message to him. Upon hearing this, Seven Kills glanced at her with disdain, his lips curling into a sneer, not even bothering to reply. Li Zhu''s face showed a flash of anger, but she suppressed it and continued to persuade: ¡°Can''t you see the strength of the Demon Void Earth Dragon? None of us can kill it alone. Moreover, those from the Immortal Clan and Human Race will definitely cause trouble. Only by joining forces can we have a chance to win. At that time, I will take the key, and you can take the head points; we both stand to gain.¡± ¡°If I''m not mistaken, there are people from the Demon Clan among the bait you attracted, right?¡± Seven Kills finally spoke. ¡°That guy is an anomaly; we can disregard whether he lives or dies,¡± Li Zhu responded. ¡°I think you misunderstood. I''m not concerned about his life or death; it''s just that someone like you, who tosses aside your own kin as bait without a second thought, truly disgusts me,¡± Seven Kills replied coldly with a scoff. Earlier on the road, he had crossed paths with Fu Donglai, just as he was trying to stop two groups from fighting to the death. Seven Kills had no particular fondness for Fu Donglai, the somewhat slow-witted tiger-headed monster, but nor did he find him repulsive; in contrast, Li Zhu was an eyesore no matter how he looked at her. He glanced sideways at Li Zhu, hesitating, debating whether to kill her first. Li Zhu felt a chill run down her spine, her whole body tensed as if facing a great enemy. ¡°Forget it, if a fight breaks out here, it will definitely allow that Ji Yao of the Immortal Clan to reap the benefits for nothing,¡± Seven Kills muttered to himself, taking his gaze back. Hearing his words, Li Zhu''s anger grew even more intense, but he did not show it and instead, snorted coldly. He leaped away from the area, putting a considerable distance between himself and the duo. In the valley below, Shen Luo and his companions were pressured by the overwhelming force. Their movements became sluggish, and even attempting to move was exceedingly difficult. Dodging the relentless attacks of the Demon Void Earth Dragon only added to their desperate plight. Fu Donglai, originally of the Demon Race, naturally possessed a stronger body and strength than both Shen Luo and another man. At this moment, demonic patterns emerged on his body, resisting the oppressive force. Holding the already overwhelmed Li Changqing, he began to stagger towards the outside of the valley. Shen Luo, who was beside him, had also secretly activated the Huangting Technique. His situation was somewhat better than Li Changqing''s, but he still appeared to be struggling with each step. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fortunately, the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s attention was mostly on the few who had been previously controlled by Li Zhu, relentlessly pursuing them and not specifically targeting Shen Luo and his companions. However, after a few exchanges, two of the original seven monks had already been torn to shreds by the Demon Void Earth Dragon and swallowed whole. As Shen Luo was escaping towards the entrance of the valley, he looked back at the Demon Void Earth Dragon and immediately noticed an amber crystal stone embedded on its back. Sealed within was a circular disk, which appeared to be the key to the secret realm. He immediately shared this discovery with Fu Donglai. After communicating with each other, the two decided to first get Li Changqing to safety and then return to attempt to snatch the key. Just as they were about to exit the valley entrance, a sudden earth-shattering roar echoed from behind them. A stench-filled wind carrying rolling demonic mists struck them, causing their hearts to lurch and nearly inducing them to vomit. Then they saw an Immortal Clan monk who had somehow come to his senses and was now frantically fleeing towards them. The Demon Void Earth Dragon was hot on his heels, charging towards the valley entrance at full speed. Shen Luo cursed inwardly and quickly helped Fu Donglai support Li Changqing, doing their best to hasten their escape. As the Demon Void Earth Dragon drew nearer, the immense and unbearable pressure intensified. The escape speed of Shen Luo and his companions slowed even further, while the Immortal Clan man was immobilized. He was caught by the Demon Void Earth Dragon, and without even needing to bite, it simply rolled over with its massive body. The Immortal Clan man didn''t even have the chance to cry out before he was crushed to powder. The Demon Void Earth Dragon did not pause at all and continued its charge towards Shen Luo and his two companions. Just as it seemed to be catching up, Fu Donglai suddenly released Li Changqing and a gleam flashed in his eyes. He turned and leapt towards the Demon Void Earth Dragon. Accompanied by a resonant tiger''s roar, the entire valley shook violently. In an instant, Fu Donglai''s body exponentially increased in size, transforming into a giant tiger with yellow and black stripes. Even without counting its tail, the body length exceeded a hundred feet, and its stature was incredibly robust. With two colossal claws, it slammed at the Demon Void Earth Dragon. The seemingly unstoppable Demon Void Earth Dragon was brought to a halt by the sudden powerful collision. Shen Luo glanced back, realizing that Fu Donglai was buying them time, and without any hesitation, he continued to drag Li Changqing towards the outside of the valley. Just as the two were about to break free from the valley, the earth suddenly began to violently shake once more. Chapter 1086 Chapter 1086: Chapter 1083: The Demon Clan That Doesn''t Resemble the Demon Clan Chapter 1086: Chapter 1083: The Demon Clan That Doesn''t Resemble the Demon Clan At the bottom of the valley, a sudden blaze erupted on both sides, and a pair of earth-shattering booms rose from deep underground. The mountain peaks around the valley shook violently, and it seemed as if the bases had been blown apart. ¡°Rumble rumble¡± For a time, the booms kept sounding, and huge cracks spread across the mountain peaks, leading to a collapse. Shen Luo gazed at the remnants of the array that had yet to fade beneath the earth and immediately realized that it was Li Zhu''s doing; a thick intent to kill emerged deep in his eyes at once. Seeing the mountain walls on both sides topple toward the center of the valley, with countless gigantic rocks constantly breaking off, they were engulfed in billowing dust like a flood, burying everything inside the valley. Below the torrent, Fu Donglai was still holding his ground against the Demon Void Earth Dragon with his own strength, utterly unable to extricate himself. Shen Luo looked at Li Changqing beside him, could only grit his teeth, and led him to escape from the valley first. The moment the two reached the outside of the valley, the peaks next to it had completely collapsed. The boulders that rolled down had utterly buried the valley, and clouds of dust billowed out, forming a wall of dust and wind that swept over the landscape. ¡°Elder Fu¡­¡± Li Changqing stared speechlessly at the filled valley. ¡°You should leave this place first. Before the Secret Realm Gate reopens, do not show yourself,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning and instructing. Li Changqing knew he could not be of any help and would only be a drag, so he nodded in agreement at once. Without giving him another look, Shen Luo flew back towards the direction of the valley, a lone figure crashing into the torrent of dust. However, he had barely entered the range of the dust cloud when suddenly an earth-shattering roar erupted from within the ruins of the valley. A massive vortex rose abruptly from deep within the dust, sweeping all around it. Violent hurricanes raged and annihilated under their force, causing the dust to spread in all directions, and countless rocks were hurled out, sweeping in eight directions. Seeing that the situation was dire, Shen Luo did not continue to charge in but instead rode the wind to retreat from it. After he flew out dozens of miles, the vortex finally swelled to its peak and exploded with a loud bang. The ferocious hurricanes swept across all directions, flattening everything nearby. It was only after a long time that the tumult in the void gradually subsided, revealing a towering black shadow standing on what had become a plain. ¡°Ao¡­¡± The Demon Void Earth Dragon roared heavenward, clearly enraged. ¡°Evil Beast, your time to die has come.¡± Just as the Earth Dragon''s roar was dying down, a delicate scold rang out. Then Shen Luo saw, high above the sky, a rainbow mist stretched across the high altitude, and seven ethereal maidens in colorful garments descended slowly from the mist, their robes fluttering, emanating an enchanting aura. Some of the maidens held pipas aloft, some carried baskets of flowers, some strummed on strings, some played the zither gently¡­ Immediately, celestial music spread from around them. When Shen Luo first heard it, he found it utterly beautiful, but moments later, his head felt as if it was being pricked with needles, causing intense pain. The Demon Void Earth Dragon encircled by the seven maidens felt even worse; its massive body leapt up, directly rising into the high altitude, writhing and twisting, with its long tail sweeping across. The void stirred up intense ripples as the Earth Dragon''s tail struck one of the maidens. But then, a shocking scene unfolded. The maiden''s body rippled like water, her body twisting violently as it was hit with the dragon''s tail, and it actually snapped in two at the waist. Subsequently, the other six maidens were similarly struck by the tail, each one splitting in half. But when the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s tail retracted, the six maidens'' forms also mysteriously reverted to normal, though the music they played on their strings and pipas suddenly changed. The originally gentle plucking of minor chords suddenly transformed into a fierce barrage akin to a torrential downpour, turning the celestial music into a deathly dirge for lost souls. In a flash, streams of semi-transparent Light Marks appeared amidst the dust and smoke, like thousands of sharp blades, fracturing that expanse of space into fragmented chaos. The Demon Void Earth Dragon''s body gushed blood, its exterior ¨C harder than rock ¨C now marred with countless gashes. Shen Luo watched from a distance, knowing that such scratches were ultimately too superficial. For a colossal creature like the Demon Void Earth Dragon, they were akin to mere tickling, unable to inflict serious damage. As expected, far from diminishing in ferocity, the Demon Void Earth Dragon became even more violent. Its maw opened wide, a purple halo continuously condensed in the depths of its throat, wrapped in strands of demonic mist, within which lurked purple lightning crackling and snapping. ¡°Roar¡± With a frantic roar, the Demon Void Earth Dragon spewed forth a mass of purple mist from its mouth. The lightning-laced mist traced a bright streak across the Void, instantly piercing through a fairy clutching a Pipa and shooting towards the emptiness hundreds of feet away. That area of emptiness seemed void of anything, but as the purple light approached, ripples surfaced, revealing the figure of Ji Yao, her hands in a delicate gesture as if picking flowers, forming and pushing out a magical seal. A colorful Scroll instantly appeared before her, adorned with lavish, blooming flowers bursting with reds and purples in their prime. Countless blossoms reached out from the Scroll, their stems and branches stretching forth to meet the purple light. A resounding boom echoed. The purple lightning scattered, a shower of flowers blooming amidst it, with rolling demonic mist spreading out, quickly engulfing both the shower of petals and the Scroll. Soon, the Hundred Flowers Scroll was tainted by the demonic mist, showing mottled signs of damage. Seeing this, Ji Yao did not hesitate, severing her connection with the Scroll and retreating. But the enraged Demon Void Earth Dragon was not about to let up, continuously spewing demonic mist and purple light from its mouth toward Ji Yao. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately performed the Earth Escaping Technique, sinking into the Earth, weaving through the collapsing valley below. He believed that, with Fu Donglai''s cultivation level, he wouldn''t have died so easily. Below the Earth were crevices formed by large rocks, through which Shen Luo traveled until he delved nearly a hundred feet deep, spotting the blood-covered Fu Donglai wedged between two giant boulders. Half of his body was crushed under a giant stone, his eyes tightly shut, motionless, and seemingly knocked out cold. Shen Luo quickly approached him, tapped him lightly on the shoulder twice, and upon getting no response, channeled mana into his body. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Stimulated by the incoming mana, Fu Donglai soon took a deep breath and opened his eyes. Upon seeing Shen Luo, his blood-smattered face immediately broke into a smile, and in the dim light, his tiger-like eyes gleamed. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo asked. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I''m fine. When the mountain collapsed earlier, I resisted the rocks and got hit by that Demon Void Earth Dragon''s purple light. My mana was disrupted for a moment, and I was knocked unconscious. How is Daoist friend Li doing?¡± Fu Donglai shook his head and said. Relieved to see him unharmed, Shen Luo then heard him ask about Li Changqing, which stirred some emotions within. Fu Donglai, with his strength alone, was slowly changing Shen Luo''s perception of the Demon Clan people. Involuntarily, his mind wandered back to what Hua Ming said about Fu Donglai: A guy who makes you overlook his appearance and inadvertently forget that he''s from the Demon Clan. Chapter 1087 Chapter 1087: Chapter 1084: Don''t Go Over Chapter 1087: Chapter 1084: Don''t Go Over Shen Luo and Fu Donglai were talking when suddenly an explosive boom came from above their heads, and the earth trembled violently once again. ¡°Let''s go, leave this place first,¡± said Shen Luo as he grabbed Fu Donglai''s arm, and both exerted their strength, rushing towards the ground. Just as they were about to emerge from the ground, Shen Luo suddenly felt a strange force emanating from beneath the earth, but before he could examine it closely, they had already broken through the soil and returned to the surface. Up above, the fierce battle continued, although for some reason, Seven Kills seemed to have joined forces with Ji Yao. The seven celestial maidens that Ji Yao had previously released had disappeared at some unknown time, and now she had switched from long-range attacks to close combat, constantly manoeuvering one end of a colorful ribbon in one hand and holding a round small mirror in the other, shining it continually at the Demon Void Earth Dragon. The colorful ribbon, extending nearly a thousand feet, had wrapped around half of the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s body, with faint charm patterns twinkling on it, clearly emitting the force of prohibitions. And that round small mirror, with the pattern of the Eight Trigrams on its surface, cast a beam of light that formed a golden pillar, descending from high altitude and trapping the Demon Void Earth Dragon in the center. The spot where the golden light pillar touched the ground also revealed half of a trigram pattern, with the Eight Trigrams flickering, each with its own phenomena. In the Xun position, a storm was swirling; in the Zhen position, thunder and lightning flashed; in the Gen position, mountain shadows loomed; and in the Kan position, mist rose above the Water Area¡­ Each trigram position was giving birth to a tremendous force, all locking down the movements of the Demon Void Earth Dragon. The powers of the two treasures were indeed formidable; although the Demon Void Earth Dragon was not completely sealed off, its mobility was greatly limited, and despite its wild thrashing, it could not break free. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo hesitated as to whether he should step forward to help, but suddenly felt an overwhelming oppressive force coming from a distance. He traced the source of the feeling and saw, several hundred feet away, a purple radiance rising slowly like a proud sun. Behind that purple sun, a figure stood with a drawn bow, radiating a sharp killing intent all over, holding the Dragon Roaring Cold Water Bow. Instead of a beam of light, the arrow nocked on the string was a dark purple real arrow. The arc drawn by the bending bow kept increasing, gradually approaching a full moon shape, and the bright sun at the arrow tip became brighter and brighter. The power accumulating within it alarmed even Shen Luo. By this time, he had also realized that Seven Kills hadn''t used his full strength during their earlier fight; otherwise, with his current cultivation level, whether he would have survived was uncertain, but he definitely wouldn''t have stood a chance. Seeing that Seven Kills''s arrow was fully charged, Shen Luo quickly retreated with Fu Donglai, fearing to be affected by the aftermath. Just as they had started to move, Seven Kills''s arrow was loosed. ¡°Swoosh¡± The short sharp sound of the arrow breaking through the air was heard and then immediately ceased. The speed of that arrow was simply too fast. Almost instantly, a cluster of purple sunlight arrived in front of the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s head. The Demon Void Earth Dragon''s mouth also flickered with purple light, with thunder and lightning roaring, as a mass of purple light surged out, colliding with the purple sunbeam. Surprisingly, the purple sun did not explode upon impact with the purple lightning; instead, rings of charm patterns lit up on its shaft, and the arrow gathered strength for a second burst, exploding forth in an instant. The purple sun at the arrow''s tip tore through the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s purple lightning, piercing into the latter''s mouth. The Demon Void Earth Dragon was also incredibly fierce; after swallowing the purple sun, it continued to struggle violently, its immense strength still causing the enveloping Eight Trigrams Formation to shatter. As the golden light dissipated, Ji Yao was also hit by backlash, her body shaking violently, unable to continue controlling the ribbon, and with a wave of her hand, she took the colorful ribbon back. At that moment, the purple sun that had entered the body of the Demon Void Earth Dragon finally unleashed its power. ¡°Boom¡± A booming explosion that shook the sky erupted, and the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s abdomen swelled rapidly, pierced by the purple light, lighting it up until it was almost translucent. Only when the body of the Demon Void Earth Dragon had swollen to nearly three times its original size did its physical strength finally fail, and it exploded with a thunderous boom. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, a pungent wind arose, and a violent rain of blood poured down; countless pieces of the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s corpse scattered in all directions, shattering and splintering apart. The surrounding Heaven and Earth tremored relentlessly, and the valley, already filled in by collapsed mountains, underwent another collapse. Chaotic air currents, carrying billows of dust, conjured several enormous tornadoes that stretched directly from the Earth to the sky. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai had already retreated to a distant place, temporarily safe from the turmoil. On the other hand, Ji Yao, who was closer to the Demon Void Earth Dragon, was forced to retreat step by step by the intense wind pressure and the chaotic air currents. Seven Kills, seemingly drained from the previous arrow, was now shielded by Flower Fence in front of him. Her hands projected a semi-circular light curtain, protecting the two of them behind it. Shen Luo''s eyes slightly narrowed as he carefully searched the void for that compass. That thing was key to opening the Secret Realm. If it were also destroyed, it would be very difficult for them to leave. After looking around for a while, he finally spotted it. The compass was still sealed inside the Amber Crystal Stone and was currently lying on the ground of the battlefield. After a moment''s hesitation, he decided to seize this opportunity to grab the compass. But before he could make a move, the situation suddenly changed again. A black light suddenly flashed in the high sky, and out of nowhere, a huge black spider web appeared in the void, enveloping Ji Yao, who had just steadied herself. The figure of Li Zhu silently emerged, holding a Black Poison Spear, and thrust it directly towards Ji Yao''s back. Ji Yao seemed to have been prepared for this. The Colored Ribbon she had recalled earlier formed a defensive array behind her, overlapping into a round shield. Though seemingly soft and powerless, it managed to block Li Zhu''s strike. Furthermore, with a flick of her fingers, the Colored Ribbon that blocked the sneak attack went from defense to offense, thrusting forward like a snake emerging from its cave and forcing Li Zhu to hastily defend and retreat. ¡°Well done, Seven Kills. Instead of joining forces with me, you chose to ally with the Immortal Clan? Since when did the Demon Race and the Immortal Clan become allies?¡± Li Zhu, having stabilized herself, immediately pointed at Seven Kills and scolded. Seven Kills paid her no attention, simply swallowed an Elixir, and closed his eyes. ¡°Hmph, but that''s fine. You''re both exhausted now. What can you do against me?¡± sneered Li Zhu. Having finished speaking, she flipped in mid-air and dove straight towards the ground. Shen Luo quickly executed his Escape Technique, and just as he dashed out, he suddenly heard Fu Donglai''s voice in his mind: ¡°Brother Shen, don''t go over there.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo''s movements subconsciously hesitated, and he was immediately a step slower than Li Zhu. As Li Zhu was about to reach the compass, a green Xun Wind, quicker than her, flashed by her side and dashed straight to the target. ¡°No need for any more struggle, the compass is mine now, hahaha¡­¡± He Qianshan laughed wildly, his arms morphing into wings, beating the air. But just as his feet, transformed into hook claws, were about to touch the compass, a black void light suddenly burst from the underground. A Demon Void Earth Dragon, several dozen feet long and formed of black void light, surged out. In a flash, it opened its mouth and swallowed him whole. Through the near-translucent body of the Earth Dragon, one could see He Qianshan inside, engulfed in seven or eight balls of purple light. His body burned intensely as if ablaze, and very soon his Divine Soul flew out. Departing from his body with ease, his Divine Soul struggled to escape from the insides of the Demon Void Earth Dragon ¨C which was not so easy. Within moments, his Divine Soul was consumed by the flames and burned to ash. Chapter 1088 Chapter 1088: Chapter 1085 Li Zhu''s Purpose Chapter 1088: Chapter 1085 Li Zhu''s Purpose Seeing this sudden turn of events, everyone, including Li Zhu, was shocked. No one had expected that the Demon Void Earth Dragon was not thoroughly dead yet. Shen Luo thought of Fu Donglai''s earlier words stopping him and hastily looked towards him. ¡°The Demon Void Earth Dragon is different from ordinary Demonic Beings. Usually, they choose to transform after breaking through to the True Immortal stage from the Great Mahayana Stage. Few know that prior to this, a small portion of them, in order to protect themselves, will separate and hide their Demon Core. It will not be integrated until the breakthrough, so even if their physical body is destroyed, they can still use the Demon Core to condense a spirit soul,¡± Fu Donglai''s explanation timely rang in Shen Luo''s ears. ¡°So you mean to say, this guy right here did just that. Do we need to kill it once more?¡± Shen Luo asked, his heart chilling. ¡°As long as the Demon Core remains undestroyed, it''s useless no matter how many times you kill it. It will revive over and over again until the Demon Core''s energy is completely depleted,¡± Fu Donglai continued. ¡°Then we find the Demon Core and destroy it,¡± Shen Luo said with furrowed brows. ¡°It''s not that simple. The Demon Core of the Demon Void Earth Dragon inherently possesses extreme corrosiveness. Not corroding your flesh, but eroding your spirit. Even as one of the Demon Class myself, I dare not claim I can withstand it,¡± Fu Donglai said, shaking his head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then responded, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, can you locate its Demon Core?¡± ¡°If it were anywhere else, it might not be so certain, but here it should not be difficult. The Demon Void Earth Dragon being able to reassemble its spirit soul so swiftly suggests the Demon Core should be nearby, likely within a Hundred Li range,¡± Fu Donglai replied. ¡°Good, then let''s find it and destroy it,¡± Shen Luo said, still quite confident in his own spirit soul, immediately speaking. ¡°I''ll handle locating the Demon Core. You get ready, and when the spirit soul of the Demon Void Earth Dragon dissipates, go seize the key,¡± Fu Donglai suggested after a moment''s hesitation. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo considered for a moment and then nodded. While the two were talking, the spirit soul of the Demon Void Earth Dragon had already completely annihilated He Qianshan and continued to attack Ji Yao. Ji Yao was entangled by Li Zhu and couldn''t get away in time. She had no choice but to turn around and fight the spirit soul. The Demon Void Earth Dragon, having transformed into a spirit soul state, was not only undiminished in strength but had become even more agile and difficult to deal with due to its significantly smaller size. Ji Yao resorted to the same trick and waved her Colorful Ribbon, trying to wrap it around the Demon Void Earth Dragon. The latter, like a dart, shot out in a straight line, breaking free from the Colorful Ribbon''s binding range. However, it hadn''t flown far when an arrow came shooting directly at it, hitting its head and causing its figure to stagger. The Colorful Ribbon followed closely and wrapped around the Demon Void Earth Dragon once more. Immediately after, flickering multicolored lights shone on the ribbon, and runes imbued with prohibition power lit up again, attempting to thoroughly trap the Demon Void Earth Dragon. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s body gradually became transparent, until it disappeared completely, leaving the Colorful Ribbon hanging loose, entwining nothing but air. The Demon Void Earth Dragon had just vanished without a sound, right under their watch. Shen Luo frowned deeply, thinking that if this magical beast could fully transform into emptiness, it would be really difficult to deal with, and the only hope was now on Fu Donglai. Right at that moment, with a quick glance, he saw a faint ripple suddenly appear in the void behind Seven Kills and Flower Fence, as if something had swept through there. Just as he was about to warn them, Seven Kills also sensed the danger and hastily grabbed Flower Fence''s sleeve, dodging to one side. No sooner had they left their original position than the form of the Demon Void Earth Dragon shockingly emerged and an enormous Blood Basin mouth descended from above, biting through the space where they had been standing and leaving a Big Hole. Seeing this, Seven Kills immediately fired an arrow. A beam of light smashed into the depths of the Big Hole, exploding with a ¡°boom.¡± The cave exploded with flames but no other sound escaped. When he rushed closer to look, Shen Luo discovered, to his shock, that the place was completely empty, and the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s virtual soul had long since vanished without a trace. Just as everyone was at a loss for what to do, they heard Li Zhu suddenly shout loudly, ¡°Over there¡­¡± Following the direction of her finger, Shen Luo indeed saw ripples appear in the void, and the virtual soul of the Demon Void Earth Dragon gradually emerged within them. Flower Fence, who had just narrowly escaped its ambush, was furious and waved both hands in response. A ¡°whooshing¡± sound emerged from her sleeves, and two circular, hollow silver rings flew out simultaneously, their edges lighting up with a serrated light mark, slashing towards the Demon Void Earth Dragon with extreme sharpness. The intersecting light marks, one left and one right, shone with silver light as they reached their target, flooding towards the Demon Void Earth Dragon like flowing water. For some unknown reason, the Demon Void Earth Dragon swayed but failed to move from its spot; its body failed to transform into emptiness once more, and was instead harshly scoured by the silver light of the rings, its surface cracking open in countless places. Shen Luo peered closely and only then noticed that around the body of the Demon Void Earth Dragon were countless extremely fine transparent crystal filaments, interweaving into an enormous web. The Demon Void Earth Dragon was unable to move because it was bound by the spider web. Moreover, at the eight corners connected by the web, a disc emerged at each ¨C indeed, the eight array pillars of an Array. At that moment, a figure appeared above the spider web, it was none other than Li Zhu. ¡°A bunch of trash, still relying on me to subdue this fierce ghost?¡± Her tone was filled with disdain. After speaking, her hands parted, activating the Array. The next instant, light shone from the discs suspended in all eight directions, and the previously nearly invisible transparent crystal filaments suddenly turned a blood red color, transmitting a series of sharp forces. All the crystal filaments became the sharpest of blades at that moment, tightening and slicing into the Demon Void Earth Dragon as they crossed each other. The Demon Void Earth Dragon, already a virtual soul, subjected to the combined attack of Flower Fence and Li Zhu, began to emit beams of strange light from its wounds, its body finally unable to hold together, and it disintegrated. Seeing this, everyone was invigorated. Li Zhu seized the opportunity to dart past and grabbed the compass that had dropped from within the Demon Void Earth Dragon. Seeing this, Shen Luo lost the desire to compete and planned to send a message to call Fu Donglai back. ¡°Now that you have the key, please open the Secret Realm quickly,¡± shouted Flower Fence, eager to leave with Seven Kills as soon as possible so he could recover from his injuries sooner. ¡°Open the Secret Realm? What a joke. The Demon Void Earth Dragon hasn''t been eliminated yet, how can you just leave like this?¡± Li Zhu said with a face full of mocking laughter and shouted loudly. Upon hearing this, the expressions of Seven Kills and his group all darkened. As Li Zhu''s words fell, a thunderous ¡°rumble¡± came from beneath the Earth, and another virtual soul-formed Demon Void Earth Dragon burst through the ground, roaring up at the sky. With a sigh in his heart, Shen Luo knew that Li Zhu, like Fu Donglai, also a member of the Demon Clan, had long known that as long as the Demon Core was not destroyed, the Demon Void Earth Dragon would not die. Furthermore, she wanted more than just victory; she intended to use the Demon Void Earth Dragon to eliminate the others. She aimed to obtain everyone''s points and maximize her own gains. Chapter 1089 Chapter 1089: Chapter 1086: Go All Out Chapter 1089: Chapter 1086: Go All Out ¡°You¡­¡± Flower Fence''s anger hadn''t subsided as she swung both hands again, sending two hollow silver rings whizzing through the air as they headed toward Li Zhu. The latter sneered, lifted a hand, and the blood-red crystal filaments at his side turned transparent once more, seemingly vanishing into the void when in fact they had transformed into thousands of strands flying towards Flower Fence. Flower Fence''s silver rings had only reached midair when they were wrapped up by the dense crystal filaments, hanging motionless in midair. She hadn''t even reacted when suddenly a tug at her shoulder threw her aside. ¡°Pfft pfft¡­¡± A series of light sounds followed, Seven Kills had time to throw her aside, but he himself had no chance to dodge. Blood sprayed from his back as nearly a hundred delicate filaments revealed themselves, stained by the blood. ¡°No!¡± Flower Fence cried out in alarm. Before her voice had faded, Seven Kills''s body was already being pulled by the crystal filaments and thrown towards the Demon Void Earth Dragon. The Demon Void Earth Dragon, sensing someone delivered right to its mouth, subconsciously opened its jaws and tore at him. Seven Kills, suspended in midair, suddenly shone with light as a giant wolf phantom appeared, twisting its body around as it seemed to soar away. But then, a surge of mana waves suddenly traveled along the transparent filaments that had pierced into his body. Seven Kills stiffened all over, the phantom surrounding him dispersed in an instant, and the moment to escape vanished just as fast. Just when everyone thought he was undoubtedly doomed, the Demon Void Earth Dragon, with its blood basin wide open, suddenly shook violently. After struggling and twisting for a few moments, it abruptly abandoned Seven Kills at its mouth, turned around, and burrowed down into the ground. Everyone was somewhat baffled by this abrupt change, only Shen Luo figured out that the creature must have sensed Fu Donglai attacking its Demon Core. Li Zhu glanced around, furrowed her brow, and also figured out what was happening. ¡°Don''t you dare ruin my plans,¡± she cursed, her body diving down as she followed the Demon Void Earth Dragon into the underworld. Shen Luo didn''t hesitate, quickly using the Escape Ground Technique to follow suit. He followed the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s qi deep underground, tunneling for dozens of miles when suddenly a massive tremor erupted ahead, a powerful force surged upwards, shattering the rocks before him. Shen Luo found himself plummeting into a vast underground space as the ground suddenly gave way beneath him. He hadn''t even managed to steady himself when he saw a light flare up below, looking closely, he saw a giant white egg, half the height of a person, suspended above the ground, emitting a pearly white glow. Around that white egg, a black demonic mist had formed a four-directional array, almost the size of a small room. While Shen Luo was still curious, another violent tremor came from above, and he saw the Demon Void Earth Dragon descend rapidly, carrying a figure emitting black and golden light below its massive head. The figure was about three meters tall, its bare upper body was covered with patterned fur, muscles bulging impressively, surrounded by fluttering strips of black demonic mist, exuding a fierce aura¨Cit was Fu Donglai. Although pressed down by the Demon Void Earth Dragon and in continuous freefall, there were black halos lighting up beneath his feet, his body tense as if he was accumulating power. ¡°Shibo.¡± Just then, he roared, and a phantom of a ferocious lion emerged suddenly around him. The lion''s phantom flashed briefly before merging into his body, becoming one with him. His blood qi surged wildly, mysterious demonic patterns appeared on his skin, and an indescribably powerful aura emanated from within. His feet suddenly kicked against the void, as if the air beneath them exploded, emitting a loud boom. Fu Donglai at this moment resembled a lion engaged in fierce combat with a beast, pouncing forward with great force. His arms swelled to several times their size in an instant, and as they flailed in crossing motions, two enormous blood seals emerged before him, forcibly pressing back the Demon Void Earth Dragon. ¡°Yingji.¡± Another explosive shout, and blood light surged from behind Fu Donglai, coalescing into two blood wings that stretched out to either side. His figure soared through the air, arms continuously swinging downward, casting a barrage of blood-red claw marks that frantically tore at the Demon Void Earth Dragon. The latter''s body burst with blood light as it was driven downward. Relentless, Fu Donglai chased down the beast, attacking nonstop. The Demon Void Earth Dragon was heavily slammed to the ground amidst the interweaving blood claws. Fu Donglai retracted his wings and charged down¨Cjust at that moment, the Demon Void Earth Dragon suddenly opened its mouth wide and spewed out a burst of purple light, striking at Fu Donglai. Fu Donglai was hit head-on and immediately shot up into the air, crashing into the ceiling above. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this time, the body of the Demon Void Earth Dragon suddenly turned incorporeal and vanished from Shen Luo''s view. But soon, a howling sound filled Shen Luo''s ears, and a massive tail appeared at his side, sweeping toward him. Shen Luo dodged in a rush, falling towards the ground as well. The Demon Void Earth Dragon re-emerged, its Blood Basin wide open, pursuing Shen Luo again. ¡°Elephant Form.¡± An explosive shout suddenly erupted as a huge shadow plummeted down from above. Fu Donglai''s external form took on a giant elephant phantom, its body as vast as a mountain, nearly as large as the Demon Void Earth Dragon. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± echoed! Fu Donglai''s legs landed on the Demon Void Earth Dragon, instantly unleashing a massive shockwave that caused another collapse within the underground space; the Demon Void Earth Dragon was heavily stamped into the ground. ¡°Quick, destroy the Demon Core,¡± Fu Donglai''s voice came from below. Without hesitation, Shen Luo immediately approached the white egg, and with a sweep of his hand, drew out the Profound Yellow Staff. He twisted his body and danced in the void, myriad stick shadows emerging one after another, layer upon layer, densely packed and numbering in the thousands. Each stick shadow that materialized stored the might of the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Layer by layer, the pressure built, gradually heating the air in the vicinity. Li Zhu, observing from the sidelines, initially didn''t take Shen Luo seriously. After all, the magical protective shield around the Demon Core wasn''t something just anyone could break through. Yet as she witnessed the scene unfolding before her, her eyebrows inevitably knit together. If Shen Luo and his ally indeed broke the Demon Core and slew the Demon Void Earth Dragon, not only would her plans be thwarted, but she might also attract the collective targeting of others. She began to hesitate about whether to open the secret realm exit now. But she quickly dismissed the idea, concluding that she had to go all in: she needed to stop Shen Luo from destroying the Demon Core. With the thought, she was already in action, her figure leaving only a residual image in the void as she instantly traversed through the barrage of stick shadows, arriving by Shen Luo''s side. Although an Array Master, that didn''t mean she was unskilled in close combat. In fact, her combat capabilities were not weak, but she generally preferred to trap her enemies with array techniques and await the opportunity to strike, much like a spider patiently weaving its web. As she charged in close, Shen Luo, seemingly unaware of the ambush, suddenly turned with a smile, a face that looked as though his scheme had succeeded. Chapter 1090 Chapter 1090: Chapter 1087: The Demon Bead Enters the Body Chapter 1090: Chapter 1087: The Demon Bead Enters the Body Shen Luo had been aware of Li Zhu''s pursuit all along, how could he possibly be unprepared? When he saw the Emei Sword in Li Zhu''s hand whistling and spinning rapidly, slashing towards his neck, a Bloodthirsty Flag which had been hidden and shrunk in his collar suddenly unfurled, blocking the strike with pinpoint accuracy. ¡°Swoosh¡± The Pure Yang Flying Sword, in perfect sync with Shen Luo''s intentions, shot out from his chest into thin air, aiming straight for Li Zhu''s heart. Seeing the Pure Yang Flying Sword less than half a foot away from herself, Li Zhu, in a state of horror and shock, had a talisman on her body burn up at high speed, and her figure instantly shifted and changed, avoiding to a distance several meters away. Although Shen Luo was slightly surprised by this, he did not hurry and shouted loudly, ¡°Quick!¡± As his voice fell, those dense stick shadows scattered all around him suddenly changed direction, no longer attacking the Demon Core but instead striking towards Li Zhu. Li Zhu broke into the Splashy Chaotic Stick shadows and found herself trapped within an array like that of a dense battle formation, with sticks crazily striking her from all directions, continuously falling upon her body. Desperately pushing left and right, she was still unable to escape the shadow of the sticks and tasted the despair of being trapped in the formation for the first time. At this moment, Shen Luo was not entangled with her. Fu Donglai was still battling with the Demon Void Earth Dragon, and his first priority was to break through the Demon Core. With thoughts racing in his mind, he had already put away the Profound Yellow Staff, now holding the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in his hand, covertly running the Pure Yang Scripture within, causing the Pure Yang Qi around his body to surge tremendously, as a sharp aura began to condense on the sword body. His eyes focused, his right hand gripping the sword while his left hand extended with pointing fingers, forcing out a drop of Pure Yang essence blood from the tip, which landed on the Sword Embryo. The already powerful aura of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo intensified as golden light burst forth and a scorching force surged up. The sword body suddenly ignited, flaring up with a layer of red flames. This was a method Shen Luo had discovered himself. By stimulating it with his own Pure Yang essence blood, the Pure Yang Burning Sword could exert a power beyond his current cultivation level. ¡°Pure Yang Burning Sword.¡± Shen Luo let out a low shout, his figure suddenly leapt up, but he did not chop down as before. Instead, his figure spun like a top, unpredictable in movement. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo in front of him also let out a loud whistling sound, with flames gathering layer upon layer, concentrating the burning force, which became more and more refined and pure. ¡°Flame Peck.¡± Shen Luo called out for the first time the name he had given to the technique, his body rushing forward explosively, changing the slashing momentum of the Pure Yang Burning Sword into a focused, bursting thrust. In an instant, his body seemed to merge with the longsword, and at this moment, the tip of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo turned into the sharp beak of a firebird, nailing itself into the protective cover outside the Demon Core. ¡°Clang¡± A sharp ringing sound echoed as the Pure Yang Sword Embryo pierced through the protective cover, bringing Shen Luo''s body along with it, directly penetrating it and stabbing into the giant white egg. ¡°Puff¡± Different from the sound of a shell cracking, a sound of flesh being penetrated emanated from the egg. The next instant, tearing noises filled the air, and torrents of Demonic Qi surged out, instantly submerging Shen Luo. The spilling Demonic Qi rolled over, soon engulfing Li Zhu not far away. ¡°This is¡­ no, no¡­¡± A scream emerged from within the Demonic Qi, which then abruptly ceased. Li Zhu''s figure staggered within the Demonic Qi, resembling a body that had lost its souls, stumbling in its steps. But in the next instant, she exhibited sudden ferocity, her eyes turning blood-red as she charged towards Shen Luo at the center of the Demonic Qi. At that moment, in front of Shen Luo floated a purple-black round pearl the size of a longan, with a spiral-shaped Demonic Pattern visible on it. This thing was only revealed after the white egg was shattered and all the Demonic Qi had dissipated. He stared intently at the white egg, his eyes filled with incredulity. The reason was nothing other than the fact that he felt an extremely familiar aura emanating from this Demon Core. That aura came from Chiyou. Chiyou had been completely sealed, so how could his Demonic Qi spread outside and appear in this Secret Realm? Moreover, given Shen Luo''s familiarity with Chiyou''s Demonic Qi, it was not difficult to see that the Demonic Qi within this purple-black sphere was very pure, and definitely not something that could have accidentally leaked out. While his mind was rapidly searching for answers, the Li Zhu, eroded by the Demonic Qi, had already madly rushed towards him. Shen Luo snapped back to reality, his feet shimmering with Moonlight as his body twisted, instantly dodging. As a result, the Li Zhu missed him and didn''t pursue him, instead pouncing towards the Demon Pearl. Seeing her abnormal expression and the evident greed in her eyes, Shen Luo instantly sensed something was wrong, and hurriedly waved his hand, calling on an invisible force to attract the Demon Pearl towards him in an attempt to pull it to his side. When Li Zhu''s strike missed and she saw the Demon Pearl heading straight towards Shen Luo, she became even more furious and chased after him again. With one hand attracting the Demon Pearl and the other forming a hand seal and waving, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo immediately lit up with a red-golden light and shot out. Facing the interception of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, Li Zhu acted as though she didn''t see it at all, directly blocking with her palm. The palm was instantly pierced with a bloody hole, but she also managed to deflect the stabbing trajectory of the Pure Yang Flying Sword, sending it off course. Yet she seemed unharmed; far from slowing down, she became even quicker as she lunged at Shen Luo, reaching out for the Demon Pearl. Seeing the Demon Pearl about to fall into her hands, Shen Luo, in desperation, immediately used the Slanting Moon Steps. He flashed and arrived just in time, grasping the Demon Pearl an instant before Li Zhu''s palm could touch it. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment the Demon Pearl was in his hand, a scorching force instantly transmitted from his palm, bringing with it an excruciating pain. Shen Luo was horrified to feel as though there was a self-aware power inside the Demon Pearl, frantically burrowing into the center of his palm, trying to invade his body. On the outside of his body, a layer of blood flames had ignited, following his palm and threatening to spread over his entire body. Shaken, Shen Luo hurriedly circulated the Huangting Divine Power, causing a surge of Dantian Power to burst forth along the meridians in his arm, counteracting the Demonic Qi within. Subsequently, the Nameless Cultivation Technique was also activated. Billows of blue wrapped down his arm, attempting to envelop the layer of blood flames. But the moment it made contact, nearly all the moisture was instantly vaporized, and despite all efforts, the flames continued to spread unavoidably up his arm. Subconsciously, Shen Luo wanted to summon the Heavenly book projection to absorb all the blood flames and Demonic Qi, but his body no longer contained the Heavenly Book, so naturally there was no response. At this moment, Li Zhu, who was in a state of frenzy, caught up once again. Taking advantage of his distraction, she reached out to grab Shen Luo''s arm, trying to take back the Demon Pearl in his palm. Shen Luo didn''t resist; he too wanted to give the Demon Pearl to her. But the easier it is to invite the god, the harder it is to send it away; the Demon Pearl had already disappeared, and strands of Demonic Qi were steadily eroding Shen Luo''s body, while the blood flames continued to sear his flesh and blood. Seeing that the Demon Pearl had been absorbed by Shen Luo, Li Zhu flew into a rage, pulling him close, and aiming a palm strike at his forehead. Shen Luo hurriedly shook off her grip and then used the fiery palm to strike directly at Li Zhu''s chest. What happened next was even more unexpected for him. Faced with Shen Luo''s fiery palm, Li Zhu didn''t show the slightest intent to dodge; on the contrary, she seemed to accept it willingly and advanced towards it. Shen Luo''s hand easily pierced through her chest. The next instant, Li Zhu''s face twisted into a vicious smile, her hands tightly grasping Shen Luo''s arm as though fearing he would withdraw it. Chapter 1091 Chapter 1091: Chapter 1088: Tragic Chapter 1091: Chapter 1088: Tragic Shen Luo had not yet figured out what was going on when he noticed the blood flames on his arms rapidly receding, and the Demonic Qi that had infiltrated his body was also reversing its flow, continuously heading toward Li Zhu''s body. As the Demonic Qi and blood flames kept pouring into her, Li Zhu''s expression became even more ferocious, and the Qi around her body kept rising. What was even stranger was that as her Qi continued to strengthen, the unique breath that belonged to Chiyou began to gradually fade. With a thought, Shen Luo vaguely thought of a possibility and was immediately shocked. He could no longer care if Li Zhu''s actions could help him completely remove the Demonic Qi from his body; he only knew that if he let this happen, it might lead to unpredictable dangers. Shen Luo raised his hand and summoned the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, which immediately floated up and was grasped in his hand, stabbing straight at Li Zhu''s forehead. Completely different from the reaction when he had stabbed at her heart before, Li Zhu''s expression changed drastically, and her body jerked backward, deftly dodging away. Immediately afterward, the Blood Light on her body surged, and the speed at which she was extracting that power from Shen Luo''s body became faster and faster. At the same time, several strands of the demonic Qi from Chiyou split from within his body, chaotically rushing around inside him, causing his blood to roil and his mana to run amok, an extremely uncomfortable sensation. One strand of demonic Qi rushed straight to his brain, drilling into his sea of knowledge. In an instant, Shen Luo''s vision was covered in blood red, and he seemed to see himself standing atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with the collapsing walls of Chang''an City and blood merging into a river in front of him. In the reflection mirrored by that bloodied water, Shen Luo saw not himself, but Chiyou. His sea of knowledge shook violently, and he abruptly came to his senses. ¡°No, I must not allow Chiyou the slightest chance to rise again,¡± Shen Luo thought desperately. He raised his hand and released the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, grabbing hold of Li Zhu''s head with both hands and using all his strength to twist it over, pressing his forehead tightly against hers. The next instant, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, under his control, shot back at high speed, piercing fiercely toward their closely touching heads. Li Zhu, sensing the approach of the flying sword, tried to push Shen Luo away with both hands, wanting to separate from him. But Shen Luo firmly pressed down on her head, not allowing it to deviate in the slightest. Suddenly, Li Zhu''s ferocity erupted, and her hands tore at Shen Luo''s arms as her aura soared, forcefully pulling down with a sudden burst of power. ¡°Hiss, hiss¡­¡± Two soft sounds were heard, Shen Luo''s arm muscles were torn apart, and blood sprayed. His teeth clenched, mana surged to his arms, stubbornly holding on without loosening his grip. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo finally arrived, thrusting a sword toward the back of Li Zhu''s head. At the point where the sword light fell, blood spattered, and a bloody hole was ripped open in the back of Li Zhu''s head. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo, burning with red flames, pierced directly through her sea of knowledge, emerging from her forehead, with half of the sword tip nailed into Shen Luo''s own forehead. At the critical moment, a figure finally arrived, grabbing hold of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo from behind Li Zhu. Blood seeped from Shen Luo''s forehead as he slowly leaned backward, the tip of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo gradually retreating from the bone in his forehead. His eyes were already obscured by blood, but he could see the person before him through the haze, appearing to be Fu Donglai. He then managed a difficult smile and uttered a word of thanks. ¡°Have you gone mad? Why do you seek mutual destruction?¡± Fu Donglai frowned deeply, scolding. Shen Luo just shook his head, not offering any explanation, staggered back a few steps, and collapsed on the ground. Fu Donglai, with a heart of compassion, stepped forward to administer an Elixir to him, then helped him up and assisted him into a cross-legged meditation posture. It was only after a long time that Shen Luo finally regained some composure, began to run the Great Unsealing Technique on his own, and started to heal his injuries. After a long time. Outside the secret realm, on the square, the Suspended Sky Mirror slowly descended. The formation patterns carved on the Martial Arts Stage lit up again, as a straight light pillar shot into the high altitude. In the dazzling light, those who had completed the trial appeared one after another, each covered in wounds, looking utterly disheveled. Shen Luo, holding a compass, appeared in the center of the light pillar, while Fu Donglai and his people were not far from him. Moments later, the light pillar gradually shrank until all the light marks disappeared, and the square erupted into a wave of enthusiastic cheers. Shen Luo''s face was pale, appearing as if he had suffered from a serious illness that had yet to heal. His gaze swept over the remaining people one by one: Fu Donglai, Seven Kills, Ji Yao, Flower Fence, Huang Yi, a young demon man, and a young woman from the Immortal Clan. They were all that remained of the competitors, the only survivors, and the outcome was indeed dire. ¡°Where is Li Changqing?¡± Shen Luo wondered, looking towards Fu Donglai. Fu Donglai also found it strange. Shen Luo had earlier sent Li Changqing out of the valley and then had avoided all combat. Logically, Li should have been able to survive. However, that was just ¡°logically speaking¡±. Given the many dangers and changes within the secret realm, since Li had not appeared alive here, the answer was self-evident. At this moment, Cheng Yaojin and several others seated on the high platform also flew down, landing on the Martial Arts Stage. ¡°Good kid, well done,¡± said Cheng Yaojin as he walked up and patted Shen Luo on the shoulder. Shen Luo did not speak, his expression somewhat solemn. Cheng Yaojin also sensed something was amiss and exchanged a few words with Shen Luo through voice transmission. After that, his expression slightly changed. But soon, he turned to the public with a smile and announced Shen Luo''s victory. However, after the proclamation, instead of meeting with cheers from the entire venue, there were continuous jeers from the surroundings. The reason was not dissatisfaction with the strength of Shen Luo, the winner, but rather discontent with his performance during the trial in stopping the killing alongside Fu Donglai. Many among them had placed heavy gold bets on the deadly fights in hopes of winning and earning rich rewards. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As a result, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai''s actions only turned the outcome of the fights into a draw, causing those who placed bets to lose everything, no matter which side they had wagered on. Naturally, they were full of resentment towards them. Just like at the very beginning, the fight between Shen Luo and Seven Kills had caused many to lose everything. ¡°Hypocrite, petty man¡­¡± ¡°A bastard fishing for fame and reputation¡­¡± ¡°Does such a person even deserve to win?¡± Abusive voices rose successively all around, and the square seethed with angry sentiment. Unaware onlookers might have thought that Shen Luo and Fu Donglai had committed an atrocity that outraged both heaven and the human spirit. Shen Luo''s eyes swept across all four directions of the square, seeing the people''s distorted faces and murderous energies, a feeling of disgust spontaneously arose in his heart. ¡°Silence!¡± Cheng Yaojin''s brow furrowed as he let out a thunderous shout. His voice was mixed with a trace of mana, not too loud, but the deterrent power was more than sufficient. The square quickly fell quiet. ¡°Shen Luo, as the winner of this Martial Assembly of the Three Realms, his sect will receive the support of the Great Tang Dynasty Government for one hundred years, and all resources will be approved and provided by the Great Tang Government,¡± Cheng Yaojin said, ignoring the crowd and announcing loudly. After he finished speaking, the Immortal Clan woman, her face covered by a light veil, stepped forward and with a wave of her hand, a green formation disc made of unknown material, hovered in the void. Chapter 1092 Chapter 1092: Chapter 1089: Feng Shan Reforestation Chapter 1092: Chapter 1089: Feng Shan Reforestation ¡°This is the Azure Bamboo Cloud Locking Array, a reward granted to the victor by the Immortal Clan. Once established, it only needs to grow for three years to connect with the roots of a sect''s mountain. On normal days, it will generate clouds and mist to seal off the mountain ranges, causing those of insufficient cultivation realm who enter without permission to lose their way within. Should a powerful enemy launch a surprise attack, it can also withstand three full-force strikes from a True Immortal Cultivator,¡± the Immortal Clan woman said calmly, slowly introducing the item. With that, her slender fingers gently tapped, and a light glowed on the floating formation discs, a trail of illusory light and shadow emerging from it. Shen Luo focused his gaze and saw, within the light and shadow, seventy-two shadows of purple-green bamboo spread in all directions, swaying slightly as if brushed by a breeze. In just moments, mist rose among the bamboo shadows, spreading and enveloping the entire scene. ¡°This is good stuff, an ordinary mid-level sect might not even have such a powerful defensive formation,¡± someone exclaimed from below the stage. ¡°This guy has made a fortune this time¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any idea which sect this person is from, I wonder if he is willing to sell this formation¡­¡± Below the stage, the hubbub continued, with some already contemplating purchasing the Azure Bamboo Cloud Locking Array to serve as their sect''s protective array. Shen Luo also fancied this item and naturally didn''t think of reselling it; the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was exactly in need of such treasures at the moment. The discussion below didn''t stop, and the Demon Clan''s six-tusked elephant had already stepped forward, casting a cold gaze around, swiftly bringing the noisy square to a subdued silence. ¡°The Demon Clan rewards the victor with an Ink Descend Armor, attached with thirty-six layers of prohibition. Its defensive power is not weak, and it possesses the ability to absorb Demonic Qi,¡± the six-tusked elephant spoke. No sooner had it spoken than the voices of discussion below rose again. ¡°A piece of Devil Armor, what kind of reward is that? The Human Race can''t use your Demonic Qi¡­¡± ¡°Absorbing Demonic Qi, what for, to erode oneself?¡± ¡°As good as useless, this thing of the Demon Clan was originally intended for your own people, wasn''t it?¡± ¡°Noisy,¡± the six-tusked elephant snorted angrily, unleashing a powerful aura that quieted the surroundings once again. ¡°Ignorant fools, dare to speak nonsense? This Ink Descend Armor is indeed more suitable for the Demon Clan, but the other two races can also control it. The Demonic Qi absorbed into the armor will empower and be stored within the armor. When under attack, it can be released to protect the wearer,¡± the six-tusked elephant explained, barely suppressing its anger. Everyone listened and pondered quietly for a moment, coming to understand the explanation. Whether from the Human or Immortal Clan, if they were to wear this Devil Armor, they would no longer need to worry about the invasion of Demonic Qi during battle with the Demon Clan. On the contrary, the more Demonic Qi released by the opponent, the stronger their own defense would become. It gave them a sense of having an innate position of invincibility. Listening to all this, Shen Luo felt the gloomy and heavy sensation in his heart gradually disperse, and his mood started to brighten a bit. Afterward, Cheng Yaojin and others announced the points situation one by one, with rewards given according to everyone''s ranking. A martial assembly of the Three Realms that could be called unprecedented, finally drew to a close. Evening, Great Tang Dynasty Government, within a secret chamber. Shen Luo sat alone opposite Cheng Yaojin. The former did not speak a word, while the latter''s eyebrows were tightly furrowed. ¡°Is everything you said true?¡± Cheng Yaojin looked at Shen Luo and asked again. Previously, what had happened underground couldn''t be seen by the outside world, so no one knew what exactly had occurred. ¡°Elder, I can assure you with utmost certainty that the demonic qi contained within the demon pearl in the Demon Void Earth Dragon''s core is absolutely from Chiyou, and it''s extremely pure,¡± Shen Luo nodded and reiterated. ¡°I believe you¡­ It''s just that after you all came out, both the Immortal Clan and the individual from Tianji City and I have probed you but did not sense a trace of Chiyou''s demonic qi,¡± Cheng Yaojin stood up and paced as he spoke. ¡°This matter is truly bizarre. Once the demon pearl fell into Li Zhu''s hands and merged with her, the originally distinct breath of Chiyou on it disappeared. I had already felt this while inside the secret realm,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°In that case, it''s even harder for us to present any evidence,¡± sighed Cheng Yaojin. ¡°Elder, if the Three Realms Martial Assembly was jointly established by the human, immortal, and demon races, how could such an oversight occur?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. ¡°The ones who pushed for this event with the most vigor were the Demon Clan and the Immortal Clan, each harboring their own ulterior motives. In fact, there are still other opportunities and risks within the secret realm that remained untriggered this time. However, the Demon Clan definitely meddled with the Demon Void Earth Dragon issue,¡± Cheng Yaojin mused for a moment before speaking. ¡°Elder, forgive my frankness, but the very foundation of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference is flawed. With the Demon and Immortal Clans both harboring ulterior motives, there really is no need to continue holding it,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. ¡°This matter¡­ it actually involves many complexities and factors of power balance between the three races. This time, you have won the leadership for our Human Race, which is an enormous achievement. However, in the end, this was only a preliminary test. The number of participants in the next Three Realms Martial Arts Conference will be ten times, even a hundred times that of this one,¡± Cheng Yaojin added. Hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inwardly. He understood what Cheng Yaojin referred to regarding the power balance between the human, demon, and immortal races. But with his current power, he had no way to influence the situation and had to let it go for the time being. However, Shen Luo always felt that there was something unusual about this Martial Arts Conference, and that there were many things he wasn''t aware of. So even if the Great Tang Dynasty Government did not pursue it further, he did not intend to give up investigating. ¡°Is your body all right? Have you been contaminated by the demonic qi?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. ¡°Previously, most of the demonic qi was absorbed by Li Zhu, and I have checked myself as well¨C there''s nothing to worry about,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. Cheng Yaojin had originally planned to perform a thorough check on Shen Luo but decided against it after hearing his response. ¡°Alright, let''s not talk about that for now. What are your plans next? Do you want a task similar to what I assigned to that youngster Lu Huaming? I can''t promise much, but the salary is decent,¡± Cheng Yaojin asked again. ¡°Elder, have you forgotten? I still need to look after Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°Oh, right, right, I almost forgot. Haha¡­ With your opening of the secret realm, as this trial''s winner, the court and the government will, as agreed, tilt resources towards Spring and Autumn Pavilion to develop it into a mid-sized sect,¡± Cheng Yaojin slapped his forehead and laughed heartily. ¡°Elder, once the government hands over the deeds to several mountain peaks near Qinghua Mountain, I plan to temporarily close off the mountain and would prefer that all matters of construction be handled by Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Shen Luo suggested. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°At this time, shouldn''t you take advantage of your current prominence to seize the opportunity to expand your disciple recruitment? Why choose to close the mountain instead?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked in surprise. ¡°I am aware of the saying, ''The tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be brought down by the wind.'' Although Spring and Autumn Pavilion is currently in the spotlight, we still lack a solid foundation. If we blindly expand without stabilizing our roots first, it will only lead to more problems,¡± Shen Luo explained slowly. ¡°Your temperament is indeed stable, and this approach might indeed be better. As for the construction of the sect''s infrastructure, the court will assign officials from the Works Department to coordinate with you, but it still has to conform to protocol. Regarding the Immortal Clan''s Great Mountain Protection Array, I will have Lu Huaming personally deliver it once your infrastructure is complete. Before that, we''ll try to have the National Master take a look at it to prevent any hidden issues with the array,¡± Cheng Yaojin said. ¡°The Immortal Clan¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°Hehe¡­ Now that the three races have collectively established an order, it''s not like the past when alliances were formed. We have to be cautious of the Immortal Clan. But don''t worry, even if your Spring and Autumn Pavilion is promoted to a mid-sized sect, it won''t be significant enough to warrant the Immortal Clan''s concern. Having the National Master take a look at it is just a precaution, and who knows, he might even help improve it,¡± Cheng Yaojin said with an awkward smile. ¡°Then, I would like to thank Elder and the National Master,¡± Shen Luo bowed with clasped hands. Chapter 1093 Chapter 1093: Chapter 1090: Honor Without Disgrace Chapter 1093: Chapter 1090: Honor Without Disgrace Time swiftly passed, and more than half a month had gone by. Shen Luo didn''t linger in Chang''an for too long. After sharing a drink with Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming at the Chang''an Tower, he set off to return to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Originally, he wanted to call on Fu Donglai, but he learned that during his time recovering, Fu Donglai had left a message with Lu Huaming and had already left Chang''an City ahead of him, returning to his Sect at Lion Camel Ridge. In that time, before Shen Luo took the initiative to pay a visit, it was Chen Shi Yuan who took the initiative to visit him. Not only did he bring Shen Luo the complete Pure Yang Scripture as promised, but he also gave him several classics from within his Sect that were not to be disclosed to outsiders, not just cultivation classics but also Daoist alchemy classics. This time, Chen Shi Yuan''s attitude had changed from before. His words with Shen Luo became more polite. Throughout their conversation, he was probing, trying to inquire about the Daoist lineage of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Although Shen Luo had revitalized the Spring and Autumn Pavilion with his own hands, it was more to honor a promise made that year, so he had no desire for credit or intention to establish his own Sect. Therefore, he still told Chen Shi Yuan that the Daoist lineage of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion would not change and would still be part of the Little Straw Mountain lineage. Having received this verbal promise from Shen Luo, Chen Shi Yuan felt as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, and the smile on his face grew even more. He had assumed that Shen Luo would take this opportunity to distance himself from Little Straw Mountain and thereafter establish himself as the founding ancestor of his own Sect. After all, with the support of the Great Tang Government, it wouldn''t be surprising for the Spring and Autumn Pavilion to prosper, and in no more than a hundred years, it would become a mid-level Sect. Chen Shi Yuan had even readied himself to form an alliance with the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. The outcome was beyond his expectations. With a wave of his hand, Chen Shi Yuan took care of a concern for Little Straw Mountain, deploying over a hundred Daoist officials to help Shen Luo expand the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Shen Luo intended to refuse, but after some consideration, he agreed to it. The foundation of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was indeed too shallow, and if they wished to develop sustainably in the future, having Little Straw Mountain as a sheltering tree was naturally the best option. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Three days later, the morning sun rose in the east, illuminating the earth. The entire Qinghua Mountain was enveloped in the morning sun, both the mountain wall and the ground reflecting gold. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was also the same, glowing radiantly, especially solemn. All the structures within the Pavilion had been completely restored, and at this moment, Qin Guan was leading several disciples in their morning practice. Suddenly, a huge whooshing sound came from outside, causing the entire Qinghua Mountain to quiver slightly. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Qin Guan stood up abruptly, rushing out of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion with a drastic change in expression. He saw an azure flying boat, dozens of zhang in length, appear outside the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. The long flying boat was surrounded by swirling green light, stirring up the clouds in the sky and causing a fierce wind to blow. The flying boat was enclosed, hiding the identities of those above. Zhou Fu and the other Spring and Autumn Pavilion disciples had never seen such a giant boat, and they all stood there, stunned. Although Qin Guan was also inexplicably shocked, as the master of a Pavilion in front of his disciples, he could not show fear; he took a deep breath and made a hand signal. A streak of red light lifted his body, carrying him ten-odd zhang from the ground. This was a flying magical instrument gifted to him by Shen Luo, which he could barely use given his Qi Refining Late Stage realm. ¡°Which Daoist friend has come to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion?¡± Feeling the powerful fluctuations emanating from beneath his feet, Qin Guan''s heart steadied, and he called out loudly. Zhou Fu and the others, seeing Qin Guan soaring into the air, all wore looks of surprise and delight, and their fear of the azure flying boat lessened substantially. ¡°Brother Qin, it''s me.¡± A figure descended from the azure flying boat; it was Shen Luo. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, so it was you. It''s good that you''re back safely, but why make such a grand entrance? I thought we were under attack,¡± Qin Guan said with a sigh of relief, somewhat complaining. ¡°I had no choice, as it wasn''t just me returning this time,¡± said Shen Luo, and with a flick of his sleeve, he gestured toward the azure flying boat behind him. The flying boat slowly descended to the ground, and then a big gate on the front section swung open, with nearly a hundred figures filing out. These people were all dressed in qing-colored Daoist robes, the Daoist officials promised by Chen Shi Yuan to be sent over to help with the expansion of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, though Chen Shi Yuan himself had not come along. Once everyone had disembarked, Shen Luo made a hand gesture toward the azure flying boat. The enormous flying boat quickly shrank, turning into a palm-sized miniature vessel in the blink of an eye, disappearing into his sleeve. This flying boat, which he had exchanged with Chen Shi Yuan for five hundred Immortal Jade, was not particularly fast, but its sole feature was its large capacity, capable of carrying two to three hundred people. ¡°Junior Brother Shen, who are these people?¡± Qin Guan asked in surprise. ¡°These are the Daoist officials from Little Straw Mountain. I have fortunately fulfilled my mission and won the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. To win me over, Chen Shi Yuan dispatched these people to help rebuild the Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Shen Luo replied using a communication talisman. ¡°Really?¡± Qin Guan stood still, taking a while to come to terms with the news, asking incredulously. The scale of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference was immense, with many famous sects from the Three Realms participating. Though Shen Luo''s cultivation level was strong, Qin Guan had not even considered the possibility of him winning. His only wish was for Shen Luo to return safely so that the Spring and Autumn Pavilion could continue to develop. ¡°It''s true. Elder Shen defeated strong opponents in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference to seize the final victory. This matter has now spread throughout the Three Realms,¡± a somewhat portly middle-aged man among the hundred or so Daoist officials said with a smile. This man was the leader of the hundred or so Daoists, but his own cultivation wasn''t very strong, merely at the Late Grain Avoidance stage. As for the other Daoist officials, only a few had cultivation levels, mostly in the Qi Refining Stage. The rest were ordinary people who had practiced some physical strengthening skills. These Daoist officials were just from the periphery of Little Straw Mountain; otherwise, Chen Shi Yuan wouldn''t have been able to casually dispatch over a hundred people. ¡°Great! That''s wonderful!¡± Qin Guan looked at the man and, once convinced, said excitedly. Although Shen Luo represented Little Straw Mountain in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, he was after all a member of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. This victory would bring great benefits to the pavilion ¨C not to mention the prestige which would undoubtedly vex the threat of the Tianyin Gate any longer. ¡°Under the rules of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion will now receive a hundred years of support from the Great Tang Dynasty Government. This is the first batch of supplies I brought back from the government. Take these and continue to enhance the strength of our pavilion,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out a storage magical tool and handed it to Qin Ming. Qin Ming, who previously wasn''t very familiar with the rules of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, was even more overjoyed upon hearing this. ¡°Rest assured, Junior Brother Shen, I will make proper use of these resources and develop our pavilion as quickly as possible,¡± Qin Ming said seriously as he accepted the storage magical tool, taking a deep breath. ¡°I had some insights during the Martial Arts Conference, and I need to continue my cultivation in seclusion. You handle the matters of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. As for these people, use them as you see fit. Lin Hu, from now on, follow Qin Guan''s orders ¨C his commands are my commands,¡± Shen Luo said to Qin Guan, and then turned to look at the portly middle-aged man beside him. ¡°Yes, I will dutifully follow Elder Shen''s orders and heed Pavilion Master Qin Ming''s commands,¡± said Lin Hu respectfully. ¡°Thank you then, Brother Lin,¡± Qin Ming said with a smile, bowing his hands in thanks. ¡°If you encounter any problems you can''t solve, use these communication talismans to notify me.¡± Shen Luo handed a stack of communication talismans to Qin Ming and then soared towards the back mountain. Knowing that those with high cultivation often need to seclude themselves, Qin Ming did not say much. He accepted the talismans and started to familiarize himself with Lin Hu. Chapter 1094 Chapter 1094: Chapter 1091: In Peace, Prepare for Danger Chapter 1094: Chapter 1091: In Peace, Prepare for Danger Shen Luo quickly arrived at the Cave Dwelling in the Back Mountain. Everything here was exactly the same as before, and the several prohibitions and traps he had set up before leaving were intact, showing no signs of having been touched. He sighed with relief, rested a bit inside the cave, and soon got up. There were still many tasks undone, and now was not the time to rest. Shen Luo took out a Yellow Talisman Paper with a flick of his hand. It was an Escape Earth Talisman, which, after activation, he used to escape down into the earth. He descended for several hundred feet before stopping. He then set up a Gathering Spirit Array underground and took out the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, placing it within the array. Influenced by the Gathering Spirit Array, the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror radiated rings of white Spiritual Light, seeping into the soil and the void. The tree on the back of the mirror bloomed with bright Spiritual Light, and its roots suddenly shot out from the mirror, sinking into the earth. Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from within a hundred li atmosphere began to flow slowly, converging towards the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Sensing the flow of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him, Shen Luo nodded silently, formed magic spells with his fingers to stimulate the mirror, and the radiance emanating from the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror grew increasingly intense. Some of the finer Spiritual Veins underneath Qinghua Mountain, influenced by the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, began to shift slowly towards it. Seeing this, Shen Luo stopped activating the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror and used the Escape Earth Talisman to move around beneath Qinghua Mountain, unblocking the Spiritual Veins in various places to better harness the capabilities of the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror. A day and night quickly passed. A huge halo of light had formed around the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, appearing like a spring eye, with Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the void continuously gathering. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi of the entire Qinghua Mountain was becoming richer and denser. ¡°It really has transformed into a spiritual spring; this Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror is indeed magical!¡± Shen Luo, though tired from exerting effort for a day and a night, wore a face filled more with joy than fatigue. Within the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, Qin Ming and Lin Hu were busy adjusting the structures and setting up prohibitions in important places but soon noticed the changes in the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. ¡°What''s going on? Could this have something to do with Junior Brother Shen?¡± Qin Ming said as he turned and looked towards the back mountain. ¡°I heard from Elder Chen that Elder Shen had obtained a Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, which has the effect of condensing Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. It might be this mirror displaying its godly power,¡± Lin Hu stated. ¡°I see,¡± Qin Ming realized, feeling increasingly grateful towards Shen Luo. Such dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was considerably beneficial to Understanding the Dao. Combined with the cultivation materials Shen Luo had given him, two of his disciples could soon attempt to break through. Underneath Qinghua Mountain, Shen Luo did not leave immediately after the spiritual spring formed by the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror had taken shape. He continued to stand guard nearby, maintaining the operation of the spiritual spring. After seven days and nights, the spiritual spring had completely stabilized, and only then did he begin to feel at ease. With the nourishment of this spiritual spring, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in this area of Qinghua Mountain should be able to rise by several levels, greatly benefiting the revival of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo then took out the Azure Bamboo Cloud Locking Array and arranged it around the spiritual spring. The Array unfolded, enveloping the entire Qinghua Mountain within it. This formation required a long time for the Spiritual Veins to nourish before it could slowly display its power; for now, there wasn''t much disturbance. After completing these tasks, he returned to the cave dwelling, utterly exhausted. Having slept deeply for a day and a night, he finally got up, full of vigor. Sitting cross-legged in the Secret Chamber, Shen Luo began to consider his next course of action. ¡°¡±¡± Although the world now seems to be at peace, with the threat of the disaster of demons eliminated, and an era of prosperity has dawned, after experiencing the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, Shen Luo felt a persistent sense of unease, for reasons unknown to him. The hatred and strife within the Secret Realm, the deceit and cunning among the various powers, especially in that final battle, the Demon Pearl that exuded the aura of Chiyou¡­ No matter what, only by continuously enhancing his own strength and cultivation level could he safely withdraw in the face of various crises and remain secure in the midst of danger. Now was naturally the best opportunity for cultivation. Of the utmost importance was certainly the continued intensive practice of the Nameless Cultivation Technique and the elevation of his realm. However, skills such as the Splashy Chaotic Stick and the Pure Yang Sword Technique could not be neglected, especially the Pure Yang Sword Technique. He flipped his hand and took out a crimson jade slip, which was the complete Pure Yang Scripture he had obtained from Chen Shi Yuan, detailing the full Pure Yang Sword Forms, all nine of them. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense entered the jade slip, scrutinizing the nine Sword Techniques, becoming more enthralled as he did so. The Pure Yang Burning Sword was only the first form, and its power was already astonishing. The subsequent forms were even more formidable; this set of Pure Yang Sword Forms was definitely no weaker than the Splashy Chaotic Stick. He flipped his hand and took out the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, activated the Pure Yang Sword Technique, and immediately bright crimson light soared from the Sword Embryo, bathing the entire Secret Chamber in a red hue. Shen Luo murmured incantations, his hands continuously forming signs, and the red light on the Sword Embryo grew more and more intense. ¡°Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword!¡± He halted his magic spell and pointed into the void at the Sword Embryo. The red light on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flashed, suddenly splitting into two identical crimson Sword Embryos with indistinguishable energy. The two Sword Shadows circled around Shen Luo''s body, intertwining as they flew, their piercing sword cries resonating, causing the air within the Secret Chamber to tremble as well. This was the second form of the Pure Yang Sword Technique, the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword, which as the name suggests, could split a Flying Sword into multiple shadows. Furthermore, unlike ordinary Sword Shadows, those created by the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword possessed almost the same power as the original. The more profound the practice of this form, the more Sword Shadows could be split off, and the greater their power. Two shadows meant double power, three shadows tripled it. According to the Pure Yang Scripture, there was no limit to the number of Sword Shadows that the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword could create, all dependent on the practitioner''s aptitude. Shen Luo continued to operate the Sword Technique, attempting to split into three Sword Shadows. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo hummed softly, its crimson light flickering as if it were about to separate further; regrettably, in the end, it was not successful. ¡°Although this set of Sword Forms is powerful, the difficulty in practicing them is also high, and now that I no longer can enter Dreamland to accumulate experience, with my current aptitude, perfecting the Pure Yang Nine Forms is likely not something achievable overnight,¡± he didn''t force it, flipping his hand to store the Pure Yang Sword Embryo in his Dantian for continued nurturing, and the Pure Yang Scripture was placed inside the Linlang Ring. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. Within the Linlang Ring, quietly lying next to the Pure Yang Scripture was a piece of black Armor¨Cthe ¡°Ink Descend Armor,¡± the reward given to him by the Demon Clan. He had been busy with other matters these past few days and hadn''t examined the Ink Descend Armor closely. Removing the armor, Shen Luo felt its icy cool touch. The Armor was not the usual hard type, but rather somewhat soft, and exceedingly smooth. He flicked it with his finger, sending a slash of red Sword Qi onto the Ink Descend Armor. A surge of black light passed over the armor, and the red Sword Qi, like Water Droplets on a lotus leaf, easily glided over it. ¡°This Ink Descend Armor seems somewhat similar to the Black Demon Armor I previously obtained on Mount Putuo,¡± murmured Shen Luo as he retrieved the Black Demon Armor. Over the years, this Devil Armor had been nurtured with Demonic Qi inside the Ghost Pearl, reducing many of its cracks. It seemed it wouldn''t be long before all the cracks disappeared. However, those cracks were merely superficial damage on the surface of the Black Demon Armor; the true damage lay deeper, and a complete recovery would not be easy. Just then, as the two pieces of Armor lay side by side, both suddenly radiated black light and emitted a piercing shriek, like the cry of ghosts in the night or the wailing of a baby, causing a tingling sensation on Shen Luo''s scalp. Chapter 1095 Chapter 1095: Chapter 1092: Possessed by Demons Chapter 1095: Chapter 1092: Possessed by Demons ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo was startled, and was about to try to suppress the unusual activity of the two pieces of Armor when the black light emanating from the surface of the Demon Armor he had obtained from Mount Putuo suddenly surged and, after twisting and deforming, began spinning rapidly, forming a black vortex about a dozen feet in size. Suddenly, an incredibly fierce and malevolent Demonic Qi burst forth from the Black Demon Armor, far surpassing the Ink Descend Armor, and rapidly spreading in all directions. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, but instead of proceeding as he raised his hand, he made a series of pinpointing motions towards the walls of the Secret Chamber. ¡°Whoosh¡± The prohibitions laid out within the Cave Mansion were all activated, and a bright Green Light surfaced on the walls of the Secret Chamber, blocking all fluctuations of Demonic Qi from escaping. The two pieces of Devil Armor suddenly became restless, he wanted to see what would actually happen. The Black Demon Armor slowly rose within the black vortex and then suddenly shot out, pouncing on the nearby Ink Descend Armor. There was a loud ¡°boom,¡± and the ground beneath the Ink Descend Armor was actually blasted open to form a Big Pit. The howling from the Black Demon Armor resumed, and its surface spikes shot out countless hair-thin Tendrils that, twisting wildly, viciously stabbed into the Ink Descend Armor. These bizarre Tendrils actually possessed the Divine Power of absorbing Demonic Qi, and the Demonic Qi within the Ink Descend Armor quickly leaked out, being swiftly absorbed by the Black Demon Armor. The Ink Descend Armor was also extremely sentient, seeming to sense some kind of danger; it immediately lit up with a surging devil light, desperately resisting the extraction of its Demonic Qi. However, in this clash, the Black Demon Armor was clearly superior. The Demonic Qi contained in the Ink Descend Armor was continuously drained, its devil light rapidly dimmed, and its originally bright Gloss was also gradually disappearing. Meanwhile, the cracks on the Black Demon Armor slowly writhed and healed quickly. Shen Luo watched the scene before him with some surprise, his gaze flickering incessantly. His arms, which had raised subconsciously, were eventually lowered again, without taking any action. A good while, the time it takes to eat a meal, had passed, and the Demonic Qi within the Ink Descend Armor was devoured completely. The intact Armor was now shattered into pieces, becoming as brittle as rotten wood; it was clearly utterly destroyed. In contrast, all of the cracks on the Black Demon Armor had disappeared, and it looked as good as new. The Armor was enveloped in a profound, substantial devil light. ¡°This Black Demon Armor is so sinister!¡± Shen Luo gasped, utterly shocked in his heart. He felt no regret over the destruction of the Ink Descend Armor; it was apparent that this unnamed Black Demon Armor was superior. The Devil Armor quietly lay on the Ground, its surface flickering through with waves of black light, the previously ferocious aura had significantly reduced. Shen Luo raised a hand and emitted a beam of Blue Light, wrapping the Black Demon Armor and drawing it into his hand, his Divine Sense probing the prohibitions within, his face brightening with joy. After absorbing all the vitality from the Ink Descend Armor, the broken prohibitions inside the Black Demon Armor had actually been repaired by nearly a half. And within the repaired prohibitions and runes, he also discovered the name of this battle Armor: Jiuli Devil Armor. ¡°Jiuli? I remember that''s a very distinguished surname of the Ancient Demon Clan, related to Chiyou somehow,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Just at that moment, there was a booming sound in both of his ears as if something inside him had ignited suddenly. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Red and black light flared in Shen Luo''s eyes as he emitted a terrifying murderous aura. This aura was so tangible that it formed a dense layer of black fog that roiled violently around his body. At this moment, Shen Luo''s eyes were blood red, and black murderous energy billowed around him, making him appear like a peerless evil deity. The prohibitions near the secret chamber trembled wildly under the oppression of this horrifying aura. Then, with a sizzling sound, cracks began to appear, as if they were about to collapse under the pressure of the aura. The fierce murderous spirit immediately leaked out through the cracks in the prohibitions and swept wildly in all directions, soon engulfing the entire Qinghua Mountain. In the front of the mountain, Qin Ming, Lin Hu, and the others suddenly felt darkness swoop over them. Their bodies felt like they were plummeting into an abyss. All their muscles quivered uncontrollably, and they all fell to the ground, unable to move even a finger. Overwhelming fear rose in their hearts! Inside the secret chamber, Shen Luo held his head with both hands, his face showing profound pain as waves of bloodthirsty and brutal desires surged in his mind, rapidly corroding his divine wisdom. ¡°What is happening¡­¡± He bit his tongue fiercely, struggling to suppress the bloodthirsty and homicidal thoughts with the last bit of his rationality and began to examine his body, his face showing a look of shock. His meridians were, for some unknown reason, radiating strange black and red demonic light, especially the Nine Magic Veins that had been opened with the murderous aura, where the demonic light was even more brilliant. Waves of black murderous aura continuously surged out from his meridians, wrapping around his body, making the black aura on the surface even denser. ¡°Have my meridians been invaded by demonic Qi? When did this happen? Could it be during the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference¡­¡± Shen Luo was initially stunned, then he recalled how he had been invaded by the Demonic Qi of the Demon Void Earth Dragon during the conference. Because he had not noticed any abnormalities afterward, he thought he was fine, but now it appeared he was gravely mistaken; the demonic Qi had already taken deep root in the deepest part of his meridians. Shen Luo desperately tried to suppress the urge to kill in his heart, but the bloodthirsty intent grew stronger and stronger. The black and red light in his eyes grew brighter, almost completely overwhelming his divine wisdom. ¡°No, I can''t be devoured¡­ here¡­¡± He clenched his teeth tightly, mobilizing the last bit of clarity to perform the Yimu Xian Escape Divine Technique. Mana circulated within his body, and a green light representing the Yimu Xuandun enveloped him, ready to flee. However, the black and red demonic light in his meridians seemed to be stimulated and immediately rushed forth, merging into his mana. The green light on Shen Luo''s body suddenly became several times brighter, like a small green sun, except within the green light there was a hint of strange black and red light. His entire being then entered the void, disappearing in a flash, but the last of his rationality was also crushed by the bloodthirsty thoughts, losing all consciousness. After an unknown period of time, Shen Luo slowly woke up. He was awoken by pain, as every bone in his body felt like it had been shattered and then reassembled, with all his muscles in excruciating pain, unable to move even a finger, as if countless needles were piercing through his meridians. Shen Luo immediately became alert. In the midst of his panic, he hurriedly checked his internal condition, his heart sinking. His physical body was severely damaged, with many injuries, especially multiple fractures in both arms and torn muscles. But all of this was nothing compared to the most troublesome issue ¨C his meridians. Almost all his meridians were congested, many in disarray. Restoring them as before would be a tremendous effort. Fortunately, the strange black and red demonic Qi in his meridians had receded, and the killing desire in his mind had also completely disappeared as if it had never existed. However, the wounds on his body and the deep-seated pain reminded him that what had happened was no dream. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1096 Chapter 1096: Chapter 1093: Unnecessary Hidden Danger Chapter 1096: Chapter 1093: Unnecessary Hidden Danger Shen Luo struggled to open his eyes and looked around. The first thing that caught his eye was a vast expanse of unfamiliar verdant mountain ranges, one towering peak connected to the next, covered with dense green forests, devoid of any sign of human habitation. At this moment, he was lying in a valley filled with devastation, the ground riddled with pits large and small, some so deep they were several dozen feet wide, still emitting black smoke. The mountain walls on both sides of the valley were the same, covered in cracks of all sizes, even one area where half of a mountain peak had collapsed, with countless fragments of stone tumbling into the valley to form a small mountain. ¡°What happened here? Could I have done this?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows, muttering to himself. He only remembered that in the last moments when the desire to kill nearly took over his mind, he used Yimu Xuandun to leave Qinghua Mountain, and after that, he remembered nothing. ¡°Right, the Qiankun Bag is still on me, the Ghost General should know what happened.¡± Shen Luo glanced at the Qiankun Bag on his waist, gathering his consciousness to communicate with the Ghost General. His body was severely injured, but his soul power was not too diminished. ¡°Master,¡± the weak voice of the Ghost General came from inside the Qiankun Bag. ¡°You''ve been hurt?¡± Shen Luo''s brows drew together. ¡°For some reason, Master, you suddenly erupted with terrifying Demonic Qi. Even with the Qiankun Bag as a barrier, I still got badly wounded,¡± said the Ghost General with a bitter smile. ¡°I see, I''m sorry for that. That was due to my loss of consciousness. Do you know what happened afterward, and where is this place?¡± Shen Luo asked, upon hearing this. ¡°I''m unaware of where this place is, only that after you arrived here using the Escape Technique, you began attacking wildly in the valley, as if¡­ as if you were battling invisible enemies without any regard for your own safety,¡± the Ghost General said softly, a deep fear in his tone. ¡°Did I really do that?¡± A heaviness settled in Shen Luo''s heart. However, these matters were inconsequential; the most urgent task was to heal. He took a deep breath, focusing his energy to mobilize the meager amount of mana remaining in the meridian closest to his Dantian. Given the state of his body now, he could hardly circulate mana. Consuming elixirs would likely be of no use either, since he couldn''t refine them, which meant he could only rely on others'' help or slowly heal himself. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But in this Wildness Mountain, who would come to assist? Now, the Ghost General was also severely injured, and his ghostly Qi couldn''t help Shen Luo heal. Shen Luo shook his head, closed his eyes, and sat cross-legged, beginning to circulate his skills on his own, straining to use the residual mana in his meridian to break through the blockages in his channels. But the mana within this meridian was so weak that it took him an entire day and night to barely clear the blockages and connect with two other meridians, absorbing the mana remaining within them. The amount of mana he could control had increased considerably. Knowing the severity of his injuries, Shen Luo did not grow impatient but lay there quietly, focusing on his healing. Half a month quickly passed by. A tenth of the blockages in his meridians had been cleared; though he still couldn''t smoothly circulate mana, he could move without issue. He found a secluded Mountain Cave in these mountains and continued to heal with his skills. By this time, the Ghost General had also regained some vitality, so Shen Luo released him to protect him during his healing process. Another month went by before Shen Luo was able to clear thirty percent of his meridians, barely able to circulate the Small Heavenly Cycle. Having waited too long for this day, he reached out for the Bodhi Fruit and swallowed it down. Once the fruit entered his belly, it quickly dissolved under its catalysis into streams of pure and warm currents that traveled throughout his body. The stagnated meridians were swept by these currents and astonishingly began to clear. After a day and night, Shen Luo, who had been sitting cross-legged without moving, suddenly trembled, spitting out several mouthfuls of dark bruised blood. His spirit, on the contrary, was greatly lifted, and his complexion improved a lot. When the warm current subsided, over ninety percent of the meridians in Shen Luo''s body had been unblocked, and the few remaining meridians were no longer a problem, soon to be completely penetrated. ¡°This Bodhi Fruit has such a miraculous effect on injuries to the meridians!¡± Shen Luo rejoiced inwardly and heaved a sigh of relief. He quickly gathered his mind and sat down cross-legged inside the cave, silently operating the Nameless Cultivation Technique to completely unblock the remaining few meridians, then continued to circulate his skills, starting to search for the Demonic Qi within his meridians. No matter how he searched, he couldn''t find any trace of Demonic Qi. He then used the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to search, but still came up with nothing. With his previous experience, Shen Luo didn''t believe that the Demonic Qi had vanished; it was most likely lurking again, just like before. At this thought, and recalling the uncontrolled incident earlier, he became irritable, his eyebrows nearly entwined. Although that Demon Void Earth Dragon was formidable, its Demonic Qi shouldn''t have invaded his meridians to such an extent. Some time passed before Shen Luo finally relaxed his brows. Now, considering why his meridians were invaded by the Demonic Qi was useless; the key was finding a solution. Otherwise, with this hidden danger, he would likely have no peace in the future. After pondering for a moment, he closed his eyes and circulated his skills again, but this time he was using the Huangting Technique. The Huangting Technique, the Sect''s Treasure of Mount Fangcun, has a certain effect in driving away evil and breaking demons, and it might be able to force out the Demonic Qi in his body. A brilliant Golden Light emerged, quickly enveloping his body, and two Golden Dragons and two Golden Elephants also appeared, circling and dancing in the air. Shen Luo operated the Huangting Technique, with the Golden Light roaming and probing all over his body, but still he felt no trace of Demonic Qi. ¡°The Huangting Technique doesn''t work either¡­¡± His mind raced, and suddenly he thought of something. He flipped his hand and took out an item, which was none other than the Slayer''s Broken Sword. This sword contained immensely powerful Pure Yang Power specifically meant to counteract Demonic Qi, evident even from the name ¡°Slayer''s Broken Sword.¡± Past battles had already demonstrated this point. Shen Luo gripped the Broken Sword, revolving the Pure Yang Sword Technique. Instantly, a vast Golden Light gleamed on the Slayer''s Broken Sword, turning the surrounding cave into a world of gold, with surges of Pure Yang Power flowing within the Golden Light. Shen Luo urged the Slayer''s Broken Sword, channeling this Pure Yang Power into his body. His entire body immediately felt hot, as if he were in a furnace, quite uncomfortable. Fortunately, his cultivation level was profound, and his body was tough; naturally, he could withstand such pain, and he soon stabilized his mind to drive the Pure Yang Power of the Slayer''s Broken Sword around his body in search of the Demonic Qi within his meridians. Time ticked away, and Shen Luo''s expression gradually grew somber. A moment later, his fingers moved swiftly, and the radiance of the Broken Sword dissipated quickly, disappearing completely within a few breaths. This attempt to probe with the Slayer''s Broken Sword also yielded nothing; it seemed as if the Demonic Qi had truly vanished, without a single trace to be found. Shen Luo had tried all the methods he could think of, and now he was at a loss. ¡°The reason those Demonic Qi bursts occurred earlier seemed to be because of that Jiuli Devil Armor; using that item should be able to draw them out!¡± he suddenly slapped his thigh and stood up. Chapter 1097 Chapter 1097: Chapter 1094: Hidden Injury Chapter 1097: Chapter 1094: Hidden Injury Shen Luo thought about this and summoned the Ghost General guarding not far away, flipping his hand to sacrifice the Pure Yang Sword Embryo before soaring into the sky. He circled the area and discovered a small city outside the mountain range. After probing with his Divine Sense, he soon determined that this place was a small city within Chizhou and that this mountain range was the Five Consecutive Mountain Range of Chizhou. ¡°Chizhou! I only used the Yimu Xuandun once before being controlled by demonic thoughts, but I actually managed to travel so far!¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, shocked in his heart. Although Dengzhou and Chizhou are adjacent, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion is at least four to five hundred li away from this Five Consecutive Mountain Range. Even though his Yimu Xuandun had reached a high level of mastery, it wouldn''t cover such a distance even with ten successive uses. ¡°Master, when you previously used the Yimu Xuandun, the Demonic Qi infused into the Yi Wood Escape Light, causing a sudden surge. It''s probably for this reason that you were able to travel to this distant place,¡± the voice of the Ghost General sounded. Shen Luo was startled by this, and after a moment of contemplation, he quickly pieced together some possibilities from the somewhat blurry fragments of his memories, combined with the previous state of his body. Indeed, it was likely as the Ghost General had said. ¡°Could it be that Demonic Qi can also amplify the power of the God''s Powers I deploy? That would mean there''s some use to demonic qi after all,¡± Shen Luo pondered in secret, but immediately shook his head, dismissing the idea. No matter the benefits of this Demonic Qi, it belonged to crooked paths and heretical practices. Just the first outbreak had almost caused a catastrophe. It would be best to detect its traces as soon as possible and find a way to purge it. Without further hesitation, Shen Luo spurred the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, transforming into a streak of red light and flying towards Qinghua Mountain. In no time, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion came into view. More than a month had passed, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi of Qinghua Mountain had thickened significantly and was still increasing. Shen Luo nodded slightly and quietly returned to his Cave Mansion without alarming anyone. On the ground of the Secret Chamber, the Jiuli Devil Armor was still lying quietly there. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, bending over to pick up the armor, but then he seemed to think of something, stopped his action, and with a raise of his hand, a blue light wrapped around the Devil Armor, moving it to one side. In the shattered prohibitions surrounding the Secret Chamber, two Communication Talismans buzzed around inside like headless flies. With a wave of his sleeve, Shen Luo sent out a blue light, gathering the two Communication Talismans towards him. Upon probing with his Divine Sense, he found that one was from Qin Ming, asking about the sudden onset of the evil aura before, and the other was from Qin Ming, querying about his own situation as he had not heard back for a long time. After pondering for a moment, he communicated through Divine Sense with Qin Ming at the front mountain, ¡°I was activating an evil path magical treasure just now. There''s no issue, don''t worry.¡± Regarding the event of being possessed by Demonic Qi, Shen Luo did not want to tell anyone. Although the Demon Clan had reappeared in the Three Realms, they were, after all, an alien race, wary of by many Cultivation Sects. If others knew he was tainted with Demonic Qi, it would definitely not be a good thing. Inside a Secret Chamber at the front mountain, Qin Ming was attempting a breakthrough to the Grain Avoidance Stage when he suddenly heard Shen Luo''s voice in his mind. The worry that had gripped him these days finally subsided. ¡°As long as you are all right, that''s good.¡± ¡°I can''t always rely on Junior Brother Shen. I also need to increase my cultivation level as soon as possible and then recruit more disciples to restore the former glory of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Qin Ming immediately resolved to himself, continuing to meditate with eyes closed, aiming to break through the bottleneck of the Grain Avoidance Stage. In the Cave Dwelling in the back mountain, Shen Luo first repaired the damaged prohibitions and then set up two more, even taking out the Liangyi Micro-dust Array and arranging it outside the Cave Mansion. Only after taking every possible defense did he take the Jiuli Devil Armor into the Secret Chamber. Shen Luo did not immediately attempt to use the Devil Armor to draw out the Demonic Qi within his body but instead sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began healing his injuries with cultivation. The meridians that had been blocked were now cleared, but as he returned on his sword flight, he faintly sensed his body was somewhat heavy, obviously the aftereffects of the previous Demonic Qi explosion had not been entirely eliminated. He formed hand seals and activated his mana to turn it into strands of blue mist, which circulated throughout his body, leaving no inch untouched. Indeed, he discovered quite a few hidden injuries. Identifying the problem made it much easier to deal with. Shen Luo took healing pills, and with the Nameless Cultivation Technique and the Great Unsealing Technique, he quickly cured all the hidden injuries. He continued to operate the Nameless Cultivation Technique, with streams of blue light flowing around his body, but the feeling of heaviness remained significantly. ¡°The hidden injuries have clearly been healed, so why does my body still feel abnormal?¡± Shen Luo had a vague guess in his mind, closed his eyes again, and activated the Mysterious Technique Divine Wood Grace taught to him by Yuan Tiangang, with wisps of green light emerging from his body. Soon, he opened his eyes, his expression as dark as water. His guess was correct, the previously purified and pure vitality was now tainted with quite a bit of black and red malevolent Qi, obviously due to the Demonic Qi invasion. However, these strands of black and red malevolent Qi did not affect the operation of his vitality, which is why he hadn''t noticed them before. But with his vitality like this, it definitely wouldn''t be good. ¡°Divine Wood Grace has the effect of purifying one''s vital essence. Let''s see if it can refine away those malevolent auras,¡± Shen Luo closed his eyes once more and activated the Divine Wood Grace. Wisps of Wood Ether Aura from all directions converged towards him, causing the green light on his body to become more and more intense, slowly radiating a profound jade green glow from inside out. ¡°Duot!¡± Shen Luo let out a light shout, a breath of turbid air expelled from his mouth. His vital essence ignited a bunch of green flames, enveloping those strands of black and red malevolent Qi. This was not about burning his vital essence but rather pushing the refining effect of the Divine Wood Grace to its maximum to form a refining flame. Under the burning of the green flames, the malevolent Qi within his vital essence actually began to reduce slowly. After an indeterminate amount of time, Shen Luo stopped his practice, and the green light on his body gradually faded away. He opened his eyes, fell silent for a long time, and let out a sigh. The black and red malevolent Qi in his vital essence had been mostly expelled by him, but a stubborn strand of black and red light remained, impossible to eliminate no matter how he operated the Divine Wood Grace. Fortunately, after expelling most of the malevolent Qi, Shen Luo''s body had returned to its original state, no longer feeling that heaviness. However, that single strand of black and red malevolent Qi was still like a thorn in his throat, discomforting. ¡°The only thing to do now is to raise my cultivation level as much as possible, strengthen my spirit, and prevent the Demonic Qi from erupting again,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a long time, unable to find a solution, so he decided to proceed with this plan for the time being. Having found evidence of the Demonic Qi Invasion, he no longer needed to try to provoke the Demonic Qi with the Jiuli Devil Armor. With this thought, he took out the Slayer''s Broken Sword and stored it in his Dantian. This treasure possessed the power to suppress evil and break demons, so it was best kept in the Dantian, should the Demonic Qi erupt again in the future, activating this treasure might suppress it a bit. After doing all this, Shen Luo''s mood finally began to stabilize a bit. Chapter 1098 Chapter 1098: Chapter 1095: Meeting the National Master Chapter 1098: Chapter 1095: Meeting the National Master Shen Luo had calmed down at this moment, reflecting on everything that had happened before, and he vaguely understood that the contamination of his body by Demonic Qi was probably due to the Demon Core of the Demon Void Earth Dragon, which contained Chiyou''s Demonic Qi. ¡°Wasn''t it said that The disaster of demons has been eliminated? How does the Chiyou Demonic Qi still exist in the world? Could there be some hidden truths?¡± Shen Luo thought with a grave expression. ¡°Wait a second! The last time I battled Chiyou in Dreamland, after returning to reality, the world suddenly changed tremendously. It''s hard to say that it''s unrelated to the battle in Dreamland. If I could repair the jade pillow and confirm the ultimate outcome of the Dreamland battle, perhaps I could make some judgments.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, took out the fractured jade pillow, and gently stroked it with his hand. ¡°Previously, I found that jade plate, which might help in repairing the jade pillow. I wonder how the Mirror Fiend''s inquiry with the Artifact Refiner from Luo Star City turned out?¡± As soon as Shen Luo thought of this, he formed the symbols for Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, creating the Spirit Communicating Water Hole to summon the Mirror Fiend. A strong Demon Qi surged out from Inside the cave of the Spirit Communicating Water Hole, and the figure of the Mirror Fiend emerged, emitting the profound breath of the Mahayana Middle Stage. ¡°Master,¡± said the Mirror Fiend, giving Shen Luo a bow. ¡°Mirror Fiend, the last time I asked you to inquire about the content of that jade plate in Luo Star City, have you already helped me with the inquiry?¡± Shen Luo didn''t beat around the bush and went straight to the point. ¡°Reporting to Master, I have already disguised myself and entered the city to inquire from that Luo San. However, Luo San also doesn''t know the content of the jade plate, only suggesting that it might be Artifact Refining from Ancient Times,¡± said the Mirror Fiend, taking out the jade plate and handing it back. ¡°Artifact Refining from Ancient Times? As expected,¡± Shen Luo received the jade plate, nodded slightly, a trace of contemplation flashing across his face. He wondered if the Artifact Refining technique had anything to do with the jade pillow. The prohibitions contained inside the jade pillow were extremely mysterious, actually connecting the future through Dreamland, making one experience it as if in person. The incidents experienced were not merely dreams, as they were intricately linked with reality. In his continuous travels between the present world and the future, he consulted numerous classics and was widely knowledgeable, but he had never seen any place or person record any information about this jade pillow. Such an unfathomable and unknown treasure was even comparable to the Heavenly Book; the difficulty of repairing it was imaginable. In short, with his own abilities, it was simply impossible; he had to seek assistance from others. Among the many powerful figures he knew, Cheng Yaojin, the Black Bear Demon, and Fairy Qinglian all seemed not to excel in Artifact Refining. Only the Great Tang State Master Yuan Tiangang was mysterious and unfathomable, and he still couldn''t see through him. He wondered whether this person had any skills in Artifact Refining? ¡°I''ll pay a visit to Master Yuan. At the same time, I can also ask him about methods to expel the Demonic Qi.¡± Shen Luo didn''t think too long and quickly made up his mind. ¡°Mirror Fiend, your Cultivation Realm has improved again. Do you have any pressing matters to handle next?¡± Shen Luo had made up his mind and looked up at the Mirror Fiend to ask: ¡°No,¡± the Mirror Fiend was startled, then shook their head. ¡°That''s good then. I will be leaving the Sect for a period of time, and I would like you to stay here inside this Cave Mansion and guard the Spring and Autumn Pavilion for me. This place is rich in Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, which you can use to stabilize your realm,¡± Shen Luo said, nodding. The strength of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion was too weak, the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror was invaluable, and the Azure Bamboo Cloud Locking Array would need two to three years of growth to exhibit its power. He really couldn''t rest easy leaving at this moment. ¡°Yes,¡± although the Mirror Fiend preferred to stay in the Eastern Sea, they did not refuse. ¡°I won''t let you work in vain; these things are your compensation.¡± Shen Luo took out two jade slips and several bottles of Elixir. The jade slips recorded two exquisite water-type Techniques and some water-type spells, and the Elixirs were also well-suited for the Mirror Fiend. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± The Mirror Fiend briefly inspected the jade slips and Elixirs, expressed their surprise and gratitude, and any slight reluctance in their heart disappeared. Shen Luo then gave the Mirror Fiend some more instructions about guarding the Spring and Autumn Pavilion as well as the key points of the Underground Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, handed her several Escape Earth Talismans, and only then did he leave the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and head towards Chang''an City. With his speed, he arrived in Chang''an very quickly. Shen Luo had only met Yuan Tiangang a few times and wasn''t well acquainted with him, so it would be inappropriate for him to visit without an introduction. Therefore, he went to the Great Tang Dynasty Government first to ask Duke Cheng to make the introduction. Cheng Yaojin was handling affairs at the Great Tang Dynasty Government and was quite surprised to see Shen Luo visit so soon again. Still, he didn''t say much, asked Shen Luo to wait in the side hall of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, and immediately sent someone to invite Yuan Tiangang. Sitting quietly in the side hall, Shen Luo pondered what terms to propose in exchange for Yuan Tiangang''s assistance. ¡°Hehe, Friend Shen, it''s been many years since we last met,¡± a voice suddenly rang out. Shen Luo swiftly stood up and looked towards the hall outside. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The figure of Yuan Tiangang appeared outside the hall at some unknown time. His appearance was the same as always, unchanged, and he came in with a smile. Shen Luo''s heart grew tense. He was no longer the former Ahmon. His cultivation had reached the Mahayana Middle Stage, and he was considered a master in the Human World''s cultivation community, yet he had not sensed when Yuan Tiangang arrived. ¡°Master Yuan, I have come to seek your assistance with a matter. However, as I cannot conveniently enter the palace to meet you, I had to ask you to come here. Please forgive my impertinence,¡± he said, standing up and giving a bow. ¡°It''s all right, tell me what''s the matter¡­ Eh! Your body is tainted with Demonic Qi!¡± Yuan Tiangang waved his hand, took a seat beside Shen Luo, and suddenly spoke with a concentrated gaze. ¡°Master Yuan''s perception is sharp as lightning. Indeed, my meridians have been tainted with Demonic Qi,¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile, secretly admiring Yuan Tiangang''s eyesight. Yuan Tiangang didn''t speak. With a wave of his whisk, several beams of silver light shot out, penetrating Shen Luo''s body without much pain. Shen Luo''s brows twitched, but he remained still, allowing Yuan Tiangang''s actions. Several beams of silver light penetrated his meridians, and a strange power flowed out of the silver light, circulating within his meridians. Suddenly feeling a burning heat in his meridians, wisps of black and red Demonic Qi emerged and rapidly swelled. The Demonic Qi was erupting again! ¡°No good!¡± Alarmed, Shen Luo immediately began to circulate the Pure Yang Sword Technique, driving the Slayer''s Broken Sword within his Dantian. The Slayer''s Broken Sword burst forth with a swath of golden light, and a power as intense as the sun''s Pure Yang Power surged out, flowing rapidly throughout his entire body. The rapidly swelling Demonic Qi collided with the Pure Yang Power as they encountered each other like fire and water, fiercely battling without yielding. Shen Luo''s body trembled violently, as the two powers turned his meridians into a battlefield, fighting incessantly. His meridians felt as if they were about to split apart in agony. If it weren''t for the fact that he had already practiced two layers of the Huangting Technique, which had fortified his meridians considerably, making them very tough, he would probably have been unable to withstand the onslaught and would have shattered. Dark lights flickered on Shen Luo''s body, and a deep malevolent energy spread out. Perhaps due to the Pure Yang Power resisting the Demonic Qi this time, the oppressive force of the malevolent energy was far less intense than before. A white light suddenly appeared, forming a white light curtain inside the hall. The massive malevolent energy crashed against the curtain, which trembled for a moment before returning to normal, thanks to Yuan Tiangang''s intervention. He watched Shen Luo, his brow deeply furrowed. This Demonic Qi was erupting from within Shen Luo''s body, and even though he wanted to help, he was at a loss for what to do. Chapter 1099 Chapter 1099: Chapter 1096: Dream Stone and Time Divine Ability Chapter 1099: Chapter 1096: Dream Stone and Time Divine Ability Shen Luo clenched his teeth tightly, enduring the pain in his body, he continued to drive the Slayer''s Broken Sword, which suddenly became an incomparably pure gold color, too intense for the naked eye to behold. A more tremendous Pure Yang Power surged out, scorching his meridians and causing sharp pains. Only when the two streams of Pure Yang Power merged together did they gradually suppress the burst of Demonic Qi. By the time he fully recovered, half an hour had passed. Although Shen Luo wasn''t injured this time, he was drenched in sweat, his body nearly spent. When he opened his eyes, he was met with Yuan Tiangang''s concerned gaze. ¡°Friend Shen, are you alright?¡± Yuan Tiangang waved his whisk, and a gentle flash of white light vanished as quickly as it appeared, entering Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo felt a vast warm current pour into his body, instantly flowing through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, dispelling all stasis and alleviating soreness as if his body had not undergone the fierce battle just now. Moreover, his meridians seemed to have become slightly more resilient. ¡°I''m already feeling much better now. Due to my circumstances, I''ve made Master Yuan go to the trouble,¡± said Shen Luo, deeply moved, as he stood up and gave thanks with a clasped-hands salute. The white light that had passed contained the power of elixir, obviously the transformation of an Elixir. This Elixir could instantly restore his strength and fortify his meridians, undoubtedly no ordinary treasure. ¡°It''s because of me that the Demonic Qi burst forth in your body, so this is what I ought to do,¡± Yuan Tiangang shook his head. ¡°However, back to the matter at hand, why is your body contaminated with Demonic Qi?¡± he immediately changed the subject, eyes fixed on Shen Luo. ¡°The Demonic Qi within me most likely invaded during the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference,¡± Shen Luo said gravely. ¡°The Three Realms Martial Arts Conference? How could that be!¡± Yuan Tiangang furrowed his brows upon hearing this. ¡°That''s just my guess. During the Martial Assembly that day¡­¡± Shen Luo did not hide anything and recounted the battle with the Demon Void Earth Dragon and Li Zhu, as well as the reemergence of Chiyou''s Demonic Qi. ¡°Chiyou''s Demonic Qi? If such Demonic Qi has appeared, it is indeed possible that it could contaminate your meridians. It''s unexpected that though this demon has been sealed, his Demonic Qi still possesses such power,¡± Yuan Tiangang slowly nodded. ¡°Master Yuan, is Chiyou truly sealed?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking at Yuan Tiangang. ¡°This matter was accomplished by the combined efforts of the powers of the Three Realms; there''s definitely no mistake,¡± Yuan Tiangang said with conviction. Seeing Yuan Tiangang so certain, Shen Luo''s anxious heart finally settled down somewhat. ¡°If Chiyou is indeed sealed, then why can his Demonic Qi still leak out? The demon is vastly powerful in his magic; could this be another one of his plots to break free?¡± Shen Luo immediately added. ¡°The current seal on Chiyou differs from the past; he absolutely cannot escape. The Demonic Qi of Chiyou within the Demon Core of the Demon Void Earth Dragon is likely a remnant from the past. You needn''t worry too much about it,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, waving his hand dismissively. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo nodded noncommittally. ¡°Friend Shen, have you come to seek a method to expel the Demonic Qi?¡± Yuan Tiangang then inquired. ¡°Indeed, I wonder if Master Yuan has any good strategies? As long as the Demonic Qi within me can be expelled, should you have any commands in the future, Junior will surely carry them out with all my might,¡± Shen Luo said solemnly. He had just covertly circulated the Divine Wood Grace and checked the status of his life force; although the Demonic Qi had not fully erupted this time, the malevolent dark red energy within his life force had increased somewhat. Shen Luo had a premonition that if his life force were to be too contaminated by the malevolent energy, his fate would surely be dire, so he must expel the Demonic Qi from his body as soon as possible! ¡°I''m afraid I must disappoint you, Friend Shen. The Skills I have learned are not suited for expelling Demonic Qi, and I have no suitable treasures on hand that can help with this matter,¡± Yuan Tiangang regretfully shook his head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart sank. With Yuan Tiangang''s unfathomable cultivation and the entire Great Tang Dynasty backing him, he had no solution; could the Demonic Qi inside his body truly be so difficult to eradicate? ¡°Friend Shen need not be pessimistic. I see that your Cultivation level has reached the Mahayana Middle Stage. Just push a bit further and, upon breaking through to the True Immortal Stage, there will be an opportunity to rid your body of the Demonic Qi,¡± Yuan Tiangang added right after. ¡°What opportunity? Master, are you perhaps referring to the Sky Thunder Body Refining that occurs when advancing to the True Immortal Stage?¡± Shen Luo was startled, then quickly caught on. ¡°Friend Shen is aware of the process of advancing to the True Immortal Stage as well? Indeed, it is the Sky Thunder Body Refining. The Heavenly Thunder that is aroused when advancing to the True Immortal Stage is of the utmost yang and rigidity, the nemesis of Demonic Qi. Using such thunder to refine the body will certainly expel the Demonic Qi from your body,¡± Yuan Tiangang said with slight surprise, before continuing. ¡°So that''s how it is, thank you, Master, for showing me the way,¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and expressed his deep gratitude. Although his cultivation level had only just entered the Mahayana Middle Stage, with sufficient cultivation resources, advancing to the True Immortal Stage should not present too much of an obstacle. ¡°I see that the Demonic Qi has begun to contaminate your life force. Fortunately, you have already mastered the Divine Wood Grace, and your body contains a treasure that restrains Demonic Qi. With the aid of these two, you should be able to hold on until you advance to the True Immortal Stage,¡± Yuan Tiangang observed Shen Luo for a moment and added. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo nodded and responded. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Today, His Majesty still has to discuss court politics with me. Friend Shen, if you have no further matters, I shall take my leave first,¡± Yuan Tiangang stood up and said. ¡°Please wait, Master, there is another matter I wish to consult with you on, if I may detain you for just a moment longer,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly said. ¡°Oh, what matter? Speak freely, Friend Shen,¡± Yuan Tiangang looked over. ¡°It is one of my Magical Treasures that has unfortunately shattered. This item is of great importance to me. Master Yuan, with your vast cultivation and broad knowledge, do you know of a way to repair it?¡± Shen Luo took out the broken jade pillow and said. He also took out the jade plate that appeared to contain writings on ancient Artifacts Refining techniques and placed it beside the jade pillow. Yuan Tiangang gave the jade plate a glance, then moved his gaze away, seemingly unacquainted with the Artifacts Refining scripts on it. He looked at the broken jade pillow for a moment and soon let out a light sound of surprise. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo felt a slight stir in his heart. Could it be that Yuan Tiangang had recognized the extraordinary nature of the jade pillow and possibly had a way to fix it? Yuan Tiangang approached the jade pillow, waved his whisk again, and a white light shot out, enveloping the jade pillow, flickering gently, as if probing the conditions of the jade pillow. A moment later, he drew back his whisk, and the white light surrounding the jade pillow dispersed. ¡°What a wondrous Magical Treasure, with mysterious prohibitions inside that I have never seen before. However, the feeling of this prohibition seems to be¡­¡± Yuan Tiangang muttered to himself, but it was a while before he showed any reaction. ¡°Master, do you have a way to repair it?¡± Shen Luo waited a while and, seeing that Yuan Tiangang had not spoken, could not help but ask. ¡°I recognize the material of this jade pillow. It''s called Dream Stone, a unique object between Heaven and Earth, which disappeared in ancient times. It is said to have the ability to pull people into Dreamland. However, I do not recognize the prohibition inside of it; it seems to be related to the Time Divine Ability,¡± Yuan Tiangang finally came back to his senses and said. Chapter 1100 Chapter 1100: Chapter 1097: A Meeting of Wind and Cloud at Wuzhuang View Chapter 1100: Chapter 1097: A Meeting of Wind and Cloud at Wuzhuang View ¡°` ¡°Dream Stone, Time Divine Ability¡­¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered as a tidal wave of emotions surged within him. Master Yuan''s words were not the slightest bit off; the divine ability of this jade pillow indeed pertained to Dreamland and the Time Divine Ability. ¡°I am merely adept at divination and fortune-telling. People exaggerate and always think I''m capable of anything. I''m afraid I might disappoint you, Young Friend, as I am powerless in relation to this treasure,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, shaking his head. ¡°Master Yuan is too modest. I''m only asking about this item out of curiosity. Thank you for your trouble,¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly but quickly returned to his usual expression, saying with a smile. ¡°Although I can''t repair it, when I examined the jade pillow just now, I also cast a divination and glimpsed an opportunity to repair it,¡± Yuan Tiangang suddenly changed the subject, smiling. ¡°Please impart your guidance, Master!¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath, bowed with clasped hands, and said. ¡°The hexagram isn''t clear, but according to it, you should gain something from a visit to the Wuzhuang Temple,¡± Yuan Tiangang said. ¡°Wuzhuang Temple!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered as he inwardly cursed himself for his oversight. ¡°Yes, how could I forget that old fellow Zhenyuanzi? With the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace in his possession, he was able to repair both the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers in the Dream World. It shouldn''t be difficult for him to repair the jade pillow.¡± Now the only trouble was that in this real world, he was unacquainted with Zhenyuanzi. However, based on what he knew of Zhenyuanzi''s temperament, a sincere visit might well have a chance of success. ¡°Thank you for the guidance, Master. I understand,¡± Shen Luo thanked him again. ¡°I have no acquaintance with Zhenyuanzi. How you might persuade him to repair this jade pillow treasure is up to you,¡± Yuan Tiangang said. ¡°Yes, Master. Your repeated advice has been engraved in my heart. I shall find a way to repay you in the future,¡± said Shen Luo earnestly. ¡°It''s a trivial matter. You need not dwell on it,¡± Yuan Tiangang chuckled indifferently, then with a flicker of his figure, he disappeared. Immediately, Shen Luo stored away the jade pillow. After sitting quietly in the side hall for a while, he bid farewell to Cheng Yaojin and then summoned a flying boat headed for the Wuzhuang Temple. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had the Ghost General steer the flying boat while he sat inside, flipping his hand to take out the complete version of the Pure Yang Scripture. Besides the Pure Yang Sword Technique and Pure Yang Sword Forms recorded in it, there was also a treasure refinement method that could enhance the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to the level of Magical Treasures. After years of nurturing, the power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had caught up with ordinary Magical Treasures. However, the previous Pure Yang Scripture only contained methods for refining and nurturing the Sword Embryo, with no record on how to advance it to a Magical Treasure. Thus, the power of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo remained limited. Originally, Shen Luo was not in a hurry to advance the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. However, now that his body was invaded by Demonic Qi, he needed Pure Yang Power to protect himself. Relying solely on the Slayer''s Broken Sword might not be foolproof. If he could promote the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to a Magical Treasure, he would be even more confident in suppressing the Demonic Qi within him. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense entered the jade slip, carefully examining the treasure refinement method. His expression became cloudy with uncertainty. ¡°To advance it this way¡­¡± The method to refine the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was unique in itself. The advancement method was also unlike those of ordinary Magical Treasures, requiring the utilization of the Sword Embryo''s own Pure Yang Qi to slowly polish and refine it into Pure Yang Prohibition, similar to sword sharpening, consuming a great deal of time. ¡°Forget it, if it takes time, then let it take time. With the Slayer''s Broken Sword, I should be sufficient to suppress the Demonic Qi inside me,¡± Shen Luo''s expression quickly regained calmness. He raised his hand to apply a Prohibition around the flying boat, summoned the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and began the refining incantation. Golden light billowed from the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and as he continued with the incantation, it gradually transformed into golden seals that melded into the interior of the Sword Embryo. ¡°` The refinement method for the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was extremely complex, which was one of the reasons why ascending to a Magical Treasure took a long time. However, as Shen Luo''s cultivation level reached the Heavenly Venerate Realm within Dreamland, such a refinement method was a mere trifle to him. His hands moved rapidly, and more and more golden seals took shape, merging into the Sword Embryo like countless raindrops. The Pure Yang Power contained within the Pure Yang Sword Embryo began to refine continuously, forming prohibitions that seemed both hidden and visible. The golden light of the Sword Embryo grew increasingly solid, and its aura slowly became stronger, although the rate of improvement was too slow. According to the records on the jade slip, condensing each layer of Pure Yang Prohibition would require at least a year. To refine seventeen layers, it would take at least twenty years. Shen Luo did not mind and continued with the hand seals and the refinement process. Wuzhuang View is located in the West Niu Hezhou Continent. That year, when Shen Luo and Chan''er journeyed westward together, they had passed by its vicinity and knew its exact location. Several days later, traveling day and night, he arrived near Wuzhuang View. Outside Wuzhuang View, there was a wide pond with long tree shadows, and moss-grown cracks in the rocks. Inside, the palace halls were towering with layers upon layers stretching into the sky, as if tinted with dawn clouds. It was truly a blessed land of a sacred mountain, no less splendid than Mount Putuo. On the left side of the Mountain Gate stood a Stone Stele, with ten big characters inscribed: ¡°Mount Wanshou Blessed Land, Wuzhuang Temple Cave Heaven.¡± Next to the Stone Stele was an extremely long staircase leading upward to the Mountain Gate. Shen Luo did not land directly in front of Wuzhuang View but descended five miles away from the Mountain Gate and walked the rest of the way to show respect. Just at this moment, three streaks of Escape Light flew over his head, heading straight for Wuzhuang View. Although the Escape Light was swift, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense was powerful. He scanned and identified that the cultivators were three monks dressed in gray robes, clearly not disciples of Wuzhuang View. The three monks were not weak in cultivation; all of them were Mahayana cultivators. The three of them landed directly at the Wuzhuang View''s Mountain Gate and quickly entered. ¡°Judging from their attire, those three seem to be cultivators from the Western Region Tian Shan Sect,¡± Shen Luo concluded from their clothing. Following that, a roaring sound filled the sky, and two more streaks of Escape Light flew in, landing outside Wuzhuang View and revealing two figures in black robes, who also did not appear to be disciples of Wuzhuang View. ¡°Why are so many cultivators from other sects coming to Wuzhuang View?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a hint of confusion as he quickened his pace and soon arrived at the outskirts of Wuzhuang View. At this moment, another great streak of Escape Light approached from afar, reaching the vicinity in the blink of an eye and revealing the figure of a Red Robed Monk. Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly. This person was actually a True Immortal Cultivator, holding a Golden Alms Bowl in one hand and a Green Staff in the other, both radiating brilliant Spiritual Light and clearly of a high grade. The Red Robed Monk nodded slightly to Shen Luo and descended towards the lower Wuzhuang View. He handed a Cyan Invitation to a Daoist Child guarding the gate and quickly entered through the Mountain Gate. ¡°An invitation? Could it be that there''s a celebration being held inside the View?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. He was about to descend when his figure suddenly stopped, and he turned to look behind him. He saw a blue rainbow emerging at the edge of the sky, with clouds churning around it. Wherever it passed, Dark Clouds gathered densely, and thunder rolled threateningly. The blue rainbow arrived nearby within a few breaths, revealing a Golden Armor Youth. It was Shen Luo''s Old Acquaintance from the East Sea Dragon Palace, Ao Hong. Chapter 1101 Chapter 1101: Chapter 1098 Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast and the Ginseng Fruit Chapter 1101: Chapter 1098 Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast and the Ginseng Fruit ¡°Brother Ao Hong, long time no see,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, greeting the youth in golden armor. Ao Hong''s face was heavy, and his brows were slightly furrowed until Shen Luo spoke and he noticed the other person. ¡°You are Daoist Friend Shen? It''s been a long time,¡± Ao Hong sized up Shen Luo, finally recognizing him and smiling. ¡°Yes, I didn''t expect to meet Brother Ao Hong here. You''ve made quick progress in your cultivation, already reaching the True Immortal Stage. Congratulations,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Hong did not show joy at Shen Luo''s words, but instead gave a wry smile. ¡°Why has Daoist Friend Shen come to Wuzhuang View? Could it be that you''re also here for the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast?¡± Ao Hong changed the subject and asked. ¡°Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast¡­Is Wuzhuang View hosting such a grand event? I''m not here to attend the feast. I have other important business and wish to seek an audience with Elder Zhenyuanzi,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes shone slightly. He had been worrying about how to meet Zhenyuanzi all the way here, but it seemed easier now that Wuzhuang View was hosting a grand event. ¡°Oh, Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi usually contemplates the Heavenly Dao within Wuzhuang View and seldom meets guests. Brother Shen, it may be difficult for you to see him,¡± Ao Hong said, his face showing surprise. ¡°Isn''t Wuzhuang View about to hold the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast? Wouldn''t Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi come out for the conference?¡± Shen Luo asked anxiously. ¡°The Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast is not organized by Great Immortal Zhenyuanzi himself, but by others within Wuzhuang View. He never makes an appearance,¡± Ao Hong explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo said, feeling disappointed and silently pondering another way to seek an audience with Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Anyway, let''s head inside first,¡± Ao Hong suggested. Shen Luo nodded. They quickened their pace and arrived at the Mountain Gate of Wuzhuang View. ¡°Are the two Daoist friends here for the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast?¡± a Daoist Child in green clothes at the gate asked respectfully, bowing to Shen Luo and Ao Hong. The child had humble cultivation, only in the Grain Avoidance Stage, but he carried himself with an air of a prestigious family, neither cringing nor arrogant. ¡°Indeed, I am Ao Hong from the Eastern Sea, and this is my friend Shen Luo,¡± Ao Hong replied, handing over an invitation. ¡°So you are Elder Ao from the Eastern Sea, very welcome indeed. But this invitation lists only your name. According to the conference''s rules, we can only let you enter alone,¡± the Daoist Child said, glancing at Shen Luo and speaking apologetically. ¡°Presumptuous! It''s just the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast, can I not bring a friend to participate?¡± Ao Hong''s face darkened as he rebuked. ¡°Please forgive me, Elder. This year''s Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast is organized by Elder Jieyin, and he has added this rule,¡± the Daoist Child quickly apologized. ¡°Elder Jieyin?¡± Ao Hong''s brows furrowed, showing concern for this person. ¡°If it is inconvenient for Brother Ao to take me with him, then I shall find another way in. Brother Ao needn''t trouble himself on my behalf,¡± Shen Luo intervened, seeing the situation. ¡°How can that be? We came here together; how could I leave you behind?¡± Ao Hong shook his head, about to say something to the Daoist Child. ¡°Eh! Shen Luo? Are you the Shen Luo who was the final victor at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± A square-faced teenaged Taoist Priest stepped out quickly from within the Mountain Gate, looking curiously at Shen Luo. ¡°Three Realms Martial Arts Conference? Brother Shen, did you participate and even emerge victorious?¡± Ao Hong said in surprise upon hearing this. He had been beset by some troubles in the past few days and had not paid attention to the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. ¡°There were countless High People in the Martial Assembly, and I was just fortunate to win in the end. Daoist friend, you flatter me,¡± Shen Luo replied modestly, bowing to the visitor. This young Taoist Priest looked unremarkable, but his cultivation level was very high, having already reached the pinnacle of Great Mahayana, merely a step away from the True Immortal Stage. ¡°Brother Shen, you are too modest. Who doesn''t know that the rules of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference are strict and there''s no deception involved, relying solely on strength to compete? Your great name has already spread throughout the Three Realms, and it would be somewhat insincere to continue with your modesty now,¡± the young Taoist Priest said with a chuckle. Shen Luo smiled slightly upon hearing this and said nothing more. ¡°Daoist Friend Qingfeng, it''s been a long time,¡± Ao Hong greeted the young Taoist Priest, suggesting that the two were old acquaintances. The young Taoist Priest returned the bow and then turned to the Daoist Child, his tone becoming stern, ¡°Just now, what happened? Why did you stop two Daoist friends from entering the Mountain Gate?¡± ¡°Daoist Friend Qingfeng, please do not blame this young Daoist friend. Brother Ao and I have come to attend the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast. As it is my first visit here, I don''t have an invitation. I wonder if some accommodation might be possible?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Brother Shen''s fame is widespread, and his attendance graces our Wuzhuang View. Please come in,¡± Qingfeng said with a glance at the gate-keeping Daoist Child, inviting them with a smile. Shen Luo thanked him with a fist and palm salute, and he entered the Wuzhuang View''s Mountain Gate with Ao Hong. Behind the Mountain Gate stood a majestic great hall, and on the stone pillars on either side of the hall was a couplet: In the Immortal Residence of endless life, alongside the Heavenly Dao, the Daoist''s home endures. ¡°What grand aspirations, but since Zhenyuanzi is the Earth Immortal Ancestor, he indeed lives up to these words,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. The three entered the great hall, and soon came out from the big door inside, followed by interconnected pavilions and towers, with auspicious clouds drifting and cranes flying. ¡°This Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast is being held in the Glazed Tile Hall, fellow Daoists, please follow me,¡± Qingfeng led the way ahead. ¡°Brother Ao, tell me, what exactly is this Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast all about?¡± Shen Luo inquired through a spiritual message. ¡°Brother Shen must also know that inside the Wuzhuang View, there are many types of immortal fruits and spirit fruits, some of which have become extinct in other parts of the Three Realms. Monks from various schools and sects often come to Wuzhuang View to obtain some fruits. Initially, Wuzhuang View did not wish to deal with the endless stream of Daoist friends and decided to hold a Trading Conference every ten years, bringing the fruits from the View for exchange. However, as the conference became more renowned, other sect cultivators also brought their own fruits and treasures to trade, gradually forming today''s Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast,¡± Ao Hong explained through the message. ¡°Brother Ao Hong, are you here to look for Immortal Fruits?¡± Shen Luo nodded in realization and then continued asking through the message. ¡°Indeed, my father has recently fallen ill and requires an extremely rare Immortal Fruit from within Wuzhuang View for his recovery,¡± Ao Hong said, his expression turning somber. ¡°The East Sea Dragon King? If there''s anything I can assist with, Brother Ao, just ask,¡± Shen Luo paused, then sent a serious message in response. If Ao Hong hadn''t helped just now, it would have been difficult for him to enter Wuzhuang View. ¡°I won''t stand on ceremony with you, Daoist friend, and will speak up when needed. The same goes for you, Brother Shen,¡± Ao Hong gave Shen Luo a glance, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth as he nodded. ¡°The two of you have arrived at just the right time. This Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast is overseen by Elder Jieyin, and the View has brought out thirty percent more spirit fruits than usual; you both should seize this opportunity,¡± Qingfeng said with a smile while leading the way. ¡°Oh, will there be Ginseng Fruit at this Conference?¡± Ao Hong''s eyes lit up as he asked eagerly upon hearing this. Chapter 1102 Chapter 1102: Chapter 1099: Jieyin Daoist Chapter 1102: Chapter 1099: Jieyin Daoist ¡°The Ginseng Fruit is the guardian spirit fruit of our Wuzhuang View. The last Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast already produced one, so not much is left. It probably won''t appear,¡± said Qingfeng with a start, followed by a smile. Ao Hong''s expression darkened slightly upon hearing this. Shen Luo noticed the change in Ao Hong''s expression and felt a stir in his heart. He was, of course, aware of the great reputation of the ¡°Ginseng Fruit¡±. Was it possible that what Ao Hong sought for the East Sea Dragon King was this fruit? ¡°Brother Ao need not be disappointed. What spirit fruits will be brought out at the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast is determined by the host, and I am not privy to that knowledge. Perhaps there will be Ginseng Fruits; who knows?¡± Seeing his reaction, Qingfeng hurriedly said. ¡°I hope there will be,¡± Ao Hong said with a slightly relaxed and bitter smile. The three conversed while walking and soon arrived outside a great hall deep within Wuzhuang View. This great hall was built entirely from lapis lazuli jadeite. It glittered magnificently, and all the furnishings inside were made of colored glaze. The hall was very spacious, spanning two to three hundred feet, with several hundred seats arranged inside. By now, most were already occupied. At the very end of the hall was a long stone platform, seemingly reserved for the master''s family, which was still unoccupied. Upon entering, Shen Luo and his company attracted quite a bit of attention, and many eyes turned toward them. Most of the monks cast their gazes on Ao Hong, whose body radiated Dragon Qi, making it difficult not to be conspicuous. A few looked toward Shen Luo, whispering among themselves. Their discussions all related to the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. Shen Luo felt somewhat helpless; he hadn''t wanted to attract so much attention. If it wasn''t for Ao Hong''s presence, he would have changed his appearance with a spell. Now, with Ao Hong at his side, it would seem sneaky to change his appearance. Qingfeng, however, seemed oblivious to the situation and led the two to a pair of empty seats near the front of the hall. ¡°The two Daoist friends can rest here for a moment. If you need anything, just instruct one of the attendants nearby. I must go outside to receive other guests for the conference. Please excuse my departure,¡± he said, gesturing toward some attendants by the hall. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Daoist Friend Qingfeng. Do as you must,¡± Ao Hong said. Shen Luo''s lips moved slightly; he wanted to ask to meet with Zhenyuanzi, but considering the current setting, he swallowed his words. After all, he had already entered Wuzhuang View. There was no urgency in that moment. Qingfeng nodded to the two and swiftly walked out. Shen Luo was merely curious about the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast and had no must-have items in mind, so he felt quite relaxed as he observed the crowd around him. The cultivation levels of the assembled monks were not weak, the lowest being at the Nascent Soul Stage, with most likely above the Mahayana Stage. Several had impressively reached the True Immortal Stage. The red-robed monk he''d encountered before was among them, along with a fat, yellow-robed man positioned toward the front-right of the hall, and a mysterious person dressed in a black robe and bamboo hat in the back corner. These two also exuded the aura of the True Immortal Stage. ¡°Those who come to the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast are all high-ranking cultivators from various regions. That red-robed monk is Red Moon Ancestor from the Northwest Brownstone Mountain. His cultivation has reached the True Immortal Middle Stage, and he is known to be unpredictable, so do not provoke him,¡± Ao Hong''s voice resonated in Shen Luo''s ear, offering an introduction. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. When he had met this man outside Wuzhuang View, the red-robed monk had seemed quite amiable. But Ao Hong''s words undoubtedly had their reasons. ¡°The fat yellow-robed man to the front-right is the Chairman Baixi of the well-known Bai Xi Trade Association in the West Niu Hezhou Continent. Despite his big frame, it is said to be a result of accidentally eating a certain type of immortal grass, causing a change in his body. He is known for his Body Refining Technique, and his physical defense is nearly at the Vajra Body level. As for that black-robed man in the back, I''ve never seen him before,¡± Ao Hong continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo took a longer look at the three individuals. Consequently, the man shrouded in the black robe seemed to sense something and looked in Shen Luo''s direction, under the bamboo hat two sharp gleams flashed. Shen Luo felt as if his eyes had been pricked with needles. His heart chilled, he nodded to that person with a smile and casually shifted his gaze away. The man in the black robe glanced over Shen Luo and after a while, his brilliant gaze flickered before retracting, and he continued to sit quietly with closed eyes. Shen Luo composed himself and sat quietly there. Outside, monks who were attending the conference were arriving one after another, and the seats inside the hall were quickly filling up. At this moment, another set of footsteps approached from outside. Shen Luo looked up to see two people entering. Leading them was Qingfeng, followed by a tall teenager. This man was wearing a feather crown and was clad in golden armor. He looked vigorous and his cultivation level had reached the True Immortal Stage, shining bright. Everyone in the hall turned their gaze towards him. ¡°What a majestic immortal general, he looks to be from the Immortal Clan as well, I wonder if Brother Ao recognizes him?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up as he asked. ¡°I do not know him, but judging by his attire, he should be a disciple of the Heavenly Palace,¡± Ao Hong said slowly. ¡°A disciple of the Heavenly Palace?¡± Shen Luo showed an expression of surprise, Ji Yao from the Martial Assembly of the Three Realms was also from the Heavenly Palace sect. He didn''t know much about the sect, having only heard rumors, and he watched curiously. Qingfeng led the golden-armored teenager to a seat inside the hall but did not leave, instead choosing to stand by his side. ¡°After the disaster of demons, the power of the Immortal Clan grows stronger day by day. It''s uncertain whether this is a blessing or a curse for the Human Realm,¡± Ao Hong sighed as he saw this scene. ¡°What do you mean by that, Brother Ao?¡± asked Shen Luo, his expression changing upon hearing this. ¡°It''s nothing, just a casual remark. Brother Shen need not take it to heart,¡± Ao Hong shook his head. Shen Luo stared intently at Ao Hong for a moment before quickly shifting his gaze away. Moments later, the sound of a massive bell tolling resonated throughout the hall. The noisy hall fell silent as everyone stopped their conversations. Three figures emerged from deeper within the hall. The person in front was wearing a Sun and Moon Daoist Robe, with three long beards hanging down to his chest; he looked like a true Daoist, resembling the Bodhi Ancestor. Shen Luo engaged his Divine Sense for a brief moment and inadvertently let out a soft sound of surprise. He couldn''t clearly sense the man''s cultivation level. It seemed to be at the peak of Late True Immortal Stage but also seemed not to be. ¡°Could this person be the Jieyin Daoist mentioned by Qingfeng?¡± Shen Luo glanced quickly and immediately retracted his gaze to avoid drawing the other''s attention, and whispered to Ao Hong to confirm. ¡°Correct, this person has profound cultivation and is second only to the Town Primordial Great Immortal within Wuzhuang View,¡± responded Ao Hong through a voice transmission. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s thoughts raced as he considered whether to initiate contact with this person to see if he could meet Zhenyuanzi through him. The two middle-aged men following the Jieyin Daoist were also in Daoist robes, looking like elders of the Wuzhuang View with cultivation at the Mahayana Stage. ¡°Hehe, thank you all Daoist friends for waiting. The Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast will commence shortly. The rules of the conference are the same as before. Our Wuzhuang View will first present some immortal fruits, and if our fellow Daoist friends take a liking to them, they are free to exchange for them. However, if more than two Daoist friends have their eyes on the same fruit, the one who offers the highest price shall have it,¡± said the Jieyin Daoist. The rules of the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast had always been such, and the people below showed no reaction after hearing them. Chapter 1103 Chapter 1103: Chapter 1100: Jade Pillar Displays Precious Fruits Chapter 1103: Chapter 1100: Jade Pillar Displays Precious Fruits ¡°After the trading session of Wuzhuang View is finished, it will be time for Daoist friends to freely exchange with each other,¡± Jieyin Daoist paused for a moment, then continued. ¡°Those in need can take to the stage to sell their treasures or to seek what they wish to purchase. Whether wishes can be fulfilled will depend on the luck of everyone here.¡± Everyone naturally had no objections and loudly agreed. Seeing this, Jieyin Daoist raised his hand in a gesture. Two elders from Wuzhuang View walked to either side of the Stone Platform, muttering words and making a pointing gesture with their hands. Spiritual Light flickered on the ground beside the Stone Platform, revealing two white Arrays that whirred into action. Soon after, two Jade Pillars rose from the Arrays, swiftly growing larger and thicker until they nearly reached the rooftop of the great hall before coming to a halt. The Jade Pillars were semi-transparent, with a slot every few feet, numbering in the hundreds. They appeared dense and packed, like an oversized cabinet. Each slot contained one or several Immortal Fruits, diverse in shape and cascading with radiant light. Next to each slot, there was a Jade Tag noting the name of the Immortal Fruit, its medicinal properties, and the Things required for exchange. Wuzhuang View, with its abundant resources, mostly traded Precious Materials for these fruits, with only a small portion available for exchange with Immortal Jade. ¡°White Dew Turns to Frost, Blood Coral, Hell Lingzhi, eh? Isn''t that the Jade Spirit Fruit, a specialty from Jilei Mountain?¡± Even though Shen Luo was well-versed and knowledgeable, the sight of so many Immortal Fruits still astonished him. He coveted a few of the Immortal Fruits within the Jade Pillars, but unfortunately, they were all for exchange with rare Spiritual Materials, of which he had none. ¡°I thought my collection was abundant, but it seems I fall far short compared to the true elite cultivators,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and sighed. Of course, this was also because he had come unprepared. The other cultivators had attended the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast once or even several times and came well prepared. As soon as the two Jade Pillars stabilized, monks started flying towards them, handing over various Spiritual Materials and Immortal Jade. ¡°I want the Dragon''s Heart Fragments, here are four thousand Immortal Jade!¡± ¡°I wish to exchange for a Blood Coral, these are five pieces of Yellow Jade Crystal!¡± When several cultivators were interested in the same Immortal Fruit, a simple bidding took place to decide the buyer. The two elders from Wuzhuang View beside the Jade Pillars smiled as they retrieved the Immortal Fruits from inside and handed them to the cultivators, busily completing one transaction after another. Every Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast benefitted Wuzhuang View immensely, exchanging for numerous Precious Materials and a substantial amount of Immortal Jade. Ao Hong paid no attention to the bustling scene around him, his eyes fixated on the very top of the two Jade Pillars. The Immortal Fruits within the Jade Pillars grew more Precious the higher they were placed. At the top of the two pillars were two types of Immortal Fruits: Celestial Fox Saliva and Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates. ¡°As expected, no Ginseng Fruit¡­¡± Ao Hong lowered his head and murmured painfully to himself. The Ginseng Fruit was the most precious of Wuzhuang View''s Immortal Fruits. Had it been available, it would certainly have occupied the highest place. Shen Luo took notice of the two types of Immortal Fruits at the top of the Jade Pillars. He hadn''t heard of either, but fortunately, there were introductions on the Jade Tags beside them. The Celestial Fox Saliva had the effect of unblocking hundreds of meridians and clarifying the mind. Consuming it could grant the opportunity to comprehend the Heavenly Dao once, and it was extremely effective for breaking through Cultivation level bottlenecks. The Jade Tag also detailed that for cultivators at the True Immortal Stage, consuming this fruit could increase their chances of breaking through Cultivation level bottlenecks by fifty percent, with even higher chances for cultivators below the True Immortal Stage¨Cup to eighty percent, practically guaranteeing a breakthrough upon consumption. The Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates contained the power of wind and thunder and offered miraculous effects in strengthening the body and transforming the physique. During the final battles of the ancient War of Gods-Sealing, Lei Zhenzi from the Teachings consumed this fruit and grew wings of wind and thunder, substantially increasing his Strength and earning great merits in the war. It was a pity that both types of Immortal Fruits also required Spiritual Material in exchange, asking for legendary spiritual things. ¡°They actually want the Five-Colored Stone and the Jianmu in exchange? Both are legendary treasures, where could we find them in the world now?¡± Shen Luo shook his head incessantly. The Five-Colored Stone is the legendary material Nuwa used to mend the sky, while the Jianmu, also known as the World Tree, was the link between Heaven and Earth, humanity, and the divine in Ancient Times, which has long since vanished. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°With the boost from my Dream Cultivation experience, the Celestial Fox Saliva isn''t that useful to me, but the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates have a body-forging effect, which would definitely greatly benefit the cultivation of the Huangting Technique. What a pity.¡± He thought to himself. Now, with Demonic Qi entwining him, every outbreak caused great strain on his body. Besides improving his Cultivation level, he urgently needed to strengthen his physical training. If he could get that Wind and Thunder Immortal Date, his physical strength would surely advance by leaps and bounds. As time ticked away, the Immortal Fruits inside the Jade Pillars were almost all exchanged, and gradually no monks stepped forward, but the Celestial Fox Saliva and the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates on top of the pillars went unclaimed. ¡°Brother Ao, how will the unclaimed Immortal Fruits be handled? Will the people from Wuzhuang View simply take them back?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo''s mind stirred, and he asked. ¡°That will not happen. Once the Wuzhuang View''s people have brought things out, they will not take them back. Fruits that no one exchanges are generally auctioned off with Immortal Jade, and the highest bidder wins,¡± Ao Hong replied indifferently. ¡°Auctioned with Immortal Jade!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement. He didn''t have any other treasures, but he did have plenty of Immortal Jade. He wondered if he would be lucky enough to bid for that Wind and Thunder Immortal Date. At that moment, a dark silhouette landed in front of the Stone Platform¨C it was that mysterious black-robed man. ¡°I want to exchange for the Celestial Fox Saliva and Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates,¡± the black-robed man said, his voice hoarse, making it hard to distinguish his gender. As he spoke, he waved his hand over the Stone Platform, and a flash of black light later, two jade boxes, each with a Sealing Talisman attached, appeared on the platform. The moment the black-robed man spoke, the great hall suddenly fell silent. Jieyin Daoist glanced at the black-robed man and reached out towards the two jade boxes in the void. A gush of white light surged out, and the Talismans on the boxes floated down by themselves, flipping the lids open in the process. Inside one jade box lay a piece of yellow, bowl-thick, foot-long dried wood, with numerous rings on it, exuding an aura of ancientness from top to bottom. In the other jade box was a Five-Colored Stone that emitted light of various colors, which didn''t appear chaotic but conveyed a sense of crystalline transparency, along with an exuberant spread of spiritual energy. Despite being far from the Stone Platform, Shen Luo could still clearly sense the ancient breath of the yellow wood and the spiritual energy from the Five-Colored Stone. However, he hadn''t seen the Five-Colored Stone and Jianmu before and couldn''t confirm if these were genuine. ¡°It really is Jianmu and the Five-Colored Stone!¡± an experienced cultivator in the hall exclaimed, as many turned their astonished gazes toward the black-robed figure. The black-robed man stood quietly, the veil under his Bamboo Hat not fluttering at all, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding eyes. ¡°There''s no problem. It''s indeed Jianmu and the Five-Colored Stone. Daoist friend has quite the fortune,¡± Jieyin Daoist quickly looked up and said with a smile. ¡°Since there is no issue with the items, perhaps the Daoist friend would also like to take down those two Immortal Fruits?¡± The black-robed man spoke in a detached tone. Jieyin Daoist signaled an elder from the Wuzhuang View, who took out a Jade Tag and waved it towards the top of the two Jade Pillars. A stream of silver radiance shot forth, sweeping over the tops of the two pillars, from which the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates and the Celestial Fox Saliva automatically flew out. Following the elder''s spellcasting, they landed on the Stone Table. Chapter 1104 Chapter 1104: Chapter 1111: A Helping Hand Chapter 1104: Chapter 1111: A Helping Hand ¡°Daoist friend, you can inspect these two Immortal Fruits,¡± Jieyin Daoist gestured towards the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates and the Celestial Fox Saliva on the Stone Table and said. ¡°Wuzhuang View is renowned, why would you deceive with fakes, there''s no need for examination,¡± the black-robed man laughed heartily, his sleeve sweeping up the two Immortal Fruits before he flew back to his seat. Various gazes circled uncertainly over the black-robed man¨Cenvious, jealous, and some ill-intentioned¨Cbut he completely ignored them, simply maintaining his composure and sitting quietly there. ¡°Our trading ends here with this. Now, if our fellow Daoists have treasures they wish to exchange, they can come up and present them one by one. Let me say this beforehand, our Wuzhuang View is only providing the venue, everyone makes their own deals, and if anyone is taken in by counterfeits, it has nothing to do with us. Fellow Daoists, please feel free to proceed,¡± Jieyin Daoist stood up and after speaking briefly, he left the Stone Platform with the two elders and sat down nearby. Ao Hong heard Jieyin Daoist''s voice, raised his head that had been bowed the whole time, glanced towards the deeper end of Wuzhuang View, then turned to Shen Luo and asked, ¡°Brother Shen, why don''t you buy something? Don''t fancy any of these Spirit Fruits?¡± ¡°How can that be, Brother Ao? These Spirit Fruits are all treasures, and many have caught my eye, but I came in such a hurry this time that I didn''t prepare anything, so I can only watch as these fine things go into other people''s pockets,¡± said Shen Luo with a shake of his head and a wry smile. ¡°So that''s the case, I was negligent. In the upcoming transactions, Brother Shen, if you are short of Immortal Jade or Spiritual Materials, just let me know,¡± Ao Hong said. ¡°Then I thank Brother Ao greatly. I am planning to acquire two items next, but I don''t have many suitable treasures for trading. If Brother Ao happens to have some Precious Spirit Materials on hand, could you lend me one or two pieces?¡± Shen Luo intended to ask Ao Hong and immediately went with the flow. He had many things on him, but those that counted as truly precious were few. Treasures like the Slayer''s Broken Sword, the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, and the Bloodthirsty Flag could not be parted with. The treasures he could offer in trade were limited and it would be a bit insufficient to exchange. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°At this Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast, ordinary things are probably not valued much. I have a pair of Nightmare Dragon Horns here, you can take them for now,¡± Ao Hong pondered for a moment and handed over a wooden box. ¡°Nightmare Dragon Horns!¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. He had once read about the Nightmare Dragon, a rare breed in the Dragon Clan, incredibly Yin and Poisonous. A mere scratch would turn flesh to pus and death, and its horns, where the Yin Poison was concentrated and stored, were top-tier materials for refining Yin Poison Magical Treasures. The Blood Transformation Divine Knife that terrified many during the Ancient Times was forged from this material. Shen Luo cracked open the wooden box just a sliver, and a chill Yin Qi hit him, making him feel uncomfortable. Inside the box lay two foot-long, dark red dragon horns pulsating with a viscous blood light that was unsettling to look at. ¡°This item is too precious, I cannot accept it!¡± Shen Luo closed the box and handed it back, speaking earnestly. ¡°Although these Nightmare Dragon Horns are extraordinary, they are not a big deal for our Dragon Palace,¡± Ao Hong gestured dismissively, refusing to receive the box. ¡°Brother Ao might not regard a pair of Nightmare Dragon Horns very highly, but for I, Shen Luo, it''s different. Accepting such a treasured gift, I fear I may lack the means to repay you in the future,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head. ¡°We are friends; what does a mere pair of Nightmare Dragon Horns count for? Brother Shen, just keep them. As for repayment, I have always admired Brother Shen for his efficiency. This pair of horns can be considered in exchange for your unconditional help in the future, how about that?¡± Ao Hong chuckled freely, whispering softly. ¡°Brother Ao is generous, I am much obliged. Should you ever require it, I, Shen Luo, will certainly do my utmost to assist,¡± Shen Luo, taken aback, no longer made any polite refuse, and accepted the wooden box. As Shen Luo and Ao Hong conversed, the Trading Conference had already started. As soon as Jieyin Daoist left, several monks immediately shot towards the Stone Platform. At such a Trading Conference, it was obviously better to act earlier rather than later¨Clatecomers might find the items they desire already traded by others. As it happened, a white-clothed man reached the Stone Platform first, gave a brief salute to the ones behind him: ¡°My apologies, Fellow Cultivators, I''ll take the liberty to go first.¡± The others, having no choice, stopped and returned to their seats. ¡°I didn''t bring many things with me today, only this egg of an Iron-winged Profound Hawk. I wish to exchange it for a piece of Innate Blood Jade or a bag of Moon Star Sand,¡± the white-clothed man said as he took out a fist-sized black avian egg and announced. Shen Luo had heard of the great name of the Iron-winged Profound Hawk, a very rare metallic Monster that was as hard as iron all over. Once fully grown, its strength could be comparable to a Nascent Soul Cultivator, especially with its extremely fast flight speed, making it very suitable as a mount. The Iron-winged Profound Hawk egg was highly valued and attracted the covetous gazes of many, and since the white-clothed man was the first to go up, it wasn''t long before a monk exchanged it for a piece of Innate Blood Jade. The white-clothed man happily stepped down from the platform, and immediately another monk came up, offering two precious Spirit Grasses in exchange for a niche Dan formula, but unfortunately, no one had it, so he left disappointed. The third monk sprang onto the Stone Platform immediately¡­ Shen Luo didn''t want to attract attention and sat quietly, so he didn''t rush forward. In the blink of an eye, twenty or thirty monks had gone up. Those who went up at the beginning mostly reaped some benefits, but as the conference progressed, fewer and fewer people succeeded in exchanging for what they needed, and the monks were not as eager as before to step up. Just as Shen Luo saw that the timing was about right and was about to go up, a figure preempted him and flew out¨Cit was the Golden Armor Youth. This person had attracted everyone''s attention upon entering the hall, and now as he went up to the Stone Platform, many cultivators shifted their gaze towards him. The Golden Armor Youth flipped his hands, revealing two long Wooden Boxes. The lids opened automatically, displaying a piece of fiery red, jade-like Spirit Wood and a Seven-Treasure Colorful Lotus. ¡°One piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood and one Seven-Treasure Colorful Lotus in exchange for Mixed Yin Cold Jade and Tianbulao materials,¡± the Golden Armor Youth said as he glanced around slowly. Both the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood and the Seven-Treasure Colorful Lotus were extremely rare Spirit Materials, especially the latter, which was a special product of the Heavenly Court''s Jade Pool and drew the attention of many. However, the materials the Golden Armor Youth requested, Mixed Yin Cold Jade and Tianbulao, were even rarer. For a time, no one responded. Shen Luo''s eyes sparkled as he watched the Stone Platform, excitement showing on his face. However, he was not focused on the more valuable Seven-Treasure Colorful Lotus, but rather the piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. The main material for the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was Fire Qilin Wood, but just ordinary Fire Qilin Wood. For a Magical Treasure, the main material is extremely important. It directly determines the power of the treasure and the potential for future growth. The Fire Qilin Wood used for his Pure Yang Sword Embryo was of ordinary quality, and over the years, it was only through the nourishment of Mana and the blessing of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire that its power was comparable to that of Magical Treasures with very limited potential for further growth. If he could merge the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood in front of him into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, the situation would be entirely different. The quality of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo would be greatly improved, and it might even accelerate its promotion to a Magical Treasure. With this thought, Shen Luo''s breathing became slightly rapid, but he quickly regained his composure as he considered how to acquire the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. The Golden Armor Youth said he wanted to exchange this wood for Mixed Yin Cold Jade, but not only did Shen Luo not have it, he hadn''t even heard of it. Chapter 1105 Chapter 1105: Chapter 1102: Bartering with Dragon Horn Chapter 1105: Chapter 1102: Bartering with Dragon Horn ¡°Wait a moment, Mixed Yin Cold Jade? The Black Bear Demon had previously found a Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal for me, listening to the name it seems quite similar to Mixed Yin Cold Jade. I wonder if they are the same type of spiritual material?¡± Shen Luo, who had been somewhat disheartened, suddenly recalled something. ¡°What, Brother Shen is interested in the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood? The Fire Qilin Wood possesses the dual effects of pure Yang and warding off evil; moreover, the older it is, the stronger the effect. This Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood truly is a good thing,¡± Ao Hong noticed Shen Luo''s gaze and asked. ¡°Indeed, this item is extremely useful to me, but what is this Mixed Yin Cold Jade that the Golden Armor Youth just mentioned?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Mixed Yin Cold Jade is a type of icy spiritual material. It is rumored that it can only be found beneath the Ten Thousand Years Glaciers. It contains a special kind of Mixed Yin Cold Qi, which is not only harmless to the human body, but it also has the effect of quelling heart''s fire and eradicating heart demons. It''s extremely precious,¡± Ao Hong explained. ¡°I have a piece of Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal in my possession. Brother Ao, given your extensive knowledge, do you know if it is related to that Mixed Yin Cold Jade?¡± Shen Luo took out the Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal and handed it over. ¡°Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal! This item is similar to Mixed Yin Cold Jade; it also contains Mixed Yin Cold Qi, although the Mixed Yin Cold Qi in Mixed Yin Cold Jade is much more refined. Brother Shen, if you add some extra spiritual materials or immortal jade, you should be able to exchange for that piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood,¡± Ao Hong said after taking a glance at the Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal in Shen Luo''s hand. Shen Luo sighed in relief upon hearing this and stood up, saying, ¡°I don''t have Mixed Yin Cold Jade on me, but I have a Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal. If I add two thousand immortal jade, would you exchange it for that piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, Your Excellency?¡± The Golden Armor Youth had been waiting for a while, and seeing that no one below was speaking up, he was becoming secretly anxious. Hearing Shen Luo speak up, he immediately looked over with a delighted expression. ¡°Would you mind bringing it up to the platform for a closer look, Daoist friend?¡± Shen Luo soared onto the platform and handed over the Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal. The Golden Armor Youth politely accepted it and a layer of golden light emerged in his eyes, which seemed to be some kind of Pupil Technique, as he inspected it closely. A moment later, he raised his head with a slight frown, seemingly not entirely satisfied with the Mixed Yin Yuan Crystal. ¡°Does anyone among you really possess Mixed Yin Cold Jade? Even a slightly inferior quality would suffice,¡± the Golden Armor Youth called out loudly. Listening to these words, Shen Luo instantly became anxious and glanced towards the crowd below. Luckily, the crowd below was silent, with no one responding. A look of disappointment flashed across the Golden Armor Youth''s face, and he turned to Shen Luo, ¡°Alright, I''ll exchange it.¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, took out two thousand immortal jade and handed them over. The Golden Armor Youth likewise handed over the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood without fuss. Taking the wood, Shen Luo felt its exceedingly pure Yang energy and was thrilled. He calmed his emotions before turning to fly back to his seat. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Ao Hong congratulated him. ¡°Thanks to Brother Ao''s guidance,¡± Shen Luo placed the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood into the Linlang Ring, feeling very pleased and laughing heartily. On the stone platform in front, the Golden Armor Youth inquired again about the Tianbulao, calling out twice with no response, and had to step down sulkily. Shen Luo had just returned from the platform and did not immediately go back up, waiting several more rounds before ascending once again. ¡°One Nightmare Dragon Horn, one Bodhi Wood, in exchange for cultivation resources and body refining pills for Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators.¡± He took out the Bodhi Wood and the wooden box, which contained only one Nightmare Dragon Horn. The Nightmare Dragon Horn was incredibly precious; a single one was already sufficient. Shen Luo now needed to rapidly increase his cultivation level and couldn''t wait for the Black Bear Demon any longer. Besides, both of these items were consumables accumulated over many years, and having more would never be an issue. ¡°Nightmare Dragon Horn! It was used in ancient times to refine the Blood Transformation Divine Knife!¡± ¡°Is this item real or fake? Don''t be deceived!¡± ¡°This breath of extreme Yin poison is unmistakable, it must indeed be a Nightmare Dragon Horn!¡± ¡°Is there really still a Nightmare Dragon in this world? Weren''t this species of dragons extinct since ancient times?¡± As soon as Shen Luo''s voice fell, the great hall was suddenly thrown into chaos, many people exclaiming out loud. Among the crowd, the black-robed man, Red Moon Ancestor, Bai Xi, and the golden armored youth who had just spoken¨Call four True Immortal cultivators¨Cturned their gazes towards him. Even the Jieyin Daoist next to him opened his eyes, expressing his surprise with a gasp. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Daoist friend, I do not have body refining pills, but here I have three bottles of Profound Water Essence, which I would like to exchange for that Nightmare Dragon Horn, would that be possible?¡± A cultivator at the Late Mahayana Stage, dressed in a green robe, stood up. ¡°Wait a second, I''ve set my sights on that Nightmare Dragon Horn, and I''ll trade a gourd of Iron Bone Pills for it!¡± Another cultivator suddenly stood up, speaking urgently. Several other cultivators also took out various elixirs and spiritual materials, intending to trade for the Nightmare Dragon Horn, while the Bodhi Wood was left unheeded. ¡°Hmph! You think some ordinary Spiritual Materials and elixirs can trade for treasures like the Nightmare Dragon Horn?¡± A cold snort sounded, coming from Bai Xi. The originally noisy crowd suddenly quieted down. Although some people were quite dissatisfied with these dismissive remarks, due to Bai Xi''s identity and strength, no one dared to speak out against it. ¡°You must be Friend Shen, right? I have a bottle of One-yuan True Water, known as the source of myriad waters, in exchange for your Nightmare Dragon Horn, what do you say?¡± Bai Xi took out a blue jade bottle with several Sealing Talismans attached to it. Even with the seal in place, an immensely thick Water Spirit Qi was still seeping out from the bottle, forming a misty water vapor around it. Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly. He had obtained One-yuan True Water before, but it was always measured by the drop. Here, Bai Xi was taking out an entire bottle outright, befitting his status as a famous Chamber of Commerce Leader from the West Niu Hezhou Continent. So much One-yuan True Water, not to mention cultivating to the Late Mahayana Stage, even breaking through to the True Immortal Stage would be more than enough. Shen Luo was somewhat tempted, but he did not show any signs of it on his face. He looked a bit hesitant as he wanted to see the offers of others. ¡°Daoist Bai is truly generous, bringing out a bottle of One-yuan True Water right away. Admirable. However, this poor monk is also somewhat interested in that Nightmare Dragon Horn,¡± another voice chimed in, belonging to the Red Moon Ancestor. ¡°Oh? What will Red Moon Daoist offer to exchange with Friend Shen?¡± Bai Xi looked over. ¡°The Red Stone Mountain lineage is insignificant compared to the Bai Xi Commerce Guild. However, this poor monk has recently acquired some Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid, which might be of some value,¡± said the Red Moon Ancestor with a smile as he took out a golden gourd. The gourd was not sealed, and everyone''s Divine Sense could easily probe inside. The gourd contained a full measure of golden Spirit Liquid, exuding a tremendously thick vitality. ¡°Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid!¡± Those who knew their stuff in the hall took a sharp breath of air. The Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid was a secret method of the Demon Race, refined from the marrow essence of numerous Monster beasts, and smearing it on one''s body could greatly strengthen the physique. Moreover, this Spirit Liquid, depending on the number of Monster bones used in the refinement, came in three grades: Hundred Spirit Iron Bone, Thousand Spirit Silver Bone, and Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Bone, with each grade stronger than the last. Even though Shen Luo had never encountered this kind of Demon Bone Spirit Liquid before, this one gourd of Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid possessed an extraordinary concentration of vitality, sufficient for him to temper his body to an immensely strong condition, possibly enough to cultivate two more layers of the Huangting Technique. ¡°Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid! Who would have thought that Daoist Red Moon had such a treasured possession at hand,¡± said Bai Xi, his expression turning a few shades more serious. ¡°Without a decent foundation, I would not dare show up at the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast and embarrass myself,¡± replied the Red Moon Ancestor with a light smile. Chapter 1106 Chapter 1106: Chapter 1103: An Offer That Can''t Be Refused Chapter 1106: Chapter 1103: An Offer That Can''t Be Refused Seeing the treasures taken out by Bai Xi and Red Moon Ancestor, even though others covet the Nightmare Dragon Horns, they could only helplessly give up. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And that Golden Armor Youth quietly sat there, with no intention to bid, it was unclear if he didn''t need the Nightmare Dragon Horns or if he didn''t have suitable treasures to exchange. Shen Luo, seeing that no one else intended to bid, quickly weighed his options, whether to choose the One-yuan True Water or the Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid. He quickly made a decision to first exchange one Nightmare Dragon Horn for the bottle of One-yuan True Water, then wait until the trading conference ended to privately seek out Red Moon Ancestor and use another horn to exchange for the gourd of Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid. ¡°Hehe, the two Daoist friends really are generous, but I also have a fondness for these Nightmare Dragon Horns.¡± Shen Luo was about to speak when a voice suddenly interrupted, belonging to the black-robed man. Red Moon Ancestor and Bai Xi both frowned and turned their attention his way. ¡°Friend Shen, this is my offer; have a look.¡± The black-robed man didn''t pay attention to Red Moon Ancestor and Bai Xi, instead waving his hand. A white light shot out, landing in front of Shen Luo, revealing a white jade slip. Shen Luo caught the jade slip, gave the black-robed man a surprised look, and then immersed his Divine Sense within. ¡°Good, it''s a deal!¡± Joy that he could not suppress appeared on his face as he immediately spoke. ¡°Wait, Brother Shen, are you really not going to consider this bottle of One-yuan True Water?¡± Bai Xi frowned and quickly spoke up. ¡°I thank Elder Bai Xi and Red Moon Ancestor for your kind offer, but the terms given by this Daoist friend are irresistible¡± Shen Luo nodded to Red Moon Ancestor and Bai Xi, replying. Bai Xi''s expression turned unsightly, but he said nothing and waved his hand to put away the bottle of One-yuan True Water. ¡°Is that so? May I inquire what this Daoist friend has offered to Your Excellency?¡± Red Moon Ancestor looked towards the black-robed man, asking with an unfriendly tone. ¡°This is a private matter between Brother Shen and myself, it has nothing to do with Your Excellency, does it?¡± the black-robed man said coldly. Red Moon Ancestor''s eyes narrowed, his eyebrows moving as if a breeze stirred them, and his gaze shimmered with a chilling intent to kill. The black-robed man showed no fear, confronting Red Moon Ancestor with a heavy sense of suppression spreading between them. ¡°Heavens! The Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast prohibits any fighting; both Daoist friends, please think thrice before acting,¡± a faint voice rose, belonging to Jieyin Daoist. Both Red Moon Ancestor and the black-robed man shuddered slightly. The recent words of Jieyin Daoist, though not loud, seemed to contain boundless Mana, shaking one''s spirit and significantly reducing the murderous intent in their hearts. ¡°Hmph!¡± Red Moon Ancestor, wary of Jieyin Daoist''s God''s Power, slowly sat back down, but his face remained stern. Everyone knew that this True Immortal Middle Stage being had become truly angry, and the matter would not end well. ¡°Brother Shen, you should be careful. Red Moon Ancestor is known for his capricious temper, and he''s not very forgiving; he may end up holding a grudge against you as well,¡± Ao Hong''s voice sounded in Shen Luo''s ear. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, but he did not speak. The black-robed man also seemed unconcerned, turning to Shen Luo, ¡°Brother Shen, it''s too noisy here; let''s complete our transaction later.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, put away the Nightmare Dragon Horns and the Bodhi Wood, and turned to walk back to his seat. Thus, the potential conflict subsided. The trading continued, lasting a full two-hour period before concluding. Outside, it was completely dark, yet inside the Wuzhuang View, everywhere was lit up with bright white light, casting illumination as clear as day. ¡°Since no one else is taking the stage, I hereby announce the conclusion of the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast. The day has grown late, so if my Daoist friends have no urgent matters, please rest within the View. Tomorrow, join us for the Hundred Treasures Feast,¡± Jieyin Daoist stood up, surveyed his surroundings with a smile, and said. ¡°The Hundred Treasures Feast?¡± Shen Luo communicated with Ao Hong through transference. ¡°It''s when Wuzhuang View brings out some treasured immortal fruits for us to taste,¡± Ao Hong explained. Upon hearing it was a banquet of eating and drinking, Shen Luo immediately lost interest, but he still had to trade with the black-robed man and later request an audience with Zhenyuanzi, so he naturally couldn''t leave. Everyone left the Glazed Tile Hall, with a few bidding farewell straight away, while the majority stayed behind. They followed the attendants from Wuzhuang View deeper into the View, quickly arriving at a manor spanning several dozen acres. Within the manor were independent buildings, seemingly prepared for guests. There were pavilions, towers, gardens, and flowing waters¨Carranged very exquisitely. ¡°This will be your residence, Brother Shen,¡± a Wuzhuang View disciple led Shen Luo to a tower situated at the forefront. Shen Luo surveyed his surroundings; in front of the tower was a garden, and nearby was a lotus pond. Both the location and the scenery were the best within the manor. He couldn''t help but reflect on how the world of immortal cultivation was also driven by benefits. Had he not brought out something as extraordinary as Nightmare Dragon Horns at the Trading Conference, he wouldn''t have been able to stay in such a nice place. ¡°Very nice, thank you for the trouble, Daoist Ming Yue,¡± Shen Luo nodded with a smile to the Wuzhuang View disciple. ¡°This is all part of our duty. The night is deep, Brother Shen, please rest early,¡± Ming Yue said as he gave a bow, ready to take his leave. ¡°If you''re not too busy, how about coming in for a chat?¡± Shen Luo suddenly invited. ¡°I see no reason not to,¡± Ming Yue was startled at first, but then replied with a smile. Shen Luo invited Ming Yue inside and brewed two cups of spiritual tea. The tea leaves had come from the Storage Magical Tool of the Sect Master of the Golden Sun Sect, Min Chuan¨Ca specialty spiritual tea of the Eastern Sea, Mist Mountain by name, with a unique flavor that also had the effect of calming the mind and spirit, truly a top-tier spiritual tea. Only, this tea was produced in limited quantities, which is why it wasn''t widely known. ¡°Excellent tea, may I know its name and place of origin?¡± Ming Yue appeared to be a connoisseur, and after taking a sip, his face showed an intoxicated expression as he praised endlessly. ¡°This is the Mist Mountain Spirit Tea, a specialty of the Eastern Sea. If you like it, Daoist Ming Yue, please take a couple of bags to enjoy,¡± Shen Luo said, passing over two bags of tea leaves. ¡°This¡­ such a generous gift, I cannot accept without a reason,¡± Ming Yue was truly fond of the Mist Mountain Spirit Tea but felt he should not accept something for nothing, and thus hesitated to take it. ¡°It''s just a small token. No need for formalities, Daoist Ming Yue. I have something to ask and would like some guidance from you,¡± Shen Luo remarked. ¡°If Brother Shen has something to ask, please say so,¡± Ming Yue replied, feeling somewhat relieved to hear that Shen Luo had a request. ¡°Frankly, I came to Wuzhuang View to seek an audience with Elder Zhenyuanzi. Attending the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast was simply coincidental. May I know if Daoist Ming Yue could introduce me?¡± Shen Luo explained his purpose. ¡°To meet with Master? May I ask what matter brings Brother Shen?¡± Ming Yue showed a surprised expression, then asked with slight wariness. ¡°I have an important Magical Treasure that is damaged. Zhenyuanzi is known for his Artifacts Refining skills, which is why I have come to seek his help in repairing the treasure,¡± Shen Luo didn''t hide the truth. ¡°You wish to repair a Magical Treasure? That shouldn''t be difficult. Master has a Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace that is wondrous beyond compare, capable of refining all things under heaven, and able to repair any Magical Treasure. However, Master is currently not in the View,¡± Ming Yue said with a relaxed look. ¡°Not in the View? Where has Elder Zhenyuanzi gone, and when might he return?¡± Shen Luo asked, startled. ¡°Master has gone to the Heavenly Court''s Mi Luo Palace to visit a friend of his. His whereabouts are always unpredictable. Sometimes he returns after several days, and at other times, he might not return for several months,¡± Ming Yue replied, shaking his head. Chapter 1107 Chapter 1107: Chapter 1104: Borrowing for Use Chapter 1107: Chapter 1104: Borrowing for Use Shen Luo furrowed his brows upon hearing this but soon relaxed them and said, ¡°Since Senior Zhen Yuan is not here, I will wait for him for a period of time.¡± ¡°Please, Brother Shen, rest assured and settle down here. The moment Master returns to Wuzhuang View, I will immediately notify you,¡± Ming Yue said. ¡°Then, thank you, Daoist Ming Yue,¡± Shen Luo thanked. Ming Yue did not stay for long. After briefly chatting with Shen Luo, she soon bid farewell and left. Shen Luo then took out two packets of Fog Mountain Spirit Tea and insisted on giving them to her. Ming Yue, unable to decline and also genuinely fond of the Spirit Tea, accepted them. After seeing off Ming Yue, Shen Luo set up several layers of prohibitions around the Tower and then sat down to meditate in the main hall. A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes and made a gesture towards the Outside. The prohibition light curtains outside split apart to both sides, forming a passageway. A figure walked in slowly; it was the black-robed man. ¡°You''ve arrived. The things are here; what about yours?¡± Shen Luo didn''t mince words and took out the Nightmare Dragon Horn, placing it on the table next to him. The black-robed man, likewise, did not say much. With a flick of his sleeve, he placed two items on the table: a blue jade bottle and a wooden box. Around the jade bottle, rich Water Spirit Qi surged, identical to the One-yuan True Water bottle that Bai Xi had previously presented. The wooden box also slowly opened, revealing an Immortal Fruit with both gold and aqua hues¨Cthe Wind and Thunder Immortal Date. Shen Luo looked at the Jade Bottle and the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date, his eyes lighting up slightly. The initial conditions set by the black-robed man were one Jade Bottle of One-yuan True Water plus half a Wind and Thunder Immortal Date. The Wind and Thunder Immortal Date, being one of the Nine Heavens Divine Fruits, even if it were only half, its bodily cultivation effects were far superior compared to the Ten Thousand Spirits Golden Marrow Fluid. ¡°Good, divide the Immortal Fruit in two. You can take the Nightmare Dragon Horn,¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat impatiently. ¡°Hold on, the Nightmare Dragon Horns are twins. I assume the other one is in Your Excellency''s possession since you did not reveal it at the Trading Conference,¡± the black-robed man said. ¡°Indeed, the other one is in my possession,¡± Shen Luo admitted with a slight lift of his eyebrows and nodded. ¡°Brother Shen brought out the Dragon Horn for trading, indicating it''s of little importance to you. I wonder if the other Dragon Horn could also be sold to me?¡± the black-robed man asked eagerly, his voice filled with anticipation. ¡°You want the other Nightmare Dragon Horn? Indeed, it is of little significance to me. However, I have no urgent need for anything at the moment and have no plans to sell the Nightmare Dragon Horn,¡± Shen Luo replied, his eyes shifting before he shook his head. Considering how precious Nightmare Dragon Horns are, he naturally intended to keep them, as they might prove extremely useful in the future. ¡°How about I exchange with you the other half of the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date and these Red Lotus Karmic Fires?¡± The black-robed man took out a white round bead, within which was a space with surging red flames¨Cclearly, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and there was a substantial quantity. Shen Luo showed a look of pleasant surprise, but then his gaze suddenly narrowed as he looked at the black-robed man, ¡°How do you know I need this Red Lotus Karmic Fire?¡± Could it be that the black-robed man recognized him? Although he had used the Pure Yang Sword Embryo during the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, he had never activated the Red Lotus Karmic Fire within it. ¡°Although Daoist Brother Shen is highly skilled and adept at concealing his Qi, I am, after all, a True Immortal cultivator, and quite proficient in searching techniques. I can barely discern the faint breath of your life-bound Magical Treasure,¡± the black-robed man said with a smile. Shen Luo was both skeptical and curious but did not delve further into the matter, his gaze fixed on the white round bead. The amount of Red Lotus Karmic Fire stored within the bead was considerable. If he could integrate it into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, the power of the Sword Embryo would surely increase significantly. As for the Nightmare Dragon Horn, it was of little use to him if he kept it. ¡°Given that Daoist friend is so sincere, it would be rather unkind of me to refuse again,¡± Shen Luo murmured after pondering for a moment. He nodded and took out the other Nightmare Dragon Horn. ¡°` ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen, for granting my wish!¡± the black-robed man exclaimed in delight, excitedly taking the Nightmare Dragon Horns. Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised slightly; it seemed these Nightmare Dragon Horns were indeed very important to this person. After the trade, the black-robed man immediately bid farewell and left. Shen Luo, not being familiar with this person, did not insist on his staying and got up to see him off. Watching the figure of the black-robed man disappear into the distance, he was about to head back inside his residence. ¡°Brother Shen,¡± Ao Hong appeared and walked over from the side; unbeknownst to Shen Luo, he had been outside his house. Ao Hong had also chosen to stay and was living in another tower close to Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Ao, it''s quite late, haven''t you rested yet?¡± Shen Luo was slightly surprised. ¡°I''ve got something on my mind and can''t sleep, so I came to chat with you. I hope Brother Shen doesn''t mind,¡± Ao Hong said. ¡°Not at all, please come in,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, welcoming him into the house. ¡°Eh! One-yuan True Water, Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates, could this bead contain Red Lotus Karmic Fire? That black-robed man traded so many treasures for those Nightmare Dragon Horns, no wonder you agreed instantly at the trade conference today,¡± Ao Hong remarked with a smile as his gaze swept across the table. The black-robed man had left immediately after the trade, and Shen Luo, who had seen him out, had not yet had the chance to put away several treasures on the table. ¡°Thanks to Brother Ao for gifting me the pair of Nightmare Dragon Horns. If Brother Ao fancies any of these items, feel free to take them,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°As I said before, I wanted to trade those horns for a promise from you, Brother Shen. Since those horns now belong to you, these things naturally have nothing to do with me,¡± Ao Hong said earnestly. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not say anything further and put away the items. The two chatted idly for a while, mostly about inconsequential things. Ao Hong seemed several times on the verge of saying something important, but each time he held back. ¡°Brother Ao, if you''ve come tonight to discuss something with me, there''s no need to hesitate. Please speak freely,¡± Shen Luo said with a gentle smile, addressing the matter directly. ¡°Brother Shen is right. There is indeed a matter I wish to ask of you,¡± Ao Hong said with a rueful smile and pause. ¡°Please, speak your mind,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°I''ve heard that you possess a Treasure Pearl capable of curing all poisons and an ancient treasure, the Slayer''s Broken Sword; I would like to borrow them for a time, as recompense for the Dragon Horns I gifted you,¡± Ao Hong said with a bow. ¡°I do indeed have the Slayer''s Broken Sword and a bead adept at neutralizing poisons, but how did you come to know of this? I haven''t mentioned it to anyone,¡± Shen Luo asked, taken aback. While having the Slayer''s Broken Sword was one thing, the fact that he possessed the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead was a secret known only to Bai Xiaotian and Yuan Zhen, aside from himself. ¡°I heard it from Daoist friend Yuan Zhen. A few years ago, I met him while hunting a demon in the Eastern Sea,¡± Ao Hong explained. ¡°So it was Yuan Zhen,¡± Shen Luo muttered under his breath. He had been worried about whether Yuan Zhen, who had been staying in the Heavenly Book Space, was still alive after it disappeared. It seemed Yuan Zhen was not just alive but also freely sharing his secrets. ¡°The two treasures are in my possession, and lending them to you for a time is a trivial matter. Are you saying that will settle the debt for the Nightmare Dragon Horns?¡± Shen Luo asked, collecting his thoughts. ¡°While these two items may seem trivial to you, Brother Shen, to me they are incredibly important,¡± Ao Hong stated gravely. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1108 Chapter 1108: Chapter 1105: Something''s Off Chapter 1108: Chapter 1105: Something''s Off ¡°` ¡°Since Brother Ao has said so, how could I refuse to agree? I just don''t know how long you will need?¡± Shen Luo looked at Ao Hong, initially inclined to ask why he needed to borrow these two treasures, but after a brief consideration, he decided not to ask. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen. I will return them in two to three days,¡± Ao Hong said somewhat excitedly. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. He was currently troubled by Demonic Qi, relying on the Slayer''s Broken Sword to suppress it; he couldn''t be without it for too long. He took out both the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead and handed them over. Ao Hong quickly grabbed them. Shen Luo then explained how to activate the treasures, Ao Hong paid careful attention, and soon bid farewell and left. Watching Ao Hong''s figure disappear, Shen Luo turned around and went back to his room. He was not idle. He flipped his hand and took out the Jade Bottle he had just obtained, pouring out a drop of One-yuan True Water, and held it in his palm. Rich Water Spirit Qi emanated, and in a short while, the entire Tower became incomparably moist. The One-yuan True Water given to him by the man in the black robe was extremely pure, not inferior to the droplet procured by the Black Bear Demon. Shen Luo circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, absorbing the Spiritual Power of water from the True Water. During the night, Shen Luo absorbed nearly one-tenth of the essence of that droplet of True Water, advancing his Mana a little. As dawn broke, he walked out from the Cultivation Secret Chamber, his expression slightly startled. On the table in the living room, there quietly lay a green jade box, over two feet long, glowing and clearly no ordinary item. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Someone has been here!¡± Shen Luo''s face darkened. He had laid several layers of prohibition around the room. Although these prohibitions were not the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, they were still quite sophisticated. How could someone infiltrate his room without him noticing? Who could it be? Shen Luo''s mind churned with thoughts as he waved his hand, releasing two beams of blue light that condensed into two blue palms, and gently opened the jade box. His expression changed slightly. Inside the box were none other than the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead and the Slayer''s Broken Sword. ¡°It was Ao Hong who has come! He returned these two treasures so quickly? Has he already used them?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and did not dwell on it further, collecting both objects and the Green Jade Box. Just then, a series of ¡°bang, bang¡± knocks came from outside. Shen Luo dissolved the prohibition outside his room and turned to open the door. Outside stood a figure, it was Ming Yue. ¡°Ming Yue Daoist friend.¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised to see Ming Yue coming to his place so early, but he still greeted her with a smile. ¡°Brother Shen, did you rest well last night?¡± Ming Yue asked with a smile. ¡°The people of Wuzhuang View are distinguished and the place is spiritually abundant. I meditated and cultivated all night, and with the rich Spiritual Power here, I made quite some progress,¡± Shen Luo laughed. Hearing this, Ming Yue glanced towards the Secret Chamber where a rich trace of Water Spirit Qi was still rippling. ¡°That''s good to hear. The Hundred Treasures Feast is about to begin, so may I ask Brother Shen to proceed to the Enlightenment Palace and wait. I need to notify other Daoist friends, so I will take my leave first,¡± Ming Yue quickly withdrew her gaze, bowed, and quickly left. Shen Luo watched Ming Yue''s fading figure, the smile gradually fading from his face, his brows slightly furrowing. His Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil had long since been perfected. Although Ming Yue''s demeanor appeared calm just now, he saw solemnity and suspicion deep in her eyes. It seemed she was using the greeting as a pretext to investigate something. ¡°Did something happen at Wuzhuang View?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, then collected his thoughts. Whatever was happening at Wuzhuang View had nothing to do with him. Shen Luo looked towards Ao Hong''s residence, where the doors were wide open, indicating Ao Hong had already left. He leapt up and flew towards the deeper parts of Wuzhuang View. ¡°` Yesterday night, Ming Yue had already informed him of the location of the Enlightenment Palace. With Shen Luo''s speed of movement, he quickly arrived at the Enlightenment Palace and strode in. The Enlightenment Palace was not smaller than the Glazed Tile Hall of yesterday. The hall was filled with square tables, and most of the monks who had stayed from the day before had already arrived, with Ao Hong also sitting behind one of the tables. However, the atmosphere inside the hall was somewhat oppressive, with many monks whispering to each other in small groups. ¡°Brother Ao, what has happened?¡± Shen Luo approached Ao Hong. ¡°I''m not very sure either. Something seems to have happened in the Wuzhuang View last night. When everyone got up this morning, the disciples of Wuzhuang View all seemed very anxious,¡± Ao Hong shook his head. Shen Luo inward exclaimed ''as expected,'' but did not say much else. Half an hour passed, and the monks left from last night quickly gathered inside the Enlightenment Palace. ¡°There was a minor incident within the View that I had to attend to, which delayed me a bit and made all of you wait. My apologies,¡± Jieyin Daoist appeared outside the hall, smiling as he walked in. ¡°Elder Jieyin,¡± the monks in the hall gave a bow to him. ¡°Now that everyone is here, please take your seats. Let the Hundred Treasures Feast begin,¡± Jieyin Daoist said with a smile. Attendants, who had already been waiting inside the Enlightenment Palace, took out various kinds of Immortal Fruits and placed them on the tables inside the hall. A dozen beautiful female cultivators dressed in colorful gowns entered the hall, and a few musicians playing the zither and flute also came in beside the main hall, playing a resonant melody. The female cultivators in colorful gowns danced to the music, a spectacle that surpassed any mortal song and dance by far, causing even the exotic flowers and herbs outside the main hall to sway as if they were dancing. Seeing this scene, the monks inside the hall soon let go of their suspicions, took their seats, and while enjoying the Spirit Fruits and watching the dance, they discussed various strange events from the Cultivation World. Shen Luo also relaxed, tasting the Spirit Fruits before him and pondering when Town Primordial Great Immortal would be able to return. Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, one or two hours had passed. The dance had reached its climax, and the Immortal Fruits set on the tables were quickly consumed by the majority. Many monks were already thinking of leaving. Yet, Jieyin Daoist did not announce the end of the feast, so everyone had no choice but to continue staying there. ¡°Something is strange,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, his expression suddenly changing slightly. A very faint fluctuation of Divine Sense swept over him, as if it was probing something. Although Shen Luo''s cultivation level was not high, in the realm of Dreamland, his cultivation had reached the Heavenly Venerate Realm. His experience with various spells was still intact, and his control over Divine Sense had reached an extremely subtle realm. He was confident he was not sensing it wrong. ¡°What''s going on? Could it be that Wuzhuang View is intentionally keeping us here to probe something?¡± he wondered to himself. However, he still needed to ask Town Primordial Great Immortal to repair the jade pillow. Despite sensing that something was amiss, he did not make any commotion. After another half an hour passed, Jieyin Daoist was still chatting and laughing merrily, but the monks below had begun to grow impatient. ¡°Elder Jieyin, thank you for Wuzhuang View''s precious fruits and dance. I''ve thoroughly enjoyed myself. However, I have urgent matters to deal with and must take my leave now,¡± a monk in green robe stood up and said his goodbyes. ¡°Why the hurry, Daoist friend Qingyun? There will be another batch of Immortal Fruits coming soon. Among these fruits, there''s a kind called Heart-cleansing Fruit. Consuming it has the effect of purifying the spirit, which can greatly benefit your Heart-washing Technique,¡± Jieyin Daoist said. ¡°Thank you for your kind offer, Elder Jieyin. However, I indeed have urgent matters to attend to. I shall visit Wuzhuang View another day,¡± the monk in the green robe refused firmly, shaking his head. After saying this, he gave a bow to Jieyin Daoist and turned to head outside. But just as he was about to step through the palace door, a blue light curtain suddenly appeared out of nowhere, blocking the exit and obstructing his path. When the man in the green robe touched the light curtain, a gentle but powerful surge of energy came rushing at him, forcing him to take three steps back before stabilizing himself. Chapter 1109 Chapter 1109: Chapter 1106: Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror Chapter 1109: Chapter 1106: Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror ¡°Elder Jieyin, what is the meaning of this?¡± The man in the green robe''s expression changed as he suddenly turned around and exclaimed. The other monks in the hall also showed a change in expression, as they got up and stood. ¡°Fellow Daoists, please do not misunderstand. Our Pavilion harbors no ill will towards you all. I ask everyone to wait here a little longer,¡± Jieyin Daoist said as he stood up and clasped his hands. ¡°If you have something to say, Elder Jieyin, please speak plainly. I, Bai Xi, have no interest in being confined by a prohibition,¡± said Bai Xi, his expression unchanged. He was the leader of the Chamber of Commerce in West Niu Hezhou Continent and had never been treated this way before. Red Moon Ancestor and the Golden Armor Youth also had similar expressions. ¡°Calm yourself, Daoist Bai Xi. The reason I have asked all of you to remain here is because we had no choice. To be honest, just last night, several Immortal Grade Spirit Fruits in the depths of our Pavilion''s orchard were stolen, leading to a heavy loss. Even the Pavilion''s treasure, the Ginseng Fruit, has had three stolen by the thief!¡± Jieyin Daoist said with a heavy sigh. ¡°Ginseng Fruits stolen? That''s really happened!¡± Bai Xi''s expression changed abruptly. Everyone else was also greatly shocked. The Ginseng Fruit''s fame was known throughout the Three Realms, almost considered the first among Immortal Fruits. They only bore fruits every ten thousand years and now three had been taken! Shen Luo''s eyes also flashed with shock, but he quickly regained his composure. No wonder Ming Yue had come to him this morning with that strange expression, covertly inquiring about his activities last night, all to find clues. ¡°Last night!¡± Shen Luo suddenly felt a tightness in his heart and glanced at Ao Hong next to him without a trace. Ao Hong''s purpose for coming to Wuzhuang View was for the Ginseng Fruit, and he had even asked to borrow the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Elemental Bead and the Slayer''s Broken Sword last night. Could it be that he was the fruit thief? However, Ao Hong''s face also showed surprise, which didn''t seem like a disguise. Shen Luo secretly circulated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil but could not find any flaws; the expression on Ao Hong''s face was completely genuine. ¡°Could it not have been his doing?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. His Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil had long since perfected, and his ability to observe minute details had reached a level unthinkable to ordinary people. Although he wouldn''t claim certainty in other matters, when it came to reading people, no acting could deceive him. ¡°The Ginseng fruit tree was surrounded by our sect''s prohibitions which would alert us at the slightest touch. Last night, upon detecting someone stealing, I immediately activated Wuzhuang View''s Protector Formation. The thief is still within the View. We have kept you fellow Daoists here in order to identify the thief, and we ask for your understanding,¡± Jieyin Daoist continued. Now understanding the situation, everyone looked around, their faces showing a hint of vigilance. ¡°Since there''s a reason for this, we are not unreasonable people. There''s no need for Elder Jieyin to secretly investigate. Use whatever methods you have directly, so we can swiftly identify the fruit thief and clear our suspicion,¡± Bai Xi said. He had clearly noticed the previous probing fluctuations. The others also echoed him, nodding their agreement. ¡°I thank you all for your generosity,¡± Jieyin Daoist said joyfully as he stood up and bowed with clasped hands. He then waved his hand towards the outside, and a portal opened on the blue prohibition at the great hall''s entrance, allowing a procession of Wuzhuang View disciples to file in. Shen Luo recognized Qingfeng and Ming Yue among them. The cultivation level of everyone else also reached the Great Mahayana Stage. Qingfeng, Ming Yue, and the others stood at different corners of the great hall, and each took out an array of formation flags, formation discs, and other items, beginning to activate their magic. Jieyin Daoist also took out a large flag with black and white colors, his ten fingers moved rapidly like the spinning of a car wheel, and soon a pillar of black and white light burst forth from the flag. Qingfeng, Ming Yue, and the others'' formation flags and discs also pulsed with light and connected to the black and white light pillar, forming a hemispherical light shield that enveloped everyone in the hall. The light shield was half black and half white, resembling a Taiji Diagram. Although the monks in the hall had agreed to let the Jieyin Daoist investigate freely, many showed a wary look at this scene. ¡°Everyone, please stay calm. This is the Taiji Life Transformation Array of Wuzhuang View, which is specifically proficient in investigation and holds no offensive power,¡± the Jieyin Daoist said. Hearing this, everyone felt somewhat relieved. Seeing the crowd''s reaction, the Jieyin Daoist activated the Taiji Life Transformation Array, and the white light curtain that once shrouded the entire hall slowly shrank, sweeping slowly over everyone within. Monks swept by the white light curtain involuntarily felt as though their entire bodies had been inspected. Although it was an uncomfortable feeling, the Ginseng Fruit had gone missing from Wuzhuang View, and they had to find the thief at any cost, so everyone tacitly allowed the Jieyin Daoist and his team to conduct their investigation. Shen Luo was swiftly scanned by the Taiji Life Transformation Array as well, with innumerable probing waves sweeping through every inch of his body from all directions, and the Linlang Ring inside was also invaded by the probing vibrations. Shen Luo felt no psychological pressure, calmly facing the Jieyin Daoist''s investigation, his gaze glancing at Ao Hong out of the corner of his eye. Ao Hong''s expression was one of calm, allowing the white light curtain to pass over his body without showing any abnormality. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes flickered briefly. The Taiji Life Transformation Array soon had scanned all the cultivators in the hall without finding anything unusual. The monks in the hall looked at each other, and for a moment, no one spoke. ¡°It seems that the thief has hidden deeply, and even the Taiji Life Transformation Array can''t detect them. Everyone, please wait a moment longer while I use this treasure for the investigation!¡± the Jieyin Daoist, with furrowed brows, then said. Then, with a flip of his hand, a flash of golden light appeared in his palm, revealing a bronze-colored square box with a window-shaped switch on top, tightly closed on both left and right sides, each inscribed with the characters for ¡°Heaven¡± and ¡°Earth¡± respectively. ¡°What treasure is this?¡± Even from a distance, Shen Luo could sense the astonishing spiritual power contained within the square box, looking at it curiously. The others in the hall also wore expressions of confusion, evidently unfamiliar with the treasure. ¡°This is the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror!¡± Ao Hong''s eyes widened slightly as he exclaimed. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror? What treasure is that?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. The other people nearby, hearing Ao Hong''s voice, also looked over. ¡°It''s a supreme treasure in the hands of Senior Zhen Yuan, said to be connected to Heaven and Earth. As long as one has sufficient mana, it can reflect any place within the Three Realms,¡± Ao Hong regained his composure and slowly explained. ¡°There''s such a treasure in the world!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Daoist friend Ao Hong, with your vast knowledge as the Dragon Prince of the Eastern Seas, is quite right. However, the real Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror is with the Pavilion Master, and this one is merely an imitation, unable to probe the Three Realms but can be used to investigate a specific individual,¡± the Jieyin Daoist also looked over at the sound and spoke with a slight smile. ¡°Even so, it is still quite remarkable. Daoist friend Jieyin, how do you plan to conduct the investigation? Will you use this treasure to reflect upon each of us one by one?¡± Ao Hong asked. ¡°Though it may offend everyone here, this is the only way. I ask fellow Daoists for your understanding,¡± the Jieyin Daoist gave a fist and palm salute as he looked around the circle and said. The monks in the hall had already been checked once, and going through it again was no big deal, so none raised any objections. Chapter 1110 Chapter 1110: Chapter 1107: Questioning Chapter 1110: Chapter 1107: Questioning ¡°` ¡°Can Elder Jieyin really find the thief with this Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror?¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice to communicate with Ao Hong. ¡°It''s possible, but I don''t think this method is very reliable. The thief must have already carefully hidden the stolen Immortal Fruit and is unlikely to carry it on their person,¡± Ao Hong transmitted back. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered briefly and said no more. Ahead, Elder Jieyin had already started to activate the imitation Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, beginning to investigate each monk present one by one. ¡°Based on my understanding of the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, it also has the God''s Power to track breaths. I wonder whether the imitation in Elder Jieyin''s hands also possesses this ability,¡± Ao Hong said, after remaining silent for a moment, suddenly transmitting his voice again. When Shen Luo heard this, his heart stirred slightly. What did Ao Hong''s abrupt message imply? Was he reminding him to secure the Slayer''s Broken Sword and Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead? Could it be that the theft of the Ginseng Fruit was indeed related to Ao Hong, and that the scene still held the Breath of the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead and the Slayer''s Broken Sword? Thoughts surged in Shen Luo''s mind, and his brows furrowed slightly. If the jade pillow was still intact, he could simply toss the Slayer''s Broken Sword and Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead into the Heavenly Book Space, safe from any Magical Treasure''s probe. But now, he had no way to conceal the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead. ¡°The green jade box that I previously placed in your abode is the legendary Void Jade, containing the Power of Space, forming its own world within, which should be able to avoid detection by the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror,¡± Ao Hong''s voice rang out once more. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised, no wonder Ao Hong had given him that green jade box this morning. However, he had already taken the Slayer''s Broken Sword and Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead out of the box earlier and would need to return them immediately. Shen Luo slowly activated his mana and poured it into the Linlang Ring, placing the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead back into the green jade box, then subtly closed the lid without drawing attention. Within the green jade box, the Breath of the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead indeed completely vanished, undetectable even at close range. ¡°It seems this jade box really does possess some God''s Power,¡± Shen Luo saw this and felt his tight heartstrings relax. ¡°I''m sorry¡­¡± Ao Hong''s voice rang out again. Shen Luo gazed deeply at Ao Hong for a moment, said nothing, and barely perceivably shook his hand. The two of them did not communicate further and quietly waited for Elder Jieyin''s detection. After a quarter of an hour, it was finally their turn, with Shen Luo stepping forward first. ¡°Brother Shen, I''m truly sorry for this necessity, please forgive me,¡± Elder Jieyin said with a hint of apology. ¡°No matter, Elder Jieyin, you may cast your spell,¡± Shen Luo smiled. Elder Jieyin nodded slightly, his hands rapidly forming spells, casting several magic spells onto the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. The two latches on the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror instantly opened, and a soft beam of golden light shot out, landing on him. Shen Luo felt a gentle force penetrate his body, an influence that no mana or treasure could block, leaving him with seemingly no secrets to hide under this golden light, starkly exposed. This effect of detection was several times stronger than that of the earlier Taiji Life Transformation Array. The gentle force also penetrated into the Linlang Ring, casting over everything inside it. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He remained outwardly calm, with no change in his breathing or heartbeat, as his attention was closely fixed on the situation inside the Linlang Ring''s green jade box and the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. ¡°` The gentle force swept over the green jade box, like a stream meeting a rock, flowing around it without invading the interior, and the golden light on the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror was calm, evidently detecting nothing amiss. Shen Luo let out a quiet sigh of relief upon seeing this, but then he noticed something and almost furrowed his brow. When the golden light from the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror touched the broken jade pillow, it also split and flowed around it, even more so than with the green jade box, not touching the jade pillow at all. ¡°Who would have thought that after the jade pillow shattered, it would still possess such divine powers,¡± he pondered in amazement, and then he immediately steadied his mind, in case the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror had the ability to detect the condition of the divine soul and notice something unusual about him. Daoist Jieyin looked at the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, whose gold mirror inside clearly reflected the figure of Shen Luo. Just like when checking the others, there was not the slightest disturbance in the reflection of Shen Luo. ¡°This Shen Luo shows no issue either, could it be that using the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror is incapable of finding that thief¡­¡± A thought flashed through Daoist Jieyin''s mind, and he felt slightly annoyed, about to wave his hand and retract the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. The Shen Luo within the golden mirror suddenly emitted a ray of golden light from the location of his Dantian, flickering faintly a few times. Daoist Jieyin''s expression changed immediately, his gaze becoming sharpened and intently piercing as he stared at Shen Luo, speaking in a heavy tone, ¡°Brother Shen, what are you hiding in your Dantian? Please take it out for me to see.¡± Now with Zhenyuanzi away from Wuzhuang View, all affairs within the view were presided over by Daoist Jieyin. The theft of the Ginseng fruit had outwardly left him appearing calm, but inside he was already seething with anger. All the nearby people were shocked, their gazes unanimously turning toward Shen Luo. ¡°Could the thief of the fruit be him?¡± ¡°How is that possible, this Shen Luo is merely a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator.¡± ¡°This person won the championship at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. He must have some special godly power; perhaps it really is him.¡± The people in the hall whispered among themselves, and those with weaker cultivation levels hastily moved away a few steps. Ao Hong remained composed upon seeing this, but his heart skipped a beat. ¡°Could it be that the Void Jade Box has failed to completely conceal the Sword Embryo and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead''s aura?¡± He lowered his eyelids, his thoughts in complete turmoil. Indeed, he had sneaked into the Wuzhuang View last night, using the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead to break through the prohibitions around the Ginseng fruit tree, stealing a Ginseng fruit, which he was now carrying on his person, concealed within a Void Jade Box. If this imitation of the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror could penetrate into the Void Jade Box, he would not be able to protect his Ginseng fruit either. Shen Luo''s face showed a look of astonishment, but he quickly understood that it was the Pure Yang Sword Embryo that had triggered the anomaly in the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. This object had absorbed Pure Yang Power from the Slayer''s Broken Sword several times and carried a trace of the Slayer''s Broken Sword''s aura, which had been detected by the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. ¡°An oversight, how could I have forgotten about the Pure Yang Sword Embryo,¡± he chastised himself in secret, but his expression did not falter. ¡°This is my life-bound magical treasure, an unfinished flying sword. Is there a problem with this object?¡± Shen Luo called out the Sword Embryo with a flip of his hand, asking. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo had only absorbed Pure Yang Power from the Slayer''s Broken Sword a few times. Over the years, it had been nurtured continuously within his body, and it had already refined the power of the Slayer''s Broken Sword. Even if the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror was miraculous, at most it could only sense a similar aura, it couldn''t possibly confirm it entirely. Daoist Jieyin paid no heed to Shen Luo, his gaze fixed on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, forming a magic spell with his fingers and pointing to the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. The light emanating from within the treasure mirror intensified manifold, forming into a golden light pillar as thick as a water bucket, enveloping the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Within the light pillar, strands of golden thread wrapped around the Pure Yang Sword Embryo layer by layer. Daoist Jieyin''s brows furrowed slightly. The Pure Yang Power contained within this Sword Embryo was indeed somewhat similar to the sword qi left behind on the prohibitions near the Ginseng fruit tree, but it was just similar and not of the same kind. Moreover, the power of this Sword Embryo was weak and absolutely incapable of breaking through the prohibitions around the fruit tree. However, with the prospect of finding the fruit thief, Daoist Jieyin was not willing to let go of any clues, no matter how insignificant. Chapter 1111 Chapter 1111: Chapter 1108: Give an Inch, Take a Mile Chapter 1111: Chapter 1108: Give an Inch, Take a Mile ¡°` ¡°Friend Shen, the aura of this magical treasure of yours is quite similar to the residue near the Ginseng fruit tree, and the connection between the two is probably not shallow. I take the liberty to ask that you take out everything from your Storage Magical Tool and allow me to inspect it,¡± said the Jieyin Daoist with a slight bow. ¡°Have me take out everything from the Storage Magical Tool? Elder Jieyin, although you are a respected senior, to make such a request is a bit too much. Besides, had you not already used the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror to examine my entire person, including the Storage Magical Tool? Why the need for such redundancy?¡± Shen Luo''s heart turned cold, but he feigned a look of forcefully suppressing his rage on the surface. That Void Jade Box had the effect of isolating Qi, and had avoided the scrutiny of the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, but if inspected with the naked eye, its disguise would surely be revealed. Those present at the scene also felt that Jieyin Daoist''s actions were somewhat excessive. Inspecting another''s Storage Magical Tool was already a major taboo, not to mention taking out everything within it, which was tantamount to asking someone to strip naked in the market. ¡°My Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror is but an imitation, with limited divine powers. Some things still need to be seen with one''s own eyes to be assured,¡± Jieyin Daoist said calmly, yet his tone left no room for compromise. ¡°Hmph! Your Excellency speaks lightly. I, after all, am the victor of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. If I suffer this great humiliation today, how shall I face others in the future? How can Little Straw Mountain and Spring and Autumn Pavilion maintain their standing in the Cultivation World?¡± Shen Luo said coldly. ¡°It''s just a check of the Storage Magical Tool. Why does Friend Shen speak so gravely? Could it be that there are indeed things in your Storage Magical Tool that cannot be seen by others?¡± Jieyin Daoist''s gaze sharpened as he spoke. ¡°I walk with integrity and sit upright, unlike some who do their deeds in secrecy!¡± Shen Luo sneered sharply. Jieyin Daoist''s lips pursed slightly, and a strand of murderous intent surfaced in his eyes. The assembly within the hall wore varying expressions, many casting glances of admiration towards Shen Luo. Jieyin Daoist''s demands were certainly excessive, but there were few people like Shen Luo who would dare to speak out so directly against the prestige of Wuzhuang View and the profound cultivation level of Jieyin Daoist. Admiration was one thing, but no one among the gathered cultivators dared to speak out. Wuzhuang View was powerful and bolstered by the presence of the formidable Zhenyuanzi; who would risk attracting trouble? ¡°Friends Shen and Jieyin, we are all fellow Daoists, why must we escalate to such a confrontation. In my view, both sides should step back and resolve this matter to Perfection. Otherwise, we risk delaying the search for the thief who stole the fruit, allowing them to escape. Would that not be to neglect the essentials for the trivial?¡± chimed in a voice, coming from that Golden Armor Youth. Shen Luo looked towards the Golden Armor Youth with a look of surprise. He had already learned from Ming Yue the night before that this person''s name was Jiang Shentian, a favored disciple of the Heavenly Palace. He hadn''t expected this individual to stand up and speak a fair word. ¡°May I ask what good plan Daoist Jiang has?¡± Jieyin Daoist appeared to have considerable regard for Jiang Shentian, and, after a brief contemplation, he spoke. ¡°Friend Shen, Elder Jieyin seeks only to find the thief who infiltrated Wuzhuang and is not deliberately disrespecting you. Please try to understand his feelings. As for Elder Jieyin, you can inspect Friend Shen''s Storage Magical Tool, but do so with Divine Sense only, without taking them out. After all, those are Friend Shen''s personal collections and should not be shown to too many, and after inspection, Elder Jieyin must swear not to reveal anything he sees to anyone,¡± Jiang Shentian first looked at Shen Luo, then addressed Jieyin Daoist. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Jieyin Daoist had been momentarily overtaken by anger when he demanded that Shen Luo reveal everything in his Storage Magical Tool, and after calming down a bit, he somewhat regretted his impulsive words. However, Shen Luo''s stance was uncompromising, making it difficult for him to retreat. Now that Jiang Shentian had spoken, Jieyin Daoist pretended to consider for a moment and then said, ¡°Since Daoist Jiang has spoken, how could I not comply? Let''s do as you suggest.¡± ¡°` ¡°Many thanks for the generosity of Elder Jieyin. Brother Shen, what do you think of this approach?¡± Jiang Shentian nodded, then turned towards Shen Luo. ¡°Since Jiang Daoist has spoken, it is only natural for me to show some courtesy.¡± Shen Luo lowered his head in contemplation for a while before speaking. A hint of pleasure crossed Jiang Shentian''s face, his lips parted as if he was about to say something. ¡°I can hand over the Storage Magical Tool, but let me put it bluntly¨Cif, after Elder Jieyin inspects it, evidence is indeed found of me stealing Ginseng Fruits, I have nothing to say. However, if nothing is found, then what? A few words of apology certainly won''t quell my anger.¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke again with a grim tone. ¡°Oh, are you threatening me?¡± Jieyin Daoist''s eyes turned frosty as his voice became cold once again. ¡°It''s not a threat. This matter concerns the honor of my sect. If Your Excellency wishes to inspect my Storage Magical Tool, it is reasonable for me to expect a proper explanation,¡± said Shen Luo calmly, looking directly at Jieyin Daoist''s indifferent gaze. Many of the monks in the hall shook their heads secretly, feeling that Shen Luo was being greedy and unwise. Jiang Shentian had not anticipated Shen Luo''s move, but now that he had stepped forward, he had to speak. ¡°Brother Shen does make a point. If it turns out to be a misunderstanding about you, indeed, compensation should be made. I have a piece of Star Gold extracted from deep within the Nine Heavens Star River, which is an excellent material for refining star magical treasures. How about I offer this as compensation for the unintentional mistake?¡± Jiang Shentian pulled out a piece of dark gold ore, which shone with bright starlight that was almost blinding to the eyes. ¡°There''s no need to trouble Jiang Daoist regarding compensation. If this turns out to be a misunderstanding, Brother Shen may propose a reasonable condition to make up for your loss,¡± said Jieyin Daoist, gesturing dismissively. ¡°Agreed,¡± Shen Luo nodded, slipped off the Linlang Ring from his wrist, and tossed it towards Jieyin Daoist. Shen Luo''s forthright action caught Jieyin Daoist slightly off guard. Regardless, at this point, he couldn''t hesitate. He caught the Linlang Ring and immersed his Divine Sense within it. A flash of surprise crossed Jieyin Daoist''s eyes as he found that the Linlang Ring was filled with various precious Spiritual Materials and a significant amount of Immortal Jade. This would be astonishing even for a True Immortal Cultivator''s Storage Magical Tool, let alone for someone with Shen Luo''s cultivation at the Great Mahayana Stage. He glanced at Shen Luo, quickly composed himself, and began inspecting every item with all his Divine Sense, one after another. In the Linlang Ring, the most noticeable items placed on the outside were piles of ordinary spiritual materials, nothing of particular interest. However, Jieyin Daoist was not careless. He inspected them thoroughly and found nothing unusual. Following the spiritual materials were various magical treasures, all appearing powerful, especially a Blood Red Small Banner and a Black Armor that exuded exceptionally strong auras. Even among the treasures he himself possessed, there were few that could compare with these two. Especially that Black Armor, which was actually a Demonic Treasure! Though the Demon Clan had gradually been acknowledged, Demonic Treasures that ended up in outsiders'' hands were still rare, particularly those of such caliber. ¡°Could it be that this Shen Luo didn''t want me to inspect his Storage Magical Tool because it contains treasures like these¡­¡± Jieyin Daoist thought to himself, scrutinizing the two treasures carefully, but found no issues. Chapter 1112 Chapter 1112: Chapter 109 Zhenyuanzi Appears Chapter 1112: Chapter 109 Zhenyuanzi Appears Jieyin Daoist continued to inspect the other magical treasures and soon discovered another demonic treasure, the ¡°Ghost Pearl.¡± Unlike the black demon armor, the Ghost Pearl subtly contained a space within its interior, almost imperceptible if not for his powerful Divine Sense. Excitement flickered in Jieyin Daoist''s eyes as he gathered all his Divine Sense and penetrated into the Ghost Pearl. However, since the Ghost Pearl was a treasure of the Demon Clan, with prohibitions starkly different from those used by cultivators, and he had not refined this treasure before, it took him a good while to break through the prohibition seal and enter it. But inside the Ghost Pearl was nothing but dense Demonic Qi, nothing else, which greatly disappointed Jieyin Daoist. After the magical treasures came a pile of Immortal jade, which was not worth meticulous inspection, and having just forcibly broken through the Ghost Pearl''s prohibition, even Jieyin Daoist''s Divine Sense felt somewhat fatigued. He gave them a cursory check before moving on to the last few items. A broken jade pillow, a piece of fiery-red Spirit Wood, a dual-colored Immortal fruit of gold and cyan, a blue jade bottle, and a white round bead hiding a vermilion flame inside. The Qi emanating from these items was the strongest, capturing his attention early on. Jieyin Daoist took a deep breath and, his Divine Sense enveloping the objects, began to carefully inspect each one. His brows furrowed tighter and tighter, for none of these items presented any issues. Jieyin Daoist fell silent for a while, then once again expanded his Divine Sense to re-inspect everything inside the Linlang Ring, still finding nothing. He did not give up and checked a third time, only to find no problems yet again. Though reluctant to admit it, Jieyin Daoist had to accept that there was not the slightest clue regarding the lost Immortal Fruit in Shen Luo''s Storage Magical Tool. ¡°Could it really be that I was overthinking?¡± he thought to himself. ¡°Elder Jieyin, what''s the result?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°There is no problem. It seems that I have misunderstood Friend Shen. As mentioned just now, Friend Shen may propose a condition, and I will do my best to fulfill it,¡± Jieyin Daoist said after a moment. He handed back the Linlang Ring and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo together. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Elder Jieyin. However, the inspection is not yet finished. Let''s talk about this afterward,¡± said Shen Luo as he put the Linlang Ring back on his wrist. Jieyin Daoist was a bit surprised, but as he had important matters to attend to and no time to deal with this right away, he nodded immediately. Shen Luo turned and walked back to his place, when a piece of the Immortal jade in the Linlang Ring flashed with light, transforming into a Green Jade Box. Adhered to the box was a Talisman, specifically the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman. He had just activated this talisman to disguise the green jade box as a piece of Immortal jade, hiding it amongst the pile, thus eluding Jieyin Daoist''s inspection. However, without the accompanying Liangyi Micro-dust Array, relying solely on the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman to disguise the green jade box was rather difficult and required some time. Therefore, Shen Luo had deliberately stalled with Jieyin Daoist earlier to buy time for activating the talisman. Given Jieyin Daoist''s profound cultivation level, there was no certainty that the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman could deceive him. Shen Luo had deliberately rearranged the position of the items inside the Linlang Ring to distract his attention. After such an elaborate effort, it was finally successful. ¡°Next,¡± Jieyin Daoist called out. Shen Luo glanced at Ao Hong beside him; Ao Hong was the next to be inspected. He suspected that Ao Hong might carry the Ginseng Fruit, and the Void Jade Box had proven to block the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror''s inspection. However, if Ao Hong indeed went to steal the fruit last night, there might still be a trace of Qi left. Ao Hong smiled at Shen Luo, clearly very confident, and stepped forward, ¡°Daoist Friend Jieyin, please.¡± Jieyin Daoist activated the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, and a beam of golden light emitted from it, enshrouding Ao Hong''s body. Inside the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, Ao Hong''s reflection appeared. Golden Light pulsed around Ao Hong, probing every part of his body. After several breaths, no anomalies were displayed on the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. ¡°No abnormalities, thank you for your trouble, Daoist Friend Ao Hong.¡± Because a misunderstanding had arisen with Shen Luo, Jieyin Daoist''s attitude was now extremely amiable. Ao Hong nodded and returned. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, who was below, also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. One hour later, everyone in the hall had been checked, and still, no problems were found. Jieyin Daoist''s expression was incredibly gloomy, clenching the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror in his right hand so hard that his knuckles turned white, not uttering a word. ¡°Elder Jieyin, you have already conducted the investigation twice, may we leave now?¡± a man in a green robe stood up and spoke, the very same Green Cloud Daoist who had been anxious to leave earlier. ¡°This¡­¡± Jieyin Daoist''s brows furrowed. He had already investigated everyone in the hall, and for a second time at that, according to the previous agreement, he had to lift the prohibitions and let everyone leave. But if the thief who stole the fruit had not been found, and everyone left just like that, the culprit behind the damage to the Ginseng fruit tree would be lost forever. However, keeping everyone here, he had no better means of investigation. As Jieyin Daoist was hesitating, a white Jade Talisman suddenly flew out from his body, inscribed with complex runes and faintly forming the pattern of a human figure. As soon as the white Jade Talisman left Jieyin Daoist''s body, it burst into brilliant white light, and then the light converged, condensing into a semi-transparent human figure. This figure was elegant in appearance, with three strands of long beard hanging down to his chest, holding a whisk, looking extraordinary. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank, this figure in front of him was Zhenyuanzi, though it seemed to be a doppelganger condensed from a talisman. However, this doppelganger was very lifelike, almost no different from a real person, even the expressions on the face were clearly visible, leaving one to wonder what kind of talisman it was. Zhenyuanzi''s expression was dark, his eyes sharp and cold, clearly extremely enraged. ¡°Pavilion Master!¡± Jieyin Daoist was overjoyed, quickly stood up, and gave the white figure a bow. ¡°Ancestor Master!¡± The other disciples from Wuzhuang View also paid their respects. ¡°Greetings to Senior Zhen Yuan!¡± The other monks in the hall also hurriedly bowed. ¡°I already know the cause of the incident, and ask the Daoist friends here to wait a moment, I will catch the thief who stole the fruit shortly.¡± Just as Jieyin Daoist was about to recount the misfortune that had befallen Wuzhuang View, Zhenyuanzi raised his hand to interrupt him, speaking coldly, and then made a beckoning gesture. A magnificent golden light shot from deep within Wuzhuang View, arriving outside the great hall in the blink of an eye, passing through the prohibitions around the hall with a flash, and landed in Zhenyuanzi''s hands¨Cit was another Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror. This Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror was much smaller than the one held by Jieyin Daoist, its entire body exhibiting a chaotic hue, giving off a feeling of vastness as if it had come into existence with the opening of Heaven and Earth. Zhenyuanzi made a gesture with his hands and the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror opened with a thunderous roar, spewing golden light like the Sun that enveloped everyone in the hall. Shen Luo was also submerged in the golden light, feeling a vast warm current flood his body, quickly spreading through his every part, causing him to feel exposed as if he were naked, even more thoroughly than during Jieyin Daoist''s previous inspection. The Linlang Ring was not overlooked either, as the warm current invaded it. A chill went through Shen Luo''s heart, his fingers moving slightly. Inside the Linlang Ring, the Green Jade Box immediately shifted positions and quickly entered the Broken Jade Pillow. Just as he finished these actions, the vast warm current came surging in, submerging everything inside the Linlang Ring. Although this warm current was even mightier and more pervasive than before, the Broken Jade Pillow indeed possessed a miraculous God''s Power, for as soon as the warm current touched the jade pillow, it immediately Chapter 1113 Chapter 1113: Chapter 1110: Punishment and Execution Chapter 1113: Chapter 1110: Punishment and Execution ¡°` Shen Luo saw this and breathed a sigh of relief. But at this moment, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out in the hall, coming from the man in the black robe. Golden light flashed continuously on a storage magical tool on his wrist, and strands of green light emerged from it, emitting an extremely fresh fragrance. Those nearby who smelled it felt their pores open and their bodies relaxed, an indescribable comfort washing over them. ¡°Ginseng Fruit! So it was you who stole the Immortal Fruit!¡± Jieyin Daoist suddenly looked towards the black-robed man and quickly gestured with his right hand. A streak of blue light shot from his hand, leaving a trail of afterimages, instantly arriving above the black-robed man''s head¨Cit was a blue flying sword that slashed down from the sky. However, the black-robed man, who had been prepared for an anomaly the moment the storage magical tool acted up, quickly dodged, appearing at the entrance of the great hall and evading the blue flying sword''s strike. The man shouted loudly, his body faintly glowing with golden light, and his fists gleamed with a layer of dark golden gloss, punching towards the blue light curtain like a flood dragon emerging from its cave. Where his fists passed, the void trembled with a whistling sound, visible ripples spreading out, striking the blue light curtain heavily. With a ¡°crackle,¡± the blue light curtain shattered like a mirror, creating a void about ten feet wide. The black-robed man didn''t delay and immediately dashed out as fast as lightning. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Jieyin Daoist would not let him escape so easily; he drew a small blue flag with a flick of his hand. The shattered area of the blue light curtain suddenly burst into bright light, instantly solidifying into a huge blue lotus. The black-robed man, who was trying to escape, was stopped by the blue light emitted by the lotus and came to a halt. Jieyin Daoist waved his sleeve with his other hand, sending out a phantom silver light with unimaginable speed that flashed above the head of the black-robed man and struck down fiercely. Shen Luo activated his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil to barely make out the Magical Treasure in the silver light¨Cit was a silver circle, the Dragon-binding Circle he had seen in the Dream World. The black-robed man seemed to sense the power of the Dragon-binding Circle. After making some strange sounds from his throat, the golden light on his body surged, barely pushing back the blue light of the Green Lotus under his feet, regaining the ability to move. His hands quickly formed a magic spell, and a cloud-like golden auspicious light suddenly shone from his body. This golden auspicious light seemed somewhat similar to the Buddhist Divine Techniques, but it lacked the pure aura of Buddhism, giving off a rather sinister vibe instead. With a shift in his hand signs, the golden auspicious light instantly transformed into a large golden hand in front of the Dragon-binding Circle and caught it. But the moment the Dragon-binding Circle and the golden hand touched, it disappeared and then reappeared out of thin air on the shoulder of the black-robed man, firmly tightening around him with a ¡°clang.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A burst of silver light erupted from the Dragon-binding Circle. The black robe on the man was torn apart, revealing his true appearance¨Ca disheveled man with grey hair who was struggling fiercely. ¡°Who is this man?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. The others were also discussing fervently, seemingly not recognizing the man either. Without a word, Jieyin Daoist formed hand signs, and the silver light on the Dragon-binding Circle intensified, with nine clear runes floating out from it. These runes shone with brilliant silver light. They expanded instantly to the size of a fist and formed a silver light shield enveloping the disheveled man inside. The man''s body was immediately immobilized, clearly thoroughly restrained. Jieyin Daoist finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Zhenyuanzi, about to say something. The silver protective cover suddenly shook violently, and a powerful surge erupted from the disheveled man''s body. His figure rapidly inflated like being pumped with air, and even the Dragon-binding Circle could not stop it. Jieyin Daoist''s expression changed dramatically. He spun around lightning-fast, his hands quickly forming spells, and the silver light on the Dragon-binding Circle surged accordingly. Unfortunately, he was a step too late. With a ¡°boom,¡± the disheveled man''s body exploded open, turning into a black sun that slammed fiercely against the surrounding silver protective shield. The silver protective shield showed countless cracks, and after just a few breaths, it exploded with a bang. ¡°` The aftermath of the Black Sun''s mighty force did not subside but continued to swiftly spread around, sweeping away the blue lotus below like dry weeds in its path, and severely fracturing the blue light curtain as well. The walls of Kaiyang Hall were also struck by the Black Sun, shaking violently as if on the verge of collapse. Seeing this, the cultivators inside the hall fled to distant areas, each summoning their Magical Treasures to protect themselves. Shen Luo also hurriedly retreated and summoned the Bloodthirsty Flag to shield his body. The self-destruction of a True Immortal Realm Cultivator is no minor matter, and with everyone gathered in the confined space of Kaiyang Hall, it was impossible to completely avoid the blast. At the critical moment, Zhenyuanzi raised one hand and pointed at the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror in his grasp. A rich beam of Golden Light shot out from the Treasure Mirror, piercing through the Black Sun faster than lightning. The explosion of the Black Sun immediately ceased spreading. Then, like a punctured balloon, it rapidly deflated and disappeared within a few breaths. With the disaster thus averted, everyone inside the hall exhaled in relief, their eyes filled with admiration when they looked at Zhenyuanzi. ¡°I was negligent for a moment and allowed this person to self-destruct; I have troubled the Pavilion Master to take action,¡± said Jieyin Daoist in a low voice. Zhenyuanzi waved his hand dismissively and looked towards the entrance of Kaiyang Hall, sighing. There, the disheveled man was reduced to nothing more than bones, and his Storage Magical Tool had also been destroyed in the recent explosion, naturally obliterating the Ginseng Fruit within it as well. Jieyin Daoist''s face turned ashen, his heart filled with immense rage. But after all, he was no ordinary man. After taking a deep breath, he regained his composure. ¡°I''ve caused you all to laugh at us. The thief who stole the fruit has been executed. Please forgive the offense from earlier,¡± Jieyin Daoist said as he recalled the Blue Flying Sword and the Dragon-binding Circle, bowing to everyone in the hall. The cultivators in the hall returned the gesture, declaring it no trouble at all. ¡°If that''s the case, may Elder Jieyin lift the prohibitions and allow us to leave?¡± someone asked. Jieyin Daoist looked at Zhenyuanzi, who nodded slightly. ¡°Certainly,¡± Jieyin Daoist said with a smile, waving the small blue flag in his hand, allowing the blue prohibitions surrounding the hall to gradually dissipate. Having been inadvertently involved in the Wuzhuang View''s fruit-loss incident and with Zhenyuanzi now present, everyone was eager to leave this place of trouble, bidding their farewells and departing. ¡°Brother Shen, with Elder Zhenyuanzi back, you must be planning to stay, right?¡± Ao Hong said, looking at Shen Luo. ¡°Indeed,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°I need to handle some matters in the East Sea Dragon Palace, so I won''t stay with you any longer,¡± Ao Hong said, looking into Shen Luo''s eyes, a deep sense of apology flashing in his gaze. ¡°Brother Ao, if you have matters to attend to, then go ahead. When I visit the Eastern Sea in the future, I''ll find you for tea,¡± Shen Luo said, waving his hand. Ao Hong nodded at Shen Luo and also turned to leave. Soon, the vast Kaiyang Hall was left with only Jieyin Daoist, Zhenyuanzi, and some Wuzhuang View attendants standing in the distance. ¡°Brother Shen, how come you¡­¡± Jieyin Daoist began to ask in surprise upon seeing Shen Luo still there, but he stopped mid-sentence when he suddenly remembered he still owed Shen Luo a condition. ¡°Who might this young Daoist be?¡± Zhenyuanzi inquired, looking at Shen Luo. ¡°This is Shen Luo, Friend Shen. He is the victor of the recent Three Realms Martial Arts Conference,¡± Jieyin Daoist quickly interjected before Shen Luo could speak. ¡°Oh, so it''s Friend Shen. The Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast has ended, do you have any other matters here?¡± Zhenyuanzi asked, his tone neutral as he looked Shen Luo up and down with surprise in his expression. Chapter 1114 Chapter 1114: Chapter 1111: Powerless Chapter 1114: Chapter 1111: Powerless ¡°` ¡°I have come to seek assistance from Senior Zhen Yuanzi. Although I have a matter that requires your help, as a junior, I wouldn''t dare to ask without offering something in return. Elder Jieyin, could the condition we agreed upon earlier be used as compensation?¡± Shen Luo first gave a bow to Zhen Yuanzi, then turned to address the Jieyin Daoist. Upon hearing this, the Jieyin Daoist''s expression stiffened, and he coughed awkwardly a few times. ¡°Condition? What''s this about?¡± Zhen Yuanzi looked towards the Jieyin Daoist. ¡°It''s nothing. I had a misunderstanding with Brother Shen before and promised him a condition as compensation,¡± the Jieyin Daoist hastily explained, feeling rather displeased that Shen Luo had brought up the matter in front of Zhen Yuanzi. ¡°I see. Since you have a prior agreement, Brother Shen, if you have any issue, just speak freely. As long as it''s within my ability, I will try to fulfill it,¡± Zhen Yuanzi glanced at the Jieyin Daoist, then said. ¡°May we discuss this elsewhere?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the attendants around and spoke softly. ¡°Please follow me, young friend,¡± Zhen Yuanzi''s eyes flickered as he turned and walked outside. The two of them made several turns within the Wuzhuang View and soon arrived at a secluded side hall nearby. ¡°This place is tranquil. Whatever matter you have, Brother Shen, feel free to speak your mind,¡± Zhen Yuanzi invited Shen Luo to sit and spoke kindly. Shen Luo acknowledged softly and took out the jade pillow and a jade plate, placing them on the table beside him. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for the green jade box inside the jade pillow, it had already been removed by him and kept within the Linlang Ring. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Zhen Yuanzi looked at the two items with a surprised expression. ¡°This jade pillow is a wondrous treasure I obtained in my early years. It can allow a person to Enter Dream, and it is quite important to me. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, it suddenly shattered some time ago. I have long heard that Elder Zhen Yuan is skilled in Artifact Refining, and I would like to request your help in repairing it,¡± Shen Luo said as he bowed deeply. Zhen Yuanzi uttered an ¡°oh¡± and looked back at the jade pillow. At first, he seemed casual, but after a few glances, his entire demeanor became serious. He extended his slender fingers and gently touched the broken jade pillow, fingertips flashing with white light, clearly probing the internal prohibitions of the jade pillow. Shen Luo stood quietly to the side, not daring to interrupt. Zhen Yuanzi examined it for a moment and withdrew his hand. His eyes fell on the jade plate next to it and he uttered a light ¡°hmm.¡± ¡°When I acquired the jade pillow, this jade plate was with it. I have had others look at the text on it, and it seems to record an Ancient Artifact Refining technique,¡± Shen Luo explained upon seeing this. Zhen Yuanzi seemed not to hear Shen Luo''s words as his gaze remained fixed on the jade plate. After what felt like an entire mealtime, he finally lifted his head, his expression somewhat complex, and he remained silently lost in thought. ¡°Senior Zhen Yuanzi?¡± After waiting a while, seeing that Zhen Yuanzi remained silent, Shen Luo asked softly. ¡°It''s nothing. The contents recorded on this jade plate reminded me of distant past events, and I was lost in reminiscence for a moment. My apologies for making young friend smile,¡± Zhen Yuanzi regained his composure and responded with a smile. ¡°How could I, senior? Could it be that the technique recorded on this jade plate is truly an Ancient Artifact Refining secret?¡± Shen Luo waved his hands repeatedly, then inquired with curiosity. ¡°Indeed. However, this Artifact Refining technique is quite unconventional, not commonly needed by Artifact Refiners, and hence not very valuable,¡± Zhen Yuanzi replied. Shen Luo had thought the mysterious origin of the jade plate might mean that its contents were a secret technique akin to the Innate Treasure-refining Technique or the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique from Ancient times. Hearing these words, he was greatly disappointed. ¡°Then for this jade pillow, could you have a method to repair it?¡± he immediately asked about the matter that concerned him most. ¡°While I do understand some Artifact Refining techniques, I can''t say I''m proficient. The prohibition contained within your jade pillow is extremely exquisite, and I am powerless to help,¡± Zhen Yuanzi said, shaking his head. At these words, Shen Luo was utterly stunned. How could this be? Yuan Tiangang clearly divined that coming to the Wuzhuang View, I would find a way to repair the jade pillow. Could it be that Yuan Tiangang made an error in his divination? ¡°` ¡°With the God''s Power of the Elder, is there really no way at all?¡± he asked persistently. ¡°It''s not that I''m avoiding the issue, I''m truly helpless and cannot assist Friend Shen with this matter. The conditions that Jieyin Daoist previously promised you, you can exchange it for another favor,¡± Zhen Yuanzi sighed. ¡°If that''s the case, I won''t insist. I have heard that within the Wuzhuang View there is a Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace which is no less than the Eight Trigrams Divine Furnace of the Heavenly Court''s Supreme Elder Lord. I would like to borrow it once to refine a Magical Treasure,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment, and after a long while, he adjusted his mindset and spoke. ¡°That can be easily arranged. Friend Shen, you should head back and make the necessary preparations. Tomorrow, I will have someone take you there,¡± said Zhen Yuanzi. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo expressed his gratitude, packed up the jade pillow and jade plate, and took his leave. After Shen Luo had gone far, Zhen Yuanzi took out the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror with a flip of his hand and waved his sleeve. The Treasure Mirror opened swiftly, and its smooth mirror surface revealed indistinct images. Zhen Yuanzi looked at the Treasure Mirror, nodded slowly, and a moment later, he put it away. A fluctuation in the Void arose behind him, and the figure of Jieyin Daoist appeared. ¡°Pavilion Master, did Shen Luo make any unreasonable demands?¡± Jieyin Daoist inquired. ¡°Nothing of the sort. He asked me to repair a Magical Treasure, but unfortunately, I am unable to help,¡± Zhen Yuanzi replied. ¡°A Magical Treasure that even you cannot repair? How is that possible?¡± Jieyin Daoist''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°There are countless rare treasures in the world, and my skill in Artifacts Refining is merely decent. It''s not strange that there are Magical Treasures I cannot repair. I have let Shen Luo change his condition, allowing him to use the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace tomorrow,¡± instructed Zhen Yuanzi. ¡°Yes, but that Shen Luo is not an ordinary Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator. He may have other schemes. Should I secretly set up a prohibition to probe what he refines?¡± Jieyin Daoist''s eyes held a slight chill as he asked. ¡°No need. I just used the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror to check on that Shen Luo. He has deep connections with the Great Tang Dynasty Government and is also the betrothed of the Minor Sect Leader of Mount Putuo. Do not offend him lightly,¡± Zhen Yuanzi shook his head. ¡°I understand,¡± Jieyin Daoist nodded. Zhen Yuanzi had more to say, but his body suddenly became illusory. ¡°The time limit of the Floating Shadow Illusion Talisman has been reached. I cannot return for the time being. The care of Wuzhuang View is in your hands now. Increase your vigilance and don''t let any chaos arise,¡± he said with a shake of his head, his tone turning serious. ¡°Yes, I will do my best,¡± Jieyin Daoist''s expression turned stern as he hastily agreed. Zhen Yuanzi nodded, and his body soon completely vanished, leaving behind only a broken Jade Symbol, which burst into flames with a loud noise, turning into nothingness after a few breaths. Jieyin Daoist stood silently in the room for a while before turning and departing. Shen Luo returned to the place where he had been staying before, pacing back and forth inside the room. The Divination of Yuan Tiangang had actually gone awry, which both shocked and irritated him, for Yuan Tiangang, as the Great Tang State Master, had never faltered in his divination skills before. Why then did it go wrong this time? Could it be that the jade pillow was doomed to remain irreparable? ¡°I mustn''t rush; Yuan Tiangang only told me that coming to Wuzhuang View would present an opportunity to repair the jade pillow. Maybe that opportunity doesn''t lie with Zhen Yuanzi, but with someone else,¡± Shen Luo suddenly thought of a possibility, which made him feel a bit better. He then shook his head, no longer dwelling on the issue of the jade pillow, and started planning the use of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace for tomorrow. Chapter 1115 Chapter 1115: Chapter 112 Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace Chapter 1115: Chapter 112 Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace Shen Luo flipped his hand and took out an object, which was the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. He wanted to use the power of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace to incorporate this piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. This task was much simpler than refining magical treasures. Although he had never set foot on the path of artifact refinement, he was confident he could accomplish it. However, Shen Luo planned to also incorporate the cluster of Red Lotus Karmic Fire into the sword embryo when melting the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood tomorrow, which would complicate the situation. Some preparations would be needed. He pondered for moments, then checked the spiritual materials within the Linlang Ring and got up to leave. Half an hour later, Shen Luo returned, entered the secret chamber, and strong waves of mana soon emanated from within. After more than a two-hour period, he walked out with a weary expression, but there was also a hint of joy. All the necessary preparations had been completed; all that was left was to start refining the artifacts tomorrow. The day had been filled with dramatic ups and downs, leaving Shen Luo mentally and physically exhausted, so he retired to his bedroom to rest. The next day, early in the morning, just as he had gotten up, there was a knock on the door from outside. Shen Luo opened the door to find Ming Yue. ¡°Did Friend Shen rest well last night?¡± Ming Yue asked with a smile. ¡°Very well. Daoist friend Ming Yue, what brings you here so early?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Master has already instructed me about your matter. I am here to take Friend Shen to the place of artifact refining,¡± Ming Yue said. ¡°Please lead the way,¡± Shen Luo replied with joy in his heart, though it did not show on his face. He nodded in assent. ¡°Friend Shen, please follow me.¡± Ming Yue led him out and quickly flew towards the depths of Wuzhuang View, reaching a valley where a golden hall stood. Next to the hall was a Stone Stele erected, bearing the three large characters ¡°Sun and Moon Hall.¡± Behind the valley, there was a lush and verdant grove with faint scents wafting from within, hinting at the presence of some valuable things. It seemed to be shielded by prohibitions, making it indistinct. ¡°The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here is so rich, it seems to be coming from that grove over there. What is that place?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in this part of the valley was more than twice as dense as the other areas, and even thicker within the forest. ¡°That is the location of our View''s Immortal Garden, where all sorts of Immortal Fruit are grown. Master has used special methods to increase the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi there to cultivate the spirit fruit,¡± Ming Yue paused, then explained. ¡°Is the legendary Ginseng fruit tree also there?¡± asked Shen Luo, his eyebrows raising. ¡°Yes,¡± nodded Ming Yue. Shen Luo was very curious about the legendary Ginseng fruit, glancing over there, but then quickly redirected his gaze to the Sun and Moon Hall in front of him. ¡°The Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace is stored inside the Sun and Moon Hall. Friend Shen, you may proceed on your own. There is no one in the valley, nor any monitoring prohibitions. This is how to activate the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace and control the prohibitions and instruments inside. You can refine magical treasures in there without worry,¡± Ming Yue handed Shen Luo a jade slip and a Red Token. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Daoist friend Ming Yue,¡± Shen Luo said with sincere gratitude and walked into the valley. Ming Yue kept guard outside the valley, yet she did not leave and instead chose to sit on the ground. Shen Luo, however, paid her no mind and soon arrived before the Sun and Moon Hall. He lifted his hand to the door and pushed with force. The palace door merely trembled slightly without opening, proving to be incredibly heavy. Shen Luo increased his strength, and the thick door then slowly opened. A wave of scorching breath washed over him, causing his eyes to squint briefly before opening again to take in the scene within the hall. The Sun and Moon Hall was quite spacious, not inferior to the Glazed Tile Hall or the Kaiyang Hall, and within the hall that was several tens of meters wide, red light shone everywhere. About twenty to thirty fiery red stone pillars stood throughout the hall, each a zhang thick, with lifelike carvings of fire dragons coiled around them as if they could come to life at any moment. These carved fire dragons were spewing strands of red light from their mouths that enveloped the refining furnace in the center of the great hall, solid yet not dispersed. This furnace was adorned with Sun, Moon, and Stars patterns. Despite being wrapped in bands of red light, its inherent spiritual radiance was not entirely obscured, and it looked immensely mysterious. It was, indeed, the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. Around the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace on the ground, a complex array was inscribed, connected to the surrounding stone pillars. It flickered with bursts of red light. Shen Luo marveled at everything before him, taking a while to come back to his senses. When he had initially condensed the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, he had used the refining room of Treasure Hall, which was laughably rudimentary compared to the one he saw now. Shen Luo took out the jade slip that Ming Yue had just given him, his Divine Sense entering it to check the controlling methods for the refining room before him. This refining room was much more sophisticated than that of the Treasure Hall, but also much more complicated to operate. The red light spraying from the carved fire dragons on those surrounding stone pillars was actually flame summoned from deep underground through an array ¨C the Earth Heart Sacred Fire. While its power couldn''t match Heavenly Fire, it was comparable to Earth Fire. Although the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace contained the Purple Luo Heavenly Fire, activating it required a strong cultivation level and the refining of an important prohibition inside the furnace. Therefore, when disciples of the Wuzhuang View borrowed this furnace for Artifact Refining, they still relied on the Earth Heart Sacred Fire. The array around the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace on the ground was named the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array and could control the Earth Heart Sacred Fire, adjusting the temperature of the flames and so on. However, these weren''t the most difficult parts; the hardest part of refining treasures this time was operating the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace itself. The furnace was of Nine Heavens Divine Grade, its inner structure exceedingly complex, ten times more complicated than any Magical Treasure he had seen before. To use this treasure proficiently would likely require decades of slow exploration. Luckily, Shen Luo was not looking to use the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace proficiently. His intent was merely to fuse the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. With his spellcasting experience from Dreamland and his already quite skilled Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, there should be no problem. He read the jade slip meticulously, and only after half an hour did he retract his Divine Sense, taking out the Red Token and spurring it with a flick of his fingers. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Red Token immediately lit up with a bright glow, and as a response, the red light of the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array on the ground grew stronger, causing the red light spraying from the fire dragon carvings to intensify significantly and the temperature inside the hall to soar. Shen Luo made hand seals, and different areas of the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array flickered with light, either brightening or dimming. Correspondingly, the Earth Heart Sacred Fire from the fire dragon carvings in those areas waxed and waned. This Sun-Moon Qiankun Array was personally set up by Zhenyuanzi, far surpassing the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. Although he had the Red Token, controlling it was still quite difficult, like a child wielding a Great Hammer. He wasn''t in any rush and continued to make hand seals to cast spells, familiarizing himself with the control of the Great Array. Boosted by his experience in Dreamland, Shen Luo progressed at an astonishing rate, and in just half an hour, he had already become quite adept at operating the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array. Chapter 1116 Chapter 1116: Chapter 113: Sacrificial Refinement (Request for Monthly Tickets) Chapter 1116: Chapter 113: Sacrificial Refinement (Request for Monthly Tickets) In the depths of Wuzhuang View, within a secretive room, Jieyin Daoist stood with his hands behind his back in front of an ancient bronze mirror, which displayed the situation inside the Sun and Moon Hall. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Zhenyuanzi had told him not to spy on Shen Luo''s artifacts refining, after much consideration, he still did not follow Zhenyuanzi''s instruction and secretly observed Shen Luo. The ragged man in the black robe who had stolen the Ginseng Fruits had been found, but he had self-destructed in the end, destroying all the storage magical tools on him, making it impossible to investigate how many Ginseng Fruits he had actually stolen. Jieyin Daoist, harboring deep suspicions, doubted that the ragged man was the only one who had stolen the Ginseng Fruits. The aura of Shen Luo''s Chun Yang Sword was similar to the residual aura in the Ginseng Fruit Garden, and he remained doubtful of Shen Luo in his heart. Of course, Jieyin Daoist also had some displeasure towards Shen Luo as a person. ¡°He has mastered the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array so quickly?¡± Jieyin Daoist frowned. When he first encountered the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array that year, it also took him months to proficiently activate it, and his cultivation level had already reached the True Immortal Stage at that time. Shen Luo had no idea that he was being observed and continued to operate the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array until he was satisfied before stopping. He stood up, closed the palace door, and took out several sets of prohibitions, including the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, which he set up around the great hall. Although Ming Yue said there were no surveillance methods set up inside the Sun and Moon Hall, he still felt at ease only after setting up his own prohibitions. A moment later, several layers of prohibition light curtains rose, enveloping the great hall, particularly the white fog light curtain formed by the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, which completely blocked all auras inside the hall, not letting even a trace leak out. In the depths of Wuzhuang View, the bronze mirror before Jieyin Daoist became covered in a layer of white mist, concealing everything. ¡°What kind of prohibition is this? It can even hide from the scrutiny of the Zhouyi Mirror!¡± Jieyin Daoist exclaimed in surprise and repeatedly urged the bronze mirror. A layer of crystal light appeared on the mirror, flashing rapidly, but the white mist merely undulated slightly, showing no sign of dispersing. The complexion of Jieyin Daoist darkened, and after a silent moment, he snorted coldly and flicked the bronze mirror with a gesture. All the crystal light on the bronze mirror disappeared, and everything within the mirror vanished as well, prompting Jieyin Daoist to turn around and leave. Inside the Sun and Moon Hall, Shen Luo activated several layers of prohibitions before he felt secure and sat down in front of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, using the red token to activate it. A layer of purple light emerged on the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, and the lid suddenly floated up. He then waved his sleeve, and the Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out from his hand, flying into the furnace, where it hung still. All the patterns of the sun, moon, and stars on the furnace lit up, and streams of purple light from all over inside the furnace converged on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, wrapping it. The spirit patterns on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo all lit up, and its internal spiritual power slowly became pure, emanating joyful clear ringing. ¡°Indeed, it is the Nine Heavens Divine Furnace!¡± Shen Luo was first startled, then uttered an admiring exclamation. According to what Zhenyuanzi had said in Dreamland, this Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace was forged from a block of Purple Lapis Lazuli Immortal jade; the purple light should be the spiritual light from the Purple Lapis Lazuli Immortal Jade, which surprisingly had the effect of nourishing magical treasures. If the Pure Yang Sword Embryo could be left inside this furnace for a long time, its power would undoubtedly be greatly enhanced, but unfortunately, he was only temporarily using this furnace. He shook his head, dismissing the distractions in his mind, and took out the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, throwing it into the furnace. The Sun-Moon Qiankun Array on the ground also began to hum into operation. Near the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, the fire dragon carvings immediately spit out streams of crimson flames, and the prohibitions on the furnace also began to operate, forming a layer of dazzling starlight. When the crimson flames touched the starlight prohibitions around the furnace, they immediately entered within, and then emerged from the nine apertures at the bottom of the furnace. The originally slightly violent Earth Heart Sacred Fire became tame after filtering through the prohibitions of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. ¡°` Shen Luo applied the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique, turning the Earth Heart Sacred Fire into strands of ribbon-like flames that densely wrapped around the Ten Thousand Years Fire Scale Wood. The surface of the Fire Scale Wood blazed with an intense red light, and the Pure Yang Power within was gradually stimulated. However, this spiritual wood had been polished by tens of thousands of years, and its spiritual power had since become introverted, making the leakage occur too slowly. Shen Luo frowned slightly and intensified his manipulation of the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array, summoning even more Earth Heart Sacred Fire. The fluctuations of the Pure Yang Power on the Fire Scale Wood immediately sped up. Half an hour later. The Ten Thousand Years Fire Scale Wood had significantly reduced in size, its substance changing to a semi-transparent state. It no longer resembled spiritual wood but appeared more akin to a dark red gemstone. The red light on the Fire Scale Wood was ten times more dazzling than before, looking like a giant red lantern, with all of its Pure Yang Power completely drawn out. A look of joy appeared on Shen Luo''s face as he formed a gesture and pointed at the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The Sword Embryo immediately flew over, transforming into a red shadow that flashed by and entered the interior of the Fire Scale Wood. His hands worked quickly, forming gestures to stimulate the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The primary material for the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was Fire Scale Wood. Sensing the aura of the homogenous Fire Scale Wood around it, it immediately began to devour it ferociously. Seeing this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. However, what he sought for today was not just to merge the Ten Thousand Years Fire Scale Wood into the Sword Embryo, but also to include that mass of Red Lotus Karmic Fire. He waved his sleeve, and two beams of white light shot from his hand into the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. One of them was the white round bead that contained the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and the other was a white jade plate a few feet in size. The jade plate was engraved with a complicated array, which he had used during the initial refining of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Yesterday, Shen Luo had used his own reserves and collected some more Spiritual Materials from within Wuzhuang View and fashioned this jade plate. He raised his hand and sent a burst of mana into the white round bead, which immediately showed a layer of white light curtain. ¡°Split!¡± Shen Luo shouted in a low voice, flicking his finger. A sharp Sword Qi struck the white light curtain on the round bead, creating a small slit. Red Lotus Karmic Fire rushed out in swarms, quickly filling up much of the space inside the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. His face lit up with joy, as there was so much Red Lotus Karmic Fire contained within the white round bead. Shen Luo steadied his mind and started to stimulate the white jade plate with his gestures. The jade plate floated above the Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the array on it hummed into action, emitting a flood of red light. As his fingers moved, these red lights revolved around the white jade plate, quickly forming a funnel-like vortex, emitting a strong suction force with the bottom directly above the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire in the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace was drawn by the vortex''s suction, slowly entering it, and finally emerged from the bottom, merging into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. After the refining process of the array on the jade plate, much of the wild nature of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was dispersed. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire that had already been refined within the Pure Yang Sword Embryo sensed the aura of the homogenous Heavenly Fire, and exploded dramatically, voraciously devouring the incoming Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Shen Luo relaxed inside, but did not dare to slack off for a moment, fully maintaining the operation of the furnace. In the blink of an eye, seven days and seven nights had passed. In front of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, Shen Luo looked utterly exhausted. Seven days and nights of tireless cultivation and close attention to refining the magical treasure had taken its toll even on his profound cultivation, but fortunately, the nurturing of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was nearing completion. Within the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, there was no sign of the Ten Thousand Years Fire Scale Wood. All of its vitality had been infused into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire had been fully merged into it as well. The form of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo had undergone some changes, becoming much slimmer, with dazzling red light dancing around the sword body. With the Crimson Sword Aura ebbing in and out, a burst of Pure Yang energy ten times stronger than before erupted, causing even the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace to tremble slightly. Chapter 1117 Chapter 1117: Chapter 1114: The Pure Yang Sword is Completed Chapter 1117: Chapter 1114: The Pure Yang Sword is Completed ¡°` Shen Luo gazed at the Pure Yang Sword Embryo inside the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, feeling elated, yet he did not immediately take the Sword Embryo out. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo had just merged with the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and its power indeed surged tremendously, but this also made the inner vitality within the sword unstable, necessitating further nurturing by the power of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. He activated the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, and strands of Earth Heart Sacred Fire enveloped the Sword Embryo, slowly tempering it. The interior of the furnace once again emitted beams of purple twilight, nurturing the Sword Embryo. The vitality within the Sword Embryo gradually stabilized, but judging by the pace, at least half a month''s time was needed for the Pure Yang Sword Embryo to be completely stabilized. Shen Luo was not in a hurry, taking out an Elixir to consume. While refining the medicinal power to recover Mana, he continued to drive the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace. At that moment, streaks of golden light suddenly emerged on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, flashing rapidly. He quickly fixed his gaze, and the flashing golden light turned out to be the Pure Yang prohibition that he had previously inscribed on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. The rich Pure Yang Power within the Sword Embryo seemed to have found a vent, pouring into the prohibition. The runes of the prohibition swiftly became clear. In just moments, the Pure Yang Prohibition on the Sword Embryo was completely formed. ¡°What''s happening? Could it be that the increased power of the Sword Embryo truly accelerates its advancement to Magical Treasures?¡± Shen Luo was both alarmed and overjoyed, hastily forming seals to solidify the second Pure Yang Prohibition. The Pure Yang Power within the Sword Embryo continued to rush and surge, and the second prohibition was swiftly formed as well. Moreover, the raging Pure Yang Power inside the Sword Embryo also smoothed out somewhat. ¡°I see, so the Pure Yang Prohibition is not absorbing the Pure Yang Power from within the Sword Embryo; instead, it''s bringing the excess Pure Yang Power within the Sword Embryo under the control of the prohibition,¡± he surmised upon seeing this scene, gaining a deeper understanding of the process of condensing prohibitions on the Pure Yang Sword Embryo. Condensing the prohibition for the Sword Embryo primarily has two steps: one is nurturing the Sword Embryo to gather Pure Yang Power, and the second is to use this Pure Yang Power to condense the Pure Yang Prohibition. Previously, the reason why it was difficult for him to refine the Pure Yang Prohibition was that the Sword Embryo lacked power, necessitating first the nurturing of Pure Yang Power and then the condensing of the prohibition, which would take years to form one. Now, with the assistance of the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the Pure Yang Power of the Sword Embryo had surged to an uncontrollable level, skipping the first step entirely. The Sword Embryo was tempered by the Earth Heart Sacred Fire for seven days and nights, arousing all the vitality. Coupled with the miraculous nurturing effects of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, two layers of prohibitions were easily formed. There might be other reasons, but the present was the perfect opportunity to condense the Pure Yang Prohibition. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo continued to cast spells, condensing the third prohibition. Soon, three more days passed. Within the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace, the Pure Yang Sword Embryo was wrapped in dense golden prohibitions, shimmering with intense golden light. With the surge of Pure Yang Power from the Sword Embryo, Shen Luo had refined thirty-four layers of Pure Yang Prohibition in one go. The majestic Pure Yang Power inside the sword body was completely dormant, no longer overflowing wildly, yet it felt even more terrifying, like a treasure blade sheathed. Shen Luo raised his hand to beckon, the Pure Yang prohibition on the surface of the Pure Yang Sword Embryo flared up, and the flying sword disappeared from the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace in an instant, the next moment appearing before him as if it teleported. Under the arrangement of the Pure Yang Prohibition, the Sword Embryo''s power was no longer chaotic and unordered but completely condensed. Its flight speed greatly increased, and its attack power also enhanced significantly. Shen Luo was eager to test the current power of the flying sword, his hands forming sword techniques, as the Pure Yang Sword Embryo shone brightly. The incomparably fierce Sword Qi burst forth suddenly, instantly filling the entire Sun and Moon Hall. ¡°` The radiant lights of the Sun and Moon Hall were overwhelmed by the sword Qi, suddenly dimming a great deal, and the Earth Heart Sacred Fire spewed by those fire dragon statues was also reduced by ninety percent. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo shot out abruptly and, with a flash, appeared in front of the white light curtain formed by the Liangyi Micro-dust Array and cleaved through the air. A tearing sound followed, as a long and deep crack was slashed into the white light curtain, causing the entire Liangyi Micro-dust Array to shake violently. Shen Luo nodded with satisfaction. He had just used a mere fifty percent of his mana to propel the sword embryo. If he had used his full strength, the Liangyi Micro-dust Array would probably have been broken by now. He flipped his hand and took out a white formation flag, pointing it at the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, and a white light shot out. Spiritual light flickered on the white light curtain, and the massive crack quickly shrank, completely disappearing within a few breaths. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo also swept back, appearing in Shen Luo''s hand. ¡°Now that you have condensed the prohibition and ascended to a Magical Treasure, you are no longer a sword embryo. From now on, I shall call you the Pure Yang Sword,¡± Shen Luo murmured to the sword embryo in his hand. The red light on the Pure Yang Sword brightened, resonating with a cheerful and clear chirp, as if it could understand his words. ¡°What a fine sword!¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy as he flipped his hand and took the flying sword back into his body to continue tempering it. The Pure Yang Sword was his life-bound Magical Treasure, and although it had now been forged into a Magical Treasure, it could still be enhanced with the Sword Polishing Method to increase its power. With things coming to a pause, Shen Luo took a long breath and didn''t immediately leave. After many days of tirelessly cultivating his Magical Treasure, sustained only by Elixirs, both his mana and soul power were severely depleted, leaving him thoroughly exhausted in both body and spirit; he needed to rest properly. Being a guest at Wuzhuang View, Shen Luo naturally didn''t want the people of Wuzhuang View to see him at his most disheveled, deciding to recuperate here before leaving. He sat down cross-legged on the spot, took out a Restoration Pill to take, when suddenly his meridians twitched and the dormant Demonic Qi erupted again. This time, the onset was incredibly fierce, like a volcano erupting. A layer of black mist surfaced on his skin and thickened rapidly, unleashing a tide of deadly Qi that swept in all directions. The surface of the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace glowed with a bright purple radiance, protecting itself, and the red light from the Sun-Moon Qiankun Array on the ground trembled chaotically. The prohibitions set up by Shen Luo around the great hall flickered wildly, including the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. However, the Liangyi Micro-dust Array was far more sophisticated than the prohibitions he had set up in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion''s Cave Mansion. Despite the violent shaking of the ban on the light curtain, it did not break. His expression changed, and he immediately sat down cross-legged, raising his hand to gesture. The Slayer''s Broken Sword shot out from the Linlang Ring and with a whoosh, entered his Dantian. Shen Luo rapidly activated the Pure Yang Sword Technique to drive the Slayer''s Broken Sword and Pure Yang Sword. Both swords surged with golden light, looking like two golden suns suddenly bursting forth from his lower abdomen. The Pure Yang Sword now also contained a powerful force of Pure Yang. Although it was still far from the level of the Slayer''s Broken Sword, it had a certain suppressing effect on the Demonic Qi. He was bathed in golden light, with thousands of golden beams enveloping the surging Demonic Qi, and the two forces clashed fiercely. Shen Luo''s face contorted with pain, but he gritted his teeth and endured, pushing the Slayer''s Broken Sword and Pure Yang Sword to their limits, trying to suppress the suddenly erupted Demonic Qi within him. However, this time, the outburst of Demonic Qi was much stronger than before, and even the combined suppression of the two swords could not hold down the Demonic Qi for the moment. The sullen Qi swirling inside the great hall grew stronger, and the trembling of the light curtains of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array and other prohibitions around became increasingly intense as a sliver of deadly Qi leaked out. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1118 Chapter 1118: Chapter 1115: The Tree is Destroyed Chapter 1118: Chapter 1115: The Tree is Destroyed Outside the Valley, Ming Yue still sat cross-legged, appearing not to have moved a step these past several days. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not long after Shen Luo entered the Sun and Moon Hall, he suddenly received a strict order from Jieyin Daoist to closely monitor Shen Luo and to report immediately if there were any changes. At this moment, a surge of malevolent Qi suddenly emanated from within the Sun and Moon Hall, causing Ming Yue''s entire body to bristle and his heart to shiver in alarm. ¡°What''s going on?¡± He suddenly opened his eyes, and with a flip of his hand, he retrieved a jade pendant inscribed with dense runes, looking like a communication artifact, and was about to activate it with an incantation. However, the fluctuation of malevolent Qi that had emitted from the Sun and Moon Hall suddenly disappeared as if it had never existed. Ming Yue stood there, dumbfounded, he spread out his Divine Sense to carefully probe the Qi inside the hall, but he sensed nothing. ¡°Could I have sensed it wrong just now?¡± Ming Yue thought to himself. He once again expanded his Divine Sense to probe the Sun and Moon Hall, but still, he detected nothing. Looking at the jade pendant in his hand, he shook his head and put it away. The Qi from just now, he himself wasn''t confident about its existence, naturally, he could not report it to Jieyin Daoist. Moreover, even if it was real, it was not a big deal, Shen Luo was refining treasures inside the Sun and Moon Hall, and it was possible that the surge of malevolent Qi had come from the aura of a treasure. Inside the Sun and Moon Hall, Shen Luo had an expression of agony on his face. A black silhouette stood not far from him, swiftly forming incantations with both hands and activating a white formation flag. The surrounding Liangyi Micro-dust Array stabilized once again, blocking all the malevolent Qi. That black silhouette was none other than Ghost General. ¡°Continue¡­ exert full strength on the Array¡­ do not let the malevolent Qi spread outside¡­¡± Shen Luo said with difficulty. ¡°Master, rest assured, I will do my utmost,¡± Ghost General hastily said, a flash of fear in his eyes as he looked towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded then immediately closed his eyes, exerting his full power to activate the Slayer''s Broken Sword and Pure Yang Sword to counter the Demonic Qi. Time ticked away slowly, a full quarter of an hour passed before the malevolent Qi around him gradually receded. And by the time Shen Luo fully recovered, an hour had already passed. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Ghost General flew over, asking with concern. ¡°It''s no longer a hindrance,¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes and said flatly. ¡°That''s a relief,¡± Ghost General sighed. They were currently inside Wuzhuang View. Should anything befall Shen Luo, he, a ghost entity, would definitely not meet a good fate. ¡°Master, this place is so hot, it''s quite detrimental to my ghost body. Let me hide inside the Qiankun Bag,¡± Ghost General said, looking towards the Sun, Moon, and Stars Furnace and those Earth Heart Sacred Fires, a pained expression on his face. Shen Luo nodded, waved his hand to collect Ghost General into the Qiankun Bag, then closed his eyes to contemplate the matter of the Demonic Qi. The outbursts of Demonic Qi seemed to be getting more severe each time, but fortunately, he had the Slayer''s Broken Sword to suppress it for now. The best strategy was to rapidly increase his cultivation level, on one hand, to reach the True Immortal Stage as soon as possible to attract Thunder and Lightning for body tempering; on the other hand, the higher his cultivation level, the more Pure Yang Power he could draw from the Slayer''s Broken Sword. He also needed to find more Pure Yang artifacts. For instance, the Pure Yang Sword had been of great help in suppressing the Demonic Qi this time. ¡°The first outbreak of Demonic Qi was due to the influence of the Jiuli Devil Armor, the second was because of Yuan Tiangang''s investigation, but there was no external trigger for the third outbreak. Why did the Demonic Qi erupt suddenly?¡± Shen Luo pondered the reasons behind the Demonic Qi outbreaks. This time the Demonic Qi acted up, and he could be certain that there was no external object triggering it. Given that, the problem must be with himself. ¡°Is it because I''ve been refining treasures for several days straight, depleting too much mana and Soul Power?¡± Shen Luo thought of a possible reason, and the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. This sort of thing wasn''t unheard of; even if a mortal had a serious illness within their body, overexertion could easily trigger an outbreak. ¡°It seems I must be even more careful in the future,¡± warned Shen Luo to himself. He then closed his eyes, activated Divine Wood Grace, and checked the status of his vital energy, his expression darkening. Sure enough, as he had predicted, his vital energy had been tainted by a good amount of Demonic Qi. Shen Luo activated Divine Wood Grace and began to refine the Demonic Qi within his vital energy. This time, a larger amount of his vital energy had been tainted by Demonic Qi, and the refining process took quite a long time, not stopping until a full day and night had passed. Although most of the Demonic Qi had been refined and expelled, the black-red evil aura within his vital energy had increased yet again. Vital energy is fundamental to life; the slightest issue is a matter of grave concern. Shen Luo''s face was gloomy, but for the moment, he couldn''t think of a better solution. The only thing he could do was to be more cautious in his future actions to prevent another outbreak of Demonic Qi. He sighed, got up to collect the array tools in the hall, and turned to leave. With a ¡°boom,¡± the doors of the Sun and Moon Hall suddenly swung open, and an invisible, overwhelming force came crashing like a tidal wave. Shen Luo was taken aback, his feet shining with the Moonlight Glamour as he swiftly retreated. But the force was faster and caught up to him in the blink of an eye. However, he was not panicked as he quickly activated a sword technique. A Crimson Sword Aura several zhang long shot out from his hand¨Cit was the Pure Yang Sword¨Cslashing across the air in front of him. The oncoming tidal force was immediately cleaved in two, narrowly missing his body and flying past him to crash into the ground of the Sun and Moon Hall. The Sun-Moon Qiankun Array on the ground shone with a red light, effortlessly shattering the two forces and remaining undamaged. Only then did Shen Luo have the spare time to look outside, frowning. He saw two middle-aged men standing outside, both elders from the Wuzhuang view he had encountered at the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast. One elder held a blue longsword, and the other wielded a Mountain Chopping Axe taller than a man. It was the latter who had just launched the attack. ¡°Shen Luo, our Wuzhuang View has treated you graciously, and yet you have repeatedly stolen our Ginseng Fruits and even outrageously destroyed the fruit tree. This time, I will not spare you, hand over your life!¡± the elder wielding the Mountain Chopping Axe roared with rage, launching the axe which instantly appeared above Shen Luo''s head, rapidly increasing in size and slashing down like a mountain cleaving into the sea. ¡°Elder Qin Shan, what are you talking about? The Ginseng fruit tree has been destroyed? What happened?¡± Shen Luo was startled by these words and dodged the strike. At the previous Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast, he had learned the names of these two elders. This man was Qin Shan, and the other who was manipulating the blue flying sword was surnamed Li, named He. ¡°Shen Luo, since you dared to commit such deeds, why don''t you dare to admit it?¡± Elder Li He also attacked, his blue flying sword striking like lightning, illusioning trails of misty rain sword shadows that enveloped Shen Luo''s body. ¡°The Smoky Rain Sword Technique!¡± Shen Luo recognized the sword technique being used¨Cit was the famous Smoky Rain Sword Technique of Wuzhuang View. This sword technique was like smoke and rain, with illusions mixing with reality, confounding the eyes and unfathomable. It seemed like every move was a feint, but once an opponent revealed a weakness, the illusory sword shadows would immediately solidify, killing decisively. Numerous monks had been confused by these illusions, dying under the Smoky Rain Sword Technique without understanding how. Chapter 1119 Chapter 1119: Chapter 1116: Sin Falls from the Sky Chapter 1119: Chapter 1116: Sin Falls from the Sky ¡°Elders, hold your hands for a moment, there might be some misunderstanding here,¡± Shen Luo moved his feet and swept to the side, urgently saying. But Li He didn''t listen at all. Countless Misty Rain Sword Shadows chased after him and fell swiftly. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a layer of green light appeared in his eyes. He pinched the sword technique with his hand. The Pure Yang Sword whistled out, also transforming into numerous Sword Shadows, colliding with the Misty Rain Sword Shadows. Only the sound of clanging flying swords colliding could be heard, and the misty sword technique was completely blocked. Not only that, but Elder Li''s face also showed a strange flush of red, as he staggered back several steps before steadying himself. The flying sword carried a strange heat. When the swords collided, it transferred to him, causing a burning pain in his internal organs. He had to rapidly circulate his mana several times before he could neutralize it. ¡°Elder Li!¡± Elder Qin, who was beside him, was startled and hurried over to assist. The Mountain Chopping Axe shone brightly with cold light. The axe grew several times larger and slashed horizontally at Shen Luo with an axe glow as formidable as mountains and seas. A flash of Moonlight Glamour passed under Shen Luo''s feet, and he vanished once again to avoid the attack. But the void above him suddenly flashed with light, and four axe shadows appeared out of thin air. Each one was a mix of illusion and reality, and they were also using the Smoky Rain Sword Technique. Although the four axe shadows were illusory, they all emitted a powerful aura, blocking all paths of escape and simultaneously slashing down viciously. Utilizing the Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with green light again and he quickly activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, pointing with his finger. A blue ice flower shot from his hand, as fast as lightning, and struck an illusory axe shadow. With a ¡°crack,¡± a layer of shining blue ice instantly covered the axe shadow, which was then frozen solid within a large block of blue ice. The axe shadow solidified from an illusion into the real Mountain Chopping Axe, while the other three shadows dispersed with the wind and vanished without a trace. ¡°How did you discern the real from the illusory changes in the Smoky Rain Sword Technique?¡± Qin Shan''s eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. Without paying attention to him, Shen Luo''s feet flickered with Moonlight Glamour, and he disappeared from before their eyes. In the next moment, he was twenty or thirty feet away, seizing the opportunity to break out of the encirclement. Seeing Shen Luo''s movement, ghostly and elusive, Qin and Li felt a chill in their hearts and did not attack further. Instead, they moved to block the palace door, seemingly afraid that Shen Luo might escape. ¡°Elders, I have been in the Sun and Moon Hall refining Magical Treasures for the past few days without taking a single step outside. Why do you seek to kill me upon sight?¡± Shen Luo said, his eyebrows raised as he clasped his hands together. ¡°You stole Wuzhuang View''s Ginseng fruit tree and even destroyed it¨Ca crime so grave, how could you not deserve death?¡± Qin Shan''s face reddened with anger upon hearing Shen Luo''s words. His body shone with white light as he summoned the Mountain Chopping Axe from afar. But the blue ice was unbreakable, and even the mana within the Mountain Chopping Axe seemed to be frozen, unresponsive to his call. ¡°What kind of ice divine technique is this? It can even freeze mana!¡± Qin Shan''s heart shuddered again in astonishment. ¡°I''ve already told you, I have been in the Sun and Moon Hall refining Magical Treasures for these past days and have not taken a single step outside, let alone stolen the Ginseng fruit and ruined the tree,¡± Shen Luo said solemnly. ¡°The evidence of this affair is conclusive. You still want to deny it!¡± Li He also said in a cold voice. ¡°''Incontrovertible evidence?''¡± Shen Luo was taken aback and was about to ask what the evidence was. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Qin Shan, Li He, what are you doing? How can you attack Friend Shen like this!¡± a voice sounded, and two figures flew from a distance and landed outside the great hall. It was Jieyin Daoist and Ming Yue. ¡°Elder Jieyin, we can now confirm that it was Shen Luo who stole the Ginseng Fruit and destroyed the tree. Such an ungrateful person with a wolf''s heart and a dog''s lungs should be apprehended immediately!¡± Qin Shan said angrily. ¡°What a way to repay kindness with enmity, with a wolf''s heart and a dog''s lungs. Are all members of Wuzhuang View so unreasonable and fond of stirring up trouble like this?¡± Shen Luo had already shown Qin Shan and Li He considerable forbearance on several occasions, but this man was still so oblivious. His expression grew cold. ¡°Bastard! What did you say?¡± Qin Shan was enraged by Shen Luo''s insult to Wuzhuang View. He flipped his hand and brought out a green long knife Magical Treasure, which turned into a bright green Sword Glow and appeared above Shen Luo''s head in a flash. But before it could come down, Shen Luo formed a hand seal and pointed, and another blue ice flower shot out, striking the green long knife. An extreme chill burst forth, and the green long knife was once again frozen in a lump of blue ice, losing all its power and falling to the ground with a thud. This time, Shen Luo did not hold back, invoking the full power of his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. The fierce and incomparable cold not only instantly froze the mana in the green long knife, but also invaded the prohibitions within the Magical Treasure. Inside the lump of blue ice, the green long knife let out a soft sound, and a crack appeared on its surface. Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Shen Luo''s expression. Since leaving Mount Putuo, he had not spent much time cultivating the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. Unexpectedly, this divine technique had improved significantly without his notice. The power of the cold was so great that it easily damaged the green long knife, which was not of a low grade. Was it because he was naturally suited to this divine technique? Or was it that the Nameless Cultivation Technique had an extraordinary compatibility with it? Witnessing this, Jieyin Daoist and the others also showed surprise in their expressions. ¡°How dare you destroy my Magical Treasure!¡± Qin Shan was stunned for a moment, his face flushing with rage. His gaze towards Shen Luo was almost murderous, and his body''s Treasure Light flickered, ready to move again. ¡°Do you want to make a fool of yourself again? Stop!¡± Jieyin Daoist frowned and shot Qin Shan a glance, shouting coldly. Qin Shan''s body shook violently, his face showing a dazed expression as if his spirit had been shaken. Several breaths later, he regained his composure and did not make another move. ¡°Friend Shen, that''s some impressive divine power. The technique you just used was the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique from Mount Putuo, right? Seeing its power, it seems you''ve cultivated it to the third layer, not far from the fourth. I''m impressed,¡± Jieyin Daoist turned to Shen Luo and said with a slight smile, though the smile was somewhat cold. ¡°Just a minor skill, Elder Jieyin flatters me too much,¡± Shen Luo responded indifferently. By now, he had also realized that Qin Shan and Li He dared to come after him largely because Jieyin Daoist must have hinted at it from behind the scenes. He had learned from Ao Hong and Bai Xiaotian about the Wuzhuang Sect, which places great emphasis on etiquette and is usually very cautious in its actions. Qin Shan and Li He having reached the position of Elders would surely not be impulsive and reckless. Even if they suspected him of stealing the Ginseng Fruit, they would not have come knocking so directly. As for why Jieyin Daoist would do this, Shen Luo couldn''t figure it out at the moment, but he could feel the other''s dislike for him. Thus, facing him, Shen Luo did not bother with pretenses. ¡°Regarding what just happened, let''s consider it a rash act by Qin Shan and the others. However, these two Magical Treasures, I would ask for Friend Shen to release them,¡± Jieyin Daoist looked at the Mountain Chopping Axe and the green long knife and said. Shen Luo did not speak but formed a hand seal and pointed at the two lumps of blue ice. The two ice lumps quickly melted away, disappearing in a few breaths, freeing the Mountain Chopping Axe and the green long knife, which then flew back into Qin Shan''s hands. Qin Shan used a spell to sense the condition of the two Magical Treasures. Noticing that the Mountain Chopping Axe was undamaged, he breathed a sigh of relief internally, but his eyes remained fixed on Shen Luo with undiminished hatred. Chapter 1120 Chapter 1120: Chapter 1117: Four Reasons Chapter 1120: Chapter 1117: Four Reasons ¡°Since Elder Jieyin has come over, I, Shen Luo, have a question to ask. Just now, Elders Qin Shan and Li He repeatedly accused me of stealing the Ginseng Fruit and destroying the Ginseng fruit tree, even claiming to have evidence in hand. May I know where this evidence is? Could Elder Jieyin please enlighten me?¡± Shen Luo looked at Jieyin Daoist and asked calmly. ¡°Friend Shen, there''s no need to be angry. The matter has not yet been confirmed, and those were hasty words from Qin Shan and the others, I ask for your understanding,¡± Jieyin Daoist said with a faint smile. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder Jieyin, why is it not confirmed when it''s clear that¡­¡± Qin Shan couldn''t help but say. But before he could finish, Jieyin Daoist''s gaze swept over him again. He opened his mouth, and the rest of the words had to be swallowed back. Shen Luo''s expression remained indifferent; he simply watched quietly, not speaking. ¡°Friend Shen, to be frank, another theft occurred in our pavilion last night. Two Ginseng Fruits were stolen, and the Ginseng fruit tree withered away for no known reason, as if someone had used some kind of Divine Power,¡± Jieyin Daoist said, looking into Shen Luo''s eyes. Although Shen Luo had already heard about this from Qin Shan and Li He, he still frowned upon hearing Jieyin Daoist recount the specific details. ¡°May I ask where Friend Shen was and what you were doing last night? Do you have any alibi?¡± Jieyin Daoist asked slowly, his gaze becoming sharp. ¡°I have been refining artifacts in the Sun and Moon Hall these past few days, not taking a single step outside. Last night was the same. As for an alibi, Daoist Ming Yue has been guarding outside the valley and should be aware of my whereabouts,¡± Shen Luo replied without any hesitation, looking at Ming Yue in the end. Ming Yue showed a hesitant look and did not speak. ¡°Hmph! You used a prohibition to cage the Sun and Moon Hall; from the outside, it''s impossible to see inside. Ming Yue was merely sitting in meditation outside the valley and did not constantly use Divine Sense to check the hall. If you used an Escape Technique to leave quietly, how could he have noticed?¡± Qin Shan retorted with a cold sneer. Shen Luo''s gaze grew colder. Although Qin Shan''s words were far-fetched, they were not completely illogical. ¡°Regardless of whether you believe me or not, I did not leave the Sun and Moon Hall last night,¡± he said after a moment of silence. ¡°Does Daoist friend have a way to prove this?¡± Jieyin Daoist asked. ¡°I have no way to prove it, but I would like to ask Elder Jieyin why you think I stole the Ginseng Fruits and destroyed the tree? Elders Qin Shan and Li He even came directly to my door to apprehend me,¡± Shen Luo countered. ¡°We suspect Friend Shen mainly for four reasons,¡± Jieyin Daoist responded without refusing to answer, stretching out four fingers. ¡°I would like to hear them in detail,¡± Shen Luo said, bowing his hands. ¡°The first reason is that the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast has ended, and now within the entire Wuzhuang View, aside from Friend Shen, there are no more outsiders,¡± Jieyin Daoist said slowly. Shen Luo frowned, offering no retort. ¡°Secondly, Friend Shen has been in this Sun and Moon Hall for a period of time. The Sun and Moon Hall is very close to the Immortal Fruit Garden where the Ginseng Fruits are, and Shen, you have also asked Ming Yue about the Immortal Fruit Garden and the Ginseng fruit tree before, right?¡± Jieyin Daoist continued. Shen Luo maintained his composure but inwardly sighed, rueing that his momentary curiosity that day had brought him such trouble. ¡°As for the third reason, after the last theft of the Ginseng Fruit, I set up a small prohibition near the Ginseng fruit tree. This prohibition has no defense or detection capabilities, its Qi is extremely faint, and its sole purpose is to record nearby images. This is what the prohibition captured,¡± Jieyin Daoist continued, producing a white sphere that revealed the image of a figure swiftly fleeing through it. Shen Luo looked at it, his expression darkening slightly. Although the figure within the sphere was incredibly blurry, it was still possible to make out its facial features¨Cit was indeed him. ¡°With cultivation levels like ours, altering one''s appearance is a trivial matter. If it truly were me who stole the fruit and destroyed the tree, why would I use my real appearance?¡± Shen Luo said in a deep voice. ¡°Perhaps you didn''t expect Elder Jieyin to have set up such a prohibition within the garden and were careless for a moment,¡± Qin Shan''s voice, which Shen Luo found nauseating, rang out once again. Shen Luo gritted his teeth, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, but he didn''t argue with Qin Shan. ¡°As for the last reason, it dates back to more than half a month ago. A Daoist friend from Great Tang Dynasty Government, Lu Huaming, visited Wuzhuang View, seeking a Ginseng Fruit to prolong Emperor Tang''s life. Pavilion Master refused, saying that Emperor Tang bears the Dragon Qi and must follow the natural cycle of fate. Artificially extending his lifespan would defy the Heavenly Dao,¡± the Jieyin Daoist continued. ¡°Was there such a matter?¡± Shen Luo was surprised for a moment. ¡°And the unkempt man who stole the Ginseng Fruit a few days ago, and ultimately self-detonated and perished, we have already investigated his identity. He was named Purple Robe Thief, a servant of Great Tang Dynasty Government. The reason he came to Wuzhuang View to steal the Ginseng Fruit is self-explanatory,¡± said the Jieyin Daoist with a cool and indifferent gaze. ¡°Now that the Purple Robe Thief has failed in stealing the fruit and been killed, and the Ginseng Fruit was not taken out, Shen Luo, you have countless ties with Great Tang Dynasty Government. If one theft failed, naturally there would be a second attempt; hence, you stayed behind under false pretenses, waiting for an opportunity,¡± Qin Shan followed up. Shen Luo was silent, reflecting on this series of events. His suspicions indeed were great; it was no wonder the Jieyin Daoist and the others suspected him. However, he hadn''t committed this crime. Given the current situation, someone had schemed against him, setting an incredibly cunning trap. One misstep could indeed result in him being treated as the vile thief who stole the fruit and destroyed the tree, or even dying inexplicably within the premises of Wuzhuang View. Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm himself down. ¡°With so many reasons, it''s inevitable for fellow cultivators to suspect me. However, I, Shen Luo, swear on the Heart Demon that I am not responsible for stealing the fruit and ruining the tree. It must be a malicious plot by someone. If you don''t believe me, you may search my Storage Magical Tool.¡± He took off the Linlang Ring and handed it over. The Slayer''s Broken Sword was now within his body, and he had disguised the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead as an Immortal jade, hiding it within a pile of Immortal jade using the same method as before. Jieyin Daoist and the others showed a flicker of movement in their expressions upon hearing Shen Luo''s Heart Demon Oath. A Heart Demon Oath is no trifling matter; breaking it could bring great harm to one''s future cultivation. Shen Luo making such an oath ¨C could it be that he was truly wronged? ¡°Since Daoist friend Shen has spoken thus, I shall not stand on ceremony and check once more.¡± Jieyin Daoist took the Linlang Ring, his Divine Sense entered it, and he began to search anew. Just like the last time, he failed to pierce the illusion of the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman and detect the presence of the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, finding nothing. ¡°Although Friend Shen''s Storage Magical Tool is clean, your suspicion has yet to be cleared. Please accompany us and wait for Pavilion Master''s return from Heavenly Court,¡± Jieyin Daoist handed back the Linlang Ring and said. Shen Luo''s eyes darkened. Jieyin Daoist''s words, though veiled, were clear to him: this was virtual imprisonment. Qin Shan and the others moved swiftly to encircle Shen Luo, surrounding him in the middle. ¡°I will go with you, but before that, I would like to examine the Ginseng fruit tree,¡± Shen Luo fell silent for a moment. Without resisting, he made a request. Jieyin Daoist was taken aback. ¡°What are you trying to do? Are you harboring some ill intention again?¡± Qin Shan asked coldly. ¡°I don''t wish to be detained without cause. I want to visit the scene no matter what. My cultivation may not be strong, but I have keen eyesight, and I have cultivated several Yimu Divine Powers. Perhaps I can discern something from the fruit tree,¡± Shen Luo said, silently invoking the Divine Wood Grace. Suddenly a vortex of green light appeared in the palm of his hand, and the breath of the nearby vegetation began to converge toward him, continuously merging into his body. Chapter 1121 Chapter 1121: Chapter 1118: Investigation Chapter 1121: Chapter 1118: Investigation ¡°Is this¡­ Good! Since Daoist friend Shen has this idea, please follow me.¡± The Jieyin Daoist''s eyes brightened, then he gave Shen Luo a deep look before turning to fly towards the distance. Shen Luo did not hesitate, following closely behind the Jieyin Daoist. Although the others did not understand the reason, since the Jieyin Daoist had spoken, they did not dare to disobey and leapt to follow, continuing to surround Shen Luo in their midst. The group flew towards the grove behind the valley and soon arrived deep within the forest. The trees here grew even taller, some reaching the thickness of several feet and towering dozens of feet high, resembling small green mountains. Shen Luo looked at the giant trees before him with a hint of surprise, but his eyebrows twitched and he quickly regained his composure. The Jieyin Daoist stopped in front of a giant tree, took out a green Token from his hand, and gestured with a point. A green light shot out and merged into the void ahead. The void in front immediately rippled like a curtain being drawn aside, revealing a massive orchard. This orchard spanned about forty or fifty li in area, surrounded by towering earthen-yellow walls. Its size and grandeur were no less than that of the Tang Imperial Palace. Inside the orchard, high walls divided the area into countless courtyards, big and small, with each courtyard planting one or several precious Spirit Trees. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in this place was unimaginably rich, far surpassing the Purple Bamboo Forest of Mount Putuo or the Nine Brahman Secret Realm. The Ground''s soil was not ordinary either; it had a light purple hue and emitted an extremely substantial breath. Shen Luo had once read about this kind of soil, named ¡°Nine Heavens Soil.¡± It was an extremely high-grade spiritual soil that contained heavy Earth Spiritual Power, nourishing all beings, especially Spirit Grasses and Spirit Trees. Major Sects would all collect some Nine Heavens Soil to cultivate Spirit Grasses. The Medicine Garden of the Black Bear Demon contained a fair amount of it, although it was mixed with other lower-grade Spiritual Soils, hence it didn''t show a pale purple color. And the Ground within the Wuzhuang View orchard was composed purely of Nine Heavens Soil. The yellow walls surrounding the orchard were not made of ordinary bricks and stones, but were some kind of Earth Attribute Spiritual Material, nourishing the soil''s Spiritual Power and separating each courtyard to prevent different Spirit Fruits from affecting each other. However, the Nine Heavens Soil and those Spiritual Material walls were just the surface; Shen Luo could sense that beneath the Ground, something even more mysterious was hidden. Similar to the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, it continuously gathered the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi and the essence of Earth Veins for the many Spirit Trees to grow. This treasure''s might far exceeded the Spirit Osmanthus Moon Reflection Mirror, attracting many times more Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi than the Moon Reflection Mirror. ¡°As expected of the Immortal Fruit Garden of Wuzhuang View, it''s truly impressive.¡± Shen Luo internally praised. ¡°Friend Shen flatters us. It''s all because of a treasure that we can cultivate such a vast Immortal Garden. Please follow me; the Ginseng Fruit Tree is in the deepest part of the Immortal Garden.¡± The Jieyin Daoist smiled and continued to fly forward. ¡°So there is indeed a treasure hidden Underground here. Could it be that Earth Book treasure?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself after hearing this, but did not dwell on it and closely followed the Jieyin Daoist. They soon arrived at a huge courtyard at the heart of the orchard. This courtyard spanned hundreds of feet in size, with walls that were more ornate and grander than the others, inscribed with a multitude of Formation Patterns. They were various Gathering Spirit Arrays, nurturing Arrays, and other kinds that aided in the growth of the Ginseng Fruit Tree. In the middle of the courtyard grew a massive tree, over a thousand feet tall, with lush green branches and shady leaves that resembled banana leaves, but in between them hung fruits shaped like little children. Whether it was the tree trunk, the leaves, or the fruits themselves, they all glittered with a crystalline treasure light. However, this fruit tree now looked withered, its green leaves shriveled, and even the spiritual light on the ginseng fruits was very dim, as if it was about to die at any moment. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Around the tree, there were also several layers of prohibition flickering, seemingly treating the tree, but apparently to no effect. ¡°Is this the Ginseng Fruit Tree?¡± Shen Luo looked at the giant tree in front of him with curiosity. ¡°Indeed, the Ginseng fruit tree seems to have been subjected to some technique, its spiritual power is rapidly dissipating, and we are unable to stop it by any means. Since Friend Shen is proficient in Yimu Divine Power, please help us investigate it,¡± said Jieyin Daoist as he undid the prohibitions around the Ginseng Fruit Tree with a hand seal. Shen Luo nodded and stepped forward to the Ginseng Fruit Tree, his Divine Sense surging into the tree to probe it. ¡°Elder Jieyin, is it really wise to let this Shen Luo have contact with the Ginseng fruit tree? There is a high likelihood that he is the thief. What if he wants to take this opportunity to cast some malicious spell on the Ginseng fruit tree, making the situation worse?¡± Qin Shan walked up to Jieyin Daoist and said through a whispered transmission. ¡°No worries, I have already placed a Five-Color Doll Talisman within the Ginseng fruit tree. If that Shen Luo really has any untoward intentions, we can stop him with the Talisman,¡± Jieyin Daoist replied through a whispered transmission. ¡°So, you had prepared in advance, Elder Jieyin. That''s a relief. But why go through such trouble?¡± Qin Shan expressed his confusion. ¡°If that Shen Luo is the fruit thief and wants to take his chances with the tree, with the Five-Color Doll Talisman, the Ginseng fruit tree will be safe. First, we can confirm the identity of the culprit without further suspicion; second, we can discover the problem of the Ginseng fruit tree by the method he employs. If Shen Luo is not the thief or the one who damaged the tree, we can use his Yimu Divine Power to investigate the problem with the Ginseng fruit tree,¡± Jieyin Daoist explained through a whispered transmission. ¡°Relying on a Mahayana Middle Stage monk, even if he has cultivated a few Yimu Divine Powers, how powerful can he be? Can he really help us find the problem with the Ginseng fruit tree?¡± Qin Shan was somewhat skeptical. ¡°Other Yimu Divine Powers, perhaps not, but he happens to know the Divine Wood Grace from the Divine Wood Forest, which might just do the trick,¡± Jieyin Daoist replied through a whispered transmission. ¡°What! That just now was the Divine Power from the Divine Wood Forest!¡± Qin Shan was astonished. Shen Luo was unaware of the whispered transmissions between Jieyin Daoist and Qin Shan, his Divine Sense permeating into the Ginseng fruit tree. Yet the woody interior of the fruit tree was filled with an unbelievable purity of spiritual power, so vast and dense, containing some kind of special Mana fluctuation, creating a significant obstruction to his Divine Sense. With Shen Luo''s strong Divine Sense, he could only probe two to three feet into the Ginseng fruit tree before he could no longer penetrate further, making it impossible to discern the situation inside. ¡°Truly a spiritual root born before the opening of Heaven and Earth, no wonder even Elder Jieyin''s Divine Power cannot detect the problem with the tree,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, but he did not get discouraged. He placed his palm on the tree and began to operate the Divine Wood Grace. His palm emitted a green light which quickly condensed into a vortex a few feet in size. However, this green whirlpool, unlike before, spread out from the inside out. Instead of absorbing the nearby Wood Ether Aura, the green light vortex scattered streams of Wood Spirit Power around it, surging towards the inside of the Ginseng fruit tree. Divine Wood Grace was profound and mysterious, capable not only of absorbing the Wood Ether Aura but also, when operated in reverse, of dispersing the Wood Ether Aura, perfectly suited for probing the condition of the spirit tree. Shen Luo had come here to the Ginseng fruit tree not on a whim. Currently suspected of theft, he was under close watch by Elder Jieyin and others. If he could find the cause of the wilting of the Ginseng fruit tree, it should ease the tension with Wuzhuang View, and he could also use this lead to infer the situation of the criminal, which would be helpful in solving the matter. The Wood Spirit Power emanating from his palm easily penetrated the Ginseng fruit tree, quickly breaking through the limit of investigation by Divine Sense, and continued to penetrate deeper with undiminished momentum. Chapter 1122 Chapter 1122: Chapter 1119 Wu Man''er (Massive Update, Seeking Monthly Votes) Chapter 1122: Chapter 1119 Wu Man''er (Massive Update, Seeking Monthly Votes) (First update) Shen Luo felt a surge of inner joy. He then closed his eyes and began to carefully explore the internal condition of the Ginseng fruit tree; his expression soon darkened. Inside the Ginseng fruit tree were green meridians, transporting spiritual power, a type of spiritual network that only ancient Spirit Trees could develop, similar to the meridians within a monk''s body. The external spiritual network seemed to have no issues, but the deeper one ventured, the more chaotic and tangled the meridians became, blocked and knotted in many places and mistakenly joined together in others. And within these chaotic meridians, there was no trace of external interference; it was as if the meridians of the Ginseng fruit tree had gone berserk on their own. ¡°How could this be?¡± Shen Luo was secretly shocked and continued to use the Divine Wood Grace, extending it deeper into the tree. However, even the exploration with the Divine Wood Grace became difficult at this point, and despite exerting all his effort, he could only probe a few inches deeper before reaching his limit and unable to advance any further. Nevertheless, at this point, Shen Luo finally sensed an unusual breath within the Ginseng fruit tree. ¡°Is this Demonic Qi?¡± He suddenly opened his eyes. The breath deep within the Ginseng fruit tree was filled with malevolent energy, strikingly similar to Demonic Qi. He suddenly recalled his own situation when Demonic Qi first erupted within him; weren''t his meridians also blocked and improperly intertwined? ¡°Could it be that the Ginseng fruit tree has also been possessed by Demonic Qi, resulting in its withering due to a sudden outbreak?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. ¡°What''s this, Friend Shen, have you found something?¡± Jieyin Daoist approached. ¡°I have indeed discovered some abnormalities. There exists a very sinister breath inside the Ginseng fruit tree, much like Demonic Qi,¡± Shen Luo retracted his hand and, after a moment of pondering, did not hide this matter. ¡°Demonic Qi?¡± Jieyin Daoist exclaimed in surprise. The others who heard this also showed a change in expression. Ming Yue, startled by the revelation, suddenly remembered the Demonic Qi that had emanated from the Sun and Moon Hall the day before, and her face took on another change. ¡°Ming Yue, what''s the matter?¡± Qin Shan noticed the change in Ming Yue''s expression and asked. ¡°Nothing much, I''m just surprised that there''s Demonic Qi within the Ginseng fruit tree,¡± Ming Yue managed to say calmly, despite the tremble in her body. Qin Shan frowned, feeling that Ming Yue''s words didn''t quite match her true feelings and was about to press on. At that moment, three beams of Escape Light flew from afar and landed in the courtyard, revealing three figures. The leader was Daoist Friend Qingfeng from Wuzhuang View, but the other two were not disciples of Wuzhuang View. One was Jiang Shentian, who had already left, and the other was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old young girl with skin like cream, a beautiful appearance, and particularly lively large eyes. She was dressed in a water-blue dress with many bells, silver rings, and other ornaments, a look quite different from the attire of the Central Region and the West Niu Hezhou Continent, akin to the ceremonial garb of the sorceresses from the southern frontiers. As soon as the young girl landed, her eyes immediately turned to the Ginseng fruit tree, shining with an unusual light. ¡°Qingfeng, the Immortal Fruit Garden is a sacred place for our View. It''s fine for Daoist Jiang, but how could you bring strangers here?¡± Jieyin Daoist, already troubled by the issue with the Ginseng fruit tree, angrily rebuked Qingfeng for bringing unfamiliar people to the place. ¡°Please forgive me, Elder Jieyin. It was I who asked Daoist Friend Qingfeng to bring us here. This is Daoist Wu Man''er from the Divine Wood Forest. She is adept in many Yimu Divine Powers. I''ve heard about the issue with the Ginseng fruit tree and took the liberty of bringing her here to examine the condition of the tree,¡± Jiang Shentian interjected before Qingfeng could speak, taking the initiative to explain. As he spoke, he also acknowledged Shen Luo with a slight nod. ¡°The Divine Wood Forest!¡± Elder Jieyin exclaimed in surprise, turning his attention to the blue-dressed young girl. The Divine Wood Forest was an extremely mysterious sect within the Three Realms, rumored to have been founded by the ancient Divine Wood Clan. Its disciples spent years cultivating immortality and refining the Dao among the forests, possessing a natural affinity for the flora and fauna of the natural world¨Cespecially known for their proficiency in the Yimu Divine Power, they were acclaimed as the foremost power within the Three Realms. Shen Luo observed the young girl Wu Man''er, his eyes revealing a trace of surprise. This young girl had a profound level of cultivation, having already reached the Late Mahayana Stage, and the Mana surrounding her was exceptionally agile, constantly communicating with the spiritual powers of Heaven and Earth outside¨Cmarkedly different from the Mana of ordinary monks. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Junior Wu Man''er greets Elder Jieyin. I have come uninvited to this important place of Wuzhuang View, please forgive my transgression,¡± Wu Man''er gave a bow to the Jieyin Daoist and spoke respectfully. Her voice was crisp, yet it carried a softness that felt like a mountain stream trickling through the valley, effortlessly calming the mind. ¡°Turns out it''s Daoist Friend Wu from the Divine Wood Forest, what brings you here to Wuzhuang View? Is there an important matter that has brought you here?¡± Jieyin Daoist''s expression had returned to calm as he nodded slightly before inquiring. The incident with the Ginseng fruit tree only happened last night, and Wu Man''er appeared at Wuzhuang View this morning¨Cthe timing was just too coincidental, and he couldn''t help but suspect the young girl''s motives. ¡°What do you mean by that, Jieyin Daoist friend? Are you suspecting Daoist Friend Wu? She''s my friend. We just happened to meet this morning in Jinhua City nearby, and only afterwards did we hear about the incident at Wuzhuang View, which is why we hurried over together. Before that, Daoist Friend Wu absolutely had no knowledge of the Ginseng fruit tree affair,¡± Jiang Shentian said with a hint of dissatisfaction. ¡°So that''s how it is, then it''s my misunderstanding. Please accept my apologies, Daoist Friend Wu,¡± Jieyin Daoist relaxed his expression and apologized to Wu Man''er. ¡°Not at all, Elder, there is no need to be so polite,¡± Wu Man''er hastily replied. Shen Luo stood aside watching the conversation unfold, feeling a bit puzzled. This Jiang Shentian is a disciple of the Heavenly Palace, but why does he seem to have such a close relationship with Wuzhuang View, able to bring someone to the location of the Ginseng fruit tree! Moreover, the issue of the withering Ginseng fruit tree was a top-secret matter within Wuzhuang View; he himself knew about it only because he was suspected of being the thief. And Jiang Shentian knew about it as well? ¡°Although Daoist Friend Jiang Shentian is a disciple of the Heavenly Palace, he once received great grace from the Master, who also taught him some of the magical powers of Wuzhuang View. He is considered half a disciple of Wuzhuang View,¡± Ming Yue walked over and explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo suddenly understood, but he still had his reservations about Jiang Shentian''s earlier actions. Even if Jiang Shentian was considered half a disciple of Wuzhuang View, directly bringing an outsider here was still inappropriate. He possessed a high level of cultivation, and while he seemed upright, his character appeared unexpectedly reckless. ¡°Brother Shen, I''ve been keeping watch outside the Sun and Moon Hall these past days. Yesterday, a surge of Demonic Qi was transmitted from inside the hall. Do you know what was that about?¡± Ming Yue looked at Shen Luo and suddenly asked through a voice transmission. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly regained his composure, smiling bitterly. Although he had immediately released the Ghost General and activated the Liangyi Micro-dust Array yesterday, the fact that he carried Demonic Qi had evidently still leaked out. ¡°If Daoist Friend Ming Yue knew about this, why didn''t you tell Elder Jieyin?¡± His thoughts raced, but his face remained calm as he transmitted back a question with a faint smile. Upon hearing this, the hand Ming Yue had concealed in his sleeve clenched into a fist. He had not been sure whether the sensation he felt yesterday was indeed Demonic Qi, and thus he had used this probing method¨Cturns out it was real. ¡°Of course I will inform Elder Jieyin, but before that, I''d like to hear your explanation first,¡± Ming Yue regulated his breath and spoke slowly. ¡°That was I mismanaging the refining of a Demonic Treasure, which accidentally resulted in the leakage of Demonic Qi. As for that Demonic Treasure, Daoist Jieyin has already seen it when he inspected my Storage Magical Tool,¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows slightly, remaining composed as he spoke. ¡°Is that so, I understand,¡± Ming Yue nodded and walked toward Jieyin Daoist. Shen Luo watched Ming Yue''s departing figure, his eyes narrowing slightly. (Dear Daoist friends, it''s the beginning of the month and time for a surge of chapters. Vote for the monthly ticket! ^^) Chapter 1123 Chapter 1123: Chapter 1120 Demonic Poison Chapter 1123: Chapter 1120 Demonic Poison (Second Release) ¡°Since Friend Wu is proficient in Yimu Divine Power, please also examine the Ginseng Fruit Tree,¡± Jieyin Daoist, having heard Jiang Shentian''s words, saluted Wu Man''er with a slight bow. ¡°I shall obey,¡± Wu Man''er responded, proceeding to the front of the Ginseng Fruit Tree. She formed a seal with her right hand and instantly, a green light blossomed from her left hand, pressing upon the tree. As Wu Man''er recited spells, the green light on her left hand swiftly condensed, creating a green vortex that spread outwards, exactly like the God''s Power Shen Luo had used just now. Jieyin Daoist and the others all let out a soft cry of surprise. ¡°Is this Divine Wood Grace? Could this divine power possibly originate from the Divine Wood Forest?¡± Shen Luo also started, pondering inwardly. Wu Man''er''s display of Divine Wood Grace was evidently much more formidable than his; the green light vortex was a whole circle larger, and strands of green light continuously permeated the Ginseng Fruit Tree. Jieyin Daoist stood to one side, intently observing Wu Man''er''s casting when he suddenly looked up towards Ming Yue, who was approaching. Ming Yue''s lips faintly moved, quietly conveying to Jieyin Daoist the events at the Sun and Moon Hall from the previous day. A slight look of surprise appeared on Jieyin Daoist''s face, but he didn''t seem overly concerned and gestured for Ming Yue to step back. Shen Luo discretely observed Jieyin Daoist and, seeing this scene, felt slightly relieved and continued to watch Wu Man''er. Wu Man''er''s brow, curved like a crescent moon, now furrowed, indicating that her exploration too had reached its limit. She flipped her hand and took out an object, which was a green treasure pearl the size of a fist, radiating a bright green light. ¡°A treasure pearl?¡± Shen Luo''s expression shifted. Words murmured from Wu Man''er''s mouth, and the green treasure pearl''s light suddenly intensified manifold, merging into the green vortex in the blink of an eye. The green vortex instantly doubled in size, its emanated green light similarly intensified. ¡°So that''s how it is, I never expected the Divine Wood Forest actually had such a treasure, capable of enhancing the power of Divine Wood Grace. With this, Wu Man''er should be able to probe deeper than I could,¡± Shen Luo speculated secretly. Wu Man''er''s expression quickly changed, and she opened her eyes wide without withdrawing her hand. ¡°How is it?¡± Jieyin Daoist immediately asked. ¡°The situation is extremely severe. A powerful Demonic Poison has been placed within the Ginseng Fruit Tree, causing great disorder in its spiritual network. Without proper treatment, the tree will surely die within one month,¡± Wu Man''er disclosed. Jieyin Daoist''s expression drastically altered, and the rest of the group reacted similarly. ¡°Elder Jieyin need not worry. Our Divine Wood Forest is adept in Yimu Divine Power and particularly skilled in expelling poison. I will try to drive the Demonic Poison out of the Ginseng Fruit Tree,¡± Wu Man''er declared. ¡°Then we''ll have to trouble Friend Wu,¡± said Jieyin Daoist hastily. Wu Man''er sat down cross-legged beside the Ginseng Fruit Tree, formed a seal with one hand, and began to chant. Her body quickly radiated a great surge of green light, which spread rapidly around her, forming a green light array several tens of zhang in size within a few breaths'' time, enveloping the Ginseng Fruit Tree in the middle. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo and the others swiftly retreated to avoid the formation, standing outside the radius of the light array. The green light array buzzed as it operated, unleashing a heaven-reaching green light that enclosed the Ginseng Fruit Tree within it. Moreover, numerous dreamlike voices emanated from within the array. Shen Luo and others did not know which God''s Power it was, and even the well-informed Jieyin Daoist could not recognize this Formation. Time ticked away, and after half an hour, the center of the green light Formation suddenly started to flash violently, forming a rapidly spinning vortex that emitted a whistling squeal, and strands of purple-black Qi continuously surged out from within the vortex. ¡°Demonic Poison!¡± Jieyin Daoist''s face lit up with joy as he formed Spells, summoning a White Jade Gourd Magical Treasure. He collected the purple-black Demonic Qi to prevent it from spreading and endangering other Spirit fruits. The White Jade Gourd suddenly began to tremble, and even the originally crystal-clear gourd showed strands of purple-black color that rapidly expanded. Jieyin Daoist''s pupils contracted, the Demonic Poison was so fierce that even the White Jade Gourd, which was not of low grade, could not withstand the outflowing Demonic Qi. Shen Luo paid no attention to what was happening on Jieyin Daoist''s side, his eyes flashing with green light as he stared at the green light Formation, looking at the Ginseng fruit tree within. As the Demonic Poison continued to overflow, the Spiritual Light on the Ginseng fruit tree showed signs of reviving. ¡°The Divine Wood Forest is indeed formidable,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself in amazement. Jieyin Daoist and the others also noticed the changes in the Ginseng fruit tree and were overjoyed. But at that moment, wisps of Black Qi suddenly emerged from the ground surrounding the Ginseng fruit tree, and the Spiritual Light on the tree dimmed once again. In the middle of the green light Formation, Wu Man''er''s expression changed dramatically, and she immediately formed Spells, causing the surrounding Formation to weaken rapidly and vanish after a few breaths. ¡°Friend Wu, what''s going on?¡± Jieyin Daoist quickly asked. ¡°I underestimated this Demonic Poison; it has not only invaded the Ginseng fruit tree but has also contaminated the Earth Veins beneath the tree. If we cannot remove the Demonic Poison from the Earth Veins as well, it will only accelerate the spread of the poison within the Ginseng fruit tree, leading to its complete death,¡± Wu Man''er stood up and said gravely. ¡°There''s Demonic Poison in the Earth Veins? I''ve already investigated the Earth Veins beneath the Ginseng fruit tree and found no anomalies,¡± Jieyin Daoist said incredulously. ¡°This poison is stealthy and has merged with the Earth Veins; it is extremely difficult to detect with ordinary methods. If I hadn''t traced back the Demonic Poison inside the Ginseng fruit tree, it would also have been very difficult to discover that there were issues with the Earth Veins,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°Does Friend Wu have a solution?¡± Jieyin Daoist asked. Wu Man''er fell silent, deep in thought. Shen Luo''s fingers gently caressed the Linlang Ring, wondering if the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead could curb the Demonic Poison. If it could, he would be able to clear up the misunderstanding with Wuzhuang View for the most part. However, Ao Hong had previously used the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead here, and regardless of whether the bead could cure the poison, revealing it would bring great trouble upon himself. ¡°There''s only one method at the moment,¡± Wu Man''er raised her head and said. ¡°What is the method? Please guide us, Friend Wu. As long as we can save the Ginseng fruit tree, you may make any request,¡± Jieyin Daoist immediately said. ¡°I''m ashamed to say that I came to Wuzhuang View to ask for something, hoping to obtain some Ginseng Fruit Tree Essence. If I can cure the Ginseng fruit tree, I wonder if Elder Jieyin could bestow some upon me,¡± Wu Man''er gave a deep bow. ¡°Ginseng Fruit Tree Essence? That''s possible. As long as we can revive the tree, I can authorize to give you some Essence. But I''m not sure what the method you mentioned is,¡± Jieyin Daoist said without hesitation. ¡°The Demonic Poison in the Earth Veins and within the fruit tree has entrenched deeply, making it very difficult to remove. Fortunately, my Divine Wood Forest has an item called Earth Mother''s Essence which can clear the source and fix the Earth Veins, reviving the Ginseng Tree. However, I do not possess this item on me and must go to the Divine Wood Forest to obtain it,¡± Wu Man''er''s eyes brightened as she said. ¡°Earth Mother''s Essence? I''ve heard of its great reputation, but that item is also extremely important to the Divine Wood Forest. Are you confident you can obtain it?¡± Jieyin Daoist said, his face showing concern. ¡°I''ll give it my best effort,¡± Wu Man''er said, seemingly not very assured. Chapter 1124 Chapter 1124: Chapter 1121 Instructions Chapter 1124: Chapter 1121 Instructions (Third Update) ¡°Since Friend Wu does not have absolute confidence, let me, Shen Luo, accompany you on a trip to the Divine Wood Forest. No matter how difficult, I will help you retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence,¡± Shen Luo came over and said. The Jieyin Daoist frowned upon hearing this and did not speak. ¡°Could Your Excellency be Shen Luo?¡± Wu Man''er took a good look at Shen Luo and suddenly exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Friend Wu recognizes me?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat astonished. ¡°I have seen the recordings of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. With Friend Shen''s profound strength, having your assistance will certainly increase our chances of obtaining the Earth Mother''s Essence,¡± Wu Man''er said happily. ¡°Add me to the group as well. The more people, the greater the strength. The three of us working together will surely retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence smoothly,¡± Jiang Shentian who was nearby also came over. ¡°Jiang Daoist friend has already reached the True Immortal Stage. With you here, the help would naturally be immense,¡± Wu Man''er said joyously. ¡°Jiang Daoist friend may go, but you, Shen Luo, cannot!¡± Qin Shan couldn''t hold back any longer and objected. ¡°Why not?¡± Jiang Shentian asked, his face showing surprise. He didn''t have a bad impression of Shen Luo and was quite eager to use this opportunity to make a friend. ¡°Shen Luo, you are now under suspicion. Who knows if you are planning to use this as a chance to escape?¡± Qin Shan demanded. ¡°Suspicion? What suspicion?¡± Jiang Shentian inquired. Qin Shan did not hide anything and explained all the suspicions about Shen Luo stealing the fruit. Hearing all this, Jiang Shentian fell silent and thoughtful. ¡°I have already taken a Heart Demon Oath; I am not the perpetrator of this incident. If Elder Jieyin is still not at ease, you can place a prohibition on me. I will not resist! I have no other intentions in this journey but to quickly revive the Ginseng fruit tree,¡± Shen Luo said earnestly, with an open and honest demeanor. Upon hearing this, the Jieyin Daoist was quite surprised in his heart. Shen Luo''s declaration made it seem unlikely that he was the one who had stolen the fruit and damaged the tree. ¡°There are many doubts about this matter, but since Friend Shen has sworn by his Heart Demon, it probably wasn''t him. Perhaps Elder Jieyin should give him a chance. On this trip, I, Jiang, vouch for him. If Friend Shen flees during this period, I will take full responsibility,¡± Jiang Shentian, moved by Shen Luo''s emotion, spoke heatedly, patting his chest. ¡°The Demonic Poison within the Ginseng fruit tree is extremely fierce, something non-Demon Clan members would hardly be able to concoct. Friend Shen has a pure aura and is clearly not a demon cultivator,¡± Wu Man''er glanced at the others and added her opinion. ¡°Since both Jiang Daoist friend and Friend Wu speak so, very well. I''ll trouble you, Brother Shen, to undertake this task. However, I must place the Blood Oath Curse on you. If you manage to successfully retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence and revive the Ginseng fruit tree, the previous matters will be written off,¡± said the Jieyin Daoist after pondering for a moment. ¡°Elder Jieyin, this is not appropriate¡­¡± Qin Shan protested anxiously. ¡°Shut up! I will handle this matter; you may leave now!¡± The Jieyin Daoist shot him a stern look and commanded coldly. ¡°Understood.¡± Qin Shan left with a resentful face, unwillingly stepping down. ¡°Thank you, Elder Jieyin. I will give it my all,¡± Shen Luo bowed to the Jieyin Daoist and said earnestly. The Jieyin Daoist nodded his head, then cut his finger and waved it in the air, sending a stream of fresh blood flying out, hovering in mid-air. He formed hand seals and began reciting spells. The fresh blood in the air quickly transformed, soon solidifying into a complex blood-red pattern. ¡°Go!¡± With a point of his hand seals, the blood-red pattern shot swiftly into Shen Luo''s forehead, quickly merging into it completely. Shen Luo''s brow displayed a mysterious blood-red pattern, which flickered twice before fading away. ¡°Alright,¡± Jieyin Daoist said. Shen Luo nodded and, without inquiring about the specifics of the blood-red prohibition placed by Jieyin Daoist, discussed with Wu Man''er and Jiang Shentian the matter of going to the Divine Wood Forest. The three of them soon took to the air and shot towards the outside of Wuzhuang View, disappearing into the distant mid-air in the blink of an eye. ¡°Elder Jieyin, allowing Shen Luo to take such a great risk is indeed concerning. Why did you agree to this?¡± Li He walked over to Jieyin Daoist and asked. ¡°Based on Shen Luo''s encounter with the two of you, it''s evident that his strength is exceptionally powerful. No one below the True Immortal Stage in our view can match him, and almost all of our elders above the True Immortal Stage, except for myself, are not present within Wuzhuang. The few who are here are encumbered with important duties and cannot leave. If Shen Luo is willing to make an effort, it would indeed be of great help in retrieving the Earth Mother''s Essence. Moreover, I have already placed the Blood Oath Curse in his body, making it impossible for him to escape,¡± Jieyin Daoist explained. ¡°So that''s how it is,¡± Li He said, nodding in realization. ¡°You need not concern yourselves with this matter. Open all the prohibitions around the Ginseng fruit tree. Before their return, you must protect the tree and prevent it from suffering any damage!¡± Jieyin Daoist waved his hand and instructed. Li He and the others hurriedly agreed and busied themselves around the courtyard. Jieyin Daoist stood to one side, looking at his left hand, which wore a white jade ring with a faint white light flickering inside. This item was a communication treasure he used to contact Zhenyuanzi. Just recently, Zhenyuanzi had sent a message instructing him to send Shen Luo to the Divine Wood Forest, which was the main reason for his change of mind. ¡°Considering Zhenyuanzi''s attitude, it seems he doesn''t harbor any suspicions towards Shen Luo and even has a certain degree of trust in him. Could it be that the person who stole the fruits and damaged the tree really isn''t him?¡± Jieyin Daoist muttered to himself. Half a month later. In a dense, pristine forest, three figures were speeding through. ¡°Miss Man''er, why don''t we just fly straight there. Why descend on War God Mountain and walk the rest of the way?¡± A valiant teenager wearing golden armor spoke up. The woman in the lead, wearing an aqua blue dress, whose silver ornaments jingled like bells, stopped and turned around. The one who spoke was Jiang Shentian, and the one he was addressing was Wu Man''er. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We''re nearly there¡­ It''s just that, Big Brother Jiang, Big Brother Shen, our Divine Wood Clan has always been isolated from the world and seldom interacts with outsiders, so the clan members are somewhat xenophobic. Perhaps it would be better for you to camp here while I steal¡­ retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence, and then return with you. How does that sound?¡± Wu Man''er said hesitantly, with a slight frown. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo recalled his previous visit to Daughter Village with Bai Xiaotian. He certainly didn''t want to create any further complications and immediately agreed. ¡°If that''s the case, we will wait here for you,¡± he said. ¡°Miss Man''er, please don''t take offense, but the matter of the Ginseng fruit tree is rather pressing. I must ask you for a time frame. When can you retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence and return?¡± Jiang Shentian asked hesitantly after a moment. Wu Man''er looked troubled, biting her lip for a long time, as if there was something she found difficult to express. ¡°I''m sorry, that was presumptuous of me,¡± Jiang Shentian quickly apologized, sensing her hesitation. ¡°Sigh, truth be told, I sneaked out behind the Clan Leader''s and the elders'' backs this time. If I''m caught when I return, I''ll likely be punished to confine myself in the Divine Wood House for reflection,¡± Wu Man''er said with a sigh. ¡°In that case, we should accompany you back to explain the situation clearly. If you are confined, we can at least take the Earth Mother''s Essence back to Wuzhuang,¡± Jiang Shentian suggested after some thought. Hearing this, Shen Luo helplessly rubbed his forehead, inwardly lamenting that this guy was really too straightforward. Wu Man''er had mentioned that the Divine Wood Clan was isolated and rarely interacted with outsiders, and she wanted them to stay here, obviously because it would be inconvenient to bring them back. Otherwise, why go through such trouble? Chapter 1125 Chapter 1125: Chapter 1122 Girl Chapter 1125: Chapter 1122 Girl (Fourth Update) ¡°In our Divine Wood Clan, secretly bringing outsiders back to our territory is a serious crime. When the time comes, it won''t just be me who''s locked up. You all will be treated as intruders and subjected to severe punishment.¡± Indeed, Wu Man''er explained. Upon hearing this, Jiang Shentian frowned tightly, looking quite troubled. ¡°Big Brother Jiang, you don''t need to worry too much for now. It''s not certain that I will be imprisoned upon my return. Even if an accident prevents me from coming back, I will find a way to get the Earth Mother''s Essence into your hands,¡± Wu Man''er added. ¡°Man''er, go with peace of mind, I believe in you,¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and said. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The reason he said this was not because he was fully confident about obtaining the Earth Mother''s Essence, but because before they set off, he had sent a message to Lu Huaming, asking the Great Tang Dynasty Government to see if there was any way to help. Some time ago, while on the road, he received a reply from Lu Huaming informing him that the Great Tang Dynasty Government had already sent people to Mount Putuo, with whom they had good relations, to seek assistance. Hearing this, Jiang Shentian had no choice but to agree to wait there. While Wu Man''er was present, due to her lively nature, she often chatted with Shen Luo, and the three of them didn''t feel lonely. Now that she was gone, only Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian were left staring at each other, which felt a bit awkward. After spending this period together, Jiang Shentian had actually eliminated his suspicions about Shen Luo, but with his sect''s mission on his shoulders, he still strictly adhered to his duty of guarding Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Jiang, even if you have to watch over me, there''s no need for us to be in such close quarters. Why not stand back a bit?¡± Shen Luo said somewhat helplessly. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Jiang Shentian asked. ¡°Brother Jiang, Man''er won''t be back for a while, we can''t just keep staring at each other. How about we each find a spot to cultivate on our own?¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°That sounds good,¡± Jiang Shentian thought for a moment and then nodded. Shen Luo, sitting a dozen or so yards away from Jiang Shentian, chose a towering ancient tree to lean against and sit down cross-legged, beginning to close his eyes and regulate his breath. At this moment, he seemed to have no abnormalities, but inside his body, a storm was raging like a raging fire boiling oil; the Demonic Qi of Chiyou hidden within was once again acting up, starting to erode his body. After several outbursts of demonic energy, Shen Luo became increasingly clear about the sensation before an outburst, and he could also feel that the outbursts were becoming less and less controllable. As soon as his mana began to circulate, his eyes started to turn red, his meridians showed signs of disturbance, and a layer of black Qi began to seep from his pores. If he delayed any further, the Demonic Qi would once again fully erupt. Shen Luo immediately formed hand seals, and his mana in his Dantian circulated rapidly. The Slayer''s Broken Sword within lit up with radiance, and a rich Pure Yang Power began to spread from the sword body, flowing into his meridians. With the assistance of the Pure Yang Scripture skills, the original power of the Slayer''s Broken Sword was even more stimulated, and surges of Pure Yang Power coursing through his body began to suppress the rampaging Chiyou Demonic Qi in his meridians everywhere. However, this time when the Chiyou Demonic Qi clashed with the Pure Yang Power, Shen Luo immediately felt something was off. The rampage of the Chiyou Demonic Qi this time was clearly not as violent as the previous ones, but the suppression by the Pure Yang Power also didn''t seem as strong as before. It appeared as if both were entering a period of exhaustion, leading to a deadlock situation. Because of this, Shen Luo found it even more difficult to suppress the Demonic Qi. Instead of the prior intense boiling, it turned into a prolonged simmering, and the pain he endured was stretched out bit by bit. Time ticked away, and the sky gradually darkened. It wasn''t until dusk, when the sun was about to set, that Shen Luo finally managed to suppress the demonic outburst. At this moment, he was drenched in sweat, his face pale, and his eyes sunken due to the significant loss of body fluids. He slowly exhaled a breath of foul air, his worries intensifying. If the Demonic Qi outbreaks continued in this manner, it would be tantamount to creating a battlefield within his body, with Chiyou Demonic Qi and Pure Yang Qi battling from time to time. Sooner or later, his body would be unable to withstand it. Just as he was pondering what to do next, a cluster of bushes not far in front of him suddenly trembled. Shen Luo immediately became alert. Previously occupied with suppressing the Demonic Qi, he had no time to extend his Divine Sense to investigate and was unaware that something had approached him. ¡°Who''s there?¡± He bellowed, lunging forward, with the Pure Yang Flying Sword already in hand. A Sword Qi burst forth, slicing a path through the bushes, and a small, skinny figure appeared within it. Shen Luo focused his gaze and saw that it was actually a girl around eight or nine years old, dressed in a water-blue gown, adorned with exquisite silver ornaments, resembling Wu Man''er somewhat. He reigned in his sword intent, about to ask a question, when he saw the girl''s blank expression turn to terror, and she screamed, ¡°Sister, there''s a ghost ah,¡± echoing throughout the entire forest. Her cry of ¡°ah¡± dragged on very long, and her large, round eyes began brimming with tears, ¡°plopping¡± down. Through the girl''s pitch-black pupils, Shen Luo saw his own pale face with sunken eye sockets and realized, agreeing with the dark ambience of the forest, he indeed looked more like a ghost than a human. He quickly consumed an elixir and circulated his mana to absorb it, soon restoring his original appearance. A slight smile crept across Shen Luo''s face as he attempted to greet the girl. But before he could speak, he heard the girl shout again: ¡°Sister, come quick, the ghost can change faces ah¡­¡± This outburst left Shen Luo unable to help but laugh. ¡°Earth Blade.¡± Just then, a stern shout came. A yellow halo suddenly lit up in front of Shen Luo, and a figure that seemed to be made out of mud rose from the halo, wielding a long knife and thrusting it toward him. He frowned and quickly dodged backward, but the mud figure relentlessly pursued him. Shen Luo stood firm, delivered a horizontal slash with his sword, and cut the figure, along with its weapon and body, in half. The yellow halo from the figure''s body sank into the ground and immediately turned into a puddle of moist soil. Shen Luo, with his sword out in front of him, looked over at the girl and saw a female figure who had already arrived, protecting her behind herself. At this time, Jiang Shentian, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, was also disturbed and rushed over. ¡°What happened?¡± Seeing Jiang Shentian asking, Shen Luo shook his head and looked toward the opposite side. The woman protecting the girl in front of her had a gentle face, a curvaceous figure, and prominent peaks on her chest. She had long purplish-red hair tied up high, with a pink lotus on top of her head, looking charming yet not shy, soft yet not flirting, with a somewhat distinguished air. ¡°What kind of ghosts are you?¡± the woman asked. ¡°Girl, you jest, do we look like ghosts to you?¡± said Shen Luo, at a loss for words. ¡°If you''re not ghosts, why did you scare Xiaonu by pretending to be one?¡± the woman asked. ¡°It was I who, just now during my cultivation practice, encountered a setback that made my face look rather unwell. By chance, the little girl saw me and got frightened; I truly apologize,¡± Shen Luo volunteered an apology. In the meantime, he also sheathed the weapon in his hand. Chapter 1126 Chapter 1126: Chapter 1123: Trespassing Chapter 1126: Chapter 1123: Trespassing (Fifth Update) ¡°Sister, don''t believe his words, he just, his face was like this, like this¡­¡± Without waiting for the woman to speak, the girl named Xiaonu popped her head out from beside her and pulled faces by stretching her hands across her face. Having said that, she retracted her head back. Seeing the girl speak so earnestly, Jiang Shentian also looked towards Shen Luo with a hint of suspicion. It was as if to say, why would you scare a child by making a face like a ghost for no reason? ¡°You two girls must be disciples of the Divine Wood Forest, right?¡± Shen Luo, feeling helpless, decided to change the subject. ¡°Eh, how did you know?¡± A round head popped out again. The woman tried to cover her mouth, but it was already too late. ¡°Sister Tianxing, should we have not mentioned that?¡± Xiaonu, realizing she had misspoken, said with some regret. ¡°Yun Xiaonu, why do you always speak so quickly? Next time I won''t bring you out with me.¡± The woman said with a helpless sigh, pressing a hand to her forehead. ¡°No, Sister Tianxing, other than Sister Man''er, you''re the only one who''s willing to sneak me out. Sister Man''er is not around, and if you don''t take me, I''ll surely die of boredom,¡± Yun Xiaonu quickly said. ¡°Speaking of that dead girl Man''er really gets me angry. She actually snuck out of the clan by herself, and now Elder Yun is on such high alert that I can''t even sneak out nearby for a walk.¡± The woman called Sister Tianxing said. Shen Luo watched the two, one tall and one short, completely engrossed in their conversation in front of them, thinking they were really naive and carefree, with hardly any guard against strangers. Just then, Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed, and Jiang Shentian beside him also quickly sensed something was off. The two of them looked around at the same time, only to see that the already dense jungle around them had suddenly grown wildly, encasing them in the center before they even realized it. ¡°Girl, what is the meaning of this?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. The woman, who was still complaining to Yun Xiaonu, looked around at his words and her expression suddenly looked very ugly. ¡°This is bad, Elder Yun is here¡­¡± As soon as the woman finished speaking, she quickly grabbed Xiaonu and pinched a magic spell with one hand. A yellow glow enveloped the two of them, and their figures immediately sank into the ground, escaping directly. Although Shen Luo and his companion were surrounded, they did not make any moves, only watching their surroundings with caution. At that moment, a surge of green light appeared not far in front of them, and green vines rose from the ground, growing three to four zhang high. The vines entangled and trapped two figures, which turned out to be Yun Xiaonu and the other girl. Subsequently, the shrubs and vines not far away parted to both sides, clearing a passage in the middle. An old woman dressed in a water-blue long robe, holding an ebony cane, and with a head full of white silver hair, walked towards them at a leisurely pace. Her figure showed no sign of being hunched, and while her face bore some fine wrinkles, her former beauty was still evident. The old woman had an elegant demeanor, like musk and orchids. She advanced to a close distance and stopped. ¡°Granny Yun¡­ we just wanted to relax a bit and didn''t plan to go far. Please let us go,¡± the woman changed the way she addressed her and pleaded. ¡°Man Tianxing, shut your mouth. Xiaonu, tell me, where were you planning to go?¡± Elder Yun scolded softly and asked. ¡°We, we were just¡­¡± Yun Xiaonu, tightly wrapped by the vines, stuttered slightly in her speech. ¡°Tell the truth, no lying,¡± Elder Yun''s voice grew heavier. ¡°Sister Tianxing said she would take me to Dianxi City nearby to have some nice food, and I¡­ I couldn''t resist because I was craving it so much, so I just¡­ followed her out,¡± Yun Xiaonu said haltingly. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You really are something, Yun Xiaonu. After all the kindness I''ve shown you, umph umph¡­¡± Before Man Tianxing could finish her sentence, a vine wrapped around and gagged her. ¡°Granny said that one must tell the truth and must not, cannot lie,¡± Yun Xiaonu blinked and spoke. Man Tianxing was still ¡°mmph mmph¡± accusing Yun Xiaonu of being disloyal, but unfortunately, not a single word could come out clearly. ¡°Quiet, your matters will be dealt with once we return,¡± Elder Yun rebuked. Man Tianxing immediately shut his mouth, silent as a cicada in winter. Shen Luo saw that the white-haired old woman turned her gaze towards them and knew that they were going to be dealt with next. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Jiang Shentian stepped forward to meet her proactively. However, before he could finish his sentence, a dark vine suddenly wrapped around his ankle and yanked him up into the air, leaving him hanging upside down. ¡°Trespassing into the Divine Wood Forest without permission is a capital offense. Do you understand?¡± Elder Yun shouted angrily. A heavy killing intent suddenly emanated from her, completely different from when she was speaking with Yun Xiaonu just now. ¡°Elder, this seems a bit unreasonable. Not to mention that this place is not within the boundaries of the Divine Wood Forest, even if it were, you shouldn''t attack without asking whether we strayed in by mistake, right?¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. ¡°Stop playing the innocent here. Do you think I am unaware that you outsiders were brought back by that girl Wu Man''er? Still claiming it was a misunderstanding? Even if it indeed was, you, boy, are tainted with Demonic Qi and should be killed on the spot,¡± Elder Yun huffed coldly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart chilled. Once his Demonic Qi was suppressed, it was not something easily detectable. However, the fact that the old woman spoke this way meant that she either possessed deep cultivation or had discovered them while he was suppressing his Demonic Qi. Whichever the case, the situation was looking grim, and it was clear that Wu Man''er had certainly been discovered. ¡°Sister Man''er has returned?¡± Yun Xiaonu''s eyes lit up upon hearing this news while bound by the vines. Elder Yun ignored her, fixing her gaze on Shen Luo and asked, ¡°Will you surrender peacefully, or will you resist stubbornly? The choice is yours.¡± ¡°I will surrender without a fight¡­¡± Without a second thought, Shen Luo replied without any hesitation. Having said that, he brought his hands together, fist over fist in front of him, gesturing he was ready to be dealt with as seen fit. His completely cooperative demeanor stunned Jiang Shentian, who was hanging on one side, and even Elder Yun raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. She waved her hand, and a thorny vine emerged from the ground, binding Shen Luo''s hands together. The sharp thorns on the vine were incredibly piercing, even penetrating Shen Luo''s tough skin slightly, and he immediately felt a mild numbing sensation at the site of the wounds. ¡°No good, it''s poisoned¡­¡± he realized right away. Jiang Shentian, too, was somewhat dissatisfied with the old woman''s rash actions. Just as he was about to react, a shout came from the distance, ¡°Elder Yun, hold your hand for a moment. They are all my friends.¡± Wu Man''er was seen hurrying over, followed by a stocky middle-aged man. This man was not particularly tall and had a beard both above his lip and below his chin, yet his facial features bore a strong resemblance to those of Wu Man''er. He was dressed in the Divine Wood Forest''s signature water-blue garments, adorned with delicate silver ornaments on his chest and head. ¡°Sister Man''er, you''ve really come back?¡± Upon seeing the two, Yun Xiaonu was the most excited and called out loudly. Wu Man''er, seeing Yun Xiaonu tangled up in the vines, softened her expression and revealed a slight smile. But when she turned to look at Man Tianxing, he snorted coldly and turned his head away. Chapter 1127 Chapter 1127: Chapter 1124: Entering the Forest (Sixth Release, Seeking Monthly Passes) Chapter 1127: Chapter 1124: Entering the Forest (Sixth Release, Seeking Monthly Passes) (Chapter 6) When Wu Man''er and the middle-aged man approached, the old woman bowed to the latter first, and said, ¡°Clan Leader, Man''er has really been too willful this time. Not only did she leave the clan without permission, she even dared to bring outsiders back. If we do not severely punish her, it will surely lead to more clanspeople following suit, with unimaginable consequences.¡± As she spoke, she also glanced at Man Tianxing and Yun Xiaonu. It was clear that the phrase ¡°more clanspeople¡± definitely included these two fervent participants. The Clan Leader? The middle-aged man was actually the Clan Leader of the Divine Wood Forest, Wu Kuihu, which both Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian found quite surprising. ¡°Elder Yun, regardless, let''s first release those two. Our Divine Wood Clan may not have had much contact with the outside world for a long time, but we still have some manner of courtesy due to guests. Moreover, they have not truly entered the Divine Wood Clan''s territory and should not be treated this way,¡± said the middle-aged man, his voice unexpectedly gentle. The old woman did not hesitate at all upon hearing the Clan Leader''s words, immediately waving her hand to withdraw the vines and freeing the two companions. Shen Luo flexed his wrists and, together with Jiang Shentian, gave thanks with a clasped fist bow. ¡°Granny, what about us?¡± Yun Xiaonu quickly cried out when she saw this. Instead, she was met with the Green Vine wrapping around and gagging her mouth. ¡°Clan Leader, we can set aside the matter of these two for now, but how should we deal with Man''er leaving the clan without permission, which has already caused quite a stir among our people?¡± asked Elder Yun. ¡°Ever since Man''er left, our Divine Wood Clan hasn''t been as peaceful as it used to be. More and more clanspeople, especially the younger ones, are also entertaining the idea of leaving. So I have been pondering, perhaps¡­¡± ¡°Clan Leader, are you actually considering that notion? Please do not forget why our clan chose to settle here, why we decided to isolate ourselves, why we severed all ties with the outside world,¡± Elder Yun interrupted Wu Kuihu before he could finish. ¡°Granny, our Divine Wood Clan has been in self-imposed isolation for far too long. The demonic affliction has been quelled in the outside world, and humans, demons, and immortals now coexist. The Three Realms have stabilized considerably. We should not be so rigid in following old rules; it is time to reopen our clan''s doors and strengthen communications with the outside world,¡± Wu Man''er couldn''t help but advise earnestly. ¡°What did you say? The demonic affliction has been quelled?¡± Elder Yun suddenly let out a cold laugh upon hearing this. The Clan Leader beside her also showed a strange expression. ¡°Granny¡­ What do you mean? Chiyou has been re-sealed, and the radical faction in the Demon Clan advocating the release has been suppressed. The outside world is indeed at peace from the Demonic Qi,¡± Wu Man''er said. ¡°Man''er, I''m afraid things are not as simple as you say,¡± Wu Kuihu sighed and continued. ¡°Master, what is going on?¡± Wu Man''er asked with a frown. Only then did Shen Luo and the others realize that Wu Man''er was actually the beloved disciple of the Clan Leader of the Divine Wood Clan. ¡°Never mind, you''ll understand once we go back and look at the Divine Tree,¡± Wu Kuihu shook his head and spoke slowly. Listening to their conversation, Shen Luo sensed that the situation seemed quite complicated. ¡°Master, what about these two friends of mine?¡± Wu Man''er inquired with a frown. ¡°Outsiders are not allowed to step foot in our Divine Wood Clan territory,¡± Elder Yun said coldly. Wu Kuihu frowned deeply, sizing up Shen Luo and his companion, seemingly hesitant. ¡°Wu Clan Leader, Elder Yun, we truly have no ill intentions in coming here. We only wish to borrow some of Earth Mother''s Original Liquid to revive the Ginseng fruit tree in Wuzhuang View,¡± Jiang Shentian said earnestly. ¡°Ginseng fruit tree?¡± Elder Yun asked with a furrowed brow. It wasn''t that she hadn''t heard of the Ginseng fruit tree; on the contrary, she knew that, like the Divine Tree of their Divine Wood Clan and the Fusu Ancient Tree in Yunmeng Marsh, the Ginseng fruit tree was also one of the Heavenly and Earthly Spirit Woods. She was puzzled as to what problem had befallen the Ginseng fruit tree and why it required the Earth Mother''s Essence. Wu Man''er immediately recounted her observations in Wuzhuang View and her speculation about the Ginseng fruit tree being contaminated by Demonic Qi. ¡°Elder Yun, I believe this matter might be related to the Divine Tree. Perhaps we should make an exception to let them enter our clan this time; it may even be of help to us,¡± Wu Kuihu inquired. ¡°Clan Leader, I secretly observed earlier and discovered that this person harbors Demonic Qi within him. If we allow him into our clan, it could lead to trouble. After all, it pertains to the guarding of the Martial God Altar; we must not be careless,¡± Elder Yun said, looking towards Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, Wu Kuihu scrutinized Shen Luo, his face reflecting deep contemplation. ¡°May I ask, Elder, when you detected the Demonic Qi on junior just now, did you see what junior was doing?¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke up. ¡°You were trying to suppress the Demonic Qi, but it seemed quite difficult,¡± Elder Yun stated. ¡°Indeed, junior was strenuously suppressing the Demonic Qi, not to hide anything, but to preserve my life. Previously, junior participated in a trial and accidentally became infected with Demonic Qi in a secret realm; I have absolutely no connection to the Demon Clan,¡± Shen Luo defended himself. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Of course, I know you are not from the Demon Clan; otherwise, you wouldn''t be alive till now,¡± Elder Yun snorted coldly. ¡°Since that''s the case, let Brother Shen come back with us to the clan,¡± Wu Man''er proposed. ¡°He carries Demonic Qi upon him. Entering our clan might lead it to the Martial God Altar. If that happens, we¡­¡± Elder Yun only got halfway through her sentence before stopping, but the implication in her words was quite clear. She disagreed with the risk of letting Shen Luo enter the Divine Wood Clan. As they discussed, Wu Kuihu kept his gaze on Shen Luo until everyone had expressed their opinions, at which point he finally settled the debate and made a decision. ¡°A mere Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator, even if burdened with Demonic Qi, won''t be able to cause much trouble. If our Divine Wood Clan cannot even handle him, then we might as well give up guarding the Martial God Altar, as we would inevitably fail to protect it sooner or later.¡± Upon hearing this declaration, Elder Yun finally agreed. After releasing Man Tianxing and Yun Xiaonu, the group began their return to the Divine Wood Clan. A moment later, Wu Kuihu suddenly swept them up with a large sweep of his sleeve, ensconcing Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian within. Both of them felt the world spinning before suddenly being ejected from the sleeve. After steadying himself, Shen Luo surprisingly discovered that he was no longer in the dense mountain forest, but had appeared in an odd world bathed entirely in green. Beneath his feet lay an extraordinarily thick vine, its body snaking and interlacing, reaching out in all directions, everywhere covered with vibrant green leaves, teeming with vitality. In different directions from the extending vines, one could glimpse treehouse dwellings through the concealment of the leaves. The treehouses seemed small, some with slanting roofs like four-sided cottages, others shaped like round houses with lampshade-like tops. Roofs were overgrown with green moss, and walls were entwined with fresh flowers, a truly beautiful sight. Shen Luo had seen houses built on trees before, but such a large-scale construction was a first for him, which piqued his curiosity. ¡°Follow me,¡± Wu Kuihu said in a low voice. Having said that, he proceeded to climb up the robust vine. Shen Luo followed, looking around as he went, finding everything more and more fascinating. The crisscrossing vines seemed endless, just as one reached its end, another connected to a different vine. In some areas, hundreds or thousands of vines intertwined with each other, forming a flat plane amidst the dense thicket that resembled a square. Walking amongst them, Shen Luo felt as though he was in the midst of a vine forest, the area infused with the rich Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. (Six-chapter release for monthly votes!) Chapter 1128 Chapter 1128: Chapter 1125: Possible (Continuing mass release today, seeking monthly votes) Chapter 1128: Chapter 1125: Possible (Continuing mass release today, seeking monthly votes) (First Update) As everyone continued their ascent, the houses scattered around them became fewer, and the branches and vines sparser, yet the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi of the surroundings remained incredibly dense. Everyone followed a winding path upwards, climbing along the tree vines and branches. They rarely encountered members of the Divine Tree Clan, but they could occasionally sense waves of mana fluctuations from beneath some shaded areas, seemingly indications of someone cultivating. It was only when they halted their steps that Shen Luo realized they had reached the highest point of the forest. Here, entwined vines formed a platform about a dozen feet in radius, and at the center of the platform stood a small sapling, about three to four feet high, rising into high altitude. Shen Luo walked to the edge of the platform and looked out into the distance, seeing a vast and unrestricted landscape touched by the lofty winds from the sky. Only then did he realize that they were actually hundreds of feet above the ground. He couldn''t help but exclaim, ¡°It''s incredible how this dense forest can grow so magnificently and vigorously under our feet?¡± At his words, Wu Man''er and the others paused briefly, then burst into laughter. ¡°Big brother, you''re mistaken. What''s under our feet is not a dense forest but a single tree,¡± Yun Xiaonu said, her courage growing now that she had returned to her clan, even taking the initiative to correct him. ¡°A single tree?¡± Shen Luo was astonished upon hearing her words. He didn''t quite understand what Yun Xiaonu meant at first, but Wu Man''er explained: ¡°Big Brother Shen, what you see below with branches and vines are all part of one tree. The entire area we walked through, everything you saw, is also part of a single tree.¡± ¡°A forest from a single tree, could it be that we are currently on the Sacred Tree of the Divine Tree Clan?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise. Wu Man''er nodded. ¡°Our Divine Tree Clan has been living and thriving upon the Sacred Tree for generations,¡± Wu Kuihu added. After saying this, he led everyone to the center of the platform, to the protruding sapling. Upon nearing it, Shen Luo felt a surge of rich vitality emanating from the sapling. Though it was merely a tree, the life force it contained was broader and deeper than an entire forest. Shen Luo''s gaze landed on the sapling, his eyes flashing briefly as he suddenly felt the world around him shift. He was surrounded by dense forests in every direction, with the color of fresh greenery filling his vision. It seemed as though a force within him was moving on its own, a green light radiating from his Dantian, slowly expanding into a green halo that enveloped his entire being. At the same time, strands of spiritual energy, visible to the naked eye and resembling plant essences, gathered from around him, permeating into his body. Enveloped by this marvelous sensation, Shen Luo momentarily forgot where he was. The others watching the changes occurring to him, however, had their faces change color. ¡°Man''er, you are indeed bold. How dare you teach the Mysterious Technique Divine Wood Grace of our Divine Tree Clan to an outsider?¡± Elder Yun Zhongyue''s expression hardened, and he immediately rebuked her sharply. Wu Man''er was also surprised, completely at a loss as to what had caused this, looking at Shen Luo in astonishment and forgetting to respond. Man Tianxing and Yun Xiaonu had never seen Elder Yun so furious and naturally didn''t dare to speak. Wu Kuihu''s brow furrowed tightly as he glanced back and forth between Wu Man''er and Shen Luo, making calculations in his mind. Based on his understanding of his own disciple, Wu Man''er''s reaction indicated that the Divine Wood Grace Shen Luo was experiencing had not been bestowed by her. With this, he felt relieved. But moments later, the green halo that surrounded Shen Luo gradually disappeared, and the spiritual energy of the plants and trees around them no longer converged towards him. The green light in Shen Luo''s eyes dissipated, and his gaze returned to normal. The surroundings suddenly became very quiet, and he turned his head to look at the others, only to see that Wu Man''er and the rest were all staring at him as well. Among them, Elder Yun''s expression was particularly hostile, as if she wanted to devour him. ¡°What, what''s wrong¡­¡± Shen Luo thought he might have done something disrespectful while lost in thought and anxiously asked. Just as Yun Zhongyue was about to speak, Wu Kuihu reached out and stopped her. ¡°Where did you learn the Mysterious Technique Divine Wood Grace that you practiced?¡± Wu Kuihu asked in an even tone. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo put two and two together, understanding it in his heart. Most likely, he had unwittingly drawn upon the Divine Tree and used the Divine Wood Grace Technique. ¡°Junior does not dare to deceive; it was bestowed by Yuan Tiangang, the Great Tang State Master,¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but then responded truthfully. Hearing this answer, Wu Kuihu seemed somewhat surprised, his eyebrows slightly raised, and he was silent for a long time. ¡°Audacious boy, do you think you can hide behind the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s authority by waving its flag? How could the Great Tang State Master know our Divine Tree Clan''s secret technique? Tell the truth!¡± Yun Zhongyue burst out angrily. ¡°The State Master only said it was a tradition of his mentor''s lineage, and I truly don''t know the details,¡± Shen Luo replied helplessly. ¡°Still spewing nonsense,¡± Yun Zhongyue was furious. Her True Immortal cultivation released an overwhelming aura that immediately pressed down on Shen Luo. At this moment, not just Shen Luo but also Wu Man''er and the others were frightened. ¡°Granny Yun¡­¡± Wu Man''er called out anxiously. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the old woman was not recognizing anyone at this point; she already had a poor impression of Shen Luo because of the issue with the Demonic Qi, and now she was even more convinced that he had come to the Divine Tree Clan with ill intentions. Wu Kuihu''s expression remained calm, neither intervening to stop the confrontation nor voicing agreement. He was just quietly watching. With no other choice, Shen Luo had to run the Huangting Technique, resisting with all his might, but he was still being steadily pushed back. At the same time, the Chiyou''s Demonic Qi in his Dantian was disturbed and started to become restless. ¡°Every word I''ve spoken is true, Elder, please restrain your force. Otherwise, the Demonic Qi within me will backlash again. If the Demonic Qi leaks out, it might harm the Divine Tree, which would be a great loss,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly shouted. ¡°Hmph! How dare you threaten me? I will exterminate you right here and now to see how many waves your Demonic Qi can stir up?¡± Yun Zhongyue''s eyes hardened, and she raised her hand, ready to strike at Shen Luo. Under Shen Luo''s feet, the Moonlight scattered, and he was ready to sidestep with the Slanting Moon Steps and then use an Escape Technique to flee. ¡°Stop, both of you.¡± Just then, Wu Kuihu''s voice finally rang out. Yun Zhongyue hesitated for a moment but stopped her attack. However, she locked all her Qi on Shen Luo, ready to strike like thunder and exterminate him at the slightest sign of movement. Shen Luo looked terrible, partly because the Demonic Qi inside him was itching to move, forcing him to split his focus to suppress it, and partly because he had just been resisting an attack from a True Immortal cultivator who was intent on killing him, a pressure that was no small feat. ¡°You said that you learned the Divine Wood Grace from Yuan Tiangang?¡± Wu Kuihu looked at Shen Luo and asked again. Shen Luo didn''t say anything but just nodded his head. ¡°Still not telling the truth?¡± Yun Zhongyue became angry once more. ¡°Elder Yun, please be patient. What he says is not entirely impossible,¡± Wu Kuihu reached out and gently pressed down in the air a few times. At these words, Yun Zhongyue also showed an expression full of incredulity. Chapter 1129 Chapter 1129: Chapter 1126: The Mission of the Shrine Maiden Chapter 1129: Chapter 1126: The Mission of the Shrine Maiden (Second Update) ¡°Elder Yun is considered a True Immortal Stage powerful person who rose to power after our entire clan relocated. While his strength is formidable, he isn''t fully aware of some of the clan''s past secrets¨Cfar less than those old people stationed at the Martial God Altar,¡± Wu Kuihu said with a smile. ¡°Clan Leader, you mean¡­¡± Yun Zhongyue vaguely thought of something. ¡°That''s right. When the clan relocated that year, a very small portion of our people did not come with us but instead joined other sects. Presumably, Great Tang State Master Yuan Tiangang is a descendant of that group of people,¡± Wu Kuihu explained. With Shen Luo and the other outsiders present, his words merely touched upon the key points without delving into the past secrets. Upon hearing this, Yun Zhongyue felt puzzled but did not ask further questions. After she completely concealed her breath, the surrounding atmosphere finally began to relax, and Shen Luo also secretly let out a sigh of relief. Wu Man''er looked at him, eyes brimming with a hint of apology. Shen Luo immediately smiled, shook his head gently, indicating it was nothing to worry about. ¡°Master, you brought us here¡­ to see something?¡± Wu Man''er asked. ¡°Silly child, of course it''s to see the Divine Tree,¡± Wu Kuihu said. Wu Man''er stepped forward with a puzzled face, her gaze landing on the small sapling in the center. At first, she didn''t notice anything unusual, but soon she furrowed her brows and exclaimed in panic, ¡°Master, how come one is missing?¡± Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian heard this and were both completely baffled. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What''s missing one? Did the Divine Tree bear fruit?¡± Yun Xiaonu''s eyes lit up as she hastily asked. ¡°Master, why is there one less leaf on the Divine Tree?¡± Wu Man''er''s eyes reddened, and she spoke urgently. ¡°It''s just one less leaf, it''s not a big deal¡­ right?¡± Jiang Shentian didn''t finish his sentence before he received a warning look from Shen Luo. Shen Luo felt somewhat helpless inside and sighed to himself because Jiang Shentian, this guy, sometimes was just too straightforward. Wu Man''er''s expression alone was enough to show that the Divine Tree''s leaf shedding was definitely not a trivial matter. ¡°Not long after you left, the Divine Tree showed abnormalities, one leaf turned yellow, and it fell after forty-nine days,¡± Yun Zhongyue said. Hearing this, Wu Man''er''s face immediately showed a color of guilt as she murmured, ¡°It''s all my fault, all my fault¡­¡± ¡°Tian Xing Girl, what''s going on with Man''er¡­?¡± Shen Luo was at a loss as to the exact nature of the problem and quickly sent a telepathic message to Man Tianxing to inquire. After a moment of silence, Man Tianxing telepathically replied, ¡°Man''er is originally a witch of the Divine Wood Clan. Since she was young, she followed the previous witch, who is also her mother, in guarding and serving the Divine Tree Essence. After the previous witch passed away due to certain reasons, it was she who has always been guarding the Divine Tree. After she left this time, for some unknown reason, the Divine Tree suddenly withered and lost a leaf.¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo finally understood why Wu Man''er was so emotional. At this moment, Wu Kuihu walked over, gently patted his disciple on the shoulder, and revealed a gentle smile, saying, ¡°Don''t cry anymore, it was I who let you go out this time. If anyone is to blame, it should be me.¡± Upon his words, the expressions on Wu Man''er and Yun Zhongyue''s faces, as well as the others, all changed. ¡°Silly child, did you think I really didn''t know when you escaped? If I really didn''t want you to go, you wouldn''t have been able to leave the Divine Wood Forest,¡± Wu Kuihu said affectionately as he ruffled her hair. ¡°Clan Leader, it was you who helped her conceal her breath all those years ago¡­¡± Yun Zhongyue said with some disbelief. ¡°I am sorry for keeping it from you all along,¡± Wu Kuihu''s eyes flashed a hint of shame. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Yun Zhongyue really didn''t understand. ¡°Ah Lan guarded the Divine Tree all her life, and in the end died for the Divine Tree, for the Divine Wood Clan, never having left the Divine Wood Forest. But there''s also Man''er by her side. As for Man''er, she''s young and I didn''t want her to also wither away guarding the Divine Tree for her entire life. At least let her go out and see the world outside. Moreover, I believe, no matter what, she will definitely return to the Divine Wood Clan,¡± Wu Kuihu''s eyes lost their shame, speaking earnestly. For his beloved disciple, everything was righteous and there was nothing to feel guilty about. ¡°But she is the witch, it''s her mission to guard the Divine Tree¡­¡± Yun Zhongyue still couldn''t understand. If she is the witch, she must guard the Divine Tree forever, faithful to death. ¡°Mission¡­ Such a mission, isn''t it also a cage? And who else is trapped in this cage, if not Man''er?¡± Wu Kuihu sighed softly and spoke slowly. His words did not contain self-pity, but rather a spirit of discontent. Hearing him speak like that, Yun Zhongyue''s expression changed, and after a long silence, he finally spoke: ¡°Clan Leader, your words just now are unbecoming of your status as Clan Leader and fail to uphold the responsibilities. I will bring this up with the Martial God Altar.¡± ¡°That is precisely my intention,¡± Wu Kuihu said. Yun Zhongyue let out a sigh and asked, ¡°Clan Leader, do you not understand what it signifies when the Divine Tree sheds leaves?¡± ¡°The last time the Divine Tree shed leaves, we lost Ah Lan, and Man''er lost her mother. Do you think there''s anyone who understands this better than I do?¡± Wu Kuihu gave a bitter smile as he asked in return. ¡°But you still¡­¡± Yun Zhongyue''s words were cut off before he could finish. ¡°It''s precisely because of this that our Divine Wood Clan needs to change. Persisting in the old ways will only repeat the tragedy over and over again,¡± said Wu Kuihu in a grave voice. After Wu Kuihu finished speaking, the room fell silent, and for a moment, Yun Zhongyue didn''t know what to say. ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°Clan Leader, but what about the beliefs and oaths that our clan has defended with our lives and honor, what should we do with them?¡± Yun Zhongyue asked with a look of struggle on his face. ¡°The oath of the Divine Wood Clan, I dare not forget for a single day. It''s just that over the years, our clan has strictly guarded the Divine Tree and watched over the Martial God Altar, facing Chiyou''s Demon Clan''s incursions alone. We''ve had far too many deaths and injuries. It''s time for a change,¡± Wu Kuihu said. Shen Luo heard this and was filled with doubts, frowning continuously. ¡°Clan Leader, are you planning to open the doors of our clan and welcome outsiders?¡± Yun Zhongyue''s expression shifted slightly upon hearing this. ¡°Elder Yun, if there''s another upheaval at the Martial God Altar, old folks like us can die in battle, but what about the children? They haven''t had the chance to grow up before they have to go to their death, is that fair?¡± Wu Kuihu asked. ¡°It''s our fate,¡± Yun Zhongyue insisted. ¡°Relying solely on the power of our Divine Wood Clan is far too weak. How much longer can we hold out, one generation or two? After all of us elders have died in battle, will it then have to be Man''er, have to be Tian Xing, have to be Xiaonu?¡± Wu Kuihu sighed deeply. Yun Zhongyue clenched the walking stick in his hand and glanced at Yun Xiaonu, who was still a child, and his eyes gradually began to change. ¡°Clan Leader, this matter is too difficult, the other elders will not agree. They have deep suspicions toward other members of the Human Race, even hostility. They won''t agree to open the doors of our clan,¡± Yun Zhongyue finally moved. Chapter 1130 Chapter 1130: Chapter 1127: Martial God Altar Incident Chapter 1130: Chapter 1127: Martial God Altar Incident (Third update) ¡°Not every elder clings stubbornly to ancient laws, Elder Yun Shanhai also supports my approach. In fact, we''ve already carved out a corner outside the clan and tried to recruit disciples from other races. The plan was to bring them back to the clan once they became useful, but unfortunately, very few were recruited, and even fewer proved capable,¡± Wu Kuihu said. Upon hearing this, one of Shen Luo''s doubts was finally cleared up. The Yuan Qiu he met initially was most likely one of these individuals. ¡°Wu Clan Leader, Elder Yun, I''m somewhat confused by what you''re saying,¡± Jiang Shentian, who had been holding back for a while, finally couldn''t help but speak up and ask. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Several people turned their heads to look at him. ¡°A hundred years ago, the Demon Clan was in turmoil and had already quelled the menace of Chiyou. Why do you keep speaking of the Demon Clan''s invasions?¡± Jiang Shentian expressed his doubts. He felt that it was probably because the Divine Wood Clan was too isolated, meaning their news was outdated, and they were unaware of this. Wu Kuihu seemed to guess what he was thinking and said: ¡°We are aware of the situations you mentioned. However, we maintain skepticism about the viewpoint that the demonic threat has been quelled.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jiang Shentian asked, frowning. ¡°Although our Divine Wood Clan is isolated, we are not completely ignorant of affairs beyond our windows. We still have some knowledge of the events occurring in the various continents. Since the alliance of the Human, Demon, and Immortal races, the frequency of Demon Clan invasions has indeed decreased, and the scale is much smaller than before. But has the Three Realms truly become peaceful?¡± Wu Kuihu inquired. At that, Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. He felt that Wu Kuihu''s question coincided with the concerns he had always held in his heart. ¡°Are you saying that although the demonic chaos appears to be quelled¡­ the surface seems calm, but in reality, the Three Realms are not truly at peace?¡± he couldn''t help but say. ¡°At least within the Human Race, contradictions that used to be hidden are now becoming more exposed, and conflicts between small secular nations on the various continents are on the rise, with wars breaking out more frequently with each passing year,¡± Wu Kuihu stated. ¡°The various factions within the Human Race are inherently complicated. Suddenly, without the external pressure from the Demon Clan, internal conflicts are bound to surface. Isn''t this an inevitable part of historical development? When the lands are reordered, and the dust settles, things will naturally calm down, right?¡± Jiang Shentian asked. ¡°Brother Jiang, do you realize how significant these eight words, ''when the lands are reordered, and the dust settles,'' are? Behind them lie countless living lives. Chaos stirs across the Earth, and rivers of blood stain the mountains and rivers. The polluting Qi of the world must rise, no different from when the Demon Clan wrought havoc,¡± Shen Luo said, startling himself with his own words by the end. Vaguely, he seemed to have grasped something. Hearing Shen Luo''s words, Wu Kuihu was somewhat surprised, an additional measure of admiration appearing in his eyes. ¡°I misspoke, my apologies,¡± Jiang Shentian said, bowing his head in contemplation before quickly responding after realizing his oversight. ¡°It is rumored that the Tathagata Buddha surveyed the Three Realms and Four Continents, noticed the shifts in human hearts, and saw the rise in greed, anger, ignorance, hatred, lust, and separation. He observed the declining moral fiber of the world, which prompted him to have his disciple, the Golden Cicada, incarnate to retrieve scriptures and spread them in all directions, aiming to correct the mistakes of the human heart and restore decency to rectify the source of righteousness. And yet, even now as Mahayana Buddhism has been widely preached throughout the world, it still struggles to enlighten all beings. If this continues, the demonic threat¡­ I''m not sure it has truly been quelled,¡± Shen Luo also shared his doubts. ¡°Indeed, within the Human Race, there are not many who have such insight,¡± Wu Kuihu no longer concealed his admiration. ¡°Clan Leader, Wu Man''er has committed a grave offense by leaving the clan without permission, and now that she has brought outsiders back, the crime is even more severe. Abandoning her post led to the shedding of the Divine Tree''s leaves. Shouldn''t she be severely punished?¡± At this moment, a resounding voice echoed. Everyone followed the voice, and saw a towering elder of the Divine Wood Clan slowly making his descent to their position. He wore no hair ornament, and his silver-white hair was tied up high. A white beard adorned his chin, giving him a spirited and imposing appearance. ¡°Man''er has paid respect to Elder Yun Zhongting,¡± Wu Man''er led with a bow. Upon seeing this, Man Tianxing and Yun Xiaonu also hurriedly bowed in a proper manner, obviously somewhat fearful of the old man. Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian also bowed in salutation. ¡°Great Elder,¡± Yun Zhongyue said solemnly, paying his respects. Elder Yun Zhongting''s gaze swept over them and when he looked at Wu Man''er, a hint of regret was hard to hide in his eyes. ¡°Great Elder, the fault primarily lies with me for silently allowing Man''er to leave the clan. As for these two friends, I was the one who brought them into our clan,¡± Wu Kuihu explained. ¡°As a witch, abandoning your post without permission, regardless of who allowed it or who indulged it, you can''t escape the blame,¡± Elder Yun Zhongting said coldly. ¡°Master, Great Elder, the full blame for leaving the clan rests with me, and I am willing to bear it alone. However, these two friends of mine truly had not entered the clan''s land previously, so I beseech you to spare them. This time, I brought them back to obtain some of Earth Mother''s Essence from the clan to help them revive the Ginseng Fruit Tree,¡± said Wu Man''er. ¡°Ginseng Fruit Tree?¡± Upon hearing this name, Elder Yun Zhongting''s brows furrowed slightly. Wu Kuihu''s expression also subtly changed. ¡°Are you saying that you left the clan in secret to search for the Ginseng Fruit Tree Essence?¡± Elder Yun Zhongting asked hesitantly. ¡°Indeed, I left in search of the Ginseng Fruit Tree Essence, only to find that by the time we reached Wuzhuang View, the Ginseng Fruit Tree had already perished from the Demonic Qi Invasion. That''s why I brought them back to the clan to ask for Earth Mother''s Essence to revive the Ginseng Fruit Tree. Once it is revived, we intend to acquire some of the tree''s essence,¡± Wu Man''er explained slowly. ¡°If that''s the case, your departure from the clan is somewhat justified,¡± Elder Yun Zhongting nodded. However, he soon sighed lightly and added, ¡°Unfortunately, I fear I must disappoint you this time, and they will have made a wasted trip.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Wu Man''er quickly asked. Jiang Shentian and Shen Luo also looked anxiously at Elder Yun Zhongting. Elder Yun Zhongting glanced at Wu Kuihu, and after receiving a nod from him, he continued: ¡°After you left, the Martial God Altar experienced another disturbance, and the first-level space below is now occupied by Demonic Qi, making it inaccessible.¡± ¡°Elder, could it be that the Earth Mother''s Essence is below the Martial God Altar?¡± Jiang Shentian asked. ¡°Indeed. The Earth Mother''s Essence is within the first level of the Martial God Altar.¡± Seeing that Elder Yun Zhongting had no intention of explaining to Jiang Shentian and Shen Luo, Wu Man''er took the initiative to speak. Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian, of course, didn''t know about the Martial God Altar, and even after Wu Man''er''s explanation, they still looked confused. ¡°The Martial God Altar is built at the root of the Divine Tree. Above ground, there is only a great hall for protection, but below ground, there are three levels. The Earth Mother''s Essence is in the first underground level, while in the third level of the Martial God Altar, a doppelganger of Chiyou''s Demon Soul and nearly a hundred ferocious Demonic Beings are sealed. Our Divine Wood Clan''s mission is to guard this divided soul and those demonic beings.¡± She had spoken halfway when Wu Kuihu took over and continued: ¡°Almost periodically, the Demon Clan and Chiyou''s Demon Soul suppressed by the Martial God Altar erupt, attacking the Martial God Altar''s Seal, but they have always been repelled at the cost of our clansmen''s lives. However, with each of their offensives, even with the Divine Tree''s suppression, the strength of the seal continues to weaken, and eventually, they destroyed the seal of the third layer and took over the second layer as well.¡± Chapter 1131 Chapter 1131: Chapter 1128: Venture a Try Chapter 1131: Chapter 1128: Venture a Try (Fourth Update) ¡°Not long after Wu Man''er left the clan without authorization, the Demonic Qi erupted once again. Without the shaman girl, we couldn''t harness more power from the Spirit Tree. As a result, many of our people died in battle, and we still couldn''t stop them from breaking through the seal and occupying the second layer. Although they can''t break through the first layer''s seal right now, they''ve started to continuously transmit the Demonic Qi upwards,¡± Yun Zhongting still harbored some resentment towards Wu Man''er for leaving the clan on her own. Upon hearing this, Wu Man''er''s face showed even deeper guilt, and her eyes reddened. ¡°So, to obtain the Earth Mother''s Essence, one must go to the Underground layer of the Martial God Altar?¡± Jiang Shentian muttered. ¡°No, you can''t get the Earth Mother''s Essence,¡± Yun Zhongting stated with a cold huff. ¡°Elder, we¡­¡± ¡°I allowed you to enter the Divine Wood Forest and see the Divine Wood Primordial Spirit, which was already a violation of the ancestral teachings. And now you still wish to set foot on the Martial God Altar?¡± Jiang Shentian''s words were harshly cut off by Yun Zhongting before he could finish. ¡°Great Elder, Man''er is willing to compensate for her faults by undertaking a meritorious deed, to enter the Martial God Altar and retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence,¡± Wu Man''er said, clenching her fists so tightly that it seemed she was using all her strength to say these words. ¡°Absurd,¡± scolded Yun Zhongting. ¡°We, the people of the Divine Tree Clan, are naturally close to the forest and the earth, and we loathe the Demonic Qi the most. We also fear its invasion. Since the first layer of the Martial God Altar is already occupied by Demonic Qi, you can''t go in,¡± Wu Kuihu also frowned in concern. Shen Luo fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Elder, what must be done for us to enter the Martial God Altar?¡± ¡°Stop thinking about it. I won''t let you go in, no matter what,¡± Yun Zhongting shook his head. ¡°If the Elder is unwilling to say, then allow me, a Junior, to make a suggestion, and you all can decide if it sounds agreeable,¡± Shen Luo offered. ¡°Let''s hear what you have to say,¡± Yun Zhongting responded. ¡°If we can remove the Demonic Qi from the first layer of the Martial God Altar, would you then allow us to take away the Earth Mother''s Essence?¡± Shen Luo proposed. ¡°Haha¡­ Are you joking? Do you have any idea how dense the Demonic Qi has become inside the first layer of the Martial God Altar?¡± Yun Zhongting laughed derisively, throwing back his head. ¡°This¡­ it''s alright. I will go, and if I succeed, it will benefit everyone. If not, then it will just be our bad luck, how about that?¡± Shen Luo responded calmly and unhurriedly. Yun Zhongting scrutinized Shen Luo intently, observing him for a moment. Seeing his serious expression, his own countenance grew solemn. ¡°Once you enter the lower level of the Martial God Altar, if you can''t completely clear the Demonic Qi, the Upper Layer will absolutely not risk opening it. Are you truly willing to go in?¡± asked Yun Zhongting. ¡°It''s worth a try. Whether it works or not, your Divine Tree Clan will not be at a loss,¡± Shen Luo smiled and replied. ¡°Big Brother Shen, don''t be reckless¡­¡± urged Wu Man''er, unable to hold back. ¡°Do you really have a method to remove the Demonic Qi?¡± Jiang Shentian also couldn''t help but send a telepathic message to ask him. ¡°Yes, but I can''t be sure if it will work,¡± Shen Luo answered truthfully. ¡°How sure are you?¡± Jiang Shentian pressed. ¡°At most, thirty percent,¡± answered Shen Luo. ¡°Isn''t that just courting death?¡± Jiang Shentian''s eyebrows shot up in a moment. ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± Shen Luo sent a message back directly. Jiang Shentian was momentarily at a loss for words. He didn''t have any plans, but as long as Shen Luo had one, he was willing to follow him. ¡°Are you truly capable?¡± Wu Kuihu asked with a concerned look. ¡°Elder, I value my life more than anyone else and would not risk it lightly,¡± Shen Luo stated. ¡°Alright, since that''s the case, I won''t say much more. If you truly have a way to resist the Demonic Qi''s erosion, it might not be necessary to exert yourself to expunge it. Between the first layer and the second layer underground of the Martial God Altar, a Purification Demon Array was initially set up. However, it was damaged during the last invasion of the Demonic Beings.¡± Wu Kuihu nodded and said. ¡°That''s even better, Junior just needs to repair the Purification Demon Array then, right?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened as he asked. ¡°Indeed. However, the extent of the damage to the Purification Demon Array is unclear, and only after you see it for yourself will you know the specifics. It is also possible that the Array is completely destroyed, and at that time, you will have to rely on your own method.¡± Wu Kuihu said. ¡°No problem,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Seeing his composure from beginning to end, everyone couldn''t help but believe him a little more. ¡°Clan Leader, this man harbors Demonic Qi within him. Allowing him to enter the Martial God Altar might be an unsafe decision,¡± Yun Zhongyue suddenly spoke up at this moment. Her suspicion of Shen Luo had not relaxed at all. ¡°Elder Yun, if I were truly from the Demon Clan, wouldn''t I be seeking death by asking to go to the Martial God Altar, which suppresses Demonic Beings? Once I enter, should there be the slightest unusual movement, you can simply seal the Martial God Altar. That way, I would also be thoroughly sealed below along with those Demonic Beings and Demonic Qi, wouldn''t that be even more convenient?¡± Shen Luo said, slightly exasperated with a chuckle. After hearing this, Yun Zhongyue was left speechless and could find no words to retort. ¡°Then let''s proceed with the matter this way,¡± Wu Kuihu said. ¡°When shall we go?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°There''s no need to rush. Preparations are needed before opening the Martial God Altar. Let''s open it tomorrow morning,¡± Yun Zhongting said. ¡°Elder, Junior has one more presumptuous request,¡± Shen Luo began. ¡°Speak,¡± Yun Zhongting said with a frown. ¡°If Junior can truly accomplish what was promised, in addition to taking the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid, could you also exonerate Man''er of her punishment? Back at Wuzhuang View, I owed Man''er a favor,¡± Shen Luo said. Everyone was somewhat surprised to hear this, and Wu Man''er, looking at Shen Luo''s profile, felt a warmth in her heart. Upon hearing this, Yun Zhongting pondered for a moment and then said: ¡°Considering that Man''er left the clan to find the Spirit Tree Essence and reinforce the Martial God Altar''s Seal, if you can remove a layer of Demonic Qi and repair the seal, her punishment will be exempted.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo said as he bowed with clasped hands. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother Shen, thank you, Great Elder,¡± Wu Man''er said hurriedly, thanking both of them. ¡°Clan Leader, there are some details regarding this matter that require our discussion¡­¡± Yun Zhongting gestured with his hand and said to Wu Kuihu. ¡°That''s right. Elder Yun also mentioned calling a meeting with the Elders earlier,¡± Wu Kuihu nodded and added. Upon hearing this, Elder Yun''s old face stiffened slightly, and he gave a light cough while leaning on his walking stick. ¡°Man''er, Tian Xing, they have come from afar and are among the few guests of our Divine Wood Clan. Treat them well, and bring them to the Martial God Altar at sunrise tomorrow,¡± Wu Kuihu instructed. ¡°Yes,¡± Wu Man''er and Man Tianxing both replied in unison. After Wu Kuihu and the others had spoken, they were each enveloped in a green light and vanished on the spot. Only Shen Luo and a few others were left on the platform. Wu Man''er stared at the Divine Wood Primordial Spirit for a good while, her expression becoming somewhat solemn. ¡°Big Brother Shen, Big Brother Jiang, I intended to help out, but it seems I''ve dragged you into this instead,¡± she said with a light sigh, sounding somewhat apologetic. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1132 Chapter 1132: Chapter 1129: Advice Chapter 1132: Chapter 1129: Advice (The Fifth Update) ¡°Don''t talk like that. After I rebuild the seal and extract the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid tomorrow, everything will no longer be an issue,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, appearing quite relaxed. ¡°With less than thirty percent confidence, aren''t you afraid of perishing within the Martial God Altar?¡± Jiang Shentian, who was beside him, said with some reluctance. ¡°What, Big Brother Shen, you only have a thirty percent chance?¡± Wu Man''er exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Isn''t this just courting death?¡± Man Tianxing also frowned and said. Yun Xiaonu had been half-listening all this while and only half-understood, but seeing that the Clan Leader and the two Elders had left, she finally dared to speak up, ¡°Die, who''s going to die?¡± ¡°Xiaonu, don''t interrupt,¡± Man Tianxing pressed her little head. ¡°You may not know how difficult it has been for me to survive until now, so rest assured, I won''t die so easily,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Shen Luo, how can you be so composed? Is it really to prevent the Great Tang Dynasty Government from clashing with the Wuzhuang View?¡± Jiang Shentian asked. ¡°That''s right, after all, both the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Wuzhuang View hold significant weight within the Human Race and the Immortal Clan. If they become hostile to each other, even to the point of waging war, the impact on the Three Realms will definitely not be small,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment then spoke slowly. ¡°If that''s the case, let me accompany you tomorrow,¡± Jiang Shentian said after a slight hesitation. Unexpectedly, Shen Luo shook his head and said, ¡°No need, I alone am sufficient.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jiang Shentian, who had been full of confidence, said, feeling deeply dismayed. ¡°Why bring so many people for a task that involves risking one''s life?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and said. ¡°It''s not that I fear you can''t do it alone, and besides, I have some insights into Formation, which may also be of great assistance to you,¡± Jiang Shentian said with crossed arms. ¡°No need,¡± Shen Luo still refused. Jiang Shentian felt a rush of frustration so intense it was almost like old blood stagnating in his chest. ¡°If I fail, I hope you can hurry back to the Wuzhuang View and prevent the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Wuzhuang View from clashing,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said at that moment. Hearing this, Jiang Shentian was slightly stunned, fell silent for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, there''s important business to be done tomorrow; let me have a good rest tonight,¡± Shen Luo said with an easy smile. ¡°Big Brother Shen, Elder Jiang, I''ll take you to the Divine Wood House to rest,¡± Wu Man''er hurriedly said. The group walked down along the Divine Tree''s vines. Xiaonu was overtaken by sleepiness and was carried on Man Tianxing''s back, slowly falling asleep. Above the skydome, the stars brightened, and the night had completely fallen. On the Divine Tree''s vines, lights of green glowed faintly like lanterns guiding the way, illuminating the entire tree. Shen Luo, feeling the rich spiritual energy of the plants and trees around him, was filled with emotion. How wonderful it would be if the landscape of the Human World could remain peaceful forever. A night without words. The next day, the sun slowly rose from the horizon. Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian, under the guidance of Wu Man''er, had already arrived beneath the Divine Tree. Although both had been prepared in their hearts, standing truly under the tree they were still astonished by the colossal size of the Divine Tree, their jaws dropping in awe. It was less like they were standing under a tree and more like they were standing under a forest. The trunk of the Divine Tree was so thick that, within the scope of their vision, they could not see the ends to the left or right. The tree roots branching out from the bottom protruded from the ground, each one nearly a hundred feet thick. More than ten incredibly thick roots arched up from the ground, supporting the massive body of the tree above. Each root had numerous hanging roots falling down like the strings of a vertical harp, dense yet orderly. Underneath the arched roots stood a circular blue stone building, completely enveloped by the hanging roots of the Divine Tree, with strands of flowing green light shining on it. Shen Luo followed Wu Man''er into the building and saw that Wu Kuihu and Yun Zhongting were already waiting inside, while Yun Zhongyue and another seven or eight elders, also dressed in Divine Wood Clan''s attire, were all sitting cross-legged in the center of a circular Great Formation in the hall. There were both men and women among them, and without exception, they all had long snow-white hair. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Last night on the way to the Divine Wood House, Wu Man''er had mentioned that in order to guard the Martial God Altar, the elders of the clan consumed a great amount of essence blood in addition to mana. Over time, though their lifespans remained lengthy, their hair had all turned white. Shen Luo''s gaze swept over them, and a strange feeling rose in his heart. He felt that the people sitting before him did not seem like living beings, but more like plants, like trees. The aura of each person seemed to be concealed, indistinguishable when examined individually, yet strangely harmonious when their auras merged together, as if they had become one with the Divine Tree. Shen Luo then looked at the Formation beneath them and noticed its overall ring shape. At each sectioned distance, there was a disc-shaped base, carved with layers of intricate patterns. Including Yun Zhongyue, all eight occupied one of the disc seats. One seat remained vacant, facing the main building, which presumably belonged to the Great Elder, Yun Zhongting. After Shen Luo and the others exchanged greetings, Yun Zhongting was the first to speak, ¡°There''s still time to reconsider.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Elder, but I have already made up my mind,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Since that is the case, I won''t waste words. First, let me tell you about the layout beneath the Martial God Altar,¡± Yun Zhongting nodded and said. ¡°Please do,¡± Shen Luo replied, cupping his fist. ¡°The root system of the Divine Tree is extremely lush. Still, there are only eighteen main roots. Underground, the arrangement is roughly the same as what you see outside. Aside from having many more interlaced aerial roots, there aren''t many differences¡­¡± Yun Zhongting slowly explained. As it turns out, the building above ground was just the final Array pivot position of the Martial God Altar. The area of the three levels below was many times larger than the surface, with each layer being larger than the one above. The underground first level spanned a distance of three hundred and sixty-five feet around. Nearly all eighteen main roots were distributed along the edge of the first level, while the passageway leading to the second level was in the central position. The Array to cleanse the Demonic Qi was also located between these two areas. ¡°The place we can send you to is in the central area of the first level. This is also the area where the Demonic Qi is most concentrated. As for the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid you are looking for, it''s near one of the eighteen roots, specifically the one towards the northeast direction,¡± Yun Zhongting said. ¡°I have always heard Man''er talk about the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid. I know it''s a natural Spirit Liquid, but I don''t know what exactly it is or what properties it has?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°That location towards the northeast is originally where the spiritual energy of the Divine Tree was most condensed. Over time, the Earth''s essence gradually gathered into a spring from the soil below and ultimately formed a Spring Eye. The Earth Mother''s Original Liquid you''re looking for is the spring water from there. This water doesn''t have any special characteristics; it looks no different from mountain stream water, but once touched by hand, one can feel the rich vitality contained within,¡± Yun Zhongting added. Having heard this, Shen Luo committed it to memory. Chapter 1133 Chapter 1133: Chapter 1130: Entering the Altar (Sixth Release, Asking for Monthly Pass) Chapter 1133: Chapter 1130: Entering the Altar (Sixth Release, Asking for Monthly Pass) (Chapter Six) Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There are some harsh words I must say beforehand. Reviving the Ginseng fruit tree relies on the secret technique of my Divine Wood Clan in conjunction with Earth Mother''s Original Liquid, and its success does not depend on the amount of the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid. You may only take a small bottle at most; you must not be greedy and take more. The Earth Mother''s Original Liquid and the Divine Tree share a symbiotic relationship, and it is also part of the strength that suppresses and seals the Martial God Altar. If too much is used up, it will be even more difficult to suppress the backlash of Demonic Qi and the counterattack of Demonic Beings in the future,¡± said Yun Zhongting with a stern expression, half advising and half warning. ¡°Junior understands the importance and Elder can rest assured,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That''s very good,¡± Yun Zhongting replied, his expression softening a lot. ¡°Next, I will explain to you the situation with the Purification Demon Array. Listen carefully. Once inside, the first priority is to repair and restart the Purification Demon Array. As soon as the Great Formation starts operating, the Demonic Qi will be purified in moments. However, you must also be on guard against Demonic Beings that have virtualized rushing up from the layer below,¡± said Wu Kuihu, taking over the conversation. ¡°Demonic Beings that have virtualized?¡± Shen Luo said in astonishment. ¡°After so many years of conflict, these Demonic Beings have also been trying various things. They''ve managed to gain temporary virtualization ability by incorporating Chiyou''s Demonic Qi within their bodies, allowing them to directly ignore a layer of seal and break through from the second to the first underground layer, causing trouble,¡± Wu Kuihu explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed involuntarily. If it were just dealing with Demonic Qi, he might have had some confidence, but with Demonic Beings causing trouble on the side, it was not so certain. ¡°Demonic Beings that have virtualized have only separated part of their spirit state, their strength will be greatly reduced, and they will temporarily be in an undying state. Even if you defeat them, they will re-condense later, until Chiyou''s Demonic Qi dissipates, and then they will return to their original bodies in the lower layer. With the suppression of one layer of the Array, the risk is still considered manageable,¡± Wu Kuihu reminded. Shen Luo did not speak immediately but silently pondered. ¡°Friend Shen, let me accompany you after all. The chances of success are ultimately greater with two people,¡± Jiang Shentian thought he was hesitant and immediately spoke up. ¡°No need, just remember my request from yesterday,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, still deciding to go alone. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I know I can''t persuade you, but take this sachet with you. It might help you in a critical moment,¡± Wu Man''er bit her lip and stepped forward to say. Wu Kuihu''s expression changed when he saw the sachet. ¡°Man''er, isn''t that the protective talisman your mother left for you?¡± he couldn''t help but say. Shen Luo, who was already reaching out to take it, hastily withdrew his hand upon hearing this. ¡°Girl Man''er, thank you for your kindness, but this item is too precious. I cannot accept it,¡± Shen Luo said to Wu Man''er. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I, I''m not trying to give it to you¡­ I mean, I''m just lending it to you for a while. You have to return it to me when you come back safely,¡± Wu Man''er said, looking down slightly with a blush on her cheeks. ¡°Even so, I don''t need it. That''s a personal item your mother left for you, which holds great significance. I mustn''t lay a finger on it,¡± Shen Luo said, a bit embarrassed. ¡°Man''er, don''t worry, Master has also prepared a protective item for him,¡± Wu Kuihu, seeing his disciple about to speak again, quickly said first. While speaking, he turned his wrist and took out a palm-sized wooden plaque, handing it over to Shen Luo. Shen Luo took it and saw that the wooden plaque had chaotic lines with a highly irregular scar, but the center was carved with an ancient tree pattern, looking very similar to the Divine Tree. ¡°This Qingling Wood Seal is made from a burl of the Divine Tree. It has the Divine Tree''s essence carved into it, forming the shadow of the Divine Tree. When driven by Mana, it can summon the Divine Tree''s phantom to protect you for moments and withstand an all-out attack from an Early True Immortal cultivator. However, the Divine Tree Essence it contains is limited, and once exhausted, it will lose its defensive effect,¡± Wu Kuihu said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said, cupping his fist in gratitude. ¡°Even without its defensive capabilities, this item is still a fine magical instrument for aiding one''s cultivation. When you wear it while cultivating the Divine Wood Grace Technique in the future, the effect will undoubtedly be enhanced; it would not be an exaggeration to say it''s twice as effective,¡± Wu Kuihu continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt a stirring in his heart, his gratitude deepening. Whether it was Wu Man''er or Wu Kuihu, the gifts they presented clearly conveyed their hopes for his safe return. ¡°Brother Shen, since you insist on not having me accompany you, consider this a token of my goodwill,¡± Jiang Shentian also stepped forward and extended his hand towards him. In his open palm lay two metallic Elixir Pills the size of longan fruits, their surface faintly showing fine engraved patterns yet emanating no fluctuations of spiritual power. ¡°What are these?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°These are Puppetry Puppets, don''t you know?¡± Jiang Shentian asked in surprise. ¡°I have seen Yanshou in Chang''an before, but they were quite large in size, vastly different from the appearance of these Elixir Pills,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Yanshou are merely the lowliest creations made by Tianji City''s Yan masters, often just toys for common folk to enjoy. However, Puppetry Puppets that can be condensed into pill form are different. The two I''m giving you possess the combat strength of the Late Nascent Soul Stage. One has a fire attribute, the other lightning. If you encounter Unreal Demons, they might help you resist a bit,¡± Jiang Shentian said. ¡°How do I use them?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Hold them in your hand and channel a thread of mana into them, then throw them out. Once you''ve directed them at the target with your mana, they will attack and fight on their own, sparing you the need to control them,¡± Jiang Shentian explained. ¡°That does sound quite handy,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Another good point is that as long as their core puppet mechanism isn''t damaged, they''ll continue attacking the enemy without rest,¡± Jiang Shentian added. ¡°Good, thank you very much,¡± Shen Luo said, cupping his fist in gratitude. After Shen Luo put away the Qingling Wood Seal and the Puppetry Puppets, Wu Kuihu took out a leather scroll and slowly spread it out in front of him. ¡°This is the battle formation map for the Purification Demon Array. Given the current situation, the most likely parts to be damaged are here, here, and here¡­¡± Wu Kuihu pointed to several critical spots on the map as he instructed. Shen Luo watched closely with a furrowed brow, listening intently. ¡°These are roughly the situations that may arise, but the actual conditions will only be known once you go in. Here are the materials you''ll need to repair the Great Formation. After you enter, you''re on your own. If you can''t manage it, the Martial God Altar will not risk opening for you; you''ll have to remain there forever. Do you understand?¡± Wu Kuihu warned. ¡°After I finish all of this, how should I inform you to open the seal?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Once you enter the Martial God Altar, you will be isolated inside, unable to send out any messages. We''ll only open the seal and let you out when we detect that a layer of Demonic Qi has been cleared. Understand?¡± Yun Zhongting said. ¡°I understand clearly, Great Elder. When do we start?¡± Shen Luo smiled, looked at Yun Zhongting, and asked. ¡°If you''re ready, then we can start now,¡± Yun Zhongting said and then walked towards his position at the Circular Formation and slowly sat down. After he settled in his place, the others also opened their eyes. Seeing Yun Zhongting nod at them, each of them began to form magic spells with their hands to activate the Formation. In no time, green lights shone from each person, and behind them, streaks of Green Light flowed out like rivers across the sky, flowing toward the center. Nine streams of Green Light converged above everyone''s heads, turning the entire great hall a bright shade of emerald. Chapter 1134 Chapter 1134: Chapter 1131 Devouring Demons (Continuing to release more chapters for monthly votes ^^) Chapter 1134: Chapter 1131 Devouring Demons (Continuing to release more chapters for monthly votes ^^) Shen Luo looked up and saw that on top of the stone house roof, slender light marks had begun to shine, gradually revealing a complex and dense Great Formation pattern. In the center of the Great Formation, he could see the apparition of a Divine Tree, which looked very similar to the Spirit of the Divine Tree. At this moment, its branches and leaves swayed, and from its surface, layers of green light halos spread out, filled with a strong essence of life. At this time, a soft sound came from the place where the nine blue streams converged, and a blue light curtain began to slowly extend in all directions, eventually forming a hemispherical blue light curtain that enshrouded the entire Circular Formation. ¡°Spirit of the Wood, Creator of life, let the War God tremble, the Demonic Qi not rise, Demon Suppression Formation¡­ open!¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a loud shout from Yun Zhongting, the entire Circular Formation violently trembled, and small light marks began to light up on the four walls of the stone house, seemingly in response to the Circular Formation. The nine people within the Formation also began to chant in low voices. The chanting seemed to be in some special secret language of the Divine Wood Clan, with a very unique cadence. The voices of the nine individuals resonated in a special way, merging together. Although not loud, they gave the listener a sense of antiquity and desolation. Accompanied by a heavy sound of friction, the thick stone slabs in the center of the Circular Formation on the ground slowly split apart, splitting into a ''human'' character shape and gradually moving backward. Following this, a pitch-black Big Hole was revealed. As soon as the cave entrance appeared, wisps of black Demonic Qi surged up from it. At first, it was very slow, but in just a few breaths, the speed became faster and faster, quickly filling the spherical light curtain made of blue light. Wu Man''er, seeing this, couldn''t help but take a subconscious step back. Shen Luo looked at the churning Demonic Qi within the light curtain and couldn''t help but have some doubts in his heart. At this moment, he was not quite sure if he could resist this Demonic Qi. However, things had come to this point, and it was no longer possible to reconsider. At that moment, he saw that from within the blue-green radiance around Yun Zhongting''s body, suddenly a trace of blood energy diffused out, slowly crawling along the exterior of the spherical light curtain, and drifting towards the Divine Tree Formation pattern on top of the stone house roof. The moment the blood energy entered, the Array on the roof seemed to be instantly activated, lighting up with a flame-like crimson color. ¡°Humm¡­¡± Accompanied by a tremulous hum, a crimson Light Pillar descended from the sky and poured directly into the blue light curtain. Within the light curtain, the rolling Demonic Qi was stirred by the crimson Light Pillar, gradually forming a huge Vortex. As the crimson Light Pillar continued to descend, it slowly lowered toward the entrance of the cave. When almost all the Demonic Qi had descended into the cave entrance, Yun Zhongting loudly shouted: ¡°Now''s the time, jump in.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo did not hesitate. He immediately leaped forward, his figure passing through the light curtain and plummeting straight towards the cave entrance. The instant he fell into the cave entrance, the spherical light curtain enshrouding the outside began to rapidly contract, pressing all the Demonic Qi back inside the cave, and the split stone slabs also returned to their place, closing up again. Watching everything inside the stone house return to calm, deep worry showed in Wu Man''er''s eyes. Jiang Shentian''s brows were also deeply furrowed, his heart filled with concern. ¡°` Shen Luo fell into the first-level space underground of the Martial God Altar, floating in midair for quite some time before his feet slowly touched solid ground. The space around him suddenly darkened, and even he took a while to adjust before he could make out a little of his surroundings. However, the thick Demonic Qi in the vicinity made him very uncomfortable. The Qingling Wood Seal he carried with him, though not activated by him at that moment, lit up on its own, emitting a blue light that held back some of the Demonic Qi. With the illumination of the blue light, Shen Luo was finally able to make out some details of his surroundings. Yet, as he looked around, he was somewhat stunned to find the space completely empty, with no sign of the Purification Demon Array in sight. ¡°There''s nothing. Could it be that something went wrong when I came down, and I ended up in another place?¡± Shen Luo was incredibly surprised. At the same time, perhaps because the Demonic Qi here was disturbed, it suddenly began to surge wildly, rushing towards Shen Luo from all directions. The light from the Qingling Wood Seal was quickly pushed back, and Shen Luo immediately began to feel short of breath, his body hair standing on end involuntarily. He didn''t hesitate any further and immediately raised his hand to sweep through the air. Black light flashed around his body, and a set of pitch-black Armor was instantly donned. This Armor was entirely black with a rather fierce design. Spikes protruded from the knees, shoulders, and other parts, while the surface was covered with scale-like Demonic Patterns. A beast-shaped belly swallower, resembling a barbarian lion, appeared on the stomach area. The mouth of the belly swallower had four sharp teeth on both the upper and lower jaws, holding a belt in between, with the barbarian lion''s eyes looking lively and emitting a faint luster. As the surrounding Demonic Qi drew near, the barbarian lion''s eyes suddenly lit up with red light, and a vortex condensed at the mouth, creating a strong suction force that reached out in all directions. In a flash, the Demonic Qi that surrounded him churned and flowed towards the mouth of the barbarian lion, being swallowed up like a whale taking in water. As a large amount of Demonic Qi was absorbed by the lion''s mouth, black light began to shine on the Armor around Shen Luo''s body, the layers of scales trembling like living things, transforming into powerful energy that coiled around him. Shen Luo briefly felt the barbarian lion absorbing Demonic Qi and the state of the Devil Armor on his body, and his heart filled with joy. As he had guessed before, the Jiuli Devil Armor had indeed become much more powerful after merging and reforging with the Ink Descend Armor, not only absorbing Demonic Qi faster but also converting it into defensive power for the Devil Armor more efficiently. However, the Armor''s ability to suppress the outward release of Demonic Qi did not seem to have strengthened, and at this moment, Shen Luo, to an uninformed outsider, would almost be indistinguishable from a Demonic Being. Right now, Shen Luo had no time to worry about this, his only concern being that the continuous absorption of Demonic Qi by the Devil Armor, although it wouldn''t harm him for the time being, could potentially trigger an eruption of the Chiyou Demonic Qi inside his body if the concentration of Demonic Qi became too high. If such a problem were to occur in this place, Shen Luo would undoubtedly be doomed. To prevent this, Shen Luo, while driving the Jiuli Devil Armor to frantically absorb Demonic Qi, was secretly coordinating with the Huangting Technique, activating the Slayer''s Broken Sword inside his body to be on the alert for an outburst of his own Demonic Qi at any time. Time ticked away second by second, and what was only half an hour felt as long as half a year. Shen Luo dared not relax in the slightest throughout, with his spirit at the highest level of tension, sweat on his forehead almost condensing into a winding stream, continuously dripping down his cheeks. It was only after half an hour that most of the Demonic Qi around him had been absorbed into the Jiuli Devil Armor. The originally chaotic first-level space underground that was difficult to see through finally began to gradually clear up. Chapter 1135 Chapter 1135: Chapter 1132: Repair Chapter 1135: Chapter 1132: Repair Shen Luo felt the Demonic Qi contained within the Jiuli Devil Armor and couldn''t help but marvel; even if a True Immortal Cultivator struck with full force, the armor could probably block the hit without much effort. However, in this vast and empty First-level Space, not to mention a True Immortal Stage monk, not even a dog that could bite could be found, so naturally, no one was attacking Shen Luo. But without anyone attacking, it meant that the Demonic Qi contained within the Devil Armor couldn''t be consumed. As a result, the Devil Armor on Shen Luo''s body became unbearably heavy, as if he were carrying a great mountain on his back. Seeing this, Shen Luo dared not continue to absorb any more Demonic Qi and immediately stopped. He looked around; because of the surrounding light and Demonic Qi, he could still not see very far, but he vaguely discerned a pitch-dark shadow about a hundred feet away. Shen Luo hesitated briefly before walking towards it. The closer he got, the more Shen Luo noticed that the place where the dark shadow was located had much denser Demonic Qi than the surroundings. He had no choice but to once again activate the Jiuli Devil Armor, continuing to absorb the Demonic Qi while moving closer. After exerting a great deal of effort, equivalent to that of nine bulls and two tigers, he finally approached and discovered that the dark shadow was, in fact, a pile of ruined bricks and rubble. Just as he sighed in disappointment, something caught his eye on one of the ruined bricks¨Ca faint ¡°Xuantian Demon Cleansing¡± inscription was engraved, though the serious wear had made the lettering quite blurry. Shen Luo quickly bent down to take a closer look and soon found more text on another stone. ¡°The Purification Demon Array, it''s actually here.¡± Overjoyed, he immediately began to assess the damage to the Great Formation. However, after a thorough inspection, he found that the Broken Purifying Demon Array had been severely damaged, including the Array Pillar base, which had been corroded badly by Demonic Qi; repairing it would not be an easy task. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo decided to retrieve the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid first. Otherwise, if he were to cleanse all the Demonic Qi here and get pulled out before having the chance to collect the Essence, it would be quite a loss. At this moment, Shen Luo felt the Devil Armor on his body becoming heavier and heavier. Looking down, he noticed that the eyes of the bulging lion on the Devil Armor had changed from the original bright red to dark red, almost black. He knew that the Jiuli Devil Armor had reached its limit in terms of absorbing Demonic Qi. If he were to forcefully absorb any more, he feared an incident might occur. With no other option, Shen Luo had to remove the Jiuli Devil Armor and stowed it away. Shen Luo passed by the altar and, following Wu Kuihu''s instructions, headed northeast to search for the tree root infused with Earth Mother''s Spiritual Spring. He did not rashly use his Escape Technique but, powered by his Mana, moved swiftly forward towards the Northeast using his physical skills alone. But as soon as mana fluctuations emanated, the surrounding Demonic Qi began to converge toward him again. Shen Luo did not pay it any heed, sprinting even faster, leaving the chasing Demonic Qi behind. Soon, Shen Luo saw a hazy Green Light emerging ahead; when he got closer, he found that it indeed emanated from an extraordinarily thick tree root that stretched into the Underground, with luminescence sliding along the surface where it leaned against the earthen wall. Thanks to the light from the tree root, Shen Luo saw that the wall behind it was engraved with numerous lines that continued along the wall and disappeared into the darkness. ¡°This must be the Restriction Array of the first level, right?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself while looking down at the base of the tree root. Upon closer inspection, his eyebrows slightly raised, clearly surprised. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Under those tree roots, there was nothing but emptiness; there was no spiritual spring at all. Where was the spiritual spring? Where was the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid? Could it be that I''ve been deceived? Shen Luo felt greatly astonished and carefully recalled the position of the Purifying Demon Array he had seen just now and confirmed the direction again, yet he still felt that he had not made a mistake. However, after searching over and over again, he still could not find any trace of the spiritual spring. ¡°Could it be that Senior Wu and the others remembered wrongly?¡± Shen Luo scratched his head, muttering to himself. ¡°Forget it, it''s just eighteen tree roots after all. I''ll search them one by one, and as long as it''s here, I''m not afraid I won''t find it.¡± Soon, Shen Luo made up his mind. Having said that, he set off again, rushing speedily to the left side, hugging the wall. Before long, Shen Luo found the second tree root, and after a thorough search, he found no spiritual spring. After that, the third root, the fourth root, the fifth root¡­ all turned up empty. Not until he reached the seventh divine tree root did he finally see a small pool, about three feet in circumference, beneath the roots. It was filled with a pool of clear water, reflecting the green light from the tree, creating a glistening ripple effect. Shen Luo''s heart swelled with joy, and he approached for a closer inspection. He found that the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid was indeed as Wu Kuihu had described¨Cclear and pure like a mountain spring, without any spiritual energy emanating from the surface. But when his fingertip touched the water liquid, he immediately felt a tremendously rich vitality. ¡°What a great thing¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration. If he were elsewhere, Shen Luo would have wished to dive in right away and drink to his heart''s content until his belly swelled. But knowing that the Earth Mother''s Essence was related to the seal and prohibition, he dared not act recklessly and truly complied with the agreement he had with Wu Kuihu, filling only one ¡°small¡± porcelain bottle. However, this ¡°small¡± porcelain bottle was not the kind used for storing Elixirs on ordinary days, but was just a tad smaller than a vase used for arranging flowers, even larger than a bottle for drinking wine. After collecting the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid, Shen Luo sealed it well and placed it into the Linlang Ring. He reluctantly looked at the spiritual spring in front of him, licked his lips, and then turned to leave. Soon, he returned to the side of the broken Purifying Demon Array and, following the Demon Cleansing Array map in his mind, began to attempt the restoration of the Array. The Array''s base had been destroyed mainly because it bore three claw marks from some unknown demonic beings, rendering the original charm patterns ineffective. The rest of the Array had its pillars pulled out and pivot damaged, making the restoration quite laborious. First, Shen Luo smoothed out the scratches on the base, and then he began to engrave the Formation Patterns anew. Once the Formation Patterns were restored, he carefully inspected the rest of the Array. The Purifying Demon Array was also circular in shape, but unlike the broken one, it had no void in the middle, and the damaged parts were all around the perimeter¨Csome Array Pillars shattered, others merely displaced from their original positions. After examining it for a while, Shen Luo had a plan in mind and began repairing it step by step. A moment later, the incomplete materials were practically replenished, and the broken Formation Patterns had all been newly engraved by him. A fundamentally intact Purifying Demon Array was thoroughly restored to completion. Shen Luo patted his hands, quite satisfied with his craftsmanship. Then, he waved his hand lightly over the Array, and a stream of Mana flowed into it. Immediately afterward, a stream of light brightened upon the Array, and a layer of Pale Golden Light emerged from the engraved Formation Patterns, with an invisible pulling force instantly arising from it. Chapter 1136 Chapter 1136: Chapter 1133: Consumption Chapter 1136: Chapter 1133: Consumption Shen Luo felt a rather unique spiritual power fluctuation emanating from the Array Altar, and the residual Demonic Qi scattered in the surrounding space was instantly attracted to it, like a wild beast that had smelled Blood Meal, surging over crazily. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh¡± In the empty first-level space, the sound of wind gradually rose, and the gathering Demonic Qi formed a spiral vortex above the Array, extending into the center. In the center of the Array, which had seemed empty, a light curtain suddenly lit up, and streams of Demonic Qi surged into it, disappearing without a trace. ¡°Isn''t this the Purification Demon Array? Why does it feel like it''s sending the Demonic Qi back to the second underground layer?¡± Shen Luo mused, somewhat astonished. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, surprised as he was, Shen Luo didn''t think too much about it since the Demonic Qi in front of him was rapidly disappearing, and it wouldn''t be long before he could return smoothly. In this way, this seemingly perilous task didn''t seem too difficult, after all. However, contrary to his wishes, just when Shen Luo thought he could pass through smoothly, an abrupt change occurred. The Array, which had been absorbing Demonic Qi at high speed, suddenly trembled violently, as if it was encountering a backlash from a powerful force underground, and its speed noticeably dropped. Realizing something was wrong, Shen Luo was about to step forward to stabilize the Array when the entire Array exploded with a loud ¡°bang.¡± The blast wave from the explosion wasn''t too strong; it only pushed Shen Luo back several yards. But on the ground in the explosion area, a crimson charm pattern appeared, with rolling Demonic Qi continuously emerging from it and starting to refill the area. Shen Luo was immediately shocked, and on closer inspection, he found that the ground Array was completely destroyed, beyond any hope of salvage. The rolling Demonic Qi didn''t give him a moment''s respite, surging towards him from all directions. Left with no choice, Shen Luo waved his hand and summoned the Jiuli Devil Armor back onto his body, forcibly activating it to absorb the ferocious Demonic Qi around him. But the Devil Armor had clearly reached its limit. Not only had the absorption of Demonic Qi slowed, but even the sheer weight was already impeding his movements. As Shen Luo was anxious, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him, and he raised his hand with a swift motion. Two Elixir Pills, the size of longan fruits, were immediately projected, one bursting into a ball of Flame in mid-air, while the other was struck by an electric arc in the Void. Upon landing, the two Elixir Pills each transformed into a puppet, about a zhang tall. The Fire Attribute one was entirely Crimson, covered in red Armor, with red flames spiking towards the sky from its head, and its facial features were somewhat crude, but it also looked sharp and angular. Spirit Pattern lines could be seen on its body, and in its chest was a Transparent Crystal Stone containing a Crimson Flame, which seemed to be its core. The Lightning Attribute one, wearing Azure Armor, looked ninety percent similar to the fire one, except unlike its bare-handed counterpart, it held a Long knife wrapped in Green Thunder. These two guys looked imposing and mighty¨Csomeone unaware might think they were minions of the Thunder God and Fire God, but in reality, their spiritual power fluctuations weren''t too strong, and their combat prowess was only at the level of the Nascent Soul Stage, although they looked quite formidable. Shen Luo, having no time to care for much else, immediately used his Mana to command them to attack himself. This wasn''t because Shen Luo was confused by the Demonic Qi, rather there was no other way; he needed to use the attacks from these two puppets to consume the Demonic Qi stored in the Jiuli Devil Armor. Only by continuously consuming it could there be more room to absorb the incessant influx of Demonic Qi. The two puppets, receiving Shen Luo''s orders, acted immediately. Only then did Shen Luo realize that the movements of the two puppets were very fluid¨Cthere was no need for him to control them manually. It was as if he had brought two servants out with him and just pointed at a target and yelled, ¡°beat him up,¡± and the two puppets would charge forward and thrash the opponent. Among them, the Lightning Puppet moved the fastest, charging straight towards Shen Luo and slashing down with its long knife, wrapped in thunder and lightning, aiming directly for his head. Shen Luo hastily leaped up slightly to elevate his body, avoiding a hit to a vital area, and used the shoulder guard of his Jiuli Devil Armor to take the blow. As the long knife engulfed in thunder and lightning struck the shoulder of the Devil Armor, a loud thunderous noise erupted, and brilliant sparks flew. ¡°This blow is not light¡­¡± Shen Luo felt his body sink downwards under the tremendous force of the strike and was slightly surprised in his heart. Immediately after, his shoulder emanated a bright green light, and dense electric arcs exploded outwards. At the same time, a black light also lit up on the Jiuli Devil Armor, protecting his entire body. The scattered electric arcs that hit the black light began to break apart and dissipate, and Shen Luo could clearly feel the numbing electric strength fade away little by little. Before the electric arcs had completely disappeared, a burst of flame roared towards him head-on. Shen Luo immediately saw a crimson fireball charging aggressively toward him and with a ¡°bang,¡± it struck his chest. The immense force sent his figure staggering, and just as he steadied himself, the splattering fireball spread over his body like grease, burning fiercely. ¡°Whoosh whoosh¡­¡± Rolling heat waves surged on Shen Luo''s body, blowing the hair hanging before his forehead upwards. The black light from the Devil Armor quickly dissipated under the burning flames, and the stored Demonic Qi inside the armor immediately began to replenish the defense, which continually persisted, but a considerable amount of Demonic Qi was consumed. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt greatly reassured. The Yan Technique Puppets indeed had their unique features. Although these two were limited by their cultivation level and their attack strength was not too strong, the fact that they could autonomously attack and cast mystic arts was already rather impressive. If Jiang Shentian knew that his Yan Technique Puppets, meant to assist Shen Luo in battle, were being used by him to attack himself, he would probably have no choice but to smile bitterly. ¡°Good, just like that, continue attacking.¡± Shen Luo gave the order, and the two Yan Technique Puppets began to attack him even more vigorously. After about a dozen rounds, Shen Luo called a halt to the puppets'' assault, as the Demonic Qi within his Jiuli Devil Armor was almost completely depleted. However, the Demonic Qi that filled the surrounding space almost recovered back to its original density. Shen Luo sighed, and could only again activate the Devil Armor to begin absorbing the Demonic Qi. Once the Demonic Qi was absorbed to its limit, Shen Luo had to stop once more, allowing the Yan Technique Puppets to continue attacking him again. Thus, in the Underground first-level space of the Martial God Altar, there emerged the peculiar sight of Shen Luo changing into various postures, facing the attacks of the two puppets. In the Stone House of the Upper Layer of the Martial God Altar, everyone was staring at the center of the Circular Formation with odd expressions on their faces. In the middle of the Circular Formation, a small area of Green Light floated, within which seemed to be a clump of pitch-black Dark Clouds, slowly shrinking. Yet just as the Dark Clouds had reduced to less than a tenth the size of the Green Light Area, suddenly more Dark Clouds emerged from nowhere, merged with the original clouds, and obscured the entire Green Light Area. ¡°Great Elder, what''s going on here?¡± Wu Man''er asked nervously. Chapter 1137 Chapter 1137: Chapter 1134: Confusion Chapter 1137: Chapter 1134: Confusion ¡°How strange, we had almost completely cleared all the Demonic Qi before, so why has so much suddenly emerged again?¡± Yun Zhongting was also somewhat surprised. ¡°If the Demonic Qi could dissipate, it shows that he had repaired the Purification Demon Array, but why is there a return of the Demonic Qi, as if it''s making a comeback? Could it be that the repair failed?¡± Wu Kuihu said slowly. ¡°I think that must be the case, otherwise, we wouldn''t be seeing this situation,¡± Yun Zhongting nodded and said. But no sooner had his words fallen than they heard Jiang Shentian speak in an urgent tone, ¡°It''s lessening again, it''s lessening, look quickly.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yun Zhongting hurriedly looked towards the center, only to see the Green Light Area that had just been occupied by Demonic Qi was now shrinking and dissipating. This left him somewhat baffled. Could it be that Shen Luo had repaired the Purification Demon Array, absorbed a wave of Demonic Qi, the Array was then damaged again, and now he had once more repaired the Purification Demon Array? He looked at Wu Kuihu with a puzzled expression, wondering if the Purification Demon Array could really withstand so much wear and tear? Wu Kuihu also looked confused and slowly shook his head at him. While they were still trying to figure out what was going on, another round of transformation occurred, and the black Demonic Qi once again took over the entire Green Light Area. Underground, in the first-level space. Shen Luo looked at the space that was once again filled with Demonic Qi and the two Puppetry Puppets that were clearly running out of energy, and his brow furrowed into a knot. But right now, he didn''t have the luxury to ponder carefully as more and more Demonic Qi kept pouring into the first-level space. The beast-head that swallowed Qi in the Jiuli Devil Armor''s belly already turned back to pitch black, and as the Demonic Qi was about to reach its full capacity, it could no longer continue to absorb. Shen Luo had to guide the two Puppetry Puppets to attack himself once again. To not waste a single bit of their attacks, Shen Luo had even stopped using any of his own Mana entirely, relying solely on the Jiuli Devil Armor''s own defense. After several exchanges, the blue thunder filaments on the Lightning Puppet''s long knife were already faint, and the Fire Puppet''s power had also greatly diminished. With a sigh in his heart, Shen Luo could only start to invoke the Art of Spirit Communication. He formed a magic spell with one hand and began chanting, and when he stretched out his palm, a blue light immediately emanated from it, and a small spinning vortex appeared within. Shen Luo immediately connected with his mind and tried to summon his spirit pets. But after a long wait, only a few small splashes occasionally appeared in the blue water hole and nothing else happened. It didn''t take long for Shen Luo to realize he was currently in the Martial God Altar, the Divine Wood Clan''s largest prohibition area. The space around him was probably already sealed by prohibitions; his Art of Spirit Communication couldn''t possibly summon any spirit pets. ¡°This won''t do¡­¡± Shen Luo thought anxiously. When it rains, it pours; just as his boat was drifting off course, he encountered a headwind. Just as Shen Luo was hesitating whether to use his own mystic arts to attack himself, an even worse situation arose. An abnormal movement occurred within his Dantian; his eyes started to feel sour, followed by chaotic Mana in his meridians, and black Demonic Qi began to seep out of his skin, visibly wrapping around his body like ribbons. A feeling of irritation grew within Shen Luo''s heart, his eyes seemingly covered by a layer of shadows, as his vision gradually turned dark red. However, his divine soul had not yet succumbed, and he immediately began to practice the Huangting Divine Power, activating the Slayer''s Broken Sword that lay dormant in his Dantian, releasing the Pure Yang Power to suppress the rampant Demonic Qi around him. In an instant, Shen Luo felt as if he were being fried in oil, with battlefields seeming to open up all over his body, providing grounds for Demonic Qi and Pure Yang Power to slaughter each other, the bone-eroding and skin-peeling intense pain immediately engulfing him. ¡°Aaah¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but let out a wild shout. He fiercely guarded his spirit, his mana instantly circulating to its limit within his body, daring not to hold back in the slightest. The Slayer''s Broken Sword within his Dantian was also trembling incessantly, filled with strands of mana, then transforming into exceptionally pure Pure Yang Power that spread throughout his body, starting a seesaw battle with the rising Demonic Qi. Perhaps because the Demonic Qi inside him was so abundant, the Jiuli Devil Armor suddenly stopped absorbing the Demonic Qi from the outside world at this moment, and the surrounding Demonic Qi, as if having encountered its own kind, no longer continued to gather towards him. For the moment, the external menace was mysteriously solved. However, at this moment, Shen Luo had lost all perception of the outside world; his eyes were already completely overtaken by blood-red color, with blood waves surging in his Sea of Consciousness, fierce and evil auras constantly assaulting his divine soul. In his Sea of Consciousness, a blood wave surged up, and a colossal figure slowly stood up from within, looking down at him with cold and disdainful eyes. Shen Luo''s divine soul consciousness, looking at the enormous figure that almost occupied his entire Sea of Consciousness space, felt a natural fear in his heart, and his divine soul couldn''t help but tremble. The oppression brought by Chiyou had never lessened, even though he had defeated him in Dreamland, even though, back in reality, everyone told him that the demonic affliction had been eliminated, and Chiyou would not descend upon the Human World again. But now, he no longer had the Heavenly Book, lost the greatest reliance he had. He had to rely on himself now. ¡°What arrogance in my Sea of Consciousness for a mere strand of Demonic Qi?¡± A fire of annoyance rose in Shen Luo''s eyes. The gloom in his heart, the long-suppressed anger, suddenly erupted at this moment. The divine soul consciousness, which had been cornered, slowly stood up. His eyes blazed with fury, and with a gesture, a longsword condensed from light fell into his hands, the sword essence of the Pure Yang Flying Sword. In a flash, Shen Luo''s divine soul consciousness began forming hand seals, divine thought rapidly flashing, starting to operate the Pure Yang Sword Technique. The crimson glow began to brighten on the longsword in his hand, a cluster of firelight lit up from the sword hilt, then spreading out, igniting the entire sword edge. Shen Luo''s divine soul held the Pure Yang Flying Sword aloft, looking up at the blood wave-formed phantom of Chiyou, sword raised high. In the Sea of Consciousness, it seemed as if a voice thundered, ¡°Pure Yang Burning Sword.¡± The next moment, the divine soul consciousness'' hand brought down the flying sword, and a sword shadow burst forth from the sword body instantly, transforming into an exceptionally long trail of crimson fire line, splitting the blood wave Chiyou with one stroke. With a ¡°bang¡±, the figure of ¡°Chiyou¡± split apart, breaking into waves that scattered. The Pure Yang Sword''s edge, however, cut down unrelentingly into the Sea of Consciousness, and with that, red flames blazed fiercely. In an instant, the Sea of Consciousness of Shen Luo was ablaze with firelight, bright crimson Red Lotus blossoming in every corner, vibrant and thriving. As the Red Lotus bloomed, Shen Luo''s Sea of Consciousness returned to clarity. He opened his eyes angrily, only to discover that at some point, the Pure Yang Flying Sword had flown out by itself, now firmly gripped in his hand. A layer of Red Lotus Karmic Fire spread from the sword body, connecting through his whole body, sheltering him entirely within. The surrounding Demonic Qi, fearing the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, naturally did not dare to approach anymore. Chapter 1138 Chapter 1138: Chapter 1135: Fiery Silence Grand Array Chapter 1138: Chapter 1135: Fiery Silence Grand Array Shen Luo immediately gathered his spirit and once again circulated the Huang Ting Jing, urging the Slayer''s Broken Sword to suppress the Demonic Qi within his body. After being scorched by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire within the Pure Yang Flying Sword, the Demonic Qi inside him seemed to have its sharpness blunted, gradually falling under the dominance of the Pure Yang Power and being suppressed. A moment later, the anomaly within Shen Luo''s body gradually dissipated, and just as he was feeling pleased, he suddenly felt a small restraint inside him ¡°crack¡± and shatter. In the next instant, a whirlwind howled and arose within the first underground layer of the Martial God Altar. Shen Luo couldn''t help but be speechless; he had, just now, broken through a minor bottleneck and advanced from the Mahayana middle stage to the late stage under such circumstances. He quickly raised a hand and waved it, and the Pure Yang Flying Sword floated in the air of its own accord, circling around him. The sword body blazed fiercely, like guards on patrol, circling around him again and again, repelling any Demonic Qi that tried to approach. Shen Luo''s eyes were half-closed, and his hands formed magic spells, beginning to draw the spiritual energy from all directions toward his body. However, in this first layer of the Martial God Altar''s underground, while there was an abundance of Demonic Qi, the spiritual energy was scarce to an exasperating degree. Only a whirlwind swirled around him, unable to draw in any spiritual energy at all. But it was at this moment that something unexpected happened. The entire Martial God Altar trembled with a ¡°boom,¡± and green light suddenly shone out of the darkness around them. One ray, two rays, three rays¡­ In a little while, a total of eighteen greenish lights sprang up all around. At the same time, the Divine Wood Grace Secret Technique within Shen Luo''s body also began to operate on its own, without being induced. In the next instant, from those eighteen lights, streaks of incomparably pure Wood Spirit Qi emerged, shuttling through the void like fish, surging toward Shen Luo. As layers of spiritual energy continuously poured in, Shen Luo''s entire body was immediately enveloped in green light, and even without the protection of the Pure Yang Flying Sword circling around him, the surrounding Demonic Qi couldn''t get through at all. He immediately ran his skills, unceremoniously absorbing it with great gusto. Inside the stone house of the Martial God Altar, everyone was once again shocked. Just now, the entire Divine Tree had undergone a violent tremor, and the glowing Divine Tree vines wrapped around the stone house were also shining bright, with streaks of green spiritual energy flowing down the roots toward the ground below. ¡°What did that kid do?¡± Yun Zhongting frowned and said. His gaze was fixed on the Circular Formation on the ground, where the Demonic Qi had not disappeared, and the black fog still covered the majority of the Green Light Area. ¡°Why is there also a disturbance in the Divine Tree? Could it be¡­¡± Yun Zhongyue opened her eyes wide, speaking with a hint of alarm. Although she didn''t finish her sentence, everyone heard the implication. ¡°Great Elder, is there any problem with the seal of the Great Formation?¡± Wu Kuihu asked with a frown. Yun Zhongting carefully inspected for a moment and then shook his head, replying, ¡°I can''t see any issues for now. The forbidden magic array in the first layer hasn''t reacted much, so it should not have been damaged.¡± ¡°What are you suspecting? How could Friend Shen do such a thing?¡± Jiang Shentian couldn''t help but argue on behalf of Shen Luo. ¡°Master, let me connect with the Divine Tree to see what''s going on,¡± Wu Man''er also spoke up. ¡°Very well¡­ but be careful,¡± Wu Kuihu hesitated for a moment before nodding. Wu Man''er nodded her head, immediately sitting down cross-legged with swift movements, forming a hand gesture as if plucking flowers, and began to chant softly. Her voice was melodious and ethereal, echoing in the secret chamber. The qi roots and trellises on the surrounding walls seemed to respond to her chanting, flickering with green light that pulsed with the fluctuations of her voice. Threads of faint light swam towards the ground beneath her like fish, converging into a green light array with a radius of merely a few feet. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± A gentle whirlwind rose from beneath Wu Man''er, causing her silver ornaments to tinkle. Her hair danced lightly in the wind, and her tecolored eyes had turned to a transparent emerald green at some point. Wu Man''er''s hands fluttered in front of her body as the green light from the ground rose slowly, gradually condensing into a three-foot-tall green tree shadow in front of her, closely resembling the spirit tree''s soul. After the tree shadow appeared, it swayed gently, and despite being an ethereal form, it seemed to blend harmoniously with Wu Man''er, creating an indescribable harmony and beauty between them. The area around it radiated an intense, pure plant spiritual energy, and her graceful figure complemented the tree shadow, making her appear like a plant charm spirit that had cultivated a human form. Wu Man''er slowly closed her eyes, and as her hands brushed over the tree shadow, spots of light began to shimmer on it. The two seemed to be engaged in some kind of communication. A moment later, Wu Man''er slowly opened her eyes, the emerald green light in her pupils slowly faded away, and the tree shadow in front of her also dissipated into nothingness. Everyone looked towards Wu Man''er, and her complexion seemed somewhat peculiar. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Wu Kuihu asked anxiously. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­ He, he seems to be absorbing the spirit tree''s spiritual power¡­¡± Wu Man''er said hesitantly. ¡°What?¡± Yun Zhongting''s expression changed drastically upon hearing this. ¡°I knew this guy was up to no good. Now it seems I was right,¡± Yun Zhongyue immediately exclaimed. Wu Kuihu''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, doubt flickering in his eyes. ¡°Everybody, keep calm. Although¡­ Although Big Brother Shen is absorbing the spirit tree''s spiritual power, the spirit tree isn''t rejecting him, and is even actively transferring spiritual energy into him. I believe Big Brother Shen means no harm, otherwise the spirit tree wouldn''t act this way,¡± Wu Man''er said. ¡°But what on earth is he doing down there?¡± Yun Zhongting couldn''t help but say. ¡°I think, Friend Shen might have encountered an opportunity and advanced in cultivation level, which is why he needs to absorb a large amount of spiritual energy to replenish his Dantian and meridians,¡± Jiang Shentian speculated. Upon hearing this, everyone pondered for a bit and found it quite plausible, secretly amazed in their hearts. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I don''t think this is necessarily a good thing. His absorption of the spiritual power from the spirit tree, stirring the underground spiritual energy, may cause another outbreak of demonic qi, which can attract Unreal Demons or even Demonic Beings to emerge and attack the first layer,¡± Yun Zhongting said with some concern. ¡°That can''t be, not much time has passed since those Demonic Beings last ran amok, and they also lost quite a bit of vitality. They can''t possibly be attacking again so soon, can they?¡± Yun Zhongyue changed color slightly, somewhat in disbelief. ¡°How can the temperament of Demonic Beings be measured by common sense?¡± Yun Zhongting frowned as he spoke. ¡°No matter what, be prepared. If anything unforeseen happens, immediately activate the Fiery Silence Grand Array. We must not let those Demonic Beings occupy the first layer at any cost. Otherwise, our Divine Wood Clan would violate our ancestral teachings and fail to defend the Martial God Altar,¡± Wu Kuihu said sternly, issuing an order. Although Jiang Shentian did not know what the Fiery Silence Grand Array was, he could sense the urgency and quickly asked, ¡°What about Friend Shen?¡± ¡°By that time, he will have already been torn apart by the Demonic Beings, so there is no need to worry about what to do with him,¡± Yun Zhongting said coldly. ¡°Master, don''t worry, Big Brother Shen will surely clear away the demonic qi and come back safely,¡± Wu Man''er also hurriedly implored. ¡°Man''er, now is not the time for emotions,¡± Wu Kuihu said without looking at her. Wu Man''er knew that pleading was useless and could only silently pray for Shen Luo in her heart. Chapter 1139 Chapter 1139: Chapter 1136: Blood Shadow Chapter 1139: Chapter 1136: Blood Shadow At the same time, one level below the Martial God Altar. Shen Luo sat cross-legged, enveloped by green light, appearing translucent like colored glaze. A hemispherical blue light curtain surrounded his body, repelling all Demonic Qi three feet away, making it impossible to get close. Above his head hung the Qingling Wood Seal, its tree shadow''s light flickering unceasingly. The Spiritual Power from the Divine Wood Clan that had been emanating from Shen Luo was being completely absorbed by it, with not a bit wasted. A moment later, his eyes suddenly opened, a sharp light flashing within, as the corners of his mouth curled into a pleased smile. He had not expected that the journey to the Divine Wood Clan would allow him to break through his bottleneck and advance to the Late Mahayana Stage so quickly. Shen Luo exhaled a breath of turbid air, slowly standing up as the blue light curtain surrounding him dispersed naturally, and the Qingling Wood Seal also fell, which he caught in his hand. The surrounding Demonic Qi slowly approached, but was blocked by the green light emanating from his body. Though some still managed to seep in, penetrating his skin, it was not as severe as before. Compared to the Mahayana Middle Stage, the mana within Shen Luo''s body now felt almost twice as full, his whole being brimming with a rich vitality. He quickly examined his Meridian and Dantian, only to feel somewhat disappointed that the deep-seated Demonic Qi from Chiyou was stuck to him as tenaciously as ever, not eradicated. Just as he was about to get up, an unexpected change occurred again. The Demonic Qi gathered around him suddenly began to contract, pulling towards a spot on the ground where the Scarlet Rune was located. Shen Luo concentrated his gaze and saw that the Rune, which had been previously emitting Demonic Qi, was now absorbing it. However, the Demonic Qi that it absorbed did not disappear but rapidly condensed into a black sphere. The black sphere shrank continually, its size going from that of a millstone to that of a watermelon, and then from a watermelon to the size of a fist. As the Demonic Qi continued to condense, the space around gradually cleared until only a pitch-black Demonic Pill the size of a longan remained floating in the void. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo found that atop the Demonic Pill was a spiral Demonic Pattern. A sense of foreboding grew within him. His Moonlight Steps scattered below his feet, and he instantly flashed forward, his palm wrapped in Red Lotus Karmic Fire, reaching for the Demonic Pill. As the Demonic Pill was about to fall into his hands, the Scarlet Rune on the ground suddenly flashed brightly, and a streak of Blood Light shot up from below, slashing diagonally towards Shen Luo''s face. Shen Luo hastily stepped back, tilting his body backward to avoid the attack. But then, a burning pain shot through his ankle. Looking down, Shen Luo saw a semi-transparent red hand emerging from Underground, grasping his ankle tightly. This blood-colored hand seemed to hold a strong corrosive aura, melting the clothes around his ankle and scorching his lower leg, causing white vapors to hiss from it. Shen Luo ¡°hmphed¡± coldly, as the Pure Yang Flying Sword, with Sword Intent at his command, had already swept through Mid Air, swooshing down and severing the Ghost Claw stretching out from Underground. Once freed, Shen Luo immediately retreated further to put some distance between himself and the threat. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He examined his ankle again to find a ghastly, remaining imprint of a bloody hand. By then, the severed hand that had fallen to the ground turned into a pool of blood, quickly flowing into the Scarlet Rune. The Scarlet Rune began to melt gradually, spreading over the area and turning into a strangely shaped Blood Light trace. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo immediately raised his hand and waved. With a cry, the Pure Yang Flying Sword traced a crimson arc in the air and struck into the pool of liquid. However, the puddle of water remained unaffected, and instead lit up with a red light, gradually swelling in size. After a short while, a blood-red shadow with a vaguely human outline trembled and stood up from the ground, twisting its neck as if provocatively ¡°looking¡± at Shen Luo. Its face, with blurred features, showed no eyes or nose, just a large mouth that split from the left cheek to the right, revealing a crescent similar to a waning moon, creating a particularly eerie sight. Shen Luo furrowed his brow slightly and raised his hand to summon the Pure Yang Flying Sword, which flew back with ease, piercing through the blood-red figure without causing any harm. Seeing this, the blood-red figure seemed even more arrogant. It actually raised its hand to wave at Shen Luo, and the arc of its split mouth stretched even wider. But just then, where Shen Luo''s flying sword had pierced it, suddenly a ¡°whoosh¡± of crimson flames sprang forth. As the flames rose, the face of the blood-red figure immediately twisted, as if it had suffered a severe blow. In a panic, it reached out with its palm and grabbed the pitch-black Demonic Pill formed from condensed Demonic Qi, swallowing it directly into its belly. The next instant, billowing Demonic Qi rapidly swelled inside its body, not only inflating its withered form but also directly engulfing the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. With the Red Lotus Karmic Fire extinguished, the blood-red figure had transformed into a being over ten meters tall, its body changing from translucent blood-red to pitch black. But immediately thereafter, its body began to shrink rapidly, eventually returning to the size of an ordinary person. When Shen Luo looked again, the creature had turned into a bald man with pitch-black skin, completely naked. Its eyes and nose were like those of a normal person, with no eyebrows. The mouth remained as large as before, and the earlobes were extremely long, dangling down to the shoulders. The bald man stared at Shen Luo, splitting his large mouth to reveal two rows of sharp, tiny teeth. With a hoarse voice and indistinct tone, he uttered the words ¡°Blood Meal.¡± ¡°This guy doesn''t seem like the Unreal Demons that Senior Wu and the others mentioned?¡± Shen Luo also sized it up, feeling utterly perplexed. While Shen Luo was deep in thought, his vision suddenly blurred, and the figure of the bald Demonic Being vanished from in front of him. Almost at once, he sensed a presence so powerful that it took his breath away, appearing out of nowhere right above his head. ¡°True Immortal¡­¡± Feeling the overwhelming fluctuations of the presence, Shen Luo was shaken to the core. As he executed the Slanting Moon Steps to turn around, he knew it was too late to dodge the sneak attack from the bald Demonic Being. In a rush, all he managed to do was bring forth the Qingling Wood Seal and channel his Mana to protect himself above his head. The bald Demonic Being closed in instantly, its eyes filled with a murderous intent. One of its arms mutated into a blade with crimson and black hues and chopped down towards Shen Luo''s head. ¡°Die¡­¡± A scarlet Long Tongue flicked out of the Demonic Being''s gaping mouth, licking the edge of its lips. In its eyes, Shen Luo was already a catch within its grasp. The difference between Mahayana and True Immortal might seem like just one stage apart, but in reality, is as vast as the chasm between heaven and earth. Shen Luo had experienced the state of True Immortal and Taiyi in Dreamland, and was fully aware of this, thus he couldn''t help feeling a twinge of despair. At that moment, something inconceivable happened. Chapter 1140 Chapter 1140: Chapter 1137: On the Verge of Danger Chapter 1140: Chapter 1137: On the Verge of Danger ¡°Huff¡± A flash of green light appeared above Shen Luo and the Demonic Being, turning into a verdant pillar of light that pierced downward, striking the creature. The Demonic Being, which had just leaped into the air, was suddenly pinned down by the green light and heavily smashed onto the ground. ¡°Boom¡± The ground trembled violently as the continuous beam of green light relentlessly suppressed the Demonic Being, rendering it completely unable to rise. Shen Luo followed the column of light upwards and saw a huge rune Array that had previously been hidden in the darkness now flickering with green light on the dome above. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He immediately realized that this rune Array was the suppression Array of the first floor of the Martial God Altar. Once a Demonic Being of significant cultivation level entered this layer, the Array would activate on its own, unleashing its mighty power to suppress them. The Demonic Being, pinned down by the green pillar of light, constantly let out a low, raspy roar as it struggled in vain. However, the Array''s power left no room for resistance, and even when it exploded with True Immortal level strength, it still could not break free. Shen Luo''s heart leaped with joy as he held the Pure Yang Flying Sword in his hand, preparing to move forward to kill it, only to find that the creature''s breath was rapidly declining. He was surprised and, before he could understand what was happening, he saw that more and more black Demonic Qi was spilling out from the creature, only to be extinguished by the green light. Its own breath was also weakening continuously, and it fell from the True Immortal Realm all the way down to the Great Mahayana Peak. The pillar of light from the suppression Array was also gradually shrinking until it disappeared altogether. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo was a bit stunned. The Demonic Being lying on the ground had its back almost broken by the pillar, leaving a blood-red Big Hole that sent chills down one''s spine, with dark red and black flesh squirming and entwining inside, rapidly healing the wound. Within moments, the creature''s back had already healed as if nothing had happened, and it got up from the ground and gave Shen Luo a grimacing smile. ¡°Could it be that this Great Formation only suppresses Demonic Beings above the True Immortal level?¡± Shen Luo guessed in his mind. If that was really the case, Shen Luo didn''t know whether he should be happy or upset at the moment. Just then, the Void in front of him suddenly fluctuated, and the Demonic Being disappeared again. But this time, Shen Luo was well-prepared, and the creature no longer moved silently as it did when it was at the True Immortal realm, allowing him to instantly detect its movement. Without turning around, Shen Luo released the Pure Yang Flying Sword from his hand, which shot out from under his armpit, stabbing upward at a slant. The Demonic Being was diving down from above and behind Shen Luo, employing the same trick as before, its arm transformed into a Crimson streak resembling a blade, aiming to cleave down towards the back of Shen Luo''s head. Seeing the Pure Yang Flying Sword shooting towards it, the creature''s blade-hand altered its trajectory to block the flying sword. Upon impact, they produced a clanging sound, and sparks flew everywhere. The Pure Yang Flying Sword continued its forward momentum unchanged but was slightly deflected by the creature''s blade, grazing past the creature''s neck and flying outward. With its arm-turned-blade already committed to an unchangeable path, it definitively could not continue its strike towards Shen Luo. However, as the creature''s blade couldn''t change course, its other arm reached forward eerily, turning its palm into a spearhead of blood-red atop a Black Spear, lunging straight for Shen Luo''s back. But with the delay just now, Shen Luo had already adjusted his stance, twisting his body abruptly and gripping the Profound Yellow Staff tightly in his hand. With power accumulating, he unleashed a sweeping blow. The Huangting Technique coursed wildly through his veins, the Profound Yellow Staff immediately lit up with golden light, and slammed heavily upon the Demonic Being''s spear, causing its arms to tremble and its body to be hurled backward in flight. Shen Luo''s own arms numbed as well, feeling the massive recoil. Fortunately, the Profound Yellow Staff vibrated intensely for a moment, dissipating the majority of that force. As the Demonic Being flew backward, trying to stabilize itself, a sword cry came from behind it. The Pure Yang Flying Sword blazed with crimson flames, its tip emitting an extremely long sword light that slashed downward, tracing a fiery red line through the void, burning fiercely as it fell. The Demonic Being raised its arms above its head, the long knife and black spear crossed to meet the descending Pure Yang Burning Sword. ¡°Clang.¡± A sharp clang resounded as the sword edge struck heavily, causing the Demonic Being to plummet from midair, arms scorching with Red Lotus Karmic Fire, emitting wisps of white smoke. The ground trembled thunderously from the impact, but the Demonic Being appeared to have not suffered critical damage, for it rose from the ground soon after. It cocked its head, watching Shen Luo for a moment, as if it felt the guy before it was different from the Divine Wood Clan people it had fought before. At that time, its arms began to morph, the long knife and spear transforming into two curved knives. Its legs began to undergo a strange change as well, with its lower legs growing longer than the thighs and contracting into slender shapes, no longer resembling human legs but more akin to those of certain beasts. Then, its stature suddenly dropped significantly, and with a powerful push from its legs, it shot forward like a shadow, instantly appearing in front of Shen Luo. Shen Luo had no time to react. The Profound Yellow Staff he held wasn''t even ready to block when he heard the sound of something sharp passing over his chest. Immediately after, he felt a tremendous force compressing his chest, hurling him violently through the air. As his body flew backward in midair, he caught a glimpse of a shadow moving beside him; the Demonic Being was already waiting behind him, arms weaving its dual blades, poised to slice him into three pieces. Shen Luo of course wouldn''t let this happen. In the critical moment, he reversed his long stick and thrust backward with a Backwards Spear Thrust. As the long stick lunged, it appeared straightforward, but as it vibrated with the rotations of Shen Luo''s arms, it was, in fact, deploying the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. A series of long stick afterimages swiftly formed, surrounding Shen Luo, and stopping his backward momentum. Suspended in midair, Shen Luo stabilized his posture, and upon inspecting himself, discovered a gash about a foot long on the front of his Jiuli Devil Armor, which, while not pierced through, had been torn open on the surface. At the same time, one-third of the Demonic Qi previously contained in the devil armor had been depleted. This meant that against an attack of the same intensity as the Demonic Being''s previous strike, Shen Luo''s Jiuli Devil Armor could only withstand at most two more such blows. If hit a third time, it was highly likely to be cleaved open by the blade, potentially injuring his body as well. Shen Luo''s expression turned grave as he gripped the Profound Yellow Staff with one hand, pointing it at the Demonic Being. Seeing this, the Demonic Being kicked off the ground, hurtling forward at once. It swung its dual blades rapidly, with blade lights dancing and flickering out, layer upon layer as dense as falling snowflakes. Shen Luo dared not to take it lightly, maneuvering the Splashy Chaotic Stick at extreme speed, innumerable stick shadows crisscrossing through the air, colliding with the blade lights everywhere. While the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique was indeed superior, the Demonic Being''s cultivation and strength were a notch higher, as one blade light could often sever two, even three stick shadows, showing signs it might break through the stick technique of the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Chapter 1141 Chapter 1141: Chapter 1138: Destroying Demons Chapter 1141: Chapter 1138: Destroying Demons In the blink of an eye, Shen Luo had fought the Demon Being over a hundred rounds, but his Splashy Chaotic Stick was never fast enough to form enough stick shadows before being hacked apart by the Demon, preventing him from landing a cohesive and devastating blow. At this moment, the dual blades in the Demon''s hands suddenly parted left and right, slashing across and scattering all the stick shadows in front of Shen Luo. Its figure dashed forward in a blur, instantly arriving in front of Shen Luo, with arms transformed into curved knives slashing down from mid-air. Shen Luo''s expression changed abruptly, and he hastily blocked with his staff horizontally. ¡°Clang¡± A sharp sound rang out as the dual blades struck heavily upon the Profound Yellow Staff. Directly from mid-air, Shen Luo was chopped down, clenching the long staff with both hands, his body pinned in place, unable to move. Seeing this, the Demon cracked a ¡°giggling¡± smile, its drooping long ears suddenly became animated like living snakes, wriggling and elongating, coiling up Shen Luo''s arms and heading straight for his face. Just as the fleshy lobs neared his mouth and nose, Shen Luo abruptly bent his waist and lowered his head. Behind him, a streak of scarlet sword light shot out, aimed incredibly swiftly at the Demon''s brow. The Demon''s eyes narrowed, clearly not expecting this attack. However, even as the Pure Yang Flying Sword charged directly towards it, the Demon did not appear overly panicked, and from its wide-open mouth, a lizard-like long tongue shot out, instantly wrapping around the flying sword. The red light on the Pure Yang Flying Sword surged, and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire sprang up in an instant, threatening to spread. But the Demon''s tongue did not let go; it actually coiled around three times, enveloping the Pure Yang Flying Sword completely. Only then did Shen Luo notice that, at the base of the Demon''s long tongue, there was a patch of crimson charm patterns, the same ones that were on the ground earlier. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The earlobes coiling up Shen Luo''s arms were not targeting his mouth and nose but instead aimed straight for his ears to pierce through them. If it was his eyes, Shen Luo could still resist by closing them, but for his ears, he had no means of defense. Just as the fleshy lobes were about to pierce into Shen Luo''s ears, the Demon''s movements abruptly stiffened. A Slayer''s Broken Sword, piercing out from within Shen Luo''s Dantian, impaled the Demon''s lower abdomen directly. The next instant, the Pure Yang Power within the Slayer''s Broken Sword shone like daylight within the Demon''s belly. Streams of Pure Yang power turned into countless rays of light, wildly churning within the Demon''s belly, causing it to swell rapidly, quickly becoming as bloated as if carrying a ten-month pregnancy. ¡°Boom¡± With a loud explosion, the Demon''s lower abdomen burst open, and a vast amount of Demonic Qi surged out, gradually dissipating. Shen Luo was delighted at this sight, light beginning to radiate from his body as he tried to break free from his entrapment. However, this joy did not last long, as he was astounded by the scene unfolding before him. He saw a red light from within the Demon''s head rush down to its abdomen and with a ¡°bang,¡± the Slayer''s Broken Sword was ejected from its body. Immediately after, its abdomen began to heal itself and soon returned to normal. Obviously, the Demon''s vital point was no longer located in the Dantian area of the abdomen. Witnessing this, Shen Luo pushed the Huangting Technique within him to the extreme, unleashing the Dragon Elephant Power. The Demon, which had been suppressing Shen Luo all this time, didn''t expect such a tremendous force within him. Overwhelmed by the burst of golden light from Shen Luo, it could no longer hold him, allowing Shen Luo to break free. Shen Luo flipped off, raising his hand to recall the Slayer''s Broken Sword, and retracted it into his Dantian. The Demon, seeing this, simply rolled its tongue and directly swallowed the Pure Yang Flying Sword into its belly. ¡°Heh, you can even swallow that?¡± Shen Luo said, not angry but laughing instead. Having spoken, with just a thought, a Crimson Flame ignited from within the Demon''s mouth. The Demonic Being let out a wretched howl and hurriedly opened its mouth to spit out the Pure Yang Flying Sword, along with a large cluster of Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Shen Luo raised his hand and waved, recalling the Pure Yang Flying Sword to his side, then looked into the gaping maw of the Demonic Being, only to see large patches still scorched by the karmic fire. A thought occurred to him, and he immediately had an idea. Having spat out the karmic fire from its mouth, the Demonic Being seemed to have ignited its fury, showing a ferocious expression on its face. It quickly pursued Shen Luo, with blood starting to permeate its eyes, and an irregularly shaped dark crimson bulge suddenly swelled on its back. Shen Luo''s mind turned alert, and without rashly confronting it, he stepped back a bit to distance himself. As soon as he retreated, the Demonic Being''s speed surged, and in an instant, it was just a few feet in front of Shen Luo. The bulging dark crimson on its back suddenly burst open, and a fierce head with an extremely long neck shot out, spraying violently towards Shen Luo. ¡°Swoosh¡± A red blood arrow, as thick as an arm and emitting wisps of corrosive smoke, shot out fiercely, aiming straight for Shen Luo''s face. The speed of the flying blood arrow was extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye, it reached Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s gaze suddenly sharpened. Abandoning his previous evasive stance, he suddenly dashed forward. At the same time, the Qingling Wood Seal bloomed with brilliant light, materializing in front of Shen Luo. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded! The blood arrow struck the Qingling Wood Seal, immediately exploding upon impact. Numerous blood droplets, like scattered raindrops, showered all over the direction Shen Luo was charging into. Just as Shen Luo was seemingly unavoidable and about to be drenched by the rain of blood, the Qingling Wood Seal suddenly shone brilliantly. A shadow of the Divine Tree quickly unfurled, emanating a soft green light that gathered all the blood rain and collected it. Because previously during Shen Luo''s advancement, this wood seal had also absorbed a large amount of Divine Tree Essence, significantly enhancing its defensive power. Initially capable of withstanding only one attack from a True Immortal Level being, it could now withstand two more such attacks. Shen Luo effortlessly passed through, the long stick in his hand quivering, sending out a splash of stick shadows that enshrouded the Demonic Being at the center. The Demonic Being missed its strike, and the head that extended from its back immediately opened its Blood Basin, stretched its neck like a python, and snapped toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo saw this and quickly twirled the long stick in his hand, the stick shadows rapidly converging. Just before the Demonic Being''s bite could land, the shadows merged back into one, unleashing an immensely powerful force that smashed down. ¡°Bang¡± A slightly muffled sound erupted. The Demonic Being''s head burst open like a ripe watermelon, splattering large amounts of blood. The proximity was too close for Shen Luo to dodge in time. But at the critical moment, two figures shot over from either side, positioning themselves right in front of him. Those figures were none other than the two Puppetry Puppets, one of thunder and one of fire. A large amount of blood splattered on them, instantly emitting plumes of dense white smoke, and the two puppets couldn''t sustain themselves for three breaths before being severely corroded, falling from mid-air. Shen Luo was inwardly shocked, but his hands moved without a hint of delay. The Profound Yellow Staff had already plunged down like a spear, nailing the Demonic Being''s back and sending it crashing to the ground. At the moment the Demonic Being hit the ground, two long ears shot out again, their speed even faster than before. Shen Luo was unable to dodge in time and got entangled by the Demonic Being at the ankle, pulling him fiercely, plummeting towards the back of the Demonic Being. Just then, a bizarre scene occurred. Chapter 1142 Chapter 1142: Chapter 1139: Dispute Chapter 1142: Chapter 1139: Dispute ¡°` The Demonic Being, though prostrate on the ground, turned its head back in a sudden twist, its mouth wide open. A blood-colored long tongue, like a blood spear, shot straight out and struck the Jiuli Devil Armor in an instant. However, the moment it made contact, the blood-colored tongue seemingly became ethereal, piercing directly through the Devil Armor and Shen Luo''s chest, emerging from his back. Shen Luo suddenly felt his breath tighten, a powerful sense of paralysis spreading through his body. In front of his chest, a layer of between reality and illusion of bloody Qi emanated from within his Devil Armor, instantly corrupting his clothes and the flesh and blood of his chest. Shen Luo felt as if the power within his Dantian and Meridians had been frozen, immovable; and as his chest continued to corrode, revealing white bones, he felt no pain whatsoever. At this moment, he could only watch helplessly as his body fell towards the Demonic Being below, powerless to do anything. The gaping maw of the Demonic Being seemed to have already prepared for him his final resting place. ¡°No¡­¡± Shen Luo clenched his teeth hard, refusing to accept his fate, still frantically calling out in his mind. Just then, a slight reaction finally occurred within his body, bringing Shen Luo instant joy. But that joy quickly turned into despair. The response was not Mana, not Magical Treasures, but the Demonic Qi that had already been lying dormant. The next moment, his eyes began to redden again, and black Demonic Qi started surging out of every pore. It was the Demonic Qi carrying the aura of Chiyou. Then, something unexpected happened. The blood mist, which had been rampaging just a moment before, stopped spreading the instant it sensed the aura of Chiyou''s Demonic Qi. At that moment, if not for the Jiuli Devil Armor blocking in front, one could even see through the gaps in the exposed bone of the breastplate, the heart wrapped in a blood-colored membrane. ¡°What''s going on? The paralysis is gone?¡± Without time to ponder, Shen Luo seized control of his body the moment he recovered it, flipped over, and with a swing of the stick, catapulted the Demonic Being into mid-air. At the same time, the Pure Yang Flying Sword shot from afar, heading straight for the mouth of the Demonic Being. The Demonic Being quickly flicked its long tongue out toward the approaching Pure Yang Flying Sword. Just as the tongue was about to touch the Flying Sword, a flash of crimson light appeared on the Sword body, and with a tremor, it suddenly split into two identical Red Flying Swords. Both Flying Swords were indistinguishable in aura and appearance. The Demonic Being could not tell which was real and which was false, and its tongue tip split like a snake''s fork, winding toward both swords. To avoid the long tongue, the two Flying Swords changed their trajectory, splitting to the left and right, soaring upwards diagonally. The Demonic Being''s tongue chased after both swords, reaching into the air. Consequently, the charm patterns hidden below its tongue base were revealed. ¡°Now''s the time!¡± Shen Luo, upon seeing this, had his gaze immediately sharpen. A third Pure Yang Flying Sword shot out from hiding, flashed quickly, and aimed at the Demonic Being''s mouth. It was already too late for the Demonic Being to retract its tongue or close its maw. The Scarlet Sword Light pierced in an instant, hitting the charm patterns beneath its tongue root. Shen Luo, not caring that he had just exceeded his limit and used the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword to create three sword shadows, shouted again: ¡°Pure Yang Burning Sword¡­¡± ¡°` As the words were spoken, the Pure Yang Flying Sword that had pierced into the Demonic Being''s mouth suddenly burst into flames, igniting with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. A light ¡°crack¡± sounded. The charm patterns beneath the tongue of the Demonic Being shattered, and the extended Long Tongue seemed to lose its strength, going limp. The other two Flying Swords then flew back in reverse, merging with the third Flying Sword. As the three swords became one, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire in the Demonic Being''s mouth exploded in size, engulfing the creature from the inside out, completely submerging it. Shen Luo staggered back, finally collapsing to the ground. The Demonic Qi within his body was still raging, and the blood-red color in his eyes spread once more, threatening to cover his entire field of vision. The Demonic Qi that filled his body also started to gather towards his chest. It attempted to take advantage of the heavy injury to Shen Luo''s chest, aiming to invade his heart directly. Seeing this, Shen Luo steeled his heart, immediately raising his hand to make a move. The Pure Yang Flying Sword, still ablaze with raging flames, was seized by his hand. He took off the Jiuli Devil Armor, which was not lightly damaged, grabbed the sword body, and pressed it onto his chest. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± At the blurry area of flesh and blood on Shen Luo''s chest, the flame on the sword body burned, and soon a wisp of white smoke rose up. The Demonic Qi that had gathered around was also immediately dispersed by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Shen Luo took a breath of relief, immediately sitting cross-legged, guiding the Red Lotus Karmic Fire throughout his body, and then once again urging the Slayer''s Broken Sword in his Dantian to suppress the Demonic Qi within. Inside the stone house of the Martial God Altar. The people of the Divine Wood Clan looked extremely anxious, all watching the changes within the Circular Formation. ¡°How is it going?¡± Wu Man''er asked somewhat anxiously. ¡°The strong reaction of Demonic Qi that was there just now has disappeared. Could it be that Shen Luo has defeated the Unreal Demon?¡± Yun Zhongyue said hesitantly. ¡°It''s not that likely. The reaction of Demonic Qi was so intense just now that even the Array was disturbed, indicating there were many Unreal Demons present. How could Shen Luo alone accomplish that?¡± Yun Zhongting expressed his disbelief. ¡°But now, the Demonic Qi has clearly receded, shouldn''t we try to rescue Big Brother Shen first?¡± Hearing this, Wu Man''er hastily asked. ¡°Not yet, the Demonic Qi has indeed dissipated in large amounts, and the previously strong reactions have all disappeared, but after all, it hasn''t been completely cleared. It''s not safe to recklessly open it without being absolutely sure,¡± Yun Zhongting refused. ¡°Master¡­¡± Unable to bear it, Wu Man''er turned to her master for help. ¡°Man''er, the Great Elder is right, let''s wait and see a little longer,¡± Wu Kuihu shook his head slowly. Jiang Shentian, on the other hand, had been silent, but his eyes were intently fixed straight at the center of the formation when he suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Look, the Demonic Qi reaction is clearly different from before now.¡± Everyone, hearing this, focused their gaze there. At this moment, in the Green Light Area in the center of the Array, the visible black area had shrunk to just a small black dot. ¡°That''s true, the Demonic Qi was diffuse at the beginning, large in area, but the color wasn''t as dark,¡± Yun Zhongting said after observing for a moment, nodding. ¡°What does that imply?¡± Yun Zhongyue asked, puzzled. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, that black dot is the Demonic Qi within Brother Shen himself, rather than the Demonic Qi originally scattered in the first-level space,¡± Jiang Shentian stated his guess. ¡°Isn''t it also possible that the Demonic Being concentrated the Demonic Qi into a single point?¡± Yun Zhongyue frowned. ¡°If such a refined point of Demonic Qi were formed, why hasn''t it tried to destroy the Array?¡± Jiang Shentian countered. While everyone was still arguing, Wu Man''er, who had been by their side, had already closed her eyes at some point and once again communicated with the Divine Tree. Chapter 1143 Chapter 1143: Chapter 1140: Invitation to Marriage Alliance Chapter 1143: Chapter 1140: Invitation to Marriage Alliance After a short while, Wu Man''er opened her eyes full of delight and shouted to everyone: ¡°It''s not wrong. That trace of Demonic Qi belongs to Big Brother Shen, not from the first-level space. The Demonic Qi originally in the space can no longer be felt.¡± Seeing this, everyone finally let down their guard a little. ¡°I didn''t think he could actually do it,¡± Yun Zhongting said, somewhat in disbelief. ¡°Since that''s the case, let''s open the seal now and rescue Brother Shen,¡± Jiang Shentian urged. ¡°That is indeed what should be done,¡± Wu Kuihu pondered for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Don''t rush, Big Brother Shen seems to be suffering backlash from the Demonic Qi invading his body, and he is busy repairing the damage and suppressing the Demonic Qi. You all should wait until he has successfully suppressed it before proceeding,¡± Wu Man''er suddenly spoke up, advising against immediate action. ¡°That''s fine,¡± Yun Zhongting nodded his head in agreement. In fact, Wu Man''er had concealed one thing, which was that Shen Luo was not only suppressing the Demonic Qi at this moment but also continuously absorbing the essence of the Divine Tree. After a long time, the heavy seal finally reopened, and Shen Luo, with his upper body bare, leapt from Underground, emerging on the Ground, and returned to the Stone House. However, what greeted him was not smiling faces, but a thunderous roar. As the roar sounded, a burst of Golden Light rose from within the Ring Array, caging Shen Luo in the Central area. Shen Luo instantly felt a heavy pressure coming from all Four Directions, his body shook violently, and he, already injured, was immediately forced to bend his waist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo said with indignation, his neck stiff and looking up to ask. ¡°Carefully examine,¡± said Yun Zhongting, without looking at him, in a cold voice. As soon as he finished speaking, the Great Formation around him started to operate, and Golden Light began to swirl around Shen Luo. Shen Luo felt a powerful force sweeping through his body, and although the pressure was substantial, it did not seem intent on harming him. A moment later, Yun Zhongyue spoke up, ¡°There doesn''t seem to be any problem, the condition of the Demonic Qi inside him is not much different from when he entered the Great Formation, and there''s no risk of Demonic possession.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Zhongting waved his hand, and the Great Formation around them began to halt. The oppressive force on Shen Luo''s body also gradually dissipated. Shen Luo glanced at Yun Zhongting, stood up straight again, and moved his muscles and bones, immediately emitting a series of crackling ¡°pop¡± sounds. ¡°Big Brother Shen,¡± Wu Man''er called out softly, coming forward to meet him. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly took out a brand new Long Robe and put it on. ¡°Big Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± Wu Man''er asked with a blush on her cheeks and stomped her foot. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I''m fine, I''ve fulfilled the promises made earlier,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°Did you get the Earth Mother''s Original Liquid?¡± Jiang Shentian stepped forward and asked. Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Smack,¡± Jiang Shentian slapped him on the shoulder and exclaimed, ¡°Well done!¡± ¡°Just to be cautious, about what happened just now, I hope Brother Shen won''t take offense,¡± Wu Kuihu also came forward, apologizing. Shen Luo had returned alive, his cultivation level had entered the Late Mahayana Stage, and he had obtained the Earth Mother''s Essence. His heart was naturally filled with even more joy, and he did not pay too much attention to these developments. ¡°There''s no harm. Elder, may I request to cultivate in the Clan for two days to stabilize my realm?¡± he waved his hand and said. ¡°That is perfectly acceptable,¡± said Wu Kuihu. ¡°Hold on, if it''s not too much trouble, could Friend Shen recount in detail what happened in the Martial God Altar just now?¡± Yun Zhongting interrupted the two, asking. He remained concerned about the complex changes of the Demonic Qi within the Martial God Altar earlier. After a moment''s thought, Shen Luo felt there was nothing much to hide except for the details of how he had taken the Earth Mother''s Essence, and he immediately nodded in agreement. Thus, everyone gathered around, listening to him recount the various dangers he had encountered earlier. ¡°Clan Leader, what do you think?¡± After hearing the story, Yun Zhongting turned to Wu Kuihu and asked. ¡°According to Friend Shen,¡± Wu Kuihu said gravely, ¡°What he encountered was likely not Unreal Demons, but Blood Demons that can transform using blood symbols. With that said, the power of that strand of Chiyou''s Demon Soul has probably increased considerably.¡± ¡°The two elders, what do you mean by that?¡± Shen Luo sensed something ominous and asked hastily. ¡°It means exactly what you heard. The divided soul power of Chiyou''s Demon Soul is increasing, which means that the power of its main body is likely increasing as well,¡± said Yun Zhongting in a deep voice. ¡°This¡­ it''s impossible,¡± protested Jiang Shentian immediately. ¡°The seal on Chiyou was clearly reinforced again, done by the great powers from the Heavenly Palace. There can be no mistake.¡± However, Shen Luo fell silent upon hearing this. After waking from Dreamland, he too had briefly believed that the demonic affliction was truly resolved. However, the experiences of recent days had given him a growing foreboding that the demonic affliction was still present, but the people of the world had generally lost their vigilance against the danger. Seeing the Divine Tree Clan people today only made him more alert. ¡°Hmph, although Chiyou''s Demon Soul has scattered quite a bit, it still has a close connection with the main body. Changes in the former are influenced by the latter, and for thousands of years, this has never been wrong,¡± said Yun Zhongting with a cold huff. ¡°The two elders, I think your concerns are reasonable. No matter what, we cannot afford to lose the Divine Wood Clan''s Martial God Altar, and I fear that in the future, your Clan will have to guard it diligently,¡± sighed Shen Luo. ¡°Of course.¡± Hearing these words, Yun Zhongting''s expression softened slightly, and he seemed somewhat moved. Although the Divine Wood Clan guarded the Martial God Altar out of respect for their ancestors'' instructions and to honor their promises, hearing understanding and praise from an outsider still stirred feelings within them. ¡°Great Elder, regarding the matter of fully opening the Divine Wood Forest and recruiting disciples from outside tribes¡­¡± Wu Kuihu frowned and inquired. ¡°Clan Leader, I know you have long planned this, but historically, our Divine Wood Clan has always been self-reliant¡­ If we bring in outsiders, our clan''s children may inevitably be corrupted by bad influences from the outside world,¡± said Yun Zhongting hesitantly. ¡°Great Elder, while there may be places filled with miasma in the outside world, there are also lands blessed with outstanding individuals. Isn''t Friend Shen right here the best example? If our Divine Wood Clan can attract more young talents like Friend Shen, why would we worry about failing to guard the Martial God Altar? Why would we worry about the decline of our clan''s heritage?¡± Wu Kuihu persuaded. Yun Zhongting fell silent for a moment, then with an odd look in his eyes, he turned to Shen Luo and asked: ¡°If that''s the case, Shen Luo, would you be interested in staying with our Divine Wood Clan and marrying Man''er?¡± ¡°That would not be proper, Junior already has a marriage contract and cannot wrong Miss Man''er,¡± Shen Luo replied, his expression changing dramatically with haste. ¡°Great Elder, what are you saying,¡± Man''er also blushed immediately at his words. Seeing this, everyone showed a hint of amusement, and the atmosphere inside the Stone House became somewhat more relaxed. Chapter 1144 Chapter 1144: Chapter 1141: Three Daoist Arrays Chapter 1144: Chapter 1141: Three Daoist Arrays ¡°What do you all think about the Divine Wood Clan establishing a sect and gathering disciples from all over the world?¡± Yun Zhongting put away his joking demeanor and turned to the other elders to ask. ¡°I agree,¡± said an old man with a short white beard under his chin. ¡°I disagree. Yun Shanhai, you''ve already gone ahead with the Clan Leader and done it, haven''t you?¡± Yun Zhongyue spoke up. ¡°Not just Elder Shanhai, but me as well,¡± another white-haired woman also spoke up. ¡°Shan Yun, you too¡­¡± Yun Zhongyue turned to her, surprised. ¡°I''m also in favor.¡± ¡°And I agree as well.¡± Voices of approval rose in succession, and in no time, they numbered half of those present. Seeing this, Yun Zhongting''s frown deepened, and after a long silence, he finally said, ¡°This matter is no small affair, we must discuss the specifics carefully.¡± ¡°I''ve already done some preliminary trials and have taken in a few disciples. We''ll discuss the details later. For now, let Shen Luo go back and rest. He and his companions will stay in the treehouse near the Divine Tree''s spirit for the next two days,¡± Wu Kuihu said. Shen Luo and the others immediately took their leave. Two days later. Shen Luo, Jiang Shentian, and Wu Man''er, a party of three, left the Divine Wood Clan and set out to return to Wuzhuang View. Man Tianxing and Yun Xiaonu had originally wanted to follow, but in the end, the Clan Leader forcibly kept them back, ordering one to assist with the opening of the Divine Wood Forest and the other to focus on her cultivation. As they watched Shen Luo and the others depart, both felt aggrieved. The three left the Divine Wood Forest, not sparing any mana and rushing back with all their might. What was supposed to be a half-month journey took them less than ten days to complete. When they were still a distance away from Wuzhuang View, a splendid escape light came to meet them, revealing the figure of Jieyin Daoist. ¡°Did the three of you manage to retrieve the Earth Mother''s Essence successfully?¡± Jieyin Daoist asked anxiously. ¡°Fortunately, we did not fail,¡± Shen Luo responded as he took out the porcelain bottle containing the Earth Mother''s Essence, from which a rich, boundless vitality could be felt even through the bottle. Wu Man''er looked at this ¡°small¡± bottle with her mouth agape for a moment, then showed a bitter smile on her face. The amount Shen Luo filled in that bottle of Earth Mother''s Essence was indeed not small, but that day Wu Kuihu only asked for a bottle, without specifying which kind, so the Divine Wood Clan had to swallow this loss. ¡°Excellent, you must follow me quickly. The Ginseng fruit tree is barely holding on,¡± the Jieyin Daoist said joyfully, immediately leading the three toward Wuzhuang View, landing directly in the courtyard where the Ginseng fruit tree stood. At that moment, the courtyard was layered with prohibitions, more than a dozen in total, with hundreds of Wuzhuang View monks standing inside, operating these arrays. Qingfeng and Ming Yue were among them. Streams of spiritual light continuously shot out from those arrays into the Ginseng fruit tree, which seemed to be healing arrays. However, the condition of the Ginseng fruit tree hadn''t improved at all, and it looked even worse than before, devoid of spiritual light on its surface and with its leaves yellowing and wilting. The Ginseng fruits on the tree that were once brimming with spiritual energy now also looked withered. Seeing Shen Luo and his two companions appear, the monks inside the courtyard all looked over. ¡°These Arrays have little effect on the Ginseng fruit tree, I request Elder Jieyin to remove them all,¡± Wu Man''er said to Jieyin Daoist. Although Jieyin Daoist did not understand the meaning behind Wu Man''er''s words, her previous methods had already convinced him, so he waved his hand without hesitation to the monks inside the courtyard. Monks from the Wuzhuang View within the courtyard saw this, got up, and busied themselves, and soon they had collected all the restrictions inside the courtyard, leaving only some of the original protective prohibitions. ¡°Please also remove these prohibitions, Elder Jieyin, as my next casting cannot be disturbed by any Arrays,¡± Wu Man''er looked at those defense restrictions and said. ¡°All restrictions must be removed?¡± Jieyin Daoist frowned. While it was one thing to remove other restrictions, within and outside the courtyard lay three prohibitions personally established by Zhenyuanzi, which were not only extremely powerful but also firmly integrated with the Underground Spirit Veins, thus not easy to lift. ¡°I will use the secret Array of the Divine Wood Clan to drive the Demonic Poison from the Earth Veins and inside the Ginseng fruit tree later. It cannot be interfered with by any prohibitions, and there must not be a trace of prohibition left within five hundred feet around the Ginseng fruit tree,¡± Wu Man''er said with a serious expression. Jieyin Daoist nodded helplessly and signaled the disciples of the Wuzhuang View to remove the courtyard''s and nearby protective prohibitions. As for this matter, Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian could not be of any help, so they stood aside. Shen Luo looked at the nearly withered Ginseng fruit tree, furrowed his brows slightly, and appeared somewhat puzzled. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Does Brother Shen find something perplexing?¡± Jiang Shentian asked. ¡°No, I just find it a bit strange that such a major incident happened in Wuzhuang View, and some time has already passed, why has Elder Zhenyuanzi not yet returned from the Heavenly Realm?¡± Shen Luo said in confusion. ¡°Ah, you''re talking about that. As far as I know, Elder Zhenyuanzi went to the Purple Cloud Palace beyond the thirty-three heavens of the Heavenly Court to attend the Daoist sovereign''s law meeting. This meeting is no trivial matter; the Sanqing Saints would descend doppelgangers to transmit the supreme Hunyuan Dao Fruit during the meeting, which is exceedingly rare. Perhaps Elder Zhenyuanzi is lingering there and is too preoccupied to deal with matters from the lower realm,¡± Jiang Shentian explained. ¡°I see, Jiang Daoist friend is well-informed,¡± Shen Luo realized and then praised Jiang Shentian. ¡°Hehe, after all, I am a Heavenly Palace Disciple, and I am more familiar with the matters of the Heavenly Court,¡± Jiang Shentian laughed. While the two were talking, Jieyin Daoist and others had already dismantled some of the ordinary prohibitions outside the courtyard, leaving only three Great Formations inside the courtyard. Jieyin Daoist''s face appeared somewhat solemn, instructing everyone to retreat and gathered about twenty of the highest-cultivated people to dismantle the prohibitions. Thunderous rumbling! An endless yellow light rose from the ground, forming a thick curtain of yellow sand that faintly contained the shadows of countless mountain peaks. Although Shen Luo and the other were far away, they could still feel the robust restrictive power contained within the yellow sand curtain, nearly indestructible. However, the change was not finished, just as the yellow sand curtain appeared, a fluctuation occurred in the Void behind it, and soon a white light of transformation rose, forming a white light curtain that radiated dazzlingly bright white light, causing one to feel dizzy at a glance. And after the white Restriction, a hissing sound started up, and within a few breaths, there appeared one more purple Array Light Screen, with rolling purple mist surging on top, and the nearby Void seemed to corrode, trembling wildly. ¡°These three Arrays are truly not simple,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes shone with fascination. ¡°These are three prohibitions personally set by Elder Zhenyuanzi to protect the Ginseng fruit tree, namely the Wanyue Flowing Sand Array, the Qianhuan Xuanling Array, and the Purple Rune Poison King Array,¡± Jiang Shentian explained. ¡°Wanyue Flowing Sand Array, Qianhuan Xuanling Array, Purple Rune Poison King Array, these are all names I have not heard before¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself upon hearing this. ¡°These three Arrays were personally created by Elder Zhenyuanzi and have not been disclosed. Even within the Wuzhuang View, not many disciples are aware of them. It''s normal for Brother Shen not to have heard of them,¡± Jiang Shentian clarified. ¡°So that''s how it is. With such extraordinary power from these three sets of prohibitions, Elder Zhenyuanzi indeed has an extraordinary understanding of the natural laws,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Chapter 1145 Chapter 1145: Chapter 1142: Repair Chapter 1145: Chapter 1142: Repair ¡°Indeed, the Wanyue Flowing Sand Array is indestructible, the Qianhuan Xuanling Array can trap a person in endless illusions, and the most formidable is the Purple Rune Poison King Array. Once touched, even the tiniest amount contains the potent poison of the Nine Heavens; it will immediately disintegrate bones and dissolve flesh, resulting in death, and not even a True Immortal is exempt. Thus, I cannot comprehend how that fruit-thieving thief breached these formidable Formation prohibitions and harmed the Ginseng Fruit Tree,¡± said Jiang Shentian with a deep frown. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered with understanding as to why Ao Hong would borrow the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead from him; to tackle the impregnable Wanyue Flowing Sand Array, only the Slayer''s Broken Sword was capable of breaking it, and to counter the Purple Rune Poison King Array, one had to rely upon the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead. But how did Ao Hong come to know of these three fearsome prohibitions? Could it be that he had an informant within the Wuzhuang View? If that was the case, could Ao Hong be connected to the destruction of the Ginseng Fruit Tree? His thoughts whirled like lightning, yet for the moment, he could not unravel the enigma. The three prohibitions were no trivial matter; Jieyin Daoist and others formed hand seals and cast spells, and a full three two-hour periods soon passed. ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± The ground shook violently with three consecutive explosions, and from deep underground came earthquaking roars as the three grand prohibitions gradually dissipated. ¡°The Formation has been completely lifted. What should we do next?¡± Jieyin Daoist, looking somewhat pale, asked as he approached Wu Man''er. He did not look well, for after forcibly dismantling the Formation with brute force and suffering backlash from it, Jieyin Daoist, being of the highest Cultivation level among them, bore the brunt of the backlash and was significantly injured. ¡°I have here a Divine Wood Invocation Array that can amplify the effect of the Earth Mother''s Essence. I would ask Elder Jieyin to help set it up in the Courtyard, and to choose ten Daoist friends above the Nascent Soul Stage in realm and who cultivate Wood Element Skills to help activate the Array. If there aren''t enough people, those who cultivate Water or Earth Skills will also suffice,¡± said Wu Man''er, producing an Array Tool set that shone with Spiritual Light. ¡°Just ten disciples who cultivate Wood Element Skills? That''s easy to manage,¡± said Jieyin Daoist with a faint smile, selecting five monks from within the Courtyard, then took out a magical instrument and communicated something to it. Half a Moment later, five disciples from the Wuzhuang View flew in from afar and landed in the Courtyard. These five were Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators, each enshrouded in a faint green light, clearly practicing highly accomplished Wood Element Skills. Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Luo was secretly astounded by the strength of Wuzhuang View. Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators, considered elite anywhere, were easily summoned in such numbers by the Wuzhuang View. Surprise also momentarily appeared on Wu Man''er''s face, but she quickly regained composure and directed the ten individuals to set up the Array in the Courtyard. Half an hour later, the Divine Wood Invocation Array was finally ready. In the Center of the Array, green light abounded, forming the shape of a great tree, standing several dozen feet tall, resembling a grove made up of Array formations. Shen Luo watched in amazement until Wu Man''er''s glance brought him back to his senses, and he handed the porcelain bottle in his hand over to her. ¡°Aside from the ten who will assist in activating the Array, all other Daoist friends please retreat to a distance,¡± Wu Man''er commanded. Obeying her words, Shen Luo and the others all withdrew to outside the Courtyard. Only then did Wu Man''er begin to chant the Array''s incantations, and the green light within the Array surged, expanding dozens of times in the blink of an eye, transforming into countless trees, hundreds of feet tall, nearly filling the entire Courtyard. Shen Luo and the others, standing at a distance, were also affected by the breath of the vast Array. A vast and pure Wood Ether Aura swirled around them, akin to a flowing River, seeping directly into their bodies. Shen Luo felt a wooden numbness throughout his body, with slivers of wood grain gloss appearing on his skin as if he were becoming petrified. He was immediately alarmed, hastily retreating a great distance to escape the reach of the Array''s influence, while circulating Divine Wood Grace to dispel the intrusive Wood Spirit Power from his body, thereby restoring himself to normal. ¡°What a formidable Array,¡± Jiang Shentian flew over and exclaimed in admiration. Shen Luo''s eyes were emitting an extraordinary light as he looked towards the Great Array ahead. His immense Divine Sense had already spread over. The Divine Wood Chant Array had completely started operating. The green-light giant tree of the Array sank its roots deeply into the ground, quickly reaching the Earth Veins beneath the surface. Innumerable green runes surged out from within the giant tree''s roots, injecting into the Earth Veins, soon filling the entire vein with densely packed green runes. These runes, carrying the power of the Array, caused the vitality within the Earth Veins to quickly become transparent; strands of faint Black Qi slowly emerged. ¡°The Earth Veins indeed contain Demonic Qi!¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted, his regard for the Divine Wood Chant Array rose another notch. Wu Man''er''s slender fingers rapidly formed seals, while the other ten people hurriedly cooperated to stimulate the Array. All of the green runes inside the Earth Veins began to tremble, emitting a humming chant that sounded much like the Buddhist chanting, yet it was even closer to nature. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the chanting resonated, the Black Qi in the Earth Veins also began to quiver. Feeling the changes in the Black Qi within the ground, Wu Man''er''s face showed a trace of joy, and with a flip of her hand, she took out something¨Ca green seed. She threw it up, and the seed instantly flew out, merging into the central green-light tree in the middle of the Divine Wood Chant Array. That green-light tree revealed lines of green light, which transformed from ethereal to solid. In a few breaths, it became a real green tree. The Wood Ether Aura within the Divine Wood Chant Array then stirred, converging toward this tree at the center of the Array. The green tree swiftly grew larger, quickly standing out from the other light trees within the Array, and a huge green flower bud appeared at the top of the tree, ready to bloom. All of the Wood Ether Aura converged into the green flower bud. The green runes within the Earth Veins slowly flowed, also converging towards the giant flower bud, attempting to wrap around and carry the Black Qi along with it as it flowed out. But this Black Qi was incredibly slippery. No matter how hard the green runes tried, they just gently swayed without any sign of being expelled. ¡°Reliance on the Chant Array alone is indeed not enough,¡± Wu Man''er sighed, took the porcelain bottle, and made a pulling gesture with her fingers. A drop of Earth Mother''s Essence flew out, blending into the Array. With a ¡°boom¡± of a muffled sound, the moment this drop of Earth Mother''s Essence made contact with the Array, it immediately exploded, turning into a several ten feet wide dense yellow cloud, quickly merging with the Array. Wu Man''er stimulated the Array. The yellow cloud quickly penetrated the Earth Veins. The green runes of the Earth Veins immediately flourished, becoming several times denser, and merged with the yellow cloud into one, indistinguishable from each other. The flow of the green runes also became much more rapid, impacting the black Demonic Poison. The Array''s power greatly increased with the addition of Earth Mother''s Essence. Instantly, a small amount of black Demonic Poison was wrapped up by the yellow cloud and runes, slowly flowing forward and quickly expelled from the Earth Veins. Strands of Black Qi emerged from the huge flower bud in the center of the Array, and were one by one collected by the White Jade Gourd in the hands of Jieyin Daoist, who was already waiting there. Chapter 1146 – 1146 1143 Yin Chapter 1146: Chapter 1143 Yin-Yang Dual Qi Chapter 1146: Chapter 1143 Yin-Yang Dual Qi ¡°` Wu Man''er saw that the Earth Mother''s Essence had taken effect and felt somewhat relieved. She carefully took out another drop and merged it into the Great Formation, continuing to stimulate the Formation. The Demonic Poison was continuously driven out of the ground, and it took half a day to be completely removed. Once the Demonic Poison was removed from the Earth Veins, it was easier to deal with the poison within the Ginseng fruit tree. In just less than half an hour, it disappeared as well. With the Demonic Poison gone, the Ginseng fruit tree quickly regained its vitality. The leaves turned tender green, and large swathes of Spiritual Light radiated from the Ginseng Fruits, filling the entire Courtyard with a sentient fruit fragrance. Shen Luo, standing outside the Courtyard, also smelled the exotic fragrance and felt a bit more relaxed. ¡°This is wonderful, wonderful indeed. Thank you, Friend Wu, Jiang Daoist, and of course, Brother Shen. Your issues with our Wuzhuang are hereby resolved.¡± Jieyin Daoist was overjoyed, thanking Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian who had flown over. Shen Luo''s heart relaxed, and he made a few polite remarks. At this moment, Wu Man''er also put away the Divine Wood Chanting Array. Her complexion looked extremely pale, without a hint of color, as if activating the Array had taken a great toll on her. ¡°Elder Jieyin, may I take a closer look at that Demonic Poison?¡± Wu Man''er didn''t rest but asked Jieyin Daoist. ¡°Indeed, I have done some research on Demonic Qi and might be able to discover its origins,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, and he spoke up to support the idea. Although his suspicions had been cleared, there was still an undercurrent of tension between Wuzhuang and the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Shen Luo had received much care from Cheng Yaojin and Yuan Tiangang, and if possible, he wanted to resolve the rift between Wuzhuang and the Great Tang Government. ¡°Of course you may,¡± Jieyin Daoist said, a bit surprised, as he took a moment to look at the two of them. Then, he retrieved the White Jade Gourd and handed it to Wu Man''er. Wu Man''er closed her eyes to regulate her breath. After a while, she opened her eyes and her hands quickly formed incantations. A stream of green light entered into the Gourd as she performed some sort of mysterious God''s Power. From her serious demeanor, it was quite obvious that it was no ordinary secret technique. The black Demonic Poison inside the Gourd was stimulated and began to flow slowly. Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense, carefully sensing the Demonic Poison inside the Gourd, his brows slightly furrowed. The Demonic Qi contained within the poison was very strange, carrying two distinctly different auras, clear and murky, unlike any Demonic Qi he had seen before. ¡°No, it''s not that the Demonic Qi is strange, but rather there is a very unique vitality mixed within it,¡± Shen Luo felt with his Xuan Yin Mystifying Pupil, quickly making a new judgment. Wu Man''er continued her hand incantations and chanting of archaic Spells. The Demonic Qi in the Gourd began to surge, trying to separate itself from the Demonic Poison. Clearly, Wu Man''er too had noticed the unusual vitality within the Demonic Poison. However, that particular vitality was bound extremely tightly with the Demonic Qi, and despite Wu Man''er''s magic, they remained inseparable. ¡°Friend Wu, let me lend you a hand,¡± Shen Luo took out a Purple Bead, which was the Ghost Pearl refined from the head of a member of the Demon Clan. He formed incantations and chanted Spells, and immediately, a series of shiny purple patterns emerged on the Ghost Pearl, forming a strange human face that looked exceptionally eerie. The Purple Face seemed to come alive and opened its mouth to inhale, emitting a stream of purple light. The Demonic Qi within the poison immediately intensified its fluctuations and moved toward the Ghost Pearl, but the peculiar vitality within the poison did not stir at all. This was the power of the Ghost Pearl, capable of devouring Demonic Qi, and the pulling force it exerted was only effective on Demonic Qi, leaving other types of vitality unaffected. Wu Man''er relaxed her tense cheeks, nodded at Shen Luo, and sped up her spellcasting. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°` The Demonic Poison within the White Jade Gourd surged even more violently, its Demonic Qi spilling out quickly and soon more than half had dispersed. Wu Man''er''s face lit up with joy, about to continue casting spells, but the Mana within her Dantian had completely run out, the green light on her hands quickly dimmed. ¡°This is bad!¡± Her expression changed. However, at that moment, a figure blurred behind her, and Jiang Shentian''s figure appeared, his palm pressing against her back as a torrent of Mana poured into her, swiftly replenishing her nearly depleted Mana. ¡°Thank you, Daoist Jiang,¡± Wu Man''er said in gratitude, continuing to cast spells to separate the Demonic Qi. After Half a Moment, all the Demonic Qi within the poison had been separated and was swallowed by the Ghost Pearl, leaving only a mass of gray-white Qi within the White Jade Gourd, emanating an even clearer pure and turbid breath. ¡°What is this?¡± Jiang Shentian exclaimed in surprise. Shen Luo also pondered in silence, for he had seen no such energy in reality or Dreamland. Yet Wu Man''er''s beautiful eyes narrowed, and she continued with her spell casting. The gray-white Qi slowly separated, part rising, the remaining Qi sinking, gradually dividing into two parts. The rising Qi was ethereal like clouds, while the sinking Qi was as heavy as earth. ¡°This is Yin-Yang Dual Qi!¡± The Jieyin Daoist exclaimed in shock. ¡°Yin-Yang Dual Qi? Is it the primordial Yin and Yang forces that were born from chaos at the beginning of Heaven and Earth''s creation, which then gave rise to the entire world? It still exists today?¡± Shen Luo looked towards the Jieyin Daoist in astonishment. ¡°Indeed, the world of today is already well-formed, and pure forces of Yin and Yang have long been extinct, but they haven''t been completely wiped out. As far as I know, there are two treasures in this world that still contain such pure Yin-Yang Dual Qi,¡± the Jieyin Daoist said slowly. ¡°Which two treasures?¡± Jiang Shentian asked curiously. ¡°One is in the hands of the Taiching Saint, the very treasure that assisted his enlightenment, the Taiji Diagram,¡± the Jieyin Daoist answered. ¡°And the other?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. He had naturally heard of the Taiji Diagram, a treasure with the power to stabilize the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, transform Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, discern the mysterious workings of the Heavenly Dao, and encompass the myriad things of the universe. It was the Taiching Saint''s treasured artifact for anchoring his Dao. In this world, besides the presence of a Sage, it was impossible for anyone to steal the force of Yin and Yang from the Taiji Diagram to harm the Ginseng fruit tree. If a Sage truly wanted to target the Ginseng fruit tree, there would be no need for such indirect methods, and the Yin and Yang forces present should have nothing to do with the Taiji Diagram. ¡°The other treasure is the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle in the hands of the Golden Wings Large peng, one of the Three Kings of the Lion Camel Ridge,¡± the Jieyin Daoist continued, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. ¡°Lion Camel Ridge!¡± Shen Luo startled, instantly recalling the figure of Fu Donglai. Lion Camel Ridge was in the territory of the West Niu Hezhou Continent, not too far from the Wuzhuang View, and indeed, the suspicion was substantial. With this thought, Shen Luo felt relieved and did not make excuses for the Great Tang Dynasty Government. If he could see this, the Jieyin Daoist, who recognized the Yin-Yang Dual Qi, surely could have thought of it too. Indeed, the Jieyin Daoist had associated the Yin-Yang Dual Qi with Lion Camel Ridge, but both Lion Camel Ridge and the Wuzhuang View were prominent factions of West Niu Hezhou, and without conclusive evidence, it was not appropriate to make accusations. ¡°Thank you, the three Daoist friends, for unraveling the secret of this Demonic Poison,¡± the Jieyin Daoist then said to the three, expressing his gratitude. ¡°It was a small matter; it''s good that we could clarify the whole story of this incident,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Now it seems that this matter is indeed unrelated to Brother Shen, and someone has intentionally tried to shift the blame. I ask Brother Shen for your understanding,¡± the Jieyin Daoist earnestly apologized to Shen Luo. Chapter 1147 Chapter 1147: Chapter 1144: City Lord of Tianji City Chapter 1147: Chapter 1144: City Lord of Tianji City ¡°''The thief was cunning, and Elder Jieyin and others made their conjectures according to common sense. It''s inevitable to have doubts about me, but fortunately, the matter has now been clarified,'' Shen Luo waved his hand and said. Qin Shan and Li He were also here, and at the indication of Jieyin Daoist, the two also expressed their apologies to Shen Luo. However, Qin Shan''s expression seemed very reluctant, but Shen Luo did not mind. ''Friend Shen, there is still some Earth Mother''s Essence left. This is your possession, please take good care of it,'' Wu Man''er approached Shen Luo and handed over the porcelain bottle. Shen Luo probed into the bottle with his Divine Sense and found, to his surprise, that half of it was still remaining, which secretly delighted him. ''Friend Wu, are you alright?'' He took the porcelain bottle and asked. Jiang Shentian had stopped channeling mana into Wu Man''er''s body. Her complexion had turned pale once again, even paler than before. ''It''s nothing serious, just a bit of a large consumption,'' Wu Man''er shook her head and said. ''Friend Wu has worked hard. This is the Rejuvenation Pill from my Wuzhuang View, which is quite effective in restoring vitality. If Friend Wu doesn''t despise it, please accept it,'' Jieyin Daoist took out a White Jade Small Bottle and handed it over. Wu Man''er did not decline and accepted the small bottle. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Friend Wu, please rest for now. I will fetch the Ginseng Fruit Tree Essence for you later and bring it to you,'' Jieyin Daoist said. ''Then I''ll trouble Elder Jieyin,'' Wu Man''er was indeed somewhat tired. After thanking him, she left the place accompanied by Qingfeng Mingyue. ''Friend Shen and Jiang Daoist, you have also worked hard,'' Jieyin Daoist turned to Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian and said. Shen Luo and Jiang Shentian were quite exhausted from their rapid journey, so they didn''t refuse and went down to rest. The place where Shen Luo stayed was the same as before. After re-establishing the prohibition, he sat down with his legs crossed in the secret chamber and closed his eyes to practice. He did not take out the One-yuan True Water for cultivation but instead circulated the Nameless Cultivation Technique to stabilize his realm. Lately, his cultivation level had improved consecutively, and his foundation was somewhat unstable. He would now be striking towards the True Immortal Stage and needed to thoroughly consolidate his foundation. He had originally planned to consume the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date soon to enhance his cultivation and physical training, but given the current situation, he could only wait until his foundation was firm before consuming it. The night passed quickly, and Shen Luo opened his eyes, about to get up. ''Who is it?'' he suddenly looked towards the outer hall and called out sharply. ''Friend Shen has quite the keen spiritual awareness,'' accompanied by a light laugh, a figure walked in ¡ª it was Zhenyuanzi. Moreover, this time it was not a doppelganger formed by a Talisman but the real person. ''Elder Zhenyuanzi, you''ve returned,'' Shen Luo quickly stood up, his heart filled with surprise. He wasn''t surprised that Zhenyuanzi could break through the prohibition outside his abode¨CZhenyuanzi''s cultivation had already reached the Heavenly Venerate Realm, and breaking his prohibition was a mere trifle. What he found strange was why Zhenyuanzi was looking for him now. ''I''ve just returned from the Heavenly Court and have already heard about the Ginseng fruit tree. Thank you for your substantial help, Friend Shen,'' Zhenyuanzi bowed slightly in gratitude. Facing such a formal gesture from a Heavenly Venerate, Shen Luo naturally did not dare to be careless. He hurriedly returned a courtesy and said, ''It was but a minor matter, unworthy of such thanks from an elder.'' ¡°Friend Shen has no affiliation with Wuzhuang View, and was previously misunderstood and troubled by Elder Jieyin. Yet he bore no grudges and did not hesitate to toil by going to the Divine Wood Forest to retrieve Earth Mother''s Essence and revive the Ginseng Fruit Tree. Receiving such a great favor, as the master of Wuzhuang View, naturally I must pay a visit to express my gratitude, thereby completing the proprieties,¡± Zhenyuanzi said slowly. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt a great fondness for Zhenyuanzi. He was merely a minor character in the Great Mahayana Stage, yet Zhenyuanzi didn''t use his power to oppress him, and spoke purely based on facts. This was truly the conduct of a true Immortal, which was impressive and humbling. ¡°Elder is too polite. The things I did were not entirely for Wuzhuang View; they were mainly to clear the suspicions against myself. May I ask if you have identified the source of the Demonic Poison and the Yin-Yang Dual Qi?¡± Shen Luo didn''t want to dwell on the matter and shifted the conversation with his question. ¡°I have looked into it, and that mass of Yin-Yang Qi indeed comes from the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle of Lion Camel Ridge,¡± Zhenyuanzi said slowly. ¡°It really was the doing of Lion Camel Ridge!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind instantly. ¡°Let''s not talk about those matters for now. Friend Shen has spent a lot of energy and effort for Wuzhuang over this period of time. Without any token of appreciation, I would feel uneasy. I wonder if there''s anything you desire, or anything you wish to do, where I and Wuzhuang View will certainly assist you with all our strength,¡± said Zhenyuanzi. Shen Luo was momentarily stunned. What he wanted most now was to repair the jade pillow, but Zhenyuanzi had already said he was powerless to help. ¡°Since Senior Zhen Yuan is so generous, I shall not stand on ceremony. Some time ago, my body was contaminated with Demonic Qi, and I need some Pure Yang Treasures to protect my spirit.¡± He contemplated briefly before speaking. ¡°Pure Yang Treasures? That''s quite a coincidence. I happen to have a Coiling Dragon Wall in my possession, an ancient Pure Yang treasure obtained many years ago, which formed from the skeleton of a Jade Yinyang Dragon after its death. It functions to protect one''s spirit, and I''ll present it to Friend Shen,¡± Zhenyuanzi said as he took out a dark red jade pendant and handed it over. The jade pendant was simple and archaic in design, resembling a coiled red dragon with intricate patterns carved on its body. It looked rough, but there was a vibrant life force emitting from it, almost as if the dragon-shaped jade would come to life at any moment. However, what mattered most was that the item was hot to the touch without burning, and a surge of Pure Yang Power penetrated directly into Shen Luo''s body, steadying his heart and mind. ¡°What a wonderful item!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. The Coiling Dragon Wall contained an extraordinary amount of Pure Yang Power, second to none compared to his current Pure Yang Flying Sword, and it seemed to have a special effect on protecting the spirit. It would definitely be of great use in battling Demonic Qi in the future. ¡°Thank you very much, Elder Zhen Yuan, this item will be very useful for me.¡± He put away the Coiling Dragon Wall and expressed his sincere appreciation. ¡°It''s just a Coiling Dragon Wall, not worth much. Using it to repay you still seems a little light. During my time at the Heavenly Court, I made some inquiries about repairing your jade pillow and managed to find some clues,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed to hear this. ¡°The prohibitions contained within your jade pillow are likely related to the Space-time Principle. Ordinary Artifact Refiners would find it extremely difficult to repair. In the current world, there is probably only one person who might be able to fix that jade pillow,¡± Zhenyuanzi explained. ¡°Who might that be? Please guide me, Senior Zhen Yuan,¡± Shen Luo asked as he bowed deeply. ¡°That person''s identity is not so secret; you might have even met him. It is the City Lord of Tianji City. You could try your luck there,¡± Zhenyuanzi suggested. ¡°The Master of Tianji City? Thank you for the guidance, Elder Zhen Yuan,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, then thanked him once again. Zhenyuanzi didn''t discuss anything significant with Shen Luo afterward and simply chatted about the Divine Wood Forest and offered some advice on his cultivation before taking his leave. Shen Luo stood silently inside the house for a moment, not going out but instead turning around to continue his cultivation in the secret chamber. In the following days, he focused on cultivation within Wuzhuang View, honing the unstable foundation of his cultivation level that had risen sharply. Wuzhuang View''s attitude towards Shen Luo had changed significantly for the better, and they entertained him nearly every day. After seven or eight days, as Shen Luo''s cultivation foundation gradually stabilized, he then bid farewell and left. Chapter 1148 Chapter 1148: Chapter 1145: Invitation from Yunmeng Marsh Chapter 1148: Chapter 1145: Invitation from Yunmeng Marsh Outside Wuzhuang View, on the winding stone steps leading down the mountain. Shen Luo did not directly fly with his magic, but walked down the mountain at a leisurely pace with his hands behind his back, feeling the gentle mountain breeze and pondering the gains and losses of his trip to Wuzhuang View. Initially, the revival of the Ginseng fruit tree could have brought the matter to a close, but the involvement of Lion Camel Ridge somehow left Shen Luo unable to let go of his concerns, so he decided to make a trip there before heading to Tianji City. For one thing, he wanted to investigate the situation with the Yin Yang Two Qi Bottle, and for another, he also wanted to see Fu Donglai. Since the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, Fu Donglai had returned to Lion Camel Ridge, saying that he would investigate the appearance of the Demon Void Earth Dragon in the Secret Realm. After he left, the two of them lost contact. Moreover, Shen Luo wanted to know the results of his investigation. He always felt that these matters seemed unrelated on the surface, but internally, there seemed to be a secret thread connecting them all. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­¡± While he was contemplating, a woman''s voice suddenly came from behind Shen Luo. Accompanying it was the pleasant sound of tinkling silver bells. ¡°Man''er, didn''t you plan to stay a few more days?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I''ve changed my mind and decided to go to Yunmeng Marsh first,¡± Wu Man''er caught up with him and said with a smile. ¡°Yunmeng Marsh?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. ¡°I hope you can accompany me there,¡± Wu Man''er said frankly. Shen Luo was taken aback by the request, somewhat surprised. Subconsciously, he wanted to refuse, because the most important thing for him at the moment was to head to Tianji City and find a way to repair the jade pillow. Going to Lion Camel Ridge was only a matter of convenience. As for Yunmeng Marsh, it clearly wasn''t part of his plans. ¡°Is there any danger in going to Yunmeng Marsh?¡± But just as he was about to refuse, the words that came out changed. ¡°I don''t know,¡± Wu Man''er admitted, shaking her head with a bit of embarrassment. Then, she added, ¡°I''ve never been there before. I''ve only heard from my master that it''s a marshland so vast it''s almost as large as an ocean.¡± ¡°Why do you want to go there?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Big Brother Shen, do you remember why I came to Wuzhuang View?¡± Wu Man''er blinked and asked. Shen Luo furrowed his brows slightly and nodded. Of course, he remembered that Wu Man''er had secretly left the Divine Wood Forest and come to Wuzhuang View in search of the essence of the Ginseng fruit tree. ¡°It is said that deep within Yunmeng Marsh, there is a Ginkgo Divine Tree thousands of years old, which also has Spirit Liquid nurturing it. I want to collect some to strengthen the prohibition of our tribe''s Divine Tree. Doing so might reduce the frequency of the Demon Soul outbreaks and spare our people from some casualties,¡± Wu Man''er explained, her eyes slightly glowing. Upon hearing this, a twinge of guilt surged in Shen Luo''s heart. Wu Man''er had just helped revive the Ginseng fruit tree, which was a great favor to Shen Luo, yet he had subconsciously thought to refuse her request for help, which was indeed somewhat insensitive. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Big Brother Shen, is there any difficulty? If you have urgent matters to attend to, we can drop the matter, and I have no problem traveling alone,¡± Wu Man''er said hurriedly with a guilty expression upon seeing Shen Luo''s hesitation. Seeing this, Shen Luo smiled and said: ¡°` ¡°Forget it, it''s not anything particularly urgent. I''ll accompany you to Yunmeng Marsh first. I''ve read about Yunmeng Marsh in books before, claiming it to be ''shrouded in clouds and mist, with thousands of atmospheres.'' This time, I have the opportunity to verify it myself.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Wu Man''er hesitated. ¡°There''s no ''but''. You helped me save the Ginseng fruit tree before, avoiding a conflict between the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Wuzhuang View. Accompanying you to Yunmeng Marsh this time can be considered as returning the favor,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°I had my own selfish reasons for helping to save the Ginseng fruit tree¡­¡± Wu Man''er admitted, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°I''m not concerned with that. I am definitely returning the favor. However, if you''re unwilling, then I won''t force you,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°Of course, I''m willing,¡± Wu Man''er quickly replied upon seeing this. ¡°Then that''s settled. Shall we set off immediately?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Wu Man''er, with a smile on her face, nodded immediately. Shen Luo also gathered his thoughts, and the two of them boarded the flying boat and shot up into the sky right away. Months later. Outside Yunmeng Marsh stood a small border city adjacent to the swamp. The city gates were wide open; on both inside and outside, only a scarce dozen or so soldiers with askew helmets and armor were stationed, clearly indicating a relaxed guard. Just outside the city gate was a bustling street. It was early morning market time, and the sides of the street were covered with simple straw mats. On top of these mats were fruits and vegetables for sale, and the small vendors behind the mats shouted at the top of their lungs, eagerly hawking their goods. Further down the road were sporadically placed shops and taverns. Apart from a few doing early morning business, most of them had their doors half-open, not yet officially open for business. However, there were still quite a few people hitting the early market on the street, and among the many leisurely figures, a tall man in a green robe was walking shoulder to shoulder with a beautiful woman in blue cloth. Their attire set them apart from that of the locals, making them quite conspicuous in the crowd. Especially the bright and shining silver ornaments on the woman that jingled ¡°dingling¡± as she moved, coupled with her stunning appearance, attracting much attention from the passersby. They were none other than Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, who were preparing to head to Yunmeng Marsh. Wu Man''er didn''t seem to mind the curious glances from the passersby. Or rather, she was herself curiously gazing at everything around her, eyeing the passersby and all the items set up along the street. Having grown up in the Divine Wood Forest, her knowledge of the outside world came almost exclusively from her mother and her master''s descriptions. The last time she came out, she had flown straight to Wuzhuang View, and whenever they stopped along the way, they chose secluded spots such as mountains and dense forests far from human settlements; she had never intentionally entered a bustling city like this before. Thus, everything she saw was exceptionally intriguing to her. In fact, Shen Luo noticed this on their way here and deliberately took her to stay briefly in several cities. Even so, Wu Man''er found every new city she visited to be wonderfully novel. However, their visit to this small city today wasn''t to satisfy Wu Man''er''s curiosity but to purchase an essential item needed to enter Yunmeng Marsh. The two of them walked along the street towards the inner part of the city, where it gradually became quieter. ¡°Big Brother Shen, can we really find Road Guidance Lamps in such a small city?¡± Wu Man''er asked, skeptical. ¡°Don''t underestimate smaller cities like this. As the saying goes, ''Live off the land and water you''re near.'' This small city near Yunmeng Marsh has stood for a thousand years, largely thanks to the advantages provided by Yunmeng Marsh. Whether it be freelance cultivators entering the Marsh for opportunities or monks from Sects here for training, they all stop here. And since Road Guidance Lamps are an essential for entering Yunmeng Marsh, it is natural that they would be sold here,¡± Shen Luo explained with a smile. Chapter 1149 Chapter 1149: Chapter 1146: Leaf Sprite Mei Chapter 1149: Chapter 1146: Leaf Sprite Mei While Shen Luo was speaking to Wu Man''er, they arrived at a fork in the road and caught sight of a small shop that looked rather unprepossessing. ¡°Look, here we are,¡± Shen Luo nudged with his lips and walked towards the shop. Wu Man''er immediately followed close behind. The shop''s facade was not large; it was much more understated than most shops one would see, and one might mistake it for a residential house if not for the old seal script characters for ¡°Tianji¡± vertically inscribed on one side of the door frame. As they entered, they realized that the interior was much larger than it appeared from outside. At this moment, behind the counter directly opposite, a clerk in a black robe was explaining something to two customers. Shen Luo noticed the clerk''s robe was simply embroidered with the characters for ¡°Tianji¡± in white thread at the cuff, with no other patterns, indicating a status of the lowest commoner in Tianji City. As they approached, they heard the commoner clerk saying, ¡°Customer, I''m not deliberately trying to sell you the Road Guidance Lamp, but it''s indispensable when entering Yunmeng Marsh.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± a tall and burly bald man among the customers asked with a rough voice. ¡°Inside Yunmeng Marsh, the climate is vastly different from the outside. Once you enter, even if you are an advanced cultivator in the Mahayana Stage, you may still encounter illusion fog and lose your way. This Road Guidance Lamp is the only thing that can tell you the correct direction,¡± explained the Tianji City clerk. The bald man listened intently, while a skinny man beside him, resembling a stick, seemed distracted and began toying with a pot of Welcoming Pine placed on the counter. Shen Luo turned and saw, upon that Welcoming Pine, there sat a green little figure about the size of a palm. It was entirely emerald green in color, resembling a human woman to a great extent, with an exquisite and beautiful face, but it had a pair of clever pointed ears on its cheeks and two pairs of translucent, cicada wing-like membranes drooping from its back. ¡°It''s a Leaf Sprite charm spirit¡­¡± Wu Man''er frowned and whispered. On hearing their conversation, the commoner clerk greeted them with a smile, then resumed his explanation to the bald man. Shen Luo noticed that the delicate ankles of the Leaf Sprite charm spirit were shackled with a silver chain, just a bit thicker than a strand of hair, the other end connected to the Welcoming Pine. One could clearly sense a faint mana fluctuation emanating from the chain. The skinny stick figure kept teasing the charm spirit, but the spirit paid him no mind, listlessly sitting on the trunk with both hands propping up its head, refusing to even lift its eyes. ¡°Hey, half-dead and such a buzzkill,¡± the stick figure couldn''t coax any reaction and suddenly seemed somewhat angry. He raised his hand, ready to flick the Leaf Sprite. ¡°Customer, please, don''t do that, you will need to pay double compensation if you damage it,¡± the commoner clerk hurriedly intervened seeing the behavior. ¡°How much can this little thing be worth? If I kill it, will I compensate you with three, is that enough?¡± the stick figure paused briefly, his tensed fingers gaining more force. Just as he was about to flick at the charm spirit, a hand reached out from the side and firmly grasped his wrist. ¡°Who the f¨C dares interfere with¡­ ouch¡­¡± The stick figure''s foul language was cut short as his tone suddenly rose into a scream. ¡°I''ll buy this little charm spirit,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°Money makes you so great, huh? I''ll pay double¡­¡± The stick figure hadn''t finished his sentence when he was once again interrupted by a scream. The bald man by the side, upon witnessing the scene, suddenly emitted a layer of earthy yellow halo around his body and raised a big hand to grab Shen Luo. Shen Luo snorted coldly, his cultivation at the Late Mahayana Stage was no longer withheld, instantly unleashing a formidable intimidation. The hand of the bald man stiffened mid-air, and a look of fear was already evident on his face. ¡°I did not recognize Mount Tai and offended the elder, I hope the elder forgives my offense,¡± he said, quickly following his other hand to clasp together in a gesture of supplication. ¡°Scram,¡± Shen Luo uttered a single word. That bald man immediately scrambled and stumbled out of the shop, not caring at all about his companion still in Shen Luo''s grasp. Shen Luo had no intention of stooping to their level. With a casual push, he threw the skinny man out of the door like a broken sack. The latter tumbled to the ground, getting up without daring to let out a peep, and scurried away as fast as he could. ¡°Sorry for the disturbance, I''ve disrupted your esteemed shop''s business,¡± Shen Luo said, dusting off his hands and apologizing to the clerk. The clerk wouldn''t dare to take issue with Shen Luo, hurriedly smiling awkwardly and saying, ¡°It''s alright, no trouble at all. Just two penniless thugs acting all mighty, haggling over a Road Guidance Lamp for half an eternity. If the honored guest hadn''t sent them away, I would have to ask them to leave myself.¡± ¡°Before coming here, I had heard that to enter Yunmeng Marsh, one must first purchase a Road Guidance Lamp. Just now, you also mentioned the Road Guidance Lamp. I still don''t know what specific wonders this object holds within Yunmeng Marsh?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Wonder might not be the right word. It''s just that with a Road Guidance Lamp, one can discern basic directions in Yunmeng Marsh. Even if trapped by the Illusion Fog, one will not lose the ability to find the right direction and end up dying within it,¡± the clerk hurriedly explained. ¡°Illusion Fog?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Yunmeng Marsh is vast, with many kinds of Miasma, aside from various poisonous miasma, sometimes one may encounter miasma that induces hallucinations, which is known as Illusion Fog. Once a person falls into the Illusion Fog, relying on Divine Sense and magical instruments makes it very difficult to find the correct direction. In such times, a Road Guidance Lamp is the most convenient and efficient tool to guide the way,¡± the clerk continued to explain. While the two were talking, Wu Man''er''s attention fell on the petite and delicate Leaf Sprite. She raised her hand to gently caress the little charm spirit, and the little guy, who had been unresponsive to the outside world, suddenly lifted its head. In that moment when it looked at Wu Man''er, a glow couldn''t help but light up in its otherwise dim eyes. ¡°Ever since this Leaf Sprite was sold here, it''s been like it lost its soul. This is the first time I''ve seen her react this way,¡± remarked the clerk, also feeling somewhat surprised at the scene. ¡°Perhaps it''s fated to be with us. How much for it?¡± Shen Luo inquired. He could see from Wu Man''er''s eyes the sympathy she held for the charm spirit and thus had the intention to purchase it. Upon hearing this, the clerk''s expression turned contemplative, seemingly struggling with something. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What''s the matter, is there a problem?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Well, to be frank, ever since this Leaf Sprite was captured, it hasn''t eaten a grain of rice or drunk a drop of water. The manager came to check yesterday, saying that this kind of charm spirit, if bought, probably won''t survive for more than three days. Since you, the guest, are of no ordinary cultivation, our shop wouldn''t dare to deceive you. If you are truly interested, you could wait a period of time, and by then, I assure you we''ll give you one full of life and vigor,¡± the clerk explained with a sigh. ¡°So it''s because of that. Then there''s no need to wait. Today''s meeting is also fated. Since I''ve thought of buying her, I will naturally take good care of her. Besides this charm spirit, I''d also like to purchase another Road Guidance Lamp,¡± Shen Luo said, waving his hand. ¡°Honored guest, I hope you don''t mind me asking, are you also planning to try your luck in Yunmeng Marsh?¡± inquired the clerk upon hearing this. ¡°That''s the plan,¡± Shen Luo replied after a moment of thought. ¡°Then please heed my advice, even with a Road Guidance Lamp, it''s best to only operate on the periphery. Do not cross the Pink Reed beach and go into the depths of Yunmeng Marsh,¡± the clerk warned. Chapter 1150 Chapter 1150: Chapter 1147: Looking for Faults Chapter 1150: Chapter 1147: Looking for Faults ¡°Oh, why is that?¡± Shen Luo inquired, his tone remaining unchanged. Their journey''s purpose was to search for the Ginkgo Divine Tree, which naturally meant heading to the deeper parts of Yunmeng Marsh. ¡°The periphery of Yunmeng Marsh has already been trampled flat by monks who come here to seek opportunities and hunt Monster Spirits; there''s not much danger left. But once you pass the Pink Reed swing, it gets perilous, easy to enter but hard to leave. On the periphery, you can rely on the Road Guidance Lamp for directions, but inside, whether this thing works or not, it''s all down to luck,¡± the clerk explained. ¡°Thanks for the heads-up; we''ll bear that in mind,¡± Shen Luo nodded his thanks. Before long, the clerk brought them the Road Guidance Lamp. Shen Luo saw that it was similar to a Sky Lantern, but different in that a long red thread was attached to the lower part. After teaching Shen Luo and another the method of using the Road Guidance Lamp, the clerk took out a black wooden token about the size of a palm from a locked box behind the counter. He took the Black Wooden Token to the pot of Welcoming Pine, tapped it against the rim, and the slender chain that locked the Leaf Sprite emerged all by itself from the potting soil. The clerk slipped the ring at the end of the chain onto Man''er''s index finger, admonishing, ¡°Don''t underestimate these charm spirits for their small and unassuming appearances; their strength is actually not weak at all, especially since they can fly extremely fast and sometimes become invisible. So, esteemed guest, you must not let go of the ring in your hand, or she might fly off in the blink of an eye, impossible to find. If it gets lost once you leave the store, our shop won''t take any responsibility.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Wu Man''er, looking unimpressed, simply responded softly. After paying, Shen Luo left the small city outlet of Tianji City with Wu Man''er. The duo made straight for Yunmeng Marsh upon exiting the small city. Seven or eight miles out of the city, the air increasingly became moist, and a faint fishy smell started to spread around them. Both Shen Luo and another couldn''t help but frown, while the Leaf Sprite on Man''er''s shoulder seemed to get a bit restless. ¡°Don''t be anxious, once we arrive at Yunmeng Marsh, I''ll let you go back,¡± Man''er gently patted it. The Leaf Sprite immediately suppressed its excitement and calmed down. After walking for Half a Moment, noises started to carry over, and looking ahead, one could see a large crowd of people gathered by the shores of the marshland outside Yunmeng Marsh. Among these people were not only Human Race members, but also a good number of Demon Race ones. Shen Luo did not see any people of the Immortal Clan, but he did spot a few from the Demon Clan. Unlike the bustling activity of the Human Race and the group tactics of the Demon Race, the Demon Clan members gathered only in twos and threes, appearing quite low-key. ¡°Exploring the depths of Yunmeng Marsh, human cultivators forming a group, just short of one person, short of one person¡­¡± ¡°Special sale on Road Guidance Lamps here, get them now, there''s nowhere to buy them once inside Yunmeng Marsh¡­¡± ¡°Pestilence-avoiding Pills, Pestilence-avoiding Pills, guard against snakes, bugs, rats, and ants, foul fog, miasma¡­¡± As Shen Luo and another drew nearer, they could continuously hear the cries and calls from all around them. Hearing the prices, Shen Luo was somewhat surprised; though only separated by seven or eight miles, the Road Guidance Lamps were nearly twice as expensive as those sold in the Tianji City outlet. Those Pestilence-avoiding Pills, which were clearly of inferior quality and would not even be considered proper wares, could at best be classified as mundane objects; they might repel snakes and bugs but whether they could actually ward off miasma was debatable, yet they were being sold at incredibly exorbitant prices. ¡°Excuse me, miss, it''s quite dangerous for you to enter Yunmeng Marsh alone. How about joining our group? I may not be the most skilled, but I''m at the Nascent Soul period, and I can ensure your safety,¡± said a decent-looking young man, tapping on his folding fan as he slowly approached. He clearly saw that Wu Man''er was following right behind Shen Luo, yet he still ignored him, hitting on Man''er directly. Wu Man''er, although instinctively disgusted, still politely refused, ¡°No need, I already have companions, thank you for your kindness.¡± ¡°Girl, don''t be in such a hurry to refuse. Instead of squeezing in with those rude guys, why not come with me? I have brought plenty of guards, and there''s a Spirit Ferry Treasure Ship to board. The couches on the ship are both large and soft.¡± The young man approached Wu Man''er with an unrestrained smile on his face, taking a step closer. Shen Luo frowned slightly and was about to teach this clueless fellow a lesson when suddenly, the man''s face contorted, and he toppled over next to them. The people around were startled and quickly backed away. Seeing this, several attendants who had been standing a bit further away hurried over and surrounded him in the center. ¡°Young master¡­¡± ¡°Young master, what''s wrong with you?¡± The attendants quickly helped him to sit up and kept asking. The young man''s face was twisted, making it impossible for him to speak clearly. He could only raise a hand and point at Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, wailing non-stop. A short-bearded old man among the attendants looked at Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, his expression changing three times as if weighing his options. However, he soon made a decision, stepped forward, and saluted the two with a fist, saying, ¡°I don''t know where my young master has offended the two Daoist friends, I, Yuan, apologize here first. Please do not hold it against him.¡± As the old man spoke, he slightly released his aura. Shen Luo sensed it, contemplating the old man''s Peak Nascent Soul form, and couldn''t help but find it somewhat amusing. He had clearly come to beg for mercy in a humble manner, yet he still felt the need to flaunt his cultivation level, as if that would allow him to maintain his dignity without losing face. But Shen Luo had no intention of giving him that face. He stopped Wu Man''er who was about to speak and said, ¡°Some people can''t control their dog eyes and dog mouths. When they make a mistake and are punished, they should accept it and apologize personally. Since when do others do it for them?¡± Upon hearing these words, the young man became even more agitated, his face turned red as he pointed at Shen Luo, looking as if he wanted to tear him to pieces. The lackeys around him were even more indignant, cursing at Shen Luo and Wu Man''er. The short-bearded old man''s expression also turned grim. He felt he had already given the other party enough face, but these two youngsters in front of him clearly did not know their place. ¡°I advise you both to know when to stop when you are away from home,¡± the short-bearded old man said in a deep voice. ¡°Man''er, let''s go,¡± Shen Luo said, no longer bothering to deal with them and ready to leave. Seeing this, the short-bearded old man was finally completely infuriated. ¡°You''re seeking death.¡± With a roar, he reached out his hand and grabbed at Shen Luo''s shoulder. Shen Luo did not dodge at all. The Huangting Technique within his body secretly activated, and his shoulder suddenly dropped, causing the old man''s hand to grab at nothing. Before he could continue his attack, Shen Luo suddenly shouted lowly. The power of the Dragon Elephant burst forth from within him, and his drooping shoulder abruptly lifted, slamming into the old man''s wrist. There was a crisp ¡°crack.¡± The old man''s wrist broke on impact, and he howled in pain as he flew backward, landing next to the young man. ¡°A Mahayana cultivator¡­¡± Clutching his broken wrist, the short-bearded old man''s face showed a look of terror. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1151 Chapter 1151: Chapter 1148: A Feast Chapter 1151: Chapter 1148: A Feast Shen Luo couldn''t be bothered with the Short-bearded Old Man and started walking towards the shoreside with Wu Man''er, as the crowd that had been watching immediately made way for them. Wu Man''er deliberately kept a straight face, putting on an indifferent expression. But as soon as they stepped out of the crowd, she couldn''t help but let out a laugh. With a wave of his hand, Shen Luo summoned a Flying Boat amid the crowd''s amazement and envy, and boarded it with Wu Man''er. Just when they were about to set off, Wu Man''er suddenly called out, ¡°Big Brother Shen, wait a moment.¡± After saying that, she raised her white, lotus-like slim arms and gently shook her wrist, causing the silver bells tied there to immediately jingle with a pleasing sound. Right then, a scream was heard from the shore. Under the young man''s eyelid, a grain-sized insect bit through the skin and crawled out. ¡°A Gu insect, it''s a Gu insect¡­¡± No one knew who shouted, but the people gathered there scattered and fled in every direction. During the chaos, many people trampled over the fallen young man and the old servant, prompting continuous shouts from both. However, the Gu insect seemed uninterested in others; after crawling out from under the man''s eyelid, it spread its transparent wings, flew high into the sky, and soon disappeared into the air. Shen Luo, however, watched as a nearly transparent tiny bug descended from midair and crawled into a little cloth bag at Wu Man''er''s waist. ¡°All right, let''s go,¡± Wu Man''er said with a sweet smile. Shen Luo immediately urged the Flying Boat to fly forward at a low altitude, skimming the surface of the swamp. Yunmeng Marsh covered an extremely vast area, almost indistinguishable from a sea area, with most parts submerged in either deep or shallow water. There was little dry land in the center, and most of it was soft muddy swamp. The miasma here was also very peculiar, mostly distributed between dozens to over a hundred feet above the ground. The toxicity of most of the miasma was not particularly strong, but traveling through it over a long period was ultimately not beneficial to one''s health. Above the altitude of a hundred feet, other than the few deadly Poisonous Vortexes, the sky was clear for miles. As long as one was careful not to get caught in these vortexes, there shouldn''t be any significant problems. However, if one were to fly to such high altitudes, the layers of miasma below would block the view of the swamp''s interior, which naturally was not ideal for those seeking fortunes within Yunmeng Marsh. Therefore, most people chose to do as Shen Luo was doing now, suspending the Flying Boat at an altitude of about a dozen feet and piloting it through flight. The Flying Boat flew steadily. Along the way, the miasma was not evident, and aside from the slightly fishy and damp smell, there was nothing unusual, making it appear no different from any other waterlogged swamp. The Leaf Sprite perched on Wu Man''er''s shoulder was moving back and forth restlessly, seemingly anxious as to why they hadn''t fulfilled their promise to let her go. ¡°Don''t worry, we''re too close to the shoreside right now. Even if we let you go, you could quickly encounter other people. With your current state, it''s difficult to guarantee that you won''t be captured again,¡± Wu Man''er said, comforting her. Hearing her words, the Leaf Sprite seemed to understand and soon calmed down. But Wu Man''er raised a palm and held it in front of her, softly chanting. As her ethereal voice began to sound, green light started to gather from around her, slowly converging into her palm. In the center of her palm, which was slightly indented, the gathered green light gradually condensed into a drop of emerald liquid. ¡°Such rich spiritual energy,¡± Shen Luo commented, unable to hold back his admiration. Wu Man''er smiled at the words, ceased her chanting, and the glow around her gradually dispersed. ¡°Although Leaf Sprites are born with the ability to cultivate, they still need to feast on the dawn, drink the morning dew, and bathe in the moonlight to maintain their vitality. That clerk''s claim that she wouldn''t live past three days wasn''t entirely accurate, but if things had continued as they were, the situation indeed wouldn''t be good,¡± she explained as she extended her palm towards the charm spirit. Seeing this, the Leaf Sprite appeared incredulous and stood frozen in place, not moving. ¡°Go on and drink, you must be starving, right?¡± Wu Man''er said. Hesitating for a moment, the Leaf Sprite still landed on her palm, crouching down to drink the emerald-green liquid. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the spirit liquid in Wu Man''er''s palm was consumed, a sheer green glow began to whirl around the Leaf Sprite. In no time, it transformed into specks of starlight, merging into her body. The Leaf Sprite''s body involuntarily stretched out a bit, and her translucent wings extended, twirling and fluttering up from Wu Man''er''s palm¨Cgraceful and ethereal, filled with a lively charm. Shen Luo, seeing this, waved his hand and a streak of mana hit the delicate chains around the charm spirit''s ankles. With a light ¡°click,¡± the chains immediately burst open. The Leaf Sprite, upon seeing this, paused in her ascent, looking at Shen Luo with disbelief. She felt an innate closeness to Wu Man''er but had no such feelings for Shen Luo. In fact, she sensed in him an aura that filled her with fear and revulsion. Thus, she had always been on her guard, but she never thought that Shen Luo would release her so effortlessly. However, after only a moment of hesitation, the Leaf Sprite rapidly flapped her crystal wings, shooting upwards in altitude, leaving behind a trail of green light, and vanished in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo, watching this, remained unfazed, not at all surprised. ¡°She hasn''t fully recovered yet; walking away like this, won''t it be a problem¡­¡± Wu Man''er muttered somewhat worriedly as she watched where the Leaf Sprite had disappeared. ¡°Charm spirits are adept at flying and hiding, and having been captured once, she should be more careful from now on. There''s no need to worry too much,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Wu Man''er nodded and said no more. Having just entered Yunmeng Marsh, the distant lakeshore line was still visible, so there was no immediate issue with losing one''s sense of direction. So, Shen Luo steered the flying boat, heading deeper into the Big Swamp. The waterways were wide along the way, with the occasional sandbar islands poking above the water''s surface, on which egrets and ducks rested, looking no different from the lakes and marshes outside. After traveling inland for dozens of miles, a fog began to rise from the water''s surface. The humidity wasn''t severe, nor was there any toxicity. Navigating through it was like being shrouded in a mist on a spring day, filled with a cool and moist feeling. Shen Luo and Wu Man''er gradually relaxed. The color of the water area ahead began to darken, and the waterweeds growing in it started to thicken. Just then, Shen Luo caught sight of a clump of water grass suddenly emerging from the water''s surface, revealing two round, bulging eyes that looked around warily at them. Shen Luo merely glanced at it and then averted his gaze, paying it no further attention. ¡°That''s a frog spirit monster; they are extremely timid and cautious,¡± Wu Man''er said with a chuckle. ¡°Man''er, I''ve always been a bit unclear on this¨Cwhat''s the difference between monster spirits and charm spirits?¡± Shen Luo asked. Chapter 1152 Chapter 1152: Chapter 149 Admonition Chapter 1152: Chapter 149 Admonition ¡°It''s indeed difficult to distinguish, charm spirits are mostly female and are mostly formed by plants such as grass and trees turning into spirits, whereas monster spirits are mostly male and are often formed from fleshly spirit bodies. However, this isn''t a strict division, like with the ginseng spirit¨Cthough it''s a type of flowering herb, it''s still classified as a monster spirit,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°Legend has it that the breeding grounds for charm spirits and monster spirits are often places abundant with spiritual energy, treasured feng shui sites. But looking at this place now, with its average spiritual energy, it doesn''t quite fit the bill,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Hmm, it is a bit strange. Frog monster spirits are wary by nature and usually hide at the bottom of the water in the silt of their self-made underwater palace, hardly ever surfacing. A situation like the one we have now, where it''s watching us from a distance, almost never happens. Unless¡­,¡± Wu Man''er mused. ¡°Unless this isn''t its place of residence,¡± Shen Luo added. No sooner had he spoken than he immediately turned his gaze to a sandbank not far away. There, lush aquatic plants thrived, among which dense reeds grew. Behind those reeds, the lake surface rippled slightly. It seemed calm, but underneath lurked a sneaky figure, clutching a handful of transparent crystal threads. Just as Shen Luo and Wu Man''er''s flying boat passed by nearby, that figure suddenly yanked on the crystal thread, and the water area ten zhang around instantly boiled. A large net submerged at the bottom of the water suddenly tightened, releasing a great amount of snowy white thunder light, making the lake surface crackle. Thick clouds of blood rapidly spread through the water. A large number of fish and shrimp living in the water were shredded by the thunder light and filtered out by the electric net. ¡°Wuu wuu¡­¡± A wail like that of a crying child reached their ears; the frog spirit monster was trapped at the center of the electric net, unable to escape and seemingly about to be captured by the slowly closing net. Wu Man''er''s face showed a hint of pity, and she was just about to lift her wrist when Shen Luo stopped her. As she looked on in confusion, Shen Luo raised his hand and waved. Instantly, a green talisman shot out from his sleeve like an arrow, stirring up a splash on the lake. As the water waves caused by the electric net obscured it, the talisman flew in. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A muffled thunder sounded, and the talisman paper abruptly shot forth snowy white lightning that mingled with the net''s own thunder light without combining with it. Instead, it blasted a large hole in the net. The frog spirit monster that was seemingly out of options saw an avenue of escape before it. It jumped from the lake surface, bounced once in the void, and darted through the hole in the net, falling back into the water. In an instant, the lake surface undulated with huge ripples, as though a firecracker was thrown in, throwing up waves several zhang high. As the dense white smoke beneath the water dispersed, the frog spirit monster had vanished without a trace. The human cultivator who had been lying in ambush under the water for days emerged, frustrated and confused about how his electric net was broken. All he could do was slap the water and curse in all directions. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother Shen,¡± Wu Man''er said, her eyes flashing with joy. ¡°It was just a helping hand¡­ But it looks like something has recently happened in Yunmeng Marsh,¡± Shen Luo pondered. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Wu Man''er asked, puzzled. ¡°Did you notice earlier, by the shoreside, that there were so many people gathering and calling out to form teams? It shows they''ve gathered here temporarily; it shouldn''t be that there are always so many people around,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Is it just for this reason?¡± Wu Man''er''s beautiful brows slightly raised. ¡°Moreover, this frog spirit monster shouldn''t have appeared here, it doesn''t match their cautious and timid nature. So it''s likely that it was driven out of its original habitat by an invasion, forced to flee. The fact that it made it to the periphery of Yunmeng Marsh indicates something must have happened inside the marsh,¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Could it have something to do with the Ginkgo Divine Tree?¡± Wu Man''er asked, frowning. ¡°I can''t be sure for the moment, but it''s probably not good news for us,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head solemnly. As they were talking, a wind suddenly rose on the lake surface, and a dense white fog rolled in from the distance like a high wall pushing toward them. Watching the thick fog rolling in, it quickly submerged the flying boat. Before the fog got too close, Shen Luo had already checked it, the fog was not poisonous, but it seemed to be filled with a faint scent of blood, and there were also some wisps of Yin Qi lingering within it. ¡°This fog is different from the one before, let''s be careful,¡± Shen Luo warned. Wu Man''er nodded her head, not speaking, just slightly shaking the silver bell in her hand. Shen Luo knew that she was controlling Gu insects to scout the way, so he did not ask further. The two of them proceeded through the fog for moments; the gloom ahead became ever thicker, to the point where one could no longer see very far. Shen Luo thought about it and decided to light the Road Guidance Lamp after all. With a flick of his wrist, he took out the object resembling a Sky Lantern and followed the usage steps explained by the clerk in Tianji City, first tying the Red String connected to the lamp to the bow of the flying boat. Then, he pointed with his fingers and a wisp of Mana immediately entered the Road Guidance Lamp. Inside the lamp, a flame small as a bean sprang up ¡°suddenly,¡± flickering inside the lamp. Immediately afterward, without any smoke rising from the flame, the body of the lamp started to expand rapidly and gently floated up toward midair. When it flew two to three zhang high, the Road Guidance Lamp then steadily hung in the air. Shen Luo looked closely and saw a fan-shaped leaf pattern on the inner wall of the lamp, which emanated a golden gloss under the reflection of the firelight. At this moment, the wind on the lake surface gradually picked up, but unexpectedly, the Road Guidance Lamp hanging in midair did not get blown backwards by the wind, but instead tilted forward and drifted against the wind. It looked as though something ahead was attracting it. ¡°So that''s how it is, they are truly clever. To think they could make money from such simply made Road Guidance Lamps is truly impressive,¡± Wu Man''er said with a clap and a smile upon seeing this. ¡°What did you see?¡± Shen Luo asked with curiosity. ¡°Big Brother Shen, what is that inside the wall of the lamp?¡± Wu Man''er asked. ¡°Leaves¡­ they look like Ginkgo tree leaves,¡± after scrutinizing it carefully, Shen Luo replied. ¡°That must be the leaf of the Divine Tree we''re looking for, the principle behind this Road Guidance Lamp is to make use of the Ginkgo Divine Tree''s innate ability of its leaves returning to the root,¡± Wu Man''er explained with a smile. ¡°Leaves returning to the root?¡± Shen Luo asked with surprise. ¡°The leaves of the Ginkgo Divine Tree, as they fall, still retain spiritual energy within, and are drawn toward the tree''s roots due to the tree''s pull, finally turning back into energy and returning to the Divine Tree itself,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°I see, so the leaf here, because I infused it with Mana, triggered its leaves returning to the root characteristic; therefore, if we follow the Road Guidance Lamp, not only will we not get lost, but we will also be led straight to the Divine Tree?¡± Shen Luo caught on immediately. ¡°Just follow the Road Guidance Lamp, and you''ll certainly be dead,¡± It was at that moment that a somewhat gentle voice suddenly drifted down from the air. Chapter 1153 Chapter 1153: Chapter 1150: About to Mature Chapter 1153: Chapter 1150: About to Mature ¡°Who?¡± Wu Man''er was somewhat surprised and hurriedly scanned the surroundings. However, Shen Luo directly looked toward mid-air, where the red thread connected to the Road Guidance Lamp had an inconspicuous bend. No sooner had Wu Man''er finished speaking than a delicate figure the size of a palm emerged. It was the Leaf Sprite they had let go earlier, half-leaning, half-sitting on the red thread, pressing a bent section into it. ¡°It''s you, why have you come back¡­¡± Wu Man''er exclaimed with surprise and delight. ¡°This little guy never left at all, he just concealed his form the whole time, following us,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What, I didn''t notice at all,¡± Wu Man''er said in astonishment. ¡°You discovered me?¡± the Leaf Sprite was also somewhat surprised. ¡°If I didn''t focus and observe carefully, I wouldn''t have found you,¡± Shen Luo said. Only then did Wu Man''er realize that Shen Luo, who seemed calm and relaxed all along, had been releasing his divine soul and cautiously guarding against the surroundings ever since they entered Yunmeng Marsh. ¡°So did you know I was following you when you decided to save that frog spirit monster?¡± the Leaf Sprite asked, rising from the red thread and folding her arms, floating in mid-air. This question was actually somewhat nonsensical, leaving Wu Man''er looking at the charm spirit with a puzzled face. It took a moment for Shen Luo to react before he laughed and said, ¡°It was just a casual act, is there a need to make you feel good for you to do so?¡± It was only then that Wu Man''er understood. What the Leaf Sprite had misunderstood was that Shen Luo''s earlier release of her and his subsequent rescue of the frog spirit monster were just for show, all to gain her favor for some unspeakable purpose. Shen Luo''s reaction, though, made it clear to her¨Cshe was overthinking! The Leaf Sprite''s little face flushed red, and she pursed her lips but said no more. ¡°Why are you following us?¡± Shen Luo asked. Seeing his stern tone, the Leaf Sprite felt displeased and descended from mid-air. When she came before Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, she stood with one hand on her hip and the other pointing at Shen Luo''s nose, ¡°Look clearly, I am not following you, I am following this sister here.¡± ¡°That''s a coincidence, because this sister is following me,¡± Shen Luo responded unruffled. ¡°I¡­¡± The Leaf Sprite was infuriated but helpless. Seeing this, Wu Man''er covered her mouth and chuckled, hastily stepping in to smooth things over. ¡°My name is Wu Man''er, and this is Big Brother Shen Luo. What''s your name?¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yuanyuan,¡± the Leaf Sprite glanced at Shen Luo and then turned to Wu Man''er and answered. ¡°Yuanyuan¡­ that''s a nice name. So, why are you following us?¡± Wu Man''er mildly admired the name before continuing her inquiry. ¡°Sister Man''er, are you looking for the Divine Tree?¡± Instead of a direct reply, Yuanyuan asked. ¡°That''s right,¡± Wu Man''er nodded. ¡°Then you mustn''t follow this broken lamp anymore,¡± Yuanyuan said, pointing at the lamp above them. ¡°Why is that?¡± Wu Man''er quickly asked. Shen Luo also frowned, looking at the Leaf Sprite. ¡°You are unaware that the Divine Tree has encountered a calamity, and now a great demon occupies it. In order not to let others touch the Divine Tree, it has set up an array around the periphery of the Divine Tree, blocking the diffusion of the tree''s spiritual breath. Nowadays, these Road Guidance Lamps made from the Divine Tree''s leaves have lost their function. Being led astray by it, one could easily become lost in Yunmeng Marsh,¡± Yuanyuan paused, organizing her thoughts before explaining. ¡°Occupied by a great demon? What great demon?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°I haven''t seen it, so I don''t know,¡± Yuanyuan shook her head. Seeing the puzzled looks on Shen Luo and Wu Man''er''s faces, she continued, ¡°That great demon also has many formidable monster underlings. Just a few of them coming out would be enough for us charm spirits and monster spirits to be no match, let alone needing it to take action.¡± ¡°Why does this great demon want to monopolize the Ginkgo Divine Tree?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Of course, it''s because the Divine Tree is about to bear fruit,¡± Yuanyuan said. Shen Luo and Wu Man''er exchanged a glance, obviously not having anticipated that their arrival would coincide with this event so closely. ¡°Are you not here for the Divine Tree Fruit?¡± Yuanyuan asked, surprised by their reactions. Both Shen Luo and Wu Man''er shook their heads at the same time. ¡°How strange. Which cultivator entering Yunmeng Marsh at this time isn''t here for the Divine Tree Fruit? That is a Spirit Fruit that only appears once every 500 years. It is said that ordinary animals that consume it can gain Spiritual Wisdom, charm spirits can extend their lifespan by one hundred years, and increase their cultivation level, a Heavenly Treasure akin to Ginseng Fruit,¡± Yuanyuan said, astonished. Shen Luo had no prior knowledge of any Divine Tree within Yunmeng Marsh, let alone that the tree bore Spirit Fruit once every 500 years. Otherwise, he would have come here to try his luck at increasing his lifespan. ¡°According to the elders of our clan¡­¡± Yuanyuan was still speaking, yet for some reason, she suddenly stopped. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Wu Man''er asked, seeing that her expression had changed, her voice filled with concern. ¡°Last time, that Water Python demon from under the great demon''s command attacked our clan territory, killing many people. The Granny who raised me was eaten by it in one bite. Actually, I don''t even know where to go after leaving you¡­¡± Yuanyuan''s eyes reddened, her mood turned low, and even her wings drooped down behind her. ¡°Yuanyuan¡­¡± Wu Man''er, not knowing how to comfort her, could only softly call out her name. ¡°Did any others from your clan survive besides you?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I don''t know. I fled in a panic not long ago, and was then caught by a group of human cultivators who set up a formation. Whether anyone from my clan is still alive, I don''t know,¡± Yuanyuan said with a pained expression, quietly starting to sob. ¡°Since you don''t know yet, don''t give up hope. First, let''s find the other members of your clan,¡± Shen Luo suggested. On hearing this, a glimmer of light couldn''t help but appear in Yuanyuan''s eyes. ¡°Right, I need to find them first,¡± she immediately nodded firmly, raising her hand to wipe away the tears at the corner of her eyes. ¡°We will¡­¡± Wu Man''er began to speak but felt it might be inappropriate, hastily looking to Shen Luo with an inquiring gaze. Shen Luo understood and silently nodded in acknowledgment. Only then did Wu Man''er continue, ¡°Don''t be afraid, we will help you.¡± ¡°You saved me, and now you are willing to help me. You are the kindest and best people I have ever met. If you are looking for the Divine Tree, I will help you too,¡± Yuanyuan said, gratitude flashing in her eyes. Shen Luo thought to himself that excluding him and Wu Man''er, the only other people she had probably seen were those who captured and traded her. ¡°Alright, then let''s consider this an alliance,¡± Wu Man''er said with a smile and a nod. ¡°What else do you know about the Divine Tree and the great demon?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°When I fled, the Divine Tree had already begun to emit a fragrant aroma, indicating that the time for it to bear fruit is almost upon us. Once the fruit appears, it only needs one day and one night to absorb the essence of the sun and moon to mature. When the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit ripens, it will sense the heavens and automatically shoot off in all directions. The creatures of Yunmeng Marsh can then obtain it by chance,¡± Yuanyuan explained. Chapter 1154 Chapter 1154: Chapter 1151: Water Ape''s Surprise Attack Chapter 1154: Chapter 1151: Water Ape''s Surprise Attack ¡°If that big demon sets up a formation, won''t it prevent the dispersal of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, monopolizing them completely?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows and said. ¡°According to the elders in our clan, when the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit shoots out, it causes a huge commotion, and ordinary Monster Spirits don''t have the courage to intercept it, they only wait for them to fall and then seek them out depending on fate,¡± Yuanyuan continued to say. ¡°What else do you know about that big demon?¡± Shen Luo nodded thoughtfully and then asked. ¡°I only know that he has been entrenched in the deeper areas of Yunmeng Marsh since many years ago. He wasn''t well known before, but just recently, he suddenly emerged with his minions and has since monopolized the Divine Tree. He doesn''t allow other demons or charm spirits to touch it and has even sent his subordinates to aggressively drive away and slaughter our people,¡± Yuanyuan said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a while and then said: ¡°No matter what, we have to make the journey. Let''s first help you find your clan, and then go check out the situation near the Divine Tree,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Yuanyuan''s eyes became a bit moist again. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel somewhat emotional, realizing that the thoughts of these charm spirits were indeed too simple. With the Leaf Sprite acting as a guide, Shen Luo simply put away the Road Guidance Lamp and steered the flying boat toward the depths of Yunmeng Marsh. As they moved further into the marsh, a thick fog began to blanket the lake surface, and even the divine soul that was extended outwards gradually became disrupted. When passing through a wide water area of the marsh, still a hundred feet away, Yuanyuan suddenly called for the flying boat to stop, her small face tight with nervousness as she looked toward the vast misty waves on the lake surface ahead. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°We have always called this lake Mirror Smoke Lake, and there lives a temperamental Water Ape here year-round. We have never dared to approach it; let''s take a detour,¡± Yuanyuan said after a slight hesitation. ¡°That sounds good.¡± Shen Luo did not want any unexpected problems and quickly agreed. He immediately steered the flying boat, changing direction, and started to take a detour to the right side of Mirror Smoke Lake. Just as the flying boat reached halfway, a thunderous beast roar came from the direction of Mirror Smoke Lake. A water wave nearly a hundred feet high rolled over the sky like a tall wall, bearing down on Shen Luo and his companions. Seeing this, Shen Luo raised his hand and swung down at the water waves. A several hundred feet long Sword Qi burst forth from his palm, like a sword connecting the sky, slicing through high altitude and directly splitting the water wave in half. ¡°Whoosh¡­¡± The divided water waves emptied out on both sides, creating an immense noise. A giant figure, tens of feet tall, emerged from the lake surface, striding over the waves and running wildly towards Shen Luo. It was shaped like an old ape but was hairless. Instead, it was covered with green scales. Its hands and feet were webbed together, and it exuded an aura of ferociousness. Shen Luo focused his gaze and noticed that there were many wounds all over its body, especially on the right shoulder and chest, where large patches of scales had fallen off, revealing two huge bloody holes. Judging by the unhealed state of the wounds, it must have recently gone through a great battle for its life. ¡°Don''t come over; we mean no harm, we''re just passing through¡­¡± Seeing the Water Ape rushing wildly over, Yuanyuan quickly flew up to meet it, shouting loudly to stop it. The Water Ape glanced at the slender, tiny figure, completely ignoring it. At the moment, all it wanted to do was pound those two humans into a pulp. ¡°Get¡­ away¡­¡± The Water Ape bellowed, and a powerful gust of wind instantly blew Yuanyuan away. ¡°` Wu Man''er saw what was happening and immediately took flight, carefully catching her in his arms. The Water Ape locked onto Shen Luo with fierce eyes, stamped heavily on the lake surface, causing thousands of waves to erupt, and instantly surged into high altitude, with both fists pounding down on top of Shen Luo''s head. After probing, Shen Luo discovered that the Water Ape was at the Peak Nascent Soul stage, which gave him some relief. He raised both hands above his head, grasped at the void, and the Profound Yellow Staff appeared in his hands. He gripped the staff with both hands, holding it horizontally, and met the Water Ape''s attack. With a loud ¡°Boom!¡± The Water Ape''s giant fist smashed on the Profound Yellow Staff, transforming into a mountainous force that bore down. Shen Luo, however, remained unmoved, not even his arms bending in the slightest. Instead, the flying boat beneath him couldn''t maintain stability and was smashed into the lake water below. Seeing this, the Water Ape''s pupils instantly dilated. Just now, it had exerted twelve points of its strength with that strike. An ordinary human, even if they had deeper cultivation, should not have been able to withstand it physically. Even if they could, they should not have remained so relaxed. But before it could understand what happened, it had already been struck in the chest by Shen Luo''s Profound Yellow Staff and sent flying backward. After skidding a huge mark on the lake surface, the Water Ape fell heavily into the water, causing waves to splash. It struggled desperately to stand up, but just as it managed to get on its feet, its shoulder was hit with a ¡°thump¡±, striking its already injured right shoulder and smashing it into the bottom of the lake. By now, the Water Ape naturally knew it was no match for the person in front of it and sank to the bottom of the lake, trying to escape with the momentum of the water. But it had only leapt out ten or so feet when it suddenly felt a tightness around it, as if the lake water itself was squeezing in on it. Before it could realize what was happening, its form was forcibly twisted, and its entire body was caught in an upwelling water wave that shot it straight out from the bottom of the lake into the sky. After being suspended in mid-air, the water wave enveloping it transformed, twisting into thick water ropes that firmly bound it in mid-air. Just when it was about to struggle, a Crimson Flying Sword engulfed in flames was already hovering at its brow. ¡°Why did you attack us?¡± Shen Luo flew up in front of the Water Ape and asked with a frown. ¡°The puny human race¡­ all deserve to die,¡± the Water Ape said fiercely, without any fear. ¡°The injuries on your body, were they caused by the human race?¡± Shen Luo inspected the Water Ape again and asked. The Water Ape just snorted coldly and stiffened its neck, waiting for death. ¡°Still got quite a temper¡­ How did you get the injuries on your body? They don''t seem to be caused by the human race. Tell the truth, and maybe you''ll live,¡± Shen Luo said with a frown, his voice growing cold. The Water Ape didn''t believe Shen Luo''s words but still said, ¡°Shameless human race, only knows how to attack and ambush when I''m injured.¡± Shen Luo looked back at Wu Man''er, who had not made a move from start to finish, then at the Water Ape in front of him, showing anger, somewhat surprised, the two of us ganged up on you? ¡°It was clearly you who ambushed me first, right?¡± Shen Luo said, nonplussed. The Water Ape''s face stiffened for a moment, then it mumbled, ¡°I wasn''t talking about you.¡± ¡°Then who was it?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Don''t know them, they''re all a bunch of shameless wretches. They took advantage of me fighting the Water Python and getting injured, came to kill me. I ate half of them; the other half got so scared they ran away¡­¡± The Water Ape paused mid-sentence, then slowly catching on, asked tentatively, ¡°You''re not here to get revenge for them, are you?¡± Chapter 1155 Chapter 1155: Chapter 1152: Great Demon of the Evil Deity Chapter 1155: Chapter 1152: Great Demon of the Evil Deity Upon hearing the somewhat incoherent words of the Water Ape, Shen Luo felt quite speechless. What was any of this supposed to mean? At this moment, Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan also flew closer. ¡°The Water Python you''re talking about, is it the subordinate of the powerful demon that monopolized the Divine Tree?¡± Yuanyuan asked. ¡°Yes, it''s him. What about it?¡± The Water Ape asked with some confusion. ¡°He didn''t kill you?¡± Yuanyuan continued with doubt. ¡°I have formidable cultivation skills. How could he kill me just because he wants to? If he dares to come again, I, I¡­ will skin him.¡± The Water Ape puffed up his chest, but his voice clearly lacked confidence as he finished his sentence. ¡°Tell the truth,¡± Shen Luo said coldly. The Pure Yang Flying Sword suspended at the Water Ape''s forehead moved an inch closer, the flames of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire beginning to lick at the Water Ape''s eyebrows. ¡°I¡­ can''t beat him, and indeed, I almost got killed by him. But for some reason, when he was about to deliver the killing blow, the guy seemed to suddenly receive an urgent summoning and left me there to run off by himself,¡± the Water Ape said begrudgingly under the threat of the sword. ¡°Received an urgent summoning¡­ Most likely, he was summoned by that powerful demon. What do you know about that powerful demon?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°You mean that one?¡± Hearing this, the Water Ape shrank his neck and spoke. He dared to call himself ¡°I¡± when talking about the Water Python, but he was deeply fearful of that powerful demon. ¡°Quit the nonsense. Tell me everything you know,¡± Shen Luo said with a frown. ¡°That one is a very murderous Evil Deity. When he came to Yunmeng Marsh that year, he killed every demon he encountered along the way, not leaving even a complete corpse behind. It''s said that afterward, to avoid his enemies, he''s been hiding deep in Yunmeng Marsh, recovering and increasing his strength. These years, he gradually gathered some powerful demon subordinates, and only then did he start making moves again¡­¡± The Water Ape swallowed nervously as he spoke. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I didn''t ask you that. What kind of creature is that powerful demon, what is his cultivation level, and what kind of God''s Power does he have?¡± Shen Luo huffed coldly and continued to question. ¡°That¡­ I don''t know. No one who has fought him has ever come back alive, except for a few trusted powerful demons under his command. I''m afraid no spirits or monsters in Yunmeng Marsh could say much about him,¡± the Water Ape spread his hands and said. Shen Luo sighed inwardly. Apart from knowing about the urgent summoning of his subordinates, there wasn''t any useful information. ¡°Enough, get lost.¡± With a wave of his robe, Shen Luo dispersed the water stream entwined around the Water Ape and simultaneously retracted the Flying Swords. ¡°You''re not going to kill me?¡± the Water Ape said in surprise. ¡°What, do you actually want to die that badly?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and gave him a sidelong glance. Without another word, the Water Ape clasped his fists, somersaulted, and plunged into the water. He quickly made a white line in the water, swimming away into the distance. Yet, after swimming a hundred feet, he suddenly poked his head out of the water and yelled at Shen Luo, ¡°Whatever you are inquiring about that powerful demon for, I advise you, if you don''t want to die, don''t get involved with that guy.¡± After saying that, he dove back into the water and didn''t reemerge. ¡°This guy doesn''t seem all that bad¡­¡± Yuanyuan muttered. ¡°Not all villains look like Evil and Ferocious Deities, and those who appear vicious aren''t necessarily irredeemably evil,¡± Shen Luo said with some profound meaning. Yuanyuan recalled for a moment and then nodded vehemently, ¡°Yes, that Water Python looked quite clean and tidy, but in reality, he was rotten to the core, with no one more wicked than him.¡± After speaking, she warily glanced at Shen Luo and suddenly noticed that he was quite good-looking too. Therefore, the Leaf Sprite flapped her wings and moved a few inches closer to Wu Man''er. The group set out once again. After flying for a while, Yuanyuan couldn''t help but draw a bit nearer to Shen Luo and asked, ¡°So¡­ the Water Ape said that the powerful demon is very cruel and very strong. Are you still planning on going?¡± ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Why? Just to help me find my tribespeople?¡± Yuanyuan frowned. ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Luo shook his head. The feathers on Yuanyuan''s back drooped slightly, showing a touch of disappointment. ¡°What we''re looking for isn''t that big demon, but the Divine Tree. Besides helping you search for your tribespeople, we need to obtain the essence of the Ginkgo Divine Tree,¡± Shen Luo continued. Hearing this answer, Yuanyuan''s wings stretched out again. She was very satisfied with this answer, even more so than if Shen Luo had said he was ¡°just there to help her search for her tribespeople.¡± Wu Man''er watched this and couldn''t help but smile more at the corners of her eyes. Among the charm spirits, aside from those skilled in bewitching the hearts of men, most are simple-minded like this, wearing their emotions on their sleeves. Time flew by, and it was already several days later. The deeper they went into Yunmeng Marsh, the thicker the dark clouds gathered in the sky became, and Shen Luo and his companions had not seen the sun for three days now. The temperature inside the big swamp was quite high, filled with the slightly fishy smell of decay from the mud. ¡°It''s going to be miasma rain. We need to find a place to take shelter from the rain,¡± Yuanyuan said listlessly, affected by the stifling environment as she lay on Wu Man''er''s shoulder and pointed to the sky. ¡°What is miasma rain?¡± Wu Man''er asked curiously. ¡°The clouds above our heads are a poisonous barrier of rot that never dissipates. They keep building up, and after a period of time, they will release a miasma rain. Though it''s less toxic than the poisonous barrier, it''s quite troublesome for those of us who are charm spirits,¡± Yuanyuan said, perking up a bit as she explained. ¡°Then let''s take shelter from the rain,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°From here to that direction, less than a hundred li away, there''s an Umbrella Cloud Tree we can use for shelter,¡± Yuanyuan hurriedly said. Shen Luo, following the direction she pointed, sped up and flew away. ¡°Boom¡± Just then, a white Light Mark streaked across the leaden clouds above them, followed by the sound of a thunderous thunderclap. The immense roar of thunder rolled across the wilderness for a long time before gradually dying down. Following that, the sound of rain ¡°swish swish¡± could be heard from the sky. As the curtain of rain enveloped them, fog began to spread all around, soon obscuring an area of several thousands of li. Yuanyuan lay on Wu Man''er''s shoulder, her four wings spread out above her head to shield herself from the rain, only to find that within the range of their flying boat, not a single drop of rain fell. For Shen Luo, controlling water like this was child''s play. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­ since you have such abilities, don''t we no longer need to take shelter from the rain?¡± It was the first time Yuanyuan called out the words ¡°Big Brother Shen,¡± her tone full of confusion. ¡°It''s alright. We''ve also been on the road for several days, so it''s good to find a place to rest,¡± Shen Luo said. In fact, he noticed that Yuanyuan had been tirelessly guiding and pointing out the direction for them for days now, so he intended to let her rest a bit. Yuanyuan simply said ¡°Oh,¡± but felt somewhat happy in her heart. Chapter 1156 Chapter 1156: Chapter 1153: Narrow Road Encounter Again Chapter 1156: Chapter 1153: Narrow Road Encounter Again Shen Luo and his companion had not been flying forward for long when they could already make out a vast, hazy shadow in the wilderness ahead. The shadow was shaped like a gigantic umbrella, its canopy covering an area almost a hundred feet in radius. As they drew closer, Shen Luo finally saw clearly that the ¡°gigantic umbrella¡± was indeed a towering ancient tree reaching dozens of feet into the sky. The tree trunk was thick and straight, and the tree crown was wide and dense, covering nearly a hundred feet around. ¡°We''re almost there¡­¡± Yuanyuan only then recovered a bit of vitality and flew up excitedly. ¡°Right, Big Brother Shen, Sister Wu, every time the Miasma Rain fell, there would be charm spirits and monster spirits who couldn''t make it home in time; they would take shelter from the rain both above and under the tree. Even if they are natural enemies, they would not attack each other at such times. However, most of them are quite timid, especially afraid of the Human Race and the Demon Clan. When you get there, remember to move gently, so as not to scare them,¡± Yuanyuan suddenly recalled and hastily instructed. Wu Man''er and Shen Luo exchanged looks, smiles appearing in their eyes, and they nodded one after another. Yet, just as they were about to fly down to the tree, an abrupt burst of light exploded from the canopy above. Accompanied by a ¡°boom¡± of a loud bang. A ball of flames the size of a human head burst open at the top of the tree, scattering countless sparks that fell on various parts of the tree crown, igniting tufts of crimson flames. The flames were clearly not ordinary; they burned fiercely and viciously. Tongues of fire licked towards every part of the tree crown, quickly setting the entire top of the tree ablaze. Even though there was a sky filled with Miasma Rain, it couldn''t extinguish those flames at all. Shen Luo furrowed his brows and saw that within the flames in the tree canopy, figures were fleeing, rushing into the Miasma Rain and escaping in all directions. But before their silhouettes could escape the tree crown, there were nets, flickering with electric light, that sprung up from the surrounding area, intercepting and capturing them one by one. As the electric nets contracted, agonizing screams came incessantly from below the giant tree. Yuanyuan heard the screams, her expression changed drastically, and she immediately became tense. Shen Luo listened closely, his brow furrowed. Among the screams, there were also sounds of relaxed and joyful chatter. ¡°Haha, caught another one¡­¡± ¡°Hey, there''s even a Misty Flower Spirit Charm, that''s valuable¡­¡± ¡°And a Leaf Sprite¡­¡± ¡°Young Master, could you gift this Misty Flower Spirit Charm to this old man?¡± At that moment, a somewhat familiar voice rang out. ¡°Wait here for a moment; I''ll go take a look,¡± said Shen Luo upon hearing the voice, instructing them before promptly concealing his qi and flying onto the still burning giant tree. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the flames were not ordinary, they were hardly anything to Shen Luo now. He focused his gaze downward and saw seven or eight figures gathered together, surrounded by a dozen shrunken electric nets. Each net held a charm spirit of various shapes. Judging by the effort they put into struggling, it was clear none of them were formidable characters, and not one could break free on their own. Among the people surrounding them, Shen Luo unexpectedly saw four familiar faces. Among them were the Bald Big Man and the Thin Man he had previously encountered at Tianji City''s market, and the other two were the man in blue robes and his attendant Yuan, with whom they had had a conflict at the edge of Yunmeng Marsh. The young man was tapping his folding fan as if he was considering the earlier request from Attendant Yuan. ¡°Master Yuan, everyone is well aware of what a Misty Flower Spirit Charm can do. Are you sure your body can take it?¡± A bow-backed man spoke up with a tease. As everyone knows, the Misty Flower Spirit Charm specializes in crafting dreams, particularly those brief and enchanting dreams of spring nights. ¡°Bow-Back Camel, you shut your mouth. You think I won''t smash your copper pot and cure you of your illness?¡± Attendant Yuan, having his thoughts exposed, flew into a rage. ¡°Young Master, I can''t give you the Misty Flower Spirit Charm for now; I still have use for her,¡± the young man finally said, snapping the folding fan shut with a grasp. ¡°Young Master, are you still preoccupied with that foreign-dressed woman?¡± Attendant Yuan inquired. ¡°I have seen countless people, but it was the first time I witnessed such an ethereal and pure woman. The natural and refreshing aura emitting from her is truly rare in this world, a supreme rarity¡­ Alas, what a pity¡­¡± The young man''s thoughts had strayed to Wu Man''er''s figure, her demeanor, that¡­ His reminiscing was interrupted by the sudden image of Shen Luo in his mind, causing him to shiver and lose all his enthusiasm. Until now, he still believed he had been hexed, a nefarious deed of Shen Luo''s doing. ¡°The woman is indeed good, but it''s a pity she has a formidable protector by her side¨Cat least a master of the Great Mahayana Stage. Otherwise, she would already be serving in front of the Young Master¡­¡± Attendant Yuan sighed. ¡°It''s nothing but your own incompetence that led to the Young Master''s unfulfilled desires. If I had been there, and that man dared to lay a finger on the Young Master, I would have flayed him and dismantled his bones, throwing him into the silt of the Big Swamp to soak for a hundred years,¡± another voice asserted from beneath the tree. Peering through the gaps in the tree trunk, Shen Luo saw a scruffy man dressed in short clothes, unremarkable in appearance and with a face full of stubble. Seen on a street corner, he would probably be mistaken for a jobless vagrant. Yet, while Attendant Yuan was domineering over Bow-Back Camel, he didn''t dare to let out a peep in front of this sloppy man, clearly indicating the latter''s strength was far superior to his own. However, since arriving here, Shen Luo''s attention to this group of individuals was only secondary; he was much more drawn to a man in white sitting somewhat apart from the rest. The man had a tall and slender build and handsome features, save for his elongated eyes and thin lips, which gave him a somewhat effeminate appearance. He seemed indifferent to the lively dispute happening not far from him, as if he didn''t care at all, merely lifting his head from time to time to admire the flames that burned in the tree canopy. A faint demon aura emanated from him, and Shen Luo couldn''t yet tell if he was associated with the other humans. The people below the tree were completely oblivious to Shen Luo above them, with their conversations becoming increasingly unrestrained. The thin man seemed to harbor a special affection for the Leaf Sprite, having already extracted her from the electric net. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly; the Leaf Sprite, much like Yuanyuan, appeared to be from the same clan, with nearly ninety percent similarity in appearance, although she seemed somewhat plumper and older than Yuanyuan. ¡°Hehe, Young Master, how about gifting this charm spirit to the two of us brothers?¡± he said with a sleazy laugh, licking his lips. The young man only spared a glance before dismissively waving his hand. ¡°It''s yours.¡± With their master''s consent, the thin man beamed with delight, reaching out to grab the Leaf Sprite''s clothes. In terms of strength and physique, the sprite stood no chance against the thin man; there was no possibility of escape. ¡°Stop.¡± Suddenly, a harsh shout came from a distance. Immediately after, a streak of blue light flashed swiftly through the void, vanishing in an instant. Chapter 1157 – 1157 1154 The White Chapter 1157: Chapter 1154: The White-Clothed Man Chapter 1157: Chapter 1154: The White-Clothed Man The thin man was puzzled when suddenly a streak of green light flashed before his eyes. Immediately after, his right eye sprayed blood as a verdant wooden fiber had pierced his eyeball. ¡°Ah¡­¡± With a terrible scream, the thin man released his grip on the Leaf Sprite. Yuanyuan''s figure appeared in the void, grabbing her fellow sprite''s arm. With a flash of light, they were about to flee and escape. At that moment, a bolt of lightning crackled in the void. Immediately after, a net of electricity intercepted from mid air, caging both Leaf Sprites who had yet to hide their forms. ¡°Haha, some even deliver themselves into the net,¡± the Bow-Back Camel exclaimed in delight upon seeing this. Everyone was also taken aback; at such a time, there were actually those who weren''t afraid to die and deliver themselves to the door, surrounding them quickly. Attendant Yuan walked up with interest and upon seeing Yuanyuan, couldn''t help frowning. ¡°Young master, doesn''t this Leaf Sprite look familiar¡­¡± he immediately turned back and called out. The young man, upon hearing this, also came over to take a look and instantly said, ¡°Isn''t this the charm spirit on that woman''s shoulder?¡± The Bald Big Man and the thin man also quickly recalled the memory. All of them looked around alertly, but after moments of waiting without anyone appearing, they all breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Perhaps the charm spirit escaped from those two,¡± Attendant Yuan said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. The scruffy man leaning against the tree suddenly rolled to his feet, shouting, ¡°What''s there to fear? If they really dare to come, today we must envelop the heavens and carpet the earth to fulfill the young master''s dream.¡± In the midst of speaking, he bent down and reached through the electric net towards Yuanyuan. Just as his palm was about to touch Yuanyuan, a tiny, inconspicuous black insect the size of a grain of rice slowly landed on the back of his hand. The scruffy man paid it no mind, slapping it with the back of his hand, smashing the insect into a red dot. He pulled open the electric net, grasped Yuanyuan in his hand, and lifted her to show everyone. ¡°Hmph, just a small charm spirit, and we should be afraid?¡± The scruffy man boasted while increasing the strength in his hand, actually entertaining the thought of crushing her to death. However, at that moment, an odd expression suddenly appeared on his face, and he couldn''t help but scratch the spot where he had just killed the insect. After this scratch, the scruffy man couldn''t stop anymore, only then realizing that the tiny red dot on the back of his hand had turned into a patch of irregularly shaped red welts. As he scratched, the red welts began to spread wildly. Starting from his hand, they quickly extended along his forearm toward his shoulder and chest. ¡°It''s so itchy, so itchy¡­¡± the scruffy man shouted in panic; as he released Yuanyuan, the frequency of his scratching increased, and the red welts spread more insanely. In no time, his neck and face were also covered in red welts, swelling his entire figure. Where his nails had scratched, the flesh and blood were a blur, yet he could not stop, still crying out non-stop, ¡°It''s so itchy, so itchy¡­¡± ¡°What''s happened to him?¡± as Bow-Back Camel just extended his hand, wanting to check. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From behind came a voice tinged with mockery, ¡°If you want to end up like him, you might as well reach out and try.¡± Upon hearing this, Bow-Back Camel hurriedly withdrew his hand and stepped back. Everyone also turned to look behind them, only to realize that the speaker was the white-clothed man who had been sitting under the tree from the beginning. Before their group had come here to ambush the charm spirits, this man had already arrived. After the lesson from the unfortunate encounter with Shen Luo, the young man had held back a bit, restraining his subordinates from provoking the man. But now, this person suddenly spoke up, and there was even a hint of well-meaning caution in his words, which somewhat surprised them. ¡°This¡­ Daoist friend, what happened to him?¡± Attendant Yuan considered his words carefully before asking. ¡°Can''t you see? He''s been struck by a Blood Gu,¡± the white-clothed man said with a smile, standing up. Upon hearing this, the young man and Attendant Yuan immediately understood. ¡°Those two elders, we truly didn''t mean to provoke. It was the Leaf Sprite itself that barged in here. It has nothing to do with us,¡± the once-bitten Attendant Yuan quickly dissociated themselves from the incident. ¡°Ah yes, it really wasn''t our fault this time,¡± the young man also hurriedly protested. They seemed to have completely forgotten that just now, they had openly discussed Shen Luo and another person without any reservations. At this moment, Wu Man''er''s figure slowly emerged from the miasma rain mist and came to a stop not far from these people. ¡°Let them go,¡± she said with a cold tone. ¡°This¡­¡± The young man sneaked a glance at her, then quickly averted his gaze, looking beyond her into the curtain of rain. After a long while, seeing no sign of Shen Luo appearing, his eyes shifted slightly. ¡°Girl, this¡­ doesn''t seem right,¡± he hesitated slightly, but steeled himself to speak up. Wu Man''er didn''t bother with him and lightly flicked her wrist. A breeze wafted through the void and the young man''s heart skipped a beat, prompting him to focus and carefully scan his surroundings. Sure enough, in the dust of the air, several inconspicuous tiny white insects floated around, moving closer to his eyes. By the time he thought to take action to block them, it was already too late. However, a mysterious red flash suddenly darted before his eyes and retreated just as quickly. The tiny white insects had already vanished. Wu Man''er caught sight of this scene, her eyes narrowing slightly, and with a shake of her fair arm, she stirred the air. The sound of ¡°bells¡± rang out, but the Gu insects showed no response whatsoever. ¡°Are you with them?¡± she asked, her gaze falling on the white-clothed man, her voice cold. Seeing this, the white-clothed man quickly raised both hands and shook his head, saying, ¡°No, no, girl, please don''t misunderstand. I''m not with this trash.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± the Bow-Back Camel and the others immediately became furious. Attendant Yuan also frowned. ¡°You trash, because of your lack of attention, the girl misunderstood and thought I''m one of you guys, damn it,¡± the white-clothed man scolded, appearing annoyed. The next instant, a red light shot out, extending and bending several times in the void, piercing through the heads of everyone except the scruffy man, creating holes. These people had no time to react and could only watch in horror as their own heads and those of others burst open like overripe watermelons. In a tree not far away, Shen Luo clearly saw that it was not any magical treasures, but a scarlet long tongue that had pierced through the heads of those people, extending from the mouth of the white-clothed man. The white-clothed man retracted his long tongue, somewhat savoring the taste as he licked his lips, with a trace of blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth. He quickly took out a white handkerchief from his chest and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth clean, then looked at Wu Man''er with a smile. ¡°It''s clear that your aura is quite different from that trash. If I take you back, you should be able to replenish a great deal of mana for the Great King. Of course, if we include the one in the tree, that would be even better,¡± the white-clothed man said, glancing at Shen Luo, who was hidden in the tree''s shadow. Chapter 1158 Chapter 1158: Chapter 1155 Water Python Chapter 1158: Chapter 1155 Water Python Shen Luo listened to the white-clothed man''s words and no longer continued to hide; he leaped down from the tree. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Shen Luo asked. Yuanyuan shook her head, indicating that she was fine. However, she was somewhat puzzled by the situation before her, not understanding why the white-clothed man had suddenly killed the others and seemed to harbor ill intentions towards them. But with Shen Luo and Wu Man''er at her side, she felt inexplicably much more at ease and immediately descended, helping up her fellow Leaf Sprite. It was then that she realized her companion''s body was stiff, staring at the white-clothed man with a face of terror. ¡°Fei Hong sister, what''s wrong with you?¡± she asked in confusion. ¡°It''s him, it''s him¡­ the Water Python Demon, it''s him¡­¡± Fei Hong cried out in terror. Only then did Yuanyuan remember the glimpse of a white shadow she had seen in her hasty flight ¨C wasn''t it the man before her now? ¡°It''s you¡­¡± Her heart was instantly ablaze with rage, yet her body instinctively felt somewhat cold. That was a fear seeping out from her bones, coming from deep within her heart. ¡°So it''s the fish that slipped through the net that day, well then, today, I can send your tribe to reunite,¡± the Water Python Demon said, staring straight at Yuanyuan with a grin. Yuanyuan felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her hatred threatening to drown her rationality. At that moment, a figure stepped in front of her; Shen Luo stood up. ¡°The Leaf Sprite tribe, besides them, are there any survivors?¡± Shen Luo''s expression was calm as he asked. ¡°Letting them two slip was a big mistake I made; how can there be any survivors? Are you joking with me?¡± the white-clothed man frowned and said. ¡°That''s enough,¡± Shen Luo''s voice grew cold. ¡°What''s enough?¡± The white-clothed man''s narrow eyes narrowed slightly, puzzled. ¡°A reason to kill you, that''s enough,¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly, the aura he had been suppressing suddenly burst forth. The white-clothed man''s pupils shrank dramatically, and he said in horror, ¡°How could this be, are you at the Late Mahayana Stage?¡± Shen Luo did not answer him; his figure had already flashed out. The white-clothed man only saw a flash of moonlight before his eyes, and Shen Luo''s figure had suddenly appeared in front of him. In his hand, he held a Dragon Horn Cone shimmering with golden light, stabbing straight towards the white-clothed man''s chest. The white-clothed man felt the successive waves of True Dragon Qi being released from the Dragon Horn Cone and felt his blood being uncontrollably agitated. Almost all water descendants in the world belong to the lineage of Flood Dragons and are naturally suppressed by True Dragons. Therefore, the Water Python Demon also instinctively felt a strong sense of oppression. His mana furiously circulated, and his eyes glowed with a purple light as his body suddenly shuddered, barely breaking free from the suppression. But it was already too late to escape. With a ¡°hiss,¡± the Dragon Horn Cone pierced through the man''s chest, penetrating it. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed as he saw no blood on the white-clothed man''s chest and realized he had been deceived. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Dragon Horn Cone felt as if it had stabbed into nothingness in front of him. And the white-clothed man before him rapidly withered, turning into an empty sack of skin that flung itself towards Shen Luo. The proximity was too close and the change too rapid; Shen Luo had no time to retract his arm and could only twist his body to the side. The withered skin sack couldn''t pounce on his body but wrapped around one of his arms, clinging tightly. Only then did Shen Luo discover that the skin was covered in diamond-shaped patterns ¨C it was indeed the shedded snake skin of the Water Python Demon. Suddenly, the snakeskin wrapped around Shen Luo''s arm shone with a ghostly green light from which wafts of decay began to emanate. His clothing on the arm was quickly eroded away, releasing plumes of dense white smoke. With a thought, red light appeared on his arm, and a layer of Red Lotus Karmic Fire sprouted from his skin, protecting him. The Crimson Flame touched the snakeskin, and the green glowing snakeskin suddenly swelled rapidly. Realizing things were amiss, Shen Luo instantly executed the Slanting Moon Steps, swiftly moving sideways, and burst out a hundred feet away, landing amidst the Miasma Rain. He had just left Wu Man''er and her companion when the swollen snakeskin suddenly exploded. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded. A rich Dark Green Poison Gas spread out, engulfing Shen Luo completely. Although he had timely sealed his breath, his throat burned, and soon after, his vision started to blur. At that moment, a soft chant came through. A ring of green light appeared under Shen Luo, revealing an ancient battle formation map. Threads of bright green light rose from underground within the formation map, continuously sweeping over Shen Luo''s body. Soon, he felt cool all over, and his vision cleared once again. Just then, he suddenly saw a white figure flash past behind Wu Man''er and launch an attack from behind. He immediately shouted, ¡°Be careful¡­¡± Wu Man''er reacted extremely quickly, her hand seals changed, and she uttered in a low voice, ¡°Thorns Dance.¡± In an instant, the ground beneath her shook violently as green-black vines as thick as arms burst forth from the earth, covered in black steel needle-like thorns, lashing rapidly towards the white-clothed man who was making the surprise attack. The latter could not avoid it in time and plunged headlong into the thorn bush. Wu Man''er''s figure leaped gracefully, jumping out of the thorns, and waved her hands upward. The thorns on the ground surged in growth, intertwining and entangling, binding the white-clothed man tightly in place. However, the man in white revealed a sinister grin, his body flashed with white light, then he transformed into his White Snake True Form, slithering out from his clothes and attacking Wu Man''er once more. Wu Man''er swiftly pulled her hands together, and the thorn jungle tightened abruptly. But the snow-white snake skin was as hard as steel, and when the thorns scraped over it, only a series of Crimson sparks burst forth, without inflicting any substantial damage. His form dashed out from the thorn jungle at high speed, opening his maw wide to bite at Wu Man''er''s head. ¡°Earth Blade.¡± Wu Man''er calmly intoned. At her side, a yellow halo lit up the ground, and two mud figurines made of condensed earth rose rapidly, each wielding a weapon, slashing at the head of the white Water Python. With two ¡°crack¡± sounds, The two long knives hacked at the Water Python''s head from the left and right. Although they failed to slay it, the crisscrossed blades still managed to trap its head firmly. The white maw was but an inch from Wu Man''er, yet it couldn''t advance any further. At that moment, from within his maw, a Scarlet Long Tongue suddenly shot out, transforming into a red streak, whooshing straight at Wu Man''er. ¡°Mist Kill.¡± The moment the red streak was about to hit Wu Man''er, her figure dissipated like smoke. Swiftly after, a thick fog spread all around, obscuring everything within a hundred feet and making it impossible to see anything clearly. Shen Luo noticed that within this fog, even his divine sense power was greatly interfered with, and for a time, he was unable to ascertain Wu Man''er''s location. Chapter 1159 – 1159 1156 Nine Chapter 1159: Chapter 1156: Nine-headed Saint Lord Chapter 1159: Chapter 1156: Nine-headed Saint Lord It wasn''t long before the dense fog surrounding them began to quickly dissipate, accompanied by a slicing sound. Shen Luo then saw that the ground in front of him was awash with blood and a huge python''s body had been separated from its head, lying on the ground. Wu Man''er was simply standing to one side, her face somewhat pale. ¡°So impressive¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but admire inwardly. Until now, he had only seen the gentle side of Wu Man''er, and only now did he realize that once she got angry, her methods were as fierce as a swift storm, and her strength was anything but mediocre. Seeing Shen Luo eyeing her, Wu Man''er became a bit embarrassed. Her pale face began to blush, and with a pinch of a magic spell, strands of pure wood Qi began to gather in the void around her, transforming into a layer of green light that caged her. Shen Luo shifted his gaze, planning to release all those charm spirits still trapped in the electric net. At that moment, an abrupt change occurred. The corpse body of the water python on the ground suddenly began to steam with white smoke. At the severed neck where the head was missing, flesh and blood pulsated, and a human figure formed, biting a blood-stained longsword, thrusting it straight towards Wu Man''er. Wu Man''er was in the process of Recovering Mana with the Divine Wood Grace and truly had no defense, unable to dodge in time. Fortunately, Shen Luo had not let his guard down and instantly appeared in front of Wu Man''er with a flash. A flash of black light covered his body, and the Jiuli Devil Armor instantly covered him as he stood chest out, colliding with the longsword. There was a ¡°clang¡± of metal ringing. The outer halo of the Jiuli Devil Armor was pierced by the sword, but the armor itself easily blocked the sword edge. He let out a low shout from his mouth, and the Demonic Qi stored inside the Devil Armor burst out instantly, charging forward violently. The Water Python Demon only felt an overwhelming force coming at it like a torrent, and was immediately sent flying backward. This time, Shen Luo did not give it any chance to escape and immediately employed the Slanting Moon Steps to catch up. ¡°Boom¡± Shen Luo''s foot, accompanied by a series of after-images, came down heavily, with the force of a thousand jun. There was a loud ¡°crackling¡± sound from the Water Python Demon''s body, not only were the ribs at the front of its chest broken, but the spine at the back was also broken into three pieces. It struggled to rise, but a crimson longsword had already ¡°whooshed¡± through its chest. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A miserable scream echoed across the fields. ¡°Behave, or I won''t hesitate to burn you to ash right now,¡± Shen Luo growled. Knowing the might of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire contained within the Pure Yang Flying Sword, the Water Python Demon endured the pain, stopping its wailing abruptly. ¡°Do you dare kill me? Do you know who my Great King is?¡± the Water Python Demon gritted its teeth and said in a low voice. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised and he asked, ¡°I don''t know, tell me.¡± ¡°So you dare to strike at me, not knowing the name of my Great King, the Nine-headed Saint Lord?¡± The Water Python Demon was taken aback but quickly spoke. It thought that mentioning this name would be enough to make Shen Luo fearful. But when it saw only confusion on Shen Luo''s face, and no fear, it couldn''t help but be astonished. ¡°I''ve only heard of the Nine Spirit Saints, but I''ve never heard of any Nine-headed Saint Lord¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured. After thinking for a moment, Shen Luo shook his head, still convinced he had not heard of such a person. ¡°What kind of person is this Nine-headed Saint Lord, and how strong is his cultivation level?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡­ You really don''t know my Great King?¡± The Water Python Demon still found it somewhat unbelievable. ¡°Answer my questions, less idle chat,¡± Shen Luo snapped his fingers, and a crimson flame immediately ignited on the chest of the Water Python Demon. In pain, the Water Python struggled fiercely, but regained its senses and cursed, ¡°Dream on if you want to pry into the affairs of our Great King.¡± Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, and with a gentle flick of his finger upward, a strand of Red Lotus Karmic Fire shot directly into the demon''s spiritual platform, setting its divine soul ablaze. This terrifying pain was incomparable to mere physical suffering, and the Water Python Demon immediately let out a heart-wrenching scream. The noise made the charm spirits, who had just been rescued, tremble with fear. Each of them wanted to flee this place but dared not move a muscle. ¡°Sister Fei Hong, are there really no others left in our clan?¡± Yuanyuan asked with difficulty. Just having taken a sip of the spirit liquid transformed from plant essence in Wu Man''er''s palm, Fei Hong caught her breath and couldn''t help but feel a surge of sadness as she nodded to Yuanyuan, tears welling in her eyes. Yuanyuan''s face showed sorrow, but her eyes blazed with vengeful fury as she looked at the Water Python Demon. ¡°Big Brother Shen, how goes it?¡± Wu Man''er stood up silently and came to Shen Luo''s side, inquiring. ¡°A tough nut to crack. My Red Lotus Karmic Fire is burning its divine soul, and it still won''t utter anything useful,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°There''s no need to visit the Leaf Sprite''s territory; it''s been destroyed. Now only Yuanyuan and another are left,¡± Wu Man''er informed Shen Luo in a low voice. Shen Luo had braced himself for such news, but he couldn''t help feeling uncontrollable anger. ¡°Enough. If it refuses to speak, there''s no use keeping it alive,¡± Shen Luo said coldly, his palm slowly rising. As the Water Python saw Shen Luo ready to deliver a deadly strike, it still did not plead for mercy and continued to utter threats viciously: ¡°If you dare kill me, my Great King will flay your skin, dismantle your bones, reduce you to ash, and prevent you from ever reincarnating.¡± Shen Luo turned a deaf ear and, as his hand rose, the flames on the Pure Yang Flying Sword under his control blazed even more fiercely. The chest wound of the Water Python Demon widened, and it was on the verge of dying right there and then. ¡°Sir¡­ perhaps I can be of assistance,¡± a timid voice spoke up at that moment. Shen Luo paused and turned his head to look. He saw the Misty Flower Spirit Charm approach with Yuanyuan''s company by their side. ¡°You have a way?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Sir, you have injured his divine soul, and right now, he¡­ he is in a weakened state. I might be able to try something,¡± said the Misty Flower Spirit Charm, her head bowed. Shen Luo remembered the unique talent that the Misty Flower Spirit Charm possessed, as mentioned by Attendant Yuan and others. ¡°Much obliged,¡± Shen Luo said, giving a cupped fist salute. The Misty Flower Spirit Charm was pleasantly surprised and quickly waved her hands in dismissal. She moved to hover in front of the Water Python Demon, which immediately erupted in furious anger, shouting, ¡°Seeking death, don''t you dare¡­¡± Before it could finish speaking, several thorny vines extended out and tightly wrapped around its body, also sealing its mouth. Despite its violent struggles, the Water Python was firmly stomped on by Shen Luo. Even so, the creature refused to comply until the Misty Flower Spirit Charm extended two long, slender tendrils from the top of her head and inserted them into its ears, which finally subdued it. The Misty Flower Spirit Charm slowly closed her eyes, and her body began to radiate seven-colored rays that flowed from her tendrils into the Water Python Demon''s ears. At first, the Water Python''s brow was furrowed, but a moment later, its expression softened and became peaceful. After that, a smile appeared on its face as if it had sunk into a pleasant dream. At this point, the Misty Flower Spirit Charm slowly opened her eyes and waved her hand in front of her. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wherever her sleeve passed, a layer of colorful light powder sprinkled down, hanging in the void without dispersing, gradually revealing a vague image. Chapter 1160 Chapter 1160: Chapter 1157: Great Revenge Is Served Chapter 1160: Chapter 1157: Great Revenge Is Served Some time had passed, and the images on the colorful light powder gradually became clear, revealing a scene where a group of monsters had gathered. At this banquet of monsters, it wasn''t the Water Python Demon itself that occupied the main seat, but a huge man with a dark and owlish face, donning a rotten silver helmet and an intricately designed armor. He was holding a chalice, generously rewarding the Water Python Demon. ¡°It''s actually him¡­¡± The moment Shen Luo caught a clear glimpse of the dark owl-like man''s face, he couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise. Naturally, Wu Man''er did not recognize the man and curiously asked, ¡°Big Brother Shen, do you know him?¡± ¡°You could say he''s an enemy.¡± Shen Luo nodded in response. This dark owl-like man was none other than the Nine-Headed Insect, one of the Twelve Distinguished Ones from the Demon Clan he had seen in the previous dream, a powerful Taiyi Realm cultivator. If it really was him, given his current cultivation level, Shen Luo feared he would hardly stand a chance, and going there would merely be a death sentence. With this thought, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed deeply. ¡°What''s wrong, Big Brother Shen? Is this person very strong?¡± Wu Man''er asked. Just as Shen Luo was about to reply, he suddenly remembered something and quickly asked the Misty Flower Spirit Charm, ¡°Could you find a way to inquire about the cultivation realm of that leading figure?¡± The Misty Flower Spirit Charm nodded, remained silent, and soon closed her eyes. Subsequently, one of the monsters standing next to the Water Python Demon whispered to it in the image, ¡°Brother, as Great King''s confidant, do you know what cultivation level our Great King has achieved now?¡± ¡°Nonsense, didn''t the Great King finish recuperating and break through to the Late True Immortal Stage three years ago? Everyone knows that,¡± the Water Python Demon replied dismissively. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt somewhat relieved. After all, it wasn''t the Nine-Headed Insect from his dream, and thankfully, he didn''t possess the horrifying cultivation level of the Taiyi Realm¨Cat least not yet. At that moment, the scene in the image began to change again. In the dream of the Water Python Demon, it seemed that Nine-Headed Insect was arranging something and was now issuing orders to the Water Python Demon. ¡°White Flow, I will soon continue my retreat to heal. Do not neglect the search for charm spirits. If you handle this well, when the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits mature, I can reward you with one,¡± Nine-Headed Insect commanded, pointing at the Water Python Demon while standing proud and tall. ¡°So the Water Python Demon has a name, ''White Flow''.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Very respectful of his Great King, the Water Python Demon immediately replied as soon as he heard this: ¡°Rest assured, Great King, I will do my utmost to capture more charm spirits to nourish your body and aid your speedy recovery.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes flickered slightly. Nine-Headed Insect was injured? Noticing this, the Misty Flower Spirit Charm quickly understood and, controlling another monster within the dream, asked the Water Python Demon again: ¡°With your divine powers unmatched in this world, how could you be injured, Great King?¡± As the Water Python Demon turned to the little demon beside it, intending to speak, it seemed to sense something was amiss. The expression on its face changed drastically. Immediately afterward, the light curtain floating in the void began to distort severely, and the scene in the image vanished. The bound White Flow, whose body had settled down, started to struggle violently again. His head shook abruptly, forcing the tendrils of the Misty Flower Spirit Charm to retreat from his ear canals. ¡°I''m sorry, his dream has collapsed, and I can''t enter again,¡± the Misty Flower Spirit Charm apologized. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No problem, you''ve already been a great help,¡± Shen Luo sincerely thanked her. For now, knowing the cultivation level of Nine-Headed Insect and confirming that he was in retreat healing his injuries was the most useful information for him. ¡°How should he be dealt with?¡± Wu Man''er looked at Bai Liu, who had not yet awakened from Dreamland, and asked. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent for a moment before summoning all the charm spirits and monster spirits together, and asked, ¡°What do you think should be done with this Water Python Demon?¡± ¡°Kill him,¡± Yuanyuan was the first to respond. ¡°Kill him¡­¡± echoed the other charm spirits, clamoring in agreement. In recent times, this Water Python had wreaked havoc throughout Yunmeng Marsh, hunting various charm spirits to use their life essence to help the Nine-Headed Insect heal its wounds, causing many charm spirits to lose their homes and families, and even whole clans to be obliterated. Their hatred and anger towards it were immense. With a thought from Shen Luo, a raging fire burst forth from the Pure Yang Flying Sword embedded in Bai Liu''s chest. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire exploded from within him, engulfing both his body and spirit, reducing them to ashes. The charm spirits, having been saved by Shen Luo and his companions and now seeing their great enemy vanquished, were overjoyed, their gratitude towards Shen Luo and Wu Man''er immense and tearful. ¡°What are your plans going forward?¡± Wu Man''er asked the charm spirits. Many of the charm spirits remained silent. The reason they were still outside in the miasma rain was almost entirely because their homelands had been destroyed. Now, looking at the Umbrella Cloud Tree beside them, scorched by the raging fire, each one of them felt despondent. ¡°Yunmeng Marsh is vast enough. I''m going to head north, to distant lands. There must be a place where I can settle,¡± a charm spirit that closely resembled a frog spoke up first. ¡°Yes, there must be some place out of the reach of those powerful demons, far away from the Divine Tree. As long as we can survive, that would be good enough,¡± another charm spirit that looked like some type of plant roots and covered in earthy yellow added. Thus, the remaining charm spirits also voiced their ideas one after another. Wu Man''er treated their wounds one by one and watched as they left. In the end, under the Umbrella Cloud Tree, aside from Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, only Yuanyuan, Fei Hong, and the Misty Flower Spirit Charm named ¡°Rumeng¡± remained. Shen Luo looked at them, and Yuanyuan immediately spoke up: ¡°I still have to take you to the Divine Tree.¡± ¡°Yuanyuan is the only member of my clan left; we can''t be separated,¡± Fei Hong said. ¡°I, I¡­ have nowhere to go,¡± Rumeng said timidly. Wu Man''er frowned in silence for a long time before asking, ¡°My homeland has a dense forest, which is also suitable for you charm spirits. Would you be willing to follow me back there?¡± Yuanyuan looked at Fei Hong, who was also looking back at her, seeking her opinion. Without hesitation, she nodded her head. Seeing their agreement, Wu Man''er turned her gaze to Rumeng. ¡°I, I am willing,¡± Rumeng immediately nodded. Seeing that things had finally reached what could be considered a satisfactory conclusion, Shen Luo''s expression gradually relaxed. At that moment, a dazzling white light suddenly flashed across the sky, followed by a loud clap of thunder. Feeling something, Shen Luo looked up at the high-altitude and saw that the clouds seemed to have been blasted open by the thunder, and in the light of that flash, he faintly saw a white figure gliding past within the mist. When he frowned and tried to take a closer look, the lightning had faded, the clouds had closed again, and nothing could be seen anymore. After that thunderclap, the drizzling miasma rain over Yunmeng Marsh finally came to a gradual halt. After some time to regroup, the sky began to clear, and Shen Luo and his companions prepared to continue their journey to the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Chapter 1161 Chapter 1161: Chapter 1158 Illusion Fog Chapter 1161: Chapter 1158 Illusion Fog ¡°If it''s about leading the way, Yuanyuan alone will suffice. The journey ahead is fraught with dangers; Fei Hong and Rumeng should not go.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Then we¡­¡± Fei Hong looked at Shen Luo, hesitantly. ¡°Recently, Yunmeng Marsh has been quite restless. You should conceal yourselves and leave Yunmeng Marsh first, find a safe place outside, and wait there. We will rejoin you after we return.¡± Shen Luo said. Knowing they would only be a burden if they followed, Fei Hong and Rumeng did not insist. They bid farewell to Shen Luo and Wu Man''er and departed first. ¡°Big Brother Shen, Sister Wu, won''t they encounter any danger on their way back?¡± Yuanyuan, evidently more concerned about them than about her own impending journey, asked. Shen Luo said nothing but patted the Qiankun Bag at his waist and instructed, ¡°Please escort them for a while and help them find a safe place.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A voice came from the Qiankun Bag. Immediately after, a wisp of black mist drifted out of the bag''s opening and disappeared from their sight in the blink of an eye. Although Zhao Feiji was only at the late stage of Nascent Soul Stage, he was adept at hiding and ambushing, and not weak in combat. Asking him to escort Fei Hong and Rumeng was more than appropriate. Seeing that Shen Luo had made other arrangements, Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan both felt relieved. The group set off once again and, before long, a pink hue appeared in front of them. They saw dense clusters of pink reeds, interwoven and spread across the sandbanks ahead, grand and boundless, much like an endless ocean. Standing at the bow of the flying boat, Shen Luo looked at the pink reeds ahead and found it somewhat unbelievable. Not only were the flowers of the reeds pink, but even their stalks and leaves were pink. And from top to bottom, the closer to the roots, the deeper the red. Remembering the clerk''s warning from Tianji City before entering Yunmeng Marsh, Shen Luo asked, ¡°Yuanyuan, is there anything special about these pink reeds?¡± ¡°Special? There''s nothing special¡­¡± Yuanyuan said, looking puzzled and murmuring to herself. Shen Luo found this hard to understand, certain that the clerk wouldn''t have given him that reminder for no reason. ¡°If there is something special, it''s the legend that a great battle between Celestial and Demons once erupted here. Many from both mighty factions died in this place, so the legend says that it was the blood of these Celestial and Demons that dyed the reeds red,¡± Yuanyuan said after thinking hard for a while, giving this as her answer. Shen Luo heard this and merely smiled. While they were speaking, the flying boat had already entered the reed thicket. As soon as they entered, a gust of cold wind blew from within the reeds, and Shen Luo''s nostrils twitched. He immediately furrowed his brows. Wu Man''er quickly twisted her wrist and took out three green Pestilence-avoiding Pills, handing them over. After swallowing one, Shen Luo began to breathe smoothly. Yuanyuan, holding the pill in both hands, looked at the two of them, somewhat confused. Shen Luo and Wu Man''er exchanged a look, at first surprised, then they both smiled in understanding. ¡°The air here is filled with a layer of imperceptible toxic miasma, far more dangerous than outside. However, you probably don''t notice anything unusual because you have lived here since childhood and have become accustomed to the poison,¡± Wu Man''er explained. Yuanyuan glanced around somewhat blankly, still unable to perceive any difference from the outside. ¡°It''s alright now, let''s continue on our way,¡± Shen Luo said. No sooner had he spoken than the wind in front began to howl, the gentle breeze suddenly turning into a raging tempest. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Whirrrrr¡± The entire reed thicket swayed violently under the strong wind. Countless pink dust particles rose into the air, dyeing the entire sky pink. At first, Shen Luo thought he had encountered a magnificent scene in the big swamp, but the look on Yuanyuan''s face told him that something was amiss. ¡°Not good, it''s Illusion fog¡­ We might have encountered a Mirage Demon,¡± Yuanyuan said with a face full of worry. ¡°Mirage Demon, what''s that?¡± Shen Luo asked with surprise. ¡°It''s a huge Monster Spirit that lives deep in Yunmeng Marsh. Not just in Yunmeng Marsh; there are Mirage Demons in other places too. They''re offspring of clams and other Monster Spirits with innate Illusion Techniques. Moreover, they also possess other mystic arts like wind, water, lightning, fire, etc.,¡± Yuanyuan explained. ¡°What mystic art does the one in Yunmeng Marsh specialize in?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It has never shown itself, so no one knows which mystic art it specializes in. Merely the Illusion fog it releases has already trapped and killed countless creatures,¡± Yuanyuan said, her eyes filled with a look of despair. ¡°Don''t worry, we''ve just entered this area not long ago, we can just turn back the way we came,¡± Shen Luo consoled. Legend has it, Mirage Demons are descendants of the Dragon Clan and Clam Spirits. They inherit the powerful bloodline of the Dragon Clan and possess an unparalleled talent in the art of illusions, thus being most adept at creating Illusion Domains that bewitch people''s hearts. Various rare and splendid mirages of cities in the sea people witness are formed from their exhaled breath. Shen Luo didn''t dare be careless, and immediately turned the flying boat around to head back where they came from. Pink fog enveloped them, and the visibility gradually worsened. The reeds around them were unevenly dispersed, and after flying for a while, Shen Luo started to feel that something was off. Mana surged within him; he suddenly waved his sleeve towards the front. A whirlwind burst forth from his sleeves, dispersing all the fog within a hundred feet in front of them. As soon as the thick fog scattered, Shen Luo and the others couldn''t help but cry out in surprise. A Green Mountain soared into the clouds appeared out of nowhere ten-odd feet ahead of them, and their flying boat was about to crash into it, unable to stop in time. Shen Luo quickly held the flying boat to an emergency stop, but with a ¡°bang,¡± it still crashed into the mountain wall. On the flying boat, both Shen Luo and Wu Man''er stumbled, barely managing to steady themselves. Shen Luo flew up to the mountain wall, lightly touched it with his hand, and felt the roughness of the rocks beneath his fingers, along with the slippery moss, which felt anything but illusory. ¡°Is there such a big mountain in Yunmeng Marsh?¡± Shen Luo turned around and asked with furrowed brows. Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan both shook their heads and said in unison: ¡°We''ve never heard of it¡­¡± ¡°We''ve never seen it¡­¡± As they spoke, they too flew to Shen Luo''s side and examined the mountain wall before them. ¡°This feels too real, right? Is this the Illusion Domain created by the Mirage Demon?¡± Yuanyuan marvelled. Wu Man''er did not speak immediately; instead, she pressed her hand to the mountain wall and closed her eyes to feel it. ¡°I can feel a rich vitality and the scent of flora from this mountain. It cannot be the creation of an illusion,¡± Wu Man''er said, opening her eyes a moment later. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, and a Green Light burst forth as he carefully inspected with the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. But soon, he withdrew his divine ability. ¡°Indeed, this Illusion fog is formidable; even my Spirit Eye Divine Ability cannot detect any flaw,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Chapter 1162 Chapter 1162: Chapter 1159: Medium Chapter 1162: Chapter 1159: Medium ¡°` ¡°Yuanyuan, do you have any idea?¡± Wu Man''er asked. The spirit furrowed her brows deeply, flapping her wings in the void, flying back and forth above their heads. ¡°Granny once told us that once we accidentally enter the Illusion fog, we can only rely on the response from the Divine Tree, moving in the direction of the Divine Tree; we absolutely must not run around wildly. But now that the Divine Tree is occupied by a great demon and sealed by an array, I can no longer sense it,¡± Yuanyuan said anxiously. ¡°Staying put here definitely won''t do, we can only try our luck and see,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. ¡°No, no¡­¡± Yuanyuan hastily flew down to stop him. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Granny also mentioned a legend that deep within the Illusion fog, people will encounter the things they fear the most. Once we carelessly barge in, we''re truly doomed,¡± Yuanyuan said urgently. ¡°But waiting here like this isn''t a solution either. This mountain peak appears so real, it''s evident how powerful this Illusion fog is. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it will become,¡± Shen Luo sighed as he scanned his surroundings. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Perhaps I can try,¡± Wu Man''er suddenly spoke up. ¡°You have a way?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes immediately brightened. ¡°I have a secret method that can communicate with my tribe''s Divine Tree. Since all Divine Trees in the world are somewhat connected through the Earth Veins, maybe I can attempt to communicate with the Ginkgo Divine Tree to find its true position,¡± Wu Man''er said. ¡°That''s indeed a method,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. ¡°Big Brother Shen, please wait here for a moment, I will cast the spell now,¡± Having said that, Wu Man''er jumped down from the Spirit Boat, landing on the sandbank at the foot of the mountain, and sat down cross-legged. Her hands interlocked, fingers pinching a magic spell, an ethereal chant began to resonate from her mouth. A layer of bluish-green ghostly light immediately lit up around her, and ripples of light waves began to emanate from beneath her, as waves of dense life Qi spread from her body, slowly expanding outward. At her feet, the green moss covering the sandbank began to grow rapidly, and the waterweed at the water''s edge spread wildly. Even the green vines on the mountain wall behind her began to grow at an extreme pace. Yuanyuan subconsciously flew to Wu Man''er''s side, dancing around her in a light and graceful motion. Shen Luo also put away the flying boat and came down to the ground. At this time, Wu Man''er''s hand gesture slightly changed, and her right forefinger opened a small cut on its own, from which a drop of pure essence blood emerged. With a ¡°plop,¡± it fell onto the ground in front of her. As the drop of blood hit the ground, it didn''t seep into the earth, but instead, along with the rippling halo in front of her, turned into a red glow and emanated far into the void, disappearing from sight. After a long time, Wu Man''er''s body trembled slightly as she slowly opened her eyes. The fantastical phenomena surrounding her began to dissipate one by one, and her complexion turned very pale. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Luo asked with concern. ¡°It''s just a large consumption of mana; it''s nothing serious,¡± Wu Man''er waved her hand. ¡°How about it, were you able to communicate with it?¡± Shen Luo asked. Wu Man''er shook her head, somewhat helplessly saying, ¡°I don''t know if it''s because the distance is too far or the array is blocking it, I can''t feel the existence of the Divine Tree. Even using essence blood as a medium, I couldn''t communicate with the Divine Tree.¡± Although Shen Luo felt some regret, he also thought it was within reason. Yuanyuan, however, flew down excitedly, landing on Wu Man''er''s shoulder, exclaiming with delight: ¡°Sister Man''er, you''re truly amazing. When I was dancing above your head just now, I felt as if I became one with the entire Yunmeng Marsh, like there was a river of spiritual energy flowing through me. That feeling was simply too wonderful.¡± ¡°Then you should follow me and cultivate later; it will be beneficial for you too,¡± Wu Man''er smiled, not explaining too much, but simply said. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°` Yuanyuan immediately responded, and for a moment, it seemed she had already forgotten the fact that they were currently trapped. However, the speaker was unintentional, but the listener was intentional. ¡°Man''er, do you think¡­ it might be because you are not familiar with the breath of the Ginkgo Divine Tree that you can only search for it like finding a needle in a haystack in this Yunmeng Marsh, making it difficult for you to establish a connection?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows in thought for a moment before suddenly speaking. After hearing this, Wu Man''er was slightly taken aback and fell into deep thought. ¡°It''s not impossible.¡± Eventually, she also expressed her uncertainty. ¡°Then if we use Yuanyuan as a medium and you use this method again, might it increase the chance of you finding the Divine Tree?¡± Shen Luo continued to ask. ¡°Using Yuanyuan as a medium¡­¡± Wu Man''er murmured to herself. She pondered the feasibility of this idea while slowly regaining her mana. Yuanyuan, who had not fully understood Shen Luo''s intention, frowned and asked, ¡°What do you want to use me as a medium for?¡± ¡°Although your Sister Man''er has a secret technique to try and contact the Divine Tree, she has never seen the Ginkgo Divine Tree and does not know its inherent breath. If we add your knowledge of the Divine Tree, perhaps she will be able to find the Divine Tree faster and establish communication with it. At that time, we would be able to find the correct direction and escape this predicament,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Although I don''t quite understand, it sounds like you need my help, right?¡± Yuanyuan asked. Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Sister Man''er, just tell me what I need to do,¡± said Yuanyuan, flying up to Wu Man''er with a smile. ¡°I might need a bit of your essence blood,¡± Wu Man''er said. ¡°That''s easy,¡± Yuanyuan replied, and as she spoke, she was about to bite her finger. At that moment, Wu Man''er quickly stopped her: ¡°Not now. When I shed my essence blood later, you can follow my lead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± A moment later, Wu Man''er, having somewhat recovered, began to display God''s Power again, attempting to communicate with the Ginkgo Divine Tree. This time, as she concentrated her essence blood and let it drop, Yuanyuan, who was already prepared, immediately followed suit, letting her own essence blood fall as well. A large and a small drop of essence blood fell into the halo together, merging and spreading into one another. This time, the expansion of the halo was noticeably faster, and instead of spreading outward in a circular shape in all directions, it now formed a fan-shaped area, spreading towards the front right. After a long time, Wu Man''er slowly opened her eyes again. ¡°How is it?¡± Shen Luo asked with concern. Wu Man''er, looking tired, nodded and pointed in the direction where the fan-shaped area had extended, saying, ¡°Over there, I can sense a faint breath calling out; it should be in that direction.¡± ¡°Good, we must not delay. Let''s set out immediately,¡± Shen Luo said. Wu Man''er nodded. Shen Luo summoned the flying boat again, and after boarding, said to Wu Man''er, ¡°You should rest and regain your strength first.¡± After that, he activated the flying boat and started to speed ahead at extreme velocity. The flying boat plunged into the thick fog and disappeared in an instant. The large mountain they had previously rested against began to tremble slowly. Suddenly, a vertical crack appeared on the side of the mountain peak, and thick white fog started to billow out slowly from within. Chapter 1163 Chapter 1163: Chapter 1160: Various Illusion Domains Chapter 1163: Chapter 1160: Various Illusion Domains After a long time, Shen Luo and his group had already fled hundreds of miles. In front of them, the fog gradually thinned, and with one more burst of speed, they finally flew out of the thick fog. Ahead, the fog had completely dissipated, and their view was suddenly clear, bringing them back overhead a vast Water Area. Facing almost a hundred miles away, they could see an ancient ginkgo tree that stood hundreds to nearly a thousand feet tall, covered in lush leaves, like countless gold leaves hanging, refracting dazzling Golden Light under the sun''s rays. ¡°We''re out, we found it¡­¡± Yuanyuan shouted excitedly. Wu Man''er, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, also slowly opened her eyes, her complexion having recovered, and looking at the magnificent golden ancient tree, her eyes also inevitably flashed with excitement. Although Shen Luo was also happy, he remained vigilant at all times, the closer they got to the ancient tree, the more careful he was. However, when they flew to about a few hundred feet away, Shen Luo''s brows suddenly furrowed. ¡°Something is not right, why can''t I see the Array that the great Demon set up, nor can I feel even a hint of the Array''s Breath?¡± He stopped the flying boat, and asked doubtfully. ¡°Could it have been hidden?¡± Wu Man''er asked. ¡°When I fled my tribe before, I caught a glimpse of it from afar, that Array was composed of more than a dozen snow-white pillars, but now it indeed seems to have disappeared,¡± Yuanyuan also added. ¡°This is bad¡­¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, clearly the Illusion fog was far more formidable than they had imagined. Before he could finish speaking, a sudden thunderclap resounded in the sky. ¡°Boom¡± As if the entire Skydome shook, the originally clear sky was suddenly filled with Dark Clouds. Within those dense clouds that seemed almost connected to the Earth, flickering with white lightning, a colossal and ferocious head emerged, with piercing eyes that stared fixedly at the three people below. ¡°Chiyou¡­¡± Shen Luo looked up, greatly shocked. Wu Man''er also showed a look of horror. The head was a hundred feet in size, just its sheer volume and those icy cold eyes were enough to make her feel suffocated. Yuanyuan was even more frightened, rendered speechless. ¡°This is an illusion, don''t take it seriously,¡± Shen Luo roared. As soon as his words fell, the Dark Clouds tumultuously whirled, and an enormous arm reached out, with fingers as large as small mountains, clenched into a fist and smashed towards them with full force. The immense oppressive force was as tangible as reality, striking down with a whistling sound. Shen Luo roared furiously, running the Huangting Technique within him wildly, clenching the Profound Yellow Staff with both hands and smashing upwards with great force. With a ¡°boom,¡± a thunderous explosion resounded. A deafening blast echoed, and Shen Luo and his companions were scattered and fell due to the overwhelming force. Yet, Chiyou seemed untouched as if nothing happened, not affected at all, raising another fist to smash down on Shen Luo. Shen Luo had just fallen into the Swamp, his body aching intensely, and as he had just climbed out of the water, he was smashed down again by another punch. However, the next time he rose, a smile appeared in his eyes. ¡°An Illusion Domain is still just an Illusion Domain, having never seen me in person, how could you know the true terror of Chiyou? You don''t even possess one ten-thousandth of my strength, haha¡­¡± Shen Luo laughed aloud as he looked up to the heavens. If it had truly been Chiyou emerging, just the first punch would have been enough to pulverize him. ¡°Big Brother Shen, what''s going on?¡± Wu Man''er quickly asked after rescuing Yuanyuan. ¡°There was a problem with our earlier exploration. I''m afraid we''re still in the Illusion Domain, and we''ve even broken into a deeper part. Right now, the Illusion Domain is materializing our deepest fears,¡± Shen Luo explained in haste. Upon hearing this, Wu Man''er turned to look at Shen Luo, suddenly realizing that what frightened him the most was actually Chiyou. Even more astonishing to her were the words Shen Luo had just said, which made it sound as if he had once fought Chiyou himself. But at the moment, she had no time to worry about these things. Just as she was about to ask what should be done, the divine tree of her own tribe suddenly materialized in front of her, awkwardly standing where the Ginkgo Divine Tree had originally been. The head of Chiyou, emerging from the dark clouds, simply opened its mouth to exhale, and torrents of demonic flames surged down, completely igniting the Divine Tree. Like the charm spirits before, her tribespeople fled flying from the tree one after another. On the other side, tears filled Yuanyuan''s eyes as she watched her tribespeople being swallowed one by one by a gigantic serpent, and she couldn''t help bursting into loud sobs. ¡°Don''t believe it, this is just an illusion.¡± Shen Luo shouted urgently, stamping his feet violently, his body shot up from the ground, charging towards the high altitude clouds. If Chiyou represented his nightmare, the source of his fear, then today, he would confront his fears head-on, just as he did in Dreamland. As his figure soared into the clouds, Chiyou swung his arms, throwing punch after punch at him. Using his agility to his advantage, Shen Luo unfolded the Slanting Moon Steps in mid-air, constantly dodging and also drawing closer to ¡°Chiyou.¡± Inside him, the Huang Ting Jing was running at full speed, his hands wielding the Profound Yellow Staff, executing the Ape King Stick Technique against the false Chiyou. Having approached closely, Shen Luo could still feel the terrifying pressure emanating from ¡°Chiyou,¡± and that intense sense of reality continually reminded him of the images from his dream where he had fought against Chiyou. A roar of anger echoed in Shen Luo''s heart; even if it were the real Chiyou, what of it? He had already won against him once in his dreams. Filled with raging anger, his mana surged out, and the Profound Yellow Staff in his hands blazed with golden light, casting a dazzling brilliance. The long stick smashed down furiously, with the golden rod shadow extending and piercing through the sky and the earth, stirring up the cloud qi and making the whole Yunmeng Marsh seem to tremble. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next instant, a golden line shot down from the skydome. The sky''s dark clouds surged wildly, and at that moment, they seemed to be split open by an axe, with the roiling clouds parting along the golden line to both sides, revealing the true sky above. The ¡°Chiyou¡± hidden in the dark clouds also was split by a golden line, torn apart like the clouds themselves. At this moment, the illusions of her tribespeople being slaughtered by the giant serpent seen by Yuanyuan began to dissipate, and the scene of the Divine Tree being destroyed seen by Wu Man''er also gradually vanished. Just when they thought they had successfully broken through the illusion, the Chiyou in the skydome, though split, did not disappear. Although its body was split, a huge fist was still swinging, crashing down fiercely. Shen Luo knew it was only an illusion, but he still did not relax, shaking his arms to meet the blow, using his staff to block. There was a loud ¡°boom.¡± A tremendous force pressed down, void of any semblance of being an illusion. Shen Luo''s body was shaken violently, overwhelmed by the force, and his figure crashed hard into the ground. A wave of qi exploded over the swamp, leaving a hundred feet wide crater as Shen Luo fell sitting into it. Although he wasn''t injured, his heart was more shocked than ever. He thought he had seen through the illusion and could shatter it. But in reality, this Illusion Domain was much tougher than he had imagined; it mixed the false with the true inextricably, proving exceedingly difficult to deal with. Chapter 1164 Chapter 1164: Chapter 1161: Shatter the Illusion Chapter 1164: Chapter 1161: Shatter the Illusion Shen Luo pondered for a long while, looking at the silt and lake water gradually pouring back around the big pit, his brows knitting into a knot. ¡°I have to try again,¡± he muttered in his heart. Once he made up his mind, he stomped his feet and his figure soared straight up, turning into a red light, shooting towards the high altitude. This time he didn''t bother with any of the illusions'' obstructions, just used his long stick to clear the way, charging straight at Chiyou''s huge face. Just as he was about to approach, Chiyou suddenly opened its blood basin of a mouth and bit towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo shouted, steeled his heart, and swore to see clearly what kind of monster or demon the illusion in front of him really was. The Jiuli Devil Armor appeared on his body, without the slightest pause, even speeding up and charging into Chiyou''s gaping maw. ¡°Big Brother Shen¡­¡± Wu Man''er couldn''t help but call out loud. Yuanyuan was even more terrified in her heart, not understanding what was happening at all. Shen Luo plunged headfirst into Chiyou''s mouth, and immediately was engulfed by darkness. ¡°As expected, an Illusion Domain is after all an illusion domain, let me see what secrets are hidden inside¡­¡± Shen Luo, not anxious, laughed loudly and proclaimed. His escape light flared up again, continuing the upward momentum, fleeing swiftly. ¡°One thousand zhang, three thousand zhang, a hundred li¡­¡± As Shen Luo sped along, he silently estimated the distance he was flying. But as time went on, his mood grew heavier and heavier. Soon, he had flown for hundreds of li, but all around him in front and to the sides was nothing but darkness. Obviously, even Chiyou''s body, no matter how vast, couldn''t possibly be this exaggerated. It was as if he was trapped in an eternal dark space, no matter how he raced, no matter how long he traversed, he couldn''t escape this space. Shen Luo tried changing direction midway, flying thousands of li again, but the result was still the same. He temporarily stopped his clueless flight, hovering mid-air, pondering his next move. While he was deep in thought, a heaven-shaking roar suddenly came from the extreme distance. Immediately after, there was the sound of violent collisions. The flawless Illusion Domain began to wildly ripple and fluctuate at that moment. Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened, and he suddenly saw three white light marks appearing in the far-off darkness ahead. These light marks looked like three slits ripped into a piece of black cloth, extremely conspicuous. His heart leapt with joy, knowing that was his exit route, and without any hesitation, he charged towards it, while swinging his arm forward with all his might. From his sleeve, a surge of fire erupted, and a scarlet sword light shot out instantly. The Pure Yang Flying Sword let out a loud and clear cry, rushing to the three light marks in an instant, its sword body trembling, splitting into three sword shadows, wrapped in Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and driving into the marks. ¡°Break.¡± S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo bellowed and the three sword lights lit up at the same time, the Crimson Fire Lotus blossomed with all its might, instantly engulfing the three white light marks. ¡°It is indeed here.¡± Shen Luo felt Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi flowing in where the Red Lotus Karmic Fire burned, and immediately leaped up, rushing towards it. As the fire blazed, the white light marks expanded rapidly, revealing an oval exit. Shen Luo''s body blazed with escape light, and with a flash, he passed through. His eyes were met with a sudden burst of daylight, and he saw the familiar pink reed swing, only to realize that he was still in the same place he started from, having not actually traveled far despite fleeing about half the day. Just as he thought the scene before him was still an illusion, he saw a white pillar of light shoot straight into the sky ahead, and a huge figure pierced a big hole in the miasmcondensed clouds of the skydome and rushed into it. On one side, in the water area on the ground, a green ¡°mountain peak¡± slowly fell, its shape vanishing bit by bit. And with that, the black fog that enveloped the place also gradually dissipated. It wasn''t until this moment that Shen Luo could finally see the true form of that ¡°mountain peak,¡± which turned out to be a river clam of colossal size. What they had encountered at first was the actual body of this guy. As the black fog vanished entirely, the figures of Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan reappeared as well. Both of them were exceptionally delighted to see Shen Luo, and they immediately flew to his side. ¡°Big Brother Shen, how did you break through the illusion fog?¡± Yuanyuan immediately called out. Wu Man''er also looked at him with a face full of surprise. Shen Luo pointed to the still unclosed huge hole in the clouds of the skydome and said, ¡°It wasn''t me, someone defeated the Mirage Demon, which is what helped us break through the illusion fog.¡± Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan also looked up to the high altitude, where the clouds were still churning, with waves of residual mana fluctuations. ¡°Did they come specially to help us?¡± Yuanyuan asked. ¡°It doesn''t seem like it. It looks more like they were passing by here, were also attacked by the Mirage Demon, and casually saved us in the process. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have left directly after the fight without even showing themselves,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Regardless, we''re finally out of trouble,¡± Yuanyuan said carefree and excitedly. Shen Luo felt somewhat heavy-hearted, as there were too many unknown dangers in Yunmeng Marsh; it wasn''t a place to linger. ¡°Let''s go, we''ll quickly get the Gingko Divine Tree Essence and leave this place immediately,¡± Shen Luo said with a furrowed brow. Seeing this, Wu Man''er understood Shen Luo''s thoughts. ¡°Big Brother Shen, let''s forget about the Gingko Divine Tree Essence. Let''s return now,¡± she suddenly said. ¡°Why is that? We''re about to reach the Divine Tree, aren''t we?¡± Shen Luo asked with confusion. ¡°I don''t know what other dangers lie ahead, and I can''t let you take risks for me anymore,¡± Wu Man''er said with some guilt. ¡°That won''t do, I must do what I promised you,¡± Shen Luo refused to agree. ¡°Big Brother Shen, the Divine Tree Essence isn''t indispensable. Compared to that, I''d rather we all return safely,¡± Wu Man''er said earnestly. ¡°After all the difficulties we''ve been through, we''ve finally made it here, how can we give up halfway?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°We haven''t come away empty-handed, after all; haven''t we saved Yuanyuan and the others?¡± Wu Man''er replied with a smile on her face. Shen Luo heard this and fell into silent contemplation. Thinking he was considering giving up, Wu Man''er felt slightly at ease, but Shen Luo quickly said, ¡°For safety reasons, I will go alone to steal the essence. You head back first and meet up with Fei Hong and Ru Meng.¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± Wu Man''er immediately objected. ¡°Um¡­ Big Brother Shen, Sister Man''er, you haven''t mentioned before, where exactly is this Divine Tree Essence?¡± Yuanyuan suddenly asked. ¡°It''s usually found at the base of the Divine Tree, at a spot connected to the Earth Veins,¡± Wu Man''er replied. ¡°At the base of the Divine Tree¡­ maybe I can take you there,¡± Yuanyuan said, frowning in thought for a moment before speaking. ¡°Really?¡± Wu Man''er asked with some surprise. Chapter 1165 Chapter 1165: Chapter 1162: Shrunk to Inches Chapter 1165: Chapter 1162: Shrunk to Inches ¡°Our Leaf Sprite clan has always had the tradition of worshiping the Divine Tree. Every Vernal Equinox, we would take the secret passage within our clan to worship under the Divine Tree, but we have never seen any Divine Tree Essence.¡± Yuanyuan said, puzzled. ¡°But any Divine Tree in the world must sense the sun and the moon above and harness the movement of the Earth''s veins below, interacting with the Yin and Yang of the Earth''s veins; so, there must be essence produced. It''s just that the essence of the Ginkgo Divine Tree might be hidden deeper, which is why you have never seen it,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°Hmm, if there is any, perhaps we could go directly to the bottom of the tree via our clan''s secret passage. At that time, we might be able to avoid the surveillance of that great demon and not have to fight,¡± Yuanyuan said. Shen Luo nodded, ¡°That would be best. Regardless, we have already come this far, so we must give it a try.¡± Wu Man''er hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head; she really didn''t want to give up just like that. The group set off again, and under Yuanyuan''s lead, they arrived at the territory of her Leaf Sprite clan. Yuanyuan returned to her homeland and, seeing her home in ruins, her eyes quickly reddened. Shen Luo''s gaze swept over the once delicate wooden houses that now lay mostly in ruins, and he could imagine what had happened here. He sighed deeply, wishing he had the strength to completely eliminate that Nine-Headed Insect. Wu Man''er cradled Yuanyuan in her palm, comforting her softly. Yuanyuan wiped away her tears and quickly regained her composure, leading them to an ancient tree big enough for two people to hug. Shen Luo glanced at the tree hole about the size of a bowl on the ancient tree and couldn''t help but give a wry smile. He had only thought of following Yuanyuan through the safe secret passage without considering how wide could a passage made for the Leaf Sprite clan really be? Now Yuanyuan, too, was hovering midair, somewhat at a loss for what to do. ¡°No matter, I had already thought of this when you first mentioned it,¡± Wu Man''er said with a smile, appearing unconcerned. With that, she turned her wrist, and two yellow elixir pills appeared in her palm. ¡°Our Divine Wood Clan often needs to inspect the Divine Tree''s roots, and in order not to disturb the original Earth Veins, the elders refined this ''Inch Body Pill.'' Once taken, it will shrink one''s body. However, one must continuously use mana to maintain it, otherwise, in just moments, it will revert to its original size,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°Having this elixir is great; I was wondering if we might have to use an Escape Earth Talisman to follow you,¡± Shen Luo said with a chuckle, taking the elixir pill from Wu Man''er''s hand and popping it into his mouth. A yellow halo burst forth from within his body, enveloping him completely. Shen Luo had just uttered an ¡°Eh¡± when his body began to shrink in circles, and in just moments, he became a tiny person about an inch tall, even shorter than Yuanyuan. Wu Man''er quickly took the elixir and shrank in size as well. Yuanyuan flew up first, entering the tree hole, with Shen Luo and the other following close behind, jumping in after her. Upon entering the tree hole, they fell straight down into an empty drop, falling for over a hundred zhang before finally reaching the bottom. In front of them appeared a horizontal tunnel sloping downward. Yuanyuan, glowing with a green light, led the way, while Shen Luo and the other followed behind, maintaining their size with mana. The three could only move through the narrow passageway, their speed not very fast. Shen Luo silently calculated the time in his mind and realized that they had walked for an entire day and still had not arrived. ¡°Big Brother Shen, Sister Man''er, we''re almost there,¡± Yuanyuan said from the front. ¡°Yuanyuan, why didn''t your clan build close to the Divine Tree and instead chose such a distance?¡± Wu Man''er asked curiously. ¡°Because the Divine Tree has always been the spiritual belief of all tribes in Yunmeng Marsh, no one would allow anyone to occupy the Divine Tree for themselves, and even establishing a tribal territory near the Divine Tree is not permitted. This has always been an unspoken rule, so the actions of that big demon have already incurred the wrath of the heavens and the resentment of people,¡± Yuanyuan explained. Shen Luo actually understood that, unlike Wu Man''er and their tribe who monopolize a Divine Tree, in Yunmeng Marsh, one must rely on strength to establish a territory near a Divine Tree. Just then, Shen Luo and Wu Man''er suddenly halted their steps and stopped. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Yuanyuan was startled and immediately lowered her voice to ask. Shen Luo looked up and frowned slightly, ¡°There''s a strong spiritual power fluctuation above, it seems to be the location of an Array''s foundation.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s a bit strange. If he wants to protect the Divine Tree, why didn''t he set up a prohibition underground?¡± Wu Man''er wondered. ¡°There''s nothing strange about that. They set up the Formation to prevent the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits from scattering when they ripen. Instead, they hope that some brazen charm spirits will covet them and try to steal them. They never show mercy when catching us,¡± Yuanyuan provided the answer. Shen Luo pondered for a moment and, recalling the arrogant nature of the Nine-Headed Insect, didn''t find it surprising. After a brief pause, they continued on their way. Before long, they found that the passageway ahead was blocked by a cyan-brown root. Seeing this, Yuanyuan was not anxious but delighted, ¡°These are the roots of the Divine Tree, we''ve arrived.¡± As soon as the words left her mouth, she had already dug a hole under the root and crawled through it. Shen Luo didn''t have time to stop her and quickly followed. The three of them passed through the roots but were all shocked by the scene before them. The secret passage had come to an end, the exit was blocked by roots, and beyond the exit was a very spacious underground stone chamber, brightly lit and clearly guarded by demons. Earlier, to avoid detection, the three had been suppressing their mana and had not dared to use their Divine Sense to investigate, so the sudden change in the scene caught them all off guard. Yuanyuan''s spiritual breath became unstable for a moment, and she almost exposed herself. It was Shen Luo who pressed her shoulder in time, helping her seal the fluctuation of her breath. ¡°Yuanyuan, now that we''ve arrived near the Divine Tree, it will be very dangerous for you to continue with us. You should retreat through the secret passage and wait for us in your tribal territory,¡± he transmitted to Yuanyuan. Yuanyuan hesitated briefly but eventually nodded her head. ¡°How dare you, little charm spirit, come here seeking death!¡± Just as she turned to crawl back under the roots, a sharp scolding suddenly came. As the scolding sounded, a blue light had already shot straight at the three of them. There was no time to escape at this point. Without overthinking, Shen Luo raised his hand and swept it outwards as he canceled the mana maintaining his form. His figure instantly grew larger, dropping into the stone chamber, while a water dragon emerged from his palm, colliding with the blue light and exploding on impact. Wu Man''er also quickly reverted to her form immediately behind him, and Yuanyuan, unable to escape back into the secret passage, also flew out. Sounds of battle cries came from around them, and immediately numerous ugly-looking demons, armed with weapons, surrounded them. Shen Luo swept his gaze around and saw thick roots coiling on the walls of the stone chamber, clearly indicating they were already beneath the Divine Tree. ¡°Human Race?¡± Then, another scolding voice came. Chapter 1166 Chapter 1166: Chapter 1163: Shocking Chapter 1166: Chapter 1163: Shocking Shen Luo looked in the direction of the voice and saw a beautiful woman clad in a greenish-purple long dress with her hair piled high and curves in all the right places standing beside a stocky Guicang demon, behind a group of monsters. ¡°How dare you, Human Race, covet the Great King''s spirit fruit! Are you seeking death?¡± the Guicang berated furiously. ¡°Your Excellency misunderstands, we are not here for the spirit fruit of the Divine Tree, nor do we wish to be your enemy; we merely wish to take some of the Ginkgo Divine Tree Essence,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Hmph, humans are the most cunning,¡± said the enchanting beautiful woman with a cold laugh. ¡°It doesn''t matter what you''re trying to do. To intrude here is a capital offense. Minions, seize them!¡± Guicang roared with rage. A horde of little demons rushed forward, surrounding them to attack. Upon seeing this, Wu Man''er raised her hand and began chanting. In a flash, the stone chamber shook violently, and the ground cracked as thick thorny vines burst out from underground, wildly lashing at the little demons. They were immediately struck, screaming miserably, covered in wounds. Shen Luo took Yuanyuan into his arms, furrowed his brow, and said, ¡°Once we start fighting, I might not be able to protect you. I have a Qiankun Bag here which can temporarily shelter you. However, it is filled with dense Yin Qi. Can you withstand it?¡± ¡°No problem¡­ as long as it''s not for too long,¡± Yuanyuan immediately replied, then hesitantly added. ¡°It won''t be too long. Today''s attempt to steal the Divine Tree Essence will surely fail, and we need to hurry to escape,¡± Shen Luo said while placing Yuanyuan into the Qiankun Bag. He took out two Escape Earth Talismans, affixing one to Wu Man''er and the other to himself, grabbed Wu Man''er''s shoulder, and bellowed, ¡°Let''s go.¡± As the words fell, both of their figures instantly submerged into the ground, beginning to move rapidly through the underworld. Inside the stone chamber, the beautiful enchantress furrowed her brow as Guicang immediately said, ¡°Madam need not worry, they won''t escape.¡± Without any sign of using an escape technique, a yellow light enveloped his body and he disappeared into the ground. Shen Luo and his companion sped through the underworld, unsure of how far they had escaped. Then, they suddenly noticed a strange mana fluctuation surrounding them, and the earthen yellow halo that enshrouded them vanished, with the previously penetrable underground soil layer returning to its original rocky hardness. Space solidified in an instant, and the rock and soil layers pressed in on them from all sides. Below them, the figure of Guicang was rapidly expanding, his turtle shell slamming towards them, and the bizarre fluctuation was emanating from this very shell. ¡°This is bad, the Escape Earth Talismans are failing.¡± Shen Luo inwardly sighed, taking advantage of the lingering power of the talisman to leap upwards, bringing Wu Man''er up with him out of the ground. The moment the two emerged, monsters immediately surrounded them. Shen Luo only gave it a fleeting glance and saw that they were on a vast expanse of land, surrounded by numerous low shrubs and stunted trees. In the distance, they could see the huge golden silhouette of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. He immediately mobilized his mana, preparing to use the ¡°Immortal Escape¡± to whisk Wu Man''er swiftly away from this place. ¡°Thief, halt!¡± Just then, the enchanting beautiful woman caught up with them, wielding a striking blue water long sword covered in fish scale patterns, thrusting it rapidly towards them. The woman emanated mana fluctuations not weak in the slightest, indicative of the Late Mahayana Stage. Her Blue Water Long Sword also seemed to be no common artifact, and as its edge pointed straight towards them, circles of blue Water Waves swept over, condensing into swirling vortexes around her. The Beautiful Woman''s sword momentum was fully charged, and when the edge of her sword pointed down, four single-horned heads of Water dragons emerged from the vortexes of Water Waves, charging towards Shen Luo and his companion. Feeling the oppressive force brought by the water dragons, Shen Luo''s heart and mind instantly tightened. At this moment, all he wanted was to quickly escape from the demon''s territory, so he held back no longer. The Huang Ting Jing within him circulated rapidly, and the Dragon Elephant Power surged forth, condensing outside his body into two golden shadows of dragons and elephants, charging towards the four single-horned water dragons. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The golden dragon elephants, known for their strength, were too much for the four water dragons to withstand, shattering them to pieces. However, the Dragon Elephant Power was unstoppable for a while, charging straight at the graceful Beautiful Woman and striking her. Under the heavy blow, the Beautiful Woman immediately flew back, spitting out blood, staining the front of her clothes red. Shen Luo withdrew his gaze, grabbed Wu Man''er, and was about to perform the ¡°Immortal Escape,¡± when suddenly the ground below erupted, and Gui Cang, who had swelled a hundredfold, burst upward, colliding with them. Shen Luo''s spellcasting was interrupted, and by the time he thought to continue, it was already too late, so he had to dodge first and flee hurriedly towards the distance. At that time, a furious roar suddenly erupted from the direction of the Divine Tree. Then, a surge of blood-red light burst forth, and an overwhelmingly powerful wave of Mana came billowing from there. Shen Luo sighed inwardly; he had still alarmed that guy. Shen Luo and Wu Man''er were fleeing rapidly, but they hadn''t gone far when a Blood Cloud appeared behind them, surging forth like an angry tide, moving much faster than their own speed of escape, rapidly catching up. ¡°Your speed of escape is too slow. Get on my flying sword,¡± Shen Luo said, pulling Wu Man''er onto the Pure Yang Sword. Wu Man''er did not refuse and put away her Magical Treasures. Shen Luo''s hands moved quickly in incantation, and the light on the Pure Yang Sword surged, engulfing both of their figures, and then condensed into a Red sword rainbow over a dozen feet long, darting forward like lightning, clearing the clouds and fog in its path, its speed increasing by several times. The following Blood Cloud was thrown off in an instant, and the distance between them widened once more. Just then, a sky-piercing screech came from behind them. Following the Sky-splitting screech, the Blood Cloud suddenly expanded massively, spreading across the sky in a blink of an eye, almost as if it would blot out the sun. Then, the speed of the Blood Cloud surged several times faster, like a monstrous wave crashing from behind, and it swarmed over in a flash, quickly catching up to Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, and rapidly spreading around them, enclosing both of them and the Pure Yang Sword in an instant. Shen Luo was startled and hurriedly made hand signs to stop the sword light, just in time to avoid crashing into it, and at the same time he brought out the Bloodthirsty Flag, which grew large with the wind, forming a blood-colored luminescent circle that enveloped the bodies of both of them. ¡°Could this Blood Cloud be the Nine-Headed Insect?¡± Wu Man''er''s face showed a hint of panic. Shen Luo did not speak, flipped his hand to bring out the Profound Yellow Staff, and poured Mana crazily into it, striking out into empty space with a forward strike. A hundred-foot long gigantic staff shadow struck the Blood Cloud in front, with a loud ¡°bang,¡± the Blood Cloud was shattered, tearing open a passageway to the Outside. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo was about to drive the Pure Yang Sword to escape outside when a curved cold light appeared out of nowhere behind him, nearly instantaneously, and chopped down on the Bloodthirsty Flag. ¡°Behind us!¡± Wu Man''er turned her head to look back sharply. With a light ¡°sizzle,¡± the Bloodthirsty Flag, which until now had blocked countless attacks for Shen Luo, was easily sliced through and pierced. The curved cold light''s speed was only slightly reduced, still striking like lightning towards his back. Chapter 1167 – 1167 1164 The Nine Chapter 1167: Chapter 1164: The Nine-Headed Insect Appears Chapter 1167: Chapter 1164: The Nine-Headed Insect Appears Shen Luo only now noticed the existence of a curved, cold light and his expression drastically changed. His arm whirled hurriedly, sweeping the Profound Yellow Staff behind him, dragging out a blurred afterimage. With a ¡°clang¡± of a resounding crash! The Profound Yellow Staff narrowly blocked the cold light that was about to strike him, but a sharp and strange force came from within the light, invading his body directly through the staff. It felt as though all of Shen Luo''s viscera had turned over. He ¡°wah¡± vomited a mouthful of fresh blood and his entire body was sent flying. He stabilized his body only after the light circle transformed by the Bloodthirsty Flag collided with the Blood Cloud around him. Only now did the source of the cold light reveal itself: it was an odd weapon resembling both a crescent-shaped knife and a flying sword, with its edge flickering with a strange cold brilliance, elongating and contracting unpredictably as if it could suck away people''s souls. A noticeable nick had been cut into the Profound Yellow Staff. Had he not previously infused it with a good amount of Spirit Solar Iron, that strike just now might have cleaved it in two. A cut was slashed into the Bloodthirsty Flag, its surrounding blood-colored light rings rapidly dissipating. The flag shrank into a small banner several feet in size, its surface blood light dusky and emitting bursts of mournful wails, evidently sustaining heavy damage. The delay allowed the surging Blood Cloud ahead to fill up the torn passageway once more. Shen Luo''s expression darkened, frantically thinking of countermeasures, but most of his mind was still on the Crescent Moon Treasure. This treasure was far too dangerous. If they weren''t careful, both of them could inexplicably lose their lives under that magical weapon. But at that moment, the Crescent Moon Treasure suddenly retracted back into the Blood Cloud and its aura vanished without a trace. Shen Luo paused, not daring to relax in the slightest, spreading his Divine Sense to its limit to probe the surroundings. The surrounding Blood Clouds were treacherous, and his Divine Sense, upon entering them, was like a person stuck in a quagmire, making it difficult to maneuver. Despite exerting all his strength, he could only extend it twenty or thirty feet. The Blood Cloud suddenly let out a ¡°rumble¡± of thunderous sound, shooting out giant blood-colored tendrils that rolled towards the two of them. Shen Luo was slightly startled and was about to defend when Wu Man''er, who was beside him, let out a cry and took action first. She summoned two green flying claw magic weapons, which shot out green claws several feet long, shredding the blood-colored tendrils with several swipes and resolving the assault. Shen Luo saw this and nodded slightly. He took out a Healing Pill and swallowed it, channeling his energy to refine it and cure the injury he had previously sustained. Suddenly, Wu Man''er let out a cry of alarm. Shen Luo quickly looked over, only to see the green light on the flying claws had dimmed considerably, appearing to wobble and malfunction. ¡°Be careful, these blood-colored tendrils have the effect of tainting magical treasures!¡± The green light in Shen Luo''s eyes flashed as he called out a warning. Wu Man''er was startled and quickly retracted the two claw treasures to investigate. Sure enough, strands of blood light emerged within, eroding the prohibitions inside the claws. Just as she was about to find a way to expel them, the Blood Cloud around them ¡°puffed¡± with noise again, shooting out dozens of thick blood-colored tendrils, which twinkled with a sticky blood light and rolled towards the two from all directions. Wu Man''er had no choice but to perform a hand gesture, suddenly her body was blindingly green, and she projected dozens of green beams from her sleeves. The moment these green beams appeared, they expanded upon encountering the wind and turned into numerous bamboo leaf-shaped green flying swords¨Ceighty-one in total¨Cforming a majestic Sword Array. It unleashed countless sharp Sword Qi, slashing at those blood-colored tendrils. With relentless ¡°hiss¡± sounds, the tendrils were sliced into a ragged mess by the Sword Qi. However, these blood-colored tendrils were akin to a liquid. The cut segments wriggled slightly, reattaching immediately, and were impossible to completely destroy. Instead, they kept invading the Sword Array. Furthermore, the blood light from the tendrils continually infiltrated the Green Wood Flying Swords, causing their Sword Light to fade rapidly. ¡°I''ll handle this!¡± Shen Luo, no longer attentive to guarding against the Crescent Moon Treasure, swung the Profound Yellow Staff, executing Splashy Chaotic Stick. Staff shadows struck out in all directions, forming a dense forest of staves as if creating a world of sticks, wrapping around all the incoming tendrils. ¡°Break!¡± Shen Luo''s Profound Yellow Staff swept through the air, twisting the myriad staff shadows violently. With a loud bang, all the blood-colored tendrils exploded into pieces, scattering into clumps of blood clouds. However, the Profound Yellow Staff was also tainted by the blood light, a cold, sinister force penetrating into the staff, causing the golden radiance to quickly fade. Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. This cold, sinister force was none other than Demonic Qi. He might not have a good way to deal with other forces, but Demonic Qi couldn''t trouble him. A flash of purple light, and the Ghost Pearl appeared in his hand. Patterns of purple faces surfaced on the pearl, which fiercely sucked at the Profound Yellow Staff. The Demonic Qi that had invaded the staff was swiftly absorbed by the Ghost Pearl, and the brilliant golden light bloomed once more. A hint of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. The Ghost Pearl was indeed adept at absorbing Demonic Qi. Wu Man''er was also thrilled to see this scene and was about to say something when Shen Luo had already stimulated the Ghost Pearl, sucking at Wu Man''er''s Green Flying Claw and Green Wood Flying Sword as well. The Demonic Qi inside the claw and sword swiftly flowed out, and in the blink of an eye, they regained their agility and brightness. ¡°Impressive skills to dissolve the Demonic Qi in my Blood Cloud Array, but you''ve injured my beloved wife, and for that, you are unforgivable. Today, you will all die here,¡± said a cold voice. Before the two could rejoice, a tall figure emerged from the blood cloud. This person stood eight feet tall, wore a rotten silver helmet, and was dressed in armor, with a splendid silver radiance shimmering all over his body. He wielded the Crescent Moon Treasure, which emitted a fierce cold light, looking quite imposing. It was the Nine-Headed Insect seen earlier in Dreamland. The Nine-Headed Insect was holding someone in his arms, the enchanting beautiful woman from before. The beautiful woman nestled in the Nine-Headed Insect''s arms had completely reversed her previous ferocity, displaying a demeanor that was all soft and submissive. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, without a moment''s hesitation, he took out a Talisman exuding a strong aura of thunder and lightning from his sleeve. It was the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, into which he channeled his mana. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boom! Boom! Boom! Thick and grand lightning bolts appeared, forming a forest of thunder and lightning spanning twenty or thirty feet. They easily tore through the surrounding blood clouds and struck at the Nine-Headed Insect and the woman. Wu Man''er was stunned by the might of the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman and stood frozen in place. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Shen Luo didn''t pause to gawk. He grabbed Wu Man''er and, wielding the Profound Yellow Staff, cleaved a path ahead, fleeing forward. ¡°Don''t even think about escaping!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect roared in anger, about to try stopping them, but countless bolts of thunder and lightning were already bearing down on him. He was taken aback but didn''t panic. His palm flashed with blood light, and a dark red spiked gauntlet appeared. He punched out. A massive, mountain-sized blood-colored fist shadow with sword-like spikes emerged in the void ahead, blocking all the thunderstorm. The scorching white lightning bolts struck the fist shadow, but only caused the surface blood light to tremble without leaving any sign of breaking. The Nine-Headed Insect muttered under his breath, drew a half-circle in the air with his right hand, and punched again. The blood-colored fist shadow in front suddenly swelled in size, its blood light intensifying. An immense force surged out, seemingly flattening the surrounding void, which emitted a creaking noise. The thunderstorm struggled for a few moments and was then completely crushed and dissipated. Chapter 1168 Chapter 1168: Chapter 1165: Demonic Qi Strengthens the Body Chapter 1168: Chapter 1165: Demonic Qi Strengthens the Body Shen Luo was fleeing forward with all his might, about to fly out of the Blood Cloud Range, but he was shocked when he sensed the situation behind him. The gigantic blood-colored fist shadow shattered the lightning storm and continued to chase after Shen Luo and his companion with astonishing speed, like a meteor piercing the sky, catching up to them in the blink of an eye. Without looking back, Shen Luo raised his hand and waved behind, releasing a green Spirit Seal, which was none other than the Qingling Wood Seal. The seal glowed brightly as the image of a divine tree suddenly expanded, bursting forth with a vast expanse of gentle green light, rapidly growing in size until it became a giant tree hundreds of feet tall in the blink of an eye. Seeing this, Wu Man''er also swept her sleeve backward. A burst of green light shot out from her hand, revealing a Green Jewel radiating extremely rich Yimu vibrations, very similar to the one she used at Wuzhuang View that day. The Green Jewel merged into the divine tree''s phantom in a flash. The tree''s image immediately grew tenfold and nearly solidified, with spiral-shaped mysterious Spirit Patterns appearing on its trunk. As soon as the divine tree''s image had solidified, the blood-colored fist imprint arrived and struck harshly against the Qingling Wood Seal, emitting a thunderous roar. The image of the divine tree trembled violently, its leaves and branches breaking off in large quantities, but the main trunk stubbornly held on and withstood the giant fist shadow. ¡°There are quite a few broken things, but it''s a pity you can''t escape,¡± the Nine-Headed Insect said with a slight surprise, but then sneered coldly, changing the fist of his right hand into a palm, with a sinister blood-colored rune appearing in its center. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The massive blood-colored fist shadow suddenly spread out, transforming into a Qiang Tian giant hand that grew several times in size, covering most of the sky and striking down. Upon this impact, the divine tree''s image broke on contact, and the Qingling Wood Seal burst with a loud ''bang'', disintegrating into countless fragments, completely destroyed. Shen Luo and Wu Man''er were enveloped by the blood-colored giant hand, appearing as if they were about to be crushed like two small insects, overwhelmed by an immense oppressive sensation. Wu Man''er''s vision went dark, and she let out a muffled hum as she fell unconscious. Shen Luo''s forehead was instantly covered with cold sweat, and his divine soul trembled chaotically, like a candle flame in a violent wind, possibly extinguished at any moment. The Coiling Dragon Wall beside him suddenly flashed with red light, sending a warm current through his body that steadied his shaking divine soul, allowing him to barely activate the magical treasures around him to resist. However, as the blood-colored giant hand thundered down, it felt as if the entire sky was pressing down as well. The Profound Yellow Staff, the Pure Yang Sword, the Ghost Pearl, and the Bloodthirsty Flag''s Spiritual Light all dimmed significantly, struggling to move. ¡°Am I really going to die here today?¡± Shen Luo''s face turned pale, as if he saw a vision of his body exploding, filled with an immense urgency. If his jade pillow was still with him, he would be able to summon his Dream Cultivation to fight desperately, but now he had lost that God''s Power. However, at that very moment, a thought flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, recalling the first time he had transformed into a demon. Although the burst of Demonic Qi caused chaos in his meridians and left him severely injured afterward, it also greatly increased the power of his abilities, allowing him to cross two provinces in an instant using the Yimu Xuandun. Shen Luo immediately weighed the pros and cons and placed his hand on the Ghost Pearl. A swarm of pure Demonic Qi gushed out, infusing into his body. Although demonization would cause him to lose his senses, unaware of good or ill, it was still better than dying on the spot. With a ''boom'', his eyes instantly turned blood-red, and the inky Demonic Qi erupted and spread rapidly around him. This terrifying murderous aura also exploded, with a demonic red light flowing over his skin''s surface, resembling blood. Suddenly, with Shen Luo at the center, that substantial red murderous Qi rolled out and enveloped the surrounding area for several miles. All of this happened in the blink of an eye, though it might sound complicated to describe. Although Wu Man''er was in a state of unconsciousness, her body trembled uncontrollably, her sleeping cheeks showing an expression of extreme terror. The Nine-Headed Insect was also completely shrouded in the murderous aura. This substantial aura vibration directly merged into his body, rushing towards the soul in his mind. ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± Countless bizarre cries of slaughter echoed in his mind; the Nine-Headed Insect suddenly felt as though he was back in his childhood, struggling to survive within the perilous Yunmeng Marsh, living in fear every day, where he could be killed and devoured by other demons at any moment. The body of the Nine-Headed Insect suddenly stiffened, and the blood-colored giant hand descending from above paused momentarily. Shen Luo himself was also invaded by a terrifying deathly aura; a buzzing sound filled his head, and his consciousness was about to be overwhelmed. But at this moment, a red light shone from the Coiling Dragon Wall at his waist, and a burst of Pure Yang Power penetrated his mind, just barely fending off the terrifying deathly aura, preserving his consciousness. Shocked and elated, Shen Luo realized the Coiling Dragon Wall was wondrously effective, capable of resisting the deathly aura that was eroding his divine soul. This way, he could calmly manipulate the Demonic Qi in his body. The surging Demonic Qi within his body roiled tumultuously, significantly stronger than during previous outbreaks. ¡°Could it be that this Demonic Qi, while lying dormant in my body, has not been idle but has gradually been consuming my vitality, strengthening itself!¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat, but he couldn''t afford to care about that now as he spurred the Demonic Qi to circulate through his meridians. His Mana was also flowing through his meridians, and as soon as it touched the Demonic Qi, it fused instantly, undergoing a strange transformation and its power explosively increased. Shen Luo''s entire person seemed to swell slightly, and his body was enveloped in a blue-black radiance; an aura many times stronger than before burst forth. The Nine-Headed Insect, with his profound cultivation and incredibly firm will, immediately suppressed the fear in his heart, and his body erupted in blood light. The blood-colored giant hand descended once more with a rumbling sound, chopping towards Shen Luo and his companion. Shen Luo, experiencing the changes within his body, immediately channeled his Mana into several Magical Treasures around him. The Profound Yellow Staff, Pure Yang Sword, Ghost Pearl, and Bloodthirsty Flag, all four treasures, quickly revived, brightening progressively, and the Spiritual Light they emitted was ten times more brilliant than before, causing the surrounding Void to tremble. At the same time, a black light flashed across his body, and the Jiuli Devil Armor emerged, enveloping him. The glorious radiance of treasures such as the Profound Yellow Staff was mixed with a black hue of Demonic Qi; far from conflicting, they resonated with each other. Shen Luo raised his hand and pressed upwards towards the Void; gold, red, purple, and blood-colored Light Pillars shot up into the sky, colliding with the blood-colored giant hand. ¡°Boom¡± resounded a heaven-shaking explosion! The four Light Pillars burst asunder, unleashing rings of windblast-like ripples that swept outward in all directions, but the blood-colored giant hand was also repelled. Shen Luo himself was shoved backward, but protected by the Jiuli Devil Armor he was unharmed, his body''s Green Light glowing intensely. In an instant, he, along with the four Magical Treasures and Wu Man''er beside him, merged into the Void and vanished without a trace. ¡°Damn it!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect was furious that he had allowed those two humans to escape right under his nose; his anger surged, and the blood light atop his head flickered as his neck suddenly elongated into a monstrous bird-like head. The monstrous head''s eyes flickered with silver light as it searched the Void, fixing suddenly on a particular spot, and let out a piercing screech. A blood-colored lightning bolt shot out, striking the spot in the Void where the bird''s gaze had landed. ¡°Zap¡± came a muffled crash, and the area of the Void split open, revealing a Spatial Rift. The Spatial Rift trembled, and a vast expanse of blood-colored lightning erupted from it. Two staggering figures were propelled out from the blood-red lightning, Shen Luo and Wu Man''er, the latter still unconscious. Chapter 1169 Chapter 1169: Chapter 1166: Heavenly Spirit Soldiers Chapter 1169: Chapter 1166: Heavenly Spirit Soldiers Before Shen Luo could steady himself, a shadowy figure flashed through the void next to him. The Nine-Headed Insect appeared like a ghostly specter, and a silver lightning bolt, which was the Crescent Moon Treasure, slashed towards Shen Luo''s neck. Although Shen Luo was unsteady, his reaction was remarkably quick. With his left hand, he embraced Wu Man''er, and with his right hand, he took out the Slayer''s Broken Sword and struck out rapidly. He managed to block the Crescent Moon Treasure''s strike without appearing too rushed. The Nine-Headed Insect''s face showed a look of astonishment. With a twist of his wrist, the Crescent Moon Treasure conjured seven phantoms, each aiming at different parts of Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo''s right hand swung out, and the sword radiance of the Slayer''s Broken Sword surged, swirling around his body. Clang, clang, clang¡­ S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After seven consecutive loud noises, Shen Luo had blocked all of the Nine-Headed Insect''s seven attacks. Shen Luo felt both shocked and delighted. In his burst of Demonic Qi, his strength was astonishingly strong. The Nine-Headed Insect in front of him was at least a Late-Stage True Immortal being, yet he was able to fight almost evenly matched! At this moment, the Nine-Headed Insect was also a mix of shock and rage. The blood light on his body soared, and the Crescent Moon Treasure in his hand shone brightly, unleashing a violent storm of attacks. Shen Luo coolly responded to the enemy, as the two figures battled against each other. The more the Nine-Headed Insect fought, the more alarmed he became. The malevolent aura emanating from the human youth in front of him was truly frightening. Although he managed to suppress his mind and not be affected by the malevolent aura, he could only exert six to seven tenths of his strength. Added to the fact that he had been seriously injured earlier and hadn''t yet recovered, he was unable to take down Shen Luo for the time being. As for Shen Luo, he was becoming more and more adept at controlling the Demonic Qi. The Slayer''s Broken Sword had also been tainted by evil magic before, and it was not averse to Demonic Qi. His sword qi surged powerfully, not only resisting all of the Nine-Headed Insect''s attacks but also showing a tendency to overpower him. ¡°Ghost Carriage Blood Rain!¡± the Nine-Headed Insect roared furiously, biting the tip of his tongue and spraying a mouthful of thick blood. This blood was no ordinary blood. It was black with hints of red, extremely viscous, and gave off a strong Demonic Qi. Swish, swish, swish! The black and red blood spread rapidly, turning into a vast expanse of black-red clouds in the blink of an eye, covering the mid-air densely. Then, with a whoosh, a torrential black rain fell from the dark clouds, showering down like arrows and enveloping a radius of over ten miles. Shen Luo''s expression changed drastically. Moonlight Glamour radiated powerfully from his feet as he shot backwards at an incredibly rapid speed. The Nine-Headed Insect did not try to stop him, instead, he stretched out his hands to either side, creating a black-and-red umbrellshaped light curtain above his head. Although Shen Luo''s Slanting Moon Steps were as quick as lightning, he was now right in the center of the blood rain''s range, with no chance of escape. Just as he retreated several hundred feet, countless droplets of black rain poured down on him. With no other options left, he spat out three blue glowing round pearls. These three round pearls, obtained from Zen Master Baoxiang''s Storage Magical Tool, were of high quality and part of a set of magical treasures with considerable defensive power. The three pearls intertwined with each other and, with a swift rotation, a thick Blue Light Screen formed above his head. The Bloodthirsty Flag also flew out and spread out beneath the Blue Light Screen, adding another layer of defense. No sooner had Shen Luo finished these actions than the black rain descended upon him, with hundreds of raindrops striking the light curtain. A hissing sound erupted as the Blue Light Screen was enveloped in green smoke and eroded away in the blink of an eye, while the three blue pearls were also drenched by the black rain and dissolved on the spot. Shen Luo was greatly alarmed, as Mana and Demonic Qi surged out wildly, infusing into the Bloodthirsty Flag. The blood light on the Bloodthirsty Flag intensified, but as it was hit by countless droplets of black rain, the blood light quickly faded away. More torrential black rain pelted down, engulfing everything. The trees, plants, and even the soil on the ground below, upon contact with the black rain, immediately started to emit a pungent green smoke, wilting and melting away. In the blink of an eye, the black demonic rain had riddled the ground within a radius of more than a dozen miles with holes, turning it into a sticky black swamp and melting the ground by three feet, a sight too horrendous to endure. A streak of crimson escape light burst out from the black rain, revealing the figure of Shen Luo. His Jiuli Devil Armor was unscathed, but his exposed arms and calves were horrifically corroded with several large holes, exposing white, ghastly bones that made one''s heart tremble with fear. Furthermore, whether because of serious injuries or not, the Demonic Qi around him was rapidly receding. The Bloodthirsty Flag floated beside him, enveloping Wu Man''er within. The face of the flag was covered with corroded black spots, its light dim, evidently suffering a significant loss of spiritual power. Shen Luo took deep breaths, but before he could catch his breath, the figure of the Nine-Headed Insect ghostly appeared behind him, and the Crescent Moon Treasure slashed down towards him, its dazzling silver light shooting straight into the sky. Shen Luo hastily executed the Pure Yang Sword Technique, pouring all of the remaining Mana and Demonic Qi inside him into the Slayer''s Broken Sword and slashing horizontally behind, barely blocking the attack from the Crescent Moon Treasure. But he was seriously injured and had acted in haste, lacking in strength; the Slayer''s Broken Sword was knocked out of his grasp and flew away, and he himself was sent flying by the strike. ¡°Die!¡± A fierce light flashed in the eyes of the Nine-Headed Insect, as the Crescent Moon Treasure flew from his hand, appearing beside Shen Luo''s neck and swiftly cut towards his throat with incomparable speed. Although Shen Luo was sent flying, he did not lose his ability to react; he pointed with his hand, forming a sword technique, and the Pure Yang Sword in the shape of a flood dragon burst forth from beneath him, ¡°clang,¡± blocking the strike from the Crescent Moon Treasure. The Nine-Headed Insect was not surprised but instead showed a sneering expression. He motioned with a hand behind his back, forming a technique. Turbulence in the space on the other side of Shen Luo heralded a cold light materializing out of nowhere; it was another Crescent Moon Treasure, rolling towards his neck like a ghostly specter. Shen Luo had not expected a second Crescent Moon Treasure, and it was too late to dodge; decapitation seemed imminent. But suddenly, a golden light shot out from the void next to him ¨C it was a Golden War Spear, moving faster than the eyes of all onlookers, accurately and precisely striking the Crescent Moon Treasure. ¡°Clang,¡± a loud metallic clang sounded, as the Crescent Moon Treasure was sent flying. ¡°Who''s there!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect showed a shocked expression, unable to believe that someone had been lurking unnoticed by his side. Having narrowly escaped death, Shen Luo retreated a distance with the gleam of moonlight beneath his feet and stopped, then turned to look towards the golden spear. A figure slowly emerged from behind the gold spear ¨C it was a young man in white, his posture erect and noble, exuding an elegant charm. He radiated a noble presence, seemingly neither demonic nor divine. ¡°It''s you!¡± When the Nine-Headed Insect saw the newcomer, his eyes shot forth two beams filled with extreme hatred. The young man in white, however, remained very calm, paying no heed to the Nine-Headed Insect''s hateful gaze, instead turning his head to look at Shen Luo and Wu Man''er with concern, asking, ¡°Are you both alright?¡± ¡°I am fine. Although friend Wu has fainted, she is also not in grave danger. Thank you, elder, for the life-saving grace,¡± Shen Luo quickly said, bowing deeply in gratitude. Although the young man in white looked young, the powerful aura he exuded was by no means inferior to the Nine-Headed Insect or the Jieyin Daoist, so Shen Luo did not dare to be negligent and addressed him as an elder. The young man in white''s gaze fell on Wu Man''er and with a flick of his sleeve, a surge of water-like white light shot out from his hand, bursting with vigorous vitality and disappearing into Wu Man''er''s body in a flash. A white crystalline glow appeared on the surface of Wu Man''er''s body, her furrowed brows relaxing, but she still did not wake up. Shen Luo sensed the mana signature emitted by the young man in white during the spell casting and was slightly startled, finding it somewhat familiar. A sudden flash of insight struck him, and he remembered the enormous figure that had previously broken them out of the illusion fog. Chapter 1170 Chapter 1170: Chapter 1167 Little White Dragon Chapter 1170: Chapter 1167 Little White Dragon ¡°So, it was he, that enormous figure. But why does this young man in white want to help us repeatedly? To use us against the Nine-Headed Insect?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but secretly speculate, but immediately stopped his train of thought. Regardless, the young man in white had saved his life, and even if he might have other motives, Shen Luo shouldn''t judge his savior so selfishly. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo sincerely expressed his gratitude. The young man in white waved his hand, signaling Shen Luo to back away. Shen Luo did not disobey, retreating to a distance with Wu Man''er and took out a healing pill to swallow, starting the process of refining it with mana. Given the situation, a great battle was inevitably forthcoming, and he needed to recover as quickly as possible. The pill soon dissolved, but Shen Luo''s wounds were riddled with cold, demonic qi, greatly hindering the pill''s effectiveness. He immediately activated the Ghost Pearl, a purple light enveloping his body, and the demonic qi in his wounds was instantly sucked away by the Ghost Pearl. ¡°Luckily the Ghost Pearl is effective,¡± Shen Luo inwardly sighed in relief, encouraging the pill''s power to heal his wounds. Flesh quickly grew back at his injuries, with wounds swiftly closing up¡­ The young man in white looked at the Nine-Headed Insect, his expression cooling down, about to say something. ¡°Crown Prince, I never thought we would meet again. I''ve long heard you''ve become a Protector, a Holy Dragon of the Western Heavenly Buddha Gate. What brings you to Yunmeng Marsh?¡± A seductive figure flew in from a distance, the same charming young woman, looking at the young man in white with a coquettish chuckle. The young man in white glanced at the charming young woman, his expression revealing a trace of complexity. Shen Luo was currently focusing on healing his physical injuries but still spared a portion of his attention to observe the young man in white. Seeing this, a playful look appeared on his face. It seemed there was some kind of secret between the young man in white, the Nine-Headed Insect, and the charming young woman. Wait a moment¡­ Suddenly, Shen Luo remembered some rumors about the Nine-Headed Insect. It was said that year he stole the fiancee of the Third Prince Ao Lie of the West Sea, who later became the Little White Dragon on the journey to retrieve the Western Scriptures. In a fury, the Little White Dragon set fire to the pearls bestowed by the Jade Emperor, was imprisoned, and later was enlightened by Guanyin Bodhisattva to protect the Tang Monk and retrieve the true scriptures, thus being freed from his crimes. Could this charming young woman be the Wansheng Princess? She called the young man in white ¡°Crown Prince,¡± could he be the Little White Dragon Ao Lie who protected the Tang Monk on his journey to the Western Paradise? ¡°What Protector, Holy Dragon? Nothing more than a watchdog for the Western Heavenly Buddha Sect,¡± sneered the Nine-Headed Insect with disdain. The young man in white''s face showed anger, but he didn''t speak up to argue, seemingly not good with words. ¡°How dare you demean Senior Ao Lie as a mere watchdog? That year, who was the one who fled from Sacrifice Country like a beaten cur, and now you''ve pledged yourself to the Demon Clan, I''m afraid you''re even less than a dog?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t stand seeing the young man in white being ridiculed and with a spin of his eyes, he coldly interjected with a sneer. ¡°Pah! That year in Sacrifice Country, if not for Sun Wukong''s cunning tricks and those meddling Heavenly soldiers and generals, I would never have been defeated!¡± Upon hearing these words, the Nine-Headed Insect raged as if a sore spot had been hit. Shen Luo''s words were also a probe, and seeing the reaction of the Nine-Headed Insect, he had no more doubts¨Cthe young man in white was indeed the Little White Dragon. ¡°So you are people of the Third Prince, sneaking into Yunmeng Marsh this time to steal the Divine Tree Fruit?¡± The Wansheng Princess turned to look at Shen Luo. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Senior Ao Lie is by no means a lowly thief who steals chickens and dogs. My coming here with him is purely coincidental,¡± Shen Luo said with a mocking glance at Wansheng Princess. Wansheng Princess knew Little White Dragon quite well and agreed he wasn''t the sneaky type. She had some inkling as to why Little White Dragon had come, but with Nine-Headed Insect present, it wasn''t a good time to discuss the matter. ¡°So, you are the Wansheng Princess of Bibo Pond? That year, you forsaken jewels for a mere pebble. I wonder, have you regretted your choice in the years that have passed?¡± Shen Luo noticed Wansheng Princess''s expression, a thought flickering through his mind, he spoke provocatively. ¡°Silence!¡± Wansheng Princess''s pretty face twisted with anger as she shouted, nervously glancing at Nine-Headed Insect. Over the years, Nine-Headed Insect had withdrawn to Yunmeng Marsh. Although he still doted on her, his temperament grew increasingly fickle. At first, she thought she could handle him, but now, she was losing confidence in her own allure. ¡°Silence? It seems the princess does have regrets after all, hahaha¡­¡± Shen Luo laughed heartily. ¡°You¡­¡± Wansheng Princess was both embarrassed and annoyed. ¡°You shameless wretch, still harboring feelings for this white dragon!¡± Nine-Headed Insect, consumed with jealousy at Wansheng Princess''s reaction, slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. Shen Luo was taken aback; his previous words had indeed been meant to provoke discord between Wansheng Princess and Nine-Headed Insect, but he hadn''t expected Nine-Headed Insect to be so impulsive and violent, striking his own wife in public. Wansheng Princess was so stunned by the slap that it took her a moment to snap out of her daze. ¡°You hit me?¡± She covered her face, roaring with a mix of shock and anger. Nine-Headed Insect''s eyes revealed a glint of blood light as he backhanded her again. This slap was much heavier. Wansheng Princess was sent flying through the air, crashing to the ground from midair, with blood streaming from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Slut! Did you think this place was Bibo Pond, and you''re still the Wansheng Princess of the past? Speak out of turn again, and don''t blame me for being unkind!¡± Nine-Headed Insect''s face was grim as he shouted. Wansheng Princess trembled and slowly lowered her head, a flicker of desolation crossing her expression. Little White Dragon and Wansheng Princess had a complicated history, and his brows furrowed upon witnessing this scene. Ignoring the dispute between Nine-Headed Insect and Wansheng Princess, Shen Luo scrutinized Nine-Headed Insect, sensing something amiss with him. The latter seemed to exude an overwhelming malicious aura and appeared somewhat unable to control his emotions. ¡°Nine-Headed Insect, back then you narrowly escaped with your life. Considering you were of the Ghost Car Clan, which once brought benefits to the Human Realm in ancient times, I did not pursue you further. Unbelievably, you show no remorse, seizing control of Yunmeng Marsh, pillaging and massacring at will. Moreover, you dare to raid the West Sea Dragon Palace, stealing treasures and severely injuring my father! If you''re wise, you''ll return the stolen treasure, otherwise, you will not leave here alive today!¡± Little White Dragon took a deep breath, suppressing his various emotions, and said coldly. Shen Luo listened, showing a look of surprise on his face. Little White Dragon came here for this reason, and Nine-Headed Insect was so audacious, already exiled to Yunmeng Marsh, yet he still dared to wreak havoc in the West Sea Dragon Palace. ¡°Heh heh, I''ve been to the West Sea Dragon Palace more than once. What can you do to me? At the great battle of Sacrifice Country, you hid behind Sun Wukong, heavenly soldiers and generals, and thus, you were lucky to survive. Today, you''re here alone. Let us fight earnestly, and I will show you how you''ll suffer defeat once again at the hands of my Moon Soul Hook!¡± Nine-Headed Insect laughed maliciously, the crescent moon treasures in his hands flashing coldly. ¡°Words are useless, come meet your end!¡± Little White Dragon leaped forward, the Golden Dragon Spear gleaming brightly as it shot out towards Nine-Headed Insect''s face. ¡°Bring it on!¡± Nine-Headed Insect bellowed, slashing his Moon Soul Hook and blocking the Golden Dragon Spear. An earth-shattering boom ensued, as gold and silver light blasted skyward. A powerful storm swept across the area. Chapter 1171 Chapter 1171: Chapter 1168: Reversal Chapter 1171: Chapter 1168: Reversal Shen Luo, taking advantage of the strong wind stirred up by the confrontation between Little White Dragon and Nine-Headed Insect, retreated further back before stopping. He seized the time to heal his injuries while also channeling his mana to stimulate the Coiling Dragon Wall, drawing out a stream of Pure Yang Power to infuse into Wu Man''er''s body. Wu Man''er moaned softly and opened her eyes. ¡°You''re awake?¡± Shen Luo was pleased and released the other person. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother Shen, you saved my life again,¡± Wu Man''er said, recalling what had happened before she passed out and slightly bowing her head as she spoke. ¡°It was a trifling matter, not worth mentioning. We are still not out of danger,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and looked ahead. Ahead, Little White Dragon and Nine-Headed Insect had already engaged in fierce battle, with spear shadows crisscrossing and hook shadows flashing continuously, enormous booming sounds like countless thunderclaps exploding, both sides appearing to be evenly matched in strength. ¡°What amazing spear techniques, who is that young man in white?¡± Wu Man''er asked, showing a look of surprise. ¡°He is a senior member of the Dragon Clan, Third Prince Ao Lie of the West Sea. It was he who just saved our lives,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Senior Ao Lie! It''s actually him! Should we go forward and join the fight?¡± Wu Man''er asked in astonishment, evidently having heard of Little White Dragon''s reputation, and then inquired further. ¡°There is no need. Senior Ao Lie will surely defeat the Nine-Headed Insect,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Little White Dragon''s spear techniques were much more powerful than Ao Hong''s, like tumultuous sea waves, incessant, fully embodying the essence of the Dragon Clan''s spear arts, and containing a profound Buddhist power within the fierce spear shadows, not only greatly enhancing their power but also providing sustained force. On the other hand, the Nine-Headed Insect''s Moon Soul Hook, although unmatched in might, was clearly lacking in endurance. As time went on, it would definitely fall into a disadvantage. As Shen Luo had predicted, as time passed, Little White Dragon fought more and more bravely, his entire body glowing with golden brilliance, as if he was a Buddha, a saint, and the tip of his spear kept shooting out resplendent golden lights, with Buddhist chants resonating through the void. Meanwhile, the Nine-Headed Insect gradually fell into disadvantage, his complexion turning crimson and he gasped for air. ¡°Impossible! How could this little dragon''s strength have advanced to such a realm!¡± He was a mix of shock and fury. That year, fighting for Wansheng Princess, the two had clashed at the West Sea Dragon Palace. At that time, although Little White Dragon was already not weak, he was still far inferior compared to him. How many years had passed since then, and Little White Dragon''s cultivation level had soared to such an extent. Already at a disadvantage, Nine-Headed Insect was now distracted, immediately revealing a flaw. Little White Dragon''s eyes were incredibly sharp; his Dragon Spear darted like a venomous snake''s strike between the two Moon Soul Hooks, and with a left and right shake, Two loud clangs rang out as Nine-Headed Insect''s arms jerked as if electrocuted, causing both Moon Soul Hooks to fly apart and exposing his wide-open guard. ¡°Tornado Rain Attack!¡± Little White Dragon shouted lowly, and the golden light on his Dragon Spear burst forth, countless spear shadows shooting out from it, enveloping Nine-Headed Insect in a torrential downpour. Nine-Headed Insect was taken aback, but it was already too late to retrieve the Moon Soul Hooks. Around his neck, blood light flickered, and shockingly, eight more ferocious bird heads emerged. All nine heads opened their mouths simultaneously, spewing out nine balls of blood light that turned into a Blood Cloud about a hundred feet wide in front of him, emitting a nauseating stench, quite similar to the earlier black blood rain. Before he could do anything else, countless spear shadows struck upon the Blood Cloud. With a hissing sound, as the spear shadows touched the Blood Cloud, they rapidly corroded and dissolved like ice meeting fire, disappearing in the blink of an eye. However, the hastily cast Blood Cloud had limited power, and a few of the more powerful Golden Spear Shadows stubbornly pierced through, hitting Nine-Headed Insect behind it. Nine-Headed Insect''s massive body was sent flying back, several bloody holes pierced through his chest, crashing heavily to the ground. With a hatred as deep as the sea between Little White Dragon and Nine-Headed Insect, there was no mercy; the Golden Dragon Spear shot out with a swish, like a Flood Dragon emerging from a cave, directly stabbing at the vital point of Nine-Headed Insect''s heart. But a figure swiftly moved sideways to intercept, spreading their arms in front of the Nine-Headed Insect, it was the Wansheng Princess. ¡°Third Prince, please show mercy!¡± Little White Dragon paused for a moment then hurriedly lunged forward, reaching to grab the tail end of the Dragon Spear, attempting to forcibly stop the strike. Yet the Dragon Spear was too fast, and he couldn''t stop it in time; the spearhead pierced through Wansheng Princess''s chest, passing right through. Seeing this, Little White Dragon was momentarily dumbfounded. ¡°That year, I wronged you. I will return everything I took from the Dragon Palace to you. Please spare the Nine-Headed Insect''s life,¡± Wansheng Princess said, blood gushing from her mouth, yet she did not care and pleaded with Little White Dragon. ¡°You¡­¡± Little White Dragon''s expression showed a hint of distraction, and he hurriedly pulled out the Dragon Spear, eager to inspect Wansheng Princess''s wounds. But at that moment, a cold light penetrated the lower abdomen of Wansheng Princess, vanished in a flash, and stabbed into Little White Dragon''s chest, burying half a foot deep ¨C it was unmistakably the Nine-Headed Insect''s Moon Soul Hook. Meanwhile, the severely wounded Nine-Headed Insect suddenly sat upright, the eyes in all nine heads turned blood red, a monstrous evil aura burst forth like raging waves, chilling to the core, similar to the evil qi Shen Luo had emitted when he turned into a demon. Little White Dragon roared in shock and fury, swiftly retreating backward, his right hand lightning-fast grabbed the Moon Soul Hook. Golden dragon scales appeared on his palm, his fingers growing golden spikes; he firmly grasped the Moon Soul Hook, preventing it from advancing further. However, the Moon Soul Hook suddenly radiated a frightful silver light, mixed with strands of blood-red demonic light. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Little White Dragon''s face changed drastically, his body shone with a bright golden light, which exploded outward like raging waves, and the sound of a Dragon Chant pierced the heavens. But before the golden light fully bloomed, an explosive ¡°boom¡± sounded, and the Moon Soul Hook shattered. A silver sun appeared out of nowhere, mingled with strands of blood-red demonic light, effortlessly overpowering the bursting golden light, engulfed Little White Dragon''s body. An earth-shattering noise rang out, and countless waves of silver light burst forth, wildly scattering in all directions, instantly creating a ferociously powerful tornado that swept up everything within several miles. ¡°Elder!¡± Shen Luo initially thought Little White Dragon had victory in his grasp, but he hadn''t expected such a sudden turn of events. He transformed into a red light and plunged into the silver tornado. Wu Man''er also hurried forward, but her divine soul was injured, and her movements were slow. Before she could react, the overwhelming tornado hit and flung her away. She managed to stabilize her form by running her qi but was flung hundreds of feet away. Just as Wu Man''er steadied herself, she immediately sought out Shen Luo and Little White Dragon, but a red light shot out from within like lightning ¨C it was Shen Luo, carrying Little White Dragon in his arms. Little White Dragon looked extremely pitiful, half of his body mangled, suffering extreme injuries; had he been an ordinary monk, he likely would have died. Luckily, as a member of the Dragon Clan, his body was now covered with golden dragon scales, and two dragon horns had grown on his forehead. He had turned half-dragon, his hard scales just enough to save his life, surprisingly, he had not even lost consciousness. ¡°Senior Ao Lie!¡± Wu Man''er, seeing the terrible state of Little White Dragon, exclaimed in shock, rushing over and quickly taking out a green jewel and rapidly executing a secret method. A green light emerged from the gemstone, entered Little White Dragon''s body, and his wounds began to close. However, the healing process was very slow, as if a force was preventing the secret method from taking full effect. ¡°Don''t rush to cure him, we need to leave this place first!¡± Shen Luo said urgently, then grabbed Wu Man''er and began to flee with all his might. He hadn''t fled far when a flash of blood light appeared ahead, and a blood-red shadow materialized out of thin air. It was none other than the Nine-Headed Insect. Chapter 1172 Chapter 1172: Chapter 169 Both Sides Suffer Chapter 1172: Chapter 169 Both Sides Suffer The Nine-Headed Insect was now covered in dense blood light, mixed with a thick demonic Qi. Its face twisted into a bloodthirsty grimace, both eyes turned completely blood-red, seemingly having lost all rationale. Shen Luo''s heart sank; the Nine-Headed Insect in this state was very much like when he had a burst of demonic Qi himself. ¡°Die¡­¡± the Nine-Headed Insect growled unintelligibly, reaching out with one hand. A bloody giant claw the size of a house appeared above the three of them and struck down like lightning. Before the giant claw could touch them, an overwhelming evil aura caged them, instantly sweeping over everyone nearby. The terrifying evil aura directly invaded Shen Luo''s mind, causing his divine soul to shudder involuntarily. However, he had the Coiling Dragon Wall to protect his body, which could even withstand the evil aura burst from himself. Hence, he was not significantly affected by the Nine-Headed Insect''s aura. Although the Little White Dragon was seriously injured, his cultivation level was still profound, so he could withstand the Nine-Headed Insect''s evil aura. Wu Man''er, however, being the weakest in terms of strength and having suffered substantial injury to her divine soul previously, was not yet recovered. The impact of the evil aura caused her to tremble all over, utterly unable to move. Shen Luo shouted loudly, his feet bursting with Moonlight Glamour and the remaining Pure Yang Sword''s light surging, carrying the three of them swiftly to the side, narrowly avoiding the capture of the bloody giant claw. But the Pure Yang Sword was grazed by the giant claw, its crimson sword aura dimming fiercely. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect has been corrupted by demonic Qi. You''re no match for him, leave me and go quickly!¡± the Little White Dragon urged anxiously. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°If we go, we go together!¡± Shen Luo shook his head firmly, maneuvering the Pure Yang Sword with a hand gesture. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± countless Red Lotus Karmic Fire spewed from within the sword body, and in the blink of an eye, it spread over an area of twenty or thirty feet around, forming a Sea of Flames that enveloped the Nine-Headed Insect. The Nine-Headed Insect missed its hit and was just about to attack again when a redness flashed before its eyes, and its body was covered in the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire, being a Heavenly Fire that burns the divine soul, made the Nine-Headed Insect tremble despite its cultivation level being far superior to Shen Luo''s. The protective demonic Qi managed to guard against the fire, but the soul still trembled, slowing its actions for an instant. Shen Luo had no expectation for the Red Lotus Karmic Fire to kill the Nine-Headed Insect instantly; he needed just that moment of delay. He exerted his full power to operate the Yimu Xian Escape Divine Technique, his body lighting up with bright green. The Nine-Headed Insect''s blood-red eyes suddenly intensified, breaking free from the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, flinging both hands swiftly to the sides. Two chunky beams of blood light shot forward, easily ripping through the surrounding sea of red lotus flames. Its figure became a bloody phantom, lunging furiously, even faster than before. Shen Luo was taken aback, just about to figure out a countermeasure when the Little White Dragon preemptively acted, flicking his intact left hand wielding the Golden Dragon Spear. Seven or eight spear shadows shot out, striking the Nine-Headed Insect. With several muffled bangs, the spear shadows disappointingly failed to penetrate the blood light on the Nine-Headed Insect''s body, shattering instead. However, they managed to shake the Nine-Headed Insect''s lunging figure momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo flipped out an Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, channeling his mana to activate it. Loud thunderbolts appeared out of thin air, striking the Nine-Headed Insect. Caught off guard by the Little White Dragon''s repelling force and unable to dodge, it was hit by more than a dozen massive thunderbolts. A series of booming thunders sounded, and the Nine-Headed Insect''s blood light seemed to fear the thunder, getting torn in several places. The creature also got shaken back a few steps. Shen Luo didn''t continue attacking, his body''s green light flared, and they vanished into the void in a flash, disappearing from sight. The Nine-Headed Insect saw Shen Luo and the two others fleeing and let out an angry roar from all nine heads, with the eagle head''s eyes emitting a terrifying crystalline light. It looked around the void, its mouth flickering with blood-colored lightning, ready to spew forth. But just at that moment, its body began to tremble violently, the dreadful aura surrounding it quickly dissipated, and it fell like a rock, hitting the ground with a ¡°bang¡±. The Nine-Headed Insect wasn''t hurt from the fall, but its large body curled up, twitching non-stop as if enduring some sort of pain. Wansheng Princess, having been pierced through by both the Little White Dragon''s Dragon Spear and the Nine-Headed Insect''s Moon Soul Hook, struggled to get up. After all, being of the Dragon Clan with a considerable cultivation level, she hadn''t perished and attempted to check on the Nine-Headed Insect. At this moment, three black escape lights shot from the distance and landed on the ground, materializing into three demons of the Demon Race. One of them was Gui Cang, who had previously accompanied Wansheng Princess. Beside him stood a demon with the body of a man and Lian Shan, whose skin was covered with purplish-red scales, resembling a Flood Dragon. The last demon was a woman, clad in blue robes, her facial features no different from an ordinary young woman except for a significantly larger mouth, which looked somewhat bizarre. Lian Shan was powerful, his cultivation level on par with Gui Cang''s, both reaching the Great Mahayana Stage. The blue-robed female demon was even a major demon at the True Immortal Stage. ¡°Master, Madam!¡± Upon seeing the state of the Nine-Headed Insect and Wansheng Princess, the three demons were shocked and hurriedly rushed over. ¡°Never mind me, take the Great King back first!¡± Wansheng Princess urged in desperation. Startled, the blue-robed female demon quickly checked on the Nine-Headed Insect, her expression turning solemn. She said to the other two demons, ¡°Gui Cang, Lian Shan, take our Master back to the Blood Pool for healing.¡± Hearing this, Gui Cang and Lian Shan did not dare to delay and, lifting the Nine-Headed Insect, rushed back. The blue-robed female demon approached Wansheng Princess, chanting spells, and a great expanse of blue light rolled out, merging into Wansheng Princess''s body. The wounds on Wansheng Princess''s body healed rapidly, vanishing within a few breaths, and she was barely able to stand up. ¡°Madam, I can still sense the fluctuations of their escape technique''s Mana. Should I go after them to kill? If we wait any longer, all traces will vanish,¡± the blue-robed demon said to Wansheng Princess, stopping her actions after helping her stand, and speaking in a grave tone. ¡°No need. The enemy is formidable, and you are no match for them. Let''s head back for now. We will wait for the Great King to recover before taking further action,¡± Wansheng Princess said, with a hint of complexity in her expression. ¡°Understood,¡± the blue-robed demon, though somewhat puzzled, did not question further and took Wansheng Princess in the direction they had come from. Several green lights flashed across the void above an unnamed lake within Yunmeng Marsh, then abruptly intensified. Wrapped in the three green lights, the figures of Shen Luo, Wu Man''er, and Little White Dragon appeared. The Little White Dragon was either too severely injured or it was due to some other reason, but he had already lost consciousness. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense spread out, sensing that for tens of miles around, there were no demons present, and he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It looks like we''ve managed to leave that Ginkgo Divine Tree far behind, and we''re temporarily safe. Let''s set Senior Ao Lie down quickly so I can apply a Secret Method to help him recover from his injuries,¡± Wu Man''er said urgently. ¡°Although I''ve used the Yimu Xian Escape technique to flee a considerable distance, the Nine-Headed Insect has been entrenched in Yunmeng Marsh for many years, and it''s uncertain how many demons are under its command. It''s better to be safe and continue to flee further before we treat Senior Ao Lie''s injuries,¡± Shen Luo suggested. Wu Man''er found his words quite reasonable and therefore did not object. Shen Luo, with green light shining from his body, continued to use the Yimu Xian Escape technique, carrying the three of them toward the distance. After escaping continuously for more than a dozen times and nearly reaching the edge of Yunmeng Marsh, Shen Luo finally stopped in a range of low mountains. Chapter 1173 Chapter 1173: Chapter 1170: Healing Chapter 1173: Chapter 1170: Healing Shen Luo excavated a simple cave dwelling in a hidden part of the mountain wall and took shelter there with Little White Dragon. Wu Man''er took Little White Dragon from Shen Luo''s hands, busily administered medicine, dressed the wounds, and cast healing spells. Shen Luo was not adept at healing, so he released Yuanyuan from the Qiankun Bag and let it assist Wu Man''er while he went outside the cave to set up prohibitions to conceal the cave dwelling. To be on the safe side, he even set up the Liangyi Micro-dust Array outside, which took him half an hour to complete. When he returned to the cave, his brows immediately furrowed. He saw that half of Ao Lie''s body was still in the same state, and though the blood had barely stopped flowing, the wound had not healed at all. ¡°How could this be?¡± Shen Luo asked with a grave expression. ¡°A very strange power is entrenched in Elder Ao Lie''s wound, firmly adhering to the flesh and blood and blocking my healing,¡± Wu Man''er said slowly. She had set up an array on the ground that closely resembled the Divine Wood Graceful Language Great Array she had set up in Wuzhuang View before, only much smaller in scale. The array enshrouded Little White Dragon''s body, with green light flashing within, seemingly expelling the weird force within Little White Dragon''s body. ¡°Weird force¡­ Could it be Demonic Qi? If it is, I can help you deal with it,¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°It''s not Demonic Qi. Otherwise, I would have already asked for Brother Shen''s help. It''s an energy similar to Yin Sha Qi but very different from ordinary Yin Qi. I''ve never seen it before,¡± Wu Man''er replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense to carefully sense Little White Dragon''s body and soon detected the alien energy within. Indeed, it was extremely odd, chilling to the bone, yet not the same as Yin Qi. After a moment of pondering, he formed a hand seal and summoned the Slayer''s Broken Sword, channeling the Pure Yang Power within it into Little White Dragon''s body. Little White Dragon''s body immediately displayed a layer of golden light, as the vast Pure Yang Power coursed through its meridians, attempting to expel that chilling power. But just as Wu Man''er had said, that power was firmly attached to the flesh and blood near Little White Dragon''s wounds, and no matter how the Pure Yang Power surged, it remained immovable. ¡°What is this power, so odd?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. ¡°I am not very skilled in curing injuries. Given the current situation, does Friend Wu have any good strategies?¡± he then turned to ask Wu Man''er. ¡°There''s no other way now. The array I''ve set up can slowly expel that chilling force, but it will take about a month in total,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°If it takes a month, then a month it shall be. With the Nine-Headed Insect''s overwhelming strength, we stand no chance of obtaining the Divine Tree Essence without curing Senior Ao Lie,¡± Shen Luo said resignedly. ¡°Alright, then I will begin casting spells immediately, but I must not be disturbed by anyone during the process,¡± Wu Man''er stated. ¡°Then I''ll go outside and carve out another secret chamber,¡± Shen Luo said as he stood up and quickly excavated another stone chamber on the stone wall outside. Just as he was about to sit down, his expression suddenly changed and he waved his sleeve. A blue light shot out from his sleeve, entered the prohibitions surrounding the cave dwelling, and quickly retracted. Wrapped within the blue light was a black figure, none other than the Ghost General. ¡°Didn''t I tell you to take Fei Hong and Rumeng away? Why did you come here?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I led those two little demons to a safe place nearby. When I sensed your presence, Master, I came to check on you. I hope I haven''t disturbed you?¡± the Ghost General said with a look of fear. ¡°It''s fine. I am going to enter seclusion for cultivation. Daoist friend Wu is in another secret chamber treating someone. Since you''ve come, you shall protect the area in and around the cave mansion. If you detect any suspicious individuals approaching, inform me immediately,¡± Shen Luo said, taking out the control instrument for the cave mansion''s prohibition and handed it over. ¡°Understood,¡± the Ghost General sighed in relief, took the magical instrument, and with a flash, merged into the stone wall. Shen Luo then closed his eyes and sat down, but he did not start cultivating immediately. Instead, he circulated the Divine Wood Grace to check the condition of his primordial vitality. His expression quickly darkened. His primordial vitality had been pervasively contaminated by a swath of black and crimson Demonic Qi, and it was much more than the previous bursts of Demonic Qi¨Cnearly half had been contaminated. Moreover, the black and crimson vitality was filled with demonic nature, slowly eroding the rest of his vitality. ¡°Damn it!¡± he cursed under his breath, hastily circulating the Divine Wood Grace with all his might to purify his primordial vitality. Deep within Yunmeng Marsh, a range of contiguous palaces sprawled across the area, imposing and splendid. Deep within the palace, the Nine-Headed Insect was sitting cross-legged in a pond of several dozen zhang in size, filled with bright red blood that emitted a pungent stench of blood, bubbling continuously. Around the Blood Pond, eight stone pillars stood tall, engraved with many formation patterns on themselves and the ground, forming a sinister Great Formation that was releasing tendrils of black light. A blue figure stood atop one of the stone pillars. It was the blue-robed female demon who had previously rescued the Nine-Headed Insect. She was surrounded by over a dozen blood-colored formation flags as she operated the Array around the Blood Pond. Streams of blood-colored Qi constantly surged out from the blood waters, merging into the Nine-Headed Insect''s body. His wounds gradually healed, and rather quickly, they were all cured, and the bursting Demonic Qi on his body also dissipated gradually. After a long while, the Nine-Headed Insect slowly opened his eyes, which had regained their clarity. ¡°Master!¡± The blue-robed female demon leaped down in front of him and immediately knelt and bowed. ¡°Was it you who brought me back?¡± the Nine-Headed Insect looked at her and asked coldly. ¡°Yes, but I was a step late, allowing the thief to escape. I implore Master to punish me,¡± the blue-robed female demon said respectfully. ¡°Considering you timely brought me back, preventing too much damage from the Demonic Qi backfire, let''s leave it at that,¡± the Nine-Headed Insect snorted and said coldly. ¡°Many thanks for Master''s magnanimous forgiveness!¡± The blue-robed female demon''s face showed an expression of tearful gratitude. ¡°How goes the pursuit afterward? Where have those people fled to now?¡± the Nine-Headed Insect asked. ¡°About that¡­ The thieves have escaped¡­¡± The blue-robed female demon hesitated, her words coming out with some difficulty. ¡°The leader of those thieves has been severely injured by me; the others are just two Great Mahayana stage humans. You actually didn''t pursue!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect became furiously enraged upon hearing this, causing the blood within the entire Blood Pond to churn violently. ¡°Master, forgive me. When I arrived, the enemy had just recently fled; indeed, tracking was still possible, and I did propose this to Madam. But Madam said that the enemy was formidable, and pursuit would be futile, insisting that we first rescue you, so¡­¡± The blue-robed female demon collapsed to her knees, pleading non-stop. ¡°How is Madam now?¡± The Nine-Headed Insect had images of the Wansheng Princess being stabbed by him flash through his mind, his rage somewhat subsiding as he asked slowly. ¡°Madam was seriously injured, but being from the Dragon Clan, she has a strong constitution. I have also performed treatment, and she is now out of danger, recuperating in a secret chamber,¡± the blue-robed female demon hurriedly reported. ¡°Good. Take care while treating Madam''s injuries; take any spiritual items you need. But we cannot let those thieves off. Send out all our people to search. Release the Green-Winged Bird as well. We must find them before they have a chance to recover!¡± the Nine-Headed Insect ordered coldly. ¡°Yes, I will handle it immediately,¡± the blue-robed female demon replied, then turned and left. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1174 Chapter 1174: Chapter 1171: Preparations Chapter 1174: Chapter 1171: Preparations The Nine-Headed Insect wore a sullen expression as he sat in silence for moments, then resumed his seated position with legs crossed. Although his external injuries appeared to have healed, his meridians had taken a heavy blow when he intruded into the West Sea Dragon Palace, and his vital essence had also suffered severe depletion. All of this required a long period of quiet recuperation to heal completely; otherwise, many hidden problems would remain. ¡°Little White Dragon, once my injuries have fully recovered, I will challenge you to another battle! We shall see who amongst us truly holds the upper hand,¡± murmured the Nine-Headed Insect to himself before closing his eyes and beginning to absorb the blood mist from within the Blood Pool. Half a day later, a swarm of Demon Race members burst forth from the Palace of the Nine-Headed Insect, scattering in all directions. Accompanying these members of the Demon Race were large flocks of green birds, so many that their number was impossible to determine. These birds were small, only about half a foot in length, and covered in a green hue all over. Only their eyes had a slight reddish tinge. They lacked demonic aura and looked no different from the common birds found in Yunmeng Marsh. In a secret chamber of the palace, the blue-robed female Demon, Lian Shan, and Gui Cang were all sitting upright, each holding a green mirror. The mirrors displayed densely packed blood-colored specks; only upon closer inspection could one discern that these were blood-red pupils, identical to the eyes of those green-winged birds. The green-winged birds were spirit birds secretly raised by the Nine-Headed Insect through a secret technique, and they were extremely sensitive to breaths, particularly adept at detecting prohibitions. Moreover, the eyes of the green-winged birds were connected to these Green-Eye Mirrors, allowing the bearers to share the birds'' vision no matter how far they flew. Since the green-winged birds lacked demonic aura, even if a monk spotted them, they wouldn''t pay any attention without knowing what lay beneath the surface. It was precisely because of these green-winged birds that the Nine-Headed Insect was able to control every movement within Yunmeng Marsh. The blue-robed female Demon was confident that as long as those people were still in Yunmeng Marsh, their traces would surely be found. Before long, green-winged birds had spread across all corners of Yunmeng Marsh. Several of them also flew over the low mountain where Shen Luo and the others were located, swiftly searching for any suspicious locations throughout the mountain range. However, the formation Shen Luo had set up outside the Cave Mansion was the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. After multiple uses, his understanding of this Array had deepened significantly, and the Array''s prohibition energy was now completely concealed. Even a True Immortal Cultivator might not detect it. Despite the green-winged birds'' prowess in detection, they found nothing. Time passed day by day, and soon, more than half a month had gone by. Despite no responses from either the dispatched Demon Soldiers or the green-winged birds, the anxiety of the blue-robed female Demon and the other two grew more intense. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°We''ve searched for more than ten days, turned Yunmeng Marsh upside down several times. How can they still not be found?¡± Lian Shan asked urgently. ¡°Could they have already left this place?¡± Gui Cang suggested. ¡°Their goal is the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, which is about to ripen. They shouldn''t leave at this time. I suspect they are hiding somewhere, using a prohibition to conceal their tracks,¡± said Lian Shan. ¡°Impossible. The green-winged birds have an exceptional sensitivity to prohibitions. What kind of prohibition could possibly elude them?¡± Gui Cang immediately objected. ¡°While the green-winged birds are indeed sensitive, there are countless miraculous prohibitions in the vast world; there might indeed exist some that can block the birds'' perception,¡± the blue-robed female Demon stated. ¡°So, Bashe, you believe that they are using a prohibition to hide?¡± Lian Shan looked towards the blue-robed female Demon. ¡°That is very likely,¡± Bashe stated slowly, a flicker of light in her eyes. ¡°Even if we hypothetically figure that out, we''re still unable to find them. What should we do next?¡± asked Lian Shan impatiently. ¡°Regardless, we must report this matter to our Master,¡± said Bashe. Lian Shan and Gui Cang shuddered at the words, knowing the Nine-Headed Insect ruled with an iron fist. This time they had even received the Green-Eye Mirror and yet failed to find their target. They had no idea what punishment awaited them. ¡°There''s no need for both of you to report; I''ll go alone. You wait here for the outcome,¡± Bashe glanced at the two of them before rising to his feet. ¡°Then we shall trouble you, Bashe,¡± Lian Shan and Gui Cang sighed with relief. Having left the secret chamber, Bashe soon arrived at the Blood Pool where the Nine-Headed Insect resided and reported the situation. ¡°Idiots! I gave you the Green-Winged Bird and the Green-Eye Mirror, yet you can''t even find a few people!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect flew into a furious rage. ¡°Your subordinate has not dared to slacken in the slightest these days but truly cannot locate those people. Perhaps they realized the Master''s fearsomeness and have already left Yunmeng Marsh?¡± Bashe suggested. Upon hearing this, the Nine-Headed Insect''s brow raised slightly. The Little White Dragon and he shared a deep-seated hatred. As long as he was not dead, it was certain he would not back down. However, considering the severe injury imposed on him by the Nine-Headed Insect''s cunning plan, if he were incapacitated, it was possible that he could have been taken out of Yunmeng Marsh by the two Humans. ¡°Since the individuals cannot be found, let''s put this matter aside for now. The Silver Ginkgo Spirit Fruit is about to mature; let''s deal with that first,¡± proclaimed the Nine-Headed Insect. ¡°Yes, your subordinate, along with Gui Cang and Lian Shan, have fortified the Ancient Array near the Divine Tree, which will surely intercept all of the spirit fruit without letting a single one escape,¡± Bashe declared promptly. ¡°Having only the Qian Yuan Returning Spirit Array isn''t enough. The maturation of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit will surely attract thieves. Set up this set of Kun Yuan One Breath Array around the fruit tree. Combined with the Qian Yuan Returning Spirit Array, it will form the Ancient Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array, capable of fending off any outsiders. The injuries I''ve sustained should heal in about half a month. Until then, the defense is in your hands. If you can hold out, each of you will be rewarded with a Ginkgo Spirit Fruit,¡± the Nine-Headed Insect produced a set of yellow array flags and handed them to Bashe. ¡°Thank you, Master. I will get to it at once!¡± Bashe expressed great joy, taking the formation flags before leaving. The Nine-Headed Insect watched Bashe depart, a trace of coldness flitting through his eyes. He then closed his eyes and continued to cultivate. Bashe quickly left the Blood Pool and returned to the previously mentioned secret chamber. ¡°What did the Master say?¡± Lian Shan and Gui Cang hurried forward as the female demon entered. ¡°The Master is magnanimous and has forgiven us for our failure in the search. He told us to put the matter aside for now and concentrate on protecting the Ginkgo Divine Tree¡­¡± Bashe relayed what the Nine-Headed Insect had said back in the Blood Pool. ¡°The Master is willing to bestow upon us Ginkgo Spirit Fruit? That''s wonderful. With those fruit, our cultivation levels will surely advance further. Breaking through the True Immortal Stage is also highly probable!¡± Lian Shan and Gui Cang exclaimed with delight upon hearing the news. Having served under the Nine-Headed Insect for many years, guarding the Ginkgo Divine Tree, they were well aware of the miraculous powers of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. Seeing the two demons excited, Bashe sneered inwardly. Knowing how treacherous and cruel the Nine-Headed Insect was, the reward of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit was surely not so easy to enjoy. However, she said nothing. ¡°This is the Kun Earth One Qi Array bestowed by the Master. It requires the three of us to set it up. Let''s get started immediately,¡± she said, taking out the set of yellow-colored arrays. ¡°Alright,¡± Lian Shan and Gui Cang agreed in unison. The three immediately flew towards the Ginkgo Divine Tree, where numerous white stone pillars lit up with swathes of white light, forming a cloud-like Ban on Light Curtain around the Divine Tree. ¡°How should this formation be laid out? Outside the Qian Yuan Returning Spirit Array?¡± Lian Shan inquired. ¡°No need. These two arrays are originally one. Combined, they are the Ancient Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array. Just set it up within the Qian Yuan Returning Spirit Array,¡± Bashe instructed while activating the formation flags with hand seals. The formation flags transformed into streaks of yellow light, merging into the Qian Yuan Returning Spirit Array. Chapter 1175 Chapter 1175: Chapter 1172: Ghost Head Demon Sound Chapter 1175: Chapter 1172: Ghost Head Demon Sound Several hours later. The ground near the Ginkgo Divine Tree shuddered with a rumbling sound, and the white stone pillars around it suddenly emanated a thick yellow light that sunk into the ground. A yellow light curtain, ten times thicker than before, slowly emerged from underground, enveloping the Ginkgo Divine Tree within it. The light curtain took the shape of a hemisphere, over ten zhang thick, reaching into the high heavens, and extending as far as the eye could see, giving the impression of being indestructible. ¡°Is this the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Qiankun Array? With such an array, even if a cultivator at the late-stage True Immortal like the Master were to come, they would not dream of breaking through it,¡± Lian Shan couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration as he watched the great formation. ¡°Although this formation is mysterious, maintaining its operation requires the joint effort of the three of us, not allowing us to be distracted even for a moment. The protection of the Master''s palace is also crucial, and we can''t spare anyone, so everyone must brace themselves for a long period of hard work ahead,¡± said Bashe. ¡°Understood,¡± Lian Shan and Gui Cang replied in unison. The three demons sat in the void, activating the formation. Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, a day and a night had passed. Inside the small mountain cave mansion, Shen Luo opened his eyes, the green light on his body slowly fading and his tense expression relaxing somewhat. After a day and a night of cultivation, he had driven out as much of the Demonic Qi from his vital qi as possible. Although quite a bit still remained, it was no longer corroding the rest of his vitality. However, as more and more of his vital qi became corrupted by the Demonic Qi, he could clearly feel his thoughts growing more restless, with bloodthirsty and murderous impulses surfacing from time to time. ¡°This can''t continue. I must advance to the True Immortal stage as quickly as possible and undergo the Sky Thunder Body Refining, otherwise, even if my body isn''t corrupted by the Demonic Qi, I will have already turned into a bloodthirsty monster,¡± Shen Luo frowned and thought to himself. He then shook his head, steadied his mind with the Suppressing God Technique, closed his eyes, and began refining his rapidly increasing mana. His body radiated a bright blue light, engulfing him like a tide, albeit the waves of blue light seemed somewhat unstable. Soon, more than ten days had passed. As the blue light around Shen Luo gradually receded, he slowly opened his eyes, a trace of joy flashing in his gaze. During this period, while he was running the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his mind, he was also reinforcing his cultivation with the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Although it was extremely hard, the effect turned out to be very good. In just the span of half a month, his cultivation realm had completely stabilized, allowing him to continue refining his cultivation level. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo took out not the One-yuan True Water, but the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date instead. He had just now used his Divine Sense to check on Wu Man''er and the Little White Dragon; they were still healing their injuries. However, with Wu Man''er''s abilities and the cultivation level of the Little White Dragon, they should recover soon. Given the enmity between the Little White Dragon and the Nine-Headed Insect, a rematch was inevitable. He, too, needed to quickly enhance his strength, and currently, the quickest way to do so was to consume the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date, improving his practice of the Huangting Technique. Moreover, with the abounding spiritual power in the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date, consuming it would also benefit the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Shen Luo waved his sleeve, causing formation flags to land in various spots around the secret chamber, then set up several layers of prohibitions. After all these preparations, he opened his mouth and swallowed the Wind and Thunder Immortal Date. Szzzzt¡­ Golden electric sparks sprang out from half of Shen Luo''s body, with each pore ejecting thunder and lightning, making him look like a deity of thunder and lightning. Yet the other half of his body emitted trails of azure windstorms, which wrapped around his skin and whirled in all directions with a whistling sound. Two potent streams of Spiritual Power coursed through his body, rapidly seeping into every part. The force of the Wind Spirit was one thing, but the golden lightning, imbued with the powerful force of the Thunder Spirit, cleansed the Demonic Qi that remained in his body from his earlier demonization, making him feel much lighter. ¡°This golden lightning seems to have a strong power for exterminating demons, that''s great. With this lightning power, I''ll be more confident in combating Demonic Qi in the future.¡± Shen Luo was delighted, running the Huangting Technique to spread the power of the lightning throughout his body. The golden lightning not only swept away the remaining Demonic Qi but also opened up his muscles and meridians, making him feel as if he was floating on the brink of becoming an immortal. Just as the golden lightning flowed through his right shoulder, a bone-chilling cold breath suddenly surged from within, accompanied by a ghastly cackling sound, causing the temperature in the entire chamber to plummet instantly. Before Shen Luo could react, a dense black smoke shot out from his shoulder, materializing into a Specter shadow several meters in size that reached the rooftop and touched the ground. The head of the Specter was blue-black, completely bald, resembling a monk, with eyes as large as copper bells shining with a dim cold light. Its bloodied maw was uneven with tusks, looking as if it wanted to choose someone to devour. Shen Luo''s expression changed, and he abruptly stood up, stopping the refinement of the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates. He recognized this black Specter head; it was the very same black ghost that had shot out from the stone box when he obtained the Nameless Cultivation Technique, which then turned into a pattern and adhered to his body. That year, after his breakthrough to the Qi Refining Stage, the pattern of the Specter head disappeared without a trace, and no matter what method he used, he couldn''t find it. He thought it had completely vanished, but now it seemed that the Specter had only hidden its traces and burrowed deeper into his body. Now this black Specter head was several times larger than before, its aura incredibly increased, almost comparable to a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator, a world of difference from what it used to be. ¡°I didn''t expect you to still be here. When I managed to understand the Dao and step onto the path of Cultivation, it was with your help. Tell me your origins, and I won''t make things difficult for you,¡± Shen Luo quickly regained his composure and spoke indifferently. Yet the black Specter head seemed to possess little Spiritual Wisdom. It stared at Shen Luo with blood-red eyes, and with an open mouth let out a piercing howl. In an instant, the entire chamber was filled with ghostly wails and wolf howls, excruciatingly shrill. Streams of black sound waves burst forth, exuding an indestructible sharpness; the ground and walls of the chamber were marked with deep grooves as the waves enveloped Shen Luo. Shen Luo shook his head slightly and waved his hand. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± a thick layer of blue light appeared in front of him. The black sound waves hit the blue light and disappeared without a trace, as if a giant stone had fallen into the sea, only stirring up some waves. Shen Luo was taken aback. The blue light he had summoned was infused with plenty of Mana and was indeed powerful. But it was still beyond his expectations that it could so effortlessly block these black sound waves. ¡°Could it be that this black Specter head is only strong in appearance but weak in essence?¡± he wondered, preparing to summon the Pure Yang Sword to subdue this ghost. But at that moment, the Yin Qi in the chamber surged violently, and the faint sound of weeping suddenly arose, reminiscent of a baby''s voice¨Csharply thin and deeply troubling, inciting unease and irritation in those who heard it. These weeping sounds were like fine needles, unexpectedly piercing deep into Shen Luo''s mind. He immediately felt dizzy and rigid, with his hands and feet trembling uncontrollably, beyond his command. ¡°Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound!¡± Shen Luo''s heart leapt. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had seen this terrifying Ghost Path power in the Classics¨Cone that shook even the fearless. Once afflicted with this technique, even if one''s Cultivation level was higher than the ghost''s, escape was impossible. One could only watch helplessly as their Divine Soul sank deeper and deeper, eventually falling completely under the ghost''s control and becoming its puppet for life. Such a technique was exceedingly rare, and in Yama''s Palace, only beings of the Ten Halls Yama''s caliber were capable of using it. Chapter 1176 Chapter 1176: Chapter 1173: Counteracting Chapter 1176: Chapter 1173: Counteracting As the whining demonic sound incessantly poured into Shen Luo''s mind, his feeling of dizziness grew stronger, and his limbs danced even more uncontrollably as he walked step by step towards the black ghost. Shen Luo berated himself for being careless and tried to run his mana to resist, only to shockingly discover that he had already lost control over his mana. The only thing he could barely manipulate was the limited soul power in his mind. He hurriedly ran the Incomplete Suppressing God Technique, and the Coiling Dragon Wall, seemingly sensing the condition of his body, transmitted a surge of Pure Yang Power that promptly countered the influence of the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, and his dancing body began to still. Shen Luo relaxed a bit in his heart, about to suppress his divine soul with all his might. But the specter in mid-air opened its mouth and roared once more, and the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound in the secret chamber immediately became several times louder. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo felt as if he was struck in the face by a blunt club, his soul, which he had just managed to control, scattered once again, and his consciousness dulled. ¡°It''s over, kid!¡± The specter''s mouth curled into a sneer, no trace of its previous bewilderment remained, and it let out a fierce howl. Countless black sound waves of Ghost Howling Sonic Wave appeared again, slashing at Shen Luo''s body like exceedingly sharp sword qi. Just at that moment, dense White Fog suddenly emerged within the secret chamber, instantly enveloping everything. The black sound waves disappeared into the sea of White Fog as if they were clay cows entering the ocean, easily devoured by the dense fog. Shen Luo''s figure also vanished from sight, his whereabouts unknown. ¡°An Illusion Technique prohibition?¡± The black specter was startled, and Ghostly Qi surged from below its head, instantly growing a body tens of feet long with thick and fearsome limbs. The tips of its fingers had scythe-like ghost claws that viciously swiped at the place where Shen Luo had been standing. Several crescent-shaped black lights whistled out, but they too were silently swallowed by the surrounding fog, with no response. ¡°Roar!¡± The ghost roared angrily, opening its mouth to spit. A surge of black Ghost Flame erupted and rapidly expanded, covering an area of hundreds of feet in mere breaths, fiercely blazing. However, the surrounding White Fog seemed boundless and was not affected by the burning Ghost Flame at all. ¡°What is this?¡± The black ghost finally seemed panicked, activating the Soul-absorbing Demon Sound once more. The sound of ghostly wailing amplified, spreading far and wide. Somewhere within the white fog, Shen Luo sat cross-legged, a flash of brilliancy at his brow, and his body radiated waves of blue light, becoming brighter and brighter. After a while, the blue light on his body suddenly surged, and with a violent shake, he stood up. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Beside him, the White Fog surged, and the figure of the Ghost General appeared. ¡°I''m fine now, thanks to your timely arrival,¡± Shen Luo sighed with relief and spoke. After he was hit by the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, he immediately notified the Ghost General using his mind, who carried a formation flag of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array and used it to bind the black ghost in a critical moment. ¡°Master, what''s the origin of that guy, and how did he suddenly appear?¡± the Ghost General asked. Shen Luo simply recounted the background of the black ghost. ¡°Possessing your body? Then this ghost is not simple, to have been lying low for so many years without being discovered,¡± the Ghost General said with some astonishment. ¡°Can you make out the details of that guy, that he even knows the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, such a ghostly power?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I can''t see through it either, but judging from that guy''s shaved head, he might have been a monk in life,¡± the Ghost General said, stroking his chin. ¡°A monk¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was slightly taken aback. Those of the Buddhist Sect have firm resolutions, believe in reincarnation and the passage of the soul, and hardly ever fall into the Ghost Path after death, but once they transform into ghosts, their strength is usually extraordinary. Was that black ghost really so terrifying that it appeared bald, could it indeed have been a monk in life? ¡°Master, that guy has high cultivation and the Ghostly Qi inside him is extremely pure. If you let me absorb it, my cultivation is sure to improve by leaps and bounds,¡± the Ghost General approached Shen Luo, speaking with an ingratiating tone. ¡°If you want to devour it, I''m not saying you can''t,¡± Shen Luo glanced at the Ghost General but didn''t refuse. No matter if the black ghost owed him favors from before, just now, it had tried to take his life. Old gratitude was severed with one cut. Offering the Ghost General a boost in cultivation was a win-win situation. ¡°Really? Thank you, Master!¡± The Ghost General was overjoyed and expressed his gratitude. Shen Luo took out a white formation flag with a flip of his hand, executed a magic spell, and in the next moment, they appeared near the black ghost. The black ghost had already retracted the Sea of Flames and was casting a chilling God''s Power, attempting to freeze the surrounding White Fog and find a breach. Seeing Shen Luo and the Ghost General suddenly appear, the black ghost excitedly pounced toward them. Screams of ghosts immediately filled the air as countless Soul-devouring Demon Sounds engulfed Shen Luo. However, Shen Luo had already activated the Suppressing God Technique. His Divine Soul was as solid as a golden soup, impervious to the slightest intrusion of the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound. ¡°Go!¡± With a flick of his hand, the Pure Yang Sword shot out like lightning, reaching the front of the black ghost in an instant. The ghost was shocked at the speed of the Pure Yang Sword, and the strong Pure Yang Qi emanating from the sword also caused it great fear. Two Ghost Claws hastily reached out and actually grabbed the Pure Yang Sword in its grasp. With a joyous expression on its face, the ghostly figure''s claws rumbled with a surge of black Ghost Flames emitting an immensely chilling breath, seeping into the Pure Yang Sword. Shen Luo remained unconcerned, his hand gestures changing. The surface of the Pure Yang Sword flashed with red light, astonishingly splitting in two, with a flickering Red Sword Shadow spontaneously appearing beside it. It circled around the ghost''s arms with lighting speed, revealing the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword. Both arms of the black ghost were severed at the wrists. The Pure Yang Sword was set free and shot forward, piercing through the ghost''s chest. A water bucket-sized Big Hole was penetrated through the chest of the black ghost, and the Yin Qi inside found a vent, flooding out in a surge. The ghost was terror-stricken, but before it could react, the Red Sword Shadow flickered in front of it, slanting into its shoulder. The lethality of the Red Sword Shadow was not less than that of the Pure Yang Sword itself. With a crisp ¡°crackle,¡± the ghost''s bulky body was split into two, crashing to the ground. Shen Luo flicked his fingers, and strands of Spiritual Light like belts shot out from the surrounding white fog, binding the two halves of the ghost''s body like a zongzi. A strong force of prohibition emanated from the white bands, and the black ghost was thoroughly immobilized, unable to move an inch. ¡°Go ahead!¡± After inflicting heavy damage on the ghost in just a few moves, Shen Luo raised his hand to recall the Pure Yang Sword and uttered a low shout. ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Before the Ghost General could finish speaking, its figure had already pounced on the immobile black ghost, merging into its body. Large swathes of Black Qi swarmed out, enveloping both the Ghost General and the black ghost, swirling rapidly and soon forming a black fog ball several feet in size. Piercing screams emanated from within; occasionally, a region of the black fog ball would bulge violently but immediately returned to normal. It seemed the Ghost General had started to absorb the Vitality of the ghost, and it wouldn''t be completed in a short time. Shen Luo did not linger. With a wave of his hand, he left the White Fog and returned to the previous Secret Chamber. He didn''t need to worry about the Ghost General; with the Liangyi Micro-dust Array in place, no fluctuations of Qi would be transmitted. Moreover, since the people from the Nine-Headed Insect hadn''t found this place for such a long Time, they had probably given up. Even if they hadn''t, they would unlikely find it any time soon. Chapter 1177 Chapter 1177: Chapter 1174: Wind and Thunder Wings Chapter 1177: Chapter 1174: Wind and Thunder Wings Shen Luo sat cross-legged, steadied his spirit, and continued to circulate his power to refine the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates within his stomach. Wind and thunder spiritual power appeared on him once again and gradually spread out. Every inch of muscle, each meridian, and every single bone in his body was greedily absorbing the spiritual power of the Immortal Date, especially his bones, which seemed to be gulping down the wind and thunder spiritual power like a thirsty ox, growing slightly thicker and even more translucent and indestructible to behold. Shen Luo clenched his teeth tightly, a hint of pain appearing on his face. The effect of the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates was somewhat similar to the Thunder Bone Pill he had taken earlier, but the vitality contained within was much more powerful. At this moment, less than one-tenth of the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates had melted, and even his robust body was somewhat unable to bear it. However, he could naturally endure this kind of pain. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and started circulating the Huangting Technique. The wind and thunder spiritual power flowing within him was absorbed even faster, and the long-stagnant Huangting Technique began to advance once more, much faster than when he had taken the Thunder Bone Pill. Shen Luo was overjoyed. The Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates really could speed up the cultivation of the Huangting Technique! After half a day, Shen Luo suddenly let out a light exclamation, opened his eyes, and touched two of his ribs on his back with his hand. Unbeknownst to him, two rows of golden green spirit patterns had appeared on these ribs, bearing the shape of fierce winds with a hint of thunder and lightning charm, looking mysteriously divine. ¡°Where did these spirit patterns come from?¡± He felt puzzled and continued to refine the Immortal Dates while spreading his Divine Sense throughout his body for a careful investigation. He soon found the source of the golden green spirit patterns; they were precisely from the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates. After the Immortal Dates were refined into wind and thunder spiritual power, many exceedingly fine golden green spirit patterns also emerged from within them. These spirit patterns moved about his body like living things, slowly swimming inside him until they finally gathered on the two ribs of Shen Luo''s back. ¡°The Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates truly live up to their name as a heaven and earth spiritual kind, possessing such a mystical effect. But what are these spirit patterns?¡± After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo temporarily stopped his cultivation and channeled mana into the two spirit patterns. The spirit patterns immediately burst into bright light as if stimulated. Golden green light even penetrated his body and shot out from his back, forming two blurry golden green spirit wings. His muscles near the ribs began to move more rapidly, protruding outward, and faintly forming two large fleshy wings. ¡°Eating the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates actually makes wings grow out!¡± Shen Luo was shocked. However, he didn''t wish to become a birdman with wings and immediately began circulating the Huangting Technique to suppress the changes in his body. Dazzling golden light erupted from within him, restraining the golden green spirit patterns on his ribs, stopping the muscles on his back from writhing, which then slowly merged back into his body. ¡°Luckily, the Huangting Technique can suppress the abnormal changes of these golden green spirit patterns.¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, once again infused mana into the golden green spirit patterns, and the golden green spirit wings reappeared, only this time the spirit patterns were kept in check by the Huangting Technique, and no fleshy wings grew on his back. Shen Luo stood up, turned his head to observe the two spirit wings behind him, and felt fully in control with no awkwardness. Contained within the two spirit wings was powerful wind and thunder power. Shen Luo tried to activate it, and with a light flap of the wings, the scenery around him blurred instantly as his entire body shot forward at an incredible speed. ¡°Stop¡­¡± Ahead was a stone wall with a prohibition attached to it. He urgently tried to stop but was a step too late. With a bang, he struck the stone wall of the secret chamber head-on. Shen Luo''s physical body was resilient, so bumping into something this way didn''t injure him, but he was made a fool by the things within his own body, which was quite embarrassing, thankfully, there were no other people around. ¡°These Wind and Thunder Wings seem quite extraordinary, and they are still just in their rudimentary form. Once I fully refine the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates, I estimate their power will be even greater. It''s just a pity that I am not from the Spirit Bird Clan of the Demon Race, otherwise, these Wind and Thunder Wings would be able to exert their greater effectiveness¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He stopped talking halfway, a brilliant light shining in his eyes. Although he was not from the Spirit Bird Clan, he had obtained an extraordinary God''s Power from the Dream World, the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, which sadly could only be cultivated with the help of Yao Peng''s Gold and Silver Wings. He had mastered this extraordinary God''s Power, but couldn''t cultivate it in the real world. Now that he had the Wind and Thunder Wings, he wondered if he could cultivate the technique? At that thought, Shen Luo''s heart started pounding. He had experienced the power of the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique many times in the Dream World; it was an absolute lifesaver. Not to mention the rest, he had been previously chased by the Nine-headed Insect. If he had had this technique back then, he would have escaped long ago, and the Nine-headed Insect would have had a hard time catching up to him. ¡°Whether it works or not, I''ll have to try it out first. However, in the Dream World, the Gold and Silver Wings were merged into the arms. Let me see if these two Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns can be transferred from my spine to my arms,¡± Shen Luo quickly made up his mind and sat down cross-legged once again. The Wind and Thunder Wings were somewhat different from the Gold and Silver Wings, so he wasn''t sure he could master the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique. He could only strive to make his physical condition as close as possible to that in the Dream World. He circulated the Huangting Technique, attempting to move the Golden Green Spirit Pattern on his spine and ribs. The Huangting Technique, as the Sect''s Treasure of Mount Fangcun, had unpredictable power like that of God''s Power, and as he continuously circulated it, the two Golden Green Spirit Patterns on his spine and ribs slowly began to move. After a good while, they finally transferred to the bones of his arms. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, sat down cross-legged, and continued refining the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates. Golden Green Spirit Patterns also continuously flowed out from within the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates. Since the previous Spirit Patterns had moved inside his arms, these new ones didn''t flow towards the spine and ribs but converged into the arms, continuously merging into the two Spirit Patterns. After a day and a night, a sudden surge of golden light spread over Shen Luo''s body, accompanied by the loud roars of dragons and elephants as three Golden Dragons and three Golden Elephants manifested around him, circling and dancing. With that, he had solidly advanced a step in the Huangting Technique, cultivating the third layer. Shen Luo did not stop his cultivation practice. The Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates had not been completely refined, and he quickly closed his eyes to continue enhancing the fruit. Another day and night passed, and his body''s golden light surged again. Amidst a piercing cry that split the heavens, four Golden Dragons and four Golden Elephants burst forth, running wild in the Secret Chamber. Bursts of overpowering, irrepressible strength emanated from within the Golden Dragon and Golden Elephant, causing the surrounding air to buzz and tremble, and even the Stone Wall of the Secret Chamber to shake incessantly. After a while, the Golden Dragons and Golden Elephants returned to his body, and Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes and stood up. With the power of the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates, he managed to break through to the Fourth Level of Huangting Technique, and with that, the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates had also been fully refined. Being able to advance the Huangting Technique by two levels consecutively, Shen Luo was quite satisfied. Now that the Huangting Technique had reached the fourth layer, his physical strength had once again increased tremendously, capable of unleashing tremendous force that could shatter mountains and seas with the slightest movement. His body also became exceptionally resilient, especially his fists, which were almost comparable to Magical Treasures. Most importantly, the meridians within his body had been greatly strengthened, becoming incredibly resilient. Even if Demonic Qi were to erupt again, he felt confident that he could easily withstand it and not repeat the previous near-death situation he had faced when his meridians were nearly destroyed. Chapter 1178 Chapter 1178: Chapter 1175: Before Departure Chapter 1178: Chapter 1175: Before Departure Shen Luo finished examining the changes inside and outside his body, and his attention once again shifted to the golden green spirit patterns on his arms. The two spirit patterns had undergone no small changes compared to before, becoming quite intricate, resembling two golden green wings. Without even invoking any spells, they already emitted a strong power of wind and thunder. With a thought, he channeled mana to stimulate the two wind and thunder spirit patterns. Boom! On Shen Luo''s arms, brilliant golden lightning and green wind spirits emerged, making him seem like the god of wind and thunder. These powers of wind and thunder converged together, quickly forming two wind and thunder wings spanning dozens of feet, several times larger than before and looking incredibly majestic. His face lit up with joy, and he silently ran the Yimu Xuandun, his body''s green light flickering, as he instantly disappeared from the secret chamber, only to appear in the sky above a mountain forest far from the cave mansion. Shen Luo chanted spells to himself, mana swarming into the wind and thunder wings on his arms, circulating in the manner of the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique. The spiritual light on the wind and thunder wings, as if having consumed a powerful tonic, surged wildly, shooting out over a dozen feet backward. His field of vision blurred as he sped forward at a terrifying speed, traversing twenty or thirty miles in the blink of an eye. ¡°It really works!¡± Shen Luo spread his wings, coming to a stop in his flight, his face filled with surprise. However, the wind and thunder wings were a bit different from the Gold and Silver Wings in the Dream World, requiring more practice to completely master the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. Shen Luo kept the wind and thunder wings in motion, quietly practicing this divine skill, but since his cultivation level wasn''t yet at the True Immortal Stage, each use would drain nearly a third of his mana, necessitating periodic meditation for recovery. He practiced day and night, and with the experience of Dream Cultivation to draw on, he soon became familiar with the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, a flash of excitement in his eyes. After all, having mastered this divine skill, he now had an exceptionally powerful means of escape for the future. Of course, if used appropriately, this dreadful flying speed could also be transformed into a very powerful attack. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After returning to the cave mansion, Shen Luo sat cross-legged and quietly ran the Nameless Cultivation Technique, feeling the state of mana in his body. Having consumed and refined the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates, not only had his cultivation of the Huangting Technique leaped forward, but his mana had also improved significantly, bringing him not far from the Late Mahayana Peak. However, the surge in mana showed some signs of instability that needed to be firmly stabilized. Shen Luo closed his eyes, with blue light winding around him, quickly enveloping his body within it. Time passed by, and in the blink of an eye, another three days had gone by. Shen Luo walked out of the secret chamber, the fluctuations of the mana emanating from his body having become much more stable. He actually wanted to continue to solidify his powers, but according to his earlier investigations, the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits were about to ripen in the next few days, and he was quite interested in them and could not delay any longer. Shen Luo went to the secret chamber where Little White Dragon and Wu Man''er were in seclusion. Inside, green light still flickered, and mana surged, showing that Wu Man''er''s spell casting was still ongoing. He hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disturb them with his presence, and was about to turn and leave. ¡°Is that Daoist friend Shen? Please come in and have a chat,¡± Little White Dragon''s voice came from inside. ¡°Senior Ao Lie,¡± Shen Luo paused his steps and pushed open the door to the secret chamber. Inside the chamber, the Little White Dragon''s body had mostly recovered, but his left shoulder and one arm were still covered with a layer of silver ash-like substance, which looked exceedingly eerie. Wu Man''er was sitting cross-legged beside him, trying her best to activate the green array on the ground, while Yuanyuan sat opposite the array, also casting spells with a solemn expression. A green tree about a zhang tall was now growing inside the green array, with four or five branches piercing into the Little White Dragon''s left arm and shoulder. The twinkling green branches exuded a sucking force, attempting to remove the silver ash substance, but with little success. Seeing Shen Luo enter, Wu Man''er also looked up. ¡°Elder, how is your recovery proceeding?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Moon Soul Hook wielded by the Nine-Headed Insect contains Moon Soul Evil Qi, which is quite difficult to expel. It might take about a month or so,¡± the Little White Dragon replied. ¡°A month¡­¡± Shen Luo frowned. The Nine-Headed Insect had been severely injured before, but with its profound cultivation, it was likely almost fully recovered by now. ¡°Are you going to the Ginkgo Divine Tree again, Daoist Shen?¡± the Little White Dragon asked. ¡°According to my previous judgment, those Ginkgo Spirit Fruits will ripen in a few days. I want to try my luck again, to see if I can get one or two spirit fruits or some Divine Tree Essence,¡± Shen Luo admitted without hiding anything. ¡°Big Brother Shen, the Nine-Headed Insect must be more cautious this time. It''s too dangerous for you to go alone,¡± Wu Man''er said, her eyes filled with gratitude as she tried to persuade him. ¡°The efficacy of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits is extraordinary; having come this far, how could I return empty-handed?¡± Shen Luo shook his head, resolute in his determination. ¡°Indeed, the ripening of the spirit fruits is an opportunity not to be missed. It''s regrettable that in my current state I am unable to assist you; however, the Nine-Headed Insect, after its intrusion into the West Sea, was wounded by my Father King''s Dragon King Seal and definitely hasn''t recovered fully either. Its demon soldiers and generals might not be stronger than you, Daoist Shen. As long as you plan carefully, you may indeed reap rewards on your journey,¡± said the Little White Dragon thoughtfully. ¡°Thank you for informing me, elder,¡± Shen Luo voiced with joy upon hearing that the Nine-Headed Insect had other internal injuries. ¡°Here is a magical artifact called the Hui Ling Cup, capable of connecting with underground water veins, transmitting messages and images from thousands of miles away. Take it with you. The array prohibitions here in Yunmeng Marsh and those within the Four Seas Dragon Palaces are quite similar. Although I am unable to accompany you, if you encounter an insurmountable restriction, I may be able to offer some guidance,¡± the Little White Dragon said as he took out a light purple jade cup filled halfway with a bluish liquid and handed it over. ¡°Thank you, elder,¡± said Shen Luo, accepting it with thanks. ¡°Big Brother Shen, this is for you,¡± Wu Man''er also said as she handed over a green seed. ¡°What is this?¡± Shen Luo asked as he took it. ¡°This is a seed of the Magnetic Heart Wood,¡± Wu Man''er explained. ¡°Magnetic Heart Wood?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows rose, unfamiliar with the name. ¡°Magnetic Heart Wood is a special kind of spirit wood unique to our Divine Wood Forest. Though it is a tree, there are male and female types that grow interdependently. Only when they wither do they produce two seeds, which have a special sensing ability; no prohibition or formation can stop them. This is a seed from the male Magnetic Heart Wood, and I had managed to leave the female wood seed by the Ginkgo Divine Tree when I snuck over before. With this male seed, you can find your way there without worrying about getting lost,¡± Wu Man''er stated. ¡°It turns out that Man''er had already left such a contingency in place, admirable,¡± Shen Luo commended. Although he had been to the Ginkgo Divine Tree once before, he had used ¡°Immortal Escape¡± to leave, which made it difficult to determine the direction. Yuanyuan needed to assist Wu Man''er in expelling the Moon Soul Evil Qi from the Little White Dragon, so she couldn''t accompany him this time. Moreover, since the journey was dangerous, he hadn''t planned to bring Yuanyuan along. Having this seed would be a great help. He channeled mana into the seed, and the vitality within the green seed gently began to pulse, pointing toward a certain direction in the distance. Chapter 1179 Chapter 1179: Chapter 1176: Peeking Chapter 1179: Chapter 1176: Peeking ¡°The seeds of Magnetic Heart Wood can affect each other, and when they are very close, one can even remotely control another seed through Divine Wood Grace and impose some Yimu Divine Powers. Friend Shen, you are proficient in our Divine Wood Forest''s Divine Wood Grace, you could give it a try; it might be effective,¡± Wu Man''er paused, then added. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart stirred slightly. He had not expected the seeds of Magnetic Heart Wood to have such a mysterious function, but aside from the Immortal Wood Escape Technique, he did not know any other Yimu spells. ¡°I am not adept in wielding Yimu Divine Powers; I only know the Wood Escape Technique. Would Girl Man''er be willing to offer some guidance?¡± Shen Luo asked for advice candidly without feigning knowledge. ¡°These are some of the Yimu spells from our Divine Wood Forest that are recorded here. With the foundation of Divine Wood Grace, Friend Shen, you should be able to master them quickly,¡± Wu Man''er said without hesitation as she took out a ¡°Green Jade Scroll¡± and passed it over. ¡°Then I thank Girl Man''er for this,¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised by Wu Man''er''s straightforward act of sharing secret techniques, but he did not stand on ceremony and simply took the jade slip, immersing his Divine Sense into it. Recorded within the jade slip were three Yimu spells, one of which was the ¡°Thorns Dance¡± that Wu Man''er had previously used. Another spell, called ¡°Leaf Concealment,¡± was an advanced version of Thorns Dance, extremely powerful, though it also had a considerable mana cost. The last Divine Power was known as ¡°Leaf Concealment.¡± As the name suggested, it was a spell for using the power of plants and vegetation to conceal one''s traces, and it was exceptionally mysterious. Wu Man''er briefly explained these three spells, and Shen Luo, with the foundation of Divine Wood Grace, quickly grasped them and left the small mountain Cave Mansion. He did not depart immediately but first took out an Invisibility Talisman to conceal his tracks. Then he used the Immortal Wood Escape Technique, heading in the direction of the Ginkgo Divine Tree, trying to minimize the chances of being detected as much as possible. Since the Invisibility Talisman could not withstand too strong a use of mana, each time Shen Luo used the escape technique, the distance traveled was greatly reduced. It took him nearly half a day to finally approach the vicinity of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. He was still far from the Ginkgo Divine Tree when he saw the yellow light curtain that stretched from the sky to the ground. At the moment, the light curtain was surging with clusters of yellow clouds, stacked atop one another, appearing quite similar to the Ten Thousand Miles Yellow Sand Array of the Wuzhuang View, preventing one from seeing what lay beyond the curtain. ¡°There wasn''t this layer of the yellow light curtain here before. It seems that the Nine-Headed Insect is aware that the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits are about to ripen, so it set up a prohibition to cage the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Yuanyuan once said that the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits would automatically fly away once ripe; I wonder if this prohibition can stop them?¡± Hiding in a concealed spot, Shen Luo saw the scene before him and pondered silently. He activated his Divine Sense and probed the light curtain, but the moment it touched, it was immediately repelled. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld could not peek into the yellow clouds within the light curtain either. Furthermore, the yellow light curtain did not only cover the space above ground, but the underground was also enclosed by the same light shield, making it impossible to approach from underground as he had done before. ¡°Where is the seed left by Girl Man''er, and is it inside the light curtain?¡± Shen Luo remembered something and used the Divine Wood Grace to sense the location of the other seed. ¡°Indeed, it''s inside! However, I can''t observe the situation within the light curtain, so I can''t rashly activate the seed; otherwise, it could be detected before it even plays its part,¡± Shen Luo thought, pausing briefly before taking out the Hui Ling Cup to establish contact with Little White Dragon. The liquid inside the Hui Ling Cup emitted a circle of blue light, soon forming a light wheel about a foot in size. The light wheel made a whirring sound, and countless blue runes emerged, swiftly converging to form a single blue eye. And in Shen Luo''s ears, a buzzing sound occurred as he established communication with Little White Dragon in the mountain Cave Mansion through the Hui Ling Cup. ¡°What a marvelous treasure!¡± He praised silently, and then explained the situation in detail to Little White Dragon. ¡°Friend Shen, point the eye in the Hui Ling Cup towards that yellow light curtain; let me take a good look at what kind of prohibition it is,¡± the voice of Little White Dragon resounded in Shen Luo''s ears. Shen Luo raised the Hui Ling Cup toward the Yellow Light Curtain. The blue eye within the Hui Ling Cup rotated slightly, radiating rings of blue spiritual light, as if it were a real eye, observing every change in the Yellow Light Curtain. After a long while, the blue eye stopped observing and slowly closed. ¡°Elder, what do you think?¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice to ask. ¡°From the surface, this prohibition seems very much like the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation from ancient times, but it differs from the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array Techniques that our West Sea Dragon Palace possesses. I need some time to study it before I may be able to figure out a way to break through it,¡± replied Little White Dragon after pondering for a moment. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then Elder, may I trouble you to use your wits on this matter, and please help me ask Friend Wu about the magnetic heart wood seed within the Formation,¡± Shen Luo said, nodding his head even though he felt the other party might also be unsure. ¡°I have already asked about this matter. Friend Wu asked me to teach you a Peeping Spirit Secret Technique, which, combined with the Divine Wood Grace, can be used to peer into the interior of the Great Formation through that seed,¡± Little White Dragon said, and then he recited the incantation for the secret technique. ¡°Please convey my gratitude to Friend Wu on my behalf. I will make good use of this technique,¡± Shen Luo replied with thanks and then cut off the connection with the Hui Ling Cup. He didn''t immediately use the technique but let out a long sigh. Monks from a Major Sect really were extraordinary, always having ways to deal with difficulties. Although his strength was formidable and he had practiced many kinds of secret techniques, he was still somewhat inferior compared to monks from major Sects. Shen Luo quickly shook his head and stopped overthinking. He began to silently practice the Peeping Spirit Secret Technique according to the incantation. Threads of green light radiated from the Green Seeds in his hand, traveling up his arm and into his body, eventually converging at his forehead, where very soon a green point of light formed. Before long, a flash of spiritual light appeared in his mind, revealing a clear image of the interior of the Yellow Light Curtain, the situation at the Ginkgo Divine Tree, where Wu Man''er had actually planted the seed directly onto the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Shen Luo was greatly astonished. They had infiltrated the place together earlier, but he had not seen when Wu Man''er had planted the seed, nor how she managed to place it onto the Ancient Ginkgo Tree. From the Female Wood Seed, he could clearly see almost the entire Ginkgo Divine Tree; the nine Ginkgo Spirit Fruits on the tree shone brightly, having grown significantly larger and appearing as if they would be fully ripe very soon. Next to the Ginkgo Divine Tree in the void, Bashe and the other two Demons were floating in a triangle formation, each at a distance of a hundred feet from the others, surrounded by poles upon poles of Yellow Array Flags, densely packed with at least a hundred of them. The Array Flags around the three Demons each formed a small Array, which when combined formed a larger Formation, releasing an astonishing spiritual light. ¡°These three have been so careless, activating the Formation without any concealment!¡± Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat when he saw this scene. He had previously been troubled by his inability to probe the secrets of the Yellow Light Curtain, not realizing that with the Magnetic Heart Wood Seed, he could actually see the most crucial aspect of how the Formation was being activated. Based on the movements and changes of those Array Flags, he could discern many details of the Formation, not to mention what Little White Dragon could deduce. Chapter 1180 Chapter 1180: Chapter 1177: Covetous Chapter 1180: Chapter 1177: Covetous Shen Luo silently noted down the way the Bashe trio activated the array and conveyed the situation to the Little White Dragon through the Hui Ling Cup. ¡°Great, with the casting situation of these three, breaking through this prohibition will be much easier,¡± said the Little White Dragon, greatly pleased upon hearing the news. In fact, the Bashe trio were not careless, it''s just that the activation of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array was extremely difficult, and the three demons had to clearly observe each other''s progress to coordinate effectively. Moreover, the array was extremely powerful, and the trio did not believe anyone would be able to sneak in undetected, which led them to relax a bit. Shen Luo continued to observe the casting process of the Bashe trio and relayed it to the Little White Dragon. Just when he was almost done relaying the information, his expression suddenly changed. He increased his mana to power the Invisibility Talisman on his body and quickly recited the incantation for the ¡°Leaf Concealment¡± technique, merging into the dense forest around him and completely erasing any trace of mana fluctuations on his body. Just as Shen Luo had concealed his presence, over a dozen long streaks of escape light shot over from the distance, landing not far away, revealing the figures of more than a dozen human cultivators. These people were all in silver robes, appearing to belong to the cultivators of the same sect. ¡°Human cultivators? Coming at this time, could they also be here for the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted as he observed the group carefully. The cultivation of these people was not weak; the leader was a square-faced middle-aged man whose cultivation had actually reached the early True Immortal stage. Three people stood behind the square-faced middle-aged man, all of whom were at the Mahayana stage. One of them was a gray-haired old man with a cunning look on his face; another was a red-haired woman with a cold demeanor, her eyes flashing with a hint of murderous intent when they opened and closed; the last one was a teenager who looked to be only in his teens, with a peach fuzz over his lips and an air of arrogance. The rest of them were cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage. ¡°Is the Ginkgo Divine Tree located here?¡± the square-faced middle-aged man asked a thin youth at the Nascent Soul stage beside him. ¡°Yes, I came here once with the young master, but at that time there wasn''t this yellow prohibition in front,¡± the thin youth quickly said. ¡°Great Elder, according to our investigations, the Ginkgo Divine Tree is now occupied by a major demon within Yunmeng Marsh, and the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit is about to ripen. This yellow prohibition might have been set up by it,¡± the gray-haired old man walked up to the square-faced middle-aged man and said. ¡°It''s normal for that demon to lay down a prohibition since the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit is a heavenly spiritual kind that will automatically fly away when ripe. This prohibition seems quite remarkable, but our He Mountain Sect is adept at the art of breaking prohibitions. You all go and investigate all around and find the method to break the prohibition as soon as possible!¡± the Great Elder instructed after a moment''s contemplation. The gray-haired man and the others replied affirmatively and scattered to inspect the yellow prohibition. The thin youth was about to fly off when the Great Elder stopped him. ¡°What about Jin Fei and the rest? You said Jin Fei asked you to stay in command in the small city outside the marsh while he led the others into Yunmeng Marsh to continue investigating the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit situation. How come we searched all the way here without seeing a single person?¡± the Great Elder asked. ¡°This subordinate has not lied. A month ago, Young Master Jin Fei and Mister Yuan indeed left me in the city to stand guard while they led others into Yunmeng Marsh. However, the young master mentioned catching a few Misty Flower Spirit Charms, perhaps they took a wrong turn¡­¡± the thin youth hurriedly said. ¡°Young Master, Mister Yuan¡­ Could they be the ones slain by the white-clad Snake Demon¡­¡± Shen Luo, hiding within the dense forest, thought to himself upon hearing their conversation. ¡°Hmph! As the young master of our He Mountain Sect, he indulges all day in the pleasures of women, and you, as his personal guards, did not even attempt to counsel him!¡± the Great Elder exclaimed in anger upon hearing this. ¡°Please forgive me, Great Elder. I have long advised the young master, but with his temperament, he would never listen to us guards. Please discern this, Great Elder!¡± the thin youth was shocked and immediately knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly. ¡°Let''s settle this matter later, and then I will deal with you!¡± the Great Elder frowned and, after a moment, snorted coldly and flew away. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The thin youth then got up, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and followed. Shen Luo watched the two figures'' backs, a flicker in his gaze. Once everyone had gone far from there, he quietly retreated several miles and took cover again in a dense forest. Although the Invisibility Talisman was powerful and the Leaf Concealment Technique was mystical, the Great Elder of He Mountain Sect had reached the Early True Immortal stage, so he was still somewhat worried if he stayed too close. The people of He Mountain Sect conducted a search and soon discovered that the prohibition before them was far stronger than they had anticipated, and it even gave them a feeling of not knowing where to begin. ¡°Great Elder¡­¡± Everyone looked toward the middle-aged man. ¡°This prohibition is indeed extraordinary, but don''t worry. Anticipating the unforeseen on this trip, I had earlier requested the Breaking Ban Beads from the Sect Master,¡± the Great Elder said with a light smile, flipping his hand to produce a light purple round pearl, which sparkled with a misty glow and looked quite mysterious. The others, seeing the purple bead, rejoiced greatly. The Breaking Ban Beads were the treasured heirloom of He Mountain Sect, meticulously refined by the founding Sect Master over his lifetime. Containing magical and wondrous abilities, it could permeate various formation restrictions, interrupt the flow of spiritual power within them, and offer He Mountain Sect cultivators opportunities to break through the arrays. In the beginning, when the sect was established, He Mountain Sect was not large, but over the years, relying on the Breaking Ban Beads, the sect had broken through many relics and secret realms, gaining many benefits, allowing the sect to continuously grow. Several of those relics had been left by cultivators from ancient times, with incredibly strong prohibitions, but all were broken by the Breaking Ban Beads. With this pearl in hand, there was nothing to fear from the current prohibition. ¡°Set up the Prohibition Breaking Array!¡± barked the Great Elder. Upon hearing this, the rest busily went to work, pulling out various formation flags and discs and swiftly arranging a hexagram-shaped array near the Yellow Light Curtain. Although the Breaking Ban Beads were a marvel, they required the cooperation of an array to unleash their maximum power. The Great Elder flashed into the array, and it instantly burst into vast swaths of purple light. The bead in his hand shone even more brightly, its astonishing fluctuations felt even from a great distance. The Great Elder''s hands moved rapidly, casting one magic spell after another into the Breaking Ban Beads. A thick beam of purple light shot out from the bead, striking the Yellow Light Curtain. The Yellow Light Curtain immediately began to ripple as if a stone had been dropped into water, sending circles of ripples spreading outward, its yellow glow slowly starting to fade. Seeing this scene, the people of He Mountain Sect showed expressions of excitement. At the same time. Within the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, the Bashe trio immediately sensed the commotion outside. ¡°Someone is trying to break the prohibition!¡± Lian Shan declared gravely. ¡°All the demons in Yunmeng Marsh have been subdued by us. Who would dare to meddle with the prohibition? Could it be that Mirage Demon?¡± Gui Cang''s expression changed. ¡°Dare it oppose us?¡± Lian Shan narrowed his eyes, a cold gleam flashing by. ¡°The Master had previously disciplined that Mirage Demon, setting three rules. The demon was allowed to stay near the Ginkgo Divine Tree, absorbing some of the Divine Tree''s spiritual power for cultivation, but it must never touch the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. That Mirage Demon is as timid as a mouse; it shouldn''t dare to break the agreement, right?¡± said Gui Cang. ¡°It''s not the Mirage Demon; it''s some human cultivators.¡± Bashe opened his eyes and waved his sleeve. A blue light appeared in front of them, revealing a small blue mirror showing the outside scene of He Mountain Sect''s cultivators breaking the array. Chapter 1181 Chapter 1181: Chapter 1178: Fellow Travelers Chapter 1181: Chapter 1178: Fellow Travelers ¡°Human cultivators!¡± Lian Shan''s expression darkened. Under the command of the Nine-Headed Insect, they could ignore all demons within Yunmeng Marsh, but they could not afford to underestimate humans. The Nine-Headed Insect was powerful and once rampaged across the world, but ultimately, he suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the human race and thus retreated into Yunmeng Marsh to live in seclusion. Moreover, after the Disaster of Demons, all races rested and recuperated; the human race, with its far superior reproductive speed, recovered its strength the fastest. All races observed this and became increasingly wary of human cultivators, both openly and secretly. ¡°The ginkgo spirit fruits are about to ripen, and it''s normal for some human cultivators to covet them. You needn''t worry too much. The Master''s set of prohibitions is inherited from ancient times; even Taiyi cultivators might not be able to break it. The strongest among those cultivators outside is merely at the Early True Immortal stage, which is insignificant,¡± said Bashe. Upon hearing this, Lian Shan and Gui Cang breathed a little easier and hastened to activate the formation restrictions. Within the light curtain, the yellow clouds thickened, accumulating layer by layer, and quickly thickened by a third. Although Shen Luo could not hear the conversation of the three demons due to the influence of the Magnetic Heart Wood Seeds, he was able to roughly make out the shape of their mouths speaking and understand the gist of their conversation through lip reading. ¡°So it''s an ancient array; no wonder it''s so formidable. I hope Senior Little White Dragon can break through it,¡± he thought to himself. As time passed, the purple light pillars within the Breaking Ban Beads continued to shine on the yellow light curtain. The yellow light of the curtain indeed began to fade, but as it reached the deeper sections, the prohibitions'' spiritual power grew denser, and the yellow light only trembled under the Great Elder''s spells, ceasing to fade any further. ¡°How is that possible!¡± The Great Elder''s face showed an expression of disbelief. The other members of He Mountain Sect also sensed something was wrong and became anxious. Shen Luo also felt a wave of disappointment in his heart. At that moment, the voice of Little White Dragon emerged in his mind, suggesting he had thought of a way to break the prohibition. ¡°Really? How should we proceed?¡± he hurriedly asked. ¡°The Qiankun Xuanjin Array is mysterious. Originally, I couldn''t come up with a good solution in a short time, but fortunately, you recounted the spellcasting process of those three demons, which led me to think of a method. I am currently refining a set of simple formation discs, and when combined with the Magnetic Heart Wood Seeds inside, we should be able to break through the prohibition. You should return to the cave mansion for now, and I will explain the process to you in detail later,¡± Little White Dragon said. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo replied and continued to retreat cautiously. After retreating a good twenty or thirty miles, he finally accelerated his speed. Half a day later, he returned to the cave mansion. Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan had stopped treating Little White Dragon and were setting up another array. Meanwhile, Little White Dragon was inside the secret chamber where Shen Luo had stayed before. There were major fluctuations in mana, indicating that Little White Dragon was preparing to break the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. ¡°How are Senior Ao''s injuries?¡± Shen Luo did not enter but asked Wu Man''er. ¡°The Moon Soul Evil Qi has not been expelled, but I have managed to seal it, so it won''t erupt for some time,¡± Wu Man''er said. Relieved by her words, Shen Luo took a curious glance and noticed that the array being set up was similar to the one that had been used for Little White Dragon''s treatment; the green ancient tree was also there, but this array''s formation patterns were much more complex, and there were many green crystals inserted within it. Having spent time with Wu Man''er, Shen Luo gained a deeper understanding of Divine Wood Forest. Not only were they adept in Yimu Divine Power and some Gu techniques, but they also excelled in using various gemstones to execute divine powers, which could enhance the power or reduce spiritual power consumption. ¡°What is this array for?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It''s also a healing array,¡± Wu Man''er said without lifting her head. ¡°` ¡°This Array is much more complex than the one you set up before, will the healing effect be better?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°The effect is about the same, it''s just that this Array is much simpler to activate. Plus, with those Green Pine Crystals, even people with low cultivation levels can preside over it,¡± Wu Man''er, having placed a green crystal in the Array, clapped her hands and straightened up. A layer of flowing light emerged within the Array, moving with incredible speed through each Formation Pattern, finally converging on that green ancient tree. ¡°You''re thinking of letting Yuanyuan preside over this Array to continue treating Senior Ao Lie?¡± Shen Luo realized. ¡°That''s right. Since Senior Ao Lie is already prepared to break the prohibitions around the Ginkgo Divine Tree, I naturally want to go with you,¡± Wu Man''er said. ¡°Yuanyuan''s cultivation level is still weak, can she really preside over this Array?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow. ¡°Of course, I can! Don''t underestimate me!¡± Yuanyuan placed her hands on her hips and glared at Shen Luo with dissatisfaction. ¡°No problem. Aside from these Green Pine Crystals, I''ve also given Yuanyuan something else to reduce the burden of activating the Array,¡± Wu Man''er said. Knowing Wu Man''er always acted cautiously and would not undertake anything she wasn''t sure about, Shen Luo nodded and said, ¡°If Man''er can go with me, our chances of success will be much greater. Actually, some unexpected events have occurred near the Ginkgo Divine Tree. A group of human cultivators from the He Mountain Sect has also arrived here, eyeing the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits as well.¡± ¡°The He Mountain Sect?¡± Wu Man''er showed a puzzled expression, obviously not recognizing the sect. ¡°I''m not very familiar with this sect either, but the person leading them has reached the Early True Immortal Stage, and there are also three cultivators at the Great Mahayana Stage. Oh, and the frivolous man who had unsavory intentions towards you earlier is from the He Mountain Sect; he seems to be the young master of that sect,¡± Shen Luo continued. Wu Man''er frowned slightly. She didn''t care about the frivolous man, but the He Mountain Sect had a cultivator of the True Immortal Stage among them, which could spell trouble in a confrontation, as the two of them at the Late Mahayana Stage might not be able to withstand. ¡°It might not be a bad thing that these people have shown up. They are in the light, and we are in the dark. Used properly, maybe we can make them work for us,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s true,¡± Wu Man''er, catching on to Shen Luo''s thinking, immediately understood. Just as Shen Luo was about to say something else, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked up towards the top of the Cave Mansion. ¡°Man''er, I must leave for a bit,¡± he said, taking out a white formation flag and waving it. White Fog surged around, and Shen Luo''s figure vanished. Seeing this, Wu Man''er blinked in surprise but did not pay much attention to it, turning around to instruct Yuanyuan on the many key points of activating the Array. Shen Luo''s vision blurred, and he found himself within the Liangyi Microdust Illusion Array space. The Ghost General''s incarnation as a black mist orb had shrunk by half and become incredibly dense, constantly roiling, with powerful waves of Yin Qi emanating from it, causing the nearby White Fog to churn like tidal waves. Knowing that the Ghost General was about to break through, Shen Luo formed a hand gesture to trigger his Qiankun Bag at his waist, releasing all the stored Yin Qi from over the years. A stream of thick black Yin Qi, as thick as a millstone, shot out from the bag and entered the black mist orb. Immediately afterward, rays of black light shot out from the orb, and the Yin Qi fluctuations emitted became much stronger. At the same time, Shen Luo also activated the white formation flag in his hand, making the surrounding White Fog thicken substantially and beginning to condense together to form a thick barrier of White Fog around the black mist orb. Chapter 1182 Chapter 1182: Chapter 1179: Also a Pilgrimage to the West Devotee? Chapter 1182: Chapter 1179: Also a Pilgrimage to the West Devotee? ¡°` Within the black fog sphere, the fluctuations of the Yin Qi became increasingly violent, and it didn''t take long for it to reach a certain limit. Shen Luo, seeing this, activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and looked through the black fog sphere to check on the Ghost General''s condition. At this time, the Ghost General''s eyes were tightly closed, and his body was enveloped in a circle of black fire; at his forehead, chest and Dantain there were clusters of distinct black flames rising, gradually converging towards his chest. ¡°He''s already started to fuse the Three Element Fire, and the flames are so steady, much better than when I did it,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and continued to channel the Yin Qi from the Qiankun Bag to aid the Ghost General. The black light inside the black fog sphere became increasingly intense, and a moment later, with a thunderous explosion, a grand black spiritual light burst forth, creating waves of hurricane-like gusts that swept through the surroundings. The White Fog barrier was violently tossed about, tearing seven or eight slits in it, but it did not shatter completely. Within the flickering black light, a tall figure slowly stood up. The appearance of the Ghost General had undergone great changes, the most noticeable being that his head had also become smooth, and the garments on his body, which were illusions of Ghostly Qi, had changed from the original Armor to something akin to a Monk''s robe in black, and his appearance had also altered. Of course, the biggest change in the Ghost General was the aura emanating from his body; he had reached the Great Mahayana Stage, and not just the Early Mahayana Stage, but the Mahayana Middle Stage. ¡°Master!¡± The Ghost General opened his eyes, reined in the Ghostly Qi around him, and gave Shen Luo a bow. ¡°Your cultivation level has made great progress this time, leaping across two realms in one go. Was the Yin Qi inside that bugger really so abundant?¡± Shen Luo asked with surprise. ¡°Yes. That ghost''s background is not simple; its Yin Qi was exceptionally dense. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to advance to the Mahayana stage so quickly,¡± the Ghost General said. ¡°Oh, do you know the origins of that ghost?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened. ¡°During the fusion with the ghost''s vitality, I saw some fragments of its memories from its previous life, and they matched what we had speculated before. That ghost was indeed a person within the Buddhist Sect, and a Great Virtuous High Monk at that, who wanted to embark on a Pilgrimage to the West. It met a tragic death at the hands of a demon while crossing a big River on the journey, and due to unresolved grievance, subsequently fell into the Ghost Path. The monk''s heart was originally pure, which is why it became so formidable after turning into a ghost,¡± the Ghost General said. ¡°A Pilgrimage to the West?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback upon hearing this. This ghost was actually related to the Pilgrimage to the West, but according to what he knew, wasn''t it Tang Sanzang who went on the journey to the Western Paradise? Could it be that before Tang Sanzang, there was another monk who tried to go, but did not succeed? ¡°Regardless of his past, he has now contributed to your achievement. Besides this, do you have any other gains?¡± Shen Luo asked, not dwelling on it any further. ¡°I was just about to report to the Master; that black ghost was defeated by you, Master, and its strength hardly dissipated, all absorbed by me, allowing me nearly a perfect inheritance of its ''Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound'' and ''Ghost Howling'' abilities,¡± said the Ghost General, somewhat excited. ¡°You inherited the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound!¡± Shen Luo was delighted to hear this, having personally experienced the terror of this Ghost Path divine power. As for the other ability, Ghost Howling, it was the Ghost Howling Sonic Wave attack previously employed by the black ghost, also quite powerful. ¡°It seems I haven''t let down your high expectations, Master. With these two abilities, I will be of better assistance to you in the future,¡± the Ghost General said with a heh heh laugh. ¡°Since you have successfully made your breakthrough, then let''s leave this place together. There might be matters in the future that will require your help,¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully. ¡°Yes.¡± The Ghost General, with his strength greatly increased, was eager to demonstrate his capabilities and hurriedly flew into the Qiankun Bag. Shen Luo formed a hand seal and waved, leaving the space of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array and returning to the Cave Mansion. ¡°What just happened?¡± Wu Man''er, seeing Shen Luo suddenly appear, asked with some curiosity. ¡°` ¡°I''ve just checked the prohibitions I set up around the Cave Mansion because there was a little problem,¡± Shen Luo said nonchalantly, without mentioning the incident with the Ghost General. Wu Man''er simply uttered an ¡°oh¡± and did not press further. The two quietly waited, and, after more than half a two-hour period, the door of another Secret Chamber finally opened. Little White Dragon came out, looking slightly fatigued, holding a set of Array Tools¨Cabout seven or eight formation discs and dozens of formation flags. The formation discs were made of pale yellow Jade, appearing to be of extraordinary quality, and they emitted strong Mana fluctuations. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder,¡± Shen Luo quickly went up to greet him. ¡°Friend Shen, this is a set of Qiankun Array Tools that can temporarily connect to the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, creating a passageway on it. However, since they were refined in haste, they can only be activated thrice, so use them with caution,¡± Little White Dragon passed the Array Tools to him. ¡°Thank you for your troubles, Elder,¡± Shen Luo said as he accepted them, expressing his gratitude. ¡°I heard your earlier conversation while inside. Now that other forces are getting involved, you should head back quickly before things change,¡± Little White Dragon added with a caution. ¡°Understood.¡± Shen Luo nodded and soon bid farewell, taking off with Wu Man''er towards the location of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Half a day later, Shen Luo and Wu Man''er returned to the dense forest where they had previously hidden. The people of He Mountain Sect were busy near the Yellow Light Curtain, seemingly setting up an even larger Formation in an attempt to break through the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. ¡°How do you plan to use these people?¡± Wu Man''er quietly communicated with Shen Luo through a spiritual message. ¡°No need to fret too much, we''ll just meet them directly and negotiate,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Isn''t meeting them directly too dangerous?¡± Wu Man''er''s expression shifted slightly. ¡°They are desperate to get inside but are at a loss. Knowing that we have a way in, they''ll be too excited to bother us. However, Man''er, your concerns are valid. It''s best not to let them know our true strength. Can you, like Yuanyuan, hide inside my Qiankun Bag for a period of Time? It''s filled with dense Yin Qi, so you''ll need to take care to protect yourself,¡± Shen Luo pondered before speaking. ¡°No problem,¡± Wu Man''er nodded. ¡°Alright then, stay inside for now, and we will see when the right time comes for you to come out,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, taking Wu Man''er into his Qiankun Bag, and with a faint green light, he disappeared from the spot. At that time, the people of He Mountain Sect, after a long period of busy work, finally completed the setup, and a Formation ten times larger than the previous one appeared next to the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. The Great Elder activated the Formation, and his Breaking Ban Beads resonated with the Formation, suddenly radiating Treasure Light that was much brighter than it had been when previously activated, like the blazing sun that couldn''t be looked at directly. ¡°Break!¡± He pointed into the Void with both hands. The Breaking Ban Beads shot out of his hands, hitting the Yellow Light Curtain of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, and became directly embedded within. The purple light on the Breaking Ban Beads flickered wildly, continuously pouring into the Yellow Light Curtain. The nearby curtain instantly began to boil violently, and the yellow light rapidly dissipated. The curtain around the bead immediately thinned out, and the Breaking Ban Beads sunk inward. In just a few breaths, the bead advanced several feet forward, creating a large passageway in the light curtain. Chapter 1183 Chapter 1183: Chapter 1180: Hand in Hand Chapter 1183: Chapter 1180: Hand in Hand The He Mountain Sect members cheered at the sight before them, but the Great Elder''s expression remained grim. Although the Breaking Ban Beads had penetrated the outer prohibitions of the light curtain, the deeper one went, the stronger the backlash from the prohibitions became. He already felt overwhelmed, and the thickness of this yellow light curtain was still unknown. The Great Elder took a deep breath and exerted his full strength to activate the Breaking Ban Beads. At this moment, the yellow light curtain surrounding the Breaking Ban Beads suddenly brightened, with streams of yellow light seeping out, some even carrying wisps of cloud. The indented yellow light curtain quickly bulged back out, reverting to its original state in the blink of an eye, forcefully repelling the Breaking Ban Beads. The cheers from the members of the He Mountain Sect abruptly ceased, and the Great Elder turned ashen, coughing a few times in a muffled voice, with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. The rebounding force from within the yellow light curtain had suddenly increased, causing a backlash from the Breaking Ban Beads, and he sustained some injuries. ¡°Great Elder¡­¡± the old man in a gray robe stepped forward. ¡°It''s nothing, just a backlash from the spiritual power of the Breaking Ban Beads, no serious harm,¡± said the Great Elder, waving his hand dismissively. Upon hearing this, the members of the He Mountain Sect''s expressions relaxed slightly, but obviously, they also recognized the difficulty of the situation. The Great Elder took out a green pill and swallowed it, quickly restoring his rather pale complexion to normal, yet his brows remained tightly furrowed. He had already pushed the power of the Breaking Ban Beads to their limit, still unable to break through the yellow light curtain. Could it really be that they had come here in vain? ¡°Great Elder, there''s some activity over there. It seems someone else is trying to break the prohibitions here,¡± just then, the cold-faced young woman flew over from afar. ¡°Did you manage to see clearly who it was?¡± asked the Great Elder, his expression changing slightly. ¡°It''s a man in a green robe, quite strong. I only glanced from a distance, fearing to draw his attention, so I retreated,¡± said the cold-faced young woman. ¡°Poison Lady, you''re known for your ruthlessness in killing, yet this time you ran back without even showing your face, a rare occurrence indeed,¡± said the proud youth with a mocking tone. ¡°Young brat, you''re just a young brat with no understanding. That person has made significant progress in breaking the prohibitions. If we could employ his skills, it would be greatly beneficial to our current venture. How could I rashly reveal myself and scare him away?¡± the cold-faced young woman retorted with a cold laugh. The proud youth was furious, a flash of ferocity in his eyes. ¡°Enough, both of you stop quarreling over everything! Poison Lady, you say that man has made progress in breaking the prohibitions, is that true?¡± The Great Elder chided them and looked at the Poison Lady. ¡°I dare not deceive you, Great Elder. Come with me and you shall see,¡± said the Poison Lady. The Great Elder nodded, put away the Breaking Ban Beads, and followed the Poison Lady flying off into the distance. The others quickly followed, and soon they reached the opposite side of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, where a thin man in a green robe was sitting cross-legged on the ground, activating an array that was several zhang in size. This man in the green robe was unremarkable in appearance, but his cultivation was not weak; he had reached the Late Mahayana Stage. Underneath him, the array shone brightly, forming a huge sphere of light, from which countless tadpole-like runes shot out, pelting the yellow light curtain like raindrops. The solid curtain swiftly disintegrated, growing thinner, and a void several zhang in size appeared on it, quickly seeping deeper inward. ¡°This¡­¡± On seeing this scene, the Great Elder was greatly shocked. Despite exerting all his might to activate the Breaking Ban Beads, he could only slightly shake the yellow prohibitions. Yet this young man, with a relatively simple minor array, managed to penetrate so deeply into the prohibitions. The man in the green robe within the formation also noticed the presence of the Great Elder and others, and ¡°swoosh¡± stood up, his face showing a flustered expression, as he manipulated his hand seals to stop the array. Within the array, spiritual light flashed continuously, and poles of formation flags and discs shot out from the soil, entering his sleeve. Having quickly completed these actions, the man in the green robe leaped up, intending to fly away. However, a white light emerged in the void ahead, and the figure of the Great Elder appeared, blocking the way. ¡°Daoist friend, please stay awhile,¡± the Great Elder said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting. Flickers of movement surrounded the man in the green robe as the gray-haired old man, the proud youth, and the Poison Lady, among others, also descended, subtly encircling him. ¡°What do you want?¡± the complexion of the man in the green robe changed drastically, and a swish of golden light by his side revealed a Profound Yellow Long Staff, while a mass of blue treasure light materialized above his head. ¡°Do not be alarmed, Daoist friend. We are monks from the He Mountain Sect and bear no ill will towards Your Excellency. This place, Yunmeng Marsh, is infested with demons. We are all human cultivators and should naturally assist each other for mutual benefit. What do you think?¡± the Great Elder said amicably, not minding the two treasures the man in the green robe had summoned. ¡°So you are monks from the He Mountain Sect. You are correct, Elder; Yunmeng Marsh is rife with monsters. We human cultivators should indeed stand united,¡± the man in the green robe said, betraying a hint of timidity on his face as he recognized the Great Elder''s True Immortal Stage cultivation level, and forced a flattering smile. ¡°Elder Lin is also only slightly more advanced in cultivation than you, Daoist friend. There''s no need for titles. May I know your name and which sect you belong to?¡± the Great Elder asked him affably, still smiling and returning the cupped hands salutation. ¡°I, Tian Tiesheng, am a freelance cultivator without any sect affiliation. You flatter me, Elder,¡± the man in the green robe said, somewhat overwhelmed, and returned the greeting in a hurry. ¡°So you are Daoist friend Tian. You have come for the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, haven''t you? To be honest, we have come for the same reason, but unfortunately, this yellow prohibition is quite challenging to break. Despite our best efforts for almost a day, we have been unable to decipher it. We saw Daoist friend Tian working on the prohibition from a distance just now; your methods are truly remarkable. How about we join forces?¡± the Great Elder proposed with a smile. ¡°Join forces?¡± Tian Tiesheng was taken aback. ¡°Yes, you can work on breaking the prohibition, while we handle the demons lurking inside. Wouldn''t it be better to seek the treasure together rather than acting alone?¡± the Great Elder said with a smile. ¡°This¡­¡± Tian Tiesheng hesitated, his face showing indecision. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What, does Daoist friend Tian look down upon our He Mountain Sect?¡± the proud youth''s eyes flashed with a fierce glint. The expressions of the other He Mountain Sect members also darkened, and the formidable aura they kept hidden until now erupted, bearing down on Tian Tiesheng. ¡°I wouldn''t dare, I wouldn''t dare. Let''s act together then. I trust that the He Mountain Sect, being a renowned and large sect, will not deceive a mere freelance cultivator like me,¡± Tian Tiesheng, although not of low cultivation, knew he couldn''t withstand the combined strength of all the He Mountain Sect members and hastily nodded in agreement, his face turning pale in an instant. ¡°Rest assured, when we of the He Mountain Sect give our word, we keep it. We won''t mistreat Daoist friend after things are done,¡± the Great Elder said with a nod, giving a knowing look to the others. The countenances of the He Mountain Sect members finally relaxed, and they simultaneously retracted their auras. Tian Tiesheng watched the He Mountain Sect''s cultivators'' changing expressions, a hint of amusement flickering in the depths of his eyes. This Tian Tiesheng was naturally Shen Luo in disguise. His Huangting Technique had already reached the fourth level, and with the power of the 72 Transformations, changing his appearance was effortless. As long as the He Mountain Sect members followed him in, he could seize the opportunity amidst the chaos to snatch the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. ¡°If that''s the case, let''s get started,¡± the Great Elder said, quite pleased with Shen Luo''s submission, and spoke with faint authority. Shen Luo agreed and took out the yellow-colored array, starting to lay it out once again. ¡°Daoist friend Tian, what is the name of this array you''ve set up? It seems to be perfectly effective against the current prohibition. Where did you acquire it?¡± the Great Elder asked, gauging the yellow-colored array on the ground, his question coming suddenly. Chapter 1184 Chapter 1184: Chapter 1181: Alarm Chapter 1184: Chapter 1181: Alarm ¡°To be honest, I have coveted the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits for quite some time. Over these decades, I have sneaked into Yunmeng Marsh several times, constantly researching the various Array Techniques and prohibitions here, though progress has been limited. Some time ago, I happened to kill a Snake Demon and unexpectedly found some clues about the current Array in its storage bag. Afterward, I spent a hefty sum to seek the help of a master of Array Techniques, and we worked out this Method to break the prohibition. The results, surprisingly, are not bad,¡± Shen Luo explained calmly, though inside he felt a chilling urgency. The Great Elder suddenly nodded in realization, dispelling his doubts, and gestured for Shen Luo to continue. Shen Luo continued to set up the Array, and it took about an incense stick time before he finally completed it. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He glanced at the Great Elder, and upon receiving a nod in return, he moved a few steps forward, took out a formation flag, and started murmuring Spells. Soon, the Ground Array burst into light, as countless rune-shaped tadpoles surged out and struck the Yellow Light Curtain. Just like before, the thick Yellow Light Curtain, as if meeting its nemesis, rapidly disintegrated. Soon, nearly half of the curtain was breached. The Little White Dragon was quite adept in Formation Restrictions, and the prohibition-breaking method he designed was exceptionally concealed; only when nearly half of the light curtain had been broken did the Bashe and the other two Demons inside notice something amiss. ¡°Not good! Someone else has found a way to break the Array, and their tactics are much more adept than the human cultivators just now. Hurry, exert all your strength to activate the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation!¡± Bashe shouted loudly, as the three Demons fully powered up the Array. The Yellow Light Curtain suddenly brightened, and clouds of Yellow Light began to seep out from within. The torn area in the curtain shook violently, showing signs of closing up. ¡°Break the Array with all your might! The Demons inside have detected something abnormal and are trying to counteract it!¡± the Great Elder urgently said. He wasn''t idle either; he flipped his hand, took out a Breaking Ban Bead, and activated it. Although there was no Array to assist it, the Breaking Ban Bead still emitted bright purple light. ¡°Go!¡± The Great Elder formed magic spells rapidly with both hands, and a purple column of light shot out from the Breaking Ban Bead, entering the breach in the Yellow Light Curtain. The violently shaking curtain immediately stabilized. Shen Luo looked at the Breaking Ban Bead with surprise, quickly collected himself, and channeled Mana into the Ground Array with a burst of energy, his fingers moving as swiftly as Wheel Spokes. The Prohibition Breaking Array made a whistling sound and emitted rays of Yellow Light that seemed tangible, hovering in Mid Air and converging into a hexagonally shaped Mysterious Formation. ¡°Is this a method of breaking an Array with another Array?¡± The Great Elder looked on in shock. Shen Luo waved the formation flag, and the hexagon in Mid Air rapidly shrank, turning into a blinding burst of Yellow Light, which shot into the torn curtain and vanished in a flash. The breach deep within the curtain rapidly melted away like ice and snow, and in a mere few breaths'' time, it had been completely shattered. The Yellow Light Curtain was thoroughly penetrated, revealing a passageway several zhang in size. The glittering Ginkgo Divine Tree was now clearly visible, and hidden among its lush golden branches, one could glimpse one or two radiant Ginkgo Spirit Fruits. ¡°The passageway is open, but it may not hold for long. Please hurry!¡± Shen Luo continued to form magic spells rapidly, sweat densely covering his face as he spoke urgently, seemingly at his Limit. The He Mountain Sect''s members had been itching to move. Seeing the prohibition broken, they didn''t wait for Shen Luo to speak, but one after another, they shot in like lightning, rushing towards the Ginkgo Divine Tree. From the moment the Bashe and the other two Demons noticed something was off with the Light Curtain to the breaking of the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation, only a few breaths had passed. The Bashe and the others had yet to react, and the He Mountain Sect''s members had already entered the interior of the Great Formation. Lian Shan felt both shock and rage. As he activated the Great Formation, he also pulled out a black Halberd with an ink-black, solitary-horned Flood Dragon illusion on it, issuing a fierce growl. Lian Shan raised the Halberd and delivered a powerful blow towards the He Mountain Sect''s members through the Void. Suddenly, the huge dragon shadow on the halberd, which was faint but now fully materialized, erupted into an earth-shattering dragon chant and turned into a black light that soared down. As the black light passed, the void trembled, and it reached the sky above the heads of the He Mountain Sect members in just a flash, striking down fiercely. On the other side, Gui Cang also immediately launched an attack, opening his mouth and spitting out countless blue ice flowers, which fell like rain. These ice flowers seemed crystal clear but the moment they pressed down, a surge of extreme coldness arrived first, causing the surrounding void to condense as if it would freeze everything solid. As for the Bashe, it did not take action but kept darting its eyes around, seemingly pondering something. The very front of the He Mountain Sect members were precisely the Proud Youth, the Gray-haired Old Man, and the Poison Lady; seeing the attacks of the two demons descend, their expressions showed not a hint of fear. ¡°Bring it on!¡± The Proud Youth faced Lian Shan head-on, his body''s green light flashed, and he donned a set of green armor covering every part of his body with two snake-shaped gauntlets on his fists, looking quite ferocious. The entire armor was wrapped in a large expanse of green flames, exceedingly hot, causing the nearby void to tremble. The youth threw punches into the emptiness, and the green flames on the armor suddenly soared, transforming into a blur of a double-headed fire python that leaped forward and tangled with the dragon shadow, biting and ripping at each other. Though both were formed by mana, where they rolled and clashed, the continuous sounds of dragon roars and serpent hisses gave the impression of two ferocious beasts in an unceasing battle. The Poison Lady, meanwhile, confronted Gui Cang, rubbing and lifting her hands to release countless purple misty strands of light, striking accurately the falling ice flowers. Yet under the ice flowers'' overwhelming cold power, these purple light strands were easily frozen, turning into icy threads. However, the Poison Lady did not panic, as if everything was within her expectations. Her hand signs constantly changed, and strands of purple light spread from the frozen threads into the ice flowers. The originally white as jade ice flowers were dyed purple in just a few breaths, not only did the cold they emitted significantly weaken, but their falling speed also rapidly slowed down, eventually coming to a complete halt in midair. Following the Poison Lady''s gestures, they rotated and were taken under her control. Seeing this, Gui Cang was immediately startled. Last was that cunning Gray-haired Old Man, who chanted spells in a deep voice as ripples of gray light flashed across his body, and he disappeared into thin air. The other He Mountain Sect members bypassed the Proud Youth and the Poison Lady, rushing towards the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Although the Bashe didn''t make a move, her eyes closely followed the group. The Gray-haired Old Man''s disappearance, though stealthy, did not escape her watchful eyes. ¡°Invisibility Technique? Hmph!¡± The Bashe''s pupils contracted. She flipped her hand and took out a blue token, mustering demon power into it. The void beneath the crown of the Ginkgo Divine Tree suddenly hissed and countless blue light strands appeared out of nowhere, spreading rapidly, leaving no corner unchecked. These strands of light quivered slightly as if they were slender tentacles sensing everything around them. Just at that moment, blue light strands from the left rear side of the Bashe shot out, winding around something, wrapping it layer upon layer. In the midst of the light strands, a flicker of gray light revealed a human figure, who was none other than the Gray-haired Old Man. His entire body was enveloped by the blue light strands. No matter how he struggled, he couldn''t break free, like a fly caught in a spider''s web. Chapter 1185 Chapter 1185: Chapter 1182: Taking Advantage of the Situation Chapter 1185: Chapter 1182: Taking Advantage of the Situation ¡°Die!¡± The murderous intent in Bashe''s eyes flashed, and her hands abruptly rubbed together. Two dazzling blue thunderballs appeared in the palm of her hands, roaring incessantly and emitting an extremely terrifying aura. With a raise of Bashe''s hands, two thunderous ''boom'' sounds rang out, and the two thunderballs transformed into two ten-meter-long blue electric pythons, radiating blinding light as they struck at the Gray-haired Old Man. The struggling body of the Gray-haired Old Man suddenly stopped, the urgent look on his face completely disappeared, replaced by the expression of a successful plot, and he spat out a grey round pearl, around which his figure cloaked in a gray round shield. The two blue electric pythons struck the round shield, unleashing an earth-shattering thunderclap, countless blue electric arcs exploded, but the grey round shield, though ordinary-looking, was incredibly strong and did not shatter, effectively blocking the attack from the blue thunder and lightning. Bashe noticed the Gray-haired Old Man''s expression and felt a sudden pang of alarm in her heart, and she promptly began to look around. A disturbance in the void appeared on the other side of the Ginkgo Divine Tree, and a semi-transparent figure materialized out of thin air, it was the Great Elder who, unbeknownst to anyone, had also slipped in. The blue light strands in the surroundings immediately coiled towards the Great Elder, but a transparent white light flashed over his body, causing any light strand that touched it to immediately slide to the side, completely failing to ensnare him. The Great Elder quickly passed through those blue light strands and approached the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, swiftly sending out a white light towards the nearest piece of Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, fast like lightning. ¡°Thief, how dare you!¡± Bashe exclaimed in alarm and spat out. A thick blue thunder and lightning tinged with blood light shot out from her mouth, crackling as it split into more than a dozen smaller bolts, ten times faster than the previous blue electric pythons, striking at the Great Elder. The blue thunder and lightning were Water Gang Divine Thunder, releasing a terrifying aura so extreme that the space it passed through emitted a charred odor. The Great Elder, taken aback, no longer cared about stealing the spirit fruit and hurriedly dodged backwards. He swiftly gestured with a wave of his hand, and a flash of white cold light passed in front of him, revealing two white banners. The banners flapped open with a ¡°whoosh,¡± and instantly gusts of cold wind howled, with palm-sized snowflakes quickly condensing and blanketing the air as they flew forwards. Though these snowflakes seemed ordinary, the moment the blue thunder and lightning touched them, they sizzled and immediately froze over, a strange chill permeated the entire space, and even the He Mountain Sect members at a distance felt a bone-piercing cold. But taking advantage of this brief moment, Bashe moved like lightning, darting in front of the Great Elder to block him. Her body surged with blue lightning, and she instantly reverted to her true form¨Ca colossal snake hundreds of meters long with blue and yellow scales covering her body. Bashe raised her house-sized serpent head high and smashed it ferociously toward the Great Elder with a momentum that shattered the heavens, bringing a terrifying gale that whistled and pressed down, making the very void tremble. The Great Elder''s face changed color, not daring to take the hit head-on, and he quickly dodged backward again. Bashe, having pushed the Great Elder back, did not continue her offensive but instead raised her head and let out a sky-shaking hiss. The void vibrated with the sound, which traveled far and wide, carrying with it a hidden summoning call. ¡°Quick! She''s calling for help!¡± The Great Elder, hearing this, became alarmed, and rapidly spurred the two white banners in front of him, causing countless white snowflakes to swarm out, far denser than before, enveloping Bashe. Bashe swung her tail fiercely, producing a mountain-like illusion that collided with the flurry of ice flowers. Boom! The two were locked in fierce combat, electric arcs and white flashes clashing violently. The Proud Youth, Poison Lady, Lian Shan, Gui Cang, and others were also embroiled in intense battles, while those from the He Mountain Sect without opponents were attempting to break the Blue Silk Prohibition set up by Bashe. At this moment, the passageway in the yellow light curtain had already closed. On the other side of the Ginkgo Divine Tree on the ground, an invisible figure was drifting outside the fray between the He Mountain Sect members and the three demons, rapidly approaching the Ginkgo Divine Tree. It was Shen Luo, who had used the Invisibility Talisman. He didn''t mobilize his mana, relying solely on the power of his physical body to sweep close to the Ginkgo Divine Tree in just a few breaths. ¡°All is going well, Man''er. Are you going to enter underground and take the opportunity to steal the essence of the Ginkgo Divine Tree?¡± Shen Luo communicated with Wu Man''er telepathically. ¡°There is not enough time to extract the Divine Tree Essence from within the Ginkgo Divine Tree; we should go for the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit first. On my way here, I carefully analyzed the characteristics of the leaves of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Judging from the state of its leaves, the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit could greatly benefit senior Ao Lie''s injuries!¡± Wu Man''er''s voice sounded in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°Good! Then I''ll get the spirit fruit as quickly as possible!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up slightly, and he rapidly climbed up the tree using his hands and feet, soon reaching the vicinity of the Blue Silk Prohibition where he stopped. The recent encounters of the Gray-haired Old Man and the Great Elder indicated that these blue silk strands possessed a strong detection capability; rashly approaching them would surely result in being entangled. It was no use to traverse laterally with ¡°Immortal Escape¡± either, as the blue silk was extremely sensitive to spiritual power, and it was while performing an escape technique that the Gray-haired Old Man had been caught and entangled. As Shen Luo was considering how to get past the silk area in front of him, a breeze passed by his side, brushing his body. His pupils contracted, and he immediately pressed his body against the Ginkgo Divine Tree, silently chanting the spell of the ¡°Wood Concealment¡± god''s power, seamlessly merging into the tree. Just as his figure vanished, a transparent ball of white light came from below, shooting upwards. Through the white light, a blue figure could vaguely be seen inside. ¡°Is it that?¡± Shen Luo, concealed within the Ginkgo Divine Tree, activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to observe the blue figure. The blue figure was surrounded by shifting mists of light, creating layers of phantoms, which made him feel slightly dizzy after just one glance. It was none other than the Mirage Demon that had hindered him before. ¡°I didn''t expect it to come too.¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flashed, but he remained still, allowing the Mirage Demon to take the lead. The demon quickly approached the Blue Silk Prohibition area too, without any hesitation, it soared upwards, directly colliding with the blue silk threads. Countless blue silk threads immediately shot out, wrapping around the Mirage Demon''s body. Yet, its body was like a phantom, forcibly tearing free from the silk''s restraint and advancing. With a whoosh, the Mirage Demon broke through the blue silk and lunged for a Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. Bashe, engaged in a fierce fight with the Great Elder, sensed the Mirage Demon''s movement and suddenly looked over, its thick tail revealing a blade-like gleam as it swept across. This time the Great Elder did not retreat. The White Banners flickered continuously with white light, numerous white ice blades emerged in front, forming an ice blade formation. Each of these blades emitted an eerie, chilling light and a shrill sound, their lethality apparent in their fearsome radiance. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, when these white ice blades collided with the snake''s tail, they shattered in a series of loud crashes, swept away as if they were nothing more than dry twigs before a storm. ¡°What!¡± The Great Elder''s face showed an expression of disbelief. Chapter 1186 Chapter 1186: Chapter 1183: Join Forces to Break the Ban Chapter 1186: Chapter 1183: Join Forces to Break the Ban The tail of Bashe swept away the ice blade array, its momentum undiminished, vanishing in a flash before striking the Great Elder. Only then did the Great Elder come to his senses, his Mana surging inside him, pouring into two white banners in his hands. His hands formed seals like turning car wheels, and the white light from the banners exploded, enveloping his body. However, before he could react further, the serpentine tail struck like lightning, sending the Great Elder and the two banners flying with a single blow. Though the casting of spells seems complex, all this occurred in the blink of an eye. With the Great Elder flung away, Bashe immediately spat out a yellow token, which shot out like yellow lightning and vanished into the surroundings of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. The void beneath the canopy of the Ginkgo Divine Tree immediately began to tremble, with countless yellow clouds appearing out of thin air. In the blink of an eye, a thick layer formed, identical to the surrounding Qiankun Xuanjin Array. This layer of yellow clouds also merged with the surrounding Forbidden Light Barriers in an instant, sealing the canopy of the Ginkgo Divine Tree within an enclosed space. The Mirage Demon collided with the yellow clouds with a ¡°bang¡± and was rebounded back, the hidden Spiritual Light on its body dispelled, revealing the figure of a blue-haired teenager with sword-like eyebrows and a handsome demeanor. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Mirage Demon, it''s you! You dare to break the agreement and covet the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit!¡± Bashe roared angrily upon recognizing the intruder. Fear flashed on the Mirage Demon''s face, but bolstered by the presence of the He Mountain Sect members, it ignored Bashe and conjured a blue great sword. Without another word, it was hurled up into the high altitude. In an instant, the sound of the air being split rang out! Layers of blue Sword Shadows appeared out of nowhere, transforming into a mountain of swords that slashed down upon the yellow clouds. The yellow clouds shook violently, thundering like muffled thunder, but showed no sign of breaking. The members of the He Mountain Sect below looked at the newly emerged Yellow Cloud Prohibition, their expressions growing solemn. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed as well, realizing that the defense around the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit was truly rigorous and not so easily breached. ¡°Human Daoist friend, your ability to conceal your Spirit Power is quite impressive; even I almost didn''t discover it.¡± A voice suddenly spoke next to his ear, and a blue Phantom appeared alongside him¨Cit was the Mirage Demon. Shen Luo was startled, Mana surged within him, and he raised his hand to strike. ¡°I am only a doppelganger, lacking much offensive power. Your Excellency, there''s no need for haste,¡± the blue figure said. ¡°What is your purpose in seeking me out?¡± Shen Luo, having heard this, thought quickly and lowered his hand, asking. ¡°Naturally, it''s to obtain the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. I have long seen from Outside that you can break through this Qiankun Xuanjin Great Array. How about we join forces? I will guide you through the Blue Silk Prohibition ahead, and you help me break the Yellow Cloud Light Screen. As for how to seize the fruit after breaking the Prohibition, we shall each rely on our abilities,¡± the Mirage Demon''s doppelganger suggested. ¡°It''s true I can break the Prohibition here, but that requires time. With fighting all around us, will those three demons give me the time to set up and break the Formation?¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. ¡°You need not worry about that; I can use an Illusion Technique to conceal you. That Bashe will not find any flaws,¡± the Mirage Demon''s doppelganger replied. Shen Luo''s interest was piqued upon hearing this. He had previously experienced the Mirage Demon''s Illusion Technique, which was indeed mysterious and could likely deceive Bashe and the others. ¡°To tell you the truth, I have been attaching my Mirage Qi to the demons at the Nine-headed Insect Palace, and have ascertained that the Nine-Headed Insect will soon fully recover and emerge. Now is our last opportunity. If all the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits fall into the hands of the Nine-Headed Insect, its Cultivation level will surely rise significantly upon consuming them, and it might even break through to the Taiyi Realm. By then, both you and Western Sea Ao Lie won''t escape unscathed,¡± continued the Mirage Demon''s doppelganger. Shen Luo''s heart chilled upon hearing this, and he instantly made up his mind. ¡°Very well, I agree to this arrangement.¡± ¡°Daoist friend, this action of yours is absolutely a wise decision. I''ll take you through the prohibition ahead first,¡± the Mirage Demon doppelganger said joyfully, transforming into a hazy blue light that enshrouded Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo silently gathered all his mana, remaining vigilant. Fortunately, the Mirage Demon doppelganger made no other moves and exerted force to fly directly out of the Ginkgo Divine Tree with Shen Luo. ¡°You''re just going out like this? You''ll be discovered¡­¡± Shen Luo urgently began, but his words abruptly stopped halfway. Outside the Divine Tree, the area was filled with white mist, which seemed to fill the entire light shield and changed unpredictably, being the Mirage Demon''s signature White Mist. In the depths of the sea of fog, the angry roars and sounds of magical combat between Bashe and others could be faintly heard, indicating that the Mirage Demon''s main body was entangling them. The Mirage Demon doppelganger carried Shen Luo upwards, flying straight into the Blue Silk Prohibition. Countless blue strands immediately snatched toward them, and Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, ready to deal with the situation. ¡°You don''t need to take action, I can handle it,¡± the Mirage Demon doppelganger shouted lowly, as the blue light that enveloped Shen Luo became several times denser and began to spin rapidly, forming a blue vortex about a zhang in size. The blue strands hadn''t even touched Shen Luo''s body before they were swept away by the vortex. Shen Luo felt a burst of joy in his heart, and the blue light on his body flared as he ¡°swooshed¡± through the Blue Silk Prohibition, arriving below the Yellow Cloud Light Screen. With a flicker of his form and a faint flash of golden light on his surface, he emerged from the blue light, and took out the set of formation devices in his hand, beginning to lay out the Array. When he had entered from the passageway below, he had also brought with him the outside Prohibition Breaking Array, as he would need this set of formation tools to break through the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array again after leaving this place. Because the situation was urgent, Shen Luo laid out the formation without any reservation and quickly got it ready. He operated at full power, with blue light shining brightly all over his body, submerging him in it. Mana surged into the formation, and immediately countless yellow runes swarmed out from the Prohibition Breaking Array, raining down on the Yellow Cloud Prohibition like a storm. The thick Yellow Cloud Prohibition rapidly dissipated, and within a few breaths, it had sunken by several feet deep. ¡°Thief, how dare you!¡± Bashe''s roar resounded, as he quickly approached, having noticed that the Yellow Cloud Prohibition was being broken and coming to stop it. A chill went through Shen Luo''s heart, and his brows furrowed. ¡°You needn''t mind that, I said if I would entangle Bashe and prevent you from being disturbed, I would definitely do it,¡± the Mirage Demon doppelganger said solemnly, his figure flickering and vanishing. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, paying it no mind and continuing to break the Array with all his strength. Bashe''s roar sounded again, followed by a series of clanking crashes. The surrounding white mist rolled more intensely, clearly showing he had been stopped. With a sigh of relief, Shen Luo urged the Prohibition Breaking Array below him with all his might. Numerous yellow lights shot out, instantly forming a mysterious Array in midair that spun round and round, even more imposing than before. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo shook his hands, and the yellow-colored Array rapidly shrank, turning into a dazzlingly bright group the size of a basin, and shot out like an arrow released from a bowstring, hitting the deep pit within the Yellow Cloud Prohibition. However, as the yellow light group shot out, a wisp of shadow flew out from Shen Luo''s sleeve, flickering into the light group. Struck by this, the Yellow Cloud Prohibition trembled violently, quickly thinned, and within a few breaths, a hiss broke the thick air, piercing a zhang-wide circular passageway. Just as Shen Luo was about to leap through, a ghostly specter-like blue light shot out from within the white mist, beating him to it and flashing into the passageway. ¡°Hehe, Daoist friend, your Array is indeed formidable. I''m taking a step ahead,¡± the thin voice of the Mirage Demon resounded in his ear. Chapter 1187 Chapter 1187: Chapter 1184 Missing One Chapter 1187: Chapter 1184 Missing One Shen Luo sneered in his heart and immediately followed the Mirage Demon''s figure, leaving the Prohibition Breaking Array outside to disintegrate. The array flags and discs turned into streams of light that followed him and disappeared into his sleeve. He moved forward with all his might, and in the blink of an eye, he flew out of the passageway. The lush Ginkgo Divine Tree was right before his eyes, its dense spiritual power hitting his face, mixed with a strange medicinal fragrance, no less impressive than the Ginseng Fruit of the Wuzhuang View. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Mirage Demon had already flown to a certain spot of the Ginkgo Divine Tree, where a piece of Ginkgo Spirit Fruit was growing, glowing with golden light. He waved his hand and sent out a blue light, rolling it in. Seeing this, Shen Luo also aimed at another Ginkgo Spirit Fruit nearby. His feet shining with the brilliance of the moonlight, he was also enveloped in brilliant starlight. In a flash, he crossed a distance of twenty or thirty feet and appeared beside that piece of Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. He raised his hand and emitted a blue light, plucking the fruit and quickly placing it into a green jade box. The box was carved with many spirit patterns resembling tree branches, signifying that it was no ordinary item. The Ginkgo Spirit Fruit was not yet fully ripe. Once removed from the Ginkgo Tree, its spiritual power would slowly dissipate, so it needed to be stored in a special container. This jade box was a special container from the Divine Wood Forest acquired from Wu Man''er, carved with the Wood Spirit Holy Patterns passed down through generations of the Divine Wood Forest. It was most suitable for preserving spirit fruit and flowers because it stabilized spiritual power. He flipped his hand and stored the jade box, then immediately dashed toward another piece of spirit fruit not far away. The Mirage Demon had also flown beneath the second spirit fruit and tried to grab it. His other hand sent out a burst of spiritual light, curling around the third one nearby. Shen Luo, unwilling to fall behind, immediately lunged for another Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. Just as Shen Luo and the Mirage Demon were fiercely competing for the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits, the passageway on the Yellow Cloud Prohibition behind them closed rapidly without the support of the Prohibition Breaking Array, and it looked as though it would seal off completely. However, at that moment, a blue shadow flashed. In the nick of time before the passageway closed, it crossed swiftly and revealed a figure. It was the Bashe. A chill went down Shen Luo''s spine. He plucked the second Ginkgo Spirit Fruit he was aiming at and flew sideways, quickly moving away from the Bashe. Having lost so many spirit fruits, who knew how frenzied the Bashe would become? This demon was powerful. It was best to let the Mirage Demon deal with it. Contrary to Shen Luo''s expectations, the Bashe did not erupt in anger, nor did it launch a frenzied attack on Shen Luo and the Mirage Demon. Its face was changing unpredictably, and its expression quite bizarre. Shen Luo frowned, but the situation was changing by the second, and he had no time to worry about the demon. With a flick of his sleeve, he sent out another blue light, curling towards another Ginkgo Spirit Fruit in the distance. ¡°Roar!¡± An ear-splitting roar suddenly came, and the void trembled violently, revealing countless visible transparent ripples. The huge Ginkgo Divine Tree shook, and numerous ginkgo leaves fell, only to be shredded by the transparent ripples. A few Ginkgo Spirit Fruits on the tree were also shaken down, their spiritual light flickering but undamaged. Shen Luo was also affected by those transparent ripples. The blue light he emitted shattered inch by inch. His complexion changed drastically, and his body shuddered uncontrollably. With a retch, he spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward. The transparent ripples contained a peculiar vibration force. Even with his sturdy body and substantial mana, he couldn''t block it at all. The force went directly to the deepest parts of his body, making his internal organs feel as if they were being churned inside out. ¡°Bashe, as a subordinate of the Nine-Headed Insect, you dare to lay your hands on the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit!¡± The Mirage Demon, also affected by those transparent ripples, stumbled back, a pale look flashing across his face as he shouted. In front of the Yellow Cloud Prohibition passageway, the Bashe had transformed into its true form. At that moment, it was opening its mouth, which was as large as the City Gate, and the transparent ripples were coming out of its massive maw. ¡°` Bashe paid no heed to the Mirage Demon''s interrogations, retracting its belly and generating countless ripples that sucked everything back like a whale gulping water, exuding an immense suction force. Three shimmering ginkgo spirit fruits flew out from the scattered leaves, swept up by this suction force and headed straight for Bashe''s mouth. Not inferior to Bashe in cultivation level, the Mirage Demon''s true form was almost ethereal, so Bashe''s previous ripple attack had not inflicted serious damage. Seeing the ginkgo spirit fruits flying out, it immediately emitted a beam of white light to snatch them. ¡°Eh! Why are there only three?¡± However, the moment it made its move, a hint of confusion flashed across the Mirage Demon''s mind. It had clearly seen nine spirit fruits on the ginkgo divine tree. It had taken three and Shen Luo two, so there should have been four remaining. As soon as Bashe saw the Mirage Demon reaching out, it bellowed and its enormous serpentine body twisted and lunged forward at an inconceivably rapid pace, crossing dozens of feet in the blink of an eye and slamming heavily into the Mirage Demon. The colossal force of a mountain tsunami surged over. The Mirage Demon, being semi-ethereal, dared not take the hit head-on and quickly dodged backward, no longer caring about seizing the ginkgo spirit fruits. With another suction from Bashe''s gaping maw, the three spirit fruits picked up speed once more and disappeared into its mouth in a flash, eluding any further attempts at snatching. Shen Luo had also intended to compete for the spirit fruits, but he was relatively far from Bashe and hadn''t managed to make a move before everything was already over. His thoughts shifted as he considered leaving strategies. After all, remaining in the same place with two cunning true immortal-stage demons was not a favorable situation. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with green light as he surveyed his surroundings. Suddenly, he soared into the sky and, in the blink of an eye, he crossed hundreds of feet to stop next to the treetop of the ginkgo divine tree, looking ahead at a great formation light curtain. The light curtain here was piled up with yellow clouds and flickered with yellow light, but the spiritual light inside was faintly unstable. Shen Luo took out the Prohibition Breaking Array, about to lay the formation to break the prohibition, but suddenly, the light curtain in front of him brightened, and strands of cloud-like yellow light seeped through, thickening the ban on the light curtain significantly. At the base of the ginkgo divine tree, Bashe had already transformed back into human form at some point and was holding a yellow array flag, pointing it from a distance toward where Shen Luo was. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Your Excellency Bashe? I have no intention of touching the ginkgo spirit fruits you have taken. Could it be that Your Excellency still covets the things on my person?¡± Shen Luo turned and looked down, his eyes emitting a cold light as he spoke. As he spoke, he silently activated the Huangting Technique, and a burst of golden light surged, with the Dragon Elephant Phantom faintly appearing around him. The Jiuli Devil Armor, too, flashed black light as it clad him. His mana and Demonic Qi shone brightly together. Although his aura had increased dramatically and still fell short of matching Bashe and the Mirage Demon, it was not far behind. The Mirage Demon, seeing Shen Luo in this state, had a slight change in expression, clearly taken aback. It had initially teamed up with Shen Luo because he held the Prohibition Breaking Array, and didn''t place much importance on Shen Luo''s strength, even secretly harboring designs on the ginkgo spirit fruits in Shen Luo''s hand. But now, it seemed to have underestimated the strength of this helper found on a whim. ¡°Haha, I hadn''t expected Your Excellency to have reached such a realm of divine power; I was somewhat mistaken. Rest assured, Daoist friend, I have no intention of causing you trouble. However, please stay here with Brother Shen for just this brief moment and refrain from breaking the prohibition with your spells,¡± Bashe''s eyes flickered as he followed with a hearty laugh. Seeing that the other party''s words didn''t seem hostile, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly, and he looked towards Bashe with some puzzlement. Chapter 1188 Chapter 1188: Chapter 1185: The Agreement Chapter 1188: Chapter 1185: The Agreement ¡°Stay here? You want to use the power of the Ginkgo Divine Tree to resolve the Heart Prohibition that the Nine-Headed Insect implanted in your body?¡± The Mirage Demon looked puzzled but quickly understood. ¡°Exactly. Now that I have rebelled against the Nine-Headed Insect, I naturally want to take advantage of its seclusion to quickly remove the prohibition inside my body and then flee far away. The Qiankun Xuanjin Array surrounding this area is an array that it painstakingly refined. It has left a Divine Sense Mark within it, and if it learns that the prohibition has been broken, it might exit seclusion early and come after us. By then, we would have nowhere to bury our dead bodies, which is why I just stopped this Human companion from breaking the prohibition,¡± Bashe said hurriedly. ¡°So that''s the case,¡± the Mirage Demon nodded slowly. ¡°No, I have already broken through the Qiankun Xuanjin Array twice just now. If the Nine-Headed Insect really left a Divine Sense Mark within the array, it would have known by now,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said. ¡°When Daoist friend broke through the Great Formation from outside earlier, I cast spells to suppress the prohibitions within the Formation, preventing the circumstances of the prohibition being broken from being transmitted. As for the second time you just broke the yellow clouds, that was merely a divine ability derived from the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, and breaking it does not matter. Suppressing the Formation''s prohibitions is extremely taxing, and doing it once is already my limit. If Daoist friend breaks through a second time, the Nine-Headed Insect will definitely be alerted,¡± Bashe explained with a chuckle. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, unsure whether to believe the other party or not. ¡°I only need a bit of time to resolve the prohibition in my body with the help of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. It should take about a quarter of an hour to finish. I request the two Daoist friends to wait for me a moment,¡± Bashe said as he gave a bow to Shen Luo and the Mirage Demon, pleading in a soft voice and looking quite pitiful. ¡°Mirage Demon, what do you think of Bashe''s proposal?¡± Shen Luo asked indifferently, directly ignoring Bashe''s plea and communicating with the Mirage Demon through a psychic transmission. ¡°From what I know, most of what Bashe said is true. If Daoist friend breaks the Formation a second time, it might indeed attract the Nine-Headed Insect,¡± the Mirage Demon transmitted back. ¡°Let it come. The Nine-Headed Insect is injured. Once we leave this place and split up immediately, it may not catch us. What''s more, even if we wait here for Bashe to use the power of the Divine Tree to dissolve the prohibition in his body, we will still have to break the Qiankun Xuanjin Array to leave, which will attract the Nine-Headed Insect just the same,¡± Shen Luo replied, narrowing his eyes. ¡°This¡­¡± The Mirage Demon hadn''t considered this point and was rendered speechless. ¡°Daoist friend, are you worried that after I dissolve the prohibition, we will still need to break the surrounding Great Formation, thus attracting the Nine-Headed Insect? Rest assured, once I remove the prohibition inside my body, my strength will significantly increase. Then I can suppress the Qiankun Xuanjin Array a second time without the Nine-Headed Insect noticing,¡± Bashe said with a tight-lipped smile, seemingly guessing what Shen Luo and the Demon were discussing. ¡°Your Excellency makes a fair point. However, how am I to know that you''re not deliberately stalling for time, waiting for reinforcements to arrive and capture us both at once? Mirage Demon, my opinion is to leave now. What do you say?¡± Shen Luo said with an indifferent expression, showing no sign of emotional fluctuation. Upon hearing these words, a flash of malice appeared in Bashe''s eyes, but he didn''t immediately react and instead looked towards the Mirage Demon. Being stared at by both of them, the Mirage Demon thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Daoist friend Bashe, Daoist Shen''s words may be blunt, but they aren''t without reason. However, Daoist Shen''s suggestion is also somewhat risky. How about this compromise: we will wait here for a moment, but Daoist friend Bashe, you must take a Heart Demon Oath to guarantee that everything you just said is the truth. Moreover, you should offer two valuable gifts to me and Daoist Shen as compensation, since we are bearing a significant risk by staying here to wait for you.¡± ¡°No problem, I''m willing to take the Heart Demon Oath. As for compensation, that is only natural. We stand together as friends, and a greeting gift is certainly indispensable,¡± Bashe said without hesitation, taking out two Storage Magical Tools and tossing one each to Shen Luo and the Mirage Demon. Shen Luo caught the Storage Magical Tool, gave Bashe a glance, and his Divine Sense entered the Tool. A look of surprise flashed across his face. The Storage Magical Tool contained many precious Spiritual Materials and Spirit Grasses, all seemingly special products of Yunmeng Marsh, and there were also a large number of Immortal Jades, amounting to as many as ten thousand, which was indeed a generous gift. The Mirage Demon also probed the Storage Magical Tool with his Divine Sense and appeared pleased, clearly finding ample items inside. ¡°I, with a Heart Demon Oath, declare that all I have spoken earlier is the absolute truth. Should there be a half-word of falsehood, I am willing to have my soul scattered and die without a place for my remains,¡± Bashe said solemnly, making an oath with a single hand raised. Shen Luo, seeing Bashe take such a venomous oath, also fell silent. After pondering for a moment, he spoke, ¡°Since the Mirage Demon Elder has made such a request, I naturally should show some courtesy. Let it be so.¡± ¡°Thank you, Daoist friend, for your understanding. I shall complete the task as soon as possible,¡± Bashe replied joyfully, turning to fly into the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Her body lit up with dazzling blue electro-light and directly merged with the interior of the Ginkgo Divine Tree, vanishing from sight. Shen Luo frowned and hurriedly operated his Divine Sense to penetrate the Ginkgo Divine Tree, keeping a close watch on Bashe. ¡°No need to worry. Bashe has used a Secret Method to attach her body inside the Ginkgo Divine Tree, borrowing the millenniold wooden spirit power of this Divine Tree to dissolve the prohibition that Nine-Headed Insect planted in her body. She will not escape,¡± said the Mirage Demon. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense did indeed sense Bashe hiding inside the Ginkgo Divine Tree and not taking the opportunity to leave. He sighed in relief, flew up to the Divine Tree, and sat down in a spot. At this moment, the Ginkgo Divine Tree was emitting streaks of golden light, unleashing astonishing spiritual power fluctuations. He raised his eyebrows; the amazing spiritual power fluctuations were the wooden spirit force accumulated over countless years by the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Bashe was actually able to harness this power for her own use, a formidable feat indeed. The Mirage Demon also found a place to sit and started to cultivate, with blue light from her body flickering bright and dim. Shen Luo, however, did not cultivate. He closed his eyes and silently operated the Peeping Spirit Secret Technique, using the Magnetic Heart Wood Seeds to investigate the situation below. Since the Mirage Demon came up here, the white mist in the space below gradually dissipated. The members of the He Mountain Sect and Lian Shan, Gui Cang finally saw their surroundings clearly and resumed their intense battle. Without Bashe''s assistance, Lian Shan and Gui Cang were no match for the members of the He Mountain Sect, especially after the Great Elder took action. Within a few exchanges, the two demons were grievously injured and captured. ¡°Bind their demon power, but do not kill them just yet, they might be useful later on,¡± the Great Elder commanded. ¡°Yes.¡± The one who responded was the cunning gray-haired old man, who had managed to free himself from the Blue Silk Prohibition at some point. He took out a set of ghostly blue needles, over a hundred of them. After chanting spells, he pointed his finger, and all the ghostly blue needles shot out, piercing Lian Shan and Gui Cang''s bodies all over. The two demons groaned softly, trembling as they fell to the ground. The demon power within their bodies was completely bound, and not a trace could be stirred. ¡°Elder Zhuo''s Ghostly Blue Needle has become even more exquisite. I''m impressed,¡± Poison Lady said, her eyes flashing with admiration. ¡°It''s just a little skill, nothing compared to your Thousand Poisons Technique, Poison Lady,¡± the gray-haired old man said with a laugh. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Proud Youth heard the exchange and snorted. He flew towards the Great Elder and said, ¡°I''m not sure if Tian Tiesheng didn''t dare to come in, or if something else happened, but now there''s no sign of him. The passageway has already closed. What should we do next?¡± Chapter 1189 Chapter 1189: Chapter 1186 Accident Chapter 1189: Chapter 1186 Accident ¡°It was my oversight, but you need not worry. Just now, when Tian Tiesheng broke through the prohibition, I took the opportunity to discern many subtleties of the prohibition here. Moreover, having just obtained several formation flags from those two demons, even without Tian Tiesheng, I myself am quite confident¨Caround sixty to seventy percent certain¨Cthat I can break through this Array Light Screen,¡± the Great Elder sighed before speaking confidently. Upon hearing this, the other members of He Mountain Sect all breathed a sigh of relief. However, bitterness lingered in the Great Elder''s heart. Although he had indeed gained a deeper understanding of the surrounding prohibitions, with only the seized formation flags and the Breaking Ban Beads at his disposal, his chances of breaking through the prohibitions were merely twenty to thirty percent at most. His claimed certainty was inflated merely to stabilize the morale of the group. ¡°Let''s not talk about leaving for now. That Bashe and the person who laid down the White Mist should have gone up. We should also make haste, otherwise we really will have come in vain today,¡± said the Great Elder, then immediately formed hand seals, and a semi-transparent white light burst forth from his body, enveloping all those present. He then led them directly into the Blue Silk Prohibition. Countless strands of blue silk immediately tangled toward them, but like before, the strands lost their sharpness upon contact with the white light, sliding past the people on either side and failing to catch a single one. Everyone easily passed through the Blue Silk Prohibition. ¡°Formation!¡± the Great Elder immediately shouted. The members of He Mountain Sect quickly got busy, and soon set up the Array that worked in conjunction with the Breaking Ban Beads. The Great Elder flashed into the Array and activated the Breaking Ban Beads. The Breaking Ban Beads shone brightly, releasing a substantive beam of purple light from within, striking the Yellow Cloud Prohibition. At the same time, more than a dozen yellow array flags appeared around the Great Elder. They were the very formation flags that Lian Shan and Gui Cang had previously used to activate the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. These flags spun and danced, shooting beams of light into the Yellow Cloud Prohibition. The Yellow Cloud Prohibition above, being only a derivative of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array''s God''s Power, was far less powerful than the Great Formation Light Screen surrounding the area. Moreover, with the aid of the formation flags seized from the two demons of Lianshan Guicang, the Yellow Cloud Prohibition began to tremble like water waves, and the area struck by the purple light rapidly started to dissipate. Seeing this, the members of He Mountain Sect rejoiced, and the Great Elder also felt pleased. Above the Ginkgo Divine Tree, Shen Luo stood up abruptly and looked down with a grave expression. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± The Mirage Demon, sensing Shen Luo''s demeanor, also stood up and asked. ¡°Someone below is breaking the Yellow Cloud Prohibition! It''s neither those monks from He Mountain Sect nor the two demons of Lianshan Guicang. No matter who it is, it''s not good news for us!¡± Shen Luo said gravely. He was of course aware that it was the group from He Mountain Sect who were breaking the prohibition, but he didn''t intend to tell the Mirage Demon. The Magnetic Heart Wood Seed was a trump card for him, and it might prove very useful later on. ¡°Really?¡± The Mirage Demon frowned, seemingly doubtful of Shen Luo''s words, but soon the Yellow Cloud below began to undulate and ripple, with a certain area thinning rapidly and faint strands of purple light peeking through, leaving him no choice but to believe. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This¡­ It seems the Yellow Cloud Prohibition won''t last much longer. If the ones breaking the prohibition are the two demons of Lianshan Guicang, then it''s trouble. Unlike bashe, upon seeing the current state of the Silver Ginkgo fruit tree, they will surely inform the Nine-Headed Insect! Friend Shen, do you have any means to stop them from breaking the prohibition?¡± the Mirage Demon said anxiously. The Qiankun Xuanjin Array was incredibly intricate, and with the Yellow Cloud acting as a barrier, even his True Immortal Stage existence could not interfere with the situation below. ¡°The control of the Great Formation lies in Bashe''s hands. What can I do?¡± Shen Luo spread his hands and said, though he was secretly considering his options. Unlike the Mirage Demon and Bashe, he was of the pure Human Race. If the people from He Mountain Sect came up, he had ways to fool them, claiming he was brought up forcefully by the Mirage Demon, which was more or less the case. Even if the Mirage Demon refused to cooperate and exposed his true situation, it was unlikely that the members of He Mountain Sect would turn against him. But the arrival of these people had, after all, introduced some unpredictability. However, he now indeed had no solution¨Cthe Prohibition Breaking Array could only break through the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, not control it. ¡°If it really comes to it, we''ll just leave first, and forget about that Bashe¡­¡± Mirage Demon''s eyes flashed coldly as he transmitted his voice to Shen Luo for discussion. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, but he did not speak for the moment. ¡°Do not be hasty, my two Daoist friends. The He Mountain Sect monks are the ones breaking the prohibition. I need the two of you to use this array flag to control the Great Formation temporarily and hinder them. I will be ready very soon.¡± Just at that moment, Bashe''s voice came from within the Ginkgo Divine Tree. At the same time, a streak of yellow light shot out from inside, landing in front of Shen Luo and Mirage Demon. It was the very array flag that Bashe had been using to control the Great Formation. The golden light upon the Ginkgo Divine Tree flared up fiercely, clearly indicating Bashe was putting even more effort into harnessing the power of the Divine Tree. Mirage Demon saw this scene and his brow furrowed imperceptibly, cursing inwardly. This demon was cunning and always put profit first, treating promises like dog-shit. He had agreed to wait here because everything was normal and Bashe''s method seemed the most reliable. Now that an unexpected turn of events had occurred below, Mirage Demon quickly changed his tune, urging Shen Luo to break the agreement and leave. He hadn''t expected Bashe to react so quickly and actually hand over the formation flag. Mirage Demon had interacted with Shen Luo twice before and knew that he was somewhat old-fashioned in character, valuing honor highly; he might very well adhere to the earlier promise. Sure enough, as soon as Shen Luo saw the array flag fly out, he immediately grabbed it with great joy, channeling mana into it. The array flag radiated a bright yellow light, and the surrounding Qiankun Xuanjin Array also buzzed and trembled in response, corresponding remotely with the array flag. Shen Luo was not an expert in the way of arrays, but he knew a thing or two and, due to the Prohibition Breaking Array, had some understanding of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, barely managing to control it. The Yellow Cloud Prohibition of the surrounding Qiankun Xuanjin Array immediately began to surge, heading towards the Yellow Cloud Prohibition below. The Yellow Cloud Prohibition instantly thickened significantly, with the area where the He Mountain Sect was breaking the prohibition accumulating an amount of clouds that was two or three times thicker. The monks of the He Mountain Sect below quickly noticed someone was tampering with the Yellow Cloud Prohibition. ¡°Someone is controlling the prohibitions to prevent us from breaking through. It seems there must be a great disturbance above, everyone join forces to activate the Array, and break through this Yellow Cloud as soon as possible!¡± The Great Elder shouted with a grave voice. Upon hearing this, the He Mountain Sect monks all flew down to the vicinity of the Array, pouring mana into it. The operation speed of the Array immediately increased tenfold. The light from the Breaking Ban Beads became ten times brighter, and the purple light pillars being emitted grew explosively, like a giant purple column piercing through the Yellow Clouds, with the dissipation speed of the clouds also accelerating immediately. Shen Luo, sensing the actions of the He Mountain Sect monks through the Magnetic Heart Wood Seeds, hurriedly also started to speed up the activation of the array flag in his hand. Time ticked by, and in a blink, half a moment had passed. Although Shen Luo was resisting the entire He Mountain Sect on his own, the formation flag in his hand was the core flag of the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation. As time passed, he became more and more proficient at controlling the Great Formation, and gradually started to overpower the He Mountain Sect monks. Seeing this, Mirage Demon''s expression brightened, just about to praise Shen Luo a few words. But just at that moment, a roar of extreme anger came from a distance, closing in rapidly ¨C shrill and piercing, as if countless steel needles were stabbing into their eardrums. ¡°It''s Nine-Headed Insect!¡± Mirage Demon exclaimed in shock. Chapter 1190 Chapter 1190: Chapter 187: Threat of Life and Death Chapter 1190: Chapter 187: Threat of Life and Death Shen Luo also perceived from the roar that it was the Nine-Headed Insect, his heart tightened, and without any hesitation, he flew away and appeared next to the Array light screen in a flash, taking out the Prohibition Breaking Array and starting to set it up with all his might. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect! How is that possible?¡± A flash of blue light on the Ginkgo Divine Tree, and an enormous tongue the size of a city gate burst forth. It was the Bashe, whose face was filled with shock. Shen Luo noticed the change in Bashe''s expression and knew it wasn''t feigned. ¡°It seems she didn''t lure the Nine-Headed Insect here. So why has the Nine-Headed Insect suddenly come?¡± he thought to himself. At this moment, Lian Shan was lying face-down on the ground of the Great Formation, looking extremely pained. However, the cheek pressed against the ground had somehow turned blood red, as if blood would drip from it at any moment. A strange, blood-colored rune appeared on Lian Shan''s forehead, gently flickering. This Lian Shan was a Blood Jiao from the Flood Dragon race, an extremely rare kind that could transform its essence blood into demon power. The Gray-haired Old Man was unaware of this and merely used the Ghostly Blue Needle to completely bind Lian Shan''s mana, but did not restrict Lian Shan''s blood Qi, which still allowed him to act. ¡°Wait until the Master arrives; you will all have no place to bury yourselves!¡± A fierce smile appeared on the corner of Lian Shan''s mouth. Above the clouds of yellow, Shen Luo couldn''t come up with a reasonable explanation at the moment and immediately gave up the futile speculation. He continued setting up the Prohibition Breaking Array with one hand while the other operated the yellow array flags, targeting the Yellow Cloud Prohibition. A beam of light as thick as a water bucket shot out from within the array flag, striking the Yellow Cloud Prohibition. The yellow clouds on the prohibition instantly began to disperse rapidly. After a few breaths, not only had the previously conjured yellow clouds completely vanished, but the original Yellow Cloud Prohibition had also thinned considerably. The Mirage Demon and Bashe, upon seeing Shen Luo''s actions, were at first startled, but quickly understood and offered no objections. The people of He Mountain Sect below had also heard the rapidly approaching roar and, although they were frightened, they did not stop their efforts to break the Formation. Just then, the Yellow Cloud Light Screen above their heads suddenly emitted a low, roaring sound and quickly became thinner, especially the part where the Breaking Ban Beads'' purple light was attacking, which was now so thin it was nearly transparent. One could vaguely see the situation above. The Great Elder was both shocked and delighted, no longer concerned about potential traps, and vigorously spurred the Breaking Ban Beads. A purple light pillar struck the transparent area fiercely, and with a muffled ''puff'', the Yellow Cloud Light Screen was easily broken, ripping open a huge hole several zhang wide. The people of He Mountain Sect were momentarily stunned, then rejoiced, following the Great Elder as they shot through the big hole. In the blink of an eye, they all arrived above the yellow clouds and, seeing the situation here, their expressions changed. The Ginkgo Divine Tree had turned into a bare, leafless tree, looking quite desolate; standing atop the tree were two True Immortal stage demon beasts with sky-reaching demon Qi, any one of which was enough to shock them. ¡°Friend Tian, what''s going on?¡± Shen Luo was not hiding his actions, and was hurriedly setting up the Prohibition Breaking Array nearby. The people of He Mountain Sect saw him at a glance. The Great Elder asked in a deep voice. As for the rest of He Mountain Sect, they looked warily towards the Mirage Demon and Bashe. At this moment, most of Bashe''s body was still inside the Divine Tree, with the trunk of the tree surrounding it flashing with golden light, which showed that it was still desperately drawing on the power of the Divine Tree to break the prohibition inside its body. The Great Elder, too wary of these two True Immortal stage demon beasts, though speaking with Shen Luo, was mostly focused on the two demons. ¡°Great Elder, now is not the time to attend to that matter. Everyone heard the howl just now, didn''t you? That belongs to the overlord of Yunmeng Marsh, the Nine-Headed Insect, whose cultivation has reached the late True Immortal Stage. We must work together to break the prohibition now, otherwise, once it arrives, there will be no place for anyone to be buried!¡± Shen Luo spoke urgently. Upon hearing this, the members of He Mountain Sect turned pale as they heard the terrifying howls drawing nearer outside, and all eyes turned to the Great Elder. As the most advanced in cultivation, the Great Elder naturally sensed the terror of the owner of the howl outside first. Although he was annoyed that Shen Luo and the others had swept away all the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits, he also understood that now was not the time to quibble with them. ¡°Fine, I''ll lend you a hand,¡± he said solemnly, his figure flickering as he landed next to Shen Luo to help him set up the Array. With the aid of the Great Elder, Shen Luo''s speed of forming the Array greatly increased, and it was completed within a few breaths. At the edge of the sky outside the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation, a glint of black flickered. A black and red Escape Light shot forth incredibly swiftly, arriving nearby in the blink of an eye, revealing the figure of the Nine-Headed Insect. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, its body surged with black and red light, and the Demonic Qi it emitted was even more powerful than before, with its aura completely stabilized, indicating that its injuries had fully healed. Dozens of Demon Soldiers had already gathered outside the Great Formation, all of them were those who had come in response to Bashe''s summons earlier. However, these Demon Soldiers were not strong in cultivation, with the most powerful among them only at the Early Mahayana Stage. They couldn''t enter the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation and were blocked outside. ¡°Master!¡± When the Nine-Headed Insect appeared, the Demon Soldiers promptly bent forward in salute. Without paying attention to those Demon Soldiers, the Nine-Headed Insect looked forward in astonishment and rage at the Great Formation but didn''t instantly dive into it. Although he was the one who refined this Great Formation, the main Array flag had been given to Bashe, and without it, he could not freely enter the Formation. He had already tried to contact Bashe several times just now but for some unknown reason had not received any response. A short distance away from the Nine-Headed Insect and the other demons, a tender sprig of Green Small Grass appeared in an inconspicuous corner, flickering with a faint Spiritual Light, seemingly just an ordinary Spirit Grass. Under the enormous aura of the Nine-Headed Insect, the surface of the Green Small Grass flashed with Spiritual Light, and the tender blades of grass contracted slightly. At the Upper Layer of the Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation, the Great Elder of He Mountain Sect took out a Breaking Ban Bead, preparing to break the prohibition, but Shen Luo extended a hand to stop him. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect has already reached the outside of the Formation. Great Elder, please wait a moment. Elder Bashe, I return this item to you, please create some disturbances in the Lower Frontier that can be detected from outside. Also, Great Elder, those Array flags for the Great Formation held by the other two demons, I ask you to retrieve them and hand them to your sect''s Elders, to coordinate with Elder Bashe later in activating this Formation,¡± Shen Luo handed back the main Array flag to Bashe and said swiftly. ¡°You can see what''s happening outside the Formation?¡± Bashe was taken aback upon hearing this, and so were the Great Elder and the others, showing surprised expressions. The Qiankun Xuanjin Great Formation is indeed mysterious. Once the Formation is activated, the inside and outside are completely isolated; neither Divine Sense nor Mana can penetrate it. Bashe was able to see the members of He Mountain Sect trying to break the prohibition because she held the main Array flag and also possessed an ancient magical artifact, which allowed her to barely peek through. However, the power stored within that artifact had now been depleted, and it couldn''t be used a second time in the short term. ¡°You could say that. Although we have many people here, numbers are useless against an unparalleled great demon like the Nine-Headed Insect. We need to find a way to use this Great Formation to trap it for a moment so that we might have a chance to escape safely,¡± Shen Luo gave a vague response before swiftly changing the subject. ¡°Understood.¡± The Great Elder was a decisive person and nodded without hesitation. He took out the Array flags obtained from the two demons of Lianshan Guicang and distributed them to Poison Lady, Gray-haired Old Man, and the Proud Youth. Chapter 1191 Chapter 1191: Chapter 1188 Attack and Defense Chapter 1191: Chapter 1188 Attack and Defense The He Mountain Sect was adept in the way of Array Techniques, and the likes of Poison Lady and the two others were Array Masters. Although it was their first time encountering the Qiankun Xuanjin Array, they had no issues controlling it. The Bashe''s massive body moved, escaping from within the Ginkgo Divine Tree, its body surface flickered with blue light as it quickly reverted to human form, extending a hand to point at the void below. Boom boom boom! A section of the Array Light Screen beneath the Yellow Clouds started to tremble with a deep rumble, emitting strands of yellow light, which were visible even from the outside of the prohibition light curtain. The Nine-Headed Insect''s gaze immediately swept over, and after taking a deep breath, it spat out a blood-red crystal bead. After spinning, it suspended itself in front of its body. This bead was as red as blood, shimmering with an eerie red light and exuding a nauseating stench of blood, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary treasure. The Nine-Headed Insect performed a magic spell with its hands, murmuring incantations. The blood-red crystal bead hummed and instantly swelled a hundredfold, turning into a huge blood bead the size of a house. Even more, it suddenly surged with thick and rich pitch-black Demonic Qi, which, together with the original blood light, moved like a living creature, brandishing claws and teeth; its aura was much more powerful than that of the Moon Soul Hook. The surrounding Demon Soldiers, overwhelmed by this terrifying blood-demonic breath, were part weak enough to faint on the spot, while the others, with changed expressions, flew far away, not stopping until they were dozens of miles away. ¡°Go!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect ignored the Demon Soldiers and barked a low command, shaking both hands. The huge blood bead shot out with a thunderous roar, striking the burgeoning spiritual light of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array in a flash. With a heavy ¡°boom,¡± the extremely solid Array Light Screen caved in deeply, with spider web-like cracks appearing on the surrounding light screen, but it did not completely collapse. The Nine-Headed Insect snorted coldly, raised its hand to beckon, and the huge blood bead shot back from within the light curtain, retreating a dozen or so yards. The self-healing power of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array was formidable; as soon as the blood bead retreated, yellow light flickered on the Array light screen, and the cracks quickly began to heal. However, before the light screen could heal much, the huge blood bead charged forth again with the ferocity of thunder, striking the same spot on the light screen with force. Amidst thunderous roars, the light screen caved in even deeper, and in several areas, the inner light could already be faintly seen. The Nine-Headed Insect again manipulated a spell towards the huge blood bead, unleashing an even greater flood of blood light and demon qi. After flying backward a distance, it shot out explosively, impacting the light screen once more. This time the Array Light Screen could no longer hold; with a loud ¡°crack,¡± it shattered under the strike of the huge blood bead, leaving a big hole. Following closely behind the bead, the Nine-Headed Insect flashed into the Array, appearing beside Lian Shan and Gui Cang. Seeing this, the distant Demon Soldiers also hurriedly flew over, swarming into the Array. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect has entered the Array; Elder Bashe, use the Array to trap him momentarily!¡± Above the Yellow Cloud Prohibition, Shen Luo, who saw the Nine-Headed Insect entering through the Magnetic Heart Wood Seeds, immediately said to Bashe while also activating the Prohibition Breaking Array beneath him. The lower-ranked monks of the He Mountain Sect were now standing around Shen Luo, channeling their mana into the Prohibition Breaking Array; the Mirage Demon was also beside the Array, pumping its thick and strong demon power into the Prohibition Breaking Array to assist Shen Luo in casting the spell. The Prohibition Breaking Array shimmered with spiritual light several times brighter than before, as countless yellow tadpole rune symbols shot out densely from within the Array, striking the Array Light Screen of the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. At the same time, the Great Elder brought out the Breaking Ban Beads to assist Shen Luo in breaking the Array. And Bashe also immediately put all his strength into urging the main formation flag in his hand, while Poison Lady, Gray-haired Old Man, and the Lonely and Proud Youth stood beside Bashe, coordinating and stimulating the auxiliary formation flags. Beneath the yellow clouds, the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array shone brightly, and all the Array Light Screens brightened as well. The clouds above swelled rapidly, and the Big Hole that had been pierced by the Nine-Headed Insect quickly shrank, completely vanishing in the blink of an eye. Simultaneously, the Ban on Light Curtain beneath the yellow clouds quickly became thicker, growing four to five times as thick within a few breaths. Seeing this, the Demon Soldiers below instantly began to stir. The Nine-Headed Insect noticed the surroundings and frowned, but didn''t panic. It raised its hand and slapped the fallen Two demons of Lianshan Guicang, pouring a tremendous amount of Demon Power into their bodies. Hiss hiss hiss! The Ghostly Blue Needles inside the two demons were all shaken out, and they recovered their ability to move, standing up. ¡°Thank you, Master, for the rescue,¡± Lian Shan said, bowing somewhat fearfully. ¡°What''s going on? Where is Bashe?¡± asked Nine-Headed Insect, looking around coldly. ¡°Reporting to Master, we have been activating the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array to protect the Ginkgo Divine Tree these days, not daring to be the least bit negligent. However, not long ago a group of human cultivators came, and using some method, they actually broke through the Great Formation and invaded. Seeing this, Bashe activated the formation which formed that layer of yellow clouds, to block the thieves from approaching the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. But among those thieves were True Immortal Cultivators, and that Mirage Demon, audacious and heaven-defying, broke its promise and joined forces with those human cultivators, breaking through the yellow clouds to go above. Bashe also pursued them, and now we don''t know what the situation is like,¡± Lian Shan quickly narrated the events that had transpired. ¡°Human cultivators? That Mirage Demon dares to treat my words like the wind by the ear! Seeking death,¡± Nine-Headed Insect said in surprise, then upon hearing that the Mirage Demon was also involved, immediately flew into a rage. Lian Shan, as well as the other Demon Soldiers, grew tense in their hearts, standing on the side with heads bowed and not daring to make a sound. ¡°Master, Bashe is now alone above, struggling against those human cultivators and the Mirage Demon. Although her God''s Power is strong, ultimately, she is outnumbered. We should go up immediately and join her,¡± said Gui Cang, who was somewhat stolid by nature and on good terms with Bashe, speaking up. ¡°You''re right. Let''s go up immediately!¡± Reminded by Gui Cang, Nine-Headed Insect remembered the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit was still above, and that now was not the time to be angry. It quickly shot up into the sky, and with a flash, appeared below the yellow clouds, forming magic spells with both hands. The Huge Blood Bead shot out once again, its Blood Light bursting forth, trailing a comet-like tail behind it as it slammed heavily into the yellow clouds, becoming deeply embedded within. ¡°Boom¡± went the deafening roar! S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The yellow clouds trembled violently, with wave after wave of Yellow Light surging across the sky, like roaring and rushing sea waves. Inside the portion of the yellow clouds where the Huge Blood Bead struck, countless cracks appeared and rapidly grew. However, this Ban on Light Curtain was ultimately derived from the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Array, and it ultimately withstood the impact of the Huge Blood Bead. A flash of ferocity appeared in the eyes of the Nine-Headed Insect, clearly dissatisfied that the Huge Blood Bead had not been able to breach the yellow clouds. Its magic spell changed, and the bead flew back, but the Blood Light on its surface was even more dazzling and piercing, ready to unleash its power again. In the sky above the yellow clouds, Bashe''s face turned suddenly pale; the main formation flag in her hand trembled, and Poison Lady, Gray-haired Old Man, and the Proud Youth all shook, with a trickle of Blood Silk emerging from the corners of their mouths. Shen Luo and the others were breaking the prohibition not far away. Even with the help of the He Mountain Sect monks and the Mirage Demon, greatly increasing the Prohibition Breaking Array''s power, the time was too short, and the Yellow Light Curtain had only been broken by nearly half. Seeing the state of Bashe and Poison Lady, the faces of the He Mountain Sect members changed, and the Mirage Demon frowned slightly, its gaze flickering a few times, as if pondering something. Chapter 1192 Chapter 1192: Chapter 1189: Buddha Relics Chapter 1192: Chapter 1189: Buddha Relics ¡°Friend Tian, can you see what''s happening below, what has occurred?¡± the Great Elder urgently asked. ¡°It''s the Nine-Headed Insect using a Huge Blood Bead to attack the prohibition; the Demonic Qi within the bead is engulfing the heavens, appearing to be a Demonic Treasure,¡± Shen Luo said quickly as he continued working on breaking the prohibition. ¡°The Huge Blood Bead? That''s bad! The Nine-Headed Insect has also brought out the Buddha relics. That bead was acquired from the Golden Light Temple in the Sacrifice Country, refined by its demon essence blood and Demonic Qi, its power is immense. Quickly activate the Array with all your strength, disregard the consumption, otherwise the Yellow Cloud below absolutely won''t withstand a second hit!¡± Bashe exclaimed in shock, spitting out a stream of essence blood, merging it into the main formation flag in front of him, as a surge of Demon Power from within his body poured into it. Seeing Bashe''s extreme reaction, Poison Lady and the other two did not dare to be careless and hurriedly ran their full Mana into the auxiliary formation flags, ignoring their injuries. The spiritual light above the Qiankun Xuanjin Array once again flourished greatly, and the heavily damaged Yellow Cloud rapidly recovered, regaining most of its state in an instant. The Nine-Headed Insect frowned and spat out a stream of Blood Light into the Huge Blood Bead. The surface of the Huge Blood Bead surged with Blood Light and Demonic Qi, converging to form numerous red electric arcs, emitting thunderous roars from within. ¡°Break for me!¡± With a flick of his fingers, the Nine-Headed Insect launched the Huge Blood Bead, transforming into an immensely thick bolt of red lightning, brutally striking the same spot on the Yellow Cloud. The Yellow Cloud trembled once again, and this time the shock was even more tremendous¨Cabout twice as powerful as the first. The entire Yellow Cloud shook wildly and emitted a tearing sound like the ripping of silk. Around the bead, the Yellow Cloud revealed cracks larger than before, and through the cracks, one could even glimpse the scene above. Above the Yellow Cloud, Bashe''s body trembled violently, and blood streamed from the corner of his mouth. As for Poison Lady and the other two, they fared even worse; each one spat out blood and their Qi dropped sharply, clearly having their vitality shaken. Below, the Yellow Cloud Prohibition rumbled tremulously, and the Huge Blood Bead continued to press upward. The surrounding fissures expanded rapidly, and it seemed the entire Yellow Cloud Prohibition would soon break! ¡°The prohibition can''t hold any longer. Brother Shen, and the True Immortal of the human race, please exert your full strength!¡± Bashe shouted in panic. After that shout, his body''s Blue Light surged wildly, instantly transforming into his demon race true form. His huge serpentine tail revealed countless thick blue thunder and lightning bolts, which crackled terrifyingly and whipped fiercely at the Huge Blood Bead. The Great Elder, seeing the state of the Yellow Cloud Prohibition and becoming extremely alarmed, did not hesitate upon hearing the command. Opening his mouth to expel a clump of white light, out shot a small cauldron as white as jade. This cauldron expanded against the wind, and in a blink, it transformed into a house-sized giant cauldron. Enveloped by countless White Fog, it emitted a fearful chill. The Great Elder pointed with one hand, and the cold Qi on the cauldron increased severalfold. With a flash of white light, an ice mountain hundreds of feet high condensed out of thin air, smashing down towards the Huge Blood Bead. The Mirage Demon''s gaze flickered hesitantly for a moment before finally sweeping his sleeve, releasing two beams of ash light¨Ctwo gray halberds. The halberds flashed with gray light and instantly transformed into two gigantic halberds tens of feet in size, emanating an awe-inspiring Qi, slicing across towards the Huge Blood Bead. Three earth-shattering booms exploded! S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Various colored lights burst forth, with Blood Light, electric arcs, icy cold, and ash light intertwining together, violently shaking the nearby Void. The rise of the Huge Blood Bead was instantly halted, but it was not pushed back; it remained in a deadlock. ¡°Bashe! You dare betray me! My Ginkgo Divine Tree has turned into this state; all of you must atone with your lives!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect, roughly discerning the situation above through the cracks in the Yellow Cloud, immediately realized Bashe''s treachery and roared furiously, with his hands making quick gestures. A swell of Demonic Qi surged on the Huge Blood Bead, and streams of blood-colored Demonic Light shot out rapidly, infiltrating the white ice mountain and the two gray giant halberds. The Spiritual Light on both treasures immediately trembled, showing signs of weakening. The Great Elder and the Mirage Demon were startled and about to devise a response when a tremendous howling came from the side. It was Shen Luo, whose body burst into golden light, inflating like a balloon to ten times its size, transforming into a towering golden giant several dozen feet tall. The Profound Yellow Staff in his hand also grew with his body, becoming a golden giant stick that trembled and conjured countless massive stick shadows whirling about. ¡°Splashy Chaotic Stick!¡± Shen Luo bellowed, and the sky filled with stick shadows suddenly merged into one, turning into a hundred-foot-long golden giant stick wrapped with four Golden Dragons and four Golden Elephants. With a world-opening, earth-splitting strike, it slammed down onto the blood-colored relic. With a ¡°clang,¡± a tremendous noise erupted! An overwhelming force poured down, and the blood-colored relic could no longer hold up, plummeting straight down like a meteor. Bashe saw this and was overjoyed. He frantically formed magic spells with his hands, and the torn Yellow Cloud Prohibition quickly fused back together, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, Poison Lady and the other two caught their breath and hurriedly assisted Bashe in activating the prohibition, as the Yellow Cloud Light Screen began to thicken rapidly. On the other side, the Great Elder and Mirage Demon looked at Shen Luo with a flicker of admiration in their eyes. This kind of Dharmform divine power containing immense strength, along with his masterful use of the stick technique, even impressed them, both being at the True Immortal Stage. Golden light flashed over Shen Luo, his giant form swiftly shrunk, and in an instant, he returned to his original size. He then refrained from any superfluous actions, even leaving the Profound Yellow Staff as it was, and immediately continued to exert all his effort into operating the Prohibition Breaking Array. The Great Elder and the Mirage Demon saw this and also came back to their senses, assisting Shen Luo in breaking through the prohibition, with the ordinary disciples of the He Mountain Sect hurriedly lending a hand. Having witnessed the terrifying power of the blood-colored relic, the people of the He Mountain Sect held nothing back anymore, and the Mirage Demon also channeled all his demon power into the Array. Countless prohibition runes struck the Yellow Light Screen, which rapidly began to tear open. Underneath the Yellow Clouds, the blood-colored relic, struck back by the combined efforts of Shen Luo and the others, plummeted like a meteor, crashing into the ground with a thunderous rumble, burying nearly half of it. The Blood Light on the surface of the relic trembled chaotically, taking a while to finally stabilize. An immense force like a torrential surge passed from the blood-colored relic into the Nine-Headed Insect''s body, causing its sturdy figure to sway slightly, and it stepped back. The anger in the Nine-Headed Insect''s heart subsided somewhat, and it put away the slight contempt it had for the people above. Spreading its arms, its body''s Blood Light surged wildly, engulfing its form. Accompanied by a piercing heavenward screech, an enormous blood-colored giant bird took flight with a flap of its wings. This giant bird was massive, with wings spread so wide they nearly covered half the sky, unleashing an overwhelmingly potent aura. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in its vicinity resonated with it, causing the light curtains of surrounding formations to tremble incessantly. The two demons of Lianshan Guicang and other Demon Soldiers hurriedly retreated to a distance, their faces filled with frenzied admiration as they watched the Nine-Headed Insect transform into the blood-colored giant bird, with quite a few even letting out cheers of joy. Above the Yellow Clouds, the Qiankun Xuanjin Array had already been broken through by a large part, with not much left. Shen Luo felt a surge of relief in his heart, ready to press on and break through the remaining prohibitions, when his expression suddenly changed. ¡°What''s wrong? Is the Nine-Headed Insect stirring again?¡± The Great Elder, noticing the shift in Shen Luo''s demeanor, quickly asked. Upon hearing this, everyone turned their attention his way. Chapter 1193 Chapter 1193: Chapter 1190: Scheming Chapter 1193: Chapter 1190: Scheming ¡°That''s right, the Nine-Headed Insect transformed into a huge blood-colored bird of prey, seemingly quite powerful in its divine abilities,¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath and said. ¡°That''s the Nine-Headed Insect''s demon form!¡± Bashe exclaimed. ¡°Demon form?¡± Shen Luo was startled. ¡°Now that it has come to this, I shall not hide it from you all. The Nine-Headed Insect is a descendant of the ancient Ghost Car Clan, with a mysterious lineage. In battle, it has three main forms: human, demon, and true form, each transformation consuming a great deal of strength but also causing an earth-shaking change in its power. Under the demon form, the Nine-Headed Insect''s attack power will surge. You all must break the prohibition with all your might¨Cthis Yellow Cloud Prohibition might not withstand its next attack,¡± Bashe said anxiously. Hearing this, the Great Elder and the others were all shocked and hurriedly accelerated their spellcasting. Shen Luo''s expression darkened too, but he quickly regained his composure, his lips beginning to move slightly. With its Double Wings spread, the Nine-Headed Insect was about to rush towards the Yellow Cloud in mid-air. However, not far behind it, the Ginkgo Divine Tree suddenly burst into bright green light, and the ground beneath the Nine-Headed Insect''s feet also began to quake. A multitude of tree trunks and vines swarmed out, and in the blink of an eye, the space below turned into a lush green forest. In an instant, the Nine-Headed Insect was entangled by countless tree trunks and vines. The ordinary vines were as hard as fine iron, not to mention the huge trees that were dozens of feet thick. The demon form of the Nine-Headed Insect was immediately restrained so tightly it could not move. The primed blood-colored Relic was also covered by a net of dozens of giant trees, like a little bird trapped in a birdcage. As for the two demons of Lianshan Guicang and the other Demon Soldiers, they were trapped by the myriad trees without any power to resist. Under the cover of countless towering trees, the originally bright space became dim, as if in an instant it was transported to a dense ancient forest, and the air grew damp and hot with moisture, as if from another world. It was the top-tier wood-element God''s Power of the Divine Wood Forest, Falling Leaves Rustling! The Nine-Headed Insect was furious. Its feathers shone with a blood light, and a whooshing sound erupted as blood light in the shape of feathers rained down like a torrential downpour, striking the giant trees around it. However, they only penetrated a short distance before stopping, and those trees and vines became even thicker and wrapped around the blood-colored feathers. ¡°What!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect was shocked. This ¡°Thousand Feather Kill¡± was not its most powerful godly power, but it was still extremely potent, and yet it couldn''t break through these trees. Lian Shan, Gui Cang, and other demons also made their moves one after another, with Magical Treasures and Demon Soldiers fiercely slashing at the nearby giant trees, but except for a few with profound cultivation levels, the Magical Treasures of ordinary demons couldn''t even slice into the giant trees. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, green light flashed wildly on those giant trees, which began to squeeze against each other like living beings, crushing many weaker Demon Soldiers into meat paste on the spot, dead in an instant. The two demons of Lianshan Guicang were horrified and quickly transformed into their true Demon Race forms, desperately trying to defend themselves. However, because of its large size, the Nine-Headed Insect endured the greatest pressure. Even in its demon form, it found it difficult to withstand, let alone break free. ¡°Impossible! What kind of divine power is this!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect roared in shock and fury. Its blood light surged all over its body but to no avail. One after another, the giant trees wound around it, gradually engulfing its body completely. The dense forest swiftly grew larger, soon completely submerging the entire space. Although Falling Leaves Rustling was a top wood-based God''s Power in the Divine Wood Forest, its might wasn''t so heaven-defyingly powerful, but this Falling Leaves Rustling was executed through the seeds of Magnetic Heart Wood. Wu Man''er earlier had planted the Magnetic Heart Wood seeds in the Ginkgo Divine Tree, and because of Shen Luo and others, the Ginkgo Divine Tree had suffered heavy damage, resulting in some leakage of spiritual power within. When Falling Leaves Rustling was deployed, it accidentally tapped into the wooden spiritual power of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. With the boost of ten thousand years of spiritual power from the Ginkgo Divine Tree, its prowess sky-rocketed. A hint of joy flashed across Shen Luo''s eyes as mana surged crazily into the Prohibition Breaking Array. Immediately, countless yellow lights shot out from within the Prohibition Breaking Array, whirling around in mid air, and in the blink of an eye, they formed an array. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo shook his hands, and the array shot forward, rapidly shrinking into a Yellow Light Sphere that struck the remaining light curtain of the Great Formation. ¡°Breaking Banishment Strike!¡± The Great Elder also shouted loudly, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood into the Breaking Ban Beads. The beads burst into a sun-like purple radiance instantly, emitting a purple light that was much thicker than before. It followed closely behind the Yellow Light Sphere, striking the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Great Formation. The remaining light curtain of the Heaven and Earth Mysterious Prohibition Great Formation flickered violently a few times before shattering with a loud bang, revealing a passageway dozens of feet in size. ¡°Hurry up and go!¡± Shen Luo''s heart rejoiced, and he moved to shoot into the passageway. Bashe, the He Mountain Sect, and the others quickly withdrew their mana, following closely behind him. However, suddenly countless white fogs appeared before everyone''s eyes, and the scenery around them drastically changed. They found themselves in the midst of a vast emerald sea, nowhere close to the interior of the original formation. ¡°Mirage Illusion Realm! Mirage Demon, why have you trapped us with illusion techniques!¡± Bashe looked around and shouted sternly. ¡°Hehe, this trifling Illusion Array won''t hold you for long. Please do me the favor of fending off that Nine-Headed Insect for a while,¡± the Mirage Demon''s smug laughter echoed across the emerald seas, its source indiscernible. Within the array space, Shen Luo and the others were enveloped by a thick White Fog that, although not very extensive, subtly outlined the shape of a Great Formation. They flitted about like headless flies, yet they couldn''t fly out of the White Fog Great Formation. The Mirage Demon laughed smugly to itself, then looked at Shen Luo and Bashe within the White Fog with a slightly different look in its eyes. It''s a pity that the two would be killed by the Nine-Headed Insect, and the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits on them would naturally fall into its hands. However, the Mirage Demon was someone who could take it or leave it. Coveting the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits in their hands at this moment might very well backfire. Therefore, it decisively broke off its desire and shot towards the opened passageway. But just at that moment, it suddenly heard the mournful wailing of ghosts in its ears, as if hundreds of ghosts were crying around him at night. The Mirage Demon, completely unprepared and overjoyed at the prospect of leaving this place, was caught off-guard and invaded by the wailing sounds. ¡°Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound!¡± The Mirage Demon''s body suddenly stiffened, its mana became sluggish, and it uncontrollably began to flail, shrieking in fright and anger. Behind the Mirage Demon, a flash of green light passed over a section of the Ginkgo Divine Tree''s trunk, and two figures emerged. It was Wu Man''er and the Ghost General. ¡°How come they''re here?¡± Although constrained by the Ghost General''s Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, the Mirage Demon''s senses were still intact. It immediately noticed Wu Man''er and the Ghost General. Being naturally cunning and always liking to scheme against others, the Mirage Demon was always wary of being schemed against in turn. As it was the first to reach this Upper Layer space, it constantly watched the movements of Shen Luo, Bashe, and everyone from He Mountain Sect, and did not notice any of them secretly releasing this man and ghost. How did Wu Man''er and the Ghost General sneak into the Ginkgo Divine Tree? Chapter 1194 Chapter 1194: Chapter 1191: Each Displays Their God''s Power Chapter 1194: Chapter 1191: Each Displays Their God''s Power Just as the Mirage Demon''s confusion took hold, Wu Man''er chanted spells rapidly, putting one hand on the Ginkgo Divine Tree beneath her and pointing with the other while shouting a command. A green light flashed through the Ginkgo Divine Tree, and dozens of thick trees and vines grew at an astonishing speed, employing the ¡°Falling Leaves Rustling¡± divine skill. Nearly half of the trees, like agile snakes emerging from their lairs, swiftly entwined the Mirage Demon''s body and enveloped it within a massive tree ball within a breath or two, while the remaining trees struck the White Fog shrouding Shen Luo and the others, pounding heavily upon it. In a series of muffled thuds, the foggy formation shattered to pieces. The Vast Ocean Illusion Domain where Shen Luo and the others were destabilized suddenly, with patches of fluctuating spiritual light appearing in many places. Green Light surged in Shen Luo''s eyes, as he fully activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to scour his surroundings, releasing all his Divine Sense to spread in every direction. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was inherently proficient in the art of illusion, and combined with the damaged Illusion Array that bore similarities to the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, Shen Luo''s eyes soon lit up, and he leaped toward a specific part of the illusion, with golden light bursting from his hand. The Profound Yellow Staff shone with a sky-piercing golden light, and countless rod shadows flickered within as he struck fiercely at a point in space. With a ¡°Zzzt¡± sound, the space cracked open, revealing a fissure several feet long that emitted wisps of white light. Shen Luo twisted his body, slipping into the fissure like a ghostly specter. His vision blurred, and he found himself back within the Array space outside. But before he could feel any joy, a tremendous rumbling came from below, shaking the entire space. Suddenly, blinding flashes of Blood Light erupted from the forest in the space below, followed by a thunderous explosion. A city-tower-sized blood-colored bird head broke through the layers of entangled giant trees, emerging into view. The bird''s head opened its beak and spewed forth a deluge of blood-red flames that drenched the surrounding trees. Although the flames didn''t emit intense heat, the moment they touched the indestructible forest, the robust trees and vines turned to ash with a sizzle, disintegrating instantly. Upstairs, Wu Man''er''s pretty face drastically changed, and she quickly formed a Dharma Seal with both hands and pressed it onto the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Serpentine giant trees from the forest below lunged out, all coiling towards the blood-colored bird head. However, amidst successive booming sounds around, another eight blood-colored bird heads broke the barrier of the giant tree forest from different places, making an appearance. These colossally different-looking bird heads opened their beaks, spewing forth torrents of blood-red flames, red lightning, or blood-red venom cloud, bombarding the giant tree forest everywhere. These electrical attacks and venom clouds were no less powerful than the flames, and in the blink of an eye, they destroyed nearly half of this imposing forest of myriad trees. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed, seeing Wu Man''er''s actions and quickly asking. ¡°Things are bad, the Nine-Headed Insect has grown nine heads and has broken free from the ''Falling Leaves Rustling''!¡± Wu Man''er replied gravely. ¡°We''ve got what we needed, and there is no longer any reason to stay. Let''s go!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed, and he urgently beckoned. Wu Man''er and the Ghost General quickly leaped up and flew toward Shen Luo. But just as they were about to reach him, the tree ball imprisoning the Mirage Demon suddenly radiated blinding white light and exploded. The Mirage Demon''s figure appeared, its face twisted with both shock and fury, as it reached out towards Wu Man''er and the Ghost General, who were not far away. Suddenly, a Ghost Claw engulfed in black Qi emerged in the void, looking like a colossal creature descending from the heavens, casting its shadow over Wu Man''er and the Ghost General. The two were gripped by a mighty force, rendered motionless, on the verge of being crushed to pulp. Yet, bursts of gold and blue spiritual light suddenly shone through, accompanied by the sound of thunder and howling winds. A figure bravely intercepted above Wu Man''er and the Ghost General before the Ghost Claw could land¨Cit was none other than Shen Luo, raising his Profound Yellow Staff upward. Countless golden rod shadows emerged, clashing with the black Ghost Claw. With a ¡°Bang,¡± the nearby void trembled as most of the golden rod shadows dissipated, but the black Ghost Claw was also repelled. The Mirage Demon hesitated, its gaze flickering uncertainly as it observed Shen Luo without making another move. Shen Luo at this moment had his arms flashing golden lightning and green wind spirits, looking like two wings of wind and thunder, neither human nor demon, quite astonishing. Wu Man''er and the Ghost General, having narrowly escaped death, hurriedly flew down next to Shen Luo, looking at his abnormal condition with a surprised expression on their faces, but they didn''t ask any questions and jumped into a small bag, which was the Qiankun Bag. Shen Luo caught the Qiankun Bag with a flip of his hand and turned to shoot into the Array passageway that he had just opened. Just at that moment, the white fog Illusion Array suddenly shook violently and burst open with a loud boom, revealing the figures of Bashe and everyone from the He Mountain Sect. Almost at the same time, the yellow clouds beneath everyone suddenly surged up explosively, and a thick burst of blood light pierced through the clouds like tearing through paper, as a bird head the size of a small mountain burst through, ripping a huge hole into the yellow clouds. ¡°Quick, go!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed drastically, and he shouted out loud as the Wind Thunder Spirit Light on his arms flared up, turning his entire being into a golden-green streak of light that disappeared in a flash into the passageway of the Array Techniques. Although he was fast, a blue and a white demon light beat him to it; it was Bashe and the Mirage Demon. The Great Elder of the He Mountain Sect also changed expression dramatically, spitting out a silver spindle that enveloped all the people of the He Mountain Sect in a galaxy of light, including himself as he flew into the spindle. With a shiver of the spindle, it turned into a silver rainbow, shooting out from the Array passageway right after Shen Luo. As soon as Shen Luo flew out of the passageway, he immediately turned back and began casting spells with his hands as fast as a spinning wheel, shouting a loud ¡°Burst.¡± The Array instruments within the Qiankun Xuanjin Array that made up the Prohibition Breaking Array suddenly erupted in dazzling light, then exploded with a bang, turning into countless yellow spiritual lights that scattered. Without the Array to support it, the breached passageway flickered twice and then closed with a loud bang. After doing this, Shen Luo immediately turned around, spread his arms, and continued to fly away into the distance. At this moment, Bashe, the Mirage Demon, and the He Mountain Sect''s silver spindle had already flown some distance away. The blue electric light turned into by Bashe was the fastest, having reached a thousand feet away; the silver spindle of the He Mountain Sect was an unknown treasure, flashing with silver light and extremely fast, only a hundred feet behind Bashe; on the other hand, the white demon light turned into by the Mirage Demon was the slowest, having barely flown four or five hundred feet, falling far behind Bashe and the silver spindle from the He Mountain Sect, no wonder it had used tricks before. With the Mirage Demon''s escape speed, it would indeed be the most likely to be caught up by the Nine-Headed Insect without protection. Shen Luo sneered, murmuring spells, and employed the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. ¡°Booming¡± The golden-green light on his arms burst forth dramatically, solidifying into two wide golden-green spiritual wings that, with a ¡°whoosh,¡± shot out a hundred feet of spiritual light behind him. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s figure became hazy, turning into a golden-green phantom, his escaping speed increased tenfold in an instant, quickly surpassing the He Mountain Sect and Bashe, then with another flash, he reached the end of everyone''s line of sight, and with another flash, Shen Luo''s figure completely vanished. ¡°What kind of escape technique is this!¡± Bashe and the others looked shocked. But at that moment, from behind them, the Qiankun Xuanjin Array made a huge noise and shattered open a big hole, as a blood-colored bird head burst out from it. Bashe and the others turned pale and hurriedly increased their escape speed, fleeing in different directions. The blood-colored bird head opened its mouth wide, and a blood-colored flame hit the Array light curtain, easily burning a gap of ten-odd feet. More blood-colored flames shot from inside the Array, blowing hole after hole in the Qiankun Xuanjin Array. The whole Array Technique became riddled with holes in the blink of an eye, the yellow spiritual light on it rapidly dimmed, and with a loud bang, it completely exploded. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1195 Chapter 1195: Chapter 1192: Cure Injury Chapter 1195: Chapter 1192: Cure Injury ¡°` As the Qiankun Xuanjin Array was broken, the figure of the Nine-Headed Insect emerged. At this moment, he was no longer in the form of the blood-colored gigantic bird from before. His lower body remained that of the bird, but his head had transformed into nine heads, which rested upon nine snake-like necks, all wrapped in a layer of flame-like red light. He looked as terrifying as a Demonic God from ancient times. Gazing at the escape lights that were still faintly visible at the end of the sky, all nine of his heads let out furious roars simultaneously. Instantly, a fresh red fog burst forth from his body, which turned into a blood cloud that blocked out the sun, lifting his body as he chased furiously after them, with the Mirage Demon as his target, who was the slowest in speed. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo paid no attention to the life and death of Bashe and the others; in moments of life and death, it was up to their own fate. He exerted all his strength to use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique and flew out thousands of miles before he stopped and switched to Yimu Xuandun to head toward the cave mansion. Nothing occurred along the way, and after half an hour, he returned to the cave mansion silently. Yuanyuan and Little White Dragon were still curing their injuries inside the secret chamber, from which the whistling of mana could be faintly heard. Shen Luo did not enter to disturb them but took out the Qiankun Bag and tapped it slightly. A black light flashed at the mouth of the bag, and Wu Man''er''s figure flew out from it, landing on the ground. ¡°I knew Big Brother Shen would definitely bring us back safely,¡± Wu Man''er said joyfully, seeing the surroundings. ¡°It was merely a fluke. Although we escaped back here, the Nine-Headed Insect''s injuries have fully recovered. There''s no guarantee it won''t use some magical secret technique to find this place. Here is a Ginkgo Spirit Fruit; Girl Man''er, please exercise your magic quickly to cure Senior Ao Lie''s injuries,¡± said Shen Luo as he took out the jade box and handed over a Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. At this point, only Little White Dragon had the strength to match the Nine-Headed Insect. Even if they left Yunmeng Marsh immediately, he wouldn''t be able to rest easy. ¡°There''s no need; when you sent me and the Ghost General into the upper layer of the great formation earlier, I already picked a Ginkgo Spirit Fruit then,¡± Wu Man''er took out a translucent Jade Bottle, shaking it proudly with a golden spirit fruit inside. ¡°So it was you who took the missing Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. However, since you have only one, keep it and use the one I have to save Senior Ao Lie,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile after a brief startle. Earlier, when he was breaking through the Yellow Cloud Prohibition with magic, he had stealthily mixed the Qiankun Bag within the spiritual light of the Prohibition Breaking Array, sending it into the upper layer of space. Man''er had reached there before anyone else, and as soon as she entered, she used the Leaf Concealment Technique with the Ghost General to hide inside the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Her Leaf Concealment Technique was much more powerful than Shen Luo''s, and with the Mirage Demon and Bashe busy fighting over the Ginkgo Spirit Fruits later on, neither noticed the existence of Wu Man''er and the Ghost General. ¡°This is a hard-earned victory by you, Big Brother Shen. How could I accept it?¡± Wu Man''er immediately shook her head, refusing to take it. ¡°I have two, and keeping one is more than enough. Time is of the essence now, so let''s not waste it with you insisting and me refusing,¡± Shen Luo said as he directly threw the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit over. Wu Man''er quickly caught the spirit fruit, hesitated for a moment, but did not refuse, and turned to enter the secret chamber. Shen Luo did not follow. He sat down cross-legged on the spot, took out a Restoration Pill, and began refining it, restoring the mana that had been depleted in the great battle. Time flew by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, half a day had passed. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, his pupils flashing with brilliance, his expended mana fully recovered. ¡°Congratulations to Master for greatly increasing in strength. Earlier in that Great Formation, you even managed to repel both the Nine-Headed Insect and the Mirage Demon in one blow. By now, Master must be comparable to a True Immortal Existence,¡± the black light flashed on the Qiankun Bag, and the Ghost General''s figure also flew out from it, saying with a face full of smiles. Ever since absorbing that Monk Ghost, the Ghost General''s spiritual wisdom had increased significantly, making him almost no different from any ordinary creature. ¡°` ¡°True Immortal cultivators have all experienced the Sky Thunder Body Refining, undergoing fundamental transformations in both mind and body that are far beyond the reach of Mahayana existences. I had to use all my skills just to barely withstand them, but in terms of real strength, I still fall too short. As for your Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, it''s really amazing that you managed to trap that Mirage Demon,¡± said Shen Luo, glancing at the Ghost General. ¡°It mainly worked because that Mirage Demon wasn''t on guard, so I just got lucky. But it''s true, True Immortals are incredibly powerful; even after being hit by my Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, they could still forcibly break free,¡± the Ghost General replied, still a trace of lingering shock in his eyes. ¡°Being effective against True Immortal existences is already valuable, and it''s normal not to be able to completely trap them. If that Nine-Headed Insect comes attacking later, just do as you did before, hide in the dark and try to sneak attack with the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound,¡± instructed Shen Luo. ¡°What? Master thinks that Nine-Headed Insect will pursue us here? Didn''t they fail to find us earlier?¡± the Ghost General asked in surprise. ¡°Consider it my unfounded worries, but when facing a great demon like the Nine-Headed Insect, one can''t be too careful,¡± spoke Shen Luo slowly. ¡°That''s true.¡± The Ghost General, who was also fearful of the Nine-Headed Insect, nodded in deep agreement. Shen Luo waved his hand, instructing the Ghost General to guard the nearby prohibitions of the cave, while he himself turned and walked to the entrance of a secret chamber deep within the cave. The healing within continued, and from time to time, strong spiritual power fluctuations seeped out, mixed with the unique breath of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. He carefully sensed the various fluctuations from inside and quickly identified the breath that belonged to Little White Dragon, which had stabilized a lot since before. ¡°It seems that Man''er wasn''t mistaken, the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit really is helping with Little White Dragon''s injuries,¡± expressed Shen Luo with delight. Given the situation, it wouldn''t take long for Little White Dragon to fully recover. He didn''t stay there any longer and quietly turned to leave, making his way back to his own secret chamber. However, just as he was about to continue his cultivation, his expression suddenly changed as he sensed something had bumped into the prohibition around the cave. Although he had given the formation flags of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array to the Ghost General, as the person who arranged the formation, he could still detect any changes in the cave''s prohibitions. He immediately got up and left the secret chamber, transforming into a blue light and escaping the cave, quickly arriving at the site of the disturbance. The Ghost General was already there, waving his hand and sending out a black qi that wrapped around something struggling within it, spouting blue thunder and lightning to prevent the black qi from getting close. ¡°Bashe! It''s you!¡± exclaimed Shen Luo in surprise. The object in the black qi was a blue and red spiritual snake¨Cnone other than Bashe, who had just parted ways with them. But Bashe''s originally formidable and immense body had shrunken down to who knows how many times smaller, turning into a small snake only as thick as an arm and about a meter long, with its strength diminished to that of the Soul Condensation Stage. ¡°Brother Shen, we meet again. May I ask you to have your Ghost Pet let me go first? I bear no ill will,¡± Bashe said urgently. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered a few times, and he gestured to the Ghost General. The Ghost General snorted softly, stopped his action, and moved behind Shen Luo, his eyes still fixed intently on Bashe. Only then did Bashe breathe a sigh of relief. Her body was already eroded with black spots by the black qi, and blood seeped out slowly, making her look extremely wretched. Chapter 1196 Chapter 1196: Chapter 1193: Subjugation Chapter 1196: Chapter 1193: Subjugation ¡°Bashe Daoist friend, what''s the matter with you? Why have you come to seek me out? And how did you find this place?¡± Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, asking three questions in quick succession. ¡°Friend Shen, please don''t rush. I will explain everything to you in detail, but could I trouble you to first conceal my aura? Also, the three ginkgo spirit fruits that you''ve obtained need to be thoroughly hidden, the deeper the better, or the Nine-Headed Insect might find us very soon,¡± Bashe said with urgency. ¡°Could it be that the Nine-Headed Insect can sense the location of you and the ginkgo spirit fruits? The prohibition he planted inside you, you haven''t completely broken it?¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and he asked in a deep voice. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect has long implanted his unique demon power signature within all nine ginkgo spirit fruits, and I realized this only after he caught up with me. As for myself, I have already expelled the previous prohibition that the Nine-Headed Insect planted, by relying on the power of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. He can sense my location because he holds my original demon body, and he has a secret method that allows him to easily locate me through my essence blood. I beseech Friend Shen, considering our shared brush with death, save my life. With the ginkgo spirit fruits on you, the Nine-Headed Insect will certainly not spare you. I know many of the demon''s weaknesses, which will surely be useful to you,¡± Bashe let out a sigh and then hastily continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then swept up Bashe with his sleeve, taking him into the cave mansion. ¡°Thank you, Friend Shen,¡± Bashe gratefully exclaimed. ¡°Don''t be quick to thank me. I can save you, but you must agree to a condition. I do not have the habit of being indiscriminately kind,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What is your condition?¡± Bashe was not surprised, as the two had been enemies not long ago; it was only natural for Shen Luo to have conditions, so he hurriedly asked. ¡°As a member of the Nine-Headed Insect''s followers, you have now rebelled. Knowing his vindictive nature, he will not rest until you are killed. By sheltering you, I will inevitably incur the Nine-Headed Insect''s wrath. Moreover, we were previously enemies. To keep you by my side without worry, you must agree to let me implant a Spiritual Communication Seal if you wish for my protection, becoming my spirit beast,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. This Bashe had once been a True Immortal being and had also spent a long time beside such a formidable demon as the Nine-Headed Insect. Her perspective and knowledge were first-rate. Acquiring such a spirit beast would be immensely beneficial, not only in dealing with the Nine-Headed Insect but also for his future cultivation. This was the main reason why he had just agreed to shelter Bashe. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What! To become your spirit beast!¡± Bashe''s expression instantly grew dark, and her eyes flashed with anger. When she initially sided with the Nine-Headed Insect, he had only placed restrictions within her and did not treat her as a servant. In the eyes of the Demon Race, being imprinted with a Spiritual Communication Seal by human cultivators was akin to servitude. ¡°Bashe Daoist friend, do not misunderstand. I would implant the Spiritual Communication Seal within you merely to ensure that you wouldn''t betray me, not to treat you as a servant. We could interact as equals. Moreover, I won''t keep you for too long. You only need to assist me for one hundred years. When the time comes, I will immediately grant you your freedom,¡± Shen Luo spoke calmly. Bashe looked at Shen Luo, her eyes alternately flashing cold light, remaining silent. ¡°Of course, Your Excellency may also refuse, and I will send you out right away,¡± Shen Luo stopped walking, unfurled his sleeve to release Bashe, and let her stand on the ground. ¡°Do you have a way to help me evade the Nine-Headed Insect''s pursuit and survive?¡± Bashe looked at Shen Luo and asked, word by word. ¡°I don''t have a full guarantee, but I do have a sixty to seventy percent chance,¡± Shen Luo replied, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Fine, it''s better to live wretchedly than to die a good death. I can be Your Excellency''s spirit beast, but the time should be halved. I will serve you for fifty years. You must take a Heart Demon Oath that once the time is up, you will restore my freedom!¡± Bashe said, her expression somewhat relaxing. ¡°Agreed!¡± Shen Luo smiled faintly and agreed without hesitation. ¡°Then quickly plant the Spiritual Communication Seal. If we delay any longer, the Nine-Headed Insect will arrive, and we''ll both die here,¡± Bashe urged. Shen Luo did not delay. He placed his hand on Bashe''s head and used the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits to plant the Spiritual Communication Seal. Because Bashe didn''t resist but opened up his heart, the process was completed in a very short time. ¡°The seal is in place now, quickly find a way to conceal my aura,¡± Bashe urged. ¡°Ghost General, activate all the arrays around the cave mansion and push their power to the maximum,¡± Shen Luo instructed loudly. The Ghost General complied and fully activated the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. Layers upon layers of white light emerged on the stone walls surrounding the mansion, stacking up to form a thick white light curtain that securely hid everything within. ¡°This prohibition is an Ancient Array, what do you think?¡± Shen Luo looked at Bashe. ¡°This prohibition is indeed extraordinary, but it still can''t conceal the Nine-Headed Insect''s secret technique,¡± Bashe said, closing his eyes to concentrate then speaking as he opened them. ¡°Then let''s try this method,¡± Shen Luo''s brows lifted as he plucked his Qiankun Bag off his waist, and activated it with a spell. A suction force drew Bashe inside, and then he took out the Void Jade Box given to him by Ao Hong, placing the Qiankun Bag into it. ¡°How about now?¡± Shen Luo communicated with Bashe through the Spiritual Communication Seal. The Void Jade Box isolated all breaths internally and externally, making Divine Sense utterly incapable of probing into it, and even the Spiritual Communication Seal became intermittent. ¡°No problem now! What kind of treasure is this jade box? It can isolate the internal and external auras to such an extent!¡± Bashe exclaimed with delight. ¡°This item is known as the Void Jade Box,¡± Shen Luo simply introduced the material of the box without elaboration, and placed the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit he carried into it before tucking the box close to his chest. After doing all this, he quickly headed to the secret chamber where Wu Man''er and Little White Dragon were, injected his Divine Sense into it, relayed Bashe''s words to them and asked them to find a way to conceal the aura of the Ginkho Spirit Fruit. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect does indeed possess such a secret technique. Friend Shen, don''t worry, I will handle this matter properly and won''t let that Nine-Headed Insect sense it,¡± Little White Dragon''s confident voice came from inside. Knowing that the treasures of the Four Seas Dragon Palaces were plentiful, and that his own Void Jade Box came from Ao Hong, Shen Luo believed Senior Ao Lie would have similar items at his disposal. Reassured, he turned to return to his own secret chamber but suddenly stopped in his tracks and asked, ¡°Girl Man''er, how much longer does Senior Ao Lie need to fully recover?¡± ¡°With that Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, the elder''s injury has already improved. However, it will still take half a day to completely expel the Moon Soul Evil Qi from his body,¡± Wu Man''er replied. ¡°Half a day¡­¡± murmured Shen Luo, his gaze quickly hardening as if he had made up his mind. He communicated with the Ghost General through Divine Sense, instructing him to stay here at the mansion, to fully activate the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, and to not let any aura fluctuations leak out. ¡°Master, what are you going to do?¡± The Ghost General seemed to sense something and asked hastily. Chapter 1197 Chapter 1197: Chapter 1194: The Response Strategy Chapter 1197: Chapter 1194: The Response Strategy ¡°There''s no need for you to worry about my affairs; just guard this place well,¡± Shen Luo replied to the Ghost General. His body''s Green Light flickered as he took a step and vanished into the Void, leaving no trace behind. This time, he fully activated the Yimu Xuandun and managed to travel well over a Hundred Li before reappearing within a lush mountain forest. Shen Luo didn''t linger there for long, immediately using the Yimu Xuandun again and continuing to move far away, while taking out the Qiankun Bag and that Ginkgo Spirit Fruit from the Void Jade Box. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, why have you taken me out of that box?¡± Bashe immediately sensed Shen Luo''s action from within the Qiankun Bag and asked. ¡°It''s nothing serious. The Nine-Headed Insect is quite capable. I''ve fought with it once before and was not entirely satisfied. This time, I want to see if it can surpass me in the art of escape,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. ¡°Are you joking? The Nine-Headed Insect''s godly powers are beyond your imagination! Damn it, how could I have trusted you, a human cultivator? If you are seeking death, don''t drag me into it!¡± Bashe was stunned for a moment and then became furiously exasperated upon realizing Shen Luo was not joking, almost bursting into a curse. ¡°Rest assured, since I''ve promised to keep you safe, I will not let anything happen to you,¡± Shen Luo replied calmly, continuing forward with the Immortal Escape, without getting angry. ¡°Are you delaying for time? I heard that you came here with Ao Lie of the West Sea Dragon Palace before. After a great battle, both Ao Lie and the Nine-Headed Insect were injured. Ao Lie was in that cavern mansion just now; are you waiting for Ao Lie''s injuries to heal?¡± Bashe seemed to catch on a bit. ¡°You may know what you should, but don''t ask about what you shouldn''t. Since you''re so idle, why don''t you tell me what happened before? How did you end up in this state?¡± Shen Luo nonchalantly responded. ¡°After we left the Ginkgo Divine Tree, we each fled. Although my Thunder Escape Technique is not as fast as your Wind Thunder Spirit Wings, I was faster than the others and managed to escape to a far place. I thought I was safe, but the Nine-Headed Insect still found me using the demon power mark within the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. After a fight, I was no match and was slashed by the Moon Soul Hook, my Storage Magical Tool was taken away, and my demon body was cut into pieces. Fortunately, at the last moment, I used the Bashe clan''s secret technique ''Split'' to hide my divine soul in a split body and fled to your location using an Escape Technique,¡± Bashe recounted after a moment of silence and sighed. Shen Luo considered Bashe''s words carefully, verifying them repeatedly. They seemed consistent and likely not false. ¡°You haven''t answered the question I asked earlier, how did you know I was in that patch of low mountains?¡± He then pressed on with his question. ¡°Ahem¡­ Actually, when I was guarding the Ginkgo Divine Tree, I also secretly placed a demon power mark inside the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. I can sense the location of the spirit fruit through this mark,¡± Bashe coughed awkwardly and said. Shen Luo rolled his eyes. It seemed this Bashe had been plotting to get those Ginkgo Spirit Fruits all along, but this snake was really useless. It had its own mark within the spirit fruit yet failed to notice that the Nine-Headed Insect had done the same. ¡°What about the others?¡± he pondered for a moment before asking. ¡°Based on the mark on the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, the fruit that the Mirage Demon snatched has already fallen into the hands of the Nine-Headed Insect. Its fate doesn''t need to be asked. As for the cultivators of the He Mountain Sect, they didn''t get a Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, so I also can''t speculate. But given the speed of the Nine-Headed Insect''s Blood Cloud Escape, I fear the outlook is mostly grim,¡± Bashe said. ¡°You previously said you could help me against the Nine-Headed Insect. What do you propose?¡± Shen Luo wasn''t particularly concerned about the Mirage Demon or the people from the He Mountain Sect. It was just a casual question. Seeing this, he did not press further but changed the subject and asked. ¡°I''ve served under the Nine-Headed Insect for nearly one hundred years; I''m well aware of the techniques it excels at and the magical treasures it possesses. Most importantly, inside those Ginkgo Spirit Fruits carried by the Nine-Headed Insect are not only its marks but also mine. Even though my cultivation level has greatly diminished, and I can''t sense the marks'' positions across thousands of li like the Nine-Headed Insect, as long as those Ginkgo Spirit Fruits are within five hundred li, I can immediately detect them. With this ability, the Nine-Headed Insect won''t be able to launch a sneak attack on us,¡± Bashe boasted. ¡°So it is indeed of great use, you must constantly sense the location of those spirit fruit marks, and inform me immediately of any situation,¡± Shen Luo said with a trace of a smile on his face. Ba She acknowledged with a sound and stopped talking to Shen Luo, focusing on casting spells to sense the location of the marks. As Shen Luo continued to move forward, a quarter of an hour later, he placed the Qiankun Bag and the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit into the Void Jade Box, and then changed direction. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thousands of Li away from him, a blood cloud raced across the sky with astonishing speed. Within the blood cloud, the Nine-Headed Insect had already reverted to human form, his expression unsightly. Of the nine Ginkgo Spirit Fruits, he had recovered six, mitigating some of his losses, but the Ginkgo Divine Tree had been shaken by Ba She, losing all its leaves and suffering great damage to its vitality. Although he had several secret techniques for cultivating spirit trees, he did not know whether they would be effective on the Ginkgo Divine Tree. ¡°I was careless for a moment, allowing that wench to escape! No matter, she has fled to that thief with the family name Shen, just right to clean up together!¡± the Nine-Headed Insect said viciously, flicking his sleeve, a magical treasure like a blue compass appeared in front of him, the compass needle trembling slightly, pointing directly ahead. The Nine-Headed Insect nodded and was about to collect the compass to concentrate on performing the escape technique when the compass needle suddenly began to spin swiftly, eventually losing its sensing ability. ¡°Eh, what''s going on here?¡± the Nine-Headed Insect was shocked, blood light fluctuated around him as he stopped, his hands moving rapidly to make magic spells towards the compass. Magic spells entered the compass, and the Body''s Green Light on the compass needle flared up, but it still spun aimlessly, failing to indicate any direction. The Nine-Headed Insect furrowed his brows but didn''t show much disappointment. He took out a blood-red round pearl, which was the Blood Demon Bead. He then took out a Jade Bottle and poured out a drop of fresh blood with a hint of Blue Light from it, dropping it onto the Blood Demon Bead, his hands moving rapidly to cast spells to activate the pearl. The fresh blood quickly permeated into the Blood Demon Bead. The inside of the bead revealed a blood cloud spinning rapidly and then turned into a small blood arrow. Like the compass needle, it began to spin, seemingly trying to point in a certain direction. Then, the blood arrow spun around a few times, still appearing aimless and confused, likewise unable to sense the target location. ¡°The Ginkgo Spirit Fruit is one thing, but Ba She is a living being, and its breath has been completely shielded?¡± The Nine-Headed Insect''s expression grew solemn, but his eyes quickly turned cold again. ¡°Don''t think that just because you have one or two treasures that can shield breath, you can escape from my grasp. As long as it''s within Yunmeng Marsh, there''s no one my true self cannot find!¡± the Nine-Headed Insect snorted coldly, the blood cloud around him radiated brilliant light, and with a slight turn, dozens of blood lights shot out in all directions, vanishing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye. In each blood light, one could vaguely see hundreds of small birds resembling blood-colored wasps, each only about an inch in size, their bodies patterned with metallic gloss. Yet, these blood-colored bee birds moved with incredible speed, and in their buzzing sound, they soon disappeared into the far-off sky. Chapter 1198 Chapter 1198: 1195 Chapter 1198: 1195 After casting the secret technique, the Nine-Headed Insect continued to fly forward, covering more than a thousand miles before stopping. He then released tens of thousands of blood-colored hummingbirds once again. These Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds were a group of spiritual birds he had secretly cultivated for scouting. Like the Green-Winged Birds commanded by Bashe and others previously, they could share vision with their master. Furthermore, these Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds were significantly more formidable than the Green-Winged Birds, at three to four times faster in flight, and more keenly sensitive to Mana. The only downside was that the Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds had a much shorter lifespan than the Green-Winged Birds and could only survive in the warm and humid conditions of Yunmeng Marsh. Once they left this area, they were of little use¨Cimperfect yet capable. With the speed of the Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds, it would take only half a day to scatter over the entire Yunmeng Marsh. With these spiritual birds available, the Nine-Headed Insect was confident he could find Shen Luo no matter where he hid. The Nine-Headed Insect commanded this wave of Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds to scout the surroundings and continued to fly forward, stopping every thousand miles to release more birds, accelerating the spreading process. Sure enough, after less than half an hour, just as the Nine-Headed Insect was about to release another wave of Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds, the blue compass by his side flickered with spiritual light, and the wildly spinning needle came to a halt, pointing in a specific direction. The arrow inside the Blood Demon Bead was just as steady, also pointing in that direction. ¡°Could it be that the thief''s treasure used to hide his breath can only maintain its effect for a while and not for long?¡± The Nine-Headed Insect said with surprise and joy, immediately executing the Blood Cloud Escape towards that direction, while also commanding the dispersed Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds to scout in that direction. Although the Nine-Headed Insect''s Blood Cloud Escape was fast, he was too far from the location indicated by the compass, and the speed of the other party was not slow either. Even with the Nine-Headed Insect flying at full speed, a quarter of an hour passed and still he hadn''t caught up. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as the Nine-Headed Insect was considering whether or not to disregard the exhaustion and speed up his Blood Cloud Escape, the indicators on the blue compass and the Blood Demon Bead once again became erratic, unable to pin down the location of the other party. The Nine-Headed Insect stopped his Escape Light, somewhat astonished. Unable to sense the other''s location and continuing to move forward blindly would likely be an effort in vain. After his gaze flickered a few times, he decided to wait in place, continuously releasing Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds. A moment later, the indicators on the blue compass and the Blood Demon Bead once again stabilized, this time pointing in a different direction. ¡°Just as I suspected. That Shen Luo releases the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit and Bashe every quarter of an hour. Is he deliberately playing with me? Or is he looking to lure me into his trap to buy time?¡± The Nine-Headed Insect narrowed his eyes. Shen Luo was someone who was with the Little White Dragon; if it was a trap set by the Little White Dragon, he had to be cautious. ¡°Hmph! Even if this is the Little White Dragon''s scheme, so what? During the last great battle, my injuries had not healed, preventing me from using my full strength, which allowed you to win by sheer luck. Now that my injuries have healed, it is time to settle both new and old scores!¡± said the Nine-Headed Insect, his eyes flashing with bloodlight, his voice cold. He did not continue the chase. With a wave of his sleeve, swarms of Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds flew out from it, quickly spreading in all directions. Since Shen Luo could completely shield the breath of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit and Bashe, chasing him further would be futile. The wisest course of action was to quickly disperse the Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds throughout the entire Yunmeng Marsh. Since Shen Luo was intentionally provoking him, it indicated he had something planned and would likely not leave Yunmeng Marsh anytime soon. Quickly, the Nine-Headed Insect released all the Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds he had, then closed his eyes and began to cultivate on the spot. An hour later, he slowly opened his eyes. The Blood-Patterned Hummingbirds he had earlier released had already spread out rapidly. Combined with those he released along the way, nearly half of Yunmeng Marsh was now within the scouting range of his spiritual birds. It was time to locate Shen Luo and end this once and for all. The Nine-Headed Insect took out an ancient mirror, similar to the one used by Bashe and the other three demons to control the Green-Winged Birds, except it was more than twice as large, its surface shone more brilliantly, and it was covered with a myriad of flashing blood-colored dots. The Nine-Headed Insect gestured toward the ancient mirror, and immediately the blood-colored light point on it started to flicker. Inside Yunmeng Marsh, the relatively benign Blood-Patterned Bee Birds appeared to be stimulated by something as they began to zip around frenziedly, their eyes flashing with blood light, while a blood-red tendril trembled incessantly at their mouths, sending out ripples of bloody waves that spread in all directions. The Nine-Headed Insect closed his eyes once more, quietly waiting. A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the west, where a Blood-Patterned Bee Bird in the northwest of Yunmeng Marsh had discovered Shen Luo''s trace. ¡°Humph, I''ve finally found you, now that I''ve set my sights on you, don''t even think about escaping!¡± He let out a long howl and was enveloped by a surging blood cloud, rolling towards that direction. At the same time, Shen Luo was traveling by Sword Flight in a certain part of northwest Yunmeng Marsh, transforming into a red streak of light speeding forward. Using ¡°Immortal Escape¡± would have been more concealed, but it was far less fast than Sword Flight, and it also consumed more Mana. Now, with the initiative in his hands, it didn''t matter if he revealed a bit of his trajectory. While flying, he silently calculated the time. Almost two hours had passed, and he just needed to endure another four or five hours. He put more power into accelerating the Pure Yang Sword below him, changing direction after every interval of flight, without any discernible pattern, in an effort to confuse the Nine-Headed Insect chasing behind him. However, Shen Luo hadn''t noticed that within the jungle below, at intervals, there fluttered a blood-colored bee bird. Though his Sword Flight was fast, his movements were easily tracked by these Blood-Patterned Bee Birds. These Blood-Patterned Bee Birds had no Demon Qi, and were tiny in size. Apart from their peculiar appearance, they were almost indistinguishable from ordinary small birds, hardly drawing any attention. Shen Luo continued to move forward for half an hour, until a vast lake appeared within his field of vision, its surface seemingly boundless, with vast mists and waves, a spectacular sight. He took out a jade slip from his pouch, which contained a map, precisely the map of Yunmeng Marsh. It was given to him by Bashe, and the map was quite detailed. As he continued flying forward, he compared his surroundings with the map to ascertain his location. ¡°Not good! The Nine-Headed Insect has appeared directly in front of us, speeding this way!¡± At that moment, Bashe''s shocked voice suddenly rang in Shen Luo''s ear. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed immediately upon hearing this. He promptly put away the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit and the Qiankun Bag into the Void Jade Box, then turned and flew away towards the back left. Beneath him, the Pure Yang Sword glowed more intensely, and gold and green Spiritual Light also emerged on his arms, propelling him forward almost doubly fast like lightning. Without even using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns on his arms already had an accelerating effect, and they did not consume too much Mana. ¡°It''s no use! The Nine-Headed Insect''s Blood Cloud Escape is even faster!¡± Bashe said, somewhat panicky. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Luo frowned, waved his hand to put away the Pure Yang Sword, and the gold and green Spiritual Light on his arms surged, instantly solidifying into two huge Spiritual Wings. With a flap of the Wind and Thunder Wings, his entire being turned into a phantom in an instant, his speed increased tenfold, and he disappeared into the distant sky in a blink. Chapter 1199 Chapter 1199: Chapter 1196: Medicinal Liquid Chapter 1199: Chapter 1196: Medicinal Liquid Shen Luo''s silhouette vanished, and hundreds of li away, behind where he disappeared, the Nine-Headed Insect was startled when it saw Shen Luo use the Wind and Thunder Wings through the eyes of a Blood Patterned Hummingbird. ¡°What kind of Escape Technique is this? It looks very similar to the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique of the Peng Demon King?¡± Such a peerless Escape Technique, even if he transformed into a demon body, he wouldn''t be able to catch up. However, the Nine-Headed Insect wasn''t worried. An abrupt increase in speed through such an Escape Technique greatly consumes mana, and Shen Luo, being only in the Late Mahayana Stage, had weak mana. He could escape for a distance, but certainly not for long. Sure enough, after Shen Luo had fled forward for over a thousand li, his speed returned to normal. The Nine-Headed Insect chuckled, surrounded by swirling Blood Clouds, and continued to rollingly pursue him. Shen Luo dispelled the Spiritual Light from his arms, his face slightly pale, as he quickly took out an Elixir and swallowed it. Then, he changed direction again and continued to fly away on his sword. ¡°Brother Shen, are you alright?¡± Bashe asked. ¡°It''s nothing, just some mana consumption. Can you sense the Nine-Headed Insect now?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Your Thunder Escape Technique crossed a thousand li, already far beyond the range of my secret technique, and the Nine-Headed Insect''s Divine Sense isn''t that wide. He shouldn''t be able to track us down. However, this demon is unfathomably powerful, and we are now far from that low Mountain Cave Mansion. It''s better not to take me and the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit out anymore.¡± Bashe heaved a sigh of relief then cautioned. Shen Luo had indeed broken out in a cold sweat just now, he nodded silently, continuing to flee forward, while simultaneously circulating his ability to refine the Elixir and replenish his mana. But in less than half a moment, Bashe sensed the Nine-Headed Insect appearing behind them, tracking them directly. ¡°Damn, the Nine-Headed Insect has appeared again! Straight behind us!¡± Bashe exclaimed. ¡°What''s going on? I have already put away both you and the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, how could the Nine-Headed Insect possibly know my location? Could his secret technique penetrate the Void Jade Box?¡± Shen Luo was startled upon hearing this and didn''t bother conserving mana any longer, stimulating the Spirit Patterns on his arms. His Escape Light suddenly increased manyfold, and although it still wasn''t comparable to the Nine-Headed Insect''s, it greatly slowed the rate at which the distance between them was shrinking. ¡°No, if his sensing technique could penetrate the Void Jade Box, he wouldn''t have taken so long to catch up to us. I think he''s used another method,¡± Bashe firmly denied, pondering aloud. ¡°What method?¡± Shen Luo pressed. ¡°The Nine-Headed Insect is adept at raising a large number of spirit birds and insects and has a peculiar secret technique that connects his sight with those of the spirit insects and spirit birds. Then, he scatters those insects and birds throughout Yunmeng Marsh to track his enemies, an infallible technique. I have used similar methods before; it''s highly likely that this is how he found us so easily,¡± Bashe explained. ¡°There''s such a secret technique? Since you have used this technique, you must understand it. Is there a way to break it?¡± Shen Luo was shocked, looking down as if searching for something. ¡°The spirit birds and insects that the Nine-Headed Insect manipulates are diverse, and the methods to counter them vary. We first need to identify which creature is causing trouble. Let me out of the Void Jade Box, and I''ll use my Divine Sense to search and investigate,¡± Bashe said. With the Nine-Headed Insect''s spies possibly below, it no longer mattered if Bashe was sensed. Shen Luo immediately let him out of the Void Jade Box. A blue light flickered at Bashe''s brow, and a powerful Divine Sense burst forth, even more potent than Shen Luo''s, as it scanned the area below. Shen Luo''s eyes moved, noting that after Bashe employed that Splitting Divine Power, his cultivation level dropped sharply, but his Divine Sense remained unimpaired. He continued to advance in flight while also expanding his Divine Sense, carefully inspecting everything below. ¡°Found it, it''s the Blood-veined Hummingbird!¡± Bashe said excitedly. ¡°The Blood-veined Hummingbird?¡± Shen Luo hadn''t noticed anything. ¡°It''s this spirit bird.¡± Bashe poked its head out from the Qiankun Bag and spit out a thin blue lightning bolt, striking a patch of grass below. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the grass burst into flames, and a Blood-veined Hummingbird flew out at an incredibly fast speed, almost matching the escape light of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. ¡°So it''s this spirit bird, indeed somewhat peculiar. Do you have a way to deal with it?¡± Shen Luo''s pupils suddenly contracted as he urgently asked. His Divine Sense could already sense the approach of the Nine-Headed Insect''s Blood Cloud from behind, rapidly closing in. ¡°Besides using their eyes, Blood-veined Hummingbirds also emit a spiritual wave to probe their surroundings. The spiritual wave sensing is sharper than the eyes, making it not easy to escape their detection. However, we''re in luck. In my years of trying to escape the Nine-Headed Insect''s control, I''ve made various preparations. As the Nine-Headed Insect''s most sensitive scouting spirit bird, I''ve secretly studied the Blood-veined Hummingbird and created a liquid that can block the sensing of its spiritual waves. Daoist friend Shen, use your Wind and Thunder Wings once more to shake off the Nine-Headed Insect!¡± Bashe chuckled. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s thoughts stirred, and he condensed his spiritual light into two massive Wind and Thunder Wings. He once again performed the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill, speeding off with terrifying velocity and instantly disappearing into the horizon ahead. When the Nine-Headed Insect sensed this, it let out a cold laugh, not worried in the least. The direction of Shen Luo''s flight was exactly where Blood-veined Hummingbirds were densely deployed, and no matter how hard he struggled, escape was impossible. He activated the Blood Cloud Escape Technique and continued the pursuit with an undisturbed demeanor. In an instant, Shen Luo had fled a thousand li and stopped. His arms and spiritual wings dispersed with a loud bang, and upon landing, he staggered slightly, his face paler than paper. After performing the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique twice in succession, only thirty percent of his mana remained. ¡°Daoist friend Bashe, if your spirit liquid can really isolate the sensing of the Blood-veined Hummingbird, that''s good news. I have little mana left, and if the liquid is ineffective, I fear the worst,¡± Shen Luo said, slightly panting. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, rest assured, I wouldn''t joke with my own life. You continue forward using the Yimu Xuandun, and I''ll apply the liquid on you,¡± Bashe said with confidence. Hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t hesitate and immediately performed the ¡°Immortal Escape,¡± changing his direction and moving forward. The moment he entered the Wood Spirit Power space of the escape, Bashe immediately popped out of the Qiankun Bag and spat out a gray jade vial. ¡°Wasn''t your Storage Magical Tool taken away by the Nine-Headed Insect?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow upon seeing this. ¡°Our Bashe clan has inherited from the Primordial Era, and our Ghost Car Bloodline is not inferior to the Nine-Headed Insect''s. Once we reach adulthood, our clan members all form an alternate space within us that can store items and be used to attack the enemy. The Storage Magical Tool I carry is just to mislead others; the real treasures are all kept in the space inside my stomach,¡± said Bashe with a self-satisfied chuckle. Bashe shared this life-critical information with Shen Luo, not because she fully trusted him now, but due to the deeply embedded Spiritual Communication Seal within her soul. This seal influenced every one of her actions. If she lied or even intentionally concealed something, it would be detected immediately. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I never thought that Shen Luo''s Art of Spirit Communication would be so marvelous. It seems that even if my strength recovers, I won''t be able to forcibly break free. It''s better not to harbor any clever schemes and obediently serve as this person''s spirit beast; after all, it''s only fifty years,¡± she thought secretly to herself. She then immediately disrupted her train of thought to prevent the Spiritual Communication Seal from sensing it, all while urging the jade bottle in her hand. A transparent spirit liquid suddenly flew out from the bottle, moving like a spirit snake around Shen Luo''s body, leaving a thin layer of sticky liquid wherever it passed. This liquid was colorless and odorless, with no distinguishing features other than a slight coolness. The spirit liquid application was quickly completed and the ¡°Immortal Escape¡± had also reached its limit. Shen Luo emerged from the escape state and appeared in the middle of a lush forest. Chapter 1200 Chapter 1200: Chapter 1197: Fortunate Destiny Chapter 1200: Chapter 1197: Fortunate Destiny ¡°Is this adequate?¡± Shen Luo looked at the colorless and tasteless mucus smeared on his body but did not notice anything special about this so-called elixir. Bashe did not respond, only closed its eyes, and concentrated, quietly chanting something. Before long, a faint light appeared on the layer of Spirit Liquid covering Shen Luo''s body, and his figure suddenly became semi-transparent. ¡°It''s sufficient now. This Transforming Spiritual Fluid can hide your form, Daoist friend, and the Spiritual Light it emits can also block the explorations of the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds. However, this layer of Spirit Liquid cannot withstand too strong a magical impact. Brother Shen, from now on, you can only use 70% of your magical power, and you must not employ Magical Treasures; otherwise, it may damage this layer of Spirit Liquid,¡± Bashe opened its eyes and said with a relieved sigh. Though still somewhat skeptical, Shen Luo found himself in a particular situation and had no choice but to trust Bashe. Since he could not summon Magical Treasures or use Sword Flight, he could only continue using the Yimu Xuandun technique to advance stealthily, his figure silently vanishing from within the forest. A short distance from his location, in the dense woods nearby, there were four or five Blood Pattern Hummingbirds buzzing around, yet none of them detected that Shen Luo had ever been present. Thousands of miles behind him, Nine-Headed Insect moved forward atop a cloud with a relaxed expression, urging the Old Mirror in his hand to control the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds. After the last search, he had basically figured out the distance of Shen Luo''s Wind Thunder Escape Technique and directed the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds ahead to focus on the area where Shen Luo might appear, searching for his whereabouts. Time passed slowly, and soon, half a moment had elapsed. The expression on Nine-Headed Insect''s face went from relaxed to serious, and finally, it took on a faint shade of green. Despite gathering all the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds ahead, it seemed as though Shen Luo had vanished into thin air; no matter how hard he searched, he couldn''t find a single trace. ¡°How is this possible? The Blood Pattern Hummingbirds were meticulously refined by me to scout; even the concealment skills of True Immortal cultivators can be seen through. How could he, a Mahayana, possibly evade the search of my Spirit Birds?¡± Nine-Headed Insect was both shocked and enraged, quickly thinking of someone. ¡°Bashe! She has been mingling with that Shen Luo; it must be that wretched woman who provided Shen Luo with a way to evade the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds!¡± Nine-Headed Insect realized what was happening. Although he personally refined the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds and did not let Bashe and the others get involved, there were several mistakes during the refinement process that he couldn''t manage alone and had to call on Bashe, Lian Shan, and Gui Cang for assistance. If Bashe harbored ulterior motives, there might indeed be a possibility that she found a weakness in the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds during those few interactions. ¡°Bashe, once I catch you, I will extract your soul and refine your spirit, making you regret you ever lived in this world!¡± Nine-Headed Insect gritted his teeth and swore under his breath. He knitted his brows and suddenly stopped his Escape Light, quickly forming hand seals in front of the Old Mirror. All the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds previously scattered across Yunmeng Marsh began to fly towards him, seemingly preparing for a substantial move. At this moment, Shen Luo had already used Yimu Xuandun to escape tens of thousands of miles away. Although he had encountered Blood Pattern Hummingbirds several times along the way, Bashe''s Spirit Liquid indeed suppressed the birds'' exploratory capabilities, and he remained undetected. He completely let his guard down. Without stopping, he continued to move forward for some distance, aiming to get as far away from Nine-Headed Insect as possible, before his figure finally appeared in front of a secluded valley. Shen Luo was unconcerned, ready to use Yimu Xuandun to proceed, but suddenly uttered a light ¡°Hm?¡± and looked into the valley. White Fog surged inside the valley. It seemed like ordinary mist, but deep within the fog, there occasionally came waves of extremely pure water-related Spiritual Power Fluctuations. ¡°The fluctuation of this spiritual energy is so pure. It seems this valley is a place where Spiritual Veins converge. Brother Shen, you don''t have much mana left, so why not recover here before we move on?¡± Bashe stuck its head out of the Qiankun Bag and looked into the valley, suggesting. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment. Indeed, he did not have much mana left, and since Nine-Headed Insect could no longer locate him, it wouldn''t hurt to take a brief pause here to Recover Mana. ¡°` He moved and flew into the white fog of the valley. Deep within the fog was a pool from which water bubbled up, forming a water column half a zhang high, emitting a thick and incomparable Water Spirit Qi. Shen Luo''s Nameless Cultivation Technique sensed this Water Spirit Qi and immediately became excited, even speeding up its operation. ¡°Indeed, this is a place of Spiritual Veins,¡± he said joyfully, diving into the pool to sit cross-legged, cultivating to absorb the spiritual energy of the place, while also taking out an elixir to refine and quickly recovering his mana. ¡°Does Friend Shen not find this place peculiar? It appears unremarkable from the outside, but the spiritual energy inside the valley is exceptionally abundant; I''m afraid there''s something strange here,¡± Bashe said. ¡°To me, Yunmeng Marsh is full of oddities, and I''ve long since grown accustomed to it. If Daoist friend Bashe finds it strange, then go down and investigate. I need to recover my mana as soon as possible and have no time to pay attention to other matters,¡± Shen Luo said, then ignored Bashe and closed his eyes to cultivate. Bashe curled her lips, ignoring Shen Luo, and swam out from her Qiankun Bag. Around her body, she had also applied Transforming Spiritual Fluid and was not afraid of being detected by the Blood Vein Hummingbirds, diving towards the bottom of the pool. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Time slowly passed by, and in the blink of an eye, two hours had elapsed. It was unknown whether Bashe''s Transforming Spiritual Fluid was too mystical, or if the pool where Shen Luo was hiding was too secretive, but the Blood Vein Hummingbirds never discovered him. A faint blue light shimmered on Shen Luo, and a crystal-clear luster glowed on his face. With the help of the dense Water Spirit Qi of this place and the elixir, the mana in his dantian was rapidly increasing, and he had already recovered a large portion. Shen Luo was inwardly delighted and was about to press on when Bashe''s figure shot up from the bottom of the pool, and from a distance, she transmitted a message excitedly, ¡°Haha, what fortune, there''s actually Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow hidden at the bottom of this pool. Our luck is truly not bad!¡± ¡°Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow? Is it the legendary substance said to instantly recover all mana, and that ten thousand pieces of Immortal jade cannot buy even a drop of?¡± Shen Luo ceased his cultivation and showed a moved expression. ¡°Exactly, that''s the one! There''s actually a water-attribute jade mine vein at the depths of this pool, and after searching for a long time in the vein, I found some Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow,¡± Bashe said, stopping beside Shen Luo with a face full of joy. ¡°A jade mine vein? Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow really comes from such veins. How much Jade Marrow did Daoist friend Bashe manage to obtain?¡± Shen Luo asked after nodding slightly. ¡°Ten drops in total. My Bashe clan has a secret technique that allows us to use this Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow to quickly recover our cultivation. So, let''s split it evenly between us. You have no objections, right?¡± Bashe spat out a Jade Bottle and handed it over, saying. ¡°The Jade Marrow was hard-earned by Daoist friend Bashe. I''m already getting a huge advantage by receiving five drops for nothing, so how could I have any objections? Thank you,¡± Shen Luo took the Jade Bottle, probed inside with his Divine Sense, and his face lit up again with joy. With these Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrows, he would have much more confidence in dealing with the Nine-Headed Insect. ¡°After such a long time passing, the Blood Vein Hummingbirds still haven''t found this place?¡± Bashe looked up and asked. ¡°No, the Transforming Spiritual Fluid that Daoist friend Bashe prepared is truly miraculous,¡± Shen Luo praised. ¡°You flatter me, Friend Shen. What are your plans next?¡± Bashe asked, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes. ¡°Since this place is safe, we''ll continue to stay here,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°That''s also true,¡± Bashe nodded, coiled her body into a ball next to Shen Luo, and did not enter the Qiankun Bag. Inside the Qiankun Bag was filled with Yin Qi, and it was very uncomfortable for her to stay there with her cultivation greatly damaged. Chapter 1201 Chapter 1201: Chapter 1198: A Blessing in Disguise Chapter 1201: Chapter 1198: A Blessing in Disguise Shen Luo also didn''t force the Bashe into the Qiankun Bag, but just continued with his eyes closed, striving to fully recover his mana. ¡°Friend Shen, something''s not right!¡± Just as he had entered meditation, the surprised voice of Bashe rang out in his ears again. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes and asked, showing no impatience. He had already roughly understood Bashe''s character; this demon was quite stable, not the frivolous and noisy kind. Its utterance surely meant it had sensed something. ¡°Just now I spread out my Divine Sense to explore the surroundings, and all the blood-patterned hummingbirds within a hundred miles have disappeared!¡± Bashe said with astonishment and suspicion. ¡°Could it be that the Nine-Headed Insect thought the blood-patterned hummingbirds could not find us and recalled them, to use other spirit insects and birds to search?¡± Shen Luo speculated after spreading his Divine Sense and confirming Bashe''s words. ¡°As I know, the blood-patterned hummingbirds are the Nine-Headed Insect''s best scouting spirit birds. If this creature can''t find us, replacing it with other spirit insects and birds will be the same. I''m afraid that the Nine-Headed Insect recalling the blood-patterned hummingbirds does not mean giving up the search, but rather it has other intentions. As for those intentions, I also can''t figure them out,¡± Bashe slowly said. ¡°Since Daoist friend Bashe feels that there''s something odd, it is no longer appropriate for us to continue hiding here without any defenses. Let''s send someone out to explore the area first,¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully and then activated the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits to call forth the Mirror Fiend. ¡°This Mirror Fiend belongs to the East Sea Demon Race. Mirror Fiend, this is Daoist friend Bashe, recently taken in as my assistant,¡± Shen Luo briefly introduced them to each other. ¡°So it''s Friend Mirror Demon, it''s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Bashe chuckled dryly and greeted the Mirror Fiend. The Mirror Fiend looked at Bashe curiously, bowed respectfully, and then turned to Shen Luo: ¡°I wonder what matter has led the master to summon me this time?¡± ¡°This is the situation¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly explained the grudge he had with the Nine-Headed Insect, as well as the current circumstances to the Mirror Fiend. ¡°¡­Both Daoist friend Bashe and I have already met with that Nine-Headed Insect and would not be suitable to go out to explore. Go and check the surroundings, and if you encounter any danger, return immediately,¡± Shen Luo finished. ¡°Okay.¡± The Mirror Fiend, quite curious about Yunmeng Marsh and never disobeying Shen Luo''s orders, immediately nodded and then turned into a blue light soaring into the sky. ¡°You''re letting this Mirror Fiend go out alone? Aren''t you afraid she''ll encounter some danger?¡± Bashe asked. ¡°Although Friend Mirror Demon''s cultivation level isn''t high, she possesses several unique abilities; self-preservation shouldn''t be an issue,¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. Hearing this, Bashe said no more. Shen Luo closed his eyes, planning to continue his cultivation while waiting for the results of Mirror Fiend''s exploration. However, it seemed as if fate had other plans, just as he closed his eyes, an urgent voice echoed in his mind¨Cit was the Ghost General. ¡°Master, something terrible has happened. A swarm of blood-red horse wasps is coming from afar, soon to reach the location of our dwelling!¡± Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Blood-red horse wasps! How is Senior Ao Lie doing?¡± Shen Luo was greatly startled and immediately sent a message to ask. ¡°Senior Ao Lie and that Wu Man''er are still in the Secret Chamber healing. There are other prohibitions there, and I can''t see what''s happening inside,¡± the Ghost General replied. ¡°Those are the blood-patterned hummingbirds, spirit pets used by the Nine-Headed Insect to scout for enemies. You stand guard over the Cave Mansion, I''ll be right back!¡± Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly as he promptly responded. ¡°Okay.¡± The Ghost General sounded relieved and agreed. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Bashe asked urgently upon seeing Shen Luo suddenly change color. Shen Luo recounted what the Ghost General had said, and Bashe''s expression also darkened. She realized, ¡°I understand why the Nine-Headed Insect has recalled all the Blood Pattern Hummingbirds. He intends to gather them all in one place and form a tide of bees, sweeping and searching over a large area. With this method, although the search will be slow, the precision will have increased a thousandfold. Your Cave Mansion will definitely not be able to stay hidden.¡± Shen Luo had actually had this suspicion for some time, fearing that the Nine-Headed Insect, having been unable to find their trail for a while, had resorted to this crude method. Little did he expect that, while failing to find him and Bashe, the insect had inadvertently stumbled upon the Mountain Cave Mansion. ¡°Senior Ao Lie is healing inside the Cave Mansion, I must go back, or they absolutely won''t be able to withstand the Nine-Headed Insect.¡± Without further thought, he abruptly stood up, while simultaneously sending a mental message for the Mirror Fiend to return. ¡°That Mountain Cave Mansion is quite far from here, even if we rush at full speed, it will still take us most of half an hour to get there. I''m afraid everything will already be over by then¡­¡± Bashe hesitated, her words implying she was not very willing to go back. ¡°If Daoist friend Bashe is afraid, you can stay here and wait. Senior Ao Lie and Miss Man''er are my friends. I, Shen, am most certainly going back,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°Where are you getting such ideas from, Friend Shen? Since you have decided to go back, as your spirit beast, naturally, I should follow,¡± Bashe said stiffly, her eyes flickering twice before she quickly added. Having spoken, she leapt up, transforming into a streak of blue light, and entered the Qiankun Bag. Bashe didn''t actually want to return with Shen Luo to take risks, but having just joined him and then immediately avoiding danger upon encountering it, she was afraid Shen Luo would turn against her and do something unfavorable. Shen Luo inwardly chuckled. Even if this demon chose to stay, he wouldn''t have done anything to her. However, having Bashe, who knew the details of the Nine-Headed Insect very well, along with him significantly improved his chances against the insect. He didn''t let any emotion show on his face as he flew out of the tank on his sword, heading towards the place where the Mirror Fiend was, and soon encountered the demon. ¡°Master¡­¡± The Mirror Fiend''s face was full of surprise, as it began to ask what had happened. Without a word, Shen Luo waved his hand, taking the Mirror Fiend into the Qiankun Bag as well, and then immediately invoked the Wind and Thunder Wings, using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. He turned into a golden cyan phantom and rushed towards the Mountain Cave Mansion with all his might. Inside the Mountain Cave Mansion, the Ghost General anxiously operated the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, silently praying that the Array was profound enough to evade this catastrophe. The swarm of bees quickly swept in. He tried his best to conceal the Array''s breath, avoiding the detection of some scattered Blood Pattern Hummingbirds at first. However, when the main body of the bird swarm swept over, the Liangyi Micro-dust Array inevitably became exposed. Thousands of miles away from the Mountain Cave Mansion, a blood cloud hovered in mid-air, within which stood a figure: the Nine-Headed Insect. Below the blood cloud was a blood bee tide that stretched for ten thousands of miles, traversing across Yunmeng Marsh, slowly surging forward, engulfing everything. ¡°Formation Restriction? How could there be such a formation in this remote place? Could it have been laid by Shen Luo?¡± Sensing the existence of the Cave Mansion, the Nine-Headed Insect mumbled to itself, then quickly raised an eyebrow and prompted the blood cloud to fly towards the Mountain Cave Mansion, arriving nearby in no time. ¡°What a clever Illusion Array. If it hadn''t been accidentally discovered by that tide of Blood Pattern Hummingbirds, even if I searched with my Divine Sense, I might have not been able to detect it,¡± the Nine-Headed Insect felt the intricacy of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, praised it secretly, and raised his hand in a gesture. A blood-colored light pillar thick as a water bucket shot out from the blood cloud. With the speed of lightning, it struck the Liangyi Micro-dust Array fiercely. The Liangyi Micro-dust Array immediately burst out with white light, and the spot hit by the blood-colored light pillar trembled violently, issuing a crackling sound. However, it stubbornly did not shatter. After a few breaths, the energy of the blood-colored light pillar was exhausted. The spiritual light of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array dimmed considerably, but it remained intact. Chapter 1202 Chapter 1202: Chapter 1199: Battle Again Chapter 1202: Chapter 1199: Battle Again The Nine-Headed Insect saw that its strike was ineffective and its face turned cold as it stomped onto the blood cloud beneath its feet. In the rumbling sound of ¡°Boom, boom, boom,¡± seven or eight identical blood-colored light pillars blasted out fiercely and struck the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. Finally unable to hold on, the Liangyi Micro-dust Array flashed wildly twice before shattering completely with a ¡°crackle.¡± With no more array prohibitions to block them, several blood-colored light pillars ruthlessly pounded into the interior of the cave mansion, easily smashing the stone walls. The Ghost General, who was activating the array in the center of the cave mansion, sensed this change and his expression drastically altered. His figure moved to dive into the underworld, but the blood-colored light pillars came too fast, flashing in front of him and striking mercilessly. Just as the Ghost General was about to meet his demise, several strands of golden lightning shot from behind him, colliding with the blood-colored light pillars. After several explosive sounds, the glinting lightning disappeared after a couple of flashes, dispersing the blood-colored light pillars completely. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Ghost General, having escaped death, turned around to look back, only to see the tightly closed door of the secret chamber had opened at some unknown time, and Little White Dragon, Wu Man''er, and Yuanyuan had emerged. Little White Dragon put down his right hand, the tips of his fingers still flickering with strands of golden lightning, obviously, the golden lightning had been released by him just now. His aura was smooth, and the Moon Soul Evil Qi on his left arm had vanished without a trace. ¡°Senior Ao Lie, your injuries have healed? Thank you for saving my life,¡± the Ghost General hurriedly bowed to thank Little White Dragon. ¡°There''s no need for thanks. The cure of my injury was at its final stage just now, and any disturbance might have ruined it all. Fortunately, your array bought us some time, allowing the healing to be completed,¡± Little White Dragon said with a light smile. ¡°My master instructed me to guard the cave mansion; it''s what I should do,¡± the Ghost General humbly replied. ¡°Shen Luo, is it? He indeed took great care of us. Let''s go, let''s meet the Nine-Headed Insect outside,¡± Little White Dragon muttered to himself, then stepped forward and walked outside. Wu Man''er and Yuanyuan followed, and just as the Ghost General was about to join them, he suddenly remembered something and waved his hand to emit a strand of black light, gathering all the array tools of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array that had been arranged around the cave mansion. Due to the recent attack, nearly half of the array tools were damaged, fortunately, the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman at the core of the array was still intact. The Ghost General secured these items, then transmitted news of the situation to Shen Luo, and flashed out, swiftly moving to the outside. Tens of thousands of miles away, Shen Luo was using his Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill to move forward rapidly. After using the skill three times in a row, his mana was almost depleted. He took out an object from his sleeve, which was a jade bottle containing five drops of Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow. Although it was a bit of a pity, there was no time for second thoughts now. Shen Luo was about to pour out a drop of the Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow when he suddenly stopped his actions, his expression shifting to one of great joy. ¡°Has the crisis over there been resolved?¡± Bashe''s voice came from the Qiankun Bag. ¡°Senior Ao Lie has ended his seclusion,¡± Shen Luo said, putting away the jade bottle and quickly dispersing the Wind and Thunder Wings on his arms, switching to flying on his sword, speaking with elation. ¡°Ao Lie? You mean the Little White Dragon whose fiancee was snatched away by the Nine-Headed Insect that year. I heard he had defeated the Nine-Headed Insect before, but at that time, the Nine-Headed Insect was still injured and couldn''t transform into its demon form, and thus wasn''t at full strength. Now that the Nine-Headed Insect has regained all of its strength, Ao Lie might not be a match for it,¡± Bashe said with a sigh of relief, then cautioned. ¡°I''m not very familiar with Senior Ao Lie''s strength, but since he''s the Protector Dragon God of the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain and holds positions in both the Dragon Palace and Ling Mountain, he may not be inferior to the Nine-Headed Insect,¡± Shen Luo confidently replied. ¡°Let''s hope so,¡± said Bashe. Feeling Little White Dragon''s presence, the Nine-Headed Insect''s eyes narrowed into slits, with razor-sharp blood mang gleaming within. It refrained from making another move. ¡°Boom!¡± A sharp roar rang out as a beam of golden light shot from the collapsed cave mansion, revealing its figure in front of the Nine-Headed Insect¨Cit was Little White Dragon. ¡°Ao Lie! We meet again. Our last battle was incomplete. Let''s have another round today!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect said, looking at Little White Dragon, with most of its eyes turning blood-red, faintly reflecting a beast-like ferocity. From the blood cloud under him surged a rich Demonic Qi, causing the blood cloud to swell violently, crashing and thrashing like bared fangs and claws. ¡°You really have fallen, willingly tainted with Demonic Qi in the pursuit of power. Such foreign forces may indeed greatly enhance your strength, but they will also gradually erode the foundation of your bloodline. Your fighting power has indeed increased a lot now, but it''s almost impossible for you to make a breakthrough in the realm anymore.¡± Little White Dragon shook his head. ¡°Nonsense! My Ghost Car clan already possesses the Demonic Bloodline, how could being tainted with Demonic Qi be harmful to my body! Heh heh, I see you''re just jealous. Unfortunately, you''ve cultivated the Buddhist Sect skills of Ling Mountain, and the Demon Power within you has already been refined clean. Even if you wanted to be tainted with Demonic Qi, you can''t!¡± The Nine-Headed Insect bellowed in rage, and then sneered scornfully. ¡°Talk is cheap. The karma between us runs deep. Let''s put a thorough end to it today!¡± Little White Dragon stopped wasting words, flipped his hand to take out the Golden Dragon Spear, and swung it with one hand. With a thunderous boom, a golden shadow shot out like thunder and lightning¨Che actually threw the Dragon Spear! The Nine-Headed Insect sneered, its fingers flickering with Blood Light, flicking rapidly. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! Five crescent-moon-shaped blood-red light blades, the size of door panels, shot out, crossing a hundred feet in a flash, slicing towards the Golden Dragon Spear. However, the golden light on the Golden Dragon Spear flickered strangely and trembled, then disappeared into the void without a trace, leaving the five blood-red light blades to cut through empty air! The Nine-Headed Insect frowned, but the next moment its expression drastically changed. With a flare of Blood Light over its hands, the ferocious gauntlets he had used earlier when fighting Shen Luo, appeared out of nowhere, and there were two of them. He spun around like lightning and struck out with both fists behind him! With two colossal roars, a pair of room-sized blood-colored fist shadows appeared, their Blood Light interconnecting and revolving around each other. In an instant, they formed a hundred-foot-wide blood-colored full moon, shrouding the void behind in a hazy glow of blood. Just when the blood-colored full moon was formed, a golden light flashed from behind, and the Dragon Spear reappeared, now grown more than ten zhang in length, its surface crackling with golden thunder, piercing the center of the blood moon in a flash. The blood moon''s surface shattered like a mirror, and with a single stab, the Golden Dragon Spear dispersed it. The Nine-Headed Insect was truly shocked this time, uttering a low shout. The Blood Light on its gauntlets intensified, and the ferocious iron spikes on them instantly grew several times longer, looking like a pair of spiked iron balls as it struck fiercely at the coming, now considerably smaller, Golden Dragon Spear. Although the Dragon Spear had shrunk dramatically, neither its speed nor its momentum diminished in the least. It continued its electrifying advance, clashing head-on with the pair of gauntlets. A loud ¡°bang¡± resounded! The two gauntlets were shattered into pieces, scattering in every direction, and the Nine-Headed Insect was struck like it had been electrocuted, flying backwards for several zhang, completely unable to control its own figure. The Golden Dragon Spear was also repelled, but Little White Dragon''s figure flickered, appearing behind it, and with a backhanded flip, he slung the spear behind him, both hands twisting around the spear shaft like twisted rope. Bending forward with his head down, his entire form resembled a tautly drawn great bow. In an instant, a mountainous spear shadow blossomed behind him, countless and overwhelming, enveloping the Nine-Headed Insect. The Nine-Headed Insect''s face filled with shock and rage. With a gesture, a Moon Soul Hook and a crescent moon spade appeared in its hands, with countless hook and spade shadows bursting forth, clashing with the sky full of spear shadows. A series of explosive ¡°rumbling¡± sounds erupted as golden light and white flashes intertwined. Although powerful, the hook and spade shadows were hastily deployed and after a few exchanges, they were scattered by the numerous spear shadows. Dozens of golden spear shadows pierced through, stabbing at the Nine-Headed Insect in a fleeting strike. With a low shout, the Nine-Headed Insect''s arms blazed with Blood Light, instantaneously forming a blood-colored light curtain, blocking these spear shadows. But again, he was sent flying backwards. Chapter 1203 Chapter 1203: Chapter 1200 The Army Approaches Chapter 1203: Chapter 1200 The Army Approaches ¡°Good, good, good! I hadn''t expected your Golden Dragon Spear to be so powerful, admitting defeat in a contest of weapons. Taste the might of my Blood Cloud Array!¡± Nine-Headed Insect stabilized his figure, his face swelling with malicious aura. Below him, the Blood Cloud surged like angry waves, spreading out in an instant, enveloping nearly half the sky. A blinding layer of blood light pierced through, casting everything around in a blood-red hue. Wu Man''er, Ghost General, and Yuanyuan were illuminated by this blood light and immediately felt a wave of nausea and retching. Their divine souls became restless. They hurriedly executed their Escape Techniques, retreating backward in flight. After retreating tens of miles, the sensation of nausea and restlessness finally faded, and the three of them stopped. ¡°The Blood Cloud of Nine-Headed Insect is indeed sinister. Even the afterglow has such power. It''s a good thing we ran quickly. Had we really been enveloped by it, we would have been in trouble,¡± the Ghost General said with a breath of relief, still feeling the aftereffects. ¡°Senior Ao Lie has already mentioned that Nine-Headed Insect has infused his body with Demonic Qi, which is why the Blood Cloud contains so much of it and possesses such might. Those below the True Immortal Stage would find it nearly impossible to resist,¡± Wu Man''er said with a gleam in her eye, holding Yuanyuan in her arms. Yuanyuan, with a cultivation level far inferior to that of the Ghost General and Wu Man''er, was already in a semi-conscious state. Wu Man''er''s hands shone with a green light, her mana working to regulate the Qi within Yuanyuan. ¡°Ordinary Great Mahayana cultivators naturally wouldn''t stand a chance, but if Master were here, he would definitely be able to resist it,¡± the Ghost General said, somewhat defiantly. ¡°Friend Shen''s strength is indeed outstanding and without question. We were beset with sudden changes just now, and I didn''t get the chance to ask, why is Friend Shen not inside his cave mansion?¡± asked Wu Man''er with a slight smile, then her smile vanished as she posed the question. ¡°Not long after you entered the secret chamber to cure Senior Ao Lie''s injury, Master suddenly left the cave mansion. He didn''t tell me where he was going, but I believe he must be trying to hold off Nine-Headed Insect to prevent it from disturbing Senior Ao Lie''s healing process,¡± the Ghost General explained. Wu Man''er recalled that Shen Luo had previously inquired about the time Little White Dragon would need to recover, and seeing that Nine-Headed Insect had taken so long to approach their cave, it was likely Shen Luo had been entangling him. While she found this unbelievable, her admiration for Shen Luo grew even greater. ¡°How is Friend Shen doing now, and where is he?¡± Wu Man''er immediately asked. ¡°Master is fine. At this moment, he is in a very distant place, rushing here at full speed,¡± the Ghost General answered truthfully. Upon hearing this, Wu Man''er breathed a sigh of relief. As they were talking, the battle between Nine-Headed Insect and Little White Dragon resumed in mid air. Suddenly, the Blood Cloud that stretched from heaven to earth roared thunderously, surging like a tempest toward Little White Dragon, instantly engulfing him within. Little White Dragon didn''t even try to dodge, letting the tide of Blood Cloud come forth. His entire body shone with golden light, charging directly into the depths of the Blood Cloud. The surrounding Blood Cloud swarmed over, and a dragon-shaped golden light faintly appeared around him, effortlessly blocking the Blood Cloud. The Golden Dragon Spear, like a bolt of golden lightning, effortlessly tore through the Blood Cloud, striking toward Nine-Headed Insect like a sharp arrow. Nine-Headed Insect''s eyes were now completely blood-red, his hands shrouded in black light, and suddenly transformed into a pair of black giant hands the size of about ten feet, shaped like eagle claws. The tips shot forth black cutting beams, grabbing directly at the Golden Dragon Spear. Boom, boom¨Ctwo loud noises! The black light on the claws shattered, but the Golden Dragon Spear was also repelled. A look of surprise flashed across Little White Dragon''s face. He spun around swiftly, his body suddenly erupting with sky-reaching golden light. Buddhist chantings filled the void around him as countless golden flowers emerged from nowhere, forming a golden space hundreds of feet in size around Little White Dragon. All Demonic Qi and Blood Cloud were expelled from it. Numerous streams of golden light shot out from the golden space, blanketing Nine-Headed Insect, the Blood Cloud easily pierced through upon contact, unable to halt it in the slightest. The Nine-Headed Insect sneered coldly, without any fear, as his hands weaved through a series of gestures, the surrounding Blood Cloud roiled and surged. Hundreds of black and red tendrils shot out, viciously lashing towards the golden lights. For a moment, all one could see were the flashes of golden light and the howls of the Blood Cloud, submerging the figures of the Little White Dragon and the Nine-Headed Insect within. One could only distinguish between a golden and a red behemoth clashing in mid-air, causing the entire sky to tremble thunderously. Wu Man''er and the Ghost General showed looks of shock, retreating further back as they exchanged glances, each seeing a glint of horror in the other''s eyes. The confrontation between late True Immortal Stage powers was beyond their ability to interject; even the remnants of their collisions could severely injure them. Perhaps only an anomaly like Shen Luo could involve himself slightly. In mid-air, the blood light and golden glow flashed wildly, seemingly locked in a stalemate with no immediate sign of determining a victor. However, Wu Man''er and the Ghost General didn''t sit idly by either, taking the opportunity to swallow elixirs, recovering the vitality that had been depleted by their spellcasting. But before they could restore much, a black cloud appeared in the far sky, rapidly approaching. The cloud was filled with various demons, apparently the underlings of the Nine-Headed Insect, numbering in the hundreds. Leading them was a Charming Young Woman, none other than the Wansheng Princess, with the demons Lian Shan and Gui Cang by her side. Their injuries from before seemed to have largely healed. Upon seeing these demons, both Wu Man''er and the Ghost General were startled, hesitating with indecision. In any other place, faced with so many Demon Soldiers and several of the same rank, Wu Man''er and the Ghost General would have fled immediately, but the Little White Dragon and the Nine-Headed Insect were still fiercely battling in the sky. Although they, as Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators, could not join in a battle between late True Immortal Stage powers, the sheer numbers of these Demon Soldiers, should they possess any combined combat techniques, could still potentially affect the Little White Dragon, so Wu Man''er and the Ghost General dared not flee just yet. ¡°Daoist friend Wu, what do we do now?¡± the Ghost General turned to Wu Man''er. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No matter what, we cannot allow them to interfere with Senior Ao Lie. With Brother Shen not here, we must find a way to stall them!¡± A sharp glint flashed in Wu Man''er''s eyes as she swept up Yuanyuan with her sleeve, then flitted away and vanished into the ground before anyone could see where she went. The Ghost General opened his mouth as if to say something but ultimately said nothing. He was just about to delve underground himself. Suddenly, a thunderous ¡°boom¡± erupted. A thick beam of yellow light mixed with countless particles of dust burst forth from the spot where Wu Man''er had gone underground. Wu Man''er''s figure was forcefully ejected from beneath the ground, her clothes torn and her cheek bearing two gashes, suggesting she had suffered a significant setback. ¡°Daoist friend Wu!¡± The Ghost General cried out in alarm, quickly moving to assist her. He sent forth black light with a wave of his hand, catching Wu Man''er''s body in it, his eyes flashing fiercely as he emitted a piercing long howl towards the ground. Countless black sound waves materialized out of thin air, vanishing into the depths. The ground within dozens of feet around trembled with a buzzing sound, cracking open to release puffs of fine dust. Possibly influenced by the Ghost General''s ghastly howling technique, the enemy from underground did not pursue further. ¡°Daoist friend Wu, what happened? Who attacked you?¡± the Ghost General asked solemnly, his divine sense having already spread out and probed underground, yet he detected no signs of activity. ¡°I didn''t see clearly, the person suddenly appeared beside me and struck me. Fortunately, I have a treasure capable of autonomous protection, or else I''d certainly have sustained serious injuries,¡± Wu Man''er''s face was pale, her mana scattered and, for the moment, unable to coalesce properly. Due to this delay, the entourage of Wansheng Princess from the distance had already closed the gap. Chapter 1204 Chapter 1204: Chapter 1201 Critical Moment Chapter 1204: Chapter 1201 Critical Moment ¡°The enemy is hidden, and we are exposed; the situation is unfavorable to us, let''s retreat for now,¡± the Ghost General whispered, ready to move backward. But behind him, a ripple traveled through the void, and an extremely faint gray figure appeared out of nowhere, raising its hand to deliver a strike. A burst of yellow ripples shot out from its hand, swiftly striking the Ghost General and Wu Man''er before disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. The Ghost General, as if prepared for this, suddenly emitted a several zhang high black glow, enveloping both himself and Wu Man''er within it. Their bodies submerged into the black light, flying backwards. The yellow ripples roared into the black light, seemingly disappearing without a trace, without unleashing any of their might. The gray figure paused, visibly taken aback by this. Although the Ghost General had used the Ghost Path''s Voidization Divine Power to reduce most of the damage, he still felt as if his body had been struck by countless giant stones; there was not a single part that had escaped unscathed. His inner ghostly qi was also largely scattered, and he involuntarily flew backward from the shock. Wu Man''er, however, was protected behind him and was not hit by the yellow ripples. At this moment, Wansheng Princess and the others pounced, showing no mercy as they launched attacks. All kinds of magical treasures fell like rain upon the Ghost General and Wu Man''er, who were wrapped in the black light. ¡°Madam, be careful of their trickery!¡± The gray figure was still somewhat dazed, standing there as if he hadn''t fully recovered his senses. Seeing Wansheng Princess and the others hastily attacking, and considering the Ghost General and Wu Man''er''s strange actions, he quickly warned. But it was already too late. The ground suddenly cracked open, and countless green trees and vines surged out. In an instant, they formed a dense forest that entangled Wansheng Princess''s group and their magical treasures. Wansheng Princess and her group were greatly alarmed. Before they could struggle, the Ghost General turned around like lightning, his black light suddenly intensifying several folds, and the sobbing sound of ghostly wails echoed from within, pouring into the ears of Wansheng Princess and her group. The lesser demons with shallow cultivation levels immediately wore expressions that were a mix between crying and laughing, and started to dance and flail about. The gray figure was also within the range of the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound and his expression drastically changed; with a flicker, he disappeared. ¡°Thorns Dance!¡± Malice flickered in Wu Man''er''s eyes as she formed hand seals. The trees and vines wrapped around the group of monsters suddenly became as sharp as blades, viciously tightening their grip. Blood light burst forth. Dozens of weaker demons were sliced into pieces, meeting a violent death, while many others were also injured. Only Wansheng Princess, Lian Shan, Gui Cang, and a few others with profound cultivation quickly protected themselves and were not harmed. Wansheng Princess and the others were both shocked and furious, shouting in anger. Colossal magical treasures with immense power bombarded the surrounding forest, and amid the snapping and cracking sounds, the dense trees and vines were largely obliterated. Wu Man''er sighed upon seeing this. Without the Spiritual Power of the Ginkgo Divine Tree, the strength of her Falling Leaves Rustling was clearly insufficient on its own. She flashed backward, transforming into a streak of green light fleeing into the distance, her Divine Sense constantly sweeping the surroundings, on guard against another stealth attack by the peculiar gray shadow. The Ghost General also transformed into a black shadow, fleeing alongside Wu Man''er. Waves of ghostly qi constantly surged from him, expanding into ripples that spread around, seemingly some kind of Ghost Path probing technique. ¡°Thieves, stop!¡± The group of monsters, despite having an overwhelming advantage in strength, had been caught off guard and suffered heavy losses. Fury filled their hearts, and they immediately pursued Wu Man''er and the Ghost General upon breaking free. Only Wansheng Princess and a few other demons maintained their composure, wanting to call for a stop, but the group had already gone after the targets. Wansheng Princess and the others had no choice but to follow, releasing various magical treasures at Wu Man''er and the Ghost General, hoping to eliminate them in one fell swoop. Wu Man''er and the Ghost General saw that they had lured the group of monsters over and felt a surge of secret joy in their hearts. They fled forward with all their might while desperately blocking the attacks of the Magical Treasures from behind. Even as Wu Man''er and the Ghost General tried their best to evade, the sheer number of demons behind them, including the Wansheng Princess, Lian Shan, Gui Cang, and several other beings at the Great Mahayana Stage, meant that after only moments, they were hit several times, each sustaining significant injuries. The Wansheng Princess''s brows furrowed slightly, and she flipped her hand to pull out a Blue Banner. With a single point of her magic spell, the banner emitted a burst of Blue Light, and countless streams of Blue Mist surged out, rapidly rolling towards the two escapees with extraordinary speed. This Blue Banner was clearly a Water Attribute Treasure, as the Void nearby became rich with water vapor. ¡°Split up!¡± Seeing the Blue Mist quickly approaching, Wu Man''er hastily separated from the Ghost General and shot off in different directions. But at that moment, a flash of ash crossed in front of them, and that gray shadow appeared once again like a ghostly specter, raising its hand and sending a wave of yellow ripples onto their bodies. The two of them were completely unprepared this time and were solidly struck by the yellow ripples, shaking backward like two falling leaves. Joy appeared on the Wansheng Princess''s face. She changed her hand magic spell, and the Blue Mist''s speed increased manifold, immediately engulfing Wu Man''er and the Ghost General. Wu Man''er and Ghost General felt their bodies sink, as if they had plummeted into the deepest part of the Ocean Eye, and even the Ghost General, being of ghostly nature, found it extremely difficult to lift an arm. The demons from behind cheered with joy, raining down their Magical Treasures like a deluge. The gray shadow in front too took the opportunity to launch a vicious attack, shooting out a serpent-like white light from its sleeve, swiftly aiming for Wu Man''er''s neck. But in that critical moment, an unexpected scene occurred! Beside the Blue Mist, a ripple shook the Void, and a hand emerged out of nowhere, pressing down on the Blue Mist. A flash of Blue Light flickered on the surface of the hand, and an intense chillness suddenly erupted, enveloping the surrounding hundred feet in an instant. The Blue Mist, which was formed from the rich and pure spiritual power of water, turned into a giant Blue Ice Crystal in a blink. The Wansheng Princess and about a dozen demons beside her were frozen within the Ice Crystal. This chillness was extraordinarily terrifying, as icicles formed in midair and it seemed as if the entire Void had been frozen. Many of the demons caught outside the Blue Mist were also affected by the extreme cold and turned into ice sculptures, whereas only a few who stood far away, or managed to summon their Magical Treasures in time, narrowly escaped disaster. The gray shadow, being right beside Wu Man''er and the Ghost General, couldn''t escape and ¡°cracked¡± into an ice sculpture, revealing its true form¨Ca Gray Fox Demon. Wu Man''er and the Ghost General, though at the very center of the Blue Ice Crystal, weren''t frozen. There was about half a foot gap between them and the surrounding crystal, showing the extraordinary control of the person who cast the freezing spell. The group of monsters was nearly annihilated in an instant; those who survived showed a terrified expression on their faces and fled like avoiding a plague, escaping into the distance. The blue palm retracted, and at the same time a ripple moved through the Void from behind, revealing a figure that appeared¨Cit was Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Shen!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Wu Man''er and the Ghost General called out in great joy, while the Wansheng Princess, Lian Shan, Gui Cang, and other demons showed expressions of horror on their faces, frantically trying to stimulate their Demon Power in an attempt to shatter the ice on their bodies. But the chillness was so incredibly powerful that the demons'' Demon Power was frozen solid, making it extremely difficult to circulate, let alone shatter the ice. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1205 Chapter 1205: Chapter 1202: Beheading Chapter 1205: Chapter 1202: Beheading ¡°How is that possible? The last time I fought with him, he didn''t have such divine powers. In such a short time, how could his strength have improved to this extent?¡± Lian Shan and Gui Cang desperately tried to mobilize the demon power within their bodies but could not use it at all, extremely shocked in their hearts. What the two demons did not know was that Shen Luo had not used his full strength during their last encounter. Shen Luo paid no attention to the Wansheng Princess and the others, his gaze shifted to the grey Fox Demon, and a hint of interest appeared on his face. Even though he was extremely close, his Divine Sense could still hardly detect the existence of this grey Fox Demon. This person must have cultivated some kind of miraculous skill or possessed some powerful magical treasure. A look of terror appeared on the grey Fox Demon''s face, and his body started to emit wisps of grey light, struggling forcefully against the surrounding blue ice. ¡°To still be able to use demon power under these circumstances, indeed remarkable,¡± Shen Luo praised, as he waved his sleeve and shot out two streaks of blue light, which effortlessly wrapped around Wu Man''er and the Ghost General, pulling them out of the blue ice in a flash. With another movement, he flicked his finger, sending out a ball of red flames that rapidly penetrated the blue ice and disappeared into the grey Fox Demon''s head in a flash. Although the grey Fox Demon wanted to dodge, he was frozen in blue ice and could not move at all, watching helplessly as the red flames seeped into his head. His body shuddered, two points of red light emerged in his eyes, and then with a ¡°sizzling¡± sound, his eyes melted, turning into two black holes, his breath gone. The blue ice around the grey Fox Demon''s body also shattered at the same time, and his corpse fell down, caught by a blue light emitted from Shen Luo''s raised hand. In the demon''s grasp was a small yellow drum, and he was wearing a grey cloak; both items were radiating immense spiritual power, especially the grey cloak. Even without demonic power to empower it, it was still flickering with a watery layer of spiritual light and appeared to be very agile. Shen Luo''s expression brightened as he collected the small yellow drum, the grey cloak, and the Fox Demon''s storage magical tool into his sleeve. ¡°Red Lotus Karmic Fire!¡± Finally, someone among the group of monsters recognized the terrifying Heavenly Fire that could burn the divine soul, and they cried out in alarm. Upon hearing this, the faces of the other demons changed drastically, but they were trapped by the ice and could not escape. ¡°Since you all came to hunt us down at all costs, be prepared to be killed. Die!¡± Shen Luo looked at the Wansheng Princess and the others and waved his sleeve. Dozens of Red Lotus Karmic Fire arrows streaked out like crossbow bolts at the trapped demons of the Demon Race. ¡°Stop!¡± A roar came from mid-air, and faster than the sound itself was a thick blood-colored lightning bolt that struck the blue ice. The blood-colored lightning was immensely powerful; the huge ice burst open like rotten wood, freeing the trapped demons such as the Wansheng Princess, who immediately retreated backward. The tumultuous blood cloud and golden light in the sky suddenly dispersed, revealing the figures of Little White Dragon and the Nine-Headed Insect. Little White Dragon was in a half-human, half-dragon form, standing on a Golden Lotus Platform with a hundred feet high, three-headed six-armed Dharmform behind him. The Dharmform was bathed in dim golden light. All three fierce and vicious faces were similar to the legendary Buddhist Vajra. The Dharmform''s curly golden hair, half-naked upper body, and the weapons in its six hands including a jade bottle, bowl, and giant sword constantly launched various attacks, shaking the heavens and the void with every strike. The Nine-Headed Insect had also transformed into a nine-headed giant monster, with nine heads spewing flames, poison mist, thunder, and lightning, fiercely clashing with Little White Dragon. As Buddhist Divine Techniques restrain demonic and poison attacks, the Nine-Headed Insect clearly fell into a disadvantage. One of the Nine-Headed Insect''s heads was distracted rescuing the Wansheng Princess and the other demons. Already at a disadvantage, its defense soon exhibited a glaring flaw, and the golden Dharmform seized the opening, slashing one of the distracted heads with its sword as fast as a bolt of lightning. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Splash! The head was cleaved off, and a gush of fresh blood spilled down. Shen Luo revealed a faint smile, summoned the power of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, and gestured with his hand. The ground rumbled, and dozens of thick water columns shot up from the earth, soaring into the sky and then bursting open, instantly flooding an area of several hundred feet around. The Wansheng Princess and the other demons were caught off guard and swept up by the water pillars. ¡°Oh no! Quick, fly out of the range of the water waves!¡± The Wansheng Princess cried out in alarm and desperately tried to escape to the outside, but it was already too late. Shen Luo activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, his right hand radiating blue light as he pressed it onto the massive water waves. An extremely cold breath burst forth, and the water waves hundreds of feet in size froze instantly, trapping the Wansheng Princess and the others in ice once again. Shen Luo''s left hand formed a sword technique and pointed, as the Pure Yang Sword flew out of his grasp, transforming into hundreds of red sword silks that rained down on the Wansheng Princess and her group. The Nine-Headed Insect in mid air roared furiously as two heads, heedless of the danger, turned downward and spewed forth. A swath of red flames and a bolt of red lightning surged mightily, one aiming at Shen Luo and the other at those red sword silks. Shen Luo''s feet shone with the combined light of Starlight and Moonshadow, faintly mingled with strands of black light. In an instant, he disappeared from his spot and reappeared a hundred feet away, narrowly avoiding the attack of the blood flames. The sword silks transformed from the Pure Yang Sword also shot back out, abandoning their attack on the Wansheng Princess. However, in mid air, two golden sword shadows flickered, and two more giant bird heads were severed, with torrents of fresh blood splashing down. Having three of its heads cut off in succession, the Nine-Headed Insect''s vitality was severely damaged; it staggered backward with increasingly dim blood light on its body, but the ferocity in its eyes was undiminished. A cold smile appeared on Shen Luo''s lips. He flipped his hand to retrieve a talisman, the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, and was about to activate it towards the Wansheng Princess and the rest. ¡°Brother Shen, stop!¡± The voice of the Little White Dragon, resonant like a bronze bell, fell from mid-air. Shen Luo''s body shook violently, and he furrowed his brows to glance towards the sky, tucking away the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. The remaining six heads of the Nine-Headed Insect let out earth-shattering roars. With its giant double wings spread open, its massive body recklessly charged towards the Little White Dragon. The Little White Dragon sighed softly, formed a magic spell with his hands, and cast his Dragon Spear, which flew from his palm to the hand of the Dharmform wielding a sword. Incredibly, it merged with the ethereal Law Sword. The ethereal Law Sword issued a mighty sword cry, expanding more than ten times in an instant, transforming into a giant sword a hundred feet long of golden color. ¡°Slash!¡± The Little White Dragon pronounced the word indifferently. The golden giant sword flickered and slashed out into the void at the Nine-Headed Insect. The nearby void immediately manifested visible ripples layer upon layer. With a loud humming, an overwhelming force descended from the heavens, as if a star had fallen, pressing down ferociously onto the Nine-Headed Insect. The enormous body of the Nine-Headed Insect was crushed under the might of the giant sword, falling with a ¡°thump.¡± Then, the golden giant sword flashed in front of the Nine-Headed Insect and struck down with a stone-shattering slash. With successive ¡°schlick¡± sounds, five of the remaining six heads of the Nine-Headed Insect were severed, and a rain of fresh blood poured down. The massive body of the Nine-Headed Insect also plummeted from the sky like a meteor, landing on the ground with a ¡°boom,¡± unleashing a violent tempest and stirring up a wild dance of dust and debris. The Little White Dragon slowly descended from mid air, his body shining brilliantly with golden light, making him appear both Buddhlike and saintly. He looked at the Wansheng Princess and her group, frozen in the distance. Flicking his finger, a wave of golden light vibrated out, sweeping over the bodies of the group of monsters. The solid ice surrounding the Wansheng Princess and the other demons shattered inch by inch, and the demon power that had been frozen within their bodies regained its fluency. However, with the Nine-Headed Insect defeated at the hands of the Little White Dragon, these demons didn''t dare to move a muscle, standing there with expressions of fear. Only the Wansheng Princess showed no hesitation, her figure leaping into the billowing dust and smoke. The Little White Dragon exhaled softly, waving his sleeve, allowing the golden light around him to dissipate gradually. His form returned to human shape as he turned to look at Shen Luo and said calmly, ¡°Brother Shen, what you did just now wasn''t appropriate.¡± Chapter 1206 Chapter 1206: Chapter 1203: Lost Chapter 1206: Chapter 1203: Lost ¡°These demons and ghosts have been rampaging through Yunmeng Marsh, bullying the good and oppressing the kind; they should all be slain. Against such demon filth, there is no need to talk of kindness and morality.¡± Faced with Little White Dragon''s words, Shen Luo remained unconcerned. ¡°While slaying demons and eradicating evil is crucial, one must always harbor a compassionate heart. With a single thought, one can become a Buddha; and with one thought, one can become a demon. Please, Daoist friend, restrain yourself.¡± Little White Dragon spoke slowly. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How I act requires no interjection from Your Excellency, just mind your own business.¡± Shen Luo spoke with great impatience. From a distance, Wu Man''er and Ghost General were taken aback by Shen Luo''s behavior. Shen Luo was always courteous in his interactions, and he showed considerable respect towards Little White Dragon. Why had he suddenly spoken such harsh words? ¡°So it is, Daoist friend, even you have been tainted with Demonic Qi, and the invasion runs deep, already influencing your mind unknowingly¨Cawaken!¡± Little White Dragon revealed a look of astonishment, examining Shen Luo before suddenly exclaiming in a voice resembling the Buddhist demon-subduing roar. Shen Luo''s body jolted with shock, his ears ringing with a sound as loud as the Evening Drum and Morning Bell, and he felt as if he had just woken from a dream. ¡°What did I just do?¡± Thinking back on his previous actions, he broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± asked Ghost General as he flew over. Wu Man''er also flew over, her face full of concern. Shen Luo shook his head and then respectfully bowed towards Little White Dragon: ¡°Thank you, Senior Ao Lie!¡± ¡°I do not know why you are tainted with Demonic Qi, and the extent of its invasion is so profound that I cannot purge it for you. Fortunately, the several Chun Yang treasures on you can temporarily suppress it. The Demonic Qi is insidious; not only must you beware of its infiltration into your body, but more so its influence on your mind,¡± Little White Dragon said. ¡°Yes, I will certainly be cautious in the future,¡± replied Shen Luo with a solemn promise. Little White Dragon nodded slightly and turned to look at the rolling dust, sweeping it aside with a flick of his sleeve. A gust of wind swept by, scattering all the dust nearby, revealing the figures of Wansheng Princess and Nine-Headed Insect. At this moment, Nine-Headed Insect had resumed his human form, disheveled and pallid. However, the blood light in his eyes had also subsided, and his consciousness was restored. Wansheng Princess propped up Nine-Headed Insect''s body and poured various spiritual medicines into his mouth. ¡°Fine, I didn''t expect your powers to have advanced to this level after converting to Buddhism. This battle is my loss. You can kill or mutilate me at will¡­¡± Nine-Headed Insect pushed Wansheng Princess away and, facing Little White Dragon''s gaze, snorted coldly. However, Wansheng Princess waved her sleeve, and a burst of pink mist hit Nine-Headed Insect''s face, making his eyes roll back as he lost consciousness. ¡°Crown Prince, I beg you to spare my husband''s life! He has been severely injured and his cultivation is nearly destroyed. He can no longer act recklessly. If you''re not satisfied, I am willing to exchange my life for his!¡± Wansheng Princess opened her arms, blocking in front of Nine-Headed Insect, and pleaded. ¡°Wansheng Princess, this Nine-Headed Insect is cold-hearted and ruthless. He even attacked Senior Ao Lie before, regardless of your life or death. For such a fiend, why would you treat him like this?¡± Wu Man''er furrowed her brows and spoke. ¡°No matter what he has turned into now, he is still my husband. Which wife could stand by and watch her husband in distress? Being a woman, you must understand these feelings,¡± said Wansheng Princess in a mournful tone. Wu Man''er fell silent upon hearing this. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed, as he looked worriedly at Little White Dragon. Nine-Headed Insect had committed countless atrocities and could not be spared. However, Little White Dragon seemed quite soft-hearted, and with Wansheng Princess pleading so bitterly, it was uncertain whether he would soften and agree. ¡°Crown Prince, Nine-Headed Insect has become like this largely due to the influence of Demonic Qi. Please have mercy for the sake of our past association, and spare his life!¡± Wansheng Princess looked towards Little White Dragon and knelt on the ground with a thud. ¡°Are you truly willing to protect him with your life?¡± Little White Dragon''s gaze sharpened. ¡°Yes! I beg you, Crown Prince, take my life and spare my husband''s!¡± said Wansheng Princess, lifting her head with a resolute expression. Little White Dragon sighed, his expression softening as if he was about to relent. ¡°Senior Ao Lie, this Nine-Headed Insect has done countless evil deeds. He has slain numerous innocents in Yunmeng Marsh and even harmed others by stealing treasures from the West Sea Dragon Palace. We cannot let him go; otherwise, who knows how many creatures of the Three Realms will perish at the hands of this demon!¡± Seeing this situation, Shen Luo hurriedly reminded. Little White Dragon''s body shook, and he regained his composure. ¡°Brother Shen is right. Nine-Headed Insect has committed innumerable crimes, and even if I do not avenge the grievous injury he inflicted on my father, I cannot allow him to live in this world! I''m sorry,¡± Little White Dragon shook his head slightly, and the Dragon Spear in his hand blazed with golden light, ready to act. Wansheng Princess''s face showed despair, and suddenly, biting her silver teeth, she drew out a small white sword and stabbed it backward. The small white sword punctured with a puff, entering the Dantian in Nine-Headed Insect''s lower abdomen. The Nine-Headed Insect seemed like a deflated balloon, completely limp on the ground, its Demon Qi rapidly leaking out of its body and dissipating into the air. After a flash of black light, the body of the Nine-Headed Insect transformed into a nine-headed monster bird, eight of its heads severed, and blood slowly oozing out, its breath extremely faint. Little White Dragon was startled, surprise also evident on the faces of Shen Luo and Wu Man''er. ¡°I have completely destroyed the Nine-Headed Insect''s Dantian Qi Sea, he will no longer be able to cultivate, nor will he be able to harm others. Please spare his life. If you still want to completely exterminate him, kill me first!¡± Wansheng Princess took out a long knife magical treasure and placed it across her snow-white neck. ¡°Fellow Daoists, what do you think¡­¡± Little White Dragon frowned and looked towards Shen Luo and Wu Man''er. Wu Man''er also glanced at Shen Luo with the corners of her eyes, clearly leaving the decision to him. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense swept back and forth over the Nine-Headed Insect, confirming that its Demon Power and Demonic Qi had indeed dissipated and its Dantian was irreparably damaged. According to his own thoughts, no matter what, the Nine-Headed Insect should be completely exterminated, its soul scattered to the winds. However, since Little White Dragon was the one who defeated the Nine-Headed Insect, the decision to spare it or not rested with him. ¡°Everything is up to the elder.¡± Shen Luo said in a low voice. Wu Man''er remained silent, clearly having no objections. ¡°Since that''s the case, alright. In consideration of the relationship between Bibo Pond and my West Sea Dragon Palace, today I will spare his life. However, the treasures he robbed from the Dragon Palace must be returned in full,¡± Little White Dragon said indifferently. ¡°Everything is here, thank you, Third Prince!¡± Wansheng Princess''s face lit up with great joy, and she threw over a Storage Bracelet. Little White Dragon caught the Storage Magical Tool, his Divine Sense confirmed that it contained the lost treasures of the West Sea Dragon Palace. He nodded, put away the Storage Bracelet, and then turned to walk towards Shen Luo. Apparently afraid that Little White Dragon would change his mind, Wansheng Princess immediately picked up the Nine-Headed Insect and conjured a white light, escaping into the distance, while the other Demons hurriedly followed. Shen Luo watched the group of monsters fleeing into the distance, a sense of unease unexpectedly rising in his heart, but the situation being as it was, he said nothing further. ¡°Fellow Daoists have helped me greatly, and my goal has been achieved. Surely you have your own purposes for coming to Yunmeng Marsh. If you need my help, Ao will certainly exert himself,¡± Little White Dragon said, having approached Shen Luo and Wu Man''er. ¡°I have no particular affairs, but Miss Man''er came here to obtain some Divine Tree Essence from the Ginkgo Divine Tree, which she has not yet managed to get,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Divine Tree Essence? That''s easy, come with me,¡± Little White Dragon said, whisking his sleeve and sending forth a Golden Light that enveloped the three of them, shooting toward the Ginkgo Divine Tree like a meteor. Little White Dragon was more than ten times faster than Shen Luo, taking only moments to reach the vicinity of the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Perhaps because of the great battle, there were no guard Demon Soldiers around the Ginkgo Divine Tree. Wu Man''er was overjoyed and landed next to the Ginkgo Divine Tree. A flash of Body''s Green Light passed over her, and she slipped inside the tree. ¡°Brother Shen, how did you come by the Demonic Qi in your body?¡± While Shen Luo and Little White Dragon waited quietly outside, Little White Dragon asked. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but did not conceal the truth, recounting the incident of being invaded by Demonic Qi during the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. ¡°The Three Realms Martial Arts Conference? It''s unexpected that there would be Chiyou''s Demonic Qi there¡­¡± Little White Dragon murmured, frowning. ¡°The Demonic Qi in my body often erupts, thankfully I''ve acquired several Demonic Suppressing treasures that can still suppress it. The Great Tang State Master Yuan Tiangang once told me that only by breaking through to the True Immortal Realm and using the power of Sky Thunder to refine my body can I completely purge this Demonic Qi,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°I see, then that''s manageable. I see your Cultivation level has reached the Late Mahayana Stage, not far from the peak; with that Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, breaking through to the True Immortal Realm is within reach,¡± Little White Dragon said with a relieved expression. ¡°I too thought that with several treasures protecting me, I would be safe, but today I almost got overwhelmed by the evil thoughts within the Demonic Qi. If it weren''t for the Elder''s timely discovery, I fear the consequences would have been unimaginable,¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile, still feeling somewhat shaken. ¡°Indeed, there are concerns. Brother Shen, you have helped me a lot this time, and I have yet to repay you. Here is a Dingyuan Relic, a remnant left behind after the Ling Mountain Dingyuan Buddha passed away. If you wear this, it can help you resist the invasion of evil thoughts,¡± Little White Dragon said after some thought, taking out a sparkling Relic and passing it over. Shen Luo did not stand on ceremony, receiving the Relic; a warm current flowed from it, spreading throughout his body in an instant, his mind felt much clearer, and the faint shadows lingering on his consciousness were completely dispelled. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± he said joyfully, thanking Little White Dragon again. Little White Dragon waved his hand, unconcerned. Chapter 1207 Chapter 1207: Chapter 1204: Reminder (Request for Monthly Tickets) Chapter 1207: Chapter 1204: Reminder (Request for Monthly Tickets) ¡°The source of the Demon Qi in Nine-Headed Insect remains unknown. He was injured by the Elder before, but after retreating and cultivating for a period of time, he immediately recovered from his injuries. I''m afraid there might be something amiss with the place where he resides. Senior Ao Lie, perhaps a search is warranted? There may be discoveries to be made,¡± Shen Luo recalled the hint of unease when Nine-Headed Insect left and said. Little White Dragon was taken aback upon hearing this, as he hadn''t thought that deeply about the situation, but Shen Luo''s words were quite sensible. ¡°That makes sense.¡± He nodded, leaping towards the direction of the Palace where Nine-Headed Insect resided. Shen Luo instructed the Ghost General to stay put, then transformed into a streak of red light, following closely behind. The two soon arrived at the Palace where Nine-Headed Insect lived. The Demon creatures there had mostly fled, leaving behind only a few demons of low Cultivation level. Upon seeing the two, these little demons scattered in a frenzy. Shen Luo and Little White Dragon did not pay any attention to the small fry, extending their Divine Sense to investigate everything inside and outside the Palace. However, no matter how they searched, they couldn''t find anything suspicious. ¡°It seems the reason Nine-Headed Insect became demonized isn''t here. Perhaps he encountered the Demonic Qi somewhere else,¡± said Little White Dragon. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Shen Luo replied, a trace of disappointment flickering in his eyes as he sighed. Having not found what they were looking for, the two didn''t linger and soon left. At this moment, the Blood Pool beneath the Palace had sunk nearly a hundred feet. The surroundings of the Blood Pool were enveloped by a white light curtain, with countless starlike runes flashing upon it, forming an extremely mysterious prohibition that even the Divine Sense of Shen Luo and Little White Dragon had failed to detect. Lian Shan, Gui Cang, and two other Mahayanstage members of the Demon Race were standing around the Blood Pool, struggling to maintain the white light curtain, each of them sweating profusely and looking extremely strained. ¡°Those two have left. Can we stop this Star Enclosure Divine Prohibition Array now?¡± Lian Shan looked towards a silhouette inside the white light curtain and asked. The silhouette was none other than Wansheng Princess, her face no longer showing a frail and grievous expression but replaced with one of cold arrogance. ¡°No, their Divine Sense is formidable, and there''s no guarantee they won''t use it to continue their scrutiny. You must maintain the Array without the slightest lapse,¡± Wansheng Princess commanded sternly, her voice ringing with the clangor of metal. ¡°Yes,¡± Lian Shan shuddered at her voice and quickly mustered his remaining strength to maintain the Array. The other Demon Race members did the same. Wansheng Princess looked towards the Blood Pool in front of her, where a Tall Figure was soaking¨Cit was none other than Nine-Headed Insect. The Array around the Blood Pool was operating rapidly, with streams of Blood Light infusing into Nine-Headed Insect''s body. He remained motionless, showing no reaction whatsoever. ¡°To think I spared no effort in creating this Demonic Body for you, to draw out the Ghost Car Bloodline, and yet before it could be of any use, you were reduced to this state by someone. Useless!¡± Wansheng Princess said angrily. ¡°His Dantian has been destroyed by you, rendering him utterly useless. Why bother wasting more Demonic Qi to save him?¡± a foreign voice suddenly rang in Wansheng Princess''s mind. ¡°The dagger I used to pierce his Dantian was the Demon Spirit Blade. Although the wound looks severe, the dense Demonic Qi within Nine-Headed Insect''s Dantian means that the damage caused by the Demon Spirit Blade is actually minor. My Demon Spirit Technique can still heal him. Nine-Headed Insect is the last of the Ghost Car Clan''s bloodline; unless absolutely necessary, we should not give up on him,¡± Wansheng Princess telepathically replied. ¡°I see. But you are bold, using the Demon Spirit Blade right in front of that Ao Lie. Aren''t you afraid he would notice the Demonic Qi on it?¡± the foreign voice sounded enlightened. ¡°That Little White Dragon appears clever, but in fact, he''s foolish. With just a little show of helplessness from me, he even forgot about his father''s serious injury. As such, strength is no concern with him. The troublesome one is that Shen Luo. If not for Little White Dragon''s presence, keeping him somewhat at bay, I doubt I could have left unscathed today,¡± Wansheng Princess scoffed coldly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I''ve heard of that Shen Luo too. He''s foiled numerous schemes of that Demon Wind character. But you needn''t worry; arrangements have already been made to deal with him. You just focus on what you need to do,¡± the foreign voice spoke slowly. ¡°Oh, you''re referring to the Demonic Qi in his body. Since the Elder has arrangements in place, then I won''t interfere with extraneous matters,¡± Wansheng Princess nodded, as a surge of black light suddenly rose from her body. In the blink of an eye, the frail woman disappeared, replaced by a voluptuous female Demon General standing about three meters tall, her body clad in battle armor marked with Black Patterns. Black light rings rotated and danced around her, her Demonic Qi both powerful and subtle; she wielded the Demonic Qi with a prowess far surpassing that of Nine-Headed Insect. The monstrous creatures who were maintaining the Great Formation, including Lian Shan and Gui Cang, saw this scene and displayed awe born from the depths of their hearts on their faces, bowing their heads and not daring to look any further. Wansheng Princess chanted arcane and incomprehensible spells, a flash of blood light at the center of her eyebrows, suddenly revealing a blood-red demonic pattern, shooting out a blood-colored light pillar as thick as a bowl, pouring into the wound on Nine-Headed Insect''s lower abdomen. The damage to Nine-Headed Insect''s Dantian healed slowly, and a dim blood light seeped slowly from its body. Shen Luo and Little White Dragon quickly returned to the Ginkgo Divine Tree, but Wu Man''er had not yet come out from it. The two waited for another half an hour, and a flash of green light passed over the Ginkgo Divine Tree as Wu Man''er''s figure shot out from within, her face full of joy. ¡°Thank you for your patience. I have already obtained the essence of the Gingko Divine Tree,¡± Wu Man''er said as she took out two jade bottles and handed them to Little White Dragon and Shen Luo, respectively. ¡°You took three bottles? This Gingko Divine Tree is a divine object of Yunmeng Marsh, wouldn''t taking so much harm the tree?¡± Shen Luo did not take the jade bottle and asked. ¡°Big Brother Shen, rest assured, this Ginkgo Divine Tree is full of vitality, and I was very careful in extracting the essence; I did not cause it much harm,¡± Wu Man''er said. Shen Luo, reassured, accepted the jade bottle. ¡°I have no need for this item, and since the matter is concluded, I''ll take my leave. This Yunmeng Marsh holds not only the Nine-Headed Insect but likely many other dangers. You should not linger here for long,¡± Little White Dragon said, declining the jade bottle, bidding them both farewell, and turning into a streak of golden light, flying away. ¡°Since Senior Ao Lie said so, we should also leave this place quickly,¡± Wu Man''er suggested. The figure of the Ghost General moved, turning into a beam of black light rushing into the Qiankun Bag. Shen Luo nodded, about to set off, when suddenly a streak of blue light shot out from the Qiankun Bag and landed on the ground¨C it was Bashe. Wu Man''er voiced her surprise, quickly recognizing the spirit snake as Bashe and feeling astonished, yet she said nothing. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, are you leaving Yunmeng Marsh?¡± Bashe ignored Wu Man''er, looking toward Shen Luo. ¡°Since we''re not residents of Yunmeng Marsh, naturally we have to leave,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°I remember you saying that your Art of Spirit Communication can summon spirit beasts through space. Given this, I wish to remain here to cultivate. If you need my help, just summon me with the art,¡± Bashe said. ¡°You wish to stay? Don''t forget that you''ve now betrayed the Nine-Headed Insect. Though its cultivation is now ruined, the Wansheng Princess and other demons are still around. If they discover you, you won''t escape lightly,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. ¡°I will of course be cautious and hide. Do you remember that valley with the spiritual spring? I plan to cultivate quietly there; I won''t be found,¡± Bashe explained. ¡°Indeed that location is safe. Since you''ve made your decision, I won''t force you to stay. Take care with everything from now on,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, not insisting that Bashe leave with him. ¡°Thank you for that,¡± Bashe said gratefully, nodding at Shen Luo before starting to leave. ¡°Wait, since you plan to stay, help me keep an eye on Wansheng Princess and her group. Let me know of any unusual activity,¡± Shen Luo suddenly called to Bashe. ¡°Keep an eye on Wansheng Princess? I understand,¡± Bashe paused, then nodded in agreement. Its form moved and turned into a streak of blue light that burrowed into the ground, heading toward the valley''s spiritual spring. ¡°I''m impressed, Brother Shen, that you''ve taken in this Bashe as a spirit pet. But why have you asked Bashe to watch over Wansheng Princess and the others? Could there be an issue with that Wansheng Princess?¡± Wu Man''er inquired. ¡°I can''t quite put my finger on it; consider it a precaution,¡± Shen Luo replied. They did not linger any longer and transformed into two streaks of escape light, shooting off into the distance. (Dear Daoist friends, it''s the beginning of the month. Please cast your monthly votes to support me^^) Chapter 1208 Chapter 1208: Chapter 1205 Lion Camel Ridge Chapter 1208: Chapter 1205 Lion Camel Ridge After returning to the small city, Shen Luo and another person were smoothly reunited with Rumeng and Fei Hong under the guidance of Ghost General Zhao Feiji. The group found an inn within the city and rented two guest rooms to rest for two days before setting off. Wu Man''er, leading three charm spirits, set out on her journey back to the Divine Wood Forest, while Shen Luo, alone, continued on his original itinerary, hurrying to Tianji City to find a way to repair the jade pillow. ¡­ Lion Camel City. Dark clouds rolled over the city, and the skydome was pitch-black. Within a majestic fortified city, demonic fury surged to the sky, and the entire city was filled with demons, all seething with anger. Inside a great hall within the City Lord''s mansion, a middle-aged man cloaked in a black feather cloak sat on a carved gold chair. His face bore a look of worry that he couldn''t shake off as he leaned on the armrest and gently massaged his brow. Though the man had a middle-aged appearance, his features were quite handsome, except for an overly prominent hooked nose. He was none other than the lord of Lion Camel City, the Golden Wings Large Peng. Several figures stood in the great hall as well, all with fierce and menacing appearances. They looked up at the figure seated on the platform with tense expressions. One of them, a tall man with the head of a leopard and clad in scale armor, tentatively started to speak, ¡°Great King, the Second King has sent someone to rush us again, asking us to hand over Fu Donglai quickly. We¡­¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before he could finish, the man with the hooked nose slowly opened his eyes, prompting him to immediately shut his mouth. ¡°What did my second brother ask me to do, and what did my big brother say?¡± Golden Wings Large Peng asked. ¡°The Great King¡­ The Great King said that handling the clean-up of our own house shouldn''t need their intervention, right?¡± A one-eyed green wolf demon stepped forward and said. ¡°Hmph, one by one, they all seem to be certain that Fu Donglai is the thief who stole the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle? Where''s the evidence?¡± Golden Wings Large Peng snorted coldly, seemingly angry. ¡°Great King, we also don''t believe it was Fu Dong''s doing. It''s just that the timing is too coincidental. He had just been¡­ expelled from Lion Camel City by you, and then the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was stolen again. It''s no wonder the Second King and the others are suspicious¡­¡± the one-eyed green wolf said. ¡°Nonsense, you''ve worked with Fu Donglai for so many years, don''t you know what kind of person he is? Expelling him from the sect this time was also a helpless move, it just happened to coincide with this incident¡­ Sigh¡­¡± By the end, only a long sigh was left from Golden Wings Large Peng. ¡°Then, Great King, how should we explain to the other two kings?¡± the gold leopard demon tentatively asked. ¡°Explain¡­ What nonsense of an explanation.¡± Golden Wings Large Peng first cursed angrily, then sighed again, ¡°Send out two teams to look for him, remember¡­ whether he has touched the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle or not, bring him back to me alive.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the group of demons in the hall responded with a bow. One by one, they bowed their heads, but in their eyes, a hint of jealousy was evident. They simply could not understand what was so special about that tiger-headed monster who was so eager for human civilization that could make the Great King show such partiality. If they were in his current predicament, the Great King would probably not be as troubled and would order them to be captured or killed to give the other two kings from Lion Camel Ridge a proper explanation. The demons slowly withdrew, leaving only the Golden Wings Large Peng alone in the hall. He slowly stood up, looking at the dragon-embossed golden chair with a complex expression. ¡­ Seven hundred li away from Lion Camel City, within a mountain forest steeped in toxic miasma. A young man clad in a green robe, donning a bamboo hat, was slowly making his way along a small path through the dense forest. That man was none other than Shen Luo. He had traveled all the way from Yunmeng Marsh to Tianji City, and since he had already delayed too much time in Yunmeng Marsh, he originally did not intend to go to Lion Camel Ridge to investigate the matter of the Wuzhuang View''s ginseng fruit tree. However, when he was about to pass by nearby, he couldn''t resist the urge to visit Fu Donglai. The mountains were winding, and before even reaching Lion Camel Ridge, Shen Luo could see from afar a mountain ridge with an unusual terrain. From a distance, the ridge resembled a corpse lying sideways, stretching for eight hundred li. Within it, the sect of Lion Camel Ridge was located at the ¡°corpse''s¡± head. The moment he entered the area of Lion Camel Ridge, Shen Luo noticed that the atmosphere of the surroundings had changed compared to outside. The birds and beasts, which were usually not rare, were sparse here, and even the sounds of insects during the height of summer were intermittent. Although it was noon, as Shen Luo walked along the small forest path shaded by the dense trees, he still felt a chill running down his spine. He was not surprised by this, as he had heard many rumors about Lion Camel Ridge being covered in white bones and flesh turned to mud, many of which were recorded as historical facts in the geographical records of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Back when the demon plague had not been pacified, this place was essentially a forbidden land of death that neither the Human Race nor the Immortal Clan could approach. The city of Lion Camel Ridge itself was not originally a gathering place for a group of monsters but became a city of demons after being forcibly occupied by demons, where hundreds of thousands of people within the city fell into the mouths of demons. Only now has it become a city of monsters. In various travelogues and novels, there were also many descriptions of Lion Camel Ridge, depicting scenes of demons flaying and dismembering humans, cooking them for consumption. But now, peace has returned to the Three Realms, and the hostilities have ceased. Under various pressures, Lion Camel Ridge no longer presented scenes akin to purgatory. Even so, the Human Race still harbored deep fear for this place, scarcely daring to approach it. As Shen Luo continued his journey, occasionally he could see exposed white bones in some mountain valleys and ravines, with a faint odor of corpses lingering in the air, seemingly accumulated over many years. At such moments, he always hoped that the current state of peace in the Three Realms was not an illusion, not just superficial. But everything he had experienced before kept telling him a fact: the demon threat had not truly subsided, and the Three Realms were not really at peace. Shen Luo was filled with complex thoughts as he walked when suddenly he heard a series of footsteps coming from ahead. Then, around a jutting corner of the rocky mountain, seven or eight odd-looking monsters emerged, each brandishing a weapon, their faces full of fierce and murderous energy. The leader was indiscernible in true form, bearing considerable resemblance to the Human Race, except for a nose tipped with black, hard bone. He wore ragged lock armor and was shouldering a black triangular big flag. The flag bore the three large characters ¡°Lion Camel Ridge.¡± ¡°Who goes there?¡± the leader with the black nose demanded immediately upon spotting Shen Luo. Shen Luo eyed them up and down before responding, ¡°You are disciples of Lion Camel Ridge, aren''t you?¡± ¡°So what if we are?¡± the black-nosed monster hesitated slightly, sounding somewhat unsure of himself. These patrolling little demons were mere servants of Lion Camel Ridge, barely counting as disciples. ¡°I''m here to find someone. His name is¡­¡± Shen Luo had not finished his words when he was interrupted, the black-nosed monster impatiently said, ¡°Coming to Lion Camel Ridge to find someone, I think you''re seeking death! Everyone knows there are no living souls here.¡± Chapter 1209 Chapter 1209: Chapter 1206 Defection Chapter 1209: Chapter 1206 Defection ¡°I found not a man, but a tiger-headed monster named Fu Donglai,¡± Shen Luo said, not bothering to waste words with him and stated directly. Upon hearing the three words ¡°Fu Donglai,¡± the expressions of several demons changed immediately. ¡°Hehe, you should have said so earlier. Since it''s Fu Donglai you''re looking for, that''s easy to handle. We''ll take you to him,¡± the black-nosed demon quickly put on a smiling face. Seeing this, Shen Luo kept his expression unchanged, but a tinge of suspicion flashed through his heart. The reactions of these demons were not right, and his intuition told him that something had probably happened to Fu Donglai. ¡°Then I''ll trouble you fellows to lead the way,¡± Shen Luo thanked them with a cupped fist as thoughts whirled in his head. The black-nosed demon''s eyes flickered a few times, and the rest of the demons immediately understood, stepping aside to open a path. He then quickly turned around with a beaming smile, leading the way for Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s lips twitched into a smile, pretending to be unaware as he followed. The rest of the little demons naturally followed behind, and quietly, they blocked his way out. ¡°May I ask how to address you, my Daoist friend, and what is your relationship with Fu Donglai?¡± the black-nosed demon probed. Shen Luo smiled and answered, ¡°We are colleagues working for the Great Tang Dynasty Government. We just happened to be passing by Lion Camel Ridge and came to catch up with Brother Fu.¡± ¡°I see, that''s great, that''s great,¡± the black-nosed demon laughed. ¡°I wonder how Brother Fu has been lately. Ever since he returned to Lion Camel Ridge, we''ve long lost contact with him,¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Daoist brother Fu is a beloved disciple of the Three Kings; of course, he''s been well,¡± the black-nosed demon''s eye twitched as he spoke. ¡°Is that so? Why do I feel like he might not be doing so well?¡± Shen Luo noticed some little movements from the demons behind him, his expression suddenly turned cold, and he asked sharply. ¡°Attack,¡± the black-nosed demon shouted explosively. The little demons behind him immediately spread out a dark green net, enveloping Shen Luo in the middle. Shen Luo was trapped by the net, and a strong stench of corpse air emanated from within the net, starting to corrode his body. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Luo asked without panicking. ¡°Coming here to find Fu Donglai, that traitor, surely makes you his accomplice. Handing you over to the Great King and the Second King, we brothers are about to strike it rich, haha¡­¡± The black-nosed demon did not answer but continued with excitement. Traitor? How had Fu Donglai become a traitor? Doubts rose in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°You say that Brother Fu and I are accomplices. What have we done to become accomplices? You better not falsely accuse us. The Great Tang Dynasty Government is not to be trifled with,¡± Shen Luo deliberately invoked the authority of the Great Tang Dynasty Government as he spoke. ¡°Great Tang Dynasty Government? What a joke. Once you enter our eight hundred li of Lion Camel Ridge, even the Jade Emperor can''t reach us. If you dared to collude with Fu Donglai to steal the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, don''t think about leaving alive,¡± the black-nosed demon scoffed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo became even more puzzled. When Fu Donglai returned to Lion Camel Ridge, it was to investigate the Demon Void Earth Dragon matter. How did it suddenly relate to the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle? ¡°You say the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was stolen. Do you know how it was stolen?¡± Shen Luo continued to inquire. ¡°How would I know¡­ Enough talk, once you see the Two Kings, let''s see if you can still speak,¡± the black-nosed demon said angrily. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo saw that he couldn''t get any other information from them, so he naturally didn''t plan on really letting them help him meet the so-called Great King. He straightened his body, and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire emerged on the surface of his body, instantly dissolving the Corpse Qi attached to the green net. Shen Luo shook his shoulders, and the dark green net turned to ashes, falling off his body. Several demons saw this and immediately shouted angrily, swinging their weapons to kill him. These little demons were not of high realms, with the leader, the black-nosed demon, being only at the Early Stage of Soul Condensation. Shen Luo could easily exterminate them with a wave of his hand. Just at that moment, a sudden gust of wind flashed by, instantly sweeping all the little demons away. Before they could react, Shen Luo''s figure had already disappeared from the spot. The little demons panicked for a while before promptly fleeing towards the Lion King Cave to report the incident back. Elsewhere, some ten li away in a hidden mountain pit, a whirlwind swept through, revealing the figures of Shen Luo and Fu Donglai within it. ¡°What''s happened to you?¡± Shen Luo immediately frowned upon seeing Fu Donglai. His eyes were bloodshot, his aura extremely chaotic, and more than a dozen wounds of varying depths could be seen on his body, making him appear extremely ragged. ¡°Brother Shen, how did you come to Lion Camel Ridge?¡± Fu Donglai didn''t rush to answer but asked with a surprised face instead. ¡°I was on my way to Tianji City and happened to pass by this area, so I thought to meet with you. But I didn''t expect to find you being labeled a traitor of Shituocheng. What exactly is going on?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°This matter¡­ it''s a long story. This isn''t the place to talk, I''ll take you somewhere safe,¡± Fu Donglai said. ¡°Good,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The two of them immediately flashed out of the mountain pit, and, after a short while, arrived at a hidden Underground Cave. The Cave interior had a Stone Table and Stone Chairs, with some signs of life. ¡°This is where I used to cultivate; not many people know about it,¡± Fu Donglai said with a smile after inviting Shen Luo to sit down. In such a time, seeing Shen Luo was a happy event for him. ¡°What exactly happened that you ended up in such a state?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°The situation is a bit complicated¡­¡± Fu Donglai showed a contemplative look, seemingly unsure of where to start. ¡°Then take your time and start from when you left Chang''an and went back to Lion Camel Ridge,¡± Shen Luo suggested. ¡°Alright. After the event of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference in Chang''an, I wanted to go back and investigate the Demon Void Earth Dragon, but just after I returned to the Sect, I found out that a major event had occurred within it¡­¡± Fu Donglai nodded and slowly began to recount. It turned out that after the sealing of Chiyou, and the alliance and truce between the three clans, Lion Camel Ridge changed from its originally closed stance and started to widely recruit demons from all directions. The human and immortal clans did not obstruct its expansion anymore. As such, the development of Lion Camel Ridge was very rapid. Nowadays, it had more than a hundred thousand demons of varying sizes under its control, with the entire Sect becoming bloated and chaotic in the operation of its affairs. Fu Donglai''s Master, one of the three demons of Lion Camel Ridge, the Golden Wings Large Peng, decided to move out of Lion Camel Ridge and establish his own faction in Shituocheng, forming a separate lineage from the Six-tusked White Elephant and the Blue-haired Lion King. ¡°The Blue-haired Lion King, as the Big Brother of my Master and the founder of Lion Camel Ridge, naturally didn''t want to see the brothers split up. However, my Master had made up his mind. Despite the unpleasantness, the Blue-haired Lion King ultimately agreed. The Second King, the Six-tusked Elephant King, was quite dissatisfied with this, expressing clear opposition and even wanting to break with my Master,¡± Fu Donglai slowly said. ¡°Is this related to your escape?¡± Shen Luo asked with confusion. ¡°The timing of my return was too coincidental, just as Lion Camel Ridge was undergoing its separation. But right at this juncture, a treasured item of the Sect disappeared without a trace,¡± Fu Donglai sighed, saying so. Chapter 1210 Chapter 1210: Chapter 1207: Taking the Blame Again Chapter 1210: Chapter 1207: Taking the Blame Again ¡°Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°Yes. Originally, the Master decided on this matter. I had no intention to persuade him otherwise or to get involved; I merely wanted to investigate the issue with the Demon Void Earth Dragon. However, as one thing led to another, it turned out that this matter was somewhat related to the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Therefore, I went to the Xuan Yang Cave near the Lion King Cave, which is where we normally place the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Who would have thought that right after I left, news broke out that the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was stolen, and naturally, I became the prime suspect,¡± Fu Donglai said with a bitter expression. ¡°If it''s the Sect''s treasured artifact, why isn''t it carried by the three Great Kings at all times? Why leave it somewhere else, isn''t that just asking for it to be stolen?¡± After hearing the whole story, Shen Luo was skeptical. Hearing this, Fu Donglai was momentarily stunned, then explained, ¡°Although the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle is a treasured artifact, it normally needs to be nurtured in a place where the Yin-Yang Qi intersects, to increase its power by absorbing the Yin-Yang Dual Qi. That''s why it''s usually stored in the Xuan Yang Cave.¡± ¡°I see. But if you''re only a suspect, how did you end up being branded as a traitor?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Right at that critical juncture, Xiong Ran, a personal disciple of the Blue-haired Lion King, accused me in front of the three Great Kings. He claimed he saw me playing with the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle in a secluded place,¡± Fu Donglai said with a wry smile. ¡°Do you have a grudge with this guy?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You could say that. He''s a three-headed fire lion with a cruel and bloodthirsty nature. I stopped him from abusing mortals once and even injured him when I intervened,¡± Fu Donglai nodded and explained. ¡°That makes sense. But unless he''s an idiot, he wouldn''t make baseless accusations against you, right? You didn''t actually steal the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, did you?¡± Shen Luo stared at him as if scrutinizing him and asked. Fu Donglai gave him a white look and said, ¡°That''s the bizarre part. He''s absolutely convinced I stole the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, even going as far as to stake his life on a bet, insisting that the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was in my storage ring.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo guessed what had happened next. As expected, Fu Donglai continued, ¡°Under such circumstances, the other two Great Kings pressured me to hand over my storage ring. My Master tried to dissuade them with all his might, to no avail. In the end, the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was indeed found in my storage ring.¡± ¡°Have you ever lost your storage ring, or has it ever been away from you?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Never lost it. And even if it was lost and someone wanted to put things inside, they would have to refine it anew, yet my link to the storage ring wasn''t interrupted before it was handed over for inspection. There was no chance that anyone else had refined it,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head and said. ¡°This is indeed strange¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured thoughtfully. Fu Donglai also scratched his head, looking utterly baffled. ¡°What happened next?¡± After musing for a long while, Shen Luo seemed to have a vague idea but didn''t say it outright, instead continuing his inquiry. ¡°After the discovery of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle in my storage ring, the other two Great Kings demanded severe punishment for me. Xiong Ran, the three-headed fire lion, exaggerated the situation, claiming that I had already pledged loyalty to the Great Tang Dynasty Government intending to defect with the treasured artifact to offer to the government officials in exchange for wealth and power,¡± Fu Donglai said. ¡°This guy has a heart as dark as coal, hell-bent on seeing you dead,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Because I am close to the Human Race and advocate for peaceful coexistence among the races of the Three Realms, many in the Sect were dissatisfied with me. The Six-tusked Elephant King also bore heavy grudges against me because of my performance at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. Consequently, nearly everyone called for my execution. In the end, it was my Master''s unwillingness to let me die that led him to plead on my behalf and persuade them not to kill me,¡± Fu Donglai said. ¡°The death penalty can be avoided, but I''m afraid escaping punishment is difficult, right?¡± Shen Luo knew too well that the Demon Clan was far from being more merciful than the Human Race when it came to traitors; Fu Donglai must have paid a heavy price to survive. Fu Donglai tore open his shirt at the chest, exposing his torso for Shen Luo to see. Shen Luo glanced over and saw seven red spots the size of a little finger''s tip arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper around Fu Donglai''s heart. Once Fu Donglai started to channel his mana, the seven spots immediately lit up, each with blood-red charm patterns emerging on them, and a strange fluctuation of mana began to spread from there. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fu Donglai showed a pained expression and immediately stopped channeling his mana. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a grave light, and he said, ¡°They have nailed Soul-scattering Nails into you?¡± ¡°Yes, if these things are not removed within three years,¡± Fu Donglai nodded and explained, ¡°each time I use mana, they will be stimulated to operate once and gradually, my three souls and seven spirits will be dissipated by their power until they are completely gone.¡± ¡°Having been subjected to such a vicious method, why don''t you flee this place? If you return to the Great Tang Dynasty Government, perhaps Duke Cheng or the National Master might have a way to help you,¡± Shen Luo said with a frown. ¡°If I go, I will be confirming the name of a traitor. So I cannot leave; I must stay and investigate the truth,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head. ¡°In your current condition, I''m afraid you won''t live to find out the truth,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°The situation here is more complicated than I thought; I can''t just walk away,¡± Fu Donglai said with a smile as he continued, ¡°Right when I was about to make a breakthrough in my investigation, I was targeted for assassination again. Guess what happened?¡± Shen Luo looked at his somewhat playful smile and asked uncertainly, ¡°Don''t tell me the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle went missing again, and you are the suspect?¡± Fu Donglai paused for a moment and then silently nodded. ¡°You really had it rough, getting framed once wasn''t enough, you had to go through it again,¡± Shen Luo said sympathetically to Fu Donglai. ¡°After your analysis, many things seem clearer now. There might be a big problem at Lion Camel Ridge. A gentleman does not stand under a collapsing wall; Brother Shen, you better leave quickly,¡± Fu Donglai advised. ¡°You''re telling me to leave? In this situation, if I go, you''ll be left all alone; isn''t that a death sentence?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow. ¡°The fact that you and I can meet again is already a great fate; how can I drag you into this quagmire? Besides, I''m not so easy to kill,¡± Fu Donglai laughed. ¡°Enough with the bravado. The Soul-scattering Nails alone are enough to give you trouble. With me here, I can at least help stabilize your condition and slow down the dissipation of your soul,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively. Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai wanted to object, but then he listened as Shen Luo continued, ¡°Besides, I just happen to have something I want to investigate.¡± ¡°Is it related to Lion Camel Ridge?¡± Fu Donglai asked, puzzled. ¡°It''s related to the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle,¡± Shen Luo''s expression became stern as he immediately explained the situation with Wuzhuang View. ¡°There''s actually such a thing?¡± Fu Donglai expressed his surprise. Chapter 1211 Chapter 1211: Chapter 1208: Sneaking Through the Tunnel Chapter 1211: Chapter 1208: Sneaking Through the Tunnel Shen Luo''s eyebrows were deeply furrowed as he pondered for a long time before slowly speaking, ¡°People say the demon plague is gone, and peace has returned to the Three Realms, but from the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference to the incident at Wuzhuang View, and then to what I saw in the Divine Wood Forest, I''m increasingly feeling that the current era of great peace is like a mirage, unable to withstand a single blow. Lurking beneath the tranquil surface of the lake are even more dangerous undercurrents.¡± Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai''s brows furrowed tightly, and he remained silent for a long time. If it had been before, he might have thought that Shen Luo was exaggerating the dangers, but after returning to Lion Camel Ridge, he found that the forbidden practices of capturing and eating mortals were still occurring. The disdain and prejudice of the Human Race and Immortal Clan towards the Demon Clan were also still frequently seen. The longstanding differences and biases between the clans remained deeply ingrained in everyone''s hearts, forming a mountain that was difficult to surmount, and disputes and estrangements never ceased. ¡°Do you really not plan to leave?¡± Fu Donglai lifted his head, staring at Shen Luo as he asked seriously. ¡°Cut the crap. What have you found out?¡± Shen Luo, leaning back in the stone chair, asked. Fu Donglai relaxed, and then began, ¡°The Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle needs to accumulate Yin-Yang Qi to continuously increase its power, and so it is generally placed inside the Xuan Yang Cave, where the guard is strict. Also, because the Treasure Vase contains Yin-Yang Dual Qi, it''s very heavy, and ordinary people can''t move it at all. Only monks at the Late Mahayana Stage or above could possibly steal it. I''m planning to visit the Xuan Yang Cave personally to investigate how the Treasure Vase was lost last time,¡± he said. ¡°That''s a good plan. Only by clearing your name first can we get them to remove the Soul-Scattering Nails. These nails are like a sword hanging over your head, constantly threatening your life,¡± Shen Luo mused for a moment before saying. Seeing that Shen Luo was always concerned about his life, Fu Donglai couldn''t help but feel touched. His acquaintance with Shen Luo wasn''t particularly long, yet the two had shared a sense of camaraderie and forged a deep friendship. ¡°There''s no time like the present; we should set off as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo initiated. ¡°Allow me to stabilize my injuries first,¡± Fu Donglai replied with a wry smile. After his Storage Ring was confiscated, aside from a personal magical treasure, he didn''t even have a single Healing Pill. Shen Luo, recognizing his predicament, took a Storage Ring from his bosom and handed it over. ¡°There are some Elixirs inside that can heal your injuries, though they won''t do much for the damage caused by the Soul-Scattering Nails,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Fu Donglai didn''t play at being polite and took it. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Without saying more, Shen Luo watched Fu Donglai take the Elixir and begin to meditate to heal his wounds, and quietly stood by to protect him. The next day, early morning. Fu Donglai''s injuries had largely healed, and he led Shen Luo out of the Underground Cave, heading towards the Lion King Cave where the Xuan Yang Cave was located. On the way, Shen Luo was piloting the Flying Boat, while Fu Donglai tried not to use his Mana, merely helping to give directions. As they approached midday, the two finally arrived near the Lion King Cave. They didn''t go straight there but instead chose a concealed spot to land, then proceeded on foot towards the Xuan Yang Cave. However, as they proceeded cautiously, sealing their Mana fluctuations and sneaking towards the Xuan Yang Cave, they encountered some unexpected circumstances. It wasn''t that the defenses here were too tight but rather that they were too lax. Outside the Xuan Yang Cave, a great hall with overhanging eaves had been built, and its entrance was guarded by just a few scattered little demons¨Cfar from the defensive standards expected at a place of importance. ¡°Is this really a key location for the Sect?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°As the storage place for the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, this is indeed a key area within the Sect, but this shouldn''t be¡­¡± Fu Donglai too, was full of doubt. ¡°Could it be a trap?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°The mixed Yin-Yang Qi within the Xuan Yang Cave makes it impossible to detect anything with Divine Sense¡­ Let''s do this: I''ll enter the cave to check things out first, and you wait outside for support. If there is an ambush, we won''t be trapped together,¡± proposed Fu Donglai. ¡°I''ll go, you provide support from outside,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment of contemplation. ¡°Do you understand the situation inside the Xuan Yang Cave?¡± Fu Donglai asked with a smile. Shen Luo was momentarily stunned at the question. ¡°I have been inside the Xuan Yang Cave before, and the situation there is quite complex. You have never been there, and it would not be wise to rush in recklessly. Moreover, if they have really set up an ambush, it''s aimed at me. They will only come out in full force if I, the main target, show up, right? If you''re backing me up from outside, I''ll feel more at ease,¡± Fu Donglai explained. ¡°Alright, then be careful,¡± Shen Luo advised. ¡°Don''t worry,¡± Fu Donglai said with a laugh. ¡°I''ll distract those people for you.¡± As Shen Luo spoke, he had already closed his eyes and started forming hand seals with a flourish. Several hundred feet away in a pool, a torrential stream shot up into the sky, transforming into a giant water figure that brought its palm down in a strike towards the dense forest. The little demons guarding the entrance to the great hall were alarmed by the noise, their faces showing fear. One of them, with a pointy mouth and monkey-like features, resembling a macaque, ordered a wide-mouthed frog spirit, ¡°You go, go and have a look.¡± ¡°I''m not going, I''m not going; just a few days ago, a whole group of our leaders died there. I don''t want to go and get myself killed,¡± the frog spirit responded in a deep and muffled voice. ¡°You dare not listen to what I say, huh?¡± the macaque demon glared and snapped angrily. Seeing this, the frog spirit shrank its already short neck, responding with some fear, ¡°Don''t make me go alone. At least¡­ at least let them come with me.¡± The two demons he pointed out were immediately furious, each giving the frog spirit a harsh stare. ¡°You two, go as well,¡± the macaque demon ordered, pointing at them. ¡°Stupid monkey, we''ve all just been transferred here; there''s no leader appointed from above yet. Nobody should act like the boss. Stop bossing everyone around,¡± the green-skinned demon argued, refusing to comply. ¡°That''s right, the official orders will come in a couple of days, and it''s not yet certain who will be listening to whom,¡± the unihorned demon added in agreement. ¡°Fine, no one wants to go, is that it? If something really happens and the higher-ups start blaming us, we''ll all die together. By that time, we might as well be cooked in a pot and served as a dish for others,¡± the macaque demon retorted angrily. ¡°How about this? Nobody orders anybody around, and we all go together. If there''s something fishy, we can scatter and flee, and maybe someone can survive,¡± the frog spirit suggested at that moment. ¡°No, no, abandoning our post is a capital offense,¡± the macaque demon refused, waving his hands repeatedly. ¡°I think what he said makes sense; let''s go together. Besides, the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle is no longer in this cave¨C who would come here for no reason? To absorb the Yin-Yang Qi? That would be seeking death,¡± the green-skinned demon said. ¡°Exactly,¡± the unihorned demon continued to concur. The macaque demon was still hesitating when more noises came from the direction of the mountain forest. ¡°Fine, let''s make it quick and come back quickly. And no one must speak of this,¡± the macaque demon finally relented. A group of little demons carefully left the entrance to the Xuan Yang Cave''s great hall and headed towards the mountain forest. Seeing this, Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief, speaking somewhat incredulously, ¡°If these guys had dithered any longer, I would have been tempted to go ahead and stuff them all into the Xuan Yang Cave myself.¡± ¡°Alright, I''ll leave this place to you; I''m going in now,¡± Fu Donglai smiled, his figure flashed and turned into a whirlwind that swept into the great hall in an instant. Shen Luo leaped onto an ancient tree, concealed his figure, and cautiously surveyed his surroundings¡­ Chapter 1212 Chapter 1212: Chapter 1209: Confrontation Chapter 1212: Chapter 1209: Confrontation After a long time, the group of little demons had already returned to the cave entrance, yet there was still no sign of Fu Donglai. Shen Luo was getting a bit anxious and was hesitating whether to enter the cave to investigate when he suddenly heard a booming sound coming from inside the great hall. Immediately afterwards, a trail of fire shot up to the sky, instantly blowing the buildings outside the Xuan Yang Cave to pieces. Amidst the debris filling the air, Fu Donglai leapt towards the ground, and seeing this, not a single one of the little demons dared to step forward to block his path. After landing, Fu Donglai, without the slightest hesitation, leaped up and escaped into the dense forest nearby. Only then did Shen Luo notice that under Fu Donglai''s right armpit, there was surprisingly a young child who appeared to be only seven or eight years old. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Before Shen Luo could make sense of the situation, from the shattered great hall, seven or eight figures burst out one after another, pursuing and attempting to kill Fu Donglai. The cultivation levels of these individuals were all at the Mahayana Stage or higher, with most being in the early and middle stages, and only one in the Late Mahayana Stage¨Ca burly man with fiery red long hair. This man was tall and muscular, wore a colorful tiger skin short skirt on his lower body, and his upper body was completely bare, his muscles as sharply defined as if chiselled, exuding an explosive sense of power. Fu Donglai was extremely fast, turning into the Xun Wind as he sped through the mountain forest. Of the group of demons, only the red-haired man could essentially keep up with Fu Donglai''s pace, while the rest were merely trailing far behind, ensuring they didn''t fall too far back but still completely unable to catch up with the two leading figures. Observing the situation, Shen Luo didn''t rush to follow immediately but stayed back and waited for a moment. He wanted to see if there were any others hidden and yet to reveal themselves. After waiting for some time and finally confirming that no others were forthcoming, Shen Luo began to swiftly move between the trees using the Slanting Moon Steps, catching up to those people and playing the role of the opportunist lying in wait. However, after chasing for a while, Shen Luo started to feel annoyed. He discovered that Fu Donglai''s escaping speed was much faster than he had anticipated, to the extent that the chasing demons could not keep up at all, becoming increasingly strung out and left behind. Shen Luo looked at one of the solitary wild boar demons and his face showed a look of contemplation. He was hesitating whether to take advantage of this opportunity to defeat each of the isolated demons one by one. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind. Fu Donglai knew he was nearby; logically, he should have tried to join forces with him to overcome these enemies. Instead, he chose to accelerate his escape, which was clearly contrary to common sense. Unless, he felt these few individuals were too powerful, and even if both of them joined forces, they still had no assurance of victory. Yet based on the current situation, apart from the red-haired demon, the other demons were not too strong; they didn''t have the strength to fight. Therefore, Fu Donglai''s acceleration must be due to some other reason, such as the child he was holding under his armpit. With this thought, Shen Luo gave up the idea of defeating the isolated demons one by one. He had to catch up with Fu Donglai as quickly as possible. With a single thought, Shen Luo no longer hesitated; following the residual breath, he used the ¡°Immortal Escape¡± technique and chased in the direction of Fu Donglai. As a trail of escape light swiftly departed, Shen Luo''s figure rapidly appeared above a valley. He concealed his breath, looked down into the valley from the air, and saw a three-headed fire lion, over ten zhang tall, wrapped in red fire, arrogantly cornering Fu Donglai against the mountain wall at the bottom of the valley. ¡°So it''s him.¡± Shen Luo recognized that the three-headed fire lion was none other than Xiong Ran, who had falsely accused Fu Donglai of stealing the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. He was about to leap down to help, but suddenly heard Fu Donglai''s voice transmission in his head, ¡°Brother Shen, don''t rush, I have some questions for him.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo quietly descended toward the valley but did not reveal himself. In the valley. Knowing that Shen Luo had arrived, Fu Donglai felt somewhat relieved. He shielded the little demon with dark skin and a bony protuberance on the tip of its nose behind him, his gaze fixed on the three-headed fire lion. ¡°Xiong Ran, why did you frame me?¡± Fu Donglai asked. The three-headed fire lion, thinking that Fu Donglai, who was nailed by the Soul-scattering Nails, wouldn''t be able to cause much trouble, did not rush to kill him. It was common knowledge at Lion Camel Ridge that he did not get along with Fu Donglai, so at the moment, he was enjoying the sensation of having Fu Donglai under his foot, toying with him as he pleased. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Frame? Who framed you? The Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was found in your Storage Ring; it was obviously you who stole it. Are you still refusing to confess? The three Great Kings were benevolent before and let you go, yet instead of being grateful, you dared to steal the Treasure Vase again?¡± Xiong Ran''s fiery aura receded, and he reverted to his Human Race form. People are often most careless when they feel triumphant. Even so, in this situation, Xiong Ran still did not confess the truth, insisting that it was Fu Donglai who had taken the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. This made Fu Donglai start to wonder if the three-headed fire lion really wasn''t framing him on purpose. At that moment, the little demon hiding behind him suddenly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, ¡°I saw him, it was him¡­¡± The words of the little demon were disjointed, and Fu Donglai didn''t understand what he meant at first. ¡°I saw it in the cave, it was him who took the Treasure Vase guarded by my father, it was him who killed my father.¡± The little demon''s eyes reddened, and he said somewhat agitatedly. Unintentionally, his voice rose a few notches, so Xiong Ran heard it too. ¡°Little Devil, what are you talking about?¡± His brow furrowed, and he spoke with a ferocious gleam in his eye. The little demon immediately shrank his neck in fright, hiding behind Fu Donglai. ¡°It was you who really stole the Treasure Vase, wasn''t it?¡± Fu Donglai''s expression also turned cold as he spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°Who can prove that? This milk-scented kid?¡± The three-headed fire lion sneered, retorting. ¡°What exactly are you trying to do?¡± Fu Donglai asked with a frown. ¡°You don''t need to know, and you will never know. You''ve been hit by Soul-scattering Nails and should be thinking of how to save yourself, but you insist on getting involved in something you should never have been part of. I don''t know how to describe you,¡± said Xiong Ran, shaking his head. ¡°Something I should never have been part of¡­ so you''re saying that you deliberately framed me because you saw that I was returning to the sect and it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, but you actually had other plans?¡± Fu Donglai pondered aloud. ¡°I don''t know whether to call you smart or stupid. The more you guess, the more determined I will be to kill you; you understand that, don''t you?¡± Xiong Ran frowned as he spoke. ¡°It seems my guess is not wrong; you want to use this opportunity to create division in Lion Camel Ridge, and the one you really want to deal with is my Master, isn''t it?¡± Fu Donglai, believing he had deduced the truth, accused angrily. Xiong Ran simply curled his lips in a smile, remaining silent. ¡°Xiong Ran, listen to my advice, whatever you want to do, it''s best to stop now,¡± Fu Donglai urged. Chapter 1213 Chapter 1213: Chapter 1210: Pawn Chapter 1213: Chapter 1210: Pawn ¡°I really still think you''re too old-fashioned and rigid, ultimately just too stupid. All right, I''ll send you on your way right here, and consider it a decent place for your soul to rest,¡± Xiong Ran shook his head, speaking slowly. As soon as he finished speaking, he twisted his wrist and took out a Flame Long Spear, stepping towards Fu Donglai. Just then, Xiong Ran suddenly felt a chill coming from behind him. Without turning his head, he thrust out with both hands on the Long Spear, the spear technique reversing directly, and with a twist of his waist, he executed a Backwards Spear Thrust. Shen Luo''s figure launched a surprise attack from behind, keeping his Breath hidden to avoid detection, only to realize that his killing intent was still perceived at the close. The Flame Long Spear moved with incredible speed, and as it thrust out, a surge of Crimson Flames turned into a Flame Lion charging straight at Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s inner Huang Ting Jing Skills revved up, and he threw a punch. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A golden light flickered on his arm, a golden dragon shadow following his limb and clashing with the Flame Lion. A loud ¡°boom¡± resounded! The golden light and the flames exploded simultaneously, sparks flying everywhere. The Flame Lion''s form dissipated, and the golden dragon shadow also ceased to exist. However, where the flames and golden light mingled, a Spiral Vortex formed, and the tip of the Flame Long Spear stabbed out from it, aiming straight for Shen Luo''s forehead. Just as the spear tip was about to pierce his brow, a flash of Crimson Light suddenly shot up from below, striking the spear tip with a force that could reach the heavens. The impact was so strong that it completely broke the momentum of the Flame Long Spear, skewing it diagonally into the sky. Shen Luo watched unblinkingly as the tip of the Flame Spear swept over his forehead, nearly grazing his scalp as it whooshed into the air above. Far from stepping back, he instead stepped forward. His inner Dragon Elephant Power erupted once more, and with a crushing punch from his waist, he struck directly at Xiong Ran''s chest. A layer of golden scale armor had just appeared on Xiong Ran when he was firmly hit by this punch. A stream of fresh blood spurted from his mouth as his body flew backward like a broken sack, the chest guard, though not pierced, denting inwards from the impact. His scale armor shattered and flew apart, leaving it in tatters. Xiong Ran''s body slammed heavily against the mountain wall and then slowly slid down, leaving a long trail of blood. ¡°You actually have help¡­¡± Xiong Ran struggled to stand, his eyes filled with surprise. He found it hard to believe that within the Eight Hundred Li of Lion Camel Ridge, there would be a human cultivator coming to Fu Donglai''s rescue? If he had known this earlier, even if Fu Donglai was hit by Soul-scattering Nails, he wouldn''t have pursued so recklessly. Fu Donglai, with the little demon in tow, came to Shen Luo''s side. ¡°Can you honestly tell us now, what exactly are you scheming?¡± Fu Donglai asked. ¡°Heh, want to know? You''re just a small pawn, what can you do with the knowledge?¡± Xiong Ran laughed mockingly, hand covering his chest. ¡°Saying Brother Fu is a small pawn, aren''t you one as well?¡± Shen Luo retorted. On hearing this, Xiong Ran paused for a moment, then laughed again, ¡°Indeed, I am just a pawn right now, a slightly more important one at that. But soon, I will be more than that. And you¡­ will remain a dead piece.¡± With that, he fixed his gaze intently on Fu Donglai. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, realizing that there was no point in asking this cautious guy anything further. ¡°Since you won''t say anything, then die,¡± Shen Luo commanded in a low shout. Accompanying his voice, the Pure Yang Flying Sword that had earlier sent Xiong Ran''s Flame Long Spear tipping, suddenly stabbed straight down from above, aiming for the very top of his head. Xiong Ran sensed the danger and let out a roar like a mighty lion. His body suddenly swelled, transforming directly into his true form, a three-headed fire lion. Its whole body was enveloped in flames, with bursts of crimson fire shooting up into the sky, and a layer of invisible force field suddenly expanded outward. The Pure Yang Flying Sword seemed to have stabbed into an invisible wall of air, actually coming to a stop mid-attack, as its nosediving momentum slowed down. ¡°Just now, you ambushed me, that''s why I took that punch, and now you still want to¡­¡± Before the three-headed fire lion could finish speaking, it saw a golden giant elephant, as large as a mountain, charging towards it. With a ¡°boom,¡± there was a loud noise. The three-headed fire lion was hit by a massive force, its body shifting sideways and crashing heavily against the mountain wall. The air wall that had been surrounding it also dispersed, leaving the Pure Yang Flying Sword unobstructed, piercing downwards. ¡°Hiss¡± A streak of blood light burst forth, the three-headed fire lion couldn''t help but howl to the sky, shaking the mountain forest tremendously. However, as its blood burst forth, it caught fire under the flame burns, ¡°whooshing¡± into flames. Large swaths of red fire spread, and the temperature rose sharply, threatening to engulf Shen Luo. Shen Luo quickly summoned back his flying sword while retreating. In the next instant, the crimson fire engulfed the sky, covering a hundred-feet radius. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai, along with the little demon, quickly backed away, but during their escape, they discovered that other demons had already started to gather in their direction. ¡°Brother Shen, don''t linger in battle, let''s withdraw,¡± Fu Donglai, holding the little demon, called out loudly. Shen Luo nodded, and both of them turned into escape lights, flying away. Xiong Ran, with his not so light injuries, naturally did not dare to pursue further. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai, with the little demon in tow, returned to the Underground Cave. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Shen Luo pointed to the little demon and asked. ¡°His name is Little Whirlwind, he''s the child of a great demon that originally guarded the Xuan Yang Cave. His father and all the demons guarding the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle have been killed for their negligence. Only he luckily survived by hiding in the cave,¡± Fu Donglai explained. ¡°Are they killing to silence people?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°Yes, but they missed Little Whirlwind, and he saw Xiong Ran taking away the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle,¡± said Fu Donglai. ¡°It indeed was a setup,¡± Shen Luo said with a cold laugh. ¡°Now, with Little Whirlwind as a witness, I can clear my name of these false accusations,¡± said Fu Donglai somewhat relieved. Hearing this, Shen Luo frowned and fell into deep thought. Seeing that he did not speak, Fu Donglai asked curiously, ¡°What''s wrong, is there something amiss?¡± ¡°This matter is probably not that simple. I felt something was off earlier; even if Xiong Ran stole the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle and framed you, how did the treasure enter your Storage Ring?¡± Shen Luo pondered. ¡°That¡­ I also do not know. My Storage Ring had never been lost before that,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly his eyes lit up, and he asked, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, who was it that inspected your Storage Ring that day?¡± ¡°The Second King, the Six-tusked Elephant King,¡± Fu Donglai recalled and answered. ¡°I think I know what happened,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Chapter 1214 Chapter 1214: Chapter 1211 Deliberate Framing Chapter 1214: Chapter 1211 Deliberate Framing ¡°What''s going on?¡± Fu Donglai asked in surprise as he looked at Shen Luo. ¡°Actually, the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was not in your Storage Ring to begin with. It was the Six-tusked Elephant King who, after refining your Storage Ring, pretended to take out the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle from it,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. Fu Donglai''s complexion changed at first, followed by a frown. After a long while, he asked in bewilderment, ¡°The Second King intends to frame me? But why?¡± ¡°I can''t say for certain, perhaps it''s related to your Master wanting to secede from Lion Camel Ridge and establish Shituocheng on his own,¡± Shen Luo remarked. Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai fell silent. He felt that what Shen Luo had said was likely the truth, and indeed, his predicament had become the pretext for the other two Great Kings to pick a quarrel with his Master. ¡°If that''s the case, they''re definitely targeting my Master,¡± Fu Donglai suddenly realized. ¡°These three-headed fire lions are under the command of the Blue-haired Lion King, and the matter of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle is very likely the handiwork of the Six-tusked Elephant King. If indeed the two Great Kings have joined forces against your Master, this incident is probably just a minor part of their scheme, and there must be more moves to come,¡± Shen Luo also expressed his concerns. ¡°If that''s really the case, the split of Lion Camel Ridge is imminent, and trouble could soon arise. No, I must return to Shituocheng as quickly as possible to inform my Master of this matter,¡± Fu Donglai said anxiously upon hearing this. ¡°Hold on, Elder Brother Fu. Do you have any evidence at hand right now? Relying merely on the word of this little demon, even if your Master believes you, will others? You might end up being counter-accused. Not only would you harm yourself, but also cause this innocent little demon to lose his life,¡± Shen Luo hastily stopped him. Fu Donglai was about to speak when suddenly his face contorted in pain; his eyes promptly became bloodshot as the earlier exertion of his mana had agitated the Soul-scattering Nails, causing him to go weak at the knees immediately. Shen Luo quickly helped him sit down, took hold of his shoulders, and transferred his mana into him, calming the aftermath of the Soul-scattering Nails. After a good while, the blood faded from Fu Donglai''s eyes, and the strange fluctuations in his body also subsided. By this time, he had also calmed down and said to Shen Luo, ¡°You''re right. I can''t rush to Shituocheng so recklessly. Even the disciples of my Master''s lineage now see me as a traitor. If I go there, I''d only face pursuit and death.¡± ¡°It''s good that you''ve thought it through,¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I must secretly make my way back. At the very least, I need to see my Master and inform him of the situation. As for whether he believes it or not, it doesn''t really matter as long as it arouses some measure of defense,¡± Fu Donglai continued. ¡°You¡­ Sometimes you''re very clever, and other times you really are single-minded. Even if you want to go back, you need to find something concrete and useful, otherwise, I fear even your Master might not believe you,¡± Shen Luo said in exasperation. Fu Donglai thought for a moment and felt that made sense. He asked, ¡°Brother Shen, do you have any methods?¡± ¡°A method¡­ well, there is one, but before we go, we must first make arrangements for this little guy,¡± Shen Luo said as he looked at the little demon. ¡°Mm,¡± Fu Donglai agreed. After some questioning, they learned that the little demon had no kin in Lion Camel Ridge and were therefore compelled to send him out of the boundary of Lion Camel Ridge, finding a rarely visited mountain forest to settle him. This was not something Shen Luo and the other did intentionally, but rather at the request of the little demon himself. This little demon, called Little Whirlwind, seemed frail but possessed a strong mind, which allowed him to survive alone after his father and others were killed and to continue living in the Xuan Yang Cave until now. The little demon''s wish was simple: not to leave the place where he had lived since birth. However, with Lion Camel Ridge being fraught with danger, the safest option now was to settle him outside an eight-hundred-li range from Lion Camel Ridge. On their way back, Fu Donglai turned to Shen Luo and said, ¡°Now, tell me, what is your method?¡± Shen Luo gave a mysterious smile, took out an exquisitely made jade bottle from his sleeve, and upon opening the bottle mouth, a gentle fragrance wafted out, followed by a tiny white insect the size of a rice grain flying out. Shen Luo took out a red strand of hair from his sleeve and waved it in front of the little white worm. The little white worm immediately danced around the hair, flying up and down in circles. Then, a chanting sound unlike any ordinary spell came from Shen Luo''s mouth. Fu Donglai realized he had never heard it before, but the little worm seemed to be delighted, turning into a streak of light, and quickly vanished before the two of them. ¡°Brother Shen, what was that¡­¡± Fu Donglai was somewhat confused by his actions. ¡°That''s a tracking Gu insect I got from the Divine Wood Forest. I just let it sniff the scent of those three-headed fire lions, and now it''s off to find them for us,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°To seek out Xiong Ran, why are we looking for this guy?¡± Fu Donglai asked, puzzled. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don''t you understand? That guy plotted to ambush you in the Xuan Yang Cave, but he failed to kill you and also realized there''s an additional helper by your side, me. So, what do you think he will do next?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Your emergence is a significant variable for him. If two Great Kings are instructing him from behind, he''ll surely go to them to report the situation,¡± said Fu Donglai. ¡°Exactly, that''s what I want,¡± Shen Luo chuckled with a ¡°heh heh.¡± Fu Donglai saw he was quite confident and couldn''t help feeling a bit more reassured. ¡°Let''s go, we have to follow quickly. If the distance becomes too great, we won''t be able to use the secret technique,¡± said Shen Luo. While speaking, he generated an Escape Light and flew off. ¡°If we are to track Xiong Ran, why didn''t we do so earlier? So much time has passed; I''m afraid your Gu insect might not even be able to find him now,¡± Fu Donglai quickly followed and asked, not understanding. ¡°The three-headed fire lions may seem impulsive, but in fact, they are quite cautious. If we had started shadowing them right away, he might have been able to detect something with his cultivation level. By intentionally leaving this gap, we''ve given him time to treat his injuries and to check if someone was following him. Now as we track him, he will doubtless remain unaware. As for the tracking Gu insect¡­ you can rest assured, it won''t lose track,¡± Shen Luo chuckled and said. After speaking, both men stopped talking and began to speed up their rush, their figures disappearing into the thick forest. About a quarter of an hour later. At the base of a mountain cliff near Lion Camel Ridge, Xiong Ran frowned, pacing back and forth as though waiting for someone, appearing somewhat impatient. Xiong Ran was already feeling extremely frustrated from being inexplicably injured by Shen Luo, who had appeared out of nowhere. Now, having waited for quite a while without seeing the person arrive, his expression grew even more unsightly. Just as he could no longer contain his anger and was about to vent it by smashing his fist into the stone wall behind him, a light cough sounded. Xiong Ran''s body immediately stiffened, the irritated look on his face vanishing in an instant, replaced with a smile, but his pupils trembled slightly, revealing his immense tension. ¡°I pay my respects to the Great King,¡± Xiong Ran immediately said, clasping his fists. The newcomer was wrapped in a black robe, wearing a deep-rimmed hood that completely concealed his face in the darkness. Neither of them noticed a white grain in the loose soil under the cliff, resembling an insect egg, and they certainly were unaware that dozens of miles away atop a hundred-foot ancient tree, two people lay side by side, an ear against a palm-sized conch, listening to the sounds from their side. Chapter 1215 Chapter 1215: Chapter 112 The Adventure Revealed Chapter 1215: Chapter 112 The Adventure Revealed ¡°Didn''t we agree that we wouldn''t meet again before the action? Why did you still send a message to me?¡± the man in the black robe asked, his voice unusually hoarse. ¡°Your Highness, it was that tiger-headed monster, Fu Donglai¡­ he, he¡­¡± ¡°He actually braved the pain of the Soul-scattering Nails and went to investigate the Xuan Yang Cave?¡± the man in the black robe asked in a deep voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Xiong Ran replied. ¡°You didn''t catch him?¡± the man in the black robe asked, his tone rising slightly, clearly surprised and somewhat reproachful. ¡°He was not supposed to get away, but unexpectedly, he had an accomplice.¡± Xiong Ran hurriedly explained. ¡°An accomplice? In these eight hundred li of Lion Camel Ridge, who would help him?¡± the man in the black robe''s tone grew heavier. Clearly, he thought this was just an excuse from Xiong Ran. Tens of li away, Shen Luo listening from the tree felt something was off and couldn''t help asking, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, is your popularity really that bad in Lion Camel Ridge?¡± ¡°Always clashing with others, how good can my reputation be? Even the disciples under my Master''s tutelage often don''t get along with me.¡± Fu Donglai replied with a wry smile. Shen Luo, hearing this, realized that Fu Donglai indeed is an outlier among the demons. ¡°However, if it weren''t so, you and I wouldn''t have become friends.¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. At that moment, the conch shell flickered with a faint glow, and once again, a voice came through. ¡°Not a disciple of the Demon Clan, but a man of the Human Race. I didn''t remember it earlier, but now that I have recalled, it turns out to be the Human Race man who cooperated with Fu Donglai during the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, seemingly named Shen Luo.¡± Xiong Ran said. Shen Luo, hearing this, was also surprised; that man had actually recognized him through the projection of the Suspended Sky Mirror from the martial arts conference. ¡°Him? That is somewhat strange. Given Fu Donglai''s character, he doesn''t seem like the type to seek external help. Are you sure you aren''t deceiving me to escape punishment?¡± the man in the black robe asked again for confirmation. ¡°Great King, I dare not deceive you. If I speak half a lie, may I be ground to ashes and my soul scattered.¡± Xiong Ran quickly swore an oath. ¡°I don''t think you would dare. Did he find out anything?¡± the man in the black robe asked. ¡°That, I do not know. But what I can be sure of is that he won''t have any useful evidence.¡± Xiong Ran was quite confident about that. ¡°Hmph, you can''t even handle a half-crippled person hit by the Soul-scattering Nails, so stop boasting here. I''m really starting to wonder if you''re worthy of that position?¡± the man in the black robe snorted coldly and slowly spoke. ¡°Great King, I have no covetous thoughts about that position. As long as I can serve under your command and contribute to the revival of our Demon Clan, I''m already content.¡± Xiong Ran quickly declared his loyalty. ¡°Don''t worry, the position I said I''d give to you will not change. But the situation where the three powers in Lion Camel Ridge stood side by side will change, and from then on, there will only be one voice in Lion Camel Ridge.¡± the man in the black robe looked at him and said. ¡°Thank you for your promotion, Great King. I will exhaust all my thoughts and efforts to serve our Demon Clan until death.¡± Xiong Ran said excitedly. ¡°Enough, is the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle safely kept?¡± the man in the black robe asked. ¡°I haven''t been carrying it with me; I''ve carefully hidden it. On the day of the division ceremony, I will certainly give all the great kings a huge surprise,¡± Xiong Ran said with a hehe laugh. ¡°Remember the magic spell to activate the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. None of the three brothers of us are vegetarians. If there''s a problem on your end leading to a failure, you know what the consequences will be, right?¡± the man in the black robe asked. ¡°I understand.¡± Xiong Ran wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and replied with trepidation. The black-robed man whispered to him for a while longer before they both departed. Tens of li away, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai leaned against the tree trunk, digesting the content they just heard. ¡°` ¡°It seems they plan to make their move during the sect division ceremony. My master is in danger,¡± Fu Donglai said with a deeply furrowed brow. ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Return to Shituocheng and inform Master,¡± Fu Donglai answered. ¡°Aren''t you going to follow Xiong Ran first and retrieve the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°There''s no time. The sect division ceremony is tomorrow. We don''t have the confidence to find the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle in such a short period,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head and said. Hearing this, Shen Luo lowered his head and fell into deep thought. ¡°Brother Shen, why don''t we split up? You can tail Xiong Ran and investigate the whereabouts of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, and I''ll return to Shituocheng to see Master,¡± Fu Donglai proposed. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo replied, hesitating for a moment before finally nodding. After the two separated, Fu Donglai hurriedly made his way toward Shituocheng, not noticing a white grain-like creature that had crawled onto the back of his shoulder, insignificant and easily overlooked. As evening approached, Fu Donglai had already traveled through dense forests and arrived in front of a towering black city. The city walls soared a hundred feet high, casting a long shadow under the dying sun''s blood-red glow, their crenellated outlines blurred in the dim light, resembling the interlocking pointed teeth of wild beasts. Fu Donglai looked up at the sky above the city walls, weighed down by eternal dark clouds only a hundred feet away. The thick clouds churned, seemingly filled with countless resentful spirits and evil ghosts, emitting silent roars. He sighed and, instead of choosing to fly over the walls, walked step by step to the heavily guarded city gate. The demon guards at the gate recognized the traitor from the Demon Clan at first sight. They immediately ¡°whoooshed¡± around him, surrounding him completely. Fu Donglai offered no resistance and surrendered, saying, ¡°Take me to the Great King.¡± After that, he was escorted by the group of monsters into the city and made his way into the city lord''s residence. A bear demon with bare feet charged out from the residence, baring its large mouth in a sneer at Fu Donglai. Its eyes bore three startling diagonal scars that quivered slightly as it squinted. ¡°Fu Donglai, you actually dare to return?¡± the bear demon scoffed coldly. ¡°Xiong Chong, take me to see Master,¡± Fu Donglai said expressionlessly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do you think you are still the most valued disciple of the Master? Do you think you, a traitor, can just see Master whenever you wish?¡± Xiong Chong frowned and asked. ¡°You don''t understand; Master is in danger,¡± Fu Donglai said with a frown. ¡°Haha, that''s the biggest joke. A traitor comes back to tell us that Master is in danger. Do you think we are stupid? Do you think we will believe you?¡± Xiong Chong first mocked and then angrily spoke. Seeing that persuasion was futile, Fu Donglai''s body surged with waves of mana fluctuations as he suddenly shouted: ¡°Master, your disciple Fu Donglai has urgent news to report.¡± This shout, like a tiger''s roar through the mountain forest, was mixed with a powerful force in the rolling sound wave, shaking the hearts and minds of the little demons around, blurring their vision, causing them to stand unsteadily. Even Xiong Chong subconsciously took a step back, puzzled. Hadn''t Fu Donglai been hit by the Soul-scattering Nails? His cultivation level was already below that of Fu Donglai, and it was only because he knew that Fu Donglai had been struck by the Soul-scattering Nails that he dared to confront him like this. Normally, he wouldn''t have the confidence to challenge Fu Donglai. Chapter 1216 Chapter 1216: Chapter 1213 Fu Donglai''s Confusion Chapter 1216: Chapter 1213 Fu Donglai''s Confusion Fu Donglai''s roaring shout lasted for a good dozen breaths before gradually subsiding. His voice echoed throughout the entire Lion Camel City, yet no one responded for a long time. ¡°Don''t waste your effort; Master has not been in Lion Camel City since noon and has already rushed to Lion Camel Ridge,¡± Xiong Chong said, calming his emotions before speaking. ¡°What?¡± Fu Donglai was immediately shocked. Seeing such a reaction from him, Xiong Chong couldn''t help but feel uncertain; could it be that Master was truly in danger? However, after a moment''s thought, he deemed it a fanciful tale. Not to mention within the eight hundred li of their home turf at Lion Camel Ridge, even outside of it, who in the entire Three Realms would dare to harm Master? Anxious in his heart, Fu Donglai did not wish to delay any longer and turned to leave. ¡°Fu Donglai, do you think you can come and go from Lion Camel City as you please? Someone, seize him,¡± Xiong Chong bellowed. Immediately, hundreds of little demons rushed towards Fu Donglai from all directions. Fu Donglai paid them no heed, lifting his hand and swinging it fiercely; a series of powerful wind blades swept out, sending the little demons flying. His figure turned, and he began to be enveloped by a whirlwind, ready to transform into a rainbow and escape. At that moment, a roar sounded. Xiong Chong''s massive body charged forward, raising a palm to strike down at him. Fu Donglai dared not be negligent, halting his escape technique and raising his hand to meet the strike with a palm of his own. With a ¡°boom,¡± a loud noise erupted! A tremendous force exploded between the two, and the powerful impact sent the surrounding little demons tumbling away. Fu Donglai and Xiong Chong were both knocked back dozens of yards before they managed to stabilize their figures. ¡°Haha, as expected, your strength has been greatly diminished; you are no longer my match.¡± Xiong Chong laughed wildly, seeing the two deep ravines plowed by Fu Donglai''s feet. Fu Donglai sneered coldly, about to step forward, when a sharp, intense pain shot through his chest. Streams of purple-black Qi spread from his chest, a sign that the Soul-scattering Nails had acted up once again. Seeing this, Xiong Chong became even more delighted, retracting his mana and watching Fu Donglai from a distance, scoffing, ¡°Now you''re nothing but a lost dog. There''s no need for me to take action; you won''t even be able to leave Lion Camel City''s territory. Come, seize him and throw him into the death cell to await the Great King''s return for disposition.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The little demons, who had been holding back, saw the anomaly on Fu Donglai and noticed his Qi rapidly declining, and they became overjoyed. They rushed towards him one after another, vying to be first. Just as Fu Donglai was about to be submerged by the swarm of monsters, a beam of light fell straight from the high sky, and a figure plunged down at a diving speed, striking the ground with a punch. A ¡°boom¡± resounded loudly! A wave of golden light bounced off the ground, like a golden wave crashing outward, instantly flipping hundreds of little demons to the ground. ¡°Who is that?¡± Xiong Chong shouted fiercely at the uninvited guest. Fu Donglai was also surprised, looking at the figure blocking in front of him, he said with surprise and joy, ¡°Brother Shen, how did you get here?¡± The person was naturally Shen Luo, who glanced at Fu Donglai and said helplessly, ¡°I knew it would be useless to persuade you, so I had to follow. But, it''s good that I did.¡± Xiong Chong, staring at Shen Luo''s figure, faintly remembered who he was, and felt even more incredulous. A mere human dared to enter deep into Lion Camel City to rescue Fu Donglai from the Demon Clan? ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Luo supported Fu Donglai and asked quietly. ¡°The Soul-scattering Nails are acting up, it''s nothing serious¡­¡± Fu Donglai endured the excruciating pain in his chest and abdomen and said. ¡°Let''s get out of here first,¡± Shen Luo said, clearly seeing through his charade. Xiong Chong saw Shen Luo completely ignoring his existence and suddenly became furious. He raised his hand to grab into the void, and a Moon Slicing Saber appeared in his palm, slashing down towards Shen Luo and his companion. Seeing this, Shen Luo took a step forward and swept the Profound Yellow Staff across with a wave of his hand. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The saber and the staff collided, erupting into a fierce surge of energy. This time, Xiong Chong was sent flying dozens of feet away, while Shen Luo stood his ground, unmoved. He cast a contemptuous glance at the Bear Demon and then put away the Profound Yellow Staff, walking away from Shituocheng nonchalantly with Fu Donglai. After flying more than a hundred li, they immediately landed in the mountain forest and began to conceal their presence. ¡°Brother Shen, my Master¡­¡± Fu Donglai had not finished speaking when he was interrupted by Shen Luo. ¡°I know, your Master has already gone to Lion Camel Ridge. You don''t want to delay any longer and you want to set off right away, don''t you?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Fu Donglai immediately nodded. ¡°No, you''re going to stay here and recover properly until your Soul-scattering Nails have calmed down. Don''t even think about going anywhere,¡± Shen Luo flatly refused. ¡°But¡­¡± Fu Donglai tried to argue. ¡°No buts. You need to suppress the Soul-scattering Nails quickly. If left for too long, they''ll ultimately damage your divine soul. Don''t worry, we''ll make it in time,¡± Shen Luo interrupted again. Fu Donglai, seeing the seriousness in Shen Luo''s expression, knew he would not change his mind and began to sit down cross-legged to meditate. A moment later, the purple-black Qi before his chest gradually dissipated, but the deep pain within his organs had not completely eased before he stopped his magic spell and stood up. ¡°Brother Shen, I''m fine now. Let''s set off quickly.¡± Seeing his slightly twitching eye muscles due to pain, Shen Luo sighed inwardly and said reluctantly, ¡°Alright.¡± Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai was about to start his Escape Technique but was once again stopped by Shen Luo. ¡°This time, I''ll carry you.¡± Listening to Shen Luo say this, although Fu Donglai was puzzled, thinking Shen Luo had some powerful flying Magical Treasure, he halted his actions. ¡°Alright,¡± he said as he perched onto Shen Luo''s arms from behind. Shen Luo immediately focused his thoughts and began to use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique. His arms stretched out like wings, and a warm sensation flowed from within his arms, with gold and silver light beginning to spread across them. ¡°Let''s go.¡± With a light shout, Shen Luo flapped his arms, and his figure instantly rose from the ground, disappearing swiftly into the distance. Only a breaking wind vortex remained in the air, but the two were already nowhere to be seen. Just moments later, hundreds of li away in the void, a streak of interwoven gold and silver light flashed, falling straight from the sky. The figures of Shen Luo and Fu Donglai reappeared. After landing, Fu Donglai stared at Shen Luo curiously, sending a chill down Shen Luo''s spine. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± he couldn''t help asking. ¡°Brother Shen, could it be that you are a Human Race disciple secretly taken in by my Master?¡± Fu Donglai asked with a frown. ¡°Do you think that''s possible?¡± Shen Luo rolled his eyes and retorted. ¡°Tsk, it''s not very likely. My Master has always been quite¡­ disapproving of the Human Race,¡± he intended to say disgusted. ¡°Well, there you go,¡± Shen Luo said, exasperated. ¡°But how do you know my Master''s secret technique, Thousand-mile Wing Flapping?¡± Fu Donglai scratched the back of his head, completely puzzled. Chapter 1217 Chapter 1217: Chapter 1214: Divide the Sect Chapter 1217: Chapter 1214: Divide the Sect ¡°What''s this ''Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique''? I am performing ''Ten Thousand Li Soaring'', why would that have anything to do with your Master?¡± Shen Luo said, of course unable to admit the truth. He was not intentionally hiding anything; it''s just that some things can''t be explained to Fu Donglai. After all, he couldn''t very well tell him, ¡°This is from your master''s corpse, which I took after traveling to hundreds of years in the future, right?¡± ¡°Forget it, whatever it is, if it weren''t for you, we couldn''t have made it here so quickly,¡± Fu Donglai said, not dwelling on the matter any further. ¡°Now, your Master has already returned to Lion Camel Ridge, and I bet he''s in Lion King Cave. It would be difficult to see him in private. What do you plan to do?¡± Shen Luo asked, changing the topic. ¡°Right now is when Lion Camel Ridge''s defenses are the most stringent. Sneaking in will surely be difficult. But the safety of my Master is paramount; even if there''s risk, I can''t NOT go,¡± Fu Donglai said, his expression becoming serious. Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but hold his forehead and say: ¡°Elder Brother Fu, you are generally prudent and smart, but why are you acting so rashly today?¡± ¡°Brother Shen, you don''t understand. My Master is like both a father and a teacher to me; he raised and taught me. I can''t let anything happen to him,¡± Fu Donglai stated solemnly. ¡°Rashness and impetuosity will only lead to harm for both others and yourself. There is still time now; we actually have a better option,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°What option?¡± Fu Donglai asked anxiously upon hearing this. ¡°When is Lion Camel Ridge''s defense at its weakest?¡± Shen Luo asked. After pondering for a moment, Fu Donglai replied, ¡°The Lion King Cave, unlike other places in Lion Camel Ridge, is well-guarded at all times during the twelve two-hour periods. I can''t think of a time when it would be lax.¡± ¡°That''s the usual situation. But tomorrow Lion Camel Ridge is going to hold a division ceremony. That should be the time when it is easiest to find a loophole,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Indeed, at that time everyone''s attention will be on the conference. That will likely be the most lax moment. But if we wait until then, will we still have a chance to tell the truth to the Master?¡± Fu Donglai pondered aloud. ¡°What we need to tell him isn''t just the truth, but also the evidence,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. The next day, early morning. Outside Lion King Cave, a sacrificial platform made of compacted earth three feet and three inches high had already been erected. Surrounding it stood over thirty trusted demon generals, more than seventy direct disciples, and leaders of nineteen patrol teams, each accompanied by five hundred of their loyal demon soldiers, all neatly waiting nearby. These demon crowds belonged to different demon kings, hence they had formed into three distinct groups, maintaining a certain distance from each other, clearly demarcated. On the left were the troops of the Six-tusked Elephant King, in the center those of the Blue-haired Lion King, and on the right, the Gold-Winged Peng King''s troops. In the midst of the right side''s five hundred demon soldiers, there were two figures mingling with them. They were different from the surrounding demon soldiers who were whispering quietly to each other; though standing shoulder to shoulder, both maintained a rare silence, and even when others around them initiated conversation, the two of them did not shift their gaze, ignoring the others completely. With tens of thousands of demon soldiers in Lion Camel Ridge, those who were allowed to attend the ceremony were undoubtedly the confidants of their respective leaders. However, they could not all be entirely acquainted with each other, so when these two men did not respond, they were simply taken as unsociable, and no one paid them too much attention. After all, no one would believe that at a time like this, someone would dare to infiltrate Lion Camel Ridge. Of course, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai, who had boldly sneaked in, did not think this way. ¡°Brother Shen, will this really work?¡± Fu Donglai communicated through a voice transmission. ¡°We must catch the thieves and seize their goods. If we don''t produce the evidence, merely relying on our word will not be enough to stop your Master. Don''t act impetuously later; we must adapt to the situation,¡± Shen Luo replied. Fu Donglai silently nodded his head. At that moment, a dense thrum of war drums sounded. Inside the Lion King Cave, three towering figures slowly stepped out and walked toward the Sacrificial Platform. The leader was a man with a robust and upright stature, wearing a green leather armor underneath and a fur-trimmed overcoat. His face, with sharp angles and edges, bore a strong and courageous look. His dark green, slightly curled long hair was not tied up but naturally gathered behind his head. His eyes emitted a faint golden sheen, as if harboring golden starlight within. To his left and half a step behind was a tall man in Silver Armor, still maintaining the characteristic appearance of the Demon Clan¨Ca striking visage with six outward-pointing long tusks. To his right, walking in step with him, was a handsome man with a hawkish nose, clad in a Black Feather Cloak, his face always wearing a faint smile. Following them was a line of ten Demon generals, among whom were a scale-armored man with a leopard''s head and a human body, a tall one-eyed blue wolf, and a sinuous woman with serpentine patterns, with Xiong Ran standing prominently among them. This group of individuals ascended the High Platform and immediately provoked a tsunami-like shouting from the Demon crowd below. ¡°We greet the Great King¡­¡± ¡°The Great King is valiant¡­¡± ¡­ The words uttered by the Demons were all adulatory, leaving Shen Luo speechless. After a while, the Blue-haired Lion King raised his hand in a gesturing motion, apparently stopping the flurry of flattery. ¡°Although Today is an auspicious time, it marks the day of division for Lion Camel Ridge. For this reason, we set up an altar to perform a sacred rite to notify Heaven and Earth. Although we cut robes and break our fellowship, it does not diminish our brotherly affection. From now on, Lion Camel Ridge and Shituocheng will belong to different sects, yet we will remain united as one,¡± proclaimed the Blue-haired Lion King, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow, as he spoke with a voice as resonant as a large bell. The Demon soldiers and Demon generals all shouted in chorus. ¡°Big Brother, Second Brother, rest assured. Shituocheng will still look up to Lion Camel Ridge as its lead. If Big Brother and Second Brother ever need anything, our Shituocheng will give all-out support without any hesitation,¡± said the Golden Wings Large peng, stepping forward. The Blue-haired Lion King nodded, but the Six-tusked Elephant King snorted coldly, turning his head away. ¡°Second Brother, in front of the little demons, don''t embarrass Third Brother. In my view, splitting the family is not entirely a bad thing. If you have the intention to establish your own faction, I will not stand in your way. This can also be considered a contribution to the expansion and continuation of our Lion Camel Ridge Demon Clan lineage,¡± whispered the Blue-haired Lion King, persuading in a lowered voice. ¡°I got it, Big Brother. But I''m not going to leave Lion Camel Ridge. This is my home, my foundation. I won''t easily change my allegiance and start my own sect,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said with a hint of irony. ¡°Second Brother¡­¡± the Golden Wings Large peng said helplessly. ¡°Don''t call me, I can''t bear it,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King responded without a shred of appreciation. ¡°Enough, don''t be petulant. I didn''t invite other sects to observe the ceremony because I feared you wouldn''t be able to keep the peace during the grand ceremony. Now what? Do you want to make a spectacle for our own Demon soldiers and generals?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King said, his tone becoming more stern. The division ceremony of Lion Camel Ridge was very simple. First, the three brothers jointly offered incense to Heaven and Earth, and then took a wisp of sacred fire from the ancestral fire basin of the sect, which the Golden Wings Large peng would bring back to Shituocheng for worship. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Everything went smoothly. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai, however, were incredibly tense, their eyes fixated on everyone on the platform, especially Xiong Ran, the three-headed fire lion. At this moment, Xiong Ran also looked unnatural. His gaze kept wandering behind the Golden Wings Large peng, appearing somewhat anxious. Chapter 1218 Chapter 1218: Chapter 1215: The Grievance of Chen Chapter 1218: Chapter 1215: The Grievance of Chen ¡°Heavenly fire bestowed, the legacy unbroken, this moment has its part, two bodies with one heart.¡± The Blue-haired Lion King chanted the verse and stepped forward, raising his hand as if it were a knife, and gently drawing it across a golden fire basin engraved with a barbaric lion, an elephant head, and a Large peng. Instantly, a bunch of flames separated from within the basin. The Six-tusked Elephant King took a step ahead, positioned himself to the left of the Lion King, and the Golden Wings Large peng hurriedly followed, arriving on the right side, flipping his hand to produce a silver cup container, apparently intending to collect the flames that had been separated. Just as the Golden Wings Large peng came forward, one of the demon generals from behind stepped out of the crowd, and it was Xiong Ran! ¡°Not good, he''s going to make a move,¡± Fu Donglai''s heart tightened. ¡°Don''t rush, your Master''s cultivation level is profound, Xiong Ran alone can''t harm him. The situation is unclear now, hold back for the moment,¡± Shen Luo saw him about to move and quickly grabbed him, transmitting his voice to him. Fu Donglai paused, seemingly hesitant. But at that moment, Xiong Ran''s Storage Ring suddenly flashed, as if he intended to draw out some Magical Treasure. ¡°No, we can''t wait any longer.¡± Ignoring Shen Luo''s advice, Fu Donglai shook off his grasp, his body instantly transforming into a whirlwind soaring up to the High Platform. Before everyone could react, they saw that he had already taken his Standing Position, seizing Xiong Ran''s wrist. Confused about what had just happened, the demons below cried out in shock. The Blue-haired Lion King turned his head to look and saw that it was Fu Donglai who had taken Xiong Ran hostage, with a fierce fury flaring in his eyes and a powerful Breath erupting from his body instantaneously. ¡°Fu Donglai, you dare to come back?¡± the Lion King roared angrily, the sound shaking the mountain forest. The Surroundings demons, hearing this, quaked with fear, those with lower cultivation levels nearly unable to keep their balance. ¡°Donglai¡­¡± The Golden Wings Large peng momentarily forgot about receiving the flame and looked towards his once disciple with surprise on his face. The Six-tusked Elephant King was even more furious, ignoring Xiong Ran''s life or death, raising a palm about to strike down at Fu Donglai. ¡°The disciple is wrongly accused,¡± Fu Donglai shouted loudly. The Six-tusked Elephant King turned a deaf ear, still boldly bringing down his palm. ¡°Stop!¡± The Golden Wings Large peng hurriedly called out to stop him. The Six-tusked Elephant King showed no sign of halting his action, his palm about to land on Fu Donglai''s forehead. At that moment, a flash of Moonlight flickered around the Sacrificial Platform, and another figure darted up, grabbing Fu Donglai by the shoulder from the side and pulling him back to dodge. The Six-tusked Elephant King''s palm heavily fell, but just narrowly missed Fu Donglai and instead struck Xiong Ran''s shoulder. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A sound of bones cracking was heard as Xiong Ran''s shoulder collapsed and one arm drooped down, obviously broken and severely injured. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He let out a miserable cry from his mouth. ¡°Who dares to cause trouble on my Lion Camel Ridge?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King roared angrily, looking towards Shen Luo. He quickly recognized that the person before him was the human cultivator who was on good terms with Fu Donglai, his eyes filled with surprise and suspicion. ¡°Junior Shen Luo,¡± Shen Luo said forthrightly. He did not mention his sect or the Great Tang Dynasty Government, merely introducing himself simply. ¡°You have the nerve to interfere in the matters of our Demon Clan, are you tired of living?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King frowned and said. ¡°The affairs of the Demon Clan are naturally something I would prefer not to meddle in, but how could I stand idly by when Fu Donglai fell victim to a set-up?¡± Shen Luo said calmly, neither humble nor arrogant. ¡°He is a traitor of the Demon Clan; this matter has been conclusively resolved. How dare you¨Cah¡­¡± Xiong Ran had just started speaking when his words were cut short by a scream of agony. Fu Donglai twisted his arm behind his back with one hand while the other clutched his neck, a sharp claw on the thumb protruding like an awl against an important acupoint on his neck, already piercing the skin slightly. Under that sharp claw, a needle condensed from mana was piercing through the lung lobe, stabbing Xiong Ran''s heart. ¡°Donglai, do not act rashly,¡± Golden Wings Large Peng suddenly spoke up with a shout. His expression was stern, clearly dissatisfied with Fu Donglai and another person interrupting the branch ritual. ¡°Master, I would never behave so rudely if it weren''t absolutely necessary. I have a grave injustice to report¡­¡± ¡°Whatever you have to say can wait until after the ritual is over,¡± Golden Wings Large Peng decisively shouted to stop him. ¡°Master, this matter is of great importance and cannot wait any longer. Please hear me out¡­¡± Fu Donglai insisted, defying his Master''s orders through clenched teeth. ¡°Elder Brother Fu,¡± Shen Luo called out loudly. Fu Donglai''s words were immediately interrupted, and he looked towards Shen Luo with some surprise, only to see him wink almost imperceptibly. Though puzzled in his heart, he quickly caught on and ceased speaking. ¡°Fellow Great Kings, since Fu Donglai suffers from an unjust accusation, causing rifts among you, wouldn''t you like to know who the real instigator is?¡± Shen Luo took over from Fu Donglai and continued. ¡°What do you know?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King asked sharply with a chilling voice. ¡°Bold human, stop spouting nonsense,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King bellowed angrily. Golden Wings Large Peng''s expression also showed a slight change; he folded his hands into his sleeves and looked at Shen Luo with knitted brows. Shen Luo noted the reactions of the others but showed no concern as he spoke directly, ¡°It is him, the three-headed fire lion, Xiong Ran!¡± At this bold declaration, not only were the Blue-haired Lion King and the others stunned on the spot, but even Fu Donglai was slow to react. However, he quickly understood. Because of his impulsive action, he had failed to wait for the unexpected turn of events and had lost the opportunity to obtain evidence of the Six-tusked Elephant King and Blue-haired Lion King joining forces against Golden Wings Large Peng. Therefore, they could only accuse Xiong Ran at this time, unable to reveal the entire truth. Nevertheless, Fu Donglai felt it was worth it as long as he could save his Master. Once he was cleared of suspicion, he could tell the entire truth to Golden Wings Large Peng, which would be more credible by then. ¡°You say he is the instigator, but do you have evidence?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King asked, his expression darkening even further as he spoke word by word. ¡°If I present evidence, can it clear Elder Brother Fu of his charges and allow for the strict punishment of the true culprit?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°As long as you present solid proof, we will certainly not condone the actions, but if you cannot produce it and are merely making baseless accusations, I will ensure you pay a heavy price,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King said coldly. ¡°Big Brother, humans are not trustworthy,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King advised from the side. The Blue-haired Lion King looked towards the three-headed fire lion, his gaze filled with both inquiry and hesitation. ¡°Master, do not listen to their attempts to sow discord; I am innocent¡­¡± Xiong Ran hastily cried out. ¡°You dare claim innocence? You dare say that the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle is not in your Storage Ring right now?¡± Shen Luo shouted accusingly. Upon hearing this, Xiong Ran''s face turned pale, but he quickly retorted, ¡°The Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle has clearly been stolen by Fu Donglai. You are framing me as the thief when it''s you who are the culprits, intentionally framing me.¡± Chapter 1219 Chapter 1219: Chapter 1216 Evidence Chapter 1219: Chapter 1216 Evidence ¡°Whether it''s planting evidence or not, it''s easy to prove. Hand over your Storage Ring for everyone to examine, and all will become clear, won''t it?¡± Shen Luo had anticipated this and spoke immediately. Without waiting for Xiong Ran to say anything else, Shen Luo flashed to his side and slid the Storage Ring off his finger. Upon seeing this, the Six-tusked Elephant King appeared tempted to act, but he cast a glance at the Golden Wings Large peng beside him and forcefully restrained himself. ¡°Hand it over, I''ll examine it myself.¡± The Blue-haired Lion King said, frowning. ¡°Elder has an exceptional relationship with Xiong Ran. To avoid suspicion, it''s best not to,¡± replied Shen Luo with a smile. Upon hearing this, a clear flicker of displeasure crossed the Blue-haired Lion King''s eyes. ¡°In that case, just hand it over to me,¡± said the Golden Wings Large peng. ¡°Elder, as Master of Fu Donglai, may also face questions about impartiality,¡± Shen Luo added. ¡°That being said, it seems I''m the only one capable of this task,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said with a trace of a smile and readied himself to step forward. But Shen Luo merely looked at him with a smile, showing no intention of handing over the Storage Ring. ¡°You dare to play us, boy?¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King roared in anger. ¡°Of course not,¡± Shen Luo replied calmly. ¡°Friend Shen, if you don''t hand over the Storage Ring to anyone, how can it be examined?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng couldn''t help but interject. ¡°Elder, why not let the Junior examine it?¡± suggested Shen Luo. ¡°Let you examine it? The Human Race is full of deceit; who knows what trickery you might employ in secret,¡± sneered the Six-tusked Elephant King. ¡°What, does Elder think a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator like me could tamper with it right under the eyes of all the elders and get away with it unnoticed? I wonder if Elder is overestimating me or underestimating himself?¡± Shen Luo grinned, turning to look at the Six-tusked Elephant King. At that comment, the Six-tusked Elephant King could only harrumph coldly. ¡°Fine! You do the examination. But remember, don''t play any tricks. If I find out you''re up to something dishonorable, I won''t hesitate for a moment¨CI''ll make sure you wish you were dead,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King agreed, nodding his head. Shen Luo smiled at the threat, unconcerned, and began refining Xiong Ran''s Storage Ring while everyone watched. Xiong Ran, still controlled by Fu Donglai, stared deathly at Shen Luo, his eyes filled with a rage that seemed to erupt at any moment, yet he also felt somewhat helpless. His heartstrings were tightly wound as he tried to reach out with his divine soul to the person who had instructed him, but there was no response. Large beads of sweat ran down his forehead and temples. Shen Luo activated the Ninety-nine Treasure Refining Tactics and soon refined the Storage Ring. He began taking out items one by one. Various white jade porcelain bottles, scrolls of secret techniques, and pieces of magical weaponry. As Shen Luo removed items, he did not forget to mockingly address the three-headed fire lion, ¡°Daoist friend Xiong Ran sure has an impressive private collection. What''s this? An Erotic Secret Scroll? Heh, and what is this Zuo Gui Strong Bone Pill? This Zi Wu Mandarin Duck Yue looks quite fine¡­¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk¡­ Don''t be hasty, don''t be hasty, almost finished¡­¡± ¡°It''s about to come out¡­¡± Each of his statements landed like a death knell, relentlessly sticking to Xiong Ran''s forehead. Xiong Ran was nearing collapse. ¡°Found it¡­¡± Shen Luo shouted, making everyone tense up. The next instant, a flash of green light abruptly shone, and a two-foot-tall double-eared jade vase appeared before everyone''s eyes. Xiong Ran''s face paled, his heart filled with despair. The Blue-haired Lion King''s expression turned iron blue, his gaze shifting back and forth between Xiong Ran and the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, a growing intent to kill in his eyes. The Six-tusked Elephant King remained silent. ¡°It seems that my disciple was indeed wrongly accused before. The theft of the Treasure Vase by Fu Donglai was purely Xiong Ran''s attempt to frame him out of personal vengeance,¡± said the Golden Wings Large peng, furrowing his brows. ¡°Xiong Ran, I always thought you were narrow-minded, but I never expected you to go as far as this. Framing others intentionally, how are you any different from the shameless Human Race?¡± scolded the Blue-haired Lion King angrily. Shen Luo listened to his scolding, feeling that something was not quite right, but then he thought that when the Human Race insults someone, don''t they also say ''no different from beasts''? Seeing this, some of Shen Luo''s suspicions were being confirmed bit by bit. ¡°Master, I know my wrongs. I was just confused for a moment. I beg for your mercy to give me a chance to mend my ways, please, I really do realize my mistake¡­¡± Xiong Ran pleaded in panic. To Fu Donglai, watching this scene, the master and disciple seemed too good at acting; he almost believed them for real. ¡°If it were just the previous time, I might tolerate it, but after one betrayal, you committed a second, harming your fellow disciples without remorse. You deserve to die, no mercy should be shown,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King, however, bellowed in anger. Xiong Ran felt as if his liver and gallbladder were being split apart, suddenly losing his spirit. ¡°It wasn''t me, it wasn''t me¡­¡± His face turned deathly pale, and he suddenly began to scream. Seeing this, the Six-tusked Elephant King immediately let out an angry shout, ¡°Harming your fellow disciples, you deserve to die,¡± and with that, he raised his palm and struck towards Xiong Ran. The palm was so fast and heavy that it was astounding. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When the palm wind arose, there was a sound of thunder exploding. When it pressed down in layers, it was like mountains collapsing, making the heaven and earth of that area tremble. HIs palm strike was clearly not about cleaning up the sect but to kill Xiong Ran and Fu Donglai together. Fu Donglai, sensing the danger, tried to dodge, but found the void around him to be sluggish, and was momentarily unable to move, which greatly alarmed him. Shen Luo wanted to help but felt utterly powerless. Faced with such a True Immortal Peak powerhouse, his level of cultivation was simply not enough. ¡°Second Brother, what are you doing?¡± At that moment, a low reprimand sounded. Golden lightning flashed around the Golden Wings Large peng as he instantaneously appeared beside Fu Donglai, grabbed his sleeve, and flung him to the side. Fu Donglai, along with Xiong Ran, were both thrown out sideways. The Golden Wings Large peng raised his other palm, with silver lightning gathering in his palm, to meet the Six-tusked Elephant King''s attack. Silver threads surged out, tearing open pitch-black fissures in the void. His palm thrust forward, colliding with the Six-tusked Elephant King''s palm. A loud ¡°boom¡± thundered! A burst of silver lightning exploded, a powerful cyclone of wind pressure struck all around, the rolling waves of Qi overturning all the demon generals behind the altar. Shen Luo also became unstable, stumbling backward. Just then, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Xiong Ran near the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Taking advantage of the chaos, Xiong Ran grabbed the two hanging ears of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle with both hands, his eyes full of hatred as he looked at Shen Luo, his mouth curling into a vile smile. A sense of foreboding struck Shen Luo''s heart. Indeed, accompanied by a low roar from Xiong Ran, the body of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle lit up with a sliver of emerald green light, and the seal at its mouth unlocked itself. A mixed stream of black and white Qi swept out. Chapter 1220 Chapter 1220: Chapter 1217 Day 7749 Chapter 1220: Chapter 1217 Day 7749 Shen Luo''s heart was struck by a sense of alarm, without the slightest hesitation, he was about to use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique to escape. However, the mysterious white Qi flow did not give him a chance to use his Escape Technique at all. It flashed towards him, enveloped him in an instant, and pulled him directly into the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Shen Luo only felt his body become incredibly light, and he completely lost control of it. In the instant before he was sucked into the bottle mouth, he saw Xiong Ran''s smug expression gradually solidify, as an eerie red glow began to emanate from his body. Before he could see more, his entire being was already sucked into the bottle. Meanwhile, outside the bottle, Xiong Ran''s flesh and blood seemed to dissolve on its own, wafts of pink blood mist rising from within and engulfing the entire Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Only when the residual power from the clash between the Golden Wings Large Peng and the Six-tusked Elephant King had completely dissipated did everyone realize in shock that both Shen Luo and Xiong Ran had vanished. ¡°Brother Shen?¡± Fu Donglai struggled to get up from the ground. But there was no response from anyone around. His gaze fell on the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, which was still resonating with fluctuations of spiritual power, and his face turned ugly. Fu Donglai hurriedly ran towards the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle and reached to grasp its mouth, attempting to reopen the seal. But the moment his fingertips touched the bottle''s mouth, a surge of blood Qi rushed up, immediately followed by a sinuous white Qi flow that coiled around his fingertips along with the blood Qi. At that moment, a hand was placed on Fu Donglai''s shoulder, and a mighty mana coursed through him, instantly dispersing both the layer of blood Qi and the white Qi flow. ¡°Donglai, have you lost your mind?¡± Golden Wings Large Peng yanked Fu Donglai away, scolding him. ¡°Master, Brother Shen¡­¡± Fu Donglai said anxiously. ¡°He has been pulled into the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle by the blood prohibition spell activated by Xiong Ran. He has fallen into a deadly place and likely has no chance of survival,¡± Golden Wings Large Peng sighed and shook his head. ¡°That''s not true. Master, if you open the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle now and rescue him, he will be fine,¡± Fu Donglai said hurriedly. ¡°It''s futile¡­ Xiong Ran activated the treasure vase through a blood sacrifice. After the seal at the bottle mouth has been set, it cannot be opened for 49 days. Your friend doesn''t stand a chance of surviving,¡± Golden Wings Large Peng explained. ¡°There must be a way¡­ Master, if the seal can''t be opened, then destroy the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. As long as we can rescue Brother Shen, any way would be fine. Please, Master¡­¡± Fu Donglai said and then bent his knees, kneeling down. ¡°Hmph! You speak so lightly. The Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle is a treasured heirloom of our Lion Camel Ridge. To destroy it for just a member of the Human Race, do you really think it''s that simple?¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said sternly. Hearing this, Fu Donglai turned his head to look at him, his mouth opening but ultimately, he said nothing. He still hadn''t figured out why Shen Luo had earlier stopped him from revealing the whole truth and only hinted at Xiong Ran''s theft of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. However, he decided to trust Shen Luo and did not reveal the Six-tusked Elephant King''s collusion with the Blue-haired Lion King to harm their master. ¡°To destroy a sect''s treasured heirloom for a mere member of the Human Race, how could you even think of such a thing?¡± a demon general angrily said. ¡°He was born with a duplicitous heart, a rebel by nature. His heart truly lies with the Human Race.¡± ¡°Even if he didn''t steal the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, he harbors a different agenda, and sooner or later, he would have turned against us¡­¡± For a while, the sounds of blame and scolding were incessant. Fu Donglai turned back to look at these people and suddenly also realized, with sadness in his heart, that he seemed to be somewhat different from them. He looked up at his Master, his eyes still harboring a final glimmer of pleading. ¡°Even if the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle is destroyed, he won''t survive. He''ll just vanish into ash along with the Treasure Vase,¡± said the Golden Wings Large peng, seemingly with reluctance, before adding, ¡°However, it may not necessarily be a certain death situation.¡± ¡°Master, do you have a way to save him?¡± Fu Donglai asked eagerly with a burst of joy. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Xiong Ran''s sacrifice of his life to seal with his flesh and blood, if not forcibly broken, your Master also has no way of unlocking it. The only hope now is for him to endure forty-nine days on his own,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng explained. Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai''s heart sank into despair. ¡°Who could last for forty-nine days inside this Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle without dying?¡± he asked in desperation. ¡°There is one,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng replied. ¡°Who?¡± Fu Donglai asked, puzzled. ¡°The once Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong,¡± answered the Golden Wings Large peng. Hearing this name, Fu Donglai gave a long sigh in his heart. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong was a legendary Demon King, holding a unique place in the hearts of their Demon Clan. No matter how highly Fu Donglai thought of Shen Luo, he never believed that he could compare with him. ¡°Master, how did Sun Wukong manage to survive that year?¡± Fu Donglai still asked, unwilling to give up hope. ¡°Your Master is not clear on that either, perhaps it had something to do with his Vajra Indestructible Body,¡± said the Golden Wings Large peng. Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai fell silent for a long while before finally speaking: ¡°Master, now that I have cleared my name, may I stay here and wait for Brother Shen for forty-nine days?¡± The Golden Wings Large peng hesitated, but after a heavy sigh, having spoken to the Blue-haired Lion King and the Six-tusked Elephant King, he consented. ¡°Your name has been cleared, and your Master will now remove the Soul-scattering Nails within your body. As for the remaining injuries, they will need some time to recover. Regarding the damage to your Souls¡­ this bottle of Snake and Scorpion Beauty is partly a compensation for you. When you return to Shituocheng, your Master shall compensate you further.¡± The Golden Wings Large peng patted Fu Donglai''s shoulder and said. Fu Donglai didn''t say anything, he quietly accepted the Elixir, sat cross-legged on the spot, and watched as his Master used a Secret Method to remove one Soul-scattering Nail after another from his body. He didn''t make a sound throughout the process, not even a furrow in his brow. Truth be told, his heart was filled with immense guilt, and he regretted dragging Shen Luo into this mess, causing him to end up in such dire straits. If he could, he wished that it was he himself inside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle at this moment. A Sect conference that caused chaos ended up having to be put on hold, and the Demon generals left disheartened, departing in groups. Gradually, the figures around the Sacrificial Platform became sparse. Those who remained were just there because they hadn''t seen enough excitement and still wanted to whisper a few curses at Fu Donglai. Fu Donglai ignored them, just sitting cross-legged and meditating, slowly healing his injuries. At the same time, Shen Luo felt as if he had fallen into a realm of nothingness, the space around him seemingly boundless, yet also as if walls were right beside him. He was confined, unable to move freely. Shen Luo looked around and found that although it seemed empty outside, the area around him was rather cool. ¡°So this is what it''s like inside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle? It doesn''t seem too bad¡­¡± Just as this thought arose in his mind, a light began to emerge from the ground beneath him, and a huge Eight Trigrams Symbols Formation slowly surfaced, exuding an ancient and vast aura. Then, a thunderous ¡°boom¡± sounded as if it exploded from the Void. Chapter 1221 Chapter 1221: Chapter 1218: The Rotation of Yin and Yang Chapter 1221: Chapter 1218: The Rotation of Yin and Yang Shen Luo could not see any trace of thunder and lightning, he just felt a violent numbness all around his body, as if bolts of lightning were bursting forth from within himself, ¡°crackling¡± as they enveloped him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± After the numbness subsided, an overwhelming sensation of burning pain swept over him like a flood. Shen Luo couldn''t help but let out a low roar. Immediately following, a crimson flame surged up beneath him, wrapping around his body. The intense waves of heat almost instantly burned away his clothes, and his eyebrows and hair began to show singed yellow marks from the flames. Just as Shen Luo was about to cover himself with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire to resist the burning, suddenly a green Xun Wind emerged out of nowhere, and in an instant, the bone-chilling cold scoured through every muscle and bone in his body, making him feel frozen all over, as if his mana had been solidified. However, the changes outside his body did not stop, and the space around him suddenly became as solid as reality itself. A mountainous pressure from the void above bore down, and Shen Luo felt as if several mountains were pressing on his shoulders. He bellowed in anger, raising his arms across, standing with the stance of carrying mountains. The Huangting Technique within his body started to circulate on its own, erupting with tremendous strength from within, actually withstanding the crushing pressure of the mountains without bending his knees to the ground. But the very next instant, the surrounding void once again trembled violently. The weight of the mountains bearing down on him seemed to have increased out of thin air by two more, and that immense force was inexplicable, single-mindedly seeking to subdue him. Even though Shen Luo was trembling uncontrollably, and sweat poured down like rain, he still refused to admit defeat. As the mountainous pressure increased once more, his legs shook like chaff, and darkness began to cloud his vision periodically. Through his blurry eyes, he seemed to see layers of either black or white mist, wrapping around his arms and body like chains. There were no thunderbolts, no flames, no ice, and no mountains around him. The source of all his pain was this profound white Yin-Yang Dual Qi. Heaven and Earth, Yin and Yang, the essence of all things, divided into the Four Symbols, generating the Five Elements, transforming into the Eight Trigrams, the origin of all transformations lies in this. ¡°You want to suppress me? You''re ten thousand years too early.¡± Shen Luo let out a defiant roar, the Huangting Divine Power within him circulating furiously as he did not resign himself to fate but instead gathered his strength to rise, vowing to stand up straight. At this moment, the thunder, flames, and so on, that had been added to him, all vanished without a trace. All that remained beneath him was a black and white vortex that kept spinning. Shen Luo stood in the center of the black and white vortex, one foot in the midst of the Black Fog and the other in the White Fog. The two types of fog began to slowly rotate, gradually forming the pattern of the black and white Yin-Yang Dual Fish. Just as Shen Luo wondered what was happening, black Qi surged up from one side of the Yin Fish and engulfed him completely. Everything around him darkened, and he felt as if he had plunged into ice-cold water. The sensation of cold was not intense, but it had a devouring quality that made him sink into it, unable to extricate himself. Shen Luo knew that if he let it continue, there would be dire consequences, so he quickly urged the Pure Yang Flying Sword, summoning the Red Lotus Karmic Fire to counteract the cold. However, when the flames covered his entire body, he felt not the slightest warmth. His body temperature continued to slip away, his legs began to numb, and it seemed as though his body was gradually slipping out of his control. At this moment, Shen Luo suddenly became alert. The reason he felt this way was not that there was something wrong with his body, but because the Profound White Qi that had penetrated his body was gradually dissolving his divine soul. The weakening of his divine soul power had made his control over his body no longer perfect, which was why he was feeling this gradual loss of control. Shen Luo hurriedly redirected his divine soul, internally inspecting his Sea of Knowledge. This glimpse filled Shen Luo with alarm, as he found that a large portion of his Sea of Knowledge had already been occupied by Demonic Qi. ¡°When did this happen¡­¡± he hadn''t noticed it at all before. At the same time, his miniature divine soul, wrapped in a layer of black and white fog resembling a thick cocoon, was emitting an increasingly weaker divine soul breath. It was only in this moment that Shen Luo truly realized the severity of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Collecting his spirit, he quickly woke from the internal inspection, and when he checked his surroundings again, he discovered a surge of profound black Qi rushing up from underneath, causing the Demonic Qi within his body to be released in an utterly uncontrollable manner. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Half of his body was submerged in Demonic Qi, with the skin on the left side now hardened and formed into a layer of black bone-like armor that spread to just below his neck. On the left side of his forehead, a black bony horn had also emerged, barely an inch long with spiral patterns, while a blood-red vertical line startlingly appeared at his brow, as if a Demon Eye were about to form. Shen Luo was deeply terrified. Under the erosion of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi, his divine soul was blinded and unconsciously allowed the Demonic Qi to erupt to such an extent. As the profound Yin Qi beneath him continued to surge, it spurred the Demonic Qi inside him to rage on, causing the spread of the black armor on his body to continue, moving to invade the right half of his body. Faced with this crisis, Shen Luo immediately activated the Slayer''s Broken Sword in his Dantian, attempting to summon the Pure Yang Power to combat the Demonic Qi. However, the Slayer''s Broken Sword within his Dantian was as if the connection had been severed completely, not responding in the slightest. Unable to summon the Pure Yang Qi, Shen Luo found himself in an extremely dangerous situation, with his body and consciousness being progressively occupied and destroyed by the Demonic Qi. If he were to fully succumb to the Demonic corrosion, Shen Luo did not know what he would become. Just as his last bit of consciousness was gradually slipping towards the abyss, a flickering flame of unwillingness in his heart prompted him to let out an involuntary roar. Accompanying his bellow, the invisible shackles hampering him shattered in an instant. Within his Dantian, the previously disconnected Slayer''s Broken Sword finally emitted a tremble and reawakened, with a warm current rising gently from within the Dantian. The moment this Pure Yang Power rose, the cold sensation on Shen Luo''s body rapidly dissipated, and the original unstoppable advance of the Demonic Qi finally began to slow down. But before Shen Luo could rejoice, another change occurred. The Yang Fish underneath him, which had been inactive, suddenly seemed to come to life. In a flash, the surrounding Pure Yang Power surged, a warming force rose from beneath him, subsequently enveloping his entire body. Initially, this force felt like a replenishment to his own Pure Yang Power, warming his body and causing the Demonic Qi that had eroded his right side to gradually recede. But the good times didn''t last long, for as the Demonic Qi on the right side was pushed back to the left side, the originally gentle morning sun climbed to its zenith, transforming into the scorching sun of the hot season, beginning to bake Shen Luo. That unbearably hot force didn''t come from outside, nor did it arise from within. It resembled more a river composed of magma, surging from the ground beneath his feet into his body, then flowing out through the top of his head. His entire body was continuously subjected to a fiery baptism by the river of molten lava. Chapter 1222 Chapter 1222: Chapter 1219: Opportunity Chapter 1222: Chapter 1219: Opportunity ¡°` If it had been just once, Shen Luo might have managed, but ultimately, he was still bound by a mortal body. Under the near primordial wash of Pure Yang Power, his physical form was already on the brink of collapse. The left half of his body was pitch black, covered by bone armor, while his right half resembled a dried radish, wrinkled and parched, bearing countless microscopic cracks across the dehydrated skin. It seemed that a mere whisper of breeze would be enough to crumble his right side into dust, scattering it between Heaven and Earth. Meanwhile, his left side stood aloof like an onlooker, coldly waiting for the right half to disintegrate. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge, a blazing sun also hung high, unleashing fierce scorching waves. The once surging Sea of Knowledge had dried up under the intense evaporation of the Sun. His Divine Soul, in the form of a tiny figure, sat cross-legged on the cracked ground of the Sea of Knowledge, the black Demonic Qi that enveloped it also seemed unable to withstand the baking heat, dissipating significantly. The face of the Divine Soul miniature was also covered with cracked lines, a grim image of the ordeal. In a daze, Shen Luo recalled a line from the general principles of the Huangting Technique, ¡°When Yin and Yang clash, the Dao is obstructed; when Yin and Yang aid each other, all laws merge into one.¡± This line served as an introduction to the Art of the Seventy-Two Transformations, stating that the essence of the Transformation Art lies in the intercommunication of Yin and Yang, ever-changing and indefinite. At this moment, though Yin and Yang Qi coexisted beneath him, they remained in a standoff, unable to move freely or merge harmoniously. Shen Luo no longer entertained hopes of achieving harmony between Yin and Yang; he only wished to draw upon the primal Yin Qi within the Yin Fish to counter the Pure Yang Power scorching him like the heat of high summer. With this thought, Shen Luo mustered all his strength in an attempt to stimulate the circulation of the Demonic Qi within his body, to draw forth the primal Yin Qi. But at this moment, the Demonic Qi having taken over half his body, had assumed a dominant position and was no longer the temporary guest it once was. Despite his attempts to draw it out, it remained utterly unmoved. Shen Luo felt his mouth parched, his eyes heavy, and his divine soul nearly depleted. It seemed he was now powerless to turn the tide. Just as his consciousness teetered on the brink of slumber, and his body on the verge of collapse, his arm trembled inadvertently. A flicker of light sparked from the Linlang Ring on his arm, and a set of Black Demon Armor spontaneously materialized, enveloping him. Shen Luo''s vision went dark, and he lost consciousness completely. Yet at that moment, something eerie occurred. The newly adorned Black Demon Armor suddenly gleamed with light, seemingly intent on protecting Shen Luo, and began to absorb the Demonic Qi within his body. Instantly, streams of Demonic Qi were drawn from within Shen Luo, absorbed into the armor. This movement of Demonic Qi, now disturbed, began to resist the absorption by the armor and continued its assault into Shen Luo''s body. This activity also provoked a reaction from the Yin Fish beneath him¨Cthe primal Yin Qi began to flow incessantly into his body, compensating for the loss of Demonic Qi. Following this change, the Yin-Yang fishes beneath Shen Luo finally began to shift, rotating together in a cycle of head to tail. At last, the Yin-Yang Qi started to intermingle as if the world below now embraced the rotation of seasons. Engulfed by this force, Shen Luo experienced the interplay of cold and warmth, the clash of seasons. As the flow of Yin Qi surged, driving back much of the excessive Yang Power, his parched and cracked skin was baptized by the cold Qi, much like ice melting at the onset of spring, gradually regaining moisture. Though the process might sound enchanting, the infusion of extreme cold into extreme heat resulted in a transition that brought about excruciating pain. ¡°` Under the assault of excruciating pain, Shen Luo, who had already lost consciousness, screamed in agonizing torment as he regained awareness, only to be astonished to find that the right side of his body had miraculously healed to its original state. Unfortunately, the good times were short-lived; the primordial Yin Qi and Yang Qi that had been mobilized to oppose each other were now using Shen Luo''s body as a battlefield, engaging in an endless war. Just now, a cold Yin chill swept through, quickly followed by the scorching sun hanging high, making him feel as if he were trapped in Infinite Hell, perpetually enduring the torture of both bone-chilling cold and searing heat. At the same time, the Demonic Qi did not stop its invasion either, though each time it was repelled by the primordial Yang Qi. In an endless sea of agony, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense slowly began to recover. Wave after wave of pain so intense it no longer allowed him to lose consciousness, he was forced to experience the endless torment. Bearing an indescribable pain, Shen Luo began to harness the vigorous Yang Qi incessantly flooding into his body to break through the bottleneck of his Huangting Technique and advance toward the Fifth Layer. Time flashed by, and forty-nine days passed. Fu Donglai had been waiting outside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle for a full forty-nine days. Though the Soul-scattering Nails had been completely removed from his body, his mental state was even worse than before. He looked exhausted, his eyes full of blood silk, his heart increasingly consumed by regret and anxiety. In a few more two-hour periods, it would be time to unseal the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. As for whether Shen Luo could survive, he had almost arrived at an answer in his heart. There was only one Bright Spirit Stone Monkey in the world, and Shen Luo''s mortal flesh and blood, even with a sturdy constitution of three Souls and seven Spirits, could not possibly survive. Yet he couldn''t let go of that sliver of hope. At the same time, inside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. A tremendous black and white storm raged inside the space of the bottle, with a black and a white whirlwind furiously ravaging everything, seemingly stirring up endless fierce winds, but actually containing the cold Yin and vigorous Yang Qi, their power immense. And at the eye of the storm, a silhouetted figure sat cross-legged in the center, none other than Shen Luo. He wore a tattered Black Armor on his body, his hands crossed in front of him, channeling the Huangting Technique. Inside him, Chiyou''s Demonic Qi and the Pure Yang Power crisscrossed, establishing his flesh and blood as the base and his meridians as the Dao, charging and battling each other relentlessly. Shen Luo''s physical body had been lashed back and forth by the two forces and was on the verge of collapse; at this moment, it was solely the delicate balance between the two that maintained a thread of life for him. Should either side gain even a slight advantage, this fragile balance would be utterly shattered, leading to the moment when Shen Luo''s body would dissolve, and his soul would scatter. Of course, Shen Luo was not the type to sit around waiting for death. If he truly wanted to give up, he would not have endured forty-nine days of continuous torment; he was waiting for an opportunity, one that would break the balance without leading to his death. Just then, his eyes suddenly opened, and a glint of golden light flashed through them. The opportunity had arrived. In an instant, a bottleneck within Shen Luo ¡°cracked¡± open. In that moment, his cultivation of the Huangting Divine Power broke through the four-layer bottleneck, officially stepping into the Five Layers. Simultaneously, his right side began to radiate Golden Light, and the phantom images of two golden giant elephants and two golden giant dragons appeared behind him. In a flash, the Pure Yang Qi surged forth, and the original balance shattered at this moment. Chapter 1223 Chapter 1223: Chapter 1220: Miracle Chapter 1223: Chapter 1220: Miracle ¡°Drink!¡± Shen Luo let out a shout from his mouth, before the surrounding overflowing Yang Qi could pounce on him, he quickly changed his magic spell, commanding the two Dragon Elephants to charge towards him and merge their dispersed energy into his flesh and blood. Inside, a Golden Elephant and a Golden Dragon surged into the left side of Shen Luo''s body, while another Dragon and Elephant charged into the right side of his body. At the moment of the Dragon Elephants'' entry, the two Golden Elephants immediately dissipated, while the two Golden Dragons faced each other head-to-head, charging at one another. ¡°Boom¡± A thunderous sound erupted in front of Shen Luo''s chest. Where the Dragon Heads faced each other, they linked up, unexpectedly forming a passageway between the left and right sides of his body. At this time, the raging Black and White storm also detected the abnormal sound on Shen Luo''s body, collapsing downward in torrents, rushing toward him. Shen Luo exhaled softly from his mouth, turning his hands in front of him, the magic spells changing along with tremendous transformations on his body. His body, half Demon and half Human, underwent a reversal; a stream of Demonic Qi flowed from the left side of his body along the Golden Dragon Phantasm into the right side, and similarly, the Pure Yang Power from the right side also flowed along the Dragon''s body into the left side. An extremely mystical aura began to circulate from his body. At that moment, the Black and White storm descended simultaneously, creating a roaring sound that once again enveloped Shen Luo within it. At the same time, Fu Donglai, who was waiting outside, was startled by a muffled sound coming from the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, as the bottle itself violently jerked. However, he soon became somewhat excited. During this period, the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle which hadn''t shown any reaction at all, suddenly exhibited fluctuations at this critical moment of unsealing. Could this mean that Shen Luo, who was sealed within it, was still struggling? As soon as he thought of this, Fu Donglai started to become restless, pacing around the Treasure Vase with bloodshot eyes, nearly about to scratch his ears and cheeks in frustration. He silently urged time to pass faster in his heart, looking forward to rescuing Shen Luo sooner. Time trickled by, each instant feeling as long as a hundred years. Finally, the bottle of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle began to change; the blood-red seal which had enveloped it was now emitting wisps of white smoke, seemingly dissolving rapidly. After just a dozen breaths, the red seal completely vanished, and the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle finally restored its original emerald green color. Upon seeing this, Fu Donglai immediately staggered to his feet, charging towards the Treasure Vase. He hadn''t even reached it when he started to form magic spells with his hands and chant spells as taught by his Master, the Golden Wings Large peng, to activate the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. The Treasure Vase rose leisurely into mid-air, hovering there as secret charm patterns emerged on its surface. ¡°Open,¡± Fu Donglai finished chanting, uttering a light command. The Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, which had been floating serenely in the void, suddenly froze, no longer exhibiting the slightest sway; a ray of light shot up from the bottle mouth, and a black and a white stream of thick fog, twining around the light like two intertwined Flood Dragons, ascended into the sky. There was a constant rumbling in the high skies, where the Black and White fog converged to form a massive White Fog Vortex. Fu Donglai''s eyes were fixed on the vortex in the sky above, his heart filling with endless anticipation, hoping for a miracle to happen and for Shen Luo''s figure to descend from that cloud of fog. But after waiting for a long time, all he could see was the Black and White cloud fog vortex slowly spinning; where was even a hint of Shen Luo? Refusing to believe it, Fu Donglai extended his Divine Sense outward, probing into the Black and White clouds. Yet, in the end, he found nothing. ¡°How could it¡­¡± Fu Donglai murmured to himself. The last glimmer of hope in his eyes wavered uncertainly, and he immediately rose into the sky, heading straight for the Black and White cloud fog. ¡°` Unfortunately, even though he went in person to search, he still couldn''t detect the slightest trace of Shen Luo''s presence. ¡°He ultimately couldn''t create a miracle; it''s my fault that he died¡­¡± Fu Donglai sighed. As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to have all his strength drained from him, allowing his body to fall from high altitude and smash heavily onto the ground. ¡°Boom¡± A dull sound rang out, and the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle was also toppled by the impact, rolling to the side on the ground. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Fu Donglai looked at the skydome where the black and white fog was gradually dissipating and slowly closed his eyes, which hadn''t shut once in forty-nine days. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, what are you doing?¡± At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly rang in Fu Donglai''s ears. Fu Donglai initially thought it was an illusion, but as his eyes blurred, it seemed that a shadow was blocking the light. He slowly opened his eyes, only to see Shen Luo standing beside him in a moon-white long robe, bending over and looking at him with a puzzled face. ¡°Brother Shen, Brother Shen¡­¡± Fu Donglai looked at Shen Luo with disbelief, flipped over with a carp''s flop, and sprang up from the ground. ¡°It really is you, you''re still alive¡­¡± he exclaimed excitedly. This commotion immediately attracted the nearby demon creatures, all staring in surprise at the two men. Those who knew some of the inside story quickly ran off to report the news to their leaders. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Of course I''m still alive. As for you, why do you look like you don''t have many days left?¡± Shen Luo teased. Before his words were over, Fu Donglai took a step forward and hugged him tightly. ¡°This is so great, so great, Brother Shen, you really are a miraculous person¡­¡± Fu Donglai couldn''t help but repeat again and again. Shen Luo, caught off guard by the sudden embrace, felt a bit embarrassed, patted Fu Donglai''s shoulder, pushed him away, and asked: ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Fu Donglai paused, then retold the incident of Shen Luo being sucked into the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle and shared all the dangers of the treasure vase as told by the Golden Wings Large peng. After listening, Shen Luo fell silent. He too had narrowly escaped death, miraculously surviving forty-nine days. ¡°Brother Shen, how exactly did you survive inside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle?¡± Fu Donglai finally regained his smile, clapped Shen Luo on the shoulder, and asked. ¡°Well¡­ it''s a long story. Right now on Lion Camel Ridge¡­¡± Shen Luo hadn''t finished speaking when he was interrupted by another voice. ¡°Friend Shen is truly a prodigious talent, indeed creating a miracle by surviving forty-nine days in the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, and it seems that your divine soul has not suffered any damage at all.¡± Shen Luo looked in the direction of the voice and saw a tall man in black robes, emerging from the parting crowd of demon soldiers, approaching with a warm smile on his face, none other than the Golden Wings Large peng. ¡°I pay my respects to the elder.¡± Shen Luo said with a fist wrapped in his palm. ¡°No need for formalities. If it weren''t for you, with the temperament of my disciple, it would have been difficult to clear his name. The fact that you survived forty-nine days in the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle has indeed exceeded my expectations,¡± Golden Wings Large peng said, looking at Shen Luo with admiration. ¡°It was mere luck that I stole a life; it''s really not worth praising,¡± Shen Luo said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°This time, you''ve done a great service for Lion Camel Ridge by rooting out such a traitor. We should rightfully treat you generously, but now that the situation has somewhat calmed down, we¡­¡± Golden Wings Large peng said with an apologetic expression. Shen Luo could tell from his words that there seemed to be an intention to send him away. Chapter 1224 Chapter 1224: Chapter 1221 Suspicion Chapter 1224: Chapter 1221 Suspicion ¡°` ¡°I understand, Lion Camel Ridge must be busy with many matters right now, so I won''t impose any further and will depart tomorrow,¡± said Shen Luo with a smile. Having said that, he looked at Fu Donglai and asked, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, you still have an official post in Chang''an City, do you want to return with me?¡± Fu Donglai heard this and seemed somewhat troubled, unsure of what to say for a moment. ¡°Donglai, you weren''t like this before. Just speak your mind,¡± Golden Wings Large peng also said. Fu Donglai hesitated for a moment before speaking, ¡°Brother Shen, I''ve been busy guarding the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle and haven''t been able to help the Sect at all; instead, I''ve caused a lot of trouble, so I was thinking¡­ it might be best to stay within the Sect for a period time before deciding on anything else.¡± Shen Luo heard this and his eyebrows imperceptibly raised, but he said nothing more. At that moment, two more figures approached, and they were none other than the Blue-haired Lion King and the Six-tusked Elephant King. The Blue-haired Lion King grabbed the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle from the ground, and his expression immediately changed, exclaiming, ¡°This treasure vase¡­¡± Noticing the odd expression on the Blue-haired Lion King''s face, the Six-tusked Elephant King took the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle from his hand. The moment the treasure vase was in his possession, his expression darkened, and he turned to Shen Luo, angrily demanding, ¡°Audacious human, come clean! How did you destroy our Sect''s treasure vase?¡± Upon hearing these words, everyone on the scene changed their expressions, even Shen Luo himself looked extremely surprised. ¡°Second brother, let me have a look,¡± Golden Wings Large peng walked over and said. The Six-tusked Elephant King, with an unhappy expression, handed over the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle. Golden Wings Large peng took it over and casually weighed it in his hand, realizing the treasure vase felt unusually light, and his brows furrowed slightly as well. ¡°Boy, how dare you damage the treasured item of Lion Camel Ridge. What should your punishment be?¡± scolded the Six-tusked Elephant King. ¡°Elder, I am not aware of that. I only know that I helped thwart the treacherous scheme of the traitors of Lion Camel Ridge and inadvertently got sucked into the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, after which I barely survived a fight to the death. As for the damage to the treasure vase, it has nothing to do with me,¡± Shen Luo said with a sidelong glance and a cold laugh. Seeing that Shen Luo was not intimidated at all, the Six-tusked Elephant King became even more furious and was about to teach Shen Luo a lesson. ¡°Second brother, don''t be hasty in striking¨Cthe treasure vase isn''t damaged,¡± Golden Wings Large peng immediately intervened to stop him at that moment. ¡°Not damaged? It''s exactly the same as after that wretched monkey caused trouble that year¨Chow can you say it isn''t damaged?¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said with a frown. ¡°It truly isn''t damaged; it''s just that the Yin-Yang Dual Qi stored inside has been nearly depleted. To restore its power, it would need to be placed in the Xuan Yang Cave for at least three hundred years,¡± Golden Wings Large peng said. After finishing this statement, Golden Wings Large peng himself was taken aback for a moment, and the Blue-haired Lion King and the Six-tusked Elephant King both showed signs of shock. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, they quickly regained their composure. ¡°Friend Shen, you have just escaped your predicament and must be very tired. Let Donglai take you to rest first,¡± Golden Wings Large peng said with a smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said, cupping his fist in a salute. Following his words, Fu Donglai led Shen Luo to a separate garden cave at Lion Camel Ridge and settled him into a residence. After the two left, the three Demon Kings of Lion Camel Ridge dismissed the demon soldiers and took the rare opportunity to walk side by side towards a mountain cliff. ¡°Third Brother, are you certain¨C the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle isn''t damaged but completely depleted of the Yin and Yang Qi inside?¡± asked the Blue-haired Lion King with a grave expression. ¡°` ¡°Big Brother, don''t you trust me?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng retorted. ¡°If it''s really the case, then this kid is probably not just a Mahayana stage cultivator as he appears. He might even be in the late True Immortal stage, otherwise, he definitely couldn''t have done such a thing,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King contemplated. ¡°Indeed, back then, even though Sun Wukong was trapped for so long, he eventually used a clever method to break the Treasure Vase. He certainly didn''t completely dissipate all the Yin-Yang Dual Qi,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng remarked. ¡°When the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference was held, I had found this kid to be extraordinary. Now it seems that his approach to Fu Donglai was deliberate and not just because of a resonance in spirit¨Cit''s very likely that he''s a spy from the Human Race, and of the highest level at that. What a fool Fu Donglai was to actually believe him¡­¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said with a cold sneer. ¡°But that''s strange. If it''s really so, why would he help us in Lion Camel Ridge to root out the traitor Xiong Ran?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King was puzzled. The Golden Wings Large peng and the Six-tusked Elephant King both fell silent. ¡°Perhaps it''s because they''re of different factions. Xiong Ran might not necessarily be manipulated by the Human Race; it''s highly possible that he had the backing of the Immortal Clan,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng speculated after a moment. ¡°Maybe so¡­ We need to investigate this thoroughly,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King mused. On the other side, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai were sitting face to face in a stone chamber. The latter was still amazed at how Shen Luo survived inside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle and kept asking about it. Shen Luo had to briefly explain that he survived by utilizing Demonic Qi and the Huangting Divine Power to circulate within the Yin-Yang Dual Qi, ultimately reversing the isolated state of solitary Yin and solitary Yang. He changed the conflicting nature of Yin and Yang to a balanced state of coexistence. Fu Donglai, who had never entered the bottle''s space, only partly understood Shen Luo''s words, yet his admiration for Shen Luo was immense. The next day, early morning, Shen Luo set out to leave Lion Camel Ridge, with only Fu Donglai coming to see him off. ¡°Brother Shen, are you sure you don''t want to speak to my Master? He had earlier said he wanted to thank you properly,¡± Fu Donglai hesitated to say. ¡°No need. I came here just to see you, not for any rewards,¡± Shen Luo said with a slightly altered expression, smiling. The two walked side by side through the mountain forest, moving farther and farther away from Lion Camel Ridge. When they reached a place where there were no demon soldiers patrolling, Shen Luo looked around for a moment and then suddenly spoke up: ¡°Elder Brother Fu, do you really not want to leave this place with me?¡± Fu Donglai chuckled, his instinct was to decline, but upon seeing Shen Luo''s serious expression, he instantly understood something. ¡°Brother Shen, do you wish for me to leave Lion Camel Ridge?¡± Fu Donglai asked with a frown. ¡°The waters here at Lion Camel Ridge are deeper and murkier than I initially thought. I truly don''t wish for you to continue staying in this place,¡± Shen Luo said, looking in the direction of Lion Camel Ridge with concern. ¡°Brother Shen, have you discovered something else? Is that why you didn''t expose the Blue-haired Lion King and the Six-tusked Elephant King''s conspiracy during the sect division ceremony?¡± Fu Donglai''s brows furrowed more deeply as he asked. Hearing this, Shen Luo sighed but did not directly answer. Instead, he posed another question, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, I remember you once said that your Master is very averse to the Human Race. What are his thoughts on the Demon Clan?¡± ¡°My Master hasn''t talked much about it, only that he''s been quite dissatisfied with the split among the Demon Clan,¡± Fu Donglai replied, not understanding why Shen Luo raised this question. ¡°And what are his views on Chi You?¡± Shen Luo continued to inquire. ¡°My Master, like the Six-tusked Elephant King, was in favor of unsealing the Demon Ancestor. He believes that only a powerful existence like Demonic Ancestor Chi You can unify our clan amidst this split,¡± Fu Donglai said. Understanding, Shen Luo spoke up, ¡°If I''m not mistaken, of the three Demon Kings, only the Blue-haired Lion King is opposed to this idea?¡± Chapter 1225 Chapter 1225: Chapter 1222: The Ins and Outs Chapter 1225: Chapter 1222: The Ins and Outs ¡°Indeed. The Lion King has lived through countless years, witnessed too many conflicts between the Demon Clan and the other races, and knows that the chaos in the Three Realms of that year, which brought suffering upon all beings, was mainly the fault of the Demon Clan led by Chiyou. Thus, he does not support bringing this war god, with his murderous urge to conquer and kill, back to life. He simply wishes for the three races to keep to themselves and not infringe upon each other. Some small-scale friction is acceptable, but not full-scale war,¡± Fu Donglai nodded and said. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, have you ever considered that the events of before might not have been as simple as you thought, and that the chaos caused by the division ceremony might not have been aimed at your Master?¡± After hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent for a long while before asking again. Upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, Fu Donglai was first taken aback, then, recalling Shen Luo''s past expressions and actions, his face immediately turned to panic. ¡°Brother Shen, you¡­ you''re saying that the person who instigated Xiong Ran to frame me isn''t the Blue-haired Lion King¡­ but instead¡­¡± He found himself unable to continue. ¡°Perhaps we''ve been misunderstanding from the beginning. During this division ceremony, the one who was originally to be eliminated wasn''t your Master but rather the Blue-haired Lion King, whose opinions were opposite to the other two. Judging from his reactions to Xiong Ran''s betrayal, he seemed more like a person kept in the dark,¡± Shen Luo said. As Shen Luo spoke, Fu Donglai also gradually began to recall various odd details. ¡°Did you suspect my Master very early on?¡± Fu Donglai asked. ¡°Not really, but I''ve always had an intuition that something was off and awkward about this matter. The reactions of the Blue-haired Lion King before provided some evidence for me. However, what made me certain was the response of the three Great Kings when the Six-tusked Elephant King suddenly attempted murder,¡± Shen Luo said. Fu Donglai thought carefully and hesitatingly said: ¡°At that time, the Elephant King was set on killing to silence us. The Lion King chose to stand by and watch, and only my Master stepped forward to save us¡­ shouldn''t that prove his innocence?¡± ¡°Did you notice that at that moment, the void around us briefly stagnated? That sensation didn''t come from the pressure of the Six-tusked Elephant King''s strength, but from your Master. It was a unique fluctuation that occurs when he uses his Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. I won''t mistake it,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Even if that''s the case, it could have been an unintentional act in the process of saving someone,¡± Fu Donglai said. ¡°No, at such a close distance, with your Master''s strength, there would be no need to use that divine skill to save you. Plus, he made an exceedingly fast feint to cover up the fact that he was using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, which seemed unnecessary. Moreover, after he saved someone, the situation that resulted was Xiong Ran landing near the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, thereby giving him the chance to activate the treasure vase and deal with us,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, disagreeing. Fu Donglai stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows knitting as he pondered deeply. Shen Luo walked ahead of him, stopped, and gestured for him to catch up with a wave of his hand. ¡°Do you know what Xiong Ran''s expression was like just before he died?¡± Fu Donglai caught up and listened as Shen Luo continued. Without waiting for Fu Donglai to speak, Shen Luo added: ¡°At first, it was smugness, which soon turned into horror, and at the last moment of his disintegrating form, it was resentment. His badly damaged body struggled to turn, and the direction of his gaze wasn''t at the Blue-haired Lion King or the Six-tusked Elephant King, but at your Master.¡± Fu Donglai''s face had changed from initial surprise to a twisted, painful expression. His reason led him to believe Shen Luo''s words, but his emotions resisted, unwilling to accept the truth. ¡°So it''s no surprise I was sealed into the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle by Xiong Ran''s blood sacrifice. Xiong Ran thought he was taught how to activate the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, but what he actually learned was the art of the blood sacrifice seal. It was meant to deal with the Blue-haired Lion King, but in the end, it was used on me,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. In an instant, Fu Donglai understood many things. ¡°Why would Master do this? The plan to resurrect the Demon Ancestor has already failed, and the races of the Three Realms have formed an alliance. Why would he do this?¡± Fu Donglai didn''t know if he was asking Shen Luo or himself. However, the answer was obvious; the Demon Clan hadn''t truly given up on resurrecting Chiyou. ¡°You from the Human Race, not only is your physique unusual but your mind is also remarkably keen. Third Brother was indeed right; we can''t let you live and leave,¡± at this moment, a burst of cold laughter emanated from ahead. A figure clad in Silver Armor emerged from the dense forest ahead, blocking their path. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai were both greatly shocked; previously, neither of them had detected the presence of the Six-tusked Elephant King. The two of them stood shoulder to shoulder, warily looking around. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What are you looking at? Isn''t it enough that I, the King, am personally taking action to end you? Rest assured, the Demon Soldiers within a hundred miles have all been called away. This place will be your grave,¡± said the Six-tusked Elephant King, frowning. ¡°If we fight here, aren''t you afraid of drawing the Blue-haired Lion King''s attention?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Don''t worry, by the time he arrives, you''ll already be dead. Given your survival for forty-nine days in the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle, Big Brother also agrees that we should take the opportunity to dispose of you while you''re still weak, not giving you any chance to grow further,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said. As he spoke, he raised his hand and a beam of silver light shot out from it. It flew above the three of them, reaching a hundred yards in the air, and immediately formed a hemispherical silver light curtain that descended and enclosed them. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo transmitted his voice to Fu Donglai, ¡°Hold on to me tightly.¡± No sooner had he spoken than a strong burst of Qi exploded in front of them, with dozens of silver lights swirling out, crisscrossing wildly through the void, bringing with them powerful Demonic Qi, and slashing towards Shen Luo at an extreme speed. Shen Luo''s arms had just started to shine with Gold and Silver light, nowhere near quick enough to execute the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. Seeing this, Fu Donglai roared with anger, about to step forward to block the attack, but was pulled back by Shen Luo grabbing his shoulder and yanking him behind himself. The Aura that the Six-tusked Elephant King was emitting at this moment had indeed reached the Late True Immortal Stage, and Fu Donglai''s physique simply wouldn''t be able to withstand it, posing a risk to his life. A flash of black light surrounded Shen Luo, and a severely damaged Devil Armor emerged. Under his full activation, it emitted a burst of black light. The silver light blades slashed onto the Jiuli Devil Armor, which immediately operated on its own, starting to absorb the rolling Demonic Qi attached to the blades. But only in an instant, the sound of tearing fabric was heard from the armor. With a ¡°chit¡± sound. The already battered Jiuli Devil Armor suddenly split into seven or eight pieces, exploding off Shen Luo''s body. Shen Luo then took a heavy blow and was thrown backward with a ¡°bang¡±. His figure smashed through a dozen ancient trees in succession before he finally came to a halt. ¡°Brother Shen.¡± Fu Donglai called out anxiously, quickly chasing after him. ¡°Just a Late-stage Mahayana Cultivator daring to block the way? Truly overestimating oneself, seeking death,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King strode forward, approaching Fu Donglai and him. At that moment, from under the broken trees, a faint cough was heard. ¡°Cough cough, it seems the difference is still too great¡­¡± A sigh came through, with Shen Luo using the broken tree for support, slowly stood up. The clothes on his chest were ripped and tattered, with blood seeping out from underneath. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± Fu Donglai exclaimed in shock and joy upon seeing this. Chapter 1226 Chapter 1226: Chapter 123: Vision Chapter 1226: Chapter 123: Vision Shen Luo staggered to his feet and tore open his ragged clothes, revealing the well-defined muscles beneath. Fu Donglai and the Six-tusked Elephant King stared intently, both simultaneously uttering sounds of surprise and suspicion. They saw that the left half of Shen Luo''s body was pitch black, seemingly covered with bone-like scale armor, while the right half was golden, as if cast from molten gold, and decorated with fish-scale water ripple patterns. It was clear to anyone that his physique had transcended the category of the Human Race, yet it seemed to resemble neither the race of Immortals nor that of Demons. ¡°Interesting, it seems this is the reason you could survive in the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King sized up Shen Luo, not in a hurry to make a move but said with great interest. Fu Donglai also scratched the back of his head in confusion, wondering when Shen Luo had acquired such divine powers. ¡°Brother Fu, the Six-tusked Elephant King''s strength is too formidable, our only option is to flee,¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice. ¡°The Elephant King is a True Immortal Peak Monks, escaping from his hands is exceedingly difficult. Brother Shen, I have already caused you to fall into the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle once, I cannot let you lose your life here again. I will hold him off, you must quickly use your Escape Technique and leave,¡± Fu Donglai replied quite frankly through voice transmission. However, before they could conclude their discussion, the Six-tusked Elephant King seemed to see through their intentions and spoke: ¡°You don''t need to worry about anything, with me here today, no one will escape.¡± As he spoke, he made a magic spell with one hand and waved the other, sending out a bright silver light from in front of him that shot into the void. The light split into hundreds of silver blades that surrounded Shen Luo and him from all directions. The Six-tusked Elephant King reached into the void, and the dispersed silver light blades instantly closed in, falling like a barrage of stabs. Seeing this, Fu Donglai was shocked, wanting to say something, but discovered the surrounding air tight. He was unable to move. On the other side, Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, and he let out a shout, his hands forming a seal, making a very strange magic spell. Immediately, a patch of black light and a patch of golden light emerged from his Dantian, intertwining and lighting up simultaneously. The black light and dazzling golden light burst forth at the same time, expanding like two suns of different colors colliding, intense waves of Mana rippling out from within. The dense, intertwining silver blades coming at them from all directions were instantly engulfed by the two rays of light, disappearing without a trace, as if swallowed by the sea. Fu Donglai suddenly felt a release, stumbled, and regained the ability to move, looking at Shen Luo with residual fear and a mixture of shock and joy, clearly not expecting that Shen Luo had the means to withstand a strike from the Six-tusked Elephant King. ¡°Such pure Pure Yang Power, able to intertwine with such rich Demonic Qi without clashing against each other, and, in fact, almost complementing each other harmoniously, how did you do it?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King''s eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of doubt arising within him, he couldn''t help but ask. ¡°What exactly are you doing all this for?¡± Shen Luo didn''t answer but asked with knitted brows. ¡°All this? It seems you know quite a lot?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King was a bit surprised, asking in a probing manner. ¡°The Demon Void Earth Dragon at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference was sent by you, right? The Ginseng Tree of the people of Wuzhuang was also killed by you using the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle to erode the Earth Veins, correct?¡± Shen Luo asked with a cold smile. ¡°It seems you really did uncover quite a bit. Yes, we did it. But what can you do about it now? What can you, a mere Great Mahayana Peak Cultivator, do?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King ridiculed with a laugh. Shen Luo''s face showed anger, but his heart was actually very calm. For these events he had already investigated and gradually concluded, he wouldn''t show a bit of surprise or angry emotion. While speaking with the Six-tusked Elephant King, Shen Luo focused his mind, cautiously controlling the Pure Yang Mana and Chiyou Demon Qi within his Dantian. He was still not fully proficient with this secret technique. However, soon, as the Pure Yang Power and Chiyou Demon Qi within his dantian began to interact, black and white mists started to rise from his body, gradually spreading out and making his figure appear indistinct within them. The Six-tusked Elephant King was startled and took two steps back subconsciously, thinking Shen Luo was about to use some mysterious Escape Technique. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, after noticing there were no fluctuations in the space around them, he was somewhat reassured, but his brow quickly furrowed again. For he finally realized that the black and white mist emanating from Shen Luo was not just any mist¨Cit was the world''s purest Yin-Yang Dual Qi. The Six-tusked Elephant King retreated a bit more discreetly, for if it truly was the Yin-Yang Dual Qi from a treasure vase, it might possess the power to dissolve the Soul and Spirit. Observing this strange sight, he couldn''t help but doubt¨Ccould it be that Shen Luo was not of the Human Race, but some ancient, exotic creature? Otherwise, how could his merely human body harness the power of this Yin-Yang Dual Qi? But very soon, the Six-tusked Elephant King noticed something amiss¨CFu Donglai stood right in the area engulfed by the Yin-Yang Dual Qi, seemingly unaffected by it. ¡°Playing tricks like a spirit.¡± Despite saying this, he couldn''t shake off a bad feeling in his heart. With that, he raised his palm and waved it. From within his wide sleeve came a sound as loud as thunder¨Ca milky white flying sword, three feet in length, shot out with a whoosh toward Shen Luo, shrouded in the thick mist. ¡°Rumble¡± The roar of thunder grew louder; the milky white flying sword was wrapped in countless white electric arcs, striking like a bolt of clear sky thunderbolt, quickly rushing into the thick mist. The surrounding dense mist encountering the snowy white lightning began to melt and dissipate rapidly, almost instantly vanishing without a trace. ¡°As expected, it was just a bluff¡­¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King smiled with self-satisfaction. The milky white flying sword, unstoppable within the thick mist, not only retained its electrified momentum but grew even stronger. ¡°Boom¡± The flying sword reached its peak momentum, bursting out with a powerful snowy white thunder light that tore terrifying fissures in the surrounding void, heading straight for Shen Luo''s chest. Yet Shen Luo, emerging from the mist, didn''t evade in the slightest and, instead, stepped forward. His body was as steady as Mount Tai, his steps were unfalteringly firm. He didn''t summon any Magical Artifacts but clenched the fist at his waist. With the step he took forward, he launched a punch. It was merely an unarmed strike, but Shen Luo''s entire body exploded with an immensely powerful aura. The mist behind him in the void seemed to ignite, rising in billowing streams to form a sea of flames shimmering with golden light. Not far away, Fu Donglai''s eyes were wide with shock. To his astonishment, Shen Luo, standing before the flames, now bore a startling and strange appearance. Chapter 1227 Chapter 1227: Chapter 1224: Battle Again Chapter 1227: Chapter 1224: Battle Again At this moment, Shen Luo''s body had grown significantly taller, nearing ten feet, with the left half completely invaded by Demonic Qi and covered with a thick layer of dark bone armor etched with dark red blood-tinged Demonic Patterns, while the right half was the exact opposite, sheathed in golden scale armor. His left cheek bore a fierce expression, and on his forehead, there was a pitch black demon horn, about an inch long. The right side of his face was equally ferocious, resembling an enraged Vajra, with a golden dragon horn springing from the right side of his forehead. Even stranger were his two eyes, with the left, tainted with Demonic Qi, featuring a pupil brimming with golden light, and the right, infused with Pure Yang Power, harboring a pitch black demon eye. Shen Luo''s fist that slammed into the Snowy White Thunder Light was his left one, covered with bone armor. There was a booming sound! The Snowy White Thunder Light exploded vehemently, turning into a snowy white pillar of light dozens of feet thick that shot into the high altitude. Numerous thick thunder snakes burst from the pillar in all directions, causing a continuous chain of explosive reverberations. The booming sounds persisted. Explosions sounded all around, and almost no place within a hundred feet radius was spared. Even the light shield that enveloped the area resonated with booming echoes, and the rebounding force caused the earth to fall into utter chaos and shaking. After repelling that sword attack, Shen Luo had already retreated back, shielding Fu Donglai behind him, allowing the residual thunder and lightning to continuously bombard him. The Six-tusked Elephant King raised a hand, recalling the flying sword, and gripping it in his palm, he looked toward Shen Luo through the smoke. A hint of solemnity appeared in his eyes. Just now, he had used only thirty percent of his strength, while his adversary was, at most, just a Great Mahayana Peak Cultivator. Yet, he himself was a bona fide True Immortal Peak Cultivator, a mere step away from the Taiyi Realm. But Shen Luo had withstood the blow, and it seemed he had not sustained much damage, and likewise, it appeared he had not used his full strength. ¡°I originally thought you were just creating some smokescreens. I didn''t expect you could truly harness the power of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi, and it seems you also possess the genuine Demonic Qi of Chiyou and traces of the Daoist superior skills. I did underestimate you before, but it is because of this that you must die here today,¡± declared the Six-tusked Elephant King, clutching the milky white longsword in his hand. What he hadn''t mentioned earlier was that the aura emanating from Shen Luo at this moment was not of the Great Mahayana Peak, but had already crossed that threshold, entering the True Immortal Level. Great Mahayana and True Immortal represent the difference between transforming from mortal to immortal, and the disparity is as vast as that between the cloud and mud. However, the Six-tusked Elephant King could also tell that Shen Luo''s current state was not normal and was likely not sustainable for a long time. Surprise aside, the Six-tusked Elephant King had no intention of waiting for Shen Luo''s state to become unsustainable before he made a move; instead, he planned to use his full strength in a single strike to eradicate him. In his view, even with Early True Immortal cultivation level, Shen Luo was still no match for him. With his mind set, his aura suddenly changed. A white light illuminated his body, enveloping his entire being, and even the milky white longsword in his hand was shrouded in the light. Seeing this, Shen Luo, whose eyes had already undergone a transformation, still flashed a serious look. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I must ask you to bear with me for a moment.¡± With that said, he pulled Fu Donglai over without another word and stuffed him into the Qiankun Bag at his waist. Then he turned around, stood firm, and faced the Six-tusked Elephant King, his contrasting pupils steadily gazing at the other party. Seeing this, anger swelled within the Six-tusked Elephant King. To think that a mere Early True Immortal of the Human Race dared to meet his gaze while he unleashed his full aura. ¡°Seeking death.¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King let out a low shout as the white light engulfing his body suddenly transformed, rising like flames. A tremendous oppressive force instantly radiated from him, pressing down on Shen Luo like a tide. ¡°Bang bang bang¡± Under the heavy pressure, the ground in front of the Elephant King continuously cracked, and a web of intersecting fissures spread out, rushing towards Shen Luo. The moment they reached him, Shen Luo felt an intense weight thrust down from the void. His body shook violently, the ground beneath him tremored, and dust billowed up as earth and rocks shattered. Shen Luo didn''t want to bend his spine, but the weight was beyond his imagination, causing his shoulders to tremble slightly, and his jaws clenched tightly together, straining not to let his waist bend. Seeing this, the Six-tusked Elephant King was slightly satisfied, as this display of struggling was what he deemed appropriate for Shen Luo. He stepped towards Shen Luo and stomped on the ground with a thunderous ¡°boom¡±. It was as if a mountain peak had fallen, increasing the gravity crushing Shen Luo once more. His spine curved even more, his shoulders shook more violently, and his teeth ground together loudly. The Six-tusked Elephant King laughed and took another step closer to Shen Luo. ¡°Boom¡± A muffled groan came from Shen Luo''s mouth as his previously rigid neck also lowered slightly. ¡°It seems you aren''t as strong as I thought,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said, his laughter becoming more unbridled. Shen Luo was silent, but inside his black and gold arms, a silver and golden light gradually began to shine. At the same time, the Six-tusked Elephant King had already reached him, lifting a palm and pressing it down towards Shen Luo''s head. At that moment, Shen Luo, seemingly burdened with the weight of several mountains, was completely immobilized, allowing the Elephant King''s palm to rest on his forehead. ¡°Remember, ants are invariably ants, and certain tides are unstoppable. Whether it''s the Human Race or the Immortal Clan, you are all disruptors of the chaotic order of the Three Realms. You do not deserve to lead the world but are only fit to tremble beneath the battle fire of my Demon Clan,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King spoke from a position of supremacy, criticizing Shen Luo and the Human Race. For such verbal advantage, Shen Luo usually disdained to argue, but this time, he struggled to raise his head and said: ¡°You Demon Clan truly have unremittingly vile intentions, so what''s wrong with fighting you once more?¡± As he spoke, his brow suddenly started to bleed. The Six-tusked Elephant King only felt a burning sensation in his palm, and then blood-colored flames unexpectedly flared up beneath it. It was the blood from Shen Luo''s brow spontaneously igniting. Immediately after, a streak of blood light burst from his brow, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± it pierced right through the Elephant King''s palm, grazing his cheek and penetrating the enormous ear, leaving a bloody hole. The Six-tusked Elephant King was shocked and tried to withdraw his palm, only to see Shen Luo, who had been previously bent over, now standing straight up again. Wisps of golden mist wafted from the left socket of his eyes while tendrils of Demonic Qi spilled from the right, creating a particularly eerie sight. In the center of his brow, a deep red vertical line had appeared, with something inside that seemed to be pulsating rhythmically. Chapter 1228 Chapter 1228: Chapter 1225: Escape from the Devil''s Claws Chapter 1228: Chapter 1225: Escape from the Devil''s Claws Having steadied his stance, Shen Luo lifted his golden right arm covered in dragon scales, gathered strength for a brief moment, and then unleashed a punch towards the Six-tusked Elephant King. With a loud shout from the Elephant King''s mouth, white light swiftly gathered around him, condensing onto his injured palm, which he fashioned into a fist, and smashed towards Shen Luo. Empowered by his rage, this punch held not the slightest restraint. Even before it made contact with Shen Luo, it already burst forth like a white sun. The sound of dragons chanting and elephants trumpeting roared from Shen Luo''s arm, as dragon and elephant shadows appeared and arrayed themselves, charging towards the blazing sun. ¡°Boom¡± A thunderous rumble that could shake heaven and earth erupted. The Six-tusked Elephant King stood immobile like a mountain, while Shen Luo crazily spat blood from his mouth, his body flying backward like a torn sack. Just as he was about to crash into that layer of light curtain, his arms shone with a bright gold and silver light, and his figure vanished amidst a burst of thunderous lightning. ¡°Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique¡­¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King''s expression changed drastically upon seeing this. He hurriedly circulated his Divine Sense, trying to find Shen Luo''s whereabouts. But all there was in the void were chaotic fluctuations of Heaven and Earth Aura; there was no trace of Shen Luo''s breath to be found. How could he have imagined that a mere member of the Human Race could execute the Golden Wings Large peng''s Escape Technique to such an extent? ¡°Never mind, even if my punch didn''t immediately pulverize his body, his bones must be broken, and his internal organs won''t be in much better condition; it''s just that he''s died further away. As for that minor character, Fu Donglai, he won''t be able to stir any big waves,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King murmured slowly as he looked into the void. However, his anger surged again at the mention of Fu Donglai. If it weren''t for his sudden return to Lion Camel Ridge to investigate the matter of the Demon Void Earth Dragon, none of these troubles would have ensued. ¡°Third Brother is still too merciful. I should have listened to myself and killed Fu Dong as soon as he returned. This delay here means time is running tight for Mount Fangcun¡­¡± While murmuring to himself, he retracted the array he had set up earlier and returned to Lion Camel Ridge. Elsewhere, after using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique three times in succession, Shen Luo completely escaped the boundaries of Lion Camel Ridge, lost all strength, and plummeted from midair, crashing into a mountain forest. The Six-tusked Elephant King''s earlier guess was correct; all of Shen Luo''s bones were shattered, and his internal organs were utterly ruptured, his body almost turning into mush at this point. He barely managed to release Fu Donglai from his Qiankun Bag before he no longer had the strength to move. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± As soon as Fu Donglai appeared, he called out immediately. He couldn''t help but ask when he saw Shen Luo''s current strange condition, ¡°What happened to you?¡± ¡°It''s nothing serious¡­ We, we''ve escaped,¡± Shen Luo gasped for breath as he spoke. ¡°How did you manage that?¡± Fu Donglai looked around and realized they were no longer in the same place, expressing his surprise. ¡°Now is not the time to talk about that, I¡­¡± Shen Luo couldn''t finish his sentence before he had to vomit again. But this time, it wasn''t just blood that he spat out but a lump of mud-like substance. Fu Donglai took a closer look and his pupils instantly dilated. ¡°Your organs¡­¡± ¡°It''s no big deal. I exchanged a punch with the Six-tusked Elephant King, broke some bones, my lungs and liver burst. I need some time to heal. You''ll have to protect me for a while,¡± Shen Luo tried to shake his head but found he couldn''t muster the strength. ¡°You''re being too reckless, even a punch from a late-stage True Immortal Cultivator is not something you can easily take,¡± Fu Donglai said, already reaching into his bosom for an Elixir. ¡°No need, just help me stand up, and assist me in holding my Dantian energy with the Great Unsealing Technique,¡± Shen Luo replied. Fu Donglai hesitated slightly, but did as Shen Luo requested, helping him stand and adopting a posture of holding something invisible before him with both hands. Shen Luo immediately closed his eyes, and the Demonic Qi and Mana in his body began retreating back into his Dantian. At the same time, the Devil Armor and golden scales on his body slowly receded, gradually returning to his original appearance. Fu Donglai watched, the doubts in his heart growing. A moment later, almost all of the abnormalities on Shen Luo''s body had vanished, leaving behind only a faint jujube-red mark on his brow that did not fade even after some time. Just as Fu Donglai was about to ask a question, he heard a crisp ¡°crack¡± sound. Shen Luo, who had managed to sit upright until now, suddenly slumped to one side, followed by a series of ¡°crack¡± noises, sounding like popping beans. Fu Donglai''s heart skipped a beat; those were the sounds of bones breaking. Immediately afterward, Shen Luo collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud. ¡°Brother Shen, you¡­¡± Fu Donglai quickly rushed to his side. Shen Luo struggled to open his mouth but no sound emerged, as the cartilage in his throat had also been broken. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, don''t worry. In the following time, I need to use the Great Unsealing Technique to repair my body, which might take a while. I''ll leave myself in your hands during this period,¡± Shen Luo''s voice rose in Fu Donglai''s Sea of Knowledge. ¡°Don''t worry, I''ll protect you with my life until you recover,¡± Fu Donglai quickly patted his chest and said. Without saying anything more, Shen Luo slowly closed his eyes and began to operate the Great Unsealing Technique to repair his body. Time flew by, and it was already two months later. Shen Luo''s injuries were more severe than he had anticipated, and it took him a month longer than he had estimated to heal. For the first half-month, Shen Luo was almost completely immobile, and it was only after a month that he began to recover. His organs, although mostly healed, still bore some internal injuries that were not fully repaired, occasionally causing him to cough up blood. Shen Luo''s skin had also become abnormally pale, exhibiting a somewhat sickly appearance, which was not normal. ¡°Brother Shen, however urgent our time may be, we can afford to wait these few more days. You should wait until you''re fully recovered before we set off,¡± Fu Donglai advised. ¡°The remaining injuries are no longer a serious issue. I must hurry to Tianji City,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°To Tianji City? Shouldn''t we first return to Chang''an City to reveal everything about Lion Camel Ridge?¡± Fu Donglai asked with confusion upon hearing this. ¡°A letter is enough for Chang''an City, there''s not much point in us going back. After all, no matter the extent of the troubles there, it''s an internal affair of the Sect. We lack evidence to prove that it has anything to do with the demonic infestation,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and explained. Hearing this, Fu Donglai fell silent for a long time and realized that Shen Luo made a valid point. Merely based on their testimony, they could prove nothing. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Actually, I was already on my way to Tianji City to repair a Magical Treasure. It was your situation I couldn''t stop worrying about that made me detour to Lion Camel Ridge,¡± Shen Luo continued. Touched by these words, Fu Donglai said, ¡°In that case, let''s head for Tianji City.¡± He didn''t ask any more questions. By now, he had complete trust in Shen Luo. Chapter 1229 Chapter 1229: Chapter 1226 Boundless Sand Sea Chapter 1229: Chapter 1226 Boundless Sand Sea Shen Luo and Fu Donglai traveled in the southeast direction, and half a month later, they arrived in the southwest of the Southern Sub-Central Continent. A desert appeared ahead of them, and waves of scorching hot air continuously assaulted their faces. Standing on the edge of the desert, they looked out and saw that the desert was vast and boundless. Further away, some rolling hills could be faintly seen, also made up of uniform yellow sand, extending endlessly into the horizon, making it impossible to discern where it ended. The sky was a murky gray, and the ground was yellow. Here, apart from shades of gray and yellow, no other colors could be seen. ¡°Strange, this place should lead straight to the Southern Sea area, where the climate ought to be very moist. How could such a vast sea of sand suddenly appear?¡± Fu Donglai said, surprised. ¡°The appearance of the Boundless Sand Sea here is indeed odd. Many sects have sent people to investigate, but unfortunately, no one has ever uncovered the reason,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze fixed on the distance. ¡°Oh? Brother Shen, have you been here before?¡± Fu Donglai asked, looking at Shen Luo with some surprise. ¡°No, but in order to investigate the whereabouts of Tianji City, I looked into some information about the Boundless Sand Sea,¡± Shen Luo replied, returning his gaze from the distance. ¡°You mean to say Tianji City is within this desert? It looks quite barren here,¡± Fu Donglai said, scratching the back of his head, puzzled. ¡°According to information I got from Wuzhuang View, Tianji City is indeed in the depths of the Boundless Sand Sea. However, the sect of Tianji City is very mysterious. Although it often does business with all races of the Three Realms, the location of their sect has always been kept secret. I don''t know where in the Sand Sea it is; we might have to do some searching,¡± Shen Luo replied with a helpless smile. ¡°Hehe, the more you talk about it, the more interested I am in this Tianji City. Let''s not talk anymore; let''s go in and look for it,¡± Fu Donglai said, rubbing his hands together, urging Shen Luo on. ¡°We certainly need to go in, but this Sand Sea isn''t as calm as it seems on the surface. We must be careful once we''re inside,¡± Shen Luo said with a slightly more serious tone. ¡°Are you saying there''s danger inside? Are there monsters or sandstorms?¡± Instead of showing any fear, Fu Donglai''s eyes shone with excitement, eager to dive in. ¡°I don''t know the specific dangers, but it''s often said that those who enter the Boundless Sand Sea sometimes disappear without a trace for no apparent reason. Caution is paramount,¡± Shen Luo replied with a bitter smile. Since leaving Lion Camel Ridge, for some reason, Fu Donglai''s personality had begun to change significantly. Although he was mostly stable, he was becoming increasingly impulsive and rash. ¡°Don''t worry, I know what to do,¡± Fu Donglai said dismissively, waving his hand. Sighing internally, Shen Luo didn''t say anything more and took the lead, flying into the depths of the desert, with Fu Donglai following closely behind. Not far away, the ground rustled as a yellow sand lizard emerged, glanced in the direction of Shen Luo and Fu Donglai now far away, then turned around and burrowed back into the sand. As Shen Luo and Fu Donglai stepped into the desert, a sudden gale swept over them, whipping up rolling clouds of dust that quickly swallowed their figures. The day darkened, and the setting sun dipped below the horizon. Not only had Shen Luo and Fu Donglai not found the location of Tianji City, but they hadn''t seen a single soul; all around them, as far as the eye could see, was an endless expanse of yellow sand, devoid of any greenery or signs of human habitation. As night fell, the stars hung low, and the originally fiery hot Boundless Sand Sea saw its temperature plummet as if it had plunged into an ice cave. By then, the two had chosen a giant sand dune to sit down and rest. ¡°Say, Brother Shen, after wandering around all day, it feels like we''ve been walking in circles. Could we have gone the wrong way?¡± Fu Donglai asked while gnawing on a chicken leg, unable to keep his question to himself. ¡°` ¡°That won''t happen; I''ve been paying attention to our surroundings and won''t lose my way. It''s just that the Boundless Sand Sea is too vast, and hardly anyone comes here. Without a map to go by, it does make it difficult to recognize our location,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out a bottle of Spirit Wine, took a sip, and frowned slightly. In the daylight, the deeper we ventured into the desert, the higher the temperature rose. Although Fu Donglai and I could withstand it with our cultivation levels, walking non-stop all day inevitably left us thirsty and parched. Fu Donglai picked a chicken leg clean and also took out some Spirit Wine, gulping down a big mouthful with a rather irritable look. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, are you alright?¡± asked Shen Luo, observing Fu Donglai with a probing gaze. ¡°Alright? Why do you ask, Brother Shen?¡± Fu Donglai asked, looking puzzled. ¡°Your behavior now is completely different from before. Don''t you feel it yourself?¡± Shen Luo asked slowly. ¡°Do I? I haven''t noticed anything,¡± Fu Donglai said as he checked his body. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°As long as Elder Brother Fu feels fine, then it''s all good,¡± Shen Luo replied, deciding not to ask any further. Just then, a whistling sound suddenly came from the desert ahead. Shen Luo looked up, his brows lifting. A rolling yellow cloud appeared at the end of the desert, swiftly sweeping towards them. It quickly approached, revealing itself to be a towering yellow storm. ¡°Heh, here it comes again. What is this, the umpteenth time?¡± Fu Donglai remarked. Neither of them tried to avoid it; they both shone with gold and blue lights, and as the sandstorm raged over them, they stood firm like nails in the ground, completely unaffected by the sandstorm. Since entering the Boundless Desert that day, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai had already endured such sandstorms several times and were well acquainted with their power. They did not take flight to try to pass through the storm. The sandstorm was not very powerful, but its range was extremely wide, making it impossible to discern directions. Blindly fleeing would only confuse their sense of direction. The sandstorm continued for about a quarter of an hour, gradually showing signs of weakening, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, and Fu Donglai also lifted his head to look towards the sky ahead. A chilling breath of Yin Qi rapidly approached from ahead. Within a few breaths, it was upon them. The owner of the Yin Qi seemed to have also noticed the presence of Shen Luo and Fu Donglai and, after hesitating for a moment, still dove down viciously. ¡°Hmph, seeking death!¡± Fu Donglai snorted coldly and without any courtesy threw out a bolt of Blood Light from his hand, which flashed into the sandstorm and disappeared. A shrill scream echoed from within the sandstorm, and then rapidly receded into the distance. ¡°Eh! It actually dodged my Green Blood Ganqi Axe?¡± Fu Donglai uttered in surprise, summoning the blood axe back to his hand with a single gesture but not attacking again. ¡°You''ve already wounded it, aren''t you going to finish it off?¡± Shen Luo inquired. Through his Divine Sense, he had clearly seen the appearance of the creature that had just attacked: it was a grey alien bird with the head of an ape and a bird''s body, giant wings six yards long, with a pair of fuzzy ape arms growing underneath, and round eyes that swiveled with considerable Spiritual Wisdom. Judging by its voice, it was full of resentment, and likely to seek revenge. ¡°If that beast can escape my strike, it''s got luck on its side, so I''ll spare its life,¡± Fu Donglai said, waving his hand dismissively. Chapter 1230 Chapter 1230: Chapter 127 Night Rakshasa Chapter 1230: Chapter 127 Night Rakshasa Shen Luo heard the words but didn''t pay too much attention, after all, the grey alien bird was only of Soul Condensation Stage strength, and no matter how many came, they wouldn''t pose any threat. He closed his eyes and began to run the Nameless Cultivation Technique amidst the swirling sandstorm. In these days, he had been wandering everywhere, hardly ever settling down, but with the One-yuan True Water in his possession, his cultivation had never been interrupted. After numerous great battles, especially the life-threatening dangers within the Lion Camel Ridge Yin Yang Bottle, his cultivation level had become increasingly refined, slowly approaching the peak of the Late Mahayana Stage. Shen Luo felt quite comforted in his heart. Judging from the current state of his cultivation, he would reach the peak of the Late Mahayana Stage after a short period of seclusion, and then he could take the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit to attempt a breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage. However, before attempting to break through to the True Immortal Stage, he needed to prepare several Magical Treasures to deal with the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation. The perilous situation he had experienced in the Dream World when undergoing the Thunder Tribulation was still vivid in his mind. Shen Luo sat quietly for a moment, and finally, the sandstorm passed, and the bright starry sky reappeared. After a brief discussion, the two decided to simply rest here for the night and continue searching for Tianji City the next day. Shen Luo took out a drop of One-yuan True Water, about to swallow it for his cultivation. However, he suddenly raised his eyes to look into the distance, a slight smile on his lips, and turned to Fu Donglai, saying, ¡°Daoist friend Fu, an old friend has come to see you.¡± Fu Donglai''s Divine Sense was not as powerful as Shen Luo''s, and upon hearing this, he was slightly startled and looked in the direction Shen Luo had just gazed. His expression quickly darkened, and he suddenly stood up. Several black dots appeared on the distant horizon, rapidly closing in with alarming speed, and in the blink of an eye, they were nearby. It turned out to be the grey alien birds that Fu Donglai had previously spared. The one that Fu Donglai had injured was among them, regarding Fu Donglai with a resentful gaze. Among those five alien birds, one was distinctly larger than the others, its Yin Qi also much denser, having reached the Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°Roar¡­¡± The injured grey alien bird let out an angry roar and charged towards Fu Donglai first, spitting out a jet of grey flames as quick as a shooting star toward him. Shen Luo''s gaze suddenly fluctuated upon seeing these grey flames. Fu Donglai''s face instantly became as somber as still water, and a flash of golden light solidified into a golden light curtain around him, blocking all the grey flames outside. ¡°I spared your life before, yet you have come back for revenge with reinforcements. Since you are so eager to court death, then taste my Green Blood Ganqi Axe!¡± Fu Donglai snorted coldly, a sharp Blood Light shot from his mouth, disappearing in a flash. The next moment, the space before the injured grey alien bird fluctuated, and the sharp Blood Light appeared out of nowhere, piercing through the bird''s chest in a fleeting moment without giving it any time to react. The sharp Blood Light revealed its true form, which was an axe with golden Spirit Patterns engraved on it, emanating astonishing Spiritual Power Fluctuations; clearly, it was an extremely powerful treasure. Shen Luo''s gaze was also drawn to it, showing a look of intrigue. In terms of the fluctuations of Spiritual Power alone, this Green Blood Ganqi Axe was far superior to his Dragon Horn Magical Treasure, and not much less powerful than the Slayer''s Broken Sword. It was unknown what its origin was. The grey alien bird had a long, narrow, big hole pierced through its chest, and looking down with difficulty, its entire body explosively burst into several parts, turning into countless dark grey qi that swiftly dissipated, revealing it was not a Flesh and Blood body. This dark grey qi contained a rich concentration of Yin Qi, appearing very pure. At that moment, a black light shot out from the Qiankun Bag at Shen Luo''s waist. It was the Ghost General, which opened its mouth to inhale. The grey sinister Qi all fell into its mouth, and the Ghost General patted its belly, showing a look of satisfaction on its face. Fu Donglai glanced at the Ghost General, quickly diverted his gaze, and with a cold snort, pounced towards the other grey sinister birds, raising one hand. With a flick of his magic spell, the Green Blood Ganqi Axe turned into a streak of blood light and struck towards another sinister bird. ¡°Hiss¡± A piercing shriek sounded, and the chest of that sinister bird was penetrated, creating a big hole. Its body exploded into Yin Qi, which was immediately consumed by the Ghost General who had been waiting on the side. Only then did the other sinister birds perceive the unfathomable breath of Fu Donglai, and in utmost terror, they turned to flee into the distance. Their speed was unexpectedly swift, and in the blink of an eye, they had flown several tens of feet. ¡°Want to escape? Too late! None of you will escape today,¡± Fu Donglai shouted coldly, and his hand gestures changed. The Spiritual Light on the Green Blood Ganqi Axe shone brightly, like a blood-colored lightning bolt. In the blink of an eye, it crossed tens of feet and teleported in front of the sinister birds. Numerous blood-colored threads shot out from it, turning into a huge blood-red net that enveloped several sinister birds. The moment the sinister birds touched the blood-colored threads, they were instantly sliced into countless pieces, turning into a large cloud of grey-black Qi. The Ghost General closely followed and flew over, opening its mouth to consume all the grey-black Qi. However, at that moment, a clump of grey-black flames suddenly shot from within the golden thread net, and shockingly it was that Nascent Soul Stage sinister bird. However, most of its body had been sliced off, leaving only its head and two wings, and it had turned into an ethereal form. Although only half a body was left, the sinister bird''s speed not only hadn''t decreased but had increased by a third, and in the blink of an eye, it disappeared into the distant sky. Fu Donglai''s words had twice been proven empty in mere moments, and his face showed an expression of chagrin. With a low growl, the Golden Light around his body intensified, and he turned into a long golden rainbow that chased after it. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo shook his head and let out a wry smile. ¡°Master, the vitality of the Night Rakshasa greatly nourishes me. Consuming that Nascent Soul Stage Night Rakshasa could be worth half a year of arduous cultivation for me,¡± the Ghost General urged Shen Luo, looking anxious. ¡°You said those sinister birds are called Night Rakshasas, do you recognize them?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyelids. ¡°Hmm, I found out from the memories of that Ghost Monk. Night Rakshasa is a type of Yin Beast. Although those sinister birds just now weren''t true Night Rakshasas, they were quite close,¡± the Ghost General nodded and explained. ¡°In that case, you go as well,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. Overjoyed by the words, the Ghost General also turned into a black light and chased after them. Shen Luo did not follow, but instead, he consumed the drop of One-yuan True Water and sat down cross-legged on the spot, beginning to refine and assimilate it. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now that he was cultivating the Huangting Technique, his body''s strength had greatly improved, and he no longer had to smear True Water on his body like before but could directly consume and refine it orally. Time passed by, and soon half an hour had elapsed, neither Fu Donglai nor the Ghost General had returned. Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, his brow slightly furrowed. How could that fleeing Night Rakshasa, barely at the Nascent Soul Stage, take so much time for Fu Donglai and the Ghost General? Could something have happened? Just as Shen Luo was about to use his magic spell to contact the Ghost General, the voice of the Ghost General suddenly rang in his mind, filled with excitement. ¡°Master, come quickly, Fu Donglai and I have found a great place!¡± Chapter 1231 Chapter 1231: Chapter 1228: Ghastly Yin Fog Chapter 1231: Chapter 1228: Ghastly Yin Fog ¡°Good place¡­¡± Shen Luo, upon hearing the Ghost General''s words, was moved and rose to his feet, transforming into a streak of blue light, fleeing toward the direction indicated by the Ghost General. Along the way, he tried to contact the Ghost General through voice transmission but found no response from the other party. Although he was somewhat puzzled, at this time, he had no choice but to make a plan upon arriving at the place. A moment later, Shen Luo landed near a certain area of the sand sea. The terrain here was much lower than the surrounding sand sea, stretching out in a long shape for twenty or thirty miles, and looked rather eerie. Shen Luo extended his Divine Sense to investigate, and his expression soon turned serious. Many ruins of buildings were buried deep in this part of the sand sea, appearing to be a vast city. Although it was not as grand as Chang''an, it was comparable to Jianye City; it was uncertain from which dynasty it originated. Through his connection with the Ghost General''s divine soul, Shen Luo could barely sense that the latter should be deep beneath these ruins but couldn''t pinpoint his exact location. He tried to transmit his voice to the Ghost General again, but after two attempts, there was still no response. He frowned and took out an Escape Earth Talisman, sticking it to his body and transforming into a streak of yellow light as he burrowed into the underground, continually descending. As he delved deeper into the ground, the magnetic qi and various deadly qi from the earth''s layers became denser, and the yellow light bestowed by the Escape Earth Talisman struggled to fend it off. Shen Luo waved his sleeve, and a grey cloak appeared on his body, the very item taken from the Fox Demon in Yunmeng Marsh. The cloak''s name was unknown, but the prohibitions within were profoundly mystical. He had only recently completely refined it, mastering its three marvelous functions. The first was to conceal the wearer''s entire Qi, without leaking a trace; the second was to blend into the surrounding environment like a chameleon; the third was to turn the body into a semi-ethereal state, moving through the earth and stone as if it were nothing, undetectable even by Divine Sense. That day, the Fox Demon had relied on these three abilities to repeatedly launch surprise attacks on Wu Man''er and the Ghost General. Shen Luo felt that the cloak had more marvelous uses than these, but for now, he had no time to delve deeper. Once the cloak was on, he immediately felt the external pressure disappear and swiftly accelerated his pace underground. He quickly located the Ghost General and the Tiger-headed beast through his Divine Sense. The two were standing in a subterranean passageway at that time, a passage that clearly showed signs of man-made modifications, meandering further into the depths. Deep within the passageway, a black fog churned, exuding a rich Yin Qi and deadly Qi, which was some kind of Yin Fog. The Yin Qi and deadly Qi within the Yin Fog condensed and significantly impacted Divine Sense, preventing exploration of its depths, leaving the true length of this passageway unknown. Fu Donglai was waving the Green Blood Ganqi Axe, as if an invisible force enveloped the black fog within the passage, drawing it all into the axe. As the black Yin Fog continued to pour in, the Blood Light emitted by the Green Blood Ganqi Axe grew brighter and more vivid, like flowing fresh blood. The Ghost General was also sucking in the black fog with his mouth to supplement himself, but his absorption rate was far slower than Fu Donglai''s, and his eyes were filled with urgency. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just at that moment, a flash of yellow light passed overhead, and the figure of Shen Luo floated down from the passageway''s ceiling. ¡°Master, you''re here. This passageway actually contains a great amount of Ghastly Yin Fog; let''s collect some quickly,¡± said the Ghost General, seeing Shen Luo appear and speaking urgently. ¡°` ¡°Ghastly Yin Fog!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, looking at the black Yin Fog before him. He had once read in some classics about Ghastly Yin Fog, a rare fog formed only in places heavy with Yin that gathered copious amounts of ghostly Qi from innumerable souls. It was an excellent material for refining yin-attribute magical treasures, and he hadn''t expected to find so much of it here. However, other than the Qiankun Bag, he had few yin-attribute magical treasures on him, so gathering the fog was going to be quite difficult. Shen Luo sighed in annoyance and immediately brought out the Qiankun Bag, quickly gathering the black Yin Fog within the passageway. The Yin Qi inside the Qiankun Bag had been completely infused into the Ghost General during its breakthrough, and now the bag was empty. As the Ghastly Yin Fog continued to pour in, the Yin Qi inside the bag rapidly thickened, casting an intense black light over the surface of the bag. Shen Luo''s face brightened, and he increased his mana to urge the Qiankun Bag, speeding up the absorption of the Yin Fog even more. As the bag devoured more and more Yin Fog, its weight also noticeably increased, and it soon made creaking sounds as if it could not bear the burden. Shen Luo hurriedly stopped the absorption. While the Qiankun Bag had the ability to absorb Yin, the materials it was made of were of average quality, and there was a limit to how much Yin Qi it could handle. The Ghastly Yin Fog in the passageway ahead still rolled and surged like a Flood Dragon, hardly diminished at all. Shen Luo felt a sense of helplessness, much like standing in a mountain of gold and silver but being unable to take any with him. ¡°Brother Shen, you''re not gathering it anymore? Then Fu Donglai shall be unreserved,¡± said Fu Donglai, seeing Shen Luo stop gathering. He laughed heartily and wielded the Green Blood Ganqi Axe with even greater force. The Blood Light on the Green Blood Ganqi Axe surged violently, and the Ghastly Yin Fog in the passageway formed a thick black cloud as dense as a water bucket and as substantial as a solid, pouring into the blood axe. Shen Luo watched with great envy. ¡°Master, don''t you have any other treasures that could store the Yin Fog?¡± asked the Ghost General. ¡°All the magical treasures on me are of the Chun Yang attribute and can''t absorb this Yin Fog. Yin attribute treasures¡­¡± Shen Luo began to say, shaking his head, but he stopped midway, remembering that he did have one yin-attribute treasure. He reached into the Linlang Ring, and an object appeared in his hand¨Ca small bloody flag corroded with many little holes, the Bloodthirsty Flag. This treasure had been heavily damaged by the blood rain of the Nine-Headed Insect, but its core prohibitions had not suffered much damage. The Bloodthirsty Flag, being a treasure of the blood path and its power also a form of Yin Sha, was connected to Yin Sha in some ways. Perhaps the Ghastly Yin Fog here could repair the flag. With this thought, Shen Luo''s hands glowed with blue light, wrapping around the Bloodthirsty Flag as he tossed it into the Yin Fog ahead and swiftly formed a series of magic spells with his fingers. The damaged Bloodthirsty Flag immediately emitted a strong Blood Light. Under the drive of his rapid succession of magic spells, it swiftly expanded into a bloody banner several meters across. The corroded holes became even more apparent, making it look like a leaking, worn-out window. Shen Luo stretched out his fingers, and five streams of blue light went into the Bloodthirsty Flag, activating the prohibitions inside. A loud wailing rose as the Blood Light on the surface of the flag rushed about, and soon, a half-meter wide Bloody Vortex formed. The surrounding Ghastly Yin Fog, as if finding a place to vent, poured into the flag. Shen Luo saw this and was overjoyed; the Bloodthirsty Flag could indeed devour the Ghastly Yin Qi. However, since Ghastly Yin Qi wasn''t exactly the power of the blood path, he wondered whether a large amount of it would have any adverse effects on the flag. The Bloodthirsty Flag''s absorption rate was far ahead of both the Qiankun Bag and Fu Donglai''s Green Blood Ganqi Axe. Fu Donglai, seeing this, also hurriedly urged his blood axe to increase the absorption of Yin Fog, but still could not match the Bloodthirsty Flag. With the joint efforts of the two, the Yin Fog in the passageway ahead quickly thinned, revealing a large open area. Fortunately, the Yin Fog deeper in the passageway seemed infinite and unending. Chapter 1232 Chapter 1232: Chapter 1229: Underground Labyrinth City Chapter 1232: Chapter 1229: Underground Labyrinth City Shen Luo and Fu Donglai each urged their treasures, and pressing forward through the passageway as a wind sweeps fallen leaves, they collected all the Ghastly Yin Fog along the way. In the blink of an eye, the two had advanced several hundred feet, and the passageway in front still had no end in sight. Fu Donglai raised one hand, and the Green Blood Gan Qi flew out of his grasp. Between the shrinking and expanding of the Blood Light, it emitted a fierce roar, ¡°whir¡± transforming into a black Ghost King tens of feet tall, ¡°boom¡± landing on the ground, causing the entire passageway to tremble. The Ghost King roared towards the sky, its howl like a towering wave, unleashing a fierce gale, causing the clothes of Shen Luo and Fu Donglai to wildly flutter. ¡°What a powerful Great Strength Ghost King!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered. Just from the overwhelming force of this roar, even not mentioning other divine powers, the strength of this black Ghost King was certainly extraordinary. The Ghost General gazed at the black Ghost King, eyes brimming with deep greed. Its body suddenly expanded to several times its size. Sensing the Ghost General''s gaze, the black Ghost King also turned its head abruptly, its ferocious eyes flashing brightly, preparing to pounce. ¡°Oh, come back here!¡± In haste, Fu Donglai urged his magical tactics, and a black light shot out, wrapping around the black Ghost King and reverting it back into the Green Blood Gan Qi. ¡°Who would have thought that Daoist Fu''s Green Blood Gan Qi could also transform into a Ghost King,¡± Shen Luo said, his eyes showing interest. ¡°Haha, but it''s no match for Brother Shen''s Bloodthirsty Banner,¡± Fu Donglai chuckled, as he put away the Green Blood Gan Qi. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not press further and continued to urge the Bloodthirsty Flag to absorb the Yin Fog ahead. Having absorbed so much Ghastly Yin Fog, the tattered parts of the Bloodthirsty Flag had quickly mended, the banner itself looking revitalized. It had, however, taken on a half-black, half-red color, which seemed quite odd. Moreover, the restored Bloodthirsty Flag did not stop devouring the Yin Fog but instead became even more aggressive. Streams of eerie black and red light burst forth from the banner, piercing into the Ghastly Yin Fog ahead, as countless head-like phantoms emerged from within the light, greedily devouring the Yin Fog. The Blood Light on the banner began to fade rapidly while the black light grew dense and profound, emitting an increasingly powerful Yin Sha force from within the banner. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly, but he did not stop casting his spells, continuing to urge the Bloodthirsty Flag to devour the Yin Fog of the area. Fu Donglai, seemingly having only the Green Blood Gan Qi, did not bring out other yin attribute Magical Treasures to compete with Shen Luo for the Yin Fog. Instead, he sat down cross-legged and began to recover on his own. After well over half an hour, having absorbed an innumerable amount of Ghastly Yin Fog, the Bloodthirsty Flag finally stopped its frenzied consumption and shot out from the Yin Fog ahead with a ¡°swoosh,¡± landing in front of Shen Luo and issuing a pleased, clear chirping sound. The flag now appeared to be entirely black, without a hint of blood light. Shen Luo slightly tweaked the spell and a deep and profound black brilliance burst forth, as tangible as reality. ¡°Hoo¡± An incredibly powerful force exploded from within the Bloodthirsty Flag, causing the surrounding passageway to rumble and tremble, seemingly unable to withstand this power. Shen Luo was overjoyed and quickly reined in the force within the flag. Having devoured a massive amount of Ghastly Yin Fog, the Bloodthirsty Flag''s strength had skyrocketed, but this was not the place to test its power. He would wait until they left before trying it out. The Ghastly Yin Fog ahead was now sparse, implying there wasn''t much left. ¡°This place is shrouded in so much Yin Fog, I''m afraid what lies ahead will not be simple. Should we go explore?¡± Shen Luo looked towards Fu Donglai. ¡°Sure! Since we haven''t found Tianji City yet and I''m quite curious about the situation here,¡± Fu Donglai stood up and readily agreed. The two of them continued forward and soon entered the Yin Fog. Although they activated their protective Spiritual Light, an intensely cold and bone-chilling breath still seeped in. Shen Luo made a hand gesture towards the Bloodthirsty Flag in front of him, and a black light shot out fiercely from it, whirling into a thick black light ring that enveloped both of them, easily keeping all the Yin Fog outside. Fu Donglai was about to use his Skills to deal with the surrounding yin forces, but stopped when he saw this scene and continued moving forward with Shen Luo. After advancing tens of feet, they finally reached the end of the passageway, where an enormous underground space appeared before them. They were now standing on a wall-like cliff, below which was a huge square surrounded by numerous rugged and imposing buildings that remained mostly intact. The structures were closely packed and stretched to the edge of their vision, clearly an underground city of no small scale. ¡°How is there a city here? But it seems there aren''t any living people inside,¡± Shen Luo swept his gaze across and said somewhat strangely. The cave''s ceiling above was covered with a thick layer of Ghastly Yin Fog, which did not spread to the lower area, making the light below reasonably bright. However, the utter silence everywhere made it unsettling to the heart. ¡°This place seems extraordinary with its prohibition against spirits and gods; it must have been built by monks,¡± Fu Donglai tried to expand his Divine Sense, only to find the surrounding void imbued with a strange prohibitive force that greatly affected Divine Sense. Even with his strong cultivation level, he could only extend it about ten feet from his body. Shen Luo also channeled his Divine Sense but was similarly restrained by the prohibition here, allowing it to extend only about twenty feet from his body. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Let''s explore this place first; we might find something of interest,¡± he leaped down towards the square. Fu Donglai followed suit, and the two of them began to search the square. The area was vast and with their Divine Sense unable to fully extend, they spent a while and only covered a very small portion, confirming that there were indeed no living beings, yet finding nothing else. ¡°This place is too large; we could search forever at this rate. Let''s split up to investigate and signal in the sky if we encounter any danger,¡± Fu Donglai suggested. ¡°That works, but let''s mark each other first to facilitate later reunification,¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly before responding. Although this place was eerie, with their strength, self-preservation should be no problem. They marked each other and then set off in opposite directions, one to the left and one to the right. Shen Luo and the Ghost General moved towards the left side of the city. The Ghost General took a liking to the Yin Qi-filled environment and excitedly looked around. Shen Luo''s gaze investigated the surroundings, and seeing no commotion, gradually focused most of his attention on the recently repaired Bloodthirsty Flag. Having absorbed a tremendous amount of Ghastly Yin Fog, the force of blood within the flag had completely transformed into Ghost Path yin force, and all the original divine abilities of the Bloodthirsty Flag had become yin-attribute as well. He silently cultivated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, contemplating the various changes in the divine abilities of the Bloodthirsty Flag, inwardly admiring them. After all, with this treasure, his arsenal had grown significantly. Chapter 1233 Chapter 1233: Chapter 1230: Sacrifice Chapter 1233: Chapter 1230: Sacrifice Shen Luo had been investigating with the Ghost General in this deserted city for half an hour but still found nothing. Just as the two of them were gradually lowering their guard and planning to head back, an abrupt change occurred in front of them! Accompanied by a series of piercing screeches coming from the distance, countless moths shot out of a nearby building and swooped straight towards Shen Luo and the Ghost General at a fast pace. These moths were about a foot long, their bodies a grayish-black color, and with each flap of their wings, wisps of gray flames fluttered towards them. ¡°Bring it on!¡± The Ghost General charged ahead of Shen Luo and leapt forward to meet them, shrieking loudly. Countless black sound waves appeared out of nowhere and pelted down on the gray moths like a torrential downpour, shredding both the moths and the gray flames into pieces before dissipating into strands of black Qi. This black Qi was just like the vitality left over from slaying the Night Rakshasa but much more diluted. The Ghost General was about to absorb this black Yin Qi when, from within it, over a dozen shadows shot out. They were gray flying scorpions the size of millstones, each with a cultivation level at the Nascent Soul Stage. Hissing noises rose sharply! Over a dozen pitch-black scorpion tails shot out like lightning, crossing a distance of twenty or thirty feet in a flash and striking the Ghost General hard. The Ghost General couldn''t dodge in time. His body burst into black light, instantly condensing into a Black Light Shield. At the same time, unwilling to be at a disadvantage, he opened his mouth again and sent out a wave of sound wave attacks, as countless black sound waves crashed angrily towards the flying scorpions. With two muffled ¡°bang¡± ¡°bang¡± sounds, both sides took a heavy hit from the other! The Ghost General was knocked flying out, and the flying scorpions were also hit by the sound waves and flung backward. However, the scorpions'' figures flickered and they stabilized themselves, lunging forward again as if nothing had happened. Shen Luo watched and let out a soft ¡°huh,¡± then flicked his fingers on the Bloodthirsty Flag. A dozen black flames shot out from the flag''s surface towards the grayish-black scorpions. But the scorpions were incredibly agile, twisting their bodies and dashing to the side quickly to dodge; however, the black flames also shifted, transforming into a dozen lifelike black firebirds in mid-air, catching all the grayish-black scorpions in their beaks. Before the scorpions could struggle, a series of ¡°plop¡± sounds followed, and all the black firebirds plummeted to the ground. An icy chill suddenly dissipated, and within moments a small sea of black flames formed, engulfing the dozen gray scorpions and instantly turning them to ashes. Seeing this, Shen Luo silently nodded his head. The re-refined Bloodthirsty Flag indeed had formidable power. The bodies of those black scorpions were tough, and even the Ghost General''s sound blade couldn''t slice through them, yet they were so feeble before the Yin Fire formed by the flag''s Yin power that they were easily turned to nothing! ¡°Thank you for the assistance, Master,¡± said the Ghost General as he flew back, his complexion not looking very good. ¡°Things are strange here. Don''t be careless,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently as he put away the Bloodthirsty Flag. ¡°Yes,¡± the Ghost General hurriedly responded. Shen Luo didn''t bother reprimanding the Ghost General any further. As he turned to leave, his gaze suddenly shifted, and he waved his hand, emitting a beam of blue light that rolled out an object from the still-burning black Yin Fire. It was a thumb-sized, pitch-black bead. ¡°What is this?¡± the Ghost General asked in surprise. Shen Luo didn''t reply, but instead caught the bead in his hand, feeling a cool aura seeping from it. He activated his Divine Sense to probe the bead and his brows slightly furrowed. This black round pearl was obtained from inside one of the gray flying scorpions and was filled with a strange power fluctuation. It wasn''t Yin Qi, nor did it resemble Ghostly Qi, but it seemed somewhat similar to the Fixed-element Relic in his possession. The bead was devoid of any positive energy, instead, it was brimming with a mysterious and eerie power. ¡°I''m not sure either, it was formed inside the body of a Flying Scorpion, and it doesn''t seem to be a crystallization of Yin Qi or anything of the sort,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°This thing looks quite nice, take it out and have someone look at it, maybe it''s some kind of precious material,¡± the Ghost General suggested. Shen Luo had this in mind and pocketed the bead with a flick of his hand. ¡°Master, those moths and Flying Scorpions all came out of that building, shall we go in and have a look?¡± the Ghost General asked, looking at the great hall from which the moths had emerged. ¡°Let''s go, let''s have a look,¡± Shen Luo said after a brief pause for thought. The two headed towards the great hall, but the palace doors were tightly closed and could not be opened with force. Shen Luo formed a hand seal and once again urged the Bloodthirsty Flag, unleashing a stream of black Yin Fire from it that rolled and condensed into a black Ghost Hand, wrapped in wisps of black flames, looking very sinister as it grasped onto the palace door. With a light sizzling sound, the sturdy palace door was torn open, creating a large hole about ten feet in size. ¡°Master, the power of this big banner of yours is now terrifying, these Black Flames don''t seem like any ordinary Yin Fire, I don''t dare to meet them head-on,¡± the Ghost General admired as he looked at the black Ghost Hand. Shen Luo also felt that the black flames were not ordinary Yin Fire but had no time to pay attention to them now. The two stepped into the great hall, where the light was dim, but that was naturally no problem for Shen Luo and the Ghost General, who swept their gaze over the interior and saw everything clearly. The space inside the great hall was not small, spanning twenty or thirty feet wide, yet it was quite empty, with only five gray stone pillars rising directly to the top of the hall in the center, among which was arranged a complicated-looking black Magic Array, embedded with numerous gray crystal stones. The Great Formation had gathered dust, clearly having been inactive for a long time. In the central part of the Array, there was a small round open ground where a corpse was seated, its limbs bound with black iron chains and firmly tied to the ground. The corpse was withered and yellow, resembling old tree bark, with disheveled gray hair covering its head; its features were indistinct, but most eerily, its skull was nearly split in half, as if someone had cleaved open the top of its head to remove the brain contents. Although Shen Luo had seen countless grand sights, this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre scene, and he couldn''t help but frown. ¡°Eh, what kind of Formation is this?¡± The Ghost General bent down to inspect the Ground Array and uttered a soft exclamation. Shen Luo also looked at the Array and, raising his hand, produced a Blue Light that lifted one of the gray crystal stones from within the Array for a closer look; the spiritual power within the crystal stone had been exhausted, leaving nothing inside. Activating his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, his eyes emitted two beams of Green Light to inspect the crystal stone closely, which contained traces of a peculiar Blood Light. ¡°This is¡­¡± he exclaimed with a hint of surprise on his face. ¡°Do you recognize this crystal stone, Master? What''s special about it?¡± The Ghost General picked up a piece of gray crystal stone to look at it carefully, but he could see nothing. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, these crystal stones should be Blood Fetus Stones,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. ¡°Blood Fetus Stone?¡± the Ghost General looked confused, clearly having never heard of this name before. ¡°It''s a type of Blood Path crystal stone used for sacrifices. I''m afraid this Array on the ground might be a Sacrificial Array,¡± Shen Luo explained. Shen Luo came to know about Blood Fetus Stones and Sacrificial Arrays in the Dream World, from the Classics of the Jade Fox Clan, which was naturally unknown to the Ghost General. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Sacrificial Array? Indeed, there are rituals in Ghost Path that sacrifice Souls to refine Magical Treasures or to enhance Divine Powers, which are very effective. Sadly, these rituals have long been lost. I didn''t expect to find one here,¡± the Ghost General muttered to himself, observing the Ground Array carefully as if he had a great interest in it. Chapter 1234 Chapter 1234: Chapter 1231: Restraint Chapter 1234: Chapter 1231: Restraint ¡°Sacrificial magic has always been a heretical method since ancient times, grievously harming the natural order. Don''t delude yourself into thinking I''d employ such a method to amplify your strength,¡± Shen Luo said gravely. ¡°How could I harbor such ideas? I''m merely genuinely interested in the sacrificial method,¡± the Ghost General said with a forced laugh. Shen Luo snorted and no longer paid attention to the increasingly eager Ghost General, giving the corpse a few glances before quickly shifting his gaze to the four iron chains on the corpse''s body. He suddenly let out a light exclamation and was about to take a closer look. A bizarre scene unfolded! The corpse that had been motionless suddenly raised its head and spewed out a swath of gray-white flames¨Cin as many as seven or eight clusters¨Cswiftly aiming for Shen Luo. Shen Luo was startled. Just now, he had thoroughly examined the corpse with his Divine Sense; it had long been thoroughly annihilated, with not a trace of breath left. He had somehow misjudged. The distance between them was but a few meters, and the gray-white flames were fast. In the blink of an eye, they were upon him, a putrid stench assaulting his face. Though taken by surprise, Shen Luo immediately reacted, leaping backward while simultaneously swinging his right hand forward. Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns emerged on his right arm, and a Green Wind Blade accompanied by Golden Lightning shot out from his hand, colliding with the gray-white flames. The gray-white flames seemed to be Corpse Fire condensed from Corpse Air. The Green Wind Blade was one thing, but the Golden Lightning should certainly have been able to restrain them with ease. However, an astonishing scene occurred. With a crackling sound, the gray-white flames pierced through the Wind Blade and Lightning with effortless ease. The gray-white light flashed, and all traces of the Green Wind Blade and Golden Lightning vanished, instantaneously absorbed by the gray-white flames. The gray-white flames surged instantly, and their speed greatly increased as they continued hurtling forward. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo grew alarmed and flicked a finger toward the top of the Bloodthirsty Flag. The Bloodthirsty Flag radiated black light, and a vast expanse of black Yin Fire spewed forth, colliding with the gray-white flames. Immediate ¡°sizzling¡± sounds filled the air, and upon contact, the black Yin Fire, though tenfold in number, seemed like subjects before an emperor, unable to even lift their heads and rapidly consumed by the gray-white flames. ¡°Master, be careful! These gray-white flames are Earth-shattering Corpse Fire, capable of devouring and melting nearly all vitality in this world. You must not let it come into contact with your body!¡± the Ghost General, having flown over as well, exclaimed, spewing countless Black Sound Waves at the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire. Although the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire was fearsome, the black Yin Fire from the Bloodthirsty Flag was more than tenfold in quantity. With the addition of the Ghost General''s Sound Waves, they barely managed to hold it at bay. At that moment, a black light flickered on the ground behind them, and a black shadow shot out with incredible speed, directly lunging at Shen Luo''s back. Shen Luo was fully focused on dealing with the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire and only became startled when the black shadow neared within a meter of him. His feet exuded bright Moonlight Glamour as he quickly dodged to the side, while at the same time, he directed the Bloodthirsty Flag with a hand gesture. The banner flashed with black light, and the previously seen black Ghost Hand burst out, grabbing the shadow with unerring precision. The black Yin Fire on the Ghost Hand surged, and the black shadow let out a piercing scream. Nearly half of its body ¡°pfft¡± turned to green smoke and disappeared, but the remaining half twisted like a fish, breaking free from the black Ghost Hand and vanished into Shen Luo''s body with a blink. Shen Luo felt a chill throughout his body, unable to move even a finger, his Mana as though frozen, immobile. ¡°This is¡­¡± He was suddenly alarmed, instantly recalling the time in the Underworld when two Soul Cultivators of the Refining Body Altar had possessed him. The sensation was strikingly similar, except the black shadow now controlling him was far more formidable than those Refining Body Platform Soul Cultivators. Shen Luo''s mana was imprisoned, the dissipating black light on the Bloodthirsty Flag quickly faded, and the flag itself flickered back to its original size, dropping to the ground with a ¡°clatter¡±. As for those black Yin Fires, they dissipated rapidly, and after a few breaths, they vanished completely. With the obstruction of the black Yin Fires gone, the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire easily swallowed the Black Sound Waves emitted by the Ghost General and continued to envelop Shen Luo''s body. The Yellow Corpse''s withered lips moved rapidly, seemingly chanting an incantation. The ground''s Sacrificial Array suddenly burst forth with a vast expanse of crimson light, beginning to operate swiftly. The four Iron Chains that originally bound the Corpse vanished into thin air, and with a ¡°snap¡±, they wrapped around Shen Luo''s limbs, pulling him toward the Array. ¡°Master!¡± the Ghost General exclaimed in surprise, pouring all the Ghostly Qi in his body into his hands, and with a combined slap, launched it outward. With a ¡°boom¡±, a gigantic Ghost Claw entwined with black Qi appeared in front of Shen Luo, fiercely striking the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire. At the same time, another huge Ghost Claw manifested above the four Chains, reaching down to grab them. Though the Chains appeared old, when the powerful Ghost Claw grasped them, it only sparked a few sparks; the Chains remained completely unharmed, not even a scratch was left. The other Ghost Claw entwined with black Qi touched the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire and was immediately corroded full of holes, on the verge of total collapse. Seeing this, the Ghost General had no choice but to channel all his Yin Power into the black Qi Ghost Claw, struggling to maintain it for even a breath longer. At this moment, Shen Luo was unable to move at all, his body continuously pulled toward the Array, but he did not panic; his eyes closed and then suddenly snapped open. A piercing red light surged in his pupils, and a surge of tumultuous black light erupted from his body, which was unmistakably Demonic Qi. Ever since he had comprehended the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Art, he had been able to invoke the Demonic Qi in his body relatively freely, without the need for external stimuli; a stimulation of his Divine Sense was all it took. The shadowy figure had imprisoned his body''s mana, but Demonic Qi was entirely different from mana. In fact, it somewhat resembled the shadow''s eerie power and was unaffected by its influence. With the outburst of Demonic Qi, a terrifying Corpse Air swept through, primarily impacting the attached black shadow on his body. Being a Soul body, the oppression of the Corpse Air especially affected the shadow, which let out a series of ghastly screams, shivering incessantly, and its control over Shen Luo greatly weakened. Shen Luo''s mana within his body loosened significantly, and he regained control over his body. Digging his legs into the ground, his physique¨Chaving reached the Fifth Layer of the Huangting Technique¨Cresisted the pull of the Chains and he stood firmly on the ground. At this point, the Ghost General''s gigantic Ghost Claw finally couldn''t hold out any longer. It was completely turned into ashes by the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire, its Yin Qi also devoured, causing the Corpse Fire to soar and surge toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted. He did not activate the Bloodthirsty Flag on the ground but instead channeled all his mana into the Pure Yang Sword in his Dantian. A howling sound rose, and a vast sea of crimson flames burst forth from his Dantian, blooming like an enraged lotus¨Cit was the Red Lotus Karmic Fire¨Cand it clashed with the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire. Crimson and gray-white lights flared intensely, colliding with each other, scattering large and small remnants of flames around, momentarily resulting in a standoff. Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief; his choice was indeed correct. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire was Heavenly Fire and was indeed capable of contesting the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire. With the Red Lotus Karmic Fire ignited, the black shadow within him let out an extremely fearful wail, immediately attempting to flee. However, strands of Red Lotus Karmic Fire shot toward it, entangling the shadow like ropes. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1235 Chapter 1235: Chapter 1232: Escape Chapter 1235: Chapter 1232: Escape ¡°` ¡°Die!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a cold glint as the Red Lotus Karmic Fire around his body suddenly brightened. ¡°` ¡°` The dark shadow let out a deathly scream as it completely collapsed, dissolving into wisps of black light that merged into his body. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo only felt a surge of pure Soul Power erupting from every part of his body, blending into his Divine Soul and significantly strengthening it in an instant. It was exactly the same as when he had used Red Lotus Karmic Fire to kill the two Soul Cultivators in the Refining Body Altar. ¡°` ¡°` Having dealt with the shadow, his body fully recovered, and he increased his Mana to drive the Red Lotus Karmic Fire against the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire while his hands grasped at the Void. ¡°` ¡°` The Golden Green Spirit Patterns on his arms lit up once more as streaks of Golden Lightning began to appear on his arms, quickly converging towards his palms where they coalesced into two spinning Golden Thunderballs, radiating an incredibly fearsome presence. ¡°` ¡°` This was the Palm Thunder Technique he had learned from the Black Bear Demon, but its true power could only be unleashed by mastering a formidable thunder technique, which was why he had never used it before. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo threw his hands forward, and the two thunderballs flashed with Golden Light before vanishing without a trace into the high sky. However, a thunderous, earth-shattering roar followed immediately. ¡°` ¡°` Numerous thunder runes appeared midair, and two immense Golden Lightning columns, as thick as water jars, struck down, slicing into the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire. ¡°` ¡°` Accompanied by a divine punishment-like aura of Heavenly Thunder, the Corpse Fire was split apart and extinguished with a sizzling sound. ¡°` ¡°` Inside the Array, the Yellow Corpse''s eyes flashed, revealing a pair of spirited red lights full of irritation. It opened its mouth and spat out four beams of yellow light into the four Iron Chains. ¡°` ¡°` The Iron Chains binding Shen Luo''s hands and feet glowed faintly with yellow light, and his essence blood suddenly began to shake violently, rushing towards the chains. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo was shocked and channeled the Huangting Technique with all his might, his body suddenly bursting forth with a towering Golden Light. ¡°` ¡°` Five Golden Dragons and five Golden Elephants appeared around him, roaring and swirling, causing a buzzing sound in the Void that made the whole great hall tremble. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo yelled loudly, and his arms and legs convulsed simultaneously, unleashing a force several times greater than before from his body. ¡°` ¡°` The entire Array twisted wildly, and with a series of cracking sounds, the four black Iron Chains were forcibly ripped out from within the Array, their yellow light fading away and no longer drawing his essence blood. ¡°` ¡°` Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and pointed a finger at the Bloodthirsty Flag, and it came back to life, expanding into a massive dark cloud from which a huge, several-zhang-long black Ghost Claw emerged, wrapped in swathes of black Yin Fire and viciously grasping at the Sacrificial Array''s red glow. ¡°` ¡°` S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A tearing sound erupted, and the red glow of the Array was ripped open with a large hole. The black Ghost Claw reached straight for the Yellow Corpse. ¡°` ¡°` After glaring at Shen Luo with malignance, the Yellow Corpse opened its mouth and spat out another mass of Earth-shattering Corpse Fire. However, this flame was much paler than before and with a sizzling noise, it turned the black Ghost Claw into nothingness, and it too dissolved into nothingness. ¡°` ¡°` As the yellow light flashed over the Corpse''s surface, the body rapidly fused into the Array, seemingly activating some Escape Technique. ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Don''t escape!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes turned cold as he changed the magic spell in his hand. ¡°` ¡°` Beside the Yellow Corpse, a disturbance appeared in the Void, and from nowhere, a Crimson Sword Light slashed across it. ¡°` ¡°` With a faint hissing sound, the Yellow Corpse was cut in half at the waist, but in the next moment, the wound flashed with yellow light and healed, unaffected as it continued to merge into the Array and disappeared in an instant. ¡°` ¡°` Witnessing this scene, Shen Luo''s face darkened. Just as he was about to act, his expression suddenly changed, and he closed his eyes to activate the Slayer''s Broken Sword, the Coiling Dragon Wall, and the Fixed-element Relic to suppress the Demonic Qi within him. ¡°` ¡°` This time, he only slightly stimulated the Demonic Qi and quickly suppressed it, then pinched his fingers to disperse the Golden Light from his body. ¡°` ¡°That was truly a close call. The corpse could actually use Earth-shattering Corpse Fire; thankfully, it had not mastered Heaven Fiend Corpse Fire, otherwise, we would have really been in danger,¡± the Ghost General flew over and said with lingering fear. ¡°Heaven Fiend Corpse Fire?¡± Shen Luo had not heard of this name before. ¡°Both Earth-shattering Corpse Fire and Heaven Fiend Corpse Fire are top divine powers in the art of corpse refinement. Although Earth-shattering Corpse Fire can devour nearly all vitality in the world, there are still some forces, such as the Red Lotus Karmic Fire you possess, Master, that can withstand it. But Heaven Fiend Corpse Fire can truly melt everything; it is said that it can even dissolve the void, beyond the resistance of ordinary monks like us,¡± said the Ghost General. ¡°These things, are they the remnants in that monk''s memory?¡± Shen Luo asked, his expression slightly changing. ¡°Yes, but since the corpse has been slain by you, Master, there''s no need to worry anymore,¡± the Ghost General said with a laugh. ¡°The corpse was not slain; it escaped using an escape technique,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. Hearing this, the Ghost General stood there dumbfounded. Just how capable Shen Luo was, he knew best. Just now, Shen Luo had already used most of his God''s Power, yet he still failed to slay the corpse, which truly shocked him. Shen Luo recalled the divine powers of that yellow corpse just now, and the more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. If it were not for the Demonic Qi he harbored within his body, he might have truly been doomed today. The combined attack from the ash-colored corpse and the shadowy figure was something very few could evade. As for the Sacrificial Array on the ground, the fact that it could escape his Divine Sense was also quite horrifying. He carefully inspected every part of the Array, memorizing all the Formation Patterns, intending to investigate them after he got out. Then, he made a magic spell gesture and pointed at the Dark Cloud above his head. A flash of black light passed, and three black Ghost Claws shot out from it, clamping down on the Sacrificial Array and completely obliterating it with irresistible force, leaving in its place a black pit over thirty feet wide. The Blood Fetus Stones within the Array were also destroyed and reduced to nothingness. Seeing this, the Ghost General was stunned for a moment; he had not yet memorized all the Formation Patterns. Shen Luo made another spell gesture, and the Dark Cloud swiftly shrank, transforming into the Bloodthirsty Flag, which disappeared into his sleeve. The four Iron Chains that had entangled his limbs were now enveloped in Blue Light and hovered in front of him. These chains were pitch black throughout, with faint traces of blue light shining from within, suggesting they were far from ordinary. ¡°Is this¡­ Nine-turn Steel?¡± Shen Luo examined them for a while and finally recognized what they were. Nine-turn Steel was said to be a treasure that could only form by the infusion of countless essences of cold iron in an undersea Cold Iron Vein over tens of thousands of years, making it the best auxiliary material for strengthening Magical Treasures. Any magical instrument that incorporated some Nine-turn Steel would instantly become unimaginably sturdy and almost indestructible. This Nine-turn Steel was also one of the three main materials of the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod in Dreamland; the other two main materials being Spirit Solar Iron and Nine Heavens Gold Essence. It was the combination of these three treasures that forged the mighty Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, which boasted immense power and could suppress thousands of evils. His Profound Yellow Staff, which was modeled after the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod, had so far been mixed only with some Spirit Solar Iron. This had already significantly increased its power, transforming it from a Top-Grade Magical Artifact into a Low-grade Magical Treasure, its might comparable to that of a Mid-grade Magical Treasure. If he could integrate these pieces of Nine-turn Steel as well, the Profound Yellow Staff would certainly reach a new level of power. ¡°There''s nothing left here, let''s go,¡± Shen Luo said, pocketing the four Iron Chains and speaking to the Ghost General. ¡°This place is rife with such formidable ghosts; could Fu Donglai, acting alone, encounter danger?¡± the Ghost General asked. ¡°This place is sinister and unpredictable; it would be better not to rashly venture deeper,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. Chapter 1236 Chapter 1236: Chapter 1233: Siege Chapter 1236: Chapter 1233: Siege Shen Luo, leading the Ghost General, turned around and left the great hall, heading back the way they came. But after just a few steps, Shen Luo''s face showed a look of astonishment and he stopped in his tracks. Where there had just been a crossroads, now it had vanished. A great hall blocked their way and two additional small paths appeared on either side, winding forward. The surrounding buildings had also changed dramatically. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± The Ghost General also noticed the change ahead and his eyes widened. ¡°It seems we''ve fallen into some kind of trap, and it won''t be easy to leave now.¡± Shen Luo quickly regained his composure, his eyes flickered with a bright green light as he looked around. ¡°A trap!¡± The color drained from the Ghost General''s face. ¡°Regardless of whether this situation is an illusion or the actual terrain has changed, neither will be easy to solve. If it''s the former, that''s better, but if it''s the latter, we''re in trouble!¡± Shen Luo''s expression turned ugly as the green light in his eyes quickly faded. He had just activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, but he could not detect any traces of illusion around them, nor any changes due to an array. To be able to change the surrounding terrain to this extent in an instant without him noticing at all, such a heaven-defying ability, he had only seen in the Map of Mountains and Rivers within Dreamland. ¡°What do we do now?¡± The Ghost General was somewhat flustered and asked. ¡°Let''s first try to go back the way we came to see if we can find an exit.¡± Shen Luo deactivated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and headed in the direction they had come from. The Ghost General didn''t say another word and hurried to follow. At the same time. Inside a dim underground palace, there was a strange and eerie atmosphere, as if a ferocious beast lurked in the surrounding darkness, observing everything. The source of the atmosphere was a black coffin placed in the center of the palace. The coffin was more than twice the size of a normal one, made of ink jade and carved with numerous intricate patterns that resembled both images and characters. A green flame, the size of a human head, floated above the coffin, exuding a chilling and sinister aura. Around the coffin, on the ground, nine dark red arrays were arranged similar to the Sacrificial Array Shen Luo had encountered, yet with subtle differences. In one of the arrays, a flash of light passed, and the yellow corpse appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Master, I have failed, and Black Two has also been slain by the enemy. Please punish me as you see fit!¡± The corpse bowed down before the black coffin. ¡°Oh, you and Black Two joined forces and still lost? What kind of people have come?¡± A hoarse voice came from within the coffin. The yellow corpse briefly described the encounter with Shen Luo. ¡°A red flame? It can actually resist the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire? And the Golden Dragon and Golden Elephant? Could it be the Huangting Technique from Mount Fangcun, but his body is also tainted with Demonic Qi. This is quite interesting. He is indeed strong, it''s normal that you''re no match for him. Since you''ve returned, stay here. As soon as the Sacrificial Array you were guarding was destroyed, I activated Puppet City. They won''t be able to escape; wait until they''re exhausted before you go and slay them,¡± continued the voice from within the coffin. ¡°Yes.¡± The yellow corpse responded and sat down cross-legged in the array, closing its eyes. A green light shot out from the green flame above the coffin, entering the head of the yellow corpse. The body of the corpse rapidly plumped up, the skin gaining a gloss, and the unsightly features gradually became delicate. A few breaths later, the hideous corpse transformed into a woman with willow eyebrows and a lotus-like face, her long legs, towering chest, and slender waist stood out especially since she wasn''t wearing anything at all, making her look incredibly seductive. The combination of beauty, coffin, and Yin Fire formed an extremely eerie picture. The red light on the Pure Yang Sword surged violently, and in the trembling of the sword body, countless sword shadows emerged, creating a huge circular sword net that enveloped the two gray giants apes several meters tall and bore down on them with an overwhelming force to destroy. The gray giants struggled like cornered beasts, each spewing a gray wind column that struck the circular sword net fiercely, trying to break through. However, the red sword net was extremely sharp, easily slicing the gray wind columns to pieces, then wrapping around the two gray giants. With a hissing sound, they were chopped into a pile of minced meat. This minced meat soon melted, turning into countless grey and black Qi that dissipated. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Ghost General waiting nearby immediately pounced on them and took a deep breath, swallowing all the grey and black Yin Qi, making their own Yin Qi denser, laughing with joy. Shen Luo gathered the Pure Yang Sword back with a spell, his expression somewhat grim. They had been wandering around this underground city for almost a day and a night. It started off calm, but as they went on, various monsters formed from condensed Yin Qi kept attacking them, including Yin Wolves, Yin Tigers, Yin Snakes, and the Night Rakshasa that had attacked them earlier. The strength of these Yin Beasts was increasingly formidable, with some even nearing the Great Mahayana Stage. In a one-against-many situation, even with Shen Luo''s current strength and the help of the Ghost General, they began to struggle, and as the battles continued, his Mana depletion grew more severe, now less than half remaining. Shen Luo could no longer sense Fu Donglai''s location, unsure whether the mark inside Fu Donglai''s body was destroyed or if there was some prohibition in the city that blocked his perception. The most troublesome part was that although the city seemed not too large, no matter if Shen Luo engaged in Sword Flight, used the Escape Earth Talisman to go upward, or used Yimu Xuandun to leave, he was unable to escape. No matter how he struggled, he couldn''t leave the bounds of the city. Not only that, he had previously tried to use the Art of Spirit Communication to summon the Bashe to discuss their situation, but the communication failed. Shen Luo''s Art of Spirit Communication wasn''t limited by distance. The failure of the communication must be due to something obstructing it. Ordinary Formation Restrictions didn''t have this ability, making him increasingly convinced that he was trapped by a treasure similar to the Map of Mountains and Rivers. After wasting quite a bit of Mana, Shen Luo finally gave up on looking for a shortcut to escape and started to meticulously explore the area in an effort to find a loophole. As for Fu Donglai, Shen Luo was already struggling to take care of himself and could only hope that Fu Donglai could find his own fortune. ¡°Master, shall we continue forward?¡± The Ghost General, after refining and absorbing the Yin Qi, and feeling full of energy, asked. This underground city was full of Yin Qi, suitable for ghostly activity. The vitality left behind by the Yin Beasts they had slain along the way had all been absorbed by the Ghost General, whose own Yin Qi became even denser, showing signs of breaking through to the Late Mahayana Stage. ¡°Let''s rest here for a moment. I need to restore some Mana. Take this and be on guard around us,¡± Shen Luo said, giving the Ghost General a glance and handing over the Bloodthirsty Flag. The Ghost General had long been envious of the Bloodthirsty Flag''s power and eagerly took it, happily channeling his own ghostly power into it. Shen Luo waved his sleeve, setting up an Array around him. A thick yellow light encased his body, protecting him from above, below, and all sides. After finishing these preparations, he sat down cross-legged, took out a green pill, and swallowed it. The Elixir, acquired from the storage magical tool of a Great Mahayana Stage Fox Demon from Yunmeng Marsh, was even superior to the restoration pills he originally had, and he had a good number of them. The pill melted quickly and turned into streams of pure Mana, slowly replenishing the Mana that Shen Luo had used up. Chapter 1237 Chapter 1237: Chapter 1234: Peeking Chapter 1237: Chapter 1234: Peeking Just as Shen Luo had begun his recovery, a piercing screech came from afar. A flock of strange black birds swooped over from a distance, numbering more than twenty. These birds had horns on their heads and four wings on their backs. The Yin Qi they emitted was powerful, and they were all at the late Nascent Soul Stage. The Ghost General''s expression changed. Although he was at the Mahayana Middle Stage of cultivation, facing over twenty late Nascent Soul Stage Yin Beasts was still a life-and-death situation. He glanced back at Shen Luo, then at the Bloodthirsty Flag in his hand, and still he charged forward with a roar. The ghostly energy within him poured into the Bloodthirsty Flag, and black clouds billowed out from it, engulfing all of the strange birds. Soon, sounds of fierce collisions rang out from within the black clouds, accompanied by the birds'' shrill cries and the Ghost General''s sonic roars. The various noises interwove, making the nearby void tremble incessantly. A long while later, the black clouds that had covered most of the sky gradually dispersed, revealing the figure of the Ghost General. One of his arms was missing, and he had suffered multiple injuries, looking quite miserable. However, there was no sign of the strange birds, which had evidently been killed to the last. The Ghost General looked excitedly at the Bloodthirsty Flag in his hand. Its power was truly astonishing; he had only activated it to one or two percent of its full potential, yet it had already far exceeded his sonic attacks, especially the Bloodthirsty Flag''s black Yin Fire which killed upon touch and wounded upon a near miss. Right from the start, it had slaughtered several strange birds. Otherwise, the outcome of just now''s battle would have been different. Within the Ground Array, Shen Luo was still cultivating with his eyes closed. The Ghost General staggered to the side and began to absorb the surrounding Yin Qi to heal his wounds. But before he could recover much, the ground beside him suddenly started shaking as if there was an earthquake. The Ghost General stood up abruptly, ready to investigate the surroundings, but the ground beneath Shen Luo suddenly cracked open, forming a big hole. A black centipede the size of a millstone burst forth from the ground, slamming viciously against the light of the Array surrounding Shen Luo. With a loud ¡°bang!¡± The yellow-colored Array shattered upon impact, and the figure of Shen Luo within wobbled a couple of times before dissolving into specks of light and disappearing¨Cit was actually a phantom. His real body had, at some point, vanished without a trace! The black centipede was stunned for a moment, and the Ghost General, who was fully charging over, also paused briefly. But he immediately reacted, triggering the Bloodthirsty Flag to shoot out black flames, covering and striking the black centipede''s head. Inside the Dark Palace, the coffin too let out a sound of surprise, and the green flames spreading over it formed a pair of green eyes. Within the green eyes, an image of the black centipede and the Ghost General fighting fiercely appeared. With a flash of green light in those eyes, the view rapidly expanded outward, searching for traces of Shen Luo. However, no matter how it searched, there were no signs of Shen Luo. ¡°How can he not be found? Could he have a powerful Invisibility Talisman on him that can even evade the Dolls'' scrutiny?¡± There was a hint of impatience in the voice from within the coffin. The light from the green eyes intensified as they scanned back and forth, but no matter how much they searched, they still could not find any trace of Shen Luo¨Cit was as though he had genuinely disappeared. ¡°Hmph! Thinking to play tricks on me, let''s see if you have the ability!¡± sneered the voice from within the coffin, as the green flames quickly returned to normal. Eight beams of green light shot out, infusing into the Array around them. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The yellow-colored Array radiated brightly, and eight corpses appeared within it, each holding various Magical Treasures such as knives, swords, drums, and spades. The largest corpse held an astonishingly huge golden pillar that was much taller and thicker than the corpse itself. The hollow center of the pillar was fitted with many crimson Crystal Stones¨Cit looked like a mighty cannon. Moreover, behind each of the eight corpses, there was a strange dark shadow attached, identical to the one previously killed by Shen Luo. As the green flames on the coffin flickered, they infused eerie and tricky Yin energy into the bodies of the eight corpses. The bodies of the corpses swiftly became full; they were all women, some as young as sixteen or seventeen, brimming with youthful vitality, and others were ripe and voluptuous women, enticing and captivating, full of allure that could drive men mad. The tall woman also stood up and joined the other eight women standing together. ¡°Go find that hidden thief, no matter what it takes!¡± a cold voice commanded from within the coffin. The group of women responded in unison, some transforming into long rainbows, others vanishing into the void, they set off from that place utilizing different godly powers. Just as the tall woman was about to leave, a voice from the coffin said, ¡°Your Nine-Turn Steel Chain has been stolen by that person, and without that handy Magical Treasure, with Black Two also fallen, facing that person will be too disadvantageous for you. Here, borrow this Fixing-Immortal Qin!¡± Before the voice faded, a bundle of dark golden light burst from within the coffin, landing in the hands of the tall woman, which was indeed an ancient zither. The whole body of the ancient zither was of a bronze color, with seven strings as fine as hair strung across it, each exhibiting different colors such as gold, green, blue, red, yellow, cyan, and purple. Without being played, sounds of the zither faintly echoed in the surrounding void, making the instrument seem highly spirited. ¡°Yes,¡± the tall woman replied, catching the ancient zither in her hands and plucking at a yellow string. With a ¡°clang,¡± a beam of yellow light shot out from the string, mixed with countless yellow musical notes, enveloping the woman''s body. The tall woman instantly blended silently into the ground and disappeared without a trace. ¡­ In the midst of the palace complex, the Ghost General, after a brief confrontation with the black centipede, immediately transformed into a gust of black wind and escaped far away, vanishing among the multilayered buildings in deeper areas within the blink of an eye. The black centipede, enraged, promptly gave chase. At that moment, several canine Yin beasts appeared in the surroundings and, upon seeing this, pursued the Ghost General without exception. Hundreds of feet away behind a building, Shen Luo slowly emerged. He was currently clad in the grey cloak, and a Invisibility Talisman was closely attached to him, rendering his entire being into a state of nothingness that almost completely merged with the surrounding environment. Seeing the actions of the black centipede and the canine Yin beasts, he let out a silent sigh of relief. Shen Luo and the Ghost General were increasingly attacked by all kinds of Yin beasts along the way. The opponent did not give him any time to recover, and the pinpoint harassment by the Yin beasts suggested that they had been under surveillance all the time. So he pretended to recover and hid away using the grey cloak and the Invisibility Talisman. Considering the reaction of those Yin beasts, the cloak and talisman seemed to have evaded the perception of the person hidden in the dark. Regarding the Ghost General, being a ghost, it was in a place rich in Yin Qi, where it could freely breathe and absorb, and thus would not face exhaustion. Moreover, with the help of the Bloodthirsty Flag, as the Ghost General was only fleeing and not engaging in battle, no major issues should arise. Shen Luo did not linger there, turned around, and fled in another direction, spreading his Divine Sense to survey the surroundings. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was also maximized, but he could see nothing. After pondering for a moment, he took out a White Jade Talisman from his hand, which was the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman, and merged it into his body. A pure illusory force flowed out from the talisman, infusing into his eyes. A faint green light immediately lit up in his eyes. Shen Luo''s Ghost Eye of the Netherworld had long reached its full potential and could no longer be enhanced by absorbing the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman. However, with the added illusionary power of the talisman, its visionary power could still be slightly increased. His vast spiritual consciousness also slowly revolved, aiding his spiritual eye in observation. A moment later, a joyful look appeared on Shen Luo''s face. His eyes finally caught numerous yellow spiritual light threads within the city walls and ground below, densely packed and countless, yet so faint that even with his vision, he could barely see them. Chapter 1238 Chapter 1238: Chapter 1235 Corpse Refinement Chapter 1238: Chapter 1235 Corpse Refinement ¡°What is this spiritual light? It doesn''t seem like a prohibition,¡± Shen Luo mused with a hint of suspicion in his heart. He observed carefully for a while, and compared it with the multitude of knowledge on cultivating immortality that he possessed, yet found no match. Since he couldn''t figure it out, he didn''t dwell on it and continued flying forward. The extent of the yellow spiritual threads was far beyond his expectations. No matter where he flew, the buildings and ground below were filled with these yellow spiritual threads. ¡°It seems that these threads are throughout the entire city. My repeated failed attempts to cast spells and leave must be the doing of these threads,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, his expression suddenly changing slightly as he stopped his fleeing figure and emitted a bright green light from his eyes beneath the cloak. He saw the yellow spiritual threads within the surrounding buildings suddenly light up, moving swiftly like countless tiny spirit snakes, and the building materials, as well as the dirt and stone on the ground, also began to move as if they had suddenly come to life. The whole city rapidly transformed. Some buildings suddenly sank into the ground, while others rose from underground. The roadways on the surface changed completely in an instant, and in the blink of an eye, everything before him had altered. ¡°The terrain here has changed drastically, but it''s neither an illusion nor the changing of a formation prohibition, strange,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed, and he continued to fly, soon landing near a large building, his gaze directed underground. He hesitated briefly, then lightly pressed his palm to the ground, releasing an imperceptible amount of mana that condensed into a faint green mana imprint at a certain spot underground. Having done this, he immediately shot back a considerable distance and attentively monitored his surroundings with his divine sense. A while passed with no unusual signs, and Shen Luo finally breathed a sigh of relief, looking in the direction of the underground imprint with a slight smile on his lips. The recent changes in the city were so dizzyingly complex that even a True Immortal Cultivator here would be at a loss and clueless. However, Shen Luo was an exception. With countless cultivation experiences accumulated in Dreamland, along with the help of the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and his vast divine sense, he had managed to discern some clues. Although he still didn''t understand the principle, those yellow threads were definitely the key to controlling the terrain''s changes. The spot where he had just cast his mana imprint was precisely where one of the threads'' nodes was located. Shen Luo continued to propel himself forward, flying to another spot on the ground some distance away. There was a node underground here as well. He concentrated his mana and left a mark here, too, and continued flying toward the deeper parts of the city, stopping over a small square, but he didn''t proceed to cast any spells. Based on the city''s recent movements, he had only identified two nodes. Now that the city was still and the yellow threads had all sunk out of sight, he was powerless to do anything. To uncover more nodes, he would need to wait for the city''s next transformation. Luckily, Shen Luo didn''t have to wait long before the buildings around him started to shift dramatically again. He quickly activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and successfully spotted three more nodes. Shen Luo moved to mark these nodes. Just as he was preparing to patiently wait for the next change, a thunderous rumble, like a stampede of a thousand horses, came from up ahead. Unable to see the source of the noise, he didn''t dare to be careless and quickly hid in a corner of a building. No sooner had Shen Luo concealed himself than countless Yin Beasts appeared ahead, with some running on the ground and others flying through the air, coming in overwhelming numbers and leaving all the buildings in ruins in their wake. ¡°So many Yin Beasts, it seems the person behind this is getting impatient!¡± He wasn''t alarmed but pleased, casting the god''s power of his cloak to merge silently into the ground. Underground, there were some Yin Beasts similar to black centipedes, but their numbers were far fewer than above. Shen Luo moved left and right to dodge and evade, remaining undetected. However, Shen Luo similarly failed to notice that after the Yin Beasts passed by in large numbers, whether in mid air or underground, they left behind strands of extremely faint Yin Qi Threads, so thin they could hardly be called threads but were rather slightly condensed Yin Qi, which only lingered for a few breaths before dissipating without a trace. Yet, as Shen Luo moved back and forth, his body became tainted with some of these Yin Qi Threads. Unlike before, these threads did not disappear; rather, they firmly adhered to the grey cloak he wore. The tide of underground Yin Beasts soon passed. Just as he was about to emerge, his gaze suddenly concentrated and turned towards a certain spot ahead. A black shadow flew out from there, identical to the one that had appeared earlier with the yellow corpse. ¡°Another one has come; could it be that these shadows are driving the Yin Beasts?¡± Shen Luo resisted the impulse to use the Red Lotus Karmic Fire to refine the black shadow and strengthen his Soul Power, and secretly speculated. After the black shadow disappeared ahead, he slowly emerged from underground and was about to move in the opposite direction of the Yin Beasts. Suddenly, a fluctuation rippled through the void behind him, and the figure of a woman appeared out of nowhere like a ghostly specter. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This woman had delicate eyebrows and phoenix eyes, a delicate nose and cherry lips¨Ca breathtaking beauty. Yet her gaze was unspeakably cold; she was one of the nine female corpses, and with a swing of her arm, a Black Long Knife appeared as if parting the void itself, aiming a lethal strike at Shen Luo''s head. The handle of the Black Blade was a grinning skull, neither human nor beast. The blade was three feet long with a wide back and thin edge, the entire knife enveloped in a terrifying Yin Qi. When the Black Blade struck, ghostly wails suddenly resonated in the nearby void, the surrounding Yin Qi all drawn towards it, merging with the intense blade Qi to form a barrier-like array that ensnared and brutally twisted around Shen Luo. Shen Luo was startled. His body flickered like lightning towards his rear, and with a flash of golden light in his hand, the Profound Yellow Staff appeared. Man followed staff, and in an instant, he unleashed the Splashy Chaotic Stick, dozens of staff shadows clashing with the Black Long Knife. With a series of resounding ¡°clangs,¡± an immense force burst forth, easily tearing through the blade light''s barrier. Shen Luo took two steps back to steady himself, whereas the woman wielding the Black Blade, along with the blade, was sent tumbling backward. He had already cultivated the Huangting Technique to the Fifth Layer, each movement carrying unparalleled strength, not to mention when executing the Splashy Chaotic Stick. ¡°Corpse refinement!¡± Shen Luo''s Divine Sense swept over the woman, and his pupils abruptly contracted. Although this female corpse had transformed into a human form with some unknown God''s Power, the strong Corpse Air clinging to her was undeniable, identical to the earlier Yellow Corpse. Now certain that the woman was a reanimated corpse, Shen Luo held back no longer. The Pure Yang Sword flew from his grasp, hovering directly above the female corpse''s head. The Pure Yang Sword blazed with Scarlet Sword Light, and a hundred feet long gigantic swath of sword light flashed into existence above the female corpse. The surface of the sword light then sparkled with streaks of Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the flame''s radiance mingling with the sword light, enhancing its might, as it fiercely cleaved downward. Having just managed to stabilize herself, the female corpse opened her mouth and spewed out a torrent of Earth-shattering Corpse Fire, which unfolded into a fiery curtain, colliding with the gigantic sword light. A thunderous boom erupted, and lights of various colors burst forth. The fiery curtain looked thin, but being condensed from Earth-shattering Corpse Fire, it actually withstood the strike of the gigantic sword light. Chapter 1239 Chapter 1239: Chapter 1236: Qingtian Mechanism Chapter 1239: Chapter 1236: Qingtian Mechanism Shen Luo saw this and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, as he changed the sword technique in his hand. The giant red sword light suddenly blurred, and then with a ¡°whoosh¡±, a giant sword identical to any other appeared behind the curtain of fire, flashing into existence right in front of the female corpse, and silently slashed down. The female corpse''s face finally changed dramatically, her extremely beautiful face showing a look of despair and misery that was irresistibly pitiable. But the sword light showed no mercy, no hesitation as it struck the female corpse. With a ¡°puchi,¡± the body of the female corpse was cleaved in two, flying to the left and right sides. The black ghost knife she wielded was also sent flying, spinning and embedding itself halfway into a nearby building, trembling incessantly. Even bisected, the female corpse didn''t die, emitting a strange ¡°hehe¡± sound. Both halves of the body each glowed with a yellow light, flying towards one another, seemingly trying to recombine. However, the sounds of a startling thunder from mid air exploded, and two thick golden lightnings struck down from the sky, fiercely hitting both halves of the corpse. The golden thunder burst forth like a fierce sun, blasting the two halves of the body to smithereens, turning them into countless fragments drifting apart. Yet these fragments did not completely lose their vitality, stubbornly trying to converge. A figure blurred, and Shen Luo''s silhouette ghostly appeared near the fragments, rubbing his hands together and throwing them upwards. The sound of thunder erupted, countless golden electric arcs shooting out from his hands, instantly forming two golden nets, ensnaring the fragments on both sides and rapidly contracting. Countless electric arcs leaped and struck harshly against the grey fragments, sizzling loudly. Under the painful lashes of the golden arcs, thick black smoke rose from within the grey fragments, accompanied by shrill and pitiful wails. Shen Luo clapped his hands in the void, and two balls of Pure Yang flames shot out, engulfing the golden net. As the thunder and flames complemented each other, their power surged immensely. The corpse fragments then turned into streams of green smoke, completely vanishing. This series of changes seemed complex, but was over in just a few breaths. Shen Luo''s tense expression relaxed, as he waved his hand to recall the Pure Yang Sword, glanced at a nearby collapsed building, his body flashed with a gray light, and once again disappeared into the void, leaving no trace. The next moment, near the black ghost knife on the distant wall, a figure blurred and the black ghost knife also vanished into thin air. In the collapsed building''s location, a black light flashed, and a black shadow emerged, with a horrified face, silent for a long time. Shen Luo concealed his figure and immediately flew forward, while simultaneously activating the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to inspect his body. Just now, the female corpse had been able to accurately locate him, surely because he had unknowingly been marked by some method. Without discovering the reason, it would be impossible for him to escape. He pushed the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to its maximum, and soon discovered the existence of those Yin Qi threads. ¡°So it was these Things that were causing trouble,¡± Shen Luo realized, as a surge of Pure Yang Power emanated from his body. Those Yin Qi threads were meant only as markers and didn''t have any other special functions. When they were hit by the Pure Yang Power, they evaporated instantly, much like frost meeting fire. His heartstrings relaxed, and he accelerated his pace to continue moving forward. In the gloomy great hall, one of the nine arrays surrounding the coffin suddenly shone brightly, the ground where the array was situated cracked with a snap, and all light vanished. ¡°What! Ji Liu has perished?¡± An angry voice echoed from inside the coffin as the green flames above undulated violently, releasing a tremendous and sinister power. The dim hall trembled incessantly, with vast amounts of dust falling from the sky. The nine female corpses were not ordinary refined corpses; they had been painstakingly collected from various places by the person in the coffin, each a natural-born pure Yin body. Using sacrificial secret methods and a hundred years of cultivation, they had been advanced to the realm of Earth Evil Corpse Kings. Each of the nine female corpses possessed formidable strength, and when they worked together, they could use an unrivaled divine power, a trump card specially cultivated by the person in the coffin for a significant event. With the event unfinished, the death of one filled the person in the coffin with shock and fury. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Fine, it seems I underestimated him! Everyone prepare yourselves. I will now activate the Qiang Tian Mechanism of the Puppet City; join forces and strike to slay him!¡± The voice inside the coffin regained its calm, speaking with a cold tone laden with a desire to kill. No sooner had the voice fallen than a dazzling yellow light emerged from within the coffin, rapidly infusing into the ground. The entire city radiated a yellow light that reached the heavens, and the bricks and stones at the city''s central ground squirmed rapidly, coalescing into a towering giant that nearly reached the top in a matter of breaths. At this moment, Shen Luo stood dumbfounded in a corner of the city, not startled by the sudden appearance of the Giant Titan. His eyes emitted a bright green light, intensely observing his surroundings without sparing a glance at the giant. With the advent of the Giant Titan, those yellow spiritual threads transformed drastically, becoming ten times more intense than the previous city changes. The situation of countless transforming yellow spiritual threads was reflected in his eyes, his mind rapidly analyzing everything. Though Shen Luo had no knowledge of the changes here, he had, after all, reached the Heavenly Venerable Level in Dreamland, which gave him an extremely profound understanding of mana operations. These chaotic mana changes within the yellow light might mean nothing to others but were different in his eyes. Combining his prior observations, he had already faintly mastered the pattern of the city''s changes. At this point, escape lights shot out from within the city and hovered in mid-air, the remaining eight female corpses. As the Giant Titan formed, its house-sized eyes immediately shot out two thick yellow beams, sweeping around in search, revealing everything in its path with no detail missed. The giant''s head turned almost in a full circle when its gaze suddenly fixated on a specific spot. The once scattered yellow light converged, locking onto one location. A blurry figure appeared there¨CShen Luo. However, Shen Luo showed no reaction to being discovered. His eyes continuously and rapidly observed his surroundings, his hands flicking and calculating something. The surrounding female corpses weren''t going to give Shen Luo a chance. They immediately lunged at him, with the nearest one wielding a Blue Strange Sword; its sword body wasn''t flat but rather a pointed blue column, much like a blue ice cone. As the woman rotated her wrist, the Blue Strange Sword traced through the void in front of her, and a giant Blue Light Sphere appeared out of nowhere, crashing towards Shen Luo like a meteor. Though Shen Luo was focused on observing the yellow light threads, he was not oblivious to his surroundings. With a flare of Moonlight Glamour under his feet, his figure flickered to a spot a dozen yards away, evading the Blue Light Sphere''s strike, his eyes never leaving his surroundings. The sword-wielding female corpse, missing with her first strike and showing neither sadness nor joy on her face, rapidly formed various hand seals with her other hand. One after another, blue magic spells shot out from her hands, all merging into the Blue Light Sphere, which immediately split apart. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into countless blue ice needles about the size of a foot, hanging in mid-air and presenting a daunting sight. Chapter 1240 Chapter 1240: Chapter 1237 Lockdown and Ambush Chapter 1240: Chapter 1237 Lockdown and Ambush ¡°Go!¡± the female corpse pointed her longsword towards Shen Luo in the void. Instantly, a myriad of ice needles shot out like powerful crossbow arrows, emitting a piercing whistling sound, raining down upon Shen Luo with no room to dodge. Shen Luo did not attempt to dodge; a golden light exploded from his body, and the phantom images of five dragons and five elephants appeared around him, forming several thick layers of golden light curtains around his body. Countless ice needles struck the golden light curtain, piercing into it, but since the golden light curtain was a manifestation of his Huangting Technique''s foundational vitality, it was extraordinarily sturdy, and the ice needles stopped after penetrating almost halfway. ¡°Ice Seal!¡± The sword-wielding female corpse changed the magic spell in her hand again, and the longsword in her hands emitted a bright blue light. The blue ice needles suddenly released an intense coldness, instantly condensing into a hundred-foot tall Blue Iceberg, which froze Shen Luo inside it. Shen Luo, encased in the Ice Mountain, did not move his head, but his right hand lifted with a brilliant flash of blue light. An extreme cold that was far colder than the ice mountain erupted, which was the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. The coldness from the gigantic iceberg was instantly sucked in by the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique in Shen Luo''s hand, making the colossal iceberg vanish in an instant, causing the female corpse to be taken aback. A flash of green light appeared in Shen Luo''s eyes, and the calculating fingers came to a halt. ¡°Hahaha, I understand now!¡± he suddenly burst into laughter, finally shifting his gaze as he slapped outwards with the palm of his hand. A dozen yards away, a muffled sound echoed in the void in front of the female corpse, and a golden light palm, roughly three feet in size, manifested out of thin air, striking down fiercely. The female corpse snapped to her senses, her blue sword radiating sword light intensely, and she struck out with all her might. With a ¡°boom,¡± there was a thunderous clash akin to gold striking iron. The golden light palm shattered, and the female corpse was knocked backwards and sent flying. The rapid series of exchanges between Shen Luo and the female corpse was extraordinarily swift, ending in the blink of an eye, while the other female corpses around him surged like lightning, subtly forming an encirclement. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, and a crimson sword light shone brightly beneath him, transforming into a Sword Rainbow that fled into the distance. Now that his whereabouts were exposed, he simply revealed his figure and activated all his Mana to flee at full speed. Although those female corpses were formidable, their escape techniques were not a match for Shen Luo''s. He repeatedly evaded the blockades of two corpses and was on the verge of breaking free from the encirclement. At that moment, from the left front, a tall female corpse suddenly burst forth with blinding flames, transforming into a fiery cloud about an acre in size. Her speed increased manyfold, surprisingly intercepting Shen Luo. As the Fire Cloud expanded outward with a rumbling sound, over a dozen fiery tendrils shot out and viciously struck towards Shen Luo, bringing with them an overwhelming wave of heat. ¡°Seeking death!¡± Shen Luo roared in anger, sweeping his sleeve, a dazzling blue light radiated from his hand. The cold of the Indigo Ocean surged forth in a massive blue light wave, sweeping forward in a sweeping arc. Upon contact with the blue light wave, the fire tendrils dissipated as if meeting their nemesis, and the Fire Cloud was enveloped by the light wave too, hissing as it extinguished completely, revealing the tall female corpse inside. The woman''s body was frozen within a block of blue ice, but her face showed no sign of panic; her hands raised an astonishingly large golden cylinder, aiming directly at Shen Luo. Shen Luo subdued the tall female corpse with a strike and was about to fly over her head when an inexplicable sense of dread suddenly welled up in his heart. His cultivation level had deepened, and he trusted his own intuition implicitly, immediately his feet burst with ¡°Starlight and Moonshadow¡± as his figure turned into a blurred afterimage darting to the side. At the same time, his hand shone with blue light as he released a light group. With a sizzling sound, the light group suddenly expanded wildly into thick ice, and in the blink of an eye, a blue iceberg about seventy to eighty feet tall appeared before him. Just as the iceberg materialized, a clicking sound echoed from the golden cylinder in the giant female corpse''s hands. Crystal stones on top of it suddenly emitted a copious amount of dazzling red light, and a tremendous spiritual pressure burst forth without restraint from the golden cylinder, spreading out in all directions like a tidal wave. A flash of red light inside the cylinder, and a crimson and white light pillar with a diameter of about ten feet shot out, traversing over twenty feet in a flash, brutally striking the blue iceberg with the rumble of thunder and flicker of lightning. A blinding white light flared, enveloping the blue iceberg, which then disappeared without a sound. Tens of feet behind where the iceberg stood were also caught in the white light, and everything within vanished silently. The white light quickly dissipated, leaving a big pit a hundred feet in size on the ground, a depthless dark void with scorched edges that looked terrifying. Near the pit, a figure flickered as Shen Luo''s form staggered into view. His left side was bloody, almost exposing white bones on his arm, and he looked extremely battered and abject, his complexion uglier than ever. He had tried his best to dodge but still got grazed by the white light. If not for his cultivation of the ¡°Huangting Technique¡± to the fifth layer, making his flesh as tough as iron, that strike would have cost him half of his life. His grey cloak, too, was partly destroyed and beyond use. ¡°That golden cylinder can unleash such a terrifying attack; even the aftermath is so potent. If I had taken a direct hit, I would have surely died!¡± Shen Luo put away his damaged cloak, his heart still pounding with a hint of fear. Though shocked, his response was without the slightest hesitation. He took out a pill that was cyan and white in color and promptly swallowed it. Right away, his left side lit up with intertwining strands of cyan and white light that rapidly restored the charred flesh and skin. This white pill, known as the ¡°Heaven Green Earth White,¡± was given to him by Wu Man''er upon their separation. Although its effects were not as powerful as the ¡°Injury Healing Rejuvenating Pill,¡± it wasn''t far behind. Sighing with relief upon seeing this, Shen Luo once more activated the Pure Yang Sword. In unity with the sword, he dashed past the giant female corpse in a flash and shot away like a meteor into the distance. As he moved, the head of the Giant Titan within the city walls also turned, with two thick yellow beams of light constantly fixed on him like a persistent parasite. Having expended a considerable amount of vitality in that heaven-shaking strike, the giant female corpse took a moment to recover, but by then Shen Luo had already flown out of the encirclement of the female corpses. ¡°Chase!¡± The giant female corpse bellowed, once more employing the ¡°Fire Cloud¡± God''s Power to give chase, with the other female corpses following without a word. The giant female corpse had greatly depleted her vitality with that powerful attack, and her ¡°Fire Cloud¡± speed was reduced by thirty percent, while the other female corpses, not adept at flying, quickly lost distance to Shen Luo. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But with the Giant Titan there, they were not worried about Shen Luo escaping. But just then, bright green light suddenly emanated from Shen Luo''s body, nearly blinding those who saw it, like a green mini-sun. His hands quickly formed spells, and with the green light flickering around him, the sound of whizzing filled the air as dozens of green beams shot out from him in all directions at incredible speeds, scattering across the city walls. The green light around Shen Luo then coalesced into a light group several feet wide, flickering with numerous green runes and forming a small Array¨Cit was the ¡°Yi Mu Xian Dun¡± formation. As Shen Luo was casting and forming the array, the giant female corpse exerted her true essence, the fire cloud around her intensifying and her speed surging. In the blink of an eye, she closed in to within ten feet behind him. With a whistling sound, two fiery red crystal lights shot from within the fire cloud, reaching both sides of Shen Luo in a flash, crossing and striking down viciously! However, with a flash of green light, Shen Luo''s entire body vanished into thin air. Chapter 1241 Chapter 1241: Chapter 1238: Misfortune and Happiness Are Intertwined Chapter 1241: Chapter 1238: Misfortune and Happiness Are Intertwined The Giant Titan''s eyes shot out yellow light that suddenly lost its target, aimlessly sweeping the surroundings a few times before looking around again, searching once more. This shocked the female corpses following behind, who frantically searched everywhere but found nothing. At this moment, Shen Luo was located underground somewhere, with a faint green pattern suspended in the soil not far in front of him, the very mana imprint he had left at the underground node before. He had always been cautious in his actions, planning before acting, and had thought to use the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation when he first reserved the mana imprint. Upon setting these imprints, he left a few special spirit patterns within, attracting a mass of green light from the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation to fall nearby. Shen Luo''s injuries had not yet healed, but his movements had been revealed, and his grey cloak was destroyed, leaving him unable to hide any longer. Without daring to delay for the slightest moment, he immediately set out to break the prohibition of this place. He turned his hand and took out a blue treasure bead, it was the SeSuppressing Bead. This top-grade magical artifact given by the Great Tang Dynasty Government had quality beyond the ordinary, with the number of prohibitions reaching the limit of magical instruments, sixteen layers. He initially cherished it greatly, treating it as a treasured possession, but after his cultivation level advanced further, the power of the SeSuppressing Bead gradually fell behind, and thus it was always put aside in the Linlang Ring. However, this artifact had another wonderful use that could now be employed. Shen Luo formed a gesture and touched the SeSuppressing Bead, the bead emitted a great blue glow, and a blue water current gushed out from it, spreading quickly around the area, soaking nearly a hundred feet of the surrounding soil layer in the blink of an eye. This blue water current was the Kui Water Essence stored inside the SeSuppressing Bead, refined by the original creator of this treasure who had spent great effort collecting massive amounts of Kui Water Essence and storing it inside the bead to enhance its power. Shen Luo''s right hand shone with a blue light as the cold air of the Indigo Blue Sea erupted, ¡°crack¡± was the sound as he turned these currents into a massive blue ice block. His Indigo Blue Sea had long since reached the realm of freezing mana. The node and the surrounding yellow spiritual threads were frozen by the cold air, and all of their spiritual light instantly solidified within the ice block, no longer flowing. Actually, given Shen Luo''s current realm, he didn''t need to summon water to create ice; he could condense ice out of thin air. But that method not only consumed much more mana, but the ice formed was also not as solid. In other places, Shen Luo would usually first summon underground water before using the Indigo Blue Sea, but the city was enveloped in a peculiar prohibition, even the Art of Spirit Communication could not penetrate it, let alone summoning water from underground, thus he took out the SeSuppressing Bead. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The node, being frozen, caused the movement of yellow spiritual light in a large nearby area to slow down and the actions of the Giant Titan within the city walls seemed to be affected as well, having a feeling of being stuck. In the dark palace, the person in the coffin saw the green flame above it coalesce into the shape of a pair of eyes once again, revealing Shen Luo''s figure within. ¡°Impossible! How could this person discover the existence of the Yan Pattern? Did I misjudge, could he be from Tianji City?¡± The person inside the coffin was greatly startled and was just about to take action. A flash of green light passed over Shen Luo as he disappeared from near the node, and the next moment he appeared out of nowhere beside another marked yellow silk node, swiftly freezing it thoroughly, before escaping again. There were green light orbs from the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation near all five nodes, and his figure flashed rapidly between them. In just a few breaths, he froze all five nodes. The flow of yellow light threads throughout half the city was affected, and the actions of the Giant Titan inside became completely stuck, standing rigidly in place, the spiritual light emitting from its eyes greatly dimmed. A glimmer of joy appeared in Shen Luo''s eyes as he once again activated the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation, disappearing in a flash of green light. In the dark palace, the person inside the coffin, upon seeing this scene, became even more convinced that Shen Luo was a monk from Tianji City, and instead became calm. A flash of light within the coffin, and a yellow crystal ball shot out, its surface covered in incredibly complex patterns, merging into the ground and disappearing from sight. The entire city walls began to tremble violently, the yellow spiritual threads inside the city emitted even brighter light as if they had taken a tonic, crazily shaking. And the ground next to the five ice-sealed places began to bulge rapidly, as if some drastic change was about to occur. At this moment, Shen Luo had cast the Wood Immortal Escape Formation and teleported to a square. This square was gathered with numerous Yin Beasts, which were in pursuit of a Dark Cloud, which was none other than the Bloodthirsty Flag transformed, controlled naturally by the Ghost General. The Dark Cloud moved at great speed, and within it, spiritual light flickered, the shadow of the flag swayed, incredibly mysterious, with the attacks from the Yin Beasts behind it either going straight through or being shaken off by the flag''s shadow, to little effect. Just as Shen Luo was about to summon the Ghost General over, the entire city suddenly shook with a roar, the disturbance no less intense than when the Giant Titan had appeared. His Divine Sense couldn''t spread out, and he didn''t know what was happening, but he knew it definitely wasn''t good, and immediately transmitted a message, calling the Ghost General over. Surprised voices emanated from the distant Dark Cloud, which swiftly turned and shook off the pursuing Yin Beasts, flying rapidly towards Shen Luo. ¡°Roar, roar, roar¡­¡± The Yin Beasts were unwilling to give up, continuing to chase after, raining down attacks on the Dark Cloud and even Shen Luo, who was up ahead. Shen Luo frowned slightly, waved his sleeve, and the Pure Yang Sword flew out from his hand, arriving above the group of Yin Beasts in a flash. The sword light suddenly expanded then contracted, exploding with hundreds of extremely sharp red sword threads, enveloping the group of Yin Beasts below entirely. Screams resounded as one, for the Pure Yang Sword was the bane of the Yin Beasts, and the sword threads it transformed into were even more fierce; dozens of Yin Beasts were pierced through and riddled with holes by the sword threads, all of them killed on the spot. Seeing this, the Dark Cloud up ahead suddenly stopped, dispersed with a whoosh, revealing the figure of the Ghost General who turned and inhaled towards the creatures behind him. A burst of black and red light flew out, emitting an exceptionally fierce aura, wrapping around the Yin Beast corpses. The Yin Beast corpses quickly melted away, turning into wisps of Black Qi that were absorbed into the ferocious black and red light, and the Ghost General gulped them down in one go. ¡°Stop gorging there, get into the Qiankun Bag!¡± Shen Luo was slightly astonished at seeing the Ghost General''s use of this God''s Power, which he had never witnessed before, but given the urgency of the situation, he didn''t dwell on it, promptly using the Qiankun Bag to collect the Ghost General. The Dark Cloud also transformed back into the Bloodthirsty Flag, falling into his hands. ¡°Master, you finally came. If you were any later, I might not have been able to hold on,¡± the Ghost General complained a bit from inside the Qiankun Bag. When Shen Luo had previously hidden himself, he used his mind to tell the Ghost General to escape far away, firstly to draw those Yin Beasts away, secondly to distract some of the attention of someone hidden in the dark to facilitate his search for a breakthrough on his side, and thirdly to look for the missing Fu Donglai. The Ghost General had suffered the relentless pursuit and attacks from various Yin Beasts during this period of time; if his Cultivation level hadn''t been decent and he hadn''t had the assistance of the Bloodthirsty Flag, he would have been beaten to death long ago. However, as the saying goes, ¡°fortune lies within misfortune, and misfortune lurks within fortune,¡± having awakened a new divine power by accident, he figured that the hardships were not in vain. Chapter 1242 Chapter 1242: Chapter 1239: Crossing Swords Chapter 1242: Chapter 1239: Crossing Swords ¡°The situation is dire now; we can talk about the rest later!¡± Shen Luo had no time to go into detail with the Ghost General; a green light flashed across his body, and once again he used the Yimu Xuandun formation to disappear. Quickly, the ground near the five frozen lands surged upward, forming five giant stone columns in an instant, and they continued to rapidly transform, sprouting heads, hands, and feet. In just a few breaths'' time, the five stone columns had turned into five giant armored warriors, who, although not as impressive as the Giant Titan in the center of the city walls, were nonetheless incredibly awe-inspiring. The five giant warriors lifted fists the size of small mountains and struck fiercely at the five frozen lands. In the thunderous noise of ¡°Boom! Rumble!¡±, a mountain-destroying, sesplitting colossal force poured into the freezing ground. Without the support of Shen Luo''s mana, the power of the underground ice significantly decreased, and the ice cracked into pieces under a single blow. The yellow spiritual threads beneath the ground started to move again, and the Giant Titan, which had been stuck motionless, began to stir once more; its eyes rekindled with yellow spiritual light, shooting two thick beams of yellow light that swiftly landed on a spot within the city. Shen Luo''s figure appeared there, ignoring the descending yellow light pillars, and looked towards the top of the city walls with his eyes emitting a bright green light. That place was also covered with countless yellow spirit patterns, although they were much dimmer than elsewhere. When he had observed the changes in the city earlier, Shen Luo had surmised that this was a weak spot in the prohibition. Now, it seemed he was right. Several muffled sounds came from afar, and with the movement of the Giant Titan inside the city, he knew that the frozen nodes had been broken. But it didn''t matter now; the frozen nodes had already served their purpose. Shen Luo twisted his fingers to cast a magic spell, his whole body''s golden light surged, and in an instant, he expanded more than a hundred times in size, transforming into a hundred-foot-tall golden giant, surrounded by dazzling golden light. Five golden dragons and five golden elephants circled around him, with the roars of dragons and trumpeting of elephants shaking the heavens, as though he was a war god from the Heavenly Realm. Raising his hand, a Xuan Huang Giant Rod appeared in his palm amidst a flash of golden light. With a whistling sound, the rod moved with his body, striking fiercely at the dimly lit area of spiritual light. A vast expanse of yellow light emerged on the top of the city walls, trying to block the blow, but it was so frail against the Giant Rod that it shattered upon contact as if it were made of paper. With a loud ¡°Boom!¡± A great pit, several dozen feet across, was blown into the top of the city walls. However, the depths of the pit were still densely covered with yellow spiritual threads. Shen Luo was not surprised by this. The golden light on the giant rod in his hand brightened, and the five golden dragons and five golden elephants also wrapped around it. He struck fiercely at the bottom of the pit, intending to forcefully blast a passage out from here. ¡°Heh heh, the Huangting Technique is indeed the Sect Treasure of Mount Fangcun; it''s truly powerful!¡± From within the coffin in the dim great hall, a voice that was half-appreciative and half-mocking sounded, and the yellow light on the coffin flashed briefly. A flash of yellow light passed over the bottom of the big pit, and a yellow crystal bead appeared out of nowhere, radiating a bright and incomparable yellow light. All the yellow light from the spirit patterns around the city converged toward this place. The yellow silk spirit patterns in the ground''s soil brightened, and amid a series of muffled sounds, countless amounts of soil appeared out of thin air, filling up the big pit. The ceiling of the cave was instantly restored to its original state. Not only that, but the converged yellow light also solidified into a thick yellow light curtain with mountainous figures faintly visible on it, looking indestructible. This series of changes on the ceiling seemed complex but occurred in the blink of an eye. The yellow light on the light curtain flickered, awaiting the second attack from the Profound Yellow Staff. But the whistling Profound Yellow Staff, just three inches away from the light curtain, came to a sudden stop, and with a ¡°snap¡±, a hand pressed against the light curtain. It was Shen Luo''s right palm. Shen Luo''s mouth curved into a slight smile as his right palm surged with blue light, fully activating the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. A torrent of ice-cold energy burst forth, instantly freezing the cave ceiling within hundreds of feet, transforming it into a layer of blue ice. The yellow crystal bead and converging yellow spiritual light were both sealed within. ¡°What!¡± A shocked exclamation echoed from within the coffin in the dim great hall, obviously not anticipating Shen Luo would take this action. The lid of the coffin burst open with a loud ¡°bang,¡± flying several feet high before crashing down heavily onto the ground. A tall figure shot out from within, shrouded in black qi, rendering his face indiscernible. However, his physique was exceptionally large, with fingers sharp as knives, clearly some sort of monster. The tall figure radiated a brilliant yellow light and, in a flash that lasted merely an instant, merged into the ground. Shen Luo withdrew his hand, his face slightly pale; forcefully casting the spell to create ice had already drained much of his scarce remaining mana. Yet, without pausing for breath, he mustered his energy and activated the Yi Mu Xian Dun formation. Disappearing in a flash of green light, he then reappeared on the other side of the city walls, looking up at the ceiling of the cave. The spiritual light within those stone walls was also extremely dim, and due to the person in the coffin concentrating the power of the yellow spiritual threads'' prohibitions on the previous area, the spiritual light here had almost faded to invisibility. The weak spot in the spiritual threads he had previously detected was actually one of three. Just now, the first spot was merely a feint; he had drawn the attention and some defensive measures of the hidden adversary there, while his real target was the latter two spots. Shen Luo took a deep breath, his hands forming seals, making a bizarre magic spell without hesitation, and activated the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. A swath of black light suddenly surged from his dantian, rapidly spreading to every part of his body, interlocking with the golden light on him, expanding like two suns of contrasting colors clashing and swelling. Shen Luo''s appearance changed drastically, his body instantly grew taller, the left half of his physique turned pitch black, while the right half shone with golden light, and an abnormal change occurred on his head as well, horns sprouting¨Cone side a dark demonic horn and the other a golden dragon horn¨Chis eyes mirroring the appearance of one immortal, one demon. With an earth-shattering ¡°boom,¡± a burst of mana ten times more intense than before resonated, causing the surrounding void to hum and tremble. He grabbed the Profound Yellow Staff with a flip of his hand, which then radiated towering golden and black light, striking the cave''s ceiling with a fleeting blow. With a loud ¡°bang¡± that rocked the heavens, the entire Underground City shook violently! S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The stone wall before the giant rod seemed to have turned to rot, as it was smashed to create a pit tenfold larger than the previous one. Having reached an advanced level of Cultivation with the Splashy Chaotic Stick, with a minor twist of his hands gripping the rod, the overwhelming stick energy instantly solidified into a force that continued to surge deeper. A passageway was suddenly torn open through the rumbling depths of the pit, the endless yellow spiritual threads within the earth dispersed upon contact with the stick energy, plunging into the cave ceiling for hundreds of feet in the blink of an eye. However, at that moment, a glint of spiritual light emerged from the earth ahead, and a thick yellow light curtain appeared out of nowhere. The stick''s force struck the light curtain, causing it to vibrate violently, its surface bursting with yellow light and emitting deep thundering sounds, yet it still managed to block the stick''s force. Chapter 1243 Chapter 1243: 1240 Chapter 1243: 1240 Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, and with a thrust of the giant staff in his hands, he was about to launch another attack. However, at that moment, a flash of yellow light from the surrounding soil revealed the tall figure enshrouded in black qi, appearing out of nowhere. It also grew to a hundred feet tall, with its fingernails suddenly elongating several times over, tips shooting out black lethal light, fiercely clawing toward Shen Luo''s weakly defended ribs. Sounds of ¡°crack¡± and ¡°snap¡± followed in quick succession as the sharp claws struck Shen Luo''s body, bursting into bursts of blinding black light; then, in a flash, the claws were startlingly severed, and the claw light shattered completely. The tall figure was taken aback, the black light on its body intensified, preparing for action, but it was already too late. In front of him, Shen Luo''s giant staff swished through the air, and a golden staff shadow swept across almost instantaneously, landing solidly on the tall figure. ¡°Bang¡± A golden halo exploded, and the tall figure''s right arm was severed, its massive body sent flying and crashing into the buildings behind. Accompanied by a ground-shaking roar, the tall figure forcefully plunged into the ground several dozens of feet deep, with most of its body submerged in the earth. Although Shen Luo managed to repel the tall figure with one strike, he stumbled and the golden and black light on his body was thrown into disarray. But he planted himself firmly, rapidly chanting spells, and his colossal body suddenly shrank to a tenth of its original size. The aura he exuded did not diminish in the slightest as he leaped toward the giant pit. The yellow light curtain appeared to be the last barrier of the Underground City. Breaking through it would allow him to leave this place; otherwise, such formidable individuals would not have come to stop him. But at this moment, suddenly a series of ¡°clanging¡± qin sounds rang out, extremely urgent, as if a legion of thousands of horses was galloping. The ground around Shen Luo suddenly cracked open, and countless thick vines shot out, entwining around his body, very similar to Wu Man''er''s Falling Leaves Rustling Divine Power. ¡°What is this?¡± His expression darkened as he shook his arms with force. A humming sound filled the void around him, and a mighty force swept outwards. All the vines were snapped and shattered after being engulfed by the immense force. Yet the ordeal was not over; a fierce wind suddenly arose in the nearby void, its howling intensity mounting! Numerous wind blades, the size of door panels, appeared in the raging wind, barely visible, and amid a sharp whistling sound, they shot towards Shen Luo like a torrential downpour. A crimson light flashed above his head, and a deep red cloud of fire appeared out of thin air. It tumbled like lava, and millstone-sized crimson bubbles shot out, releasing a heat even more terrifying than actual magma. On the other side, in the midst of mid-air, a patch of golden light emerged and in the next moment, countless foot-long golden light blades sprouted from it. With a flicker, they shot down like sharp blades. These golden light blades were dazzling, their edges menacing, and their might in no way inferior to the Transforming Sword to Silk Divine Power that Shen Luo wielded. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Shen Luo roared furiously, sweeping the Profound Yellow Staff, which blazed with golden light, around him. An almost earth-shattering force erupted, crushing the incoming green wind blades, crimson bubbles, and golden light blades into myriad flecks of light that scattered away. The overwhelming force spread further, affecting a hundred-foot radius around him. Suddenly, a vast expanse of yellow light emerged in the void near the giant pit, fracturing, and revealing a graceful figure, which was the female corpse holding the Fixing-Immortal Qin. This woman was not weak, but how could she withstand the immense force of the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, even just the aftermath? She was flung backward like leaves in a storm, relying solely on the Fixing-Immortal Qin, which emitted colorful spiritual light, to barely protect her body. Shen Luo''s retaliatory flick forced the assailant out and he continued to shoot toward the deep pit. A gigantic golden finger shadow suddenly appeared in front of the female corpse and struck down with full force. The pressure on the female corpse increased tenfold, and the spiritual light around her finally reached its limit, shattering inch by inch to reveal the woman''s face. It was only at that moment that Shen Luo got a clear look at the woman''s true face. He was stunned, and his flying figure came to a halt. His raised finger froze in place, and the golden finger shadow also stopped abruptly. The female corpse, having narrowly escaped death, plucked the yellow strings of the qin in her arms, and her whole being was enveloped in a yellow glow that flashed and then vanished into the ground, disappearing without a trace. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It''s her! How could she be here, and turned into a refined corpse?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, seemingly very unsettled. Just then, a loud boom came from afar. Half a castle wooshed towards Shen Luo, flashing in front of him and then smashing down fiercely. Shen Luo raised his hand and waved it, a flash of golden light appearing in his hand. The castle was sent flying to the side, turning into countless fragments of stone that pierced the nearby ground, creating numerous pits of varying sizes. The tall figure that he had previously sent flying with his staff leapt up from the ruins of the city walls. His appearance had drastically changed, and he was now wearing a strange set of golden armor that covered his entire body like a Buddhist Vajra, with six arms each holding a treasure vase, golden bell, giant sword, giant hammer, shield, and chain. However, atop the armor''s head was a fierce dragon''s head, with two golden dragon eyes that seemed alive, emitting a terrifying and fierce aura. On his feet, however, he wore a pair of azure cloud boots embroidered with a Kun Peng pattern that seemed to be somewhat mismatched with the strange armor on his body. Shen Luo''s gaze suddenly turned to the tall figure, his eyes filled with furious rage, and a hint of blood-red. ¡°It''s been many years since I wore the ''Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon.'' I didn''t expect that today, a mere Mahayana monk would force me to don it. To die by its hand, you could consider yourself extremely fortunate,¡± the tall figure coldly said, his voice mixed with the sound of metal scraping. Shen Luo ignored the tall figure''s words, suddenly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, the anger on his face had vanished. He touched the ground with the tip of his foot and shot rapidly backward towards the huge pit. ¡°Since I''ve employed the ''Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon,'' do you truly think you can still escape with your life?¡± the tall figure laughed loudly. The cloud boots on his feet suddenly burst forth with a Kun Peng illusion. His entire being turned blurry in an instant, and with a flicker, he appeared above Shen Luo''s head, moving at an unbelievably fast speed, much faster than Shen Luo''s Slanting Moon Steps combined with Body Shifting and Shadow Changing. A shadow wrapped around Shen Luo''s body, ¡°click,¡± and locked him in place. It was the black chain held by one of the arms. Shen Luo frowned and pushed outwards with all his might with both arms. A vast expanse of golden black light exploded from his body, resembling a burning flame surging towards the sky. An overwhelming power suddenly erupted, causing the surrounding void to twist and shake. With a ¡°crack,¡± the black chain was snapped apart. The tall figure uttered a light ¡°Huh,¡± and the giant hammer and sword in his hands burst into light. A yellow giant bear and a golden azure dragon appeared within, both tool spirits that had been refined. Both the yellow giant bear and the golden azure dragon emitted a breath that had transcended the True Immortal Stage, and coupled with the strength of the golden armor, their power was almost exponentially increased, not the slightest bit inferior to the full-force strike of the Six-tusked Elephant King. Thunderous booms filled the void as two indescribable colossal forces arrived, striking directly above Shen Luo''s head, the entire void seeming to bear down on him with a rumbling oppression. Chapter 1244 Chapter 1244: Chapter 1241: Bestowed Sword Chapter 1244: Chapter 1241: Bestowed Sword Shen Luo faced the oncoming giant hammer and giant sword without a trace of fear on his face. The Profound Yellow Staff in his hands spun and danced, producing a full seventy-two stick shadows that appeared to have substance around him. With the enhancement of the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power, the power of the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique was almost pushed to its limit. Everything around was twisted and blurred, emitting a grating cracking sound, as if it could collapse and disintegrate at any moment. The seventy-two stick shadows merged into one and collided with the giant hammer and giant sword. A heaven-shattering and earth-shattering boom resounded! The collision of the two inhumanly strong forces was uncompromising, creating a hurricane that shot straight up into the sky, thunderously rolling and sweeping in all directions. The golden dragon''s eyes showed an incredulous look as the giant hammer and giant sword were swept away. Its entire body was sent flying backward. Immersed in a whirl of golden and black light, his right arm expanded almost by a factor of two as the muscles bulged out in an instant. ¡°Go!¡± he bellowed, hurling the Profound Yellow Staff in his hands towards the yellow light curtain in the depths of the pit. After a humming boom, the staff, leaving a deep white trail, shot through the air and struck the yellow light curtain with a flash. With a ¡°crack,¡± the yellow light curtain was pierced by the Profound Yellow Staff, shattering a large hole, and the staff''s momentum remained unabated as it continued to shoot forward. Behind the yellow light curtain, the soil no longer contained those yellow light strands. The Profound Yellow Staff moved through it as if through nothing, and zipped away, leaving just a straight, bottomless channel. Shen Luo swiftly formed hand seals, and his massive body shrank back to its original size. The golden and black light on his body vanished, and he resumed human form, but his arms emitted bright Wind Thunder Spiritual Light, propelling him backward. His entire figure became blurry in an instant, and with a whoosh, he passed through the break in the yellow light curtain and entered the black passage behind it. Then a green light shone brightly on his body as he used the Yimu Xuandun technique to merge into the void and disappeared completely. Just as Shen Luo vanished, a tall figure appeared out of thin air within the black passage, seemingly unharmed. The dragon''s eyes shot out two terrifying golden beams, looking ahead as if searching for Shen Luo''s traces, but ultimately he gave up in disappointment and flew back into the underground city. The light on the yellow light curtain flowed, and the large hole mended at a visible speed. The huge pit Shen Luo had created also rapidly returned to its original state. In a place in the Boundless Desert, a flash of green light passed by, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared, thumping down to the ground. His complexion was deathly pale, without a hint of color, and his body trembled uncontrollably. ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Ghost General shot out from the Qiankun Bag, supporting Shen Luo''s body. ¡°It''s nothing. I just had a great battle with that person, and I''ve expended too much mana,¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath, took out a Restoration Pill and swallowed it. After feeling a bit better, he said. ¡°That''s good. Master, you rest and regain your strength. I will protect you,¡± Ghost General said. Shen Luo nodded, set up a simple protective array around him, and closed his eyes. His bodily condition was much more serious than what he had let on to Ghost General. The Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power not only greatly depleted his mana but also placed a heavy strain on his body and would lead to further erosion by the Demonic Qi. Shen Luo had already stimulated the Demonic Qi once before to deal with the possessed shadow. Now, in such a short span of time, he used the Demonic Qi again, and this time, he had fully activated it. The cost was by no means small. Although the Demonic Qi inside his body had been completely suppressed, some irritability and thoughts of slaughter occasionally emerged in his mind. These were signs that the Demonic Qi was starting to affect his Divine wisdom again. Fortunately, the Little White Dragon had given him a Fixed-element Relic, which offset most of the evil thoughts, so he appeared unharmed. ¡°No, I can''t delay any longer. I must advance to the True Immortal Stage as soon as possible!¡± Shen Luo thought to himself and immediately began to refine the Elixir with his practice. After one day and one night had passed, he finally opened his eyes. His Mana had been fully restored, and he waved his sleeve to retract the prohibition around him. ¡°Master, where shall we go next?¡± The Ghost General, having become impatient while standing guard nearby, saw Shen Luo rise and immediately came over to ask. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The situation was critical earlier, and I hadn''t had the opportunity to ask you. When you were acting alone in the Underground City earlier, did you find any trace of Fu Donglai?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I searched carefully and found no trace of Fu Donglai. In my view, he is most likely already dead,¡± the Ghost General said nonchalantly, clearly indifferent to whether Fu Donglai was alive or dead. ¡°With Fu Donglai''s strength, he would not be so easily killed,¡± Shen Luo frowned slightly and slowly shook his head. ¡°Master, you don''t plan to go back and save him, do you? The Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon is incredibly powerful, and there are several formidable corpse refinements and countless Yin Beasts helping it. The two of us stand no chance at all,¡± the Ghost General became immediately anxious upon seeing Shen Luo''s expression and hurriedly tried to persuade him. ¡°Fu Donglai came to Tianji City following me, and it''s only because of me that he fell into that Underground City. No matter what, I cannot just leave him there,¡± Shen Luo said with determination. The Ghost General became as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He was well aware of Shen Luo''s character; once he had said these words, there would be no change. But for the two of them to go back would be to walk straight into danger. ¡°You don''t have to worry so much. I won''t be recklessly throwing myself against the rock. The great battle in that Underground City has brought great gains, and my cultivation level has also improved. If I spend the next period of time in seclusion, I should be able to attempt to break through to the True Immortal Stage. If I can survive the Thunder Tribulation, we can go back and look for Fu Donglai. If, unfortunately, I die in the Thunder Tribulation, you need not take any risks and should leave on your own,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. Hearing this, the Ghost General stood there, at a loss for words. Shen Luo didn''t say anything more and, waving his sleeve, he enveloped the Ghost General, turning into a streak of red light and flying toward the Desert. Half an hour later, he landed in a huge basin in the Desert. This basin also contained a series of connected ruins that stretched for tens of miles, similar in style to those buried deep underground he had seen before. Shen Luo had no interest in these buildings. He had chosen to land here mainly because the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in this area was much richer than in other parts of the Desert. Although his cultivation absorbed One-yuan True Water, having richer Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the surrounding environment was always a good thing. He swept the area with his Divine Sense and headed to a great hall in the deeper part of the ruins that looked relatively intact. ¡°This place will do,¡± Shen Luo nodded, taking out several sets of prohibitions and setting them up around the great hall, forming a simple Cave Mansion. ¡°Keep guard nearby for me. You can continue to use this Bloodthirsty Flag,¡± he said, taking out the Bloodthirsty Flag and handing it to the Ghost General. ¡°Understood,¡± the Ghost General took the flag and turned to leave. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Shen Luo suddenly called to the Ghost General, took out the Black Ghost Knife he had obtained from killing that female corpse earlier, threw it to the Ghost General, and continued, ¡°This item was acquired by killing an enemy in that Underground City. You have always lacked a suitable Magical Treasure, so consider this a gift from me.¡± The Ghost General caught the Black Ghost Knife, and an immediate resonance occurred between the Ghostly Qi inside him and the Ghost Knife. The Black Ghost Knife emitted a powerful black light, and a fierce knife Qi surged to the sky, making the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi nearby tremble. ¡°What a great knife! Thank you for the treasure, Master!¡± The Ghost General was overjoyed. Any slight grievances he had toward Shen Luo due to previous events instantly vanished, and he spoke with gratitude. Chapter 1245 Chapter 1245: Chapter 1242: Chameleon Puppet Chapter 1245: Chapter 1242: Chameleon Puppet ¡°A Magical Treasure is nothing to fuss about, what was that black and red light you emitted when you absorbed the corpses of the Yin Beasts earlier? I''ve never seen you use this divine power before,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively and then asked. ¡°That was a divine power I awakened suddenly when I was being chased and nearly killed by a group of Yin Beasts not long ago. I call it ''Punishing Evil Divine Light'', which can restrain all yin attribute attacks,¡± the Ghost General said proudly. As he spoke, he opened his mouth and spewed out a stream of black and red light that circled and danced around his body. ¡°Punishing Evil Divine Light, not bad at all! This power is extraordinary. Cultivate it well, and its might may even surpass my Red Lotus Karmic Fire,¡± Shen Luo examined the black and red light for a moment and nodded in approval. ¡°Yes! I will not let down Master''s expectations!¡± The Ghost General, upon hearing such high praise for the Punishing Evil Divine Light from Shen Luo, was overjoyed. Shen Luo gave the Ghost General a few more instructions, then turned and sat down cross-legged in the great hall. He did not begin cultivating immediately. Instead, he took out a white jade pendant silently, without a word. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This jade pendant was given to him by Xie Yuxin in Chang''an City when they parted ways that year. The female corpse holding the immortal zither was none other than Xie Yuxin! Xie Yuxin was a friend Shen Luo made shortly after he stepped into the Cultivation World; the two had helped each other multiple times and had always been on good terms. Since the Jing River Dragon King incident, they had parted ways in Chang''an City, never to meet again. Shen Luo had always been concerned about this friend and had wanted to meet her again. He did not expect to encounter her here, in this state where she had become a female corpse. One of the reasons he decided to return was to look for Fu Donglai, and the other was for Xie Yuxin. No matter what, he had to clarify the details of this matter. If it was that tall figure who had turned Xie Yuxin into a corpse for refinement, he would certainly seek revenge for this good friend. Shen Luo secured the jade pendant and took out the One-yuan True Water, then began his cultivation. In the blink of an eye, over ten days had passed. In the depths of the great hall, Shen Luo''s body shone with blue light and a heavy aura as vast as the sea slowly spread out. He had evidently reached the Late Mahayana Peak. He had absorbed a shadow in the Underground City previously, which significantly increased his Soul Power. With the push from the One-yuan True Water''s immense Spiritual Power over these days, he had finally reached the peak of Mahayana. Next, with an external force, he would be able to attempt breaking through to the True Immortal Stage. And that external force had already been prepared by Shen Luo¨Cit was the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. This fruit contained potent Spiritual Power and was known to help in breaking through to the True Immortal Stage. In reality, although his aptitude was not good, he had already experienced breaking through to the True Immortal Stage once in the Dream World. With the assistance of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, he was sixty percent confident in breaking through. Now, the only trouble was the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation. He possessed many Magical Treasures, but among those that could be useful during the Thunder Tribulation, he estimated only the Bloodthirsty Flag and the Slayer''s Broken Sword were suitable. Others like the Profound Yellow Staff, the Dragon Horn Short Awl, and the Pure Yang Sword, though powerful, were not very appropriate for defending against the Thunder Tribulation. Shen Luo''s face showed a contemplative expression as he considered ways to resist the Thunder Tribulation. ¡°Master, a group of people is coming,¡± just then, the Ghost General''s voice suddenly rang out. ¡°Who are they?¡± Shen Luo asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I''m not sure, they are all human cultivators with decent strength. Just now, I saw them from hundreds of feet away and was promptly detected by the leader of that group. I quickly retreated,¡± the Ghost General replied. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows rose. He had previously given several Invisibility Talismans to the Ghost General, who, combined with his power to turn ethereal, could evade detection even by Shen Luo himself from hundreds of feet away. Could it be that the newcomers were True Immortal Cultivators? He flicked his sleeve, releasing a blue light that collected all the prohibition formation discs around the great hall, then stood up and flew in the southeast direction, quickly arriving at a place that resembled a canyon. Shen Luo took out an Invisibility Talisman and affixed it to his body, his figure immediately vanished as he landed next to a ruins wall at the mouth of the canyon. ¡°Where is he?¡± he transmitted his voice to inquire. The Ghost General was currently lurking within the ruins wall. ¡°In the valley, they all stopped and seemed to be up to something,¡± the Ghost General transmitted back. Just as Shen Luo was about to use his Divine Sense to scout the area, his expression abruptly changed, and he hurriedly swept aside, simultaneously transmitting to the Ghost General, ¡°We''re under attack, be careful!¡± Taken aback by the warning, the Ghost General reacted a moment later and immediately flew out from the wall, trying to dodge to the side. However, two white light pillars as thick as water buckets descended from the sky with incredible speed, striking the spots where the ghost and Shen Luo had been standing just a moment ago. Shen Luo narrowly evaded in time, but the Ghost General was not so fortunate, the white light pillar hitting him squarely in the chest. Fortunately, his cultivation had improved significantly since before, and a surge of Black Qi burst forth, instantly condensing into a black light shield around him about a foot thick. However, the white light pillar only paused for a moment before shattering the shield and penetrating through the Ghost General''s chest. A large hole was blasted through the Ghost General''s chest, and his body was flung backward. After the initial strike, the white light pillar didn''t dissipate but, like a living creature, turned to continue pursuing the Ghost General. Meanwhile, the light pillar that had targeted Shen Luo also shifted its trajectory to attack the Ghost General. The two beams of light were like a giant pair of scissors, viciously snipping towards the Ghost General, as if to cut him down in one fell swoop. In a critical moment, a flash of black light appeared on the Ghost General, and a Black Banner shot out, billowing to several feet in size, positioning itself in front of the two white light pillars. As the light pillars struck the banner, a series of crackling explosions rang out. The Black Banner merely indented inward slightly while its black light remained steadfast. The black light on the banner surged and two large Yin Fire hands shot out, transforming into palm shapes that grasped and squeezed the white light pillars fiercely. With a faint ¡°pop¡± sound, the white light pillars were pinched and shattered. ¡°Who are you? Why have you suddenly attacked us?¡± Shen Luo''s figure appeared next to the Ghost General, funneling a stream of Yin Qi from the Qiankun Bag to stabilize the latter''s injuries while looking towards a nearby open ground and speaking sternly. With Shen Luo''s assistance, the large hole in the Ghost General''s chest quickly closed up, disappearing after just a few breaths. He breathed a sigh of relief, drew his Black Ghost Knife, and stared at the empty space with an astonished and angered expression, ready to engage in combat at any moment. Yet, there was no movement on that empty ground¨Cit seemed completely devoid of anything. ¡°You think I can''t detect such a petty hiding trick?¡± Shen Luo let out a faint sneer, a surge of blue light enveloping his body as he swept his sleeve, releasing over a dozen streaks of red Sword Qi, which slashed across the sky above a nearby sand dune. With several loud ¡°bangs,¡± the Sword Qi exploded, revealing a tall white figure that emerged¨Cit was a several dozen feet tall white exotic beast resembling a chameleon. However, it wasn''t a real chameleon but something akin to a puppet-like creature. Shen Luo''s pupils contracted slightly as he started to scrutinize the puppet before him. This chameleon-like puppet had a faint whiteness glowing in its eyes, suggesting that the white light pillars had been emitted from it. Its surface was smooth with no sign of being damaged by the Sword Qi assaults, prompting a trace of surprise in Shen Luo''s heart. Although the Sword Qi he had emitted was done without much thought, each streak contained considerable amounts of his mana; any single one of them was on par with the full-force strike of an ordinary Magical Treasure. Yet, not even a mark was left on the chameleon puppet, demonstrating its extraordinary resilience. Chapter 1246 Chapter 1246: Chapter 1243 I, Master Yan Chapter 1246: Chapter 1243 I, Master Yan ¡°Eh, you can actually detect the invisibility of the Chameleon Armor?¡± Just as Shen Luo was examining the chameleon puppet in front of him, a light exclamation came from inside the puppet. ¡°Armor? Are you a disciple of Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo was startled. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Indeed, I am a disciple of Tianji City. Who might Your Excellency be?¡± the voice inside the Chameleon Armor asked. ¡°I am Shen Luo, a disciple from the Great Tang''s Spring and Autumn Pavilion,¡± Shen Luo said with a joyful heart and a slight bow. ¡°Shen Luo? Could it be the Shen Luo who was the winner of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference this time?¡± The voice inside the Chameleon Armor rose in pitch. ¡°That is indeed I,¡± Shen Luo nodded, forming a gesture and dispersing the blue light around his body. ¡°Truly, it is Friend Shen. I have seen your performance in the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, and your strength is formidable. I admire you greatly,¡± said the man within the Chameleon Armor as an opening appeared in its abdomen, and a brawny, dark-skinned man flew out from inside, his face eager with what seemed to be great admiration for Shen Luo. ¡°You flatter me, Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo responded with a reciprocal bow. ¡°My name is Lin Han. What are you and this ghost pet up to here, sneaking around? I thought you were some malefactors,¡± the dark-skinned man then said. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed at these words. Was this an apology, or was it sarcasm? An apology surely wasn''t worded like this, yet if it was sarcasm, the man''s sincere expression seemed to contradict that notion. The Ghost General did not have Shen Luo''s restraint, and upon hearing these words, he became furious and was about to lash out immediately. ¡°Lin Han, little brother, cease your foolish talk!¡± A roar came from the distance, and a streak of golden light flew quickly towards them, soon landing not far from the group; it was a Golden Giant Ape Armor. This Giant Ape Armor was twice the size of the Chameleon Armor, standing more than ten zhang tall, covered in dazzling golden light, looking like an immovable Juling God. A black void appeared on the abdomen of the Golden Giant Ape, revealing an opening, and a black figure shot out from it¨Ca young man in his early twenties. This person had a rather stern countenance, dressed in a black robe with dark gloves on both arms. There was a golden cloud pattern embroidered on his chest, and below it, the characters for ¡°Tianji¡± were written in ancient seal script. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback, as he had learned about the characteristics of Tianji City''s attire during the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. The golden cloud pattern on the young man''s clothing was a symbol of a Grand Yan Master. ¡°The two Daoist friends, please do not take offense. Disciple Lin Han grew up in Tianji City and does not know much about worldly matters. He is clumsy in expressing himself, and his words often fail to convey his meaning, not that he means any disrespect to either of you,¡± the stern young man glanced at Shen Luo and the Ghost General and bowed. ¡°So that''s the case,¡± Shen Luo said, nodding in realization without getting angry. ¡°I am Master Yan, and you two are esteemed scholars from the Great Tang. May I ask what brings you to these ruins in the Boundless Desert of Langxia Kingdom? Tianji City is nearby, and we are somewhat like local hosts here. If there is anything you need assistance with, please feel free to ask,¡± the stern-faced young man said, his face as cold as ice, yet his tone was extremely humble, making people feel unaccustomed, and it seemed that he cared a great deal about these ruins. ¡°It turns out to be Brother Yan. To be frank, I came here with the intention of visiting the City Lord of your esteemed sect in Tianji City. However, the location of Tianji City is secretive, and I, Shen Luo, have no one to guide me there. Unfortunately, I lost my way in this desert sea and stopped in these ruins to rest and recover mana, not knowing the significance of this place,¡± Shen Luo quickly explained, his heart stirred. ¡°Friend Shen wishes to visit the City Lord? May I know the purpose of your visit?¡± Master Yan''s tight face relaxed slightly and then became serious again after listening to Shen Luo''s words. ¡°I have heard that the artifact refining techniques of Tianji City are unparalleled in the Three Realms. I have an immensely important magical treasure that has been damaged and seek the help of the Master of Tianji City for its repair. Could Brother Yan introduce me, please? I would be eternally grateful and will surely repay the favor in the future!¡± Shen Luo said, after a moment of silence, with a clasped fist. He had planned to immediately make a bid for the True Immortal Stage, but now that he had finally encountered a disciple of Tianji City, if he missed this chance, he wasn''t sure when he would encounter another. Shen Luo decided to first head to Tianji City to take a look. If things went well, that was great; if not, he would immediately leave, first try to rescue Fu Donglai, and then deal with the jade pillow issue afterward. ¡°Heh, you sure have an eye. When it comes to repairing magical treasures, finding our City Lord is the right choice. His artifact refining skills are the best in the world, and so far, there has been nothing he couldn''t fix,¡± Lin Han said proudly from the side. ¡°Disciple Lin, don''t speak nonsense!¡± Master Yan gave Lin Han a glare. Lin Han seemed quite fearful of Master Yan, shrunk his head back, and said no more. ¡°I have long heard of the great reputation of the Master of Tianji City''s artifact refining skills. I implore Brother Yan to please make an introduction on my behalf,¡± Shen Luo said, his heart leaping with joy upon hearing Lin Han''s words, and he once again pleaded with clasped hands. ¡°It''s not a problem to introduce Brother Shen, but our City Lord acts as he wishes, and for the past few years, he has been secluded in his research on Yan Technique. We also haven''t seen him for several years now. Even if we take Brother Shen to Tianji City, I''m afraid you won''t be able to meet him,¡± said Master Yan expressionlessly. ¡°Regardless, I ask Brother Yan to please take me to Tianji City. Whether I can meet your noble sect''s leader will depend on my own fortune,¡± Shen Luo said, taken aback by the words, but after a moment of silence, he still insisted. At any rate, he needed to ascertain the location of Tianji City. ¡°Since Brother Shen has spoken thus, then please come with us,¡± Master Yan said, nodding his head after hearing this. ¡°Fellow cultivators, have you come here on some business? I hope that my request does not cause an inconvenience,¡± Shen Luo said, his heart delighted, though he outwardly spoke with concern. ¡°We are here to find something, but we are just about to return to Tianji City, it won''t be a bother,¡± Master Yan replied with a shake of his head, casting a streak of blue light into the sky. Several streams of escape light shot out from the depths of the valley, and suddenly, several people appeared behind Master Yan, curiously sizing up Shen Luo and the Ghost General. These people all had a Fire Cloud pattern embroidered on their cuffs and were indeed high-order disciples of the Fire Refiner level. ¡°The mission is temporarily at an end, let''s return to Tianji City,¡± Master Yan said to them, and the Tianji City disciples looked at each other upon hearing this but voiced no objection. Shen Luo, hearing this, secretly thought that Master Yan and the others had indeed been on some mission here. He naturally did not want to pry into the secrets of Tianji City and cause displeasure, so he stood quietly aside without speaking. Master Yan then raised a hand and patted the Giant Ape Armor, and a thread of crystal light surfaced on his brow. The Giant Ape Armor burst into a brilliant golden light; its enormous form crackled and rapidly shrank, turning into a fist-sized golden sphere within a few breaths, which he caught in his hand. Shen Luo watched this transformation with a slight raise of his eyebrow. Master Yan also took out a blue sphere and, with a pinch and a point, crystal light once again flickered across his brow, and the blue sphere swiftly enlarged, transforming into an azure flying boat about ten Zhang long in just a few breaths. The prow of the flying boat featured a sculpted flying swallow, and stretching out from both sides of the boat were over a dozen pairs of blue wooden wings, adorned with many spirit patterns that resembled roaring winds. Luminescent light flowed continuously, giving the boat an extraordinary appearance. Chapter 1247 Chapter 1247: Chapter 1244: Entering the City Chapter 1247: Chapter 1244: Entering the City ¡°Tianji City is still some distance from here, so take my Flying Swallow Boat. It will be faster,¡± Master Yan said as he flew onto the bow of the boat and, with his back to Shen Luo, spoke. ¡°Then I shall follow your lead with due respect,¡± Shen Luo said as he retracted the Ghost General into his Qiankun Bag and, without any fuss, leapt onto the boat. The others also boarded one by one, and as Master Yan formed a hand seal and pointed at the boat, the azure spirit patterns on the hull suddenly burst forth. In an instant, the boat turned into a streak of azure light that tore through the sky, and everything around became a blurred whirl moving rapidly backwards. Shen Luo''s eyes widened in surprise; the speed of the Flying Swallow Boat was so fast that it greatly surpassed his full-powered Sword Flight. Moreover, he could sense very clearly with his Divine Sense that the Azure Flying Boat did not consume Master Yan''s mana; the power for flight came entirely from inside the hull. As to what exactly was inside the boat, several powerful prohibitions blocked his investigation. Of course, Master Yan was not doing nothing; he was continuously applying his Divine Sense to control the boat''s flight. Master Yan''s Divine Sense was utterly different from Shen Luo and the others'', much more condensed and nearly semi-solid, with exceptionally sharp perception. When Shen Luo''s Divine Sense covertly probed, Master Yan''s immediately reacted. ¡°Is this the God''s Power method of Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo silently mused. The Azure Flying Boat sped for half an hour, and a giant green oasis in the desert appeared ahead. The boat gradually came to a stop. Shen Luo observed the oasis ahead, his gaze flashing briefly before settling back into calm. Master Yan took out a white token from his person, gripped it with both hands, and infused his mana into it. Suddenly, a vast expanse of white misty light shot out from the token and headed straight for the void ahead. The originally empty space was swept by the white light, and instantly, large swathes of white radiance appeared, surging like the billowing wind and clouds. As all the white radiance dissipated completely, Shen Luo''s view brightened, and an extraordinarily majestic city emerged within the oasis. Towering around the city were enormous City Walls reaching thirty or forty zhang high, behind which stood countless tall buildings similar in style to those in the Underground City¨Crough but solid, conveying a sense of everlasting stability. However, what surprised Shen Luo the most was the city aloft above the City Walls¨Cthere stood another city, entirely luminous as white jade, radiating waves of pure white Spiritual Light, distinctly different from the grand city below and resembling more the architecture of the Central Region. This White Jade city was not suspended on its own; beneath it stood a colossal Armor giant as vast as a mountain range, with outstretched arms, literally lifting the White Jade city into Mid Air, presenting an exceptionally spectacular sight. ¡°Our Tianji City is located in a remote place and cannot compare with the prosperity of Central Earth Datang. I hope Brother Shen won''t find it laughable,¡± Master Yan said. ¡°Brother Yan is being too humble. Tianji City is so magnificently spectacular that no city in the Central Region can compare,¡± Shen Luo replied, shaking his head with a smile. Hearing such high praise of Tianji City, a slight smile appeared on Master Yan''s stern face. ¡°As Brother Shen can see, our Tianji City is divided into Upper and Lower cities. Aside from the residences of ordinary disciples of Tianji City and various shops, outsiders are free to roam in the Lower city. However, the Upper city is the core of Tianji City, where the City Lord and all the Elders reside. Those who are not disciples of our Sect are strictly forbidden to approach without permission,¡± Master Yan explained, his tone carrying a subtle warning. ¡°Brother Yan can rest assured, I will certainly follow the rules and will not violate the laws of Tianji City,¡± Shen Luo replied, nodding in understanding. ¡°There''s no need for such formality, Brother Shen. I will go to the Upper city to pass on your request. In the meantime, you can rest in the Lower city. If you''re interested, you may also take a walk around. Our City has had frequent trade with all parts of the Three Realms in recent years. If there''s a place in the world renowned for its comprehensive collection of Spiritual Materials, Tianji City would be it,¡± Master Yan said confidently. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Brother Yan. I will certainly take a look around if I have the time. However, about the matter of seeking an audience with the City Lord, may I inquire how long it will take to get a response?¡± Shen Luo asked, his greatest concern still being the matter of the jade pillow. ¡°I will head to the Upper city now to pass on your message. There will be a result by half a day at the latest; no need for Brother Shen to worry,¡± Master Yan replied. ¡°Then I''ll have to trouble Brother Yan.¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. He could wait for half a day. Master Yan next arranged for a disciple from Tianji City named Zhou Ming to show Shen Luo to his residence while he himself took the others directly to the Upper city. ¡°Elder Shen, this Fallen Flower Villa is where we in Tianji City accommodate distinguished guests from outside. Do you find it suitable for your stay?¡± Zhou Ming led Shen Luo to a building resembling a Central Region garden situated near the center of the City Walls inside the Lower city and into a Small Courtyard with a Garden. ¡°This will do, let''s settle here,¡± Shen Luo was not particular about his accommodations and found the place quite quiet, so he expressed no objections. ¡°Then, Elder Shen, please rest well here. I''ll be outside. If you need anything, just give me a call,¡± Zhou Ming did not linger long, rising and leaving shortly thereafter. After Zhou Ming left, Shen Luo sat down indoors, his gaze slightly relaxing. No matter what, he now knew the location of Tianji City; the trip was not in vain. What came next was repairing the jade pillow. If the City Lord of Tianji wasn''t willing to meet him, how he would persuade the City Lord afterward and how to get the Lord''s help in fixing the jade pillow were issues to consider. The City Lord of Tianji, with his vast wealth and collection of Heavenly Treasures, was sure to be well beyond his imagination, making it improbable to appeal through such means. After much contemplation, Shen Luo finally became firmly resolved that only by using some items from the Dream World¨Csuch as experiences with breakthroughs in major realms¨Ccould there possibly be a chance to sway the City Lord of Tianji. Having thought it through, he felt somewhat more at ease. There was still some time before the half-day would elapse. Shen Luo stood up and headed outside. Master Yan''s high praise of Tianji City had piqued his interest, and he decided to take advantage of the time to explore the city thoroughly. ¡°Elder Shen, where would you like to go?¡± Zhou Ming truly was waiting outside the courtyard, and upon seeing Shen Luo emerge, he immediately approached. ¡°I''m not tired right now, so I thought I''d have a look around the city,¡± Shen Luo responded. ¡°Then allow me to accompany you, Elder. I can serve as a guide,¡± Zhou Ming promptly offered. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That would be kind of you,¡± Shen Luo did not refuse. Zhou Ming was clearly sent by Tianji City to keep an eye on him. Regardless of whether Shen Luo refused or not, Zhou Ming would definitely follow. Moreover, as Shen Luo had no ill intentions, he was not concerned about being shadowed and found having a guide to be quite agreeable. The two quickly left the villa and arrived at the central area of the Lower city. The streets here were wide, with shops lined up on both sides, presenting a bustling scene. Moreover, there were many visiting monks on the streets. ¡°Tianji City is so hidden, how come there are so many visiting monks?¡± Shen Luo looked around in surprise and asked. ¡°You may not be aware, Elder. Due to certain reasons, it''s indeed inconvenient for our Sect to openly advertise our location to the world. However, there are ways to reach Tianji City. In some of the large shops within the Three Realms, we have set up Teleportation Formations that connect directly here. Visitors to Tianji City arrive through those formations. Someone like you, Elder Shen, who crossed the Boundless Desert directly, is indeed very rare,¡± Zhou Ming said with a smile that was not quite a smile. Chapter 1248 Chapter 1248: Chapter 1245 Little Master Chapter 1248: Chapter 1245 Little Master ¡°Is there really such a method?¡± Shen Luo touched his nose, slightly embarrassed, and nodded. When he had been gathering information on Tianji City, he had avoided revealing the existence of the jade pillow by sneaking around, rarely asking anyone directly, so he had not expected such a blunder. Fortunately, he had still managed to arrive here smoothly in the end. ¡°Daoist friend Zhou said that very few people cross the Boundless Sand Sea to come here. Are there any dangers in the sand sea?¡± Spurred by Zhou Ming''s words, Shen Luo suddenly recalled something and asked. ¡°This¡­¡± Zhou Ming''s body trembled slightly, and a hint of frustration flashed in his eyes as he fell silent. ¡°If it is inconvenient for Daoist friend Zhou to say, there''s no need to force it. Which shops in the Undercity are worth visiting?¡± Seeing his reaction, Shen Luo deftly changed the topic. ¡°There are many shops in Tianji City, seven or eight of which are large shops that are all worth a look. The closest one from here is Rainbow Pavilion, which sells various high-level spirit grass¡­¡± Zhou Ming''s expression relaxed, and he hurriedly began to provide detailed information. While Shen Luo was strolling leisurely through Tianji City, Master Yan visited a palace in the Upper city alone, waiting respectfully. A moment later, the sound of a wheel rolling came from behind the palace, and a wooden wheelchair emerged, carrying a man dressed in a white-haired blue robe. He looked very young, in his twenties or thirties, but his eyes were filled with the wisdom of an old man who had seen through the affairs of the world. ¡°Greetings, Elder Nameless!¡± Master Yan bowed deeply in salutation. ¡°There''s no need for excessive formality. What was the result of your trip this time?¡± The white-haired man asked in a low voice, his magnetic tone making it very comforting to listen to. ¡°We have returned empty-handed again this time, failing to find any trace of Ghost Yan and Puppet City. Please punish me, Elder,¡± Master Yan said with his head lowered. ¡°There is no need for punishment. Ghost Yan has been in hiding for many years now. We have searched for him no less than a hundred times without success. There''s nothing to be found,¡± the white-haired man said unhurriedly. ¡°Yes, but for this mission, the Elder Assembly has allocated a considerable amount of resources, yet nothing was gained. Even if Elder Nameless is lenient, I will volunteer to go to the Fiery Refinement Hall for three months of punishment,¡± Master Yan said. ¡°You are too rigid, my child. Ah, forget it, if you want to go, then go. But I just heard a report saying that on your return this time, you brought an outsider?¡± The white-haired man shook his head before asking. ¡°Yes, his name is Shen Luo, the champion of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference. He came to Tianji City to see the City Lord and repair a damaged magical treasure. From what I know, Shen Luo, despite coming from a minor sect in Central Region Datang, has connections with the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Mount Putuo, Hua Sheng Temple, and other sects. He''s not like ordinary monks. Moreover, this man appeared in the ruins of the Capital City of Langxia Kingdom. It cannot be ruled out that he has some connection with Ghost Yan, so I brought him back for the Elder Assembly to decide,¡± Master Yan reported expressionlessly. ¡°I have heard of this man. Though young, his powers, wisdom, and methods are all admirable. He is among the exceptional ones of your generation, and it''s unlikely he has anything to do with Ghost Yan. Take him to the Hundred Refining Hall and look for Elder Manbo to see what magical treasure it is. If it is repairable, let Elder Manbo take care of it,¡± the white-haired youth said indifferently. ¡°However, he explicitly asked to meet the City Lord. I wonder where the City Lord might be¡­¡± Master Yan said. ¡°The City Lord is not in the Upper city these days, I don''t know where he has gone,¡± the white-haired youth said helplessly. Master Yan made a sound of acknowledgment without much surprise, as if this situation was not the first time it had occurred. After talking with the white-haired youth for a while longer, Master Yan took his leave. At this moment, with Zhou Ming''s accompaniment, Shen Luo had already visited several shops. Master Yan was not boasting without merit; the shops in Tianji City had a remarkably complete selection of materials, and the quality was extremely high. After just visiting three shops, Shen Luo managed to gather a batch of materials for Invisibility Talismans, Escape Earth Talismans, and Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans. ¡°Elder Shen, what else would you like to purchase next?¡± Zhou Ming asked. ¡°Is there a place in Tianji City that sells magical treasures?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before asking. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Next, the most important thing for him was to break through to the True Immortal Stage. Tianji City was so famous for its Artifacts Refining, and the various Spiritual Materials were extremely abundant; surely it did not lack magical treasures. ¡°If Elder Shen wishes to purchase magical treasures, he might as well visit Qianjin Tower not far ahead. The tower is owned by the Fifth Elder of Tianji City, Elder Manbo. Many of the magical treasures and armor sold there have been personally refined by him, and they certainly won''t disappoint you,¡± Zhou Ming immediately responded. As for the treasures in Qianjin Tower, they were all quite valuable. Watching Shen Luo spend sum after sum of Immortal jade without a hint of distress, he had long ceased to doubt Shen Luo''s financial strength. ¡°Manbo? The Fifth Elder of Tianji City? How many Elders does Tianji City have? Is there anything special about this person?¡± Shen Luo lightly inquired, lifting his chin slightly. ¡°Tianji City has a significant number of Elders, well over a dozen. However, Elder Manbo is a member of the Elder Assembly of Tianji City. He oversees Our City''s Hundred Refining Hall and is utterly different from ordinary Elders,¡± Zhou Ming replied steadily, seemingly dissatisfied with Shen Luo''s flippant discussion about Manbo. ¡°What is the Elder Assembly?¡± Shen Luo seemed not to notice Zhou Ming''s expression and continued to ask casually as he moved forward. ¡°Our City Lord is always served by the strongest Yan master. The City Lord, along with the top five ranked Elders, form the Elder Assembly, which governs the affairs of Tianji City. Their status is revered beyond compare. Although you, Elder Shen, are a visitor, please show some respect,¡± Zhou Ming said coldly, looking at Shen Luo''s back. What Zhou Ming, burning with rage, hadn''t noticed was that a faint green light had appeared deep in his eyes at some point, drifting like mist, while Shen Luo''s eyes were also swirling with the same eerie green light. This was a Mesmerizing Technique from the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, capable of affecting the other person''s emotions imperceptibly and making them reveal their secrets, leaving no memory of the event afterward. However, to cast this technique required a long preparation time, and it was only practical if the other''s cultivation level was significantly lower than one''s own. ¡°Which members are part of the Elder Assembly in Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo, seeing that he had Zhou Ming completely under control, continued to ask. ¡°City Lord, First Elder Nameless, Second Elder Grandpa Fu, Third Elder Mo Wang, Fourth Elder Mei, and Fifth Elder Manbo. Although Elder Manbo is the Fifth Elder, his refinement technique is superb, second only to the City Lord,¡± Zhou Ming replied in anger but did not hesitate to reveal. Shen Luo''s face brightened with pleasure. Manbo''s refinement technique was reportedly high; thus, he could look forward to visiting Qianjin Tower. ¡°What is your City Lord called?¡± he asked again. ¡°Our City Lord is called Little Master,¡± Zhou Ming answered. Chapter 1249 Chapter 1249: Chapter 1246 Qianjin Tower Chapter 1249: Chapter 1246 Qianjin Tower ¡°Little Master?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows rose slightly, finding the name somewhat odd. However, he didn''t have much time left to control the other''s mind with his enchantment technique, as it was already running out. He couldn''t afford to ask more. ¡°That Master Yan seems to be quite wary of me. What kind of person is he? Can he truly be trusted to relay my message?¡± Shen Luo asked the question that concerned him the most. Even though the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld''s enchantment technique was exquisite, no secret technique could be guaranteed to be foolproof. But to be able to repair the jade pillow, he couldn''t care about these risks. ¡°Elder Yan is cold by nature, but he is honest and always keeps his promises. Since he has agreed to relay your message, he will surely do it. As for his wariness towards you, it''s mainly because our mission this time is to go to the ruins of the Capital City of the Langxia Kingdom to look for a traitor, Ghost Yan, who stole several top-grade armors and half of the ¡°Sky Machine Scroll¡± from our city. These items are too important, and Elder Yan is worried that you might be a spy for that Ghost Yan, which is why he''s been so cautious around you,¡± Zhou Ming explained. After hearing this, Shen Luo knew that Master Yan had not particularly schemed against him, and he immediately breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Top-grade armor? Is there one called the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon?¡± He thought briefly about the mission Zhou Ming had just described, and suddenly remembering the mysterious person in the underground city, he quickly asked. ¡°Yes, that is an armor refined by Che Yuan, the first-generation city lord of Tianji City. Its power is immense,¡± Zhou Ming said. ¡°It seems that person is indeed the Ghost Yan Tianji City is searching for¡­¡± Shen Luo nodded slowly, about to ask more when the green light in Zhou Ming''s eyes rapidly dissipated, and he had to close his mouth. Zhou Ming''s gaze quickly returned to clarity, oblivious to the recent enchantment, and he had completely forgotten the content of his conversation with Shen Luo, instead beginning to describe the situation of Qianjin Tower. The two soon arrived in front of Qianjin Tower. This tower was established by the Fifth Elder of Tianji City and was incomparable to other shops. The tower had five floors in total, was entirely red as if made from some kind of fire jade, and was extremely eye-catching. A large plaque hung above the main entrance, inscribed with the three characters ¡°Qianjin Tower¡± gleaming in golden light, visible from tens of yards away, making the shop stand out like a crane amidst chickens on this bustling street. Shen Luo concealed the pressure of a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator and stepped inside. The hall on the first floor of Qianjin Tower was very spacious, divided into a left and a right area. The left side was larger, with dozens of sandalwood long tables arranged inside. On the tables were placed all kinds of weapons like swords, spears, axes, whips, each shining with treasure light, quite extraordinary. On the right side of the hall, there was a long stone platform set up for purchasing all kinds of spiritual materials, and there was even an independent counter accepting orders for custom-made magical instruments. With the prominent reputation of Qianjin Tower, customers flocked in. At the moment, there were twenty to thirty monks walking around the hall, and from time to time, someone would pick up a weapon from below the tables and bring it to the counter to whisper something to the shop attendants. Shen Luo and Zhou Ming''s arrival did not attract any special attention, nor did any attendants come forward to greet them. Shen Luo didn''t care for these formalities and swept his Divine Sense over the weapons in the shop, frowning slightly. Although these weapons looked of decent quality, they were all magical instruments, which were of no use to him. ¡°Qianjin Tower has five floors. The first floor sells magical instruments, not magical treasures suitable for an elder like you. I''m relatively familiar with the Tower Master, so I will take you straight to him, no need to search floor by floor,¡± Zhou Ming said, leading Shen Luo up the staircase next to the hall. The attendants nearby seemed to recognize Zhou Ming and didn''t stop them. Having the opportunity to meet the Tower Master directly, Shen Luo certainly would not refuse and followed. The two quickly reached the fifth floor. Zhou Ming clearly was not a first-time visitor, as he led Shen Luo directly to a side hall to sit down. ¡°Elder Shen, please wait here for a moment; I''ll go invite the tower master to come out,¡± Zhou Ming told Shen Luo, rising to head outside. ¡°Haha, Brother Zhou, you''re putting in so much effort to drum up business for me, I''m truly grateful. How can I let you go and call for me?¡± A hearty laugh came from outside, and a middle-aged man dressed in grey walked in, holding an ancient book with a green cover in his hand. Shen Luo sized up the grey-clothed man briefly. Although he seemed refined, his cultivation level wasn''t very profound, just at the Late Nascent Soul Stage. However, the man gave him a strange feeling, yet if asked what was peculiar about him, Shen Luo couldn''t quite pinpoint it. ¡°Brother Fang is too polite. As fellow sect members, we should help each other out. This is Elder Shen Luo from the Eastern Great Tang, who has come here to purchase fine magical treasures,¡± Zhou Ming stood up and gave a brief introduction between the two, clarifying Shen Luo''s purpose. ¡°So, it''s Elder Shen. Welcome to Tianji City. May I ask what kind of magical treasures you need? I can arrange that for you,¡± the grey-clothed man approached with two swift steps and greeted him enthusiastically with cupped hands. At that moment, two maids entered from a side door, presenting Shen Luo and Zhou Ming with cups of tea, steaming with spiritual energy. ¡°I am looking to purchase one or two defensive magical treasures, the type doesn''t matter, the rarer the better. As for the price, Tower Master Fang need not worry,¡± Shen Luo spoke slowly. Over the years, he had slain numerous monks and accumulated up to seventy to eighty thousand Immortal Jade, more than enough to purchase a few magical treasures. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, if Tower Master Fang could bring out a treasured item worth several ten thousand Immortal Jade, he would only be happier. If necessary, he could exchange a few of his own precious treasures for it, as his current priority was to survive the Thunder Tribulation. ¡°Please wait, Elder; I''ll fetch the best defensive treasures our tower has to offer.¡± Seeing Shen Luo speak so confidently, the grey-clothed man''s eyes flickered with a peculiar light, but he quickly regained his composure and left the room. Shen Luo watched the grey-clothed man leave, then picked up the teacup beside him, and quietly waited as he sipped his tea. After a short while, the grey-clothed man returned, followed by three attendants, each holding a tray covered with a red brocade handkerchief. The handkerchief was a treasure itself, providing protection against Divine Sense, preventing one from inspecting what was beneath it. ¡°Elder Shen, thank you for waiting. These three are the best defensive magical treasures our tower has to offer; I hope they meet your expectations,¡± the grey-clothed man instructed the attendants to place the trays on a nearby table. Shen Luo looked toward the three trays with curiosity and lifted the handkerchief from one of the trays, revealing a palm-sized black shield. The small, oval shield was densely covered with spirit patterns and emitted an astonishing fluctuation of spiritual energy. ¡°This shield is known as the Turtle Spirit Shield, forged from the shell of a Mahayana Stage Demon Turtle, combined with materials like Millennial Black Iron Essence. It contains thirty-five layers of prohibitions and has already reached the level of a mid-grade Magical Treasure,¡± the grey-clothed man explained. Shen Luo picked up the small shield and injected it with a trace of mana. Immediately, the shield burst into a thick black light, containing a dense power of the Water Spirit. He nodded slightly. Although the Turtle Spirit Shield was much inferior to the Bloodthirsty Flag, this treasure was of the Water Attribute and matched the Nameless Cultivation Technique more closely, so it was worth including in his collection. The grey-clothed man let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Shen Luo''s nod and lifted the handkerchief from the second tray, revealing a blood-red small net that emitted strands of Black Qi. From within, one could faintly hear the sound of ghosts wailing and wolves howling. Chapter 1250 Chapter 1250: Chapter 1247: Snatching the Treasure Chapter 1250: Chapter 1247: Snatching the Treasure ¡°This second magical treasure, known as the ''Bloodthirsty Yin Luo Net,'' is a rare blood magic secret treasure. It not only possesses an amazing defensive power that can overcome strength with softness but can also release blood-thirsty Yin Thunder while defending, harming the enemy in an imperceptible way,¡± explained the grey-clothed man, pointing to the blood-colored small net on the tray. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Blood magic treasure¡­¡± Shen Luo frowned. The Bloodthirsty Yin Luo Net did indeed resemble the previously mentioned Bloodthirsty Flag, but the material and grade of this net were far inferior to that of the Bloodthirsty Flag. Although its combined offensive and defensive utility was practical, blood magic treasures had one fatal flaw¨Cthey were suppressed by thunder and lightning. During a Thunder Tribulation, it would likely not be of much use. ¡°And the last one?¡± His mind was racing as he looked towards the final tray. The object on this tray seemed quite large, propping up the brocade handkerchief above it significantly. Judging by the powerful spiritual power fluctuations emanating from it, it was far superior to both the Turtle Spirit Shield and the Bloodthirsty Yin Luo Net. ¡°Below this is a semi-finished magical instrument. Its refinement was incomplete due to the lack of one material. However, its defensive power already surpasses the other two treasures,¡± the grey-clothed man said, his confidence undiminished by Shen Luo''s disinterest in the Bloodthirsty Yin Luo Net. He pressed his hand on the brocade handkerchief, even appearing a bit mysterious. ¡°A semi-finished treasure with such might has indeed piqued my curiosity. What exactly is it, Daoist friend? Please, speak plainly,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. Seeing that Shen Luo seemed slightly displeased, the grey-clothed man didn''t keep him in suspense any longer. He lifted the brocade handkerchief, revealing a golden goblet-shaped magical treasure surrounded by a faint aura of golden light. Even though it was not yet activated, a powerful wave of spiritual power was already emanating from the golden goblet, causing the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to ripple. ¡°This treasure is called the ''Thousand Cup Golden Goblet.'' It is the historical treasure of the Ancient Sect of Thousand Cup Gate. It can draw upon the golden spiritual power from the surroundings and has an unimaginably strong defense,¡± the elder Man Bo refined it according to ancient methods. Unfortunately, the treasure lacks the most crucial material, the Nine Heavens Gold Essence, which prevents the goblet''s spiritual power from being contained effectively. Nevertheless, the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet already has fifty-eight layers of prohibitions, ranking it high among superior magical instruments,¡± the grey-clothed man confidently declared. ¡°May I try it?¡± From the moment the brocade handkerchief was unveiled, Shen Luo''s eyes had been fixed on the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. Only now did he lift his head to ask the grey-clothed man. ¡°Of course, you may,¡± the grey-clothed man replied with a smile. Shen Luo stepped forward and carefully cradled the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet in his hand, examining it closely for a moment before initiating the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to begin its refinement and activation. ¡°Swoosh¡± Quickly, a layer of golden light shone on the goblet as it slipped from his hand and flew up, suspending itself above Shen Luo''s head and rapidly expanding to several feet in size, spinning ceaselessly in midair. The grey-clothed man, seeing this, revealed a look of surprise. The Thousand Cup Golden Goblet was refined according to ancient methods, and its prohibitions were exceedingly powerful but also very difficult to activate. After it was brought to the Qianjin Tower, he had tried to activate it out of excitement, finding the process extremely strenuous; it took him seven to eight days just to barely manage to lift it. That Shen Luo was able to activate the treasure so effortlessly upon first seeing it was indeed astonishing. Shen Luo naturally had no time to consider the grey-clothed man''s thoughts. After briefly familiarizing himself with the characteristics of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, he started activating its prohibitions on his own, attracting the surrounding golden spiritual power from the void. Before long, strands of silky golden light cascaded from the goblet, enveloping Shen Luo''s body and forming a substantial, spherical golden protective barrier. Feeling the aura of the golden protective barrier around him, excitement flashed in the depths of his eyes. This barrier was exceptionally strong, even more so than the defense of the Bloodthirsty Flag. Most importantly, unlike the Yin Ghost power inside the Bloodthirsty Flag, which was restrained by thunder and lightning, the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet was a gold-attributed treasure, which made it far more effective during a Thunder Tribulation. To be honest, after seeing the Turtle Spirit Shield and the Bloodthirsty Yin Luo Net, he was profoundly disappointed. Although both treasures were not bad, they fell far short of what he had anticipated. Such treasures could not play a significant role in a True Immortal Thunder Tribulation, and he was almost ready to leave, staying only out of respect for Zhou Ming and Tianji City''s reputations. What he had not expected was that the third item would turn out to be a treasured item like the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, a truly serendipitous surprise. With this treasure, his chances of surviving the thunder tribulation would increase by at least thirty percent! ¡°This golden goblet is quite good, and I''ll take the Turtle Spirit Shield as well. How much for both in immortal jade?¡± Shen Luo nodded, then formed a hand gesture and pointed. The golden protective barrier around him flashed and dissipated, and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet returned to its original size, landing steadily on the table. ¡°Elder Shen is a distinguished guest of Tianji City, and with Brother Zhou accompanying, I naturally want to offer a discount. The Turtle Spirit Shield for three thousand immortal jade, and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet for fifteen thousand immortal jade, how about that?¡± The grey-clothed man pondered for a moment before quoting a price. Seeing that the man''s quote was about what he had anticipated, Shen Luo did not haggle and waved his sleeve. A streak of blue light swept over the ground next to them, and a pile of shimmering immortal jade appeared on the ground. The grey-clothed man extended his divine sense to confirm there was no issue with the amount of immortal jade, then took out a storage magical tool to collect all the immortal jade. A significant deal had thus been made, with both parties gaining much, to their great satisfaction. Zhou Ming''s regard for Shen Luo shifted again, as Shen Luo''s financial strength refreshed his perspective¨Ccasually taking out ten to twenty thousand immortal jade was something even several True Immortal-stage elders of Tianji City might not be capable of. ¡°I saw on the first floor there''s a counter for custom magical instrument orders; is that so?¡± Shen Luo did not immediately take his leave, instead he asked about another matter. ¡°Of course, does Elder Shen need to order a custom magical instrument?¡± The grey-clothed man''s face brightened again, as he eagerly inquired. No merchant would dislike having a customer like Shen Luo who was wealthy and generous. ¡°I do not need a custom magical instrument. I have a magical instrument that requires a piece of spiritual material to be melted into it, and I also have a cloak that is damaged and needs repair. I would like to request the assistance of your establishment,¡± Shen Luo said, taking out the Profound Yellow Staff, four Nine-turn Steel chains, and the damaged grey cloak. The grey-clothed man''s gaze swept over the three items and finally settled on the four Nine-turn Steel chains, his eyes full of fervor, clearly recognizing what they were. ¡°Eh! Nine-turn Steel!¡± An astonished voice came from the hall next door. Shen Luo was startled; since arriving here, he had been vigilant of his surroundings and had not noticed anyone next door. His palm moved to take back the three treasures, but as the saying goes, it was quicker said than done¨Ca loud ¡°bang¡± echoed as the wall beside them burst open creating a big hole, and a black phantom shot in, whizzing past Shen Luo. Shen Luo felt a lightness in his hand¨Cthe four Nine-turn Steel chains had vanished, while the black phantom had already smashed through the window of the adjacent hall and was now hundreds of feet away in a flash, its speed unimaginable, about to disappear completely. ¡°Daring to steal my treasure! Stop right there!¡± Shen Luo bellowed in fury, his legs shone with the vast light of moon shadows and starlight, and in a blur, he disappeared, reappearing almost instantaneously outside the hall. Beneath him, crimson sword light blazed, and with a thunderous roar, it transformed into a red sword rainbow that pursued the black phantom. By the time the grey-clothed man and Zhou Ming reacted and rushed to the window outside, Shen Luo and the black phantom were already out of sight. Chapter 1251 Chapter 1251: Chapter 1248 Exposed Chapter 1251: Chapter 1248 Exposed Zhou Ming watched, dumbfounded, while the gray-clothed man, although also surprised, furrowed his eyebrows tightly, seeming more perplexed than shocked. A black and a red streak of light flashed across the sky above Tianji City, belonging to Shen Luo and that shadow. In the blink of an eye, they had flown twenty or thirty miles, with the shadow moving at an unbelievably fast speed. Shen Luo was already pushing his sword to its limits but still couldn''t catch up. Moreover, the shadow was surrounded by flickering light and emitted an extremely cold breath, which blocked Shen Luo''s Divine Sense. He still hadn''t figured out who or what the shadow was. The two soon reached a somewhat desolate mountain range. Not far ahead was Tianji City''s prohibition, but the shadow showed no sign of stopping. Shen Luo saw that they had left the bustling area of Tianji City, and the Wind Thunder Spirit Light on his arms suddenly intensified, shooting out two massive pillars of gold and azure light behind him. His speed instantly increased manifold, and in a blink, he caught up with the shadow. He let out an angry shout and reached out to grab at the void with his right hand. Five thick golden electric arcs shot out from his hand, transforming into five golden lightning snakes that entwined around the shadow before explosively bursting apart. Bolts of golden lightning struck the shadow harshly, unleashing a great thunderous destructive force that immediately tore through the outer layer of black light on the shadow. The golden electric arcs crackled and continued to fiercely pounce toward the inside of the black light. But before Shen Luo could rejoice, a hissing sound of breaking air came from within the shadow, and several streaks of black light shot out, effortlessly shattering those golden electric arcs. They flew like arrows toward Shen Luo''s chest; they were several black feathers. Shen Luo frowned, swiftly dodging to the side while flicking his fingers repeatedly, launching over a dozen red Sword Qi that collided with the black feathers. Bang, bang, bang! S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The red Sword Qi and the black feathers burst upon contact, utterly failing to hinder the black feathers even slightly. The feathers vanished in a flash, and in an instant, they were right in front of Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s expression darkened. A golden light flashed in his hands, and the Profound Yellow Staff appeared, sweeping across. A golden rod shadow collided with the black feathers, emitting a loud ¡°clang¡± as the feathers were scattered all around. They broke apart with a ¡°snap¡± sound. However, Shen Luo also staggered slightly before regaining his stance, his face showing a surprised look. Those black feathers were only the length of a finger and seemed insignificant, yet they contained such incredible power. Taking advantage of Shen Luo being repelled, the shadow leaped toward a small mountain below and in a blink of an eye, gained some distance from Shen Luo. But Shen Luo immediately steadied himself and chased after the shadow like lightning once again. The shadow swiftly flew into the small mountain and surprisingly stopped at the mountain top. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, and he did not approach immediately. Instead, he halted the Escape Light about ten yards away in midair. ¡°Your Excellency, who exactly are you? Why are you stealing my Nine-turn Steel Chain? This is Tianji City, where robbery and murder are strictly forbidden. All I need to do is shout once, and there is no need for me to take action myself; the people of Tianji City will surely not stand by,¡± he said in a deep voice. ¡°Oh, then why don''t you try shouting a couple of times and see?¡± the shadow let out a hoarse voice, and the surface black light gradually dissipated, revealing its true form. Shen Luo stood there stunned. The shadow in front of him was not a person, but a black wooden bird, about a zhang tall, clad in armor, opening and closing its beak as it spoke human words. This wooden bird armor was as lifelike as any real bird, its eyes flickering with red spiritual light as it mockingly observed Shen Luo. Its pitch-black wings were tightly clasped to its spine, covered with black feathers, identical to those of the Black Feather that had attacked earlier. ¡°Armor! Are you from Tianji City? How dare you publicly steal my treasure; you''re quite bold!¡± Shen Luo quickly recovered his wits and questioned. ¡°Bold? I think Your Excellency is the truly audacious one, daring to bewitch and deceive the disciples of our city with soul-enthralling tricks to extract confidential information. It has been many years since anyone has had the courage to do that,¡± the black wooden bird let out a faint cold laugh, uttering several sentences that thoroughly alarmed Shen Luo. ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened in disbelief. When he had enchanted Zhou Ming, his methods were extremely covert; not even fellow monks in close proximity should have been able to notice, yet the person behind this wooden bird armor saw through him. ¡°Just who are you? I kindly ask you to reveal yourself,¡± he inhaled deeply to regain his composure and bowed slightly towards the black wooden bird. ¡°Oh, managing to stay calm in such a situation? Quite impressive resolve. As for who I am, a man about to die as you have no need to know,¡± a cold light flashed in the eyes of the black wooden bird as it flapped its wings and swooped towards him. Shen Luo had not anticipated the enemy would attack so suddenly. His feet shone with the Moonlight Glamour, retreating swiftly backwards. His arms also glowed with the light of wind and thunder as he formed green wind blades and golden lightning, ready to launch them at the black wooden bird. But with a flash of black light across its wings, the black wooden bird suddenly flapped them with great speed, causing the surrounding space to ripple. In an instant, the bird transformed into a black thread and vanished mid-flight. Shen Luo exclaimed in shock, his eyes immediately emitting a bright green light as his Divine Sense expanded in search of the adversary. Then his expression changed drastically. His feet materialized the phantom image of a full moon, spinning rapidly. His body transformed into a phantom with a ¡°whoosh¡± and darted to the left, suddenly reappearing a dozen yards away. Almost simultaneously, a slender black line appeared in the spot where he previously stood, zipping past in the blink of an eye. The top of a small mountain below was sliced by the black line. Half of the mountain peak was quietly cleaved off, leaving an incredibly smooth cut surface, as if it were a mirror. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart. His green pupils rapidly darted left and right as if searching for something. ¡°To dodge the first of the Gale Nine Flashes is quite a feat. Let''s see you try to dodge the second,¡± the voice of the black wooden bird echoed from the void nearby, its location indiscernible. No sooner had the voice faded than two bizarre black lines materialized out of thin air on either side of Shen Luo. Like two intersecting black bolts of lightning, they cut swiftly through the air, faster than the previous line. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank. He had pushed his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and Divine Sense to their limits but still couldn''t discern how the black lines appeared. But there was no time for him to ponder. His feet shone with the Moonlight Glamour and brilliant starlight appeared on his legs. He simultaneously executed Slanting Moon Steps and Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, shooting backwards and narrowly slipping through the gap between the black lines. ¡°Watch out for the third!¡± the voice of the black wooden bird rang out again as fully five black lines appeared out of nowhere behind Shen Luo, slashing down from all directions. The two black lines from before flew back, blocking his path forward. Shen Luo had barely regained his footing when he found himself in dire straits. With a shout, he waved the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, producing a flurry of rod shadows that met the incoming black lines head-on. ¡°Clang, clang, clang!¡± A series of loud clangs reverberated! Shen Luo''s arms vibrated violently, with the Profound Yellow Staff nearly being shaken out of his hands, but it created an opening among the black lines. Starlight and Moonlight shone brilliantly on his legs. His arms glowed even more brightly with the Wind Thunder Spirit Light, firing forward as he shot back at incredible speed, passing through the opening. However, several deep notches had been gouged out of his Profound Yellow Staff, and though it hadn''t broken, its surface light was now much dimmer, suggesting it had suffered considerable damage. Chapter 1252 Chapter 1252: Chapter 1249: No Escape Chapter 1252: Chapter 1249: No Escape Shen Luo was greatly pained, as he absorbed the Profound Yellow Staff into his body to nourish it, and at the same time, the golden green spiritual light on his arms swelled, ready to perform the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique to escape a certain distance first. The Black Wooden Bird had only used the third of its Gale Nine Flashes, and he had already been dangerously close to death. To continue fighting would likely lead to certain demise. However, at this moment, a black shadow flickered above Shen Luo''s head, and the Black Wooden Bird appeared without warning, its iron claws descending effortlessly to tear through the protective spiritual light, aiming for his shoulders. Shen Luo''s heart chilled as a flash of black light passed over his head, and the Bloodthirsty Flag appeared, shaking its banner, from which a large swath of black Yin Fire sprayed out, transforming into a wave of fire about a dozen feet high surging towards the Black Wooden Bird. Brilliant golden light emerged from his arms, which suddenly emitted a loud ¡°crack¡± and grew much thicker. His hands transformed into blades, as he viciously chopped at the wooden bird''s claws, with sword glow-like golden light appearing by the edge of his palms. ¡°Boom¡± The black Yin Fire hit the wooden bird hard, but like waves crashing against a rock, it instantaneously shattered and scattered, unable to cause any damage to the Black Wooden Bird. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s brows rose. His palms had also landed on the Black Wooden Bird''s claws at that moment, as if chopping into thick and slippery lard, involuntarily sliding to the side. The black giant claws shook off Shen Luo''s arms and caught his shoulders with the speed of lightning. Shen Luo felt a severe pain in his shoulders as his bones were almost crushed, but he did not lose his calm. His hands, shaken off, switched to grabbing the wooden bird''s legs, with golden green light blazing from both arms. Streams of golden lightning and green wind blades burst forth, ruthlessly striking the Black Wooden Bird, which was merely a hair''s breadth away. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet just like the previous black Yin Fire, all the lightning and wind blades slid to the sides upon touching the Black Wooden Bird, failing to inflict any injury. Shen Luo was shaken once again, but he quickly recovered. Blue light flickered over his hands, and an extremely cold aura spread out, flowing through his arms into the interior of the Black Wooden Bird. With a ¡°crack,¡± a blue iceberg over a dozen feet tall emerged out of nowhere, completely freezing the Black Wooden Bird inside it. This time the Black Wooden Bird finally succumbed, remaining motionless with its spiritual light also fixed in place, as if thoroughly frozen. Shen Luo was delighted, his body flashed with golden light, his bonelessly soft shoulders twisted left and right, and he easily broke free from the Black Wooden Bird''s iron claws, flickering to a spot dozens of feet away. Looking at the Black Wooden Bird frozen inside the iceberg, he hesitated, unsure whether he should seize the chance to attack it, trying to destroy it, or whether he should turn tail and flee. If he attacked, it was unclear whether the bird was crafted from special materials or had some sort of divine prohibition on it, since it was extremely slippery, and all attacks seemed unable to gain purchase. If he chose to flee, however, the wooden bird was incredibly fast, especially that Gale Nine Flashes, as swift as thunder and lightning, and he feared that once it broke free, he would not be able to escape. While Shen Luo hesitated, the spiritual light in the eyes of the frozen Black Wooden Bird suddenly recovered, and a black light emitted powerfully from its wings. The entire iceberg began to rumble and shake. Shen Luo tensed, no longer hesitating, his arms burst with golden green light, instantly forming two huge spiritual wings, as he activated the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. A piercing howl erupted, and he turned into a golden green phantom, shooting forward at a terrifying speed. Within the blue iceberg, the Black Wooden Bird''s wings shook, and wave blade-shaped black light shot out from its feathers. The massive blue iceberg ¡°boom¡± resounded, completely bursting apart into countless ice shards, and the Black Wooden Bird broke free, but by that time, Shen Luo had already vanished into the distant sky. The black wooden bird let out a cold snort, its wings trembling rapidly and incomparably. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± it disappeared into mid-air. Shen Luo exerted himself to the fullest, activating the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill and flying towards the outskirts of Tianji City with all his might. His impersonation of a Tianji City disciple had already been exposed, so it was best to escape quickly, find a place to breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage and then go rescue Fu Donglai. As for repairing the jade pillow, since Tianji City seemed to care greatly about Ghost Yan underground, Shen Luo planned to seize one or two pieces of lost armor from that person to repair his relationship with Tianji City. He could then plan for the long term, and it might not be impossible to succeed. The speed of the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique was astonishing, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the edge of Tianji City. A huge white light curtain appeared in front of him. Shen Luo was about to stop and figure out how to break through the prohibition. But a black shadow flashed in the void ahead, and the black wooden bird appeared out of nowhere, its body swelling more than tenfold, transforming into a monstrous bird over a hundred feet in size, eyes shooting out two cold beams. Shen Luo was truly shocked this time, he was using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill, yet the black wooden bird was actually able to keep up. As he was about to do something with his raised hand, it was already too late. The black wooden bird flapped its wings viciously at Shen Luo. Suddenly, a loud howling noise erupted, and a black gale poured forth from the colossal bird''s wings. In no time at all, the gale grew immensely, turning into a hundred-foot-tall tornado pillar sweeping over him. The speed of the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill was too swift; once initiated, it could only go straight forward, making it hard to change direction in a short time. Shen Luo couldn''t dodge in time and was engulfed by the tornado from above. The wind was exceptionally ferocious, with an almost heaven-shaking, earth-shattering intensity. Shen Luo was blown about haphazardly, the spirit wings on his arms were torn apart by the black tornado in an instant, and the protective spiritual light was also rapidly weakening, on the verge of completely disappearing. His face showed alarm as he quickly retracted the Wind and Thunder Wings, his body shining with golden light. He activated the Huangting Technique, attempting to stabilize his form. ¡°Whoosh¡± Two black giant claws descended from the sky, and in a blur, they were right above Shen Luo''s shoulders, more than ten times faster than before. Shen Luo couldn''t dodge at all this time and was caught by the shoulders. An overwhelming prohibition poured into his body like a raging tide, immediately sealing off all his mana, rendering him completely immobile, and even the demonic Qi in his meridians was restrained by the prohibition, his heart completely sank. The black giant bird spread its wings and flew out of the black tornado, turning into a black shadow that collided with the prohibition of Tianji City ahead. Instead of the expected severe collision, the black giant bird passed through the prohibition as if piercing water, easily shooting out and arriving in the boundless sand sea outside. The colossal bird landed on a dune and loosened its claws, throwing Shen Luo straight down. Although Shen Luo''s mana was sealed, the power of his flesh was still present. He turned over and stood up steadily, looking ahead. Not far in front, a figure with white hair was sitting on the ground, facing away from him, and seemed to be looking at something with his head lowered. The black giant bird circled in mid-air, stopped beside the white-haired figure and rapidly shrank back to its original size, nudging its head against the person. The white-haired figure raised a hand to pat the head of the black wooden bird, which made a content purring noise, almost like a real creature. Chapter 1253 Chapter 1253: Chapter 1250 Little Master Chapter 1253: Chapter 1250 Little Master ¡°The master of this Black Wooden Bird must be Elder, I presume. May I ask why have you brought me here, and what instructions you might have for me?¡± Shen Luo said, after a moment of silence and with a cupped fist salute. His mana might have been restrained, but his Divine Sense was unaffected. The white-haired figure had a breath as faint as if it didn''t exist, and as his Divine Sense approached, it was repelled by an invisible force, making it impossible to discern the figure''s Cultivation Realm. Such divine powers were certainly not within the reach of a Mahayana monk and undoubtedly belonged to someone above the True Immortal Stage. ¡°Oh, how do you know I have something to command you with, instead of just killing you outright?¡± the white figure said without turning his head, his voice the same as the one that had emanated from the Black Wooden Bird earlier. ¡°If Elder''s cultivation is profound and inscrutable and this black bird armor possesses extraordinary combat power, if you truly wished to kill me, it could have been done already without the need to bring me here so elaborately.¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile. ¡°Lesser in cultivation, but clever in mind. Had you not been audacious enough to use the Mesmerizing Technique on a disciple of Tianji City, considering your wit, sparing you this time isn''t out of the question,¡± the white-haired figure clapped and praised. ¡°Since Elder is aware of my previous actions, you must have also heard my questions to the noble sect''s disciple. My actions were purely for self-preservation and survival, with no intention of targeting Tianji City. I hope Elder can understand.¡± Shen Luo bowed deeply in apology. ¡°If I didn''t know that, do you think you would still be alive now?¡± the white figure''s voice turned cold. ¡°Yes, Junior knows his mistake. I''m not sure what I need to do to atone for my offense, but please instruct me. I will do my utmost,¡± Shen Luo said soberly, his voice low. The white figure huffed, seemingly giving a reluctant acknowledgment of Shen Luo''s words, and turned around. Surprise showed on Shen Luo''s face; the white figure was actually a handsome young man who appeared to be only thirteen or fourteen years old. His right eye was covered with a black eyepatch, with a piece of white crystal embedded where the eye should be, glittering brightly. In the hands of the white-haired young man were several iron chains, precisely the Nine-turn Steel Chains that the Black Wooden Bird had taken away just now. With his wise speech, profound cultivation, and a head of white hair, Shen Luo had initially thought this figure was a venerable Elder; he certainly didn''t expect the other to appear so young. However, the Cultivation World was full of strange tales, and this young man might not be as young as his appearance suggested. He could be an old monster who had lived for hundreds or even a thousand years. Shen Luo quickly suppressed his surprise and listened for the forthcoming advisement with a bowed head. ¡°By your looks, are you Shen Luo from the Great Tang''s Cultivation World, the victor of the recent Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± The white-haired young man glanced at Shen Luo''s face and asked. ¡°Indeed,¡± Shen Luo replied, his heart growing even more solemn. The fact that the young man asked for his identity meant he had not yet received information about him from Master Yan and his followers. With Tianji City filled with foreign monks, under such circumstances, the white-haired young man still noticed Shen Luo had used the Mesmerizing Technique on Zhou Ming. There were two possible reasons: first, the moment Shen Luo entered Tianji City, or even before that, he had caught the attention of this person for some reason; second, the young man possessed a terrifying level of observational skills, enabling him to monitor any minute detail within the entirety of Tianji City at any time. Regardless of which was true, neither boded well for him. ¡°Earlier, when you inquired about Zhou Ming''s mission, your emotional fluctuations were rather intense, and you mentioned the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor¨Ca name that has never been made public. Did you encounter this armor on your way to Tianji City?¡± The white-haired young man stared into Shen Luo''s eyes as he asked. ¡°I dare not deceive Elder; it is true,¡± Shen Luo promptly replied. ¡°Where did you encounter it?¡± asked the white-haired youth, his eyes lighting up, as he immediately pursued the question. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°In an underground city within the Boundless Sand Sea. To be frank, I did not come here alone; I had a partner. On the way to Tianji City, we accidentally fell into a mysterious underground city, where we met a person clad in Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor. I was fortunate to escape, but my partner was trapped in that underground city,¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°A mysterious underground city? Exactly what is mysterious about it? Tell me about it,¡± the white-haired youth asked again. Shen Luo composed himself and recounted his experiences in the underground city. He glossed over details pertaining to himself, believing the white-haired youth would understand. ¡°Indeed, it''s Puppet City. Those female corpses must be the result of a combination of the Heavenly Corpse Scripture and the Ghost Technique,¡± the white-haired youth muttered to himself after listening. Shen Luo saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes at these terms but did not press further. ¡°I am Little Master, and you already know who I am from Zhou Ming. That underground city is of great importance to Tianji City. As long as you can lead us there, I can overlook your previous affront. As for your purpose of coming to Tianji City to repair a few treasures, I might not refuse that either,¡± the white-haired youth quickly regained his senses, waved his hand, and returned the four Nine-turn Steel chains to Shen Luo. ¡°Elder, are you serious?¡± Shen Luo asked, both surprised and delighted. ¡°Of course I''m serious. The condition is that you can lead us to that underground city. I should warn you in advance that it''s an Armor of Tianji City, transformed from Puppet City, and it can move its location at will. Otherwise, we would not have been unable to find it for so many years,¡± Little Master explained slowly. ¡°Elder can rest assured. When I escaped from there, I intended to return for my partner, so I left a special mana imprint inside the Puppet City. No matter where it moves, I can find it,¡± Shen Luo said confidently. ¡°That''s for the best. Come with me back to Tianji City, and we shall immediately set out to find Puppet City,¡± Little Master nodded, flicked his sleeve, and emitted a white light that enveloped Shen Luo''s body and placed him on the Black Wooden Bird. The prohibitions within Shen Luo''s body melted away like snow, his mana began circulating normally again, and he felt a surge of joy. The Black Wooden Bird then took flight, piercing through the surrounding prohibitions of Tianji City in a flash, heading for the Upper city. Shen Luo gazed at the Giant Titan supporting the entire Upper city, only truly appreciating its majestic grandeur as he drew near. ¡°Hmm!¡± He suddenly let out a light exclamation, his gaze falling on the giant''s arm covered with numerous spirit patterns, from which faint spiritual light was emanating. ¡°This titan is named the Qingtian Mechanism, an Armor crafted by the first-generation City Lord Che Yuan of Tianji City. It has been guarding Tianji City for ten thousand years,¡± Little Master said, his face filled with awe as he looked toward the Giant Titan and explained softly. ¡°This Elder Che Yuan truly possessed divine skills. I''m filled with admiration,¡± Shen Luo exclaimed. Little Master said nothing more, controlling the Black Wooden Bird to land before a majestic great hall and stepped inside. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment and then followed. This great hall seemed to be a place for deliberation, with a spacious interior. On each side of the deepest part, there were rows of chairs. Little Master sat down in a large chair at the very end, motioning for Shen Luo to take a seat on his left side, and together they waited in silence. Chapter 1254 Chapter 1254: Chapter 1251 Elder Assembly Chapter 1254: Chapter 1251 Elder Assembly ¡°` Less than half a moment later, the sound of howling arose outside the great hall, and three figures entered side by side. The one in front was seated in a wheelchair, the white-haired youth who had earlier reported the status of their tasks, Master Yan. Beside the youth was a short-statured old man with grizzled hair, spirited and ruddy-faced, with piercing tiger eyes suggesting a forthright nature. Next to the old man was a young woman in her prime, dressed in a white gown, her hair cascading like a waterfall, and her figure graceful and alluring, sparking one''s imagination. It''s just a pity that her face was covered with a white veil, preventing any glimpse of her true features. ¡°City Lord, you''ve returned so quickly this time? May I ask why you''ve summoned us here? Is there any instruction?¡± the white-haired youth in the wheelchair glanced at Shen Luo beside him before speaking first. ¡°How come there are only the three of you? Where are Mei and Manbo?¡± Little Master frowned and asked. ¡°Manbo is currently at the Hundred Refining Hall working on an order recently received from the East Sea Dragon Palace and can''t leave to come here. As for Mei, he is still tidying up that Fragrance Manor,¡± the white-haired youth said with a helpless look. ¡°It''s fine if Manbo is busy, but Mei''s getting bolder by the day! If he continues to do as he pleases and disregards the matters of the Elder Assembly, I will expel him and find another elder to fill his place!¡± Little Master said sternly. ¡°Yes, I will convey your intentions to him later,¡± the white-haired youth rubbed his head, apparently quite vexed by Mei. ¡°Ah, such a grievous misunderstanding! Who says I didn''t come? I''ve been standing here for quite a while; none of you noticed me, is all,¡± a voice suddenly rang out, startling everyone in the hall including Shen Luo. Shen Luo looked toward the source of the voice and saw that at some point, a purple-robed figure had appeared on a windowsill to the left side of the great hall. This person was tall and straight, with broad shoulders, suggesting a man''s figure. However, their features were as smooth as white jade, with phoenix eyes, a finely-shaped nose, tender red lips, and a hint of rouge on both cheeks, giving off a unique fragrance of powder that made it impossible to distinguish whether they were male or female. A faint, peculiar, black mist surrounded the purple-robed figure, making that area abnormally dark, like a shadow that was yet entirely unremarkable, concealing their presence from everyone''s spiritual perception. ¡°Hidden Trace Incense? It seems that you''ve finally concocted it,¡± Little Master regarded the purple-robed person, raising an eyebrow as he spoke. Upon hearing this, the white-haired youth, the short old man, and the masked woman''s eyes all brightened. ¡°Hidden Trace Incense?¡± Shen Luo silently recited the name in his mind and extended his Divine Sense toward that area, but he couldn''t sense the existence of the person in the purple robe at all; it was as if nothing were there. He couldn''t help but be startled. This method of hiding one''s tracks was almost comparable to the grey cloak. Judging from what Little Master and the others said, it seemed to be the effect of a certain incense, and that such wondrous incense existed in the world. ¡°Hehe, of course! I didn''t spend the past decade or so for nothing!¡± the person in the purple robe spoke proudly, their voice indistinguishable between male and female. ¡°Haha, Elder Mei certainly has a skilled hand! To think that you managed to restore the long-lost Hidden Trace Incense using just an incomplete recipe for incense. With this incense, it will be much more convenient for the disciples of Tianji City when they need to hide their tracks on tasks. Admirable!¡± the short old man laughed heartily as he stroked his beard. ¡°City Lord, can it be considered that I have made a contribution to Tianji City by developing this Hidden Trace Incense? May I, by virtue of this accomplishment, continue to stay in the Elder Assembly?¡± the person in the purple robe looked at Little Master, speaking half-jokingly. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This time only. If you ignore the commands of the Elder Assembly again, no matter what merits you have, severe punishment will be meted out!¡± Little Master huffed, speaking slowly. ¡°` The man in the purple robe, sensing the determination of the Little Master, felt a chill in his heart, but still managed a dry chuckle on his face as his figure flickered to appear in the fourth seat to the right of the Little Master, where he then casually sat down. The white-haired youth, the short old man, and the masked woman also took their seats to the right, in the first, second, and third positions, respectively. ¡°If Elder Manbo is too busy to come, we shall start without him. Someone has already wasted a lot of time, let''s begin. The reason for calling you here concerns the matter of Ghost Yan,¡± the Little Master spoke with a stern expression, quickly getting to the point. ¡°Ghost Yan! City Lord, do you have a lead?¡± The white-haired youth''s eyes brightened, quickly turning to Shen Luo with a thoughful look. ¡°Indeed, before we discuss this matter in detail, allow me to introduce Daoist Friend Shen from the Spring and Autumn Pavilion in Eastern Great Tang, Friend Shen. These are members of the Elder Assembly of Tianji City¨CElder Nameless, Elder Fu, Elder Mo Wang, and Elder Mei,¡± the Little Master introduced them with a wave of his hand. ¡°I pay my respects to the elders,¡± said Shen Luo as he stood up and gave a bow with clasped fists to the group. The white-haired youth responded with a nod and a smile, the short old man laughed heartily, the masked woman gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, while Elder Mei, in the purple robe, merely glanced at Shen Luo from the corner of his eye without any response. ¡°City Lord, for years we have sent people in search of Ghost Yan with no results. Could it be that this Friend Shen has information about Ghost Yan?¡± the short old man, who was Elder Fu, asked. ¡°Correct, Friend Shen crossed the Boundless Sand Sea to visit Tianji City, and during his journey, he accidentally fell into Puppet City and encountered Ghost Yan,¡± the Little Master said. These words dropped like a boulder into a still pond, causing ripples to surge! ¡°Is it true, Friend Shen?¡± Elder Fu turned sharply to look at Shen Luo. ¡°Indeed, I had business in Tianji City, and beforehand I was unaware there was a Teleportation Formation that could take me directly here. So, I crossed the Boundless Sand Sea with a dear friend. We did not know the way and got lost in the Boundless Sand Sea, where we stumbled upon that Puppet City underground. After many fortunate encounters, I managed to escape, but my companion is still trapped within those City Walls,¡± Shen Luo said with a hint of sorrow in his expression. ¡°To enter Puppet City and still escape? Do you think we are three-year-olds to be deceived at will? Puppet City is an Armor created by the hands of Che Yuan himself, its power nearly piercing the heavens. Even a Late-stage True Immortal Cultivator entering it would die trapped inside. And you managed to escape?¡± Elder Mei sneered slightly, seemingly very displeased with Shen Luo. Elder Fu and the Masked Woman, Mo Wang, upon hearing this, showed a twinge of doubt in their eyes. ¡°This matter is absolutely true; Daoist Friend Shen has not lied,¡± said the Little Master. Although the Little Master did not explain the reason, Elder Fu and Mo Wang no longer doubted and looked at Shen Luo with surprise. Elder Mei furrowed his brows, opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately refrained from any further retort. ¡°It''s impressive that Friend Shen, with only Great Mahayana Peak cultivation, possesses such strength. No wonder he was able to win the championship of the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference,¡± praised the white-haired youth. ¡°You flatter me, Elder Nameless. How could I possess such ability? It was just a series of fortuitous events, and with the help of that friend, that I was luckily able to escape from Puppet City,¡± said Shen Luo, shaking his head. Chapter 1255 Chapter 1255: Chapter 1252: Having Ulterior Motives Chapter 1255: Chapter 1252: Having Ulterior Motives ¡°May I ask who that friend of Brother Shen is?¡± the Nameless Elder inquired. ¡°His name is Fu Donglai, and he also participated in this Three Realms Martial Assembly,¡± Shen Luo replied truthfully. ¡°Fu Donglai, I remember him. Is he the tiger demon''s disciple from Lion Camel Ridge?¡± the Nameless Elder seemed to have watched the three-realm martial conference. ¡°Exactly. It was entirely thanks to him risking his life to cover for me that I was able to escape,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, a flash of realization crossed the faces of Elder Fu, Mo Wang, and Elder Mei. The divine abilities of Lion Camel Ridge were known for their overwhelming power and formidable attack potency, particularly effective against the Armor. Indeed, if Fu Donglai went all out to cover for him, Shen Luo might have had a chance to break out of Puppet City. However, the Nameless Elder did not quite believe Shen Luo''s words and continued to size him up discreetly. ¡°When I left that place, due to the need to go back and rescue my companions, I left a mana imprint inside Puppet City¨Cit should go undetected by Ghost Yan for a short time. With this mana imprint, I can lead you to find Puppet City,¡± Shen Luo said, warily keeping in mind the Nameless Elder''s suspicions. At these words, the Nameless Elder could no longer focus on observing Shen Luo and became visibly excited, ¡°Since Brother Shen can locate it, then we should head there quickly, fearing any further delays might lead to complications.¡± Elder Fu and the others all expressed their agreement. ¡°I called you all here precisely to discuss this matter. If not for someone showing off and causing delays, we would have concluded this discussion by now. Go and prepare immediately; we leave in half an hour. This time, we must retrieve those pieces of Armor and the Sky Machine Scroll at all costs!¡± The Little Master glanced at Elder Mei and instructed. ¡°Yes!¡± The elders responded with gravity, transforming into several escape lights shooting towards the outside. Soon, only Shen Luo and the Little Master were left in the great hall. ¡°City lord, I have been to Puppet City and am somewhat aware of its changing dynamics. Moreover, my companions might still be alive. May I join your sect in this exploration?¡± Shen Luo stood up and gave a bow to the Little Master before making his request. ¡°Brother Shen also wishes to join? With your skills, you would indeed be of help. However, your eagerness suggests you have other motivations. Speak plainly,¡± the Little Master regarded Shen Luo with a tinge of surprise before speaking indifferently. ¡°City lord is astute, and I cannot hide anything from you. I indeed have a request. Although I possess some ability, I am far from strong enough to contend with Ghost Yan. I hope the city lord could use your divine powers to repair these two Magical Treasures for me, to give me additional strength,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out the Profound Yellow Staff, the four Nine-Turn Steel Chains, and the damaged grey cloak. ¡°This staff of yours contains a good amount of Spirit Solar Iron. You intend to integrate the Nine-Turn Steel into it, trying to imitate the Ruyi Golden Cudgel? Unfortunately, the Nine Heavens Gold Essence has been extinct for many years. Our City has searched extensively, to no avail. I''m afraid your hope might be in vain,¡± said the Little Master after glancing at the Profound Yellow Staff. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart sank. But the Little Master''s gaze quickly shifted from the Profound Yellow Staff to the grey cloak, and a peculiar light flickered in his eyes. He reached out a hand and beckoned. The grey cloak shot out from Shen Luo and landed in his hand. ¡°Could this be the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing? Indeed, it is this garment, but it''s been re-refined by someone, with all sorts of miscellaneous things mixed in. What nonsense!¡± The Little Master examined the cloak for a moment, a hint of pleasure appearing on his face before he spoke sternly. ¡°Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. ¡°No wonder you don''t know about it; this item was a treasured creation by the Northern Sea Dragon Fairy for the Queen Mother on her birthday. However, it was stolen over a thousand years ago. The Heavenly Court, not wanting to lose face, kept it secret, so very few people in the Three Realms are aware of it. I had a chance to see it when I attended the Pan Peach Banquet in the Heavenly Court that year, so I recognize it,¡± the Little Master said without lifting his head. ¡°Since Elder recognizes this treasure, might you be able to restore it?¡± Shen Luo hurriedly asked. ¡°The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing was made from Northern Sea Soft Smoke Luo silk and Heaven Worm silk from the depths of the Star River. If it were before, I would not be very confident, but just some time ago, Tianji City acquired a batch of Soft Smoke Luo silk. As for the Heaven Worm silk, I have had some in stock from before, so I''ll give you a bargain, kid.¡± With a flick of his sleeve, the Little Master summoned a crimson Artifacts Refining Furnace in the hall. This furnace was three zhang high, with the shape of a gourd and countless intricate spirit patterns carved on it, which were very similar to the ones Shen Luo had seen on the Armor, but far more complex. The center of the furnace was engraved with a ring of fire patterns, containing two ancient seal characters of Tianji. The top of the furnace occasionally emitted bursts of purple mist, as if shrouded in a purple aura, very mysterious. Having seen the Day and Night Sky God Furnace of Wuzhuang View, Shen Luo thought that this crimson Artifacts Refining Furnace was by no means inferior and his confidence in the Little Master increased. The Little Master chanted an incantation and tapped the furnace, causing the lid to open. A stream of crimson light shot out, enveloping the Grey Cloak and the Profound Yellow Staff, as well as the Nine-turn Steel chains, and with a whoosh, retracted back into the furnace. The crimson Artifacts Refining Furnace hummed and turned as patterns around it spewed out waves of crimson flames, causing the temperature in the great hall to rise rapidly. ¡°Refining two Magical Treasures at once? Won''t that be¡­¡± Although Shen Luo didn''t have a deep understanding of Artifacts Refining, he knew that concentration is key. Seeing this, he couldn''t help but voice his concern. ¡°This Heaven-sent Divine Furnace is different from ordinary Artifacts Refining furnaces; it contains multiple refining spaces inside. It''s not just two Magical Treasures that can be refined together; even ten or twenty could be done at once,¡± said the Little Master in a relaxed manner. Shen Luo suddenly understood and stayed quiet. The Little Master continued to operate the Heaven-sent Divine Furnace. The inside of the furnace kept making crackling sounds as the flames around it grew more intense, enveloping the entire furnace. He waved his sleeve and took out a large pile of various Spiritual Materials. With his incantations and spells, they all flew into the Artifacts Refining furnace. Streaks of gold and blue light kept shooting out from within the furnace, exploding in the air nearby like fireworks. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt joyful inside, standing quietly to the side, careful not to disturb. Half an hour later, the Heaven-sent Divine Furnace suddenly ceased operations, and the lid flew open by itself. A brilliant light burst forth from within the furnace, shooting straight towards the sky. However, it was blocked by a layer of white light from the rooftop of the great hall. Then, with a resounding ¡°humming¡± sound, two balls of light, one gold and one blue, burst from the furnace, letting out sharp cries like those of a Phoenix. Rings of Spiritual Light spread out, causing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi nearby to rumble in response. ¡°That fast?¡± Shen Luo was both surprised and delighted. He waved his sleeve, capturing the gold and blue lights, and pulled them in front of him. ¡°Your staff was just for melting materials, and the prohibitions on the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing were not even damaged. I also prepared very complete materials, so it''s already been quite a long time,¡± the Little Master said dismissively. Chapter 1256 Chapter 1256: Chapter 1253: Assembly Chapter 1256: Chapter 1253: Assembly Upon hearing what the Little Master had to say, Shen Luo couldn''t help but be stunned. One must know that when he had previously integrated the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood into the Pure Yang Sword Embryo, it had taken him a great deal of effort and several days to succeed. The Little Master had merely done it casually in less than half an hour, completing the refinement of the two Magical Treasures. The disparity was just too significant. He shook his head and stopped thinking too deeply about it, turning his attention to the two light groups in his hands, which contained the Profound Yellow Staff and the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing had turned into a water-blue color, like a layer of blue gauze, faint and ethereal, as if it could melt into the void and disappear at any moment. Shen Luo picked up the robe and started refining it with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. His Mana penetrated smoothly into each layer of seals, and the previously arduous feeling of offering sacrifices was no longer present. This Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing had as many as forty-nine layers of seals within it, reaching the level of a high-grade Magical Treasure. Besides the stealth and hidden breath techniques he had already figured out, there was a third God''s Power, which was also the most core ability of this Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing: Dodge. Moreover, this Dodge ability was far more exquisite than the previous two, but this was not a good place to try it out. With a wave of his hand, Shen Luo put away the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and continued to refine it with his Mana, then turned his gaze to the Profound Yellow Staff. The appearance of the Profound Yellow Staff hadn''t much changed from before, its surface no longer bore any cuts, replaced by nine black Spirit Patterns. The entire staff emanated a black sheen from inside out, giving one a sense of invincibility. The aura surrounding the Profound Yellow Staff also underwent an earth-shaking change. The void within dozens of feet was enveloped by an extremely heavy breath, causing the ground to tremble slightly, as if unable to withstand the might of the staff. Shen Luo reached out and grabbed the icy staff. The golden light on the Profound Yellow Staff instantly receded like a whale sucking water, and the heavy breath also retracted. His expression showing intrigue, Shen Luo felt an inexplicable connection with the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, as if it were merged with his own body. Was it because the staff had originally been refined by him, or was the Little Master''s artifact refining technique too exquisite? Exerting his strength into the staff, the skyward golden light burst forth anew, revealing a series of faintly visible gold patterns, adding up to forty-eight layers¨Cpushing it to the limit of a mid-grade Magical Treasure. Yet, his eyebrows furrowed slightly because, by his estimates, having merged so much Nine-turn Steel, the Profound Yellow Staff should have reached the high-grade Magical Treasure level. ¡°Your staff contains Xuan Turtle Plank, Spirit Solar Iron, and Nine-turn Steel, three extraordinary materials. In terms of quality, it far surpasses that of ordinary high-grade Magical Treasures. However, the staff was modeled after the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, its sharpness all too evident, greatly exacerbating the conflicts between those three materials, especially the clash of Spiritual Power between Spirit Solar Iron and Nine-turn Steel. Without the Nine Heavens Gold Essence to balance the Spiritual Power between them, hastily increasing the layers of seals on the Magical Treasure would be harmful rather than beneficial,¡± the Little Master apparently perceiving Shen Luo''s confusion, explained. ¡°So it is, thank you for your guidance, City Lord,¡± Shen Luo said, enlightened, as he put away the Profound Yellow Staff and gave a bow to the Little Master. The Little Master swept his sleeve and put away the Heaven-sent Divine Furnace, then closed his eyes, no longer paying attention to Shen Luo, as if in deep thought. Although Shen Luo was eager to ask the Little Master to examine the broken jade pillow, the Little Master seemed preoccupied, so he didn''t disturb him, silently refining the increased seals within the two treasures. The great hall gradually quieted down. In a secret room within Qianjin Tower of the Tianji City Undercity, a black stone pillar stood quietly. At the top of the pillar was a bizarrely burning black candle. On the candle was a strange black flame in the shape of a human head, emitting a black light that enveloped the entire room in an eerie darkness. No sound from outside could penetrate, nor could any breath within the room leak out, as if it was cut off from the world. At this moment, a figure hurried along the corridor outside the room, none other than the master of Qianjin Tower, Fang Rui, his eyes betraying an irrepressible joy as he quickly approached the door. Fang Rui adjusted his breathing slightly, and his expression returned to calm as he pushed open the door and entered, then closed the door behind him. Everything outside was isolated, and the room was submerged in tranquility. Fang Rui walked over to the stone pillar, cut open his own finger, and dropped a speck of fresh blood into the candle flame. The flame, which resembled a human head, surged in size, its eyes igniting with two bizarre blood lights, making it seem as though it had suddenly come to life. ¡°Master, spies from the Upper City have sent a message that Tianji City has learned of Ghost Yan''s whereabouts and is planning to send people to pursue and eliminate him,¡± Fang Rui bowed deeply to the flame and then spoke softly. ¡°Heh, they finally noticed? It wasn''t in vain that I went to great lengths to lead Shen Luo and Fu Donglai to Puppet City,¡± the flame laughed coldly. ¡°Master is without equals in cunning, this time we will certainly be able to use the strength of Tianji City to achieve our goal smoothly,¡± Fang Rui flattered. ¡°What you should be doing is continuing to monitor Tianji City''s movements, find out exactly who they are sending, instead of offering such meaningless flattery!¡± the flame snapped coldly. ¡°Yes, subordinate understands and will investigate at once,¡± Fang Rui''s expression changed slightly as he bowed in agreement. ¡°You must be cautious with your actions at all times, the Observing Heaven Mirror of Tianji City is not to be underestimated. To have you sent into Tianji City and rise to your current position cost us how much effort and resources, remember that your life is not your own, it belongs to Demon Ancestor Lord!¡± the flame continued in a chilling voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Fang Rui trembled at the mention of the Demon Ancestor''s name, bowing even lower. The red light in the flame''s eyes vanished in a flash, returning to its original state. Only then did Fang Rui stand up straight, wiped the sweat from his forehead, adjusted his state, and turned to walk back. Half an hour quickly passed, and the Nameless Elder and the others returned to the great hall. Aside from the four of them, there were quite a few disciples of Tianji City, numbering around twenty or thirty, with the least advanced among them being at the Late Nascent Soul Stage, and cultivators at the Great Mahayana Stage were found in abundance. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Among them were Master Yan, Lin Han, and Zhou Ming, whom Shen Luo had already met, except for some reason, Master Yan looked pale and uneven in his breath, as if he were injured. It seemed all three of them already knew Shen Luo was here, as their expressions did not show any surprise upon seeing him. ¡°City Lord, everything is ready, we can depart at any time,¡± the Nameless Elder spoke. ¡°Good, I will trouble you, Nameless Elder, to remain and oversee Tianji City,¡± Little Master stood up abruptly and said. Since the Nameless Elder had movement difficulties and usually managed Tianji City, he had no objections to the Little Master''s decision and nodded his head. Little Master, accompanied by Shen Luo, stepped outside the hall, and upon seeing the Little Master, Master Yan and the others hurriedly paid their respects. ¡°Dispense with the formalities. I assume you''re all clear on the purpose of this trip. The Elder Assembly has obtained Ghost Yan''s location. This traitor has betrayed Tianji City and even stolen many treasured items. This time, we must kill this traitor at all costs and retrieve those treasures!¡± Little Master said in a solemn voice. ¡°Yes!¡± Master Yan and the others responded in unison. Chapter 1257 Chapter 1257: Chapter 1254: Suspicion Chapter 1257: Chapter 1254: Suspicion Elder Fu swept his sleeve, and a green ball the size of a human head shot out. As its light flashed repeatedly, protuberances appeared on the ball, and with a ¡°click-click¡± sound, it rapidly expanded. A few breaths later, an enormous dark green flying boat appeared in the great hall, twenty or thirty feet long. Unlike Master Yan''s Flying Swallow Boat, this flying boat resembled a giant crab, with eight long legs at the front and back, though they were curled up. Everyone leapt aboard the crab-shaped flying boat. The space within was large, and despite the number of people standing inside, it didn''t feel the least bit crowded. ¡°Brother Shen, please indicate which direction we should head,¡± Elder Fu said, turning towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo closed his eyes to sense the location of the marker but suddenly let out a light ¡°hmm¡± of surprise. ¡°What has happened?¡± Elder Fu asked anxiously, while Little Master and the others also looked over with a slight tension. ¡°Nothing, it is just that the location of Puppet City has changed significantly, moving a great distance to the north,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment''s consideration. ¡°As long as the marker is still there, that is good,¡± Elder Fu breathed a sigh of relief as a flash of Green Light swept under his feet. The entire flying boat glowed with bright Green Light, slowly lifted off, and then, with a whoosh, it shot towards the north. Within a few breaths, it reached the prohibition at the edge of Tianji City, its speed even faster than Master Yan''s Flying Swallow Boat. Elder Fu opened his mouth and spat out a flash of Green Light that struck the bow of the boat, disappearing in an instant. The head of the crab-shaped flying boat immediately burst into a web of Azure Spirit Pattern, spreading rapidly backward. Soon, the entire vessel was covered in the pattern, and with a flash, it passed through the prohibition near Tianji City and entered the Boundless Sand Sea outside, continuing to fly rapidly to the north. ¡°Elder Fu, please push the Spirit Crab Airship to its maximum speed. Do not worry about the consumption. The most important thing now is to reach Ghost Yan as soon as possible,¡± Little Master said, his face showing a hint of murderous intent that left Shen Luo inwardly shocked. Upon hearing this, Elder Fu murmured an incantation, and a crystalline light flashed between his eyebrows. The curled-up eight legs of the crab-shaped flying boat extended, each inscribed with countless Azure Spirit Patterns. With a ¡°puff¡± sound, they grasped the Void like walking on the ground, and the eight legs moved rapidly. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The speed of the Spirit Crab Airship increased dramatically, almost doubling, as it sped forward like the wind. Seeing this, Shen Luo inwardly marveled at the Mechanisms and Artifacts Refining techniques of Tianji City, which were unmatched in the Three Realms, capable of creating such high-speed, large flying boats. ¡°Brother Shen, given the Spirit Crab Airship''s speed, how long will it take to reach Puppet City?¡± Little Master asked, looking over. ¡°Roughly half a day,¡± Shen Luo estimated and replied. Little Master nodded at the response, beckoned to Elder Fu, Elder Mei, and Mo Wang, and headed to a sealed room at the front of the Spirit Crab Airship, seemingly to discuss something. As Little Master and the three Elders left, the disciples from Tianji City relaxed slightly, finding places to sit down and conserve their energy. Shen Luo also found a corner of the flying boat to sit cross-legged, just about to close his eyes and concentrate on refining the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and the Profound Yellow Staff, when someone walked over¨Cit was Master Yan. His gaze shifted, and he wondered inwardly what this person wanted. Could it be because he had previously concealed information about Ghost Yan and Puppet City, causing Master Yan to be displeased and come to confront him? Shen Luo weighed his words, striving to explain the situation without offending Master Yan. Master Yan held a high position in Tianji City, and since he still needed to request Little Master to repair the jade pillow, it was best not to offend this person. ¡°Friend Shen, previously I suspected that you were an enemy spy sent to infiltrate Tianji City, and I harbored some doubts about Your Excellency. Please forgive me for this misunderstanding,¡± said Master Yan, stopping three feet away and giving a bow, to Shen Luo''s surprise. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo was momentarily stunned, taking several breaths before he could respond, his expression turning somewhat peculiar. Could it be that Master Yan was making such a sincere apology for such a trivial matter because he was unusually upright in his interactions, or did he have an ulterior motive? ¡°Brother Yan is taking it too seriously. When we first met, I was a stranger, and it was only natural for Brother Yan to harbor some suspicions about me,¡± he thought to himself while speaking aloud. ¡°Previously, I speculated about you out of selfish motives, which violated the tenets of Tianji City''s commitment to making amicable alliances with other righteous Daoist friends. After this mission, I will return to Tianji City to face punishment at the Hall of Law, to provide an explanation to you,¡± said Master Yan, his demeanor unshaken and earnest. ¡°Brother Yan is too earnest. Such a minor matter isn''t worth mentioning,¡± Shen Luo said, seeing Master Yan''s expression and feeling mostly convinced that the man was an inflexible fool, which dispelled much of the displeasure he had felt from being suspected earlier. ¡°Without rules, there is no square or circle. Tianji City is a sect formed by an alliance of Yan masters from all over the Three Realms. Our regulations are especially important, and every law must be strictly adhered to,¡± stated Master Yan impassively. Seeing this, Shen Luo shrugged his shoulders and decided not to debate the issue any further, instead turning to another question. ¡°Brother Yan previously suspected that I was an undercover agent from an enemy force. Located in the Boundless Sand Sea, Tianji City is surrounded by desolate and uninhabited lands. Does this mean there are forces here that are hostile to your sect?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Although the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the Boundless Sand Sea is thin, there are still some unique spiritual items here, as well as some smaller sects stationed in the area. Not all of them have friendly relations with our Tianji City. Moreover, our Yan Armor and Artifacts Refining techniques are unparalleled in the Three Realms, naturally attracting many with malicious intentions who seek to act covertly and spy on the monks of our city from within the Boundless Sand Sea,¡± explained Master Yan. ¡°Besides your city, what other sects are in the Boundless Sand Sea?¡± Shen Luo continued to inquire. ¡°There are about a dozen or so. The largest one is called the Yellow Sand Sect. Others include the Divine Tortoise Sect, the Thick Earth Sect, and the Beast Control Sect¡­¡± Master Yan listed a dozen sects in succession. ¡°What God''s Powers do these sects specialize in?¡± Shen Luo pressed further. ¡°As the name suggests, Yellow Sand Sect excels in controlling sand. Divine Tortoise Sect is a tomb-robbing sect skilled in geomancy and finding dragon veins. Thick Earth Sect has unique Earth Attribute spells, and Beast Control Sect is adept at taming all kinds of insects and spirit beasts¡­¡± Master Yan, perhaps feeling apologetic, answered each question Shen Luo had in detail. ¡°Why does Friend Shen ask about this?¡± he finally asked, sounding a bit puzzled. ¡°Oh, it''s nothing, just making casual conversation,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. Master Yan made an ''oh'' sound and didn''t overthink it. Seeing that Shen Luo had no other questions, he sat down leaning against the rail of the boat, not far from Shen Luo. Shen Luo looked down at the bottom of the cabin by his feet, his eyes flickering slightly. He had not asked those questions of Master Yan casually, but rather he had suddenly thought of something. The Puppet City was stolen from Tianji City by Ghost Yan, and Tianji City kept trying to track its whereabouts. Surely, Ghost Yan would be very cautious in hiding, so how did he and Fu Donglai get there so easily? He had thought it a coincidence before, but now it seemed less likely. He did not rule out the possibility that someone had orchestrated this deliberately. If there truly was such a person, or a group of people, their intention was clear¨Cto use him to inform Tianji City of Ghost Yan''s location. As for their true motives, he knew too little about Tianji City and the Boundless Sand Sea to guess. However, with such people lurking in the shadows, this pursuit of Ghost Yan would likely not end so easily. Chapter 1258 Chapter 1258: Chapter 1255: Splitting into Two Chapter 1258: Chapter 1255: Splitting into Two Shen Luo sighed lightly, slowly closed his eyes, and hastened the refining of several treasures within his body. He had not shared his speculations with Master Yan or the Little Master, as they were baseless guesses. If he was right, all would be well, but if he was wrong, he would lose face and the Little Master might think less of him. The Spirit Crab Airship sped forward like a shooting star, and soon one hour had passed. With Shen Luo''s current understanding of the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, it didn''t take much effort to refine the Profound Yellow Staff, of which he had already mastered the majority of its prohibitions, and he was now refining the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet when a deafening roar suddenly came from ahead. He hurriedly opened his eyes and looked forward. Another towering sandstorm rose within the Boundless Sand Sea ahead, rolling in like the tide and quickly engulfing the Spirit Crab Airship, leaving no chance to avoid it. Blast after blast of the sandstorm struck the Spirit Crab Airship, which had all its functions focused on flight and insufficient defense, and when hit by the fierce sandstorm, it immediately started swaying from side to side. ¡°Reduce speed by twenty percent, enhance the airship''s defensive capabilities, and don''t let the sandstorm throw us off course,¡± the Little Master and the others, who had already emerged from the sealed room, instructed upon seeing this. Elder Fu responded with a nod, and a flash of green light appeared under his feet. Four of the airship''s eight crab legs retracted, and the green protective cover around the Spirit Crab Airship instantly became much more stable, warding off the sandstorm''s impact and ceasing the swaying. The Little Master nodded at this and turned to look at Shen Luo, who got the message. He sensed the position of the mana imprints and his expression suddenly changed. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± The Little Master asked with a sharp look in his eye upon seeing this. ¡°Something strange has occurred. I left five mana imprints in the Puppet City, and now four of the imprints are moving in a northeast direction, while the remaining one is going southwest, all at a great speed,¡± Shen Luo said, not concealing anything and narrating everything he had sensed. ¡°The imprints have split up? But why?¡± The Little Master was taken aback. Shen Luo was also puzzled. If Ghost Yan had detected the presence of the imprints, he should have directly destroyed them. What could he mean by dividing them? ¡°Could it be that Ghost Yan knows we are on our way and wants to mislead us with this tactic?¡± he suddenly wondered, but after giving it some thought, he felt that was unlikely. The Little Master, Elder Fu, Elder Mo Wang, and Elder Mei exchanged looks, their lips occasionally moving as they clearly communicated through voice transmission. Master Yan and the other disciples of Tianji City had also heard the conversation, their expressions revealing surprise. However, they all waited quietly on the side without any rash comments. The Little Master and the others finished their discussion quickly and approached. ¡°The imprints dividing might indicate a change within the Puppet City or could be due to some other reason. Regardless, this is our only chance to capture Ghost Yan, and we must not miss it. After our discussion, we have decided to divide our forces into two groups. One will be led by me and Elder Fu, and the other will be headed by Elder Mei and Elder Mo Wang, to pursue the two sets of imprints separately,¡± the Little Master explained. Shen Luo was not surprised by the Little Master''s decision and did not question it. Master Yan and the other disciples of Tianji City naturally did not object either. The Little Master then started to divide the team, and Shen Luo was assigned to the group with Elder Mei and Elder Mo Wang. Whether by coincidence or by the Little Master''s deliberate arrangement, Master Yan, Lin Han, Zhou Ming, and the other disciples acquainted with Shen Luo ended up in this group as well. ¡°City Lord, after I follow the two elders, how will you track those four imprints?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before speaking to the Little Master. ¡°Friend Shen, you need not worry about this matter. This Black Jade Plate was a Magical Treasure I refined a few years ago. It possesses excellent communication and positioning effects. I''ll lend it to you temporarily; just use it to inform me of the whereabouts of that imprint at any time,¡± the Little Master said as he took out a palm-sized black disc and handed it to Shen Luo. The disc was crystal clear, faintly emitting a cold aura. It was surprisingly made of the extremely rare Ink Jade, and it featured the pattern of the Innate Eight Trigrams on its surface, which clearly indicated it was no ordinary item. ¡°It seems the City Lord had already planned for this. I was overthinking it,¡± Shen Luo accepted the Black Jade Plate, nodding as he spoke. After the Little Master taught Shen Luo how to operate the Black Jade Plate, he immediately set off with half of the people in the direction of the northeast, in pursuit. The Spirit Crab Airship, belonging to Elder Fu, left with them. ¡°Elder Mei, in terms of escaping speed, your Red Phoenix Flying Boat has the upper hand. It would be best if we continue our journey aboard your flying boat,¡± Elder Mei said, projecting a light purple Protective Cover to shield everyone from the storm outside while speaking to Elder Mo Wang beside her. Elder Mo Wang did not say a word but waved his hand, and a crimson round pearl shot out, rapidly expanding and transforming. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a flying boat more than ten zhang long, its body''s prohibitions emitting flame-like red light all around. The group flew into the Red Phoenix Flying Boat, and as its crimson light intensified on the surface, it sped off towards the southwest. It was like a red phoenix flapping its wings in flight, and it was not much slower than the Spirit Crab Airship. Shen Luo sat down inside the Red Phoenix Flying Boat, pinched a technique to stimulate the Black Jade Plate, which then emitted strands of black light. A white light dot on it gently flickered, slowly moving in the direction of the northeast¨Cexactly the location of the Little Master. Seeing this, he nodded and stored the Black Jade Plate away, continuing to refine his Magical Treasures with closed eyes while sensing for the imprints on both sides. The Red Phoenix Flying Boat flew for a day and a night before coming to a halt outside a massive black mountain range. The black mountain range was exceptionally tall, with giant peaks that occasionally reached into the clouds. Moreover, the mountain range was undulating and interconnected, with huge mountain after mountain stretching to the horizon, with no end in sight. Everyone flew out from the boat, which quickly shrank and soon turned back into a crimson sphere, disappearing into the Sleeve of Elder Mo Wang. Shen Luo, seeing mountains within the Boundless Sand Sea for the first time, couldn''t help but take a few extra glances. However, despite the enormity of the mountain range ahead, the spiritual energy was still very thin, no different from other places. The mountains were barren inside, the field of vision filled with black rocks and sandy soil, and there was hardly any green vegetation visible, let alone birds and beasts. ¡°Daoist Friend Shen, is that mana imprint located within this mountain range?¡± Elder Mei asked, gazing into the depths of the mountain range without turning back. ¡°Indeed, it hasn''t moved for quite some time now,¡± Shen Luo replied. Elder Mei heard his answer and fell quiet for a moment, her eyebrows slightly furrowing as she looked into the depths of the range. Elder Mo Wang also gazed at the mountain range before him with a rather grave expression. Seeing this, Shen Luo also released his Divine Sense to probe the black mountain range. However, the area of this mountain range was extraordinarily vast, and despite his Divine Sense, he could not probe its end. He could only feel that deep within the mountains, there were surges of intense Yin Qi fluctuations from time to time, intertwined with bizarre howling sounds. A thought crossed his mind, and he then asked Master Yan beside him in a low voice about this mountain range. ¡°This mountain range is known as the Black Abyss Mountain Range. Deep within it lies the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, a place of extreme danger in the Boundless Sand Sea. Year-round, the Nine Nether Yin Wind blows within¨Cwinds that are said to come from the Nine Netherworld. Even we, the Great Mahayana Stage Cultivators, if contaminated, would succumb to Yin Poison that erodes bone and melts flesh. Moreover, the Mystery Cave is full of dense Yin Qi, breeding countless Yin Beasts and ghosts. Even if someone possesses treasures capable of withstanding the Nine Nether Yin Wind, they would still be torn to shreds by those Yin Beasts and ghosts,¡± Master Yan hesitated for a moment before explaining. ¡°Yin Beasts¡­¡± Shen Luo''s thoughts were stirred as he recalled the Yin Beasts he had encountered before in the Boundless Sand Sea and Puppet City. The appearance of those Yin Beasts was quite sudden; considering the sparse spiritual energy and few living creatures in the sand sea, it seemed unlikely that so many Yin Beasts could originate here. Could it be that they all came from this place? S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1259 Chapter 1259: 1256 Chapter 1259: 1256 ¡°Not only the Nine Nether Yin Wind and Yin Beasts ghosts, but I''ve also heard from Grandpa Fu while drinking with him. He mentioned this place, saying that there''s a strange Blood Mist in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, which can cause people to lose their sanity and turn into bloodthirsty monsters,¡± Lin Han approached and said. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart stirred. With the Black Abyss Mystery Cave being so dangerous, he wasn''t sure if he could make it out unscathed. Surely Ghost Yan wouldn''t have taken the Puppet City into it, would he? ¡°Enough idle talk, let''s pursue that mark,¡± Elder Mei scolded, then glanced at Shen Luo, signaling him to lead the way. Shen Luo felt somewhat dissatisfied in his heart. After all, he was a guest of Tianji City. The Boundless Desert Wasteland lay ahead, and yet Elder Mei was letting him lead the way? However, he didn''t say anything and flew ahead, with Elder Mei and the disciples of Tianji City following closely behind. Master Yan''s gaze shifted, and he sped up to fly alongside Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful. The Yin Beasts from within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave occasionally come outside. Their divine skills are strange and should not be underestimated,¡± Master Yan communicated through a voice transmission. ¡°Thank you for the warning, Brother Yan,¡± Shen Luo nodded his thanks. Soon, the group arrived deep within the Black Abyss Mountain Range. By now, they could clearly sense the thick Yin Qi permeating the air. The wailing sounds grew louder, mixed with the haunting cries of ghosts, causing eardrums to tremble and scalps to tingle. Fortunately, Shen Luo and the others had high cultivation levels and were not affected by the strange noises. ¡°We''re here,¡± Shen Luo stopped in front of a valley. Grooves and fissures covered the mountain walls surrounding the valley, filled with long and vast cracks. The valley was filled with swirling black Yin wind, twisting and turning wildly, like the hands of countless demons dancing. Through the black Qi of the Yin wind, one could faintly see a huge cave at the deepest part of the valley, a pitch-dark abyss that seemed bottomless, from which all the Yin wind blew. ¡°That mark is very deep underground in this valley,¡± Shen Luo closed his eyes to sense it and then said to Elder Mei. ¡°Is it really inside the Black Abyss Mystery Cave? Elder Mo Wang, what do you think our next move should be?¡± Elder Mei murmured to herself as she looked at the cave in the valley, then turned to Elder Mo Wang beside her. ¡°Let''s get in touch with the City Lord first,¡± Elder Mo Wang suggested, her voice sultry, causing everyone''s hearts to waver. Shen Luo couldn''t help but glance at her. This Elder Mo Wang, true to her name, hadn''t spoken a word on the journey; this was the first time he had heard her speak. ¡°That''s fine,¡± Elder Mei took out a black jade token and transmitted several magic spells into it. The jade token flashed with spiritual light, revealing several lines of text, before returning to calm. Everyone stood quietly outside the valley, waiting. Elder Mo Wang suddenly took a few steps toward the valley, eyes shining as she scrutinized the black cave entrance. ¡°Elder Mo Wang, what''s the matter?¡± Elder Mei asked in surprise. ¡°The Yin wind within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave seems to have weakened quite a bit compared to usual,¡± Elder Mo Wang said after a moment''s silence before speaking again. ¡°Really?¡± Elder Mei was startled, took a few steps forward, and carefully observed the Yin Qi within the valley. Hearing this, Shen Luo and the others hastily turned their attention back to the cave entrance. ¡°That''s correct, it has indeed weakened a lot! Wait, wasn''t it said that the Nine Nether Yin Wind in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave would only weaken once every one hundred years? Hasn''t it been less than eighty years since the last time the Yin Wind weakened?¡± Elder Mei''s eyes brightened, then confusion filled her voice. Shen Luo listened quietly to the conversation between the two. So the Nine Nether Yin Wind in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave actually had periods when it weakened. But why was Elder Mei so overjoyed? Could it be that there were treasures within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, and they could venture in to retrieve them after the Yin Wind weakened? At a distance unknown from Shen Luo and others, inside a desert, Little Master and his party were still speeding forward on the Spirit Crab Airship, unable to catch up with the four rapidly moving marks ahead. Little Master was surrounded by a flash of black light; he flipped his hand and took out a Black Jade Token. After pinching a magic spell, several lines of small characters emerged on the token. His gaze swept over the lines, and Little Master''s expression subtly changed. ¡°It''s a message from Elder Mei, what happened over there?¡± Elder Fu now stood by the side, his body radiating Green Light intensely, as if he was pushing the Spirit Crab Airship to its limits, his voice coming through the light. ¡°Elder Mei and the others have caught up with the mark there. But that mark is inside the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. Elder Mei is asking me what to do,¡± Little Master said. ¡°The Black Abyss Mystery Cave! If that is the place, then the mark there must be Ghost Yan and Puppet City. What we''ve been chasing is probably just a diversion. But how could Ghost Yan dare to enter the Black Abyss Mystery Cave now? Isn''t it too early for the Yin Wind to weaken?¡± Elder Fu was surprised but soon regained his composure. ¡°Puppet City has been in Ghost Yan''s hands for more than a hundred years, and he can almost fully invoke its power. With the defense of Puppet City, he could very well withstand the Nine Nether Yin Wind,¡± Little Master said, a cold light flashing in his eyes. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Elder Fu asked urgently. ¡°Regardless, we''ve already pursued this far; we can''t give up halfway. I will chase the mark on my Black Wooden Bird, and you don''t need to follow me. Turn back immediately to the Black Abyss Mystery Cave!¡± Little Master commanded, and a shadow flashed from his sleeve. The Black Wooden Bird shot out, lifting his body, and zoomed away, disappearing from sight in just a few breaths. It was much faster than the Spirit Crab Airship. Seeing this, Elder Fu hesitated not at all, propelling the Spirit Crab Airship toward the southwest. Little Master sat atop the Black Wooden Bird, his gaze forward, a cold light flickering in his eyes. Just then, another black light passed over him. He flipped his hand and took out another object, which was also a Black Jade Plate. Little Master tapped the Black Jade Plate with his finger, and streams of black light and runes surfaced within it, forming a Black Magic Array. A small figure appeared within the Array¨Cit was the Nameless Elder who presided over Tianji City. ¡°Nameless Elder, is there something you need?¡± Little Master asked with some surprise. ¡°There is something I need to report to you. Just now I received a message, its origin unknown, that the Nine Nether Yin Wind inside the Black Abyss Mystery Cave has entered its period of weakness ahead of schedule,¡± the Nameless Elder said. ¡°What?¡± Little Master''s face changed. ¡°Has something happened on the City Lord''s end that you are so surprised?¡± the Nameless Elder inquired. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Little Master pondered for a moment and then detailed the current situation to the Nameless Elder. ¡°Given what you said, Ghost Yan is very likely inside the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. He has been hiding in the Boundless Sand Sea all these years without leaving, and his goal is the Copper of Lingxiao within the cave. You must not let him succeed, City Lord, or we would have no certainty of suppressing him anymore,¡± the Nameless Elder said urgently. ¡°I understand. Tell Man Bo to stop refining the Armor and bring his Flame Beast Armor to the Black Abyss Mystery Cave immediately,¡± Little Master nodded and instructed. Chapter 1260 Chapter 1260: Chapter 1257: Vice Village Chief of Demon King Fort Chapter 1260: Chapter 1257: Vice Village Chief of Demon King Fort ¡°Although Elder Manbo''s Flame Beast Armor is formidable, I''m afraid it might not be sufficient to deal with Puppet City. At this point, we should prepare for the worst,¡± the Nameless Elder said gravely. ¡°Are you suggesting we use the Returning Origin Sacred Seal?¡± the Little Master asked, eyes flickering. ¡°Precisely. With the Qingtian Mechanism stationed in Tianji City, only the Returning Origin Sacred Seal can suppress Puppet City,¡± the Nameless Elder replied. ¡°Very well, Nameless Elder, I authorize you to activate the Returning Origin Sacred Seal. Have Elder Manbo bring forth the Black Abyss Mystery Cave!¡± the Little Master nodded, his expression becoming solemn and authoritative. ¡°I shall obey the City Lord''s command!¡± The Nameless Elder also responded solemnly, giving a bow. No sooner had his voice faded than the array on the Black Jade Plate dissipated into nothingness. The Little Master put away the jade plate and white crystalline light surged from his body, continuously infusing into the Black Wooden Bird below him. The Black Wooden Bird grew significantly larger, and its speed of flight further increased. Ahead in the sand sea, a rolling dust wave appeared, moving swiftly and incredibly fast, as if something was burrowing beneath the ground. The Little Master snorted coldly, slapped the Black Bird beneath him, and the Black Bird''s wings shone with black light. It dove downwards, appearing above the dust wave in a flash, and its wings beat down fiercely. A dense barrage of black wind blades suddenly burst out like a torrential downpour, covering the sky and striking the rolling dust wave below, shaking the ground within dozens of miles. The Little Master did not descend with the Black Wooden Bird, but hovered in mid-air and took out the Black Jade Token given to him by Elder Mei with a flip of his hand, and began to activate it. At the entrance of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, Elder Mei and others stood waiting quietly. At that moment, Elder Mei''s expression changed, and Elder Mo Wang''s gaze also flashed. Both turned their heads to look into the distance. Shen Luo only lagged behind them by an instant, also turning to look in that direction. Specks of light emerged on the distant horizon, and after a few breaths, they became clear. It turned out to be dozens of cultivator lights, and they soon arrived nearby. These cultivators seemed taken aback upon seeing the Tianji City folks below. Their escape lights halted all at once, and after a brief hover in mid-air, they landed on an open ground not far away, revealing sixty to seventy cultivators. Shen Luo sized up the newcomers. Judging by their attire, these cultivators seemed to belong to four different sects. The largest group wore yellow robes embroidered with the pattern of a yellow storm, led by a finely-dressed middle-aged man with small eyes and sly looks. Beside them was a group in blue garments, with a green turtle embroidered on the cuffs. A lean old man stood in the center of the crowd, cradling a huge, pitch-black tortoise, quite a queer sight. The other two groups wore brown and purple respectively; the brown-clad cultivators each had a yellow big shield strapped upon their backs, while those in purple robes hung numerous bulging small bags around their waists, wriggling occasionally as if they contained living things. The leaders of these two sects were a fat man and a green-clothed young woman, respectively. The fat man''s body was layered with fat, his skin folding over itself, his eyes squeezed into mere slits. As for the green-clothed young woman, she was dressed in fine green clothes, toying with a five-color folding fan. From behind, her figure was graceful and lithe, but her face was crossed with a crimson scar that ran from her forehead to her chin, resembling a blood-red centipede lying there, spoiling all her beauty. ¡°Sect Leader Yuan of Yellow Sand Sect, Hall Master Zhong of Divine Tortoise Sect, Elder Lin of Thick Earth Sect, Sect Master Ye of Beast Control Sect¨Ceach of you is an important figure with pressing matters. What brings you here at this time?¡± Elder Mei swept her gaze over the cultivators from the four sects and asked with a slight cold smirk. Shen Luo heard this and showed a hint of surprise on his face. Master Yan had just mentioned sects like the Yellow Sand Sect and the Thick Earth Sect to him, and unexpectedly, they had encountered them so soon. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The strength of these four sects was not to be underestimated, especially the Yellow Sand Sect. Shen Luo sized up the well-dressed middle-aged man from the Yellow Sand Sect. Though this man had a frivolous appearance, the mana within him was formidable, having already reached the True Immortal Stage. As for the leaders of the other three sects, they were all at the Late Mahayana Peak, with realms not inferior to his. ¡°This Black Abyss Mystery Cave is located in the Boundless Sand Sea, not within Tianji City. If your Tianji City''s people can come, why can''t we?¡± The well-dressed middle-aged man from the Yellow Sand Sect sneered coldly, his tone surprisingly tough. ¡°That is exactly the case,¡± the gaunt old man from the Divine Tortoise Sect immediately said. The fat man from the Thick Earth Sect and the scar-faced young woman from the Beast Control Sect also quickly echoed, their eyes looking at the people from Tianji City with a tint of coldness. Elder Mei didn''t expect the sects that had always shown utmost respect to Tianji City to dare to speak like this, and his eyes suddenly darkened. ¡°Sect Leader Yuan, that''s quite the bold claim. I heard that you''ve recently acquired a pair of Ground Splitting Halberd Treasures. It seems your strength has greatly increased, and you no longer regard Tianji City. As Elder Mei, I would indeed like to experience it myself,¡± Elder Mei said, with a flash of purple light about him, striding forward. The well-dressed middle-aged man saw this and his complexion turned pale. ¡°Meimei, if you want to challenge someone, how about I keep you company?¡± A deep voice came from a distance. At first, it was very faint, but by the last few words, the voice had become hugely resonant, like a surging tidal wave approaching. With the voice, a black escape light descended from the sky, landing three zhang in front of Elder Mei, the strong wind it stirred causing the robes of the Tianji City monks to flutter wildly. The black escape light dissipated, revealing a sturdy big man in black armor with a square face and thick eyebrows, coldly smiling at Elder Mei. ¡°Demon Heart, it''s you!¡± Elder Mei''s expression changed drastically, and Elder Mo Wang''s brows also furrowed deeply. The senior disciples of Tianji City, like Master Yan, after seeing the sturdy big man, also showed changing expressions. Shen Luo glanced at the newcomer, and his eyelids suddenly twitched. The sturdy big man turned out to be from the Demon Clan, his body exuding thick Demonic Qi. His cultivation had notably reached the Late True Immortal Stage, putting him a cut above even Elder Mei and Elder Mo Wang, both at the True Immortal Middle Stage, and his arrogant demeanor clearly suggested a very distinguished status. ¡°Brother Yan, who is this Demon Heart?¡± Shen Luo asked Master Yan through a voice transmission. ¡°This Demon Heart is not without his repute; he is none other than the Vice Village Chief of the Demon King Fort,¡± Master Yan returned the glance and responded via transmission. Shen Luo inhaled sharply upon hearing this; the Demon King Fort was the number one force in the Demon Clan. He had witnessed the power of the Demon King Fort''s magical abilities at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, and one Demon Clan teenager by the name of Seven Kills had left a profound impression on him. ¡°Is there bad blood between the Demon King Fort and your Tianji City?¡± he asked again through voice transmission. ¡°There are no direct conflicts between the Demon King Fort and our Tianji City. However, Sect Leader Yuan of the Yellow Sand Sect once swore Demon Heart as his foster father. A few years ago, when the Yellow Sand Sect and Tianji City disputed over a Spiritual Mine, this Demon Heart had two encounters with our Tianji City,¡± Master Yan explained. ¡°A member of the Human Race, sworn as a foster son to a member of the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but be startled. Although the various races now coexist peacefully in the Three Realms, there are still deep-seated barriers and oppositions between them, especially the Human Race and the Demon Clan, who over a hundred years ago were mortal enemies. Sect Leader Yuan, a dignified Sect Leader, had sworn a Demon Clan member as his foster father. Was he not afraid of being criticized by his disciples? Chapter 1261 Chapter 1261: Chapter 1258: Entering the Mystical Cave Chapter 1261: Chapter 1258: Entering the Mystical Cave ¡°` ¡°Master Yuan is known for picking on the weak and fearing the strong, being cunning and tricky, but his cultivation level is unrivaled within the Yellow Sand Sect. None of the ordinary disciples and elders dare to speak against him,¡± Master Yan said indifferently, his tone dismissive and obviously disdainful of the other''s actions. Shen Luo had encountered many monks, but none as sly and shameless as this one, so he simply shrugged his shoulders with a light smile and did not ask further. The Sect Leader Yuan off in the distance moved his ears and glanced towards Shen Luo and Yan Wushi, a flash of resentful expression crossed his face, but it immediately returned to normal. ¡°Are we fighting or not? Elder Mei, just give a straight answer,¡± Mo Xin provocatively looked toward Elder Mei, a sneer appearing at the corner of his mouth. ¡°If Your Excellency wishes to challenge Mei, I will naturally oblige. But before our dispute, there is one thing I must make clear¨Chow did you come to know that the Nine Nether Yin Wind in the Black Abyss Mystical Cave has weakened?¡± Elder Mei stared at Mo Xin and asked coldly. ¡°You don''t know yet? Recently, all factions of the Boundless Sand Sea received a message saying that the Nine Nether Yin Wind here has weakened. Yuan Ming and his people naturally came to check whether it''s true or not. Now it seems that it really is true. Could it be that Tianji City hasn''t heard of this?¡± Mo Xin looked towards the valley and mocked with a laugh. ¡°Is that so?¡± Both Elder Mei and Elder Mo Wang were surprised at the news. They had been outside chasing Ghost Yan for the past two days and received the news a bit late. Elder Mo Wang immediately pulled out a black jade token and started casting spells to inquire with the Nameless Elder who was in charge of Tianji City. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s pupils slightly constricted as his previous speculations came to mind. It seemed that someone was indeed secretly instigating turmoil, provoking Tianji City against Ghost Yan, and even triggering disputes among all the sects of the Boundless Sand Sea. What could their ultimate goal be? He stiffened inwardly, rapidly considering all possible strategies for self-preservation since in the current situation, his own cultivation level seemed rather inadequate. ¡°hehe, it seems the two Daoist friends really didn''t know about this. However, Elder Mei, your question has been answered, so let''s get up close and personal,¡± Mo Xin sneered, a blood light flashed in the palm of his hand, and a slender blood-colored long knife appeared. With the expand and contract of the knife''s glow, a pungent smell of blood spread, nauseating to anyone who smelled it. ¡°The Blood Devil Saber!¡± Elder Mei''s face turned extremely grave upon seeing the blood saber. Mo Xin''s cultivation was above his, and with this demonic weapon in hand, he stood no chance of winning. But as Tianji City''s reputation was on the line, he could not back down. Elder Mei swung his arms, and with a flash of golden light at his side, two armors shaped like golden toads appeared, each over a meter tall. A trace of disdain flashed across Mo Xin''s face as he moved to strike. But at that moment, a huge roar suddenly came from within the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, akin to thunder, and the pitch-black Yin wind that had originally enveloped the valley was sucked back into the cave like a whale drawing in water, vanishing without a trace. The entrance of the Black Abyss Mystical Cave was now clearly visible to everyone. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The roar also disappeared, and everything returned to silence. ¡°The Nine Nether Yin Wind has completely receded! If that''s the case, let''s put our fight aside for now!¡± Mo Xin''s eyebrows raised, he dropped a line and turned into a black light that shot directly into the Black Abyss Mystical Cave. Yellow Sand Sect Leader Yuan Ming hurriedly led his disciples to follow suit, and the people from the other three sects also rose with a howl, vanishing into the Mystical Cave in the blink of an eye. Elder Mei, seeing that he no longer needed to fight with Mo Xin, breathed a sigh of relief, but then became anxious once more. He turned to Elder Mo Wang, intending to ask about the communication with the Nameless Elder. Just then, his body was enveloped in black light as several lines of small text appeared on the black jade token used to communicate with the Little Master. ¡°It''s a message from the City Lord; he has subdued the marked thing over there. It''s the Nine Curves Mysterious Wind Python Armor that our city has lost for many years. It seems that inside the Black Abyss Mystical Cave is indeed that Ghost Yan!¡± Elder Mei was overjoyed, then his eyes filled with a cold light as he continued to form seals and tap on the jade tag several times. ¡°I have also received a message from the Nameless Elder, what Mo Xin said just now is true,¡± Elder Mo Wang lifted his black jade token and said. ¡°` ¡°Indeed, it is true! Who on earth is behind this?¡± Elder Mei murmured to herself. ¡°What do we do now? Should we chase into the Mystical Cave, or wait here for the City Lord and the others to come over?¡± Elder Mo Wang asked, seemingly indecisive. ¡°I''ve already informed the City Lord of the situation here. We''ll wait for his orders,¡± Elder Mei said. No sooner had she finished speaking than the black jade token in her hand flickered, revealing several blurred lines of text hidden by the black light, unreadable. ¡°The City Lord wants us to go in as well, and we must keep an eye on Demon Heart and the others,¡± Elder Mei said after a glance at the jade token, before clasping it in her palm. ¡°If the City Lord has indeed ordered so, then let''s hurry in,¡± Elder Mo Wang nodded and said. ¡°Very well, but our main objective is to find Ghost Yan. Friend Shen, you will need to sense the location of that mark at all times, as we may need you to guide us once we enter the cave,¡± Elder Mei directed Shen Luo. Shen Luo gave Elder Mei a sidelong glance, nodded silently, but a slight flicker crossed the depths of his eyes. He had been standing precisely opposite Elder Mei''s black jade token, and although it was just for an instant, with the vision of his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, he was able to make out the small characters on the token. The transmission from Little Master indeed instructed everyone to enter the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, but the words that followed advised them to act cautiously, to protect themselves, not what Elder Mei had claimed about keeping an eye on Demon Heart and the others. What was this person''s aim in falsely passing on Little Master''s command? ¡°Let''s move out!¡± At Elder Mei''s command, the people of Tianji City flew into the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. Shen Luo did not hesitate and closely followed the others. Upon entering the Mystical Cave, he immediately felt a heavy presence in the surrounding air, bearing down like water, full of Yin Qi. Even with his current cultivation level, his body couldn''t help shivering, and he quickly stimulated the Pure Yang Sword in his Dantian. The sword body burst into red light, and a force of Pure Yang Power coursed through his entire body, warding off the invading chill. ¡°Although the Nine Nether Yin Wind has subsided within the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, the Yin Qi here is still extremely heavy. Friend Shen, do you have any treasures to resist the Yin Qi? If not, I have a Nine Suns Bead here that I can lend you,¡± Master Yan, standing nearby, took out a treasure pearl flashing with red light and offered it. ¡°There''s no need; I happen to have two Pure Yang Treasures on me, enough to resist the Yin Qi here to some extent,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand to decline. Seeing this, Master Yan didn''t insist and put away the Nine Suns Bead. ¡­ In a pitch-black space deep within the Mystical Cave, the darkness moved sluggishly like a living thing, and the Void was filled with a frightening Yin Qi, several times denser than at the cave entrance. Within that dark space, a blood-colored figure lay half-reclining on a huge White Bones chair, which turned out to be a Blood Skeleton, about three meters tall. Each bone flickered with an extremely pure Blood Light, not only devoid of any Yin coldness but also revealing a touch of Pure Yang Power. If there were any who deeply understood Yin Beasts and ghosts, they would surely be shocked into leaping up. This Blood Skeleton had clearly reached the realm of transforming Yin into Yang, the lifetime pursuit of all Yin Beasts and ghosts¨Cshedding their gloomy Yin body to transform into a Pure Yang body, achieving the Taiyi Realm, and thus eternal, immortal life. Chapter 1262 Chapter 1262: Chapter 1259: Three Array Eyes Chapter 1262: Chapter 1259: Three Array Eyes Behind the white bone chair, where the blood skeleton sat, stood three blood-colored bone pillars, each topped with a cluster of blood flames flickering quietly, further shrouding the already dark space in a sinister and eerie glow. At this moment, from the blood skeleton''s eyes shot two piercing beams of blood light, several inches long, fixed upon a yellow jade slip in its hands. ¡°Hehe, not bad, this Heavenly Corpse Scripture is indeed exquisitely brilliant, especially the methods of cultivating Earth Evil Corpse Kings and Sky Fiend Corpse Kings are quite enlightening for refining my body,¡± the blood skeleton nodded slightly, emitting a dry, eerie chuckle from its mouth. ¡°Ancestor, many human cultivators have entered the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, and they are very strong. The Yin Beasts of the outer cave have fought them several times and have been consistently defeated,¡± a shadow flew in from outside and landed in front of the blood skeleton. It was a half-human, half-bat Yin Beast, bowing in panic on the ground as it reported. ¡°Every time the Nine Nether Yin Wind weakens, those human cultivators come here seeking death. There''s no need for such a fuss. Tell me, which sects do these people belong to?¡± the blood skeleton said without even raising its head. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Judging from the fight, they are cultivators from the Yellow Sand Sect, Thick Earth Sect, Divine Tortoise Sect, and Beast Control Sect,¡± the half-bat Yin Beast said, calming down a lot after seeing the blood skeleton so composed. ¡°These four sects? With their mediocre Dao practices, they dare to come here seeking death? Lure them into the depths of the Mystical Cave and break them one by one,¡± the blood skeleton said, raising its head with a look of surprise, then coldly commanded. ¡°Yes!¡± the half-bat Yin Beast responded and stood up, ready to leave. ¡°Wait, send a message to that Ghost Yan, have him send the Armor and those Earth Evil Corpse Kings to help as well. Since he has come here, it is his responsibility to guard the Black Abyss Mystical Cave,¡± the blood skeleton suddenly stopped the half-bat Yin Beast and said. The half-bat Yin Beast acknowledged and turned to go. ¡°Great King, do you think that Ghost Yan will contribute?¡± After the half-bat Yin Beast left, the space next to the blood skeleton rippled, and a ghostly specter with a purple silhouette appeared. ¡°The Black Abyss Mystical Cave is my territory. No matter how high and mighty Ghost Yan is on the outside, he has to obey my orders here. Besides, those cultivators outside might be coming for him; he dares not slack off,¡± the blood skeleton said, revealing a hint of scorn at the corner of its mouth. ¡°The Great King is right. Since foreign invaders have entered, to be safe, I should go guard the Array Eye,¡± the purple Mei figure said. ¡°Mhm, we cannot afford to lose the three Array Eyes. You go, and have You Ming and Shura keep a close eye on their targets as well,¡± the blood skeleton said gravely. The purple Mei figure responded and was about to turn away when suddenly it remembered something and stopped. ¡°What is it?¡± the blood skeleton''s gaze shifted. ¡°With me, You Ming, and Shura guarding the Inner Cave''s three Array Eyes, we''re secure. What about the Array Eye in the Outer Cave? We are restricted by the Yin Cave rules and can''t go to the Outer Cave. Should we send some more ordinary Yin Beasts to guard it?¡± the purple Mei figure said hesitantly. ¡°When Ghost Yan appeared, I already sent a whole team of Yin Beasts over there. The location of that Array Eye is hidden; it can''t be reached by just traveling through the passageway, and the likelihood of it being discovered is very small,¡± the blood skeleton shook its head and said. ¡°The Great King''s foresight is admirable!¡± the purple Mei figure showed a look of admiration. ¡°Since when have you started learning the bootlicking tricks of human cultivators? I''m not fond of such flattery. Just do your job well!¡± the blood skeleton reprimanded with a heavy voice, yet a small smile appeared at the corner of its mouth. The purple Mei figure acknowledged and vanished into the void. The blood skeleton lowered its head and continued to examine the yellow jade slip, clearly unconcerned about the recent distractions. Within the Black Abyss Mystical Cave was a long passageway, meandering downwards with no end in sight. The group from Tianji City advanced briskly within, and to fend off danger, several Armor subordinates scouted ahead. So far, they had not encountered any mishaps. The first-to-enter cultivators from the Demon Heart, Yellow Sand Sect, Thick Earth Sect, and other sects had all disappeared without a trace. ¡°Let''s pick up the pace!¡± Elder Mei said, with bursts of purple light shining from under his feet, increasing his speed considerably. Seeing this, the others hurriedly followed suit and accelerated as well. Shen Luo''s feet emitted strands of Moonlight Glamour; although he maintained his previous pace, he didn''t fall behind at all. He also pulled out a pitch-black shield, the Turtle Spirit Shield, which was enveloped in a swathe of black light around his body. Witnessing Shen Luo''s actions, the nearby Tianji City cultivators somewhat disapproved, with Elder Mei and Elder Mo Wang present, and their Divine Senses constantly scanning the surroundings, how could there be any danger? Shen Luo ignored the others'' peculiar gazes. He had personally experienced the terror of the Earth Evil Corpse Kings under Ghost Yan''s command. If there were still hidden hands behind the scenes, one had to be extremely vigilant, or else a moment of carelessness could mean staying here forever. Some of the naturally cautious disciples of Tianji City also brought out Magical Treasures to protect their bodies. After advancing at an increased pace for a while, the path ahead suddenly veered to the right. Everyone turned the corner, and the Stone Walls on both sides suddenly burst open, spilling copious amounts of Grey Fluid down. ¡°It''s Ash Pollutant Fluid! Don''t let it touch you! Dodge quickly!¡± Elder Mei cried out in alarm, his figure retreated over a dozen yards almost in an instant. Elder Mo Wang, however, did not retreat. He opened his mouth and spat out a white ring, which expanded dozens of times in size, and emitted a brilliant white light, blocking most of the Grey Fluid. The rest of the disciples from Tianji City darted backwards to dodge, while also summoning various Magical Treasures to protect themselves. Yet, there was still plenty of Grey Fluid, and its appearance was exceedingly abrupt. Although everyone tried their best to avoid it, they more or less still got some on them. Only a few who were protected by Elder Mo Wang''s white ring and those like Shen Luo, who had summoned Magical Treasures to protect themselves from the beginning, escaped unharmed. Shen Luo looked at the Turtle Spirit Shield in front of him, frowning slightly. He was unharmed, but several ash stains appeared on the shield. This Grey Fluid was quite peculiar; it was blocked by the Turtle Spirit Shield''s black Spiritual Light and then shattered and evaporated. However, from within the fluid, a few clusters of ash stains emerged, which adhered to the shield along with the black Spiritual Light. He channeled his Mana into it, attempting to remove these stains, but no matter how he tried to expel them, the ash stains remained firmly attached to the shield. The others who had also summoned Magical Treasures to protect themselves faced the same situation. Fortunately, it seemed these ash stains posed no harm, as everyone''s Magical Treasures operated normally without interference from the stains. Those who were struck by the Ash Pollutant Fluid had ash stains on their skin, which also seemed to be of no immediate concern. ¡°Elder Mo Wang, why were you so impulsive to block the Ash Pollutant Fluid with the White Flood Dragon Ring?¡± Elder Mei flew over and said with a deep frown. ¡°It doesn''t matter. I have already forged the Heavenly Dragon Ring; this White Flood Dragon Ring is no longer of use to me,¡± Elder Mo Wang said, retracting the ring, which had many ash spots on it, making it look rather unsightly; he then put it away with a sweep of his sleeve. Chapter 1263 Chapter 1263: Chapter 1260: Secrets Chapter 1263: Chapter 1260: Secrets ¡°` ¡°Elder Mei, Elder Mo Wang, what exactly is this Ash Pollutant Fluid? Does it pose any harm?¡± Master Yan approached and asked. He was also one of those who had immediately brought out magical treasures to protect oneself, and thus hadn''t been splashed with the grey fluid. The others all looked over, their faces showing signs of concern. ¡°The Ash Pollutant Fluid is a yin-attribute spirit liquid. It poses no harm to the human body or magical treasures. However, it emits a strange scent that persists for a long time. To ordinary beings, this scent isn''t significant, but it has a strong attraction to Yin Beasts,¡± Elder Mei swept a glance over the crowd and slowly explained. Everyone''s heart sank with a thud. Inside the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, where Yin Beasts were numerous, would they not become living targets for these creatures if they were contaminated by this liquid? ¡°Is there a scent? Why can''t I smell anything?¡± A disciple of Tianji City with the liquid on his arm sniffed at it and spoke. It was none other than Lin Han. ¡°This scent is very subtle and only effective on Yin Beasts; your noses won''t be able to detect it. Those who have the Ash Pollutant Fluid on their bodies must be extremely cautious from now on. Do not think of using spells to conceal it, as the scent can penetrate any manformed protective shields. Those whose magical treasures have been touched by the grey fluid should collect them and seal them within your storage magical tools. Relying solely on the storage magical tool might not suffice to block the spread of the scent,¡± Elder Mei added, glancing at Lin Han. Upon hearing this, any last hope disappeared among them, and they all busily started to take precautions. For Shen Luo, it didn''t matter much. Aside from the Turtle Spirit Shield, he also had several other protective treasures. He flipped his hand and tucked away the Turtle Spirit Shield, concealing it inside the Void Jade Box. The Void Jade Box could even evade detection by the Heavenly Earth Treasure Mirror, so naturally concealing some scents would be no problem. Shen Luo raised a hand, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± a faint sound, a black banner appeared above his head¨Cthe Bloodthirsty Flag. He didn''t activate the full power of this banner, only about one-tenth of it. Substantial black light shot forth from within the banner, forming a black light shield that enveloped his body. Even with the power of the Bloodthirsty Flag not fully stimulated, this black light shield was extraordinary. It shimmered with dark radiance, and its yin energy surged like tides, attracting the attention of both Elders Mei and Mo Wang. ¡°Where did this Ash Pollutant Fluid come from? Could it be the handiwork of those from the Yellow Sand Sect?¡± another disciple of Tianji City angrily said. The others remained silent. The origin of the Ash Pollutant Fluid was clear; it was undoubtedly set up by the monks ahead, if not by the Yellow Sand Sect then by one of the other three sects or by Demon Heart, who had viciously schemed against the Tianji City members. The Ash Pollutant Fluid was hidden within the stone wall using something akin to mechanism techniques. While everyone was focused on the fluctuations of qi around them, they overlooked the familiar mechanisms. ¡°It seems that the Yellow Sand Sect and the other three sects have sided with that Demon Heart and Demon King Fort, and are ready to fully oppose our sect. We will not let this go with them today!¡± Elder Mei looked very displeased, with a trace of embarrassment. Elder Mo Wang''s expression wasn''t any better. It was one thing for ordinary disciples of Tianji City, but for the two of them as elders to have also missed the presence of Ash Pollutant Fluid was quite a loss of face in front of the disciples. Angry as they were, now that nearly half the disciples of Tianji City had been contaminated with the Ash Pollutant Fluid, Elder Mei dared not continue moving forward swiftly and reverted to the initial slower pace. Just as they had walked several hundred feet, roaring sounds came from ahead, and one Yin Beast after another appeared in the passage, pouncing forward with excitement in their eyes. It was not just in the passage; over a dozen surges of Yin Qi emerged from the stone walls on both sides, closing in on the Tianji City members ¨C obviously, Yin Beasts capable of moving through stone walls. These Yin Beasts were numerous, but their strength wasn''t formidable, mostly at the Grain Avoidance Stage or the Soul Condensation Stage, with very few at the Nascent Soul Stage. ¡°` ¡°To battle! Beware of the stone wall and underground!¡± Elder Mei ordered. The Tianji City disciples, full of resentment, followed Elder Mei''s command, and bursts of magical treasures and armor''s light shot out, hitting the beasts in the front fiercely, instantly slaying most of the Yin Beasts. Elder Mei waved her sleeves, and more than a dozen delicate white lights shot out of her hands, piercing into the nearby stone wall. Shrill screams echoed from within the wall, and the dozen streams of Yin Qi inside disappeared without a trace. The Tianji City disciples also launched a second round of attacks, slaying the remaining Yin Beasts outside. Shen Luo didn''t make a move, and the battle was over. ¡°Eh, a Yin Spirit Pearl!¡± A Tianji City disciple released a white light, which wrapped around a black bead rolled out from the Yin Qi formed by the corpse of a Yin Beast, his face full of joy. Shen Luo''s gaze shifted. He had seen this bead before; he encountered it when he was slaying Yin Beasts in Puppet City but had never figured out what it was. Now that it was called a Yin Spirit Pearl and seeing how the Tianji City disciples valued it, it must be quite precious. After a quick cleanup of the ground, everyone continued on their way. This passageway was astonishingly long; even after walking for a long time, the Tianji City people still couldn''t see the end. Moreover, due to the Ash Pollutant Fluid, Yin Beasts would attack now and then, further slowing their progress. Shen Luo flicked his finger, and several streams of black Yin Fire shot out from the Bloodthirsty Flag, hitting a tiger-shaped Yin Beast at the Nascent Soul Stage, turning its body into a cloud of black Qi. With a ¡°plop,¡± a black bead the size of a pigeon''s egg dropped out, emitting a deep black light. He quickly reached out to catch it. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other Tianji City disciples were also slaying Yin Beasts, quickly slaughtering all the Yin Beasts in front of them. Unfortunately, no second Yin Spirit Pearl dropped, and they all looked enviously at the pearl in Shen Luo''s hand. ¡°Let''s move.¡± Elder Mei glanced at the Yin Spirit Pearl in Shen Luo''s hand and said. Everyone sheathed their magical treasures and armor and continued on. ¡°Brother Yan, what is the use of this Yin Spirit Pearl? Your city''s disciples seem to regard it highly.¡± Shen Luo approached Master Yan and asked through a voice transmission. ¡°The matter of the Yin Spirit Pearl involves the secrets of Tianji City. Please forgive me, Friend Shen, but I can only say that this pearl is useless elsewhere, only our Tianji City can utilize it. Moreover, the Yin Spirit Pearl you just obtained is of superior quality. Someone in our city''s shop will purchase it, and you, Friend Shen, are sure to sell it for a good price,¡± Master Yan shook his head and replied through a voice transmission. ¡°Since it concerns the secrets of Tianji City, I naturally won''t insist. However, I have another matter to inquire about. Please enlighten me, Brother Yan,¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted slightly as he changed the subject and communicated. ¡°You may ask, Friend Shen. As long as I know and it doesn''t involve the secrets of our city, I will surely tell you everything,¡± Master Yan said. ¡°It''s nothing much, I just find it strange that the Yellow Sand Sect and the Thick Earth Sect came here. They didn''t have any treasures taken by Ghost Yan, so why would they come to this Black Abyss Mystical Cave at this time?¡± Shen Luo said with a faint smile. He had wanted to ask about the purpose of those from the Yellow Sand Sect and the Thick Earth Sect since they first appeared, but the atmosphere had been tense, and after entering the Mystical Cave, so many unexpected events had occurred that he never got the chance. Without understanding their intentions, Shen Luo always felt uneasy in his heart. Chapter 1264 Chapter 1264: Chapter 1261: Crossroads Chapter 1264: Chapter 1261: Crossroads ¡°I apologize for being negligent and not clarifying the situation to Brother Shen in time. Although the Black Abyss Mystery Cave is dangerous, it also holds great opportunities. This place is rich in Yin Qi, which not only gives birth to numerous Yin Beasts, but deep within the cave, there is a variety of Yin attribute materials. Many of these are unheard of outside, and whenever the Nine Nether Yin Wind weakens, cultivators from various sects within the Boundless Sand Sea come here to hunt for treasures. As long as one doesn''t fall here, basically every person who enters gains tremendously,¡± Master Yan explained. ¡°So that''s how it is,¡± Shen Luo nodded in sudden realization. ¡°In addition to these Yin attribute materials, it is rumored that deep within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave lies a great treasure that contains various Precious Spirit Materials rarely found in the Human World, including Heavenly Immortal-grade items in vast quantities. Each type is said to be piled up like mountains, yet no one has ever reached it. However, each time the Nine Nether Yin Wind weakens, the monks who enter all attempt to find that treasure,¡± Master Yan continued. ¡°To have such a cache of Spirit Materials!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened with excitement, his heart racing. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°These are all rumors, though. Nobody knows if they''re true,¡± Master Yan shrugged and said. Shen Luo gave an ¡°oh¡± in response, then fell into deep thought. At that moment, the advancing team suddenly came to a stop. Looking up, Shen Luo''s gaze shifted as he noticed that the passageway ahead had forked, extending to both the left and right, with both paths equally inscrutable. However, Elder Mei and Elder Mo Wang were not at all surprised by the fork in the passageway, it was unclear whether they had sensed this development through their Divine Sense or if they had been here before and already knew the lay of the land. Elder Mei waved her hand, and a shower of silver-white powder flew out, splitting in two and falling into each of the passageways, where it clung to the Ground and Stone Wall, glowing brightly and illuminating the area. Within the glowing light, many vivid and blurry figures emerged, constantly flickering, impossible to discern clearly. ¡°Demon Heart and the others have taken different paths; the left passageway is Thick Earth Sect and Divine Tortoise Sect, while the right is Yellow Sand Sect and Beast Control Sect. Demon Heart is with the people from Yellow Sand Sect,¡± Elder Mei said with certainty in her voice. A flicker of surprise passed through Shen Luo''s eyes. He secretly activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld but still couldn''t understand the meaning of the shadows in the glow, indicating that this was Elder Mei''s unique tracking ability. This Elder Mei had previously concocted Hidden Trace Incense and now used this silver powder for tracking; it seemed she was adept at using various kinds of incense. Elder Mei had previously been quite unfriendly to him, even secretly altering the Little Master''s orders, and Shen Luo had always harbored a strong sense of caution towards her. Subconsciously, he began to consider how he should deal with her various miraculous incenses if they became adversaries. As Shen Luo was lost in thought, Elder Mei suddenly turned and looked his way, causing his heart to skip a beat. ¡°Brother Shen, where is that imprint? Can you roughly decide which passageway we should take through that imprint?¡± asked Elder Mei, not minding Shen Luo''s slight emotional reaction. At these words, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, closed his eyes to sense the location of the imprint, and after a moment, shook his head, ¡°No, the dense Yin Qi here greatly interferes with the perception of the imprint. I can roughly sense its direction but cannot determine which way we should go next.¡± ¡°Is that so? Brother Shen, when we were on the ground earlier, you did not mention anything about fuzzy perception,¡± Elder Mei frowned, her tone becoming somewhat unpleasant. ¡°The clarity of my perception of the imprint is related to the extent of the spread of my Divine Sense. The wider the spread, the clearer the perception. The Yin Qi here is so dense that my Divine Sense can only expand to less than half its range; hence, the fuzziness when investigating the imprint,¡± Shen Luo explained calmly. ¡°Is that so¡­¡± The frown on Elder Mei''s brow did not relax, and she seemed somewhat skeptical of Shen Luo''s explanation. However, the dense Yin Qi in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave greatly affected Divine Sense perception, which everyone present had experienced firsthand, so she had no grounds for rebuttal. ¡°Since we can''t ascertain Ghost Yan''s location, how shall we proceed next?¡± Master Yan coughed lightly, speaking as if to ease the atmosphere. Shen Luo naturally would not speak up regarding such matters and stepped back to stand aside. ¡°Since the mana imprint is unclear, and the City Lord has ordered us to monitor the Demon Heart, the Yellow Sand Sect Master, and others who are acting separately, we should also divide into two groups to keep an eye on both sides,¡± Elder Mei suggested after a moment of contemplation. ¡°We are already short-handed, wouldn''t dividing our forces be even more dangerous?¡± Elder Mo Wang said with a slight frown on her brows. ¡°Entering the Black Abyss Mystery Cave is an extremely dangerous task in itself. Since the City Lord has allowed us to enter, he must have foreseen all of this. Moreover, it is unclear what Demon Heart and the others are plotting within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. To prevent them from causing harm to Tianji City in the future, it is worth taking some risks at this moment. Besides, even if we truly encounter an insurmountable crisis, we can simply retreat along the original path. Although Demon Heart is powerful, our God''s Powers are not weak. Even if we can''t compete, we are confident in our self-preservation,¡± Elder Mei explained. ¡°Alright.¡± Elder Mo Wang, not adept at words, hesitated for a long time after hearing Elder Mei''s argument but finally nodded in agreement. A trace of joy appeared on Elder Mei''s face. He immediately started assigning people, and Shen Luo and Master Yan were allocated to his team. ¡°Elder Mo Wang, I wonder if you have a communication device? The Black Jade Plate the City Lord gave me also has a location-tracking feature and is much more exquisite than my mana imprint, unaffected by the Yin Qi here. If you have a communication device, I can inform you of the mana imprint''s position at any time once we''re separated,¡± Shen Luo said to Elder Mo Wang. Hearing this, Elder Mo Wang took out a black jade token and handed it to Shen Luo. It looked exactly the same as the one she had used earlier to contact the Nameless Elder, apparently a commonly used communication device among the members of the Elder Assembly. Shen Luo took the jade token and then activated the Black Jade Plate. A white light shot out from the plate, flashed momentarily, and submerged into Elder Mo Wang''s palm, lingering inside. Another white light dot appeared on the Black Jade Plate, marking the exact location of the white light imprint in Elder Mo Wang''s hand. After these preparations, the groups split and each entered a different passageway. Shen Luo and his team took the same path chosen by Demon Heart and the Yellow Sand Sect. ¡°Pick up the pace, or we''ll never catch up to Demon Heart and the others,¡± Elder Mei immediately said once they were out of sight of Elder Mo Wang and the others. ¡°Many disciples are contaminated with Ash Pollutant Fluid, wouldn''t it be dangerous to move too quickly?¡± Master Yan said hesitantly. ¡°No need to worry, this is still the periphery of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. The Yin Beasts won''t be that formidable. The pressing matter is to catch up with Demon Heart and the others,¡± Elder Mei waved his hand dismissively and shot forward as a purple streak of light. Master Yan and the others were taken aback by Elder Mei''s unilateral decision, but with him already flying away, there was no other choice but to follow suit. Shen Luo too took to the air, eyeing the tail of Elder Mei''s Escape Light, his gaze flickering. This Elder Mei seemed eager to find Demon Heart and the others, but for what reason? However, as long as the man didn''t come looking for trouble with him, Shen Luo couldn''t care less about his machinations. Moving at this flying speed was countless times faster than walking, so the group quickly arrived at the end of the passageway. Although they had encountered several waves of Yin Beasts along the way, Elder Mei didn''t entangle with them and instead carved a pathway straight through the midst of the beasts. The group landed on the ground, and multiple paths branched out in front of them, this time as many as seven or eight, each one dark and seemingly bottomless. Chapter 1265 Chapter 1265: Chapter 1262: Encirclement Chapter 1265: Chapter 1262: Encirclement ¡°Elder Mei, which way should we go?¡± Master Yan looked at the crossroads ahead and turned to Elder Mei. Elder Mei did not speak. He raised his hand and scattered a silvery-white powder, the pathfinding incense that they had used before, drifting it toward the passageways ahead. But at that moment, a strange blood light suddenly emerged from the ground beneath everyone''s feet. A large cloud of blood-red fog burst forth, rapidly spreading outwards. Everyone was startled and hurriedly dodged and retreated, each summoning their magical treasures or invoking Armor to protect their bodies. However, the blood fog, whatever it was, could easily penetrate the spiritual light of both the magical treasures and the Armor, seeping into the bodies of Shen Luo and the others, and turning into a strange flow of energy that raced straight toward their minds. Greatly alarmed, Shen Luo no longer dared to hold back and ran the Huangting Technique at full power. He also invoked the might of the Pure Yang Sword and the Slayer''s Broken Sword, releasing a burst of Pure Yang Gold Light that dispelled most of the blood fog. However, a small part of the blood fog still managed to infiltrate his mind through his body. A buzzing sound echoed in Shen Luo''s mind, and an intense desire for bloodshed and slaughter surged up, his eyes filling with streaks of blood. But having resisted the bloodlust of Demonic Qi several times before, he was well-versed in dealing with such things and immediately activated the Suppressing God Technique. The soul power in his mind condensed into the phantom of a giant peak, instantly suppressing the bloodthirsty thoughts. At the same time, his Coiling Dragon Wall and the Fixed-element Relic shone brightly, two pure forces flowed into his body, working with the Suppressing God Technique to crush the bloodthirsty thoughts like dry weeds being shattered. Shen Luo''s eyes returned to normal and his figure flickered, disappearing from the spot. The next moment he appeared tens of yards away inside a passageway, having escaped the range of the blood fog. ¡°Is this the bewildering blood fog that leads to slaughter, the strange blood fog Lin Han mentioned before?¡± he wondered as he looked at the blood fog in front of him. Just then, with two ''whooshing'' sounds, two more figures flew out from the blood fog and landed nearby; they were Elder Mei and Master Yan. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elder Mei was enveloped in a layer of purple light, with flower-like phantoms faintly visible inside, some unknown God''s Power. Master Yan, on the other hand, wore a peculiar Armor with two silver wings on his back, where silver thunder light flickered. He wore a white jade crown on his head, set with a bright white pearl, from which a white halo emanated, protecting his head. Elder Mei glanced at Shen Luo with a flicker of surprise in her expression. Unfortunately, of the disciples of Tianji City, only the three of them escaped. The others had their eyes turned entirely blood-red and were making wild beast-like ''heh heh'' noises as they fought each other, clearly completely controlled by the bloodlust of the blood-red fog. The blood fog on the ground continued to surge forth, again quickly spreading towards Shen Luo and the other two. Seeing this, Elder Mei waved his sleeve, and a green round pearl flew out. With a series of ''clicking'' sounds, it rapidly enlarged and transformed into a windmill-like green Armor, covered in wind-shaped spirit patterns. He uttered an incantation, and the spirit patterns on the windmill Armor shot out a flurry of green light, and it began to spin rapidly. Immediately, a howling wind arose, and gusts of green wind erupted, quickly turning into a tornado tens of yards high, rushing forward and blowing away all the blood fog, revealing five or six disciples of Tianji City within. Without the blood fog, the previously fighting Tianji City disciples suddenly halted in their movements. Elder Mei flicked his sleeve once more, and from within rang a series of ''clicking'' sounds, as eight or nine green ropes shot out, wrapping around the bodies of those Tianji City disciples and forcefully pulling them in. Several disciples of Tianji City were sent flying backward, landing beside Elder Mei and completely escaping the bloody mist. At that moment, a blue light flashed by Shen Luo''s hand, as he was about to lend a hand to rescue those disciples from Tianji City, but Elder Mei had already taken the initiative. He dispelled the blue light and activated the Fixed-element Relic on his body. Eight or nine golden lights shot out, vanishing into the disciples'' heads in an instant. The bloodthirsty thoughts in the disciples'' minds were greatly diminished by the Buddhist concentration power from the Fixed-element Relic, causing the blood light in their eyes to dim. ¡°Buddhist Relics? No wonder,¡± Elder Mei said, nodding slightly upon seeing the golden light by Shen Luo''s hand, ready to figure out how to help these people to fully regain consciousness. However, before the current turmoil had settled, another catastrophe arose! A thunderous boom suddenly came from the ground beneath everyone''s feet. Before they could react, copious amounts of ink-like black Qi surged out of nowhere, instantly submerging everything and blocking everyone''s sight. Filled with extreme Yin cold power and resentment, the black Qi prevented the Divine Sense from spreading out at all. Alarmed, Shen Luo immediately pushed the Bloodthirsty Flag''s might to the maximum. A vast swath of black light shot out, forming a black Light Screen half a zhang thick around him, which kept out all the Yin Qi and resentment outside. He also gave a low shout and pointed at the Bloodthirsty Flag with both hands; a giant black palm the size of a house shot out, burning with black Yin Fire, and grabbed the dense black Qi surrounding them. With a ¡°crackle,¡± the black Qi melted away like ice and snow before fire, effortlessly torn open to create a gap several zhang wide. Shen Luo was about to leap out when his pupils suddenly shrank, and he stopped himself. He turned his hand and put on a blue long robe that resembled a cloak; it was the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. A mist of cloud-like blue light poured out, forming an expanse of blue fog a few zhang wide around him. Elsewhere in the black Qi, there were also loud banging sounds, indicating that Elder Mei, Master Yan, and others had also launched their attacks. The black Qi covering the sky violently shook for a moment before exploding and scattering, revealing the surprised faces of Master Yan and the others. But their joy froze instantly, and their faces turned pale. For unknown reasons, the surroundings had suddenly become densely packed with Yin Beasts, filling up the passageway, countless in number, encircling Shen Luo and the rest in layers both inside and outside. In the Underground Stone Wall above and below were more pulses of Yin Qi, numerous and leaving no dead angles for escape. The strength of these Yin Beasts was formidable; nearly all of those surrounding the group were of the Great Mahayana Stage, with as many as thirty or forty in number. Even further out were the Nascent Soul Stage Yin Beasts, even more numerous. The hearts of Shen Luo and the others sank; with so many Yin Beasts, even with the presence of Elder Mei, a True Immortal Stage being, they had no chance of victory. Shen Luo''s face grew somber, but he did not give up. Thoughts whirled in his mind as he calculated how they could possibly escape to the heavens. At that moment, the horde of Yin Beasts in front of them suddenly parted to both sides, and two figures slowly walked out. They were two graceful young women dressed in thin veils¨Cone holding a Blue Strange Sword and the other, tall and carrying a Golden Cannon on her shoulder. They were the two Earth Evil Corpse Kings Shen Luo had met before. Especially the female corpse carrying the Golden Cannon¨Cshe was the one who had severely injured him with a single blast in Puppet City. The power of that Golden Cannon had left a deep impression on Shen Luo. Chapter 1266 Chapter 1266: Chapter 1263: Female Corpse King Chapter 1266: Chapter 1263: Female Corpse King ¡°` ¡°Ghost Yan is indeed here!¡± Shen Luo saw the two female corpse kings appear before his eyes and had no more doubts. He immediately used the Black Jade Plate to inform Little Master of Ghost Yan''s presence here. ¡°Beigong Ying! How could you be here? This aura¡­ have you been refined into a corpse?¡± Master Yan looked at the tall woman in shock and rage, his eyes filled with horror and anger. ¡°Beigong!¡± Elder Mei also looked over, his expression darkened, and just as he was about to say something, the surrounding Yin Beasts pounced fiercely. Shen Luo''s eyes darkened, and a thick black light and blue mist surrounded him as he broke through in one direction. There were too many Yin Beasts around him; he could only look after himself and had no time to care for anyone else. ¡°Hold your breath, close your eyes!¡± At that moment, Elder Mei flipped his hand to bring out a big purple flag and covered Master Yan and the others with his Divine Sense, transmitting a loud shout. Shen Luo had already started rushing outwards, and he did not know whether Elder Mei did it intentionally or simply failed to notice him, but he had not received the transmission. Upon hearing this, Master Yan and the others immediately held their breaths and closed their eyes. Elder Mei violently shook the purple flag in his hand, and suddenly, it emitted a dazzling purple light, which rapidly expanded and contracted before exploding. ¡°Boom!¡± Swarms of purple mist gushed out from the flag, engulfing both friends and foes within dozens of feet in an instant. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The purple mist carried a pungent odor and emitted a dazzling halo that caught the unprepared Yin Beasts off guard, causing them to cover their eyes in pain and scatter in all directions. Shen Luo was also enveloped in the purple mist, his nose feeling as if it had been slashed with a knife, his vision blurring as though all his senses were twisted. However, he shouted loudly and exerted all his strength to operate the Huangting Technique, causing his cheeks, nose, eyes, and ears to instantly turn golden yellow, reflecting metallic gloss, as if they had turned into gold. This was one of the Seventy-two Changes Transformation Arts, where the gold structure is stable and not easily influenced by external forces, effectively resisting attacks from poison mist, blinding mists, etc. At the same time, all the mana within Shen Luo surged towards his head, circulating violently everywhere within it. Under the overwhelming impact of mana, two thin streams of purple mist were forced out of his nostrils, greatly alleviating the distortion in his senses, but the dazzling effect in his eyes remained. Despite the urgency of the situation, Shen Luo could not wait for his eyes to recover and probed his surroundings with his Divine Sense, taking advantage of the chaos among the Yin Beasts to charge in one direction. In the blink of an eye, he had passed by more than a dozen Yin Beasts, reaching the edge of the enclosure formed by the Great Mahayana Stage Yin Beasts. Here he was at the edge of the purple mist, which was noticeably thinner, affecting the Yin Beasts less. Immediately, three Great Mahayana Stage Yin Beasts found Shen Luo and quickly launched their attacks. A gray lightning bolt, three streams of black Yin Fire, and a swath of giant black wind blades fiercely slashed into the blue mist but passed through it as if there was no one inside. The three Great Mahayana Stage Yin Beasts hesitated upon seeing this. Taking advantage of the beasts'' momentary stupor, the blue mist streaked past them with a whoosh. Seeing this, the Nascent Soul Stage Yin Beasts outside also launched various attacks that showered down on the blue mist, but much like the three greater Yin Beasts'' assaults, they were ineffective, easily penetrating the mist as if nothing were inside. The blue mist, as swift as lightning, rapidly weaved through the crowd of Yin Beasts, and it looked as though he was about to break out of the encirclement completely. ¡°` But at this moment, a figure appeared out of nowhere ahead, it was the Female Corpse King carrying the Golden Cannon. The golden muzzle aimed at Shen Luo once again. A blinding burst of light flashed from the muzzle, followed by a thunderous boom, as a thick white pillar of light shot out, reaching the cloud mass in an instant. Shen Luo had experienced the terror of the Golden Cannon and did not dare to be negligent. His mana surged forth, and the blue clouds around him suddenly expanded by a fair amount, colliding with the white pillar of light. The blue clouds caved in deeply and then with a ''pfft'', they were pierced through. However, the white light had also diminished significantly, and the remaining pillar headed straight for Shen Luo within the clouds. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted sharply as he formed a hand seal and pointed at the Bloodthirsty Flag above his head. The flag''s black light surged and melded with the surrounding black light screen. The screen immediately doubled in thickness and completely materialized, appearing as indestructible as diamond. At the same time, golden light flashed above his head as the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet emerged, with threads of golden light appearing on it, cascading down to form a Golden Protective Barrier. Right after Shen Luo had set these defenses, the white pillar of light fiercely struck the black light screen formed by the Bloodthirsty Flag. With a resounding ''puff,'' it penetrated through, then hit the Golden Protective Barrier formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, piercing through it with ease. By now, the white pillar of light had shrunk to less than half its size, with only a third of its original volume left, continuing its path straight towards Shen Luo. However, by this time, Shen Luo had already brought out his Profound Yellow Staff, striking forward viciously. An ear-piercing screech erupted from the void, as the Profound Yellow Staff transformed into a millstone-thick Golden Giant Stick, smashing down on the white pillar of light with the force of a mountain cleaver. A thunderous ''boom'' resounded! The Underground Cave within a range of several miles trembled violently, then collapsed loudly, burying everyone and the Yin Beasts inside, including the Female Corpse King. After her strike, her breath had weakened significantly, and the Golden Cannon in her hand also became dim. Yet, she seemed to not care about being buried Underground, rapidly absorbing the surrounding Yin Qi to recover. But at this moment, a blue shadow flashed by the Female Corpse King, as Shen Luo''s half-illusory, half-solid figure appeared out of nowhere. He opened his mouth and spat out more than a dozen strands of Red Sword Silk, which struck the Corpse King''s body as fast as lightning. The Female Corpse King''s expression changed drastically, her body radiating a bright yellow light, and she attempted to raise the Golden Cannon in her hands to defend. But currently, she was buried Underground. Although her body could still move due to the Corpse King''s immortal properties, the Golden Cannon was pinned down by a giant stone, and lacking physical strength, she could not move it at all. With a ''crackle'', the sword Qi slashed at the Female Corpse King''s body, chopping it into dozens of pieces, yet one of her hands was still firmly grasping the Golden Cannon. Shen Luo raised his right arm, lightning surged upon it, and he released dozens of Golden Lightning bolts from his hand that hit the Golden Cannon hard, shattering that severed hand into countless fragments. He took the opportunity to grab the Golden Cannon and swiftly stowed it into his Linlang Ring. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Upon seeing this, the Female Corpse King let out an unbearably mournful and angry howl, filled with endless rage and grief, which even startled Shen Luo. However, he did not pay it any mind, activating the phasing ability of his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and the power of the Escape Earth Talisman, he disappeared into the surrounding rocks and soil, vanishing from sight. A moment later, a yellow light flashed across the Ground of a tunnel, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared out of nowhere. He had just been escaping Underground for quite a while and did not know where he was now, Master Yan and the others were nowhere to be seen. He extended his Divine Sense to explore the Surroundings, but still could not find any trace of the people from Tianji City. Chapter 1267 Chapter 1267: Chapter 1264: Initially Obtaining the Armor Chapter 1267: Chapter 1264: Initially Obtaining the Armor ¡°Forget it, I''ve already brought them to Puppet City, fulfilling the promise I made before. From here on, they can go their own way,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. These people''s goals in coming to Puppet City were different from his own from the start. Since their paths diverged, it was best to part ways. ¡°I don''t know how Elder Brother Fu is doing now. Making him accompany me this time has truly caused him suffering,¡± Shen Luo felt distressed, a hint of terrifying murderous intent flashing in his eyes. If Fu Donglai was still alive, that would be one thing, but if he had unfortunately died at the hands of Ghost Yan, Shen Luo would not let it go. With that in mind, Shen Luo slowly closed his eyes and began to extend his divine soul to sense the mana imprint he had left behind. However, he soon opened his eyes again, a tinge of worry flashing within them. He had not lied to Elder Mei about the mana imprint sensing situation; they had already ventured quite deep into the Black Abyss Mystical Cave. The Yin Qi was thicker than before, the range of his Divine Sense''s exploration had shrunk again, now less than a third of its usual range. Although he could still sense the existence of the mana imprint, it had become so faint it was almost undetectable. Shen Luo glanced at the empty wide passage before him and, after a moment''s hesitation, even though he was wearing the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, which had not been damaged despite having been pierced by the Golden Cannon earlier, He then took out an Invisibility Talisman, channeled a bit of mana into it, and stuck it on his chest. As a bright light shone from the talisman, a white Light Mark slowly spread, covering his entire body. His figure then disappeared from the passageway. After concealing his form, Shen Luo began to rush towards the depths of the passage. While moving swiftly forward, he also took out the Golden Cannon he had just snatched, and started to investigate it, probing its interior with his divine soul. But as soon as his divine soul entered the cannon, a tenacious force unceremoniously pushed it out, just as it had happened earlier when probing Master Yan''s Flying Swallow Boat. ¡°Master Yan and Elder Mei seemed to recognize that tall Female Corpse King. Could it be that she was formerly a disciple of Tianji City? Then this Golden Cannon also appears to be some sort of Yan Armor,¡± Shen Luo mused. He then raised his eyebrows, emulating what the Disciples of Tianji City did, trying to keep his divine soul as concentrated as possible, slowly permeating into the interior of the Golden Cannon while also infusing mana into it. His divine soul managed to probe just slightly into the cannon, bringing forth a faint golden light on its surface. But that was as far as it went; no matter how hard he tried, he could not truly penetrate the interior of the Golden Cannon, let alone control it to attack. ¡°It seems that these Yan Armors require a unique secret technique for manipulation,¡± Shen Luo regretfully shook his head, put away the Golden Cannon, and concentrated on moving forward. This passageway was gloomy, filled with a damp, decaying smell, and Green Moss had begun to grow on the Ground. The passageway wasn''t very long, and after a short while, they reached the end with several forks appearing ahead. After a brief moment of consideration, Shen Luo stepped into the passage that was closest to the direction of the mana imprint, speeding forward. He had not gone far when a rustling sound suddenly came from ahead, as if something was being dragged across the ground. He cautiously approached the Entrance of the passage and peered out to see two Yin Beasts, one on either side, dragging a corpse by its ankles along the ground. Behind the corpse, they left a long trail of bloodstains. The two Yin Beasts had by now also detected Shen Luo''s presence and stopped in their tracks, turning to peer toward the entrance of the passage. Yet, from their eyes, nothing could be seen but an empty void of a passageway. However, the Yin Beasts did not leave, instead they crinkled their noses as if they were trying to determine by scent whether there was anything unusual at the entrance to the passage. Just then, a figure suddenly emerged from behind them, and with two strikes of golden light-entwined dragon claws, effortlessly penetrated their skulls, killing them instantly. Shen Luo withdrew his hands, dissolved the power of the Huangting Divine Power, and without further concern for the two Yin Beast corpses, he lowered his gaze to inspect the dead body they had been dragging. The deceased was a young man whose face was not unfamiliar to Shen Luo; he was a disciple of Tianji City who had been following the group all along but was very silent, hardly ever speaking up, even to his Senior Brothers. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was precisely for this reason that Shen Luo had some impression of him. ¡°What an unlucky guy,¡± Shen Luo shook his head with a sigh, then noticed a gold metal ring on the ring finger of the corpse''s right hand, set with a delicate sky-blue gemstone. ¡°A Storage Magical Tool¡­¡± His eyebrows slightly raised, he immediately stooped, gently removed the ring from the finger, and began to operate the Ninety-nine Treasure refining tactics, quickly refining it. Upon opening the Storage Ring, Shen Luo waved his hand and the few items inside levitated in front of him. Among them were two eyeball-sized spheres, one green and one red, both covered with dense Spirit Patterns and evidently two Great Mahayana Stage level Armors, though they appeared to be of average quality. Besides the two armors, there was only a notebook bound in cowhide, some bottles and jars containing Elixirs, and about a dozen fist-sized white Crystal Stones. Shen Luo examined the bottles and jars, finding the contained Elixirs of average grade, suitable for use by only Early Mahayana Stage monks due to their limited potency and of little use to him. As for those white Crystal Stones, they contained rather strong Spiritual Power, far surpassing ordinary Immortal jade, although the Spiritual Power was somewhat chaotic and far from as refined as that of Immortal jade. He browsed through the notebook in detail, discovering that it contained the cultivation experiences of the young man, the records of Yan Armor refinement, the experience of controlling puppets, and most interestingly for him, the secret techniques of Tianji City for condensing Soul Power. The content of the notebook was not extensive, but for Shen Luo, the useful information was quite abundant, supplementing his knowledge on Tianji City and Yan techniques extensively. It turned out the crafting of Yan Armors was modeled after the structures of the human body and Monster beasts, thereby refined. The basic level Yan Armors were only slightly stronger than ordinary puppet marionettes, made from sturdier materials, easier to manipulate, and with a bit more lethal force. Mid-level Yan Armors performed even better, possessing the ability to passively use Talismans and magical instruments, though they still required the Master''s divided attention to control. Not just anyone could control such Yan Armors; like Magical Treasures, Tianji City''s Yan Armors had to be consecrated with a unique method before they could be activated, and controlling Yan Armors demanded high requisites on Divine Soul Power. Tianji City had a Tianji Soul Refining Art that not only condensed the Divine Soul but also strengthened Soul Power. It was thanks to this Art that Tianji City had grown to its current state. Chapter 1268 Chapter 1268: Chapter 1265: Attempt Chapter 1268: Chapter 1265: Attempt Shen Luo, seeing this, couldn''t help but feel a tinge of disappointment. It turned out that Armor required ritual refinement before it could be used. Without the unique refining technique of Tianji City, the Golden Cannon he had snatched, as well as the two Mahayana Stage Armors in this Storage Magical Tool, were rendered unusable. ¡°Could the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, a God''s Power created by the Primordial Era Sage Nuwa and known to refine all Magical Treasures, possibly refine Armor?¡± Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, but he did not immediately try it, choosing instead to keep reading. As one progressed to higher levels, the quality of the Armor would undergo a leap in improvement, requiring something akin to a Divine Soul within the Armor itself to coordinate the powerful forces of its parts. The reason why everyone from Tianji City was collecting Yin Spirit Pearls was that these pearls were filled with the Soul Power of Yin Beasts. They could be placed into the soul chamber within the Armor''s head to act as a divided soul or even a complete Divine Soul. The higher the level of the Armor, the greater the Soul Power required. ¡°If Puppet City is also considered an Armor, then how immense must be the Soul Power contained within its Yin Spirit Pearl?¡± The moment this thought crossed Shen Luo''s mind, he found it somewhat terrifying. Moreover, in order to use high-level Armors, the demands on a monk''s Soul Power were even higher, necessitating it to be condensed into Soul Threads. ¡°Soul Threads? Could it be the Divine Soul Crystal Threads that Master Yan, Elder Mei, and the others were shooting from their foreheads when they controlled the Armors?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed as he murmured to himself upon reading this. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was where the information on the levels of Armor ended. Shen Luo did not continue reading. Instead, he took out the two spherical Armors, infused them with Mana and Soul Power, and began refining them with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. The Spirit Patterns on the two spheres began to glow faintly, growing brighter as time passed. Shen Luo, seeing this scene, was overjoyed. The Innate Treasure-refining Technique was indeed miraculous, capable of refining even Armor. He then concentrated, focusing on refining the Armors. After half a moment, the Spiritual Light on the two spheres suddenly surged, signaling the completion of the refinement. Shen Luo raised his hand and threw them out. Accompanied by a clang of metal, the two spheres rapidly expanded and transformed into two towering Armored Warriors, each about ten feet tall. One was clad in a red Armor, with a long knife hanging at its waist, its broad chest featuring a large circular Void surrounded by a ring of charm patterns resembling flames. It emitted waves of intense heat. The other was dressed in blue-black Armor, holding a black Longsword shield in one hand, wrapped around with a silver-white Chain at its waist, with a white crystal visible at the chest, exuding an icy aura all over. Although these two sets of Armor were not weak, they were merely crafted by this Disciple of Tianji City himself and were of moderate grade¨Cmerely two mid-level Armors. Shen Luo circulated his Soul Power and connected with the Yan Pattern Array inside both Armors. In the next instant, the crimson Armor''s eyes lit up with a red light, and its somewhat loose posture instantly straightened. The flame patterns on its chest also illuminated, and a Raging Fire erupted within the chest Void. The blue-black Armor''s eyes gleamed with white light, and with a ¡°hiss¡± from its nostrils, it expelled two beams of white chill. The Armor made crackling noises, and a layer of white frost seeped out from its seams. The arm holding the shield was raised, and the other hand grasped the silvery-white Chain around its waist and violently swung it. With a ¡°clang,¡± the Chain instantly became taut and transformed into a Longsword gleaming with a cold light. ¡°Good, their aura is not weak, they should be more than capable of dealing with ordinary Yin Beasts and monks of the same rank.¡± Shen Luo examined them for a moment and nodded in satisfaction. With a thought, the red Armor on the left immediately unsheathed its long knife with a ¡°clang¡± and chopped toward the blue-black Armor at its side. ¡°` The Blue-Black Armor on the right, having received Shen Luo''s command, raised its shield to meet the onslaught. After blocking the strike from the Crimson Armor, it immediately swung its silver-white longsword in a horizontal slash at its opponent. However, with the giant sword shield in front, the strike was originally unable to reach the other side. But as the sword edge neared the shield''s edge, the longsword suddenly slackened, transforming from a solid state into a chain form. Relying on its flexible curvature, it bypassed the sword shield, with the tip thrusting straight at the Crimson Armor. ¡°So it''s a chain sword¡­¡± Shen Luo said, suddenly realizing and smiling. On the other side, the body of the Crimson Armor suddenly sank, and the chain sword, as if guided by fate, passed through the void in its chest. Immediately after, the flame pattern on its chest brightened intensely, and the crimson flame suspended within the void surged, ready to spew towards the Blue-Black Armor. ¡°Stop.¡± At the thought of Shen Luo, he immediately stopped it. During the battle just now, aside from the initial command for mutual attacks he had given, he did not interfere any further, and the two Armored Warriors fought each other based on the combat instincts triggered by the divine soul power provided by the Yin Spirit Pearls. ¡°Indeed, they cannot be compared to ordinary puppets¡­¡± The performance of the two Armors exceeded Shen Luo''s expectations and he held Tianji City in even higher regard. After attacking each other for a while, the spiritual light on the body of the Crimson Armor rapidly dimmed. Pressing a few times on the abdomen of the Armored Warrior, there was a clicking sound, revealing a slot. Inside, there was a white crystal stone that looked exactly like the dozen or so crystal stones in the storage magical tool, but the spiritual power within it had been depleted. Shen Luo had already understood from the hand scroll that these white crystal stones were called Armor Crystals, specially condensed by Tianji City using large amounts of Immortal Jade through a secret method, and they were the energy source for the Armored Warriors. He replaced the depleted Armor Crystal with a new one, and the spiritual light on the Crimson Armor brightened once more. Shen Luo nodded his head, and with a wave of his hand, the two Armored Warriors sheathed their weapons and their lights flickered as they returned to their spherical states. After storing the two spheres, he pondered for a moment before taking out the Golden Cannon. Injecting mana and soul power into it, he also activated the Innate Artifact Refining Secret to attempt refining it. A layer of golden light illuminated the Golden Cannon, growing brighter and brighter. This time, it took a quarter of an hour for Shen Luo to finish refining the prohibitions within the Golden Cannon, and his Divine Sense smoothly probed into its depths. There lay the cannon''s name and grade details, activation methods, and more. ¡°So this is called the Divine Craftsman Cannon!¡± he murmured with shining eyes. The grade of this Divine Craftsman Cannon was that of a high-level Armor, and even among high-level Armors, it was top-notch. However, this item, unlike the two humanoid Armors just now, had a single function, closer to a Magical Treasure, and therefore, was much easier to use. As long as the soul power was strong enough, there was no need to condense Soul Threads to control it. A look of uncontrollable joy surfaced on Shen Luo''s face. Based on the current situation, he was also able to activate the cannon. The power of this Divine Craftsman Cannon, he knew all too well, was simply indomitable¨Ca siege Artifact! But now there was one problem, that of the Armor Crystals. Shen Luo tapped twice on the tail end of the Divine Craftsman Cannon, revealing a slot housing a white Armor Crystal, which was at least twice as large as those used by the humanoid Armors. The Armored Warriors of Tianji City were divided into low, medium, and high levels, each powered by different Armor Crystals. The humanoid Armored Warriors used medium-level Armor Crystals, while the Divine Craftsman Cannon used high-level ones. He only had one high-level Armor Crystal at the moment, and since the Female Corpse King had fired it once before, the spiritual power inside the high-level Armor Crystal was only sufficient for two more shots. However, this problem was not unsolvable. He could always find a way to acquire more high-level Armor Crystals later. Chapter 1269 Chapter 1269: Chapter 1266 Wrong Path Chapter 1269: Chapter 1266 Wrong Path Shen Luo''s mind was churning as he put away the Divine Craftsman Cannon, his interest in Yan Technique growing stronger. He continued to flip through the young man''s journal. To his surprise, the latter half of the journal did not relate to the insights of cultivation, but rather detailed the young man''s past. It turned out that his real name was Yuan Wenli, a citizen of the Langxia Kingdom. According to the contents of the journal, although Langxia Kingdom was a realm of mortals, it had become skilled in mechanisms and Yan Technique because of its proximity to Tianji City. It was especially adept at creating sandboats and sand carts that traveled the desert, and had once been wealthy and prosperous. That year, it had frequent exchanges with the Western Regions and even the Great Tang. However, over a hundred years ago, a sudden disaster wiped the once-thriving small country completely off the map. The cities'' architecture remained, but all of its citizens were slaughtered overnight. The only survivor was Yuan Wenli, who had already become a disciple of Tianji City. Because of this, Tianji City had even dispatched its elders to investigate Langxia Kingdom and its surroundings for many years, but they were unable to find the perpetrator. Eventually, Tianji City gave up the investigation due to the lack of clues. As the last subject of the entire nation, all Yuan Wenli''s relatives and friends had perished in that calamity, making him an orphan of an entire country. Although the Sect had abandoned the investigation, he had not. In the blink of an eye, more than a hundred years had passed, and he had still been tirelessly searching for the real murderer, to no avail. He had recorded all this in his journal for fear that with the passage of time, his hatred would fade, and he would gradually forget the past. His words still brimmed with a deep-seated hatred for the culprit. Unfortunately, he was dead. Shen Luo closed the journal, letting out a sigh. ¡°Life extinguishes like a flame. All past memories and dust only leave a wisp of green smoke, which will eventually dissipate without a trace. All I can do is add a grave for you, and may you find ultimate bliss in your next life,¡± he said. After speaking, he quickly dug a hole next to the entrance of the passageway, took out one of his robes, wrapped Yuan Wenli''s corpse body in it, and buried it in the pit, granting him a peaceful rest. After a brief moment of mourning, Shen Luo activated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing again, re-adhered the Invisibility Talisman, and concealed his figure as he hurried in the direction the Yin Beasts had gone before. The closer he went in that direction, the clearer his perception of the mana imprint became, which greatly encouraged Shen Luo. However, having traveled for half an hour, the road ahead abruptly came to an end, leading to a sheer drop. ¡°This can''t be right. Surely those two Yin Beasts wouldn''t drag Yuan Wenli into this dead end. Their Spiritual Wisdom isn''t high; they must have been guided here.¡± Shen Luo stopped in front of the stone wall that blocked the entire passageway, his eyebrows knitting into knots. With this thought, Shen Luo released his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. The Yin Qi was even denser here, and his Divine Sense could only spread out to a distance of a couple of miles, finding no issues¨Cit truly was a dead end. ¡°It seems I really took the wrong path,¡± he muttered to himself, turning to walk back. ¡°Master, wait a moment. There are yin attribute materials nearby that are greatly beneficial to me. I can sense their presence,¡± the Ghost General''s figure emerged, a black light flashing over the Qiankun Bag as he sniffed fiercely in the air, looking towards a section of the stone wall. ¡°Yin attribute materials? In this direction?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, then he activated the Voidization Divine Power and the earth-traveling ability of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, merging into the stone wall and quickly moving forward. The Ghost General also transformed into a soul body, closely following beside Shen Luo. The two traversed inside the stone wall for quite a while, and suddenly there was a void; they crossed out from within the wall. Shen Luo felt the temperature around him drop abruptly, a chilling coldness assaulted him from all sides. His vision was pitch black, and he could only vaguely discern there was a path under his feet. Just as Shen Luo was about to activate his Divine Sense and Spirit Eye Divine Ability to check his surroundings, a sharp gust attacked from the side. His figure swayed, and he immediately swept to the side with unmatched speed, evading the strike. Although he had avoided the sharp wind, a peculiar vibration still struck his body. Shen Luo''s entire body trembled, and his mind went cloudy as if someone had hit him head-on with a stick. ¡°Not good, it''s an audio wave attack,¡± he was familiar with this kind of attack, as both the Ghost General and Bashe were adept at it. The Ghost General beside him roared angrily and pounced forward. A series of thumping sounds followed as it clashed with the assailant. Shen Luo took the opportunity to escape the range of the audio wave attack. His Divine Sense spread out, and he finally ascertained the situation around him: he was in a huge underground void. The void was filled with yin attribute trees and Spirit Grass, forming a large grove. Many of the Spiritual Materials emitted strong waves of Yin Qi, appearing to be of not low grades. In the central part of the ground in the void, there were charm patterns forming a huge array, and within that array was a white stone-built altar. In the very center of the altar stood a black Stone Stele, merely three feet tall, with a surface devoid of any charm patterns or inscriptions, smoothly polished like a mirror. Numerous Yin Beasts crowded around the array and the Stone Stele. Most of them were half-human, half-bat creatures, all of significant strength. There were more than a dozen Mahayana stage Yin Beasts, seemingly guarding the Stele and the array. The one currently attacking him was a late Mahayana stage half-bat Yin Beast, but the Ghost General was also strong. Plus, with the Black Ghost Saber Magic Treasure that Shen Luo had previously given to him, he not only fended off the attack of the half-bat Yin Beast, but he seemed to be gaining the upper hand. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, but after glancing at the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing on his body, his eyebrows relaxed, and he formed a hand seal with one hand. ¡°Whoosh¡± Large swathes of blue mist spread from the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, swiftly forming a blue cloud about a dozen feet in size, enveloping his body within it. Enshrouded in the blue cloud, Shen Luo uttered a low shout and lunged towards the array and the Stone Stele. ¡°Squeak, squeak¡­¡± Seeing this, the half-bat Yin Beasts'' eyes flashed fiercely as they all flapped their wings and swooped in. Waves of semi-transparent sound waves swept through the area, converging into a vast tidal surge of audio waves, all of which slammed against the blue cloud. The void around the cloud emitted piercing shrieks and dense trembling ripples, but the blue cloud merely buzzed, showing no other change, and continued to fly rapidly towards its target, catching the half-bat Yin Beasts by surprise. The auditory attacks of these Yin Beasts were generally weak, but when combined, they were formidable enough that even a True Immortal stage being would not dare to directly confront them. However, what these half-bat Yin Beasts didn''t know was that the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing Shen Luo wore had the ability to dodge and shift other attacks. It could also become ethereal, and while it might not evade attacks as fierce as the Divine Craftsman Cannon, it was perfectly suited for countering lower-intensity, wide-range attacks like audio waves. Chapter 1270 Chapter 1270: Chapter 1267: Stone Stele Chapter 1270: Chapter 1267: Stone Stele The blue cloud cluster surged directly into the midst of the bat-winged Yin Beasts, blowing a hole through their ranks. ¡°Swoosh,¡± ¡°swoosh¡± sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A red and a golden sword light shot out from the clouds, each exuding fierce sword Qi, as if they were about to split the Void open, like two bolts of lightning slicing into the Yin Beast horde. With the sound of ¡°hiss¡± echoing repeatedly, one after another, the Yin Beasts were cleaved in half by the two sword lights, turning into Black Qi that drifted away. In the blink of an eye, over a dozen Yin Beasts were slain by the two sword lights and turned to flying ash. The remaining bat-winged Yin Beasts were alarmed and hastily scattered to flee. The Late Mahayana stage bat-winged Yin Beast, locked in combat with the Ghost General, witnessed this and was greatly shocked. The Yin Qi within its body surged recklessly into its mouth, emitting a piercing shriek that could rupture eardrums. A wave of black sound waves, tangible and forceful, spewed forth. It struck the Ghost General fiercely and swiftly, the sound waves shimmering with a malevolent glint, causing the Void where they passed to tremble with a buzzing sound. The Ghost General''s expression changed, not daring to take the hit head-on, and dodged by retreating swiftly. Meanwhile, the bat-winged Yin Beast also took the opportunity to withdraw. Its wings fluttered at high speed, and its figure rapidly blurred. In the next moment, it shot into the distance, joining the dispersing bat flock by letting out another shrill shriek. The escaping bat-winged Yin Beasts, as if finding their mainstay, immediately stabilized and all flew toward the Late Mahayana stage bat-winged Yin Beast, gathering on either side of its body, and flapping their wings in a uniform manner. With the Late Mahayana stage Yin Beast at the center, the formation of the bat-winged Yin Beasts looked like a colossal bat, its giant wings slowly flapping. ¡°What''s this¡­¡± Shen Luo, in the midst of the blue clouds, saw this scene and let out a light exclamation. ¡°Tweet¡­¡± A gigantic shriek erupted from the colossal bat''s mouth, sending a wave of black sound waves, ten times clearer than before, sprawling towards Shen Luo. ¡°Not good!¡± Shen Luo''s expression grew solemn within the blue cloud, he was about to urge on the two flying swords outside to defend when his brow suddenly raised. He flipped his hand and took out an object¨Cit was the Divine Craftsman Cannon. He activated his Divine Sense and Mana, pouring them into the cannon, as the Yan Patterns on it instantly bloomed with bright light. With a streak of white light flashing from the cannon''s mouth, a loud boom resonated, shooting out a large white light pillar that hit right in the center of the black sound waves, effortlessly crushing and engulfing them. Furthermore, the large white light pillar did not weaken in the slightest, continuing to shoot forward, instantly striking the bat flock and turning several Yin Beasts into ashes. Shen Luo changed the magic spell in his hands, and the white light pillar suddenly exploded. It contracted and expanded, quickly drowning most of the bat-winged Yin Beasts within it. All the bat-winged Yin Beasts engulfed by the white light, including that Late Mahayana one, vanished instantly like snow under the sun, all traces of them erased. With just one blast, nearly all the hundred Yin Beasts were slain! The remaining Yin Beasts wore expressions of sheer terror as they scattered and fled, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo did not pursue them but looked at the Divine Craftsman Cannon in his hands and sighed. The cannon, although immensely powerful, now had only one shot left. He would need to use it more sparingly from now on. He waved his hand to stow away the Divine Craftsman Cannon and slowly descended to the ground. ¡°Master, what was that attack you just used? Its power was too great, you obliterated those Yin Beasts without leaving even a speck of dust, wasting so much primeval Yin Qi,¡± the Ghost General flew over and complained somewhat. Shen Luo paid no attention to the Ghost General, and took steps towards the Array and Stone Stele in the middle of the Void. He had just taken two steps when suddenly, something bumped against his foot. Before he could see clearly what it was, a faint green fluorescence suddenly lit up beside his foot, ghostly as if it were a ghost fire. Immediately afterward, the point of green light swiftly moved away from in front of Shen Luo, spreading rapidly as it went. It seemed as if this tiny spark set ablaze a trail of green starlight, which spread across a hundred feet in a flash. The entire Underground Cave was instantly illuminated by the green light, and everything became clearly visible. In the darkness ahead, there were clusters of strange trees that were more than a dozen feet tall, with dense branches and broad leaves. There were also vines trailing down to the ground, dragging for tens of feet, and they were all burning with green flames. What his foot had kicked just now was a vine that had stretched out. ¡°Ghostfire Tree?¡± Shen Luo''s brows moved slightly as he recognized the origin of these strange trees, a kind of rather rare Spirit Tree with a yin attribute. The Ghost General cheered and shot forward, not towards the Ghostfire Trees but to a several-feet-tall black Spirit Flower near the grove of Ghostfire Trees. This flower''s main stem was similar to bamboo with segmented joints, with as many as eight segments. The blossom resembled a grotesquely smiling human face, surrounded by swirling Black Qi, and for several feet around it, the space was empty, devoid of any other Spirit Grass. The Ghost General leaped down near the black strange flower, and to his surprise, the flower turned towards him like a living thing. A mass of black qi shot out from the blossom, winding towards the Ghost General. The Ghost General did not panic; he opened his mouth and expelled a stream of black and red light, which wrapped around the black qi the strange flower had emitted, displaying his recently awakened God''s Power, the Punishing Evil Divine Light. All the Black Qi sprayed by the strange flower was absorbed by the Punishing Evil Divine Light, which then continued to envelop the main body of the flower. Thick Black Qi surged out from the black strange flower, rapidly absorbed by the black and red light. Ghostly shapes, resembling ghosts, could be seen within the Black Qi, being constantly swallowed by the Ghost General into his belly. ¡°Is that a Soul Refining Flower?¡± Shen Luo looked towards the black strange flower from afar and exclaimed in surprise. He had read about this flower in the Classics of Spirit Grass at the Ghost Market. Although the flower was plant-based, it was extremely aggressive and could swallow approaching creatures like a living being, consuming their flesh and Souls entirely for Refining, similar to the Ghost General''s Punishing Evil Divine Light''s ability. The growth of this flower was incredibly slow, taking a thousand years to add just one segment. Only after it had more than ten segments, could it shed its form as Spirit Grass and take on a human shape. However, once the flower successfully underwent Spiritualization, its Divine Power was even stronger than that of a True Immortal, by threefold. Though this Soul Refining Flower was still several steps away from taking human form, the yin energy within it was surging, already comparable to a thousand-year-old ghost at the Great Mahayana Peak stage. With similar abilities to the Ghost General, the benefits he could gain from Refining it were self-evident. Seeing the Ghost General significantly winning the upper hand, Shen Luo shifted his gaze away and did not bother with other Spiritual Materials or Spirit Grass around. He continued towards the Array and Stone Stele in the center of the Void and soon arrived nearby. After observing the Array and Stone Stele for a long while without discerning their mysteries, Shen Luo waved his hand and shot out a blue light towards the Stele as a probe. With a pop, the blue light shattered and disappeared, and no abnormalities appeared on the Stele. But at that moment, the charm patterns within the Array flashed a black light, and immediately after, he felt something being drawn out from his body. ¡°Mana?¡± Shen Luo was startled and quickly examined himself. But soon, his face showed an incredulous look once again. His Mana hadn''t changed; the thing that diminished inside his body was actually the Demonic Qi of Chiyou. The Ink Descend Armor and the Ghost Pearl Shen Luo used to have could absorb Demonic Qi, but they could only absorb some of the surface energy of the Demonic Qi in his body and could not affect the Demonic Qi deep within his meridians. But this Stone Stele was different; it seemed to have directly extracted a thread of the Demonic Qi of Chiyou from deep within his meridians. Chapter 1271 Chapter 1271: Chapter 1268: The Object in the Stele (Beginning of the month, asking for votes) Chapter 1271: Chapter 1268: The Object in the Stele (Beginning of the month, asking for votes) ¡°` ¡°What is this Stone Stele, that it can actually devour Chiyou''s Demonic Qi?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, slightly excited. He had used the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power several times before, which had caused the Demonic Qi within his body to surge dramatically, and the balance between Yin and Yang was already in peril, so much so that he dared not continue to use this divine power. But now, the Stone Stele could actually absorb Demonic Qi, which was akin to heaven-sent assistance. Shen Luo steadied his spirit and once again sent out a Blue Light with his hand, not aiming at the Stone Stele, but instead probing the surrounding Array, which showed no reaction. Seeing this, he felt somewhat reassured, stepped directly over the Array, landed on the altar, and placed his palm on the Stone Stele, actively channeling the Demonic Qi within his body towards the Stele. As a result, the Black Stone Stele lit up with a flash, and it immediately began to absorb the Chiyou Demonic Qi with the swift voracity of a whale. Shen Luo was startled by the speed at which the Stone Stele absorbed the Demonic Qi; fearing an accident, he even deliberately throttled the outflow of Demonic Qi, worried the Stele might lose control. However, as the surging Demonic Qi inside his body was gradually drained out, it felt as if a mountain pressing down on him was being chipped away, greatly lightening his heart. But things often do not go as one wishes, just when Shen Luo hoped for all the Demonic Qi inside him to be completely absorbed, the speed of the Stele''s absorption gradually slowed down. ¡°It seems the amount of Demonic Qi this Stone Stele can absorb is ultimately limited,¡± Shen Luo murmured. Sure enough, after a while, the Demonic Qi within his body came to a complete standstill, no matter how Shen Luo tried to channel it, he couldn''t force it outside his body. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo sighed and slowly withdrew his hand. The amount of Demonic Qi absorbed by the Stone Stele was only slightly more than the surplus generated by the previous surge; the level of Demonic Qi in his body had merely returned to the state it was before the surges caused by his use of the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power. Just as he was feeling somewhat disappointed, the Stone Stele in front of him suddenly underwent a change. The pure black surface of the Stone Stele suddenly gathered Golden Light, and a large section of text, resembling the mnemonic of skills, appeared on it. Shen Luo was surprised and hastily focused to take a closer look, only to discover that what was recorded was a set of Demon Clan body techniques called ¡°Splitting Stone Step.¡± According to the text on the Stele, the essence of this technique lies in relying on a strong physical body to leverage both speed and strength for a range of inconceivable movements. Once cultivated to a profound level, the cultivator could achieve instantaneous movement with minimal exertion of Mana, its sophistication no less than that of the Slanting Moon Steps. Moreover, it also possessed certain offensive capabilities, combining attack and defense in boundless ingenuity. Unfortunately, to cultivate this technique one would need to channel Demonic Qi through the meridians in the body, which naturally Shen Luo could not accept. Although Shen Luo would not cultivate this technique, just by observing it, he felt his understanding deepen; in the future, when cultivating the Slanting Moon Steps or other body techniques, he could indeed draw inspiration from the Splitting Stone Step. A moment later, the charm patterns on the Stone Stele slowly dissipated, returning to their original state. Shen Luo once again placed his palm on the Stone Stele, attempting to continue channeling the Demonic Qi within his body, but with no success¨Cneither the Stone Stele nor the altar showed any reaction. ¡°I''ve already gained quite a lot; I shouldn''t be too greedy,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, immediately withdrawing his hand. However, just as his palm left the Stone Stele, a slight ¡°bang¡± suddenly sounded. Unlike the crisp sound of an ordinary stone stele shattering, the black Stone Stele directly crumbled under Shen Luo''s palm, turning into a multitude of fine black stone powder that scattered down. ¡°` And amidst the stone powder, there appeared a two-foot-long black short rod that did not fall as the stone powder did, but instead remained suspended, floating in midair. With a slight shift of Shen Luo''s palm, the black short rod also moved parallel to it. ¡°Why does it feel like there''s some indescribable connection, could it be because it absorbed the Chiyou Demonic Qi within me?¡± He frowned slightly, murmuring with some hesitation. Having said that, he made a grabbing motion in the air and the suspended black short rod immediately flew towards him, automatically entering his hand. Shen Luo gripped the black short rod tight, and a strange suction force immediately transmitted from the rod. He pondered for a moment, then flicked his finger. The black rod turned into a shadow and struck a nearby Ghostfire Tree, with dim red light emerging at the tip. The originally blunt rod was like a divine weapon, piercing into the tree trunk of the Ghostfire Tree as if it were going through rotten soil. The swiftly flickering green light on the Ghostfire Tree instantly solidified, then quickly dimmed, and the previously plump trunk and leaves rapidly withered, as if all moisture had been sucked out of them. The Ghostfire Tree quickly shriveled and shrank, countless leaves fell off, and then the entire tree collapsed with a boom, turning into countless sand-and-gravel-like fragments, scattering on the ground. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo was somewhat stupefied and took a while to come back to his senses, then he beckoned with his hand. The hovering black rod returned, and the moment it fell into his hand, a cool stream of Qi suddenly flowed into his palm, rapidly coursing through his entire body. Although Shen Luo had not sustained severe injuries in the previous consecutive battles, he had numerous minor injuries, and his body was faintly sore, but after this cool stream circulated, the minor wounds mostly healed, healing significantly. ¡°This¡­¡± His face showed astonishment and delight as he examined the black short rod in his hand more closely. The rod was as thick as an arm, its touch cold, appearing neither like wood nor iron; inside the rod, one could faintly see many red threads, intertwined with each other, resembling the meridians inside a human body. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed as he channeled mana into it, and a boom of black light erupted from the black rod, revealing incredibly pure Demonic Qi. Within the black Demonic Qi, there were also streaks of red threads, looking exceedingly eerie. ¡°So this rod is a Demonic Artifact; no wonder it has such a terrifying absorption ability.¡± He nodded in realization. Owning Chiyou Demonic Qi himself, Shen Luo didn''t have the same aversion to Demonic Artifacts as ordinary people did and took a liking to this demonic rod, playing with it for a good while before finally putting it away. At that moment, a loud, piercing shriek came from nearby, and waves of intense Ghostly Qi fluctuation were transmitted over. He turned his head to look and saw that the Ghost General had already devoured the Yin Qi within the Soul Refining Flower, his Ghostly Qi soaring wildly as he had evidently broken through the threshold of the Late Mahayana Stage and was now sitting cross-legged on the ground, stabilizing the surging Ghostly Qi. Behind the Ghost General, amidst the billowing Ghostly Qi, a vague figure of an Evil Monk wearing a black and red kasaya appeared; half of the face showed benevolent solemnity while the other half was ferociously fierce, creating an extremely sinister image. Shen Luo saw this scene and showed a look of surprise, flashing over to the Ghost General''s side to closely examine the divine figure of the Evil Monk. After a moment, he nodded, then used his Qiankun Bag to take the Ghost General into it. In the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, there were many Yin Beasts, and danger could strike at any time, so it was better to stabilize his Cultivation level inside the Qiankun Bag. ¡°Thank you, Master. I just need to consolidate my Cultivation level a bit, and then I''ll be able to fight,¡± the voice of the Ghost General came from within the Qiankun Bag. Chapter 1273 Chapter 1273: Chapter 1270: Clash Chapter 1273: Chapter 1270: Clash The dark silhouette roared in anger, waved its hand through the air after forming a mantra, and on the ground, a dozen green vines fused instantly into one, becoming a giant whip as thick as no other, which viciously lashed towards the void from where the sword light had been shot. Before the giant whip could reach, the sound of explosions rose suddenly and wildly, and a mighty force surged downwards, causing the void to tremble with a buzzing sound. However, a streak of black light shot out from the void, a fleeting flash that struck the vine whip, sinking deep into it, and it was none other than the black magic wand. Threads of black and red light shot out from the wand, spreading rapidly across the vine whip, which wilted in an instant, its once dragon-like fierceness subsiding into limpness, and it finally came to a complete stop. The entire vine wilted at an astonishing rate visible to the naked eye, eventually disintegrating into countless fragments. ¡°Devouring Stick! The demonic artifact within this array eye turned out to be this treasure!¡± the dark silhouette exclaimed upon witnessing this scene. ¡°Devouring Stick? So that''s what this thing is called?¡± A light chuckle sounded out of the blue, and then a figure materialized and raised a hand to beckon something. The black magic wand flew back and landed in the hand of the person who appeared, who was none other than Shen Luo. Streams of icy Qi flowed from the wand into his body, healing the hidden injuries he had suffered earlier, and his depleted Mana also received some replenishment. Upon discovering this, Shen Luo felt joy in his heart once again, yet he remained composed on the surface. ¡°Impossible, how did you manage to cure the corpse poison and the flower poison in such a short span of time?¡± the dark silhouette quickly regained its composure and looked at Shen Luo, asking coldly. ¡°How I cured it is my own business. If Your Excellency has any other tricks up your sleeve, please feel free to use them,¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently, gesturing with his hand again. The Bloodthirsty Flag that had been knocked away flew back from afar, hovering over his head and slowly rotating, while the two red and golden sword lights also returned almost at the same moment, revolving around him. In fact, the reason he was able to cure the corpse and flower poisons so quickly was all thanks to the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead in his body. Shen Luo hadn''t expected the bead''s divine power; with just a gentle push of Mana, it emitted a suction force, swallowing up the two types of poison in his body like a whale drawing in water, leaving not a trace behind. After dispelling the poisons, he immediately summoned the Mirror Fiend under the protection of the Bloodthirsty Flag''s shield, created a doppelganger with its Treasure Mirror to stay in place, while he himself, dressed in Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and using an Invisibility Talisman, hid nearby, waiting for the dark silhouette to let its guard down before suddenly striking and wounding the opponent. However, the dark silhouette''s reaction was incredibly fast, avoiding the attack at the critical moment, sustaining only a minor injury. ¡°It seems you have some kind of anti-poison treasure on your person, but if you think you can contend with me relying solely on that, then that''s rather naive,¡± the dark silhouette sneered, but did not continue to attack. ¡°Whether I am naive or not, we''ll only know after a fight. I, Shen Luo, have already experienced Your Excellency''s lethal poison and divine soul attack. Now, it''s Your Excellency''s turn to take my move!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes suddenly flashed with a green light, and he quickly formed a mantra with his hands. The red and golden sword lights that were circling around him shone brightly, trembling and splitting into countless sword shadows to form a red and a golden mountain of swords, pressing down towards the dark silhouette with a momentum that was breathtaking. A trace of annoyance flashed in the eyes of the dark silhouette, and it was enveloped in a flash of black light. The black light on the Thousand Blades Map suddenly intensified, and with the hissing sound of slicing through the air, hundreds of dark crystal flying knives burst out once more, splitting into two streams to meet the two sword mountains head-on. Boom! Earth-shattering explosions erupted within the cave, and three colors of light clashed violently. The entire underground cavity shook, and cracks appeared on the surrounding stone walls, rapidly extending. Chunks of rock fell in a shower, filling the cave with dust and debris. However, neither the dark crystal flying knives nor the two sword mountains could truly overcome the other, and they were locked in a stalemate in mid-air. The two sides were evenly matched! Shen Luo paid no attention to the fierce collision of the blade and sword mountains in mid-air and suddenly turned around, diving toward an open ground in the lower left direction. The dark silhouette, seeing this, shot toward the same location, with two wing-like shadows vaguely appearing in the black fog behind him, vibrating rapidly like the wings of a bee. Then, a bizarre scene unfolded, as after flying a short distance, he vanished into the void in an instant. The next moment, the figure unexpectedly appeared in the open ground ahead of Shen Luo, and as Shen Luo rushed towards him, he waved his sleeves in unison. Several strands of black Qi shot out from his body, transforming into thick black pythons, lunging at Shen Luo to viciously bite at his limbs. A faint green light shimmered on the fangs of the black pythons, indicating they carried some sort of potent poison. Shen Luo felt a gust of foul, fishy wind hit his face and his figure halted abruptly. With a spread of his hands, the lightning on his arms surged and several golden lightning bolts, as thick as arms, shot out, turning into several ten-foot-long electric pythons that collided with the black pythons. The sound of thunder roared loudly as the bodies of the black pythons burst open, dissipating into countless wisps of black Qi. Shen Luo murmured a rapid incantation, and a bright blue light flared up on his right arm. But from within the black Qi ahead, a sinister and frantic flute sound suddenly pierced through, directly infiltrating his mind. He felt his scalp tingle, every hair on his head standing on end in an instant, as his thoughts became violently chaotic. In that instant, he seemed to see memories from his youth, as well as events from the future, with various scenes shifting rapidly, making him extremely weary, almost to the point of wanting to collapse and fall into a deep sleep right there. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Another Divine Soul Attack!¡± Shen Luo was already prepared in his heart. Gritting his teeth, he ran the Suppressing God Technique with all his might, and his divine soul instantly solidified, turning into an immovable grand mountain peak illusion in his mind. The Dingyuan Relic and the Coiling Dragon Wall released warm currents, merging into his mind and stabilizing his divine soul. All the chaotic scenes in his mind scattered, the feeling of exhaustion quickly faded, and the blue light on his hand flared up once more. He slammed a palm towards the ground below. An intense coldness erupted, and a thick layer of blue ice crystals formed on the ground in an instant, spreading rapidly towards the dark silhouette. The dark silhouette, who had been playing a black short flute, was shocked to see this and hurriedly stopped playing, his hands moving quickly to form a seal. A surge of black Qi erupted from his body and then roared forth, forming a black fog wall on the ground in an instant to block the advancing blue ice. The blue ice crashed against the black fog wall. Icy coldness seeped into the wall, causing severe shaking, but it did not break. The dark silhouette breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this. However, at that moment, next to the black fog wall, a figure flickered, and Shen Luo''s form appeared like a ghostly specter, both palms pressing against the wall, with a surge of blue light on the surface of his palms. The surrounding extreme coldness suddenly intensified by more than double, instantly turning the fog wall into an ice wall, and the dark silhouette behind the wall, along with everything within hundreds of feet around him, was sealed in ice in an instant. Chapter 1274 Chapter 1274: Chapter 1271: Underworld Chapter 1274: Chapter 1271: Underworld Shen Luo looked at the dark silhouette encased in ice before him, not hesitating in the least as he opened his mouth to spit out. ¡°Hiss¡± A sharp golden light entered the blue ice, piercing through the layers without slowing down, and in the blink of an eye, it was before the dark silhouette, less than a foot away from its brow. Just as it seemed too late to react, a silver light flashed across the waist of the dark silhouette, and a silver jade pendant silently shattered, his entire figure vanishing instantly from the ice, reappearing on the other side of the void. At this moment, in the void surrounding Shen Luo, a multitude of extremely thin red threads appeared out of nowhere and swept towards Shen Luo with the speed of lightning. From afar, Shen Luo looked as if he were enveloped by a semi-transparent red sphere, which rapidly shrank with absolutely no way out. Upon closer inspection, these blood silks were writhing like living creatures and emanated an invisible suction force. The protective spiritual light around Shen Luo''s body dimmed quickly, and the mana within him became restless, spilling out wildly and getting absorbed by the blood silks. As the blood silk absorbed the mana, they began to swell like leeches. Although they still looked as thin as hair strands, their speed increased even more. Facing imminent entrapment, Shen Luo''s expression didn''t falter as he fiercely pointed at the golden light within the ice. The golden light instantly expanded into a golden giant stick a hundred feet long and seven or eight feet thick, breaking all the surrounding ice and striking where the dark silhouette had just stood with a heaven-shaking force. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± The ground cracked open a huge fissure, revealing a strange blood-red plant half the height of a man, which was affected by the tremendous force of the golden giant stick and burst into a red mush with a ¡°plop.¡± As the blood-red plant was destroyed by the Profound Yellow Staff, the red threads in the void seemed to have lost their source of life, withering and dying instantly, falling down like a rain of blood. ¡°I didn''t expect you could control such strange herbs from the netherworld,¡± Shen Luo said as a layer of spiritual light flared around him, keeping the withering red threads at bay, looking toward the dark silhouette in the distance. These blood silks were more than a hundred times finer than cow hair. Although their attack was not as direct as the Soul Refining Flower, it was exceptionally covert and eerie, undetectable even to divine sense. By the time it was discovered, it was often too late for the trapped person to do anything. Shen Luo had managed to detect the approaching blood silk using the exceptional insight of the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and launched a sudden attack, while the dark silhouette had deliberately spoken with him earlier to buy time for the blood silk to spread. The dark silhouette looked at Shen Luo, not speaking. Perhaps because he had previously released a large amount of Black Qi to counter the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, the black aura surrounding him was much thinner, revealing a pair of sparkling eyes, now filled with shock. It was uncertain whether he was shocked by Shen Luo''s divine powers or surprised that Shen Luo had spotted the blood silk and identified the plant that was activating them. ¡°Heh heh, I didn''t expect Your Excellency''s divine powers to be so formidable. Given that, you are worthy of the Devouring Stick. We shall meet again in the depths of the Mystical Cave where the treasure lies,¡± said the dark silhouette with a flash in his eyes and a light chuckle. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Then his entire figure turned into a dark shadow and merged into the void, vanishing without a trace. Shen Luo was startled by the dark silhouette''s abrupt departure, and by the time he reacted, the figure had already disappeared without a trace. ¡°` ¡°He''s leaving just like that? This person seems to have known about the array and the stone stele here, as well as the demonic artifact inside. I wonder who he is?¡± He was flooded with countless doubts. He had seen everyone who had come with him from Tianji City, even the group from the Yellow Sand Sect, and none among them had that strange aura mixed with Demonic Qi and mana. Was that person a monk who had come in from outside? Or perhaps one of Ghost Yan''s group? However, Shen Luo felt that the dark silhouette was probably not one of Ghost Yan''s group. The reason for this judgment was mainly because the person had shown surprise at his use of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. He had used the same technique before in Puppet City, so if that person was one of Ghost Yan''s group, they should have known he was capable of this technique. ¡°Could that person be the hidden mastermind behind the scenes?¡± Shen Luo suddenly thought of a possibility and his face showed worry. The dark silhouette had said this was the Array Eye, was determined to obtain the black magic wand, and even invited him to a treasure location deeper in the Mystical Cave. All these bizarre actions suggested he might have gotten himself entangled in big trouble. ¡°Forget it, it''s useless to think too much about it now, I''ll just take it one step at a time.¡± Shen Luo quickly shook his head, stopped worrying unnecessarily, swiftly collected all the valuable Yin attribute materials within the void underground, and then waved his hand. A blue silhouette shot out from the Qiankun Bag and landed on the ground nearby¨Cit was the Mirror Fiend he had just summoned. ¡°This place is dangerous, and with your strength, apart from creating mirror avatars, you can''t be of much use. I will send you back now,¡± said Shen Luo as he was about to prepare the Spirit Communicating Water Hole. ¡°I''m not afraid. Since becoming your spirit beast, Master has bestowed many benefits upon me, yet I''ve barely been of any use. Please, I beg you to let me stay this time. I can continue to hide in that bag and won''t be any trouble for you, Master,¡± the Mirror Fiend hurriedly spoke. ¡°The Qiankun Bag is filled with Yin Qi; can you endure it?¡± Shen Luo asked with some concern. ¡°I am inherently of the water attribute, and my resistance to Yin Qi is much greater than other attributes. Besides, I have the Treasure Mirror for protection,¡± said the Mirror Fiend, showing the blue mirror in its hand. ¡°Then, stay inside the Qiankun Bag to conserve your strength. When I need to use you later, I''ll summon you,¡± said Shen Luo, and with another wave of his hand, he took the Mirror Fiend back into the Qiankun Bag. The Mirror Fiend''s ability to create mirror avatars was very mysterious; it might be useful later on. He then activated the Escape Earth Talisman and the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and left the place. Shen Luo did not search for the previous passageway but instead traveled through the rock, guided by the mana imprint and constantly drawing closer to its direction. After almost half an hour, he emerged from the stone wall, looking ahead with a surprised expression. Before him was a vast underground cave, so immense that the stone wall at the top was out of sight, and so wide that he could not see its limits at a glance. If he had not been following the mana imprint, he might have mistook this place for the surface. ¡°I didn''t expect there to be a whole other world deep underground,¡± murmured Shen Luo, and then he continued moving forward, the location of his mana imprint still lying ahead. The ground here was relatively flat, covered with black rocks of varying sizes, jutting from the ground like teeth of a wolf, with not a blade of grass in sight, let alone insects or animals, giving it an extremely desolate appearance. Moreover, the deeper he ventured into the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, the thicker the Yin Qi became. The Yin Qi here was so dense it was bone-chillingly cold, and it greatly limited the spread of one''s Divine Sense. Despite the strength of Shen Luo''s Divine Soul, the range of his Divine Sense had spread only a little over two hundred feet here. Chapter 1275 Chapter 1275: Chapter 1272: Blackwater Chapter 1275: Chapter 1272: Blackwater ¡°` Shen Luo fell silent at his original spot for a moment, then continued to fly forward cautiously. This place was too eerie, and his Divine Sense could explore only a very small area, so his flight was very slow. After a quarter of an hour of careful flying, there was no change in the surroundings, nor were there any Yin Beasts attacking, which allowed him to relax slightly and consider increasing his speed. Just then, a rustling sound suddenly came from ahead, as if there was a water area. Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he increased his speed a little. A vast expanse of black water soon appeared ahead of him. This stretch of water was equally boundless, with the surface covered in clusters of Black Qi, giving it an almost surreal appearance. As he propelled his Escape Light to get closer for a better look, his mana suddenly stagnated. He found he couldn''t use it at all, and like a mortal, he plummeted from midair. Shen Luo was greatly alarmed. Just as he was about to fall into the black water below, his body twisted violently, bending into the shape of a shrimp, while his feet rapidly tapped on the void. Although his mana was oddly immobile, the strength gained from the Huangting Technique''s cultivation of his sturdy body remained. Tapping the void with his feet, he shot out at an angle and landed on the ground beside the water area. Shen Luo furrowed his brows slightly as he looked at the black water below. The water apparently had the effect of imprisoning mana; falling directly into it would definitely not be good. Once he had somewhat calmed down, he noticed that aside from being unable to use his mana, there were no other abnormalities. He did not rush to leave but instead took a closer look at the strange black water area in front of him. Now that he was closer, he could see the black water more clearly. It was much thicker than normal water, and not only did bubbles occasionally emerge from the bottom, but also a strange acidic scent wafted up to him. ¡°Is it corrosive?¡± Shen Luo picked up a long, stony rod from his feet and dipped one end into the black water. A few breaths later, he lifted the stone with one hand. The end of the stone that had been immersed in the black water had shrunk significantly, with nearly half of it corroded away. His eyes flickered. The stones on the ground had been eroded by Yin Qi for many years, altering their structure to become much harder than ordinary rocks, yet even they were corroded so quickly. Just as Shen Luo was about to examine it further, the black water in front of him exploded, and a red shadow shot out at incredible speed, heading straight for him. He was startled and forcefully pushed off the ground with his feet, using the force to retreat. But without the ability to use his mana, moving solely with the strength of his body meant he was much slower than when he used the Slanting Moon Steps or Body Shifting and Shadow Changing before¨Che barely managed to dodge the strike from the red shadow. Shen Luo then saw clearly that the red shadow was a dark red tendril, lined with two rows of suction cups, looking very similar to an octopus leg. However, before he could relax, three loud booms sounded, and the black water exploded again. Three identical large tendrils shot out and flew at him from different directions. Shen Luo tensed up, using both his hands and feet to barely dodge the first two tendrils, but the third one came down from the sky, swift and fierce. There seemed no way to avoid it. Suddenly, the Splitting Stone Step he had just seen on the Stone Stele flashed through his mind. Subconsciously, his body twisted left and right, his tendons and bones cracking loudly as his speed shot backwards almost tripled, allowing him to escape from below that tendril. There was a loud ¡°bang¡± as the tendril struck the ground, creating a massive pit several dozen feet deep. A glint of joy appeared in Shen Luo''s eyes. The Splitting Stone Step was indeed mysterious; even with the strength of his body alone, he had this kind of speed, not much slower than the Slanting Moon Steps or the Body Shifting and Shadow Changing. ¡°` His body had not yet adapted to the Splitting Stone Step, and the forced usage caused his muscles and bones to ache, but it didn''t significantly affect him. Just then, a low growl came from the black water, and the already grounded tendrils shot upward, the suction cups at their tips flashing red, suddenly shooting out dozens of slender tendrils at a speed much faster than the grabbing motion, which in a flash caught up to Shen Luo and tightly wrapped around his body. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo had not expected that the octopus tendrils had such divine powers, and he was about to struggle with all his might by using the strength of his body. A shadow shot out from Shen Luo''s waist, which was the Ghost General. In mid-air, a pitch-black sword glow burst forth from its hand. ¡°Ssh ssh¡± The tendrils that bound Shen Luo were severed at the sound, and the sword glow did not stop, flashing again and striking the red tendril. With a ¡°slish¡± sound, the tendril was nearly slashed in two, and copious amounts of blood spurted out, landing on the nearby ground, which immediately sizzled and corroded, forming black, charred pits. Piercing screams echoed from the black water as a huge octopus head slowly emerged, as large as a house, with two lantern-like blood-red eyes looking towards Shen Luo, filled with madness and craving. The intense malevolence made Shen Luo feel a chill, causing the hair on his back to stand, and he hurriedly retreated further away. The blood-red octopus kept its gaze on Shen Luo for a moment before slowly sinking back into the black water and disappearing. Only then did Shen Luo breathe a sigh of relief and turned to the Ghost General, ¡°You can still use mana?¡± He had already communicated with the Mirror Fiend through his divine soul; the fiend''s demon power was also sealed, and the Qiankun Bag had no blocking effect. ¡°Most of my ghost power is also bound, but I can still use some,¡± the Ghost General said, putting away the Black Ghost Knife in its hand. Shen Luo was somewhat surprised to hear that, with his current cultivation level, he could not resist the prohibition here at all. How could the Ghost General resist it? ¡°The prohibition here is likely 80% related to this black water. The water belongs to Yin, and the Ghost General has a Yin soul. Having awakened the Punishing Evil Divine Light and other divine powers, it''s normal for it to resist the prohibitions of this place.¡± Thinking thus in his heart, he took the Ghost General and moved further back. As they moved away from the black water, the surrounding prohibitive force began to weaken, and it was only when he had moved about thirty zhang away that he felt the invisible prohibitive force completely disappear. ¡°That mana imprint is still ahead, we have to find a way to cross this black water. I''ll attempt to fly over from high altitude. It''s good that you can use your power; stay by my side and protect me,¡± Shen Luo said to the Ghost General. ¡°Understood,¡± replied the Ghost General. Shen Luo was about to soar into the sky when he suddenly turned to look behind him, as a breath approached rapidly from there. His eyes moved, and he waved his hand to put the Ghost General into the Qiankun Bag. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing on his body flashed with blue light, and the Invisibility Talisman took effect, making him disappear from the spot in an instant. After a few breaths, a purple Escape Light came shooting through, mixed with strands of lightning, moving at an astonishing speed, and reached the vicinity in the blink of an eye. The person in the purple Escape Light also seemed to see the black water ahead, slowed down considerably, but still continued to fly forward, soon stepping into the range of the Black Water Ban. Like him just now, the Escape Light vanished in an instant, and a figure plummeted from mid-air like a stone. However, that person was also quite capable. Just as they lost their mana and fell, a pair of faint purple wings, several zhang in size, unfolded from their back with a whoosh, and like a giant bird gliding from the sky, they landed gently on the ground by the water. Only then did Shen Luo get a clear view of the person''s features and let out a light exclamation. This person was none other than Master Yan. Chapter 1276 Chapter 1276: Chapter 1273: One Against Four Chapter 1276: Chapter 1273: One Against Four Shen Luo looked at Master Yan, whose face was filled with astonishment. With a single hand forming a seal, he was about to reveal his presence and meet him, intending to warn him about the prohibition here and the ferocious beasts in the water. However, his gaze suddenly shifted and he looked behind him again. Master Yan also seemed to sense something and turned to look behind him as well. Several streaks of Escape Light appeared in the sky behind them, whistling through the air as they approached with considerable momentum. It was clear that the comers had high Cultivation levels. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, and he stopped casting his spell, darting into a nearby Stone Forest to hide. Master Yan, whose Mana had been restricted, was visibly panicked at the sight of so many monks arriving. However, he was quick-witted and immediately guessed that the restriction of Mana was related to the Black Water in front, hastily retreating backward. He quickly moved out of the range of the Black Water Ban, and his Mana returned to normal. But by then, those streaks of Escape Light were already close by. It was too late to cast a spell to hide his presence, so he simply stood there, waiting to see who had arrived. In Mid Air, the several streaks of Escape Light nearly simultaneously stopped a few zhang away from the Black Water Ban. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hiding nearby, Shen Luo couldn''t help but squint his eyes; the exact spot where these people stopped was too coincidental. Could it be that they already knew about the Black Water Ban? The Escape Light faded, revealing the silhouettes of five individuals: it was Huangsha Gate Yuan Ming, Tortoise Sect Elder Zhong, Thick Earth Sect''s burly Man Lin, Beast-Control Sect Lady in Green, and the man known as Demon Heart, all five of them. Seeing them, Shen Luo''s brow furrowed. He didn''t pay much mind to the people from the Yellow Sand Sect and the Divine Tortoise Sect, but the presence of Demon Heart was worrying. This individual was at the Late True Immortal Stage, as well as the Vice Village Chief of the Demon King Fort. His Skills and Demonic Treasures were certainly extraordinary, and Shen Luo was not confident that he could handle him. Master Yan, upon seeing these five individuals, also had a change in expression. ¡°Disciples of Tianji City? They''ve actually made it here, but that saves us the trouble. Capture him,¡± Demon Heart said in a flat tone after sizing up Master Yan with a glance and waving his hand. Yuan Ming, Elder Zhong, and the others responded with a cry and swooped down on Master Yan like eagles preying on their catch. Seeing this, Master Yan immediately leaped backward while rubbing his hands together. Two gold and two green Round Pearls shot out, rapidly enlarging and instantly transforming into four sets of Armor. The two Golden ones were the same Golden Giant Ape Armor he had used before, while the two Green Armors were somewhat peculiar, in humanoid form and holding a Large Green Bow like two archer Generals. However, their bodies were covered with green bone Spikes, resembling porcupines. Master Yan darted into one of the Golden Giant Ape Armors, and in a blink, both Giants vanished on the spot. The next moment, before Yuan Ming and Elder Zhong a flash of Golden Light appeared, and the two sets of Giant Ape Armor materialized out of nowhere. Their speed was unbelievably fast; their four huge fists struck fiercely at the two. With a ¡°boom,¡± The fists of the Giant Ape Armor instantly shone dazzlingly with Golden Light, as if they were cast from pure gold, and the sound of thunder rumbled faintly along with the passing of their fists. The two Green Armors also simultaneously drew their Large Green Bows, and the Large Arrows the thickness of an arm were placed upon them. Green Light surged over the Bow and Arrows, shining like two small suns, and then two Green Arrows transformed into two long rainbows, flashing across a distance of dozens of zhang and appeared before the burly Man Lin and the Green-clothed Young Woman, aiming straight at their chests. Yuan Ming and the others didn''t expect Master Yan to dare to take the initiative to attack while facing four opponents, and their reactions lagged for a split-second before they managed to defend themselves. Yuan Ming brought out a Yellow scarf which fluttered and turned into a thick barrier of sand with countless grains of sand swirling, blocking in front of him. The Divine Tortoise Sect elder surnamed Zhong flipped his hand, and a turtle-back token flew out from his grasp. It surged in size, transforming into a black and white light curtain that shielded his body. The Thick Earth Sect''s burly man surnamed Lin brought forth the large shield from his back to guard himself; the Beast-Control Sect Lady in Green flicked her fragrant sleeve, and two pitch-black giant pythons shot out from the spirit beast bag around her waist. Each one was over a dozen meters long, their bodies covered in thick scales, with a pair of flesh wings growing on their backs, embodying the epitome of rough and tough as they positioned themselves in front of her. With ¡°boom,¡± ¡°boom,¡± ¡°boom,¡± ¡°boom¡± four colossal collision sounds, Yuan Ming, the elder Zhong, and the burly man Lin shuddered as their Magical Treasures trembled violently, and their bodies were sent reeling backward. As for the Green-clothed Young Woman, one of her pitch-black giant pythons was suddenly pierced through by a green giant crossbow, evidently not going to survive, while the other suffered serious injuries as well. Infuriated, the Green-clothed Young Woman flipped her hand to summon the five-color folding fan she held. With her hands performing a spell gesture, the folding fan instantly grew tenfold, becoming a giant five-color fan, about to strike the Golden Giant Ape Armor where Master Yan was situated. But at that very moment, the four armors suddenly abandoned their respective targets and all lunged at the Divine Tortoise Sect elder Zhong. The two green armors shuddered, causing a loud tearing noise in the nearby space. The dense bone spikes all over their bodies dislodged, transforming into a skyful of crossbow bolts that shot towards elder Zhong, enclosing his body within them. The two Giant Ape Armors swung their fists into the void, and immediately four house-sized Golden Fist Shadows shot out like lightning, aiming straight for elder Zhong. Startled, elder Zhong surged all his Mana into the black and white light curtain around him. Seeing this scene, the other three were shocked and hastily extended their assistance. Yuan Ming opened his mouth to spit out two beams of Yellow Light. They were two archaic-looking yellow short halberds, emitting terrifying fluctuations of spiritual energy as they streaked like meteors towards the four Golden Fist Shadows. The burly man Lin also slapped the large shield in front of his body, which flashed urgently with Yellow Light before spewing out dozens of crescent-shaped Light Blades that blanketed the sky towards the bone spike attacks of the two green armors. The Green-clothed Young Woman, in fact, was the first to act, exhaling a ball of white light into the giant five-color fan. Instantly, a torrent of five-color dense fog erupted from the fan and rolled towards the Giant Ape Armor where Master Yan was present. However, at that moment, a white Light Pillar suddenly burst from the unmanned Giant Ape Armor, shooting straight into the sky, and radiating concentric circles of white light waves all around. The attacks from Yuan Ming, the burly man Lin, and the Green-clothed Young Woman unexpectedly shifted directions, all striking the Giant Ape Armor in the white light. The two yellow short halberds pierced the Giant Ape Armor with a ¡°puchi¡± sound, the burly man Lin''s Yellow Light Blades left a dense array of slashes on the surface of the armor, and the Green-clothed Young Woman''s colorful dense fog ¡ª which was poison mist ¡ª hit the unmanned armor but had no effect. At this moment, the four armors'' attacks also heavily struck elder Zhong with a series of loud bangs. Although elder Zhong''s black and white light curtain was extraordinary, it shattered after flickering wildly a few times when struck by the four armors, each not inferior in strength to him. The turtle-back token in elder Zhong''s hand also snapped into two with a ¡°crack,¡± and he was struck by a Golden Fist Shadow, spouting blood as he was sent flying backward. A flash of Golden Light passed behind him, and a Golden Giant Ape Armor appeared like a ghostly specter. It stretched out two hands, from which ten Golden Ropes shot forth, instantly wrapping around elder Zhong''s body and swiftly binding him into a golden zongzi. The chest and abdomen of the Giant Ape Armor made a ¡°crackling¡± noise as it split open a fracture about a meter long, resembling a gaping maw that swallowed elder Zhong. The consecutive attacks were as fast as lightning; Master Yan, facing four opponents, had actually gained the upper hand. Chapter 1277 Chapter 1277: Chapter 1274: Weak Water Chapter 1277: Chapter 1274: Weak Water Not far away, Demon Heart''s expression darkened as his arm quivered, and a pitch-black Demon Spear suddenly appeared in his hand. The surface of the Demon Spear was wrapped in black light, with mists swirling around it as if evil ghosts were lurking within. Following a sweep of Demon Heart''s arm, the Demon Spear flew from his hand, hurled in the direction of Master Yan. The Demon Spear had only traveled a short distance when its black light flashed, causing it to vanish from the void, only to reappear in the blink of an eye in front of the Giant Ape Armor, stabbing viciously towards its abdomen. However, at that moment, a Treasure Light-shining Golden Staff also shot out from the void beside the Armor, striking the black Demon Spear with the force of splitting mountains and parting seas. A thunderous boom reverberated, as gold and black gleams burst forth, engulfing everything in the vicinity. The moment they touched, they separated; the black Demon Spear was sent flying away, and the Golden Staff also flew back in retreat. The shadow of a figure flashed with Golden Light, appearing out of nowhere to catch the Staff, and with a gentle sway of his body, he stood firm. ¡°Brother Shen, it''s you!¡± Master Yan''s voice, surprised and delighted, came from within the Giant Ape Armor, and the golden Ape opened its large mouth to swallow the old man surnamed Zhong. Seeing this scene, Demon Heart was enraged and with a flip of his hand, a blood-colored blade shadow flashed across his palm. Shen Luo''s mind flashed with the image of the Blood Devil Saber previously drawn by this demon, and his heart chilled as he immediately shot towards the Black Water Ban. Master Yan, having captured the old man surnamed Zhong, also immediately retreated in the direction of the Black Water. Before they retreated far, a blood light flashed in front of them, and a blood-colored ribbon, several tens of feet long, thundered towards them. The two felt an overwhelming stench of blood assault their senses, nauseating and unbearable, and the essence blood within their bodies was drawn to it, threatening to burst out and merge into the blood-colored ribbon. Shen Luo was startled and held out his Profound Yellow Staff, which shone brightly with Golden Light as he struck forward. At the same time, a Thousand Cup Golden Goblet appeared above his head, bursting with Golden Light to protect his entire body. The Giant Ape Armor where Master Yan was located also shone brightly, instantly forming a massive light shield in front of it, while two other blue armors flew out to shield in front of the Giant Ape Armor. No sooner had they done this than the blood-colored ribbon surged forth, engulfing their bodies. Two loud ¡°bang¡± ¡°bang¡± sounds were heard! Shen Luo and the Giant Ape Armor were shot out from the sea of blood light, landing about ten feet away from the Black Water. The Giant Ape Armor''s arms were crossed in front of its body, yet they were severed at the elbows, and a deep gash that penetrated halfway into its chest was visible as it staggered backward. Shen Luo seemed to be unharmed; he held the Profound Yellow Staff horizontally behind the Giant Ape, promptly halting its stumbling retreat. They were close to the Black Water here, and the Mana within his body was once again restricted, causing the Spiritual Light on the Profound Yellow Staff to dissipate entirely. The brilliance on the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet also vanished, reverting to its original form as a golden cup, which dropped to the ground with a ¡°thud.¡± The sheet of blood light surged forward as if wanting to pursue them, but after advancing only a few feet, it began to tremble, showing signs of collapse, and then came to a halt before rushing back like a whale sucking in water, returning to Demon Heart''s hand and transforming into a Blood-colored Long Knife, the very Blood Devil Saber. With the blood light dispersed, the two blue armors were revealed, now cut in half at the waist, their Spiritual Light utterly extinguished. Demon Heart watched Shen Luo and the Giant Ape Armor, his eyes flashing with cold light, but he did not continue his attack. Yuan Ming and the others were outmaneuvered by Master Yan, and there was nothing they could do about Shen Luo and Master Yan, who had retreated next to the Black Water. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shen Luo looked at the Giant Ape Armor. ¡°I''m fine, thank you Brother Yan for coming to the rescue.¡± The Giant Ape Armor''s abdomen made a ¡°clack¡± sound, and a hole split open from which Yan Wushi and the Zhong surnamed elder fell out. The body of the Zhong surnamed elder was still bound by numerous Golden Ropes, his mana was also restricted, and he couldn''t struggle free. That Giant Ape Armor then collapsed on the ground with a thunderous sound and stopped moving completely. ¡°It''s a small matter, the real trouble is yet to come. Do you know where this place is, Brother Yan? Do you know the source of the restraining power?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand dismissively and asked telepathically. Here, the prohibition didn''t affect Divine Sense; transmitting messages through Divine Sense was still possible. ¡°I''m not sure either, but I suspect it has something to do with this pitch-black Water Area.¡± Yan Wushi replied telepathically. He knew things were difficult, which is why he had taken the risk of capturing the Zhong surnamed elder as a hostage just now. ¡°I think so too, this black water is indeed strange, possessing powerful corrosive forces, and there are also huge Ferocious Beasts living in the water. I arrived here a bit earlier than Brother Yan and almost got dragged down by an octopus-like ferocious beast,¡± Shen Luo cautioned. Yan Wushi, hearing these words, looked back at the black water with a slightly shocked expression and nodded seriously. ¡°How did you end up here, Brother Yan? And what about Elder Mei and the other Daoist friends from Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo then asked. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder Mei and I were scattered by those Yin Beasts. I wandered around the Mystical Cave by myself and somehow ended up here. I have no idea how the other fellow disciples are faring,¡± Yan Wushi said with a worried expression. Shen Luo let out an ''oh'' and looked at Demon Heart and the others, asking no further questions. ¡°Elder, what do we do now?¡± On the other side, Yuan Ming approached Demon Heart and cautiously telepathically asked. ¡°A bunch of useless trash, four against one disciple of Tianji City, and they still let that old man Zhong get captured!¡± Demon Heart replied with telepathic criticism. Yuan Ming and the others knew they had botched the job and kept their heads down, not daring to speak. Demon Heart reprimanded the three of them and no longer paid them any attention, instead rapidly considering his options as he looked towards Shen Luo and Yan Wushi. ¡°Both of you have impressive powers, much stronger than these three good-for-nothings behind me. The black-robed Daoist friend is a disciple of Tianji City, but from which sect does Your Excellency hail? To emerge unscathed from a strike of my Blood Devil Saber, you must also be of a renowned lineage, right?¡± After some contemplation, Demon Heart suddenly sheathed the Blood Devil Saber, stepped forward, and gave Shen Luo a salute from afar with a smile, asking. Yuan Ming and the others widened their eyes at this scene. ¡°I am Shen Luo, a monk from the Great Tang, from a small sect, not worth mentioning. I wonder, Elder Demon Heart, why did you attack Brother Yan?¡± Shen Luo, sensing Demon Heart''s sudden change of attitude, was unsure of his intent and retorted with a question. ¡°So you''re a monk from the Eastern Great Tang, truly a distinguished person unlike any other. As for why I captured this Daoist friend from Tianji City, I meant no harm. You two also came here for that great treasure inside the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, didn''t you? Alas, without crossing this Weak Water Sea, all is in vain,¡± spoke Demon Heart casually. Shen Luo, upon hearing this, remained composed, but his heart was full of tumult. So, this black water behind him was Weak Water. He cultivated the Nameless Cultivation Technique, which expounded on the way of all waters; naturally, he knew what Weak Water was¨Cthe darkest and most poisonous among all waters, rumored to be hidden in the deepest parts of the Nine Nether Palace, capable of eroding everything, even the Divine Soul. He hadn''t expected to find it here. And beyond this Weak Water was the great treasure of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. From what Demon Heart implied, he seemed to have a way to cross these black waters, which both alarmed and excited Shen Luo! Upon hearing all this, Yan Wushi was also greatly shocked. Chapter 1278 Chapter 1278: Chapter 1275 Two Problems Chapter 1278: Chapter 1275 Two Problems ¡°Elder, did you target Brother Yan because you wanted to cross this Weak Water?¡± Shen Luo asked calmly. ¡°To be honest, we did not intend to be enemies with Tianji City. We are here solely to obtain the treasure within the depths of the Mystical Cave. Earlier, our action was, in fact, an attempt to use Brother Yan''s mechanism art to cross the Weak Water. Now that we are all blocked here, instead of fighting to the death, why not join hands to seek the treasure together? Wouldn''t that be more wonderful? By capturing Brother Zhong and not killing him, you must also not want to completely break with us, right?¡± Demon Heart nodded noncommittally and said with a smile. Shen Luo thought back to what Demon Heart had said when he first appeared to Master Yan. It seemed that there was indeed an intention to use Master Yan, rather than to act against Tianji City. He glanced at Master Yan, who gave a slight nod, signaling for Shen Luo to make the decision. ¡°It goes without saying that with your noble origins and profound cultivation, we naturally do not wish to offend you. As for the proposal of joining forces, I have two doubts. If you can clarify them for me, we might be able to discuss further,¡± Shen Luo said after pondering for a moment. ¡°Please ask, Daoist friend,¡± Demon Heart said, his expression unchanging. ¡°My first question is, how does the elder plan to use mechanism arts to cross the Weak Water? Here we are unable to utilize mana and can only rely on boats. However, I believe any vessel put into the water would soon corrode and dissolve, right?¡± Shen Luo posed this question. ¡°Even if you had not asked, I would have explained shortly. It''s true that this Weak Water can erode anything, but everything in this world has its counter. Not all things can be eroded by Weak Water. This Xuan Yin Bamboo is one such thing.¡± Demon Heart waved his sleeve, and a pile of green bamboo surrounded by Yin Qi appeared on the ground beside him. Shen Luo looked at the bamboo on the ground with a slightly furrowed brow. He had never heard of this bamboo before, and aside from the dense Yin Qi around them, the bamboo seemed unremarkable, which made him inwardly skeptical. Noticing Shen Luo''s expression, Demon Heart bent down, picked up a bamboo stick, and tossed it into the Weak Water. The bamboo floated on the surface of the water, drifting with the current. A quarter of an hour passed, and it showed no signs of dissolving, remaining steadily afloat. ¡°It seems I was ignorant; this bamboo indeed resists the Weak Water. My second question is, you all seem quite familiar with this place. Could it be that you have been here before?¡± Shen Luo nodded and then asked. Upon hearing this, Demon Heart did not immediately respond but instead looked toward Yuan Ming beside him. ¡°I will answer this question. My adoptive father had not been here before; his presence here today is at my invitation,¡± Yuan Ming stepped forward and said. ¡°Oh, has Sect Leader Yuan been here before?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched. ¡°I have not been to this place either. Our knowledge of this place all comes from our sect master. Hundreds of years ago, he had been here and learned about the nature of this Weak Water. After searching for hundreds of years, our Yellow Sand Sect finally found this Xuan Yin Bamboo that can float on Weak Water at a very remote Thorn Ridge, from a person claiming to be the Cloud-brushing Elder,¡± Yuan Ming explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo uttered, but only he knew how much he truly believed. He had asked Demon Heart two questions, not because he really wanted to know the answers; after all, it was too easy for Demon Heart and the others to lie, and he had no way to verify the truth. The main reason he suggested the exchange was to ease the tension between the two parties and give both sides an out. He had to get across that Weak Water, where the mana imprint was. As for the treasure, Shen Luo didn''t take it too seriously. ¡°What Yuan Ming has said must be true. Two to three hundred years ago, various sects of the Boundless Sand Sea took advantage of the weakening Nine Nether Yin Wind to explore the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. At that time, our Tianji City was led by the Nameless Elder, who lost his legs during that exploration. As for the Yellow Sand Sect, it was Sect Leader Yuan''s master, the Yellow Sand Master, who entered the Mystical Cave that year, but after he came out, he mysteriously disappeared without a trace,¡± Master Yan''s voice echoed in Shen Luo''s mind. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo nodded slightly. ¡°Now that we''ve answered the two questions from Daoist friend, what about the previously mentioned matter of joining forces?¡± Demon Heart asked again. ¡°Since I have already promised Elder, I naturally will not go back on my word. However, Elder Demon Heart, you possess profound cultivation, and given our prior unpleasant encounters, to strengthen mutual trust, this Brother Zhong must stay in our hands. We will return him to you after we get across the Weak Water. Fellow cultivators, do you have any objections?¡± Shen Luo said as he grabbed the old man with the surname Zhong. ¡°Haha, Daoist friend is too modest. Even if I were to exert my full strength, with Daoist friend''s strength and the help from this Tianji City friend, would I, Demon, do such a foolish act?¡± Demon Heart laughed heartily. ¡°If we are to join forces and cross the Weak Water, you wouldn''t mind adding another Daoist friend, would you?¡± Shen Luo smiled noncommittally and then suddenly changed the topic. Not only Yuan Ming, but Demon Heart too was taken aback upon hearing this. ¡°Since Daoist friend has come, why hide in secrecy?¡± Shen Luo turned his head towards another part of the Stone Forest nearby. ¡°Who is lurking over there!¡± Demon Heart shouted, and before his words had faded away, several black Demon Fires had already shot out from his hand, striking the Stone Forest with the speed of thunder. Suddenly, the previously empty Stone Forest darkened and a dark silhouette emerged, swallowing all the black Demon Fires, then a figure in black appeared¨Cit was the mysterious dark silhouette that had fought with Shen Luo earlier. Shen Luo was not at all surprised by this person''s appearance. While he was clashing with Demon Heart and the others just now, this dark silhouette had quietly approached, hiding nearby. This person''s ability to conceal their spirit was indeed impressive, but Shen Luo had just fought a great battle with him, and had already memorized his breath with the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. Thus, the moment the dark silhouette approached, he immediately noticed. ¡°Your Excellency is which sect''s cultivator? Why conceal yourself nearby?¡± sensing the True Immortal Stage cultivation and the strange breath of the dark silhouette, Demon Heart asked in a cold voice. ¡°Hehe, I am but a nameless freelance cultivator who heard that the Nine Nether Yin Wind in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave has weakened. I came here to seek treasures, and unexpectedly met all of you. It''s my good fortune, indeed.¡± The dark silhouette said with a hoarse chuckle. ¡°A freelance cultivator¡­¡± Demon Heart sneered inwardly, obviously disbelieving. Which freelance cultivator could possess True Immortal Stage cultivation? However, the breath of this person was strange, and he couldn''t figure out which sect''s high-ranking cultivator he might be. ¡°I am very interested in the situation on the other side of the Weak Water. As Brother Shen has said, would you mind adding one more person for this journey?¡± The dark silhouette glanced at Shen Luo and smiled. ¡°This black-clothed Daoist friend is powerful. Not only are we crossing the Weak Water, but we also have to fend off ferocious beasts in the water. Having an extra person means more strength. Elder Demon Heart surely won''t refuse, right?¡± Shen Luo chimed in from the side. Demon Heart had a large number of people on his side with strong capabilities. Even with Elder Zhong in hand as a hostage, Shen Luo did not feel reassured. Bringing this dark silhouette into the fold would muddle the waters, forcing Demon Heart to split his attention and not act rashly against him and Master Yan. As for whether Demon Heart would join forces with the dark silhouette, Shen Luo wasn''t worried. The dark silhouette was extremely interested in the Devouring Stick he held. With this trump card in hand, Shen Luo believed the dark silhouette wouldn''t dare to act recklessly. Moreover, even if Demon Heart and the others did attack, Shen Luo wasn''t afraid. From the situation just now, he knew that the seal''s capability of the Weak Water was equally effective against the members of the Demon Clan like Demon Heart; on the water, everyone would be in a state without mana. He had cultivated the Huangting Technique, and his physical strength was formidable. This advantage would give him the upper hand in a struggle. Plus, with the Ghost General by his side, if Demon Heart and the others truly attacked them, who would win and who would lose was still unknown! Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1279 Chapter 1279: Chapter 1276: Sailing Across the Water Chapter 1279: Chapter 1276: Sailing Across the Water ¡°Haha, our common enemy right now is Weak Water and those ferocious beasts. This daoist friend possesses profound strength; with his help, our efforts will greatly benefit. Demon Heart naturally wouldn''t refuse,¡± said the Demon Heart, his gaze shifting as he laughed heartily. Shen Luo, seeing Demon Heart''s straightforwardness, couldn''t help but secretly admire his cunning decisiveness. Had their roles been reversed, he might not have been able to act so decisively with all his reservations. Since the matter was settled, the group immediately set to work, cooperating to build a large boat for crossing the river. Master Yan was an expert in mechanism arts and was undoubtedly the leader at this time. Yuan Ming also had some knowledge of constructing mechanisms and helped by his side. As for the others who couldn''t contribute, they spread out to keep watch for any possible attacks by Yin beasts. Fortunately, those Yin beasts never appeared; it was unknown whether they were afraid of the black water and didn''t dare to approach or had gone elsewhere. After half a day, a seven- or eight-foot-long sailing boat appeared on the bank of Weak Water. The boat was entirely green, with a layer of Xuan Yin Bamboo densely covering the exterior; the interior, however, was made of other materials. Although Xuan Yin Bamboo could resist erosion by Weak Water, it wasn''t particularly strong and couldn''t withstand attacks from beasts in the water; hence, it needed to be reinforced with other materials. On either side of the large boat, two waterwheel-like mechanisms were installed, connected to a lever inside the cabin. They were acceleration devices added to the boat using Tianji City''s mechanism arts by Master Yan. ¡°These four waterwheels are called Big Wind Wheels, placed atop the boat, can greatly speed up its forward momentum. Originally, they were driven by the power of arrays, but now that all mana is restrained by Weak Water, we can only rely on manpower to operate them,¡± explained Master Yan as he pointed to the levers. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo and the others nodded in understanding, then together pushed the boat into the water and boarded. Here the wind was quite strong; with the help of the wind, three big banners at the front, middle, and rear of the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat puffed up immediately, rapidly heading for the opposite shore. However, everyone on the boat couldn''t help but feel apprehensive. They were all individuals with high levels of cultivation in the outside world; they could traverse sky and sea, fly to the heavens and burrow into the earth, almost omnipotent. Faced with even greater dangers, they could respond with ease. But now, with their mana restricted, except that their Divine Sense could still operate to a degree, they were nearly as vulnerable as ordinary mortals¨Cin a situation where a single minor spell could be lethal to them. Nevertheless, they were all people with resolute wills. Having set their goal, despite the hardships, none chose to give up. With several trump cards in hand, Shen Luo felt relatively at ease as he looked towards a dark silhouette not far away. The dark silhouette''s mana was sealed too, and the Black Qi around him had completely dissipated, but he was still wrapped in a black robe and his true face remained hidden. That black robe was naturally no ordinary item; even Divine Sense couldn''t penetrate it, which was somewhat disappointing to Shen Luo. After everyone boarded, they were allocated tasks. Yuan Ming, the man surnamed Lin, the black-robed person, and Shen Luo each forcefully turned a Big Wind Wheel. The wheels spun rapidly, churning the water surface and further increasing the speed of the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat. As for the rest, they stood on both sides of the railing, with Demon Heart taking the lead, staying alert for any ferocious beasts that might approach. The boat quickly covered several miles, and the ground behind disappeared from sight. ¡°Don''t spare your strength; take advantage of the absence of ferocious beasts and advance with all your might to reach the opposite shore as quickly as possible,¡± bellowed Demon Heart in a deep voice. The others didn''t hold back, and the boat, like a whale, rode the wind and waves, pressing forward swiftly. Shen Luo turned the lever with one hand. This apparatus might seem heavy for others, but for him, it was as easy as turning tinder, effortless. While he operated the Big Wind Wheel, his Divine Sense spread out, staying vigilant of the surroundings at all times. The impression left by that octopus beast before was profoundly deep. If it were to appear again, even with the many people on the boat, they might not be able to handle it. ¡°Be careful, from the left front!¡± Demon Heart''s shout shattered the calm. Shen Luo immediately looked towards the front-left, his Divine Sense also probing the area, yet he sensed nothing. But two breaths later, the Weak Water in that direction started to churn, and a ferocious beast entered his sensing range. It was a shark monstrosity measuring twenty or thirty feet in length, with a fin like a spear protruding out of the water, lunging towards him with extraordinary speed. A single flick of its tail allowed it to leap forward by several yards. Upon seeing that it was a shark monstrosity, Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief. At the same time, he gauged the range of Demon Heart''s Divine Sense probing based on the speed of this shark monstrosity; it was around three hundred yards, considerably wider than his own. The green-clothed young woman from the Beast Control Sect was standing on the front-left of the large boat. Upon seeing this, she opened her mouth and let out a strange cry. A swarm of yellow insects flew out from a Spirit Beast Bag at her waist, swarming over the protruding fin and began to devour it rapidly. The shark monstrosity in the water let out a cry of agony and suddenly dove back into the depths. Once the insect swarm touched the Weak Water, they immediately dissolved into pus, and the other insects hurriedly flew up. The woman, who had no spirit insects that could withstand the Weak Water, was left with no recourse in this situation. Shen Luo stood near the green-clothed young woman, picked up a spear about a yard long from the ground near his feet, and threw it with all his might. He had nearly a hundred such spears lying at his feet, which he had made from some materials he possessed before boarding the boat. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the spear turned into a dark and cold shadow, accompanied by a dull whistling as it plunged into the water, striking the shark monstrosity with precision and piercing through its body. The shark let out a shrill scream, struggled a few times, and then became motionless, slowly rising to the surface of the water. This monstrosity was smaller in size, its life force nowhere near that of the giant octopus. Shen Luo waved his hand, and a stream of golden light shot out from his grasp. It was a Golden Rope that coiled around the shark monstrosity''s corpse and hauled it aboard. The corpse of this monstrosity was apparently not fearful of Weak Water and was worth studying. ¡°Friend Shen has impressive strength. To be able to execute such a fierce attack without using Mana is admirable!¡± Demon Heart said in praise after witnessing this scene. The others looked at Shen Luo with various expressions, some shocked, others wary. ¡°I was born with a bit more strength, how can I compare to the peerless God''s Power of Demon King Fort?¡± Shen Luo replied casually. ¡°Daoist friend is being modest. In our Demon King Fort, we also have clansmen who specialize in body refinement, but compared to Friend Shen, they fall quite short. With Brother Shen here, our safety is even more assured,¡± Demon Heart said with a smile. Shen Luo just smiled faintly and said nothing more. The large boat continued to advance. Encountering the shark monstrosity seemed to have started a trend because after that, every now and then, they would be attacked by one or two ferocious beasts. Fortunately, the beasts that came were not too strong. Everyone was well-prepared, and they either killed or repelled every one of them successively. The methods used by everyone were diverse. Master Yan wielded an attacking-type Armor that operated solely on mechanisms, Yuan Ming held a Blood-red Gourd, from which a stream of blood-red sand and gravel, extremely toxic, would be flung out to dissolve the bodies of those monstrosities upon contact. The Thick Earth Sect''s Lin, though obese, was very strong. Like Shen Luo, he had placed a pile of javelins at his feet and attacked the ferocious beasts by throwing them. The green-clothed young woman from the Beast Control Sect relied on various insects and birds for her attacks. Unfortunately, the Weak Water below was extremely toxic, and these creatures could not endure it, leaving her powerless when the monstrosities submerged themselves, rendering her attacks insufficient. What Shen Luo found most intriguing were the actions of the black-robed person and Demon Heart. Whenever a ferocious beast approached the black-robed silhouette, the person would scatter a handful of strange black seeds, which, upon contact with the beast''s body, immediately merged into it, then rapidly grew inside the beast, ripping its body from the inside out. As for Demon Heart''s attacking method, it was even more astonishing. With a flick of his fingers, a thin black line would shoot out, extending twenty or thirty feet away. Within this range, any beast that so much brushed against these black lines would be cleaved in half. Chapter 1280 Chapter 1280: Chapter 1277 Cooperation Chapter 1280: Chapter 1277 Cooperation Time flew swiftly by, and Shen Luo and his party had been sailing on the Weak Water for over half an hour. ¡°According to our sect''s records, we have already covered about half the journey. Just a little bit longer and we will reach the opposite bank!¡± Yuan Ming said, trying to boost everyone''s morale. Although no one responded, the tension in their hearts eased slightly upon hearing his words. The Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat continued to advance rapidly, and for a full quarter of an hour, they did not encounter a single ferocious beast. ¡°It''s been so long without running into any ferocious beasts; it seems we''re in luck. Let''s put in some extra effort; we''ll reach our destination soon!¡± The man surnamed Lin said happily. ¡°On the contrary, the ferocious beasts in Weak Water each have their own territory, and the stronger the beast, the larger its domain. It seems we have intruded into the territory of a formidable creature,¡± said Yuan Ming with a solemn expression and serious tone. The man surnamed Lin was taken aback by his words. Others also felt a chill in their hearts upon hearing this. Just as Yuan Ming finished speaking, a whining sound came from the distance, approaching rapidly. ¡°Here it comes!¡± Master Yan''s gaze sharpened as he suddenly looked toward the source of the sound. After a few breaths, a diameter of hundred feet of murky fog appeared in everyone''s sight, and the whining sound became clear. It was the sound of sobbing that overlapped in layers, as though hundreds of people were crying at the same time, extremely eerie and giving everyone goosebumps. ¡°Hundred Cry Beast!¡± Yuan Ming''s expression drastically changed, revealing a hint of despair in his eyes. ¡°Is this beast very fearsome?¡± inquired Master Yan. Although he was a strong entity at the Late True Immortal Stage, his strength was almost the same as everyone else''s on the Weak Water. ¡°The Hundred Cry Beast is a dominant force in Weak Water. It not only possesses super strength but can also manipulate the Weak Water to attack. If we still had our mana, it wouldn''t be a big problem. Given the current situation, our chances are slim; everyone, fight for your lives!¡± Yuan Ming looked as grim as could be. Upon hearing that, the faces of the others turned ashen as well. Shen Luo also frowned, considering whether to use the Ghost General. ¡°Friend Shen, the Hundred Cry Beast is no trivial matter. If it destroys the boat, we''ll have nowhere to bury ourselves when we die. Now is not the time to hide your capabilities,¡± the voice of the black-robed person suddenly rang in Shen Luo''s ears. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and asked in return. ¡°I know that your Ghost Pet has an innate talent that allows it to use God''s Power even on this Weak Water. I have a treasure specifically designed to counter this beast. What do you say to us joining forces to kill it?¡± the black-robed person proposed. Shen Luo was startled by these words. The black-robed person had not yet appeared when the Ghost General had wounded the octopus beast earlier. How did he know that the Ghost General was not affected by the constraints of Weak Water? ¡°Oh, what treasure do you have? Can it truly kill the beast?¡± Although surprised, Shen Luo kept his composure and communicated telepathically. The situation was dire, and Shen Luo was already inclined to let the Ghost General act. If the black-robed person could help him, it would naturally be a good thing. ¡°Of course. However, after killing the beast, there is one thing on its body that I must have. The rest of the things will be yours,¡± the black-robed person stated, changing the tone of the conversation. Hearing these terms, a flicker of intrigue passed through Shen Luo''s eyes. The black fog moved swiftly and, in an instant, engulfed the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat, shrouding the boat within it. Two chilling gazes emanated from the depths of the fog, looking toward the people on the boat. Shen Luo and the others felt as if they had been pierced through the chest by swords and spears, the hairs on their backs standing on end. The beast in the fog was entirely different from all the ferocious beasts they had encountered before. As the distance closed, Shen Luo and his group''s Divine Sense also detected the true form of the beast in the fog: a half-human, half-fish monster. Its body was over thirty feet long, its head resembled that of a woman, and shockingly, there were six pitch-black arms growing under its ribs. Four of those arms were both thick and long, reaching a length of up to fifteen feet, shimmering with a metallic gloss, exhibiting super strength. The last two arms, however, were similar to those of normal humans, pale and delicate, each holding something. One appeared to be a black tree branch, while the other was a black sphere, both looking like treasures. ¡°Attack together!¡± Demon Heart shouted, taking the initiative while the Hundred Cry Beast was still observing them. The black line shot out like a bolt of lightning, piercing into the black fog with unbelievable speed. Yuan Ming and the others also made their full-powered attacks, launching a rain of poison sand, javelins, flying insects, and seeds towards the Hundred Cry Beast inside the black fog. The Hundred Cry Beast, taken aback, hastily tried to dodge. However, the black line from Demon Heart was too fast, and one of the beast''s arms was still slashed by it, leaving a deep wound that nearly cut the limb in two. The beast let out an angry roar of shock and fear, waving all six arms at once. The black tree branch in its hand lit up with a surge of black light. The surrounding Weak Water churned violently, suddenly rising into high waves that mercilessly crashed towards the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat, threatening to engulf it completely. Master Yan leaped to the bow of the boat and violently slapped a certain spot, triggering a mechanism with a series of urgent clicking sounds. The Big Wind Wheels on the sides of the boat began to spin rapidly, emitting howling sounds. With the power of the Big Wind Wheels, the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat shot forward with a whoosh, covering a few dozen feet in an instant, narrowly avoiding the giant wave''s attack. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, after such rapid spinning, the Big Wind Wheels sported cracks and were no longer usable. The Hundred Cry Beast, missing its target, roared angrily. The branch in its hand glowed with black light again, preparing to launch a second wave of attacks. But just at that moment, the void behind the Hundred Cry Beast shifted, and a vague black shadow appeared out of nowhere, raising a hand in a sweeping motion. A slender white light shot from its hand, barely discernible as a snow-white fine needle, which streaked past and embedded itself within the spine of the Hundred Cry Beast. The Hundred Cry Beast let out a cry of terror, its huge body struggling violently in the water, its arms flailing wildly, causing the surrounding Weak Water to surge with waves and whirlpools. The Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat had already moved far away, and as waves and vortexes roared in, the boat was pushed even further. The events behind them quickly became obscured by the black fog, beyond sight, and their Divine Sense could not probe the situation there due to the distance being too great. ¡°What just happened? It seemed like a dark figure attacked the Hundred Cry Beast. Is the Hundred Cry Beast dead?¡± the man surnamed Lin asked in astonishment and confusion. The others looked at each other, but none of them spoke. They had naturally all seen that dark shadow as well, and now, with the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat in the center of the Weak Water, it was highly likely that the shadow was related to someone on board. The shadow seemed incredibly powerful, killing the Hundred Cry Beast with a wave of its hand. To kill everyone on board would be no difficult task, and the shrewd figures like Demon Heart and Yuan Ming, wary of starting problems they could not handle, dared not say much, let alone investigate the origin of the shadow. ¡°It looks like the Hundred Cry Beast has been taken care of, which is good news for us. Since there has just been a great battle, we''d better leave quickly to avoid attracting other ferocious beasts,¡± said Demon Heart with a cough. The rest had no objections and nodded in agreement. The Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat continued on its journey. Without the help of the Big Wind Wheels, its speed had decreased significantly, but the rest of their journey was remarkably smooth, with almost no ferocious beasts attacking. Chapter 1281 Chapter 1281: Chapter 1278: Parting Ways Chapter 1281: Chapter 1278: Parting Ways ¡°` About one hour later, a piece of land shrouded in gray fog appeared in everyone''s field of vision. Shen Luo''s heart relaxed as they had finally arrived at the opposite shore without any mishaps. A few of them eagerly abandoned the boat to go ashore, distancing themselves from the Weak Water and swiftly recovering their sealed mana. Shen Luo looked around, a flash of surprise in his eyes. Not only was the Yin energy here richer than the other side of the Weak Water, but there was also an abundance of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Unlike the other side, the ground was covered in dense weeds and a wide expanse of groves where one could not even see the soil, with lush vegetation everywhere. Within the groves, there were many valuable herbs, and with a sweep of his Divine Sense, he located several of them. Others also noticed the strangeness of this place and showed expressions of surprise on their faces. ¡°Now that we''ve arrived at the shore, we''ll take our leave,¡± Shen Luo suddenly said, waving his hand to pull the Old man with the surname Zhong from the Qiankun Bag and tossing him to Demon Heart and his companions. Without waiting for a response from the others, he grabbed Master Yan and transformed into a crimson sword light, darting away in the blink of an eye and disappearing into the distant sky. The black-robed person did not utter a word and turned into a black light flying towards the distance, vanishing in a blink as well. In the blink of an eye, only Demon Heart and his group remained on the shoreside. ¡°Father, shall we?¡± Yuan Ming approached, his eyes filled with cold light as he made a slicing gesture with his hand. ¡°No need, these people are only minor characters, forget about them, the main task is what''s important,¡± Demon Heart said indifferently, flicking his sleeve to send out a black light that enveloped the others ¨C and amidst a strong Yin wind, they all disappeared without a trace. Soon, only the lonely Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat was left, drifting on the Weak Water, bobbing with the waves. After flying for a short period, Shen Luo changed direction and stopped near a place close to Weak Water. ¡°Brother Shen, what are we doing here?¡± Master Yan asked, puzzled. Shen Luo smiled without answering, looking up at the distance where a patch of Dark Clouds appeared and quickly came sweeping over, reaching them in a few breaths. A massive corpse fell from the clouds, landing with a ¡°thud¡± at their feet ¨C it was the Hundred Cry Beast. The Dark Clouds in mid-air also dispersed, and the Ghost General''s figure floated down, standing behind Shen Luo. ¡°Did you, Brother Shen, slay that Hundred Cry Beast? And your Ghost Pet isn''t affected by the powers that bind the Weak Water?¡± Master Yan said in surprise after looking at the Ghost General. ¡°Weak Water is water of ultimate Yin and darkness, how could my Ghost General not be affected? It simply has attributes similar to the Weak Water and has awoken some abilities that allow it to use mana within the Weak Water range. Killing this Hundred Cry Beast wasn''t entirely its doing. And you, Daoist in the black robe, there''s no one else around; now that you are here, why keep hiding?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, looking towards a dense grove nearby. Before traversing the Weak Water, Shen Luo and his group had shared their names, but the black-robed person had decided not to reveal his, only asking Shen Luo and the others to call him ''the black-robed man.'' sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Master Yan was startled by this revelation and also looked over. From within the grove, a figure slowly emerged ¨C it was the person in the black robe, who once again was surrounded by a thick layer of Black Qi concealing his entire body. After appearing, the person didn''t speak but gestured with his hand. A flash of white light appeared on the back of the Hundred Cry Beast, and a white thin needle flew out from it landing in the sleeve of the black-robed person. ¡°` ¡°The Xuan Yang Needle!¡± Master Yan exclaimed in surprise. ¡°The Xuan Yang Needle?¡± Shen Luo looked at Master Yan; he had never heard this name before. ¡°This needle is an ancient magical treasure passed down in the Boundless Sand Sea region of the Cultivation World. It''s extremely difficult to refine, requiring one to first use eighty-one types of the most rigid and Yang materials to forge a magical treasure embryo, then place it in the Nine Heavens'' Void to absorb the power of the sun''s core fire. It needs to be nurtured for decades before it can be completed. It has a miraculous effect of slaying yin attribute demons and ghosts with a single blow,¡± Master Yan said with a glint in his eyes, seemingly coveting the treasure. ¡°Oh, so Your Excellency is also a monk from the Boundless Sand Sea?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flashed as he looked towards the black-robed person. ¡°My origin and background are irrelevant to you. I have helped you slay the Hundred Cry Beast, and according to our previous agreement, one of the things on the Hundred Cry Beast belongs to me,¡± the black-robed person said, gesturing in the void with a raised hand. A streak of black crystal light shot out from the hand, severing the arm of the Hundred Cry Beast that was holding the black branch, then rolled it back. Shen Luo watched this happen and did not intervene. The black-robed person grasped the black branch, and the Black Qi around his body surged momentarily, suggesting great excitement. He then nodded slightly at Shen Luo and silently flew into the distance. In the blink of an eye, he had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s going on here?¡± As soon as he saw this, Master Yan could no longer hold back and asked. Shen Luo didn''t hide anything and shared the agreement he had with the person in the black robe on the boat. ¡°¡­ Thereafter, I had the Ghost General lead the Hundred Cry Beast''s corpse, making a path ahead of the Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat. Given that the Hundred Cry Beast was one of the sovereigns of the Weak Water, its corpse also possesses considerable deterrence, and the ferocious beasts along the way were scared off,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°So that''s why we had such an easy passage through the latter half of the Weak Water. But, what does that person want with the black branch in the Hundred Cry Beast''s hand? That thing seems to be some sort of mystical treasure,¡± Master Yan said as he understood, then continued. ¡°I''m clueless as well. I have only met that person once and know nothing about their identity or background. It''s hard to guess their intentions. Regardless, we have safely arrived here. Next, I need to follow the direction of the mana imprint to rescue Fu Donglai. Brother Yan, what are your plans? Are you going to search for that treasure?¡± Shen Luo shook his head, then asked. ¡°Our Tianji City''s purpose in coming to the Black Abyss Mystery Cave this time is for Ghost Yan. I shall continue to travel with Brother Shen,¡± Master Yan declared without hesitation. ¡°That''s great. Having you accompany me, Brother Yan, puts my mind at ease. By the way, what God''s Power did you use when you captured that Zhou surname old man? Why did all their attacks suddenly fall on another Giant Ape Armor instead of you?¡± Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy, then inquired curiously. ¡°That''s the ''Shining Bright,'' a secret God''s Power from our Tianji City. Once executed, all enemies within the realm of this God''s Power become like moths to a flame, unable to divest their offensive focus from me,¡± Master Yan said after some hesitation. ¡°There''s such a God''s Power? Tianji City indeed lives up to its reputation as one of the world''s great factions,¡± Shen Luo said, genuinely impressed. Upon hearing these words, the corners of Master Yan''s mouth couldn''t help but rise, modestly deflecting the praise with a few words. Shen Luo then turned his attention to the corpse of the Hundred Cry Beast, probing carefully with his Divine Sense. The beast''s body was unusually tough, its flesh and blood entirely formed by a mix of extremely dense Yin Qi and the quintessence of Weak Water, which allowed it to withstand the erosive effects of the Weak Water. He had brought the beast''s corpse not on a whim, but rather as preparation for crossing the Weak Water on their return journey, as there might not be a Xuan Yin Bamboo Boat available for the trip back. The corpse''s ability to withstand the Weak Water meant it could potentially be used for crossing it as well. Shen Luo waved his hand, stowing the corpse away, leaving only the black sphere that the Hundred Cry Beast''s other hand had been holding. Picking up the sphere, he scrutinized it carefully with his Divine Sense, his expression revealing surprise. The sphere contained traces of Demonic Qi, which seemed quite pure, but it showed little response when he tried to activate it with Demonic Qi and mana. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, then he shook his head, deciding not to delve further into it. Without much thought, he stored it in the Linlang Ring, and the Ghost General flew back into the Qiankun Bag. The two didn''t linger any longer; soon, they transformed into two streams of Escape Light, speeding towards the direction of the mana imprint. Chapter 1282 Chapter 1282: Chapter 1179: The Setup Chapter 1282: Chapter 1179: The Setup At a certain place within the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, the sounds of battle shook the heavens. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless Yin Beasts gathered together, forming a colossal encirclement over hundred feet across. Like surging tides, they ceaselessly besieged Elder Mo Wang and others at the center of the circle. Elder Mo Wang, controlling her Armor, was already struggling against the onslaught of two Earth Evil Corpse Kings, with little capacity to fend off the disturbance of these Yin Beasts. One by one, the disciples of Tianji City beside her were stealthily dragged into the horde of beasts. They hardly had the chance to cry out before getting torn to shreds. ¡°Elder, save me¡­¡± A disciple, covered in blood, struggled to break through the beasts, reaching out with his mangled arm toward Mo Wang. His eyes held a mix of despair and hope, emitting a reluctant wail. Elder Mo Wang, with a heart of compassion, turned to look, intending to reach out and save him, but saw the disciple''s expression suddenly twist into a malicious grin ¨C he had already fallen under the Corpse King''s control of his divine wisdom. ¡°No!¡± Elder Mo Wang sensed that something was terribly wrong, but by the time she turned back, it was already too late. Her Armor was pierced through by a punch from one Earth Evil Corpse King, and as the Armor shattered, the other Corpse King took advantage of the moment to lunge forward, piercing her chest with its claw-like hand. ¡°My life is over¡­¡± lamented Elder Mo Wang in her heart. At this critical moment, a streak of black light suddenly descended from the sky. Just as the Corpse King''s palm touched the fabric of Elder Mo Wang''s chest, with a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, it penetrated the head of the assailant. The black light landed on the ground, transforming into a longsword etched with runes. Swiftly following was half a gruesome Corpse King''s skull, falling to the ground. The other Earth Evil Corpse King quickly looked around for the newcomer but couldn''t detect even the slightest Mana fluctuation or residual Spiritual Power, hence was unable to track any Breath. At that moment, a delicate streak of shining white light, thin as a willow leaf, swept past before its eyes. As it reached out to grab it, the white light flashed suddenly, disappearing from sight. But immediately after, the white light flickered around the Corpse King, its trajectory incredibly fast, impossible for anyone to catch. By the time the white light halted, the Earth Evil Corpse King suddenly grunted, eyes wide with shock as it looked down to find its body slashed from neck to ankle, with fissures appearing one after another. The next instant, its body crumbled into a heap of Flesh and Blood, collapsing onto the ground. The white light, now resembling a willow leaf, collided in Mid Air with the black Longsword. The two lights, one black and one white, flashed and then merged into one, forming an intricate longsword with a black Sword body and white Sword Edge. The longsword hung in Mid Air, a high-grade Armor Crystal embedded in the Sword Hilt suddenly glowing brightly, causing the complex charm patterns etched onto the Sword body to shine as well. ¡°Swish, swish¡­¡± A sound like a cloudburst suddenly erupted, and the Flying Swords suspended in Mid Air spun at high speed, shooting out beams of white light that fell towards the surrounding Yin Beasts. In an instant, numerous Yin Beasts, like seedlings in a rice field, fell one after another, meeting their deaths. In just a few breaths'' time, half of the Yin Beasts had been slaughtered, and the remaining beasts scattered and fled. Elder Mo Wang and the three surviving disciples of Tianji City stood frozen in place. The pear blossom rain of Sword light attacks seemed to cover the sky, yet each was perfectly controlled with precise trajectories, none harming them. ¡°The Thousand Mechanism Sword, the City Lord has arrived, the City Lord has arrived¡­¡± Suddenly, amidst the disciples, someone cried out in surprise. Elder Mo Wang looked around at the corpses scattered on the ground, especially at the broken bodies of the Tianji City disciples, her eyes filled with guilt and embarrassment. She suddenly remembered something and hastily looked towards the remains of the two Earth Evil Corpse Kings, only to find that whether it was the one with its head severed or the one slashed into Fragments, both had now disappeared without a trace. ¡°They still got away¡­¡± she seethed internally. The suspended Thousand Mechanism Sword''s spinning slowly came to a halt, and the white sword light that was shooting out of it grew lesser and lesser until it completely vanished. The sword edge then turned and flew back, whizzing off into the distance. In the darkness where the sword light fell, several figures emerged and looked towards Elder Mo Wang and the others with a somewhat grave expression. ¡°Greetings, City Lord,¡± Elder Mo Wang hurried forward to greet him. The other three disciples also promptly followed, silent and respectful as they clasped their fists in salutation. ¡°It seems the situation is worse than I had expected,¡± Elder Fu sighed as he surveyed the tragic scene before him. ¡°City Lord, it is my incompetence that failed to protect the disciples of Tianji City, leading to their heavy casualties,¡± Elder Mo Wang took the blame upon himself. ¡°You cannot be wholly blamed, it is my lack of consideration, and I arrived too late. By the way, where are Elder Mei and Shen Luo?¡± The Little Master shook his head before inquiring. ¡°We had split up to act, and by now we have become separated. I fear their condition might not be much better than ours,¡± Elder Mo Wang couldn''t help but sigh upon hearing this. ¡°With such heavy losses this time, no matter what, we must achieve our goal. We shall continue to explore deeper and will eventually meet up with Elder Mei and the others,¡± the Little Master said without hesitation. ¡°Yes.¡± With the City Lord as their pillar of strength, Elder Mo Wang and his group had no more worries and immediately responded. Deep within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, in that dark space, the Blood Skeleton toyed with the yellow jade slip in one hand while listening to the reports of his subordinates. ¡°Great King, among these outsiders, many are from Tianji City, and among them are quite a few powerful individuals. The Yin Beasts could not hold them off and have been pushed back in defeat, even the two Earth Evil Corpse Kings under Ghost Yan have been driven back with severe injuries,¡± the one reporting spoke cautiously. ¡°Ghost Yan always talks a good game, but it seems his Earth Evil Corpse Kings aren''t much use either,¡± the Blood Skeleton shook its head, slightly disdainful. ¡°Also, those guys are moving extremely fast, and someone has already crossed the Weak Water,¡± the reporter continued. At that statement, the Blood Skeleton''s movement, as he played with the jade slip, noticeably stiffened, and he stopped. ¡°What did you say? Someone has already crossed the Weak Water?¡± His voice rose sharply. ¡°Reporting to the Great King¡­ yes, that is true¡­¡± the one reporting fearfully knelt down, trembling. ¡°Looking at it this way, it must be the doing of those individuals; otherwise, these outsiders could not possibly have crossed the Weak Water so quickly in such a short amount of time,¡± the Blood Skeleton mused. A moment later, he issued an order, ¡°Go, call back all the Yin Beasts, just guard those arrays well, the rest can be ignored for now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The subordinate immediately obeyed the command and hurriedly left with the order. ¡°Great King, haven''t you already agreed with Ghost Yan that after he hands the Heavenly Corpse Scripture over to you, we would help him block those monks from Tianji City, why¡­¡± one of the True Immortal Stage Yin Beasts hesitated to ask at his side. ¡°The agreement with Ghost Yan is nothing more than a verbal promise, and even he knows I won''t keep it. Having blocked them for so long already counts as having gone above and beyond, surely I can''t really gamble with my own capital, can I? Besides¡­ it''s better for them to fight Ghost Yan and the monks of Tianji City to death, who wouldn''t want the benefit of being the fisherman?¡± the Blood Skeleton said with a laugh. ¡°Great King is wise,¡± the True Immortal Yin Beast said, immediately flattering. ¡°Don''t let your guard down either, keep a close watch on both sides, and report back at any time,¡± the Blood Skeleton instructed. ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 1283 Chapter 1283: Chapter 1280: The Second Stone Stele Chapter 1283: Chapter 1280: The Second Stone Stele At the same time, Shen Luo and Yan Wushi were flying forward along a certain direction. Suddenly, Yan Wushi called a halt to Shen Luo and led him down into a dark and gloomy ravine below. ¡°Such pure Yin Sha Qi!¡± Before they even reached the ground, they could feel the vigorous Yin Qi from below, with gusts of Yin wind gushing up from the underworld to mid-air like a fountain. After landing, they looked into the ravine and discovered two plants about a foot tall growing inside. The plants bore leaves but no flowers, with broad leaves edged in a sawtooth pattern and a faint blue crystal shine on their surface, making them look as if they were carved from ice crystals. ¡°Ghost-cutting Grass¡­ Who would have thought that such things would exist here?¡± Yan Wushi said in surprise. Shen Luo didn''t reply but carefully counted the leaves on each Ghost-cutting Grass, only to find that each side had the same pairs of ten leaves, which made him raise his eyebrows slightly, showing a hint of joy. ¡°It''s not just Ghost-cutting Grass, but the very rare Ten-leaf Ghost-cutting Grass, a yin attribute Spirit Grass encountered only once in a thousand years. Some elixirs in the True Immortal Level that are used for nourishment require this as an essential component for the medicine to be completed,¡± Yan Wushi explained with delight. ¡°I had no idea that, Your Excellency, are not only proficient in Artifacts Refining but also in alchemy?¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat surprised. ¡°I wouldn''t say proficient, more like having a rudimentary understanding. In fact, there are many similarities between Artifacts Refining and alchemy, but¡­ this is a long story. Brother Shen, since both of these Ten-leaf Ghost-cutting Grasses are of identical quality, how about we each take one and dig it out?¡± Yan Wushi suggested, cutting off his speech. Shen Luo naturally had no objections to this. Both of them dug out the Spirit Grass right away, stored them in jade boxes, and left the place to continue on their way. After an unknown period of time, the Yin Sha Qi ahead suddenly became dense, and there were faint sounds of thunder coming from the void. Curious about what was happening, Shen Luo saw a palace-style building standing on the ground hundreds of feet ahead, from which the thunderous sound was emanating. Described as a palace, it was actually already in ruins; both the front and rear halls had completely collapsed into ruins, leaving only fragmentary broken walls standing. The central dome-shaped great hall was relatively intact, but the entire dome was also lifted off, looking like a stone barrel. As they approached a bit closer, they saw that there were even dozens of Yin Beasts surrounding the palace, roaring wildly into the great hall. Many bat-like Yin Beasts stood atop the uneven broken walls, and one that seemed to notice Shen Luo''s approach, suddenly turned its head to look their way. Shen Luo and his companion had already concealed their breaths and had arrived at the other side of the palace. The palace wall facing them was even more damaged, with most of it having collapsed, allowing Shen Luo to see the inside from the breach and his expression suddenly turned very solemn. Inside the great hall, a tall figure in a black robe was seen operating a magical instrument resembling a golden bronze bell, making it spin rapidly in the void. The bronze bell was ablaze with golden light, and its surface had dense golden patterns rippling in the void, casting hundreds and thousands of Golden Patterns like floating Sutra Banners within the palace, interconnected into a massive Golden Glyph Array. Despite the distance, Shen Luo could hear faint chants sounding like thousands of monks murmuring, reciting scriptures from the Buddha Country. In the center of the Golden Glyph Array stood a Teenager wearing golden armor, with a Treasure Light Golden Wheel floating behind him. His body was adorned with both gold and crimson patterns, topped with a Flying Wings Golden Helmet, and a Scarlet Crystal Stone embedded in it, looking majestic and extraordinary. If Shen Luo hadn''t already encountered such beings, he too might have mistaken it for a war general of the immortals at this moment. ¡°Asura Puppet Ghosts, there are actually such things here¡­¡± Brother Yan couldn''t help but exclaim as he also noticed the clues. ¡°This isn''t just any Asura Puppet Ghost; I''m afraid its cultivation level has already reached the mid-level True Immortal stage,¡± Shen Luo pondered. He noticed that the Asura Puppet Ghost''s brows and cheeks also had tattooed charm patterns, but they were no longer the blue-black patterns he had seen that year; instead, they were dark crimson. The fierce light was contained in its eyes without any ominous or evil aura spilling out, evidently starkly different from those Shen Luo had encountered many years ago. ¡°That man in the black robe doesn''t seem to be kind either. Look, although the magical instrument he''s using has Buddha''s Scripture style Arrays shown, they are all filled with a suppressing kill aura, completely lacking compassion and mercy, and it seems his cultivation level is even higher than the Asura Puppet Ghost,¡± Brother Yan said. Although Shen Luo was listening, he didn''t take it to heart. His attention was entirely focused on a corner of the palace where a black Stone Stele, about half the height of a person, stood erect. Its surface was smooth as a mirror, reflecting a gloomy black gloss. ¡°Brother Yan, could you please distract them on this side for me? There''s something I need to verify,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Brother Shen, both of these guys are not easy to mess with, and there are so many Yin Beasts lurking around us; it''s better to do less rather than to seek out trouble and join this commotion,¡± Brother Yan observed a hint of greed in Shen Luo''s eyes and frowned in persuasion. The thought of the wondrous aspects of that Stone Stele made Shen Luo unwilling to listen. ¡°Don''t worry, I will conceal all my Qi and sneak underground without disturbing them. You just need to provide a little distraction, and it won''t be a problem. If we are discovered, we''ll just turn and run. They won''t leave each other to chase after us as they are vying with one another,¡± Shen Luo said cheerfully. After hearing this, Brother Yan hesitated for a moment but still agreed since he would still need Shen Luo''s cooperation on the journey ahead. ¡°Brother Yan, just wait here, I will be right back,¡± Shen Luo chuckled and had already employed the stealth technique, shrinking his body and vanishing into the ground. Brother Yan then turned his gaze back to the palace. The black-robed man and the Asura Puppet Ghost were fiercely battling with magic. The latter was holding a pitch-black Demon Subduing Pestle carved as if from black jade, with the head engraved with secret charms. With each swing, it generated howling winds that stirred intense ripples in the Void, breaking apart the golden Rune Patterns that kept gathering and closing in. However, the black-robed man did not seem to be in a hurry, just controlling the Golden Bell calmly, making its golden ripples stack and continuously compress toward the Asura Puppet Ghost with the Golden Glyph Array. On the other side, as Shen Luo burrowed underground, he had already activated the power of his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to shield his breath, swiftly moving beneath the palace corner. No sooner had he approached, Shen Luo immediately felt an anomaly within the Demonic Qi in his body. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was overjoyed in his heart and quickly reached below the Black Stone Stele, extended his palm to grasp the buried base of the Stele and rapidly transferred the Demonic Qi within his body into the Stele. Indeed, just like the first Stele he had encountered, this one quickly began to absorb the Chiyou Demonic Qi within his body like a whale swallowing its prey. Before long, the Stele reached its peak of absorbing Demonic Qi and stopped. Realizing the moment had come, Shen Luo immediately clasped his hands tightly around the Stele and pulled downward fiercely. A muffled ¡°boom¡± echoed. The Black Stone Stele suddenly sank, and along with the crumbling soil and rock, it plunged into the ground. Chapter 1284 Chapter 1284: Chapter 1281: Deceived Chapter 1284: Chapter 1281: Deceived The black-robed man and the Asura Puppet Ghost, engaged in battle, noticed the commotion caused by Shen Luo and suddenly exchanged a forceful palm strike, pushing each other back and then both diving towards Shen Luo''s location. Master Yan''s eyelids twitched as he couldn''t help but curse inwardly, ¡°Didn''t you say you''d just take a quick look and come right back? What is this?¡± This was not a discreet investigation at all; it was clearly a deliberate provocation! However, complaints aside, he could no longer stand idly by at this moment. He immediately revealed his presence and moved to lend assistance. The surrounding Yin Beasts, seeing this, swarmed towards him, cutting him off halfway. Shen Luo, underground, paid no mind to the chaos unfolding above. He rapidly scanned the text that had appeared on the Stone Stele, discovering that it was a magical art called ¡°Flame Explosion Technique¡± from the Demon King Fort, capable of summoning demon fire to attack with considerable might. However, like the Splitting Stone Step, this technique held limited meaning to Shen Luo, so he merely noted it down cursorily and didn''t pay much attention to it. By comparison, he was more concerned about whether this Stone Stele, like the previous one, would transform into a treasure like the black short rod. As he pondered, a booming noise came from above. The entire remains of the palace, along with the ground, were suddenly uprooted by a gargantuan Void Hand, tossed high into the air, and hurtled towards the distance. A massive fissure split open in the ground, and Shen Luo''s surroundings were exposed like a big pot with its lid removed. Shen Luo only glanced up briefly before hastily turning his gaze back down. In front of him, the Black Stone Stele had already hissed into black ash, dissipating away. Almost simultaneously, an elegant black-and-yellow short ruler fell out from it. About the same length as the black short rod, it had golden short lines etched into it representing scales and emitted strong waves of Spiritual Power. It was evident to anyone that this was a treasure. Shen Luo immediately bent over, reaching out to pick up the short ruler, intending to grab it and make a run for it. Yet just as his fingers were about to touch the ruler, a powerful Spiritual Pressure suddenly surged forth from in front of him. Looking up, Shen Luo saw a black bell the size of a palm hanging in the air above everyone, sounding with a ¡°clang clang¡± ring. The sound was not loud, yet when it resonated, it seemed to possess a sort of magic power that could pierce through flesh and echo directly in one''s Sea of knowledge. In an instant, Shen Luo felt his mind violently shake, and a tremendous wave surged within his Sea of knowledge, his Divine soul (little figure) unable to maintain a standing position, crazily swaying with the tumultuous waves. His vision was immediately filled with bright, dizzying halos, as if illuminated by flickering candlelight. Knowing this boded ill, Shen Luo immediately deployed the Suppressing God Technique in an attempt to stabilize his Sea of knowledge. Regrettably, the turbulent waves in his Sea of knowledge paused only briefly before surging violently again, causing Shen Luo to shudder uncontrollably, unable to control his own body enough to reach for the black-and-yellow short ruler now within arm''s reach on the ground. In fact, it wasn''t just him; everything around was under the control of that soul-shaking bell sound at that moment. Shen Luo was immobilized, the Asura Puppet Ghost couldn''t move, Master Yan, about to release his Armor, was also frozen, and the mass of Yin Beasts had their heads burst open, now slowly disintegrating. Meanwhile, a dark silhouette, utterly unaffected, stepped slowly in front of Shen Luo, leaned down to meet his gaze, and took the black-and-yellow short ruler from before him into his possession. At that moment, Shen Luo finally realized he had been deceived by the black-robed man. The other party had clearly discovered Shen Luo and Master Yan sneaking over long ago, but since he himself was busy fighting the Asura Puppet Ghost, he had no time to unlock the Seal on the Black Stone Stele and take out the short ruler inside, so he had used Shen Luo to help him retrieve the treasure. Although annoyed in his heart, Shen Luo immediately thought that the black bell''s ability to shake souls probably had a limited duration, certainly not enough time for the black-robed man to unlock the Seal on the Black Stone Stele. So, when he regained the ability to move, as long as he engaged the black-robed man at the first opportunity, there was still a chance to snatch back the short ruler. Having thought this, Shen Luo had already begun to try to circulate his Mana, building up power. However, the turmoil of the divine soul was so strong that it was already quite difficult for him to maintain his thoughts and stay focused, let alone circulate his Mana. ¡°Haha, thanks for the help,¡± the black-robed man laughed heartily, raising his hand and making a summons. The Golden Bell and black bell suspended in the air immediately flew back, landing in his hands. It was also at this instant that everyone regained their ability to move. Shen Luo''s shadow below scattered as he darted out with the Slanting Moon Steps, arriving in front of the black-robed man in an instant and reaching out to grab him. The black-robed man showed a hint of surprise in his eyes. He was truly taken aback, not expecting Shen Luo to launch an attack so quickly the moment he freed himself. But the impact of the soul disturbance was still there, and the black-robed man merely shifted slightly to avoid Shen Luo''s hand easily. Then, with a smile in his eyes, he held the black-yellow short ruler and waved it at Shen Luo. Yellow light flashed on the short ruler, and suddenly the space around it twisted violently. Before Shen Luo could attack again, the distorted space formed a semi-transparent vortex, engulfing the black-robed man, who then disappeared from sight. Shen Luo chased hastily, but only managed to pounce on thin air, catching nothing. ¡°Sigh, he still got away¡­¡± With the help of the Suppressing God Technique, Shen Luo finally stabilized his Sea of Knowledge and, looking at the dispersing spatial fluctuations in the Void, couldn''t help feeling frustrated. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Just then, a loud beastly roar pulled his thoughts back to reality. He hurriedly turned to look and saw the Asura Puppet Ghost suddenly realized that the black-robed man it had been fighting had vanished. It was now furiously roaring at its surroundings, clearly enraged to the extreme. Realizing something was wrong, Shen Luo saw the Asura Puppet Ghost, having lost the black-robed man as a target, divert its fury toward him and was now charging towards him with large strides. Shen Luo had come for the treasure and, having failed to secure it was now faced with such a huge problem, naturally had no desire to entangle with it. ¡°Brother Yan, time to run¡­¡± He quickly called out and, with a flash, moved towards where Master Yan was. Having been cultivated in Tianji City, Master Yan was quite advanced in consolidating his divine soul. He had already regained control of his body, and seeing the Yin Beasts around him nearly wiped out, was ready to flee upon hearing Shen Luo''s shout. Of the three, it was the Asura Puppet Ghost that was most affected by the black bell, and its running stance was still somewhat awkward. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, it saw that Shen Luo and the other had no intention of fighting, yet it didn''t plan on letting them go. The Demon Subduing Pestle in its hand burst with Blood Light and spun in Mid Air, smashing down towards Shen Luo. As the Demon Subduing Pestle reached midway, suddenly Black Light flourished, and dense black mist surged out from it, transforming into more than a hundred Yin Sha Ghost Kings, swooping down from all directions, closing in and all pouncing towards Shen Luo. Chapter 1285 Chapter 1285: Chapter 1282: Opportunity Chapter 1285: Chapter 1282: Opportunity Confronted with the sky-full of Ghost Fog, Shen Luo did not hesitate for a moment. Wrapped in a yellow halo, he directly shrank into the ground and escaped through it. Almost at the very instant Shen Luo''s figure vanished, the all-encompassing Ghost Fog crashed onto the ground, but grasped at empty air. At this moment, they changed direction and surged toward Master Yan. The Yin Sha Ghost Fog skimmed the ground as it moved, its speed surprisingly undiminished, like a flux of tide sweeping over, heading straight for Master Yan. Seeing Shen Luo escaping underground, Master Yan cursed under his breath and hastily attempted to use his Escape Technique to flee. But just as he started to ascend, the Asura Puppet Ghost materialized like a ghostly specter above his head, lifted a huge fist, and smashed it down on him. In a rush, Master Yan had no time to dodge, nor to activate his Armor, and could only forcefully muster the power of the wrist guard on his arm before being slammed by the fist. ¡°Bang¡± His arm felt excruciating pain, and his body, like a giant stone, plummeted towards the ground. The black Ghost Fog, as though it had been waiting for its prey like a hunter, was already at the lower frontier. Within it, a cluster of over a dozen Ghost King heads gathered together, each tilting their heads to the sky, opening their blood basin wide, ready to tear Master Yan''s body and soul to shreds the moment he fell. Master Yan furrowed his brows tightly as a gold-and-crimson sphere emerged in the palm of his hand. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as he was about to activate the Armor at that moment, a burst of crimson light suddenly flared up within the Ghost Fog beneath him. The light surged upwards like an erupting volcano, scattering flames in all directions and blooming into a vast red flame lotus. Where the Red Lotus Karmic Fire blossomed, the Yin Sha Ghost Fog dissolved away, and even the dozens of Ghost King heads dared not come close. Master Yan saw a figure emerge from the center of the Lotus flower bud, who then shouted at him: ¡°What are you dazing at, come down quickly!¡± Seeing it was Shen Luo, Master Yan immediately fell and descended. The moment he touched the ground, the Red Lotus flames drew in from all sides, forming a massive flower bud that enveloped both of them within. Upon seeing this, the Asura Puppet Ghost immediately raised his hand and made a sweeping motion downwards. The Demon Subduing Pestle, suspended in mid-air, started to rotate rapidly and plummeted straight toward the flower bud formed by Red Lotus Karmic Fire. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± sounded. The fire lotus bud shattered explosively in all directions, and the earth collapsed as well, creating a vast chasm, but the figures of Shen Luo and his companion had already vanished. The Asura Puppet Ghost, in a fit of anger, waved his hands repeatedly, and the Demon Subduing Pestle, like a stone pile driver, hammered down upon the ground, smashing the area within a hundred yards into a pitiful state, before finally stopping. He managed to quell his rage and took out a black compass, fiddled with it for a few moments, then formed a hand seal and pressed it onto the compass. The compass flashed with black light and immediately above, a Blood Mist congregated, forming a crimson skull apparition. ¡°Great King, I have failed. The items have still been snatched away¡­¡± In the depths of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, within that dark space, the Blood Skeleton listened to the Asura Puppet Ghost''s report. The fiery light in its eyes flickered for a moment, and its body suddenly released a powerful aura. The surrounding circle of Yin Beasts and ghosts were all shaken, involuntarily backing away. ¡°Go, call back all the Yin Beasts, station them at the Yin Cave, and leave none outside,¡± the Blood Skeleton bellowed. ¡°Great King, the current situation is indeed bleak, with several Array-Breaking Magic Items being taken successively outside. If these people bring the Magic Items here, I fear the sacred object here will no longer be safe,¡± said a True Immortal Yin Beast clad in pitch-black armor. ¡°Indeed¡­ Great King, those guys from Tianji City are not to be trifled with. If they all come here, it will probably be very difficult for us to defend this place,¡± echoed the other subordinates. The Blood Skeleton''s ghostly flames flickered a few times, and it stood up from its throne, seeming a bit panicked. However, after pacing back and forth for a few times, it returned to its usual calm demeanor. ¡°There is no need to panic. To gather all five Array-Breaking Magic Items is not so easy. As far as I know, one has been lost for over a hundred years and is unlikely to appear now. Besides, although those people are all searching for the Magic Items, they are not actually in a collaborative relationship. It''s very possible that they fight and kill each other over the Magic Items. In short, as long as the five Array-Breaking Magic Items are not reassembled, they can''t even dream of breaking through the Heavenly Demon Great Array here,¡± it said. Hearing these words, everyone finally felt somewhat relieved and, following the orders of the Blood Skeleton, went to summon the Yin Beasts that were scattered about outside. Elsewhere, in a relatively open area, a yellow light suddenly shone in the void, twisting slowly like a vortex and gradually expanding. A dark silhouette tumbled out from the vortex formed by the yellow light¨Cit was the black-robed man. After steadying himself, he scanned the surroundings and then cast his gaze far away towards the direction of the palace from which he had come; the distance between them was now quite vast. The black-robed man''s eyes revealed a smile as he gently caressed the black-yellow short ruler in his hand, clicking his tongue in appreciation, ¡°This Shrinking Earth Ruler really is powerful.¡± When he finished speaking, he brought the ruler to his mouth and, astonishingly, swallowed it whole. Immediately afterward, his gaze rapidly shifted to a point in the void not far from his side, he said coldly, ¡°Come out, Mu Xiao. Do you overestimate yourself or underestimate me by hiding right under my eyes?¡± ¡°Haha, impressive, truly impressive¡­¡± A raspy laugh followed as a figure cloaked in green emerged from the side of the road. Hovering three feet above the ground, the figure was clad in a loose green robe, but its face was gaunt like that of an elderly man. With arms crossed and a smile on his face, he looked at the black-robed man. While his expression appeared kind, the clothing about his body billowed slightly with the Qi emanating from him. The dreadful Spiritual Pressure he exuded was not weaker than that of the black-robed man. ¡°I never expected that after you left this place that year, you would dare to come back,¡± chortled Mu Xiao. ¡°Hmph, I have now completely integrated the Demonic Bloodline; why wouldn''t I dare to return?¡± replied the black-robed man with a cold laugh. With that, he spat out the Shrinking Earth Ruler once more, shaking it at Mu Xiao. The Yellow Halo on the Shrinking Earth Ruler instantly lit up, emitting waves of intense Demonic Qi fluctuations. ¡°See? With my pure Demonic Bloodline, I can operate this Shrinking Earth Ruler without any effort,¡± boasted the black-robed man. Mu Xiao''s smile stiffened, and his eyes instantly showed a hint of disbelief. ¡°How is that possible?¡± His words were laced with shock and envy. ¡°Back then, it was your lack of courage that stopped you from taking that step with me. How about it¡­ If you''re given another chance, would you still refuse to follow me?¡± the black-robed man asked with a smile. ¡°What exactly do you want to do by returning here this time?¡± Mu Xiao asked with a grave expression and a cold tone. ¡°You actually know very well what I want to do. Rest assured, as long as you are willing to join forces with me to accomplish this matter, I can also help you merge with the Demonic Bloodline afterwards and help you leave this place for good. How about it?¡± asked the black-robed man. Chapter 1286 Chapter 1286: Chapter 1283 Dark Spring Bamboo Chapter 1286: Chapter 1283 Dark Spring Bamboo Mu Xiao listened to the words of the black-robed man, his face showing a hint of hesitation, clearly in a dilemma. However, a moment later, his brow relaxed, and he had made a decision in his heart. ¡°Can you truly help me fuse with the Demonic Bloodline?¡± Mu Xiao raised his head and asked with a heavy tone. ¡°Of course, if I can do it for myself, I can naturally help you achieve it too,¡± the black-robed man confidently said. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While speaking, he deliberately condensed a solid mass of Demonic Qi in his palm to show Mu Xiao, with the Demonic Qi rich and nearly tangible. ¡°Forget it, even if I can survive this calamity today, I will still be trapped here in the future, forever imprisoned. Instead of that, I might as well take a chance,¡± Mu Xiao sighed lightly, as if he had come to a certain decision. ¡°Good, with Daoist friend Mu Xiao''s assistance, our success is even more promising,¡± the black-robed man patted Mu Xiao''s shoulder and said with a smile. ¡°Don''t get too happy just yet. If I find out you''ve deceived me, I will fight to the death, even if my soul shatters, to take you down with me,¡± Mu Xiao narrowed his eyes, issuing a warning full of intent. ¡°Hehe, a fine bird chooses the tree it perches on. Rest assured, Daoist friend Mu Xiao, I am too happy to have your help, why would I harm you? A generous reward is what you''ll get,¡± the black-robed man said with a chest-thumping laugh. ¡°I hope you are as good as your word,¡± Mu Xiao said indifferently. ¡°Now that we''ve formed an alliance, there''s no need for further conflict, tell me, what''s the situation inside the Spirit Cave now?¡± the black-robed man asked in a lowered voice. ¡°The Spirit Cave? It is now occupied by a Giant Domed Armor, as massive as city walls. Any transformation monsters that dare to approach are attacked by the Armor. Those who are slow or blindly confident are mostly captured, and only a few lucky ones manage to escape alive,¡± Mu Xiao said. ¡°And¡­ Purple Bamboo?¡± the black-robed man''s eyes flickered as he asked again. ¡°Hmph, he was not so lucky. His body is now in the hands of that Giant Domed Armor, and only his divine soul managed to escape by a fluke,¡± Mu Xiao said with a cold laugh. Upon hearing this, the black-robed man fell silent, said nothing more, and had Mu Xiao lead the way as they both moved on. At the same time, in another area. Amidst the ruins of broken walls and demolished remnants, a yellow halo lit up the ground, and two figures emerged from the Earth, one pulling the other out from Underground. They were none other than Shen Luo and Yan Wushi, who reached this place by using the Earth Escaping Technique. ¡°Brother Shen, I was almost killed by you just now,¡± Yan Wushi exhaled deeply and said. ¡°Brother Yan is overreacting. Aren''t we safely out now?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. After speaking, he took out the Black Jade Plate, gently stroked it with his palm, and a white light point appeared on it, representing the Little Master. Soon after, another light point that was slightly smaller and dimmer followed, lighting up as well. Yan Wushi, who was somewhat displeased at the side, became interested upon seeing an extra light point suddenly appear on the Black Jade Plate and leaned in closer. ¡°What is this? Why is there an extra one?¡± he couldn''t help but ask. ¡°This mark is the one I left earlier when the black-yellow short ruler was taken away. As long as the black-robed man keeps the ruler on him, we can keep track of his whereabouts at all times,¡± Shen Luo answered. ¡°So, you intentionally let him take the black-yellow short ruler?¡± Yan Wushi said, surprised. Shen Luo paused briefly, touched his nose, and a trace of thoughtfulness appeared on his face, neither admitting nor denying. But in fact, of course, he hadn''t planned it that way, he was merely compelled by the circumstances. ¡°He''s moving¡­¡± Once Master Yan had exclaimed that, Shen Luo snapped back to reality and saw the spot on the Black Jade Plate moving rapidly. The direction it was heading was essentially the same as the one they intended to take. ¡°Let''s go, we need to continue on our way,¡± Shen Luo said. They hadn''t walked far when a black bamboo forest appeared ahead, surrounded by mist and with spiritual energy lingering around, making it obvious that this place was out of the ordinary. After a careful look, Shen Luo discovered that the bamboo growing within the black forest, were all no thicker than an arm and very straight. Strangely, they all had main shafts without any branches or leaves. ¡°This¡­ seems to be Dark Spring Bamboo,¡± Master Yan suddenly said. ¡°Dark Spring Bamboo?¡± Shen Luo, with a look of surprise, had never heard of it. ¡°It is a kind of Spiritual Bamboo with Yin properties and excellent tenacity, indispensable for refining many magical instruments and armor. However, it is not rare; it grows in a lot of places with dense Yin Qi but without evil Qi,¡± Master Yan explained. Shen Luo listened, and his eyes suddenly lit up as if he had discovered something. He quickly jogged to the bamboo forest, weaving through clusters of Black Bamboo, and stopped in the center. In front of him, there stood a piece of Black Bamboo about a zhang high and thick as a thumb. This bamboo was different from the slightly thicker ones around it. Although it was also black, it had a purplish hue and gleamed with the luster of jade. Within it, there were faint golden lines. And most importantly, the Spiritual Power fluctuations emitted by this piece of Black Bamboo were more than ten times stronger than the other bamboos around. Master Yan also hurried over and his eyes lit up with excitement at the sight of the delicate Black Bamboo. ¡°Body like Purple Jade, lined with golden threads, this is indeed the finest among Dark Spring Bamboos, the true Dark Spring Spiritual Bamboo. Brother Shen, I didn''t expect our luck to be this good, to actually come across such a thing,¡± Master Yan said with joy. Shen Luo certainly knew this was a valuable object and without a word, squat down and started digging. ¡°Not like this, not like this¡­¡± Master Yan quickly exclaimed upon seeing this. Shen Luo stopped his actions and looked up, asking, ¡°What''s the issue?¡± ¡°Brother Shen, you may not know, if such a Purple Jade-like Spiritual Bamboo grows in this Dark Spring Bamboo forest, it is usually where the spiritual energy of the entire forest converges. It receives nourishment from the Earth and in turn nourishes other Dark Spring Bamboos. Once you dig it out, the other Black Bamboos will lose their source of Spiritual Energy, and their quality will diminish considerably,¡± Master Yan said with a pained expression. ¡°So what should we do? I can''t just abandon this Spiritual Bamboo that''s within reach, can I?¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. ¡°Of course not, Brother Shen. We just need to dig up the other bamboos before excavating this Purple Jade Spiritual Bamboo. That will ensure the rest remain in good condition. Wait a moment afterward, and when you dig up the best one, all the dispersed Spiritual Energy will concentrate in this piece of Purple Jade Spiritual Bamboo. That''s the best way to have the best of both worlds,¡± Master Yan quickly explained. ¡°I see. Thank you for the lesson,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, nodding his head. ¡°Help me dig out the bamboo,¡± he then slapped his Qiankun Bag on his waist and summoned Ghost General Zhao Feiji. After speaking, the man and the ghost started working on the entire bamboo forest. Chapter 1287 Chapter 1287: Chapter 1284: Yin and Yang Double Cave Chapter 1287: Chapter 1284: Yin and Yang Double Cave Master Yan shook his head helplessly and joined the big army digging bamboo. In a short while, heaps of Black Bamboo were piled at their feet, and within the entire bamboo forest, only that one stem of Spiritual Bamboo, resembling Purple Jade, stood before them. ¡°Friend Shen, this Spiritual Bamboo is infinitely useful for refining magical instruments and Armor. Can Brother Shen bear to part with it? Should we come across any other treasures on the road ahead, I''ll definitely help you seize them. How about that?¡± Master Yan truly covetted that piece of Dark Spring Spirit Bamboo. ¡°Brother Yan is being too polite. All these Spiritual Bamboos are yours. As for me, I just want this one,¡± Shen Luo said, waving his hand generously with an air of a local squire. But Master Yan was dumbfounded. What Shen Luo wanted was naturally that very best stalk, the true Secluded Spring Purple Jade Spirit Bamboo. However, since Shen Luo, with his discerning eye, had discovered the item first, Master Yan had no ground to strongly contest it. He only opened his mouth and then forcefully swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue. Shen Luo, who did not pay attention to his reaction, naturally wanted to secure the Dark Spring Purple Jade Bamboo first. Zhao Feiji also busily helped him, quickly digging up that piece of Spiritual Bamboo. But just then, Zhao Feiji''s eyes suddenly flickered and he exclaimed, ¡°No, there''s something underground!¡± His shout startled both Shen Luo and Master Yan who quickly released their Divine Sense to probe underground, and after a good while, they both looked bewilderedly at Zhao Feiji. The Ghost General said nothing more but immediately employed the Punishing Evil Divine Light God''s Power. Light that had substance extended from his eyes and directly penetrated three feet into the ground, reaching into the roots of the Spiritual Bamboo. The next instant, the Divine Light recoiled back, wrapping around a Green Light Ball that was darting back and forth, struggling violently. Not until that moment did Shen Luo and Master Yan perceive the Divine Soul''s breath emanating from the green light group. Surprise showed on both their faces. Shen Luo was more astounded by the strength of this soul''s breath, while Master Yan was more amazed by the power of Ghost General Zhao Feiji''s God''s Power. After a brief pause, they both turned their attention to the green light. Within the radiance, there emerged a slender figure of a woman, merely an inch or so tall, with a delicate and graceful form that resembled a fairy or a charm spirit among the flowers. ¡°Let me go, release me¡­¡± The female soul screamed, trying to struggle and escape. But under the oppression of the Punishing Evil Divine Light, her resistance seemed very weak, utterly unable to break free. ¡°Master, this Divine Soul is very strong. If your subordinate could devour it, it would not take much time to significantly increase my cultivation level. I would then be able to help Master even more in this Black Abyss Mystery Cave,¡± Zhao Feiji said hungrily, eyeing the green soul. Shen Luo had many questions for the woman and subconsciously wanted to refuse, but then he had a change of heart and nodded, saying: ¡°Since you found it, consider it your spoil of war, devour it.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhao Feiji was delighted and immediately wrapped up the female soul to swallow it. At these words, the female soul was greatly frightened, the green light around her body suddenly surged, exploding with intensity, like a green proud sun suddenly rising, sending out waves of strong Divine Soul fluctuations. Under the outburst of the green light, Zhao Feiji''s Punishing Evil Divine Light was momentarily pressed down a considerable amount. ¡°Trifling tricks.¡± At that moment, he suddenly bellowed, and the slightly weakened Punishing Evil Divine Light erupted, effortlessly overpowering the green sun and suppressing it again. Only then did the female soul realize that the opponent''s God''s Power was a complete counter to her own, and promptly pleaded for mercy: ¡°Ah, don''t eat me, don''t eat me, keep me around¡­ I can be of help to you, really, I can help you. In this Black Abyss Mystery Cave, if you don''t have my assistance, you''re certain to die, absolutely certain to die,¡± the female spirit shrieked hysterically. Hearing the woman''s divine soul screaming in hysteria, Ghost General Zhao Feiji tactfully stopped what he was doing and turned to look at Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded his head, signaling him to bring the woman''s divine soul closer. ¡°You are very familiar with this Black Abyss Mystery Cave?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning as he approached the female spirit. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the female spirit replied, still somewhat distraught. ¡°You mentioned that we would all die in this Black Abyss Mystery Cave without your help?¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Perhaps that was somewhat overstated, but if you blindly enter deep into the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, you will certainly die,¡± the female spirit hastily said. ¡°I''m going to ask you a few questions now, answer honestly and you might have a chance to live. If you dare to hide anything or attempt to deceive, then you''ll still end up as rations for my subordinates,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Elder, please ask. I wouldn''t dare to deceive or hide anything, absolutely not¡­¡± the female spirit said, looking at Shen Luo''s somewhat chilling smile, affirming repeatedly. ¡°Who are you, and why are you here?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°My name is Purple Bamboo. I''m just a transformation monster living in the Spirit Cave, forced to flee and hide my divine soul in this stalk of Secluded Spring Purple Jade Bamboo after my physical form was taken,¡± the female spirit said. ¡°So your physical form is also a stalk of Spiritual Bamboo? That''s why hiding inside this bamboo allowed your breath to blend seamlessly, making it difficult to detect?¡± Master Yan interrupted. ¡°Exactly, but¡­ this elder has vast divine powers, and I ultimately couldn''t escape his divine sight,¡± Purple Bamboo said cautiously, casting a fearful glance at Zhao Feiji. ¡°Were you a transformation that migrated here, or did you originate from this land and cultivate your form here?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I was born and grew up here, and after cultivating and transforming, I''ve always stayed within this Black Abyss Mystery Cave,¡± Purple Bamboo replied. ¡°How many others like you, who have awakened and transformed into demons on their own in this Mystical Cave, are there?¡± Shen Luo asked further. At this question, Purple Bamboo visibly paused before finally speaking, ¡°Only me¡­¡± ¡°Think carefully before you answer,¡± Shen Luo said with slightly narrowed eyes, looking at Purple Bamboo. ¡°Replying to the elder, actually, how many transformation monsters there are, I truly do not know. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi inside the Spirit Cave is extremely pure and abundant. Every few hundred years, some spirits and demons transform. Some have long since died, and others have stealthily hidden themselves. I really don''t know the exact number,¡± Purple Bamboo explained, her heart trembling slightly. ¡°Spirit Cave?¡± Shen Luo keenly picked out this keyword from her words. ¡°Perhaps the elder doesn''t know? We are very nearly at the bottom of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. A bit further on, you can reach the deepest part, the Yin and Yang Double Cave,¡± Purple Bamboo said, somewhat surprised. ¡°Yin and Yang Double Cave, one is the Spirit Cave you mentioned, what''s the other?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The other is the Yin Cave. The Spirit Cave is filled with misty Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, where numerous Heavenly Treasures have been born, whereas the Yin Cave is dense with the essence of yin, full of endless dangers,¡± Purple Bamboo replied. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A double cave in one place, yet each starkly different, what exactly is at the very depths of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave to create such a phenomenon?¡± Master Yan couldn''t hold back his curiosity and asked. Chapter 1288 Chapter 1288: Chapter 1285 Purple Bamboo Chapter 1288: Chapter 1285 Purple Bamboo ¡°` ¡°Deep within the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, there lies a colossal spatial rift that, according to legend, is a Chaos Rift formed at the very beginning of the creation of the Three Realms. It continuously spouts a vast amount of Heaven and Earth Aura year-round. Influenced by the laws of the Three Realms, the mixed Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi and the utmost Yin energy naturally separate, eventually creating what we now call the Yin and Yang Double Cave,¡± Purple Bamboo said, noticeably more relaxed, as he explained. ¡°So it is, the wonders of the Great World are indeed marvelous,¡± Master Yan admired with a tsk. ¡°Returning to the previous question, you mentioned that there are many Transformation Monsters in the Spirit Cave. I don''t need to know about all of them. Just tell me who is the highest in cultivation among them,¡± Shen Luo asked. Purple Bamboo inwardly sighed, a touch of resentment gazing back at Shen Luo. He had thought the topic was diverted but the other party had returned to it. ¡°In the Spirit Cave, there were originally three Late True Immortal stage demons, constantly defending the Spirit Cave and fighting against the Yin Beasts from the Yin Cave. Later, one of the Flower Demons left the Spirit Cave, and now only two remain,¡± Purple Bamboo answered after pondering for a moment. ¡°Flower Demon? What mystic arts and God''s Power does it possess?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. Purple Bamboo paused briefly, then quickly answered, ¡°It is quite adept at spiritual attacks and can summon and control plants to strike suddenly.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo understood; he could almost confirm that the Flower Demon described by Purple Bamboo was the mysterious silhouette who had previously tried to snatch his black short rod. ¡°Right, what''s the deal with those Yin Beasts?¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and asked again. ¡°Just as the Flower Demon was born in the Spirit Cave, these Yin Beasts are from the Yin Cave. They are bloodthirsty by nature, extremely ferocious, and they all obey a Vampire Ancestor whose cultivation is close to the Taiyi Realm. These beasts often invade the Spirit Cave, causing slaughter,¡± Purple Bamboo said, an evident note of anger on his face. ¡°Close to the Taiyi Realm¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered, pondering upon hearing this. ¡°That Old Ghost is very cautious and rarely leaves the Yin Cave, usually sending out groups of those Yin Beasts instead. As long as you don''t enter the Yin Cave, you''re unlikely to encounter the old thing,¡± Purple Bamboo said with hatred. ¡°Could it be that the reason your divine soul has been separated from your body is thanks to this Vampire Ancestor?¡± Shen Luo asked, seeing his reaction. ¡°That''s not it. Although the old ghost is powerful, he doesn''t dare to directly attack our Spirit Cave. He and his Yin Beasts actually dislike places with too much spiritual energy. Their invasions are merely to satisfy their lust for slaughter,¡± Purple Bamboo shook his head and explained. ¡°If not him, then how did you fall into such straits?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I must admit, the Spirit Cave has now been occupied by a huge Domed Armor. I used to fight it desperately, but in the end, I miscalculated and it took my corporeal trunk, leaving only my divine soul to escape,¡± Purple Bamboo said with a sigh. ¡°What does that Giant Domed Armor look like?¡± Master Yan immediately asked upon hearing this. ¡°That Armor is extremely large in size, and on its body¡­¡± Purple Bamboo immediately described the appearance of the Domed Armor as he had seen it. After listening, both Shen Luo and Master Yan fell silent. The two exchanged glances, finding the answer in each other''s eyes. The Giant Domed Armor was none other than Puppet City, which Tianji City had been desperately searching for. ¡°Lead us to that Domed Armor,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Purple Bamboo didn''t immediately agree and seemed somewhat hesitant. ¡°Lead us to that Domed Armor, and perhaps we can help you recover your true form,¡± Master Yan added, seeing the hesitation. Upon hearing this, Purple Bamboo''s face brightened with joy, just about to reply when he heard Shen Luo''s clearly warning tone, ¡°Remember, no tricks or mischief, or you know the consequences.¡± ¡°` One played the good cop, and the other played the bad cop, with Zhao Feiji''s menacing presence on the side, the effect was quite significant. ¡°I wouldn''t dare, Elder, rest assured,¡± Purple Bamboo immediately promised, looking towards Shen Luo with a hint of fear in his eyes. ¡°Since your true form is the Spiritual Bamboo, for now, just continue to hide inside this Secluded Spring Purple Jade Bamboo,¡± Shen Luo said, having already dug out the piece of Spiritual Bamboo completely. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Purple Bamboo said with gratitude. Shen Luo gestured for Zhao Feiji to release the restraints, and Purple Bamboo''s divine soul immediately flew into the bamboo. The moment his divine soul entered, the Secluded Spring Purple Jade Bamboo underwent some changes as well, its roots naturally dissolved, transforming into essence that became concealed within the body of the bamboo. The entire bamboo shrank to about five feet in length, becoming clear and smooth with a glossy finish, looking just like a walking stick that had been used for many years and had acquired a patina. Shen Luo took out a prohibition talisman from his sleeve and wrapped it around what used to be the roots, which had now become the top of the stick, and as the talisman glowed, the talisman paper vanished, with the charm patterns merging into the bamboo stick. He tossed it with a flick of his hand to the Ghost General, letting him hold it. This was also a form of deterrence in itself. Hidden within the walking stick, Purple Bamboo felt utterly dejected, completely abandoning any thought of escaping halfway and decided to obediently lead them to the Spirit Cave instead. At this moment, Master Yan was just as disheartened. Seeing that Shen Luo had completely taken possession of the Dark Spring Purple Jade Spirit Bamboo, he found it inappropriate to ask for it back and could only silently collect the rest of the ordinary Dark Spring Bamboo, which were decent materials for Artifact Refining anyway. With Purple Bamboo''s guidance, the group soon arrived at the deeper part of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, and saw a huge cave. The cave entrance was a hundred feet high, with Nine Nether Yin Winds howling at the mouth of the cave, sounding like the cries of thousands of ghosts, causing one to feel irritable even without getting close, and within those Yin Winds, there was also a dense concentration of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, truly an extraordinary phenomenon. Mountain walls loomed on both sides of the entrance, covered with radial gullies and irregularly shaped holes, which were clearly the result of being eroded by Yin Winds over the years. The chaotic and noisy wind almost drowned out all other sounds, so Shen Luo and his companions simply stopped speaking and communicated through divine telepathy instead. He held the Black Jade Plate in his hand and looked carefully at the flickering light points on it, informing Master Yan and the Ghost General through divine telepathy, ¡°Purple Bamboo isn''t playing tricks; the black shadow and the mana imprint we saw earlier are both near this cave, and they don''t seem too far away.¡± ¡°If that''s the case, then what are we waiting for? Why don''t we hurry in?¡± Master Yan was eager to proceed immediately upon thinking that the long-sought Puppet City might be inside, barely able to contain his excitement. ¡°Brother Yan, don''t be hasty. You are well aware of the dangers of Ghost Yan and the Puppet City. Just you and I, do we stand a chance against them?¡± Shen Luo promptly stopped him, asking through telepathy. Upon hearing this, Master Yan also immediately calmed down. Shen Luo took another look at the Black Jade Plate, showing it to Master Yan while telepathically saying, ¡°Look, Little Master and the others are also heading this way. Let''s wait for them to arrive and then move together, it will be safer.¡± Chapter 1289 Chapter 1289: Chapter 1286: Undercurrents Chapter 1289: Chapter 1286: Undercurrents Master Yan, upon hearing these words, gave a slight nod after a moment of contemplation to express his agreement before saying: ¡°The Nine Nether Yin Wind at this cave entrance is so ferocious, and inside, the resistance is extraordinarily strong. It''s difficult for anyone to approach, and even for us to enter right away would not be easy.¡± ¡°Purple Bamboo, the Nine Nether Yin Wind mixed with the Heaven and Earth Aura has almost sealed off this cave entrance. How do you usually get in and out?¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice and asked. From within the Purple Jade Bamboo Staff, Purple Bamboo''s response came quickly: ¡°Elder, we were born within this Yin Yang Cave and have long adapted to such conditions. We''ve never considered this issue. For you¡­directly rushing in might be difficult, so why not use an escape technique and charge in one go?¡± ¡°Master, do not listen to her nonsense. The Nine Nether Yin Qi within the Yin Yang Cave is extremely dense. We are also unclear about the inside conditions. Recklessly using an escape technique is too dangerous,¡± Zhao Feiji hastily advised against it. ¡°Indeed, and under the influence of this Nine Nether Yin Wind and the mixed Heaven and Earth Aura, my ''Immortal Escape'' technique might not work either¡­¡± Shen Luo had not finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed drastically. A flash of escape light surrounded his body, and he attempted to leave his original position. But a burst of multicolored spiritual light unexpectedly shone from above his head, enveloping all three of them before he could act. Before they could react, a powerful force of spatial restriction poured down from above, completely immobilizing them in place. Shen Luo felt an invisible colossal force squeezing his entire body, making it impossible for him to move. He could only strain to look up, catching a glimpse of a multicolored Bright Treasure Box hovering above their heads. It was this box that emanated the multicolored spiritual light, controlling them in their original position. ¡°Haha¡­¡± With a burst of hearty laughter, a ripple of spatial fluctuations surged in the nearby void, and several figures emerged from it. ¡°These guys actually followed us here¡­¡± Shen Luo''s brows furrowed as he looked on, his expression inevitably growing tense. ¡°With just one move, Sect Leader Yuan has easily captured them. Impressive, impressive, I am in awe,¡± laughed a fat man among the group, praising the effort. As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes working the Bright Treasure Box, with a modest smile on his face, turned to another man clad in black armor beside him and said: ¡°Not at all, it is only thanks to my foster father''s excellent guidance that we have come here with little effort.¡± These people were none other than the Sect Leaders of the Yellow Sand Sect, Thick Earth Sect, and several other sects. The fat man who had spoken earlier was the Sect Master of the Thick Earth Sect, while the one operating the Bright Treasure Box was the Sect Master of the Yellow Sand Sect. The others were not strangers to Shen Luo either. The sturdy big man with a squared face and thick brows, dressed in black armor, was the leader of this group, the Vice Village Chief of the Demon King Fort, known as Demon Heart. Behind him stood Hall Master Zhong of the Divine Tortoise Sect and the Sect Master of the Beast Control Sect. That skinny old man, Hall Master Zhong, who had previously fallen into Shen Luo''s hands, now looked at Shen Luo with eyes full of murderous intent. However, amidst these people, he was the least influential and thus did not speak. On the other hand, the woman in green robes with a scar across her face urged, ¡°Sect Leader Yuan, the pathfinding stone has already been found, what are we waiting for?¡± Hearing this, Yuan Ming didn''t respond immediately, his gaze turning towards Demon Heart. ¡°No rush, first let''s put some spiritual insects on them and have them enter with us,¡± Demon Heart said to the woman in green robes. ¡°Elder Demon Heart has indeed thought this through thoroughly,¡± the woman immediately said upon hearing his words. She then took out a delicate purple Spirit Beast Bag from her sleeve, opened it, and gently murmured a few words, blowing a breath into the void. Several spiritual insects, about the size of a little finger''s nail cap, flew out of the Spirit Beast Bag and landed on Shen Luo and the others. Seeing this, Demon Heart nodded at Yuan Ming. ¡°Fellow Daoists, you¡­¡± Master Yan spoke anxiously upon seeing this. But before he could finish his sentence, the Bright Treasure Box overhead suddenly shifted at high speed, and the multicolored spiritual light it emitted instantly enveloped the three of them in a flash. Where the light fell, the figures of the three people disappeared without a trace. In a hidden location far from the Yin Yang Cave, The mysterious black-robed man and Mu Xiao were standing quietly behind a rock. The enigmatic shadow muttered to himself, ¡°They have indeed come as expected. But now that they are here, they should not dream of leaving alive.¡± ¡°Do you recognize these foreign cultivators?¡± Mu Xiao asked doubtfully. The black-robed man simply nodded in silence. Mu Xiao waited for a while, but when the black-robed man offered no explanation, he did not press further. ¡°What should we do next?¡± he finally asked. ¡°No hurry, the crowd that''s keen on the excitement has yet to gather. Let''s wait a bit longer,¡± the black-robed man said indifferently. Elsewhere, on the Bank of Weak Water. Little Master and his companions had already arrived early at this place. On the open ground by the river, everyone was busy bustling about. A Treasure Ship, mostly constructed from special Spiritual Materials, was suspended in midair, its overall structure nearly completed, with some details still being meticulously perfected. Little Master was floating beneath the ship, his hands holding a delicate golden engraving knife as he was deeply engrossed in etching something. Everyone buried themselves in their tasks, none of them making a sound. Shen Luo felt a blur before his eyes and found himself in a vast underground cave filled with bright light. The Ghost General was not far from him, but Master Yan was nowhere to be seen. The five-colored spiritual light on their bodies trembled a few times before quickly dissipating, along with the surrounding force of restraint. Their spirit insects immediately took flight, buzzing towards the surroundings as if they feared being silenced. Shen Luo, however, was not concerned with the insects at the moment; instead, he turned to look around. This place turned out to be an underground cave with an enormous space, filled to the brim with dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, visible to the naked eye. Breathing could even draw the spiritual energy into the body. He had visited many cultivation sanctuaries before, like Putuo Mountain Purple Bamboo Forest and the Nine Brahman Secret Realm in Daughter Village, where the spiritual energy was incredibly dense, but they paled in comparison to this place. ¡°Such dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, this must be the location of the Spirit Cave. Master Yan is not here; could he have been transferred to the Yin Cave?¡± Shen Luo speculated in his heart. Not only was the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi thick in this cave, but the ground and the surrounding Stone Walls also shimmered with lights of various colors, red and blue, all radiating strong spiritual power fluctuations. ¡°Fire Pattern Jade, Ice Soul Jade, Earth Mother Rock Soul¡­¡± Shen Luo, upon seeing the conditions of the ground and walls, exclaimed in shock. Fire Pattern Jade, Ice Soul Jade, Earth Mother Rock Soul, and similar items were exceedingly precious Spiritual Materials that could be used to refine not only low-grade Magical Treasures but even mid-grade Magical Treasures. Particularly the Earth Mother Rock Soul, which was a type of Earth Attribute Spiritual Material not inferior to the Xuan Turtle Plank, even a small piece of which would incite fierce competition among cultivators if it appeared outside; yet here, they were as common as ordinary soil and rocks, piled up everywhere. Ghost General Zhao Feiji beside him was also stunned by the sight before him and found himself at a loss for words. These Spiritual Materials were also covered with numerous Spirit Grasses and Spirit Flowers, the rich scent of which wafted toward them. Each plant was brimming with spiritual power, emitting a luminous glow and appearing to be over a thousand years old. However, many areas of the cave showed signs of having been excavated, with many Spiritual Materials and Spirit Grasses dug up. Moreover, the person who harvested them did so carelessly, leaving precious Spirit Grasses and trees haphazardly chopped and scattered on the ground. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1290 Chapter 1290: Chapter 1287: Neither Demon Nor Servant Chapter 1290: Chapter 1287: Neither Demon Nor Servant ¡°Such a waste of heaven''s treasures! Could it have been the work of Ghost Yan?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Ghost Yan, how dare you desecrate the Spirit Cave like this! I, Purple Bamboo, swear, I will make you pay the price!¡± Inside the Secluded Spring Purple Jade Bamboo, Purple Bamboo saw what was happening outside and was filled with immense anger. Just at this moment, a rumbling sound came from deeper within the cave, as if someone was excavating something. Shen Luo''s gaze shifted, and he quickly summoned the Ghost General, placing him inside the Qiankun Bag. Then, he activated his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and an Invisibility Talisman. His figure vanished into thin air, and he silently flew towards the interior of the cave. There was a turn in the depths of the cave leading to an even larger space. This place was also littered with precious materials, but the variety was much fewer than outside. In contrast, the quantity of each type of material was enormous. The sound of excavation originated from a section of the cave wall, which was dark gold in color and appeared to be a vein of Spiritual Copper. It shimmered with unusually lively golden light. A miniature version of an earthy yellow city was clinging to the cave wall, voraciously feeding on the dark gold Spiritual Copper like a living creature. The original earthy yellow of the city began to display specks of dark gold light, which quickly became dense. The aura it emitted was becoming increasingly heavy and vast. ¡°Puppet City!¡± Shen Luo had previously fallen into it and immediately recognized that the earthy yellow city was indeed Puppet City. His mana imprint was also pointing right there. ¡°Who is hiding there?¡± A surprised voice came from inside the Puppet City. A light swept over the sky above the city, and a bald big man wearing a yellow robe materialized out of nowhere. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank slightly; the aura of this bald big man was that of the man who had fought a great battle with him inside the Puppet City. He had just seen the Puppet City, and when he was surprised, he stirred the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and Invisibility Talisman, causing a slight fluctuation, and a bit of his aura leaked out, which was immediately detected by this man. However, Shen Luo did not reveal himself as he was requested; instead, he stimulated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to contain his aura and silently shifted to the side without making a sound. ¡°Hmph! You think you can hide from me? Come out!¡± The bald big man snorted coldly and waved his sleeve. Two tall figures appeared out of nowhere. One was a giant tiger, three Zhang high and seven to eight Zhang long, covered with snow-white fur interspersed with black stripes. Two sword-edge-like canine teeth protruded outward, giving it a particularly ferocious look. A tail that was almost as long as its body swished behind, emitting a heavy whooshing sound. ¡°Heaven Devouring Tiger!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. This giant tiger was the same Monster, the Heaven Devouring Tiger, that he had seen in the Dream World, only far superior to the one in the Dream World. However, the Heaven Devouring Tiger before him didn''t have the slightest hint of Demon Qi, and its gaze was quite dull, as if it were a puppet. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The other figure was a Golden Giant Ape, even taller than the Heaven Devouring Tiger, with a body covered in golden fur. Its muscles were knotted and swollen, especially its huge arms. It held a dark black iron rod as thick as a column, which looked like it possessed infinite power. Now with considerable experience, Shen Luo recognized at a glance that this Golden Giant Ape was also a rare type of Monster, known as the Giant Power Ape, said to be an Exotic Beast from the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent. The Giant Power Ape also had no Demon Qi, and its eyes were dim and lusterless. The bald big man muttered words, and suddenly two blood-tinged crystal lights shot out from his forehead. It was the Soul Silk Divine Ability unique to Tianji City, though for some unknown reason it had a tinge of blood, which entered the Heaven Devouring Tiger and the Giant Power Ape''s bodies. The Heaven Devouring Tiger''s eyes immediately glowed with a captivating cold light, and its body suddenly revealed complex spirit patterns that spanned its entire body. These spirit patterns were primarily in green and red, faintly revealing elements of wind and fire. The Giant Power Ape''s body also revealed dense Spirit Patterns, but they were all Silver Spirit Patterns, which reflected off its golden fur, creating an interplay of light. With a ¡°boom,¡± immense auras burst forth from the two beasts, reaching the True Immortal Stage; although it was just the Early True Immortal Stage, their momentum was in no way inferior to that of Elder Mei or Elder Mo Wang from the True Immortal Middle Stage. ¡°Are these Yan Patterns? How could such spirit patterns appear on the Heaven Devouring Tiger and the Giant Power Ape?¡± Shen Luo said with a look of surprise upon seeing the patterns on the two demons. At the same time, he swiftly moved to the side, hoping to continue hiding his tracks by relying on the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and the Invisibility Talisman. But the Heaven Devouring Tiger''s eyes flashed with a strange black and white light, suddenly looking towards Shen Luo''s hidden position. At the same time, the crimson spirit patterns on its body shone brightly, and it opened its blood basin and exhaled a burst of crimson flames. Once the flames met the wind, they quickly enlarged into a vast crimson sea of fire, instantly engulfing the place where Shen Luo was standing, giving him no chance to dodge. The raging flames were not only exceptionally fast, but they also contained a terrifyingly high temperature akin to volcanic lava, melting all the various spiritual materials around them like candles. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing was a water attribute magical treasure. When struck by such flames, the spiritual power inside surged, and its ability to conceal was immediately broken, revealing Shen Luo''s whereabouts. Shen Luo hastily urged the Bloodthirsty Flag, and a thick black light screen materialized out of thin air, blocking the fierce flames. With a muffled sound like thunder, Shen Luo was pushed back repeatedly along with his protective cover. The Bloodthirsty Flag''s shield vibrated violently, rapidly thinning out. The sea of fire the Heaven Devouring Tiger spat out was enormously powerful, and since the Bloodthirsty Flag was a yin attribute magical treasure, it was quite restrained by such flames and soon showed signs of weakening. Shen Luo snorted coldly and pointed a finger at the Bloodthirsty Flag. The black shield instantly shrank tenfold, clinging tightly around his body. Dozens of black yin fires spurted out from above, solidifying into a black fire wall, momentarily blocking the crimson sea of flames. He took the opportunity to use Slanting Moon Steps and the Teleportation and Transfiguration Technique, vanishing from his original location in a flash and reappearing on the other side of the cave. But before Shen Luo could relax, a streak of green light flashed above his head, and the Heaven Devouring Tiger appeared like a ghostly specter from nowhere, with a pair of azure Yan Pattern wings spanning dozens of feet on its back. Numerous streams of green light flowed on them, looking exceptionally dazzling. The tiger opened its mouth wide, spewing out a sea of crimson flames once more, striking Shen Luo again, this time completely submerging him. Almost simultaneously, a flash of golden light passed over the sea of flames as the Giant Power Ape shot forward. The black light on its black iron rod surged wildly, striking the engulfed Shen Luo within the flames several times like lightning. A series of loud booms erupted overhead. As the spatial fluctuations began, several black rod shadows, the size of small houses, appeared out of nowhere and smashed down towards Shen Luo within the sea of flames. Before they even hit, the tremendous force they contained swept down like a violent wind. Shen Luo felt as if he was being crushed by a mountain, his body heavily sinking, and he found it even difficult to move his arms. ¡°These two beasts are not ordinary creatures, nor are these Yan armors. Where did such terrifying creatures come from,¡± he wondered in his heart, realizing he could not hold back anymore. He ran the Huangting Technique and, at the same time, conjured the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand. Amidst the ¡°boom¡± of the explosion, several golden rod shadows shot out from within the sea of flames, colliding with the black rod shadows. With a ¡°bang¡± resounding like the sky and earth splitting, the black rod shadows shattered. The Giant Power Ape''s hands went numb, its black rod heatedly flew out of its grip, and a tremendous force surged into its body from afar. It couldn''t help but spew a mouthful of black blood and its large frame was shockingly blasted away. Chapter 1291 Chapter 1291: Chapter 1288 Escape Route Chapter 1291: Chapter 1288 Escape Route The surrounding sea of crimson flames was torn apart by a golden rod shadow to create a passageway, from which Shen Luo''s figure shot out. In mid air, the Heaven Devouring Tiger''s eyes flashed with ferocity. Its azure spirit wings unfurled behind it, transforming into a blue phantom as it chased after Shen Luo, the azure spirit patterns on its body suddenly emitting a bright spiritual light. The sound of ripping through the air was deafening as countless arrow-like beams of blue light shot out from the Heaven Devouring Tiger, blanketing the sky and heading straight for Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo opened his mouth and expelled a burst of blue light, colliding with those beams of green light, erupting with an extremely cold breath. All the green light, along with the Heaven Devouring Tiger, was frozen by the blue ice crystals. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was rich here, and the water''s spiritual power was also extremely abundant. The power of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique had been unprecedentedly strengthened. The bald big man in the distance saw this scene and his face darkened. He raised his hand and waved again, and a flash of yellow light passed over Puppet City. Eight yellow corpses shot out, precisely the Earth Evil Corpse Kings that Shen Luo had fought before. As soon as these corpse kings appeared, they pounced towards Shen Luo. Before their bodies even reached him, their withered arms waved, and countless thin yellow threads burst forth from their fingertips, weaving into large webs aimed at Shen Luo. Although the cave was not small, the speeds of Shen Luo and those Earth Evil Corpse Kings were incredibly fast; the yellow silk nets caught up to Shen Luo in the blink of an eye. The sound of booming thunder rose dramatically as dozens of bowl-thick golden lightning bolts struck the yellow silk nets. It was him activating the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns on his arms, trying to break through the net. However, as soon as the golden lightning touched the yellow silk net, a flare of yellow flames appeared on the net. All the golden electric arcs vanished into thin air, instantly absorbed by the threads without a trace. ¡°Earth-shattering Corpse Fire!¡± Shen Luo''s expression darkened. The flames on the yellow threads were the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire he had encountered before. Unexpectedly, it could appear in this form. The large nets swiftly fell down. With no means of escape, a crimson sword aura flashed above Shen Luo''s head, and the Pure Yang Sword shot out. With a whirling turn, a swath of Red Lotus Karmic Fire spewed out, forming a barrier of flames that blocked the yellow silk nets. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire was sufficient to contend with the Earth-shattering Corpse Fire, and the yellow silk nets were instantly stopped. Shen Luo''s expression relaxed slightly as he was about to figure out how to break the current predicament when a series of sharp Qin sounds suddenly rang out. It was Xie Yuxin, transformed into one of the Earth Evil Corpse Kings, playing the Qin while controlling the yellow threads, the same Fixing-Immortal Qin they had encountered before. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth around Shen Luo immediately fluctuated, condensing into waves of red flames and green wind blades that shot toward him like a violent storm. The Corpse King wielding the ice cone-like strange sword swung the weird blade at Shen Luo with full force. A hundred-foot-long massive aura of cold sword Qi appeared out of nowhere and cleaved down towards him. The Corpse King, from whom Shen Luo had snatched the Divine Craftsman Cannon, now held in his hands a huge silver domed crossbow. Drawing the bow and lodging the arrow, a huge thunderbolt as thick as a millstone roared out like a descending divine thunder, striking towards Shen Luo. The other Earth Evil Corpse Kings also launched their own fierce and peerless attacks, assaulting him from all directions. ¡°Roar,¡± ¡°Roar¡± Accompanied by two angry roars, two tall figures also lunged over. It was the Giant Power Ape and the Heaven Devouring Tiger, who had somehow broken free from the icy bindings of the Indigo Ocean. Dense like a mountain, the black rod shadows and the volcano-like sea of crimson fire fell violently. Shen Luo''s expression finally turned completely solemn. The black light of the Bloodthirsty Flag on his body surged wildly. The Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Turtle Spirit Shield also materialized, with black and gold spiritual light swelling to meet the overwhelming attacks from all around. ¡°Boom!¡± Colossal thunderous noises echoed incessantly, a crazy collision of vari-colored spiritual lights, each radiating an aura that struck terror into one''s heart. Wherever the light spread, everything was reduced to nothingness, and on the ground, a gaping pit tens of feet wide had formed. The vari-colored lights barely entwined before exploding violently, creating whirlwinds that shot straight into the sky, spiraling in all directions and abruptly expanding the size of the pit on the ground tenfold. Giant fissures also tore through the surrounding cave walls. The eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings and the Heaven Devouring Tiger, along with the Giant Power Ape, dodged backward to avoid being affected. However, at this moment, a figure wrapped in golden thunder emerged from the whirlwind. It was Shen Luo. He looked utterly wretched, his hair disheveled. The parts of his arms and legs that were exposed bore scars like they had been hacked and chopped, revealing bone in some places while blood gushed forth. His Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, though intact, was dim in spiritual light, evidently suffering from considerable damage. The Bloodthirsty Flag, the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, and the Turtle Spirit Shield had all sustained damages as well, especially the Turtle Spirit Shield, which had just endured a blow from the Giant Power Ape and now bore cracks on its surface. Even with the protection from treasures like the Bloodthirsty Flag and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, Shen Luo had been seriously injured. He shot towards the depths of the cave without hesitation, aiming to put some distance between them first. A roar of fury came from the side as the Heaven Devouring Tiger unfurled its azure domed spiritual wings on its back, chasing after him with lightning speed, overtaking Shen Luo and almost intercepting him again. Overhead, the Bald Big Man and Puppet City sprang into action. The Bald Man tapped the city underneath his foot, and from the Puppet City shot out two thick, yellow beams filled with fine worm-like yellow patterns that vanished in a flash into the cave wall beside them. The wall seemed to come to life, bubbling up as two enormous stony hands suddenly burst forth, lightning-fast, reaching for Shen Luo. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s heart sank. He was seriously injured now, and if he were to be caught, getting surrounded would put him in grave jeopardy. He immediately let out an angry grunt, his arms radiating with the Wind Thunder Spirit Light, as he deployed the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. With a piercing scream that split the heavens, his entire being transformed into a golden azure phantom, dashing past the Heaven Devouring Tiger and the pair of stony hands in a blur, shooting deeper into the Spirit Cave. ¡°Purple Bamboo, you''ve lived in this Spirit Cave for many years; you must know how to get out, right? If I am killed here, you won''t survive either,¡± Shen Luo communicated with the divine soul of Purple Bamboo in his Qiankun Bag while rapidly flying. The entirety of the Spirit Cave''s surroundings was enveloped by a vast force of space, creating a completely sealed environment, making it impossible to escape using the Yimu Xuandun technique. ¡°There was originally a passageway at the front part of the Spirit Cave that led to the Yin Cave, but it has been sealed by the person controlling the giant domed armor through a spell. Other than that, I''m unaware of any other exits,¡± Purple Bamboo replied somewhat panickedly. Shen Luo had already used his Divine Sense to explore the situation in the Spirit Cave and had guessed as much, but hearing Purple Bamboo confirm it still made his heart skip a beat. ¡°Although we don''t have a way to leave for the time being, there is one place we can hide, at the very depths of the Spirit Cave,¡± Purple Bamboo suddenly added. ¡°Oh? Where is it? Could it be that deep pond up ahead?¡± Shen Luo asked eagerly, both alarmed and thrilled. The front of the Spirit Cave was not very deep, only two or three miles, and the closer to the interior, the richer the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi became. In the deepest part of the cave, there was a pool about a dozen or so feet wide, filled with milky pool water, from which many white bubbles emerged, a sign of the actualization of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Chapter 1292 Chapter 1292: Chapter 1289: Feigning Retreat to Lure the Enemy Chapter 1292: Chapter 1289: Feigning Retreat to Lure the Enemy ¡°Indeed, that pool is a spiritual spring, reaching depths of four to five hundred feet. The very bottom, at the spring''s eye, is where that massive spatial rift lies, surrounded by many smaller spatial rifts. It is extremely dangerous. A mere touch would suck one into it, leaving no place for one''s body to rest. But precisely because it is dangerous, it''s an excellent hiding place to escape to,¡± Purple Bamboo said. Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but now he had no other place to hide, so he had to head there. With a speed akin to lightning, he made a whooshing sound as he flew over the pool and, without any hesitation, plunged into it, diving towards the depths below. Just as Shen Luo''s figure disappeared, the Heaven Devouring Tiger, the Giant Power Ape, and the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings arrived, about to pursue him into the pool. ¡°The spatial power at the depths of the pool is turbulent, with many spatial rifts, extremely dangerous. Stop the chase,¡± came the distant voice of the Bald Big Man, and the Heaven Devouring Tiger and the others immediately halted their pursuit. ¡°Master, my Divine Craftsman Cannon has been taken by that man. We must retrieve it!¡± the Earth Evil Corpse King wielding the Yancha Giant Crossbow urgently said. ¡°Don''t worry, once the Puppet City completes its evolution, not just this kid, but everyone who has entered the Black Abyss Mystical Cave will die. What''s most important now is the Puppet City. Don''t create unnecessary complications,¡± the Bald Big Man said in a deep voice. After saying this, he stamped on the Puppet City once again, and a beam of yellow crystal light about a zhang thick shot out from within, striking a section of the cave wall near the pool. The cave wall was covered with brass-colored metal, appearing to be some extremely precious metal-type spiritual material. The yellow light from the Puppet City disappeared into it, and the brass spiritual material immediately came to life, swarming outward and rapidly transforming. This was the divine power of the Puppet City, capable of turning all things in the world into dolls! In the space of two or three breaths, all the brass spiritual material on that cave wall had come loose, forming a massive brass city. It looked like another Puppet City. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± the brass city fell heavily onto the ground above the pool, pressing down on the pool and the nearby ground firmly. The yellow crystal light from the Puppet City continued to pour into the brass city unceasingly. Yancha spirit patterns shot from the brass city, spreading quickly across the surrounding ground. Soon, it covered a large area in the depths of the spirit cave, forming an enormous array that spanned several acres. Dazzling spiritual light shone from within the array, whirring into action. The brass city within the array also radiated skyward golden light, making it seem like a gigantic city of seals. Only then did the Bald Big Man stop channeling the Puppet City, his complexion showing a tinge of paleness, indicating that all the actions he had just taken were not easy on him. The spiritual light atop the Puppet City also diminished somewhat, and its aura decreased as well. ¡°With this Sealed Copper City established, that kid, no matter how formidable he might be, will not come out. Continue to guard every part of the spirit cave; kill anyone who trespasses!¡± the Bald Big Man commanded coldly. The eight Female Corpse Kings rose to acknowledge the command, and the Heaven Devouring Tiger and Giant Power Ape also let out low growls before spreading out in the spirit cave. The Bald Big Man continued to channel the Puppet City, absorbing the dark-gold spiritual material from that cave wall. The power he lost suppressing Shen Luo quickly recovered and continued to grow. Having entered the deep pool, Shen Luo rapidly dived downward and soon approached the bottom, where he stopped his descent. His divine sense began to detect some small spatial rifts forming below, some clearly discernible, while others were fleetingly obscure, almost impossible to detect. Under such circumstances, he dared not continue diving. ¡°The spatial rifts within the Spiritual Eye are both visible and concealed, with some completely hidden from view, and their locations continuously change. Brother Shen must be extremely careful,¡± Purple Bamboo also reminded. Shen Luo nodded, and the golden light around him faded to reveal a layer of blue light that quickly spread out, forming a blue area a hundred feet in size. The pool water in the space trembled slightly then returned to normal, and the blue light also disappeared without leaving any trace. This divine power was a minor divine ability ¡°Water Realm Technique¡± that came with the Nameless Cultivation Technique after reaching Great Mahayana Stage. It was not known for its powerful offensive capabilities but had a strong sealing effect. Anyone who stepped into the blue water realm would be restrained by the Water Realm Technique. Although it couldn''t completely seal the target, it could greatly affect the flow of their mana and physical movements. However, this divine power had a major drawback; it had to be used in water to unveil its might. In places without water, the power of the Water Realm Technique would be greatly reduced, and the blue water realm was too conspicuous outside, easily seen at a glance. Only within the water could the blue light of the water realm blend in with the surrounding currents and conceal its presence. Because of this drawback, Shen Luo had never used this technique until now. After the Water Realm Technique was formed, Shen Luo activated his Invisibility Talisman and Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to again conceal his presence, waiting for the people above to come down in pursuit. Yet, contrary to his expectations, a long time passed, and no pursuers arrived. ¡°Has Ghost Yan given up?¡± Shen Luo wondered to himself, about to do something. A loud ¡°boom¡± echoed from above, and the light within the pool suddenly grew dim, with an enormous power descending from the sky. The pool violently shook, water splashed wildly, and the Water Realm Technique was easily destroyed without a trace left behind. Shen Luo''s body was pressed down by this immense force, bending over, and in an instant, he couldn''t even move a little finger, his entire body rapidly descending three feet to stop beside a spatial rift about a yard long. The spatial rift flickered with a faint light, barely missing his body. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted to pinpoints as he desperately tried to activate the Huangting Technique to struggle, but the pressure was simply too great. No matter how he resisted, it was as futile as an ant shaking a tree, completely unable to move. ¡°Ha!¡± He attempted to summon several Magical Treasures by his side. The Bloodthirsty Flag and the Turtle Spirit Shield were also suppressed by this immense prohibition force, unable to fly at all, but only the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet shone brightly in gold, slowly rising above his head. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy as he energized the prohibition within the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. Golden rays of light poured down from above, forming a circular golden protective barrier. The overwhelming force from above was immediately counteracted by a large margin, and the remaining pressure, with his incredibly tough physique, was easily withstood. Shen Luo took a deep breath and immediately flew upwards against the protective shield, aiming to get as far away from the nearby spatial rift as possible. But that immense force came with a strong sealing power that fused with the space, no matter how hard he tried to push the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, he could only float upward bit by bit. It took an entire quarter of an hour for Shen Luo to ascend half a yard, his body''s mana nearly exhausted, forcing him to stop. ¡°No wonder Ghost Yan didn''t come down after me; it seems he intends to suppress me here, so I won''t interfere with his use of Puppet City to collect those dark gold metals, to enhance the power of Puppet City!¡± Shen Luo''s thoughts churned, understanding everything. Chapter 1293 Chapter 1293: Chapter 1290: Creation Chapter 1293: Chapter 1290: Creation ¡°Purple Bamboo, do you know what exactly those dark gold spiritual materials are?¡± Shen Luo, who had moved away from the spatial rift, relaxed a bit and communicated with Purple Bamboo through a mind message. ¡°I only know that those dark gold spiritual materials are a high-grade material, light in texture and easily merging with divine sense, suitable for the production of Armor. As for how they are referred to outside, I''m not sure,¡± Purple Bamboo replied. Shen Luo merely acknowledged with an ''oh'' and didn''t mind it further. Seeing that there were no imminent dangers for the moment, he sat down cross-legged and absorbed the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to recover his mana. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here was extremely rich; as soon as he began cultivating, the spiritual energy surged into his body and, with a slight rotation, transformed into pure mana, quickly filling his previously vacant dantian. Shen Luo was secretly delighted and immediately took out a healing pill to consume, while also running the Great Unsealing Technique to treat his injuries. Under the dual effect of the healing pill and the Great Unsealing Technique, his injuries healed rapidly, recovering about seventy to eighty percent in no time. He then considered his next steps. The entire spirit spring pool was now sealed by Ghost Yan''s godlike powers. Although he could barely move, he didn''t know how much time it would take to break free. Moreover, even if he got out, he would have to face that bald big man and those Armor, along with the Earth Evil Corpse King, which would lead to no different outcome than what he was currently facing. ¡°The people of Tianji City are looking for Ghost Yan, and Master Yan''s whereabouts are unknown after being transported. So, I might as well inform Little Master of the situation here and ask him to take charge. Not only could we save Fu Donglai, but we might also get a share of those treasures outside,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. After the series of previous events, he was absolutely certain that the bald big man was Ghost Yan. Thinking this, he immediately took out the Black Jade Plate and tried to contact Little Master with a spell. However, his current imprisonment by the seal above hindered the Black Jade Plate from functioning properly. Even after several attempts, he couldn''t send the message out. ¡°It seems Ghost Yan really has some tricks up his sleeve. The Black Jade Plate''s mana marking ability is still present, and if Little Master has entered the Black Abyss Mystery Cave and isn''t muddled in the head, he will definitely locate this place by sensing the position of the Black Jade Plate in my hand.¡± Watching two slow-moving white dots on the Black Jade Plate, Shen Luo decided not to keep trying blindly to send messages and put it away to continue absorbing the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to recover from his injuries. Streams of incredibly pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi converged like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, not only rapidly restoring his mana but also subtly encouraging his cultivation level to advance. Shen Luo''s cultivation level had already reached the peak of the Great Mahayana Stage, just short of breaking through the Niwan Palace to achieve the True Immortal Stage. At this moment, as streams of pure mana seeped in, the Niwan Palace began to loosen. ¡°The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here actually assists in breaking through the Niwan Palace! What fortune! Well, since the spiritual energy is so mystical, why not attempt the breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage right here?¡± He was both shocked and delighted, as an idea suddenly sprang to his mind, the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. Firstly, the unique effect of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here could aid in unlocking the Niwan Palace, increasing the chances of breaking through the True Immortal bottleneck significantly; secondly, he could use the power of the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation to break the massive seal above the pool. As for whether Ghost Yan would take advantage of his Thunder Tribulation to secretly attack him, Shen Luo wasn''t too worried. He had fought so fiercely with those Earth Evil Corpse Kings that Ghost Yan never left the area above Puppet City to join the attack, which means he probably had to hasten in operating Puppet City to devour the dark gold minerals in the cave walls, without the spare capacity to split his attention. Moreover, even if he did come, Shen Luo wasn''t afraid. In Dreamland, he had already experienced resisting the Thunder Tribulation once and was confident he could resist Ghost Yan while dealing with the Thunder Tribulation simultaneously, or even, as in Dreamland, redirect the Tribulation onto Ghost Yan. As for the preparations to progress to the True Immortal Stage, Shen Luo had them all ready. If it weren''t for being caught up in Tianji City''s plan to capture Ghost Yan, he would have already started his breakthrough elsewhere. With this in mind, he made up his decision, continued to cultivate to heal his wounds, and also to nurture the several Magical Treasures that would defend against the Thunder Tribulation. Half an hour later, Shen Luo''s injuries had fully healed, and his mana was also completely restored. The Profound Yellow Staff, having been integrated with Nine-turn Steel, was incredibly strong and emerged unscathed from the previous great battle, which spared him the trouble of fixing it; the Bloodthirsty Flag and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet had only suffered some shocks, but their internal prohibitions had not been damaged. Having nurtured them within his body for so long, they had basically recovered. Although the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing was damaged, its core remained intact, and after being nourished over this period, it had mostly healed. Only the Turtle Spirit Shield had developed cracks, and its internal prohibitions were in disarray. It was impossible to repair it with mana alone, but fortunately, he hadn''t placed much hope on the shield playing a major role in withstanding the Thunder Tribulation, so the impact wasn''t significant. Now that everything was ready, Shen Luo did not immediately start the breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage; he waved his hand to push away the surrounding pool water, took out some materials for making talismans, and began to refine talismans. This talisman was the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. Back in Dreamland, he had used the power of the Thunder Tribulation to draw several extremely powerful Thunderfall Talismans. Now facing the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation again, and with the even more formidable Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman at his disposal, he naturally wouldn''t miss this opportunity. He had already mastered the method for making the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, and it didn''t take long before he had successfully drawn seven or eight of them. Stowing away these talismans, Shen Luo closed his eyes to adjust his condition, and only when his spirit was fully replenished and his qi was abundant did he begin the assault on the True Immortal Stage. At the same time, he also took out that Ginkgo Spirit Fruit and swallowed it. He had learned from Bashe long ago about the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit''s effect in aiding the breakthrough to True Immortal Stage, otherwise, he wouldn''t have fought so desperately to acquire one back in Yunmeng Marsh¨Call for the sake of today. Shen Luo activated the Huangting Technique and began refining the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, which soon dissolved, turning into a coolness that merged into his mana. His already surging mana, after absorbing the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, soared anew, furiously smashing towards the last acupoint of the Great Mahayana Peak, the Niwan Palace. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Niwan Palace was an extremely important acupoint in the human body, situated between heaven and man. As long as one could break through it, one would be able to escape the mortals'' shackles and transform into an immortal. This acupoint was exceedingly difficult to breach, and various sects had spent countless years researching and creating numerous skills for it, but few had ever succeeded. Although Shen Luo had the experience of breaking through to True Immortal once before, he wasn''t very certain he could achieve it again. Fortunately, the pure spiritual qi in this spiritual spring had the effect of loosening the Niwan Palace, and the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit also aided in penetrating it, so he had some confidence in this breakthrough. ¡°Boom!¡± A loud noise erupted, as if a thunderclap exploded in his mind. The Niwan Palace trembled violently but did not open under the assault. Shen Luo was not surprised by this outcome, and after a slight adjustment of his mana, he continued with the second assault. Booming sounds continually erupted in his mind, like raging waves sweeping across or thousands of horses galloping. Moreover, with every assault, the power of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit gradually infused into the Niwan Palace. After striving for half a day, Shen Luo distinctly felt that the Niwan Palace was beginning to loosen, partly due to the impact of his mana and partly because of that Ginkgo Spirit Fruit. The spiritual power of the fruit seemed to have the effect of unblocking acupoints, and with each assault, the originally impregnable Niwan Palace softened a great deal from the inside out. Shen Luo was secretly pleased, and continued to activate the Huangting Technique, assaulting the Niwan Palace¡­ Chapter 1294 Chapter 1294: Chapter 1291: Escape from Death Chapter 1294: Chapter 1291: Escape from Death Atop the Weak Water River, no water waves stirred, and a treasure ship sailed rather steadily. Little Master and his companions all stood on the deck. They cooperated to propel the treasure ship forward, each with a tense expression, none daring to be careless. Made from Xuan Yin green bamboo, the treasure ship hovered above the Weak Water River''s surface, forming a visible misty film between the ship''s underside and the water, seemingly in contact but actually separated. A light emanated weakly from the sigils surrounding the treasure ship, forming a barely visible protective shield that kept all poisonous gases at bay. Instead of rushing to cross the river, everyone chose to follow the river channel downstream, hoping to catch up with Shen Luo and Master Yan by taking a shortcut via the waterway. After the treasure ship had floated more than a hundred yards, passing through a turbulent bend, they entered a broad water area where they faced towering water waves surging forward, smashing toward the treasure ship. Little Master immediately raised his sleeve and waved, a light bursting forth and merging into the treasure ship. Although the treasure ship was hastily refined, it still fell under the category of armor. As the light blended in, the prow suddenly dipped downward and then surged upward, leading the ship to cut through the waves downstream. The opposing waves clashed, burst apart with a crash, and sent water splashing every which way. As the water splashed around them, the treasure ship settled back down, and only then everyone saw clearly that in front of them, a ferocious beast resembling both a fish and a dragon was churning in the water, stirring up the waters. The beast was enormous; just the half of its body that was visible above water was thirty yards in length, covered in dark green scales. On its head, which resembled that of a fish, were two twisted, branch-like horns, and around its face dangled more than a hundred whip-like tendrils that swayed with every movement of its head. Although not yet a Great Mahayana peak in strength, the ferocious ghost released an aura nearly as powerful. Its formidable body, refined by the Weak Water, gave it combat capabilities comparable to those of a True Immortal. Alongside it swam a school of ferocious, strange fish, each no more than ten yards long, also covered in dark green scales. Within their gaping maws, interlocking spines like thorns revealed their sharp, deadly teeth. However, this giant beast was not intent on troubling Little Master''s treasure ship but was locked in battle with a smaller armor ship. On that ship, a young man with delicate bones and an androgynous charm was simultaneously maneuvering a Fierce Tiger Armor with red markings on a dark black background and the ferocious dragon fish beast, while throwing handfuls of red powder into the river. The dark black Fierce Tiger Armor, equipped with a pair of wings, could soar through the air. Though its claws seemed to drive the winds, the Armor''s strength was still far from matching that of the beast. At that moment, the tiger was entangled by the dragon fish, its steel frame tightly coiled, emitting a series of ¡°clicking¡± sounds. The Fierce Tiger''s wings were broken, its mystical light flickering wildly, and its claws flailed helplessly in the void, signaling it was at a desperate impasse. Meanwhile, the young man didn''t have the luxury to pay attention to the Armor as more savage fish continued to leap from the water, attacking the ship. These creatures had no regard for the ship''s defenses, able to bite through the hull with their sharp teeth. Each bite came with a ¡°sizzling¡± sound as they tore off pieces of the ship. A bite or two was not a big problem, but if left unchecked, these creatures could quickly tear the armor ship to pieces. Therefore, while dividing his attention to fend off the dragon fish, the young man was also forced to scatter more potent powder to fend off these fish. At first, the fish were quite sensitive to the powder, avoiding it immediately upon contact, but after several exposures, they adapted to the toxin. Even dusted with the powder, they still charged forward, determined to land at least one biting attack before retreating. The young man had to increase the dosage of the powder incessantly to discourage the fish, but it was gradually becoming overwhelming. At that moment, a crisp ¡°crack¡± sounded. As the ferocious dragonfish exerted its full strength to constrict and tighten, the Fierce Tiger Armor on the man''s body corroded by the venom started to emit white steam, finally unable to hold it any longer, it burst apart directly. Fragmented pieces scattered across the sky. The dragonfish suddenly dove from among them, rushing straight toward the pleasing man on the Armor Ship. The pleasing man was just about to counter with his Dharmform when the Armor Ship beneath him began to shake violently, with hundreds of bizarre fish simultaneously exerting their force, ramming hard into one side of the ship. The other side of the ship was already riddled with holes, and with this collision, the ship tilted, causing a tremendous amount of Weak Water to pour into the cabin through the holes. Suddenly, the ship could no longer maintain its balance and started sinking into the water below. The ferocious dragonfish had also closed in rapidly, opening its mouth wide to bite him. ¡°My life is over¡­¡± In a moment of despair, the pleasing man let out a sigh of resignation. ¡°Elder Mei, bend down.¡± Just then, a loud shout erupted unexpectedly. Heartened by the sound, the pleasing man hurriedly crouched down, his body almost touching the deck of the ship. The moment he crouched, he felt a burst of icy breath shoot past his back, followed by a terrible roar ringing in his ears. ¡°Ao¡­¡± Just as the ferocious dragonfish was about to swallow Elder Mei whole, three snow-white arrows as thick as an adult''s arm and three zhang in length descended in a vertical line, piercing the head, neck, and chest of the dragonfish. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The force of the arrows was so great that, although they did not completely penetrate the dragonfish''s body, they dragged it along the water''s surface for over a hundred zhang before it crashed into the water. Upon contact with the liquid, the snow-white arrows immediately froze into ice, encasing the dragonfish within. The large patches of dark green blood the dragonfish shed along the way seemed to be extremely enticing to those fierce bizarre fish. Just now, they were the dragonfish''s flunkies, but now they greedily consumed the blood trail, charging towards the dragonfish. However, as soon as they drew close, the ice encasing the dragonfish burst apart. After regaining its freedom, the dragonfish saw the bloodthirsty bizarre fish all rushing towards it. Without any hesitation, it swept its colossal tail and plunged into the water, fleeing downstream. Elder Mei stood on the ship that was about to sink, feeling the joy of a narrow escape from death, and waved vigorously at the Little Master and his companions, his slender waist swaying along. The sight made everyone on the Treasure Ship feel nauseous, but it was Elder Mo Wang who quickly shouted, ¡°Aren''t you coming over quickly?¡± With that, he threw out a whip rope, snaring Elder Mei and bringing him back onto the Treasure Ship. ¡°City lord, I almost thought I was going to die here, never to see you again¡­¡± Elder Mei''s eyes brimmed with tears, and he spoke with a weeping tone. Fuk in the meantime kept stamping his foot, full of pity, and said, ¡°City lord, why bother saving him? Not only did it deplete the Broken Army Divine Crossbow, but it also wasted three Cloud Frost Arrows for nothing.¡± Only then did Elder Mei notice that there was a finely carved crossbow, seven to eight zhang in width, prominently displayed on the Treasure Ship. This thing was a high-level Armor, even more powerful than the Divine Craftsman Cannon. ¡°I thank the city lord for the grace of saving my life.¡± Elder Mei then earnestly bowed in gratitude. Chapter 1295 Chapter 1295: Chapter 1292: The Heavenly Tribulation Descends Chapter 1295: Chapter 1292: The Heavenly Tribulation Descends ¡°Stop talking about that, what happened to you? How did you end up all alone?¡± the Little Master furrowed his brows and said. ¡°Alas, after I separated from Elder Mo Wang, I was attacked by a large pack of Yin Beasts. In the chaos, I got separated from the others. I intended to cross Weak Water on the modified Armor Ship to find them on the other side, but I encountered this group of ferocious beasts halfway and have been entangled and pursued by them all the way here,¡± Elder Mei sighed deeply and explained. ¡°What about Master Yan, do you know where he went?¡± the Little Master asked again. With the Little Master''s question, everyone''s gaze also gathered on Elder Mei. Everyone in Tianji City knew that Master Yan had the highest talent and the best temper among the next generation of disciples. He was undoubtedly the first choice and the undeniable candidate for the future City Lord of Tianji City. His life and death concerned everyone''s hearts. ¡°When we parted, he was with Shen Luo. They both have the Grey Butterfly Powder I sprinkled on them. No matter how far apart we are, I can smell the traces they''ve left behind. They have already crossed Weak Water, and they should be safe for now,¡± Elder Mei said. Upon hearing this, the Little Master''s expression relaxed slightly, but then his brows knitted tightly again. After a long silence, he ordered, ¡°The other side of Weak Water will only be more dangerous. We must immediately cross the river and find them.¡± At his command, everyone put all their effort into propelling the Treasure Ship, crossing Weak Water. After reaching the other side, Elder Mei followed the scent of the Grey Butterfly Powder, leading everyone quite safely to the front of a huge cave. ¡°The scent of the Grey Butterfly Powder disappears here; it seems they have entered that cave,¡± Elder Mei said, looking at the cave entrance from where fierce winds howled, bringing with them rich Yin Qi and a mixture of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. ¡°Divine Sense cannot probe inside¡­¡± Elder Mo Wang closed his eyes and tried, but then shook his head. Elder Fu even took out a palm-sized, yellow-sparrow-shaped exquisite Armor, and pushed it into the cave. The Yellow Sparrow War Armor flew into the wind, disappearing in an instant, leaving no trace. No matter how much Elder Fu called, it made no difference; there was no response at all. ¡°No need to test any further, we are going to enter anyway. Follow me,¡± the Little Master''s brow furrowed as he waved his big hand and said. ¡°Yes,¡± everyone responded in unison and followed. The Little Master led the way, donning a silver-white cloak on his person. The cloak was embroidered with patterns of the entire starry sky and inset with unknown crystal stones. At first glance, it seemed nothing but luxurious. But as he stepped into the cave''s fierce wind, the cloak seemed to unfurl a galaxy, shaking out thousands of feet of starlight. The entire sky seemed to reflect in the Human World at that moment, with each star''s trajectory turning into a sparkling line, interlinking to form a Star Array, covering a ten-foot void around the Little Master. The Elders and disciples of Tianji City all entered the area shrouded by the starry sky, following the Little Master into the cave. The cave''s wild winds that blew over the stars were easily parted, with the enshrouded Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi instead funneling into the stars, making them even more dazzling and bright. They hadn''t walked far inside when a towering mountain appeared in front of the cave, splitting the entrance into two passageways, with the left side''s Yin Sha Qi reaching the sky and the right side sparkling with rich spiritual light. ¡°Elder Mei, can you scent which side Master Yan went on?¡± the Little Master asked. ¡°I couldn''t smell anything outside just now, but after entering here, it seems there is some clue; Master Yan should have gone to the left,¡± Elder Mei quickly answered. Hearing this, the Little Master was silent for a long while before he slowly said, ¡°In the spiritual energy of this right cave, I have detected a hint of Armor Qi.¡± ¡°Puppet City?¡± the other Elders instantly thought of it. ¡°City Lord, since that''s the case, you can rest assured and head to the Spirit Cave on the right. I will take care of the rescue mission for Master Yan myself,¡± said Elder Fu, a rather short and plump figure, as he stepped forward to volunteer. ¡°Let Elder Mei accompany you,¡± said Little Master, hesitating slightly before speaking. ¡°Good, Master Yan is entrusted to Elder Mei and myself. Even if it costs us our lives, we will bring him back safely. Ghost Yan and Puppet City are tough to deal with, so please be very cautious, City Lord,¡± Elder Fu declared, thumping his chest with a ¡°thump thump¡± sound. ¡°Alright, if that''s the case, I leave it in your hands,¡± Little Master pondered for a moment and then replied. After that, they split into two groups. Elders Fu and Mei, leading the majority of the disciples, headed toward the Yin Cave on the left, while Little Master led the others into the Spirit Cave on the right. A few moments after they left, several silhouettes gradually emerged from the howling wind. It was Yuan Ming, the Gate Master of Yellow Sand Sect, and his group. Without any exchange, they went straight into the Yin Cave on the left without hesitation. And after their figures also disappeared, like a praying mantis stalking a cicada, oblivious of the oriole behind, a green figure also appeared within the cave. Clad in a wide green robe, and slightly levitating, it was none other than Mu Xiao. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± After a few hoarse, dry chuckles, he turned his body and also entered the Yin Cave. At the same time. Deep within the Spirit Eye Deep Pool, the golden light on Shen Luo''s body suddenly swelled up like a volcano erupting, pushing aside all of the surrounding pool water. Within the burst of golden light, his face was full of ecstasy. After repeated impacts, the Niwan Palace finally burst open with a roar, mana rushing in and swirling like a wild dragon in the sea. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, Shen Luo felt as if he had pushed open the gates between the mortal and the celestial, suddenly entering a brand new realm. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from his surroundings poured in, transforming into extremely pure mana, rapidly expanding his Dantian and Meridians. His Dantian and Meridians quickly expanded, doubling their size in the blink of an eye, and his mana also surged more than twice as much. The vast liquid mana inside formed like a huge lake, roaring and churning, causing the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to become extremely turbulent and restless. His physical body also rapidly absorbed the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, undergoing earth-shattering changes. The rhythmically surging muscles in his limbs caused the surrounding air to buzz. Bones, muscles, and skin each revealed a layer of profound golden patterns from inside out, emitting an increasingly terrifying sense of oppressive weight, as if he were an unshakeable, indestructible golden deity. Not just his mana and body, Shen Luo''s divine soul also grew stronger with the increase in mana. In just a few breaths, it had more than doubled in strength, making his mind somewhat unable to contain it. Clusters of Soul Power squeezed together, creaking and cracking. Shen Luo sensed this and was startled. He quickly operated the Unruffled Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his divine soul but then another extraordinary change occurred inside his mind. The clusters of Soul Power pressing against each other suddenly began to merge. Ten portions of Soul Power condensed into one, transforming into a semi-solid state that shimmered with crystalline light, similar to the Soul Threads of Tianji City. What was once a swelling mind became hollow, yet filled with immense power. Shen Luo''s face lit up with joy, and as he was about to continue sensing the various changes in his body, ¡°thump¡± ¡°thump¡± ¡°thump,¡± three sounds like that of a heavenly drum echoed from the sky, striking fear into the hearts of all. ¡°Three strokes of the Kui Drum, the Heavenly Tribulation descends!¡± he suddenly looked up, but was not panicked! This Heavenly Tribulation was relatively normal, not descending before the breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage as it happened in Dreamland, giving him a significant margin. After the last stroke of the heavenly drum ceased, a swath of golden radiance appeared dozens of feet above his head, followed by four streaks of golden light emerging within the radiance, materializing into four golden Heavenly general figures, each wielding a giant golden axe, identical to the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers he had once encountered in a dream. Chapter 1296 Chapter 1296: Chapter 1293: Use the Momentum of Others to Your Advantage Chapter 1296: Chapter 1293: Use the Momentum of Others to Your Advantage ¡°Audacious, who dares to obstruct the Thunder Tribulation!¡± The four Heavenly Soldiers felt the oppressive prohibiting force around them, their expressions darkening as they simultaneously wielded their giant axes. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Four mirror-like golden thunderbolts shot out from the axes, piercing through the sky above and vanishing after tearing the pool water apart! Shen Luo, witnessing this scene, couldn''t help but feel a surge of excitement. These Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers were so domineering that they indeed couldn''t tolerate interference from Human World monks during the execution of Heavenly Thunder. The next moment, an earth-shattering boom came from above, causing the whole pool to tremble violently, and Shen Luo''s body to shake fiercely. As the bottom of the Brass City above the pool was illuminated by a flash of lightning, the four golden thunderbolts struck it mercilessly. The Brass City let out a deafening noise, as if a falling leaf was sent flying, crashing into the nearby cave wall and embedding halfway in. Right after, the four golden thunderbolts exploded, and the scattering arcs of lightning lashed out like long whips, effortlessly destroying the Arrays surrounding the pool and tearing up the ground, leaving behind deep trenches! The Corpse Kings and the two armored figures within the Spirit Cave were shocked at the sight. Ghost Yan also hurriedly looked over, his expression growing grave. ¡°This breath of thunder and lightning, it''s the Power of the Thunder Tribulation! Could it be that kid in the pool is attempting to break through to the True Immortal Stage?¡± His heart skipped a beat. Shen Luo, already immensely powerful at the Great Mahayana Peak, would have his strength increase unimaginably once he made the breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage. Even Ghost Yan wasn''t confident he could suppress him. But now, he had to stay and protect Puppet City, unable to leave it even for a moment. He could only order the Eight Great Corpse Kings and the two armors to go down and find a way to stop Shen Luo''s breakthrough. Just as Ghost Yan was about to control the Corpse Kings and the armors to move down, another thunderous noise came, this time from outside the Spirit Cave¨Csomeone was attacking the sealed entrance to the Spirit Cave previously fortified by Ghost Yan. His expression changed once more as he quickly recited Spells. From beneath the Puppet City shot out a beam of yellow crystal light, forming a yellow reflective surface that showed the situation at the cave entrance. A large group of people were stationed there, with everyone from Tianji City, Little Master, Mo Wang among them. They were operating several large artillery Yanjia, firing huge beams of light that fiercely bombarded the Seal at the entrance. The Seal was rapidly crumbling and seemed unable to hold much longer. ¡°It''s them! They''ve arrived so quickly!¡± Ghost Yan''s eyes became extremely cold, as he tapped his foot on the Puppet City once more. The sound of ¡°swoosh¡± ¡°swoosh¡± filled the air! Hundreds of different colored Yanjia balls flew out, landing on the ground and transforming into various human and beast-shaped armors. Just like the previously appearing Heaven Devouring Tiger and Giant Power Ape, these Yanjia had wooden eyes and no aura at all. Ghost Yan murmured an incantation, and below the Puppet City, a black hole opened with a ¡°click.¡± The sound of tearing air followed as yellow-hued threads shot out from it, piercing into those Yanjia. The Yanjia suddenly came to life, emitting various and diverse auras, all of them strong, with dozens at the Mahayana Stage and above, although none at the True Immortal Stage. Ignoring Shen Luo completely, the hundreds of Yanjia and the Earth Evil Corpse Kings lined up in front of the Spirit Cave entrance, ready to burst forth¡­ In the depths of the Spiritual Eye Pool, Shen Luo''s body relaxed, the immense force from above vanishing, and his frame returned to normal. He knew that the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers had broken the prohibition above, and he rejoiced silently in his heart. However, he didn''t have the luxury to pay attention to the situation above. As soon as the four Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldiers broke the prohibition, they began to initiate the Thunder Tribulation, clashing their axes against each other, emitting a series of clanging sounds! Above him, within the golden aurora, a ¡°boom¡± signaled the emergence of a cross-shaped Thunder and Lightning Array. Surrounding thunderclouds surged, emitting an indescribably heavy breath. Then, within the Thunder and Lightning Array, there was the rumble of thunder, and a snow-white lightning bolt, thick as a water bucket, descended from the heavens, striking directly towards him. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with a strange light. He didn''t activate the Bloodthirsty Flag or the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet; instead, he flipped his hand, summoning the Profound Yellow Staff and struck upwards with all his might. ¡°Boom¡± The surface of the staff shone with golden light like flowing water, which then burst into a dazzling golden light, colliding with the descending white lightning. A loud noise echoed in the nearby void, and the white lightning was directly shattered by the golden light. Shen Luo was not surprised by this outcome. The True Immortal Thunder Tribulation consisted of nine waves, with the first being the weakest. With his current strength combined with the Profound Yellow Staff, it would be strange if he couldn''t easily withstand the first wave of the thunder tribulation. After the white lightning was crushed, it dissipated into countless tiny electric arcs, which traveled along the Profound Yellow Staff to Shen Luo''s body, spreading and wandering over his skin and even penetrating inside him. Shen Luo''s physical body was still transforming; every single pore was rapidly devouring the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. The white electric arcs that spread over were also devoured. He didn''t stop any of this. A slight look of pain flashed across his face; his muscles and bones felt numb, but after the numbness passed, his body''s strength was noticeably enhanced. ¡°The effects of the Sky Thunder Body Refining are indeed excellent,¡± Shen Luo thought with a gleam of excitement in his eyes. Moreover, after being purified by the thunder, not only was his physical body strengthened, but the Demonic Qi lurking within his meridians was also significantly refined. ¡°Clang¡­¡± The Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldier in mid-air took action again. The Great Cross Formation above flashed with light, and two thick silver-white lightning bolts descended from the sky. Shen Luo operated the Huangting Technique with all his strength. The golden light on the Profound Yellow Staff intertwined, faintly forming the shape of a golden dragon, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± it struck out, colliding with the two silver-white lightning bolts. ¡°Boom¡± went a tremendous explosion; the two silver-white lightning bolts were also smashed with a single blow. The golden light dragon on the Profound Yellow Staff crumbled and disappeared. A series of silver-white electric arcs spread over his body, being absorbed once again. Thunder rumbled again! The third wave of the thunder tribulation gathered its strength, combining four silver lightning bolts into one, which quickly congealed into a huge thunderball. It plummeted down from above. Around the thunderball, countless lightning bolts as thick as a child''s arm struck down like rain. Shen Luo roared, his golden light surged dramatically. The phantom of a palace-sized golden elephant emerged behind him. The Profound Yellow Staff was once again wrapped by a golden dragon, forming seven or eight staff shadows that struck towards the silver thunderball. The Bloodthirsty Flag and Turtle Spirit Shield were also raised to protect his entire body. Behind the Bloodthirsty Flag, a talisman quietly appeared; it was none other than the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. An explosion like a thunderclap rocked the heavens; the silver thunderball was also smashed with a single blow. Countless scattered silver lightning bolts swept away in all directions. The Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman ¡°swooshed¡± as it shot forward, emitting waves of white light, rapidly absorbing the scattered thunderous power. ¡°Zzzt zzzt zzzt¡± With a flicker of electric light, the talisman was fully formed in just a few breaths. Shen Luo waved his hand, and a beam of golden light drew the talisman towards him. The Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman was pulsating with frightening thunderous Qi, far more powerful than the usual Earth-Attracting Thunder Talismans. Chapter 1297 Chapter 1297: Chapter 1294: Advancing to True Immortal Chapter 1297: Chapter 1294: Advancing to True Immortal Shen Luo looked at the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman in his hand, a flash of joy on his face, but as the Heavenly Tribulation of thunder rose again in the sky, he hurriedly put away the talisman, ready to respond. Thus, wave after wave of the Thunder Tribulation fell, quickly reaching seven waves. Shen Luo raised the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, Bloodthirsty Flag, Turtle Spirit Shield, and several other Magical Treasures for transcending the tribulation, forming layers of gold, black, and blue thick light shields around him. Each light shield emitted a Spiritual Light that shot straight to the heavens, holding off the seventh wave of the Thunder Tribulation¨Ca massive waterfall of golden lightning. The fierce collision between the two sides caused the thunder and the various colors of Spiritual Light to clash intensely, emitting a terrifying hissing and howling sound. The void at their junction seemed to start vaporizing, as rolling heat waves billowed and drifted. The light shields of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and Bloodthirsty Flag flickered incessantly, but showed no signs of weakening or collapsing. Next to the golden light curtain formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, an Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman was suspended, rapidly devouring the scattered golden lightning. After the time it takes to brew half a pot of tea, the lightning waterfall finally exhausted its force and slowly dissipated. The Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman was also completed, flashing with crackling golden thunder, and the thunderous presence it emitted was even more powerful than the previous ones. Shen Luo''s body was also wrapped in threads of golden lightning, continuously merging into his body. However, this time, most of the golden lightning was absorbed into his arms¨Cor more precisely, by the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns within his arms. The golden patterns quickly became denser, and the color of the thunder patterns brightened significantly, emitting a hint of the destructive aura similar to that of the Thunder Tribulation. ¡°The Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns can actually absorb the power of the Thunder Tribulation!¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted. Inheriting from the Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates, the power of the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns was already formidable. Now, having absorbed the power of the Thunder Tribulation, not only had their power greatly increased, but they had also acquired the aura of the tribulation, which surely would have an unexpected wondrous effect when dealing with beings like shadows and ghosts. He sensed the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns inside his arms, but immediately retracted his mind, ready to face the eighth wave of the Thunder Tribulation. According to his experience in Dreamland, this wave of Thunder Tribulation specifically targeted the Divine soul. Shen Luo''s Soul Power had already greatly improved, and he felt no fear. He called upon all the Soul Power in his mind, operating the Suppressing God Technique. His Soul Power instantly condensed into an incredibly sturdy Giant Peak. The eighth wave of the Thunder Tribulation arrived soon. Thunder roared in midair as a bolt of lightning descended from the sky. It was not the pitch-black Xuan Yin Thunder but rather a pure white one, radiating an aura of pure Yang and utmost rigidity. ¡°Supreme Sun God Thunder! How can this be!¡± Shen Luo was shocked and pale. The light from the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, Bloodthirsty Flag, and Turtle Spirit Shield soared, and the light shields instantly thickened by more than double, blocking above his head. The Supreme Sun God Thunder crashed down, striking the Magical Treasures. ¡°Pff,¡± ¡°Pff,¡± ¡°Pff,¡± three soft sounds. The defensive light shields created by the three Magical Treasures were breezed through; the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet was knocked flying, the protective cover of the Bloodthirsty Flag was pierced, and the Turtle Spirit Shield burst into pieces, completely turning to ash. Having penetrated the three Magical Treasures meant for defending against the Thunder Tribulation, the Supreme Sun God Thunder shrank a bit but still zipped towards Shen Luo with lightning speed. Shen Luo''s eyes twitched, and he urged his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to its maximum strength. At the same time, he shouted loudly, and the Profound Yellow Staff''s golden light skyrocketed. Stick shadows appeared instantly, all fiercely striking towards the Supreme Sun God Thunder. The surrounding void trembled with the force, performing Splashy Chaotic Stick. With an earth-shattering ¡°Boom,¡± the white Supreme Sun God Thunder exploded. However, the stick shadows from Splashy Chaotic Stick were shattered with one strike. His hands burned fiercely, and the Profound Yellow Staff was knocked flying. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing on Shen Luo was also penetrated by the Divine thunder, its light completely extinguished, and his body was invaded by the Supreme Sun God Thunder. All his meridians were suddenly scorchingly hot, and he could not help but spit out a mouthful of blood, his body retreating step by step. He saw a trace of horror flash through his eyes, and was just about to summon back the Profound Yellow Staff that had been sent flying when a loud thunderous roar erupted from the sky, and a gigantic thunder dragon, hundreds of feet long, descended from the heavens. This thunder dragon''s body was composed of various colors of thunder and lightning, including white, silver, and gold, as well as the Supreme Sun God Thunder from just now. The different thunders intertwined, producing a rumbling sound. With its huge mouth wide open, the thunder dragon ferociously devoured Shen Luo, who was still unsteady on his feet. Shen Luo had no time to summon any Magical Treasures to protect his body, and his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing has been heavily damaged by the Supreme Sun God Thunder just now. He could only circulate the Huangting Technique and the Nameless Cultivation Technique. Five Golden Elephants and five Golden Dragons appeared and surrounded his body in the middle. Just as he finished doing this, the various colored thunders and lightnings struck like electricity, easily shattering those Golden Elephants and Golden Dragons and rushing furiously into his body. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Zi la la¨C¡± A flash of lightning flickered, and Shen Luo''s entire body was wrapped in thunder and lightning, becoming brilliantly illuminated. After a long while, all the thunder and lightning dissipated, and Shen Luo, with disheveled hair and a body covered in charred blackness, fell down, his body covered with wounds as if it had been chopped and drilled. However, he swayed for a bit and finally managed to stand firm on the ground, forming seals with both hands. At that moment, the thunderclouds in mid-air brightened, and a stream of milky white light descended, enveloping Shen Luo''s body. The white light was full of strong vitality, completely different from the Thunder Tribulation that had been obliterating everything earlier. Shen Luo''s charred body rapidly recovered, with the wounds on his body healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and a burst of golden light exploded from his body, covering it. Not long after, all the golden light dissipated, revealing Shen Luo''s figure, with all injuries completely healed. He appeared not much different from before, yet internally, he had undergone a complete transformation. Every pore was faintly radiating golden glows, the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi trembled with it, and every movement he made exuded a tremendous might. With a step, the Void trembled, and with a swing of his arm, he stirred up a storm of spiritual energy. Shen Luo vaguely sensed some connection between his body and the surrounding Heaven and Earth. As long as Heaven and Earth did not perish, his flesh would not rot, and he could live beyond a thousand years, even ten thousand years was not a difficult feat. This was the True Immortal Stage, to share the same life span with Heaven and Earth, to shine along with the sun and the moon! ¡°Congratulations, Daoist friend, on successfully overcoming the Heavenly Tribulation and ascending to the True Immortal rank. I wonder if you would be interested in taking a position at the Heavenly Court. With your capabilities, the Heavenly Court will surely entrust you with an important duty,¡± a Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldier stepped forward and said to Shen Luo. ¡°Take a position at the Heavenly Court? I, Shen Luo, am still entangled in the mortal world and cannot leave. Thank you for your generous offer, Divine General,¡± Shen Luo replied, slightly startled, and immediately shook his head in refusal. ¡°Since that is so, we will not insist. If there is destiny, we shall meet again,¡± the Law Enforcement Heavenly Soldier did not persist, nodded at Shen Luo, and the four heavenly soldiers moved into the golden light above and disappeared. The thunderclouds in the sky also rapidly dissipated, returning to their appearance from before in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo watched as they left and closed his eyes to sense the situation within his body. The last strike of the Thunder Tribulation was astonishing in its power, containing all the forces of the Thunder Tribulations he had experienced before. Caught off guard, he was heavily injured. Fortunately, Shen Luo had already broken through to the True Immortal Stage before the Thunder Tribulation, greatly enhancing the strength of his physical body. With the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns residing in his arms, he absorbed much of the Power of the Thunder Tribulation, which allowed him to successfully pass the final wave of the Thunder Tribulation. Although the final wave of the Thunder Tribulation had caused him serious injuries, it also meant that his body had undergone another round of Sky Thunder Body Refining, significantly increasing his physical strength once again. The Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns in Shen Luo''s arms had also absorbed a large amount of the Power of the Thunder Tribulation during the last wave, undergoing a transformation and greatly increasing their potency. However, these were not his primary concern; what he cared most about was the condition of the Demonic Qi within his body and whether it had been completely resolved. Chapter 1298 Chapter 1298: Chapter 1295: Searching Chapter 1298: Chapter 1295: Searching Shen Luo closed his eyes to sense the depths of his meridians and activated the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power, his expression suddenly changed. He felt that threads of Demonic Qi were once again emerging from deep within his meridians, a tenth as dense as before yet still present. ¡°The Power of the Thunder Tribulation wasn''t able to completely resolve this Demonic Qi!¡± Shen Luo''s heart sank, and the joy of advancing to the True Immortal Stage dissipated by more than half. The Demonic Qi of Chiyou was extremely elusive, not fully eradicated, and would definitely devour his body''s vitality in the future, and it would likely grow strong again soon, returning everything to the original state! ¡°Damn it, how could this happen!¡± He braced his forehead with his hand, his heart filled with both annoyance and hatred. However, he did not dwell on this emotion for too long. No matter what, he must continue on his path, and having undergone the baptism of the Thunder Tribulation, most of the Demonic Qi in his body had been refined. As long as he did not stir it up himself, it would not cause trouble again in the short term. He could find a solution later on. Shen Luo took a long breath and quickly regained his calm. Just then, the oppressive force in the upper void suddenly loosened, and Shen Luo was overjoyed, immediately about to fly upward to escape. Brother Shen, do not be hasty. Your mystic arts are powerful, and that Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing has its mysterious effects. Why not take this chance to go down and see what''s inside the Ten Thousand Feet Spirit Eye? Maybe you''ll find some Immortal Crystals to take back. Those crystallizations of the purest spiritual power, each piece containing an immense amount of pure Spiritual Qi, are immensely beneficial for cultivation, as well as for breaking through realms,¡± said the voice of Purple Bamboo''s divine soul, suddenly echoing in Shen Luo''s sea of knowledge. ¡°Are there definitely Immortal Crystals here?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°In my humble opinion, if you cannot find Immortal Crystals in this Ten Thousand Feet Spirit Eye, then there are few other places in the Three Realms that could nurture such things,¡± Purple Bamboo immediately responded. ¡°Since you have said so, I''ll trust you this once,¡± Shen Luo said, after a brief hesitation. With that, he immediately gave up on flying upward and instead dove headfirst toward the depths of the Ten Thousand Feet Spirit Eye. Within the Spirit Eye, the concentration of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was beyond imagination, and as he dived deeper, the Qi became even more refined. Shen Luo, having just broken through to the True Immortal Realm, was completely immersed in it and felt extraordinarily comfortable. Every inch of his skin and every pore seemed to open up at that moment, absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi that surrounded him without impediment. At that time, Purple Bamboo''s voice rang out again in his mind: ¡°Brother Shen, please forgive my impertinence, but there''s a considerable danger in absorbing too much of this pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here.¡± ¡°What is the danger?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Not to mention the outside, but here within the Ten Thousand Feet Spirit Eye, once one absorbs too much Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, one will form a mysterious connection with that spatial rift. At the least, one will be bound by this force, unable to leave, and at worst, one will be directly sucked into the spatial rift, never to be heard from again,¡± explained Purple Bamboo. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo did not immediately take it to heart but closed his eyes and felt carefully for a moment. Indeed, he discovered some faint traces and immediately sealed himself off, stopping the absorption of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. At the same time, he also noticed that despite the Spiritual Qi inside the Spirit Eye being so pure, no beings had ventured within it, which corroborated Purple Bamboo''s words. ¡°Thank you for the warning,¡± Shen Luo thanked her. Purple Bamboo fell silent and said no more. Shen Luo continued to descend for quite some time and finally caught sight of a vast expanse of black land stretching hundreds of feet far and wide. ¡°Is that twisted place in the void where the spatial rift lies?¡± he asked, looking ahead to a distant area where the void was slightly distorted. ¡°I have never dared to venture this deep before, but since Brother Shen mentioned it, it must be,¡± replied Purple Bamboo. Shen Luo nodded silently to himself and began searching on the land below the Spirit Eye. However, after searching for a long time, he found not the slightest trace of Immortal Crystals. ¡°Friend Shen, the closer you are to the area of the spatial rift, the more likely Immortal Crystals will condense. Why not try looking over there? But that place is extremely dangerous; do not be careless and get too close,¡± Purple Bamboo warned. ¡°Thank you for the reminder,¡± Shen Luo said, already having this intention. After speaking, he changed direction and cautiously approached the area where the void was distorted. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before he had walked even ten feet, Shen Luo suddenly kicked something hard, and a light ¡°crack¡± sounded. When he looked down carefully, he saw nothing but the uneven, black ground. Shen Luo thought he might have accidentally kicked a protrusion on the ground and didn''t pay it much mind, but after taking just two more steps, he kicked something again, creating a slight collision sound. This time, as he bent down and looked closely, he noticed something slightly unusual about the ground not far from his feet. It appeared as if the light was bending slightly after passing through something. He thought of something, his eyebrows raised in realization, and he reached out towards that spot, immediately feeling a cold sensation at his fingertips. Shen Luo grabbed with his fingers, and his palm instantly closed around a transparent crystal stone the size of a walnut. He held the crystal stone in front of his eyes and observed closely, discovering that it was exceptionally clear, with not a single impurity inside, virtually invisible to the naked eye. And when he held the crystal stone and tried to absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within, the stone transformed from a colorless transparent state to emitting a faint blue glow, and a richly concentrated burst of pure spiritual energy poured forth, drilling straight into the palm of Shen Luo''s hand. Spurred by this surge of spiritual power, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi around him seemed to be drawn in, converging into his palm. Overjoyed in his heart, Shen Luo quickly stopped, remembering Purple Bamboo''s earlier warning. After he ceased absorbing the spiritual energy, the light from the Immortal Crystal gradually faded, returning it once again to a transparent state. Shen Luo put the crystal stone away and continued his search. With the experience from just now, he carefully scanned the ground, looking for subtle differences, and soon found another Immortal Crystal. After securely collecting it, Shen Luo was in high spirits and continued his search. However, this time, despite searching for a long while, he couldn''t find another Immortal Crystal. Just as he was about to give up, a red light suddenly flashed from a crack in the ground ahead, momentarily dazzling his eyes. ¡°There''s something¡­¡± Shen Luo''s spirits rose instantly, and he hurriedly rushed over there. But before he had run a few steps, his foot suddenly slipped, and the foot that he extended felt as though it was yanked, causing him to slide into a split and almost lose his balance. When he finally managed to regain his balance and tried to retract his leg, he realized that the force pulling on his right leg had not disappeared. Instead, the pull was gradually growing stronger. However, when Shen Luo focused his gaze, there was nothing around his leg, no visible thing dragging on it. Only then did he come to a sudden and startling realization: in his eagerness to find Immortal Crystals, he had been so absorbed in moving forward that he hadn''t noticed his surroundings. Unknowingly, he had already reached the area where the void was twisting! Chapter 1299 Chapter 1299: Chapter 1296: Retrieve the Mirror Chapter 1299: Chapter 1296: Retrieve the Mirror Shen Luo observed for a moment, having just arrived at the edge of that area, with only one leg stretched into it, the pulling force he felt was still not too strong. He immediately activated the Huangting Technique, and a golden light surged all over his body, quickly withdrawing his leg. As Shen Luo moved closer, he took another look into the rift and discovered that it was actually an old mirror with a dark red color. Although the space in the rift was limited, he could see that the patterns on the old mirror were complex and archaic, clearly not a common item. ¡°Friend Shen, I seem to sense a familiar aura, have you found something?¡± At that moment, Purple Bamboo''s voice rang out in his Sea of knowledge once again. ¡°It''s a dark red ancient mirror,¡± Shen Luo replied. There was silence from Purple Bamboo for a moment before she suddenly asked, ¡°Does the edge of the ancient mirror have patterns resembling water waves and clouds?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo confirmed after a check and replied. ¡°Then there''s no mistake, it must be the Free and Easy Mirror,¡± Purple Bamboo immediately said, with a hint of excitement in her tone. ¡°The Free and Easy Mirror?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise. ¡°That was the personal magical instrument of a human cultivator who broke into the Spirit Cave many years ago. With his cultivation level in the late True Immortal Stage, he beat all of us demons in the Spirit Cave without the ability to fight back. Afterward, when he entered this Spiritual Eye, he vanished without a trace. We all guessed at the time that he must have perished here while cultivating in this place, madly absorbing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, ultimately stirring the Spiritual Eye and getting sucked into a spatial rift. We thought his magical treasures would also disappear, but to our surprise, they were left here,¡± Purple Bamboo explained hurriedly. ¡°A late-stage True Immortal cultivator perished here as well?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. ¡°As long as one dares to recklessly absorb Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the depths of the Spiritual Eye, not just a late-stage True Immortal, even a Taiyi Realm cultivator may not be able to escape unscathed,¡± Purple Bamboo replied nonchalantly. ¡°What a pity, this Free and Easy Mirror is in that area of distorted void, impossible to retrieve,¡± Shen Luo said with a sigh. ¡°Brother Shen, if it were any other thing, I would definitely not urge you to take risks, but this Free and Easy Mirror is truly extraordinary. Without delving deep into that dangerous zone, it is still worth the risk to retrieve it,¡± Purple Bamboo hesitated for a moment before speaking up to persuade him. ¡°What is so extraordinary about this Free and Easy Mirror?¡± Shen Luo asked with a frown. ¡°This item is a rare spatial treasure, different from storage magical tools that only preserve inanimate objects. The space within this Free and Easy Mirror can accommodate living things,¡± Purple Bamboo explained. ¡°In that case, isn''t it equivalent to a small Cave Heaven, a small Secret Realm?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise. ¡°Ordinary Cave Heaven Secret Realms have fixed entrances and exits, which are difficult to move. This Free and Easy Mirror is different; wherever you bring it, there will be an entrance. This is even more valuable. However, it cannot compare to a true Blessed Land and Cave Heaven, as the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi inside is limited, and thus the number of living beings it can accommodate is also limited,¡± Purple Bamboo explained. After hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart stirred, naturally wanting to possess this item for himself. ¡°Daoist friend Purple Bamboo, there''s something I don''t understand; why are you so willing to assist me?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Friend Shen, there''s no need for concern. The reason I am doing this is that I have requests to make of you, but I have felt I haven''t provided much help to you yet, which is why I''ve been hesitant to speak,¡± Purple Bamboo said. ¡°Please tell me what you wish to ask,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°There are two things I desire. One is that I hope Friend Shen can help me retrieve my physical body from Ghost Yan, and the second is that I wish for you to take me out of this Spirit Cave,¡± Purple Bamboo''s voice trembled slightly as she spoke. ¡°I''ve mentioned before that I would help you regain your body. However, Ghost Yan is powerful, and I can only promise to do my best,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°That is natural. If Friend Shen could do so much, I would already be deeply grateful,¡± Purple Bamboo quickly said. ¡°Once your body is reclaimed, you''ll be free to come and go as you please; I won''t stop you,¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Friend Shen may have misunderstood; I do not ask for a promise to set me free, but for your help in leaving the Spirit Cave, to escape this Black Abyss Mystical Cave,¡± Purple Bamboo said. ¡°Could it be that you yourself are unable to leave this place?¡± Shen Luo inferred her underlying meaning and asked. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Indeed. Although we creatures of the Spirit Cave can fully enjoy the unparalleled purity of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here, we are also tightly bound by this spiritual energy and the cave itself. Without external help and relying solely on our own power, it is absolutely impossible to escape from here. Over the years, only that Flower Demon, by forcibly merging with a strange Demonic Qi within the Yin Cave, managed to break free,¡± Purple Bamboo explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately pictured the mysterious shadow in his mind and nodded inwardly, replying: ¡°I will do my best in this matter, whether it succeeds¡­ will depend on luck.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Purple Bamboo quickly expressed her gratitude. Shen Luo heard her thanks but said nothing more, refocusing his attention on the Free and Easy Mirror. The gap where the Free and Easy Mirror was located was only three or four steps away from Shen Luo, which did not seem too difficult. Still, just to be cautious, Shen Luo secretly activated the Huangting Technique. His body was covered in golden light as he stepped into that area. As he took the first step, an intense pulling force attacked him immediately, causing him to stumble and nearly fall over. However, Shen Luo simply stamped his foot and regained his posture. After steadying his mind slightly, Shen Luo tried to take the second step. As he took this step, the pulling force suddenly doubled in strength, making him waver again. Shen Luo''s raised leg hung in mid-air, he forcefully retracted it, and instead of hastily stepping down, he gently and slowly placed it down. Still, the intensified pulling force made him take an unsteady, large step forward. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a bit relieved. With this rate of increase, he was confident that he could retrieve the Free and Easy Mirror within two steps. Unexpectedly, when he took the third step, a tremendously powerful pulling force surged violently, causing him to fly sideways, surpassing the gap where the Free and Easy Mirror was and drifting toward the depths of that twisted space. Shen Luo was startled and without any hesitation, he lifted a fist and punched ahead. Accompanied by the sounds of dragon chants and elephant roars, several Golden Dragon Phantasms burst out, striking the void in front before exploding loudly. A strong repulsive force rolled back from ahead, which finally stopped Shen Luo''s forward momentum. Golden scales appeared on his legs, and his feet, like dragon claws, dug into the ground as he started to struggle back. Leveraging the remaining aftershocks and the immense strength of the Dragon Elephant Power, Shen Luo laboriously crawled back step by step. Once he had fought his way out of that twisted space and sat on the ground to catch his breath, an aged dark red mirror¨Cthe Free and Easy Mirror¨Chad already appeared in his palm. After a brief rest, he immediately, without any delay, injected his mana into the Free and Easy Mirror. However, the Treasure Mirror did not budge at all, like a dead object, without any response. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then immediately began refining the Free and Easy Mirror with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. As his mana covered the old mirror, the water patterns and cloud patterns on it lit up, and clouds of mist began to rise from the surface of the mirror. One after another, layer upon layer of prohibitions emerged, wrapping around the old mirror like petals. Chapter 1300 Chapter 1300: Chapter 1297: Group Battle Chapter 1300: Chapter 1297: Group Battle Shen Luo discovered that there were actually sixty-four restrictions on the ancient mirror, it was among the top existences in magical treasures, and his heart couldn''t help but leap with joy. He immediately started running the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to begin refining the Free and Easy Mirror. However, to his surprise, even with the mighty power of the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, refining the Free and Easy Mirror did not proceed in one vigorous effort, and he couldn''t break all the restrictions at once. Shen Luo spent quite some time before he managed to break through eight of the restrictions. The rest of the restrictions weren''t impossible to break, but it would just take more time to grind through, which he didn''t have at the moment, thus he had to give up. Nevertheless, just by opening eight of the restrictions, his divine sense was already able to enter the Free and Easy Mirror for a peek. Yet, after his divine sense entered, he found it pitch black inside, unable to discern how vast the space was or what objects it might contain. After probing inside to no avail, Shen Luo had to withdraw his divine sense. ¡°It seems that without breaking all restrictions, I can''t completely control this Free and Easy Mirror, but a small test should be harmless,¡± Shen Luo thought, already stimulating the Free and Easy Mirror with his mana. As the mana was transferred, ancient patterns on the mirror lit up, and a beam of crimson crystal light shot out, wrapping around a water bucket-sized Black Stone nearby. With a flash of light, the Black Stone immediately vanished. When Shen Luo probed with his divine sense again, he found that the Black Stone had appeared within the space of the Free and Easy Mirror. ¡°What a treasure, it''s a pity I can''t test whether it can absorb living creatures,¡± he couldn''t help but remark in admiration. As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he once again stimulated the Free and Easy Mirror. This time, with a tremble of the mirror body, the burst of crimson light spread out, but it did not capture any stone; instead, it directly picked up the richly dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi surrounding it. In a flash, it was as if a funnel had opened up in the void. The surging Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi poured down in torrents, continuously flowing into the Free and Easy Mirror. Water vapor rose greatly upon the body of the mirror, and circles of restriction patterns also trembled along with it. The speed at which the Treasure Mirror consumed Heaven and Earth Aura left Shen Luo somewhat astonished, and he couldn''t help but turn around nervously to look at the distorted space behind him; fortunately, it was undisturbed. Just as he began to relax, feeling rather pleased with his ingenious idea, a sudden change occurred. From the distorted space behind Shen Luo, a thunderous sound burst out unexpectedly, and a powerful force of attraction assaulted him from that side. Shen Luo inwardly cursed, ¡°Not good,¡± and hurriedly put away the Free and Easy Mirror, lunging forward to flee. In his panic, he looked back, only to realize that the distorted space behind him had swollen to more than twice its size. Had he not escaped quickly enough, he would have likely been swallowed by it by now. Fortunately, the distortion in the void did not expand indefinitely and soon came to a halt, maintaining its current state¨Chowever, it did not shrink back either. Shen Luo patted his chest, hastily stowed the ancient mirror, and with a leap upward, he swiftly left the Spring Eye and returned to the Spirit Cave. Within the Spirit Cave, multicolored lights flickered, amidst the constant sounds of dense explosions, a fierce battle was raging on. ¡°Could other people have entered the Spirit Cave?¡± Shen Luo stopped dozens of feet away from the water surface, his Divine Sense quietly spread out to investigate the situation outside, and he was taken aback by what he discovered. As he had guessed, other people had indeed come to the Spirit Cave above, but these were not strangers; they were the monks from Tianji City. The Little Master and Elder Mo Wang were both present, currently engaged in a heated battle with Ghost Yan, eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings, and a group of Yanshou beasts. Ghost Yan had already descended from Puppet City and was wearing the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor. He was fighting fiercely with the Little Master, fully activating the might of the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon, which had grown to more than ten feet tall, radiating splendid golden light, as if he were a golden-armored deity. With a shake of its six arms, the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon unleashed a storm of grandiose sword shadows, hammer shadows, chains, and other attacks towards the Little Master. The entire Spirit Cave was shaken, rumbling continuously. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Despite Ghost Yan''s immense strength, the Little Master was by no means weaker. He had already summoned the Thousand Mechanism Sword, with black and white Sword Qi flowing like tides, easily fending off most of the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon''s onslaught. The Black Wooden Bird Armor was also activated, transforming into a black giant bird seven to eight feet tall. This Black Wooden Bird Armor might seem ordinary, but its might was unfathomable, its speed incomparably swift, covering a hundred feet in a flash. Its claws, wings, and beak, all carried an astonishing force, not only blocking the remainder of the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon''s attacks but also slashing the formidable claw shadows and black light onto Ghost Yan. However, the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon was incredibly sturdy, impervious to the attacks of both the Black Wooden Bird and the Thousand Mechanism Sword. It only elicited spheres of bright light and not a single mark was left upon it. On the other side, Elder Mo Wang led a group of disciples from Tianji City to form a formation of Armor, contending against those Yanshou beasts and the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings. Elder Mo Wang and his companions were greatly outnumbered, but the formation they formed was a secret transmission from Tianji City, exceedingly profound. They could barely withstand the barrage of attacks that came at them like a tempest. Meanwhile, Puppet City was still devouring the dark gold copper mine on the mountain wall, with most of it having already merged into that side of the mountain. The entire Puppet City had almost turned into a dark golden color, emitting an aura as vast as the ocean. Shen Luo took a brief glance at Puppet City and then turned his attention back to the battle between the Little Master, Ghost Yan, and the others, yet a strange feeling arose in his heart. Although the battle between Ghost Yan and the people from Tianji City was intense, with various Armors and Magical Treasures flying about, he felt that neither side was truly fighting to the death, as if they were merely sparring. ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Shen Luo mused to himself. But he soon stopped pondering these matters; his gaze briefly swept over the group of Yanshou beasts, the Heaven Devouring Tiger, the Giant Power Ape, and the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings. These creatures had forced him to a point where there was no escape to heaven or earth, leaving him no choice but to take the risky move of hiding inside the Spring Eye. Such a deep grudge could not be overlooked so easily. Shen Luo snorted coldly and then stimulated the Invisibility Talisman; a flicker of white light passed over him, and his entire person disappeared without a trace. At that moment, the Heaven Devouring Tiger sprayed fierce flames from its mouth, swinging its claws and shooting out crescent-shaped claw shadows, entangled in a fierce battle with a Blue Lion Armor activated by Elder Mo Wang. The Blue Lion Armor stood several feet tall, covered in dazzling green light, appearing to be made of bronze and extraordinarily sturdy. Whether it was struck by the Heaven Devouring Tiger''s flames or claw shadows, at most it would take a couple of steps back but remain unharmed. From the mouth of the Blue Lion Armor, beams of green light as thick as a water bucket were occasionally emitted, seemingly quite powerful, causing the Heaven Devouring Tiger to be quite wary. Unable to prevail after a protracted battle, impatience flashed in the eyes of the Heaven Devouring Tiger. After slapping the Blue Lion Armor away with a paw, a red flash appeared behind it, and it transformed into a crimson giant tiger phantom, over a dozen feet tall. Chapter 1301 Chapter 1301: Chapter 1298: Joining Forces Chapter 1301: Chapter 1298: Joining Forces The gigantic tiger phantom was wreathed in rolling crimson flames, and upon its appearance, it emitted a terrifying aura that made hearts quiver with fear. The Heaven Devouring Tiger swung its head, and the two dagger-like canine teeth shot out from its mouth. They rapidly grew in size and in an instant, turned into two white, misty bone swords. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The flames on the tiger phantom''s body flared up, and with a wide-open mouth, it spewed a beam of red light onto both white bone swords, instantly merging with them. Around the white bone swords, a blaze of crimson flames shot up, reaching about three feet high and releasing an unbelievably high temperature, so much so that the surrounding void seemed to exude a scorched smell as if it were about to ignite. After a long cry, the two bone swords transformed into two horrifying rainbows, each about three feet long, and with a flash, they slashed onto the Blue Lion Armor. With a light ¡°chi¡± sound, the incredibly sturdy Blue Lion Armor was cleaved into three sections, its cut edges melting away, and the spiritual power within completely dissipated, utterly destroyed. The burning bone swords did not stop after slicing through the Blue Lion Armor; they continued to surge towards Elder Mo Wang with undiminished speed. Elder Mo Wang was startled and hastily flew backward, sweeping her sleeve as she did. A flash of golden light, and a Yellow Big Umbrella materialized out of thin air in front of her. It was covered with dynamic Yan Patterns, clearly a defensive piece of armor, and it met the onslaught of the two bone swords. With a loud ¡°bang¡±, the Yellow Big Umbrella withstood the bone swords'' strike, repelling them away. However, two charred slashes appeared on the surface of the umbrella, and the spiritual light on it dimmed considerably. The two bone swords were knocked back a short distance and their red glow flared up again, slashing towards Elder Mo Wang for the second time. From a distance, a hint of scorn crossed the corners of the Heaven Devouring Tiger''s mouth as it barreled out on another side, lunging at Elder Mo Wang. But at that moment, the space above its head blurred, and a golden Great Stick, as wide as a bowl, ferociously struck down. A figure appeared behind the golden Great Stick¨Cit was Shen Luo, and naturally, it was the Profound Yellow Staff. After a ¡°boom¡±, before the Profound Yellow Staff could even truly fall, the nearby void grew dim. Shortly after, a golden halo exploded violently, enveloping the Heaven Devouring Tiger with the crushing force of Mount Tai. The body of the Heaven Devouring Tiger suddenly sank as if truly crushed by a giant peak, its four paws deeply embedded in the ground, its massive body forcibly pinned to the earth. Its fiery red tiger phantom collapsed directly behind it, dissolving into countless red lights that scattered away. With a look of terror in its eyes, the Heaven Devouring Tiger looked up and spat towards the Great Stick. A round pearl the size of a human head shot out, appearing to be its Demon Pellet, which for some reason was covered with red Yan Patterns. The crimson Yan Patterns ignited suddenly with ¡°whooosh¡±, setting ablaze with a great expanse of Red Flames. The Demon Pellet expanded tenfold in an instant and collided with the Profound Yellow Staff, attempting to fend it off. However, upon contact, with a resounding ¡°boom¡±, the Red Bead exploded instantly, turning into countless glowing fragments that drifted away. Unabated in its momentum, the Profound Yellow Staff continued to descend like lightning and struck the Heaven Devouring Tiger on the head with a flash. Another muffled ¡°bang¡± sounded¨Cthe head of the Heaven Devouring Tiger burst open like a watermelon, all the spiritual light on its body extinguished at once, leaving it utterly motionless. With the death of the Heaven Devouring Tiger, the flames on the two white bone swords also extinguished completely. The bone swords shrank and transformed back into two radiant tiger teeth, which fell at the feet of Elder Mo Wang. Ignoring the teeth, Elder Mo Wang''s face showed shock as he looked towards Shen Luo. He then sensed that Shen Luo''s cultivation level had already broken through to the True Immortal Stage, and he stood there, dumbstruck. The Little Master and Ghost Yan, watching from a distance, were also startled by this scene. But before anyone else could react, Shen Luo''s body darted forward, transforming into a golden shadow with a ¡°whoosh,¡± like a long, thin python, and in an instant, he was in front of the Giant Power Ape. The Profound Yellow Staff turned into a golden shadow and swept towards the head of the Giant Power Ape. The Giant Power Ape had no chance to react and seemed destined to share the same fate as the Heaven Devouring Tiger. ¡°Stop!¡± Ghost Yan shouted out loudly from the other side, with a bright crystal light shining on his forehead. The Giant Power Ape instantly twisted its body, somehow evading the strike from the Profound Yellow Staff. Its thick ape arm pounded out, sending out a massive golden fist shadow which hurtled towards Shen Luo with tremendous force, leaving a white trail in the void as it passed. Shen Luo snorted lightly, waving the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand. A barrage of staff shadows instantly appeared, enveloping the golden fist shadow. With a gentle twist, he shredded it into fragments. The staff shadows dispersed, fanning out like a peacock''s tail towards the Giant Power Ape. The ape, unyielding, swung its black iron stick. The void thundered with rolling noises nonstop, like a mountain range of enormous stick shadows, sweeping towards Shen Luo. When they collided, the black stick shadows vanished on impact. The Giant Power Ape''s black iron stick broke into two with a ¡°snap,¡± and its massive body was sent flying, crashing into a nearby mountain wall with a loud boom. The entire Spirit Cave trembled. Shen Luo swept his arm, shooting the Profound Yellow Staff out like a javelin. It turned into a golden light and with a ¡°pfft¡± sound, it pierced through the chest of the Giant Power Ape, nailing it to the mountain wall. ¡°Grow!¡± Shen Luo formed a magic spell with his hands and shouted in a low voice. The Profound Yellow Staff suddenly grew dozens of times thicker, transforming into a huge golden pillar as thick as a millstone, splitting the body of the Giant Power Ape, completely destroying it. The disciples from Tianji City now recognized Shen Luo, and after seeing him dispatch two True Immortal Stage beasts as easily as chopping vegetables, they cheered, their morale greatly boosted as they fiercely urged on the Armor Formation. The forces of Ghost Yan, led by two True Immortal beasts, now lacked their leaders. The monster forces'' assault became disjointed like an arrow without its head and began retreating under the pressure of Tianji City''s Armor Formation. ¡°Haha, to think that Daoist friend Shen Luo has already advanced to the True Immortal Stage, that is indeed cause for celebration. Please join Elder Mo Wang in eradicating these beasts. I will be sure to amply reward you in the future,¡± the Little Master laughed heartily, his voice booming through the air. Shen Luo was about to continue dealing with the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings, but upon hearing this, he raised his hand to recall the Profound Yellow Staff and shot towards the Corpse Kings. In his urgency, Ghost Yan shook the arm holding the golden bell fiercely, and the clanging sound rang out as dense golden sound waves roared out, rushing towards the Little Master and the Black Wooden Bird. ¡°The Dragon Chant Bell!¡± exclaimed the Little Master, his expression changing slightly as he quickly dodged to the side. With a cold laugh, Ghost Yan unrestrainedly channeled his mana into the golden bell, causing the range of the golden sound waves to expand dramatically. Despite the Little Master''s swift evasion, he was still hit by the sound waves. His figure wavered, nearly falling to the ground. However, being the Master of Tianji City, a white crystal light shone from his body, fending off the sound waves with an unknown treasure, as he retreated backward. The Black Wooden Bird too was caught in the sound waves. Its black light trembled chaotically as it rolled backwards in the air, flung away. Chapter 1302 Chapter 1302: Chapter 1299: Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Chapter 1302: Chapter 1299: Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Ghost Yan repelled the Little Master with a single move but did not pursue. Instead, he formed a hand seal and pointed into the void at the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings. Eight streaks of purple light shot out from his hands, each turning into a purple crystal bead that darted ahead of Shen Luo and blinked into the bodies of those corpse kings. Instantaneously, a gloomy purple light shone from the bodies of the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings, and the miasma of death they exuded was entirely retracted, giving way to a bewitching allure. The eight figures began to wave their sleeves delicately, moving gracefully as if they were cranes taking flight, unexpectedly starting to dance on the spot with extreme charm and seduction. Shen Luo noticed the change in the corpse kings and immediately halted to take a closer look. Just after a few glances, his entire being became drowsy, as if intoxicated, his body swayed slightly, showing an urge to dance along with the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings. Fortunately, having broken through to the True Immortal Stage, his soul''s power had been refined anew. He quickly realized something was amiss and hastily executed the Suppressing God Technique, clearing the fog in his mind. ¡°What a frightening charm dance; what kind of God''s Power is this?¡± Shen Luo retreated with a flicker, shocked in his heart. He had seen many different charms and his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld had a certain power to bewilder, but compared to the God''s Power displayed by the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings, it fell far short. Just now, his mind hadn''t been simply bewildered; his inner demons were also stirring, suggesting that the dance performed by these corpse kings could connect with the heart demons in people! Shen Luo was about to examine the condition of those Earth Evil Corpse Kings when his expression suddenly changed. In the blink of an eye when he was distracted, a deep purple mist had appeared around him, forming a space akin to a Purple Mist Realm, enveloping him along with the disciples of Tianji City and Elder Mo Wang. The eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings had disappeared without a trace. Nevertheless, within the surrounding purple mist, shadowy figures flickered in and out of sight, their charm power even stronger than before. The disciples of Tianji City all showed stupefied expressions, following the movements of the Earth Evil Corpse Kings, obviously completely captivated in their minds. Although Elder Mo Wang was a woman, she was not spared either; her face flushed, and she breathed heavily, hurriedly sitting down cross-legged on the ground. Her high level of cultivation had reached the True Immortal Middle Stage, barely allowing her to maintain her composure. ¡°Is this an Array Method Space?¡± Shen Luo did not pay attention to the disciples of Tianji City. Instead, he looked around at the Purple Mist Space, aware that this was most likely the manifestation of that charming God''s Power. While he continued to practice the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his mind, he leaped towards the outside. This Purple Mist Space was very peculiar, and it was best to leave as soon as possible. As for the disciples of Tianji City, as long as he got outside the Purple Mist Space, with his current strength, breaking through this space would be a breeze. However, just as Shen Luo started to move, a streak of purple light flashed by, and an Earth Evil Corpse King appeared out of nowhere in front of him. It was the same one who had used the Divine Craftsman Cannon earlier, but this time she didn''t have the thunder and lightning bow in her hands, striking towards him with a blast of purple light. Shen Luo''s eyes didn''t even flicker as he swept out with his Profound Yellow Staff in hand, not only shattering the purple light but also striking the Earth Evil Corpse King''s body. The body of the Earth Evil Corpse King was severed into two, and the two halves dissipated into a mist of purple, revealing they were nothing but an illusion. His brow furrowed as he was about to continue escaping to the outside when a strong force of charm power suddenly invaded his body. Even with the Suppressing God Technique activated, he experienced a dizzying sway of his mind and had to rapidly perform the Suppressing God Technique several times before he could suppress that charm power. However, before he could react, a succession of purple lights flashed in front of him, and three figures of Earth Evil Corpse Kings appeared, with three purple-jade-like palms reaching towards his forehead, chest, and lower abdomen. Shen Luo furrowed his brows but did not employ his staff technique to counter the attack. These Earth Evil Corpse Kings contained strong charm power. After using magical treasures to shatter them, that charm power would attack his body through the magic treasures, so his right hand flashed with blue light, and he swept his sleeve. A fan-shaped blue cold light shot out from his hand, hitting three Earth Evil Corpse Kings. Intense cold air burst forth, freezing the three Earth Evil Corpse Kings into ice sculptures in an instant. Shen Luo leaped past the three ice sculptures, ready to fly outside. The bodies of the three frozen Earth Evil Corpse Kings suddenly exploded, turning into three strands of purple mist that dissipated, which the cold air of the Indigo Blue Sea couldn''t freeze. Shen Luo''s mind reeled, as three strong waves of charm power surged into his mind from thin air, causing a great shudder in his heart. He staggered back several steps before stabilizing himself, and quickly operated the Unsurpassed Suppressing God Technique again to steady his mind. It took a while before he recovered. ¡°Without using magical treasures, this charm power can actually affect me?¡± His heart sank a little, and he gripped the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand tightly. This purple mist space was full of mysteries. It would likely be difficult to break through, and the situation outside was changing rapidly. He could not delay any longer. The only strategy now was to exert his full power in the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique, to use overwhelming force to destroy this purple mist space. Just as Shen Luo was about to exert all his strength and break the Purple Mist Array, a huge change occurred outside the array. Inside the Spirit Cave, Little Master narrowed his eyes at the sight of Shen Luo and the people of Tianji City being enveloped by the Purple Mist Array. ¡°Is this the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance? Where did you learn such demonic powers?¡± Little Master suddenly looked at Ghost Yan and said in a deep voice. Ghost Yan sneered without speaking, his hands forming seals rapidly, with hints of purple light flickering at his fingertips. The distant Purple Mist Array began to rotate rapidly with his incantation. Although Little Master''s Divine Sense couldn''t probe the situation inside the Purple Mist Array, he knew Shen Luo and the others were in a dire situation and was about to find a way to stop it. A thunderous roaring sound that shocked the heavens suddenly came from the other side. It was from the nearby Puppet City. This treasure seemed to have finally devoured enough dark golden copper ore, with the entire city turning into a dark golden color, radiating bursts of rosy light, making it look like a celestial city. Immense forces that were unstoppable, like rolling, surging tides, burst forth from within the city. Boom! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The whole Spirit Cave shook violently as if hit by an earthquake, and the incredibly solid Stone Wall within burst with several crisp sounds, cracking open with several giant fissures that were startling to behold. Inside Puppet City, golden light surged, and those earth-shaking vibrations didn''t cease; instead, they grew stronger, and the cracks on the cave walls widened as well. ¡°Has it finally succeeded?¡± Mad joy shone in Ghost Yan''s eyes, and he immediately gave up his struggle with Little Master. His figure turned into a black shadow, shooting toward Puppet City. Seeing this, Little Master''s eyes also brightened. He spat out two streams of essence, merging them into the Thousand Mechanism Sword and the Black Wooden Bird. The Thousand Mechanism Sword radiated black and white sword light, and then split into two, transforming into a black and a white giant sword qi python, which flashed and caught up with Ghost Yan, fiercely biting down. The Black Wooden Bird spread its wings and caught up with Ghost Yan as well, its wings emanating black light as it vigorously flapped, suddenly releasing countless black threads that shot out like a torrential downpour toward Ghost Yan, with an attack force that had increased manyfold from before. Chapter 1303 Chapter 1303: Chapter 1300: Entering the City Chapter 1303: Chapter 1300: Entering the City Little Master exerted his full power to operate the two treasures, and without stopping, he reached into his bosom, as if he wanted to fetch another Magical Treasure. ¡°Humph!¡± Ghost Yan, who was ahead, snorted coldly. The Golden Light on the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon began to flicker, and the Jade Bottle that had not been used yet suddenly emitted a brilliant radiance with its mouth aimed at the area behind it. With a thunderous ¡°boom¡±, the mouth of the bottle suddenly let out a tremendous suction force, which was so swift and fierce that ripples like waves appeared in the Void. The Black and White Sword Python and the sky-full of black threads were all swept up by this suction force, helplessly veering off course and rolling into the Golden Bottle. The Thousand Mechanism Sword and Black Wooden Bird also spun chaotically, flying towards the Golden Bottle. ¡°Sky-swallowing Bottle!¡± Little Master exclaimed in shock, no longer bothering to fetch treasures, and quickly formed hand seals to stabilize the Thousand Mechanism Sword and Black Wooden Bird. Taking advantage of the situation, Ghost Yan opened his mouth and spat out a white light, which was caught by one of the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon''s arms. It was an ancient-looking white feather fan, adorned with the faint image of a fairy, which he fiercely used to fan at Little Master. A muffled roar came from the feather fan, and the entire Spirit Cave space trembled. Then a deafening howl arose, and a white fierce wind burst out from the feather fan. In the blink of an eye, it swelled massively, forming a white tornado column tens of feet high, instantly caging Little Master and his two treasures within it. The wind howled like a tide near the tornado column, numerous wind blades flickering into visibility. The entire Spirit Cave was filled with sandstorms and resounded with rumbling noises, a scene that seemed to change the face of Heaven and Earth. Little Master was trapped within the wind column and hurriedly cast spells to break out. However, after two attempts, the wind column forced him back again, and the Ground below the wind column also revealed a layer of exceedingly tough white light curtain, blocking any earth-escaping God''s Powers from escaping. ¡°Hahaha! Little Master, I knew you wanted to use my hand to advance the Puppet City to the Creation level and then reap the fisherman''s benefits. Therefore, you have not really made a move. What a pity, your calculation was wrong. Just stay inside the wind column!¡± laughed Ghost Yan loudly. Having finished speaking, he turned and continued to rush towards the Puppet City. But at this moment, the Void beside him rippled, and a streak of golden light burst forth, tightly binding him in an instant with a Golden Rope. ¡°Immortal-binding Rope!¡± Ghost Yan, upon seeing the rope on his body, exclaimed in shock and anger. The Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon on his body swelled in size manifold and then instantly shrunk to the size of a normal human. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the Golden Rope on him released myriad radiant lights. Regardless of whether he grew larger or smaller, it firmly tied his body, leaving no flaws to exploit. And next to the white wind column, a figure flashed. Little Master shot out from inside, landing beside Ghost Yan, appearing entirely unscathed, with not even his clothes damaged. ¡°This wind column is the inherent God''s Power of the Weaver Girl''s Fan. Even a Taiyi Existence would need time to break it. How could you possibly escape?¡± Ghost Yan watched Little Master in disbelief. ¡°I had already discovered that you, Ghost Yan, had refined this Weaver Girl''s Fan. To counteract your Magical Treasure, I specifically went to Wuzhuang View and borrowed this Wind-fixing Bead from Daoist friend Zhenyuanzi. Your Weaver Girl''s Fan is indeed formidable, but in front of this pearl, it is simply a chicken and a tile dog, useless.¡± Little Master took out a yellow pearlescent Round Pearl with a flip of his hand, and after a gentle shake, it disappeared without a trace. ¡°Wind-fixing Bead! I can''t believe you managed to find this item. This time, I admit defeat. However, without the Puppet Stone, you can''t hope to enter the Puppet City,¡± said Ghost Yan, his face showing a vexed expression, and then he spoke angrily. Little Master did not speak and did not make a move against Ghost Yan. This person was hidden inside the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon''s interior, and it would not be possible to break through this Armor in a short amount of time. He flickered and landed on the Puppet City, flipping his hand to slap downwards. A Yellow Light shot out from his hand, wrapping around a yellow Crystal Stone, which instantly merged into the City Walls. The Puppet City immediately displayed a bright Yellow Light, as if a portal had been opened. ¡°Puppet Stone! Where did you get that?¡± Ghost Yan cried out in shock and disbelief upon seeing it. Little Master, however, ignored Ghost Yan and leapt into the yellow light. His entire figure disappeared as if plunging into water. Ghost Yan was a mix of shock and rage, his eyes showing a resolute determination. He quickly began to chant under his breath, and the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon on his body suddenly shone with a dazzling golden light that began to flicker rapidly, exuding an aura of destruction. However, before he could complete his actions, a deep rumble suddenly came from the purple Array in the distance. The entire purple Array swelled up violently, like an overinflated balloon at its limit, taut as it could be, with countless purple charm patterns circulating on it. With a ¡°boom,¡± the purple Array exploded, sending out solid-like golden rod shadows that distorted and blurred the Void as they passed. A strained, grating sound rang out as if the fabric of space itself might collapse at any moment. ¡°Whoosh¡± A hurricane that reached for the sky emerged, roaring and sweeping out in all directions. Wherever it passed, the ground had a deep layer scraped away. Eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings were sent flying out of the storm, each in a state of dismemberment, shooting out like meteors in all directions and crashing heavily into the ground or cave walls of the Spirit Cave. A golden figure shot out from the hurricane¨Cit was Shen Luo. Seeing the situation outside, especially the yellow light flickering above Puppet City, his expression shifted. Then, turning into a golden shadow, he shot towards Puppet City and in a flash, entered the area of yellow light. ¡°Damn it!¡± Ghost Yan roared again in rage as the top-tier Armor on him erupted with a sun-like golden light and then blew itself up thunderously! A golden halo appeared and with a pulse, exploded outwards, shooting the Immortal-binding Rope away. Ghost Yan''s figure appeared at the center of the explosion. He too was affected by the blast, with most of his body charred and his skin covered in interlacing wounds, looking incredibly pitiful. But Ghost Yan didn''t care in the slightest, a black light flashed across his body, and he turned into a shadow that also slipped into Puppet City. The eight Earth-shattering Female Corpse Kings also shot out from the ground and cave walls, turning into eight purple shadows, closely following Ghost Yan and entering Puppet City one after another. The group of yellow light above Puppet City quickly faded away, but the tremors of Puppet City also gradually subsided, and the Spirit Cave returned to calm. As Ghost Yan''s figure disappeared, all the Yanshou in the Spirit Cave ceased their motion, turning into statues where they stood. On the other side, the Purple Mist Array had completely dissipated. The disciples of Tianji City started to emerge from the collapsed Purple Mist Array, their expressions clear again. Looking at the empty Spirit Cave, the disciples didn''t know what to do for a moment, their gazes focused on Elder Mo Wang. ¡°City Lord, it looks like both Ghost Yan and Shen Luo have entered Puppet City. Without a way for us to enter, let''s destroy those Yanshou and then gather the Spirit Grass and Spiritual Materials in the Spirit Cave, waiting for the City Lord and the others to come out,¡± Elder Mo Wang said after a moment''s contemplation. The Tianji City disciples, already eager at the sight of countless treasures in the Spirit Cave, agreed with a bang. They brought out various Magical Treasures and Armor to strike at Ghost Yan''s Yanshou, quickly destroying these uncontrolled objects. Afterward, everyone pounced on the endless Spiritual Materials around them, quickly gathering them up. Chapter 1304 Chapter 1304: Chapter 1301: A Breath Remains Chapter 1304: Chapter 1301: A Breath Remains As soon as Shen Luo entered the Puppet City, he did not hesitate and immediately began to fly through the city in search of Fu Donglai''s traces. The streets within the city were extremely evenly distributed, like intricate charm patterns, and the buildings were like nodes where these patterns intersected. Moving through them, Shen Luo felt as if he were walking within a maze, endlessly circling. He searched for a long time but still could not find any trace of Fu Donglai. Just as he was flying over a cluster of low houses, his released Divine Sense suddenly picked up the sensation of a mana imprint. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That mana imprint really is within the Puppet City¡­¡± Shen Luo''s brows rose slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, he still decided to go take a look. He had originally left five mana imprints within the Puppet City, four of which had been dispersed. It seemed Ghost Yan had discovered the existence of these imprints and, in order to mislead them, had split them apart. However, the persistence of this one imprint had left him utterly perplexed. Without this imprint, they would not have been able to find the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. To save time, he didn''t continue flying but instead directly employed the Yimu Xuandun. Wrapped in a roll of green light, he vanished from the spot. The next instant, his figure appeared outside a majestic vermilion great hall. ¡°Yes, it''s inside,¡± Shen Luo pushed open the Big Gate and entered the hall. However, once he was inside and glanced around, his face showed a look of confusion. In the vast expanse of the great hall, it was empty, without the slightest furnishing. Only two rows of red lacquered pillars supporting the beams stood there, and blue stone floor was covered with a thick layer of dust, upon which random prints remained. The mana imprint was clearly in this place, yet he couldn''t see it. Shen Luo searched around the hall for several times but still came up empty-handed. ¡°That''s right, the imprint is still here, could it be¡­¡± Shen Luo mused, his gaze falling on the stone slabs of the floor. He activated the Huangting Technique, lifted a palm, and his whole arm instantly became covered in dragon scales, ready to plunge into the ground and flip over the floor of the great hall. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± At that moment, a somewhat weak voice came from behind him. Shen Luo''s hands stiffened mid-action, and he quickly turned to look, only to see Fu Donglai leaning weakly against a pillar, waving feebly to greet him. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, I''ve finally found you. How are you in this place?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed joyfully and quickly went to greet him. Fu Donglai''s condition was not good. His body was covered in numerous wounds, some appeared old while others seemed freshly sustained. His face was deathly pale, lips devoid of any color, crusted with white, dry flakes. His entire being lacked vitality, clearly showing that his vitality was severely depleted, and even his divine soul had suffered damages. Shen Luo hastened forward and supported Fu Donglai. As Shen Luo steadied him, the last bit of strength in Fu Donglai gave out, and his body slowly slid down, resting powerlessly against the pillar. ¡°Brother Shen¡­¡± ¡°Don''t talk for now.¡± Fu Donglai had just opened his mouth when Shen Luo stopped him. Shen Luo took out a white jade porcelain bottle, poured a drop of Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow for Fu Donglai to ingest, and then supported his back with one hand, slowly transferring mana into his body to help him refine the essence of the Jade Marrow. After a long time, the power of the Jade Marrow gradually fused into Fu Donglai''s body, and his pale complexion slowly regained a bit of color. Once he took a deep breath and exhaled a gust of foul air, holding the vital force in both hands, able to restore his energy by himself, Shen Luo withdrew his hands and removed his own mana. Seeing that Fu Donglai could now cultivate on his own, knowing that he would restore his energy for a long time, Shen Luo also sat down cross-legged, took out the Free and Easy Mirror, and continued refining it. After a long time, the Free and Easy Mirror flashed with red light, and another eight levels of prohibitions were unraveled. When Shen Luo''s Divine Sense probed into it, he was immediately stunned by the scene inside. Where there was only darkness before, the space had now expanded more than twice its size, not only illuminated but also brushed by gusts of wind. Following the light, Shen Luo saw that an area had unexpectedly developed into a fairly sizable forest of purple bamboo, within which a stream snaked its way through, its source buried in the darkness and its end flowing into the darkness as well. The dense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the Purple Bamboo Forest formed a mist that filled the air, precisely the vital energy that had been absorbed from the Spiritual Eye before. Most of it had already dissipated into the surrounding darkness, and only a small part condensed within this place. Shen Luo did not thoroughly investigate further because he suddenly sensed that Fu Donglai, who was meditating, had awoken, so he too exited the world within the Free and Easy Mirror. When he opened his eyes, he saw Fu Donglai leaning against a pillar, an expression of someone who had survived a great disaster smiling at him. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, I apologize for the suffering you endured,¡± Shen Luo said remorsefully. ¡°I almost thought I wouldn''t make it to see you, but it seems my fate isn''t sealed yet,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head and sighed. ¡°How did you get here?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°After we parted ways in a hurry that day, I''ve been chased by that guy constantly. I was caught up to a few times and got injured. Each time, I had no choice but to use Asura''s Invisibility Technique to escape,¡± Fu Donglai explained. ¡°Asura''s Invisibility Technique? The one that even I couldn''t detect just now?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Correct,¡± Fu Donglai nodded. ¡°That Invisibility Technique is quite formidable indeed. If you hadn''t revealed yourself, there''s no way I could have found you,¡± Shen Luo remarked. ¡°Although this technique is extremely effective in concealment, it consumes mana very heavily and cannot be used for too long. Towards the end, when my mana was exhausted, I had to use my life''s vitality to maintain it, or else there was no way I could have evaded that guy''s senses. But if you were any later, I probably wouldn''t have lasted much longer,¡± Fu Donglai said with a wry smile. ¡°I''ve been in the Black Abyss Mystical Cave for some time, always following the mana imprint I left that day in search of you, but unfortunately, I was delayed due to ongoing crises on the way. By the way, it seems the mana imprint I left is on you, how did that happen?¡± Shen Luo said, slightly surprised. ¡°You mean this?¡± As he spoke, Fu Donglai took out a clump of Green Light from his bosom; floating within it was a tangle of Spirit Patterns, the very mana imprint left by Shen Luo. ¡°It must''ve been the strong fluctuation you emitted while trapped in Puppet City that first day, fighting with that guy, which I sensed. Unfortunately, I could not make it in time to join you then, and naturally, I had no way to escape with you. So, I had to secretly keep one of your mana imprints. After that, as I fled and hid, I ended up here,¡± Fu Donglai continued. Hearing this, Shen Luo was first taken aback, then lost in thought for a while, before he suddenly realized and said, ¡°I see. I wondered why the five mana imprints I left became separated; so it was you who took one. Ghost Yan actually tried to mislead me by placing the other four imprints inside his armor and taking them elsewhere. Fortunately, you kept one. Otherwise, I might have really been unable to find Puppet City, and thus could not have found you.¡± ¡°When I discovered the imprint you left, I knew you wanted to come back for it, so to prevent it from being destroyed, I kept one,¡± Fu Donglai said with a smile. The two exchanged a few words and finally relaxed a little. Chapter 1305 Chapter 1305: Chapter 1302: The True Form of Purple Bamboo Chapter 1305: Chapter 1302: The True Form of Purple Bamboo ¡°Elder Brother Fu, the trouble here is not yet over, and it''s not a place to stay for long. We should hurry and leave,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright.¡± As they were speaking, Fu Donglai stood up, intending to leave with Shen Luo. ¡°You''ve suffered quite a bit of depletion before. It won''t be so easy to just rush out now. Let me take you out instead,¡± Shen Luo stopped Fu Donglai, chuckling. ¡°You''re taking me out?¡± Fu Donglai asked in surprise. Shen Luo smiled, waved his hand, and the Free and Easy Mirror appeared in his grasp. ¡°This treasure is called the Free and Easy Mirror, capable of containing living beings. You can rest assured and recuperate inside, while I will take you out of here,¡± Shen Luo explained as he shook the Treasure Mirror in his hand. ¡°Alright.¡± Fu Donglai, hearing this, didn''t say much and simply nodded. Immediately, Shen Luo activated the Treasure Mirror, and a beam of red light sprayed out from the mirror, enveloping Fu Donglai and pulling him inside. Afterward, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense swept into the mirror and saw that Fu Donglai was in the bamboo forest. Only then did he set his mind at ease. After securing the Free and Easy Mirror, he soared straight into the sky. In the blink of an eye, he was atop the city walls, and looking up, he could see the barrier-like stone wall above, emanating a dark golden sheen. With determination in his thoughts, Shen Luo reached into the void with his hand, the Profound Yellow Staff appearing in his palm once again. Pushing off with both feet from the ground of the City Walls, he lunged toward the obscuring stone wall above. Shen Luo''s figure shifted in the void, his arms spinning rapidly, golden light radiating from his body like a proud sun, as countless golden rod shadows danced out, hammering towards the stone wall. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± Successive booming sounds echoed through the heavens; the skydome''s stone wall trembled incessantly as it endured a barrage of staff strikes, kicking up a great cloud of dust, obscuring the sunlight. However, as the dust gradually dispersed, it revealed not the void but still the dark golden wall. The Puppet City had completed its evolution, and its defensive strength had become formidable, no longer comparable to what it once was. Seeing this, Shen Luo was not yet ready to give up. His arms spun again, with the Huangting Divine Power coursing wildly through him, nearly pushed to the limit. Mana surged from within, following the gyrations of the Profound Yellow Staff, converging into a series of sky-splattering rod shadows. With a thundering shout from Shen Luo, the swarming rod shadows finally surged upward, splashing against the stone wall. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± The roar of each burst was like thunder from the Nine Heavens exploding within Puppet City, causing the entire city to tremble violently. An even greater billowing of dust spread, obscuring vast areas. Elsewhere. In another open area within Puppet City, noises as loud as the ones here were heard, where the Little Master, radiating a completely unrestrained aura, was engaged in an intense battle with Ghost Yan. The eight Earth-Shattering Female Corpse Kings were not involved in the center of the fight. Instead, they encircled the battlefield, each wielding a demon soldier, their garments flowing as they soared up and down, performing the dance of the heavenly demons and playing the enchanting music to assist Ghost Yan in confronting the Little Master. After repelling Ghost Yan with a strike, the Little Master listened attentively to the enchanting demon music and spoke with a smile, ¡°Do you hear that thunderous sound? Someone is trying to break through Puppet City. Aren''t you worried?¡± ¡°Right now, in this Puppet City, you are the only one who truly has a chance to break through the City Walls'' defenses. Since you are in front of me, there is nothing to worry about,¡± Ghost Yan said, with no trace of worry in his eyes, smiling. ¡°Heh, you sure are confident,¡± Little Master scoffed coldly, taking the initiative to move towards Ghost Yan. When the dust above the skydome cleared, Shen Luo looked at the Stone Wall that was still undamaged, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. Even though the Profound Yellow Staff''s power had significantly increased, it still seemed somewhat insufficient against the fully evolved Puppet City. Shen Luo knew that lingering here wasn''t the solution, and he also heard the sounds of combat coming from another area. ¡°Enough,¡± he murmured with a light sigh, vaulting into the air and speeding toward the battle zone. As he was halfway there, a sudden urgent cry for help came from within his Sea of Knowledge: ¡°Friend Shen, Friend Shen, don''t keep going, stop for a moment, stop for a moment¡­¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, thinking there was some danger ahead, immediately halted, looking around with guarded eyes. ¡°Daoist Purple Bamboo, what''s the matter?¡± he asked. ¡°Friend Shen, I have sensed that my physical body is nearby,¡± Purple Bamboo hastily said. ¡°Really?¡± Shen Luo bent over to look below but did not notice anything unusual. ¡°It can''t be wrong. The connection between my divine soul and physical body has never been completely severed. Now that I''m closer, it''s becoming clearer and clearer. There''s no mistake. My body is definitely not more than a hundred feet from here,¡± Purple Bamboo hurriedly stated. ¡°Alright, I will go down and search,¡± Shen Luo replied. After speaking, he swooped down, flying low over a group of buildings. ¡°It''s up ahead, just up ahead¡­¡± The closer Purple Bamboo got to her physical body, the more anxious she became. Hearing this, Shen Luo simply raised his hand and slapped his Qiankun Bag at his waist, taking out the walking staff transformed from the Dark Spring Purple Jade Spirit Bamboo. Purple Bamboo''s thread of divine soul also emerged from the top of the walking staff. ¡°Over there!¡± She peered out into the void, darting around anxiously, her eyes lighting up as she pointed excitedly at a great hall in front of them. Shen Luo followed her gaze and saw a modest green brick palace standing there. After a moment''s hesitation, he brought Purple Bamboo to the palace door. ¡°Interesting. This type of prohibition is indeed indiscernible from a distance,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but curve his lips into a smile upon seeing the Stealth Talisman affixed to the palace door. It seemed that Ghost Yan feared the disturbances from a powerful prohibition would draw unwanted attention, so he didn''t apply any Defensive Formations or the like to this great hall. Instead, he simply placed a high-grade Stealth Talisman. Shen Luo could not discern the origins of this talisman, yet he could tell it was not a mundane item. If not for the strong connection between Purple Bamboo and her physical body, even if he himself had passed this place from a slightly farther distance, he would have only considered it a regular dwelling and certainly wouldn''t have given it a second glance. Shen Luo easily removed the Talisman, and immediately felt waves of exceptionally rich spiritual energy fluctuations coming from inside. He pushed the door open without delay and stepped inside. Upon entering the room, Shen Luo was instantly taken aback. Right in front of him, a shelf was filled with various bottles, jars, and wooden boxes, each emanating different spiritual power fluctuations and exotic scents. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo realized these were all Heavenly Treasures that Ghost Yan had looted from the Spirit Cave, including two Immortal Crystals that he had previously searched for in the Spiritual Eye. He hadn''t had the chance to examine them closely when he saw Purple Bamboo on the walking staff, her excitement reaching a peak as she struggled to break free. Chapter 1306 Chapter 1306: Chapter 1303: Stone Stele Chapter 1306: Chapter 1303: Stone Stele Shen Luo followed the direction of Purple Bamboo''s gaze and saw a purple fairy bamboo about three meters tall leaning there, its whole body as crystalline as purple jade, with clusters of dense and translucent purple leaves that were of a much higher grade than the Dark Spring Purple Jade Bamboo. ¡°Elder Shen, this¡­¡± Purple Bamboo''s divine soul looked at Shen Luo, her eyes brimming with earnestness. ¡°Don''t worry, I won''t go back on what I promised you earlier,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. After that, he lifted the prohibition in the climbing staff, and the divine soul of Purple Bamboo immediately danced out and plunged towards the purple fairy bamboo. ¡°Crackle¡­¡± A burst of black lightning suddenly erupted from the purple fairy bamboo, and as soon as Purple Bamboo''s divine soul approached, she was struck and sent flying back. She became anxious, and was about to throw herself at the fairy bamboo again immediately. Just then, Shen Luo hurriedly extended a palm and stopped her. ¡°Daoist friend Purple Bamboo, don''t be hasty. It seems that someone has placed a prohibition on your fairy bamboo body. Let me examine it before we proceed,¡± he said. Hearing this, Purple Bamboo''s divine soul stopped, moving up to him with eyes full of urgency. ¡°Looking at this mark, it seems to be left by Ghost Yan. He seems to have wanted to refine your true body, but because your divine soul has not dissipated and the connection between the body and the soul still exists, he couldn''t succeed. So, in a fit of rage, he left a Forbidden Thunder on your true body, fearing that if you truly attempted to return, you would be struck and your soul scattered,¡± Shen Luo said after a careful examination. ¡°I implore you, Daoist friend, to help erase this Forbidden Thunder,¡± Purple Bamboo said. ¡°The way this Forbidden Thunder is applied is quite special; it looks like a secret technique used in Tianji City for artifact refining. If I remove it forcibly with ordinary methods, it could harm your true body,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Purple Bamboo''s expression turned melancholic again. ¡°However, this Forbidden Thunder seems to have a time limit. The marks and potency on it are fading bit by bit. It shouldn''t be long now before it becomes completely ineffective,¡± Shen Luo added. ¡°Really?¡± Purple Bamboo asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°Of course, it''s true. If it does not dissipate on its own within three months, I will find a way to help you erase it,¡± Shen Luo assured her. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen. A great kindness cannot be expressed in words, and I shall repay it in the future,¡± Purple Bamboo bowed and said. ¡°For the time being, you''ll have to bear with staying in this Dark Spring Purple Jade Bamboo,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. Hearing this, Purple Bamboo thanked him again and flew into the Purple Jade Bamboo. After storing the Dark Spring Purple Jade Spirit Bamboo in the Qiankun Bag, Shen Luo turned to look at the dazzling array of heavenly treasures, a smile hard to conceal on his lips. He waved his hand and collected them all without leaving a single one, planning to tally them after leaving this place. Then, he searched every corner of the main hall meticulously, making sure not to miss a thing, before turning to leave the hall and continuing towards the area where he had previously detected the battle. After a while, Shen Luo arrived at a spacious square where the sounds of a fierce mana collision constantly emanated from a majestic golden hall ahead. Since Divine Sense could not be extended within Puppet City, Shen Luo hid at a concealed spot outside the main hall and quietly peered in. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the hall, the eight Earth Evil Corpses and the Thousand Mechanism Sword, along with the black wooden birds, were locked in combat. The Earth Evil Corpse King waved his arms, and countless streams of Corpse Air yellow light shot out like rain. The Thousand Mechanism Sword and the black wooden birds were equally fierce, with soaring black and white Sword Qi and tides of black light, clashing with the Corpse Air that filled the sky. Moments later, the interior of the great hall shook incessantly, with howling and colliding sounds intertwining. Yellow light and black luminescence intertwined and collided, which could be clearly sensed from a great distance away. Little Master and Ghost Yan, however, were standing in the central area of the great hall. Little Master now donned a Golden Immortal Armor, teeming with auspicious Qi, immediately recognizable as an indestructible heavenly treasure; above Ghost Yan''s head floated a large black Luo Umbrella, spinning as countless streams of black light fell, forming a black protective cover around him. The two stood motionless, appearing quite odd. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Shen Luo wondered silently. He took two steps forward to get a clearer view of the situation inside the great hall and then suddenly realized. It turned out that in front of Little Master and Ghost Yan stood a dark-golden stele, reaching three to four zhang high, with a smooth and flawless surface. The stele''s face was covered with incredibly complex Yan Patterns, with the center bearing two ancient seal characters. Shen Luo recognized them; they were the characters for ¡°Doll.¡± Little Master was exhaling a stream of white light that enshrouded the top of the Doll stele, swiftly refining the Yan Patterns on the stele, with the white light slowly seeping down along the patterns. Similarly, a stream of Black Qi shot out from Ghost Yan, beginning the refinement from the bottom of the Doll stele, with the black light quickly moving upward. Perhaps because Little Master had entered earlier, the section of the stele refined by the white light was noticeably larger. ¡°Little Master and Ghost Yan are refining the Doll stele; could it be that this stele is key to controlling the prohibitions in Puppet City, similar to the existence of a Mansion Town Stone Tablet?¡± Shen Luo conjectured as he observed. Shen Luo''s guess was correct. This stone tablet was indeed the core prohibition hub of Puppet City. Controlling it meant control over the entire Puppet City. Originally, Ghost Yan had already refined the Doll stele. However, the city had refined a vast amount of Copper of Lingxiao, transforming into creation-level Armor, and the prohibitions within the Doll stele had evolved along with it, requiring re-sacrifice and refinement. Little Master had seized this opportunity and thus dared to enter Puppet City. The radiance of their sacral refinement was yet to meet; only when the black and white lights intersected would the real battle between the two ignite. As Ghost Yan and Little Master urged the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings and the Thousand Mechanism Sword and the Black Wooden Bird to attack each other, they were also trying their best to disrupt the other, attempting to interrupt the sacral refinement of the Doll stele. However, both were protected by formidable magical treasures, as sturdy as a fortress. Neither the Yellow Corpse Qi nor the sword Qi and black light that struck them had any effect whatsoever. Seeing that he was falling behind in the refinement process, Ghost Yan changed his magic spell, and his hands radiated a purple ghostly glow filled with charm. The eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings contained their Corpse Air within, revealing layers of purple light and began to perform the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance again. Masses of purple mist materialized and drifted toward Little Master, penetrative waves of powerful charm seeping through his Golden Immortal Armor and into his body. The Golden Light around Little Master became chaotic in an instant, and the speed at which he was refining the Doll Stele slowed down considerably, clearly affected by the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance. But as the Master of Tianji City, Little Master''s cultivation level was slightly higher than that of Ghost Yan. With a low shout, a flash of light passed through the space between his brows, revealing a complicated talisman the size of a fingertip. This talisman, unknown in its divine power, released a burst of crystalline light, promptly restoring tranquility to the Golden Light surrounding Little Master. He immediately formed a magic spell with his hands and pointed toward the Thousand Mechanism Sword and Black Wooden Bird beside him, causing the light on both to surge, engulfing the bodies of the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings with numerous sword Qi and black luminescence. At that moment, the Earth Evil Corpse King were performing the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance, and without the Silk Array in place, they were defenseless and were punctured like sieves, their bodies exploding into countless Corpse fragments. But these Earth Evil Corpse Kings were already immortal and invincible, unafraid of such attacks. They could immediately recover as before after shattering, without any significant impact, and even the purple mist surrounding them remained undispersed. Chapter 1307 Chapter 1307: Chapter 1304: Siege on Ghost Yan Chapter 1307: Chapter 1304: Siege on Ghost Yan ¡°Little Master, you truly are formidable to be able to multitask under my Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array, but your attacks are utterly useless against my Earth Evil Corpse Kings. Just succumb peacefully within my web of silk dance. Haha!¡± Ghost Yan laughed heartily, pouring more mana into the Earth Evil Corpse Kings, as the purple Mei mist became denser, swallowing the Little Master''s figure. Born in Tianji City, he knew well the strengths and weaknesses of the Tianji City armor, and thus with great effort sought out nine women born with Yin Veins, cultivated them into Earth Evil Corpse Kings, and even created the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array, all to deal with the people of Tianji City. Today, upon testing, it indeed proved extraordinarily effective. The only disappointment was that the originally perfect number of nine Earth Evil Corpse Kings had been reduced by one by Shen Luo, significantly weakening the power of the Silk Dance Array, making it somewhat more difficult to deal with the Little Master. The Little Master''s body once again radiated golden light, but no matter how he tried to activate the mark on his forehead, he couldn''t completely shield himself from the influence of the Silk Dance Array. Outside the hall, Shen Luo, after a moment''s hesitation, still dashed out, plunging toward the eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings inside the hall, activating the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns within his arms, and rubbing his hands together. A sudden burst of thunder! Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Streak after streak of extraordinarily bright golden electric arcs shot out from his palms, forming a massive golden lightning net that enveloped all eight Earth Evil Corpse Kings within. Countless golden lightning bolts fell like torrential rain, striking the Earth Evil Corpse Kings, each bolt of lightning imbued with the intense breath of Thunder Tribulation. With loud crackling sounds, under the painful lashing of the electric arcs, the purple mist turned into countless plumes of black smoke and dispersed, instantly collapsing, and the golden electric arcs immediately struck the Earth Evil Corpse Kings. The eight Corpse Kings had no power to resist under the golden electric arcs, their bodies popping and bursting into pieces, turning into countless yellow Corpse fragments, and the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array was effortlessly shattered. The Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns had absorbed the power of Thunder Tribulation several times, greatly enhancing their might, especially with the added Thunder Tribulation breath, which massively increased the lethality against corpse refinement and ghostly beings with Yin attributes. These Corpse fragments wriggled, still attempting to regenerate, but the destructive power of the Thunder Tribulation still clung to the fragments, causing them to shatter again as soon as they began to meld back together. Shen Luo flipped his hand and brought out the Carefree Mirror, a beam of red crystalline light shot out, illuminating the fragments of Xie Yuxin''s Corpse form, and collecting them into the mirror''s space. Within the mirror''s space, Fu Donglai was meditating with closed eyes, yet still keenly aware; the moment the Corpse fragments appeared, he immediately sensed them and rose to his feet. The Corpse fragments were still wriggling rapidly, trying to reconstitute a form once more; the lingering power of the Thunder Tribulation within the fragments had almost been depleted, and they soon reformed into the shape of Xie Yuxin. ¡°Try my Green Lion Tusk!¡± Fu Donglai, having recovered only a small part of his mana, still opened his mouth to spit it out. A streak of golden light shot from his mouth, but it was a golden tusk that blazed past, piercing through the Corpse''s body in the blink of an eye. With a loud boom, a big hole was left in Xie Yuxin''s body. Golden Silk Threads also spread from the Green Lion Tusk, their cold light severe and their cutting aura intense. In a series of ¡°sizz¡± sounds, they diced the Corpse''s body into fragments. However, as the tusk did not carry the breath of Thunder Tribulation, the fragments of Xie Yuxin''s Corpse form wriggled and immediately merged back together, but its aura had sharply dropped, and the yellow light on its body grew much dimmer. Xie Yuxin seemed to sense the change in aura, her facial expression betraying a moment of shock. Fu Donglai took this opportunity to form a hand seal and with another point, the golden tusk shot out like lightning, piercing through Xie Yuxin again and shredding her once more. Xie Yuxin''s body quickly recovered, but her breath weakened again. ¡°Sealing Magical Treasures!¡± Although she had turned into a refined corpse, her consciousness did not seem to be completely lost. She looked at the Golden Lion Tusk and said in a deep voice. ¡°I didn''t expect you to have some insight, but this is not the place for you to run wild. Just stay put,¡± Fu Donglai said with a light smile and flicked the Green Lion Tusk. The Tusk shone brightly with golden light, and its surroundings flickered, revealing eight identical virtual images of the Tusk. Then, with a ¡°boom,¡± they shot out, transforming into nine golden rainbows that struck Xie Yuxin. Xie Yuxin''s expression drastically changed. She hurriedly tried to dodge, but suddenly, red crystal lights appeared in the surrounding space, shining on her. Her movements stiffened on the spot, and then she was penetrated by the nine golden rainbows, her body exploding once again. By the time her body reformed, her breath had dropped several notches, even less than that of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. At this moment, Fu Donglai took out the Green Blood Gan Qi. With a flick, it flew above Xie Yuxin''s head, and a large swath of black light fell from the axe, solidifying into a black mountain that pressed down on her, with the shadow of the Ghost King faintly visible within. Xie Yuxin was immediately pressed to the ground, unable to move even an inch. From the time Xie Yuxin was captured inside the Carefree Mirror to the time she was suppressed by Fu Donglai, only a few breaths had passed. Outside the Carefree Mirror, Ghost Yan, furious at the breach of the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance, did not attack Shen Luo. He spat out a flat-shaped, pale yellow jade with a hollow in the middle. ¡°Gathering God Pearl! It really is in your hands!¡± Little Master exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the yellow jade. Shen Luo''s brow raised slightly, but he did not pay attention to Ghost Yan''s actions. He continued to vigorously stimulate the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns, and with loud cracks of thunder, a series of exceptionally bright Golden Electric Arcs erupted from his hands, pounding like torrential rain on the black Protective Cover around Ghost Yan. The Protective Cover buzzed and trembled, and the black light on it evaporated swiftly under the bombardment of the Golden Lightning, turning into wisps of black smoke that dissipated. The originally thick Protective Cover visibly thinned at a speed visible to the naked eye. Astonishment flashed in Ghost Yan''s eyes. His black Luo Umbrella, known as the Yin-Yang Umbrella, was an ancient Ghost Path Magical Treasure of high quality, with astonishing defensive power. Yet, it was faltering against Shen Luo''s Golden Lightning. However, Ghost Yan did not pay attention to Shen Luo, but instead pointed at the Gathering God Pearl in his hand. A stream of grayish-white light shot out from it, revealing tiny transparent figures with expressions of extreme agony. They merged into the Doll Stele''s black light along with the grayish-white light. Countless shrill screams rose as the black light on the Doll Stele surged wildly. The speed of its upward spread increased more than tenfold. In just a few breaths, it had tainted most of the Doll Pillar and collided with Little Master''s white light. The momentum of the black light was fierce, easily pushing back Little Master''s sacrificial white light. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly intensified his use of the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns. A denser barrage of Golden Lightning struck the black Protective Cover. Although it quickened the thinning of the Protective Cover, completely destroying it was still not possible in the short term! ¡°These are the divine souls of the Human Race! You are quite something, Ghost Yan, where did you collect so many souls?¡± Little Master was shocked and then angrily questioned. Ghost Yan sneered and did not reply, continuing to operate the Gathering God Pearl. More tiny soul figures swarmed out, entering the stele. The Gathering God Pearl appeared to contain an endless supply of souls within. Chapter 1308 Chapter 1308: Chapter 1305: Do It on the Way Chapter 1308: Chapter 1305: Do It on the Way ¡°These souls belong to ordinary people and are not powerful, but there are a lot of them, collected from annihilating cities and nations, right? It was you who caused the downfall of the Langxia Kingdom that year!¡± Shen Luo, upon seeing this, suddenly recalled the diary of the disciple of Tianji City and cried out in realization. ¡°The matter of Langxia Kingdom? Ghost Yan, you actually annihilated a nation''s people just to advance the Puppet City!¡± With Shen Luo''s reminder, the Little Master also reacted and exclaimed. ¡°Heh heh, Heaven and Earth are heartless, they treat all beings as mere straw dogs! We Yan masters who pursue power, collecting a large number of divine souls is an inevitable move. Tianji City is bound by a false reputation, decreeing that one can only kill Yin Beasts and must not harm ordinary life. With such restrictions, how can one achieve great success!¡± Ghost Yan sneered, admitting that the annihilation of Langxia Kingdom was indeed his doing. ¡°Killing for souls is an act against the Heavenly Dao, there is a cycle of cause and effect, aren''t you afraid of divine retribution!¡± the Little Master said sternly. ¡°Divine retribution? I have already transcended the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation and attained an immortal body. My future holds nothing but a smooth and broad path; where is there any divine retribution to speak of! On the contrary, you two have thwarted my plans time and again. Today, I will act as heaven''s agent and refine your divine souls into this Puppet City as well!¡± Laughing wildly, Ghost Yan opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of essence blood, injecting it into the Gathering God Pearl. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The gray-white light on the Gathering God Pearl suddenly brightened several times. The whole pearl flashed and merged into the Doll Stele. The black light on the Stele shone even brighter, its intensity rising sharply, quickly pushing back the Little Master''s white light and looking to be on the verge of completely driving it out. Shen Luo''s heart sank, knowing he couldn''t hold back any longer. He put all his effort into summoning Thunder and Lightning with his left hand, and a flash of yellow light passed over his right hand, revealing the Profound Yellow Staff. He was about to unleash the Splashy Chaotic Stick to forcefully break through the protective cover surrounding Ghost Yan. At that moment, the Little Master suddenly bit his tongue tip and spewed a mouthful of essence blood, which blended into the refining white light. The refining white light suddenly became much brighter, firmly gripping the Doll Stele and preventing it from being completely expelled by the black light. ¡°Ghost Yan has almost complete control over the prohibitions of the Puppet City. If we continue to stay here, we have no chance of survival, let''s quickly leave this place!¡± The Little Master pulled Shen Luo''s body with one hand while the other hand moved like a spinning wheel, manipulating the remaining Yan Pattern within the white light. A grand white light shot out from within the Doll Stele, enveloping the bodies of the Little Master and Shen Luo. The void around them violently stirred as a Teleportation Array swiftly formed. ¡°Thinking of escaping? No chance!¡± Ghost Yan''s eyes flashed with a fierce light as the Yin-Yang Umbrella above his head spun rapidly. Black Yin Thunders shot out, fiercely striking the Teleportation Array around Shen Luo and the Little Master. But at that moment, a silver Talisman suddenly shot out from within the Teleportation white light, which was in fact an Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. The silver light on the Talisman intensified, shattered, and disappeared, replaced by a vast silver Thunder and Lightning forest reaching up to the Skydome and down to the Ground, striking fiercely. The black Yin Thunder emitted from the Yin-Yang Umbrella met the silver Thunder and Lightning forest and was instantly devoured and completely extinguished. The Thunder and Lightning forest then struck Ghost Yan''s protective cover with an earth-shattering loud noise. The protective cover formed by the Yin-Yang Umbrella shattered upon contact, and numerous silver Thunders and Lightnings immediately engulfed Ghost Yan''s body. At that moment, the Teleportation Array surrounding Shen Luo and the Little Master was finally formed, the white light inside intensified, and the two figures disappeared from within the Puppet City. Shen Luo only felt a blur before his eyes, and when his vision cleared, he found that he and the Little Master had returned to the Spirit Cave space. The remaining disciples of Tianji City, who had been collecting various Heavenly Treasures within the Spirit Cave just now, all rushed over when they saw the Little Master reappear. ¡°City Lord, how is the situation inside the Puppet City?¡± Elder Mo Wang asked anxiously. The Little Master swept his gaze over everyone, his eyebrows furrowing tightly as he said: ¡°The Puppet City has devoured enough Copper of Lingxiao and has advanced to the level of Creation. Ghost Yan has now fully taken control of the Puppet City, and even if we join forces, we are no match for him. I have already ordered Man Bo to bring the Returning Origin Sacred Seal here, and now we can only rely on the power of the Sacred Seal to contend with the Puppet City. Everyone, listen to my command. Immediately exit the Spirit Cave and retreat outside the Black Abyss Mystical Cave.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was slightly stunned and did not react for a moment. ¡°` The one who finally called out was Elder Mo Wang, shouting, ¡°Why aren''t you obeying the order? Retreat immediately!¡± Only then did everyone snap out of it, fleeing from the Spirit Cave one after another. As they fled, many couldn''t help but look back longingly at the heavenly treasures within the Spirit Cave, treasures they might not find even after decades of searching in the outside world. However, when compared, the City Lord''s command and their own lives were naturally more important. Seeing that everyone was making a hasty retreat, Shen Luo naturally had no intention of lingering. He had accomplished his mission of rescuing Fu Donglai, and his gains were substantial. Now, he did not want to continue muddling in this chaotic situation. All he wanted was to leave safely. But just as he was about to leave, a telepathic message from Purple Bamboo suddenly entered his mind: ¡°Friend Shen, I know of a place that harbors a treasured item, which you can easily retrieve before leaving.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± asked Shen Luo, puzzled. ¡°At the southeast corner of the Spirit Cave. Have you seen a black rock there? It''s ten zhang deep beneath that black rock, wrapped by a clump of bamboo roots,¡± Purple Bamboo explained. Shen Luo flew down to the southeast corner as instructed and saw an unremarkable black rock at the base of a rock wall, snugly fitting with the wall behind it as if they were of one piece. With a palm strike, he dislodged the rock overhead. His hand glowed with golden light, and he thrust sword-like energy into the ground below, penetrating ten zhang deep in an instant, the area covered by a thick layer of white rock. With a crisp ¡°crack!¡± sound. The golden light ruptured the white rock, revealing a mass of white bamboo roots filled with crisscrossed rootlets. Through the interstices of the roots, a glint of crystal blue light could be seen. The moment Shen Luo''s golden light reached out, the white bamboo roots moved aside on their own, unveiling a massive blue crystal jade. ¡°Is this¡­ Attached Spirit Jade?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up instantly. ¡°Friend Shen truly is knowledgeable. This piece of Attached Spirit Jade has been my secret treasure for many years. Today, consider it a token of gratitude for helping me find my true form,¡± Purple Bamboo said immediately. Shen Luo was overjoyed to hear this. This Attached Spirit Jade was no ordinary object; its properties were exceptional, able to store vast amounts of mana. Now that Shen Luo had obtained such a large piece, it was perfect for storing powerful mana, which would surely be a great help when he next sought to break through in his cultivation. Given the urgency of the situation, he had no time to inspect it closely. He immediately waved the Free and Easy Mirror, and a beam of red light surged from the mirror''s surface, sweeping up the blue gemstone and storing it inside. Afterward, Shen Luo swiftly caught up with the fleeing Tianji City disciples and entered the passageway at the front section of the Spirit Cave, quickly escaping towards the outside. After just a few breaths, everyone arrived at the intersection between the Yin Cave and the Spirit Cave. It was Shen Luo''s first time here, but even he could tell that the passageway on the right led to the outside as the spirit energy from the Spirit Cave was rushing towards it. On the left, the passageway was surging with Yin Qi, thicker than any Yin Sha place Shen Luo had ever visited. From deep within the passageway, the sounds of thunderous explosions and countless muffled thunders could be heard. Little Master stopped, looking towards the Yin Cave. ¡°That''s the Yin Cave¡­¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows, unable to restrain his inquiry. Chapter 1309 Chapter 1309: Chapter 1306: Blood Skull Ancestor Chapter 1309: Chapter 1306: Blood Skull Ancestor ¡°Master Yan is still in the Yin Cave; I previously dispatched Elder Fu and Elder Mei to go rescue him, but now it seems they have been entangled and still haven''t been able to escape,¡± the Little Master hastily explained, then turned to issue commands to the other disciples of Tianji City. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo thought that Master Yan was indeed in the Yin Cave; previously, Demon Heart, the Yellow Sand Sect Master, and others had teleported him and Master Yan separately into the Spirit Cave and Yin Cave. Compared to his own situation, his luck was considered good; the Yin Cave was undoubtedly even more perilous. ¡°City Lord, what should we do now? Shall we go rescue Master Yan, Elder Fu, and the others?¡± Elder Mo Wang looked back with urgency and asked. ¡°We must save them. Although Puppet City has completed its evolution, to fully activate it, it still needs a little more time. Disciples of Tianji City, follow me into the Yin Cave to rescue our fellow sect members,¡± the Little Master immediately said, raising his arm and calling out loudly. ¡°Charge¡­¡± With the Little Master''s call, everyone was filled with a fighting spirit and turned to charge into the Yin Cave. Shen Luo stood alone at the fork in the road, looking left and right. Deep down, he really didn''t want to get involved anymore, but the thought of Master Yan''s uncertain fate in the Yin Cave made him hesitate once again. ¡°Forget it, after all, I will still need Tianji City''s help later. I can''t just ignore Master Yan. I should make another trip,¡± Shen Luo sighed, then turned around and headed straight into the passageway of the Yin Cave. A gale of Yin Sha Qi surged and poured into his face, causing even Shen Luo to frown and feel extremely uncomfortable. He flew forward for a few breaths of time, quickly passing through a layer of the void barrier, and with a blur before his eyes, he entered a huge cave. The size of the Yin Cave was not much different from that of the Spirit Cave, but the environment inside was like heaven and earth in contrast; the surrounding void was filled with an extremely dense Yin Sha Qi, and no trace of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi could be felt. In the void above, the rising Yin Sha Qi had congealed into a pitch-black cloud layer, making the area even more gloomy and oppressive. On the ground below, at regular intervals, there were springs of ghost Qi, from which black water gurgled. After slightly adjusting, Shen Luo saw colorful lights shining into the sky a hundred yards ahead, accompanied by continuous shouts and cries of battle. As he hastily approached, he saw on the ground ahead, as well as in midair and within the dark clouds above, various colors of light flickering nonstop, and numerous figures entwined in a relentless struggle. Elder Fu, Elder Mei, along with Yuan Ming from the Yellow Sand Sect, Elder Lin from the Thick Earth Sect, and the Green-clothed Young Woman from the Beast Control Sect were surrounded by two True Immortal Stage ghosts, commanding over a thousand Yin Beasts. One of the True Immortal ghosts wore a scholar''s cap and carried a bamboo bookcase on his back, looking like a scholar. One hand held a candle, while the other gripped an ancient book. Shen Luo had seen this creature in the Dream World before; it was known as the Netherworld Scholar. The other True Immortal ghost was a Night Asura, but unlike the Night Asura Shen Luo had encountered before, it had completely transformed into a human form, wearing purple armor and wielding a long knife that emitted an azure glow, with a formidable presence of Yin Qi. Elder Fu, Yuan Ming, and several others, who originally had different stances, were forced to unite against the countless Yin Beasts. On another front, Mu Xiao and Demon Heart, along with Hall Master Zhong of the Divine Tortoise Sect, were battling fiercely with an Asura Puppet Ghost. Next to this ghost, a large group of Yin Beasts also surrounded and continuously attacked Demon Heart and the others, making their fight equally difficult. ¡°Have all the Yin Beasts from the entire Black Abyss Mystery Cave been gathered here?¡± Shen Luo wondered as he looked at the numerous Yin Beasts within the Yin Cave. The Little Master and others who had come in earlier had already attracted the attention of the Yin Beasts here. From all directions, they started to encircle them, and the speed at which the Little Master and his group advanced began to slow down. Before Shen Luo could get a clearer view of the others'' movements, from the dark clouds above, seven or eight Yin Beasts suddenly dived down, charging towards him. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and waved his hand to draw out the Profound Yellow Staff. With a few swings, he killed several of the Yin Beasts. But immediately afterward, even more Yin Beasts flew down from above or rose from the ground, lunging toward him. Shen Luo''s gaze quickly shifted below, searching for Master Yan''s figure, but he couldn''t find it anywhere. Facing the increasing number of Yin Beasts swarming towards him, Shen Luo had no choice but to sink down and descend toward the ground. The moment he landed, the Yin Beasts beneath the ground surrounded him. Shen Luo didn''t hesitate, immediately swinging his staff to turn the beasts into mush while charging forward. As long as he could ensure Master Yan''s rescue, he could quickly leave this ghastly place. He passed several battlefields along the way. The disciples of Tianji City, whose armor was shattered, couldn''t mobilize new armor in time before being swarmed by the Yin Beasts and torn to pieces. Others, trapped in prolonged chaos, spent their mana drastically and couldn''t replenish it in time, eventually dying from exhaustion. Wherever possible, Shen Luo lent his help, but he couldn''t change the dire situation. Just then, he suddenly felt a bout of heart palpitations and leaped up, looking toward the depths of the Yin Cave. There, a blood mist spread out, and a blood-colored skeleton stood atop a massive Yin Beast that resembled a giant elephant, its blood-colored bone wings unfurled. With flickering ghostly fire in its eye sockets and casting a disdainful look in all directions, it was like a sovereign ruler. The spiritual power fluctuations emanating from its body were terrifyingly powerful, its cultivation realm nearly reaching the Taiyi Stage. Its breath was abnormally immense, equivalent to seven or eight ordinary True Immortal Peak existences. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank as he took a sharp breath. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful. That is the Blood Skull Ancestor, the formidable being that commands all the Yin Beasts in the Yin Cave. Its strength far surpasses mine!¡± Purple Bamboo''s voice rang in his ear. Shen Luo had already guessed this and silently nodded. ¡°You dared to trespass into my Yin Cave. Today, you shall all die here and become the Yin Spirits beneath me!¡± The blood-colored skeleton bellowed, its voice like a great bell resonating throughout the Yin Cave and even contained a divine soul attack that made people''s heads swell with pain. The Blood Skull Ancestor was also extremely incensed. He was the undisputed ruler of the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, commanding countless Yin Beasts. Coupled with the advantages of the terrain, even a Taiyi Existence would be a match for him here. This time, because of his greed for an ancient book of Heavenly Corpse Scripture and also wanting to use Ghost Yan to eliminate some unpleasant individuals within the Spirit Cave, he had allowed him into the Yin Yang Cave, never expecting to attract so many enemies now. As soon as his words fell, he opened his mouth and spewed forth a streak of blood light, shooting out like a bright red ribbon, wrapping around a disciple of Tianji City. The disciple only had time to let out a dry howl before the blood light rolled back, and the Tianji City disciple was left fleshless, reduced to a leather-wrapped skeleton. After the Blood Skull Ancestor''s attack, his skull turned, his gaze falling directly on Shen Luo, who had risen into the air. Sensing danger, Shen Luo reacted very quickly, diving headfirst into a large group of Yin Beasts and instantly disappearing, as if vanishing into thin air. Chapter 1310 Chapter 1310: Chapter 1307: Demonic Array Stone Pillar Chapter 1310: Chapter 1307: Demonic Array Stone Pillar The Blood Skull Ancestor paused slightly, and the blood light spurted from his mouth once more, but this time he had changed his target. The unfortunate one this time was none other than Hall Master Zhong of the Divine Tortoise Sect. This person had just witnessed the gruesome fate of the disciple of Tianji City, and the blood color drained entirely from his face. His hands moved quickly to form a magic spell, clapping them in front of his body. Immediately two streaks of black light emerged by his side, revealing two treasures shaped like turtle shells that protected both his left and right sides. The blood light shot forth and swept over the Turtle Shell Shields, penetrating them as if they were non-existent. With a great shock, Hall Master Zhong rapidly flew backward, quickly pulling out a White Jade Talisman and sticking it onto his body, fusing into it. Whatever that treasure was, once it melded into his body, his breath surged step by step, astonishingly breaking through to the True Immortal Stage. At the same time, Hall Master Zhong slapped the back of his head with one hand and spat out an object, which was a large white seal carved with a white turtle at the top. As soon as the white large seal appeared, it whirled and danced, its brilliance growing wildly. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a gigantic white seal more than ten yards large, blocking the path of the blood light. The large white seal shone with a blinding light, with runes flowing all over it, and its momentum was extraordinarily astonishing. Clearly a treasured item, it managed to hold back the terrifying blood light. ¡°The Divine Tortoise Sect''s sect-defending treasure, the White Turtle Seal? Hmph, even if you use the Primordial Spirit Talisman to forcibly raise your cultivation level, that''s all you can do,¡± the Blood Skull Ancestor said with a cold laugh when he saw this. Suddenly a Blood Skeleton shadow, that seemed like a doppelganger of the Blood Skull Ancestor, shot out from within the blood light. As if it were nothing, the skull shadow flickered and directly passed through the White Turtle Giant Seal, and then through the body of Hall Master Zhong standing behind it. A look of terror flashed in the eyes of Hall Master Zhong. As he raised his hands to do something, he felt a heat all over his body as his essence blood began to burn, and then he fell into endless darkness. However, others in the cave clearly saw the condition of Hall Master Zhong. His entire body shriveled up at a visible rate, turning into a corpse-like skeleton in an instant, meeting the same fate as the previous disciple of Tianji City. Demon Heart and Mu Xiao, seeing this scene, both changed in complexion, no longer caring about the attacks of the Asura Puppet Ghosts and the surrounding Yin Beasts. They each used their God''s Power to flee far away, keeping their distance from the blood-colored skeleton shadow. Shen Luo, currently transformed into a fly, was hiding in a corner of the Yin Cave under the combined effect of the Invisibility Talisman and the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. After advancing to the True Immortal Stage, he could finally use the Seventy-two Changes with perfection to transform into different things. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing had been pierced by the Thunder Tribulation before, but its core prohibition was not damaged. Moreover, now that his cultivation level had reached the True Immortal Stage, and his mana control had greatly improved, he could barely still operate the clothes'' ability to conceal his breath. Shen Luo watching from a distance as Hall Master Zhong fell, his expression too sank. The Blood Skull Ancestor''s God''s Power to devour essence blood was terrifyingly powerful. He quickly withdrew his gaze and continued to flee deeper into the Yin Cave, looking for Master Yan. Throughout the Yin Cave, the battles became increasingly intense. Under immense pressure, the group of intruders unleashed their robust combat strength, slaughtering large numbers of Yin Beasts. But the number of Yin Beasts was just too great, and they held the advantage of the environment, still overwhelming everyone in the fight. Using his astute concealment God''s Power, Shen Luo remained undetected, soon arriving deep inside the Yin Cave. Finally, in a corner of the cave, he discovered the trace of Master Yan. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Master Yan was hiding inside a silver giant egg about a yard size, covered in Yan Patterns that resembled Yanyi Armors, riddled with large and small wounds that were startling to behold. This object seemed extremely sturdy, and aside from damage on the surface, its interior remained completely intact. Master Yan, covered in blood, was lying inside, his eyes tightly closed, unconscious and barely breathing; if it weren''t for Shen Luo''s significantly enhanced soul power, he might''ve mistaken him for dead. A few Yin Beasts were attacking the treasure near the silver egg, but they were only able to make the silver egg roll continuously, seemingly unable to harm it in the slightest. Shen Luo quietly landed near the silver egg''s armor, reverted from his transformed state, but did not show any trace of his whereabouts as he held the Free and Easy Mirror against it, intending to take Master Yan along with the silver egg armor and immediately leave this troublesome place. However, this silver egg armor seemed to be made of some material that mysteriously dissipated any mana channeled into it, and the Free and Easy Mirror was unable to collect it. Just as he was trying to figure out what to do, a figure appeared out of the void above the silver egg, it was the Little Master. The Yin Beasts that were attacking the silver egg spotted the Little Master and were about to pounce when several rays of white light shot out from the Little Master''s hand with a hiss, slicing the beasts in half. They fell without so much as a grunt. The Little Master withdrew his hand and landed beside the silver egg armor. ¡°City lord,¡± Shen Luo revealed his whereabouts. ¡°Brother Shen came as well, thank you for risking yourself once again to assist Tianji City,¡± said the Little Master, both surprised and somewhat relieved at Shen Luo''s sudden appearance, nodding in acknowledgement. ¡°It''s nothing, City Lord. I''ve been traveling with Brother Yan and we''ve shared life-and-death experiences. I couldn''t just ignore his predicament. How is he now? His breath is so weak,¡± Shen Luo asked while activating the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. A stream of blue light shot out, enveloping both men and the silver egg armor, and the three, along with the egg, vanished into thin air. A few canine Yin Beasts that had noticed and were about to pounce over here looked confused, sniffing forcefully before shaking their heads and leaving the area to pounce on others. ¡°He''s fine; this is a divine power of Tianji City called the feigned death of Yan''s heart that he used to seal himself within this Heavenly Star Silver Egg. This Heavenly Star Silver Egg is a special armor of Tianji City, extremely sturdy, and made of unique material that repels all mana. When a disciple of Tianji City faces an unbeatable enemy, they will hide inside it and wait for rescue by their sect,¡± explained the Little Master, glancing at Shen Luo''s Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. ¡°I see,¡± realized Shen Luo. The Little Master gently caressed the silver egg armor, then swept his sleeve, and a swirl of starlight-white light wrapped around the silver egg armor. The surface of the silver egg brightened and it disappeared in a swoosh, obviously taken away by the Little Master. Given that this Heavenly Star Silver Egg was Tianji City''s armor, it was only natural for the Little Master to be able to collect it, so Shen Luo was not surprised. As he was about to suggest they leave, the Devouring Element Magic Wand in his Linlang Ring, along with another item, suddenly began to tremble, pointing off into the distance. Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted sharply, and he hurriedly looked in that direction, his face showing surprise and suspicion. He had been moving stealthily and unknowingly arrived in the deeper parts of the Yin Cave. Far ahead, a few hundred feet away, on the ground, there was a colossal platform covered in black demonic patterns, forming a huge Demonic Array, very similar to the two arrays he had seen before, but several times larger. In the center of the array rose a black stone pillar that reached the cave''s ceiling, also full of blood-red demonic patterns, resembling the stone stele he had seen before that sealed the Demonic Qi. Thick clouds of black qi swirled around the Demonic Array and the stone pillar ¨C an exceptionally pure Demonic Qi. The direction in which the Devouring Element Magic Wand trembled pointed directly at this Demonic Array and the stone pillar. Chapter 1311 Chapter 1311: Chapter 1308: The True Purpose Chapter 1311: Chapter 1308: The True Purpose ¡°I didn''t expect there would be a Demonic Array here as well, and of such a massive scale at that. Could it be sealing some kind of Demonic Artifact inside?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, as his Divine Sense probed toward it. However, as soon as he approached the Demonic Array, an incredibly tenacious force blocked him, preventing him from advancing even the slightest bit past the Thunder Pool. Although his Divine Sense was unable to penetrate it, he could still sense some details about the Demonic Array before him. It was intact and possessed astonishing power, completely sealing the space within the formation. It was no less formidable than the prohibitions at the edge of Puppet City, and it would not be easy to enter and retrieve the treasure. Nevertheless, Shen Luo wasn''t interested in the items within the stone pillar to begin with and soon diverted his gaze, suggesting to the Little Master that they should leave this place. They had already gained a lot from this trip, and the area was fraught with danger. Any further delay and once Ghost Yan completely took control of Puppet City, everyone would be on a path to certain death. It was best to leave quickly. The Little Master had also noticed the Demonic Array and the stone pillar deep in the cave. After a focused look, she said nothing but agreed without hesitation to Shen Luo''s suggestion. Both of them used their God''s Power to conceal themselves and fled towards the outside. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°By the way, just now, aside from the Devouring Element Magic Wand, there was something else that reacted to the Demonic Array. What was it?¡± Shen Luo suddenly recalled the situation and sent his Divine Sense into the Linlang Ring, his expression changing to one of surprise. He had assumed it was the Ghost Pearl, that Demonic Artifact, but it was not. Instead, what the Demonic Array had responded to was the black sphere he had obtained from the Hundred Cry Beast. The black sphere was now emitting waves of black aurora, its black shell peeling away rapidly. In a few breaths, its shape had changed drastically, transforming into a black Copper Ring. ¡°That black sphere was actually a black Demon Ring,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly. The black Copper Ring''s surface faintly revealed strands of black flames, truly Demonic Flames, which were continuously striking the Linlang Ring, seemingly eager to shoot out, just like the Devouring Element Magic Wand. ¡°It''s one thing for the Black Demon Ring, but the Devouring Element Magic Wand came from that stone stele. The Demonic Array around the stele is quite similar to the one we''ve seen before¨Ccould there be some sort of connection between the two?¡± he speculated. But at that moment, a massive black shadow suddenly flew towards them head-on, crashing down like Mount Tai onto Shen Luo and the Little Master¨Cit was unmistakably the giant Yin Beast beneath the Blood Skull Ancestor. Shen Luo and the Little Master were startled and quickly dodged aside. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± the giant Yin Beast slammed heavily onto the ground, the Earth shaking. Several nearby Yin Beasts were crushed into dust and didn''t open their eyes again in death. The giant Yin Beast itself appeared weak, with large, foot-sized purple-black spots becoming visible on its body, suggesting it was afflicted with some sort of potent poison. Despite its struggles, it failed to stand up again. Shen Luo was inwardly shocked. The giant elephant was a Yin Beast by nature, naturally resistant to most potent poisons, and it was vast in size with cultivation at the True Immortal Stage. What kind of virulent poison could have taken it down in an instant? An enraged roar also came from ahead. A figure, enveloped in blood, descended from the sky and crashed near the giant Yin Beast¨Cit was none other than the Blood Skull Ancestor. ¡°Blood Skull Ancestor!¡± Shen Luo looked up towards the direction ahead. With immense strength, who could have the power to send the Blood Skull Ancestor flying? In mid-air stood Demon Heart, Huangsha Gate Yuan Ming, the Fat man from the Thick Earth Sect, and the Lady in Green from the Beast-Control Sect, shoulder to shoulder. Yuan Ming was holding a black box, half-open, emitting a faint black light. It was unclear what treasure it was. Next to him, Demon Heart held the Blood Devil Saber, now grown to several zhang in size, as red as blood with an aura reaching the sky, and a dense, incomparably strong stench of blood enveloped the area for dozens of zhang around them. ¡°Blood Devil Saber! It''s you!¡± Blood Skull Ancestor leaped up from the ground, roaring out in anger as if he recognized Demon Heart. Purple-black spots also appeared on Blood Skull Ancestor''s body, clinging like heel maggots to his blood-colored skeleton, revealing he too had been struck by an intense poison. His formidable aura became incredibly disordered, and it had weakened a great deal. Shen Luo''s brows rose slightly. This Blood Skull Ancestor seemed to be a skeleton transformed, without blood or flesh, even more resistant to deadly poison than normal Yin Beasts, yet he had also been poisoned. However, Blood Skull Ancestor being poisoned was a good thing for him; leaving this place just became much easier. He turned to slip away, attempting to bypass the others and continue sneaking out, but was stopped by Little Master''s raised hand. ¡°Friend Shen, please wait a moment. Demon Heart and this Blood Skull Ancestor seem to be entangled. This person has been stirring up trouble in the Boundless Sand Sea, both overtly and covertly targeting Tianji City. I cannot rest easy without clarifying his purpose for coming to Black Abyss Mystery Cave,¡± Little Master transmitted his message. ¡°It isn''t much of an issue for us to stay behind, but if Ghost Yan completely takes control of Puppet City¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°You need not worry. Just now, when I was refining the Doll Stele in Puppet City, I made a small tweak inside it. Although it can''t stop Ghost Yan from refining the Doll Stele, it will certainly increase the time he needs for the process,¡± Little Master explained. Relieved at hearing this, Shen Luo also became quite curious about Demon Heart and the others'' purpose for being here, so he nodded and agreed. ¡°Blood Skull, you''ve occupied this place for years, advancing your cultivation level using that treasure. It''s been enough years, hasn''t it? Hand over this place obediently, or don''t blame my merciless blade!¡± Demon Heart sneered. ¡°I should have thought of it; why so many people suddenly flooded into Black Abyss Mystery Cave. It was all your doing,¡± Blood Skull Ancestor said coldly. At these words, Shen Luo''s expression subtly changed. He had long felt that the assembly of Tianji City''s people, along with members from the Yellow Sand Sect and the Thick Earth Sect in Black Abyss Mystery Cave, was quite peculiar¨Cas if someone was manipulating everything from the shadows. If what Blood Skull Ancestor said was true, could it all be Demon Heart''s doing? Demon Heart just sneered, made a hand gesture to the Blood Devil Saber, and vanished along with it in a flash. The next moment, he appeared out of nowhere above Blood Skull Ancestor''s head, slashing down from the air. The blood light on the Blood Devil Saber instantly condensed into a terrifyingly massive saber shadow tens of feet in length, cleaving down from above. The force of the blow looked set to split Blood Skull Ancestor in two. Yuan Ming, Fat Man, and the Green-clothed Young Woman saw this and threw themselves into the fray as well. Two yellow short halberds, a yellow big shield, and a cloud of five-colored poisonous fog all shot toward Blood Skull Ancestor simultaneously. Blood Skull Ancestor bellowed in rage, his right hand clenched into a fist, becoming a thick blood light that he pounded upwards, colliding with the giant saber of the Blood Devil. Simultaneously, a blood light erupted from his body, instantly suppressing the purple-black poison spots, and a series of blood-red skull apparitions shot out from within the blood light toward Demon Heart, Yuan Ming, and the others. Demon Heart and the others had already experienced the ferocity of the blood-red skull apparitions, so they dodged like they were avoiding poisonous snakes. The bone wings on Blood Skull Ancestor''s back flared with blood light, and his massive figure turned into a blood shadow. In a ¡°whoosh,¡± he flew out of the encirclement and sped unimaginably fast toward the depths of the Yin Cave. ¡°Quick, chase him! Don''t let him activate that treasure!¡± Demon Heart''s expression changed dramatically as he barked an order. Before the words were fully uttered, he was the first to give chase, with Yuan Ming and the others hurrying after him. ¡°Shall we go too?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo asked Little Master''s opinion through a spiritual transmission. Chapter 1312 Chapter 1312: Chapter 1309 Blood and Bones Chapter 1312: Chapter 1309 Blood and Bones Little Master did not immediately respond to Shen Luo but instead turned his head to look towards the front section of the Yin Cave. He saw Elder Mo Wang leading the disciples of Tianji City and had already met up with Elder Mei and Elder Fu, with Mu Xiao among them, standing with his back against one of the cave walls, fighting a great battle with the Netherworld Scholar, Night Rakshasa, and three True Immortal ghosts, as well as a tide of Yin Beasts. The people from Tianji City were clearly at a disadvantage, but they seemed to be able to barely hold their ground, and it was not likely that they would be defeated in the short term. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Little Master, upon seeing this, felt relieved and immediately followed suit. Shen Luo closely followed behind, darting toward the deeper parts of the cave. ¡°City Lord, you''re well-informed; do you know what those purple-black spots on Blood Skull Ancestor''s body are? Could it be some kind of extreme poison?¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but still transmitted his voice to inquire. ¡°Indeed, if I''m not mistaken, both Blood Skull Ancestor and that giant elephant Yin Beast are afflicted with Demonic Poison!¡± Little Master communicated with Shen Luo through voice transmission. ¡°Demonic Poison? Is it the work of Demon Heart?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. ¡°I''m quite familiar with Demon Heart. He''s not weak, but he''s not skilled in using poison, and Demon King Fort is not known for its toxic capabilities either,¡± Little Master shook his head. ¡°If not Demon Heart, then who could it be?¡± Shen Luo pondered to himself, and the figures of the fat man from Thick Earth Sect, the green-clothed young woman from Beast Control Sect, and Yuan Ming came to mind. The fat man and the green-clothed young woman were only at the Late Mahayana Stage, so it was unlikely that they had such a formidable Demonic Poison. Hence, it seemed that Yuan Ming was the most probable suspect. Suddenly, Shen Luo recalled the black box in Yuan Ming''s hand. He had never seen Yuan Ming use that thing before; perhaps the Demonic Poison was related to it. ¡°No matter who it is, we must be extremely cautious from here on out. This Demonic Poison even befell Blood Skull Ancestor, and if we are poisoned, our situation will only be worse,¡± said Little Master. Shen Luo nodded solemnly. Although he possessed the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead and was not afraid of all manner of fierce poisons, Demonic Poison was not ordinary, and it was uncertain if the bead could neutralize it. As the two of them communicated through voice transmission, their pace did not slow down. They closely followed behind Demon Heart and the others, and in the blink of an eye, they had arrived at the deepest part of the Yin Cave, where the Demonic Array and the stone pillar were located. Blood Skull Ancestor was currently standing next to the Demonic Array, rapidly chanting spells, his right hand emitting a bright black and red blood light, stabbing towards the Demonic Array. ¡°He wants to activate the Demonic Array; we must not let him succeed!¡± Demon Heart shouted loudly, his hands forming a gesture to urge on. The Blood Devil Saber made a ¡°whoosh¡± sound, instantly traversing dozens of yards, like a bolt of blood-colored lightning, slashing toward Blood Skull Ancestor. Meanwhile, Yuan Ming and the others also hurriedly made their moves, fiercely striking with various Magical Treasures. Although the Blood Devil Saber was fast, Blood Skull Ancestor was one step ahead; his arm made a ¡°pffft¡± noise as it tore through the Demonic Qi on the Demonic Array and pierced into it. A loud howling sound erupted, Blood Skull Ancestor''s blood light surged wildly, the vitality he had lost during the previous battle was replenished in an instant, and the purple-black poison spots on his body also disappeared simultaneously. He abruptly turned his head, his eyes filled with excitement, his left hand''s blood light exploded, and the entire palm swelled to double its size, reaching into the void toward the Blood Devil Saber and the other people''s Magical Treasures. The space in front rumbled with a muffled explosion, a huge blood-colored palm the size of a small mountain appeared out of nowhere, like a Sky-reaching Peak filled with an immense and heavy aura, colliding with the Blood Devil Saber and other Magical Treasures. The vicinity of the collision dimmed instantly, and then a dazzling halo of light burst forth amidst intense fluctuations, sending the Blood Devil Saber and the other Magical Treasures flying back like leaves in the autumn wind. Seeing this, both Shen Luo and Little Master''s eyes revealed a hint of surprise. The strength of Blood Skull Ancestor''s attack had completely surpassed the strength he had shown before. Yuan Ming and the others were sent flying by the rebounding force of the blood-colored giant palm, and the black box in Yuan Ming''s hand flew out of his grasp. Shen Luo looked at the black box, his gaze suddenly flashing. This box was actually a demonic artifact, emitting demonic Qi fluctuations that were exceptionally pure, not inferior to the Devouring Element Magic Wand. ¡°What treasure is this black box demonic artifact? Could it be related to that demonic poison?¡± He extended his Divine Sense to investigate, but found nothing. His lips pursed, and a layer of pure Green Light appeared in his eyes as he activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. Shen Luo''s cultivation level had made great progress, making a breakthrough to the True Immortal Stage. The various divine abilities he mastered had also advanced a level, and the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was no exception. This Spirit Eye Divine Ability, originally of a yin nature, had faintly shown a trend of reversing and transforming into yang through the process of Sky Thunder Body Refining. The power of his eyes had greatly increased, and as soon as he used it, he immediately saw the details of the black box. He saw a very faint purple-black smoke emitting from the black box, drifting silently towards the surroundings. ¡°As expected, it''s this treasure causing trouble,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself and informed the Little Master through a transmitted message, reminding him not to be affected by the poison smoke. Upon hearing this, the Little Master''s eyes flashed. He had just now investigated Yuan Ming and the black box and hadn''t noticed anything unusual about the black box. Shen Luo had actually made a discovery! As the Blood Devil Saber was sent flying, Demon Heart''s body also shook violently, staggering back a few steps, his complexion turning pale, yet his lips revealed an excited smile. He spat out a treasure from his mouth; it was the Bright Treasure Box that had previously ambushed Shen Luo and Yan Wushi. Then he took out a blood-colored item that looked like a bone and threw it into the Bright Treasure Box. A deep and profound surge of demonic Qi emanated from the blood-colored bone, ¡°That is¡­¡± Shen Luo, hiding nearby, narrowed his pupils. The aura emanating from the blood-colored bone was indeed Chiyou''s Demonic Qi. The Bright Treasure Box emitted a burst of multicolored Spiritual Light, wrapping the blood-colored bone, and both disappeared in an instant. The Blood Skull Ancestor''s arm pierced through a tiny gap in the Demonic Array, and a flash of multicolored light passed by. The Blood Skull Ancestor''s face darkened, his right hand surging with Blood Light, quickly filling the gaps in the Demonic Array. Unfortunately, it was already too late. A fluctuation in the void next to the Stone Pillar within the Demonic Array caused the blood-colored bone to appear out of thin air, hitting the Stone Pillar with a click, instantly shattering and merging into the Stone Pillar as a mass of sticky Blood Light. The blood patterns on the Stone Pillar suddenly shone brightly, and the entire Demonic Array began to operate even more rapidly, emitting a tremendous howling sound, with the Black Qi inside boiling as if surging forth. Seeing this scene, the Blood Skull Ancestor hurriedly withdrew his arm and distanced himself from this part of the Demonic Array. Having lived in the Yin Cave for many years, and after many years of research, he could utilize the power of this Demonic Array. But he understood even more the terror of this Demonic Array; the slightest carelessness could lead to him being sucked dry. At the edge of the Demonic Array, another dramatic change occurred. A layer of black light flashed by, and five pitch-black Light Pillars shot up into the sky. Inside each Light Pillar, countless black Demonic Patterns flickered, forming another small Demonic Array each, buzzing as they began to operate. Yuan Ming had already retrieved the black box, but with the appearance of the five black Light Pillars, the black box immediately radiated substantial black demonic light. With an explosive force, ¡°boom,¡± Yuan Ming was blasted away, and the black box was thrown towards the Demonic Array, landing within the small Demonic Array inside one of the Light Pillars. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Influenced by the Light Pillars, the Devouring Element Magic Wand and the Black Magic Ring inside Shen Luo''s Treasure Ring also burst into demonic light, ¡°whoosh,¡± shooting out and flying towards the five Light Pillars of the Demonic Array. The Spiritual Power of the Invisibility Talisman and Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing were overwhelmed by the demonic Qi of the Devouring Element Magic Wand and Black Magic Ring, breaking the invisibility divine ability on the spot, revealing his figure! Chapter 1313 Chapter 1313: Chapter 1310: Seal the Demonic Treasure Chapter 1313: Chapter 1310: Seal the Demonic Treasure ¡°` ¡°The Devouring Element Magic Wand indeed has a connection with this grand Demonic Array, and it seems to be a Demonic Treasure that suppresses the Array Eye. That black Magic Ring is also one!¡± Shen Luo said, not minding his exposure. Watching the departure of the two Demonic Artifacts, he made no futile attempt to follow them, but muttered to himself. Seeing this, the Little Master beside him no longer hid his presence and revealed his form with a flash of white light. ¡°Nine Netherworld! This treasure disappeared over a hundred years ago. How did it end up in your hands!¡± Blood Skull Ancestor''s complexion changed drastically upon seeing the black Magic Ring. He suddenly yelled at Shen Luo, his voice filled with disbelief and boundless rage. Shen Luo was startled by Blood Skull Ancestor''s roar for a moment, his eyebrows slightly furrowed without responding. On the other side, the hand of Demon Heart reached into his bosom, as if to take something out. Seeing the black Magic Ring flying out, his face showed a look of surprise. ¡°The Nine Netherworld is actually in his hands, perfect, the imitation I refined is no longer necessary.¡± Demon Heart took out a black ring that looked exactly like Shen Luo''s black Magic Ring, but the aura was much weaker. He then put it away again with a flick of his hand. The Devouring Element Magic Wand and the black Magic Ring had now entered two black Light Pillars, leaving only two vacant Light Pillars. ¡°On the way here, that mysterious shadow, which is the Flower Demon from the Spirit Cave, snatched the black-yellow short ruler from within the sealing Stone Stele. At that time it also had a black bell, could it be¡­¡± An idea surfaced in Shen Luo''s mind. Two piercing screams came from the front section of the Yin Cave, when two streaks of black light shot out from Elder Mei''s body. They were the black-yellow short ruler and the black bell, thrown toward the Demonic Array, landing in the last two black Light Pillars. ¡°Elder Mei!¡± Shen Luo was taken aback, but quickly recovered. ¡°Brother Shen, the situation was urgent just now, and I had no time to tell you. That Elder Mei from Tianji City was the Flower Demon who had escaped from the Spirit Cave years ago,¡± Purple Bamboo''s voice rang in Shen Luo''s mind. Shen Luo remained silent, his eyes flickering coldly as he looked at Elder Mei. Elder Mei, upon seeing the two Demonic Treasures being shot out, had a fluctuating expression and suddenly shot out from the crowd of Tianji City, fleeing towards the depths of the Yin Cave. ¡°Elder Mei, where are you going?¡± Elder Fu called out in a hurry. But Elder Mei acted as if she heard nothing, and in the blink of an eye fled to the deeper part of the Yin Cave, landing near the Demonic Array. However, she didn''t join Shen Luo, Demon Heart, and Blood Skull Ancestor; instead, she found another place to land. A streak of green light also shot over quickly, landing next to Elder Mei¨Cit was Mu Xiao. Blood Skull Ancestor saw that more and more monks were gathering around and a cold light flashed in his eyes, waving his hand dismissively. In front of the Yin Cave, the Asura Puppet Ghost, Netherworld Scholar, and Night Rakshasa abandoned the Yin Beasts and shot into the cave, landing beside Blood Skull Ancestor. Without their lead, the attacks of the Yin Beasts outside the Yin Cave began to scatter, but with Tianji City now short of two True Immortal stage beings, the two sides still maintained a stalemate. Near the Demonic Array, factions from all four directions took their positions, confronting each other. The Little Master glanced at Elder Mei, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, but he said nothing. The five Demonic Artifacts entered the light pillars of the Demonic Array, and soon each burst into blinding demonic lights, connecting with each other, forming a massive black ring that descended and imprinted itself into the black Demonic Array below. With a low and dull ¡°thump,¡± the black Qi within the array burst open, completely disappearing in a few breaths. The grand Demonic Array vanished into thin air, revealing the Giant Stone Column at its center. ¡°` The demonic patterns on the stone pillar all brightened up, blooming with vast swaths of blood-red demonic light that formed a blood-colored light barrier. Mysterious and ancient voices echoed across the barrier, as if they were the secretive Buddhist chants of the Ling Mountain paradise or the sinister whispers of devils from the Nine Netherworld Underworld. ¡°Who are you exactly, and how do you know the method to break this demonic array here?¡± Blood Skull Ancestor asked in a cold voice, looking at Demon Heart. Demon Heart glanced at Blood Skull Ancestor but did not answer. Shen Luo gave Demon Heart a scrutinizing look, growing ever more vigilant. Just at that moment, strands of black light suddenly surged on the blood-colored light barrier, and a series of bizarre black characters the size of fists appeared out of nowhere, converging together, just like the previous situation with the two stone steles. However, these black characters were not the common script of the Cultivation World, nor were they ancient seal script or any other style of writing. Yet Shen Luo was astonished, for although he had never learned these black characters, he somehow understood them. These black characters formed a set of Demon Clan skills called Chi You Martial Secrets. Although the text was not long, it was all-encompassing and unfathomable, seeming even more profound than the Nameless Cultivation Technique or the Huangting Technique. Although Shen Luo had never thought of switching to cultivating Demon Clan skills, the appearance of such a profound skill before his eyes made him subconsciously read and memorize it. The blood-colored light barrier lasted for a few breaths of time, then with a rumbling shake of the giant stone pillars, the barrier scattered and collapsed, and the black characters on it vanished as well. More and more cracks appeared on the giant stone pillar, and the dazzling blood light seeping from within painted the nearby Yin Cave a bloody red hue. The complexions of everyone around were colored the same, looking exceptionally terrifying. The blood lights flickered rapidly, each flicker accompanied by a thunderous boom, akin to the clash of Heavenly Thunder, causing the entire Yin Cave to shake. It seemed as if an Ancient Dragon was imprisoned within the stone pillar, struggling violently to break free. The cracks in the black stone pillar grew larger and larger, appearing on the verge of complete shattering. Shen Luo and Little Master''s expressions changed as they retreated several steps back. However, Demon Heart, Elder Mei, and Blood Skull Ancestor showed ecstatic expressions and stood their ground without moving, gazing intently at the stone pillar. ¡°Purple Bamboo, you have long resided in the Yin Yang Cave, do you know what is sealed within this stone pillar?¡± Shen Luo, observing the reactions of Demon Heart and the others, transmitted his voice to ask. ¡°I, too, am not very clear about this. I only know that a very powerful Demonic Treasure is sealed within this Yin Cave, and it seems to be related to the Demonic Ancestor Chi You. The Flower Demon was able to break free from the Spirit Cave by daring to absorb the Demonic Qi of the treasure within the stone pillar, and now that he has returned here, it''s very likely that he''s after the Demonic Treasure inside the stone pillar. Be careful, Friend Shen,¡± Purple Bamboo warned. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A Demonic Treasure related to Chi You!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze suddenly sharpened. He dared not be careless about anything related to Chi You and was about to inquire further. A thunderous explosion that shook the heavens and the earth came from the front as the giant stone pillar burst apart completely. A round of blood-colored sun fully unfolded and then transformed into waves of blood surging in all directions. The surrounding void trembled crazily, revealing fissures, as if even the void could not withstand the impact of the blood light. The entire Yin Cave rumbled, and huge interlocking cracks appeared on the cave walls. Shen Luo and Little Master had retreated early and were not struck by the blood light. But Shen Luo''s brows were tightly furrowed, his body flashing with golden light. The Pure Yang Sword Embryo and the Slayer''s Broken Sword within his Dantian surged with light, and his Coiling Dragon Wall belt emitted a pure yang brilliance as well. As the seal on the stone pillar shattered, the Chi You Demonic Qi in his body suddenly erupted more violently than ever before. He had no choice but to use all his methods to suppress it. Chapter 1314 Chapter 1314: Chapter 1311: The Might of the Bone Staff Chapter 1314: Chapter 1311: The Might of the Bone Staff ¡°` Little Master seemed to perceive the abnormality within Shen Luo''s body and pointed his finger. A white light crystal entered Shen Luo''s chest, filled with thick and unparalleled vitality and although slightly different from the Pure Yang Power, it also carried a rich and upright breath. Fusing with the Pure Yang Power inside Shen Luo, it immediately suppressed the bursting Demonic Qi. ¡°Thank you, City Lord,¡± Shen Luo''s expression relaxed, and he nodded in thanks to the Little Master. ¡°It''s just a minor effort, no need for thanks,¡± Little Master waved his hand and looked ahead. The explosion of Blood Light ahead soon dissipated, revealing the situation inside. The giant stone pillar had completely vanished, as if it had never existed. Where the stone pillar had been, a blood-red bone staff about three feet tall was inserted diagonally into the ground. Its design was simple and ancient, with faint Blood Light throughout, emanating no breath at all. The Devouring Element Magic Wand, Nine Nether, and the other four Demonic Artifacts hovered in mid-air, revolving quickly around the blood-red bone staff, emitting whistles as if subjects were bowing to an emperor. Blood Skull Ancestor, Demon Heart, and Elder Mei all stood in their previous spots, forcibly resisting the exploding Blood Light without taking a single step back. They each had some wounds, obviously caused by the exploding Blood Light. No sooner had the Blood Light dissipated than Blood Skull Ancestor and Elder Mei both pounced towards the blood-colored bone staff, while Demon Heart and the others did not move. ¡°Get lost!¡± roared Blood Skull Ancestor, sweeping his sleeve. Two streaks of Blood Light slashed towards Elder Mei; they were two blood-colored bone swords, each flashing with over fifty Blood Prohibitions, both top-grade Magical Treasures. The two bone swords shot out blood-colored Sword Qi over ten yards long, and with a flash, they appeared in front of Elder Mei, crossing over and descending sharply like a gigantic pair of scissors. Elder Mei''s complexion changed slightly, but she did not retreat. The breath of her cultivation in both Celestial and Demons burst out, shockingly reaching the Late True Immortal Stage. At the same time, she spat out a black scroll filled with flying dagger patterns which flew out and opened with a whoosh. ¡°Whoosh whoosh,¡± the shrill sound of whistling blades arose as hundreds of Dark Crystal Flying Knives shot out from the scroll, converging together to form a black wheel the size of a house, colliding with the blood-colored bone swords, producing a tremendous noise and blocking the bone swords. Elder Mei''s body trembled, but she did not pay attention to it. She raised her hand and sent out a purple light, rolling towards the blood-colored bone staff. Blood Skull Ancestor had not expected Elder Mei to hide her cultivation level and possess such a powerful Magical Treasure that could block his strike. He hurriedly raised his hand and shot out a dark red light, aiming at the staff. A purple and a red light wrapped around the blood-colored bone staff almost at the same time, trying to pull it out and take it away. Shen Luo had already suppressed the violent Demonic Qi and, upon seeing this scene, the hand hanging by his side twitched, the fingertips shining with golden light. This blood-colored bone staff appeared to be a treasured artifact of the Demon Clan; it falling into the hands of scheming individuals like Blood Skull Ancestor and Elder Mei would definitely not bode well. And beside him, Little Master also had a faint white light around him, evidently sharing the same thought as Shen Luo. They exchanged glances, ready to take action. Just at this moment, a heart-wrenching scream suddenly came from ahead. Shen Luo quickly looked over, his pupils contracted, seeing Blood Skull Ancestor and Elder Mei abruptly stop their lunging movements, falling seated near the blood-colored bone staff, faces twisted in pain. A layer of Blood Light emerged on the bone staff, flickering gently. And the two beams of light that Blood Skull Ancestor and Elder Mei had enveloped the bone staff with had now turned blood-red as well, seemingly tainted and controlled by the Blood Light of the staff, now enveloping them instead. Elder Mei''s whole body shook, her skin quickly withering away, her eyes filled with terror. She struggled to turn her head towards Shen Luo and Little Master, her mouth opening as if to call out. But with a flash of Blood Light on her body, her flesh instantly withered, turning her into a withered corpse with only skin on bones, her breath vanishing along with it. ¡°` And the Blood Skull Ancestor''s body was enveloped with blood light which faded at a speed visible to the naked eye, lingering just a breath longer than Elder Mei before also turning into a withered skeleton. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Shen Luo took in a sharp breath, prepared to make a move. The Little Master, Mu Xiao, and others had similarly drastic changes in their expressions. Mu Xiao, who had been following closely behind Elder Mei and was about to make a move for the Bone Staff, stopped in his tracks upon seeing this scene, even retreating a good distance away. On the other side, the Asura Puppet Ghost, Netherworld Scholar, and Rakshasa Ghosts¨Cthree True Immortal ghosts¨Csuddenly burst into blinding blood light and exploded violently. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Their bodies also detonated, turning into countless fragments of Yin Qi that scattered away. ¡°Life and Death Blood Curse¡­¡± the Little Master whispered, shaking his head with a sigh. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, recognizing that this was a kind of God''s Power associated with curses, often used to control subordinates and spirit beasts. With the master fallen, those cursed would also be stripped of their lives. It seemed that the Blood Skull Ancestor had used this curse technique to control his subordinates. With the fall of the Asura Puppet Ghost, Netherworld Scholar, and Rakshasa Ghost, several of the Yin Beasts outside the Yin Cave with profound cultivation also exploded and died, evidently also afflicted by the blood curse. It was unclear whether it was the Blood Skull Ancestor or the three ghosts themselves who had placed it. The other Yin Beasts were terrified beyond measure, fleeing in all directions. In the blink of an eye, they had all scattered, leaving Tianji City''s residents shocked yet relieved, with many unaware of what had transpired. Shen Luo paid no attention to the situation outside, focusing instead on the blood-colored Bone Staff in front of him, his expression extremely grave. He had been using his Divine Sense to probe the Bone Staff''s condition. Just now, when Elder Mei and the Blood Skull Ancestor were sucked dry, the Divine Sense around the Bone Staff was forcibly absorbed into it, almost being completely devoured. Fortunately, after weathering the Thunder Tribulation, his Divine Sense had become semi-solid, and he fully engaged the Suppressing God Technique to withdraw it forcefully, thus avoiding significant damage to his Divine Sense. ¡°What exactly is this Bone Staff?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. In that instant, the blood-colored Bone Staff seemed to transform into an unfathomably deep demon cave, attempting to swallow him whole. But just then, amid the whooshing sound, a figure landed beside the blood-colored Bone Staff¨Cit was the Demon Heart¨Cand Yuan Ming along with the fat man and the Green-clothed Young Woman were still standing at a distance. Demon Heart had an expression of indifference, as though he hadn''t just witnessed the fates of the Blood Skull Ancestor and Elder Mei, and took out a dark red bone tooth, piercing it into his right arm with a ¡°puchi¡± sound. Immediately, a surge of blood light emanated from the bone tooth, rapidly dyeing his entire arm blood-red, the same shade as the Bone Staff. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo realized that the Demon Heart was orchestrating the current situation and probably had a way to control the blood-colored Bone Staff. ¡°He must not be allowed to take the Bone Staff!¡± With this thought, Shen Luo darted out, his hands forming claws and ripping through the void. Instantly, his arms blazed with thunder, and dozens of thick golden lightning bolts shot out, striking fiercely at Demon Heart. The Little Master, with keen awareness, made a move almost simultaneously with Shen Luo. Amidst a crisp, piercing cry, the Thousand Mechanism Sword transformed into a sword rainbow tens of yards long, slashing at Demon Heart like furious thunder. Seeing Shen Luo and the Little Master strike, Mu Xiao hesitated only briefly before turning into a green shadow and disappearing into the ground. Yuan Ming and the others had been on standby, ready for action. As soon as Shen Luo made a slight move, they each took out a white jade talisman and adhered it to their bodies¨Cthese were the Primordial Spirit Talismans used by the Tortoise Sect''s Hall Master Zhong, capable of enhancing one''s cultivation level. Boom! Boom! Boom! Their breath swiftly soared, breaking through a realm in an instant. Yuan Ming reached the Middle Stage of True Immortal, while the fat man and the Green-clothed Young Woman stepped into the Early True Immortal Stage. Chapter 1315 Chapter 1315: Chapter 1312: Fleeing Chapter 1315: Chapter 1312: Fleeing Yuan Ming flicked his sleeves, and two yellow short halberds transformed into two streaks of yellow rainbows that shot out, surprisingly intercepting Shen Luo''s golden lightning beforehand. The fat man and the green-clothed young woman each displayed their god''s powers, blocking the way to the Little Master. The two yellow short halberds trembled and shot out countless yellow filaments, quickly entangling and restraining the golden lightning. Shen Luo, seeing this scene, furrowed his brow but did not attempt to break through the yellow filaments, instead opening his mouth to exhale. A dazzling sword light shot forth, the Pure Yang Sword itself, and as soon as it left his mouth, red sword qi burst forth like a volcanic eruption, enveloping Shen Luo behind it. The two immediately merged into one, then, buzzing wildly, vanished into thin air. The next instant, a red sword shadow appeared out of nowhere behind the Demon Heart and struck its back, piercing through in a flash. The series of movements was so fast that they outpaced sight and divine sense among other means of detection. The Demon Heart''s entire body, including its head, was split in two, with blood splattering everywhere; only then did the piercing sound of the sword''s cry belatedly ring out. The red sword shadow split into two, reverting back to Shen Luo and the Pure Yang Sword, as he looked somewhat pale but had a look of joy on his face. This swordsmanship technique was the third style of the Pure Yang Sword Technique: the Pure Yang Instant Kill Sword! This technique didn''t involve overly complex changes; its only feature was speed, surpassing sound and the thoughts of man, capable of instantly slaying an enemy upon execution, thus named the Instant Kill Sword style. However, this technique required unity of man and sword to perform, and the movement was exceedingly fast, placing a great burden on the monk''s body. But Shen Luo''s physical body was formidable, particularly suited for executing this sword technique. Given his current cultivation level and physical condition when using the Pure Yang Instant Kill Sword, he could reach triple the speed of sound, making it nearly impossible for anyone below the Taiyi Realm to evade. As the Demon Heart was sliced in two by the sword shadow and blood rained down, the others around him finally reacted. ¡°Stepfather!¡± Yuan Ming exclaimed in shock, but he did not approach. Shen Luo had just now slain the Demon Heart with a single stroke, and the might of that stroke, which chilled the states with a single sword, kept him from drawing near. However, at this moment, an unexpected change occurred. From the severed halves of the Demon Heart''s body, a ¡°puff¡± sound was heard as countless blood silks shot out, interweaving together, and with a ¡°snap,¡± the two halves stuck back together as the flesh near the wound frenziedly wriggled. In the blink of an eye, it had completely recovered, and even the cloven head had healed together. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes involuntarily widened. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He knew of some methods to regrow severed limbs, and his Great Unsealing Technique could also achieve this, but he had never heard of someone whose head was split open being able to heal, especially since his last sword attack was so ferocious that it should have utterly destroyed the Demon Heart''s divine soul. How had the opponent been resurrected? He soon gave up on pondering and prepared to execute the Instant Kill Sword Technique again, regardless of the strain. But the Demon Heart''s right hand moved faster, ¡°snap,¡± clutching the blood-colored bone staff. A layer of blood light suddenly emerged on the bone staff, and the Demon Heart''s blood-red right arm also revealed a layer of blood light. The two lights reflected off each other, swelling several times in size and caging the Demon Heart''s body. At that moment, the void above roared loudly as a red sword shadow several meters long and more than a dozen golden lightnings appeared out of nowhere, striking fiercely at the Demon Heart, only to be blocked by the blood glow of the bone staff. Whether it was the sword shadow or lightning, as soon as it touched the blood glow on the bone staff, it was silently absorbed, having no effect on the Demon Heart whatsoever. Several meters away, Shen Luo stood with the Pure Yang Sword spinning rapidly above his head, his brow furrowing at the sight. He took out a black iron spear from his hand, the same one he had used to previously cross the Weak Water, and with a whoosh, he threw it. The iron spear transformed into a dark and cold shadow, whistling dully as it stabbed towards the Demon Heart. But the moment the iron spear touched the blood light, it immediately stopped, then fractured inch by inch, turning into countless iron filings that scattered about, likewise failing to touch the Demon Heart. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo''s expression completely darkened. Seeing this, a look of surprise and delight appeared on the face of the Demon Heart. But just then, a sound like cracking beans came from within the bone staff, and the blood light suddenly brightened. Several blood silks shot out from within the bone staff, piercing into his right hand and arm. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Demon Heart''s body began to tremble, his face twisting in agony, his body arching as he emitted a scream of pain. However, this state didn''t last long. His trembling body soon calmed, and he stood up, seemingly having finally mastered the bone staff. With a forceful grip of his right hand, the Demon Heart made a ¡°crack¡± sound as he pulled out the blood-colored bone staff. The ground beneath the bone staff emitted several dull thumps, revealing several large cracks. The five demonic artifacts surrounding it lost their power and support, their surface glow completely faded, looking like five stubborn rocks as they fell to the ground. Shen Luo looked at the five demonic artifacts on the ground, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Dazzling blood light erupted from within the bone staff, coiling around the Demon Heart, making him appear like a blood demon reborn, extraordinarily frightful. ¡°Retreat quickly!¡± The Little Master, his face filled with extreme solemnity, grabbed Shen Luo and shot backwards. Yuan Ming and the other two were overjoyed, flying down to land near the Demon Heart. With rather humble origins and low cultivation levels, ever since they had entered the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, they had been subjected to all kinds of humiliations. Now that the Demon Heart had mastered the bone staff, they could finally breathe easy, no longer fearing the Little Master and the people of Tianji City. Moreover, with the Demon Heart''s mastery of this shockingly powerful bone staff, his strength would surely increase greatly in the future. As his subordinates, they would definitely benefit a lot. ¡°Congratulations, Foster Father, for finally mastering this sacred tool of the Demon Ancestor!¡± Yuan Ming said with a face full of flattery. The Demon Heart heard this and slowly lifted his head, his eyes now a shocking blood red, his expression cold and indifferent, devoid of any emotion. ¡°Foster Father, are you okay?¡± Seeing the Demon Heart like this, Yuan Ming asked anxiously with concern. A flicker in the blood red eyes of the Demon Heart, and a fan-shaped blade of blood light burst forth from the bone staff without warning. The blood light streamed forth, piercing through Yuan Ming, the fat man, and the green-clothed young woman. In an instant, their bodies turned into three dry corpses, and wherever the blood light passed, even the ground became charred and decayed, as if all vitality had been sucked away. The blood light didn''t stop there; it continued, chasing after Shen Luo and the Little Master with extraordinary speed, catching up to them in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo''s face drained of color, and with a thought as fast as lightning, he activated the Escape Earth Talisman and the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, vanishing into the ground and swiftly burrowing dozens of feet down. Meanwhile, the Little Master shot upward into the sky, dodging the blood light and then fleeing towards the outside of the Yin Cave. ¡°This demon is formidable; quick, get outside!¡± His figure flashed above the heads of the people of Tianji City who were outside the Yin Cave, and he shouted urgently. Although the people of Tianji City were on the outside of the Yin Cave and had seen the situation inside, they promptly fled outside upon hearing the warning. Some didn''t even have time to retract their armor and, in the blink of an eye, all had flown away to escape. At this moment, the blood light in the Demon Heart''s eyes grew more intense. Watching the people of Tianji City escape, he let out a roar like that of a wild beast. The blood light on the bone staff flared up, and the entire person turned into a long rainbow of blood, shooting towards the outside. The originally bustling Yin Cave, in just an instant, became completely silent. Chapter 1316 Chapter 1316: Chapter 1313: Dao of Creation Immortal Artifact Chapter 1316: Chapter 1313: Dao of Creation Immortal Artifact Deep underground, Shen Luo activated his Invisibility Talisman, his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing erased the presence off his body, and he himself turned into a tortoise, hiding beneath the soil. Feeling that no one was above him any longer, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, released the Seventy-Two Changes, and quickly escaped toward the surface, his Divine Sense locking onto the place where he had previously placed the Blood-Colored Bone Staff, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. On the ground, lying quietly were five Demonic Artifacts including the Devouring Element Magic Wand; his earlier choice to sneak underground was to collect these five artifacts. With Shen Luo''s current level of cultivation, his escape speed was swift, and in the blink of an eye, he approached the ground, waving his hand and sending forth a yellow light toward the five artifacts. But at that moment, a green light shot from the side, aiming for the same five artifacts, its speed even faster than Shen Luo''s yellow light. In the midst of the green light lurked a figure, none other than Mu Xiao who had previously fled underground¨Cit was unexpected that he had also been lurking nearby. Shen Luo''s eyes turned cold; the yellow light in his hand intensified, and its speed suddenly increased, snatching the five artifacts simultaneously with Mu Xiao''s green light. Both exerted their strength and pulled at the same time, causing the five artifacts to burst apart with a bang. Shen Luo''s yellow light engulfed the Devouring Element Magic Wand and Yuan Ming''s black box, whereas Mu Xiao''s green light captured two other treasures¨Cthe black bell and the black-yellow short ruler that Elder Mei had previously obtained. However, the last artifact, the Nine Netherworld artifact, was sent flying to another side due to the collision of the yellow and green lights. At this moment, Shen Luo was still underground, but Mu Xiao had already emerged to the surface, lunging for the Nine Netherworld artifact like a bolt of lightning. ¡°Get lost!¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo bellowed in rage, putting away the Devouring Element Magic Wand and the black box with his left hand, while his right hand shone brightly with blue light, fully channeling the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique with all his might and waving it forth. An overwhelming chill erupted, a raging tide sweeping toward Mu Xiao, freezing the ground and air into a hundred-foot-high iceberg, while the mud and rocks below solidified completely. This mud and these rocks underwent a transformation, turning into semi-transparent blue ice crystals. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If a master cultivator of the ice element were here, they would be surprised and exclaim; this represented the ultimate realm of using cold Qi to forcibly alter the state of matter, a level even higher than freezing both Mana and the Void! Shen Luo, having broken through to the True Immortal Stage, saw his cultivation and consequently, the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, rise with the tide, advancing to the fourth level. The fourth level of Indigo Ocean''s cold Qi was even more powerful, not only capable of freezing everything, but the cold Qi could also invade the interior of an object, crystallizing it and greatly increasing its destructive force. Though Mu Xiao was still far from the cold Qi and not yet affected by the blast, there were signs that his Mana was starting to freeze; his expression changed drastically, and he quickly abandoned his pursuit of the Nine Netherworld artifact, desperately urging his inner vitality. Green light surged around him, and before the cold Qi could envelop him, he dove into the Void and vanished. ¡°Wood Escape Technique? Quite the swift escape.¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly, but he didn''t give chase. The Demon Heart was still nearby, and causing too much commotion might bring it back, which would be troublesome. Securing three magical artifacts was already a decent outcome. He burst forth from the ground, sent a blue light with his hand into the Blue Iceberg, and where it passed, the iceberg quickly melted away, revealing the Nine Netherworld artifact soon after. Although Shen Luo''s Indigo Ocean cold Qi had reached the realm of crystallization, the Nine Netherworld artifact was extremely hard; having been soaked in Weak Water for who knows how many years without damage, the cold Qi couldn''t infiltrate and harm it. Picking up the Nine Netherworld artifact without further inspection, he put it away, then collected the magical treasures and storage magical tools from the corpses of Elder Mei, Yuan Ming, and others. With a flash of yellow light upon his body, he dove back underground and headed toward the outside. The Tianji City group exerted their full strength to fly forward, hurriedly escaping from the Yin Yang Cave and arriving outside. ¡°All disciples, heed my command, scatter and flee, regroup at the place where we previously crossed the Weak Water!¡± Little Master''s face turned pale as he sensed Demon Heart closing in from behind, and he barked the order. The Tianji City disciples were startled upon hearing this, knowing that although they had left the Yin Yang Cave, Yin Beasts and Demons were still plentiful outside. Scattering to escape would likely put many in danger. However, Little Master''s prestige was extremely high, and just as the Tianji City disciples were about to disperse, a bloody red light flashed in front of them. The figure of Demon Heart appeared like a ghostly specter, blocking their way. His eyes emitted a ferocious light akin to that of a Wild Beast, and the Blood-colored Bone Staff in his hand radiated swallowing blood light, as if an Ancient Ferocious Beast yearned to embark on a massive slaughter. Despair crossed the faces of the Tianji City disciples, and even Little Master, Elder Fu, and others turned pale. Still, the few of them leapt forward to stand at the forefront, shielding the other disciples. At that moment, the entire Yin Yang Cave suddenly shook with a rumble. Then, a dark golden light burst fiercely through the mountain wall of the Yin Yang Cave and flew out. The golden light was a miniature city about a zhang in size, none other than Puppet City, which had now completely turned into a dark golden color. It emanated an immense, heavenly, yet ethereal breath, utterly different from before, signifying it had completely finished its evolution. Laughter erupted from within Puppet City, and then a figure shot out¨Cit was Ghost Yan, his face full of excitement. His aura had also undergone a significant change, exuding a sense of profound vastness, and one foot had already stepped into the Taiyi Realm. ¡°Little Master, I have given you plenty of time. To think you are still here in the Yin Yang Cave, how useless,¡± Ghost Yan, upon seeing the people from Tianji City below, sneered with surprise twinkling in his eyes. ¡°Ghost Yan, you''ve advanced Puppet City into the Dao of Creation Immortal Artifact? It seems that the measures I left within the Doll stele have already been broken by you,¡± Little Master said, stepping forward with a flash of unusual light in his eyes. ¡°So that little trick was your doing, but it''s nothing more than a minor sleight of hand,¡± Ghost Yan said, as a fierce gleam flashed in his eyes upon hearing this. The scheme Little Master left in the Doll stele was extremely cunning, aimed squarely at destroying the stele''s prohibitions. If not for Puppet City having completed its structural transformation and his familiarity with the prohibitions within the stele, not only would the evolution of Puppet City have been impossible, but it likely would have suffered significant damage. ¡°Minor sleight of hand? Then why did it take you so long to come out? You truly are a duck that refuses to admit it''s dead. We haven''t left for so long precisely because we were waiting for you. Tianji City traitor, hand over Puppet City!¡± Little Master sneered coldly, and the Thousand Mechanism Sword in his hand shot out explosively, turning into a black and white Sword Rainbow slashing down towards Ghost Yan. ¡°Seeking death!¡± Enraged that Little Master would dare to attack him, Ghost Yan had no desire to contend with Little Master and directly urged Puppet City into action. Puppet City radiated a brilliant golden light, suddenly expanding hundreds to thousands of times in size and transforming into a colossal golden city which covered half the sky, colliding with the Sword Rainbow formed by the Thousand Mechanism Sword. In front of the vast Puppet City, the black and white Sword Rainbow looked like a slender toothpick, bursting apart with a mere touch. The Thousand Mechanism Sword tumbled and flew backward, its spiritual light greatly dimmed. Without the slightest pause, Puppet City bore down on the Tianji City group with a thunderous oppression. ¡°Puppet City has completely metamorphosed into the Dao of Creation Immortal Artifact and urgently requires fresh Souls as a sacrifice. Let''s use the Divine souls of you Tianji City monks to celebrate the birth of the Immortal Puppet City,¡± Ghost Yan laughed wildly. Puppet City expanded once more, overshadowing most of the sky, bearing down like Mount Tai. Demon Heart, sensing the colossal aura of Puppet City, suddenly looked up, and a fierce light shimmered in his eyes as his Blood-colored Bone Staff abruptly raised a sky-piercing blood light. Only now did Ghost Yan become aware of Demon Heart''s presence, perceiving the unfathomable fluctuation of Demonic Qi in the blood-colored Bone Staff, and his brow slightly furrowed. ¡°Who is this person? With such heavy Demonic Qi, he doesn''t seem to belong to Tianji City,¡± he thought to himself. Chapter 1317 Chapter 1317: Chapter 1314: City Shattered Chapter 1317: Chapter 1314: City Shattered Although the Demon Heart had lost all its spiritual wisdom, its combat instinct remained. It seemed to sense the might of the Puppet City and, with a low growl, the bone staff in its hand grew large in the wind. In the blink of an eye, it turned into a massive staff of twenty or thirty feet long and struck down at the Puppet City. ¡°No matter who you are, daring to strike at me with a demonic artifact, hand over your divine soul as well!¡± Ghost Yan saw this and a flash of ferocity appeared in his eyes. He opened his mouth and spewed out a stream of vitality into the Puppet City. The Puppet City shone with a frenzy of golden light, the massive city walls instantly transformed, turning into a dark golden giant peak, exuding even greater might, fiercely smashing towards the blood-colored giant staff. The collision between the giant peak and the bone staff produced a thunderous noise that shook the ground and the sky within a hundred miles, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi surged even more wildly. The originally invincible golden giant peak crumbled like rotten wood, breaking into countless dark golden fragments, and was actually blasted apart by the blood-colored bone staff in a single strike. Ghost Yan appeared behind the giant peak, his eyes wide open, his face filled with disbelief. The blood-colored bone staff, having shattered the Puppet City, suddenly emitted vast swathes of blood light, engulfing most of the fragments of the Puppet City. The spiritual power within those fragments was completely absorbed, and the blood light on the staff suddenly blazed brightly. A shocking screech sounded as a blood-red rainbow hundreds of feet long shot out from the head of the staff, whistling forward, its tail light sweeping across Ghost Yan''s body. The blood-red rainbow burst with tremendous force; Ghost Yan''s body violently exploded into a cloud of blood mist, which was then all absorbed by the rainbow. In just one or two breaths, the nearly earth-shattering Puppet City and the half-step Taiyi Ghost Yan had completely vanished. Shen Luo happened to be escaping from the Yin Yang Cave at this moment, and seeing this scene, a trace of shock flashed in his eyes. He had already estimated the power of the blood-colored bone staff as highly as possible, but now it seemed he had still underestimated it. The blood-red rainbow continued to shoot forward, in a flash striking the Yin Yang Cave. The mountain wall of the Yin Yang Cave crumbled easily like paper before the rainbow, which then vanished into the Yin Yang Cave in a flash. Soon, a thunderous ¡°boom¡± came from within the Yin Yang Cave, followed by violent trembling in the nearby void. Instead of subsiding after a few breaths, the trembling became increasingly intense. ¡°That direction¡­ no good!¡± Shen Luo was startled and then his face showed a look of terror as he flew out from the ground, turning into a streak of crimson sword light, fleeing with all his might into the distance. ¡°Get away from here quickly!¡± The Little Master also immediately reacted, calling out to the disciples of Tianji City to leave. But before they could get far, an even larger rumble came from behind them. The whole Yin Yang Cave suddenly bulged outwards before completely collapsing and disintegrating. The space around the cave also shattered completely, like a broken mirror, and deep within that mirror-like space, one could faintly see a massive white spatial rift stretching over ten miles long. The spatial rift emanated an immense swallowing force, instantly devouring the collapsing Yin Yang Cave, and Shen Luo and the others were also caught in this suction, ¡°whooshing¡± all at once into it. In the instant before being sucked into the spatial rift, the Little Master roared angrily, the Golden Immortal Armor appeared on his body, shooting out vast golden light that enveloped all the Tianji City disciples. Shen Luo, looking at the bottomless spatial rift, his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat, also shouted loudly, raising the Bloodthirsty Flag and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, with one red and one golden light shielding his body. Having just done this, he was sucked into the spatial rift. An immense pressure swept over him, and even with his current physical strength, his vision went black immediately, and he fell unconscious. After an unknown amount of time spent in oblivion, Shen Luo slowly awoke, lying in a desolate desert. Around him was nothing but endless yellow sand, and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and Bloodthirsty Flag magical treasures lay beside him, their spiritual light dim, looking severely damaged. The Qiankun Bag and Free and Easy Mirror also had faint spiritual light, and inside them, Ghost General, Mirror Fiend, Purple Bamboo, Fu Donglai, and others were all in a state of unconsciousness. The ground temperature of the surrounding sand sea was very high, and the familiar hot wind rushed towards him. His divine sense searched the area and discovered some coarse ruins of buildings, which seemed to be the Boundless Sand Sea. ¡°Have I already emerged from that Black Abyss Mystery Cave?¡± Shen Luo rejoiced, wanting to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his muscles and bones, and his internal organs felt as if they were on fire. His body had sustained severe injuries, and his Dantian power was almost depleted. ¡°The injuries are so severe, but escaping from the ghostly place that is the Black Abyss Mystery Cave is worth it,¡± he muttered to himself. He summoned the remaining mana to draw a healing pill and a manrestoring elixir from the Linlang Ring and took them both, circulating his energy to refine them. His mana quickly recovered a significant amount, after which he activated the Great Unsealing Technique to work with the healing pill and repair his physical injuries. Shen Luo''s injuries were too severe this time. It took half a day to recover nearly half of his wounds, but fortunately, he was able to move without issue. Not knowing how far he was from the Black Abyss Mystery Cave or whether enemies would appear, he dared not linger and soared into the sky, fleeing into the distance. He hadn''t flown far when Shen Luo''s brows suddenly twitched, and he shot toward the left front, quickly descending into a desert basin. Many black stones scattered throughout the basin emitted a strong Yin Qi, clearly the stones from the Yin Yang Cave. Apart from the black stones, there were also some dark golden blocks containing Yan Patterns and emanating bursts of spiritual power fluctuations. Shen Luo recognized these things as fragments of the Puppet City. The other fragments were one thing, but there was also a section of a dark golden stone stele that had fallen here, which was the upper half of that Doll stele. However, the spirit patterns on it had completely dimmed, and no spiritual power fluctuations could be detected. ¡°The core prohibition Doll stele is also broken in two. It looks like the Puppet City is truly destroyed,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, his gaze suddenly sharp, as he flicked a finger at the stele in front of him. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A streak of red Sword Qi split the stele in two, and a flat, pale yellow round bead rolled out, which was the Gathering God Pearl. Shen Luo''s eyes showed a hint of surprise. This object could store an immense amount of divine souls and was a rare treasure. Even the Little Master showed great shock upon seeing this pearl back then. Unexpectedly, it was here. He waved his hand and cast a Blue Light, carefully wrapping the Gathering God Pearl. Seeing that there was no danger, he then held it in his hand. The pearl was slightly cool to the touch, its surface draped in a layer of pale yellow light, and one could faintly discern some mysterious patterns on it, resembling some kind of Mysterious Formation, looking very beautiful. After a moment of contemplation, Shen Luo started infusing the pearl with his spiritual power. The pale yellow light surrounding the Gathering God Pearl suddenly brightened, and a bizarre fluctuation shot out from it, instantly spreading hundreds of feet around. Shen Luo was swept by this fluctuation, causing his divine soul in his mind to tremble, with a tendency to leave his body and move towards the Gathering God Pearl. Alarmed, he quickly activated the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his divine soul. Some sand lizards and scorpions underground were also swept by this fluctuation. Lacking Shen Luo''s mighty divine soul and knowledge of the Suppressing God Technique, their bodies trembled and they perished on the spot. Specks of divine soul light drifted out from their bodies toward the Gathering God Pearl. ¡°So that''s how it is. It seems this pearl has the ability to collect divine souls,¡± Shen Luo observed, his eyes flickering. It''s very likely that Ghost Yan used this pearl to slaughter the Langxia Kingdom, absorbing the divine souls of all its people. Gazing at the Gathering God Pearl in his hand, his expression was somewhat complex. Although the pearl appeared as a spiritual object, it was extremely sinister, rivaling none less than the Devouring Element Magic Wand. However, Shen Luo was not versed in the Yan Technique, nor did he need to collect the power of divine souls, so this object was of no use to him. He tucked it away and looked toward the fragments of the Puppet City before him. Chapter 1318 Chapter 1318: Chapter 1315: Heavenly Corpse Scripture Chapter 1318: Chapter 1315: Heavenly Corpse Scripture ¡°According to the Little Master, these dark gold copper mines are called the Copper of Lingxiao, which are an excellent material for refining Yan Armor. I can''t miss out on this¨Cperhaps I''ll be able to do business with Tianji City in the future,¡± he said and took out the Free and Easy Mirror, storing the Puppet City Fragments inside. His expression then turned solemn once again. Beneath the Puppet City Fragments, there was an unanticipated black coffin buried, engraved with many mysterious patterns. It seemed to be no ordinary object. ¡°How come there is a coffin here?¡± Shen Luo wondered silently and, with a wave of his hand, formed a golden giant hand that grasped the lid of the coffin, attempting to open it. However, the patterns on the coffin lit up with a layer of black halos, surprisingly withstanding the force of Shen Luo''s grasp. ¡°A prohibition?¡± His eyebrows twitched, and he waved his hand again, forming two house-sized golden giant hands that grabbed the black coffin from the top and bottom. This time, the giant hands emitted dazzling golden light, enveloping the black halos on the coffin and ground them fiercely. Although the black halos on the coffin were extraordinary, they were ultimately unpowered and were soon completely shattered by the golden light. The coffin''s lid cracked open with a sound, revealing the contents inside. Shen Luo peered intently into the coffin, which held a number of items: more than a dozen white crystal balls the size of bowls, a dried-up yellow corpse, and two jade boxes¨Cone black and one white. His gaze firstly landed on the white crystal balls, his eyes lit up. These white crystal balls were precisely the high-level Yan Crystals he urgently needed. With the spiritual power inside still intact, he wouldn''t have to worry much when using the Divine Craftsman Cannon. Shen Luo then looked at the withered yellow corpse. It was skin and bones and bore some resemblance to the Earth Evil Corpse Kings he had encountered earlier. However, this corpse''s corpse air was very faint, and its bones were a pale golden color, somewhat strange. The corpse''s skin was covered with innumerable Yan Patterns. It seemed similar to the Heaven Devouring Tiger and the Giant Power Ape, yet the complexity of these Yan Patterns far surpassed those of the two beasts, indicating a higher-level Yan Armor that seemed unfinished. ¡°That Ghost Yan seems to have some technique that could refine living beings into Yan Armor. This corpse Yan Armor is hidden in such a secret place; it must be extraordinary, it''s a pity it''s incomplete,¡± he muttered to himself with a hint of regret. Finally, Shen Luo picked up the two jade boxes and opened the black one first. Inside was just a yellow jade tablet with numerous tiny characters inscribed on it, which seemed to be a jade slip. Shen Luo poured his divine sense into it, and his brow rose. The yellow jade tablet contained a profound scripture¨Cthe Heavenly Corpse Scripture, which detailed many secrets of corpse refinement, including the methods for refining Earth Evil Corpse Kings and even Sky Fiend Corpse Kings. His gaze sharpened as he carefully read the content about Earth Evil Corpse Kings. According to the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, to refine an Earth Evil Corpse King, one must first find a True Immortal cultivator or at the very least one at the peak of the Great Mahayana. One cannot kill the subject but must suppress them, stripping away their soul and spirit to induce a state of suspended animation. The stripped soul and spirit are sealed within the body''s strength but kept separate from the inner souls, preventing any interaction. Afterward, one must torment the body daily by soaking it in venom, tormenting it with raging fires, and other means. Though the body lacks spiritual wisdom, it fully possesses divine souls, maintaining the most complete sense of pain. This will invoke the deep-seated hatred and resentment from their souls. After about ten years, the body''s mana can fuse with this hatred and resentment, transforming into the Corpse Pill of the Earth Evil Corpse King. Only then is the Earth Evil Corpse King initially considered refined. However, an Earth Evil Corpse King that has just formed originally lost all its cultivation and needed to be cultivated anew. It would be thrown into a Yin Cave or similar locations filled with dense Yin Qi, where it would slay a cultivator with a Yin-aligned fate every month and feed on their essence blood. After spending about fifty years like this, it would recover its original strength, and only then would the Earth Evil Corpse King truly be considered accomplished. Shen Luo did not consider himself a nobleman, and his actions were relatively righteous. He found the cruel corpse refinement method of the Earth Evil Corpse King to be quite repulsive. However, according to the records in the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, the soul of the Earth Evil Corpse King still resided within its body, which was a good thing for him. Xie Yuxin had already been refined into an Earth Evil Corpse King, and reviving her was no longer possible. However, liberating her divine soul so that it could reincarnate was still doable. It''s just that this place was not safe now and not a good spot for liberating Xie Yuxin''s soul. Shen Luo''s divine sense moved away from the Earth Evil Corpse King and looked towards the part about the Sky Fiend Corpse King. The process of refining a Sky Fiend Corpse King was mostly similar to that of an Earth Evil Corpse King, except it required a Late-stage True Immortal Cultivator to perform the ritual, and nurturing a Sky Fiend Corpse King was not something a single Late-stage True Immortal Cultivator could do; one needed to prepare nine such cultivators to conduct the ritual at the same time. Only at the final step, by having the nine refined corpses devour each other, using a method similar to raising gu, could the strongest one be chosen. By absorbing the vitality of the other eight refined corpses, one might be able to cultivate a Sky Fiend Corpse King. ¡°¡­Condensing Corpse Qi, transforming into a Yin God, Skeleton of Golden Bone, the Heavenly Corpse is born. Weren''t the bones of that corpse just now pale gold? Could it be that was a Sky Fiend Corpse King?¡± His body shook when he saw the description of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Shen Luo looked at the Yellow Corpse again and sent a surge of mana into it, operating it according to the methods recorded in the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. A layer of golden light shone on the Yellow Corpse, and it slowly floated up from within the black coffin, particularly at the spine where a large patch of golden light gathered, bulging into two lumps. With two light ''clack'' sounds, a pair of one-zhang-long wings stretched out from the lumps, their gold gleaming brilliantly. A dense and incomparable Corpse Air burst out from the Yellow Corpse, spreading to the surrounding area tens of zhang wide. Shen Luo was also affected by the Corpse Air, causing his blood vessels to stiffen momentarily. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Heavenly Corpse Golden Wings! That Yellow Corpse really is a Sky Fiend Corpse King!¡± He revealed a look of surprise and delight. He was already clear about the fearsome nature of the Earth Evil Corpse King; the divine powers of the Sky Fiend Corpse King were far superior, enough to rival a being at the Taiyi Stage. Even people at the True Immortal Peak like Little Master and Ghost Yan were completely outclassed by the Sky Fiend Corpse King. If he could subdue this Sky Fiend Corpse King, his strength would increase enormously once again. However, at this moment, the Corpse Air on the Yellow Corpse abruptly retracted rapidly, and the two golden wings also retracted into the body. It fell with a thud back into the black coffin from midair and no matter how Shen Luo urged it, it would not move again. Shen Luo was not surprised by this; after the spellcasting just now, he had roughly figured out the state of this corpse. It had not truly transformed into a Sky Fiend Corpse King; it seemed to have only advanced halfway, with one foot stepping into the realm of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Ghost Yan had used his unique methods to refine it into an Armor, which on one hand made it easier for him to manipulate the corpse, and on the other hand, he also wanted to leverage the power of the Armor to help the corpse take the final half-step. However, the Armor transformation of this corpse was also incomplete, missing the final steps. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered ceaselessly. With the corpse now in a half-Armor half-corpse state, and since he wasn''t familiar with Armor techniques, it seemed unlikely for him to help complete the final Armor transformation. Fortunately, during this trip to the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, he and Tianji City had formed a considerable good karma. They should not refuse if he asked for help from the cultivators of Tianji City in the future. Chapter 1319 Chapter 1319: Chapter 1316 Custody on Behalf Chapter 1319: Chapter 1316 Custody on Behalf Shen Luo''s mind eased as this thought came to him, and he continued reading the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the end of the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, there was an additional secret technique included, which was the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array. The script used for the secret technique was completely different from that of the previous text of the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, seemingly a personal addition by Ghost Yan. The Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array was incredibly powerful and had an extraordinary origin; according to the record of the secret technique, it was created by the favored consort of the Demonic Ancestor Chi You, the Tianmei Demon Woman. This secret technique required female cultivators with yin attribute aptitude for cultivation, and it needed nine female cultivators to perform the dance array at the same time for its power to reach its peak. If this demon dance array were cultivated to the highest realm, it could even summon the doppelganger of the Tianmei Demon Woman. Not to mention Taiyi Cultivators, even cultivators at the Heavenly Venerate Realm would find themselves troubled by it and struggle to break free. ¡°Fortunately, I had already killed an Earth Evil Corpse King that day, and Ghost Yan could only use eight Corpse Kings to set up the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array, otherwise it would have really been troublesome,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, feeling relieved as he read this. He grew even more admiring of Ghost Yan, who had actually refined nine yin attribute female cultivators into Earth Evil Corpse Kings and then used nine Earth Evil Corpse Kings to perform the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array. The biggest weakness of this demon dance array was that the performers could not be disturbed, otherwise the array would reveal flaws. Since the Earth Evil Corpse Kings were undying bodies, even if they were cut in half or beheaded, it would have no effect on them, perfectly compensating for this weakness. Regrettably, human calculations fell short of the heavenly ones. Ghost Yan encountered Shen Luo, whose God''s Power like Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns, Suppressing God Technique, Splashy Chaotic Stick, and others were exactly what countered the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array, leading to its tragic end. After reading the entire content, Shen Luo gained a lot of insight. He put away the yellow jade tablet and opened the last White Jade Box. Inside the jade box was another jade tablet, this one pitch black in color with countless tiny characters inscribed¨Canother jade slip. He extended his Divine Sense into it, and his expression suddenly changed. He immediately looked around, spreading his Divine Sense to make sure there were no anomalies before he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the black jade tablet in his hand, Shen Luo''s expression wavered, seemingly hesitant. After a good while, he still extended his Divine Sense into it. The content on this black jade tablet was the complete Sky Machine Scroll, including both the front and back volumes. The front volume recorded many of Tianji City''s God''s Powers and Secret Methods, among which was the Secret Method for refining Divine Sense that he greatly desired to learn, called ¡°Thoughts as Swift as Lightning,¡± which not only forged Divine Sense but also opened the mind''s eye, allowing one''s thoughts to become as quick as lightning and greatly speeding up response time. In addition to ¡°Thoughts as Swift as Lightning,¡± the ¡°Shining Bright¡± God''s Power that Master Yan once used was also included, and other God''s Powers were all extraordinarily exquisite. Shen Luo quickly glanced through and turned to the back volume. The back volume of the Tianji documented various refinements methods for armor. The refinement methods for the Spirit Crab Airship, Divine Craftsman Cannon, and even the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor that he had seen were all there, along with many other armors with novel abilities that greatly expanded his horizons. At the end of the back volume, there was a record of a special kind of armor technique called the ¡°Ghost Technique,¡± which allowed the crafting of armor from living people and demons. The process was very bloody, and the failure rate was extremely high¨Conly one success out of a hundred attempts. Once successful, however, this kind of armor was immensely powerful, almost perfectly retaining the strength from before one''s death, and all kinds of special abilities could also be preserved, something ordinary armor could not compare to. ¡°So the Heaven Devouring Tiger and Giant Power Ape were refined into Ghost Yan through this method,¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized. The Ghost Technique was too brutal and contrary to the Heavenly Dao, not a path of righteousness. Tianji Scroll listed it as a forbidden technique, placing it at the very end. ¡°` Unfortunately, the Ghost Yan was innately evil, and with the Sky Machine Scroll in his possession, over these years, countless lives perished at his hands. Now that he has died by the Blood-colored Bone Staff, it can be said that he got what he deserved. Shen Luo continued to examine the Ghost Technique, his eyes growing brighter as he read. The Ghost Technique was brutal, but he definitely would not use it for evil purposes. The Sky Fiend Corpse King was, after all, already dead and had been converted by Ghost Yan. Only the final step remained, so applying the Ghost Technique to it wouldn''t really be an issue. Shen Luo had originally thought he would need the help of the people from Tianji City, but now that he had the Ghost Technique, he could complete everything on his own. However, using the Ghost Technique wasn''t child''s play. On the contrary, it was more profound than ordinary Yan Techniques. To use it, one first needed to cultivate the Yan Technique to the pinnacle and complete the transformation of Divine Sense into Soul Threads. Luckily, the Sky Fiend Corpse King had basically completed the Ghost transformation. According to the records in the Sky Machine Scroll, all that was needed was a sufficiently powerful Yin Spirit Pearl placed within its mind to thoroughly complete the process. There wasn''t a need for overly advanced Yan Techniques, as long as one''s Divine Sense reached the transformation into Soul Threads, one could cast the spell. Shen Luo felt his heart stir upon reading this. His Divine Sense was already incredibly vast, and having been baptized by the Thunder Tribulation, it had become half-crystallized. Now that he had obtained the ¡°Thought as Swift as Lightning¡± technique, he believed he would soon complete the transformation into Soul Threads as long as he cultivated accordingly. As for the powerful Yin Spirit Pearl needed for the Sky Fiend Corpse King, having the Gathering God Pearl in his possession was not a problem. The Sky Machine Scroll contained records about the Gathering God Pearl, which was a treasure forged by the First Generation City Lord of Tianji City. It could absorb Divine Souls and store them within, essentially being an ever-strengthening Yin Spirit Pearl. Some top-tier Armors required a highly potent Yin Spirit Pearl, which natural Soul Pearls could not satisfy. Thus, the First Generation City Lord of Tianji City forged several Gathering God Pearls that have been passed down till now. Although the Sky Fiend Corpse King had high requirements for Soul Power, they were nowhere near the demands of Puppet City. There was no need for the cruel act of slaughtering cities and wiping out nations. In the future, killing some powerful cultivators and storing their Divine Souls within the Gathering God Pearl would be sufficient for the usage of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Shen Luo quickly finished reading the Sky Machine Scroll, withdrew his Divine Sense, and inwardly marveled at the unique, profound pathways of Tianji City''s techniques, which were definitely not inferior to those of Mount Fangcun, Mount Putuo, and other major schools. However, his brow soon furrowed, a look of hesitation on his face. The Little Master and others'' trip to the Black Abyss Mystery Cave was to capture the Ghost Yan, and another main objective was to retrieve the Sky Machine Scroll. Now that it was in his hands, it was like a hot potato. If he hadn''t looked at the contents of the Sky Machine Scroll, it would''ve been fine to simply return it to the Little Master, but he hadn''t resisted the greed in his heart and had perused the Sky Machine Scroll. If Tianji City learned of this, they would probably not let it go easily. ¡°Forget it, since the Ghost Yan and Puppet City have been shattered by the Devil Heart Staff, no one knows the Sky Machine Scroll has ended up here. I''ll just keep it for Tianji City for a period of time. Once my cultivation level increases a bit more, I''ll return it to Tianji City,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and made up his mind. He activated the Free and Easy Mirror, collected the Black Coffin within it, then erased all traces of himself in the area, and with a leap, he flew off into the distance. Shen Luo flew away, crossing thousands of miles, traversing the vast ocean of sand, and arrived at a desolate Gobi. As night fell, Shen Luo who was traveling through the sky, suddenly saw a white light reflecting up from below. He released his Divine Sense to investigate a bit and immediately flew down toward the direction where the light was reflected. It was an erosion pit about seventy to eighty feet across on the desolate Gobi, oval in shape, with what seemed to be rainwater accumulated inside, reflecting the moon in the sky and emitting a white glow. Shen Luo dove to the bottom of the pit and discovered that the part where water accumulated was less than three feet square, mostly rock at the pit bottom, with only a ring of soft mud near the water area, dotted with the footprints of some unidentified birds. Chapter 1320 Chapter 1320: Chapter 1317: The Plan Chapter 1320: Chapter 1317: The Plan ¡°Huh¡­¡± When Shen Luo arrived at the edge of this pool of water, he was surprised to discover that it wasn''t filled with rainwater, but with spring water permeated with a thin aura of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. He cupped some water to drink and felt only its clear, sweet taste, which greatly eased the exhaustion he had accumulated over the past days. Shen Luo returned to the shore and found a rock to sit on. After taking a short rest, his body emitted a surge of blue light, enveloping him from head to toe, and only dissipated slowly moments later. It was unclear what he was doing within that light. He channeled mana into the Qiankun Bag at his waist and gave it a shake. The Ghost General and Mirror Fiend within had already woken up one after another on their way here. With a flash of blue light, the Mirror Fiend shot out from the bag and landed beside Shen Luo. ¡°Master,¡± the Mirror Fiend said in a low voice, looking quite dejected. Previously, in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, the enemies Shen Luo faced were formidable, and she barely had a chance to lend a hand, helplessly hiding inside the Qiankun Bag the whole time. This made her feel quite upset. Moreover, as Shen Luo''s cultivation level soared rapidly, the gap between them widened, causing the Mirror Fiend even more anxiety. ¡°There''s no need to feel down. Previously, in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, there were too many enemies, and that particular environment wasn''t suitable for you to play a role. With the innate abilities of the Mirror Fiend family and that Treasure Mirror, your potential is still very strong,¡± Shen Luo said, comforting her. Upon hearing this, the Mirror Fiend''s expression subtly changed and seemed to improve considerably. ¡°First, I will send you back to the Eastern Sea. There is no need to continue guarding the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Here are some elixirs and True Water, along with a few Magical Treasures, as a reward for your hard work during this period. After you return, continue to improve your cultivation and strive to reach the Late Mahayana Stage as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo said, taking out a bracelet-shaped Storage Magical Tool and handing it over to the Mirror Fiend. At the same time, his lips moved slightly as he transmitted a secret message into the Mirror Fiend''s mind. The Mirror Fiend looked startled upon hearing the message, then nodded and took the bracelet. Shen Luo activated the Art of Spirit Communication, condensing a Spirit Communicating Water Hole to send the Mirror Fiend back to the Eastern Sea. Within the Mirror Fiend''s cave mansion, amidst swirling blue light, a water vortex several zhang in size appeared out of thin air, from which the Mirror Fiend leaped out. ¡°Sister, why did you stay there for so long after being summoned this time?¡± A cold voice rang out as a blue figure stood inside the cave; it was the Tear Demon, wearing an unchanging expression. Blue light lingered around the Tear Demon, her aura strong and solid, having already reached the Late Mahayana Stage and on the verge of approaching the peak. ¡°Master had me take his place guarding the sect, and then we explored a secret realm where we encountered very powerful enemies, which is why it took a long time,¡± the Mirror Fiend explained. ¡°Humph, you''re still so naive. How can you trust the words of the Human Race, especially a man? Be careful he doesn''t sell you out one day,¡± the Tear Demon snorted. ¡°Master won''t do that. He always keeps me in a safe place, never letting me face danger, only borrowing my abilities,¡± the Mirror Fiend said softly, yet her expression was exceedingly resolute. ¡°You really are a blockhead,¡± the Tear Demon said, her face showing a ''why can''t you understand'' frustration seeing the Mirror Fiend like this. ¡°Tear Demon Sister, I want to accompany you to cultivate in the Beiming Secret Realm,¡± the Mirror Fiend said after falling silent for a moment, suddenly lifting her head. ¡°Why do you suddenly want to go there? Did you tell Shen Luo about the Beiming Secret Realm?¡± the Tear Demon exclaimed in surprise before quickly asking in a stern voice. The Beiming Secret Realm was a secret place under the Eastern Sea that she and the Mirror Fiend had discovered early on; only the two of them knew about it, making it their greatest secret. ¡°No, I just want to increase my cultivation level quickly,¡± the Mirror Fiend shook her head gently. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Tear Demon knew that the Mirror Fiend never lied, and upon hearing this, her expression relaxed, but then she thought of something and her face grew solemn again. ¡°Increase your cultivation level? You want to go in for extended cultivation? No way! The Beiming Secret Realm is full of dangers. Last time I went in to help you break through to the Mahayana Middle Stage, I almost met with misfortune. It''s still too early for you to enter there now!¡± the Tear Demon said in a stern voice. ¡°I know it''s dangerous, but Master has given me a few excellent Magical Treasures. As long as I''m clever about it, keeping myself alive shouldn''t be a problem,¡± the Mirror Fiend said, taking out the bracelet magical instrument that Shen Luo had just given her. ¡°What kind of Magical Treasures?¡± the Tear Demon asked, looking at the bracelet magical instrument. The Mirror Fiend''s Divine Sense penetrated it, and with a wave of her hand, several Magical Treasures emerged, precisely those belonging to Yuan Ming: the two yellow short halberds, the fat man from the Thick Earth Sect''s yellow large shield, and Tortoise Sect''s Hall Master Zhong''s white turtle seal. Each of the three treasures emitted astonishing fluctuations of spiritual power, causing the Tear Demon''s expression to change abruptly. ¡°What powerful Magical Treasures, each one reaching the level of top grade. Shen Luo actually was willing to give them to you?¡± the Tear Demon took a while to recover before she slowly said, still with a hint of disbelief in her tone. ¡°Master has now reached the True Immortal Stage, so these treasures are nothing to him,¡± the Mirror Fiend said with some pride. ¡°What! He''s reached the True Immortal Stage!¡± the Tear Demon exclaimed, her expression changing. When she first met Shen Luo, he was only in the Late Nascent Soul Stage. Now, barely a hundred years had passed and he had advanced to the True Immortal Stage, already surpassing her! ¡°You are his spirit pet; these Magical Treasures being with you is no different from them being in his own hands. Naturally, he''s willing to part with them,¡± the Tear Demon said, somewhat grudgingly. ¡°With these three Magical Treasures to protect me, I should be able to take care of myself in the Beiming Secret Realm,¡± the Mirror Fiend said, smiling slightly, without arguing with the Tear Demon. ¡°With these three Magical Treasures, you can indeed take care of yourself in the Beiming Secret Realm. Alright, you can go in with me afterwards,¡± the Tear Demon said, collecting her emotions and speaking after pondering for a moment. Upon hearing this, the Mirror Fiend''s face showed great delight. After speaking for a while, the Tear Demon took her leave, telling the Mirror Fiend to hurry up and refine those three Magical Treasures. The Mirror Fiend sat down inside the secret chamber of her cave, her Divine Sense probing into the bracelet again, where several elixirs and some Dual-element True Water were placed in the depths of the storage space of the bracelet. Besides these, there was a white jade box, the very one that contained the Sky Machine Scroll, sealed tight with Sealing Talismans all over it. Looking at the white jade box, the Mirror Fiend recalled the words Shen Luo had secretly transmitted before: ¡°Protect this white box well. Do not let anyone know about it, nor open it, or there may be a great disaster.¡± The Mirror Fiend was silent for a moment, then suddenly opened her mouth and sprayed out a blue light, swallowing the bracelet into her belly. ¡­ At the bottom of the Gobi Heavenly Pit, Shen Luo dispelled the Spirit Communicating Water Hole. He was going to Tianji City next, to consult with the Little Master on how to repair the jade pillow. The Sky Machine Scroll was fundamental to Tianji City, and even though the jade plate seemed unremarkable, who knew if it could trigger some prohibition within the city? It was safer to send it to a far-off place. As for the content of the Sky Machine Scroll, he had already transcribed it onto another jade slip. Shen Luo was silent for a moment, then took out the Free and Easy Mirror, channeling Mana into it. The Water Cloud charm patterns on the Free and Easy Mirror immediately lit up, and a burst of red light sprayed from the mirror. Two figures emerged from it; it was Fu Donglai and Xie Yuxin. Both had just woken up not so long ago. Fu Donglai was still in a suppressed state, firmly controlling Xie Yuxin as they appeared not far in front of Shen Luo. Chapter 1321 Chapter 1321: Chapter 1318: Strengthening the Soul with Negative Energy Chapter 1321: Chapter 1318: Strengthening the Soul with Negative Energy ¡°Elder Brother Fu, you have worked hard.¡± Shen Luo raised his hand and waved, sending several talismans flying out that landed on Xie Yuxin, firmly restraining her. ¡°It was but a trifle effort, but¡­ given her current state, I fear she may no longer be restorable,¡± Fu Donglai said with a knitted brow, seemingly hesitant before eventually speaking out. While previously restraining Xie Yuxin, Shen Luo had already relayed to Fu Donglai the details concerning Xie Yuxin''s identity and background. ¡°Having known each other, I cannot allow her to be turned into such an evil corpse. Even if she cannot be saved, I must let her divine soul be free,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°That''s probably for the best. Cultivating the Dao and defying the heavens can lead to such an end if one is not careful. If it weren''t for Brother Shen''s rescue, I too would have barely escaped with my life,¡± Fu Donglai spoke with a hint of emotion. ¡°Let''s not dwell on the past. I delayed your recuperation before, so as we will stay here for some time, take this opportunity to recover,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°There is an abundance of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi stored within your Free and Easy Mirror. Actually, my injuries have mostly healed already, and I should be fully recovered in a few more days,¡± Fu Donglai nodded and said. After speaking, he walked to a corner, sat cross-legged, and began meditating and recuperating on his own. Looking at Xie Yuxin, who was still struggling while bound in place and whose originally beautiful face had become terribly ferocious, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a wave of sorrow. He raised his hand and took out the yellow jade plate, closed his eyes, and projected his Divine Sense into it, carefully rereading the information about the Earth Evil Corpse King. After a quarter of an hour, he slowly opened his eyes, his brow slightly furrowed. Based on the jade plate''s content, it was easy for Shen Luo to find the method of releasing Xie Yuxin''s divine soul: simply destroy the core of the Corpse King. However, the released divine soul had already turned malicious and certainly wouldn''t comply with reincarnation obediently. If it escaped, it would definitely bring disaster upon the land. He knew that Xie Yuxin certainly wouldn''t want to be freed in such a manner. ¡°Now, this presents some difficulty¡­¡± Shen Luo looked at Xie Yuxin and murmured to himself. Just then, a flash of inspiration struck him, recalling the ¡°Soul Condensation Art¡± mentioned in the Sky Machine Scroll he had previously read. This secret method was a necessary part of for refining Armor; it was designed to strengthen animal souls or Yin Sha invested in the Armor and strip away easily uncontrollable emotions such as hatred, greed, and anger in order to facilitate control. ¡°With this method, perhaps I can purify her divine soul.¡± Having resolved to try, Shen Luo was about to begin when the voice of Purple Bamboo sounded first: ¡°Daoist friend Shen, if you wish to help this woman''s divine soul escape, I am willing to lend a hand.¡± ¡°Oh? Purple Bamboo, you are willing to help?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°Daoist friend Shen might not have noticed, but this evil corpse was originally this woman''s own and not another soul taking over a new body. Hence, the bond between the soul and the body is extremely deep, making it not easy to separate the soul without harming it. Now that I am in the form of a divine soul, I may not be much help in other affairs, but I am confident I can accomplish this task,¡± Purple Bamboo said. ¡°That makes sense. Then I will rely on you, Purple Bamboo,¡± Shen Luo replied joyfully. After speaking, he slapped his Qiankun Bag at his waist, but then noticed Ghost General Zhao Feiji also emerged. ¡°Hehe, Master, I would also like to offer my humble assistance. You need not concern yourself with the Yin Sha Qi released from that evil corpse; leave it to me,¡± Zhao Feiji grinned, patting his chest and said. ¡°You two must have discussed this before coming together, right?¡± Shen Luo chuckled. Zhao Feiji and Purple Bamboo exchanged smiles without saying a word. ¡°Then I''ll be troubling you,¡± Shen Luo said, cupping his fist in salute. Having said this, Shen Luo began to follow the instructions in the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, locating the core Corpse Pill of the Earth Evil Corpse King and firing a beam of Pure Yang Gold Light, instantly shattering it. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment the Corpse Pill shattered, Xie Yuxin''s face contorted with pain, and her body became covered in dense black patterns; Corpse Evil Qi surged wildly from her mouth and the top of her skull, quickly darkening the sky above. Fu Donglai, who sat in the distance, was also startled by the commotion and opened his eyes to look over here. Zhao Feiji appeared beside Xie Yuxin in a flash, his hands forming seals, and as he inhaled, the Punishing Evil Divine Light shot out, enveloping the Corpse Evil Qi that was about to scatter in every direction. He swallowed it voraciously, as much as appeared, that much he consumed. Seeing this, Fu Donglai closed his eyes again, reassured. Then, Purple Bamboo''s divine soul also turned into a streak of purple light and, with a flash, directly entered Xie Yuxin''s forehead. A flash of purple light crossed Xie Yuxin''s face, her expression of pain slowly eased, and her eyes grew somewhat hollow and lifeless, her arms stopped struggling and dangled limply, as if she had lost all consciousness, just like an ordinary person. Before long, a burst of purple light shone from her brow, and a fist-sized Black Sphere slowly rose and flew into midair. Within the Black Sphere, swirling black fog could be indistinctly seen, as a humanoid figure shook its limbs as if struggling. ¡°Brother Shen, the connection between the divine soul and the corpse body has been severed, you can make your move,¡± said the voice as Purple Bamboo''s divine soul had already flown out of Xie Yuxin''s brow. And Xie Yuxin, now devoid of the core Corpse Pill and divine soul, had completely become a shell resembling a gathering place for evil energy. If not for Zhao Feiji continuously absorbing the Yin Sha Qi she released, the area would have already been overflowing with malevolent energy, contaminating everything around. Shen Luo''s attention was entirely on the Black Sphere. He focused his mind on executing the Soul Condensation secret technique from the Sky Machine Scroll, both stabilizing Xie Yuxin''s remaining soul and burning away the clinging resentful thoughts. Within the Black Sphere, piercing screams could be heard, the humanoid figure struggling even more violently. The enveloping black fog was visibly dissipating bit by bit. After a long time, as the screaming within the Sphere gradually subsided, the Sphere itself shifted from pure black to a transparent state. Finally, with a ¡°crack,¡± the sound of shattering echoed. The Black Sphere totally collapsed, and a fragmentary soul shadow immediately flew out from within, its garments fluttering¨Cit was Xie Yuxin. However, her expression was indifferent at that moment, her eyes without a spark of life, reminiscent of a clay sculpture or a paper drawing, with clearly incomplete spiritual wisdom. Seeing this, Shen Luo continued to activate the secret technique, stabilizing her divine soul while forming another seal with a flick of his hand. A streak of red light shot out, piercing through Xie Yuxin''s lower abdomen and passing right through it. With a ¡°bang,¡± the sound of tearing silk rang out, and a Purple Array appeared at that spot. Though it exploded and scattered, two points of white light shot out and flew outside¨Cthe one soul and one spirit that had been extracted. Shen Luo waved his sleeve and emitted a beam of blue light, cautiously wrapping around the two points of white light and pressing them toward Xie Yuxin''s soul. The white light immediately entered it, and Xie Yuxin''s divine soul shadow became more substantial. Yet her expression remained blank, indicating that the soul and spirit had been split for too long. Even after merging back together, they couldn''t be restored immediately. At this point, Shen Luo had no other choice but to run the Soul Condensation secret technique over and over again. Almost half an hour later, Xie Yuxin''s divine soul finally stabilized and emitted a rich white light, looking even more radiant and beautiful than many complete divine souls. Chapter 1322 Chapter 1322: Chapter 1319: Farewell Chapter 1322: Chapter 1319: Farewell Shen Luo gazed at Xie Yuxin''s remnant soul for a moment, sighed softly, and flipped his hand to take out a ¡°Guiding Talisman.¡± Holding it between two fingers, he waved it toward the void. With a rustling sound, the talisman paper burned quickly, turning into a clump of ash that the wind picked up and swirled around Xie Yuxin''s remnant soul, carrying it straight into the Yin Ning Yellow Springs Road. In the instant before the ash completely dissipated, Xie Yuxin''s divine soul seemed to undergo a slight change, with the corners of her mouth revealing a hint of relief in a smile. But in a flash, it disappeared along with the ashes of the talisman paper. Watching a former friend disappear before his eyes like this made Shen Luo feel somewhat downhearted. Fu Donglai had stopped his meditation and cultivation at some point and had come to his side, patting him on the shoulder. On the other side, Zhao Feiji had drained the female corpse of its Yin Sha Qi, and the body, like flying ashes, dissipated between heaven and earth. ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Luo said to Purple Bamboo''s divine soul, nodding slightly. Purple Bamboo bowed in salutation, saying nothing. Shen Luo could understand, immediately waving his hand and taking out the Purple Immortal Bamboo. ¡°Purple Bamboo Daoist friend, the Forbidden Thunder markings on your body disappeared faster than I expected after Ghost Yan was killed. They have now vanished completely, and you can safely return,¡± said Shen Luo with a smile. Purple Bamboo''s eyes showed a hint of excitement. She quickly thanked him, and immediately transformed into a streak of purple light, shooting into the Purple Immortal Bamboo. This time, without the obstruction of the black thunder, she quickly fused with the Immortal Bamboo''s body. The previously somewhat dim surface of the Purple Immortal Bamboo suddenly shone with a faint purple light, lively undulating up and down ceaselessly, as if it had come to life in an instant! The purple light grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly, the Immortal Bamboo flew out of Shen Luo''s hand, soared into the air, and turned into a mass of purple light. Amidst a dazzling purple glow, a slender woman in a purple dress emerged, with a dignified and beautiful face and an aura that was fresh and free from vulgarity, as if she were a Xianxiang lady herself. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen, for your help,¡± Purple Bamboo said as she slowly descended, bowing to Shen Luo. ¡°Purple Bamboo Daoist friend, now that you have left the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, what are your plans for the future?¡± Shen Luo asked, waving his hand. ¡°I have been confined to the Spirit Cave since gaining consciousness, for I do not know how many years. The past I can only glimpse through the visitors to the Spirit Cave or their left behind books and notes, and see only a corner of the outer world. Now that I have gained great freedom, I am somewhat panicked and disoriented, but I still want to witness the vast mountains and rivers of the Human World,¡± Purple Bamboo looked around her, her voice trembling slightly with excitement, though she tried hard to suppress it. ¡°That''s also good. However, the chaos of the Three Realms is even more intense than within the Spirit Cave, and the dangers are even more numerous, so I hope you''ll be even more careful and cautious in your travels,¡± Shen Luo said, unable to help but remind her as he thought of Xie Yuxin''s fate. ¡°Thank you for the advice. Brother Shen, I cannot repay your kindness. If you need anything in the future, just send a message with this leaf, and I will not shirk from death,¡± Purple Bamboo said, and as she spoke, three purple bamboo leaves with golden patterns appeared in her palm and handed them to Shen Luo. Shen Luo did not demur, and took them, and traded for some maps of the various regions in the Three Realms from his own hand to Purple Bamboo. ¡°Inside are also some gazetteers of various places; you might want to look them over. They could be useful in time,¡± Shen Luo instructed. Purple Bamboo carefully took them, and after repeatedly expressing her thanks, she resolutely turned around and became a long purple rainbow that shot away, disappearing into the horizon. At the same time, Zhao Feiji had already absorbed the malicious Qi released by Xie Yuxin''s body and hurriedly returned to the Qiankun Bag to continue his cultivation, leaving only Shen Luo and Fu Donglai in the Heavenly Pit. ¡°You were seriously injured earlier as well. Take this opportunity to properly recuperate,¡± Fu Donglai urged. ¡°Mmm, I was just about to do that,¡± Shen Luo nodded, got up, arranged several layers of prohibitions within the Heavenly Pit, then sat down and closed his eyes to cultivate. Two days later, Shen Luo, who was sitting cross-legged on the stone platform, slowly opened his eyes, his gaze shining with a profound gloss. After this period of time of recovery, the injuries on his body had completely healed, and the True Immortal Realm he had ascended to within the Spirit Cave had finally stabilized. However, Shen Luo didn''t intend to leave immediately. He took out the Free and Easy Mirror with a flip of his hand and began to continue refining it. Although he was already able to activate the mirror, he had not completely refined the prohibitions inside it. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While refining the Free and Easy Mirror, his Divine Sense entered it, examining the gains from this trip to the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. The treasures inside the Free and Easy Mirror were mainly the spirit grass and minerals he had snatched from the Puppet City previously. Shen Luo inspected them carefully, the more he looked, the more delighted he became. Everything that Ghost Yan had chosen to collect was a rare item. Shen Luo only recognized about half of them, but even just these Spiritual Materials, if sold, would be enough to exchange for two to three hundred thousand Immortal jade. As for those he didn''t recognize, each one was full of abundant Spiritual Power and was certainly of considerable value. A few Spiritual Materials, not only unique in shape but also in aura, appeared to be of extremely rare varieties, potentially doubling in value. Having inspected these Spiritual Materials, Shen Luo then turned his attention to the black coffin in the space inside the mirror. Previously, he had only been concerned with inspecting the things inside the coffin, not paying attention to the coffin itself. Now, upon closer examination, he realized that this black coffin was also a treasure, made entirely out of a pitch-black Spirit Wood, faintly emitting a pure Yin Qi. This Yin Qi was not harmful; as Shen Luo''s Divine Sense surrounded it, a comfortable feeling was transmitted to him. ¡°Could this aura be¡­ is this black Spirit Wood the fabled Undying Wood?¡± Shen Luo scrutinized the coffin, his eyes suddenly lighting up. Undying Wood was an ancient oddity, known for suppressing Heart Demons and nourishing the Divine Soul. It was now nearly extinct, with rumors suggesting that only one plant still grew in the Heavenly Court Yaochi Wonderland. To obtain a small piece of Undying Wood, crafted into an ornament to wear, could have a significant effect. Where Ghost Yan had gotten so much of this wood to make such a large coffin was puzzling. Shen Luo looked at the coffin in front of him with joy, sensing some of Ghost Yan''s Qi inside; it was clear he often slept in it. However, he wasn''t used to lying in coffins. After making up his mind, he decided to find time to dismantle the coffin. He would use the Undying Wood to make either a Straw Cushion or a bed for use during regular cultivation and sleep. Having examined the items inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo withdrew his Divine Sense from it and flicked his sleeve in front of him. A flash of black light passed, and the Devouring Element Magic Wand, Nine Netherworld, and that black magic box appeared. All treasures, including those not stored inside the Free and Easy Mirror, like the Storage Magical Tools of people like Yuan Ming, had already been inspected by him, and he had even awarded several Magical Treasures to the Mirror Fiend. Now the only items not thoroughly examined were these three Demonic Treasures. Shen Luo was already aware of the situation with the Devouring Element Magic Wand. After a brief exploration, he put it away and picked up Nine Netherworld. He operated the Innate Treasure-refining Technique and quickly refined several layers of prohibitions of this treasure, also understanding its abilities. With a flick of his finger¡­ A layer of pitch-black demonic light emerged on Nine Netherworld and then flashed into the Void, disappearing. The next moment, a black light flashed around a large rock at some distance, and a black giant hoop materialized out of thin air, rapidly shrinking and firmly trapping the stone. The surface of the giant hoop surged with black demonic light, and raging black Demonic Flames gushed out, engulfing the stone. The surrounding temperature soared as the nearby Void blurred, as if it were being directly melted and pierced by the high temperatures. The massive stone ¡°sizzled,¡± directly turning into green smoke. Chapter 1323 Chapter 1323: Chapter 1320: Invitation from Little Master Chapter 1323: Chapter 1320: Invitation from Little Master Shen Luo nodded slightly and with a wave of his hand, the black giant ring shrank back to its original size, its Demonic Flames retracting entirely, falling into his grasp. This Nine Nether appeared unassuming, yet it was capable of enlarging and shrinking at will, and its material was exceptionally hard¨Calmost comparable to Nine-turn Steel. The Demonic Flames that spewed forth from the ring were not ordinary demon fire, but a blend of several types, with a temperature so high that it could not only easily burn flesh and bones to ashes but also turn any Magical Treasures of slightly lower quality that came into contact with it into ash immediately upon touch. This ring was undoubtedly a lethal weapon for taking lives! Shen Luo put away the Nine Nether and picked up the last Black Magic Box, also activating the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to refine it, and soon, he had refined most of its internal prohibitions. ¡°This treasure is originally called the Plague Spreader Box¡­¡± He learned its name from the prohibition within. He had already witnessed the capabilities of the Plague Spreader Box, which could emit intangible and insubstantial Plague Poison that even existences like the Blood Skull Ancestor couldn''t detect and suffered an ambush from it. Back when his cultivation level was lower, Shen Luo would often use poison in battle against his enemies, so he didn''t shy away from such methods. Perhaps, at some critical moments, it could have unexpected uses. While he thought about this, he carefully stored the Plague Spreader Box, then multitasked to begin refining the three Demonic Treasures and the Free and Easy Mirror. The next day passed in the blink of an eye. The Free and Easy Mirror hovered in the void, the last circle of prohibition runes surrounding it shattered, turning into specks of starlight that dispersed, and a mist enveloped the mirror, emanating gentle fluctuations. ¡°It''s done,¡± Shen Luo exclaimed with delight. ¡°Has it been completely refined?¡± Fu Donglai, who had now fully recovered, came over upon hearing this and asked. ¡°Indeed, the last prohibition has been broken, and the space within the Free and Easy Mirror should now be fully open,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°When I was inside, it was nothing more than a bamboo forest. Now, I wonder what it will look like,¡± Fu Donglai said curiously. ¡°Why don''t you go in and see for yourself?¡± Shen Luo teased with a ¡°heh heh¡± and waved his hand. The water-cloud patterns on the Free and Easy Mirror lit up immediately, and a beam of red light shot out from the mirror, enveloping Fu Donglai and pulling him into the mirror''s space. Once inside, Fu Donglai''s figure appeared in the bamboo forest from before, and after looking around, he noticed that the mist that had shrouded the area was now gone, and he could feel the wind flowing around him. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi that had once gathered in the bamboo forest had also dispersed. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He moved through the bamboo forest and soon saw an open ground beyond it, where a two-story bamboo tower stood. Not far behind the tower was a void, separated by an invisible Light Wall that vibrated intensely with spatial fluctuations. Fu Donglai didn''t enter the tower, but instead walked around the edge of the whole space within the Free and Easy Mirror along the Light Wall, realizing that the actual area was much smaller than he had estimated¨Capproximately the size of an ordinary manor. As he was silently contemplating, a divine soul apparition suddenly appeared beside him. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, what do you think? Isn''t this realm quite nice?¡± The apparition was a divided soul of Shen Luo. The Free and Easy Mirror was a wondrous treasure, but it had one significant drawback: the person holding the mirror needed to maintain the space within it, balancing the interior and exterior, so the original body could not enter. ¡°Indeed, it''s a fine treasure,¡± Fu Donglai nodded sincerely. ¡°Snap¡± Shen Luo''s divine soul made a snapping sound, and in an instant, the scenery shifted, transporting them directly in front of the bamboo tower. They pushed the doors of the bamboo tower and entered to find the interior quite simple: the first floor was a reception tea room, and on the second floor, there were two living quarters. Aside from the bamboo desk near the window and the bed against the wall, there was nothing else. ¡°It seems the original owner was a man of modest means, huh? Aside from this Free and Easy Mirror, he didn''t leave behind anything worthwhile,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°The Free and Easy Mirror itself is the greatest treasure, isn''t it? It can store living creatures, almost akin to a miniature paradise. What more could you criticize?¡± Fu Donglai said in disbelief. ¡°Haha, when it comes to treasure, I''ve always been a believer in the more the merrier.¡± As he spoke, Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, and suddenly the empty room overflowed with spiritual energy. A pile of messy spiritual medicines and materials filled the room. In another room of the tower, a ripple emerged, and a black coffin appeared, but it didn''t catch Fu Donglai''s attention. A thick layer of crystal light surfaced on the walls surrounding the room, thoroughly enveloping everything within. This coffin was tied to the Sky Machine Scroll, and Shen Luo didn''t want anyone else to know about it. Looking at the floor filled with Heavenly Treasures, Fu Donglai''s face stiffened as he asked: ¡°Brother Shen, where did you get all this from?¡± ¡°All of these were scavenged by Ghost Yan in the Spirit Cave, but he didn''t expect that I would stumble upon his Treasure Vault and then moved everything without leaving a single item,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°Brother Shen, just how did you come by such dumb luck?¡± Watching the treasures on the ground, Fu Donglai couldn''t help but exclaim. ¡°Hehe, it''s luck, something you can''t learn!¡± Shen Luo, unfazed by the comment, laughed. Fu Donglai didn''t want to continue the conversation and started to inspect each of the Heavenly Treasures filling the room, which dazzled him to no end. ¡°Tianbulao, Ziying Stone, Seven-leaf Lotus, Nine Fragrant Insects, Dragon Beard Grass¡­¡± Fu Donglai, with his extensive knowledge of spirit grasses and materials, recognized quite a few that Shen Luo himself didn''t know. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly asked for advice and managed to learn the names and uses of a dozen or so types of spiritual materials. He generously selected a few pieces of spiritual materials that would be useful for Fu Donglai and gifted them to him, which delighted Fu Donglai immensely. The two of them then inspected various places in the Free and Easy Mirror before leaving. Just as they exited the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, and he took out the Black Jade Plate from Tianji City. The plate''s light flickered on and off, and immediately, he formed a hand gesture and sent a stream of mana into it. Immediately, the image of a miniaturized Little Master appeared on the Black Jade Plate, asking him, ¡°Daoist friend Shen, I haven''t received any news from you these past few days, are you well?¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, City Lord, I am unharmed now. But when I escaped from the Black Abyss Mystery Cave that day, I was quite injured, and I have been healing in a secluded place nearby these past few days,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°I see, how are your injuries now?¡± the Little Master asked further. ¡°I''ve just recently recovered and have stabilized myself here, and I was just about to leave,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°That''s good to hear. Once your injuries are healed, you should return to Tianji City as soon as possible. You''ve helped our Tianji City tremendously this time, and the promise to help you repair your Magical Treasures should also be fulfilled soon,¡± the Little Master said. ¡°Alright, I''ll head back to Tianji City now,¡± Shen Luo said, his spirits immediately lifted upon hearing this. After the image on the Black Jade Plate dispersed, Shen Luo immediately set off with Fu Donglai and returned to Tianji City. Chapter 1324 Chapter 1324: Chapter 1321 Entrusted by Others Chapter 1324: Chapter 1321 Entrusted by Others ¡°` Half a month later, within Tianji City. In a majestic great hall, Shen Luo and his companion, who had returned dust-covered and weary, were warmly welcomed by the city of Tianji. Aside from the City Lord, the Little Master, Elders Mo Wang and Fu were also present in the hall. ¡°How is Master Yan?¡± Unable to spot Master Yan in the great hall, Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. ¡°The trip to the Black Abyss Mystical Cave has greatly impacted him. He began secluding for cultivation shortly after recovering from his injuries and has shown no signs of coming out yet,¡± the Little Master said. ¡°As long as his injuries are not a concern, that is what matters,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. After a round of pleasantries in which everyone tacitly avoided any mention of Elder Mei, as if such a person had never existed. When the pleasantries were over, Elders Mo Wang and the others departed one after another, and Fu Donglai followed them out of the great hall. In the hall, only Shen Luo and the Little Master remained. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Shen, please bring out the magical treasures you wish to have repaired,¡± the Little Master began. Without a second word, Shen Luo immediately took out the jade pillow that was broken into three segments, along with the jade plate obtained from the cave inside the jade pillow, suspending them in the air in front of the Little Master. The moment the jade pillow appeared, the Little Master''s pupils suddenly constricted as if he had seen something extraordinary. Shen Luo noticed the change in his expression and asked, ¡°City Lord, could it be that you recognize this item?¡± The Little Master did not answer him. Instead, he leaned slightly forward, bringing his gaze level with the jade pillow, and lifted a palm. With his fingertips, he gently traced the undulating patterns on the jade pillow, examining it with a focused demeanor. He also took a long time to scrutinize the jade plate. The Little Master''s brow sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed, with excitement and skepticism interweaving in his eyes. He seemed to be caught in an internal clash of affirmation and denial, with thousands of thoughts flickering back and forth in his mind. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t disturb him further and stood quietly to the side, waiting silently. After a long time, the Little Master, massaging his sore brow, sighed lightly, ¡°The ingenuity of heaven is beyond the reach of humans¡­¡± ¡°City Lord, could it be that you are unable to repair this item?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Who says I can''t repair it?¡± the Little Master turned his head to look at him and said. ¡°But you said ''beyond the reach of humans''¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°The ingenuity of heaven is beyond the reach of humans, but what if I can cleverly seize the work of heaven?¡± the Little Master glared at Shen Luo and said. ¡°Right, right, right, I always knew that if anyone in the world could repair this item, it would be only you, City Lord.¡± As the old saying goes, ¡°Flattery gets you everywhere,¡± and seeking favors, Shen Luo unavoidably followed suit. ¡°First, tell me how you came upon this treasure,¡± the Little Master asked. Shen Luo hesitated briefly, then gave a succinct account of how he had found the jade pillow. ¡°So unremarkable an acquisition? On this treasure, I''ve seen the traces of time passing, which are indications of some sort of power based on rules. And you''re telling me you unearthed it from an unknown little mountain?¡± His words carried a tone of indignation for the treasure. ¡°` ¡°City Lord, can you discern the origin of this treasure?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes, I can,¡± Little Master nodded in reply. ¡°Truly?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Isn''t that simple? This treasure is a primordial spirit object, not crafted by human hands. Its origin is natural, born of the heavens and earth, much like the Spirit Monkey''s background,¡± Little Master said with a smile. After hearing this, Shen Luo felt somewhat surprised, yet also found it to be within reason. ¡°The materials of this treasure are quite special. Repairing it is probably not going to be an easy task,¡± Little Master commented. ¡°City Lord, this jade pillow is no ordinary object. No matter what the cost, I must repair it,¡± Shen Luo let out a heavy breath as he spoke with a grave tone. ¡°I can see your determination, and I truly wish to help you. At present, most materials needed can be obtained by Tianji City. However, there are two vital treasures that even Tianji City cannot procure,¡± Little Master said, pensively. ¡°Please speak, City Lord. I will find a way to obtain them,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°One is the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, hidden in the East Sea Dragon Palace. The other is the Map of Mountains and Rivers, concealed within Mount Fangcun,¡± Little Master revealed. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo initially rejoiced but then quickly furrowed his brows in concern. He did not know what the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl was, nor did he find it concerning, but he was well aware of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, which was among the highest order of immortal artifacts in the Three Realms. ¡°Repairing this jade pillow requires melding the Map of Mountains and Rivers? This¡­¡± Shen Luo was immediately caught in a dilemma. ¡°Hmm? Who said anything about melting it? You only need to employ the Power of Space within the Map to merge the three broken pieces of the pillow with the other materials. At most, it will slightly damage the Map''s vitality, but it won''t destroy this treasure,¡± Little Master waved his hand as he spoke. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s face broke into a smile, ¡°If that''s the case, then there shouldn''t be any problem.¡± ¡°Are you really confident you can find these two treasures?¡± Little Master asked, somewhat skeptically. ¡°No, but effort leads to outcomes, doesn''t it? Since you, City Lord, have already agreed to help me repair the jade pillow, we''re already halfway to success,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. ¡°Sigh, putting aside the significant implications of the Map of Mountains and Rivers and whether you can borrow it, even the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl is the treasured jewel of the East Sea Dragon Palace. Back when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Dragon Palace, they were willing to give away the divine treasure iron but refused to part with that Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl. Where do you get the confidence from?¡± Little Master glanced at Shen Luo with a hint of irritation in his tone. ¡°That¡­ I will devise a plan. As for other spiritual materials, I kindly ask you to name your price, City Lord. Even if I have to sell everything I own, I will secure them,¡± Shen Luo replied with an awkward smile. ¡°Alright, Tianji City will help you collect the other materials, and we won''t need any compensation. But this is likewise going to take some time. Even if you really get those two treasures, we might not have gathered everything else by then, so be mentally prepared,¡± Little Master instructed. ¡°I understand,¡± Shen Luo acknowledged. After speaking, Shen Luo looked at Little Master, hesitated for a moment, and then inquired, ¡°City Lord, your generosity in this matter surely isn''t just because of the little help I provided in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave before, right?¡± ¡°You''re rather perceptive. My willingness to assist you thus far is indeed because you have helped Tianji City, and also because you are worthy of this assistance. Thirdly, I am acting upon someone else''s request,¡± Little Master admitted with a smile. ¡°May I ask, City Lord, who has made this request?¡± asked Shen Luo in astonishment. ¡°Well, that person is currently in the Rear Hall over there. Go and see for yourself,¡± Little Master suggested, pointing towards the back of the great hall. With curiosity brimming, Shen Luo made his way to the Rear Hall. From a distance, he saw an old man in a white robe, with a vermilion ribbon tied around his waist, cradling a Snow White Dust-Flick, standing before a wall adorned with a scroll depicting thousands of mechanical devices. Chapter 1325 Chapter 1325: Chapter 1322: Going Together to a Tiny Place Chapter 1325: Chapter 1322: Going Together to a Tiny Place ¡°Senior Zhen Yuan¡­¡± Shen Luo recognized the old man''s identity at a glance. ¡°Boundless Heavenly Emperor, Friend Shen, it has been a while since we last met. Your cultivation level has improved again, congratulations are in order,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a smile as he turned around. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately stood up straight, gave a respectful bow, and then asked somewhat unexpectedly, ¡°Senior, have you come to Tianji City specifically for matters concerning this junior?¡± ¡°Previously, you helped save the Ginseng fruit tree, and Wuzhuang View has not yet properly thanked you. It is nothing for this old man to make a trip here. Moreover, it has been many years since I''ve seen the Little Master, so it is a good opportunity to catch up,¡± Zhenyuanzi replied. ¡°Previously, I had sent letters to Chang''an Government Office and Wuzhuang View to inform them of the experiences at Lion Camel Ridge. I wonder if Senior has received them? That incident of malicious harm to the Ginseng tree was caused by Lion Camel Ridge, aiming to provoke the conflict between the government office and Wuzhuang View and create chaos,¡± Shen Luo remembered something important and quickly spoke up. ¡°I have already seen the letter, so this time I came to see you, also to understand the situation at Lion Camel Ridge in detail,¡± Zhenyuanzi nodded and said. Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but frown and ponder for a moment before replying, ¡°The situation at Lion Camel Ridge is somewhat complicated, please listen carefully as this junior explains¡­¡± Shen Luo recounted his experience at Lion Camel Ridge to Zhenyuanzi in great detail. ¡°I''ve long known these members of the Demon Clan harbored ill intentions, their so-called peaceful retreat was nothing more than a temporary expedient,¡± Zhenyuanzi mused. ¡°Senior, in fact, I feel that the current situation in the Three Realms is even more dangerous. During this time in the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, I encountered the Vice Village Chief of the Demon King Fort, Demon Heart, that guy¡­¡± Shen Luo continued, telling Zhenyuanzi about his encounter with Demon Heart and the blood-colored bone staff in the Mystical Cave in full detail. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°To be honest, I have always felt that the demonic troubles of the Three Realms are not truly over,¡± Shen Luo sighed in the end. ¡°It''s not just you; I too feel a profound sense of unease. The Demon Clan has been vying within the Three Realms for a long time, and even without Chiyou as their leader, they have been constantly resisting over the years. How could it be so easy for them to lay down their arms?¡± Zhenyuanzi said. ¡°In my view, they are merely trying to avoid direct confrontation for the time being and have switched from open conflicts to clandestine maneuvers. Right now, we have no clear understanding of their plans. We are in the light, while the enemy remains in the shadows, which is highly disadvantageous for us,¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Indeed, it''s a pity that the Three Realms have been shrouded in the shadow of the demonic troubles for too long, now falling into the joy of believing the disaster of demons to be over and refusing to wake up from it. Mentioning the undying treacherous hearts of the Demon Clan is now seen as disrupting the harmony of the Three Realms. Truth is bitter to the ears, and there are far too many who shut their senses and deceive themselves,¡± Zhenyuanzi spoke. ¡°If this continues, the Three Realms are in peril,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Actually, there are those who are aware, but most of them have ulterior motives, intending to take advantage of the Demon Clan''s apparent weakness to attempt to cultivate Demonic Path skills and gain control of demonic artifacts. Using these shortcut methods, they aim to swiftly boost their own strength to contend with different races. Little do they know that although Demonic Path skills progress quickly and demonic artifacts are powerful, for the Human Race and Immortal Clan, these are unorthodox and deviant practices, and a misstep could lead to irreversible doom,¡± Zhenyuanzi said slowly, locking eyes with Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s body jolted with realization, as Zhenyuanzi had seen through him and knew that Shen Luo carried several demonic artifacts. The words spoken before were more of a warning to him. ¡°Senior''s words are understood. While my current situation is somewhat unique, I will certainly not forget Senior''s teachings,¡± Shen Luo said, holding his fists in salute. ¡°As long as you are clear in your mind, there''s no need for me to say more. Regarding matters of the Demon Clan, you can send messages to Wuzhuang View in the future. If there''s a time of crisis, contact me with this jade seal. No matter how far apart we are, I will receive the message and come to assist you,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. As Zhenyuanzi finished speaking, a crescent-shaped blue jade card floated up and landed before Shen Luo. ¡°Thank you, Senior,¡± Shen Luo accepted it and gave thanks with a fist salute. Zhenyuanzi nodded his head and turned to leave¡­ A few days later, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai did not linger long. After saying farewell to the Little Master, they left Tianji City. Once outside the city, Shen Luo asked, ¡°Elder Brother Fu, you have suffered much on this trip to Tianji City with me. What are your plans now? Are you returning to the Great Tang Dynasty Government?¡± Fu Donglai pondered for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°I will not return to the government office. Staying there is comfortable and leisurely, dealing with documents every day and reading travel notes when I''m idle, but this period of time has made me see my own weaknesses clearly. My cultivation level is too weak, and I''m a burden wherever I go. After much thought, I''ve decided to seek apprenticeship with Mount Fangcun,¡± Fu Donglai said earnestly. ¡°Why do you want to join Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°Mount Fangcun should be the only sect in the Three Realms that, aside from the Demon Clan sects, is willing to accept a member of the Demon Clan like me,¡± Fu Donglai said with a bitter smile. ¡°That is true. Bodhi Ancestor has always advocated for teaching without discrimination, never caring about one''s background or race when accepting disciples. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven attained his Dao there,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. ¡°Where will you go next?¡± Fu Donglai inquired. ¡°Mount Fangcun,¡± Shen Luo said with a sweep of his big hand, his voice clear. Fu Donglai held back for a good while before he said, ¡°Brother Shen, you don''t have to accompany me on this trip.¡± ¡°You think too much¡­ I need to repair a treasure which requires two important materials. One is at the East Sea Dragon Palace, the other at Mount Fangcun. I had intended to go to the Dragon Palace first, but since you are going to Mount Fangcun, let''s travel together,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. One thing Shen Luo did not say out loud was that he also wanted to see what Mount Fangcun, which had not been destroyed, was like now? ¡­ Months later, on the Continent of West Niu Hezhou. On the official road outside of Qiaoxian County, Songshan, two streaks of escape light descended from the sky, revealing two dusty figures. One of them wore a moon-white long robe and had a rather delicate appearance. The other was tall and burly with a tiger''s head and a human body¨Cit was presumably Shen Luo and Fu Donglai. ¡°Brother Shen, can we truly achieve our desires on this journey?¡± Fu Donglai voiced some of his worries. ¡°Although Mount Fangcun is a Human Race sect, it does not discriminate against other races and also recruits descendants of the Immortal and Demon Clans. Therefore, your request to join the sect should not be difficult¡­¡± Shen Luo began but then stopped mid-sentence. ¡°And the matter of borrowing the Map of Mountains and Rivers?¡± Fu Donglai hesitated. ¡°I''m afraid that will be much harder to accomplish. This item is not a common magical treasure but a treasured item that concerns the safety of the Three Realms. Mount Fangcun most likely will not lend it out,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°Previously, I had heard from Master¡­ heard him mention that the Map of Mountains and Rivers was originally used to suppress Chiyou. To ensure the item''s security, both Human Immortals and the Immortal Clan made a choice between Zhenyuanzi and Bodhi Ancestor. Ultimately, the item was placed in Mount Fangcun and left in the care of Bodhi Ancestor. After the disaster of demons was resolved, many from the Heavenly Court and Buddhist Sect coveted it, proposing that Bodhi Ancestor hand it over so that the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist Sect could manage it together. However, Bodhi Ancestor outright refused,¡± Fu Donglai elaborated. Chapter 1326 Chapter 1326: Chapter 1323: Graffiti Map Chapter 1326: Chapter 1323: Graffiti Map ¡°When there''s risk, they transfer it; when there''s none, they try to take advantage. These immortals and Buddhas act like this, it''s really quite like the freelance immortals,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, teasingly. However, he didn''t find anything particularly strange about this. After all, the interests and conflicts involved were not something that could be easily clarified. Moreover, he believed that Bodhi Ancestor had his own reasons for refusing. ¡°Just the fact that he teaches without discrimination and pays no attention to race makes me certain that Bodhi Ancestor is no ordinary person, so there might still be a chance to try my luck,¡± Shen Luo said with a chuckle. He hadn''t actually met Bodhi Ancestor, but his impression of the powerful figure couldn''t have been better. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Speaking of which, actually many in the Three Realms criticize Bodhi Ancestor for taking in disciples from all races, and beyond that, there are slanderous words alleging that he harbors personal motives, aiming to bolster the power of all three races for his own use, with ambitions to dominate the Three Realms,¡± Fu Donglai continued. ¡°Those are all nonsense, not to be taken seriously. Bodhi Ancestor has been looking after disciples of all races, even caring greatly for the likes of flower and plant spirits, not just starting when the Three Realms were at peace, but even under the oppression of Demons, without any change in policy. At that time, his disciples were all striving for the peace of the Three Realms. Isn''t the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong a very good example?¡± Shen Luo scoffed and said. ¡°Human nature is susceptible to deception, and when such talk is repeated often enough, it inevitably has an impact,¡± Fu Donglai sighed. As the two of them spoke, they had already walked into Songshan County Town. The city was quite bustling and lively, and though the streets were not choked with a constant flow of carriages and horses, there were still quite a few passersby. Shen Luo''s duo, a human and a demon, was quite conspicuous, attracting many sideways glances as soon as they entered the city. But most people only took a single look and went on their way without continuing to stare; the presence of a Demon Clan Member in this small county town seemed neither unexpected nor out of the ordinary to them. Just then, a boy with a childishly innocent face ran up to Shen Luo and his companion, looked up at them, and asked: ¡°Are you here to seek mentorship at Mount Fangcun too?¡± Shen Luo and his companion were taken aback by his question and, for a moment, forgot to respond. ¡°I think you are. Around this time, almost eight out of ten people who come here are headed to join Bodhi Ancestor on Mount Fangcun. You two don''t look like anything special, so you must be here to learn skills too, right?¡± Seeing that the two didn''t respond, the boy rambled on. ¡°What if I told you we just happened to be passing through, would you believe that?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile, bending down. ¡°I don''t believe¡­ Are you really not here to seek out immortals?¡± the boy first shook his head, then asked again with some uncertainty. ¡°If we were here to seek a mentor, what would you do?¡± Shen Luo continued to ask. ¡°If you truly want to find the Bodhi Ancestor of Mount Fangcun, that''s a tricky task. The old forest at the foot of the mountain is a bewildering formation, and I guarantee if you enter, you''ll hit a ghost hitting the wall. If you can get out in half a month, that would be good,¡± the boy replied with a beaming smile upon hearing the question. ¡°Is it that formidable?¡± Shen Luo feigned surprise. ¡°That it is. There was a young master from a wealthy family who charged in, and he got so lost that he slept there for decades. By the time he got out, his hair and beard had turned white,¡± the boy boasted to the pair, proud of his ability to scare them. ¡°Are you telling us all this because you''re going to say you can guide us out of that old forest and find the Bodhi Ancestor on Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°I''m short and slow, so I might not be the best guide for you through the forest. But, I have a map handed down from my ancestors. With this map, you''ll definitely be able to find the immortal''s cave mansion,¡± the boy hastily said. While they were speaking, Shen Luo''s brow couldn''t help but wrinkle slightly. His head remained still as his gaze shifted slightly to the right. Indeed, he noticed several people huddled together behind him to the right, casting inquisitive glances in their direction. Just as he was about to retract his gaze, more inquisitive looks came from another direction, among which even contained some probes of mana fluctuation. ¡°Are you going to buy them or not? I only have a limited supply, and if you don''t want them, I''ll sell to someone else,¡± the child urged, seeing Shen Luo not responding. ¡°Young brother, I don''t know whether this map is real or fake. Could I have a look before deciding?¡± Shen Luo withdrew his attention and asked with a smile. ¡°How could that be okay? You people are all so cunning, just a glance and you''ll memorize the map, then who am I going to sell it to? I''ve been at a loss more than once because of this,¡± the child protested with wide eyes. ¡°Quite cunning indeed. So how much for one map?¡± Shen Luo inquired. After a moment''s thought, the child responded, ¡°One tael of silver.¡± ¡°That''s not expensive.¡± Shen Luo smiled, indeed took out a tael of silver, and handed it over to the child. A smile immediately spread across the child''s face as he hurriedly reached out to take it. Suddenly clenching his open palm, Shen Luo leaned down and asked in a low voice, ¡°Have there been a lot of strangers in the county town recently?¡± ¡°There are many more than before. Actually, counting the days, it''s still a long time until Mount Fangcun recruits external disciples. There shouldn''t be so many people at this time,¡± the child said, his smile freezing momentarily before hesitantly responding. Shen Luo mulled over this internally and then smilingly handed over the silver to the child. The child, delighted, took the silver and fished out a yellowed piece of grass paper from his bosom, handing it over to Shen Luo before immediately turning to run. After dashing out a dozen steps, the child suddenly turned and shouted, ¡°Right, don''t go to the places marked with red circles. There are dangers close to those areas for newcomers¡­¡± Shen Luo chuckled and opened up the grass paper given by the child. At first glance, he was taken aback, and so was Fu Donglai beside him. What sort of map was this? It was clearly a childsplay scribble. It crudely marked the position of the County Town and Mount Fangcun, connected in the middle by a red line that meandered in twists and turns. The line deliberately bypassed an area encircled in red, which presumably was the dangerous place the child had mentioned. ¡°Haha, Brother Shen, it''s rare to see you getting duped,¡± Fu Donglai said, barely holding back his laughter. After examining it carefully for a moment, a glint sparked in Shen Luo''s eyes, followed by a slight curve of his lips into a smile. ¡°Let''s go, Elder Brother Fu.¡± With that, Shen Luo immediately strode off toward the City Gate on the other side of the county town. Fu Donglai scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit puzzled, but quickly followed suit. However, as they walked, they noticed something wasn''t right. They periodically felt eyes on them from behind, though they seemed scattered and didn''t appear like a planned surveillance from the same group. Instead, their presence seemed to have attracted the attention of different people. At least among these observers, the majority seemed to be tentatively probing and stopping at that; there were few with malicious intent. Only when Shen Luo and his company left the county town did the feeling of being watched back and forth finally disappear. Chapter 1327 Chapter 1327: Chapter 1324: Back to Longevity Village Chapter 1327: Chapter 1324: Back to Longevity Village Shen Luo and Fu Donglai left the city and had walked seven or eight li when they came upon a dense forest. Beyond that forest lay the gradually rising and undulating terrain of the mountains. ¡°Brother Shen, what was going on in the city just now?¡± Fu Donglai asked, puzzled. ¡°That Tiny City, it obviously¡­¡± Shen Luo began but suddenly fell silent mid-sentence. Fu Donglai waited for a good while but didn''t hear Shen Luo continue. When he turned back to look, he realized that Shen Luo was studying the map he had bought from the young boy. ¡°You''re not really planning to follow this map, are you?¡± Fu Donglai asked, surprised. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked up towards the forest and beyond, where he could see towering mountain silhouettes in the distance, shrouded by layers of mist, appearing somewhat blurry and mysterious. ¡°Although the map is crudely drawn, the general directions marked are correct. We can give it a try,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Forget it¡­ I''ll leave it to you. What''s your take on what I asked you just now?¡± Fu Donglai said, scratching the back of his head in resignation. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, you must have also noticed that the Tiny City is now gathering a large number of monks, which is obviously not normal,¡± Shen Luo began. ¡°Yes, earlier there were quite a few people secretly observing us. It seems their cultivation levels were not too high. Nevertheless, we cannot rule out the possibility of even more competent practitioners present, so much so that we didn''t even detect them,¡± said Fu Donglai. ¡°Exactly. However, it seems they were also sizing each other up, not exactly acting like one group, which is rather peculiar,¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s not so bad, at least it means they''re not here for us. You think¡­ if they''re not after us, could they possibly be targeting Mount Fangcun?¡± Fu Donglai pondered, then suggested. ¡°That possibility cannot be excluded¡­ however, it''s no matter. Mount Fangcun has profound strength; even if they are targeting them, I suspect they won''t cause much of a disturbance,¡± Shen Luo said thoughtfully. However, after a pause, he couldn''t help but rub his bitter-cheeked face and said somewhat helplessly, ¡°Why does trouble follow us wherever we go?¡± ¡°It does seem that way¡­¡± Fu Donglai sighed. ¡°Let it be. This time, no matter what trouble comes our way, we won''t get involved. Once we achieve our goal, we''ll leave immediately,¡± Shen Luo said, laying down a rule for himself as he put down his hand. At those words, Fu Donglai laughed silently. ¡°Let''s go; continue on our way.¡± Shen Luo waved a commanding hand and, following that roughly sketched map, proceeded into the depths of the forest. At first, the two of them didn''t notice anything amiss as they entered the mountain forest, but as they moved deeper, a fog began to spread amongst the trees. Once Shen Luo released his Divine Sense to investigate, he indeed found something unusual. It wasn''t that he couldn''t explore at all, but a subtle force in the mist that would lead one''s Divine Sense astray, imperceptibly guiding them in the wrong direction. ¡°Brother Shen, I see no mist above the forest; perhaps we can fly over and head straight to Mount Fangcun,¡± suggested Fu Donglai, pointing to the sky above. ¡°Flying over this forest isn''t an issue, but the concern is that once we get close to Mount Fangcun, we may be regarded as intruders and fall under indiscriminate attack from the protective Great Formation. If that happens, the loss would outweigh the gain,¡± Shen Luo explained. After saying this, he took out the crude map again. After carefully examining it for a while, Shen Luo''s gaze wandered around, and in the nearby underbrush, he indeed spotted a rugged strange stone that looked like a wild dog crouching down. Fu Donglai followed curiously and took another glance at the map to see a pitch-black blotch that had been marked in ink, looking indeed quite similar to that strange stone. ¡°There really is such a stone, Brother Shen. Could this map actually be useful?¡± he couldn''t help but exclaim. Shen Luo smiled and, pointing at several marked places on the grass paper, said, ¡°This map may look sloppy, but some of the key locations overlap with my memory. Otherwise, I wouldn''t easily follow it.¡± ¡°Brother Shen, have you been to Mount Fangcun before?¡± Fu Donglai asked in surprise. ¡°Sort of¡­¡± Shen Luo chuckled, neither confirming nor denying. Having said that, he then led Fu Donglai through the mountain forest and across rivers, heading towards the majestic mountain peak. Along the way, the path circumvented a small lake, and not far behind the lake was a place encircled by a red line. When they reached this spot, Shen Luo grinned and, instead of taking a detour, chose to follow the route along the left side of the lake. ¡°Brother Shen, isn''t this the place that the young boy specifically warned us to stay away from? Why are you heading this way?¡± Fu Donglai asked in surprise. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, how did the young boy put it? ''Strangers should not approach this place, for there is great danger,'' right?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. Fu Donglai nodded. ¡°Don''t worry, we''re just going to take a look from afar. At worst, we just won''t get too close,¡± Shen Luo said. Halfway there, they saw that there was no fog to obscure their view on the sandy beach behind the lake, revealing a sizable patch of farmland with all sorts of fruits and vegetables growing in it. Behind that farmland, they could see an ancient mountain village constructed of earth, wood, and stone. The outskirts of the mountain village were protected by a defensive wall over six feet high, made of piled earth and stones, with faint silhouettes patrolling atop it. Before Shen Luo and Fu Donglai even reached the stockade gate, and with a hundred feet still between them, they heard two sharp twangs of a bowstring as two arrows wrapped in Green Light shot forward fiercely, skimming the tips of their toes and diagonally piercing the ground. A clear layer of mana fluctuations rippled from the arrows, forming a cage of prohibition Green Light, sealing off the area beneath their feet. ¡°Who are these bandits, daring to trespass into Longevity Village?¡± a stern shout came from atop the wall. Fu Donglai looked up to find that there were seven or eight lightly armored young boys and girls standing on the wall. They all appeared quite young, but radiated a valiant air, bows in hand and arrows nocked, staring intently at them. Shen Luo glanced at the still flickering charm patterns on the arrow shafts, cupped his fists, and shouted, ¡°I am Shen Luo, here to pay a visit to Ying Luo¡­ Granny Ma¡­¡± His voice trailed off from loud to soft until it was completely silent. Shen Luo suddenly realized that it had been hundreds of years since he had met Ying Luo and Granny Ma in his dreams. At this time, Ying Luo was certainly not yet born, and Granny Ma might not even be a ¡°Granny¡± yet. ¡°No idea what nonsense you''re spouting. If it''s an accidental intrusion, withdraw quickly; if you intend to barge in, be mindful of your life,¡± the leading slender girl said, and she had been the one shouting all along. ¡°Sorry, sorry, we will leave right now,¡± Shen Luo said, cupping his hands and waving them above his head. He then turned and walked away, with Fu Donglai following behind. As their figures vanished, the people on the wall finally relaxed and put away their bows and arrows. Chapter 1328 Chapter 1328: Chapter 1325: Immortal Land Fangcun Chapter 1328: Chapter 1325: Immortal Land Fangcun Shen Luo originally just wanted to see Longevity Village before the disaster, but he found it looked completely different from what he had seen in Dreamland. After this experience, Fu Donglai''s gaze towards Shen Luo became even stranger. The two followed the route depicted on the sketch, trekking for several ¡°two-hour periods¡± before finally arriving at the foot of that majestic mountain peak. However, what appeared before them was a series of towering green mountain walls, with no visible path leading into the mountain. ¡°Brother Shen, is this map¡­ really accurate?¡± Fu Donglai couldn''t help but ask. Shen Luo did not directly answer Fu Donglai''s skepticism. He looked at the familiar scene before him and, based on the terrain features in his memory, quickly found a protruding giant stone in front of a mountain wall. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, look here,¡± Shen Luo said, pointing to a black circle on the sketch. Fu Donglai looked for moments, his brow slightly furrowed, scrutinizing the giant stone in comparison to the circle, and spoke, ¡°This circle doesn''t quite look like a stone, does it?¡± Shen Luo smiled without saying a word, leading him to the side of the giant stone where a hidden cave entrance was revealed beneath. ¡°Ah, so this circle is depicting this cave entrance¡­¡± Fu Donglai smacked his forehead, suddenly realizing. They first descended into the cave entrance, then followed the passageway sloping upwards inside the cave, traveling a hundred feet through the body of the mountain before emerging from a cave entrance on the other side of Mount Fangcun''s mountain wall. Once out of the cave entrance, they found a path lined with cobblestones winding through the mountain forest, leading deeper into the woods. Shen Luo and his companion followed the forest path for about two or three miles when a wide blue stone path finally appeared before them. At the beginning of the mountain path, there stood a wood archway about a zhang high, with a plaque hanging across it that read ¡°Mount Fangcun¡± in three large characters, and to the right side at the base of the archway, stood a blue stone about three feet tall. Engraved on the blue stone were four ancient seal characters: ¡°Seek the Dao within the heart.¡± Before they even reached the wood archway, they could feel waves of strong spiritual power fluctuations coming from that direction. As they approached closer, they indeed felt a rather powerful oppressive force emanating from the void within the alley gate, with a clear force of repulsion. Shen Luo stepped forward and pressed his hand towards the void in the middle of the gate. The void immediately shimmered, revealing a splendid expanse of colorful dazzling light, impenetrable to the touch of his hand. At the same time, the shimmering light spread from the gate and in an instant, transformed into a vast curtain of light covering the sky, enveloping the entirety of Mount Fangcun within it. Immediately afterwards, the colorful light curtain inside the gate flickered slightly, a surge of not so intense spiritual power fluctuations stirred up, pushing Shen Luo back a bit. Then, a slightly cold voice came from within the gate: ¡°Mount Fangcun is closed, and we are not receiving visitors at this time. Daoist friends, please return on your own.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo and his companion exchanged glances. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This junior of the Demon Clan, Fu Donglai, humbly requests to ascend the mountain to seek discipleship; please make an exception and let us pass,¡± Fu Donglai commanded with mana, his voice booming like a tiger''s roar, echoing through the mountain forest. ¡°Our sect has closed the mountain and has also temporarily halted new disciples. For one hundred years, we will not accept disciples from any side,¡± the voice rang out again, still void of emotion. Hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, and then, also activating his mana, he shouted loudly: ¡°This junior, Shen Luo, a cultivator of the Human Race, wishes to ascend the mountain to pay homage to the ancestor Master; please, Elder, grant passage.¡± After speaking, Shen Luo activated the Huangting Technique, making no effort to conceal his formidable presence of an Early True Immortal. ¡°Who are you, and from where did you inherit our Mount Fangcun''s skills?¡± the voice asked again, urgency clear in its tone. ¡°With due respect, Elder, my inherited skills cannot be disclosed until I meet with the Ancestor Master,¡± Shen Luo said, feigning secrecy. ¡°How audacious of you, do you know that it is a grave crime to privately learn our sect''s skills without permission?¡± As the voice rang out, a green-robed figure emerged from the colorful light curtain and landed directly in front of Shen Luo and his companion. The newcomer wore a qing-colored Daoist robe, with slightly prominent cheekbones and a stern face, emanating the powerful fluctuations of a True Immortal at the middle stage, putting pressure on Shen Luo and his companion. Shen Luo''s Huangting Technique continuously circulated; his aura remained unwavering as he confronted the man head-on. The Daoist in the green robe saw this and a hint of anger flashed in his eyes as he demanded, ¡°Where exactly did you learn the Huangting Technique from? Confess the truth!¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows knitted slightly, feeling dissatisfied with the other''s aggressive attitude. ¡°I learned it from the Ancestor Master, naturally. Are you questioning the Ancestor Master''s responsibility?¡± Shen Luo replied, neither humbly nor arrogantly. His statement wasn''t entirely wrong; he had always been cultivating on his own, without anyone teaching him, which, strictly speaking, meant he did indeed learn it from Bodhi Ancestor. ¡°Since you refuse to speak, I have no choice but to search for the answer myself,¡± said the Daoist in the green robe, not wasting any more words. He immediately extended a palm, aiming to strike down at the top of Shen Luo''s head. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, and he was about to move when he suddenly saw another figure pass through the light curtain of the alley. ¡°Senior Brother Jue Ming, please stop your hand,¡± the newcomer was a Daoist child, also clad in a qing-colored Daoist robe. Hearing this, Jue Ming immediately halted his action and withdrew his hand. ¡°Junior Brother Chun Qiu, what is the meaning of this?¡± Jue Ming asked, puzzled. ¡°It''s the Ancestor''s wish; he said to take them up for a look,¡± the little Daoist boy hastily bowed and explained. ¡°Our Master wants to see them?¡± Jue Ming sounded surprised. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Chun Qiu nodded again. ¡°Alright¡­ Do you need my help to escort them?¡± Jue Ming hesitated slightly before asking. ¡°The Master didn''t say so, so it shouldn''t be necessary. Thank you, Senior Brother,¡± Chun Qiu shook his head and spoke earnestly. With that, Jue Ming didn''t dwell on the matter any further and said, ¡°Then I''ll leave it to you.¡± After speaking, he turned around, took a few steps into the alley''s light curtain, and his figure immediately vanished from sight. ¡°Both of you, please follow me,¡± the little Daoist boy said with a gentle smile to the two of them. Having said that, he formed a hand seal with one hand and placed a talisman paper onto the light curtain inside the alley. The curtain of light flashed with colorful streams, and a circular void expanded continuously until it was tall enough to accommodate a person before stopping. The little Daoist boy stepped into the void first, followed closely by Shen Luo and Fu Donglai, who also entered. After all three had entered, the void inside the alley was gradually filled by the surging colorful dazzling light, merging and disappearing back into the curtain. ¡°Please come with me,¡± said the little Daoist boy as he began to lead the way up the mountain path. Shen Luo and his companion followed, ascending the mountain trail. Contrary to the year when Shen Luo entered Mount Fangcun, there were no ruins and damaged buildings, no white bones hidden by the roadside¨Conly red walls and green tiles nestled among the shade of green trees. Shen Luo had to admit, an unspoiled Mount Fangcun indeed deserved to be called a Blessed Land and Cave, a heavenly place in the Human World. There were pavilions, towers, bridges, and corridors scattered among the mountains, with spirit deer leaping and cranes dancing, presenting a picture of tranquility and harmony. Chapter 1329 Chapter 1329: Chapter 1326 Bodhi Ancestor Chapter 1329: Chapter 1326 Bodhi Ancestor ¡°` The three of them walked past a cliff platform and saw several demon cultivators with peculiar appearances dueling with spells, seemingly arguing over whose shape-shifting art was superior. When passing by a pavilion, they encountered two people dueling with the art of talismans. Although they were fighting fiercely, both had smiles on their faces, clearly enjoying themselves. ¡°Is this how your sect usually conducts its training?¡± Fu Donglai couldn''t help asking. ¡°Not exactly, on regular days there would be elders teaching their subordinate disciples, guiding their cultivation practices. Occasionally, an ancestor would come out to impart scriptures, and everyone would gather to discuss and absorb the teachings. Only in their spare time, would fellow disciples spar with each other, and since everyone was in tune with each other, they would stop at the right moment, which actually benefits their cultivation greatly,¡± explained the little Daoist priest. Fu Donglai listened, filled with a multitude of emotions. Back at Lion Camel Ridge, even sparring among fellow sect members was often merciless, risking life and limb in the process; how could it compare to the harmonious atmosphere of Mount Fangcun? Shen Luo observed this with interest and thought to himself, ¡°Only such an unconventional sect could have produced a disciple with the spirit of Sun Wukong¡­¡± As the group moved forward, stepping lightly along the way and reaching several forks in the road, Shen Luo was still able to find the correct path by memory, which surprised the guiding Daoist child, who mistakenly thought Shen Luo had been to Mount Fangcun before. When he asked about it, Shen Luo simply smiled and denied it, offering no further explanation. Soon, the three of them trekked and arrived at the top of a mountain peak. The vegetation on the mountaintop was sparse, with a naturally formed open space where a simple thatched cottage stood. The cottage consisted of just three adjoining rooms, with a small courtyard in front surrounded by a fence and a wooden gate tower standing in the center, a wooden plaque with the words ¡°Fangcun Residence¡± carved boldly on it. In Shen Luo''s memory, he vaguely recollected having been here before, but at that time, he hadn''t seen any thatched cottage, suggesting that it had probably been destroyed and no longer existed back then. The little Daoist priest led Shen Luo and the other into the courtyard and saw a small vegetable garden on the left side and stone tables and chairs on the right, looking very simple and rustic, virtually no different from those found in ordinary households. ¡°The ancestor has ordered that Benefactor Shen be invited inside for a talk, and I''ll trouble Benefactor Fu to have some tea here while waiting for a moment,¡± said the Daoist child, as he waved his sleeve over the stone table. A sweep of green light passed over the table, and a set of exquisite purple pottery teapot and teacup appeared on it. The teacup was already filled with tea, the color a pale green, clear and bright, wafting a lingering, pleasant fragrance that was refreshing to the soul. ¡°Thank you,¡± Fu Donglai expressed his gratitude and immediately sat down. Shen Luo thanked the little Daoist priest with a ¡°Much appreciated¡± and then followed him towards the central thatched cottage. Approaching the door, the Daoist child pushed open the pitch-black wooden door, said ¡°Please¡± and stepped aside. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, but still stepped inside. Just as his foot crossed the threshold, his heart suddenly tightened, and he immediately wanted to back out. But before he could take action, a powerful pulling force, previously undetected within the door, twisted through the void and yanked him in. His figure stumbled and he plunged forward into the interior of the cottage. This distorting force was incredibly strong; even though Shen Luo was now a True Immortal cultivator, he couldn''t stop his forward momentum and was about to tumble down. All he felt was darkness before his eyes at first, then it suddenly brightened. ¡°` Shen Luo hadn''t even registered what had happened when his arm was propped up by a thin, withered hand. ¡°Be careful not to trample my Purple Luo Begonias,¡± an old, weathered voice said at the same time. ¡°Junior Shen Luo, pays his respects to Bodhi Ancestor,¡± After steadying himself, Shen Luo quickly clasped his hands in a salute. ¡°No need for formalities¡­¡± The withered hand pressed down on his hands folded in front of his chest, saying with a smile. Shen Luo lowered his hands and only then did he raise his eyes to look at the old man and the flowerbed behind him that spanned dozens of feet. The old man had a lean face with fine, long eyebrows and eyes, a hint of a frown between his brows, and three long beards hanging from his chin. He wore a green robe with a golden sash tied around his waist, and his large sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He looked to have an ineffable aura that was partly ethereal, partly worldly. The only thing he lacked was the deliberate air of mysterious depth that many monks put on. ¡°How peculiar, why is the thread of karma on your body so entangled and confused?¡± The old man, cupping soil-stained hands, frowned and looked at Shen Luo with puzzlement, as if asking a question, yet also as if talking to himself. Being stared at in such a way, Shen Luo felt as if all of his secrets had been laid bare, and a wave of panic unavoidably rose in his heart. ¡°Don''t be nervous, I felt a special destiny with you when I first saw you, yet I couldn''t see clearly at the time. That''s why I invited you here for a gathering, to do some karmic calculation,¡± said the Bodhi Ancestor, smiling. ¡°So the boy in the town at the foot of the mountain was indeed sent by the Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo realized in his heart. ¡°What arrangement? That was just a separate soul fragment of mine. I didn''t expect you to come looking for me here at Mount Fangcun merely based on that crude drawing,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with a laugh. After speaking, he led Shen Luo along the ridges of the garden towards a bamboo pavilion outside the fields. As Shen Luo looked around the way, he saw all kinds of exotic flowers and herbs, each with its peculiar phenomena. On one cluster of crimson flowers, flame burned continuously, yet no ash could be seen. Right next to it was a patch of cold grass covered in ice crystals. The two were only inches apart, yet they did not affect each other¨Ca profound mystery in and of itself. However, what surprised Shen Luo the most was that among these extraordinary flowers and herbs, which were clearly not of the mortal realm, there were also a few very common peonies and Chinese roses. They lacked the aura of immortals, yet they bloomed vibrantly and abundantly. It seemed that for Bodhi Ancestor, whether divine or worldly, it only mattered if one took pleasure in them. The two came to the bamboo pavilion and sat opposite each other at a bamboo table with a pot of tea placed between them. ¡°Looking at you, your Pure Yang Qi is strong, and the Demonic Qi of Chiyou is equally unrestrained. The balance is maintained well, so you must be using some secret technique, right?¡± Bodhi Ancestor looked at Shen Luo and asked. Shen Luo merely nodded but didn''t go into detail. ¡°Whatever method you use, it seems it''s not a long-term solution. Such Xuan Yang-Demonic co-cultivation methods should not be misused, or they will cause irreversible disasters,¡± Bodhi Ancestor warned. At these words, Shen Luo''s heart shook. The theory was that his own Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Art should be imperceptible when not in use, and each usage indeed came with a steep price. It would harm his yang to become yin, allowing demonic qi to further invade until it took over. At that point, his body would ultimately be demonized. According to Shen Luo''s own speculation, by the time that happened, he would become a Demon Soul doppelganger of Chiyou. And this process, as Bodhi Ancestor had said, was indeed irreversible. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1330 Chapter 1330: Chapter 1327: Thousand Year Prophecy Chapter 1330: Chapter 1327: Thousand Year Prophecy ¡°Elder, I do not hide from you, the Xuan Yang Secret Technique within me is actually the result of the struggle between the Huang Ting Jing from your Sect and Chiyou''s Demonic Qi within my body, neutralizing the Yin-Yang Dual Qi,¡± he hesitated for a moment before finally speaking out. ¡°No wonder, it is said that the Pure Yang Power and Chiyou''s Demonic Qi are irreconcilable. It turns out this peculiar and delicate balance arose from the mixing of the Yin-Yang Dual Qi,¡± Bodhi Ancestor realized. Shen Luo listened quietly and didn''t say much. ¡°I can tell that you have a deep connection with Mount Fangcun. Could it be that you are a generational disciple of one of my students? Otherwise, how could you practice the Yellow Court Sutra, the inheritance skill of our Sect?¡± Bodhi Ancestor asked again. At these words, Shen Luo showed a look of uncertainty, unsure of how to reply. ¡°Could it be that unruly Macaque who broke the rules? Even if others dared to teach you the Yellow Court Sutra, they certainly wouldn''t impart the overall guidelines along with it, besides him, this old man can''t think of anyone else so bold,¡± Bodhi Ancestor analyzed on his own. Shen Luo''s brows gradually furrowed, and after a long hesitation, he asked, ¡°Elder, do you believe that the disaster of demons has been eradicated?¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, the Bodhi Ancestor was first taken aback, then he chuckled and shook his head, replying, ¡°As long as Heaven and Earth still distinguish between Humans, Immortals, and Demons, the disaster of demons will never truly be quelled.¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised to hear this. ¡°Do you believe so?¡± Bodhi Ancestor asked with a smile. Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°In fact, it''s not just you and me who are skeptical. There are many throughout the Three Realms, of all Races, who do not believe in this. Among them, many advocate the complete extermination of the Demon Clan to remove the threat of demons,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with a smile. ¡°Ancestor, forgive my frankness, but although the Three Realms seem peaceful on the surface, there are actually undercurrents turbulent within. With the rhetoric that the demon threat is settled, many contradictions within Human and Immortal races have emerged, inverting the demons'' problem into a human and Immortal problem¡­,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That''s a novel perspective¡­¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with a laugh. ¡°Now, just with the claim that the disaster of demons has been quelled, cracks have already appeared in the alliance between the Human Race and the Immortal Clan, and the overt and covert struggles have only increased. Not to mention, what would happen if the Demon Clan were completely gone, and what does the future hold for the Human Race and the Immortal Clan?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Then, in your opinion, what do you think is the solution?¡± Bodhi Ancestor asked. ¡°I am but a mere Early True Immortal monk, how dare I arrogantly discuss solutions? Even if I had the cultivation level of a Heavenly Venerate, I could not control the future of the Three Realms,¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile, recalling the scene of battling Chiyou in Dreamland and couldn''t help sighing. ¡°What do you think, if the Races of the Three Realms lived together in a mixed community, no longer distinguishing by Race, but rather uniting under a common faith and bound by mutual sentiments¨Cwhere among the demons there would be Humans, among the Humans there would be Immortals, and among the Immortals there would also be demons¨Cwhat kind of situation would that be?¡± Bodhi Ancestor looked at Shen Luo and slowly asked. ¡°What the Elder speaks of is the ideal of a united world where all converge in harmony, yet remain distinct; if truly achievable, perhaps it really could resolve the troubles of the Three Realms. I imagine the Elder, with his unconventional teaching approach that disregards formality, aims for the same goal in enlightening all beings of the Three Realms, right?¡± Shen Luo reflected for a moment before responding. But after speaking, he couldn''t help but exclaim, ¡°To do such a thing is indeed very difficult¡­¡± ¡°A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, a nine-story tower starts from a mound of earth. The Jade Emperor faced thirty-six thousand five hundred calamities in his cultivation; likewise, the Buddha walked tens of thousands of miles teaching the Dao. The effort of one man may be insufficient, but if everyone strives together, it is not impossible,¡± Bodhi Ancestor muttered reflectively. ¡°Ancestor is right, the strength of one person has its limits, while the strength of millions is boundless, Junior wholeheartedly agrees. However¡­ the beings of the Three Realms may not have that much time,¡± Shen Luo sighed. Bodhi Ancestor''s gaze flickered slightly, detecting the hidden meaning in his words. The teacup he was about to drink from halted in mid-air. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± he couldn''t help but ask. After a brief hesitation, Shen Luo said, ¡°Elder, what I am about to say may sound bizarre, and you might even consider it nonsense, but I still hope you will listen patiently to the end.¡± ¡°Oh? You may speak, and I will listen,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with a slight raise of his brows and a smile. ¡°Elder, it all started with a strange jade pillow that Junior came across¡­¡± Shen Luo began slowly, recounting his thousand-year dream, witnessing the world after The disaster of demons. In the beginning, Bodhi Ancestor still wore a smile, but as the story progressed, his expression grew exceedingly serious. However, the Ancestor did not interrupt Shen Luo, allowing him to relay his entire past experience. ¡°After a thousand years, Mount Fangcun has been destroyed? And your Huangting Technique was learned from the ruins?¡± At the end, Bodhi Ancestor couldn''t hold back and asked. ¡°Correct. At that time, I dreamt my way into Longevity Village, and when I braved many dangers to enter Mount Fangcun, the Sect had already been in ruins for many years, likely having fallen at the beginning of Chiyou''s resurgence,¡± Shen Luo said. Bodhi Ancestor fell silent for a long while upon hearing this. ¡°That Broken Jade Pillow, may the old man take a look?¡± Bodhi Ancestor inquired. ¡°Certainly,¡± Shen Luo replied, and with a flip of his palm, he took out the already broken jade pillow. Bodhi Ancestor took it from his hand, his fingers gently caressing the light yellow patterns on the jade pillow, feeling the unique, smooth breath of the pillow, closing his eyes slightly, yet his eyes rolled rapidly under his eyelids, as if he too had fallen into a violent nightmare. After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes, a look of shock on his face. ¡°Where did this object come from?¡± Bodhi Ancestor leaned forward and asked Shen Luo. ¡°Elder, is there something wrong?¡± Shen Luo, startled by his reaction, quickly asked. ¡°The breath of this object is profound and mysterious. Even I cannot deduce its origins, only that it is entwined with countless destinies, a creation from ancient times. Shen Benefactor, having this object with you and being influenced by it yet still being able to survive without harm to your Yin and Yang is truly astonishing to me,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said, realizing he had somewhat lost his composure, then slowly sat down and couldn''t help expressing his admiration. ¡°To be honest, Junior found this item by chance in a mountain wall on the back mountain of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Afterwards, I was inadvertently taken into dreams by this Immortal Pillow, and after each incredible adventure, I would return to reality with my Yang Life greatly diminished, constantly on the brink of exhausting my lifespan,¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile. ¡°That makes sense, and it is as it should be,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said, nodding with an understanding look as if everything fell into place. ¡°Elder, after returning from the last dream, Junior found that today''s world has undergone earth-shattering changes. It seems to have fallen into a false sense of peace, but in reality, the true demonic threat has not been eradicated but has become even more covert and dangerous. On my journey here, I have encountered many events secretly plotted by the Demon Clan, it''s just a pity that they operate in shadows, and Junior lacks concrete evidence,¡± Shen Luo sighed. Chapter 1331 Chapter 1331: Chapter 1328: The Trust to Deliver a Letter Chapter 1331: Chapter 1328: The Trust to Deliver a Letter ¡°As mentioned earlier, there are indeed many who do not believe that the demon troubles have been pacified. It''s just that the various races of the Three Realms each have their own concerns now, and it seems difficult to unite as before, let alone discuss the Demon Clan together,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said slowly. ¡°Compared to the joint effort of the various races to crusade against the Demon Clan, Junior is actually more concerned with the outcome of the battle at Chang''an in Dreamland. Junior and many fellow Daoists fought desperately to reseal Chiyou, yet for some reason, it affected the affairs of the world from a thousand years ago,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. ¡°Changes in the past influencing the future are not difficult, but changes in the future affecting the past are illogical. I''m afraid that after your death in the dream, some other change must have occurred,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor responded. ¡°Junior also thinks so, and has come to Mount Fangcun precisely for this matter,¡± Shen Luo said, standing up. ¡°You want me to help you fix this jade pillow and send you into the dream of the future again? I''m afraid I might disappoint you, old man. I''m not skilled in this way, and I haven''t even figured out the jade pillow, not to mention repairing it for you,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor shook his head and said with a wry smile. ¡°Elder misunderstood, Junior has already obtained the method of repair from Tianji City. Now, I''m just lacking some treasures to assist in repairing the jade pillow,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly said. ¡°You''re saying that within my Mount Fangcun, there is something that you need?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor asked, raising his eyebrows slightly. ¡°That''s right. Junior has come this time precisely to borrow the ''Map of Mountains and Rivers'' from Elder. Once the repair is complete, I will surely return the treasure,¡± Shen Luo said with a clasped fist and respectfully. Upon hearing this, the Bodhi Ancestor''s expression visibly changed, and he fell silent for a time. His gaze fell on Shen Luo and he began to size him up. Shen Luo immediately felt as if he was being seen through, and subconsciously shrank back a little. ¡°It''s not that the old man doesn''t want to trust you, but this object is of great importance. I cannot hand it over to you, as it may very well bring harm to you and lead to your death,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said thoughtfully. ¡°Could it be that those monks with suspicious movements who have gathered at the Mountain Gate are all here for that object?¡± Shen Luo immediately associated to a certain possibility. ¡°It seems you''ve noticed them too?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor''s eyes lit up as he said with a smile. ¡°So, is the sealing of Mount Fangcun also because of this?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You could say that. The matter is quite complicated and can''t be explained in a few words,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor waved his hand and said. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder, is there anything Junior can help with?¡± Shen Luo, who had a special sentiment towards Mount Fangcun, couldn''t help asking. ¡°Do you know who is targeting Mount Fangcun this time?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor hesitated for a moment before asking. ¡°There are many different people at the mountain''s base, and Junior only had a brief glimpse. It is impossible to distinguish their identities, but it seems that the Demon Clan''s involvement is inevitable,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°The Demon Clan¡­ Indeed, the unrest in the Three Realms nowadays always involves the shadow of the Demon Clan. But this time it''s not that simple, and this matter is not something you can meddle with,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor sighed. Hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent. Although he had reached the early stages of a True Immortal, his cultivation level and combat power were still insufficient. At least when facing an enemy who could engage with the Bodhi Ancestor, he would certainly stand no chance. ¡°In that case, Junior will take leave now and won''t cause further trouble for Elder on the mountain,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°I thought you would speak of advancing or retreating together with Mount Fangcun; isn''t that a surprise?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said, somewhat unexpectedly, when he heard Shen Luo''s words. ¡°Junior''s cultivation methods are all from Mount Fangcun, and I have long held respect in my heart for Elder and the Sect, but Junior feels he still bears an unfulfilled mission and thus cannot speak such words,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and replied. ¡°Your temperament is very much to the old man''s liking. Perhaps there is one thing you could do for the old man,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor pondered and said. ¡°Elder, please speak,¡± Shen Luo said respectfully. ¡°Go to the Oversea Immortal Mountain of the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, to the Water Curtain Cave in Flower Fruit Mountain to find my disciple Sun Wukong, and bring him the letter of my behest,¡± Bodhi Ancestor pondered briefly, then said. Shen Luo was not unfamiliar with Flower Fruit Mountain, having visited it once before in a dream. ¡°Alright, I can take this task on your behalf, Elder. It happens that I also have some matters to attend to at the East Sea Dragon Palace,¡± Shen Luo considered for a moment before promptly agreeing. ¡°This old man only asked you to deliver a message, not to do so in exchange for the Map of Mountains and Rivers as a reward,¡± Bodhi Ancestor slightly raised his eyebrows and said, looking at Shen Luo. ¡°It''s just running an errand and delivering a message. If Elder is offering the Map of Mountains and Rivers as a reward for such a small favor, I would have to doubt whether the map is genuine,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°Then I will be in your debt,¡± Bodhi Ancestor merely lifted his teacup, saying. ¡°Since I''m unable to assist with the affairs on the mountain, I will depart immediately for Flower Fruit Mountain,¡± Shen Luo said with a salute of his fist. ¡°There is no rush at this very moment. Rest here on the mountain for the night. Tonight, with the stars as a foundation, I will hold a sermon for my disciples. You and your traveling companions might as well come and listen too,¡± Bodhi Ancestor sipped his tea and said. ¡°Even though I am not a disciple of Mount Fangcun, may I still sit in on the lecture?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo became overjoyed. ¡°Tonight, as I give the lecture, I will be the one to decide,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with a smile. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo immediately bowed deeply in gratitude. ¡°The lecture is still some time off, so let the Daoist Child lead you to rest awhile,¡± said Bodhi Ancestor. Shen Luo bowed once more in thanks. When he straightened up, a white dazzling light appeared before him and a gateway to the Void materialized. With a single step forward, he was back in the thatched cottage. Outside the cottage, Fu Donglai was carefully holding a teacup and savoring the tea. He did not have much interest in wine, but he had a particular fondness for fragrant tea. ¡°If you two would please follow me,¡± the little Daoist priest, who evidently had already received instructions from Bodhi Ancestor, led them both toward the guest residences halfway up the mountainside. Evening. In the midst of Mount Fangcun, there was a spacious square. Several hundred sect disciples were seated cross-legged, arranged fan-like around the center of a simple lecturing platform raised about three feet above the ground. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai were also placed among them, neither too far nor too close to the lecturing platform. As the evening sun slowly set and the moon''s early light rose, the deep blue sky became bright with the light of Venus, and a Daoist figure took form from the gathering light, appearing on the platform and sitting down cross-legged. The disciples of Mount Fangcun did not stand up but all respectfully chanted in a loud voice: ¡°We welcome the Ancestor''s sermon.¡± After Bodhi Ancestor appeared, two figures also materialized beside him, both in Qing-colored Daoist Robes. One with slightly high cheekbones and a stern face was Jue Ming, who had previously stopped Shen Luo and his companion at the Mountain Gate. The other portly Daoist, whom Shen Luo had learned about from the little Daoist priest, was Jue An, another personal disciple of Bodhi Ancestor. Like his Senior Brother Jue Ming, was one of Bodhi Ancestor''s vital aides, responsible for the myriad affairs of the Sect. Chapter 1332 Chapter 1332: Chapter 1329: Pointing Out Chapter 1332: Chapter 1329: Pointing Out Bodhi Ancestor nodded to the disciples and his gaze lingered on Shen Luo for a moment before he began speaking, ¡°Today, I will not discuss the mysteries of Heaven and Earth, nor the cultivation of virtue and transformation, but instead speak of the wrong paths and false notions in the practice of the Yellow Court Sutra, so that in your future cultivation journey, you may take fewer detours.¡± Upon hearing this, the disciples below the stage became somewhat restless, with many showing excitement on their faces. Both Shen Luo and Fu Donglai, not knowing why, couldn''t help but turn to a disciple beside them to inquire. ¡°You two must be new to the Inner Sect, not knowing that when the Ancestor lectures on the sutras, he seldom touches upon specific skills, speaking only of profound Daoist principles. If one possesses exceptional talent, they can naturally gain immense benefits, but we ordinary disciples often find these talks enshrouded in mist, incomprehensible. Today is a rare occasion when the Ancestor speaks directly of skills, which should not be missed,¡± explained the disciple, seeing that the two were unfamiliar faces and not minding too much. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately understood that this lecture from Bodhi Ancestor might very well be intended for him. He instantly took a deep breath, calmed his mind, and prepared to listen to the wonderful teachings. ¡°The way of all things reaches extreme transformations, the laws of all things are broadly carried out in development, emanating from the same source under different names, called the ''mysterious.'' The mysterious of the mysterious, is the gate of all wonders¡­¡± The moment Bodhi Ancestor''s voice arose, Shen Luo was the first to be stunned. ¡°Isn''t this the general outline of the Huangting Technique?¡± he thought to himself. Standing behind Bodhi Ancestor, Jue Ming and Jue An heard this and couldn''t help but show a change in their expressions. The general content of the Yellow Court Sutra was always kept secret and not taught to anyone other than personal disciples. Today, for some unknown reason, Bodhi Ancestor was openly discussing it in front of everyone. However, they soon dismissed their doubts. Because Bodhi Ancestor had only mentioned the very first line, the rest of the content related to the outline was not entirely disclosed. Most Inner Sect Disciples, making slow progress in the practice of the Huangting Technique, wouldn''t naturally grasp the skill in its entirety, so when they suddenly heard this part of the outline, it stirred no waves in their hearts. Shen Luo was familiar with the outline and didn''t understand any deeper meaning at the moment. ¡°When you cultivate the Huangting Technique, you only know how to proceed steadily and step by step, yet you fail to penetrate the significance of the character ''change'' contained within,¡± continued Bodhi Ancestor. While everyone was still shrouded in mist, Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened. Of course, he knew when cultivating the Huangting Technique following the complete general outline, one could achieve the 72 Transformations, not only capable of infinite variations but also gaining immense strength. Having obtained the outline of the Huangting Technique in the Dream World and self-determinedly comprehended the 72 Change,s Shen Luo had never been guided by a knowledgeable teacher, and his understanding of the Huangting Technique''s ways of transformation was somewhat lacking. The words of the Bodhi Ancestor had captured his entire attention. ¡°The so-called transformation is crucially about the word ''dynamism.'' To understand the Dao of transformation, one must comprehend the actions of the spirit¡­¡± Bodhi Ancestor kept elaborating on the key aspects of the Huangting Technique''s Transformation Technique, leaving most people below with bewildered faces. Yet Shen Luo listened with blooming joy, utterly immersed, his comprehension of the 72 Transformations deepening. ¡°What do you consider to be spirit, demon, fairy, and law?¡± After discussing the ways of transformation, Bodhi Ancestor suddenly shifted his tone, sweeping his gaze across the faces of the crowd as if asking. For this, the disciples present naturally had a clear understanding, but they were puzzled why the Ancestor would pose such a question. ¡°The root of all things lies in the Dao; the basis of all things operates according to law. The transformations between celestial and demons are also governed by this principle,¡± Bodhi Ancestor went on to say. Upon these words, Shen Luo, still immersed in the 72 Transformations, felt as if a heartstring had been suddenly plucked, and he looked up. Previously, the Bodhi Ancestor had noticed an imbalance between the Demonic Qi of Chiyou and the Pure Yang Power within him. His words now awakened Shen Luo; before, he had always sought to maintain a static balance between Chiyou''s Demonic Qi and the Pure Yang Power, but every time he underwent the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, Chiyou''s Demonic Qi grew a bit stronger. This static balance would eventually be broken. But if one could know stillness and maintain dynamism, using Yin-Yang Dual Qi as a bridge to transform static balance into dynamic balance, then the side effects brought by the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation might be eliminated. ¡°But how can I initiate the circulation of Yin-Yang Dual Qi, transforming stillness into motion?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself again in his heart. After all, maintaining the balance within his body was already extremely difficult, and to have it operate smoothly without becoming unbalanced and out of control was even harder. At this moment, the Bodhi Ancestor had shifted to discussing the Huan Ting Jing''s Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. ¡°The sun is the day, the moon is the night, and the stars dwell among them, receiving the power of Yin and Yang. They possess tremendous might and can harness the power of the Three Stars to suppress evil demons. In reality, this also integrates the power of Yin and Yang.¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed. The Bodhi Ancestor was not merely using the teachings as a hint for him, but was practically giving him clear guidance. He subconsciously wanted to start practicing the Skills to try them out. Just then, a voice from the Bodhi Ancestor suddenly resonated in his mind: ¡°If you hadn''t had an enlightenment, this old man would not have imparted such teachings. You should only listen up to this point. Go now, be bold and give it a try.¡± As the voice faded, Shen Luo felt a sudden lightness in his body as if lifted by a cloud of white mist. His form gently ascended, and then just as gently descended. When he came to his senses, he found himself in front of the thatched cottage on the mountain top of Mount Fangcun. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo silently expressed his gratitude, bowing from afar in the direction of the Square, knowing that the Bodhi Ancestor would surely hear him. After that, he formed Magical Tactics with his hands while at the same time directing the Demonic Qi of Chiyou and the Pure Yang Power within his Dantian, operating the Huangting Technique, and changes began to occur around his body immediately¡­ The people on the Square had not noticed that Shen Luo''s figure had disappeared and were intently listening to the Bodhi Ancestor''s teachings, their faces occasionally reflecting deep thought. Only Jue Ming and Jue An, standing behind the Ancestor, noticed a subtle change. They subconsciously turned to glance at the mountaintop, then resumed their original postures. The teaching session did not last long. By the time the moon was high in the sky, all the disciples on the Square had dispersed. Fu Donglai had received a message from the Bodhi Ancestor and had gone back to rest in his guest room. Only two figures remained on the Square, yet to leave. ¡°The Ancestor suddenly started teaching today, which seemed somewhat different from usual,¡± Jue Ming said with a slight frown. ¡°He intended to enlighten that outsider monk,¡± Jue An said, smiling as he looked in the direction of the mountain peak which was obscured by clouds, making it impossible to see anything. ¡°Has the Ancestor considered taking that person as a Closed-door Disciple?¡± Jue Ming asked, puzzled. ¡°Whether he has or he hasn''t, what difference does it make?¡± Jue An replied with a chuckle, shaking his head. The next morning, Fu Donglai was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door. When he opened it, he saw Shen Luo standing outside with a smile on his face. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s the matter so early in the morning?¡± Fu Donglai yawned and asked. Last night''s sermon, although he listened very intently, to the extent that he didn''t even notice when Shen Luo had disappeared, he was just as clueless because he had never practiced the Huan Ting Jing before. After returning, he meditated and pondered until half the night, only falling asleep briefly before dawn. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Let''s go, it''s time for us to leave,¡± Shen Luo said. Although the Bodhi Ancestor had not specifically instructed him to keep their conversation a secret, Shen Luo still chose to withhold it from everyone for the time being. ¡°Leave? Are we not here to¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai began, a puzzled look on his face. He had just started speaking when he was interrupted by a telepathic message from Shen Luo: ¡°Elder Brother Fu, it seems we will need to leave Mount Fangcun and head to the Eastern Sea first.¡± Fu Donglai hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Their departure was as inconspicuous as their arrival, guided only by a little Daoist priest and without drawing any additional attention. However, when they took off with the wind, on Mount Fangcun, Jue Ming, wearing a stern expression, slowly looked away¡­ Chapter 1333 Chapter 1333: Chapter 1331 The Wrath of the Great Sage Chapter 1333: Chapter 1331 The Wrath of the Great Sage Shen Luo saw this, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a smile as he took a step forward and threw a punch toward the Hunyuan Golden Hammer. A sweep of golden light engulfed his body, and suddenly, three Golden Dragons and three giant elephant shadows emerged, all roaring with their heads raised, charging straight at the Tongbi Monkey. The Golden Hammer collided with the Dragon Elephants, and a blaze of golden light erupted. Two of the Golden Dragons bore the brunt and burst apart under the heavy blow. Immediately following, the remaining Golden Dragon and giant elephant charged without hesitation, their overwhelming Dragon Elephant Power flooding in like relentless River Water Waves. At first, the Tongbi Monkey was able to hold his ground, but soon he was forced to retreat step by step. One of the four strong Demon Monkeys, the Red-arsed Horse Monkey, saw that the situation was dire and immediately leaped into action. White light swirled around his body as he reached out both arms and fiercely slapped the back of the Tongbi Monkey, stopping him from retreating. The advance of the Golden Dragons and giant elephants was halted, and as the power they contained rapidly depleted, a stalemate ensued. The remaining two Demon Monkey warriors paused instead of joining the fray, taking a surprised look at Shen Luo as if they couldn''t believe a mere mortal could match the strength of two of them. The newly joined Red-arsed Horse Monkey''s eyes flashed with silver light, and white flames rose behind him. His aura surged as his arms violently shook. An overpowering force surged out from within him, entered the Tongbi Monkey''s body, and through his arms, it shattered two giant elephant phantoms, leaving only one dragon and one elephant desperately holding on. With the Dragon Elephant Power sharply decreased, the Hunyuan Golden Hammer''s divine might surged again, smashing down toward Shen Luo. Fu Donglai frowned slightly, hesitating about whether to step forward and help when he suddenly heard Shen Luo''s explosive shout. Both the golden light enveloping his body and the aura emanating from within surged. Three Golden Dragons and three giant elephants once again converged from the golden light behind him, amalgamating into an unstoppable force that charged towards the Tongbi Monkey. Fu Donglai felt a shock while also wondering, ¡°Has Brother Shen become much stronger than before?¡± ¡°Roar¡­¡± A discordant cry of Dragon Chant and elephant roar rang out, and the furious power of the Dragon Elephant bulldozed its way through. The light dispersing from the Hunyuan Golden Hammer was shattered, and the hammer itself was sent flying backward. The two Demon Monkey warriors who were operating the hammer were blasted away by this huge force. Just as the Golden Dragons and giant elephants were about to strike their bodies, the ferocious force suddenly receded by itself, dissipating after only charging halfway. Even so, the two Demon Monkey warriors couldn''t stabilize their forms and still flew backward. At that moment, a chanting of Buddhist hymns unexpectedly arose, and golden light gathered from the ground. A massive Golden Buddha Palm Imprint slowly rose from the surface, intercepting the two Demon Monkey warriors before they could crash into the stockade gate. Seeing this, the remaining two Demon Monkey warriors immediately turned and bowed toward Mountain Gate, shouting, ¡°We welcome the Great King.¡± As the words fell, a beam of Golden Light descended from the entrance of the stockade and a golden-furred monkey emerged, dressed in Locket Gold Armor and wearing a Phoenix Wing Purple Gold Crown. He wasn''t very tall, and over his Golden Armor, he wore a Gold-edged Red Cassock angled across, with a somewhat mocking expression on his face as he looked at Shen Luo and his companion. Following him was an old horse monkey, leaning on a Wisteria Cane shaped like a coiled dragon, wearing a Green Robe, with grey and white fur. Shen Luo''s expression shifted slightly when he saw the old horse monkey. This old horse monkey was the one who, that year in Dreamland, had led him to the Murals left by Sun Wukong. He, as he currently appeared, hardly looked any different from his old and decrepit self of centuries later, but those eyes were much brighter and clearer than what Shen Luo had seen in his traversal through Dreamland. ¡°Since the Heavenly Court''s siege back then, no one has dared to approach Flower Fruit Mountain for many years. You two sure have guts, come on, spar with me for a few rounds,¡± Sun Wukong said without anger, laughing playfully. ¡°Junior Shen Luo, greets Elder Sun. I acted earlier out of urgency to see the Great King Sun Dasheng, it was a last resort, please forgive me,¡± Shen Luo said hurriedly, clasping his fists. Fu Donglai, who had always held the utmost admiration for the peerless Demon King Sun Wukong, also clasped his fists in salute and bowed his head without speaking. Seeing this, Sun Wukong scratched his head, somewhat disappointed. ¡°Ah, I thought we''d have a chance to spar, but it seems there''s no hope now¡­ You''re a disciple of Mount Fangcun?¡± ¡°I am not a disciple of Mount Fangcun, but I have come today entrusted by the Bodhi Ancestor to deliver a message to the Great Sage,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Not a disciple of Mount Fangcun, yet able to cultivate the Huangting Technique to such a mature stage, and entrusted with a message from the ancestor¡­ could it be¡­ are you also a troublemaker?¡± Sun Wukong instantly appeared in front of Shen Luo, sizing him up closely. ¡°Why would the Great Sage say that?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Hmph, back when I was studying and cultivating at Mount Fangcun, the ancestor realized I was a troublemaker. Before I left the mountain, he told me I was bound to cause trouble and forbade me from admitting to anyone that I was a disciple of Mount Fangcun. Doesn''t your situation resemble mine?¡± Sun Wukong asked. ¡°That¡­ perhaps the Great Sage should read the message from the ancestor first. It seems there''s been trouble on Mount Fangcun recently,¡± Shen Luo said, not knowing how to explain, and thus changed the subject. Having said that, he turned his wrist and took out a green jade ring, which he handed to Sun Wukong. Upon receiving the green jade ring, Sun Wukong circulated his mana and gently stimulated it, causing charm patterns to emerge, revealing that it was sealed by a prohibition. After pondering for a moment, he formed a unique magic spell with his hands. After silently chanting for a while, he pointed at the green jade ring. The green jade ring burst into a golden light, and the charm pattern prohibition immediately dissipated into specks of golden light that vanished. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sun Wukong picked up the green jade ring and pressed it against his forehead, slowly closing his eyes. A moment later, his eyes suddenly snapped open, and his previously relaxed expression turned extremely grave. ¡°Those scoundrels, how dare they?¡± At Sun Wukong''s sudden outburst, an unstoppable aura erupted from him. Including Shen Luo, several who were caught off guard were all pushed back a good ten feet, each looking at Sun Wukong with a shocked expression. However, Shen Luo was the only one who could fathom the reason behind it. ¡°Great Sage, could it be that the situation of Mount Fangcun is not very optimistic?¡± Shen Luo stepped forward, frowning. Earlier, the Bodhi Ancestor had spoken lightly, making him think that the situation of Mount Fangcun wasn''t too perilous. However, judging by Sun Wukong''s current reaction, that didn''t seem to be the case. Upon hearing the question, Sun Wukong recovered from his furious state and turned to look at Shen Luo with a very strange gaze. ¡°Great Sage¡­¡± Shen Luo felt uncomfortable under his gaze and couldn''t help but speak up. Hearing this, Sun Wukong showed a slightly odd smile and then asked, ¡°When you set off, had those sects already begun their attack on Mount Fangcun?¡± Chapter 1334 Chapter 1334: Chapter 1330: Paying a Visit Chapter 1334: Chapter 1330: Paying a Visit Time swiftly passed, months gone by. On the edge of a seaport bordering the Eastern Sea of the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, a man in a green robe from the Human Race stood shoulder to shoulder with a splendid tiger-headed creature. Before them knelt a group of both men and women. All of them wore coarse hemp clothing, and their skin on the faces and hands was sunburnt red, covered with fissures blown by the sea wind over the years. One could tell they were fishermen who made their living by going out to sea. Just now, Shen Luo had taken down a demon that had emerged from the sea to attack the harbor, and it was only at this moment that the fishermen crowded around them incessantly, kneeling down in worship as if they were their saviors. Among them, the one in the lead was a middle-aged man with bloodstains on his face. When the demon come ashore to attack, he was the first to fight against it with an oar, fortunately for him, Shen Luo and his companion had just arrived, or he would have already been devoured by the demon. ¡°The two Immortal Masters, please show us mercy. Can you do us a good deed and find us a way to survive?¡± the middle-aged man said with reddened eye sockets, almost pleading. ¡°First tell us, what''s going on?¡± Fu Donglai asked. The middle-aged man glanced at Fu Donglai, a trace of fear in his eyes, but still mustered his courage to speak: ¡°Immortal Master, our Eastern Sea fishing port has always been peaceful, until last month when suddenly, demons frequently emerged from the seabed to attack the harbor and fishing villages. Not to mention livestock, many people have already lost their lives.¡± ¡°If there are demons, why not report to the authorities?¡± Fu Donglai asked with a frown. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Aolai Kingdom is weak and small, and the local government station is even more¡­ sigh, they are fine dealing with ordinary thieves, but once there are demons, they''re useless, they don''t dare to come at all,¡± the middle-aged man sighed. ¡°How do you want us to help you?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°These water demons from the Eastern Sea have always been governed by the East Sea Dragon Palace. Although occasionally there are demons causing trouble, the Dragon Palace has always been able to handle it promptly. But this time, so much time has passed without any word from the Dragon Palace. We fear that they have not yet received the news. We were thinking, since the Immortal Masters surely possess the ability to ascend to heaven and dive into the sea, could you possibly help us speak to the East Sea Dragon Palace?¡± The middle-aged man''s eyes were full of hope, looking towards Shen Luo. ¡°I can, but it will have to wait until after I finish my urgent business. Before then, I''ll set up an array to protect you all, and you should also stay away from the water''s edge,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement. ¡°Thank you, Immortal Master¡­¡± the fishermen bowed and worshiped one after another. Shen Luo didn''t say much. After setting up an array around the seafront area of the harbor using talismans, he left with Fu Donglai. Knowing the location of Flower Fruit Mountain, Shen Luo didn''t need to ask for directions and led Fu Donglai straight there. Unlike the devastated Flower Fruit Mountain he had seen in Dreamland, this place was not rich, but it was still peaceful, without any ruined walls or scars of destruction. The two soon arrived at the foot of Flower Fruit Mountain and saw a camp pitched at the entrance to the mountain. In front of the camp stood several demon monkeys clad in armor, each holding weapons like swords and clubs, looking quite impressive. Noticing the approach of the two men, the largest white-haired monkey, wielding a saber, stepped forward to meet them and shouted, ¡°Who goes there? And where do you wish to go?¡± ¡°I am Shen Luo from Mount Fangcun, coming to pay a visit to the Great King, Sun Wukong of Flower Fruit Mountain,¡± Shen Luo called out loudly. ¡°You''re from Mount Fangcun? Is that the same Mount Fangcun where our Great King learned his skills?¡± Hearing this, the white-haired monkey paused, frowning it asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Do you have proof?¡± the white-haired monkey asked. ¡°I only have a letter of introduction, which must be personally delivered to your Great King,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°The Great King is in meditation retreat; should you lack a token, you must wait until the Great King has emerged before reporting.¡± The white-furred ape said. ¡°When can your Great King come out of retreat?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°That is uncertain; maybe ten days, half a month, or perhaps a year and a half, or even eight to ten years¡­ There have been precedents in the past.¡± The white-furred ape said. ¡°Although I am not sure of the content within this token, I can guess it concerns an urgent matter. May I trouble you to make an exception and pass on the message?¡± Shen Luo''s brows knitted tightly as he spoke. ¡°If the Great King is in retreat and I recklessly pass on the message without a token, I cannot guarantee I won''t be punished. Please don''t make things difficult for me,¡± the white-furred ape pleaded with clasped hands then turned and walked away directly. ¡°Brother Shen, this¡­¡± Fu Donglai hesitated. ¡°Then I apologise for the offense.¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly, as the Huangting Technique skills inside him suddenly sprang into action. The next instant, golden light erupted around him, and a powerful surge of mana spread from his body, causing even Fu Donglai, caught off guard, to be pushed back half a step. The demon monkeys guarding the mountain gate were greatly alarmed upon seeing this and quickly gathered around him, weapons in hand. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not engage in conversation; instead, he stomped his foot, assuming a stance, and shouted toward Flower Fruit Mountain, ¡°I dare summon the Victorious Fighting Buddha to meet me!¡± With his bellowing shout, amplified by the Huangting Technique, he infused his voice with mana, turning the sound waves into visible golden ripples that compressed against Flower Fruit Mountain in successive waves. The demon monkeys that had just arrived felt an overwhelming force strike them, sending them tumbling to the ground, unable to maintain their stance. As the golden sound waves had just passed the camp and approached the body of Flower Fruit Mountain, a series of Buddha''s chants sounded, followed by a surge of rich golden light from the earth, which instantly transformed into a giant golden bell covering the entire mountain. ¡°Dong¡± Accompanied by a thunderous bell sound that shook the heavens and earth, all the golden ripples disappeared at once. ¡°What kind of monster dares to intrude upon Flower Fruit Mountain?¡± A thunderous voice erupted. In the sky above the mountain peak, silhouettes leaped into the air one after another, descending toward the mountain gate. Shen Luo glanced up and noticed that they were four robust demon monkeys clad in gold and silver armor, two of which had long and powerful arms, the Tongbi Monkeys, while the other two were Red-arsed Horse Monkeys. All four demon monkeys radiated a powerful aura, each having reached the level of an early True Immortal. ¡°Two Marshals, two Generals, this man is exceedingly rude. I told him the Great King was in retreat, and without a token, he couldn''t be granted an audience. Then he suddenly used his skills, disturbing the mountain gate formation,¡± the white-furred ape immediately reported. One of the Tongbi Monkeys, with fiery-red fur and a scar near his eye, immediately shouted, reaching out into the void and grasping, summoning a Hunyuan Golden Hammer that shone brightly in his hand. He stepped forward and advanced to Shen Luo''s front in a single stride, swinging the Hunyuan Golden Hammer which instantly glowed with a circle of golden light, and on its surface, a string of Sanskrit sutras appeared. As the golden sutras lit up, they emitted buzzing sounds, and waves of potent force dispersed from them. With the heavy crash of the Tongbi Monkey''s hammer, the gold light scattered, sending out visible golden ripples that oppressed the entire mountain forest into trembling. Chapter 1335 Chapter 1335: Chapter 1332: Rush to Rescue Chapter 1335: Chapter 1332: Rush to Rescue ¡°No. When we left, although there were many monks active at the foot of the mountain, the scene on Mount Fangcun remained peaceful, and there were no abnormal situations,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°They really dare to make a move against Mount Fangcun?¡± Fu Donglai asked incredulously. ¡°If you knew which factions were involved, perhaps you wouldn''t find it so strange,¡± Wukong said with a smile. ¡°This time, the Human Race and the Demon Clan have teamed up, and I fear the Immortal Clan is involved too. I felt something was amiss when I arrived but couldn''t offer much help, I could only come to deliver a message on behalf of the Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Pansi Cave, Lingbo City, and Lion Camel Ridge leading the charge, and behind them follow the smaller sects like Weak Water Sect, Cangwolf Mountain, and Yulong Cave; indeed, it''s even more comprehensive than that year when we faced the Demon Clan,¡± Wukong said mockingly. Upon hearing this, both Shen Luo and Fu Donglai''s expressions couldn''t help but change. Pansi Cave, Lingbo City, and Lion Camel Ridge were all exceptional sects in the world; none could defeat Mount Fangcun alone, but together, they were certain to win against Mount Fangcun. As for sects like Cangwolf Mountain and Yulong Cave, although smaller, their strength was far greater than that of pavilions like Spring and Autumn Pavilion. ¡°Great King, how could this be? When the Demon Clan caused serious trouble that year, aside from a few large-scale encirclements, there has never been so many sects attacking a single one,¡± the Elder Ape in Green Robe stepped forward and inquired. ¡°Who knows what''s gotten into those guys, maybe they''ll be better after I go help clear their minds,¡± Wukong withdrew his gaze and said with furrowed brows. ¡°Great King, are you planning to go to war?¡± the old ape asked. ¡°This general wishes to lead troops there,¡± the four strong Demon Monkeys stepped forward and said, clasping their fists. ¡°The calamity of Mount Fangcun is imminent. The army moves too slowly and will not arrive in time to provide aid. ''Marshal Ma'', ''General Beng''.¡± ¡°Here!¡± At Wukong''s call, the two strong Demon Monkeys who had previously made a move against Shen Luo immediately stepped forward. ¡°You two will accompany me to Mount Fangcun for reinforcement. The Eastern Sea has also been restless lately. Marshal Liuyuan and General Ba, you two will continue to hold down Flower Fruit Mountain,¡± Wukong commanded. ¡°Understood,¡± the other two strong Demon Monkeys stepped forward to receive their orders. ¡°Great King, please allow this old servant to accompany you,¡± the Elder Ape in Green Robe stepped forward and said, clasping his fist. ¡°Marshal Liuyuan and General Ba are still too impulsive and can be rash in the face of trouble. Flower Fruit Mountain needs you to be in charge, so I can be truly at ease,¡± Wukong said. ¡°In that case¡­ this old servant will not insist and will ensure the home front is secure for the Great King''s return,¡± the Elder Ape in Green Robe accepted the task. Having said this, Wukong made a move to leave with Marshal Ma and General Beng. ¡°Great Sage, may we also follow you back to Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo stepped forward and asked. ¡°You wish to go too?¡± Wukong looked at Shen Luo, frowning. ¡°Great Sage, although we are not powerful, we can still offer some help,¡± Fu Donglai also came forward to say. ¡°Are you aware that what lies ahead is a battle no less perilous than the time the Heavenly Court besieged Flower Fruit Mountain? Do you still wish to go?¡± Wukong asked once more. ¡°Great Sage, the skills I''ve cultivated are deeply connected to Mount Fangcun. I had planned to stay and help, but I had to come to Flower Fruit Mountain to deliver a message at the behest of Bodhi Ancestor. Now, knowing that Mount Fangcun is in even greater peril than I imagined, how can I stand idly by?¡± Shen Luo said without hesitation. Upon hearing this, Wukong''s eyes spun in their sockets three times, seemingly hesitant. ¡°Well, well, if you''re not afraid of dying, then come along with old Sun for a trip,¡± Wukong eventually said with a smile. ¡°Great Sage, before we depart, this junior has one more impudent request. Could you please ask the Demon Generals of Flower Fruit Mountain to help deal with the water demon problem at the fishing harbor below the mountain? I promised the fishermen there I would help, but now, I obviously cannot afford to be distracted,¡± Shen Luo said, clasping his fists. ¡°Daoist friend, go at ease; this old servant will handle this matter.¡± The Elder Ape in Green Robe took the initiative to speak, taking on the task. ¡°Then I am much obliged to the elder.¡± Shen Luo was delighted upon hearing this and immediately expressed his thanks. After settling everything, Sun Wukong was ready to set off. Before leaving, he raised his hand and tossed something; the Green Jade Ring previously mentioned soared into the air, heading towards Shen Luo. ¡°Great Sage, what is this?¡± Shen Luo quickly caught it, asking somewhat puzzled. ¡°This Green Jade Fingertip can serve as a storage, and it''s not of low grade. I, old Sun, have no use for it, so I''ll leave it with you as a reward for delivering the message,¡± Sun Wukong said. Shen Luo wanted to say more but already heard Sun Wukong asking, ¡°My Somersault Cloud is fast, but it''s a pity it can''t carry too many people. Do you have any flying magical treasures that can keep up with me?¡± ¡°I possess a certain Escape Technique that might be able to keep up,¡± Shen Luo responded with a slight hesitation. ¡°Good.¡± Let''s give it a try then. No sooner had he spoken than Sun Wukong grabbed Marshal Ma and General Beng by the shoulders, and his figure suddenly leapt up, flipped through the air in a rather unique somersault, and in an instant had soared away, vanishing into the void. Seeing this, Shen Luo hastily grabbed Fu Donglai by the shoulder, golden and silver light shining from his arms. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His figure turned into a streak of light, also instantly rising and disappearing from sight. Beneath Flower Fruit Mountain, a group of demon monkeys watched as the several figures vanished into the space where the mana was still roiling, all dumbfounded. Tens of thousands of miles away, at the summit of a mountain peak, Sun Wukong stood atop a rock, gazing towards Flower Fruit Mountain. He saw that thousands of miles away, a flash of lightning twinkled, and in the next instant, the lightning reached the mountain peak, revealing the figures of Shen Luo and the others. ¡°This is not the Golden Winged Peng''s Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique; how did you, a human, learn it?¡± Sun Wukong, seeing this, was very doubtful. ¡°I happened upon the chance to learn it; Great Sage, let''s hurry on our way,¡± Shen Luo did not explain much. ¡°With this secret technique, keeping up with old Sun shouldn''t be too much of a problem, let''s go,¡± Sun Wukong didn''t inquire further and said. Having said that, he displayed the Somersault Cloud once more, taking the two generals with him, disappearing into the high altitude, and Shen Luo quickly followed suit. Rapid travel continued for more than half a month. In front of a village outside Mount Fangcun, the figures of Shen Luo and Fu Donglai descended from the high altitude, nearly stumbling and almost unable to keep their balance. Shen Luo, having continuously used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique day after day and despite the constant replenishment of elixirs, had ultimately overexerted himself and was somewhat unable to hold on. Nevertheless, he still kept up, arriving only half a day later than Sun Wukong. However, looking at Longevity Village that had already been tormented by war, with the stockade gate and outer wall mostly burned down and the houses inside turned to scorched earth, his heart couldn''t help but tighten. Though signs of battle were scattered across the ground, there were hardly any corpses, leaving one to wonder whether there had been few casualties to begin with, or if the bodies had already been dealt with. Chapter 1336 Chapter 1336: Chapter 1333: I, Old Sun, Am Back Chapter 1336: Chapter 1333: I, Old Sun, Am Back Shen Luo peered through the charred and blackened remains of the stockade gate and saw Sun Wukong walking out with a stern expression, rage brimming in his eyes, which had started to show hints of redness through his golden fire eyes. ¡°How did it spread to here?¡± Fu Donglai could not comprehend. Shen Luo was not surprised, well aware of the relationship between Mount Fangcun and Longevity Village. He knew many from Longevity Village had once gone to learn immortality arts at Mount Fangcun. As followers of the mountain, they would not stand idly by when outsiders attacked. ¡°The woodcutter who showed me the way to Mount Fangcun that year was from this village¡­ Since they have taken things this far, do not blame me for not showing Buddhist mercy in enlightening them anymore.¡± Having said this, Sun Wukong yanked off the kasaya draped diagonally across his body, flames rose from behind him, and a bright red cape unfurled as if by its own volition, rustling loudly without wind. The group soon left Longevity Village and quickly arrived at the foot of Mount Fangcun. At the entrance to the mountain gate, silence prevailed as always, with only the occasional bird song from within the forest, as if everything was normal. Sun Wukong took the lead under the wooden arch, his figure leaped, ready to enter. Instantly within the archway, a bright light shone, and a burst of colorful dazzling light emerged, emitting a forceful wave that pushed Sun Wukong back out. ¡°Great King, the protective Great Formation is still there; it seems Mount Fangcun has not encountered any trouble,¡± Marshal Ma commented upon seeing this. Sun Wukong, upon hearing this, did not speak but formed a magic spell with one hand, chanted rapidly a few times, then reached his palm towards the archway once more. As his hand just penetrated the arch, the layer of colorful dazzling light emerged again, still keeping him on the outside. ¡°Humph, even the gate-opening spell passed to me by Master is ineffective? Are you forcing me, old Sun, to bring out my special skills of pushing down walls and smashing gates?¡± Sun Wukong snorted coldly, his wrist twirling as a bright golden halo coalesced in his palm, materializing a shining golden staff in his hand. He gripped the Ruyi Golden Cudgel with one hand, took a step forward, and his body suddenly inflated several times in size, towering over the archway. Waving his arm, a circle of golden light surged from his body. Shen Luo could feel the intense energy of the Huangting Technique radiating from within, yet saw no trace of the Dragon Elephant Power, deducing that Sun Wukong must have integrated the strength of the Dragon Elephant and no longer needed to manifest it outwardly. While he pondered, an overwhelming aura like the sea surged from the spinning Ruyi Golden Cudgel, ¡°humming¡± incessantly with immense mountainous power cascading down upon the archway. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± The sound of mountains collapsing echoed continuously as the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, wrapped in heavy golden light, approached the wooden arch. At that instant, colorful dazzling light shone inside and outside the arch, revealing the full extent of the mountain-protecting Great Formation. The sprawling light curtain stretched hundreds of feet into the sky, and at the moment the Golden Cudgel struck, it rippled with a vast wave, layer upon layer of golden waves carrying boundless strength surged forth. A deep, muffled boom resounded. Sun Wukong''s figure was hit by the golden light and sent flying backward. But midway through his flight, he forcefully twisted his body around, instantaneously reappearing on the other side of the colorful light curtain. He swung the Ruyi Golden Cudgel again, hammering it down hard on the light curtain. With a ¡°boom,¡± a blast more intense than before surged forth, and Sun Wukong was once again sent flying. This time, his body had flown backwards for only about a hundred feet when it suddenly turned direction in an extremely unreasonable arc, charging directly into the high altitude and quickly vanishing from the sight of Shen Luo and his companion. But a moment later, a thunderous roar that shook the skydome emanated from above Mount Fangcun. ¡°Boom¡± The entire mountain range violently quivered, and the seemingly impenetrable Mount Fangcun defense formation shattered with that explosive sound, dispersing countless golden lights, which fled in all directions. At this moment, Shen Luo saw a person darting back and forth high in the sky, holding a silk book of charm patterns made of golden thread brocade, emitting a golden halo above it, gathering all the dispersing golden lights back together. After a while, that figure finally descended back to the ground, and it was naturally Sun Wukong. Seeing Shen Luo and his companion''s puzzled faces, Sun Wukong explained, ¡°This is the core object of the Mount Fangcun defense formation. Without knowledge of its location, even I would not have been able to break the formation so quickly.¡± ¡°Great Sage, now that the formation is broken, what are you doing?¡± Shen Luo asked, pointing to the remaining turbulent halo above. ¡°Can''t you see? Naturally, I''m collecting the spiritual energy back. Sigh¡­ With this breakage and recollection, at least half of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi is lost. If Master finds out, he will scold me again for being a wasteful prodigal,¡± Sun Wukong said with a continuous sigh. On Mount Fangcun, where the protective formation had been dissolved, black smoke could be seen rising in various places, causing everyone''s hearts to rise in their throats once more. ¡°Great Sage, there''s no time to delay, we should hurry up the mountain,¡± Shen Luo urged hastily. No sooner had the group begun to ascend with flight than they saw a figure stumbling down from the high altitude. Sun Wukong quickly raised his hand for a remote grab, and an invisible force emerged from the void, rescuing the person in distress. Sun Wukong slowly pulled him in front, and upon recognizing the face, he couldn''t help but exclaim, ¡°Brother Jue An¡­¡± The man, of medium stature with round cheeks and his clothes torn and bloody, was Jue An, a direct disciple of Master Bodhi. ¡°Wukong, is that really you? You¡­ you''ve come back?¡± When Jue An saw Sun Wukong and the others, a light of hope suddenly ignited in his eyes. ¡°Senior Brother, your old Sun has returned. How is Master? How is everything on the mountain?¡± Sun Wukong stepped forward to support Jue An and asked. ¡°Just yesterday, a group of monks with unknown identities came to our Mount Fangcun under the pretext of paying a visit. After being denied entry, they attacked our disciples. We fought desperately, but alas¡­¡± Jue An''s speech was fast and disorganized, and at this point, he found it difficult to continue. Impatiently, Shen Luo asked, ¡°Elder Jue An, who are these attackers, and how did they manage to break through the defense formation?¡± ¡°The assailants were led by Erlang True Monarch Yang Jian of Lingbo City, Flower Ten Women from Pansi Cave, and Six-tusked Elephant King of Lion Camel Ridge. They didn''t break through the defense formation; there was a traitor within the Mount Fangcun gates who opened the formation for them, allowing them to infiltrate Mount Fangcun without spilling blood. Then they began a massacre of our disciples¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but be startled. The main force was clearly three monks of Taiyi level, among whom the strength of Six-tusked Elephant King he had witnessed, and he was well aware of Yang Jian''s combat power. Plus, an enigmatic Flower Ten Women made Mount Fangcun''s situation extremely perilous. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°In addition to those three top fighters, they gathered about a dozen different sects and amasses several hundred monks, a considerable number of whom are at the True Immortal level. We simply couldn''t resist and were pushed back,¡± Jue An continued. ¡°What about Master? If he takes action, can''t he hold them back?¡± Sun Wukong quickly asked. Chapter 1337 Chapter 1337: Chapter 134 Wading through Muddy Waters Chapter 1337: Chapter 134 Wading through Muddy Waters ¡°Master¡­ Master he¡­ the traitor who betrayed Mount Fangcun is none other than Jue Ming! For the past three months, as he lit lamps in Master''s meditation room, the oil he used was mixed with Gu poison from the flesh of shark people. No one noticed anything unusual in the daily routine, but this time, when Master activated the Creation God''s Power, the Gu poison that had been accumulating over many days suddenly erupted, disrupting Master''s meridians. Taking advantage of the chaos, that scoundrel Jue Ming joined forces with a black-clad, masked figure who had suddenly appeared, and they grievously wounded Master. Now, he and the surviving disciples are all hiding in the Bodhi Secret Realm. I barely escaped with my life to seek help,¡± Jue An said, his emotions running high as he poured out everything in one breath. ¡°Master has been injured? How severe are his injuries?¡± Sun Wukong asked, scratching his face. ¡°A black-clad, masked person?¡± Shen Luo pondered. ¡°Master''s injuries are serious, and he can only rely on the Bodhi Secret Realm to sustain him for now, but I fear he won''t be able to hold out for long. The disciples sent out for help before me, they might have been ambushed and killed already,¡± Jue An hurriedly said. ¡°Right, Elder, what''s with the village at the foot of the mountain, Longevity Village?¡± Shen Luo, remembering something, quickly asked. ¡°Longevity Village has been on good terms with us since ancient times. This time they also sent us an early warning, informing us that a large number of monks were secretly infiltrating the vicinity of Mount Fangcun, and they hence suffered retaliation from the enemy,¡± Jue An said. ¡°And the villagers¡­¡± Shen Luo said with concern. ¡°We''ve lost some, while others were saved by my Master''s intervention, and are now hiding in the Bodhi Secret Realm along with us,¡± Jue An said with a pained expression. ¡°There''s no time to lose; we must go up the mountain to rescue them immediately,¡± Sun Wukong declared, his brows furrowed. ¡°Brother disciple, that''s not possible,¡± Jue An said immediately. ¡°Why not?¡± Sun Wukong bared his teeth as he asked. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Right now, the summit is gathered with monks from more than a dozen sects. They outnumber us and amongst them are highly skilled Taiyi Cultivators. If we rashly storm up, not only will we fail to save anyone, but we will also endanger ourselves, and then there will be no hope left for saving our sect,¡± Jue An said gravely. ¡°Distant water can''t put out a nearby fire. Master and the others are in imminent danger. Even if we go to seek help now, what use would it be? Better to charge up the mountain and fight a decisive battle,¡± Sun Wukong said, his untamed wild nature showing as he scratched his ears and cheeks. ¡°Great King, what Daoist friend Jue An says is not unreasonable,¡± Marshal Ma spoke up. ¡°Rashly going up the mountain without seeking reinforcements indeed seems inappropriate,¡± Fu Donglai also pondered and said. Upon learning that the Second King of Lion Camel Ridge had personally come, he knew the matter could not be settled easily and that without help, Mount Fangcun was in grave danger. After hearing this, Sun Wukong showed a hesitating look on his face. After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°In that case, Brother Shen, I must trouble you and this Demon Clan Daoist friend to go ahead to Mount Putuo and Wuzhuang View to seek help. My personal relations and those of Mount Fangcun are not bad with them, so I don''t think they will ignore this.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo did not immediately agree, seemingly hesitant. ¡°I''ll leave this matter to you; I will go up the mountain first,¡± Sun Wukong said, without waiting for their response. After dropping that statement, with a single thrust of his foot against the ground, his figure soared into the air, flying straight towards the peak of Mount Fangcun. Seeing this, Marshal Ma and General Beng, two strong demon monkey generals, also quickly followed. ¡°Ah, I must trouble the two of you then. If Mount Fangcun can survive this calamity, we will certainly repay you in the future,¡± Jue An bowed deeply, forcing himself to endure his injuries as he chased after them. ¡°Brother Shen, given the urgency of the situation, let''s split up and ask for help,¡± Fu Donglai also said. ¡°` Shen Luo heard the words but waved his hand and said, ¡°Let''s not rush.¡± ¡°How can we not be in a hurry¡­ Brother Shen, could it be you?¡± Fu Donglai first expressed alarm, then immediately realized something and asked. ¡°Indeed, I had already written a secret message for rescue when we left Flower Fruit Mountain and had it sent out. I sought help not only from Mount Putuo and Wuzhuang View but also from the Great Tang Dynasty Government and Hua Sheng Temple,¡± said Shen Luo. Fu Donglai was delighted to hear this, but then he felt something odd and asked, ¡°If that''s the case, why did you not inform Sun Dasheng?¡± ¡°Elder Brother Fu, don''t you find Elder Jue An somewhat strange?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°What''s strange about him?¡± asked Fu Donglai, puzzled. ¡°He claimed that many disciples escaped with him to send a message, but almost all of them were intercepted and likely only he escaped. But why, after speaking with us for so long, have we not seen any pursuers?¡± Shen Luo said, frowning. Hearing this, Fu Donglai fell silent, and after a moment, he nodded, unable to deny the suspicion. ¡°However, it''s just as well now. He''s under the impression that we went for reinforcements, which actually makes it easier for us to investigate. Let''s first figure out what''s really going on,¡± Shen Luo sighed lightly and said. After their discussion, the two of them immediately restrained their breaths and, instead of flying, they quickly followed the mountain path. Different from the last time they visited, where the mountain was deep in the woods with beautiful scenery everywhere, Mount Fangcun was now a place of burning buildings and collapsed palace walls, with many mutilated bodies in between. Among them were both Inner and Outer Sect Disciples dressed in Mount Fangcun attire, as well as many invaders in various garments, indicating just how fierce the battle had been. Elsewhere, just as Sun Wukong and his company were flying over the mountain peak, a violent distortion suddenly occurred in the void. Thin pink threads emerged from everywhere in the void, transforming into an immense net that spanned the sky, caging Sun Wukong and the others from above. ¡°Not good, it''s Flower Ten Women''s Skynet,¡± Jue An said in a panic. Sun Wukong, seeing this, sneered with disdain and stretched out his palm to grab violently at the void. Dazzling golden light burst from his fingers and with a simple tug, thunderous rumblings sounded as five black rifts emerged in the skydome, tearing the pink spider web to shreds in one pull. ¡°Hehe, truly worthy of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven Sun Wukong, indeed formidable,¡± a coquettish laugh came from high altitude, and a tall, sultry woman with a seductive figure revealed herself. She walked on air, playfully moving her hands in mid-air, resulting in nearly invisible crystalline threads weaving back and forth in the void, slowly stitching the torn rifts back together. And the previously shredded Skynet was now restored to its original state. ¡°I wondered who it was. You, a little spider demon, dare to bully Mount Fangcun; have you eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard?¡± Sun Wukong scolded with a glare. ¡°As a little spider demon, I naturally cannot catch the eye of the Great Sage. But today, I stand here to persuade you, Great Sage. You might want to avoid this troubled water of Mount Fangcun. After all, the Bodhi Ancestor has never acknowledged you as his disciple, and you have already achieved the fruit of the Victorious Fighting Buddha, so why bother with worldly affections?¡± Flower Ten Women said with a seductive smile, trying to persuade him. Chapter 1338 Chapter 1338: Chapter 1335: Battle with Erlang Shen Chapter 1338: Chapter 1335: Battle with Erlang Shen ¡°I have no interest in idle chatter with you! If you know what''s good for you today, you will lead your people away obediently; otherwise, even if you manage to escape from under my stick today, I will certainly lead the disciples of Flower Fruit Mountain to invade your Pansi Cave someday and annihilate every last one of you,¡± Sun Wukong said with a cold laugh, warning her. ¡°Oh my, such bloody talk from the Victorious Fighting Buddha is really scary. If it were only us from Pansi Cave, we wouldn''t dare trouble Mount Fangcun alone, but if we just leave, how can we explain it to Lion Camel Ridge and Lingbo City?¡± Flower Ten Women feigned difficulty in response. ¡°Hmph! Don''t think you can pressure me with Lion Camel Ridge and Lingbo City; which one have I not fought against already? If anything truly happens to my Master today, then prepare yourselves for an endless feud with me,¡± Sun Wukong glared as he spoke, giving Flower Ten Women a glance before sweeping his gaze to the void on the other side. There, amidst the flickering silver light in the void, the figure of a tall young man emerged. He was quite extraordinary in appearance, clad in a Coiled Dragon Cloud Pattern Armor, with a White Jade Dragon Crown on his head, the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife in hand, and the Spirit Rhinoceros Moon-Viewing Bow hanging at his waist. His handsome face was full of energy, his features brimming with spiritedness, and between his eyebrows was a deep jujube-red mark, inlaid with a vertical stripe of golden light. The person was none other than Erlang Shen, Yang Jian, and at his feet crouched a large, glistening black dog ¨C the Roaring Sky Dog. The presence of the man and dog was immensely powerful, chilling to those who beheld it. ¡°Sun Wukong, go back. This matter is not for you to involve yourself in,¡± Yang Jian said, opening his mouth to speak. His position was elevated, giving a sense of looking down from above, imbued with a sort of commanding tone. ¡°Yang Jian, after all these years, how come you still haven''t shed that haughty demeanor of yours? That''s what I''ve despised most about you since that year,¡± Sun Wukong frowned and replied. ¡°Mount Fangcun has trespassed for many years and is doomed to face this retribution. Even if you intervene, you won''t change anything,¡± Yang Jian said emotionlessly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Enough talk, are you going to come at me one by one, or all together?¡± Sun Wukong asked impatiently, digging in his ear. ¡°Even after achieving Buddhahood, you remain stubbornly deluded,¡± Yang Jian shook his head and sighed. With that, he swooped down, his palm grasping in the void, and instantaneously, the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife appeared, tracing a snow-white arc in the air as it cleaved downward towards Sun Wukong. ¡°Soul Settler.¡± A loud shout rang out from his mouth as a ghostly blue mana surged from his body into the blade, instantly tearing the void open with cracks, turning into several vertical wave beams heading straight for Sun Wukong''s head. The latter nonchalantly pulled out a finger from his ear, bringing with it a streak of golden light that suddenly extended into a golden staff, which he swung single-armed towards the attack from above. ¡°Whoosh,¡± A gust of wind blew fiercely, with the force of thunder. With a ¡°boom,¡± the golden cudgel shone brightly in midair, instantly smashing all the light beams. Before the rifts in the void could close, a figure had already risen into the sky, moving as fast as lightning, and in an instant appeared before Yang Jian. ¡°Take this stick from your dear Wukong!¡± As he shouted, the golden cudgel in Sun Wukong''s hand turned rapidly in the void like a full moon and swept towards Yang Jian. Yang Jian''s brow furrowed, sensing that Sun Wukong''s strength seemed to have improved once more. He quickly raised his knife to block but was pushed back a hundred feet by this tremendous force before he could regain his footing. On the other side, Roaring Sky Dog, seeing his master at a disadvantage, let out a ferocious bark, his body instantly swelling a hundredfold, transforming into a huge, pitch-black beast towering tens of feet tall, ready to pounce on Sun Wukong. The two Demon Monkeys naturally couldn''t allow the intrusion and swiftly twisted their forms, displaying the power of the ¡°Method of Heaven and Earth¡±: they transformed into two titan apes, effectively blocking the ferocious Roaring Sky Dog. On the other side, Sun Wukong and Yang Jian had once again engaged in battle, both of their speeds reaching the extreme. In the void, only remnants of their afterimages could be seen flashing back and forth, and with the constant clashing of their weapons, a series of golden sparks scattered about. ¡°Teng Lei,¡± suddenly, Yang Jian thundered out loud. As his form twisted, an awe-inspiring purple lightning burst forth from his body, emitting from all around him and condensing into eight thick, purple and black thunder snakes, charging straight towards Sun Wukong. ¡°How dare these measly Teng snakes act up? Watch me, Panlong Mie Fa!¡± chuckled Sun Wukong mirthfully. Upon finishing his taunt, he radiated a thick golden light, and eight golden dragons leapt up from the ethereal light behind him, colliding head-on with the eight black thunder snakes. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± A storm of wild thunder roared as the golden light and the dark purple thunder mixed, transforming into countless gold-and-lightning serpents, shooting off in all directions. Amidst the electric light, the figure of Sun Wukong, shimmering with golden radiance, dashed through the exploding electricity, and in the moment of his emergence, he multiplied into hundreds of doppelgangers, each wielding a Golden Cudgel and unleashing the ¡°Splashy Chaotic Stick,¡± swinging countless stick shadows. A dense thicket of doppelganger golden silhouettes from all directions assaulted Yang Jian, with some substantial and some illusory, their stick shadows crisscrossing and dazzling to the eye. Yang Jian''s eyes moved quickly, struggling for a time to discern the real from the fake. He knit his brow, then with one hand he made a mark on his forehead, from which the jujube-red seal in the center of his forehead suddenly emitted a blinding golden light. A golden vertical eye emerged, and as he furrowed his brow, beams of golden light burst forth, bombarding the gathering doppelgangers of Sun Wukong nearby. Accompanied by the continuous shooting of golden light, the doppelgangers in the void shattered like bubbles in a dream. However, there were simply too many of Sun Wukong''s doppelganger golden images, and even as Yang Jian struck them relentlessly, the disappearing doppelgangers were but a drop in the ocean compared to the increasingly narrowing golden encirclement. Seeing the doppelganger golden silhouettes in the void re-converge from their dispersed state, and the force accumulating within them growing ever stronger, Yang Jian''s space for maneuver was squeezed tighter and tighter. His vertical eye in the middle of his forehead finally could not keep up, closing subconsciously after shooting out dozens of golden beams. ¡°Now is the time.¡± In an instant, all of Sun Wukong''s doppelganger golden images converged in front of him; dozens of golden staffs, each containing immense power, swung from various angles towards Yang Jian. Yang Jian''s heart tightened, and with the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife in his hand, he swept across in an attempt to push Sun Wukong back. But two staffs crossed and caught the blade''s edge, with layers of golden light weaving outwards, rendering him immobile, while the rest of the staffs, wrapped in destructive force, came smashing down. In the critical moment, countless glimmers suddenly lit up the void, and a tightly-woven silver-white net unexpectedly appeared, swooping from below to enclose Sun Wukong''s doppelgangers. Sun Wukong paid no mind to the net and continued his assault on Yang Jian. Meanwhile, another crystalline strand reached down from above, latched onto Yang Jian''s body, and pulled him out of the encirclement of Sun Wukong''s doppelgangers in the nick of time. Sun Wukong''s doppelgangers attempted to intervene, but the surrounding silver-white crystalline net had already closed in, ensnaring them all at once. Within the spider web, a burst of golden light flapped rapidly, and one after another, Sun Wukong''s doppelgangers disappeared until their true form re-emerged. He looked up at Flower Ten Women, who had suddenly intervened from above; a flash of rage swept across his eyes and was quickly extinguished, for his heart was burdened with the safety of Bodhi Ancestor, and naturally, he did not wish to squander too much time here. Chapter 1339 Chapter 1339: Chapter 1336: Delay Chapter 1339: Chapter 1336: Delay ¡°You fool, seeking death!¡± Sun Wukong bellowed angrily as a burst of golden light surged around him. Suddenly, the sound of a dragon''s chant erupted and six exceedingly solid golden dragons burst forth from around him. However, when the golden dragons collided with the crystal web, and their dragon claws tore at the void, the spider web that hadn''t been troubled just now didn''t break this time. ¡°Hehe, Great Sage oh Great Sage, you''ve really underestimated my Skynet¡­¡± Flower Ten Women chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. It was then that Sun Wukong realized the spider web that obscured the sky, which he had casually torn through before, was intended by this demoness to create a false judgment in him. ¡°Erlang True Monarch, you wouldn''t mind my meddling, would you?¡± Flower Ten Women then looked towards Yang Jian, teasingly said. ¡°Is there a way to seal his movements? We need some more time at the mountain top.¡± Yang Jian didn''t answer; he spoke coldly instead. ¡°Since the True Monarch has spoken, even if there isn''t a way, there must be,¡± Flower Ten Women said with a playful twinkle in her eye and a smile. No sooner had she spoken, she raised her wrist and began to dance her hands through the void. Immediately, countless crystal threads lit up around Heaven and Earth, one after another, crisscrossing and entangling towards Sun Wukong. Seeing this, even Yang Jian''s eyebrows gave a slight twitch. He didn''t know when this bewitching woman had laid down such an extensive network of crystal threads in the void of Mount Fangcun. ¡°True Monarch, please forgive us. In Pansi Cave, we are all weaker women, so naturally, we need to make more arrangements when we go out. Otherwise, how would we survive in this perilous world?¡± Flower Ten Women spoke while her hands continued to move, not pausing for a moment. In mid-air, threads came and went, one crystal thread after another entwining. Layer by layer, they wrapped around, and soon Sun Wukong''s figure was completely covered. The six golden dragons struggled in vain and were soon completely turned into a huge cocoon. ¡°With this, can Sun Wukong truly be trapped?¡± Yang Jian doubted. ¡°Rest assured, True Monarch. This Skynet combined with the Coiling Silk Array is most suitable, even the Victorious Fighting Buddha will surely not escape,¡± Flower Ten Women confidently claimed. But her words had barely fallen when the surroundings suddenly gathered dark clouds, and the sky turned abruptly gloomy. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Dark clouds obscure the sky¡­¡± A bellow erupted unexpectedly from within the silvery white cocoon. In the next instant, the cocoon was abruptly swollen by a powerful breath from the inside. A vague figure could be indistinctly seen moving quickly within, wielding a long stick, and immediately, countless afterimages flew out. ¡°Rumble rumble¡± The sound of thunder rolled out from the cocoon, penetrating the sky and causing Heaven and Earth to resonate together. ¡°Five Thunder converge, armor-piercing and cloud-bursting.¡± Another bellow rang out, and from the depths of the overcast sky, a resounding crack of thunder echoed. A bolt of purple thunder streaked across from Above the Nine Heavens, striking directly downwards, hitting the snow-white cocoon. ¡°Boom¡± An ear-splitting explosion sounded, and the snow-white cocoon burst open on cue. Sun Wukong''s figure reappeared, his arm raised high, holding the Ruyi Golden Cudgel pointing straight at the skydome. The nine heavenly purple thunders that poured down struck the top of the cudgel, connecting with the heavens. Flames almost burst forth from his eyes, and the long stick in his hand swung down with the weight of a thousand jun. In a flash, the roar of thunder continued non-stop, and thunder and lightning poured down like torrential rain, overwhelming Yang Jian and Flower Ten Women. Yang Jian''s third eye emitted golden light, intertwining with the thunder and lightning in the sky, forming a semi-circular light curtain, protecting himself underneath. On the other hand, Flower Ten Women didn''t have such strong protection. The thunder and lightning followed the spider web she had spread in the void, weaving a massive electric fire net in the sky. Ball-shaped lightning rolled across it, continuously striking her body. After a long time, the thunder and lightning finally ceased. Yang Jian was still wearing his silver armor, with electric threads still moving on it, while Flower Ten Women was covered with scorched marks, looking extremely disheveled. Sun Wukong, seeing this, carried the Ruyi Golden Cudgel on his shoulders with both hands and looked at the two with a teasing expression, asking, ¡°How does it feel? Are you enjoying it?¡± Yang Jian''s face darkened, and he said nothing, but a hint of a smile crept onto the corner of Flower Ten Women''s mouth. Seeing this, Sun Wukong''s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he felt a vague sense of foreboding. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Just then, a scream came from behind him. Sun Wukong turned his head sharply, only to see Brother Jue An, who had followed him here, being ambushed and sent flying backward, blood spurting crazily from his mouth. In the Void, however, the assailant was nowhere to be seen. His brows suddenly knitted together, his Golden Fire Eyes lit up as he scanned his surroundings. Much to his surprise, he couldn''t sense even the slightest breath of the attacker. Just then, Brother Jue An, disregarding his own danger, shouted loudly, ¡°Watch your back¡­¡± Sun Wukong did not look back; the Ruyi Golden Cudgel in his hand moved as if it were an extension of his arm, sweeping behind him. A sheet of golden light radiating from the cudgel extended dozens of feet, casting a fan-shaped shadow of the stick. There was a loud ¡°bang.¡± Flower Ten Women, who had just now launched a sneak attack, was instantly struck by the cudgel and sent flying hundreds of feet away. ¡°Ergh¡­¡± Another muffled grunt followed; Brother Jue An seemed to be desperately trying to suppress a cry of pain, but during the moment he was sent flying by the massive force, he couldn''t help but emit a sound. ¡°Sneaking around like ghosts, won''t you come out and fight with your Old Sun?¡± Sun Wukong saw that he was attacked again and couldn''t contain his rage as he roared loudly. Aside from the whistling of the wind, there was no answer in the Void. But soon, the guy hidden in the Void responded. Brother Jue An, already covered with wounds and bathed in blood, took another heavy blow to the spine, and his body was flung forward like a broken sack, crashing toward Sun Wukong. Seeing this, Sun Wukong''s eyes blazed with rage, and he flew to meet him. ¡°Brother Jue An¡­¡± He supported Brother Jue An with one hand, intending to help stabilize his injuries, but his speech abruptly stopped. The next instant, a violent force burst forth in front of him. A snow-white giant elephant formed by condensed light charged with its head raised, knocking Sun Wukong''s body hundreds of feet away. ¡°Ao¡­¡± After a loud trumpeting roar, the figure of the white giant elephant dissipated and Sun Wukong, sent flying through the Void, steadied himself. He held the Ruyi Golden Cudgel in one hand, the other arm hanging in front of him. He was bent at the waist, head lowered, golden blood dripping continuously from his dangling hand. ¡°Drip, drip¡­¡± The blood seemed to land audibly, the sound echoing between Heaven and Earth. ¡°Haha¡­¡± A burst of laughter gradually amplified, becoming deeper and more exuberant, from suppressed to reckless. Sun Wukong slowly raised his head, straightening his body. At his left chest, a bright snow-white curved blade was embedded, with circles of dark red charm pattern halos flashing around it. Despite his body already being as indestructible as Vajra, he was still pierced through the chest by what seemed like an ordinary blade, the wound reaching all the way to the hilt. Chapter 1340 Chapter 1340: Chapter 1337: The Great Sage''s Predicament Chapter 1340: Chapter 1337: The Great Sage''s Predicament Yang Jian looked indifferently at the curved knife plunged into Sun Wukong''s chest, a flicker of change in his eyes as he muttered, ¡°Noble Frost Tooth¡­¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was well aware that this short blade was said to be carved from the tusk of a thousand-year-old divine elephant from the Tianzhu Country. As pure as frost, it was also imbued with the divine elephant''s mana, possessing some mysterious power and had always been treasured by Elephant King of Lion Camel Ridge. ¡°Brother Jue An, are you betraying our sect?¡± Sun Wukong''s laughter ceased, and he asked, enunciating every word. Jue An looked at the bared, grim teeth of Sun Wukong, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and said through clenched teeth: ¡°So what if I am?¡± ¡°Then everything you said before was all a pack of lies to deceive me, old Sun?¡± Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes and asked. ¡°Not entirely. Bodhi Ancestor was indeed seriously injured and not far from death. However, the ones who injured him were both Jue Ming and I.¡± Jue An wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and laughed. To make the act convincing enough to fool the shrewd Sun Wukong, the wounds on his body were all real. ¡°So, to purge our sect, one death won''t be enough.¡± Sun Wukong pondered aloud. ¡°Let me tell you the truth: Jue Ming has already been killed by a palm strike from our ancestor. If you''re on your way now, you might catch up with him on the Yellow Springs Road.¡± Jue An, believing that Sun Wukong was gravely injured, spoke without fear. ¡°Are you daft? ''Old Sun'' here has long since erased my name from the death registry; I am one who does not enter the cycle of reincarnation,¡± Sun Wukong suddenly burst into uproarious laughter, taunting. ¡°If the Underworld won''t take you, then await your soul''s complete dispersal,¡± Jue An said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. Looking at Jue An as if he were a fool, Sun Wukong, with an expressionless face, pulled the Noble Frost Tooth from his wound and asked, ¡°I really can''t fathom why you, being a direct disciple of the Ancestor, would betray our sect?¡± ¡°Why? Because the Ancestor was unfair as a teacher. He didn''t teach the human or immortal clans but insisted on bringing in you demon calamities into our sect. What''s more infuriating is that he taught you all his true skills without holding back. Why? Jue Ming and I had already been by his side before he founded the sect and claimed the title of Ancestor. Why should he impart all his skills to you, helping you achieve Buddha''s and Immortality''s status? Yet we got nothing!¡± Jue An said, his voice full of resentment. ¡°You ask why? I want to ask you, even if the Ancestor taught you all his abilities, would you dare to make a scene in the Heavenly Palace, could you protect Tang Monk on his Journey to the West?¡± Sun Wukong laughed in reply, unangered by the accusation. ¡°Hmph, you''re just being used by others as a tool, and in the end, weren''t you still suppressed under the Five Finger Mountain for 500 years? And you''re proud of that?¡± Jue An snorted dismissively and mocked. ¡°And your current actions, are they not being used by others as a tool?¡± Sun Wukong retorted. ¡°This is¡­¡± Jue An, at a loss for words upon hearing this, opened his mouth but didn''t know how to respond. But just at that moment, hundreds of white silk threads condensed out of the void once again, and a brand-new Skynet had been woven, entrapping Sun Wukong in the center once more. Sun Wukong seemed unsurprised, merely looking down at the position of his heart. The wound made by the Noble Frost Tooth showed no sign of healing, with golden blood still slowly trickling out from it. He slowly removed the kasaya draped over his shoulders and carelessly stowed it away, as a red cape unfolded behind him in the wind. The brilliance in his eyes twinkled, his fighting spirit not diminishing but instead growing stronger. Yang Jian slightly narrowed his eyes, feeling as though the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who casually repelled a hundred thousand Heavenly Soldiers, had returned. ¡°Since you''ve all chosen to start this battle, Old Sun will keep you company to the end,¡± Sun Wukong roared, his long stick spinning in his hand as he pointed it directly at Yang Jian. After speaking, his figure flashed suddenly and disappeared from the spot in an instant. ¡°So fast¡­¡± Flower Ten Women exclaimed, quickly pulling her ten fingers in front of her. At that moment, a distort occurred in the void ahead, due to the Skynet she had woven, which cut slight cracks into the void. However, the area covered by the net was already devoid of Sun Wukong''s figure. On the other side, Brother Jue An felt an unexpected panic and cursed under his breath, trying to flee the scene when a storm had already swept up behind him. Sun Wukong''s figure arrived in a flash, the Ruyi Golden Cudgel in his hand showing no signs of holding back. Without the slightest attempt to dodge, he smashed it down hard on the top of his head. A dense killing intent rolled out, enveloping the space below airtight, suffocating. In an instant, Brother Jue An felt like he had fallen into an ice cellar, unable to move at all, and was utterly dispirited. At the critical moment, a flash of golden light appeared, and a figure moved laterally in front of him; it was Yang Jian standing in the way. He grasped the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife with both hands, vibrating his arms as he lifted the knife to meet the attack. ¡°Bang!¡± Where the stick fell, a roar exploded, and a pressure like the sky collapsing and the earth shattering suddenly descended. Even Yang Jian was shaken to the ground by the massive force, causing part of the mountainous plateau to collapse. Although Brother Jue An did not directly resist, he was still affected by the shockwave, his body smashed directly onto the ground. ¡°I always knew it. A demon is a demon, and a devil is a devil. Even if they cultivate Immortal techniques and understand Buddha Dharma, they cannot change their true nature,¡± Yang Jian roared to the sky, shooting up into the air. He was surrounded by dazzling lights, and as he stirred his Three-pointed Two-edged Knife through the void, it seemed as if he could reverse rivers and overturn seas. In the sky, he drew out a thousand-fathom wave that engulfed Sun Wukong. Meanwhile, in the sky, Flower Ten Women also used all her God''s Power to form a golden spider web cage that fell from the sky. It came together with Yang Jian''s River and Sea Fury, creating a prison of water that suppressed all within. At the same time, Brother Jue An also rose into the air, approaching the water prison cage closely. He quickly formed seals with both hands, and from his sleeve, one golden talisman after another flew out towards the golden spider web cage. Heartless Talisman, Departed Soul Talisman, Spirit Loss Talisman, Desolate Soul Talisman, Binding Talisman¡­one was faster than the next. It looked like it was soon time for the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. Sun Wukong, confined within the cage, was also not having an easy time. The joint suppression by Yang Jian and Flower Ten Women was already overwhelming, and the continuous attack of talismans by Brother Jue An was relentlessly targeting his divine soul and mind. As if internal trouble and external threats weren''t enough, the spot on his chest pierced by the Noble Frost Tooth kept bleeding, gradually weakening his strength. The two demon monkey generals he brought along tried to come forward to help but were suppressed and bound by Flower Ten Women, who had a hand to spare. Now, he was left completely isolated and without support. ¡°Sun Wukong, just stay here and behave yourself. Once the matter above is resolved, I can assure you a safe departure,¡± Yang Jian said coldly. ¡°Yang Jian, have you lost your mind, or is Old Sun sick in the head? If anything happens to Bodhi Ancestor, Old Sun will never just let it go. That year, I dared to wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace all by myself. Now why should I fear flattening your Lingbo City with the group of monsters from Flower Fruit Mountain?¡± Sun Wukong laughed scornfully and shouted loudly. Chapter 1341 Chapter 1341: Chapter 1338: Belief in the Ancestor Chapter 1341: Chapter 1338: Belief in the Ancestor ¡°` ¡°At that time, Lingbo City will surely join the fray,¡± Shen Luo said expressionlessly in response to Sun Wukong''s interrogation. ¡°Is your Rune Array not fully set up yet?¡± Flower Ten Women turned to Jue An and asked with a frown. ¡°Just missing the final Hunyuan Talisman, and it will be linked together, heh heh¡­ Your smugness won''t last much longer, macaque,¡± Jue An said, sweating profusely. As he spoke, his hands formed a complex hand seal, and a giant Talisman half the height of a man slowly rose in the void before him, with charm patterns lighting up with golden light, igniting completely. With a flourish of Jue An''s hands forward, the enormous Talisman began to drift ahead, flying toward the Cages. As the Talisman, sparkling with golden light, was about to cover the Golden Cage, a bolt of thunder fell from the sky, striking down abruptly. ¡°Boom!¡± Thunderous Boom erupted, and purple lightning exploded. The Golden Talisman was struck by a bolt of purple lightning, tearing apart from the center and dissipating into twinkling stardust. ¡°Who is it¡­¡± Jue An saw the destruction of the Hunyuan Talisman and was instantly filled with extreme anger. Erlang furrowed his brows, his gaze suddenly lifting, only to see a figure materializing out of thin air above the Golden Cage, holding a Golden Staff, descending toward the cage. ¡°Sun Wukong¡­ a doppelganger?¡± He couldn''t make out the person''s face against the light. With a wave of his hand, the towering Water Waves that enveloped the golden water prison surged up once more, swirling towards the figure above. However, the moment the surging waves touched the person, blue light shimmered through the water, parting like Lotus Petals, creating a passageway that allowed him to pass through unimpeded. ¡°Water-splitting Technique¡­¡± Erlang couldn''t help but frown. He knew that mastering the Water-splitting Technique wasn''t difficult, but to divide the water he controlled was no small feat, which meant this person''s water-element mystic arts must be of high grade. But from what sect or faction did he hail? Just as he pondered this, he saw atop the waves stood a tall Teenager ¨C it was Shen Luo. Holding the Profound Yellow Staff in hand, his gaze was firmly fixed on Erlang below, filled with apparent perplexity. ¡°Who comes there?¡± Erlang asked with a frown. ¡°A Nameless nobody, True Monarch need not concern yourself. It''s just that I truly can''t comprehend why the True Monarch would collude with these evil demons, imposing upon Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo asked with knitted brows. Erlang had no intention of explaining anything, but faced with Shen Luo''s gaze, he found himself, for some reason, patiently explaining. ¡°I merely seek Mount Fangcun''s Map of Mountains and Rivers and ensure that henceforth they no longer admit disciples from other races. As long as the Bodhi Ancestor agrees to these two conditions, I can not only cease the siege on Mount Fangcun but also help them resolve other troubles.¡± Upon hearing his words, Flower Ten Women grew greatly dissatisfied. ¡°True Monarch''s words are too ruthless. Are the other factions in your eyes merely tools for use, to be turned against and fought at any moment?¡± Flower Ten Women asked. Erlang looked at her indifferently and retorted, ¡°Is it not so?¡± Flower Ten Women stiffened upon hearing this, feeling somewhat depressed in her heart, sensing that Erlang was indeed a rare figure among the Immortals, not so hypocritical. Shen Luo looked at Erlang, feeling quite conflicted. ¡°` In the Dreamland of the future, they had been comrades fighting shoulder to shoulder, but now they had become enemies, crossing swords against each other. ¡°True Monarch, the Demon Clan is currently lurking out of sight of mortals, but their malicious intentions have never died. They want to deal with Mount Fangcun, do you really want to aid tyranny?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The turmoil of the Three Realms; does it truly rest on the Demon Clan alone? Without the Demon Clan as a menace, wouldn''t the Human Race still slaughter each other? Wouldn''t the Immortal Clan still oppress other clans?¡± Yang Jian did not answer directly but countered with a question instead. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was taken aback and found himself at a loss for words for a moment. The Demon Clan was only lying low for now; the original alliance between the Human and Immortal Clans was on the brink of collapse, and each had contradictions within themselves, so what Yang Jian said wasn''t entirely without reason. ¡°The chaos of the Three Realms does not lie with one clan, but with the inability to maintain balance. The Human Race, the Demon Clan, the Immortal Clan, and even the Demon Race, all stand independently and check and balance each other. This is the ultimate balance that the Three Realms can achieve,¡± Yang Jian continued. ¡°If that''s the case, shouldn''t you protect Mount Fangcun even more?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. Yang Jian understood what he meant and said, ¡°Mount Fangcun teaches without discrimination, accepting all clans. Once it forms a massive force that combines humans, demons, and immortals, and also possesses the ''Map of Mountains and Rivers'' that concerns the stability of the Three Realms, do you truly think that''s a good thing?¡± ¡°I believe in Bodhi Ancestor,¡± Shen Luo said with a firm tone. Hearing this, Yang Jian suddenly laughed and said, ¡°You believe in Bodhi Ancestor, but if it comes to the situation we have now, where Bodhi Ancestor is assassinated by his own disciple, and Mount Fangcun falls into their hands, what then?¡± Shen Luo looked toward Jue An, pointed out by Yang Jian, and fell into deep thought. If Mount Fangcun were really controlled by someone like Jue An, it would certainly not be a good thing for the Three Realms. But on second thought, Shen Luo found something strange¡­ Wasn''t it you, Yang Jian, who had colluded in the assassination of Bodhi Ancestor and the capture of Mount Fangcun? How can you use this to turn the tables on me? For a time, neither Shen Luo nor Yang Jian could convince the other. ¡°No matter what you think, when the Bodhi Secret Realm above us breaks, everything will become clear,¡± Yang Jian said indifferently. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but frown; they didn''t have time to waste here. ¡°Great Sage, how is it going, are you ready?¡± Shen Luo asked after a period of telepathic communication. ¡°I''ve been ready for a long time, let''s do this,¡± Sun Wukong chuckled with a ''heh heh''. As his voice fell, he and Shen Luo both moved at the same time, mirroring each other as they each held a long stick in their hands, their figures twisting and turning, unleashing the Splashy Chaotic Stick. In a flash, the howling wind rose, and layers of stick shadows appeared all around. Seeing this, Flower Ten Women was immediately alarmed. ¡°Is this kid a descendant of Mount Fangcun or a member of the Flower Fruit Mountain tribe?¡± She couldn''t figure it out for a moment but didn''t dare to relax as before, quickly mobilizing her God''s Power again to reinforce her Golden Cage. Yang Jian, after a brief hesitation, suddenly clenched his five fingers together, and the Water Waves that Shen Luo had broken with the Water-splitting Technique closed again. This time, however, Shen Luo was also trapped within it. Shen Luo immediately felt the pressure around him increase dramatically. He was just in the midst of the Water Waves but felt as though he was submerged in an endless ocean, with the force of the entire sea pressing upon him. Just as he felt a heaviness in his chest, struggling to breathe, a mighty breath surged from below, dispersing more of the pressure, giving him slight relief, and his sluggish movements became fluid again. Shen Luo knew it was Sun Wukong unleashing more strength below, sharing the burden, and focusing his gaze, he continued to wield the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Chapter 1342 Chapter 1342: Chapter 1339: Still Able to Fight Chapter 1342: Chapter 1339: Still Able to Fight Just as Shen Luo and Sun Wukong joined forces to unleash their Splashy Chaotic Stick, Jue An, who had been watching the battle from the sidelines, could no longer restrain his intense hatred and flashed behind Shen Luo in an instant. His hands came together in front of him, and a strange, hook-like weapon materialized in the void, exuding a bone-chilling coldness as if it came from the netherworld, and shot towards Shen Luo. His sneak attack was identical to the previous one, only this time the Magical Treasure had changed from Noble Frost Tooth to Soul Hook Claw, and the target from Sun Wukong to Shen Luo. Just as the Hook Claw was about to penetrate the wall of water and stab at Shen Luo, a thunderous shout came from the void. A whirlwind sprang up and thunder roared as a blood-red Axe Shadow fell from the sky, suddenly striking the Soul Hook Claw. With an explosive sound, the Soul Hook Claw shattered, turning directly into powder. A figure slowly emerged from the void¨Cit was none other than Fu Donglai. At that moment, he was wearing Shen Luo''s Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, and an Invisibility Talisman was slowly burning out on his chest. ¡°So it was you!¡± Seeing this, Jue An knew that the guy who had destroyed his Hunyuan Talisman earlier was none other than the man before him, and he was immediately furious. With a clench of his hand in the void, a Golden Axe glowing with golden light appeared in his grip. His figure flashed instantly and he swung the Golden Axe forcefully towards Fu Donglai. Fu Donglai blocked with his axe horizontally, his aura erupted all at once, actually managing to repel Jue An. Since the battle at Black Abyss Mystical Cave, Fu Donglai''s cultivation level had also grown, and although Jue An had a higher cultivation level, he was already seriously wounded. His anger surged at this moment and he foolishly launched a fierce attack, only to be suppressed by Fu Donglai. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fu Donglai naturally had no fondness for him, and at this moment went all out in his attack. The clash of axe and ceremonial dagger sparked a storm of fire and thunder in mid air. Meanwhile, Shen Luo and Sun Wukong were not interrupted, and their Splashy Chaotic Stick had reached its zenith, with thousands upon thousands of stick shadows intertwining within and outside the water Cages, releasing powerful surges that caused the Water Waves to churn incessantly. Yang Jian furrowed his brows, realizing that the prison he and Flower Ten Women had created together could no longer contain Shen Luo and Sun Wukong. He frowned deeply, and a streak of light flashed through the third eye on his forehead, transforming into a straight beam aimed directly at Shen Luo. But it was also at this moment that Shen Luo and Sun Wukong simultaneously stopped their swift movements. The two stood, one above the other, their Long Sticks meeting the other''s as they swung down. The myriad stick shadows, as if alive, formed into two opposing factions that collided with violent force. An explosive roar reverberated to the heavens the next instant. A shockingly powerful blast erupted from halfway up the mountain, and two hemispherical flashes of Golden Light burst apart, turning into a destructive force that rushed in all directions. The seemingly impregnable Cages were mercilessly crushed and shredded by this force, turning into powder. Two figures surged from the light and rose into the sky, landing shoulder to shoulder. Sun Wukong supported Shen Luo''s back with one hand, infusing Mana to help him calm the turbulent Qi within his body. Shen Luo''s face was flushed red, partly due to the internal tumult of his Qi, but also from the excitement within his heart. The Cages were broken, and both Yang Jian and Flower Ten Women were considerably shaken, but compared to the expenditure of Shen Luo and Sun Wukong, it was nothing drastic. Without communicating, both pairs chose to attack each other at the same time. ¡°How about it, can you still fight?¡± Sun Wukong chuckled and asked. ¡°Great Sage, you seem to be underestimating me a bit,¡± Shen Luo said helplessly. ¡°Let''s go then,¡± Sun Wukong didn''t bother with more words. He immediately leaped forward, taking the initiative to meet Yang Jian. Shen Luo watched as the bleeding wounds on his body continued to seep, and couldn''t help but worry. At that moment, Flower Ten Women approached him, scolding, ¡°Where did this bastard come from, daring to meddle in these affairs? Today I will ensure you have no grave to be buried in.¡± Shen Luo, upon hearing this, couldn''t even be bothered to reply, without a trace of fear in his heart. He held the Profound Yellow Staff horizontally and took the initiative to kill his way forward. Flower Ten Women saw his smooth movements, but his speed was not particularly fast. She immediately lifted her wrist and waved into the void, and saw eighteen streaks of light shooting out from her sleeve. They transformed into eighteen small flying swords, all piercing towards Shen Luo with great speed. Shen Luo didn''t dodge or evade. He directly rushed forward to meet the attack. Just when it seemed he was about to collide, he suddenly employed the Oblique Moon Step Technique. Moonlight scattered beneath his feet, and his figure became erratic, swiftly passing through the gaps between the flying swords. In the blink of an eye, he had closed the distance with Flower Ten Women. Seeing this, Flower Ten Women''s eyebrows slightly raised in surprise, but then a look of delight flashed across her face. She pointed into the void, and the passing flying swords suddenly shimmered with silver light. Each one split in two, instantly turning from eighteen to thirty-six swords. Following that, she withdrew her form backward and hooked her finger forward. In a flash, the thirty-six tiny flying swords reversed their flight, rapidly piercing towards Shen Luo''s back with extreme speed. Shen Luo had no time to catch up with Flower Ten Women. He could only grip the Profound Yellow Staff and swing it back to strike towards the flying swords. ¡°Ding-dang¡± A series of clear sounds rang out as the Profound Yellow Staff instantly swept across the snow-white flying swords, scattering them with a clamor of noises as they were deflected. Shen Luo''s eyebrows knitted slightly; the flying swords were much easier to deal with than he had anticipated. Just as he was wondering whether Flower Ten Women had feinted, a surprising scene unfolded. The returning flying swords collided with each other, creating a series of wind-bell-like ¡°ding-dang¡± sounds. The sword edges, after colliding, flew towards Shen Luo once again. The previously straight trajectories of the swords were all disrupted, streaking towards him from different angles. Shen Luo remained unfazed by the sight. He lifted his long stick and, with swift motions like lightning, cast out several stick shadows, accurately deflecting all the flying swords. However, the swords he had deflected showed no signs of defeat. Instead, they flew back at even greater speed, and each flying sword''s trajectory was different. They surrounded him from all sides. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s brows furrowed tightly. Just as he was about to break through the flying swords'' encirclement, he saw the thirty-six flying swords simultaneously turn their tips and explosively shoot towards him. He didn''t hesitate and rose his staff to meet them. Amidst a flurry of flashing sword light and clanging sounds, all the flying swords were repelled once again. But then, the phenomenon of one flying sword splitting into two occurred again, and the thirty-six swords turned into seventy-two swords with the flashing of sword light. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed deeply as he finally realized the extraordinary nature of these flying swords. ¡°Lad, let me give you a heads-up. My flying swords are called Beehive. Once they touch you, it''s like poking a hornet''s nest. The more you fight, the more they''ll multiply until you can withstand no more,¡± Flower Ten Women said with a smug smile upon seeing the situation. Shen Luo was first surprised upon hearing this, then laughed out loud: ¡°Your flying swords are indeed unique, each one that splits off is not an illusory phantom but a tangible, real flying sword. But as long as they are flying swords, you need to expend mana to control them. I wonder how many can you manage?¡± Hearing these words, Flower Ten Women''s expression shifted slightly. She hadn''t expected Shen Luo to discover the flaw in ¡°Beehive¡± so quickly. Indeed, calling it a flaw was not quite accurate since the ability to infinitely divide was itself a very powerful god''s power. Unfortunately, maintaining the number of swords while also keeping each one powerful entailed a huge mana consumption. And Flower Ten Women had already been battling Sun Wukong for a while, expending a large amount of mana to contain him, which meant her current condition couldn''t compare to her peak state. Chapter 1343 Chapter 1343: Chapter 1340: They are all pretexts Chapter 1343: Chapter 1340: They are all pretexts ¡°Hmph, what can you do even if you''ve discovered it? Today, I want to see whether you''ll lose your little life first, or I''ll be the one who can''t hold on,¡± Flower Ten Women sneered with a slight squint in her eyes. As she spoke, she pointed into the void once more, and the Honeycomb Flying Swords divided again, doubling their number in an instant. A hundred and forty-four flying swords circled around, forming a sword formation cage that enveloped from all directions, constantly flying towards Shen Luo. The number of flying swords increased dramatically, but their speed and power did not change much. The attack trajectories of all one hundred and forty-four flying swords were different, which momentarily caused Shen Luo to become somewhat flustered. On the other side, Yang Jian and Sun Wukong were also engaged in intense combat. Sun Wukong had already sustained injuries, and his previous consumption was also tremendously large. Facing Yang Jian, whose desire for battle was at its peak, the two fought fiercely, and for the time being, it was difficult to distinguish between them. ¡°Manifestation of the Martial God, Crushing Star Technique.¡± Yang Jian bellowed, and silver light gathered around him. Suddenly, a hundred feet tall Silver Light Dharma Image emerged behind him, his hand wielding a massive silver-glowing Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, pointed straight at Sun Wukong. ¡°It''s just the Method of Heaven and Earth; who doesn''t know that?¡± Sun Wukong retorted with a mocking laugh, and following a roar, a Golden Giant Ape Dharmform bathed in golden light emerged behind him. A dazzling circle of Treasure Light shone from the back of his head, and his body radiated no ominous Qi as he roared upwards into the void. The two charged at each other almost simultaneously, their respective weapons swinging out and striking against one another. ¡°Boom!¡± Amidst the tremendous roar, the Ruyi Golden Cudgel collided with the Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, the divine weapons clashed, and the gigantic Dharmforms behind them also collided with each other. The entirety of Mount Fangcun shook violently. The Golden Giant Ape firmly grasped the silver-glowing weapon in the hands of the silver Dharma Image, the delicate golden hairs on its body stood on end, and muscles on its arms bulged, clearly exerting all its strength. Yang Jian''s Silver Light Dharma Image also tensed up completely, resolutely standing its ground. The situation had reached a stalemate. ¡°Erlang True Monarch, let me lend you a hand,¡± said Flower Ten Women with a smile curving at the corner of her mouth, glancing over, feeling she had completely controlled Shen Luo. No sooner had her words fallen than she suddenly waved her hand, and a stroke of golden light immediately sped towards Sun Wukong and Yang Jian. Yang Jian wanted to shout a stop, but it was already too late. As the golden light arrived, a golden Talisman emerged, its charm patterns abruptly torn, emitting a strong wave of spatial fluctuation. With a distortion in the void, a figure flashed out and, in a leap, pounced towards Yang Jian. The moment this person landed, a Golden Staff appeared out of thin air in their hand, it drew an exaggerated arc in the void and was swung in a wide circle, smashing towards Yang Jian''s back. In the rush of the moment, Yang Jian had no time to defend himself. He was struck heavily on his back, and even the lofty Dharma Image behind him violently trembled and was directly shattered. His figure immediately flew forwards, spewing blood like a gushing spring, as he flew past over Sun Wukong''s head and tumbled away. In that instant, almost everyone present was stunned. Flower Ten Women''s move had actually assisted Sun Wukong, severely injuring Yang Jian. But when they clearly saw the Daoist figure that wounded Yang Jian, they were struck as if by lightning, completely dumbfounded. They saw a person dressed in Locket Gold Armor, wearing a Phoenix Wing Purple Gold Crown on his head, treading on Lotus Silk Cloud Shoes, a Golden Staff horizontally pointing forward in his hands, eyes emitting golden light, shockingly, it was indeed the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Fu Donglai was completely stunned. ¡°Great King¡­¡± Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The two Demon Monkey generals bound by Flower Ten Women exchanged glances, both full of confusion in their eyes, neither knowing what was going on. Yang Jian struggled to climb up, glanced at the two Sun Wukongs that had appeared, hesitated only for a moment, then raised his hand to wipe the bloodstain from the corner of his mouth, and looked towards the one who had been confronting him earlier. ¡°Sun Wukong, what is going on here?¡± he asked. The Sun Wukong who had arrived here first, stared at the figure in front of him that looked almost exactly like himself, grinned, and asked, ¡°That year on the journey to retrieve the scriptures, didn''t I already beat you to death with my staff? How are you alive again?¡± The ¡°Sun Wukong¡± who ambushed Yang Jian heard this and casually put away the Golden Staff, then his hands brushed over the two sides of his cheeks, and his originally pointed ears instantly turned into two rows of three vertical ears each. It was indeed the Six-Eared Macaque. ¡°Giggle¡­ Let''s just say you should have been more cautious back then, at the very least you shouldn''t have left my whole corpse intact,¡± the Six-Eared Macaque said, turning to look at Sun Wukong with a grin showing off his sharp white teeth. ¡°Don''t worry, that won''t happen this time.¡± Sun Wukong stood up straight, his grip on the Ruyi Golden Cudgel in his hand tightening slightly. He could sense that there was something odd about the Qi of the Six-Eared Macaque before him. ¡°Boom¡± Just then, a booming sound exploded. Sword Shadows scattered in mid air, and Shen Luo''s figure broke through the Honeycomb Sword Array, floating in the high altitude. Looking up, Flower Ten Women saw Shen Luo, whose thick aura had not yet dissipated, holding the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, and next to him, a Crimson Flying Sword floated, causing her brows to furrow. She immediately reached out and beckoned, and all the Honeycomb Flying Swords converged towards him like bees returning to their hive, merging into one and disappearing into her sleeve. Upon seeing the Six-Eared Macaque, Shen Luo also paused for a moment, before quickly noting the differences between him and Sun Wukong. Fu Donglai and Jue An also stopped fighting, distancing themselves from each other. ¡°What exactly are you from Pansi Cave trying to do?¡± Yang Jian looked towards Flower Ten Women and asked. ¡°If Erlang True Monarch wishes to know, then I shall tell you. Actually, our alliance with you from Lingbo City and the other Human Sects is merely a front, and the reason we wanted to force Mount Fangcun to hand over the Map of Mountains and Rivers was just a pretext, as for our true objective¡­ of course, it is to open the Divine Demon Well of our Demon Clan and the Human Race,¡± laughed Flower Ten Women. Upon hearing about the Divine Demon Well, the expressions of both Yang Jian and Sun Wukong changed notably, while Shen Luo was still unaware. ¡°The Divine Demon Well is somewhat similar to the Yin Yang Cave in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave; it contains the purest spiritual energy and Demonic Qi, a combination of these two forces. It serves the purpose of remolding the body and cleansing the bloodline for the Human Race, Immortal Clan, and Demon Clan,¡± Fu Donglai, seeing the confusion on his face, explained immediately. ¡°You''re here for the Divine Demon Well? When the three Clans made the covenant back then, we had already decided to jointly seal the Divine Demon Well. How can it be¡­ do you intend to openly break the agreement?¡± Yang Jian challenged. ¡°Bullshit agreement¡­ Your Immortal Clan and Human Race specialize in refining spiritual energy, the Demon Clan focuses on refining Demonic Qi; although the Divine Demon Well is useful, it''s dispensable to you and doesn''t touch the core. But for us from the Demon Race, to purify our bloodline, we must rely on the power of the Divine Demon Well. You say seal it and it''s sealed, but what should our Demon Race do for our future?¡± Flower Ten Women suddenly erupted in rage. Chapter 1344 Chapter 1344: Chapter 1341 Desperately Vicious Chapter 1344: Chapter 1341 Desperately Vicious ¡°Indeed, apart from a few individuals and groups of the Demon Race whose bloodline is inherently powerful, most demons, being a branch of the Demon Clan, have undergone mutations in their bodies and no longer possess pure bloodlines. Although they can absorb both Demonic Qi and Spiritual Power to cultivate and enhance their cultivation level, they face a natural chasm on the path to the great Dao. Constrained by their impure bloodlines, they can at most cultivate to the peak of Taiyi and will never break through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm without the baptism of the Divine Demon Well,¡± Fu Donglai said with a slightly solemn expression, speaking in a low voice. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart stirred somewhat, and he began to understand these demons. After all, whether or not there is a powerful being at the Heavenly Venerate Realm in a race is a crucial decision factor concerning the survival of the race. ¡°Breaking the covenant and reopening the Divine Demon Well, have you thought through the consequences?¡± Yang Jian said. ¡°Consequences¡­ If you all die here, who will know the reason behind it? And what is there to talk about consequences? In the end, the story that gets out will just be that the sects suffered heavy losses due to private grudges,¡± Flower Ten Women sneered and said. ¡°Neither the Heavenly Palace nor the Great Tang Dynasty Government will let you act recklessly,¡± Shen Luo rebuked sternly. ¡°Do you think that we from Pansi Cave and Lion Camel Ridge dared to ally with Lingbo City and those second-tier sects to attack Mount Fangcun because of what? If we didn''t have the tacit approval of the Heavenly Palace, would we dare to attack the Mountain Gate so brazenly? Do you think the Heavenly Palace and the Great Tang Dynasty Government would be pleased to see Mount Fangcun control the Map of Mountains and Rivers, recruit disciples from all races, and gradually grow into a colossal entity that everyone dreads? Ridiculous!¡± Flower Ten Women laughed. ¡°Do you think the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Heavenly Palace are fools? If the Divine Demon Well is reopened, how could they not know your schemes?¡± Yang Jian continued coldly, his laughter unceasing. ¡°Even if they find out what we''ve done afterward, what can they do? As long as you all die here and no one informs the world of the truth, they will not expose their own shortcomings. Don''t expect them to admit they tolerated our actions,¡± Flower Ten Women laughed heartily, speaking proudly. It was not until this moment that Yang Jian realized he had been thoroughly used; from the beginning, they had planned to bury him and Mount Fangcun here. ¡°Yang Jian, oh Yang Jian, what is there to say about you? Truly foolish. I''d believe it if it was a demon speaking, but not even if my master had my second junior brother''s build would they be enough to stew,¡± Sun Wukong also couldn''t help but mock. ¡°Why waste words on them? Just go ahead and kill them all,¡± Jue An said with bloodshot eyes and a ferocious expression. As a turncoat of Mount Fangcun, he now longed for Sun Wukong and the others'' deaths more than anyone else. Only when all these people who knew the truth were dead could he remain in history as the one who reinvigorated Mount Fangcun. Therefore, he was not sad but rather pleased at the prior news of Jue Ming''s death. ¡°Be quiet!¡± the Six-Eared Macaque''s six sharp ears twitched, and he scolded in a low voice. On hearing this, Jue An felt angry but just clenched his teeth without showing it. Shen Luo looked at the situation before him, his brows inevitably knitting together tightly. Sun Wukong and Yang Jian''s injuries seemed severe, and it was doubtful they could prevail over Flower Ten Women and the Six-Eared Macaque. Just then, a thunderous boom suddenly came from the top of Mount Fangcun, causing the entire mountain to shake violently. Everyone sensed the disturbance from above and their expressions changed at the same time. Following that, a piercing screech echoed from the mountain top, and the golden phantom of a large bird soared into the sky. After shooting into the clouds, it disappeared. ¡°Wonderful, the Bodhi Secret Realm has been breached,¡± Flower Ten Women exclaimed with glee. ¡°It''s the Golden Wings Large Peng, even he has come¡­¡± Sun Wukong, seeing this, his face instantly darkened, and he said through gritted teeth. Jue An did not mention him earlier, suggesting a deliberate omission. Upon hearing this, Fu Donglai''s expression involuntarily showed subtle changes. After all, that was his former master, and Fu Donglai was still somewhat unsettled about how to face him. ¡°Six-Eared Daoist friend, both Sun Wukong and Yang Jian are seriously injured, and these people are no longer a threat. They are all yours to deal with. I need to return to the mountain top and enter the Bodhi Secret Realm to help open the Divine Demon Well,¡± Flower Ten Women quickly commanded. ¡°` ¡°You go ahead, I will personally take the heads of Yang Jian and Sun Wukong,¡± the Six-Eared Macaque declared confidently. As his words fell, a layer of dark red flames ignited around him, and the golden armor he wore, just like Sun Wukong''s, instantly turned to ash, revealing a set of black gold armor beneath, gleaming with a faint gloss. The black gold armor was surrounded by black fog, emitting an evil charm distinctly different from that of Sun Wukong. Upon seeing this, Flower Ten Women gave up on this place and leaped towards the mountain top. ¡°Monster, don''t you run!¡± Sun Wukong bellowed, about to step forward to block, but that black shadow had already shifted over in a flash. ¡°Get out of the way¡­¡± With a thunderous shout, Sun Wukong''s Ruyi Golden Cudgel smashed down on the dark figure''s head. The latter held up the pitch-black devil stick horizontally to block it. A metallic clang echoed as the two weapons collided! The black devil stick bent at an excessive angle from the impact, while the head of the Golden Cudgel also pressed down on the Six-Eared Macaque''s shoulder. ¡°Ha!¡± With a shout from the Six-Eared Macaque, a surge of murderous Qi burst upwards from his body, he violently shook his arms, and the bent devil stick rebounded instantly, sending a ferocious force throughout, and immediately knocked Sun Wukong back and flying. After this strike, the Six-Eared Macaque did not pursue Sun Wukong but turned and flashed in front of Yang Jian. Just as Yang Jian was about to use his God''s Power to chase after Flower Ten Women, his vision blurred as the Six-Eared Macaque''s devil stick swept towards him, interrupting his spell, and sending him flying as well. ¡°Shen Luo, you go up to the mountain top first and check on the Ancestor,¡± Sun Wukong said to Shen Luo with a tightly furrowed brow. Without hesitation, Shen Luo nodded and leaped toward the mountain top in pursuit. The Six-Eared Macaque acted as if he saw nothing, his eyes only fixed on Sun Wukong and Yang Jian. He truly did not take minor characters like Shen Luo and Fu Donglai seriously. Seeing this, Jue An immediately became anxious, leapt forward, and blocked the way: ¡°Boy, dare to spoil my grand plan, neither of you shall escape.¡± As his words ended, he waved his hand, and a golden Sutra Banner immediately flew out, hanging in the sky and shining with dazzling golden light. In a flash, the Buddhist Mantras engraved on the golden Sutra Banner danced forth, transforming into a series of huge banners that enveloped and descended from above, covering Shen Luo and Fu Donglai. Where the Sutra Banners covered, soul-cleansing Buddhist chants awaited, turning into visible soundwaves crashing downward. As Shen Luo entered the range of the soundwaves, his mind buzzed instantly, and he felt as if he had entered a Buddha Country, surrounded by the sounds of monks chanting, peaceful and warm, making him feel comfortable and relaxed. On the other hand, Fu Donglai''s experience was completely opposite. He felt as though he was being berated and roared at by four Protector Deities, wave after wave of sound crashing through his organs, causing his insides to quake, and a mouthful of stagnant blood rushed to his throat. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1345 Chapter 1345: Chapter 1342: Three Star Stone Chapter 1345: Chapter 1342: Three Star Stone ¡°` ¡°Roar¡­¡± Fu Donglai bellowed, and a violent tornado blasted out, violently shaking the Sutra Banner above and plunging the sound waves of the Buddhist hymns into chaos. In the instant of chaos, Shen Luo suddenly awoke, his eyes sharpened, and the Suppressing God Technique immediately started to operate. The lingering sound of the Buddhist hymns in his mind dissipated. ¡°Go.¡± With a low shout from Shen Luo, a streak of crimson light surged into the sky with a piercing shriek. A Crimson Flying Sword zipped through the air with a ¡°whoosh,¡± instantly turning into three sword shadows and sweeping into the Sutra Banner. After several passes, the sword shadows split from the Pure Yang Flying Sword had already shredded the sky full of Sutra Banners, leaving only a lone Sutra Banner hanging dimly in the air. Without waiting for Jue An to retrieve his magical treasure, Fu Donglai had already leaped into the air, his Green Blood Ganqi Axe descending with the force of cleaving a mountain, heavily chopping down on the Sutra Banner. With a ¡°boom,¡± an explosion rang out! The Sutra Banner scattered golden light in all directions and burst apart on impact. Seeing this, Jue An was furiously enraged and waved his hand again. A string of black beads fastened to his wrist immediately flew out. Shen Luo focused his gaze only to see that the beads were very rudimentary, simply featuring three lonely black stones strung on a thin thread, appearing utterly unremarkable. ¡°Be careful, that''s the Ancestor''s Three Star Stone. That wretch is about to use the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique,¡± Sun Wukong caught sight of the scene and exclaimed in shock, hastily shouting a warning. Shen Luo couldn''t react in time, wondering what the connection was between the Three Star Stone and the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. But before he could figure it out, the string of Three Star Stones suddenly swelled a hundredfold the instant they flew out, transforming into three stones flickering with multicolored flames, hurtling down towards Shen Luo. ¡°These are the very stars the Ancestor drew upon when he used the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique that year, condensed from three actual celestial bodies. Dying under these treasures can also be considered your fortune,¡± Jue An proclaimed as he launched the three star stones, his energy seemingly drained, yet he still laughed wildly. The Demonic Stones descended with astonishing speed, and it was too late for Shen Luo to evade them now. Yet, Shen Luo had no intention of dodging; instead, he stowed away the Profound Yellow Staff and spread his arms. The Huan Ting Jing within him was pushed to its limits, and the images of six Golden Dragons and six giant elephants emerged around him. ¡°Go!¡± With Shen Luo''s furious roar, his arms swung out fiercely. The Golden Dragons and giant elephants behind him charged forward with roars, colliding with the celestial stones transformed from the black stones. ¡°Rumble¡­¡± The clash of the tremendous forces created an Earth-shattering noise. Under the intense roar, the images of Golden Dragons and giant elephants shattered one after another, while the three star stones continued their unstoppable descent towards him. Shen Luo let out a thunderous shout, Pure Yang Qi and Chiyou''s Demonic Qi mingling within his Dantian and coursing up from his lower abdomen. His surroundings underwent violent changes, and he quickly completed the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Seeing this, Jue An was taken aback. He noticed that the demonic-transformed Shen Luo not only had a surge in his aura but also the murderous intent he radiated became extremely terrifying. ¡°Demon Clan, he is from the Demon Clan¡­¡± Jue An cried out in disbelief. Sun Wukong and the others also cast surprised glances upon seeing this. It was not until then that the Six-Eared Macaque''s gaze lingered on Shen Luo, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion. ¡°Could he also be¡­¡± he murmured inaudibly to himself. ¡°` Shen Luo, however, could not care less about how others saw him; he only wanted to rush to the mountain top as quickly as possible to see what situation lay there. One arm was covered in golden scales, the other grew full of black scales, and with both hands, he directly supported the massive fireball in front of him. The tremendous force pressed down, causing Shen Luo to retreat backward, his legs sinking deep into the ground like a plough, carving a huge ravine on the rocky surface. Shen Luo''s sleeves burst into flames and instantly turned to ashes, while his arms, like red-hot iron, glowed with a translucent red light, yet he still stubbornly resisted the giant fireball. ¡°Don''t come over,¡± Fu Donglai was about to come over to help but was sharply stopped by Shen Luo''s command. Being half-demon himself and already severely suppressed by the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique, Fu Donglai, as a member of the Demon Clan, would only be injured more severely, or even risk his life, should he act rashly. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Boom¡± Beneath a tremendous roar, the second fireball crashed down forcefully, the great power of the first ball piercing through to him, causing Shen Luo''s body to jolt and retreat dozens of feet further. Blazing stellar flames surged over him, once again scorching his body. While engulfed in flames, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire also emerged from all over Shen Luo''s body, merging with the stellar flames, and thus dissipating and consuming most of their power. But the greater test was yet to come, with the third star crashing down as well. ¡°Boom¡± The third booming sound came, and finally, at this moment, the power of the three stars merged into one. A massive Demonic Seal slowly emerged beneath Shen Luo, pressed by the power of the stars. His whole body was enveloped in flames, and the vast force pressed him into the ground; his figure was completely out of sight. Jue An watched this scene, his expression turning very ugly. He had deployed the Three Star Stone against enemies in the past, always with effortless victory against those of the same rank; never had he encountered such difficulty as he did today. Yet as Shen Luo''s figure was gradually pressed down, and the surging Demonic Qi from his body began to weaken, a smile slowly spread across Jue An''s face, and he subconsciously wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Haha, overestimating your abilities! Merely an Early True Immortal daring to resist the Three Stars Demolishing Demons¨Cand it''s the power of the star stones refined from real stars¨Cyou''re destined for complete annihilation!¡± Jue An''s laughter grew unrestrained. But just then, as the three star stones that had expended all their strength, stacked on top of each other like candied haws, suddenly flashed red, they all disappeared without a trace. Jue An was greatly shocked and hurriedly flew toward the hole made by the giant stones. But before he could get close, a black ring suddenly flew out from inside the cave, falling towards him. Jue An was startled and was about to flee when an axe shadow already struck from behind. In a panic, he dodged the shadow of the axe, and just as he steadied himself, the black ring had already fallen over his head, ensnaring him around the waist, instantly shrinking to bind him in place. Then, Shen Luo, already changed into a new set of neatly dressed clothes, slowly floated up from the bottom of the pit. ¡°You¡­¡± Jue An, seeing him apparently unharmed, could not help but widen his eyes in disbelief. ¡°The one thing I loathe most in my life is a traitor. You, traitor, there''s no longer a need for you to live,¡± Shen Luo declared fiercely. The surface of the Nine Netherworlds gleamed with a surge of pitch-black demonic light, as the rampant Demonic Flames gushed out, instantly engulfing Jue An. For a moment, the temperature around soared wildly, and the nearby void became blurred under the scorching of the flame. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Jue An let out an intensely miserable scream, which was swiftly silenced. Wukong and the others, who were still in battle, were distracted by the commotion and cast their gazes over to this side. Chapter 1346 Chapter 1346: Chapter 1343: Accident Chapter 1346: Chapter 1343: Accident ¡°Demonic Artifact?¡± The Six-Eared Macaque''s expression slightly changed, and with a leap, he was about to charge in Shen Luo''s direction. This time, however, it was Sun Wukong who flashed in front of him, twisting his neck with a giggle and playfully said, ¡°Don''t be in such a hurry to leave, I haven''t had enough fun fighting with you.¡± Yang Jian glanced at the demonic artifact being wielded by Shen Luo, a hint of hesitation crossing his face, but soon, he too chose to stand by Sun Wukong''s side, blocking the Six-Eared Macaque. ¡°Shen Luo, why aren''t you rushing to the mountain top? What are you dawdling for?¡± Sun Wukong bellowed. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo immediately responded, put away the Nine Netherworld, and sped towards the mountain top. Fu Donglai also immediately followed in pursuit. The Six-Eared Macaque did not persist in chasing Shen Luo but instead looked at Sun Wukong with some confusion, ¡°Aren''t you suspicious why he has a demonic artifact on him?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Aren''t you curious why I, old Sun, have an Immortal Artifact in my hand?¡± Sun Wukong weighed the Ruyi Golden Cudgel in his hand and retorted. Shen Luo and Fu Donglai soon reached the mountain top, where the main grounds of the Mount Fangcun Sect were concentrated, with the battles there being much more intense than at the base of the mountain. The mountain top had already been overtaken by Lion Monster soldiers from Lion Camel Ridge, members of the Demon Clan from Demon King Fort, and disciples from Lingbo City, who were burning, killing, and looting everywhere. There weren''t many Pansi Cave disciples to be seen; it seemed Flower Ten Women had come here alone. The Lion Monster soldiers and members of the Demon Clan from Demon King Fort were already filled with extreme malevolence and had long been killing in a frenzy, slaughtering any Mount Fangcun disciples they came across, even using their essence blood and souls to refine demonic soldiers and artifacts. Meanwhile, the disciples of Lingbo City, unaware that Yang Jian had defected from the alliance with Demon King Fort and Lion Camel Ridge, continued to attack Mount Fangcun alongside them. Lingbo City was a major orthodox sect, practicing orthodox immortal arts, and unlike the other two sects'' disciples who committed mass killings, most of them were breaking through the various prohibitions of Mount Fangcun in search of treasure. While Mount Fangcun originally had numerous and powerful disciples, able to hold their own against two or even three opponents without falling at a disadvantage, now with Jue Ming and Jue An defecting to the enemy, not only did they betray Bodhi Ancestor, but they also ambushed many elders of Mount Fangcun. Moreover, they divulged the Array Techniques and defensive arrangements of Mount Fangcun to the enemies. Utilizing this intelligence, the Lion Camel Ridge and the other two sects ambushed with their experts, causing great harm to Mount Fangcun''s disciples, with countless deaths and injuries. With their strength continually depleted, Mount Fangcun was no longer a match for the three sects'' allied army, and the surviving disciples could only barely protect themselves by relying on the various prohibitions within the sect. Mount Fangcun, once like an immortal land, was now engulfed in the flames of war and smoke, a scene reminiscent of an apocalyptic end of a sect. ¡°This is too much! These actions are no different from the Demon soldiers under Chiyou''s command that year!¡± Fu Donglai, witnessing the scene before him, especially with many being his fellow sect members from Lion Camel Ridge, trembled with anger and was about to intervene. ¡°Elder Brother Fu, stay calm. Our purpose is to find Bodhi Ancestor and prevent the Divine Demon Well from being opened, otherwise the Three Realms are in peril. We can''t concern ourselves with the matters here for now,¡± Shen Luo pulled Fu Donglai back, and said. Fu Donglai, not one lacking awareness of priorities, had just been impulsively stirred to act. Reminded by Shen Luo, he soon came to his senses and nodded. Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief and performed a hand gesture. A cloud of blue light burst forth from his body; it was the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, enveloping both of them. After meeting Zhen Yuanzi in Tianji City, Shen Luo and his companion stayed briefly in Tianji City before departing. During this time, Shen Luo visited Elder Fu and others, having the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing among several other damaged Magical Treasures repaired. Enveloped in a shroud of blue mist, Shen Luo and Fu Donglai''s figures vanished into thin air, their presence completely isolated, leaving not even the slightest trace behind. After advancing to the True Immortal Stage, Shen Luo became even more adept at wielding the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. He activated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, wrapping both of them as they streaked toward the depths of the Mount Fangcun Sect, searching for the Bodhi Secret Realm. However, the Mount Fangcun Sect territory was vast, and with intense battles raging everywhere, they couldn''t immediately locate the Secret Realm. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, considering whether to rescue a Mount Fangcun disciple first and inquire about the path. Just at that moment, a thunderous roar came from ahead, as dozens of thick and dazzling silver thunderbolts burst forth at the base of a distant mountain peak, which was enveloped in a dense mass of black Qi, churning with Demonic Qi and Demonic Flames. The splendid silver thunderbolts, like a blossoming angry lotus, effortlessly tore through the black Qi at the base of the mountain peak. Shen Luo''s eyes lit up, recognizing the silver thunder light as the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman he was proficient in. Whoever could wield such a talisman must have a high status within Mount Fangcun and likely knew the location of the Bodhi Secret Realm. He immediately soared over and within an instant arrived near the mountain peak to observe the scene below. At the base of this mountain peak was a hidden cave, where about a dozen disciples from Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort were standing outside, jointly launching an attack. Leading them were two True Immortal Period members of the Demon Race from Lion Camel Ridge; one, a Lion Monster with a head full of disheveled yellow hair, and the other clad in deep green Armor with four tusks ¨C a Green Elephant Monster. Together, these two Great Demons were operating a set of black Demonic Artifacts, and the just-torn black Qi was emitted from these banners. The Green Elephant Monster appeared somewhat in disarray at the moment, its Armor shattered in many places, half its body charred black, with blood oozing out from many spots, indicating it had been wounded by the just-used Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. With a face full of rage, the monster continuously urged the Demonic Artifacts, the surrounding torn black Qi re-condensing, and a series of black thunder fires burst forth, striking toward the cave. Inside the cave, a layer of five-color light curtain was flickering, indicating some profound and mysterious prohibition. Inside, several figures of Mount Fangcun monks could be vaguely seen, who, with the help of the five-color prohibition, were barely fending off the assaults from the outside Demons. Shen Luo looked at the two True Immortal Great Demons and found them very unfamiliar; he had not met them during his previous visit to Lion Camel Ridge. ¡°Elder Huangfeng! Elder Qingxiang!¡± Fu Donglai recognized the two Demons at a glance. ¡°You know them?¡± Shen Luo glanced at him. ¡°Yes, they are elders under the command of the Great King and Second King. Elder Qingxiang is one thing, but Elder Huangfeng was a close confidant of the Great King, his family and disciples all perished in The disaster of demons that year, hence he harbors a strong hatred for the Demon Clan. Why would he come here too?¡± Fu Donglai''s eyebrows knitted tightly together. ¡°It seems that Lion Camel Ridge has undergone no small changes. However, since Elder Brother Fu has already left Lion Camel Ridge, it''s better not to concern yourself with them anymore. I am about to intervene and save the Mount Fangcun disciples inside the cave, which may require injuring some Lion Camel Ridge Demons. You don''t have objections, do you?¡± Shen Luo said, his brows lifting slightly. Fu Donglai was taken aback, then after a moment of silence, he shook his head, still frowning deeply. Seeing this, Shen Luo took out the Plague Spreader Box and activated its prohibition. Waves of imperceptible Plague Poison radiated out, drifting down toward the Demons below. Even though using the Demonic Artifact would accelerate the accumulation of Demonic Qi inside his body, given the urgency of the situation, he needed a swift resolution and couldn''t afford to worry about that anymore. Chapter 1347 Chapter 1347: Chapter 1344: Proof Chapter 1347: Chapter 1344: Proof Outside the cave, Yellow Wind and Green Elephant, among other demons, wary of the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, didn''t dare to approach and stood at a distance to cast spells and attack the five-color prohibition. Although their power was slightly diminished, they had the advantage of safety. After several rounds of bombardment, the five-color prohibition grew dimmer and dimmer, and the disciples from Mount Fangcun inside became increasingly anxious. A thick-browed middle-aged man took out another Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, ready to release it once more. Among the assaulting demons outside, a few with shallower cultivation levels suddenly halted their attacks, faces showing colors of terror as patches of purple-black poison spots appeared on their skin, tremblingly falling to the ground. ¡°Be careful, someone is secretly poisoning us!¡± Green Elephant shouted with a changing expression, as a surge of green light fiercely protected his body. The other demons, seeing this, hastened to mimic the action, while their Divine Senses spread out in search of the perpetrator. However, Shen Luo had already concealed both their traces with the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, eluding the Divine Sense of the demons. Other demons of higher cultivation also began to show poison spots, with both True Immortal Demons, Green Elephant and Yellow Wind, looking extremely unsightly as they collapsed to the ground. Shen Luo, hidden in the shadows, although he had anticipated this, was still inwardly surprised by how the Plague Spreader Box had effortlessly taken down the group of monsters. The several Mount Fangcun disciples inside the cave were also stunned by this scene. With a slight gesture from Shen Luo, a flash of red light appeared at his hand, and dozens of red sword silks materialized out of thin air, entwining the bodies of these demons, and with a gentle twist¨C Incapacitated by the poison, the demons had no strength to fight back; with a sizzling sound, their bodies were sliced into several pieces by the sword silks, meeting their untimely end. However, the souls of these demons were not affected by the plague poison, and they immediately shot out from their mutilated bodies, attempting to flee into the distance. Shen Luo, well prepared, waved his sleeve, and a mass of Yellow Light shot out with incredible speed, engulfing the demonic souls with a strange suction force. Powerless to resist, the souls were ¡°swooshed¡± away by the Yellow Light, vanishing in an instant. Following that, the mass of Yellow Light swiftly shot forth, disappearing into Shen Luo''s sleeve, leaving no trace. Seeing Shen Luo effortlessly slay two True Immortal Demons and more than a dozen Mahayana period monsters, Fu Donglai couldn''t help but stand there dumbfounded. During their days of companionship, although Fu Donglai watched as Shen Luo''s strength continuously increased, he had not expected him to have reached this level. However, being a man of broad mind, Fu Donglai did not envy Shen Luo''s achievements. ¡°Brother Shen, what is that mass of yellow light? It seems to have the ability to capture divine souls,¡± asked Fu Donglai, curious. ¡°It''s a magical treasure I obtained from an enemy in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave,¡± Shen Luo replied vaguely. That mass of Yellow Light was indeed the Gathering God Pearl, absorbing the souls of these demons to prepare for the activation of the Sky Fiend Corpse King in the future. In recent days, he had begun to cultivate the Thought-Like-Lightning Technique, with his soul becoming increasingly focused, and the stage of crystallizing the soul was not far away. Once the preparations on both sides were complete, he would immediately begin to refine the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Hearing Shen Luo''s reluctance to speak much about the object, Fu Donglai tactfully avoided further questions. Shen Luo pinched a spell to dispel the invisibility of his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, leapt down to the cave entrance, and with a sweep of his sleeve, shot out a Golden Light that gathered the Storage Magical Tools of Yellow Wind, Green Elephant, and the others, including the scattered Magical Treasures on the ground, as well as that set of black demonic banners. This set of banners totaled nine, each one with a layer of Seals reaching as many as thirty-six layers. When combined, their power was not insignificant, but they could not compare with the Devouring Stick, Plague Spreader Box, Nine Netherworld, and other Demonic Treasures. ¡°Fellow Cultivators need not panic, I am Shen Luo, who previously visited Mount Fangcun, and I am not an enemy.¡± He collected these Items and bowed toward the inside of the cave. Fu Donglai had also descended by now and stood beside Shen Luo. The several Mount Fangcun disciples inside exchanged glances, not immediately responding. ¡°It''s Brother Shen and Brother Fu, I recognize the two of them. They sat next to me during the ancestor Master''s sermon,¡± said a simple and honest Teenager inside the cave, delighted to see Shen Luo and Fu Donglai. ¡°Is that you inside, Daoist friend Luo? Brother Shen and Brother Fu are here under Sun Dasheng''s orders from Flower Fruit Mountain to assist you all in resisting external enemies. The Great Sage is currently outside the Mountain Gate dealing with the enemy and will soon enter the mountain,¡± Shen Luo, hearing this voice, said with a raised tone. This simple and honest Teenager was the Mount Fangcun disciple named Luo En who had sat next to Shen Luo and Fu Donglai during the Bodhi Ancestor''s sermon, with whom they had a few brief exchanges. ¡°The Great Sage is here too? That''s great, we''re saved!¡± The people inside the cave were overjoyed to hear this and immediately went to open the cave entrance Prohibition. ¡°Wait!¡± A cold shout stopped their actions; it was the thick-browed Middle-aged Man who appeared to be the leader, with a Cultivation level at the Early True Immortal stage. ¡°Brother Shen, Brother Fu, I also saw you both at the previous Dharma sermons and the Conference. However, our Sect has encountered a huge calamity, and our Elders have been repeatedly ambushed by the enemy''s spies. We must act cautiously. You say you are here on the Great Sage''s orders, but do you have any proof?¡± asked the thick-browed Man as he came in front of the cave and bowed to Shen Luo and the others. Shen Luo frowned but understood the Man''s concern and took out the Green Jade Fingertip. ¡°The Bodhi Ancestor foresaw the offense from Lion Camel Ridge and Pansi Cave, and he had already asked me to take this item to request the Great Sage''s help. You have followed the Bodhi Ancestor for a long time, so you should recognize this item, right?¡± he said. ¡°The Green Jade Fingertip!¡± The bodies of the Mount Fangcun disciples inside the cave all shook, obviously recognizing the Green Jade Fingertip. ¡°The Green Jade Fingertip is the Ancestor Master''s personal item. Senior Brother Juewu, with Brother Shen having this item, there should be no problems now, right?¡± Luo En looked at the thick-browed Man, speaking out. Outside, Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly upon hearing this; the thick-browed Man was indeed a disciple of the ¡°Jue¡± generation. ¡°Since Brother Shen has the Ancestor Master''s Green Jade Fingertip, he is naturally one of us. Let''s withdraw the Five Elements Reversal Ban,¡± Juewu said after a moment of silence, nodding. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Luo En and the others clumsily removed the prohibition at the cave entrance; they came out one by one, totaling eight people, all injured. ¡°Brother Shen, Brother Fu, does the Great Sage have any instructions for what comes next?¡± Juewu glanced in the direction of the Mountain Gate, then turned to look at Shen Luo, still with a hint of wariness in his eyes. ¡°The Great Sage has received accurate information that the people from Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort have attacked Mount Fangcun not just because of sectarian disputes but also because they covet opening the Divine Demon Well inside the Bodhi Secret Realm. This well is the source of Demonic Qi, and once opened, who knows what disasters will occur; even the Three Realms may fall into danger. Yang Jian of Lingbo City, upon learning of this, has already turned against two other factions. He is now with the Great Sage at the Mountain Gate, holding off the strong enemy, while we go to the Bodhi Secret Realm to prevent the Demon''s evil schemes from succeeding,¡± Shen Luo did not hide anything, speaking directly of what he knew. ¡°The Divine Demon Well? What is that?¡± Luo En and others looked bewildered. ¡°Brother Shen, is this true? Do those thieves really want to open the Divine Demon Well?¡± Juewu''s expression changed, asking urgently. It was clear he was aware of the Divine Demon Well. Chapter 1348 Chapter 1348: Chapter 1345: Entrance to the Secret Realm Chapter 1348: Chapter 1345: Entrance to the Secret Realm ¡°This matter is too significant for I to speak carelessly. Daoist Brother Lin and I searched within the Mountain Gate but have no idea where the Bodhi Secret Realm actually is. Could Fellow Daoist Awakened guide us?¡± Shen Luo said earnestly. ¡°Although the Bodhi Secret Realm is a sacred ground of our sect, except for our disciples, outsiders are strictly forbidden entry. However, given the current critical situation, we have no choice but to disregard that. The two of you, please follow me,¡± Awakened hesitated briefly before decisively saying. Shen Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief, worried that Awakened was too single-minded and would refuse to lead them there. If that were the case, he would have had no choice but to resort to some measures under the pressure of circumstances. ¡°Brother Shen, rest assured. Senior Brother Awakened is the head of the Talisman Hall of our sect and carries with him a batch of secret Talismans made by the Hall. Even a late Mahayana stage existence would struggle to contend with them once they are deployed,¡± Luo En, seeing that Shen Luo looked somewhat concerned, perhaps worried about the power of the enemies, spoke up to comfort him. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo showed a somewhat surprised expression on his face, and even cast a glance at Awakened. ¡°We need not speak superfluous words,¡± Awakened gave Luo En a stern look. His body flared up with bright golden light, ready to fly off. ¡°With enemies scattered all across Mount Fangcun, going over directly like this would surely reveal our tracks, and we risk trouble. This treasure garment of mine can turn invisible and erase the fluctuations of Qi, so it would be better for me to lead the way,¡± Shen Luo urgently interjected, as his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing emitted a large swath of blue light, enveloping everyone within it. He activated the invisibility divine powers of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, and the tracks and Qi of everyone present vanished without a trace. ¡°Then we''ll have to trouble Brother Shen,¡± Awakened, seeing the wondrous concealment ability of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, exclaimed with joy. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo smiled and led everyone towards the deeper parts of the Mountain Gate. With Mount Fangcun in disarray, nobody paid any attention to their movements. Utilizing the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing''s concealment divine power, the group went undetected. Under Awakened''s guidance, they swiftly arrived at a lush mountain forest deep within Mount Fangcun. The forest was filled with Bodhi Trees, each towering tens to hundreds of feet tall, a truly spectacular sight. However, many Demons were standing around the forest, completely encircling it. ¡°The Bodhi Secret Realm lies within the forest,¡± Awakened said. Seeing the demons outside the forest, Shen Luo had already guessed as much. Using his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, he saw faint strands of green light seeping through the forest, where mysterious runes appeared and disappeared intermittently, hinting at a Mysterious Formation. Breaking through it likely wasn''t something that could be achieved quickly. ¡°There is a prohibition within the forest. It will take some time to break it. These demons are somewhat troublesome, but luckily there aren''t many, and their strength isn''t too formidable. Allow me to clear them out,¡± Shen Luo said, raising his hand to activate the Plague Spreader Box to kill them and, in passing, collect the souls of these demons. ¡°There''s no need for that. The main prohibition of the Bodhi forest is our sect''s Supreme Yin and Yang Array. I am very familiar with this Array, and it will not be difficult for us to pass through it. These demons seem not to have grasped the knack for this Array, otherwise, they wouldn''t all be guarding outside,¡± Awakened, however, stopped him. ¡°That''s even better,¡± Shen Luo said, lowering his hand, and continued flying forward with the others. They quickly arrived at the edge of the forest, beside a hundred-foot-tall Bodhi Tree. Following Awakened''s instructions, he flew alongside the thick trunk and silently merged into the forest''s prohibition. A late Mahayana stage Wolf Monster near the tree seemed to sense something and looked over, scanning back and forth several times, yet saw nothing. It quickly shifted its gaze and kept watch over the situation in front of it. ¡°The Divinities are currently inside the Bodhi Secret Realm unsealing the Divine Demon Well. We must strictly guard this spot, and even if it costs us our lives, we cannot allow anyone to approach,¡± the Wolf Monster paced and commanded in a deep voice. ¡°Yes!¡± the other demons nearby responded in unison, their faces set in resolute, death-defying expressions. As Shen Luo and his party entered the forest, a vast array of green light sprang up around them, forming colossal tree shadows that flickered like a carousel, making it difficult for one to discern the directions of east, west, south, and north, let alone break the Array. Fortunately, Luo En was very familiar with the arrays here and guided Shen Luo through a series of rapid changes in direction, dodging left and right. Before long, everyone''s vision blurred as they flew out of the mountain forest. A valley adorned with a riot of flowers appeared before them, dotted with fresh flowers and green trees, and clear pools reflecting the sky, resembling an immortal land. Deep within the valley and close to the mountain wall grew a towering tree with dense branches and rugged, twisting limbs, which was none other than the Bodhi Tree. This Bodhi Tree was much taller than any within the surrounding mountain forests, its top reaching into the clouds, even surpassing the neighboring mountain peaks in height. At the base of the Bodhi Tree against the mountain wall was an expanse of jade-green color, resembling some kind of ancient jade, smooth as a mirror, shimmering with a cascade of glistening light. ¡°That patch of green crystal on the mountain wall is the entrance to the Bodhi Secret Realm,¡± Luo En said. Shen Luo nodded, carefully examining the valley ahead with his Divine Sense. Finding no abnormalities, he led everyone forward, soon arriving in front of the green crystal mountain wall. Luo En took out a green token and, after uttering a string of incantations, the token transformed into a beam of light and entered the mountain wall. The green mountain wall immediately emitted a large swath of sparkling light, which rapidly coalesced into a green halo about ten feet in diameter. ¡°You may enter now,¡± Luo En stopped casting the spell and said. Without a second word, Shen Luo enveloped everyone with the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and flew into the green halo. Everyone''s vision darkened as they suddenly fell into an endless abyss, their bodies sinking downward as though plummeting into a bottomless abyss, and an immense tearing force from all around shredded the blue light of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. Given that none present were weak in cultivation, everyone immediately protected their bodies with magic spells. Fortunately, the time spent in darkness was short, and everyone''s sight quickly brightened as they emerged into a brightly lit space, filled with beautiful mountains and valleys while colorful auspicious clouds drifted through the sky¨Ca veritable paradisiacal land. However, before they could take a clear look at their surroundings, the sky all around darkened suddenly. Countless tendrils of Black Qi appeared from nowhere, and thick black chains rattled as they crossed and intertwined at great speed, forming a massive Chain Formation that caged everyone inside. Caught off guard, everyone''s faces turned pale. The chains appeared so quickly that there was no time to react. A blurry golden silhouette, however, shot out. In a flash, it reached the edge of the Chain Formation¨Cit was Shen Luo. Although he had been moving around in recent days, he had been secretly cultivating the Thoughts as Swift as Lightning Skill, a fundamental skill of Tianji City that is extremely profound. Although he hadn''t been cultivating for long, his Soul Power had already condensed quite a bit, and his reactions were much faster than before. A beam of golden light shot from his body and with a ¡°puff¡±, inserted itself into the Chain Formation, which was about to close completely. Inside was a golden staff, the Profound Yellow Staff. ¡°Expand!¡± Shen Luo clenched his magic spell and shouted loudly. The Spirit Patterns on the Profound Yellow Staff shimmered with golden light. The staff instantly expanded dozens of times in size, turning into a Golden Giant Stick that forcefully wedged an opening in the Chain Formation. Black light surged from the surrounding chains like black lightning striking the Profound Yellow Staff. The Chain Formation unleashed a terrifying force that ground against the giant stick, emitting a grating sound of friction and sparking fiercely. But the Profound Yellow Staff, infused with Nine-Turn Steel, was indestructible. It showed no signs of damage, and not even the golden light it emitted waned. Chapter 1349 Chapter 1349: Chapter 1346: Framing Chapter 1349: Chapter 1346: Framing ¡°` Shen Luo seized this opportunity, his arms flickered with the light of Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns, and his figure was as fast as the wind and lightning, intending to slip through this gap in an instant. But at that moment, the chains surrounding him flashed with black light, and five or six tendrils of Black Qi shot out, quickly entangling Shen Luo''s body, wrapping around him several times and firmly restraining him. The Black Qi emitted a sinister strength, indicating it was composed of extremely pure Demonic Qi. Caught off guard by the unexpected capabilities of the black chains, Shen Luo did not panic; his arms, ablaze with Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns, released strands of golden electric arcs that struck the Demonic Qi tendrils. Amidst a cacophony of crackling thunder, the tendrils'' Demonic Qi was dispersed somewhat, and although they diminished slightly, they remained unbreakably coiled around his body. Furthermore, numerous tadpole-sized Demonic Patterns began to continuously emerge from within the tendrils, infiltrating Shen Luo''s body. His Mana began to circulate sluggishly, the luminance of the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns on his arms quickly faded, and he was struck with shock, no longer daring to underestimate the situation. With two metallic screeches, ¡°clang, clang,¡± two bright streams of sword light, one red and one gold, burst forth from his body, slashing at the Black Qi around him¨Can attack from the Pure Yang Sword and the Slayer''s Broken Sword. The Pure Yang Sword barely penetrated halfway into a tendril before halting, but the Slayer''s Broken Sword was far more splendid in its achievements, with a hissing sound, it cut through three Black Qi tendrils. However, with most of Shen Luo''s Mana restrained, the Slayer''s Broken Sword could only unleash so much power. He was about to arduously mobilize his Mana when a series of ¡°hissing¡± sounds suddenly filled the air, and over a dozen more thick tendrils of Black Qi shot out of the black chains. These tendrils were even larger, covered with Demonic Patterns, and if they ensnared him, they could completely immobilize his Mana and trap him thoroughly. Shen Luo''s thoughts raced, and he immediately urged the Demonic Qi within his body, forming seals with his left hand and a claw in the void with his right. His entire arm swelled to twice its size in an instant, bulging veins protruding all over, and a shadow of a black demon claw roughly the size of a zhang materialized beside his hand, grasping at the Black Qi tendrils that bound his body. With a light ¡°hiss,¡± the exceptionally tenacious Black Qi snapped in response. The Demon Claw Shadow continued to shoot forward, leaving several fine, long black streaks in the void, slicing through the incoming Black Qi. Hiss, hiss, hisiss! Those tendrils too were effortlessly bisected, exploding into nothingness, while the Demon Claw Shadow exhausted its strength and vanished with a flicker. Shen Luo was both shocked and elated; that Demon Claw Shadow was a God''s Power from the Chiyou Martial Secrets called ¡°Chiyou''s Grapple.¡± According to the description, when perfected, it was said to be capable of tearing apart the skydome¨Ca claim Shen Luo had thought to be an exaggeration, yet even in his rudimentary practice, its might was considerable. Amidst his shock and joy, he did not forget to continue his escape. Yet, suddenly, a ribbon-like red light shot from outside, swiftly wrapping around his body and pulling him out with incredible speed. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± Shen Luo was yanked out. ¡°Who''s there?¡± Once outside, his Mana flow returned to normal. His body shimmered with the golden light of dragon shadows, tearing apart the red light that held him and stabilizing his stance. The Profound Yellow Staff, Pure Yang Sword, and Slayer''s Broken Sword, his three treasures, flew out from the Demon Chain Array, revolving around his body in a defensive dance, alert to any movements in his vicinity. Although Shen Luo''s escape from the Demon Chain Array involved a complex sequence of spells, he executed each step as swiftly as lightning, completing the entire process in the blink of an eye. It was only then that the other monks trapped within the Demon Chain Array reacted, hastily releasing their Magical Treasures. Glorious bursts of Treasure Light bombarded the surrounding Great Formation of chains. ¡°` ¡°` S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the black chains surrounding them had already completely intertwined, as solid as a golden soup, and the magical treasures that struck the Demonic Array only sparked various scattered Spiritual Lights without making the entire Chain Demon Array shake in the slightest. Some clever disciples of Mount Fangcun, flashing green light, tried to use the ¡°Immortal Escape¡± Technique to leave, but the black Demonic Array had merged with the surrounding Void, sealing off all the Power of Space, preventing any Escape Technique from passing through. Upon seeing this scene, the faces of everyone from Mount Fangcun turned completely pale. Shen Luo, witnessing this, was about to urge the Slayer''s Broken Sword in an attempt to break open the Demonic Array from the outside. The surrounding Void flashed continuously, and more than a dozen figures in black clothes appeared out of thin air, dressed as monks of the Demon King Fort, led by two True Immortal stage beings. One was a Woman in Black whose body was seductively shaped and charmingly alluring, at the cultivation level of an Early True Immortal. The other was a thin tall man, skeleton-like, appearing as if a gust of wind could knock him down, yet his cultivation level had actually reached the Middle stage of True Immortality. He was encircled by a Red Silk Magical Treasure, which seemed to be the very red light that had just swept Shen Luo out of the Array. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, just about to speak. ¡°Haha, Brother Shen, you really brought all these people here; this Awakened is the head of Mount Fangcun''s Talisman Hall, and the talismans on him are indeed hard to deal with. Only the Black Law Demon Formation of Xuan Du can withstand them. This merit is truly not small,¡± the Skull man laughingly said to Shen Luo, his demeanor extraordinarily warm. ¡°What did you say?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback. The disciples of Mount Fangcun had been trapped by the Demonic Array as soon as they entered the Secret Realm, and suspicion had already arisen. Moreover, the speed at which Shen Luo had used his spell to escape was too fast for them to see clearly; they had only caught a glimpse of Shen Luo being swept outside by that red light, and now, hearing the Skull man saying such things. ¡°Shen Luo, you really are a traitor of the thieves!¡± Awakened''s eyes bulged with shock and anger as he bellowed. With traitors appearing in Mount Fangcun today, the other disciples felt a deep loathing for traitors, and their gaze towards Shen Luo also filled with anger. ¡°Everyone, Brother Shen is definitely not such a person. Just now, that man was clearly doing so deliberately, don''t fall for the enemy''s divisive schemes,¡± urged Fu Donglai, who knew Shen Luo well and was quick to defend him. The Skull man''s mouth curved with a sinister smirk as he flipped his hand to produce a Black Flag and waved it from side to side. A black light like a whipsnake shot out from the flag, easily penetrating the Chain Demon Array and wrapping around Fu Donglai''s body, swiftly pulling him outwards. Caught unawares, Fu Donglai''s vision blurred and he was pulled to the outside of the Demonic Array. ¡°Daoist Fu, you''ve also worked hard; leave the rest to us,¡± chuckled the Skull man sinisterly, not waiting for Fu Donglai to respond and shaking the Black Flag in his hands again. A great surge of Black Qi rose from the Demon Chain Array, enveloping the disciples within, cutting off any sound from inside and outside. ¡°You Demon Clan dog thieves dare to use such treacherous schemes against me!¡± Realizing he had also been framed and become a traitor in the eyes of Mount Fangcun''s disciples, Fu Donglai was both shocked and furious, trembling slightly with anger. A flash of Blood Light appeared in his hand, and the Green Blood Ganqi Axe emerged, shaking and sending several door-sized Blood Axe Shadows slashing at the black light around him. But the black light was unexpectedly tough; the Axe Shadows slid off to the side upon contact, as if unaffected by any force, let alone cutting through it. However, at that moment, a Golden Sword Light shot out like an electric arc, wrapping around the Black Qi encircling Fu Donglai and twisted it apart. With a ¡°chi la¡± sound like ripping silk, the Black Qi was shredded into fragments under the Golden Sword Light. The Golden Sword Light then enveloped Fu Donglai and pulled him back, landing beside Shen Luo, revealing its true form¨Cthe Slayer''s Broken Sword. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen,¡± Fu Donglai relaxed and turned to thank Shen Luo. Chapter 1350 Chapter 1350: Chapter 1347: Breaking the Demon Chapter 1350: Chapter 1347: Breaking the Demon ¡°If I''m not mistaken, you are monks from the Demon King Fort, aren''t you? Why do you resort to such despicable means to frame the two of us?¡± Shen Luo steadied his spirit and looked at the group of monks from the Demon King Fort, asking coldly. While speaking, the Plague Spreader Box had already silently opened in his sleeve, a bunch of plague poison spreading out, drifting towards the people around him. ¡°Be careful, he''s using the Plague Spreader Box!¡± The charming young woman''s body suddenly shone with circles of white light, fluctuating violently, as she yelled out. Shen Luo looked at the woman, his brows furrowing. This woman actually had means to sense the Plague Spreader Box, and she even knew of its existence. Only Mu Xiao knew of his acquisition of the Plague Spreader Box; could it be that Mu Xiao had defected to the Demon King Fort? These thoughts flashed through his mind and were immediately cast aside. Since the ambush had failed, Shen Luo took immediate action. The light from the Slayer''s Broken Sword in his hand shone brilliantly, transforming into a massive sword light over a dozen feet long, and in a flash, it appeared above the charming young woman''s head, slashing down fiercely. Fu Donglai, who had been traveling with Shen Luo for a while and had developed a tacit understanding with him, also took action immediately. In his hands, the Green Blood Ganqi Axe emitted an immense blood light; merging with the axe, he turned into a hundred-foot-long stream of blood mang, slashing towards the skull man. The charming young woman was caught off guard by the rapid strike of the Slayer''s Broken Sword, greatly surprised. However, she wasn''t just a pretty face. She spat out two rays of black light, which were two pitch-black short swords. The swords moved fiercely too, stabbing into the golden sword light, making a series of ¡°ding, ding, ding¡± sounds, and actually blocking the Slayer''s sword light. But the Slayer''s sword light suddenly retracted, condensing to about a zhang in length, yet the sword radiance became several times brighter, catching the two pitch-black short swords, and swiftly twisting upwards. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the two short swords were snapped in half, their spiritual light gone, falling down. The golden sword light continued unabated, soaring upward in pursuit of the young woman and slashing again. A chilling sword intent that filled the sky enveloped her. With her dual swords destroyed and no time to take out other treasures, the woman was about to meet her demise under the Slayer''s Broken Sword. ¡°Thief, stop!¡± The skull man, who was being entangled by Fu Donglai, cried out in alarm. The black light from the flag in his hand surged, repelling Fu Donglai, while he raised his hand. A streak of black light shot out from his hand. It was a shuttle-shaped magical instrument that, in an instant, covered the span of dozens of feet and struck the Slashers sword light. With a loud ¡°clang¡± sound, the head of the shuttle exploded into thousands of black sparks, like fireworks, shaking the entire void. The Slayer''s sword light was also shaken several feet to the side. The charming young woman narrowly escaped death, and in her lingering fear, she hurriedly retreated backwards. But Shen Luo waved his sleeve, and a black ring flew out, then vanished into thin air with a flash. ¡°Nine Netherworld!¡± The charming young woman cried out in shock, recognizing the black ring. A layer of flowing black Demonic Qi appeared around her, and she hurriedly shot to the side. But before she got far, black light shimmered at her waist, and the Nine Netherworld reappeared out of nowhere, rapidly constricting around her. However, the moment the Nine Netherworld touched the layer of flowing black light around the woman, it trembled slippery, as if it were slipping. The woman, overjoyed, twisted her body and darted out from within the Nine Netherworld. Shen Luo''s expression darkened; it seemed that these monks from the Demon King Fort were already clear about his possession of a few Demonic Artifacts and had prepared countermeasures. ¡°` However, he sneered inwardly, the number of prohibitions within these Demonic Artifacts had already exceeded fifty, reaching the level of superior Magical Treasures, by no means inferior to the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. How could they be dealt with by simple tricks? Shen Luo''s hands moved quickly, casting a spell. A surge of black light from the Nine Netherworlds erupted, unleashing vast pitch-black Demonic Flames that instantly coalesced into several octopus-tentacle-like tendrils of flame, which wrapped around the Charming Young Woman''s body. The Charming Young Woman''s face showed a look of terror as the protective Demonic Light around her was rapidly burned away, rendering her vigorous circulation of Demonic Qi within her body useless. With another wave of Shen Luo''s arm, the Pure Yang Sword shot out like electricity, its burgeoning Sword Radiance enveloping his body as it thundered and vanished into thin air. The next instant, a Red Sword Shadow struck the neck of the Charming Young Woman, flashing past¨Cit was the Instant Kill Sword Technique. Blood splattered everywhere as the woman''s head separated from her body, leaving her corpse sprawled out. Shen Luo''s figure appeared beside the young woman''s body, and with a wave of his hand, a torrent of red crystal light swept up the woman''s corpse, collecting it away. The Skull Man stood there, dumbfounded. The Charming Young Woman was by no means a worthless individual. As an Early True Immortal, she was a renowned figure within Demon King Fort and yet was unable to withstand even two moves against Shen Luo. At that moment, the Nine Netherworlds beside the Charming Young Woman flashed and disappeared once more, and both the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Pure Yang Sword, their light intensifying, took advantage of the Skull Man''s stunned state and ferociously struck again like lightning. The Skull Man was shocked and fearful, quickly calling back his Black Shuttle Treasure, transforming into a streak of black light, and shot toward the Demon Chain Array nearby, vanishing into it with a flash. Seeing Shen Luo''s display of God''s Power, the other cultivators from Demon King Fort knew they stood no chance of resisting and hurriedly shot toward the Demon Chain Array as well. ¡°Do you also think to escape?¡± Shen Luo detested these people from Demon King Fort to the extreme. Pointing a finger, he controlled the two Flying Swords. Instantly, a ¡°pfft¡± sound was heard as the two Flying Swords trembled in the light and turned into thousands of fine golden and Red Sword Silks, tearing through the air toward the fleeing cultivators from Demon King Fort. Screams erupted as the cultivators were enveloped by the Sword Silks. All their Magical Treasures and protective covers were punctured on the spot, dissolving into numerous specks of Spiritual Light, while their bodies burst apart. Shen Luo swept his sleeve, a swirl of red crystal light enveloping their mutilated bodies and Storage Magical Tools, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± they too disappeared from sight. These cultivators had all reached the Mahayana Stage, possessing strong Divine Souls that should not go to waste. However, the Gathering God Pearl was a treasure of Tianji City. If he harvested their Souls there and then, it would be bad if he were recognized. Hence, he collected the corpses into the Carefree Mirror to extract their Souls within. ¡°Brother Shen''s current display of God''s Power is truly terrifying. That young woman, if I''m not mistaken, should be the Hong Fen Demon Woman of Demon King Fort, who is also quite famous among the various factions. Unexpectedly, she was so easily defeated by Brother Shen,¡± Fu Donglai flew over and praised. ¡°Elder Brother Fu praises me too much. I simply made the first move. You are also about to break through to the True Immortal Stage, and once you do, your strength will by no means be lesser than mine,¡± Shen Luo said with a light smile, but didn''t dwell on the topic further, and quickly flew toward the Demon Chain Array. He pointed to the two swords beside him, and both Flying Swords shot up into the sky. Then, with terrifying sounds of sword cries, one golden and one red hundred-feet-long giant Sword Lights descended from the sky, harshly striking the Demon Chain Array. The black Qi covering the Great Formation was easily torn apart, revealing the thick demonic chains beneath, which were struck by the Sword Lights. ¡°Boom¡± ¡°Boom¡± two loud noises echoed as the chains were cleaved, creating two deep fissures, but these chains were incredibly sturdy, managing to withstand the two sword strikes without being completely severed. Buddhist Chant-like demonic incantations echoed from within the Formation, and the surrounding black light swarmed in, merging with the damaged chains. The two fissures rapidly closed, and within the blink of an eye, they restored to their original state while the torn black Qi quickly healed as well. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows knitted together. The might of the Demon Chain Array far exceeded his expectations. Even if he employed the Splashy Chaotic Stick, he wasn''t sure he could break through, and even if he did, the consumption of Mana would be considerable, which would be disadvantageous for the upcoming great battle. Chapter 1351 Chapter 1351: Chapter 1348: Each Harboring Their Own Schemes Chapter 1351: Chapter 1348: Each Harboring Their Own Schemes ¡°Major matters are pressing, let''s not concern ourselves with these people,¡± Shen Luo said resolutely, as a surge of blue light enveloped his body, sweeping Fu Donglai towards the depths of the secret realm. ¡°Luo En and the awakened ones are still inside that demonic array. If we just leave like this, they''re likely to face more danger than fortune,¡± Fu Donglai hesitated to say. ¡°We can''t worry about so much; the Divine Demon Well is important. Besides, even if we release Luo En and the others, they''ve pegged me as a spy, and they might just get in the way,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. Hearing this, Fu Donglai sighed helplessly and said nothing further. Shen Luo immediately sped up his escape and at the same time urged the invisibility power of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, once again vanishing without a trace, silently racing towards the deeper parts of the secret realm. Having been attacked just after entering the Bodhi Secret Realm, Shen Luo hadn''t had a chance to take a close look around. While flying, he spread his Divine Sense far and wide to investigate this place, revealing a hint of surprise in his eyes. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi within this secret realm was naturally very rich, but it was still far inferior to the Spirit Cave''s. However, the secret realm was filled with another kind of spiritual and tranquil fragrance, taking a breath of which calmed the mind and spirit. Shen Luo, who previously had continually activated the demonic Qi within his body and felt somewhat irritable, now found his restless mind soothing as the ethereal fragrance entered his system. ¡°It is said that within Mount Fangcun, a Bodhi Holy Tree grows, which is the very foundation of Bodhi Ancestor''s enlightenment. This fragrance should be emanating from the Bodhi Holy Tree,¡± sniffed Fu Donglai and said. ¡°The Bodhi Holy Tree? How does it compare with the Jade Bodhi Seeds we encountered at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Jade Bodhi Seeds are merely common immortal realm spirit trees, while the Bodhi Holy Tree is a Hongmeng spiritual root. How can the two even be compared? The Bodhi Holy Tree has endless wondrous uses. Among the most famous is the incense made from Bodhi Tree Sap, which is the finest soul-soothing fragrance in the Three Realms. Not only does it calm the mind, but it also nourishes the spirit, expels heart demons, and other marvelous effects. When attempting to break through a realm, lighting one can increase the chances of success by thirty percent,¡± Fu Donglai shook his head as he said. Shen Luo''s eyes lit up upon hearing this but quickly reined in his excitement. Now was not the time to be fixated on the Bodhi Holy Tree. The urgent matter at hand was to find the Divine Demon Well as soon as possible; otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. He released his Divine Sense as far as possible, still unable to sense the end of this secret realm, nor could he feel the presence of any other demon Qi. ¡°The Bodhi Secret Realm seems to be quite large. Let''s split up and search to find the location of the Divine Demon Well as soon as possible,¡± suggested Fu Donglai, also realizing the vast size of the secret realm. ¡°Agreed, but those thieves are powerful; please be careful, Elder Brother Fu,¡± said Shen Luo. ¡°Haha, I might not be as strong as Brother Shen, but when it comes to the art of concealment, I''m certainly no less skilled than you,¡± Fu Donglai laughed heartily as he patted his chest. Recalling that Fu Donglai possessed Asura''s Invisibility Technique and had cultivated it to an advanced level, which even Ghost Yan hadn''t detected, Shen Luo was reassured. The two split up and flew towards the deeper parts of the secret realm. In the depths of the Bodhi Secret Realm, there was an extremely large lake with emerald-green water resembling a massive jade stone. In the center of the lake was an island, several acres in size, where an ancient green tree grew. Its twisted branches intertwined, and although it was not very tall, it gave an impression of extreme antiquity as if it had been born at the beginning of heaven and earth. For some unknown reason, the ground under the ancient tree had suddenly sunk, forming a pitch-black pit about several tens of zhang in size. One could not see the bottom, and it resembled a heavenly pit leading to the Netherworld. The ancient tree bore seven or eight round, green fruits that did not seem ordinary, emitting a radiant jade light, forming a giant green protective cover that enveloped both the ancient tree and the pit on the ground. At this moment outside the green protective barrier, several dozen figures stood on the open ground in mid air; among them, the four leading figures each exuded a powerful aura that seemed to connect to the sky above and reach to the Underworld below, their cultivation levels had actually all reached the Taiyi Stage. Flower Ten Mother, who had previously clashed with Sun Wukong outside Mount Fangcun, was one of them. Standing not far from her was a skinny, tall old man wearing a long robe from the Demon King Fort, with a distinctive and ancient appearance and bone-white skin, as if he practiced some special demonic cultivation technique, appearing to be a major figure from the Demon King Fort. As for the other two, they were the Six-tusked Elephant King from Lion Camel Ridge and the Golden Winged Peng King. The other figures present were elders and disciples from Lion Camel Ridge, Pansi Cave, and Demon King Fort. There were as many as seven or eight at the True Immortal Stage, and the rest were at the Great Mahayana Stage. Magical Treasures from all directions emitted dazzling spiritual light as they bombarded the green protective barrier, producing thunderous booms like those of a giant clap of thunder. The green protective barrier vibrated incessantly, and the nearby lake water also churned up towering waves, yet the barrier showed not the slightest sign of damage. Inside the green protective barrier, four figures sat cross-legged on the ground, with an Eight Trigrams Array manifesting on it, tightly connected to the surrounding barrier. Sitting in the center was none other than Bodhi Ancestor, who had a fist-sized bloody hole in his chest and abdomen, the surrounding flesh exhibiting a strange black color. Wisps of black smoke rose intermittently, emitting a sizzling sound, clearly indicating severe poisoning, continually spreading around him. However, a bright green light halo emerged around the wound, preventing the spread of the black poison. But the green halo clearly could not completely halt the spread, and the black poison ate away the surrounding flesh. Although slow, the spread was unwaveringly steady. Black color gradually surfaced on the face of Bodhi Ancestor, and his breathing began to become irregular. ¡°Ancestor?¡± A sword-browed youth dressed in Mount Fangcun elder attire who was sitting beside him called out with concern upon seeing this. Another one of them was a demon from the Demon Race with the appearance of a cat, also dressed in Mount Fangcun elder attire. The last person, however, was dressed in Lingbo City''s attire, with a tall stature, golden eyebrows, and an extraordinary demeanor. The most peculiar thing was the star pattern on his forehead between his brows. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Bodhi Ancestor in this state, worry also appeared on the faces of the two. ¡°I am not hindered, you should concentrate on operating the Yin Wood Eight Trigrams Immortal Array, and make sure not to let these thieves break through the prohibition and contaminate the Divine Demon Well!¡± Bodhi Ancestor said, lifting his hand to instruct. At the same time, outside the light curtain, a layer of white light suddenly appeared upon the lanky old man from the Demon King Fort''s body, from which a white Communication Talisman shot out. The old man''s gaze shifted, grabbing the Communication Talisman. Divine Sense entered it, and his white eyebrows twitched. ¡°What''s the matter, Daoist friend Chi Rong?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King asked, looking over. ¡°Someone has broken through Li Sha and Hong Fen''s blockades and entered the Bodhi Secret Realm, and the intruder is powerful. Hong Fen has already fallen at their hands,¡± Chi Rong said. ¡°Hong Fen has fallen at their hands? Who is it that has come?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King''s eyes showed a hint of surprise as he pressed for the answer. ¡°This person, you know him too, Daoist friend Six-tusk. It is Shen Luo from the Eastern Great Tang,¡± Chi Rong said. ¡°It''s him!¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King''s gaze grew heavy. ¡°If he can enter this Bodhi Secret Realm, then the Great Sage Equal to Heaven can probably also come in, we must be swift in our actions. If we delay, things could change!¡± Chi Rong shouted lowly, fully activating two magical swords, one black and one white, before him. A vast expanse of black and white sword qi drifted out like snowflakes, fiercely slashing towards the green protective barrier. Although they had joined forces to attack Mount Fangcun to try to open the Divine Demon Well, they each harbored their own hidden agendas and were mutually wary of each other, reluctant to give their all for fear of being taken advantage of by the others after exhaustively opening the Divine Demon Well. Now that the situation had changed, the many years of plotting success or failure hinged on one action. Chi Rong was certainly not going to hold back any longer. Chapter 1352 Chapter 1352: Chapter 1349: The Source Chapter 1352: Chapter 1349: The Source ¡°Bodhi fellow, why be so obstinate? Just disperse the Array and let us open the Divine Demon Well, and I''ll immediately have Chi Rong fellow cure you of the Malignant Dove Poison. After all, the Divine Demon Well belongs to the countless beings of the Three Realms; it''s time for a change of ownership after you''ve held it for so many years,¡± Flower Ten Women laughed after hearing Chi Rong and the Six-tusked Elephant King''s conversation. Her voice was filled with an enchanting charm that turned one''s bones soft. Such charm power of the heart and spirit couldn''t be blocked by the Protective Cover. Two elders from Mount Fangcun and the Golden Brow Man from Lingbo City trembled upon hearing her, their eyes flickering with confusion, but they quickly regained their composure. The two elders from Mount Fangcun immediately focused their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, concentrating their energy and focusing on operating the Array. ¡°The Divine Demon Well was decided to be sealed by the people, immortals, demons, and the many forces of the Three Realms together. Do you, Lion Camel Ridge, Demon King Fort, and Pansi Cave really dare to open it and make enemies with all the sects in the Three Realms?¡± the Golden Brow Man from Lingbo City roared angrily. ¡°Now it''s Mount Fangcun that''s being besieged by the sects of the Three Realms. Besides, as long as we kill you, who will know we ever laid a hand on the Divine Demon Well?¡± Flower Ten Women chuckled, the charm in her voice even heavier. The Golden Brow Man felt agitated and dared not make eye contact with Flower Ten Women any longer. He hurriedly closed his eyes and focused to stabilize his mind. ¡°The Divine Demon Well concerns the well-being of billions in the Three Realms. Even if I were to fall here today, I will not let you lay a finger on it!¡± said the Bodhi Ancestor, unaffected by Flower Ten Women''s charm spell, resolutely. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His clear voice surged forth, immediately sweeping away the charm that had seeped into the Protective Cover. ¡°If that''s the case, then die!¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King no longer concealed himself. A flash of golden light in his hand revealed a massive golden gun about a zhang long, with its head like a serpent, striking the green Protective Cover. A golden light pillar, thick as a mountain peak, descended from the sky with an immense force, showing the shadowy figure of an elephant''s leg within, shaking the Void as it struck the green Protective Cover like a meteor. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± visible ripples spread through the Void, and the ground of the island rumbled, instantly cracking open with countless fissures. The lake water around the island shot out in all directions, revealing a vast expanse of dry lakebed. The green Protective Cover fiercely flashed, indenting three zhang, but it seemed extraordinarily tough and did not shatter. This distance of three zhang exhausted the power of the massive golden gun strike, and the two forces were at a stalemate, causing the Six-tusked Elephant King''s expression to turn grave. The Demon King Fort''s Chi Rong moved his arm, flicking a finger towards the front. A flash of white light at the tip of his finger, and a small segment of bone-chillingly white fingernail shot out with a ¡°swoosh,¡± already in front of the green curtain of light in a blink, enlarging to the size of a millstone with flashes of white light, and struck the curtain. The green curtain of light dented down another zhang and held firmly, cracking with a sound as if it was about to shatter at any moment. But the Bodhi Ancestor swept his sleeve, and a swirl of green light wrapped around the white fingernail. The taut curtain of the light instantly returned to normal, and on the other side, a green vortex appeared. A white light shot out from it, with a ¡°swoosh¡± it entered the distant lake surface, disappearing without a trace. ¡°What!¡± Seeing this, Chi Rong''s expression also changed. ¡°The Yin Wood Eight Trigrams Immortal Array is Mount Fangcun''s number one Defensive Formation, not something that can be broken by one or two individuals. Everyone, together, let''s give it our all!¡± the Golden Winged Peng King next to him let out a piercing cry, his entire body blazing with golden light, reaching into the Void with both hands. Two huge golden claws the size of small mountains appeared out of thin air above the green curtain of light, flickering with blinding golden light. Just one glance at them caused eye pain as they grabbed onto the green curtain of light. Flower Ten Women also spared no effort, once again summoning the Honeycomb Flying Swords from before. In a series of flashes, they turned into exactly 360 white Sword Shadows. Each Sword Shadow soared to the sky with overwhelming Sword Qi, falling with immense cutting force onto the green Protective Cover. The others hurried to help, with Magical Treasures of various colors shooting from all directions, fiercely bombarding the green curtain of light. Inside the green Protective Cover, the expressions of the Bodhi Ancestor and others changed, and they hastened to exert all their strength to drive the Array beneath them. The green light emitted by the surrounding Ancient Trees intensified, rapidly infusing into the Yin Wood Eight Trigrams Immortal Array, attempting to stabilize the Protective Cover. At this moment, ten miles away in the void, a seemingly nonexistent figure shot out of the distance and silently came to a halt. It was Shen Luo, who had concealed his tracks using the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and an Invisibility Talisman. ¡°Found it! It really is here!¡± The situation on the island ahead caught his eyes, and his face lit up with joy. After parting with Fu Donglai, Shen Luo, with no clues to follow, had searched fruitlessly for the existence of the Divine Demon Well. At a loss, he simply followed the fragrance within the secret realm, searching for its source, the Bodhi Holy Tree. The well such as the Divine Demon Well, a place of great importance, would certainly have numerous seals placed on it by the Bodhi Ancestor. The entire Bodhi Secret Realm, where that particular Bodhi Holy Tree was the most spiritually powerful, led Shen Luo to guess that there might be a connection between the two. He didn''t expect his guess would prove to be correct. But as soon as he got a clear view of the situation on the island, his expression turned extremely grave, and the joy of finding the Divine Demon Well instantly vanished. Although Shen Luo had long expected that the Divine Demon Well would attract a large number of powerful figures, he didn''t anticipate such formidable characters being present. Having reached the True Immortal Stage, his strength had greatly increased, and he was confident in countering any True Immortal cultivator, but Taiyi Stage cultivators were a different matter. Previously, in his encounter with Flower Ten Women, she obviously hadn''t exerted her full strength, and he had already found himself in a sorry state. Now, with four Taiyi existences present, he certainly couldn''t overcome them, and being discovered would surely lead to a dead end. Shen Luo fully activated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and Invisibility Talisman, concealing every trace of his presence, not daring to reveal even the slightest bit as he frantically thought of a strategy. Not to mention whether the Plague Spreader Box would be effective against a Taiyi existence, the charming young woman just now had a method to sense the plague poison from the box; it was likely that these people had ways to detect it too, making a sneak attack with the poison seem unfeasible. The situation with the Nine Netherworld ring was the same; at best, it could only attack one person at a time, and even if successful, the others would be alerted. As for the other treasures he had on him, under the current circumstances, they wouldn''t be of much use either. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed tightly, finding himself at a complete loss for what to do. At this time, far away on the island, as the Six-tusked Elephant King and the others went all out, the situation immediately changed. Despite the Bodhi Ancestor and others'' best efforts to stimulate the barrier, the green light on the light curtain still began to weaken, and the range started to shrink. In just a moment, the green light curtain had shrunk by nearly half. ¡°The Yimu Immortal Array won''t hold much longer, everyone, put in a bit more effort!¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King shouted gleefully. With a flick of his golden gigantic spear, eight substantial spear shadows emerged. Each spear shadow emitted a strong fluctuation just like the golden gigantic spear, appearing to be a divine power similar to the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword, and they heavily bombarded the green light curtain. Adjacent was Chi Rong, who spat out a mouthful of pure Demonic Qi, merging it into the twin swords, one black and one white. Instantly, the light from the twin swords surged violently, spinning rapidly and forming a black-and-white light pillar, several dozen feet long and as thick as a millstone, filled with countless sharp sword Qi revolving inside, emitting a terrifying whistling sound as it fiercely struck the green light curtain. The Golden Winged Peng King and Flower Ten Women also hurriedly intensified their attacks; the power of the golden giant claws and the Honeycomb Sword Array also suddenly increased by a great deal. The green light curtain flickered wildly, its protective light rapidly dissipating, and its coverage shrank once more significantly, barely managing to protect the Yimu Immortal Array. Parts of the Bodhi Holy Tree were now outside the curtain, revealing a branch with a green fruit hanging from it. Chapter 1353 Chapter 1353: Chapter 1350: Strive Chapter 1353: Chapter 1350: Strive Not far away, a Lion Camel Ridge True Immortal Green Wolf, eyeing a branch of the Bodhi Holy Tree that peeked through the green light curtain, flashed a hint of greed in its eyes and immediately pounced over. Opening its mouth, it sprayed out a blade-like silver light, chopping at the branch where the green fruit was located. With a ¡°clang,¡± a burst of silver light erupted from the branch, which was only partially severed. ¡°It''s so hard!¡± the green Wolf Monster exclaimed in surprise, but it promptly swung the silver spear in its hand. A streak of silver light shot out, striking the same spot where the silver light had previously attacked, finally severing the branch along with the green fruit on top, which it collected. The other Demon Race members also realized that this ancient tree was the key to the Yin Wood Eight Trigrams Immortal Array. While continuing their fierce attack on the Array Light Screen, they also deployed various Magical Treasures to attack the tree, causing the Array''s light curtain to wobble even more dangerously. Shen Luo, who was watching from a distance, knew he could no longer stand by. Otherwise, the green light curtain would undoubtedly be broken, and by then, the situation would truly be unmanageable. He flipped his hand to retrieve the Plague Spreader Box, activating the Plague Poison within to drift toward the people on the island, while he himself moved closer to the island. Just as the Plague Poison began to waft over the island, Chi Rong''s body immediately shone with a layer of white light. ¡°The Plague Spreader Box! Shen Luo has already arrived nearby!¡± Chi Rong shouted loudly, scanning his surroundings abruptly. The other three Taiyi Existences, hearing this, also looked around, their immense Divine Sense spreading out, but they were astounded to find that they could not detect Shen Luo''s whereabouts, all uttering exclamations of surprise. ¡°He has an invisibility treasure on him. It seems he really has some tricks. We must first find a way to locate him!¡± Chi Rong formed a hand seal and pointed, sending dozens of white lights from his fingertips into the bodies of all the demons present. The demons'' bodies immediately lit up with a layer of white light, resisting the Plague Poison. ¡°An invisibility treasure? Hmph, a mere trifle!¡± Golden Winged Peng King snorted coldly, as a flash of golden light danced behind him. Two golden wings burst out and flapped in the surroundings. With the sound of whooshing, countless feather-like golden lights shot out from the wings. Then, with a loud explosive noise, those golden lights burst into countless showers of golden light, producing a dreamy and dazzling spectacle. However, hidden within this beautiful scene was a deadly threat; each golden light shower was a razor-sharp needle, chilling to the bone, instantly submerging an area around it for more than a dozen miles. Although the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing could conceal Shen Luo''s movements and Breath, as it had a physical presence, it was immediately struck by a swath of golden needles. These needles, extremely sharp and incredibly fast, made it so that not even the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing''s dodging and shifting powers could avoid them all. Shen Luo''s body was pierced by more than a dozen golden needles, rendering his protective golden light virtually useless. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He was in intense pain, as if pierced by a thousand swords, and his ability to channel his Mana was also affected. He materialized as a vague blue shadow at the edge of the island. But as quickly as the pain came, it also subsided, disappearing in a flash. However, his whereabouts were now completely exposed. ¡°It really is you! How dare you kill an elder of the Demon King Fort. Now you will die by my hand!¡± Chi Rong, who was nearest to Shen Luo, immediately looked over. He did not activate the Black and White Bone Sword but instead reached out towards the Void with a single hand. In midair, rolling black Qi burst forth, and an enormous demon hand covered in black hair flashed down like lightning, aimed straight at the top of Shen Luo''s skull. Shen Luo had expected that he might be discovered despite his invisibility and did not panic. Seeing Chi Rong''s single-handed strike, he let out a cold laugh. ¡°This old Demon Clan thinks he''s a Heavenly Venerate master, to think that would be enough to kill me!¡± he declared with utter fearlessness. He channeled power into the Profound Yellow Staff, turning it into a golden club as thick as a bowl. He himself shone with golden light, his arms transforming into powerful dragon claws as he gripped the Profound Yellow Staff and struck upwards. A ¡°boom¡± echoed like the sound of a large bell. The Profound Yellow Staff and the massive demon claw instantly erupted into a burst of golden fog-like explosion, sending shockwaves sweeping out in all directions like a hurricane. Monks of the True Immortal Stage and Great Mahayana Stage on the island were thrown into disarray, tumbling in all directions, while those with slightly weaker mana had their God''s Power disabled and fell from the sky. Shen Luo''s body shook violently, but he immediately steadied himself and simultaneously activated the Slanting Moon Steps, Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, and Splitting Stone Step, turning into a golden afterimage as he pounced toward a true immortal demon being nearby¨Cthe very True Immortal Green Wolf from Lion Camel Ridge. The golden light of the Profound Yellow Staff flashed, conjuring three staff phantoms as he boldly executed the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. At the same time, a black light flashed from his sleeve, revealing the Nine Netherworld, which vanished in a blink. While Shen Luo deployed the three techniques, his movements were as fast as thunderclaps and lightning flashes. The True Immortal Green Wolf, already unsteady from the recent shock, only started to react as the three staff shadows struck down from above. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The wolf demon howled furiously, raising its silver war spear in futile resistance against the overwhelming force of the Splashy Chaotic Stick. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the silver war spear was sent flying, and the upper half of the Green Wolf''s body exploded into a mist of blood. But before the blood mist could disperse, a red light shot out from Shen Luo, enveloping the wolf demon''s remains and causing its body to disappear into thin air. Not far away, another True Immortal Tiger Demon from Lion Camel Ridge, still somewhat dazed, had a flash of black light at its waist¨Cthe Nine Netherworld reappeared abruptly as swathes of pitch-black demonic flames engulfed it, turning the true immortal demon into a fireball amid its piercing screams of agony. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before its complete demise, another streak of red light shot over, and that tiger demon also vanished without a trace. In almost the blink of an eye, two True Immortal Demon Clan members had fallen at Shen Luo''s hands. The Six-tusked Elephant King and the Golden Winged Peng were instantly enraged and abandoned the green light curtain to pounce together. Just as Shen Luo had disposed of the tiger demon''s corpse, a flash of golden light before his eyes revealed a huge golden war spear, the size of a tower, and two long splendid golden lights attacking in a fleeting moment. His eyes narrowed in alarm, and a chill filled his heart. Above his head, a golden light flashed as the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet appeared, casting countless golden rays downward to form a protective cover shield over his entire body. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing also surged with blue light, unleashing a multitude of blue clouds for an additional layer of defense. At the same time, he flipped his palm and the Bloodthirsty Flag appeared in his hand. No sooner had Shen Luo completed these actions than the massive golden spear and the splendid golden lights descended from the sky, colliding with the golden protective barrier formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. He was sent flying backward as if struck by a meteor, slamming fiercely into the ground. His vision spun wildly, the golden protective barrier collapsed and vanished, with just a thin layer of blue clouds remaining on the Luo Brocade Clothing. ¡°Eh!¡± As he struggled with dizziness, the surprised exclamations of the Six-tusked Elephant King and the Golden Winged Peng sounded from above. At that moment, a bright light erupted before his eyes, as a majestic black and white sword light attacked from the left and right. Shen Luo took a deep breath, the golden light of the Profound Yellow Staff intensifying as several staff shadows met the two sword lights, and the Bloodthirsty Flag also turned into a black light screen wrapping around his body. The blue clouds on the Luo Brocade Clothing instantly thickened exponentially. Following another fierce collision, Shen Luo fared somewhat better this time, merely staggering back a few steps before regaining his footing. Under the Bodhi Tree, the green light curtain had been on the brink of collapse, but Shen Luo''s disruption, drawing away the attacks of three Taiyi Existences and quite a few True Immortal cultivators, allowed it to stabilize once more. The few inside the formation were both shocked and elated, hastening to continue stabilizing the array. Seeing this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. The Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns on his arms lit up, and a pair of gold and green spirit wings emerged on his back. Transforming into a golden green phantom, he hesitated not a moment longer and fled into the distance. His strike was not meant to destroy these enemies; if he could provide even a moment of respite for the Bodhi Ancestor and the others, that was already good enough. To stay any longer would have been certain death. Chapter 1354 Chapter 1354: 1351 Chapter 1354: 1351 ¡°` ¡°Thought you could just come and go as you please? Not so easy! Everyone, stay put.¡± Flower Ten Women, who had not made a move until now, suddenly revealed a cold smile. A white light burst forth from the ground, and a white spider web several acres in size appeared out of nowhere, instantly ensnaring Shen Luo. The white spider web was extremely sticky. Shen Luo, transformed into a golden cyan phantom, was like a moth trapped in a spider''s web¨Cno matter how he struggled, he couldn''t break free, and his expression turned grave. ¡°Well done, Spider Silk Daoist Friend. Shen Luo, you thief, to think you''d dare show your face before me again. Take this spear from me!¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King exclaimed with delight, as his golden giant spear once again whooshed toward Shen Luo. The Golden Wings Large peng remained silent, his double wings brandishing a stroke, with two streaks of golden light also slashing at Shen Luo. Chi Rong, having failed in two attempts to strike, was both shocked and furious. He formed hand seals and pointed into the void at the black and white swords. The swords'' radiance greatly intensified, swiftly interweaving and spinning to form a black and white sword pillar tens of yards long and as thick as a millstone, fiercely twisting down to slaughter Shen Luo. This time, Shen Luo couldn''t avoid it. Even before the attacks of the three Taiyi existences truly descended, three overwhelming forces fell from the sky, nearly pressing him to the ground. Shen Luo''s eyes twitched anxiously. He immediately formed hand seals, and a vast expanse of golden light and black gleam burst forth from his body. His stature suddenly increased by several times, and half of his body underwent demonic transformation while the other half turned golden. In an instant, he deployed the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power. With a ¡°boom,¡± he exploded with a mana fluctuation ten times more intense than before, making the nearby void buzz and tremble. While activating the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power, his Profound Yellow Staff in hand surged with golden light tenfold, performing the Splashy Chaotic Stick move. Countless staff shadows emerged, colliding with the attacks of the three. And treasures like the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, Bloodthirsty Flag, and Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing also shone brilliantly, blocking overhead. Several thunderous booms exploded. The nearby void became twisted and blurry, emitting a grating ¡°crack¡± sound, as if it was on the verge of collapsing at any moment. Gold, black, white, and other colored lights interwove and collided, forming several tornadoes that soared into the sky and ravaged in all directions. The Six-tusked Elephant King, Golden Wings Large peng, Chi Rong, and others nearby were also blasted away, and the white ground spider web was ripped apart. And half of Shen Luo''s body had plunged into the ground. His gold and black body was severely damaged in many places, with blood gushing out. His tall spiritual body had shrunk by nearly half, looking utterly miserable. Although he had deployed the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power, facing three Taiyi existences alone, he was ultimately no match and was now heavily injured, with mana and Demonic Qi entangled inside him. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Ha ha, Your Excellency, from which sect are you? To be able to send three Taiyi flying with a single strike, we at Star Vault are truly convinced!¡± Several people inside the green light curtain saw this scene and showed surprise, especially the Lingbo City Golden Brow Man who laughed heartily, his face full of admiration. Shen Luo gave a wry smile, not responding. He forcefully gathered his breath, trying to leap from the ground. But with his mana and Demonic Qi entwined inside, he couldn''t muster any strength and failed to jump out. A whooshing sound suddenly arose, and countless fierce white sword lights descended from the sky. Flower Ten Women made her move, seeking to completely slay him while he was weak, leaving no room for trouble. Now unable to move, Shen Luo felt his heart sink. But a flash of light circled him, and a large painting scroll appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around his body before both vanished into thin air, causing the sky full of sword rain to miss and pour down onto the ground. The ground rumbled and vibrated, instantly revealing a bottomless big pit. Shen Luo''s vision blurred, and in the next moment, he appeared beside the green light curtain. It was Bodhi Ancestor who had saved him at the crucial moment. In his hand was a painting scroll, the Map of Mountains and Rivers. A gentle force surged into Shen Luo''s body from the Map, instantly soothing the turbulent mana and Demonic Qi. ¡°Elder Gui, quickly open the Yimu Immortal Array and let Brother Shen in!¡± Bodhi Ancestor''s situation seemed very dire at the moment, with the black deadly poison of the wound spreading beyond the green halo. Holding the Map of Mountains and Rivers, his hands were trembling, perhaps due to just having cast a spell to save Shen Luo. He spoke to the sword-browed youth next to him. ¡°Yes, Brother Shen, you have worked hard. Please enter quickly!¡± The sword-browed youth hurriedly took out a green wooden token and activated it with a spell. ¡°` A green light shot out from the token, hitting the green light curtain in front of Shen Luo. A door-like phantom quickly took shape on the light curtain. ¡°Elder Gui, stop! That Shen Luo is an enemy spy; you must not let him enter the Yimu Immortal Array!¡± Just at that moment, a long cry came from the distance. Several streaks of escape light appeared in the distant sky, it was Jue Ming and the others who had actually escaped from the Demon Chain Array. The sword-browed youth was startled upon hearing this, and the green light shooting out from the token in his hand suddenly stopped. After hearing these words, Bodhi Ancestor''s expression also froze. Shen Luo was about to explain when Jue Ming''s voice came through again. ¡°We previously thought that Shen Luo was here to help, so we took him into the Bodhi Secret Realm with us. However, he had ulterior motives and led us into a trap of the Demon King Fort''s Demonic Array. We almost lost our lives there. Ancestor Master and Elder Gui must not let him enter the formation!¡± ¡°So, Your Excellency is a spy, huh! Scram!¡± the sword-browed youth angrily chided, waving the sleeve of his robe and the token in his hand, and the door-like phantom on the light curtain immediately dissipated into nothingness. ¡°You vile traitors, you used Jue Ming and Jue An to injure the Ancestor Master, and now you come with the same trick again. Scram!¡± another Cat-Demon Elder directly took action, also pulling out a token and waving it through the Void. The ground in front of Shen Luo cracked open, and dozens of thick green roots shot out. Each root flashed with sharp green light, as sharp as blades, slashing toward his body. Meanwhile, the Six-tusked Elephant King and other demons, who had been blasted away, also steadied their forms and rushed toward him again. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo sighed inwardly, but he didn''t try to argue. His figure flickered backward, shooting out dozens of feet, dodging the tree roots'' slashing attack. His arms once again blazed with the Wind Thunder Spirit Light, using the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill. He turned into a golden-green phantom and shot toward the direction away from the Six-tusked Elephant King and the other Taiyi masters. However, the Void ahead fluctuated, and the figure of Flower Ten Women appeared in front. She opened her mouth to spit out a white light, which whooshed open and turned into a white spider web, once again enveloping Shen Luo. ¡°It''s you again!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes turned cold, his arms suddenly radiated an intense demonic light, which he channeled into the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns. The Wind and Thunder Wings whooshed and expanded several times over, surging with a layer of black, and the speed of the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping increased several times. He shot out before the white spider web could fall. Flower Ten Women was shocked. Just as she was about to use her divine power again, a streak of golden light suddenly shot out from Shen Luo, heading straight for her. Within the golden light was a Golden Talisman inscribed with golden thunder patterns, emitting a frightening thunder and lightning aura. ¡°What is this?¡± Flower Ten Women was taken aback, quickly realizing the situation and trying to dodge to one side in alarm and anger. The Golden Thunder Talisman exploded with a ''zi'' sound, and dazzling golden ¡°pythons¡± leaped out of nowhere, entwining and forming a forest of golden thunder and lightning, which engulfed Flower Ten Women''s body. Shen Luo didn''t have time to observe the effects of the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman and fully propelled the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill, vanishing into the distant sky in an instant. The Six-tusked Elephant King and the other two arrived, but they were a step too late. Their faces looked ugly, but it was already too late to give chase. Moreover, they needed to break the prohibitions in this place, so they had to give up, focusing instead on rescuing Flower Ten Women and meeting up with Jue Ming and the others. Chapter 1355 Chapter 1355: Chapter 1352: Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder Chapter 1355: Chapter 1352: Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder Shen Luo exerted all his strength to use the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, instantly fleeing tens of thousands of miles before the demonic qi and mana within him were completely depleted, and only then did he stop. By then, his Dantian was empty, and his body had long since reverted from the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, returning to its usual state, and he plummeted like a stone, crashing towards the dense mountain forest below. At that moment, Ghost General Zhao Feiji shot out from the Qiankun Bag, catching Shen Luo''s body in time and gently landing, before laying him down on a dry patch of ground. Shen Luo gave the Ghost General a slight nod of thanks, his Divine Sense sweeping over his internal condition, his brows revealing a hint of gravity. The injuries he had sustained this time were even more severe than when he had emerged from the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. He had taken a combined strike from the Six-tusked Elephant King and others, resulting in broken bones and disordered meridians. In his attempt to increase his speed, he had forcibly infused demonic qi into the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns, further exacerbating his injuries. However, his Great Unsealing Technique was already perfected, and with the Healing Pills on him, the physical damage wasn''t too concerning; the troubling part was the invasion of demonic qi. Today, after consecutive great battles, activating Demonic Artifacts, employing Demonic Skills, and even using the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, the demonic qi in his body expanded drastically. The demonic qi cleansed by the Thunder Tribulation had already returned in large part. If this continued, it wouldn''t be long before the demonic qi expanded to the point where it began to affect his mind. ¡°Damn it, this Chiyou demonic qi is just like an annoying maggot that won''t go away,¡± Shen Luo cursed inwardly, but without any better options, he could only proceed with caution. He took out two Healing Pills and swallowed them, then took out a translucent Immortal jade, which was indeed an Immortal Crystal. The situation was urgent and didn''t allow him to slowly cultivate to heal; he needed to recover immediately. Shen Luo''s fingers shone with the Five Finger Golden Light as he began to absorb the spiritual power from within the Immortal Crystal, five snake-like streams of pure spiritual power burst from the crystal, incredibly dense and to the utmost purity. With a gesture, the five streams of spiritual power infused into his body. A surge of spiritual power brimming with vitality quickly spread throughout his body, reaching every part of it in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo felt a cool sensation envelop his body, which then turned to a warm and extremely comfortable feeling, giving him an almost ethereal sense of bliss. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The purity of the spiritual power within this Immortal Crystal is indeed exceptional!¡± he rejoiced inwardly. He then channeled this spiritual power to recover mana, in tandem with the two pills, to treat his injuries. Zhao Feiji stood by, protecting him. In less than a quarter of an hour, Shen Luo''s mana had fully recovered, his injuries were mostly healed, his chaotic meridians had all been put back in order, and even the surging demonic qi had subsided considerably. However, more than half of the spiritual power within the Immortal Crystal had been used, resulting in significant depletion. ¡°This Immortal Crystal truly is a treasure of the world!¡± he thought even more highly of the Immortal Crystal''s effects. ¡°Master''s injuries have recovered so quickly, that''s great! But this place is too conspicuous. With so many demons entering the Bodhi Secret Realm, enemies could appear at any time. We should find a more secluded place to continue healing,¡± Zhao Feiji suggested. ¡°You''re right, let''s find another place,¡± Shen Luo agreed, searching the surroundings for a safe haven. With dense mountain forests nearby, he quickly found a hidden Mountain Cave. After setting up a few prohibitions around it, he began once again applying the Great Unsealing Technique to heal his wounds. Even though the Demonic Qi inside Shen Luo''s body had subsided, it had not yet completely laid dormant. He simultaneously circulated the Pure Yang Sword Technique to drive the power of the Pure Yang Sword and the Slayer''s Broken Sword, suppressing the Demonic Qi within his body. The dual forces of Pure Yang Power erupted and soon completely subdued the Demonic Qi. He raised his hand to beckon, and with a flash of golden and crimson light, both Flying Swords appeared. Shen Luo glanced at the Pure Yang Sword before quickly shifting his gaze to the Slayer''s Broken Sword. Although reluctant to admit it, the Pure Yang Sword he painstakingly refined was far less powerful than the Slayer''s Broken Sword. The fact that he was able to suppress the Demonic Qi in his body so quickly was mainly due to this Broken Sword, which had also been relied upon to break through the chains and Demonic Array just now. He had obtained the Slayer''s Broken Sword a long time ago and knew that it was a weapon once carried by the Yellow Emperor from ancient times, possessing Divine Power to restrain Demonic Qi. However, the sword was now broken, its internal prohibitions mostly shattered, triggering nothing more than Pure Yang Power; so why did it have such a strong restraining effect on Demonic Qi? Shen Luo grasped the Broken Sword, infused it with True Immortal Mana, and the Slayer''s Broken Sword began to emit brighter and brighter golden light, fully activating the remaining prohibitions within the sword after a few breaths. The Slayer''s Broken Sword then surged with golden light as brilliant as the blazing sun. He exercised his Divine Sense to penetrate the golden light of the Slayer''s Broken Sword, thoroughly investigating, and soon he really found something. Within the sun-like golden light, there were traces of golden lightning concealed, but these streaks of lightning were so fine, and so fused with the golden light, they were extremely hard to detect. If it weren''t for his recent rigorous practice of the ¡°Contemplative as Lightning Technique,¡± which greatly enhanced his Divine Soul''s investigative abilities, he probably couldn''t have noticed them. ¡°What is this golden lightning? Its aura is different from the Golden Lightning in the Thunder Tribulation. The lightning of the Tribulation is the lightning of slaughter, while this golden lightning gives one a sense of sanctity, as if embodying the benevolent wishes of all living beings. Is there really such a force of lightning in the world?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. After pondering for a moment, he stored the Slayer''s Broken Sword, then began to execute the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits, condensing out a Spirit Communicating Water Hole. Amidst the sounds of rushing water, a blue figure shot out from within, it was Bashe. Her aura had recovered to the Great Mahayana Peak, and she was only one step away from a complete recovery. ¡°Brother Shen, why have you summoned me? Eh! You have already reached the True Immortal Stage!¡± Bashe''s eyes suddenly widened in disbelief as she spoke to Shen Luo. For monks of any race, the True Immortal Stage was like an insurmountable threshold. To cross it, one needed the right skills, mindset, resources, and opportunities; she had seen too many who struggled in vain their entire lives, unable to overcome this barrier, ultimately turning to dust. She herself had been able to take this step only through half a lifetime of effort and, with the aid of the Nine-Headed Insect, had barely managed to make a breakthrough. It hadn''t been long since she separated from Shen Luo, and yet he had quietly succeeded in advancing. ¡°Could Shen Luo be one of those legendary individuals born with great fortune? If so, serving as his spirit beast wouldn''t be a disgrace to me, and perhaps I could even make further progress by relying on him.¡± Bashe sneaked peeks at Shen Luo, her thoughts racing. ¡°I luckily made a breakthrough. Today, I''ve summoned you here because there''s something I want to consult with you about,¡± said Shen Luo indifferently. ¡°Consultation I dare not offer, but Brother Shen, please speak,¡± Bashe said with much more respect. ¡°Bashe, you''re well-informed and adept in Thunder and Lightning Divine Power. Do you know of a type of golden lightning that contains a divine essence, as if encompassing the benevolent thoughts of myriad people?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Sacred Gold Thunder?¡± Bashe furrowed her brows, seemingly unaware of it. ¡°This lightning appears within a Slayer''s Broken Sword, which is said to be a weapon of the Yellow Emperor from ancient times, one that beheaded Chiyou¡­¡± Shen Luo recounted the matter of the Slayer''s Broken Sword. ¡°Slayer''s Broken Sword? The Yellow Emperor''s weapon? Could it be Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder?¡± Upon hearing this, Bashe suddenly looked up in realization. Chapter 1356 Chapter 1356: Chapter 1353 Soul Threads Chapter 1356: Chapter 1353 Soul Threads ¡°Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder?¡± Shen Luo had never heard this name before and muttered to himself. ¡°This thunder is an Ancient Divine Thunder. It''s not surprising that Friend Shen has never heard of it. I only saw some records about this thunder in the Nine-Headed Insect''s collection. Legend has it that during ancient times, when the Human Race Saint, Xuanyuan, and Demon Emperor Chi You competed for the world, a Divine Tree grew on the banks of Ji Water within Xuanyuan''s territory. The tree was worshipped by all people for generations, eventually became sentient, and could emit Golden Lightning that specifically broke through Demonic Qi, protecting the Human Race. Saint Xuanyuan took the core of this Divine Tree to forge various Demon Breaking Divine Weapons, which ultimately led to the defeat of Chi You and the Demon Clan. That tree was revered as the Xuanyuan Divine Tree, and the Golden Divine Thunder was known as Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder,¡± explained Bashe. ¡°So that''s how it is.¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly, his mind deeply stirred. It seems that the Demonslaying Divine Sword was also one of the Divine Weapons forged by Saint Xuanyuan using the Divine Tree, which is why it can release Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder. ¡°Does the Xuanyuan Divine Tree still exist today?¡± he then asked. The Pure Yang Sword''s power is still not strong enough. If I could find some pieces of Xuanyuan Divine Wood and integrate them into the sword, it would surely increase its power significantly and also add the ability to break through demonic energy. ¡°The Xuanyuan Divine Wood disappeared during Ancient Times; now, where could one find it?¡± Bashe, noticing Shen Luo''s intentions, said with a wry smile. ¡°I asked Bashe to monitor the movements of Wansheng Princess and others, has there been any unusual activity?¡± Shen Luo also knew that what he desired was too ideal, he changed the subject and asked. ¡°Without your asking, I was about to report that Wansheng Princess left Yunmeng Marsh with a mysterious shadow and the Mirage Demon yesterday. Their movements were very secretive, and had my Cultivation not been largely restored and had I not set up detection spells all over Yunmeng Marsh, I would have hardly noticed them. However, where they went after leaving Yunmeng Marsh, I do not know,¡± said Bashe with a serious expression. ¡°Is that so? The Mirage Demon is still alive! You go back and continue to observe the changes in Yunmeng Marsh, and report anything to me in time. These two pieces of Spiritual Material contain abundant Lightning Attribute spiritual power, which will be greatly beneficial for your cultivation,¡± said Shen Luo, originally asking casually and not expecting real issues, while taking out two lightning-attributed spiritual items from the Spirit Cave and giving them to Bashe. ¡°Heavenly Thunder Crystal! Thundercloud Flower! Thank you, Brother Shen, with these two items, soon I will be able to restore my True Immortal Stage cultivation,¡± Bashe said with gratitude and joy upon seeing the items. The Heavenly Thunder Crystal and Thundercloud Flower are nearly extinct treasures. Their value is no less than that of the Ginkgo Spirit Fruit, and Bashe was genuinely moved that Shen Luo was willing to part with them for her. Shen Luo gave a slight smile. Although these two items contained immense spiritual power, they also had many impurities and were stuck together, making them difficult to refine. They were of little use to him, but for an Exotic Beast like Bashe, with its intrinsic space for swallowing all things, they could efficiently utilize the treasures. After encouraging Bashe a few words, he cast a spell to send her back to Yunmeng Marsh. After dispatching Bashe, he took another look at the Slayer''s Broken Sword in his hand and then stored it in his Dantian along with the Pure Yang Sword. Both the Xuanyuan Divine Wood and Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder had been lost to time, and knowing about them didn''t bring much benefit, but at least he had clarified the origins of the Slayer''s Broken Sword, making his efforts worthwhile. Shen Luo then exhaled lightly, calming his emotions, and began circulating the Divine Wood Grace to purify his original vitality, reducing the impact of the surging Demonic Qi as much as possible. The Divine Wood Grace is an ultimate Wood Attribute God''s Power that can absorb Wood Spirit Power, and within the Bodhi Secret Realm, there were numerous Wood Spirit items. As he began to use Divine Wood Grace, large amounts of pure Wood Spirit Power gathered from all directions and merged into his body. Shen Luo''s body was engulfed in a bright green light, and the speed of his injury recovery accelerated significantly. He swiftly regulated this Wood Spirit Power, aiding the Great Unsealing Technique. ¡°Eh!¡± Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes. Within the gathered Wood Spirit Power was a very special stream that was not only extremely effective in healing physical wounds but also contained wisps of ethereal breath. It actually flowed up into his mind, merging into his Divine soul. Shen Luo felt a momentary refreshing sensation in his brain. This sensation quickly faded, and the Divine soul in his brain, which had started to solidify due to practicing the ''Thought-as-swift-as-thunder Technique,'' had indeed become much more condensed. ¡°What is this Wood Spirit Power? It greatly aids my cultivation of the ''Thoughts as Swift as Lightning'' technique!¡± Shocked, he hurriedly closed his eyes to sense the source of the spiritual power. Contrary to his expectations, this spiritual power was actually emanating from inside the Carefree Mirror. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense penetrated into the Carefree Mirror, and soon he discovered the source of the spiritual power¨Cit was the storage bag tied to the waist of the True Immortal Green Wolf. ¡°A Storage Magical Tool? Could it be that thing?¡± A thought flashed through his mind, and he waved his hand to take out the storage bag, giving it a shake. A flash of white light at the mouth of the bag was followed by a clattering sound as a large pile of items appeared on the ground, including all sorts of Spiritual Materials, Magical Treasures, Elixirs, and other valuable things. He paid no attention to the other items, his gaze landing on a section of emerald green tree branch. It was the very one that the Green Wolf had previously cut from the Bodhi Holy Tree, still bearing a green round fruit. That peculiar Wood Spirit Power was being emitted by the green fruit. ¡°It really is the Bodhi Fruit. Fu Donglai had mentioned earlier that the Bodhi Holy Tree could nourish and heal the soul, and it''s indeed true!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up as he carefully picked the green fruit. Unsure of how to use the Bodhi Fruit, or whether it could be swallowed whole, he hesitated for a moment before deciding to be cautious. He held the fruit in his palm and continued to draw the spiritual power from it with the Divine Wood Grace. Without the obstruction of the Carefree Mirror and storage bag, the spiritual power of the Bodhi Fruit poured into his body like floodwaters bursting a dam, his physical wounds healing at a visible rate, fully recovered within half a moment. The ethereal power from within the Bodhi Fruit also continually infused into his mind, accelerating the refining of his Divine Sense. Shen Luo ignored the situation at the Heavenly Pit, closing his eyes to operate the ''Thoughts as Swift as Lightning'' technique, refining the power of his Divine Soul. Dots of crystal light emerged between his eyebrows, growing brighter and brighter. After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the crystal light between Shen Luo''s eyebrows suddenly burst forth brilliantly, transparent crystal threads shooting out in all directions. Shen Luo opened his eyes, filled with joy. Thanks to the power of this Bodhi Fruit, he had finally taken a crucial step in cultivating the ''Thoughts as Swift as Lightning'' technique. His Divine Soul had crystallized, reaching the realm of Soul Threads. The Soul Threads spread out far and wide, the range of his exploration expanding by more than thirty percent, and the details of what he sensed were much clearer than before. Shen Luo wasn''t too concerned about the results of his Divine Sense exploration. Having reached the realm of Soul Threads, he could finally use many of the secret techniques recorded on the Sky Machine Scroll. Without going into detail, the final step of refining the Sky Fiend Corpse King could now begin. Through the previous encounter, he had gained a profound understanding of the terrifying strength at the Taiyi Stage. If he could complete the Sky Fiend Corpse King, he would possess a helper at the Taiyi Level, giving him the confidence to face opponents like the Six-tusked Elephant King and others. Elder Gui of Mount Fangcun, and even the Bodhi Ancestor, seemed to have some misunderstandings about him, even suspecting him of being a spy, but Shen Luo was not a man of narrow-mindedness. He bore no grudge against them, nor did he leave them to die. If the Divine Demon Well were truly to be opened, the consequences would be unimaginable! With that thought, he immediately began to act, urging the prohibitions all-around to envelop the Mountain Cave in layers, then took out the Sky Fiend Corpse King, along with the Undying Wood Coffin, all together. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1357 Chapter 1357: 1354 Chapter 1357: 1354 ¡°` Shen Luo flicked his sleeve again, and a swath of golden light swept over the ground, displaying more than a dozen jade boxes filled with various materials before him. These materials were all essential for the final step in crafting the Sky Fiend Corpse King, which he had stealthily purchased while in Tianji City. Shen Luo closed his eyes to concentrate, recalling the refinement process in his mind. Once he was sure there were no mistakes, he began to chant, and with a flash of crystal light from his brow, dozens of soul threads shot out, piercing into various parts of the Sky Fiend Corpse King''s body. His hands moved swiftly to form seals, very different from the spells he usually cast, utilizing unique secret techniques exclusive to Tianji City as he continuously channeled them into the Sky Fiend Corpse King. The Yan Patterns on the Sky Fiend Corpse King gradually brightened as if coming to life, and the Corpse King''s body slowly began to levitate from within the coffin. Shen Luo nodded slightly and took out an object¨Cit was the Gathering God Pearl. All the divine souls previously stored by Ghost Yan had been transferred into Puppet City leaving the Gathering God Pearl empty. Fortunately, Shen Luo had already slain four or five True Immortal Cultivators and dozens of Mahayana monks. The convergence of so many divine souls was more than sufficient for the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Shen Luo cast several spells onto the Gathering God Pearl, which immediately shone with a yellow light and flew towards the Sky Fiend Corpse King''s head, merging into it as a mass of yellow light and shadow. The Sky Fiend Corpse King''s head lit up suddenly, and its tightly closed eyes flung open, emitting two captivating yellow beams. Seeing this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief¨Cit seemed the Soul Power within the Gathering God Pearl was sufficient for the Sky Fiend Corpse King. His expression quickly turned serious again as the next step involved integrating the Gathering God Pearl and the body completely, determining whether the Sky Fiend Corpse King could be successfully crafted. Moreover, during this process, he had to condense his own divine soul into a soul curse and implant it into the Sky Fiend Corpse King, to facilitate future control. Shen Luo''s hands moved like the spinning of a car wheel, casting spells rapidly into the Sky Fiend Corpse King, while soul threads continued to pour endlessly from his brow into the Corpse King''s body. While doing this, he spat out a stream of golden flames that enveloped a nearby jade box. The jade box popped open in response, and a clump of silver powder flew out, which, under the smelting of the golden flame, fused one by one into the Sky Fiend Corpse King''s body. ¡­ A few hours later, a thrilling long howl suddenly echoed within the mountain cave, as a blinding yellow light shot out from within, carrying a strange figure with large golden wings, radiating a rich and intense Corpse Air. However, those magnificent wings shone brilliantly, starkly contrasting with the surrounding Corpse Air. The golden-winged figure spread its wings, and with a flash of golden light, the figure vanished in an instant, reappearing hundreds of feet away, almost as if teleporting. With an eerie cackle, the figure''s wings began to flap again, becoming a vague golden silhouette, at one moment appearing to the east, and at the next to the west¨Cits presence was erratic and ghostly. ¡°The Golden Escape Technique is truly extraordinary, deserving of being the fastest among the Five Elements Escape Techniques,¡± a streak of blue light flew out from the mountain cave, revealing Shen Luo''s figure, his face filled with joy. The process of refining the Sky Fiend Corpse King had gone smoother than expected, which could be because Ghost Yan''s preliminary preparations were exceptionally thorough, or perhaps because he had some innate talent in crafting Armor, or maybe his powerful divine soul was conducive to the crafting. No matter the reason, Shen Luo had successfully crafted the Sky Fiend Corpse King, greatly enhancing his strength. Shen Luo beckoned with his hand, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King ceased moving, ascending to hover beside him. He admired the newly crafted Corpse King with a smile, the more he looked at it, the more he liked it. Then, with the wave of a sleeve, a beam of crimson light shot out, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King disappeared into nothing, secured within the Free and Easy Mirror. This Corpse King was now his trump card, naturally to be carefully concealed until a crucial moment arose. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Shen Luo immediately formed a seal and invoked the Pure Yang Sword, transforming into a streak of crimson sword light shooting towards the Heavenly Pit. ¡°` Refining the Sky Fiend Corpse King had already wasted a lot of time, hoping that Bodhi Ancestor and the others had not completely collapsed. Shen Luo was dressed in Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, with an Invisibility Talisman attached to his body, and returned to the Heavenly Pit with great caution. Before even getting close, he heard from afar the clamorous yelling and shouting of demons, as if they were organizing some action, but the sounds of fighting could no longer be heard. Shen Luo approached behind a rock, carefully peeked out his head, and looked towards the pit. He saw that fragments of stone scattered all around the edges of the Heavenly Pit, and the prohibitions that once shrouded the area had been shattered, allowing a host of demons to completely occupy it. The Bodhi Holy Tree was nowhere to be seen, it was uncertain whether it had been destroyed or Bodhi Ancestor had managed to transfer it somewhere else. However, inside the Heavenly Pit had emerged a golden light pillar reaching dozens of feet into the sky, towering like a pillar of gold. Strong spiritual pressure was continuously released from within the golden light pillar, causing the disciples from Pansi Cave and Lion Camel Ridge nearby to be quite wary, not daring to approach too closely. On the edge of the Heavenly Pit, Flower Ten Women and the Six-tusked Elephant King, along with the Golden Wings Large Peng, stood at the front, their brows furrowed as they looked at the column of golden light. Behind the three of them, Elder Chi Rong from Demon King Fort was positioned slightly to the rear, not venturing to the very front. ¡°Even with the combined strength of the two Great Kings, we can''t directly break through this prohibition?¡± Flower Ten Women asked. Flower Ten Women''s complexion was somewhat pale, as she had been carelessly struck by Shen Luo''s Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman earlier. Although it hadn''t injured her vital essence, it had caused quite a loss of her vitality. ¡°This is a prohibition used by Mount Fangcun to suppress the Divine Demon Well, did you think it was ordinary? Why don''t you give it a try?¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King said with some dissatisfaction. It was Pansi Cave who had first proposed attacking Mount Fangcun to unlock the Divine Demon Well, yet their cave master did not personally take action, instead, they sent a Great Elder to lead the team. To make matters worse, not only did Flower Ten Women not help much with breaking through the gate of the Bodhi Secret Realm, but now she was even making sarcastic remarks, which he found intolerable. ¡°Elephant King, don''t be angry. If you can''t break through the prohibition, how could I, a weak woman, manage it? However, our Pansi Cave does have a blood sacrifice method to break the prohibition, which we could try,¡± Flower Ten Women said. ¡°Then what are you waiting for? Get to it,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said. ¡°If there''s a way, then try it quickly. If the Heavenly Palace side really notices something, they won''t just sit idly by. Be careful of too much delay bringing unexpected problems,¡± the Golden Wings Large Peng also nodded and added. ¡°Please wait a moment, I will arrange it immediately,¡± Flower Ten Women said with an unworried, smiling face. Turning around, her expression suddenly grew cold as she took out a snow-white longsword and stabbed it into the ground. She began to draw charm patterns around the edge of the Heavenly Pit. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before long, an array of talisman patterns in the shape of a strange flower appeared around the Heavenly Pit. Flower Ten Women put away the longsword and began to take out red round stones one by one, embedding them into various array pillars of the Array of Talisman Patterns. With each stone placed, the entire great formation lit up with a burst of dull red light, until she had embedded all forty-nine red round stones into their positions, and the hazy red light that lit up across the entire formation began to flicker slightly without going out. Golden Wings Large Peng and the other stood by watching. Seeing her stop, they asked, ¡°Is that enough?¡± ¡°Almost there, but we''re still missing a few offerings,¡± Flower Ten Women said with a smile. Having said this, she clapped her hands, and immediately a line of dozens of people were pushed forward by a multitude of demons. Chapter 1358 Chapter 1358: Chapter 1355: Slaughter Chapter 1358: Chapter 1355: Slaughter Shen Luo hid behind the giant stone, and seeing the scene before him, his brows furrowed tightly. ¡°You beasts of the Demon Race, you won''t die a good death¡­¡± shouted a disciple from Mount Fangcun. ¡°Let me go, let me go! I am an elder of Lingbo City. We are together; how can you do this to me?¡± an elder from Lingbo City yelled angrily. ¡°Release us, you bastards! Our Stone Gate Sect has close ties with the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Do you dare to kill us and not fear the Government Officials'' inquiry?¡± A tall, thin teenager shouted loudly. They and many other disciples from middle and small sects had been tempted by the benefits offered by Pansi Cave and had joined the venture, seeing that Lingbo City was involved as well. They had thought they could take advantage of the chaos to gain some benefits, but now they found themselves trapped in such a situation. However, no matter how they cursed or shouted, it was all for naught. No one paid any attention to them. Either bound by ropes specially made from beast sinews or affixed with prohibition talismans on their bodies, they were all rendered powerless and were successively pressed down next to the Heavenly Pit, humiliatingly kneeling on the ground. In the crowd, Shen Luo immediately spotted the one who had slandered him earlier, claiming he was a traitor, Jue Wu (Awakened). However, that guy was not bound; instead, he stood beside those demons, smiling. ¡°How can this person stand with these demons? He doesn''t seem to be controlled. Could it be that he, like Jue Ming and Jue An, is a traitor? That''s why he tried so hard to slander me earlier. If that''s the case, the fact that the Yin Wood Eight Trigrams Immortal Array around the Heavenly Pit was broken might also be related to him.¡± Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, and his fists clenched unconsciously. He had already made up his mind: This person must be killed. ¡°Do it,¡± commanded Flower Ten Women. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, numerous demon clansmen stepped forward, each pulling out a weapon from their sleeves and placing it on the necks of the bound elders and disciples from various sects. Their movements were neat and uniform. Lifting their arms and slicing across, they cut the throats of these individuals. The ¡°Hiss¡± sounds rang out simultaneously, and large amounts of blood sprayed out, like dozens of blood fountains gushing toward the Heavenly Pit. Most of the blood splashed on the ground, dyeing the Array of Talisman Patterns blood-red. The blood followed the lines of the charm patterns, and a strong odor of blood instantly spread. Watching this scene, Flower Ten Women had a smiling expression on her face. Chi Rong also stepped forward, inhaling the bloody scent spreading through the void somewhat intoxicatedly. The cultivators whose throats had been slashed, due to their different physiques and the base of their cultivation, would not die right away. However, as their blood drained, they completely lost their strength, all collapsing to the ground, gaping for breath. They could only emit intermittent gasping sounds. At this moment, they looked no different from livestock being slaughtered indiscriminately. ¡°Continue.¡± The blood of this group had almost finished flowing. Flower Ten Women yawned and casually waved her hand. The demon disciples stepped forward, their feet kicking heavily, kicking those who had not yet died completely into the Heavenly Pit, where they collided with the Golden Light Pillars. As they continued to fall, they were ultimately burned to ashes. Soon after, dozens more people were brought up and, like the others before, were pressed down and made to kneel. Some still cursed loudly, while others were already weeping and on the verge of collapse. ¡°Spare me, please spare me. I will work for you like an ox or horse; I will be your insider¡­ Please, don''t kill me¡­ I beg you¡­¡± pleaded an elder with gray hair. Hearing this, Jue Wu''s brows knitted tightly as he approached. He grabbed the old man''s hair, pulling his head back, and held a knife to his throat. ¡°I''m only fit to be a dog for the Great Kings, and you actually want to be an ox or a horse? Go to hell¡­¡± he said viciously, and then slashed the man''s throat with the knife. The other demons followed suit, swiftly killing off that batch of people. Shen Luo watched on the side, his teeth itching with hatred, but he could only suppress the urge to rush out. With three Demon Kings present, he had no chance of resisting on his own. Acting rashly would only mean death. As more and more blood seeped in, the Blood Sacrifice Prohibition Breaking Array on the ground started to light up, creating a ring-shaped light screen around the Heavenly Pit, shooting up into the high altitude. High above, red light gathered, drawing thick blood clouds that gradually enveloped the golden light pillars. At the same time, deep within the heavenly pit. On a giant platform, disciples of Mount Fangcun and many villagers from Longevity Village were sitting dispersed in various places, apparently having arrived here at some unknown point. That Luo En was among them, gravely injured and unconscious for some reason. Everyone was covered in wounds, their morale extremely low. ¡°Damn it, that traitor Jue Ming actually sided with the enemy!¡± the Cat Demon Elder said angrily and with frustration. A festering wound appeared on his back, seemingly the result of a sneak attack by a flying sword or the like. ¡°If it hadn''t been for him leading people into the prohibition, suddenly striking us from behind, and sabotaging the array pivot from within, the Yin Wood Eight Trigrams Immortal Array wouldn''t have been broken by them in such a short time. Luckily, there are more than one layer of prohibitions within this heavenly pit, otherwise, we would have had no way to retreat¡­¡± Elder Gui also said indignantly. Elder Gui was injured, one arm having been cleanly severed at the shoulder, but the wound had been covered with a green talisman and was no longer bleeding. ¡°What use is there in complaining when the enemy outmatches us?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor, who seemed to have no new injuries but whose breath was even weaker, frowned and admonished sternly. Upon hearing the irritation in the Bodhi Ancestor''s voice, both the Cat Demon Elder and Elder Gui closed their mouths. ¡°Our Mount Fangcun was blind, and if we all die here today, we deserve it. However, I wonder how Friend Shen is doing? Just now, we wronged him, causing him to be besieged by those demons. I hope he was able to leave safely,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said slowly. In his message to Sun Wukong, he had clearly stated that Shen Luo could leave on his own. However, unexpectedly, Shen Luo had still accompanied Sun Wukong to Mount Fangcun. ¡°The situation earlier, it wasn''t just him¨Chad it been me¡­ I probably would have had no chance of surviving, let alone escaping,¡± Elder Gui hesitated, then said. ¡°Hateful! The Heavenly Palace and the Great Tang Dynasty Government, those sects with whom we used to be on good terms, none of them came to our aid this time. Once Mount Fangcun falls, their turn will come sooner or later,¡± the Cat Demon Elder said with a mocking sneer. ¡°Although the Three Realms appear calm on the surface, there are turbulent currents beneath. I thought that by opening the Mountain Gate wide to accept monks from all races, we could help to eliminate the strife among them. I did not expect to end up in such a dire situation. Lion Camel Ridge, Pansi Cave, Demon King Fort¨Cthey have grand ambitions. Once they open the Divine Demon Well, their strength will surely increase, and it seems the Three Realms will never have peace,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor sighed. Hearing this, both the Cat Demon Elder and Elder Gui''s expressions grew somber. ¡°Given the current situation, it seems that Mount Fangcun is unlikely to escape this fate. However, the Daoist lineage of our sect cannot be interrupted. The main targets outside are me. Once the outer prohibitions are broken, Elder Gui, Elder Wuchen, use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to take the others and break through immediately. With the power of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, you have a fifty to sixty percent chance of escaping. Whether Mount Fangcun can be rebuilt will depend on you,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said, producing an object¨Cthe Map of Mountains and Rivers¨Cand handing it to Elder Gui and the Cat Demon Elder. ¡°Ancestor, the situation has not yet become completely hopeless. With your cultivation level, once your injuries are healed, even the Six-tusked Elephant King and the others won''t be a match for you!¡± Elder Gui stood up in surprise, refusing to accept the Map of Mountains and Rivers. ¡°Jue Ming and Jue An''s sneak attack used Chiyou''s blood poison, which has already begun to erode the foundation of my Dao-Practice. Now that the Bodhi Holy Tree is destroyed, it''s impossible to expel the blood poison. I entrust everything that follows to the two of you,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said with a faint smile on his face. ¡°Ancestor, do not lose heart. Earlier, I heard Shen Luo say that Yang Jian has realized the true intentions of Lion Camel Ridge and Pansi Cave. He has joined forces with Wukong. With their combined strength, those demons outside may not be able to withstand them,¡± a voice suddenly came from the side. It was Luo En, who had unexpectedly awoken and was now speaking. Luo En had arrived at the heavenly pit with Jue Ming and had been drawn into the prohibitions there under the deliberate plan of the Six-tusked Elephant King and others. However, after Jue Ming''s sudden betrayal, Luo En too was seriously injured and had fallen unconscious until now. ¡°Is that true?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor''s gaze brightened, and the Cat Demon Elder and Elder Gui also showed expressions of joy. ¡°The True Monarch is aware of the demons'' true purposes?¡± The Golden Brow Man from Lingbo City appeared abruptly beside Luo En, grabbing his shoulders and asking eagerly. ¡°Absolutely true. Shen Luo told me himself,¡± Luo En, startled, nodded repeatedly. ¡°Good, very good. Lingbo City has acted shamefully today, but if the True Monarch can discern the truth, then even if my Star Vault perishes here, I can die with my eyes closed,¡± the Golden Brow Man released Luo En and murmured to himself. Earlier, he had led some disciples from Lingbo City to follow the Six-tusked Elephant King and break into the Bodhi Secret Realm. However, as soon as they entered, the Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort showed their true colors, turning on the Lingbo City monks. If it weren''t for Bodhi Ancestor saving them with the Map of Mountains and Rivers, he too would have already died at the hands of those demons. The Golden Brow Man was straightforward in nature and filled with guilt toward the people of Mount Fangcun. Chapter 1359 Chapter 1359: Chapter 1356: Blood Bath (Happy National Day^^) Chapter 1359: Chapter 1356: Blood Bath (Happy National Day^^) ¡°Let''s settle our scores later. Right now, we need to focus on finding a way to survive this crisis!¡± the Cat Demon Elder glared at the Golden Brow Man, saying irritably. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the Golden Brow Man had already admitted his wrongdoing, the Cat Demon Elder still harbored resentment towards the actions of the Lingbo City monks previously. ¡°Daoist friend from Star Vault need not blame yourself so much. You were misled this time and also held dissatisfaction towards our Mount Fangcun. The former is understandable; we can discuss the latter another time. Now, everyone should quickly focus on recovering from your injuries. Since Daoist friend Yang Jian is aiding us, perhaps there is a slim chance of survival,¡± said the Bodhi Ancestor, glancing at the Cat Demon Elder and cutting off his talk, speaking slowly. ¡°Rest assured, Elder Bodhi, should those demons truly breach this place, I shall fight to the death before all of you,¡± the Golden Brow Man said seriously. As they were talking, the Golden Light Pillar before them suddenly began to vibrate violently. Everyone hurriedly looked up, only to see a dense Blood Cloud gathered in the sky above the Heavenly Pit, from which a thick scent of blood emanated. And the Golden Light Pillar that stood before them, now surrounded by the Blood Cloud, revealed countless blood marks as thin as hair strands, spreading out like a spider web. ¡°Ancestor¡­¡± Elder Wuchen called out. ¡°Watching any longer is useless, and time is running out. Quickly recover your breath¡­¡± Bodhi Ancestor slowly closed his eyes, speaking indifferently. Hearing the words, everyone understood the meaning of Bodhi Ancestor: an ultimate life-and-death battle might be inevitable. Soon, everyone on the Platform quieted down, closing their eyes and sitting cross-legged, seizing the last moments to restore their strength. Outside the Heavenly Pit, the bloody slaughter continued, and the light from the Blood Sacrifice Prohibition Breaking Array grew increasingly bright. Shen Luo watched this scene from afar, feeling extremely anxious. However, with all the demons gathered outside the Heavenly Pit and considering his current strength, even if he sacrificed his life to rush over, there was no chance of success, so he couldn''t act recklessly. ¡°Animals¡­¡± ¡°Save me¡­¡± Various curses and tragic cries were incessant, and even for Shen Luo, with his heart steeled, it was getting hard to bear. ¡°If this goes on, the prohibition will indeed be broken. Never mind, I can''t just stand by any longer¡­¡± Shen Luo''s gaze became resolute, finally unable to just stand by idly. Just as he was about to take out the Sky Fiend Corpse King, a series of waves from the Heaven and Earth Aura, more turbulent than before, suddenly surged over from a distance like the crashing of tidal waves, endless and ceaseless. Suddenly, a golden figure sped over from afar, vomiting blood without pause. And beneath it, a black figure was in hot pursuit. The two of them fought fiercely in Mid Air, and in that moment, black and gold stick shadows obscured the sky, and the clashing of their weapons shook Heaven and Earth, causing the Void to ripple endlessly. The demons at the edge of the Heavenly Pit immediately noticed the commotion and turned their gazes upwards. ¡°Sun Wukong¡­¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King spotted the activity in the high altitude right away. Instantly, a nameless anger flared up in his eyes. He reached out into the Void, and a glittering golden spear appeared in his hand. With a shake of his body, he was ready to soar into the sky. ¡°Second brother, do not act rashly¡­¡± the Golden Wings Large peng immediately spoke out to dissuade him. ¡°Let me slay that impudent monkey first!¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King did not listen, still charging into the high altitude. At that moment, a violent blast of energy erupted in the sky. The two figures collided and then scattered away from each other again. ¡°Let no one interfere in the battle between him and me, or else I will kill them first,¡± The black figure let out an earth-shattering roar, which was indeed the Six-Eared Macaque. As soon as these words were spoken, the Six-tusked Elephant King, who was flying in midair, stiffened. ¡°Six-Eared Macaque, what has gotten into you? Quickly slay that impudent monkey and do not make a mess of the grand plan,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said with an ugly expression, his voice severe. His previous haste in attempting to kill Sun Wukong was not mainly because he and Sun Wukong had a long-standing feud, but because Sun Wukong had actually penetrated the Bodhi Secret Realm, coupled with Shen Luo''s actions earlier, the situation seemed to be deviating from their plan. ¡°I appreciate your concern, but no one is allowed to intervene in this fight. Otherwise, my words still stand: whoever comes, I will kill first. Sun Wukong''s head is mine alone, and no one else may lay a finger on it,¡± the Six-Eared Macaque roared again. Upon hearing this, the Six-tusked Elephant King''s face turned dark, but he was quite wary of the Six-Eared Macaque and ultimately snorted coldly, descending from the sky. The Golden Wings Large peng also noticed a change in the situation and exchanged a glance with the Six-tusked Elephant King, his brow furrowing as well. Flower Ten Women, however, revealed an almost imperceptible smile, as if she had anticipated this outcome. ¡°Does the Six-Eared Macaque truly have the confidence to defeat Sun Wukong? That was once a Generation''s Demon King¡­¡± Chi Rong voiced his doubt. ¡°Daoist friend Chi Rong, haven''t you noticed that Sun Wukong is already injured? The earlier battle has depleted much of his mana, and his injuries are not light. He¡­ hehe,¡± Flower Ten Women did not finish her sentence, instead chuckling to herself. ¡°What about Yang Jian? Wasn''t he said to be stopped at the mountainside along with Sun Wukong?¡± At that point, the Golden Wings Large peng suddenly frowned and spoke. His mention raised everyone''s alertness. ¡°Six-Eared Macaque, where is Yang Jian?¡± Flower Ten Women immediately called out loudly. ¡°He escaped,¡± the Six-Eared Macaque, who was in the heat of battle with Sun Wukong, replied briefly and ignored further inquiry. At this response, the Golden Wings Large peng''s gaze turned colder. ¡°Yang Jian was previously sneak attacked by the Six-Eared Macaque and also suffered serious injuries, perhaps¡­¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Flower Ten Women was interrupted by a fierce shout from the Golden Wings Large peng before she could finish speaking. His eyes darkly swept across Flower Ten Women''s face as he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yang Jian has escaped, and this place may soon receive reinforcements. Quickly break the prohibition here and carry out our task; otherwise, once reinforcements arrive, we of Lion Camel Ridge will be seen as having been bewitched and coming to our senses midway through, with all consequences falling solely on your Pansi Cave.¡± His words were somewhat cryptic, but Flower Ten Women immediately understood their implication. If the Divine Demon Well wasn''t opened, and the events here were discovered, Lion Camel Ridge would immediately turn against them, claiming they had merely been deceived by Flower Ten Women and others, eventually coming to their senses in time to repent. In this scenario, even if Sects like Mount Fangcun and the Heavenly Palace knew there was deceit, holding Lion Camel Ridge accountable wouldn''t harm their core, while Flower Ten Women, who would have been silenced, obviously would have no chance to defend her Sect. Flower Ten Women was infuriated inwardly, yet she said nothing in response. Instead, she turned and walked back to the edge of the Heavenly Pit, speaking fiercely: ¡°Sacrifice another group now.¡± While they were watching the high-altitude battle, Shen Luo hid behind the giant stone, also staring intensely at the combat above. Initially, he felt relieved when he heard that the Six-Eared Macaque insisted on fighting Sun Wukong alone, but now, watching the shifting situation in the sky, his heart couldn''t help but pound with trepidation. Sun Wukong''s injuries were extremely severe; a normal Taiyi Realm Immortal with such wounds would probably not have been able to hold on till now and would have been slain by the Six-Eared Macaque more than three times over. Yet, he was still fighting obstinately, despite being drenched in blood, despite his breath growing increasingly erratic¡­ (Seeking votes at the start of the month.) Chapter 1360 Chapter 1360: Chapter 1357: Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats Chapter 1360: Chapter 1357: Breaking the Cauldrons and Sinking the Boats ¡°If this continues, the Great Sage is going to falter.¡± Shen Luo thought anxiously. ¡°Boom¡± A thunderous explosion resounded as the Six-eared Macaque smashed down with both hands holding the staff, a rolling Demonic Qi coalescing into a gigantic fist shadow that slammed onto Sun Wukong with his attack. Spewing a mouthful of fresh blood, Sun Wukong''s body curved like a shrimp, crashing heavily onto the ground. The mountain shook violently, opening up a massive fissure. Relentlessly pursuing, the Six-eared Macaque descended from the sky, his long stick fully charged, and smashed it down into the fissure where Sun Wukong lay. The black staff shadow tore through the void, carrying streaks of fierce lightning, condensing into a powerful spiritual pressure that tore the fissure into a web of gorges, speeding straight towards Sun Wukong. ¡°Finally¡­ it''s over¡­¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King declared, having decided the outcome of life and death. But just then, an abrupt change occurred. A blurred figure flashed to the edge of the mountain fissure in an instant, a golden staff also appearing in hand, swirling at high speed, casting numerous afterimages, striking upwards with a Wildfire Sky Raising fervor. A tremendous ¡°boom¡± exploded! A roar that shook the heavens suddenly burst forth, a violent force instantly pouring out from where the two staves collided, forming a rounded shockwave that swept in all directions. Black lightning intertwined within it, spreading like a spider web. Golden Wings Large peng and others, seeing this, quickly waved their arms, casting mystic arts to block the powerful fluctuations. The already crumbling ground broke further, expanding the gap as the ground sunk even more. The Six-eared Macaque was also blown back into the air by this sudden resistance, barely stabilizing his form after some struggle. He peered down to see, at the bottom of the crater on the mountain top, Sun Wukong leaning against the cave''s stone wall, and in front of him stood another person. Despite being bathed in blood with tattered clothes, it was clear that it was the teenager he had previously refused to acknowledge. ¡°How are you doing, Great Sage?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°You guy, wouldn''t it be better to just stay hidden? Why come out and join me in a death delivery?¡± Sun Wukong said with a bitter smile. ¡°We might not defeat those demons, but if we can hold on a little longer, maybe reinforcements will arrive.¡± Shen Luo fed Sun Wukong a Golden Core and swallowed one himself, rapidly circulating the Great Unsealing Technique to repair his injuries. Just now, his body had mostly suffered superficial damage, but the shaking of his internal organs was particularly severe and not settling down for the moment. He only felt a heaviness in his chest, with blood churning at his throat. ¡°Yang Jian is badly hurt; he managed to escape just now. Even if he could find help, it won''t be in time,¡± Sun Wukong shook his head and said. After speaking, he couldn''t help but laugh and add, ¡°The Roaring Sky Dog also ran away with him; it can run a bit faster at least.¡± ¡°Then let''s not worry about any reinforcements. Let''s have a good fight first,¡± Shen Luo said upon hearing this. ¡°Haha, good! Your spirit impresses me, what a pity it would be for you to die. In a while¡­¡± Sun Wukong said, his eyes flashing with a hint of admiration. Sun Wukong hadn''t finished speaking when suddenly, Shen Luo''s telepathic voice echoed in his mind. Although it was just a few short sentences, it caused a slight change in his expression, and he couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Are you truly prepared to risk everything on a last stand?¡± Shen Luo didn''t answer, only nodding his head. ¡°Alright,¡± Sun Wukong said succinctly, and stood up from the ground without further fuss. The two leaped up and rushed into the sky. ¡°Shen Luo¡­¡± The moment they clearly recognized Shen Luo''s face, the Golden Wings Large peng and the Six-tusked Elephant King called out simultaneously. Their hatred for Shen Luo was no less than that of Sun Wukong. Had it not been for Shen Luo''s meddling last time, the status quo of Lion Camel Ridge would have already been completely overhauled. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You dare to show your face before me, seeking death!¡± The Six-tusked Elephant King bellowed as he shot up from the ground. As he saw the Six-tusked Elephant King rushing towards him, there wasn''t a trace of panic in Shen Luo''s eyes. He casually waved his hand, and a ball of condensed black light immediately shot out. When the Six-tusked Elephant King saw this, he assumed it was some kind of dark artifact or magical treasure and prepared to smash it down with his spear. At that moment, a thick aura of death surged out from within the black light, and a slender figure emerged, transforming into the Sky Fiend Corpse King. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± it unfurled a pair of yellow flesh wings and pounced directly towards the Elephant King. The Six-tusked Elephant King let out a low shout and brought his massive spear down from overhead. The Sky Fiend Corpse King met him barehanded, and suddenly spewed a dense corpse fire from its mouth, enveloping the massive spear. Under the enveloping flames, the great power originally contained in the massive spear rapidly diminished. By the time the spear, which contained the force of ten thousand jun, fell onto the Corpse King''s arm, most of its force had been dispelled, and it was effortlessly blocked. Right after that, the Six-tusked Elephant King felt a blur before his eyes, as the figure of the Sky Fiend Corpse King had already vanished from his sight. ¡°Be careful behind you,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng shouted sharply. Without turning around, the Six-tusked Elephant King summoned his strength and swept his massive spear behind him. Behind him, a pair of yellow flesh wings opened instantaneously. The moment the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared, it simply crossed its arms in front of its chest, bluntly welcoming the Elephant King''s massive spear, while at the same time kicking towards the Elephant King''s lower back. Almost simultaneously, two dull sounds were heard. The two of them, evenly matched, were each sent flying. While everyone''s attention was drawn to the suddenly appearing Taiyi-level Sky Fiend Corpse King, Shen Luo had also rushed to the front of the battling Sun Wukong and the Six-eared Macaque. Seeing that the Six-eared Macaque had caught an opening and was about to stab through the wound that Sun Wukong had previously been ambushed by Jue An, Shen Luo suddenly erupted in demonic Qi. Using his Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, he positioned himself at the forefront. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± a spray of blood light burst forth. A muffled moan involuntarily escaped from Shen Luo''s mouth, yet he bit down hard, enduring the pain. Even though the body from Xuan Yang Demon Transformation was incredibly sturdy, it still could not withstand the Six-eared Macaque''s strike, intended to kill Sun Wukong. A bowl-sized blood hole was punctured through his chest instantly. Through this wound, one could even see Shen Luo''s heart ¡°thumping¡± vigorously. The Six-eared Macaque was furious. As it was about to pulverize Shen Luo''s heart with the staff, it saw blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, but a smile spread across his face. In the next instant, Shen Luo retracted his weapon, and with hands like iron claws, he tightly wrapped around the Six-eared Macaque''s Black Devil Stick. Meanwhile, the flesh on his chest rapidly healed, with layers of flesh binding and wrapping directly onto the stick. Catching sight of this, the Six-eared Macaque was shocked and tried to pull back the staff subconsciously. Yet this pull not only tore Shen Luo''s wound open again but failed to retrieve the staff. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Panic flashed through his heart, and he saw Sun Wukong leap into the air from behind Shen Luo, spinning his Ruyi Golden Cudgel smoothly, preparing to smash it down furiously. A look of triumphant joy filled Shen Luo''s eyes. Without hesitation, the Six-eared Macaque released his grip, willing to part with the stick to fall and escape. ¡°I was waiting for you to do just that,¡± Shen Luo said with great delight, smiling. Chapter 1361 Chapter 1361: Chapter 1358: Let You Kill Again Chapter 1361: Chapter 1358: Let You Kill Again The Six-Eared Macaque''s figure had just descended about ten feet when he suddenly noticed a black ring appear beneath him, as though it were a trap that had been set a long time ago, waiting for him to fall right into it. Shen Luo''s eyes were locked onto him, ready to ignite the flames and turn him into ash the moment he fell into the Nine Netherworld. However, what happened next was utterly unbelievable. The Six-Eared Macaque seemed to realize that there was no escaping and instead of continuing to fall, he spread his body and flew straight towards the Golden Cudgel that was dropping from above. Shen Luo watched him rush upward before his eyes and for a moment thought he saw an illusion. There was no fear on the Six-Eared Macaque''s face, only a full, beaming smile. At the same time, he also caught sight of the Golden Wings Large peng and the others on the ground watching this scene unfold, with none of them coming forward to help. Even Elder Chi Rong from the Demon King Fort wanted to step in but was stopped by Flower Ten Women. Something was amiss, there had to be a scheme! ¡°Don''t kill him¡­¡± Shen Luo shouted loudly. Regrettably, it was too late. Sun Wukong''s Ruyi Golden Cudgel was unstoppable, and the Six-Eared Macaque went to meet his fate head-on. The two collided fiercely. ¡°Bang¡± There wasn''t the expected splatter of blood and brain pulp, nor any sudden anomalies or back-up plans ¡ª under the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, the body of the Six-Eared Macaque shattered like porcelain, turning into flying ash. ¡°Did I guess wrong?¡± Shen Luo wondered, puzzled, when suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his chest. The Black Devil Stick had taken him by surprise, suddenly withdrawing from his chest and flying backward. Immediately after, a particularly pure strand of Demonic Qi burst forth from the flying ash of the Six-Eared Macaque, wrapping around the stick and fleeing into the distance. ¡°Sun Wukong, you killed me once in the Ling Mountain Great Hall that year, and now I let you kill me once again. The cycle of karma is complete; all past memories and this previous life''s body are obliterated. Once my Demon Clan body reforms, it will be your time to die¡­¡± The voice of the Six-Eared Macaque echoed from afar. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, somewhat unable to grasp the meaning, but then heard Sun Wukong explain: ¡°That year on the journey to the West, the Six-Eared Macaque took advantage of the rift that formed between my Master and me to cause trouble. Later, I killed him with one strike in the Mahavira Hall of Ling Mountain. Back then I wasn''t heartless enough to completely eradicate his divine soul. From his words just now, it seems he was bound by karma, using me to slay his former self. Likely, he will soon become a pure-bred member of the Demon Clan, and his cultivation level will surge greatly.¡± While Shen Luo felt anxious, he then heard Sun Wukong say, ¡°But there''s nothing to fear. As long as this old Sun doesn''t die this time around, if we encounter him again, I''ll still pin him to the ground and beat him to a pulp.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but chuckle, but at that moment, he suddenly let out a muffled grunt, and his body was violently shaken. He quickly looked down to see his Yan Jia Corpse King struck by a palm from the Golden Wings Large peng, leaving a deep imprint of an eagle''s claw on his chest, and his figure was sent retreating over a hundred feet backward. ¡°Be careful¡­¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, Sun Wukong''s shout suddenly rang in his ears. Shen Luo swiftly turned around, and a Snowy Bone Sword nearly grazed his nose, shooting upward from below, the ripple of its Sword Qi slicing a three-foot-long tear in his clothes. But following closely behind came a severe pain from Shen Luo''s lower back. A black Bone Sword, with no sign of Qi disturbance, had pierced directly into his spine. The immense force instantly penetrated through, causing the bones there to crack. Shen Luo felt as if he had been struck by a mountain in his lower back, sending him involuntarily flying upwards. Above him, the Snowy Bone Sword had already reversed its trajectory, its tip aiming straight for Shen Luo''s forehead. The Sword body radiated a chilling air from You Ming, and it shot down sharply towards him. Shen Luo was affected by the force of the black sword''s collision and found it difficult to change his position in time, so he could only head straight towards the snowy white bone sword. Seeing this, Sun Wukong hurriedly flew forward to rescue him, but just then a shadow flashed by abruptly, and the Golden Wings Large peng appeared abruptly in front of him, raising his hand and swiping forward, a golden claw mark appeared out of thin air, tearing through the space towards him. Sun Wukong didn''t dare to be careless and could only use his staff to block, immediately being knocked back. ¡°Stinky monkey, we didn''t manage to determine a victor that year, let''s settle for life and death today,¡± said the Golden Wings Large peng, looking at him coldly. Sun Wukong saw that it was too late to rescue Shen Luo and was greatly annoyed. Without a word, he charged straight into battle. On Shen Luo''s end, just as the flying sword was closing in on his forehead, a red light suddenly flashed in his eyes. Immediately afterward, a fierce flame lit up at the center of his brow, and a Pure Yang Flying Sword shot out, colliding head-on with the snowy white bone sword. With a sharp ¡°clang¡±! The Pure Yang Flying Sword blazed with fire, and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire burst forth. It naturally restrained the You Ming cold air emanating from the snowy white bone sword, forcibly repelling it. At this point, Shen Luo finally steadied himself, and with a grasp into the void, the Profound Yellow Staff materialized in his palm. He turned around and swung the staff at the black bone sword that was chasing him, knocking it back with a single strike. At this moment, the black and white flying swords turned into two beams of sword light and flew back. A figure rose slowly from the ground, and with a casual grasp with both hands, the two beams of sword light entered his hands, transforming back into the shapes of flying swords. Shen Luo frowned as he looked over, recognizing that it was Elder Chi Rong from Demon King Fort. ¡°Where did you learn these demonic skills? You''re clearly not from the Demon Clan, not even from the Demon Race, so why are you endowed with such pure Demonic Qi?¡± Chi Rong sized up Shen Luo and demanded. Clearly, he was quite interested in Shen Luo, which was why the previous two swords hadn''t been fatal. ¡°That''s something you can''t learn,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. With his staff in hand, he took up a defensive stance, the Pure Yang Flying Sword also positioned behind him, on guard for Chi Rong''s black bone sword that could conceal its presence. In the distance, Sun Wukong and the Golden Wings Large peng were already in a fierce fight, but Sun Wukong was no match for his opponent and was being forced into a constant retreat, unable even to defend himself. Beneath them, the Taiyi Level Yan Jia Corpse King was exchanging blows with the Six-tusked Elephant King. Although unable to suppress the opponent, for the moment, he managed not to show any signs of defeat. However, the situation near the Heavenly Pit was becoming more grim. As disciple after disciple from Mount Fangcun and various sects were slaughtered like livestock, their bodies were thrown into the Heavenly Pit, where the golden light pillar turned them into dust. The result of this was a pit filled with overflowing blood Qi and sky-high malignance. Flower Ten Women stood on the Blood Sacrifice Array outside the Heavenly Pit, eyes tightly closed, hands weaving rapidly in front of her, with verses of chanting spilling from her lips. Dozens of Disciples of Silk Cave surrounded the Heavenly Pit, following Flower Ten Women''s chant, they began singing a mysterious song. The sound waves started to materialize, like surging waves hitting the shore, beating against the golden light pillars in waves. At the same time, the light from the charm patterns on the ground around them brightened considerably, and the dormant stench of blood began to overflow, turning into waves of blood in the void. Driven by the sound waves, they crashed into the golden light pillars time and time again. Waves of blood struck the golden light pillars, accompanied by the hissing sounds and emanating puffs of white smoke. The golden light pillars began to tremble violently. Their golden light, under the corrosion of the blood light, dimmed, and the area of the pillars shrank gradually. The majestic aura they emitted also began to weaken. The entire Restriction Array was now in imminent danger. Chapter 1362 Chapter 1362: Chapter 1359: Deception Chapter 1362: Chapter 1359: Deception Right now, neither Shen Luo nor Sun Wukong had any time to worry about the Restriction Array; everyone was like a clay Bodhisattva crossing the river, barely able to save themselves. The Six-tusked Elephant King already harbored tremendous hatred for Shen Luo and now just wanted to quickly dispose of the Yan Jia Corpse King. Its Golden Spear waved in its hand as dense as snowflakes, the wind from the Gun Body stirring the Heaven and Earth Aura, forming Chaotic Vortices that swept around. The Sky Fiend Corpse King, entangled by the airflow within the Chaotic Vortices, continually approached the Elephant King, yet its formidable physique was incomparable; even when struck by the colossal spear, it did not fear clashing against it directly, making it hard to determine the superior party. The battle between Shen Luo and Chi Rong, however, was not so effortless. The latter, aided by a pair of Black and White Bone Swords and bolstered by the cultivation level of the Taiyi Realm, would have left Shen Luo struggling to last even a few exchanges if it weren''t for his persistent activation of the Xuan Yang-Demonic Transformation Art coupled with his rich combat experience. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± Shen Luo''s back was slashed open by a dark bone sword, tearing a slit through his clothes. This time it wasn''t just a brush from Sword Qi, but a direct, tangible slice from the Sword Edge, promptly causing a spurt of blood from his back, opening up a deep wound that exposed the bone. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo turned his head for a glance, but he couldn''t see the extremely dangerous wound at all. It ran from the spine up his waist, cleaving the central line of his back open to reveal the faintly golden luminescent vertebrae within. Fortunately for Shen Luo, he still possessed the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation body, with scale armor covering his back; even if broken through and flesh torn, his spine remained untouched. Nevertheless, the Yin Sha Qi emanating from the black Ancient Sword still infiltrated through the wound into his body, causing immense shock to his internal organs. Enduring the sensation of heaviness and nausea in his chest and abdomen, Shen Luo invoked the Great Unsealing Technique to repair the wound, his eyes fixed intently on Chi Rong in front of him. To outward appearances, Chi Rong seemed unbothered, but in reality, he was far from comfortable. Previously, in his attempt to slay Shen Luo with his black sword, he deliberately revealed a flaw to lure Shen Luo into striking him. Shen Luo indeed fell for it, launching his Pure Yang Flying Sword, previously floating by his side for protection, toward the Golden Spear¨Ca move Chi Rong thought would be lethal. Unexpectedly, when Shen Luo''s Flying Sword reached Chi Rong''s Dantian, it suddenly changed direction, abandoning the Dantian¨Cwhich was within easy reach¨Cand instead passed under his crotch, accelerating behind him to pierce directly towards his Life Gate Acupoint. Chi Rong was thrown into panic, unable to understand how Shen Luo discovered that the key to his Yin Sha cultivation wasn''t in his Dantian but in his Life Gate. He had to hastily react, rendering what was meant to be a fatal thrust of the black Bone Sword ineffective. Instead, Shen Luo''s Pure Yang Flying Sword struck right into his Life Gate Acupoint. However, as a Taiyi Realm cultivator, Chi Rong, although hit in a vital point by Shen Luo''s sword, had already heightened his defenses and was only slightly impacted, sustaining injuries much more minor compared to Shen Luo''s. Shen Luo retracted his Flying Sword, using it to cover the wound on his back, drawing in the malignant fire into his body, burning and refining away the Yin Sha Qi that roamed within his organs. ¡°Human kid, as long as you''re willing to hand over your Demonic Transformation Technique, I can spare you a path to life. But let me be clear, you can''t leave on your own accord, you will follow me back to Demon King Fort. Spend a hundred or so years there, and maybe by the time the dust here no longer stirs, you might regain your freedom,¡± Chi Rong, despite his desire to kill Shen Luo, still wanted to acquire his Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Art first. ¡°That''s easy to discuss. As long as Elder doesn''t strike to kill, we can negotiate nicely. You want my secret technique? Here it is, please take it,¡± Shen Luo responded with a slight smile upon hearing the words. ¡°How come he''s suddenly so agreeable? He couldn''t have realized the vast gap in our strengths and chickened out, could he?¡± Seeing Shen Luo extend a Black Long Box with a seemingly cordial smile, Chi Rong began to have doubts. He thought so in his mind, yet he didn''t rush to act; his gaze settled on the Black Long Box, he scrutinized it carefully. The Black Long Box''s exterior seemed unremarkable, but upon close inspection, one could see thin threads of Demonic Qi entwining around it; the notion that it contained some kind of Demonic Transformation Technique was indeed plausible. ¡°Elder, if you don''t want it, this Junior might have to put it away?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. ¡°Just open it and see,¡± Chi Rong hurriedly intervened to stop him. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo showed a hesitant expression and asked, ¡°Elder, do you not trust junior here? How can a Taiyi Cultivator of your stature be so timid and cautious?¡± Chi Rong, upon hearing this, was not influenced by Shen Luo''s provocative tone and insisted firmly, ¡°Open it.¡± Shen Luo shook his head somewhat helplessly and immediately opened the black box to show Chi Rong. Chi Rong glanced over and saw a dark jade slip lying quietly inside, with no mechanisms or hidden weapons. ¡°Pass it here.¡± ¡°Then catch,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile upon hearing this. With that, he waved his hand, and the black long box flew towards Chi Rong. Just as Chi Rong was about to reach out to catch it, he saw the jade slip from within the black long box slowly float up and come before him, while the black box, like an abandoned tattered shoe, fell towards the mountain peak. He frowned slightly and subconsciously reached out to grab the jade slip. However, the moment the jade slip was in his hand, Chi Rong''s brow suddenly furrowed, and he quickly withdrew his hand as if shocked by electricity, only to see his palm had already turned a shade of dark purple. The black jade slip suspended in midair shattered on cue, turning into a cloud of black powder and dissipating. It was obviously not a carrier of the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Art, but simply an ordinary white jade slip, which assumed a pitch-black color due to the corrosion and contamination of plague poison. ¡°Good kid, daring to use poison!¡± Chi Rong bellowed in great anger. A fierce shout later, the blood energy gathered in Chi Rong''s palm, all of it taking on a purple-black hue. He then threw his hand out, and the poisoned blood accurately hit the dark bone sword, causing a ¡°hissing¡± of white smoke to rise from the sword body as if it were being quenched. ¡°Pity that this amount of poison hardly matters. Since you''re bent on seeking death, I''ll send you on your way,¡± Chi Rong scoffed. After speaking, he gestured with his hand, and the black and white bone sword immediately flew into his palm, merging into one single sword of both black and white, an odd longsword. Chi Rong formed a sword technique with one hand, and the longsword in his hand cleaved down towards Shen Luo. With a loud and clear ring of a sword, a burst of snow-white Sword Qi erupted forth, sweeping down from midair, causing a continuous ¡°crackling¡± sound in the void, freezing everything in its path. Seeing the situation turn dire, Shen Luo was about to take action when he realized that a concealed cold Qi had inexplicably approached, freezing the void under his feet, immobilizing him and rendering him unable to dodge; he could only raise his staff to meet the falling wall of ice. With a ¡°boom,¡± the ice wall shattered. The cold Qi and ice shards rained down like an avalanche, burying Shen Luo underneath and freezing him once again, sealing him directly within it. Ominous cold air converged from all directions, and as Shen Luo stood amidst it, he felt the chill penetrating his bones, as if voices from ghosts in the netherworld began to echo in his ears, repeating endlessly. As the voices continued to echo, Shen Luo felt his head growing heavy and his vision blurring. With a focused mind, he immediately started running the Suppressing God Technique to protect the Sea of Knowledge and his divine soul. Chapter 1363 Chapter 1363: Chapter 1360: Salvation Chapter 1363: Chapter 1360: Salvation At this moment, the golden light pillar at the center of the Heavenly Pit had become extremely dim, covered in what seemed like rust, bloodstains everywhere¨Cclumps of dark red that were repellent to the eye. Flower Ten Women stood to the side, her face breaking into a smile, filled with satisfaction. ¡°Almost there, begin the final chant,¡± she ordered the surrounding demons with a light shout. ¡°Yes,¡± the demons responded in unison. Then, a rather coordinated chanting began to rise from around the Heavenly Pit, and the golden light pillar at the center immediately lit up. However, the glow did not emit from the pillar itself, but from the blood-red rust that clung to it. As the blood light grew more intense, a decaying odor spread from it, and the entire golden light pillar, as if devoured by countless ants and bugs, began to collapse and break apart in the light. Finally, the last layer of prohibition protecting the remnants of Mount Fangcun''s soldiers was breached. ¡°Kill¡­¡± Before Flower Ten Women could give the command, a murderous chant erupted from deep within the Heavenly Pit. Following that, Elder Xingqiong, leading the remaining disciples of Lingbo City, charged up from the Lower Frontier first, leaping out of the Heavenly Pit. They were to fulfill their promise, to die in battle before the disciples of Mount Fangcun. But the moment they burst out of the Heavenly Pit, they all froze on the spot, only to see hundreds, thousands of Demon Clan people haphazardly scattered on the ground around the pit. Some bled from the mouth and nose, some convulsed uncontrollably, and many with lower cultivation levels had already died completely. This scene baffled not just them but even Flower Ten Women, who stood staring agape. In a trance, she hastily checked her palm, only to discover traces of dark green lines emerging¨Cevidently, she had been poisoned. ¡°When? Who administered the poison?¡± Flower Ten Women was shocked, utterly perplexed. She clasped her hands together, secretly activating a secret method. Blood arrows burst forth from both of her index fingers, the blood dark purple and foul-smelling. At the same time, an explosion sounded high above, countless ice crystals shattered, and a hailstorm began to pour down. Yet as the hail shattered, it dissolved into nothingness before it could even reach the ground. Shen Luo broke free from the Ice Seal, and his gaze immediately fell on the breached prohibition of the Heavenly Pit and the disciples of Mount Fangcun emerging one after another. He quickly leapt down to a spot on the ground and, after a brief search, picked up a black long box from the dirt, snapped the open lid back in place, and tucked it away with a flip of his hand. This black long box was none other than the demonic artifact, the Plague Spreader Box. Earlier, Shen Luo had pretended that it contained a secret technique, opening the box in front of Chi Rong to inspect, just so he could naturally activate the Plague Spreader Box. Otherwise, taking out the box for no reason would have surely drawn the enemy''s attention. And the outcome was as he expected¨Cno one paid attention to the black box he tossed aside, allowing it to continue dispersing the plague poison below, infecting those Demon Clan warriors. It was just unfortunate that such a large-scale release of the plague poison was compromised in speed and effect, so much so that it failed to take down all the demons before the Heavenly Pit''s prohibition was broken. ¡°Was it you who pulled this trick?¡± Flower Ten Women, seeing Shen Luo''s actions, asked with a mix of skepticism and belief. Shen Luo merely smiled noncommittally and did not respond. He saw the Bodhi Ancestor follow everyone else in leaping out of the Heavenly Pit and hurriedly went to greet him. Seeing this, the disciples of Mount Fangcun lowered their heads, some feeling guilty and not daring to meet Shen Luo''s eyes. ¡°Ancestor, how are you holding up?¡± asked Shen Luo, who didn''t seem to care about these things and quickly stepped forward to inquire. The Bodhi Ancestor looked at Shen Luo, his heart filled with emotions, but he just shook his head, momentarily at a loss for words. ¡°The Ancestor was first poisoned by Jue Ming Jue An over a long period, then attacked suddenly, already severely injured, and then fought fiercely against the Golden Wings Large Peng to cover our escape. We need to treat these injuries as soon as possible to prevent them from getting worse¡­¡± Elder Gui sighed and said. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked grave. With their current situation, escape seemed very difficult. ¡°Friend Shen, I''m sorry. We were blinded before and believed the lies of that bastard Juewu, which harmed you. Fortunately, you are safe and sound. We will accept any punishment you see fit,¡± said Elder Wuchen, stepping forward with a fist salute. ¡°Now is not the time for such talk. Those Demon Race minions have already been struck down by the plague poison I released, although it''s a pity the toxin was too scattered to affect the Golden Wings Large Peng and the others. However, if everyone disperses and flees, there is still a chance of survival,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Disperse? No way!¡± Elder Wuchen declared decisively upon hearing this. ¡°In that case, those demons will certainly focus on hunting down the Ancestor. What''s the point if we manage to escape to the heavens?¡± Elder Gui also shook his head. ¡°Stop arguing, you take the Bodhi Ancestor and leave. I''ll stop the pursuers,¡± Elder Xingqiong, eager to redeem himself and prepared to meet his death, said hastily. ¡°Boom¡± While they were still speaking, a figure flew sharply from midair and crashed down in front of them, instantly creating a huge pit on the ground. Shen Luo looked up and saw the Golden Wings Large Peng hovering in the sky, holding a golden long halberd, pointing it directly at the people below. ¡°You have no way out. Why not surrender?¡± Before his voice fell, cursing came from the pit: ¡°Bald bird, don''t be arrogant. Fight another three hundred rounds with old Sun!¡± ¡°You''re already spent. What false bravado? If you bow to us, Lion Camel Ridge, considering you are also of the Demon Race, I can let you live, and one day you could even be the master of a cave,¡± the Golden Wings Large Peng shouted. Sun Wukong slowly climbed out of the pit, his body soaked in blood. ¡°That Lion Camel Ridge of yours, with mountains of bones, flesh and blood turned to mud, and roads paved with human skins, truly stinks to high heaven. I have no interest in that. If we are to fight, let''s continue the fight; stop spouting so much nonsense.¡± He managed to stand up straight, grinning despite his evident effort to stay strong. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s thoughts raced, and he quickly called back the Yan Jia Corpse King to shield everyone. Flower Ten Women, Elder Chi Rong, the Six-tusked Elephant King, and the Golden Wings Large Peng all joined forces. Some elders from their sects with deep cultivation levels, unaffected by the Plague Spreader Box, also followed. They all possessed an oppressive force so strong it made one''s heart quiver as they pressed towards everyone. ¡°Caged beasts still struggle. What''s the point of your resistance? If you surrender now, there''s still a slim chance of survival. Otherwise, if you continue your defiance, we will have no choice but to start a massacre, leaving none alive,¡± Flower Ten Women threatened. ¡°Just give up, and after the Divine Demon Well is opened, we only need the heads of the Bodhi Ancestor and Sun Wukong. The rest can be dealt with leniently,¡± added Elder Chi Rong. ¡°Not good enough. The head of that human lad must not be spared. Include him too,¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said viciously. His hatred for Shen Luo was intense, and he was unwilling to let him go. Chapter 1364 Chapter 1364: Chapter 1361: Support from All Sides Chapter 1364: Chapter 1361: Support from All Sides ¡°Stop the nonsense! If we''re going to fight, let''s fight for real, a fierce battle to the bitter end. It''s still uncertain who will win or lose,¡± Elder Xingqiong shouted angrily. ¡°You''re not very advanced in your Dao-Practice, but your arrogance is not small. What can you possibly have to threaten us with a fierce battle to the bitter end?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng sneered. After speaking, he raised his hand to take out a square box the size of a palm, opened the lid, and turned it upside down. Out poured numerous black little figures the size of rice grains. After touching the ground, they quickly grew into numerous Lion Camel Ridge Little Monsters. In moments, thousands of little monsters, under the command of the elder demons, surrounded the hundred or so remaining humans in the middle, making the difference in strength immediately obvious. ¡°Impressive numbers huh? They''re just shrimp soldiers and crab generals, what can they do to me?¡± Elder Wuchen said defiantly, with forced confidence. ¡°Try and you''ll know. Kill,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng ordered with a command. ¡°Stop.¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, a rapid shout came. Everyone looked toward the sound and saw three figures quickly leap over the encirclement and fly close to them. Shen Luo, seeing the three figures, couldn''t help but shake his head with worry. The leader among the three was Fu Donglai, who had been separated from Shen Luo earlier. On his way here, he found two Demon Monkeys bound by Spider Silk, whom he rescued before rushing to join the fray. ¡°Master, peace in the Three Realms has been hard-won. Please don''t act on impulse. If war breaks out again, countless beings in the Three Realms will die or be injured, and there will never be a day of peace,¡± Fu Donglai pleaded with the Master who had taught him to grow. The Golden Wings Large peng looked at him, his raised hand hesitated for a moment in mid-air without falling. But such hesitation only lasted for moments. ¡°Kill,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng commanded in a low voice, not looking at Fu Donglai, and forcefully swung down his hand. The demons immediately raised their weapons, ready to slaughter them. But just then, another sharp shout came from high altitude: ¡°Who says Mount Fangcun has no reinforcements?¡± As soon as the words were uttered, a lotus platform glowing with pink light sped forth, its treasure light condensing with a woman dressed in a light blue palace dress standing upon it. She had a tall figure, fair skin, and eyes as dark as ink. A thin, delicate veil covered her face, obscuring her real appearance. However, the dust-free aura she exuded, along with the glimpses of her facial features, made it clear that she was an unusual person, almost like a Heavenly Immortal descended to the Human World. ¡°Who are you?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng looked up and asked, frowning. He had already realized that the woman''s cultivation was not weak; her foundation as an Early True Immortal was already solid and her future path looked promising. What concerned him more, however, was the breath emanating from the woman, which unmistakably came from Mount Putuo. A joyful smile crossed Shen Luo''s face as he, of course, had already recognized the person. ¡°Junior, a disciple of Mount Putuo, Nie Caizhu, by the command of my sect, has come to aid Mount Fangcun,¡± the woman said, her eyes involuntarily glancing in Shen Luo''s direction. Hearing this, the people of Mount Fangcun rejoiced, but the Golden Wings Large peng and the others couldn''t help but fall into contemplation. They looked around, waited for moments, and seeing no one else appear, a strange expression crossed their faces. ¡°Is it just you coming to aid?¡± Six-tusked Elephant King couldn''t help but ask. No sooner had his words fallen than a sword light swiftly arrived, standing upon it a young man who tilted his head back to drink a gulp of liquor and laughed loudly, ¡°Great Tang Dynasty Government Official, Lu Huaming, has come to aid.¡± Following close behind, another Escape Light shot forth, and two young men in white long robes arrived as well. Standing atop the clouds, they bent over and panted, saying, ¡°We barely made it¡­¡± Flower Ten Women and others'' expressions gradually became stiff, and the Six-tusked Elephant King couldn''t help but ask, ¡°And who might you two be?¡± The two men looked strikingly similar, both debonair and handsome in appearance. One of them snapped open a folding fan with a ¡°snap¡± and smiled, ¡°Junior Bai Xiaotian of Hua Sheng Temple, together with Bai Xiaoyun, by the order of our sect, have come to reinforce Mount Fangcun.¡± After finishing his words, he gently shook the folding fan and cast a flirtatious glance at Shen Luo. Shen Luo saw this and somewhat speechlessly shook his head. At this moment, a pleasant sound of silver bells rang out, and another beautiful figure arrived¨Cit was Wu Man''er. ¡°Sorry, Big Brother Shen, I am late,¡± she apologized upon arrival. ¡°It''s fine, you''re just in time,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Hearing the exchange between the two, Nie Caizhu''s eyebrows twitched involuntarily. ¡°And who might you be?¡± Flower Ten Women frowned and asked. ¡°I am Wu Man''er, a disciple of Divine Wood Forest, here by the order of our Clan Leader to support Mount Fangcun,¡± Wu Man''er quickly replied. ¡°Divine Wood Forest¡­ How come even a sect as reclusive as Divine Wood Forest has come?¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King said with some hesitation. ¡°Could it be fake?¡± Chi Rong questioned. ¡°How could it be fake?¡± Wu Man''er said earnestly. Upon saying that, she immediately flicked her wrist, shaking the silver bells in her hand, causing a ¡°dingling¡± sound to resonate. In a flash, a flurry of rustling sounds rose from all directions as a huge swarm of black Gu insects flew in from the surroundings, numbering over ten thousand, densely surrounding the young girl. ¡°I''ve brought my Gu insects, look if you don''t believe me,¡± Wu Man''er spoke. ¡°What in the world is going on? Why are all these sects coming to support? Could it be that Yang Jian has already spread the message?¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King hesitated uncertainly. ¡°Impossible, Yang Jian is gravely injured; he couldn''t have arrived so quickly,¡± Flower Ten Women objected. The Golden Wings Large Peng''s gaze swept over Shen Luo for a moment before speaking, ¡°No need to guess any further, it has to do with that young man from the Human Race named Shen Luo.¡± ¡°It''s him again¡­¡± the Six-tusked Elephant King gritted his teeth and said. ¡°What to do? If so many sects unite, we are no match,¡± Chi Rong felt the inclination to retreat. ¡°Hmph, if it were indeed so many sects, we truly wouldn''t stand a chance. However, you might as well release your Divine Senses and scan around¨Cdo you feel any strong fluctuations of spiritual power coming?¡± the Golden Wings Large Peng said with a cold laugh. Upon hearing this, Chi Rong and the others did as suggested, and true enough, they detected nothing. If it were just one or two people, hiding their presence and deceiving them might be feasible, but if the forces from various sects had arrived, it would be absolutely impossible not to detect any trace of their aura. ¡°Shen Luo, did you call these friends over to accompany you in death?¡± the Golden Wings Large Peng called out loudly. At this moment, Shen Luo was also utterly perplexed and was inquiring everyone via telepathy. ¡°Everyone, what is going on, why is it just you, where are the forces from your sects?¡± ¡°Brother Shen, I am sorry, but for some reason, the National Master didn''t allow the Government to provide support this time, and my Master also told me not to get involved, so I could only come alone,¡± Lu Huaming said with some helplessness. ¡°My Master said the same. I was planning to come alone, but that stinky kid Xiao Yun sneaked along with me, and I just couldn''t chase him away,¡± Bai Xiaotian added. ¡°Cousin, my sect¡­ is the same,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said apologetically. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I also snuck out without telling my Master,¡± replied Wu Man''er. Chapter 1365 Chapter 1365: Chapter 1362: Fearless of Life and Death Chapter 1365: Chapter 1362: Fearless of Life and Death Shen Luo listened to the words of Bai Xiaotian and the others, his feelings incredibly complex, with some disappointment and yet some touch of emotion in his heart. He was disappointed by the tacit agreement reached by the Major Sects in the joint attack on Mount Fangcun, but he was also moved by these friends who, knowing they were entering a dragon''s den and a tiger''s lair, were still willing to risk their lives for him alone. At this moment, the members of the Demon Race also clearly understood the situation at hand and relaxed considerably. ¡°I can give you all a chance, leave right now, and this matter will have nothing to do with you, otherwise¡­¡± the Golden Wings Large peng, spoke, his words heavy with threat. ¡°Otherwise what? Do you dare to resort to murder?¡± Bai Xiaotian snapped his folding fan shut, frowning as he asked. ¡°Elders, although I am here alone, my Sect and my teachers will undoubtedly be aware of my whereabouts. You must also know that our Great Tang Dynasty Government has always adhered to the principle of ''if there''s an open rebellion, retribution will be meted out, however far away the offenders are,''¡± Lu Huaming also said. ¡°We at Mount Putuo have always kept to ourselves, but should our direct disciples suffer harm, even the World-Saving Bodhisattva, when becoming the wrathful Vajra, I hope you can bear it,¡± Nie Caizhu also said. After much thought, Wu Man''er still didn''t know what to say and simply shook her wrist. Behind her, countless Gu insects scattered, forming two wings that spread out. Hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inwardly and sent a message to them, ¡°I am already very content that you could make this trip. But in the current situation, the awe of the Sects is not enough to suppress their malicious intents. You should return and relay the true situation here to the Sects, so they are alerted as well.¡± ¡°With us here, we can still stall them somewhat, if we leave, they will have no more scruples,¡± Lu Huaming said hesitantly. Nie Caizhu flew to Shen Luo''s side and, without excess words, gently entwined his arm. The rest of them followed suit and also landed. Their attitude was clear, they were determined to stick with Shen Luo and Mount Fangcun, through thick and thin. ¡°I already gave you a chance. It''s you who didn''t want it, so you can''t blame me,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng said with a cold sneer. As it spoke, it took a step forward, and the entire Secret Realm trembled. ¡°Daoist friend, please reconsider, we cannot afford to be enemies with so many Sects at the same time¡­¡± Chi Rong said hesitantly, trying to persuade. ¡°You''re right, so we need to handle things cleanly. Today''s matter, you know, I know, Heaven and Earth must not,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng nodded and stretched his hand toward the Void. With his sweep of the hand, a streak of Golden Light flew out from his sleeve, racing towards the high altitude. Everyone looked up and saw a semi-transparent crystal shield floating in the sky, shaped like a Golden Bell, with nine Golden Dragons coiled at the top, intertwined and lifelike. ¡°Down,¡± he intoned with a low shout. A Dragon Chant emanated from the semi-transparent crystal shield, and the nine Golden Dragons raised their heads as if coming to life, shining with Golden Light as they flew toward nine different directions, growing against the wind and expanding to a hundred feet in size. At the same time, the crystal shield also swiftly enlarged, turning into a vast half-transparent prohibition, almost entirely covering the Secret Realm beneath it. Seeing this, the people of Mount Fangcun tensed up, as it was clear they intended to kill and silence everyone. Shen Luo, seeing this, sighed in his heart with a twinge of regret for sending out those calls for help. At that moment, he felt a surge of power from his side. It was Nie Caizhu holding onto his hand, using a secret technique from Mount Putuo to heal his wounds. ¡°Don''t worry, giving it our all, we may still have the strength for one last battle,¡± Nie Caizhu said in a low voice. ¡°Shen Luo, this time I''ll show you the fruits of my closed-door cultivation. I''ll let you see what is called the Buddhist Vajra,¡± Bai Xiaotian remained in his usual teasing manner, though his eyes turned solemn. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I''ll also show you the results of my cultivation. If only I had more time, I''m sure I could surpass my brother,¡± Bai Xiaoyun added, patting his chest with a laugh. Lu Huaming didn''t say anything, but there was an instant of distant look, as if he was missing a certain girl he had deliberately not brought with him. Wu Man''er stole a glance at Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, thinking to herself that this sister was indeed as beautiful as a heavenly immortal. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°To die today is to be without fear,¡± Fu Donglai said after a long silence, gripping the Green Blood Ganqi Axe tightly, his brows furrowed as he looked towards the Golden Wings Large peng. In that instant, this group of relatively young cultivators burst forth with a breath that put pressure on the demons opposite them, and it also made several of the leading demons resolve to eliminate them. If these people were not destroyed, they would become a disaster for both the demon and beast races in the future. ¡°Hha¡­ So young, yet so unafraid of death. You even make this old man feel a bit of that hot blood stirring. But if it really comes to dying, how could I let you youngsters go first?¡± The Bodhi Ancestor''s voice rang out. Everyone turned to look, only to see the Ancestor''s breath change drastically. All the bloodstains on him disappeared without a trace, and he looked vibrant as if he had not been injured at all. ¡°Ancestor¡­¡± The people of Mount Fangcun exclaimed in surprise when they saw this. ¡°How is that possible?¡± Flower Ten Women said in shock. ¡°Ancestor, how could you¡­¡± Traitor Jue Ming was terrified, feeling a chill in his heart. The reason they dared to attack Mount Fangcun was precisely because they knew Jue Ming Jue An had first conspired with a strange poison and then suddenly launched a sneak attack, causing Bodhi Ancestor to be heavily wounded. But now, the situation had turned abruptly, causing them to panic. If the Bodhi Ancestor was not heavily wounded, or even just slightly injured, they would never dare to act like this. ¡°Large peng, can we strike a deal?¡± Bodhi Ancestor spoke. ¡°What kind of deal?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng asked. ¡°What you want is nothing more than the Divine Demon Well. I was just guarding it on behalf of the Three Realms. Since they no longer care, why should I lose everything for it? I''ll just stop guarding this well¡­ I''ll even open the last prohibition for you,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said. ¡°Ancestor¡­¡± Elder Gui tried to advise as he heard this. The Bodhi Ancestor raised a hand to stop him and continued, ¡°I know what you want to say, but there''s no need to speak further. My mind is made up. How about it? As long as you agree to let these people leave safely, I will open the Divine Demon Well for you, and later you can push all the blame onto me, saying it was me who was unwilling to die and purposely opened the Divine Demon Well¡­ You are more experienced in concocting such stories than I am, so there''s no need for me to teach you anything.¡± ¡°You want them to go, but not yourself?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng asked. ¡°If I went, who would take the blame for causing trouble to the world? Besides, would you let me go?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor raised an eyebrow and asked in return.¡± ¡°With so many witnesses and talebearers escaping, I fear the blame you, Bodhi Ancestor, will take on won''t hold. So, it''s best for everyone to go on their way together,¡± the Golden Wings Large peng said with a shake of his head and a smile. ¡°Then there is nothing more to say, let this old man witness your abilities, you evil beast,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said. Chapter 1366 Chapter 1366: Chapter 1363: Counterattack at Death''s Door Chapter 1366: Chapter 1363: Counterattack at Death''s Door As soon as Bodhi Ancestor''s voice fell, his hands began to move, stirring up a great tumult of wind and thunder. In an instant, violent winds arose within the entire Secret Realm, the earth heaved, and mountains shook; a crevasse split open between his feet, continuously expanding to both sides, extending towards the feet of the Golden Wings Large Peng. Seeing this, the demons were greatly shocked, each one of them panic-stricken. However, the Golden Wings Large Peng just sneered, stomped forcefully, and the ground in front of him instantly sank three feet, blocking the approaching fissure. He spoke up, ¡°Bodhi Ancestor, at this point in time, there''s no need for these deliberate acts of intimidation. Your injuries cannot be faked. Why put on a brave front?¡± ¡°If I were to risk my life in a fight, defeating you¡­ might be a bit difficult, but any of the others would not be a problem. However, I assume you don''t care for their lives, so if we are to fight, it must be with you. How about a battle that could cut you off from the great Dao?¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with an untroubled smile, as if discussing a matter as trivial as a sesame-sized deal. Upon hearing this, the Golden Wings Large Peng''s expression became grave, and he seriously contemplated the offer. ¡°Fine, I can let the others go, but besides what was mentioned earlier, you must first hand over the Map of Mountains and Rivers,¡± he said after a moment. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows slightly furrowed. Sun Wukong also flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes, looking towards Bodhi Ancestor. ¡°Haha, you guys, I really don''t know whether your true goal is the Divine Demon Well or the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Too bad, even in death, I cannot give it to you,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said with a smile, speaking leisurely. ¡°Then there''s nothing more to say, let''s each employ our means,¡± the Golden Wings Large Peng said, his expression darkening, no longer wasting words. With that said, his figure leapt high into the air, his wings suddenly expanding behind him, overshadowing the skydome, casting two vast shadows. An immensely powerful oppressive force suddenly rolled down from above. Shen Luo visibly saw the void distort, as if a piece of the sky was being pressed down. The overwhelming force made almost everyone feel a tightness in their chests and a buzzing in their heads, involuntarily bending over. The strength of the Golden Wings Large Peng was beyond doubt in this moment. Shen Luo struggled to lift his head to look at the figure suspended in the air, his eyes not filled with anger, but with unwillingness. Since returning to the present world, he had overcome numerous difficulties, cultivating even more diligently than before, all so he could quickly improve his cultivation level. In the face of powerful enemies, he wanted to have the strength to fight, but some gaps simply cannot be closed by effort alone. He felt as though his body was being pressed down by mountains, his knees so heavy they nearly gave way. ¡°No¡­ I refuse to accept this!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes filled with blood, and he let out a thunderous shout. The Xuan Yang-Demonic Transformation Art within him ran wildly, no longer caring about the balance of yin and yang, nor the risk of complete demonic transformation. The scales on his body flexed like breathing, and a rolling aura of malevolence ascended from the rising half of his demonic body. A bounding power began to surge within him. On his left forehead, that fierce demon horn began growing again, already extending more than three inches, while the color of the jujube-red vertical mark between his eyebrows also deepened continually. His flesh and blood skin started showing signs of splitting. ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Nie Caizhu said with a shocked and dry voice upon seeing this. Shen Luo turned to look at her, the color of emotion in his eyes not faded. His divine wisdom was completely clear, but the Demonic Qi released from his body was becoming purer. He shook his head at Nie Caizhu and slowly stood upright. Raising a fist, he viciously hammered it towards the void above. ¡°Boom!¡± Accompanied by a thunderous boom, a massive black fist shadow, wrapped in a layer of black Demonic Flames, shot upwards. After the black fist shadow collided with the hundred feet high altitude, it was as if it had struck an invisible mountain. Its speed slowed until its force was exhausted, and then it burst apart thunderously. ¡°` The Black Demon Flame attached to it also rained down on Earth like falling rain. The entire skydome shook with it, as if pushed back three feet by a punch, and the pressure bearing down on everyone lightened a touch. The Golden Wings Large Peng slightly trembled as it looked down at Shen Luo below, and a hint of surprise emerged in its eyes. ¡°Such pure Chiyou Demonic Qi, this Human Race youth¡­¡± After a moment''s thought, a sharp light flashed in its eyes, and it stomped in the void. The pressure Shen Luo had just now scattered increased twofold, bearing down with an even more irresistible momentum. The Bodhi Ancestor sighed in silence upon seeing this. He raised a palm and slowly swatted towards the sky, and behind him a blinding light coalesced into a huge ethereal palm, its fingers spread wide to fend off above, like a towering ancient tree, sheltering everyone below. At this moment, Shen Luo could no longer sustain the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Art, so he had no choice but to suppress the Demonic Qi back into his body and revert to his human form. Everyone felt the pressure suddenly ease, but when they looked back at the Bodhi Ancestor, they saw his face turn incomparably pale, and his breath also plummet instantly. Obviously, the composure he had shown just now was nothing but a means to confuse the opponent. ¡°Ancestor!¡± Everyone stepped forward in concern. The Bodhi Ancestor waved his hand and said, ¡°The Demonic Poison used by Jue Ming Jue An is really too strong. This old man shouldn''t be so useless¡­¡± ¡°Ancestor, I, your humble Wukong, owe my path of cultivating immortality to your enlightenment. In this life, I have no regrets. Even if what I gained from Heaven today must be returned, it is worth it to secure a way out for everyone,¡± Sun Wukong said with a smile still on his face. ¡°You this macaque, have always been my biggest concern. It''s not yet time for you to sacrifice everything for the Sect. As long as I''m here, it won''t come to that,¡± The Bodhi Ancestor replied with a smile upon seeing this. ¡°Bodhi Ancestor is about to make his dying counterattack. If you have any tricks up your sleeve, don''t hold back now. Let''s all send the old Elder on his way together,¡± the Golden Wings Large Peng shouted at Flower Ten Women and the others upon seeing this. Hearing this, Flower Ten Women and a few others exchanged looks and stepped forward. The Six-tusked Elephant King twisted his wrist, and the golden gun was already in his hand, Flower Ten Women opened her mouth and spit out a crystal-clear white longsword. Chi Rong still held the merged Black and White Bone Sword in his hand, his gaze resting on Shen Luo with a hint of regret, but by this point, there was no way to obtain the Demonic Transformation Technique from him anymore. ¡°Kill,¡± commanded the Golden Wings Large Peng. ¡°Boom¡­¡± A heavy peal of thunder erupted from high altitude, causing the entire secret realm to shake violently. All those within the secret realm, including the Golden Wings Large Peng and all the other demons, had their expressions suddenly change. Looking up at the sky, they saw a flash of light above the skydome, and a massive purple thunderbolt fell from the sky, striking the semi-transparent light curtain. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Boom¡± It was only the second thunderbolt, but a hundred-foot-long crack had already opened up in the sky. Clearly, someone was attacking the protective barrier from outside. Chapter 1367 Chapter 1367: Chapter 1364: Hinting Chapter 1367: Chapter 1364: Hinting ¡°` Everyone from Mount Fangcun was overjoyed at the sight, while the faces of Golden Wings Large Peng and his companions darkened significantly. The next instant, another purple light burst forth, even more dazzling and bright than the previous two, striking heavily upon the protective light shield. The shield displayed nine Golden Dragon Phantasms converging from all directions toward the point of the lightning strike, and finally, as it struck down, they met it head-on. ¡°Boom!¡± The massive roar shook everyone to their core, their blood roiling with the explosion, their eardrums nearly tearing apart. Numerous disciples from the Human and Demon Races, with low cultivation levels, couldn''t withstand it and fainted, blood streaming from their ears and noses. However, at the site of the cracks in the light shield, the nine Golden Dragons scattered but did not break apart. But immediately after, a dazzling golden light descended from above, and as everyone squinted to look, they saw a nine-layer Golden Treasure Pagoda enveloped in misty treasure light falling from the sky, smashing heavily onto the light shield. This time, the Forbidden Light Barrier, already depleted of much of its strength by the thunder and lightning, finally shattered with a crash. Amidst the sky full of light, one of the nine Golden Dragons broke apart, leaving only eight to re-condense and fly as a golden light into the sleeve of Golden Wings Large Peng. The Golden Treasure Pagoda, as it continued to fall, shrank smaller and smaller, eventually becoming a mini Exquisite Pagoda about an arm''s length tall, landing on the palm of a broad, smooth white hand. The owner of the hand was dressed in golden armor, with a crown of black feathers with Golden Wings, and a bunch of black beard hanging from his chest. His brow was slightly furrowed, exuding immense majesty. In addition to the mini golden tower in his right hand, his left held an ancient-looking black Iron Whip. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo recognized him at a glance: He was none other than Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing. Hot on the heels of Li Jing, another familiar figure descended from the sky, standing by his side. It was Zhenyuanzi, the Master of Wuzhuang Pavilion. Seeing these two appear, Shen Luo''s heart, which had been in suspense, finally settled down. Wracked with intense pain from the backlash of the Demonic Qi, he could hardly stand, but thankfully, Nie Caizhu quickly supported him. Zhenyuanzi''s gaze swept over the situation before him, and seeing the dried bloodstains around the Heavenly Pit, how could he not understand the horrific events that had transpired here? ¡°Golden Wings Large Peng, how dare you!¡± he couldn''t help but rebuke in a low voice. ¡°What do you mean by that, Town Primordial Great Immortal?¡± Golden Wings Large Peng feigned ignorance and retorted. Likewise, Li Jing had no time for idle chatter, speaking straightforwardly and undisguisedly, ¡°The Heavenly Palace tacitly approved of your attack on Mount Fangcun, only to have you support Lingbo City and retrieve the Map of Mountains and Rivers. But you were not granted the authority to annihilate them, nor were you given permission to open the Divine Demon Well.¡± ¡°Heavenly King Li, the instructions from the Heavenly Palace were too vague; we could only take it upon ourselves to act. If it wasn''t forbidden by law, it was permissible. Surely, we can''t be blamed for that, can we?¡± Flower Ten Women spoke up. ¡°Don''t try to fob us off with that excuse. The sealing of the Divine Demon Well is a consensus among the Three Realms, a covenant agreed upon from the beginning. By doing this, are you trying to tear up the covenant and reignite the war?¡± Li Jing uttered fiercely, with furrowed brows. ¡°Reignite the war? The events here would indeed make for a good excuse. Is that why you previously turned a blind eye to our attack on Mount Fangcun, for this purpose?¡± Golden Wings Large Peng sneered and retorted. At these words, a sudden change came over the faces of everyone from Mount Fangcun, looking at Li Jing with suspicion. ¡°You Demons have already submitted to the Immortal Clan; what benefit is there for me to restart a war?¡± Li Jing replied calmly and firmly. Hearing this, everyone from Mount Fangcun realized that while the Heavenly Palace might indulge them in striking at Mount Fangcun or even pressure them to give up the Map of Mountains and Rivers, they would not allow them to be annihilated, much less permit the Demon Clan to reopen the Divine Demon Well. Even so, the looks given to Li Jing from the people of Mount Fangcun did not improve much. ¡°So, if we''re going to continue fighting, The Heavenly Palace will join you; how about that?¡± Li Jing proposed. ¡°Wuzhuang Pavilion is also willing to accompany you to the end¡±, Zhenyuanzi added with a smile, waving his Whisk. Golden Wings Large Peng looked toward the two men, and after a moment of silence, folded his wings and, watched by all, slowly descended to the ground. Clearly, there was no need to continue this battle. ¡°Very well, if you don''t want to fight anymore, you must accept punishment,¡± Li Jing nodded and said. ¡°` ¡°What kind of punishment do you propose?¡± the Golden Wings Large peng asked upon hearing the words, his mouth curving into a smile, seemingly amused. ¡°The Heavenly Palace will bear responsibility for its own faults, and you need not worry about that. As for your punishment, the Heavenly Palace will not make the decision in private. It will be discussed with ''various sects'' within the Three Realms before reaching a conclusion. Before then, you may return to your respective Sects and await notification. Of course, you are also free to attempt rebellion, leading your Sects in defiance. I believe many would find pleasure in such an event,¡± Li Jing spoke without an overly harsh tone, yet the threat in his words was quite evident. ¡°Heavenly King Li, there''s no need for threats. We will bear the consequences of this affair ourselves. It''s just that I wonder how ''various sects'' of the Human and Immortal Clans will explain themselves to Mount Fangcun, haha¡­¡± At the end of his statement, the Golden Wings Large peng couldn''t help but burst into loud laughter. This laughter was full of mockery. As his laughter echoed in everyone''s ears, their minds began to race with different thoughts. ¡°What happens afterward is an internal affair of the Human and Immortal Clans ¨C how to deal with it and how to reconcile are not your concerns. I''m sure after this incident, ''various sects'' throughout the Three Realms will have many things cleared up,¡± came a voice suddenly rising, rather unexpectedly resonating throughout the Secret Realm. Everyone turned towards the source of the sound and saw that the person who spoke was none other than Shen Luo. His eyes were firmly fixed on the Golden Wings Large peng, his expression resolute, completely unaffected by the provocative words. The people from Mount Fangcun and Lingbo City realized upon hearing these words, as if suddenly enlightened, that in this conflict, regardless of the outcome, the winners would be the Demon side. The Golden Wings Large peng gave Shen Luo a deep look, then turned around and barked, ¡°Let''s go.¡± No sooner had he spoken than the remaining Elders and disciples from Lion Camel Ridge, Demon King Fort, and Pansi Cave also began to turn away, ready to follow him out. ¡°You may go, but he cannot,¡± Shen Luo said, staggering forward as he pointed at one figure''s back and called out. Everyone looked and realized he was pointing at no other than the traitor from Mount Fangcun ¨C Awakened. ¡°Great King, no, you can''t leave me behind¡­¡± Awakened felt a chill overtake his body and his head shook like a rattle drum. The Golden Wings Large peng merely glanced at him coldly before turning to leave. As the demons started to leave self-concernedly, Awakened became panic-stricken. His escape light flared as he tried to flee. However, just as his figure started to rise, he was reeled back to the spot by a sweep of a sleeve. Town Primordial Great Immortal was smiling as he pushed Awakened in front of Shen Luo, signaling him to deal with the traitor. As Shen Luo walked towards Awakened, images of him slaughtering his fellow disciples filled his mind, naturally fueling great hatred. With a wave of his hand, the Nine Netherworld descended from above, shrouding Awakened''s body, followed by a surge of Black Demon Flame emanating from within the loop. ¡°No, stop! I did it out of necessity, don''t kill me, don''t kill me!¡± ¡°Ancestor, I was wrong, save me¡­¡± Awakened''s hands flailed in an attempt to struggle as he cried out loudly for mercy, but no one spoke a word. Instead, they all watched in silence, each with a different expression on their face. Even Bodhi Ancestor''s face did not show a hint of pity, his eyes indifferent, deep in thought. Shen Luo raised his hand, slowly clenching his outstretched fingers. The Black Demon Flame suddenly intensified, completely enveloping Awakened. The flesh on Awakened''s body shriveled rapidly, visible to the naked eye, as if it were being drawn out by someone, and his withered hands continued to dance about, eyes bulging in his skull-like face as if he were an Evil Ghost. But soon, his form became motionless, turning pitch black as if even his soul had been consumed by the flames. As Shen Luo retracted the Nine Netherworld, Awakened''s shriveled, pitch-black corpse was carried away by the wind, turning into a wisp of ash that disappeared between Heaven and Earth. Even though the scene was quite gruesome, no one present felt sorry for him. To a traitor like this, everyone naturally wanted him to suffer, and now seeing his pitiful end, they only felt a sense of relief. Chapter 1368 Chapter 1368: Chapter 1365: The Original Intent Remains Unchanged Chapter 1368: Chapter 1365: The Original Intent Remains Unchanged With the arrival of Li Jing and others, as well as the departure of the Golden Wings Large Peng and his company, the crisis at Mount Fangcun seemed to have been mitigated on the surface, and everyone let out a sigh of relief. At this time, a figure arrived belatedly, descending from the clouds. Accompanied by a slender black dog, it was none other than Erlang Shen, Yang Jian. There was a visible wound piercing through his chest and abdomen, an injury comparable to that of Sun Wukong, and at this moment, he had not undergone any treatment, allowing the blood to dye a large portion of his garment red. Kneeling on one knee before Bodhi Ancestor, he cupped his fists and said, ¡°The trouble at Mount Fangcun, for which Lingbo City cannot shirk its blame, and for which Yang Jian is especially culpable, I beg Bodhi Ancestor to mete out punishment, and I will harbor no grievances.¡± Upon seeing this, Elder Xingqiong and the others also knelt down one after another. ¡°Were the Pagoda Heavenly King and Town Primordial Great Immortal the reinforcements you called for?¡± Bodhi Ancestor asked. ¡°Heavenly King Li was requested by my rushing to the Heavenly Palace; however, I couldn''t make it to Wuzhuang View in time,¡± Yang Jian honestly explained. Bodhi Ancestor''s eyelids lifted slightly upon hearing this, seemingly a bit surprised. ¡°I came rushing over after receiving a message from Friend Shen. However, the distance was truly vast, and by the time I arrived, it was already much too late,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal explained. Everyone turned their gaze toward Shen Luo in surprise upon hearing this. How could a disciple at the early stage of True Immortality have managed to invite someone like the Earth Immortal Ancestor of Town Primordial Great Immortal? ¡°I see.¡± Bodhi Ancestor nodded without asking further, and Town Primordial Great Immortal did not elaborate. ¡°Yang Jian, there is something I wish to ask you,¡± spoke Bodhi Ancestor. ¡°Ancestor, please go ahead,¡± Yang Jian said with a deep voice. ¡°If today''s Map of Mountains and Rivers were in your Sect, and we from Mount Fangcun, together with other Sects, came knocking on your doors, how long could you hold out?¡± Bodhi Ancestor posed the question slowly. Yang Jian fell silent upon hearing this. Given the situation of the day, Lingbo City might have already faced its demise. ¡°Junior understands Ancestor''s point, but the reason I pressured Mountain Gate was nothing else but a hope that Mount Fangcun would no longer indiscriminately accept disciples from all races across the Three Realms, breaking the balance between them,¡± Yang Jian sighed and continued. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Do you really think that the way to true peace is by keeping the races of the Three Realms estranged from each other, each walking their own path, and instigating mutual antagonism and balance? I always thought you, a guy with three eyes, could see further than others, but to my surprise, you too are just a blind man with wide-open eyes,¡± Sun Wukong mocked unabashedly. ¡°I still believe that Mount Fangcun''s practice of widely accepting disciples from human, immortal, and demon races and holding the Map of Mountains and Rivers is improper and does no good to the peace of the Three Realms,¡± Yang Jian still held fast to his opinion. ¡°Yang Jian, you are wrong. The enemies of the Three Realms are not the various races themselves, but Chiyou and his followers. Today''s events have been witnessed by you in their entirety. How is Elder Wuchen among us? What about my disciple Wukong? And how about this Friend Shen? And his demon friend, Daoist friend, what about him?¡± Bodhi Ancestor sighed and asked in return. Yang Jian was about to speak when the Roaring Sky Dog at his feet also barked with a ''woof.'' He suddenly became somewhat stunned and after a long while, said slowly, ¡°Indeed, the junior was wrong¡­¡± ¡°I don''t think Erlang True Monarch is so wrong. If Mount Fangcun had listened to Heavenly Palace''s advice earlier and handed over the Map of Mountains and Rivers for safekeeping, perhaps today''s matter would not have occurred,¡± Li Jing suddenly spoke up at this point. ¡°What did you say¡­¡± Hearing this, the people of Mount Fangcun were instantly enraged. ¡°Old Li Jing, at a time like this it''s best if the Heavenly Palace keeps its cold remarks to itself. My old Sun would have gone to have it out with you in the Heavenly Palace if not for this grievous injury,¡± Sun Wukong sneered and said. ¡°What? Am I wrong? If Mount Fangcun hadn''t committed so many taboos, why would the other Sects refuse to come to the rescue?¡± Li Jing retorted, showing no restraint. ¡°You¡­¡± The people of Mount Fangcun were furious. But Bodhi Ancestor raised his hand to stop others from questioning and asked with a smile, ¡°According to Heavenly King Li, we should hand over the Map of Mountains and Rivers to your Heavenly Palace for safekeeping?¡± ¡°Indeed, repairing the pen after the sheep are lost is not too late,¡± Li Jing said, his expression unchanged. ¡°Since the Demon Clan has surrendered to the Heavenly Palace and is under the control of your Immortal Clan, then I''d like to ask Heavenly King Li if this disaster that has befallen Mount Fangcun is also instigated by your Heavenly Palace?¡± Bodhi Ancestor suddenly shifted the topic and inquired. ¡°We are indeed guilty of standing by; we wanted to use the Demon Clan to pressure Mount Fangcun. However, we didn''t expect them to be so audacious as to try to reopen the Divine Demon Well,¡± Li Jing admitted. ¡°You''re quite forthright, admitting it straight out with no attempt at sophistry,¡± Sun Wukong said with a grin. ¡°What good would sophistry do?¡± Li Jing stated calmly. ¡°So, the Heavenly Palace doesn''t plan to give us Mount Fangcun an explanation for this affair?¡± asked Bodhi Ancestor, frowning. ¡°After discussing with the various factions of the Immortal Clan, we will provide a detailed compensation plan for all the losses suffered by Mount Fangcun,¡± said Li Jing. ¡°Compensation? Many disciples of Mount Fangcun have died or been injured. Is that something that can be compensated for?¡± Elder Wuchen said angrily. ¡°What then do you think should be done?¡± Li Jing asked in return. ¡°You¡­¡± Before Elder Wuchen could reply, Li Jing''s eyebrows furrowed, and he said, ¡°Whether you believe it or not, our Heavenly Palace did not instruct the Demon Clan on their actions, only giving them a promise of non-intervention. Now if you insist on pinning the blame on us, our Heavenly Palace is not afraid.¡± Chapter 1369 Chapter 1369: Chapter 1365: The Original Intention Remains Unchanged_2 Chapter 1369: Chapter 1365: The Original Intention Remains Unchanged_2 ¡°I believe he speaks the truth¡­ the actions of Mount Fangcun over the years might indeed not be favored by peers in the Three Realms, but the foundation of establishing our school is to teach without discrimination. To ask me to change this principle is no different than asking for the destruction of Mount Fangcun itself,¡± said the Bodhi Ancestor, not showing much anger but displaying an aura of overwhelming authority with these words. Upon hearing this declaration, the disciples of Mount Fangcun and the villagers of Longevity Village couldn''t help but straighten their backs and show expressions of pride. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo also couldn''t help but silently praise in his heart. ¡°If you wish to continue as such, naturally no one can stop you. However, I still hope you would hand over the Map of Mountains and Rivers to be jointly managed by all Immortal Clan sects,¡± said Li Jing. ¡°That is not impossible, how about the Heavenly Palace exchanges it for the Heavenly Book?¡± replied the Bodhi Ancestor. Li Jing, upon hearing this, simply shook his head without showing anger and said, ¡°Since that''s the case, I won''t say much more. Regarding retribution for Pansi Cave, Demon King Fort, and Lion Camel Ridge, the Heavenly Palace will take the lead in initiating it. At that time, we hope Wuzhuang View will also participate in the review.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± laughed the Town Primordial Great Immortal. After speaking, Li Jing bade farewell to the Bodhi Ancestor and the Town Primordial Great Immortal and left first. Yang Jian repeatedly apologized and also said he would tender a compensation to Mount Fangcun; then he, too, took the remaining elders and disciples back to Lingbo City. Inside the Bodhi Secret Realm, there remained only the disciples of Mount Fangcun, Zhenyuanzi, Lu Huaming, and others. With his back to everyone, the Bodhi Ancestor gazed into the depths of the Bodhi Secret Realm, falling silent, his figure forlorn. ¡°Fellow Bodhi need not be so grieved. The so-called ''what does not break does not stand.'' The philosophy of Mount Fangcun has spread throughout the Three Realms because of this affair, which could greatly benefit your long-cherished wish,¡± said the Town Primordial Great Immortal. ¡°I overestimated myself, attempting to resolve the conflicts of the Three Realms with my own ideology, but brought calamity upon Mount Fangcun, causing the loss of countless disciples. I am truly burdened with heinous sins. What right do I have to talk of long-cherished wishes?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor turned around, his face filled with sorrow. ¡°Ancestor, rest assured, for the grievous wrongs inflicted upon our Mount Fangcun by Lion Camel Ridge, Pansi Cave, and Demon King Fort, by killing so many of our brothers, we shall surely avenge this great enmity in the future!¡± Elder Wuchen said with a voice filled with hatred. The other disciples of Mount Fangcun also showed faces filled with sadness and anger, all swearing they would have their revenge. Shen Luo frowned slightly upon seeing this scene. It seemed the disciples of Mount Fangcun had not grasped the reason why the Bodhi Ancestor embraced all beings of the Three Realms equally. With the conflict between Mount Fangcun and the sects like Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort having just begun, fulfilling the Bodhi Ancestor''s long-cherished wish had become even more difficult. However, even the noblest of ideals can hardly overcome the hatred in people''s hearts. Mount Fangcun suffered a great loss, with countless senior and junior brothers falling to external enemies. Even if the disciples understood the Bodhi Ancestor''s long-cherished wish, they could not forgo revenge. The Bodhi Ancestor sighed inwardly, about to say something, when his body suddenly trembled, his face became engulfed by Black Qi, indicating the outbreak of Demonic Poison within him, and he fell backward. ¡°Ancestor!¡± Sun Wukong, disregarding his own injuries, rushed forward to catch the Bodhi Ancestor. However, Zhenyuanzi was a step quicker, appearing out of nowhere behind the Bodhi Ancestor and caught him with a sweep of his sleeve. The Bodhi Ancestor''s eyes were tightly closed, his body trembling slightly, having already fainted. ¡°Such severe Demonic Poison, this is the blood poison of Chiyou. No wonder it has caused Fellow Bodhi such harm,¡± Zhenyuanzi said with a change in expression as he took out a golden gourd and poured a Golden Pill into the Bodhi Ancestor for him to swallow. ¡°Big Brother, how is the Ancestor?¡± Sun Wukong asked urgently. The other disciples of Mount Fangcun, as well as Shen Luo, gathered around. Shen Luo''s divine soul locked onto the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead within the Linlang Ring, considering whether to take it out to detoxify the Bodhi Ancestor. But the bead had a dubious origin and was the treasure of Daughter Village. To expose it publicly would bring endless troubles. ¡°It''s alright, Bodhi Fellow has profound cultivation, and I''ve also administered the Jade Cleansing Demon Pill to him. Although the Demonic Poison is fierce, it does not threaten his life,¡± Zhenyuanzi said. Upon hearing this, Sun Wukong and the other disciples from Mount Fangcun all breathed a sigh of relief, and Shen Luo also removed his hand that was pressing on the Linlang Ring. ¡°This place is a mess, and it''s not convenient to heal the ancestor here. Please, everyone, follow me outside,¡± Elder Wuchen said. Zhenyuanzi nodded his head, lifted up Bodhi Ancestor, and was about to leave. Boom Boom Boom! Suddenly, the Heavenly Pit began to shake violently, as if there was an earthquake; the ground within dozens of miles around cracked everywhere, collapsing in all directions. At the same time, an enormous and boundless power surged up from underground, swallowing everything. All the cracked ground collapsed downwards. Shen Luo''s complexion changed drastically, and he immediately flew towards the sky. However, the power surging up from underground was too strong and too fast, and with his injuries, his body was caught up in it, and he found himself unable to fly. The others were in the same situation. ¡°What is this?¡± Zhenyuanzi''s expression also changed. He waved his sleeve, and the mouth of his sleeve instantly became as vast as the heavens and the earth, tearing apart the suction force from below ground, enveloping all of them inside, and his figure shot up into the sky. The ground rumbled loudly for a while before returning to calm, and the terrifying suction force gradually dissipated, retreating back into the depths of the underground, and peace was restored. Zhenyuanzi frowned deeply, waved his sleeve, and everyone appeared midair. Seeing the situation below, everyone''s expressions changed dramatically. Below, the previous Heavenly Pit had vanished, replaced by a black abyss tens of miles wide that was bottomless, and Divine Sense could not explore its limits, as if it led to the Endless Nine Nethers. Moreover, the edges of the abyss were straight and smooth, as if they had been split by Flying Swords. Seeing the situation before him, Shen Luo suddenly recalled the Mount Fangcun Sect he had seen in the Dream World, where there was also such a black abyss, nearly identical to the one before him, except the abyss in the Dream World was boundless and endless, unlike the one before him that was only tens of miles wide. ¡°The battle has ended, and Town Primordial Great Immortal is here; it''s impossible for an enemy to attack. How could a bottomless abyss suddenly appear here? The sudden surge of devouring power just now, could it be related to the Divine Demon Well deep within the Heavenly Pit?¡± A thought flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, and the more he thought, the more plausible it seemed. The dark and eerie power that surged out from underground just now was filled with a hint of Demonic Qi. ¡°What''s going on? Why did an abyss appear all of a sudden?¡± The Mount Fangcun disciples discussed amongst themselves. ¡°Do not panic. The Bodhi Secret Realm has sustained too much impact from today''s battle, making its foundation unstable, leading to the appearance of this abyss. Fortunately, the abyss is no longer spreading. Ancestor Master will deal with it when he awakens. Now, please everyone, leave,¡± Zhenyuanzi turned his head to look at Elder Wuchen, who took two steps forward and spoke out loud. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, the Mount Fangcun disciples felt at ease. Shen Luo noticed the exchange of glances between Zhenyuanzi and Elder Wuchen, and felt more certain of his guess. However, seeing their demeanor, they seemed to want to keep this matter hidden, so he did not ask any questions. Subsequently, everyone left the area and soon exited the Bodhi Secret Realm, arriving inside the Mount Fangcun Sect. The condition inside the sect was even worse than when Shen Luo entered the Bodhi Secret Realm; less than half of the surviving Mount Fangcun disciples were left, all looking lost and aimless. Seeing Elder Wuchen and the others come out, they hurriedly greeted them. ¡°All disciples of Mount Fangcun, listen well. The enemy has retreated, the calamity of our sect has passed, and Ancestor Master is safe and sound. He is currently in seclusion healing his injuries, you have no need to worry!¡± Elder Wuchen''s voice boomed, carrying far and wide, echoing throughout Mount Fangcun. The Mount Fangcun disciples, having suffered a great calamity and heavy losses, were still anxious although they saw the disciples from Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort retreat. When they heard Elder Wuchen''s words, their minds were greatly settled, and they let out cheers of joy. Elder Gui and Elder Wuchen consoled the disciples and then arranged for someone to take Zhenyuanzi, Shen Luo, Lu Huaming, and other Daoist friends who had come to help to rest. The other Mount Fangcun disciples, after a brief reprieve, began to clean up the badly damaged Mountain Gate and the various great halls. Chapter 1370 Chapter 1370: Chapter 1366: Coming Out of the Painting Chapter 1370: Chapter 1366: Coming Out of the Painting Town Primordial Great Immortal properly dealt with Bodhi Ancestor''s injuries and then helped Mount Fangcun to temporarily set up a simple mountain-protecting array, to prevent those demons with unyielding thievish hearts from returning once they left. A celebrated and prominent sect known throughout the world also suffered great vitality damage from this battle. What was even more troubling was that this turmoil had caused the already-loose Anti-demon Alliance to not only exist in name only but also show signs of imminent collapse in substance. Shen Luo pondered the current situation, feeling that the real world now, after stripping away its layer of illusory prosperity, was actually more unsolvable than Dreamland. At least at that time, everyone had a common goal to strive for, united by a shared hatred and cooperating with a concerted effort, there was still the possibility of cutting through metal with a sharp blade. But now, the former allies were not only betraying one another but had also gradually shown signs of turning into enemies. The demons'' apparent submission to the Immortal Clan was even more worrisome. Several days passed in a flash. Atop Mount Fangcun, inside an undamaged great hall, Bodhi Ancestor, Town Primordial Great Immortal, Sun Wukong, and Shen Luo sat facing each other at the hall''s entrance. After a few days of healing, everyone''s injuries had significantly improved, and Bodhi Ancestor had also awakened. ¡°After listening to Daoist Zhenyuanzi''s words, I only now realize that Friend Shen has indeed done so much for the Three Realms. It makes this old man feel somewhat ashamed, for I indeed underestimated you before,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said, with a face yet to heal, wearing a gratified smile. ¡°Elder flatters me too much, Junior dares not accept such praise,¡± Shen Luo said, his face showing a sense of embarrassment. ¡°The miracles in Friend Shen''s experience, I initially believed only half, but now I believe nine parts of it. If there''s a place where we can help him, we had better lend our full support. Perhaps this is indeed helping the Three Realms,¡± Zhenyuanzi commented, smiling after glancing at Bodhi Ancestor. After pondering for a moment upon hearing these words, Bodhi Ancestor looked at Shen Luo and said, ¡°The Map of Mountains and Rivers¡­ I can give it to you.¡± ¡°Ancestor, are you serious?¡± Shen Luo asked with great joy. ¡°I can give you the Map of Mountains and Rivers, but I''m afraid you might not be able to receive it,¡± Bodhi Ancestor said. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo didn''t understand what he meant but heard Zhenyuanzi explain: ¡°This Map of Mountains and Rivers is also an age-old treasure, refined from the essence of the Three Mountains, Five Peaks, and the celestial bodies of sun, moon, and stars. It is a treasure with a spirit, and to possess it, you also need its consent.¡± Shen Luo was greatly surprised upon hearing this. That year, in the dream, he had also once activated the Map of Mountains and Rivers, but he hadn''t felt any spiritual resonance. But then again, he thought it not strange, for the Map of Mountains and Rivers they held then was already a repaired artifact. ¡°How is the test conducted?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It''s simple. You will enter the Map of Mountains and Rivers. If you can rely on your innate sense to break the mist barrier and walk out of the scroll back to reality, then you will be considered to have successfully passed the test,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal said with a smile. ¡°Good, then please, Ancestor, send me into the painting,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°How do you know you''re not already in the painting?¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal asked with a laugh in return. As his words fell, the color on the bodies of Bodhi Ancestor, Town Primordial Great Immortal, and Sun Wukong suddenly began to fade rapidly. They soon turned into terracotta figures before shattering into handfuls of dust that drifted down. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but give a wry smile, realizing at some point he had already been within the painting. He stepped forward and pushed open the doors of the great hall, walking out. Outside the scroll, Bodhi Ancestor looked at Town Primordial Great Immortal with a feigned displeasure and said, ¡°Daoist Zhenyuanzi, aren''t you helping him to cheat?¡± ¡°Haha¡­ indeed, I might have been a bit too partial. However, Friend Shen does not have time to delay right now,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal said with a chuckle. According to the original test, Shen Luo would have been completely unaware of what the puzzle was, even finding himself trapped without realizing it. It was like entering an examination room without knowing the subject of the test; one can imagine the difficulty. However, Bodhi Ancestor wasn''t really trying to argue with Town Primordial Great Immortal. A smile had already appeared on his face as he began to wager with Zhenyuanzi on how long it would take for Shen Luo to complete the task. ¡°Friend Shen''s talent may not be extraordinary, but his resolve is firm enough. Within seven days, he will be able to leave the map on his own,¡± Town Primordial Great Immortal said, taking the lead. ¡°Within seven days¡­ Zhenyuanzi, you really might be underestimating the Map of Mountains and Rivers. In my opinion, he will need at least half a month to find his way out of the scroll,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor stroked his beard and made a gesture as he spoke. ¡°You all seem very confident, are you so certain that he will definitely be able to come out?¡± Sun Wukong furrowed his brow and said. ¡°This Friend Shen, in truth, has gone through far more than what we''ve seen on the surface. His strength of mind is no less than that of many Taiyi Cultivators,¡± Zhenyuanzi stated. ¡°That''s exactly why I''m somewhat worried. Having a strong mind is good, but the more trials he faces, the more likely he is to be trapped in this Mountain Heavy Water Complex of the Map of Mountains and Rivers,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor said. ¡°Now that you mention it, it''s indeed hard to say¡­¡± Zhenyuanzi couldn''t help but feel worried as well. While they were feeling somewhat melancholic, they suddenly heard a voice, ¡°Ancestor, does this mean I''ve passed the trial?¡± On hearing this, the Bodhi Ancestor and Town Primordial Great Immortal were taken aback, they turned their heads to look, only to see Shen Luo had already walked out of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, holding a scroll in his hand¨Cit was the Map, now rolled up. ¡°You¡­ how did you come out?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor was momentarily at a loss for words. The Town Primordial Great Immortal was also stunned on the spot. ¡°Oh, after I left the great hall, I went directly to Chang''an City. Upon entering the city, I found that the Zhuque Gate above¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly recounted his experience of entering the painting just now. ¡°In short, I noticed that the Five Peaks had discrepancies with my memory. I found a correct direction and soon reached a bright cave entrance. After coming out, I returned here,¡± he finished nonchalantly. Listening to Shen Luo''s understated account, the expressions of the two great powers became somewhat odd. In fact, Shen Luo was able to avoid being trapped by the Map of Mountains and Rivers because, in Dreamland, he had a mysterious connection with the scroll, naturally feeling an affinity with it. ¡°Wukong, how long did Friend Shen take?¡± the Bodhi Ancestor asked, his throat dry. ¡°Less than a quarter of an hour, I guess,¡± Sun Wukong scratched his face, his expression teasing. ¡°Impossible, it can''t be¡­¡± Both the Bodhi Ancestor and Zhenyuanzi seemed a bit deflated, finding it hard to believe. Seeing their reactions, Shen Luo looked at Sun Wukong with a puzzled expression. ¡°The two Ancestors just now were betting¡­¡± ¡°Wukong, go and see how the reconstruction efforts of your Senior Brothers are progressing,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor immediately interrupted. Sun Wukong, not wanting to burst their bubble, took his leave of his own accord. While Shen Luo was still puzzled, he heard the Bodhi Ancestor speak again, ¡°The Map of Mountains and Rivers is of great importance. Now that it''s in your hands, you must protect it carefully, and ensure that it does not fall into the hands of Demons.¡± ¡°Elder can rest assured, even if my soul scatters, I will definitely protect this treasure,¡± Shen Luo promised. ¡°Perhaps it would be better to wait until Wukong has recovered and let him accompany you,¡± the Bodhi Ancestor still seemed somewhat uneasy. ¡°There''s no need for concern, Ancestor. Just let Great Sage focus on recovering. Others don''t know and wouldn''t believe that this treasure is with me. As long as the news does not leak out, I face little risk,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. ¡°Friend Shen is young, yet he handles matters quite adeptly, which is reassuring,¡± Zhenyuanzi commented. As he spoke, he took out a blue Jade Seal and handed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo had crushed his previous one when the Six-Eared Macaque appeared to send a message to Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± he stepped forward to receive it. ¡°If you find yourself in unexpected trouble next time, crush the Jade Seal in advance so I can arrive promptly,¡± Zhenyuanzi instructed. ¡°With this, we should be safe¡­¡± Seeing this, the Bodhi Ancestor said, feeling relieved. Chapter 1371 Chapter 1371: Chapter 1367: Revisiting the Dragon Palace Chapter 1371: Chapter 1367: Revisiting the Dragon Palace Night. At the Cliffside of Mount Fangcun, Shen Luo stood beside Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo naturally took her hand, Nie Caizhu''s shoulder tensed slightly, then relaxed, and she leaned her head gently against Shen Luo''s shoulder. The two had not seen each other for too long, and now they found themselves at a loss for words. Behind them, on an old tree some distance away, a branch stretched out where several people were sitting side by side. ¡°I mean, it''s true what they say, ''Comparisons are odious''. Big Brother, look at Big Brother Shen, then look at yourself, sigh¡­¡± Bai Xiaoyun said, looking at Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu''s silhouettes, heaving a long sigh. ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. A true man born into this world should diligently cultivate, with the thought of benefiting the world. How could one always dwell on love and affection? Isn''t that right?¡± Bai Xiaotian said, giving Lu Huaming, who was beside him, a bump. He waited for quite a while but received no reply. When he turned his head, he saw Lu Huaming leaning against the trunk of the tree, holding a Wine Pot in his hand, silently taking a sip, his gaze drifting into the distance. ¡°Ah, which young man doesn''t harbor thoughts of spring¡­¡± Bai Xiaotian sighed deeply. Fu Donglai was sitting on the other side, smiling but saying nothing. At the base of the tree, Wu Man''er was standing next to it, tiptoeing to glimpse at the silhouettes of Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, thinking to herself: ¡°They do make a great match¡­¡± Several days later. Lu Huaming and the others were recalled by their respective Sects, while Fu Donglai stayed at Mount Fangcun, officially becoming a disciple of the Bodhi Ancestor. Shen Luo, however, stayed for more than half a month until his injuries were healed, and his Pure Yang Qi and Demonic Qi were balanced. Then, after bidding farewell to the Bodhi Ancestor and others, he left Mount Fangcun. Half a month later, Shen Luo arrived at the Eastern Sea. He had visited the Eastern Sea with Bai Xiaotian once before, and had been to the Dragon Palace in Dreamland, so this time he found his way easily and quickly located the East Sea Dragon Palace. A Blue Light pierced through the sea water and landed outside the East Sea Dragon Palace, revealing Shen Luo''s figure. The East Sea Dragon Palace appeared even more resplendent and majestic than the one in Dreamland, projecting an air of grandeur. However, it was surrounded by numerous teams of Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals, endlessly patrolling around. ¡°Which Daoist friend graces the Crystal Palace with their presence?¡± Just as Shen Luo had landed, a group of Shrimp Soldiers clad in bright Silver Armor immediately approached, and their leader asked in a deep voice. ¡°I am Shen Luo. Prince Ao Hong and I are good friends. I am here today to pay a visit, and I would like to ask Your Excellency to pass on the message,¡± Shen Luo said, standing with hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering slightly as he released a trace of True Immortal Qi. ¡°So it''s a True Immortal Elder. My apologies for the oversight. Please wait a moment, Elder; I will immediately go to pass on the message,¡± the Shrimp Soldier leader said, a trace of panic on his face, as he bowed deeply and then transformed into a Silver Light, shooting towards the interior of the Dragon Palace. Shen Luo quietly stood there, and the remaining Shrimp Soldiers also stayed nearby, not moving, as if they were keeping a watch over Shen Luo. He was somewhat surprised ¨C why was the Dragon Palace on such high alert? Had something happened? Indeed, as he had guessed, the Shrimp Soldier leader took quite a while, nearly half an hour, and still had not returned. Shen Luo patiently waited for a quarter of an hour more, and finally, the Shrimp Soldier leader came back leisurely. ¡°Elder, please forgive us. The Dragon Palace has been very busy with various matters lately. It took me a long time to see Prince Ao Hong. His Excellency is currently preoccupied with an important matter and is unable to clone himself to greet you. He has sent me to invite the Elder to the guest hall inside the palace to rest,¡± the Shrimp Soldier leader apologized profusely. ¡°` ¡°No problem, lead the way,¡± Shen Luo said without making things difficult for the little shrimp soldier, his chin lifted slightly. The shrimp soldier leader apologized repeatedly and then led Shen Luo into the Crystal Palace. The palace was also filled with armored guards, and security was extremely tight. Every passage required verification of tokens and waist badges, and it took quite a while to arrive at a lavish palace decorated sumptuously, where several maids who had transformed from corals were in attendance. Seeing Shen Luo arriving, the maids immediately offered him spiritual tea and spirit fruit special to the Eastern Sea. And the shrimp soldier leader did not leave either, standing by on the side. ¡°Has something happened inside the East Sea Dragon Palace?¡± Shen Luo''s suspicions grew, but he did not show it, he picked up a cup of spiritual tea and took a sip, seemingly asking casually. ¡°The palace has been under martial law recently, as for what exactly happened, this small soldier does not know,¡± the shrimp soldier leader said softly, it was unclear whether he really didn''t know or was simply evading the question. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not ask further and quietly waited. After waiting for half a day, Ao Hong finally appeared. ¡°Brother Shen, there have been many affairs in the palace recently, and I have been so busy until now that I had time to come out, I hope you don''t take offense,¡± Ao Hong said as he flew in from outside, his face showing a hint of fatigue and his clothes somewhat disheveled, indicating he had come over without having the chance to tidy up after finishing his tasks. ¡°No problem. It seems Brother Ao has something to do. It is Shen who has come at an inconvenient time, and I apologize for the disturbance,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Where is Brother Shen saying such words? I have yet to repay the great kindness of Wuzhuang View. By saying this, you truly make me feel ashamed. Ah! Brother Shen''s cultivation level has already broken through to the True Immortal Stage, congratulations!¡± Ao Hong laughed, then noticed the change in Shen Luo''s cultivation level and showed a look of surprise. ¡°A few days ago, I luckily made a breakthrough. Brother Ao''s cultivation level has also greatly advanced, you''re about to break through to the True Immortal Middle Stage,¡± Shen Luo, with his strong Divine Sense, had already noticed the change in Ao Hong''s cultivation level. ¡°Brother Shen has a keen eye,¡± Ao Hong laughed heartily. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°When we parted last time at Wuzhuang View, Brother Ao said you were going to bring precious fruits to treat the East Sea Dragon King''s injury. May I ask how that went?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It was barely satisfactory,¡± Ao Hong sighed upon hearing this, clearly, the result was not ideal. Shen Luo, seeing this, couldn''t help but be curious about what ailment the East Sea Dragon King had that ginseng fruit couldn''t cure, but he knew better than to ask about it inappropriately. After not seeing each other for a long time, the two exchanged some idle chatter before getting to the main subject. ¡°Brother Ao, to be honest, my visit today is because there is a favor I must ask of you,¡± Shen Luo said with a bow. ¡°Brother Shen has done me a great service. You may speak freely if you have any requests,¡± Ao Hong said, noticing Shen Luo''s serious expression and waving his hand. The maids and the shrimp soldier leader in the palace saw this, gave a bow, and retreated. ¡°I have an important magical treasure that is damaged. I have been looking for someone to repair it for some time. My visit to Wuzhuang View was also for this reason¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly narrated his experiences over the past days, naturally omitting some details that were not suitable to disclose. Ao Hong, for the first time aware of the real purpose of Shen Luo''s visit to Wuzhuang View, showed a look of surprise, but did not interrupt him. ¡°¡­Although the Young Master City Lord can repair that magical treasure, it requires the assistance of a treasure from the East Sea Dragon Palace,¡± Shen Luo finally said. ¡°What is the treasure?¡± Ao Hong asked, intrigued and taken aback as the prince of the Eastern Sea who seldom had the chance to travel outside. ¡°Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl,¡± Shen Luo said. Ao Hong''s brows furrowed, his gaze locked onto Shen Luo, and his expression gradually turned solemn. Chapter 1372 Chapter 1372: Chapter 1368: Borrowing the Pearl Chapter 1372: Chapter 1368: Borrowing the Pearl ¡°Brother Ao, please do not misunderstand. I do not intend to claim this treasure from the East Sea Dragon Palace permanently; I merely wish to borrow it temporarily, for the repair will only consume a portion of the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl''s power. Furthermore, I will not let the Dragon Palace lend the treasure for nothing. These things are a little token of my appreciation,¡± Shen Luo said as he waved his sleeve over the table beside him. A flash of blue light passed over the table, and seven or eight jade boxes of various colors appeared, each with Sealing Talismans affixed to them. He formed a hand seal and pointed at several jade boxes, causing the Talismans on the lids to fall off and the boxes to open automatically, revealing the items inside. Ao Hong was not particularly interested at first. After the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast, he was quite aware of Shen Luo''s assets, but upon seeing the contents of these jade boxes, his gaze became fixed. ¡°Undying Wood, Soul Spark Grass, Shock Thunder Stone¡­¡± Each of the items in these boxes was a treasure. They were not inferior to the Nightmare Dragon Horns he had given to Shen Luo at the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast at Wuzhuang View; in fact, several were even more valuable. Ao Hong looked at Shen Luo, somewhat shocked. After attending the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast, Shen Luo had been destitute, borrowing a pair of Nightmare Dragon Horns from him in exchange for a treasure. How much time had passed since then, and Shen Luo had managed to gather so many precious items! After the shock, Ao Hong quickly regained his composure and fell into silent contemplation. Seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel a heaviness in his heart. ¡°Are these not enough? I have some other treasures as well,¡± he said, raising his hand to take out more items. ¡°Brother Shen, please do not misunderstand. These items you''ve presented are all treasures. If it were any other treasure of the Dragon Palace, I would not just lend it to you; I would allow you to take it away permanently. However, the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl is different from the others; it is a top treasure of the East Sea, tied to the lifeblood of the East Sea Dragon Palace. It has always been under the direct control of my father, kept secret from others. Even I find it difficult to see it just once, so for Brother Shen to wish to borrow it could be problematic,¡± Ao Hong said as he raised his hand to stop Shen Luo. ¡°Is the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl really so crucial? I would only borrow it for a period of time; after repairing my Magical Treasure, I would return it immediately. If the East Sea Dragon Palace is worried, they could even send someone to supervise me,¡± Shen Luo said with furrowed brows, speaking urgently. ¡°The Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl is a heritage treasure of the East Sea Dragon Palace, passed down through generations. Even I am not entirely clear on the specifics of its divine abilities. The only one holding that secret is my Father King. However, during the disaster of demons that year, an incident occurred which once revealed the power of the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl,¡± Ao Hong explained. ¡°May I know what happened?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It''s common knowledge within the East Sea Dragon Palace and there''s nothing to conceal. During the disaster of demons, the East Sea Dragon Palace was attacked by the Demon Clan. My second brother, Ao Zhong, was severely injured by a powerful demon. A large part of his True Dragon Bloodline was extracted using a secret method, and survival seemed unlikely. My father used the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, and in just one day and night, he was revived; his True Dragon Bloodline was fully restored,¡± Ao Hong recounted. ¡°The Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl can restore the True Dragon Bloodline!¡± Shen Luo was shocked upon hearing this. His cultivation level and insights, as well as his understanding of naturally divine beasts like True Dragons and Phoenixes, had surpassed what they once were. The most important aspect of these beings, which allows them to be called divine beasts, is the power of their bloodline. The divine bloodline endows these races with unparalleled cultivation talents and various mystical abilities, far surpassing those of any common Demon Race. Shen Luo, who had once consumed several kinds of True Blood of divine beasts to extend his life, knew this well. However, every advantage has its disadvantage. The bloodline power of divine beasts is far more precious than a monk''s core vitality. Unlike a monk''s core vitality, which can be strengthened through cultivation, the strength of a divine beast''s bloodline relies entirely on nature; it is practically determined at birth and dictates their fate in life. Furthermore, once the bloodline power is diminished, it cannot be restored by consuming Heavenly Treasures like a monk''s core vitality can. Any loss is permanent and irrevocable. But the fact that the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl could restore the True Dragon Bloodline was simply astounding. Shen Luo''s heart sank, and he fell silent. No matter whether the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl still possesses other abilities, the mere fact that it can restore the True Dragon Bloodline is enough for it to be regarded as a lifeline by the Dragon Clan. As an outsider, I fear there''s little hope for me to borrow it. ¡°Regardless, I would still ask Brother Ao Hong to inquire with the East Sea Dragon King on my behalf. As long as I can borrow the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, I am open to any conditions,¡± he ultimately said. ¡°Of course, it''s just that now isn''t a good time. Father is preoccupied with a major matter, and hence the Dragon Palace is nearly closed off. Brother Shen, please stay here for a while, and once this matter is settled, I will mention it to Father King. The chance of borrowing the treasure will then be greater,¡± Ao Hong pondered and then said. ¡°In that case, I shall impose upon your hospitality,¡± Shen Luo naturally wouldn''t refuse and agreed. Ao Hong was quite happy and immediately took Shen Luo from the spot to a mountain villa located deep within the Dragon Palace. Here were pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing waters, which quite resembled the style of those cultivating immortality on land. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This is the East Sea''s Other Garden, a place in the Dragon Palace for receiving guests from outside. Brother Shen, please reside here for the time being. If there''s anything you need, just command the servants,¡± Ao Hong led Shen Luo into the mountain villa and arranged an independent cave mansion for him. Shen Luo wasn''t particular about living conditions; he just preferred somewhere quiet, and this other garden was quite fitting. At this moment, a black spiritual light flashed in another cave mansion not far away, accompanied by the faint sound of thunder. ¡°Are there other guests staying here?¡± He looked surprised. ¡°Yes, besides Brother Shen, there are also other Daoist friends residing here, all of whom are cultivators with profound Dao-Practice. Brother Shen can interact with them during your leisure time,¡± Ao Hong said. Shen Luo nodded slightly. Ao Hong seemed to have other matters to attend to. After making sure Shen Luo was settled in, he hurriedly took his leave. Shen Luo habitually checked the cave mansion and then set up several sets of formation prohibitions of his own before he felt comfortable settling down, and his tightly wound heartstrings relaxed a bit. Having been on the move this period of time, he now finally had some spare time and took the opportunity to thoroughly review his current cultivation situation. After passing the Thunder Tribulation, his principal Nameless Cultivation Technique as well as the Huangting Technique had both broken through their previous realms, reaching the True Immortal Level. However, the cultivation of the Nameless Cultivation Technique had reached an impasse with no way forward, and he could only rely on the Huangting Technique for further refinement. But Shen Luo was of poor aptitude. Although he had consumed various spiritual substances over the years and his physique had improved a lot, coupled with the enhancement from Dream Cultivation experience, it was still not easy to cultivate the Huangting Technique, and he likely still needed the assistance of a large amount of elixirs. The Body Refining Pills he had on him were long consumed, and since the Huangting Technique wasn''t the Nameless Cultivation Technique, those One-yuan True Water were no longer useful, and he had to seek out some other cultivation elixirs. Shen Luo had acquired numerous Heavenly Treasures in the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, and during his journey to Mount Fangcun he had slain many from Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort, making his wealth far exceed that of an ordinary True Immortal cultivator. The only thing to consider was which elixirs to choose. His trip to the East Sea Dragon Palace was partly to borrow the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, and also to see if the Dragon Palace had any suitable elixirs for him, as the wealth of the East Sea Dragon Palace was famous throughout the world. However, since he was new here and it seemed there were significant events occurring at the East Sea Dragon Palace, it wasn''t appropriate to inquire about elixirs just yet. He decided to wait and see. Chapter 1373 Chapter 1373: Chapter 1369: Dragon Palace Sea Market Chapter 1373: Chapter 1369: Dragon Palace Sea Market Shen Luo, upon this thought, let out a soft breath, closed his eyes, focused his mind, and started to circulate the Huangting Technique. A bright golden light soon enveloped his body. Now, without Elixirs in hand, he could only rely on the most fundamental method of swallowing Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to cultivate the Huangting Technique. First, it was to ponder over the cultivation process of the Huangting Technique during the True Immortal Stage once again; second, it was to test and see if his current aptitude had undergone any significant changes compared to before. Three days passed by quickly. Shen Luo opened his eyes, and the golden light rapidly dissipated from his body, leaving his complexion quite solemn. After three days of arduous cultivation, he once again deeply understood his own aptitude, as well as the difficulty of cultivating the Huangting Technique. Even with the boon of Dream Cultivation experience, he made no progress in the past three days of hard work. This was starkly different from the smooth cultivation sensation in the Dream World. ¡°It seems that in order to cultivate the Huangting Technique in reality, I still need to find some auxiliary Elixirs or spiritual items to help,¡± Shen Luo stood up and walked out of the Cave Mansion. ¡°Elder Shen, do you have any orders for me?¡± Standing outside the door of the Cave Mansion was a Yecha garbed in green armor, arranged by Ao Hong to await Shen Luo''s orders, and was named Hai Yecha. He stepped forward and greeted respectfully. ¡°Has Daoist Ao Hong visited in the past few days?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°The Ninth Prince is still busy with affairs in the palace and has not visited, but His Highness has ordered that I can notify him immediately if you have any urgent matters,¡± Hai Yecha said. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°There''s no emergency, no need to inform Daoist Ao Hong. Hai Daoist, does the East Sea Dragon Palace have any Markets or shops open to visiting Daoist friends?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and inquired. He had been waiting for several days and it was about time to start searching for Elixirs, to avoid wasting any more time. ¡°Of course, there is. The territories of our East Sea Dragon Palace are quite rich in resources. To facilitate exchanges with other Daoist friends, we have established a Market called Sea Market. If Elder is interested, I can take you there to have a look,¡± Hai Yecha said with a look of pride. ¡°Sea Market?¡± Upon hearing this name, Shen Luo subconsciously recalled the Ghost Market he had once attended near Jianye City. Unfortunately, Xie Yuxin, who had gone with him to the Ghost Market that year, had long since passed away. ¡°Has Elder heard of the Sea Market''s name before?¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s expression change, Hai Yecha asked curiously. ¡°I''ve heard a little about it. Since there is such a Market, lead the way and let''s have a look,¡± Shen Luo reined in his thoughts and said. ¡°Yes,¡± Hai Yecha replied, leading Shen Luo and flying forward. However, as the two passed by a nearby Cave Mansion emitting black thunder and lightning, the Big Gate suddenly opened. A Tall Figure flew out, almost colliding with Shen Luo and Hai Yecha. ¡°I have erred and startled Elder Black. Is Elder Black headed to the Sea Market?¡± Hai Yecha hurriedly stepped forward to apologize. That Tall Figure hummed in response and, without dwelling on the matter with Hai Yecha, turned to leave. Shen Luo looked at the Tall Figure and was taken aback. The Tall Figure was none other than the Guardian Deity of Mount Putuo, the Black Bear Demon. The Black Bear Demon also saw Shen Luo, and his eyes, as large as copper bells, instantly widened. ¡°Shen Luo, how come you are here?¡± The Black Bear Demon''s form flickered as he landed next to Shen Luo. ¡°Protector Elder, it''s been a long time. I''m here in the Eastern Sea to see Daoist Ao Hong about a personal matter. It''s unexpected to encounter you here,¡± Shen Luo, meeting an old acquaintance, was also quite happy. Hai Yecha saw that the two were acquainted and tactfully stood aside, not interrupting. ¡°I didn''t expect this either, to find you here¡­ Hey, you''ve already broken through to the True Immortal Stage!¡± The Black Bear Demon raised his hand intending to pat Shen Luo''s shoulder, but suddenly noticed Shen Luo''s cultivation realm and his eyes widened. ¡°It was a stroke of luck.¡± Shen Luo smiled faintly. ¡°Breaking through to the True Immortal Stage isn''t something one can do by just being lucky. It took me about three hundred years to go from the Great Mahayana Stage to the True Immortal Stage. I thought I did quite well, but compared to you, Brother Shen, I''m far behind,¡± sighed the Black Bear Demon. ¡°The Protector is too kind.¡± Shen Luo responded with a clasped hands and a light laugh. ¡°Now that we are both monks of the True Immortal Stage, there''s no need to call me elder. From now on, we should address each other as equals, just call me Old Black,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a serious expression. Shen Luo was already accustomed to the Cultivation World''s practice of addressing others based on their realm and did not demur, nodding slightly. ¡°How did Black Daoist come to be in the East Sea Dragon Palace?¡± he asked. ¡°I came to find some water-attributed spiritual materials for you, but now that you''ve broken through to the True Immortal Stage, ordinary water-attributed spiritual materials probably won''t be of much use. I have to start searching again,¡± the Black Bear Demon rolled his eyes, speaking somewhat irritably. ¡°That''s so, but after breaking through to the True Immortal Stage, the water-type technique I was cultivating has reached its limit. Now I have switched to cultivating Mount Fangcun''s Huangting Technique, so it''s even better that the Protector didn''t find the complete set of cultivation materials,¡± Shen Luo, who had forgotten about this matter, hurriedly said after hearing this. The Black Bear Demon was taken aback by this information and his look towards Shen Luo suddenly changed. Changing one''s cultivation skills is not a trivial matter. Cultivating a technique is not only about accumulating mana but also comprehending the profound mysteries of the Dao explained by that technique. For instance, he was cultivating a Lightning Attribute skill, and having been cultivating it for a long time, he was already thoroughly familiar with the mysteries of thunder and lightning. It would have been acceptable if he switched to another Lightning Attribute technique, as his prior cultivation experience would still be useful. However, if the new technique had a different attribute, he would have had to start all over, spending who knows how much effort and time. Black Bear Demon, having seen much and knowing a lot, was quite familiar with Mount Fangcun''s Huangting Technique. Shen Luo''s switch from a water-type technique to the body-and-spirit dual-cultivation Huangting Technique was a complete transformation that required immense courage and determination, which would have been very difficult without. What the Black Bear Demon did not know was that Shen Luo had previously cultivated the Huangting Technique and also had the supportive experience from Dream Cultivation, making the switch not difficult at all. ¡°I know a bit about Mount Fangcun''s Huangting Technique, which is one of the most profound body-and-spirit dual cultivation skills of our time. It''s difficult to cultivate, and very few people in Mount Fangcun managed to master it. With Brother Shen''s extreme talent, cultivating the Huangting Technique should be no issue, but you will also need some body-strengthening elixirs to help, right?¡± the Black Bear Demon suddenly said. ¡°That''s right, I was just about to go look in the Sea Market of the East Sea Dragon Palace with Hai Yecha,¡± Shen Luo didn''t conceal it. ¡°You''re also going to the Sea Market? I''m heading there myself, so let''s go together. There''s a great opportunity that you''ve arrived just in time for,¡± the Black Bear Demon said, delighted by the coincidence. ¡°Opportunity?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened. ¡°It''s no fun to talk about it now. If you trust Old Black here, just come with me. It will definitely be beneficial and not harmful to you,¡± the Black Bear Demon teased. ¡°I may not speak for others, but I certainly trust Black Daoist''s words,¡± Shen Luo laughed heartily. ¡°In that case, let''s get going. No need for that Yecha to follow; I''ll take Brother Shen to stroll around the Sea Market.¡± The Black Bear Demon spoke to Hai Yecha who stood nearby, then grabbed Shen Luo and turned into an Escape Light, shooting forward, clearly not his first time heading to that market. Hearing this, Hai Yecha responded with a gesture of assent, clasped his hands, and stayed where he was. Chapter 1374 Chapter 1374: Chapter 1370: Assistant Chapter 1374: Chapter 1370: Assistant The Black Bear Demon and Shen Luo quickly arrived at an underwater canyon northwest of the East Sea Dragon Palace. This place was already far from the important areas of the Dragon Palace, with few Dragon Palace soldiers stationed around. The entire canyon was enveloped by a huge blue light screen that kept the seawater out, and shops lined both sides of the canyon, forming a large market area that was no less impressive than the West Market of Chang''an City. The buildings in the Sea Market were adorned with dragon patterns and carvings of divine dragons, exuding a strong ambiance of the East Sea Dragon Palace. The Market was bustling with members of the Eastern Sea Aquatic Race and some human cultivators, making it a lively place to be. With a sweep of his divine sense, Shen Luo had the entire Sea Market within his grasp. The items for sale in the shops were mostly special products from the Eastern Sea and were significantly more precious than the goods in the markets on the islands above the sea, with a higher grade. Although the goods displayed outside did not catch his eye, some of the treasures locked behind prohibitions inside the shops were brimming with treasure light and had great utility even for a True Immortal like him. ¡°The things in these shops are just ordinary spiritual materials, nothing interesting. I''ll take you to see some real treasures.¡± Just as Shen Luo was about to take a closer look, the Black Bear Demon pulled him along and quickly walked forward, turning a few corners until they arrived in front of a shop at the very back of the Market. This shop, which appeared to deal in spiritual materials, was named Fu Gong Tower and was extremely spacious, occupying an area of forty to fifty zhang, and was over ten zhang high, surrounded by other stores like stars encircling the moon, conspicuously situated in the central most prominent section. The Aquatic Race with varying skin colors and looks and human cultivators were coming in and out of there, some with joy clearly written on their faces while others appeared downcast and anxious, making for a colorful and busy scene with a booming business. ¡°What a big shop, is this the place?¡± Shen Luo asked, his interest piqued. ¡°Yes, this is it. Follow me,¡± the Black Bear Demon nodded but instead of entering through the main door, he headed toward a side door at the back of Fu Gong Tower and pushed it open to enter. They found themselves in what seemed like a side hall void of customers, with only a teenager lazily napping. ¡°Xiao San, where is your master? I''ve found the help needed, and he can''t keep putting it off,¡± the Black Bear Demon said, slapping the teenager to wake him, indicating their prior acquaintance. ¡°It turns out to be Elder Black. My master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please follow me inside,¡± the teenager stood up, glanced at Shen Luo with a bit of surprise but did not say much, and led the way to a small door inside the side hall. As Shen Luo''s divine sense swept over the teenager, his gaze subtly changed. The youth''s cultivation was not profound, only at the Nascent Soul Stage, but he possessed an odd aura that carried both human and demon powers, suggesting that he might be a human-demon hybrid. Behind the small door was a stone chamber. The teenager took out a snow-white shell-shaped magical instrument, pointed it at the stone wall, and a white light merged into it. A layer of white light instantly surfaced on the stone wall and then, with a rumbling noise, a staircase leading downwards appeared. The teenager did not bother to explain to the Black Bear Demon and stepped down first, while the Black Bear Demon, apparently not a stranger to this place, casually followed. ¡°Black Daoist, now that we''re here, can you share in detail with me who we are going to meet and what we are going to do?¡± asked Shen Luo as he followed along, inquiring through a transmitted message. ¡°Of course. Have you heard of the Earth Core Fire Lotus?¡± the Black Bear Demon responded via a transmitted message. ¡°Earth Core Fire Lotus? I''ve read about it in an ancient book; it seems to be a precious Spirit Lotus that only appears in areas with a high concentration of fire attribute spiritual power, like volcanic regions,¡± replied Shen Luo, slightly startled. ¡°You are well-informed, Friend Shen. You are correct. The Earth Core Fire Lotus is a Heavenly Treasure that grows within volcanic lava, having absorbed the earth''s core fire energy, and is filled with an abundant fire spirit power. The elixirs refined from it are not only potent and beneficial for True Immortal cultivators like us, but they also have a powerful body refining effect, making it a sought-after spiritual medicine for human cultivators who practice Body Refining Techniques and members of our Demon Race,¡± the Black Bear Demon''s eyes flashed with fervor. ¡°Does this shop have a lead on the Earth Core Fire Lotus?¡± asked Shen Luo, feeling excited himself. ¡°Indeed, the owner of this shop is a significant figure in the Sea Market, and he knows a place where the Earth Core Fire Lotus grows. However, he mentioned that the place is quite dangerous, and he''s currently gathering True Immortal cultivators to go there and harvest them. I''ve already agreed to join him, and since I''ve run into you, Friend Shen, I thought to bring you along as well. You don''t mind, do you?¡± the Black Bear Demon said. ¡°Such a delightful opportunity is not something I, Shen Luo, could ever refuse. How could I possibly complain? I''ve only just reached the True Immortal Stage, so I hope Black Daoist doesn''t find me a hindrance,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Why so modest, Friend Shen? Back when you hadn''t even stepped into the Great Mahayana Stage, you were able to contest a True Immortal being with the help of your magical treasures. Now that you have advanced to the True Immortal Stage, I wouldn''t dare claim a certain victory over your strength,¡± the Black Bear Demon laughed and said. ¡°I dare not accept such high praise, Black Daoist,¡± Shen Luo said with habitual humility, his expression betraying nothing. Seeing Shen Luo''s demeanor, the Black Bear Demon felt a chill in his heart. He could sense that Shen Luo was strong, but he couldn''t clearly determine to what extent. His earlier words had been a test, but Shen Luo''s reaction was so indifferent¨Ccould it be that his strength truly matched or surpassed his own? As the two conversed, they reached the end of the stairs, and a stone door appeared before them. The youth took out a seashell magical instrument again to open the stone door, revealing a bright Hall in front of them. Vividly colored brocade carpets, snow-white walls, high-hanging palace lanterns, various delicate antique decorations¨Cit looked magnificent, resembling the living room of a wealthy family in the secular world, without much of a cultivator''s aura. The Master of this place is indeed a remarkable individual. In the center of the Hall was a gold-inlaid large table surrounded by more than a dozen chairs. There were five people around the table, sipping tea and chatting leisurely, completely at ease¨Cone look and you could tell they were no ordinary individuals. As soon as the Black Bear Demon and Shen Luo walked in, several sharp gazes instantly swept over them. ¡°Fellow Cultivators have arrived already. Black has come a bit late; please forgive me, forgive me,¡± the Black Bear Demon said with a chuckle, seemingly acquainted with the people in the Hall. Shen Luo didn''t know any of them and, without being introduced, chose not to speak. He followed behind the Black Bear Demon, discreetly sizing up the few people in the Hall. Sitting on the outermost side was a middle-aged man in blue brocade clothes, with neither body shape nor facial features exhibiting any traits of a demon race. He looked entirely like a human male, with three tufts of facial hair and an elegant appearance. In his right hand, he held a white fan with the bold words ¡°Divine Calculation¡± written on it in thick ink, presenting himself like a fortune-teller. Next to this man was a white-clothed young master, tall and handsome, with a grace that dazzled even Shen Luo, a man himself. When it came to appearance, no man that Shen Luo had seen could compare with this white-clothed young master. However, a pair of coral-shaped horns grew on his forehead, indicating he was from some aquatic clan. The other three were seated across from them. One was a blue-clothed old turtle with long whiskers by his lips, giving off an air of senility. Yet it was this person who was sitting in the main seat, looking proud and glancing at others from the corner of his eye as though he were naturally superior. The last two were a man and a woman. The man appeared to be in his early thirties, dressed in a black robe, tall and sturdy with a cold gaze. The woman wore a green shirt, was quite pretty, and especially her large, watery eyes resembled shiny black pearls, giving her a very unique appearance. Both of their auras were of the demon race, but it was unclear from which clan they hailed. Chapter 1375 Chapter 1375: Chapter 1371: Eastern Sea Forbidden Region Chapter 1375: Chapter 1371: Eastern Sea Forbidden Region ¡°Black Daoist friend, you are being too harsh. We are currently discussing the specifics of harvesting the Earth Core Fire Lotus. Now that you have arrived, Daoist friend, let''s discuss this together. And this Daoist friend is?¡± the middle-aged man dressed in blue brocade clothes stood up, seemingly the master of the house, and looked at Shen Luo with a calm tone, asking. ¡°Friend Fu Gong and fellow cultivators, allow me to introduce to you all. This is Friend Shen, Shen Luo, a good friend of mine. Upon hearing that Friend Fu Gong was going to harvest the Earth Core Fire Lotus, we came together,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, gesturing with cupped hands towards the seated several people and spoke as such. ¡°I am Shen Luo, and I''ve met fellow Daoist friends,¡± said Shen Luo, stepping forward and clasping his fists, as all five in the hall were True Immortal beings. ¡°Black Daoist, this trip to harvest the Earth Core Fire Lotus is no small feat and fraught with danger. How could you bring a young man in the early True Immortal stage of the Human Race?¡± Before Fu Gong could speak, the Blue-clothed Old Turtle glanced at Shen Luo and commented dismissively, the dissatisfaction clear in his tone. All present in the hall were True Immortal beings, with the weakest among them being in the Middle Stage of True Immortal, while the Blue-clothed Old Turtle and this Fu Gong had reached the Late True Immortal Stage. Shen Luo could not fail to notice the disdain in the words of the demon, yet he did not take it to heart, merely responding with a light smile before shifting his gaze away. With his current level of cultivation and the many magical treasures he possessed, he could even contend with a Taiyi being1,2, and thus he did not care about the opinion of a Late True Immortal demon. However, the attitude Shen Luo showed was taken by some as fear and retreat. ¡°Haha, Turtle Taoist friend speaks the truth! Black Bear Demon, you even brought a mere Early True Immortal stage human cultivator to embarrass himself. Does this youngster have some sort of relationship with you? He couldn''t possibly be a bastard son secretly born from some mistress you took, brought here to mooch off the benefits?¡± The Man in Black Robe next to the old turtle burst into laughter after such a comment. Shen Luo originally did not wish to quarrel with these demons, but upon hearing such offensive words from the Man in Black Robe, a flash of killing intent could not help but flicker in his eyes. ¡°Dragon Tooth, shut your filthy mouth! I''m only giving you some face out of respect for your Master, the Black Water Ascendant¨Cif you don''t want face, then don''t act shamelessly!¡± the Black Bear Demon snapped with a darkened expression. ¡°You¡­¡± the Man in Black Robe was cursed to the point of spraying dog blood and stood up abruptly with a flushed face, turning to look at the old turtle. The Blue-clothed Old Turtle ignored the plea in the Man in Black Robe''s eyes. His expression remained unchanged without any sign of intervention. Seeing this, the Man in Black Robe regretted his words and felt both regret and anger, but dared not say anything further. Standing there, he appeared rather awkward. ¡°Hehe, fellow Daoists, let''s all calm down. We have gathered here to harvest the Earth Core Fire Lotus. It would be absurd to start infighting before our task has even started,¡± said Fu Gong in an attempt to mediate, chuckling and speaking up. As the master of the house spoke, the Black Bear Demon did not pursue the matter further and sat down, pulling Shen Luo to sit beside him, huffing indignantly. Seeing this, the Man in Black Robe also relaxed and stopped persisting, taking a seat on his own. ¡°Since it''s Daoist Shen''s first time here, allow me to introduce to you the fellow Daoists present,¡± Fu Gong said to Shen Luo, introducing the people there. The White-clothed Young Master was named Hua Zhao, a good friend of Fu Gong. The Blue-clothed Old Turtle was called Turtle Thousand Years, a steward of the Eastern Sea''s Dragon Palace. The Man in Black Robe was called Dragon Tooth, a freelance Demon Race cultivator from the Eastern Sea. The Green Robe woman was called Qing Qing, and she was Senior Sister to Dragon Tooth. Shen Luo nodded to the others in greeting, but when Dragon Tooth was introduced, he blatantly ignored it as if he hadn''t heard at all, causing Fu Gong to smile wryly to himself, while the Black Bear Demon laughed heartily, clearly pleased. Dragon Tooth was ridiculed by the two, a hint of malicious resentfulness flashing across his eyes. ¡°Since Black Daoist has brought Brother Shen here, he must be convinced of Brother Shen''s strength, so I will not say much more. However, harvesting the Earth Core Fire Lotus is an extremely dangerous endeavor¨Cany losses incurred during the process are solely your own responsibility. Brother Shen, you must consider this carefully,¡± Fu Gong finally said to Shen Luo. ¡°I understand,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Friend Fu, you previously mentioned that you discovered a large number of Earth Core Fire Lotus in a perilous place, but you have been unwilling to disclose the exact location. Now that everyone has arrived, even with one extra, you can surely reveal it, right?¡± Turtle Thousand Years slowly spoke up. Hearing this, everyone else turned their gazes toward Fu Gong. ¡°I did not tell you earlier because I feared leaking information, and I was also making preparations. Now that everyone is gathered and preparations are almost complete, there is no need to hide anything¨Cthe Earth Core Fire Lotus is actually located in Zhurong Basin,¡± said Fu Gong, stroking his beard with a light chuckle. ¡°What! Zhurong Basin!¡± Turtle Thousand Years and the others, including the Black Bear Demon, all had their expressions change upon hearing this. Shen Luo watched with a cold eye; although he did not know what Zhurong Basin was, seeing everyone''s reaction, he knew the place must be extraordinary. ¡°It''s actually Zhurong Basin! That place is a forbidden region of the Eastern Sea, filled with lava and volcanoes, incredibly hot, enough to burn immortals and annihilate spirits. Moreover, it''s infested with numerous flame ferocious beasts. Very few monks who have ventured there have ever returned alive. My master went there that year and never returned. Friend Fu, you actually want us to go there¨Cdo you wish for us to meet our deaths!¡± Dragon Tooth said angrily, looking as if he had been greatly deceived. ¡°The Earth Core Fire Lotus is such an invaluable treasure, how could it possibly emerge in any ordinary perilous place? If it did by chance, it would have been snatched away by others long ago; there would be none left for us. Since I said it''s a location where a large number of Earth Core Fire Lotus are gathered, my fellow cultivators should be mentally prepared¨Cthe place we are going to is no ordinary danger zone,¡± Fu Gong said sternly, unapologetically rebuffing him. Dragon Tooth, refuted, was at a loss for words, but his eyes still radiated indignation. ¡°What Friend Fu says is true, but the Zhurong Basin is too dangerous. With our previous preparations, going there is a sure death sentence. Could we ask Friend Fu to give us a few more days to make further preparations?¡± Qing Qing, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up, her voice soft and gentle, irresistibly enchanting to those who heard it. ¡°No, it''s not that I don''t trust you all, but this matter is extremely critical. Now that you are all aware of the Earth Core Fire Lotus''s secret, you must not leave. Please refrain from any unnecessary actions to avoid any misunderstandings between us,¡± Fu Gong refused without hesitation, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone. The people in the hall suddenly felt as though they had been seen through completely. ¡°What do you mean by this, Friend Fu? You neither allow us to prepare nor to leave, do you intend for us to just head to the Zhurong Basin like this?¡± Turtle Thousand Years spoke coldly. ¡°Turtle Daoist, there''s no need to rush. The preparations required for the Zhurong Basin are fireproof artifacts and elixirs to replenish mana. I have already prepared these for you,¡± Fu Gong said, sweeping his sleeve across the table in a gesture. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Five thumb-sized misty white pearls appeared on the table, releasing astonishing chill even from a distance; the temperature throughout the hall dropped substantially. ¡°These five Cold Jiao Pearls were refined from the North Sea Cold Jiao''s Frost Sac, possessing excellent fireproof and heat-isolating divine powers. If you wear these pearls, you can move freely in the Zhurong Basin without any issues,¡± Fu Gong told Shen Luo and the other four, excluding Hua Zhao. Shen Luo''s mind stirred slightly. When Fu Gong previously mentioned the Zhurong Basin, Hua Zhao''s expression was very calm, as if he had already known about this. It seemed that the relationship between the two of them was extraordinary. Chapter 1376 Chapter 1376: Chapter 1372 Departure Chapter 1376: Chapter 1372 Departure ¡°` ¡°Eh, Cold Jiao Pearls! Haha, Friend Fu Gong really is wealthy and generous, to be able to bring out five such treasures at once,¡± Turtle Thousand Years said, taking a white round bead in his hand, a glint of greed flashing in his rice-sized green eyes. The reactions of the others were a mix of shock and delight. Shen Luo pinched a Cold Jiao Pearl between two fingers and instantly felt a piercing cold pain, as a wave of chill rapidly spread through his body, involuntarily causing him to shiver. A hint of joy flickered in his eyes as he stored the pearl away. ¡°There are also several bottles of Reviving Elixirs here, crafted by Sea Market Great Master. They can quickly restore mana, ensuring we can move around the Zhurong Basin for seven days, enough time to gather the Earth Core Fire Lotuses,¡± Fu Gong said, waving his sleeve and five White Jade Bottles appeared on the table. Shen Luo and the others each took a bottle, and with a brief check with their Divine Sense, confirmed that the elixirs inside were indeed top-notch. ¡°Ahem, Friend Fu has prepared these precious items, and has considered safety quite thoroughly. I am reassured now. However, before we set off, I have one more thing to ask, and that is how we will distribute the Earth Core Fire Lotuses that we collect,¡± said Turtle Thousand Years, stowing away his Jade Bottle with a glint in his eye. ¡°Turtle Taoist Friend, rest assured, even if you didn''t ask, I would have explained. This time in the Zhurong Basin, whatever Earth Core Fire Lotuses you pick will be split evenly between us. Furthermore, I can refine your Fire Lotuses into Fire Lotus Pills for free. This pill is of the immortal grade and is effective even for Taiyi Realm cultivators,¡± Fu Gong said with a slight smile. ¡°Fire Lotus Pills!¡± A flicker of excitement passed through Shen Luo''s eyes. He had seen this elixir in the soul remnant of a Heavenly Soldier in the Dream World, a recipe researched by Taishang Laojun, and its effects were indeed as Fu Gong described. Moreover, this pill contained pure Fire Qi and also had a very good effect on body refining, perfectly suitable for the Huangting Technique. Turtle Thousand Years and the others exchanged glances, evidently communicating through secret sound transmission. ¡°Alright, we''ll do as Friend Fu said,¡± Turtle Thousand Years eventually nodded. The Black Bear Demon and Shen Luo also discussed it briefly and raised no objections. ¡°Good, then let''s set off now to avoid any further delays,¡± Fu Gong said, his face brightening as he gestured with his hand. A blue light enveloped everyone present, including the youth who had brought Shen Luo and his group, with runes flickering within the light, rapidly forming an Array. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s vision was overwhelmed by blue light, which swirled around rapidly. When his sight returned, he was in an unfamiliar seabed. ¡°The Dragon Palace has tightened its defenses recently, and following the normal procedures to leave would waste a lot of unnecessary time, so I brought you all out directly using an Escape Technique. Turtle Taoist Friend, you don''t mind, do you?¡± Fu Gong looked at Turtle Thousand Years. ¡°Of course not,¡± Turtle Thousand Years laughed with a ''hehe''. ¡°Then that''s settled. Let''s all board my Bihai Cloud Boat to continue forward. This boat excels at underwater flight and will save us some time,¡± Fu Gong said, nodding his head as he summoned a verdant Spirit Boat. This boat looked as if it were carved from a single piece of jade, covered in Spirit Patterns. On each side of the boat were a pair of cyan wooden wings, several zhang in length, adorned with extremely fine patterns ¨C Yan Patterns. A flash of interest appeared in Shen Luo''s eyes. He recognized these cyan wooden wings; they were called ¡°Wind Wings,¡± recorded in the Sky Machine Scroll, an armor that could speed up a flying boat''s velocity. Making them was incredibly difficult, and Fu Gong actually possessed them! ¡°` Everyone settled into the boat, and as Fu Gong tapped his foot lightly on the Jade Boat, the Spirit Boat of the Azure Sea lit up with spiritual light, transforming into a shoot of green light that streaked forward. Shen Luo watched this scene in secret amazement, acknowledging that underwater escape techniques were no match for those on land due to the tremendous resistance¨Ctheir speed was already remarkable, and he pondered that even at full effort, he wouldn''t exceed it. Yet the Wind Wings on either side of the Spirit Boat hadn''t been activated; once they were, the speed would undoubtedly increase even more. No one spoke; each found a spot to sit down, some closed their eyes to nurture their spirit, others organized their Magical Treasures, all preparing for the upcoming journey to the Zhurong Basin. Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon also sat down at the stern of the boat, quietly exchanging information about the Zhurong Basin via transmitted voice. Half a day passed quickly, and the Spirit Boat of the Azure Sea arrived at its destination, the Zhurong Basin. ¡°Is this the Zhurong Basin?¡± Shen Luo, already having learned much about the Zhurong Basin from the Black Bear Demon, was still taken aback as he looked ahead. The group was now standing on a mountain peak on the seabed, where the ground in front of the mountain suddenly dipped, forming a vast and immense basin. Everything inside the basin¨Cthe ground, the mountains, the air¨Cexhibited a blinding crimson hue, as if ablaze, shimmering with a startling dark red color. A wave of hot air rolled in, emitting an intimidating high temperature that evaporated all surrounding seawater, creating a dry space at the seafloor. Although Shen Luo and the others stood outside the basin, they could still feel the waves of heat coming in waves, as if they were roasting next to a furnace. ¡°This is the Zhurong Basin. This basin is vast and scorching all year round. It also possesses the bizarre earth-evil fire poison. The deeper you go, the hotter it gets. In the center of the basin, there is a great fire burning. This fire is no ordinary flame; it contains earth-evil fire poison that is ten times stronger than the periphery of the basin. Even we True Immortals should not take it lightly,¡± Fu Gong said seriously, glancing at Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon. On the way here, Shen Luo had also learned from the Black Bear Demon about this place and was not surprised. ¡°Aside from the fire poison, the Zhurong Basin has been home to the raging fire for ten million years, spawning many flame ferocious beasts with great strength. There are many ferocious beasts comparable to True Immortals. Moreover, these flame ferocious beasts are congealed from the Power of Flames, existing between spirits and corporeal bodies. They are extremely difficult to kill, so be extra cautious!¡± Fu Gong continued to caution. ¡°Since the Zhurong Basin is fraught with so many troubles, why don''t we travel through the sea area above the basin and descend when we reach our destination? Wouldn''t that be better?¡± Shen Luo, having heard this, couldn''t help but interject. As soon as those words came out, Fu Gong, Turtle Thousand Years, and others familiar with the Eastern Sea all looked over, their faces showing a curious expression, while Dragon Tooth could not help but snicker openly. ¡°Friend Shen seems to have little understanding of the Zhurong Basin. The Zhurong Basin connects to the undersea lava. The incessant burning has filled the sea above with earthly lung poisonous gas, creating a Poison Sea that is tenfold more potent than the earth-evil fire poison within the basin. That path is even more dangerous,¡± Fu Gong explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo, unashamed to ask when ignorant, nodded and then stayed quiet. ¡°Friend Fu, instead of talking about these things we all know, why not tell us quickly where exactly the Earth Core Fire Lotus is?¡± Dragon Tooth said, sarcastically sneering at Shen Luo and then pressing forward impatiently. ¡°You all have long resided in the Eastern Sea and naturally know the Zhurong Basin well; I, indeed, have been overly talkative,¡± Fu Gong chuckled, not taking offense and seeming extremely good-natured. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1377 Chapter 1377: Chapter 1373: Act Separately Chapter 1377: Chapter 1373: Act Separately ¡°According to the intelligence I''ve obtained, the Earth Core Fire Lotuses are mainly concentrated in a central area of the Zhurong Basin, with a few spread throughout other parts of the basin. All of the locations are recorded in this jade slip, fellow Daoists may wish to take a look first.¡± Fu Gong paused for a moment and then took out several jade slips, distributing one to each person. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense entered one of them, and aside from the Central Region, the jade slip marked over a dozen other Fire Lotus locations, scattered throughout the Zhurong Basin. ¡°So many scattered Fire Lotuses, does friend Fu intend to have us split up and search separately?¡± asked Dragon Tooth, deep in thought. ¡°Exactly, my fellow Daoists must also feel that this is the safer approach, right?¡± Fu Gong said meaningfully. The others looked at each other upon hearing this and remained silent. The Earth Core Fire Lotus was a treasure after all, and naturally, none of them wanted to share with others; indeed, they all preferred to act alone. ¡°Since none of you has objections, let''s decide on this approach then. The scattered Earth Core Fire Lotuses will be searched for by you my fellow Daoists, while Daoist Hua and I will head directly to the center of the basin,¡± Fu Gong declared. The likes of Dragon Tooth and Turtle Thousand Years were just about to nod in agreement when they heard the last statement, and their gazes flickered noticeably. ¡°My friends, please do not misunderstand; it is not that Daoist Hua and I wish to monopolize the treasure. Though many Fire Lotuses are indeed located at the basin''s center, that area is also home to a large pack of Red Flame Beasts with formidable strength. To say nothing of one or two of us, even if all of us went together, we might not be able to handle them. Daoist Hua and I are going there to set up a Great Formation that will restrain the Red Flame Beasts, once the fellow Daoists have finished here, we can all activate the Formation together to tackle those beasts and divvy up the Central Region''s Earth Core Fire Lotuses equally,¡± Hua Zhao finally spoke up to explain, her voice as gentle as water and magnetic, almost irresistibly persuasive. After hearing this, the others exchanged glances and, without a word, tacitly accepted the arrangement. ¡°If that''s the case, let''s split up and take action,¡± said Fu Gong, seeing that there was no disagreement. He waved a flag in his right hand, shooting out a white crystalline light that wrapped around the young man beside him. In the blink of an eye, the youth''s figure flickered and vanished into thin air. Shen Luo uttered a soft exclamation. In that beam of white crystalline light, he sensed fluctuations of the Power of Space. The flag in Fu Gong''s hand was evidently a treasure similar to the Free and Easy Mirror. ¡°A Spatial Treasure!¡± Turtle Thousand Years exclaimed in surprise too. ¡°This Eight Trigrams Flag of mine merely contains a small space; it hardly qualifies as a Spatial Treasure. Turtle Daoist friend, you flatter me,¡± laughed Fu Gong, and with a slight bow to the crowd, he and Hua Zhao transformed into a white light and shot forward. The rest dispersed, each heading in different directions. Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon also separated, cautioning each other to be careful before setting off on their own, shooting toward the front left side of the basin. As soon as he entered the Zhurong Basin, Shen Luo immediately felt an intense heat assaulting him. Even with his current physical strength, he found his lips drying and his facial muscles beginning to ache. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Such terrifying heat!¡± he muttered to himself. A blue glow flashed across his body, forming a curtain of water-light around him. The azure glow enveloped his whole body, and the sensation of heat diminished considerably. However, the surrounding heat was ferociously intense, mixed with strands of strange fire poison¨Cit must be the Earth Sha Fire Poison that Fu Gong had mentioned. He had to channel the Light curtain at full force just to resist it. Maintaining such an effort consumed a great deal of Mana. ¡°No wonder Fu Gong said that the most important thing upon entering this place was fire resistance and mana conservation,¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, and with a flip of his hand, he took out a blue ruyi and a blue ring, wearing them on his body. Both of these Magical Treasures were spoils of war he had obtained from the great battle at Mount Fangcun. Although they were not as good as the Cold Jiao Pearl, they were also fine treasures for fire resistance. At times like this, even a sliver of Mana had to be conserved. The rings and the Ruyi scepter lit up with two clumps of blue light, forming a crystal-clear blue shield around him, which replaced the previous blue light screen, shielding him from the searing heat and fire poison outside. Shen Luo was quite satisfied with the effect of the shield and shot forward as a blue shadow. Zhurong Basin was fraught with peril, so he dared not fly at full speed, cautiously weaving through the red light in the basin. Now that Shen Luo''s cultivation had already broken through to the level of a True Immortal, even with suppressed speed, in the blink of an eye, he had traveled nearly a thousand miles, almost reaching the deeper areas of Zhurong Basin. As Fu Gong had said, the deeper into the Zhurong Basin one went, the higher the temperature. The heat here was almost double that of the outside, and the blue shield formed by the two fire-resistant treasures trembled incessantly, struggling to fend off the intense heat from outside, teetering on the brink of failure. The ring, being of slightly inferior material, cracked with a snap under a fierce wave of heat, its blue light flickering wildly before disappearing completely. Shen Luo''s brows raised, and he took out the Cold Jiao Pearl and hung it at his waist. A layer of white cold light shot out, filled with surging cold Qi, easily repelling the surrounding heat. Shen Luo was quite satisfied with the effect of the Cold Jiao Pearl, nodded slightly, and was about to continue onward. A patch of red clouds appeared ahead, seemingly alert to his presence, drifting over swiftly. A harsh, cackling sound came from within the clouds, accompanied by an extremely strong scent of fire that was far more intense than the original heat of the area, distorting the surrounding air with its heat. The white cold light on Shen Luo''s body began to tremble rapidly, seemingly unable to withstand the fiery breath of the red clouds. ¡°What is this? That unique breed of Red Flame Beasts indigenous to this area?¡± His brows raised, but instead of fleeing, he stayed put. The red clouds moved at an incredible pace and were quickly near him. Only then did Shen Luo see that they were fire crows, each the size of a washbasin, engulfed in blazing red flames, with a fierce glint flickering in their eyes, looking murderous. There were no few of these fire crows, at least a thousand strong, swarming over in flocks and clearly proficient in this kind of group attack. Shen Luo had fought against masters of flame control before, and he used to possess a Five-Fire Fan capable of unleashing powerful fire attacks, so he was not unfamiliar with Flame Divine Powers. However, the red clouds formed by these thousands of flames were truly astonishing, and the term ''scorching mountains and boiling seas'' would not be an exaggeration. ¡°Indeed, they''re quite powerful,¡± he muttered to himself, yet he was not panicked and activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. An endless surge of extreme cold breath erupted, stunning the attacking fire crows for a moment and causing the fire cloud to pause there. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo opened his mouth and spat out a red and a golden sword light, while his hands formed a sword technique. In an instant, the sword lights swelled dozens of times in size, transforming into a red and a golden Flood Dragon, each a hundred feet long, thrashing about as they tore into the flock of fire crows. The sound of sizzling cracks filled the air, and in the blink of an eye, nearly a hundred fire crows were slain, dissipating into large swathes of flame. Seeing this, Shen Luo showed a look of surprise. But at that moment, the scattered flames suddenly reformed, and in the blink of an eye, they coalesced back into fire crows, as if they had never been attacked at all. Chapter 1378 Chapter 1378: Chapter 1374: Holy Lotus Chapter 1378: Chapter 1374: Holy Lotus ¡°This fire beast really is somewhat strange,¡± Shen Luo said, his face showing a look of surprise. After a moment of contemplation, he formed a magic spell with his hands. His left hand radiated with the Spirit Light of Wind and Thunder, and a large number of green wind blades and golden lightning bolts shot out from his hand. His right hand surged with blue light as he activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, and countless blue ice cones burst out, striking the fire cloud along with the wind blades and lightning. Although there were many of these fire crows, forming a powerful fire cloud, they posed no threat to him. Shen Luo had stopped because he wanted to take the opportunity to find the weaknesses of these fiery beasts to facilitate his actions later. The wind blades and lightning moved even faster and were the first to penetrate the fire cloud. Large numbers of fire crows were again hit, turning into numerous scattered sparks, which immediately reformed without any harm. Those blue ice cones now whistled in, piercing through dozens of fire crows in an instant. The cold air from the Indigo Ocean burst forth from the ice cones, and the fire crows let out a pitiful cry before vanishing with a ''sizzle'' sound. ¡°These fiery beasts are of the fire attribute; it seems that water-attribute divine powers can indeed restrain them,¡± Shen Luo thought with relief. He possessed the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, and had already cultivated it to an advanced level. He should have more than enough ability to deal with these fiery beasts. Just then, two groups of fire crows, each consisting of over a hundred, suddenly surged out from the fire cloud. They converged together, forming two red giant swords, and ''sizzled'' as they chopped down towards him. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank and a look of surprise flashed across his face, but his hands moved without hesitation, conjuring spells to meet the attack with his Pure Yang Sword and Slayer''s Broken Sword. A loud ''boom'' resounded, and flames scattered in all directions; the Pure Yang Sword and the Slayer''s Broken Sword were actually blocked. The remaining fire crows also ''whooshed'' together, forming a giant fire crow the size of a small mountain. With a flap of its wings, it appeared in front of Shen Luo and its huge beak pecked down at him. Shen Luo''s feet flashed with the Glamour of Moonlight, and he vanished into thin air from the spot, causing the giant fire crow to peck at nothing. The giant fire crow let out an angry cry, flapping its wings and looking around to find Shen Luo''s figure. But Shen Luo seemed to have evaporated, leaving no trace, and those two giant sword rainbows had also disappeared without a trace. Dozens of feet away, Shen Luo activated the invisibility divine power of his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, becoming insubstantial. Recalling his two flying swords, he shot forward and soon disappeared ahead. Having figured out the weaknesses of these Red Flame Beasts, he had no intention of tangling with the fire crows; it was more important to hurry in search of the Earth Core Fire Lotus. Although these fire crows had considerable attack power, their spiritual wisdom was comparable to ordinary wild beasts, naturally unable to see through the invisibility divine power of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. After a chaotic squawking, they reverted to a fire cloud state and soon left the area as well. Encountering this group of fire crows seemed like a beginning; as Shen Luo continued on his way, he encountered a fiery beast alone or in groups every once in a while. These beasts had no specific forms, including fire birds, fire beasts, and even humanoid fire spirits. Each of these fiery beasts had the ability to transform their bodies into flames and were difficult to kill, but their weakness was the same, all subdued by the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. Eager to continue on his journey, Shen Luo had no intention of fighting with these Red Flame Beasts. Whenever he encountered them, he would avoid them relying on the Soft Smoke Luo Luo Brocade Clothing and only fight back if he couldn''t evade. More than a two-hour period later, he arrived near a canyon. There were two active volcanoes on either side of the canyon, spewing out rolling magma and black smoke into the sky, and the canyon was filled with dark red magma, forming a magma lake that emitted an insanely high temperature. This was precisely the location marked on the Jade Slip Map for the Earth Core Fire Lotus, and Shen Luo''s Divine Sense had already detected the Earth Core Fire Lotus. In a crevice near the Magma Lake in the canyon, two crimson red lotuses grew, only the size of a washbasin, looking incredibly delicate. Whether it was the petals or the stem, they were semi-transparent, and faintly flowing within was a mist of red light, giving off a dreamlike illusion. ¡°It really is a treasure of Heaven and Earth!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes glinted with joy as he leaped to land near the Fire Lotus and stretched out his hand to pluck it. Suddenly, a premonition of danger surfaced in his mind. ¡°Whoosh¡± Suddenly, the magma below cracked open, and a Giant Fire Pillar as thick as a water bucket shot out. The heat emanating was turbulent, distorting the void wherever it passed. Fortunately, Shen Luo was already on guard. As soon as the red fire column appeared, his figure immediately retreated backward, and with a single hand raised, he summoned the Pure Yang Sword, transforming into a Red Sword Rainbow to meet the fire column head-on. With a ¡°hiss¡± rending through the air, the Giant Fire Pillar was sliced in two, but Shen Luo, along with the Pure Yang Sword, was sent flying backward, tumbling for over a dozen feet before stabilizing himself, his face showing surprise. He had just now concealed his movements with Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, though he hadn''t used much mana to activate it. It should have been enough to deceive monks of the same level, yet he had been discovered. What surprised him even more was that he had just used his Divine Sense to scope out the surroundings and hadn''t detected anything in the Magma Lake below; yet there was a flaming ferocious beast that had escaped his perception. The previously calm surface of the Magma Lake suddenly began to bubble and form a large vortex, from which a monster enveloped in Crimson Flames slowly emerged. The creature had an enormous mouth, and its bloated body squatted there, resembling a toad. Its back was covered with hard horny scale armor aflame with clusters of red flames, and its forehead sported two sharp horns which quivered flexibly now and then, rippling out rings of red light. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A guardian spirit beast?¡± Shen Luo saw such a ferocious beast for the first time, and his gaze flickered. ¡°Who are you to lay your hands on the Red Flame Clan''s Sacred Lotus?¡± demanded the toad monster, its pus-filled eyes staring at Shen Luo as it spoke in a human language. ¡°You can speak, which means your Spiritual Wisdom is greatly awakened. Hand over the two Earth Core Fire Lotuses to me, and I can spare your life,¡± Shen Luo said, his expression revealing surprise, which quickly returned to calm as he spoke indifferently. ¡°Impudent monk! Spouting madness before your death!¡± the Red Flame Beast roared furiously, flames on its back flaring wildly as over a dozen Giant Fire Pillars identical to the first shot out from its back, ferociously striking towards Shen Luo. Meanwhile, the nearby magma churned violently, and dozens of gigantic magma columns abruptly rose, storming towards Shen Luo like raging waves. Magma and fire columns intertwined, as if the entire world of magma was launching an attack. The force was tremendously shocking. Shen Luo pursed his lips and a surge of blue light exploded from both hands as he waved them forward weavingly. Biting cold air burst forth, and suddenly, a Blue Iceberg hundreds of feet in size materialized in front, colliding with both the fire columns and the magma. Huge booming noises ¡°roared,¡± the Blue Iceberg trembled unsteadily, cracks appeared all over it, yet it didn''t completely shatter. At the same time, sounds of ¡°sizzling¡± rose sharply as huge swathes of white mist formed, enveloping the vicinity in fog in the blink of an eye. Everything became blurred, and Shen Luo''s figure was swallowed by the mist, disappearing from sight; his breath, too, totally vanished. Chapter 1379 Chapter 1379: Chapter 1375: Beast Fight Chapter 1379: Chapter 1375: Beast Fight The Red Flame Beast crouched motionless, its pointed horn trembling with light, a sign of its probing divine ability, which, in the fiery environment, allowed it to easily sense Shen Luo''s whereabouts. The next moment, it discovered that Shen Luo''s figure was hidden in the surrounding mist, having transformed into a new stealth state and was rapidly approaching from another direction. ¡°Heh heh, it seems that this person is skilled in invisibility, mastering several stealth divine abilities, but unfortunately, he met me. Our Red Flame Beast clan is most adept at perception!¡± The Red Flame Beast secretly sneered in its heart, but pretended to be oblivious and looked around. When Shen Luo approached within ten feet of it, the Red Flame Beast suddenly turned its head and spat out. A thin, sharp red shadow shot out from its mouth, piercing Shen Luo''s body like lightning. It was the Red Flame Beast''s red tongue, tipped with faint flames, damaging Shen Luo''s body as it burrowed deep into the nearby mountain wall, like an invincible flying sword. Inside the White Fog, Shen Luo''s figure emerged, but there was no fear on his face. Instead, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as his body suddenly ¡°bang¡± burst open, turning into a thick blue mist. ¡°What!¡± The Red Flame Beast was startled and immediately tried to retract its tongue. But the blue mist that Shen Luo had turned into enveloped the red tongue, and an intense chill surged forth. With a light ¡°crack,¡± the Red Flame Beast''s tongue was frozen into a blue ice crystal, its flesh and blood crystallized by the chill, utterly necrotized. The inside of the Red Flame Beast''s mouth was also injured by the cold, causing a major alarm. Its body emitted a bright fiery light in an attempt to resist the invasion of the chill. However, next to it, the void fluctuated, and a blue flying sword appeared out of thin air, emitting a ten zhang long sapphire Sword Qi, wrapped in bone-chilling cold, and quickly enveloped the Red Flame Beast''s body. The Red Flame Beast, still countering the cold of the Indigo Ocean, did not anticipate danger from the side. Unable to evade in time, it was slashed in two with a hiss. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To its horror and fury, the two halves of its body exploded apart, turning into two sparkling flames that merged into the void, escaping the second strike of the blue flying sword. The next moment, two flames appeared out of nowhere a hundred feet away. They instantly combined into one and reformed the Red Flame Beast''s body, yet the aura it emitted was significantly weaker. ¡°The Art of Fire Escape!¡± Shen Luo quietly floated in the adjacent void, raising his eyebrow as he murmured to himself. His Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing was aglow with blue light, pushing his stealth technique to the maximum and just barely eluding the perception of the Red Flame Beast. As for the Shen Luo that the Red Flame Beast''s tongue had impaled just now, it was a doppelganger he had formed with the Nameless Cultivation Technique and the addition of the Water Soul Technique. The strength of this Red Flame Beast was beyond his expectations, and it had the advantage of the terrain. Having just entered the Zhurong Basin, he did not want to exhibit his real strength, and it had taken considerable effort to land a single hit. Having finally gained the upper hand, Shen Luo naturally would not relax; his hands kept forming seals. The blue flying sword hissed loudly as countless blue sword shadows erupted from it, forming a mountain of swords that pressed down toward the opponent. Each sword shadow emitted a terrifying chill, the cold of the Indigo Ocean. This sword was named ¡°Water Cloud Sword,¡± found amongst the Storage Magical Tools of a True Immortal of the Demon Clan from Lion Camel Ridge. It was a mid-grade Water Attribute Treasure with considerable power, and could be used in conjunction with the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, which was why he had taken it out to face the enemy. ¡°Insolent thief, don''t be arrogant!¡± The Red Flame Beast opened its mouth and spit out a ribbon-like golden light, which transformed into a series of crimson spherical flames. Upon contact with the blue sword shadows, thunderous explosions ensued, the resulting sonic waves strong enough to collapse a house. The Blue Sword Mountain was effortlessly shattered, and the Blue Flying Sword was sent flying, its spiritual light dimmed significantly. ¡°Bing Fire God Thunder!¡± Shen Luo frowned within the void. Bing Fire God Thunder was a technique that could only be grasped after reaching a high realm in the cultivation of fire attribute skills. It wasn''t surprising that the Red Flame Beast, born of fire essence, could cast this divine technique, but he hadn''t expected its power to be so formidable. Although the Water Cloud Sword was powerful, its materials were far inferior to those of the Pure Yang Sword. Even more so, it was inferior to the Slayer''s Broken Sword. After being struck by Bing Fire God Thunder, it was damaged and its spirituality was compromised. The Red Flame Beast, seizing its advantage, did not relent. Flames surged on its body, and it spat out another attack. This time, seven or eight whip-like flames shot out, filled with violent fire energy, all targeting the Water Cloud Sword, intent on completely destroying the sword. Shen Luo didn''t have many water attribute treasures at his disposal, and he would need the Water Cloud Sword later on. He hurriedly cast a sword technique with a flick of his hand. A grand crimson sword light shot out, resembling a blossoming red glow, tearing apart all the red light in the surrounding space. It was indeed the Pure Yang Sword, which with a loud boom, slashed at the whip-like flames. At the same time, a small black flag flew out from his sleeve, exploding into a cloud of dark mist that enveloped the flames. However, the whip-like flames suddenly changed direction, snaking past the Pure Yang Sword and the Bloodthirsty Flag, and in a flash, they struck fiercely at Shen Luo''s concealed position in the void. Boom! The whip-like flames exploded, instantly forming a sea of crimson flames several acres in size, submerging Shen Luo within it. An indescribable intensity of heat spread out, turning the surrounding void entirely red, as if everything had been set ablaze. Within the sea of flames, clumps of Bing Fire God Thunder emerged, densely packed and roaming in all directions, causing the void to tremble. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing was engulfed by the sea of flames, and jolted by the numerous Bing Fire God Thunders, the clothing''s stealth was broken, revealing his tracks. ¡°I''ve finally caught you, die for me! Hell''s Inferno!¡± The Red Flame Beast, seeing Shen Luo revealed, flashed a smirk of successful conspiracy in its eyes and bellowed loudly. The flames on its body intensified, accompanied by a faint, crisp cry. Crimson arrays appeared in the Red Sea of Flames, condensing into an eight-sided large array and emitting a strong restrictive force that sealed off all the surrounding space. ¡°An Array?¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly as he waved his hand to summon the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, covering his body with tens of thousands of golden light rays, simultaneously striving to escape to the outside. But massive forces from all around bore down on him like countless mountains, all crashing toward him at once. Even with his current strength, he struggled to move. ¡°You want to flee now? It''s already too late! Witness the power of my Red Flame clan''s Eight Fiends Array!¡± The Red Flame Beast''s laughter came from outside. In the eight corners of the Array, flashes of flame passed, and each one revealed a crimson pattern, each depicting fierce and menacing deities. Suddenly, an eerie and sinister aura filled the Array. Shen Luo''s body involuntarily shivered, his mana moved sluggishly, several times slower than before. A sense of exhaustion surged through his body, and strands of ash began to appear within his mind, making his soul power feel unusually heavy. Chapter 1380 Chapter 1380: Chapter 1376: Slay Chapter 1380: Chapter 1376: Slay ¡°What kind of attack is this?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but change his expression as he let out an internal cry. The scorching breath within the sea of flames, stimulated by the Eight Fiends patterns, suddenly intensified tenfold, and the power of the Bing Fire God Thunders also surged dramatically, raining down on Shen Luo like a torrential downpour. Clang! Clang! Clang! Countless Bing Fire God Thunders struck the Golden Light Shield, emitting a dense sound of thunderous explosions. The Golden Light Shield trembled repeatedly as if it could hardly withstand the assault. Shen Luo was truly surprised. He knew too well the defensive power of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet; it had been more than enough to deal with the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation, yet it was now being shaken by the fire and thunder attacks of this Red Flame Beast. ¡°Well done, Red Flame Beast! I didn''t want to expend too much mana here, but since you''re seeking death, I will oblige you!¡± He suddenly turned his gaze towards the Red Flame Beast, his heart surging with anger. His body radiated golden light as he burst forth with an incredibly mighty power, instantly suppressing his internal weakness. A vast amount of mana was injected into the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, and the Golden Protective Barrier immediately stabilized. A thick shadow of a stick shot out from within the golden protective barrier, like a Qiang Tian giant stick striking the surrounding Eight Fiends Formation. With a thunderous boom! The Eight Fiends Formation shattered nearly in half like paper, with four of the Evil Deity patterns being swept away and obliterated. ¡°What!¡± The Red Flame Beast outside was shocked. The columns of fire on its back immediately enlarged several times, rolling and pouring into the sea of flames, trying to recondense the Eight Fiends Formation. Shen Luo snorted coldly, his hands forming seals and pointing distantly at the Pure Yang Sword and Water Cloud Sword outside the sea of flames. With his formidable mana enhancing them, the two swords instantaneously gained in might, turned into red and blue sword lights, and darted towards the Red Flame Beast. A layer of Red Lotus Karmic Fire faintly appeared on the Pure Yang Sword. The Red Flame Beast, having suffered from the Water Cloud Sword before, immediately opened its mouth to spew out a pillar of fire at the Water Cloud Sword upon seeing this scene. However, it ignored the Pure Yang Sword. The flames surged on the Pure Yang Flying Sword, clearly a fire attribute flying sword, and it couldn''t harm the beast in the slightest. Regardless of quality or the number of prohibition layers, the Pure Yang Sword was far superior to the Water Cloud Sword. Its sword light appeared in front of the Red Flame Beast first, slashing down like lightning. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the body of the Red Flame Beast was cut into two. Its eyes suddenly filled with an indescribable look of terror as if it had encountered something dreadfully frightening. The next moment, all the light in the eyes of the Red Flame Beast disappeared abruptly. Both halves of its body were devoid of life and fell from midair, perishing just like that. Inside the sea of flames, just as Shen Luo was about to unleash the Splashy Chaotic Stick to completely shatter the surrounding formation and sea of flames, he sensed the situation outside and a look of astonishment appeared on his face as well. With the Red Flame Beast dead, the red sea of flames also collapsed thunderously, turning into a vast array of flames that scattered, and the Eight Fiends Formation completely vanished. Shen Luo flew out from amidst the scattered flames, landing beside the remains of the Red Flame Beast, his brows furrowed, seemingly puzzled by the beast''s sudden death. When he had launched the attack with the Pure Yang Sword, he only intended to disrupt the Red Flame Beast''s rhythm, not expecting this outcome to occur. ¡°Why did the beast die so suddenly? The power of the Pure Yang Sword is indeed not small, but it shouldn''t be able to slay the beast in a single strike,¡± he muttered to himself. Then, noticing the faint Red Lotus Karmic Fire on the Pure Yang Sword, he finally realized the truth. The Red Flame Beast was a creature formed from the convergence of fire spirits, with a body that could become intangible, immune to any Five Elements Divine Ability attack aside from water attributes. However, it was, after all, a living being with a divine soul inside. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire could burn divine souls and naturally could counter the Red Flame Beast. Although the Red Lotus Karmic Fire was capable of incinerating divine souls, it required entry into the enemy''s body to be effective. However, the attack power of this heavenly fire was insufficient, unable to break through enemy defenses, which had always been a troubling issue for Shen Luo. For this reason, even though he had possessed the Red Lotus Karmic Fire for a long time, he had been unable to utilize its power effectively in battle. Ironically, the Red Flame Beast had turned its body into an intangible state of fire spirit, intending to let the Pure Yang Sword''s edge pass through and thus inadvertently facilitated the Red Lotus Karmic Fire''s invasion. No wonder it perished. Shen Luo found another method to restrain the fire creatures of this place, one that was even more effective than the Indigo Blue Sea, and he felt a surge of joy within him. With these two divine abilities, he was no longer fearful of any formidable fire creatures that might appear later on. Shen Luo took a deep breath, suppressed the joy in his heart, and looked towards the bisected corpse of the Red Flame Beast. The cultivation level of this Red Flame Beast was comparable to a True Immortal cultivator, and its remains contained an endless and pure Power of Flames. Although he wasn''t proficient in Fire Attribute divine abilities and couldn''t make effective use of it, he wasn''t about to carelessly throw away such a valuable thing. The only thing that puzzled Shen Luo was that the Power of Flames within the remains of the Red Flame Beast didn''t disperse. On his way here, Shen Luo had slain several fire creatures and thought about collecting their corpses, but the Power of Flames within those fire creatures would immediately and quickly disperse upon their death, making it impossible to stop. Unexpectedly, the Power of Flames within the remains of this Red Flame Beast did not dissipate. A flicker of doubt crossed Shen Luo''s mind, but he didn''t dwell on it. He activated the Free and Easy Mirror, projecting a red beam of light that shrouded the two halves of the Red Flame Beast''s corpse, preparing to store them in the Carefree Mirror Space and find a way to seal them. However, at that moment, a clear chirping sound came from the lower half of the Red Flame Beast''s body, and a streak of red shadow shot out, taking the shape of a bird. It dashed left and right and actually shattered the red beam from the Free and Easy Mirror. A surge of scorching heat came from within the red light, making the entire Free and Easy Mirror overheated, almost scalding Shen Luo''s arm. ¡°What is this thing?¡± Shen Luo quickly activated his Mana to isolate the searing heat and waved his sleeve. The Pure Yang Sword transformed into a streak of red light, slashing towards the lower half of the Red Flame Beast''s body like a flying goose. But the red bird shadow, as if it were alive, flapped its wings and directly confronted the Pure Yang Sword, colliding with it head-on. A clang rang out, much like the sound of a bell or chime; the red bird shadow was unexpectedly resilient, blocking the strike from the Pure Yang Sword. Although the Pure Yang Sword now possessed extraordinary power, the red bird shadow, despite barely blocking the strike, was violently shaken and grew much fainter. Shen Luo snorted coldly, his hands swiftly changing sword techniques. A flash of Sword Radiance passed over the Pure Yang Sword, and four identical sword shadows appeared out of thin air around it. Each sword shadow had an aura identical to that of the Pure Yang Sword, the very essence of the Pure Yang Shadow-splitting Sword. After advancing to the True Immortal Stage, he had made substantial progress in the Pure Yang Sword Forms. The four sword shadows encircled the red bird shadow, moving and slashing so swiftly that they seemed to flicker like light and shadow, instantly tearing the red bird shadow into pieces, which then burst with a ¡°pop¡± and dissipated into clusters of red light. A mournful cry came from within the remains of the Red Flame Beast, and all the red light flew back into the remains, disappearing without a trace. ¡°What are you, come out here!¡± Shen Luo waved his sleeve, and the four sword shadows, together with the Pure Yang Sword, continued to shoot forward, crisscrossing and slashing onto the remains of the Red Flame Beast, which were then cut into more than a dozen pieces and scattered flying in all directions. He cast out a beam of golden light from his sleeve, which, swift as lightning, wrapped around a piece of the remains and ground it as though using a millstone. The remains of the Red Flame Beast were instantly crushed by the golden light into fine dust, disintegrating into a wisp of flame and revealing a red object¨Cit was a giant red egg. This object was about a foot long, its surface emitting a layer of fire-like red light, identical to the red bird shadow seen just now, indicating that the egg was indeed the source of the red bird shadow. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The shell of the egg was also covered with densely packed black runes, which were in fact demonic patterns, forming an extremely complex Demonic Array. Chapter 1381 Chapter 1381: Chapter 1377: Divine Beast Egg Chapter 1381: Chapter 1377: Divine Beast Egg Shen Luo had already used his Divine Sense to probe into the remains and sense something inside, but he hadn''t expected it to be an egg. He was slightly startled when he saw the egg and the Devilish Array on it and quickly activated the Golden Light to whisk it over to him. The red giant egg seemed to have been damaged by the slashing of the red bird shadow and did not resist, obediently falling into his hands. ¡°It''s so hot!¡± The moment the giant egg fell into his hands, even though Shen Luo had protected his palms with Mana, he still felt an intense heat, as if he had plunged his hands into flame, and he quickly stored the egg in the Free and Easy Mirror. As soon as the red giant egg disappeared, the surrounding remains of the Red Flame Beasts burst into explosive fragments, turning into countless Power of Flames and scattering. ¡°It seems that due to this red egg, the fiery energy within the remains of the Red Flame Beasts did not disperse,¡± observed Shen Luo. Far from feeling regretful, he was secretly pleased. The red giant egg clearly had the special ability to gather the Power of Flames, signifying it must be even more mysterious. However, now was not the time to examine the giant egg in detail. He flew swiftly towards the two Earth Core Fire Lotuses and once again activated the Free and Easy Mirror. A red crystalline light enveloped the two Fire Lotuses, and with a flash of light, they were collected. Having done this, Shen Luo transformed into a streak of red light and shot off into the distance. He soon left the area of the Magma Lake and landed in a mountain range a hundred li away where the heat was slightly less intense. He urged the Pure Yang Sword, shooting out sharp Sword Qi, and quickly carved out a Mountain Cave in the mountain wall to take refuge in. Although the cave was far from the magma volcano, it was still too hot to be conducive for calm contemplation. He waved his sleeve, and white light shot out, revealing several formation flags that he placed around the cave. Soon, he had arranged a Great Formation, specifically the Liangyi Micro-dust Array. This Array had been nearly half destroyed by the Nine-Headed Insect in Yunmeng Marsh, but fortunately, the core Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman was intact. He had spent some time gathering Materials and had now restored the Array. Shen Luo made a hand gesture to activate it, and countless streams of white light emerged, quickly submerging everything around him. The scenery before his eyes changed, and he found himself in a green wilderness vibrant with lush greenery, the scorching heat completely isolated by the Array. Pleased, he nodded and sat down cross-legged, taking out the red giant egg. In just this short period of time, the red light on the egg had brightened considerably, seemingly having recovered the Vitality that was just now extinguished by the Pure Yang Sword. ¡°It has already recovered so quickly. Given the previous red shadow, could this possibly be the egg of some kind of spiritual bird or Divine Beast?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. However, he was not well-versed in this area and could not identify the origin of the egg. As for the Demonic Array on the eggshell, his dealings with Chiyou''s Martial Secrets allowed him to comprehend parts of it. It seemed to be a devouring type of Demonic Array with the effect of blocking Divine Sense. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered for a moment, he conjured Mana to protect his palm, placed it on the Demonic Array, and began to slowly infuse Mana into it. The runes within the Demonic Array lit up rapidly, emitting a layer of black light that whirred and spun, swallowing up the Mana. The glow of the red giant egg also slightly strengthened. ¡°As I suspected, a devouring type Demonic Array!¡± He immediately retracted his hand and backed away several zhang. Shen Luo knew the Demonic Powers of the Demon Clan to be incredibly vicious. If this Demonic Array started to operate and sucked out all his vitality, it would be terrible. Given the nature of the Demon Clan, such a possibility was not unlikely. Fortunately, the demonic array wasn''t so fierce. As soon as he removed his hand from the shell, the black light on the array immediately dimmed, and the red light of the eggshell returned to its original state. However, in that instant just now, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense had penetrated the shell and vaguely saw a red fledgling wrapped in rolling vermilion flames inside. It glared fiercely at Shen Luo, its eyes filled with deep killing intent, extremely ferocious. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A red fledgling, indeed some kind of avian Divine Beast,¡± he muttered to himself, his face showing a reflective expression. This giant egg contained an infinite power of flames. It was no wonder the Red Flame Beast had such a tremendously powerful fire attribute divine power, given it had been concealing such a fiery egg inside its body. Now that the egg had fallen into his hands, he, who did not possess fire attribute divine powers nor such a large belly to store this thing, had to think of another method to make proper use of it. And the first step in utilizing this giant egg was to figure out exactly what kind of egg it was. Shen Luo made hand signs and employed the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits to form a Spirit Communicating Water Hole, and soon a figure flew out¨Cit was Bashe. ¡°Friend Shen, may I know what important matter you have for summoning me this time?¡± Bashe''s face flashed with a hint of grievance as she asked lazily. She had just obtained two treasures from Shen Luo and immediately swallowed them to refine in the space within her belly. Her cultivation level had advanced once more, only a whisker away from the True Immortal Stage. She could return to her original cultivation level by continuing her retreat for a period of time, so she had not expected Shen Luo to summon her again. Among the people around Shen Luo, only Bashe had the broadest knowledge and, being of the exotic beast bloodline of the ancient Bashe, was likely to recognize the origin of this giant egg. ¡°Nothing much really. I''ve just come upon a rather extraordinary giant egg and summoned you to ask if you might recognize it,¡± Shen Luo pointed to the nearby red giant egg. Bashe turned her head to look, and her face immediately showed a look of shock. ¡°Such pure innate True Fire can only belong to a Divine Beast. This is the egg of a Divine Beast!¡± Bashe exclaimed. ¡°So, this is really the egg of a Divine Beast? However, what is innate True Fire?¡± Shen Luo asked, his eyebrows raised. ¡°Innate True Fire is a collective term for the true fire inside the body of a fire attribute Divine Beast. A Divine Beast''s bloodline power is born between Heaven and Earth and is considered innate, hence the name innate True Fire. Friend Shen, do not underestimate this fire. The innate True Fire of some top Divine Beasts is powerful enough to rival Heavenly Fire,¡± Bashe said, clicking her tongue. Having witnessed the power of the red giant egg, Shen Luo nodded slightly and then, without hiding anything, told Bashe everything he knew about the egg. ¡°Vermilion flames, a red fledgling¡­ It seems this is indeed a Vermilion Bird Egg!¡± Bashe asserted after hearing the details. ¡°The Vermilion Bird! The Southern Divine Beast among the Four Symbols!¡± Shen Luo''s face revealed a look of surprise and delight. He was already familiar with the grand reputation of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast through various classics. It was said to be capable of devouring the sun''s fire, and a single spray of flames could incinerate a mountain peak, while a flick of its long tail could evaporate an entire river. It was one of the most formidable fire Divine Beasts, although it had long since disappeared from the world. ¡°Given what you told me earlier, there''s no mistake. As for the purpose of this Devouring Demonic Array on the shell, I''m not sure; perhaps someone set it up here to constantly infuse vitality into the Vermilion Bird Egg to maintain its life force,¡± Bashe guessed. ¡°Maybe so. Bashe, do you think this Vermilion Bird Egg is of any use to me?¡± Shen Luo could not fathom the purpose of the demonic array, so he set aside that concern and inquired. ¡°If you, Friend Shen, cultivated fire attribute divine powers, this Vermilion Bird Egg would be tremendously useful to you. Directly absorbing the essence of the Divine Beast into your body would greatly enhance your fire attribute divine powers and advance your cultivation rapidly, even granting you part of the Vermilion Bird''s bloodline power. However, since you cultivate a Water-type Technique, this Vermilion Bird Egg is a bit like chicken ribs for you¨Cit''s not that beneficial, and may even do great harm to forcefully absorb its essence. In your current situation, you could either imprint on the egg and hatch it to make it your spirit beast, or sell it off; monks who cultivate fire attribute techniques would spend their entire fortunes to buy it,¡± Bashe advised. Hearing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows. The more formidable the Divine Beast, the longer its growth process would be. The Vermilion Bird Egg looked to possess great spirit already, but who knew how long it would still take to hatch, and after hatching, how many resources it would require to be raised properly. As for selling it, that wasn''t a great option either. He was already incredibly wealthy and didn''t lack for wealth. Chapter 1382 Chapter 1382: Misunderstanding by Mistake Chapter 1382: Misunderstanding by Mistake ¡°I''ve got it, trouble Ba Snake Daoist to come over,¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before making a decision, then used the Art of Spirit Communication to send Ba Snake back. He eyed the Vermilion Bird Egg for a while before finally walking over, once again placing his hand on it and channeling his power into it. However, this time he didn''t use mana but demonic qi instead. The Demonic Array on the eggshell looked far from ordinary, not something that consumed demonic qi passively; Shen Luo wasn''t satisfied until he fully activated it to see its true nature. To be on the safe side, he raised his hand and summoned the Pure Yang Sword and the Water Cloud Sword, causing them to circle and fly around the area. Once the demonic qi merged into the shell, it was like a spark falling into a pile of dry tinder; the Demonic Patterns on the eggshell immediately became ten times clearer, even emitting a tangible black light. A pitch-black Demonic Array slowly rose up, encircling an area of about an acre. The inside was extremely dark, as if it led to the Endless Demon Domain. ¡°What is this Demonic Array?¡± Shen Luo didn''t expect such a huge change to occur just by infusing a bit of demonic qi, and he quickly retreated again. With a ¡°boom,¡± the Demonic Array exerted an immense suction force that swept across dozens of yards of space around it. Although Shen Luo retreated in time, he was still pulled off balance and quickly used the God''s Power to root himself to the spot. While he managed to steady himself, the Pure Yang Sword and Water Cloud Sword circling beside him were swept away by the suction force, whooshing into the black Demonic Array. Seeing this, Shen Luo was shocked, for the Water Cloud Sword was expendable, but the Pure Yang Sword was his life-bound Magical Treasure. If it were to be damaged, he would also suffer a heavy blow, so he quickly started channeling the Pure Yang Sword Technique with all his might in an attempt to recall the swords. But the Pure Yang Sword seemed to be tightly bound by the Demonic Array and couldn''t be retrieved at all. His expression darkened, and he was about to urge the Slayer''s Broken Sword to break the Demonic Array when a burst of red light shot out from the Vermilion Bird Egg, enveloping the Pure Yang Sword and Water Cloud Sword, and actually pulled both swords into the egg. Once the Pure Yang Sword entered the Vermilion Bird Egg, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense also entered, and that burst of red light was emanated by the red fledgling inside. At that moment, the fledgling opened its mouth again and spat out a stream of vermillion flame that enveloped the two swords, fiercely refining them. The Water Cloud Sword was wrapped in the flame, and with a ¡°hiss,¡± it directly melted away, turning into wisps of green smoke that dissipated. ¡°Vermilion Bird True Fire? A medium-grade Flying Sword just evaporated like that!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed, and he immediately activated the Red Lotus Karmic Fire within the Pure Yang Sword, resisting the Vermilion Bird True Fire. The two types of flames collided violently, exploding continuously between them, looking like countless fireworks going off at once, so dazzlingly beautiful that they were evenly matched. ¡°What a vicious little bird, you actually want to destroy my Flying Sword, die!¡± Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief, then flew into a rage. With a change in the magic spell, a stream of Red Lotus Karmic Fire rushed towards the Vermilion Bird Fledgling. Red Lotus Karmic Fire is a Heavenly Fire that can burn Divine Souls. Although the Vermilion Bird Fledgling was fierce, it knew the severity of the threat and hurriedly spewed out a stream of Vermilion Bird True Fire in an attempt to resist the Karmic Fire. Shen Luo sneered slightly, his ten fingers blossoming like flames, which was him deploying the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire suddenly split into three, lightly twirled around the Vermilion Bird True Fire, and twined around the body of the Vermilion Bird fledgling. Panic showed on the fledgling''s face as it unleashed a burst of vermillion flames, forming a flame protective cover around itself, instantly blocking the three strands of Red Lotus Karmic Fire outside. Shen Luo''s brows creased slightly as the insufficient attacking power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire became apparent once again. Even though he could masterfully wield the Mysterious Heaven Fire Control Technique to incite the fire, as long as the enemy securely defended themselves, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire would struggle to achieve victory. However, he did not become discouraged. Instead, he condensed the Red Lotus Karmic Fire into a sword shape, continuously striking the Vermilion Bird True Fire protective cover. The Pure Yang Sword also hummed and trembled incessantly, as sword Qi slashed towards the surrounding Demonic Array, attempting to break free from the entrapment. But the Demonic Array was extremely solid; no matter how the sword Qi sliced, it had little effect, and streams of Demonic Qi invaded the sword, penetrating into its core. The Pure Yang Power within the sword was actually unable to prevent it. Shen Luo''s gaze hardened as he flicked his sleeve and shot out a golden sword light, its momentum resembling thunderbolts and lightning, fiercely striking the pitch-black Demonic Array¨Cit was the Slayer''s Broken Sword. At this juncture, he could no longer worry about damaging the giant Vermilion Bird Egg. But just at that moment, an unexpected change occurred. The Demonic Array around the giant egg suddenly collapsed and disintegrated into countless black Demonic Patterns, which swarmed into the Vermilion Bird Egg in an instant. Shen Luo looked on in astonishment at the scene before him. He quickly reacted, stopping the Slayer''s Broken Sword with a magical spell while simultaneously energizing the Pure Yang Sword. All the Red Lotus Karmic Fire converged around the Pure Yang Sword, forming layers of fire curtains to protect the sword body, preventing the black Demonic Patterns from causing harm to it. However, those black Demonic Patterns didn''t pay any attention to the Pure Yang Sword at all, rushing instead toward the Vermilion Bird fledgling. They easily broke through its surrounding flame protective cover and poured into the fledgling''s body. The Vermilion Bird fledgling''s body was covered with numerous black Demonic Patterns, its face showing an expression of unspeakable horror. It opened its mouth as if trying to spew out Vermilion Bird True Fire, but it seemed to be controlled by the black Demonic Patterns, completely immobilized. The Demonic Patterns then started glowing intensely, rapidly revolving around the Vermilion Bird fledgling, forming an oval black sphere that continued to pulsate and expand like an embryo, with countless demonic shadows flickering and changing within, rapidly refining the life force of the Vermilion Bird fledgling. ¡°Demon Reincarnation Technique!¡± Shen Luo saw this scene, and his pupils suddenly shrank, recognizing the origin of the Demonic Array. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had seen a record of this Demon Reincarnation Technique in the martial secrets of Chiyou. The martial secrets of Chiyou were not merely a single Demon Clan Skill; it contained a variety of magical demonic techniques, and the Demon Reincarnation Technique was one of them. This demonic technique could transfer oneself into the body of another creature, using the method to plunder their life force, bloodline, and so on¨Cit was extremely sinister and domineering. The Demonic Powers were extremely cruel, plundering everything, advancing boldly, completely opposite to the ways of the Immortal Path Cultivation Method. ¡°It seems that some powerful member of the Demon Clan turned the Demon Reincarnation Technique into a Great Formation and engraved it onto this giant egg, wanting to snatch the bloodline and powers of the Vermilion Bird Egg. But how did this egg end up in the hands of the Red Flame Beasts?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. In fact, his guess was correct. The Demon Reincarnation Formation on this Vermilion Bird Egg was indeed engraved by a Demon Clan expert, who aspired to reincarnate into the egg, usurping the life force and abilities of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast. However, as the life force of the Vermilion Bird Egg was somewhat lacking, that Demon Clan expert brought it to the Zhurong Basin, concealed it deep in the underground magma, and arranged a Great Formation around it to gather the abundant spirit of fire from the underground magma, restoring the vitality of the Vermilion Bird Egg. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The Demon Clan expert was killed in The Disaster of Demons by the high-handed experts of the Three Realms, and the Vermilion Bird Egg was forgotten deep underground in the Zhurong Basin. Later, a Red Flame Beast accidentally found it, swallowed it into its belly hoping to refine the egg. But the Vermilion Bird Egg''s vitality had already been restored, and moreover, it had increased. No matter how hard the Red Flame Beast tried, it couldn''t refine it, and in the end, Shen Luo benefited. Chapter 1383 Chapter 1383: Chapter 1379: Spirit Bird Chapter 1383: Chapter 1379: Spirit Bird ¡°` ¡°The Demon Reincarnation Technique has been activated and cannot be stopped. However, my foundation in the Dao is the Nameless Cultivation Technique, which cannot blend the opposing elements of water and fire. Can I really afford to let the life essence of this Vermilion Bird Egg go to waste¡­?¡± Shen Luo''s thoughts raced, and suddenly, his eyes lit up as he looked at the Pure Yang Sword within the giant egg. Although the Pure Yang Sword is a Flying Sword, it is not incapable of undertaking the power of the Demon Reincarnation Technique. Moreover, the Pure Yang Sword is a fire-attribute Flying Sword, sharing the same origin as the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, so there is no issue with elemental conflict. Furthermore, the power of the Vermilion Bird True Fire is no less than that of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. If it could be integrated into the Pure Yang Sword, the sword would possess two great Spiritual Fires, and its power would undoubtedly increase dramatically. The more Shen Luo thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He put away the Slayer''s Broken Sword with a flip of his hand and began to cast magic spells rapidly with both hands, sending streaks of black light into the huge Vermilion Bird egg. Though he had not practiced this demonic technique, he could still exert some control over the Demon Reincarnation Technique. As he continued to cast spells, the vitality refined from the Vermilion Bird Fledgling poured into the Pure Yang Sword. The red light on the sword grew increasingly bright, and the thirty-four layers of Pure Yang Prohibitions within it began to expand as if inflated, struggling to withstand the surging power of the Flying Sword. Seeing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed; the Pure Yang Sword was indeed capable of inheriting the power of the Demon Reincarnation Technique. He hurriedly divided his attention, focusing on both the Demon Reincarnation Technique and the refinement of new Pure Yang Prohibitions. As the scorching vitality of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast flowed in, the new Pure Yang Prohibitions rapidly took shape. In just moments, a layer of prohibition was fully formed. ¡°Fortune favors me! The power of the Vermilion Bird Divine Beast, like the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood before, accelerates the formation of Pure Yang Prohibitions!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes shone, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. Refining the Vermilion Bird Egg seemed to require quite a bit of time, and the Zhurong Basin was quite peculiar. There was no guarantee that dangers wouldn''t arise, and relying solely on the Liangyi Micro-dust Array might not be completely foolproof. After a moment''s contemplation, he waved his sleeve, and a scroll flew out¨Cit was the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Shen Luo had wielded this treasure in the Dream World and was very familiar with its internal prohibitions. Although he had not consecrated it now and his mana was far less than in the Dream World, he could still activate some of the power of this treasure. The Map of Mountains and Rivers suddenly expanded a hundredfold, turning into a massive curtain that merged into the void, shielding the Mountain Cave and its surroundings, including the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, within. With that done, Shen Luo could fully concentrate on propelling the Demon Reincarnation Technique. At the time when the Demon Reincarnation Great Formation was being activated, in a certain area of the Zhurong Basin, blue light appeared out of nowhere, revealing a blue figure¨Cit was the Mirage Demon whom Shen Luo had encountered in Yunmeng Marsh. The Mirage Demon was holding a black disk with a complex web of lines that bore some resemblance to Shen Luo''s Black Jade Plate. A black dot on the disk surface was pulsating rapidly. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Damn it, someone has beaten me to it and found that Vermilion Bird Egg, and they''re even in the middle of refining it. Who could it be?¡± The Mirage Demon was seething with shock and anger, its hands rapidly weaving spells in an attempt to lock down the location of the Vermilion Bird Egg. However, no matter how the Mirage Demon cast its spells, it couldn''t locate the egg. ¡°How is this possible? Right before I entered the Zhurong Basin, I used the Demon Yoke Disk to detect the position of the Vermilion Bird Egg. It seems that someone has set up a profound prohibition or used some magical treasure to block the sense of the Demon Yoke Disk!¡± The Mirage Demon''s face was an ugly sight. Fortunately, it roughly remembered the location of the Vermilion Bird Egg, and there was still a chance to find it by hurrying over there. With that thought, the Mirage Demon waved its hand. A cluster of blue light appeared above its head, revealing a blue feather that shimmered with a crystal-clear glow, apparently a peculiar magical treasure. ¡°Blue Spirit Snow Feather, Escape!¡± The Mirage Demon expelled a burst of refined vitality from its mouth, infusing it into the blue feather. ¡°` The feather shot out a blue radiance suddenly, enveloping the body of the Mirage Demon and transforming into a blue rainbow that tore through the sky, instantly disappearing at the horizon ahead, with a startlingly fast speed. Within half an hour, the Mirage Demon arrived at the site where Shen Luo had previously engaged in a fierce battle with the Red Flame Beasts near the magma lake, the traces of their fight still clearly visible. ¡°It seems this is the place,¡± the Mirage Demon immediately spread out its Divine Sense, closely scrutinizing the surroundings. Time ticked by, and soon one day and one night had passed. Within the space of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, the huge Vermilion Bird egg had vanished, and the Demon Reincarnation Technique''s demonic array was also nowhere to be seen, leaving behind only a dazzling ball of flame suspended there, releasing an endless intense heat, much like a miniature sun. Shen Luo''s expression was gravely serious, his hands moving quickly to form seals, as one magic spell after another integrated into the dazzling flame like raindrops. The flame pulsated and danced restlessly, akin to a living creature''s heart, with its growing gigantic aura radiating from inside, causing the surrounding Array Method Space to shake more and more violently, unable to withstand its power. Soon another half an hour passed, and the dazzling flame''s pulsations gradually stabilized, an indication that the internal power was beginning to settle. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s intense expression eased somewhat, he bit his tongue tip, spraying a mouthful of essence blood, which flashed and merged into the flame. The blaze suddenly erupted with light, and a strikingly clear cry burst forth from within, as the illusion of a crimson avian the size of a zhang shot out from it. This avian appeared majestic and noble, its entire body radiating fiery red color, crowned with flames and trailed by three fiery red tail feathers; spheres of crimson flame burned upon them, it was indeed the Vermilion Bird Divine Bird. An unbearably hot aura burst forth from the Vermilion Bird Illusion, causing the nearby Liangyi Micro-dust Array Space to collapse with a thunderous roar, returning once more to the previous mountain cave as the rocks around melted into magma. Fortunately, the Map of Mountains and Rivers was guarding the area, preventing the cave from collapsing and disintegration. The dazzling firelight also quickly receded, revealing a crimson Flying Sword, which was the Pure Yang Sword. However, the Pure Yang Sword now exhibited quite a few changes, its color had deepened significantly, and numerous feather patterns had appeared on the sword handle, with a faint flicker of flames within the red light it emanated. A dense array of Spirit Patterns pulsed slightly on the sword body, evidently amounting to no less than sixty. The fire elemental vitality within the Vermilion Bird Egg was incredibly rich, raising the grade of the Pure Yang Sword to the pinnacle of superior-grade Magical Treasures. But what delighted Shen Luo the most was the Divine Bird phantom just now, which was the elemental spirit of the huge egg that had blended into the Pure Yang Sword, transforming into the tool spirit. Tool Spirit is something that can only be found in very few superior-grade Magical Treasures, usually by sealing the souls of beasts within it, merging it with the treasure to form a Tool Spirit. Doing this not only greatly enhances the power of the magical treasure, allowing it to form various shapes of Tool Spirits such as Flood Dragons, Giant Pythons, and Fierce Tigers but also retains the abilities it had in life, which is a shortcut to increase the power of the treasure. For example, now that the Pure Yang Sword has a Vermilion Bird Tool Spirit, when pushed to the extreme it can manifest the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, making its power more than ten times higher than plain Sword Qi or Sword Radiance attacks. The Vermilion Bird True Spirit is capable of unleashing the Vermilion Bird True Fire, melting all things, which is beyond what ordinary Sword Qi can achieve. However, the success rate of integrating a Tool Spirit is usually quite low, and the more formidable the beast soul, the lower the chance of successful integration. Having a Vermilion Bird Tool Spirit, Shen Luo truly found a cause for overwhelming joy. Chapter 1384 Chapter 1384: Chapter 1380: Confidence Chapter 1384: Chapter 1380: Confidence Shen Luo waved his hand to retract the Map of Mountains and Rivers from the nearby space, then maneuvered his hands into incantation gestures as the Pure Yang Sword soared into the sky, merging with the Vermilion Bird True Spirit that was flying around. ¡°Swoosh!¡± Accompanied by a high-pitched scream, the Vermilion Bird True Spirit instantly turned from illusory to tangible, its size expanding dozens of times in an instant, transforming into a huge Vermilion Bird hundreds of feet in size. Its entire body was engulfed in billowing vermillion flames, the very Vermilion Bird True Fire, easily melting the surrounding rocks and breaking through the Mountain Cave, flying out to the Outside. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo''s figure also shot out following that command, with a loud shout, urging on his mana. The giant Vermilion Bird spread its wings and tore through the sky, moving forward at a speed several times faster than the previous sword flight; so quick that terms like ¡°as fast as lightning¡± or ¡°swift as thunder¡± were no longer adequate to describe it. In a flash, it crossed hundreds of feet and crashed into a dark red Giant Peak towering into the clouds, standing a thousand feet tall. The towering peak was snapped in half like it was made of paper, with countless large and small rocks tumbling down. However, the Vermilion Bird True Spirit simply spread its wings slightly, and an incomparably scorching breath swept across, causing all the rocks to turn into green smoke with a sizzle. The entire giant peak vanished into thin air, as if it had never existed. Seeing this scene, a tinge of excitement crossed Shen Luo''s face. The peaks within the Zhurong Basin had been baked by incessant flames, becoming countless times stronger than ordinary rocks, extremely resistant to high temperatures. Yet, under the fire power of the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, they were like paper and evaporated directly. The might of this True Spirit appeared to exceed his expectations. He currently had numerous Magical Treasures on him, and in terms of offensive power, the Pure Yang Sword had far surpassed the others, becoming his number one tool. Suppressing the surprise in his heart, Shen Luo waved his hand to emit a Golden Light, collecting all the Array Tools used for the Liangyi Micro-dust Array from inside the Cave Mansion, ready to make his escape. Suddenly, he turned his head to look towards a certain Void, his face revealing a trace of puzzlement. Just now, for an instant, he sensed a faint abnormal Breath there, but upon closer inspection now, everything seemed normal again. ¡°Eh, is it an illusion?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, but did not pay further attention and raised his hand to beckon. The Vermilion Bird True Spirit flapped its wings and flew back, wrapping around his body, and his eyebrows suddenly twitched. The Vermilion Bird, a Divine Beast of fire, instantly absorbed all the scorching aura and the fire toxins from the Zhurong Basin. Not a trace reached him, eliminating the need to use the Cold Jiao Pearl for protection. ¡°Good.¡± Reinvigorated, Shen Luo spurred the Pure Yang Sword towards a distant point and vanished in an instant. After Shen Luo had fled far away for a Quarter of an Hour, a blue shadow flashed in that Void, and a blue figure slowly emerged. It was the Mirage Demon, with the blue feather floating above its head. ¡°That was close. I didn''t expect Shen Luo to have improved so much that he has reached the True Immortal Stage, and his Divine Sense is exceptionally sharp. Had it not been for the Blue Spirit Snow Feather''s ability to conceal, he might have discovered me,¡± the demon revealed a relieved expression. Back in Yunmeng Marsh, when Shen Luo was still in the Great Mahayana Stage, he was already a match for him. Now that Shen Luo had advanced to the True Immortal Stage and possessed a superior Flying Sword with a Tool Spirit, the demon felt he was no longer a match for Shen Luo. ¡°It seems that the Vermilion Bird Egg has fallen into Shen Luo''s hands and he has refined it into his Flying Sword. Taking it now would be useless¡­¡± The Mirage Demon muttered to himself, then took out the Demon Yoke Disk and started to activate it with a series of hand gestures. A few breaths later, a black light shot out from the Demon Yoke Disk, merging into the Mirage Demon''s mind, where one could vaguely see a number of small characters, a message. ¡°What, I have to seize the Flying Sword as well!¡± The Mirage Demon cried out in shock, his face filled with dilemma. But it seemed he had no choice. After a moment''s hesitation, he once again brought out the blue feather and chased in the direction Shen Luo had fled. Not long after the Mirage Demon left, a fluctuation arose in the void not far away, revealing a mass of black Qi, which was indeed Demonic Qi. In the center of the Demonic Qi was a black eye, twinkling slightly, extraordinarily perceptive. The black Demon Eye look in the direction where the Mirage Demon had left, blinked twice, and then exploded with a bang, disappearing without a trace. Hundreds of li away on the top of a mountain peak, the Vermilion Bird True Spirit flapped its wings, hovering there. Shen Luo''s brow was flickering with black Qi, from which the black Demon Eye emerged, showing various scenes and sounds inside¨Cit was the Mirage Demon muttering to itself and the situation when it was activating the Demon Yoke Disk. Although Shen Luo had not detected the Mirage Demon''s tracks earlier, he did not believe his vigilance was misplaced. Thus, he stealthily employed the Heavenly Demon Eye, a divine power recorded within the martial secrets of Chiyou, leaving it behind to spy on any movements. This Heavenly Demon Eye was a secret technique of the Demon Clan for investigation. If cultivated to a profound realm, it could spy through any prohibition and even see through space. Shen Luo had not cultivated this technique, nor did he intend to cultivate it, but using it as a surveillance eye to secretly plant it in the void was still within his capability. ¡°To think it was a Mirage Demon! What is it doing here? Could it also be after this Vermilion Bird Egg? Luckily, I obtained the egg first,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. Concerning that Mirage Demon, he was no longer very concerned. Except for its proficiency in illusion techniques, the demon was not worth mentioning in other aspects and was far from being his match. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, from the look of things just now, the demon seemed to be colluding with others, which should not be underestimated. ¡°Since you wish to follow, then come along. Let''s see who is behind you and what exactly their purpose is.¡± Shen Luo, his strength greatly increased, was not concerned about some minor nuisances, and with a flick of his fingers, he pointed at the Vermilion Bird True Spirit beneath him. The huge Vermilion Bird moved with a flash of red light, shrinking to several times smaller, becoming about a zhang in size, and then shot forward with a flap of its wings. Maintaining the huge Vermilion Bird True Spirit consumed a significant amount of mana and was quite conspicuous. Manifesting a Vermilion Bird True Spirit about a zhang in size was already sufficient. Shen Luo sat on the spine of the Vermilion Bird, wielding his sword with all his might as he flew towards the location of the second Earth Core Fire Lotus. He had wasted one day and one night refining the Vermilion Bird Egg previously and did not know whether those Earth Core Fire Lotuses had been harvested. Just as he had been flying for a moment, a cackling sound suddenly came from ahead, and a swath of fire clouds appeared in the distance. It was another flock of Fire Crows. Moreover, this flock of Fire Crows was several times larger than the previous one he had encountered, and each of them was as big as a millstone, much larger than the previous ones. As soon as the Fire Crows saw Shen Luo and the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, they immediately changed direction and swooped over with murderous faces. ¡°This is perfect timing. Let''s try out the power of this Pure Yang Sword!¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted, and the Vermilion Bird True Spirit beneath him suddenly grew larger again, transforming into a gigantic Vermilion Bird tens of zhang in size. Its speed also sharply increased several times, and without employing any sophisticated attack techniques, it charged into the flock of Fire Crows like a meteorite. The Fire Crows had no time to react and hundreds were instantly crushed to pieces, turning into bits of flame, all of which were absorbed into the Vermilion Bird True Spirit. This essence of fire energy then flowed into the Pure Yang Sword, significantly enhancing the flying sword''s power. ¡°The Vermilion Bird True Spirit can absorb the essence of fire energy? But it makes sense. This Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit is formed from an unhatched Vermilion Bird Fledgling that is in dire need of vitality. For it to refine some essence of fire energy with its Vermilion Bird bloodline is an easy task indeed. Moreover, the Pure Yang Sword also benefits from it. This is far more efficient than methodically grinding and nurturing the sword. If I keep slaying the fiery ferocious beasts within the Zhurong Basin, wouldn''t I be able to refine the Pure Yang Sword''s prohibitions up to the sixty-fourth layer in no time?¡± Shen Luo was excited at the thought and once again spurred on the Pure Yang Sword. The Vermilion Bird True Spirit opened its mouth and spat out hundreds of thick and long Sword Qi, shredding all the Fire Crows in front and tore a passageway through the fire clouds. The Vermilion Bird True Spirit then took a big inhalation, and the Sword Qi shot back like an incoming tide, sweeping along the spiritual power of the Fire Crows as well, absorbing it into its body. A vast amount of essence of fire energy poured into the Pure Yang Sword through the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, causing the sword''s power to surge once more. However, the essence of fire energy contained within these Fire Crows was far less pure than that within the Vermilion Bird Egg. Although the Pure Yang Sword''s vitality greatly increased, it showed signs of instability. Chapter 1385 Chapter 1385: Chapter 1381: Drawing the Sword Chapter 1385: Chapter 1381: Drawing the Sword ¡°Such a rapid increase in strength certainly has many drawbacks,¡± Shen Luo''s expression darkened as he formed a sword technique with one hand, and stopped manipulating the Pure Yang Sword to hunt down the other Fire Crows. The Vermilion Bird True Spirit spread its wings and transformed into a crimson long rainbow that shot through the Red Cloud Passage and disappeared into the ends of the sky like a meteor. The group of Fire Crows hadn''t even reacted before Shen Luo had already vanished from sight, prompting them to burst into angry caws. At that moment, the Escape Light transformed by the Mirage Demon arrived, finding the Fire Crows still consumed with rage. Encountering another foreign creature, they attacked it without question, swarming it indiscriminately. The Mirage Demon was greatly startled. Without the strength to charge through directly and lacking a formidable magical treasure like the Pure Yang Sword, it had to quickly stop and try to fend off the attacks of the Fire Crows. Shen Luo paid no attention to the situation behind him; he continued to fly forward while operating the Sword Polishing Method to refine the mixed vitality within the Pure Yang Sword. The somber look on his face returned to normal. Although there was an additional step in the process of refining the sword, with the Vermilion Bird True Spirit''s help, the Pure Yang Sword''s power increase was still countless times faster than ordinary sword cultivation, and reaching the Sixty-Four Prohibitions was just a matter of time. The Pure Yang Sword, having ascended to a superior-grade Magical Treasure, was a notch higher than the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. Furthermore, with the boost from the Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit, its flight speed was significantly faster than before. Shen Luo only took half an hour to reach the location of the second Earth Core Fire Lotus. This was also a Magma Land, but there was no trace of the Earth Core Fire Lotus, apparently already harvested by someone else. Shen Luo was slightly disappointed and immediately flew towards the next location on his sword, only to come up empty once again. In the following time, he checked five or six locations in a row before finally finding traces of the Earth Core Fire Lotus again. This was in a vast Underground Cave, the interior of which was filled with scorching magma. In the central part of the magma, there was a Black Stone island several zhang in size, with five Earth Core Fire Lotuses growing on the edge. However, someone had already arrived here: Turtle Thousand Years, Dragon Tooth, and the little girl Qing Qing were locked in battle with three Red Flame Beasts. These three Red Flame Beasts looked significantly larger than the one that had fought with Shen Luo, and their breaths were even more vast and mighty. They assaulted Turtle Thousand Years and the others with an endless assault of Flame Divine Powers and seemed to have the upper hand. The expressions of Turtle Thousand Years and the others looked somewhat ugly. They had already harvested four or five Earth Core Fire Lotuses together and had reaped great rewards. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The number of Earth Core Fire Lotuses here was numerous, but the Red Flame Beasts guarding this place were exceptionally powerful, resulting in a prolonged battle without victory for either side. In truth, each of the three demons had powerful Magical Treasures to fall back on, but none of them wished to reveal them in front of others, leading to a deadlock in the situation. Just at this moment, all three demons turned their heads almost simultaneously toward the entrance of the cave, where a red light flickered, and Shen Luo''s figure flew in. Now with greatly enhanced strength, Shen Luo didn''t bother to conceal his presence with the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. Seeing the situation inside the cave, he too was taken aback. ¡°Friend Shen, your timing is impeccable. Come help us defeat these three Red Flame Beasts, and we''ll split the Earth Core Fire Lotus here evenly,¡± Turtle Thousand Years shouted loudly. Shen Luo''s eyes lit up when he saw the five Earth Core Fire Lotuses beside the Black Stone Lone Island. After a moment''s thought, he nodded and raised his hand. The Pure Yang Sword turned into a massive Crimson Sword Light that burst forth from him, emitting a colossal sword cry. It swept out and appeared in front of one of the Red Flame Beasts that was battling Qing Qing, plunging down from above. Although Turtle Thousand Years and the others were nominally companions, Shen Luo had no deep connections with them, and even had some disagreements with Dragon Tooth, so he did not unleash the full power of the Pure Yang Sword, nor did he even activate the Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit. Even so, the power of the Pure Yang Sword had increased several times compared to before, and its extremely fierce Sword Intent directly invaded the body of the Red Flame Beasts, causing great chaos within their internal fire spirits. The Red Flame Beasts were greatly alarmed and immediately abandoned Qing Qing. They opened their mouths and spewed out a thick beam of firelight to block the Pure Yang Sword. At the same time, towering flames erupted from their bodies, and all the flames quickly gathered above their right palms. ¡°Hundred Beast Fierce Flame Palm!¡± A wildly explosive aura burst forth from its right palm, sending waves of a roaring sound that seemed like hundreds of Red Flame Giant Beasts were stampeding over, crushing everything on their path and colliding with the Pure Yang Sword. With a ¡°boom,¡± the right palm of the Red Flame Beasts cracked open on cue, and their large bodies were sent flying backward. However, the Pure Yang Sword also retreated backward. Qing Qing''s eyes lit up with joy, and she spit out a Blue Water Mirror Artifact. With a gesture of her fingers forming an orchid seal, a thick blue light pillar shot out from within the mirror, enveloping one of the hind legs of the Red Flame Beasts. An exceptionally chilling water vapor surged out from within the blue light pillar. Though it could not compare with the chill of the Indigo Blue Sea, it was still the nemesis of the fire spirit''s power. With a ¡°pfft,¡± the hind leg of the Red Flame Beasts vanished into thin air, and their aura plummeted significantly, making their flung bodies even more unstable. Shen Luo glanced at Qing Qing, then gestured towards the Pure Yang Sword in the void and slapped it. Nine crescent moon-like Sword Lights burst forth from the sword body and enshrouded the body of the Red Flame Beasts, each Sword Radiance carrying a layer of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the body of the Red Flame Beasts was chopped into several sections, and the divine souls of the beasts were also slain by the Sword Radiance blended with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, exploding into a sky full of residual flames. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo nodded internally. The Pure Yang Sword, after absorbing the Vermilion Bird Egg, was even more compatible with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire could now perfectly merge into the Sword Qi without any obstruction, nourishing each other, and complementing one another, already beginning to unleash the power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Dragon Tooth and Turtle Thousand Years were focused on combating their respective Red Flame Beasts and did not pay much attention to Shen Luo and Qing Qing. However, when they caught a glimpse out of the corner of their eye of one of the Red Flame Beasts bursting and perishing, they were startled. But upon seeing the Blue Mirror in Qing Qing''s hand, the two Demons then came to a realization. That mirror was Qing Qing''s life-bound Magical Treasure, exceptionally powerful and not easily used. With her full strength in wielding this treasure and Shen Luo''s assistance, slaying a Red Flame Beast wasn''t such a difficult task after all. The two remaining Red Flame Beasts, upon seeing one of their comrades slain, were simultaneously frightened and furious, and without regard for their vitality, they fiercely counterattacked, forcing Dragon Tooth and Turtle Thousand Years into a continuous retreat amidst perils. ¡°Little girl will support Senior Brother, please help Elder Turtle, Friend Shen,¡± Qing Qing said to Shen Luo and immediately rushed toward Dragon Tooth. The Blue Water Mirror emitted a chilling light that struck at the Red Flame Beasts. Shen Luo made a Sword technique gesture, and with a flash of crimson light, the Pure Yang Sword buzzed and transformed into a streak of Crimson Sword Light, slashing at another Red Flame Beast. After doing this, he leisurely flew over. At this moment, these two Red Flame Beasts looked fierce and formidable, but their sharpness had been greatly diminished. Their desperate counterattack was merely the final struggle of the dying and not a serious concern. Sure enough, as soon as Dragon Tooth received Qing Qing''s assistance, he immediately withstood the onslaught of the Red Flame Beasts. After the Red Flame Beast furiously attacked for a while and vented its anger, it gradually calmed down, showing a trace of fear on its face, and turned to attempt to flee. Chapter 1386 Chapter 1386: Chapter 1382: Turtle Rascal Chapter 1386: Chapter 1382: Turtle Rascal ¡°Where do you think you''re going!¡± Dragon Tooth let out a loud shout, and the two tusk-shaped black flying swords in his hands shot out like meteors, further casting an array of dream-like sword shadows. The Red Flame Beast fighting him was instantly dazzled, unable to hold itself steady, as if it had become drunk. ¡°Cone Fang Life-taking,¡± Dragon Tooth murmured as if in a dream. ¡°Pfft,¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± two soft sounds were heard. The two Tusk Flying Swords appeared out of thin air at the neck of the Red Flame Beast, crossing through its body. The fluttering dream-like sword shadows vanished into nothingness, as if they really had been nothing but a dream. The Red Flame Beast had no idea how the Tusk Flying Swords had reached it and felt a shock in its heart, though it wasn''t truly afraid. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was of a fire spirit nature, fearing only water-type Divine Powers and Magical Treasures, and was otherwise fearless against other attacks. Without the interference of the dream-like sword shadows, the senses of the Red Flame Beast returned to calm. Its body flickered with firelight, set to morph into a fire spirit form and free itself from the clutches of the Tusk Flying Swords. However, a strange power transmitted from the Tusk Flying Swords into its body caused its divine soul to become agitated, suddenly swelling and shrinking. Visions reappeared before its eyes, as if it had fallen into endless Dreamland, and its attempt to turn ethereal was halted. Dragon Tooth opened his mouth wide, and a stream of black light spewed forth, morphing into a black dragon''s head that passed right through the body of the Red Flame Beast, holding a ghostly beast shadow in its mouth that looked like the Red Flame Beast''s spirit. He swallowed it whole. The spiritual light completely faded from the eyes of the Red Flame Beast''s body, which burst with a bang into countless embers, scattering into the void. ¡°I wonder what kind of God''s Power that black dragon''s head Dragon Tooth morphed into just now; it could actually devour a spirit, how bizarre and eerie!¡± Shen Luo, who was watching from a distance, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes. On the other side, Turtle Thousand Years, now stabilized with the help of Shen Luo, saw Dragon Tooth finish off his opponent first and felt a bit disgraced. He flipped his hand and took out an Eight-edged Golden Melon wrapped with a Blue Light shimmering like a long River, making the sound of flowing water. Despite often appearing decrepit, Turtle Thousand Years fought fiercely. He swung the Eight-edged Golden Melon back and forth against the last Red Flame Beast with a series of ¡°bang bang bang¡± impacts, forcefully sending it flying. The Blue Light River-like spirit snake shot out from the golden melon, rapidly entwined around the Red Flame Beast, binding it tightly like a rope. ¡°Ice Cold Spell!¡± Turtle Thousand Years spewed out a jet of aquamarine frost light towards the Red Flame Beast. With a ¡°crack¡± sound, the Red Flame Beast was frozen within an ice block the size of a small mountain, glowing emerald green, and immediately shattered. Inside, the body of the Red Flame Beast also broke apart, falling silently to its demise. Shen Luo''s sharp gaze noticed that the emerald green ice mountain contained a mystery; it was imbued with a sinister ice poison. It froze the Red Flame Beast and immediately started assaulting its spirit, eroding it to death within a few breaths. It seemed Turtle Thousand Years and the others had also discerned the weakness of these Red Flame Beasts, targeting their spirits. ¡°Ptui, to think these three lowly fire creatures dared to block my path, they deserved to be killed.¡± Turtle Thousand Years glowered at the remains of the Red Flame Beast, snorted coldly, and then burst into a prideful, hearty laughter. He had practiced the Ice Cold Spell for many years, and due to his limited talent, he''d always been just shy of perfection. Just now, in his urgency, as he cast the Ice Cold Spell, he vaguely felt as if he was on the verge of a breakthrough, which filled him with great delight. ¡°Elder Turtle''s Dao-Practice is profound, and the power of your Ice Cold Spell is unparalleled. Those mere fire beasts were naturally no match for you. Please accept these five Earth Core Fire Lotuses,¡± Dragon Tooth quickly swooped down, picked the five Earth Core Fire Lotuses, and offered them to him. Turtle Thousand Years unceremoniously swept his sleeve, and a blue light took possession of the five Fire Lotuses. ¡°What is the meaning of this, sirs? Wasn''t it agreed that we would divide these Earth Core Fire Lotuses equally?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he flashed beside the three Demons, speaking indifferently. ¡°Divide equally? You think you can snatch food from Grandpa''s mouth just because you wish it?¡± Turtle Thousand Years sneered upon hearing this, turning his hand and slipping the five Earth Core Fire Lotuses into a ring on his right hand. Dragon Tooth also looked at Shen Luo with a cold smile, his face full of mockery. Only Qing Qing frowned, wanting to speak, but was stopped by a stern glance from Dragon Tooth. ¡°In that case, does Your Excellency intend to grow fat by breaking his promise?¡± Shen Luo took in the expressions of the three Demons but didn''t show any anger. ¡°So what if I do? Kid, don''t think that just because you followed that Black Bear Demon from Mount Putuo, you''re really somebody. To me, you''re nothing at all!¡± Turtle Thousand Years said with a vicious smile. His nature was cunning, and matters like credibility and promises were to him no better than dog farts; he had never taken them to heart. Moreover, having endured oppression by the Black Bear Demon in the Sea Market and biding his time, he naturally would not let go of Shen Luo when he saw him alone. To Turtle Thousand Years, this Elder of the Dragon Palace from the East Sea, Shen Luo had never been noteworthy. ¡°Your Excellency hails from the illustrious Demon Race of the East Sea Dragon Palace, yet you speak such filthy and vulgar words, like a common hooligan. Do you not feel that it tarnishes your status?¡± Shen Luo had seen people from the East Sea Dragon Palace who were all quite dignified; this was the first time he had encountered someone like Turtle Thousand Years, causing his eyebrows to furrow involuntarily. ¡°What did you say!¡± Turtle Thousand Years, hearing the words ''common hooligan,'' his face instantly turned extremely cold, and a glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes. He was born into the Turtle Clan of the Eastern Sea, a sizable clan, but alas, his parents were of low status within the clan and had passed away early. Turtle Thousand Years, being rebellious in his youth, offended a figure of authority within the clan and was driven out, scraping by among the lowest ranks of scattered Demons in the Eastern Sea for a period of time. To survive, he stooped to theft, fraud, and all manner of deceit, earning the nickname ¡°Turtle Rascal.¡± Later, as his Cultivation level grew, he managed to ingratiatiate his way into the East Sea Dragon Palace by flattering those above him, thus completely turning his life around. However, the experiences of his early years remained an untouchable raw nerve, and he was exceedingly sensitive to the label ''rascal.'' Shen Luo didn''t expect that a mere utterance from him would provoke Turtle Thousand Years to murderous intent, but he did not care. From the moment he had agreed to Turtle Thousand Years'' request to join forces, Shen Luo had anticipated the possibility of the other party breaking their promise. With his current strength, it would actually be easier for him if Turtle Thousand Years were to break the promise, because then he could take the opportunity to claim all of the Earth Core Fire Lotuses for himself. ¡°Since Your Excellency has broken the agreement first, do not blame me, Shen Luo, for disregarding righteousness.¡± Shen Luo opened his mouth and spat out a red glint, which shot towards Turtle Thousand Years'' right arm. Their positions were already close to each other, with Shen Luo only about ten feet away from Turtle Thousand Years. As the Sword was released, there was hardly any time gap, and it instantly arrived in front of him. Turtle Thousand Years did not expect Shen Luo to strike as soon as he said he would, nor did he expect the Sword to be as fast as lightning. It was too late to dodge, and the Sword was about to cut him. But at that moment, two black lights shot from the side. With a ¡°clang,¡± they blocked the Pure Yang Sword, the two Tusk Flying Swords belonging to Dragon Tooth. ¡°How dare you, thief of the Human Race, disrespectful to strike at Turtle Taoist Friend! You must have ulterior motives against the East Sea Dragon Palace. Today, I shall execute you on the spot on behalf of Turtle Taoist Friend!¡± Dragon Tooth followed the two Tusk Flying Swords and pounced forward, spewing out the same black dragon head and biting towards Shen Luo''s head. Dragon Tooth had long found Shen Luo disagreeable to the eyes. Now that Shen Luo had angered Turtle Thousand Years, killing him would please the latter, so he hastily ascribed a crime to Shen Luo and struck mercilessly. Dragon Tooth had also never held the Early True Immortal youngster of the Human Race in high regard. Qing Qing, who had previously teamed up with Shen Luo to kill a Red Flame Beast, was well aware of Shen Luo''s formidable strength. She was about to intercede, but Dragon Tooth had already beaten her to the act and struck first. Chapter 1387 Chapter 1387: Chapter 1383: A Minor Punishment Chapter 1387: Chapter 1383: A Minor Punishment ¡°You thieving scoundrel, surrender your life to Grandpa Turtle!¡± Turtle Thousand Years had also regained his composure by now, swinging the Eight-Edged Golden Melon fiercely towards the Pure Yang Sword, seemingly intending to destroy it in one blow. Shen Luo snorted coldly. The crimson light on the Pure Yang Sword intensified, and the Vermilion Bird True Spirit momentarily appeared and vanished within it, sweeping out with two wide fiery wings. With three loud ¡°bang¡± sounds, it repelled the two Tusk Flying Swords and the Eight-Edged Golden Melon. The flying sword trembled and transformed into a streak of crimson light, its surface revealing a layer of lotus petal-shaped red flames. It teleported in front of Dragon Tooth and slashed at the black dragon head. Just a light ¡°sizzle¡± was heard, and the black dragon head was extinguished on cue. Dragon Tooth let out a pitiful scream, his face instantly turning as pale as death, as if he had suffered a severe blow. ¡°Impossible! My Shadow Dragon Head has long been perfected through cultivation. How could it be slain by a single sword!¡± He roared in disbelief. That black dragon head, a combination of reality and illusion, was capable of attacking both the enemy''s body and spirit and feared no physical or divine soul attack. Ever since he had mastered this divine power, he had never failed, even when facing beings with higher cultivation levels than himself¨Cyet today, it was vanquished by a single strike! Shen Luo let out a cold laugh; he had long noticed that the black dragon head contained a divine soul attack, which was why he had stimulated the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. No matter how exquisite Dragon Tooth''s divine power was, as long as it involved the force of the divine soul, it would be thoroughly restrained by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. Seeing Shen Luo''s ice-cold gaze, Dragon Tooth was shocked to his core. Forgetting the pain in his mind, he hastily retreated in desperation. Dragon Tooth had provoked him time and again, and Shen Luo had no intention of sparing him. He channeled his mana once more into the Pure Yang Sword. The speed of the Pure Yang Sword surged, turning into a lightning-like crimson shadow that shot forward, instantly catching up with Dragon Tooth and enveloping him in a fierce sword qi that brutally descended. Dragon Tooth''s face changed dramatically. He spat out two mouthfuls of essence blood, merging them into the two Dragon Tooth Flying Swords beside him. The swords immediately transformed into countless illusionary sword shadows that protected his body, several times larger than when he slew the Red Flame Beasts. He also spat out a Gray Big Flag, which fluttered and transformed into a thick gray light curtain, forming another layer of defense. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s hand movements changed. Flames surged on the Pure Yang Sword, and the Vermilion Bird True Spirit appeared, wrapping around the sword body. Especially where the bird''s beak and the sword tip fused, it burst forth with the glaring light of the scorching sun. A heat intense enough to ignite the void burst forth, even suppressing the temperature of the magma lake below. ¡°Go!¡± Shen Luo flicked his fingers in a spell, and the Pure Yang Sword shot out like an arrow, striking the gray light curtain with formidable force. A tearing ¡°sizzle¡± resounded as the gray light curtain and the black sword shadows were easily pierced. Dragon Tooth''s abdomen was also penetrated by a big hole, and his body immediately shattered to pieces, scattering like fallen leaves. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± Qing Qing rushed over, catching the remnants of Dragon Tooth''s body. By that point, Dragon Tooth was already breathless, slain by a single sword. On the other side, Turtle Thousand Years''s expression changed dramatically. He had originally wanted to kill a mere ant, but little did he know that the ant had suddenly transformed into a fierce tiger. Shen Luo paid no attention to Qing Qing. He urged on the Pure Yang Sword in his hand, its flames burning even brighter, as it whistled towards Turtle Thousand Years. Turtle Thousand Years, after all, was a late-stage True Immortal. He quickly steeled his spirit, and the Eight-Edged Golden Melon in his hand shone with bright blue light. At its tip, a large, thick horn grew out, with the aura it emitted increasing several-fold, striking fiercely at what was in front of him. The Eight-Edged Golden Melon and the Pure Yang Sword collided in an instant, producing a thunderous ¡°boom.¡± The crimson and azure lights chaotically flashed as sword qi and water brilliance burst forth, easily collapsing the entire underground cave. Not only that, the interwoven sword qi and water brilliance formed a huge vortex, sweeping up countless fragments of stone transformed from the cave. Turtle Thousand Years, although he had blocked a strike from the Pure Yang Sword, was greatly shaken. From the opposing Pure Yang Sword came an unbearably scorching heat, making one side of his body turn crimson, and even wisps of green smoke rose from the top of his head. ¡°Who in the world are you?¡± The shock in Turtle Thousand Years''s heart was like a mountainous tidal wave. After all, he was a late-stage True Immortal being, yet he had nearly failed to withstand a single strike from the opponent. And what was that red spirit bird on the Flying Sword? It actually made him feel terrified, as if he had encountered his natural predator. He couldn''t help but deeply regret his insolence just now that had provoked such a dreadful character. Shen Luo had no intention of responding. With a twist of his hand signs, the Pure Yang Sword shot out dozens of vermilion flames, unfurling like a peacock''s tail towards Turtle Thousand Years, as the surrounding harsh heat immediately skyrocketed again. Turtle Thousand Years, his courage shattered, furiously spewed out a breath of emerald cold air. The blue water brilliance on the Eight-edged Golden Melon surged, barely resisting the vermilion flames. He immediately flew backward, retreating towards the distance, looking as though he would even abandon the Eight-edged Golden Melon. However, at that moment, the Pure Yang Sword contending with the Eight-edged Golden Melon surged with red light and with a ¡°pfft¡± sound, sliced the golden melon into two halves, and in a flash, pursued Turtle Thousand Years, slashing across his right arm. Turtle Thousand Years''s right arm was cut off at the elbow. The Flying Sword did not continue its assault but instead wrapped up the severed arm with a roll of flames and brought it before Shen Luo. ¡°My Dragon Scale Finger Ring!¡± Turtle Thousand Years''s eyes nearly burst with fury, but he dared not to linger a moment longer, as he opened his mouth and spewed several balls of blue essence blood to envelop his body. The moment the essence blood touched his body, it instantly turned into blue flames. Turtle Thousand Years transformed into a burning blue comet, shooting off into the distance like a bolt of lightning, and vanished in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, Qing Qing had long since fled with Dragon Tooth''s corpse and now had also disappeared beyond the horizon. Shen Luo did not pursue the two, for although Turtle Thousand Years was detestable, he was after all from the East Sea Dragon Palace. Currently needing a favor from the East Sea Dragon Palace, doling out a lesson as punishment was not problematic, but to strike to kill might bring trouble. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As for the now-deceased Dragon Tooth and the woman named Qing Qing, who had not offended him, he had no desire to pursue a dead-end vendetta. He retrieved the Storage Ring from Turtle Thousand Years''s severed arm, casually tossed aside the limb, and his Divine Sense entered the ring, revealing a trace of delight on his face. All the Earth Core Fire Lotuses previously collected by Turtle Thousand Years were therein, numbering over a dozen. Inside the Storage Ring was Turtle Thousand Years''s collection accrued over the years, amounting to tens of thousands of Immortal jades, among other precious materials¨Cnot a small surprise. Taking out the Earth Core Fire Lotuses and storing them into the Free and Easy Mirror, he did not linger and was about to depart when he suddenly let out a light exclamation and looked below. The underground cave had collapsed amidst the recent great battle, the magma lake surface below had also been thrown into disarray, and the large black stone within the magma was now exposed, lying among a chaos of rocks. The top of the large stone was pitch-black and inconspicuous, but the part that had been immersed in the magma was now revealed, shimmering with strands of black spiritual light. It was not concealing, showing that it was anything but ordinary. ¡°This black spiritual light, could it be Black Profound God Iron!¡± Shen Luo said as he landed beside the large black stone, examining it for a while before a flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes. Black Profound God Iron was a unique type of metal in Heaven and Earth, on par with Nine-turn Steel. Unlike Nine-turn Steel''s indestructibility and strength enhancing properties, this metal had another characteristic: it contained a strange magnetic force, and even when divided, pieces would attract each other. When incorporated into two Magical Treasures, it would enable them to form a special connection, making it an excellent material for refining sets of Magical Treasures. Chapter 1388 Chapter 1388: Chapter 1384 Convergence Chapter 1388: Chapter 1384 Convergence ¡°It''s really the irony of fate, I''ve looked everywhere for this and couldn''t find it; who would have thought I''d actually encounter it here and in such abundance? Truly, heaven is on my side,¡± Shen Luo said with great joy as he looked at the large black rock. He was searching for the Black Profound God Iron not for any other magical treasures, but for the Pure Yang Sword Forms. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had already mastered the first three forms of the Pure Yang Sword, but from the fourth form onward, a single flying sword could no longer support the technique. The fourth, fifth, and sixth Pure Yang Sword Forms were combination moves that required several flying swords to perform. As for the seventh, eighth, and ninth, they were no longer sword forms but three sets of sword arrays that required even more flying swords. However, executing these multiple-sword techniques and the subsequent sword arrays wasn''t just a matter of finding a few flying swords, he needed a complete set. Shen Luo had long wanted to refine a sword array, but unfortunately, he hadn''t found the medium spiritual material needed to refine a complete set of magical treasures until now, and it was the highest quality medium spiritual material at that. ¡°This Zhurong Basin is truly a great blessing for me,¡± he reflected with gratitude, but his hands did not hesitate, immediately activating the Free and Easy Mirror, which shot out a broad beam of brilliant light, caging the entire rock and taking it in. Having done this, Shen Luo transformed into a red light and flew towards the central region of the Zhurong Basin. The Earth Core Fire Lotuses distributed around the Zhurong Basin, he had already explored most of them. Continuing to do so would probably not yield much more, so it was better to go directly to the central region. Moreover, he was quite concerned for the safety of the Black Bear Demon. If it hadn''t been for the Black Bear Demon bringing him here, he wouldn''t have gained so much, so he needed to look out for him. With Shen Luo''s current speed, it took him just over a two-hour period to reach the core region of the basin. This place was completely different from the outside; all over the ground below raged a layer of fierce flames, burning vigorously and forming a literal sea of flames. Even with the Pure Yang Sword protecting his body, Shen Luo felt somewhat uncomfortably scorched. He quickly operated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique silently, a chill air winding around him, making things more bearable, as he looked around. This central region was not small, and his Divine Sense couldn''t completely probe it, nor did he detect any trace of the Earth Core Fire Lotus. Just as he was about to search around by flying, ¡°Brother Shen!¡± a streak of black thunder and lightning flew from afar. In the blink of an eye, it was close and revealed the form of the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Black Bear Daoist, you''ve come too,¡± Shen Luo said, relieved to see the Black Bear Demon unharmed, and walked over. ¡°Brother Shen, you arrived even earlier than I did. How''s the loot?¡± the Black Bear Demon asked, patting his chest. ¡°Not bad. How long have you been here, Black Daoist? Have you spotted Friend Fu Gong and Hua Daoist anywhere?¡± Shen Luo responded vaguely and asked in return. ¡°I''ve just arrived here as well; Fu Gong and the others should be even deeper within the central region. Let''s go and take a look,¡± said the Black Bear Demon. Shen Luo had the same intention and immediately continued forward with the Black Bear Demon. At their speed, they quickly arrived deep within the core region only to have a massive mountain range suddenly appear before them. It was so tall that the peak was out of sight, the whole mountain range engulfed in crimson flames, resembling a mountain of fire, blocking their way. Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon showed a hint of surprise at the sight of the mountain of fire ahead but quickly regained their composure and shot toward the peak. Just reaching mid-mountain, both began to breathe rapidly, their internal organs throbbing slightly with pain, and their mana was greatly affected. ¡°No good, this mountain is too high; we are nearing the Earth''s lung fire poison area at the top of the Zhurong Basin. Stop, we can''t continue upward!¡± the Black Bear Demon exclaimed in alarm, immediately halting and then quickly descending. Shen Luo''s heart also skipped a beat, and he likewise headed downward. However, he quietly took out the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead and swallowed it. As he activated the bead with his mana, the pain in his organs quickly subsided, and both his breathing and mana circulation returned to normal. ¡°The Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead is indeed formidable,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself with inward glee, glancing at the Black Bear Demon hesitantly for a moment before deciding not to say anything. This treasure was one of his trump cards, and its origins were somewhat questionable. It was not something to be easily revealed. The Black Bear Demon possessed profound mana, and a mere Earth''s lung fire poison wouldn''t cause it much harm; hence there was no need for the bead. The two soon landed at the lower reaches of the mountain peak. The Black Bear Demon''s body flickered with thunder and lightning, and his complexion quickly returned to normal, clearly having neutralized the fire poison within his body. ¡°Who would have thought this basin would contain such towering giant peaks? Continuing upwards would be too dangerous, let''s skirt around this area and move forward instead,¡± Shen Luo suggested. The Black Bear Demon had no better ideas for the time being and nodded in agreement. The two of them then flew forward along the mountain peak, attempting to find a way through; but even after a good while, the end of the giant peak was nowhere in sight. It was like a chasm from the heavens standing in their way. Moreover, the giant peak was incredibly thick, with a chaotic mix of vitalities inside it that even their Divine Senses could not penetrate, leaving them unable to sense the situation on the other side. The two exchanged looks, seeing a trace of seriousness in each other''s eyes. The expanse of this giant peak was so vast and capable of blocking the probing of Divine Sense, indicating it was no ordinary mountain. Just as they were about to speed up, a ripple of Divine Sense came from the side, infiltrating both their minds. ¡°Black Daoist friend, Brother Shen, you''ve arrived. This way,¡± Fu Gong''s voice rang out in their minds. Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon hurriedly turned their heads to look and saw halfway up the mountain in front of them a cave several zhang high with a figure floating in front of it, waving at them from afar¨Cit was Fu Gong. Having finally found someone, Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon felt relieved and immediately flew over. ¡°You two Daoist friends have finally arrived. Have you encountered smooth sailing on your way here?¡± Fu Gong greeted them. ¡°Not bad. Both Brother Shen and I each found some Earth Core Fire Lotus. Other than encountering some fiery ferocious beasts, we didn''t come across any other dangers. What about you, Friend Fu? Why are you here? Where in the basin''s center can we find the Earth Core Fire Lotus?¡± the Black Bear Demon asked as he glanced at the cave behind Fu Gong. The cave seemed very deep, its end not visible at a glance, and the rocks inside were jagged, looking like they had just been excavated. Inside the cave, flames were also burning fiercely, but the flames were visibly lower than the mountains surrounding them. ¡°It seems you two Daoist friends are not familiar with Zhurong Basin. These Earth Core Fire Lotuses are within this Ring Mountain Range; however, breaking through the mountain range is not easy. Hua Shao Daoist friend, Xiao San, and I have been digging for a long time and have only managed to clear part of the mountain wall. Since both of you have come, follow me and let''s enter together,¡± Fu Gong said as he flew into the cave. Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon were startled to learn that the mountain range was actually a Ring Mountain Range¨Cno wonder they had flown around the mountain for a long time without finding its end. Nevertheless, they said nothing and quickly followed Fu Gong to the deepest part of the cave. A youth named Xiao San was controlling Fu Gong''s white banner, emitting sheets of white light that gave off a strong sucking force, absorbing all the flames from the deepest part of the cave. Chapter 1389 Chapter 1389: Chapter 1385: Back from the Dead? Chapter 1389: Chapter 1385: Back from the Dead? Not far away, Hua Shao stood in the void, with a grey wooden box several zhang in size hovering in front of him. He muttered words under his breath, and the box flickered with ash light. A dense mass of grey mice surged out from the box, swiftly gnawing at the mountain wall in the deepest part of the cave. The teeth of these grey mice glinted with golden light, chewing through the stone as if it were dough. However, aside from their impressive teeth, these grey mice were good for nothing else. They were not of the Demon Race that had turned into demons, and after consuming the scorching stones for a while, they were burned to death, turning into ash and disappearing. But the grey wooden box that Hua Shao had seemed to contain an endless amount of grey mice, continuously pouring out without fear of loss. Under the relentless gnawing of these mice, the cave quickly expanded inward, much faster than some magical treasures specifically designed for digging. Shen Luo, witnessing the scene before him, couldn''t help but marvel secretly. ¡°I and Brother Shen are not from the Eastern Sea and know little about this Zhurong Basin. Friend Fu Gong seems to be quite knowledgeable about this place; what is the situation inside this Ring Mountain Range? Is the Earth Core Fire Lotus really here?¡± The Black Bear Demon was also slightly surprised by the situation before him, but he naturally disliked rats, and soon turned his gaze away to ask. Shen Luo heard this and also looked over. ¡°There''s actually nothing special inside this mountain peak; it''s just a sea of flames. However, the temperature inside is extremely high, and the flames fill the entire void, forming a realm of fire. The Earth Core Fire Lotus in Zhurong Basin mainly grows there,¡± said Fu Gong. ¡°Friend Fu Gong seems to know so much about the inside, it looks like you''ve been there before. If so, why didn''t you pick those Earth Core Fire Lotuses? Could it be that there are also ferocious flame beasts guarding this place?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Hehe, Brother Shen has guessed correctly. The spirit of fire is rich inside the mountain, and there are many fire beasts, especially the Red Flame Beasts. Both Daoist friends have already encountered one or two on the way here. To be honest, there is a stronghold of those Red Flame Beasts inside, with more than a hundred of them, nearly half with the strength of True Immortals, and the leader is a Super Red Flame Beast that rivals a Taiyi Existence. I was fortunate to have been there once, but I was no match for those Red Flame Beasts at all, which is why I invited you to come together to seek treasures,¡± Fu Gong said with a wry smile. ¡°Over a hundred Red Flame Beasts, plus a Super Red Flame Beast that rivals a Taiyi Existence!¡± The Black Bear Demon''s expression changed upon hearing this. Shen Luo''s brow also furrowed. The advancement of his Pure Yang Sword to sixty layers of prohibition, a superior quality Magical Treasure, greatly increased his strength, but he was not blindly confident. With his current strength, he could handle five or six True Immortal Level Red Flame Beasts without any problem, but more than ten would be risky. Facing twenty True Immortal Red Flame Beasts, he could only flee. Not to mention hundreds, as well as a Taiyi Level beast king. ¡°If the Red Flame Beasts inside are so formidable, how could we possibly deal with them with just these few people?¡± The Black Bear Demon said soberly, touching his chest. ¡°So many Red Flame Beasts, let alone the few of us, even if we double our numbers, we would still be no match. But our goal is not to kill those ferocious beasts; it is to pick the Earth Core Fire Lotus. I have prepared a strategic plan: once we break through the mountain wall, we will set up a Great Formation here to attract as many of those Red Flame Beasts as possible. Then we will split into two teams, one to operate the Great Formation to trap the beasts, and another to pick the Earth Core Fire Lotus. By doing so, the chances of success are quite significant,¡± explained Fu Gong. The Black Bear Demon nodded slightly, realizing that with clever planning, success might indeed be possible. Shen Luo also nodded slightly, clearly endorsing Fu Gong''s suggestion. ¡°Friend Fu Gong''s plan is indeed ingenious, but we need manpower. Are there others coming over?¡± The Black Bear Demon asked. Shen Luo listened from the side, his gaze shifting. Dragon Tooth had already been killed by him, Qing Qing and Turtle Thousand Years were frightened away, and the Earth Core Fire Lotus had been taken by him. They probably wouldn''t come, would they? ¡°Not yet, maybe Turtle Daoist Friend and the others are encountering some difficulties,¡± said Fu Gong as his eyebrows moved. The Black Bear Demon had simply asked without much care for Turtle Thousand Years and the others. He grunted in acknowledgement and then remained silent. ¡°Both Daoist friends, you''ve expended quite a bit of Qi on the way here, take this opportunity to restore some. Once we''ve opened up the passageway and Turtle Daoist Friend and the others arrive, we''ll immediately begin according to plan,¡± Fu Gong said. Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon had been on the move all day outside, with their mana greatly depleted. Upon hearing the suggestion to recover, they found a spot on the open ground, sat cross-legged, and began to take medicine to restore their strength. The Black Bear Demon took the Restoration Pill given by Fu Gong, while Shen Luo used another kind of restoration elixir; it wasn''t that he distrusted Fu Gong, but he was always cautious, just in case. Time ticked away, and soon, half an hour had passed. A dull boom echoed from the front of the cave, and Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon opened their eyes and stood up. Their mana was mostly restored. After exchanging a glance, they both flew towards the inside at the same time. In this period of time, the passageway had extended another dozen or so miles inside and finally broke through the mountain wall, revealing a world filled with flames everywhere. The rolling flames surged like tides, and the void was also filled with countless fire clouds and fierce flames. Colliding with each other, they made thunderous noises. The incredibly high temperatures, which were many times that of the outside world, assaulted them like a flood of wild beasts. Even for existences like Shen Luo, who were True Immortals, the heat made them feel as though their heads were heavy and their feet light, with difficulty breathing. ¡°Is this the world inside the mountain? Such terrifying scorching breath!¡± Shen Luo summoned over sixty percent of his Pure Yang Sword and Indigo Ocean Divine Technique to withstand the high temperatures rushing at his face. The Black Bear Demon brought out the Cold Jiao Pearl, which floated above his head. Brandishing some secret method, the pearl emitted tenfold its usual brightness in his hands, dropping downward blue cold lights that also counteracted the high temperatures inside. ¡°Why is it so scorchingly hot? Could it be that we''ve come at an unfortunate time, coinciding with an eruption of the Earth Lung''s Fire!¡± Hua Shao, who was also surrounded by a white light that warded off the intense heat, had a very unsightly expression and muttered to himself. The youth named Xiao San had already hidden inside the white flag, where he seemed to have a special ability to operate the Eight Trigrams Flag even within the space inside the flag. As for Fu Gong, he wasn''t here. He had gone to the other end of the cave, outside, to wait for Turtle Thousand Years and others. Although Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon didn''t know what the eruption of the Earth Lung''s Fire that Hua Shao mentioned was, they could roughly understand the situation. ¡°Hua Daoist, now that the passageway has been opened, what shall we do next?¡± Shen Luo, who had the protection of the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, wasn''t very concerned about the Earth Lung''s Fire and turned to ask Hua Shao. ¡°Do not underestimate the situation, my fellow daoists. With the eruption of the Earth Lung''s Fire, the strength of the fire spirit within the mountain has increased several times. The strength of the Red Flame Beasts has also risen correspondingly. I''m afraid we might have to leave empty-handed this time,¡± Hua Shao sighed and said. Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly upon hearing this. He only had about a dozen Earth Core Fire Lotuses in his hand, not nearly enough for the refinement of pills. ¡°Is the situation really that grave? Is there no other way?¡± The Black Bear Demon was also in urgent need of Fire Lotus Pills to increase his cultivation level and make his final preparations for reaching the Taiyi Stage. Unwilling to give up so easily, he frowned and asked. ¡°Since both fellow daoists are reluctant to give up, I''ll transmit the situation here to Fu Gong and wait for him to come over,¡± Hua Shao took out a messaging jade tag, pinched the tag and tapped it several times. The jade tag emitted a layer of white light, flashed a few times, and soon returned to calm. Shen Luo heard these words and his eyes flickered, but he said nothing. ¡°I apologize for making you wait,¡± Fu Gong''s voice came from behind them at that moment. Accompanied by his voice, a white light shot from the end of the passageway and landed down, revealing the figure of Fu Gong. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And beside Fu Gong stood three figures: unmistakably, Turtle Thousand Years, Qing Qing, and the man named Dragon Tooth. The right arm of Turtle Thousand Years, which had been severed, had regrown, and his breath had also returned to its original state. Dragon Tooth, whose body had shattered, pieced himself back together, and was alive once more. Shen Luo showed a look of surprise. He had just killed Dragon Tooth ¨C how could the man be alive again? Chapter 1390 Chapter 1390: Chapter 1386: Splitting Forces into Two Paths Chapter 1390: Chapter 1386: Splitting Forces into Two Paths ¡°Could it be a person in disguise? Or is the Mirage Demon here, too, perhaps having transformed into this figure?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself as he activated his Divine Sense to sweep over Dragon Tooth. Contrary to his expectations, the person before his eyes was, indeed, the real Dragon Tooth. Shen Luo was momentarily unable to fathom what was going on but did not show any outward sign of surprise, merely glancing indifferently at the trio before moving his gaze away. On the contrary, Turtle Thousand Years and his companions seemed somewhat constrained in front of Shen Luo, as if fearing another attack from him, especially Dragon Tooth, whose gaze towards Shen Luo flickered with a mix of resentment and, even more so, fear. ¡°Brother Fu, it''s great that you''ve arrived. We''ve just opened up the mountain peak, but the inner fire spirit''s energy is extremely abundant; I''m afraid it''s an eruption of the Earth Lung''s Fire. What do we do now?¡± Hua Shao, unaware of the issue between Shen Luo and Turtle Thousand Years, saw Fu Gong appear and quickly asked. Fu Gong was taken aback upon hearing this and turned to look inside the mountain peak, his expression changing as well. ¡°An eruption of the Earth Lung''s Fire, such an event might not occur even once in a hundred years, and our luck is this terrible!¡± Fu Gong said with an ugly expression. ¡°Although the Earth Lung''s Fire has erupted, we cannot retreat now. Black Daoist and I think we should continue with the plan as before. If it truly becomes impossible, we can always flee then. What does Friend Fu think?¡± Shen Luo turned to Fu Gong. If those Red Flame Beasts were too formidable, he could simply take the Black Bear Demon and leap over the mountain peak from the top. With the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead in hand, the mid-air Earth Lung Fire poison was not a concern. ¡°I didn''t expect the two of you to be so valiant, truly shaming me. Since the two of you are so passionate, I, as the initiator of this treasure hunt, must naturally risk my life with you, gentlemen. Turtle Taoist Friend, what are your plans?¡± Fu Gong showed a surprised look, then agreed most generously before looking towards Turtle Thousand Years and his group. Dragon Tooth and Qing Qing looked at Turtle Thousand Years, clearly regarding him as the leader. Turtle Thousand Years was also shocked by the eruption of the fire spirit''s energy within the mountain range, but since Shen Luo had taken the Earth Core Fire Lotus from him, it would not only be a wasted trip if he retreated now, but it would also delay an important matter later on. ¡°Since everyone wishes to continue, I am not one to shrink back in timidity and fear. Let''s proceed with Friend Fu''s plan,¡± Turtle Thousand Years gritted his teeth and agreed. ¡°Good, since everyone has unanimously decided to stay, then let''s gamble this once. Hua Daoist, Xiao San, begin setting up the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array; arrange every one of the Array Eyes.¡± After Turtle Thousand Years agreed, Fu Gong turned his head and instructed Hua Shao. Hua Shao wasted no words and took out a thick stack of white formation discs and flags, swiftly setting them up along the passageway. Beams of white light appeared in the corridor, each containing countless divine patterns, extremely mysterious to behold, but as soon as these white light divine patterns appeared, they immediately merged into the void around them and vanished. From the Eight Trigrams Flag, a series of formation flags was also released, assisting Hua Shao with the Array setup. Shen Luo watched this scene and was secretly amazed; the Youngster within the Eight Trigrams Flag was only at the Nascent Soul Stage, and yet his efforts in setting up the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array seemed to be no slower than Hua Shao, a True Immortal existence. ¡°Arranging the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array will take some time, everyone please rest here for a while,¡± said Fu Gong to Shen Luo and the others. The others quietly waited, with Turtle Thousand Years and his group taking out Spirit Recovery Pills and consuming them to recover their mana. Shen Luo''s mana was almost fully recovered. He sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, circulating the Sword Polishing Method from the Pure Yang Sword Technique, continuing to refine the fire spirit energy within the Pure Yang Sword. ¡°` The red light on the Pure Yang Sword was somewhat unstable, flickering now and then, but as Shen Luo continuously executed the Sword Polishing Method, the red light on the sword body gradually calmed down and stopped fluctuating. Soon, half a day passed, and the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array was finally set up. Waves of white light rippled endlessly, not only enveloping the passageway completely but also radiating hundreds of feet outwards. Within the white light, one could vaguely see the phantom images of six stone platforms, composed of countless white spirit patterns, which looked to contain endless mysteries as they slowly rotated within the array. ¡°This Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array is a great formation passed down from the Heavenly Realm, possessing the powers of illusion and confinement. It can even trap a Taiyi Existence within. If someone of that level were to fall into this array, they would find it difficult to escape in a short time,¡± Fu Gong introduced the great formation to Shen Luo and the others, unable to hide a hint of pride in his voice. ¡°Indeed, it''s a mysterious formation, not inferior to the Five Elements Array of Mount Putuo,¡± mused the Black Bear Demon, who had an inherent interest in arrays, looking up and down the formation before him. ¡°Following our earlier discussion, we must split into two groups next, one to lure the Red Flame Beasts, and the other to seize the opportunity to pick the Earth Core Fire Lotus. How shall we divide ourselves?¡± Shen Luo didn''t care much about the great formation and asked about the division of their forces. ¡°At least three people are needed to activate and operate the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array. Hua Shao, Xiao San, and Qing Qing Girl, you three stay here. The rest will come with me to scout the movements of those Red Flame Beasts and the Earth Core Fire Lotus. As for how to split our forces, we''ll decide after we find out more about the Red Flame Beasts, how does that sound?¡± Fu Gong said after a brief contemplation. Shen Luo and the others had no objections. Turtle Thousand Years, although reluctant to venture out and take risks, couldn''t bring himself to ask to stay in front of everyone and reluctantly nodded his head. Seeing that everyone agreed, Fu Gong took the lead and shot forward, followed by Shen Luo, the Black Bear Demon, Turtle Thousand Years, and Dragon Tooth. Upon entering the interior of the Ring Mountain Range, intense flames surged towards them. Each of the cultivators summoned their magical treasures to protect their bodies, yet they still felt waves of pain, as if being slashed by blades of red-hot iron. ¡°This place is surging with the power of fire spirits, which greatly limits us monks. I have a Fire Avoidance Shield with decent fire resistance capabilities. Everyone, come inside,¡± said Fu Gong, noticing the pained expressions of the group and their unstable escape lights, as he hurriedly summoned a fiery red net-like shield to cover everyone. The shield resembled an ordinary net made from silkworm thread with each thread emitting a faint red glow, but it managed to block out much of the surging fire spirit energy surrounding them, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. ¡°Friend Shen, your insight is remarkable. This Fire Avoidance Shield was indeed woven from the silk of Fire Candle Plate Silkworms. It doesn''t possess much other ability, but it does have some effectiveness in warding off flames,¡± Fu Gong said with a chuckle. Shen Luo nodded without saying much more, his curiosity about the origins of this Fu Gong piqued. This person possessed high cultivation and appeared to have endless wealth; various treasures were brought out continuously, which was truly astounding. ¡°The nests of those Red Flame Beasts are below the Ring Mountain Range, and the Earth Core Fire Lotus is also there. We''ll head over now. However, to avoid alarming them, we first need to hide our breaths so as not to be detected by the beasts. The Fire Avoidance Shield has some cloaking abilities, but it''s not very sophisticated. Still, everyone should use their magic to hide their own presences,¡± Fu Gong paused before adding. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As he spoke, he gestured toward the Fire Avoidance Shield, and the red light on it flickered, quickly blending into the void, making Shen Luo and the others within the shield seemingly vanish from sight. Knowing the seriousness of the situation, everyone cast their spells, and the aura of each person swiftly concealed. As for Shen Luo, he naturally activated his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, his breath disappearing without a trace, far surpassing the others in concealment. Chapter 1391 – 1391 1378 Nine Chapter 1391: Chapter 1378: Nine-Petal Fire Lotus Chapter 1391: Chapter 1378: Nine-Petal Fire Lotus Fu Gong looked at Shen Luo with some surprise and, driving the Fire Avoidance Shield, flew forward, soon landing on the ground. This was a hilly area, large patches of burning crimson flames everywhere, the ground had turned semi-melted, with bubbles occasionally emerging from the surface. In front of the hilly area lay a vast magma lake, the magma here a golden yellow, with flames of the same color surging on its surface. Over the magma lake, more than a hundred Red Flame Beasts were excitedly leaping about, absorbing the local golden flames, the aura they emitted visibly improving at a speed discernible to the naked eye. However, the strongest of these Red Flame Beasts were only at the Late True Immortal Stage, and there was no sign of the Taiyi Stage Super Red Flame Beast. On the other side of the magma lake, there were patches of crimson lotuses, two to three hundred in number, forming a dazzling sea of flowers, the very Earth Core Fire Lotuses. In the center of this sea of flowers floated a giant golden flame, over a dozen zhang high, vaguely forming a spherical shape, its contents unknown, as Divine Sense could not penetrate it. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This giant flame ball kept expanding and contracting ceaselessly, as if it were the heart of a living creature, and each pulsation emitted a massive suction force, drawing in large amounts of the golden flames from the magma. Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Luo and his companions all showed expressions of mixed joy and worry, gladdened by the presence of a large number of Earth Core Fire Lotuses, but concerned that there were more Red Flame Beasts than expected, and stronger ones at that. The most important concern was the unseen Super Red Flame Beast, its hiding place unknown. ¡°Friend Fu Gong, now that we have a clear understanding of the situation, what do we do next?¡± the Black Bear Demon moved closer to Fu Gong, asking through a transmission, a voice that enveloped everyone else as well. ¡°These Red Flame Beasts seem to be absorbing the essence of the erupting Earth-lung Fire, and based on their fiery temperaments, they should be easy to lure away in droves with just a little provocation. The trouble is we don''t know where the Taiyi Stage Super Red Flame Beast is hiding,¡± Fu Gong replied with a frown. ¡°Could it be inside that fluctuating fireball?¡± Turtle Thousand Years spoke up. Shen Luo had already noticed that throbbing flame and harbored similar suspicions in his heart. ¡°It shouldn''t be. According to the information I''ve investigated, there is a Nine-Petal Fire Lotus inside that fireball, which has been absorbing the spirit of fire from this location for years, creating that extraordinary flame phenomenon,¡± Fu Gong explained. ¡°A Nine-Petal Fire Lotus! Such a treasure truly exists!¡± Turtle Thousand Years exclaimed, his face lit up with ecstatic joy. Seeing Turtle Thousand Years so beside himself, Shen Luo communicated with the Black Bear Demon through a transmission, ¡°Friend Black, how is the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus different from the ordinary Earth Core Fire Lotus?¡± ¡°I don''t know much about the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus either, I''ve just seen it mentioned in the Classics. An ordinary Earth Core Fire Lotus has six petals, and every thousand years it can grow an additional petal. A Nine-Petal Fire Lotus is the pinnacle evolution of the Earth Core Fire Lotus. Its medicinal effect is a hundred times more potent than the ordinary kind, and it has other wonderful uses too, though as to what those are exactly, I have no idea,¡± the Black Bear Demon, also astonished by the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus, replied through a transmission. ¡°Friend Fu, your knowledge of Zhurong Basin is indeed profound, even having such a thorough understanding of the situation here, I truly admire you,¡± Shen Luo said, after hearing the Black Bear Demon''s message, his gaze shifting, before addressing Fu Gong. The other three demons also turned their gaze toward Fu Gong, their eyes burning with intensity. ¡°Brother Shen is too modest. I am familiar with this place not because I have any particular ability, but because of this divine rat,¡± Fu Gong said with a slightly stiff expression as he was observed by the four of them, patting a white small bag at his waist. A flicker of silver light burst from the bag, and a silver-white mouse appeared out of thin air. It squeaked twice at Shen Luo and the others, clasping its front paws together in what resembled the gestures of bowing, suggesting it had gained some level of spiritual awareness. This silver-white mouse was indeed a mystical creature with spiritual awareness. Though small in size, its strength was not weak; judging by its aura, it had already reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage of cultivation. Shen Luo had never heard of the name of the divine rat before, but he could sense the power of space slightly fluctuating around the mouse, like the soft surface of water, indicating that the divine rat could enter it at any moment. ¡°Divine Rat! I once saw a record of such a creature in the classics of Mount Putuo. Although it is not a Divine Beast, it possesses an extraordinary spatial bloodline and can control the power of space, freely traveling to any place. However, these rats inherently lack power and struggle to carry such a precious bloodline power, which is why their cultivation levels are low and weak, advancing at most to the Soul Condensation Stage. It''s exceptional that Daoist Friend''s Divine Rat has reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, his eyes lighting up as he spoke. Unexpectedly looking at the Black Bear Demon, Fu Gong said, ¡°I didn''t realize Black Daoist was so knowledgeable about Divine Rats. It was nothing but a stroke of luck that I raised this little mouse. I usually only use it to explore some dangerous places; it''s hardly suitable for any grand occasions.¡± He then quickly put away the Divine Rat, as if he didn''t want Shen Luo and the others to keep looking at it. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a slight ripple in his heart. Fu Gong seemed to value that Divine Rat quite a bit¨Ccould it be that the mouse possessed other extraordinary abilities? ¡°We''ve strayed a bit too far from the matter at hand. Let''s continue discussing the plan to split our forces. In my opinion, sending two Daoist friends to enrage those Red Flame Beasts and drawing as many of them away as possible would be wise, leaving three behind to pick the Earth Core Fire Lotuses. What do you all think?¡± Fu Gong quickly changed the subject back to the harvesting of the Earth Core Fire Lotuses. ¡°Friend Fu''s suggestion seems appropriate. The Super Red Flame Beast has yet to appear, so indeed a few more of us should stay. Although my cultivation level is not very high, I am willing to stay behind as well. Black Daoist and Dragon Tooth Daoist are both skilled at speed; how about we ask the two of you to take on the task of drawing away the Red Flame Beasts?¡± Shen Luo suggested with a brief flicker in his eyes. Luring the Red Flame Beasts away seemed dangerous, but it was relatively safe as long as one remained prudent. Instead, those left behind to harvest the Earth Core Fire Lotuses would surely attract the hidden Super Red Flame Beast, and a moment''s carelessness could lead to falling prey to it. The Black Bear Demon was his good friend, so naturally, Shen Luo preferred not to risk his safety by leaving him behind. As for Dragon Tooth, who somehow managed to return from the dead, he was quite mysterious, and removing him would eliminate an uncertain factor. Fu Gong did not expect Shen Luo to choose to stay, or suggest that the Black Bear Demon should leave. His original plan had involved having Shen Luo and Dragon Tooth draw away the Red Flame Beasts, leaving him, the Black Bear Demon, and Turtle Thousand Years¨Cthe three Late True Immortal Stage beings¨Cto confront the Super Red Flame Beast. However, he now fell silent, mulling it over. The Black Bear Demon, a proud individual himself, was about to say something when his eyebrows raised sharply, but Shen Luo''s lips quivered slightly, sending a quick telepathic message to him. After hearing Shen Luo''s message, the Black Bear Demon gazed at him deeply, then lowered his head in contemplation. ¡°The Super Red Flame Beast has not yet appeared. I can take on the task of luring the enemy alone. You all stay here, just in case,¡± said the Black Bear Demon, raising his head and speaking decisively. Shen Luo abruptly turned to look at the Black Bear Demon, but the latter didn''t respond to him. ¡°All right then, if that''s the case, we''ll trouble you, Black Daoist. Do be very careful,¡± Fu Gong said, having observed the exchange between Black Bear Demon and Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, the Black Bear Demon didn''t wait for Turtle Thousand Years or Dragon Tooth to speak. He transformed into an extremely thin streak of black lightning, passing through the Fire Avoidance Shield and merging into the void, disappearing without a trace. Chapter 1392 Chapter 1392: Chapter 1388 Golden Palace Chapter 1392: Chapter 1388 Golden Palace Turtle Thousand Years watched the direction in which Black Bear Demon disappeared, his face somewhat gloomy, but by now, anything he said would be too late. He could only shut his mouth and secretly prepare for the upcoming action to snatch the Earth Core Fire Lotus. In a stealthy glance, Dragon Tooth cast an eye at Shen Luo, a shadow of malice fleetingly apparent in his gaze, but it quickly dissipated as he lowered his head, also accumulating strength for the action ahead. A few breaths later, over the expanse of golden magma, a fierce wind suddenly arose, dark clouds surged, and a swath of dark clouds several acres in size appeared out of thin air. The herd of Red Flame Beasts within the magma immediately sensed the anomaly in midair and looked up in unison. But before they could react, with a thunderous roar, tens of thousands of black electric arcs rained down from the clouds like a downpour, striking precisely and uniformly upon those Red Flame Beasts. Every Red Flame Beast was hit by a hundred thunderbolts, the thunderclaps sounding in rapid succession, clusters of black lightning exploding and tearing the bodies of all the Red Flame Beasts apart, reducing them to countless scattered flames. The magma below was also affected by the black electric arcts; streaks of black electric arcs moved with incredible speed within it, spreading in all directions and causing magma to splash and scatter wherever they passed. The remnants of flames formed by the Red Flame Beasts immediately converged and reformed, but their breath had weakened, clearly injured by the black lightning. The golden-yellow flames within the magma were not ordinary fire spirits but were intense fires that erupted and surged out with the Earth Lung''s Fire, greatly beneficial to the cultivation of the Red Flame Beasts. Having their cultivation interrupted by the black lightning, the Red Flame Beasts were instantly filled with a mixture of shock and rage, their bodies flickering with flames as they prepared to attack the Dark Clouds in the Sky. After the strike, the Dark Clouds in Mid Air had thinned out significantly, its power more than halved, but it still remained coherent. However, at that moment, nearby the Earth Core Fire Lotus, a flash of black lightning went by, and the figure of the Black Bear Demon appeared with a flicker. With repeated grasps, he swiftly plundered more than a dozen Earth Core Fire Lotuses and then instantly transformed into a thick bolt of lightning, shooting off into the distance. ¡°Who''s this thief, daring to snatch the Earth Core Fire Lotus!¡± ¡°Seeking death!¡± ¡°Come meet your doom!¡± First having their cultivation interrupted and then witnessing a thief stealing the Earth Core Fire Lotus, the Red Flame Beasts exploded with fury. Nearly half of them transformed into long, rainbow-like streaks of light, chasing after the Black Bear Demon. Within the Dark Clouds in Mid Air, lightning re-illuminated, and amidst the thunderous rumbling, large swaths of black electric arcs fell again. Half of the lightning struck those chasing Red Flame Beasts, while the rest hit the stationary creatures above the magma. Hastily, the Red Flame Beasts opened their mouths and spat out clusters of crimson flames towards those black electric arcs. However, those black electric arcs moved with incredible agility, darting left and right as if they were nimble snakes, easily evading most of the flames and striking the Red Flame Beasts once more. Clusters of black lightning burst apart, and several Red Flame Beasts were torn open again. The Red Flame Beasts in the Magma Lake that had been attacked a second time became furiously enraged, also chasing after the Black Bear Demon. In the blink of an eye, there were less than twenty Red Flame Beasts left above the Magma Lake, roaring continuously in the direction where Black Bear had fled, yet they did not pursue, as if they were ordered to stay and guard this place. ¡°Black Daoist has drawn away most of the Red Flame Beasts. Let''s make our move quickly!¡± Friend Fu transmitted a shout and put away the Fire Avoidance Shield. Having already concealed his traces, he silently shot toward the Earth Core Fire Lotus. Shen Luo, Turtle Thousand Years, and Dragon Tooth also immediately followed, each moving towards the Earth Core Fire Lotus from different directions. This was a strategy they had discussed in advance, acting from different angles so that even if the Super Red Flame Beast came attacking, they wouldn''t all be caught in one net. Shen Luo pushed the Pure Yang Sword and the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to their limits, completely warding off the dreadful high temperature around him. With a single flicker, he arrived beside the cluster of Fire Lotuses and waved his sleeve. The sleeve of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing fluttered with the wind, rolling towards a cluster of Earth Core Fire Lotuses. On the other side, Turtle Thousand Years moved with surprising speed, arriving almost simultaneously next to the Earth Core Fire Lotuses with Shen Luo. He lifted his hand and shot a transparent blue light, aiming to cage the Earth Core Fire Lotuses and even tried to envelop the cluster of golden yellow flames; he greedily intended to take the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus within as well. The golden yellow flames violently leapt about, and thick, bowl-sized golden fire thunderbolts shot out, easily tearing through the blue light cast by Turtle Thousand Years. Boom! Boom! Boom! S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment, these golden fire thunderbolts exploded, emitting deafening roars and carried a unique vibrating force within them. Turtle Thousand Years'' head buzzed, nearly causing him to faint, stopping the flow of mana within his body; his hidden figure suddenly became visible. Though further away, the rest, including Shen Luo, also felt as if thunder had exploded in their ears; the flow of their mana likewise stumbled, and their invisibility was dispelled, revealing their shocked faces. The onlooking Red Flame Beasts, seeing the four reappear near the Earth Core Fire Lotus, became both startled and furious, pouncing towards them. Shen Luo''s heart sank. Now that his tracks were exposed, he no longer bothered to hide; he waved his hand to cast the Map of Mountains and Rivers, which expanded hundreds of times, transforming into a sky-covering white light curtain that aimed to take all the Fire Lotuses in one fell swoop. However, just at that moment, the golden yellow flames suddenly burst forth with an intense golden light, launching a solid, fan-shaped golden beam. It not only stopped the Map of Mountains and Rivers from descending; Shen Luo and the others were also enveloped by the golden light, immobilized. The ball of golden yellow flames then spread outwards, revealing its true form¨Cnot nine-petal fire lotuses, but a golden palace. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo suddenly sensed an ominous foreboding and promptly withdrew the Map of Mountains and Rivers. His body glowed brightly as he was about to deploy all his strength to break free from the enveloping golden light. Boom! Boom! Boom! Within the fan-shaped golden light, the thunderous roar sounded again, stronger than before. It shook the minds of Shen Luo and the others once again, leaving them unable to do anything. Their senses became thoroughly scrambled, unable to see or hear anything. The fan-shaped golden light took the opportunity to contract backwards. The four, powerless to resist, were swept into the golden palace. Shen Luo''s vision swirled for a moment, and when he came to, he found himself inside a White Jade Hall. Fu Gong, Turtle Thousand Years, and Dragon Tooth appeared in the same place, their expressions still somewhat vacant, possibly due to the previous thunderous vibration. Shen Luo felt a slight relief as there seemed to be no prohibitions around; he looked around. This hall was quite spacious, at least twenty or thirty feet in size. The ceiling was embedded with numerous Luminescent Pearls the size of fists, bathing the area in a milky white glow. The surrounding walls also shone brightly, like a starry night sky, looking exceptionally beautiful. ¡°What place is this?¡± The other three gradually recovered, surveying their surroundings in surprise, not daring to move recklessly. Fu Gong scrutinized the area for a moment; with a flicker of white light in his hand, he produced a White Banner that looked identical to the Eight Trigrams Flag held by Xiao San. With a gesture, the White Banner emitted waves of silver-white light, spreading out in all directions. Seeing this, Shen Luo and the others did not intervene. ¡°It seems we have been taken into a large space magical treasure; if I am not mistaken, it is the golden palace we saw within the flames,¡± Fu Gong soon ceased casting and said slowly. ¡°Daoist Friend Fu possesses two Spatial Treasures and has a Divine Rat spirit beast. You must be well-versed in Spatial Divine Abilities. Do you have a means to leave this place?¡± Shen Luo also felt they were inside the golden palace and asked in a deep voice. Chapter 1393 Chapter 1393: Chapter 1389: Greed Chapter 1393: Chapter 1389: Greed ¡°Friend Fu overestimates me; Spatial Divine Ability comprehends the Heavenly Dao, with such profound mystery. I am just fortunate to possess two Spatial Treasures; how dare I claim to be well-versed in Spatial Divine Ability. This place is sealed by a thick spatial barrier; even I cannot break the formation to escape,¡± Fu Gong said, shaking his head. ¡°Friend Fu, didn''t you previously say inside the golden fireball was a Nine-Petal Fire Lotus? How did it turn out to be a Golden Palace that has taken us in?¡± Turtle Thousand Years spoke with some dissatisfaction. Shen Luo cast an annoyed glance at Turtle Thousand Years. If not for this demon''s greed, which triggered the golden fireball, they probably wouldn''t have been taken inside; yet he had the nerve to question others. ¡°I also did not expect that within this Ring Mountain Range, such a Spatial Treasure was hidden. It is my miscalculation which has implicated the three of you and trapped us here,¡± Fu Gong said with a wry smile, unangered. ¡°It can hardly be called an implication. The three Daoist friends might wish to come here and see,¡± a voice came from the side; it was Dragon Tooth who had walked over to the side of a wall in the Hall. Since everyone had assembled in the Ring Mountain Range, Dragon Tooth had been silent and taciturn. Suddenly speaking up made the others a bit surprised as they walked over to the wall. ¡°What is this¡­¡± A glint flashed in Fu Gong''s eyes as he exclaimed in shock. Shen Luo channeled his mana into his eyes to look at the wall, which faintly became transparent, hinting at another vast space within, though it was not very clear. His mind moved, and he activated the Netherworld Ghost Eye Technique. Two beams of Green Light shot from his eyes, and the situation within the wall became clear¨Cit was a cave-like area, quite spacious and located above this Hall. At the furthest end of the cave, the ground gleamed with golden yellow light; it was a lava field, in which grew a cluster of Earth Core Fire Lotuses, at least a dozen of them. And those Fire Lotuses all had nine petals¨Cthey were indeed Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses. ¡°Nine-Petal Fire Lotus!¡± Turtle Thousand Years also saw the situation inside and showed an expression of wild joy. Blue Light surged around his hand as he prepared to strike the wall. ¡°Wait! The appearance of this Spatial Treasure is very sinister; it may be related to the Super Red Flame Beast. We should be careful not to fall into a trap,¡± Shen Luo suddenly intervened to stop him. ¡°Brother Shen speaks wisely; Turtle Daoist friend, do not act rashly,¡± Fu Gong said, startled, and hastily added. ¡°Then what should we do? Do we have to wait here indefinitely? Those Red Flame Beasts that were lured away will return soon; we don''t have much time to delay here,¡± Turtle Thousand Years said, somewhat unwilling as he dissipated the Blue Light in his hands. ¡°Brother Shen, do you have any suggestions?¡± Fu Gong looked to Shen Luo, also uncertain of what to do. ¡°I think we should first explore this Hall. If we can find an exit, all the better; if we truly cannot find a way out, then we should join forces to break through this wall, to guard against ambush. As for the Red Flame Beasts outside, in my opinion, there is no need for concern. Even if those beasts are waiting outside when we leave, with our strength, there''s confidence in safely escaping,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Brother Shen''s words are prudent; if nobody else has a better plan, let''s proceed this way,¡± Fu Gong said, nodding repeatedly. Turtle Thousand Years was dissatisfied but held his tongue since Fu Gong had spoken. The four of them explored various parts of the Hall, only to discover nothing. In the end, they gathered reluctantly by the wall again. ¡°I said earlier, it''s useless to waste effort; let''s join forces and break through the wall!¡± Turtle Thousand Years said impatiently, taking out a deep blue iron rod with a flip of his hand and smashing it fiercely against the wall, stirring up ripples in the air with an overwhelming might. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised slightly. Turtle Thousand Years'' martial skills were commendable; his staff technique seemed to surpass his hammer technique, and that deep blue iron rod was also a treasure, exceeding even the Eight-edged Golden Melon. He also brought out his Magical Treasure, which was the Profound Yellow Staff, equally creating trails of light that struck towards the mountain wall. Dragon Tooth took out a Divine Fire Fan, formed hand seals to activate it, and the entire fan emitted a faint golden light in the air. With a swoosh, it opened up, and embroidered on it was a dark golden mountain peak that seemed lifelike, as real as any actual mountain. He breathed out a surge of Mana and with a flash of golden light on the fan, the dark golden mountain peak actually shot out, expanded upon encountering the wind, and transformed into a several-dozen-feet-high golden small mountain that smashed into the mountain wall. Fu Gong also summoned a heavy-duty treasure, which turned out to be a Large Seal that shone bright yellow. It grew dozens of times larger in the wind and struck the mountain wall with the force of Mount Tai pressing down. The mountain wall, as if sensing the imminent threat, sprang up a thick layer of white light, colliding with the four''s Magical Treasures. It seemed to be some kind of sophisticated prohibition. However, the combined might of Shen Luo and the others was possibly immense, causing the white light to violently flicker for a few moments before finally failing to withstand their assault, and it was shattered with a tremor. The four Magical Treasures hit the mountain wall, and amidst the thunderous sound, the wall collapsed upon impact, a vast number of stone fragments crashing into the space of the opposing cave and kicking up huge clouds of dust. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Turtle Thousand Years didn''t wait for the dust to settle and turned into a streak of blue light, darting into the cave. ¡°Turtle Taoist Friend, be careful,¡± Fu Gong urgently called out. But Turtle Thousand Years, as if deaf, sped towards those Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses. A burst of blue light shot out from his sleeve, caging the Fire Lotuses, ready to collect them all. However, at that moment, the Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses suddenly trembled and disappeared, turning into clusters of golden flames that easily incinerated the blue light emitted by Turtle Thousand Years. Those golden flames swelled immediately, transforming into numerous golden fire snakes that wrapped around Turtle Thousand Years''s body like lightning. ¡°Aaahh¡­¡± Turtle Thousand Years''s body instantly burst into golden flames, becoming a golden fire man, his voice letting out a piercing scream as his body struggled fiercely to get outside, trying to escape the clasp of those golden fire snakes. Yet, those fire snakes were remarkably resilient, seemingly unaffected by Turtle Thousand Years''s struggles and unwilling to let go. ¡°Turtle Taoist Friend!¡± Fu Gong''s expression drastically changed. He immediately summoned the Eight Trigrams Flag, from which white light shot out, exerting a powerful swallowing force, attempting to absorb those golden flames. But these golden flames were entirely different from the ordinary flames in the mountain passageway. The moment the white light touched them, it was incinerated to nothingness, taking Fu Gong by surprise. Next to him, Shen Luo and Turtle Thousand Years might not have gotten along, but he didn''t stand idly by at this moment. He immediately spurred the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. A wave of bitterly cold blue light erupted from his hand, sweeping over Turtle Thousand Years''s body like a furious wave, the bone-chilling cold drowning out the golden flames, trying to extinguish them. The magma beneath the flames lost its heat in an instant and solidified into rock, then was frozen by the cold, cracking into a large chunk of blue ice. But those golden flames were also strangely eerie; although significantly reduced when enveloped by the Indigo Ocean''s cold light, they did not go out. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, and just as he was about to attempt another rescue, Turtle Thousand Years stopped screaming. His body turned into a mass of charred blackness and then completely disintegrated into ash, not even leaving behind a single bone. Shen Luo, Dragon Tooth, and Fu Gong, upon witnessing this scene, their expressions were extremely solemn, standing outside the cave and not stepping inside. Chapter 1394 Chapter 1394: Chapter 1390: Gathering True Fire Chapter 1394: Chapter 1390: Gathering True Fire After turning Turtle Thousand Years into ashes, those golden fire snakes transformed back into flames again, and incredibly, they rapidly expanded within the cold Qi of the Indigo Blue Sea. Within a few breaths, they had regained their original size. Under the flickering of the golden flames, a scorching heat akin to the fierce sun spread out, sweeping away the cold Qi of the Indigo Blue Sea. The frozen magma quickly melted, once again turning into a sea of golden magma. In just moments, everything quickly returned to normal, and those golden fire snakes, in a flash, transformed back into blossoming Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses. Shen Luo and the others, upon witnessing this scene, grew somber once again. ¡°These golden flames possess a vast and pure aura, just like the blazing sun, incinerating all things. Could they possibly be the legendary Sun True Fire, one of the ten great Heavenly Fires?¡± Fu Gong said, his eyes flashing. Shen Luo watched the golden flames in silence without responding. In the Dream World, he had encountered the Sun True Fire during his advancement to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, and naturally, he recognized these flames earlier than Fu Gong. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Sun True Fire, purest and most yang, is even more powerful than Heavenly Tribulation thunder and lightning, able to suppress Demonic Qi. If he could capture it and refine a Flying Sword, its power would undoubtedly be no less than that of the Pure Yang Sword, giving him greater confidence against the Demon Clan in the future. However, it seemed that the Sun True Fire had been refined into prohibitions, and extracting it would not be easy. ¡°Sun True Fire? No wonder Turtle Taoist Friend was burned to death. With no way out of this hall and danger ahead, we will simply have to steel ourselves and move on,¡± said Dragon Tooth, before taking the lead and stepping into the cave ahead. Shen Luo glanced at Dragon Tooth with some surprise, noticing that this demon seemed somewhat different than before, far more aggressive. But given the current situation, he didn''t have the leisure to concern himself with Dragon Tooth''s changes and immediately stepped forward into the cave. Previously, they had not seen clearly due to the wall and prohibitions in place, but upon entering the cave, Shen Luo discovered it was much wider than expected. Moreover, there was a long passageway leading to the other side, which he hadn''t noticed before. Unlike the white hall, this space was surprisingly filled with prohibitions. His Divine Sense could not extend far from his body, preventing him from probing the inside of the passageway. Shen Luo glanced toward the passageway and then quickly withdrew his gaze, flashing to the side of the golden magma. He reached out towards the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus, attempting to grasp it from the void. A powerful current appeared above the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus, attempting to seize and carry it away. The Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses immediately shattered, once again turning into strands of Sun True Fire, resisting Shen Luo''s mana and easily incinerating it. Shen Luo was not surprised by this outcome. He continuously slapped his hands together, creating a succession of giant palm energies that incessantly pounded down and scattered the Sun True Fire. Not far ahead, Dragon Tooth ignored Shen Luo''s actions and turned to sprint towards the cave passageway. Fu Gong had also entered the cave, and upon seeing Shen Luo''s actions, his eyebrows raised. However, he did not linger either and quickly rushed towards the passageway. Despite potential dangers, this Spatial Treasure harbored opportunities, such as these Sun True Fires, which were extremely precious treasures. The skills cultivated by Fu Gong were not of the Fire Attribute, and he did not pay much attention to the Sun True Fire. Moreover, Shen Luo had already started to capture them first, so it was not appropriate for Fu Gong to compete with him. Seeing Fu Gong and Dragon Tooth leaving, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief. With no one else around, he could finally unleash his full strength. In the midst of contemplation, a crimson sword light shot out from his sleeve¨Cit was the Pure Yang Sword. He tapped a spell, and a vast swath of Red Lotus Karmic Fire erupted, turning into a giant crimson hand that reached for the Sun True Fires. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire was also a Heavenly Fire, and the Sun True Fire could not incinerate it. They were immediately seized in its grasp. The Sun True Fires transformed into golden fire snakes, struggling vigorously, but sadly they could not break free. ¡°Come here!¡± Shen Luo bellowed, driving the crimson hand to pull with all its might, attempting to draw the dozen strands of Sun True Fire towards him. Whirr, whirr, whirr! Threads of silver light appeared in the void surrounding the lava area, forming an Array that pulsed with strong spatial fluctuations¨Cit was indeed a Spatial Array. The True Solar Fire and the silver light Array merged into one, easily withstanding the force of the crimson hand''s pull. ¡°As expected, it''s not so easy to collect,¡± Shen Luo was not surprised, and with a flash of white light at his hand, a wide scroll appeared out of thin air, the Map of Mountains and Rivers. He grabbed the tail end of the Map with one hand, channeled his Mana into it, and the Map grew tenfold in the wind, transforming into a giant painting over thirty feet long. With a sweep of his arm, Shen Luo struck the silver light Array with the Map like a giant whip, unleashing a tremendous surge of the Power of Space. A series of crackling sounds rang out, the silver light Array trembled violently, nearly half of it collapsed, but the other half remained standing firm. He furrowed his brow slightly, once again mobilized the Power of Space in the Map, and struck another harsh blow, causing the silver light Array to completely shatter. Taking advantage of this, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, condensed into the crimson hand, pulled again, immediately drawing over a dozen strands of True Solar Fire. ¡°What a sturdy Spatial Array; if I didn''t have the Map of Mountains and Rivers, this Spatial Treasure, I might have not been able to break it,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, feeling fortunate, and flipped his hand to bring out an object¨Cit was the white stone box holding the Nameless Cultivation Technique. This box had the ability to collect; That year, when he obtained the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, it was collected into this box, and over the years, having studied it, he had already mastered the prohibitions inside, and Immediately circulated his Mana to activate it. A layer of white light shone on top of the white stone box, and with a ¡°snap,¡± it opened, emitting a sucking force that pulled all the strands of True Solar Fire into the box. There was another ¡°snap,¡± and the stone box immediately closed itself, the white light on top dissipating as well. Shen Luo caught the stone box in his hand, feeling the True Solar Fire obediently stored inside and causing no harm to the box, and he finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What a wonderful treasure; not even True Solar Fire can cause the slightest damage,¡± he murmured affectionately as he stroked the stone box. Over the years, he had examined this seemingly ordinary white stone box many times but still could not figure out the material it was made of. Shen Luo did not ponder further on this and stored the stone box away with a flip of his hand. The ground in the lava area had lost the True Solar Fire and started to solidify very quickly. He scanned the lava area carefully with his Divine Sense but found nothing unusual, and only then did he turn and leave, immediately heading toward the Passageway. Fu Gong and Dragon Tooth had already taken the lead, and if there were treasures inside, both would not hold back. He needed to hurry. However, Shen Luo also remained vigilant, constantly scanning his surroundings with his Divine Sense to prevent any sudden dangers. The Passageway was not long, and soon he reached the end. The light brightened in front of him, and a Golden Hall appeared. The Hall was exceptionally spacious, spanning hundreds of feet. Apart from twelve Golden Pillars standing tall, there was nothing else inside. Atop each pillar was a fire dragon relief in crimson, looking very lifelike. At the very end of the Hall stood a large, wide golden chair with two more golden pillars beside it. A Man in Golden Robe sat there, appearing to be in his thirties, with thick eyebrows, a wide nose, and an aura of dominance, as he fiddled with a dark red seal that was missing one corner. ¡°Ha, another one has arrived. The Guangcheng Immortal Mansion is really bustling today,¡± the Man in Golden Robe raised his eyes to look at Shen Luo and said with a slight smile. Chapter 1395 Chapter 1395: Chapter 1391: Red Flame Beasts Chapter 1395: Chapter 1391: Red Flame Beasts Shen Luo looked in the direction of the voice towards the Man in Golden Robe, his heart tightening slightly. There was a prohibition affecting Divine Sense in the great hall, so he was unable to directly sense the Man in Golden Robe''s cultivation level or any aura, but his intuition told him that this man was extremely dangerous, and he couldn''t afford to be careless. He remained alert to the Man in Golden Robe while looking around, his expression changing rapidly. Not far from two golden pillars, he saw two fiery red cocoons about three meters tall suspended in mid-air, formed by innumerable red silk threads, each emitting astonishing fluctuations of spiritual power from the flames, appearing to be some form of Flame Divine Powers. Intermittent sounds of explosions came from within the red cocoons, and two figures could barely be seen inside, who were none other than Fu Gong and Dragon Tooth, trapped inside. Fortunately, they were both still alive. Shen Luo was inwardly alarmed; it had only taken moments for him to collect that True Solar Fire, yet in such a short span of time, Fu Gong and Dragon Tooth were restrained, and he had heard no commotion of conflict at the magma area, could it be the two were subdued in an instant? ¡°May I ask who Your Excellency is? Are these two companions of mine entrapped by your spellcasting?¡± Shen Luo steadied his mind amidst rapid thoughts and asked in a deep voice. ¡°What do you think?¡± the Man in Golden Robe chuckled, his tone teasing. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Shen Luo''s brows furrowed as he asked again. ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± the Man in Golden Robe stretched lazily, still not answering Shen Luo''s question, but also not showing any hostility. Shen Luo was confused by this man''s behavior but didn''t dare to let down his guard, considering whether to ignore this man and first rescue Fu Gong and Dragon Tooth. ¡°Friend Shen¡­ be careful¡­ the Void¡­ transparent red silk¡­¡± came the intermittent voice of Fu Gong from within the red cocoon. At these words, Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with green light and his expression drastically changed as he retreated backward like a bolt of lightning, instantly moving more than thirty feet away. Invisible red threads had appeared out of nowhere in the surrounding Void, shooting towards his body and almost ensnaring him. ¡°Quick reaction, but it doesn''t really matter. Once you enter here, no one can hope to escape,¡± said the Man in Golden Robe indolently, his hands shining with a red light like flames, waving them left and right. A dazzling golden light arose in the passageway outside the main hall, sweeping forward like a tide through the passageway and wherever it went, the passageway seemed to squirm, madly collapsing inward. With a ¡°boom,¡± the passageway several meters high completely closed, leaving not a single gap. Shen Luo, with a grim expression, stopped in front of the entrance of the passage and immediately turned, his whole body radiating red light, with an outer layer of crimson flames that emitted terrifying high temperatures. It was the Vermilion Bird True Fire, ready to deal with those transparent red threads. A golden and a black light flickered above his head, revealing the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Bloodthirsty Flag, instantly setting up two more layers of defense around him. However, against his expectations, those transparent red threads did not shoot at him. They danced aggressively a few dozen feet away but did not advance a step closer. Shen Luo was secretly astonished; only when he pushed the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to its maximum did he discern the reason. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The transparent red threads were shot from the mouths of the dragon engravings on the golden pillars, having a limited range, only able to extend by ten feet, so his position was still safe. ¡°So, Your Excellency is that Super Red Flame Beast. Have you brought us here with the intent to capture us all in one go?¡± Shen Luo felt a slight relief and turned towards the Man in Golden Robe sitting on the golden chair. ¡°Oh, since one cannot extend Divine Sense here, how did you recognize my identity?¡± The Man in Golden Robe showed some surprise as he stood from his seat, his face no longer gentle, but rather stern and severe. ¡°We were taken into this space while picking the Earth Core Fire Lotus, clearly someone''s deliberate doing; although I cannot sense your breath with my Divine Sense, the flames of red light that appeared on your hands when you activated the prohibition in the passage were identical to those of a Red Flame Beast. Combining all these circumstances, if I still couldn''t guess Your Excellency''s identity, that would be too foolish of me,¡± Shen Luo said calmly, despite being secretly on guard. ¡°` ¡°Indeed, the human race does have its cunning moments, but the great hall is already entirely within my grasp. It would be wise to surrender now and pledge allegiance to me¨CI might even spare your life,¡± the Super Red Flame Beast declared with an unmistakably arrogant tone. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Luo replied, his lips curling slightly. With no warning, he thrust his right hand forward. A flash of gold and a streak of red, gone in an instant, shot forth toward the two fiery red cocoons¨Cthese were none other than the Pure Yang Sword and the Slayer''s Broken Sword. ¡°Good kid, seeking death!¡± The Super Red Flame Beast flew into a rage and swept its sleeve. A burst of red light emanated from the cocoons, and two massive red hands, made up of countless red silks, suddenly shot out. They moved with extraordinary speed, snatching at the two flying swords. The swords couldn''t dodge in time and were seized by the huge red hands. Strands after strand of red silk rapidly wrapped around the swords, seemingly forming two smaller cocoons. The red silk was exceptionally resilient, completely ignoring the sharpness of the swords as it bound them tightly within. Shen Luo was taken aback but did not panic; his magic spell gesture changed. His left hand concealed behind his back, a black magic ring flew out from his sleeve¨Cthe Demon Treasure Nine Nether¨Cmerging silently into the void, unnoticed by all. The Plague Spreader Box likewise appeared within his sleeve and quietly opened. Suddenly, a surge of Vermilion Bird True Fire blazed from within the cocoon enclosing the Pure Yang Sword, causing the surrounding space to tremble as if it were about to be burnt away. Although the red threads were incredibly tough and could ignore the sword''s edge, they could not withstand the Vermilion Bird True Fire and began to be rapidly consumed by the flames. On the other side, where the Slayer''s Broken Sword was trapped, a disturbance in the void emerged as the Nine Nether Demon Ring appeared out of nowhere, ensnaring the cocoon. Pitch-black demonic flames burst forth from the ring, enveloping the fiery red cocoon and fiercely assailing it. The red threads quickly darkened as if corrupted by the demonic qi, dissolving just as rapidly. ¡°Vermilion Bird True Fire! Nine Nether Demonic Flames!¡± The Super Red Flame Beast frowned and raised its hand to release something. Like a shooting star, it streaked out and hovered above the Pure Yang Sword¨Ca deep red bronze mirror. Two stout beams of crystal light shot forth from within the mirror, engulfing both the Vermilion Bird True Fire and the Nine Nether Demonic Flames. Contained within the red crystal light was a strange sealing force; the two types of flames were immediately restrained, frozen in place as if encased in ice. Watching this, Shen Luo''s expression darkened. As rapid thoughts flitted through his mind, his whole body shone with golden light, obscuring him from view from the outside. One could only vaguely see him reaching into the air with both hands. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Bolts of golden lightning and green wind blades burst forth, forming two massive torrents of wind and lightning, rolling and crashing toward the two beams of red crystal light, seemingly attempting to shatter them. However, once they entered the domain of the red crystal light, both wind blades and lightning were immobilized. The Super Red Flame Beast let out a faint cold laugh. That Arresting Soul Mirror, crafted using various precious minerals collected from the Zhurong Basin and refined through secret methods available only within the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, possessed an extraordinary power of sealing. Ordinary attacks could hardly break through. The Beast made a magical gesture toward the bronze mirror, apparently ready to unleash another marvelous method. With white light fluctuating above the Arresting Soul Mirror, a figure suddenly materialized¨Cit was Shen Luo. In his hands, he held something resembling a golden cannon barrel, aimed directly at the Arresting Soul Mirror. Chapter 1396 Chapter 1396: Chapter 1392 Doppelganger Chapter 1396: Chapter 1392 Doppelganger ¡°Cannon¡­¡± The Super Red Flame Beast started, an ominous premonition suddenly rising in its heart. It immediately raised its hand to summon back the old mirror and opened its mouth to spew out a burst of crimson flame towards Shen Luo. This pillar of fire was extremely pure, yet it did not emit much scorching breath, being incredibly close to the pinnacle of controlling fire, the Purest Flame. However, Shen Luo, floating in mid air, did not try to dodge, instead he triggered the Divine Craftsman Cannon. A blinding flash of light passed through the muzzle, followed by a ¡°boom¡± that made the nearby void tremble. A thick white pillar of light shot out from the cannon, colliding with the crimson flame. A series of muffled roars sounded as the crimson flame was shattered with overwhelming force. The gold cannon barrel was indeed the Divine Craftsman Cannon. Having mastered the Soul Threads, Shen Luo could now fully unleash the power of the Divine Craftsman Cannon. Though the white pillar of light was greatly reduced in size, its speed was not slowed in the slightest. It instantly caught up with the deep red ancient mirror and exploded violently, turning into a dazzling, flickering white light, emitting a spiritual pressure that caused hearts to race. The deep red ancient mirror was engulfed by the white light, its spiritual glow instantly collapsing, followed by the sound of it cracking from within. The Super Red Flame Beast''s face flashed with anger, and it immediately shot up into the sky, transforming into a surging fire cloud that rushed into the midst of the white light. Within the fire cloud, countless lightning bolts flashed and burst forth violently, and the overwhelming white light was instantly shattered, revealing the Super Red Flame Beast''s figure amidst the clouds, holding the deep red ancient mirror, which now displayed several cracks. ¡°How dare you damage my Magical Treasure, even dying ten times would not be enough to repay!¡± The Super Red Flame Beast suddenly turned its head to look at Shen Luo in mid air. But the opponent had disappeared from sight, causing the beast to pause slightly. At that moment, a scorching heat that could melt mountains and boil the sea erupted from below. It was the Pure Yang Sword''s Vermilion Bird True Fire that soared, completely burning the Red Threads to ashes and breaking free from the entanglement. Next to it, the Nine Netherworld Demonic Flames also burned through the Red Threads, and the Slayer''s Broken Sword was freed as well. At the sealed Entrance of the passage, Shen Luo stood quietly, the Golden Light on his body having receded. Beside him stood another Shen Luo, holding the Divine Craftsman Cannon. This Shen Luo was not the original, but a Water Soul Technique doppelganger that he had conjured while covering his body with Golden Light. He had used the Invisibility Talisman to sneak into mid air undetected, repelling the deep red old mirror and rescuing the two swords. ¡°You cunning thief, to deceive me with such doppelganger tricks!¡± The Super Red Flame Beast understood the whole affair in a flash and bellowed as it swooped down. The fire cloud by its side swelled up, and a dense rain of fire thunder swarmed out. In an instant, the great hall was filled with the sounds of wind and thunder, trembling with a buzzing sound. Shen Luo ignored this situation, his hands forming seals. The Vermilion Bird True Fire blazed upon the Pure Yang Sword, and with a rolling condensation, it transformed into a Vermilion Bird of Flames, over a dozen yards long. It flapped its wings and shot forward, several times faster than the previous Sword Light, appearing in an instant next to the huge Cocoon where Fu Gong resided. The Pure Yang Sword shone brightly, emitting a tremendous sword cry as it slashed fiercely. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A ¡°swish¡± sounded as though fabric was being torn, and the huge Cocoon was slashed, leaving a long gash. The Super Red Flame Beast made one mistake after another, its expression changing once more as its body flashed red and split into two, creating two identical forms. A Super Red Flame Beast, driving half of the Fire Clouds, continued to pounce towards Shen Luo, while another Super Red Flame Beast pounced towards Fu Gong''s Cocoon. Suddenly, a tremendous howling burst forth from the Cocoon that restrained Fu Gong. A dazzling silver light shone out from within, illuminating the entire great hall as though it were daylight. A silver-white light shot out from the Cocoon, transforming into a large silver-white banner. It was none other than Fu Gong''s Eight Trigrams Flag. The flag burned with blazing silver flames, and from it erupted a vast silver halo that easily blocked the Super Red Flame Beast and the Fire Clouds outside, preventing them from getting any closer. On the other side, Shen Luo had already taken out his Profound Yellow Staff, and layers of stick shadows enveloped the surroundings, clashing head-on with the Super Red Flame Beast. A thunderous roar erupted, and Shen Luo staggered backward three steps, but the Super Red Flame Beast was also forced to retreat. Shen Luo inwardly praised the power of a Taiyi Existence. Even though it was divided into two, it could still easily shake off the Splashy Chaotic Stick. However, he hadn''t used his Sky Fiend Corpse King, and he still had a series of trump cards like the Map of Mountains and Rivers, so he felt no fear. He activated the Huangting Technique, and between flashes of golden light, his hands and feet turned into pure gold, transforming into dragon arms and elephant legs. Countless stick shadows appeared again, raining down a barrage on the Super Red Flame Beast. The Super Red Flame Beast''s eyes flashed with ferocity, and after a flash of red light over its body, it transformed into a beast form, similar to the other Red Flame Beasts outside, but more than twice their size and with an additional set of fiery red bony armor. The armor glittered with spiritual light, appearing indestructible. Once it transformed into its beast form, the Super Red Flame Beast''s aura surged, closely approaching the Taiyi level, and it opened its mouth to spit something out. A dark red small print shot out. It was the same one that it had been playing with in its hands while seated earlier. The dark red small print grew a hundred times in the wind, transforming into a mountainous large seal. Each side was engraved with patterns of mountains, rivers, and birds, while the base was decorated with numerous ancient patterns and battle formation maps. It emitted an extremely ancient aura as it smashed down on the countless stick shadows. With a loud ¡°clang,¡± the skyful of stick shadows shattered on impact, and the mighty Profound Yellow Staff was sent flying away, burying nearly half of its length into the wall beside it, with the other end trembling wildly. Shen Luo''s tiger''s mouth, where he held the Profound Yellow Staff, split open, and he was sent flying backward, crashing into the stone wall of the passageway. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± he created a deep pit in the stone wall and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. Although he had already activated the Huangting Technique and altered his body, making it far more resilient than an ordinary cultivator''s, the power of that dark red large seal was simply too great. His arms still ached unbearably, and his internal organs felt as though they had been turned upside down. ¡°What kind of magical treasure is this dark red large seal? It possesses such frightful might!¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but be startled internally. If he hadn''t cultivated the Huangting Technique, making his flesh far more robust than that of the average monk, that strike would have turned his bones and flesh to mud. The Super Red Flame Beast saw that Shen Luo had survived a hit from the large seal and that even the gold-black long stick had not been destroyed. Its eyes revealed a look of surprise. It was well aware of the power of this dark red large seal, a treasured artifact inherited from the War of Gods-Sealing in ancient times. Although a corner was damaged, many of the internal prohibitions had collapsed, and its power was not even half of what it was at its peak, it was not something True Immortal Cultivators could withstand. Although the Super Red Flame Beast was surprised, it did not hesitate. It was about to urge the dark red large seal to deliver a fatal blow to Shen Luo, but a look of agony suddenly appeared on its face. Its body showed patches of purple-black poison spots, indicating that the Plague Poison from the Plague Spreader Box was finally taking effect. ¡°Poison? When did it appear?¡± The Super Red Flame Beast''s pupils constricted, but it did not panic. Its true form was that of a Taiyi Existence, and being a body of fire spirit, it was inherently quite resistant to potent poisons and supernatural abilities. It immediately let out a loud shout, and a mass of the Purest Flame appeared all over its body, burning intensely. The poison spots on its body began to recede rapidly. Relieved from the tension that had gripped its heart, the Super Red Flame Beast''s eyes flickered, and the dark red large seal thundered down once more. Chapter 1397 Chapter 1397: Chapter 1393: Treasure Map Traps the Beast Chapter 1397: Chapter 1393: Treasure Map Traps the Beast Shen Luo, though his internal organs felt as if thrown into utter chaos, was not seriously hurt; and thanks to the brief respite granted by the Plague Spreader Box, he had managed to leap out of the deep pit in time and, flipping his hand, summoned the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Above him in midair, white light surged, and a wide, hazy scroll materialized out of thin air, within its landscapes and rivers came to life, clashing with the dark red big seal that was rapidly descending. The anticipated earth-shattering noise did not occur. The Map of Mountains and Rivers dipped slightly downward and then stopped abruptly, withstanding the strike of the big seal. ¡°What!¡± The Super Red Flame Beast exclaimed in surprise. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief; the Map of Mountains and Rivers had indeed not let him down. His hands quickly formed seals, driving the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Numerous streams of white light shot out from the scroll like rivers, swirling around the dark red big seal and instantly forming a gigantic white vortex. A massive suction force emanated from the vortex, drawing the big seal toward the interior of the scroll. ¡°What treasure is your scroll, that it can capture my big seal!¡± the Super Red Flame Beast urgently cast a spell from afar to stabilize the big seal and shouted at Shen Luo sternly. Shen Luo paid no heed to his opponent and continued to operate the Map of Mountains and Rivers, as a result, the rotation speed of the white vortex increased sharply, and the dark red big seal trembled slightly, slowly falling inward. The Super Red Flame Beast''s expression changed drastically as it landed above the dark red big seal, channeling the power of its fiery spirit into the seal. An explosive ¡°boom¡± resonated from the dark red big seal, with a vast ring of crystalline light bursting forth from its surface. The surroundings seemed to reverse abruptly, the sky turning pitch black as ink while the ground became suddenly transparent, and a faint glowing light seeped out, instantly countering the pull of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Meanwhile, within the silver ring of light formed by the burning Eight Trigrams Flag, a figure flashed by, and Fu Gong appeared out of nowhere. After glancing over at Shen Luo, he quickly formed hand seals. Space within the light ring began to fluctuate, revealing faint and elusive rune battle formation maps which rapidly became clear. Seeing this scene, the Super Red Flame Beast outside frowned, its shoulders gave a slight shake, and the surrounding fire clouds shot out, coalescing midway into an immense fire cloud hand. This hand, several dozen feet in size with fingers like huge cylinders, curled around intense flames and, like lightning, crashed down upon the silver ring of light. A wave of overwhelming pressure poured down from above, compressing the silver ring into an oval shape; but it did not collapse. The runes within continued their rapid circulation, quickly becoming clear. Fu Gong''s eyes suddenly widened as he bellowed. His hands formed a seal and shook. The silver flames on the Eight Trigrams Flag suddenly intensified tenfold, and the flag rapidly shrank into a ball of dazzlingly bright silver light that vanished in a flash, pouring into the silver ring. The invaluable Spatial Treasure, the Eight Trigrams Flag, was thus destroyed. However, Fu Gong''s face showed no ripples of regret, not the slightest bit of sorrow. The silver ring, as if bolstered by a powerful tonic, flared with skyrocketing brilliance. The internal runes became completely clear, forming an intricate and complete battle formation map that spun rapidly, emitting a flexible, powerful force. The flattened ring bulged upward, regaining its roundness, and astonishingly pushed up the fire cloud hand. The Super Red Flame Beast, taken aback, was about to continue its casting when the runes within the silver ring suddenly collapsed again, transforming back into countless runes that merged into the edge of the ring. The silver ring quickly expanded, its interior swiftly deepening, and in an instant, it became a spatial passageway several dozen feet in size, with the other end faintly revealing a misty great formation ¡ª the very Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array set up in the Ring Mountain Range passageway. Fu Gong stretched out his hands into the void, and the other end of the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array suddenly burst into bright light, quickly enlarged, and in a flash, it passed through the spatial passageway and landed inside the great hall. Not just the Great Formation, Hua Shao, Qing Qing, and Xiao San who were activating the Array had also arrived here, but the Black Bear Demon was nowhere to be seen. The three of them, upon clearly seeing their surroundings, all showed expressions of surprise on their faces. ¡°Operate the Great Formation!¡± Fu Gong leaped onto a phantom stone door, and mana swarmed into it. Seeing this, the other three swiftly cast their spells to cooperate, and the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array rapidly expanded, instantly encapsulating the surrounding hundred feet, and the nearby Super Red Flame Beast was encompassed by the Great Formation. ¡°Array Techniques?¡± The beast''s expression changed dramatically, and amidst the bursting red light, it transformed into its true form. Opening its mouth, it spit out dozens of thick flames like whips, with countless fiery thunders rumbling within, fiercely striking the surrounding Great Formation. A series of thunderous booms exploded, fiery thunders burst, and the red light shone brightly, causing the entire Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array to wobble unsteadily. ¡°Hua Daoist, reveal the Six-in-One! Brother Shen, I must trouble you to entangle the Super Red Flame Beast''s other body; we must not let them fuse. Otherwise, I fear we may all perish here today!¡± Fu Gong bellowed, his voice echoing through the Golden Hall. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Soulless Puppets!¡± Hua Shao shouted lowly, and with a flick of his sleeve, two streaks of green light shot out from within, landing on two vacant phantom stone doors. These were two green-colored metal-armored puppet figures, both emitting True Immortal Level strong mana fluctuations, clearly two True Immortal Level armored fighters. The Soulless Puppets fell into the phantom stone doors, streams of green spiritual power poured into the stone doors'' phantoms. With someone occupying all six Array Eyes of the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array, spiritual light surged wildly, the operating speed of the Array suddenly increased by several times, instantly stabilizing. Not only that, countless bizarre and varied streaks of white light swarmed out, completely submerging the Super Red Flame Beast. The world before the Super Red Flame Beast blurred, and it found itself in the deep waters of a vast ocean, with countless islands of various sizes floating in midair, seemingly within arm''s reach and yet as if they were far away, like mirages in the Sea Market, with no trace of the Golden Hall to be seen. On the other side, Shen Luo heard Fu Gong''s voice, his gaze flickering slightly. Fu Gong had previously stated that he couldn''t break through the spatial barrier around the Immortal Residence; now, not only had he broken through the spatial barrier, but he had also teleported the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array here in an instant. What was going on? However, the immediate priority was still to slay the Super Red Flame Beast. Shen Luo placed both hands on the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and the map ¡°whooshed¡± as it increased more than tenfold in size, shining with a crystal-clear white light, exceptionally eye-catching. Subsequently, the Map of Mountains and Rivers curled up, connecting from head to tail to form a giant white ring, enclosing the dark red big seal inside it. The space within the white giant ring instantly became ten times heavier, as if it had solidified, sealing both the dark red big seal and the Super Red Flame Beast inside, making them immobile. This series of spells was not complicated, but after Shen Luo finished, his complexion suddenly turned much paler. The Map of Mountains and Rivers was a Heavenly Treasure, wielding it with his current cultivation level was admittedly a strain, and the consumption was immense. Barely managing to activate it twice, the mana inside his body was already depleted by sixty percent. Chapter 1398 Chapter 1398: Chapter 1394 Another Plot Chapter 1398: Chapter 1394 Another Plot Within the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array, Fu Gong saw Shen Luo had also gained control over the Super Red Flame Beast, a flash of surprise flickered in his eyes. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, he quickly withdrew his gaze and, after exchanging a knowing look with Hua Shao, his figure flew out from the illusion of the Stone Door without a sound, landing next to a golden pillar nearby and merged with it completely. Hua Shao waved his sleeve again and another green puppet shot out, landing where Fu Gong was standing earlier, taking over the operation of the Great Formation. The Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array was filled with dazzling white light, and Divine Sense could not spread, so those outside could not see what was happening inside at all. The Super Red Flame Beast, caged by the Map of Mountains and Rivers, seemed to sense something, its expression changed drastically, and it spat out a fist-sized, fiery red pearl that appeared to be something like its Inner Dan. In a flash, it merged into the dark red giant seal. The spiritual light on the dark red giant seal surged, increasing its size by a third, striving to break free from the prohibition of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. But what kind of treasure was the Map of Mountains and Rivers? Even though it was shaken by the giant seal, the white giant ring showed no signs of collapsing. ¡°Kid! What exactly is this treasure of yours?¡± The Super Red Flame Beast, growing agitated, asked Shen Luo once more. Shen Luo still ignored the beast, raising his hand and gesturing towards the great hall; three rays of light shot out from within, namely, the Pure Yang Sword, the Slayer''s Broken Sword, and the Nine Nether Three Treasures. The Profound Yellow Staff also shot out from the wall, landing in front of him. His mana was currently all devoted to controlling the Map of Mountains and Rivers, leaving him no strength to use the four treasures to attack the Super Red Flame Beast, so he simply collected them with a wave of his sleeve. ¡°Kid, I don''t know what your connection is with that Fu Gong, but aren''t you afraid that once he has control over the prohibitions of this Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, your life and death will also be in his hands?¡± The Super Red Flame Beast shouted desperately. ¡°What did you say? Control over the Immortal Residence?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was startled and blurted out. ¡°Your Excellency knows nothing?¡± Seeing Shen Luo''s reaction, the eyes of the Super Red Flame Beast brightened, and it quickly pressed on with the question. ¡°I came here with Fu Gong to gather the Earth Core Fire Lotus; he did not mention this Immortal Mansion.¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before replying. ¡°Hehe, just as I thought. That Fu Gong harbors ill intentions, and he has not told Daoist friend the truth. To tell you the truth, this Guangcheng Immortal Mansion was refined by the great Daoist Guang Chengzi of the Teachings. It fell here during the disaster of demons many years ago. That Fu Gong was originally this mansion''s guardian spirit beast. Over these years, he has entered here many times with the intent to refine away the mansion''s prohibitions. If he gains control, by using the Heaven Profound Fire Array within, he can easily kill even a Taiyi Existence. Neither you nor I would escape his poisonous hand. Since that Fu Gong has not shared this with Daoist friend, he surely intends to silence you once his plan succeeds,¡± the Super Red Flame Beast said, trying to persuade with earnest worry. ¡°If Fu Gong is the guardian spirit beast of this Immortal Mansion, why is it that you now have control over it?¡± After hearing all this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he followed up with the question. ¡°This area within the Ring Mountain Range is my territory. Naturally, the opportunity of the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion falling here belongs to me. How could I allow Fu Gong to stay inside it?¡± The Super Red Flame Beast said through clenched teeth. Shen Luo had been quietly using the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to observe the Super Red Flame Beast and could tell that while some of the beast''s words were untruthful in subtleties, most were indeed true, and his heart sank. The Super Red Flame Beast''s words clearly had an element of instigation, but that was not without reason. Fu Gong, being the guardian spirit beast of this Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, was undoubtedly extremely familiar with it; the Sun True Fire Prohibition that burned Turtle Thousand Years to death, Fu Gong could not possibly have been unaware of it, yet he did nothing to prevent Turtle Thousand Years'' demise. This revealed his character. Moreover, Fu Gong was currently hiding the most important motive from him and having him entangle the Super Red Flame Beast. He was likely using him as a pawn in his game. ¡°Daoist friend, there''s no animosity between us, and I assume Your Excellency has no designs on this Immortal Residence. How about we both take a step back, hm? I have nearly a thousand Earth Core Fire Lotuses here, and more than ten Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses, all of which I am willing to give to you. Moreover, I shall aid your departure from this place. If you withdraw this magical treasure and release me, how does that sound?¡± The Super Red Flame Beast saw a shift in Shen Luo''s expression and felt a surge of secret joy, promptly speaking again. ¡°You can send me out?¡± Shen Luo suddenly looked up. ¡°This sovereign has been trying to refine the prohibitions of the Immortal Residence over the years. Although I have not been entirely successful, I have mastered a part of it. There''s definitely no problem sending Daoist friend away,¡± the Super Red Flame Beast guaranteed, patting its chest. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, and just as he was about to say something, the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array in the distance suddenly erupted with a burst of white light that spread rapidly, subsuming the entire great hall in the blink of an eye. Shen Luo and the Super Red Flame Beast were both enveloped in a vast expanse of white light, perceiving their surroundings transforming into bizarre and bewildering changes. Shen Luo''s vision swiftly became hazy, and he was about to sink into an endless domain of illusion. On the contrary, the Super Red Flame Beast was encircled by the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and the power of the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array somehow failed to penetrate it. Shen Luo bit down hard and quickly circulated the Suppressing God Technique within him, clarifying his mind in an instant. ¡°Even I am to be trapped, it seems that Fu Gong really harbors ill intentions!¡± A hint of coldness flashed in his eyes, and his figure flickered as he entered the interior of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, appearing beside the Super Red Flame Beast, where the force of the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array could no longer affect him. ¡°What''s going on? I suddenly can''t detect that Shen Luo anymore. What treasure is that scroll that can isolate the illusion power of the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array?¡± In the depths of the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array, Hua Shao murmured in a subtly changed expression. Around him, in the five Array Eyes, besides that Xiao San, the other four Array Eyes contained soulless puppets. In fact, Shen Luo''s guess was not wrong at all¨CFu Gong and Hua Shao indeed had been using Shen Luo and others to seize the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. Now that everything was going smoothly, with the Super Red Flame Beast confined by the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array, Shen Luo and the others were no longer of use. Qing Qing had already been restrained by his God''s Power, and now it was naturally Shen Luo''s turn. However, contrary to Hua Shao''s expectations, Shen Luo was unexpectedly difficult to deal with and possessed a magical treasure capable of countering the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array. ¡°Didn''t this sovereign speak the truth? Fu Gong has begun to make his move on you. Do you still intend to continue like this, Daoist friend?¡± the Super Red Flame Beast said. ¡°Alright, I can release you, but first, give me the Earth Core Fire Lotuses,¡± Shen Luo said in a deep voice, his eyes flickering slightly. ¡°Certainly, Daoist friend, catch.¡± Without any hesitation, the Super Red Flame Beast spat out a red jade ring, which landed in Shen Luo''s hands. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense entered the ring, and inside was a rather large storage space, densely packed with stalks of Earth Core Fire Lotus. Among them, more than a dozen lotuses emitted dazzling red light, indeed the Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses. Since the Super Red Flame Beast was forthright, he did not delay either. He immediately formed a hand seal to lift the Seal of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. The map shrank by dozens of times, turning into a scroll several meters in size, revolving and dancing around his body. ¡°Haha, Daoist friend is indeed decisive. I shall now send you out!¡± The Super Red Flame Beast broke free and the dark red seal above its head rippled, pushing away the white light of the surrounding Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the Super Red Flame Beast''s front paw stepped on a nearby golden pillar. Immediately, dazzling red light emerged on the pillar, enveloping Shen Luo''s body. Chapter 1399 Chapter 1399: Chapter 1395: Calculations Chapter 1399: Chapter 1395: Calculations Shen Luo only felt a blur before his eyes, and by the time he gathered his senses, he had already appeared in another dark-red main hall. The layout here looked virtually identical to the previous Golden Hall, except that the ground and walls were dark red, the materials of which were unknown. In the hall also stood twelve cylindrical stone pillars, dark red like the ground and walls, arranged in accordance with the celestial order, each similarly adorned with a red dragon relief on top. The only difference from the Golden Hall was that, in the center of the twelve crimson stone pillars, stood a half a hundred feet tall red Stone Stele, on which were carved complex Formation Patterns, with twelve interlocking Fire Dragon patterns at the central area. ¡°The Mansion town stone tablet?¡± Shen Luo immediately recalled the Doll stele he had seen in Puppet City, nearly identical to the one before him, which was the core of the entire Immortal Residence''s prohibition. There was a figure seated cross-legged on top of the stele, and it was none other than Fu Gong, with a faint purple furnace floating in front of him. The tripod stood on three legs and was adorned with three Ox Head-like fierce reliefs, exuding a hint of eeriness amidst its ancient appearance. As his hands rapidly formed seals, streams of purple flames shot out from the purple furnace and merged continuously into the stone tablet below, seemingly refining the prohibitions carved upon it. Nearly half of the prohibition runes had already been enveloped by the purple flames, flickering with bursts of purple luminescence. ¡°It''s you! How could you appear here?¡± The moment Shen Luo appeared, Fu Gong had also taken notice of him, his face showing surprise and a hint of murderous intent flashing deep in his eyes. Shen Luo looked around and saw that the place was sealed on all sides, with no sign of any exits, and he sighed inwardly. It seemed he had been fooled by that Super Red Flame Beast again. Being teleported here was likely a ploy to provoke a battle between himself and Fu Gong, such that the beast might profit from their conflict. ¡°I have no interest in your struggle with that Super Red Flame Beast, nor do I intend to meddle with this Immortal Residence. Seeing as you, Friend Fu, have already refined more than half of the Mansion town stone tablet and must have mastered quite a bit of its prohibitions, send me out, and I assure you I will not interfere. I''ll leave immediately¨Chow about that?¡± Shen Luo said to Fu Gong. ¡°Thinking you can leave this place? Prepare to die!¡± Fu Gong''s eyes flickered a few times, and then he suddenly shouted fiercely, pointing at the stone tablet he sat upon. Around the hall, the pillars flashed with red light, revealing numerous Flame Spirit Patterns, creating a Great Formation. As the Great Formation activated, the entire hall was suffused with a heart-stopping dark-red color, and the temperature soared madly. Countless deep red flames burst forth from the twelve stone pillars, spreading rapidly; the entire hall turned into a Heavenly Fire Purgatory in an instant, sending waves of scorching heat rolling out. The heat was so intense that ordinary monks would likely be turned into corpses instantly upon contact. However, in the face of such blistering temperatures, the ground and walls of the hall did not show the slightest sign of melting, the material of their making unknown. Even with Shen Luo''s cultivation level, he found it difficult to withstand the intense heat around him, and he quickly activated his Pure Yang Sword and Cold Jiao Pearl. A crimson and a blue light curtain enveloped his body, insulating him from the scorching heat. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fu Gong saw this and did not care, letting out a snort of disdain. If the Heaven Profound Fire Array only had this much power, it would not have been valued by Guang Chengzi and treasured in the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. His hands flew as he continued to form seals, and he began chanting archaic spells. The Sea of Flames around him burned more and more fiercely, and deep within it, rumbling sounds like thunder began to emerge. The flames on the twelve stone pillars turned pure white, and the temperature within the hall surged once again. The air in the hall seemed to be drained in an instant as a strong suction force exploded from the twelve fiery pillars, attempting to draw Shen Luo in and incinerate him to ash. Shen Luo''s face darkened, and he immediately focused his mana to stabilize his form. Then, with his arms emanating Wind Thunder Spirit Light, he transformed into a golden-blue phantom and lunged towards Fu Gong. The Pure Yang Sword made the first move, slashing towards Fu Gong with a Crimson Sword Light dozens of feet long blossoming from above, within which the illusion of the Vermilion Bird was faintly visible, instantly cleaved through the sea of flames ahead, sharp and unstoppable, daunting to both gods and ghosts. Fu Gong had not expected Shen Luo''s flying sword to be so formidable. A flash of yellow light passed overhead as the yellow seal he had used before appeared out of thin air. The seal was also inscribed with landscapes of mountains, rivers, flowers, and birds on its four sides, and its bottom was full of ancient patterns, appearing to be an imitation of that dark red giant print belonging to the Super Red Flame Beast. In an instant it expanded dozens of times its size, turning into the size of a small mountain, and smashed down viciously towards the Pure Yang Sword, the strong wind it brought up causing the space to buzz and tremble. Fu Gong''s right hand reached into the purple furnace at the same time. A wail came from within the furnace, and twelve beams of purple light shot out, striking the twelve stone pillars surrounding it. The white flames on the twelve stone pillars immediately intensified several times, and the fire dragon reliefs on top suddenly came to life. Each dragon spewed out a thick column of scorching white flame, intertwining into a giant net of fire hundreds of feet wide. This fiery net was one of the mysterious variations of the Heaven Profound Fire Array called the Profane Fire Heavenly Net, an overwhelming pressure burst from it, enveloping Shen Luo from above as if the entire sky had plummeted down. With a thunderous boom, the entire sea of flames shook violently, and a piercing scream erupted from within, which soon deepened and faded away completely. Fu Gong''s expression flickered with slight astonishment, seemingly unable to believe that Shen Luo had perished like this, and he pinched a spell gesture. As the Profane Fire Heavenly Net dispersed, the inside was empty; Shen Luo seemed to have been thoroughly turned to ash. He frowned but paid it no more heed, continuing to refine the Stone Stele beneath him with spell gestures. In a void near the Great Hall, a red silhouette stood, it was the Super Red Flame Beast, also with a deeply furrowed brow. He had transported Shen Luo here, and just as Shen Luo had guessed, intended for Shen Luo and Fu Gong to inflict mutual wounds on each other, after which he would reap the benefits. But he hadn''t expected such an outcome. ¡°Shen Luo was quite strong and had that mysterious Spatial Treasure to protect him. Could he have perished just like this?¡± The Super Red Flame Beast muttered to itself. Still, considering the strange might of the Heaven Profound Fire Array, it wasn''t entirely impossible. Fu Gong continued to refine the Mansion Town Stone Tablet, making the Super Red Flame Beast even more anxious. If Fu Gong managed to completely refine it, the Beast would have no chance to touch a sliver of the Immortal Residence. He gritted his teeth fiercely, spewing out a ball of red light from his mouth, the dark red small seal, which shot towards the lower frontier. A ripple in the void above Fu Gong''s head, and a dark red giant seal the size of a small mountain appeared out of nowhere, crashing down like a meteor. A monstrous force enveloped the area, dimming the sea of flames in the entire hall, and Fu Gong''s body became unbearably heavy, his limbs nearly immobile. ¡°Turn Sky Seal!¡± Fu Gong''s expression transformed drastically, and he promptly maneuvered the yellow seal to meet it. With a clangor, the formidable yellow seal shattered in response, but it also caused the dark red giant seal to pause briefly. Fu Gong caught a moment of respite and immediately plunged his hand into the purple furnace, activating the twelve stone pillars around him. The Red Dragon reliefs on top all stirred, spewing out streams of white flames that interwove to form a white Flame Protective Cover, colliding once again with the dark red giant seal. The Flame Protective Cover shattered on impact, and the dark red giant seal was also sent flying backward. Chapter 1400 Chapter 1400: Chapter 1396: The Fourth Person Chapter 1400: Chapter 1396: The Fourth Person ¡°Boom, Boom, Boom¡± The entire palace shook violently, and cracks appeared on the incredibly solid ground and walls, made of some unknown material. Fu Gong''s hands moved swiftly, forming seals to stabilize the trembling Heaven Profound Fire Array, while the swirling void atop the dark red big seal caused the Super Red Flame Beast to appear and land on the seal. A flash of light passed over the seal, and it immediately stopped moving. Fu Gong and the Super Red Flame Beast locked eyes, each revealing a deep-seated hatred. In a corner on the edge of the great hall, a very fine thread of silver light floated inconspicuously, and the flickering flames around it completely concealed this sliver of light. This silver light was none other than the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Shen Luo had surmised that the Super Red Flame Beast was hiding nearby, so, just now, when he clashed with the Heaven Profound Fire Array, he had feigned defeat but in reality had hidden inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, concealing himself in a corner of the great hall. Desiring the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, the Super Red Flame Beast certainly wouldn''t just watch Fu Gong refine the mansion town stone tablet¨CShen Luo was right about this. ¡°So that dark red big seal is the ancient treasured Turn Sky Seal, no wonder its power is so terrifying. Both of you, one with the Turn Sky Seal and the other commanding the Heaven Profound Fire Array, have a good fight,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself with a cold chuckle, taking out a jade bottle and swallowing a drop of white milky liquid. This white milky liquid was the Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow. Upon swallowing, it immediately transformed into incredibly pure Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, replenishing his mana in just a few breaths. Shen Luo nodded to himself in satisfaction and continued to spy outward. The Super Red Flame Beast and Fu Gong had resumed their fight. The Heaven Profound Fire Array lived up to its name as an ancient array, with incredibly profound offensive, defensive, binding, and illusory effects, which dazzled Shen Luo. However, the Turn Sky Seal was in no way inferior. This ancient treasured weapon wielded overwhelming power, and no matter how Fu Gong changed the Heaven Profound Fire Array, it could shatter it with a single strike. The two were at a stalemate, unable to determine a winner for the time being. Yet, with his keen insights, Shen Luo still noticed some secrets between the two. Although Fu Gong''s activation of the Heaven Profound Fire Array consumed his own mana, his cultivation level in array techniques was indeed profound, allowing him to operate the array to absorb the spirit of fire from Zhurong Basin with minimal mana expense. On the other hand, the Super Red Flame Beast was purely using its own mana to wield the Turn Sky Seal. Even though its cultivation level was much higher than Fu Gong''s, its mana was gradually failing to keep up. Continuing the fight, it was bound to lose more than win. Of course, if the Super Red Flame Beast could summon back its doppelganger trapped in the Six Harmonies Heavenly Gate Array, that would be a different matter. However, for today''s matter, Fu Gong had prepared so thoroughly, exploiting every external factor to the fullest, including Shen Luo, making it unlikely the other Super Red Flame Beast could break out of the formation. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, considering how he should act once the Super Red Flame Beast was defeated, when his gaze suddenly sharpened, looking at a certain red stone pillar behind Fu Gong. Just then, a shadow had flashed by and instantly disappeared. ¡°Aside from me, the Super Red Flame Beast, and Fu Gong, is there a fourth person here?¡± Shen Luo was shocked, hastily using his full power to operate the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, but still, he couldn''t find the shadow. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could it just be a trick of the eye before? Impossible! That shadow was so eerie; I can''t rest until I find it,¡± he gritted his teeth fiercely, channeling the Demonic Qi within his body into his eyes to invoke the Heavenly Demon Eye divine ability. He had already cultivated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to its peak. Although this Spirit Eye Divine Ability was somewhat mysterious, compared to the Heavenly Demon Eye, they were not even on the same level. The Heavenly Demon Eye was an unparalleled divine ability within Chiyou''s Martial Secrets. When perfected, it could see into the Nine Netherworld, far surpassing the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. However, cultivating this demon eye divine ability was also incredibly difficult, needing to nurture one''s eyes with pure and incomparable Demonic Qi, coupled with a variety of Demonic Path spiritual materials, and years of painstaking cultivation before it could gradually be perfected. Shen Luo at the moment wasn''t trying to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Eye, but rather he was enhancing the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld with its power to look for the shadow''s traces. The greatest effect of the Heavenly Demon Eye''s divine ability was its penetrating vision, which was perfectly suited for the current situation. The green light in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by strands of black gleam, which greatly enhanced his vision. After searching for a moment, he indeed found the traces of the shadow, which was hiding inside another dark red stone pillar not far away. The shadow''s eyes emitted faint blood light, seemingly with some unique power, as it closely watched the back of Fu Gong. ¡°It''s him! How did he also come here; could it be that he has other motives?¡± Shen Luo recognized the identity of the shadow and murmured to himself, choosing not to reveal the presence of the shadow. Fu Gong and the Super Red Flame Beast were still fighting fiercely. With the geographical advantage, Fu Gong now had completely gained the upper hand. The Super Red Flame Beast was nearing the end of its spiritual power, the Turn Sky Seal had shrunk to the size of only a few meters, and was already changing from offense to defense, barely holding back the attacks of the Heaven Profound Fire Array and being forced to keep retreating. ¡°Haha! Super Red Flame Beast, back when you relied on having a higher level of cultivation and took advantage of my injury to drive me out of the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, did you ever imagine this day would come!¡± Fu Gong laughed heartily. The Super Red Flame Beast didn''t utter a word and struggled to use the Turn Sky Seal to block Fu Gong''s attacks. ¡°The Turn Sky Seal is a treasured object refined by Guang Chengzi. You don''t understand the Jade Pure Immortal Law and are forcibly refining the large seal''s restriction with your own flame spiritual power. How much of this treasure''s power can you possibly unleash? Go to hell!¡± Fu Gong sneered repeatedly, his hands waving continuously, his expression faintly showing a sense of hysteria. The white flames gathering from the twelve stone pillars by his side converged into a giant fire spear as large as a tree, which thrust violently, shattering the Turn Sky Seal and stabbing fiercely into the chest of the Super Red Flame Beast. The Super Red Flame Beast let out a dreadful scream, its body''s red light surged as it tried to dematerialize to dodge, but the giant fire spear emitted an eerie suction, preventing it from dematerializing. Filled with shock, the Super Red Flame Beast immediately concentrated its fire spirit power to try and blow up the fire spear, indifferent to its own severe injuries. But Fu Gong acted a step faster, and a white fire python shot out from one of the stone pillars, swiftly winding around the Super Red Flame Beast several times. Then with a light point of his finger, a white lotus as large as a house bloomed upon the trapped beast. The huge lotus petals enveloped the beast, preventing it from moving at all, as it was confined there. Fu Gong''s face showed a triumphant color, but it was also a bit pale, indicating a severe depletion of his mana. However, he paid no attention to this. After confining the Super Red Flame Beast, he immediately glided over to the Turn Sky Seal and gathered it up with a flick of his sleeve. ¡°The Turn Sky Seal! A magical treasure of Guang Chengzi, has finally landed in my hands!¡± Fu Gong held the large seal, laughing maniacally, his eyes showing a glint of Red Threads. But at that moment, a fluctuation in the void next to him sent a lightning-like golden Sword Shadow shooting out, slicing towards Fu Gong''s neck with the swiftness of thunder. Within the Sword Shadow, one could faintly make out a Golden Broken Sword, its blade flashing cold and seemingly razor-sharp. Wherever it passed, the void was sliced into an extremely fine black line. Chapter 1401 Chapter 1401: Chapter 1397 Fire Child Chapter 1401: Chapter 1397 Fire Child Although Fu Gong was caught in a moment of overwhelming joy, he was, after all, a master in the late True Immortal stage and immediately reacted. He darted to the side while at the same time, he opened his mouth to emit a golden light. It was a small sword radiating golden light that circled around his head. With a clang, the golden small sword actually blocked the golden Sword Shadow. Fu Gong breathed a sigh of relief and reached into his chest, seemingly about to retrieve some treasure. However, fluctuations from the Void began again on the other side of his head. A red shadow, incomparably swift, streaked past Fu Gong''s neck, much faster than the golden Sword Shadow. A chill ran down Fu Gong''s neck, and his arm stiffened in place. The next moment, his head tilted and rolled off, and with it, the Turn Sky Seal in his hand, the purple furnace floating beside him, and the golden small sword all lost support from his power and fell. A black shadow shot out from a nearby stone pillar, rapidly coiling towards the Turn Sky Seal, the purple furnace, and the like. However, a mix of golden and red Sword Lights was faster, snatching the three items before the black shadow. In the Void, a silhouette of silver light flashed, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared out of nowhere. His left hand swept up the Turn Sky Seal, the purple furnace, and the golden small sword, while his right hand pointed at the red shadow. The Pure Yang Sword Light within the red shadow burst forth, transforming into an immensely hot, enormous Flying Sword. Rolling Vermilion Bird True Fire and Red Lotus Karmic Fire intertwined, following his pointing hand, transformed into a hundred-feet-long Sword Light, and in a flash, stabbed into the White Fire Lotus that restrained the Super Red Flame Beast. With no one controlling the Heaven Profound Fire Array, the White Fire Lotus shattered in response, and the Pure Yang Sword pierced through the body of the Super Red Flame Beast. The light vanished from the eyes of the Super Red Flame Beast and its vacant eyes stared at Shen Luo. Its body then exploded with a bang, dispersing into a skyful of flames, leaving behind only a fist-sized fiery red pearl, which was the Fire Core. The Pure Yang Sword retracted its immense power, coiled around the Fire Core, and flew back, entering Shen Luo''s sleeve, and he also conveniently collected Fu Gong''s body. ¡°Dragon Friend has been hidden there long enough. Now that the ones who should be dead are all dead, isn''t it time for Your Excellency to show yourself?¡± Shen Luo then turned to look at a nearby fire pillar and slowly spoke. He had previously discerned the identity of the black shadow¨Cit was none other than Dragon Tooth. This person had been confined by the Red Threads Cocoon within the Golden Hall, yet here he was, completely unexpected by Shen Luo. Nevertheless, Dragon Tooth held many secrets. He could die and come back to life, so it was not surprising that he found a way to this place. With Fu Gong dead, the huge Heaven Profound Fire Array went uncontrolled, all flames rapidly extinguished, and the great hall returned to its original state. The twelve pillars with white flames also vanished entirely, merely standing there. The dark red stone pillar was silent, with no response whatsoever. Shen Luo sneered and, without doing anything further, the Pure Yang Sword beside him shot out with a mountain-splitting force and chopped down on the dark red stone pillar. Without the reinforcement of the Heaven Profound Fire Array, the dark red stone pillar was not particularly sturdy and was loudly split by the Pure Yang Sword. A black shadow shot out from the pillar, lunging directly at Shen Luo, with a dense malicious aura coming to the fore. Shen Luo frowned, the Slayer''s Broken Sword dancing beside him radiated brilliant golden light, merging with his body, transforming into a fierce golden light, and vanished into thin air. The next instant, a fierce golden light appeared out of nowhere next to the lunging black shadow and slashed at the neck of the shadow. A humming sword cry now belatedly followed, with the Sword Light being several times faster than the sound. The shadow was horribly shocked and it was already too late to dodge; with a ¡°putt,¡± its neck was severed, and blood splattered. Golden light flashed; Shen Luo and Slayer''s Broken Sword separated, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. This technique, the Pure Yang Instant Kill Sword, he understood it more deeply now and was able to coordinate with other Flying Swords, increasing its power significantly compared to before. He turned around and looked at the shadow on the ground. The shadow''s breath had vanished, its divine soul in his mind eradicated by the fierce sword qi of the Slayer''s Broken Sword, and the dark qi on its body quickly dissipated, revealing its true appearance. Shen Luo was stunned; the person lying on the ground wasn''t Dragon Tooth, but a Mirage Demon. ¡°Mirage Demon! How could it be here?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows. He had known that the Mirage Demon was in the Zhurong Basin, but it had ceased to be a threat to him, and since he was searching for the Earth Core Fire Lotus, he had ignored it. Unexpectedly, this demon had appeared here. ¡°Daoist friend, be careful! This is the unique technique of the Bewildering Heart Demon, the Heart Demon Puppet; it can serve as a decoy. The enemy is still alive!¡± At that moment, a delicate voice reached his ears through the Map of Mountains and Rivers, coming from within the purple furnace. Shen Luo''s face showed surprise; his Divine Sense entered the purple furnace, and inside emerged a purple fireman resembling a young child, without a mouth, only a pair of large purple eyes and a garlic-shaped nose, quite eerie. His expression of surprise intensified; he immediately activated the power of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, encasing the purple furnace to prevent the Fire Child from causing trouble. At the same time, golden light flashed above Shen Luo''s head, and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet appeared, its ten thousand rays of golden light cascading downwards; the Bloodthirsty Flag also appeared, transforming into a dozen feet long immense flag, swiftly swirling around his body. Whether the words of the furnace''s Fire Child were true or false, it was always wise to be cautious. Just after shielding himself, the two severed halves of the Mirage Demon on the ground suddenly exploded, turning into copious dense white mist, engulfing his figure. The white mist was filled with potent illusions, inexplicably making his body heat up, and myriad illusions emerged before his eyes, bizarre and fantastical like a kaleidoscope. Moreover, this white mist was very solid, seeming to form an extremely tough array. Shen Luo''s expression darkened; he hastily circulated the Suppressing God Technique to suppress the illusions before his eyes, but it proved ineffective. ¡°The Mirage Demon is dead, yet the mirage emanating from its corpse holds such strong illusion power!¡± he couldn''t help but be shocked. ¡°This white mist contains not only the illusion power of the Mirage Demon but also the divine power of the Heart Demon Method; your Heart Demon has been stirred. Suppress it quickly, break the surrounding illusions! I can feel that someone is refining the Mansion town stone tablet, and they are doing it very fast!¡± the Fire Child inside the purple furnace said again, its voice very anxious. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, waved his sleeve, and the Map of Mountains and Rivers shot out from his sleeve, instantly enlarging by a hundred times. The scroll flashed with white light, emitting a tremendous suction force with a ¡°boom,¡± pulling in the surrounding dense white mist toward the map; the mist thinned considerably in an instant. At the same time, golden light flickered in Shen Luo''s hand, and the Profound Yellow Staff also appeared in his grasp, unleashing the Splashy Chaotic Stick. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless staff shadows struck out in all directions, effortlessly breaking through the surrounding whit mist array, quickly restoring his field of vision to normal. As soon as Shen Luo emerged, he immediately looked towards the Mansion town stone tablet, just as the voice from the purple furnace had described, a black figure was currently standing there, resembling exactly the shadow that had just flown out from the stone pillar. This person emitted a vast amount of dark qi, which was exceptionally pure Demonic Qi, swarming and infusing the Mansion town stone tablet, rapidly refining its prohibitions; in such a short time, a third of it had already been refined. Chapter 1402 Chapter 1402: Chapter 1398: Heart Demon Puppet Chapter 1402: Chapter 1398: Heart Demon Puppet The dark silhouette was evidently shocked to see Shen Luo free himself so quickly, as the surrounding black qi surged as if startled. Shen Luo snorted coldly, the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand emitting a brilliant golden light as it rapidly enlarged, instantly transforming into a golden giant stick. ¡°Go!¡± With a forceful thrust of his arm, Shen Luo hurled the golden giant stick towards the dark silhouette. While it was still a dozen or so yards away, a towering force morphed into a wicked gale, bearing down upon its target. The dark silhouette''s body writhed with violent black Qi as if being scattered by the gale. It let out a low shout, and the Formation Patterns of the refined Mansion town stone tablet immediately lit up. The twelve Stone Pillars around them flared up with intense firelight once more, and the carvings of twelve Red Dragons revived, spewing out twelve Giant Fire Pillars to counter the might of the Profound Yellow Staff. Though the Profound Yellow Staff was powerful, it couldn''t compare with the Turn Sky Seal. With a series of loud bangs, it was promptly halted by the twelve columns of fire. The dark silhouette rejoiced, trapping the Profound Yellow Staff with the twelve fire columns while fully activating the Heaven Profound Fire Array, summoning countless white fierce flames that surged upward, forming a torrential wave of fire rushing toward Shen Luo. But at that very moment, the void behind the dark silhouette began to fluctuate. A yellow Corpse with golden wings materialized out of nowhere, its two cold-gleaming yellow palms transforming into two afterimages as they lunged towards the dark silhouette. Terrified, the dark silhouette hastily dodged to the side. A vicious light flickered in its eyes as it spat out a blood-stained black Flying Knife, slashing lightning-fast towards the yellow figure behind him with both speed and urgency. However, with a flash of golden light from the wings on its back, the yellow Corpse vanished into thin air, evading the strike of the blood-stained Flying Knife. The next moment, it reappeared instantly before the dark silhouette. The Corpse''s fingertips suddenly grew incredibly sharp, sprouting several inches long yellow nails, and just like before, it swiftly reached for the dark silhouette''s chest with lightning speed. Startled, the dark silhouette halted abruptly. A tumultuous black Demonic Qi burst forth from its body, intertwined with a layer of pitch-black Demonic Flames, exuding a chilling, eerie aura as it converged to meet the yellow Corpse. ¡°These Demonic Flames are the Nine Yin Demon Flame, capable of corroding all spiritual power. It''s best if your corpse doesn''t try to dodge; let''s see if you don''t get burned into pus,¡± the dark silhouette thought viciously. Yet, contrary to expectations, the yellow Corpse didn''t make any attempt to dodge, its palms puffing up with a layer of ash-white flames as it continued to thrust into the black Demonic Qi, piercing through several layers as if they were nothing, embedding into the dark silhouette''s chest. The pitch-black Demonic Flames, upon contact with the ash-white flames, were unexpectedly absorbed into them, not inflicting the slightest harm on the Corpse. The dark silhouette watched in horror as the hands pierced its body, its eyes filled with an incredulous look. The ash-white flames on the Corpse''s hands flared up immediately, rapidly engulfing the dark silhouette''s body. In the blink of an eye, a living being was reduced to ashes, completely vanishing from this world, leaving behind only the blood-stained Flying Knife that fell to the ground. With the death of the dark silhouette, the Heaven Profound Fire Array was once again without a controller, and the flames in the great hall quickly extinguished. Shen Luo''s face revealed a trace of a smile. The yellow corpse was none other than the Sky Fiend Corpse King. When he had first emerged from the Map of Mountains and Rivers, he had, just in case, quietly released the Sky Fiend Corpse King as well, ordering it to hide nearby, and indeed it had played a role. The corpse fire of the Sky Fiend Corpse King indeed burned everything, demonic Qi was no exception. ¡°Heaven Fiend Corpse Fire! And the Ghost Tattoo! Who could have imagined Your Excellency had mastered so many profound arts and even used them to refine a Taiyi Puppet? I am impressed! With this Taiyi Puppet to assist you, Daoist friend, you would be able to fully refine the Mansion Town Stone Tablet and truly take control of this Guangcheng Immortal Mansion!¡± exclaimed the Purple Fire Boy, his face registering shock. ¡°Who are you? And why are you in this furnace?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked in a deep voice. This Purple Fire Boy had identified so many things about the Sky Fiend Corpse King at a glance, his insight was truly extraordinary. ¡°My name is Fire Spirit Child, nothing but a remnant soul from ancient times, refined into this Netherworld Furnace by that scoundrel Guang Chengzi, turned into the spirit of this furnace. Daoist friend need not be wary of me; I now have no other desires but to observe the myriad states of this world in my remaining years. Now that the Netherworld Furnace has fallen into your hands, we share both glory and loss, and I will not interfere with you. If Daoist friend is still not reassured, you may refine this Netherworld Furnace,¡± the Purple Fire Boy said anxiously. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, but he did not follow Fire Spirit Child''s advice to refine the Netherworld Furnace. Instead, he continued to seal it within the Map of Mountains and Rivers. He immediately flickered into place where the dark silhouette had turned to ash and reached out to grab the blood-stained flying dagger. This was a Demonic Artifact, crystal clear as ink, its blade emanating a chilling, penetrating gleam that appeared exceptionally sharp. It contained fifty-two layers of prohibitions, and a wave of demonic Qi mixed with the power of blood emanated from within, no less potent than the other Demonic Treasures he held. ¡°What a powerful Demonic Artifact, and that dark silhouette, with its rich demonic Qi, must have been a member of the Demon Clan. I fear even the Dragon Tooth may not have been its true form,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. ¡°Fire Spirit Child, the spell cast by that dark silhouette just now, this Heart Demon Method of the Bewildering Heart Demon, who is this deity? I have never heard this name before,¡± he pondered for a moment, then used a transmission to communicate with the Fire Spirit Child in the Netherworld Furnace. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Bewildering Heart Demon was a great general under Demon Emperor Chi You during the Zhulu War, skilled in manipulating Heart Demons and has already cultivated a Heart Demon body, formless and intangible, extremely difficult to deal with. Alongside the Tianmei Demon Woman, War God Xingtian, and Star God Kuafu, he is known as one of the Four Great Demon Generals, the most formidable under Chi You,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Four Great Demon Generals? I only knew Chi You had Twelve Demon Venerates; when did these Four Great Demon Generals appear?¡± Shen Luo showed a look of surprise. ¡°The Four Great Demon Generals had all perished during the Great Battle of Zhulu, which is why you do not know of them,¡± Fire Spirit Child replied with a proud look, glancing at Shen Luo with slight disdain, but then quickly restrained himself, recalling his own circumstances. ¡°I see, it''s good that they have perished,¡± Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and did not take offense at Fire Spirit Child''s slight rudeness. ¡°Although the Bewildering Heart Demon has perished, the skills and powers remained. That person just now must have inherited the mantle of the Bewildering Heart Demon. Daoist friend, if you encounter this demon again in the future, you must be extremely careful,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°In the future? Are you saying that person is still alive?¡± Shen Luo''s face grew somber. ¡°Definitely. Practitioners of the Heart Demon Method can induce others'' Heart Demons, ultimately turning them into mindless Heart Demon Puppets. Practitioners can also possess these Heart Demon Puppets, letting the puppets exhibit their full strength. In times of danger, they can leave and transfer to other nearby puppets, making them exceedingly hard to kill,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Transfer to other Heart Demon Puppets? Qing Qing!¡± Shen Luo''s expression changed drastically. ¡°Qing Qing? Are you talking about the woman in green above? I can feel that she has already left this place and is surging with demonic Qi. It seems she is indeed a Heart Demon Puppet¡­ Oh no, not good! Daoist friend, you must leave this place immediately!¡± Fire Spirit Child''s expression suddenly changed, and he urgently yelled. Chapter 1403 Chapter 1403: Chapter 1399: East Sea Dragon King Chapter 1403: Chapter 1399: East Sea Dragon King ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow and asked. No sooner had he spoken than he turned his gaze towards the Mansion town stone tablet ahead, his eyes slightly widened. The Stone Stele shook suddenly, emitting thousands of black lights like thunder and lightning, carrying an aura of total destruction, flashing rapidly, and growing more and more intense. ¡°This is the Demon Clan''s Great Destruction Technique! It was left by the Heart Demon Puppet who refined the Mansion town stone tablet just now, using Demonic Qi within the core prohibition of the stone. The Stele can no longer be preserved, and the entire Guangcheng Immortal Mansion will soon collapse as well, Daoist friend, quickly use this method to escape from here!¡± Fire Spirit Child transmitted a thought into Shen Luo''s mind, related to the prohibition layout and spatial map of the entire Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, with a white line shuttling through it, leading to the outside. Shen Luo hesitated in his heart; it wasn''t that he was reluctant to leave Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, but after being exploited by Fu Gong and the Super Red Flame Beast, he had become wary, and it was not clear whether this Fire Spirit Child was trustworthy. Just then, a series of ¡°crack¡± sounds came from ahead. He hurriedly looked up, only to see the black lights on the Mansion town stone tablet had become several times more dense than before, and cracks started to appear on the surface of the stone, signalling it would completely collapse very soon. Shen Luo knew he could not hesitate any longer. He leapt into the air and flew, following the direction indicated by Fire Spirit Child towards the outside. At the same time, he activated the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, Bloodthirsty Flag, and Map of Mountains and Rivers among other treasures to protect his body, wary of potential dangers. Fortunately, along the way, everything went smoothly, and he quickly left Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. Just as he was about to reach the outside, a loud noise came from behind him, and a surge of black light waves swept over with tremendous speed. Wherever the black light passed, the space within the Immortal Residence shattered like a mirror, and the many palace grounds also disintegrated, turning into the tiniest particles of vitality. Shen Luo''s heart chilled, he quickly accelerated his pace, the Gold Green Light on his arms flared madly, and he used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Divine Skill to flash and escape to the Ring Mountain Range outside. Almost at the same moment, three figures also shot out from inside; they were another Super Red Flame Beast, Hua Zhao, and Xiao San. The moment the three had just escaped, the entire Guangcheng Immortal Mansion collapsed with a ¡°boom,¡± a Black Sun appeared out of nowhere, and the nearby Void buzzed, revealing cracks as if the Void was about to be completely torn apart. The next moment, the Black Sun exploded, and after a heaven-shocking loud noise, countless black light threads burst out, enveloping an area of dozens of miles. Shen Luo and others sensed the danger of the black light threads and hurriedly flew backward, no longer caring about the Earth Core Fire Lotuses in the nearby magma. At this moment, the Magma Lake was gathered with quite a few Red Flame Beasts. These fiery beasts had opened their Spiritual Wisdom and also felt the severity of the light threads, so they stopped attacking Shen Luo and others, hurrying to fly away and escape. But just at that moment, a rumbling sound came from the surrounding Void, and waves of blue Sea water appeared out of nowhere, instantly enveloping the Black Sun along with the exploding light threads, with points of Blue Light rippling in the water, producing astonishing waves of water. The exploding black light threads that hit the surrounding blue Sea water immediately vanished like a clay ox entering the sea. Seeing this, Shen Luo showed a surprised look on his face and stopped in his tracks. Gold Light flashed next to the blue Sea water, and a golden figure appeared out of thin air, an elderly man in a golden robe with gold dragon horns on his head and wearing a Yellow Robe of dragon scales. Despite his age, he still radiated an imposing aura. However, the man looked somewhat unwell, as if he was ill. ¡°Is that him! What''s he doing here?¡± Shen Luo saw the old man and his eyelids twitched. He had seen this elderly man in a golden robe in the Dream World before; it was the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang. Ao Guang''s eyes immediately found the Earth Core Fire Lotuses the moment he appeared, showing a color of surprise, and his gaze swept through the flowers rapidly, as if searching for something. Soon, his expression twisted into an ugly frown. ¡°Damn it, none to be found!¡± Ao Guang cursed in a low voice, then as if remembering something, his eyes abruptly turned toward Shen Luo and the others in the distance while sweeping his sleeve. A sweep of golden light rolled out from his sleeve, enveloping the Earth Core Fire Lotuses and instantaneously snatching them all away. Just as Ao Guang finished doing this, the black sun within the blue sea water expanded and contracted before utterly exploding, emitting a thunderous boom at its center. Visible black air waves went berserk in every direction, tearing the blue sea water apart, forming a wild and violent hurricane in an instant, mixed with Water Waves, sweeping everything within dozens of miles into its fury. Shen Luo and the others were caught off guard and also whisked away by the fierce wind. Hua Zhao, carried by the wind, flew backward, holding Xiao San in one arm, and with a wave of her other hand, a green glow bore them up, revealing it to be an Azure Flying Boat, with a pair of green wooden wings on both sides ¨C the very same Bi Hai Yun Boat previously used by Fu Gong. The Spiritual Light lit up on the Bi Hai Yun Boat, and the Wind Wings on both sides surged with blue light, instantly transforming into a long green rainbow that shot into the distance, disappearing into the faraway sky incredibly fast. Shen Luo had previously killed Fu Gong and originally intended to keep these two to resolve some doubts in his heart, but he was a step too late. ¡°The Great Wind Wings are indeed remarkable, able to double the speed of the flying boat,¡± he muttered but did not pursue them. Hua Zhao and Xiao San were merely Fu Gong''s assistants, and their crimes did not warrant death. More importantly, Ao Guang had appeared so suddenly. Shen Luo had intended to borrow the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl from him. Sadly, although he had been in the East Sea Dragon Palace for quite some time, he had never had the chance to meet Ao Guang face-to-face until this unexpected encounter. He was about to step forward and introduce himself. Suddenly, the ground below began to shake violently without warning, and the surrounding Ring Mountain Range did the same, violently trembling, an unspeakably hot breath suddenly burst from below, causing the temperature inside the mountains to skyrocket several times. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s expression changed, no longer caring to meet Ao Guang, he instantly transformed into a long crimson rainbow and flew away into the distance. Ao Guang also changed color abruptly and shot away as well. A huge roar erupted from the Underworld, as a volcano that had slumbered within the earth for countless years suddenly erupted. Everything nearby collapsed, and the sky above seemed as if it were ablaze. A gigantic pillar of fire shot from the ground, piercing straight into the heavens, breaking through the sea above and continuing its furious ascent into the sky. At this moment amidst the deep night, the originally pitch-black sky suddenly turned red, the clouds at Mid Air reflected like flaming fire, circulating around the giant pillar of fire, emitting terrifying wind thunder roar, a sight of Thousands of Atmosphere, immensely spectacular. A moment later, countless burning stones fell, creating a vast fire rain on the nearby sea surface, leaving nearby monks and members of the Demon Race stunned. The central Ring Mountain Range of the Zhurong Basin was also shaken by the giant fire pillar, and several places collapsed. From one of the collapsing mountain openings, two lights shot out, revealing two figures as they made their escape and landed in a safe place. They were Shen Luo and Ao Guang. Shen Luo was enveloped in a cold blue light, emitting a terrifying chill, causing ice to form wherever he passed by in the Void. With the Indigo Blue Sea''s cold air protecting his body, he seemed unharmed. Ao Guang, however, appeared somewhat disheveled, his skin reddened, his golden robe burnt full of holes and some areas even charred, emitting a scent of burnt flesh. As soon as the escape light stopped, Ao Guang''s face turned bright red, he began coughing violently, unable to maintain his protective Spiritual Light, and started to fall towards the ground below. Chapter 1404 Chapter 1404: Chapter 1400 Making Friends Chapter 1404: Chapter 1400 Making Friends ¡°Daoist friend of the Dragon Clan, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo, seeing this, hurriedly brushed his sleeve to emit a blue light, supporting Ao Guang, yet he did not approach, to avoid any misunderstanding. Ao Guang gave Shen Luo a slight nod and took out a blue elixir to swallow. The elixir was shrouded in swirling blue mist, and a layer of white cold qi condensed in the surrounding air. ¡°Such formidable cold qi, but it doesn''t seem like an elixir for healing injuries,¡± Shen Luo remarked, his eyebrows immediately raising at the sight. Once the elixir entered his stomach, Ao Guang sat down cross-legged, and a layer of crystalline blue light shone from his lower abdomen. It appeared to be the transformation of the elixir and then rapidly flowed throughout his body. A hint of blue glow appeared on the old man''s face, and his erratic breath began to stabilize. Shen Luo watched this and nodded slightly, but the next moment his expression suddenly changed. The blue light under Ao Guang was condensed by his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, with the cold qi of the Indigo Sea contained within. Suddenly, a strong suction force emerged from Ao Guang''s body, devouring the cold qi within the blue light rapidly, and Ao Guang''s breath stabilized much faster. Shen Luo''s face showed surprise, and then he accelerated the operation of the Indigo Sea technique. The cold qi within the blue light greatly increased and poured into Ao Guang''s body. Moments later, Ao Guang''s breath returned to normal, and he rose to his feet. ¡°Thank you, Daoist friend, for your assistance.¡± The old man stood up and gave Shen Luo a slight bow. ¡°It was just a lift of my hand. I and Prince Ao Hong of the East Sea Dragon Palace are friends,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, ¡°You must also be a member of the East Sea Dragon Clan, and I naturally had to help with such a small matter.¡± ¡°Oh, you are Hong''er''s friend? Could Your Excellency be Shen Luo?¡± Ao Guang inquired with light surprise. ¡°I am indeed Shen Luo, and might you be Lord Ao Guang, the master of the East Sea Dragon Palace?¡± Shen Luo asked with a hint of curiosity in his expression. ¡°There''s no need for such formalities as elder or junior; since you are a friend of Hong''er, you may call me Uncle if you do not mind,¡± Ao Guang said with a chuckle, seemingly holding Shen Luo in good regard. ¡°Yes, Uncle,¡± Shen Luo replied, eager to foster a closer relationship with Ao Guang, and gave a bow. ¡°Prince Ao Hong told me that you are a monk from the Great Tang. Why have you come to Zhurong Basin? What was that Black Sun just now?¡± Ao Guang asked. ¡°To report, Uncle, it''s a long story. Recently, I came here with a few friends to pick Earth Core Fire Lotuses¡­¡± Shen Luo recalled the image of Ao Guang harvesting Earth Core Fire Lotuses and, in a flash of thought, roughly recounted his experiences. However, he omitted some sensitive information, excluding the Turn Sky Seal, Netherworld Furnace, Fire Spirit Child, and other matters, presenting his entry into Guangcheng Immortal Mansion as accidental and claiming his escape was also due to luck, without mentioning the slaying of individuals like Fu Gong. ¡°So that Black Sun was caused by the explosion of the Immortal Residence! Guangcheng Immortal Mansion! Could it be related to Guang Chengzi?¡± Ao Guang, after hearing all this, was taken aback, murmuring to himself. ¡°I am not sure about that, perhaps,¡± Shen Luo feigned ignorance in response. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Never mind that. Friend Shen, since you arrived here earlier than I did, you must have collected some Earth Core Fire Lotuses, right? Among them, are there any with nine petals?¡± Ao Guang quickly changed the subject and asked, his eyes showing a trace of eagerness. ¡°A Fire Lotus with nine petals? Are you referring to the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus? I''ve been rather lucky and fortuitously obtained two within the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. Does Uncle need one? If so, I can give one to Uncle as a small token of respect from a junior,¡± said Shen Luo, taking out a Nine-Petal Fire Lotus and handing it over. Ao Guang''s expression immediately lit up with extreme delight upon seeing the Fire Lotus in Shen Luo''s hand. ¡°Indeed, it is the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus; I didn''t expect that it truly existed in the Zhurong Basin. He didn''t lie to me after all!¡± Ao Guang eagerly took the Fire Lotus, muttering to himself. Uncle, what are you saying?¡± asked Shen Luo, his gaze shifting. ¡°It''s nothing much. This Nine-Petal Fire Lotus is of great use to me, so I''ll brazenly accept it. This Nine-section Dragon Bone Coral is a special product of the Dragon Palace, containing the power of the True Dragon Bloodline. It''s highly useful for refining elixirs or crafting magical treasures, and I shall gift it to you,¡± Ao Guang quickly recovered and took out a blood-red coral radiating with pure blood light, passing it over. Uncle, what are you doing? Lord Ao Hong and I are good friends; if you are an elder to me, how could I let you exchange things for a mere Earth Core Fire Lotus?¡± Shen Luo continuously waved his hand, speaking earnestly. He was actually quite tempted by the Dragon Bone Coral, but he was trying to build a closer relationship with Ao Guang. As appealing as the Dragon Bone Coral was, he could not accept it¨Cfor doing so would turn it into an exchange, which would then leave him no room for favors when borrowing the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl later. ¡°Since you say so, friend, I will shamelessly accept this Fire Lotus. Should you have no urgent matters, why not come to the East Sea Dragon Palace and stay for a few days, allowing Ao to extend his hospitality as a host?¡± Ao Guang was slightly surprised but didn''t insist, pocketing the Fire Lotus and Dragon Bone Coral with a smile. ¡°To be frank, my visit to the Eastern Sea this time was not just for the Earth Core Fire Lotus; mainly, it was to visit Brother Ao Hong, who is currently residing in the East Sea Dragon Palace,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Friend Shen is staying at the Dragon Palace? That''s wonderful. Right now, I am quite occupied with an important matter, but once it''s settled, I will seek you out for a detailed conversation,¡± responded Ao Guang with a nod, glancing toward the side. A few streams of escape light shot from there and quickly approached. It was a squadron of Dragon Palace guards, led by a True Immortal Yaksha. ¡°Dragon King, you were here all this time. What just happened in the mountain range? Suddenly, there was a sky-filled blaze, but it''s good to see you unharmed,¡± the True Immortal Yaksha, noticing that Ao Guang was safe, sighed in relief while casting a wary gaze at Shen Luo, who stood nearby. The other guards also immediately landed beside Ao Guang, forming a protective perimeter around him, on alert against Shen Luo. ¡°Blue Water Yaksha, be not rude. This is Daoist friend Shen Luo, a monk from Great Tang and a divine friend of mine who has just saved me from peril. Cease your presumptuous behavior!¡± Ao Guang huffed. ¡°So, it''s Daoist friend Shen Luo. My apologies for the discourtesy,¡± said the Blue Water Yaksha upon hearing this, hastily paying respects in apology. Shen Luo naturally didn''t mind these things and returned the bow. Ao Guang seemed to truly be caught up in urgent matters, promptly making his farewells before departing with the Blue Water Yaksha and the others. Shen Luo silently watched them leave, wordless. ¡°Hey, Brother Shen, you''ve finally come out!¡± Just then, a black escape light flew in from afar¨Cit was the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Brother Black, you''re unharmed too; that''s great,¡± sighed Shen Luo in relief upon seeing the Black Bear Demon unscathed. ¡°What exactly happened in the mountain range? Why are you here alone? Where are Fu Gong and the rest?¡± The Black Bear Demon looked around before inquiring. Unlike Ao Guang, Shen Luo summarized the recent events to the Black Bear Demon, omitting the Turn Sky Seal, Netherworld Furnace, and Fire Spirit Child. ¡°To think Fu Gong would do such a thing, and that there was Demon Clan involvement¨Cit appears the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion is no trivial matter,¡± the Black Bear Demon listened, inwardly startled and a flicker of awe crossed his eyes as he considered Shen Luo. Had he been in Shen Luo''s place, he might well have perished within the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. Chapter 1405 Chapter 1405: Chapter 1401 Artifacts Refining Master Chapter 1405: Chapter 1401 Artifacts Refining Master ¡°Let''s not worry about him, fortunately, I have already obtained enough Earth Core Fire Lotus. However, Fu Gong has fallen, so we need to find someone else to perform the alchemy,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning slightly as he took out the storage bracelet that the Super Red Flame Beast had given him. ¡°On Mount Putuo, we have several alchemy masters capable of refining this elixir. The tricky part is they might not have the formula for the Fire Lotus Pill,¡± the Black Bear Demon said hesitantly. ¡°The formula?¡± Shen Luo pondered briefly, then his Divine Sense immediately plunged into the Map of Mountains and Rivers, swept over Fu Gong''s corpse, and entered a white jade belt-like storage magical tool at his waist. The space inside the jade belt was not small; it contained many precious spirit materials, as well as some magical treasures, elixirs, jade slips, and books. Shen Luo disregarded the other items, focusing his attention on the jade slips and books. ¡°Friend Shen, are you looking for the formula for the Fire Lotus Pill? No need to search anymore; I was the one who told Fu Gong the formula. It''s not in those jade slips and books,¡± the voice of the Fire Spirit Child came from the Netherworld Furnace. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, you know the formula?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered but did not stop his search of the jade slips and books. There were not many jade slips and books in the storage space, and he quickly finished checking them; indeed, there was no formula for the Fire Lotus Pill. ¡°It seems that Friend Shen still does not trust me. But that''s understandable, who would trust an obscure and enigmatic tool spirit?¡± The Fire Spirit Child sighed softly, a hint of bitterness in his tone. ¡°Since you''re aware of the formula for the Fire Lotus Pill, could you perhaps make a copy for me? If a reward is needed, Your Excellency may name it,¡± Shen Luo finally spoke up after a moment of silence. ¡°Ha ha, Friend, your words are unjust. It''s merely a formula, trivial for me. If it increases your trust in me just a little, that''s enough. Here, take it,¡± the Fire Spirit Child laughed heartily, and a thought transferred into Shen Luo''s mind. Shen Luo thanked the Fire Spirit Child, took out an empty jade slip, and recorded the Fire Lotus Pill formula on it. He wasn''t worried about being deceived by the Fire Spirit Child; after all, the truth of its authenticity would be known when checked by one of the alchemy masters on Mount Putuo at that time. ¡°Here is the formula, and I''ll entrust Brother Black with the task of refining the pill,¡± Shen Luo handed the jade slip to the Black Bear Demon, taking out most of the Nine-Petal Fire Lotuses from the storage bracelet and leaving only two inside. ¡°Don''t worry, Friend Shen, leave it to me,¡± the Black Bear Demon took the jade slip and storage bracelet, thumping his chest in assurance. The two did not linger there any longer and transformed into black and red escape lights, shooting towards the distance. Half a day later, Shen Luo returned to the East Sea Dragon Palace. The Black Bear Demon did not come back with him; after leaving the Zhurong Basin, he went straight back to Mount Putuo. Shen Luo returned to his temporary cave mansion and immediately plunged into the secret chamber. The internal injuries he had suffered from the Turn Sky Seal had not yet healed; they had just been forcibly suppressed. Now that he was in a safe place, he immediately began healing. After one day and one night, Shen Luo opened his eyes, his expression lively and alert; his injuries were clearly completely healed. He formed magic spells with his hands, adding two more layers of prohibition inside the secret chamber. Then, with a flip of his hand, several items appeared in front of him, including the Turn Sky Seal, the Netherworld Furnace, and a golden small sword, all treasures collected from the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. Shen Luo first picked up the Turn Sky Seal and activated his Divine Sense to infiltrate it but was immediately repelled by a resilient force. ¡°No wonder it''s a treasured artifact from ancient times; not to mention stimulating it, one can''t even probe it,¡± he thought to himself, not surprised. After all, the Super Red Flame Beast was also able to manipulate this treasure only because it had barely refined some of the prohibitions within the Turn Sky Seal with its purely incomparable fire spirit power. Inside the Netherworld Furnace, Fire Spirit Child saw Shen Luo pick up the Turn Sky Seal and a smile flickered across his lips. To refine the Turn Sky Seal, one must use the Jade Purity Refining Treasure Secret Art from the Teachings, and he, being an artifact spirit refined by Guang Chengzi, knew deeply about the Daoist ways of Jade Purity and was just about to speak to continue gaining Shen Luo''s favor. Shen Luo''s hands formed magic spells swiftly as mysterious magic spells continuously entered the Turn Sky Seal, causing the large seal to suspend in mid-air while its surface shimmered with dark red crystal light. ¡°What kind of refining technique is this? It''s even more exquisite than the Jade Purity Refining Treasure Secret Art. Could it be the legendary Innate Treasure-refining Technique?¡± Fire Spirit Child''s eyes widened in shock, and then he fell silent in contemplation. Shen Luo sensed Fire Spirit Child''s astonishment but did not pay him any heed, continuing to focus on refining the Turn Sky Seal with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. The prohibitions within the Turn Sky Seal were vastly different from the current magical treasures'' prohibitions in the Cultivation World, much more complex, and extremely difficult to refine. Even with him exerting all his effort in employing the Innate Treasure-refining Technique, it might take several days to successfully refine a single layer of prohibition. Moreover, the prohibitions within the Turn Sky Seal had a unique characteristic ¡ª they were very independent and impenetrable, preventing one from determining the exact number of layers; one could only refine and sense each layer one by one. After refining for a while longer and still unable to hasten the process, Shen Luo decisively stopped, planning to slowly continue refining when time allowed. He then stored away the Turn Sky Seal and picked up the golden small sword. Upon probing with his Divine Sense, an immensely strong and sharp metal spiritual energy transmitted from the sword, almost severing his Divine Sense. ¡°What powerful metal-attributed spiritual material, what is this made from?¡± Shen Luo inwardly marveled. ¡°This sword is refined from Glowing Gold Stone and contains quite a bit of Nine Heavens Gold Essence, naturally making it extremely sharp. It''s a pity that the person who made this sword had such clumsy technique that they failed to bring out the effects of the Nine Heavens Gold Essence, allowing the metal energy to leak so noticeably,¡± said Fire Spirit Child suddenly, his voice filled with disdain for the refiner of the golden sword. ¡°Nine Heavens Gold Essence!¡± Shen Luo''s face revealed a surprised and pleased expression. ¡°That''s right, indeed it''s Nine Heavens Gold Essence, what''s the matter?¡± Fire Spirit Child was taken aback by Shen Luo''s reaction. Shen Luo couldn''t help but be thrilled; the two magical treasures he possessed, the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Profound Yellow Staff, both urgently needed Nine Heavens Gold Essence to be fully perfected. It was just unfortunate that Nine Heavens Gold Essence was incredibly rare, and even Tianji City with its resources couldn''t locate it, let alone him, a lone cultivator. To think he would find what he had long sought in such an unexpected place today. ¡°I have two magical treasures that need Nine Heavens Gold Essence to be perfected. From the way you spoke, Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend, do you understand the art of artifact refining?¡± Shen Luo did not dwell on the matter but quickly changed the topic. ¡°That is indeed the case; before I became an artifact spirit, I was an artifact refiner. I was not inferior to Guang Chengzi himself. If it weren''t for that, Guang Chengzi wouldn''t have turned me into an artifact spirit,¡± said Fire Spirit Child proudly. ¡°Unexpectedly, Your Excellency possesses such a skill; I''m impressed,¡± Shen Luo''s face revealed a look of astonishment. ¡°This Netherworld Furnace is a top-tier artifact furnace. These years, I have stayed here with nothing to do but delve deep into the Dao of artifact refining daily; my skills in artifact refining have significantly improved compared to before. If Brother Shen needs any artifact-related tasks done in the future, just leave them to me,¡± Fire Spirit Child volunteered on his own accord. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt secretly delighted inside. He had been in need of someone proficient in artifact refining by his side; if Fire Spirit Child was genuinely willing to serve him, many things would become much easier. ¡°Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend, do you truly wish to help me?¡± he paused for a moment, then straightened up solemnly. Chapter 1406 Chapter 1406: Chapter 1402: True Fire of the Demonic Path Chapter 1406: Chapter 1402: True Fire of the Demonic Path ¡°The Netherworld Furnace is now in your hands, Daoist friend, and if I wish to preserve my life, my only option is to submit.¡± Fire Spirit Child tried repeatedly to ingratiate himself with Shen Luo, who never responded, until now, when at last they began to discuss matters of allegiance, and Fire Spirit Child''s heart leapt with discreet joy, although his face assumed a helpless expression. ¡°Given Your Excellency''s status, experience, and abilities, to aid me, Shen Luo, would be most welcome; however, considering Your Excellency previously followed Fu Gong, whom I have slain, to accept you, Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend, we need to strengthen the trust between us. I trust you understand?¡± Shen Luo spoke thusly. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This¡­ What do you want to do?¡± Fire Spirit Child''s expression stiffened. ¡°I know of a contract prohibition technique which can be imprinted within one''s soul, governing one''s words and actions. As long as the contract is not violated, its power will have no effect on the individual,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, all you need is to refine this Netherworld Furnace and you will naturally have complete control over me; there''s no need for any contract prohibition.¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke with a frown. ¡°Refining the Netherworld Furnace, we can discuss that later; what we are discussing now is the matter of the contract prohibition. Daoist friend, you need only say whether you agree or not,¡± Shen Luo spoke with a smile, although the smile was somewhat cold. After muttering to himself a few times, Fire Spirit Child finally nodded dejectedly. ¡°Good, Daoist friend certainly understands reason,¡± Shen Luo laughed heartily and spat out a strand of essence blood, forming hand signs and casting a spell. The essence blood rapidly changed, transforming into a blood-red charm made up of countless tiny runes. Floating around the charm were several lines of small text, the content of the contract, which precluded any actions against Shen Luo that could bring harm and forbade disclosing any information about Shen Luo to anyone else. Fire Spirit Child scanned it and nodded. Seeing this, Shen Luo made a hand gesture and pointed, and the blood-red charm turned into light, flashing into Fire Spirit Child''s head in an instant. A layer of blood light emerged on Fire Spirit Child''s head, intertwined with twelve blood-red lightning bolts that flashed quickly three times before disappearing. ¡°Done.¡± Shen Luo''s expression relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face. The contract prohibition technique just cast was learned from the Sky Machine Scroll, known as the ¡°Blood Oath Sacrifice,¡± far more formidable than some contract techniques recorded in the Body Refining Secret Text. Even those at the True Immortal level could be controlled, let alone Fire Spirit Child, who is merely a Tool Spirit. Fire Spirit Child hung his head in despair. Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend, since you followed that Fu Gong, you must know quite a lot about this person; could you share with me?¡± Now secured by the Blood Oath Sacrifice, Shen Luo felt much more confident in Fire Spirit Child and inquired. ¡°I was originally always inside the Artifacts Refining Hall of the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, with no dealings with that Fu Gong. It was only over a hundred years ago when the Immortal Residence fell into the Zhurong Basin that Fu Gong lost in his struggle against the Super Red Flame Beast for control of the Immortal Residence, fleeing out and taking the Netherworld Furnace with him. From then on, I had dealings with Fu Gong,¡± Fire Spirit Child answered listlessly. ¡°I see, so Fu Gong has been scheming to reclaim the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion all these years?¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and continued to enquire. The Blood Oath Sacrifice came with a lie detection capability, and he could sense that Fire Spirit Child was not lying. ¡°Indeed. Fu Gong did have some skill, but alas, he was too dark and sinister, trusting only those whom he could control. He deserved his fate within the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion,¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke with considerable rancor toward Fu Gong, saying coldly with a sneer. ¡°Controlled by him? Are you saying that Hua Zhao and Xiao San were both controlled by his God''s Powers?¡± Shen Luo asked with a flicker in his gaze. ¡°Fu Gong was proficient in a Soul Commanding God''s Power, capable of controlling monsters and the Human Race, so you don''t have to worry about Hua Zhao and Xiao San seeking revenge on you. You killed Fu Gong; they should be thanking you, not the other way around.¡± The somber mood of Fire Spirit Child had almost dissipated as he said, his brows raising slightly. Shen Luo was indeed worried about this matter. Although the strength of Hua Zhao and Xiao San was not of much concern to him, one less trouble was always a good thing. ¡°Who owned the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion before it fell into the Zhurong Basin? And how did it end up there?¡± He thought for a while and then asked another question. Although bound by the blood oath sacrifice, Fire Spirit Child was after all an ancient Tool Spirit¨Cgod knows whether he possessed any special abilities, so it was better to understand more about him. ¡°One of Guang Chengzi''s disciples, named Wen Liang, had a cultivation level that reached the Late True Immortal Stage. He was quite decent, but unfortunately, his fate was too weak. During the great battle in the disaster of demons, he fought against a Demon Clan expert until both were seriously injured and eventually both perished within the Zhurong Basin, and the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion fell there as well.¡± A trace of reminiscence flashed through Fire Spirit Child''s eyes as he spoke. ¡°A disciple of Guang Chengzi? What about Guang Chengzi himself?¡± Shen Luo lifted his brow, pressing further. ¡°Who knows, Guang Chengzi passed on the Immortal Mansion to his disciple hundreds of years ago and has never been seen since. Maybe he''s dead somewhere.¡± Fire Spirit Child let out a cold laugh. Shen Luo felt that he had learned enough about the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion and didn''t continue to inquire further. ¡°You just mentioned that the Netherworld Furnace is an Artifacts Refining furnace? I sensed a trace of Demonic Qi inside, is it a Demonic Treasure?¡± Shen Luo looked towards the Netherworld Furnace and asked. ¡°Friend Shen is sensitive in perception. Indeed, this furnace contains Demonic Qi. However, it is not a Demonic Treasure; the reason it emits fluctuations of Demonic Qi is due to a mass of Demonic Burning Flame contained within it,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Demonic Burning Flame?¡± Shen Luo hadn''t heard this name before. ¡°It''s a type of True Fire of the Demonic Path, powerful enough to rival some of the top-level Earthfires,¡± Fire Spirit Child clarified. ¡°True Fire of the Demonic Path? Impossible, I have seen Fu Gong stimulate the flames of the furnace within the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion before, and it wasn''t Demon Fire,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Friend Shen, don''t be hasty, let me explain slowly. Guang Chengzi spent hundreds of years collecting nine different types of materials representing immortals, demons, witches, etc., then sought nine matching types of Spirit Fires to merge them all into one, creating this Artifacts Refining Furnace. That Guang Chengzi was a crazed disciple, obsessed with the art of Artifacts Refining, wanting to use this furnace to pursue the ultimate in the way of Refinement. As for the day Fu Gong was refining the Mansion town stone tablet of the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, he used Purple Heart Earthfire, which not only can refine artifacts but also possesses the ability to quickly reinforce prohibitions,¡± Fire Spirit Child rapidly explained. ¡°I see. The efforts of Elder Guang Chengzi in pursuit of the ultimate in Artifacts Refining are truly humbling for us later disciples,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Although Guang Chengzi himself may not have the best character, his devotion to the path of Artifacts Refining is indeed sincere,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with a light huff. ¡°Since you, Daoist Friend Fire Spirit Child, are skilled in the art of Refinement, could you help me extract the Nine Heavens Gold Essence from this small sword and fuse it into these two Magical Treasures?¡± Shen Luo took out the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Profound Yellow Staff and handed them over. ¡°The Thousand Fight Door''s Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, and this staff also has some mysteries, modeled after the Sea Suppressing Iron Rod of the East Sea Dragon Palace. It''s a pity, though, that the prohibitions within it aren''t arranged delicately enough. Both Magical Treasures indeed require Nine Heavens Gold Essence, but the amount within this small sword is too little, not even sufficient to properly enhance the power of one Magical Treasure. Which one do you want to choose?¡± Fire Spirit Child''s gaze swept over, swiftly revealing the most hidden conditions of the two treasures. ¡°Then infuse it into the Profound Yellow Staff first,¡± Shen Luo decided after considering it for a moment and took back the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. ¡°Alright, leave it to me,¡± Fire Spirit Child said and took both the Profound Yellow Staff and the small golden sword, disappearing into the Netherworld Furnace. Chapter 1407 Chapter 1407: Chapter 1403: The Two Black and White Objects Chapter 1407: Chapter 1403: The Two Black and White Objects Shen Luo originally wanted to ask Fire Spirit Child if he needed to provide fire support, but judging from the other''s tone, it was clearly unnecessary. A flash of light passed over the Netherworld Furnace, and with a ¡°whoosh,¡± it expanded several times in size and landed on the ground next to him, with its prohibition buzzing into motion. Multicolored flames lit up inside the furnace, vaguely forming a flame array that began to spin rapidly. A burning sensation arose in the surrounding air, and the fire spiritual power in the void quickly gathered. Above the flame array inside the furnace, spatial fluctuations appeared from time to time, and flames descended out of thin air, as if being drawn from afar. ¡°To be able to draw fire over the air, no wonder there is no need for fire support. To be capable of doing such a thing, Elder Guang Chengzi''s divine powers are truly unimaginable,¡± muttered Shen Luo, watching the scene in awe. He immediately performed a hand seal to activate the prohibition within the cave mansion, encompassing the Netherworld Furnace, and continued to check the treasures of the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion. He picked up a fiery red round pearl, which was the fire core of the half Super Red Flame Beast. The fire core contained extremely pure flame spiritual power, almost as good as the Vermilion Bird Pill from that day. ¡°Once I have completely stabilized the fire spiritual power within the Pure Yang Sword, I shall absorb this fire core. With the spiritual power in this core, it should be enough to significantly refine the Pure Yang Sword,¡± Shen Luo thought happily to himself. After putting away the fire core, he picked up the white jade belt that belonged to Fu Gong. He had briefly examined this storage magical instrument when he was looking for the Fire Lotus Pill formula, but he didn''t have time to thoroughly investigate it then. Fu Gong, as the guardian spirit beast of the Guangcheng Immortal Mansion and having wandered the Eastern Sea for decades, accumulated quite a considerable amount of resources and wealth. Inside the white jade belt, there were hundreds of thousands of Immortal Jade, and many other precious materials of great value. Shen Luo sorted these items categorically and transferred all of them into the Linlang Ring. There were also many magical treasures and elixirs within the space of the jade belt. Although the grades of the magical treasures were not high enough to catch his interest, the elixirs were quite good, with several high-grade ones for recovering mana and curing injuries. After storing these items, only three jade slips, two Daoist classics, and a gray wooden box were left in the space of the jade belt. He ignored the jade slips and Daoist classics, as he had already read them before. The three jade slips recorded several secret techniques and skills, while the Daoist classics were collections of arrays written by Guang Chengzi. The Daoist classics recorded several exquisite arrays, including the Six-in-One Heavenly Gate Array. Unfortunately, this formation was complex and expensive to create, and Shen Luo had no intention of crafting one. He picked up the gray wooden box, intending to open it. A layer of gray light appeared on it and blocked his efforts. ¡°Interesting,¡± muttered Shen Luo, a slight smile on his face as he summoned a layer of golden light on his palm, enveloping and ruthlessly grinding the jade box. Quickly, he crushed the layer of gray light, and the lid of the box automatically opened. Inside were two items: one was a white jade stone the size of an egg, emitting a faint luminescence with little spiritual energy fluctuation; the other was a black item the size of a walnut, octagonal, resembling a seed. He picked up the white jade stone, bringing it close to his eyes to examine. There seemed to be something inside the jade stone, but unfortunately, it was unclear. Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, his eyes emanating a layer of green light, and looked inside the white jade stone. He noticed that his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was somewhat different from before, with a hint of eerie black light mingled within the green Spirit Light. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was adept at perceiving the minutiae and immediately discerned the content within the white jade stone¨Cit was a pattern of a white Nine-Tailed Fox howling at the sky. Although rendered in just a few strokes, it was vividly expressive. Shen Luo had spent some time with the Jade Fox Clan of Jilei Mountain in the Dream World and knew quite a bit about the Fox Clan. Among the Monster clans, the Fox Clan was very powerful, divided into many branches such as the Jade Fox Clan, Fragrant Fox Clan, Black Fox Clan, and others. In the current world of Cultivation, the largest among the Fox Clans was the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Its strength was not the least inferior to that of other Demon Race powers like Lion Camel Ridge or Pansi Cave. However, the Qingqiu Fox Clan was typically low-key and seldom involved in the major affairs of the world, hence not many knew about them. Shen Luo also learned of these records from the classics of the Jade Fox Clan of Jilei Mountain. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo continued to examine the white jade stone, but unfortunately, he could no longer discern anything else. He had no choice but to put it back and pick up the black seed. He activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and his Divine Sense penetrated it as he suddenly let out a light exclamation. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld could not discern the situation of the black seed, but his Divine Sense could probe into it. The interior of the black seed was chaotic, as if it contained a vast space. With his Divine Sense, he couldn''t even find the edges. Moreover, the space inside was completely void, seemingly empty. Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense and continued probing for a while longer but still found nothing, so he stopped. ¡°Fu Gong kept these two items so secretly hidden, they must not be ordinary items. Unfortunately, I don''t recognize them. The Fire Spirit Child is an ancient Tool Spirit, and had been with Fu Gong before. Perhaps he might know about these two items, but since he is currently refining the Profound Yellow Staff, I should wait until later to ask him,¡± he thought to himself. He then put the black seed back into the wooden box and stored it away. After finishing these tasks, Shen Luo did not immediately rise but waved his hand in front of him. A Water Curtain appeared out of nowhere, reflecting his own figure, eyes flashing with green light and faintly mingled with a trace of black light. These black lights had suddenly appeared after the last time he used the Heavenly Demon Eye. Others might not discern the details of the black light, but he knew them very clearly. Yes, this black light was indeed Demonic Qi, which had lodged itself into his eyes like bone-parasitic maggots after he had used the Heavenly Demon Eye. No matter how he tried to expel it, he could not clear it away. Shen Luo did not know why the Demonic Qi had lodged itself in his eyes; previously, Chiyou''s Demonic Qi only resided within his meridians and Dantian. ¡°Is it finally beginning to invade other parts of my body, damn this Chiyou Demonic Qi!¡± he cursed darkly. Fortunately, the Demonic Qi in his eyes had not yet affected him; instead, it slightly enhanced the exploratory ability of his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. Shen Luo dispelled the green light in his eyes, fell silent for a long time, and finally could only sigh. For the next two days, he continued to cultivate behind closed doors in his cave mansion. During this period, the Fire Spirit Child had finished refining the Profound Yellow Staff, elevating its prohibition to fifty-two layers and reaching the level of a superior Magical Treasure, considerably increasing its power, which pleased Shen Luo greatly. As the Little Master had previously said, the Nine Heavens Gold Essence could increase the fusion level of many materials inside the Profound Yellow Staff. Although only a little of the Nine Heavens Gold Essence was integrated this time, the staff still made progress in terms of transformations. Besides growing larger or smaller, it could now also change into other shapes. Shen Luo then had the Fire Spirit Child examine the white jade stone and the black seed inside the wooden box, but unfortunately, the Fire Spirit Child also did not know what the two items were, so they had to leave it be for the time being. Chapter 1408 Chapter 1408: Chapter 1404: Request Chapter 1408: Chapter 1404: Request On that day, Shen Luo was cultivating inside his cave mansion when a knock on the door echoed from outside. He got up and opened the Big Gate to see a handsome man clad in golden scaled Armor, with short protruding horns on his head. ¡°Brother Ao, have you finished with your business?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. ¡°Not yet. I came here today because Father King asked me to invite Brother Shen for a conversation,¡± Ao Hong said, barely concealing his curiosity. The East Sea Dragon King had suddenly sought him out that day, asking him to bring Shen Luo for a meeting, which greatly surprised him; he had not yet mentioned Shen Luo to the East Sea Dragon King. ¡°Since the East Sea Dragon King has extended an invitation, naturally, I shall accept. Shall we set off now?¡± Shen Luo asked, his eyebrows raising slightly as he nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes, the carriage is already prepared outside. Friend Shen, please follow me,¡± Ao Hong said, growing more convinced of Shen Luo''s previous contact with the East Sea Dragon King. However, since he was not one to pry into others'' secrets, if Shen Luo didn''t mention it, he wouldn''t ask. The two quickly arrived outside the Mountain Villa where a war chariot, drawn by six seahorses, was parked, with a Patrol Sea Yaksha driving it. As soon as they boarded, the Patrol Sea Yaksha immediately drove the chariot towards the depths of the Dragon Palace. The war chariot soon arrived at a huge Crystal Palace. Instead of entering, it circled around the palace and stopped in front of a small hall in the back. Shen Luo and Ao Hong alighted from the chariot, and upon entering the hall, they saw the East Sea Dragon King sitting alone behind an Azure Jade Crystal Table, intensely studying a scroll made of shark skin. ¡°Father King, I have brought Friend Shen here,¡± Ao Hong announced. At his words, the Dragon King put away the scroll and nodded with a smile at both of them. ¡°Junior has seen the Dragon King,¡± Shen Luo said immediately, clasping his fists. ¡°No need for such formalities, please, take a seat,¡± Dragon King Ao Guang said with a smile. Shen Luo nodded and sat down opposite him. While settling down, he took a moment to assess the East Sea Dragon King and noticed that his complexion had worsened, looking significantly paler than just two days ago. ¡°Could it be that the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus did not work?¡± Shen Luo pondered inwardly, glancing at the scroll in Ao Guang''s hands, which depicted dense, intricate charm patterns, resembling some sort of Array. ¡°May I know why Uncle has summoned me? Is there something you wish to instruct?¡± Shen Luo settled his mind and asked. ¡°Friend Shen is a distinguished guest of the East Sea Dragon Palace, and there are no instructions as such. I invited you here today partly to express my gratitude for the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus and also to ask a favor,¡± Ao Guang said with a smile. Ao Hong, who was standing by and overheard their conversation, internally noted that Ao Guang and Shen Luo had indeed met before. After humbly demurring, Shen Luo then said, ¡°May I know what Uncle needs assistance with? As long as it''s within my power, I will certainly not shirk.¡± ¡°Friend Shen''s strength is remarkable. You must have noticed that this king suffers from a secret illness,¡± Ao Guang first nodded at Shen Luo, expressing his gratitude, before continuing. ¡°Uncle''s health indeed doesn''t seem too good, did you go to Zhurong Basin in search of the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus for this reason? Was the Fire Lotus ineffective?¡± Shen Luo looked at Ao Guang''s face and asked. ¡°If the Nine-Petal Fire Lotus had healed my injuries, there wouldn''t have been a need to trouble Friend Shen with this journey,¡± Ao Guang said with a slight bitter smile. Shen Luo listened quietly and did not interject. ¡°To speak of this hidden injury of mine, we must go back to the time when The Disaster of Demons had not yet been resolved. At that time, all Four Seas Dragon Palaces had suffered attacks from the Demon Clan. In one fierce battle then, I was severely injured by a master of the Demon Clan who practiced the Fire Attribute Technique. The fire poison penetrated my body, seeping deep into my blood vessels. Over the years, I have been regulating my breath and cultivating, but I''ve never been able to rid myself of that fire poison, which clings like maggots to bones. Hence, now my cultivation level gradually decreases, and my health is deteriorating further¡­¡± Ao Guang continued and himself found it hard to continue. ¡°Uncle invites Junior here, could it be that Uncle believes that Junior can help cure this old ailment of fire poison?¡± Shen Luo said upon hearing this, hesitating slightly before asking. ¡°Indeed, this fire poison has already invaded my blood and ordinary methods cannot remove it. Fortunately, in the East Sea Dragon Palace, there is an Ice Array that has been passed down from ancient times. It is by relying on this array that I have been able to hold on up to now, otherwise, I would have long died from the fire poison attacking my heart,¡± Ao Guang said with a slight bitter smile. ¡°Father King, do not speak such ominous words; your injuries will surely be healed,¡± Ao Hong said from the side, his eyes slightly red and his voice deep. ¡°This Ice Array, inherited from ancient times, is somewhat damaged. After many years of research and repair, it has already been restored by about eighty percent. As long as we can completely activate the array and draw out my essence blood, using the extreme cold ice power of the array to counteract the fire poison, there''s a possibility to completely heal the hidden injury,¡± Ao Guang said, patting Ao Hong on the shoulder and then turning to Shen Luo. ¡°What does Junior need to do?¡± Shen Luo actually had guessed that it was his earlier performance at Zhurong Volcano that had caught the Dragon King''s attention, leading to this invitation. ¡°This array requires several monks who are proficient in the cold attribute to jointly activate it. Now the other four have already been found, only lacking a monk filled with cold attribute Qi to serve as the main conductor of the formation, and Friend Shen, you are perfectly suitable,¡± the East Sea Dragon King said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo did not agree immediately but instead looked at the East Sea Dragon King, waiting for him to continue. ¡°This matter carries no danger for Friend but is rather greatly beneficial. This Ice Array stems from Jie Sect''s Ten Absolute Formations, incredibly mystical. Comprehending the operation of this great formation is extremely beneficial for cultivating the Cold Attribute Divine Power, and this is my personal experience from activating the formation over many years; it is absolutely not mistaken. Of course, if Friend has any other requests, feel free to mention them,¡± Ao Guang said, seeing this. ¡°Given the relationship between Junior and Ao Hong, Junior shouldn''t have any reason to decline Uncle''s request, let alone make any demands. Unfortunately, Junior indeed has extremely important matters, which is why I have come to visit the East Sea Dragon Palace. I don''t know if Brother Ao Hong has mentioned it to Uncle,¡± Shen Luo said, glancing at Ao Hong at his side. ¡°Reporting to Father King, Daoist Friend Shen came to the Dragon Palace seeking to borrow the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl. Since you have been preparing to activate the Ice Array recently, I thought to wait until after the matter to report this to you,¡± Ao Hong looked at Shen Luo, then turned to speak to Ao Guang. ¡°Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl! This item is the treasured relic of our East Sea Dragon Palace, may I know why Friend wishes to borrow this item?¡± Ao Guang heard the request for the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, his brow instantly furrowing, and he asked slowly. Without any hesitation, Shen Luo repeated his reason for borrowing the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, emphasizing that he was only borrowing the spiritual power within the pearl and would not cause any damage to it. ¡°¡­ Should there unfortunately be any mishaps, Junior is also willing to fully compensate,¡± he firmly assured in the end. Ao Guang stood up amidst Shen Luo''s hopeful gaze, walked to the side of the great hall, and stood quietly, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. Shen Luo and Ao Hong also stood up, both remaining silent and not disturbing him. After a long time, Ao Guang finally turned around. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, if it''s just borrowing, there''s no harm. Shen Friend need not worry about the depletion of the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl; even if the East Sea Dragon Palace is poor, we would not fuss over these matters,¡± Ao Guang said slowly. ¡°Thank you, Uncle. Rest assured, Junior will surely exert all efforts to activate the Ice Array and help Uncle heal the internal injuries,¡± Shen Luo said, greatly pleased, bowing with a fist. Seeing this, Ao Hong nodded slightly. ¡°The formation will still need a few days to prepare. Ao Hong, you take Friend Shen to rest well for a few days,¡± Ao Guang said. ¡°Rest assured, Father King,¡± Ao Hong immediately responded. Chapter 1409 Chapter 1409: Chapter 1405: Ten Extremes Ice Array Chapter 1409: Chapter 1405: Ten Extremes Ice Array Time flew by, and before long, seven or eight days had passed. Just as Shen Luo was growing a bit impatient, Ao Hong finally sent word that the Array was ready. Under Ao Hong''s guidance, Shen Luo made his way to the depths of the Dragon Palace, to a secluded palace. Entering through a secret cave entrance, they followed stone steps downward to a seabed cave deep beneath the Eastern Sea. The moment Shen Luo stepped into the cave, he was assaulted by waves of cold breath from all directions, which made even him shiver subconsciously. The cave had many branching paths, resembling an undersea maze. Had it not been for Ao Hong leading the way, Shen Luo would have feared getting lost. After what felt like a quarter of an hour, the two reached the bottom of the cave, where an ice cave of immense size lay, nearly as large as half the Dragon Palace. The ice cave''s edges were lined with rhomboidal ice cones protruding from the ground and walls, their deep blue bodies emitting a faint gloss and sinister cold. Amidst the glow of countless pale lights, the entire ice cave did not seem dark but rather was filled with a mysterious aura. Following Ao Hong''s lead, Shen Luo arrived at the heart of the cave and saw a massive crystal ice bed in front of him. The shape of the ice bed was irregular, fashioned by hand into a concave shape lower in the middle and higher around the edges, where five towering platforms rose, likely the locations of the array pivots. As they drew nearer, Shen Luo saw several figures waiting, seemingly for him. ¡°Friend Shen, let me introduce you. This is¡­¡± Upon seeing Shen Luo, Ao Guang approached to introduce the others. Shen Luo followed suit, greeting each person in turn. One of them was tall and broad, with a stern face and sharply defined features, as if chiseled by an axe. His eyes were slightly elongated, conveying an inherent sense of superiority. He was the West Sea Dragon King Ao Run. Beside him stood another figure of similar stature, with a long purple beard, wide mouth, and broad ears, clad in a purple robe, emanating warmth and friendliness. He was the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin. Another man stood taller than the previous two, slimmer, with white strands of hair cascading from his temples. His demeanor was indifferent, not meeting Shen Luo''s gaze. He was the Northern Sea Dragon King Ao Shun. Beyond these three, there was a beautiful woman in a water-blue long dress, simply introduced as Ao Yu, and by deduction, likely also of the Dragon Clan. Additionally, there was one who stood behind them all, which Shen Luo glanced at and recognized as not unfamiliar ¨C it was Ao Zhong, also a Crown Prince of the Dragon. After some pleasantries, Ao Guang brought out the sharkskin scroll, unrolled it for everyone to see. On closer inspection, Shen Luo noticed that the patterns drawn on it matched the white jade ice bed before them, except that it was adorned with many charm patterns unseen on the ice bed itself. Beyond the jade bed, the scroll also marked numerous dense array pillars scattered around. ¡°This is the Ten Extremes Ice Array, a secret passed down from ancient times in the East Sea Dragon Palace. It has not been activated for a long time. I found this scroll by chance, which details how to initiate and operate the Array,¡± Ao Guang explained to everyone. ¡°Big brother, just tell us what to do; we will fully cooperate,¡± Ao Qin immediately spoke up. The others echoed in agreement. Ao Guang nodded, then started instructing everyone on how to position themselves, how to chant the incantations, and how to complete the casting. Upon hearing this, everyone furrowed their brows. ¡°Big Brother, entrusting the most crucial position to this member of the Human Race may be inappropriate,¡± the West Sea Dragon King was the first to express his doubts. ¡°Friend Shen, please don''t mind my youngest brother''s words; he''s just worried that your cultivation level isn''t deep enough and that there may be accidents,¡± the South Sea Dragon King came out to smooth things over with a smile. ¡°I don''t mind at all. If any of you would like to take charge of the key Array pivot, I would be more than happy,¡± Shen Luo replied with a smile. ¡°You''ve all misjudged this Friend Shen. Although he is an early-stage True Immortal, the skills he cultivates are exquisite, and in terms of mana robustness, he''s not one bit inferior to those at the middle stage of True Immortals. Moreover, his proficiency in ice cold techniques is extremely strong, surpassing all of you by far. He can move freely even in the deepest part of Zhurong Basin and is most suited to guard this place,¡± East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang stated. Ao Run and the others were taken aback upon hearing this and their gazes towards Shen Luo underwent some changes. ¡°Uncle Ao Guang speaks so highly, could it be that Friend Shen has recently visited Zhurong Basin? As I know, just a few days ago, flames erupted from the basin to the sky. Do you know of this, Brother Shen?¡± Ao Yu, who had been very silent, suddenly asked. ¡°Several days ago, I indeed went to Zhurong Basin, merely looking for some fire-attributed Spiritual Materials. As for the eruption of firelight within the basin, I naturally noticed it as well, but that was due to an underground volcano eruption. I almost got hurt by it myself. Fortunately, my proficiency in cold-attributed divine powers saved me and I managed to escape,¡± Shen Luo said with a chill in his heart, but his expression remained unchanged. Ao Yu nodded slightly, but his eyes flickered, clearly not fully believing Shen Luo''s words. The others had also heard about the incident at Zhurong Basin and looked at Shen Luo curiously. ¡°Now that no one has any objections, let''s not delay any further and get started right away,¡± Ao Guang spoke up at this moment. After Ao Run and the others shifted their gazes away, they all nodded in agreement. Then, Shen Luo and the other four leapt up and landed atop the five Array Pillars, while Ao Guang himself flew down and seated himself cross-legged in the center of the indented ice bed. Ao Hong and Ao Zhong exchanged glances, then stood on either side of the ice bed, acting as Protectors for the Dragon King. Standing on that key Array Pillar, Shen Luo looked around and finally realized that the dense array of dots scattered across the battle formation map actually corresponded to the protruding diamond-shaped Ice Crystals on the ground and walls. According to the map, there should be nine hundred and ninety-nine such ice crystal pillars, each containing the cold qi from the Earth Veins, which was the source of icy qi for the entire Great Formation. However, he hadn''t paid much attention earlier. Now, upon closer inspection, Shen Luo noticed that many of these ice crystal pillars had just been repaired, with obvious traces of the repairs left on them. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Friend Shen, let''s begin,¡± Ao Guang said. Shen Luo nodded, took a deep breath, and immediately activated his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. In his palm burst forth a dazzling blue light, sweeping around like countless waves, and the extreme cold carried by the blue light condensed into a layer of white mist that instantly dropped the temperature to its limits. As the icy qi spread, the Array Pillar beneath him lit up with blue light, and the dense charm patterns, which hadn''t been very visible, started to appear on the ice pillar, spreading thickly towards the center of the Great Formation. Following that, the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin took out a silver triangular flag, waved it through the air, infusing it with mana, and the flag instantly fluttered in the wind, spreading snowflakes and Ice Crystals. With another wave of his hand, the snowflakes wrapped in cold air lit up the ice pillar beneath him. The West Sea Dragon King Ao Run held a White Jade Ruyi board, pointed upwards slightly with it, and a rolling Cold Stream gushed from the board, reaching the ice pillar below, and ignited it with blue light. Ao Yu was even more straightforward; he drew out a silver incense case, and upon opening it, a faint scent spread followed by surges of cold qi that erupted like a tide. The Northern Sea Dragon King Ao Shun breathed out a perfectly round blue pearl, which hovered in front of him, and as he lifted his hand to pass mana into it, the pearl''s icy qi condensed into a column as thick as a child''s arm, dropping directly onto the ice pillar below. The five of them illuminated the Array Pillars beneath them, and the entire Ten Extremes Ice Array started functioning. Streams of icy qi mixed within the white mist, converging from all around towards the ice bed in the center, transforming the central area into a realm as if it were an Immortal land. Chapter 1410 Chapter 1410: Chapter 1406: The Final Moment Chapter 1410: Chapter 1406: The Final Moment Shen Luo, despite being at a considerable distance, could feel the extreme cold emanating from the center of the Great Formation. He couldn''t help shivering, but the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang, who was in the midst of it, merely closed his eyes slightly and took a long breath. His sons, Ao Hong and Ao Zhong, felt the cold air surge from all directions and instinctively began circulating their mana to fend it off. Immediately after, Shen Luo and the others started chanting incantations, fully activating the Great Formation. In a flash, a wave of blue light spread from the center of the formation, streaming like luminous flow across the ground, instantly illuminating all the surrounding diamond-shaped ice cones. The sound of ¡°crack crack¡± echoed continuously throughout the cave as the ground, walls, and even the entire cave ceiling became covered with frost, forming a layer of white ice crystals. A tremendous cold force descended suddenly, ten times stronger than before. ¡°We did it!¡± Ao Hong''s teeth chattered with cold, but an expression of incredible surprise still appeared on his face. Ao Guang also rejoiced, and with a wave of his sleeve, a layer of blue light illuminated on Ao Hong and Ao Zhong''s bodies, blocking most of the surrounding cold air. The two breathed a sigh of relief and retreated a short distance. Ao Qin, Ao Run, and the others were also busy employing their own methods to resist the cold air around them. Shen Luo, however, did not try to shield himself from the extreme cold. Instead, he activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique to absorb the cold air, and myriad profound ideas surged into his mind, insights about the true essence of frost. Eyes wide with surprise, he remained motionless, fearing to disturb these thoughts as his comprehension of the frost magic rapidly improved. Blue light surged around him, absorbing the surrounding cold air even more quickly, and the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique made swift progress. But Shen Luo did not forget his mission. With a flick of his hands, the surrounding blue light converged into a chain of cold Qi, which shot towards Ao Guang''s back and pierced into his body. ¡°Err¡­¡± Ao Guang emitted a muffled groan, and red light shone in his eyes. Following this, light flowed over his skin, and layers of dragon scales trembled and turned over, waving incessantly like a tide. Through the scales, one could see strings of crimson lines spreading. ¡°Uncle, I have taken control of the Ten Extremes Ice Array. The fire poison can be released now,¡± said Shen Luo upon seeing this. ¡°Good, I''ll remove the prohibition and release the suppression; everyone be careful,¡± Ao Guang shouted loudly. ¡°Don''t worry, Big Brother,¡± Ao Qin was the first to respond. ¡°Leave it to us, Big Brother,¡± Ao Run also said. Ao Shun didn''t speak, but his knitted brows tightened even more. ¡°Everyone, power up the cold energy with all your might; don''t hold back,¡± commanded Shen Luo, controlling the Ice Array. The operation of the Array had to be led by him, so he roared out the command. ¡°Got it,¡± everyone responded in unison. At that moment, Ao Guang''s scales gradually turned red, and waves of heat began to rise from beneath his robe. His long robe immediately turned to ashes amidst the scorching air, revealing an exceptionally robust physique. Shen Luo glanced over and saw that the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang''s chest, abdomen, and back were covered with scars, many of which were in critical places. He couldn''t help but inwardly sigh; had he sustained such numerous fatal injuries, he would have died several times over by now. Then he saw a vertical wound on Ao Guang''s back that aligned perfectly with his spine. The fissure glowed a fiery red from within, resembling swirling lava, and at the very top of the injury clung a pale golden Talisman, releasing a powerful suppressive force. However, the Talisman''s markings were faint and its Golden Light trembling, indicating that it had already expended most of its power. At best, it would maintain its effect for a few more years before becoming completely ineffective. ¡°Dragon Soul Locking Flame Talisman, activate!¡± At that moment, the East Sea Dragon King let out an angry roar. A vague dragon shadow burst forth from the golden Talisman on his back, and the remaining Talisman Paper turned to ashes instantaneously, dissipating before everyone''s eyes. In an instant, the red light emerging from that wound on Ao Guang''s back intensified drastically, and the fiery poison, akin to lava, instantly began to spread. The lines of fire poison, which had been hidden beneath the skin, now appeared one by one, leaving Ao Guang''s entire body looking like a dry, cracked riverbed, riddled with disintegrating fissures everywhere. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ao Guang let out a pained howl. The dragon horns protruding from his forehead rapidly elongated, and in a blink, his head transformed into the visage of an azure dragon head, and a dragon tail extended behind him, shaping him into the figure of a dragon-man. Seeing this transformation, everyone''s faces turned pale with shock; who could imagine how Ao Guang was enduring such bone-searing pain? ¡°Gentlemen, do not delay. Let''s focus our efforts and push the Great Formation to its limit to cleanse the Elder Ao Guang of the fire poison from his body,¡± Shen Luo shouted out, taking the lead by pouring his full mana into it. His Indigo Ocean Divine Technique operated at its peak, unleashing endless Frost that overcame the surrounding chill and poured into the Ice Array beneath him. The walls of the cave were covered with thick blue ice, rapidly spreading. The ground and walls around quickly became translucent, turning into blue ice as well, almost transforming the entire cave into a gleaming ice-scape of Blue Light. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the insight from the Ten Extremes Ice Array, his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique had made significant progress, approaching the pinnacle of the fourth level. Inside the Ice Array, the frosty Chain linked to Ao Guang rattled incessantly. Its surging frost, like a twisting Flood Dragon, roared into his body and tangled with the fire poison. The others, witnessing this, showed expressions of shock and also made their full efforts, as the Ten Extremes Ice Array immediately sprang into full operation. The chill in the Underground Cave soared violently, and the over nine hundred diamond-shaped ice spires shone brilliantly. Their extreme coldness flowed along the underground, all converging toward the area of the ice bed. In a moment, the Central Ice Bed where Shen Luo and the others stood surged with chill. The released Frost instantly solidified, and under the impact of Spiritual Power Fluctuations, sharp-as-needles ice spires materialized, pointing diagonally in all directions. Ao Hong and Ao Zhong, who were originally guarding the surroundings, were also forced to retreat due to the penetrating cold of the ice spires. In the middle of the Great Formation, the five chains originally connected to Ao Guang had now turned into five stout ice dragons. Each ice dragon, with its maw agape, bit down on Ao Guang''s limbs and vast tail, greedily absorbing the intense fire poison within him, evaporating the heat into dense billows of White Fog. Shen Luo, seeing this, quietly let out a sigh of relief, as the power of the Ten Extremes Ice Array was far greater than he had imagined. It was more than capable of dealing with the fire poison inside the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang. As time slowly passed, the spreading fire channels on Ao Guang began to recede bit by bit until only the last remnants of the fire poison on his spine remained. Shen Luo knew this was the final bout of fire poison, and the most critical juncture, and immediately focused his resolve. ¡°Everyone, put in more effort; this is the final moment. We must help Big Brother completely remove the remaining poison,¡± Ao Qin suddenly called out, his voice booming. Shen Luo couldn''t help but look toward Ao Qin. Suddenly, abnormal fluctuations transmitted through the air behind him, and a gust of wind hurtled towards him. Chapter 1411 Chapter 1411: Chapter 1407: True Power Chapter 1411: Chapter 1407: True Power Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed. He reflexively ducked and dodged to the side, simultaneously flicking his sleeve and sending a crimson sword light shooting backward. A clear ¡°clang¡± resounded as the Pure Yang Sword blocked a golden light, which turned out to be a golden cone, shimmering with cold light and looking extremely sharp. But before Shen Luo could catch his breath, the void beside him flashed with golden light. Exactly four identical golden cones shot out, accompanied by whistling sharp winds, piercing towards various parts of his body. Behind him, a hazy white palm emerged silently, gently striking towards his back without emitting any fluctuation of qi. Inside the Ice Array, Ao Guang sensed the movement of the Array, opened his eyes at just the right moment to see Shen Luo being attacked, and his face immediately changed dramatically. He lifted both hands as if wanting to do something. But as slow as it is to describe, it happened swiftly: a blue light pillar shot from the side, hitting him in a fleeting flash. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Patches of blue light bloomed, a blue iceberg materialized out of nowhere, enveloping Ao Guang''s body, rendering him immobile. Almost simultaneously, a crimson arrow shot from another direction, piercing through the iceberg without any hindrance and entering Ao Guang''s back, protruding from his chest. Ao Hong and Ao Zhong, who were beside the Great Formation, witnessed the sudden turn of events and their faces changed drastically, throwing themselves into the Array without hesitation. But before the two could break into the Array, a thunderous explosion erupted from the center of the Great Formation! A violent explosion burst forth from the center, a turbulent wave of qi rolled out in all directions, shattering countless ice crystals and scattering them everywhere. Ao Hong and Ao Zhong, resisting the barrage of ice crystal projectiles, managed to enter the Formation. They only saw Ao Guang lying in a pool of blood at the center of the Formation, his back entirely torn apart, his body displaying a big hole where his spine was no longer visible, only a blurry flesh and blood could be seen. At this moment, a golden figure flew backward from the midst of the billowing qi, landing beside Ao Hong and Ao Zhong¨Cit was none other than Shen Luo. His right arm had two slashes through which blood was profusely pouring, although the wounds were not deep and of no great concern. The Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Bloodthirsty Flag revolved around him, it was precisely these two treasures that had turned peril into safety. The only downside was a noticeable, inch-deep palm imprint on the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, which was somewhat glaring. A few yards in front of him, a figure was also stumbling backward; it was Ao Yu, her pretty face full of astonishment. On her right hand, she wore a white glove that circulated white light with incredible spiritual energy. A fierce light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and with a harsh sweep of his sleeve, a grand crimson sword rainbow shot from his side, with endless bright red flames bursting forth, instantly transforming into a hundred-foot-long flaming sword rainbow. An intense heatwave erupted, as if in an instant, they had been transported to the scorching land of lava. Ao Yu''s expression shifted slightly, the white glove on her hand shone brightly, and she slapped towards the flaming sword rainbow, producing a house-sized white giant palm out of thin air. It glittered with a clear, crystal-like shine as it grasped at the sword rainbow. However, after a flash of crimson light, the white giant palm was split in two, and without any delay, the flaming sword rainbow appeared within a few feet of Ao Yu, slashing horizontally. Ao Yu''s expression finally changed drastically as the white glove on his hand flashed and shot out, expanding against the wind with a ¡°whoosh¡± to block in front of him. But a figure appeared next to Ao Yu like a ghostly specter, grabbing her and quickly retreating backward. It was the Northern Sea Dragon King, Ao Shun. Ao Shun formed a hand seal and waved his hand, releasing five golden lights. They were the five golden cones from just now, each growing to the size of a huge golden cone a zhang long and whistling as they stabbed toward the massive flame sword rainbow. ¡°Clang,¡± ¡°Clang,¡± ¡°Clang,¡± a series of loud collision sounds rang out, and both the white glove and the five golden cones were chopped into halves. As Shen Luo was about to form a hand seal to chase after the two with the sword rainbow, the golden cones that had been sliced into ten segments suddenly exploded, sending countless sharp golden rays bursting forth like fireworks. A tremendous boom shook the void, causing visible shockwaves to ripple through the air. ¡°Quickly recall your flying swords; that is the Thunder Sound Golden Sha, designed to break through sword qi. Be careful not to let it scatter your sword light!¡± Fire Spirit Child''s urgent voice sounded. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly, and he immediately formed a hand seal to recall the flying swords, but it was already too late. Countless golden rays struck the flame sword rainbow. The flame sword rainbow flickered wildly as nearly half of its surface sword qi was dispersed by the shock, and it rolled backward in retreat. Shen Luo hurriedly formed a hand seal to retrieve the Pure Yang Sword, which was still trembling uncontrollably. Fortunately, it had not suffered any damage to its spirit, and he quickly drew it into his body to nurture. Meanwhile, next to Ao Yu and the other figure, two more figures appeared. It was the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin and the West Sea Dragon King Ao Run, each holding a fiery red great bow and a sky blue ice mirror, respectively. Clearly, those who had just attacked Ao Guang were them. The four stood at the entrance of the ice cave, blocking the only exit. Ao Yu took out a blue token, pointing it at the entrance of the ice cave and releasing it. A blue light shot into the ice wall around the entrance, and the blue light there flashed repeatedly. Three blue ice pillars appeared out of thin air, emitting large swathes of blue light, forming a thick blue light curtain at the entrance and completely isolating the entire ice cave from the outside world. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo frowned slightly but did not continue to attack. Ao Hong and Ao Zhong helped Ao Guang up, waving their hands to seal his wounds with their mana, but Ao Guang was bleeding from all seven orifices, his breath was extremely weak, and he was not far from death. Anxiously, Ao Hong took out various elixirs and healing talismans to treat Ao Guang''s injuries. ¡°Why have you attacked my Father King?¡± Ao Zhong suddenly looked up at the four people opposite him, his eyes nearly spitting fire, overwhelmed with rage. ¡°Nowadays, the pattern of the Three Realms has changed greatly. Races such as humans, immortals, demons, and devils are all striving to seize their interests. Our Dragon Clan should also seek our own position. Big Brother, however, is unwilling to change and continues to be a lapdog of the Heavenly Court. No matter how we persuade him, he won''t budge. What else can we do?¡± South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin said with a slight cold sneer. ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Ao Zhong''s eyes slightly softened their fury, revealing a hint of astonishment, as he sharply asked. ¡°As Dragons, we may be called Dragon Gods, but from our ancestry, we are a branch of the Demon Race, and we should strive for the true power that our Dragon Clan should hold!¡± West Sea Dragon King Ao Run burst into loud laughter and then suddenly brought his clawed hand to his chest. A wisp of golden mist floated out from his eyes, and in between his clasped hands, a large golden fog ball appeared, entwined with dragon-shaped golden mist. An immensely powerful and domineering spiritual pressure exploded forth, nearing the Taiyi Realm. Shen Luo''s body shook slightly under the pressure from the golden light in Ao Run''s hand. Meanwhile, Ao Hong and Ao Zhong shook even more violently. Their knees slightly bent, as if they were about to kneel before the golden light. However, with their not-weak cultivation levels, they let out a low shout and stood firm. Chapter 1412 Chapter 1412: Chapter 1408: Spare His Life Chapter 1412: Chapter 1408: Spare His Life ¡°What is this power that can suppress the True Dragon Bloodline within us? Could it be the legendary Ancestral Dragon''s Power?¡± Ao Zhong exclaimed in shock, his expression drastically changing. ¡°Ancestral Dragon?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. He seemed to recall having come across this term in some classic, referring to the ancestor of all Dragon Clan members. ¡°Hehe, Prince Ao Zhong of the East Sea Dragon Palace, you are indeed well-read! Yes, this is the power of Hongmeng Ancestral Dragon, the common ancestor of all our Dragon Clan. If we can fully grasp the Ancestral Dragon''s Power, our Four Seas Dragon Clan will fear no one. We can stand equal with the Heavenly Court and restore the supreme glory of our Ancient Dragon Clan!¡± Ao Run revealed a wildly fanatic gleam in his eyes. ¡°Prince Ao Zhong, Prince Ao Hong, Big Brother is outdated. For the future of our Dragon Clan, we must remove him. Among all the princes of the Eastern Sea, only you two see the bigger picture. Join us, and I can pass on the Ancestral Dragon''s Power to you both, so we can strive for the future of our Dragon Clan together!¡± Beside him, Ao Qin waved his hand, and a golden light group appeared, his aura surging instantly as he looked towards Ao Hong and Ao Zhong. Ao Zhong''s gaze flickered unceasingly as he looked at the golden light in their hands, seemingly tempted. ¡°Second Brother, these thieves plot in darkness against our Father King. They are our sworn enemies in the East Sea Dragon Palace. We cannot trust their words!¡± Ao Hong hurriedly said, upon seeing Ao Zhong''s expression. ¡°Sworn enemies? I didn''t expect that Prince Ao Hong would be so short-sighted, incapable of plotting. Prince Ao Zhong, you are a smart man, do not make a foolish mistake. If you kill Ao Hong, you will be the new Dragon King of the Eastern Sea. Once the Four Seas unite and successfully summon the Ancestral Dragon, it will be the day we change Heaven and Earth!¡± South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin gave Ao Hong a cold look, as he tried to persuade Ao Zhong. Hearing this, Ao Zhong''s expression changed drastically, but soon he fell silent again. ¡°Prince Ao Zhong, do not listen to their bewitching words. Today, these four have already killed your father. How could they not fear your revenge? Would they truly sincerely rally you to their cause, or do they merely want to incite strife between you and your brother?¡± Shen Luo warned, his eyes flashing briefly. The situation seemed about to devolve into internal strife among the Dragon Clan, and being an outsider, he had no place to interject. However, the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl was still in the East Sea Dragon Palace, and he couldn''t allow the other Three Sea Dragon Kings to take control of it. ¡°Hmph, matters of the Dragon Clan, when is it your turn, a human, to interject? Shut your mouth!¡± Ao Run suddenly turned towards Shen Luo, a water-blue Longsword appearing in his hand, which he swung vigorously to the left and right at Shen Luo. Two long water-patterned sword scars, each ten feet in length, tore through the air, surrounded by layers of blue light, emitting the roaring sound of angry waves. Seeing this, Shen Luo sneered coldly and swung his hand, releasing two red Sword Qi. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡± ¨C the sounds of the swords clashing echoed as the water-patterned sword scars shattered in response, and the red Sword Qi flickered twice before dissipating. Ao Run''s pupils contracted, but he did not continue his attack. Shen Luo had demonstrated exceptional strength in his recent fights with Ao Yu and Ao Shun, and now he had casually blocked Ao Run''s strike from the Frost Cold Nine Realms Sword¨Ca feat that should not be underestimated. However, Ao Run had not exerted his real strength just now and, despite his wariness, did not think he couldn''t handle Shen Luo. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The Hongmeng Ancestral Dragon indeed is the supreme leader of our Dragon Clan, possessing earth-shattering powers. If you wish to summon him, I can help, but how can I trust that you won''t eliminate me as well?¡± Ao Zhong hesitated for a long time before slowly speaking out. ¡°Second Brother!¡± Ao Hong''s face showed an incredulous expression, but Ao Zhong completely ignored him. ¡°Prince Ao Zhong truly is a wise man. There''s no need to worry about what concerns you. The East Sea Dragon Palace possesses profound strength. If we eliminate Ao Guang and no one controls the situation, the entire Dragon Palace will inevitably descend into chaos, which is not what we desire. Moreover, summoning Lord Ancestral Dragon requires using your East Sea Dragon Palace''s Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, which no one but the East Sea Dragon King can manipulate. Thus, both for stabilizing the situation in the Eastern Sea and for summoning Lord Ancestral Dragon, establishing a new Dragon King is essential,¡± Ao Qin said with a smile. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°If Ao Hong and Ao Zhong chose to reconcile with the other Three Sea Dragon Kings, he had no intention to get involved,¡± Shen Luo murmured, seemingly resigned. ¡°But since people like Ao Qin set their sights on the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, I have no choice but to ask.¡± ¡°Is it possible not to kill Ao Hong?¡± Ao Zhong asked, his face relaxing slightly upon hearing this, and then he added another question after a moment''s thought. As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present showed a look of surprise. ¡°Alas¡­¡± Shen Luo quietly shook his head and couldn''t help but sigh. ¡°No one saw it coming, huh? The brotherly bond between you is quite deep. At a time like this, when it''s the best time to vie for power and reputation, you actually think about sparing his life? But¡­ are you sure he would appreciate your kindness?¡± Ao Qin looked at Ao Hong with a smile and asked. ¡°Dream on,¡± Ao Hong glared furiously at his fallen father on the ground, his eyes nearly blazing with rage. ¡°I would rather die in battle than submit to you.¡± ¡°See? A dog biting Lu Dongbin,¡± Ao Run shrugged and said. ¡°We''ve watched this little brother of yours grow up. It''s no surprise to us that he made this choice; we never thought of recruiting him in the first place. However, keeping him alive is always a disaster, so why not let your uncle take care of him, to eliminate future troubles?¡± ¡°Then I''ll leave it to you,¡± Ao Zhong sighed and slowly turned his back, no longer looking at Ao Hong. Ao Run and Ao Shun exchanged glances, and their figures moved simultaneously. One to the left and one to the right, they flanked Ao Hong. ¡°Dragon Chant, ride the wind and break the waves,¡± Ao Run shouted loudly. A clear dragon chant resonated as both he and Ao Shun manifested dragon shadows that soared into the sky and roared. Their aura suddenly spiked to the peak of True Immortal, and they moved like ghostly specters, transforming into two blurred afterimages that vanished. Ao Hong''s heart chilled when he saw this. These two old fellows were using lethal moves right from the start, showing no mercy at all. While the two Dragon Kings made their move, the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin watched coldly from the sidelines, his gaze seemingly fixed on Ao Hong but actually carefully monitoring Ao Zhong. However, Ao Zhong stood with his back to the scene, showing no intention of intervening. In an instant, the two Dragon Kings appeared simultaneously, one above and to the left, the other below and to the right, each transforming a palm into a dragon claw. Their five clawed fingers glistened with a cold light as they reached for Ao Hong''s head and Dantian respectively. Ao Hong was about to move, but it was already too late. He had just taken a step back when the two dragon claws closed in from both sides, piercing his head and Dantian and simultaneously tearing his body into fragments. ¡°Ao Hong¡­¡± Shen Luo exclaimed subconsciously. But before his words had time to fall, he saw that the torn figure spilled no blood, but instead transformed into a series of transparent bubbles that dispersed. The next instant, a sound of breaking air suddenly came from behind the North Sea Dragon King Ao Shun! A streak of cold light tore through the void, and a bright Silver Spear suddenly thrust out from it, aiming straight for the heart of Ao Shun''s back. Following the Silver Spear was the chilling face of Ao Hong, and an unmistakably fierce murderous intent. Chapter 1413 Chapter 1413: Chapter 1409 Dragon King Order Chapter 1413: Chapter 1409 Dragon King Order ¡°Die!¡± Ao Hong roared from within, pouring both the mana and a strand of dragon soul into the long spear held in his hand. A brilliant light immediately sparked at the tip of the spear, where the highly compressed power erupted into a snow-white beam shooting straight out. This attack surpassed everyone''s expectations, leaving Ao Shun completely unable to react or evade. Yet Ao Run, standing beside, noticed some clues first and swiftly moved in front of Ao Shun, grabbing his shoulder to pull him away. But just then, as stars twinkled beside them, Shen Luo''s figure appeared from nowhere, his eyes emitting a brilliant light as he uttered a low shout. A wave of sound swept through¨Cnot harsh, but like the melodious tone of a secluded valley or perhaps akin to a heavenly maiden''s singing. This was the Spirit Shocking Sound Wave, a secret technique recorded in the Sky Machine Scroll, meant to be used with sound waves to shake the enemy''s divine soul. Unfortunately, Shen Luo had no corresponding soundwave magical treasure and had to rely on his voice alone. Ao Run and Ao Shun''s gazes momentarily hazed, their spirits shaken, giving them the sensation of their souls leaving their bodies, and their actions stiffened. The snow-white light transformed from Ao Hong''s dragon spear shot forth, and a gush of blood soared into the air, spearing through both Ao Run and Ao Shun like candied haws on a stick. Two muffled groans echoed through mid-air as both Dragon Kings were thrust to the ground. This sudden turn of events startled almost everyone. Having struck successfully, Ao Hong gratefully glanced at Shen Luo and shouted ¡°Soaring Dragon¡±, his figure blurring as he instantly appeared behind Ao Run and thrust his spear downward. Had he not intervened just now, Ao Zhong would have been gravely injured or even killed, losing all combat capabilities. Although both were injured, the damage was limited and hardly hindered their movements. Only by seizing the moment to kill one could he drastically turn the tides against them. ¡°Lil'' Ninth, you think your uncles have gone old?¡± Just then, a voice suddenly rang in Ao Hong''s ear. The South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin had unknowingly reached his side, his palm gathering a mass of crimson flames, aimed straight at his back. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Perceiving the impending threat, Ao Hong showed no fear in his eyes, preparing to die together with his enemy as he thrust his spear forward. ¡°Seeking death,¡± Ao Qin roared. His palm swiftly pressed down, coming close to Ao Hong''s back, ready to pierce through his heart. Shen Luo''s gaze intensified, about to intervene. At that moment, blue light flashed on the ground, and a figure surrounded by blue light appeared¨Cit was Ao Zhong, wielding a Traveling Dragon Sword, slashing directly at Ao Qin''s arm. ¡°Heh, knew you couldn''t be trusted, lad,¡± Ao Qin said, unafraid. A flash of light enveloped him; dragon scales surfaced on his arm, coated with a layer of golden halo, clearly possessing strong defensive power. Moreover, before the Traveling Dragon Sword could hit, the cluster of red fire in his palm suddenly expanded and burst open. ¡°Boom¡± A sky-shaking explosion resounded! Bursting flames formed a massive shockwave, sending violent energy in all directions. Whether it was Ao Hong in front, Ao Zhong behind, or even Shen Luo, all were blown away by the blast wave. Just as they were trying to stabilize themselves, Ao Zhong suddenly cried out loud, ¡°Father King.¡± Shen Luo and Ao Hong turned their heads simultaneously, only to see Ao Yu, who had appeared next to Ao Guang at some point, searching for something on his body. Moments later, her fingers clawed at the exposed chest of the Dragon King. A strong suction force suddenly emanated from her palm, and a golden light emerged from his body, falling into her hands. As the golden light gradually faded, the object in her hand revealed its true form¨Ca palm-sized golden token. As soon as the token left the body, the slight remaining breath of Ao Guang completely dissipated. ¡°Dragon King Order, you are trying to steal the Eastern Sea''s Dragon King Order!¡± Ao Zhong roared in shocked anger. Hearing this, Ao Yu looked up at Ao Zhong with a charming smile, then transformed into a blue shadow and shot towards the outside of the cave. Although Shen Luo did not understand why Ao Yu was trying to steal the Dragon King Order, he guessed its importance. His footsteps shone brightly, turning into a residual image as he chased after her. However, a flash of white light appeared in front, and a white banner suddenly emerged. Under its glaring cold light, dozens of white ice flowers, each about ten feet in diameter, appeared and swooped down toward Shen Luo. A strange cold air rolled in, and the nearby void seemed to freeze. Shen Luo''s expression darkened. He waved his sleeve forward and a blue cold wave surged, embodying the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. The nearly space-freezing white ice flowers were instantly dispersed by the blue cold wave, and the white banner also snapped, frozen within a chunk of blue ice. The flag actually split apart, and its spiritual light disappeared. Shen Luo was slightly stunned. He knew that relying on the Ten Extremes Ice Array had greatly improved the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, but he had not expected it to reach this realm. Ahead, Ao Yu was also affected by the blue cold wave. Half of her body turned icy, frozen by blue ice crystals, and her fleeing figure suddenly fell to the ground. Yet, another figure flew out, sweeping up Ao Yu with a wave of his sleeve¨Cit was Ao Qin. Both heartbroken and fearful, he glanced at the white flag within the blue ice crystals, but he did not stop for a moment and immediately carried Ao Yu towards the outside. With a flash, he rushed to the entrance of the ice cave, his body radiating a layer of blue light, and passed through the blue light curtain. A flash of starlight passed by, and almost simultaneously, Shen Luo''s figure rushed to the spot, colliding with the blue light curtain, but he was blocked by it. A strong rebounding force struck him, and he stumbled back two steps, his expression instantly darkening. This blue light curtain was exceptionally tough; even with his full strength, he feared he might not be able to break it in a short time. ¡°This is the West Sea Dragon Palace''s Kui Water Prohibition. You won''t be able to break it easily. I have a small spatial displacement charm here that can penetrate most prohibitions and perform short-distance spatial transmission. This charm originally requires control over the power of space to activate, but the Map of Mountains and Rivers you have seems to be a very high-grade spatial treasure. The immense power of space contained within should also be able to activate this charm.¡± The voice of Fire Spirit Child echoed in his mind, and a ray of silver light shot out from the Carefree Mirror, falling into Shen Luo''s hand and transforming into an extremely intricate silver Talisman. Ao Run and Ao Shun had already escaped the danger by this time, rising to their feet and also rushing toward the entrance. ¡°Dragon King Order is the key to the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault. We must not let them take it,¡± Ao Zhong roared explosively. However, he did not move, but with a wave of his hand, a small black triangular flag appeared in his palm. Ao Hong, with a complex expression, glanced at Ao Zhong and immediately dashed, chasing after them. Chapter 1414 Chapter 1414: Chapter 1410: Pursue Relentlessly Chapter 1414: Chapter 1410: Pursue Relentlessly ¡°Draw the ground layout, exit the Heavenly Gate, enter the Earth Door, close the Golden Gate, Six Ding Six Jia Locking God Formation, begin!¡± Ao Zhong threw the triangular flag in his hand, his fingers swiftly forming seals, while he rapidly chanted spells. The black flag responded with a shine of black light, its fabric starting to swell rapidly, but the pole was like a spear, piercing through Ao Zhong''s palm and extending to the ground, stabbing into the hard earth. Ao Zhong drew his fingers across the palm of his hand, then swung his hand, a stream of fresh blood hitting the flagpole, leaving traces of golden blood. The blood that seeped out was almost instantly absorbed by the flagpole, with complicated charm patterns emerging on the unfurled flag surface, from which burst forth patches of black light. In all four directions of the Ice Cave¨Ceast, west, north, south¨Cand above the Ice Cave, black light flashed, and a black big flag appeared in each, with black light surging wildly. The black light from the six big flags connected to each other, and in the illusory light, a gigantic hexagonal Array formed, caging everything around it. Six illusory divine generals appeared at the six corners, each holding a Thundering Bloodthirsty Whip, swinging and entwining them toward the people inside the formation. Shen Luo and Ao Hong faced a Thundering Bloodthirsty Whip sweeping towards them, and right as they were about to counter, Ao Zhong let out a shout from his mouth, halting the offensive momentum, and forcefully commanded those two divine generals to retract the whips. Ao Run and Ao Shun weren''t so lucky, their bodies were struck hard by the Thundering Bloodthirsty Whip and flung away. The two divine generals swung their arms, and two Thundering Bloodthirsty Whips quickly entwined around the two like snakes, binding them in place. ¡°Big Brother, which side are you really on?¡± Unable to help himself, Ao Hong asked sharply upon seeing this. ¡°We will discuss this matter later. Go after Ao Qin and Ao Yu immediately, you must not let them enter the Treasure Vault, whatever they want to get, you must stop them,¡± Ao Zhong urgently commanded. ¡°Treasure Vault!¡± Shen Luo, who was near the entrance, heard this and his expression changed slightly. ¡°Brother Ao Hong, Ao Zhong is right, we must immediately go after Ao Qin and Ao Yu. Leave this place to Ao Zhong, with this Great Formation, he should be able to cope,¡± Shen Luo called out. Upon hearing this, Ao Hong hesitated for a moment, then flew towards the entrance. Shen Luo quickly grabbed Ao Hong''s shoulder with his right hand, while his left hand glowed with dazzling silver light from the Small Teleportation Charm, enveloping them both. A brilliant flash of silver light passed, and the figures of the two men, along with the silver light, disappeared altogether. This scene startled Ao Run and Ao Shun. Seeing this, Ao Zhong''s eyes flashed with a hardly perceptible complexity, then he continued to drive the Great Formation. The other Thundering Bloodthirsty Whips also swept over, layer upon layer encasing Ao Run and Ao Shun''s bodies without attacking them. Shen Luo wasn''t that Ao Zhong didn''t want to, but activating the Six Ding Six Jia Locking God Array was too draining on mana. It was originally a formation that required the cooperation of six people to cast. Now alone, he exerted all his strength simply to hold the enemy at bay, and really had no ability to activate the offensive capabilities of the Array. ¡°Ao Zhong, my nephew, such a crafty mind you have, pretending to defect to our side, taking advantage when we were not paying attention, secretly setting up this Great Formation. But what''s the point of this? Big Brother is dead, and your defeat is already certain, why continue with this futile resistance? Isn''t it good to be the master of the Eastern Sea? Once we''ve succeeded in our uprising, we will no longer be confined to these mere Four Seas, and we will control all the waterways of the world. Won''t it be nice not to have that piece of sky pressing down on us?¡± After struggling for a while, Ao Run realized that the Great Formation was far more powerful than they had imagined, and he was unable to break free, so he gave up. ¡°Hmph, you killed my Father King, you''d never let me live. I''m afraid that as soon as you get your hands on the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl, you''ll strike to take my life! What''s more, even if Ao Zhong is unworthy, he would not cooperate with the murderer of his father for the sake of power!¡± Ao Zhong sneered and stopped paying attention to the two, focusing instead on operating the Array. Outside the underwater maze, a silver light flashed through the void, revealing Shen Luo and Ao Hong. ¡°We''re really out. That little teleportation charm of yours is pretty amazing,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly and spoke to Fire Spirit Child through telepathy. ¡°Of course, the small teleportation charm is a true immortal charm. An ordinary water attribute prohibition is naturally easy to pass through,¡± Fire Spirit Child said proudly. ¡°Immortal charm¡­¡± Shen Luo''s gaze shifted, about to ask in detail. ¡°Brother Shen, follow me quickly!¡± Ao Hong''s voice was solemn, and he immediately rushed toward a patch of Coral Sea on the left, taking out a golden Communication Talisman in his hand, whispering a few words to it, and then crushing it. ¡°That Dragon King Order is the key to unlocking the East Sea Dragon Palace Treasure Vault?¡± Shen Luo stopped his inquiry with Fire Spirit Child and followed behind, asking in a low voice. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Yes, all of the Dragon Palace''s treasured items are there. Even though we still don''t know their purpose for entering the Vault, we must not let those two thieves succeed!¡± Ao Hong''s face was grave, his body tense, obviously still immersed in the emotions of his hatred. Seeing this, Shen Luo secretly sighed. He didn''t know how to comfort Ao Hong, and could only silently resolve to do his best to help protect the Dragon Palace this time. ¡°Ao Qin and the others just now said that summoning the Ancestral Dragon requires the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl, and Brother Ao, you mentioned earlier that the pearl was always in the care of Uncle. But just now, Ao Yu only took the Dragon King Order from Uncle Ao Guang and did not seem to take the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl. Is there a chance that this pearl is in the Vault? And the purpose of Ao Qin and his group in stealing the Dragon King Order was also to steal the pearl from the vault?¡± Shen Luo suddenly thought of something and asked. ¡°Brother Shen makes sense; it''s highly likely. Move quickly. We must not let the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl fall into their hands!¡± Hearing this, Ao Hong''s body shook and he urgently commanded, immediately speeding up. Within the Coral Sea, all were towering red corals reaching up to dozens of feet, crisscrossed and densely packed. If not for Ao Hong leading the way, Shen Luo might have long since lost his bearings. Along the way, one could see traces of violent damage to the corals, enough to see that Ao Qin and Ao Yu were also extremely anxious, hastily rushing and completely disregarding their surroundings. Moments later, when Shen Luo and his companion arrived in front of a towering mountain peak a hundred feet high from the seabed, they saw the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin fiercely battling against dozens of Aquatic Clan members stationed in front of the mountain. To prevent anyone from taking advantage of Ao Guang while he was healing to invade the Dragon Palace, the East Sea Dragon Palace had dispatched its elite fighters and many dragon sons and daughters to situate themselves in various places. Those left in the Palace were ordinary soldiers and generals whose cultivation levels were at most in the late Mahayana stage. These shrimp soldiers and crab generals were no match for Ao Qin. In a matter of moments, they were knocked down, leaving dead and wounded everywhere, the battle had already become one-sided. Behind Ao Qin, Ao Yu was waving her hands, sending the Dragon King Order into mid-air. As her mana continuously poured into the token, two dazzling Golden Patterns lit up on it. Then, after a whirling turn in mid-air, the token split into two Golden Dragons and shot straight towards the smooth and flat mountain wall behind. Chapter 1415 Chapter 1415: Chapter 1411: Three Treasures Chapter 1415: Chapter 1411: Three Treasures ¡°Not good, she has already opened the protective prohibition outside the treasure vault, only one last step away from unlocking the treasure vault,¡± Ao Hong exclaimed in shock. With a leap, he charged towards Ao Yu. Shen Luo followed closely behind, his hand flashing with golden light as he had already drawn the Profound Yellow Staff. Ao Qin, seeing Ao Hong and Shen Luo, his expression changed, and with an angry shout, he swung his palms furiously, releasing two streams of purple-gold dragon qi from his palms, which instantly slew all the shrimp soldiers and crab generals. The two streams of purple-gold dragon qi then turned into two purple-gold thunder dragons, which spun around to pounce on Ao Hong. In Ao Hong''s hands, the Dragon Spear emitted a bright white light, clashing hard against the two purple-gold thunder dragons. With a thunderous boom, Ao Hong was knocked backward, but the two purple-gold thunder dragons were also pierced by the Dragon Spear and exploded violently. Upon witnessing this, Shen Luo intensified the golden light on his Profound Yellow Staff, and a large golden rod shadow smashed down towards Ao Qin. Ao Qin roared and met with his bare hands, a sphere of purple-gold lightning emerging in his palm, with countless sand-like things flickering inside, confronting the Profound Yellow Staff. ¡°Be careful! That''s the Spirit-breaking Thunderbolt, specifically designed to destroy the spiritual light of Magical Treasures. Withdraw your staff quickly, don''t let it get damaged!¡± Fire Spirit Child warned again. Hearing this, Shen Luo was momentarily stunned but immediately attempted to withdraw the Profound Yellow Staff. However, it was too late, and the golden rod shadow collided with the purple-gold lightning. ¡°Boom boom boom¡± ¡°Sizzle sizzle¡± The purple-gold lightning burst completely, and the explosive force repelled Shen Luo. A series of purple-gold lightnings intertwined with the Profound Yellow Staff, leaving his palm scorched and his body numb. Shen Luo stamped his foot fiercely on the ground, his body violently quaking, instantly shaking off all the purple-gold light that had entered his body. But the spiritual light on the Profound Yellow Staff had been greatly scattered by the purple thunder, though it appeared to have sustained only minor damage. Ao Qin, seeing this, showed a surprised look and grabbed with his hands again. Two more streams of purple-gold lightning shot out, preventing Shen Luo and Ao Hong from getting any closer. At that moment, Ao Yu let out a delicate shout, and two golden dragons collided with the mountain wall, not leaving any mark of impact. Instead, two interwoven dragon shapes chasing a pearl emerged on the mountain wall as relief patterns. As the fist-sized Dragon Orb at the center of the relief lit up, a towering door, ten feet high, appeared on the integrally whole mountain wall, and one side of it started to open with a heavy scraping noise. A glint of joy flashed through Ao Yu''s eyes as she leaped into it, ignoring Ao Qin. Ao Qin, seeing this, a hint of rage flashed in his eyes. He sent out two purple-gold lightnings at Shen Luo and Ao Hong before turning to dash towards the treasure vault. However, the ground beneath his feet suddenly emitted a thick layer of yellow light, enveloping his legs and halting his fleeing figure, exuding a great binding force within the yellow light. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In Ao Hong''s hands was a yellow banner that appeared extremely ancient, half of it submerged into the ground, flickering with a dense yellow light. Shen Luo''s eyes shimmered as he saw his chance. The Profound Yellow Staff in his hand radiated golden light, and he intended to seize the moment to strike Ao Qin heavily, aiming to injure him severely, if not kill him. ¡°I''ll deal with Ao Qin. Brother Shen, hurry into the treasure vault and stop Ao Yu. Don''t let him succeed!¡± Ao Hong shouted at Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded immediately upon hearing this. His figure flashed, and remnants of Moonlight shadows appeared under his feet as he vanished on the spot. However, just as he had dashed forward a few steps, a purple lightning glow suddenly lit up in front of him. A person-sized purple-gold electric ball crackled with light spots and smashed towards him. It was Ao Qin who had made his move. Shen Luo hastily dodged to the side, barely avoiding it, and continued to charge forward. ¡°Ride the wind and break the waves,¡± came a low shout from behind Shen Luo at that moment. Shen Luo suddenly felt his body relax as if a wave of the sea had enveloped him, granting him unparalleled comfort. His reactions quickened, and the speed of his Slanting Moon Steps doubled in an instant. Ao Qin roared in anger, and his hands flashed, each producing a strangely shaped six-pointed steel claw. Two purple-gold claw beams crisscrossed and shot towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo twisted his body and passed through the space between the two purple lights, flashing into the treasure vault. A burst of blinding white light appeared before his eyes, which quickly settled, revealing the luminous interior of a treasury. Although Shen Luo had heard that the Dragon Clan enjoyed collecting treasures, it wasn''t until today that he realized the palace more than lived up to the legend. The vault, carved into the mountain''s belly, was far from being dim. Rather, the walls were inset with Night Pearls of various sizes, whose luminescence cast a bright and crystal-clear shimmer. The hundred-feet-radius vault was piled with incredibly fine golden sand on the ground, containing countless golden cups, scepters, and other items scattered among exquisite goldware and colored gemstones. To ordinary folks, no¡­ even to wealthy households, these items would seem worth a fortune, yet here they appeared as common and inconsequential as trash piled everywhere. Besides the golden sand and gemstones, numerous shelves held various Heavenly Treasures. Though these shelves were caged in prohibitions, strong Spiritual Power fluctuations still wafted through the air. At that moment, Ao Yu transformed into a blue shadow, recklessly shooting towards the deeper part of the vault. The strong wind he conjured toppled several antique shelves, scattering jade boxes and a myriad of bottles and jars on the ground. Shen Luo''s heart tightened, and he immediately gave chase. In the blink of an eye, Ao Yu flew to a Stone Platform in the deepest part of the vault and stopped. On the platform, three stone pedestals held three objects. On the far left was an ancient-looking black scroll, in the middle was a dusky-red but dimly glowing round Treasure Pearl, and on the right was a slender Bone Flute, the length of a child''s arm. Shen Luo also caught sight of the objects on the Stone Platform, his attention immediately drawn to the dim red Dragon Orb at the center. For some reason, the moment Shen Luo laid eyes on it, he felt it was the very reason he had come to the Dragon Palace¨C the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl. The entire Stone Platform was covered with a Golden Protective Barrier bearing the wandering shape of a dragon, emitting waves of strong prohibition aura. Ao Yu glanced quickly over the surface of the platform, immediately activated the Dragon King Order in his hand, and cast a Golden Light towards the Golden light shield. The light shield trembled fiercely, and the dragon image on it rose and flew into the Dragon King Order. The golden light shield disappeared, leaving only small golden barriers on top of the three pedestals. Shen Luo, still a distance away from the platform, saw this and immediately brandished the Profound Yellow Staff, hurling it with all his might at the back of Ao Yu''s heart. Chapter 1416 Chapter 1416: Chapter 1412: Two Pearls Chapter 1416: Chapter 1412: Two Pearls A buzzing explosion sounded. The Profound Yellow Staff flew out from Shen Luo''s hand, crossing several dozen feet in an instant, arriving behind Ao Yu, enveloping her with a tremendously powerful hurricane. Ao Yu''s pretty face changed slightly, she waved her hand without turning back, and behind her, a jet-black jade-like spiritual bowl with a dragon head pattern emerged out of nowhere, and with a loud clang, it blocked the strike from the Profound Yellow Staff. At the same time, she swung her other hand, releasing a streak of blue light, transforming into a giant blue hand reaching toward the stone platform below. However, a sudden flash of golden light on the Profound Yellow Staff transformed it into a golden whip, which, like a serpent, bypassed the jade spiritual bowl and struck the blue hand. With a sizzle, the blue hand shattered with one blow. The sound of wind and thunder rose sharply, Shen Luo''s whole body was entwined with wind thunder spirit light, he hurtled forward like an angry thunder, and a crimson sword light shot out from his body, instantly transforming into a giant sword dozens of feet long, ferocious crimson flames burst forth, chopping down squarely at Ao Yu. A heat as if it could ignite the void erupted, and the nearby ground and some golden sand showed signs of melting. Ao Yu''s face full of frost, she pointed to the jade spiritual bowl, which immediately flew in front of her, bursting forth with soaring golden light, and with a clang it blocked another strike from the Pure Yang Sword without leaving a single mark on its surface. The dragon head pattern on the bowl''s surface suddenly opened, and several strands of jet-black light shot out from within, fiercely striking towards the closely situated Shen Luo¨Cthey were several black jet darts, but they were all deflected by the Profound Yellow Staff, which had unknowingly returned to his hand. The next moment, dozens of golden rod shadows descended from the skies, raining down like a storm on Ao Yu and the jade spiritual bowl. Shen Luo and Ao Yu fought intensely around the stone platform, employing every method to ensnare each other tightly, preventing any approach to the three magical treasures on the platform. Just at that moment, the golden protective barriers on the three stone pedestals suddenly flashed and shattered simultaneously. As the golden light shield dissipated, Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed. The demonic Qi within his Dantian surged wildly, unexpectedly initiating turmoil on its own. He quickly exerted his power to suppress it, his gaze turning towards the dark red bone flute, which was emanating thin wisps of red mist, filled with intensely rich demonic Qi. While Shen Luo suppressed the demonic Qi and casted a spell, there was a slight pause, Ao Yu waved her sleeve, and a streak of blue light shot forth. ¡°Do not think of succeeding!¡± Shen Luo bellowed, a yellow figure shot from his body, it was none other than the Sky Fiend Corpse King, seizing the void. Five streaks of yellow light shot from his hand, rapidly grabbing towards the blue light. However, a flash of black light passed over Ao Yu, separating into a black figure that intercepted the Sky Fiend Corpse King while simultaneously releasing a lightning-like black light that enveloped the five claw streaks. The Sky Fiend Corpse King and the black figure made contact and immediately split apart, taking a few steps back respectively, each holding their own. Black and yellow lights intensely collided, bursting with a bang, forming a whirlwind of black and yellow that tore apart the blue light emitted by Ao Yu. The three treasures on the pedestals were also shaken off. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo inwardly cried out in alarm and immediately lunged for the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, a swirl of golden light enveloping the pearl with no obstruction, snatching it into his hand. He was slightly stunned, then looked up at Ao Yu, who, with a face full of frenzy, dashed towards the blood-colored short flute and also grasped it in her hand. ¡°Your target is not the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, but this demon flute?¡± Shen Luo flipped his hand to store the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl into the Linlang Ring, the Sky Fiend Corpse King''s wings flashed with golden light, appeared dozens of feet away, grabbing the black scroll. Ao Yu, unresponsive to Shen Luo''s actions and query, opened her mouth and spat out a mouthful of essence blood, merging it into the blood-colored short flute. The bone flute suddenly emanated a layer of blood light, enveloping Ao Yu''s body; the sorrowful, wailing sound of the flute arose in the surrounding void, causing one''s scalp to tingle. ¡°Ha ha, I finally obtained the sacred flute!¡± Ao Yu''s eyes also flashed with a layer of blood light as she laughed wildly. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes upon seeing this and, without another word, immediately leapt forward, intending to snatch it. At that moment, a booming sound erupted from the entrance of the Treasure Vault as the half-open stone door was blasted open by a tremendous force. A figure flew backwards into the room and fell to the ground, it was Ao Hong. He was spitting blood at this moment, his chest charred black, clearly having sustained severe injuries. Ao Yu''s laughter stopped, and she raised her hand to beckon the black figure back. It shot towards her and merged into her body with a flicker. The Treasure Vault had only one exit, so Shen Luo wasn''t worried about Ao Yu escaping. He dashed to Ao Hong''s side and helped him up, asking urgently, ¡°How are you, are you alright?¡± ¡°It''s nothing, I just took a palm strike from Ao Qin¡­ it''s not a big deal¡­¡± Ao Hong hadn''t finished speaking when he spat out another mouthful of blood. Just as he stopped speaking, Ao Qin also flew into the vault from the entrance, a bloody hole penetrating his chest, also evidently not having gained any advantage. ¡°Did you get the ''things''?¡± he asked urgently, addressing Ao Yu. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I got them.¡± Ao Yu raised her right hand which was holding a dark red dragon pearl, which both in shape and aura seemed to be the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl. Shen Luo''s expression changed immediately, hurriedly releasing his Divine Sense into the Linlang Ring, where the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl quietly lay. ¡°What''s going on? How can there be two Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearls?¡± His eyes widened slightly in puzzlement. ¡°That woman''s pearl is a transformation through God''s Power; you should sense it carefully, there''s still a trace of Demonic Qi fluctuating inside,¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows upon hearing this, and learned that there was indeed a trace of Demonic Qi in the deepest part of the dragon pearl in Ao Yu''s hand, which was extremely faint. If he hadn''t practiced the ¡°Thoughts Swift as Lightning¡± technique, which made his Divine Sense much keener than before, he wouldn''t have noticed it. ¡°Now that we have it, let''s quickly retreat. Soon, others from the East Sea Dragon Palace will arrive to support, and if we really get entangled, escaping might become difficult,¡± Ao Qin spoke, his eyes showing a trace of joy. Ao Yu nodded, then with a leap, sprinted towards the Treasure Vault''s entrance. ¡°Leave behind the Dragon Palace Treasure!¡± Ao Hong exclaimed, his eyes turning blood red in an instant; he gritted his teeth and raised his hand, swinging it upwards vigorously. A piece of green cloth flew out from his sleeve, unfurling in mid-air as the wind caught it, transforming into a giant, square green curtain that spanned several meters, woven with golden silk threads in patterns that resembled the bricks of a City Wall. Ao Yu was intercepted by the green cloth, raised her hand, and her fingers, shaped like a knife, slashed violently forward. A blue light burst forth instantly, chopping towards the green cloth. With a ¡°sizzling¡± sound. The green cloth fluttered wildly under the impact of the blue light. But when the blue light dissipated, the green cloth remained unharmed, still intact as it fell directly onto Ao Yu''s head, enveloping her like a wrapped zongzi. Ao Hong''s Dragon Spear swept out, slamming heavily onto Ao Yu. With a ¡°boom¡± of a loud noise. Ao Yu was slammed heavily into the golden sand, immediately stirring up a storm of golden sand. Chapter 1417 Chapter 1417: Chapter 1413: Fierce Battle Chapter 1417: Chapter 1413: Fierce Battle Shen Luo saw Ao Yu being struck and sent flying by Ao Hong and was slightly taken aback. Just now, he had crossed fists with this woman and discovered that her strength was unfathomably deep, even more formidable than Ao Qin and others by a margin. The mysterious pitch-black shadow that split from her was comparable to the existence of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. How could she be so easily defeated by Ao Hong? ¡°Ao Yu!¡± Ao Qin saw this and was greatly shocked, urgently charging into battle. He unleashed one after another bundle of purple gold thunder and lightning from the palm of his hand, shooting towards Shen Luo and Ao Hong. The two knew the fierceness of the purple gold thunder and lightning and quickly cast spells to defend against it. Seeing this, Ao Qin raised his hand and produced a green-black Jade Seal the size of a palm, swinging it towards Shen Luo. The moment the Jade Seal flew out, the four-character rune ¡°Sealing Spirit Slaying¡± etched on it flew out like a living creature, turning into a dark crimson light pressing down on Shen Luo. The power contained in that rune was very special, leaving Shen Luo with no means of escape. His body stiffened, and he found himself plummeting towards the ground. At the same time, the Jade Seal rapidly grew in size, soon transforming into the size of a millstone as it descended. Shen Luo held up his Staff to barely prop up the millstone-sized Jade Seal, but before he could take further action, a golden Flood Dragon, emanating Ancestral Dragon Aura from all over its body, reached down from the sky. It entangled Shen Luo, binding him tightly. Seeing this, Ao Hong wanted to move forward to help but was stopped by Ao Qin and couldn''t break free for the moment. The golden Flood Dragon opened its bloody maw wide, biting down directly onto Shen Luo''s head. Yet Shen Luo''s expression was fearless, and he suddenly spat out towards the golden Flood Dragon. A ball of crimson flame lit up at his throat, followed by a loud and clear phoenix cry. A fiery bird burst forth, turning into a Vermilion Bird Spirit. Its wings fluttering, it plunged straight into the mouth of the golden Flood Dragon. The golden Flood Dragon had already enveloped Shen Luo''s head, ready to bite down, when its movements suddenly stiffened. Then, from outside its body, one could see a bundle of scarlet light traveling inside it. When it reached the vital spot seven inches behind the head, the ball of fire suddenly exploded. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± the golden Flood Dragon shattered inch by inch, turning into countless Jade fragments that littered the ground. A Scarlet Sword Light soared to the sky, and the surrounding crimson bird made of flames began to retract, merging into the Sword body. Ao Qin, who was fighting Ao Hong, was startled. He knew well that the Jade Seal could not suppress Shen Luo, but he didn''t expect it to be broken so easily. Ao Qin''s expression became grave as he formed a Weird technique with both hands, and with a gesture into the Void. The Ancestral Dragon Qi that had dispersed from the Jade Seal suddenly reversed, flying back and converging towards his Dantian. Having absorbed that Ancestral Dragon''s Power, Ao Qin''s eyes gradually began to gleam with Golden Light, as if he had suddenly unlocked some Seal on his body, golden light spilling out from all over him. The wound on his chest pierced by Ao Hong healed at a visible rate, and a layer of golden bone Armor emerged, encasing his entire body. Gold light shone brilliantly from Ao Qin, as strands of golden lightning burst forth from his Armor. His Qi swelled mightily, surpassing Ao Shun and Ao Run from before and reaching the Taiyi Level. ¡°Feel the divine might of the true Ancestral Dragon''s Power, and don''t assume that I am like those two failures, Ao Shun and Ao Run!¡± Ao Qin''s eyes also gleamed with golden light as he laughed heartily. Both Shen Luo and Ao Hong''s faces changed color as they immediately retreated backward. ¡°Thinking of escaping? Too late!¡± Ao Qin sneered and vanished from his spot with a flash. Shen Luo sensed a blur before his eyes, and before he could see anything clearly, he felt a gust of evil wind strike him. He tried to lift his Staff to counter, but his chest had already been hit. He felt a violent jolt at his heart, a strong sense of suffocation so overpowering that he couldn''t catch his breath. He was propelled backwards uncontrollably, crashing heavily against the wall of the Treasure Vault. Shen Luo ¡°wah!¡± with a sound, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Before he could catch his breath, an even more fierce gale struck again, this time much more aggressively, causing him such pain that his face felt as though it was being slashed, still unable to see anything clearly. Shen Luo was alarmed by the speed of Ao Qin, his palms emitted a bright blue light, and he pushed forward without any thought. A tumultuous Blue Cold Wave surged forward, instantly sweeping across an area of several dozens of meters around, revealing Ao Qin''s figure not far away, his speed significantly reduced due to the cold wave, yet still as fast as lightning, he pounced forward, holding a pitch-black Spiral Cone in his hand, stabbing towards Shen Luo''s forehead. Shen Luo''s feet flashed with starlight, and in an instant, he moved laterally several meters, narrowly avoiding the attack. Ao Qin let out a low growl and swung his arms outward. With a ¡°boom,¡± a huge expanse of Golden Light suddenly exploded, distorting the surrounding void, and then even more turned into streams of golden energy waves rolling violently in all directions. The Blue Cold Wave was blasted away by the energy waves, and Ao Qin, now a mere afterimage, continued to pounce towards Shen Luo. At that moment, a Golden Rope fell from above, coiling around Ao Qin''s neck and yanking back fiercely. Ao Hong''s figure appeared out of nowhere in the upper void. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Qin''s forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, yet still not giving up, he threw the cone that was in his hand. The Spiral Cone turned into a Black Light, distorting the void as it went, and it sped towards Shen Luo''s forehead at an astonishing speed. However, Shen Luo had completely recovered his breath by now. Seeing Ao Qin being restrained by the Golden Rope, he calmly ducked to evade the Spiral Cone''s attack. He raised his Long Stick with a lift and struck it straight towards Ao Qin''s chest. ¡°Divine Needle Shakes the Sea!¡± Shen Luo let out a low shout. The Profound Yellow Staff erupted with an intensely powerful aura. Streams of Golden Light burst forth from Shen Luo''s arms, swirling around the Profound Yellow Staff like a sechurning Vortex, surging in all Four Directions. Ao Qin''s chest was suddenly hit by an immense force, emitting a resounding ¡°bang.¡± A burst of Golden Light exploded from the tip of the Profound Yellow Staff, transforming into a powerful impact force, sending Ao Qin flying away. Shen Luo flipped to his feet and pursued, gathering strength with a momentum that could overtake mountains and outpace the moon. In an instant, as he closed in, his Long Stick swung out a radiant crescent moonlight from behind and smashed down on Ao Qin. ¡°Direct Strike from Above!¡± The Profound Yellow Staff drew a howling sound in Mid Air, its immense force shattering the wind and tearing the Void, striking Ao Qin with all its might. The South Sea Dragon King let out a roaring shout. Although his form was still unsteady, he flipped his hand and took out another black cone, which emitted a Dragon Chant sound, rushing straight up towards Shen Luo''s Profound Yellow Staff. The staff crashed into the tip of the cone, releasing an incredibly intense vibration sound! The sound was sharp yet profound, enough to effortlessly pierce eardrums, making Shen Luo''s Divine Soul shake, his head feeling somewhat muddled. His Profound Yellow Staff was repelled backward, and the black cone was also driven back. Ao Qin''s Bones Armor, piece by piece, heaved, dispersing the tremendous force he had endured. He himself remained unharmed and caught the strike with ease, stabilizing his form once again. He grabbed the Golden Rope around his neck, his Bones clicked and cracked, his muscles bulged, a colossal strength erupting from the ground as he yanked forward fiercely with his Arms. Ao Hong at the other end of the Golden Rope couldn''t resist this mighty force and crashed into the ground ahead like a meteor, smashing out a Big Pit, and a mouthful of fresh blood was spat out as well. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± a thin Blood Light shot out from the nearby Ground, wiping towards Ao Hong''s neck with incredible speed. Ao Hong, still in the chaos of the crash, had no awareness of the Blood Light attack, and danger loomed instantly! Chapter 1418 Chapter 1418: Chapter 1414 Another Purpose Chapter 1418: Chapter 1414 Another Purpose At the critical moment when Ao Hong was about to be decapitated, a golden staff burst forth from the side, striking the blood light and shattering it, revealing Shen Luo who had dashed over to save Ao Hong''s life. With a clang of metal on metal, the blood light was shattered by a single blow, and the Profound Yellow Staff didn''t stop there, continuing forward, fiercely striking the ground from where the blood light had emanated. A loud boom resonated, and the ground was hit, leaving a deep pit more than ten yards across. However, a dark silhouette managed to fly out just moments before, and it was Ao Yu. Shen Luo was not at all surprised by the sudden appearance of this woman. As expected, Ao Yu had earlier pretended to be defeated by Ao Hong, all to conceal herself and wait for a chance to launch a surprise attack on the duo. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He let out a loud shout, and an immense wave of sound dispersed around him, mixed with intense ethereal tones that made Ao Yu''s vision blur for a moment. It was the Soul Shaking Secret Technique, and its might was significantly greater than the previous time he had used it. Behind Ao Yu, a flash of golden light pierced the void, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared out of nowhere. Its sharp, yellow-clawed fingers reached for Ao Yu''s head, tearing the void and leaving black streaks in its wake. However, a dark silhouette emerged enveloped in black light, throwing punches with both fists that met with a thunderous collision, blocking the Sky Fiend Corpse King''s strike. Ao Yu was swept away by the storm created from the collision, but she took the opportunity to regain her composure, her face visibly worn out. She leaped to the side, attempting to find a safe place to catch her breath. Despite barely managing to fend off Shen Luo''s consecutive waves of attacks, the mental pressure was immense, and she desperately needed to find a safe haven to take a breather. But vibrations in the void appeared in front of her, and another Shen Luo materialized out of thin air, his hands holding a purple furnace. Before he made any move, a vast expanse of purple demonic flames burst forth, engulfing Ao Yu''s body. ¡°Demonic Burning Flames!¡± Ao Yu cried out in alarm and desperately dodged to the side, but many parts of her body, including her arms and chest, were touched by the demonic flames. Large, fist-sized purple blisters immediately swelled up on her skin, then burst and dissipated like foam, revealing an entirely different body from Ao Yu''s. The woman''s face also began to change, and as the purple blisters burst, half of a brand new visage was revealed. Delicate eyebrows, a dainty nose, and bewitching allure¨Cwords like ''beauty brings disaster'' were not enough to describe it; it was mesmerizing enough to captivate anyone and make them willingly surrender to her. ¡°It''s you!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in astonishment. He would never forget that face¨Cit was none other than the Wansheng Princess from Yunmeng Marsh. ¡°That''s right, Bashe mentioned before that the Wansheng Princess had secretly left Yunmeng Marsh some time ago, and now she''s here in the East Sea Dragon Palace. But why didn''t she go after the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl and instead try to seize the Blood Color Bone Flute?¡± Countless thoughts flipped through Shen Luo''s mind in an instant. Wansheng Princess quickly raised her hand to cover her face, and that black silhouette which had been battling the Sky Fiend Corpse King broke free in a blur. The next moment, it appeared in front of Ao Yu and merged into the woman''s body. A profound darkness erupted, engulfing her form and a malevolently sinister power surged within. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly. He shot the purple furnace backward, landing it beside another Shen Luo not far away; the Netherworld Furnace also sank into his sleeve. This Shen Luo was the true body, while the other, holding the Netherworld Furnace, was a doppelganger created by the Water Soul Technique. At this time, Ao Hong had recovered and was looking somewhat dumbfounded at the situation on Shen Luo''s side. Meanwhile, Ao Qin stood not too far away, not approaching due to the Sky Fiend Corpse King standing in the way. Shen Luo''s clash with Wansheng Princess ended in the blink of an eye. By the time Ao Qin wanted to come over to help, it was already too late; the Sky Fiend Corpse King in Taiyi Armor had blocked his way. The darkness engulfing Wansheng Princess did not last too long and soon collapsed and dissipated, revealing her figure once again as she reverted to the form of Ao Yu. With a murderous glint in her eyes, Wansheng Princess looked at Shen Luo and the purple furnace, then flew backward in retreat. Shen Luo''s gaze shifted slightly, and he did not stop her, allowing her to join Ao Qin. The Sky Fiend Corpse King who was confronting Ao Qin flew back as well and positioned himself next to Shen Luo. ¡°The Dragon Orb is already in our hands; there''s no need to entangle with them further. Let''s leave the Eastern Sea first,¡± said Wansheng Princess to Ao Qin. ¡°No, these two little guys forced me to reveal my Ancestral Dragon Transformation too soon. I must kill them today. If you want to leave, go ahead. As long as the mission is complete, that''s all that matters,¡± Ao Qin''s expression became somewhat stiff, but he seemed to be unaware of it and roared angrily. Having said that, he took large strides towards Shen Luo. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Wansheng Princess threw back coldly and turned to rush toward the outside. ¡°Stop,¡± Ao Hong roared in rage when he saw this and charged out. The moment he flew out, his body shone brightly, revealing his true dragon form. His massive figure stood horizontally in front of the Stone Door, blocking Wansheng Princess''s path. A hint of mockery flashed in Wansheng Princess''s eyes. She directly held up the Blood Color Bone Flute she had just obtained and, without needing to refine it, she played it to her lips. The piercing sound of the flute rang out as if countless swords were shooting in all directions, with no Mana or barrier able to stop them. Ao Hong screamed in agony. His huge body heavily collapsed to the Ground, crushing many wooden frames and materials within the Treasure Vault. Shen Luo felt a sharp pain in his head as well, as if a cold auger was twisting inside, and the Demonic Qi in his Dantian boiled over all at once, surging towards his entire body and fiercely conflicting with his Mana. His vision became bloodily obscured, and his Sea of knowledge suddenly manifested a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. He found himself sprawled atop a Blood Dragon''s ridge, prying apart its scales, pulling out its tendons, and devouring its Flesh and Blood. Worse still, far from feeling any disgust or aversion to this bloody scene, he experienced an unprecedented sense of exhilaration and satisfaction. That greedy, bloodthirsty desire was almost overwhelming his entire mind. In his hands, he no longer held the Profound Yellow Staff but a Blood-red Longsword, poised to stab down at the dragon below him. And indeed, there was a dragon writhing at his feet ¨C Ao Hong. If he were to strike with this sword, Ao Hong''s spine would be completely shattered. Shen Luo roared furiously, exerting full force to operate the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his remaining sanity and calm the celestial and demon conflict within his body. However, the deadly sound of the flute kept coming, and the conflict between the Mana and Demonic Qi inside him grew more intense. Several of his meridians had already split open, blood flowed from the seven orifices on his face, and his body felt like it was being torn in half. The bloodthirsty thoughts in his mind also grew stronger, like raging waves crashing against his last shred of reason, on the verge of completely drowning it. ¡°I still have so much left undone; how can I be consumed like this¡­¡± he growled, struggling to operate the Suppressing God Technique with all his might. Even though only a sliver of sanity remained, it held on tightly without snapping. Chapter 1419 Chapter 1419: Chapter 1415: Strange Changes Chapter 1419: Chapter 1415: Strange Changes Shen Luo, amidst this extreme torment, felt that everything around him had become vague, and the passage of time also blurred. The terrifying sound of the flute continued to echo in the Treasure Vault. In the void, numerous bloody demonic patterns, akin to musical notes, emerged and filled the great hall. Many similar bloody notes also appeared around the Linlang Ring on Shen Luo''s wrist, seeping inward. Suddenly, a wooden box inside the Linlang Ring sprang open. It was a box he had previously obtained from Fu Gong, revealing the white jade and the black seed within. The black seed suddenly emitted strands of black light, releasing a devouring power. Dots of bloody notes quickly gathered and melded into it. These bloody notes, which were almost lethal to Shen Luo and others, were swallowed by the black seed as easily as eating and drinking. The black light on it even gradually brightened, emitting stronger suction. A few breaths later, a flash of black light appeared above the Linlang Ring, and the black seed materialized out of thin air, emitting a ring of bright black light, devouring the surrounding bloody notes even faster, and gradually flying towards Shen Luo''s Dantian. These bloody notes originated from the Demonic Qi condensed within the Bone Flute. It seemed that the seed was chasing after the pure Demonic Qi. The places with the richest Demonic Qi in the entire great hall were two: one was the Blood Color Bone Flute and the other was Shen Luo''s Dantian. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a flash of black light, the seed entered Shen Luo''s Dantian, suspended there, greedily devouring the surrounding Chiyou Demonic Qi. Due to the Demonic Qi provoked by the Blood Color Bone Flute, the Demonic Qi inside Shen Luo''s body continuously weakened, significantly calming the collisions between the Demonic Qi and mana. After devouring a large amount of Chiyou Demonic Qi, the black light on the black seed intensified several times. Suddenly, with a ¡°click¡± sound, the bottom split open, and a black root emerged, burrowing into Shen Luo''s Dantian. An obscure aura emanated from the black root, swiftly traveling through his meridians. This aura was neither mana, Demonic Qi, nor any other form of vitality. It was extraordinarily peculiar, yet wherever it flowed, the rampant Demonic Qi and mana immediately made way. The obscure aura circulated throughout his body once and then entered his mind, suddenly dispersing and merging into various parts of his mind. His entire mind rumbled, undergoing some inexplicable changes. His Soul Power also became purer, the previously crumbling Mount Buzhou phantom became clearer by several magnitudes, and rapidly enlarged. In the blink of an eye, it grew more than tenfold, suppressing the bloodthirsty and homicidal thoughts brought by the flute. Shen Luo''s will quickly regained clarity. The fatal flute sound continued to echo in his ears, but it was no longer as terrifying, and the desire for bloodshed also swiftly receded, allowing him to regain his rationality completely. ¡°What''s going on?¡± He was somewhat shocked, hastily checking the situation in his mind. His eyes suddenly widened, noticing the changes in the Suppressing God Technique within his mind. If the previous Mount Buzhou phantom was merely a small mountain, it was now a towering giant peak, unshakable by any force. ¡°Has the Suppressing God Technique improved again?¡± Shen Luo somewhat hesitantly guessed, simultaneously operating this Secret Method to confirm, and his face quickly revealed a look of joy. Although Shen Luo didn''t know the reason, the Suppressing God Technique had indeed advanced significantly, and his understanding of this divine power had also deepened considerably, clarifying areas that were previously unclear to him. He had been cultivating the Suppressing God Technique for many years, but had never made much progress. He had once suspected that the Skills he obtained were incomplete. Recently, he had stopped cultivating this divine power for a long period of time, and unexpectedly, he had now made a breakthrough. Moreover, this breakthrough was substantial, almost reaching the Great Perfection Level, and the collision between mana and Demonic Qi within his body had also subsided significantly. However, the situation was still very dangerous. Shen Luo did not continue to immerse in joy but quickly regained his composure, closed his eyes, and began to operate the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, ready to suppress the conflict between Demonic Qi and mana. Suddenly, he stopped, feeling that there were many shortcomings in this divine power. The balance between Demonic Qi and mana was too rough, and could be improved by referencing the soft and hard changes in the Nameless Cultivation Technique. There were also issues with the area that triggered Demonic Qi during transformations, and the Chiyou Martial Secrets offered better methods¡­ ¡°Ah! My understanding of the Nameless Cultivation Technique, Chiyou Martial Secrets, and the Huangting Technique, among other Skills, has also advanced a lot. I can actually utilize the profound changes in these Skills to perfect the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power!¡± Shen Luo opened his eyes, his face full of amazement. The Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power was something he had comprehended inside the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle during his Great Mahayana Stage. Given his cultivation realm at that time, it was normal for a self-created Skill to be crude. Over the years, he had been continuously improving it, but this time he found numerous issues, which surpassed any previous improvements. He immediately noticed that the Soul Power in his mind was purer than before, and his entire mind seemed to have undergone some change, with various thoughts and ideas incredibly active, as if a dull person for many years had suddenly become enlightened. ¡°What happened when I resisted the flute sound just now?¡± Shen Luo felt secretly shocked, continued to examine other parts of his body, and suddenly raised his eyebrows upon discovering the Black Seed in his Dantian. ¡°How could this seed appear here? It''s even absorbing the Chiyou Demonic Qi and has started to sprout roots! Could the change in my mind be related to this object?¡± His face filled with shock after shock, and his heart was equally tumultuous. The Dantian is of utmost importance for cultivators, and now suddenly there was a Black Seed rooted inside, which might not be easy to remove. It was also uncertain whether this was a curse or a blessing. Just then, Ao Hong''s horrific screams came, and he had already reverted to human form. A stream of blood-colored musical notes kept entering his body, causing violent conflicts with the mana inside, almost similar to Shen Luo''s previous situation. Ao Hong''s eyes turned blood red, and blood surged from all seven orifices. His skin cracked open, revealing bloody gashes from which blood continued to pour, and his entire body seemed on the verge of bursting. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo couldn''t afford to ponder any longer and fully operated the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. His body quickly grew several times larger, his eyes turned into one red and one golden hue, and Bone Armor and dragon scales each covered half of his body; Dragon Horns and Demon Horns extended from his head. This time, the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power he used had improved significantly. After transformation, he no longer appeared as fierce as before, emitting an unprecedented profound and heavy feeling throughout his body. The agitated Demonic Qi and mana suddenly calmed down a lot, and a mighty aura burst forth. The series of changes that occurred to Shen Luo, though complex in description, actually took place in just a few breaths from being deluded by the flute sound to transforming after waking up. Not far away, Ao Qin was also affected by the Bone Flute, showing signs of pain. However, he immediately activated the Ancestor Dragon''s Power, raising a layer of Ancestor Dragon Golden Light around him, and timely blocking most of the blood-colored musical notes. The remaining blood-colored musical notes penetrated his body, but he managed to hold on. He had planned to take advantage of Shen Luo and Ao Hong being affected by the flute sound to fly towards them, but Shen Luo appeared to only sway a bit before suddenly transforming. Ao Qin''s expression darkened, and seeing Shen Luo transform, he was taken aback, puzzled as to how the Demonic Qi in Shen Luo could be even denser than his own. Chapter 1420 Chapter 1420: Chapter 1416: Walking Dead Chapter 1420: Chapter 1416: Walking Dead Shen Luo took advantage of the moment of Ao Qin''s distraction, his figure flickered, and he swept to Ao Hong''s side, his hands supporting him. A dazzling light of gold and black burst forth, caging Ao Hong''s body within it, isolating those blood-colored musical notes and even more black light pierced into Ao Hong''s body, sucking away all the blood-colored notes within. Without the Demonic Qi nesting, the turmoil inside Ao Hong''s body quickly subsided, and he regained his divine wisdom, immediately rolling over to stand up. ¡°Enough, they can already withstand this damned flute sound, stop playing!¡± Ao Qin, seeing this scene, shouted in a cold voice. The flute sound within the Treasure Vault ceased abruptly, and the blood-colored notes fluttering about gradually disappeared into nothingness. ¡°Who would have thought you had some skills? I''ve had my share of fun. Now, I''ll send you on your way,¡± Ao Qin scoffed coldly, taking a big step forward, his eyes lighting up with a strange gleam. He lifted his palm and curved his fingers like claws, grasping at the void in front of him. A fierce light illuminated within the palm, a point of blue halo rapidly spiraling, forming a massive azure light orb from thin air. A vague dragon shadow swam restlessly within it, swallowing the surrounding Heaven and Earth Aura like devouring oceans of air. A torrential suction force erupted from within, the surrounding Void rumbling violently. ¡°Brother Shen, that Ao Qin has condensed a sliver of Dragon Soul within it, capable of absorbing the Qi of the Four Seas, the Heaven and Earth Aura it draws is beyond our imagination, we must not confront it with force,¡± Ao Hong observed, and without caring about curing his injuries, his whole body flashed with light, transforming back into his dragon form. Shen Luo frowned, his Profound Yellow Staff emitting a soaring golden light. ¡°Die.¡± Ao Qin had already let out a roar of anger, his palm striking out. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Along with a fierce dragon''s roar, the azure light orb, with a series of afterimages, charged straight at Shen Luo and Ao Hong. Inside, a golden dragon shadow showed its fangs and danced its claws, full of a bloodthirsty and fierce presence, reaching them in an instant. Shen Luo had not expected Ao Qin to strike so quickly. His fingers moved in sequence, the Profound Yellow Staff flaring with a gold and black light, solidifying into a light curtain that was half golden and half pitch black. The two seemingly opposing forces maintained a strangely perfect balance. However, he was a moment too slow; he was unable to maximize the power of the gold and black light curtain. The azure light orb had already shot forth. As soon as they made contact, a thunderous ¡°boom¡± resounded throughout the entire Treasure Vault. The explosive brilliance blasted open the dome of the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault, leaving a void a hundred feet wide. And at the center of the explosion, both Shen Luo and Ao Hong were sent flying. Ao Hong reacted a moment slower than Shen Luo and was harshly blown away by the explosion without getting the chance to perform his God''s Power. He continuously spewed blood from his mouth, his scale armor shattered inch by inch, and the blood gushed out, scattering throughout the void and spraying dazzling blooms of blood. Shen Luo was also blown away by the explosion; fortunately, the Profound Yellow Staff had blocked much of the blast, and since he had already performed the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, his defense was incredibly strong, and he was not injured by the shock. Just as he was about to check Ao Hong''s condition, a piercing howl erupted from the center of the explosion. A three-foot-long golden Flood Dragon, like a golden sword, shot out straight, heading right for Ao Hong''s head. Shen Luo''s pupils shrank; the golden Flood Dragon seemed ordinary but emitted a strong aura of destruction. If this strike was successful, Ao Hong''s life would be over. At the critical moment, he could no longer care for anything else; he flashed in front of Ao Hong, his chest braced to meet the oncoming golden Flood Dragon. ¡°Crack¡± A crisp sound, Shen Luo''s chest bone armor was pierced through, his body involuntarily arching backward as blood splashed from his chest. But immediately after, another ¡°crack¡± sound followed, as his back bone armor was also penetrated by the Flood Dragon. The power of the Golden Flood Dragon that passed through him had drained considerably, yet still managed, with its remaining force, to crash into Ao Hong''s forehead. ¡°Crack¡± Ao Hong''s head suffered a heavy blow and jerked violently backwards, it was unclear whether his skull had been penetrated or his neck had been broken. Finally, the Golden Flood Dragon dissipated, and Ao Hong also fell to the ground, his life or death unknown. Upon seeing this, Ao Qin''s taut body suddenly relaxed, nearly collapsing to the ground, as the Ancestral Dragon''s Qi around him began to fade away, and the golden armor on his body also gradually vanished, evidently having used up most of his strength. Just then, his brow furrowed suddenly, and with a look of disbelief, he noticed that not only was Shen Luo not dead, but Ao Hong was also slowly rising from where he lay. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But at this moment, there was something rather strange about him. Ao Hong''s body was enveloped in a dark red aura of blood energy, wisps and strands rising from him as if they were steam evaporated from blood. His eyes were tightly closed, his face expressionless, appearing as if he had fainted, with only a blood-red mark where the Golden Flood Dragon had struck his forehead. Shen Luo had, at the last critical moment, diverted the Golden Dragon''s attack with his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, and though it appeared to have pierced through him, he had not actually sustained serious injury. ¡°Ao Hong, are you alright?¡± He noticed something was off about him and hurriedly called out. However, Ao Hong did not respond at all, his body swaying as if he were a walking corpse. ¡°Something''s wrong, quick, take this chance and kill him,¡± shouted Ao Qin, as he leaped into action. A white shadow flashed through mid-air, as a snow-white longsword shot out, stabbing straight toward Ao Hong. The tip of the sword was covered with ice and snow, radiating an intense chill that caused the surrounding void to freeze with a ¡°crackling¡± sound. Seeing that Ao Hong could not be woken, Shen Luo ignored his own injuries, leapt into the air, forgoing the Profound Yellow Staff, and with one hand grabbed his Pure Yang Flying Sword. He formed the Pure Yang Burning Sword Technique and positioned himself in front of Ao Hong. ¡°Heavenly Dragon Breaking City Spear!¡± Ao Qin bellowed in fury, and in his palm appeared an ancient, pitch-black dragon spear, which from tip to handle was stained with cluster after cluster of dark red bloodstains, as if it had gone through countless slaughters. His entire being''s aura condensed, man and spear nearly merging into one, he seemed to become one entity, and with the help of the Ancestral Dragon''s Power wrapping around him, in that instant, his aura turned extremely sharp, sweeping horizontally toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s brow slightly furrowed, and immediately changed his tactic. His figure surged forward, the flames from the Pure Yang Sword in his hand intensifying, engulfing his figure and, in the next instant, man and sword became one, the fusion more seamless than Ao Hong''s. ¡°Pure Yang Instant Kill Sword!¡± A flash of firelight suddenly blazed forth, flying at a speed indiscernible to the naked eye, and after a metallic clang resounded through mid-air, the confrontation was over. Both the black dragon spear and Ao Qin were cleaved and sent flying away on an angle, while Shen Luo, together with his sword, was also knocked back, unable to halt his momentum, and slammed hard against the stone wall. On the other side, golden light exploded in mid-air, and countless ice crystals shot out. The white longsword had been violently knocked away, failing to harm Ao Hong. Shen Luo rolled off the stone wall and landed on the ground, his complexion somewhat pale, breathing shallowly. After repeated fierce battles, his Mana was nearly exhausted, and he felt powerless to continue the fight. Just then, he saw Ao Qin''s figure charge forward, relentlessly aiming another strike at Ao Hong''s head. In his palm, a purple-gold lightning condensed into a light sphere the size of a longan, clearly compressing his power to the extreme. If it hit Ao Hong''s head from close range, the latter would undoubtedly be dead. Chapter 1421 Chapter 1421: Chapter 1417 Ancestral Dragon Chapter 1421: Chapter 1417 Ancestral Dragon Shen Luo''s expression changed abruptly, and he leaped towards Ao Hong, attempting to stop Ao Qin, but it was already too late. Ao Qin''s face twisted into a sinister smile as the purple-golden light sphere he had condensed in his palm was now close to Ao Hong''s forehead. Just then, a sudden change occurred! A dark red light flashed beside Shen Luo''s Linlang Ring, and the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl emerged out of nowhere, transforming into a red shadow that shot out at a speed incomprehensible to ordinary people, instantly appearing in front of Ao Hong''s forehead, emitting a dazzling bloody radiance. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The moment Ao Qin''s Dragon Claw approached, electric sparks burst from the purple-golden light sphere, striking the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl unerringly. ¡°Sizzle ¡­¡± The purple-golden electric light erupted massively, but within the bloody radiance, a light curtain rose, shielding Ao Hong below. Just when Shen Luo and the others thought the purple-golden light sphere was about to explode, a vortex suddenly appeared on the blood-red light curtain, swallowing the electrically charged purple-golden light sphere. All the electric light then silenced. Before Ao Qin could react, his hand was also pulled by a tremendous force towards the bloody vortex. ¡°What is this ¡­¡± Ao Qin exclaimed in surprise. Immediately after, something even more terrifying happened; the flesh on his hand began to disintegrate, turning into indescribable wispy flakes drifting towards the bloody vortex. Correspondingly, on the other side of the light curtain, Ao Hong''s wounds began to heal at a visibly fast rate. Ao Qin was shocked beyond measure, struggling futilely. His entire hand turned into a white bone in an instant, and the bloody vortex began spreading up his arm; he finally panicked. Ao Qin made a decisive move, raising his left hand to chop off his right arm at the elbow, and with a leap, he jumped ten meters away, stemming the bleeding in his arm, his face full of bewilderment as he stared at the bloody vortex. Shen Luo, too, was shocked by the scene before him and stood aside without approaching. ¡°Is there still someone who possesses my breath today?¡± Before Ao Qin could reply, an old voice came from the bloody vortex, filled with astonishment. Hearing this voice, Ao Qin''s expression changed abruptly, and he suddenly looked up to the sky, ¡°Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl? How could it be in the hands of this human cultivator? Didn''t you take it back?¡± A figure descended from the sky, landing beside Ao Qin, it was Wansheng Princess. ¡°In the legends, during the great battle at Zulu when immortals, demons, and humans fought, the ancestor of the Dragon Clan joined forces with the Drought Demon to fight against Lord Feng and the Rain Master, was ultimately defeated, and perished. Lord Feng used eight thousand Xun Winds to slice him into 8,001 pieces, and the Ancestral Dragon Soul was scattered by the winds. The Nine Chi Dragons that followed the Ancestral Dragon used their essence blood to refine the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl, preserving a trace of Ancestral Dragon Soul, could it be ¡­ are you the Ancestral Dragon?¡± Ignoring Ao Qin, Wansheng Princess greeted the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl with a bow, asking respectfully. Shen Luo flashed and leaped to the other side of the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl, his gaze flickering as he watched the two, wary of them attempting to snatch the pearl. ¡°Who are you? The dragon bloodline in you is strong, but it''s a pity that your body is tainted with Demonic Qi. Though the Demonic Qi can enhance your strength, the power of the Dragon Clan does not assimilate well with it. The higher your cultivation, the stronger the conflict will be, and sooner or later, it will cause your body to rupture and perish,¡± said the old voice from within the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl once again. It neither affirmed nor denied its identity. ¡°Thank you for the guidance, Ancestral Dragon. The junior has already mastered the method to resurrect ancestors; may I know if you intend to leave this place with us two?¡± Wansheng Princess''s expression changed upon hearing this, but she quickly regained her composure, keeping her tone respectful. ¡°Ancestral Dragon, Elder, this woman is associated with Demon Emperor Chi You. Now in the world, the Immortal Path is flourishing and the Demonic Path is declining. Anything related to Chi You will be chased and killed by the forces of the Three Realms together; Elder, do not be deceived by their articulate deceit,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but speak up. Princess Wansheng''s eyes flashed with a trace of killing intent upon hearing these words, but she dared not show it in front of the Ancestral Dragon Soul and immediately suppressed it. ¡°Hehe, human boy, don''t worry, I am the Ancestral Dragon Soul, having already formed a pact with the East Sea Dragon Palace, I will never betray it for all my life. You two little guys need not bother resurrecting me,¡± the aged voice laughed hehe, clearly speaking to Ao Qin and Princess Wansheng. ¡°Since the ancestor has made this decision, we won''t disturb any further. Let''s go, leave this place,¡± said Princess Wansheng to Ao Qin, who was by her side, and then she flew away towards the outside. Seeing this, Ao Qin glanced at Shen Luo beside him and immediately followed. Although Shen Luo wished to keep the two of them behind, regrettably his mana was about to be exhausted and he was also injured in several places, perhaps do nothing but watch them leave. ¡°Thank you, elder, for coming to the rescue of Ao Hong,¡± Shen Luo sensed that the two were already far away, then turned to face the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl and bowed with his fists. As his words fell, the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault was filled with silence, and no one responded. Ao Hong was still unconscious, the bloody light curtain in front of him did not disappear, and the bloody vortex continued to rotate dimly. After waiting for a few moments, the aged voice finally rose again from the middle of the bloody vortex, ¡°You are not of my Dragon Clan, yet why do you have the Dragon Clan''s bloodline on you?¡± This voice was quite stern, seemingly carrying a bit of rebuke. Hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t know how to explain for a moment. ¡°Are you his ally?¡± While he hesitated, he heard the aged voice once more. ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Luo found the word ''ally'' somewhat awkward, but still nodded. ¡°If you wish to save him, come closer and lend me some of your bloodline power, otherwise, his injuries are too severe to recover, and death will be his only path,¡± the aged voice continued. Hearing this, a hint of hesitation flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. It wasn''t that he was unwilling to lend some of his bloodline power to the other, but he was innately wary of these ancient beings left from ancient times. ¡°How is it? Has the relationship of allies become so shallow today? Is this the decline of morals that Xuanyuan Clan worried about in ancient times, that human hearts are no longer what they once were? These times are drastically different compared to our times of warfare. If it weren''t for seeing that this lad is of my pure direct Dragon Clan lineage, I wouldn''t have wanted to exert soul power,¡± the aged voice spoke with a hint of mockery. ¡°Elder, what should I do?¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly and stepped forward. ¡°You need not do anything specific, just come closer,¡± the voice reminded again. Clenching his fists, Shen Luo took a step forward to stand in front of Ao Hong, but just as he stood firm, he heard a sharp cry from behind. ¡°Do not go over¡­¡± Shen Luo recognized the voice as coming from Ao Zhong, and he subconsciously wanted to retreat; however, because of his injuries, he moved a bit too slowly. Above Ao Hong''s head, a blood-red light suddenly intensified, and within the bloody vortex, seven to eight blood-red threads swiftly extended, and with a ¡°sizzle¡±, they pierced into Shen Luo''s forehead. Shen Luo immediately stiffened, and almost instantly, his blood solidified, and his whole body stood rigidly in place, unable to move. Just then, Ao Zhong, who had rushed in from outside the treasure vault, saw this scene and his face immediately showed a look of despair: ¡°It''s over.¡± Chapter 1422 Chapter 1422: Chapter 1418: Seizing the Body Chapter 1422: Chapter 1418: Seizing the Body Ao Zhong staggered toward the blood light, struggling to speak, ¡°Ancestor, can you spare Ao Hong and let me take his place instead?¡± ¡°Do you know of my existence?¡± a voice came from within the bloody vortex. ¡°I do, our ancestor''s heroic spirit has been passed down through generations, and I dare not forget even the slightest detail. Our Father King has just been betrayed by his own clan and was killed in a sneak attack. Please, Ancestor, spare my younger brother and let me replace him,¡± Ao Zhong said. ¡°You do care about familial love, unfortunately, although your cultivation level is slightly higher than his, you did not inherit my most pure bloodline. It is your brother who is more suitable for my soul transference. However, you can rest assured, no matter who your enemies are afterward, I will flatten them. It is time for our Dragon Clan to return to its peak,¡± the aged voice ignited with immense passion. Ao Zhong wanted to argue more, but a stern voice interrupted him: ¡°Stop talking. I need to concentrate on absorbing this child''s divine soul power to replenish myself. If you don''t want both you and your brother to be hurt, just shut up obediently.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ao Zhong felt bitter inside and had to remain silent. The fact that the Ancestor Dragon Soul was sealed within the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl was not widely known in the Dragon Palace; it was a secret closely guarded by the Eastern Sea lineage, even unknown to the other Three Sea Dragon Kings. Ao Zhong had once asked his Father King Ao Guang why not use this strand of Dragon Soul to help the Ancestor reincarnate? The answer Ao Guang gave at the time was vague, mentioning only that the Ancestor had actually died under the Xuanyuan Sword that year. Reviving him now might not necessarily be a good thing for the Eastern Sea or the Dragon Clan. Ao Zhong had guessed at the time that perhaps the Ancestor had betrayed them during the battle and was ultimately killed by the Yellow Emperor with the Xuanyuan Sword, which is why their position in the Human and Immortal realms isn''t very high. However, it seems now the reason Ao Guang was reluctant to revive the Ancestor back then was probably that he knew the Ancestor would surely choose the junior with the purest bloodline for reincarnation, once it was the Third Prince Ao Bing, and later it became the Ninth Prince Ao Hong. But now, he could do nothing but watch helplessly as Ao Hong''s soul was taken for reincarnation. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He dared not make any extra move, fearing that one careless act might lead to the failure of the Ancestor''s soul transference and also cost Ao Hong his life needlessly. Meanwhile, Shen Luo, still rigid, stood his ground, listening to the entire conversation between Ao Zhong and the Ancestor Dragon Soul. As his body contained Dragon Clan blood, he was easily subdued by the opponent and had no ability to resist. However, the Ancestor Dragon Soul did not absorb his bloodline power. While puzzled, Shen Luo''s mind suddenly shook, and his Sea of Consciousness vibrated violently. He hurriedly looked inward and saw in the skydome of his Sea of Consciousness, dark clouds surging, thunder and lightning flashing, with two golden light pillars slanting down from above, illuminating him. Shen Luo''s divine soul miniature looked up to see an enormous golden dragon head emerging from the turbulent dark clouds, its golden eyes as large as lanterns, glaring coldly downward as if gazing down at ants. Two strands of golden dragon whiskers hung from the sky, entwined with golden lightning, causing thunderous roars akin to ten thousand miles of thunder within Shen Luo''s Sea of Consciousness. Looking at the giant dragon that revealed only its head, although Shen Luo knew it was just a divine soul projection and not its real body, his heart was still immensely shocked; the oppressive feeling almost enveloping Heaven and Earth made him feel utterly suffocated. The golden giant dragon also seemed to feel Shen Luo''s fear. Its golden eyes, usually devoid of emotion, shifted slightly. When its dragon mouth opened and closed, it spoke in human language: ¡°A mere member of the Human Race, though your Sea of Knowledge is vast and your Divine Soul well-coagulated, makes for fine nourishment.¡± ¡°Nourishment¡­ You want to devour me?¡± asked Shen Luo, frowning. ¡°What if I do? From the moment you came before me and I invaded your Sea of Consciousness, you had no chance at all. It''s your destiny to become a stepping stone for the transplanting of my soul on its rebirth, and that is your honour,¡± the golden giant dragon''s voice boomed like thunder. ¡°Don''t try to scare me here. If you were really that capable, you would have directly devoured my divine soul just now, instead of using eloquent words to lure me closer. This clearly shows that your power is insufficient,¡± Shen Luo coldly laughed upon hearing this. The golden giant dragon paused at his words, then burst into laughter: ¡°Haha¡­ You are not stupid. Indeed, the remnant of my Soul Power that helped Ninth Prince Ao Hong block that attack just now has consumed too much of my strength. Had you not approached me, I genuinely wouldn''t be able to do anything. But now, unless some external force intervenes strongly, you absolutely cannot escape on your own.¡± Regretting his previous carelessness upon hearing this, Shen Luo didn''t show any of it on his face but quietly stimulated his Divine Sense, trying to contact Ao Zhong. ¡°Stop wasting your energy. Your divine soul has already been sealed by me, unable to leave your Sea of Knowledge. As for that junior from the Dragon Clan, he fears involvement for the sake of his clan''s interests and dares not act. Just accept your fate obediently,¡± the golden giant dragon scoffed. Shen Luo felt frustrated. With his Divine Sense confined, his body controlled, and unable to use his Mana, he had no chance of resisting. He couldn''t even send a message to the Town Primordial Great Immortal anymore. ¡°Elder, your powers are vast; I am convinced. Now that I have fallen into your hands, may I ask if you could spare my life?¡± he thought swiftly, sighing internally and sitting down cross-legged. ¡°Keeping you alive is impossible. However, considering your cooperation, I''m willing to leave part of your Divine Sense autonomous so you can watch me revive and reunify the Dragon Clan. If you have any formidable enemies, I wouldn''t mind helping you seek revenge. Once you''ve seen it with your own eyes, I will then erase that wisp of your autonomous divine soul. How does that sound?¡± the golden giant dragon mockingly smiled as it continued. ¡°Elder has indeed thought things through. I do have a sworn enemy; can the elder truly achieve what you promise?¡± Shen Luo asked, his head drooping without looking up. ¡°Who? Tell me,¡± the giant dragon asked nonchalantly. ¡°Demonic Ancestor Chi You,¡± Shen Luo lifted his head and said with a smile. Upon hearing this, the golden giant dragon paused, irritation flickering unconsciously in its golden eyes. ¡°Joking at such a time? You''ve got courage. Hand over your divine soul,¡± the golden giant dragon roared, its vast body diving down. Shen Luo''s diminutive divine soul looked up at the sky, making no movement, as if he had truly given up all resistance. Seeing this, the golden giant dragon hesitated briefly and then lunged down with its mouth open to devour Shen Luo. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s diminutive divine soul began to chant in a low voice, his hands pressed together, eyes closed in meditation. As the golden giant dragon''s vast body emerged halfway from the clouds, its blood basin-like mouth swallowed Shen Luo''s diminutive divine soul. It spiraled downwards, preparing to entirely absorb Shen Luo''s Soul Power. But at that moment, waves of chanting began to resonate throughout the entire Sea of Consciousness space. The sky of the Sea of Consciousness, previously roiled by the Golden Dragon, was now swirling with deeper dark clouds, the space''s entire skydome vibrating, Earth shaking as though on the brink of collapse. Chapter 1423 Chapter 1423: Chapter 1419: Countermeasure Chapter 1423: Chapter 1419: Countermeasure ¡°Boy, your divine soul isn''t that inept, is it? I haven''t absorbed much of your soul power yet, so how come you can''t even maintain the Sea of Consciousness?¡± the golden giant dragon demanded. However, Shen Luo did not answer him; instead, the chanting grew louder and louder, resonating like the tolling of a bell throughout the entire Sea of Consciousness. At this moment, the golden giant dragon finally realized something was amiss. Its massive dragon head suddenly rose, and its golden eyes gazed deep into the sky dome. In the depths of the Sea of Consciousness sky, where the thick clouds churned, a crimson light flared up, seemingly pressing down from beyond the heavens, becoming brighter and its reddened halo expanding. Accompanying this was an overwhelmingly powerful oppressive force. ¡°This is¡­¡± The golden giant dragon seemed to recall a distant memory, somewhat uncertain. But in the next instant, the entire sea of clouds above its head burst into flames, and from the surging fire clouds, an immensely large mountain peak emerged and descended downward. ¡°Mount Buzhou¡­¡± The golden giant dragon finally remembered the source of the oppressive feeling. It was the Mount Buzhou that the Water God Gonggong had knocked down, once the Pillar of Heaven, suppressing all evils, standing unyielding for billions of years. How could such a miraculous sight appear in the Sea of Consciousness of a mere True Immortal Cultivator? ¡°This is a Suppressing God Technique created by the later generations through visualizing with divine thoughts. What do you think, Elder?¡± At this moment, Shen Luo''s voice came from within the golden giant dragon. ¡°It''s just an illusion, boy. You still want to resist in this situation? It''s too late now, hand over your soul power!¡± The golden giant dragon laughed wildly, the golden light swirling rapidly around Shen Luo, refining his soul power. ¡°Please try, Elder,¡± Shen Luo shouted in a low voice. As his words fell, the towering mountain peak plummeted from the sky amidst thunderous roars, the massive force cleared the fire clouds and slammed heavily onto the body of the golden giant dragon, emitting a dull roar. The huge and ferocious body of the golden giant dragon was immediately smashed to the ground, struggling fiercely, but it couldn''t shake the Mount Buzhou at all. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s heart completely settled. During his previous drastic changes in mind, his thoughts became extremely sharp. Although he had only exchanged a few words with the Ancestral Dragon Soul, he had keenly sensed that the current formidable manifestation of the Ancestral Dragon Soul was merely trying to intimidate him with its might, inducing fear and leaving him with no will to resist. But where could the Ancestral Dragon Soul know that Shen Luo had indeed faced Chiyou directly and even suppressed him using the Heavenly Book and the Map of Mountains and Rivers? From its slight fear, Shen Luo discerned its bluster and superficiality. Moreover, his Suppressing God Technique had greatly advanced, almost reaching Perfection. If attacks on his soul were carried out outside the Sea of Knowledge, though his Suppressing God Technique was much more powerful, he could only passively defend. However, the Ancestral Dragon Soul insisted on breaking into his Sea of Knowledge, which was like entering his dojo, giving Shen Luo all the advantages of time, location, and harmony. Even so, Shen Luo was still somewhat worried, as the Ancestral Dragon before him had been a great power since ancient times. Thus, he had been feigning weakness until his body was swallowed by the Ancestral Dragon Soul before making a move. Now, it seemed that the Ancestral Dragon Soul was merely as fragile as paper, having long been eroded of much of its power by the endless river of time. Mount Buzhou, both form and spirit complete, emitted a terrifying suppressive force. Being suppressed, the Ancestral Dragon Soul in Shen Luo''s body loosened its grip over his mana immensely. His hands quickly formed seals, and from the base of the mountain erupted a lotus-shaped red flame, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, ruthlessly crushing the golden giant dragon below and further burning its divine soul essence. ¡°Red Lotus Karmic Fire!¡± The golden giant dragon was terrified, but his body was suppressed by Mountain Buzhou, unable to move; he could only watch as flames engulfed him, his body visibly shrinking bit by bit. Though the Ancestral Dragon Soul was outwardly strong but frail inside, it was, after all, the progenitor of the Dragon Clan, with an incomparably powerful divine soul. Even though only a tenth of its essence remained after being refined by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, it still increased the power of Shen Luo''s divine soul by nearly half, making Mount Buzhou even more majestic and stable. As a result, the power of the golden giant dragon was about to be completely depleted. ¡°Stop, stop right now¡­¡± cries of desperation emanated from the dragon''s mouth. ¡°You think I''ll stop just because you say so?¡± Shen Luo''s divine soul, unbeknownst to when, had already escaped from the belly of the golden dragon and now stood before it. After this transformation of power, the originally mountain-sized golden giant dragon had now shrunk to the size of a mere four-legged snake, its eyes losing their golden luster, looking helpless and pitiful before Shen Luo. In Shen Luo''s eyes, there was only indifference, no trace of sympathy. ¡°Your Excellency possesses great divine powers. I am no match for you, but if you don''t stop now, Ao Hong''s divine soul will also be destroyed,¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul said with difficulty. Hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated slightly, then his mind moved. The Red Lotus Karmic Fire pressing down on the Ancestral Dragon stopped its refining process, but Mount Buzhou did not move and continued to suppress the dragon beneath it. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The Ancestral Dragon Soul finally got a chance to breathe. ¡°What have you done to Ao Hong?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°While I was trying to devour your divine soul, my remaining Bloodline Power started to fuse with him through a secret method. Although my attempt to devour your divine soul failed, the fusion with his bloodline was quite successful. Now our bloodlines are connected and cannot be separated; if you insist on killing me, his physical body will wither and perish along with me,¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul said. ¡°You think by doing this, you can force my hand?¡± Shen Luo squinted, then scoffed. ¡°If you truly didn''t care about him, you wouldn''t have risked approaching me earlier,¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul said with a grin. ¡°I was initially inclined to send you on your way with consideration for our bond with the Dragon Clan. Since you are unwilling, I don''t mind keeping this remnant soul of yours forever suppressed in my Sea of Consciousness, being endlessly ground by Mount Buzhou. I hope you can endure it,¡± Shen Luo said with a cold laugh. Upon hearing this, the Ancestral Dragon Soul fell silent. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He had been sealed within the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl for countless ages, having endured endless loneliness and solitude. If he were to be imprisoned in this Sea of Consciousness, suffering daily under Mount Buzhou, that would be even worse than death. ¡°This Daoist friend has good relations with the Dragon Clan, and you can surely discern the profoundness of Dragon Clan skills. Actually, the skills practiced by the Four Seas Dragon Palaces are quite ordinary. I have the ancient cultivation secret methods of the Dragon Clan, which I have never passed on to these junior dragons. If you can spare my life, I am willing to impart all these ancient methods to you,¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul finally capitulated, pleading earnestly. ¡°What good would learning the Dragon Clan''s secret cultivation methods do me, a human monk?¡± Shen Luo sneered. ¡°I also know of some ancient secret realms and cave mansions where treasures can be found,¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul paused, then said through gritted teeth. Chapter 1424 Chapter 1424: Chapter 1420: Still Ao Hong Chapter 1424: Chapter 1420: Still Ao Hong ¡°You know the Ancient Secret Realm Cave that has passed how many years by now? I''m afraid it has long since collapsed and ceased to exist,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head after a brief contemplation. His most pressing matter at the moment was to repair the jade pillow as quickly as possible; he truly had no time to seek any other treasures. Seeing that persuasion was futile, the Ancestral Dragon Soul became enraged and bellowed, ¡°Since you are not willing to spare me, let us perish together.¡± After speaking, his body shone with dazzling golden light, and a powerful fluctuation of soul power expanded, about to self-destruct. ¡°Thinking of self-destructing? Had you tried this right when I had suppressed you, you might have had the chance, but now¡­ it''s too late!¡± Shen Luo chuckled coldly, the light from Mount Buzhou intensifying, the pressure increasing tenfold, instantly crushing the power gathered by the Ancestral Dragon Soul and suppressing it again under the giant peak. ¡°The new wave surpasses the old; I am no match for you. If you want to kill me, then kill!¡± the spirit of the Ancestral Dragon said despairingly, its spirit seemingly fading with that pressure. ¡°Your Excellency need not be so disheartened. Though there are grievances between us, those matters are all in the past. Providing you a way to live is not out of the question,¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke. ¡°Are these words true?¡± The Ancestral Dragon Soul asked, lifting its head in surprise. ¡°Now the Three Realms are in turmoil, and the Four Seas Dragon Palaces are no exception. Facing both internal and external issues, as the common ancestor of the Dragon Clan, surely you would not wish to see the Dragon Clan fragmented, would you? If you can earnestly assist Ao Hong to revitalise the East Sea Dragon Clan, I could spare your life. Otherwise, I wouldn''t mind imprisoning this fragment of your soul indeterminably,¡± Shen Luo stated. ¡°Is this all?¡± The Ancestral Dragon Soul asked after a long silence. ¡°Indeed,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The Ancestral Dragon Soul stared at him with a strange expression for a long while, then skeptically asked, ¡°Just let me assist Ao Hong, striving to rejuvenate the Dragon Clan, without asking me to do anything for you?¡± ¡°No need, the Old Dragon King has already agreed to lend me the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl,¡± Shen Luo replied. Still somewhat in disbelief, the Ancestral Dragon Soul remained silent for a long time. ¡°While I control this Mount Buzhou, it continues to consume the power of your divine soul; you likely don''t have much time left to consider,¡± Shen Luo warned. ¡°I agree to your terms¡­ only my remaining soul has already suffered too much damage. Without the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, it''s like a candle in the wind. How will you ensure my continued existence?¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul inquired. ¡°Even if you return to the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, you would only fall into slumber. I have a way to seal you into Ao Hong''s Sea of Knowledge; in the future, you could slowly recover by drawing on his power. As for later, whether he sets you free or not will be his choice,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Very well,¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul said after a long contemplation. ¡°Before that, first sever the secret technique linking you to Ao Hong''s bloodline, allowing him to awaken. I have some matters to discuss with him,¡± Shen Luo stated. ¡°Once I''ve severed the connection, how can I be sure you won''t simply eradicate me?¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul challenged. ¡°Why would I eradicate you outright when I can imprison your soul and torment it bit by bit?¡± Shen Luo retorted with a cold chuckle. Hearing Shen Luo''s barefaced threat, the Ancestral Dragon Soul, realizing it truly had no room to bargain, inevitably sighed, ¡°Are humans now the dominant force in the Three Realms? Are they all like you?¡± Shen Luo didn''t respond. ¡°Of course not, Daoist friend Ao Zhong, why have you come here, and where are Ao Run and Ao Shun in the ice cave?¡± Shen Luo shook his head and immediately asked. ¡°I managed to suppress them for moments with the Six Ding Six Jia Array, but those two somehow used a God''s Power and escaped from the formation, fleeing by flight. I was greatly depleted of my mana and did not pursue them. However, the elite forces of the Dragon Palace have already returned from outside, and I just received news that they have escaped,¡± Ao Zhong said. Hearing this, Shen Luo silently breathed a sigh of relief and gestured with his hand. A yellow light flashed from the ground nearby, and a figure emerged from underneath¨Cit was the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Previously, when the Blood Color Bone Flute targeted divine souls, he considered that the divine soul contained in the Sky Fiend Corpse King was achieved through trickery and was far less stable than a monk''s divine soul, thus sustaining greater damage, so he had it hide underground. Shen Luo raised his hand and brought the Corpse King into the Carefree Mirror for it to slowly recuperate and recover. Seeing this action, Ao Zhong''s expression shifted slightly, but he said nothing. He then slapped Ao Hong on the shoulder to wake him up and began to carefully explain their transaction with the Ancestral Dragon Soul. Ao Zhong, standing by, was left dumbfounded by the explanation. Ao Hong was also shocked by the sudden turn of events and found it hard to calm his mind. However, having previously experienced the death of the East Sea Dragon King, deceived by the Three Sea Dragon Kings, his capacity to endure had greatly increased. After a moment''s shock, his expression returned to calm. Bowing his head slightly, he started to think quickly. ¡°This is feasible,¡± he soon said, looking up at Shen Luo. ¡°Good,¡± Shen Luo nodded immediately. ¡°Wait, Brother Shen, are you certain this plan is completely foolproof and Ao Hong won''t be possessed? If there''s any risk of that, I am willing to take his place,¡± Ao Zhong still expressed worry. Previously, he had no choice but to helplessly let the Ancestral Dragon Soul run amok. Now that Shen Luo had control of the situation, he naturally wanted to seek a more secure method. ¡°No need to worry, what''s left of the Ancestral Dragon is just a remnant soul, which is very weak after all the torment. Plus, I have secret techniques to suppress them, so there''s no concern about a backlash. Furthermore, I will impart the Suppressing God Technique to Ao Hong. Although he currently lacks a foundation in cultivation, I believe that with his talents, after some time of cultivation, he will be able to suppress the remnant soul on his own,¡± Shen Luo explained. Hearing this, Ao Zhong finally exhaled in relief. ¡°Brother Shen, I truly don''t know how to repay you for this great favor,¡± Ao Hong said, his heart warmed by the gesture. ¡°Why bother with such talk between us? Come, time is of the essence. I''ll first transmit the incantation of the Suppressing God Technique to you. Try to circulate it and see if there are any uncertainties,¡± Saying this, Shen Luo pulled Ao Hong to sit down cross-legged. Then, both of them closed their eyes and began to communicate through their divine souls. About half an hour later, Shen Luo saw Ao Hong come out of his meditative state, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°As expected, your cultivation went very smoothly. In no more than three months, you should be able to suppress the Ancestral Dragon''s remnant soul on your own,¡± Shen Luo said, helping Ao Hong up. ¡°Thanks to your generous teaching, Brother Shen. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have gone so smoothly,¡± Ao Hong said somewhat sheepishly. ¡°No time to delay. I''ll now transfer that remnant soul into your Sea of Consciousness. Prepare yourself for reception,¡± Shen Luo said, causing the three present to tense up again. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the Sea of Consciousness space within Shen Luo, the Golden Dragon crushed under a small mountain appeared listless and scarcely alive. He cursed in his heart countless times, thinking Shen Luo had deceived him. ¡°Remember, this is my Sea of Consciousness space. I can sense every fluctuation of your divine soul,¡± the figure of Shen Luo suddenly spoke. ¡°So you''re planning to go back on your word and imprison me in your Sea of Consciousness, eh?¡± the Ancestral Dragon Soul shouted angrily. Chapter 1425 Chapter 1425: Chapter 1421: Compromise Chapter 1425: Chapter 1421: Compromise ¡°Enough talking, I''ll send you to Ao Hong now. You''d better behave and not pull any tricks,¡± Shen Luo said, not bothering to speak further with the Ancestral Dragon Soul and directly ordered. ¡°Good,¡± replied the Ancestral Dragon Soul joyfully, finally no longer having to deal with this crafty member of the Human Race. Immediately following that, the Golden Dragon felt a lightness, and Mount Buzhou was moved away. However, immediately after, a divine soul formed by charm patterns descended and wrapped around his body. Resentment arose in the Ancestral Dragon Soul''s heart, but as soon as he thought of Shen Luo noticing, he swiftly dispelled those resentful thoughts, comforting himself by thinking that at least it was more comfortable than having a mountain pressing on him. As he was thinking this, a wave of divine soul enveloped him. Next, a layer of white light shone on the body of the golden dragon and vanished from Shen Luo''s Sea of Consciousness in an instant. In the next moment, the Ancestral Dragon Soul reappeared in another Sea of Consciousness. The Golden Dragon took a deep breath, stretched his body, and saw Ao Hong''s divine soul in the form of a little figure walking step by step towards him. ¡°You are¡­¡± The Ancestral Dragon Soul was about to reprimand this junior when he suddenly felt an immense force on his back, as if something had pressed down on him, and he unavoidably fell prostrate. He hurriedly turned his head and saw a phantom of a mountain peak formed from shimmering light, seated upon his back, bearing the silhouette of Mount Buzhou. This Mount Buzhou was nothing compared to the one used by Shen Luo, but the Ancestral Dragon Soul had been refined by Shen Luo with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and this mountain peak was more than enough to suppress him. ¡°Ancestor, due to special circumstances, please endure this for a moment¡­¡± Ao Hong, the divine soul in little form, stepped forward to greet the Ancestor with respect in his voice. ¡°Damned Human Race brat, I¡­¡± Ao Hong no longer paid attention to the Ancestor''s string of curses and slowly withdrew his divine soul from the Sea of Consciousness. When Shen Luo taught the Suppressing God Technique to Ao Hong, Qing Chi had already arrived outside the Treasure Vault with the Dragon Palace garrison, but they were commanded by Ao Zhong to wait outside, not daring to enter. Inside the Treasure Vault, Ao Hong picked up the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, which had its Ancestral Dragon Soul sealed away, and handed it to Shen Luo. ¡°Brother Shen, Father King had already agreed to lend you this pearl as a token of gratitude, and now that you have helped me with such a great favor, this Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl is given to you as a reward,¡± said Ao Hong. ¡°I''m only borrowing it for a little while, and afterwards¡­¡± ¡°There''s no need to return it, consider it a gesture of my appreciation and a partial repayment for your kindness. You can''t let me owe you too much, right?¡± Seeing that Shen Luo still wanted to return it, Ao Hong immediately waved his hand and spoke earnestly. Seeing his resolute demeanor, Shen Luo couldn''t refuse and accepted it, yet he was determined to return the pearl as soon as he repaired the jade pillow in his mind. He also felt some doubts, wondering if the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, now devoid of the Ancestral Dragon Soul, could still be used to repair the jade pillow? Fortunately, when he had previously suppressed the Ancestral Dragon Soul, he had not only refined the power of the dragon soul but also separated a part of the Ancestral Dragon God Soul force and not absorbed it for himself but had sealed it away. If necessary, he could take it out and try. The three of them walked out of the Treasure Vault covered in injuries, and Ao Zhong used the Dragon King Order dropped by the Wansheng Princess to reseal the Treasure Vault. ¡°Qing Chi, immediately pass on my order,¡± Ao Hong looked at the Patrol Sea Yaksha and said, ¡°Lockdown the Dragon Palace, impose martial law on the Eastern Sea, and without the Dragon King''s command, no one is to enter the Eastern Sea; otherwise, anyone of the Sea descendants can be killed.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Qing Chi was still unaware that the Dragon King Ao Guang had died and merely thought it was an invasion by foreign enemies, hence he said with some hesitation. ¡°Still not going?¡± Ao Zhong waved the Dragon King Order in his hand and commanded. ¡°By your command.¡± Seeing this, Qing Chi immediately responded. ¡°Remember, have all the commanders patrol the sea day and night, check every water descendant''s checkpoint, and prevent demons from invading,¡± Ao Zhong instructed. ¡°Yes.¡± Qing Chi immediately complied and turned to leave. From that day on, the entire Eastern Sea entered a state of lockdown. None of the water descendants knew the reason, which caused some unease among the people. Shen Luo paid no attention to these matters and returned to the cave mansion where he previously resided to heal his injuries. He didn''t immediately begin to practice his cultivation, but closed his eyes instead and started to meticulously recall the battle that had taken place in the East Sea Dragon Palace. He always felt that the conduct of the Wansheng Princess and the Three Sea Dragon Kings during that time was somewhat peculiar, especially the Wansheng Princess, whose aim seemed not to be the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl but that blood-colored bone flute. ¡°That blood-colored bone flute indeed had astonishing power, far surpassing demonic treasures like the Nine Netherworld and the Soul-devouring Stick, and moreover, its aura seemed somewhat familiar, as if I had seen it somewhere before. Right, the blood-colored bone staff inside the Black Abyss Mystical Cave!¡± Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes, a solemn glint flashing through them. ¡°The material of the bone flute and the aura are extremely similar to that blood-colored bone staff; could there be some connection between the two?¡± Shen Luo pondered. But this was something he could not verify. He had asked both Ao Hong and Ao Zhong about the blood-colored bone flute, and neither of them knew the origin of that thing. Shen Luo quickly cast this thought aside and continued to ponder the motives of the Wansheng Princess. He had felt on the day at Yunmeng Marsh that there was something off about this woman, and now it seemed to be true, and moreover, it appeared she had deep ties with the Demon Clan. He wondered what exactly she was plotting. ¡°Forget it, it''s pointless to think too much. I will just have to be more cautious around this woman if I encounter her again,¡± Shen Luo shook his head, deciding not to dwell on these matters any longer and closed his eyes to concentrate on healing his injuries. Although the battle in the Dragon Palace had been intense, the injuries he had sustained were not too severe, and after resting quietly for half a day, he had completely recovered. Shen Luo opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air, his brows furrowing once again. What he was most concerned about now was the black seed within his Dantian. This matter involved the Dantian and was incredibly important, therefore he had not informed Fire Spirit Child about it. He activated the Huangting Technique with a mere thought. Brilliant golden light burst forth from his body, and within the Dantian, strata of profound mana enveloped the black seed, attempting to extract it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the roots of that seed had already connected with the Dantian and the meridians throughout his body. The moment he exerted any force, both the Dantian and all his meridians immediately experienced a tearing pain. After several attempts that all ended in failure, Shen Luo had no choice but to stop, and the mana enshrouding the seed immediately receded. ¡°It seems that brute force is ineffective; I must seek another method,¡± Shen Luo sighed lightly, his thoughts racing until he suddenly remembered a secret technique from the Demon Clan within the Chiyou Martial Secrets called ¡°Transplantation.¡± This technique had similarities to the Great Unsealing Technique and had the ability to transfer damage. When cultivated to a profound level, as long as the person was not dead and had sufficient Demonic Qi, this technique could transfer injuries from vital locations to less crucial areas like the legs and feet, changing a fatal wound into a minor one. Using this secret technique of transfer, it might be possible to move the black seed from the Dantian to another place. With this in mind, Shen Luo immediately acted, silently going over the content of the Transplantation secret technique, soon understanding it thoroughly, and began to cultivate using Demonic Qi. With his current level of cultivation, he had essentially mastered this secret method in less than half a day, practiced for another half day, and then started to operate. Chapter 1426 Chapter 1426: Chapter 1422: Cannot Seek Revenge Chapter 1426: Chapter 1422: Cannot Seek Revenge Shen Luo muttered spells under his breath, and a layer of Black Qi surfaced on his right hand, which flowed like water, making a rustling sound. His Dantian in his lower abdomen also emanated a layer of black light, which seemed to respond faintly to the Black Qi in his right hand. ¡°Transplantation!¡± Shen Luo silently chanted, and with a swish of his right hand over his Dantian, a rapidly swirling black gas appeared around the Black Seed in his Dantian, making a whooshing sound. The Black Seed trembled slightly, then returned to calm, indicating that the attempt at casting the spell had obviously failed. However, far from being angry, he was pleased because just now, during the transfer of the seed, his Dantian and meridians did not experience the pricking pain they did before, which indicated that the secret technique might work! Shen Luo closed his eyes and concentrated, reciting the incantation for the Transplantation technique once again, but his second attempt at the technique still ended in failure. He immediately tried a third time. In the blink of an eye, Shen Luo had attempted seven or eight times, all ending in failure. However, his mastery over the Transplantation operation grew more proficient with each attempt, and he could feel that success was not far off. ¡°Transplantation!¡± He restored some vitality and used his divine power for the ninth time. A swirl of Black Qi surrounding the Black Seed in the Dantian burst forth, like a raging river. After a slight tremble, the Black Seed was engulfed by the black light and vanished without a trace. The very next moment, a flash of black light surged within the meridian of his right hand, and a mass of Black Qi appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around the Black Seed, which now rested there. The roots of the Black Seed took hold within the meridian of his right hand, a situation much like that within his Dantian. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Shen Luo sighed with relief. Moving the Black Seed here was still not a fundamental solution, but it was much better than leaving it in his Dantian. Should the seed truly harm him in the future, he could simply sever his right hand. The matter of regenerating a severed limb might be difficult for an ordinary monk, but for an existence like Shen Luo, a True Immortal, it was nothing. With that thought, he completely let go of his worries and closed his eyes once more. Three days later, the leaders of the Water Descendants had no idea what had happened when all were summoned to the Dragon Palace Crystal Hall. Numerous Dragon Princes and Grandsons also gathered in the hall, which made the otherwise spacious great hall seem somewhat crowded. Ninth Prince Ao Hong stood at the forefront of all the princes, wearing plain robes, his expression somber. Since Shen Luo was not of the Dragon Palace, he was only granted observer privileges and had no right to participate, thus sitting alone in a corner. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you might already have heard about the matter that brings you here today. It''s true. Father King has indeed been betrayed by the other Three Seas, ambushed in a joint attack, and has already passed away,¡± Ao Zhong swept his gaze over the crowd and declared. As his words fell, not only the lower-ranking officers of the Dragon Palace and many Water Descendants but also many Dragon Princes and Grandsons changed their expressions. Previously, the Dragon Palace had kept the news under wraps, delaying the announcement of death until they had stabilized the situation. Only then had they gathered everyone and disclosed this earth-shattering news. Instantly, the entire Crystal Hall erupted into chaos, with various voices of discussion never ceasing. ¡°Silence, stop the commotion. A family cannot be without a ruler for a day, a nation cannot be without a king for a day. Father King has passed, and it''s an unavoidable matter. We must now elect a new head of the Dragon Palace, the ruler of the Eastern Sea,¡± Ao Zhong continued. After all, he had considerable authority in the Dragon Palace, and with these words, the hall soon quieted down. ¡°There''s nothing much to discuss here. When the Dragon King was alive, he already declared that he wanted Ninth Prince Ao Hong to succeed him to the throne. Let''s set an auspicious date and hold the ceremony to crown Ninth Prince Ao Hong,¡± the Sea Patrol Yaksha Qing Chi declared loudly upon hearing this. ¡°That''s right, let Ninth Prince Ao Hong take the throne. Then lead us to the other Three Seas to avenge the Old Dragon King,¡± a Crab General immediately shouted. ¡°Although Father King had intentions, there was no last will or decree. In my opinion, Second Prince Ao Zhong is more suitable to ascend the throne. After all, he has commanded the majority of the Eastern Sea Aquatic Race in war. He has more commanding power, and it would be more beneficial for the Eastern Sea if he took the throne,¡± a water army commander with the head of a dragon and a human body stated. ¡°Commander Ao Ye''s words make sense¡­¡± a crab-clad man murmured thoughtfully. ¡°I also support Second Prince Ao Zhong for the new Dragon King,¡± someone else called out loud. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Father King commanded that the Ninth Brother be the new Dragon King, and I am willing to submit,¡± Right then, seeing everyone''s gaze converging on him, Ao Zhong immediately stepped forward and declared. Having said that, he was the first to kneel before Ao Hong. Seeing this, the Water Army commanders, whether they supported him or Ao Hong, were all taken aback and amazed. ¡°Greetings to His Majesty Dragon King,¡± Qing Chi''s eyes rolled, and he hurriedly followed with a bow. ¡°Greetings to His Majesty Dragon King,¡± the commanders who supported Ao Hong also hurriedly bowed down, their mouths praising him. Those commanders who supported Ao Zhong did the same, followed by the Dragon Princes and Grandsons. Shen Luo, sitting alone in the corner, watched the scene of everyone greeting Ao Hong and felt somewhat awkward, so he also stood up and bowed in his direction. When Ao Hong saw this, he returned the bow to Shen Luo and then allowed everyone to stand up. ¡°After this great calamity, Father King''s funeral and my enthronement will be kept simple, handled internally within the Dragon Palace, without notifying the outside world or involving them,¡± Ao Hong declared upon ascending the hall''s podium. This was his first decree as the newly appointed Dragon King. ¡°All of the Eastern Sea Aquatic Race, within ten years, must not seek revenge on the other Three Seas.¡± This was the second decree. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why can''t we seek revenge, what''s the reason?¡± ¡°Why can''t we seek revenge¡­¡± The hall instantly burst into an uproar, with various voices of doubt rising sharply. ¡°Furthermore, starting from today, the East Sea Dragon Palace will officially expand its military. Without concern for background or race, all those with ability are to be recruited into the palace. Additionally, all sects within the sea area are to register and create a roster, providing detailed records of their allegiance. This is to be submitted to the Dragon Palace. Henceforth, anyone wishing to enter and leave the Eastern Sea must have a permit from the East Sea Dragon Palace. Otherwise, they will be dealt with as unlawful intruders without exception. Their punishment will be death, without discussion,¡± Ao Hong discharged his third decree, ignoring the crowd''s doubts. Hearing this, everyone was first stunned; soon after, some understood the implication. The Eastern Sea was not foregoing revenge; they were simply powerless at the moment and could not seek it. They needed to bide their time, accumulate strength, and prepare for vengeance. Shen Luo watched Ao Hong from a distance, feeling somewhat dreamlike. He couldn''t help but feel that the newly crowned Dragon King before him was somehow different from the Ninth Prince he had originally met. But soon, he let go of that feeling, understanding that after such a drastic change, who could remain unaffected? The Dragon Palace meeting lasted three full two-hour periods before ending. Ao Hong enacted many sweeping reforms, even opening up the Dragon Palace''s armory and taking out more of the Aquatic Race''s secret techniques for the lower factions to practice. All this was to quickly enhance the strength of each division, all for eventual revenge on the other Three Seas. Chapter 1427 Chapter 1427: Chapter 1423: Yanhe Conference Chapter 1427: Chapter 1423: Yanhe Conference When everyone had dispersed, only Shen Luo and Ao Hong remained in the hall. Ao Hong walked down from the dais and sat directly on the last step, patting the space beside him. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn''t say more and went over to sit beside Ao Hong. ¡°Brother Shen, are you really not able to stay a few more days?¡± Ao Hong looked straight ahead and asked. ¡°I''m afraid not, I also have huge troubles to deal with on my side.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and let out a wry smile. ¡°To take revenge on the other Three Seas, I really need your help,¡± Ao Hong persisted, trying to persuade him. ¡°As of now, you''ve been doing very well, and I actually can''t help much. As long as you''re not too impatient and follow your plans, taking revenge on the Three Seas within ten years is also possible,¡± Shen Luo spoke frankly. ¡°Having you here would make me feel more at ease,¡± Ao Hong smiled, withdrew his gaze, and looked at Shen Luo as he spoke. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before continuing, ¡°The matter at hand is urgent and cannot be delayed; it''s impossible for me to stay at Dragon Palace. However, if you ever need me, just send a message and I will definitely come to lend you a hand.¡± ¡°In that case, I won''t insist any further,¡± Ao Hong conceded seeing Shen Luo so decided. Several days later, at East Sea Pan. After resting for several days, Shen Luo planned to bid farewell and leave Dragon Palace to head for Tianji City. Ao Hong came to see him off with Qing Chi and other trusted leaders of the Water Descendants by his side. ¡°Brother Shen, I won''t say too much, just take this Dragon Gate Order with you, so you can come and go from the Eastern Sea at your leisure,¡± Ao Hong said, handing over a black jade token to Shen Luo. Shen Luo didn''t stand on ceremony and, after accepting the token, prepared to leave. Just then, he suddenly saw an escape light rushing from a distance¨Ca young man holding a wine pot flew towards them on his sword, riding the wind. Seeing this, Qing Chi and the other leaders of the Eastern Sea Aquatic Race were on high alert, and they drew their weapons ready to intercept. ¡°Everyone, no need to be nervous, it''s an acquaintance,¡± Shen Luo immediately stopped them when he saw their reaction. The young man also noticed everyone and called out from afar, ¡°Brother Shen!¡± ¡°Brother Lu,¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile. The newcomer was none other than Lu Huaming. After landing, Lu Huaming said with a face full of joy, ¡°I''m so glad you haven''t left; otherwise, I would''ve had to rush to Tianji City to find you.¡± ¡°What''s the matter, something came up?¡± Shen Luo asked, his eyebrows slightly raising. ¡°No, no, the result of the Mount Fangcun incident has been settled, and we''re inviting all the Major Sects to attend the disposal conference. I knew you were in the Eastern Sea and was also tasked with inviting Dragon Palace, so I took the job to come here,¡± Lu Huaming explained, tying the Wine Gourd back to his waist and waving his hand. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°First, take me to meet the Dragon King at Dragon Palace. The Dragon Clan only invited the Eastern Sea this time; I need to report in person to the Dragon King,¡± Lu Huaming requested. Upon hearing this, Qing Chi and the others showed subtle changes in their expressions, all involuntarily furrowing their brows. ¡°We at Dragon Palace will not be participating in this disposal conference,¡± Ao Hong stated indifferently. Caught off guard, Lu Huaming glanced at Ao Hong with some confusion, ¡°Isn''t it necessary to ask the Dragon King?¡± As soon as he asked the question, he saw Shen Luo frowning and shaking his head at him; he immediately understood that there were likely circumstances here that made it inappropriate to discuss further. ¡°Since that''s the case, we won''t force the issue. If the Eastern Sea has unspeakable difficulties, the Great Tang Dynasty Government is willing to help,¡± Lu Huaming replied to Ao Hong, his words carrying a hint of goodwill even though he didn''t know what had happened. ¡°There''s no need to trouble yourselves, Dragon Palace can handle its own affairs,¡± Ao Hong said. His tone was even, but his words suggested keeping others at a distance. Lu Huaming frowned at this but didn''t say anything more. Instead, he looked toward Shen Luo as if asking about his next plan. ¡°Brother Lu, I won''t join in on the excitement either; I have to head straight to Tianji City afterward,¡± Shen Luo answered, catching on. ¡°No need to go to Tianji City, the conference also invited Tianji City, and Little Master has already agreed to attend the meeting in Chang''an. You were going to Tianji City to find him, right?¡± Lu Huaming said with a laugh. ¡°That''s true; such a significant event, how could they not invite Little Master? Alright, I''ll go back to Chang''an with you,¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment and then understood, nodding in response. Afterward, Shen Luo said his formal farewells to Ao Hong and left with Lu Huaming. On the return journey, Lu Huaming inquired about the events at Dragon Palace, and Shen Luo told him the ins and outs of what had transpired. ¡°What? Such a drastic change occurred in Dragon Palace? This matter must be reported to the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Heavenly Palace immediately,¡± Lu Huaming said with a frown. ¡°About this matter¡­ I think Ao Hong doesn''t intend to seek help from other powers; instead, he wants to accumulate strength and seek revenge on his own,¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before speaking. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°He¡­ seems very calm, it''s hard to imagine he just suffered such a calamity,¡± Lu Huaming commented. ¡°The more he contains his emotions now, the fiercer the flames of revenge will burn later. I''m actually a bit worried about him; the impact of this matter on his temperament is likely to be significant,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head with a sigh. ¡°Then¡­¡± Lu Huaming hesitated. ¡°No one can help him with this matter for now; let''s leave it to him to handle. Having this fire within him might not be a bad thing after all. With so many hidden woes in the Three Realms, the sooner he can grow strong and settle the affairs of Dragon Palace, the better it should be for this realm,¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment and spoke. ¡°Alright, I trust your judgment,¡± Lu Huaming replied, nodding. ¡°By the way, what''s this disposal conference planning to do about the incident involving the siege of Mount Fangcun?¡± Shen Luo suddenly changed the subject and asked. ¡°Actually, the disposal conference is just a lay term; the meeting, led by the Heavenly Palace and hosted by the Great Tang Dynasty Government, is called the Yanhe Conference, meaning to extend and harmonize peace. But in reality, it''s mainly to punish Lion Camel Ridge, Demon King Fort, and Pansi Cave, these powers, as well as to give a settlement to Mount Fangcun and to warn other Demon Sects not to harbor thoughts of chaos,¡± Lu Huaming said with a grave tone. ¡°Extend and harmonize peace, as if the Heavenly Palace has no responsibility,¡± Shen Luo said, a hint of resentment in his voice. After all, those Demon Sects wouldn''t have been able to go so far without the tacit consent of the Heavenly Palace. Returning to the conversation, those at the Heavenly Palace always touted peace for the world, but in fact, all their actions were driven by interest. Upon hearing this, Lu Huaming gave an embarrassed smile and didn''t continue the conversation. If one were to get down to it, the Great Tang Dynasty Government too should bear a significant portion of the responsibility. Shen Luo didn''t inquire in detail about the specifics of the conference. Since everything had been set in stone long ago, the arrangements for each party would have surely been settled, and likely even coordinated with Mount Fangcun beforehand. The meeting would just be for show, announcing the decisions, and he would see for himself when the time came. Chapter 1428 Chapter 1428: Chapter 1424: Getting Wine Chapter 1428: Chapter 1424: Getting Wine In the days that followed, Shen Luo and Lu Huaming made their way back to Chang''an, walking and stopping, eating and drinking, which, indeed, allowed Shen Luo to spend a comfortable period rarely experienced. However, as they neared Chang''an, Lu Huaming suddenly received a secret order from the government officials, instructing him to deal with other matters. This brought an end to the wonderful time of traveling together, leaving Shen Luo to continue the journey alone. More than a hundred li outside Chang''an City, near the foot of Zhongnan Mountain, lay a Thousand Acres Peach Forest. Come the sunny days of March, the peach blossoms burst into bloom over the entire mountain. The entire Thousand Acres Peach Forest dressed in pink make-up, the fragrance of flowers filling the wild, attracting countless phoenix butterflies. Within Chang''an City, whether it be noblemen or common people, everyone would bring their families to this place for a spring outing during this time, to appreciate the magnificent scenery, and to buy a few jars of peach blossom wine brewed with petals from the previous year. This had almost become a traditional Springtime custom for welcoming the season in Chang''an City. Therefore, outside this Thousand Acres Peach Forest, a small town gradually formed, primarily engaged in wine making as its main business. Naturally, it was not the season of late spring at the moment, but rather the period just after the height of summer and nearing the start of autumn. There were no tourists coming to Taolin Town for sightseeing and many businesses, like restaurants and inns, had closed up shop due to the lack of business. At this moment, Shen Luo alone came to Taolin Town. Certainly, he was not there to admire the flowers but was entrusted by Lu Huaming to find a bar called ¡°Taohua Walls.¡± The owner of this bar was a bit different from others, not only capable of brewing wine from peach blossoms but also able to produce a kind of fruit wine from the peach flesh. The taste was tart yet sweet, with a fragrant aroma, a unique product of Taolin Town. However, the brewing cycle of this peach fruit wine was short, and it was not as mellow as other types of wine, so it couldn''t be preserved for very long. It was only available during the current season, and once the time passed, one would have to wait until the next year to buy it. For this reason, Shen Luo had agreed to help Lu Huaming catch the tail end of the season to buy two jars of the fruit wine. Business in the town was quiet, with most of the shops either completely closed or with their doors partially shut. Following Lu Huaming''s description, Shen Luo walked from one end of the town to the other. He finally saw the sign for ¡°Taohua Walls¡± at a corner. It was a small storefront specializing in selling wine, with no seating or tables for service, just a door and counter for transactions, wine for sale on the go, and fairly reasonable prices. Peach blossom wine was one tael per jar, ten taels per jar, and peach fruit wine one and a half taels per jar, fifteen taels per jar. But on the signboard hung outside, in black and white, the words ¡°Sold Out¡± were written large. Upon seeing those words, Shen Luo sighed inwardly, knowing he might have made the trip for nothing. But having come all this way, he still felt compelled to ask. Before he could approach, he heard a crisp female voice coming from inside the shop: ¡°How can you be so unreasonable, customer? I have told you over and over again that these two jars of wine are reserved for a regular customer; I cannot sell them to you. Why won''t you listen?¡± ¡°Miss, if you are keeping two jars for your regular customer, that''s thirty taels in total. I''ll give you ten taels of silver for one jar, surely that''s acceptable?¡± said a man outside the shop window, wrapped in a snowy white fox fur, pleading unremittingly. Hanging at his waist was an emerald jade pendant, misty with faint spiritual energy, clearly not a mundane item. Shen Luo approached and stood beside the Fox Fur Man, seeing a sprightly young girl standing inside the counter. She couldn''t have been older than fifteen or sixteen, her hair tied in twisted braids, dressed neatly, with a gray apron around her waist, looking very shrewd and competent. ¡°Shopkeeper, do you still have any peach fruit wine for sale?¡± Shen Luo asked. The young girl heard him and couldn''t help but roll her eyes. Realizing the situation, Shen Luo understood that a ¡°Sold Out¡± sign was already posted outside the shop. His query was knowingly redundant. ¡°Umm¡­ Is it possible to just sell me one pot, just one pot will do,¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Here comes another, I won''t sell, I won''t sell. These last two jars of wine are reserved for regular customers, I''ve said I won''t sell and I mean it,¡± the young girl said impatiently, waving her hand and making to fit the stall''s shutter back on, ready to close for the day. ¡°Hey, don''t do that¡­¡± The fox fur man quickly reached out to stop her but was stared down by the young girl''s stern look. The fox fur man awkwardly withdrew his hand. Shen Luo turned to leave but then, a flash of spiritual light struck his mind, and he quickly asked, ¡°Owner, these two jars of wine you''re reserving, they wouldn''t happen to be for a man named Lu Huaming, would they?¡± ¡°Eh, how do you know?¡± the young girl actually stopped what she was doing, surprised. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt greatly relieved. Previously, Lu Huaming had said that he came here every year to buy two jars of wine and had been doing so for seven or eight years; he was, by all accounts, a regular of regulars. It''s just that Lu Huaming hadn''t mentioned how difficult it was to purchase the wine, which led Shen Luo to guess that the ''regular customer'' the young lady spoke of might be Lu Huaming. ¡°Hi, he couldn''t make it this year because of some matters, and he was worried about missing the wine season, so he asked me to come here and purchase the wine on his behalf,¡± Shen Luo quickly said. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh? And how will you prove it?¡± the young girl looked Shen Luo up and down with suspicion. ¡°This¡­ he really didn''t give me any proof,¡± Shen Luo scratched his head, suddenly feeling a bit troubled. ¡°Then how can I believe you''re not just someone who overheard a name and came to swindle me?¡± the young girl frowned, hands on hips. After a moment''s consideration, Shen Luo suddenly had an idea. With a wave of his hand, water vapor rose from his palm, forming a water curtain barrier in front of the young girl. Flowing light moved across it, and Lu Huaming''s image vividly appeared on it. ¡°Girl, please look. If I didn''t know Lu Huaming, surely I couldn''t do this, right?¡± Shen Luo asked. The young girl glanced at the water curtain picture scroll, her eyes instantly lighting up, both because she recognized the man was indeed Lu Huaming and because she was impressed by Shen Luo''s display of immortal mystic arts. ¡°It seems you do know Brother Lu. In that case, you can take the wine for him, but he hasn''t paid for the wine yet,¡± the young girl nodded and said. ¡°It''s no problem. I''ll pay; I''ll pay,¡± Shen Luo called out in haste. After taking the silver taels, the young girl immediately turned and went to the back shelf. She moved down the last two jars of peach fruit wine and placed them on the counter of the stall, pushing them toward Shen Luo. Just as Shen Luo was about to take the wine, two large hands suddenly extended from beside him, the man making a fist in greeting. ¡°Doaist friend, may I purchase one jar of this peach fruit wine from you?¡± The dignified fox fur man asked with a smile on his face. ¡°I am purchasing on behalf of someone else, I regret I cannot oblige,¡± Shen Luo returned the greeting, not wishing to get entangled in the matter. ¡°Not one jar, just one pot, one pot will do,¡± the fox fur man immediately changed his request, extending a single finger without a moment''s hesitation. Shen Luo turned to look and saw the man''s handsome features filled with anticipation. His amber eyes sparkled with hopeful light, and his Adam''s apple involuntarily moved up and down as he swallowed. Seeing this, it was clear that the wine bug in his belly had been thoroughly enticed. Chapter 1429 Chapter 1429: Chapter 1425: Undercurrents Surging Chapter 1429: Chapter 1425: Undercurrents Surging Shen Luo had long realized that the man in the fox fur coat who was following him was not a human but belonged to the Jade Fox Clan. Because of his connection with the Jade Foxes of Jilei Mountain, Shen Luo had a favorable impression of the Fox Clan. Seeing that the man had not shown a hint of demon qi or used any enchantments nor forced the young girl to sell wine, he couldn''t help but think highly of him. At this moment, seeing the man''s fondness for wine, Shen Luo felt a stir of sympathy and had the young girl pour him a pot of peach fruit wine from Lu Huaming''s wine bottle. The fox fur man was incredulous at first and then showed great delight, bowing deeply to Shen Luo in gratitude. ¡°There''s no need for such formalities,¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him up. ¡°Haha, how may I address you, my friend? I owe you a pot of wine this time. I''ll repay you with a bottle next year,¡± the fox fur man said with a hearty laugh, rubbing his hands together. ¡°My name is Shen Luo. The wine is actually for a friend; I''m not much of a drinker myself,¡± Shen Luo responded with a smile. ¡°So you are Brother Shen! I, Hu Bugui, should have guessed. You''ve probably noticed I''m from the Fox Clan of the Qingqiu lineage,¡± the man who introduced himself as Hu Bugui said with a laugh. As the two of them joked, the young girl finished pouring the wine and handed the wine pot and bottle to the respective owners. Taking the wine pot, Hu Bugui eagerly took a sip, first frowning slightly, then relaxing and savoring the taste, involuntarily smacking his lips in satisfaction. Shen Luo, on the other hand, stored all of Lu Huaming''s wine into his storage ring, shaking his head with a smile. ¡°Are you also heading back to Chang''an, Brother Shen? If so, it would be nice to travel together,¡± Hu Bugui made the suggestion after hearing Shen Luo was on his way back to Chang''an City. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but then agreed. On the way back to the city, neither of them traveled by wind flight. Hu Bugui pulled out two paper-folded white horses from his sleeve, chanted some spells, and threw them into the air, transforming them into two tall horses. Shen Luo rode along with him on the official road towards Chang''an City. They chatted idly along the journey, and Shen Luo learned that Hu Bugui had already been wandering around Chang''an City for several days. It was the reputation of the peach fruit wine that piqued his interest and hastened his journey to Taolin Town. Still, they had only just met. Delving too deep into personal matters was a big taboo, so they both agreed to talk only about their interests in mystic arts and talismans. Although both enjoyed the conversation, they tacitly avoided probing into each other''s personal histories and sect affiliations. Upon reaching the City Gate of Chang''an, Hu Bugui put away the paper-folded white horses, and they entered Chang''an City on foot. Just as Shen Luo stepped into the city, he heard the ¡°ding-dang¡± rhythm of hammer strikes. Looking toward the sound, he saw seven or eight bare-chested strongmen swinging giant iron hammers, driving steel rods as thick as a child''s arm into the ground beneath the walls of the city. Behind the strongmen, there were several men dressed in court official robes, including those from the Department of Household and the Department of Works, seemingly engaged in repairing the city wall. Shen Luo watched for a moment but did not pay too much attention and moved on with Hu Bugui. When they were near the Inner City, they parted ways. Hu Bugui claimed he would stay at an inn called ¡°Zhongmingya Garden¡± in the East City, an ordinary establishment, not one for immortals. Because the Inn brewed its own decent wine, Hu Bugui had chosen to stay there. Shen Luo went directly to the Great Tang Dynasty Government, where he still had a small Other Garden arranged for him by Cheng Yaojin. At their parting, the two exchanged addresses and noted that they could seek each other out if the need arose. When Shen Luo arrived at the Great Tang Dynasty Government, he immediately noticed a different atmosphere. The security force outside the Big Gate had more than doubled since before, and the identity checks at the gate were notably strict. If Shen Luo had not already been a familiar face within the Great Tang Dynasty Government, he would have had quite the hassle trying to get in. He inquired with an acquainted Sentinel Captain and found out it was because the ¡°Yan and Peace Conference¡± was about to be held. ¡°This Yan and Peace Conference is different from the last Three Realms Martial Arts Conference.¡± The captain explained, ¡°Despite being called ''peaceful transformation,'' there are undercurrents stirring. Everyone is worried that the Demon Clan might not accept the punitive conditions and would instead flip the table.¡± ¡°Even though it''s taking place in Chang''an City, the heartland of the Human Race, would they really dare make a fuss?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. Could it be that they hadn''t secured a stance from all parties before the conference? ¡°Ah, because it is in Chang''an City, everyone is being cautious, afraid that the Demon and Demon Clans might indeed throw caution to the wind and create a situation where both suffer, just like what happened with the Jing River Dragon King that year. Numerous were wounded or killed, and people suffered immensely. After all, those demons might not truly uphold any sense of morality,¡± the captain sighed. ¡°If there are concerns like this, wouldn''t it be simpler not to hold it in Chang''an City? Moving to another location would seem to be a better option. Could it be those few Demon and Demon Sects won''t allow it?¡± Shen Luo speculated. ¡°Yes, they''re not fools; they wouldn''t simply disregard their own life and death, leaving it in the hands of the Immortal and Human Clans, would they? I think the official stances taken before the conference might just be perfunctory,¡± explained the captain. ¡°In that case, there''s something worth discussing at this conference. Previously both sides were wary of each other and testing one another,¡± Shen Luo nodded to himself upon hearing this. ¡°That''s how things seem on the surface; what goes on behind the scenes is something we aren''t clear about,¡± the captain said with a sheepish grin. It was rare for an Immortal Master to be willing to discuss such matters with him, and he was happy to share. But as he said, his insight into the inner workings was limited, and that was as far as their conversation could go. After bidding the captain farewell, Shen Luo was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, where have the various Major Sects been accommodated since arriving in Chang''an City?¡± ¡°That is¡­ not easy to say,¡± the captain hesitated before answering, ¡°Some that are familiar with the Great Tang Dynasty Government have been lodged in the guest houses within the Government Office according to the arrangements. Others who already have their own pavilions in Chang''an City are staying in those. Then there are some, like Mount Putuo, who have good relations with Hua Sheng Temple and are temporarily staying at Hua Sheng Temple outside the city.¡± ¡°Where are the people from Tianji City staying?¡± Shen Luo asked again. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, them? They have quite a few shops in Chang''an City. I''ve heard they''re staying at the Tianji Pavilion in East City. It''s said that the Little Master who achieved great mastery in Yan Technique has even left Tianji City to come to Chang''an,¡± the captain recalled and said after a moment of thought. Hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed. After clarifying the location of the Tianji Pavilion, Shen Luo took his leave. He had originally planned to visit Cheng Yaojin first and then head directly to the Tianji Pavilion, but upon arrival, he was informed that Cheng Yaojin had gone to discuss matters with National Master Yuan Tiangang and would not be returning any time soon. With no other choice, Shen Luo returned to his own Small Courtyard to rest. As evening approached, he set out again, making his way towards the East City. Chapter 1430 Chapter 1430: Chapter 1426 Tianji Pavilion Chapter 1430: Chapter 1426 Tianji Pavilion Evening in Chang''an City was bustling, with many lights already bright on the streets; the evening breeze made the hanging tavern flags dance, spreading the aroma of food and drinks in all directions. Within each market, there were more small taverns and food stalls, gathering various foods from the Four Seas, with steam from steaming baskets and soup pots lingering everywhere. Shen Luo walked among the bustling crowd, feeling the strong scent of life, which involuntarily calmed his restless mood from the recent days. This Tianji Conference was different from the previous ones, as only some major sects would participate. Ordinary people, let alone leaders of lesser sects, were not only unqualified to participate, but most were even unaware of the event. Thus, the impact of the conference on the people of Chang''an was far less noticeable than the rise in housing prices in the city. ¡­ Located in Juehua Alley in the East City, the Tianji Pavilion itself took up a sizable garden. After several expansions, the pavilion virtually encompassed the entire area. Shen Luo arrived at the entrance of Tianji Pavilion, only to find the door was a modestly carved hanging door, with two black door panels closed, embedded with two bronze animal heads holding rings and decorated with eighty-one brass nails. He walked up and knocked on the door several times. Inside, no one responded. After a good while, the bronze animal head suddenly opened its mouth and spoke in human tongue, asking, ¡°Who comes to visit?¡± With the animal head opening and closing its jaws, the copper ring it held clinked. ¡°Junior Shen Luo, here to visit Junior Master,¡± said Shen Luo. After he spoke, there was another bout of silence. After a long wait, the two bronze animal heads opened their mouths at the same time. The copper rings inside were pulled down, and the seemingly flimsy black doors slowly opened inward, making a heavy friction sound. The gate opened, revealing not a courtyard, but a narrow pathway flanked by towering white walls, carved with patterns of the Vermilion Bird. Shen Luo stared at it for a moment only to feel a wave of heat rushing towards him; this was clearly a protective Array. He straightened his clothes and stepped forward, reaching the end of the pathway where a young man dressed in disciple attire of Tianji City immediately greeted him. After exchanging greetings, the disciple said, ¡°Elder Shen, the City Lord is still in seclusion in the Secret Chamber. The Elder has already gone to invite him, please follow me to the Living Room to wait.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Shen Luo naturally agreed. Then, the disciple led him through the pavilion''s corridors. Shen Luo felt somewhat dazzled as he walked. The crisscrossing corridors were complex, almost a maze; without someone to lead the way, Shen Luo felt he would certainly get lost. Moreover, there were various hidden Arrays and mechanisms at the corners along the corridors, with at least seven discovered by Shen Luo already, although he couldn''t guess their power, the sheer number was enough to make any intruder''s scalp tingle. After passing through the corridor area, the view suddenly widened in front of him. There was a pond enveloped in mist, covered with lush, green lotus leaves. Shen Luo stared for a moment at a towering reef in the pond, his gaze suddenly sharpening as he faintly saw a metallic glow moving through a crevice in the reef, showing the delicate traces of scales. It seemed to be a Water Python. Noticing Shen Luo''s halted figure, the disciple gave a smile and didn''t mind revealing the secret, saying, ¡°Elder Shen, you need not be surprised. That is one of our Tianji City''s Yan Technique Puppetry Puppets, the Black Tortoise, one of the four guardians of the Tianji Pavilion. This is not much of a secret; many people know about it.¡± ¡°Oh, was the Array at the entrance one of the guardians as well?¡± Shen Luo asked, intrigued. ¡°Indeed, that was the overt Vermilion Bird Array. Underground, there is also a Vermilion Bird Yanshou lying in wait. However, it does not appear on normal days and only reveals itself if the pavilion is attacked,¡± the disciple explained. As Shen Luo looked around, he felt enlightened, and with the disciple''s explanations, he truly realized how terrifying the number of protective measures within Tianji Pavilion was. After seeing it, he couldn''t help but marvel at their impressiveness. ¡°Isn''t it risky to directly inform visitors about the various arrangements?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Not at all, the City Lord has agreed to this. Besides, even if everyone knows about these arrangements, how many could assure themselves they can get through? This actually deters those without self-awareness from attempting to sneak in,¡± said the disciple confidently with a smile. ¡°I suppose it''s not just that, is it? By making such a tour, which visitor wouldn''t be impressed by Tianji City''s Yan Technique? In the end, they all become loyal guests of the Tianji Pavilion, right?¡± Shen Luo smiled. ¡°Indeed so,¡± the disciple freely replied. While chatting and laughing, they had already arrived in front of the Living Room. Shen Luo immediately recognized a familiar person, Elder Fu. When Elder Fu saw Shen Luo, he also busily got up to welcome him. After exchanging pleasantries, they sat down in the hall, and soon a pretty serving girl brought them tea. Her figure was graceful, her demeanor natural, and her movements agile, yet she was not a real human, but a puppet. ¡°Elder Fu, it''s been a while since we last met in Tianji City. How is Brother Yan doing? Did he come to Chang''an City this time?¡± asked Shen Luo. ¡°Master Yan has already completely recovered from his injuries. He didn''t come to Chang''an this time; instead, he stayed in Tianji City. The City Lord intends to pass on his position to him; currently, he is now in charge of handling all affairs in Tianji City,¡± Elder Fu said with a smile. ¡°I see. Brother Yan is very lucky to have such a Master,¡± praised Shen Luo. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, a voice suddenly came from outside the hall, ¡°It seems someone is praising me?¡± Shen Luo and Elder Fu stood up at the same time and went out to meet the newcomer. ¡°City Lord¡­¡± ¡°Elder¡­¡± The person who came was the City Lord of Tianji City, Junior Master. Both Elder Fu and Shen Luo greeted him at the same time. ¡°Haha, no need for formalities, please, have a seat,¡± said Junior Master as he approached with a smile. After they sat down again, Junior Master initiated the conversation, ¡°I heard that you were also present during the incident at Mount Fangcun last time?¡± ¡°Yes, I was originally there for¡­ well, it just so happened,¡± Shen Luo spoke halfway through, then concealed the rest. Junior Master, slightly puzzled, continued, ¡°The matter of repairing the ''jade pillow'' can be discussed with Elder Fu, there''s no problem. He needs to help with this too; he is in charge of collecting the rest of the auxiliary materials.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo first apologized to Elder Fu, then continued, ¡°Junior originally went for the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Unfortunately, my strength was too meagre to be of much help.¡± Chapter 1431 Chapter 1431: Chapter 1427 Representative Chapter 1431: Chapter 1427 Representative ¡°Friend Shen, to say so would really be selling yourself short,¡± the Little Master chuckled. ¡°From what I''ve heard, you played a significant role.¡± ¡°It''s an overstatement. It was the timely arrival of Town Primordial Great Immortal and Pagoda Heavenly King that repelled those Demons. My role was truly negligible.¡± Shen Luo waved his hand, smiling. ¡°How about the Map of Mountains and Rivers¡­¡± the Little Master hesitated. ¡°I''ve obtained it,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The Little Master was taken aback by this revelation, evidently not expecting Shen Luo to actually secure the Map. ¡°Bodhi Ancestor really lent the Map of Mountains and Rivers to you?¡± the Little Master asked, still somewhat incredulous. ¡°It''s true. There were some twists and turns, but indeed, the elder lent the map to me. If Elder doubts it, I can take it out for you to see,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°No need, no need, I believe you. That treasure is extraordinary. Once taken out, it''s hard to ensure that no breath will leak, and it might attract the attention of the Astronomical Bureau. Given the current mix of dragons and snakes in Chang''an City, it''s better not to rashly take it out,¡± the Little Master quickly interjected. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°I didn''t expect you to retrieve the Map of Mountains and Rivers so quickly. Now, as long as you retrieve the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, we can almost start trying to repair the jade pillow,¡± the Little Master smiled. ¡°Elder, the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl has also been obtained, but¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°But what¡­ what? You got the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl too?¡± The Little Master''s voice suddenly shot up an octave in surprise. ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The Little Master stood up, looking Shen Luo up and down with some disbelief: ¡°How on earth did you manage that? To actually have gotten these two most precious treasures in such a short period of time?¡± ¡°The process¡­ is somewhat complicated¡­¡± Shen Luo felt compelled to recount the incident at the Dragon Palace to the Little Master again. ¡°With such a change in the Dragon Clan, I''m afraid the Four Seas will hardly be calm after this.¡± The Little Master couldn''t help but sigh. ¡°Elder, I have also secured the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl. I wonder if the absence of the Dragon Soul hidden inside will have any impact?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°No worries, I originally didn''t know that there was still the remnant soul of a Dragon family old ancestor hidden inside the Dragon Orb. What I need is the blood of the nine Chi Dragons, as long as that is not harmed, it can be used,¡± the Little Master waved his hand and said. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s good then. Now that I have both these treasures, may I know when Elder can help repair the jade pillow?¡± Shen Luo asked. Hearing this, the Little Master looked somewhat peculiar and didn''t answer immediately. Instead, it was Elder Fu who couldn''t help stepping forward with an embarrassed expression and said, ¡°Friend Shen, this¡­ I''m really sorry, you have indeed found both treasures, but I still haven''t gathered all the necessary materials on my side¡­¡± ¡°Elder Fu is too kind. It''s my impatience that was abrupt,¡± Shen Luo quickly apologized upon hearing this. ¡°Even if we had all the materials now, here in Chang''an City it''s impossible to fix the jade pillow; we''d have to wait until we return to Tianji City and combine it with the repair array, even possibly utilizing the power of the Returning Origin Sacred Seal, to have a chance of fixing the jade pillow,¡± the Little Master also spoke up. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Once things here in Chang''an City are settled, you can come back to Tianji City with us. By then, once the materials are gathered, we can help you repair the jade pillow,¡± the Little Master said. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo immediately bowed with his fist. ¡°No worries. Have you made preparations for attending the upcoming Harmonization Conference?¡± the Little Master waved his hand and asked. ¡°Preparations, what preparations? Does this conference involve me?¡± Shen Luo said, surprised. ¡°What, you don''t know?¡± the Little Master raised an eyebrow, also somewhat taken aback. ¡°What is Elder referring to?¡± Shen Luo still puzzled. ¡°At this Harmonization Conference, Mount Fangcun hasn''t sent anyone to attend, instead specifically naming you to make representations for them, confronting those from Pansi Cave and Lion Camel Ridge,¡± the Little Master continued. ¡°What?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°It seems they haven''t told you yet, but the conference starts in three days, and it''s too late to back out now. Although the disposition of sects like Lion Camel Ridge has largely been decided, if you don''t attend to give your statement, much of the true situation at the time might not be conveyed, nor their misdeeds exposed. Those Demon sects might just play tricks,¡± the Little Master smiled. ¡°Fine, I''ll attend for them,¡± Shen Luo said after a moment of silence. ¡°You should stay in our Tianji Pavilion for these few days, just to avoid being ambushed by the Demon Clan,¡± the Little Master said seriously. ¡°In this Chang''an City, they wouldn''t go so bold, would they?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°Now they probably still don''t know that Mount Fangcun isn''t attending the conference and that you''re going on their behalf. But once they do, it''s hard to ensure they won''t make a move against you,¡± the Little Master looked at Shen Luo and said. ¡°If I can be ambushed here in Chang''an City, it only shows that they have reached the peak of audacity, and by then, the Heavenly Palace and the Great Tang Dynasty Government should recognize the true face of the Demon Clan,¡± Shen Luo pondered and said. ¡°Are you planning to use yourself as bait to lure those guys into making a move, in order to break the current state of false peace?¡± the Little Master frowned slightly and said. ¡°False peace, if it can be broken earlier, might not necessarily be a bad thing. As the saying goes, ''Without destruction, there can be no construction,''¡± Shen Luo did not deny, pronouncing each word distinctly. ¡°Heh heh, you really are daring. Since you plan to do this, I won''t stop you. But this here is the territory of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, so I don''t anticipate any major chaos. If there''s any danger, just head to the Pavilion. Unless it''s a Taiyi Cultivator, ordinary individuals wouldn''t likely be able to harm you,¡± the Little Master grinned and said. ¡°Thank you, Elder. I was just waiting to hear you say that,¡± Shen Luo bowed with his hands. Hearing this, the Little Master was suddenly at a loss for words. In the time that followed, Shen Luo chatted with the Little Master for a few more moments before taking his leave. On his way back, he deliberately took a relatively secluded path to see if any members of the Demon Clan were secretly following him, but he didn''t spot anyone. After he returned to his residence in the government office, it wasn''t long before Hua Ming arrived in a hurry. Shen Luo told him about sharing the wine with Hu Bugui, and he didn''t mind at all, pulling over the wine bottle to pour a full cup for himself and Shen Luo before starting to drink. After a cup of fruit wine, he showed a face full of satisfaction and then informed Shen Luo that Mount Fangcun wanted him to make the representation on their behalf. Seeing Shen Luo''s reaction and his lack of surprise, Hua Ming couldn''t help but frown and said, ¡°Seeing you not surprised at all, you must already know, right?¡± Chapter 1432 Chapter 1432: Chapter 1428: Big Shot Chapter 1432: Chapter 1428: Big Shot ¡°Indeed, I went to Tianji Pavilion earlier and got some news from there. Why did you not tell me on the way back and only mention it now?¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°Don''t wrong me, I just came back early this evening to report to Master. He mentioned it then. Besides, Mount Fangcun is really ungrateful. You almost lost your life for them; how could they let you take on such a prominent role?¡± Lu Huaming poured himself another glass of wine, visibly displeased. ¡°This time, Mount Fangcun suffered heavy losses, the sect is already in a vulnerable state, they dare not send anyone else, facing dangers on both ends. It just so happens that I experienced almost the entire incident, representing Mount Fangcun is indeed suitable,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Lu Huaming didn''t know that Mount Fangcun had even entrusted Shen Luo with the Map of Mountains and Rivers, so for Shen Luo, helping them out this much was totally no problem and was his undeniable duty. ¡°But it doesn''t matter, Master said that currently, the Demon Clan is quite split internally. Many sects are also very dissatisfied with the actions of Lion Camel Ridge and Pansi Cave, so it seems unlikely that they will stir up trouble in Chang''an City again. Moreover, Master also mentioned that the decisions regarding those sects'' punishment had already been communicated with each of their respective sects. This conference is just a formality, a warning to the other sects,¡± Lu Huaming continued. Shen Luo knew that these words were meant to comfort him. He felt slightly moved and didn''t say much, continuing to drink with Lu Huaming. Time flew, and it was three days later. Early in the morning, having been reminded by Lu Huaming, Shen Luo left his small courtyard and hurried towards the Four Seas Hall. Today''s expansive conference was not open to the ordinary people. Only the various sects, big and small from the Three Realms could participate, hence the conference was held right in front of the Four Seas Hall at the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Last night, Shen Luo meditated and lost track of time until he suddenly became aware it was almost time for the conference to start. He hurriedly rushed through the corridors, and at a turn, he bumped into a figure without warning. A soft yelp rang out, and the person he bumped into fell to the ground. Shen Luo quickly realized it was a young Fox Clan girl with sharp ears and a delicate face. ¡°Ah, I''m sorry, sorry¡­¡± The girl, without even seeing who she had bumped into, kept her head down apologizing. ¡°No, it''s my fault. I should be the one apologizing,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly said. The girl timidly looked up, her amber-colored eyes shimmering with a unique beauty. She blinked twice and then looked down again in panic. ¡°Who are you, and why are you in such a rush?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°I¡­ I came with the Elder to attend the conference. I accidentally overslept, and by the morning the Elders had already left, so I had to find my way here alone. But¡­ but the Great Tang Dynasty Government is really too big¡­¡± the girl spoke softly, almost timidly. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°That''s perfect. I''m also going to the conference. Follow me, I''ll take you there,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Really? That''s great¡­¡± the girl immediately looked up, her face blossoming into a smile. ¡°Yes, it''s almost time. We need to hurry,¡± Shen Luo nodded and immediately led the way. The girl quickly followed. ¡°Um¡­ my name is Mi Su, and yours?¡± the girl asked as she hurriedly followed his figure. ¡°Shen Luo.¡± In the square outside the great hall of the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s Four Seas Hall, a new platform had been constructed, covering only a hundred feet in area and three feet high, backed by the great hall with seven or eight chairs arranged horizontally in front. In front of this row of chairs, six more chairs were placed on opposite sides, five on the left and only one on the right. Below the platform, like theater seating, rows of chairs were arranged for spectators. All chairs were still vacant, yet the perimeter of the square had already been surrounded by a large number of guards clad in black armor with beast head masks. This troop was no ordinary soldiers, but the Feathered Spirit Guard, personally trained by National Master Yuan Tiangang, each one a Mahayana stage monk proficient in mystic arts, especially in array formations. The armor they wore was not ordinary either; it was specially refined with a rune engraved on each armor plate, linked together constituting the Vajra Sutra. Each set of armor''s toughness alone was enough to rival a high-rank robe. When these Feathered Spirit Guards moved in array formation, they became live battle maps. As they shifted their positions, they could form dynamic arrays, whether for trapping enemies or combat, unveiling unexpected effects. Accompanied by the sound of a morning bell drifting from afar near the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, people gradually began to enter the square and sat down on the chairs below the Martial Arts Stage. Soon, the seats under the Martial Arts Stage were filled. Among them were Human Race, Immortal Clan, Demon Clan, and also Demon Race members, all mixed together without deliberate segregation by species. Their diverse attire also indicated that they all came from different sects, yet the only similarity was the solemn expression on their faces. These 118 sects scattered throughout the Three Realms, some being powerful medium-sized sects, others were lesser-known minor sects. Today, they all sent their authoritative Elders, even Heads of Sects in person to attend the grand conference. The reason for this was not that they deeply valued this event, but because their superior sects or those in charge of certain regions had ordered their participation. Once everyone was seated, about half a moment passed. ¡°Dong¡± Another morning bell rang, and multiple Escape Lights from various directions landed on the Martial Arts Stage. As the lights dissipated, several figures appeared. The crowd below immediately stood up in respect, none speaking. The first two to appear on the Martial Arts Stage were Cheng Yaojin and National Master Yuan Tiangang from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, followed by a direct descent of golden light revealing a tall man in golden armor and a black beard, holding a Treasure Pagoda, who was none other than Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing. Following him, one after another, figures that made the crowd below palpitate appeared on the stage. Putuo Mountain Green Lotus Immortal, Hua Sheng Temple''s Kongdu Zen Master, Daughter Village''s Granny Sun, Wuzhuang View''s Taoist Priest, and Tianji City''s Little Master. Each of these figures represented a colossal sect, the pinnacle existences within the Three Realms. Chapter 1433 Chapter 1433: Chapter 1429: Late Chapter 1433: Chapter 1429: Late After exchanging courtesies with the significant figures present, Cheng Yaojin was then led by a maid waiting by his side to sit down in the front row seats. As the rest of the crowd below attempted to sit down, several streams of escape light landed on the martial arts stage, forcing them to straighten up again. The newcomers exuding such overwhelming and frighteningly demonic auras that the oppressive feeling spread across the area, causing dissatisfaction among many of the Human Race and Immortal Clan Sects below. However, they merely furrowed their brows and grumbled silently in their hearts, as not a single person dared to utter half a word. On the contrary, the disciples from the Demon Race and Demon Clans couldn''t help but cheer out loud, breaking the silence of the scene. Thus, the conference seemed rather noisy for a time. Among those who arrived on stage, the person in the center was tall and robust, wearing a green leather armor with a furry overcoat. His blackish-green, slightly curly long hair flowed loosely, partially concealing his sharp-featured face. It was none other than the Great Cave Master of Lion Camel Ridge, the Blue-haired Lion King. By his side stood a graceful woman in a snow-white long dress, her hair elegantly styled, her face veiled by a light gauze, her aura cold as frost yet so divine that one could not help but feel admiration at first sight. She was the true master of Pansi Cave, Immortal Bingbing. Behind her, there stood a young man clad in fox fur, with a green jade wine pot hanging from his waist, displaying a casual demeanor without any awake spirit that a judicious sect member should have, If Shen Luo were here at this moment, he would have recognized the man who shared wine with him not long ago¨CHu Bugui. Next to them was a tall, bulky, bald big man. He wore a demon mask, his upper body partially covered in animal armor, revealing muscular copper-cast contours on the other side, exuding a robust demonic aura; he was the current master of the Demon King Fort, King of Demons. The last person standing by their side was neither from the Demon Clan nor the Demon Race, but from the Immortal Clan. Dressed in bright silver armor, his body did not emit any intentional aura, yet his presence still appeared extraordinarily sharp¨Cit was the city lord of Lingbo City, Yang Jian. Cheng Yaojin, who had already taken his seat, nodded slightly to Yang Jian but showed no particular reaction to the other arrivals. Most of those who had sat down maintained their composure, without the intention of standing to greet them. As these individuals took their places, the commotion at the scene grew even more apparent, with many people starting to whisper and discuss. However, unlike the others who had sat in the seats facing away from the great hall, these late comers, led by the maid, took their places on a row of seats to the left of the martial arts stage. Once everyone was seated, the conference did not start immediately. Yuan Tiangang scanned the surroundings with a glance that harbored a trace of puzzlement, looking towards Cheng Yaojin beside him. The latter scratched his head, obviously confused, his gaze wandering around until it finally settled on Hua Ming, who stood somewhat far on one side of the martial arts stage. Hua Ming was whispering something to Gu Hualing beside him, and when he saw his Master''s inquiring gaze, he too appeared slightly startled. ¡°What is Shen Luo up to? I clearly told him the conference time earlier, and he insisted that I didn''t need to call him this morning, yet he still hasn''t shown up.¡± Hua Ming complained, not finding Shen Luo''s figure. ¡°Could he have become apprehensive and backed out?¡± Gu Hualing wondered. ¡°Him, scared? Impossible, I''ve never seen him afraid of anything. Even facing numerous demons at Mount Fangcun, he showed no fear. I think he most likely forgot the time due to being engrossed in meditation.¡± Hua Ming shook his head. Just as he was about to look for Shen Luo, he noticed a young girl from the Fox Clan running quickly from one side of the Square. Upon entering the square, the girl from the Fox Clan was startled by the scene in front of her and froze, stopping in her tracks. ¡°Mi Su, girl,¡± seeing her, Shen Luo also stopped in his tracks and turned around to call out to her. When Shen Luo called out to her and she saw his gentle smile, Mi Su''s courage grew, and she hurriedly walked up to join him. However, before they could get close, the Feathered Spirit Guards stopped them both. ¡°Let them in,¡± Cheng Yaojin''s voice boomed from not far away. At this, all eyes in the venue fell sharply onto Shen Luo and his companion. ¡°What is this boy up to, picking up such a young girl from the Fox Clan?¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help but wonder aloud. On the Martial Arts Stage, Fairy Qinglian''s gaze also turned to Shen Luo and the little fox, her brows slightly furrowing. Feeling uncomfortable under the gaze of so many, Mi Su timidly scanned the square and finally saw her Fox Clan elders below the Martial Arts Stage, her face breaking into a slight smile. The two Fox Clan Elders saw her too. They were startled at first, then their expressions turned sour, and they quickly waved at the little fox. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I¡­ I will go over first,¡± Mi Su said and hurriedly ran toward her elders. When she got close, even before sitting down, she was scowled intensely by an old woman with white hair but still vibrant, who whispered angrily, ¡°Who told you to come?¡± ¡°Grandma Qiu, why didn''t you wait for me this morning? You just left without me,¡± Mi Su pouted, not at all intimidated. ¡°You foolish girl! I told you not to come to Chang''an, yet you secretly ran away from the clan and followed here. Get back immediately.¡± Grandma Qiu looked frustrated as she glared. Only then did Mi Su realize that the old woman''s scolding was different this time; she was genuinely angry. ¡°Ah, child, why won''t you ever listen? I told you not to come to Chang''an, yet you still followed. I said not to join the crowd, yet you still made your way here,¡± another old man with white hair, unable to scold, shook his head helplessly. ¡°Grandpa Hua, how could you too¡­¡± Mi Su suddenly felt wronged and was on the verge of tears. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°No crying! Go back to Qingqiu immediately,¡± Grandma Qiu commanded sternly. Mi Su''s body trembled visibly, evidently not expecting even the usually very kind Grandma Qiu to berate her so harshly. The loud scolding attracted the attention of others. ¡°Let it be, let it be, now is not the time for this¡­¡± Grandpa Hua patted Grandma Qiu''s hand, signaling her to calm down. A complex look flashed in Grandma Qiu''s eyes; she sighed and then closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, saying nothing more. With her eyes reddened, Mi Su sat down next to the two elders, her head bowed, not daring to speak. After the brief disturbance, everyone was again surprised to see a young man in a Green Robe leap up and land on the Martial Arts Stage. ¡°Who is this young man¡­¡± ¡°How can he just take the stage on his own? Is that his place to be?¡± ¡°Boy, have you lost your mind? Get down¡­¡± A wave of questioning and reprimanding voices suddenly burst from the surroundings. Chapter 1434 Chapter 1434: Chapter 1430: Mistaken Identity Incident? Chapter 1434: Chapter 1430: Mistaken Identity Incident? Shen Luo remained deaf to the sounds around him, simply giving Cheng Yaojin, Yuan Tiangang, and Fairy Qinglian before him a respectful bow, paying no attention to Blue-haired Lion King and Yang Jian, nor to the reactions of the crowd below, as he walked over to the only chair on the opposite side and calmly sat down. When they saw Hu Bugui across from them, both of them had a momentary blank stare, and then they nodded to each other as a form of greeting. The people present were instantly stunned, and the voices of doubt and accusation immediately quietened down. Not one among them was a fool¨Cthey saw that Shen Luo''s action had not been stopped by anyone, indicating his extraordinary identity, only deepening their curiosity and confusion. ¡°Everyone, please calm down. This Friend Shen is here today representing Mount Fangcun to confront Lion Camel Ridge, Demon King Fort, Pansi Cave, and Lingbo City. He is representing Bodhi Ancestor,¡± Cheng Yaojin stood up, walked forward, and clarified for the crowd. Upon hearing these words, the expressions of those on the stage remained unchanged, obviously having been aware beforehand, while those below inevitably stirred, speculating about Shen Luo''s identity, suggesting he must be the direct disciple of Bodhi Ancestor, even his most favored closed-door disciple. However, Cheng Yaojin did not further elaborate on any other identity of Shen Luo. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the purpose of this conference is to guide the harmony in the Three Realms and join forces for the peace of all clans. However, previously there was a shocking occurrence that disturbed the peace, which surely you are all aware of¨Cthe attack on Mount Fangcun,¡± said Cheng Yaojin, clearing his throat. At this sound, the crowd fell silent again. ¡°I know there have been all sorts of rumors and gossip about this matter in the Three Realms, but today I want to set the record straight, revisit the whole story from start to finish, and inform everyone in detail,¡± Cheng Yaojin continued. ¡°Right,¡± immediately responded those sects below that had once received favors from Mount Fangcun. ¡°Please, be fair and just, and must give justice back to Mount Fangcun,¡± someone else echoed. Members of the Demon Race and Demon Clan sects, however, kept their mouths shut, not making any sounds. ¡°Regarding this matter¡­¡± Following this, Cheng Yaojin began to recount what led to the Mount Fangcun incident. As Shen Luo listened by the side, the more he heard, the more he felt that something was amiss. Under Cheng Yaojin''s narration, the extermination campaign, led by those four major sects and many other smaller ones, turned into a farcical event due to various misunderstandings. In this event, Lion Camel Ridge and Pansi Cave were still to blame, and Demon King Fort and Lingbo City were secondarily responsible, but the combined efforts of the Demon and Demon Clans to open the Seal of Divine Demon Well was simply omitted and not mentioned at all. Shen Luo couldn''t help but furrow his brows tightly, his hands clenching the armrests of his chair as his veins began to appear on the back of his hands. Just as he was about to interrupt and speak out against what he was hearing, the voice of National Master Yuan Tiangang suddenly sounded in his Sea of Knowledge. ¡°Friend Shen, do not get angry. We have discussed this matter with Mount Fangcun, and they have agreed,¡± Yuan Tiangang''s tone was unhurried. ¡°They agreed? The ancestors aren''t senile, how could they agree to something like this?¡± Shen Luo did not believe it at all. He even suspected that this was the reason why nobody from Mount Fangcun had come to the conference, leaving him to take their place. ¡°Don''t worry, the sanctions against the offending sects will not be light, but we cannot punish them with the accusation of reopening the Divine Demon Well, as that could easily exacerbate the conflicts between the clans, which is not what we all want to see right now,¡± Yuan Tiangang continued communicating telepathically. Hearing this, Shen Luo said nothing, falling into contemplation. Yuan Tiangang didn''t say much else. ¡°Has the Bodhi Ancestor really agreed to this?¡± A moment later, Shen Luo transmitted his voice to ask. ¡°What, you don''t trust my words either?¡± Yuan Tiangang said with a smile. Shen Luo paused, then didn''t say anything else, which could be considered as his tacit agreement. ¡°King of Demons, Immortal Bingbing, Yang Jian, Blue-haired Lion King, do any of you have objections to the account of the entire incident?¡± After finishing his statement, Cheng Yaojin faced Yang Jian and the others and asked. ¡°None.¡± Yang Jian replied without any hesitation, speaking first. His tone was straightforward and crisp, without even attempting any excuse such as being misled or duped. ¡°Although I am the Cave Master of Pansi Cave and hold the position of a Sect Leader, I was truly unaware of this matter. It was my senior sister, Flower Ten Women, who acted on her own, causing deep suffering to the fellow Sects, and for that, I am deeply ashamed,¡± Immortal Bingbing said, her eyes full of shame. ¡°None.¡± The Blue-haired Lion King''s face was ashen as he simply said. He was aware of the attack on Mount Fangcun and had also agreed to it, solely because his two sworn brothers had assured him with certainty that the matter was instigated by the Heavenly Palace and that there would be no hidden dangers. Who would have expected that the current situation would end up with the Heavenly Palace acting all high and mighty in judgment, while they had become the ones being penalized? ¡°This matter was due to my failure to strictly govern my subordinates, and normally there should be no objections, but if you were to say that the responsibility lies only with our few Sects, then perhaps that would be somewhat unfair, wouldn''t it?¡± King of Demons stood up and spoke slowly. ¡°Oh, what do you mean by that?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked, frowning slightly. ¡°Our Demon Clan lineage had already pledged allegiance to the Immortal Clan long ago. Without the Immortal Clan''s instructions, we wouldn''t have the gall to do such a thing. Isn''t that right?¡± King of Demons continued calmly. Hearing this, many among the listeners frowned, but no one responded out loud, all adopting a wait-and-see stance. The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became tense and serious. ¡°Are you implying that my Heavenly Palace has ordered you to attack Mount Fangcun?¡± Li Jing''s voice resounded, and instantly his majestic presence burst forth, a formidable oppressive force sweeping across the Four Directions. Shen Luo''s figure swayed slightly but quickly steadied himself. ¡°There''s no need for Heavenly King Li to rush to apply pressure with your position of power. This extended Conference is meant to be a discussion based on reason, not a contest of brute strength. Moreover, I didn''t necessarily say that it was commanded by the Heavenly Palace; I only mentioned that the responsibility should not be entirely ours to bear,¡± King of Demons responded without fear, his voice laced with cold laughter. ¡°In that case, according to your view, what should be done?¡± Li Jing asked, his eyebrows lifting. ¡°The cause of the Mount Fangcun incident, I believe all of you are quite aware. They have been widely recruiting disciples from all directions within the Three Realms, regardless of whether they are from the Human Race, Immortal Clan, Demon Clan, or Demon Race, always open to newcomers. This has greatly disrupted the rules of all races, and their ambition to dominate the Three Realms is clear for all to see. Coupled with the Bodhi Ancestor''s formidable cultivation level and his possession of the powerful treasure, the Map of Mountains and Rivers, he has become a source of concern for all Sects in the Three Realms. What our Sects did was merely to respond to the will of the people of the Three Realms,¡± King of Demons spread his hands and said. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as these words were spoken, they caused an uproar like a stone thrown into a pond, creating a stir. The noise from below grew louder immediately, filled with some fierce and angry cursing. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed tightly, and one hand clenched unconsciously. He had known before coming here that this Conference was not going to end well, and that trouble was likely to arise; he just hadn''t expected it to come this quickly. Chapter 1435 Chapter 1435: Chapter 1431: Reckless Chapter 1435: Chapter 1431: Reckless The King of Demons watched the discussion below with a mocking smile that grew more obvious by the moment. Suddenly, he stepped forward and pointed at an old man with a purple beard in the crowd, and accused, ¡°Zi Xie, you feisty old geezer, you sure enjoy running your mouth, don''t you? I know you hail from Mount Fangcun, but you have no right to speak. When Mount Fangcun was besieged, your Purple Sun Sect was the closest, surely you received some news. Why didn''t I see you going to offer support, huh?¡± S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The old man with the purple beard, now called out by name, flushed red in the face and, despite struggling for a while, couldn''t muster a word. After that, the King of Demons swept his gaze across the crowd, and all the shouting voices gradually quieted down. The previously indignant people unconsciously avoided his gaze, fearing that he would call out their names and publicly execute them. Seeing that no one below dared rebut, the King of Demons was quite pleased and laughed aloud, ¡°Haha, look, Mount Fangcun had already committed a taboo; we simply did what you all wanted to do but didn''t have the guts to. Yes, we bear the primary responsibility for the attack on Mount Fangcun, but let''s not ignore the problems within Mount Fangcun itself. To put it harshly, flies don''t sting an uncracked egg.¡± After he finished speaking, not only were there no more voices of accusation, but there were also many cheering in agreement. ¡°Well said, Mount Fangcun is just a Human Race sect. If it were the Demon Clan or the Demon Race, it would''ve been eradicated long ago, and no one would come out and make irresponsible remarks, right?¡± Someone from among the Demon Race in the crowd said. Li Jing watched the change in the situation, and seeing that the King of Demons didn''t completely point the finger at the Heavenly Palace, his expression eased slightly. ¡°Silence.¡± Seeing this, Cheng Yaojin shouted an order, and the square quieted down once more. ¡°This incident, though triggered by Mount Fangcun''s inappropriate actions, still cannot excuse the vile deeds of the Demon and Demon Races, which must be severely punished,¡± Li Jing continued. These words were tantamount to putting a final seal on the matter. Hearing this, Cheng Yaojin exchanged a glance with Yuan Tiangang, and both showed a flash of confusion in their eyes. It seemed that neither of them had expected Li Jing to say such a thing. Shen Luo, already at the brink of his patience, could stand it no longer. With a ¡°smack,¡± he shattered the seat underneath him with a slap and abruptly stood up. Everyone was startled by this action and turned their gazes towards him. ¡°Have you all forgotten that Mount Fangcun is not without representatives here, so it''s not your place to spout nonsense and make wild accusations!¡± Shen Luo shouted angrily. ¡°Friend Shen¡­¡± Cheng Yaojin, seeing this, hastily called out. ¡°Friend Shen, don''t be rash, don''t fall for the Demon Clan''s divisive schemes,¡± Yuan Tiangang transmitted his voice. Lu Huaming, standing some distance away, frowned and looked hesitant. His master, Cheng Yaojin, was transmitting messages to him, urging him to calm Shen Luo down. But after hearing what those people said, he too felt an unnamed rage boil inside and didn''t know or want to persuade Shen Luo. ¡°What do you mean by Mount Fangcun''s inappropriate actions?¡± Shen Luo asked, ignoring anyone''s attempts at persuasion. No one answered. ¡°What do you mean by flies not stinging an uncracked egg?¡± Shen Luo continued. Still, there was no response. Li Jing frowned at Shen Luo, while the King of Demons had a flash of cold mockery in his eyes. Yang Jian looked at him, hesitating to speak. ¡°What, you think Mount Fangcun has done no wrong?¡± Li Jing asked coldly. ¡°When Mount Fangcun joined the alliance to resist the Demon Clan, why didn''t you say they were wrong? To protect the treasure and prevent the Map of Mountains and Rivers from falling into the hands of the Demon Clan, why didn''t you say they were wrong? When the disciples of Mount Fangcun were slaughtered while guarding the Divine Demon Well, why didn''t you say they were wrong?¡± Shen Luo asked in rapid succession. ¡°Shen Luo,¡± Cheng Yaojin furrowed his brows and said sternly. Shen Luo turned a deaf ear and did not look at the suggestive look in his eyes. He knew in his heart that the King of Demons had deliberately said those words only to intensify the internal contradictions between the Human Race and the Immortal Clan, but he did not want to suppress his anger for the sake of the so-called bigger picture. To hell with the notion that flies don''t buzz around a flawless egg; these disgusting flies of the Demon Clan always find somewhere to land, and now they have the nerve to promote this narrative of blaming the victim. ¡°You members of the Demon and Demon Clan, you think you''ve cleared yourselves of all blame? Dare you say what you attacked Mount Fangcun for, and what each of you has done?¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly and asked. Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone on the stage slightly changed. The King of Demons'' expression tensed, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes as he looked at Shen Luo. Initially, when they discovered that no one from Mount Fangcun was present at the conference, they were all pleasantly surprised. When they saw Shen Luo, they did not take him too seriously. After all, maintaining the peace of the Three Realms was a consensus shared by all clans and sects, so he spoke without restraint earlier, trying to steer the situation toward blaming Mount Fangcun for bringing trouble upon itself. The Heavenly Palace and the Great Tang Dynasty Government, for their own interests and the stability of the Three Realms, would certainly not expose his lies, nor disclose that their attack on Mount Fangcun was to undermine the seal of the Divine Demon Well. But what he did not know was that Shen Luo did not care about this false peace at all and was even willing to personally shatter it. If he had followed what Cheng Yaojin said earlier, Shen Luo might have turned a blind eye, but the King of Demons just had to push it this far, so Shen Luo naturally could not bear it any longer. ¡°Friend Shen!¡± Cheng Yaojin suddenly called out loudly, interrupting Shen Luo who was about to reveal the truth. ¡°The reputation of Mount Fangcun cannot be tarnished,¡± Shen Luo turned to glance at him, then looked back at the King of Demons and said word by word. The King of Demons bared a smile, revealing a forest of white teeth, as he glared at Shen Luo with pupils suddenly shining with a circle of golden light, from which a powerful divine soul shot out silently, striking at Shen Luo. Shen Luo sensed something was amiss, yet he stood upright in place, not even flinching in his gaze, meeting the King of Demons'' cold stare. In an instant, that soul force directly pierced into Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge, and a three-pronged trident materialized, wrapped with black lightning, stabbing straight towards the little man that was Shen Luo''s Divine soul. A thunderous explosion echoed inside Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge as an imposing mountain suddenly emerged. The trident struck the mountain, causing a massive tremor. A hundred-foot rift split open on the mountain, and the trident, too, shattered into sparkling fragments that dissipated. Shen Luo''s body shook, his ears ringing with a tremble, and his vision momentarily blacked out before quickly returning to normal. The expression of the King of Demons changed slightly, the golden patterns in his eyes not dispersing but instead gathering and growing brighter. He had thought that using his Soul Power, he could easily crush a True Immortal cultivator, but to his surprise, he had hit a solid nail head-on, which inevitably brought forth murderous intent. Chapter 1436 Chapter 1436: Chapter 1432: Turbulence Chapter 1436: Chapter 1432: Turbulence ¡°What do you intend to do!¡± Just as the golden light in the eyes of the King of Demons was about to burst forth, a fierce shout suddenly came. The moment this shout rang out, everyone felt a great shock to their divine souls, their heads spinning and vision blurring, aside from those on the stage, there wasn''t a single person below who wasn''t shaking, all having been hit by a strong impact to their divine souls. The secret technique of the King of Demons was interrupted by this angry shout, and he involuntarily frowned as he looked towards Yuan Tiangang, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. ¡°The focus of this conference is to punish those who have erred and discuss how to compensate Mount Fangcun, not to let you argue incessantly,¡± said Yuan Tiangang. His voice was not loud, but it reached everyone''s ears with crystal clarity, carrying an undeniable authority. Shen Luo, upon hearing this, turned to look at Yuan Tiangang, but there was no sign of submission in his eyes. Yuan Tiangang inwardly sighed and shook his head gently at Shen Luo, signaling him not to act rashly. After Shen Luo had cursed, he had let off steam and now refrained from saying more. After all, truly exacerbating the conflict between the Human Race, Immortal Clan, and Demon Clan would benefit no one. ¡°Now that Demon King Fort has said enough, if you still feel it''s not sufficient, would the King of Demons care to accompany me to the Astronomical Bureau for a chat?¡± Yuan Tiangang said, turning his gaze to the King of Demons. ¡°Heh, who doesn''t know that within the Astronomical Bureau, there is the Array of Heavenly Traps and Fallen Stars set up by Daoist Friend Yuan? Going there isn''t exactly conducive for a chat. That''s all I have to say,¡± the King of Demons said with a twisted smile. ¡°Good, since we all agree not to quibble further, let''s bring up the main culprits responsible for this incident,¡± said Cheng Yaojin, breathing a sigh of relief as he stepped forward. As soon as his words fell, Yang Jian was the first to stand from his seat and silently came to the center of the Martial Arts Stage. Following him closely, several escape lights lit up in succession, and more than a dozen figures emerged beside him. Shen Luo glanced over and saw the Golden Wings Large peng of Lion Camel Ridge, the Six-tusked Elephant King, Flower Ten Women of Pansi Cave, and Elder Chi Rong of Demon King Fort among them, as well as several elders from the Demon and Demon Clans, and those from small and medium sects who followed earlier. These people were all bound with special metal chains made of refined gold, and hanging from them were varying numbers of golden prohibition talismans, with the Golden-Winged Peng holding the most, totaling nine. Upon arrival, the gazes of the Golden-Winged Peng, the Six-tusked Elephant King, and a few others almost unanimously focused on Shen Luo, each showing different expressions: some with resentment, some with bitterness, and others with wary attention. Regardless of which, their expressions all took on a somewhat playful look. Shen Luo, however, was undaunted and met their gazes one by one. ¡°In this incident, Lion Camel Ridge and Pansi Cave took the lead and are primarily responsible. In addition to compensating Mount Fangcun with one million Immortal Jades, the main culprits, the Gold-Winged Peng King and Flower Ten Women, are sentenced to be confined under the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and not allowed out of the tower for 500 years,¡± Cheng Yaojin declared. Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked. For high-ranking cultivators as themselves, 500 years were not short, especially since the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was a stupa used to suppress members of the Demon Clan. Being imprisoned within it was akin to suffering in Purgatory. Such punishment could not be said to be light. ¡°Do the two of you have any objections?¡± Cheng Yaojin asked. ¡°At this point, does it make any difference whether we have objections or not?¡± Flower Ten Women asked with a wan smile. ¡°No,¡± Cheng Yaojin immediately said. After speaking, he didn''t care about the reactions of those two, and continued, ¡°As for the Six-tusked Elephant King, Lingbo City Lord Yang Jian, and Demon King Fort Elder Chi Rong, who bear secondary responsibility for this incident, the punishment is as follows: they are ordered to be confined within their respective sect''s forbidden grounds for three hundred years, not taking a single step outside. Should there be any violators, they will be executed by the Human Race, Immortal Clan, and Demon Clan together.¡± Chi Rong and the Six-tusked Elephant King both breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. ¡°Any others who are secondarily responsible, depending on the severity of their involvement, will have to compensate with a certain amount of Immortal jade and confine themselves within their own sects for one hundred years, without stepping outside.¡± After that, Cheng Yaojin waved his hand, and a floating list of punishments for all involved sects appeared in midair, for everyone to see. Shen Luo naturally was not satisfied with such a result. He knew all too well that the heavy casualties of Mount Fangcun could not be compensated with mere Immortal jade, and for those lost lives, these punishments were far too lenient. But he also knew that these public outcomes were the result of a balance struck through open and secret struggles among various powers, and the current conference was just to announce this result, so that the world would be informed. Moreover, Mount Fangcun probably already knew about this result, and after all, he was not a direct disciple of Mount Fangcun and had no power to represent Mount Fangcun in refusing the decision. A council that was meant to discuss an outcome that had already been negotiated, although there were some twists and turns along the way, eventually ended up back on track. ¡°Gold-Winged Peng King, Flower Ten Women, you are to be taken into custody and brought to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda immediately,¡± Yuan Tiangang stood up, waving the whisk in his hand as he ordered. After the commotion caused by the King of Demons and Shen Luo, all he wanted now was to end the meeting as soon as possible to avoid further complications. The Golden Wings Large peng and Flower Ten Women had already been prepared for this outcome and showed little sign of resistance, but both their gazes were fixed on Shen Luo. Feeling those two gazes that were almost tangible, Shen Luo calmly looked back, showing no fear at all. ¡°Boom!¡± Just as some were preparing to leave first, a sudden blast rang out from somewhere within Chang''an City! Immediately after, the entire Earth started shaking violently, and Shen Luo, staggering to stand up from his chair, found that the ground beneath his feet was undulating like duckweed on water, bobbing up and down. Soon, the regular waves became violent tremors. The center of the Martial Arts Stage collapsed into a huge void, from which spiderweb-like cracks spread outwards. Among them, the cracks that split open towards the north and south were especially terrifying, extending for hundreds of feet and splitting the entire Martial Arts Stage and Square in two, causing everyone to startle and scramble to their feet. ¡°Boom!¡± As the sound of collapsing structures echoed, the great hall adjoining the Martial Arts Stage also crashed down. From the crevices of the shattered ground, a burst of purple-black light shone through, and streaks of black mist seeped out, spreading towards the surroundings. ¡°Golden Wings Large peng, what have you done? Are you trying to start a war?¡± Cheng Yaojin shouted angrily. Yet, in the eyes of the Gold-Winged Peng King, a hint of confusion flashed, and he looked doubtfully at Flower Ten Women beside him. ¡°Why are you looking at me? It wasn''t me who did it; I don''t have that capability,¡± Flower Ten Women rolled her eyes, expressing helplessness. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1437 Chapter 1437: Chapter 1433: Magical Beast Attack Chapter 1437: Chapter 1433: Magical Beast Attack The Blue-haired Lion King and Immortal Bingbing rose from their seats almost at the same time and explained, ¡°Friend Cheng, I assure you, this is definitely not the doing of Lion Camel Ridge.¡± ¡°Nor is it from Pansi Cave. Since I emerged from seclusion and learned about Mount Fangcun, I''ve imprisoned Flower Ten Women and all those involved in the conspiracy, so it couldn''t have been them,¡± Immortal Bingbing hastily added. Only King of Demons slowly rose to his feet, rubbed his shiny bald head, and said, ¡°Neither is it the work of Demon King Fort, heh, this is strange, who else would dare to do this? Could it be those guys from the Bottomless Pit?¡± ¡°Don''t just make wild guesses because Earth Spray Lady isn''t here,¡± jeered Flower Ten Women. Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing wore a contemplative expression as he walked up to the pit and began to investigate. While they were talking, a series of booming ¡°roars¡± erupted once again. Shen Luo furrowed his brows and looked out toward the high altitude in all directions to see that in different parts of Chang''an City, thick black smoke was rising. ¡°Such a dense Demonic Qi!¡± Suddenly, Yuan Tiangang frowned and said. ¡°This Demonic Qi isn''t pure; there is much more malevolent Qi mixed in, not like that of the orthodox Demon Clan members, but rather like those evil demons from the underworld,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King also deeply sniffed the air and commented. Within the Demon Clan, there are different kindreds, distinguished by the amount of Chiyou''s Magic Blood they contain. The more there is, the more orthodox they are, while the less pure it is, the more mixed and usually less powerful they become. Apart from these, there is a group of evil demons that have long been lurking within the Earth Veins, whose bloodlines can be traced back to the Ancient Magical Beast Gluttonous, though most of them have impure bloodlines and low Spiritual Wisdom, more akin to Magical Beasts. These evil demons were all brutally bloodthirsty, even seen as Blood Meal by the Demon Clan, which is why they are loathed not just by Human Immortals, but also viewed as heretics by the Demon Clan itself. ¡°Gathering such a multitude of evil demon aura is not the work of a day or two; there must have been a long-standing arrangement for this. Was there anything unusual in Chang''an City before this?¡± Li Jing picked up a clump of soil and said. ¡°Boom¡± Just then, a thunderous roar came from the northwest. Following that, everyone saw a pitch-black tendril hundreds of feet long rise from the ground to the northwest of Chang''an City, stretching high into the sky, entwined with black light, with black electric arcs leaping and crashing around it, emitting bursts of ¡°thunderbolt¡± noises! The pitch-black tendril smashed down in all directions, with each fall accompanied by a thunder strike, and as the lightning dispersed, numerous stone slabs and tiles could be seen exploding into the air, followed by waves of crying and wailing. At the same time, a burst of golden light suddenly shone from that area, forming a series of golden runes that wrapped around, constructing a soaring light Formation that encircled the tendril in its center. ¡°It''s the Astronomical Bureau¡­¡± Yuan Tiangang looked in that direction, his expression suddenly stern. Soon after, from the north of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, a loud and resonant beastly roar resounded. A colossal evil demon, a hundred feet tall and pitch black, reared its head and howled. The demon had an immense Ox Head, but its cheeks were covered with a layer of White Bones, as if wearing a Bone Mask. Its upper body was no different from the Human Race, while its lower body consisted of several thick octopus-like Tendrils, which moved forward, collapsing great halls in each area they passed, kicking up clouds of dust. ¡°The Imperial Palace has also been attacked¡­¡± Cheng Yaojin frowned deeply. ¡°Impudent Magical Beast!¡± ¡°Meet your death at once!¡± As soon as the words fell, two booming voices rose from within the Imperial Palace; two hundred-foot mammoth men clad in shining Armor leaped up, one wielding a Golden Dragon Mangler, the other a Black Dragon Whip, and pressed towards the Ox Head evil demon. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡­¡± Explosions and roars echoed one after another, plunging the entire city of Chang''an into intense turmoil. Billows of pitch-black smoke rose from various places within the city, like dark demonic dragons bursting into the high altitude, rampaging above Chang''an. The ordinary people of the city might no longer have any impression of such chaos, but many monks still remembered the spectacle when the Jing River Dragon King led tens of thousands of ghosts into Chang''an; only this time, the situation was clearly far more grave. Little Master and the others stood up upon seeing this, a trace of puzzlement flashing in their eyes. ¡°Friend Cheng, it looks like there''s big trouble brewing. If you need our help, just say the word¨Cwe won''t refuse,¡± King of Demons said with a smile on his face. Cheng Yaojin ignored him and turned to Yuan Tiangang. ¡°The Astronomical Bureau has been attacked. By rights, the city''s defense array should have been activated immediately, but for now, only the Astronomical Bureau''s own protective array is deployed, which certainly indicates a problem. I must return there at once; the rest is up to you,¡± Yuan Tiangang said without a trace of panic on his face, pondering for a moment. ¡°Alright,¡± Cheng Yaojin nodded. Yuan Tiangang pinched his fingers together to form a magical tactic, and with a flash of light beneath his feet, an Eight Trigrams Symbols Formation appeared. With a flick of his finger and a snap, the positions on the formation beneath his feet shifted. From his original position, he instantly moved to the South direction, and his figure disappeared from the spot in an instant. ¡°Lu Huaming, heed my command,¡± Cheng Yaojin called out, looking toward one side of the square. ¡°Your disciple is present,¡± Lu Huaming immediately flew up, landing in front of the Martial Arts Stage. ¡°Quickly mobilize all the hall masters and all the disciples of the Great Tang Dynasty Government to rescue and evacuate the people in Chang''an City. Do not delay,¡± Cheng Yaojin commanded as he threw a token. ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Huaming replied without any fuss, catching the token and turning to leave. ¡°Remember, the primary task is to rescue the people, and the secondary is to exterminate demons,¡± Cheng Yaojin reminded. ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Huaming affirmed, his figure already darting away. ¡°All Feathered Spirit Guards, listen to my command¨Creturn to the Imperial City immediately, protect the inner gardens of the Imperial Palace, and do not let demons set foot inside,¡± Cheng Yaojin continued. ¡°Friend Cheng, let us also offer our modest help,¡± Fairy Qinglian said, frowning slightly as she stepped forward. ¡°Amitabha, this poor monk can also return to Hua Sheng Temple and summon the monks to come and assist,¡± Kongdu Zen Master said, raising a palm. ¡°Don''t worry, everyone. The chaos in Chang''an is but a momentary matter, and the situation will soon stabilize. There is no need for excessive anxiety,¡± Cheng Yaojin said, hesitating slightly upon hearing their offers. ¡°Friend Cheng, it seems you still don''t quite trust us. We sincerely want to help,¡± the King of Demons also said, with a smile. ¡°Brother Kui, at a time like this, it''s better not to add to the chaos. Otherwise, people really might start suspecting that it''s your Demon King Fort stirring up trouble behind the scenes,¡± Little Master, who had been silent, stood up and spoke. King of Demons glanced at him and let out a cold laugh, but said no more. ¡°Dong dong¡­¡± Suddenly, a series of urgent bell sounds came from the distance. Upon hearing this sound, Cheng Yaojin''s expression changed instantly. Shen Luo followed the sound with his gaze, his expression becoming solemn as well. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because the place from which the bell tolled was none other than the Da Ci''en Temple, where the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda stood. Chapter 1438 Chapter 1438: Chapter 1434 Selling Wine Young Girl Chapter 1438: Chapter 1434 Selling Wine Young Girl Cheng Yaojin hesitated briefly before turning to Li Jing and saying, ¡°The object suppressed beneath the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is of great importance; we cannot afford any mistakes. I must rush over there immediately; could you please take custody of the Golden Wings Large Peng and Flower Ten Women first?¡± Upon hearing this, Li Jing hesitated slightly but eventually nodded. A hint of displeasure flashed in the eyes of the Blue-haired Lion King. It was already a great humiliation for Lion Camel Ridge to have their Third Brother suppressed beneath the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, but now to be detained by Li Jing using the Exquisite Pagoda felt like a second insult. His fists unwittingly clenched a bit tighter, but ultimately, he relaxed them without saying a word. However, at this moment, Cheng Yaojin could not afford to consider his feelings. He silently communicated with the familiar Kongdu Zen Master and Fairy Qinglian, requesting them to keep an eye on this place. He did not trust these members of the Demon Clan and demon cultivators. If the situation at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda were not urgent, he would not wish to leave. Li Jing waved his hand and the Exquisite Pagoda in his grasp suddenly emanated a grand golden light, expanding hundreds of times to transform into a towering transparent pagoda. ¡°Please,¡± he said, glancing at the Golden Wings Large Peng and Flower Ten Women. The Golden Wings Large Peng and Flower Ten Women expressed nothing, silently walking into the Golden Tower. Following that, Li Jing waved his hand again, and the Exquisite Pagoda returned to its original size, flying back into his grip. ¡°Friend Cheng, are you sure you don''t need our help?¡± Li Jing furrowed his brows, unable to help but ask. ¡°Thanks, but not for now; we still have it under control,¡± Cheng Yaojin replied with a shake of his head. If they couldn''t suppress them here in Chang''an City and needed outside help, where would the face of the Great Tang Dynasty Government be? Then, a beam of golden light shot up from the ground, and Cheng Yaojin transformed into a rainbow and departed, leaving everyone at the square looking at each other, somewhat bewildered. Shen Luo had been listening intently to the noises outside, noting the continual booms and evil demon roars that seemed to be growing louder, although the initial cries and wails of the people had lessened somewhat. In their place were occasional command shouts and sounds of fierce combat. Hearing this, his heart eased a bit; the control of Great Tang Dynasty Government over Chang''an City was still quite effective. However, Shen Luo was also very puzzled as to why these evil demons appeared in Chang''an City, and specifically on the day the conference was convened. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Could it be to intensify conflicts, to cause the conference to fail, and thereby tear apart this facade of peace? That would align with his own objectives, wouldn''t it? Pondering this, Shen Luo found himself increasingly perplexed. Just then, he saw Li Jing striding towards him with a formidable aura that was somewhat intimidating. However, Shen Luo was not intimidated, appearing not to notice, as he stood with his arms folded, mulling over his doubts. ¡°Daoist friend Shen,¡± Li Jing initiated upon reaching him. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked at him, unconsciously furrowing his brows. Initially, Shen Luo had held a good deal of fondness and respect for this powerful figure who, in future dreams, had entrusted him with the Exquisite Pagoda and the Heavenly Scroll Fragment. However, his views had changed quite a bit after the recent incident on Mount Fangcun. ¡°May I know what Heavenly King Li advises?¡± Shen Luo asked. Li Jing, hearing the discontent in his tone, raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°It seems you harbor quite some resentment towards me,¡± Li Jing observed. Shen Luo remained silent, neither confirming nor denying. ¡°I don''t mind if you hold grudges, and I don''t care about your thoughts. As long as it benefits the stability of the Three Realms, I will do it, regardless of how others see me,¡± Li Jing spoke for himself. ¡°Using the Demon to suppress Mount Fangcun, almost causing them to reopen the Divine Demon Well, is this also for the sake of the stability of the Three Realms?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t hold back and retorted. ¡°What do you think the stability of the Three Realms relies on? Balance? No, it depends on checks and balances. A situation where one faction becomes too powerful is not a good thing. Moreover, do you think that letting the Demon oppress Mount Fangcun is solely the will of my Heavenly Palace?¡± Li Jing countered. ¡°Elder, there is no need to use a last resort to explain to me, a junior. It makes no sense, nor is it necessary,¡± Shen Luo said with a cold sneer, shaking his head. Li Jing was about to say something when he suddenly stiffened, lifting his hand and striking with a palm towards the deep pit that had appeared in the center of the Training Ground. A Golden Light burst forth from his palm, forming a giant golden vertical palm as sharp as a blade, cleaving downward directly towards the deep pit. Shen Luo also sensed something was off and hurriedly looked in that direction. A layer of pink light swelled from where the golden palm print fell and exploded with a bang. The Golden Palm Seal was instantly shattered by this light, disappearing into the Void. Then, thick green-black vines continuously emerged from the Underworld, squirming towards the Ground in all directions like living creatures. Numerous roots sprouted rapidly, completely ignoring the hard stone slabs of the ground, piercing through them and reaching inside. Shen Luo and the others instantly felt intense vibrations from beneath the ground, and the ground began to undulate like water waves once again. However, this shaking did not last long. The entire Square soon cracked open into eye-catching fissures and almost the entire Square collapsed with a series of roaring sounds. The various Elders of the gates rose to their feet and hovered in Mid Air. The ground collapsed into a huge deep pit, a vast abyss, and from within, numerous roots surged up along with a layer of pink mist, slowly bringing up a massive shadow from below. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with golden light, and through the pink mist, he immediately saw the object rising from the shadow. It was a huge pink peach tree in full bloom. With a loud ¡°boom.¡± The pink peach tree that had risen from the Underworld finally fully appeared on the Ground. Its interconnected roots had already covered the entire Square, blocking all the ground with their presence, leaving Everyone unsure and afraid to set foot on it. The tree trunk was dozens of feet thick, towering over a hundred feet high. Its massive crown spread out, overshadowing the entire Great Tang Dynasty Government, with lively peach blossoms flourishing overhead. Petals fluttered in the wind, drifting towards every corner of Chang''an City. ¡°Peach Blossom¡­¡± Li Jing furrowed his brows and whispered softly. Shen Luo found this name somewhat familiar but couldn''t remember what it was at the moment. ¡°Peach Blossom, weren''t you not involved in the conflicts of the Three Realms? What are you doing now?¡± Another shout came at this time. Shen Luo followed the voice and saw that the speaker was Fairy Qinglian. Her face was filled with a puzzled expression. ¡°Hehe, Sister Qinglian, I''m truly sorry this time. It''s only because I owe someone a huge favor that I had to help out this time,¡± a string of silver bell-like laughter came from beneath the pink peach tree. Then, a young girl dressed in a pink jacket and skirt emerged from under the tree. Her cheeks were rather round, still bearing the innocence of youth, but her eyes were as deep as wells. With a sweet smile on her face and two twisted braids on either side, she looked innocently at Fairy Qinglian. Shen Luo''s eyes instantly widened, and subconsciously, he turned to look at Hu Bugui nearby. He found that the latter also seemed startled, hastily untying the Wine Pot from his waist, intending to take a drink to calm his nerves. The reason was clear. The young girl in front of them, with just a change of clothes and an apron, was the spitting image of a wine-selling girl. Chapter 1439 Chapter 1439: Chapter 1435: Cause and Origin Chapter 1439: Chapter 1435: Cause and Origin The young girl seemed to have noticed Shen Luo and Hu Bugui as well, waving cheerily and greeting them with a smile. The way she looked now was entirely different from the spoiled manner she had displayed when she had been selling wine that day. Just then, there was another sudden change! In Chang''an City, a dragon''s chant suddenly resounded, and from the eastern direction, a Green Light surged into the sky, a phantom of an Azure Dragon rising into the air and spiraling; immediately, seas of clouds converged from all around. In response, from the west, a tiger''s roar shattered the heavens; a phantom of the White Tiger leapt into the high altitude, and a wind of suppressing kill swept in immediately, followed closely by the clear call of the Vermilion Bird Divine Bird from the south and the body of the Black Tortoise descending from the north. Right above the Skydome, dense and numerous charm patterns emerged, looking like a big pot upturned, with constellations such as the seven stars of the Black Tortoise and White Tiger distributed in their respective places, shining with bright starlight. At this moment, during daylight, ordinary people couldn''t see the visions in the sky; they could only feel as if the sky had suddenly pressed down, experiencing an indescribable sense of oppression. But all monks felt that awe-inspiring and powerful spirit and spiritual pressure. ¡°It''s the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array,¡± someone whispered softly. ¡°Indeed, what a tremendous presence¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo came to understand; Yuan Tiangang must have immediately activated this city-protecting Great Formation after returning to the Astronomical Bureau. As the Rune Array in the sky continued to press down, the human cultivators within it were still okay, only feeling an overwhelming power descending on them; however, the cultivators from the Demon Clan and Demon Race had already begun to feel fearful. They could clearly feel that the target of this Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array was them. To say so, of course, was somewhat inaccurate; after all, what the Formation targeted right now were the evil demons rampaging through the city, and its effect on them was merely incidental. But if any of them dared to make an improper move at this time, the consequences would be clear. As the human cultivators were invigorated, the barefoot young girl named Taoyaoyao laughed like a silver bell, ¡°hehe,¡± lifting her hands and shaking them upward, her body instantly erupting in a burst of dazzling red light. A huge, hundred feet tall peach tree instantly bloomed with a blurred pink light, its large figure soaring again, directly colliding with the descending Great Formation above. At the moment of contact with the Great Formation, the treetop ignited with raging red flames, fire instantly spreading throughout every part of the treetop as pink petals continuously melted in the fire. Surprisingly, the burning petals continually vanished and yet regenerated; although the fierce flames seemed lively, they always floated above the surface of the treetop, never burning the main trunk. And so, the entire Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array was unable to descend due to this reason. At the same time, in the void beneath the treetop, a large expanse of pink fog dispersed, forming a thick Fog Wall at the edge of the square, with strong spatial fluctuations emanating from within. ¡°Fairy Qinglian, do you truly wish to aid tyranny?¡± Fairy Qinglian exclaimed angrily. ¡°Sister Qinglian, I''ve said it''s to repay a favor. Besides, I only agreed to help block the Array and stop the powers from leaving, I didn''t agree to do anything else. You just need to rest well under my tree for a moment; when the time comes, I will naturally let everyone leave safely,¡± Taoyaoyao said with a smile. Among the crowd, many realized late that they had been imprisoned by this bizarre young girl who had suddenly appeared. Shen Luo had noticed from the beginning, the canopy that obscured the skydome and the tree roots that covered the Earth were inherently a prohibition that separated Heaven and Earth, coupled with the surrounding pink fog wall that had declared the formation of the prohibition as soon as it appeared. ¡°Peach Blossom, you previously secluded yourself under Zhongnan Mountain in the southern part of the city, nurturing that ten thousand acre peach forest, could it be for today''s matter?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but ask. The young girl looked up, originally not intending to answer, but then considered and said, ¡°No, I just liked living there. It''s also coincidental this time, unfortunately¡­ I probably can''t continue to open a tavern there.¡± ¡°Peach Blossom, who exactly is instructing you?¡± Fairy Qinglian asked. ¡°This¡­ I cannot say, but after helping him this one time, I will have no more involvement with him,¡± Peach Blossom said. ¡°Elder, I know you are not of the cruel and murderous type, can you truly bear to help that evildoer slaughter the people of Chang''an?¡± Kongdu Zen Master sighed. ¡°I didn''t kill anyone, I only stopped the great formation as per the agreement, and stopped you significant figures from acting,¡± Peach Blossom thought for a moment and said earnestly. ¡°You do not kill directly, but because of you people die. How is that any different?¡± Kongdu Zen Master said. ¡°Countless causes and effects exist in the world. If you hadn''t gathered here for what you call the great conference, perhaps this attack wouldn''t have occurred. Would you say these people of Chang''an died because of you?¡± Peach Blossom had her own reasoning and did not take Kongdu Zen Master''s words to heart. ¡°Since reasoning fails, this poor monk can only take action against you, let''s see if your Peach Blossom body can withstand the interrogation of the Buddhist Vajra,¡± Kongdu Zen Master said. With that said, he suddenly released an invisible aura. His long beard began to flutter, and his kasaya puffed up without any wind, from which numerous Buddhist Vajra sutras burst forth. Accompanied by a series of deep bell tones from the void, chants in Sanskrit also resonated from all directions, and everyone seemed to be situated in an ancient Buddhist temple, undergoing a baptism of Buddha Dharma. ¡°Vajra Guardian.¡± Kongdu Zen Master chanted, took a step forward, and seemed to pass through an invisible door. By the time he stepped through, his whole body had turned to pure gold, his stature surged and he transformed into a giant Vajra Guardian tens of feet tall. Right then, he grasped in the void, and a massive Demon-subduing Vajra Pestle appeared in his hand, shimmering with dazzling golden light, swiftly smashing toward the young girl under the tree. Peach Blossom, unfazed, pinched a magic spell with her hand, and immediately behind her, the base of the ancient tree lit up with clusters of pink light, which climbed up along the trunk from the ground and merged together, finally forming a huge light group in front of her. She lifted her delicate fingers and gently tapped, and the pink light group transformed into an enormously large pink peach petal, rushing towards the radiant golden light of the Demon-subduing Vajra Pestle. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A heavy, booming sound resounded. The Vajra Pestle smashed heavily onto the pink peach petals, blasting a large burst of golden light, the pink peach petals instantly shattered, turning into numerous pink sparkles dissipating, and the Demon-subduing Vajra Pestle was repelled by this force. Looking back at Peach Blossom, she seemed as if she was not affected at all, still standing casually in her original spot. Seeing this, Kongdu Zen Master''s face turned somewhat red, his body''s golden light surged again, and he chased after her, smashing down once more. Peach Blossom was still unhurried, summoning the giant pink peach petals as before, blocking in front of her. After the blast, Kongdu Zen Master was repelled once again, while Peach Blossom remained incredibly relaxed. Chapter 1440 Chapter 1440: Chapter 1436: Letting Go Chapter 1440: Chapter 1436: Letting Go Everyone present was shocked beyond measure at the sight before them. You must understand that Kongdu Zen Master was a genuine Taiyi Realm cultivator. Although he was a compassionate monk famed for his Vajra protective charms, known more for defense than his killing power, his attacks were not something just anyone could easily block. For a moment, everyone started guessing the real identity of Taoyaoyao. A flash of inspiration suddenly came to Shen Luo''s mind as he recalled an ancient scroll that chronicled wonders from ancient times, among which was a text with ¡°Taoyaoyao¡± as the title, saying it was the first peach tree to emerge as Heaven and Earth and all things began, the ancestor of all peach trees in the world. An ancient poem mentioned, ¡°The peach trees are in full bloom, their flowers are dazzling.¡± Since ancient times, peach wood has been considered a sacred material for warding off evil, closely associated with Daoism, and the Demon-slicing Treasure Swords, Five Thunder Tokens, and even Dharma Seals used by successive Heavenly Masters were all made from peach wood. There wasn''t anything special about being one of the first creations of Heaven and Earth, but surviving until now was enough to prove its extraordinary nature. ¡°Boom¡± Another loud noise rang out, and the Vajra transformed by Kongdu Zen Master was pushed back again. The golden light on his body receded, and his form gradually returned to normal. Raising a palm, he said, ¡°Benefactor Taoyaoyao''s Daoist magic is unparalleled, this poor monk cannot breach it.¡± ¡°Master, you are too polite,¡± Taoyaoyao responded, still with a smiling face. ¡°Taoyaoyao, I really don''t want to fight you¡­¡± Fairy Qinglian stepped forward, sighing. ¡°Sister Qinglian, if you don''t want to fight, let''s just have a chat, talk about old times. It''s been a while since we last met,¡± Taoyaoyao said with a smile. ¡°Why waste words with her? If one person can''t break through, then we should join forces. How about it, Green Lion Daoist friend? Let''s team up this once, put in some effort, it''ll also stop people from thinking it was our mischief,¡± King of Demons said, stroking his bald head, and looked towards the Blue-haired Lion King. The latter pondered for a moment and then stepped forward, clearly agreeing. ¡°Sister Qinglian, it seems you''ll have to wait. I''ll chat with you after I finish with them,¡± Taoyaoyao said lightly, laughing, not at all afraid. The Blue-haired Lion King and King of Demons felt slighted by this response, with a fierce light flashing in their eyes, showing a few signs of real anger. Just as the two were ready to adopt their stances for a big fight, Shen Luo suddenly spoke up, ¡°Stop, we can''t fight anymore.¡± Everyone turned to look at him. ¡°Hey, you''re just in the True Immortal Stage, this isn''t the place for you to be giving orders,¡± King of Demons said frowning angrily. ¡°Look around and see the situation for yourselves, we really can''t fight anymore,¡± Shen Luo urged anxiously. Hearing this, everyone quickly checked their surroundings and saw that the ground was covered in fissures, some extending to the walls and the great hall in the distance, creating a chilling scene. ¡°What happened, why are the trees dead?¡± Suddenly, someone noticed that the previously verdant trees in the distance had all turned grey and white, completely withered. It was then that they took a closer look at the ground, only to find that the grass had also died. ¡°Taoyaoyao, it was you¡­¡± Fairy Qinglian frowned. ¡°Hehe, I didn''t expect you to be the first to notice this. Yes, my roots are now under Chang''an City, with my root system almost covering the entire city, and at any time, I can extract the Earth Vein Power for my use. To a certain extent, you could say I am invincible,¡± Taoyaoyao said, glancing at Shen Luo with a hint of surprise, and continued with a smile. Shen Luo thought to himself that this explained her seemingly unworried and relaxed demeanor. ¡°By taking it this far, aren''t you afraid that there''s no turning back?¡± At this moment, Li Jing suddenly said. ¡°I didn''t want it to come to this either, so please don''t make it hard for me. If I''m really forced to drain the Earth Vein Power of the entire Chang''an City, this thousand-year-old city will be completely ruined,¡± Taoyaoyao said, her smile fading. Her tone carried no hint of a threat, but everyone doubted none that she was capable of such an act. Shen Luo''s brows were tightly furrowed, but he didn''t notice that, at some point, Little Master had suddenly come up behind him and whispered a few words to him, causing his brows to relax suddenly, and a hint of joy appeared at the corners of his eyes. However, his worried expression soon returned, and he stepped forward to speak to Taoyaoyao, ¡°Elder, did that person only ask you to control the powerful monks present and not to restrict the rest of us from leaving?¡± Taoyaoyao tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°It seems not.¡± ¡°If that''s the case, may we be allowed to leave and assist the ordinary people in the city? After all, they are innocent,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Taoyaoyao showed a moment of hesitation. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder, you have lived outside Chang''an City for a long time. These ordinary people go to your ten thousand acre peach forest every year for outings, to buy wine, and to enjoy the spring. Perhaps many among them have personally received drinks from your hands. You wouldn''t bear to see them fall into misfortune either, would you?¡± Shen Luo said with sincere tone. After listening to this, a look of unwillingness to cause harm flashed in Taoyaoyao''s eyes, and she then said, ¡°Fine, cultivators below the Taiyi Realm may leave on their own, I will not stop them.¡± As she spoke, she waved her hand casually, and slowly, an archway passage emerged in the pink fog wall on the western side of the square. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shen Luo bowed to her, then headed straight for the archway without looking back. Seeing this, Hu Bugui informed Immortal Bingbing with a word, then rushed out as well. Following them, the rest of the monks on the square who were not of Taiyi Realm also hurried out one after another. Little Fox Misu, stunned by the various changes just now, seemed to take half a day to recover, but was eventually dragged away by two Elders. After everyone left, the square immediately became empty, and Taoyaoyao then closed the archway that had been opened. Just after leaving the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Shen Luo, upon arriving outside the government gates, was shocked by the sight before him. He saw that on the main roadway outside the government office, a massive fissure stretched for over a hundred paces, more than a zhang wide, and the crevice was filled with black filth, traces of being scorched, and could see several dried up husks of peculiar creatures. While he was observing carefully, he heard a voice coming from behind, ¡°Those are the corporeal husks formed by the dissipation of magic blood from the dead evil demons.¡± Shen Luo turned his head and saw that the speaker was Hu Bugui, to which he did not reply. ¡°Does Brother Shen harbor animosity towards me because of my identity as a disciple of Silk Cave?¡± Hu Bugui asked. ¡°It''s not exactly animosity; it''s just a bit hard to come to terms with for the moment,¡± Shen Luo said without looking at him. ¡°If I now say that our cave master truly didn''t know anything, that it was all Elder Hua acting alone, would Brother Shen be willing to believe me?¡± Hu Bugui said with some shame. ¡°Whether I believe it or not isn''t important right now; this isn''t the time to talk about it,¡± Shen Luo replied. No sooner had his words fallen than there came another wave of battle cries from the distance. Before he could move, Hu Bugui next to him had already leapt up, his figure soaring, chasing in that direction. However, just when Hu Bugui arrived, he was surprised to find that Shen Luo had not followed. He sighed and looked ahead to a teenager dressed in the uniform of a Tang Dynasty Government Disciple, pinned under a dark green magical beast that resembled a wolfhound, and immediately dashed towards the creature. As he approached, his eyes suddenly lit up with a pink glow, as though strange lights were flickering. The magical beast''s eyes correspondingly flashed with a strange light, then became vacant, and its claw, swinging towards him, stiffened mid-air. Immediately after, three flashes of cold light passed over the creature, and the beast burst with bloodlight; it was instantly chopped into four pieces. Only after dying did the strange light in its eyes disappear. The corpse of the magical beast immediately began to emit billows of white smoke, and its magic blood evaporated in an instant, leaving behind only the dried husk. Chapter 1441 Chapter 1441: Chapter 1437: Blocking the Way Chapter 1441: Chapter 1437: Blocking the Way Elsewhere, Shen Luo''s figure weaved through the streets between the blocks, rapidly moving forward, heading straight toward the direction of the Astronomical Bureau. The extent of the damage within the city along the way far exceeded his expectations. Especially on both banks of the Furong Canal that passed through the city and connected to the Xingqing Lake of the Royal Garden, the scene was one of unspeakable tragedy. The brick and stone masonry that originally composed the riverbanks appeared to have been continuously rammed by some massive creature, with signs of collapse and crumbling all along the bank. The once-clear River Water had also turned murky. Shen Luo looked at the traces of blood on the ground along the bank and the floating corpses in the River, a flicker of unbearable sorrow passed through his eyes. By the time he was not far from the Imperial Palace, he suddenly heard a chorus of wails ahead. Looking in the direction of the sounds, he saw a group of disheveled and bloodstained Chang''an people, crowding in front of an archway outside the Royal Garden. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo noticed that in front of the people stood seven or eight Feathered Spirit Guards, brandishing their weapons and loudly ordering the crowd to retreat, ¡°Are you seeking death? Daring to intrude into the Royal Garden like this, leave immediately!¡± ¡°Merciful soldiers, please let us hide inside. Pingli Fang has been completely ravaged by monsters, there are only so few of us left from our neighborhood. Please give us a way to survive and let us take refuge! Once the demon calamity is dealt with, we will leave immediately,¡± pleaded an old man with graying hair, using a cane to stand trembling. ¡°The Government Officials have already ordered all to return to their respective districts and have also dispatched monks and troops for defense. Your rash actions not only defy orders but also risk your lives. Hurry back to where you came from,¡± a Feathered Spirit Guard pleaded earnestly. ¡°Those soldiers can''t hold back the monsters at all. They can''t even protect themselves, so how will they protect us?¡± someone in the crowd of Refugees shouted loudly. ¡°Who doesn''t know that the Imperial Palace is the safest at times like this? We only ask to hide away in this Royal Garden for a while, is that too much to ask?¡± said a resentful woman, her face streaked with tears as she questioned. ¡°Wah ah¡­¡± The cry of a baby rose piercingly loud amidst the noisy tumult. ¡°Cover his mouth quickly, don''t let him cry. If we draw the monsters over here,¡± a Young man who was already scared out of his wits, his legs quaking with fear, called out urgently. No sooner had he finished speaking than a bestial roar came from the River channel. A torrent of muddy Water Waves surged in the middle of the River channel, overflowing along both banks. In the center of the waves, a large dorsal fin emerged from the water, leading a surge of floodwater rushing toward them. ¡°The monster is here, it''s really here¡­¡± someone exclaimed in shock. Everyone immediately fell into a panic, clamoring to squeeze into the archway of the Royal Garden. Bound by duty, the Feathered Spirit Guards of course could not let them through and shouted sternly, ¡°Back off, back off quickly. There are traces of evil demons inside the Royal Garden too, and it is still being purged as we speak. If you rush in like this, even if you survive, you''ll face execution later.¡± ¡°We can''t care about that now, the important thing is to stay alive first, it''s no use talking if you''re dead,¡± the Young man shouted back in terror. ¡°Isn''t Great Tang supposed to cherish its people like children? Let us in¡­¡± ¡°I don''t want to die, let me in.¡± Variety of wails and cries rose incessantly, with an aura of despair permeating everyone''s hearts. The Water Waves in the River channel surged up with a ¡°whoosh,¡± and a pitch-black shadow, thirty feet long, flew over Shen Luo''s head and hurled toward the crowd. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Make way!¡± Two Feathered Spirit Guards saw this and, no longer attempting to hold back the people, hurriedly pushed the crowd aside. They drew out their swords from their waists and slashed towards the evil demon object plummeting from above. The monster looked like an enormous catfish, except with a more slender tail and four Sharp Claws underneath. It reached its claws down toward the heads of the two Feathered Spirit Guards. Two clangs of metal striking resonated. From the hands of the two Guards, Long knives gleamed with Crimson light, two arcs of Flame formed slashing through as long beams of light, crisscrossing as they hacked at the catfish demon beast. Seeing this, the latter didn''t avoid it in the slightest and directly charged head-on. The crimson flames chopped onto the magical beast''s body, creating a sound like metal striking metal, and the flames immediately dispersed, allowing everyone to see that the catfish-like demon beast''s body was unexpectedly covered with a layer of metallic scales. With a flick of its sharp claws, the catfish demon beast sent forth three streaks of green light, immediately knocking two of the Feathered Spirit Guards to the ground. Then, a scarlet long tongue shot out ferociously from its mouth, heading straight for the young man who had already been scared out of his wits. ¡°Get out of the way¡­¡± Upon witnessing this, a few of the Feathered Spirit Guards shouted and quickly rushed forward. One of them grabbed the young man by the collar of his clothes and yanked him back violently, while the other two positioned themselves to his sides, one on the left, the other on the right, and swung their knives at the long tongue shooting straight at them. With a clang of steel, the catfish demon beast''s long tongue struck one of the Feathered Spirit Guard''s blades, sending him and his knife flying through the air with white smoke rising from the blade, which had been corroded to form a vast gap. After sending that Feathered Spirit Guard flying, the blood-colored long tongue swiftly twisted and stabbed toward the temple of the other Feathered Spirit Guard from the side at an extremely fast speed, looking like it was about to pierce through his head. Just at that moment, a crimson light fell from the sky, blocking next to the Ear of the Feathered Spirit Guard. The scarlet long tongue hit the crimson light and immediately splattered with a flash of blood light. In the midst of the crimson light was an exceedingly sharp crimson flying sword. The demon beast''s long tongue had struck the blade of the flying sword, and it was immediately sliced open, the long tongue bifurcated. The catfish demon beast yowled in pain and rapidly withdrew its long tongue. Everyone was terrified, crowding against the archway; even the baby in the arms of the woman wailed louder. ¡°Run, run¡­¡± Someone shouted in panic. ¡°Are you still not opening the gate? Do you really want us all to die here?¡± the white-haired old man said, tearfully. ¡°Are our lives as commoners not lives too?¡± ¡°It''s not just the monsters killing us; it''s you too¡­¡± Cries and accusations became more urgent, and the hearts of the few Feathered Spirit Guards still defending the gates began to waver. ¡°Should we open it?¡± one hesitant Feathered Spirit Guard asked. The other two Feathered Spirit Guards remained silent, not speaking, but their furrowed brows showed how conflicted they were. ¡°We can''t open it. The National Master ordered that this gate must not be opened no matter what,¡± shouted the Feathered Spirit Guard who had come close to dying while trying to save someone. ¡°Now you still won''t let it open, do you want us all to die here?¡± ¡°You''re the murderer; it''s you who are killing us¡­¡± ¡°You want us to die, might as well let you die first.¡± The young man who had been scared out of his wits in the face of the demon beast now seemed to have mustered up courage from somewhere, clutching a dagger in his hand, and plunged it toward the back of the Feathered Spirit Guard. Caught off guard, the Feathered Spirit Guard was stabbed in the back, and blood instantly gushed out, staining his entire back red. The turn of events happened so fast that even Shen Luo hadn''t expected the young man to turn against his savior so quickly. But, in that instant, he finally saw the situation before him. Just as the youth who had suddenly erupted in violence made to stab the Feathered Spirit Guard again, his wrist was suddenly grasped by a hand, rendering him unable to move an inch. The one who had acted was Shen Luo. Chapter 1442 Chapter 1442: Chapter 1438 Bewitch Chapter 1442: Chapter 1438 Bewitch Before everyone could notice, another beastly roar erupted, and the catfish demon beast suddenly surged forward, charging directly toward Shen Luo. From its gaping bloody mouth, a thick stream of filthy blood spurted out, biting down toward Shen Luo''s head. Shen Luo didn''t even spare it a glance, but flicked his finger towards it, and the Pure Yang Flying Sword immediately soared up, its Sword body surging with flames, splitting into three in the Void and fiercely shooting into the mouth of the beast. The next instant, eye-catching cracks appeared on the body of the catfish demon beast, and intense flames seeped out from within, exploding its body with a ¡°boom.¡± Shen Luo continued without paying attention, and simply grabbed the young man''s arm and squeezed tightly. A ¡°snap¡± sound came, the young man''s wrist immediately broke, the bones shattered into fragments. The flesh also tightened, wrapping around the broken bones, making it appear only as thick as hemp rope. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The young man was initially stunned, then let out a pig-like scream. Seeing this, Shen Luo slightly frowned, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes as his gaze involuntarily swept over the others. Upon seeing his expression, everyone was startled and began to back away. The pierced Feathered Spirit Guard, enduring his pain, stepped forward and thanked Shen Luo, ¡°Thank you, Elder, for saving my life.¡± Shen Luo raised his hand to press on his shoulder, passing mana into his body to seal the wound, then took out an elixir for him to take; he completely ignored the young man''s wailing and screaming. At this time, his gaze passed over the white-haired old man and landed on the woman holding a baby, finally settling on the baby in her arms. ¡°Is it fun to play with people''s hearts like this?¡± Shen Luo shouted fiercely. Hearing this, everyone present showed puzzled expressions on their faces, not understanding what he was talking about. Shen Luo didn''t pay attention to the reactions of the others and just stared directly at the baby, his tone ice cold as he said: ¡°I don''t know what you are or how you''ve hidden your breath so well that even my Spirit Eye Divine Ability can''t detect anything. But it''s clear that there is a conspicuous link between you and your puppets.¡± With that, he flipped his hand and twisted, and the young man''s arm immediately twisted and deformed like a twisted doughnut. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± The young man howled like a ghost. Everyone around was dumbstruck by fear, not understanding why Shen Luo was saying these inexplicable things or doing these inexplicable actions. Looking at the fearsome Shen Luo, no one dared to make a sound, except for the baby in the woman''s arms whose cries seemed to grow louder. ¡°I have no patience to play here with you,¡± Shen Luo said icily, and then he twisted the young man''s neck with his hand. The young man''s head lost support and tilted to one side, his body collapsing to the ground like sludge. At the same time, the baby also stopped crying. This scene turned everyone pale with fright, their eyes filled with both alarm and fully-armed looks when they looked at Shen Luo. But then, everyone witnessed another incredible scene. They saw the baby in the woman''s arms sit up by itself as the blanket wrapped around its body slid off, revealing a face that, though baby-like in contour, was crinkly and wrinkled. Everyone present was shocked again, and some of the women even rolled their eyes back, fainting on the spot. ¡°How boring you are¡­¡± the ¡°baby¡± spoke, his voice raspy like an elderly man''s. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the baby spoke, the woman holding him merely stood frozen with her mouth slightly agape, her eyes vacant and lifeless, creating an eerie scene. Shen Luo raised his hand, and the Pure Yang Flying Sword flew back to him, landing steadily in his palm. He walked towards the woman and baby, holding the sword in one hand, his aura emanating out, resembling a humanoid ferocious beast. Seeing this, the baby''s old face wrinkled even tighter, a clear fear flashing in his eyes. ¡°Tell me, why have you bewitched these people and forced the Feathered Spirit Guard to open this gate?¡± Shen Luo asked coldly. ¡°Oh, it''s nothing; I just wanted to see what the Royal Garden looks like. Unfortunately, this archway covered with Dragon Qi and protected by Array Techniques couldn''t be forced open,¡± the baby said with a grin. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo sneered and said, ¡°The evil demon that caused havoc in the Imperial Palace must have been suppressed here in the garden. You fear the Seal, so you bewitched the citizens to force the Feathered Spirit Guard to open the gate, am I right?¡± The baby''s wrinkled face deepened with furrows, and irritation flickered in his eyes. Upon hearing this, the citizens then realized that by opening the gate, they would not be escaping to a safer place but instead releasing an even more ferocious evil demon that had been suppressed with great difficulty. It turned out that the Feathered Spirit Guards were not really blocking their way out but protecting them. Everyone felt deeply remorseful for a moment. Just then, a ¡°cough-cough¡± sound suddenly came from the baby''s throat, and the ground beneath everyone''s feet cracked open, causing nearly everyone to lose their balance and topple into the crevices below. From the depths of the fall, a loud beastly roar sounded, and an immense shadow surged upwards from below, its mouth as gaping as the sinking pits, ready to swallow everyone in a single bite. Looking down, Shen Luo saw an even larger catfish demon beast emerging from underground. The citizens panicked, yet they were completely powerless to resist and could only let themselves fall into the beast''s mouth. But just then, they suddenly felt an invisible force lifting their bodies; before they could react, they were thrown out towards the direction of the river bank. At the same time, the chaotic River Water surged up, transforming into a gigantic Water Python that caught everyone. The magical beast, seeing its blood meal being snatched away, became furiously enraged. A black vortex whirled in its gaping mouth, radiating powerful devouring forces and creating strong pulling currents that tugged at Shen Luo, dragging him downwards. Shen Luo''s body flashed with Escape Light, attempting to dodge. But just then, a red light appeared from above, and it was the baby held by the woman, casting magic spells, pressing down on him from mid-air. Shen Luo immediately felt an immense invisible pressure descending from above, pressing him downwards before he could even escape, and he fell straight into the maw of the magical beast. As the beast''s mouth clamped shut, the black vortex surged violently, swallowing Shen Luo. The baby, seeing this, cackled ¡°cough-cough¡± eerily and fell back into the woman''s arms. ¡°Now that I''ve dealt with him, it''s your turn¡­ Really, opening the gate peacefully would have been fine, but you had to make it like this. Now, I''ll have to clean you all up, heh heh¡­¡± the baby''s voice grinded like sand on stone. Chapter 1443 Chapter 1443: Chapter 1439: Astronomical Bureau Chapter 1443: Chapter 1439: Astronomical Bureau The baby''s voice trailed off, the woman''s eyes brightened with two pools of blood light, and as she was about to chase after the dispersing crowd while holding the baby, she suddenly heard a thunderous roar from within the belly of the magical beast. Following that, a sword light tore open the beast''s abdomen, and a clump of crimson flames gushed forth. The magical beast let out a harrowing scream from its mouth, followed by a string of explosive sounds inside its belly, as countless shadows of sticks emerged from it, instantly enlarging the slashed opening made by the Pure Yang Flying Sword by a hundred times, and blood rained everywhere for a moment. In the next instant, the catfish demon beast''s body exploded with a loud bang. Shen Luo shot straight out from the exploded flesh and quickly arrived in front of the woman, swinging down the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand toward the baby she was holding. The woman had no time to dodge and could only turn sharply to shield the baby in her arms. The Profound Yellow Staff shone brightly and with a ¡°bang,¡± it heavily smashed onto the woman''s back, immediately followed by the sound of cracking bones. The woman knelt on both knees, her hands still firmly holding the baby, while the ground around her had already cracked open. At this moment, a bizarre scene unfolded! The woman''s back visibly caved in, her flesh and blood rapidly contracted, and in the blink of an eye, it shriveled up like a dried-up orange peel. However, the baby in her arms visibly grew twice as big at an observable speed, turned into a pitch-black naked toddler, and shot out from her arms, directly pouncing toward the fleeing crowd around. The people of Chang''an screamed and dodged in panic, all except an old man with white hair who stood there with a dazed look, motionless. The baby flashed past the old man''s head, wrapped his arms around his neck, and clung to his back. With eyes full of resentment, he fiercely glared at Shen Luo and suddenly bit into the old man''s neck, quickly sucking away. Like the woman before him, the white-haired old man did not resist at all, allowing his flesh and blood to be ¡°gulp gulp¡± devoured, and his body quickly withered into a skeleton. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, holding the long stick in one hand, chased after them, and covertly hooked his fingers behind his back with the other hand, causing the Pure Yang Flying Sword wrapped in flames to shoot directly from behind the baby, aiming at his heart. After feasting on the old man''s flesh, the baby transformed again, growing two sharp ears and two pairs of flesh wings. Although he couldn''t see behind him, he suddenly shuddered his wings and surged upwards, performing a backflip to dodge the flying sword and instead dashed towards Shen Luo at high speed. Observing this, Shen Luo stepped into mid-air, lightly tapped on the incoming flying sword with his toes, leapt up in the air, and clasping the Profound Yellow Staff with both hands, he violently smashed it down at the baby. At that moment, the baby suddenly let out a piercing screech, emitting visible sound waves in a fan-shaped spread outward. As Shen Luo charged into the sound wave area, his Sea of Knowledge violently trembled, his vision flickered, and he was suddenly faced with seven or eight layers of afterimages, unable to clearly see where the baby was. But almost at the same time, the Suppressing God Technique was already in motion, releasing a strong divine soul that instantly calmed the tumult in the Sea of Knowledge, and his vision returned to normal. ¡°It''s impossible¡­¡± Seeing that Shen Luo had almost instantly dispelled his divine soul disruption, the baby was greatly shocked. Confident in his secret technique, he had already regarded Shen Luo as an easy prey and hadn''t altered his trajectory at all, continuing straight towards Shen Luo. ¡°Slaughter Iron Rod!¡± Shen Luo bellowed. Upon his Profound Yellow Staff, a layer of crimson light suddenly enveloped, exuding a murderous intent as it smashed down toward the baby. The baby, seeing no way to dodge, suddenly turned blood-red all over its skin. With a loud ¡°bang!¡±, The Profound Yellow Staff heavily struck the baby, immediately bursting into a spray of blood and flesh. At that moment, Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened, but he suddenly saw something the size of a fist burst out from the cloud of blood, propelled by the force of the explosion, shooting towards the distance. Without any hesitation, he immediately waved his hand to grab the Pure Yang Flying Sword and surged towards it with his escape light. From afar, he could see a three-inch-long blood-colored worm writhing in the air, fleeing in a manner indescribable, its speed not slowing down at all. In just a few breaths, the worm had crossed over a palace wall and shot inside, soon disappearing from sight. Shen Luo, seeing that the direction of its escape was the Astronomical Bureau, couldn''t help but frown slightly as he relentlessly pursued. The location of the Astronomical Bureau was indeed adjacent to the northwest of the Imperial Palace, positioned at the highest terrain of the entire Imperial City¨Cthe vast expanse was mostly devoid of tall trees and buildings obstructing the view, making it an ideal place for stargazing at night. Shen Luo passed through several palace walls, along the way he could see many traces of fierce battles and numerous remains of Feathered Spirit Guards and Magical Beasts. The closer he got to the Astronomical Bureau, the more people he found killed in the battle, which clearly indicated it was a key target of these evil demons'' attack. After crossing another yellow palace wall, a vast white square appeared ahead. In the square, positioned towards the southeast, northwest, and southwest, were several large stone and copper instruments, among them Shen Luo recognized a stone sundial and a copper seismoscope. However, the others, he guessed, were likely astronomical instruments used for observing celestial phenomena like armillary spheres. Beneath these instruments on the ground, a massive Zhou Tian star chart was engraved. Clearly, a fierce slaughter had taken place on this square, as it was littered with a large number of dead bodies of evil demons and Feathered Spirit Guards. Additionally, many bodies of monks dressed in robes similar to Taoist robes, all embroidered with star patterns on their cuffs, likely the uniform of the Astronomical Bureau''s disciples, lay dead. In comparison to the Feathered Spirit Guards, their bodies, almost without exception, were all lying before these precious astronomical instruments, seemingly having died in their defense. Thanks to their protection, these instruments, although impacted, were not severely damaged. ¡°Boom¡± Not lingering to look further, Shen Luo heard a booming sound from the other side of the square. Looking towards that direction from afar, he saw behind a great hall a towering light pillar extending deep into the skydome, connecting with the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array. Shen Luo glanced towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government, seeing the towering true form of the Peach Blossom giant tree, which was countering the array above, preventing it from descending. He withdrew his gaze, his escape light flashed, and he shot towards that great hall. Chapter 1444 Chapter 1444: Chapter 1440: Opportunity Not to Be Missed Chapter 1444: Chapter 1440: Opportunity Not to Be Missed Behind the great hall, on a comparatively smaller square, next to an altar rising from the underworld, sat a person in a purple-gold Daoist robe, holding a circular formation disc in his hand¨Cit was none other than Yuan Tiangang. His eyes were tightly closed, and an annular glow hovered beneath him, enshrouding his entire being. One palm cradled the white jade formation disc, densely etched with charm patterns, while the other joined two fingers pointing to the center of the disc. Within his body, pure mana congealed into dazzling, colored lights, continuously flowing into the circular disc. Not far from him, another figure was clad in a grey-white long robe, holding a peach wood sword in one hand and an octagonal bronze mirror in the other, battling with a pitch-black evil demon. His appearance was strikingly identical to Yuan Tiangang, enveloped in a layer of white light that made him seem exceedingly radiant. The evil demon he was fighting had an upper body indistinguishable from the human race, yet below was a snake tail about a zhang in length, supporting its body as it moved nimbly and swiftly across the ground. In its hands were a pair of ink jade longswords with bizarre shapes; the slender sword bodies featured two prongs, upon which ¡°zzt-zzt¡± sounds of black electric currents writhed. This evil demon''s long hair was loose and disheveled, and far from being ugly, it bore an exceptionally handsome face, its expression always adorned with an evil charm''s smile. Its aura was incredibly powerful, already nearing the level of Taiyi. Lying haphazardly around them were dozens of corpses, all elite subordinates of each party, having been slain in battle. ¡°Yuan Tiangang,¡± said the evil demon with a smile, ¡°if you ask me, you might as well give up on that Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array. With this alter ego of yours fighting me, there''s no chance of victory¨Cjust a pointless waste of mana. Once your mana runs out, you''ll fall to my sword and become nothing but a spirit beneath it. Is it truly worth it for these common mortals?¡± However, both the physical Yuan Tiangang holding the formation disc and the alter ego wielding the treasure mirror and peach wood sword paid no heed to his words, each absorbed in their respective tasks. The evil demon was right; if Yuan Tiangang gave up on maintaining the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array and retracted this alter ego into himself, he could immediately strike and slay the demon. But he couldn''t do so. Because the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array bore the heavy burden of stirring the heavenly time¨Cif it ceased to operate completely, the consequences would be dire, possibly even more grievous than the calamities resulting from the evil demon''s mischief. Had the array been successfully cast, Yuan Tiangang could have taken advantage of the auspicious timing and the power of the Four Symbols to slay or suppress all the evil demons, thus resolving the siege of Chang''an in a single effort. But unexpectedly, a being named Taoyaoyao appeared halfway through, who, not hesitating to burn and consume her Dao-Practice, used her true peach tree form to obstruct the descent of the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array. As a result, Yuan Tiangang could only pit his own cultivation level against her, and the two entered into a tug-of-war, each side refusing to yield, simply waiting for the other to exhaust their energy and clinch the victory. The only difference was that Taoyaoyao didn''t concern herself with the casualties among the people within the city, while Yuan Tiangang couldn''t continue to stand by and allow this deadlock to persist. ¡°Yokuang,¡± the alter ego suddenly spoke up, ¡°who exactly summoned you to Chang''an?¡± ¡°You''ve asked me this question three times now, knowing full well I won''t tell you, and yet you still ask. It''s quite persistent of you. In fact, there was no need for a summons; we''ve coveted the Blood Meal of Chang''an for more than just a day or two. It''s just that the stability of the Dragon Veins and the abundance of Dragon Qi beneath the city walls made it difficult for us to force our way in. But now, the situation is different. The Dragon Veins of Chang''an have been damaged, the Dragon Qi is overflowing; it''s intoxicatingly fragrant, naturally attracting us to come continuously,¡± the evil demon known as You Kuang said with a laugh. ¡°Whoever that person is, by summoning you here, they are just using you. Are you truly willing to be a pawn for someone else?¡± the alter ego continued to ask. ¡°It doesn''t matter. We''re just here to feast, and it makes no difference where we do it,¡± You Kuang replied nonchalantly. ¡°You will regret it,¡± Yuan Tiangang''s true body suddenly spoke. As his words fell, a beam of light burst forth from the point between his eyebrows and entered the alter ego''s body. In the next instant, the alter ego''s light suddenly brightened, and his aura strengthened by a measure. ¡°Heh heh, you even split your strength with your alter ego. I wonder how much longer your true body can hold on?¡± You Kuang saw this and laughed unabashedly, undaunted by the sight. Yuan Tiangang, upon hearing these words, did not speak but his eyebrows furrowed even deeper. You Kuang''s mockery was not without reason. Originally, the entire Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array was activated by him and thirty-six monks from the Astronomical Bureau. However, by the time he arrived at the Astronomical Bureau, You Kuang had already led a large number of evil demons to invade the area. The monks of the Astronomical Bureau were specialized in investigating heavenly phenomena and setting up Arrays but were not adept at individual combat and slaughter, so they suffered heavy losses after a short fight, nearly being massacred to the last man. Thus, the people who could assist Yuan Tiangang in setting up the Array were naturally nowhere to be found. Now, it was already quite strenuous for him alone to drive the Array, yet he also had to split off an external incarnation to deal with You Kuang. Every bit of mana he divided for the incarnation added more pressure to his original body. But he had no other choice now. He had some awareness of the changes at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda and within the Great Tang Dynasty Government and knew that if reinforcements were possible, they should have already arrived. If he were to continue in this stalemate with Peach Blossom and You Kuang, he would surely be the one to lose. It wouldn''t matter much if he lost, but Chang''an City would be finished. Yuan Tiangang''s external incarnation''s eyes intensified, shook the Treasure Mirror in his hand, and the mirror''s surface flickered with silver light as a burst of bright white light surged out, heading straight for You Kuang. You Kuang was already familiar with the attack from the Treasure Mirror and subconsciously dodged. However, just as the white light neared, it suddenly exploded in size, doubling in range instantaneously, and landed squarely on him. Cursing ¡°Damn it!¡± in his heart, his body abruptly stiffened, remaining in his dodging posture, frozen in place. What followed was Yuan Tiangang''s external incarnation instantly teleporting behind him, a Peach Wood Sword in hand showcasing emerging charm patterns that coiled around the sword body like a spirit snake, causing the wooden sword to shine with a metallic gloss, emanating a strong sharpness. ¡°Die.¡± With a fierce shout from the external incarnation, the longsword thrust directly towards You Kuang''s head. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, a vague shadow shot rapidly from a distance, and with a ¡°smack,¡± it hit the incarnation''s hand holding the mirror, deflecting the wrist. The snow-white light that had been shining on You Kuang dissipated as a result. Regaining freedom, You Kuang''s figure flashed, narrowly avoiding the oncoming longsword by ducking in the nick of time. Hurriedly creating distance from Yuan Tiangang and turning to look at his lifesaver, his expression turned somber as he said, ¡°You Tong, why is it you? How did you get turned into this foolish appearance?¡± The three-inch-long infant floating in mid air, which resembled a meaty worm, looked towards You Kuang, and as if also having tasted something disgusting, spat out in anger: ¡°Ptui, if I had known it was you, guy, I wouldn''t have come here at all. Whoever¡­ if you want to kill him, just do it quickly; I''m definitely not getting involved this time.¡± Friendship recommendation for the author ¡°Nobody Move¡± and their novel ¡°The Receptionist at the Company is an Immortal Emperor.¡± As the head of a novel website, Liao Xudong had made a fortune of billions in his past life but still couldn''t avoid the grip of lung cancer. Because he had no spiritual root and could not enter the circle of cultivating immortality. Reborn, Liao Xudong discovered that in his previous life, the well-known Great Mahayana State Immortal Emperor, Jing Hong Immortal, was actually the little receptionist at his company before her spiritual root was tested. Chapter 1445 Chapter 1445: Chapter 1441: Fusion Chapter 1445: Chapter 1441: Fusion Yuan Tiangang''s external avatar looked at the two adversaries and sighed inwardly; the opportunity he had finally created by continuously showing weakness had been so unfortunately wasted just like that. At that moment, a figure flew over the great hall and came hurtling towards them. The newcomer was naturally Shen Luo. He swept his gaze over the situation at the altar and quickly landed beside Yuan Tiangang''s main body. ¡°National Master, what''s happening?¡± Shen Luo asked through a transmission. Yuan Tiangang immediately recounted the situation to him in brief. ¡°This is going to be difficult¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured. ¡°How are things on the government official''s side? Why have you come here alone?¡± Yuan Tiangang also quickly asked. ¡°The situation there has been caused by a peach tree demon¡­ That''s why no one else can leave right now. The City Lord of Tianji, Little Master, taught me a method and sent me to find you; it might solve the crisis in Chang''an,¡± Shen Luo explained the situation at the Great Tang Dynasty Government in haste. ¡°What method? Tell me quickly,¡± urged Yuan Tiangang anxiously. ¡°Junior Master mentioned that we could use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to capture the true body of that Taoyaoyao. However, Taoyaoyao possesses the cultivation level of someone in the Taiyi Realm, and I alone am afraid it might be difficult to accomplish. Hence, he sent me to seek your help,¡± Shen Luo transmitted. ¡°Wait¡­ are you saying that the Map of Mountains and Rivers is with you?¡± Yuan Tiangang exclaimed in surprise. ¡°We can explain that later; Elder, please help quickly,¡± said Shen Luo. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Right now, my main body cannot leave; if the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array collapses, then there''s no point in doing anything else, for the entirety of Chang''an City would be finished. Since Little Master knows of this method, why did he not help you implement it?¡± Yuan Tiangang sighed. ¡°He''s not unwilling but unable. On one hand, we can''t let the Demon Clan, Demon Clan, or even the Immortal Clan, know that the Map is in my possession, else I fear for my life later on. And then, I was within Taoyaoyao''s array at the time, which severely limited my actions. If I were to use the Map of Mountains and Rivers forcibly, I''m afraid she might destroy the Earth Veins under Chang''an in retaliation, and the losses would outweigh the gains,¡± explained Shen Luo. While the two were secretly exchanging messages, You Kuang and You Tong were still bickering with each other. ¡°You pathetic thing, a mere True Immortal Cultivator and you were beaten to such a sorry state. It''s utterly disgraceful,¡± You Kuang clicked his tongue. ¡°You''re one to talk. If I hadn''t made a move just now, you would be dead by now, right?¡± You Tong retorted without backing down. Just then, You Kuang''s eyes suddenly twitched, and his figure flashed in an instant. A Crimson Flying Sword shot past his waist and abdomen, its momentum unabated, hurtling towards You Tong. You Tong, being very small and extremely fast, easily dodged away. ¡°Good, very good, you ants dare to launch a sneak attack on me?¡± You Kuang shouted angrily. Shen Luo looked slightly regretful as he recalled his flying sword. After listening to Yuan Tiangang''s words, he had already come to a realization; in order for Yuan Tiangang to have the opportunity to activate the Map of Mountains and Rivers, he had no choice but to kill You Kuang first. Yuan Tiangang watched the scene with secret admiration in his heart. He had not expected Shen Luo to split his attention and decisively attempt to assassinate You Kuang while discussing such crucial matters with him. ¡°Ha ha, see that? That human race kid is very sneaky¡­¡± gloated You Tong, taking pleasure in the misfortune. It seemed as if this could prove that his previous failure was not unjust. ¡°Big Brother, don''t be preoccupied with arguing with me. The matter at hand is to kill them first. The flesh and blood of a Taiyi Cultivator and a True Immortal Cultivator, if we can devour them both, that would be greatly nourishing,¡± You Kuang said, calming down. ¡°Hehe, you are right. Let''s have our fill first, and then we can argue all we want,¡± You Tong said with a smile, delighted at being called ¡°Big Brother.¡± Having said that, he began to wriggle his body, moving closer to You Kuang''s side, and lowered himself onto his shoulder. Following that, to Shen Luo and Yuan Tiangang''s surprise, You Tong''s worm-like body began to disappear bit by bit within a pool of blood light, gradually merging into You Kuang''s body. You Kuang''s face began to change immediately, with wrinkles forming on his face as if he had aged a century in an instant. His originally handsome and evilly charming face became somewhat fierce and ugly. His lower half, which was like a serpent''s tail, bulged with flesh and sprouted two sturdy legs. His aura surged, and his whole appearance was that of a lizard standing upright. However, what surprised Shen Luo the most was his cultivation level, which had crossed a boundary from the late True Immortal stage to the early-stage Taiyi realm. ¡°How about it, Yuan Tiangang? Are you still unwilling to abandon that cumbersome Great Formation? Or do you want to fight me with just an external incarnation? Either way, you are bound to die,¡± said You Kuang, his confidence soaring after the increase in cultivation, not taking Shen Luo seriously at all. ¡°Let''s give it a try then,¡± Yuan Tiangang''s external incarnation laughed. With that said, a white light suddenly shone beneath him, and his figure disappeared on the spot, reappearing in front of You Kuang in an instant. The Treasure Mirror in his hand shone with a bright white light again, enveloping You Kuang. ¡°So fast!¡± This time, the speed was even faster than before. You Kuang was unable to dodge again and was once more immobilized by the Treasure Light. At the same time, a figure flashed suddenly behind him¨Cit was Shen Luo. A Crimson Flying Sword in his hand was wrapped in flames, stabbing straight towards You Kuang''s back. The Sword Edge emitted a clear sound, and a fiery figure began to appear, ready to tear his body apart. Just as You Kuang was about to be pierced through by Shen Luo''s sword, the seemingly panicked You Kuang suddenly revealed a grin. With a slight twist of his body, the snow-white light covering him shattered like a mirror, with a ¡°crack.¡± His long tail whipped behind him, coiling directly around Shen Luo''s waist and pulling him into mid-air after a sudden squeeze. Shen Luo struggled for a moment only to feel an immense strength tightening around him, making his ribs crack painfully, almost leaving him unable to breathe. At the same time, You Kuang waved his two Ink Jade Swords forward. The Sword bodies clashed, causing a thunderous roar, and a thick streak of black thunder and lightning surged forth, striking towards Yuan Tiangang''s external incarnation. The latter chanted softly, and with a fierce slap of the Treasure Mirror in hand, a barrage of white light erupted, forming an octagonal light shield in front that burst with an explosion. The white light shield shattered instantly, and a wave of black lightning scattered in every direction. However, it did not disappear but spread out like a spiderweb, enveloping Yuan Tiangang''s external incarnation from above. Yuan Tiangang quickly dodged backward. But as soon as he moved, there was a gust of wind behind him. You Kuang had already flashed in close, a lightning sword in his hand aiming for his back. At the critical moment, You Kuang''s figure hesitated, and the longsword in his hand stopped inches away from the external incarnation''s back. When he turned to look, he found that Shen Luo had somehow landed on his feet again. At this moment, he was tightly gripping You Kuang''s tail, pulling his body back, preventing him from moving any further. Chapter 1446 Chapter 1446: Chapter 1442: White Tiger''s Killing Force Chapter 1446: Chapter 1442: White Tiger''s Killing Force ¡°You''re seeking death!¡± You Kuang bellowed angrily. He didn''t rashly turn around, but instead struck out with his sword at the external incarnation in front of him, pushing it back before swinging his long tail and forcefully coiling it around Shen Luo, lifting him high in front of him. You Kuang glared at Shen Luo, his hands crossed with longswords, snipping towards Shen Luo like scissors. Between the crossing of the two longswords, threads of black thunder and lightning kept gathering, gradually forming a violently trembling black thunderball. It emanated bursts of powerful spiritual pressure, causing the void to twist. Seeing this, Shen Luo knew that a lethal move was coming and couldn''t help feeling frightened in his heart. He immediately roared angrily, pushing the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Art to its limit. The demonic Qi of Chiyou and the Pure Yang Power surged within him, his body undergoing a monstrous transformation. Dragon scales and devil armor covered him, fierce horns grew from his head, and a third eye burst through his brow, protruding outward. At the same time, the aura of his cultivation level skyrocketed, reaching the mid-term peak of True Immortals in an instant. Observing such a sudden change in Shen Luo, You Kuang was surprised but not the least bit afraid. His Profound Thunder Technique was already fully charged. ¡°Slash.¡± With an angry shout, You Kuang brought the swords down, and the incredibly solid black thunderball immediately shot out, heading straight for Shen Luo''s heart. Meanwhile, an invisible surge of Qi burst forth from around Shen Luo, and his roar sent You Kuang''s long tail reeling back with the force. Finding himself free, Shen Luo knew he couldn''t avoid the attack and didn''t try to dodge. Instead, he took a step in the void and raised his Pure Yang Flying Sword high, striking down towards the black thunderball. ¡°Heh heh, seeking death,¡± You Kuang gasped, then laughed. The next instant, an explosive boom that could shake the skydome erupted! Just as the black thunderball was about to contact the sword edge, an octagonal bronze mirror flew in, shining with an eye-piercing white light, intercepting it in between. Within that dazzling white light, time and space seemed to freeze for a moment, and everything came to a halt. But as the booming sound exploded, the white light shattered inch by inch, like porcelain, scattering into pieces. The specks of snow-white brilliance didn''t dissipate directly but instead condensed into a huge spiral vortex, frantically devouring the black electrical light from the black thunderball''s explosion. Black and white light interweaving, a vast amount of black electrical light was swallowed into the vortex, and the white light at the center of the vortex became increasingly fierce. Finally, the vortex reached its limit of consumption. With a ¡°bang¡±, the vortex burst apart, and the octagonal bronze mirror shattered along with it. An immensely powerful shockwave spread from the exploding mirror, completely shattering the already weakened black thunderball. A wild whirlwind whirled open, carrying strands of black lightning, the remaining power enough to severely injure a True Immortal Cultivator. But in the midst of this storm, a crimson light ignited. Shen Luo''s figure burst through the swirling wind, his longsword raised high, chopping down towards You Kuang. You Kuang''s eyes narrowed slightly, sensing a hint of danger. Before he could figure it out, a tiger''s roar thundered from the sky above, and a white beam of light poured down from the western sky. ¡°This is¡­ the White Tiger''s killing power!¡± You Kuang was shocked once again. He hadn''t expected that Yuan Tiangang would single out the White Tiger''s power, the most lethal of the Four Symbols, to bring down. Without the balance provided by the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array, this force, once descended, would not differentiate between human and demon if unguided, slaying all indiscriminately¨Ctruly a power capable of destruction. ¡°You''re mad, do you want to bury the people of Chang''an along with you?¡± You Kuang roared. ¡°Can you withstand it?¡± At the altar, blood as thin as snakes trickled from Yuan Tiangang''s eyes and ears on both sides, clearly suffering from immense backlash. You Kuang''s gaze flashed, and he noticed that the white light pillar wasn''t falling towards him but was instead chasing the figure leaping in mid-air. ¡°He''s completely insane¡­¡± You Kuang cursed furiously and turned to flee. But within the white light pillar, Shen Luo''s body was covered in blood spurting out and then burning away within the white light. The vertical eye on his forehead was tightly closed, with fresh blood flowing out, yet his face bore a ferocious smile. The white light encapsulating him gradually contracted, eventually concentrating onto the Pure Yang Flying Sword in his hand and transformed into a white sword light shooting straight into the sky. ¡°Die.¡± An angry shout filled with murderous intent rang out as he swung the sword down forcefully, and a single beam of white light descended from the sky, turning into a thousand-foot sword light cleaving towards You Kuang. You Kuang was greatly frightened and tried to dodge with swift movements, but he found himself continuously enveloped by a strong murderous intent. Just as his figure had flown out of the bounds of the Imperial Palace, that snow-white sword light slashed out of nowhere above his head, leaving him no chance to evade. ¡°No¡­¡± He roared as he lifted his crossed longswords to block. Both longswords broke upon collision, and the white sword light sliced vertically through You Kuang''s body, and the dust settled. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A tragic cry abruptly stopped, and it was You Tong''s voice. At the moment the sword light struck, he, too, found himself locked on and failed several attempts to separate from You Kuang''s body. Eventually, both their bodies gradually disintegrated in the snow-white sword light until they turned into ash. In the Square, Shen Luo''s body fell from the sky, crashing to the ground. His body had returned to human form, not a single wound visible on his body, but his face was deathly pale, his eyes full of blood silk, and he looked thoroughly drained. ¡°Shen Luo, how are you?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked. His external incarnation had already exhausted all its mana, sacrificing the Octagonal copper mirror to shield Shen Luo from that blow, and could no longer sustain itself. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not dead yet¡­¡± Shen Luo lay in extreme pain as if his bones were all shattered, lying on the ground unwilling to move. At that moment, a golden Elixir floated down in front of him. ¡°Now is not the time to rest, quickly recover and regulate your breath. We need to seal Taoyaoyao as soon as possible. I can feel that there''s big trouble at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda,¡± Yuan Tiangang urged. Shen Luo exhaled heavily, struggling to sit up. Despite the severe pain causing his cheeks and corners of his mouth to twitch incessantly, he still forced himself to take the Elixir and swallowed it. A warm current slowly entered his belly, and he immediately crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breath. The spiritual power of this Elixir was abundant, certainly of a very high level. Shen Luo had just begun to regulate his breath, the medicinal effect was not fully dispersed, and the pain in his body had already halved, with the emptiness feeling in his Dantian gradually fading away. ¡°Is it about time?¡± But before he could fully absorb the medicinal power, Yuan Tiangang had already started urging him again. ¡°Elder, I''m just an ordinary True Immortal Cultivator. Aren''t you being a bit too harsh on me?¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat speechlessly. Chapter 1447 Chapter 1447: Chapter 1443: Everyone Leaves at the End of the Tune Chapter 1447: Chapter 1443: Everyone Leaves at the End of the Tune ¡°` ¡°At this critical moment, we have no other choice. Come closer to me and take out the Map of Mountains and Rivers so we can join forces to cast the spell,¡± Yuan Tiangang urged. Shen Luo, hearing this, had no choice but to quickly step to his side and sit down cross-legged. It was only then that he noticed the bloodstains at both ears and eyes of Yuan Tiangang, who looked quite tragic. ¡°Elder, you¡­¡± ¡°I''m fine. Don''t get distracted. Exert all your power to stimulate the Map of Mountains and Rivers. I will help you seal Taoyaoyao,¡± Yuan Tiangang said with a cough. Shen Luo immediately ceased to speak and raised his hand; the Map of Mountains and Rivers materialized in a flash. As soon as the treasure appeared, an invisible current flowed instantly toward them, and the clouds in the sky began to change. However, the energy in Chang''an City was currently in chaos, and the sky was obscured by the Great Formation of the Four Symbols, so no one would notice the changes here. ¡°Rise.¡± With a gesture from Shen Luo, the Map of Mountains and Rivers slowly unfolded and ascended into high altitude. Seeing this, Yuan Tiangang began to chant slowly, and a light shone around him. His purple-gold Daoist robe rustled in a wind of its own making. Suddenly, his eyes concentrated, and two streaks of golden light shot from his pupils toward the Map of Mountains and Rivers. When these two rays of light burst forth, they seemed to drag with them a human-like phantom, which flew into the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Yuan Tiangang then stumbled, and his vitality plummeted sharply. ¡°Elder¡­¡± Shen Luo tensed in concern. ¡°Concentrate,¡± said Yuan Tiangang. Shen Luo gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and focused all his mind on the Map of Mountains and Rivers. In moments, the Map took flight and swept toward the direction of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. The scroll in mid-air gradually turned ethereal, but the landscape within the painting manifested as solid imagery, retaining the appearance of ink wash paintings. ¡°Have you sensed that peach tree yet?¡± Yuan Tiangang asked. ¡°Yes,¡± replied Shen Luo, eyes still firmly shut, nodding his head. ¡°Use your mind to guide it, and activate the Map of Mountains and Rivers,¡± Yuan Tiangang ordered. Shen Luo immersed his consciousness, and instantly, his thoughts made a move. Immediately, clouds churned in the center of the Map of Mountains and Rivers, revealing a massive vortex, swirling as it enveloped the area below. ¡°Who is it¡­¡± a sharp reprimand came from afar. Then, a series of roaring sounds emanated from the direction of the government office, as intense fluctuations of heaven and earth aura surged violently, clearly indicating that Taoyaoyao was resisting. Unfortunately for her, the Map of Mountains and Rivers was now outside of her array, fully unfurled, and its demonstrated power was naturally not something she could contend against. Before long, a huge tree shadow was uprooted and slowly pulled into the vortex. Then, suddenly, the scroll in the sky flew away rapidly, returning to the Astronomical Bureau''s side. Shen Luo called back the Map of Mountains and Rivers and saw a blank space beneath a mountain peak in the southwest corner; out of thin air, the outline of an ink-drawn peach tree appeared, lush and bursting with blooms as if ablaze with vitality. At the site of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, the great powers naturally noticed the anomaly. ¡°Was that just now¡­ the Map of Mountains and Rivers?¡± Fairy Qinglian said in surprise. ¡°Has the Bodhi Ancestor arrived?¡± the Blue-haired Lion King furrowed his brow and pondered aloud. ¡°Could it be that they already knew about this unforeseen event and intentionally hid themselves? But that doesn''t make any sense either¡­¡± Li Jing was also baffled. ¡°` ¡°Who cares what it is, why not just chase after it and see?¡± King of Demons Kui said without any concern. No sooner had he spoken than he surged forward, poised to fly toward the Astronomical Bureau. However, before he could escape, the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array that had been blocked in the sky for so long finally began to descend little by little, now that Peach Blossom was no longer obstructing it. King of Demons Kui had no choice but to land again, returning to the square. Throughout Chang''an City, wherever the array''s light patterns fell, they harmed neither humans nor animals, but displayed their might against those evil demons and monsters, slaying them all with just a slight touch. Screams from the evil demons rose from all corners of the city, as they fled in all directions, seeking cracks in the ground to escape. At that moment, a red shadow burst from the light array and hung in mid-air, revealing its form¨Cit was indeed Peach Blossom. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Little Fox, I''ve repaid the debt of gratitude I owed you, and henceforth, we have no further ties.¡± Having said that, her figure transformed into a rainbow light that fled far away from Chang''an City. Shen Luo watched this scene from afar and quickly looked down at the Map of Mountains and Rivers, only to see the peach tree still within the scroll. ¡°There''s no need to be surprised. Peach Blossom is the ancestral progenitor of all the peach trees in the world. Even if she leaves her body, her divine soul won''t lack a dwelling place, but it''s certain that her cultivation level has suffered severe damage because of her injury to the Great Dao,¡± Yuan Tiangang explained. His voice had barely faded when a surge of white light appeared from the direction of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, within which a massive white fox illusion appeared, bowing in the direction where Peach Blossom had left as a gesture of thanks. ¡°As you all can see, the responsibility for this event lies with me, and the Three Realms will also find no peace because of it in the future. Observe and wait,¡± the white fox illusion said calmly, glancing over the Imperial City as its eyes swept across. The leaders of the various sects from the side of the Great Tang Dynasty Government naturally understood that these words were meant for them. ¡°Who is this guy? He''s even more arrogant than me?¡± King of Demons Kui slapped his own head and laughed. ¡°The Qi is well concealed. It''s impossible to discern his traces,¡± Fairy Qinglian said, shaking her head. ¡°Not daring to show his true form, it seems he''s merely a show-off among insignificant people,¡± the Blue-haired Lion King sneered with laughter. Everyone harbored different thoughts, with varying expressions on their faces. After the white fox illusion finished its threatening words, its form gradually dissipated, vanishing into the high altitude. Moments later, Yuan Tiangang brought Shen Luo back to the side of the Government Officials. King of Demons Kui and the others immediately surrounded them, asking about what had just happened. ¡°It was indeed the Ancestor who took action to break the siege just now, but to prevent revenge on our sect, he has already returned to Mount Fangcun,¡± Shen Luo explained. This explanation was somewhat far-fetched, but there was nothing inherently wrong with it. ¡°The turmoil that Chang''an has experienced, as you all have seen, shows that there are many who are dissatisfied with the peaceful state of the Three Realms. I hope that in the future, everyone will put in a bit more effort to jointly maintain the stability of the Three Realms,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, scanning the crowd. ¡°Daoist friend Yuan, we were actually planning to help, it was just that friend Cheng wouldn''t agree, so¡­¡± King of Demons Kui said. ¡°As for matters within the Tang Dynasty, we officials believe we have the capability to handle them, so there''s no need to trouble Brother Kui. Well, it''s also good that the conference ended this way. After you all go back, take the time to reflect on today''s events,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, pulling at the corner of his mouth. Seeing that Yuan Tiangang had issued an order to disperse the meeting, everyone felt displeased, yet they had no choice but to take their leave. Given the special situation in Chang''an City at the moment, especially for the Demon Clan and the Demon Race, it was indeed inappropriate for them to stay any longer. The crowd bid farewell one by one. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, I will return to Tianji City first. When you''re ready, come to me there,¡± the Little Master specifically instructed Shen Luo before leaving. ¡°Thank you, Elder,¡± Shen Luo said with a clasped fist in gratitude. Fairy Qinglian watched this scene with some surprise in her heart, not understanding why the always mysterious Master of Tianji City would be so familiar with a junior like Shen Luo. But she didn''t ask for more details and eventually left as well. Chapter 1448 Chapter 1448: Chapter 1444: Duke Missing Chapter 1448: Chapter 1444: Duke Missing Soon, the square was deserted, with only Yuan Tiangang, Shen Luo, and Li Jing remaining. As for Golden Wings Large Peng and Flower Ten Women, they were still imprisoned inside Li Jing''s Treasure Pagoda. ¡°Shen Luo, you are also seriously injured. Go back and rest for now. You don''t need to worry about the following matters, just focus on recovering from your injuries,¡± Yuan Tiangang cautioned. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated briefly but nodded in agreement. Once Yuan Tiangang and Li Jing had left for the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, he returned alone to his private courtyard. However, when he left the Four Seas Hall and was near his courtyard, he saw a familiar figure squatting by the gallery, sobbing softly. ¡°Little Fox Misu, what are you doing here?¡± Shen Luo asked softly. Hearing his voice, the girl suddenly looked up, her eyes red, paused for a moment, and then forced a smile. After some inquiries, Shen Luo learned that after escaping from the Four Seas Hall, this young girl from the Fox Clan had lost contact with two of her clan elders and had encountered a magical beast attack. Fortunately, two Feathered Spirit Guards had helped her slay the beast. She didn''t dare go search for them on her own and could only wait here. ¡°The situation outside is truly unsafe right now. Come with me to a safe place and wait there until things stabilize in the city, then I will help you find them,¡± Shen Luo reassured her. Little Lox Misu hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. In Chang''an City, other than Grandma Qiu and her two elders, she literally had no other kin. At this moment, the only person she could trust was Shen Luo. Thus, Shen Luo took her back to his small courtyard to settle down, but he felt uneasy along the way, concerned about whether Lu Huaming was injured or not. Shen Luo briefly checked his own body, found that the elixir had entirely taken effect, and noticed some mana accumulating in his dantian. He decided not to heal his injuries just yet and instead went out to assess the situation around the city. After settling Little Fox Misu, he left the Great Tang Dynasty Government. The city was in a state of devastation at the time, with many buildings damaged. This wasn''t so grave in itself, but the sounds of grieving could be heard everywhere. Though the government had quickly evacuated the people during the demon''s upheaval, many had still perished. Shen Luo sighed inwardly; he couldn''t do much for these people. The only thing he could do was trace the origin of these demons and seek vengeance for the deceased. He quickly reached a giant fissure in the city; the demons had emerged from here before, and the government had already dispatched disciples to seal the area around the fissure. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Not wanting to draw attention, Shen Luo used magic to hide his figure and investigated the nearby and inside breath of the fissure. The interior of the fissure surged with turbid qi, connected to the earth''s energy channels, and nothing was abnormal. The demonic qi from those demons had also dissipated. ¡°It seems that investigating through the qi won''t work,¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, then looked towards the nearby area of the fissure and stealthily flew over. These ground fissures shouldn''t appear for no reason; if this demon attack was orchestrated, the nearby residents might know something. The area near the giant fissure had the most casualties, with very few survivors, all enveloped in sorrow. Shen Luo had no trouble with this; he used some minor soul-bewitching tricks and easily extracted the specific details from these people. However, the commoners were all baffled and knew nothing; he had been busy all night, and only managed to get one useful piece of information from a neighborhood watchman. The night before the celebration, this watchman saw a dark figure acting suspiciously near a huge fissure, seemingly hammering something into the ground. It was too dark at the time, and given that the watchman was merely mortal, he couldn''t see very clearly. As dawn began to break, Shen Luo stopped his investigation and headed towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government to find Lu Huaming, hoping to learn if he had any information. The morning sun was just rising, casting ten thousand rays of golden light inside Chang''an City, resplendently splendid. However, there was a sense of panic among the people of Chang''an City, and few pedestrians could be seen on the streets, which lacked their usual bustling atmosphere. With a sigh, Shen Luo picked up his pace, when a figure in a white robe, wearing a bamboo hat, came toward him; in the moment their figures intersected, the figure in white suddenly emitted a light ¡°Eh,¡± and swiftly blocked Shen Luo''s path, the eyes under the bamboo hat shining brightly as they sized him up. ¡°Who are you, Your Excellency, and why do you block my way?¡± Shen Luo asked with a slight start, bowing slightly. The figure in white spoke softly, revealing herself to be a girl, and by the sound of it, quite young, ¡°I am Tu Xue, a little girl. I apologize for the disturbance. May I know your esteemed name?¡± ¡°I am surnamed Shen. May I know why Daoist friend Tu seeks me out?¡± Shen Luo also scrutinized the person in front of him, his divine senses spreading out to gauge the girl''s cultivation level as he spoke. However, her aura was elusive, and he couldn''t detect her cultivation realm, causing Shen Luo to feel a chill in his heart. With his previously strong divine senses, he could roughly perceive the cultivation realms of those at the Taiyi Stage, and during the great battle at the East Sea Dragon Palace, he had refined most of the Ancestral Dragon Soul''s soul power, greatly enhancing his own. Yet, he could not ascertain the cultivation level of the person before him; could her strength surpass that of Taiyi? ¡°I am but a humble oversea freelance cultivator,¡± the girl in white continued as she lifted her bamboo hat to reveal a delicate face with a melon-seed shaped face, large eyes, and willow-shaped eyebrows¨Ca combination that was not strikingly beautiful, but pleasant to look at, ¡°specialized in dealing with spiritual materials. I have always admired the opulence of the Great Tang and have come here to trade and make acquaintances with some of the esteemed cultivators of the Great Tang. Brother Shen appears to be a monk of the Great Tang; may I have the honor of making your acquaintance?¡± ¡°Dealing in spiritual materials? I apologize, but I have pressing matters to attend to, and must decline your kind offer,¡± Shen Luo glanced at the woman and refused without hesitation. The depth of this woman''s cultivation was unclear, and her accosting him on the street under the guise of business immediately made it suspicious; although he didn''t know what she ultimately wanted, caution was best. After saying this, he no longer paid attention to the woman in white and took a detour to continue forward. The woman in white watched Shen Luo''s retreating figure, her eyes narrowing slightly with a hint of sharpness, but she glanced around and, suppressing the impulse, let Shen Luo leave. Feeling that the woman did not follow, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and quickened his pace, soon entering the Great Tang Government. Inside, the halls of the Great Tang Government were in disarray, with many people rushing about, seemingly in the midst of a major incident. ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Luo frowned and headed towards the main hall of the Great Tang Government. Lu Huaming and several elders stood there; Shen Luo recognized Senior Huang Mu among them, their faces all wore expressions of anxiety, but Cheng Yaojin was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Brother Lu, what has happened?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Brother Shen,¡± Lu Huaming only then noticed Shen Luo''s arrival. ¡°What is all this chaos about within the Great Tang Government? What happened? Why isn''t Duke Cheng present?¡± Shen Luo asked again. ¡°The Master has disappeared,¡± Lu Huaming exchanged looks with the other elders and sighed. Chapter 1449 Chapter 1449: Chapter 1445: Bestowing a Treasure Chapter 1449: Chapter 1445: Bestowing a Treasure ¡°What! The Duke is missing? Yesterday during the great battle, he went to oversee the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, how could he disappear?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°We''re also at our wits'' end, we''ve already sent people to search the vicinity of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, but there''s no news at all,¡± Lu Huaming said with a face full of anxiety. ¡°The Duke''s cultivation level is profound, he might be held up by some matter, he should be fine. Brother Lu need not worry too much,¡± Shen Luo reassured. ¡°I hope that''s the case. What brings Big Brother Shen here?¡± Lu Huaming sighed and asked. ¡°I''m investigating the fissures on the ground within the city. I asked quite a few people and picked up a situation¡­¡± Shen Luo recounted what he had learned to Lu Huaming. ¡°The Great Tang Dynasty Government has also been investigating those ground fissures, without any clues thus far. The information Daoist friend Shen has gathered is very important; we must inform Master Yuan immediately. Nephew Lu, accompany Friend Shen on this visit,¡± the Senior Yellow Wood, appearing the most composed, commanded. ¡°Alright,¡± Lu Huaming nodded. Soon, the two men arrived at the Astronomical Bureau and saw National Master Yuan Tiangang, who was standing on a Dharma Platform practicing some sort of spell. Two individuals with the appearance of disciples stood to the side, one of whom was Li Shu. Having not seen her for many years, Li Shu had advanced significantly in cultivation; her appearance had not changed much, looking even fuller and more mature than before. Her cultivation progress was notable, having reached the Late Mahayana Stage, not far from the True Immortal Stage. Shen Luo was secretly astonished; Li Shu''s cultivation talents were not that outstanding. That year, the last time they met on Mount Putuo, her cultivation level was merely at the Soul Condensation Stage¨Cshe had reached such a realm after more than a century away! The other individual was a young man in a golden robe, embroidered with nine dragon motifs surprisingly different from the attire of the Great Tang imperial family. This person had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, an attractive countenance, and occasional flashes of pride in his eyes, indicating he was also a person of high status. The golden-robed youth''s cultivation was not weak; he, too, was a True Immortal being. However, it seemed he had only recently entered the True Immortal Stage, his aura still somewhat unstable. Lu Huaming saw this scene from a distance and halted his steps. ¡°Nephew Lu, Friend Shen, you''ve arrived, come over here,¡± Yuan Tiangang stopped his spellcasting and called out from afar. ¡°Yes,¡± Lu Huaming replied, walking over with Shen Luo. ¡°Big Brother Shen,¡± Li Shu''s eyes lit up when she saw Shen Luo. The golden-robed youth by her side caught a glimpse of Li Shu''s reaction, his face flickered with an unmistaken shade, and the look he shot towards Shen Luo suddenly bore a hint of coldness. ¡°Princess Shu, it''s been a long time.¡± Despite perceiving the hostility from the golden-robed youth, Shen Luo paid him no mind, nodding his head in greeting to Li Shu. ¡°Master, Brother Shen has discovered something about those enormous fissures in the city, and I believe it''s of great importance, so I accompanied him here to report to you¡­¡± Lu Huaming ignored Li Shu and the golden-robed youth¨Cas it seemed they often saw each other¨Cand carefully recounted what Shen Luo had discovered. ¡°Good! Friend Shen has discovered such important information; with this, I will be able to divine even more things. You should be credited with a great contribution,¡± Yuan Tiangang expressed with elation upon hearing these details. ¡°Master Yuan overestimates my deed. It''s enough to help resolve the current predicament. Although the unrest has been quelled, as long as the source of this turmoil remains concealed, it could arise anew,¡± Shen Luo said, his face betraying little excitement. ¡°Brother Shen, do you mean to say that more incidents might occur?¡± Lu Huaming asked in shock. ¡°I just feel that yesterday''s celebration, the riot that the Fox Demon instigated¨Che claimed he would flatten the Three Realms and launched a massive attack¨Cit all felt somewhat anticlimactic. It''s uncertain whether he has other actions planned,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That can''t be?¡± Lu Huaming was somewhat incredulous. ¡°No, Friend Shen''s speculation is indeed very likely. Lu Huaming, you must immediately send a message to all the elders of the Great Tang Government Official''s office and have them strengthen the city''s defenses. Princess Shu, Brother Hu, you should also caution the Daoist friends from other sects to be more careful,¡± Yuan Tiangang said gravely to Li Shu and the golden-robed teenager. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± both Li Shu and the golden-robed teenager replied, each taking out their communication magical instruments and walking to the side to begin casting spells. ¡°Friend Shen, your cultivation level has advanced so quickly. You have successfully broken through to the True Immortal Stage. Have you resolved that previous trouble?¡± Yuan Tiangang looked at Shen Luo with concern. ¡°Not yet. The Thunder Tribulation only managed to eliminate most of it, and now that thing is rapidly recovering. Fortunately, I''ve acquired some Pure Yang Treasures, and I''ve also comprehended how to use the Pure Yang Power to counter that issue, so there are no problems for the time being,¡± Shen Luo sighed, knowing full well the trouble Yuan Tiangang was referring to. ¡°The Power of the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation was also unable to dispel that thing¡­¡± Yuan Tiangang exclaimed softly, then fell into contemplation. ¡°Master, what problem are you talking about? Is Big Brother Shen not feeling well?¡± Li Shu came over and asked with concern. The golden-robed teenager also followed, his gaze intermittently sizing up Shen Luo. ¡°It''s nothing, I was just chatting casually with Master Yuan. It seems he may have other matters; I shall take my leave,¡± Shen Luo did not want the matter of him being contaminated with Demonic Qi to become widespread knowledge, and after giving an evasive reply, he took his leave. ¡°Friend Shen need not hurry to leave. The information you''ve just managed to gather is extremely valuable, not to mention your considerable efforts in quelling the recent demon incursion. The court should express its appreciation. Princess Shu, take Shen Luo to the royal treasure vault and bestow upon him the Mysterious Fire Jade and Fire Scale Wood, among those Pure Yang treasures,¡± Yuan Tiangang called Shen Luo back. Shen Luo, now exceedingly wealthy and naturally obligated to help the Great Tang, had no intention of asking for any rewards. He was about to decline, but upon hearing the words ¡°Fire Scale Wood,¡± he paused mid-sentence. Although he had striven to enhance the might of his Pure Yang Sword, even evolving a Tool Spirit for it, as his cultivation level continued to rise, especially after the battle at the East Sea Dragon Palace, and facing powerful opponents, the inadequacy of the first three forms of the Pure Yang Sword technique grew increasingly evident. He deemed it urgent to practice the subsequent forms. The later techniques required multiple Flying Swords to execute, and Shen Luo had been in search of materials to refine the second Pure Yang Sword for quite some time. He had almost all the auxiliary materials needed, except for the main material. His first Pure Yang Sword was primarily refined from Fire Scale Wood, and so the second sword would ideally be the same. Fire Scale Wood was an extremely rare Spiritual Material, which he had not been able to find until now. ¡°Yes, Big Brother Shen, please follow me,¡± Li Shu nodded and agreed. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Filled with anticipation, Shen Luo greeted Lu Huaming and followed Li Shu towards the deeper parts of the Imperial City, quickly arriving at a concealed great hall within the depths of the Imperial Palace. The dark gold palace doors were tightly shut, with a Nine-Dragon Mural depicted above them. Nine divine dragons, some with heads raised, others bowed, intertwined and encircling each other, seeming almost lifelike. While the place appeared unguarded, Shen Luo''s Divine Sense clearly detected several powerful presences lurking nearby. They were all at the True Immortal Stage, and one of them had even reached the Late True Immortal Stage. Chapter 1450 Chapter 1450: Chapter 1446: Shield Chapter 1450: Chapter 1446: Shield ¡°Besides the Great Tang Dynasty Government,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, ¡°who would have thought the royal family also had so many martial arts experts? I had never sensed them before; could they have been newly recruited in recent years?¡± Li Shu, however, ignored the rest and took out a golden token, about to conjure a spell when a figure flew rapidly from the distance and landed next to the two, revealing himself to be the golden-robed teenager. ¡°Elder Brother Zhang, why have you come over?¡± Li Shu''s eyes flickered with an immutable light, but she maintained a polite facade. ¡°I am here on Master''s orders to retrieve a bottle of Purple Flame Marrow,¡± said the golden-robed teenager. Li Shu nodded and continued to work the token with her spell. ¡°When Demonic Beings caused chaos during the celebration,¡± the golden-robed teenager continued, ¡°I saw from a distance that Junior Sister was attacked by two Demonic Beings and seemed slightly injured. Here, take this Consolidating Root and Nurturing Elemental Pill to avoid draining your vitality.¡± The golden-robed teenager took out a small white jade bottle and offered it earnestly. ¡°No need, it''s just a minor injury, nothing to worry about,¡± Li Shu declined outright. ¡°Even a minor injury should not be taken lightly. This Consolidating Root and Nurturing Elemental Pill is hard to come by, and besides healing, it also has great benefits for cultivation,¡± insisted the golden-robed teenager. ¡°Elder Brother Zhang, I have already said that in this life, I am wholly dedicated to pursuing the Immortal Path and will not entangle myself in romantic affairs. Please do not waste your efforts on me!¡± Li Shu''s face clouded fiercely as if she were about to lose her temper. Yet in the end, she represses her anger, turns around to continue the spellcasting, and does not take the jade bottle. Blushing alternating with paleness crossed the golden-robed teenager''s face, a glint of resentment in his eyes, but it quickly dissipated. Standing aside, Shen Luo caught the whole interaction and inwardly sighed. Li Shu activated the golden token, cutting her finger to merge a drop of blood into it. The patterns on the token seemed to come to life, writhing. Nine dragon-shaped golden lights shot forth from it, fusing perfectly with the Nine-Dragon Mural on the palace door. A layer of golden light immediately appeared on the massive golden door, with nine divine dragons swiftly moving about. They eventually settled on the door''s edge, connecting head to tail to form a frame. The heavy door creaked and groaned non-stop, a full quarter of an hour passing before it ceased, then slowly swung open. ¡°It''s ready, Big Brother Shen, let''s go,¡± said Li Shu, retrieving the token and taking hold of Shen Luo''s sleeve, hastening into the door. ¡°Could it be Li Shu wants to use me as a shield to get rid of that golden-robed teenager¡­¡± Shen Luo paused for a moment. ¡°Big Brother Shen, please do me a favor and help your little sister make that annoying Zhang Chuan give up,¡± Li Shu''s voice whispered in Shen Luo''s ear. Shen Luo looked at Li Shu with a helpless glint in his eyes, but said nothing. He let her pull on his sleeve as they entered the Treasure Vault. Seeing the two holding hands, the golden-robed teenager''s face turned a deep shade of purple, veins in his neck throbbing. However, he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He did not enter the Treasury Vault but turned and flew away. ¡°He''s gone now,¡± Shen Luo withdrew his sleeve. ¡°Big Brother Shen, I''m truly sorry. I really had no other choice. Please forgive me,¡± Li Shu apologized. ¡°` ¡°What''s going on? Who was that just now?¡± Shen Luo was quite surprised. Li Shu was a princess of the Great Tang Dynasty. Although a hundred years had passed, and the current emperor was no longer her biological father, she was still of Li Tang bloodline, and her status was exalted. With Master Yuan as her powerful backer, could she really be threatened by anyone? ¡°That man''s name is Zhang Chuan, a disciple of the Heavenly Palace. Although the disaster of demons has settled, the Three Realms have gradually become chaotic, and all major forces are eager to expand their influence. Our Great Tang Dynasty dominates half of the Southern Sub-Central Continent, with Chang''an City located at the convergence of the Dragon Veins, which greatly aids in cultivation. It has always been coveted by the major forces. Over the years, the court has been working hard to attract allies, and the Heavenly Palace has grown quite close to our Great Tang in recent years,¡± said Li Shu. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I see, so what''s the deal with you and Zhang Chuan?¡± Shen Luo had not realized that even the Great Tang was affected by the chaos of the Three Realms, and asked. ¡°Zhang Chuan is an important person of the Heavenly Palace. It is said that he has some kinship with the Jade Emperor. He was ordered to stay in Chang''an and took my master as his teacher to strengthen the ties between the royal family and the Heavenly Palace. It would have been fine, but Zhang Chuan just has something wrong in his head; ever since he saw me, he has been pestering me relentlessly, wanting to become my dual cultivation partner. Since he is from the Heavenly Palace, my master cannot do much to him,¡± said Li Shu with a hint of helplessness. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo fully understood the situation and looked down without saying anything. This was a matter of the Great Tang and the Heavenly Palace. Although he knew Li Shu from before, he did not have a particularly deep relationship with her. Moreover, he was no longer the freelance cultivator he used to be and needed to protect his sect disciples. Helping Li Shu fend off Zhang Chuan this once was already as much as he was obliged to do. Seeing Shen Luo''s reaction, Li Shu did not dwell on the subject any further and continued leading him forward. After passing through a passageway, a gargantuan treasure vault appeared in front of them. The vault was vast, even larger by nearly half than the East Sea Dragon Palace''s treasure vault. Inside were row upon row of wooden and jade shelves, numbering in the hundreds. Each shelf was filled with treasures emitting spiritual light, some composed of Spiritual Material and others being Magical Treasures. Shen Luo found his eyes dazzled by the array. He considered his own wealth ample, but in comparison with the treasures before him, he fell far short and it wasn''t even close. Moreover, for him being allowed to enter such a place as an outsider, it surely could not be where the truly precious treasures were kept. The foundation of the Great Tang Dynasty was indeed profound and immeasurable. Li Shu, clearly no stranger to this place, paid no heed to anything else and went directly to a fiery red jade shelf inside the vault. On the shelf, protected by a fiery red cover, were three Spiritual Materials emanating a robust Pure Yang breath. These three materials were an orange-red stone, a section of pale gold bamboo, and a piece of wood more than two feet long that pulsated with a flame-like red light. Shen Luo ignored the other two materials and only gazed at the fiery red wood, not looking away for even an instant. This fiery red wood was the Fire Qilin Wood he had long coveted. Its Pure Yang breath was even stronger than the piece he had obtained in the Wuzhuang View, without doubt it was Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. Li Shu waved the Golden Token in her hand, and a stream of Golden Light entered the prohibition around the shelf. After a few flashes, the red protective cover completely vanished. ¡°Big Brother Shen, these three materials are Mysterious Fire Jade, Golden Yang Bamboo, and Fire Scale Wood, all Pure Yang Spiritual Materials, which should all be of great use to you,¡± said Li Shu. ¡°Thank you, Princess Shu and Master Yuan. But may I inquire if there are other pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Scale Wood in this vault? This material is extremely important to me. I am willing to forgo the other two for more of the Fire Scale Wood,¡± Shen Luo said. This piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood was substantial in size, enough for him to refine two more Pure Yang Swords. However, to unleash the Pure Yang Sword Array''s full power, he needed at least ten Pure Yang Swords. Li Shu was taken aback by Shen Luo''s words. She took out a jade slip and began to search, seemingly for an inventory of the Spiritual Materials in the vault. A moment later, she shook her head regretfully and said, ¡°I am sorry to disappoint you, Big Brother Shen, but this piece of Fire Qilin Wood is the only one.¡± A trace of disappointment crossed Shen Luo''s face. He swept his sleeve and collected the three materials from the jade shelf. Chapter 1451 Chapter 1451: Chapter 1447: Blocking the Path Chapter 1451: Chapter 1447: Blocking the Path ¡°Big Brother Shen, do you need the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood?¡± asked Li Shu. ¡°Indeed, I intend to refine a magical treasure with this wood,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°In that case, I''ll have the royal family keep an eye out, and if they find any, they''ll collect some Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood for Big Brother Shen,¡± Li Shu said. ¡°Thank you very much, Princess Shu. The more you collect the better. I need a large quantity of the Fire Qilin Wood. As for the price, don''t worry too much, I still have some assets,¡± Shen Luo expressed his gratitude. ¡°Alright,¡± Li Shu nodded. ¡°Apart from the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, I''m also in urgent need of the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. Could I trouble Princess Shu to keep an eye out for that as well?¡± Shen Luo remembered another matter and spoke again. ¡°Nine Heavens Gold Essence! That''s a spiritual material that''s almost extinct in the Three Realms; it''s going to be very difficult to find,¡± Li Shu''s eyes widened slightly. ¡°I know. Just keep an eye out for it, Princess. If you happen to come across it one day, please send me a message immediately,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright, I''ve made a note of it,¡± sighed Li Shu in relief upon realizing she just had to inquire about the items. After receiving the treasure, Shen Luo didn''t linger and took his leave. Moments later, he left the Imperial City through a side gate and was about to return to the Great Tang Dynasty Government when three figures appeared before him, blocking his way. The one in the lead was Zhang Chuan, followed by two people, a tall elderly man in a golden robe looking cold and indifferent, and a short child about eight or nine years old dressed in fiery red, with a sinister smile on his face. Both the tall and short individuals exuded powerful auras, indicating their status as Middle Stage True Immortals. Especially the child in red, who was just a step away from the Late True Immortal Stage. ¡°Daoist friend Zhang Chuan, is there something you need?¡± Shen Luo, seeing the three, knew trouble had arrived, but he still asked. ¡°Kid, I''ve heard that you were the victor at the Three Realms Martial Arts Conference, but to this young master, you''re nothing. Listen well, stay away from Li Shu, or I''ll make you regret it, got it?¡± Zhang Chuan marched up to Shen Luo, jabbing his finger into Shen Luo''s chest as he spoke harshly. ¡°Daoist friend Zhang Chuan, rest assured, Princess Shu and I are just friends; we''ve only met a few times in the past and there is no romantic involvement whatsoever. I''m sure you and the two Daoist friends understand,¡± Shen Luo replied calmly, undisturbed. ¡°Hehe, I''ve long heard that the victor of this Martial Assembly, Shen Luo, was a tough character, someone who wouldn''t even care for the Heavenly Palace. Now that I see you, you certainly live up to the reputation,¡± the child in red flicked his sleeve, emitting a red light, pulling Zhang Chuan back, and chuckled. Zhang Chuan''s face turned to anger, but seeing the Fire Child had intervened, he restrained himself. ¡°I''m flattered, and you are?¡± Shen Luo looked towards the newcomer. ¡°Elder of the Heavenly Palace, Fire Child,¡± the child in red declared proudly. ¡°Ah, so it''s Daoist Fire Child. What matters do the three of you wish to discuss by stopping me?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°We''ve heard a bit about Daoist Shen''s affairs. Originally, we had no intention to cause you trouble, but because of the matter with Princess Shu, our young master is somewhat displeased. We as his guards cannot just pretend to have seen nothing. You understand, right?¡± Fire Child said with a chuckle. ¡°What would satisfy you? Feel free to speak your mind,¡± Shen Luo said, spreading his hands. ¡°This is the Tang Dynasty Capital, and we are both outsiders; it would be unwise to attract unwanted attention here. How about this: you and I will exchange three blows. If Daoist Shen can withstand my three strikes, we shall turn and leave immediately; if Daoist Shen cannot, I would kindly ask that you avoid meeting with Princess Shu in the future, how about it?¡± Fire Child proposed. Although his words were somewhat courteous, the tone was still condescending and even more unbearable than Zhang Chuan''s arrogance. ¡°` ¡°Heh, if I, Shen Luo, lose, naturally there is no need for further words. But if I win, do I only get a flippant remark from the three of you?¡± Shen Luo was also ignited with a spark of anger and let out a cold chuckle. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You little brat, what did you say! Ungrateful wretch!¡± Zhang Chuan bellowed with rage. Shen Luo paid no attention to Zhang Chuan but simply looked at the Fire Child. Seeing Shen Luo''s contempt for him, a malicious fire surged to Zhang Chuan''s forehead. He, who held such high status in the Heavenly Palace, had never been treated like this before. He raised his hand, intending to unleash his magical treasures. But as his arm moved, he was immediately grabbed by the elderly man in a golden robe, who had been silent until now. ¡°Young master, the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Tang Royal Family boast profound strength, and our Heavenly Court has suffered major losses in this disaster of demons. Currently, many forces in the Three Realms are lying in wait, eyeing the Heavenly Court with covetous eyes. Now is not the time to offend the Tang Royal Family,¡± the elderly man in a golden robe communicated telepathically. ¡°So I should just let it go when this man has insulted me so?¡± Zhang Chuan angrily telepathically replied. ¡°Elder Fire''s Sun Chasing Sword has successfully sealed a Golden Crow Essence within it, turning it into a Tool Spirit. You know the power of the Golden Crow True Fire; it''ll be easy to handle this little guy. Let Elder Fire Child teach him a lesson,¡± suggested the elderly man in a golden robe, shooting a cold, sinister glance at Shen Luo. ¡°That makes sense,¡± Zhang Chuan replied, his anger turning to joy upon hearing these words. ¡°May I ask what Brother Shen wishes as compensation?¡± Fire Child frowned, growing impatient. ¡°There''s no need for compensation. If I withstand Your Excellency''s three strikes, the three of you will leave at once whenever you hear the name Shen Luo in the future!¡± Shen Luo''s expression turned chillingly frosty. ¡°Fine. You''ve got guts!¡± Fire Child''s face flashed with a red glow, and a layer of golden flame appeared on his right hand, blazing intensely. The golden flame was pure and free of any impurity, and within it, one could vaguely see the phantom of a three-legged mythical bird, spreading a scorching heat similar to that of the blazing sun. ¡°You must be careful, Brother Shen. That is the Golden Crow True Fire, its prowess no less than your Vermilion Bird True Fire. I didn''t expect Golden Crows to still exist today,¡± the voice of Fire Lingzi echoed in Shen Luo''s mind. ¡°Golden Crow True Fire!¡± Upon hearing this, a thought suddenly surfaced in Shen Luo''s heart. ¡°Take my first palm strike!¡± Fire Child bellowed, and a palm hurtled toward Shen Luo, warping the void as it passed. Shen Luo raised his hand to meet it, a layer of deep blue light surfaced on his palm¨Cthe Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. As the Indigo Blue Sea Technique continued to improve, its chill became more restrained and hidden, losing the overwhelmingly fierce coldness it had previously emitted when cast. Gold and blue palms collided, emitting a dull thud. Not only did the blue light on Shen Luo''s palm fully withstand the Golden Crow True Fire, but it also seemed to overpower it. ¡°What!¡± Fire Child''s face showed shock, but he quickly regained his composure. His other palm flared up with even more Golden Crow True Fire, twice as large as the first strike and accompanied by shrill, piercing screeches. With a twist of his hand, he struck again. Shen Luo''s right hand shone even brighter with blue light, and the shadow of an ice mountain faintly emerged within it. A muffled, thunderous noise reverberated as he caught Fire Child''s second strike. The Golden Crow True Fire surged wildly, attempting to burn through Shen Luo''s palm of blue light, but unfortunately, it was firmly blocked by the ice mountain illusion within the blue light, unable to advance even half a step beyond the Thunder Pool. Fire Child''s face was full of disbelief, and then he roared in anger. His body erupted with golden flames, instantly engulfing the surroundings for tens of meters. Chapter 1452 Chapter 1452: Chapter 1448: Collecting True Fire Chapter 1452: Chapter 1448: Collecting True Fire ¡°The Golden Crow descends upon the world!¡± Fire Child bellowed, striking the void with a palm. Golden flames surged around, and in an instant, a three-legged Golden Crow, several tens of meters long, materialized and swooped toward Shen Luo. Before the Golden Crow could reach him, the void around Shen Luo was entirely bathed in a fiery red hue, violently fluctuating as if the entire space could catch fire. Seeing this, Shen Luo was not alarmed but delighted. He formed seals with both hands in front of him, and a sky-blue light burst forth from his body, mingled with strands of white light, colliding with the three-legged Golden Crow. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Instead of the expected colossal collision, there was only a slight sizzling sound, and the three-legged Golden Crow vanished into thin air, with the blue light around Shen Luo dissipating as well. ¡°Where is my Golden Crow True Fire? Why did it suddenly disappear? Did you take away my true fire?¡± Fire Child was shocked, quickly reacting and bellowing at Shen Luo. Zhang Chuan and the elderly man in a golden robe widened their eyes, unable to believe what they were witnessing. They were both well aware of the power of the Golden Crow True Fire, which could even melt top-grade magical treasures. How could it be easily blocked by the seemingly insignificant blue light? ¡°The three strikes are over, can we stop now?¡± Shen Luo raised his hand to brush off his sleeve, the last wisp of blue light dispersing, and he spoke indifferently. Fire Child stared at Shen Luo, his eyes turning blood red. The Golden Crow True Fire within his Sun Chasing Sword had diminished by over sixty percent, causing significant damage to the Golden Crow''s spirit. Whether it could recover remained uncertain. His anger surged to the heavens, and not even the Three Rivers and Four Seas could extinguish it. However, Shen Luo''s divine powers were mysterious. He completely failed to understand what technique Shen Luo had used to take away his Golden Crow True Fire, and continuing the fight would unlikely give him an upper hand. At that moment, several beams of escape light shot from the Imperial City, clearly the palace monks sensing the commotion here. ¡°Let''s go!¡± Fire Child furiously waved his sleeve, turning to leave towards the distance. Zhang Chuan, realizing the gap in their abilities after witnessing Shen Luo''s divine powers, also dropped his arrogant demeanor. Along with the elderly man in a golden robe, he silently followed Fire Child in departure. Shen Luo turned his head to look at the incoming beams of escape light and, with a flicker, vanished from the spot. The beams of escape light soon fell where the two had been fighting, revealing several court ministers. These ministers were all strong, and looking at the traces of melted and frozen ground, they could sense the terrifying power of the caster. They exchanged looks, quickly cleaned up the traces, and turned to fly towards the Astronomical Bureau to report the incident to Yuan Tiangang. In a secluded alley near the Great Tang Dynasty Government, a green light flashed through the void, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared out of thin air. He took out an object; it was the Map of Mountains and Rivers with an added cluster of golden flames¨Cthe Golden Crow True Fire. ¡°Haha, Brother Shen, you truly have great skills. You''ve managed to obtain a cluster of Golden Crow True Fire like this, impressive,¡± Fire Spirit Child laughed heartily. Shen Luo did not show a triumphant expression. The power of Fire Child''s Golden Crow True Fire was immense. Without the Map of Mountains and Rivers, a Heavenly Treasure, he would not have been able to easily capture the three-legged Golden Crow. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, could you please help refine this flame to remove its impurities and restore it to pure Golden Crow True Fire?¡± he asked. ¡°It''s possible, but what do you want to use it for?¡± Fire Spirit Child inquired. ¡°You will know later,¡± Shen Luo chuckled and took out the Netherworld Furnace. Fire Spirit Child muttered something, though it wasn''t clear what he was saying, and then activated the Netherworld Furnace to fly over the Map of Mountains and Rivers, capturing the Golden Crow True Fire into the furnace. Shen Luo flicked his sleeve to put away the furnace and soon returned to his residence. ¡°Big Brother Shen, you''re back, why were you out for so long?¡± Mi Su hurriedly approached him, speaking with a slight pout. ¡°I went out to investigate the matters involving the demons, it took some time. Nothing happened here, did it?¡± Shen Luo rubbed Mi Su''s small head. Mi Su, having her head patted, smiled joyfully as if she enjoyed it and playfully shook her head. ¡°Big Brother Shen, have you discovered anything after working hard all day?¡± Only after acting coquettishly did Mi Su ask. Shen Luo did not hide anything from Mi Su and roughly recounted the process of his investigation. ¡°Actually, I spent today here not doing much, but I''ve been thinking about how to investigate those demons. I might have thought of a method that could work,¡± Mi Su said. ¡°You have a method?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly. ¡°The living people don''t know, but those who died during the attacks may know something,¡± said Mi Su. ¡°Dead people? Right, how did I not think of that?¡± Shen Luo was slightly stunned and immediately stood up. He walked over and sat at the table, his Divine Sense delved into the Linlang Ring, retrieving a blank Talisman Paper and some Spiritual Material and quickly started to mix the Talisman Ink. Moments later, a bottle of pitch-black Talisman Ink was ready. Shen Luo picked up the talisman pen and began drawing on the Talisman Paper, swiftly completing a Black Talisman, then channeling his Mana into it. The Black Talisman suddenly shattered silently, a large mass of black fog emerging from it, forming a constantly spinning Black Vortex. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± a tall figure of Ma Mian leaped out from it, none other than the Soul Hook Horse Face that Shen Luo had befriended in his earlier years. The Black Talisman was a Soul Contract given to him by Ma Mian from before, now depleted, though with his current cultivation level, it wasn''t difficult for him to create a new one. Mi Su, despite her young age, also possessed cultivation and, seeing Ma Mian, was not afraid but instead looked at him curiously up and down. ¡°Who summoned me? You are¡­ Shen Luo!¡± Ma Mian, recognizing Shen Luo''s face, showed a look of surprise. ¡°Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, long time no see,¡± Shen Luo greeted with a smile. ¡°Ah, yes, it''s been over a hundred years, oh, your cultivation!¡± Ma Mian was somewhat emotional but immediately noticed Shen Luo''s cultivation and abruptly widened his eyes. ¡°I, Shen Luo, have been assisted by High People over the years and have had some adventures, advancing to the True Immortal Stage already,¡± Shen Luo did not conceal his cultivation, and spoke frankly. Ma Mian was at a loss for words, he had been diligently attending to the affairs of the Underworld for years, boosted by some fortunes which advanced his cultivation greatly, even breaking through to the Mahayana Stage, considered a swift progression among the many spirits of the Underworld, but it was nothing compared to Shen Luo. ¡°Fellow Daoist Shen¡­ no, Elder Shen summoned me, might I ask the reason?¡± Ma Mian coughed once and respectfully asked. ¡°We are old acquaintances, in the past, I was often aided by Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, there''s no need for formalities, let''s continue to address each other as fellow daoists,¡± Shen Luo said with a light smile. ¡°If that''s the case, then I would take the liberty of doing so,¡± Ma Mian scratched his head and laughed, internally heaving a sigh of relief. He was a proud individual and had often helped Shen Luo in the past, naturally reluctant to address him as an elder. ¡°I summoned Fellow Daoist Ma Mian today in relation to yesterday''s attack on Chang''an City, I suppose you''re already aware,¡± Shen Luo began to discuss the serious matter. ¡°This incident has already shaken the world, known throughout the Three Realms, I naturally know of it,¡± Ma Mian nodded. ¡°I am assisting the Great Tang Dynasty Government in investigating the origin of the demon riots, but sadly have found no clues so far. Many people were killed in this uproar, their Souls have already entered the Underworld, these individuals might know something. Hence, I wish to go to the Underworld to speak with these souls. Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, could you possibly make arrangements?¡± Shen Luo bowed his hands. ¡°This¡­¡± Ma Mian hesitated. Chapter 1453 Chapter 1453: Chapter 1449 Nameless Ghost City Chapter 1453: Chapter 1449 Nameless Ghost City ¡°Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, rest assured, my purpose is not to bring them back to life, but only to inquire about some matters. Once the questions are answered, I will return, and I won''t put you in a difficult position,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Brother Shen, please don''t misunderstand. It''s not that I''m unwilling to take you there, but as of yesterday, the souls of the deceased people of Chang''an, for some reason, did not enter the Underworld and were transferred to a place in the Netherworld called Nameless Ghost City. Many Yin Gods and disciples from Yama''s Palace are currently searching there, but they have yet to find them,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian explained. ¡°This is unexpected! If that''s the case, could I trouble Fellow Daoist Ma Mian to take us there to look for those people''s souls? I do have some skills in searching for individuals,¡± Shen Luo said, frowning slightly upon hearing this. ¡°The entire Underworld is extremely concerned about this matter. If Brother Shen is willing to help, I would be more than happy,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian replied joyfully, flipping his hand to summon a Mourning Stick, chanting spells, and making a swipe through the void. A vast expanse of Black Qi emerged out of nowhere, swirling rapidly around the Mourning Stick, and in the blink of an eye, a black vortex formed in the void. ¡°Now that all kinds of forces have gathered within Chang''an City, don''t wander around. Just wait here for my return,¡± Shen Luo told Mi Su. ¡°Okay,¡± Mi Su obediently agreed. Shen Luo ruffled Mi Su''s head and then jumped into the black vortex with Soul Hook Ma Mian. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Black Qi surged around him, and his body plummeted downward. It took a while before he stabilized and finally arrived at a desolate plain in the Netherworld. In the distance, he could hear the sound of water waves, with oppressive Yin Qi around, seemingly near the Styx River. ¡°Brother Shen, follow me,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian said, leading Shen Luo as they flew away towards the distance. Everything around them rapidly receded, but this speed was far too slow in Shen Luo''s eyes. ¡°The situation is urgent. Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, your escape technique is somewhat slow. Let me take the lead. You just guide the way,¡± Shen Luo said, sweeping his sleeve to emit a burst of golden light that enveloped them both, propelling them forward at several times their previous speed. They vanished in the distance in an instant. In his heart, Soul Hook Ma Mian marveled at this speed. He had once traveled with a True Immortal Elder from Yama''s Palace, and that person''s speed was much slower than Shen Luo''s. ¡°What realm has Shen Luo''s strength reached? Could he have already reached the True Immortal Middle Stage? It hasn''t been long. Tsk, it''s truly unfathomable!¡± he thought to himself while maintaining a calm demeanor and continually guiding the way. Half an hour later, the two arrived near a black forest. This forest seemed boundless, with unusually tall trees everywhere. Giant trees that would take more than a dozen people to encircle were common, and their thick canopies and leaves covered the entire forest. Moreover, the trunks and foliage of these trees were pitch black, rendering the entire forest exceedingly dark and impenetrable. The Yin Qi inside the forest was extraordinarily dense and somewhat peculiar, giving a viscous feeling. Divine Sense, when reaching into it, encountered significant resistance. ¡°The Nameless Ghost City lies deep within this dark forest, Friend Shen. Be cautious of this area,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian warned. ¡°The Yin Qi here is peculiar, impeding the spread of Divine Sense. Moreover, the Yin Beasts and other ghostly entities residing here are unlike those from other parts of the Underworld. They can hide within shadows and launch surprise attacks on others, making them difficult to detect.¡± ¡°Master, leave those Yin Beasts to me,¡± the voice of Ghost General Zhao Feiji came from the Qiankun Bag. ¡°I have already refined the power of the Yin Beasts absorbed from the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, and I''m only a small step away from breaking through the bottleneck of becoming a True Immortal. I need a substantial amount of Yin Beast power to supplement my strength.¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and nodded upon hearing this. ¡°This place is so isolated. How could the souls of Chang''an people end up here?¡± he then said. ¡°It''s quite strange indeed,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian replied. ¡°When the souls of the Chang''an people were being sent to the Underworld, the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk suddenly became chaotic, which led to their souls being diverted here.¡± ¡°The Six Paths Reincarnation Disk became chaotic?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo suddenly recalled the incident involving the Jing River Dragon King all those years ago. That year, the Jing River Dragon King had captured Emperor Tang''s soul and brought it to the Underworld. A mysterious shadow in the Underworld had once harnessed the power of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk in conjunction with the Jing River Dragon King''s spells. Now, with the Disk showing anomalies again, especially at such a coincidental moment, could it be that someone was meddling with the Disk again, colluding with the demons in Chang''an City? His expression grew solemn. If his suspicions were correct, who could be interfering with the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk this time? Was it that same mysterious shadow from before, or someone else? ¡°Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, I was severely injured and fell into a deep sleep for over a hundred years many years ago. I''m almost ignorant about The Disaster of Demons. Were there many conflicts in the Yama''s Palace during that time to fend off the disaster?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before asking Soul Hook Ma Mian. ¡°Of course, Chiyou not only had immense strength himself but also had numerous demon soldiers and generals under his command. They attacked the territories of major powers across the Three Realms, aiming to annihilate them in one fell swoop. Our Underworld was also attacked. In order to fend off those demon forces, the Underworld Yin Gods and disciples of Yama''s Palace suffered losses of at least thirty percent,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian said somewhat mournfully. Many of his colleagues and friends had also perished in that great battle. ¡°I''ve heard that the Demon Clan is adept at manipulating human hearts and stirring up desires. Because of this ability, they''ve arranged many undercover agents within various powers. Did the Underworld have any such infiltrators back then?¡± Shen Luo continued to inquire. ¡°Undercover agents? I haven''t heard of that,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian thought for a moment and shook his head as he asked. ¡°It''s nothing, just asking,¡± Shen Luo replied, feeling a sudden jolt in his heart, though he didn''t show it on his face. The Underworld didn''t root out any undercover agents? That meant the mysterious figure from back then might still be lurking here, and the recent disturbances with the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk could very likely be their doing. ¡°Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, who has access to the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk?¡± he asked again. ¡°The Six Paths Reincarnation Disk? That item is kept within the Wheel of Reincarnation Department, a forbidden place in the Underworld, guarded year-round by Black and White Impermanence, who lead numerous Ghost Soldiers. Other than them, it''s just the Wheel-turning King, who cultivates the Six Paths Reincarnation Secret and can control the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. Apart from these individuals, even the Ten Halls Yan Wang cannot approach without sufficient reason¡­ Do you suspect that this disturbance with the Disk was deliberately caused by someone?¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian explained halfway before suddenly realizing the implications in Shen Luo''s question, then abruptly looked up. ¡°I do indeed suspect that,¡± Shen Luo praised Ma Mian''s sharpness inwardly, paused, and then disclosed what he had witnessed years ago. ¡°Do you still remember the incident when Jing River Dragon King captured Emperor Tang''s soul? I was involved in that incident that day and saw with my own eyes the Jing River Dragon King standing with a mysterious figure. That shadow claimed to have manipulated the power of the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk to assist Jing River Dragon King and Emperor Tang in exchanging the essence of their souls¡­¡± Currently, he needed to track the whereabouts of the Chang''an people''s souls and didn''t have time to investigate the infiltrators hidden within Yama''s Palace. Although Soul Hook Ma Mian wasn''t very strong, his keen mind meant that perhaps he could uncover that person''s identity. Chapter 1454 Chapter 1454: Chapter 1450: Yama''s Palace Chapter 1454: Chapter 1450: Yama''s Palace Soul Hook Ma Mian''s expression changed dramatically upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, his mind anything but calm. That year, when Jing River Dragon King imprisoned Emperor Tang''s soul, he had personally taken part in it and knew the details quite well. The Dragon King''s daughter later joined the Demon Clan, suggesting a likely connection between Jing River Dragon King and the demons, and that mysterious figure who worked with the Dragon King was certainly not benevolent and was possibly part of the Demon Clan as well. Shen Luo had just inquired whether there were Demon Clan infiltrators in Yama''s Palace during the disaster of demons, and his implications clearly leaned in the same direction. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Friend Shen. This is extremely important. I will relay the message to Lord Zhong Kui at once.¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian had these thoughts flash through his mind as he bowed deeply to Shen Luo and took out a Black Jade Tag, about to trigger it with a hand seal. ¡°Hold on a moment,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze shifting as he raised his hand to stop Soul Hook Ma Mian. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s the matter?¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian asked, bewildered. ¡°Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, I have a lot of respect for Lord Zhong Kui, but we haven''t identified that mysterious figure yet. Anyone could be a suspect. If it weren''t for the fact that you and I had met long ago and thwarted the demonic wind plot together, I wouldn''t have shared this with you,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Do you suspect Lord Zhong Kui, Brother Shen? That¡­ surely that can''t be¡­¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian stared wide-eyed. ¡°Being careful is never a mistake,¡± Shen Luo said slowly. ¡°Very well, then I will conduct a private investigation first,¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian said, his complexion changing before he set down the Jade Tag. ¡°I''ll leave this matter to you, Fellow Daoist Ma Mian. If you need my assistance, don''t hesitate to ask,¡± Shen Luo said. Soul Hook Ma Mian nodded slowly. ¡°Let''s discuss this matter later. Our priority is to find those Chang''an people. Let''s go,¡± Shen Luo said, flying into the mountain forest ahead with Soul Hook Ma Mian. No sooner had the two entered the forest than darkness surged in front of them, and several dark figures shot out, attacking them. ¡°Haha, what pure Yin Qi. Come to grandpa,¡± Zhao Feiji laughed as he burst from the Qiankun Bag, exhaling a black and red light, wrapping around those dark figures. These were Yin Beasts shaped like snakes, caught by Zhao Feiji''s Punishing Evil Divine Light. Their bodies immediately started to dissolve in terror, desperately trying to flee, but were unable to break free from the divine light. Within a few breaths'' time, the snake-like Yin Beasts turned into streams of Black Qi, which were absorbed into Zhao Feiji''s mouth. Zhao Feiji patted his stomach, looking quite satisfied. Soul Hook Ma Mian watched Zhao Feiji, his body hair standing on end, and couldn''t help but take two steps back. He felt as if he had encountered a natural predator, and if they were to fight, he believed he would end up just like those snake-like Yin Beasts. ¡°This is my Ghost General Spirit Pet; Fellow Daoist Ma Mian need not worry,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°So it''s your Spirit Pet, Daoist friend.¡± Soul Hook Ma Mian sighed in relief but still looked at Zhao Feiji with some apprehension. The trio continued onward, wave after wave of Yin Beasts attacking them, some as strong as Great Mahayana Stage experts. But no matter how many attacked, they all ended up as Zhao Feiji''s prey without exception. The more Soul Hook Ma Mian watched Zhao Feiji, the more alarmed he became, and his reverence for Shen Luo only deepened. He truly couldn''t comprehend how, in such a short time, a human youth whose cultivation level had been far inferior to his own had not only made such rapid progress but also subdued such a formidable subordinate. The three of them traveled without hindrance and soon reached the outskirts of a huge set of ruins buried deep in the mountain forest. The ruins were exceptionally tall, at least ten times larger than a normal building, and they extended over a vast area, their edges invisible to both divine sense and sight. The buildings within the ruins were primarily ash-gray, emitting faint fluctuations of Qi, though not Yin Qi. A flicker of surprise crossed Shen Luo''s eyes. Could these ruins not have belonged to the Netherworld before? ¡°Is this the Nameless Ghost City?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, do not underestimate this city,¡± said Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°Despite its unassuming appearance, it covers an expansive area. Moreover, it''s not just what you see above ground¨Cthere are several layers of space below, and even with our cultivation level, it would take a long time to explore every inch.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, his attention not dwelling on the matter, as he descended toward the ground below. ¡°Who goes there?¡± Several figures shot out from the Ghost City to meet them. They were men and women draped in black robes, all with significant cultivation. ¡°Be respectful. This is Shen Luo of the Great Tang''s Spring and Autumn Pavilion, whom I''ve invited to help locate the souls of Chang''an''s people,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face called out as he descended, speaking with commanding authority. ¡°Ma Mian Elder.¡± The group was taken aback upon seeing Soul Hook Horse Face and quickly bowed in greeting. ¡°Are these the disciples of Yama''s Palace?¡± Shen Luo looked at the group. The Sect known as Yama''s Palace did not exist over a hundred years ago, and he had only recently learned about it. It was said that this Sect was established during The disaster of demons to stand against the Demon Clan. Although Yama''s Palace was newly founded, its Daoist techniques were intricate and in no way inferior to established sects such as Mount Fangcun and Hua Sheng Temple. ¡°What''s the situation now? Have you found any of Chang''an''s people?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked. ¡°We''ve searched the first two layers of the Nameless Ghost City without success. Several Elders are leading the disciples of Yama''s Palace and the Yin Gods to the third layer. However, the third layer has suddenly become infested with powerful Yin Beasts and ghosts, greatly slowing our progress,¡± a bald middle-aged man replied respectfully, revealing himself to be from the Demon Race. Yama''s Palace did not only recruit disciples from the Human Race; they were also open to the Demon Race and Demon Clan, yet they didn''t command as much renown as Mount Fangcun. ¡°Yin Beasts and ghosts? I see. I''ll also head there later. Continue your search on the upper levels,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said, his brow furrowing slightly. ¡°Yes,¡± the group answered, taking another look at Shen Luo before turning to leave. ¡°It seems you''ve also joined the Sect of Yama''s Palace, and hold a high position, Fellow Daoist Ma Mian,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Zhong Kui himself asked me to join as an external Elder of the Sect. I''m responsible for teaching the disciples about various matters across the Three Realms. Excuse my modesty,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face admitted somewhat reluctantly. Shen Luo did not dwell on the subject and continued moving forward with Soul Hook Horse Face, quickly reaching the depths of the ruins. There was a dark passageway leading underground, about ten zhang high and seemingly bottomless. ¡°Master, I will go down first to clear the way for you,¡± Zhao Feiji said, his eyes alight with excitement upon sensing an even denser Yin Qi within the passageway. Without waiting for a response from Shen Luo, he soared into it. Shaking his head, Shen Luo didn''t stop Zhao Feiji, and followed into the passageway with Soul Hook Horse Face. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This Nameless Ghost City, in addition to the surface, has four more layers underground, each more extensive than the last. Divine Sense is even more restricted underground, making the search for the people of Chang''an City all the more difficult,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said as they walked. (Hey! I''ve run out of pre-written chapters again, so the updates will be slower for a while^^) Chapter 1455 Chapter 1455: Chapter 1451 Ancient Witch Pattern Chapter 1455: Chapter 1451 Ancient Witch Pattern ¡°No problem, I''ll take responsibility for finding the people.¡± Shen Luo descended several dozen feet underground and stopped in his tracks, flipping his hand out to reveal an object. It was the Map of Mountains and Rivers. He formed a hand seal with both hands, and the Map of Mountains and Rivers emitted a bright white light, unfurling and landing on the ground of the passageway. Beams of yellow light shot out from the Map of Mountains and Rivers, merging into the ground below, while within the map itself, clusters of yellow light rapidly changed. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s fingers flew as he made hand seals, his body''s mana was devoured by the Map of Mountains and Rivers like a surging tide, ten times more than activating any Magical Treasures. His complexion gradually became pale, but his casting speed did not slow down. The yellow lights within the Map of Mountains and Rivers twisted and changed, forming a cluster of yellow phantoms. Soul Hook Horse Face looked closely and showed a stunned expression; that cluster of yellow phantoms was a reduced version of a regional map, exactly the Nameless Ghost City here, with both the surface and the four underground layers clearly displayed. Inside this miniature terrain, various colored light points flickered. Predominantly black and ash, there were also a few other colors, with varying brightness. ¡°Are these light points the living beings inside the Nameless Ghost City? The brighter the light, the higher their cultivation level?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face became even more astonished, his gaze quickly settled on the passage leading to the underground, right where he and Shen Luo were located, with a gold and a black light point flashing there. The golden light point was exceptionally bright, far surpassing the adjacent black one. ¡°Indeed.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face confirmed, his gaze toward the Map of Mountains and Rivers becoming fervent. Such a treasure against the heavens exists in the world, no wonder Shen Luo was confident he could find the souls of the Chang''an people. With that thought, Soul Hook Horse Face hurriedly looked throughout the miniature Nameless Ghost City for the souls of the people, but he could not distinguish which light points they were for the moment. At this moment, Soul Hook Horse Face saw Shen Luo''s gaze pause on a corner of the Nameless Ghost City''s fourth layer, where there were dozens of faint light points, very unremarkable and hard to notice without looking closely. ¡°Could these be?¡± Before Soul Hook Horse Face could speak, the miniature Nameless Ghost City suddenly dispersed, and all the spiritual light on the Map of Mountains and Rivers collapsed, falling to the ground like an ordinary scroll. Shen Luo''s face was extremely pale, and he sat down on the ground, his mana completely exhausted. He forced himself to take out an Elixir and swallowed it, closing his eyes to recuperate and refine its power. ¡°It seems that using this scroll consumes a lot,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face thought to himself, standing by to protect Shen Luo. After a good while, Shen Luo finally stood up, picked up the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and put it away. That divine power of exploration just now was one of the abilities of the Map of Mountains and Rivers; this map could connect and communicate with the surrounding Earth Veins to probe the conditions within the surrounding terrain. This divine power of exploration was a deep-level prohibition ability of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. He had recently refined the Map of Mountains and Rivers to a profound level, and combined with the experience of using the Map of Mountains and Rivers in Dreamland, he was able to research this divine power. However, using this divine power was very manconsuming, and since his current cultivation level was low, he could only maintain it for a few breaths. ¡°Friend Shen, are you alright?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked with concern. ¡°I''m fine, let''s go, we mustn''t delay. Let''s go rescue the Chang''an people,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out two Escape Earth Talismans and affixed them to himself and Soul Hook Horse Face. With a flash of yellow light, the two of them entered the ground and headed directly towards the corner of the fourth layer of the Nameless Ghost City. Zhao Feiji, Shen Luo did not summon him back, allowing him to move freely in the underground space, hunting Yin Beasts to supplement himself. The two rapidly traversed underground, soon reaching the first layer beneath the Nameless Ghost City, which was much like the ruins of the city walls above ground, but relatively better preserved. Shen Luo and Ma Mian did not stay there and continued to descend to the lower frontier. The second layer of the Nameless Ghost City was similar to the first, only the space was broader, and the buildings even more towering. ¡°The architectural style here differs greatly from that of Yama''s Palace, it seems these aren''t the original buildings of this place?¡± Shen Luo stopped on the second layer and inquired. ¡°Brother Shen speaks truly. The Nameless Ghost City indeed did not belong to Yama''s Palace before. Thousands of years ago, during a tremor that swept the entire Underworld, it suddenly appeared here. I was far from being born at that time, so my knowledge of this place is limited, found only in brief records in some classics,¡± Ma Mian said. Shen Luo gave an ¡°oh¡± and looked at several giant stone columns. There, carved with groups of rustic patterns that linked together, they seemed to form some kind of array techniques, yet completely different from the spirit patterns, demon patterns, or even demonic patterns he knew. If it were just this, he wouldn''t have paid too much attention. The Great World was full of wonders, and it was normal to find completely unfamiliar formation patterns. However, these patterns gave him a faint sense of familiarity, as if he had seen them somewhere before. ¡°Eh, what''s this?¡± Fire Spirit Child''s surprised voice rang out. ¡°Daoist Fire Spirit Child, do you recognize these formation patterns?¡± Shen Luo asked hastily. ¡°These are Ancient Witch Patterns. It''s unexpected to find them still in existence today. Judging by your reaction just now, have you seen Witch Patterns before?¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke. ¡°Witch Patterns!¡± A bolt of lightning flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, recalling where he had seen such patterns before. It was in Dreamland, where he obtained one of the Twelve Ancestral Witch Weapons, the War God Whip, which bore patterns similar to the formation patterns before him. ¡°Could it be that this place is a Witch Clan relic?¡± he thought to himself, his eyes lighting up. He had always been curious about this Ancient Times tribe that had ruled the wild lands. In Dreamland, he had also acquired an Ancestral Witch Weapon and the Twelve Heavenly Cities God-slaying Formation. Now, he had unexpectedly encountered a Witch Clan relic. It seemed that he had quite a connection with the Witch Clan. ¡°Brother Shen, there will be plenty of time to study this relic later. Let''s go rescue those people of Chang''an first,¡± Ma Mian suggested, seeing Shen Luo lost in thought, and coughed before speaking. ¡°Yes, let''s move on,¡± Shen Luo immediately snapped back to reality and, stimulating the Escape Earth Talisman, continued to descend to the third layer beneath the Nameless Ghost City. Upon entering, Shen Luo immediately felt strands of chilling Yin Qi emerge in the surrounding void, assailing his body and causing him to shudder all over, as if his limbs were freezing. ¡°Yin Poison?¡± His eyebrow raised in surprise, he quickly activated the Vermilion Bird True Fire within the Pure Yang Sword, coursing through his entire body and promptly purging the Yin Poison. A black light flickered on Ma Mian''s body too, and his slightly darkened face swiftly returned to normal. Before the two could do anything else, several black figures shot forth from the darkness around them, with a strong foul wind surging at them. Ma Mian''s face paled slightly, and with a swift movement, he had already flashed to a spot dozens of feet away. Just then, a dazzling red light burst forth in front of them, forming a giant lotus, while those black figures were sent flying backward with screams, apparently suffering significant damage. From the heart of the red lotus, Shen Luo flicked his sleeve and several red sword shadows shot out, vaguely covered with a layer of red flames, piercing through the bodies of the black figures. The screams of the black figures abruptly ceased, their life forces extinguished, revealing their true forms as several humanoid ghosts. These ghosts were dressed in blue robes and wore light purple high hats, looking distinct from common ghosts. Although they had perished, their bodies did not dissipate into Yin Qi but still swirled with powerful fluctuations of Yin Qi. Chapter 1456 Chapter 1456: Chapter 1452: A Strike from Beyond the Skies Chapter 1456: Chapter 1452: A Strike from Beyond the Skies ¡°Wild ghosts! These are high-tier ghosts from Yama''s Palace, their strength comparable to beings in the Early Mahayana Stage. Moreover, their bodies can turn ethereal, making ordinary attacks almost useless against them. They are extremely troublesome,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face inhaled sharply after seeing a few of these creatures. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Luo said indifferently and put away the Fire Lotus beside him. No ghost could withstand the power of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. He activated the Qiankun Bag at his waist and collected the bodies of several wild ghosts, planning to let Zhao Feiji refine and absorb them when he returned. ¡°Wild ghosts are extremely rare, and they usually only inhabit the swamps near the Nether River. How could they appear here?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face suddenly mumbled to himself. ¡°It seems that someone has gathered ghosts from various places here, probably to prevent people from seeing the people of Chang''an. I fear there might indeed be someone manipulating this behind the scenes,¡± Shen Luo remarked, his eyes flashing upon hearing this. ¡°Based on the current situation, it''s likely so,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face admitted reluctantly, unable to deny the evident facts. At that moment, a low growling sound came from a distance, and a few ghostly figures resembling skulls fiercely pounced towards them. ¡°Skull creatures!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face''s expression changed. ¡°No need to entangle with them, continue moving forward.¡± Shen Luo urged, activating the Escape Earth Talisman to dive deeper, with Soul Hook Horse Face quickly following. However, this time, a strange power emerged from below the ground, making the soil much more compact, significantly hindering the progress of the Escape Earth Talisman. The pursuing skull ghosts also burrowed into the underworld, chasing closely. These skull creatures, stronger than the wild ghosts encountered just now, had reached the Middle Mahayana Stage. They seemed unaffected by the strange power underground, quickly closing the distance between them. Shen Luo frowned, activating the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, and a blue light enveloped him and Soul Hook Horse Face. Both of their bodies instantly turned ethereal, significantly reducing the influence of the strange power in the surrounding soil, and their descent speed abruptly increased, managing to put some distance between them and the ghosts. Just as Shen Luo was about to break through the soil layer and enter the fourth level of the Nameless Ghost City, the odd power in the surroundings suddenly increased several times; black patterns emerged from the soil, abruptly binding their bodies, and even the ethereal abilities of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade were unable to evade. ¡°An Array!¡± A chill ran down Shen Luo''s spine as he realized he had fallen into a trap. Just as he was about to exert his full strength to destroy some of the array patterns, a vast expanse of bright black luster suddenly surfaced, engulfing his vision. The black light was so dense it seemed tangible, and even with his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, he involuntarily closed his eyes. ¡°Not good!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed the moment he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, the surroundings had completely changed; the soil and Soul Hook Horse Face had vanished, and he found himself in a gray, seemingly boundless space. ¡°An illusionary array, and it seems to be of a high level,¡± Shen Luo''s heart sank, but he did not panic. He raised his hand to release the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Bloodthirsty Flag. A gold and a black light curtain protected his entire body. After doing this, he felt somewhat more at ease. He began to operate his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings, looking for flaws in the illusionary space. Just then, the space around him fluctuated, and one silver crescent moon after another appeared, filling the entire space in a few breaths. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo prepared a sword technique. A sharp shriek resonated as numerous red sword qi burst from his body, slashing towards those silver moons, but they easily passed through, as ineffective as trying to catch the moon from the water. Shen Luo''s heart sank, and he was just about to deploy another spell when suddenly, beams of dazzling silver light shot out from the crescent moons, shining upon him. Before the silver light, the protection of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Bloodthirsty Flag seemed like nothing, easily penetrated. Shen Luo''s expression changed abruptly as a sinister power seeped in from the silver light, heading straight for his divine soul in his mind, causing his entire divine soul to sting with pain. He immediately activated the Suppressing God Technique, and all his soul power condensed into a giant peak, considerably reducing the sensation of pain. ¡°Indeed, this is no ordinary Illusion Array ¡ª it even includes Divine Soul Attacks!¡± A fierce light flashed in his eyes as he raised his hand and formed a gesture. A vermilion flying sword shot out, enlarging tens of times in an instant, transforming into a crimson giant sword and spinning rapidly, forming a huge red fire wheel. ¡°Puff¡± ¡°Puff¡± several sounds! The red fire wheel brightened intensely, and several vermilion flame sword energies sprayed out from it, striking various parts of the gray space, but dissipated without effect as if sinking into the sea. Shen Luo was not surprised, and with a gesture like turning the wheel of a car, four thick crimson glow shot out from the fire wheel, transforming into four flame Vermilion Birds, each several tens of feet in size. As soon as the four flame Vermilion Birds appeared, they opened their mouths and expelled countless vermilion sparks, which instantly surged and began to burn fiercely, forming a vast sea of crimson flames that roiled and tumbled in the blink of an eye. The gray space immediately shook from the burning, but beyond that, there was no other disturbance. Shen Luo exerted all his strength to operate the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, his eyes emitting a foot-long green light mixed with strands of black aura, closely monitoring the changes around him. Moments later, his gaze suddenly fixed on a point in the space, and flipping his hand, he threw out a dark red big seal, the very Turn Sky Seal. Dazzling dark red spiritual light rose from it, and the Turn Sky Seal instantly enlarged by tens of times, transforming into a palace-sized dark red giant seal, and fiercely struck down towards the area he was looking at. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± that area shattered like a mirror, and the surrounding void once again revealed vast black light, making everything spin around. Once his field of vision returned to normal, Shen Luo found himself back in the soil layer. In front of him, a huge square space hundreds of feet in size suddenly appeared in the mud, clearly created by the strike of the Turn Sky Seal, and the black runes within the mud had already completely collapsed, turning into wisps of black smoke drifting away. At the same time, in some black space, a short figure stood in mid-air, in front of which floated a gray altar about one zhang in size, spinning rapidly. At that moment, the gray altar suddenly burst into intense light and exploded with a ¡°bang.¡± The small figure shook violently, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. ¡°It''s impossible, the Spirit Refining Array is a secret formation of the Witch Clan, and with the residual power of this Witch God Altar, it should have increased the Array''s power by nearly half. How could it be broken so easily!¡± The short figure roared in disbelief. His teeth chattered loudly, and quickly, his figure moved and vanished from the black space. Shen Luo broke free from the gray Array, immediately recalled the Turn Sky Seal, and gently caressed it, unable to hide his delight. After days of refining, he had finally managed to refine several layers of prohibitions in the Turn Sky Seal, barely able to activate it. However, this seal consumed a vast amount of mana; that one strike had decreased his mana by a full third. But seeing the effect of that strike, even a high mana cost was worth it. Chapter 1457 Chapter 1457: Chapter 1453 Nameless Wild Ghost Chapter 1457: Chapter 1453 Nameless Wild Ghost Just at that moment, a black figure shot forth from ahead¨Cit was Soul Hook Horse Face. Shen Luo hurriedly withdrew the Turn Sky Seal; this treasure from ancient times was also tremendously famous now and should not be detected by others. As soon as he had withdrawn the Turn Sky Seal, the figure of Soul Hook Horse Face shot toward him. His face was pale, and he was breathing heavily, obviously also having suffered an attack from a Divine Soul Attack within the gray space. He was significantly wounded. ¡°Soul Hook Horse Face, it was you who broke the prohibition, wasn''t it? Such a terrifying prohibition. If I had stayed there any longer, even if by some fluke I had not died, my divine soul would have been severely damaged,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said fearfully, looking around. ¡°That gray space restriction was deliberately set up by someone to block those who use the Escape Ground Technique,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°It is indeed someone manipulating this from behind! Such a person deserves to die a thousand times! However, I am in no condition to continue moving forward. Friend Shen, wait for me for a while; I''ll be ready soon.¡± Soul Hook Horse Face''s eyes emitted an exceptionally cold light as he took out a pitch-black elixir, swallowed it, and sat down cross-legged to begin refining it. Seeing this, Shen Luo frowned, but since Soul Hook Horse Face had already sat down, he didn''t want to disturb him and stood beside him waiting. At that moment, he suddenly felt something and turned to look behind him. A black figure shot forth; it was Zhao Feiji. He was holding a white ghost shadow in each hand, which turned out to be the two skeletons that had just chased after them. They had somehow ended up in Zhao Feiji''s hands and had shrunk to a tenth of their original size. Zhao Feiji''s aura had strengthened significantly, having come extremely close to the True Immortal Level, evidently having hunted quite a few Yin Beasts during this time. ¡°Master, there are many Yin Beasts here, and the Yin Qi is abundant and pure. Let''s stay here longer. I can hunt some high-level Yin Beasts, and I''ll soon advance to the True Immortal Stage,¡± Zhao Feiji said excitedly, swallowing the two skeleton creatures in one gulp. ¡°You can. I''m planning to go to the Fourth-layer Space below next. You go ahead and scout, but be careful. There might be some ill-intentioned people lurking down there,¡± Shen Luo thought for a moment, then said. ¡°Thank you, Master. Don''t worry, Master, I shall return soon,¡± Zhao Feiji promised, thumping his chest, then transformed into a black shadow and dove downward. Shen Luo watched as Zhao Feiji''s figure disappeared, then after a brief contemplation, he waved his sleeve, and a silver light shot from it, merging into the void and vanishing. The black light flickered over Soul Hook Horse Face''s body as the elixir he had consumed quickly dissolved, transforming into streams of cool Qi flowing throughout his body, particularly refreshing his mind. His divine soul damage was significantly alleviated, and his color looked much better. ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting, Friend Shen. Let''s hurry on,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said, unable to continue his recovery and standing up eagerly. Shen Luo nodded and activated his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, continuing to dive deeper with Soul Hook Horse Face. On the ensuing journey, they encountered no further obstacles and quickly passed through the earth layer to arrive at the Fourth-layer Space. This Fourth-layer Space was even larger than the previous three and its buildings were mostly intact, making it look extraordinarily majestic, as if they had arrived in some giant''s city. ¡°Could it be that the bodies of the Witch Clan people are exceptionally large, which is why they built such a grand city?¡± Shen Luo guessed inwardly. But the next moment, his expression drastically changed, and he immediately flew toward the left front. Soul Hook Horse Face, although unaware of what had happened, immediately followed closely behind him. They had only covered a short distance when Shen Luo suddenly stopped; countless ghosts and Yin Beasts appeared in front of them, rushing over like a tide, among them some with formidable strength. Soul Hook Horse Face quickly retrieved the Mourning Stick to face off against these ghosts. The stick''s shadows swept across the Yin Beast ghosts'' great army, and upon contact, they exploded into plumes of black fog that dispersed in all directions. Those Yin Beast ghosts, upon touching the black fog, immediately turned exceedingly frantic and began to fight and bite each other. Shen Luo, upon seeing this scene, showed a hint of surprise on his face and also summoned his Pure Yang Sword. A dazzling crimson light flashed, and a giant sword hundreds of feet long appeared, flames of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire burning upon it, slashing through the group of Yin Beast ghosts with the force of splitting mountains and parting seas. With a sizzling sound, hundreds of ghost heads were destroyed by the giant sword as easily as pulling up weeds, turning into ash and smoke, clearing a large open ground. The Red Lotus giant sword then swept to the left, annihilating hundreds more ghosts. However, the ghosts in front seemed endless, and even with the Red Lotus Karmic Fire at his disposal, he did not know how long it would take to eliminate them all. Shen Luo''s expression darkened, knowing he needed to immediately break free from these ghosts. For him alone, breaking through the ghost army in front was not difficult, but it was somewhat challenging to do so while bringing Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°Soul Hook Horse Face needs not worry about me, you should proceed quickly,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face noticed Shen Luo''s expression and shouted out loud. ¡°Then, take care of yourself,¡± Shen Luo had already seen through the strength of Soul Hook Horse Face. Even if he couldn''t defeat these ghosts, he could still protect himself, so he nodded. He raised his hand to recall the Pure Yang Sword, fused with it to become one, and transformed into a crimson Sword Rainbow, shooting forward like a bolt of red lightning. Upon contact, the ghosts and sword shadows in front instantly turned to ashes, unable to withstand the Sword Rainbow even slightly. In just a few breaths, the crimson Sword Rainbow had passed through the Yin Beast ghost army and reached their rear. After the flash of crimson Sword Light, Shen Luo''s figure emerged from within the Sword Rainbow. His hands moved swiftly in seals, and his body emanated bright green light, with numerous green runes flickering amongst it, and his figure vanished in an instant. The next moment, he appeared in the sky above a vast square, not far below was a tall, four-sided altar, standing twenty or thirty feet high, appearing exceptionally majestic and grandioles. Atop the altar hovered a black light sphere the size of a small sun, with no visible contents. Streams of substantial black light fell from within the black light sphere, forming a black light screen around the altar, flickering with countless witch patterns, appearing as no ordinary prohibition. Inside the black light screen, one could vaguely see about ten souls, dressed in ordinary Great Tang civilian clothing, huddled in fear in a corner of the altar, leaning against the stone wall behind them. Outside the light screen, a short figure in a gray coat with a pointed hat hovered in the void. It was the ghost that had previously tried to trap Shen Luo with an array. ¡°It''s you!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise upon recognizing the appearance of the greenish-black ghost. He recognized this ghost. It was he who had, many years ago, during his first visit to the Ghost Market, bought the Netherworld Bamboo from him, and its name seemed to be the Nameless Wild Ghost. Floating around this ghost were twelve black command flags, etched full of witch patterns. From them shot out twelve thick beams of black light, entering the black light screen surrounding the altar. Snake-like black flames surged on the black light screen, continuously rolling toward the dozen or so souls within. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet, the Nameless Wild Ghost did not seem to fully control these black flames; they could barely shoot a few feet away, always just missing the souls by a bit. On the other side of the Nameless Wild Ghost, Zhao Feiji held the black ghost knife, launching furious attacks, but they were easily blocked by a silver big clock Magical Treasure conjured by the Nameless Wild Ghost. Chapter 1458 Chapter 1458: Chapter 1454: Sacrifice Chapter 1458: Chapter 1454: Sacrifice Shen Luo quickly suppressed his astonishment, transforming into a golden rainbow as he lunged forward. But faster than him was the Pure Yang Sword, which had already taken the lead, turning into a red streak of lightning, shooting straight at the Nameless Wild Ghost. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Nameless Wild Ghost, also shocked by Shen Luo''s sudden appearance, fiercely spurred the large clock above his head, and a burst of silver light shot out from it, blocking the Pure Yang Sword. With a ¡°hum¡± of bell and drum echoes, the Pure Yang Sword was shaken back, tumbling as it flew back, its red light largely scattered from its sword body. Shen Luo, although he had anticipated that relying solely on the Pure Yang Sword would be insufficient to achieve success, did not expect the sword to be so easily sent flying; that Silver Big Clock seemed to be an extraordinary treasure. He snorted silently and thrust his hands forward into the void, unleashing thick bolts of Golden Lightning, enveloping the Nameless Wild Ghost like a forest of thunder and emitting a devastating aura. Zhao Feiji let out a weird cry facing this Golden Lightning and hastily flew backward. However, the Nameless Wild Ghost did not dodge or evade, and with a loud shout, the black light from the Twelve Black Flags around him flared up, forming a thick black protective cover that caged his body. The next moment, countless Golden Lightning strikes fell, engulfing the Nameless Wild Ghost within. Shen Luo did not stop his fleeing body and flipped his hand to summon the Profound Yellow Staff, with numerous shadows of the staff appearing, striking the Nameless Wild Ghost shrouded in lightning. With a ¡°boom,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost, along with the black protective cover, was sent flying away, leaving the Black Altar far behind. The Black Fire on the light curtain surrounding the altar disappeared as a result. ¡°The Witch Clan''s Spirit Refining Array? Unexpectedly, it has survived till now! Shen Luo, you must preserve the Formation around the Sacrificial Platform! With this array, I can completely perfect the Soul Transforming Spirit Awakening Secret Technique, and you will also greatly benefit from it at that time!¡± Fire Spirit Child''s excited voice rang out. ¡°Spirit Refining Array!¡± Shen Luo''s eyes slightly lifted, as he had heard about this Array in the Dream World from Zhenyuanzi. ¡°Rescue the people inside!¡± But he quickly stopped thinking about it, turning his head to Zhao Feiji and spoke. ¡°I have already tried, but this black light screen is some kind of exceptionally tough prohibition; I cannot penetrate it,¡± Zhao Feiji shook his head. ¡°The Spirit Refining Array is the Witch Clan''s secret and ultimate Formation, infinitely powerful, not something a small thing like you can break through at will,¡± Fire Spirit Child snickered. ¡°What did you say!¡± Zhao Feiji became furious. Zhao Feiji and Fire Spirit Child had previously encountered each other, during which a small incident occurred. Fire Spirit Child was curious about the Punishing Evil Divine Light and wanted to research it, as Zhao Feiji possessed a special type of ghost. Naturally, Zhao Feiji refused indignantly, nearly clashing with Fire Spirit Child, until Shen Luo intervened to calm them down. Seeing the two start to argue again, Shen Luo was about to interject when the Black Shield that had been shaken off came to a stop, and the surrounding Golden Lightning also dissipated completely, revealing the Nameless Wild Ghost. Behind the Gray Mist, a pair of blood-red eyes appeared, staring viciously at Shen Luo and Zhao Feiji. ¡°Your Excellency, just who are you? Why do you assist demons and slaughter the souls of the Chang''an people?¡± Shen Luo shouted sternly. The Nameless Wild Ghost did not pay attention to Shen Luo, and with a flick of its sleeve, a dash of gray light shot out from its body, transforming into a three-headed serpent monster that was dozens of feet long, thick as a millstone, and looked very frightening. Its entire body was gray, but its core was pitch black, emitting astonishing fluctuations of Yin Qi, marking it as a Yin Beast that was ten times more powerful than any Yin Beast Shen Luo had encountered before. Zhao Feiji''s eyes immediately lit up upon seeing the three-headed serpent monster, casting a greedy glow. The serpent monster also noticed Zhao Feiji, all the scales on its back standing on end and its face showing a hint of panic, as if it had encountered its natural enemy. Upon seeing this, the eyes of the Nameless Wild Ghost deepened with a ruddy hue, then it opened its mouth wide and spat out a black round pearl that flew into the mouth of the middle head of the serpent monster. As soon as the serpent monster swallowed the black pearl, its body immediately emitted strands of Black Qi, and the surrounding Yin Qi surged. The fear in its eyes disappeared completely, and it opened all three of its massive jaws at once to launch a fierce attack at Shen Luo, with a swath of gray-black flames rolling out. The gray-black flames exuded an incredibly cold breath, and wherever it passed, a stench assailed the senses. The nearby void turned a pale black and lingered, as if it had been tainted. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful, these Nine Yin Filth Flames are crafted from the power of myriad aggrieved souls, melded with the thirty-six filthiest substances from within the Netherworld, vile beyond measure, capable of tainting any Magical Treasures. Don''t let it get close to you!¡± Fire Spirit Child had no time to argue with Zhao Feiji, urgently warning him. Shen Luo had already seen the vileness of the gray-black flames and didn''t need Fire Spirit Child''s warning; he immediately flashed back, retreating as he reached into the void with both hands. Streams of golden lightning burst forth, colliding with the Nine Yin Filth Flames. However, upon touching the gray-black flames, the golden lightning was immediately corroded and dissolved, vanishing in the blink of an eye. After devouring the golden lightning, the Nine Yin Filth Flames continued to pounce towards Shen Luo, while the Nameless Wild Ghost rushed towards the Black Altar from the other side. Its surrounding Twelve Black Flags shot out large patches of ink-black light, with swirling Qi rapidly surging, burning their essence desperately as they turned into twelve thick black arrows, striking towards the light curtain around the altar. Zhao Feiji happened to be nearby, his Black Ghost Knife radiating a fierce light, slashing out nine times in rapid succession. Nine huge black sword glows appeared in front of him, clashing with the twelve black arrows. A continuous ¡°hissing¡± sound was heard, and the nine black sword glows were torn like paper. ¡°This is a sacrificial secret method! He is sacrificing the Twelve Witch King Flags to spur the Spirit Refining Formation to kill those souls inside! Shen Luo, don''t let that person get close to the Sacrificial Platform!¡± Fire Spirit Child exclaimed in shock, urging him on. Shen Luo was startled by the words but did not panic; he exerted his full strength to unleash the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, forming hand seals and pointing into the void. Two fine blue lights shot out from his fingertips, hitting the Black Light Screen around the Sacrificial Platform in a flash. Blue light flashed around the Sacrificial Platform, and a piercing cold aura instantly filled the entire Square. With a ¡°boom,¡± a hundred-foot-tall Ice Mountain rose out of nowhere, freezing the Black Altar within it. The Black Light Screen and the light group atop the altar were also frozen, their glow no longer fluctuating. The twelve black arrows struck the Blue Iceberg with a loud ¡°bang,¡± reflecting back with the impact, leaving only twelve shallow pits in the Ice Mountain. ¡°What kind of Ice Crystal is this? Even the Twelve Witch King Flags cannot shake it!¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost, in its original form, was also shaken back and revealed a look of shock. Just at this moment, the sound of wind and thunder roared in the sky above, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared out of thin air, wielding the Profound Yellow Staff in a flurry of spins, immediately casting countless golden rod shadows like a waterfall from above, causing the Void to tremble thunderously. Chapter 1459 Chapter 1459: Chapter 1455 Black Short Flute Chapter 1459: Chapter 1455 Black Short Flute Nameless Wild Ghost abruptly steadied himself, raising his sleeves and recalling the Twelve Black Flags, his hands forming seals akin to spinning car wheels. The Twelve Black Flags burst with spiritual light, piecing together to instantly form a house-sized lotus phantom that clashed fiercely with the golden rod shadow. A thunderous roar of wind and thunder erupted dramatically! Hurricanes soared into the sky, and the Void trembled vaguely; numerous fine white lines appeared amid the shaking, and a storm of gold and black continued to roll wave after wave. Despite the golden rod shadow being largely shattered, the lotus phantom surrounding Nameless Wild Ghost also trembled ceaselessly, breaking nearly in half, as he was once again knocked backward. A flash of fear flickered through the ghost''s eyes; using the rebound force, he turned and fled into the distance. Seeing this, the Three-headed Strange Python hurriedly followed; a sudden wail of ghostly cries echoed, and the body of the python rigidly stiffened, uncontrollably twisting. A shadow flickered ahead, and Zhao Feiji appeared out of nowhere, his Ghost Knife slashing horizontally, a massive blade light chopping downward. The eyes of the Three-headed Strange Python bulged completely; its body gleamed with ash light, and Yin Qi surged madly within, emitting a sound like muffled thunder, breaking free from the control of the ghostly cries and regaining control of its body, it immediately gaped its mouth. A burst of Nine Yin Filth Flame struck the black blade light, instantly corroding much of it. Yet, before the python could rejoice, a burst of black and red light pierced through the Nine Yin Filth Flame and wrapped around one of the python''s heads¨Cit was the Punishing Evil Divine Light, which completely nullified the corrupting void flames. The python''s head dissolved rapidly like a candle splashed with acid, its Yin Qi swiftly consumed by Punishing Evil Divine Light. The other two heads of the python screamed miserably, one head releasing a blade-like ash light that struck the head entwined by Punishing Evil Divine Light. With a ¡°plop¡±, that head was cleanly severed and exploded with a bang. Countless black rays burst forth, shredding the Punishing Evil Divine Light, and Zhao Feiji was also blasted backward. Meanwhile, a new head grew out of the python''s severed neck in the blink of an eye, though its aura was significantly weakened. Driven to real anger, the python''s eyes radiated a ferocious light, each head spat out a Nine Yin Filth Flame. This time, they didn''t spread but quickly converged into three fire serpents rushing at Zhao Feiji. Zhao Feiji, somewhat flustered, steadied himself; the black Ghost Knife in his hand emitted swathes of pitch-black blade light, each as large as a door panel, forming a furious wave of blade lights that slashed at the three dirty flame serpents. On the other side, Shen Luo flickered into a golden shadow, chasing after the Nameless Wild Ghost, but just as he had covered a short distance, silver light flashed above his head, and the Silver Big Clock appeared out of thin air, violently shaking. With a loud ¡°clang¡±, a wave of silver sound waves descended from the sky. Shen Luo''s body trembled, especially his Divine Soul in his mind shaking violently, unable to fully resist despite employing the Suppressing God Technique, and he was frozen in place. Nameless Wild Ghost had been about to retreat but seeing Shen Luo restrained by the sound waves, he paused, opened his mouth, and spewed out a surge of pitch-black flame that struck toward Shen Luo. This black flame was not Nine Yin Filth Flame but was filled with heavy Demonic Qi fluctuations; it was actually Demonic Flames. However, just at that moment, a cold snort emitted from Shen Luo''s mouth, channeling into the head of Nameless Wild Ghost. Nameless Wild Ghost''s divine soul trembled, and the Black Demon Flames halted slightly. Shen Luo suddenly looked up, his body already recovered, waving both hands. A dark red light flashed overhead of Nameless Wild Ghost, and a house-sized dark red giant seal appeared out of nowhere, hitting the Lotus illusion in a flash. The Lotus illusion shattered in response, and the body of Nameless Wild Ghost exploded, along with all twelve Black Big Flags surrounding him, turning into countless black dust. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief but then furrowed his brow immediately. The power of the Turn Sky Seal was a bit too great; with one strike, the physical body of Nameless Wild Ghost had collapsed, and his divine soul was completely extinguished, leaving no way to ascertain his true identity and origin. Furthermore, the Magical Treasures he carried were all destroyed, not to mention the Storage Magical Tool¨Cit was like gaining nothing at all. ¡°It seems I need to be cautious in using the Turn Sky Seal in the future,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. However, at that moment, a pitch-black thing fell out from the dust that Nameless Wild Ghost had turned into. He quickly waved his sleeve to catch it, only to find it was a black short flute, about a foot long, shiny and black, giving an extremely ancient impression. At one end of the flute, there was a Specter embossment, while the other end was broken, the fracture very old, clearly not a result of just now from the Turn Sky Seal''s strike. A chilly breath emitted from it, with faint sounds like ghostly weeping echoing around the flute. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What kind of treasure is this, able to withstand the attack of the Turn Sky Seal!¡± Shen Luo looked over the black short flute with keen interest. ¡°Eh! This Qi, could it be the Ghost-controlling Flute? Daoist friend Shen, let me have a look at the flute!¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice sounded. Shen Luo moved his brows slightly but didn''t reject the request, tossing the black short flute into the Netherworld Furnace and then turned to look towards Zhao Feiji and the Three-headed Strange Python. The strength of the three-headed Strange Python had already reached the True Immortal Level, far surpassing Zhao Feiji. However, Zhao Feiji, now awake, wielded the Punishing Evil Divine Light that suppressed all Yin Qi. He intermittently also released Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound influencing the opponent. The two were equally matched for the time being, holding their ground there. However, seeing Nameless Wild Ghost killed, the three-headed Strange Python finally became frightened. It didn''t bother to fight with Ghost General anymore, turned around and tried to flee, but was tightly entangled by Zhao Feiji. Sensing Shen Luo''s gaze, the python grew even more terrified. It opened its mouth and spat out a massive wave of Nine Yin Filth Flame like a tide, while its giant tail whipped towards Zhao Feiji, creating illusory shadows rippling up and down. Zhao Feiji spat out a sheet of Punishing Evil Divine Light to protect his body, his Ghost Knife flipping up and down, barely intercepting the tail strike, and he was already shaken back. Taking advantage of the massive body, the three-headed Strange Python broke free from the combat and fled into the distance. ¡°Don''t run!¡± Zhao Feiji immediately chased after him, issuing a loud roar. Streams of Black Sound Waves emerged, quickly condensing together, and in the blink of an eye, transformed into a hundred-feet-long Sound Wave Giant Sword. He spat out a breath, and the Punishing Evil Divine Light wrapped around the Black Giant Sword. The sword instantly turned into a sinister Black-Red Color. The surrounding aura grew ominously chilling, like a black and red lightning shooting out. The three-headed Strange Python, not adept in speed, was caught up by the Black and Red Giant Sword in the blink of an eye and was chopped at the head. Sensing the aura of the Black and Red Giant Sword, a flicker of terror flashed in the python''s eyes. It turned to confront but suddenly, a loud crackling came from the sky above¨Ca series of exaggerated Golden Lightning struck down. The python was startled, it spat out a dark light, mixed with bands of Nine Yin Filth Flame, wooshing up into a Black Light Screen above its head, colliding with the Golden Lightning. With the Nine Yin Filth Flame that corrodes all substance, the previous encounter with Shen Luo''s Golden Lightning had already proven this, so the python was not worried. Chapter 1460 Chapter 1460: Chapter 1456: Behind the Scenes Chapter 1460: Chapter 1456: Behind the Scenes Golden lightning struck the black light screen, unleashing a powerful breath of thunder tribulation that was several times stronger than the golden lightning Shen Luo had previously released, tearing the black light screen to shreds like it was nothing. The three-headed strange python was greatly alarmed. Then, a series of dazzling golden lightning continued to fall, not waiting for the strange python to react, striking its body fiercely. The upper body of the three-headed strange python instantly burst open, turning into a large mass of ash-grey Yin Qi. More golden electric arcs spread and darted over its body, these bolts of lightning filled with an aura of thunderous destruction, further tearing apart the Yin Qi within it and preventing the strange python from controlling its body. At that moment, a black and red sword shadow flashed by, the black and red giant sword whooshed through the air, and with a ¡°sizzle¡± sound, it cleaved the battered body of the three-headed strange python in two, heavily crashing it to the ground. Following the black and red giant sword, an ecstatic Zhao Feiji flew in, controlling the black and red giant sword to continuously slash at one-half of the three-headed strange python''s body, preventing it from reconstituting itself, while he emitted an even thicker punishing evil divine light from his mouth, wrapping around the other half of the body and rapidly refining and devouring it. In the distance, Shen Luo lowered the arm he had lifted. Those golden lightning bolts that had just struck were the result of activating an Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman, aiding Zhao Feiji in subduing that Yin beast strange python. Having devoured this Yin beast, Zhao Feiji should be able to accumulate enough strength to push open the gates to the True Immortal Stage, although it was unknown whether Zhao Feiji could withstand the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation. However, Zhao Feiji had never shown any worry, so he must be quite confident. Shen Luo retracted his gaze, waving his hand, emitting a blue light that wrapped around a nearby Silver Big Clock, pulling it in front of him. He then formed a hand seal, apparently intending to refine the clock. Just at that moment, a burst of black light shot out from within the clock, darting towards Shen Luo like lightning. However, Shen Luo seemed to have anticipated this situation; his body swiftly dodged to the side, and with a wave of his hand, a large hand formed from red flames appeared from nowhere, grabbing the black light in its grasp. The flame-formed hand was indeed a condensation of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, also mixed with minute traces of golden lighting, which was actually Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder. As soon as the black light touched the flame-formed hand, it immediately issued a sizzling sound, starting to scream terribly, revealing the face of a Nameless Wild Ghost. ¡°The Silver Light Bell has the divine power to mask the aura of Divine Souls. How did you discover me?¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost quickly stopped screaming and demanded in a deep voice. ¡°Is this our second meeting? Up to now, Your Excellency still tries to deceive me?¡± Shen Luo sneered. ¡°What do you mean by that? When have we met before? I don''t possess much strength, and falling into your hands, if you want to kill, do so, but don''t expect to humiliate me!¡± The Nameless Wild Ghost, startled at first, then angrily responded. ¡°Really? The Heart Demon Method''s technique of disguising Divine Souls is indeed clever, but it couldn''t escape my perception. And Your Excellency need not try to use the Heart Demon Method to affect me, descendent of the Bewildering Heart Demon!¡± Shen Luo said slowly. The expression of the Nameless Wild Ghost changed dramatically for a moment, then slowly regained calm, squinting at Shen Luo, ¡°How did you discover me?¡± ¡°If I could not detect such a matter after our two encounters, wouldn''t that be too incompetent?¡± Shen Luo snorted. In reality, he had noticed something was off from the black demonic flames that the Nameless Wild Ghost had emitted just now, which were the Demonic Burning Flames previously used by the mysterious black shadow at the Zhurong Basin. Seeing the Demonic Burning Flames, Shen Luo''s heartstrings were stretched to the extreme, spreading his Divine Sense fully and communicating with the Fire Spirit Child to help him monitor the surroundings, which finally led him to detect this black shadow inside the Silver Big Clock. ¡°Seems I shouldn''t have used the Demonic Burning Flame just now, giving you time to prepare,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost soon realized his own mistake. ¡°What exactly are you? What''s your connection to the Demon that caused the unrest in Chang''an? Tell me these things, and I may spare your life,¡± Shen Luo asked sternly. ¡°You think I would tell you that? The ''me'' here is but a divided soul; its destruction means little,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost sneered. ¡°The unrest in Chang''an was caused by a group of Demons. Your Excellency is willing to work for them and even risk damaging yourself. Could it be that the Demon Clan is also involved in this upheaval?¡± Shen Luo continued. ¡°Boy, guess all you want, but don''t expect to get any answers from me,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost coldly chuckled. Shen Luo fell silent. He had refrained from immediately killing this Nameless Wild Ghost because he wanted to extract some information from him. However, it seemed unlikely that he would get what he desired. ¡°Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend, can you extract some information from this shadow? I remember you told me before that inside the Netherworld Furnace, there is a kind of Peach Blossom Illusory Flame, which possesses strong enchanting God''s Power,¡± he communicated telepathically with the Fire Spirit Child. ¡°This shadow is a divided soul created by the Heart Demon Method, similar to a Divine soul but also different. I''m not sure if soul extraction will work; we have to try it to find out,¡± the Fire Spirit Child replied. ¡°Then let''s give it a try,¡± Shen Luo said coldly, suddenly lifting his right hand with a layer of transparent light waves appearing in his palm. The giant hand of flames that held the shadow also emitted a layer of transparent light waves, enveloping the shadow. The echoing ethereal voices filled the surroundings, clearly the Soul Shaking Secret Technique of Tianji City. The Nameless Wild Ghost''s eyes became dim, his body stiffening. A purple shadow shot out from Shen Luo, flying to the top of the shadow''s head, directly above the Netherworld Furnace, its surface radiating bright spiritual light. A burst of pink light shot out from the furnace, wrapping around the Nameless Wild Ghost, rapidly spinning. Within the pink light, numerous petal-shaped light spots could faintly be seen, dazzlingly beautiful, creating a dreamlike feeling. The bewildered look in the Nameless Wild Ghost''s eyes deepened, and the pink light rapidly invaded his body. His pitch-black body swiftly turned pink, getting brighter and brighter, almost completely engulfing his body. However, just at that moment, the Nameless Wild Ghost''s body trembled, his eyes regained clarity, and after a furious roar, his body inflated rapidly like it was filled with air. Shen Luo''s expression drastically changed; he immediately tried to intervene but was a moment too late. With a loud ¡°bang,¡± the Nameless Wild Ghost burst apart, scattering the flaming giant hand and shaking the Netherworld Furnace flying outward. Shen Luo sighed, recited an incantation to retrieve the scattered Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and the Netherworld Furnace also withdrew the Peach Blossom Illusory Flame, returning to Shen Luo''s side. ¡°Those who cultivate the Heart Demon Method have incredibly resilient Divine souls; even a divided soul cannot be easily manipulated. If you wish to investigate the cause of the unrest in Chang''an, I''m afraid you''ll need to look for other clues,¡± the Fire Spirit Child said with a sigh. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo nodded. He was about to say something else when a loud, sharp howl came from nearby. He turned to look, his expression subtly changing. He saw that the Three-headed Strange Python had vanished; Zhao Feiji was enveloped in dense black light, covering a range of over ten zhang. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless Ghost shadows flickered in the black light, emitting sky-shaking ghostly wails. Chapter 1461 – 1461 1457 Dragon Chapter 1461: Chapter 1457 Dragon-burying Flute Chapter 1461: Chapter 1457 Dragon-burying Flute ¡°Is it finally advancing? Friend Shen, your ghost pet has extraordinary potential. It has awakened the Punishing Evil Divine Light, which suppresses all Yin Qi, and also possesses the Soul-absorbing Demon Sound. If you nurture it well, it will definitely be very useful in the future,¡± Fire Spirit Child said leisurely. Fire Spirit Child, having survived since Ancient Times, possessed an unquestionable vision. These words made Shen Luo feel secretly delighted. ¡°It''s just a pity that he''s not using the Magical Treasures properly. With the Ghost Path, the most important aspect is the ghost itself, yet he fights in close combat with a blade, just like an ordinary person. What a confused ghost,¡± Fire Spirit Child immediately scoffed, changing his tone. ¡°Fire Spirit Child, do you have any suggestions? Also, that black short flute you just saw, how do you rate it? It seems to be a yin attribute Magical Treasure. Could it be used by the Ghost General?¡± Shen Luo also felt that Zhao Feiji''s close combat was not very effective and asked. ¡°I''ve taken a good look at that black short flute. It''s indeed an ancient rare Magical Treasure, the Ghost-controlling Flute, capable of manipulating ghosts over a large area. Unfortunately, it''s damaged, and many materials for refining this flute are now extinct and cannot be repaired,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Large area manipulation of ghosts¡­¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized why a large number of ghosts that shouldn''t have appeared suddenly showed up in the Nameless Ghost City. It turned out to be the mischief of this rare treasure, the Ghost-controlling Flute. ¡°However, Friend Shen, if you have the Demon Refining Stone and Hundred Cry Bone, I can modify the Ghost-controlling Flute into a Dragon-burying Flute, inheriting part of its ability to control ghosts, and also enhancing its Soul-absorbing Demon Sound,¡± Fire Spirit Child continued. Shen Luo was stunned to hear this, as he had obtained many precious spiritual materials including the Demon Refining Stone in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, and the Hundred Cry Bone¡­ ¡°I happen to have a few pieces of Demon Refining Stone, but what is Hundred Cry Bone? I''ve never heard of it. However, I once hunted a Hundred Cry Beast in a place of Weak Water. I wonder if it could be used?¡± he said, producing the body of the Hundred Cry Beast. ¡°The Hundred Cry Beast! With such a large size, it definitely lived for over a thousand years! Perfect! The so-called Hundred Cry Bone refers exactly to the Yin Bone inside this Hundred Cry Beast. With such a large body of this beast, I''ll be able to refine multiple cores of Hundred Cry Bone, enhancing the power of the Dragon-burying Flute!¡± Fire Spirit Child exclaimed happily upon seeing the body of the Hundred Cry Beast. Shen Luo was also pleased, taking out two Demon Refining Stones and throwing them into the Netherworld Furnace along with the body of the Hundred Cry Beast. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He immediately summoned the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and a vast expanse of silver light shot out, sweeping over Zhao Feiji''s body, making him disappear, as he was collected inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Yin Qi was thick in the Nameless Ghost City, but this place was rather strange, and no one knew what could happen next; it wasn''t a good place for Zhao Feiji to safely close up and refine the overflowing Yin Qi inside his body. Shen Luo waved his sleeve, pulling the large silver clock towards him with a swirl of blue light. The clock, no longer housing a spirit, still trembled uncontrollably, trying to break free from the blue light. ¡°Indeed a fine treasure, with such spirit even after its master has fallen,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. The sound wave attack that the silver light clock could emit was exceptionally good; even his strong spirit was moved. If the Soul Shaking Secret Technique were combined with this clock, its power would surely be ten times greater than before, adding yet another powerful technique to his arsenal. But now was not the time to refine this clock; he activated the Free and Easy Mirror to collect it, deciding to wait until he left this place. Having handled these matters, Shen Luo leaped down next to the altar, placing his hand on the Blue Iceberg and activating the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. The Blue Iceberg displayed a layer of crystal light, rapidly shrinking, and within a few breaths, it turned into a cluster of blue cold light and entered his palm. Without the Blue Iceberg, the black light screen surrounding the altar regained its vitality, as if it had never been affected by the chill of the Indigo Ocean. Seeing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows. He had previously used the iceberg from the Indigo Ocean to freeze the altar, partly to prevent the Nameless Wild Ghost from approaching and partly to test the Spirit Refining Array around the altar. The Divine Technique of the Indigo Ocean was close to Perfection, with unparalleled chill that could damage Magical Treasures protected by forty or fifty layers of prohibition, but it hadn''t affected the Spirit Refining Array at all. ¡°Who would have thought that Friend Shen''s ice Divine Technique had advanced to such a level, and he could use it so freely,¡± praised Fire Spirit Child. ¡°It''s just a minor skill. How should we deal with this Spirit Refining Array? I need guidance from Fire Spirit Child, or else I''ll have to use the Turn Sky Seal to destroy it,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Leave it to me, but I''ll need to borrow Fu Gong''s Divine Rat,¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled, seemingly confident. Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted. Without seeing how it was done, a silver light flashed in a corner near the altar, and a silver spirit rat appeared¨Cit was indeed the spirit beast Divine Rat of Fu Gong. After Fu Gong perished, this Divine Rat had come into Shen Luo''s possession. The rat had rare Bloodline Power and extremely useful innate Divine Abilities. Shen Luo had put a lot of effort into making the Divine Rat his own. It was precisely with the help of this Divine Rat that he had accurately located this place. ¡°What should we do?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat worried. He had already let the Divine Rat try to enter the Spirit Refining Array using its Spatial Divine Ability, but the black light screen had unexpectedly blocked the Power of Space, preventing the rat from entering. ¡°Don''t worry, I just need to harness the Spatial Bloodline Power of this Divine Rat to penetrate the Spirit Refining Array and destroy a crucial Array Eye,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Harness the Divine Rat''s Bloodline Power? How? I must say beforehand, you can''t let my Divine Rat get hurt,¡± Shen Luo responded, still tense. ¡°Friend Shen need not worry. The Netherworld Furnace itself contains a vast space, and unlike your Free and Easy Mirror, it is much more refined and has complex Spatial Restrictions within it. Have you ever wondered how this Divine Rat could bear its internal Spatial Bloodline Power and raise its cultivation level to what it is now? It''s all thanks to the Power of Space and Spatial Restrictions within the Netherworld Furnace. The Small Teleportation Charm I gave you earlier was also made using the Power of Space inside the Netherworld Furnace,¡± explained Fire Spirit Child passionately. Hearing this, a glint flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, amazed at how much was within the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°I am going to use the Spatial Restrictions within the Netherworld Furnace to help the Divine Rat pass through the light curtain of the Spirit Refining Array. This will not harm the rat; rather, it will be beneficial. You can rest assured,¡± continued Fire Spirit Child. ¡°In that case, please proceed with your spell, Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend.¡± Only then did Shen Luo feel somewhat reassured and summoned the Divine Rat to the side of the Netherworld Furnace. The Netherworld Furnace lit up once again with dazzling Spiritual Light, but this time it was silver. The surrounding Void was also affected, buzzing and trembling. A few breaths later, a crystalline jade-like silver light shot out from the furnace, entering the body of the Divine Rat. The Divine Rat''s body surfaced with blinding silver light, its body swelling slightly larger while it made slightly irritative squeaks, as if it were agitated. Shen Luo quickly used the Divine Sense Mark planted inside the Divine Rat to soothe it, and the rat calmed down somewhat. Chapter 1462 Chapter 1462: Chapter 1458: Soul Inquiry Chapter 1462: Chapter 1458: Soul Inquiry ¡°Heaven and Earth, deities and humans, the Six Harmonies and the Eight Laws, transmitting through the void, all elements return to one¡­¡± The solemn voice of the Fire Spirit Child recited spells within the Netherworld Furnace, apparently performing a secret method. Silver patterns started to appear on the body of the Divine Rat, rapidly spreading and making the rat increasingly agitated. Shen Luo saw this and frowned but said nothing. Moments later, the silver patterns had nearly covered every part of the Divine Rat''s body, making it look like it was wearing Silver Armor. The body of the Divine Rat expanded further, but it was no longer in pain; rather, it seemed excited. With a move of its hooves, it shot out with a ''whoosh'' and smashed against the light screen of the Spirit Refining Array. A low shout came from the Fire Spirit Child within the Netherworld Furnace; dazzling silver light burst from the body of the Divine Rat. In an instant, the rat lost its physical form, turning into a blur of silver light. Although it was somewhat difficult, it managed to penetrate the inner part of the Spirit Refining Array. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s expression relaxed. The Fire Spirit Child also secretly sighed in relief. He activated the Spatial Restriction within the Netherworld Furnace, stimulating the Spatial Bloodline divine power inside the Divine Rat, having been not entirely confident that it could break through the Spirit Refining Array. Now that the rat had successfully entered, he could finally ease his worried heart. ¡°Go!¡± S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Fire Spirit Child continued casting, sending the Divine Rat darting towards the top of the altar landing next to a stone pillar covered in Witch Patterns, and began voraciously gnawing at it. The altar seemed sturdy, but the teeth of the Divine Rat were sharper, and the force of the Spatial Restriction applied by the Fire Spirit Child had not yet dispersed, remaining on its teeth and further enhancing their power. In just a few bites, the stone pillar was shattered. The top of the Black Light Screen immediately became chaotic and cracked open a hole. The Netherworld Furnace immediately shot out, stopping at the hole in the Black Light Screen, its mouth facing downward, and began spinning rapidly. A strong devouring force burst from the furnace, seeping through the hole into the Black Light Screen, enveloping the mass of black light at the top of the altar, and began pulling it outward. However, threads of black light appeared on the black light group, connecting it with the surrounding screen, making it immovable. ¡°There really is a prohibition blocking it!¡± muttered the Fire Spirit Child as he prepared to cast a spell to break it. Yet the Golden Broken Sword had already flown into the Spirit Refining Array through the hole in the screen, ahead of him. The Golden Broken Sword spun, creating a circular blade of Sword Qi that mercilessly cut through the black threads. Seeing this, the Fire Spirit Child was overjoyed and immediately intensified the devouring power of the Netherworld Furnace. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the black light shot out from the hole in the array, revealing its true form¨Ca human head-sized octagonal stone stele, each side engraved with countless intricate formation patterns, looking incredibly mysterious. ¡°It really is the Spirit Refining Array, come to me!¡± shouted the Fire Spirit Child excitedly, as the devouring force from the Netherworld Furnace increased, and the Black Stone Stele disappeared into the furnace. ¡°What was that stele just now? It seems like some sort of formation disc?¡± asked Shen Luo, summoning back the Slayer''s Broken Sword and the Divine Rat. ¡°This is a Formation Tool refined by the Witch Clan, similar to today''s formation discs, only the Witch Clan''s tools are different. The Witch Clan''s minds are single-tracked; they condensed all the necessary formation patterns into one tool, so there is no need for formation flags. A Witch Array can be laid out solely with the tool,¡± chuckled the Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Is that so? So that piece of the Spirit Refining Array''s Formation Tool Stele can lay down the Spirit Refining Array anytime, anywhere?¡± queried Shen Luo, raising his eyebrows. ¡°Almost there, it''s just that some of the array tools for the Soul Refining Array are damaged; I need to study this Soul Refining Array first and figure out a way to repair it,¡± Fire Spirit Child could barely hide the joy in his heart. ¡°Is the Soul Refining Array really that useful to you? What did you mean when you said it would also benefit me? I''m not particularly skilled in array techniques,¡± Shen Luo asked, curious. ¡°I''ve been studying the way of Device Soul Conversion for years, which simply put is the method of refining souls into Magical Treasure Tool Spirits. Sadly, I still fall short in soul refining, but now with this Soul Refining Array, I can complete the final piece,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with an excited tone. ¡°Turning souls into Tool Spirits! What are the chances of success?¡± Shen Luo''s body shook, his face showing excitement as he asked. ¡°Originally only twenty to thirty percent, but once I fully study this Soul Refining Array, the success rate should increase by almost double,¡± Fire Spirit Child said proudly. Hearing this, Shen Luo was both shocked and delighted. After the birth of the Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit, the power of the Pure Yang Sword had greatly increased. If Fire Spirit Child really had a method likely to successfully produce Tool Spirits, then the power of the many Magical Treasures in his possession could be elevated to another level. ¡°Alright, Daoist friend Fire Spirit Child, take your time to study. If you need any help, just ask,¡± Shen Luo immediately said. Fire Spirit Child did not respond to him, clearly engrossed in studying the Soul Refining Array Stele. With the Black Stone Stele gone, the black light screen that enveloped the entire altar flickered a few times, quickly thinned, and disappeared in a few breaths. Seeing this, Shen Luo leaped and landed in front of the dozen or so souls of the Chang''an people. ¡°What, what are you going to do?¡± a soul with the appearance of a pot-bellied merchant asked tremblingly. ¡°Please don''t be nervous, I am Shen Luo, an Immortal Master from the Great Tang Government. I won''t harm you. I just have some questions, and after that, I will send you all for reincarnation,¡± Shen Luo said gently while silently casting a soul-soothing spell from the Sky Machine Scroll. A wave of invisible fluctuations spread out, and the dozen or so souls felt gusts of refreshing winds hitting their faces, which calmed them considerably. ¡°So, you are Master Shen. Please, feel free to ask your questions,¡± the merchant soul said, nodding, seeming to know a bit about cultivating immortality. ¡°Alright, my first question is, are all of you victims of yesterday''s chaos in Chang''an City?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes, we are residents of Chang''an City. We were killed by the demons during the chaos yesterday,¡± the merchant soul said with a bitter smile. Shen Luo nodded slightly, thinking to himself that he had found the right people. ¡°During or before the chaos yesterday, did you see anything unusual?¡± he continued to ask. ¡°Master Shen, what do you mean by unusual?¡± The dozen souls looked at each other, and finally, the merchant soul spoke. ¡°You don''t need to worry about anything. I am currently assisting the Great Tang Government and Minister Yuan in investigating the cause of this disaster and am also seeking revenge for you. As for what counts as unusual, any abnormal events that you saw would be included,¡± Shen Luo explained. Hearing the words ''seeking revenge,'' the souls stirred slightly, but few seemed excited. ¡°Master Shen, we can tell you what we know, and you don''t need to seek revenge for us. Could you please take care of our living relatives?¡± another soul, an elderly man with a stooped body, said. ¡°About that, please rest assured. The court and the Great Tang Government have already sent people to console your relatives. However, I can promise your request; after the court''s consolation, I will also look after those people,¡± Shen Luo said without any hesitation. Chapter 1463 Chapter 1463: Chapter 1459: Clues and Speculation Chapter 1463: Chapter 1459: Clues and Speculation ¡°Thank you, Master Shen, let me go first. Alas, I am surnamed Wang, I live in Yongding Square, Iron Hat Alley. Although my life was poor, it was relatively peaceful. Two nights ago, I was fishing on the Golden Light River in the city when I encountered several black-robed men, sneaking around doing who knows what. One of them waved his hand at me, and just like that, I died,¡± the old man said, sighing heavily. ¡°Black-robed men? Did they have any distinguishing features?¡± Shen Luo asked eagerly, surprised to discover a critical point from the first person he questioned. ¡°At that time, I had no chance to see clearly before knowing nothing, I didn''t notice anything,¡± the old man shook his head. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A trace of regret flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes as he turned to the others. ¡°Immortal Master, my name is Wang Daqiu. I am a kitchen helper from Qizhen Square in Chang''an City. I was killed by a fox demon during the celebration, I didn''t see any black-robed men,¡± another burly man said. ¡°Immortal Master, my name is Li Yong¡­¡± The other souls also reported their names and what they had seen the previous night, but their accounts were somewhat jumbled and chaotic, offering no useful information, which made Shen Luo frown. ¡°Master Shen, my name is Ma Xianhe. Before the celebration, I saw a strange occurrence that was related to the demons at the celebration. It should be of use to you. However, I have a small request that I hope you could grant,¡± the merchant soul spoke after the others had finished. ¡°Oh, Your Excellency may speak freely of your wish,¡± Shen Luo, who had already noticed that the merchant soul knew some information, was intrigued and didn''t mind the bargaining behavior. ¡°Ma Mian has always admired those who cultivate immortality, but it''s a pity that I never had the chance to meet an Immortal Master. After I''ve told you what I''ve seen, I would like my son to take you as his master; I ask that you fulfill this wish,¡± The merchant soul bowed to Shen Luo. ¡°I have always been accustomed to being alone and have never considered taking disciples,¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows and said, shaking his head. The merchant soul stood there, stunned. ¡°Although I do not take disciples, I know many monks. As long as your son has decent potential, it wouldn''t be difficult to arrange for him to enter another sect,¡± Shen Luo said, changing his tone. ¡°Thank you, Master Shen.¡± The merchant soul''s face, which had shown disappointment, lit up with gratitude. ¡°I''ve fulfilled your condition, now can you speak?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Of course, of course, allow me to report to you, Master Shen. Before the celebration, I saw many black-robed men as well. Near Yongding Square, in a hidden place, they were inserting many thick iron nails into the ground. And the ground where the nails were inserted¡­ it was bleeding profusely¡­¡± the merchant soul quickly spoke, describing what he had seen in as much detail as possible. ¡°Thick iron nails? Blood? Where exactly is this location?¡± Shen Luo perked up, conjuring a map of Chang''an City with a wave of his hand. ¡°It''s here,¡± the merchant soul scrutinized the map for a moment before pointing to a location. Shen Luo saw this and his pupils contracted slightly. That place was right where a ground fissure was located. ¡°This is indeed very important to me. Shen Mian will keep his promise and will try his best to guide your son onto the path of immortality,¡± he nodded. ¡°Thank you, Master Shen,¡± said the merchant soul, bowing in thanks once again. Shen Luo, seeing that he had asked all he could, was about to leave with these souls when a streak of escape light shot toward them from a distance¨Cit was Soul Hook Horse Face. He looked somewhat battered, with multiple injuries, but fortunately, none were severe. ¡°Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It''s okay. Those ghosts chased me for a while, then suddenly scattered. You must have killed the leader of those ghosts, Friend Shen?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face addressed Shen Luo, inquiring. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed slightly. Those ghosts outside had likely fled because the Ghost-controlling Flute had come into his possession. The might of the Ghost-controlling Flute was beyond his expectation. It was capable of manipulating so many ghosts from afar, and he hoped the Dragon-burying Flute, crafted by the Fire Spirit Child, would retain this power. ¡°Are these the souls of Chang''an people? Why are there only so few?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face, not waiting for Shen Luo to speak, turned to the handful of souls and asked, puzzled. The Chang''an people were startled by the strange and intimidating appearance of the Soul Hook Horse Face, and subconsciously hid behind Shen Luo. ¡°Do not be afraid, everyone. This is the Underworld Yin God, Soul Hook Horse Face. Though you are not cultivators, you should have heard of his name,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly reassured them. The legend of Ox Head and Horse Face is well known to the common people, and only then did the souls of the people relax slightly, though they still subconsciously maintained a certain distance from him. ¡°When I arrived here, there was a Witch Tribe Array, and these souls happened to be standing inside the formation, protected by it. The rest were killed by a True Immortal-level ghost,¡± Shen Luo informed Soul Hook Horse Face. ¡°A True Immortal ghost? What is that person''s name, did Brother Shen get a clear look at him?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face hurriedly asked. Shen Luo nodded and, without using any hand gestures or spells, the void beside him shimmered with blue light, and a figure appeared¨Cit was the image of the Nameless Wild Ghost. ¡°This man looks unfamiliar, I have not seen him before. What kind of God''s Power does he use?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face examined the figure closely and shook his head. ¡°This ghost can wield Ancient Witchcraft, and most of the Magical Treasures he used are Witch Weapons. He''s raised a three-headed Strange Python as a Ghost Pet and has also used a Lotus Supernatural Power,¡± Shen Luo said. He felt that the Black Lotus Supernatural Power was particularly remarkable and quite different from the witchcraft used by the Nameless Wild Ghost, so he took the time to describe it in detail. Chapter 1464 Chapter 1464: Chapter 1459: Clues and Conjectures_2 Chapter 1464: Chapter 1459: Clues and Conjectures_2 ¡°This is Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva''s Six Paths of Reincarnation!¡± Soul Hook Horse Face showed no concern for other mystical powers, but upon hearing the description of that black lotus power from Shen Luo, his expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed in shock. ¡°Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva''s power? Is that person under the Yama''s Palace?¡± Shen Luo also frowned. The founder of Yama''s Palace was none other than Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, a person of vast magical abilities, ranking alongside Bodhisattva, Zhenyuanzi, and Bodhi Ancestor in the hierarchy of the Immortal Path, and also residing in the Netherworld. This Bodhisattva was previously not renowned until he established his sect in Yama''s Palace and thus became known throughout the Three Realms. ¡°I do not know; the powers of Yama''s Palace are widely circulated. Perhaps someone from another faction secretively learned them,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said. ¡°That''s possible,¡± Shen Luo hummed a reply. ¡°Friend Shen, the matters of the Nameless Ghost City are quite complicated. My arrival here has been witnessed by many. May I report the events occurring here, including the situation of the Nameless Wild Ghost, to Lord Zhong Kui?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face asked hesitantly after a pause. ¡°It should be fine to inform Zhong Kui of this matter,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon receiving Shen Luo''s agreement, Soul Hook Horse Face secretly breathed a sigh of relief and waved his sleeve towards a dozen souls. A swirl of black light enveloped those people, drawing them into his sleeve. ¡°I will take these souls back to the Underworld for their reincarnation arrangements,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face said. ¡°Then, I''ll leave it to you, Fellow Daoist Ma Mian,¡± Shen Luo nodded. 1460 Chapter 1460: Sought After by the Masses After dealing with the matters at hand, Shen Luo and Soul Hook Horse Face did not stay at the location any longer and were about to leave. Suddenly, Shen Luo pivoted like lightning and raised his fist towards the direction of the sacrificial platform, smashing down. A palace-size golden fist shadow materialized above the platform, striking it directly. Without the protection of the prohibitions, the platform crumbled with a loud crash, breaking into numerous large stones that scattered in all directions, without a trace of anything unusual. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s wrong?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face startled by Shen Luo''s sudden action, peered around and asked in a low voice. ¡°Nothing, just a bit of an itchy fist,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze flashing fleetingly as he spoke calmly. After uttering these words, he didn''t wait for Ma Mian''s response and leapt towards the ground. Soul Hook Horse Face stood there dumbfounded by Shen Luo''s actions, and when he saw Shen Luo leave, he hurriedly followed. Long after the two had departed, the underground space remained silent and still, absent of any disturbance. Moments later, the spot where Shen Luo had previously stood flickered with a black light, and a black vertical pupil appeared, then silently disintegrated into wisps of Black Qi. After the black vertical pupil vanished, the void near the collapsed altar fluctuated, revealing two figures. One of them was clad in a dragon robe, with a golden crown upon his head, but his face was dragon-like in appearance. Had Shen Luo been there, he would have recognized this individual as the Jing River Dragon King, who had somehow returned to life. The other figure was enshrouded in a layer of gray light, the same mysterious person who had appeared by the Nether River that year. ¡°The Heavenly Demon Eye? I did not expect Shen Luo to be proficient in these Demonic Powers. Strange, where did he learn them from?¡± the Jing River Dragon King murmured to himself. ¡°You''re not planning to take action? Is not Shen Luo already uncovering the truth behind the disturbances in Chang''an?¡± the figure wrapped in gray light remarked. ¡°What of it? Let him investigate if he pleases. But what about you? The Nameless Wild Ghost that you have been secretly nurturing has been killed, one of your divided souls destroyed by him, and even the Spirit Refining Array here has been taken by that Family name Shen. Can you truly swallow this affront?¡± The Jing River Dragon King, unfazed, retorted. ¡°That Nameless Wild Ghost was but a pawn under my command, and I had already thoroughly researched that Spirit Refining Array, so what is there to regret? What interests me now is the Witch Clan''s Soul Devouring Array; it is said to strip all mental imprints from a soul, refining it into a pure spiritual essence, an excellent way to augment Soul Power. Should I obtain it, it would greatly assist my final step. Unfortunately, that array has long since disappeared,¡± the figure in gray light sighed. ¡°Hmph, you speak as if it were nothing. If you weren''t distressed, why bother rushing over here at this moment?¡± the Jing River Dragon King scoffed. ¡°I have no time to argue with you. I''ve already completed everything I needed to do for you. What you do next is none of my concern. However, let me make one thing clear in advance; if anything happens to you, don''t blame me for not showing mercy,¡± the figure in gray light snorted, then vanished with a flicker. The Jing River Dragon King stood in silence and, moments later, his figure vanished without a sound. Shen Luo and Soul Hook Horse Face didn''t take long to reach the surface. At this time, quite a few disciples from Yama''s Palace had gathered here, and one of them caught Shen Luo''s attention. ¡°Friend Gu.¡± Shen Luo looked at a young girl dressed in black in surprise. Her figure was slender, with purple hair, and a pair of purple bone wings on her back ¨C it was Gu Hualing, whom he hadn''t seen for a long time. Her aura was boundless, like mountains and seas, and indeed she had also advanced to the True Immortal Stage. ¡°Shen Luo, how come you are here?¡± Gu Hualing also recognized Shen Luo, her face showing surprise. Nearby, many male disciples of Yama''s Palace lingered around Gu Hualing. Seeing her familiarly interacting with Shen Luo, many of them cast hostile glances toward him. ¡°I am here with Fellow Daoist Ma Mian investigating an issue, but what about you, Friend Gu? When did you join Yama''s Palace? Your attire looks just like that of its disciples,¡± Shen Luo observed Gu Hualing''s clothes, the garb of the palace''s disciples. ¡°I belong to the Demon Race. Staying in the Great Tang Dynasty Government, which is pledged to eliminate demons, was never quite fitting. Many years ago, I joined Yama''s Palace. However, I''ve stayed in the government office all these years just to deepen the ties,¡± Gu Hualing said indifferently. Shen Luo nodded; given Gu Hualing''s origins and temperament, it really was a misfit for her to stay in the Great Tang Dynasty Government. ¡°It looks like you two just came up from below. What''s the situation down there?¡± Gu Hualing swiftly changed the subject. Shen Luo didn''t speak, glancing at Soul Hook Horse Face instead. ¡°We''ve resolved the issue¨CFellow Daoist Shen and I have already found the souls of the people of Chang''an City. There''s no need for you to search laboriously anymore,¡± Soul Hook Horse Face took out a small black bag containing a dozen or so faint soul shadows. This had been agreed upon before they surfaced, not to widely spread the news about the nameless wild ghosts to avoid unnecessary commotion, and to investigate quietly instead. ¡°Why are there only a dozen souls? There were at least a couple thousand people who perished amid the chaos in Chang''an City,¡± Gu Hualing frowned. ¡°The rest of the souls have already been annihilated, and the details are not convenient to disclose at this time. You can inquire with Fellow Daoist Ma Mian later,¡± Shen Luo said. Hearing this, Gu Hualing glanced at Soul Hook Horse Face, who merely nodded slightly without speaking. Seeing this, Gu Hualing didn''t press for more information. ¡°Now that the matter is settled, we should leave quickly. This place has a heavy and ominous energy; it''s not good for you, Junior Sister Gu, to stay here long,¡± a young male disciple of Yama''s Palace spoke obsequiously, even casting a stern glance at Shen Luo in the process. Shen Luo couldn''t help but smile wryly, thinking that he must have somehow offended the gods of romance recently, always finding himself in such bizarre situations. ¡°Fellow Daoist Shen, Fellow Daoist Ma Mian, until next time,¡± Gu Hualing, without giving another look to the man, bade farewell to Shen Luo and flew off. ¡°Hey, Junior Sister Gu, where are you going?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, slow down!¡± A group of Yama''s Palace male disciples hurriedly followed after her, and the crowd around them thinned by almost half in an instant. ¡°Heh, it seems that Friend Gu is quite popular in Yama''s Palace,¡± Shen Luo said with a slight smile. ¡°That''s natural. Female disciples are rare under Yama''s Palace. Friend Gu has outstanding talents, having become a disciple under King of Hell, with limitless prospects. Plus, she''s so charming; it''s normal that many male disciples pursue her. However, Friend Gu is cold as a frost plum and, to this day, there hasn''t been word of her lowering her guard to anyone. I reckon Friend Gu has a special regard for you, Fellow Daoist Shen?¡± Soul Hook Horse Face winked. ¡°Don''t joke, Fellow Daoist Ma Mian. Friend Gu and I are just ordinary friends who have met a few times. I certainly don''t wish to become the public enemy of the male disciples of Yama''s Palace,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand. Hearing this, Soul Hook Horse Face just chuckled dryly a few times and said no more. The two didn''t linger much longer in that place. Soul Hook Horse Face reported the situation below to the person in charge and then left with Shen Luo. Once they were alone, Soul Hook Horse Face stopped. ¡°Fellow Daoist Shen, I will send you back to the Yang Realm first. Staying here too long won''t do you any good,¡± Ma Mian took out the Mourning Stick, making a sweep in the void to quickly open a passageway. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Keep me informed of any news,¡± Shen Luo urged Soul Hook Horse Face before leaping into the passage. The surrounding space tugged at him with its tearing force, but such power was inconsequential to him. Chapter 1465 Chapter 1465: Chapter 1461: Breaking the National Fate Chapter 1465: Chapter 1461: Breaking the National Fate Moments later, Shen Luo''s vision brightened as he found himself near a mountain range shrouded in grey mist, which hindered his sight and was filled with a dense Yin Qi. Shen Luo''s brows slightly raised. This place was none other than the Yinling Mountains near Chang''an City. He had already thoroughly explored these mountains and the ancient tomb deep within them in Dreamland. Thus, there were no more secrets here for him. However, he no longer possessed the Six Chen Whip and could not properly utilize the powerful Yin souls in the deepest parts of the ancient tomb. ¡°I can recall about forty to fifty percent of the Soul Devouring Array within the Six Chen Whip. Once Fire Spirit Child thoroughly studies the Soul Refining Formation, I might try telling him about the Soul Devouring Battle formation map to see if he can research the complete Great Formation,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. He then transformed into a red light and swiftly left, arriving at Chang''an City soon after. He concealed his presence and flew into the city from above without a moment''s delay. With his current level of cultivation, he no longer needed to adhere to the so-called prohibitions of Chang''an City. Inside the main hall of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Lu Huaming was holding a brush, busily correcting some documents. However, he seemed very unaccustomed to it; the brush in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand jin, and sweat was already visible on his forehead. Besides Lu Huaming, there were two other elders from the Government Official in the main hall, one in grey clothes and another in a white robe, engaged in the same task. ¡°Elder Lin, isn''t there any other work? I really can''t get used to this business of writing with a brush,¡± Lu Huaming couldn''t help putting down the brush and asking. Correcting documents here felt even more exhausting than battling three high-level experts at once. ¡°Lu Xianzhi, there aren''t many documents left, just endure for half an hour more and it will be done. Various matters in the city need attention, and all other elders of the Great Tang Dynasty Government have been dispatched; only the three of us remain here, so please bear with it a little longer,¡± the grey-clothed elder said. Lu Huaming sighed and picked up the brush again. Seeing Lu Huaming like this, Shen Luo chuckled inwardly, dispelled his invisibility, and made his appearance known. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, what brings you here? Have you discovered any new situations?¡± Lu Huaming was slightly startled and stood up. Shen Luo grunted affirmatively and informed Lu Huaming about everything he had uncovered in the Underworld, naturally omitting some of his own secrets and the existence of the Nameless Wild Ghost. He had initially planned to inform the higher-ups of the Great Tang Government about the Nameless Wild Ghost to help the Underworld find the hidden enemy sooner. However, Soul Hook Horse Face had requested Shen Luo not to divulge this matter to outsiders because it was a matter internal to Yama''s Palace. If they couldn''t solve it on their own, it would embarrass Yama''s Palace in the presence of other sects'' forces. Shen Luo recalled a similar situation during a previous incident in Chang''an when Cheng Yaojin also refused help from other sect experts for the same reason. These matters were not significant but clearly highlighted the alienation between the forces of the Three Realms, causing Shen Luo to worry silently. ¡°So Brother Shen, you went to the Underworld and uncovered such critical information; I am embarrassed by my ineffectiveness as we here have discovered nothing,¡± Lu Huaming said with a bitter smile. ¡°There are many people in the Great Tang Government Official, and procedures must be followed, awaiting instructions from above. I have always been a loner and naturally get some things done a bit quicker. Let''s not talk about this now; we should hurry to the Imperial Palace and report these matters to Master Yuan,¡± Shen Luo urged. ¡°Yes, let''s hurry! Elder Lin, Elder Wang, we leave the matters here to you,¡± Lu Huaming said to the two elders beside him, impatient to leave, and immediately pulled Shen Luo along. The two elders looked helpless but knew the necessity of the situation and didn''t force Lu Huaming to stay. ¡°Seems like Brother Lu really dislikes this kind of work,¡± Shen Luo remarked with a chuckle after they left the main hall. ¡°I''m dead tired. I''d rather fight demons for three hundred rounds,¡± Lu Huaming replied in an utterly exhausted manner. ¡°By the way, I visited the Underworld and met Friend Gu,¡± Shen Luo laughed and then said. ¡°Ling''er? How has she been recently?¡± Lu Huaming perked up and asked. ¡°Not too bad, but she''s been surrounded by people trying to curry favor with her, which has brought her quite some distress,¡± Shen Luo chuckled. ¡°What!¡± Lu Huaming''s expression suddenly darkened. ¡°What''s wrong? Want to go see her? Don''t worry, I''ve inquired about it. Friend Gu is annoyed by those people and has been diligently cultivating,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°I see,¡± Lu Huaming sighed in relief, but his expression still had a hint of impatience. ¡°As for Friend Gu, once things here are wrapped up, you can go ask her. But first, we need to meet Master Yuan in the Imperial Palace,¡± Shen Luo reminded him. Lu Huaming immediately snapped back to reality and accompanied Shen Luo to the Imperial Palace to see Yuan Tiangang. ¡°Iron nails! Blood on the ground!¡± Upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, Yuan Tiangang''s expression grew grave, and he took out nine green counting rods, activating them with a spell. The nine counting rods rolled agilely between his fingertips and shortly clattered onto a table beside him. ¡°Just as I thought, it''s a Dragon-breaking Nail!¡± Yuan Tiangang slowly said. ¡°Dragon-breaking Nail? Are you referring to those black iron nails? What kind of magical treasure is that?¡± Lu Huaming curiously asked. ¡°Dragon-breaking Nails are not magical treasures but a magical instrument condensed from filthy Qi, specifically designed to destroy dragon veins. Chang''an City is where the Great Tang Dragon Vein converges. They intend to fundamentally sever the fate of our Great Tang Kingdom!¡± A chill flashed in Yuan Tiangang''s eyes. ¡°To destroy the dragon veins!¡± Shen Luo''s heart sank. Although dragon veins and spiritual veins differ by only one character, their significances are vastly different; the so-called dragon veins involve concepts such as fate, which is much more severe than the spiritual veins. ¡°Has the Great Tang Dragon Vein already been destroyed?¡± Lu Huaming also realized the seriousness of the matter and quickly asked. ¡°Our Great Tang Kingdom is flourishing, and the dragon vein is vast; a few Dragon-breaking Nails will only cause some damage to the dragon vein, not a fatal destruction. However, to be safe, I need to immediately go to Circular Mound to check,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, his tone quite urgent. ¡°If that''s the case, we''ll take our leave first,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Thank you, Daoist friend Shen, for making the trip to the Underworld. Once everything settles down, the court will definitely reward you,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, looking at Shen Luo. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Shen Luo expressed his gratitude, but he didn''t seem too concerned, and he bade farewell to Lu Huaming and left. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, will you be staying in Chang''an City for the coming days?¡± As soon as they left the Imperial Palace, Lu Huaming stopped Shen Luo to ask. With major incidents continuously occurring in Chang''an City and Cheng Yaojin nowhere to be found, Lu Huaming felt a vague unease. ¡°I will. If Brother Lu needs help with anything, feel free to ask,¡± Shen Luo, seeing Lu Huaming''s disquiet, nodded and said. ¡°Thank you so much, Brother Shen,¡± Lu Huaming rejoiced. With Shen Luo''s formidable strength, having his help truly relieved Lu Huaming. Although Lu Huaming disliked dealing with the affairs of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, given the current critical situation, he would not let his personal preferences delay important matters. After parting with Shen Luo, he returned to the Great Tang Dynasty Government on his own. Chapter 1466 Chapter 1466: Chapter 1462: Young Girl Blocking the Way Chapter 1466: Chapter 1462: Young Girl Blocking the Way Shen Luo parted ways with Lu Huaming and, rather than returning to his residence, he headed to the West Market to purchase some auxiliary Spiritual Materials for refining the Dragon-burying Flute for the Fire Spirit Child. These materials were not particularly precious, and he managed to acquire all of them after visiting a few shops. ¡°Good, with these materials, I can quickly refine the Dragon-burying Flute,¡± said the Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Fire Spirit Child, Daoist friend, before you start refining the Dragon-burying Flute, I need to use the Netherworld Furnace to refine two Pure Yang Swords,¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke. The tense emotions displayed by Yuan Tiangang and Lu Huaming earlier had made him uneasy, and he was eager to enhance his strength. At present, the Black Bear Demon had not yet delivered the Fire Lotus Pill. The fastest way to increase his strength was to refine the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood into Pure Yang Swords. ¡°That''s possible. Your Pure Yang Swords can merge with Spirit Fire, which is quite unique. I''m keen to see it myself,¡± said the Fire Spirit Child. Shen Luo gave a faint smile and didn''t refuse. The Fire Spirit Child was a Master Weapon Refiner; perhaps after watching, he could offer some valuable suggestions to further increase the power of the Pure Yang Swords. He soon left the West Market, about to return to his residence when a charming young girl in yellow clothes suddenly blocked his path. ¡°Could you be Elder Shen? My mistress has invited you to the tea house over there for a chat. Please, could Elder grace us with your presence?¡± The Yellow-Clothed Young Girl bowed and said. Although the girl''s cultivation level was only at the Soul Condensation Stage, she conducted herself with composure and ease in front of Shen Luo, clearly not an ordinary freelance cultivator. ¡°Do you know me? Who is your mistress?¡± Shen Luo glanced at the young girl. ¡°My mistress''s surname is Tu, and she has had the fortune of meeting Elder Shen before. She wishes to discuss a business involving Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood with Elder,¡± the Yellow-Clothed Young Girl leaned in and spoke to Shen Luo. Hearing this, Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, sizing up the young girl before him. Although he did not project an intimidating presence, the pressure in his gaze alone turned the Yellow-Clothed Young Girl''s face pale, and she began to tremble. ¡°Lead the way,¡± he soon shifted his gaze away and spoke indifferently. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Elder. Please, follow me.¡± The Yellow-Clothed Young Girl''s body relaxed slightly, and her complexion quickly returned to normal. She moved with light steps, leading the way to a quiet three-story tea house. In the aftermath of the disaster that struck Chang''an City, there were no customers drinking tea here. The Yellow-Clothed Young Girl led Shen Luo straight up to a refined private room on the second floor. A graceful figure sat inside, dressed in white clothing¨Cit was a stunning young girl, with delicate eyebrows and phoenix eyes, a slender nose, and cherry lips, appearing as if she were a character stepped out of a painting. ¡°Hehe, Brother Shen, here we are meeting again,¡± said the stunning girl, standing up with a charming smile upon seeing Shen Luo entering. The Yellow-Clothed Young Girl closed the room door and stood guard outside. Shen Luo gave the stunning girl a glance, showing little surprise. This girl was the White-clad woman, Tu Xue, who had previously stopped him on the street to conduct business. Once the Yellow-Clothed Young Girl mentioned her mistress''s surname was Tu, he deduced it was her. ¡°Does Miss Tu wish to discuss business regarding the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood with me?¡± Shen Luo sat down opposite Tu Xue, getting straight to the point. ¡°Little girl has heard that Brother Shen requires a batch of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. By chance, there are several pieces in my possession, thus I brazenly invited Daoist friend here for a discussion. Please forgive the imposition,¡± Tu Xue''s eyes flickered slightly, seemingly surprised by Shen Luo''s directness, but quickly regained her composure, and said with a smile. ¡°Where did Miss Tu learn that I needed the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood?¡± Shen Luo''s gaze sharpened as he probed. ¡°In our line of business, the most important thing is to have well-informed sources. Although I am new to Chang''an City, I have some channels of information,¡± Tu Xue responded with a smile, deftly avoiding Shen Luo''s line of questioning. ¡°I indeed require the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. May I know how much Miss Tu has and how many Immortal Jade she plans to sell it for?¡± Seeing that his probing was futile, Shen Luo didn''t press further. No matter what Tu Xue''s intentions were, the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood was a necessity for him, and he could not afford to let it go under any circumstances. Without a word, Tu Xue waved her sleeve over the table, and five pieces of Spirit Wood, glowing with fiery red radiance, appeared. All were Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, and the powerful aura of Pure Yang instantly filled the room. Shen Luo''s breathing halted momentarily; so much Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood was enough for him to refine ten more Pure Yang Swords. ¡°These pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood all meet my requirements. I will take them all. How much Immortal Jade does Miss Tu want in exchange? Or did something of mine catch your eye?¡± he quickly regained his composure and asked. ¡°Brother Shen is indeed right. I do want to exchange these pieces of Fire Qilin Wood for something from your possession,¡± Tu Xue said with a hint of astonishment in her eyes as she spoke candidly. ¡°What exactly does Miss Tu wish to exchange for? Please speak frankly,¡± Shen Luo replied, calm and composed. With a wave of her delicate hand, Tu Xue brought forth a white light curtain in the void, upon which was depicted a square piece of White Jade that radiated a gleaming white light. Shen Luo let out a small gasp of surprise. This piece of White Jade was exactly the one he had obtained from Fu Gong''s Storage Magical Tool, which had an image of a White Fox echoing within it. However, how did Tu Xue know he had this item? He had not mentioned it to anyone except the Fire Spirit Child since acquiring it. Could it be that Tu Xue knew Fu Gong, was aware of his possession of this item, and after learning of Fu Gong''s death at his hands, she came to claim it? Or was there another explanation? ¡°I do have this item, but how do you know about it?¡± Shen Luo''s thoughts raced as he asked without betraying any emotion on his face. ¡°This object is an important treasure of the Tu family. Unfortunately, it was lost many years ago. This jade resonates with the bloodline power of our clan. A few days ago, I encountered Brother Shen in the street and sensed you were carrying this jade,¡± Tu Xue said hesitantly. A spark of cyan light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. He had already silently activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, and from the changes in Tu Xue''s expression, it was clear that she was not lying. ¡°This object is very important to me. Please part with it, Brother Shen. If these pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood are not sufficient, I am willing to offer other treasures as compensation,¡± Tu Xue said as she stood up and gave a bow. ¡°No need for compensation. These pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood are more than enough,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, taking out the White Jade Stone and placing it on the table. He was not one to take advantage of others. The reason he had spoken with Tu Xue for so long was mainly to understand the origins of the White Jade Stone, to avoid any retaliation from Fu Gong and his forces. Now that it was clear that the jade had little to do with Fu Gong, he was no longer interested in delving deeper. ¡°Thank you, Brother Shen,¡± Tu Xue took the White Jade Stone. Suddenly, a bright white light shone from the White Jade Stone, revealing the figure of a Nine-Tailed Fox within it and a unique fluctuation spread out from it. Tu Xue''s expression shifted slightly, and her body also emitted a brilliant white light, which suppressed the white light and fox figure from the jade. With her hands moving as if turning the wheels of a car, numerous ash-white runes appeared around the jade, forming concentric rings of ash-white light around the White Jade Stone. These rings of light swiftly contracted and finally sank into the jade, merging with it. All the white light from the jade stone was reabsorbed, restoring it to its previous state. Chapter 1467 Chapter 1467: Chapter 1463: Spirit Iron Chapter 1467: Chapter 1463: Spirit Iron Shen Luo looked at the scene before him, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he did not ask any questions. Tu Xue saw this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, putting away the White Jade Stone. ¡°Thank you, Friend Shen, for yielding this White Jade. I will certainly repay this kindness in the future,¡± the young girl thanked him again. ¡°Miss Tu, you are too kind. This transaction is complete with both silver and goods exchanged; there is no talk of repaying. However, Miss Tu, you have broad connections. I am in urgent need of the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. Could you help me keep an eye out for it? Don''t worry about the price,¡± Shen Luo said as he pocketed the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. ¡°Nine Heavens Gold Essence! That is not easy to find, but I will keep an eye out for you, Friend Shen,¡± Tu Xue was initially surprised, then nodded. ¡°I''m counting on you, Miss Tu,¡± Shen Luo said, clasping his hands in thanks. With the matter concluded, Tu Xue got up to leave and soon departed with the Yellow-Clothed Young Girl waiting outside. Shen Luo did not leave immediately; instead, he poured himself a cup of tea, leisurely sipped it, and said softly, ¡°Fire Spirit Child, from the spellcasting just now, can you discern Tu Xue''s origins?¡± ¡°What''s so difficult about that? It''s just a little girl from the Fox Clan. I don''t believe you, Brother Shen, couldn''t see it,¡± Fire Spirit Child disdainfully said. ¡°Tu Xue is from the Fox Clan; I naturally noticed that. However, the Fox Clan has many branches. What I want to know is, Fire Spirit Child, can you tell which branch she belongs to?¡± Shen Luo asked calmly. ¡°That, well, I don''t know much about the Fox Clan. Furthermore, since ancient times, the Fox Clan has split many times, and I have always been confined in the Netherworld Furnace, seldom having the opportunity to interact with the outside world. How could I see clearly?¡± Fire Spirit Child coughed awkwardly. Shen Luo frowned but did not ridicule Fire Spirit Child, falling into silent contemplation. During the previous demon turmoil, a white fox phantom had appeared, and now suddenly this Tu Xue emerged. He wondered if there was any connection between the two, and whether he should inform Yuan Tiangang of this girl''s existence. He pondered for a long time and decided to observe further before taking action, so as not to wrongly accuse the innocent. Having made up his mind, he got up and swiftly returned to his residence. Mi Su had been waiting there for a while and immediately approached him upon his return, curious about his trip to the Underworld. Shen Luo did not conceal anything and briefly described his journey. ¡°I can''t believe the Underworld is like that. I really want to see it sometime,¡± Mi Su exclaimed, her eyes wide with longing. ¡°When your cultivation level is higher, it won''t be difficult for you to go there,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. For some reason, he felt quite fond of Mi Su, perhaps because she reminded him of his sister when she was a child. Thinking of his sister, Shen Luo felt a pang of guilt. Over the years, he had been busy with various matters and had not been involved with home or the Spring and Autumn Pavilion for a long time. He had promised Lu Huaming to stay in Chang''an City for the time being. Perhaps he could summon the Mirror Fiend to go back and check on things in his stead. After talking with Mi Su for a while, Shen Luo went to the secret chamber and employed the Art of Spirit Communication to summon the Mirror Fiend. A blue light shot out from the Spirit Communicating Water Hole, revealing the figure of the Mirror Fiend. Its shape hadn''t changed significantly, but its body surged with a blue glow and was filled with demon qi, far surpassing its previous state. ¡°Hey, Mirror Fiend, you''ve actually broken through to the True Immortal Stage? When did this happen?¡± Shen Luo looked at the Mirror Fiend in front of him, quite surprised. Zhao Feiji, who followed him all day and had awakened the Punishing Evil Divine Light, which could devour other Yin Beasts to augment itself, hadn''t managed to break through to the True Immortal Stage till now, yet the Mirror Fiend, with little help from him, had succeeded. ¡°Hehe, thanks to the several Magical Treasures that Master gave me earlier, I gained quite a lot in a dangerous place in the Eastern Sea and fortunately broke through to the True Immortal Realm,¡± the Mirror Fiend said excitedly. ¡°Being able to break through to the True Immortal Stage, it seems your potential is even better than I anticipated. Continue to cultivate diligently in the future, your achievements may not just stop here,¡± Shen Luo nodded, not pursuing the specifics of the Mirror Fiend''s breakthrough. ¡°I wonder why Master has summoned me this time, what are your orders?¡± The Mirror Fiend quickly curbed her excitement and asked respectfully. ¡°It''s nothing major, you return to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion and the Shen Family in Chunhua County for me. Resolve any problems they have and deliver this item to Qin Ming of the Spring and Autumn Pavilion.¡± Shen Luo took out a Storage Magical Tool and handed it to the Mirror Fiend. Inside the Storage Magical Tool were some cultivation resources and two Nascent Soul Stage Armors that didn''t require strong Divine Sense to control. The Spring and Autumn Pavilion was currently developing rapidly. Although his reputation protected it, it wasn''t guaranteed some foolish people wouldn''t provoke them. With these two Nascent Soul Stage Armors in place, the Spring and Autumn Pavilion should remain safe. ¡°Yes,¡± the Mirror Fiend took the Storage Magical Tool, her body flickered with blue light, and the surrounding moisture gathered, forming a Blue Water Mirror. Her body entered it and disappeared. At the same time, inside a well in a small town outside Chang''an City, the surface of the water, mirror-like, fluttered, and the body of the Mirror Fiend emerged within. The next moment, her figure flashed again, disappearing and reappearing on the calm surface of a lake dozens of miles away. ¡°Hey, what kind of Escape Technique is this? It doesn''t look like a water-based technique,¡± Shen Luo said, looking surprised as the Mirror Fiend disappeared this way. ¡°This is the Water Mirror Escape Technique, a special kind of water technique. It''s much faster than the usual water techniques. Your summoned spirit beast is not simple either,¡± Fire Spirit Child remarked. While saying this, Fire Spirit Child also marveled inwardly at how peculiar Shen Luo was, having amassed such a formidable force without the backing of a sect. Aside from that Ghost General, he even had other True Immortal Stage spirit pets. ¡°Could this person naturally possess great fortunes?¡± Fire Spirit Child wondered to himself. Shen Luo acknowledged with an ¡°Oh¡± and didn''t pay much heed, stood up in the secret chamber, and set up several layers of prohibition, then took out a Netherworld Furnace, seven pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, many other auxiliary materials, and that piece of Black Profound God Iron. ¡°Black Profound God Iron! This looks just like the piece that kid Wen Liang had collected over many years and smelted! Yes, that piece of Black Profound God Iron. I also expended great effort when we were smelting it back then, and it still retains some of my original essence. Where did you get this?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked excitedly upon seeing the Black Profound God Iron. Shen Luo glanced at the Netherworld Furnace, not concealing anything, and briefly shared the origins of this piece of Black Profound God Iron. ¡°Really fell into the Zhurong Basin, huh? That year when Wen Liang had a major battle with that Demon Clan expert, this piece of Black Profound God Iron was lost from Guangcheng Immortal Mansion, and I guessed it had fallen into the Zhurong Basin. I searched there several times with Fu Gong but never found this treasure. You found it without even -¡± Fire Spirit Child clicked his tongue. ¡°This Divine Iron belonged to Wen Liang?¡± Shen Luo realized. Finding such a large piece of Black Profound God Iron in the Zhurong Basin had always puzzled him. So it was something Wen Liang had lost. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Friend Shen, I exerted a lot of effort to refine this treasure back in the day. Could you possibly spare me a part of this Divine Iron, not too much, just about the size of a human head, consider it a favor I owe you,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°No problem, Fire Daoist friend, take it. I''m about to refine a set of Sword Array soon, so please don''t hesitate to help and advise,¡± Shen Luo waved generously as he spoke. Chapter 1468 Chapter 1468: Chapter 1464: Someone Breaks the Ban! Chapter 1468: Chapter 1464: Someone Breaks the Ban! ¡°Of course!¡± As Fire Spirit Child spoke, he began to activate the Netherworld Furnace. Before long, the raging flames started to surge within the furnace. Shen Luo sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, recalling the method for refining the Pure Yang Sword Embryo once more. He took a piece of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood and cast it into the Netherworld Furnace. Half a day quickly passed, and the sky turned dark again. Inside the secret chamber, the surging Spirit Fire in the Netherworld Furnace had returned to its original state. Shen Luo sat cross-legged in front of the furnace, his complexion pale and breathing slightly labored, obviously, the act of refining treasures was immensely draining, yet his expression was filled with joy. Suspended in front of him were sixteen red-colored flying swords. One of them was the Pure Yang Sword he had been refining earlier. It looked almost unchanged, but the number of seals on its body had increased to sixty-four layers, reaching the pinnacle of a top-grade magical instrument. During the process of treasure-refining, Shen Luo merged the core of the Super Red Flame Beast into it, greatly enhancing the power of the Pure Yang Sword once again. As for the other fifteen flying swords that glittered with red light, they were just forged from the seven pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood. Originally, crafting these flying swords was not easy. Even with his current cultivation level, it would take four or five days to complete. However, with the help of Fire Spirit Child, an Artifact Refinement Master, it took only half a day. Among the fifteen flying swords, six were burning with a powerful Spirit Fire, two with Vermilion Bird True Fire, another two with Golden Crow True Fire, and the final two bore the True Solar Fire obtained from Zhurong Basin. These three types of true fire were rare, resulting in just six Pure Yang Swords being crafted. The remaining nine swords were still Pure Yang Sword Embryos. The number of layers of seals on these six Pure Yang Swords was far from the first one, only forty in total, reaching the quality of a mid-grade Magical Treasure. All sixteen flying swords had Black Profound God Iron integrated into them, resonating with each other, and their auras intertwined. Even without activation, the sharp Sword Qi already flooded the entire secret chamber, causing the Void itself to tremble. ¡°Young Master Shen, this set of flying swords is extraordinary. Let''s not yet speak of their quality, but the fact that they contain Spirit Fire at the level of Heavenly Fire ¡ª you''re even crazier than Guang Chengzi, haha¡­¡± Fire Spirit Child laughed heartily, seemingly very excited, and his way of addressing Shen Luo had changed. Shen Luo was also extraordinarily thrilled within. Not to mention the nine Pure Yang Sword Embryos, with these seven Pure Yang Swords, he could perform the fourth and fifth forms of the Pure Yang Sword Styles, and his strength would greatly increase once again, sweeping away any monk below the Taiyi Stage without any problem. He opened his mouth and expelled a Golden Light, taking the sixteen flying swords into his Dantian, continuing to nourish them with Mana. As the sixteen flying swords entered his body, an extremely powerful burst of Pure Yang Power erupted, instantly flowing throughout his entire body, firmly suppressing the Demonic Qi in his Dantian and meridians, making it very difficult to even move. ¡°Good, with these sixteen Pure Yang Swords, it seems I no longer need to worry about a Demonic Qi outbreak,¡± Shen Luo nodded inwardly, took out a Restoration Pill, and swallowed it to recover the vitality expended from refining swords. The rolling flames inside the Netherworld Furnace did not stop, as Fire Spirit Child was using the furnace to refine the Dragon-burying Flute. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the moon high in the sky, Chang''an City was utterly silent, except for a few Government Official premises still lit with lanterns, while the rest were plunged into deep darkness. The fissures where the demons had emerged in the city were also quiet. The Tang Dynasty Government was still investigating the situation inside these fissures, opting not to seal them yet. However, to prevent accidents, several layers of unique Tang Dynasty Government prohibitions had been laid inside the fissures, not even a Taiyi Existence could easily break through them. Now, in the dead of night, was not the right time for investigating inside the fissures. Each fissure was guarded by a team of Tang Dynasty Government Disciples. At the fissure Shen Luo had previously investigated, about a dozen Tang Dynasty Government Disciples were on watch, with Lu Huaming taking the lead. He sat cross-legged to the side, a pale blue Greatsword placed across his knees, exuding a cold Sword Intent and seemingly a rare treasure. Other Tang Dynasty Government Disciples were seated around the fissure, encircling it from all sides. Time passed quietly, and suddenly, the pale blue Greatsword emitted a clear ringing sound. Lu Huaming''s eyes snapped open. A surge of Black Qi suddenly emerged from beneath the several layers of prohibitions within the fissure, and a dark giant axe, as large as a door, burst out from within the Black Qi, ruthlessly chopping down on the lowest prohibition. Dot-like runes flickered across the surface of the axe, indicating some unknown God''s Power. With a ¡°chi la¡± sound, like the tearing of silk, the lowest prohibition broke upon contact, and the ground near the fissure shook as well. ¡°What''s happening?¡± exclaimed the Tang Dynasty Government Disciples, standing up in shock. ¡°Someone is breaking the prohibition below! How is this possible? The unmatched prohibition has actually been breached!¡± Lu Huaming took out a White token, with five crystal lights flashing on it, but the lowest crystal light had already collapsed. No sooner had he spoken than the ground shook violently again, and the light on the token flickered as another crystal light dispersed. ¡°The Ten Directions Prohibition has been breached as well! Notify the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the National Master immediately!¡± Lu Huaming''s eyes widened in horror as he cried out. A Tang Dynasty Government Disciple next to him took out a communication magical instrument and was about to activate it with a spell. Boom! Boom! Boom! Three consecutive loud bangs erupted from Underground, and the token in Lu Huaming''s hands exploded with a ''bang,'' with a vast amount of Black Qi gushing out from the ground''s fissure. ¡°The prohibitions have been completely broken! Let''s get out of here now!¡± His expression underwent a drastic change, and he leaped backward in flight, shouting a reminder. However, before the others could react, a thick purple-brown Light Pillars burst forth from the Underworld, and the nearby Tang Dynasty Government Disciples were all flung out. Many of them were more or less stained with some of the purple-brown light and started to scream in pain. The purple-brown light rapidly eroded into their bodies, and where it passed, their bodies began to feel numb and weakened. ¡°This is the Underworld''s deadly poison!¡± Lu Huaming''s face changed, and he swung a light blue Greatsword in his hand. Two beams of sword Qi, each tens of feet long and translucent, shot out and intersected, chopping at the purple-brown Light Pillars above them. With a ¡°pu chi¡± sound, the purple-brown Light Pillar was cut into several sections. The blue sword Qi contained an astonishing chill, and the severed Light Pillars froze into several blocks of ice, which fell to the Ground and shattered. Much to their relief, a layer of blue frost appeared on the bodies of the Tang Dynasty Government Disciples who had been invaded by the deadly poison, which did not harm them too much but instead completely froze the poison, preventing it from spreading further. ¡°Thank you, Master Lu,¡± said these Tang Dynasty Government Disciples gratefully. Lu Huaming waved his hand as he was about to examine the situation inside the fissure; the ground began to rumble again, and the Tang Dynasty Government officials could scarcely keep their footing. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, an even thicker surge of Black Qi shot up from the Underworld, clawing wildly in Mid Air, with continuous beastly roars coming from within the Black Qi as numerous Demons appeared and flew off in all directions, even more numerous than the disaster from yesterday. ¡°Those who are injured, retreat first! Everyone else, send messages to the Government and the palace, then form up to protect yourselves!¡± Lu Huaming''s face was ashen as he raised his Greatsword, which now surged with blue light, and cleaved across with one hand. ¡°Sweeping Thousands of Troops!¡± A massive blue sword Qi beam, tens of yards long, shot out electrically, effortlessly splitting several oncoming Demons in two, their remains similarly freezing into ice blocks. The tremendous sword Qi continued forward, striking the massive surge of Black Qi in an attempt to freeze it once again. However, the Black Qi only stiffened slightly before calming down immediately. The blue sword Qi pierced through the Black Qi, extinguishing the dozen or so Demons opposite it and vanishing into the darkness beyond. ¡°It can''t be frozen!¡± Seeing this, a knot of dread tightened in Lu Huaming''s heart. Chapter 1469 Chapter 1469: Chapter 1465: Anticipated Early Chapter 1469: Chapter 1465: Anticipated Early When Lu Huaming drew his sword, the disciples of the Great Tang Dynasty Government quickly retreated to a distance and took out various magical instruments to send messages. At that moment, a fine white light flashed through the darkness behind them, and countless hair-like beams of white light silently shot out, striking those government disciples. Over a dozen Tang Dynasty Government disciples were thrown into the air, their bodies riddled with holes, and they died without even a groan. ¡°Gong Shizhu, Chen Shizhu¡­ who is hiding there?¡± Lu Huaming, seeing this scene, had his eyes splitting with rage. The radiance of the sword in his hand surged wildly, and a larger wave of sword qi slashed toward the darkness, illuminating it brightly. A black figure stood there, shrouded in a layer of black qi, making it impossible to see his face, but the figure appeared somewhat hunched, leaning on a silver-colored crane-beaked walking stick, seemingly an old man. The giant sword qi shot like lightning, slashing directly at the black figure''s head. ¡°Frost Cold Nine Realms! The legendary sword immortal who once swept across the Three Realms, the divine sword left by the sword wanderers! The sword is good, but it''s a pity you can''t bring out its power,¡± an old voice came from behind the black mist, as the crane-beaked walking stick pointed into the void. A silver staff shadow shot out, colliding with the giant sword qi. With a thunderous boom, the blue sword qi broke upon impact. A massive force rebounded, shaking Lu Huaming''s body greatly, and he staggered back two steps, but the black figure remained motionless. At this very moment, the situation at the other fissures was similar; the prohibitions inside were broken, black qi surged to the sky, and numerous demons reappeared. In the northwest of Chang''an City, a series of palaces lay in succession. This place, being quite some distance from the Imperial City, was heavily guarded by soldiers year-round, making it difficult not only for common people to approach but also for nobles from the court and even members of the royal family without permission. This place is called Circular Mound, where the emperors of the Great Tang Dynasty have conducted their heaven-worshipping rituals. However, these are only public knowledge. What they do not know is that Circular Mound is also the hub of the Great Tang Dragon Vein. The emperors chose to establish the heavenly sacrificial platform here, using the power of the Dragon Vein to pray to the heavens for prosperity and to suppress the national fate dragon vein with this platform. In the center of Circular Mound, a massive sacrificial platform stood, made of dark green jade and gold steel, towering about dozens of feet high, round in shape, with three levels, and nine stairs extending from the top of the altar to the ground, the sight incredibly majestic. Currently, the area around the sacrificial platform was filled with large golden flags, each embroidered with a golden dragon, shimmering in golden light, with dragon qi steaming. These golden flags appeared to be the formation flags of a particular grand array, the emitted golden light connecting with each other to form a vast golden array. The entire Circular Mound was enveloped by prohibitions. All spiritual light was blocked by the prohibitions, preventing any leakage that might disturb the common people. At the very top of the altar, Yuan Tiangang sat cross-legged, murmuring incantations. Besides Yuan Tiangang, around him sat a dozen other monks in ceremonial robes, also forming hand seals and casting spells, continually integrating magic spells into the surrounding golden array. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These individuals exuded immense power, all being at the True Immortal Stage. Shen Luo had previously seen the Fire Child and the elderly man in a golden robe among them. Activating this grand array seemed extremely challenging, and even though everyone present was above the True Immortal Stage, they did not seem at ease; a few with slightly lower cultivation levels had fine beads of sweat appearing on their foreheads. Yuan Tiangang saw this scene and flipped his hand to take out a Golden Talisman, which he crushed immediately. A mist of purple Qi rushed out and entered into the Golden Array. The golden light within the Array suddenly brightened and slowly condensed into a huge Five-clawed Golden Dragon Phantasm that roamed within the Array. The Five-clawed Golden Dragon did not possess a strong aura, but it gave off a feeling of the revolving destinies of all things under heaven and earth which involuntarily invoked awe in people. ¡°At last, the Dragon Vein True Spirit has been summoned, and it seems there are no problems,¡± said a man with a mutton-chop beard, as if letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°Not quite, look at the lower abdomen of the Dragon Vein True Spirit,¡± another female True Immortal Cultivator pointed at the lower belly of the Five-clawed Golden Dragon, which was stained with a trace of blood. ¡°This is the evil Qi from the Dragon-breaking Nail; it indeed has affected the Dragon Vein. Fellow cultivators, let''s work together to operate the True Dragon Limitless Array and dispel this trace of evil Qi!¡± Yuan Tiangang said. Everyone loudly agreed all at once and continued to operate the Golden Array, within which rivers of golden light flowed, repeatedly cleansing the Five-clawed Golden Dragon Phantasm, causing that trace of blood to gradually thin. ¡°Fortunately, the erosion on the Dragon Vein True Spirit is not deep, another hour of operation should complete the task,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, his expression relaxing. At that moment, a thunderous rumble came from all over Chang''an City; a few breaths later, thick streams of black Qi burst from the underground, as if the hands of a giant demon were dancing in the night. ¡°What''s going on?¡± The True Immortal Cultivators within the Array were startled by the sounds, but the prohibitions around Circular Mound prevented them from sensing the situation outside. None of them got up to go out and check since the Array was still operating and they couldn''t move from their positions. Amid their hesitation, a streak of Escape Light shot from afar and landed before the altar revealing a teenager in yellow robes. ¡°Greetings to the National Master and all court officers, the prohibitions that were set in the fissures around the city have all been broken, and a large number of demons have appeared, greatly outnumbering the earlier count,¡± the youth in yellow robes reported urgently as he knelt down. Hearing this, everyone was greatly shocked and turned to look at Yuan Tiangang. ¡°There''s no need to panic. It was anticipated that the demons might attack again, and I''ve already arranged several officers at the Astronomical Bureau who are ready to activate the City-Protecting Array and the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array at any moment. No matter how many demons come, there''s no need to worry,¡± Yuan Tiangang said calmly. Upon hearing these words, everyone finally calmed down. ¡°National Master, you just mentioned that someone predicted the demons'' second attack, was it you?¡± asked a tall white-haired old man. This man wore a purple-gold robe and held a golden thread whisk. His cultivation level had reached the peak of the Late True Immortal Stage, just half a step away from the Taiyi Stage, making him the highest among the True Immortal Cultivators present. ¡°It wasn''t, it was a Daoist friend from outside,¡± Yuan Tiangang answered. The white-haired old man raised his eyebrows, curious about this person, but considering the urgency of the situation, he did not inquire further. ¡°Return to the Imperial City immediately, take this Nine Dragon Token, and have half of the remaining officers in the palace stay to protect His Majesty and the royal family, while the other half goes to protect the people within the city,¡± Yuan Tiangang said as he handed a Golden Token to the youth in yellow robes. In the years after the disaster of demons, the Three Realms gradually became chaotic, and besides cultivating the Tang Dynasty Government Disciples, the Great Tang Dynasty had also been accumulating strength, recruiting many skilled individuals into the palace, with most of the True Immortals present being court officers. The youth in yellow robes agreed and turned to fly towards the Imperial City. Chapter 1470 Chapter 1470: Chapter 1466: Demonstrate Authority Chapter 1470: Chapter 1466: Demonstrate Authority ¡°Master Yuan, what should we do now?¡± the white-haired old man looked at Yuan Tiangang and asked, ¡°Should we stop the True Dragon Limitless Array and wait until after the Demon threat is pacified to continue refining the Blood Light within the Dragon Veins?¡± The True Dragon Limitless Array and the Dragon Veins of Chang''an City were closely linked. If it were interrupted mid-operation, it would cause considerable damage to the Dragon Veins. ¡°That is not an option,¡± Yuan Tiangang said. ¡°The Blood Light within the Dragon Veins is not simple. It must be expelled as soon as possible, or else there may be unforeseen consequences. However, the civilians inside the city are in imminent danger. From now on, I will operate the array alone. You all go and suppress the Demons within the city!¡± ¡°You''re going to operate it alone? How is that possible?¡± the white-haired old man exclaimed. ¡°The True Dragon Limitless Array significantly drains vitality. It took the combined effort of sixteen of us to barely activate it. Even though your cultivation level is profound and far surpasses ours, it will be exceedingly difficult for you alone to support the True Dragon Limitless Array.¡± ¡°I have my methods. You do not need to worry about me. Saving people is like putting out a fire ¡ª go quickly!¡± Yuan Tiangang waved his sleeve, and more than a dozen True Immortal Cultivators flashed out of the True Dragon Limitless Array. The True Dragon Limitless Array immediately dimmed, but then a great white light burst forth from Yuan Tiangang, pouring into the array. Beside him, another Yuan Tiangang appeared with a flash of white light¨Cit was his Yang Shen Avatar. The avatar sat down cross-legged, radiating a cascading Spiritual Light, also infusing the array with power. The luminosity of the True Dragon Limitless Array was restored, and it continued its thunderous operation. The group of True Immortal Cultivators, upon seeing this, finally felt at ease. ¡°Master Yuan demonstrates godlike prowess, and Xu admires you. Since that''s the case, we will take our leave. Be careful in everything,¡± the white-haired old man said to Yuan Tiangang before turning and flying away with the others. Yuan Tiangang watched everyone depart and closed his eyes, the white light flickering on his body as he fully activated the array. Inside the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Shen Luo was seated with a faint glow of Golden Light around him. The vitality consumed in refining the treasure was gradually being restored, and within moments, it would be fully recuperated. The Netherworld Furnace was no longer present; evidently, Fire Spirit Child had finished refining the Dragon-burying Flute and put it away. At that moment, Shen Luo suddenly opened his eyes and leapt out, instantly appearing outside. Violent tremors were coming from all directions, and the sounds of struggle and shouting followed, with the giant Black Qi also entering his sight. ¡°These Demons have really appeared again!¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow but did not panic. He had previously discussed with Yuan Tiangang the possibility of a second Demon attack on Chang''an City. With Yuan Tiangang''s divine powers and methods, preparations would certainly have been made, and this time, a tragedy should be avoided. Disciples within the Great Tang Dynasty Government were also roused, emerging from their buildings and upon seeing the situation in the city, their faces changed dramatically. Shen Luo paid no attention to the others and transformed into a streak of red light racing towards the distance. It was then that a whooshing sound of flapping wings approached, and a flock of Large Demon Bats flew towards him. There were more than twenty of these bats, each one several meters in size; the lead bat was as large as a palace, with a mouthful of sharp tusks and sending out powerful waves of Demonic Qi, actually reaching the True Immortal Level, with the others being mostly in the Late Mahayana Realm. The momentum of the bats was overwhelming, and they seemed to be set on attacking the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Remembering that Mi Su was still inside the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Shen Luo reached for a treasure¨Cit was the Silver Light Bell Magical Treasure that he had seized from the Nameless Wild Ghost¨C which expanded several times in the wind, instantly becoming as large as a water jar. He chanted under his breath, and a crystal light shot out from his brow, striking the Silver Big Clock. With a ¡°dong,¡± a sonorous reverberation rang out as a vast wave of silver light burst forth from within the clock, enveloping all of the Large Demon Bats. The Large Demon Bats, including the one at the True Immortal Stage, the Bat King, quivered in unison, their eyes befogged as if they had fallen under a bewitchment, and their fleeing forms came to a halt. ¡°The combination of the Soul Shaking Secret Technique and the Silver Light Bell truly magnifies its power,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up with joy as he swept his sleeve, sending seven Red Flying Swords spinning out of his hand, turning into a sky-full of fiery red sword threads that sliced through the Large Demon Bats. The bodies of the Large Demon Bats shattered into countless pieces of black flesh and blood that rained down with a clatter, their divine souls annihilated, all perishing. Shen Luo was rather satisfied with the power of these Pure Yang Swords. With a flick of his fingers, the fiery red sword threads recondensed into seven Flying Swords that carried him and the Silver Light Bell forward, disappearing into the distant horizon in the blink of an eye. The people from the Great Tang Dynasty Government who had been ready to engage in battle stood stunned as the Large Demon Bats were instantly slain. ¡°Is this Shen Luo? His strength is terrifying indeed; no wonder Duke Cheng and Master Yuan hold him in such high regard,¡± a gaunt figure flew out from within the Great Tang Government Officials, it was the Yellow Wood Senior, who murmured as he watched the direction in which Shen Luo had disappeared. ¡°Yellow Wood Senior, the Demons have attacked again, seemingly emerging from those fissures. Had we known, we should have completely sealed those fissures! What do we do now?¡± an elder from the Great Tang Government flew over and asked anxiously. The others also looked towards the Yellow Wood Senior, their expressions uneasy. With Cheng Yaojin absent, there was no one to give orders, and the hearts of those in the Great Tang Government had been unsettled and chaotic over the past few days. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Don''t panic, the National Master has already foreseen the unrest of the Demons and has made thorough preparations. Today, we shall slay these Demonic Beings to avenge our previous losses! Disciples of Shenwu Hall and Tiangong Hall, stay and guard the Great Tang Government; everyone else set out separately¨CQian Niao Hall and Four Seas Hall to the southern part of the city, Luoxiu Hall and Guanglin Hall to East City, Hua Jin Hall and Baihu Hall to west of the city, Chuyun Hall and Wuling Hall to North City. Seal those fissures and slay the rampaging Demons within the city!¡± commanded Yellow Wood Senior methodically. Everyone responded in unison, scattering and flying away. At the site of the massive fissure, Lu Huaming was now riddled with wounds on half of his body, barely keeping himself upright with the aid of his greatsword. Not far in front of him was a dark silhouette, around which tiny beams of white light danced like stars twinkling in the night sky, dazzling yet filled with endless murderous intent¨Cthese were numerous fine white needles. From the adjacent massive fissure, thick black light continued to shoot upwards, and one Demon after another kept emerging, ignoring Lu Huaming and all rushing towards the surrounding people, with shrill screams rising intermittently. Seeing this, Lu Huaming felt an intense urgency but was powerless to do anything. The dark silhouette before him was far stronger than he was, and had it not been for the support of his Frost Cold Nine Realms sword, he would have already been defeated and perished. ¡°Hmph, a mere Late Mahayana Stage and you''ve managed to withstand my Thousand Rain Needle Array to this extent¨Cit''s quite impressive, but this is as far as you go!¡± the dark silhouette snorted lightly, pointing out with the walking stick into the void. Countless fine white needles shot towards Lu Huaming like a torrential downpour, bringing with them a terrifying whistling sound. Lu Huaming''s expression shifted slightly as he rapidly formed hand seals. The sword light of Frost Cold Nine Realms surged, forming a blue light ring that enveloped his body. The countless white needles struck the blue light ring fiercely, each one exploding in a flash of white light upon impact, creating a thunderous roar. The blue light ring trembled violently and began to shrink rapidly, on the verge of complete collapse. Chapter 1471 Chapter 1471: Chapter 1467 Combined Swords Chapter 1471: Chapter 1467 Combined Swords Lu Huaming''s body trembled continuously as thunderous crashes emanated from the blue halo that enveloped him. His complexion was extremely unsightly, and he gritted his teeth, about to deploy some kind of secret technique. Just as he was on the verge of collapse, a golden light descended from the sky, forming a bell-shaped protective cover that caged Lu Huaming within. The white needles struck the bell-shaped protective cover, producing a series of thunderous explosions. However, the protective cover seemed much sturdier; despite the intense trembling, there were no signs of collapse. ¡°Eh!¡± the dark silhouette exclaimed in surprise. Without any visible incantation, a pitch-black fierce light lunged out, aiming for the golden protective barrier. Two red flying swords plunged down from the sky, with golden flames blazing upon them. In an instant, they stirred up a myriad of fiery lights and thousands of golden thunderbolts, shattering the encompassing black light in a single strike. This was the divine ability of True Solar Fire, not only searingly hot and capable of burning everything but also able to transform into Solar Thunder Fire, the nemesis of all yin attribute divine abilities. ¡°True Solar Fire!¡± the shadow cried out in alarm, as the silver cane glowed intensely, suddenly shaking with force. Instantaneously, a series of thunderous roars echoed in the void, and an enormous cane shadow, resembling a mountain, materialized out of thin air. Taking advantage of the moment when True Solar Fire shredded the black light, it fiercely struck down on the two swords. An overwhelming force caused the nearby void to distort and buzz. Since the silver cane shadow was not a yin attribute attack, the True Solar Fire could not counter it, and the two flying swords were promptly forced to retreat. The dark silhouette had a fervent desire for the True Solar Fire, opening its mouth to spit out a white light that transformed into a giant white palm, seizing the two flying swords. This white giant palm was renowned, known as the Innate Qi Great Capture, a divine power from the Ancient Immortal Sect, exceptionally skilled in seizing magical treasures. However, at that moment, the two golden flame flying swords suddenly trembled in unison, resonating with each other and emitting a roar similar to the growl of a tiger or the rumble of thunder. In the blink of an eye, their sword qi''s might surged several fold, shooting out a hundred-foot-long fierce sword qi, tearing the white giant palm apart with a sizzling noise. The two flying swords continued to advance against the tide, working together from within and without, as their sword light flashed and split the mountainous cane shadow asunder. In mid-air, a figure stood on nothingness, it was Shen Luo, his eyes flashing with a hint of joy. This was the fourth form of the Pure Yang Sword Forms, Combined Sword! He had long wanted to test this technique, and now it seemed, its power was indeed great. ¡°Slay!¡± This was Shen Luo''s first execution of the Combined Sword, yet without any hint of inexperience; the circulation of the Pure Yang Sword technique flowed as smoothly as clouds and water. The two sword lights intertwined, suddenly growing hazy, and in a flash, they reached in front of the dark silhouette. These series of attacks were as swift as lightning, and even the dark silhouette, with his cultivation level, could not react in time until the sword lights appeared before him. Alarmed, he hurriedly retreated backwards, channeling surging mana into the silver cane, fiercely striking forward. With a thunderbolt out of the blue sky, a hundreds of feet long silver Greatstaff descended, smashing towards the two sword lights like a Divine Weapon capable of holding up the heavens, the resulting spiritual pressure twisting the nearby void into a buzzing distortion. Yet even such an attack was ineffective against the Combined Sword divine power. The two swords, with a quick maneuver, tore apart the dreadful spiritual pressure, then circled past the silver Greatstaff. There was a ¡°snap,¡± and the silver Greatstaff, like rotten wood, broke into two pieces. ¡°My Mo-Tie Cane!¡± the dark silhouette cried out in anguish, but their cry was immediately overwhelmed by the explosive sound of the sword qi caused by the flying swords. The shadow was terror-stricken, and their feet glowed with two clusters of blue light, their body transforming into a residual image as they dodged to the side. But the flying swords were too fast, and the shadow was still caught by them. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the black Qi enveloping the figure was torn apart by the sword qi, revealing their appearance and figure. ¡°It''s you!¡± An exclamation came from mid-air as Shen Luo''s figure descended, his face full of surprise. The person within the shadow was none other than Grandma Qiu from Qingqiu Mountain. Lu Hua Ming had encountered Grandma Qiu before and had also shown a shocked expression. A trace of horror flashed in Grandma Qiu''s eyes. Her body surged with Black Qi once again as she turned to flee into the distance. However, she hadn''t gone far when a figure blurred in front of her, and Shen Luo appeared like a ghostly specter, blocking her path. ¡°Grandma Qiu, what are you doing here? Could it be that both these demon attacks on Chang''an were orchestrated by your Qingqiu Fox Clan?¡± Shen Luo said coldly. Grandma Qiu said nothing, her body radiating a dazzling white light that was so bright that Shen Luo had to squint, and then her figure suddenly split apart, transforming into dozens of identical images scattering in all directions, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fakes. ¡°Splitting Technique?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised as he reached out into the void with both hands, his arms glowing brightly with the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns. Boom! Streaks of Golden Lightning fell from mid-air, covering an area of nearly a hundred feet, engulfing all images of Grandma Qiu. The Golden Electric Arcs burst forth, a destructive aura sweeping through the area, tearing apart each of Grandma Qiu''s images, which then dissipated into specks of white light. Only the one to the left remained, but it was wrapped in Golden Electric Arcs, immobilized in place. ¡°Die!¡± Murderous intent gleamed in Lu Hua Ming''s eyes as he swung his arm, and the pale blue greatsword transformed into a blue Sword Rainbow, its cold light flashing instantly upon Grandma Qiu''s body without any hesitation. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed, and he suddenly turned to the side, pointing at two Flying Swords with his hand. Still in their Combined Sword state, they roared like thunder and became an indistinguishable red phantom that flashed onto an area of Open Ground in his line of sight. After joining together, the two swords not only increased in power but were also several times faster than before. Lu Hua Ming''s blue Sword Rainbow easily bisected Grandma Qiu''s body, yet a White Talisman fluttered from within her body and self-ignited without flame, her bisected form turning into countless bubbles that drifted into the Void. ¡°What!¡± Lu Hua Ming exclaimed in shock. A muffled ¡°pu-chi¡± sound came from the side where Shen Luo''s two Flying Swords had struck, revealing a flash of Blood Light, and Grandma Qiu''s bisected body emerged. ¡°Impossible! My Asura''s Invisibility Technique has already been cultivated to the Great Perfection Realm; how could you possibly see through it?¡± Despite being cut in two, Grandma Qiu had not fallen, screaming furiously as blood spurted from her mouth. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo ignored Grandma Qiu''s outburst, flicking his sleeve and releasing a Blue Light. Severely injured and unable to dodge, Grandma Qiu was easily struck by the Blue Light. A piercing cold exploded, and a block of blue ice over a meter high appeared out of thin air, freezing both halves of Grandma Qiu''s body within the ice crystal, unable to move or speak any longer. Shen Luo''s figure appeared spectrally in front of the blue ice crystal, raising his hand and shooting out a red crystal light that enveloped the blue ice. Had it been before, he might not have been able to see through the Asura Invisibility Technique. Yet, not long ago, he had refined most of the Ancestral Dragon Soul''s power in the East Sea Dragon Palace, greatly enhancing his Suppressing God Technique and significantly improving his divine soul''s probing capabilities. Even the profound invisibility technique of Grandma Qiu could not deceive him. However, Shen Luo naturally wouldn''t publicize these details, and with a flash of the red crystal light, Both the blue ice block and the trapped Grandma Qiu vanished, absorbed into the Carefree Mirror. Chapter 1472 Chapter 1472: Chapter 1468: Strange Changes in the City Chapter 1472: Chapter 1468: Strange Changes in the City ¡°Fire Spirit Child, Daoist friend, I''d appreciate it if you could investigate Grandma Qiu''s memories and see what her relationship with these demons is,¡± Shen Luo transmitted his thoughts to Fire Spirit Child and said, before his figure flickered and vanished again. ¡°Just finished exerting myself to refine the Pure Yang Sword for you, and I finally had some free time to study the Spirit Refining Array, but now you bring me this troublesome task,¡± Fire Spirit Child complained, but still activated the Netherworld Furnace and flew above Grandma Qiu, casting down a beam of pink light. The situation around was urgent, and Shen Luo pushed his bodily movement technique to the limit, appearing instantly beside the huge fissure, his hands emanating a surging blue light, forming hand seals with a flick. Two thick beams of blue light shot out from his hands, disappearing into the huge fissure in an instant. A torrential cold air burst forth from the fissure, as a hundred-foot-tall Blue Ice Mountain appeared out of thin air, freezing the fissure within it, along with the black Qi, which turned into a blue ice pillar standing silently there. The demons within the black Qi were also completely frozen, their flesh and divine souls assaulted by the cold, instantly frozen solid on the spot. Having just fled, the demons were attacking people nearby and destroying houses. Seeing their exit frozen shut, they all howled furiously and flew back toward it. ¡°Perfect timing, all of you go to die!¡± Shen Luo waved his sleeve, and four Flying Swords shot out from his body. In pairs, they combined into three illusory beams of Crimson Sword Light, vanishing into thin air amidst thunderous explosions. The next moment, the three beams of Sword Light circled swiftly near the fissure, appearing now before them and now behind; within a few breaths, they had slain all of the demons on the spot. Having finished all this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, but a hint of paleness swept across his face. He had already severely depleted his Dantian Power during the previous treasure refining process, and having not fully recovered, he had just now consecutively employed numerous Big Miraculous Powers, causing his Dantian Power to become empty once again. He took out an Immortal Crystal and grasped it in his hand, absorbing the spiritual energy within, and his Dantian Power began to recover rapidly. Shen Luo''s heart relaxed, and he flickered to Lu Huaming''s side. ¡°Brother Lu, are you alright?¡± he asked with concern. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I''m fine, and once again, I owe you my rescue,¡± Lu Huaming had already stood up. ¡°We are close friends, why mention such formalities. Your Mana is greatly spent; stay here and recover your vitality while you hold the position at this fissure. I will go check other places in the city,¡± Shen Luo told Lu Huaming, not waiting for a response before he soared towards another fissure. Lu Huaming watched Shen Luo leave, then glanced at the corpses of the demons surrounding him, gripping the Greatsword in his hand, seemingly making a certain decision. With Shen Luo''s current speed, it only took a few breaths to reach another fissure. A rolling Black Qi continued to surge from underground at this place, with numerous demons constantly flying out. Several Tang Dynasty Government Disciples struggled valiantly here, but sadly, they were no match for the numbers and were about to be slain. Shen Luo was about to make a move, spurring the six Pure Yang Swords beside him with a hand seal. A whip-like beam of white light shot from afar, striking into the midst of the demon horde ¡ª it was a white whip, bound with numerous bright blades, looking exceptionally sharp. The whip swept across those demons, instantly cutting their bodies in two. Following the white whip, a figure emerged ¡ª it was Hu Bugui. ¡°Brother Hu,¡± Shen Luo showed a look of surprise. The Disciples of Silk Cave had already left Chang''an City, and he thought Hu Bugui had left as well, but unexpectedly, he was still here. Hu Bugui also noticed Shen Luo and nodded in acknowledgment from afar. Shen Luo nodded in response, urging the six Pure Yang Swords to strike at the other demons. These demons were not very strong, just numerous. For an ordinary True Immortal Cultivator, they might be difficult to contend with, but not for Shen Luo. His attack included the seven Pure Yang Swords, the Profound Yellow Staff, the Turn Sky Seal, and the Nine Nether Demon Ring. His defense had the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, so he was not afraid of being surrounded. Shen Luo activated the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet to protect his body, flitting through the crowd of demons. Crimson sword light flickered continuously by his side, slaying most of the surrounding demons in just a few breaths. The remaining Demonic Beings, seeing no weakness in Shen Luo, turned and fled. Shen Luo did not pursue them, instead, his figure shot forth, appearing next to the huge fissure. His hands emitted a bright blue light, and two thick light pillars burst forth, aiming at the interior of the fissure. At that moment, a shadow flickered behind him in the void, and a pitch-black beast claw reached for his Dantian, aimed at piercing through his body in one strike. However, a streak of yellow light passed behind Shen Luo, and a yellow figure emerged out of nowhere, grabbing the black beast claw as if it had anticipated its attack. The black beast claw was startled, struggling to retract its paw, but the grip of the yellow figure was like a steel hoop, unyielding to the slightest degree. The yellow figure opened its mouth wide, and a ball of gray-white flames struck the void behind the beast claw. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the darkness of the void was burned away by the gray-white flames, revealing a figure enveloped in Black Qi. Its shoulder was ablaze with the gray-white flame, which spread rapidly to other areas. The dark silhouette seemed to fear the gray-white flames tremendously, and despite rapid flickering of black light attempting to shake them off, it was to no avail. The gray-white flames spread quickly, and in the blink of an eye, they had enveloped the upper half of the body, easily burning away the surrounding Black Qi, within which was a young man of handsome appearance, yet with a pair of fox ears. ¡°Fox Clan¡­¡± Shen Luo''s expression seized in astonishment. Hu Bugui, standing to the side, also saw the true form of the young man and his expression changed slightly. Shen Luo sharply noticed the change in Hu Bugui''s expression and, with a flicker in his eyes, waved his left hand, sending the concentrated blue light in his palm onto the Fox Clan young man. With a ¡°crack,¡± a chunk of blue ice the size of a house appeared around the Fox Clan young man, freezing him within, rendering him immobile. Shen Luo waved his right hand similarly, and the blue light in his hand became a thick pillar of light that entered the fissure in the ground. A massive burst of cold air erupted, and another ice mountain coalesced, freezing the ground fissure within it, sealing it completely. ¡°Unexpectedly, Brother Shen is also proficient in the Art of Ice and Frost. I admire that,¡± praised Hu Bugui as he flew over. ¡°It''s just a little trick. I''m surprised to see Brother Hu still in Chang''an City,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently, sweeping his sleeve to emit a swath of crimson light, enclosing the blue ice around the Fox Clan young man and taking it with him. Beside him, the yellow figure, who was the Sky Fiend Corpse King, retreated its gray-white flames and vanished with a shimmer. Hu Bugui, watching this scene, hesitated to speak. ¡°Thank you, Elder Shen, for lending a hand,¡± a few of the remaining Tang Dynasty Government Disciples flew over, bowing their thanks to Shen Luo. Shen Luo waved his hand, about to say something when the ground suddenly started to tremble violently. A large expanse of yellow light burst out from Underground, reaching only a few feet high. Shen Luo felt his body sinking, as if he were trapped in a quagmire, and hurriedly mustered his Mana to break free from the yellow light, escaping to Mid Air, his expression subtly changing. The yellow light was not limited to the Surroundings; looking around, the entire ground of Chang''an City was now emitting that kind of yellow light, shrouding all the buildings within Chang''an City. Chapter 1473 Chapter 1473: Chapter 1469: Openly Repair the Plank Walkway Chapter 1473: Chapter 1469: Openly Repair the Plank Walkway ¡°What''s going on? An array formation?¡± Hu Bugui also flew to mid-air, standing beside Shen Luo, and asked in surprise. At that instant, a multitude of runes surged out of the yellow light on the ground, streaming towards the large and small buildings within the city and merging into them. As if drawn, the yellow light also adhered to the buildings penetrated by the runes, and in the blink of an eye, it formed a layer of ice crystal-like yellow protective covers around them. In a split second, all the buildings within Chang''an City were enveloped in a yellow protective cover. Shen Luo saw this scene and raised his eyebrows. ¡°This is a variation of the Chang''an City protective great formation. It strengthens the buildings with the Earth Spirit Light to ensure the safety of the people inside,¡± some of the Tang Dynasty Government disciples flew over and explained. Shen Luo had already guessed as much and nodded slightly upon hearing this. With the buildings enveloped in the yellow light shields, the attacks launched by the demons within the city were deflected off the shields, utterly unable to harm the people inside. The yellow protective covers looked ordinary, but in reality, they were indestructible. The priests tasked with protecting the people and the Tang Dynasty Government disciples within the city breathed a sigh of relief. They could finally free their hands, and a multitude of magical treasures and secret techniques bombarded the demons. The demons, ferocious and unyielding, realizing they couldn''t kill the people, immediately retaliated. Without the need to worry about the people, the court priests and Tang Dynasty Government disciples fully engaged in combat with the demons. For a time, various colors of light clashed fiercely, and loud explosions resounded for hundreds of li. At this moment, there was another stir within Chang''an City, as the sounds of dragon chants and tiger roars echoed. From the directions of east, west, south, and north, spiritual light surged, forming vivid phantoms of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. Above the heavens, dense stars and runes appeared, resembling an overturned pot descending¨C it was the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array, slowly descending. Without Peach Blossom''s interference, the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array descended quickly. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The western White Tiger, dominant in slaughter and ever restless, saw the rampage of demons within the city. It immediately spewed forth innumerable golden and white sword qi like a rain shower, cutting down swathes of demons in an instant. The Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise also launched their attacks, with countless powers such as Blue Wood, Flames, Water Thunder, and so on, raining down, the demons within the city were massively slaughtered. Shen Luo, witnessing this scene, also relaxed. With both the city protective great formation and the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array, these two powerful prohibitions, the demons no longer posed a significant threat. ¡°That''s not right. These demons are attacking Chang''an City for the second time but with little to show for their noise. The person controlling all this from behind has attacked Chang''an City twice. Even if they don''t intend to destroy the Three Realms as previously mentioned by the fox shadow, their goal must be significant. They couldn''t possibly be resolved so easily. Could it be that the target isn''t the people of Chang''an?¡± A thought suddenly struck Shen Luo, and after bidding farewell to Hu Bugui, he vanished in a flash, only to appear at the center of Chang''an City the next moment. Shen Luo expanded his Divine Sense all around, scanning the surroundings. His eyes fully engaged the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, shooting out green light extending for about ten feet, mixed with streaks of black light, looking in all directions. ¡°Eh!¡± A flash of green light in his eyes, his expression abruptly changed, and with a flick of his fingers on the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, his entire being disappeared again, darting towards the northwest of Chang''an. Inside the Circular Mound, Yuan Tiangang was sitting cross-legged at the top of the altar, operating the True Dragon Limitless Array. The Blood Light on the Dragon Vein True Spirit was extremely faint, and it seemed that it would disappear before long. The True Spirit was darting around joyfully and swiftly, emitting waves of dragon chants. However, Yuan Tiangang, supporting the great formation alone, was greatly depleted of Mana. His complexion was as pale as paper, and his Mana was about to run out. He took out a Purple Gold Pill with a flip of his hand, ready to recover his mana. Suddenly, a distortion manifested in the void behind Yuan Tiangang, and a black giant axe shot out, silently cleaving towards his neck. But just as the giant axe came within mere inches of Yuan Tiangang''s neck, there was a loud ¡°clang,¡± and a dark golden treasure sword appeared behind him, inscribed with the words ¡°Gan Jiang,¡± looking unremarkable yet it managed to block the blow of the giant axe without even a tremble of the sword radiance. Yuan Tiangang waved his sleeve, sending a dark golden sword light slashing backwards, and yet another dark golden treasure sword appeared, this one inscribed with the words ¡°Mo Ye.¡± The sword seemed blunt and edgeless, but with a ¡°swish,¡± it sliced the void open. A figure tumbled out from within, tall and with whiskers on his face¨Cit was Cheng Yaojin, who had been missing for a long time. For some reason, Cheng Yaojin''s skin had turned black, and so had his golden armor, his whole body surging with Demonic Qi, evidently corrupted by it. ¡°Master Cheng!¡± Yuan Tiangang''s face changed with shock when he saw this, and the Gan Jiang treasure sword he was about to strike with was forcefully halted. Cheng Yaojin''s brow suddenly emitted a streak of black light, which flashed past the defense of the two swords and struck Yuan Tiangang''s chest fiercely. Yuan Tiangang''s clothes were fully shredded at the front, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as both Gan Jiang and Mo Ye swords were shaken from his grasp and swept away by that black light. ¡°Master Yuan, that year, this Duke was tricked by you, and on the Dragon Execution Platform, I took a blow from your sword. Today, I return you the favor with one sword!¡± A fine voice rang out, and the black light shot out a weapon that resembled both a sword and a knife, its handle wrapped in a black fire, slicing towards Yuan Tiangang''s neck like a black bolt of lightning. At this moment, it was too late to summon the treasure swords, and Yuan Tiangang, pushing through on his last breath, grabbed at nothingness with his right hand. Two clusters of light, one black and one white, materialized from thin air and condensed into a black and white Taiji Diagram, blocking the path of the black exotic sword. But the black exotic sword, whatever treasure it might have been, split the black and white Taiji with a flash of sword light and then, even quicker, streaked towards Yuan Tiangang''s neck. Yuan Tiangang, already strained from maintaining the True Dragon Limitless Array and crippled by vital energy loss, now gravely wounded, had no strength to counterattack and seemed doomed to fall right there and then. From afar, a red sword rainbow shot forth, concealing the phantasm of the Vermilion Bird Divine Bird within. Its speed was unbelievably fast, bridging hundreds of feet in an instant, and with a ¡°clang¡± struck the black exotic sword, repelling it several yards back. A figure separated from the red sword rainbow as its red light flashed by¨Cit was Shen Luo. Seeing the situation before him, his expression showed surprise, yet his hands did not hesitate as he threw a punch into the void. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± a mountain-sized golden fist shadow shot out from his hand, striking Cheng Yaojin and sending him flying backward. ¡°Master Yuan, are you alright?¡± Shen Luo did not continue his attack but landed beside Yuan Tiangang. ¡°It''s nothing serious. Thank you, young friend, for your timely rescue,¡± Yuan Tiangang coughed a few times before taking out another Purple Gold Pill and ingesting it, his face glowing with a pinkish-purple radiance. ¡°Rest for a while, Master Yuan. I''ll take care of the enemy,¡± Shen Luo glanced over the True Dragon Limitless Array, positioning himself in front of Yuan Tiangang. ¡°Finish us off? A mere early-stage True Immortal youngster sure talks big!¡± An icy sneer sounded from the nearby void, and a man-tiger demon materialized, his body rich with Demonic Qi, reaching the late-stage of True Immortal. ¡°Demon of Jing River, this person is full of crazy talk. There''s no need for you to take action. We will capture him for you!¡± Beside the tiger demon, a black light flashed, and another large demon appeared¨Cit was an elephant demon, with huge tusks hanging down to his chest and armed with a pair of frosty-gleaming ivory treasure swords, his cultivation level also late-stage True Immortal. Beside the two demons, shadows flickered rapidly as one demon after another revealed their forms, and in the blink of an eye, more than a dozen appeared, all of them at the True Immortal stage. Chapter 1474 Chapter 1474: Chapter 1470: Battle of Wits and Bravery Chapter 1474: Chapter 1470: Battle of Wits and Bravery ¡°So it is true, it appears that both attacks on Chang''an City were orchestrated by Your Excellency, with your target being the Great Tang Dragon Vein, Jing River Dragon King!¡± Shen Luo looked at the group of monsters that appeared before him, his expression darkening as he turned to Cheng Yaojin and spoke coldly. ¡°Oh, to think you could detect my presence, it seems you haven''t been idle these years and indeed have gained some skills,¡± a phantom silhouette shot out from Cheng Yaojin''s body, slowly materializing into the Jing River Dragon King. The black exotic sword landed in his hands, its sword radiance suddenly increased dramatically, and the surrounding void buzzed and trembled. ¡°Dragon Slaying Sword! So this sword has also fallen into your hands, it seems that our Daoist friend from Jing River hasn''t been idle either, secretly plotting many things over the years,¡± Shen Luo looked at the black exotic sword and said solemnly. Though the aura of the sword was different, it was indeed the Dragon Slaying Sword from that year. ¡°This Dragon Slaying Sword was originally forged from the celestial bones of my Dragon Clan, and naturally, it should belong to me. You, boy, had some fate with me back then, and you are also a friend of Xiu''er, considering Xiu''er''s sake, as long as you submit to me, I can forgive past grievances,¡± the Jing River Dragon King flicked the Dragon Slaying Sword with his finger and spoke. ¡°Surrender to you minions of demons? Jing River Dragon King, have your years of cultivating demonic arts addled your brains?¡± Shen Luo sneered. ¡°Refuse the toast only to drink the punishment booze, since you persist in your folly, then stake your life! Kill!¡± Jing River Dragon King''s face turned stern, and he raised the Dragon Slaying Sword, pointing it at Shen Luo. The demons by his side, impatient from waiting, immediately rushed towards Shen Luo. However, just as these monsters began to fly, they suddenly felt a heat in their throats and dizziness, with purple and black spots rapidly appearing on their bodies, halting their lunging forms. ¡°Did you release poison?¡± The tiger-headed demon, having the highest cultivation level among these monsters, was the first to react. Shen Luo sneered, and without any visible movement, a black magic box shot out from his sleeve¨Cit was the Plague Spreader Box. His lengthy exchange with the Jing River Dragon King had not been a mere battle of words, but rather a diversion to buy time for the release of the plague poison from the box. ¡°What a cunning human youngster!¡± Jing River Dragon King was startled and fiercely slashed out with the Dragon Slaying Sword, a hundred-foot-long thick black sword light descended headed for Shen Luo, shaping like a black dragon, nearly tearing apart the void, even more powerful than it had been back in the day. Shen Luo showed no fear, forming a seal and pointing to the Pure Yang Sword beside him. Similarly massive flaming sword Qi slashed forth. After the thunderous explosion, both sword energies disappeared simultaneously. The Pure Yang Sword then shot out, transforming into a hundred-foot giant sword. Its body surged with Red Lotus Karmic Fire and it chopped directly at the Jing River Dragon King. Having suffered the torment of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire for hundreds of years, the Jing River Dragon King knew its power all too well. He hastily stirred the Dragon Slaying Sword to block, but unexpectedly, a sharp cry arose from within the giant Pure Yang Sword, and a flaming divine bird burst forth¨Cit was the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, which bit onto the body of the Dragon Slaying Sword, unafraid of the fierce sword Qi. Jing River Dragon King felt a burning sensation in his palm, nearly unable to hold the sword, and quickly shouted loudly. Black light surged from his body to stabilize the sword. However, a red light howled before his eyes, and the Pure Yang giant sword shot forth, fiercely chopping at him, producing a loud clang. Cheng Yaojin had moved quickly to block in front, taking the hit. Shen Luo''s Pure Yang Sword had already been refined with sixty-four layers of prohibition, reaching the peak of superior magical treasures, augmented with the Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit, its power tremendously formidable. Both Cheng Yaojin and the Jing River Dragon King were immediately cleaved backward and smashed into the ground below, raising clouds of dust. Shen Luo knew that although the two were blasted away, they were not injured, but his target was not the Jing River Dragon King, he waved his sleeve. Six red flying swords shot out like lightning, slashing towards those demons trapped by the demonic poison, instantly piercing through several demons'' bodies. A few demonic beings had their Dantians crushed immediately, their lifeforces extinguished, just as their divine souls were about to flee. A yellow shadow flashed past, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared by their side, opened his mouth to suck in, and behind him emerged a millstone-sized yellow jade shadow, which was the Gathering God Pearl. An odd suction force enveloped the divine souls of several demons, and without any resistance, several bundles of divine souls were sucked away with a whoosh into the Gathering God Pearl. As the demons fell completely, Shen Luo was about to collect their bodies for later use, when suddenly they exploded, turning into a cloud of black and red Demonic Qi, emitting a rotting stench, dispersing in all directions. Smelling this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows also furrowed, and he swiftly sidestepped, driving the six Pure Yang Swords to continue attacking other demons. A flash of golden light appeared behind the Sky Fiend Corpse King, a pair of broad golden wings emerged, and with a flap, he vanished into thin air, and in the next moment, he also appeared amidst the group of demons, reaching out with both hands and grabbing a demon in each hand, squeezing them fiercely. The two demons'' bodies burst open, dead beyond death, their souls similarly swallowed by the Sky Fiend Corpse King. The Sky Fiend Corpse King had once barely managed to cultivate by relying on the divine souls of several True Immortal Cultivators stored in the Gathering God Pearl. Compared to its Taiyi Stage''s vast mana, the soul power in the Gathering God Pearl was somewhat weak, unable to unleash the full strength of the Taiyi Stage. At this moment, having absorbed the divine souls of these True Immortal demons, the soul power in the Gathering God Pearl suddenly became abundant, Sky Fiend Corpse King''s mana surged even higher, excitedly cackling and transforming into a yellow shadow, pouncing on other demons. ¡°An existence of the Taiyi Stage!¡± The tiger-headed and elephant-headed demons, sensing the unfathomable breath of the Sky Fiend Corpse King, immediately felt both shock and regret, disregarding the life and death of other demons, turning around and fleeing far away. The yellow shadow flashed ahead, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared ghost-like, his hands reaching out into the void, two immense yellow hands appeared above the heads of the two demons, crashing down. Despite the plague poison, these two demons, whose cultivation was much higher than other demonic creatures, had not lost their combat strength, one brandished a fiery red war spear, the other swung ivory dual blades, striking at the yellow big hand. The power of the Sky Fiend Corpse King far surpassed the two demons, and now he was performing the Heavenly Corpse Divine Palm from the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, a skill they could not possibly counter. With two loud ¡°bangs,¡± the magical treasures in the hands of the two demons exploded, their bodies also caught in the grip of the giant yellow hand and crushed. The Sky Fiend Corpse King opened his mouth to suck in two powerful divine souls, his strength instantly growing even greater, turning to pounce on other remaining demons. These demons were no match for the Sky Fiend Corpse King, let alone when Shen Luo''s six Pure Yang Swords were also aiding. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In just a few breaths, all the demons were slaughtered, turning into a massive cloud of black and red Demonic Qi drifting around. Shen Luo felt a surge of joy in his heart, but his face turned pale again, his mana almost depleted from the continuous fighting, he hurriedly took out a drop of Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow and swallowed it, quickly refilling his emptied Dantian. Chapter 1475 Chapter 1475: Chapter 1471: Desperate Situation Chapter 1475: Chapter 1471: Desperate Situation ¡°Not right, though the strike from my Pure Yang Sword possessed immense power, it could not possibly have harmed the Jing River Dragon King. Why has he not struck back, merely watching as I slaughter his Demon subordinates?¡± Now that Shen Luo''s mana had recovered, his mind became more agile. At this moment, the surrounding black and red Demonic Qi suddenly surged, growing stronger and forming an overwhelming Devil Cloud that enshrouded both the altar and Shen Luo within. ¡°Ha ha, Friend Shen, thank you for killing those fifteen Demons. Those things were meant as sacrificial offerings for the Great Primordial Heavenly Demon Array, saving this King quite a bit of trouble,¡± the Jing River Dragon King''s figure slowly emerged from the ground. Shen Luo''s expression darkened upon hearing this, and he hurriedly recalled the seven Pure Yang Swords and the Sky Fiend Corpse King, about to do something, when the sky-filled black and red Devil Cloud suddenly swooped down, swallowing him whole. Shen Luo felt a wild wind howling around him, and suddenly everything turned pitch black, his hand unable to see his own fingers, as if he had plunged into boundless darkness. The target of the Devil Cloud Formation was not Shen Luo. After confining him, the boundless Devil Cloud moved towards the True Dragon Limitless Array on the altar, aiming to consume everything. But at this moment, Yuan Tiangang, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them, and a yellow light shot out from his body; it was a yellow, ancient-looking bamboo scroll, blank without a single word. The bamboo scroll rustled and unfolded, expanding hundreds of times in size with the wind, covering the entire altar. A substantial golden light also arose from the scroll, supporting the descending black and red Devil Cloud. ¡°The Wordless Scripture! A treasure indeed, but you''re drained of mana; how much power can you actually muster? Hand it over!¡± The Jing River Dragon King, seeing this scene, was delighted rather than alarmed, and dove into the Devil Cloud. The Devil Cloud surged and rumbled, and a black giant hand, blocking out the sky, descended from above, fiercely grabbing the Wordless Scripture with a thunderous crash. The golden light on the Wordless Scripture was instantly extinguished by a large part, and the bamboo scroll that initially covered the entire altar also shrank considerably. Meanwhile, the Devil Cloud in mid-air whirled rapidly, forming a large black Vortex several acres in size, exuding an immense suction force, capturing the Wordless Scripture and pulling it towards the Vortex. On the other end of the Devil Cloud Formation, another black giant hand descended, fiercely grabbing onto the True Dragon Limitless Array. The formation emitted a loud ¡°clang¡±, the golden light trembled violently, and the Five-clawed Golden Dragon inside was also shaken. Inside the Devil Cloud, the Jing River Dragon King had transformed into his true form, greedily eying the Five-clawed Golden Dragon within the True Dragon Limitless Array. He had schemed repeatedly, having Demons attack Chang''an City, luring Shen Luo into the Underworld to save the souls of the Chang''an people, and then conspiring with the person from the Underworld, purposely informing Shen Luo about the Dragon-breaking Nail, all to induce Yuan Tiangang to summon the Dragon Vein True Spirit of the Great Tang. Although the Jing River Dragon King was a True Dragon, his flesh had long been slain, and that year he had been severely injured by Shen Luo with the Dragon Slaying Sword, nearly completely shattering his soul. Fortunately, he received help from a stranger, which brought him back to life and allowed him to switch to cultivating Demonic Powers, not only returning to his original realm but also making significant progress, reaching the Taiyi Stage. However, he still lacked a physical body, and despite his success in cultivating demonic arts, he could only remain at the Taiyi Realm, never able to step into the Heavenly Venerate Realm. Thus, he painstakingly endeavored to snatch away the Great Tang Dragon Vein, aiming to reconstruct his True Dragon body. The Jing River Dragon King roared furiously, and a huge Dragon Claw descended from the sky, surrounded by Demonic Qi, once again grasping towards the True Dragon Limitless Array. Inside the Devil Cloud, the Vortex also swiftly rotated, devouring the Wordless Scripture. Yuan Tiangang''s eyes bulged, and a burst of white light rose from the top of his head; it was a white ancient scroll emitting celestial music and radiant light. Two thick beams of white light shot out from the ancient scroll, entering the True Dragon Limitless Array and the Wordless Scripture respectively. Their spiritual light suddenly stabilized, no matter how furiously the Jing River Dragon King attacked, he was unable to succeed. ¡°Demons Suppression Heavenly Book! Worthy of being the Great Tang State Master, possessing many treasures, yet even these treasures cannot save you today!¡± The Jing River Dragon King sneered coldly, opening his mouth to spew out a stream of his life''s Demonic Qi, pouring it into the Great Primordial Heavenly Demon Array above him. The Demonic Array immediately rumbled and surged, a thick beam of Blood Light shot out, piercing through the protective Golden Light above the altar, and wrapped around the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book. The Blood Light had a contaminating effect, and the originally pure white heavenly book soon showed a blotch of bloodstain, which rapidly spread. However, a fortunate aura immediately radiated from the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book, countering the invasion of the Blood Light. ¡°Damn it!¡± The Jing River Dragon King grunted lowly, about to continue using his life''s God''s Power. At that moment, within the Devil Cloud Array, a certain area suddenly rumbled and started to expand and shake violently, the area growing larger, as if a tremendous force was attacking the array from within. ¡°Even if Shen Luo possesses the Turn Sky Seal, he''s still in the Early True Immortal stage. How could he possibly exert such power! No, it''s that Taiyi Stage corpse refinement avatar beside him, it''s that avatar activating the Turn Sky Seal!¡± The Jing River Dragon King''s expression changed, his voice lowered in a furious growl. He then suppressed his anger, his eyes narrowed, and suddenly made a decision, spewing out an object¨Cit was a Straw Effigy. ¡°Yuan Tiangang, I didn''t want to use this Vicious Technique against you, but you''re seeking your own death, so you can''t blame me!¡± the Jing River Dragon King grabbed a small vial and splashed its contents onto the Straw Effigy. A mass of blood flew out of the bottle, it was the fresh blood Yuan Tiangang had sprayed from his chest when hit by the Black Light earlier, merging into the Straw Effigy and dying it blood red. The Straw Effigy immediately radiated wisps of Blood Light, faintly forming into a human silhouette resembling Yuan Tiangang. The Jing River Dragon King grabbed a Golden Small Bow with two Bone Arrows mounted on it and aimed at the floating effigy''s eyes. With a ¡°pfft¡±, blood sprayed from the effigy''s eyes, splattering onto the Jing River Dragon King. Below, on the altar, Yuan Tiangang screamed in pain, blood flowing from both his eyes, reducing the strength of the two white lights around the True Dragon Limitless Array and the Wordless Scripture by nearly half. The Jing River Dragon King, secretly delighted, continued to act, shooting four more arrows consecutively at the limbs of the effigy. Yuan Tiangang''s muscles in his limbs cracked open instantly, revealing stark white bones, but the two beams of white light from the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book did not completely dissipate. ¡°Seeking death!¡± The Jing River Dragon King''s eyes flashed fiercely as he shot the final arrow, hitting the effigy directly in the heart, causing a torrent of blood to gush forth. Yuan Tiangang screamed loudly, blood spewing from his chest as he fell to the ground, the white light around him completely shattering and scattering. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Wordless Scripture could no longer hold up, sinking into the Devil Cloud Vortex, and the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book was swept away by the Blood Light, then both objects appeared beside the Jing River Dragon King. ¡°The Wordless Scripture! It is said to be the first bamboo scroll created by an Ancient Human Daoist sage, a treasure that gathers the human Dao''s destiny; the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book is a secret treasure created by the Demonic Powers ancestor from the Heavenly Court Nine Heavens, extremely beneficial for me in harnessing the Dragon Vein True Spirit to refine my dragon body!¡± The Jing River Dragon King laughed heartily, storing away both treasures, then shot out from the Devil Cloud and lunged toward the True Dragon Limitless Array. However, just at that moment, the already dim True Dragon Limitless Array suddenly burst into bright light, a thick beam of Golden Light rushed forth with unprecedented force, directly knocking the Jing River Dragon King away, sending him tumbling several times. Chapter 1476 Chapter 1476: Chapter 1472: The Spiritual Treasure Blocks the Calamity Chapter 1476: Chapter 1472: The Spiritual Treasure Blocks the Calamity ¡°What''s going on?¡± The Jing River Dragon King had barely steadied his form when he cried out in shock. Yuan Tiangang, who had been lying on the ground, rolled over and stood up, with all his injuries gone, and his body faintly glowing, displaying an appearance of great advancement in his divine powers. ¡°It''s impossible! You should have been shattered by my Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book, your mana and divine soul torn apart, how can you be resurrected!¡± The Jing River Dragon King shouted incredulously. ¡°Your Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book is indeed formidable; it has shattered my physical body and divine soul. What stands before you now is merely my Original Spirit''s manifestation. I must also thank the Daoist friend, Jing River Dragon King, for breaking a predestined calamity in my life,¡± Yuan Tiangang said with a smile. The face of the Jing River Dragon King changed repeatedly. Although he did not understand the meaning of Yuan Tiangang''s words, the fact that the latter''s divine powers had greatly advanced was undeniable. Seeing more danger than good in staying here any longer, he made a decisive choice and turned to flee into the distance. However, a ripple of Devil Clouds split with a ¡°hiss¡± in front of him, and Shen Luo''s figure shot out from within, holding a dark red big seal in his hand, smashing it down on his head. The Jing River Dragon King was shocked again but did not panic, and instead, quickly dodged to the side. But at that moment, a piercing, mournful flute sound suddenly filled the air, carrying the sorrowful lament of thousands of divine dragons. Shen Luo''s face revealed a pained expression, and he hurriedly covered his ears with both hands. Below him, Yuan Tiangang also frowned, waving his whisk, and a circle of white light blocked the sound of the flute from the outside. The Jing River Dragon King''s body suddenly froze in place, his eyes becoming clouded as if he had been hit by a paralyzing curse. The Turn Sky Seal descended, now the size of a palace, and heavily smashed down onto the Jing River Dragon King. There was a loud ¡°bang,¡± and the Jing River Dragon King''s body exploded, leaving only his head behind. The clouded eyes of the Jing River Dragon King suddenly cleared, and seeing his body destroyed again, he was overwhelmed with shock and rage. However, without casting any spells in retaliation, he turned and continued to flee forward. But in front of him, the void fluctuated, and a yellow shadow emerged, revealing the Sky Fiend Corpse King, who grabbed the head of the Jing River Dragon King. Then, a scroll that blotted out the sun and sky flashed with silver light beside them, enveloping them in a deluge of silver rays, pulling them inside. Shen Luo flashed and flew beside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, his hands moving rapidly through incantations. Yellow spiritual light flickered within the scroll, and in an instant, it solidified into a huge mountain peak resembling a clenched fist, ¡°boom,¡± pressing the head of the Jing River Dragon King underneath. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. He shook his sleeve in front of him, and the massive scroll swiftly shrank, returning to its original size within a few breaths, and fell into his hand. The Turn Sky Seal also rapidly diminished, disappearing into his sleeve. With the Jing River Dragon King suppressed, the Devil Clouds in the sky dispersed quickly, vanishing within a few breaths, and the stench in the air also faded away. A shadow fell from the sky like a stone¨CCheng Yaojin, who had already fallen into unconsciousness, his body''s Demonic Qi rapidly dissipating. ¡°Brother Cheng!¡± Shen Luo recognized the figure and was about to catch him with a spell when a white light wrapped around Cheng Yaojin, bringing him down to the altar below. It was Yuan Tiangang''s doing. Shen Luo also shot over and landed on the altar. ¡°Friend Shen, I thank you greatly for your assistance today. Chang''an City has been spared a great disaster,¡± Yuan Tiangang saluted Shen Luo with clasped hands. ¡°National Master, you are too kind, but what exactly is going on? Weren''t you just¡­¡± Shen Luo asked, as he gestured with his hand. A black vertical eye flashed through the dark Qi above the altar below, vanishing into his body¨Cit was the Heavenly Demon Eye. He had discreetly set up this pupil technique in the void during the great battle with those demons, intending to spy on the surroundings. Unexpectedly, after being trapped by the Great Formation of Demon Cloud, it came into play. Yuan Tiangang''s face showed a hint of surprise upon seeing the Heavenly Demon Eye, but he quickly regained his composure. ¡°The Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book of Jing River Dragon King is an ancient demon technique, incredibly powerful. Admittedly, I was struck by his secret technique, my soul destroyed. Fortunately, I had taken precautions long before, using Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, the Wordless Scripture, and the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book¨Cthree spiritual treasures¨Cto shield myself from this calamity,¡± Yuan Tiangang explained. ¡°Spiritual treasures to block a calamity?¡± Shen Luo had never heard of such a secret technique. ¡°This is a divine power, secretly handed down from ancient times. It''s akin to the idea of being brought back from the brink of death. Through this misfortune, I was able to break through a layer of illusion in my Dao Heart, laying the foundation for advancing to the Heavenly Venerate Realm,¡± Yuan Tiangang said with a smile. Shen Luo looked at the National Master before him, and suddenly all the events of the past few days clicked in his mind. It seemed that all this was Yuan Tiangang''s plotting. He had deliberately lured the Jing River Dragon King here and placed himself in danger, using the secret technique of the spiritual treasures to break his cultivation bottleneck. In this scheme, the Jing River Dragon King, himself, the Great Tang Dynasty Government, many officials within the palace, and even the people of Chang''an City were all being manipulated with impeccable precision. ¡°This technique is tied to the Karma of Heaven and Earth. Daoist Friend Shen, while you are indeed powerful, your realm is still too low to sense these matters. Once your cultivation has reached that stage, you will naturally understand,¡± Yuan Tiangang said, seeing Shen Luo''s thoughtful expression and thinking he hadn''t understood, and elaborated further. ¡°So, it''s like this. National Master, you truly have divine foresight. I am amazed. With you at the helm, there is nothing to worry about for Tang Dynasty,¡± Shen Luo said with genuine admiration. ¡°It''s merely a minor plan, not worth mentioning. In this endeavor, I owe much to Friend Shen''s assistance. Should you need anything in the future, I, Yuan, will certainly lend my full support,¡± Yuan Tiangang said sincerely, returning the gesture. Though the Jing River Dragon King was defeated, there was still much to do, and the two of them got busy with their own tasks. Yuan Tiangang continued to operate the True Dragon Limitless Array, refining the Demonic Qi within the Dragon Vein True Spirit. Cheng Yaojin was also placed in an Array by him to dissipate the Demonic Qi in his body. According to Yuan Tiangang, Cheng Yaojin had been controlled by a puppet technique of the Demon Clan by the Jing River Dragon King, his body saturated with a great deal of Demonic Qi. However, he had not fallen, and with care in dispersing the Demonic Qi, it was still possible to awaken him. Relieved by these words, Shen Luo conjured the Map of Mountains and Rivers and entered it. The Jing River Dragon King had come back to life and specialized in magic techniques, reaching the Taiyi Realm, which was no trifling matter. There must be significant secrets involving the Demon Clan hidden behind him. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When it came to matters of the Demon Clan, Shen Luo was always cautious. He wouldn''t overlook any opportunity to uncover new information. That was the reason he had not taken the dragon''s life with a single blow of the Turn Sky Seal. Inside the Map of Mountains and Rivers, a dark silhouette stood in the void, as if waiting for Shen Luo¨Cit was the Ghost General Zhao Feiji. ¡°Master,¡± Zhao Feiji hurried forward to pay his respects when he saw Shen Luo enter. ¡°You''ve made a breakthrough?¡± Shen Luo looked at Zhao Feiji, noting the surging Yin Qi, signifying he had reached the True Immortal Stage. In his hand, he held a purple flute that looked quite similar to the previously seen Ghost-controlling Flute, except for the ghost head sculpted on it was replaced with a golden dragon head¨Cit was the Dragon-burying Flute forged by Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Thanks to the master''s nurturing, otherwise I don''t know how long it would have taken me to take this step,¡± Zhao Feiji''s eyes flashed with gratitude as he spoke solemnly. ¡°This is all due to your own efforts, and it has little to do with me. But why didn''t Thunder Tribulation come upon your advancement to True Immortal?¡± Shen Luo waved it off, asking with curiosity. Chapter 1477 Chapter 1477: Chapter 1473: Calamity Befalls Qingqiu Chapter 1477: Chapter 1473: Calamity Befalls Qingqiu ¡°Those of us on the Ghost Path who seek advancement to the True Immortal Stage must pass through the Yin Thunder Tribulation, which arises from within the heart and does not reveal itself externally,¡± Zhao Feiji said. ¡°Oh, is that so.¡± Shen Luo had never heard of this before and was quite surprised. However, he quickly curbed his curiosity and, after sizing up the Ghost General, said, ¡°You have just advanced to the True Immortal Stage, and your realm is not yet stable. Go inside the Qiankun Bag to consolidate your cultivation; there are some Yin Beasts'' bodies in there, perfect for your nourishment.¡± Zhao Feiji had this intention and turned into a streak of black light to enter the Qiankun Bag. Another spirit pet had advanced to True Immortal, and Shen Luo secretly rejoiced as he flew towards Five Finger Mountain. ¡°Not good, Brother Shen, a surge of Demonic Qi suddenly erupted from within Granny Qiu''s divine soul, completely devouring it from the inside and utterly annihilating it. Ah, it''s the same for another Fox Clan teenager; someone had previously placed a prohibition within both of them, a murder to seal lips!¡± The voice of Fire Spirit Child suddenly rang out. ¡°What!¡± Shen Luo was startled upon hearing this, an ominous premonition rising in his heart, and in a flash, he appeared before Five Finger Mountain. At the foot of Five Finger Mountain, the Jing River Dragon King''s eyes bulged, devoid of any breath. ¡°What happened here?¡± he asked, looking towards the Sky Fiend Corpse King nearby. ¡°Just now, a cluster of Demonic Light suddenly emerged on his forehead, with a black pattern faintly visible inside; then, his divine soul was suddenly completely extinguished. I tried to collect it with the Gathering God Pearl but didn''t manage in time,¡± the Sky Fiend Corpse King said woodenly. ¡°What pattern?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. The Sky Fiend Corpse King raised his hand and emitted a clump of yellow light, displaying a complex Demonic Pattern that resembled a fluttering butterfly. Shen Luo had never seen this Demonic Pattern before and relayed the incident to Fire Spirit Child, who soon confirmed that Granny Qiu and the Fox Clan teenager exhibited the same pattern before their deaths. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It seems the two attacks on Chang''an City weren''t solely the work of the Jing River Dragon King; there must be other High People behind this,¡± Shen Luo said solemnly. ¡°That Demonic Pattern just now, upon closer reflection, should be the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark,¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke again. ¡°Demon Butterfly Heart Mark?¡± Shen Luo''s brows quirked. ¡°That''s a Demonic Power of the Demon Clan; it can plant the seed of the demon butterfly within someone''s divine soul. With a single thought from the user, the seed will germinate, giving birth to countless demonic butterflies that devour the host''s divine soul from within, making it the perfect secret method for preserving secrets,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°There are such secret techniques within the Demon Clan?¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, his expression turning grave. After obtaining Chiyou''s Martial Secrets, he thought he had a profound understanding of the Demon Clan''s powers; little did he know there were still so many strange secret techniques in the Demon Clan that he was completely unaware of. ¡°The Demon Clan has been contending against the other races of the Three Realms since the Ancient Times; naturally, it has its own foundations. Young Master Shen, it''s not that I didn''t do my part; these two died by the hands of the demon butterflies, and there was nothing I could do,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Since they are already dead, let it be,¡± Shen Luo sighed, waving his sleeve. A clump of golden flame enveloped the Jing River Dragon King''s head, burning fervently, the True Solar Fire itself. The Jing River Dragon King''s head quickly turned to ash, and a piece of black dragon horn fell down. Shen Luo was slightly surprised when he picked up the item, and his Divine Sense gave it a quick scan. His face immediately lit up with joy, for the dragon horn turned out to be a Storage Magical Tool. Just now, when he had shattered most of the Jing River Dragon King''s body with a single blow from the Turn Sky Seal, he secretly regretted that the treasures on the dragon''s body had been destroyed. Unexpectedly, the Storage Magical Tool was on its head, avoiding a fate of annihilation. Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense and injected it into the Storage Magical Tool, discovering that it was filled with numerous treasures, most of which were Demonic Artifacts and had little use for him. However, one item caught his attention¨Cit was the very straw effigy the Jing River Dragon King had used to surreptitiously attack Yuan Tiangang, still with the small bow and arrows hanging on it. His eyes brightened as he took the effigy, and a sinister intention flowed from it into his mind¨Cthe method for using the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. This straw effigy was known as a Soulless Puppet, made out of Ancient Soul Grass. The golden bow was called the Soul-Shooting Bow, and the arrows were called the Soul-Extinguishing Arrows. The three combined were from Ancient Times, infamous for making enemies lose their courage. There were two methods to execute this sinister technique. One was as the Jing River Dragon King had done¨Cattain the target''s blood, smear it on the Soulless Puppet, and then use the Soul-Shooting Bow and Soul-Extinguishing Arrows to extinguish the target''s three souls and seven spirits. The second method was even more secretive. One only needed to write the target''s name on a piece of paper, place it on the puppet''s head, light a lamp above and below the puppet, and worship three times a day for twenty-one days. By noon of the twenty-first day, the enemy''s three souls and seven spirits would be scattered. Shooting the arrow on the straw effigy would then kill the target invisibly. ¡°What a vicious secret technique,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, inwardly alarmed after reading. The technique was excessively nefarious, and its use would diminish one''s fortune each time, truly an ominous artifact. After some thought, Shen Luo still decided to keep the treasure. He wouldn''t use it casually, but if he encountered a formidable enemy that was too difficult to handle, he would have to use it as a last resort among lesser evils. Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, the Wordless Scripture, and the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book, these three treasures were also there, emitting spiritual light that made them stand out among the surrounding Demonic Treasures. Shen Luo took out the three treasures, planning to return them to Yuan Tiangang, but Yuan Tiangang had just mentioned something about karma, so he might not accept them. He pondered for a moment, then put the three treasures into the Linlang Ring and stepped out of the Map of Mountains and Rivers. Shen Luo''s expression suddenly changed slightly when he saw that the True Dragon Limitless Array at the Circular Mound altar had dispersed. Clearly, Yuan Tiangang had already resolved all of the malevolent energy within the dragon veins, allowing them to return to the Underworld. Atop the Circular Mound altar, there were dozens of figures¨Ccourt officials and people from the Great Tang Dynasty Government¨Csurrounding Cheng Yaojin, with Yuan Tiangang taking the lead to form an array, striving to dispel the remaining Demonic Qi within Cheng Yaojin''s body. Beside the altar on the ground, many Demons and people from the Fox Clan were being suppressed; Grandpa Hua was among them, and they had all perished. Shen Luo''s pupils constricted, and he swiftly flew to a spot outside the altar to stand still, so as not to disturb Yuan Tiangang and the others performing the spell. Many people were already standing outside the altar, mostly monks from outside who had come. The crowd of monks had looks of sorrow and anger on their faces, the atmosphere extremely tense, giving a sense of impending storm. Not many were paying attention to Shen Luo. Unaware of what had happened, Shen Luo scanned the crowd, walked quickly to a corner, and approached a man who was actually Hu Bugui. However, Hu Bugui had disguised himself to conceal his Fox Clan characteristics. ¡°Brother Hu, what has happened?¡± Shen Luo asked through a transmission. ¡°Brother Shen, I''m afraid things are not looking good. During this attack on Chang''an City, many from the Qingqiu Fox Clan helped the Demons, and many have been captured. The Great Tang Dynasty Government and other sects have determined that the two attacks on Chang''an City were the doings of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. They have agreed to go to Qingqiu Country together in a few days to demand an explanation,¡± Hu Bugui sighed. ¡°The Qingqiu Fox Clan! Those Fox Demons belonged to Qingqiu Country, and the young Fox Clan member I captured earlier is also from there? Brother Hu, it seems you know him?¡± Shen Luo murmured before asking. Chapter 1478 Chapter 1478: Chapter 1474: Leaving the Government Official Chapter 1478: Chapter 1474: Leaving the Government Official ¡°I may not be from the Qingqiu Fox Clan, but that place is the birthplace of the Fox Clan. I have been there several times. That person''s name is Tu Shanming. He and I have met several times before,¡± Hu Bugui said with a light sigh. ¡°What do you think then, Brother Hu? Was the attack on Chang''an really the work of the Qingqiu Fox Clan?¡± Shen Luo asked in a deep voice. ¡°In the previous attack, that gigantic fox shadow openly challenged the factions of the Three Realms. Now that Chang''an has been attacked a second time, members of the Qingqiu Fox Clan brazenly assisted those demons. The facts are right before us. Even if these attacks were not orchestrated by the Qingqiu Fox Clan, they are highly implicated. Members from all factions of the Three Realms have died at the hands of these demons. It seems a great disaster is descending upon the Qingqiu Fox Clan,¡± Hu Bugui stated solemnly. An image of the Jing River Dragon King flashed in Shen Luo''s mind, his gaze shifting. ¡°What, don''t you think so, Friend Shen?¡± Hu Bugui asked. ¡°Everyone present here is highly accomplished. Since so many from the Qingqiu Fox Clan have been captured, it shouldn''t be difficult to investigate the truth,¡± Shen Luo responded with a rhetorical question. ¡°This is where the strangeness lies,¡± Hu Bugui continued, ¡°Just as two elders from the Tang Dynasty Government were about to use the Soul Searching Technique on those from the Qingqiu Fox Clan, all those foxes and demons suddenly perished. Their souls were utterly dispersed. Clearly, someone had set a prohibition on them to kill and silence them at a critical moment.¡± ¡°Indeed, those demons and members of the Fox Clan also had the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark placed within them,¡± Shen Luo muttered under his breath. ¡°Not good!¡± His expression suddenly changed, as he fiercely remembered something. Mi Su was still at the Tang Dynasty Government office, and many people knew of her connections with the Qingqiu Fox Clan. The Tang Dynasty Government had lost many disciples in these two attacks, and Cheng Yaojin was ambushed, his life and death unknown. The resentment towards the Qingqiu Fox Clan was as deep as the ocean, and they might take action against her. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Shen, what''s wrong?¡± Hu Bugui asked anxiously. ¡°I''ve just remembered something urgent, I must attend to it immediately,¡± Shen Luo said hastily, and his figure flew away into the distance. A few breaths later, he arrived at the Tang Dynasty Government residence. Several disciples of the Tang Dynasty Government had burst into his residence, their faces fierce as they surrounded Mi Su. Mi Su seemed to have been attacked and had already transformed into her fox form, her body snow-white with two fox tails growing behind her. ¡°The white fox with multiple tails, surely a member of the Qingqiu lineage! Capture her and hand her over to the elders for disposition!¡± A young man with notably large ears said hatefully, waving his hand to cast a large black net down towards Mi Su. Mi Su curled up, trembling all over, her eyes filled with tears, unable to make any move to resist as she was about to be captured. ¡°Stop!¡± Shen Luo shouted coldly, his sleeve flicking out a golden light to support the black net. ¡°Who!¡± The few Tang Dynasty Government disciples were startled, then they saw Shen Luo. ¡°It turns out to be Elder Shen. Please forgive us for intruding into your residence. We will go to the Disciplinary Hall later to accept our punishment. However, as the Qingqiu Fox Clan has instigated demons to attack Chang''an City and caused countless casualties, they are mortal enemies of our Tang Dynasty Government. Please, Elder, do not protect these demons!¡± The square-faced youth bowed to Shen Luo with a still assertive tone. ¡°Whether the attack on Chang''an was indeed orchestrated by the Qingqiu Fox Clan is still under investigation; rash conclusions should not be made. Moreover, Mi Su is young and weak; she could not have been involved in these attacks. I ask my fellow Daoists to show mercy. I will discuss Mi Su''s matter with the elders of your sect,¡± Shen Luo said. Having spoken, he did not wait for the square-faced youth to respond. He flicked his sleeve, sending out a red light that enveloped Mi Su and brought her into the Free and Easy Mirror. ¡°Seems like Elder Shen is determined to protect the remnants of the Fox Clan! Although you have superior cultivation, there is nothing we can do, but I request that Your Excellency leave the Great Tang Dynasty Government immediately. We do not welcome anyone related to the Fox Clan here,¡± the stern young man said, his eyes red with rage. ¡°Senior Brother Fang Hui, Elder Shen is a distinguished guest of our Tang Dynasty Government. He has helped our sect tremendously during the two attacks. How can you expel an elder like this!¡± a female disciple by his side said in panic, her expression changing drastically. ¡°This matter is my own doing. If the elders decide to punish, I alone will bear the responsibility. It won''t involve any of you!¡± the young man shouted fiercely. The female disciple, seeming quite fearful of the young man, said no more. Shen Luo glanced at everyone and, without saying anything, turned and flew away. Outside the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Hu Bugui stood silently. ¡°The disciples of the Great Tang Dynasty Government are grieved over the loss of their fellow sect members, hence their disrespectful words. Do not take it to heart, Brother Shen,¡± Hu Bugui said. ¡°Of course, I know. But looking at their demeanor, I''m afraid the Qingqiu Fox Clan may indeed face a great calamity,¡± Shen Luo sighed. ¡°Let''s discuss this matter later. The city is currently unsettled, and it isn''t suitable for us to wander outside. Let''s go back to the inn where I stay first,¡± Hu Bugui suggested, looking around. Shen Luo nodded, turned, and soon arrived at the inn. Shen Luo briefly described the situation outside to Mi Su, asking her to stay calm within the Carefree Mirror, then closed his eyes and began to meditate to recover the mana expended in tonight''s great battle. Over the past few days, his continuous battles deepened his understanding of the Huangting Technique, subtly advancing his cultivation level. Unfortunately, he lacked elixirs to aid him and could only proceed with seated meditation and Qi refining at a very slow pace. ¡°I hope that Daoist Black Bear has already prepared the Fire Lotus Pill,¡± Shen Luo thought silently to himself, then concentrated on his meditation to recover. The night quickly passed, and daylight brightened. Shen Luo opened his eyes, and two bright, crystal lights shot out. His vitality was fully restored. He rose and walked to the living room, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Hu Bugui was up and drinking tea in the hall, but there were also two other figures present¨Cit was Lu Huaming and Elder Huang Mu. ¡°Brother Lu, Elder Huang Mu, what brings you here?¡± Shen Luo asked, quite surprised. ¡°Brother Shen, we are here to apologize. The disciple named Fang Hui who spoke rudely to you yesterday has been severely punished by us. Please consider his grief for his fallen fellow disciples and show some forbearance,¡± Lu Huaming stood up, bowing deeply. He appeared to have recovered somewhat from his injuries, but his complexion was still somewhat pale. ¡°Of course, I might have handled yesterday''s incident rashly myself. However, since I brought Mi Su to the Great Tang Dynasty Government, I must take responsibility for her. I hope you can forgive us,¡± Shen Luo quickly helped him, returning the bow. ¡°That''s understandable. Mi Su is just a young child and naturally unrelated to the previous two attacks. However, since she is from the Qingqiu Fox Clan, it''s best if she does not show herself in Chang''an City later on. Aside from our Tang Dynasty Government, there are many from other sects in the city who greatly despise the Qingqiu Fox Clan,¡± Elder Huang Mu said, his tone cooling slightly when mentioning the Qingqiu Fox Clan. ¡°Rest assured, Elder Huang Mu, I will immediately send her back to Qingqiu Country to be properly settled by her clan, so as not to cause any more trouble for you all. By the way, how is Duke Cheng doing? I left in a hurry yesterday and didn''t see how he was,¡± Shen Luo nodded, then inquired. Chapter 1479 Chapter 1479: Chapter 1475 Martial Law Chapter 1479: Chapter 1475 Martial Law ¡°With the aid of the Grand Diviner, the demonic Qi has been completely expelled from Master''s body,¡± Lu Huaming said in a solemn voice. ¡°However, the Demonic Qi has deeply invaded his meridians and divine soul, and he will need a long time to recuperate. I''m afraid his cultivation level will suffer a great loss.¡± Shen Luo''s heart sank upon hearing this; he had not expected Cheng Yaojin''s injuries to be so severe. ¡°The Great Tang Government and Minister Yuan possess exceptional methods, and there is no need for me to embarrass myself in this affair. However, after yesterday''s battle at the Circular Mound, I acquired these three treasures from several demons, all of which have the effect of suppressing Demonic Qi. Please trouble the two of you to deliver them to Duke Cheng, to aid in his early recovery, as a way for me to repay Duke Cheng for the kindness he has shown me in the past.¡± After a moment of contemplation, he took out Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, the Wordless Scripture, and the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book and placed them on the table. Lu Huaming did not recognize the three treasures, but Senior Yellow Wood knew that each of these treasures was a personal treasured possession of Yuan Tiangang. How did they end up in Shen Luo''s possession? Thoughts churned in his mind, and he wanted to ask questions, but ultimately, he did not voice them. Senior Yellow Wood pondered repeatedly and finally decided to accept the three treasures, planning to enter the palace later to inquire with Yuan Tiangang. After some conversation, Lu Huaming and Senior Yellow Wood took their leave. ¡°Brother Shen, do you plan to go to the Kingdom of Qingqiu?¡± Hu Bugui asked after the two had left. ¡°The affair in Chang''an City is fraught with suspicion, and the Qingqiu Fox Clan might not necessarily be the culprits. I will not be at ease unless this matter is thoroughly investigated,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°Last night, Brother Shen, you slew countless demons without even blinking, like a killing god descended to the mortal world, terrifying to behold. Who would have thought you had such a compassionate heart?¡± Hu Bugui chuckled. ¡°The situation is urgent. I shall depart immediately. What are your plans, Brother Hu?¡± Shen Luo glanced at Hu Bugui disapprovingly and asked impatiently. ¡°Brother Shen is a member of the Human Race and yet is willing to go to great lengths for our Fox Clan. I am, after all, one of the Fox Clan; it is naturally my inescapable duty to accompany you,¡± Hu Bugui said with a laugh. Shen Luo nodded slightly. He had never been to the Kingdom of Qingqiu before, and having Hu Bugui, who was familiar with the place, accompany him would make many things much more manageable. The two of them did not delay and set off immediately. On the remote edges of the Great Tang Kingdom''s territory, a hundred miles outside of Hongzhou City, there was a military town on the border called Xiangyang Town. The town was small, but it was usually bustling because it faced south towards the Morning Sound Valley, and it neighbored the Kingdom of Qingqiu inside the valley, often engaging in various trade activities. The Kingdom of Qingqiu was a country of the Fox Clan, whose people could transform once their cultivation reached a certain stage. Their humanoid forms were considered extremely rare and beautiful by those in the Human World, and they thus attracted people from all over to come here. However, in recent days, the situation inside the military town had changed. For some unknown reason, the Great Tang Government suddenly ordered the cessation of trade activities in Xiangyang military town. Shortly after, a large number of troops from Hongzhou were deployed and stationed in the town. The previously manageable town defenses were unilaterally replaced by government troops and began to become extremely strict, displaying a ready-for-battle demeanor as if they were lying in wait with weapons at their pillows. One day, Shen Luo and his party of three finally made their way here after a long journey. After a brief rest in the town, Hu Bugui, who had filled himself with drinks, was ready to leave Xiangyang Town and enter the Morning Sound Valley. Just as the three were about to leave the town, they were stopped by the guarding government troops. The leading soldier, a monk at the Early Mahayana Stage, failed to gauge the depths of Shen Luo and Hu Bugui but faintly sensed the Fox Clan''s Qi on Misu and immediately had his men surround them. ¡°How daring of the Fox Clan, still sneaking into the military town at this time. Are you spies gathering intelligence?¡± the accompanying soldier shouted. Misu heard this and became somewhat annoyed. But before she could speak, Shen Luo stopped her. ¡°Daoist friend, you misunderstand. We''ve just returned from Chang''an and are heading to Qingqiu to investigate the trouble caused by the Fox Clan,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Hmph, I think you''ve just attacked Chang''an City and are trying to flee back now, aren''t you? Guards, arrest them all!¡± The monk immediately commanded. As soon as his words fell, a group of soldiers wielding weapons advanced menacingly. Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to take out a token from his waist and show it to the monk. The monk, upon seeing the Great Tang Dynasty Government''s token presented by Shen Luo and confirming its authenticity, realized his mistake and immediately apologized, ¡°I was just following orders; I hope you can forgive my error.¡± ¡°It''s fine; you did nothing wrong,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, taking back the token. The monk, seeing that Shen Luo truly had no intention of pursuing the matter further, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°However, what''s happening now? Why has the atmosphere suddenly become so tense? We hadn''t heard anything this serious when we left Chang''an before,¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Your Excellency may not be aware. Because of the great commotion caused by the Fox Clan, the various clans have decided to confront the Kingdom of Qingqiu together. A few days ago, the Great Tang Government issued an order for us to station in Xiangyang Town and keep a close watch on any movements within Morning Sound Valley,¡± the monk with the army hurriedly explained. He paused for a moment and then added with some worry, ¡°I''m afraid that war might reignite¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Misu''s expression immediately became tense. Seeing this, Shen Luo gently patted Misu on the shoulder, indicating that she needn''t worry too much. After registering in accordance with the rules, the group left Xiangyang Town and headed toward Morning Sound Valley. Outside the military town lay a smooth and straight road that stretched deep into the distant valley. ¡°Grandma Qiu said that this road was built by the Great Tang Government back then. Our Kingdom of Qingqiu has always had a good relationship with the Great Tang¡­ I really don''t understand how it could have come to this,¡± Misu couldn''t make sense of it. ¡°Don''t worry too much. Once we return and investigate what happened, perhaps we''ll be able to resolve these misunderstandings,¡± Shen Luo reassured her. ¡°There must be a misunderstanding. As long as it is cleared up and we find the true perpetrator behind the scenes, we can clear our Kingdom of Qingqiu of suspicion,¡± Misu nodded but her furrowed brows did not relax. Seeing this, Shen Luo decided not to say anything more. Hu Bugui, accompanying him, also remained unusually silent, merely tilting his head to take occasional sips of wine, his gaze often lost in the distant mountains and waters. Putting aside their current state of mind for a moment, the scenery within Morning Sound Valley was indeed beautiful. Although the place was nominally a valley, the terrain was not at all narrow. It was only because the distant sides were high that it seemed like a valley. At the end of the valley, the towering peak was none other than Qingqiu Mountain. In the valley, low shrubs intertwined with towering trees, and every so often, a babbling stream crossed their path. Occasionally, water gathered at a rocky beach or depression, forming a clear spring before flowing back into an underground river. As they traveled further, signs of human life gradually disappeared, and the sounds of birds and beasts in the forest grew louder. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Little Fox Misu walked beside Shen Luo, taking a deep breath in and then slowly exhaling, her lips curling into a slight smile, her expression considerably more relaxed. Shen Luo sighed inwardly. It seemed that this young girl, although she had appeared calm over the past few days, had actually been living somewhat fearfully. Chapter 1480 Chapter 1480: Chapter 1476: The Peril of Nation Annihilation Chapter 1480: Chapter 1476: The Peril of Nation Annihilation ¡°Misu, how much farther is it to Qingqiu Nation?¡± Hu Bugui suddenly asked. ¡°It''s not far now,¡± Misu pointed ahead and said, ¡°Our Qingqiu Fox Clan is numerous, and over the years our territory has been expanding. Just past that mountain pit ahead, we will see a village.¡± Hu Bugui nodded upon hearing this and looked off in that direction. Soon, the three of them turned past that mountain pit and saw the small village in the distance. The village looked much like those of the human race, except that the houses built by the fox clan were mostly round, semi-underground structures, with wooden logs for walls and rooftops covered with wooden planks and dry grass. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Another difference was that these fox clan houses almost always had two to three doors in different directions. Seeing this, Misu was about to dash toward the village when Shen Luo reached out a hand to stop her. ¡°Wait, something isn''t right.¡± It was now dusk, normally the time when families would be cooking dinner, but the village was dead silent, with not a wisp of cooking smoke rising, giving the appearance of a place devoid of life. Shen Luo immediately extended his divine sense to probe the area and, sure enough, found it empty of people. ¡°How could this be?¡± Misu exclaimed in astonishment. ¡°Let''s go and take a look,¡± Shen Luo said, walking ahead. Misu quickly followed behind him, while Hu Bugui naturally guarded the rear. However, after looking around the village, they found everywhere neatly ordered, with the houses showing no signs of damage, and there were no traces of fighting anywhere. ¡°It seems these villagers evacuated in an orderly manner rather than being attacked,¡± Hu Bugui said, pointing at several crisscrossed wagon tracks extending to the other end of the village. ¡°It looks like the Kingdom of Qingqiu noticed the crisis and evacuated the villagers in advance,¡± Shen Luo said with a frown. ¡°We can''t delay,¡± Hu Bugui said. ¡°We must rush to Qingqiu Nation as quickly as possible to find out what''s going on. If we can''t resolve this conflict soon, Great Tang and Qingqiu might actually go to war.¡± The three immediately quickened their pace toward Qingqiu Nation. The next morning at dawn, the three arrived at the deepest part of Morning Sound Valley. This was the narrowest place in the entire valley, with towering, smooth mountain walls on both sides. Reflecting the morning sun''s glow, the mountain walls shimmered with a golden hue, looking magnificent and splendid. Under the glow of the golden light, a city fortress made of connected buildings stood in the valley between the two mountain walls, basking in the dazzling light and emanating a very unique aura. Shen Luo and his companions stood outside the city walls, quietly observing the scene before them. Little Fox Misu had seen it all before and, aside from the joy of returning home, showed little emotion in her eyes. Shen Luo, however, was moved, thinking that the origin of Morning Sound Valley might be just as such. Only Hu Bugui wore a complex expression, with a hint of excitement in his eyes. Having arrived here, many of the trio''s previous questions had been answered. The terrain outside of the city was not flat but rather uneven, forming platforms of various sizes where hundreds of colorful tents were set up. The villagers from those empty villages they had encountered along the way were now all settled here. ¡°Let''s go, let''s enter the city,¡± Misu said, pulling on the sleeves of Shen Luo and Hu Bugui as they ran toward the city. They hadn''t yet reached the city gate when a series of exclamations arose. The Fox Clan members who had just emerged from their tents in the early morning were quite surprised to see Shen Luo from the Human Race. However, the three of them had no time to pay attention to this as they headed straight for the City Gate. The Fox Clan cultivator stationed Outside the City quickly came over and stopped the three of them. ¡°Who dares to trespass into the Kingdom of Qingqiu?¡± asked the leading monk, who was tall and slender with a refined appearance. As he spoke, he emanated a breath that revealed him to be an Early True Immortal Cultivator. ¡°Granny You Li, why are you guarding the gate here?¡± exclaimed Misu, surprised. The cultivator had been focusing on Shen Luo, but upon hearing this, he looked again and joyfully exclaimed, ¡°Little Misu is back, aren''t you? Let Granny have a look; are you hurt anywhere?¡± You Li appeared very young, not much older than Misu. The imagery of the two familial figures seemed somewhat odd. ¡°Cough cough, Elder You Li, I am Shen Luo, coming from Chang''an City,¡± Shen Luo interjected with a light cough. Once his identity was revealed, You Li''s expression turned colder. ¡°Granny You Li, it was Big Brother Shen and Brother Hu who escorted me back. During our time in Chang''an, Big Brother Shen protected me throughout,¡± Misu quickly added, seeing the reaction. Upon hearing this, Elder You Li''s expression softened somewhat, and she nodded to Shen Luo and Hu Bugui. However, when she looked at Hu Bugui, her eyebrows twitched slightly. ¡°Grandma, did you do something wrong to be punished by my grandma and sent to guard the City Gate?¡± Misu asked. ¡°What nonsense. I am in charge of settling these clanspeople who are outside, and incidentally keeping an eye on the defense of the city. But as for you, sneaking out of Qingqiu this time, how are you going to explain it to your grandma when you get back?¡± said Elder You Li, her tone somewhat sympathetic as she regarded her. On hearing this, Misu involuntarily shrank her neck, obviously a bit intimidated by her grandmother. ¡°Did you come to the Fox Clan just to escort Misu?¡± Elder You Li asked Shen Luo. ¡°Not entirely. We also wanted to investigate the disaster in Chang''an and find out who orchestrated it,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°Just the two of you?¡± Elder You Li seemed somewhat distrustful of them. ¡°If two Taiyi Realm cultivators were to come, I''m afraid the Qingqiu Fox Clan wouldn''t feel comfortable letting them in either, right? The situation is urgent right now, and if we can''t investigate the truth quickly, I''m afraid the Kingdom of Qingqiu may face the threat of destruction,¡± Shen Luo said, undeterred. ¡°Granny You Li¡­¡± Misu pouted, voicing her discontent. ¡°Alright, alright, you better go back and see your grandma first,¡± Elder You Li said helplessly. Misu stuck out her tongue, then turned around to lead Shen Luo and the others away. ¡°If possible, I would also like to meet the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°You want to meet our Country''s Ruler? What for?¡± Elder You Li asked, the frown deepening on her face. ¡°As someone who witnessed the Chang''an disaster firsthand, I have certain matters that I wish to verify with the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom,¡± Shen Luo stated. ¡°Do you represent the Great Tang Dynasty Government?¡± Elder You Li inquired. ¡°I am speaking only for myself, representing those who personally experienced the disaster in Chang''an, needing to hear the explanation from the Kingdom of Qingqiu directly,¡± Shen Luo replied calmly. ¡°Humph, does our Country''s Ruler need to explain himself to a mere True Immortal Cultivator like you?¡± Elder You Li scoffed. ¡°It''s not for me. The timing of the Chang''an disaster coincided with the Conference during which the various factions from the Three Realms were gathering, disrupting not only the Great Tang Dynasty Government. It has already aroused the discontent of the various factions in the Three Realms. When the time comes, it may not be just the Great Tang Dynasty Government that presents a problem for the Qingqiu Fox Clan; don''t you think a reasonable explanation is warranted?¡± Shen Luo retorted with a cold laugh. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Elder You Li asked, frowning. Chapter 1481 Chapter 1481: Chapter 1477 Chief Strategist You Su Chapter 1481: Chapter 1477 Chief Strategist You Su Shen Luo sighed and said, ¡°I just don''t want the Kingdom of Qingqiu to become a sacrificial pawn in someone else''s conspiracy.¡± Upon hearing this, Elder You Li''s expression eased slightly. ¡°Mi Su, take them back to see your grandmother. Only after she agrees, can you bring them to meet the Country''s Ruler,¡± Elder You Li said. ¡°Okay,¡± Mi Su responded. After saying that, she quickly pulled Shen Luo and another person, speeding towards the City Gate. Elder You Li watched their retreating figures, his expression growing increasingly solemn. When Shen Luo and the others entered the city, they found the houses to be similar to those in human cities, but with some architectural differences. There were many circular and octagonal rooftops, distributed more haphazardly, without the regular grid-like planning. However, due to the uneven terrain, the differences in height between the houses actually made the layout look more picturesque and charming. ¡°Mi Su, who is your grandmother? She sounds quite formidable,¡± Shen Luo asked. Mi Su, leading the way, didn''t look back as she said, ¡°She is the Great Elder of our Qingqiu Fox Clan. What do you think, is that impressive?¡± Upon hearing this, a name immediately came to Shen Luo''s mind: ¡°Chief Strategist You Su.¡± ¡°Your grandmother is Chief Strategist You Su?¡± he couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Hmm, you know my grandmother?¡± Mi Su said, surprised. Shen Luo nodded. Of course, he knew; he had done his homework before coming to the Kingdom of Qingqiu. Chief Strategist You Su was the Great Elder of the Fox Clan and had not only a high level of cultivation but was also a Middle Stage Taiyi Cultivator. She had led the Fox Clan to thwart the conspiracies of enemy forces multiple times, commanding immense prestige within the clan, rivaling even the Lord of the Qingqiu Kingdom. However, it was said that in her early years, she had concealed her identity and traveled the world, making friends with humans. Tragically, during an exploration of a Secret Realm, she was betrayed and gravely injured by a friend. She was lucky to survive and, after escaping, she wiped out that friend''s entire family and was subsequently hunted by human cultivators. Indeed, this experience had led her to harbor deep prejudices against the Human Race and remain highly wary and even hostile towards the Immortal and Demon Clans. Unaware of Shen Luo''s thoughts, Mi Su led them through the city, heading towards the highest terrain in the deeper part of the Valley. The Qingqiu Royal City was small, and the Royal Palace occupied just a tiny area of it. The residences of the Great Elder and other important clan elders were also situated near the palace. Happy to be home, Mi Su seemed cheerful, walking with a spring in her step. However, as they approached the main door, she became nervous and hesitated. ¡°What''s the matter? Haven''t you been away from home that long to feel homesick?¡± Hu Bugui teased upon seeing her state. ¡°It''s not homesickness I''m nervous about, it''s facing my grandmother. She''s kind to me on ordinary days, but this time I''ve snuck out of Qingqiu and gotten into such trouble, I''m afraid she won''t let me off easily,¡± Mi Su said hesitantly. ¡°No worries, we''ll accompany you. She won''t make a scene in front of outsiders,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°That''s also true.¡± After hearing this, Mi Su felt somewhat reassured. She took a deep breath to muster courage and walked towards the Big Gate. Before she even reached the door, an elderly man with a bent back came out to meet them. Seeing Mi Su, he exclaimed in delight: ¡°Miss, you''ve returned?¡± ¡°Qi Bo,¡± Mi Su called out immediately. ¡°Oh, you''re finally back. If you''d taken any longer, the Great Elder was about to personally go to Chang''an City to fetch you,¡± Qi Bo said with a smile, quickly speaking. After saying that, he also noticed the two people following Mi Su and cast them a questioning glance. ¡°These two are Big Brother Shen and Brother Hu, who escorted me back here. Big Brother Shen, Brother Hu, this is Uncle Qi; it was he who took care of me as I grew up,¡± Mi Su hastily introduced them to each other. Shen Luo and Hu Bugui, upon hearing this, gave a bow to the old man. The latter''s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and after a moment''s hesitation, he returned the bow. ¡°Uncle Qi, is my grandmother in the study or not?¡± Mi Su asked while walking towards the courtyard. But she heard Uncle Qi say, ¡°The Great Elder is not at home; she was summoned to the palace by the country''s ruler early in the morning and probably won''t be back until noon.¡± ¡°Not at home?¡± Mi Su was taken aback. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then we will go directly to the palace,¡± Shen Luo said immediately. ¡°Alright,¡± Mi Su responded without any hesitation. Hearing this, Uncle Qi''s eyebrows furrowed again, and he looked at Shen Luo with a face full of suspicion. He couldn''t understand who this man was and why his young lady was so compliant with him. ¡°Miss, perhaps it''s better to wait for the Great Elder to return before going. It may not be appropriate to rashly take two outsiders to the Royal Palace,¡± Uncle Qi carefully phrased his concern. ¡°It''s okay, Uncle Qi,¡± Mi Su dismissed the concern nonchalantly. Shen Luo didn''t offer any explanations either, and turned to leave. Soon after, the three of them arrived outside the Royal Palace again. The Royal Palace of the Qingqiu Kingdom was called a palace, but it looked more like a large castle built against a mountain. Outside the City Gate, the trio was stopped once more; this time, Mi Su''s identity was not enough for them to enter. ¡°I come from Chang''an City of the Great Tang Dynasty and seek an audience with the ruler of the Qingqiu Kingdom,¡± Shen Luo announced his identity, producing a token from the Great Tang Dynasty Government and handing it over. ¡°A person from the Great Tang Dynasty Government¡­¡± The leading middle-aged guard in armor changed his expression when he clearly saw the token in Shen Luo''s hand. ¡°Surround them.¡± At his command, all the surrounding guards immediately drew their weapons and encircled the three of them. ¡°What is the meaning of this? We have come to meet the ruler of the country, and I am a member of the Qingqiu Fox Clan,¡± Mi Su exclaimed upon seeing this. Meanwhile, she released her mana, making the pointed tips of her ears more obvious, and her fox tail also emerged behind her. ¡°Hmph, consorting with thieves from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, are you also a traitor?¡± the middle-aged guard shouted angrily. ¡°My grandmother is¡­¡± Mi Su was livid, on the verge of revealing her identity, when Shen Luo stopped her. ¡°Since you gentlemen appear unwilling to trust us, we are willing to restrain ourselves, please take us to see the ruler of the Qingqiu Kingdom,¡± Shen Luo said, extending his hands. Seeing that he truly had no intention of resisting, the middle-aged guard skeptically produced a specially made Green Vine rope and bound the hands of all three, then escorted them into the castle. Passing through three courtyards, everyone stopped outside a large hall with a round domed ceiling. The middle-aged guard ordered the others to keep an eye on the three while he himself entered the great hall to announce their arrival. Within a short time, he returned with a pale face, hurrying to untie Shen Luo and the others. ¡°Don''t bother, it''s fine as it is.¡± Mi Su glared at him, forcefully pulling her hand back, refusing to be untied, and entered the great hall with Shen Luo and the other. Chapter 1482 Chapter 1482: Chapter 1478: Vassal Chapter 1482: Chapter 1478: Vassal Shen Luo and his companions had just entered the great hall when the sound of running water reached their ears. On looking, Shen Luo saw a passageway about a zhang wide in the courtyard of the great hall, flanked by two semicircular ponds with two spring eyes in them, vigorously spurting water splashes and emanating a thick mist of spiritual energy. Crossing that passageway, there lay a forecourt, behind which sat a golden throne slightly elevated above the forecourt. At that moment, seated on the throne was a young woman dressed in a white robe with her long white hair cascading over her shoulders, donning an intricately designed crystal crown atop her head. Her features were beautiful yet not overly glamorous, her demeanor noble, making her a figure who could make one forget the mundane world. Before the throne stood several people, the leader among them being a woman in a black robe with golden hair and large fox ears standing upright, holding a silver long staff. Her beauty was exceptional, yet her eyes were filled with cold indifference, possessing an imposing aura without even showing anger. For some reason, when Shen Luo glanced at her, he felt that this golden-haired, black-robed woman bore a greater royal aura than the woman on the throne. ¡°Greetings to the Country''s Ruler,¡± Shen Luo and his companions advanced and gave a bow in the direction of the throne. ¡°There''s no need for such formalities since you have come from afar,¡± the woman gestured with her hand and spoke in a faint voice. Her voice was ethereal, giving listeners the sensation of hearing celestial music. After speaking, she noticed the green vine still tied around Mi Su''s wrists, her eyebrows slightly knitting together as she looked at the middle-aged guard. ¡°Reporting to the Country''s Ruler, she refused to remove it¡­¡± the middle-aged guard immediately kneeled and spoke. ¡°I¡­¡± Mi Su was about to complain when she saw a severe gaze directed at her. ¡°Ridiculous,¡± the golden-haired, black-robed woman uttered sharply and waved her hand, releasing the green vine from Mi Su''s wrist. ¡°Granny¡­¡± Mi Su murmured softly. A thought struck Shen Luo; this black-robed woman indeed held a significant identity as rumored to be the Chief Strategist You Su. Chief Strategist You Su gave her a look but did not respond, only turning to Shen Luo to ask, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Junior Shen Luo, I came here solely to ensure Mi Su''s safe return, but now that I am here, I wish to ask the Country''s Ruler why you would strike against Chang''an?¡± Shen Luo asked calmly. ¡°Are you representing the Great Tang Dynasty Government?¡± the Country''s Ruler inquired. Shen Luo thought for a moment, then shook his head. To him, whom he represented wasn''t important; what mattered was unveiling the plot behind this incident. ¡°So, if I''m not representing the Great Tang Dynasty Government, do I not deserve even a single explanation from Your Majesty?¡± Shen Luo hesitated slightly, then added. ¡°How dare you speak so impudently,¡± Chief Strategist You Su narrowed her eyes and spoke coldly. ¡°Friend Shen is mistaken,¡± the Country''s Ruler sighed and spoke, ¡°It''s not that I cannot offer you an explanation, but currently, even our Kingdom of Qingqiu does not understand the situation and cannot offer an explanation.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression relaxed slightly as he slowly said, ¡°To be frank, Junior also suspects that there is more to this matter. However, considering the relationship between the two nations, I hope the Country''s Ruler can investigate and reveal the truth to the Great Tang soon to prevent any further negative impact.¡± ¡°So you are inclined to believe that our Kingdom of Qingqiu is innocent?¡± the Country''s Ruler asked. ¡°Junior merely thinks there are dubious aspects to this matter, thus hoping that your country could thoroughly investigate,¡± Shen Luo spoke. ¡°What dubious aspects could there possibly be? It is clear the Human Race has long harbored dissatisfaction with our Qingqiu Fox Clan, and this incident is merely an excuse to target us,¡± an elder from the Kingdom of Qingqiu with a hooked nose sneered. ¡°If the Human Race truly intended to strike against the Kingdom of Qingqiu, why would they use Chang''an as bait? Isn''t that making a mountain out of a molehill?¡± Even the typically mild-tempered Shen Luo grew somewhat angry upon hearing such remarks repeatedly. As soon as these words were spoken, a cacophony erupted throughout the great hall. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How dare you! A mere Early True Immortal dares to spout such audacity?¡± the hooked-nose monk immediately grew furious. ¡°Such impudence¡­¡± another person echoed. For a moment, various reproachful voices rose continuously within the great hall. ¡°Silence!¡± Suddenly, a stern shout rang out. The usually amiable Country''s Ruler finally showed anger, stating, ¡°Regardless of the truth, we should first investigate our own issues. After all, Grandma Qiu and the others were directly involved in the Second Catastrophe.¡± With these words, the great hall finally fell silent. The gaze of all the elders, either overtly or covertly, turned to Chief Strategist You Su, since Grandma Qiu and the other had always been considered household retainers of the Great Elder. After a moment of silence, Chief Strategist You Su suddenly spoke, ¡°The Country''s Ruler speaks sensibly. However, just to be cautious, we should still prepare to defend against the Great Tang capitalizing on this to challenge us. We should actively prepare our defenses domestically.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows. Her words undoubtedly implied that even if relations soured to the point of conflict, they were not afraid to fight a war against the Great Tang. ¡°Daoist Friend Shen, our Qingqiu truly has no intention of being hostile towards the Great Tang. Since you also suspect there is more to this matter, would you be willing to stay in the Kingdom of Qingqiu and investigate the truth together, clearing both our names?¡± Chief Strategist You Su suddenly said. At first glance, these words seemed unproblematic, but Shen Luo perceived another deeper implication. ¡°Junior came here primarily to escort Mi Su, and does not wish to interfere further. Speaking so much is only because I hope there will never be a day where Qingqiu and the Great Tang truly come to blows. As for the investigation, Junior has no interest in participating,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Daoist Friend Shen, you are mistaken,¡± ¡°Since Daoist Friend Shen does not wish to participate, the Great Elder should not insist,¡± the Country''s Ruler interrupted Chief Strategist You Su midway through his sentence. The underlying kindness in her intervention was clear to Shen Luo. Hearing this, Chief Strategist You Su had no choice but to drop the matter. ¡°Country''s Ruler, Junior has fulfilled his mission by safely returning Miss Mi Su, and I shall take my leave,¡± Shen Luo said, clasping his hands in salute. ¡°Setting aside other matters, Daoist Friend Shen, you have done our clan a great service by bringing Mi Su back. We must at least have you stay as a guest for a few days to express our gratitude as hosts,¡± Chief Strategist You Su said. ¡°That''s right, Big Brother Shen, please stay with our tribe for a few more days so I can properly host you,¡± Mi Su also quickly said. ¡°The Great Elder''s kindness is well appreciated, but Junior has urgent matters requiring a long journey to Tianji City, and time is pressing. It''s really not suitable to stay any longer,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°There''s no rush that can''t wait a little while longer. Let''s keep public matters public and personal relationships personal. Since you''ve safely escorted Mi Su back, you owe our clan, and we should at least host you for a while longer,¡± Chief Strategist You Su insisted. ¡°Yes, Big Brother Shen, please stay with our clan for one more night tonight. In the evening, I''ll take you to see our Secluded Moon Lake. The scene under the moon at Silver Moon Lake is just as famous as our Golden Valley Sunrise,¡± Mi Su also tugged at Shen Luo''s arm as she spoke. Shen Luo hesitated several times, and seeing that he really couldn''t refuse, he finally nodded in agreement. Chapter 1483 Chapter 1483: Chapter 1479: Night Tour of the Serene Moon Chapter 1483: Chapter 1479: Night Tour of the Serene Moon Shen Luo and Hu Bugui, along with another companion, took their leave from the Lord of the Kingdom of Qingqiu and Chief Strategist You Su, and left the Imperial Palace first. ¡°Mi Su, it seems that the Qingqiu Fox Clan harbors quite a bit of dissatisfaction towards the Human Race and the Immortal Clan,¡± Shen Luo commented. ¡°Well¡­ ah, how should I put it? Since ancient times, our Qingqiu Fox Clan has always been a steadfast ally of the Human Race, right?¡± Mi Su pondered for a moment, still unsure of how to start, and then asked in response. ¡°Indeed,¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°But I don''t know since when the Human Race began to disregard our alliance, gradually lumping us together with the Demon Race. I also don''t know from when the Human Race assumed it was natural for our Qingqiu Fox Clan to live only within the Morning Sound Valley, and started to restrict and target us, not allowing our clan to spread to other areas,¡± Mi Su said, her expression turning unusually serious. On hearing this, Shen Luo also felt a slight stir in his heart, as his subconscious also believed that the Qingqiu Fox Clan should live in the area of Qingqiu. It''s one thing for one person to think this way, but when this thought becomes a consensus among the Human Race, it''s a different matter. ¡°The borders of Great Tang have always expanded beyond the Morning Sound Valley, but no matter how many generations our clan proliferates, our territory is confined within the Morning Sound Valley. Once we step out, it''s considered an invasion of the Great Tang Border. Under these circumstances, not just the elders in our clan, many of the youths as well have developed dissatisfaction towards Great Tang, the Human Race, and even the Immortal Clan,¡± said Mi Su. ¡°People and demons have different paths, people and demons have different paths,¡± Hu Bugui muttered upon hearing this. On hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent and sighed softly in his heart. ¡°Not everyone feels this way. At least the country''s ruler and some elders are still against taking up arms against the Human Race. After all, this rare peace is more important, I guess,¡± Mi Su added with a smile, seeing his reaction. Shen Luo had noticed this too; it was also a form of compromise from the side of Qingqiu. Soon, the three returned to the mansion of Chief Strategist You Su. ¡°Mi Su, Grandma Qiu and the others are like your retainers, right?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Yes, my parents passed away early due to circumstances, and it was almost entirely Grandma Qiu and the others who took care of me growing up,¡± Mi Su said, her mood becoming somewhat somber. ¡°Since we''re already here, could we go and see where they live?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Their residence¡­ sure, we can go while granny is still not back,¡± Mi Su thought for a moment and replied. Led by Mi Su, Shen Luo and his companions soon arrived at a small courtyard in the mansion. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The courtyard wasn''t large but was kept very clean and tidy. The furnishings inside the house were also very simple. It didn''t take much effort for Shen Luo and his companions to search through it, but they ended up with nothing. Shen Luo wasn''t surprised by this outcome; he hadn''t held much hope to begin with. In the evening, Mi Su treated Shen Luo and his companion to a grand feast of the Fox Clan cuisine, and for the moment, they all forgot about the day''s unhappiness. When a full moon rose above the treetops, Mi Su clamored, wanting to take Shen Luo and the others to see the Secluded Moon Lake. Shen Luo and Hu Bugui, unable to decline such enthusiastic hospitality, were helplessly pulled out by the young girl. Moonlight illuminated the Kingdom of Qingqiu, the stone masonry buildings emitting a hazy glow. Only a few lights were lit in the city, and the streets were scarcely populated, bestowing an unparalleled tranquility. Shen Luo walked among it, feeling a rare sense of relaxation. The three of them, using the pass Mi Su had obtained from her grandmother, left through the city gate and entered a coniferous forest. They traversed the dense, towering coniferous forest and had not yet emerged when they saw a bright, white gleam ahead, so they quickened their pace to reach it. As they stepped out of the coniferous forest, their view suddenly opened up to a shallow bank paved with white cobblestones right in front of them. Beyond the shallow bank was a vast lake, shaped like a crescent moon, brimming with moonlight. The round moon in the sky reflected in the lake water, not casting a complete reflection, but rather as if it were torn apart and crushed into countless light marks, covering the entire lake surface. A gentle breeze swept across the lake, stirring delicate ripples, and the scattered moonlight trembled along, shining intermittently and reflecting onto the mountain wall on the opposite shore. The mountain wall, smooth and flat as if cleaved by axes, under the reflection of the moonlight and ripples, seemed to transform into another lake, harmonizing beautifully with the round moon above and the moonlight in the water. Shen Luo noticed that on the mountain wall, there were three large characters engraved: ¡°Youyue Pond.¡± ¡°Mi Su, this body of water is quite large, enough to be called a lake, right? Why is it called Youyue Pond?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°This place was not originally called Youyue Pond, but Qingqiu Lake, echoing the Qingqiu Mountain behind it. It was later that a human sword guest who visited our clan changed its name,¡± Mi Su said. ¡°What kind of guest changes the name of a place at their host''s domain?¡± Shen Luo chuckled. ¡°According to Grandma Qiu¡­ she said that the human swordsman was extremely arrogant and claimed he had seen a lake in Great Tang''s Yunzhou, similar to Qingqiu Lake but ten times larger, called Secluded Moon Lake. He thought the scenery here was decent too, barely deserving the name Youyue Pond, and after saying that, he carved those characters into the cliff while drunk,¡± Mi Su paused and continued. ¡°No wonder these characters don''t look like metal and stone carvings; rather, they faintly bear remnants of Sword Qi,¡± Shen Luo murmured in amazement. ¡°Ah, initially our people were quite angry, but who could blame them when that man was outstandingly handsome, and in his white attire looked immensely graceful, causing many young girls in our clan to fall for him secretly. After he left, they secretly started calling it ''Youyue Pond,'' and gradually the name Qingqiu Lake was forgotten,¡± sighed Mi Su. ¡°The lake, shaped like a crescent moon and filled with moonlight, is more poetic than the real moon in the sky. The name change isn''t really bad,¡± Hu Bugui remarked as he admired the engraved characters. The three of them watched the moonlight play across the lake, enjoying the rare tranquility. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s expression changed. He turned his head to look at Hu Bugui, noticing a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. ¡°This aura¡­ it seems like the same one that emitted from the giant fox shadow that caused a disturbance in Chang''an that day,¡± frowned Hu Bugui. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mi Su asked, puzzled. ¡°Over there.¡± Without responding, Shen Luo''s gaze suddenly intensified, looking towards a distant mountain peak. As soon as he spoke, he immediately dashed towards it. ¡°Big Brother Shen, you can''t go there¡­¡± Mi Su, startled, immediately called out. Chapter 1484 Chapter 1484: Chapter 1480: Triggering the Prohibition Chapter 1484: Chapter 1480: Triggering the Prohibition Shen Luo did not heed Mi Su''s dissuasion, and his figure turned into a rainbow as he hurriedly chased in the direction of the distant mountain peak. Soon, he arrived at the mid-mountain area of Qingqiu Mountain, where in front of him, not far away, stood an octagonal small altar with a dimly lit Changming Lamp placed on it. At this time, Mi Su and Hu Bugui also caught up, and saw Shen Luo standing in front, his eyes shining with an unusual glow¨Che was obviously using his Spirit Eye Divine Ability to probe something. Mi Su opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but then looking at Shen Luo''s expression, she ultimately refrained from speaking. ¡°How is it, discovered anything?¡± After a long while, Hu Bugui broke the silence. ¡°Nothing, the breath just now appeared very briefly, almost fleeting, and in the blink of an eye, it disappeared without a trace,¡± Shen Luo said with furrowed brows and a grave tone. ¡°Since we all felt it, it''s definitely not an illusion,¡± Hu Bugui stated. ¡°Right, Mi Su, you guys¡­¡± Shen Luo turned to look at Mi Su, but he found her staring tensely at their surroundings. ¡°Big Brother Shen, we''ve caused trouble,¡± Mi Su said with a trembling voice. As soon as her words fell, their surroundings suddenly brightened¨Ca crimson flame ignited before their eyes, then ¡°whoosh,¡± it transformed into a fire dragon that roamed outside their bodies, instantly encircling them at the center. Following that, accompanied by the roar of a dragon''s chant, a huge shadow slowly rose within the firelight. Shocked, the three of them looked towards the shadow, only to see a fiery giant standing in front of them, ten zhang tall, clad in armor of flames, with a long knife of flame hanging at its waist, and its somewhat vague face revealed a pair of deep, perceptive eyes. ¡°Who dares to trespass on the ancestral lands of the Qingqiu Fox Clan?¡± the fire giant thundered with a voice that shook the heavens. ¡°We''re done for, we''ve triggered Qingqiu Mountain''s mountain protection prohibition, once the Great Formation is activated, even Taiyi Cultivators might not be able to break through it¨Cwe''re definitely going to die,¡± Mi Su suddenly said, sounding as if her heart had sunk into despair. ¡°Junior is ignorant and entered rashly with no intention of trespassing, I hope for your understanding,¡± Shen Luo immediately bowed with his hands clasped. But the fire giant seemed deaf to his words, speaking with an icy tone, ¡°Anyone who trespasses shall die.¡± Upon the final word ¡°die¡± being spoken, the giant ¡°whooshed,¡± drawing the long knife from its waist, and flames spiraled up from the blade, instantly transforming it into an outrageously long knife, seven to eight zhang in length. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly took out his Profound Yellow Staff in his hands, warily staring at the fire giant. ¡°Die.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With an angry shout from the fire giant, the long knife cleaved toward the three of them. An extremely scorching wave of air, enveloped in an oppressive force, fell straight onto the heads of Shen Luo and his companions. Shen Luo hastily pushed Mi Su, who was beside him, and gripped the Profound Yellow Staff with both hands, raising it horizontally to block the blow. ¡°Clang!¡± A fierce sound of metal clashing rang out, Shen Luo''s arms jolted violently, and a massive force, almost too much for him to bear, came from above, causing his entire body to tremble. His bones crackled like popping beans, managing to deflect the force. But immediately following, an unbearably hot power of flames spread along the Profound Yellow Staff, nearly instantaneously charring his sideburns, with the intense heat nearly preventing him from opening his eyes. ¡°Clang, clang, clang¡­¡± The fire giant''s initial strike did not defeat Shen Luo, and its movements did not halt for an instant, continuing to exert pressure with the long knife, forcing it upon Shen Luo, as beads of fire dropped from the blade like rain. ¡°Drip.¡± A ball of flame plummeted from above and smashed into Shen Luo''s forehead, sending a severe burning pain coursing through him, making him believe his skull was about to be burned through. ¡°Ah¡­¡± A shout burst from his mouth as the Huang Ting Jing inside him ran rampant, his Qi erupting in an instant. Veins on his temples bulging, his teeth clenched tightly, his figure slowly lifted under the heavy pressure of the flaming long knife, standing straight up. Then, a crimson light swiftly passed by his ear, followed by a loud, clear cry! A giant firebird spread its wings from the longsword, encompassing the sharpness of the sword, and shot towards the fire giant at breakneck speed. The fire giant retracted one hand, reaching out into the flames in the void before him, and suddenly a vast square shield appeared in the palm of his hand, blocking in front of it. The moment the giant firebird collided with the flaming shield, a loud bang erupted! The flaming shield shattered thunderously, dispersing into countless sparks that gradually faded away, but the firebird''s momentum was also exhausted, lacking strength, it ¡°puff¡± submerged into the fire giant''s chest. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in shock, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing. Just then, in the blink of an eye, he discovered he suddenly couldn''t sense his connection with the Pure Yang Flying Sword at all. The Pure Yang Flying Sword was nurtured by Shen Luo''s hand, their connection much tighter than usual with refined Magical Treasures; under normal circumstances, such a lack of sensation would not occur. ¡°Come back.¡± Shen Luo shouted, concentrating his spirit and channeling his mana, trying to call back the Pure Yang Flying Sword. However, there was no response. The fire giant''s arm wielding the long knife swung down, the flames on the blade''s edge congealing into serrated shapes, slashing towards them. A strong oppressive force from the void assaulted them as if space itself had solidified. Shen Luo felt his whole body heavy, and his movements involuntarily slowed down. ¡°Big Brother Shen, Brother Hu, run fast!¡± Mi Su shouted loudly, ready to flee the scene. However, the circle of fire dragons that surrounded them also billowed mightily, the roaring flames leaping tens of feet high, forming an intense wall of fire that trapped them in the center. Mi Su, caught off guard, almost rushed into the flame wall, but fortunate was she that Hu Bugui was not far from her, and he managed to pull her back in time. Shen Luo, of course, had no time to care about this side; the Profound Yellow Staff in his hands whistled as it swung around, his figure advancing rather than retreating, and after stepping forward, he hoisted the stick onto his shoulder, lifting it with the might of shouldering mountains and chasing the moon. A magnificent Qi burst forth from around him, and dazzling golden light erupted from the Profound Yellow Staff on his shoulder, condensing into a giant staff shadow outside the staff body, clashing hard against the flaming long knife. At the same time, two streams of crimson sword light shot out from his sleeve, crossed and combined into one, unleashing an even stronger Sword Qi than just now, disappearing in an instant as they pierced into the chest of the fire giant. With a ¡°boom,¡± a tremendous tremor sounded. The entire altar square violently shook, a powerful explosion''s shockwave rippling out from the collision site, sweeping in all directions, even directly breaking through the tall walls of fire surrounding them at the waist. Shen Luo and the others in the center of the Array were shaken to the ground by the immense pressure. The jade pendant hanging on Hu Bugui emitted a layer of fluorescent green light, transforming into a spherical light curtain that protected him and Mi Su beneath, sparing them from any serious harm. But Shen Luo, who had taken the brunt of the attack, was almost completely embedded into the cyan-black stone slabs of the ground. Chapter 1485 Chapter 1485: Chapter 1481: Take My Move Chapter 1485: Chapter 1481: Take My Move Shen Luo struggled to rise, feeling his organs quivering and his bones nearly fracturing inch by inch, blood also trickled from his mouth and nose. Fortunately, the Great Unsealing Technique had begun to operate on its own, helping him repair the internal damages bit by bit. Three Crimson Flying Swords flew out from behind the fire giant in a triangle formation, disappearing in a flash into Shen Luo''s sleeve. ¡°Die,¡± roared again. The posture of the fire giant changed, switching from holding the knife with one hand to both hands. Flames billowed from its body, and the spiritual pressure it emitted climbed higher and higher, becoming increasingly terrifying. At the same time, the figure of the fire giant also began to change, becoming slimmer, and from behind it, nine thick tails of flame soared into the sky, swaying like nine giant flaming tails. ¡°Nine-tailed Heavenly Fox¡­¡± Shen Luo murmured as he watched the giant fox shadow that the fire giant had transformed into. ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­¡± Powerful spiritual pressure burst from the fox shadow, pressing outward like a tangible force, causing the surrounding flames to sway violently. Anyone could tell that the power of this strike far exceeded the previous ones; it was likely a fatal blow. ¡°Brother Shen, we must not confront it directly¡­¡± Hu Bugui, bearing this immense pressure, moved to Shen Luo''s side. The two stood side-by-side, shielding Mi Su behind them, exchanging a glance and silently nodding. They both understood that they might not be able to fully withstand the next strike together, but they had to protect Mi Su''s life at least. Shen Luo hesitated, wondering whether to summon Ghost General Zhao Feiji, who had also reached the Early True Immortal cultivation level. With all three of them together, the chances of surviving could increase significantly. Just then, an unbelievable scene occurred! The giant fox shadow, holding its dual knives, suddenly let out an unheralded long howl to the sky. Its nine giant tails gathered back, and its figure gradually shrank until it merged into the wall of fire and disappeared. Shen Luo and the others did not understand what had happened and were looking around in confusion when suddenly a gap opened in the wall of fire ahead, and the crimson flames rapidly retreated to either side. Behind the receding flames, several figures emerged, all of whom were elders of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Standing in the forefront were the Lord of the Qingqiu Kingdom and the Great Elder, Master You Su. It was the two of them working together who had managed to block the final strike of the Great Formation''s fire spirit. ¡°Grandmother¡­¡± At the sight of her grandmother, Mi Su''s tears immediately began to flow. ¡°You useless thing, come here right now.¡± Master You Su''s face was pale with anger, showing no intention of comforting her, and she commanded coldly. Hearing this, Shen Luo and Hu Bugui, feeling chastened, promptly stepped down from the altar. Mi Su, not daring to look at her grandmother''s face, cautiously followed behind Shen Luo and the others as they also descended from the altar. ¡°Lord of the Kingdom, Great Elder¡­¡± ¡°Seize them.¡± Before Shen Luo could finish speaking, Master You Su gave the command. Several Fox Clan elders immediately cast their mystic arts, and two ropes made from Green Vine quickly climbed up and bound Shen Luo and his companion''s hands behind their backs. Knowing they had erred and understanding the situation, both Shen Luo and his companion obediently surrendered without any resistance. ¡°Grandmother, we¡­¡± Mi Su immediately pleaded for mercy but was sternly silenced by Chief Strategist You Su with a sharp ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°What are you waiting for, tie her up too,¡± You Su commanded, glaring at the elders beside him. Seeing this, the Elders could only take out ropes and promptly tied up Mi Su as well. ¡°Country''s Ruler, Great Elder, may the junior plead his case?¡± Shen Luo attempted to ask. ¡°Hmph, you trespassed into the forbidden grounds of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, no matter the reason, it is a death penalty,¡± You Su snorted coldly. ¡°Great Elder, let''s not hurry, let''s hear what they have to say,¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom spoke calmly. ¡°Thank you, Country''s Ruler, previously¡­¡± Shen Luo immediately recounted everything he had discovered before. However, just as he finished speaking, the elders of the Qingqiu Fox Clan became furiously enraged. ¡°What do you mean by those words? Are you suggesting someone deliberately lured you into the altar?¡± The Elder with the eagle hook nose glared and angrily questioned. ¡°I am merely stating the facts. We did indeed detect the presence of the giant fox shadow that appeared in Chang''an that day, or else we would not have rushed into the forbidden area in our urgency,¡± Shen Luo explained. ¡°This ancestral altar is not a place just anyone can intrude upon. You mentioned detecting the presence of the fox shadow here; are you implying that the culprit is hiding in our midst?¡± You Su raised an eyebrow and coldly asked. ¡°Since not just anyone can enter here, why weren''t we stopped when we first came in? Instead, we were suddenly attacked after entering?¡± Shen Luo immediately retorted, noticing the hostile tone in her voice. You Su was momentarily speechless, unable to rebut. ¡°This ancestral ground is where the souls of our ancestors rest; it''s impossible for members of the Fox Clan to hide here. If there was an invasion from another tribe, it would trigger the Protector Formation to attack as it did with you previously. However, ignorance is no crime, considering this is your first offense, we will not pursue it this time,¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom spoke after a long silence. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I believe they are spies sent by the Human Race and Immortal Clan, trying to destroy our clan''s Protector Formation so that their great army can come and leave us defenseless,¡± the elder with the eagle hook nose added. ¡°Elder Su Xiao is right; it must be so, otherwise, it makes no sense for them to come to our Qingqiu at this time,¡± another elder commented. ¡°Trespassing onto our ancestral lands and disturbing the peace of our ancestors, how should they be dealt with?¡± You Su asked. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked towards the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom; that question seemed like an inquiry to others but was really a challenge to her. The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom did not look her way nor did she speak, hesitation flickering in her eyes. ¡°By the crime, they should be executed,¡± Elder Su Xiao said somberly. ¡°They should be killed, they should be killed, they should be killed¡­¡± most of the elders said in unison. Shen Luo, hearing this, furrowed his brows, and his fists tied behind him involuntarily clenched tighter. ¡°My lords, am I still the ruler of the Kingdom of Qingqiu?¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom finally spoke, and everyone suddenly quieted down. ¡°Of course, you are,¡± You Su replied evenly. ¡°Since I am, and I said we will not pursue this matter, do you have any objections?¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom frowned and asked. ¡°We dare not. But trespassing onto the ancestral lands and disturbing the ancestor''s spirits cannot just be left at that, can it?¡± You Su retorted. ¡°What do you think should be done then?¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom asked. ¡°Country''s Ruler, trespassing the ancestral lands is supported by emotion but lacking in reason. Since we cannot proceed according to clan rules, why not let this Friend Shen face one of my moves? Don''t worry, I will not use my full strength; I just want him not to underestimate our Qingqiu Fox Clan,¡± suddenly, the elder known as Su Xiao with an eagle hook nose suggested. Chapter 1486 Chapter 1486: Chapter 1482: No Holding Back Chapter 1486: Chapter 1482: No Holding Back ¡°Master Su Xiao, you are an early-stage Taiyi monk; isn''t it a bit much to treat a True Immortal cultivator this way?¡± the Lord of the Kingdom of Qingqiu hadn''t finished speaking when he was interrupted by Shen Luo. ¡°I accept,¡± Shen Luo''s tone was quite calm as he looked straight at Su Xiao. ¡°Good,¡± Su Xiao, as if afraid Shen Luo would go back on his word, immediately agreed. The Lord of the Kingdom of Qingqiu cast an inquiring look at Shen Luo, only to see Shen Luo shake his head slightly, signaling that all was well. It wasn''t that Shen Luo was overconfident; he was just aware that with the statement made by the Lord of Qingqiu earlier, Master Su Xiao would not dare to truly try to kill him. At most, the attack would be more forceful. But not knowing Shen Luo''s true strength, Su Xiao''s attack would be greatly constrained. So when he said it was just one move, Shen Luo readily accepted, to avoid any further complications that might arise. If it had been two or three moves, allowing the opponent a chance to gauge his combat power, Shen Luo would never have agreed. ¡°Since that''s the case, let the attack by Master Su Xiao be a test, stopping at contact,¡± the Lord of the Kingdom of Qingqiu had to agree. Master Su Xiao was just about to step forward when his movement suddenly paused. ¡°Brother Shen, be careful. It seems someone is sending a message to that fellow, and there might be an unexpected turn,¡± Hu Bugui suddenly warned. ¡°Hm, I''ve guessed as much, but it''s no problem,¡± Shen Luo replied. After both sides were ready, Shen Luo turned his wrist and took out the Profound Yellow Staff, holding it in his hands. Master Su Xiao glanced at it but did not draw any magical weaponry. Instead, his hands, hidden in his sleeves, suddenly shimmered with a crystal-like gloss, becoming as translucent as white jade. Only the slightly elongated, sharp nails now gleamed with a verdant luster. ¡°Friend Shen, be careful,¡± Su Xiao grinned. As soon as he finished speaking, his figure instantly vanished from the spot, pouncing toward Shen Luo. However, at the very instant he moved, moonlight scattered beneath Shen Luo''s feet, and he had already sidestepped to a different location. ¡°Eh,¡± Su Xiao uttered in surprise and his figure suddenly crouched. Above his head, a strong gust of wind carrying powerful spiritual power fluctuations swept past, emitting a buzzing roar. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo flicked his wrist and a series of golden ripples surged on the staff. Layer upon layer of staff shadows burst forth, aiming at Su Xiao below. Seeing this, Su Xiao no longer dodged. He thrust upwards with one palm, his fingertips aiming straight for the attacks. The verdant glow on his palm suddenly burst forth, transforming into a bright green light knife. The edge of the knife easily pierced through the staff shadows, reaching the Profound Yellow Staff itself. A metallic clang resounded! The Profound Yellow Staff vibrated violently, and a tremendously powerful shockwave traveled along the staff to Shen Luo, making his hands numb and almost causing him to lose his grip. Taking advantage of the momentary shake in Shen Luo''s stance, Su Xiao''s figure shifted again, appearing behind Shen Luo. His five fingers curled inward like a hawk''s talon, he struck fiercely towards Shen Luo''s heart. But in the instant he was about to make contact, he seemed to change his mind, abandoning the strike heavy with killing intent, and instead aimed for Shen Luo''s spine. As long as this strike broke Shen Luo''s spine, he would have accomplished his task of severely injuring Shen Luo and would not have violated the ruler''s command against killing. What''s more, breaking the spine was in itself the greatest humiliation to Shen Luo. Su Xiao even envisioned the moment of Shen Luo''s spine breaking, the humiliation and unwillingness filling his eyes. However, just as his palm was about to touch Shen Luo, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a red light shooting towards him from below, a Pure Yang Flying Sword engulfed in blazing red flames, charging towards him. Its speed was so fast that it could stab him from below at the same time he hit Shen Luo. The extent to which the flying sword could injure him was not the immediate concern, but rather the awkward direction from which the attack came; if he were to be hit, the level of humiliation might not be much less than what Shen Luo would suffer. Weighing his options, Su Xiao''s palm changed direction once again, striking fiercely in front of him, while his body flipped mid-air, reversing downwards. At the same time, he made sure to smash his heel heavily towards Shen Luo. But with these two changes in his attack, Shen Luo also had time to turn around and swung his staff horizontally towards Su Xiao. ¡°Bang, bang,¡± two loud sounds came one after another. Su Xiao slapped the Pure Yang Flying Sword down, its edge directly piercing through the ground, sinking into the underground, while Shen Luo struck him in the waist with his staff, sending him flying sideways. ¡°Master Su Xiao, thank you for your leniency,¡± said Shen Luo, holding his staff in one hand and cupping his fist with the other. Su Xiao had already made his move just now, failing to hit Shen Luo, which counted as having carried out the punishment. But at that moment, Shen Luo suddenly felt a violent throb at his temple, and Mount Buzhou within his Sea of knowledge trembled violently. ¡°Danger!¡± Shen Luo immediately realized something was amiss. He ran the Suppressing God Technique frantically at its peak, and suddenly everything before his eyes became a blur. Su Xiao''s figure was charging directly at him, his outstretched palm bursting with foot-long, green light, plunging straight towards his heart. ¡°Just now¡­ it was an Illusion Technique!¡± Upon realizing this, Shen Luo was shocked, but by then it was too late; he couldn''t avoid it in time. ¡°Friend Shen, you''ve lost,¡± Su Xiao said with a chuckling tone. ¡°Stop¡­¡± The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom shouted angrily. However, Master Su Xiao acted as if he was deaf to the command, as if he was unable to stop his hand. Just as Shen Luo''s chest was about to be pierced, the void in front of him fluctuated, and a yellow corpse with golden wings appeared out of nowhere, blocking in front of him. A strange sound, ¡°clang,¡± rang out, and a spray of sparks burst from the chest of the yellow corpse. Master Su Xiao''s green blade had stabbed into its chest and to his shock, did not penetrate, but was blocked. Before he could recover from his astonishment, the corpse''s two yellow palms, flashing with cold light, swiftly became two shadowy streaks reaching for Su Xiao. Su Xiao got a fright, his body flashed with light, and he instantly dodged away. After he avoided the attack, both Shen Luo and the Sky Fiend Corpse King did not pursue him further. Su Xiao remained suspended mid-air, his face turning extremely unsightly; his quick dodge had announced his defeat. ¡°What is your relationship with Tianji City, and how did you come to have such a formidable Armor at your side?¡± Su Xiao asked. By now, he had also recognized the affiliation of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Shen Luo still did not respond, just positioned the Armor in front of him, holding the Profound Yellow Staff in one hand and summoning the Pure Yang Flying Sword to his side with the other, warily watching Su Xiao. ¡°Friend Shen, you''ve won,¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom spoke up. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked at her, hesitated slightly, and then put away all his Magical Treasures and descended. Su Xiao also descended at this time, receiving a frown from the Great Elder, his facial expression becoming extremely awkward. Chapter 1487 Chapter 1487: Chapter 1483: Disappearance in Tianji City Chapter 1487: Chapter 1483: Disappearance in Tianji City ¡°Master Su Xiao, during the formation, you violated the rules by using an Illusion Technique and essentially made two moves. I stopped you, so why didn''t you listen?¡± the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom demanded. ¡°Reporting to the ruler, I acted too hastily and couldn''t contain my momentum,¡± Su Xiao explained calmly. The Lord of Qingqiu could not truly punish him, so she could only scoff coldly and said, ¡°Friend Shen successfully countered Master Su Xiao''s attack and has won, absolving him of all charges. No one shall pursue this matter further.¡± ¡°Wow, Big Brother Shen, you''re really incredible. Even a Taiyi Realm cultivator like Master Su Xiao couldn''t best you,¡± Mi Su exclaimed lightly. Having said that, she received a disdainful glance from Master Su Xiao and couldn''t help but stick out her tongue. ¡°Alright, after a whole night''s fuss, everyone should go back and rest. Friend Shen, you should return and rest well too. Tomorrow, I shall arrange a banquet in the palace for you,¡± the Lord of Qingqiu said, intending to end the drama. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, Your Highness, but I plan to leave right now,¡± Shen Luo responded. Upon hearing this, everyone was somewhat surprised. ¡°This¡­¡± the Lord of Qingqiu hesitated, unsure whether to retain him after the incident. ¡°Indeed, I still have urgent matters and cannot stay longer.¡± Having said this, Shen Luo turned to look at Hu Bugui, giving no one else the chance to keep him, and asked, ¡°Brother Hu, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°Brother Shen, I am also from the Fox Clan and having returned to this land of the Fox Clan, I wish to stay a bit longer. Since you have urgent matters, you go ahead,¡± Hu Bugui said after a slight hesitation. Shen Luo was somewhat surprised and was about to inquire further when he heard Hu Bugui silently transmit, ¡°Brother Shen, don''t worry about me. This Qingqiu has connections to my past, and I would like to stay longer to explore, and if possible, investigate whether the chaos in Chang''an truly has ties to the Qingqiu Fox Clan.¡± ¡°In that case, I won''t say more; Brother Hu, take care of yourself,¡± Shen Luo transmitted back. Mi Su was reluctant to let him go, but seeing that Shen Luo was resolute, she gave up. After bidding farewell to everyone, Shen Luo left the Kingdom of Qingqiu, leaving Morning Sound Valley. Now that the various sects of the Three Realms were outwardly together but inwardly divided, Shen Luo didn''t bother with other sects for using their teleportation formations to Tianji City, but instead flew directly there. Once far from Qingqiu Mountain, sensing that no one was following through his Divine Sense, he flicked his sleeve and summoned the Seven Pure Yang Swords, linking them end to end, forming a beam of sword light over several dozen meters long. This was a secret technique from the Pure Yang Sword Technique, allowing multiple interconnected flying swords to merge their forces, increasing their flight speed dramatically. ¡°Fast!¡± Shen Luo pointed with a sword technique, and the lengthy sword light emitted a loud sword cry, instantly disappearing into the distant horizon. His body merged within the sword light, performing the Unity of Man and Sword Profound Technique. Everything around him retreated at a terrifying speed, almost comparable to the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, bringing immediate joy to his heart. Though the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique was fast, it consumed too much Mana to use continuously; now, with this sword fusion method, he had an additional means of escape when facing powerful enemies. Shen Luo urged his flying swords forward, and in less than a day, he arrived near the Boundless Sand Sea. With the threat of Black Abyss Mystery Cave removed, he didn''t hesitate and flew directly into the Boundless Sand Sea towards Tianji City, reaching the oasis in just half a day. Shen Luo stopped his Escape Light, his face showing surprise. The oasis in front of him remained the same, yet the massive Tianji City had vanished without a trace, disappearing into thin air. ¡°What happened? Where is Tianji City?¡± He activated his Divine Sense to probe the oasis and even deployed the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld but still found nothing. Shen Luo then took out an item, which was the Black Jade Plate that Little Master had once given him, attempting to contact Little Master, but received no response for a long time. ¡°It''s odd, such a large city couldn''t possibly have moved entirely, could something have happened to Tianji City? But I haven''t heard any rumors outside.¡± He furrowed his brows tightly together and began to search the surroundings. The search area kept expanding, yet still, he found nothing. ¡°Forget it, continuing to search blindly will only waste time. The Boundless Sand Sea here is not far from the Southern Sea. I might as well go to Mount Putuo first and inquire about the progress of refining Fire Lotus Pills, and also check on Cai Zhu. The last time we met on Mount Fangcun, the situation was urgent, and we hardly exchanged a few words.¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, stopping his search, and was about to head towards the Southern Sea. Several streaks of Escape Light flew past from a distance, looking quite familiar. Shen Luo probed with his Divine Sense, a hint of joy appeared on his face, and he flew on his sword to intercept the flying lights, quickly blocking their path. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Who goes there?¡± The leading Escape Light shouted loudly, the light dispersed, revealing a stern-looking youth. It was Master Yan. ¡°Master Yan, it''s me.¡± Shen Luo formed a hand seal to disperse the Sword light, revealing his figure. ¡°Brother Shen, it''s you!¡± Seeing Shen Luo, Master Yan was also very happy. The few Escape Lights behind him also materialized into figures. They were disciples of Tianji City; Shen Luo recognized Lin Han and Zhou Ming among them. The group looked travel-worn, with signs of exhaustion visible between their expressions, seemingly having traveled a long distance. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, you just left Tianji City not long ago, why have you come back?¡± Lin Han was surprised to see Shen Luo and blurted out without reserve. ¡°Lin Han, do not be rude.¡± Master Yan quickly scolded. ¡°No harm, Daoist friend Lin Han is not wrong. I''ve come to visit again indeed because there is another matter which I hoped Junior Master would help with, the same request as last time.¡± Shen Luo didn''t mind and laughed. ¡°Concerning the refinement of treasures? The City Lord mentioned it to me a few days after he returned to Tianji City, telling me to wait for your visit. I didn''t expect you to come so quickly.¡± Master Yan said with a smile upon hearing this. ¡°Has the City Lord prepared the materials?¡± Shen Luo''s face brightened. ¡°Yes, everything is ready.¡± Master Yan nodded. ¡°That''s great.¡± Shen Luo completely relaxed. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, why are you here?¡± Master Yan looked Shen Luo over and asked. ¡°Your sect is really elusive. I went to the oasis where Tianji City was previously located, and there was no trace of the city walls. I had no choice but to search around in the sand sea.¡± Shen Luo gave a wry smile. ¡°I forgot to inform you earlier, Daoist friend Shen, that every once in a while, Tianji City activates a Space Shifting Array within the sect to move the entire city to another location. That''s also why our sect sets up Teleportation Formations in major sects of Three Realms.¡± Master Yan slapped his forehead, annoyed. ¡°I see, but why does your sect do this? Even though your sect''s magical abilities are exquisite, moving the entire city each time must consume a lot of resources.¡± Shen Luo, now enlightened, asked. ¡°I''m not sure about that myself, as I''ve heard that it has been this way since Tianji City''s existence began.¡± Master Yan shook his head. Shen Luo nodded, knowing there must be a reason for Tianji City''s action, and didn''t ask any further. Chapter 1488 Chapter 1488: Chapter 1484: Heart Trouble Chapter 1488: Chapter 1484: Heart Trouble ¡°Right, we''re just about to return to the Sect, why not come with us, Friend Shen?¡± Master Yan said. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Naturally, I also want to congratulate Elder Yan on his immense progress, reaching the True Immortal Realm,¡± Shen Luo replied without objection, sizing up Master Yan before smiling. Master Yan''s aura was surging; he had already broken through to the True Immortal Stage, especially the faint crystal light at his brow, indicating that his Soul Power had also soared tremendously. ¡°Compared to Brother Shen''s strength, my little progress is truly insignificant,¡± Master Yan said with a sudden drop in his mood, giving a bitter smile and exuding an air of desolation. Recently, Shen Luo had devoted himself to the arduous practice of the Body Refining Secret Text and many Secret Techniques of the Divine Soul like the ''Thoughts as Lightning Art'' and the ''All-encompassing Suppressing God Technique,'' making his sensitivity even more acute. ¡°Elder Yan, have you been unwell recently?¡± Shen Luo asked with concern, looking at Master Yan. The current sense of desolation that Master Yan displayed was exceptionally grey and nearly soul-crushing; something significant must have happened to him. ¡°It''s nothing, what could be the matter with me? Let''s get going,¡± Master Yan shook his head and took the lead in setting off. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not press further and simply followed Master Yan and the others as they flew forward. ¡°Are you fellows in the midst of a mission?¡± Shen Luo inquired as he looked at the group. ¡°Yes, we''re still searching for those things left by Ghost Yan. I''d say we''ve looked for so many days without a clue; why waste more time?¡± Lin Han complained. Master Yan''s expression darkened as he glared at Lin Han. Knowing he had misspoken, Lin Han quickly shut his mouth. ¡°Brother Shen is not an outsider and knows some of the situation, so I won''t hide anything. Although we slew Ghost Yan on our previous trip to the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, many items still weren''t recovered and might have been lost somewhere in the Boundless Sand Sea. Naturally, we must search thoroughly,¡± Master Yan sighed. Shen Luo nodded at these words, remaining silent but feeling a twinge of guilt. The item that Tianji City was searching for was naturally the latter half of the Sky Machine Scroll, which was now in his hands, having been thoroughly studied. He would have to find a chance to return it to Tianji City. The group was all proficient in flying; in less than an hour, they arrived at another oasis where the majestic Tianji City stood, identical to before. ¡°Elder Yan, who have you brought with you?¡± As Shen Luo and the others just came to a stop, several figures darted out from the protective prohibition of Tianji City, led by a True Immortal Stage Yan master. ¡°This is Daoist Friend Shen Luo, who has done our Sect a great favor. By the command of the City Lord, I am to bring him into the city; do not obstruct,¡± Master Yan stated. Shen Luo touched his nose, observing the situation; it seemed Tianji City''s defenses had become a lot stricter than before. ¡°So, it''s Brother Shen. Since it''s the City Lord''s command, please come in,¡± the True Immortal Yan master sized up Shen Luo and stepped aside to make way. They passed through the city''s protective prohibition and entered. Inside Tianji City was much livelier than before, with bustling streets and considerably more people than in the past. In a square to the northwest of the lower city, some large platforms were being set up, as if for some sort of event. ¡°It''s quite lively. Is Tianji City about to hold some grand event?¡± Shen Luo glanced around and asked. ¡°It''s not exactly a grand event. Our Sect has recently refined a batch of new Armor and Magical Treasures, and in accordance with city rules, we will publicly display their might so that visiting monks can review and select them. Thus, the city is more animated,¡± Master Yan explained. ¡°I see,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly. ¡°Brother Shen, the City Lord has entered seclusion again these past two days. I''ll go and report your arrival now, I''m afraid you''ll need to wait here in the lower city for a while,¡± Master Yan said apologetically. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo was not in a hurry. Master Yan immediately assigned Shen Luo an attendant, still Zhou Ming from last time, and the two headed to the Fallen Flower Villa to settle down. ¡°Friend Shen, please rest here for a while, I will take my leave first.¡± After arranging Shen Luo''s accommodations, Zhou Ming rose to bid farewell. ¡°Daoist Zhou, wait a moment, I have a question to ask. In my previous interactions with Elder Yan, although he was not frivolous or smiling, his personality was rather positive and optimistic. However, this time he seems¡­ Has he encountered any troubles recently? After successfully advancing to the True Immortal Stage, why does he still seem unhappy?¡± Shen Luo stopped Zhou Ming, who was about to leave, and asked. Although Elder Yan had already advanced to the True Immortal Stage, being in such a gloomy state of mind was greatly detrimental to his future cultivation. Shen Luo was still very concerned about his friend Elder Yan. ¡°Elder Yan''s matter? I do not know the details, I only know that he has been like this ever since he came back from the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, so something must have happened there,¡± Zhou Ming said after a moment of thought. ¡°Black Abyss Mystical Cave?¡± Shen Luo''s expression shifted. He had almost accompanied Elder Yan through the Black Abyss Mystical Cave and didn''t notice anything that affected his mood. Could it be that Elder Yan encountered something in the Yin Cave? ¡°Daoist Zhou, is there a woman named Beigong Ying in Tianji City?¡± Recalling the events within the Black Abyss Mystical Cave, an idea flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, and he asked. ¡°Beigong Ying! Yes, Sister Beigong is Elder Mo Wang''s disciple, and she has a rather good relationship with Elder Yan. It is rumored that the two nearly formed a dual cultivation partnership, but Sister Beigong mysteriously disappeared many years ago. Why do you ask, Friend Shen?¡± Zhou Ming said. ¡°Is it really because of that Beigong Ying?¡± Shen Luo sighed inwardly, roughly understanding the reason for Elder Yan''s current state. Beigong Ying had been refined by Ghost Yan into the Earth Evil Corpse King, living a fate worse than death. Naturally, upon finding out, Elder Yan felt desolate. But why couldn''t the Little Master see Elder Yan''s problem and try to guide him? ¡°It''s nothing, just asking.¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Zhou Ming uttered an ''oh'' and quickly took his leave. Shen Luo sat quietly in the room, closing his eyes to adjust his breath, alleviating the fatigue of rapid travel. Elder Yan didn''t make him wait too long, and in less than half a day, he came to find him, taking him to the upper layer of Tianji City to meet the Little Master. ¡°Greetings, City Lord.¡± Shen Luo stepped forward to pay his respects. ¡°I apologize for making you wait so long. I was refining a piece of armor and it took quite some time,¡± the Little Master said. ¡°City Lord, you are too kind. I am Junior, and it is only proper for me to wait. Is everything ready for the repair of the jade pillow?¡± Shen Luo humbly spoke but couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Everything is ready. If Friend Shen is willing, we can start right away,¡± the Little Master chuckled. ¡°Then I shall entrust this matter to the City Lord.¡± Shen Luo showed a look of joy, took out the jade pillow, the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl and passed them over. ¡°Repairing the jade pillow will take some time. Please be patient, Friend Shen,¡± the Little Master said as he took the three items. ¡°No problem,¡± Shen Luo agreed readily. ¡°By the way, our Sect has just produced a new batch of armor and Magical Treasures. These few days, the city is quite lively with frequent transactions of Spiritual Materials. Friend Shen might take this opportunity to stroll around the city and buy some things you might find useful,¡± the Little Master suggested. ¡°Since the City Lord invites, it would be disrespectful to decline.¡± Shen Luo indeed had many Things to buy and immediately nodded in agreement. With Fire Spirit Child, the Master Weapon Refiner present, he planned to enhance all of his Magical Treasures, especially the Device Soul Conversion technique of Fire Spirit Child, which he was very interested in. Chapter 1489 Chapter 1489: Chapter 1485 Fangjin Pavilion Chapter 1489: Chapter 1485 Fangjin Pavilion ¡°Hey, Young Master Shen, what magical treasure is that broken jade pillow? With me here, why bother looking for this boy? Could his artifact refining skills be better than mine?¡± Fire Spirit Child grumbled discontentedly inside the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°That''s a magical treasure I acquired in my earlier years, related to the Time Divine Ability. I''ve searched for artifact refiners across the Three Realms, and only Young Master City Lord is confident he can repair it. Moreover, we had already agreed on this, it''s just that you haven''t been with me long enough,¡± Shen Luo responded telepathically. He had actually considered showing the jade pillow to Fire Spirit Child, but Fire Spirit Child''s mysterious identity meant he couldn''t fully trust him yet. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fire Spirit Child was aware of Shen Luo''s reservations and muttered to himself before ceasing to speak further. ¡°Friend Shen, the outside world has been rife with rumors that after we left, Chang''an City was attacked by Demons a second time, and members of the Qingqiu Fox Clan were involved. You''ve been in Chang''an City this whole time; do you know if these reports are true?¡± Young Master shifted the topic suddenly after putting away the jade pillow and other items. ¡°It''s true¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered as he recounted the events in Chang''an City in detail. ¡°¡­ From the root, the attack on Chang''an City was entirely orchestrated by the Jing River Dragon King. Those Demons and members of the Qingqiu Fox Clan all had prohibitions placed upon them, likely by the Demon Clan''s Demon Butterfly Heart Mark. Thus, I believe that the actions of the Qingqiu Fox Clan in Chang''an may not have been of their own volition. They could have been bewildered or directly controlled by someone,¡± he explained while observing Young Master''s expressions. The Qingqiu Fox Clan had become a target of public criticism, and though Shen Luo had little involvement with the Fox Clan, he still wanted to help clear things up, especially since Mi Su was involved. ¡°There''s a possibility of that, but it doesn''t necessarily mean the Qingqiu Fox Clan is completely innocent. We need to investigate further,¡± Young Master responded noncommittally, evidently not wanting to dwell on the matter. Hearing this, Shen Luo sighed inwardly and shifted the conversation, then after some idle chat with Young Master, he took his leave. ¡°Brother Shen, what kind of spiritual materials do you need? I can have the disciples inside keep an eye out for you,¡± Master Yan personally walked Shen Luo back to his residence and asked. ¡°That would be most helpful, Brother Yan,¡± Shen Luo was delighted. He needed many materials, and it would have taken a lot of effort to gather them all himself; having Tianji City lend a hand would save him a great deal of trouble. Shen Luo took out a jade slip which recorded all the needed materials. Master Yan scanned the jade slip with his Divine Sense, his face betraying a hint of surprise. Not only were there various spiritual materials listed, but also demon essences. ¡°These items are not easy to find, but I will instruct my people to search carefully,¡± Master Yan said. ¡°Thank you, Brother Yan, and don''t worry too much about the price; I have some means,¡± Shen Luo thanked him. Master Yan nodded, didn''t linger, and soon after took his leave. Shen Luo sat quietly in his room for a moment, then called for Zhou Ming outside and headed to the city. Although Master Yan was helping, he still planned not to sit idly by; some items were better collected personally for peace of mind. Previously, as he flew through the city mid-air, he hadn''t gotten a clear look. Now, truly being inside Tianji City, Shen Luo truly felt the hustle and bustle. Cultivators of various sects thronged the streets, with even more people than his last visit. ¡°Who would have thought that Tianji City''s armor and weapons would be so popular,¡± Shen Luo remarked in admiration. ¡°In Tianji City, the core material for refining armor is the Copper of Lingxiao, which is scarce. Thus, the quantity of armor and weapons produced each year is limited. The recent expedition to the Black Abyss Mystical Cave brought back a large amount of Copper of Lingxiao, which is why we see this new batch of armor,¡± Zhou Ming explained. ¡°So that''s how it is,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The two of them did not linger on the street, and soon arrived outside a large materials shop. This shop was called ¡°Fangjin Pavilion,¡± not owned by Tianji City, but established by an external force reportedly linked to some major overseas sects. Tianji City did not suppress it, and Fangjin Pavilion''s business grew ever larger. With Shen Luo''s current cultivation level and status, naturally, he did not need to inquire at the outermost counter, but went directly to the VIP room of Fangjin Pavilion. Zhou Ming did not follow him in, but went to collect information about other materials for Shen Luo. ¡°Daoist friend Shen seems unfamiliar with this place; is this your first visit to Fangjin Pavilion? I am Tao Xiang, the manager here, at your service.¡± Just as Shen Luo had seated himself, a young woman wearing a pink long dress entered, her face as fresh as peach blossoms and a distinct fragrance trailing her movements. Shen Luo instantly recognized that the woman was not of the Human Race but a spirit transformed from a peach tree, with a cultivation not weak, already reaching the early stages of True Immortal. ¡°Daoist friend Tao, please, there''s no need for formalities. I have heard much about how well Fangjin Pavilion handles its business in spiritual materials, possessing elements from all the Three Realities; I have come to purchase some,¡± Shen Luo remarked indifferently. ¡°Daoist friend Shen flatters us. Our Pavilion is but a small shop in the Three Realms, dealing in numerous goods,¡± Tao Xiang replied enthusiastically upon hearing Shen Luo''s words, sensing a significant business opportunity. ¡°May I ask what items you are seeking? We will do our utmost to gather them for you.¡± Shen Luo handed over a jade slip. Tao Xiang received it, scanned it with her Divine Sense, and her expression subtly changed. She was not mistaken¨Cthe jade slip listed numerous materials, each more precious than the last, including items like Nine Heavens Gold Essence, Xuanyuan Divine Wood, and Blood Soul Elemental Jade, nearly extinct materials. Others like Cave Dark Grass, Condensing Soul Stone, and Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood were also extraordinarily precious. Even for Fangjin Pavilion, one of the top spiritual material shops in Tianji City, only four or five items from the list could be assembled. ¡°The materials Daoist friend Shen requires are exceedingly precious; unfortunately, we only have Cave Dark Grass, Condensing Soul Stone, Wind Catkins Vine, and Hundred Wheels Flower available in our stockroom. I''m incredibly sorry,¡± Tao Xiang apologetically stated. Upon hearing these words, Shen Luo was not disappointed but secretly delighted. The materials he wished to purchase were all Nine Heavens treasures; Nine Heavens Gold Essence, Xuanyuan Divine Wood, and Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood need no mention. Cave Dark Grass embodied the power of space, an incredibly precious spirit grass. This grass was the main ingredient for refining the Small Teleportation Charm, while Wind Catkins Vine and Hundred Wheels Flower served as auxiliary spiritual items. The Small Teleportation Charm could penetrate formation prohibitions, a life-saving tool. Regrettably, Fire Spirit Child did not have a second piece, so he had to collect materials and refine it himself, unexpectedly gathering everything all at once. As for Condensing Soul Stone, it was a needed ingredient for the Device Soul Conversion secret technique from Fire Spirit Child, a unique product of the Netherworld. It was indeed available here, affirming Fangjin Pavilion''s reputation. With the Condensing Soul Stone in hand, once more collected some powerful Monster souls, he could attempt to add a Tool Spirit to his magical treasures. As for the Blood Soul Elemental Jade, it was a top-grade blood path spiritual material, comparable to Nine Heavens Gold Essence. Shen Luo sought this material for the Bloodthirsty Flag. As his cultivation level progressively improved, this once-crucial magical treasure could no longer play a significant role, its defensive abilities not comparable to the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, and in terms of attack, it fell short when compared to the Profound Yellow Staff, Pure Yang Sword, and others. After examining the Bloodthirsty Flag, Fire Spirit Child suggested refining another blood path treasure, the Blood Essence Banner, which required Blood Soul Elemental Jade as the main material. ¡°I''ll purchase these four items for now, the more, the better,¡± said Shen Luo, slightly lifting his chin as he spoke. Chapter 1490 Chapter 1490: Chapter 1486: Lian Xiang Trading Conference Chapter 1490: Chapter 1486: Lian Xiang Trading Conference ¡°Friend Shen, please wait a moment. I will go and get it now,¡± Tao Xiang promised with a reply, standing up and walking out. ¡°So quickly you''ve gathered the materials for the Small Teleportation Charm. Good job. Just give the things to me, it''s fine. The Small Teleportation Charm is an Immortal Charm, and given your level of charm-making, the likelihood of failure is quite high,¡± the voice of Fire Spirit Child sounded. Shen Luo didn''t have an inflated ego that demanded he draw the charm himself, so when Fire Spirit Child volunteered, it was naturally the best outcome. He nodded immediately. Tao Xiang quickly delivered the materials: two stalks of Cave Dark Grass, three pieces of Condensing Soul Stone; the quantities of Wind Catkins Vine and Hundred Wheels Flower were not too precious but were plenty. Shen Luo examined the few pieces of Spiritual Material. Cave Dark Grass was a silver-gray little grass, only half a foot tall, and looked quite unremarkable; Condensing Soul Stones were green crystal stones that resembled wood attribute crystal stones, yet they exuded a cold breath. ¡°Two stalks of Cave Dark Grass should be enough to refine about three Small Teleportation Charms. It''s a pity that there are only three Condensing Soul Stones, and they''re all small. You can only attempt the Device Soul Conversion secret technique twice,¡± assessed Fire Spirit Child. Shen Luo nodded slightly upon hearing this; these would suffice for now. He paid with Immortal jade and soon stood up to leave, continuing on to other shops. Over the next two days, Shen Luo followed Zhou Ming''s suggestions and visited each of the Spiritual Material shops within the city; unfortunately, aside from the first day, the gains were meager. Shen Luo was feeling somewhat disappointed when exciting news came from Zhou Ming: there was a lead on the Nine Heavens Gold Essence within the city. Inside a secluded building in the northwest of Tianji City, Shen Luo disguised his appearance, turning into a middle-aged man with a sallow face. He walked slowly down a dim passageway. The passage wasn''t very long, and soon, a faint white light shimmered at the end. He quickly reached the end, where a tightly closed Stone Door stood. Next to the Stone Door was a grey-clothed man who, seeing Shen Luo approach, gave a bow and then took out a Token and sent a white light onto the door. The white light flashed across the door, with runes twinkling, and then it slowly opened, revealing a rather large stone chamber ahead. In the middle of the stone chamber was a large round table, with more than a dozen Grand Master Chairs sparsely arranged around it. Already, seven or eight cultivators were seated there, both men and women. Apart from two female cultivators, each male cultivator beside them was accompanied by one or two youthful girls. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. These girls were of low cultivation, at the Soul Condensation or even Grain Avoidance stages, but they all possessed striking beauty. Their thin clothes clung tightly to their delicate bodies, fully displaying their graceful figures. Shen Luo''s gaze swept across the cultivators in the hall. Almost everyone present was at the True Immortal level, either seclusive High People from the Boundless Sand Sea area or powerful masters from other regions. A gloomy, scholared-clad man sat in the top seat; his cultivation had reached the True Immortal Middle Stage, seeming to be the person in charge. ¡°This must be Brother Shen. Please take a seat,¡± the scholar-clad man stood up and squeezed out a semblance of a smile, but his somber expression made the smile quite ugly. Shen Luo nodded and sat down on a large chair. Two youthful girls approached, giggling sweetly as they tried to cling to Shen Luo''s body. ¡°I''m not accustomed to being served by others,¡± Shen Luo said, waving his hand dismissively and expressionless. Two young girls stood there awkwardly, but they didn''t dare to leave. ¡°Since Friend Shen does not require your services, you may withdraw,¡± said the man in the Confucian robe, seeing this and a flicker of intrigue passed in his eyes as he waved them away. Relieved, the two girls gave Shen Luo a bow and retreated. No matter what place it is, there are deals inconvenient to display in the open, and Tianji City was no different; the gathering here was organized by a secretive force within the city known as the Lianxiang Assembly, responsible for the underground trading conference. The Lianxiang Assembly was a small sect in the Boundless Sand Sea, not known for its mighty combat power but specialized in charm techniques and bedroom arts, highly sought after by male disciples of various sects in the Boundless Sand Sea. Many from Tianji City took female disciples of the Lianxiang Assembly as wives and concubines. For this reason, the Lianxiang Assembly was able to gain a foothold in Tianji City and set up this underground trading conference. As for the Confucian-robed man, he was known as Gu Cangfeng, the dual cultivation partner of the leader of the Lianxiang Assembly and in charge of all matters of the Assembly in Tianji City. ¡°Hehe, judging by Friend Shen''s attire, you must come from the Eastern Great Tang, the land of propriety and gentlemen indeed,¡± a sinister laugh came from across the round table. A man in a black robe sat there, his arms around two girls from the Lianxiang Assembly. Though his words were complimentary, the sarcasm was evident for all to hear. ¡°Who might Your Excellency be, one of the High People? Among True Immortal cultivators, it''s quite rare to see a Ghost driven by lust such as yourself,¡± Shen Luo, having disguised his appearance, didn''t fear revealing his identity and immediately shot back with satire. ¡°What did you say?¡± The bearded giant erupted in anger, standing up abruptly. ¡°Both Daoist friends, please calm yourselves. Friend Shen, this is Friend Yan Lie from the Black Flame Gate of the West Niu Hezhou Continent. The fierce and pure Yang cultivational practices of the Black Flame Gate require dual cultivation with women to quell the rampant Yang force within the body, not out of lascivious desire,¡± Gu Cangfeng hastily stood up, trying to smooth things over. The bearded giant glared at Shen Luo, about to say something further when Gu Cangfeng deflected the conversation, introducing the others present, ¡°Allow me to introduce the other Daoist friends. This is Madam Yunxia, a hermit from the Boundless Sand Sea, rarely known to others but a match for few in the True Immortal Stage with her mastery of earth-element God''s Power; this is Wanshui Zhenren, a freelance cultivator from the Southern Sea¡­¡± Shen Luo nodded in response to show civility and took an extra glance at Wanshui Zhenren. The man was lean and sinewy, with reddish-brown skin, reminiscent of a great monkey, exuding a sly impression. According to the intelligence from Zhou Ming, the clue to the Nine Heavens Gold Essence lay with this individual. The others in the room also evaluated Shen Luo, noticing that despite his not-so-high cultivation level, he had an air of depth and was not someone to be trifled with. They nodded in response, not daring to offend him lightly. Seeing Shen Luo getting along quite harmoniously with everyone present, the bearded man''s face darkened with anger, but he held back from lashing out, snorting coldly and sitting back down, his big hand roughly kneading one of the Lianxiang Assembly girls beside him. ¡°Friend Gu, it''s about time, isn''t it? When will the trading conference begin?¡± A dark-skinned old man, wrapped in a white turban and holding a black smoking pipe like that of a farmer, spoke up. From Gu Cangfeng''s introductions, Shen Luo had learned that this man was called Tian Sanqi, an elder from a sect known as Baijian Gate in the West Niu Hezhou Continent, with cultivation already at the True Immortal Middle Stage. Unremarkable in appearance, but his aura was powerful, on par with Gu Cangfeng. ¡°Friend Tian, don''t fret. We are still waiting for one more Daoist friend. Once he arrives, the trading conference will begin immediately,¡± said Gu Cangfeng with a smile. No sooner had he finished speaking than the Big Gate opened again, and two figures walked in. The one in the lead was a stooped, skinny Old man with a fierce look on his face, holding a weathered vine Walking Stick topped with a Black Skull Head. Following closely behind the Old man was a short, stocky Middle-aged Man, with downcast eyes like a servant, seemingly in the service of the old man. Shen Luo''s eyes widened in recognition; he did not know the skinny old man, but the stout middle-aged man was an Old Acquaintance. That year, in Chang''an, he was the blacksmith named Zhou Tie who used to be by Xie Yuxin''s side. Chapter 1491 Chapter 1491: Chapter 1487: The Object of Desire Chapter 1491: Chapter 1487: The Object of Desire ¡°Why is he here? No, that Zhou Tie is just an ordinary person, after so many years he should have long been dead. How can he still be alive?¡± Shen Luo was quite surprised, scrutinizing Zhou Tie carefully. Zhou Tie still had not a trace of Mana fluctuation on him, he was indeed an ordinary person. However, Shen Luo felt that there was something unusual about him, different from ordinary people. If one did not observe carefully, it would not be apparent. ¡°So, Friend Gu has been waiting for Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist. It''s really rare to see Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist not refining corpses in his cave mansion but instead coming to Tianji City,¡± Lady Yunxia said with a cold laugh, apparently acquainted with the gaunt old man. ¡°Refining corpses!¡± Shen Luo''s body jolted, and he looked at the gaunt old man, a hint of fierceness flashing in his eyes. Xie Yuxin was a longtime good friend of his, and she was turned into the Earth Evil Corpse King without any clear reason. Although he had already conveyed her soul to the Underworld, the reason why she became that way remains unclear. Ghost Yan was already dead, and he thought he had no way to investigate the truth, but unexpectedly, he found some clues here. Xie Yuxin turned into the Earth Evil Corpse King in this Boundless Sand Sea, and now Zhou Tie was with this gaunt old man. Given the gaunt old man was a monk of the Boundless Sand Sea and was skilled in the art of corpse refinement, it''s highly likely he was involved with Xie Yuxin''s transformation. Shen Luo immediately closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed his emotions. The most important thing now was to obtain the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. This gaunt old man had already appeared here, and he couldn''t escape. It wouldn''t be too late to inquire about Xie Yuxin after the trading conference was over. ¡°Let me introduce you, this gentleman is Ghost Teng Master, a reclusive cultivator from the Boundless Sand Sea, who rarely comes out,¡± Gu Cangfeng introduced the gaunt old man. Ghost Teng Master was only at the Early True Immortal stage, and his aura was quite unstable, indicating a recent breakthrough. Therefore, no one present paid much attention to him. Ghost Teng Master let out a hey-hey dry laugh and then sprawled on a large chair. Two female disciples from the Lianxiang Assembly forced smiles on their faces and walked over, sticking by Ghost Teng Master''s side. ¡°Ha ha, the female disciples of Lianxiang Assembly are indeed wonderful. My desolate Ghost Vine Cave is very cold. Brother Gu, could you perhaps send me ten such disciples?¡± Ghost Teng Master said with a laugh after rubbing his hands on the two girls. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist is a True Immortal being, transcending the mortal world. It is their honor for my sect''s disciples to catch your eye. I will have someone send ten top-quality furnace companions to you later,¡± Gu Cangfeng hee-hee laughed. ¡°Then I thank you very much,¡± Ghost Teng Master chuckled. Shen Luo, upon hearing the conversation between the two, felt disgusted and closed his eyes, ignoring them. ¡°Now that everyone has arrived, the trading conference can officially begin. There''s no need for me to say much about the rules; You Daoist friends present your treasures, introduce them, and then state the price you wish to trade or the items you wish to exchange. If someone is interested, we can proceed with the deal,¡± Gu Cangfeng said with a smile. All those present were True Immortal cultivators. Naturally, they were all aware of the rules of the trading conference. ¡°Although everyone here is a High Person and unlikely to break the rules, I still have to say the ugly words upfront. If anyone presents fake or defective goods, or forces buying and selling, then do not blame me, Gu, for being unsympathetic.¡± Gu Cangfeng''s expression suddenly turned cold, as the powerful aura of a True Immortal Middle Stage fully displayed, and at the same time, a pitch-black Yin wind rose behind him, and a red-clothed female ghost appeared. The female ghost was about a zhang tall and extremely slender like a bamboo pole, with Black Qi entwining her body and Yin Sha Qi extremely heavy, even more powerful than Gu Cangfeng himself. Her two blood-red eyes, visible from her parted hair, swept the people in the hall, sending chills through everyone present instantly. ¡°Cha Female Ghost King!¡± someone in the hall exclaimed softly, and everyone''s expressions became more reserved. ¡°The trading conference is now beginning, which Daoist friend will present their items first?¡± Seeing that his display of power had the desired intimidating effect, Gu Cangfeng retracted his aura and the red-clothed female ghost behind him disappeared in a flash, announcing the official start of the trading conference. ¡°I arrived the latest, so let me start. This time I brought three pieces of Yellow Cloud Crystal, two Sky Eye Beads, one Swallowing Fire Beast Demon Pill¡­¡± Ghost Teng Master chuckled, placing several items on the table. These items were all valuable treasures that True Immortal cultivators could use, especially the Swallowing Fire Beast Demon Pill, which could absorb fiery spiritual power. Although this pill was not a True Immortal Demon Pill, it was still a rare treasure for cultivators who practiced Fire Attribute Techniques, attracting several fervent gazes. The two Lianxiang Assembly female disciples serving the ugly old Ghost Teng Master were initially reluctant, but upon seeing the spiritual materials on the table, their eyes lit up and their attitude became much more enthusiastic. They fawned over the old man, eliciting hearty laughter from Ghost Teng Master. Shen Luo merely glanced at the items before withdrawing his gaze, as these things were indeed rare for ordinary True Immortal cultivators, but meant nothing to him. Back in the Yin Yang Cave, he obtained a massive amount of precious spirit materials, each of which was more valuable than the Swallowing Fire Beast Demon Pill. Next to Ghost Teng Master sat a man dressed in black robes, who had a slow temperament. It took a while after Ghost Teng Master finished speaking for the black-robed man to leisurely take out two things: a White Jade Bottle and a jade box with a yellow spirit grass inside, resembling a lingzhi mushroom. ¡°I didn''t bring much, just one bottle of Thousand-Year Cold Marrow and one Earth Zhi Essence,¡± the black-robed man said indifferently. The Thousand-Year Cold Marrow and Earth Zhi Essence were both rare spiritual materials that caught the interest of many people. Shen Luo scanned the two items before shifting his gaze away, catching a glimpse of another cultivator sitting next to the black-robed man. That person was Wanshui Zhenren, the target of his visit this time. ¡°I have brought less than the two fellow Daoists, possessing neither wealth nor abundances, only bringing a single Bihai Rayfish egg,¡± Wanshui Zhenren jested, taking out a fist-sized blue beast egg, within which waves of water-like light swirled, hinting at its extraordinariness. ¡°Bihai Rayfish!¡± Several people in the room shook visibly, greed flashing in their eyes. The Bihai Rayfish, an Exotic Beast from the Southern Sea, resides in the deep sea and is said to carry the bloodline of the ancient Exotic Beast Kunpeng. It can enter the sea and ascend the skies, moving with incredible speed. Its mild nature made it one of the best choices for a spirit beast mount. Shen Luo frowned slightly, as Wanshui Zhenren did not bring out the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, it made sense; in a trading conference full of strangers, presenting a treasure like the Nine Heavens Gold Essence would only bring trouble upon oneself. The trading conference continued, with the cultivators below presenting their offered items in turn¨Call valuables and rarities, gradually heating up the atmosphere in the stone chamber. When it was Shen Luo''s turn, he casually put out a few spiritual materials on the table, including two from the Jing River Dragon King''s Storage Magical Tool, which were the Spiritual Materials of the Demon Clan. This attracted many surprised gazes, including that of Ghost Vine Master. Soon, everyone had presented their items, and the next phase of the conference was to propose items they wished to exchange. Chapter 1492 Chapter 1492: Chapter 1488: Really Willing Chapter 1492: Chapter 1488: Really Willing ¡°I offer three Yellow Cloud Crystals for a 500-year-old White Dew Turns to Frost, substituting the Swallowing Fire Beast Demon Pellet with an intermediate magical treasure of the fire attribute, and two Sky Eye Beads for a Magic Cloud Vine¡­¡± Ghost Teng Master cleared his throat, stating his requirements. When mentioning the Magic Cloud Vine, Ghost Teng Master glanced towards Shen Luo, who had pulled out one of the Demon Clan spiritual materials, precisely the Magic Cloud Vine. A thought crossed Shen Luo''s mind, and he threw the Magic Cloud Vine towards Ghost Teng Master. ¡°I''ll take those two Sky Eye Beads.¡± Ghost Teng Master was delighted to hear this, and with a wave of his sleeve, a yellow light levitated the Magic Cloud Vine. He carefully examined it with his Divine Sense, found no issues, and hastily stowed it away, then handed over the two Sky Eye Beads. Shen Luo glanced at the two Sky Eye Beads and casually stored them away. ¡°Young Master Shen, what do you want with these two Sky Eye Beads? Although they can be used to refine treasures that enhance visual strength, these two beads have mediocre spiritual power, and they are not like the Three-eyed or Nine-eyed Heavenly Beads, they are useless to you,¡± Fire Spirit Child curiously asked. ¡°These Sky Eye Beads are indeed useless to me, but this Ghost Teng Master is useful to me,¡± Shen Luo replied indifferently through telepathy. ¡°Did you tamper with something inside the Magic Cloud Vine? Heh heh, Young Master Shen, the more I look at you, the less you seem like a cultivator,¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled. Recently, he had become more familiar with Shen Luo and no longer called him Daoist friend. Shen Luo didn''t mind these trivial matters and his lips slightly curled up. Fire Spirit Child was right; he had left a trace of Divine Sense imprint within the Magic Cloud Vine. With this imprint, as long as Ghost Teng Master does not leave the Boundless Sand Sea, Shen Luo could sense his location. Ghost Teng Master swapped or sold two other materials successfully, the rest met with no interest and were taken back by him. The black-robed man below wanted to exchange Thousand-Year Cold Marrow and Earth Zhi Essence for Elixirs to advance his cultivation level, which Lady Yunxia happened to have, and she secured both items with four bottles of Elixirs. Next up was Wanshui Zhenren, attracting many an intent gaze to the Bihai Ray Fish Egg. ¡°Ha ha, not to deceive my fellow Daoists, I obtained this Bihai Ray Fish Egg from a secret realm through life-threatening hardships. To acquire this item, I destroyed several of my magical treasures and was severely injured. To heal, I nearly spent all my Immortal Jade. Hence, I am not choosy; this egg can be exchanged either for magical treasures, purchased with Immortal Jade, or traded for other precious spiritual materials,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said with a laugh. Shen Luo chuckled; clearly, Wanshui Zhenren was playing hard to get, selling to whoever offered the highest value. Truly a crafty old fox. However, this suited him well. He intended to buy this egg, thereby fostering a relationship with Wanshui Zhenren, and then find an opportunity to inquire about the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. Other monks were momentarily taken aback but then, following one monk''s lead, they all started offering their prices, quickly pushing the bid for this egg to a substantial sum. ¡°Tian Sanqi of Baijian Gate offers nine thousand Immortal Jade!¡± said Tian Sanqi with a deep voice. ¡°Nine thousand Immortal Jade for this Bihai Ray Fish Egg? I, Yan, offer ten thousand Immortal Jade,¡± the bearded giant from the Black Flame Gate scoffed coldly, raising the bid by a thousand Immortal Jade. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Unexpectedly, both my friends are so generous. I too shall hazard all in this noble quest, twelve thousand Immortal Jade,¡± Ghost Teng Master chuckled. ¡°Fifteen thousand Immortal Jade!¡± Tian Sanqi glanced at the other two and said coldly. The three of them vied fiercely, turning the trading conference into an auction on the spot, rapidly driving the price of the Bihai Ray Fish Egg up to twenty thousand Immortal Jade. Shen Luo had also planned to make a move, but he halted seeing this scenario. Although the Bihai Ray Fish Egg was precious, it was worth about ten thousand Immortal Jade at most. Now it had reached twenty thousand, and Tian Sanqi among others showed no signs of backing down. Could there be some other secret to this egg? The other monks glanced at each other and began whispering quietly. As Wanshui Zhenren saw this situation, he was also stunned for a moment, obviously not expecting the Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg to be worth so much. This man''s eyes started whirling around, seemingly plotting something. ¡°30,000 Immortal Jade!¡± The Bearded Giant, noticing the increasingly strange expressions of the monks around him, became anxious, slapped the table hard, and directly raised the bid by ten thousand. ¡°Who are you trying to scare, Daoist Yan? 35,000 Immortal Jade.¡± Ghost Teng Master chuckled, not giving in at all. ¡°40,000 Immortal Jade.¡± Tian Sanqi immediately followed suit. ¡°I''ll offer 50,000 Immortal Jade, plus this thing.¡± The Bearded Giant''s eyes flashed fiercely, he gritted his teeth, flipped his hand, and placed an object on the table. The object was a golden long tendon, shimmering and shining, from which one could feel the astonishing fluctuations of Dragon Qi even from a distance. ¡°Dragon Tendon!¡± A monk immediately recognized the object and exclaimed aloud. ¡°This is not an ordinary dragon tendon; it is definitely a True Spirit dragon tendon from the Taiyi Stage. Young Master Shen, find a way to get it. I can refine it into the Ancient Magic Treasure Binding God Silk!¡± Fire Spirit Child said excitedly. Hearing this, Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. A Taiyi Stage dragon tendon was worth at least 100,000 Immortal Jade; this Bearded Giant was really generous. However, this also showed that the Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg truly hid some secrets. Other monks present also understood the value of the dragon tendon. Some marveled, some envied, and others had flickering eyes. ¡°Gentlemen, I only have so much today. If you can offer a higher price, the Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg will be yours,¡± the Bearded Giant said coldly to Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master. Ghost Teng Master and Tian Sanqi''s expressions turned grim, and they remained silent, not knowing if they lacked more Immortal Jade or if they were deterred by the high price. ¡°Since both gentlemen are so modest, then I shall not be polite.¡± The Bearded Giant was pleased to see this, took out a Storage Magical Tool, and threw it along with the dragon tendon to Wanshui Zhenren. However, Wanshui Zhenren waved his sleeve, and a wave-like blue light sent the Storage Magical Tool and the dragon tendon back, and he took the Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg into his possession. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, what do you mean by this?¡± The Bearded Giant''s expression changed as he spoke coldly. ¡°My fellow Daoists, I apologize, but I suddenly remembered that the Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg has another use. I will not sell it today, please do not take offense,¡± Wanshui Zhenren chuckled dryly as he spoke. With such a sudden change in circumstances, everyone present was taken aback. ¡°Your Excellency has already presented this Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg; how can you take it back?¡± The Bearded Giant was also stunned for a moment, then angrily said. ¡°This Bi Hai Manta Ray Egg belongs to me. If I want to sell it, I will sell it. If I want to take it back, I will take it back. Do you still want to force a sale?¡± Wanshui Zhenren''s expression also turned cold, and he spoke bluntly. ¡°You¡­¡± The Bearded Giant faltered, and red light began to emerge on his hands, seemingly ready to make a move. ¡°Daoist Yan, although my Lianxiang Assembly is just a small faction in Tianji City, we also have rules. Any fighting is strictly forbidden during the Trading Conference. Let''s make money in harmony, please respect the rules,¡± Gu Cangfeng said to the Bearded Giant, the shadow of the Cha Female Ghost King flashing behind him, a chilling murderous intent locking onto the Bearded Giant. The Bearded Giant''s eyes flickered fiercely, and a moment later, he snorted coldly, dispersing the red light in his hands. But his expression clearly showed that he would not let things go easily. Moreover, Ghost Teng Master and Tian Sanqi''s gazes were also flickering, obviously entertaining other ideas, and the eyes of the other monks present also nonchalantly glanced towards Wanshui Zhenren. Chapter 1493 Chapter 1493: Chapter 1489: Greed Chapter 1493: Chapter 1489: Greed Wanshui Zhenren saw the situation at the scene and couldn''t help but lament in his heart, regretting his greediness for taking back this hot potato, becoming the target of public criticism. However, since things had come to this point, there was nothing to regret; he sat there, feigning composure. The Trading Conference continued, but it was clear everyone''s thoughts were on the Bi Hai Yao fish eggs; the trades were lackluster. When it was Shen Luo''s turn, he proposed to use the materials on the table in exchange for clues about the Nine Heavens Gold Essence, Blood Soul Elemental Jade, Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, and Spirit Fire of Heavenly Fire level, but unfortunately, no one knew. As he stated his request, he discreetly watched Wanshui Zhenren. Upon hearing Nine Heavens Gold Essence, that man''s eyes imperceptibly flickered, but his mouth remained shut, and he said nothing. Seeing this made Shen Luo even more certain that Zhou Ming''s information was correct; Wanshui Zhenren indeed had a clue about the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. The Trading Conference soon came to an end. As soon as Gu Cangfeng announced the conclusion, several people in the stone chamber quickly left, while Wanshui Zhenren remained calm, only leisurely leaving after most had departed. Shen Luo left the Underground Trading Hall of Lianxiang Assembly and went to a nearby restaurant, ordering a few dishes and a pot of wine to drink by himself. Night fell quickly, and he did not return to Fallen Flower Villa. Instead, he concealed his tracks with his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and silently left the city. Flying south for nearly ten thousand li, Shen Luo stopped near an abandoned ruin in the Boundless Sand Sea and looked toward the depths of the ruin. There, several figures stood, none other than Wanshui Zhenren, the Bearded Giant from Black Flame Gate, Tian Sanqi from Baijian Gate, and Ghost Teng Master. Wanshui Zhenren stood in the center, with the Bearded Giant, Tian Sanqi, and Ghost Teng Master surrounding him. Next to Shen Luo, the Void fluctuated, and a silver mouse popped out and darted into his embrace¨Cit was that Divine Rat. After the Trading Conference ended, he quietly released the Divine Rat, which followed Wanshui Zhenren all the way here. Shen Luo wasn''t the only one who followed. In the ruins not far away lurked two groups of monks; one group had three people, and the other only one. However, these two groups weren''t as adept at concealing their presence as the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, and they gave away some traces of their whereabouts. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, if you know what''s good for you, hand over the Bi Hai Yao fish eggs. My terms remain the same: I''ll give you 50,000 Immortal Jade plus that Dragon Tendon,¡± the Bearded Giant said. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, seeing as the three of you value the Bi Hai Yao fish eggs so highly, I''m curious what''s so special about it that you''re willing to spend such Heavy Gold to purchase it?¡± Wanshui Zhenren, surrounded in the middle, showed no fear, smiling and asking with a nonchalant expression. ¡°It seems you want to resist to the very end. Daoist friend Tian, Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, as we discussed earlier, let''s take down this brat first, then decide the ownership of the Bi Hai Yao fish eggs,¡± the Bearded Giant said viciously. ¡°Alright.¡± Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master both nodded, their bodies glowing, ready to act. ¡°Hold on, since you three want this Bi Hai Yao fish egg, I''ll give it to you; there''s no need for violence,¡± Wanshui Zhenren suddenly raised his hand and said. Then, he took out the Bi Hai Yao fish egg and tossed it to the Bearded Giant. The Bearded Giant was taken aback, sending out a red light to wrap around the Bi Hai Yao fish egg. He found it hard to believe that Wanshui Zhenren would hand over the fish eggs so readily, but what was wrapped in the red light was indeed the Bi Hai Yao fish egg. With the Bi Hai Yao fish eggs in the hands of the Bearded Giant, the attention of Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master was immediately diverted from Wanshui Zhenren. ¡°The caviar has already been given to the three of you, I will take my leave,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said to them before transforming into a blue light and shooting off into the distance. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master hesitated for a moment. Wanshui Zhenren''s speed was ordinarily fast, and he had already flown out of the encirclement, escaping a hundred feet away. At this moment, the caviar in the hands of the Bearded Giant suddenly flashed blue, changing its form dramatically into a fist-sized round pearl, with dazzling water-thunder radiance flickering inside. ¡°Sunflower Water Extinguish Immortal Bead!¡± The Bearded Giant''s face drastically changed, and he hurriedly tossed away the blue round pearl. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master also hastily retreated, but it was already too late. With a thunderous boom, a huge blue light sphere appeared out of nowhere, completely engulfing the figures of the three men. Numerous thick blue bolts of lightning darted within dozens of feet, buzzing with a frighteningly formidable presence. Wanshui Zhenren laughed heartily, exceedingly proud, as he soared into the distance. His boots emitted purple thunder and white clouds, interweaving spectacularly together. ¡°Eh, that''s the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, rumored to be refined by the Ancient Thunder God. Wearing them allows one to chase light and pursue lightning, traversing tens of thousands of miles in an instant. I did not expect them to still exist in this world,¡± exclaimed Fire Spirit Child in surprise. Before Fire Spirit Child''s words could finish, Wanshui Zhenren had already turned into a purple thunder shadow, swiftly becoming a pinpoint of purple light, moving so fast it was unbelievable, and looking as though he would soon vanish without a trace. However, at this very moment, a huge white net suddenly appeared ahead, instantly expanding a hundredfold, nearly obscuring half of the sky, and swooping down right on top of Wanshui Zhenren. Wanshui Zhenren was both shocked and furious. With a wave of his hands, two golden sword lights shot out, instantly becoming two Golden Dragons with heads like swords, and tails intertwined like ropes, roaring and twisting in mid air. With a ¡°sizzle,¡± the white net was cut in half, but Wanshui Zhenren''s escape was also intercepted. The sound of whooshing came from behind, as three escape lights shot out from the blue light sphere, revealing Tian Sanqi, the Bearded Giant, and Ghost Teng Master. Their clothes were ragged and half of their bodies were bathed in blood, looking extremely bedraggled, but they were not fundamentally injured. ¡°Reckless fools! Die!¡± The beard on one side of the Bearded Giant''s face was burned off, and with a furious roar, he spat out an attack. A red light streaked across, revealing a red wide back battle saber, within its light a red flying python with wings on its back ¨C it was another magical treasure with a tool spirit, appearing above Wanshui Zhenren''s head and slicing down with a whoosh. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master also made their moves at the same time ¨C the former released a flying sword with a dragon-like sinuous shape and a body covered in golden scales, emitting a dragon-like chant. ¡°Blood Thorn Vine, go!¡± The latter threw out his withered vine walking stick, which suddenly flashed with blood light, transforming into a thick blood-red Ghost Vine covered with blood-red barbs, pouncing toward Wanshui Zhenren like a huge python. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Wanshui Zhenren was shocked and pale, hastily urging the two golden sword lights beside him to revolve rapidly around his body, colliding hard with the three magical treasures. Boom, boom, boom! Three thunderous sounds erupted! The red battle saber, the Traveling Dragon Sword, and the Blood Thorn Vine were all repelled, but the two golden sword lights were also nearly dispersed, revealing their true forms ¨C two crossed dragon-shaped flying swords that resembled a pair of golden scissors. ¡°Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots! Golden Dragon Scissors! It seems that Brother Wan Shui has had quite a rich harvest from the Donghua Freelance Immortal''s cave mansion,¡± the Bearded Giant laughed and then manipulated the red battle saber again to chop towards Wanshui Zhenren. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master likewise did the same. The three of them, working together against one, exhibited an encircling strategy, clearly confident in their absolute ability to capture the opponent. Chapter 1494 Chapter 1494: Chapter 1490: The Mystery of the Secret Mansion Chapter 1494: Chapter 1490: The Mystery of the Secret Mansion ¡°Donghua Freelance Immortal!¡± Shen Luo''s heart stirred upon hearing this. He had seen records of this person in the classics, a legendary freelance cultivator from almost a thousand years ago, born on Donghua Mountain, thus self-titled ¡°Donghua True Immortal.¡± This person once slew an evil dragon that troubled Cangjiang, single-handedly exterminated the Blood Blade Alliance that dominated Lianyun Mountain Range for hundreds of years, and also annihilated the Xiaoyao Demon Sect overnight for the sake of an unknown female cultivator, overshadowing all the great immortal sects of Human World at the height of his fame. Some believed his cultivation had reached the peak of Taiyi. The Heavenly Court once tried to recruit him but was refused. Later for some unknown reason, this Donghua Freelance Immortal suddenly vanished without a trace and never appeared in the world again, gradually forgotten by people, with only some records left in the classics. Naturally, the remains of a cave mansion left behind by such a brilliantly talented individual are extraordinary. The other two groups hiding within the ruins also experienced slight fluctuations in their breath upon hearing this. Wanshui Zhenren''s expression changed drastically upon hearing the bearded giant''s words, which were clearly not false. He let out a low roar, spurring on the Golden Dragon Scissors beside him, which transformed into two golden dragons again, clashing with the Magical Treasures of the bearded giant and his two companions. At the same time, Wanshui Zhenren spat out another treasure, a nearly transparent glittering Round Pearl wrapped in a layer of colored glaze flames, with the temperature around it rising incredibly fast, causing the Void to tremble as it scorched. Wanshui Zhenren formed a hand seal and directed a beam of light into the Round Pearl, making the flames around it intensify suddenly, as three colored glaze Fire Dragons shot out rapidly like lightning towards the bearded giant and his companions. ¡°Li Huo Beads! This fire is the Southern Ming Separation Fire, fierce and domineering, the Heavenly Fire that the Donghua Freelance Immortal used to travel across the world in his days, both of you be extremely careful!¡± The bearded giant shouted in alarm, dodging to the side like avoiding a deadly serpent, while also summoning a blue Ruyi. Layers of blue water light blossomed from the Ruyi, half enshrouding the man, the other half meeting the colored glaze Fire Dragons. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master also hastily retreated, each summoning their Magical Treasures for protection. Having momentarily repelled the three, Wanshui Zhenren did not pursue, calling back both the Golden Dragon Scissors and the Li Huo Beads, activating his Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, turning into a streak of purple lightning flying forward, with his speed increasing by a third more than before. ¡°I don''t know which Daoist friend is hiding nearby, but please stop Wanshui Zhenren! I, Yan, am the descendant of a disciple of Donghua Freelance Immortal. There are two cave mansions left by Donghua Freelance Immortal; Wanshui is heading for the Bright Mansion, but the real treasures of the Donghua Freelance Immortal are all stored in the second, the Secret Mansion. The location of the Secret Mansion is recorded in that Beihai Scalloped Egg; if Daoist friend can stop Wanshui Zhenren, I''m willing to accompany Your Excellency to the Secret Mansion!¡± Seeing Wanshui Zhenren about to flee, the bearded giant was too late to chase and became extremely anxious, gritting his teeth as he shouted. Shen Luo''s thoughts churned upon hearing this, patting the Qiankun Bag at his waist. A black light flew out of it; it was Ghost General Zhao Feiji who received a whispered transmission. Without a word, Zhao Feiji vanished beneath the ground with a flicker. At this moment, the Void before Wanshui Zhenren fluctuated, and another large net burst forth from nowhere. This time it was a peach red Luo Net, with countless petals fluttering and falling. Wanshui Zhenren, already on guard for potential enemies, immediately tried to drive the Golden Dragon Scissors to break through the Luo Net. However, a chillingly enchanting fragrance enveloped him, causing his gaze to blur, and the Golden Dragon Scissors he was about to summon halted. Three figures emerged after the peach red Luo Net was cast, one of them a red-clothed young woman who formed a seal and pointed at the Luo Net, which fell rapidly and wrapped around Wanshui Zhenren. The other two, a dark-faced man and a young man in white, each swept their sleeves releasing a light that enveloped Wanshui Zhenren''s Golden Dragon Scissors and Li Huo Beads. Shen Luo recognized the red-clothed young woman from afar; she was Tao Xiang from the Fangjin Pavilion. The other two also had the cultivation level of True Immortals, and judging by their attire, they also seemed to be from Fangjin Pavilion. ¡°Fangjin Pavilion!¡± Seeing Tao Xiang and the others, the expression of the bearded giant changed greatly, and he regretted blurting out the secret of the Beihai Scallop Egg. He originally thought that the ones hiding in the dark were one or two ordinary monks, and even if they revealed the secret, with himself and Tian Sanqi, Ghost Teng Master would be enough to suppress them. He hadn''t expected that it was actually people from Fangjin Pavilion. Fangjin Pavilion usually acts in a low-profile manner, but its strength is formidable. It is said to have a mysterious power as its backing. In the Boundless Sand Sea area, apart from Tianji City, there is no second power that can suppress it. If Wanshui Zhenren falls into the hands of Fangjin Pavilion, they are probably going to come up empty-handed today. ¡°We can''t let Wanshui Zhenren fall into the hands of Fangjin Pavilion. Fellow Daoists, attack with all your might!¡± The bearded giant transmitted a voice shout, the red light on his Red Battle Saber surged wildly, ready to strike with all his power! However, before the bearded giant and others could make a move, a silver ribbon shot out from the void beside them, entwined Wanshui Zhenren''s body even faster, flying to the side, barely evading the Peach Red Luo Net''s cover. Two silver lights also shot out from the silver ribbon, snatching away the Golden Dragon Scissors and Li Huo Beads before the black-faced man and the young man in white could react. ¡°Fantasy Silver Shroud! Lady Yunxia, how dare you interfere with Fangjin Pavilion''s important affair!¡± The red-clothed young woman''s expression changed, and she shouted angrily. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beside the silver ribbon, a flash of light appeared, and a silver-clad woman emerged from thin air, the very Lady Yunxia from the Trading Conference just now. ¡°Hehe, Elder Immortal''s legacy is something Fangjin Pavilion can take, but this humble one cannot? What kind of reasoning is this!¡± Lady Yunxia chuckled and spit out a starlight shuttle, carrying both herself and Wanshui Zhenren, fleeing swiftly into the distance. ¡°Chase!¡± Tao Xiang shouted angrily, her face ashen, and the three people from Fangjin Pavilion immediately pursued. The bearded giant and the other two also did the same. Their faces relaxed slightly, knowing that Lady Yunxia was strong, but after all, she was just one person. It would be easier to snatch Wanshui Zhenren back from her rather than if Fangjin Pavilion had taken him. However, the starlight shuttle suddenly trembled, bursting out with a sky full of starlight. Each strand of starlight contained a shadow of the starlight shuttle, flying chaotically in all directions, making it impossible to discern which one was the real body. Tao Xiang and the others'' expressions changed. They hurriedly cast spells to discern the true from the false. At this moment, the situation changed abruptly once more. A harsh flute sound suddenly rang out from the nearby void, sounding like thousands of dragons lamenting and hundreds of ghosts weeping at night, causing everyone''s minds to become disoriented. All the people present changed expressions, and found themselves struggling to control their own bodies, which started to move on their own, and the Mana inside them also became out of control, rampaging everywhere within their bodies. ¡°Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound!¡± Lady Yunxia exclaimed in shock. She too was affected by the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, and the sky full of shuttle shadows suddenly dispersed, leaving only the true form. But she had already reached the True Immortal Middle Stage in her cultivation, and practiced Buddhist Skills that naturally had a strong resistance to Demonic Sounds. She was not completely controlled by the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, ready to use a treasure for Meditation Heart to suppress the disordered Mana. However, the flute sound around her suddenly soared, a sharper and more powerful sound poured into her ears as though fierce dragons and tigers tore through the lady''s Divine Soul defense, striking directly at her mind. Lady Yunxia felt her Divine Soul boom, her thoughts collapsing like an explosion, her inner Mana totally disrupted, and the Fantasy Silver Shroud that restrained Wanshui Zhenren loosened. A blurred figure appeared nearby, flung a sleeve, and a red light wrapped around the bewildered Wanshui Zhenren and the two Magical Treasures. Wanshui Zhenren vanished into thin air. The figure then surged underfoot with a red light, turning into a Red Sword Rainbow blasting into the distance, disappearing into the far-off horizon in a blink. The Soul-Devouring flute sound gradually dissipated and, after a few breaths, completely vanished. However, due to these brief moments of delay, Wanshui Zhenren and the blurry figure had already run without a trace, leaving no hint of their presence. Chapter 1495 Chapter 1495: Chapter 1491: Nothing Else Desired Chapter 1495: Chapter 1491: Nothing Else Desired ¡°Just now, who was that figure? We must pursue quickly!¡± Tao Xiang called out in a low voice, leading the two of them to chase after it immediately. Although they were affected by the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound earlier, their senses were not lost; they witnessed the scene where Wanshui Zhenren was rescued and naturally didn''t want to let such an easy prey slip away. Lady Yunxia also recovered, but instead of chasing after them, her gaze flickered, and she turned around to flee into the distance. If Wanshui Zhenren had fallen into her hands, risking a battle with Fangjin Pavilion and others for Donghua Freelance Immortal''s treasures would still be worth it. But now that Wanshui Zhenren was snatched away by a mysterious figure, and since she had already offended Tao Xiang and the others, the risk of continuing to get involved was too great, even life-threatening. Withdrawing was the more prudent course of action. On the other hand, the Bearded Giant, Tian Sanqi, and Ghost Teng Master didn''t give up. After exchanging a glance, they chased in the direction Wanshui Zhenren had left. The ruins that were just in fierce battle returned to tranquility in a split second. The Red sword rainbow flew out tens of thousands of miles, changing direction several times along the way. Finally, it landed on a sand dune within the Boundless Sand Sea, revealing Shen Luo''s figure, still maintaining the image of a middle-aged man with a charred-yellow complexion. The ground flashed with Black Qi, and Zhao Feiji''s figure emerged from underground, holding the Dragon-burying Flute in his hand. ¡°Master, this Dragon-burying Flute is too powerful. Paired with my Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, it more than doubled the potency of the demonic sound,¡± Zhao Feiji said joyfully. ¡°Hmph, of course it is. Who do you think crafted this magical treasure?¡± Fire Spirit Child''s proud voice came from within the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°As long as you''re comfortable using it.¡± Shen Luo nodded, then stimulated the Free and Easy Mirror with a magic spell. A flash of red light passed, and Wanshui Zhenren materialized, completely immobilized as if under a Binding Talisman. Shen Luo had sealed his senses and motion when taking him into the Free and Easy Mirror, conveniently affixing a Binding Talisman on his body. The Free and Easy Mirror contained most of Shen Luo''s possessions, and although it was protected with prohibitions, letting Wanshui Zhenren, a stranger, enter necessitated extra precautions. The Li Huo Beads and Golden Dragon Scissors also appeared beside them, with Wanshui Zhenren''s mana sealed, the two treasures emitted a faint Spiritual Light. Shen Luo reached out to take the Li Huo Beads and examined them. Nodding slightly, he waved his hand and cast a magic spell. A white light flashed over Wanshui Zhenren''s body, restoring it to normal. ¡°So it''s Friend Shen, thank you for the rescue,¡± Wanshui Zhenren didn''t flee, glanced at Zhao Feiji and the Dragon-burying Flute next to him, and thanked Shen Luo with a bow. ¡°It''s a trivial matter. I have some things to inquire about with Brother Wan Shui. I was planning to speak with you after the Trading Conference, but you left Tianji City immediately and were surrounded by those people, so I stepped in to take you away from there,¡± Shen Luo said nonchalantly. ¡°May I know what Friend Shen wishes to inquire about? The Cave Mansion of Donghua Freelance Immortal? You saved my life, so if you desire this Bi Hai Manta Egg, I am willing to offer it with both hands,¡± Wanshui Zhenren took out the Bi Hai Manta Egg and handed it over. ¡°Brother Wan Shui appears to be well-versed in water-based Illusion Techniques. Such a realistic Divine Technique is indeed rare, but the Sunflower Water Extinguish Immortal Bead is no less powerful. I lack the good fortune to possess it,¡± Shen Luo looked at the Bi Hai Manta Egg and said with a slight smile. Wanshui Zhenren''s pupils shrank slightly, his body trembled, and his hands moved as if about to do something. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, rest assured, I have no particular interest in this verdant sea ray egg, and the matter I wish to consult you about is unrelated to this item. There''s no need for such agitation,¡± Shen Luo''s voice rose again. His voice was not loud, yet it seemed to contain some indescribable pressure. Wanshui Zhenren had already mustered his mana throughout his body, but upon hearing this voice, his fighting spirit suddenly dissipated, and the surging mana scattered as well. ¡°Brother Shen''s magical powers are astonishing; I am in admiration. May I ask what it is that you would like to inquire about?¡± Wanshui Zhenren was taken aback for a moment, then gave a wry smile, taking back the verdant sea ray egg and cupped his fist in greeting. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo felt a surge of joy in his heart; he had been relentlessly studying the Soul Shaking Secret Technique within the Sky Machine Scroll during this period of time, and had indeed made significant advancements¨Cevery word and action of his could now carry a soul-stirring force. ¡°This must be the ''words followed by spells'' mentioned in the Soul Shaking Secret Technique. Having reached this realm, my Soul-shaking Divine Technique has finally come to fruition,¡± he thought silently. ¡°At the Trading Conference before, Brother Wan Shui was aware that I was seeking Nine Heavens Gold Essence. I heard from another source that Brother Wan Shui might have a lead on this item, and I''d be grateful for your guidance,¡± Shen Luo said, slightly bowing his hands. ¡°So Brother Shen seeks this item; you should''ve said so earlier. Quite coincidentally, I did come into possession of a piece of Nine Heavens Gold Essence not long ago. In order to repay your life-saving grace, I am willing to offer this piece to Brother Shen unconditionally, so please do not reject it,¡± said Wanshui Zhenren with a relieved look. He took out a gold-colored stone the size of a fist, dazzling with blinding golden light, and handed it over. A glimmer of delight appeared in Shen Luo''s eyes; this golden stone indeed was the Nine Heavens Gold Essence. ¡°Then I thank Brother Wan Shui deeply. If it''s convenient, could Brother Wan Shui tell me where you obtained this treasure? Could it be from the Donghua Freelance Immortal''s cave mentioned before?¡± Shen Luo did not stand on ceremony and took it, then continued to inquire. ¡°No, I happened to pick up this item by chance during my trip to Tianji City, when I was passing through the Boundless Sand Sea some time ago,¡± Wanshui Zhenren shook his head. ¡°Picked up in the Boundless Sand Sea?¡± Shen Luo was stunned. The Boundless Sand Sea was quite barren; how could there possibly appear a Heavenly Treasure like Nine Heavens Gold Essence, which was nearly extinct? Moreover, even if it really existed, the Nine Heavens Gold Essence, abounding in spiritual power and radiance, would be very easy to discover, and should have been picked up by disciples of Tianji City or others long ago. Yet, it was picked up by Wanshui Zhenren, a foreigner! ¡°It really is quite a coincidence to have been told of this. I am also unsure why a piece of Nine Heavens Gold Essence would end up lost in the Boundless Sand Sea. Nearby, there were some yin attribute minerals, casually strewn across the ground, not even buried by sand, appearing as if they had just fallen from somewhere,¡± Wanshui Zhenren mused, then said. ¡°Fallen? Yin attribute minerals? Did Brother Wan Shui collect those minerals?¡± asked Shen Luo suddenly thinking of a possibility. ¡°Yes, those yin attribute minerals seemed quite rare, so I collected them,¡± Wanshui Zhenren waved his sleeve and took out several gray-black minerals. Shen Luo only glanced at them once, and inwardly exclaimed in affirmation. These gray-black yin minerals came from the deepest reaches of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave, from within that Yin Yang Cave. It seems that both the Nine Heavens Gold Essence and these yin minerals fell from the spatial rift after the Demon Heart used the blood-colored Bone Staff to shatter the Yin Yang Cave. ¡°That the Yin Cave actually contained such treasured Nine Heavens Gold Essence! Regrettably, when I was there, I had come in haste and left in haste, without making a thorough investigation!¡± Shen Luo was filled with remorse. Now that the Yin Yang Cave had already collapsed, and everything inside it was swallowed by the spatial rift, going back to search would be in vain. ¡°Does Brother Shen know the origin of this Nine Heavens Gold Essence and the yin minerals?¡± asked Wanshui Zhenren, curious upon seeing Shen Luo''s reaction. ¡°I know a bit, but the source of the Nine Heavens Gold Essence has been devoured by a spatial rift, and it can no longer be found,¡± said Shen Luo, who did not conceal the fact since the Yin Yang Cave was destroyed. ¡°Is that so? That''s truly such a pity,¡± sighed Wanshui Zhenren as well. Chapter 1496 Chapter 1496: Chapter 1492: An Invitation to Explore Together Chapter 1496: Chapter 1492: An Invitation to Explore Together ¡°Regarding the matter of Nine Heavens Gold Essence, if Brother Wan Shui finds more of it in the future, or the spiritual materials I mentioned at the trading conference, please be sure to contact me. I will not disappoint you in terms of price.¡± Shen Luo glanced at Wanshui Zhenren and said. ¡°Definitely.¡± Wanshui Zhenren hastily agreed but still looked at Shen Luo with a trace of wariness in his gaze. ¡°Additionally, there is another matter for which I would like to ask for Brother Wan Shui''s help. It concerns this Li Huo Bead, which contains abundant Southern Ming Separation Fire. May I extract some for refining swords? Of course, I would not take your Heavenly Fire for nothing; I will exchange it with this One-yuan True Water and Immortal Jade,¡± Shen Luo raised the Li Huo Bead in his hand and beckoned. A White Jade Bottle and a Storage Magical Tool appeared out of thin air and landed in front of Wanshui Zhenren. The White Jade Bottle contained the leftover One-yuan True Water he had, which he no longer needed, while the Storage Magical Tool contained five thousand Immortal Jade. ¡°Brother Shen needs Southern Ming Separation Fire? Feel free to extract it, I cultivate Water-type Techniques and though the power of this Li Huo Bead is great, it is like chicken ribs to me¨Chard to fully utilize. Extracting some Separation Fire is fine,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said joyfully upon seeing the One-yuan True Water. As for the five thousand Immortal Jade, it''s also a substantial wealth, but it doesn''t attract him as much as One-yuan True Water. ¡°Thank you, Brother Wan Shui, for your favor.¡± Shen Luo was also pleased, and after thanking him, he placed the Li Huo Bead into the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°Southern Ming Separation Fire, this fire has always been extremely rare since ancient times. I have always wanted to study it, but unfortunately, I hadn''t encountered it. Who knew you, young lad, would be so fortunate to get it effortlessly,¡± Fire Spirit Child was excited and immediately operated the Netherworld Furnace. The array inside the Netherworld Furnace vibrated, a suction force directly penetrated into the Li Huo Bead, extracting the Southern Ming Separation Fire. The Li Huo Bead immediately showed numerous white spirit patterns, forming a cage-like prohibition, firmly imprisoning the Southern Ming Separation Fire, withstand the suction of the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°Just a small Fire Imprisonment Profound Prohibition Array, trying to stop the Netherworld Furnace? Come out!¡± Fire Spirit Child snorted coldly as the array in the furnace accelerated manifold, tearing a hole in the cage prohibition. Streams of Southern Ming Separation Fire were extracted, soon forming a large mass, enough for refining three Pure Yang Swords. ¡°That''s enough.¡± Shen Luo transmitted a message to stop. ¡°Young Master Shen, you are too sincere. Since that Wan Shui lad has already said this treasure is useless to him and the Separation Fire can be freely extracted, even if not taking it all, you should have extracted at least half. You called to stop with just a little,¡± Fire Spirit Child clicked his tongue but nevertheless stopped. The cage prohibition automatically repaired itself, instantly restored to its original state. Shen Luo ignored Fire Spirit Child, retrieved the Li Huo Beads with a flip of his hand, and threw them back to Wanshui Zhenren. The flame spiritual light on the Li Huo Beads dimmed just a bit, almost unnoticeably, which surprised Wanshui Zhenren a bit, making him subconsciously lower his guard against Shen Luo. ¡°I have already asked what I needed, so I will take my leave now. Brother Wan Shui, you should leave quickly too. Of the people behind, only Lady Yunxia has left, the three from Fangjin Pavilion, Yan Lie, Tian Sanqi, and Ghost Teng Master have already followed,¡± Shen Luo looked towards the direction of the ruins earlier, reminding him. He had left a Heavenly Demon Eye at the original location when he first led Wanshui Zhengren away, knowing clearly which people were following. ¡°Have these guys really not given up?¡± Wanshui Zhenren was quite surprised as to how Shen Luo knew so clearly, and wisely did not ask further, frowning with a hateful tone. ¡°I shall take my leave then, Daoist Wanshui, take good care of yourself,¡± Shen Luo said, turning to leave. ¡°Friend Shen, please wait a moment,¡± Wanshui Zhenren''s gaze flickered, suddenly speaking out. ¡°Is there something else, Daoist Wanshui?¡± Shen Luo stopped and looked over. ¡°Previously, I repaid kindness with resentment, attempting to plot against Daoist using the Sunflower Water Extinguish Immortal Bead. Please forgive me, Friend Shen. Take this Li Huo Bead as a small apology and I hope you will accept it,¡± Wanshui Zhenren tossed over the Li Huo Bead and gave a bow. ¡°We are strangers, and your action is a common human sentiment. I, Shen, hold no grudges; why give such a heavy gift? If there''s something you need, just say it,¡± Shen Luo caught the Li Huo Bead, his eyebrows slightly raised as he spoke. ¡°Friend Shen saved my life; I should not trouble you further. However, considering the vast number of monks and their formidable backing pursuing me, even if I escape back to the Southern Sea, they will eventually kill me. So, why not take a risk! Do you have any interest in the Secret Mansion of Donghua Freelance Immortal? If we join forces, whatever treasures are inside shall be equally divided!¡± Wanshui Zhenren gritted his teeth, as if making some firm determination. After the previous trading conference and just now''s conversation, he could see that Shen Luo had a gentlemanly demeanor, was not insatiably greedy, and possessed great strength¨Ca trustworthy ally. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Seeking the Secret Mansion of Donghua Freelance Immortal¡­¡± Shen Luo showed a hesitant expression. To say he was uninterested in the mansion of a Taiyi existence was lying; but the jade pillow had already begun refinement, and he couldn''t be away from Tianji City for too long. ¡°Has Daoist Wanshui already found out the mansion''s location from that Bihai ray fish egg?¡± Shen Luo asked, after a brief contemplation. ¡°Not yet; I just found out that the location of the Secret Mansion is within this Bihai ray fish egg. Since we have this lead, figuring it out shouldn''t be hard,¡± Wanshui Zhenren took out the Bihai ray fish egg and spoke. ¡°What Daoist said makes sense, but I, Shen, still have matters to attend to in Tianji City and cannot be away for long. How about this, let us study this Bihai ray fish egg first; if we can quickly find the location of the mansion, and it''s not too far, I shall accompany Daoist on this journey, how about that?¡± Shen Luo considered for a moment and spoke. ¡°Alright.¡± Wanshui Zhenren agreed without hesitation. His prompt agreement took Shen Luo by surprise, but since he had spoken, he naturally would not back down. ¡°If so, let us leave this place first; those people behind us should be closing in soon,¡± Shen Luo activated his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, enveloping Wanshui Zhenren in blue light, and soared upwards. Zhao Feiji also transformed into a stream of black Qi, flying back into the Qiankun Bag. Soon, the two disappeared into the distance. Moments later, three beams of escape light descended from the sky; it was the three people from Fangjin Pavilion chasing after. The young man in white had a gray little creature squatting on his shoulder, shaped like a young pup but with a notably large nose, which he vigorously sniffed around in the void, making soft chirping sounds to the youth. ¡°That vague figure and Wanshui Zhenren stayed here for a period of time and just left not long ago, heading in that direction,¡± the young man in white looked toward the direction of Shen Luo and the others'' escape and said. ¡°Brother Li Biao''s gray pig beast is indeed impressive; it can discern such faint traces of scent,¡± another black-faced elder praised. Chapter 1497 Chapter 1497: Chapter 1493: Fish Roe Hides the Universe Chapter 1497: Chapter 1493: Fish Roe Hides the Universe ¡°Liu Hong, brother, you jest. My strength is humble, and my divine powers are far less than the two of you. I merely possess some tracking techniques,¡± said the teenager in white with a faint smile. ¡°Let''s leave unnecessary talk for after this matter is resolved. Continue the pursuit; we can''t let Wanshui Zhenren escape!¡± Tao Xiang said coldly, shooting up into the sky and fleeing. ¡°Yes.¡± Both Li Biao and Liu Hong seemed quite wary of Tao Xiang and said nothing in response to the reprimand, following closely behind. Not long after the three figures from Fangjin Pavilion disappeared, another three figures appeared above the sand dunes; it was Yan Lie and his two companions. ¡°Those guys from Fangjin Pavilion do have some methods, indeed being able to track down Wanshui Zhenren. But this works out for us; let them lead the way and test the depths of Wanshui Zhenren and that mysterious figure,¡± Yan Lie said with a cold huff. ¡°Friend Yan, Friend Tian, who is that mysterious figure? Can the two of you discern anything?¡± Ghost Teng Master suddenly asked. ¡°The person should be a helper hidden by Wanshui Zhenren. He vanishes with a flash, and the divine powers he employs are quite bizarre, resembling the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound of the Ghost Clan''s supreme divine powers. Tian is unable to make out his origins; perhaps Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist has perceived something?¡± Tian Sanqi said with a glint in his eye. Yan Lie also looked over, his expression suggesting he had no clue about the mysterious person either. ¡°My divine powers are insignificant, far lesser than the two fellow Daoists; it is precisely because I can''t see through it that I''m asking you. This person has extraordinary powers and should not be underestimated. We should remain careful going forward,¡± Ghost Teng Master said with a laugh. ¡°Is that so?¡± Tian Sanqi said, his eyes flickering, seemingly not quite believing the words of Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Fellow Daoists, since we''ve decided to join hands, let''s cooperate sincerely thereafter. Do not harbor other motives, or instead of gaining treasures, we might meet our demise here. Both of you should weigh the severity of this matter carefully,¡± Yan Lie said. ¡°Of course, rest assured, Friend Yan Lie,¡± Ghost Teng Master laughed. Tian Sanqi stood silently to one side, not saying a word. ¡°Good, let''s go and follow the three from Fangjin Pavilion,¡± Yan Lie said no more, waved his sleeve, and a bird-shaped green magical treasure shot out, wrapped the three in a burst of green light, and they sped away into the distance, disappearing into the far sky with astonishing speed. Below, a stream of Black Qi emerged from the sand dunes, with a black Demon Eye within it, gazing in the direction of the two groups'' flight, blinking twice before fading slowly. At this very moment, tens of thousands of miles away on a crimson sword light, Shen Luo''s lips revealed a trace of a cold smile. The red sword rainbow turned, changing direction and fleeing forward. Wanshui Zhenren sat cross-legged on the sword rainbow, his hands swiftly forming seals, studying the zucca fish eggs. In the blink of an eye, half a day passed, and Shen Luo, leading the others, circled within the Boundless Sand Sea. With the flying speed combined from the Pure Yang Sword and the foresight of the Heavenly Demon Eye, no matter how the others behind them cast spells to chase, they just couldn''t catch a glimpse of their shadows. The three from Fangjin Pavilion and the three with Yan Lie were as furious as thunder but helpless. ¡°How is it going?¡± Shen Luo asked, changing direction again and looking towards Wanshui Zhenren, who was still casting spells. ¡°Still no good, no matter how I cast spells to probe, I can''t detect any abnormalities within the Green Light Stingray eggs. It seems I''ve underestimated the Donghua Freelance Immortal,¡± Wanshui Zhenren stopped casting spells and said with a wry smile. ¡°Let me have a look,¡± Shen Luo said furrowing his brows. Wanshui Zhenren didn''t think much of it and directly passed over the Green Light Stingray egg. Shen Luo immersed his Divine Sense into it and activated the Thoughts-as-Fast-as-Lightning technique, probing as carefully as possible, but no matter how he searched, he found nothing inside the egg except for thick vitality. He then used the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, but still couldn''t detect any abnormalities. ¡°It appears there really is nothing, could it be that what Yan Lie said before was a lie?¡± Shen Luo silently thought to himself. With his current cultivation realm, along with the experience and insight accumulated in Dreamland, he wouldn''t dare to claim certainty on other matters, but he was confident in his ability to thoroughly examine an item to see if there''s anything else hidden within. ¡°Young Master Shen, hand me that egg,¡± Fire Spirit Child suddenly spoke up. Shen Luo''s eyes lit up; as a Tool Spirit from ancient times, Fire Spirit Child''s insight was ten times greater than his own; surely, he would be able to discern something. ¡°I have another method to investigate this egg, but I need to put it away for a moment. Brother Wan Shui, do you have any objections?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course not, do as you please,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said. Shen Luo hummed in acknowledgment and stored the Green Light Stingray egg into the Netherworld Furnace. Just a few breaths later, Fire Spirit Child''s voice rang out. ¡°So that''s how it is, Yan Lie didn''t lie after all. This Green Light Stingray egg indeed hides the location of another Secret Mansion, but it''s not a stiff map or marker; this Green Light Stingray egg is a live map,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with a smile. ¡°A live map? What do you mean by that, Fire Daoist friend?¡± Shen Luo didn''t understand. ¡°You don''t get it because you''re not familiar with the Green Light Stingrays. These mystical creatures are quite peculiar. A female produces only two to three eggs in its lifetime before it exhausts itself and perishes. It is a gentle-natured species, wholeheartedly devoted to its offspring, quite similar to your Human Race,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Your Human Race? Was Fire Spirit Child a being from another race before becoming a Tool Spirit?¡± A thought flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, but he quickly shifted his focus away from this. ¡°Producing eggs leads to the Green Light Stingray''s exhaustion and death? Impossible, although the inner vitality within this egg is indeed thick, it''s insignificant for a colossal Exotic Beast like the Green Light Stingray. To say that two or three Young Eggs could deplete them is ridiculous. Could it be that hatching the eggs consume an extraordinary amount of vitality?¡± he asked in surprise. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Green Light Stingrays are different from most Exotic Beasts. The male is responsible for hatching the eggs, and this process does not consume much vitality. The reason why the females exhaust themselves and perish is not because of the eggs they lay. Rather, after laying each egg, the female stingray concentrates its inner vitality over several years to produce an Essence Qi Placenta, which greatly harms the female''s body. Once the young stingrays hatch, the first thing they do is to find their corresponding Essence Qi Placenta, consume it, and rapidly grow while inheriting all of the mother''s abilities,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°I see, Green Light Stingrays and our Human Race mothers are indeed similar, but what does this have to do with a live map?¡± Shen Luo still didn''t quite understand. ¡°I''ve already explained it so plainly; how do you not understand? There is a special connection between Green Light Stingray juveniles and their Essence Qi Placenta, they can sense each other no matter the distance. If I''m not mistaken, the Donghua Freelance Immortal hid the Essence Qi Placenta corresponding to this egg within that Secret Mansion. As long as you hatch this egg, the juvenile will naturally lead you there,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, rolling his eyes. ¡°We don''t have a male Green Light Stingray, so how can we hatch this Young Egg?¡± Only then did Shen Luo come to a realization, and immediately he asked with a frown. Chapter 1498 Chapter 1498: Chapter 1494: Relentless Pursuit Chapter 1498: Chapter 1494: Relentless Pursuit ¡°Don''t worry about this, I possess a secret technique which can incubate eggs of various insects and beasts, and it should work for hatching this Blue Sea Ray Fish egg as well, but it will take about half a day,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Then I''ll have to trouble Daoist friend Fire,¡± Shen Luo felt a surge of joy in his heart as he spoke. He promptly relayed Fire Spirit Child''s words to Wanshui Zhenren, who then had an epiphany. Although curious about how Shen Luo figured it out so quickly, he didn''t dare to ask more and simply admired Shen Luo''s vast knowledge. Shen Luo continued to flee forward, buying time for Fire Spirit Child to hatch the Blue Sea Ray Fish egg. With his current divine powers, aiming to escape, not even a True Immortal like Yan Lie, nor a Taiyi Stage master, could easily capture him. Half a day quickly passed, and inside the Netherworld Furnace, the Blue Sea Ray Fish egg was enveloped in a trembling red light, nearly ready to hatch. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, quickly imprint your Spiritual Communication Seal into the egg. The Blue Sea Ray Fish is naturally proficient in water and wind spiritual abilities. It''s not only a good mount but also a valuable combat spirit beast,¡± Fire Spirit Child exclaimed. Hearing this, Shen Luo hurriedly unleashed a surge of mana into the Netherworld Furnace, executing the Technique of Taming Beasts and Summoning Spirits. The Blue Sea Ray Fish, not yet hatched and with nascent spiritual intellect, was easily subdued by the Art of Spirit Communication. ¡°Good, Daoist friend Shen, through the Art of Spirit Communication, inject your vitality into the egg and let it hatch in one go!¡± Fire Spirit Child formed a spell gesture, and the surrounding red light intensified dramatically and infused into it. Shen Luo also mobilized the robust mana within his body, which roared into the egg. The light inside the egg surged violently, then suddenly contracted, forming a bright blue light sphere about three feet in size, which swiftly flew out of the Netherworld Furnace, darting around rapidly in the Carefree Mirror Space. ¡°Don''t stop, continue to inject mana!¡± Fire Spirit Child shouted. Shen Luo locked onto the blue light sphere, continuously channeling mana into it. Moments later, the blue light sphere exploded with a ¡°bang,¡± revealing a two-foot-long blue-green juvenile fish. The fish, wrapped in spiritual light and capable of void movement just upon being born, made urgent cries from its mouth as if searching for something. Shen Luo''s eyebrows twitched as he cast a spell to bring the juvenile fish out of the Carefree Mirror. The blue-green juvenile fish affectionately swam around him twice, then immediately flew towards the south at a speed much faster than ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not hesitate and immediately urged his Flying Swords to follow. Although unsure of how far the Secret Mansion lay ahead, having come this far, he was not willing to give up and had to make the journey. The juvenile fish moved too slowly, and with pursuers behind, he couldn''t afford to follow at its leisurely pace. Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, emitting a blue light that brought the fish onto the Flying Swords. Wanshui Zhenren, overjoyed to see the Blue Sea Ray Fish egg hatching, came over, curiously inspecting it. With the target locked, Shen Luo didn''t change his course to distract the pursuers behind him, but instead activated all seven Pure Yang Swords and combined them into one. With a thunderous roar of sword cry, a massive sword light lifted two people and one fish, streaking forward like lightning, swiftly retracting everything in the surroundings. Seeing Shen Luo''s astonishing sword-riding divine ability, Wanshui Zhenren, who had been half in doubt, now finally put his heart at ease. The two of them journeyed through the clouds and over the moon, swiftly crossing the Boundless Sand Sea to arrive at the Southern Sea area. The blue-green juvenile fish did not stop in the blue light, but suddenly changed direction and proceeded along the junction of the Southern Sea and the Boundless Sand Sea. Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren exchanged glances and headed there. One hour later, a huge mountain range shrouded in white fog appeared ahead, situated between the Southern Sea and the Boundless Sand Sea. The peaks were connected by water areas, and were steeped in boundless white fog that joined the sky and the earth, giving it an air of fantastical allure. The blue-green juvenile fish let out a joyous chirp and darted into the depths of the Mist Mountain Range. ¡°Secret Mansion is actually here!¡± Wanshui Zhenren was taken aback, his expression becoming grave. ¡°What''s the matter? Is there something wrong with this mountain range?¡± Shen Luo asked, restraining the blue-green juvenile fish with a wave of his hand. ¡°Friend Shen, it seems you are not familiar with the Southern Sea and Boundless Sand Sea region. This mountain range is called ''Cloud Mist Mountain,'' it''s vast, and deep inside it is said to have passages connecting to other spaces. It''s the most mysterious place in this area. These white fogs are no ordinary sea fogs; they inexplicably contain a peculiar illusionary power that can ensnare people into illusions. The longer one stays in the fog sea, the deeper they fall into the illusion. Over a thousand years ago, a Taiyi demon from the Southern Sea tried to explore this mountain range and ended up getting lost inside, never to be seen again,¡± Wanshui Zhenren explained. ¡°Oh, hearing you say that, this place does indeed seem bizarre. However, since the azure mantis shrimp points us here, we have no choice but to proceed,¡± Shen Luo remarked. ¡°Let''s hope that the Secret Mansion is in the outer regions of the mountain range. If it''s too deep, it will be dangerous for us as well,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said, not wanting to give up at this point. Shen Luo nodded, then released the blue-green juvenile fish, which immediately flew into the white fog sea. Shen Luo followed closely behind with his flying sword, disappearing into the endless white fog. Not long after Shen Luo and his company had vanished, several flying lights sped forth, revealing three people from Fangjin Pavilion and Yan Lie among others, surprisingly joining forces. Shen Luo had been escaping too swiftly, forcing the two groups to collaborate reluctantly. However, the two groups remained wary of each other, clearly lacking in mutual trust. ¡°We''ve actually reached here. Does Wanshui Zhenren intend to use this Cloud Mist Mountain to lose us, or is the Secret Mansion actually inside?¡± Tao Xiang expressed surprise, obviously aware of the Cloud Mist Mountain. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The secret of the blue mantis shrimp eggs, Wanshui Zhenren definitely won''t realize. That cunning guy probably wants to shake us off using the Cloud Mist Mountain. But this move is akin to seeking his own death. Fortunately, Yan just recently obtained a Skyparalysis Pearl, which can resist illusionary powers, allowing us to stay in this Cloud Mist Mountain for a whole day without issue, chase!¡± Yan Lie scoffed, producing a white round bead from which a dreamy white light spread out, enveloping three people. Yan Lie then deployed his bird-type magical instrument, lifting up the three people and entering the endless white fog, ignoring the three from Fangjin Pavilion. Seeing this, the black-faced elder Liu Hong from Fangjin Pavilion sneered, and Li Biao also looked discontent. Tao Xiang, however, did not get angry. She flipped her hand and produced a blue ribbon embroidered with patterns of white clouds. The blue ribbon magically increased tenfold in size, swirling around the three, forming a blue light screen with numerous white clouds underfoot, lifting their bodies. ¡°Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud! It was rumored that this artifact was refined by the ancient King Yu for his Queen. Wearing it, all evil recoils, and demons retreat. To think that the leader gave this treasure to you!¡± Liu Hong was greatly surprised, a strange flash crossing his eyes. ¡°With this Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud, resisting the illusion fog here is a breeze, let''s go,¡± Tao Xiang did not respond to Liu Hong''s words, instead urging the surrounding clouds, leading the other two into the white fog as well. Chapter 1499 Chapter 1499: Chapter 1495: Breaking the Ban Chapter 1499: Chapter 1495: Breaking the Ban ¡°` Deep into Cloud Mist Mountain, Shen Luo rapidly propelled his flying sword forward. The surrounding White Fog seemed to have a life of its own, morphing into various shapes, confounding his five senses, and an indescribably strong illusory force continually infiltrated his body. Fortunately, his Soul Power was inherently strong, and his cultivation of the Suppressing God Technique had reached a very high realm, rendering him unaffected by these external factors. ¡°Yan Lie and the people from Fangjin Pavilion have also followed in. They seem to possess Magical Treasures that resist illusion forces,¡± Shen Luo said with a flash of black light in his eyes. ¡°These guys are really stubborn, daring to chase into Cloud Mist Mountain,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said with a solemn voice. Different from Shen Luo, his complexion wasn''t looking good, his eyes were drifting, obviously deeply affected by the surrounding sea of fog, but he was still barely maintaining his composure. Deep inside, he was shocked by Shen Luo''s unfathomable strength and was glad for his previous decision. Had he clung to his greed earlier and not pulled Shen Luo into partnership, or if Shen Luo had not shown up, or had not agreed to his request for cooperation, then he himself would likely be facing a calamity this time. With this thought, he couldn''t help but secretly wipe the fine cold sweat that had formed on his forehead. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, if you find it difficult to resist the illusion forces, you can hide in my Spatial Treasures for now,¡± Shen Luo offered. ¡°Brother Shen, no need to worry. If I cannot even withstand this kind of White Mist, I do not deserve to seek the Cave Mansion of Donghua Freelance Immortal! Heart Purifying Charm, activate!¡± Wanshui Zhenren forced a smile, then shouted in a low voice. A Green Light flashed from his sleeve, followed by a green talisman emerging before him. As he spat a mouthful of essence blood into it, a fleeting moment later, the talisman shone brightly with green light and affixed itself above his head. This green talisman was the size of a palm, engraved with more than a dozen tortuous Spirit Patterns that appeared deceptively simple. Dripping with emerald green, its edges shimmered with silver and white runes, faintly visible. At the center of the talisman, there was a cluster of pale Golden Dots, looking extremely mysterious. Once the talisman was attached to Wanshui Zhenren, waves of green light rippled outwards, and the White Mist within a dozen feet around him retreated rapidly, unable to approach Wanshui Zhenren. ¡°The Heart Purifying Charm? This is a secret talisman of the Kunlun Jade Void Palace, known for stabilizing the mind with God''s Power. It''s unexpected that he has one,¡± Fire Spirit Child exclaimed softly. ¡°The Jade Void Palace talisman!¡± Shen Luo curiously glanced at the green talisman a few times, but soon diverted his gaze. Wanshui Zhenren, seeing the Heart Purifying Charm was effective, silently breathed a sigh of relief. This talisman was something he obtained within the Dark Mansion of Donghua Freelance Immortal, originally thought to be a common secret talisman, but now it seemed that Donghua Freelance Immortal had purposefully left it specifically to counter the White Mist. Seeing that Wanshui Zhenren was truly unharmed, Shen Luo set his mind at ease and increased his pace forward. Half an hour later, the two of them and a fish stopped in front of a massive Mountain Wall. The barracuda frolicked around the Mountain Wall, chirping happily and ramming its head against the wall, eager to enter, but each approach was blocked by an invisible force from the Outside. ¡°It seems to be here,¡± Shen Luo said, his gaze landing on the Mountain Wall. By now, who knew how far into the depths of Cloud Mist Mountain they had ventured. The surrounding Illusion fog was several times denser than before, with an even stronger power to bewilder the senses. Even he felt some difficulty in resisting it. The Purifying Heart Mantra on top of Wanshui Zhenren''s head was still shining brightly, yet it only managed to push the White Mist away by two or three feet. Without hesitation, Wanshui Zhenren flew to the front of the Mountain Wall and quickly took out a crystal-clear White Jade Talisman, activating it swiftly. Circles of white Spiritual Light shot out from the Jade Symbol, hitting the Mountain Wall, and entirely disappearing into it. ¡°` Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed at the sight. He had originally been pondering how to break the prohibition here, but judging from Wanshui Zhenren''s actions, he had long mastered the method to break through the prohibition. It seemed he had hidden many things. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, you must hurry. Those guys are hot on our trail and will reach this place in moments,¡± Shen Luo also flew to the mountain wall and looked back in the direction they came from before speaking. Hearing this, Wanshui Zhenren became anxious and increased the Mana he was channeling into the Jade Symbol. The white light on the Jade Symbol suddenly brightened significantly and began to tremble rapidly, as if it was about to fly out of his hand. ¡°Hurry!¡± Wanshui Zhenren formed a hand gesture with his other hand, and the White Jade Talisman shot out, disappearing into a rock in the mountain wall without a trace. He then took out three White Flags, threw them similarly with a gesture, and they too disappeared into the mountain wall. However, the mountain wall remained silent, as if nothing had happened at all. After waiting for a while and still seeing no anomalies, Shen Luo coughed, about to inquire when a loud rumbling came from ahead. The mountain wall, along with the ground beneath, suddenly started to tremble, shaking like an earthquake, which made the Void tremble too and threw off his balance. But with Shen Luo''s level of cultivation, a flash of light across his body stabilized his stance. As for Wanshui Zhenren, he was enveloped in a white light shield and seemed unaffected by the quake, continuing to rapidly gesture and cast spells. ¡°Open!¡± He suddenly opened his eyes and roared. A large expanse of white light immediately appeared on the mountain wall in front of them, and it slowly split open in the middle, forming a doorway-like passageway to a brilliantly lit world beyond. ¡°It''s open, but this passageway will close immediately, get in quick!¡± Wanshui Zhenren said jubilantly, gesturing with his hand to call back the White Jade Talisman and the three flags that had disappeared into the mountain wall earlier, catching them in his hand. His body flickered and turned into a white light, flying into the doorway of the passageway. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo looked back into the distance, then casually waved his sleeve towards the void beside him. A blue light flashed and disappeared within the surrounding White Fog. With a slight smile, he too turned into a golden light and darted inside. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The doorway of the passageway closed slowly, on the verge of sealing shut, when a bird-shaped green light shot from the distance with incredible speed. It was Yan Lie and his two companions. ¡°Donghua Dark Mansion! This is impossible, how could Wanshui Zhenren have discovered the secret of that fish egg!¡± Yan Lie, upon seeing the white-light world inside the doorway of the passageway, showed an expression of disbelief on his face. However, he immediately suppressed the shock in his heart, fervently urging the Bird-type magical instrument he was riding on. A pair of wings sprouted from the magical instrument with a flash of green light, its speed instantly increasing by nearly half, shooting towards the doorway like a streak of green lightning, about to enter it. But suddenly, a blue crystalline light shot out from the nearby White Fog, hitting Yan Lie and his companions. The speed of their flight abruptly slowed, and a blue Light Screen, mirror-like, emerged in the surrounding Void. Yan Lie and his companions'' faces changed drastically, but before they could react, their vision blurred, and when they came to their senses, they were engulfed in thick White Mist, with no trace of the mountain wall to be seen. ¡°Damn, we''ve been teleported elsewhere, let''s go back quickly!¡± Yan Lie spread his Divine Sense around, realizing they were twenty or thirty miles from the mountain wall, and he hurriedly sped towards it at full speed. The distance of twenty or thirty miles was nothing to cultivators of their level and was traversed in just a flash. However, the situation at the mountain wall was changing just as quickly. By the time they flew back to the original place, the mountain wall doorway had already closed, and its surface showed no signs of unusualness. Chapter 1500 Chapter 1500: Chapter 1496: Mysterious Brocade Handkerchief Chapter 1500: Chapter 1496: Mysterious Brocade Handkerchief ¡°Damn it, what kind of prohibition was that blue light just now? Where did it come from?¡± Yan Lie said with both shock and anger, looking towards where the blue light had appeared. That place was empty, only some remnants of demon qi lingered. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, that seemed to be the Mirror Surface Teleportation God''s Power of the Mirror Fiend. It appears to be a measure left by Wanshui Zhenren, but I have never heard of Wanshui Zhenren possessing a Mirror Fiend spirit pet. Could it actually be Wanshui Zhenren''s helper?¡± Tian Sanqi grabbed the lingering demon qi with a wave of his hand, pondered for a moment, then spoke. ¡°Mirror Fiend! Tian Daoist friend, can you ascertain its cultivation realm?¡± Yan Lie quickly calmed down after his initial shock and rage, and asked. Upon hearing this, Tian Sanqi slapped his waist, and a light purple bead flew out, emitting a faint purple light with a dreamy quality that enveloped the demon qi in his hand. ¡°This demon qi''s owner is not weak in cultivation, having already reached the True Immortal Stage. Furthermore, it seems to have a powerful Magical Treasure, which could forcibly send the three of us away just now!¡± Tian Sanqi quickly said. ¡°True Immortal Stage Mirror Fiend! I know that Wanshui Zhenren well enough; he absolutely doesn''t have the capability to subdue a True Immortal stage spirit pet, it must be that mysterious helper,¡± said Yan Lie, furrowing his brow. ¡°Tian Daoist friend, is this spiritual bead perhaps the Canghun Pearl? The treasured artifact of Black Scale Mountain''s Canghun Ancestor in West Niu Hezhou, reputed to excel in exploration and analysis. It can deduce a monk''s realm and cultivation techniques, and even weaknesses from a mere breath¨CI see today that indeed it is so,¡± said Ghost Teng Master, who then spoke up. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, you have good eyesight, you are correct, this is indeed the Canghun Pearl,¡± said Tian Sanqi as he put away the Canghun Pearl and took a deep look at Ghost Teng Master. At that, Ghost Teng Master was taken aback. The Canghun Ancestor was a high-ranking expert at the Taiyi Stage, yet he was willing to lend his treasured artifact to Tian Sanqi¨Ccould there be some special relationship between the two? Just then, a blue and white light group shot from a distance and soon arrived nearby. The light group slowly dispersed, revealing the figures of the three people from Fangjin Pavilion. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Looking at the three Daoist friends'' expressions, you''ve found Wanshui Zhenren, but he escaped, didn''t he?¡± said the dark-faced old man, his tone mocking and reveling in their misfortune. ¡°Exactly, Wanshui Zhenren has already entered the Secret Mansion. By now, he should have almost gathered all the treasures inside. You three needn''t bother, just head back,¡± Ghost Teng Master said with a cold sneer. The dark-faced old man''s expression darkened, just about to retort. ¡°Alright, let''s put an end to this meaningless bickering. Yan Lie Daoist friend, is this really the location of the Secret Mansion? Has Wanshui Zhenren already entered?¡± Tao Xiang looked at Yan Lie. ¡°Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. I underestimated him for being able to find the location of this Secret Mansion,¡± said Yan Lie, his expression slightly ugly. Tao Xiang then looked forward toward the mountain wall, pinched a magic formula, and stimulated the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud around her. It flew out like a giant blue whip lashing at the mountain wall. With a thunderous ¡°boom¡±, the mountain wall unexpectedly emitted a layer of white light, easily blocking the strike of the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud. ¡°As expected, this is the entrance. This prohibition seems quite extraordinary, but Yan Daoist friend previously mentioned that you''re a descendant of a disciple of the Donghua Freelance Immortal, so you might have some clues about this prohibition,¡± Tao Xiang said to Yan Lie. ¡°This prohibition here should indeed be the Jade Void Pill Cauldron Formation, a secret transmission of the Donghua Freelance Immortal. Breaking it open will not be easy, but fortunately, our ancestor left behind a Battle Formation Map of the Pill Cauldron Formation. With the six of us working together, we should be able to break it open quickly,¡± Yan Lie pondered briefly then said. ¡°Good, let''s get started immediately,¡± Tao Xiang said, her face flashing with joy. Hearing this, Yan Lie showed a hesitant look. ¡°Yan Lie Daoist friend, now that Wanshui Zhenren has already entered the Secret Mansion, if you continue to hesitate, all the treasures inside will soon be taken by Wanshui Zhenren,¡± Tao Xiang said. Yan Lie was shaken after hearing this and exchanged glances with Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master before retrieving a battle formation map. Shen Luo was engulfed by an endless white light, and it took him a while to calm himself before he found himself in a spacious great hall with Wanshui Zhenren by his side. The great hall was seventy to eighty zhang high and was entirely made of translucent white jade, intricately carved with exquisite patterns and reliefs, giving it a remarkable look. ¡°Is this Warm Sun White Jade, with its restrained spiritual energy and glossy color?¡± Wanshui Zhenren looked around and commented. Shen Luo glanced around the great hall and then withdrew his gaze, looking towards the deep end of the hall where a large jade table was placed, covered by a square brocade handkerchief a few feet in size, slightly bulging underneath, as if something was covered by it. Wanshui Zhenren also noticed the jade table deep inside the great hall, his eyes lighting up as he dashed and flew towards the table. Shen Luo wanted to speak but held back, first extending his Divine Sense to scout the situation inside the hall before approaching the jade table. By now, Wanshui Zhenren had already emitted a blue light that flung the square brocade handkerchief aside, revealing the item underneath. A subtle mana fluctuation spread out, and underneath were two jade boxes about a foot each in size, emitting a faint treasure light, looking extraordinary. ¡°Indeed, there are treasures!¡± Wanshui Zhenren delightedly exclaimed, flipping his hand. The blue light enveloped the two jade boxes, which instantly emitted two bursts of white light, resisting Wanshui Zhenren''s grasping force. ¡°Prohibition!¡± Wanshui Zhenren hummed lightly, the blue light in his hand instantly intensified, turning into a cyan-blue giant palm that fiercely grabbed the white light on the two jade boxes. Numerous water thunders emerged from within the giant palm, fiercely grinding around the white light of the jade boxes and producing dense thunderous booms, apparently attempting to forcefully break the restriction using brute strength. Shen Luo stood quietly to the side, watching without haste to intervene. The white light around the jade boxes was just ordinary prohibition, and it posed no problem for Wanshui Zhenren to break. He walked towards other areas of the great hall, checking various places inside. When he first entered, he had released the Mirror Fiend to ambush Yan Lie and the others outside; now, those three from Fangjin Pavilion had probably already reached the outside, necessitating a quick search of this place. As he reached a certain part of the great hall, Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, picking up an item from the ground; it was the square brocade handkerchief previously discarded by Wanshui Zhenren. The item was gray-white in color, with a noticeably rough texture akin to coarse cloth woven by ordinary farmers, casually adorned with a few rough patterns with no sense of beauty. This brocade handkerchief barely showed any traces of mana, yet it completely concealed the spiritual power fluctuations of those two jade boxes, certainly not a common magical instrument. However, when he activated his Divine Sense to probe inside it, aside from finding it somewhat obscure and difficult to navigate with Divine Sense, he didn''t discover any other strange aspects. ¡°Eh, this handkerchief does have some unusualness; let me take a look,¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice suddenly sounded. ¡°You think this thing is also extraordinary? Then please take a look,¡± Since Shen Luo was unable to meticulously examine the item at the moment, he flipped his hand, putting the handkerchief into the Netherworld Furnace. Chapter 1501 Chapter 1501: Chapter 1497: Cliffhanger Chapter 1501: Chapter 1497: Cliffhanger Fire Spirit Child appeared from within the Netherworld Furnace, staring intently at the brocade handkerchief, an unusually serious expression on his face, remaining silent for quite a long time. ¡°Can you discern the origin of this thing?¡± Shen Luo waited for a moment, then asked telepathically. Fire Spirit Child fixated on the square brocade handkerchief and ignored Shen Luo, reaching out to grab at the void. A mass of purple flame appeared out of thin air, engulfing the handkerchief in flames¨Cit was the Purple Heart Earthfire from within the Netherworld Furnace. Wisps of black smoke emerged from the square handkerchief, as if it contained many impurities being continuously refined by the Purple Heart Earthfire. The originally grayish-white handkerchief gradually brightened in color, turning pure white. Shen Luo, witnessing this scene, showed a hint of surprise but quickly turned his attention away, continuing to explore other parts of the great hall. With a flick of his sleeve, a blue light appeared, revealing the blue-green juvenile fish within. The blue light flashed and dissipated, freeing the juvenile fish, which immediately swam towards a wall deep within the great hall. Shen Luo was slightly startled, immediately deploying his Divine Sense to probe the wall, where faint traces of mana fluctuations twinkled¨Cif not for his powerful Divine Sense and the fish''s sudden rush toward the wall, he would have never discovered it. He had released the Sea Area Juvenile Fish to utilize its sensing abilities to find the next clue, not expecting to find it so easily. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nevertheless, Shen Luo did not stop the Sea Area Juvenile Fish, allowing it to rush toward the wall; however, a bizarre scene unfolded¨Cthe fish touched the wall and instantly vanished into thin air. Shen Luo''s expression changed, and, without touching anything, he flashed before the wall, activating his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. His eyes emitted two feet-long beams of green light. The wall slowly became transparent. Inside, blue spirit patterns emerged, forming a deep and vast ocean-like pattern that seemed to hide a real sea, presenting a magnificent sight. ¡°This is¡­¡± He showed a look of surprise and was about to observe more closely when a ¡°crack¡± of a breaking sound came from behind. ¡°It''s open.¡± The voice of Wanshui Zhenren sounded joyously. Hearing the noise, Shen Luo turned around to see that Wanshui Zhenren had already crushed the surrounding white light, taking the two jade boxes in hand. ¡°Brother Shen, according to our earlier agreement, all findings to be divided equally between us, this jade box is yours,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said without hesitation, tossing a jade box over. Shen Luo did not stand on ceremony; after catching the jade box, he opened it, his expression slightly startled. Inside the box was a feather fan, with a handle made of ink jade, and the fan formed by seven feathers of different shapes and colors, obviously from seven different spiritual birds. The entire fan emitted an astonishing wave of fire-attribute energy, appearing to be quite powerful. ¡°This is¡­¡± Shen Luo''s eyes widened slightly. ¡°The Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan! No, that''s not right; the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan is an ancient treasured artifact, it shouldn''t possess such slight power; it seems to be an imitation. However, it has indeed collected feathers from the Primordial Phoenix, Azure Luan, Golden Wings Large peng, Five-Colored Peacock, Pale Feathered White Crane, Azure Spirit Swan, Ghost Toad Owl Bird, making it quite rare. It''s a pity that the fires of the sky, stone, wood, samadhi, and Human World¨Cfive types of ancient true fires are absent. Thus, its power is merely as such,¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice emerged. When Shen Luo saw the fan, he immediately recognized it as an imitation of the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. He had once owned a Five-Fire Fan, which was also a mimicry of the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. That Five-Fire Fan, however, was coarsely made with several spiritual bird feathers as a basis, which did not compare to the one in front of him. Even without those five ancient true fires, the power of this Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan can still be compared to a top-grade Magical Treasure. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, have you found out anything about that brocade handkerchief?¡± He put away the fan and asked telepathically. ¡°Almost there, it''s just that the thing has been polluted by many impurities and needs some time to be refined before it can be fully restored. Young Master Shen, I must say your luck is indeed too good!¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but exclaim when mentioning the brocade handkerchief. ¡°Oh, what is it exactly?¡± Shen Luo was also piqued with curiosity. ¡°Now is not the time to tell you, but rest assured, when the right time comes, you will naturally know.¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled, unclear whether he was intentionally keeping it mysterious or it was truly inconvenient to disclose now. However, Shen Luo had developed a certain level of trust in Fire Spirit Child and did not blame him, after all, he couldn''t figure out anything from the brocade handkerchief either, so he let Fire Spirit Child mess with it. Wanshui Zhenren next to them also opened his jade box, inside was an ancient-looking copper coin with a square hole in the center, wings on both sides, and inscriptions of the Heavenly Dao faintly visible on it, looking quite extraordinary. ¡°The Treasure Coin! It seems to be genuine, Young Master Shen, that Wanshui Zhenren is not very powerful, you could take it from him with just a move, and treasures like the Treasure Coin are rare indeed!¡± Fire Spirit Child lightly exclaimed after speaking. Shen Luo also read about the Treasure Coin in the classics. It was a treasured item that had shone brilliantly in the Ancient Gods Sealing War, rumored to be able to knock down all magical treasures. He coveted the Treasure Coin, but would not kill and rob for it. ¡°It looks like there are no other treasures in this great hall. Daoist friend Shen, just now you seemed to have probed around. Have you found anything?¡± Wanshui Zhenren put away the Treasure Coin and asked, looking around. Before his words had fallen, the securely closed entrance of the great hall suddenly emitted a bright white light, and a thick beam of light shot out from it, revealing a passageway. Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren''s expressions changed drastically, but before they could react, the three people from Fangjin Pavilion and Yan Lie had already shot out from it. ¡°It''s you, Young Master Shen!¡± Seeing Shen Luo, Yan Lie''s expression shifted. Ghost Teng Master and Tian Sanqi were also taken aback. ¡°Hmph! No matter who you are, colluding with the thief Wanshui is a capital offense. Prepare to die!¡± After the surprise, Yan Lie quickly regained his composure, his hands quickly forming hand seals. Countless black and red flames burst forth from him, instantly turning into a sea of black and red flames, which covered the heads of Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, ready to counter, when a surge of blue light suddenly rose from Wanshui Zhenren, and a dark blue banner with numerous patterns of mountains, rivers, and lakes appeared in his hand, clearly a treasured item of the water attribute. ¡°The Ten Thousand Waters Banner!¡± Tao Xiang uttered lightly in surprise. This banner was Wanshui Zhenren''s life-bound Magical Treasure, known basically by all True Immortal Cultivators in the Southern Sea and Boundless Sand Sea area. ¡°The Ten Thousand Waters Formation!¡± Wanshui Zhenren waved the blue banner in his hand, and waves of blue appeared out of nowhere within the great hall, forming a massive wave formation that collided with Yan Lie''s sea of black and red flames. Under the intense clash of red and blue light, a terrifying roar resounded. The sea of black and red flames was firmly held back, unable to advance even half a step. Tao Xiang and the others were also blocked by the surging waves of blue, unable to approach for a time. Chapter 1502 Chapter 1502: Chapter 1498: Cease Action Chapter 1502: Chapter 1498: Cease Action Relying on mere Magical Treasures to block my Black Flame Fire Domain! Go back and cultivate for another thousand years!¡± Yan Lie''s face darkened as he roared angrily, rapidly chanting Spells, and black flames emerged from each of his hands with a ''puff''. The seas of flames, originally a mix of black and red, turned pitch black in an instant, its power surged like thunderous roars, and the temperature rapidly rose. The surrounding Void was scorched into a distorted blur, crackling with a strained, piercing sound, as if it could collapse into ash at any moment. The blue waves summoned by the Ten Thousand Waters Banner were rapidly evaporated, and the seas of flames once again caged both of them. At the same time, Tian Sanqi, Ghost Teng Master, and someone from Fangjin Pavilion all made their moves, striking the blue waves with a barrage of Magical Treasure attacks, accelerating their collapse. Wanshui Zhenren was in a panic, pouring all his Mana into the Ten Thousand Waters Banner to summon more blue waves, but it was still of no avail. ¡°Friend Shen, quick, let your ghost pet help me with a hand!¡± Seeing the waves summoned by the banner about to be utterly crushed, Wanshui Zhenren, sweating profusely, hastily sought Shen Luo''s help. Shen Luo, seeing this, did not summon the Ghost General, but instead took a step forward and placed his hand on the surrounding blue water stream. Wanshui Zhenren was stunned, not understanding the intention behind Shen Luo''s action, and hesitated slightly with the Ten Thousand Waters Banner in his hand. ¡°Daring to be distracted when fighting me, you''re courting death!¡± Yan Lie snorted coldly, and with a ''puff,'' two thick blades of fire shot out from the black sea of flames, completely splitting the great Formation of waves and slanted towards the heads of Wanshui Zhenren and Shen Luo. The speed of the flaming blades was extremely fast, and in a flash, they were less than five feet away from Wanshui Zhenren and Shen Luo. Wanshui Zhenren''s face turned ashen, but he was already incapable of dividing his attention further since he was maintaining the banner, and had no way to react in time. In that critical moment, a flash of blue light passed over Shen Luo''s palm, and a blast of extreme cold burst forth, violently sweeping across. The two thick flames of fire also dispersed unexpectedly, mere inches above the heads of the two. The surrounding blue waves instantly turned into ice crystals, and the black sea of flames vanished like foam under this intense cold force. Yan Lie, Tao Xiang, and others were all frozen along with their Magical Treasures, unable to move. In a flash, the entire great hall was covered with a layer of ice crystals, turning into a palace of ice crystals, with only Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren not frozen by the solid blue ice. ¡°This¡­¡± Wanshui Zhenren, staring dumbly at the surrounding blue ice crystals, was too shocked to speak. Yan Lie and the others, frozen in blue solid ice, also showed faces of horror and immediately exerted all their strength to shake the blue solid ice around them. Bang, bang, bang! The ice crystals on their bodies all shattered, and they quickly broke free from their enclosures. Shen Luo couldn''t help but sigh upon seeing this; his mastery of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique was already near its peak, but his own level of Mana was still too low, and additionally freezing six True Immortals at once, the effect was indeed suboptimal. Luckily, trapping them for a while was already sufficient. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He slapped his hand on his waist, and from it, Ghost General Zhao Feiji shot out, blowing the Dragon-burying Flute. Once again, the ghostly weeping sound filled the surrounding palace, rolling towards the six people on the opposite side. The space here was completely sealed, the sound waves of the flute reverberated back and forth, amplifying layer upon layer, its power stronger than before. Shen Luo was not idle either. He flipped his hand and sacrificed a slightly blood-tinted, crystal-clear Black Blade, which was the Bloodstained Demon Knife he had obtained earlier in Zhurong Basin, turning it into a streak of black and red lightning that shot out. Although Yan Lie and the others had shattered the surrounding blue ice, their bodies and meridians were still invaded by the cold, and their Mana was not flowing smoothly. Now, hearing the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound from Zhao Feiji, their bodies suddenly stiffened. Yan Lie''s body moved uncontrollably, completely out of his own control, and he was both shocked and angry in an instant. Before he could react, a flash of black light appeared before his eyes, and a black and red Flying Dagger suddenly materialized, swiftly slashing towards his neck. It seemed he would be beheaded at any moment. A streak of red light shot from the side, which was a small Peach Wood sword. Its power was not inferior to the black Demon Blade. With a ¡°clang¡±, it knocked it away, intervened by Tao Xiang. This lady had the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud wrapped around her waist, emitting bursts of blue light that actually blocked the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound from outside. Shen Luo gave a light exclamation and again circulated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, unleashing a blast of extreme cold blue light once more. ¡°Esteemed Daoist friend, please hold on a moment. There were no deep grudges or great hatred between us before, coming here was merely for the treasure. As of now, we haven''t even seen the Treasured item, why bother with futile fighting? Why not stop for now?¡± Tao Xiang suddenly raised her hand and called for a halt. ¡°Stop? Seems like it was your people who started the fight, right?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow, not unleashing the blue light in his hand, but neither did he allow it to dissipate. The Bloodstained Black Demon Blade flew back, circling over his head. Seeing this, Wanshui Zhenren also refrained from making a move, but the blue light from the Ten Thousand Waters Banner grew even more intense, wrapping around himself and Shen Luo, ready to strike at any moment. ¡°Earlier, Friend Yan Lie was somewhat impulsive. I apologize to Your Excellency on his behalf.¡± Tao Xiang bowed slightly, and the blue light on the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud wrapped around her waist suddenly intensified, enveloping the other few people in it. The other five immediately regained their normal body functions. After exchanging looks, none of them spoke, apparently not objecting to Tao Xiang''s suggestion. Yan Lie looked sternly at Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren, also saying nothing. Shen Luo, whether employing the Ice Seal Divine Technique or the Ghost Pet''s Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound, had impressively powerful might. Continuing the fight, although they were numerous, the outcome was still uncertain. Shen Luo glanced at the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud around Tao Xiang''s waist, pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. Beside him, Zhao Feiji stopped playing the Dragon-burying Flute, and the soul-snatching sound waves quickly dissipated. ¡°Daoist friend is indeed wise. Now that all nine of us have arrived at this Donghua Dark Mansion, the Donghua Freelance Immortal Elder is well-known throughout the Three Realms, and the scale of this mansion is certainly much more than just this great hall, bound to be fraught with dangers. Instead of fighting each other, it would be better if we join hands and seek the treasure together. What do you both think?¡± Tao Xiang spoke with a smile. ¡°Cooperate? Just a moment ago you six were trying to kill the two of us, and now you speak of cooperation, don''t you find it ridiculous?¡± Shen Luo scoffed coldly. ¡°What''s so ridiculous? The Cultivation World is just like this. Your Excellency was previously focused on escaping and did not reveal your strength, and we, being overwhelmingly superior in numbers, naturally struck decisively. Now that you''ve shown strength that matches ours, it is natural for me to change my approach,¡± Tao Xiang said calmly without a hint of shame. Hearing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but take another look at this lady, dispersing the blue light in his hand. ¡°Even though that''s the case, given our past grievances, cooperation is out of the question. Let''s go our separate ways,¡± Wanshui Zhenren snorted coldly, also dispersing the blue light on the Ten Thousand Waters Banner, and retreated with Shen Luo. Shen Luo also intended this, performing a hand seal and a wave, a sweep of blue light enveloped the bodies of two and one ghost, effortlessly piercing through the palace''s blue ice. Seeing Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren leave without hesitation, Tao Xiang frowned slightly, realizing that the gap between the two sides was too great for cooperation to be possible. It was already good to have them halt temporarily. She turned around and started discussing with the others through voice transmission. Chapter 1503 Chapter 1503: Chapter 1499: Thousand Years Manor Chapter 1503: Chapter 1499: Thousand Years Manor ¡°Daoist friend Shen, did you just find another way out of this great hall?¡± Wanshui Zhenren walked towards the depths of the hall while telepathically conversing with Shen Luo. ¡°Not far ahead on a wall, I found something resembling the entrance to a spatial passageway. The juvenile of that beryl sea skate touched the wall and disappeared; it must have been teleported inside,¡± Shen Luo did not conceal anything and explained the situation he had discovered earlier. ¡°That must be the passage leading to other areas of the cave mansion. Let''s head over there first and continue to stay ahead,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said happily upon hearing this. ¡°Entering should be easy, but be careful. Just now, Fangjin Pavilion Tao Xiang also made sense; there could be dangers ahead. One must not be careless,¡± Shen Luo cautioned. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Daoist friend Shen. I will be careful from now on,¡± Wanshui Zhenren recalled his earlier impulsive action, his heart chilled, and he nodded earnestly. As they were talking, the two of them arrived in front of the wall. With a gentle touch, their figures immediately vanished from the hall. Tao Xiang and others had been keeping a close eye on Shen Luo and Wanshui Zhenren. Seeing this scene, their expressions changed, and they immediately approached that spot. But the entire hall had been frozen over by Shen Luo''s blue ice. Lacking Shen Luo''s divine power to traverse through the ice, they had to break through the ice to move forward. After a good while, they finally arrived there. ¡°What do we do now? Shall we enter as well, or could this be a plot by those two?¡± Yan Lie spoke. ¡°It shouldn''t be. They didn''t enter much earlier than us. Such a short amount of time is at most enough for them to have explored this hall; they wouldn''t have had time to set traps. This must be the exit they found. Let''s follow them immediately!¡± Tao Xiang said gravely, and she and the other two from Fangjin Pavilion touched the wall, their figures instantly disappearing. ¡°We''re going too!¡± Yan Lie''s gaze flickered a few times, and he spoke decisively. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. The three touched the wall and likewise vanished into it. Shen Luo''s vision blurred for a moment, and when he regained his senses, he found himself in a manor with a rather large area. The garden was about twenty to thirty acres in size, with several towers standing around it. There were also several gardens and medicine gardens, where many spirit herbs and flowers grew. Each looked quite ancient, with spirit herbs over a thousand years old scattered everywhere. Surrounding the manor was an endless expanse of White Fog, which was actually the Illusion Fog of the Cloud Fog Mountain Range, much denser than the fog at the entrance of the cave mansion in the mountain wall. Moreover, whether driven by prohibitions or other reasons, this Illusion Fog neatly hovered outside the manor, not a wisp drifting inside. Wanshui Zhenren was not to be seen inside the manor, uncertain if he was teleported to another location, and the same was true for the beryl sea skate¨Cno sign of it. Shen Luo looked around and, when he saw the thousand-year-old spirit herbs, a thought crossed his mind. Wasn''t it said that Donghua Freelance Immortal was a figure from over a thousand years ago? Yet his remaining cave mansion contained such ancient herbs. Could it be that this cave mansion was not built by Donghua Freelance Immortal but left behind by an even earlier elder? He quickly collected his thoughts, ignoring the spirit herbs, and flew towards the nearest tower. Just as he arrived at the entrance, a Blue Light Curtain appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path. ¡°Break for me!¡± Shen Luo took out the Profound Yellow Staff with a flip of his hand, executed the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique, and a myriad of Golden Rod Shadows emerged, containing power that twisted the Void itself, fiercely striking the Blue Light Curtain. The blue light curtain shattered in response, breaking into countless drifting specks of green light, revealing an open Big Gate. Shen Luo scanned with his Divine Sense, finding no traps or prohibitions, and flashed into the Tower. Inside the door was a place resembling a Study, with several ebony bookshelves piled high with thick books. Beside the bookshelves was a large desk, on the left side of which sat a dark green inkstone and a brush several times thicker than ordinary brushes; the brush handle was made from green jade, engraved with patterns of flowers, birds, insects, and fish, while the brush head was a cluster of lustrous white animal hair. Both the green inkstone and the green jade brush emitted waves of strong Spiritual Power Fluctuations, clearly they were valuable Magical Treasures. On the other side of the desk lay an Azure Folding Fan, sparkling with starlight, from afar one could feel the unfathomable power of the stars within. And on the wall behind the desk hung an old painting scroll, depicting a Teenager in scholar''s clothes holding a folding fan, his back to the sky. Due to the angle, the face of the Teenager cannot be seen, but the folding fan in his hand seemed to be exactly the one on the desk. ¡°Could this Teenager be the Donghua Freelance Immortal?¡± Shen Luo wondered silently. For some reason, this person gave him an odd sense of familiarity, as if he had seen him somewhere before. Before he could ponder any further, white light surged in the Void beside the Tower, and a figure appeared out of nowhere¨Cit was Tao Xiang. As soon as this woman appeared, she looked towards the desk with an expression of surprise and joy, her right hand reaching out towards several treasures on the desk. Shen Luo swung his arm, and a Golden Rod Shadow smashed onto the peach-colored Big Hand, easily shattering it into pieces. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Tao Xiang''s pretty face changed, she opened her mouth and spat at Shen Luo, shooting several red beams at him¨Cthese were red flying needles shimmering with cold light. At the same time, her other hand reached towards the desk again, a red glow sweeping up the treasures on the desk. ¡°Seeking death!¡± A vicious light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, a blinding Golden Light emerged in front of him¨Cit was the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, blocking the red flying needles. His hand shook the Profound Yellow Staff, and more than a dozen golden rod shadows sprang out of thin air, sweeping through the space within a dozen yards in an instant. The red glow released by Tao Xiang was torn apart by the rod shadows, as five or six of them flickered in front of Tao Xiang, striking her fiercely. With several muffled ¡°thumps,¡± she was knocked flying backward. Shen Luo dared not delay any longer, with a wave of his sleeve, he sent out a red crystal light, scooping up the green inkstone, green jade brush, and the Azure Folding Fan from the table. The Azure Folding Fan immediately vanished in the red glow, but the green inkstone and green jade brush suddenly emitted two clumps of green light, blocking the absorption by the Free and Easy Mirror. Tao Xiang, sent flying by the Profound Yellow Staff, steadied herself after a dozen yards, with the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud around her waist bursting into a great blue-white radiance, evidently, it was this treasure that fended off the strike from the staff, but a trace of blood ran down from the corner of her mouth. This woman forced herself to carry on, opening her mouth to spit out a green talisman, carved with exceptionally intricate patterns. Tao Xiang grabbed the talisman and crushed it in one motion. From the shattered talisman''s light, a green Array appeared, spinning rapidly, emitting a dazzling green light, turning the entire Tower into a pale green shade. The green inkstone and green jade brush on the desk began to tremble violently, and then with a flicker, they vanished, reappearing the next moment within the green Array. Chapter 1504 – 1504 1500 Closed Chapter 1504: Chapter 1500 Closed-door Disciple Chapter 1504: Chapter 1500 Closed-door Disciple ¡°Azure Sky Ink Stone! Soul of Ink Brush! The treasured magical artefacts of the Previous Pavilion Master, finally in my grasp!¡± Tao Xiang''s hands flipped, seizing the two treasures, her face revealing a look of ecstatic joy as she immediately flew away from the Tower as if she feared Shen Luo making a move to snatch them. ¡°Azure Sky Ink Stone, Soul of Ink Brush? Those two magical treasures belong to Fangjin Pavilion, no wonder they can''t be taken away.¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyebrows raised, but he did not chase after her to contend for possession. Although these two treasures were extraordinary, since they had an owner, he had no intention of forcefully taking them, provoking the mighty enemy that was Fangjin Pavilion. He formed a hand seal and a red crystalline light swept around; the expansive Tower instantly became empty, with bookshelves, desks, and hanging scrolls on the walls all being taken into the Free and Easy Mirror. A green light flashed over Shen Luo''s body, and he passed through the floor above his head, appearing on the second floor of the loft which was also furnished with several bookshelves and a desk, the layout almost identical to the lower level. However, the desk here bore no treasures, only a scroll of pale yellow silk. It had no fluctuations of spiritual power, but the silk was filled with talisman patterns, apparently a classic collection of Talismans. ¡°Talisman scriptures?¡± He murmured to himself, but without giving it a further look, he once again activated the Free and Easy Mirror, collecting everything on the second level. After doing all this, Shen Luo took a step and flew out of the Tower. Outside in the manor, the trio from Fangjin Pavilion¨CYan Lie, Tian Sanqi, and Ghost Teng Master¨Call appeared here. ¡°Daoist friend Shen! Why is it only you, where is Wanshui Zhenren?¡± Yan Lie looked around and asked. ¡°I don''t know, he might have been sent to some other place,¡± Shen Luo didn''t bother with them much; after glancing over at them, he shifted his gaze away and flashed to the front of another Tower. In front of the Tower''s gate, there was also a layer of blue light prohibition curtain raised, blocking the entrance to the Big Gate. He snorted lightly, with the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand releasing a burst of golden light, ready to strike the blue light curtain. Suddenly, a red light shot from the side at an incredibly fast speed towards his back. With a ¡°clang¡± of a loud noise, golden light flashed in the void, and the Profound Yellow Staff appeared behind him out of thin air, shattering the red light with one strike. ¡°What is your intent, Your Excellency? Seeing Shen by himself, do you wish to make a move against me? If you want a fight, Shen will not hold back next time; it will be a fight to the death!¡± Shen Luo turned and looked at Yan Lie, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. The person who had just made a move was indeed Yan Lie. Yan Lie was also looking at Shen Luo with a cold gaze, showing no sign of backing down. ¡°Daoist Yan, do not be impetuous,¡± Tian Sanqi saw Shen Luo''s expression and couldn''t help but remember his astonishing Cold Ice God''s Power, his heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly moved next to Yan Lie, whispering to him. ¡°Are you, Daoist Tian, afraid of this Family name Shen? There are so many of us here, if we join hands, can''t we deal with one little Early True Immortal? Especially now that Wanshui Zhenren is not here, let''s take down this man together and eliminate a great foe first!¡± Yan Lie glanced at Tian Sanqi, whispering back. ¡°How could Tian be afraid of this Family name Shen? It''s just that this matter is of great importance and requires long-term planning. Immortal Tao Xiang, what do you think?¡± Tian Sanqi, feeling embarrassed, immediately whispered back in defense. The whispering between the two covered their group of six; everyone heard it. ¡°Consort also finds the words of Daoist friend Yan Lie reasonable. Indeed, there are many treasures within the Donghua Dark Mansion, and Family Name Shen possesses not insignificant divine powers. Should he acquire a few more handy Treasured items, even if we join forces, we may not necessarily be able to defeat him. It''s better to eliminate him sooner rather than later,¡± said Tao Xiang, with a cold glint flashing in her eyes. At Fangjin Pavilion, Liu Hong, Li Biao, and Ghost Teng Master also gave almost imperceptible nods of agreement. Although Shen Luo could not hear the several people''s transmission of voice, he could tell from the subtle changes in their expressions that they were discussing something. However, he really didn''t take these few people seriously. Not to mention the several superb divine powers he possessed, as well as the overpowering Treasured items like the Turn Sky Seal and the Seven Chun Yang Swords, which were far beyond the likes of Tao Xiang and others. By simply releasing the Sky Fiend Corpse King, getting rid of them would be as easy as flipping his hand. ¡°Since everyone agrees, I have no objections. Let me strike the first blow, and you all must follow immediately. We must kill or severely injure this person in one strike, and must not let him unleash his deadly move!¡± Tian Sanqi, who had previously shown signs of cowardice in his words and was eager to recover face, said through voice transmission before preparing to make a move. ¡°If you seek death, then don''t blame me!¡± A cold glint flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, followed by a flash of golden light in his hand. However, before Shen Luo could make a move, something unexpected happened! Abruptly, a bright light emerged from among the six people including Tian Sanqi, and two white flashes of light, as fast as lightning, struck the unsuspecting backs of Tian Sanqi and Tao Xiang. They were two white flying Short Cones. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡± With two muffled sounds, Tian Sanqi and Tao Xiang''s bodies were sent flying. Tian Sanqi''s back shriveled up instantly, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Tao Xiang''s Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud barely blocked the white flying Short Cone, but her right arm was slashed by the white light of the flying Short Cone, and her entire right arm was surprisingly severed at the shoulder, with blood gushing out. ¡°Haha, how do you like the taste of my Nine Heavens Dragon Cone?¡± The person who launched the secret attack then fled swiftly, landing on the other side of the Manor, revealing himself to be Yan Lie, who laughed heartily with a proud look on his face. ¡°Yan Lie, what are you doing?¡± Liu Hong and Li Biao from the Fangjin Pavilion shouted in astonishment and anger, quickly protecting Tao Xiang by her side. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Ghost Teng Master also showed a drastic change in expression. However, he did not approach Tian Sanqi and after a moment of flickering glances, he retreated backwards, distancing himself from everyone else. On the other side, Shen Luo, upon seeing this scene, also furrowed his brows. ¡°What''s going on? A mutiny from within?¡± he wondered to himself. However, he felt that things were not so simple, as an eerie atmosphere emerged throughout the entire Manor. Shen Luo did not dare to be careless either, he ran his power to protect his surroundings, and also retreated backwards. ¡°Yan Lie, why would you do this?¡± Tao Xiang took out a verdant green Talisman and stuck it on her shoulder. A bright green light flickered, and the blood flow promptly stopped as she shouted in a deep voice. Tian Sanqi on the side pinched a spell and touched his chest, a cluster of crystalline light emerged from his back, and the sunken area instantly returned to its original state. After doing this, he too looked towards Yan Lie with shock and anger. ¡°Fairy Tao Xiang, Tian Sanqi, do you really not know, or are you just playing dumb here? That year, my Master, the Donghua Freelance Immortal, perished at the hands of your Fangjin Pavilion and the Baijian Gate, as well as that Old Thief Canghun. Isn''t it only natural that I act against you?¡± Yan Lie summoned back the two white Short Cones and sneered continuously as he spoke. ¡°What! You are a disciple of the Donghua Freelance Immortal?¡± Tao Xiang''s expression changed. Tian Sanqi was also startled, showing a look of surprise and doubt. Clearly, both were aware of the matter Yan Lie spoke of, while Liu Hong, Li Biao, and the Ghost Teng Master who had fled far away appeared clueless. ¡°Impossible! All six major disciples of the Donghua Freelance Immortal perished in the battle at Black Scale Mountain that year. It''s impossible that any of them are still alive,¡± said Tao Xiang, who quickly regained her composure after the shock, and spoke. ¡°Wanshui Junior Brother and I were two junior disciples that the Master took in during his last few years, and we have never appeared before outsiders before, naturally you wouldn''t know, otherwise it would''ve been difficult for us to survive!¡± Yan Lie sneered coldly as he said this. Chapter 1505 Chapter 1505: Chapter 1501: Collecting Interest Chapter 1505: Chapter 1501: Collecting Interest Shen Luo listened to Yan Lie''s words, his heart gave a jolt. He hadn''t expected that Wanshui Zhenren was also a disciple of Donghua Freelance Immortal. So it seemed that all the pursuit and escape on their way here, including the earlier conflict at the Trading Conference, were all a play self-directed by the two of them, and he had indeed been thoroughly used by them. ¡°Friend Shen, I am truly sorry for using you before, but I harbored no malice towards you, please don''t hold it against me,¡± suddenly, Wanshui Zhenren''s voice echoed in his mind, seemingly coming from the illusion fog surrounding the manor. Shen Luo''s heart grew apprehensive. Wanshui Zhenren was actually hiding in the surrounding illusion fog, and the fact that he could communicate without any anomalies suggested he had control over some crucial prohibitions of the manor to counter the power of the illusion fog. The situation before him seemed confusing, but in reality, it was firmly in the grasp of the master-disciple pair Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie. However, Wanshui Zhenren taking the initiative to communicate with him suggested that he didn''t view Shen Luo as an enemy. ¡°Brother Wan Shui is adept in stratagems, I admire that,¡± Shen Luo steadied his mind and transmitted his voice towards there. ¡°Brother Shen, you flatter me. To tell you the truth, this situation is not a trap of my creation. When I sold the BiHai Zi at the Trading Conference, I didn''t know of Yan Lie''s identity. It was only after the conference had ended that I learned everything from him. Along the way, I was acting on his instructions, thus deceiving the three from Fangjin Pavilion and Tian Sanqi into this Secret Mansion. Rest assured, though, Brother Shen, neither my Senior Brother Yan Lie nor I have any intention of acting against Your Excellency. Once we deal with the people from Fangjin Pavilion and Tian Sanqi, we will immediately escort you out and present you with a generous gift,¡± Wanshui Zhenren continued to transmit, his tone full of apology. ¡°There is no need for generous gifts. It will be sufficient for the two Daoist friends to allow me to leave this place afterwards, I have no desire to get involved in your dispute with Fangjin Pavilion and Baijian Gate,¡± Shen Luo replied through voice transmission. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said with delight. ¡°So it was all a trap you and Wanshui Zhenren set up together!¡± Tian Sanqi said with a cold voice, his complexion beyond unsightly. With a silent mien, Tao Xiang reached into her sleeve and pulled out a blood-colored elixir emitting a strong fragrance and swallowed it. Instantly, at the stump of her severed arm emerged strands of blood light. They rapidly coiled around, and intertwined flesh buds quickly grew into a new arm that was exceptionally delicate, identical to the one before. ¡°Heh heh, although you from Fangjin Pavilion and Baijian Gate killed our Master that year, you never obtained his life''s collection. As long as there was any news about the Donghua Immortal Residence, you would eagerly follow. Unfortunately, we, the junior disciples, are not competent enough to kill those true enemies and avenge our Master, so we had to use schemes to lure you here to be slaughtered, as a way to claim some interest first!¡± Yan Lie glanced at Tao Xiang''s new arm and sneered with a sinister smile. Both his hands opened in the void, and a white light burst forth. In the void above the manor, white Formation Patterns emerged and swiftly thickened. A vast and abnormal Array Power descended from the sky, heavily pressing down on Everyone below, making their bodies sink. ¡°Ghost Teng Master and Friend Shen, we have now all fallen into the cunning ploy of Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren. If we are eliminated, the two Daoist friends won''t escape either. Only by uniting can we possibly survive. If we let them pick us off one by one, then divine soul obliteration is inevitable!¡± Tao Xiang''s complexion darkened, abruptly turning her head to shout to Ghost Teng Master and Shen Luo. Upon hearing that, Ghost Teng Master''s face changed, and after a few swift thoughts, he shouted towards Yan Lie: ¡°Friend Yan Lie, I have no intention of getting involved in your dispute. May I leave immediately?¡± Yan Lie turned a deaf ear and kept reciting Spells. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, do not delude yourself. Now that you know the location of the Donghua Dark Mansion, how could Yan Lie possibly let you leave,¡± Tao Xiang said with a cold laugh. Ghost Teng Master''s expression alternated between colors, but eventually, he gritted his teeth and rushed out, standing beside Tao Xiang and others. Having heard Tao Xiang''s last words, Shen Luo''s gaze also stirred. He had somewhat of an acquaintance with Wanshui Zhenren, but If Yan Lie wanted to keep the Secret Mansion a secret, the likelihood of letting him leave safely seemed slim. Should it come to a confrontation with Yan Lie and the others, although he had the Sky Fiend Corpse King, a Taiyi powerful ally, this place was a Cave Mansion of the Donghua Freelance Immortal, and who knew what other unknown and formidable prohibitions there were. Visible spears are easy to dodge; hidden arrows are hard to defend against. ¡°Friend Shen need not worry, I have already checked clearly; this place is a space similar to a Secret Realm. The spatial traces connected to the great hall we came from are still here. With the power of space from the Netherworld Furnace and the newly refined Small Teleportation Charm, and after a little more research on the flow of the spatial traces, leaving here will not be difficult,¡± said the voice of Fire Spirit Child. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s heart relaxed. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°However, the space here seems to be quite unstable, so you must not use overly powerful God''s Power, especially the Turn Sky Seal. If it causes the space here to collapse, we will surely die without a doubt,¡± Fire Spirit Child cautioned again. ¡°Understood.¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted slightly as he nodded in agreement. ¡°As for your affairs, I, Shen, have no intention of getting involved. I shall just watch from the sidelines,¡± he said without waiting for Tao Xiang, who was looking over, to speak. He then leaped and flew toward the distance, alighting at the entrance of the manor. Yan Lie watched Shen Luo intently but said nothing, pinching his fingers and urging on the pair of Short Cones. The two Short Cones turned into two white long rainbows as they shot out, and suddenly, white beams of light shot down from the Formation Pattern in mid-air, merging into the white long rainbows, instantly expanding them more than tenfold, turning them into two white furious dragons pouncing towards Tao Xiang and the group of five. ¡°Form the Three Flowers and Three Talents Array!¡± Tao Xiang''s expression sank, and she yelled sharply. Liu Hong and Li Biao immediately stood to the left and right behind Tao Xiang upon hearing the command, forming a Three Talents Formation. The three emitted bright Spiritual Light, merging into one another. Tian Sanqi and Ghost Teng Master seemed a bit lost, standing aside, not knowing how to join in the Formation, so they could only each summon their Magical Treasures to protect their bodies first. Tao Xiang pinched a magic spell and chanted Spells. The Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud at her waist shot out and whooshed as it enlarged several times, turning into a huge layer of white gauze, and collided with the two white long rainbows. With a ''sizzle'', the two white long rainbows tore through the white gauze like ripping paper, heading towards Tao Xiang and the others without any reduction in speed. However, Tao Xiang remained unperturbed. With a change in her hand gestures, the Void in front of her flickered with white light, and in an instant, dozens of layers of white gauze, identical to the one just now, appeared. The white long rainbows slashed through the layers of white gauze, piercing through them one after another, but their speed drastically reduced, finding it more and more difficult to penetrate the gauze. Finally, after piercing through most of the white gauze, the two white long rainbows came to a complete halt, turning back into two Short Cones. A look of joy appeared in Tao Xiang''s eyes. Her hands quickly formed spells, and the remaining white gauze wrapped around the two Short Cones, enveloping them layer by layer. But at this moment, the two Short Cones suddenly burst forth with bright light, which even through the layers of gauze was clearly visible. Tao Xiang''s expression changed, and she was about to cast a spell to stop it, but it was a step too late. The two Short Cones exploded with a bang, dazzling white light piercing through the gauze and shining upon the bodies of Tao Xiang and the others. Ghost Teng Master, Liu Hong, and Li Biao were unaffected, but Tao Xiang and Tian Sanqi stiffened as the white light touched them. Streams of strong illusionary power flowed from the dazzling white light into their bodies. Their Divine wisdom became muddled, their eyelids excessively heavy, wanting to deeply sleep. However, both Tao Xiang and Tian Sanqi possessed extremely powerful Soul Power, and they were still barely able to resist this intense and unparalleled urge to sleep. Chapter 1506 Chapter 1506: Chapter 1502: Discuss Serious Matters Chapter 1506: Chapter 1502: Discuss Serious Matters ¡°What''s going on? Why is no one else affected?¡± Tao Xiang exerted her utmost to operate the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud, trying to block the invasion of the illusion power, but it was completely ineffective. On the side, Tian Sanqi was in the same condition, with her eyes almost unable to open. ¡°It''s impossible! Just now outside, the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud could resist the illusion power within the White Fog, why is it not working now¡­¡± Tao Xiang tried her best to revive her spirits and suddenly remembered something, immediately casting a spell to examine herself, and indeed found an anomaly. Without her knowing when, a white rune had appeared in her body, resonating continuously with the injected illusion power, appearing to be a mark. ¡°When did this thing appear in my body? It was when I was just hit by that white Short Cone!¡± Tao Xiang suddenly realized, and immediately tried to remove the rune mark. However, the illusion power invading her body was already too much, waves of strong drowsiness surged up, finally completely submerging her consciousness, causing her to fall into a deep sleep. Tian Sanqi was the same, even falling asleep earlier than Tao Xiang. Without Tao Xiang presiding, the Three Flowers and Three Talents Array suddenly collapsed, Liu Hong, Li Biao, and Ghost Teng Master''s expressions greatly changed, and they turned around to flee into the distance. ¡°Now you try to escape, too late!¡± Yan Lie sneered and made a gesture with both hands. The surrounding white illusion fog in the manor blinked with spiritual light, countless dense white fogs rolling in, and in the blink of an eye, submerged the three figures. There was a violent agitation within the dense fog, flashing some lights, but they quickly extinguished. The White Fog soon dissipated, revealing the figures of Liu Hong, Li Biao, and Ghost Teng Master, all had fallen into a deep sleep. At the gate of the manor, Shen Luo looked surprised. He initially thought that even though Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren had taken the lead, Tao Xiang still had five people on her side, which should have been able to put up a fight for a while, but he didn''t expect the battle between the two parties to end in the blink of an eye. Yan Lie flicked his sleeve, a gust of white fog enveloped the five bodies, dragging them into the surrounding dense fog, before he slowly turned around, looking at Shen Luo. ¡°Friend Yan Lie''s methods are impressive, resolving Tao Xiang and the others in an instant, admirable,¡± Shen Luo cautiously complimented, with a bowing gesture. ¡°Just a little trick, making Friend Shen laugh, now that the irrelevant people have been removed, it''s time for the main matter,¡± said Yan Lie with a light smile. ¡°Oh, the main matter?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I heard from junior Wanshui that Friend Shen hatched that Bihai Stingray and even tamed it to become a spirit beast. Good, with a Divine Sense Mark connection, there''s no fear of the Bihai Stingray running away. Following this fish will lead us to retrieve the treasure stored in the Celestial Secret Realm by the ancient Donghua,¡± Yan Lie laughed. ¡°Celestial Secret Realm? Are you referring to this place right now?¡± Shen Luo asked, picking up his gaze. ¡°This place isn''t it yet. Through the spatial rift ahead, we can enter the real Celestial Secret Realm.¡± Yan Lie formed a gesture, pointing towards the endless white fog void around, which immediately started rolling, surging upwards, forming a massive white cloud blocking the sky in a few breaths. Only then did Shen Luo clearly see the surroundings; the manor was floating inside a gray space, surrounded by misty fog, hard to distinguish from east, west, south, and north. Around the void, there floated numerous snow-white Formation Patterns, surrounding the manor in the middle, obviously a set of extremely brilliant Formation Prohibitions. And not far from the manor, a silver space rift suddenly appeared, about several dozen feet in size. Through this spatial rift, one could see a boundless bright space within. Below was a azure ocean with surging waves, and occasionally, a few lush green islands could be seen, with no end in sight. Above the sky, the sun hung high, and clouds billowed, almost indistinguishable from the outside world. ¡°Is the space inside the Celestial Secret Realm? Truly worthy of its name, vast and infinite,¡± Shen Luo inhaled a breath of cool air and couldn''t help but exclaim. The azure ray fish must have escaped into the endless Vast Ocean, searching for the spirit embryo. Now, Wanshui Zhenren also emerged from the White Fog, floating down. ¡°Friend Shen, you might not know, although there are some treasures in our Master''s Cave Mansion, he had long ago stored the real Treasured items in the depths of this Secret Realm. Moreover, the origin of this Celestial Secret Realm is unknown; legend says it was opened by an Ancient Immortal, hiding many Immortal tombs with an abundance of treasures. Master was able to make a name for himself as a mere mortal monk entirely because he found many opportunities in this Secret Realm,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said. Yan Lie stood aside, his expression unchanged, and he did not stop Wanshui Zhenren from revealing these secrets. ¡°So it is, this Secret Realm seems extraordinary, at least the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here is much denser than outside,¡± Shen Luo was shocked internally, but he maintained a calm countenance. ¡°Friend Shen, since it''s rare for us to enter here, let''s first track down that azure ray fish to retrieve the treasures Master left here, and then thoroughly explore this Secret Realm. Surely, there will be significant gains,¡± Wanshui Zhenren looked at Shen Luo and asked. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, and he pondered silently. ¡°However, Friend Shen, your strength is formidable and we brothers are no match. Thus, please hand over half of your Divine Soul, attached to this Spirit Tag, so we can travel safely,¡± Yan Lie suddenly spoke up from the side, taking out a pitch-black Jade Tag, around which Black Qi swirled, emitting a foul odor. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s eyes darkened. ¡°Brother Yan, what are you saying? Friend Shen is my friend, and it''s thanks to him that we were able to successfully lure Tao Xiang and the others here to subdue them. How can you use such tactics against him?¡± Wanshui Zhenren was taken aback and hurriedly spoke. ¡°It''s precisely because Friend Shen helped us just now that I didn''t activate the prohibition against him earlier. But the importance of the Secret Mansion and the Celestial Secret Realm is too great to allow any mishaps, we can only inconvenience Friend Shen for now. Once we have gathered all the treasures from the Celestial Secret Realm, we will naturally set you free,¡± Yan Lie said with a light smile. ¡°Brother Yan, this matter¡­¡± Wanshui Zhenren''s face fell, wanting to say more. ¡°Wanshui junior brother, Master gave me the Donghua Command back then; I am the head of the Donghua lineage, this matter will be decided by me, no need to say more!¡± Yan Lie sternly interrupted Wanshui Zhenren. Wanshui Zhenren muttered, eventually falling silent. ¡°Friend Yan Lie seems to see me as fish on the chopping block, conveniently manipulated. If you want my Soul Power, please make your move,¡± Shen Luo said with a light laugh upon seeing this. ¡°It seems Friend Shen plans to resist stubbornly. In this case, don''t blame me, Yan, for using the geographical advantage,¡± Yan Lie said coldly, gesturing towards the White Cloud above. The massive cloud dissipated again with a whoosh, enveloping Shen Luo in an overwhelming manner. The figure of Shen Luo, floating in mid-air, immediately plummeted downwards, both hands grasping into the void, releasing lightning strikes of golden lightning from his claws, smashing into the White Fog. These White Mists were filled with illusive powers, and his arms, imbued with the Gold Thunder containing the destructive power of Thunder Tribulation, possessed a certain restraining effect against illusory powers. As expected, when the golden lightning struck the White Mist, it immediately tore and shattered much of it. Chapter 1507 Chapter 1507: Chapter 1503: Five Swords Fly Together Chapter 1507: Chapter 1503: Five Swords Fly Together Shen Luo once again stimulated the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns within his arms, conjuring gusts of azure winds out of thin air, which rapidly expanded into a hurricane column several dozen meters tall, emitting a loud whistling sound. The hurricane column was fierce, causing heaven and earth to seemingly change colors, blowing the Mid Air White Mist scattering in all directions. Upon seeing this, Yan Lie''s expression darkened instantly. His right hand formed a seal and grasped, causing a gigantic hand palm, roughly the size of an acre, to suddenly descend from amidst the Mid Air White Mist, grabbing towards the top of Shen Luo''s head. Golden Lightning struck it from the sky, causing slight tremors on the surface of the giant palm, though it did not collapse but continued to fall. Yet, Shen Luo''s feet shimmered with moonlight, teleporting several dozen meters out of thin air to dodge the capture of the giant palm, rushing straight towards Yan Lie. A black-red Sword Glow several dozen meters long shot out from him, chopping down directly towards Yan Lie''s head¨Cit was that Blood-stained Flying Knife. Yan Lie''s face changed drastically, hastily retreating while exhaling a Red Battle Saber from his mouth, wrapping around the black-red Sword Glow, clanging as they struck each other, sparks flying everywhere. Shen Luo''s hands formed seals rapidly, the black-red Sword Glow suddenly grew several times larger, bursting with a fierce, blood-thirsty aura, it coiled around and chopped the Red Battle Saber in half. With a ¡°chi la¡± sound, the Red Battle Saber was cut into two pieces, turning into chunks of ordinary iron falling below; the Spiritual Power within, as well as the Tool Spirit, was instantly absorbed. The black-red Sword Glow''s might surged once again, transforming into black-red lightning that continued to chop towards Yan Lie, the speed several times faster than before. Shen Luo was also surprised by this development, obviously not expecting the Bloodstained Demon Knife to also possess the ability to Devour Treasure Soul Power. The Sword Glow was extremely fast; Yan Lie was unable to dodge in time and was about to be injured, his face turned cold, his forehead veins throbbing, seemingly about to make a move. A scissor-shaped Golden Light shot from the side, with a ¡°clang¡± sound blocking a strike from the Bloodstained Demon Knife¨Cit was Wanshui Zhenren''s Golden Dragon Scissors. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, apologies!¡± Wanshui Zhenren''s figure flew in swiftly, hands forming seals. The Golden Dragon Scissors went ¡°boom¡± and transformed into two sword rainbows shaped like golden dragons, crossing as they chopped down towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo dodged the Sword Rainbow strikes with a flicker of his figure, swinging his arms and shooting out several thick Golden Lightnings from his hands, tearing through the Void and forcing Wanshui Zhenren to retreat. ¡°Is it not ready yet?¡± he communicated telepathically with Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Almost done, the Power of Space in this place is quite peculiar, different than what I had anticipated, just a moment.¡± Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo frowned slightly, continuing to unleash Thunder and Lightning Divine Power to bombard the two, while simultaneously communicating with Zhao Feiji inside the Qiankun Bag, waves of Gouhun flute sounds drifting towards Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren. However, a layer of white light emerged around the two, easily blocking the assault of the flute sounds. ¡°Master, it seems that both individuals are protected by a prohibition force; the Dragon-burying Flute can''t penetrate it,¡± the surprised voice of Zhao Feiji resounded in Shen Luo''s mind. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression darkened; no wonder Wanshui Zhenren had hidden in the Illusion Fog earlier completely unaffected¨Cit turns out there was such a prohibition on him. ¡°Thinking of ambushing with Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound? Too bad, within this Nine-curve Illusion Array, any Divine Soul Attack is hard to wield, prepare to die!¡± Yan Lie, who had nearly been injured by Shen Luo earlier, was now somewhat infuriated and mocked while flipping his hand to bring out a Big Flag, waving it vigorously. The surrounding White Mist moved crazily, shooting out beams of white light, suddenly becoming a lot denser, actually blocking the Golden Lightning''s bombardment and the onslaught of the azure hurricane, approaching from all sides. Shen Luo''s face darkened, quickly moving sideways to dodge, continuously unleashing Golden Lightning from his hands, tearing apart the surrounding White Mist, firmly not allowing it to come close. ¡°A futile struggle!¡± A trace of mockery flashed in Yan Lie''s eyes; he exhaled a mouthful of essence blood, integrating it into the white Big Flag he was holding. The Spiritual Light on the Big Flag immediately surged, Gray Space areas appearing many white threads, especially near the Spatial Rift, densely packed threads wrapping around the Spatial Rift tightly, clearly to prevent Shen Luo from escaping into it. Shen Luo was immediately entangled by numerous white threads that emerged from the void around him. He furrowed his brows and forcefully struggled. These threads were extremely tough, and his struggle failed to break free. Illusory power seeped out from the white threads, swarming into his body and clouding his mind. Shen Luo''s heart chilled, he circulated the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his spirit, and his arms emitted thunder and lightning, streaks of golden electric arcs running through his body, instantly tearing the white threads apart and freeing himself. However, more white threads continuously emerged from the surrounding void, entwining toward him, seemingly inexhaustible. Left with no choice, Shen Luo spread the thunder and lightning throughout his body, but his movements were still greatly hindered, and he was gradually caught up by the surrounding White Fog. ¡°Done! Friend Shen, head immediately to the manor entrance below; that is where the passageway connecting to the outside space is located!¡± The voice of Fire Spirit Child rang out. Hearing this, Shen Luo, with joy and seeing white threads and mist all around, his body flashing green, vanished into thin air. ¡°An Escape Technique? Foolish!¡± Yan Lie saw this scene and was not alarmed but pleased instead. As soon as Shen Luo entered the Yi Wood Space, dense masses of white threads rushed towards him, ten times denser than those in the outside void, instantly trapping his body tightly, almost turning him into a white cocoon. The golden lightning around him was almost ineffective. ¡°The Nine-curve Illusion Array is based on the spiritual power space, affecting the real space; entering the spiritual power space is akin to seeking death!¡± Yan Lie laughed heartily as Mana surged into the big flag in his hands. The white cocoon around Shen Luo shone brightly, and waves of powerful illusory force furiously poured into his body, overwhelming his divine soul. His vision darkened and his mind felt groggy, nearly falling asleep. However, Shen Luo''s soul power was exceptionally vast, already far surpassing the Early True Immortal stage, and he managed to hold on at the last moment. ¡°What powerful illusory force!¡± he snorted coldly, circulating the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his mind while simultaneously stimulating the Pure Yang Sword nurtured in his Dantian. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The power of this Nine-curve Illusion Array was much greater than he expected. Ignoring Fire Spirit Child''s warning, he could only use a slightly more powerful God''s Power to break through this Great Formation. ¡°Five Swords Fly Together! Rise!¡± Shen Luo shouted lowly, and a pierce sword cry emanated from his body, five red sword shadows suddenly burst forth. Each sword shadow emitted a terrifying aura capable of cutting through anything, circling around him. This ¡°Five Swords Fly Together¡± was precisely the fifth move of the Pure Yang Sword, a combined attack of five flying swords, its power far exceeding the combined swords. Before Five Swords Fly Together could fully unfold, the cocoon formed by the white threads around him was ruthlessly shattered, freeing his body and returning him to real space. ¡°How is this possible!¡± Yan Lie, seeing Shen Luo reappear, showed an incredulous expression in his eyes. He was most aware of the Nine-curve Illusion Array''s power; how could Shen Luo break free from the Array''s confinement? It seemed impossible even for a Late True Immortal. As soon as Shen Luo returned to reality, the terrifying sword Qi of Five Swords Fly Together spread out, affecting the surrounding gray space, which immediately started to tremble and seem on the verge of shattering. Startled, he quickly retracted four of the flying swords, keeping only one to perform the Art of the Unity of Body and Sword, transforming into a red light heading toward the lower frontier. Chapter 1508 Chapter 1508: Chapter 1504: Spatial Collapse Chapter 1508: Chapter 1504: Spatial Collapse ¡°Don''t go!¡± Yan Lie immediately pursued him, but ahead, the sound of thunder exploded, and tens of thick golden lightning bolts struck down. He hastily cast spells to defend himself. As the light of the thunder dissipated, Shen Luo had already landed at the manor''s entrance, his whole body emitting a dazzling silver light, enveloping the space of several tens of feet around him. Mysterious spirit patterns appeared within the silver light, moving swiftly like living creatures, and in the blink of an eye, set up a silver array that rapidly rotated. The nearby void buzzed and twisted rapidly, forming patches of shadows as if to carve out a spatial passageway. ¡°Spatial Divine Ability! The Family name Shen wants to escape, stop him quickly!¡± Yan Lie exclaimed in shock, his eyes flashing several times before he gritted his teeth and grabbed a big white flag, snapping it in one motion. Dozens of thick silver lights burst out from the broken flag, flashing into the surrounding white formation patterns. The formation patterns of the Nine-curve Illusion Array expanded rapidly like having received a powerful boost, and in an instant, spread to every corner of the gray space. Every fluctuation in the gray space suddenly solidified, becoming exceptionally stable. The space around Shen Luo also did the same, the rate of the silver array''s operation reduced by more than half, and almost all the distorted space shadows dissipated. ¡°To actually explode a spatial treasure, using its spiritual power to stabilize the space!¡± muttered Fire Spirit Child in a low voice. ¡°What should we do then? If nothing works, I could use the Turn Sky Seal, a single strike could shatter the formations and prohibitions around!¡± Shen Luo and others, entangled with Yan Lie, were already becoming impatient. At this moment, Wanshui Zhenren arrived from another direction, but faster than him were two massive Golden Dragon Sword Rainbows, flying swiftly as they slashed through the air. The immense sword qi caused the silver array to tremble incessantly. Shen Luo reached into the void with both hands, the golden lightning on his arms intensified tenfold, and converged in the middle before transforming into two massive golden thunderballs, spinning with terrifying thundering force. He immediately threw his hands apart, the thunderballs flashed golden light and disappeared into the high altitude, but immediately afterwards, a tremendous roar thundered through the skies. In the mid-air, countless thunder runes emerged, two millstone-thick columns of golden lightning flashed down, striking on the Golden Dragon Sword Rainbows. A breath of heavenly punishment descended as if heaven''s thunder had struck, causing the Golden Dragon Sword Rainbows to be repelled back while their surface''s spiritual light completely shattered, reverting back to the Golden Dragon Scissors. Wanshui Zhenren repeatedly tried to manipulate the Golden Dragon Scissors, but they wouldn''t budge. Shocked, he halted his motion, a blue light swirling back to closely examine the Golden Dragon Scissors. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s cultivation had advanced to the True Immortal Stage, thus his Palm Thunder Technique also displayed its true effectiveness. What made this thunder technique most formidable was not its destructive power, but its ability to seal the spiritual power of Magical Treasures, rendering them temporarily ineffective, which could be exceptionally surprising during combat. ¡°No need, if it were before, perhaps I wouldn''t have a way, but now, since that youngster has used his treasure, I might as well use that thing. As for the consequences, I can''t be bothered anymore,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with a light smile. The Netherworld Furnace appeared out of nowhere above Shen Luo''s head, spinning rapidly. A vast expanse of gray-white light shot out from the Netherworld Furnace, casting onto the patterns of the surrounding Nine-curve Illusion Array. The gray-white light seemed inconspicuous, but wherever it passed, all the formation patterns suddenly vanished completely. The space around Shen Luo instantly returned to normal, and the operation of the silver array also resumed to its initial state. ¡°Open!¡± Fire Spirit Child shouted loudly, a ray of silver light emitted from the Netherworld Furnace and merged into the silver array. The speed of the array''s operation increased several fold, and with a hiss, the space within the array split apart on both sides, forming a spatial passageway. Seeing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed. He raised his hand to recall the Bloodstained Demon Knife entangling Yan Lie and flew into the spatial passageway, disappearing along with the Netherworld Furnace. The spatial passageway closed with a bang, and the surrounding silver array also vanished without a trace. ¡°Damn it, he escaped!¡± Yan Lie rushed over like lightning, but it was a step too late. ¡°Just an Early Stage True Immortal monk, let him go if he''s gone. We must quickly explore the Celestial Secret Realm and secure the treasured items left by the Master,¡± said Wanshui Zhenren as he flew over. Yan Lie nodded, about to say something when the entire gray space around them suddenly began to shake violently. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Yan Lie exclaimed in shock. ¡°There!¡± Wanshui Zhenren''s eyes widened as he pointed to the side. Although Shen Luo and the Netherworld Furnace had left, the gray and white light emitted by the Fire Spirit Child had not disappeared and was still rapidly spreading around. The formation patterns of the Nine-curve Illusion Array in the space had been nearly half erased. The remaining formation patterns could no longer maintain themselves, flickering a few times before collapsing and disintegrating, and the white strands within the gray space disappeared along with it. The Nine-curve Illusion Array was not only the protective array of the manor but also maintained the already very unstable gray space. As the Nine-curve Illusion Array collapsed, the entire gray space began to shake, and spatial rifts appeared and rapidly spread around. ¡°Not good! This place is about to collapse, quickly enter the Celestial Secret Realm!¡± Yan Lie cried out in alarm and immediately flew towards the silver space rift. Upon hearing this, Wanshui Zhenren immediately activated the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on his feet, transforming into a lightning phantom and entering the spatial rift even faster than Yan Lie. As the Nine-curve Illusion Array collapsed, the white fog above the manor scattered, revealing Tao Xiang and the others. Without the illusion fog, they all woke up and, seeing their surroundings, their expressions changed drastically. ¡°There''s an exit, quickly escape!¡± Tao Xiang leapt towards the silver spatial rift, and the others hurriedly followed. Shen Luo felt a blur before his eyes and found himself back in the great hall from before. ¡°I finally made it out.¡± He breathed a sigh of relief. There was no risk in clashing with Yan Lie and the others; it was just too constraining in that gray space. Now in this great hall, there was no need for concern. At this moment, a sudden change occurred! The entrance wall of the gray space suddenly exploded with a loud ¡°bang¡±, and a spatial storm burst forth, grinding everything nearby to dust. Shen Luo was startled and hurriedly flew to the front of the great hall, narrowly avoiding being swept up by the spatial storm. Boom, boom, boom! The deeper parts of the great hall completely collapsed, chunks of mountain stone fell from the sky, burying the back half of the great hall in dust and debris. ¡°What just happened?¡± Shen Luo waved his sleeve, blocking the dust from the deeper part of the great hall with a blue light. ¡°The space inside collapsed.¡± Fire Spirit Child said indifferently. ¡°Space collapse? How could that be! Was it caused by the gray-white light you emitted earlier?¡± Shen Luo asked curiously. ¡°A secret,¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled. Shen Luo rolled his eyes and did not press further, extending his divine sense into the depths of the ruins. There, only ordinary mountain stones remained; the teleportation stone wall had completely disappeared. It seemed that, as Fire Spirit Child had said, the gray space had completely collapsed. He was quite disappointed in his heart; with the gray space gone, the spatial rift linking to the Celestial Secret Realm was probably also gone, severing his connection to that secret realm. Fortunately, he had already gained something from this trip and it wasn''t a wasted journey. Chapter 1509 Chapter 1509: Chapter 1505: Sword Array Initially Formed Chapter 1509: Chapter 1505: Sword Array Initially Formed The latter half of the great hall had been destroyed by the spatial storm, and all the prohibitions inside the hall had failed, leaving the Warm Sun Jewels scattered across the ground. Shen Luo activated the Free and Easy Mirror, beginning to collect these jewels. ¡°These Warm Sun Jewels have the effect of calming and focusing the mind, but they are only useful for monks below the Nascent Soul Stage. Why are you collecting this trash?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked curiously. ¡°I have no use for these jewels, but I can send them back to the Spring and Autumn Sect; they would need them,¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°Tsk tsk, you really do take care of that insignificant little sect. Is this the idea of repaying kindness and remembering old ties? The Human Race is indeed a strange group,¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled. Shen Luo smiled faintly, having collected all the Warm Sun Jewels, he used the Yimu Xuandun technique, easily escaping to the outside. He did not stay there, flew towards the mountainside, and soon left Cloud Mist Mountain. Looking back at the endless White Fog Mountain range, he shook his head with a sigh, turned around, and flew away, heading straight for Tianji City. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Half a day later, Shen Luo quietly returned to his residence in Tianji City, without alerting anyone. He sat in meditation in the secret chamber for half a day, fully recovering his depleted mana, and then took out two items, which were the unfinished Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan and the Azure Folding Fan. Shen Luo first picked up the Azure Folding Fan, ¡°swish¡± snapped it open, and its surface was smooth as a mirror, seemingly a boundless starry sky within. ¡°This fan is quite interesting!¡± he muttered to himself, channeling his mana into it. With a ¡°boom,¡± dazzling starlight burst forth from the fan, instantly flooding the entire secret chamber, cutting marks into the ground and walls as if the starlight was tangible. Shen Luo was both shocked and delighted by such a pure celestial magical treasure, which he had never seen before. With a gentle wave of his arm, the starlight in the secret chamber flowed like water, changing shape according to his will, ready to unleash powerful attacks at any moment. ¡°What a treasure, the layers of its prohibition must reach at least sixty,¡± Shen Luo murmured, activating the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to quickly understand some aspects of the fan. As he had surmised, the number of prohibitions on this fan reached the Perfect Boundary of sixty-four layers, just like his Pure Yang Sword. He also learned the name of this treasure, Starry Fan. ¡°Starry Fan! Indeed, an apt name,¡± Shen Luo closed the fan, swallowed it into his body, and continued to refine it using the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. Although his cultivation wasn''t based on celestial techniques, this fan suited him well, especially matching extremely well with the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. With this Starry Fan, the power of the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique could increase by at least half. Shen Luo then picked up the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, falling into a silent contemplation. ¡°Kid, what are you thinking about? Are you considering gathering those five ancient true flames to complete this fan? I advise you to give up; although the fan''s power is incredible, at least three of those ancient true flames have long been extinct, and you won''t be able to find them,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°I, a mere True Immortal, dare not harbor such thoughts. Although I don''t have the five ancient true flames, I can still gather five Heavenly Fires. Fire Daoist friend, could you embed these five Heavenly Fires into this fan? At least it would be somewhat completed, better than being half-dead like this,¡± Shen Luo flicked the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. Currently, there was no Power of Flames inside the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, only the Spiritual Power of seven feathers, without any offensive capability at all. ¡°Infuse this fan with the five types of Heavenly Fire? Your idea is good; why didn''t I think of that!¡± Fire Spirit Child was shocked and then spoke excitedly. Shen Luo, seeing his reaction, knew that his idea was quite feasible. ¡°Wait, it still won''t work!¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice suddenly resounded again. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo hurriedly asked. ¡°The Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan is a treasure of ancient flames. The person who crafted this fan was highly skilled and gathered feathers identical to the original seven ancient spiritual birds, laying a very deep foundation. To complete this fan, the amount of Heavenly Fire infused cannot be minimal. The amount of Heavenly Fire contained within your Pure Yang Swords is already limited, and extracting a large quantity will certainly heavily damage the flying swords. I remember those Pure Yang Swords are your life-bound magical treasures; damaging your life-bound magical treasures for a fan is not worth it,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°In that case, let''s forget it. I''ll wait until I have the chance to acquire sufficient Heavenly Fire in the future,¡± Shen Luo said, somewhat disappointedly shaking his head. ¡°You don''t need to be disappointed. Just because we can''t remove the Heavenly Fire from the flying swords to infuse into the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan doesn''t mean we can''t use it. I can change the method a bit. I can set up five seals on the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan and temporarily seal the five Pure Yang Swords within it. This way, the Five-Flame-Seven-Birds Fan can borrow the Heavenly Fire from the flying swords without harming the swords themselves, and the added sharpness of the sword qi will also greatly enhance its attack power,¡± Fire Spirit Child continued. ¡°Oh, it can be done like this?¡± Shen Luo was very surprised. ¡°What is so surprising about that? The cooperative use of two magical treasures was very common in ancient times; it''s just that nowadays, the Cultivation World has significantly declined, and few people know of this method anymore,¡± Fire Spirit Child said disdainfully. ¡°Then, I''ll have to rely on Fire Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo happily stored the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan into the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°Hey, I don''t have the time to refine magical treasures for you right now. I still haven''t completely mastered the Spirit Refining Array, and I also need time to deal with that gray and white handkerchief,¡± Fire Spirit Child hurriedly said. ¡°No worries, I haven''t asked Fire Daoist friend to cast the spell immediately; take your time to study,¡± Shen Luo said. Fire Spirit Child then breathed a sigh of relief and put away the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. Shen Luo did not get up but flipped his hand and took out the Li Huo Pearl. The two fan-shaped magical treasures he obtained on this trip were secondary; the biggest gain was this Li Huo Pearl, which contained a large amount of Southern Ming Separation Fire, sufficient for him to refine all nine Pure Yang Sword Embryos on his body into Pure Yang Swords. The Pure Yang Sword was his life-bound magical treasure, which he cared about the most. He immediately started setting up the array required for melting and refining the Spirit Fire. A day and a night later. Shen Luo, slightly pale, walked out of the secret chamber, his demeanor calm but his heart filled with immense excitement. Inside his Dantian, sixteen small swords quietly floated, all transformed into Pure Yang Swords. The sixteen Pure Yang Swords glowed with red light, and a surge of immensely enhanced Pure Yang Power flowed within his body. Had it not been for his profound cultivation level and his body''s toughness, he could hardly bear it. With these sixteen Pure Yang Swords, the demonic Qi in his body was no longer a threat, and Shen Luo''s strength had greatly increased once again. He could finally execute the first set of sword arrays of the Pure Yang Sword Forms, the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array. According to the Pure Yang Sword Forms, the power of the Pure Yang Golden Light Array far surpassed the previous sword forms. Once activated, it could cover an area of a hundred feet, and the sword qi was as sharp as intense sunlight, making even Taiyi Existence peel a layer of skin to break through the sword array. Monks below the Taiyi Stage had no chance of surviving. As for the next two sets of sword arrays, known as the Pure Yang Seven Killings Array and the Pure Yang Slaying Immortal Array, their power far exceeded the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array, and they required more flying swords to set up the formation. Especially the Pure Yang Slaying Immortal Array, which required eighty-one Pure Yang Swords to unleash its most potent power. Chapter 1510 Chapter 1510: Chapter 1506: Negotiation Chapter 1510: Chapter 1506: Negotiation ¡°Now there are only sixteen Pure Yang Swords; more Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood and Heavenly Fire must be collected. The task ahead is arduous.¡± Thinking of the requirements for the next two sets of Sword Array, Shen Luo''s excitement instantly diminished. After resting in the Cave Mansion for a moment, he got up and went outside, planning to find Zhou Ming and inquire about the progress of material collection. ¡°Elder Shen, you finally came out. I couldn''t contact you at all in the past two days; have you been in seclusion in the secret chamber?¡± A figure quickly approached; it was Zhou Ming, with an anxious expression on his face. ¡°These past two days I was in closed-door refinement of a Magical Treasure. Did Daoist Zhou come to find me regarding news of those materials?¡± Shen Luo collected his thoughts and stepped forward to meet him. ¡°I have been searching for the materials all this time and have only found two or three kinds so far. I ask Elder Shen to give me some more time,¡± Zhou Ming said, showing an embarrassed look. ¡°No matter, Daoist Zhou, take your time to search. Is there something else?¡± Shen Luo felt a bit disappointed but asked. ¡°Yes, yesterday two True Immortal Elders from Mount Putuo arrived at Tianji City. Upon hearing that Elder Shen was also here, they immediately came to visit, but it was unfortunate that the Elder was in seclusion; those two have been waiting in Fallen Flower Villa for two days,¡± Zhou Ming said with a sigh of relief, hurriedly informing Shen Luo. ¡°Friends from Mount Putuo? Which two are they?¡± Shen Luo was taken aback upon hearing this and asked. ¡°One is the Guardian Deity of Mount Putuo, and the other is the Minor Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, Nie Caizhu,¡± Zhou Ming replied. ¡°Cai Zhu! Why has she come!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was joyful but also somewhat puzzled. The Black Bear Demon coming to look for him probably meant the Fire Lotus Pill was finally refined. But why would Cai Zhu come? ¡°Take me there,¡± Shen Luo didn''t think further and quickly said. ¡°Yes, Elder Shen, follow me.¡± Zhou Ming led Shen Luo towards the deeper part of Fallen Flower Villa. ¡°Daoist Zhou, is the Young Master City Lord still in seclusion?¡± Shen Luo guessed that the Little Master was still refining Artifacts, but he still asked about the repair status of the jade pillow, just in case. ¡°Yes, the City Lord said there''s an important matter, this seclusion might take a long time,¡± Zhou Ming replied. Shen Luo nodded and did not speak further. Soon, the two arrived at another Cave Mansion deep in Fallen Flower Villa. A girl in white was strolling through a flower garden outside the Cave Mansion, seemingly admiring the flowers. Seeing the delicate figure of the girl in white, a gentle throbbing stirred in Shen Luo''s heart, and he stopped in his tracks. Zhou Ming, who was beside him, saw Shen Luo''s expression and his eyes flashed with understanding; he quietly left. ¡°Cousin,¡± Shen Luo walked over and spoke softly. The girl in white trembled, turned around, and it was indeed Nie Caizhu. ¡°Cousin!¡± Seeing Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu''s face showed immeasurable joy, and she ran towards him with a little sprint. Shen Luo was slightly surprised, but still opened his arms with a smile, feeling the fragrance rush to his face and holding the softness in his embrace. After holding Nie Caizhu and spinning her around twice, he then let her down. Nie Caizhu realized what she had done in her excitement just now, and her pretty face turned red with embarrassment. ¡°It''s fine, there''s no one else around,¡± Shen Luo took Nie Caizhu''s hand and led her to a stone bench inside the flower garden to sit down. Nie Caizhu''s shyness dissipated a bit, but her small face was still flushed and she didn''t dare to look up. ¡°Haha, the joy between men and women conforms to the natural law of Yin and Yang, what is there to be shy about, Cai Zhu!¡± The boisterous voice of the Black Bear Demon echoed as he emerged from the cave mansion with large strides. Nie Caizhu, extremely embarrassed, turned around to run away, but her hand was firmly gripped by Shen Luo, who didn''t let go despite her struggle, leaving her no choice but to allow him to hold it. ¡°Brother Black, you''ve come too.¡± Shen Luo looked at the Black Bear Demon. ¡°Friend Shen, you really made me search high and low for you. The happenings in Chang''an City reached Mount Putuo, and I went looking for you there a few days ago to no avail. Lu Huaming from the Great Tang Dynasty Government said you went to Qingqiu Country, and old bear went there to find you but to no avail as well. Turns out you came here.¡± The Black Bear Demon said gruffly. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Brother Black, I''m truly sorry. I''ve been tied up by various matters recently, with my whereabouts uncertain, causing you concern. By the way, what brings you two to Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Tianji City and Mount Putuo also have significant business dealings. Recently, we had to handle a Magical Treasures order, so I and Elder Black came here. Hearing you were here, we immediately came over.¡± Nie Caizhu''s cheeks finally returned to normal as she spoke about other matters. ¡°I''m sorry that I''ve been closed in for the last two days refining Magical Treasures in my cave mansion, making you wait outside.¡± Shen Luo apologized. ¡°It''s okay, cousin, your cultivation is important. Have you finished refining the Magical Treasures?¡± Nie Caizhu hurriedly asked. ¡°Yes, it''s already done.¡± Shen Luo nodded. ¡°The reason I was looking for you, Brother Shen, probably comes as no surprise. The Fire Lotus Pills have been successfully refined; this is your share.¡± The Black Bear Demon handed over a two-foot-tall fiery red gourd. Shen Luo took the gourd and opened it to find it filled with thumb-sized fiery red Elixirs shaped like lotus seeds. Each of them gleamed with a flame-like red light and emitted astonishing spiritual power fluctuations, far superior to any cultivation Elixir he had consumed before. ¡°I''ve been looking forward to this Fire Lotus Pill, thanks a lot, Brother Black.¡± Shen Luo said joyfully. ¡°It''s nothing, just business as usual.¡± The Black Bear Demon replied nonchalantly, waving his hand. Shen Luo understood and took out a jade slip to hand over, which contained his experiences and insights when advancing to the Taiyi Stage. ¡°Hehe, thanks for your help, Brother Shen. You two haven''t seen each other for a long time; surely there''s much to talk about. I won''t disturb you here.¡± The Black Bear Demon probed into the jade slip with his Divine Sense, a look of surprise appeared on his face, and he stood up to take his leave, evidently planning to return to his cave mansion to study the content of the jade slip in detail. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu''s face revealed a tinge of shyness. ¡°This is not the place to talk. Let''s go to my cave mansion.¡± Shen Luo stood up and said. Nie Caizhu did not refuse, and followed Shen Luo back to his place of residence. The two recounted their experiences since their last separation at Mount Fangcun. Nie Caizhu''s account was quite simple, as she had merely returned to Mount Putuo to continue her quiet cultivation, whereas Shen Luo''s experiences were ten times richer, which startled Nie Caizhu greatly. ¡°The Celestial Secret Realm? I have never heard of this place, but I have heard the Master mention Donghua Freelance Immortal, who is proficient in Talismans, Array Techniques, and Artifacts Refining; his own cultivation level is also exceptionally deep, and his name was very well-known over a thousand years ago. It''s unexpected that his benefits came from the Celestial Secret Realm.¡± Nie Caizhu commented as she listened to Shen Luo''s recounting of the events at Cloud Mist Mountain. Shen Luo uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± and fell silent in thought. ¡°The Celestial Secret Realm is full of treasures; indeed, it should not be given up lightly. The Putuo Temple also has some Spatial Arrays and God''s Powers. When I return to the mountain this time, I will thoroughly investigate and prepare before probing the entrance to that Secret Realm again to see if there is a way to enter.¡± Seeing Shen Luo remaining silent, Nie Caizhu thought he was still regretting missing the Celestial Secret Realm and spoke up. ¡°The matter of the Celestial Secret Realm is not urgent; we''ll talk about it when fate permits. How has your cultivation been going lately, cousin?¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and then sized up Nie Caizhu, asking. The last time Nie Caizhu went to Mount Fangcun, she had already broken through to the True Immortal Stage, but there seemed to be no change in her cultivation level since their last meeting. With Nie Caizhu''s talents and the resources of Mount Putuo, it shouldn''t be this way. Chapter 1511 Chapter 1511: Chapter 1507: Stranger (Requesting Monthly Pass) Chapter 1511: Chapter 1507: Stranger (Requesting Monthly Pass) ¡°I don''t know what''s wrong, but ever since I broke through to the True Immortal Stage, my cultivation level has been stagnant, as if something inside my body is preventing me from progressing.¡± Nie Caizhu said, her small mouth slightly pouting in distress. ¡°Is that so? Let me check.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo took Nie Caizhu''s hand, activated his mana, and checked, but he found no problems. He tried several other methods, still to no avail, and couldn''t help but furrow his brows, pondering with the cultivation experience from his own dreams. ¡°Cultivation stagnation is nothing unusual in the Cultivating Immortality world; it might be because I''ve been in closed-door cultivation these years without enough tempering experiences, cousin, you don''t need to take it too much to heart,¡± said Nie Caizhu. ¡°Indeed, we can''t rush this. We''ll slowly look for the reason. How long can you stay in Tianji City this time?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°That batch of Magical Treasures will take another ten days or so to complete, I will stay here until then,¡± Nie Caizhu replied. Hearing this, Shen Luo nodded silently, that length of time would be enough for him to investigate. After talking for a while longer, Nie Caizhu got up to take her leave. Shen Luo wanted her to stay so that it would be convenient for him to investigate the reason for her cultivation stagnation, but Nie Caizhu, feeling somewhat shy because of what had just happened, insisted on leaving. ¡°Hehe, Young Master Shen, I didn''t expect you to have such a fiancee; you are indeed quite lucky,¡± Fire Spirit Child teased as soon as Nie Caizhu left. ¡°Daoist friend Fire Spirit Child, you must have overheard about Caizhu''s cultivation stagnation just now, did you notice anything?¡± Shen Luo, who had expected Fire Spirit Child to be eavesdropping, asked without minding his presence. ¡°Your fiancee is not simple. Although she seems to be a young girl from the Human Race, there is something mysterious inside her body, and I can''t see it very clearly. Her cultivation stagnation might be related to this,¡± Fire Spirit Child said seriously. ¡°Do you mean that Caizhu is not of the Human Race?¡± asked Shen Luo, startled by the comment. ¡°Didn''t I say it? I can''t see clearly yet. We will only know when she comes again and I can use my magic to check,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo felt relieved; finding the cause would be good. With a lead on Nie Caizhu''s issue, he was no longer anxious. He closed his eyes, meditated for a moment, and then took out a scroll of runes that he had obtained from the second floor of the loft in the Donghua Dark Mansion. Nie Caizhu said that Donghua Freelance Immortal was proficient in the Talisman Inscription Dao, and Shen Luo immediately thought of the scroll. Perhaps there would be surprises inside. The rune scroll recorded many runes, nearly a hundred in total, arranged from low to high. Shen Luo was very interested in the art of runes, and did not neglect even the low-order runes, examining each one and broadening his horizons. When he got to the high-order runes, he looked even more carefully. ¡°Saint Elephant Talisman, Bewildering God Talisman, Illusionary Form Talisman¡­ these are all top-notch runes,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim. The high-order runes in the scroll were around twenty to thirty kinds, including the Heart Purifying Charm that Wanshui Zhenren had tested before; many of these runes had unusual effects and were quite useful for him now. Soon the rune scroll reached its end, and Shen Luo''s eyes sharpened¨Cthe last section recorded five even more complex runes, surpassing the Earth-Attracting Thunder Talisman. ¡°These are Immortal Talms!¡± He exclaimed with joy. He had always wanted to learn a few more Immortal Talismans, but unfortunately, he hadn''t found any; unexpectedly, they were here. ¡°Wave-controlling Immortal Talisman, Divine Soldier Guardian Talisman, Calming Path Talisman, Soul-hooking and Soul-capturing Talisman, Heaven and Earth Destruction Talisman!¡± Shen Luo softly recited the names of the five Immortal Talismans. Each of the five Immortal Talismans had different effects: the Wave-controlling Immortal Talisman increased speed, the Divine Soldier Guardian Talisman provided defense, the Calming Path Talisman stabilized the spirit, the Soul-hooking and Soul-capturing Talisman bewildered the heart, and the Heaven and Earth Destruction Talisman was for attacking and killing enemies. According to the book of symbols, the power of the five celestial symbols is extremely potent, but their exact effects can only be known after they are refined. However, the materials needed for the five celestial symbols are very rare, and he currently cannot gather even one kind; he still needs to slowly collect the materials. Shen Luo shook his head, put away the book of symbols, took out the fiery red gourd, and poured out a Fire Lotus Pill to swallow. No matter how wonderful the Talisman treasures are, they are just external aids; the most important thing is to elevate one''s own cultivation realm. As soon as the elixir entered the stomach, it dissolved, turning into an exceptionally powerful scorching stream that flowed throughout his body, causing excruciating pain wherever it went, as if being licked by flames. Shen Luo hastily operated the Huangting Technique to absorb this potent medicinal power. The cultivation of the Huangting Technique, which had always been progressing very slowly, suddenly advanced rapidly under the push of the medicinal power of the Fire Lotus Pill. The scorching stream from the Fire Lotus Pill was quickly absorbed, the extreme pain completely subsided, and transformed into an indescribable sense of relief. Shen Luo closed his eyes and cultivated; it took him half a day to fully absorb the medicinal power of the Fire Lotus Pill, making significant progress in the Huangting Technique. ¡°With just one pill having such an effect, this gourd full of Fire Lotus Pills is enough for me to cultivate the Huangting Technique to the True Immortal Middle Stage, or even the later stages.¡± He was secretly delighted and took out another pill to swallow and continued refining. One day, above Tianji City''s City Wall, a cluster of thick dark clouds suddenly drifted by, seemingly foretelling an impending storm. However, even though the clouds hung over the City Wall for a long time, there was no sound of wind, nor did rain fall, and not even a hint of moisture or oppressive air could be detected. Just as the disciples in the city were becoming increasingly astonished, the dark clouds gradually dispersed slightly, revealing a huge palace fortress with a peculiar design. The palace seemed to be constructed of brick and stone, but the walls were not fully enclosed, leaving voids where many gears and pivot rods could be seen, gleaming with a metallic gloss. Moreover, at the very top of the castle''s highest spire, there was a large windmill, whose blades were slowly rotating, making a ¡°creaking and grinding¡± noise, evidently, it was a Mechanism City. The disciples of Tianji City were very curious about this Mechanism City that had suddenly appeared above Tianji City, with many carefully examining its mechanical structure, even taking out charcoal pencils and notebooks to sketch it. At that moment, several unfamiliar figures suddenly appeared on the high walls of that fortress. The leader, standing right in the middle of the high wall, was a tall and well-proportioned man, appearing to be in his thirties or forties, with a rugged and stern facial structure, giving a sense of resolute severity. He was wearing a white robe, with a circular emblem on his chest, which bore a pattern exactly like the ones on the garments of Tianji City disciples. To his left stood two men; one had a prominent forehead, a collapsed nose bridge, an overbite, and although he had a robust physique, his eyes were fierce, and he wore metal armor. The other was much shorter, with sharp facial features and no better appearance than the first, but his eyes were quite unique, shimmered with a cunning light as if outlined with a golden rim. On the resolute man''s right side stood two individuals; one was an old woman in a gray robe, leaning on a purple walking stick, and the other was a round-faced girl, holding a jade green lotus seedpod. Once these figures appeared, they attracted even more disciples from Tianji City to gather around, as a large flag was suddenly raised behind them, also bearing the same three characters for ¡°Tianji City.¡± After a while, several streaks of light flew through the high altitude and hovered in front of the Mechanism City. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The arrivals were Elder Fu and others. (Dear Daoists, please remember to cast your votes at the end of the month^^) Chapter 1512 Chapter 1512: Chapter 1508: Usurping the Throne Chapter 1512: Chapter 1508: Usurping the Throne Elder Fu and the others, upon seeing the posture of a few people in Mechanism City ahead, all showed puzzled expressions in their eyes. After exchanging thoughts telepathically among one another, the Nameless Elder stepped forward to initiate a conversation. ¡°Who are you, Your Excellency, that you bear the banner of Tianji City without sending a greeting card and directly arriving at our doorstep?¡± The Nameless Elder carefully formulated his words before speaking. The resolute man leading the group swept his gaze over the others and answered, ¡°I am Che Qingtian, heir of Tianji City, naturally bearing the banner of Tianji City.¡± ¡°Che Qingtian?¡± Everyone was startled, having never heard this name before. ¡°Is Daoist Che a disciple of which Elder who has departed from Tianji City to establish their own legacy?¡± The Nameless Elder initially thought he belonged to Tianji City, perhaps a disciple of some elder who had left the city. ¡°Ridiculous, my master is the legitimate heir to Tianji City. How could any elder qualify to impart teachings to him? Who claims such authority?¡± The white-haired old woman beside Che Qingtian immediately grew angry, her walking stick thudding heavily on the ground as she spoke indignantly. Her outburst bewildered everyone even more. What did she mean by the legitimate heir of Tianji City? They had always had a continuous, orderly succession. No distinctions of legitimacy had ever been made. ¡°It seems that Tianji City has forgotten my surname for quite some time¡­¡± Che Qingtian pondered briefly, feeling somewhat sentimental. Confused and unsettled, the typically less composed Elder Fu along with the other elders of Tianji City felt frustrated by their deliberately mysterious demeanor, and he could hardly resist cursing at them. Suddenly, the Nameless Elder as if recalling something, quickly stopped him. ¡°Since you claim the ''Che'' surname, could it be that you are from the lineage of Che Yuan, the First Generation City Lord of Tianji City?¡± the Nameless Elder inquired. With this question, an already agitated Elder Fu was stunned, and even Elder Manbo, who was about to curse, and Elder Mo Wang, who was also surprised, turned their gazes toward the group. The founder of Tianji City, named ¡°Che Yuan¡±, was an outstanding figure among the pioneers of the Yan Technique and had also made great contributions during the war against the Chiyou demons. Due to suddenly arising complications from old injuries, he unfortunately perished and reincarnated. Because of his abrupt death, he did not designate a successor for the City Lord of Tianji City, leading to a brief period of chaos. His only son, Che Molin, whose mastery of the Yan Technique was extremely profound, originally intended to succeed his father. Yet, there was another more outstanding person within the faction who gained more support, none other than the Master of Little Master, Master Xuyunzi. After losing the struggle for the position of City Lord, Che Molin left Tianji City with his family, disappearing without a trace. This incident had always been a sealed secret of Tianji City, with most of the younger disciples, and even Master Yan, unaware of it. Unexpectedly, today, a descendant of Che Molin has returned to Tianji City. ¡°Are you truly a descendant of Ancestor Master Che Yuan?¡± the Nameless Elder asked. Che Qingtian responded without mincing words, tossing over a blackish-green Ink Jade Token. The Nameless Elder immediately caught it, and the other elders also gathered around to examine it closely. The token was engraved with the ancient characters ¡°Tianji¡± and decorated on the back with a pattern of thunderclouds, which was slightly rough but made the elders'' spirits suddenly tense. ¡°Good heavens, it really is the Ink Jade Divine Machine Order, identical to the one the City Lord has,¡± Elder Fu exclaimed. ¡°It appears the descendant of the ancestor Master truly has returned. But looking at the situation, it seems their intentions are not benign,¡± the Nameless Elder telepathically communicated to the others. ¡°The current City Lord is in seclusion; we need to be cautious in our approach,¡± Elder Mo Wang mused. After discussing telepathically for a while, the Nameless Elder returned the Ink Jade Divine Machine Order back to them. ¡°Since we are all fellow cultivators of the same sect, why not visit the City Lord''s residence for a talk?¡± the Nameless Elder suggested. ¡°You need not be courteous, esteemed lords. We have not come here to be guests, especially since we are returning to our own Tianji City; hospitality does not come into it,¡± Che Qingtian responded calmly. ¡°Fair point, but may I ask what exactly brings you here?¡± the Nameless Elder furrowed his brows and inquired. ¡°Are you the current City Lord of Tianji City?¡± Che Qingtian asked. ¡°Indeed not, I and these others are merely the Chief Elders of Tianji City,¡± the Nameless Elder replied. ¡°Then have your City Lord come out and speak; a group of Chief Elders are not qualified to converse with my master,¡± the white-haired old woman interjected. ¡°Hey, am I a joke to you?¡± Elder Fu immediately became enraged. Elder Manbo''s beard bristled as well, evidently ready to handle these uninvited guests with force. Once again, the Nameless Elder raised his hand to calm them down and continued, ¡°It''s not that the City Lord is unwilling to show up; he is currently in critical seclusion and cannot appear now.¡± ¡°At a time like this, forget about closing up; isn''t it time to¡­¡± Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Nurse Yu.¡± With a gentle call from Che Qingtian, the white-haired old woman instantly fell silent. ¡°Given that the City Lord is in seclusion, speaking with you is harmless. My return to Tianji City is solely to retrieve something my ancestor lost,¡± Che Qingtian declared. What his ancestor lost, of course, was the position of City Lord of Tianji City. Hearing that they intended to contest the position of City Lord, Elder Manbo could no longer contain himself and blurted out angrily, ¡°Just with you few rotten fish and crabs, you dare covet the position of City Lord? Don''t you have a mirror to see yourselves?¡± As these words came out, the white-haired old woman was the first to get infuriated, but before she could act, another man with a pointed face and monkey-like features had already started unzipping his trousers and began to sprinkle his liquid downwards. Disciples below in the city were caught unprepared, getting drenched and reeking. This provocative act, which went beyond what Elder Fu and the others expected, even dumbfounded Nurse Yu. However, the round-faced girl beside him angrily said, ¡°Hou Shan, what are you doing? How disgusting¡­¡± ¡°Hehe, Qinghu, don''t blame me. They were the ones who mentioned peeing; I did as they said, and it seems there''s nothing so impressive about them. If they can be City Lords of Tianji City, so can my master,¡± the short man known as Hou Shan chuckled lowly. ¡°Hou Shan, this is Tianji City, the Tianji City founded by my ancestor; your behavior is inexcusable, and you will receive your punishment later,¡± Che Qingtian glanced at him and stated. ¡°Yes,¡± Hou Shan replied, his smile vanishing, looking despondent. A burly, ugly man beside him remained silent, only giving a ¡°hehe¡± laugh that made him seem somewhat simple. ¡°Chi Man''er, why are you laughing?¡± Hou Shan''s mouth twitched irritably. Upon hearing that, the ugly man immediately stopped laughing, but his overhanging jaw continued to twitch. Yet, witnessing this scene, the Nameless Elder and the others found it in no way humorous; the rest of those present also wore extremely unpleasant expressions. Chapter 1513 Chapter 1513: Chapter 1509: Three Competitions Chapter 1513: Chapter 1509: Three Competitions ¡°Che Qingtian, right? You want to challenge the position of the City Lord?¡± The Nameless Elder looked at Che Qingtian with a stern face and asked in a deep voice. ¡°This is not something you can decide. We''ll talk after your City Lord comes out of seclusion.¡± Che Qingtian spoke slowly and methodically. ¡°If you want to challenge our City Lord, first pass the ''Three Trials of Tianji''.¡± Elder Fu said angrily. ¡°Three Trials of Tianji?¡± Che Qingtian raised his eyebrows, clearly interested. ¡°The Tianji City sets up three trials, each guarded by an elder. You too must send three people to tackle these trials. As long as you can win two out of the three, you will have passed.¡± Elder Fu explained. ¡°Fine, but what are the rewards and punishments after winning the three trials? Surely you won''t have us fight for nothing.¡± Che Qingtian looked around and asked with a shrug. ¡°If you can win¡­ you can join the Elder Assembly of Tianji City and participate in the decision-making.¡± The Nameless Elder paused before speaking. ¡°Hehe, the Elder Assembly? What use is that? I want the position of the Master of Tianji City!¡± Che Qingtian laughed. ¡°Once you join the Elder Assembly and become the Chief Elder, you will then be qualified to challenge the City Lord. If you don''t dare, then please feel free to leave. We won''t see you out.¡± The Nameless Elder slowly said. ¡°Fine, I accept your terms.¡± Che Qingtian pondered for a moment and replied. ¡°You don''t even ask what the contests entail, yet you dare to accept?¡± The Nameless Elder frowned and asked. ¡°In the field of Yan techniques, you can''t win against us.¡± Che Qingtian did not show any arrogance; his expression was calm as if he was stating something extremely obvious. ¡°Hmph, a bunch of barbarians living outside also dare to boast so arrogantly.¡± Elder Manbo snorted coldly. ¡°What are you talking about? Who are you calling barbarians?¡± ¡°We are the legitimate ones, you are the disloyal thieves!¡± Upon hearing this, several people on the opposite side became enraged. ¡°The three matches will consist of Soul Combat, Tool Combat, and Yan Combat, with each side sending three participants.¡± The Nameless Elder didn''t let them continue arguing, but spoke up instead. ¡°What are Soul Combat, Tool Combat, and Yan Combat?¡± Che Qingtian raised one hand, stopping his followers from further cursing, and asked. ¡°Soul Combat, as the name suggests, involves the contestants competing with the strength of their Divine Souls to determine the winner.¡± The Nameless Elder explained. ¡°For a Yan master, the strength of the Divine Soul is a significant metric to determine superiority, challenging in this aspect does indeed make sense, not bad.¡± Che Qingtian nodded in agreement. ¡°Tool Combat involves comparing the expertise of Yan masters in their own profession, refining their armors. As for Yan Combat, it involves Yan masters personally entering the arena to control their armors in combat.¡± The Nameless Elder continued explaining. ¡°Good, we''ll do as you say.¡± Che Qingtian responded. ¡°If so, then from tomorrow onwards, each day there will be one combat, to decide the winner and loser. Before that¡­ please move the Mechanism City outside the City.¡± Elder Fu said with a displeased expression. ¡°Ridiculous, we''re going back to our own sect, how can there be a reason to be driven out?¡± The White-haired old woman grew angry again. ¡°Everyone, whether who is right or wrong has not yet been determined. Suspended above the City Wall, the Mechanism City is indeed quite inappropriate. Why not temporarily lower it to the Northern Garden, how about it?¡± The Nameless Elder intervened, halting Elder Fu, and spoke up. Che Qingtian thought for a moment upon hearing this and nodded. ¡°Then please follow me.¡± The Nameless Elder said and led the way. Elder Fu and Elder Manbo both snorted coldly and turned to leave. Seeing this, the Nameless Elder just sighed inwardly without arguing with the two. Only Elder Mo Wang followed behind him, leading Che Qingtian and his companions towards the Northern Garden. The Northern Garden, to the north of Tianji City, is an open landscape garden. Next to the lake in the garden, there is a large open area where Che Qingtian lowered the Mechanism City and settled there. ¡°Daoist Che, to avoid unnecessary trouble before tomorrow''s competition, I hope you all can stay here and rest well,¡± the Nameless Elder advised. ¡°Rest assured, Tianji City will eventually be mine, I am not in a hurry to do anything unnecessary,¡± Che Qingtian said calmly. ¡°I''m relieved to hear that.¡± After speaking, the Nameless Elder bid them farewell and left with Elder Mo Wang. However, no sooner had they walked away than a round-faced girl holding a jade green lotus seedpod, named Qinghu, chased after them. ¡°Daoist Qinghu, is there something you need?¡± the Nameless Elder asked with a frown. ¡°Nothing much, I just wanted to come and apologize,¡± Qinghu said with a smile. ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Her apology seemed to confuse both the Nameless Elder and Elder Mo Wang. At this point, the girl covered her mouth with the back of her hand and whispered, ¡°I''m really sorry, Hou Shan that guy is often rude, and Nurse Yu is also used to having a temper. I hope you can be generous and not take it to heart.¡± After saying this, the girl waved at them and turned to leave. Seeing her lively and innocent, the two elders felt slightly less displeased. After leaving the Northern garden, the Nameless Elder immediately called the disciples of Tianji City and ordered them to increase surveillance here. ¡°Should I keep an eye on this area tonight?¡± Elder Mo Wang asked. ¡°Not for now. We just need some disciples here on the surface to let them know we are restricting their movements, setting a line. If there''s any unusual activity, we''ll have a reason to take action. Still, send out the order to be ready for battle at any time,¡± the Nameless Elder instructed. ¡°So, the reason you let them enter the city and settle down was also for better control, wasn''t it?¡± Elder Mo Wang said with a smile. ¡°If only Elder Fu and Elder Manbo were half as inclined to think things through as you, I wouldn''t be so frustrated. For safety, we should first blockade the Upper city, and we should also stay in the temporary mansion in the Undercity,¡± the Nameless Elder said after contemplating for a moment. While they were talking, they simultaneously looked in one direction with a change in expression. They saw a great burst of golden light in the sky nearby, flickering continuously, accompanied by strong fluctuations of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. But soon, that aura quickly converged and vanished. ¡°Who is breaking through their cultivation in seclusion?¡± the Nameless Elder wondered. ¡°That direction¡­ seems to be Shen Luo,¡± Elder Mo Wang pondered with a slight frown. ¡°Oh, it seems he was attempting to advance to the True Immortal Middle Stage, but it looks like he was not successful,¡± the Nameless Elder remarked, nodding. After saying this, the two did not pay much attention to this matter and continued on their way back, as the situation was somewhat complex and they had to discuss tomorrow''s Three Trials of Tianji with Elder Fu and the others. At the same time, Shen Luo was drenched in sweat, sitting cross-legged on the ground, closing his eyes and feeling the lingering sensations from his cultivation just now. After a long time, he slowly opened his eyes. ¡°It seems it still won''t work, the time is too short, even with the help of the Red Lotus Fire Pill, I can''t break through immediately. However, fortunately, the bottleneck has loosened a bit, I believe it won''t be difficult after some more time,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth. Immediately, a clean breeze wrapped around him, and mist steamed, his clothes soon becoming clean and dry. He stood up from his spot, strolled outside for a while, and after learning that the Little Master was still in seclusion making the jade pillow, he planned to continue cultivating in seclusion the next day, trying to break into the True Immortal Middle Stage before the jade pillow was repaired. However, when he heard that Che Qingtian and his group were challenging Tianji City, and that the Three Trials of Tianji would take place tomorrow, his interest was piqued, and he planned to go and watch. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1514 Chapter 1514: Chapter 1510 Divine Soul Clash Chapter 1514: Chapter 1510 Divine Soul Clash The next day, early morning. As the rising sun cast its rays, the huge Martial Arts Arena of Tianji City was bathed in a sparkling brilliance. The round-shaped Martial Arts Arena, located on the west side of Tianji City, had at its center a large Martial Arts Stage paved with Xuanwu Black Rock, which was not fixed and immobile. Instead, it could be rearranged into a dozen differently sized, variously shaped smaller stages through the Array. Only for large-scale Yan Combat would all small stages be lowered and merged into one enormous Martial Arts Arena spanning over three hundred zhang in area. For the first round of Soul Combat with Che Qingtian and the others, as it was only a contest of Soul Power, a small stage in the center was used. Now, everyone had already gathered, each standing opposite each other, lined up on both sides of the Martial Arts Stage. To the left were Che Qingtian, Nurse Yu, Hou Shan, and the others, while to the right were several Nameless Elders, along with Master Yan and Shen Luo. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as they arrived at the arena, Hou Shan looked around and saw not a single spectator in the stands, which left him greatly disappointed. ¡°What''s the meaning of this, Tianji City? A competition without even an audience, what kind of contest is that? Are you afraid that losing will be too embarrassing?¡± Hou Shan spread his hands and spoke with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°The rules of Tianji City have always been such that unless both competing parties agree, other disciples are not allowed to watch. Otherwise, onlookers are strictly forbidden,¡± said the Nameless Elder coldly. After all, for the parties in combat, the process of competition often involves revealing one''s strength and even trump cards, so most people prefer private sparring. ¡°This rule really ought to be changed in the future; otherwise, it''s too boring,¡± Hou Shan shook his head. ¡°To change the rules, you''d have to win first before you have the right to suggest.¡± Elder Manbo said angrily. ¡°Heh, as if winning isn''t as easy as turning over my hand?¡± Saying so, Hou Shan flipped over his palm to prove his point. ¡°Arrogant. Are you the one competing today?¡± Elder Mo Wang''s fine eyebrows furrowed as she spoke angrily. Today''s representative of Tianji City in the battle was her, and for no other reason than that she possessed the strongest divine soul power in Tianji City apart from the Little Master. ¡°It''s not me. Why use a cleaver to kill a chicken? Qinghu is more than enough to handle you,¡± Hou Shan chuckled. The round-faced girl stepped forward and fiercely stamped on Hou Shan''s foot, causing him to grimace in pain. ¡°Sister, the one who will be crossing hands with you today is me,¡± Qinghu, with lotus seedpod in hand, gave a courtesy to Elder Mo Wang. Elder Mo Wang was slightly surprised by this appellation, paused for a moment, then hurriedly returned the gesture. ¡°Sister, I haven''t been cultivating for long, and my cultivation level is not high, so please show mercy,¡± Qinghu said timidly. ¡°Since it involves the Sect, I''m sorry,¡± Elder Mo Wang hesitated a moment and then said. Although she had a favorable impression of this young girl, when it came to critical Sect matters, she could not afford to show mercy. ¡°Sister, then how shall we compete?¡± Qinghu did not take offense and merely nodded before asking. Shen Luo, watching this scene, didn''t know why but felt something was odd and couldn''t help but send a mental message to warn: ¡°Elder Mo Wang, this girl''s soul breath is irregular, but since she can represent them in battle, she must have some¡­ extraordinary aspect.¡± Due to his cultivation in the incomplete Suppressing God Technique, Shen Luo''s soul power was actually not a bit weaker than Elder Mo Wang, and in some respects even more acute. ¡°Thank you for the reminder.¡± Elder Mo Wang herself had no intention of letting her guard down and immediately replied. ¡°Daoist friend Qinghu, the contest between you is a soul combat. The method is quite simple: it uses the Connecting Divine Array to link your divine souls together, and you will fight with your soul power to determine the victor,¡± said the Nameless Elder. ¡°Direct attacks with the divine soul? That does sound interesting,¡± Qinghu said with a laugh upon hearing this. ¡°Soul battles can sometimes be more dangerous than physical confrontations. If you know you are outmatched, you may concede defeat, and the other party must not continue to attack. Do you both understand?¡± the Nameless Elder advised. ¡°Master, if I''m unable to defeat Sister, can I admit defeat?¡± Qinghu turned back to look at Che Qingtian and asked. ¡°You decide for yourself,¡± said Che Qingtian indifferently. ¡°Alright,¡± Qinghu replied with a smile. ¡°If you lose, you will have to hand over the Elder''s Token as proof,¡± Che Qingtian suddenly said at this time. ¡°That''s acceptable. However, if you lose two matches first, you''ll have to give us your Ink Jade Divine Machine Order,¡± the Nameless Elder said after a moment''s thought, nodding. ¡°Agreed,¡± Che Qingtian nodded nonchalantly. ¡°Now that everything is clear, both of you may enter the array,¡± said the Nameless Elder, waving his hand as he spoke. A burst of golden light shone on the Martial Arts Stage, and a strangely shaped Array emerged within. Shen Luo glanced over and saw that the main body of the Array was made up of three parallel rings, with the two side rings smaller and the central ring larger. Two passageways connected the three rings, and the inside of the rings and the passageways were all engraved with intricate patterns that were trembling slightly, emitting rings of golden halos. Elder Mo Wang was the first to step into the right ring and sat down cross-legged. Immediately after, a ray of light spread up from the ground, forming a semi-transparent golden cocoon that caged him inside. Then a flash of golden light appeared from the ring beneath him, extending out a stream of light that flowed through the passageway''s charm patterns into the central large ring. The charm patterns in the central ring also lit up, and a light group that looked like clear water slowly rose up, suspended above the ring and forming a huge light curtain water ball. On the right side of the water ball, light flashed, and a Gobi wilderness gradually emerged, with strange rocks half-covered in the sand dunes visible throughout. Some were stacked in layers like stone slabs, some had hollowed-out centers resembling caves, and others appeared wind-eroded into mushroom shapes with a large top and small bottom, distinct in shape and plentiful in variety. And upon the largest mushroom-shaped rock sat a figure in the lotus position, which was none other than Elder Mo Wang''s divine soul. Shen Luo witnessed this and couldn''t help but feel puzzled. Elder Mo Wang appeared to be a ravishing beauty, but the interior of her Sea of Knowledge was forming such a desolate scene. On the other side, Qinghu, holding a lotus seedpod, also sat cross-legged in the left ring. She closed her eyes, and soon her figure was wrapped in a cocoon of light. Her divine sense power spread out through the Array, flowing into the central large ring. Before long, strange lights flickered in the water ball light curtain above the large ring, and scenery also began to emerge on the left half, revealing a pond of Bi leaf lotus. Green leaves swayed in the wind, and although no blossoming lotuses were seen, several stout lotus seedpods stood tall ¨C compared to Elder Mo Wang''s side, it seemed full of vitality. The divine soul figure of Qinghu also appeared amongst it, a figure draped in a gauzy covering, bare snow-white feet lightly standing on a lotus leaf, lacking the cuteness of her real self but exhibiting an even more seductive and enticing demeanor. Chapter 1515 Chapter 1515: Chapter 1511: I Haven''t Lost Yet Chapter 1515: Chapter 1511: I Haven''t Lost Yet Elder Mo Wang and Qinghu communicated between their divine souls, inaudible to the outside world; all that could be seen was Qinghu bowing from a distance to Elder Mo Wang. Then, Qinghu quickly tapped her feet on the jade leaves, unexpectedly launching an attack towards Elder Mo Wang first. As she moved forward, the lotus pond expanded with her, and the water ball light curtain in the center began to shake violently. The original clear division of equilibrium was broken, and numerous lotus leaves spread towards the Gobi beach. This was a full-scale contest of Soul Power; whoever''s Soul Power collapses first, that person''s territory would be engulfed by the other. The lotus leaves rooted on the Gobi beach, and the thick rock layers were directly cracked open, creating fissures. The reddish-brown soil began to retreat, gradually occupied by the lotus leaves. However, the lotus leaves that first rooted on the Gobi area only bloomed momentarily before they started losing moisture, their color gradually became pale and withered until they completely turned yellow and ultimately transformed into ashes. But Qinghu''s offensive was swift and overwhelming; her Soul Power surged forth, forcibly overtaking a large area. The lower frontier of the Gobi beach also gradually transformed into a lotus pond with jade leaves connecting the heavens. At this moment, sitting on a giant mushroom-shaped rock, Elder Mo Wang slowly opened her eyes, stood up, and with a leap of her figure, charged towards Qinghu. As she moved, a sandstorm seemed to arise on the Gobi beach; gusts of sand whirled up from behind, looking like a connecting sky-reaching yellow dragon, its form swaying as it shot into the sky. Dozens of yellow dragons connected, and amidst them, dust mixed rapidly forming a sandstorm that pounced towards Qinghu. The sky was filled with raging sandstorms, where flying sand and rolling stones made the water ball light curtain shake violently. ¡°What powerful Soul Power,¡± Shen Luo remarked, unable to suppress his inward sigh. Based solely on the Soul Power momentum released by both parties just now, Elder Mo Wang seemed to be a bit stronger; the Nameless Elder and others seeing this also showed relaxed expressions. However, looking towards Che Qingtian and others, Shen Luo noticed that they too showed no sign of worry on their faces, particularly that Hou Shan, who even had an amused and joyous expression, causing some confusion in his heart. Did these people truly believe that Qinghu wouldn''t lose? Thinking this, the battle within the water ball light curtain grew even more intense. The fierce sandstorm swept over the area just occupied by the lotus pond, and heavily surged towards a large area of the lotus pond; enormous lotus leaves were torn into fragments by the storm. Compared to the invasive propagation of lotus leaves, this sandstorm attack was way more direct and a hundredfold violent¨Cclearly, Elder Mo Wang wasn''t underestimating Qinghu at all. In the blink of an eye, the sandstorm had swept across more than half of the lotus pond, and even Qinghu''s divine soul seemed to be falling back step by step, appearing to have no strength to resist. ¡°What do you say, do you admit defeat?¡± Pushed to this point, Elder Mo Wang suddenly stopped. She knew that if she continued the attack, the young girl''s divine soul would inevitably suffer injuries. ¡°Sister, you are really amazing,¡± the young girl did not answer Elder Mo Wang''s question, but instead praised her. However, immediately after, she responded to Elder Mo Wang with her actions. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As she leaped up, with a dance of her hands, the lotus leaves in the pond below also danced along with her movements, each leaf and lotus seedpod rapidly growing, instantly turning into a size a hundred times larger. Compared to the original delicate lotus leaves, they now resembled towering trees. Lotus leaves swayed and danced, and the Soul Power contained within them immediately transformed into a wall of wind that roared past, colliding with the sandstorm. No roaring sound ensued, the sandstorm simply exploded and was partially blown away directly. Once the dust had settled, what was revealed underneath was a pool full of withered branches and dead leaves, presenting a desolate and decayed scene. Shen Luo''s expression changed abruptly upon seeing the damaged pool. ¡°That young girl''s manifested pool of Soul Power is poisonous, her Soul Power contains toxins,¡± Shen Luo exclaimed sharply. Only then did everyone notice that the pool was pitch black, seeming filled with rotting silt, and large bubbles occasionally surfaced and burst with a ¡°plop.¡± ¡°Daoist Che, isn''t this behavior somewhat improper?¡± the Nameless Elder asked. ¡°The rules of soul combat don''t forbid the use of poison. Moreover, the secret technique of Soul Power practiced by Qinghu inherently involves poison to protect her own Sea of Knowledge. Over time, her Soul Power has naturally come to contain toxins. Isn''t that justifiable?¡± Che Qingtian replied calmly, returning the question. Upon hearing this, everyone was somewhat at a loss for words. Shen Luo also understood that Qinghu''s divine soul poisoning technique was similar to his own Suppressing God Technique, capable of defending against others forcibly entering his own Sea of Knowledge. At this moment, within the Waterball Light Curtain, the green lotus pod, huge as a tree, also began to emit ¡°puff puff¡± sounds. Instead of lotus seeds spraying out, plumes of black smoke emerged, indicating even denser toxins. Everyone then looked at Elder Mo Wang and saw that her cheeks were now marked with black lines, like earthworms crawling across, making her originally beautiful face appear somewhat demonically grotesque. At the same time, the Gobi Desert beneath her seemed as if it had been sprayed with ink, with many areas already stained black; evidently, she had been slowly poisoned from the start. ¡°We concede¡­¡± Seeing this, the Nameless Elder said gravely. If the duel dragged on, Elder Mo Wang''s divine soul might suffer severe damage. However, Che Qingtian on the opposite side showed no reaction and did not instruct Qinghu to stop. The Nameless Elder naturally knew he could hear; he simply wasn''t eager to make Qinghu withdraw, as his side had the upper hand. ¡°We concede.¡± The Nameless Elder raised his voice and said again, then he immediately made hand seals, intending to end the duel. ¡°No, I haven''t lost yet.¡± Just then, Elder Mo Wang''s voice suddenly resounded in everyone''s Sea of Knowledge. As her voice fell, everyone saw the retreating sandstorm begin to settle back down, layer upon layer of yellow light gathering around Elder Mo Wang as she moved. As the yellow light gathered, layers of yellow sand covered her body, gradually compressing and condensing to form tightly-knit armor made of yellow sand. ¡°Can the Yan Technique be used in such a way?¡± Che Qingtian, seeing this, also expressed some surprise. Apparently, the yellow sand armor worn by Elder Mo Wang was crafted using the Yan Technique''s armor refinement ability, transforming the Soul Power manifested as yellow sand, which naturally allowed her to temporarily resist the poisoning of Qinghu''s Soul Power. Immediately after, Elder Mo Wang raised her hand into the void, gathered more yellow light and sand, and formed a Long Spear twice her size. She leaped up, clasping the Long Spear with both hands, and thrust straight at Qinghu. On the Long Spear, yellow sands swirled around, transforming into a mini-tornado, yet being extremely sharp, causing the Waterball Light Curtain to distort wherever it passed. Chapter 1516 Chapter 1516: Chapter 1512: Cheating Chapter 1516: Chapter 1512: Cheating Qinghu saw Elder Mo Wang holding a spear, her momentum like a rainbow, and she dared not confront her head-on. Instead, she quickly retreated while fiercely clapping her hands forward. The towering ancient tree-like lotus seedpod immediately attacked Elder Mo Wang, layers upon layers, densely packed, those that could approach did so, while those that could not turned into high walls of green vines. However, under this yellow sand long spear, all obstacles were mere illusions. The lotus leaves that tried to approach were shattered into dust by the sandstorm on the spear, and the green vine shields in the front were also easily torn apart, as if made of paper. At the same time, as the lotus leaves continued to shatter, a large amount of poison was released, tainting Elder Mo Wang''s Armor black and causing sand and dust to continuously fall off. In fact, if Elder Mo Wang had decided to use all her strength for defense, she could have created much more solid Armor. Sadly, she was poisoned from the start; if the battle isn''t resolved quickly, the situation will only become more unfavorable for her, so she had to focus more power on her attacking spear. As long as she could break through Qinghu''s divine soul, she would still be the winner. As her power continued to be drained and weakened, Qinghu was not faring much better. Massive lotus leaves were continuously collapsing, rapidly depleting Qinghu''s soul power. Her soul power was not as strong as Elder Mo Wang''s, and without the poison, she would definitely be the first to be exhausted. Even now, although Elder Mo Wang was severely poisoned, she was still resisting with her tenacious soul will. It was still uncertain who would exhaust their soul power first. Seeing the lotus leaves formed by her soul power continue to collapse, Qinghu''s surroundings rippled with fluctuations, black water surged on the ground, and more large lotus leaves continuously burst forth, charging at Elder Mo Wang. Seeing this scene, the hearts of everyone from Tianji City were suspended once more. ¡°Master Yan is worried that Elder Mo Wang might not be able to hold on¡­¡± Master Yan expressed concern. But Shen Luo, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°I beg to differ. It''s Qinghu who is at the end of her rope. What she is displaying now is just a final resurgence. Elder Mo Wang just needs to hold on a bit longer to completely defeat her.¡± Hearing Shen Luo''s words, Master Yan looked dubiously at Qinghu''s divine soul, but noticed that the fluctuations emitting from her were indeed very unstable, seeming almost unable to maintain. It wasn''t long before Elder Mo Wang''s divine soul pierced through the last shield wall with a spear. Her Armor had also turned completely into black sand and peeled off her body, the vortex on her spear also dissipated, leaving only a darkened spearhead rushing towards Qinghu''s divine soul. Qinghu''s divine soul showed an expression of fear, hurriedly raising her hands, seemingly about to surrender. Elder Mo Wang looked at her youthful face, hesitated for a moment, and the momentum of her charge slowed down. But at this moment, from the lotus seedpod cradled in the hands of Qinghu''s real body, a green lotus seed suddenly shot out, embedding itself into her brow with a flash of brilliant light. Following this, the divine soul incubated within the water ball light curtain was immediately enveloped in a dense green light, its soul power replenished and its fluctuations surged. Qinghu''s divine soul revealed a cunning smile, pushed her hand forward fiercely and massive lotus leaves burst upward, striking Elder Mo Wang''s divine soul hard. Elder Mo Wang, already severely depleted and poisoned, couldn''t withstand this impact, her spear broke immediately, and her entire divine soul was knocked back into the air, heavily crashing into the inner wall of the water ball light curtain. A clear muffled sound followed, and the body of Elder Mo Wang encased in the cocoon shook, evidently subjected to a great shock. ¡°You are cheating!¡± Elder Manbo burst out in rage. ¡°Oh, what are we cheating in?¡± Che Qingtian responded indifferently. ¡°What is hidden in that Lotus seedpod magical instrument? Isn''t it an Elixir to replenish Soul Power?¡± Elder Fu also spoke up. ¡°Who told you it was an Elixir? Have you ever seen an Elixir taken by the forehead?¡± Nurse Yu said mockingly. ¡°That is Qinghu''s own condensed and extracted Soul Power, which is just stored in the Lotus seedpod for emergencies. She used her own Soul Power, that''s not cheating, is it?¡± Che Qingtian glanced at everyone and asked. Nameless Elder''s face turned iron blue, and he stood up and shouted, ¡°We admit defeat.¡± As he spoke, the other Elders also looked disheartened, none of them expected to lose the first match like this. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, Nameless Elder had already admitted defeat, but Che Qingtian still made no indication of stopping. Qinghu, located in the Central Array, also didn''t stop her actions. Dozens of robust green lotus leaves, like heavy punches, continuously bombarded Elder Mo Wang''s Divine Soul, sending his figure floating, constantly colliding against the inner walls of the Water ball light curtain, unable to fall. ¡°Che Qingtian, make her stop,¡± Nameless Elder shouted angrily. Che Qingtian heard this and slowly got up, seemingly about to intervene, but his movements were exceedingly slow. At that moment, a figure suddenly flashed. It was Shen Luo, who in a flash appeared behind Elder Mo Wang. He completely ignored everyone else''s exclamations, closed his eyes and raised a hand, placing it on Elder Mo Wang''s back. In the next instant, the light cocoon covering Elder Mo Wang also enveloped Shen Luo. Meanwhile, the Central Water ball light curtain suddenly shook violently a few times, instantly expanding considerably. But then, Shen Luo''s small Divine soul figure also appeared in the light curtain, and with a wave of his hand, a towering mountain peak suddenly emerged, heading straight to suppress Qinghu. Qinghu was startled by this sudden turn of events. She quickly waved her hands, and a large number of green lotus leaves transformed into towering trees, reaching towards the Mount Buzhou formed by Shen Luo''s Soul Power. However, how could a mere few trees stop the collapsing momentum of a mountain? In terms of Cultivation level, Shen Luo might not be her match, but his Soul Power was not necessarily much less than hers, especially since she had previously exhausted a lot, how could she be a match for Shen Luo now? Immediately, the green lotus leaves shattered, and Mount Buzhou heavily pressed down, also suppressing her Divine soul beneath the mountain. Feeling this powerful Soul Power pressure, Qinghu''s eyes no longer held fake panic, but real panic. ¡°How dare you.¡± Seeing this, Che Qingtian stepped forward, but a figure had already flashed in front of him; it was Nameless Elder and others appearing to block the way. ¡°You doing this, isn''t it breaking the rules yourself?¡± Che Qingtian said through gritted teeth. ¡°We already admitted defeat. It was you who refused to stop. How can you blame us now?¡± Elder Fu retorted with a cold snort. Nurse Yu and Hou Shan also hurried over, and both sides were on the verge of a great battle, ready to erupt at any moment. Chapter 1517 Chapter 1517: Chapter 1513: Tianji Sign Chapter 1517: Chapter 1513: Tianji Sign ¡°You¡­ fine, as long as you admit defeat, let him release Qinghu.¡± Che Qingtian''s expression returned to normal as he spoke. ¡°Friend Shen, that''s enough.¡± Nameless, seeing this, finally transmitted his divine soul''s message. However, inside the light curtain of the water ball, Shen Luo didn''t stop, instead, he went to stand in front of Qinghu, who was suppressed under the mountain, and crouched down. No one knew what he was doing; they only saw a smile on his face. In contrast, the expression on Qinghu''s face was not as pleasant, filled with anger. However, as her anger intensified, Shen Luo''s smile deepened, and the mountain pressing down on Qinghu became even heavier. After a standoff for a moment, Qinghu, with an indignant face, had no choice but to suddenly open her mouth to inhale. Streams of light flickered around the water ball light curtain, and then wisps of black fog continuously flew out from all directions, converging towards Qinghu. Among them, the black fog flowing from Elder Mo Wang was the densest and most plentiful. Once all the black fog was absorbed by Qinghu, Shen Luo then stood up, walked over to investigate Elder Mo Wang''s divine soul, and after confirming the toxins were cleared, he waved his hand and recalled Mount Buzhou. Then, he waved dismissively at the seemingly innocent but actually malicious young girl and exited the array. Immediately following, Elder Mo Wang''s divine soul also returned to her body. Her complexion was very pale; clearly, even though the toxins were cleared, the consumption of her divine soul was still quite significant. She gave Shen Luo a grateful bow and was then supported by Elder Fu, preparing to leave. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Elder Mo Wang, please wait¡­¡± At that moment, a soft call stopped them. ¡°Did Elder Mo Wang forget something?¡± Che Qingtian asked. Hearing this, Elder Mo Wang''s gaze flickered, and she bit her lip, gesturing with a wave of her hand, throwing out her Elder''s Token, then left with Elder Fu without giving Qinghu another glance. Che Qingtian raised his hand and seized the Elder''s Token, briefly examined it, and then put it in his bag. At this moment, Qinghu''s face also looked very ugly, especially when her gaze fell on Shen Luo. She no longer maintained her original harmless image; instead, her eyes were full of resentment. ¡°Tomorrow''s competition will be at the Lianyan Workshop, the second session.¡± Elder Nameless didn''t utter harsh words, then let Che Qingtian and the others return to their accommodations by the lake. Though Che Qingtian''s side won one match, aside from Hou Shan, who had some smile on his face, the expressions of the others were all hostile. Because of Shen Luo''s sudden interference, what could have been a severe injury to Elder Mo Wang by poison turned out to be just a minor injury, and all silently added a mark against Shen Luo in their hearts. On the way back, Master Yan sincerely thanked Shen Luo. ¡°It''s just a small effort; besides, I also found that pretentious girl quite annoying.¡± Shen Luo just waved his hand, indicating it was nothing. ¡°This time these people clearly harbored ill-intentions, and Master happened to be in seclusion¡­¡± Master Yan expressed his concerns. ¡°There''s no need to worry too much. It''s mainly because Qinghu is too good at concealing, always showing kindness and weakness, which led Elder Mo Wang to underestimate her. If it weren''t for those cunning strategies, she might not necessarily have been able to defeat Elder Mo Wang. Plus, the other elders are now alert and naturally won''t lose again.¡± Shen Luo reassured. ¡°Yes, Elder Manbo will compete tomorrow; there should be no problem.¡± Master Yan said. ¡°But we can''t relax our guard; considering Qinghu and those people''s performance today, they are not upright gentlemen. We must be prepared for any insidious tactics they might have.¡± Shen Luo pondered aloud. ¡°Indeed, to prevent any accidents, I''ll guard Elder Manbo tonight.¡± Master Yan thought for a moment, then suggested. ¡°I''ll go with you,¡± Shen Luo said. After the two had agreed, they together went to the Lianyan Workshop. Although Elder Manbo had his own mansion, he spent most of his time here, completely engrossed in the study of Yan Technique. In the evening, when Elder Manbo saw Shen Luo and the other person arriving, and heard about the purpose of their visit, he instantly became so furious that his beard bristled. ¡°What? I am an elder, do I need you two juniors to protect me?¡± he stated discontentedly, not at all pleased. ¡°Elder Manbo, it was Master Yan who misspoke. We are not here to protect you, but simply to learn more about crafting Armor. We were too embarrassed to say it outright, so we came up with such a poor excuse,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly explained seeing the situation. Upon hearing this, Elder Manbo''s anger subsided, but he looked suspiciously at Master Yan: ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it is so,¡± Master Yan quickly confirmed with a nod. ¡°Boy, don''t stand on ceremony with me; if there''s anything you don''t understand, just ask directly. Why go through all these twists and turns, haha¡­¡± Elder Manbo laughed heartily, patting Master Yan on the shoulder. Shen Luo and Yan Wushi stayed by his side, watching Elder Manbo prepare for tomorrow''s Tool Combat. The next day, two groups gathered at the Lianyan Workshop. However, Elder Mo Wang and Qinghu were both recuperating and did not appear there. ¡°Today, we hold a Tool Combat match, and we will determine the winner by using the technique of contradictory confrontation,¡± announced the Nameless Elder. ¡°What is the method of contradictory confrontation?¡± Shen Luo asked, surprised. ¡°Contradictory confrontation, as the name suggests, means each side presents one person to craft Armor: one crafts offensive Armor, and the other defensive Armor. Then the two Armors face off in attack and defense. The side whose Armor gets destroyed first loses,¡± Master Yan quietly explained to him. ¡°I''ll represent our side in the match, hehe¡­¡± Hou Shan jumped out before anyone else could announce. Everyone still vividly remembered his performance of public humiliation two days ago, but seeing his unashamed demeanor, they felt it unlikely that he''d achieve any significant accomplishment in the Yan Technique. However, appearances can be deceptive, so naturally, they couldn''t underestimate him. ¡°Elder Manbo, let''s make a deal. I''m good at crafting protective Armor, so how about you choose the spear, and I pick the shield?¡± Hou Shan hinted, glancing at the tall figure of Elder Manbo with a grin. ¡°Fine,¡± Elder Manbo looked at him briefly and responded crisply. After all, for him, crafting either was the same; he was confident in defeating his opponent. Upon hearing this, Hou Shan was quite surprised. He had only been tentatively probing, not expecting Elder Manbo to agree so readily. ¡°Cough cough, I was just joking. We still need to leave the choice to Tianji,¡± he coughed twice, saying. Clearly, he didn''t really want to be on the defensive side. ¡°Then let''s cut the small talk and draw the Tianji lots,¡± Elder Manbo remarked indifferently. The Nameless Elder immediately brought out a pitch-black lot tube, containing two long lots, and instructed, ¡°Black-lot head is the attacker, white-lot head is the defender.¡± The two stepped forward and each drew a lot, showing it to everyone. Elder Manbo''s lot head was white, choosing the defensive side. ¡°Hehe, looks like my luck isn''t great, Elder Manbo, I''ll have to defer to you,¡± Hou Shan said with a smile as he clasped his fists. Elder Manbo slightly closed his eyes, appearing as if he turned a deaf ear. Chapter 1518 Chapter 1518: Chapter 1514: The Second Battle Chapter 1518: Chapter 1514: The Second Battle ¡°This competition aims to measure the skill and power in refining Armor, and to eliminate material factors interference, the materials available for you to choose from are the same; the main materials are Copper of Lingxiao and Land and Sea Sands, with auxiliary materials like Radiant Stone, Emerald, Middle-grade Tungsten Gold, and Bai Zhi, which you can take as needed,¡± said the Nameless Elder. Hearing this, Shen Luo inwardly praised, ¡°These Spiritual Materials have essentially neutral properties, suitable for refining either offensive or defensive Armor. Indeed, fairness has been achieved in terms of materials.¡± ¡°The allotted time for refinement is three two-hour periods, and should one side fail to complete within the timeframe, they will be directly deemed as the loser. If both sides fail to complete, the degree of completion will be used as the judgment standard, with the higher completion degree winning. If both sides complete the refinement within the time limit, then the contest will move to the Training Ground for a direct attack and defense test, with the first to have their Armor damaged being the loser,¡± continued the Nameless Elder. ¡°The difficulty of refining Armor exceeds that of Magical Treasures and instruments; in three two-hour periods, merely melting down the Spiritual Materials is no easy task, not to mention completing a finished product,¡± Shen Luo whispered to Master Yan after hearing this. ¡°It''s not a big issue. Elder Manbo has always been devoted to the Yan Technique and his Dao-Practice in Armor refinement is not something we can compare with. His fastest record previously was completing an Armor in two hours, it''s just that the grade of that refined product was not high,¡± Master Yan did not speak aloud, but transmitted his voice to Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo could not help but inwardly offer his admiration. ¡°Are there any other rules? If not, can we start now?¡± Hou Shan, while picking his ear with his little finger, asked impatiently. ¡°It is time,¡± the Nameless Elder said. Upon hearing this, Hou Shan and Elder Manbo each stepped forward to the two refining stands within the workshop. ¡°Are we using this piece of junk?¡± Hou Shan raised his eyebrows as he saw the furnace on the stand and asked. ¡°The furnaces used by both parties are the same, is there a problem?¡± the Nameless Elder asked with a frown. ¡°What ''same''? This furnace is the one you are accustomed to using; I have never used it before, this is unfair to me,¡± Hou Shan adopted an unreasonable demeanor and shouted. ¡°Then, what do you propose?¡± Elder Manbo, already struggling to contain his anger, nearly lost his temper. ¡°How about this, I use my own customary furnace, and you can use yours as well, how does that sound? This way, it''s much fairer,¡± suggested Hou Shan. ¡°Just as you say,¡± Elder Manbo said, too lazy to argue with him. After this entanglement, both sides finally reached their respective refining stands. Seeing this, the Nameless Elder stepped forward and in between the two stands, he lit a stick of Long Incense and declared the competition to begin. On hearing the start, Hou Shan immediately dropped his mocking demeanor, and his entire presence changed in an instant. Next, with a wave of his hand, the original furnace was pushed aside by an invisible Qi force, and then with another sweep of his palm, another furnace appeared on the table. This furnace was only about three feet tall, entirely golden, with three feet and two handles, and a lid carved with a peculiar beast head. Everyone''s expressions changed upon seeing this furnace. The furnace''s beast head appeared lifelike, the area above its two handles was covered in flame-like mystical patterns, and its three legs resembled beast legs, covered entirely with dense scales ¨C it was obviously not an ordinary item. ¡°Using such a high-grade furnace, aren''t you cheating?¡± Elder Fu scolded. ¡°Jealous of my Melting Gold Furnace? Upset? You can also switch furnaces, I never said you couldn''t,¡± Hou Shan said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Elder Fu was at a loss for words. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. High-quality furnaces are not something one could simply obtain at will. Among all the furnaces in Tianji City, only the two carried by the City Lord himself could stably outperform the one used by Hou Shan. The furnace that Elder Manbo usually used was naturally not in the same league. Despite the situation, Elder Manbo was not in the slightest bit panicked. Instead, he reassured: ''The quality of the furnace is indeed important for refining Armor, but what ultimately affects the quality of the Armor are the materials. With materials of this caliber, an ordinary furnace is enough. His furnace at most only helps him speed up the refinement process, the enhancement in other aspects is limited. Rest assured, he can''t win.'' At this moment, the confident aura emitting from Elder Manbo made his stature seem even more grand. His implication was clear: the quality of Armor refined from ordinary Spiritual Materials has a limit. Regardless of whether one uses an ordinary or a higher-grade furnace, the refined Armor''s quality limit is set in stone. If Elder Manbo could refine top limit Armor with an ordinary furnace, and Hou Shan could only achieve the same with the aid of a high-grade furnace, resulting in a tie, then Elder Manbo would have the upper hand. Seeing that he had no objections, everyone else stopped any further discussion and began silently observing their competition. Elder Manbo pinched a magic spell with one hand and exhaled a stream of Dan Fire, drawing a fiery line through Mid Air and directly into the furnace. The flame patterns on the furnace lit up with brilliance, and fierce Red Flames began to burn inside. After waiting for about Half a Moment, the furnace displayed a transparent Crimson color, and two Spiral heat streams rose from the cauldron''s ears, forming two miniature cloud clusters. ''Relying solely on Dan Fire and needing only Half a Moment to raise the furnace chamber''s temperature to the point of melting Copper of Lingxiao indeed shows skill,'' Hou Shan commented from the side, not in a hurry to begin. Watching this scene, he could not help but show admiration and clicked his tongue in praise. ''Hou Shan, cut the nonsense. If you lose because of overconfidence, Master will not spare you,'' Nurse Yu scolded angrily. ''Old hag, it''s you who talks too much.'' After cursing her, Hou Shan began to cast his own spell to ignite the fire. However, as a fiery line surged into the furnace chamber, the flame runes on the Melting Gold Furnace lit up, and the eyes of the Exotic Beast atop the furnace also gleamed with light, a sharp Breath gradually emanating from the furnace body. ''So it''s actually a fire-attribute furnace. That old rascal said he was skilled in refining defensive Armor, but that was clearly a load of crap,'' Elder Fu directly cursed out loud. Unperturbed, Hou Shan grinned and began to fully activate the furnace. In just a span of several breaths, the area above the cauldron was steaming with vapor, obviously having reached the required temperature. ''Such a rapid heating speed,'' Shen Luo couldn''t help but exclaim. In terms of heating speed alone, he was already several times faster than Elder Manbo. This indicated that the Melting Gold Furnace''s fire power was several times stronger than an ordinary one. It would not only maintain an advantage in the speed of the refinement process but also surpass Elder Manbo in the efficiency of purifying materials. Fortunately, this contest wasn''t about speed, otherwise Elder Manbo would undoubtedly lose.¡± Chapter 1519 Chapter 1519: Chapter 1515: The Way of a Genius Chapter 1519: Chapter 1515: The Way of a Genius Shen Luo''s gaze moved to Elder Manbo, but all he saw was the elder focused intently on his own furnace, wholeheartedly immersed without any disturbance from Hou Shan at his side. He had already sent the Copper of Lingxiao and Radiant Stone into the furnace, and was now controlling the flames to form three rings, encircling the two materials at the center, attempting to fuse them together. The temperatures of the three flame rings varied, each circulating continuously and revolving around the two spiritual materials, alternately exchanging flames to perform a layered fusion of the materials. This fusion technique, seen by Shen Luo in the Heavenly Secrets Manual, is known as Bite Fusion, a rather difficult method of refining that is more complex than mere blending but maintains more of the individual advantages of each spiritual material, making the resulting Armor possess many superior qualities. For instance, the Copper of Lingxiao was highly malleable but lacked toughness. A simple fusion could enhance toughness while maintaining malleability, but the resulting material would only be comparable to another higher-grade spiritual material, Kuanghai Gold. However, using the Bite Fusion method, the two materials would interlock in layered fusion, resulting in better malleability and toughness than Kuanghai Gold. Seeing Elder Manbo master the technique of Bite Fusion, a hint of jealousy unconsciously surfaced in Hou Shan''s eyes, causing his eyebrows to slightly droop. By this alone, he was already no match for Elder Manbo. At this point, he also put away his contempt for Elder Manbo and began to concentrate on refining the Armor. As time trickled by, the primary metal inside the Melting Gold Furnace was completely refined into a liquid state, controlled by Mana to hover within the furnace chamber. A moment later, wisps of smoke began to emerge from the melted liquid, indicating the separation of impurities inside and signaling a continuous increase in the purity of the spiritual material. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo watched his movements, and suddenly the voice of the Fire Spirit Child echoed in his Sea of knowledge, ¡°Given the current situation, it seems that Elder Manbo might lose.¡± In his hand hidden In the Sleeve, he was holding the Free and Easy Mirror. The mirror surface was shrouded in mist, reflecting the Netherworld Furnace within which the Fire Spirit Child also resided. ¡°Is this just the refining stage and you can already see the outcome?¡± Shen Luo''s expression remained unchanged, communicating mentally. ¡°Elder Manbo''s method of Bite Fusion is not bad, but the furnace used is too ordinary, causing the furnace fire not to heat up quickly enough, unable to perfectly meld the spiritual materials. In contrast, Hou Shan''s refined material can achieve a flawless degree, superior to Manbo''s,¡± the Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°It''s just a difference in the purity of the materials. That''s not enough to determine the winner, right? Besides, Bite Fusion seems obviously more superior,¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°Not necessarily. Hou Shan''s refining method is ordinary, but since he''s crafting offensive equipment, he doesn''t need high malleability but more toughness, so he doesn''t need to maintain more malleability. Also for this reason, I dare to assert that the weapons he refines, will surely be like Short Dagger and Triangular Short Cone, Armor that requires less malleability, believe it or not?¡± confidently stated the Fire Spirit Child. Shen Luo didn''t speak, but saw that Hou Shan had begun adding auxiliary materials to the furnace. As several auxiliary materials entered the furnace one after another, fusing with the main material, the temperature inside the furnace also began to gradually decrease. At this moment, Hou Shan''s hands moved through the Void, and as the temperature in the furnace lowered, the molten spiritual material began to solidify gradually, revealing the true form of the Armor, just as the Fire Spirit Child had said, it was a Triangular Short Cone. ¡°To be able to refine such a caliber of Armor form in such a short time is already quite impressive. As long as there are no issues with the inscriptions later on, he is likely guaranteed a win,¡± the Fire Spirit Child communicated. Shen Luo furrowed his brow upon hearing these words. If Hou Shan truly wins this round, then Che Qingtian and his team would win two cities in succession and claim outright victory. He couldn''t help but look anxiously towards Elder Manbo. Compared to Hou Shan, his speed was much slower, and he still hadn''t managed to refine all the spiritual materials, continuing to add materials into the furnace. Almost everyone could see that his firepower was insufficient, making one step slow, and each subsequent step slower. But just at that moment, he unexpectedly chose a very unremarkable piece of flintstone from among the many spiritual materials, and controlled it with mana to send it into the furnace. ¡°Adding flintstone at this point probably won''t do any good, what is Elder Manbo thinking?¡± Elder Fu expressed anxiously. This material is usually used as an aid for combustion, capable of increasing the furnace temperature to some extent, but adding it at this stage seemed somewhat ineffective. However, the flintstone wrapped in mana did not ignite immediately after entering the furnace, but instead, he controlled it to suddenly accelerate and dash into the already melting mass of spiritual material melt. The flintstone was instantly enveloped the moment it entered the mass of spiritual material melt. Everyone watched, clueless, only Fire Spirit Child''s eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had realized something. Shortly after, they heard a ¡°boom¡± ¨C a muffled sound! The mass of spiritual material melt suddenly expanded, swelling like a balloon, and a great amount of white vapor rushed out from the surface. Moments later, the white vapor completely dissipated, and the expanded spiritual material melt slowly opened, revealing a mass of black flintstone ashes being slowly peeled apart. ¡°Genius, truly genius,¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but exclaim. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shen Luo, who hadn''t understood, asked through mind transmission. ¡°I underestimated Elder Manbo. He actually thought of using the internal combustion of flintstone to instantly raise the temperature of the spiritual material melt, thereby evaporating the impurities within the melt. Simply genius,¡± Fire Spirit Child said still quite excited. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo also understood and realized the complexity of the operation, not an ordinary feat. It required controlling the temperature of the flintstone''s combustion high enough, ensuring the force of the combustion was not enough to break through the melt''s enclosure, while also controlling the residual ashes with mana to prevent secondary contamination of the melt. Such a detailed operation, Shen Luo admitted that he currently did not have the ability to achieve. After the refinement of the spiritual material melt was complete, the temperature of Elder Manbo''s furnace also began to drop gradually, and the form of a round shield was also gradually taking shape. But just at that moment, an unexpected change occurred. Chapter 1520 Chapter 1520: Chapter 1516: Changing the Furnace Chapter 1520: Chapter 1516: Changing the Furnace Near Hou Shan''s furnace, a dazzling golden light suddenly lit up, with an extremely sharp breath erupting out of nowhere. Shen Luo quickly turned his head to look, only to see that the lid of the furnace there had unexpectedly opened, and a formed Yan Technique armor spike suddenly shot out, uncontrollably emitting seven or eight sharp golden lights from its body. One of the golden lights was shooting straight towards Elder Manbo''s direction. Elder Manbo was concentrating on controlling the solidification of the molten Spirit Material Melt, completely unaware of the mishap here. By the time he realized it, it was already too late. The golden light struck his furnace in an instant, and the sharp force directly poured in. A flash of light atop the furnace and with a ¡°bang,¡± it exploded, the round shield that had just formed could no longer maintain its original shape, in a burst of explosive noise, it turned into countless scorching raindrops scattering in all directions. Surrounding everyone hurriedly waved their hands to block, with astonishment in their eyes. ¡°What have you done?¡± Elder Manbo''s eyes were about to split with rage, and he shouted furiously. Hou Shan was also somewhat stunned; he seemed not to have done it intentionally, so he had to explain, ¡°This is caused by the leakage of Spiritual Power during the emergence of the Yan Technique armor, not my control.¡± Shen Luo also knew that Yan Technique armor and Magical Treasures, when successfully refined, sometimes would have situations where the power could not be controlled and leaked, especially some of the higher-tier Divine Weapons, they could even cause resonance with Heaven and Earth, resulting in wide-spread celestial phenomena. Elder Manbo''s eyes were bloodshot, and his anger was nearly bursting. ¡°Looking at this, there''s no need to continue the competition, right? You''ve already lost,¡± Che Qingtian spoke up. ¡°You interrupted Elder Manbo''s refinement, that''s clearly against the rules; you''re the ones who have lost,¡± Elder Fu angrily said. ¡°Hmph, knowing full well that this was not Hou Shan''s intention, yet you still stubbornly argue your case? In my view, this is not an accident, but the will of Heaven itself. If Elder Manbo had finished refining earlier, perhaps he would have been the one affecting Hou Shan,¡± said Che Qingtian indifferently. ¡°You''ve lost, just accept it. Such frivolous obstruction is unbecoming of Tianji City''s reputation,¡± Nurse Yu mocked as well. ¡°You¡­¡± Elder Fu was at a loss for words. Elder Manbo''s face was also flushed with red, his eyes inadvertently flashing with a hint of guilt. Just when everyone thought the outcome was settled, suddenly a voice rang out: ¡°Isn''t there still time left? Who says Elder Manbo has lost?¡± Everyone followed the voice and saw that it was Shen Luo who had spoken. ¡°It''s no use, there''s only one hour left, I¡­ can''t finish the refinement,¡± Elder Manbo looked at the Long Incense in the furnace, two-thirds of which had been burned, and said with a gloomy expression. ¡°Did you hear that? He even says he can''t do it,¡± Hou Shan said, with a relaxed smile. ¡°As long as time hasn''t run out, there''s still a chance. Let''s try again, shall we? What, are you scared?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and asked. Seeing Shen Luo''s confident look, Hou Shan couldn''t help but feel uncertain. ¡°If you don''t agree, then we''ll just call this competition null and void. Whether you did it on purpose or not, the result is the same; you''ve interfered with Elder Manbo''s refinement, which is not fair,¡± Shen Luo continued. Hou Shan hesitated for a moment and looked towards Che Qingtian, who silently nodded his head. ¡°Alright, let him try again,¡± Hou Shan said with a smile. He saw that Elder Manbo now looked deflated and knew that it was impossible for him to refine a decent Armor within the allotted time. Upon hearing this, Elder Manbo hesitated and glanced at Shen Luo with a silent sigh in his heart. Feeling that his own strength as an Elder was inferior to the resilience of a Junior, he took a deep breath, gathered the Spiritual Materials again, and prepared to switch to a different Furnace for another attempt at refining. ¡°Just now you all unexpectedly changed Furnaces; we will also switch now. No objections, right?¡± At this moment, Shen Luo stretched out his hand to stop him, smiling as he addressed Hou Shan and the others. Without waiting for their approval, he then waved his hand, producing his Netherworld Furnace. Everyone present was an expert in cultivation, and they were very knowledgeable about the quality of Furnaces. They immediately recognized the distinction of this Furnace, and their eyes showed astonished looks. ¡°Good kid, you actually have such a high-grade Furnace. Why didn''t you bring it out earlier?¡± Elder Manbo''s eyes suddenly lit up, and he regained his confidence. Seeing this, Che Qingtian and others couldn''t help but look displeased. However, since they had switched Furnaces first, they naturally couldn''t say anything at the moment. ¡°If we use this Furnace, maybe we really can refine the Armor within one hour,¡± Elder Manbo couldn''t help but mutter. ¡°This guy talks too much, why isn''t he starting already? With my help, there''s naturally no problem,¡± Fire Spirit Child teased inside Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge. ¡°Elder Manbo, time is pressing, you should start refining quickly,¡± Shen Luo urged. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, we need to hurry¡­¡± Elder Manbo suppressed the excitement in his heart and began the second round of refining. The moment the Furnace Fire was ignited, Elder Manbo''s mouth stretched to his ears ¨C he found that the grade of this Netherworld Furnace was even higher than he had expected. Che Qingtian and others at his side could clearly see the significance as well and their expressions grew even uglier, especially Che Qingtian, whose face looked dark as water, staring intently at the Netherworld Furnace, seemingly deep in thought. However, Elder Manbo couldn''t care less about the others at this moment. The Netherworld Furnace alone was enough to captivate all his attention. He returned to a focused state and began controlling the insertion of Spiritual Materials into the Furnace. In only a matter of moments, Copper of Lingxiao and Radiant Stone had completed the Bite Fusion, the process so fast that Elder Manbo himself couldn''t quite believe it. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He faintly sensed that there seemed to be some will within the Netherworld Furnace assisting him, which he guessed could be some kind of Tool Spirit, yet it only helped to conceal his presence and did not exhibit any abnormalities. After this round of smelting, the resulting Spirit Material Melt was so pure that it didn''t need the Explosive method of purifying with Flintstone; its purity had already reached a flawless state. As soon as the thought crossed Elder Manbo''s mind, the temperature of the Netherworld Furnace began to decrease on its own, so he focused on controlling the molten liquid to solidify into the shape of a Round Shield. Before long, the Spirit Material Melt had solidified into shape, radiating a translucent red light. Now came the most crucial step: engraving the Yan Pattern. Elder Manbo took a deep breath, brought his fingers together, and began to draw in the Void. The Mana bursting from his fingertips formed a carving knife in the air and began engraving on the Round Shield. ¡°The Three Mountains Layering Pattern, in combination with the material of this Round Shield, is quite good. Elder Manbo has a good eye; choosing this Yan Pattern really is the best pairing,¡± said Fire Spirit Child, as if giving a critique, communicating to Shen Luo. Hearing this, Shen Luo knew that this trial probably wouldn''t have much issue and thus set his mind at ease. Chapter 1521 Chapter 1521: Chapter 1517: Reversal Chapter 1521: Chapter 1517: Reversal A moment later, the Netherworld Furnace trembled slightly and suddenly a yellow halo burst forth, with light and shadow flickering in the Void, projecting the illusion of three mountain peaks. ¡°This¡­ this is a rare phenomenon, isn''t it?¡± Elder Fu couldn''t help but exclaim. While it was only a minor phenomenon, not quite a resonance with Heaven and Earth, it still exceeded the sharp aura that overflowed during the refinement of Hou Shan''s Short Cone yesterday, by a significant margin. ¡°Daoist Che, with just this spectacle alone, it seems the outcome is already apparent, isn''t it? Is there still a need to compete?¡± The Nameless Elder raised his eyebrows with satisfaction and asked. Che Qingtian''s face darkened as he glanced at Hou Shan, his eyes showing obvious disapproval. ¡°Compete? Of course, we have to compete.¡± Hou Shan refused to give up, his eyes fierce as he gritted his teeth. Elder Manbo''s face filled with a smile, obviously undaunted, as he clapped and laughingly said, ¡°Haha, then come on.¡± Having said that, the two moved away from the refinement platform and assumed their positions. ¡°Both of you will infuse your Mana into your Armor without using any mystic arts, purely competing in strength to determine the winner,¡± the Nameless Elder instructed. ¡°No problem.¡± Elder Manbo was brimming with confidence and immediately agreed. Hou Shan simply nodded and said to Elder Manbo, ¡°Bring it on.¡± As his words fell, the aura of the others instantly surged, waves of visible Mana fluctuations radiated from their bodies, then poured into the Short Cones in their hands. The Golden Short Awl immediately blazed with brilliance, as sharp and incomparable breaths began to swirl around it, refracting glints of rhombus-shaped crystal light in the air. ¡°In just two hours, to be able to refine Armor to this degree, he is indeed very impressive,¡± Master Yan praised. ¡°After all, he dares to challenge Elder Manbo; naturally, he would have some skills. How could he be lacking?¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. As his voice faded, Hou Shan leaped forward, charging fiercely towards Elder Manbo. The light on the Short Cone in his hand instantly condensed, forming a Golden Cone outside the blade edge, which with the support of his robust Mana, shot forth a chi-long sharp edge. Before his figure arrived, the tip of the Short Cone had already reached its target. Upon seeing this, Elder Manbo''s inner Mana also began to surge into the Round Shield. The Three Mountains Layering Pattern inscribed on the Round Shield lit up instantly, as the shield''s brilliance intensified, casting an even larger Yellow Light Shield outside of it. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tip of the Short Cone reached the light of the Round Shield, and upon collision emitted a series of piercing sounds, as the Golden Cone spun relentlessly, trying to penetrate the Light Shield. However, the Round Shield''s Light Shield stood firm, unyielding to the continuous assaults of the Golden Cone, showing no signs of shattering. But in the next instant, the Cone''s Golden Light suddenly retracted back into the body of the Cone, a tremendous burst of strength exploded, as the Cone itself thrust towards the Light Shield. After a piercing sound, the Cone instantly penetrated the Light Shield, blasting open a halo of light. Immediately after, however, the tip of the awl came up against the body of the Round Shield itself, making no further progress. By now, it was clear to everyone that the Golden Cone was still somewhat inferior and could not break through the Round Shield, yet Hou Shan had not given up. ¡°Even if I can''t defeat you, I will break through,¡± Hou Shan declared fiercely. ¡°Be careful, he''s going to self-destruct the Cone, intending both Armors to be destroyed together,¡± Shen Luo hastily warned upon hearing this. As soon as his words fell, the Yan Pattern on the Golden Cone had already burst into flames, followed by a sudden huge explosion! At the same time, Elder Manbo, who had been warned, was already prepared. He constantly channeled his Mana into the Round Shield, and a powerful Spiritual Pressure almost blasted it apart. The Yan Pattern on the shield also lit up with a fierce light, as if it too was about to explode. But the Round Shield did not self-destruct; instead, the Yellow Light on it surged again, and the phantom of three connected Mountain Peaks emerged, forming a Light Curtain that shielded in front, blocking all the explosive forces of the Golden Cone outside. After the explosion, the Golden Cone turned into powder, and the Three Mountains Layering Pattern on the Yellow Round Shield was completely destroyed. However, aside from being cracked, the body of the shield still maintained its complete form. In this way, regardless of whether Hou Shan acknowledges it or not, he had already lost. ¡°I''ve lost¡­¡± Hou Shan, with a look of defeat, said. Upon hearing this, Master Yan''s face immediately showed joy, while both the Nameless Elder and Elder Fu''s eyes also held a touch of amusement. ¡°Manbo, well done this time.¡± Elder Fu couldn''t help but jump up and slapping him on the back. By contrast, the expressions on the faces of Che Qingtian and others became quite ugly. Originally thinking that they could secure the victory with the Melting Gold Furnace, they still ended up losing. ¡°This furnace of yours, how about selling it to me? As long as you''re willing, I''m willing to spend all my wealth to purchase it.¡± Hou Shan looked at the Netherworld Furnace and, in the end, couldn''t help but say. ¡°I''m sorry, but this furnace of mine is not for sale,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, shaking his head. There was an obvious gleam of greed for the Netherworld Furnace in Hou Shan''s eyes. If it were not in such a setting, he definitely would not mind resorting to force to seize it. ¡°Let''s go.¡± Che Qingtian''s face was steely, and after giving Shen Luo a deep look, he spoke. Seeing his reaction, the others also fell silent and quickly followed him. ¡°Daoist Che, please wait, have you forgotten something?¡± Elder Fu spoke up to stop him. Che Qingtian turned back to look at him, raising his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Please return the Elder''s Token that you won from Elder Mo Wang yesterday,¡± Elder Fu reminded. ¡°The Token was won by Qinghu; naturally, it is with her,¡± Nurse Yu said. ¡°Qinghu is still recovering from her injuries, the Token¡­ If you can win another match tomorrow, I will give you my own Ink Jade Divine Machine Order along with it, but if you cannot win, there''s no need for such trouble, right?¡± Che Qingtian said. After finishing his words, he didn''t wait for Elder Fu''s reaction and turned around, leaving with Nurse Yu and the others. After they left, the atmosphere in the Lianyan Workshop relaxed, and everyone began to congratulate Elder Manbo. ¡°Where do I dare to take credit? If it were not for Daoist Shen Luo lending this furnace to me, we would have certainly lost. If we''re talking about merits, it all belongs to Daoist Shen Luo,¡± Elder Manbo humbly gave all the credit to Shen Luo. ¡°Elder Manbo is too modest. It was your superb refinement skills that were the key to our victory. After all, the furnace is just an external object¡­¡± Shen Luo was in the middle of speaking when he suddenly stopped. Because the voice of protest from Fire Spirit Child had already come from his Sea of Knowledge: ¡°Without me, could he have refined the Armor so quickly, so smoothly?¡± *Cough cough*, ¡°Of course, the merits of the furnace are not small,¡± Shen Luo had to cough twice, quickly changing the topic. ¡°Heh heh, Shen Luo, does your furnace have a name?¡± Elder Manbo suddenly leaned over, his tone became more familiar, and he asked. Chapter 1522 Chapter 1522: Chapter 1518: Eventful Autumn Chapter 1522: Chapter 1518: Eventful Autumn ¡°Why do you ask? Don''t even think about targeting my furnace,¡± Shen Luo immediately became wary and spoke. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°How could I¡­ I just feel like this furnace and I have some sort of destiny, you see¡­¡± Elder Manbo said sheepishly. Before he could finish his sentence, the Free and Easy Mirror in Shen Luo''s sleeve shimmered, and the Netherworld Furnace was taken back. ¡°Sigh¡­ Brother Shen, this really hurts our relationship. I didn''t say much, just thinking maybe I could borrow this furnace in the future to refine higher-grade armors,¡± Elder Manbo saw his reaction and could only sigh. ¡°Let''s talk about it in the future then,¡± Shen Luo firmly replied, smiling. ¡°Sigh, too cautious, it hurts the feelings¡­¡± Elder Manbo said helplessly, waving his hand. Seeing this, the others also laughed and didn''t speak, for they could finally breathe a sigh of relief after reversing the situation and winning the second match when everyone thought they were sure to lose. There would be no need for a third match otherwise. ¡°These guys, led by Che Qingtian, obviously came prepared, and Hou Shan''s behavior just now was clearly not just an accident. Tomorrow''s competition will not be easy to win,¡± Elder Fu spoke up. ¡°No matter, I will personally take part in tomorrow''s competition. With some caution, I believe we will not lose,¡± the Nameless Elder declared. ¡°From the previous two competitions, these guys don''t seem to play by the rules; we must stay on guard,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but express his concern. ¡°Yes, I need to meditate and refine my armor tonight to be prepared just in case,¡± the Nameless Elder nodded and said. ¡°Do you need me to guard you, in case they resort to despicable tactics?¡± Elder Fu asked. ¡°No need. We are within Tianji City, and they are being monitored. I doubt they would dare to act recklessly. If they were really going to ignore the rules, they wouldn''t have agreed to decide the winner through the Three Trials of Tianji in the first place,¡± the Nameless Elder wasn''t too worried about this. Everyone felt reassured by these words and had confidence in the Nameless Elder''s strength, so no further comments were made. ¡°Right, we''ve had a long day today, especially you, Elder Manbo, you''ve used a lot of your mana. You need to properly recuperate,¡± the Nameless Elder specially mentioned Elder Manbo. ¡°Understood,¡± Elder Manbo nodded. Then everyone went their separate ways. After leaving the Lianyan Workshop, Master Yan suddenly remembered something and asked Shen Luo: ¡°Brother Shen, these past few days I haven''t seen Miss Nie. Isn''t she always with you?¡± ¡°Cai Zhu had a sense of breakthrough in her cultivation a few days ago. On the day I left seclusion, she went into closed-door cultivation. We still don''t know when she will come out,¡± Shen Luo answered with a smile. ¡°That''s good! If there is anything, just let me know,¡± Master Yan nodded. ¡°Sure, I must take my leave now,¡± Shen Luo bowed to Master Yan and turned to leave. In the evening, a swath of red clouds ignited the sky, looking from inside Tianji City as if the City Wall was ablaze with blood-red flames, magnificently beautiful, attracting many disciples to stop and stare. Concerning the conflict with the uninvited guests over the past couple of days, the disciples only knew that it indeed occurred but were unaware of the specifics. After initial attention, interest gradually waned. At first, many disciples sneaked to the lake to watch from a distance Che Qingtian and his crew in the Mechanism City, but no one ever saw them come out for activities. Apart from the Tianji City disciples left to monitor, no one else visited that area. When the moon reached the treetops, two figures appeared near the lake. The monitoring disciple was about to step forward to stop them but realized it was Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Knowing they were permitted to move freely within Tianji City, the disciple remained unseen. When Shen Luo returned to his residence in the afternoon, he discovered Nie Caizhu had also come out of her seclusion. Fire Spirit Child had already examined Nie Caizhu before, providing her with a special breakthrough secret technique. She thus began her closed-doors cultivation; unfortunately, the technique had no effect, and Nie Caizhu''s cultivation level hadn''t advanced at all. ¡°I didn''t expect so much to happen in just these few days,¡± said Nie Caizhu with some emotion after hearing from Shen Luo about Che Qingtian and the others. ¡°Tianji City has truly been eventful lately. Tomorrow is the last competition, and for some reason, I feel somewhat uneasy,¡± Shen Luo said with a slight furrow of his brows. ¡°As far as I know, the Nameless Elder should be the strongest among the elders. I think there''s no need to worry too much. Plus, even if they win, there''s still the City Lord to contend with afterwards; I imagine they won''t be able to make much of a splash,¡± Nie Caizhu said. ¡°Mm, you have a point there,¡± Shen Luo nodded. The two of them walked side by side, suddenly falling into silence. After a few steps, they stopped simultaneously, exchanged glances, and then both laughed. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Shen Luo curiously asked. ¡°And what are you laughing at?¡± Nie Caizhu countered. ¡°I was just remembering the first time we met,¡± Shen Luo replied. ¡°Back then, we were both scared witless by the bandits, and you pretended to be a passerby and tricked me, making me worried all along the way,¡± Nie Caizhu recalled and couldn''t help but say. Hearing this, Shen Luo laughed even harder and asked, ¡°So what are you laughing at?¡± ¡°I was just remembering how, when the Prefect of Leizhou''s retainer and my third uncle came to Shen Mansion forcing me to return for marriage, you confronted them,¡± Nie Caizhu giggled. ¡°Haha, speaking of that, it seems that was the time I genuinely protected you. Afterwards, it turned out that you often had to come support me several times. I''m really quite ashamed,¡± Shen Luo said, scratching his head. ¡°Not at all, if possible, I''d still hope that you could always stand in front of me, protecting me,¡± Nie Caizhu showed a rare tender side as her voice became softer. ¡°I will,¡± Shen Luo gently took her hand and held it tightly. Their shadows drew closer, stretching longer under the moonlight. As they nearly reached the lake, Shen Luo spotted the bright lights on Mechanism City from afar and stopped. ¡°Che Qingtian and his people are there; we better not go that way,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Alright,¡± Nie Caizhu nodded. Just as they were about to turn back, Shen Luo suddenly furrowed his brows and looked toward the ground. The forest floor was covered with fallen leaves, and the soil was somewhat loose and moist, appearing unremarkable. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Nie Caizhu asked softly. ¡°There is someone using an underground escape,¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows and said. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu hurriedly released her Divine Sense to scan the area, and indeed also noticed distinct Mana fluctuations. ¡°It seems they are targeting the Nameless Elder. I will go and see what''s happening; you go inform Elder Fu,¡± Shen Luo said, his brows still furrowed. Before Nie Caizhu could even reply, Shen Luo had already taken out an Escape Earth Talisman and applied it to himself. Then, his body shrank into the ground, chasing after that Qi. Chapter 1523 – 1523 1519 Top Chapter 1523: Chapter 1519: Top-notch Trapping Formation Chapter 1523: Chapter 1519: Top-notch Trapping Formation Upon entering the underground, Shen Luo realized that there was more than one presence ahead, all heading in the same direction, towards the mansion of the Nameless Elder. His mind stirred, and he immediately gave chase with all his might. Meanwhile, the Nameless Elder was in a secret chamber in his mansion, inspecting and adjusting a tall armored warrior clad in red. The warrior was over ten feet tall, with two crimson dual blades hanging from his waist, looking imposing and formidable. ¡°The attack charm patterns should be strengthened to enhance their power. If the speed is slower, so be it¨C the defenses of the Raging Sun Armor are not weak; it is not much of a problem,¡± the Nameless Elder murmured to himself as he altered the yan patterns on the arms of the armored warrior. ¡°Can''t you change this habit of talking to yourself? You''re not usually talkative. Why do you keep nagging every time you refine an Armor?¡± Elder Fu couldn''t help but tease. At this moment, he sat on the ground not far away, bored, toying with a Wine Gourd in his hand. ¡°I didn''t ask you to listen to my ramblings; you chose to come on your own,¡± the Nameless Elder responded, without even lifting his eyes. ¡°Hey! Don''t bite the hand that feeds you. Can''t you see when someone''s trying to help? I came here out of goodwill to protect you, and you''re not even appreciative,¡± Elder Fu said, with a tone of irritation. Hearing this, the Nameless Elder chose not to reply. ¡°What do you think about the furnace that Shen Luo brought out today? It seemed to be of an unusually high grade,¡± Elder Fu broke the silence after a moment. ¡°You should ask Man Bo about that; how would I know?¡± the Nameless Elder replied. ¡°I asked, but Man Bo wouldn''t say. He just told me not to covet that furnace,¡± Elder Fu said, with a sense of resignation. ¡°Heed the advice, and you''ll feed well,¡± the Nameless Elder retorted, uninterested in further conversation. ¡°Hey, I was just thinking if there''s any Magical Treasure or Armor that I could trade with Shen Luo. I''m not up to no good. You two shouldn''t think so poorly of me!¡± Elder Fu hastily explained. ¡°Right now, I just wish you would shut up and let me quietly adjust this Armor to make sure we don''t embarrass Tianji City tomorrow,¡± the Nameless Elder expressed. ¡°Forget it, there''s nothing for me to do here, and I''m just becoming a nuisance. Might as well go back and get some sleep,¡± Elder Fu said, picking up his Wine Gourd, ready to leave. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, the entire secret chamber suddenly shook violently. Both Elder Fu and the Nameless Elder were startled and looked down at the ground. Then, a series of sounds of the earth breaking continued to emerge, and the ground around them neatly cracked open, with large black metal steles rising up from Underground, enclosing them at the center. ¡°Yinshu Ancient Array, this is not good!¡± the Nameless Elder immediately recognized the ancient yan patterns on the metal steles. ¡°Let''s go,¡± Elder Fu shouted. However, before they could move, the charm patterns engraved on the eight black metal steles around them lit up simultaneously. Then, with a flash of thunder and a blaze of fire, black Thunder and Lightning shot out from the eight metal steles, connecting to each other and quickly forming a black lightning cage. Elder Fu swung his hand and a fist-sized Silver Sphere shot out, striking a metal stele and exploding into a burst of intense flames and a thunderous explosion at the moment of impact. The enormous force shook the Ground violently, but not a spark of fire broke through the black Thunder Cage; it was forcefully stopped, causing the unreleased energies to violently surge within the cage. Elder Fu and the Nameless Elder were both impacted, casting spells to defend themselves. ¡°This seems to be the Lei Ji Array Method from the ancient Yan Technique formations, an extreme example of a trapping formation. It has been lost within our Tianji City, yet they still possess it,¡± lamented the Nameless Elder. ¡°At a time like this, let''s not admire their work. Who knows if Che Qingtian''s men have only targeted you, or the entire Tianji City,¡± expressed Elder Fu with worry. ¡°If he truly aims to seize the position of City Lord, he most likely just wants to confine me, preventing me from participating in tomorrow''s contest, hence losing the match. But if it''s for something else, I fear other troubles may have already erupted within Tianji City¡­¡± mused the Nameless Elder. ¡°Looking at it, he''s not just trying to confine you. That''s too simple,¡± said Elder Fu as he raised his hand and pointed upwards. Following Elder Fu''s gesture, the Nameless Elder looked up to see a cluster of black thunder and lightning condensing at the top of the cage, with a ¡°sizzling¡± black lightning spear gradually taking shape. ¡°Boom¡± Accompanied by a thunderous roar, the black lightning spear shot straight downward, stabbing towards the two elders from above. The distance from the top of the cage to the ground was merely a few dozen feet, yet the black spear managed to unleash an incredibly terrifying power, plummeting at an extremely fast speed. At the critical moment, the Nameless Elder pulled Elder Fu and ducked under the Raging Sun Armor. At the same time, the charm patterns on the Raging Sun Armor lit up, and two massive palms overlapped each other, shielding the elders from above. The black lightning spear pierced straight into the palms of the armor, with constant bursts of electric light, a strong force staggered the Raging Sun Armor, yet its hands remained as steady as Mount Tai above. ¡°Boom¡± As another explosion thundered, the black lightning spear ultimately penetrated the palms of the armor, embedding deeply into the ground before the two men, its power finally exhausted. ¡°What tremendous power,¡± Elder Fu couldn''t help but exclaim. ¡°They are intent on killing, their goal is definitely not just to confine me, something big might be happening in the city,¡± the Nameless Elder said, his expression turning serious. His eyes sharpened, and he stood up straight. The Raging Sun Armor behind him withdrew the hands that had been protecting the elders'' heads, disregardful of the pierced voids in its palms, and reached back to pull out two crimson long knives. At the same time, another black lightning spear was condensing atop the thunder net ceiling of the cage above their heads, abruptly plummeting downwards. The Raging Sun Armor held the knives in both hands, waving them simultaneously to strike upwards. Two streams of crimson light burst crisscrossing from the blades, meeting in mid-air to form a cross-slash that collided with the black lightning spear, immediately causing a loud explosion. The black lightning spear instantly shattered, countless sparks scattering like snakes in all directions, while the intersecting blades of light hit the thunder net above. ¡°Zzzzzap¡± The electric network of the cage flashed with lightning, and as the blade light fell upon it, it was quickly engulfed and disappeared without a trace. At the same time, the Yan patterns on the surrounding eight metal steles lit up in succession. Only then did the Nameless Elder and his companion see that the central patterns within those charm patterns were none other than the long-lost Ancient Gu Yan Tattoo. Chapter 1524 Chapter 1524: Chapter 1520: Having Ulterior Motives Chapter 1524: Chapter 1520: Having Ulterior Motives Nameless Elder and Elder Fu exchanged glances, their expressions both darkening. In conjunction with other Formation Patterns, this Ancient Gu Yan Tattoo formed an almost perfect trapping Array. Any attempt by those trapped inside to break the Array with their attacks would result in their power being absorbed by the Ancient Gu Yan Tattoo, not only failing to break the Array but also transferring their power into it, making the Array even more impregnable. Thus, the only way to break the situation inside the Great Formation was to continuously attack it with one''s own power, hoping to reach the Limit and finally bursting the Great Formation with a massive amount of energy, causing it to collapse. But at the moment, not only was the Ancient Gu Yan Tattoo present, but even the materials of the eight Metal Steles making up the Great Formation were extraordinary. Even if Nameless Elder and Elder Fu worked together, they would likely struggle to exceed its capacity. Moreover, this wasn''t merely a trapping Array but also a killing Array. If Nameless Elder and Elder Fu recklessly attacked the Great Formation, trying to burst it with their own power, then the Array would absorb their attack power, enhancing the assaults from the Black Lightning Spear. As long as they failed to break the Great Formation in one fell swoop, the Array''s assault would only grow more fierce, while they, with their Mana depleting, would only grow weaker, a process of the strong enemy weakening them gradually. Therefore, the best approach for them now was not to actively attack, but to passively defend and wait for rescue. ¡°What should we do?¡± Elder Fu hesitated. ¡°There''s no other way but to attack unreservedly. We still don''t know what the situation is like outside, we can''t just wait here for rescue,¡± said Nameless Elder. ¡°Then let''s do it, go all out!¡± Elder Fu also knew this was the only way, so he rolled up his sleeves, ready to give it his all. But just then, they suddenly heard a booming sound like distant thunder coming from underground, followed by the entire ground starting to shake violently. ¡°What''s this¡­¡± Elder Fu exclaimed in surprise. ¡°It seems reinforcements have arrived, attacking the Great Formation. We shouldn''t exert ourselves for now, let''s wait and see,¡± Nameless Elder also rejoiced. Both immediately stopped their offensive, focusing solely on defense and refraining from retaliating. ¡­ Below the Secret Chamber, who knew when but a vast Void had already been hollowed out, revealing eight huge Metal Steles piercing through the ceiling. Compared to the parts sticking out from the Ground, this lower part was the main body of the Great Formation. The Yan Patterns engraved on it were incredibly intricate and also glowed, albeit without producing lightning bolts. At this moment, in the Underground Space, seven or eight corpses lay scattered about, and only two people were still Standing, confronting each other. One of them was a Young man holding a Sword single-handedly, his clothing covered with corrosion marks, hair disheveled, looking slightly disheveled¨Cnaturally, it was Shen Luo. The one he was facing was cloaked in a black robe obscuring a slightly hunched figure; the person was supporting themselves with a Walking Stick, hair full of Silver¨Cthis was Nurse Yu, underling of Che Qingtian. ¡°Such an extensive Underground Cave could not have been dug in a short time. During these Two Days of the competition, you must have secretly sent people here to dig and form this Array, right?¡± Shen Luo''s chest rose and fell slightly as he spoke. ¡°That''s correct, what can you do now that you know? We thought only Nameless was in the Secret Chamber, we didn''t expect Elder Fu to be in there too. This time, we got two for the price of one,¡± Nurse Yu scoffed coldly. She squinted her eyes, staring at Shen Luo with considerable wariness in her gaze. Among the few people brought by Che Qingtian, her cultivation level was not very high, having just barely broken through to the Late True Immortal Stage, but she was always meticulously thoughtful and good at leveraging Array of Ancient Yan Text, which is why Che Qingtian had her come here secretly for this task. She initially thought that everything was ready here, and she only needed to activate the Array to unexpectedly control the Nameless Elder and even kill him within the array, but she didn''t expect to encounter Shen Luo. At first, Nurse Yu did not take Shen Luo seriously, considering he was merely at the Early True Immortal stage and was alone; she thought it would be easy to handle him. However, as soon as the two sides engaged in combat, she realized that Shen Luo was extremely resolute and ruthless in his actions, and his combat experience was profoundly seasoned. In just a few exchanges, all the people she brought to activate the Great Formation were killed by Shen Luo. If those people were here, even if the Nameless Elder and Elder Fu did not counterattack the Great Formation, they could still enhance the Array''s power through spell casting until the two were eliminated. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But now, that was clearly impossible. ¡°What exactly did you come to Tianji City for?¡± Shen Luo stared fixedly at Nurse Yu and asked again. ¡°Of course it''s for the position of the City Lord, what else could it be for?¡± Nurse Yu answered. ¡°You think you can''t win the Three Trials of Tianji, and that Che Qingtian is no match for Junior Master, so you resort to these despicable tactics.¡± Shen Luo sneered. ¡°You''re talking nonsense, my master is a legitimate practitioner of the Yan Technique, how could he be inferior to that illegitimate guy?¡± Nurse Yu, hearing this, flew into a rage. Seeing that provocation worked, Shen Luo inwardly delighted and spoke again: ¡°Junior Master leads Tianji City, promoting the Yan Technique gloriously. Your worthless master isn''t even worthy to carry his shoes. If you really were capable, why wouldn''t you dare to compete openly, instead of choosing the time when Junior Master is secluding himself and resorting to these vile tactics?¡± ¡°You¡­ you, you''re seeking death. If it weren''t for the lack of time, we¡­¡± Nurse Yu, trembling with anger, was about to retort but then realized she had almost fallen into Shen Luo''s trap. ¡°So you indeed have ulterior motives.¡± Shen Luo''s expression darkened. ¡°Hmph, what can you do even if you know? You all are going to die today.¡± Nurse Yu snorted coldly. With that, she brought her walking stick down heavily on the ground, and some fine dust indiscernible to the naked eye scattered from it. In the previously empty underground space, a large cloud of purple smoke suddenly appeared. Shen Luo, seeing this, immediately realized that the old woman was merely buying time by talking so much. ¡°Die.¡± Nurse Yu shouted angrily and gestured with her hand. In a flash, the thick purple fog began to churn violently and surged towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, and he saw the purple fog in mid-air begin to condense on its own, with a fierce human face emerging first, followed by the limbs and torso, forming a purple Armored Warrior. One of its hands reached into its abdomen and pulled out a Purple Patterned Long Knife with a fierce tug, while the other hand was enveloped in purple mist, condensing into a bizarre, single-horned Dragon Head. ¡°Is this also Armor?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise upon seeing this. As soon as the purple Armored Warrior formed, its speed suddenly increased manifold and in an instant, it reached in front of Shen Luo and slashed horizontally at him. The trajectory of the knife rippled with streaks of purple light, and it directly cleaved the Void, leaving a visible crack. Chapter 1525 Chapter 1525: Chapter 1521: Dangerous Fight Chapter 1525: Chapter 1521: Dangerous Fight Shen Luo''s Slanting Moon Steps immediately unfolded beneath his feet, taking a step back as the descending long knife blade narrowly missed him, creating a huge gash in the ground in an instant. At the same time, a ripping sound ¡°chi la¡± erupted. A piece of clothing on Shen Luo''s chest and abdomen, without being cut, was torn open. ¡°Is it the aftermath of the sword light?¡± He felt a slight suspicion in his heart, but his actions did not slow down; the Pure Yang Flying Sword swept across, aiming horizontally at the purple armored warrior. To his surprise, the edge of the Pure Yang Flying Sword met no resistance, easily chopping into the right rib of the armored warrior. If Shen Luo had not timely restrained the sword force, it would have swept through his entire body. ¡°Not right.¡± Shen Luo thought secretly in his heart, and immediately a vigorous flame ignited on the Pure Yang Flying Sword. The fierce flames surged to the sky, instantly engulfing the body of the purple armored warrior, even bursting out from its hollow eye sockets, yet its figure did not disappear. The purple armored warrior retracted its long knife and slashed horizontally at Shen Luo again. Shen Luo immediately withdrew his longsword to block, clashing heavily with the blade. As a sharp clang resounded, Shen Luo''s eyes flickered and he immediately ducked lower. An invisible sharp edge nearly scraped past his scalp, striking a black metal stele behind him, leaving a clear mark on the incredibly durable stele. ¡°Purple Stream''s slashes cannot be defended against¡­¡± on one side, Nurse Yu controlling the armor said proudly. As her voice faded, the other hand of the purple armored warrior suddenly reached towards Shen Luo, with two yellow glimmers lighting up in the eyeballs on its unique dragon head, as the dragon mouth abruptly opened. The next instant, a purple chain with a ¡°clang¡± sound, lunged out, stabbing straight towards Shen Luo''s chest. Seeing this, Shen Luo immediately roared in anger. He immediately activated the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation secret technique. Chiyou''s Demonic Qi and Pure Yang Power surged on his body, causing his body to undergo a transformation where both dragon scales and devil armor covered him. At the same time, the aura of his cultivation level explosively increased, reaching the mid-term peak of True Immortals in an instant. Since the attacks from this Purple Stream Armor could not be defended, Shen Luo planned to harshly test blocking it. As soon as the armor appeared, the purple chain had already pierced his body. A powerful impact forced him to involuntarily step back, his chest scale armor instantly shattered, splashing blood light, and an indescribable burning sensation spread rapidly from the wound. Shen Luo''s eyebrows frowned as he swung the Pure Yang Flying Sword at the purple chain in vain. The sword body coiled around, wrapping the purple chain around it, pulling towards himself. Indeed, as he thought, this purple chain, like that long knife, was not an intangible object. Yanked forcibly by him, the Purple Stream Armor involuntarily moved closer to him, and Shen Luo immediately began to scrutinize it carefully with the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld. Since this thing is an armor, no matter how unimaginable its form is, there must be a core. Once the core is found and destroyed, it can be thoroughly dismantled. However, after a careful investigation, Shen Luo found nothing, and the long knife of the Purple Stream Armor suddenly turned around, stabbing directly at his head. Shen Luo''s thoughts flickered, and instead of retreating to evade, he stepped forward, crashing head-on into the Purple Stream Armor. His head first penetrated into the body of the Purple Stream Armor, then passed through the chest of the armor, emerging from its back, nearly embedding his entire body inside the armor. Just as Shen Luo was about to pass entirely through, the head and arms of the Purple Stream Armor suddenly twisted 180 degrees to the back, and the long knife in its hand also flipped, stabbing straight towards its own back. At that moment, Shen Luo''s body was embedded in the Purple Stream Armor, unable to escape quickly, and if the knife penetrated, he would surely be severely injured. But just then, an ethereal and hollow flute sound suddenly arose, causing the Purple Stream Armor''s form to stiffen abruptly, and the motion of stabbing its knife froze mid-air. A pitch-black figure slowly rose from Shen Luo''s shadow, holding a long flute across and playing it. This person was none other than Ghost General Zhao Feiji. He played the Dragon-burying Flute, and waves of Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound spread out invisibly, crashing like tidal waves towards Nurse Yu. She was originally focused on controlling the armor to fight Shen Luo. Caught off-guard by the demonic sound controlling her mind, her eyes revealed a dazed expression, her body swaying slightly with the music. However, it was only a momentary pause; a strange light flickered in her eyes, and her Divine Sense suddenly regained clarity. She swung her staff towards Zhao Feiji while still controlling the armor to continue its movements. Yet, with this brief respite, how could Shen Luo not firmly seize the opportunity? His figure retreated rapidly, and with a ¡°whoosh¡±, he escaped from inside the armor. The long knife in the hands of the Purple Stream Armor stabbed into the air, piercing through its own chest and abdomen. As Shen Luo hastily retreated, his brow suddenly raised, vaguely noticing a strangely shaped gemstone embedded at the top of the knife handle, engraved with fine patterns. But before he could get a clear look, the long knife had already pierced through the armor''s body, protruding further. Shen Luo quickly dodged aside, meanwhile releasing the longsword he had been tightly holding. Raising his hand to perform a Sword technique, a surge of Sword Qi suddenly burst from within his sleeve, and with another ¡°whoosh¡±, a crimson longsword, almost identical in shape to the Pure Yang Flying Sword, was shot out. It was one of the other six Pure Yang Flying Swords that Shen Luo refined from the Ten Thousand Years Fire Scale Wood. The sword cut through the Void, emitting a whistling sound, instantly severing the purple chains wrapped around the previous Pure Yang Flying Sword. The two Pure Yang Flying Swords, like two close brothers, resonated and vibrated together, then crisscrossed while shooting out, heading straight for the Purple Stream Armor. When the swords combined, their Sword light greatly brightened, flames rose along the Sword body, drawing a line of fire in mid-air, shooting directly towards Nurse Yu. She had just freed herself from the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound and was fighting with Zhao Feiji when suddenly she felt a strong Sword Qi enveloping her from behind. She immediately forced Zhao Feiji back with a palm and controlled the Purple Stream Armor to retreat and protect herself. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But Shen Luo, now free, didn''t idle either; flipping his hand, he took out another Pure Yang Flying Sword. The Moonlight flashed rapidly under his feet, his figure almost clinging to the armor as he chased after it. Nurse Yu, sensing danger, waved her hand, and an octagonal Copper Bell suddenly flew out overhead, lighting up, and a yellow light suddenly enveloped her, accompanied by a ¡°humming¡± sound. A burst of extremely intense sound waves surged downward, rolling outwards, causing the Void to tremble, instantly blasting Zhao Feiji, who was closest, away. The two combined Pure Yang Flying Swords struck against the light shield formed by the copper bell with a ¡°clang¡±, recoiled, and were sent flying back. On the yellow light shield, a crack also appeared, which could not heal for a long time. Chapter 1526 Chapter 1526: Chapter 1522: The Fist Strikes, The Formation Breaks Chapter 1526: Chapter 1522: The Fist Strikes, The Formation Breaks Nurse Yu stabilized her stance, then immediately drove the Purple Stream Armor to attack Shen Luo. However, by this time, Shen Luo had already grown accustomed to the armor''s attack methods and speed, and he promptly ducked in just the right way to avoid the strike. Simultaneously, he used one hand to uphold and withstand the Long Knife of the armor, while the other hand, clutching a Longsword, thrust towards the very end of the Long Knife''s hilt held by the Purple Stream Armor. Only a ¡°crack¡± sound was heard! The gemstone at the tip of the Long Knife cracked upon impact, spraying a purple halo. Immediately after, the movements of the armor came to a complete halt, and the purple smoke that formed its shape started to disperse unconstrainedly. Simultaneously, the Long Knife also dropped to the ground with a ¡°clack¡±. ¡°As expected, the key of the armor is not within its body but hidden in the weapon,¡± Shen Luo said with a light chuckle upon seeing this. Nurse Yu saw the Purple Stream Armor defeated and a flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but she soon regained her composure and looked at Shen Luo with a bit of pity: ¡°While you''ve been wasting your time here, Tianji City is about to return to its master''s hands.¡± Shen Luo certainly understood the meaning of her words, but at the moment, he must first rescue the Nameless Elder and Elder Fu before he can attend to other matters. Besides, he also believed that as long as Little Master was still in Tianji City, they wouldn''t be able to cause much of a stir. ¡°Since you prefer to hide your head like a turtle, then just stay here obediently and watch how I break your Formation,¡± Shen Luo said with an unaffected smile. Having said that, he approached one of the Metal Steles at the base and swung his Longsword heavily down on the Stele. Enveloped with blazing Flame, the Longsword struck the Stele, scattering flames everywhere. However, the sturdiness of the Stele was far beyond Shen Luo''s expectations. When the flames and Sword light dispersed, only a shallow mark remained on it. Shen Luo''s brow furrowed slightly, then he channeled his Mana once more, delivering an even more powerful and heavier slash at the Stele. But when the Flame extinguished, what remained on the Metal Stele was still just a white mark, albeit slightly deeper, yet still undamaged. ¡°Haha, it seems you have no idea how to handle the Yinshu Ancient Array I''ve set up,¡± Nurse Yu said, her face breaking into a greater smile upon seeing this. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo stepped forward to inspect the Metal Stele closely, then noticed a deeper trace near the two Sword marks, his gaze flickering suddenly, and he hurriedly looked at the Long Knife on the ground, his eyes filled with a bit of confusion. The marks on the Stele were from previous attacks of the Purple Stream Armor, yet Shen Luo remembered they were not that deep before. He quickly walked over, picked up the Long Knife from the ground, and after a moment''s hesitation, swiftly channeled the Artifact Refining Secret to refine the knife by fifty percent. Then, Shen Luo transferred his Mana into the Long Knife, the purple Yan Pattern on the blade brightening instantly. With a casual swing of the blade, Light Mark surged forth from the blade, and though it did not touch the Ground, it carved a mark on the surface. ¡°So that''s how it is¡­¡± Only now did Shen Luo realize why the Purple Stream Armor''s blade had hurt him without a direct hit? He had originally thought it was due to the sharpness of the Long Knife, but now he discovered that it was the corrosive force contained within the Qi released from the blade that caused his clothes to tear slightly after the blade passed. This was also the reason why the mark on the Stele was a bit deeper than when it was first struck. Shen Luo advanced with the blade, poured his Mana into the Long Knife, and swung down towards the previous mark on the Stele. A sharp ¡°clang¡± sound echoed. The Long Knife indeed cut into the mark on the Stele, but it wasn''t deep, and no significant change was visible. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not rush to pull out the Long Knife, but continued to channel his Mana into the blade, stirring it to unleash waves of corrosive knife Qi, relentlessly bombarding the cut mark. This move turned out to be effective. The cut mark within the Metal Stele began to expand visibly. ¡°You''re seeking death.¡± At this point, Nurse Yu finally couldn''t sit still any longer. She retracted the Octagonal Copper Bell hovering above her head and charged out of the protective Light Shield, wielding her Walking Stick and thrusting it directly towards Shen Luo''s back. The Ghost General, seeing this, also immediately pursued Nurse Yu to attack. Just then, Shen Luo suddenly turned around and shouted, ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± He then suddenly opened his mouth and spat out six Pure Yang Flying Swords at once. Each sword split into three Sword Shadows, transforming into eighteen Flying Swords flying towards the old woman from various angles. Although these eighteen Flying Swords didn''t form a Sword Array, each one was precisely angled. Together with Zhao Feiji from the rear, they blocked all of Nurse Yu''s potential escape routes. Seeing this, the old woman''s figure suddenly sank, attempting to escape underground once again. However, Shen Luo wasn''t about to give her the chance. Just as she dropped down, forcefully diverting one of the Pure Yang Flying Swords, a figure emerged unexpectedly through the earth, holding the seventh Pure Yang Flying Sword, lunging directly at the old woman''s heart. It turned out that Shen Luo had prepared a retreat for himself when he came pursuing, placing the Taiyi Armor deeper underground. If he couldn''t overcome the opponent, he would escape underground and use it to fend off the enemy to save himself. Unexpectedly, this became a brilliant finishing move to execute Nurse Yu. Nurse Yu was shocked but knew she had no way to dodge. The Walking Stick in her hand glowed brightly as she exhausted all her strength to stab at the suddenly appearing figure below. Both struck the other nearly at the same time. It was a pity that the Taiyi Armor was exceptionally sturdy, and Nurse Yu''s Walking Stick couldn''t penetrate it, while the Pure Yang Flying Sword pierced through her chest. Time was of the essence, and Shen Luo dared not leave any vulnerabilities, immediately urging the Pure Yang Flying Sword. A piercing cry sounded, and a firebird spread its wings on the Sword body. In an instant, the fiery flames engulfed Nurse Yu''s body. Shen Luo, seeing the burning flames and no longer sensing Nurse Yu''s Breath, exhaled and turned back to continue corroding the Metal Stele with the Long Knife. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After a while, the cracks on the Metal Stele gradually widened and finally broke apart completely. Shen Luo then punched the broken Metal Stele, splitting it from the Fissure into two. The upper half of the Stele fell heavily, and the Array of Ancient Yan Text was finally broken; a beam of light immediately came down through the cave entrance in the dome. Shen Luo looked up and saw a head appearing in the Void, shouting down, ¡°Who is breaking the Formation below?¡± ¡°Elder Fu, it''s me.¡± Shen Luo recognized the voice and responded. ¡°Good kid, well done,¡± Elder Fu exclaimed with joy and praised. ¡°Friend Shen, come up and talk first. What exactly happened in Tianji City?¡± The voice of the Nameless Elder followed. Shen Luo acknowledged, withdrawing the Pure Yang Flying Swords and Taiyi Armor with his hand and sending the Ghost General back to the Free and Easy Mirror. Just as he was about to ascend, he glanced at the half Metal Stele on the Ground, waved his hand to put it into the Storage Ring, then leaped up, passing through the Hole into the Secret Chamber of the Nameless Elder. Chapter 1527 Chapter 1527: Chapter 1523: Illogical Chapter 1527: Chapter 1523: Illogical ¡°Friend Shen, what happened in Tianji City, why are you the one coming to aid?¡± Nameless Elder looked at the battle traces left on Shen Luo''s body and asked with confusion. ¡°Two Elders, actually I also don''t know what has happened, I just accidentally discovered someone burrowing towards your direction, so I followed along and found out you might be trapped by the Great Formation, so I tried to rescue you,¡± replied Shen Luo. While they were talking, a noisy commotion erupted outside, and they hurriedly opened the Secret Chamber''s Big Gate and went out to greet it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just as they stepped out, they saw Elder Mo Wang arriving with seven or eight Tianji City Elders and numerous disciples at the door of the Secret Chamber, planning to forcibly break through the Big Gate. ¡°Mo Wang, weren''t you still in closed-door recuperation, how come you came out?¡± asked Elder Fu, surprised. ¡°Miss Nie interrupted my closed-door recuperation, informing me that Elder Nameless was in danger, so I immediately brought people over to support, what happened to you all?¡± Elder Mo Wang also said, surprised. ¡°We were indeed attacked by Che Qingtian''s men, almost trapped inside the Great Formation and couldn''t get out, it was Daoist Shen Luo who rescued us,¡± explained Nameless Elder. ¡°I had asked Cai Zhu to seek Elder Fu for help earlier, she must have not found anyone and then went to inform Elder Mo Wang. Right, where is Cai Zhu, where is she?¡± Shen Luo looked around, but didn''t see her figure. ¡°I had Miss Nie help to inform Elder Manbo, she should be at the Lianyan Workshop now,¡± Elder Mo Wang said. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt slightly relieved. ¡°Is there anything unusual in other parts of the city?¡± Nameless Elder quickly asked. ¡°Currently, no abnormalities have been found in other places, Master Yan has already led people to inspect, it should¡­¡± Elder Mo Wang didn''t finish his words, and suddenly a tremendous booming sound came from afar. Everyone hurriedly looked towards the sound, only to see a pillar of fire shooting up into the sky in the distance, reaching a hundred feet high and almost illuminating the entire Tianji City like daylight. ¡°That direction¡­¡± Elder Fu frowned. ¡°It''s the Lianyan Workshop, that''s terrible,¡± Shen Luo immediately exclaimed. Without caring for anything else, he immediately released his Escape Light, instantly transformed into a rainbow and disappeared from the spot. Seeing this, Nameless Elder instructed, ¡°Elder Fu, you take people straight to Che Qingtian and others'' stationed place, check their movements, and if there is any abnormality, immediately take action to capture them, and if necessary, you can directly kill.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Elder Fu answered, and immediately took people and left. ¡°Mo Wang, you also take some people to find Master Yan, prioritize ensuring his safety,¡± Nameless Elder then said to Elder Mo Wang. Elder Mo Wang nodded and also left immediately with people. The remaining people then followed Nameless Elder and hurried towards the Lianyan Workshop. When Shen Luo arrived at the Lianyan Workshop, seeing the scene in front of him, he couldn''t help but freeze on the spot. At this moment, the entire Lianyan Workshop had been razed to the ground, all that met the eyes were ruins and pitch-black traces of Flame Burns. ¡°Cai Zhu, Elder Manbo?¡± Shen Luo immediately called out loudly. His divine soul was also released at the same time, carefully searching through this patch of ruins. At that moment, a collapsed wall was suddenly lifted by a force from below, revealing Nie Caizhu''s figure. ¡°I''m here,¡± she lightly called out. Shen Luo hurriedly ran over upon seeing this, only to find Nie Caizhu with her clothes stained with blood, squatting on the ground. At her feet, another person was lying, also covered in blood¨Cit was Elder Manbo. ¡°Cai Zhu, how are you, are you injured?¡± Shen Luo asked anxiously. ¡°I''m fine, just some minor injuries, but Elder Manbo is severely wounded and has passed out,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head and said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo took a closer look to confirm that Nie Caizhu was not seriously hurt, then he bent down to examine Elder Manbo''s injuries carefully. ¡°What happened here?¡± Shen Luo asked while examining the injuries. ¡°I''m not very clear either. When I arrived here, I saw this place was shielded by an Array that isolates spiritual power fluctuations. Worried that Elder Manbo had been attacked, I hurriedly started breaking the Array. It was quite difficult to break through the Array and enter the Lianyan Workshop, but once inside, I saw three people jointly attacking Elder Manbo. He was already severely injured by that time,¡± Nie Caizhu explained. ¡°Elder Nameless was also attacked, but fortunately, he wasn''t injured. Where did those attackers go?¡± Shen Luo took out an Elixir and administered it to Elder Manbo. ¡°When they saw me, one of them split off to fight with me, leaving the other two to continue their attack on Elder Manbo. They quickly inflicted serious injuries on him, then dropped a crimson sphere and ran away. I didn''t pursue them in order to protect Elder Manbo, so I didn''t see where they escaped to,¡± Nie Caizhu continued. ¡°What exactly are these guys trying to do¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered thoughtfully. No sooner had he spoken than another booming noise erupted from other parts of Tianji City, followed by a burst of shouting. In the night, flames shot up all around. At that moment, Elder Nameless also arrived with others, learned the situation here, and a look of hesitation flashed across his eyes. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he turned to look up into the high altitude, where he saw a Mechanism City rising from a distance, hovering above Tianji City. ¡°Disciples of Tianji City, heed my words. I am a descendant of the First Generation City Lord, Che Yuan. The position of the City Lord has been usurped. Today I rise to reclaim the position of City Lord. All who abandon the dark and come to the light shall be rewarded. Anyone who rebels and resists, shall die!¡± A figure stood on the City Wall of the Mechanism City and loudly declared. ¡°Che Qingtian¡­¡± Elder Nameless said slowly, his eyes filled with murderous intent. ¡°Why would these guys do this? Could it be that knowing they can''t win against you tomorrow, they chose to attack in advance?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled yet feeling something was off. ¡°I also find it suspicious,¡± Elder Nameless admitted, a hint of unease in his heart. ¡°Elder, why did they only send Nurse Yu to set up the Formation against you, but have three people come to assassinate Elder Manbo? He won earlier today; killing him seems pointless now, right?¡± Shen Luo questioned. ¡°Indeed, it doesn''t make sense,¡± Elder Nameless nodded in agreement. ¡°Right, after they injured Elder Manbo earlier, they also searched him and eventually took away two of his Storage Rings,¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly recalled. Hearing this, Elder Nameless immediately bent down to search Elder Manbo''s body. ¡°Perhaps their target was Elder Manbo all along¡­¡± Soon, his expression grew even graver. ¡°Could it be that they wanted something from Elder Manbo?¡± Shen Luo quickly caught on. ¡°It''s the Elder''s Token,¡± Elder Nameless pondered. ¡°What do they want the token for?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°That¡­ you don''t know¡­¡± Elder Nameless started to explain, but just then, an intense blaze erupted above. From the Mechanism City, violent booms echoed, and huge flames, like a rain of fiery meteors, bombarded from above, scattering towards the ground. All over the city, places were attacked, lighting up countless fires in an instant. Chapter 1528 Chapter 1528: Chapter 1524: Qingqiu Reappears Chapter 1528: Chapter 1524: Qingqiu Reappears ¡°Damn it!¡± The Nameless Elder''s eyes were about to split open, and he bellowed in rage. Then Shen Luo saw densely packed figures emerging on the City Wall, all of them leaping into the air and descending toward Tianji City. Shen Luo''s gaze tightened as he saw that over half of these figures were Puppet Armors of varying sizes, all radiating strong fluctuations, at least at the Great Mahayana Stage. The remaining figures were all clad in black robes, evidently monks beyond the Great Mahayana Stage. Seeing this, the Nameless Elder raised his hand and shot a crimson light from his sleeve into the pitch-black night sky where it burst forth. Scattered crimson light revealed the character ¡°Danger.¡± For the first time in hundreds of years, Tianji City had issued an order for crisis, signaling an unprecedented emergency. All people in the city were mobilized immediately to defend the walls. Instantly, numerous beams of light soared into the sky within Tianji City, Yan Patterns ignited at various points on the City Walls, and a giant golden light curtain rose first, enveloping the entire Tianji City within it. Following that, cries of battle erupted from various locations within the city, countless Puppet Armors were dispatched, their numbers far exceeding those flying out from the Mechanism City, swarming like a dense cloud towards the Mechanism City. ¡°Since you dare to storm the city, today you''ll be trapped like a rat in a hole; none of you shall escape,¡± the Nameless Elder looked up towards Che Qingtian on the Mechanism City Wall and shouted. Shen Luo watched this spectacular scene, utterly shocked in his heart. The Nameless Elder ordered people to protect Elder Manbo and then said to Shen Luo, ¡°Friend Shen, the situation today is urgent, I''m afraid we''ll need your full effort.¡± ¡°Just give the order, Elder,¡± Shen Luo replied with a salute. ¡°Elder Fu Hai, Elder Yu Ji, you two join forces to activate ''Annihilation,'' spare no expense to destroy that Mechanism City, and don''t let any of the controlling monks escape. Eliminate them all,¡± the Nameless Elder looked at two Elders behind him and ordered. ¡°At your command.¡± The two did not hesitate long before taking a golden token from the Nameless Elder and departed. ¡°Friend Shen, let''s go too,¡± the Nameless Elder said. ¡°Go? What about Che Qingtian?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°Take a closer look, that ''Che Qingtian'' is merely a Puppet Armor, the real body is elsewhere,¡± the Nameless Elder shook his head and stated. Shen Luo concentrated and activated his Spirit Eye Divine Ability to look, and indeed, it was not a real person. ¡°No wonder it is only him standing alone, without any sight of the people from Hou Shan. So, they are launching such a fierce attack as a diversion, to cover their true motives,¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized. ¡°Exactly, they have been scheming to get the Elder''s Token of Tianji City, the real motive lies there.¡± Shen Luo followed the direction the Nameless Elder was pointing, and saw a massive shadow in the fiery night. ¡°Qingtian Mechanism,¡± Shen Luo frowned and said. ¡°Let''s walk and talk. They must have already started breaking the prohibitions of the Qingtian Mechanism,¡± the Nameless Elder said. With that, he turned and rushed towards that direction. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu hurriedly followed. ¡°Isn''t the Qingtian Mechanism a key force guarding Tianji City, and only the City Lord can drive it?¡± On the way, Shen Luo asked, somewhat puzzled. ¡°Usually, that''s the case. However, in emergency situations, even without the City Lord, the Qingtian Mechanism can be controlled with the tokens of the five Great Elders,¡± the Nameless Elder explained. ¡°Even so, they only have two tokens in their hands, they shouldn''t be able to control it, right?¡± Nie Caizhu said. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It is said so, but don''t forget, Che Qingtian is a descendant of Che Yuan, the first-generation City Lord, and this Qingtian Mechanism was refined by the first-generation City Lord himself. Whether there are any secret mechanisms known only to his descendants, perhaps only he knows,¡± the Nameless Elder said solemnly. Just as he finished speaking, battles erupted all over Tianji City, with lightning and fire flickering everywhere, and roars resounding through the night sky. Shen Luo heard a rumbling from behind and immediately turned around to look, only to see a crimson armored puppet, nearly thirty feet tall, rising from behind. On its neck, there were two heads side by side, one facing forward and the other backward, and on its waist were four arms, each holding a saber, a sword, an axe, and a fork, its body emitting a dense murderous aura as if it were a living being. Shen Luo knew that this was the ¡°Annihilation¡± puppet armor the Nameless Elder had mentioned, and he couldn''t help but admire its combat strength, which probably wasn''t inferior to ordinary Taiyi Cultivators; otherwise, it wouldn''t merit the simultaneous control of two Elders. The giant puppet armor then crouched down, and in a sudden leap, it soared a hundred feet into the air and heavily stomped down towards the floating Mechanism City. ¡°Boom!¡± A thunderous roar sounded, and the entire Mechanism City heavily dropped, though it did not immediately fall, it nevertheless sank slightly. Following that, shouts of killing erupted from the Mechanism City, and several figures lit up with Escape Light, floating in the air, attacking the ¡°Annihilation¡± puppet armor. At this moment, Shen Luo suddenly sensed a very familiar aura and immediately looked carefully in that direction. Among those controlling Magical Treasures in mid-air attacking the Annihilation puppet armor, he recognized a familiar figure; it was unexpectedly Elder You Li of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Shen Luo''s movement hesitated, and he stopped. He looked around carefully and was surprised to find that among the black-robed figures around, quite a few revealed characteristics of the Fox Clan during the battle, obviously also from the Qingqiu Fox Clan. ¡°Friend Shen, what''s wrong?¡± the Nameless Elder asked, frowning upon seeing this. ¡°The ones invading Tianji City seem to be people from the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡­¡± Shen Luo voiced his conjecture. ¡°What? The Qingqiu Fox Clan? Are they seeking death? They just caused a big disturbance in Chang''an City, and now they dare to cause trouble in Tianji City?¡± the Nameless Elder suddenly said in anger. ¡°It seems the matter has become even more complicated,¡± Shen Luo muttered thoughtfully. ¡°Let''s not worry about this side, let the other Elders handle it, and we''ll head to the Qingtian Mechanism. If it also falls into the hands of the enemy and gets controlled, then Tianji City will be in great turmoil,¡± the Nameless Elder said worriedly. ¡°What about Junior Master¡­¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°I''ve already consulted the City Lord on the way here; he''s currently in seclusion at a critical moment, and probably can''t leave to deal with this situation. Otherwise, the things he''s refining might fail. Right now, we can only handle it ourselves first,¡± said the Nameless Elder, with a deep frown. Even he was unclear about the purpose of this seclusion of the City Lord, only vaguely knowing it had a great connection with Shen Luo. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s expression slightly changed, showing additional concern. ¡°Don''t worry too much, as long as we handle the situation outside well and eliminate all these invaders, we won''t need to disturb the City Lord,¡± the Nameless Elder said. ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Luo responded, nodding. Chapter 1529 Chapter 1529: Chapter 1525 Upper City Chapter 1529: Chapter 1525 Upper City On the way, Shen Luo and the two others also encountered attacks from some Armor and Qingqiu Fox Clan members, but all were easily resolved by the Nameless Elder and Shen Luo. Soon, the three of them arrived beneath the Qingtian Mechanism. Although it was not the first time Shen Luo had observed the Qingtian Mechanism up close, he was still deeply shocked. This giant simply standing there gave him the oppressive feeling as if a Taiyi Cultivator himself was present. The Nameless Elder took out his Elder''s Token, waved it towards the Qingtian Mechanism, and the Yan Patterns on the token also lit up in circles. Afterward, Shen Luo saw a stream of flowing light rising swiftly from beneath the giant''s feet, encircling the giant like a ring of light, shooting straight into the high altitudes deep into the clouds. ¡°The prohibition has been opened, let''s go,¡± commanded the Nameless Elder in a low voice. The three of them leaped up at the same time, rushing directly towards the sky. Soon, Shen Luo reached just above the arms held up by the Qingtian Mechanism, and at first glance, he saw Tianji Upper City, which was held in the palm of the giant. Unlike the chaotic state of the Lower City, the Upper City was peaceful and serene, without any signs of fierce battles. ¡°What''s going on? They haven''t attacked the Upper City?¡± Shen Luo asked in surprise. ¡°The prohibitions of the Upper City were set up not only by the First Generation City Lord but also separately by the Second Generation City Lord and the Little Master. Once Tianji City is under attack, it will automatically trigger. Even if Che Qingtian and his men could break the prohibition left by the First Generation City Lord, they definitely can''t break the other two layers of prohibition momentarily; naturally, they can''t advance into the Upper City,¡± explained the Nameless Elder. ¡°If they are not in the Upper City, where is the mechanism controlling the Qingtian Mechanism?¡± asked Nie Caizhu. ¡°It should be there, right?¡± Shen Luo looked up at the majestic head of the giant and slowly said. The face of the giant was chiseled with sharp edges, devoid of any emotion, looking cold and indifferent like a heartless deity overlooking the Human World. As the three were about to approach, suddenly a yellow halo lit up above their heads, and a massive yellow pillar appeared out of nowhere in the void, smashing down towards them. The yellow pillar was engraved with complex Yan Patterns, clearly indicating it was no ordinary object. Shen Luo was the first to meet it, raising his arm and channeling the Huang Ting Jing to push against the pillar. The moment his palm touched the pillar, he felt a force as overwhelming as a mountain bearing down on him, momentarily overwhelming him. Taking a deep breath, he raised his other arm and switched to using both arms for support. Although Shen Luo managed to hold up the yellow pillar with both hands, his figure was still forcibly pressed downward, nearly falling onto the arm of the Qingtian Mechanism, when he finally stabilized his stance. But just then, from above the giant''s ear, a ¡°hehe¡± laughter was heard, and a figure descended from the sky like a meteor, smashing towards the yellow pillar. With a loud ¡°boom.¡± The figure landed heavily on the yellow pillar, and immediately a ring of Yan Pattern illuminated under its feet. Subsequently, layers of yellow halos burst forth from under their feet, continuously pressing down the yellow pillar towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo felt the force pressing down from above suddenly tripled and could no longer maintain his posture in mid-air, and he was heavily pressed down onto the arm of the Qingtian Mechanism. With his hands pushing against the sky and knees bent, his body shook back and forth, barely managing to divert the force. Just as he was prepared to exert force to counterattack, suddenly there came an intense fluctuation of Heaven and Earth Aura from above, accompanied by a muffled grunt. Shen Luo immediately felt the pressure on his body lessen, raised his arm, and tossed out the huge pillar. The massive earthy yellow pillar flew out for dozens of feet. Midair, it gradually shrank down to the thickness of a regular room''s column, before it was caught by a sturdy big man with a bulging forehead and a flat nose, who clutched it single-handedly at his waist. Shen Luo vaguely remembered this guy seemed to be called ¡°Chi Man''er¡± and appeared not very bright. He was the least noticeable among that group, yet unexpectedly, his strength was no less formidable. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, are you alright?¡± After repelling Chi Man''er, the Nameless Elder asked. ¡°I''m fine.¡± Shen Luo leaped up and arrived by the Nameless Elder''s side. At this moment, he noticed that the Nameless Elder''s right hand was wearing a pale golden weird glove adorned with silver Yan patterns, obviously another piece of Armor. ¡°It seems I miscalculated. Let''s join forces and make a quick decision,¡± said the Nameless Elder solemnly. ¡°Alright.¡± As Shen Luo''s voice fell, he gestured towards Chi Man''er and from his sleeves, jets of firelight shot out. Seven Pure Yang Flying Swords simultaneously soared out, forming a geese formation as they charged toward Chi Man''er. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As Shen Luo pinched out a magic spell, flames burst forth on the seven flying swords, and a giant firebird in the shape of a Golden Crow materialized, letting out a clear cry reminiscent of a sword''s ring. The Golden Crow firebird surged straight forth, undaunted, Chi Man''er clasped his earthy yellow pillar with both hands, twisted his waist, swung the massive cylinder horizontally striking towards the firebird. The Yan patterns on the yellow pillar lit up. Before the pillar reached its destination, a yellow halo sprung forth, its attack range suddenly increased manifold. It struck like a giant shield colliding with the Golden Crow firebird. However, just as the two were about to collide, Shen Luo flicked his fingers upwards once and then downwards. The Golden Crow firebird, transformed from the seven swords, immediately soared up, narrowly avoiding the attack of the yellow halo. In an instant, it dove toward the lower area, its enormous fiery beak leading the attack¨Cspecifically the sword edge of the leading sword, stabbing straight at Chi Man''er''s flank. Just as the strike was about to hit him, a thin figure from Hou Shan suddenly appeared beside him, palm supporting a Bronze Gourd, with a green vortex shining at the mouth facing the firebird. Shen Luo, seeing this, had alarm bells ringing in his mind and hurriedly summoned the flying swords in an attempt to call them back. However, the green vortex at the mouth of the gourd had almost enveloped the seven flying swords. The flames on the swords visibly shifted, moving towards the gourd''s vortex. For a moment, the seven flying swords could not be recalled, seemingly on the verge of being swallowed by the gourd. ¡°Indigo Ocean¡­¡± Just then, a light shout came from the side. An arrow, formed by a piercingly cold aura, struck the Bronze Gourd accurately, causing the body to tilt and the green vortex to be disturbed. Taking advantage of the situation, Shen Luo waved his hand, causing the seven flying swords to shiver tremendously, their flames scattering explosively. The flying swords finally broke free and flew back into Shen Luo''s sleeve. The scattering flames didn''t cause much damage to Hou Shan and Chi Man''er, but Nie Cai Zhu''s Indigo Ocean Divine Technique formed arrow did leave a layer of frost on the Bronze Gourd that did not thaw for a long time. Hou Shan felt a bit annoyed in his heart. His gourd, modeled after the Sword Immortal''s Sword-nourishing Gourd, was specifically good at capturing others'' Magical Treasures, especially Flying Swords. Unfortunately, its power was limited; it had to catch the opponent off guard to be effective. Now that Shen Luo was on guard, naturally, there was no chance anymore. He casually collected the gourd and jumped directly onto the giant column in Chi Man''er''s hands, crouching as he looked towards Shen Luo and the others. Chapter 1530 Chapter 1530: Chapter 1526: Deceiving the Heavens to Cross the Sea Chapter 1530: Chapter 1526: Deceiving the Heavens to Cross the Sea ¡°Our Master just came to retrieve what belongs to him, why must you obstruct him?¡± Hou Shan looked towards Shen Luo and the Nameless Elder, sighed lightly, and asked. ¡°The entrance is there; when there''s a chance later, enter through the ear hole.¡± Without replying, the Nameless Elder pointed upwards towards the giant''s right ear and transmitted his voice. Shen Luo silently nodded. ¡°Let''s go.¡± With a low shout, the Nameless Elder''s figure shot upwards. The moment he flew up, his body seemed to be enveloped in a layer of illusionary luster. After a flash, the light traces in the surrounding void were distorted, making his figure become elusive. Seeing this, Hou Shan chuckled, leaped down from the pillar held by Chi Man''er, and took out an exquisitely embroidered fan adorned with cold plum blossoms from his hand. He moved with the coquettish gestures similar to that of a woman, pinching the fan handle with two fingers and fiercely waving it towards the void in front of him. The surface of the cold plum depicted on the fan erupted in purple brilliance, from which a thick mist poured out, obscuring a large area of the void and also submerging the Nameless Elder, who had become hidden in the vacant light. The next instant, despite the absence of any visible flames, a severe high temperature burst forth from the purple mist. A series of ¡°crackling¡± sounds of shattering rang out, and the figure of the Nameless Elder flew backward out of the purple mist, his garments riddled with scorching holes and emitting clouds of smoke. Shen Luo''s eyebrows slightly furrowed, vaguely making out something. The purple mist was somewhat akin to the dense smoke from a volcanic eruption, mixed with high-temperature embers and even containing lava fire poison capable of destroying the lungs. Hou Shan saw the Nameless Elder manage to extricate himself and waved his fan again; the spreading purple mist instantly condensed into a giant python and lunged fiercely at him. ¡°Senior, leave this person to me,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said with a delicate shout at this moment. Her figure flashed, positioning herself in front of the Nameless Elder, and she waved her hand gracefully; the turquoise ribbon tied around her waist rose like a nimble snake, pouncing towards the purple giant python. After flying out for a few feet, the ribbon emitted a blue light while a thick mist of water vapor rose from it, seemingly creating an azure water area around them in an instant, to meet the incoming attack. The purple python opened its wide maw, revealing a lava passageway within, from which a scorching breath erupted and clashed with the water vapor coming from the ribbon, instantly giving rise to thick fog. ¡°Miss Nie, I leave it to you,¡± the Nameless Elder leapt into the air, charging towards the cave entrance of the giant ear above. But the moment he moved, a shadow enveloped him from above. ¡°The Master has ordered that you must not be allowed to pass,¡± Chi Man''er spoke in a coarse voice that contained a hint of dullness. The yellow patterns on the huge staff in his hand shone brightly, emitting an earthen halo that slightly twisted the surrounding void. As he smashed down at the Nameless Elder, he put forth all his strength. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Nameless Elder raised his right arm single-handedly; the pale golden glove on his hand lit up. Silver Yan patterns shined brightly, and a ball of golden light condensed in the palm of his hand. At the instant his palm touched the yellow staff, the ball of golden light exploded, releasing an astonishing mighty force and immediately sending the yellow staff flying back. Seeing this, the Nameless Elder took the opportunity to reach the enormous ear entrance of the Qingtian Mechanism. Just as he was about to dive in, an angry roar from Chi Man''er came from the side, and an even more formidable force swept over than before. Above the two, suddenly, a streak of golden light appeared. A golden staff, wrapped in magnificent divine might, plummeted from above. Before the yellow staff hit the Nameless Elder, it hammered onto it with great force. Struck by the immense strength, the yellow staff sank downwards, hitting only with its residual waves, not touching the Nameless Elder at all. ¡°Elder, you go ahead and enter; I''ll hold him off,¡± Shen Luo called out loudly. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Nameless Elder expressed his gratitude. With a flicker of his form, he rushed into the entrance. Upon seeing this, Chi Man''er was immediately furious and roared, ¡°The Master has ordered that we cannot let him in, absolutely cannot¡­¡± After saying that, he charged fiercely towards the cave entrance. Shen Luo, seeing this, wielded the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand, swinging it overhead to sweep at Chi Man''er, forcing him back. ¡°Your opponent is me; don''t even think about going in and causing trouble,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°You dare stop me; I''m going to kill you!¡± Chi Man''er''s eyes turned red, his aura surging wildly, and in an instant, he approached the Late True Immortal Stage. His hands gripped the huge pillar, and even more charm patterns lit up on the originally earthy yellow shaft, which gradually began to emanate a layer of blood-red qi. The oppressive aura emanating from the pillar also grew even stronger. Just as he was about to charge at Shen Luo, a rumbling noise suddenly came from within the cave. Then, a figure violently flew out from inside. Shen Luo focused his eyes and saw that it was the Nameless Elder, wrapped in purple flames, who was expelled. ¡°You two are useless, can''t even stop one person? The Master is at a critical point in breaking the Formation; if he gets disturbed, you both will apologize with your lives,¡± A crisp female voice came from inside, barely concealing her anger. Seeing the Nameless Elder get expelled again, Chi Man''er was overjoyed. ¡°You won''t get away this time,¡± he chuckled ¡°hehe¡± and, disregarding Shen Luo, headed straight for the Nameless Elder. It seemed that this guy had orders only to stop the Nameless Elder, hence he fixated on him as if dead set on his target. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, they know I''m skilled in the Yan Technique and are worried I could find a way to stop Che Qingtian from controlling the Qiang Tian Mechanism, hence they desperately want to prevent me. In fact, I know that your Yan Technique cultivation is also strong. Since the situation is urgent, how about I draw these two guys'' attacks while you and Miss Nie go in my place, to stop Che Qingtian?¡± The Nameless Elder noticed this point and immediately transmitted his voice to Shen Luo. ¡°Okay,¡± Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but agreed. ¡°Be careful, that woman named Qinghu is guarding inside the entrance, don''t get ambushed by her,¡± the Nameless Elder dodged Chi Man''er''s pursuit, came beside Shen Luo, and stealthily handed over his Elder''s Token to him. Shen Luo didn''t say anything else, just silently nodded. On the other side, Nie Cai Zhu also received Shen Luo''s transmission, deciding not to tangle with Hou Shan any longer. ¡°Indigo Blue Sea.¡± She subtlety ran the self-taught heart method, uttering softly. This Mount Putuo Supernatural Power, in combination with the Bi Bo Piao Dai, suddenly erupted with astonishing potency. The misty water surrounding her instantly froze into ice, wrapping and freezing the purple python into an ice statue. And as the Bi Bo Piao Dai wove through the icy mist, all the ice crystals exploded in an instant, the purple python within disintegrating, turning into countless crystal dust sprinkling in all directions. Hou Shan''s hand holding the Hanmei Juan Fan, also ¡°tzzt¡± ruptured. He frowned and was about to step forward when he suddenly felt a strong oppressive sensation above him. He hurriedly looked up to see the Nameless Elder holding his right arm high, his palm condensing a golden light group as large as a watermelon. ¡°Daoist Brother Shen, Miss Nie, the time is now,¡± the Nameless Elder shouted explosively. Chapter 1531 Chapter 1531: Chapter 1527: Beyond Control Chapter 1531: Chapter 1527: Beyond Control Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu had long been prepared, and upon hearing the words, they flashed towards the giant''s ear hole and charged straight in. Hou Shan saw this and immediately pursued, but was blocked by the Nameless Elder in front, who forcefully hurled the golden light group at him. ¡°Chi Man''er, stop them,¡± Hou Shan roared in desperate times, suddenly revealing a dark red round shield to block overhead. However, Chi Man''er paid no attention at all and charged once more toward the Nameless Elder. ¡°My master didn''t ask me to stop those two; I listen to my master.¡± He muttered while raising the crimson giant column once again, smashing it towards the Nameless Elder''s back. The moment Shen Luo''s figure rushed into the giant''s ear, a loud roar was heard from behind. However, at this moment, he had no time to attend to that side, keeping alert for Qinghu at the entrance ahead. ¡°Be careful.¡± Shen Luo heard Nie Caizhu''s caution from behind, but before he could respond, a ¡°rumble¡± of roaring began to rise from ahead, and torrents of black fire surged out. Seeing this, the Pure Yang Flying Sword in Shen Luo''s sleeve flew out, instantly spreading fiery wings, and like a blazing crimson blade, opened a narrow passageway through the black flames. ¡°Cai Zhu, protect yourself; I will clear the way ahead,¡± advised Shen Luo. Having said that, his arms shone with gold and silver light, and he directly used the Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique within the narrow ear canal. A flash of intertwined gold and silver light and he disappeared in an instant. Almost simultaneously, at the exit of the ear cave entering the Qiang Tian Mechanism''s head, Qinghu, still on full alert, saw a blurred figure almost teleport in front of her. Before she could react, a Crimson Flying Sword enveloped in raging flames stabbed towards her chest, knocking her through the air. The gold and silver escape light barely came to a stop after this collision. Upon landing, Shen Luo quickly surveyed ahead, only to find the space inside the Qiang Tian Mechanism''s head was much larger than what he had seen from the outside, resembling an expansive indoor hall. Nevertheless, the floor and walls of this hall were densely engraved with Yan Patterns, all interlinked into a whole. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, Che Qingtian was standing on a high platform to his front left, with his palm hovering over a three-foot-high platform there. The platform was also densely covered with Yan Patterns, with eight cavities adorned; three of them were embedded with items. Shen Luo took a closer look and saw they were an Ink Jade Divine Machine Order and Elder''s Tokens belonging to Mo Wang and Man Bo. Che Qingtian''s face was tense with veins bulging, his forehead covered in sweat, his mind wholly invested in the platform, seemingly oblivious to Shen Luo''s arrival. ¡°These bastards, to monopolize the Ancestor''s Qiang Tian Mechanism, actually made so many alterations to the Yan Pattern Array. To be cautious, I''ve already seized two Elder''s Tokens for assistance, yet I still can''t open it¡­¡± he ground his teeth in anger. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel amused. So all the while, Che Qingtian had been struggling with the mechanism''s Array. ¡°If it doesn''t work, then let it be, don''t push yourself too much,¡± Shen Luo said with a chuckle. Hearing Shen Luo''s voice, Che Qingtian finally noticed him and furiously exclaimed, ¡°A bunch of incompetents, unable to even stop a True Immortal Cultivator.¡± As the words fell, Qinghu, just now sent flying by the Pure Yang Flying Sword, had already charged back in front of Shen Luo. There was a ghastly penetrating wound on her chest, looking particularly grisly, but more ferocious than that was her current expression, glaring at Shen Luo with eyes wide as if she wanted to tear him to pieces. With a wave of the green lotus pod in her hand, a stream of black fire burst forth once more, heading straight for Shen Luo. At the same time, the secret technique of divine soul was immediately activated. Her divine sense power, tainted by the intense poison, invaded Shen Luo''s Sea of Knowledge without a trace, causing Shen Luo''s hands, which were blocking the black flame, to slow down, and soon, he stood frozen in place. Qinghu was overjoyed inside, no True Immortal Cultivator had ever come out unscathed from this move of hers. ¡°Hmph, last time it was because my energy was exhausted that I couldn''t defeat you; do you really think you''re invincible?¡± She sneered, flipping her hand to draw a dark green Longsword, ready to slash at Shen Luo''s neck. ¡°That sensation again¡­¡± But just then, she suddenly felt a tightness in her heart. Qinghu felt the Soul Power she unleashed onto Shen Luo crash against a mountain, just as strong and unshakable as ever. ¡°How does it feel?¡± Shen Luo suddenly grinned. Then, he raised his hand and struck Qinghu in the chest, knocking her back and causing her to spit blood, while a Pure Yang Flying Sword came at her once more, aiming to pierce her head. This time she dodged quickly, tilting her head to avoid the lethal strike. Shen Luo was about to pursue her when he suddenly heard Nie Caizhu''s anxious cry from behind: ¡°Be careful.¡± Knowing something was wrong, he didn''t even turn his head as he ducked down, only then feeling a chill breeze grazing over the top of his head and something swept past his scalp. Immediately after, a loud boom erupted. Nie Caizhu reacted quickly, her BiBo ribbon lashing out to strike a shadow hidden in the Void, knocking it away. As Shen Luo got up, he grasped the Pure Yang Flying Sword and immediately retreated, standing side by side with Nie Caizhu. Only now did he see a nearly transparent human figure emerging in front of them, not emitting any Spiritual Power Fluctuations and looking extremely strange. Che Qingtian watched Nie Caizhu and Shen Luo rush in, his expression growing increasingly enraged. This trip to Tianji City had been carefully planned; unfortunately, an unforeseen setback at Hou Shan''s impromptu challenge failed to seize an Elder''s Token, forcing them to switch to their backup plan and steal the token. Even with the plan to steal the token, their feint to draw attention away and disrupt Tianji City had been successful, but they hadn''t anticipated that taking control of the Qingtian Mechanism would take up so much time. Now being pursued here by the two True Immortal Cultivators, if they truly alarmed the Little Master coming out of seclusion, then their plan would be utterly ruined. ¡°Qingtian Mechanism, it''s my Che family''s Qingtian Mechanism¡­ Why can''t I control it?¡± Che Qingtian roared inwardly. It was then that something occurred to him, and his eyes suddenly flashed with doubt and suspicion. ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Shen Luo watched as the expression on Che Qingtian''s face flipped back and forth like a flipping mask, almost thinking he had suddenly gone mad. ¡°Cai Zhu, in a moment I''ll get in close to fight, use the Water Control Technique to flood the area; you go all out to freeze them, and after we snatch their tokens, we''ll make an immediate retreat,¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice. ¡°Okay,¡± Nie Caizhu responded immediately. But just then, they suddenly heard Che Qingtian yell out, ¡°This Qingtian Mechanism, it belongs to my Che family!¡± As his words fell, he suddenly sliced open his palm, letting the blood from the wound drip down and fall onto the three-foot Platform in front of him. Chapter 1532 Chapter 1532: Chapter 1528: The Land of Concealment Chapter 1532: Chapter 1528: The Land of Concealment ¡°Drip-drip-drip¡± As Che Qingtian''s blood splattered down, it quickly spread along the grooves above, staining most of the platform red. Shen Luo knew that this was Che Qingtian attempting to establish a connection with the Qingtian Mechanism using his bloodline power, and immediately felt some tension, given that this was an armor refined by the ancestors of the Che family. However, after waiting for moments, despite the blood-red grooves of the Yan Pattern on the entire platform, there was not the slightest change in the Qingtian Mechanism. ¡°It seems Elder Che Yuan is a man of great impartiality and has not left any bloodline activation methods behind.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief and couldn''t help but tease. Upon hearing these words, Che Qingtian closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were filled with rage and a murderous intent. His face twisted grimly, he pried the Ink Jade Divine Machine Order from the platform and furiously slammed it against the ground. With a crisp ¡°snap,¡± The Ink Jade Divine Machine Order shattered, and big chunks of green debris scattered along with the blood stains on it, crumbling to the ground. ¡°If I can''t have it, then Tianji City shall not possess it either.¡± Rage had already clouded Che Qingtian''s mind, and his aura erupted, intent on destroying the Qingtian Mechanism. But at that moment, an unbelievable scene occurred. Not far from his feet, within the center of a spiral Yan Pattern vortex, a drop of blood from the shattered Ink Jade Divine Machine Order slowly seeped into the center of the Yan Pattern. Immediately after, the spiral Yan Pattern vortex suddenly lit up with a bright light, and a strong and incomparable spiritual power fluctuation emanated from it. ¡°Did it work?¡± Che Qingtian was both shocked and elated, thinking he had inadvertently activated the Qingtian Mechanism. However, he suddenly realized a powerful force was tearing at him from within the spiral vortex. Realizing the imminent danger, his figure flashed, trying to flee. However, the force became stronger and stronger and firmly dragged him into the vortex. Accompanied by a tragic and miserable scream, his body was torn into countless fragments, completely swallowed by the vortex. Seeing this, Shen Luo was greatly alarmed and hurriedly grabbed Nie Caizhu, ready to use an Escape Technique to flee. But before he could even move, he was already enveloped by that force, dragged toward the center of the vortex. Knowing he couldn''t escape his fate, Shen Luo fiercely pushed Nie Caizhu away, hoping to leave her the last hope for survival. Unexpectedly, Qinghu, who had been farthest away just now, was sneering and slapped the completely unprepared Nie Caizhu back towards him. ¡°No¡­¡± Shen Luo saw Nie Caizhu flying towards him, her face still with a relieved smile, reaching out to him, and he did not know what to feel. In the final moment, he raised his hand and whipped out the Free and Easy Mirror. A streak of light immediately flew from the surface of the mirror, wrapping around Nie Caizhu and pulling her into the mirror. ¡°Perhaps this way, Cai Zhu can still be saved¡­¡± The last thought in Shen Luo''s mind emerged before he too fell into the vortex. A kind of indescribable acute pain spread throughout his body, and his form, like Che Qingtian''s, tore into countless fragments, then vanished within the light of the vortex. After an unknown amount of time had passed, Shen Luo groggily awoke to pain in every part of his body. Shen Luo silently circulated the healing technique within the Huangting Technique. After rapidly moving through several cycles, the pain finally subsided a bit. He turned his head to look around, his face showing a hint of surprise. He was currently inside a white jade great hall. The ceiling was an astonishing fifty feet high and even broader across¨Chundreds of feet wide. Its grandeur was startling, giving one the feeling of being incredibly minute. ¡°Where is this, a great hall in Tianji City? Where is Che Qingtian?¡± Shen Luo propped himself up and looked around. The hall was completely empty. Apart from himself, not even a shadow or column was to be seen in the vicinity. This magnificent hall had no apparent exits on all four sides; it seemed to be a completely enclosed space. ¡°How is my cousin now?¡± He thought of Nie Cai Zhu and hurriedly operated his Divine Sense to probe into the Free and Easy Mirror, his brow suddenly furrowing. A force of prohibition filled the great hall, limiting his Divine Sense to only twenty or thirty feet from his body and making it very difficult to operate¨Ca sensation akin to walking through a muddy swamp, far less agile than outside. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s gaze flickered as he continued to activate his Divine Sense, checking on the situation within the Free and Easy Mirror. Nie Cai Zhu was safe and sound, seemingly having fainted due to the transmission. Her breathing was smooth, presenting no serious issues. He breathed a sigh of relief, yet refrained from acting rashly. Sitting cross-legged, he took out a healing elixir and consumed it to start addressing his injuries. He activated the healing power of the Huangting Technique, and the elixir quickly dissolved, turning into warm currents that spread throughout his limbs. The injuries on Shen Luo''s body were caused by the transmission and were not too severe. With the aid of the elixir and the tremendous restorative power of the Huangting Technique, he soon recovered. ¡°It seems this place is no ordinary location,¡± he murmured to himself and approached a wall. Although his Divine Sense was difficult to utilize, he could still sense that the origin of the hall''s prohibitions lay within the walls all around. Shen Luo activated a technique, transforming his Divine Sense into a bright soul thread, and probed toward the inside of the wall. The moment it touched, it was unceremoniously repelled by a resilient force. His eyes shifted, and he activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to scrutinize the wall. The white jade was faintly coated in luminescent light and depicted Yan Patterns. It was indeed a Tianji City prohibition, but more complex than any he had seen before. ¡°It seems this place is indeed a hidden location within Tianji City. I apologize to the elders of Tianji City¨CChe Qingtian has vanished, and I inadvertently caused damage to your city''s architecture while pursuing him. I will take responsibility for its repair in the future!¡± He gave a bow to the surroundings and formed a hand seal, brandishing it forward. A thirty-foot long streak of red sword qi shot from his hand, striking the wall fiercely. However, the luminescent light on the wall flared brightly. With a loud ''bang,'' the red sword qi shattered upon impact, leaving not a single mark on the wall. Shen Luo''s pupils contracted at this sight. The sword qi he had just released was from the first Pure Yang Sword, yet it was easily shattered by the hall''s prohibitions. It appeared that this great hall was more formidable than he had anticipated, and leaving would not be easy. He swiftly continued to investigate along the wall. However, the place was too vast, and despite a good while of searching, he hadn''t even covered a small part of the space. At this moment, Nie Cai Zhu in the Free and Easy Mirror slowly came to. She was uninjured, but her head felt a bit groggy. Shen Luo, sensing the situation in the Free and Easy Mirror, waved his hand and released Nie Cai Zhu from within. ¡°Cousin, what place is this? How did we end up here?¡± Nie Cai Zhu took in her surroundings and was also startled. ¡°I''m not sure myself. That Che Qingtian inadvertently activated some prohibition within the Qingtian Mechanism, transporting us here¡­¡± Shen Luo briefly explained the situation as he understood it. Chapter 1533 Chapter 1533: Chapter 1529: Immortal Silk Defends Against Enemies Chapter 1533: Chapter 1529: Immortal Silk Defends Against Enemies Nie Caizhu listened to Shen Luo''s words, shook her somewhat dazed head, and curiously looked around. ¡°That Che Qingtian, I don''t know where he has been teleported to. Cai Zhu, if you are unharmed, please help search around too, and see if there are any exits in this great hall or places where the prohibition is weak,¡± Shen Luo said. Nie Caizhu agreed and began to search on the opposite wall. With both of them working together, the progress indeed sped up quickly, and soon, most of the great hall was checked. ¡°Cousin, come here,¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly called Shen Luo over. Shen Luo stopped searching and swiftly flew over. Nie Caizhu stood in front of a wall of the great hall. In this area, spanning about forty to fifty feet, although the wall also shimmered with luminescence, it was clearly dimmer than other places. ¡°Although there is a prohibition on this area of the wall, it is not as sturdy as other places, and Divine Sense can slightly probe into it,¡± Nie Caizhu said. Hearing this, Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense to probe into the wall. There was a soft prohibition inside the wall, different from the tough prohibitions elsewhere, allowing the Divine Sense to indeed penetrate. However, this soft prohibition was not ordinary; it was like a bowstring. The deeper the Divine Sense penetrated, the greater the resistance became. His Divine Sense ventured more than a foot into the wall, and could no longer continue forward, and yet the soft prohibition was far from its end. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, operating the ¡°Thought Lightning Scripture;¡± his scattered Divine Sense immediately turned into strands of crystal threads, continuing to pierce through the resistance and probe deeper into the wall. Soon, it went further by half a foot and encountered a round object. This object looked like a Stone Ball, engraved with complex Yan Patterns, resembling Armor, yet not quite. ¡°What is this?¡± he used the Divine Soul Crystal Threads to carefully explore the patterns on the Stone Ball. Suddenly, the Yan Patterns on the Stone Ball burst into bright light, and at the same time, emitted a suction force that swallowed his Divine Sense. Boom! The ground of the great hall suddenly shook, and bright white light emerged in the central region, shooting upwards. ¡°What happened?¡± Nie Caizhu asked anxiously. ¡°It seems that my Divine Sense has touched some mechanism inside the wall, be careful, we do not know what will happen next,¡± Shen Luo warned with a solemn voice. Just then, the white light in the center of the great hall suddenly dispersed, and a large black square hole appeared on the ground, from which a tall Armor slowly rose up amidst creaking noises. This Armor was about fifty to sixty feet tall, made entirely from some type of green jade, with complete arms and legs, and the overall shape was akin to a human, but its head was that of a python and it had a long tail dragging behind. The Green Snake Armor held a pair of thin, green curved knives that flickered and looked exceptionally sharp. As soon as the Armor appeared, it immediately looked towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, its sturdy legs kicking against the ground, and it pounced like an arrow leaving the bow. Shen Luo flipped his hand and took out the Profound Yellow Staff, ready to face the challenge. ¡°Cousin, you have already been very exhausted from consecutive battles before, let me handle this!¡± Nie Caizhu stepped forward first, waving her hand. A ribbon shot out, striking directly at the Green Snake Armor, but it was not the previous azure ribbon, instead it was a pink ribbon. The pink ribbon was just as swift, making its way in front of the Snake Head Armor in an instant. The Snake Head Armor roared lowly, and the green curved knife turned into two green shadows, striking the pink ribbon without exerting any force; the ribbon lightly swayed and absorbed the strike. The ribbon then surged with pink haze, rapidly enlarging and stretching, entwining around the Snake Head Armor like a spirit snake, looping around it several times. In the blink of an eye, the Snake Head Armor was bound into a pink cocoon, unable to continue running or moving, his twin curved knives wrapped layer by layer by the ribbon, devouring the green blade light on them, but unable to cause any damage to the ribbon. ¡°Ah, Nine Heavens Immortal Silk! It''s said that this treasure is made from the essence of celestial clouds above the Nine Heavens and refined with the mystical energies of the sun and moon. Any attack merely slides off it without causing damage; it indeed seems to possess such divine powers,¡± exclaimed the voice of Fire Spirit Child, in admiration. Hearing this, Shen Luo gave the pink ribbon another look. Nie Caizhu flipped her hand, and a golden short rod appeared in her hand, with a golden dragon head on top and the body of the rod twisting in nine curves, very much like the transformation of a dragon''s body, emanating astonishing spiritual power fluctuations. She quickly chanted spells, swung her hand again, and the golden short rod turned into a golden shadow shooting out, striking the Snake Head Armor on the head. With a ¡°clang¡± sound, a circle of golden halo flashed by, and the head of the Snake Head Armor shattered accordingly, the tall armor becoming motionless. Seeing this, Nie Caizhu collected the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk with a hand seal and then smiled at Shen Luo with a look that seemed to seek praise. ¡°Not bad, Caizhu, your strength has greatly progressed since before,¡± Shen Luo said, praising as he rubbed Nie Caizhu''s head. ¡°Hehe, it''s all thanks to the Master giving me this Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and Coiling Dragon Staff,¡± Nie Caizhu stated. Shen Luo glanced at the golden short rod, nodded slightly, and stepped over to the side of the Snake Head Armor. This armor was named Green Snake Armor, recorded in the Sky Machine Scroll, made entirely from Langya green jade, its strength comparable to that of a monk at the Great Mahayana Peak. Particularly fast, those twin green snake curved knives were ferocious armor weapons, exceptionally good at close combat. If one got too close, even a True Immortal might find it troublesome. However, Nie Caizhu''s combat instincts were quite sharp, directly restraining it with her Nine Heavens Immortal Silk, destroying it without allowing it to exert any strength. Shen Luo activated the Free and Easy Mirror, and a stream of red crystal light shot out, enveloping the Green Snake Armor and collecting it. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This Green Snake Armor wasn''t too badly damaged, just a little repair and it''d still be usable, though he couldn''t use it, he could hand it over to the Spring and Autumn Pavilion. Nie Caizhu came over, about to say something, but then another creaking noise came from the black square hole in the center of the great hall, indicating that another armor was rising. This time it was a Wolf-headed humanoid armor, only about two Zhang tall, its body flickering with silver light, appearing as if it wore a Suit of Silver Armor, and in its hand it held a Golden Battle Halberd shone even brighter than the twin blades of the Green Snake Armor. ¡°Silver Wolf Armor!¡± Shen Luo''s pupils constricted. ¡°Cousin, do you recognize this object?¡± asked Nie Caizhu as she stepped forward to protect Shen Luo, clearly ready for another battle. ¡°Um, be careful, this is a True Immortal Level Armor, different from the just-defeated Green Snake Armor,¡± said Shen Luo with a nod. Once the Silver Wolf Armor appeared, its legs flashed with silver light, transforming into a silver phantom rushing towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, almost twice as fast as the previous Green Snake Armor. Seeing this, Nie Caizhu immediately activated her Nine Heavens Immortal Silk, attempting to restrain the opponent just as before. She had full confidence in the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk; even a Late-stage True Immortal Cultivator would find it extremely difficult to escape once bound by this treasure. The Silver Wolf Armor opened its mouth and exhaled a burst of moon-like silver light, colliding with the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, the silver moonlight exploded, transforming into successive silver ripples, forming a wall of silver light which blocked the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk there, unable to advance any further. Chapter 1534 Chapter 1534: Chapter 1530: The Challenge of Tianyan Palace Chapter 1534: Chapter 1530: The Challenge of Tianyan Palace Nie Caizhu saw that the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk was obstructed and frowned slightly. Although the power of this Immortal Silk was remarkable, its weakness was the lack of attack strength. Once blocked by such protective divine techniques, it could no longer be effective. This Silver Wolf Armor could actually detect and notice this fact, truly worthy of the attention that Shen Luo pays to this True Immortal Armament. Nie Caizhu chanted Spells, with magic spells in her hands driving the Coiling Dragon Staff, but the Silver Wolf Armor had already taken the initiative. The Golden Battle Halberd in its hands shone brightly, attacking Nie Caizhu in the air first. A golden halberd shadow shot out like electricity, appearing in front of Nie Caizhu in the next moment, faster than lightning. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although Nie Caizhu was startled, she remained composed. With a flick of her hand incantations and a low shout: ¡°Billowing Waves!¡± Rings of blue light appeared around her, then instantly converged into a large blue Protective Shield in front of her. On the blue shield, numerous wave-like blue shadows flickered, mixed with innumerable blue runes, which was the well-known defensive divine technique of Mount Putuo: Unperturbed Billows. The golden halberd shadow struck the blue shield, causing a brilliant burst of golden light immediately, and the strong attack pushed the shield inward. However, the waves surged on the blue shield without any signs of breaking. Nie Caizhu''s hands shifted the magic spells rapidly, and the blue shield quickly started spinning. The blue light on the shield intensified, swallowing the brilliant golden light and the golden halberd shadow. ¡°Eh, what is this?¡± Shen Luo, not far away, showed a surprised expression. ¡°Unperturbed!¡± Nie Caizhu quickly changed her hand incantations again. The blue shield bulged outward, and the shield''s surface radiated intense blue light, releasing rings of blue ripples. A dazzling golden light shot out from within the shield, which was the previous golden halberd shadow, striking the Silver Wolf Armor in a flash and disappearing. ¡°Your fiancee has an extraordinary comprehension, cultivating Mount Putuo''s defensive divine technique to the ''Unperturbed'' level at such a young age,¡± Fire Spirit Child praised with a cluck. Unperturbed Billows is the ultimate defense of Mount Putuo, ''Billowing'' to resist the enemy, ''Unperturbed'' to counterattack, but most Mount Putuo disciples, even the elders, only cultivate to the Billowing level, as Unperturbed is too profound and not something average talents could comprehend. The Silver Wolf Armor, caught off guard by its own attack being suddenly retaliated, reacted swiftly due to being a True Immortal Armament. The Golden Battle Halberd intercepted in mid-air, blocking the golden halberd shadow, shattering it. However, the armament staggered back several steps, shaken. Before it could steady itself, a pink ribbon shot from the side, wrapping around the Silver Wolf Armor''s body ¨C it was the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk. While deploying Unperturbed Billows, Nie Caizhu also wielded the Coiling Dragon Staff, shattering the silver shield. The Nine Heavens Immortal Silk swiftly entangled, about to completely restrain the Silver Wolf Armor. Suddenly, the Silver Wolf Armor let out a low roar, its body emanating substantial silver light that shot out in all directions. The armor itself then disappeared into thin air, leaving the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk grasping at nothing. Nie Caizhu was taken aback, and Shen Luo also frowned. The Tianji Scroll did not record such divine powers for Silver Wolf Armor. Those silver lights spun and shot toward Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo frowned, about to intervene. ¡°I can handle this mere armor on my own, Cousin, you don''t need to step in!¡± Nie Caizhu showed a stubborn look, shouting loudly and quickly chanting Spells. Her right hand radiated a great blue light, slapping forward, utilizing the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. A blue cold wave blustered out, submerging the silver light, and then swiftly swirled, forming a huge blue vortex that rapidly spun. This power was even stronger than when it was exhibited previously within Tianji City, clearly Nie Caizhu had not given her full effort before. The silver light was covered by the vortex, desperately struggling but to no avail, gradually being drawn towards the center of the vortex. Shen Luo nodded slightly, Nie Caizhu''s Indigo Ocean Divine Technique was close to reaching the Third Layer Realm, and her technique even surpassed his in several aspects; his own usage of the Indigo Ocean technique lacked variation, relying solely on the fierce and unparalleled cold to dominate and win. Nie Caizhu clasped her hands in a magic spell, and the blue vortex shone brightly with spiritual light; after a muffled boom, a blue iceberg, dozens of feet in size, materialized out of thin air, nearly touching the ceiling of the great hall. The Silver Wolf Armor had returned to its original form, frozen in the center of the iceberg, unable to move. Nie Caizhu pointed with her spell-sealed hands at the Coiling Dragon Staff she held, and the Golden Dragon on the staff head released a ring of golden light, its mouth wide open. A beam of golden light shot out, piercing through the blue iceberg as if it were a mountain made of paper. The golden light then flew back, re-entering the mouth of the Golden Dragon on the Coiling Dragon Staff, and Shen Luo saw clearly that it was an egg-sized golden bead, emitting a mountain-heavy breath, inscribed with an Eight Trigrams pattern, of unknown mystical value. A black passage, about an inch thick, appeared on the blue iceberg, piercing through the head of the Silver Armament, its surface spiritual light now vanished. Shen Luo nodded slightly, about to step forward and speak with Nie Caizhu, when the black square hole in the middle of the great hall stirred again, and another blue-armored humanoid emerged. This armored figure was now completely humanoid, wrapped in swirling blue light, its eyes flickering with spiritual light, nearly indistinguishable from a real person, holding a great sword in one hand and a purple turtle shell shield in the other. A vast aura emanated from the armament''s body, no different from ordinary monks, startlingly reaching the Late Stage of True Immortal Realm, far beyond the previous two armaments. ¡°Be cautious, this Armament is no ordinary one, I''ll handle it!¡± Shen Luo dashed in front of Nie Caizhu, flipping his hand to summon the Profound Yellow Staff. Nie Caizhu, having fought two battles, was greatly depleted of mana, nodded, and stepped back. ¡°Your realm isn''t high, but your strength is formidable. If you can defeat me, you may proceed to the second floor of Tianyan Palace,¡± said the blue-armored being, its voice deep and smooth. ¡°Tianyan Palace? Is this place referred to as that?¡± Shen Luo''s mind stirred, and he immediately asked. ¡°You are the two hundred and twentieth batch of challengers; I hope you can make it to the end and obtain the Master''s inheritance,¡± continued the blue-armored being. ¡°Tianyan Palace, challengers?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed. From the words of the blue-armored being, it seemed this place was no longer Tianji City. He was about to inquire further when the opposite armored being had already charged over. This Armament did not use the stepping divine technique used by the Silver Wolf Armament, relying solely on running on its feet, the sound of its footfalls dense as heavy rain, promptly reaching in front of Shen Luo, its speed astonishingly fast. The blue great sword slashed down overhead, its speed also shockingly fast, appearing just a half-foot above Shen Luo''s head in a flash, leaving a faint black trail in the void behind it. From the blue Armament''s action to the sword nearing, only an instant had passed. Shen Luo was startled; fortunately, during this period, he had intensely cultivated and thought as quickly as lightning, significantly faster in reaction time than before, barely keeping up with this attack, and positioned the Profound Yellow Staff overhead to meet the sword''s strike. A loud ''clang'' of metal striking metal resounded, sparks flying. Shen Luo''s arms trembled, and his whole body was pressed down into a crouch, his feet sinking into the stone tiles of the ground, buried up to the ankles. Chapter 1535 Chapter 1535: Chapter 1531: Bitter Struggle Chapter 1535: Chapter 1531: Bitter Struggle The Blue Armament didn''t give Shen Luo a chance to catch his breath, as its right foot launched a sidekick toward Shen Luo''s head. The Purple Shield in its left hand radiated light, conjuring a layer of purple flames, which also mercilessly smashed toward his chest, the movements as quick as lightning. There was no hint of an abnormal aura from the purple flames on the shield, but Shen Luo''s pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints, and alarm bells rang in his heart, a voice telling him he must not be hit. ¡°Ha!¡± Shen Luo activated his Huangting Technique to its limit and let out a loud shout, his arms suddenly grew much thicker, and his palms turned into dragon claws, his legs transforming into the robust legs of an elephant. A wildly violent strength burst forth, pushing the Blue Great Sword upwards by two feet. The Golden Light on the Profound Yellow Staff surged even more frantically, with both ends of the staff suddenly disconnecting and connecting to the middle section with a Golden Chain, turning into a three-sectional whip-like Weapon. The detached portions of the staff transformed into two vague golden shadows, fiercely striking the body and shield of the Armored Man in Blue Armament. After the Profound Yellow Staff was infused with the Nine Heavens Gold Essence, which was refined from the Golden Small Sword, its power did not only increase, but the staff also gained a Transformation Technique, allowing it to become any other Weapon. Caught off guard by this unexpected change of the Profound Yellow Staff, the Armored Man in Blue Armament was sent flying. Shen Luo barely caught his breath as the three sections of the staff quickly merged back into one, becoming the Profound Yellow Staff again, and he was just about to counter-attack with the Splashy Chaotic Stick when a cold breath suddenly invaded his body, making his flow of Mana sluggish. He hurriedly looked at the Long Stick in his hand, where a patch of purple flames appeared at one end, which were exactly the same as the Purple Flame on the shield of the Armored Man in Blue Armament. It seemed to be a remnant from the previous attack by the Profound Yellow Staff on the shield. A layer of Purple Ice Crystals spread rapidly on the staff, and the prohibitive forces inside were completely frozen, causing the Golden Light to dissipate quickly. Greatly alarmed, Shen Luo immediately tried to let go of the Profound Yellow Staff and retreat, but it was already too late. An extremely cold aura seeped along the Profound Yellow Staff into his body. His arms were frozen into ice, and Purple Ice Crystals spread swiftly across his body, quickly submerging his upper half, and he was on the verge of turning into an ice sculpture in human form. Just at this moment, a flame-like red light suddenly shone from his Dantian, where sixteen Sword Shadows appeared, which were the Sixteen Pure Yang Swords. Inside the Sixteen Pure Yang Swords now resided Heavenly Fire, and aside from the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the rest of the Heavenly Fires all possessed intensely hot properties that, when combined, could melt mountains and boil seas. Now, sensing the invasion of an overpoweringly cold force, all the Heavenly Fires surged forth. A surging Pure Yang Power emerged from the Dantian, mixed with strands of Heavenly Fire aura, resisting this extremely cold force, stopping the spread of the Purple Ice Crystals at the lower abdomen and not allowing them to continue downwards. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed and immediately exercised the Huangting Technique with all his might, attempting to recover his frozen body and meridians, but the invading Purple Cold was so terribly powerful that not even the Huangting Technique could shift it in the slightest. ¡°What kind of cold is this, several times more powerful than my current Indigo Ocean Divine Technique!¡± He felt a pang of dread deep inside, and he fully activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, trying to gain a slight advantage. His Indigo Ocean Divine Technique was already close to the Perfect Boundary of the Fifth Layer, and with full force, it was barely activated. Thin streams of Blue Light sprang from his lower abdomen, struggling to spread across his upper body, flowing through the Purple Ice Crystals. ¡°It really works.¡± Shen Luo was elated and continued to push his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, the Blue Light on his body gradually growing stronger, even beginning to absorb that Purple Cold. The Armored Man in Blue Armament was thrown several meters away, quickly stabilized his figure, and pounced toward Shen Luo once more. A golden light shot forth, it was the Eight Trigrams Gold Pearl from Nie Caizhu''s Coiling Dragon Staff. The pearl had already grown to the size of a human head, with the Eight Trigrams pattern on it shining with dazzling golden light, the mountain-like heaviness even intensified several times, as if a giant meteorite was descending from the sky, unstoppable. Nie Caizhu appeared in front of Shen Luo, her pretty face full of determination. The blue Armored Man''s eyes flickered as he slashed his Great Sword horizontally and collided with the Eight Trigrams Gold Pearl. With a booming sound like a clash of metal, the Eight Trigrams Gold Pearl was repelled by the Great Sword, but the blue Armored Man was also shaken and retreated several steps. A pinkish light flashed under his feet, the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk emerged out of nowhere and rapidly entwined around the Armored Man. ¡°Knowing my extreme purple cold, yet still using such tactics, foolish,¡± the blue Armored Man spat human words again, his left hand Purple Shield brightened. A ball of purple Ice Flame floated out and hit the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk. In an instant, the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk was frozen by the purple Ice Crystals, unable to move. Nie Caizhu was well aware of the power of the blue Armored Man''s purple Ice Flame, but now that Shen Luo was trapped by the purple ice sculpture, she had to step in to block him and buy time for Shen Luo to escape. The body of the blue Armored Man moved, turning into a blue light, shooting out from within the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and charging directly at Nie Caizhu at a lightning-fast speed. Nie Caizhu''s expression changed and she exerted all her strength to activate the spell on the Coiling Dragon Staff in her hands, but her reaction speed was far too slow compared to the blue Armored Man and Shen Luo, and she was completely unprepared. With a ¡°clang¡± sound, the blue Armored Man who had already pounced in front of Nie Caizhu was suddenly knocked back. A dark silhouette appeared next to Nie Caizhu; it was none other than Ghost General Zhao Feiji, with a swirl of black Sword Glow around him, holding a Black Ghost Knife in one hand, while the other held the Dragon-burying Flute. ¡°I''ll hold him off first, cast your spells quickly!¡± Zhao Feiji said in a rush, the black light on his Black Ghost Knife surged, transforming into a giant blade of dark light slashing towards the blue Armored Man. He raised the Dragon-burying Flute to his lips and began to play immediately. The flute''s Dragon Chant-like sound crystallized into black musical notes, showering like rain towards the blue Armored Man. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Armored Man swung his arm and blue Sword light flashed, sending the Black Ghost Knife flying away, and as countless black notes rained down, the blue Armored Man seemed unaffected, his foot kicking off the ground, transforming into a blue shadow to lunge forward again. ¡°Soul Power also exists inside the armament, how could the Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound be completely ineffective!¡± Zhao Feiji was shocked, but immediately regained his composure, stopped using Soul-Devouring Demonic Sound and poured the God''s Power into the Dragon-burying Flute. With a ¡°boom¡± sound, an angry wave of black Sound Waves gushed out from the Dragon-burying Flute, instantly sweeping across dozens of feet in the vicinity, causing the Void to ripple with cracks. Inside the black Sound Waves, countless shapes of swords, spears, and halberds emerged; golden cavalry charged with a mighty presence, sweeping across the universe, all striking towards the blue Armored Man. The Armored Man''s gaze grew solemn, the Purple Shield in front of him emitting a strong purple Flame. In an instant, countless black Sound Waves were frozen, turning into a mass of purple Ice Crystals, traversing nearly half the space; the frozen shapes of weapons and patterns of Sound Waves within the Ice Crystals were chillingly clear. Zhao Feiji''s own body was submerged in Ice Crystals, stuck in the act of playing the flute, unfortunately unable to move, with the Dragon-burying Flute making no more sound. Nie Caizhu was shocked, but thankfully she had already completed her spellcasting and deployed the Coiling Dragon Staff in her hand. With a flash of golden light, the staff transformed into a Golden Dragon tens of feet long, its body shining with golden light as if it was cast from pure gold, leaping in front of the Armored Man with incredible speed, its massive Dragon Claw reaching down to grab his head. Chapter 1536 Chapter 1536: Chapter 1532: Passing the Test Chapter 1536: Chapter 1532: Passing the Test ¡°Earth Splitting Fire!¡± Nie Caizhu summoned her Magical Treasure and immediately unleashed her divine power, raising her arm and striking down towards the Armored Man in Blue from mid-air. Whoosh! Red light flashed above the Armored Man''s head in the void, splitting open a crack over a dozen feet long. Clumps of magmlike fireballs burst out from within and struck the Armored Man in Blue. The temperature inside the great hall soared wildly, as if one were in the heart of a furnace in an instant. However, the Armored Man in Blue didn''t move an inch. His purple shield lit up with a layer of purple light, effortlessly blocking the magma fireballs. His great sword struck out, colliding with the Golden Dragon Claw. With a soft ¡°puchi¡± sound, the Golden Dragon Claw was effortlessly cleaved in two. The Golden Divine Dragon seemed not to care about its claw being severed; its thick tail swept out like a giant whip, striking towards the adversary. The eyes of the Armored Man in Blue flashed with impatience as though he were alive. The light of his great sword intensified, and suddenly, he displayed the God''s Power of Unity of Man and Sword, turning into a vast blue Sword Rainbow that, in a flash, cut across the Golden Divine Dragon. The Golden Divine Dragon was immediately cleaved in two at its waist, and its spiritual light finally dispersed. With a ¡°bang,¡± it fell heavily onto the ground. The blue Sword Rainbow didn''t pause for even a moment and continued shooting towards Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu''s expression changed drastically, and she quickly formed seals with her hands. A white giant bottle materialized beneath her, shining with light¨Cit was the Jade Purification Bottle. Without a moment''s hesitation, her body ¡°swooshed¡± into the bottle. Nie Caizhu had just entered the Jade Purification Bottle when the blue Sword Rainbow struck like lightning, hitting the bottle. With a ¡°clang,¡± the bottle was violently smashed into the wall behind it, which flashed continuously with white light. The Jade Purification Bottle remained spotlessly white and lustrous without a single crack. A soft exclamation of surprise emerged from within the blue Sword Rainbow, but it did not continue to pursue Nie Caizhu. Instead, it turned and struck towards Shen Luo. At this moment, half of the purple Ice Crystals encasing Shen Luo had already melted, but he was still not completely free. Seeing the Sword Rainbow slashing towards him, he wasn''t panicked. He pinched a magical seal with one hand, and red light flashed in his Dantian. Nine Pure Yang Swords shot out, confronting the blue Sword Rainbow. The Sword Qi radiating from the nine Flying Swords rapidly spun, creating nine huge Sword Shadows that all struck the blue Sword Rainbow from different trajectories. The intersecting Sword Qi formed a deathly net, enveloping an area of several tens of feet with no gap to escape. The blue Sword Rainbow was abruptly halted. The Armored Man inside seemed to know he couldn''t avoid it and poured all his strength into the Sword Rainbow. The Sword Rainbow suddenly surged, growing several times thicker, violently slashing onto the net of swords. It immediately tore open a massive hole, looking as if it would break through entirely. ¡°Pure Yang Sword Technique: Nine Swords Unity!¡± Shen Luo got his hands free from the constraints of the Ice Crystals and quickly formed a sword technique. The nine Sword Shadows spun rapidly, suddenly merging into one, forming a Red Giant Sword about a hundred feet large. A bigger swirling mass of red qi spun around the giant sword, tearing through the void with a hissing sound that was astonishing. The scorching red light on the Red Giant Sword became ten times more intense in a flash, shining brightly a thousandfold, with a wild sword capable of splitting heaven and earth materializing and cutting forward, colliding fiercely with the blue Sword Rainbow. A thunderous sound like Heavenly Thunder exploding made everyone''s hearts skip a beat, a violent wind swept like waves, engulfing the entire hall. Red Sword Qi and blue Sword light flew in all directions, gouging deep grooves into the ground. The blue Sword Rainbow was sent flying back, subsequently dispersing, revealing the figure of the Armored Man in Blue, whose Blue Great Sword was now covered in cracks, clearly unable to withstand the power of the Pure Yang Sword Technique: Nine Swords Unity. ¡°A very decent sword technique God''s Power, to think it could shatter my Zhanlu Sword. If you can also break the Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield, then consider it a pass,¡± said the Armored Man in Blue indifferently, lifting the purple shield in front of him. The shield radiated streaks of purple light, with swathes of Purple Extreme Ice Flames emerging. ¡°Purple Extreme Ice Ocean!¡± The blue-armored figure formed hand seals and pushed forward. A giant column of purple flame condensed and thunderously shot towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo''s expression tightened as he waved his hands, shooting out another Pure Yang Sword from within his body¨Cit was that very sword with sixty-four layers of prohibitions. The red giant sword flashed and split open, reverting into nine flying swords that scattered and landed around the blue-armored figure. ¡°Golden Sword Array, arise!¡± Shen Luo shouted lowly. In an instant, all ten flying swords began to whirl rapidly, transforming into ten spinning wheels of red-golden light, like ten miniature suns. Blinding red-gold light bloomed, drowning out the vision of the blue-armored figure who could suddenly see nothing. The golden sword light also had an effect that disrupted the spirit, causing sensory confusion and difficulty in distinguishing directions. The purple flame column aimed at Shen Luo veered off course, striking fiercely far to his left. Shen Luo''s body radiated bright golden light, astonishingly breaking free completely. His figure flickered as he flew behind a ring of golden light and pointed a finger seal. The flying sword within the ring of light shook violently, emitting a dense rain of golden light swords with a massive sword cry, hitting the purple flame column. The purple ice flame was incredibly cold; upon contact, the golden light swords were instantly frozen into purple ice swords. However, these light swords contained a vastly different power compared to Zhao Feiji''s sound waves previously; even though the golden light swords were frozen, the energy within them continued shooting furiously downwards. Sounds of torrential rain striking banana leaves erupted, with the purple flame column being instantly riddled with holes. Clumps of purple ice flames shattered and scattered in all directions. The light from the Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield in the hands of the blue-armored figure dispersed chaotically, much like those ice flames. Seeing this, the armored figure''s expression changed, and he spat out a blue light that melded into the Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield. The scattered purple light on the shield immediately converged, and the scattered purple flames coalesced once more into a giant purple fiery hand. Relying on a hint of spiritual perception to discern the direction, it grabbed towards a golden light wheel in midair. Shen Luo''s figure flickered and appeared behind that light wheel, urging it with another finger seal. The light wheel also boomed, shooting out countless golden light swords like a storm, hitting the purple fiery hand and once again shooting it full of holes, dispersing it into fragments. Shen Luo made a seal towards the third light wheel nearby, and countless light swords shot down from it, this time aimed at the blue-armored figure. Hearing the commotion, the armored figure hurriedly raised the purple shield above his head. Rings of purple light cascaded down, forming a thick light shield that protected his entire body. Numerous golden light swords exploded forth, striking the purple light shield. The purple shield trembled violently, thinning rapidly until it almost completely collapsed after only a couple of breaths. The blue-armored figure let out a low growl, and the light on the Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield atop his head intensified, as if he was about to do something. However, in the void above his head, the space distorted, and Shen Luo appeared out of nowhere, his hands holding a dark red large seal¨Cit was the Turn Sky Seal, which he smashed downwards. A flash of dark red light passed, and the Turn Sky Seal instantaneously enlarged to the size of a house, fiercely striking the Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield. The Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield shattered on impact, and the protective cover around the blue-armored figure also collapsed, as the Turn Sky Seal continued to fall like a meteor, striking his body. The blue-armored figure had no power to resist, crushed beneath the giant Turn Sky Seal, half of his body smashed to pieces, yet it didn''t completely crumble! The surrounding purple extreme ice flames were shook loose, drifting to various places in the great hall, covering the entire hall with an intensely cold aura. The ground and walls began to display vast patches of purple ice crystals. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo paid no attention to his surroundings, readying to urge the Turn Sky Seal for a second strike. ¡°Very well, you''ve defeated me. Proceed to the next level,¡± the blue-armored figure said with difficulty, spitting out a beam of silver light into the nearby void. The void immediately split open, forming a silver light door. Chapter 1537 Chapter 1537: Chapter 1533: Collecting the Pearl Chapter 1537: Chapter 1533: Collecting the Pearl Shen Luo, upon hearing this, quickly stopped the Turn Sky Seal and his tightened expression relaxed. After doing this, the last trace of spirit in the eyes of the blue-armored man disappeared, the broken body lost all of its spiritual light, and became completely motionless. The spiritual light on the Purple Extreme Cold Jade Shield also scattered, and suddenly it transformed into countless purple powder, from which a thumb-sized purple crystal stone rolled out. The scattered Purple Extreme Ice Flame suddenly started flashing intensely and then rapidly converged towards the purple crystal stone. A few breaths later, a chicken egg-sized Purple Ice Pearl suddenly condensed into form, surrounded by a layer of purple ice flame, emitting a force of attraction. All of the purple ice crystals inside the great hall melted away, turning into strands of purple cold air that converged towards the ice pearl and merged into it. The cold aura that originally filled the great hall disappeared completely, as if it were merely an illusion. Seeing this, Shen Luo showed a look of surprise and after a while, he came to his senses, dissolved the Golden Sword Array with a hand gesture, and the sword lights reversed like an ebbing tide, transforming back into ten flying swords, which returned into his body. As the purple ice crystals disappeared, Zhao Feiji also regained his freedom, he looked quite unwell, and turned into a black shadow to fly back into the Qiankun Bag to cure his injuries. Shen Luo''s face turned pale for a moment, and his body swayed slightly. The Golden Sword Array was powerful, but it also drained a lot of mana, and coupled with the activation of the Turn Sky Seal, the mana inside his body was nearly depleted. ¡°Cousin!¡± Nie Caizhu also flew out of the Jade Purification Bottle and seeing Shen Luo in this state, she hurriedly recited spells, conjuring the recovery god''s power of Mount Putuo ¨C Delivering Sentient Beings. A green light entered Shen Luo''s body, and a green halo emerged around him, flashing rapidly. With each flash, the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi converged rapidly once, transforming into mana and flowing into his body. After nine continuous flashes, the green halo completely disappeared, and although Shen Luo''s mana was not fully restored, it had recovered by a great deal. ¡°It''s okay now, my mana has recovered a lot, so you were carrying the Jade Purification Bottle.¡± Shen Luo''s face was no longer pale, looking at the huge bottle several zhang high. ¡°Master was afraid I might encounter an accident, so he let me carry the Jade Purification Bottle with me. However, I can''t refine the prohibitions inside the bottle, so it can''t unleash great power, it can only be used to hide and flee for life,¡± Nie Caizhu gestured, causing the Jade Purification Bottle to shrink quickly and flew into her hand. ¡°Being able to use it to flee for life is good enough, if we encounter a situation as dangerous as we just did, don''t worry about me, immediately hide in the bottle. I have ways to save my own life,¡± Shen Luo stood up and said. Nie Caizhu listened and nodded slightly. Shen Luo walked slowly to the side of the blue-armored man, silent. ¡°This armored man is really powerful, and whether it''s his combat methods or spiritual wisdom, he''s no different from ordinary monks,¡± Nie Caizhu said. Shen Luo bent down, picked up a fragment of the armored man''s broken body, which was filled with special Yan Patterns, the Ghost Suppression Runes. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It really is the Ghost Yan,¡± he muttered. ¡°Ghost Yan?¡± Nie Caizhu was startled. Shen Luo briefly explained what Ghost Yan was, Nie Caizhu''s eyes immediately darkened, clearly expressing her disdain for the Ghost Technique. Shen Luo consoled Nie Caizhu a couple of sentences and then gazed at the silver light door, lost in thought. Listening to the Armored Man''s words, this place is called Tianyan Palace, could it be a secret realm of Tianji City? If that''s the case, there''s no need to worry¨Cthe people of Tianji City should be able to find this place very soon. He flicked his sleeve, releasing a burst of golden light, and collected the Blue Armament. He decided to study it slowly later and then turned his gaze to the Purple Ice Crystal, a glint of eagerness in his eyes. The extreme cold that had previously invaded his body had been absorbed by the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, and this powerful chill had advanced his mastery of the technique significantly, leaving him only a half step away from reaching the fifth level. If he could find a way to refine the Purple Polar Ice Pearl, his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique could definitely advance to the fifth layer and reach the Great Perfection Level. But the might of the Purple Extreme Ice Flame was immense, capable of freezing any mana and objects it touched. Collecting such an item would undoubtedly be difficult. Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, sending out a wave of blue light to envelop the pearl. The Purple Ice Pearl flickered with purple light, and the surrounding blue light instantly turned into a block of ice. Fortunately, he had anticipated this and had severed the connection between the blue light and himself early enough to avoid being affected by the extreme cold. ¡°Indeed, it''s not easy to collect,¡± muttered Shen Luo, having tried another two methods to retrieve it, both ending in failure. One magical treasure was directly turned into a block of ice, its internal prohibitions thoroughly shattered by the cold. ¡°Cousin, do you want to collect this pearl? This ice pearl is truly remarkable; I can try using the Jade Purification Bottle,¡± Nie Caizhu volunteered eagerly. ¡°The Jade Purification Bottle is a treasure of Mount Putuo and should have no problem collecting this pearl. However, if you do that, you won''t be able to hide inside it anymore. It''s not worth sacrificing the essence for the peripheral; let''s not do it,¡± Shen Luo said, shaking his head. Then he suddenly remembered an item and took it out¨Cit was the mysterious stone box. This object could collect things as dangerous as the Red Lotus Karmic Fire and the True Solar Fire. He had yet to understand the inner workings of the item, but perhaps it could also collect the Purple Polar Ice Pearl. He activated the stone box, and a suction force emanated from within, wrapping around the Purple Polar Ice Pearl. The ice flame on the Purple Ice Pearl lit up faintly as if trying to freeze the stone box, but after a few flickers, it died down. ¡°Indeed, it''s useful,¡± Shen Luo was delighted in his eyes, and he increased the stone box''s collecting power. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the Purple Polar Ice Pearl disappeared into the stone box and lay there quietly, its extreme cold having no effect on the box. ¡°This stone box is more wondrous than I anticipated,¡± he thought to himself but did not go into research, instead tucking the stone box away into the Carefree Mirror. Having done all this, Shen Luo then took out and collected the Silver Wolf Armor, which had been sealed in ice by Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu also retrieved the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and the Coiling Dragon Staff; the Immortal Silk was fine, but unfortunately, the staff had been chopped in half, its internal prohibitions mostly destroyed, rendering it unusable. ¡°Cai Zhu, are you adept at using short rods as weapons? I apologize for having you damage a magical treasure; I also have a short rod here, see if you can make do with it,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out a black short rod, the Devouring Element Magic Wand. He had barely used this treasure since he got it; seeing that Nie Caizhu was proficient with short rod magical treasures, he decided to give it to her. ¡°A magical treasure from the Demon Clan?¡± Nie Caizhu sensed the aura of the rod and frowned. ¡°The Demon Clan are creatures of the Three Realms as well; there''s no need to differentiate too much. And demon weapons are sharp, in some ways better than our Immortal Path magical treasures. The magic of this rod is profound; you can try it first, and we can talk more later,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu took the Devouring Element Magic Wand and filled it with mana. Instantly, black light surged from the Devouring Element Magic Wand, swirling around Nie Caizhu as if it had already been refined. Nie Caizhu operated the Artifact Refining Secret and quickly sensed the supreme divine powers contained within the wand, a look of pleasant surprise appearing on her face. Chapter 1538 Chapter 1538: Chapter 1534: Witch Clan Forbidden Law Chapter 1538: Chapter 1534: Witch Clan Forbidden Law ¡°This Devouring Element Magic Wand can swallow the vitality of living beings and nourish the controller. It has similarities with the healing secret techniques of Mount Putuo. Thank you, Cousin.¡± Nie Caizhu said happily. ¡°You like it, that''s good. However, using the Devouring Element Magic Wand too much, the demonic Qi inside might invade the body. Take this Coiling Dragon Wall with you; it can effectively resist the invasion of demonic Qi.¡± Shen Luo nodded, then took out the Coiling Dragon Wall gifted by Zhenyuanzi and handed it to Nie Caizhu. His body now possesses strong Pure Yang Power, enough to resist the backlash of demonic Qi; he no longer needs the Coiling Dragon Wall. Nie Caizhu didn''t stand on ceremony, taking the Coiling Dragon Wall and wearing it close to the body. The two then came to the Silver Light Door but did not rashly enter. ¡°What should we do next? According to what the Blue Armament Man said, shall we go to the second floor of the Tianyan Palace?¡± Nie Caizhu looked towards Shen Luo, obviously expecting him to make a decision. Shen Luo didn''t speak but turned his head to look around. Having waited so long, there was no sign of anyone from Tianji City appearing. Could it be that he was mistaken, and this place is not a secret realm controlled by Tianji City? ¡°Staying here isn''t a solution, and we don''t know when the Silver Light Door might disappear. Let''s follow the Armored Man''s words and head to the second floor for now,¡± he murmured before speaking up. Nie Caizhu naturally had no objections. The two stepped into the Silver Light Door, and in a blink, they appeared in a vast square. Surrounded by drifting white clouds, seemingly endless, it appeared as if it was situated above the clouds. In front of the square stood a gigantic building that seemed to be a Treasure Pagoda. This tower was entirely in a bluish-gray color, soaring into the sky, appearing to have five layers from where they stood in the square, each layer narrower than the one below. To see the tip of the fifth layer, one would have to tilt their head back as far as possible. It was incredibly majestic and unbelievably colossal, making a person standing in front of it feel as minuscule as ants. Apart from the tall tower and the square, there were no other objects here. ¡°Is this the second floor of the Tianyan Palace?¡± Nie Caizhu gazed at the towering pagoda in front of her, a look of surprise on her face. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, what do you think this place is?¡± Shen Luo was also very surprised by the surroundings and communicated with Fire Spirit Child through spiritual transmission. ¡°Throughout the ages, there have been countless secret realms, I couldn''t possibly know them all. However, this place seems peculiar; you should be cautious,¡± said Fire Spirit Child after rolling his eyes. ¡°This place looks like a certain secret realm; it seems we are no longer inside Tianji City,¡± Shen Luo said with a sharpened gaze to Nie Caizhu. ¡°Could Che Qingtian have also come here?¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly said. ¡°It''s possible. Cai Zhu, better hide inside the Free and Easy Mirror just to be safe,¡± Shen Luo had already been covertly monitoring the surroundings and responded. ¡°Alright, Cousin, please be careful.¡± Nie Caizhu did not refuse. Shen Luo activated the Free and Easy Mirror, taking Nie Caizhu inside, then walked towards the tower, quickly arriving at the tower gate. The tower entrance gate was about forty to fifty zhang high, currently tightly closed and faintly emanating white light, seemingly some form of prohibition. He waved his hand, emitting a golden light, and pushed as if testing. The Big Gate opened in response, revealing a pitch-black passage. ¡°Eh, it opened just like that?¡± Shen Luo was momentarily stunned. The passage inside was pitch black, utterly impossible to see the end. He channeled his Divine Sense into it, but the entire space was filled with a force of prohibition, similar to the prohibitions in the great hall before but several times stronger. His Divine Sense couldn''t leave his body at all. Shen Luo did not recklessly enter; he waved his hand to summon a stream of water, casting the Art of Spirit Communication to summon the Mirror Fiend. This place was eerily unpredictable; he needed to enhance his strength as much as possible. The Mirror Fiend had already advanced to the True Immortal Stage, and its God''s Power was marvelous, providing considerable assistance. However, no matter how he cast his spells, the Art of Spirit Communication could not sense the existence of the Mirror Fiend, obviously, there was a highly sophisticated prohibition isolating this place from the outside world. Shen Luo''s expression turned solemn. After pondering for a while, he took out the Profound Yellow Staff and the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet to protect his body before stepping into the tower gate. Inside the gate, the black passageway was extremely dimly lit; even with his vision, he could only make out about ten meters ahead. Even when activating the protective Spiritual Light, he could not illuminate it¨Cthe surrounding darkness seemed to absorb the light. ¡°Is this the Dark Ming Witch Barrier?¡± Fire Spirit Child exclaimed softly. ¡°Dark Ming Witch Barrier¡­related to the Witch Clan?¡± Shen Luo asked, following up. ¡°Yes, how could a Witch Clan prohibition appear here?¡± replied Fire Spirit Child, then he began muttering to himself. Shen Luo grew more cautious, enhancing the power of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet a bit more, and continued moving forward. After walking for a while, Fire Spirit Child suddenly called out to stop. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Shen Luo halted. ¡°There''s something strange about the wall on your left hand, hey, Young Master Shen, let me out,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. Hearing this, Shen Luo took out the Netherworld Furnace from the Carefree Mirror and looked in that direction. On the wall to the left were a few faint lines that appeared to be Witch text. He was not familiar with Witch text and did not know what they meant. Fire Spirit Child emerged from the Netherworld Furnace, stopping in front of those lines of Witch text, completely still. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What do these Witch texts mean? Can you understand them, Fire Daoist friend?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°These aren''t Witch texts; they are Witch Clan spells. Something seems to be hidden within the wall,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained, exhaling an object¨Cit was the Black Stone Stele that recorded the Spirit Refining Array. He danced exuberantly, mimicking the sky-respecting actions of barbarian tribes and formed various hand gestures unlike any magic spells Shen Luo had ever seen. A beam of black light emanated from the Black Stone Stele, continuously entering the Witch text on the wall. The lines of Witch Clan spells absorbed the black light and quickly brightened. Fire Spirit Child pressed his palm against the lines of spells, and the Stone Wall beneath made cracking sounds as it recessed downwards, revealing a half-foot deep slot containing something stark black¨Can ancient-looking scroll. ¡°There really is something.¡± Fire Spirit Child took out the scroll and unfurled it, his expression stunned. Shen Luo also looked over. Inside, there were neither records of divine techniques nor mysterious Array Techniques, only lines of black, crisscrossed chaotically without any order that resembled a child''s scribbles. Some areas within the black lines had text annotations, but they were all written in Witch text, which Shen Luo could not understand. At the end of the scroll, there was a complex-looking pattern that seemed to be some sort of marker. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, you understand Witch text; can you make out what''s drawn here?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I can only understand the text here, which mentions the Refining Device Hall, Golden Stone Pavilion, Spirit Beast Garden, and so on. It seems to be a map of a large-scale Cave House, but since it''s drawn so messily, it might not be real. I also don''t understand the final pattern,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, looking disappointed. He originally thought that there were some Witch Clan battle formations or Witchcraft Classics hidden within the wall, but it turned out to be an unclear object, suddenly feeling quite bored. Chapter 1539 Chapter 1539: Chapter 1535: Rules Chapter 1539: Chapter 1535: Rules ¡°Here you go, I''ve annotated the witch text on it.¡± Fire Spirit Child tossed the scroll to Shen Luo, then picked up the Black Stone Stele and flew back to the Netherworld Furnace. Shen Luo carefully examined the scribbles on the scroll. At first glance, it seemed to be a map, but upon closer inspection, it was completely off. Each intersection had several directions, with many routes overlapping or even conflicting. What kind of terrain structure was this? He shook his head, put the scroll into his chest, and also stored away the Netherworld Furnace before moving on. The passageway was lengthy, and since he dared not walk fast, it took him a quarter of an hour to reach the end. Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened in the middle. Other than the pitch-black passageway, it suddenly lit up ahead. A long blue stone passage appeared, with a Stone Stele standing beside it, several lines of text engraved upon it. ¡°To the one who reaches the second layer of the Tianyan Palace, your strength is remarkable, and your courage commendable. Ahead lies the Heavenly Puzzling Maze; danger and opportunities alike await.¡± Shen Luo let out a sigh as he read the text on the Stone Stele. It seemed he was indeed in the second layer of the Tianyan Palace, inexplicably caught in the midst of a test¨Cwhether for good or ill, he did not know. He surveyed the blue stone passage ahead. It seemed unremarkable, with walls on both sides engraved with many strange patterns featuring mountains, rivers, people, and beasts¨Csome exquisitely done, others oddly crude, making it unclear what the intentions of the artist were. The blue stone passage was also densely covered with prohibitions, and Divine Sense still couldn''t spread out. Having come this far, Shen Luo did not hesitate. As he was about to step forward, something caught his eye behind the Stone Stele¨Cthere seemed to be something written there too. He leaned in for a closer look. The Stone Stele was flush against the wall, and from this angle, it was difficult to see the other side. Only by pressing his face against the wall could he clearly see that there was indeed a line of text on the back side. Written by the same hand as the front, it was clearly authored by the same person. ¡°Within the Heavenly Puzzling Maze, those who damage the walls shall be punished!¡± ¡°Written in such a place, I wonder if the intent was for people to see it or not.¡± Shen Luo was somewhat speechless towards the person who set up the Stone Stele. He bent down to carefully examine the Stone Stele once more, and after finding no other hidden content, he proceeded forward. He followed the blue stone passage for a while before suddenly coming to a crossroad. Each of the three passageways that branched out were almost identical, winding and difficult to see to the end. He recalled the contents of the Stone Stele he had just passed and, after a moment of contemplation, continued down the passageway in front. He hadn''t walked far when the sound of mechanisms clicking into place came from behind. Shen Luo immediately leapt backwards, quickly retreating to the previous crossroad in the blink of an eye. However, the crossroad was no longer there, having been replaced by a three-pronged fork in the road. The passageway leading to the exit and the one on the left had vanished, with a new path now stretching toward the left front. ¡°A maze that can change its terrain, huh¡­¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, then turned to continue onward. Soon, a fork in the road appeared ahead, extending to the left and right. He chose the left path to keep going. This Heavenly Puzzling Maze was incredibly complex, with diverging paths appearing every so often, whether two or three. Plus, once he passed each intersection, the terrain there would immediately change. At first, Shen Luo tried to remember the pathways he had taken, but as he walked further, things became more chaotic and he couldn''t keep track, so he simply stopped trying and went wherever the road took him. At that moment, the sound of metal clashing and scraping came from ahead. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, but he didn''t stop his stride. He kept moving forward and soon spotted the source of the metallic sounds¨Ca suit of green Armor. This Armor is somewhat similar to the Green Snake Armor encountered in the great hall, but also different; the arms are curved as if they were the body of a serpent, holding not curved knives, but two misty yellow Snake-shaped longswords, with a trail of blood-red patterns on the Sword body, quite extraordinary. Seeing Shen Luo, the Blue Armor immediately charged over with an angry roar. The situation inside the Maze was strange, and Shen Luo had no intention of getting entangled with this Armor. He directly used Splashy Chaotic Stick technique, and with two strikes, the Blue Armor was shattered to pieces. However, those two Snake-shaped longswords, made of some unknown Materials, did not break under the strike of the Profound Yellow Staff, they were merely bent. ¡°Hey, these longswords actually contain quite a bit of Xuan Turtle Plank and Blood Scale Stone, no wonder they could withstand your stick. Give me these longswords, extracting the Xuan Turtle Plank and Blood Scale Stone from them will be very beneficial for you, even though the quantity is rather small,¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice rang out once more. Joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes; Xuan Turtle Plank need not be mentioned, but Blood Scale Stone was a Precious material for the refinement of the Blood Essence Banner, which he had been unable to find in Tianji City. Unexpectedly, he encountered it here. He swept the longswords into his sleeves, sent them into the Netherworld Furnace, and continued forward. The encounter with this Blue Armor seemed to be a starting point; after that, every certain distance, he would encounter one or two Armors, some were the previous Snake-shaped Armors, others were different types of Armors. These Armors weren''t particularly powerful; he handled them easily with his stick technique and collected another three or four pairs of Snake-shaped longswords, enough to refine the Blood Essence Banner. Other Armors also had some Precious materials on them, yielding a rich harvest. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could it be that these Armors are the Danger and Opportunity mentioned on the Stone Stele?¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. Soon, he had been in the Heavenly Puzzling Maze for more than one hour, and only occasionally encountered Armor guardians in the Blue Stone Passage, encountering no other dangers. He considered whether to increase his pace. A pattering of light footsteps came from ahead, very brisk, and entirely different from the previous Armors. Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed, about to activate his Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to conceal his presence, but it was too late. A figure appeared in the passageway ahead, it was Che Qingtian. ¡°Hehe, Shen Luo, you''ve actually been transported in here as well.¡± Che Qingtian''s expression was slightly surprised, then he chuckled. ¡°Daoist Che, you are here too, I wonder if you''ve already obtained the Inheritance of Tianyan Palace''s Master?¡± Seeing Che Qingtian, Shen Luo was also startled, but spoke calmly. ¡°How did you know that this is Tianyan Palace?¡± Che Qingtian''s expression changed drastically, his voice turning cold. Shen Luo was taken aback by his words; wasn''t Che Qingtian like him, someone who had fought his way up from the First Layer? There were quite a few places marked ahead indicating this was the Tianyan Palace. Moreover, Che Qingtian''s huge reaction upon hearing the name Tianyan Palace indicated he must have known about this place long before. ¡°Why should I tell Your Excellency how I know?¡± Shen Luo responded while his thoughts raced. ¡°Tianyan Palace is a Holy land where only people from the Che family can enter. Since you are unwilling to answer my question sincerely, then go to die!¡± Che Qingtian''s eyes shone with a cold light, filled with murderous intent as he took out a snow-white Greatsword. A broad Sword Qi flashed above Shen Luo''s head, slashing down straight at him. Shen Luo had previously sparred with this person and had not been at too much of a disadvantage, calling upon his Profound Yellow Staff for defense. But after just two moves, Shen Luo felt something was off. Che Qingtian''s movements were now as ghostly as a Ghostly Specter, and his Greatsword was astonishingly powerful, his swordsmanship far more exquisite than before, several times more formidable. After just two exchanges, Shen Luo''s right arm was swept by a blast of Sword Qi, blood gushing out profusely, with the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet having little effect. He hastily used several ultimate moves from Splashy Chaotic Stick to barely force the opponent back. Chapter 1540 Chapter 1540: Chapter 1536: Frenzied Sprint to the Death Chapter 1540: Chapter 1536: Frenzied Sprint to the Death ¡°You concealed your strength earlier?¡± Shen Luo stared intently at Che Qingtian and demanded. ¡°What a joke! Why would I need to use my full strength against a lowly insect like you in the early stage of being a True Immortal? If you had kept your distance, I might not have bothered to seek you out, but now that you''ve delivered yourself to my doorstep, you''ll stay here forever!¡± Che Qingtian sneered, the greatsword in his hand emanating intense cold, causing snowflakes to drift throughout the passageway. ¡°Raging Waves Snow Slash!¡± he shouted loudly as he swung his greatsword. The snowflakes that filled the sky suddenly interweave and solidified, all transforming into giant sword qi as massive as doors, dense and numerous, crashing towards Shen Luo like furious waves. The blue stone passageway was already cramped, and with the wide swath of white sword qi, there was simply no way to dodge. Shen Luo felt the temperature of the void around him drop sharply, his body sinking as if he had fallen into a swamp, and his connection to the spiritual power of the surrounding heaven and earth was cut off. Although surprised, he did not panic; his arms danced wildly as he exercised the Splashy Chaotic Stick with all his might. A multitude of stick shadows appeared around him, colliding with the overwhelming sword qi, releasing dense, thunderous explosions. Che Qingtian''s lips curled into a cold smile, his hands quickly forming Spells, the greatsword in his hand flipped, and the white sword qi within the passage spun, transforming into white flying swords, which neatly arrayed, forming an exquisite sword array in the blink of an eye. The sword qi was incredibly fierce, instantly filling the entire channel space. It was almost as powerful as the Golden Sword Array and brutally sliced onto Shen Luo. The Splashy Chaotic Stick shadows around Shen Luo were instantly broken, and he was sent flying backward, crashing hard against the passage wall. His arms were suddenly covered with crisscrossing sword marks, the wounds all frozen with ice crystals, with chill seeping into his meridians. The snowflake sword array, being condensed from sword qi, was not stable and collapsed after a single strike. ¡°Cousin!¡± Nie Caizhu, watching Shen Luo''s state from within the Free and Easy Mirror, exclaimed in alarm and immediately began chanting Spells, her hands rapidly forming seals. A Green Light shot out from her body, with a hint of emerald willow within, passing through the Free and Easy Mirror and entering Shen Luo''s body. A bright green light suddenly surfaced on Shen Luo''s body, the wounds on his body began healing rapidly, and his mana was also significantly restored. ¡°Willow Sweet Dew from Mount Putuo! You have spatial treasures with you? Hand them over!¡± Che Qingtian''s eyebrows raised, the White Sword slashed once more, and countless snowflakes condensed again. With Nie Cai Zhu''s help, Shen Luo immediately got to his feet, without hesitation turned, and fled into the distance. At this moment, Che Qingtian''s demonstrated strength was much stronger than before, even among those in the Taiyi Stage, he could be considered a Powerful Person. Even using Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array and the Turn Sky Seal, Shen Luo was not sure he could overcome him. Although his Sky Fiend Corpse King also possessed the strength of the Taiyi Stage, the prohibitions inside the tower greatly restricted the divine soul. In such a place, using the Sky Fiend Corpse King would likely make it very difficult to control, unable to exert its full power, and might fall into Che Qingtian''s hands, especially since this man was a Yan Technique Master. His mind racing, Shen Luo swiftly weighed his options and chose to escape. Che Qingtian immediately gave chase; however, from within the passage suddenly arose a flute sound like the grieving moans of a hundred dragons, involuntarily prompting the recollection of the most painful memories. To revive the reputation of the Che family, Che Qingtian had endured countless hardships from a young age, and countless sorrowful moments couldn''t help but be stirred by the sound of the flute, halting the progress of his flying figure momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo escaped the range of the snowflakes, his body flashing with green light as he executed the Yimu Xuandun. Here, unable to unfold the Divine Sense, using an Escape Technique to flee was the best choice, leaving no way to track him. However, a burst of white light suddenly surged in the nearby void, blocking his entry into the spiritual power space. He cursed under his breath, and with his legs flashing with the light of stars and the moon, he used the Slanting Moon Steps, Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, and Splitting Stone Step movements to their fullest. In an instant, his entire person turned into a phantom, fleeing toward the distance like lightning. ¡°Don''t even think about getting away!¡± Che Qingtian''s body trembled as he regained his divine wisdom, and he pursued with a mix of shock and rage. Green Light flickered on his legs, and the boots he wore seemed to be no ordinary items; his speed was actually faster than Shen Luo''s, quickly closing the distance between them. Shen Luo was alarmed, not caring whether there were dangers ahead in the passage. A red light flashed over him, and a Pure Yang Sword emerged, carrying his body and shooting into the distance. ¡°You think you can escape like this?¡± Che Qingtian sneered, his legs emanating bright green light that coalesced into a rapidly spinning Green whirlwind. His body shot forth, transforming into a ghostly specter-like green afterimage, once again quickly shortening the distance between the two. However, just at this moment, Shen Luo in front suddenly flipped his hand and waved, unleashing streaks of Golden Lightning from the void, with dense and dazzling Golden Electric Arcs filling the entire field of vision ahead. With a disdainful snort, Che Qingtian wielded the White Sword in the air, and a sky full of Sword Qi reappeared, instantly extinguishing all the Golden Lightning. A fork in the road appeared ahead in the passage, and Shen Luo flew into the middle one, which immediately disappeared with a thunderous boom. Che Qingtian saw this and frowned slightly, stopping in his tracks and flipping his hand. A white little beast, the size of a puppy, appeared in front of him, sniffing ferociously before letting out a sharp squeak at Che Qingtian. Che Qingtian swept up the little creature with a flick of his sleeve, and shot towards a nearby passage. Shen Luo was flying through the passages with his sword, crossing several before he stopped his fleeing figure. This Heavenly Puzzling Maze''s terrain was constantly changing, and once separated, it was almost impossible to encounter each other again. He had run so far that even if Che Qingtian were a Taiyi master, he shouldn''t be able to pursue him, right? ¡°Fire Daoist friend, what God''s Power did Che Qingtian just use? He actually turned the Sword Qi into a Sword Array.¡± Shen Luo looked at the remaining wounds on his body and asked solemnly. ¡°I''m not very familiar with sword techniques and God''s Powers, but that person''s strength is too formidable. You''re not his match right now; it''s better to flee as far as possible,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°But I have to be able to get away.¡± Shen Luo took out a Healing Pill and swallowed it, ready to continue flying forward when he suddenly turned his head to look back. Just in case, he had left a Heavenly Demon Eye to guard every passage he had passed just now. After all, the Demonic Qi in his body was a hindrance; he would rather use it all at once, not having to consider conserving it. Che Qingtian''s figure actually appeared in those passages, rapidly approaching Shen Luo''s location. Shen Luo''s expression changed. He could still catch up? He did not dare to stop in place for a moment, continuing to flee forward while leaving a Heavenly Demon Eye in every passage he passed. ¡°What, did Che Qingtian catch up to you?¡± Fire Spirit Child noticed Shen Luo''s actions and asked. ¡°I don''t know what method this person used, but he''s able to pursue me even in this maze,¡± Shen Luo said solemnly. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Various prohibitions densely filled the space here, significantly weakening the effectiveness of the Heavenly Demon Eye, which could only barely sense the distant situation. It couldn''t transmit sound and images like before, so he couldn''t observe what methods Che Qingtian used through the Heavenly Demon Eye. Chapter 1541 Chapter 1541: Chapter 1537: Shedding the Shell Chapter 1541: Chapter 1537: Shedding the Shell ¡°Apparently, this Heavenly Puzzling Maze seems chaotic but actually follows certain patterns. Just now, Che Qingtian claimed that only members of the Che family could enter this place, perhaps he has some tricks about the maze in his hands, allowing him to take detours and track us even if the passageways change. No matter what, the current situation is very disadvantageous for you,¡± said Fire Spirit Child after a slight pause. Shen Luo didn''t need a reminder from Fire Spirit Child, he knew that under the current circumstances, the farther he could escape, the better. A flicker of red light appeared under his feet, and another flying sword materialized. With the combined power of two swords, his escape speed increased significantly, whistling forward. He could actually release several more flying swords, but the space in the passageway was small, and it was winding. Flying too fast would only lead him to crash into walls, thus two flying swords were already the limit he could control. While flying, he was rapidly thinking of strategies. He couldn''t figure out the secrets of this maze in a short time; he could only keep flying forward. But simply fleeing like this was no solution; he had to find a way to completely shake off Che Qingtian. Leaving the grey high tower probably wouldn''t work. Although the plaza space outside seemed boundless, Shen Luo felt that it was a mere illusion created by formation prohibitions and wasn''t truly an infinite space; going there would be a dead end. Besides, he couldn''t find a way back immediately. It seemed that the only feasible method was to head deeper into the passageway and try to reach the third layer of the Tianyan Palace. Having made up his mind, Shen Luo accelerated deeper into the passageway. Each time he passed a junction, he would mobilize his mana to create a doppelganger that dashed inside. He didn''t know how Che Qingtian comprehended these shifting mazes, but Che Qingtian definitely had a method to pinpoint his location; he hoped this tactic would disrupt Che Qingtian''s tracking. ¡°Young Master Shen, there''s no use in doing such futile efforts. If I''m not mistaken, Che Qingtian is not tracing you through mana traces,¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke. ¡°Oh, then how is he finding me?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°There are countless tracking techniques, and I only know roughly, but if I''m not wrong, he might be using methods like scent to lock onto your trail,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Scent? Tracking by scent is a common method used by low-ranking cultivators. High-ranking cultivators have ways to mask their own body scents. Che Qingtian is a Taiyi master, he wouldn''t¡­¡± Shen Luo was startled as he spoke. Before he finished speaking, he suddenly recalled an incident when he was fleeing with Wanshui Zhenren in the Boundless Sand Sea, and during the chase with three people from Fangjin Pavilion, Li Biao used a type of gray pig beast to track him and Wanshui Zhenren; his voice suddenly stopped. ¡°There is no hierarchical distinction in methods; any method that accomplishes the goal is a good method. Furthermore, even the most sophisticated method can''t completely block scent, it''s just a matter of effectiveness. There are some incredible creatures in the Three Realms with an extremely acute sense of smell, far beyond your imagination. They can track even the slightest hint of scent, and this small space within the maze is ideal for using scent to track the enemy,¡± Fire Spirit Child said indifferently. ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, his expression suddenly changing again, and he immediately accelerated forward. The Heavenly Demon Eye left in the passageway behind sensed Che Qingtian approaching quickly again, and this time his pursuit was very swift, about to catch up soon. At this moment, another crossroad appeared ahead. Shen Luo''s eyes flickered, and he took off a piece of clothing, handing it to the magically created doppelganger, whom he sent flying in another direction. ¡°Wait a second,¡± Fire Spirit Child suddenly spoke. Che Qingtian quickly tracked down this forked path. Above his head hung a White Talisman, emitting ripples downwards, turning his entire being into mist as he crossed directly through the Stone Wall of the passageway. To him, the entirety of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze was virtually non-existent. Tianyan Palace has been a Holy Land that the descendants of the Che family have sought generation after generation. This place conceals the greatest secret of Che Yuan''s life; all of Che Yuan''s astounding Yan Techniques originated from this Tianyan Palace. Moreover, the techniques he acquired were not complete, as even deeper Yan Technique inheritances lay within the palace. Many details about Tianyan Palace were recorded in a manuscript of Che Yuan, and this White Talisman was refined based on those records, specifically to counteract the second challenge of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze. Che Qingtian had originally not intended to use this talisman, as the power it contained was limited. However, leaving Shen Luo to run amok here could lead to unpredictable events, so he must be eradicated quickly! But at this moment, the small white creature hidden In the Sleeve suddenly hesitated, detecting scents from both left and right. ¡°It seems that Shen Luo has some tricks, to have noticed my tracking so quickly,¡± Che Qingtian frowned, flipped his hand to take out a Yan Armor Ball and threw it. The Yan Armor Ball quickly expanded, transforming in the blink of an eye into an Armored Man, looking identical to Che Qingtian. This was a special type of Armored Man that did not require Soul Power to control and possessed considerable combat capability. Che Qingtian made a hand seal and tapped the talisman above his head, a white light striking the Armored Che Qingtian, turning his body also into an ethereal state, and both dashed down the two passageways simultaneously. Che Qingtian himself quickly chased for a hundred feet, immediately found Shen Luo''s Magical Clone quietly standing in the passageway ahead, holding a Green Robe jacket. Che Qingtian was not disappointed at chasing a clone; glancing at the robe, a smile instead appeared on his lips. The Greatsword in his hand flashed with white light chopping off the head of the Magical Clone. The Sword Radiance then swiftly enveloped the Green Robe. He possessed a divine technique of killing from a distance through curses, which required an article of clothing from the target as a medium. With this intimate robe imbued with Shen Luo''s Qi, he could execute the technique. Even if it didn''t kill the opponent, it could still cause severe injury! However, just as the Sword Qi approached the robe, the robe immediately burst into purple flames, turning the robe to ashes in an instant, leaving no residue. Faced with such a dramatic turn of events, Che Qingtian''s complexion instantly turned immensely livid. He glared fiercely at the ashes before turning and shooting towards the other scent direction, unaware that a stream of purple light had quietly penetrated into the White Sword along the Sword Radiance. ¡°Did it work?¡± Shen Luo advanced rapidly along one passageway, his body turning ethereal, and spoke softly. He had already activated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, concealing his tracks, and isolating all Qi and Mana fluctuations of his body. Exquisitely mysterious, once he fully activated this garment and passed through the maze junction, the maze surprisingly ceased its transformations, evidently unable to detect his presence due to the prohibitions. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Humph! There''s no way I could err with my personal intervention. That Che Qingtian hasn''t followed, which means his current tracking technique can''t lock onto you wearing the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. However, this doesn''t mean you''re safe yet; you need to find a way to completely shake him off as soon as possible,¡± Fire Spirit Child arrogantly stated. When Shen Luo previously attempted to distract Che Qingtian with the clothing, Fire Spirit Child used the garment as bait, setting a trap within a trap, infusing a wisp of Purple Heart Earthfire into Che Qingtian''s Magical Treasures. Although Che Qingtian was a powerful cultivator, compared to the old and cunning Fire Spirit Child, who had lived for untold years, his cunning paled. Chapter 1542 Chapter 1542: Chapter 1538: Graffiti Map Chapter 1542: Chapter 1538: Graffiti Map Shen Luo, upon hearing the words of Fire Spirit Child, had his heart temporarily settled and continued to dart forward. After traveling a distance of two to three hundred feet and turning a corner, the passage ahead suddenly doubled in width. On one side of the wall, a blue palace door appeared, hanging with a plaque inscribed with three big characters: ¡°Golden Stone Pavilion¡±. The blue palace door was already half open, and there were fresh traces left from forceful strikes on it, most likely the work of Che Qingtian. The items inside must have already been plundered. ¡°Golden Stone Pavilion! Wait, isn''t this one of the places marked on that scroll earlier? Could it be that the scribbles on the scroll are a map of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze?¡± Thoughts flashed through Shen Luo''s mind, he did not stop here and continued to fly forward while taking out the scroll for a closer look. Originally, he couldn''t make sense of the scribbled map, but after experiencing the unpredictable passages of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze, looking at the scribbles again brought a completely different result. The chaotic and intertwined routes were exactly the numerous changes within the maze, and the map detailed each of them. ¡°Could this really be a map of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze?¡± Shen Luo inwardly marveled, and soon he arrived at another intersection. He followed the markings on the map, heading towards the path straight ahead. ¡°According to this map, this straight passageway is very long. After exiting, make two left turns and I should reach another marked place, Tiangong Hall.¡± Shen Luo compared the map and moved quickly. The passageway was indeed long, and it took him a while flying before he reached the end. Then, following the map''s directions, he turned left twice. The second time the passage was not open, so he circled around from the other side based on the map-drawn route. A quarter of an hour later, Shen Luo arrived in front of a dark-red palace door, with a plaque above inscribed with three large characters: ¡°Tiangong Hall¡±. ¡°It really is Tiangong Hall! This map is indeed a genuine map of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze!¡± His heart surged with joy. ¡°An actual map, who could have left it in that black passage? A previous challenger?¡± Fire Spirit Child was also very surprised. Shen Luo didn''t care about who left it behind; with this map and his mastery of Yan Technique, he was confident in moving unobstructed within the Heavenly Puzzling Maze. The innermost part of the maze''s map showed a red-marked exit that seemed to be the place leading to the third layer of Tianyan Palace. He must reach there before Che Qingtian. He took a light breath, pressing down the emotions in his heart, and looked towards the dark-red hall in front of him. ¡°Tiangong Hall? Could it be the place for refining Armor?¡± Shen Luo thought quietly. The great hall''s palace door was tightly shut with red light faintly visible, suggesting that Che Qingtian had not yet found it. Shen Luo waved his hand, and a silver mouse flew out from his sleeve, transforming into a streak of silver light and darted into the hall¨Cit was the Divine Rat. However, the silver light didn''t get far before the light ahead suddenly flared up, and a red light curtain materialized, blocking the Divine Rat''s path. Shen Luo frowned and then, without hesitation, shook his sleeve, sending out nine Pure Yang Swords. The swords spun swiftly, merging into one, becoming a ten-foot-long fiery red giant sword, and fiercely struck the red light curtain. It was the Nine Swords Unity God''s Power. With Che Qingtian looming behind, Shen Luo had no time to slowly unravel the prohibitions here. If Nine Swords Unity God''s Power was not effective, he would directly employ the Turn Sky Seal. With a crisp ¡°zila¡± sound, the red light curtain was slashed with a long gap but didn''t completely collapse. ¡°Such a sturdy prohibition!¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself, just about to summon the Turn Sky Seal¨Cbut the Divine Rat on the side let out an excited cry, flew through the gap in the light curtain, and once again turned into a silver light, disappearing into the palace door. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes shifted, and he halted his action. After a few breaths, the red light curtain on the palace door suddenly dimmed rapidly and with a ¡°bang¡±, completely dissipated, opening a crack on the palace door. He relaxed his expression, pushed the door open, and with a flip of his hand, closed the palace door behind him. Inside the palace door lay a hall, broad enough to span twenty or thirty feet, resembling a warehouse filled with huge metallic boxes of unknown contents, and at the very back, there was another door that seemed to lead to another space. Close to the Big Gate, on the right side, a red Array had been set up, and one corner of it had been chewed through. The Divine Rat was squatting next to the Array, squeaking at Shen Luo as if to take credit for its work. ¡°Well done,¡± Shen Luo praised with a smile, then took out a Golden Pill and tossed it to the Divine Rat. This was a special type of Elixir, known as the Refining Beast Pill, a secret Dan formula of an ancient beast taming sect. It was not for human consumption but was used to feed spirit beasts. According to the Dan formula provided by Fire Spirit Child, Shen Luo refined a batch of Elixirs specifically to feed this Divine Rat. The Divine Rat caught the Elixir in its mouth and swallowed it in one gulp, comfortably squinting its eyes. ¡°I''ll go check inside the Hall; Fire Daoist friend, see if you can repair this Array. In case Che Qingtian comes looking, it might provide some resistance,¡± Shen Luo said as he took out the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°Alright,¡± Fire Spirit Child agreed without any hesitation, flying out from the Netherworld Furnace to examine the red Array. Shen Luo quickly walked over to the metallic boxes, sliced through the locks hanging on top with his sword, opened the lids, and found that they contained large chunks of dark golden mineral. ¡°Copper of Lingxiao!¡± he exclaimed, waving his hand open another box, which also contained chunks of Copper of Lingxiao. Copper of Lingxiao was a core Spiritual Material in the refinement of Armor. Tianji City was in urgent need of it, and to think there was so much here, he wondered how much Immortal jade he could get by selling it to Tianji City. Shen Luo immediately activated the Free and Easy Mirror to collect all the large metal boxes. Luckily, the space inside the Free and Easy Mirror was large enough; otherwise, he really would have had no choice but to sigh in longing for the treasure. Having gathered these metal boxes, he hastened toward the depths of the Hall, passed through the door inside, and was suddenly met with a much larger White Jade Hall ahead. Here, materials for refining Armor were laid out, with low, long Stone Platforms on either side of the Hall, on which a medley of Armor lay scattered, including the Green Snake Armor and Silver Wolf Armor he had seen before, as well as many other strange types of Armor he had never seen. Apart from Armor, there were also many giant Weapons such as guns, clubs, axes, and so on, all covered in Yan Patterns and looking extraordinary. Shen Luo had long memorized the Sky Machine Scroll, remembering all the Armor and their weapons listed on it, but the contents of this Hall far exceeded what was recorded on the Sky Machine Scroll, many things were not even noted on it. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could it be that there is a sect in this world whose Yan Technique surpasses even Tianji City?¡± Shen Luo wondered to himself, his gaze suddenly falling upon a gold cannon barrel about twenty or thirty feet long. This thing looked very similar to his Divine Craftsman Cannon, only much larger in size, and the Yan Patterns on it were more elaborate. ¡°Is this¡­ an enhanced version of the Divine Craftsman Cannon?¡± Shen Luo speculated to himself, waving his hand to send a streak of golden light wrapping around the object. This object was extremely heavy; even with his current Mana, he found it slightly difficult to lift. Unable to use Divine Sense here, he was unable to inspect the internal structure of the gold cannon barrel. Following the same method to activate the Divine Craftsman Cannon, he patted the end of the cannon barrel twice, and with a ¡°click,¡± a round slot was revealed, empty inside, not fitted with any Armor Crystal. However, judging from the construction of the slot, it required the installation of five of the high-grade Armor Crystals used in the Divine Craftsman Cannon. Chapter 1543 Chapter 1543: Chapter 1539: Key Chapter 1543: Chapter 1539: Key ¡°Looking at this, it seems that five high-level Yuan crystals are needed to activate it, which suggests that the power of this cannon far exceeds that of the Divine Craftsman Cannon.¡± Shen Luo''s gaze fell on the round indentation at the tail of the golden cannon barrel, his eyes lighting up with joy. He had more than a dozen high-level Yuan crystals in his hand, which were certainly enough to activate it. It''s a pity that the Gray Tower has a Divine Spirit prohibition, and he couldn''t use this giant cannon; otherwise, he could have let Che Qingtian experience its power. Shen Luo sighed regretfully and put away the golden cannon. Given the urgency of the situation, he had no time to examine the other Armored Crystals. He immediately activated the Free and Easy Mirror and gathered all the Armored Crystals and weapons within the Hall. This place could be discovered by Che Qingtian sooner or later; he did not want to leave these precious Armored Crystals to the opponent. The Hall instantly became empty, but on the Stone Platform at the very end, there was a black iron box emitting a faint black light, resisting the extraction by the Free and Easy Mirror. ¡°Eh, what is this box?¡± Shen Luo was somewhat surprised. He walked over and tried to pick up the box, but it seemed as though it was cast onto the Stone Platform, which was connected to the Ground, making it immovable. He muttered to himself about the peculiarity, stepped back two paces, and drew out his Pure Yang Sword to strike it. A loud clanging sound of metal and stone echoed, sword light bloomed, and sparks flew from the iron box, which remained undamaged. Just as Shen Luo was about to lean in for a closer look, the black light on the iron box suddenly fluctuated, rapidly condensing into a scroll-like light curtain that flickered softly as if waiting for something. ¡°A Secret Key Seal?¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. He had heard about this kind of prohibition from Fire Spirit Child; typically, it''s used to guard Secret Chambers or treasures, requiring the correct secret key to open. The secret key could be a charm, text, or drawing. Forcibly opening it would only cause the prohibition to self-destruct and destroy the treasure within. Shen Luo thought for a moment, his finger emitted Golden Light, and he wrote the character ''Yan'' on the Scroll Light Curtain, but it quickly disappeared, and both the light curtain and the iron box showed no response, obviously the key was incorrect. He thought for another moment and then wrote the three characters ¡°Tianyan Palace¡± on the light curtain, still incorrect. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, submitted all possible keys he could think of repeatedly, but still, there was no response. ¡°It seems that the Master of this iron box has set a special key. As a newcomer, I fear I can''t open it; let it be.¡± He was not greedy and was just about to leave when a thought suddenly crossed his mind. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± he turned back, and on the Scroll Light Curtain, he traced a complex pattern, precisely the final symbol on the Map Scroll. Just as he finished tracing the pattern, the Scroll Light Curtain violently fluctuated, then retracted into the black iron box in a flash, and all the other black lights around the box were also drawn in. The lid of the box made a ''clack clack'' sound and opened automatically. Shen Luo suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked into the box, his eyebrows raising. Inside the box was a half-foot-long black iron rod, engraved with many lines and some protrusions, appearing to be yet another Key. ¡°A key? Is it to open something?¡± Shen Luo picked up the item. At that moment, one of the teal walls next to the Stone Table suddenly shook, countless teal-gray fragments fell off, and after a few breaths, a tightly closed Bronze Gate appeared on the wall, standing twenty or thirty feet tall and looking very spectacular. Shen Luo''s gaze settled on the center of the Big Gate, where there was a pot-lid-sized circular bulge. With a wave of his hand, the circular lid slid to the side, revealing a small black hole. He looked at the iron rod key in his hand, finally understanding, and inserted it into the hole, fitting perfectly without any gaps. ¡°Indeed, it''s this place,¡± Shen Luo said with joy on his face, twisting his fingers. From inside the Bronze Gate came the clicking sound of mechanical operations, which only stopped after several breaths, and the massive gate slowly opened. Shen Luo''s face showed astonishment; behind the Bronze Gate was an even larger Giant Hall, hundreds of feet tall, with a massive armored giant standing inside, almost level with the top of the hall''s ceiling. The armored giant''s whole body was golden, with silver-white mysterious patterns engraved on its chest and face. Its eyes, the size of Copper Bells, flashed with terrifying purple light. Its thick arms held a fiery red giant axe and a black Giant Hammer, giving off an aura like a natural demon god, exuding boundless dignity and a suppressing aura that inspired fear in anyone who saw it. ¡°What a terrifying armored giant!¡± Shen Luo gasped in awe. The patterns on the giant''s face, unknown Spirit Patterns, could release an extremely fierce aura of killing intent on their own, striking terror into the hearts of those who looked upon it. The purple light in the giant''s eyes seemed to contain twin thunderstorms, and the axe and hammer gave off a formidable dominance, capable of destroying heavens and earth. Among the armored figures Shen Luo had seen, only the Qingtian Mechanism of Tianji City surpassed the one before his eyes. ¡°Speaking of Qiang Tian''s Mechanism, this artifact indeed bears resemblances to Tianji City''s Qingtian Mechanism,¡± he observed the Gold Armor briefly, a thought suddenly flashing through his mind. At that moment, a flash of white light surged over his body, and the Nameless Elder''s Elder''s Token flew out automatically, inserting with a ''click'' into the chest of the Giant Domed Armor, sinking into it. There, a golden part protruded slightly outward, forming a door of a hidden compartment. Shen Luo was momentarily stunned by the sight before him, but soon regained his composure and leapt towards the chest of the giant armored figure, grabbing and pulling at the hidden door. With a ¡°click¡±, the hidden door suddenly opened, revealing a space of about a yard in size, surrounded only by walls as smooth as jade discs. In the center sat a golden chair, covered with colorful runes that connected to the surrounding jade discs, appearing extremely mysterious. ¡°Is this the control center of this armored giant?¡± he muttered to himself, taking a quick look around and ensuring there was no danger before stepping inside. Upon entering, a look of surprise immediately appeared on Shen Luo''s face. Because here, the pervasive prohibition of Divine Sense within the Gray Tower disappeared, allowing his Divine Sense to freely extend outside his body. Since entering the gray tower building, his Divine Sense had been firmly confined within his body, unable to reach outside at all, feeling like he was tightly wrapped in a layer of clothing; very uncomfortable. Now that this restriction had lifted, he couldn''t help but operate his Divine Sense to spread out, with strands of Divine Soul Crystal Thread mingling within, touching the golden chair and the surrounding walls. Suddenly, the golden chair burst into dazzling Golden Light, emitting a suction force, pulling Shen Luo to the chair before he could react, rendering him immobile. Above him, the jade disc suddenly split open, and a golden ball fell down, hovering in front of the golden chair, covered with countless mysterious Yan Patterns. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo''s face showed shock, promptly summoning the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet to protect his body. Soon realizing there was no danger, he gradually steadied his mind, carefully observing the golden ball in front of him. ¡°What is this?¡± He carefully operated his Divine Sense to explore the golden ball, but the patterns on the ball suddenly lit up en masse, swiftly absorbing his Divine Sense. In less than a breath or two, nearly half of Shen Luo''s Divine Sense was devoured. Alarmed in his heart, Shen Luo struggled to retrieve his Divine Sense, but it was no match for the suction power of the golden ball, his Divine Sense continuing to be rapidly devoured. Chapter 1544 Chapter 1544: Chapter 1540 Destruction Mingwang Chapter 1544: Chapter 1540 Destruction Mingwang ¡°What monster armor is this, hold still!¡± Shen Luo growled, no longer holding back any strength, and operated the Suppressing God Technique to its full extent, his glabella shining brightly. The Soul Power in his mind burst forth with brilliant lights, transforming into an enormous Mountain Buzhou, barely managing to suppress the devouring power of the golden ball. The suction force emitted by the golden ball dissipated quickly and soon calmed down completely. ¡°Not bad,¡± a nonchalant voice suddenly sounded in the surroundings. ¡°Who?¡± Shen Luo abruptly opened his eyes and looked around, shouting. However, there was silence all around, no response, nor any unusual presence. An illusion? Shen Luo couldn''t help but doubt whether his ears had deceived him. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, an unexpected change occurred! The golden chair beneath him and the golden ball in his hand shone brightly, unleashing a vast prohibition that infused into his body, merging with his Soul Power. Shen Luo suddenly felt connected to this enormous artifact through the golden orb, barely able to control the armor. At the same time, he also understood the situation of this Gold Yanya, named ¡°Destructive Mingwang,¡± whose strength far surpassed that of a Taiyi Existence, and impressively reached the realm of a Half-step Heavenly Venerate. ¡°A Half-step Heavenly Venerate level armor, although not comparable to the Qingtian Mechanism of Tianji City, is still among the peak of armor,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but rejoice. However, his realm was too low, especially his Divine Sense not strong enough, he feared that he wouldn''t be able to unleash the full combat power of this Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor, but it should still be enough to withstand Che Qingtian. At this moment, the voice of Fire Spirit Child came from outside. ¡°Young Master Shen, I''ve managed to barely repair the prohibition at the entrance, but that Che Qingtian is approaching from this way, he will arrive in no more than an incense stick''s time!¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo was startled but seeing the Destructive Mingwang around him, his heart settled down. ¡°Don''t worry, come inside,¡± he said. Hearing Shen Luo''s calm voice, Fire Spirit Child was a bit surprised, returned to the Netherworld Furnace, flew towards the interior, and soon arrived inside the Bronze Gate, the Divine Rat following along. Seeing the enormous Gold Yanya in front of him, Fire Spirit Child was also shocked, stopping the Netherworld Furnace right there. But the Divine Rat had no reservations and flew back to Shen Luo''s side through a hidden door in the chest of the Destructive Mingwang. ¡°Don''t worry, I''ve already gained control over this armor, come inside,¡± Shen Luo''s voice came from within. Hearing this, Fire Spirit Child flew over as well and landed beside Shen Luo, observing the surroundings. Shen Luo made a hand gesture, and with a ¡°clack,¡± the hidden door closed, the entire body of Destructive Mingwang bursting with dazzling golden light, the Spirit Patterns on its body rapidly wriggling, and the mountainous body swiftly shrank, turning into a height of only ten or more feet in a few breaths, the giant axe and giant hammer in the armor''s hands shrinking as well. This is the unique ability of Heavenly Venerate level armor; at this level, the armor can no longer be considered an inanimate object, almost no different from a living person, capable of freely controlling its size. Although it had shrunk many times in size, the terrifying aura emanating from Destructive Mingwang had not diminished at all. Shen Luo nodded slightly and propelled the armor to move outside, soon arriving behind the Tiangong Hall''s palace door. He looked outside through the prohibition within the armor. The eyes of Destructive Mingwang flashed sharply, shooting out two beams of substantial purple light. The Tiangong Hall''s palace door became semi-transparent in his vision, allowing a clear view of the outside. At this moment, Che Qingtian flew from a distance and arrived at the entrance of Tiangong Hall. Seeing that a great battle was about to begin, Fire Spirit Child no longer stayed outside. He gave the surrounding monster armors a deep look and flew into the Carefree Mirror. The doors of Tiangong Hall had already closed, and the prohibitions above had been restored to their original state, as if no one had ever set foot here. Seeing that the prohibitions of Tiangong Hall were undamaged, Che Qingtian''s face showed joy. The frustration he felt from losing Shen Luo was greatly relieved, and he retracted the White Talisman above his head with a hand gesture. This talisman allowed him to move unobstructed through the blue stone passageways, but the prohibitions laid out in places like Golden Stone Pavilion and Tiangong Hall were even more ingenious, and the White Talisman was useless there. Che Qingtian did not attempt to break the prohibitions of this place. With a flip of his hand, four beams of sword light shot out from his body, which were the four Big Swords, including the previously used White Sword. The other three swords had the same shape but different colors, presenting green, purple, and yellow respectively, and their aura was vastly different. Che Qingtian started to activate the spell. White, green, purple, and yellow sword lights bloomed from the four Big Swords. As he continuously cast spells, they grew stronger and began to merge, forming a strange pattern that appeared to be another Sword Array. A surge of immensely powerful Sword Qi erupted, several times stronger than the Sword Qi Sword Array he had used while fighting with Shen Luo. Shen Luo, through the vision of the Destruction Mingwang, saw the situation outside clearly, and a flash of cold light flickered in his eyes. This Che Qingtian was actually proficient in several Sword Array divine powers. Fortunately, he had noticed something wrong earlier and immediately turned to flee; otherwise, it was unknown whether he would still be alive. The dark red door seemed to sense this powerful Sword Qi. The layer of red light curtain suddenly rose, appearing no different than before, but Shen Luo could sense from inside that the red light curtain was hollow, and its power probably only a third of what it was before. The Formation inside the door had been damaged by the Divine Rat, and Fire Spirit Child had stepped in to repair it, but there wasn''t enough time to perfectly mend it. ¡°Winter Snow Slash!¡± Che Qingtian grabbed a White Sword with his hand and slashed it forward into the air. Dozens of snow-white Sword Qi unexpectedly emerged, enveloping the area in cold air, giving off a bone-chilling sensation of snow in winter, cutting into the red light curtain. The red light curtain shattered upon contact, and the snow-white Sword Qi then slashed onto the dark red door. The dark red door let out a series of dull thunderous sounds, instantly covered with cracks, and it seemed about to completely collapse. A fierce light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and the red light on the Red Giant Axe in the right hand of the Destruction Mingwang suddenly brightened, striking hard against the door from behind. The door, already on the verge of collapse, broke completely at the sound, and the Red Giant Axe brutally cut through the snow-white Sword Qi, effortlessly shattering dozens of them. The red light on the Giant Axe grew even more intense, resembling a burning meteor falling from the sky, cutting towards Che Qingtian with an unstoppable momentum. Che Qingtian was shocked by the sudden change, hesitating for a moment. Only when the Red Giant Axe was about ten feet away did he react, hurriedly placing the White Sword horizontally in front of him and quickly chanting Spells. The Greatsword flashed with white light violently, numerous broad white Sword Qi appeared out of nowhere, instantly forming a massive sword Qi light curtain in front of him. Surprise flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, but the speed of the Red Giant Axe did not slow in the slightest, fiercely striking the sword Qi light curtain. Bright red and white light like the blazing sun burst forth from where the Giant Axe and light curtain collided, each beam of light containing immense power, tearing and destroying the passageways within hundreds of feet around them. Chunks of rock fell directly from above, but were immediately ground into airborne dust by the red and white light. At the deepest part of the dust, the Red Giant Axe had shockingly split open a large portion of the sword Qi light curtain but was still blocked by that White Sword. The Greatsword had now expanded several times in size and was hovering above Che Qingtian''s head, trembling incessantly. Chapter 1545 Chapter 1545: Chapter 1541: Violating the Rules Chapter 1545: Chapter 1541: Violating the Rules ¡°Destruction Mingwang! How could you control it? Humph, with your strength, you can''t unleash the true power of this Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor, get out of here!¡± Che Qingtian looked at the Gold Yanya with a shocked expression, then sneered, his hands forming seals and pointing towards three other big swords. The three big swords shot back like lightning, chopping towards three key locations on the body of Destruction Mingwang from behind. Shen Luo paid no attention to the three swords attacking from behind, his entire Divine Sense poured into the Red Giant Axe. The red light on the axe brightened once more, transforming into a raging flame that concealed a phantom image of the sun. This Red Giant Axe, named The Sun Battle Axe, contained the power of the sun from Nine Heavens, fully activated it could burn everything within thousands of miles to nothing but red ground. Now, of course, Shen Luo could not fully unleash the God''s Power of The Sun Battle Axe, but he was able to activate about fifty percent. A destructive power exploded from within the Red Giant Axe, completely shattering the Sword Qi light curtain, and an overwhelmingly violent force surged into the White Sword. The Sword Radiance on the White Sword flashed wildly, and cracks appeared on the blade, rapidly spreading. Che Qingtian''s face showed a look of shock, and he spewed a stream of essence blood into the great sword while crazily pouring his Mana into it. The Sword light on the White Sword suddenly brightened several times, and countless snowflakes appeared around, stopping the spreading cracks instantly. However, before he could catch his breath, a shadow flashed above his head, the Black Giant Hammer in the other hand of Destruction Mingwang fell from the sky, smashing down heavily on the junction between the White Sword and the Red Giant Axe. A loud, earth-shaking noise exploded! sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless streaks of black thunder and lightning burst from the giant hammer, sweeping over dozens of feet around in an instant, scorching the nearby ground to a charred black color, the three great swords coming from behind were struck by the explosive black thunder and lightning, and all were shockingly blasted away. This Black Giant Hammer, named Thunder God Hammer, contained the power of Heavenly Thunder, one strike causes Heaven and Earth to roar, a second strike brings flashes of lightning, and a third strike turns everything to ash. The combined force of The Sun Battle Axe and the Thunder God Hammer caused the White Sword to violently break apart, and the great axe and giant hammer rained down towards Che Qingtian. Che Qingtian''s face showed a pained expression but was not panicked, using the instant created by the White Sword, his legs generated two green whirlwinds, swiftly moving sideways like lightning, nearly escaping the strike range of the giant axe and hammer. However, Destruction Mingwang''s eyes emitted intense purple light, shooting out thick thunder and lightning that engulfed Che Qingtian''s body. Che Qingtian''s body was pierced by streaks of purple thunder, instantly exploding, but the sky full of bursting flesh and blood suddenly transformed into twinkling remnants scattering. At the same time, a white light shone from a void a hundred feet away, and Che Qingtian''s figure reappeared out of nowhere, his clothes very neat, seemingly unharmed. His expression was however incredibly grim, fiercely watching Destruction Mingwang, raising his hand to summon three intact big swords that circled and flew around him. Although he escaped the disaster, his Surging Snow Sword was damaged, unable to set up the Four Seasons Sword Formation anymore, a significant reduction in his strength. As for Yan Technique, unable to deploy Divine Sense here, he could at most use some weak Yanya that didn''t require manipulation, which was no help at all. What pained him even more was that the invaluable life-saving Man Mike on his body had been used up, which was his artifact for surviving. ¡°A substitute for death!¡± Shen Luo frowned, immediately spurring Destruction Mingwang to charge towards Che Qingtian. He didn''t have much time to use the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor, he must severely injure, and preferably kill, Che Qingtian immediately, the Red Giant Axe and Black Giant Hammer smashing down relentlessly. Che Qingtian was both shocked and angry, yet he could only activate the three big swords to defend. Previously, even with the use of Four Big Swords, he couldn''t resist the Destruction Mingwang. Now with only three swords left, he was unable to execute the previous Sword Formation and was at a disadvantage, continuously retreating. A person and a Greatsword collided and charged through the Blue Stone Passage, which crumbled like paper mud under their movement, collapsing several sections in the blink of an eye. ¡°Violating the passage rules, expel from Tianyan Palace!¡± Just at that moment, a commanding voice suddenly rang in Shen Luo''s ears. A white light descended from the sky without warning, easily piercing through the Destruction Mingwang and caging his body. ¡°Right, the back of that Stone Stele said not to damage the Maze!¡± Shen Luo suddenly recalled. Che Qingtian was also enveloped in a white light, his face full of shock. Before the two could react, they were submerged in a surge of white light, unable to see anything. When Shen Luo came to his senses, he found himself above a vast blue ocean. Looking around, he saw endless blue waters, white clouds fluttering in the sky, and the Sun hanging high, which broadened his chest with relief. Here, all prohibitions had vanished, and his Divine Sense could spread smoothly once again. ¡°Could it be that I have already left Tianyan Palace?¡± A complex emotion surged in Shen Luo''s heart. Leaving Tianyan Palace, his life was no longer in danger, but the Palace held many treasures, and he had just gotten hold of the map of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze, ready to collect extensively, yet at this moment, he was transported out, which was truly unfortunate. He looked up at the sky in the distance, where a massive White Jade structure floated, shimmering in the sunlight like a celestial palace. Although this White Jade Palace was very different from the Grey Tower, Shen Luo recognized at a glance that this was the Tianyan Palace; their essences were the same. As he looked towards the White Jade Palace, about to draw closer for a look, he suddenly turned around. A Green Sword Light was racing towards him with the speed of thunder from afar, unmistakably it was Che Qingtian, standing on that Green Sword, his face full of fury. Having barely entered the Tianyan Palace and accomplished nothing yet, he was dragged out by an Early True Immortal youngster, how could he not be furious? Now, Shen Luo had been transported alone out of the Tianyan Palace, the Destruction Mingwang had not been brought out, and because he had previously controlled the Destruction Mingwang, his Divine Sense was greatly depleted, making him no match for Che Qingtian, so he immediately turned and fled. ¡°Thief, don''t even think about escaping! Summer Thunder Slash!¡± Che Qingtian flipped his hand, summoning the Purple Sword, and slashed in the air. Streams of thunder-like Sword Qi burst forth from the Great Sword, covering the sky and heading towards Shen Luo with a thunderous roar. However, at this moment, seven Flying Swords appeared beneath Shen Luo, forming a long Sword Rainbow that wrapped around his body and shot off into the distance, much faster than ordinary True Immortal Cultivators, escaping the area covered by the Thunder Sword Qi in an instant. Seeing this, Che Qingtian urgently spurred the Green Sword below him to full strength, but the Sword Rainbow that Shen Luo transformed into remained slightly faster, rapidly increasing the distance between them. ¡°Where do you think you''re going!¡± A hint of surprise flashed in Che Qingtian''s eyes, and a Green Light flickered on his body, materializing an Azure Armor that covered most of his torso. The armor had a pair of Azure Wings on the back, densely covered with Yan Patterns, wreathed in Green Light. With a flap of the two wings, the Green Light surged dramatically, Che Qingtian''s figure blurred and his speed increased significantly, quickly closing in on Shen Luo. Chapter 1546 Chapter 1546: Chapter 1542: Immortal Tomb Ground Chapter 1546: Chapter 1542: Immortal Tomb Ground ¡°Wind Wings?¡± Shen Luo sensed the state of Che Qingtian and immediately recognized the origin of the pair of cyan wings on his body¨Cit was the Wind Wings once used by Fu Gong. Moreover, the Wind Wings of Che Qingtian seemed to be far more exquisite than those displayed by Fu Gong. However, Shen Luo wasn''t the slightest bit intimidated. Ever since he had mastered the sixteen Pure Yang Swords, he had yet to wield the sword-flying capabilities of this setup fully. Shen Luo began to chant Spells, formed a hand seal, and summoned all nine Pure Yang Swords from within his body. The sixteen Flying Swords merged into one, and the Sword Rainbow beneath Shen Luo suddenly doubled in thickness and speed, once again leaving Che Qingtian far behind, swiftly disappearing into the distant horizon. ¡°What! This man actually possesses such a fleeing speed!¡± Che Qingtian was greatly shocked. Although he still had several other acceleration methods, they weren''t very effective. Even using all of them, he definitely wouldn''t catch up to Shen Luo and had to stop unwillingly. Shen Luo flew at full speed for half an hour, changing directions several times in the midst. He only stopped on a small island when his Mana was nearly depleted. The island was only four or five li in size, with nothing but some ordinary trees and no particular oddities. He opened up a Cave Mansion at a hidden spot at the foot of a low mountain on the island and laid several layers of prohibitions around it. Only then did he completely relax and lay down on a Stone Bed inside the Secret Chamber, falling into a deep sleep. The Mana exhausted in the battle with Che Qingtian was not a big deal, but commanding the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor had nearly drained his Soul Power; he was exceptionally weary and couldn''t hold on any longer. Zhao Feiji emerged from the Qiankun Bag and voluntarily took up the role of Protector inside and outside the Cave Mansion. Shen Luo slept for three days and three nights, waking up full of vigor on the fourth day, with all his consumed Soul Power fully recovered. Che Qingtian had not appeared during these days, and it was unknown whether he had given up or was simply unable to continue the chase. Shen Luo hovered over the Sea Area near the small island, looking out into the distance. Moments later, he flicked his finger gently. A red Sword light several zhang long suddenly appeared and with a whoosh, plunged into the Deep Sea below. Moments later, the corpse of a black sea creature with its belly slit open emerged to the surface. The creature had a strange appearance, resembling a crocodile but with seven or eight tendrils on each side of its jaws and a hard-looking black ball at the tip of its tail. He examined the sea creature, frowning slightly. This Sea Area was very peculiar; the spiritual energy was extremely rich, but the marine life was sparse and the variety even less so. Since escaping to this place from Tianyan Palace, Shen Luo had been observing the Sea Area and up to now, had only discovered four or five types of sea creatures; this crocodile-type was the most numerous. These creatures were large with firm flesh and were not Demons; the same was true for the other few types of sea creatures. ¡°How strange, with such abundant Spiritual Power, one would expect the place to be teeming with Monsters. Instead, it''s so desolate. What exactly is this place?¡± Shen Luo was considered widely traveled, having visited many places across the Three Realms, but he had never seen a Sea Area like this before. ¡°Indeed, this is a strange place. It doesn''t seem to be part of the Three Realms but rather within a gigantic Secret Realm,¡± Fire Spirit Child also flew out from the Free and Easy Mirror. Nie Caizhu had not emerged; this lady was cultivating within the Free and Easy Mirror, attempting to break through her bottleneck. ¡°Indeed, it''s possible. But no matter what this place is, let''s first explore around. Fire Daoist friend, keep a close watch on Che Qingtian. Inform me immediately if he approaches. How much longer can your strand of Purple Heart Earthfire last?¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Don''t worry about that. I have already controlled that strand of Purple Heart Earthfire and turned it into a mark. It will not disappear for several years. If he approaches, I will know immediately,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with a laugh. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hearing this, Shen Luo nodded and flew away on his sword toward the distance. Three to four days passed quickly. In another area close to a massive island in the sea, Shen Luo stood in the void, his eyebrows tightly knit. During these days, he had been flying around various locations in the sea area, looking for clues. Unfortunately, he didn''t find anything. This place seemed to have nothing but an endless sea and isolated islands. The situation within the sea was the same as before, and no exit from the secret realm was discovered. The only good news was that after observing for several days, he found that this secret realm did not seem to harbor any dangers; he had not experienced any attacks so far. ¡°It seems I entered this secret realm after being expelled from Tianyan Palace. To leave here, it appears I must start from that place,¡± thought Shen Luo to himself. But returning near Tianyan Palace might mean encountering Che Qingtian who could be lying in ambush. It was too risky to go now; he needed to find a way to enhance his strength first. Fortunately, he had the Fire Lotus Pill in hand. With the powerful efficacy of this pill, if he could meditate in seclusion, though reaching Late True Immortal Stage was not guaranteed, advancing to True Immortal Middle Stage was still possible. ¡°Young Master Shen, do you see any similarities between this sea area and the Celestial Secret Realm?¡± Fire Spirit Child suddenly asked. ¡°The Celestial Secret Realm? That place also has a Boundless Sea Area and does bear some similarities with this location. However, I have subdued the Bi Hai Ray Fish in the Celestial Secret Realm; if this was the Celestial Secret Realm, I should be able to sense it,¡± said Shen Luo, his expression changing slightly. ¡°What''s that to say? Maybe your Bi Hai Ray Fish is trapped in a place similar to Tianyan Palace, with too many prohibitions that can block your sensing,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°That''s possible. Fire Daoist friend, why do you think this is the Celestial Secret Realm? It couldn''t be just because both have sea areas?¡± Shen Luo nodded and asked. ¡°Naturally, it''s not just because of that. First of all, the entrance to the Celestial Secret Realm is at the edge of the Boundless Sand Sea, and you entered this secret realm from within Tianji City. The two locations are not far apart; entering the same secret realm is very possible,¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke confidently. ¡°That makes sense. What else?¡± Shen Luo listened and became more serious. ¡°Additionally, I heard from both Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie previously that the Celestial Secret Realm contains many ancient cultivators'' tombs, likely an Immortal Tomb Ground built by ancient cultivators. Immortal Tomb Grounds are always rich in spiritual energy but lack vitality, which is very much in line with the current secret realm''s situation, casting suspicion whether the two might be the same place,¡± continued Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Immortal Tomb Ground? Once a cultivator reaches the True Immortal Stage, as long as they are not slain by enemies, they can have lifespans akin to heaven itself; why would they need a tomb?¡± Shen Luo asked with a furrowed brow, after hearing this. ¡°Who says immortals can''t die? All life has an end, it''s just a matter of duration. Although the lifespan of cultivators above True Immortals is long, they are not truly immortal. Not to mention the three calamities, as long as one masters the Transformation Technique, they might be able to avoid them, but no one can escape the calamity of Heaven and Earth. Once it strikes, no matter how powerful you are, survival is a far cry,¡± said Fire Spirit Child after a moment of silence, with a solemn tone. ¡°The calamity of Heaven and Earth? Are you talking about The Disaster of Demons? Hasn''t that already passed? Or do you think there''s more to it?¡± Shen Luo thought quickly and spoke calmly. Fire Spirit Child, with his extensive knowledge and insights into history, brought up The Disaster of Demons today. Shen Luo deliberately played ignorant to probe this man''s views on The Disaster of Demons. ¡°The calamity of Heaven and Earth is not so easily overcome. Since ancient times, it has occurred four times, each time a sea of bloodshed engulfing the Three Realms, countless lives lost to devastation, hardly comparable to the so-called The Disaster of Demons a hundred years ago,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Is that so? What were those four calamities?¡± Shen Luo asked with interest, following up the conversation. Chapter 1547 Chapter 1547: Chapter 1543: Seeking A Place for Bitter Cultivation Chapter 1547: Chapter 1543: Seeking A Place for Bitter Cultivation ¡°The first calamity of the cosmos is called ''Chaos Break,'' where Pangu sacrificed himself to form the Three Realms. The Second Calamity is known as ''Heaven''s Pillar Collapses,'' where Nuwa mended the sky with stones. The Third Calamity is ''Chiyou''s Fall,'' where Celestials and Demons fought the earth-stabilizing war. The Fourth Calamity is ''Sealing the Divine,'' where the Heavenly Court and the Underworld saw the fall of Sages. With each Great Calamity, all beings across the Three Realms, be they Celestials, Demons, or Demonic Ghosts, must partake and fight for that sliver of a chance to survive. Those without the courage and resolve to fight to death can only retreat into the Immortal Tomb, await the fall during the calamity, dissolve their physical forms, have their souls reincarnated, and hope to resume their celestial fate thousands of lifetimes later,¡± said Fire Spirit Child in a calm and steady voice. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, now that the various factions of the Three Realms are openly and secretly competing, and both the demon clan and Demon Clan are covertly observing, could it really be that a disaster far greater than The disaster of demons is about to descend?¡± Shen Luo, hearing this notion for the first time, felt his heart stir and after pondering for a moment, he asked. ¡°I am merely a small, remnant soul; how could I grasp the profound mysteries of the Heavenly Dao? I can only say that the current situation of the Three Realms eerily mirrors that before the War of Gods-Sealing,¡± spoke Fire Spirit Child solemnly. ¡°Regardless of whether this is the Celestial Secret Realm or whether there are many tombs of Elders here, none of that concerns me for now,¡± after a long silence, Shen Luo finally exhaled and spoke. ¡°Are you planning to find a place for arduous Cultivation?¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice regained its usual lightness. ¡°Indeed,¡± nodded Shen Luo. Hearing Fire Spirit Child''s words made him even more determined to pursue arduous cultivation. Even if the outside world was undergoing abrupt changes, he now had no time to attend to it. ¡°Whether exploring other parts of this Secret Realm or returning to the Tianyan Palace, I need to enhance my strength. I will also take this opportunity to use a special divine technique and scrutinize Cai Zhu''s condition more carefully,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Really? For that, my thanks, Fire Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo, hearing this, was delighted. Cai Zhu''s cultivation issues had always been a thorn in his side, and he was deeply grateful for Fire Spirit Child''s thoughtful assistance, success or not. Shen Luo then turned and flew towards a large island not far away. This island was vast, spanning a hundred li, with several large mountain ranges. Much of it was covered in sea mist, perennially hidden from the sun, making it an ideal place for secluded cultivation. He landed at a hidden spot on one of the mountain peaks, his fingers flicked, and his powerful Sword Qi easily carved out a Cave Mansion in the mountain wall. Shen Luo took out several Arrays and set them up in various parts of the Cave Mansion, then covered the entire Cave Mansion with the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, finally settling down with peace of mind. ¡°I will go into the Free and Easy Mirror to set up the Array for investigation,¡± said Fire Spirit Child, and he was about to turn into the Free and Easy Mirror. ¡°Wait a second, how exactly do you plan to examine Cai Zhu''s condition this time?¡± Shen Luo called out to Fire Spirit Child. From Fire Spirit Child''s words, this examination seemed out of the ordinary, concerning Cai Zhu, and he couldn''t be excessively cautious. ¡°You are not well-versed in Array Techniques, and you might not understand if I elaborate, but simply put, I plan to combine the Spirit Refining Array with several other investigative arrays I previously mastered to meticulously examine Cai Zhu''s condition,¡± explained Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Are you going to employ the Spirit Refining Array? Isn''t it true you haven''t fully comprehended this array yet? Isn''t there a risk in using it prematurely?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°There are inevitable risks, but apart from this method, I have no other means. Consider carefully whether to accept this,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo couldn''t make decisions for Cai Zhu, so he had to ask her opinion; unexpectedly, she agreed without hesitation. ¡°Cai Zhu, think it over carefully, don''t be impulsive,¡± seeing her swift decision, Shen Luo quickly advised. ¡°There''s no need to think further, I trust Fire Daoist friend will ensure my safety. Besides, cousin, you might face increasingly formidable enemies in the future. How can I help you if I cannot enhance my cultivation level?¡± Cai Zhu''s expression was exceedingly determined. Seeing her firmness, Shen Luo had no other choice but to caution Fire Spirit Child to be extra careful. He then arranged his own cultivation, asked Zhao Feiji to continue guarding inside and outside the cave mansion, and entered the secret chamber himself, waving his sleeve on the ground. A black straw cushion appeared on the ground, emanating a pure Yin Qi without any coldness, sitting on it made him feel comfortable from the inside out. This cushion was made from undying wood, which has the miraculous effects of suppressing heart demons and nurturing the divine soul; he dismantled the black coffin and made the cushion using its essence. Shen Luo sat down on the cushion, not immediately starting his closed-door cultivation, but instead took out the mysterious stone box and the many high-grade Daoist armors he had obtained from the Tiangong Hall, including the larger golden cannon. Previously, he was busy playing hide and seek with Che Qingtian and had no chance to properly examine these gains. Shen Luo first picked up the golden cannon, his Divine Sense entered it, operating the Innate Treasure-refining Technique to refine the prohibition inside, and soon he understood the internal structure of the cannon¨C it was basically identical to the Divine Craftsman Cannon, with attack methods also generally the same, but the materials used in several key sections were better than those used in the Divine Craftsman Cannon. As he had guessed before, this golden cannon was an enhanced version of the Divine Craftsman Cannon. The inside of this cannon was intact; it could be used as long as five high-grade Daoist crystals were installed, and its power was several times greater than that of the Divine Craftsman Cannon. Even a Taiyi Existence being hit would have a great chance of direct obliteration. However, the cost of great power is high consumption; each attack from this Divine Craftsman cannon would exhaust all the spiritual power within the five high-grade Daoist crystals. Shen Luo couldn''t help but smile wryly, the high-grade Daoist crystals he had could only fire the cannon twice. He shook his head, put down the Divine Craftsman cannon, and took out an extremely long, pitch-black war spear over ten meters long, its extremely fine tip invisibly reaching straight for the throat, like a soul-pulling hand in the dark night. This spear was covered with mysterious Yan patterns, also a piece of high-grade Daoist armor. Shen Luo operated his Divine Sense to sense the situation of the spear. ¡°So this spear is called ''Dark Night'', what a fine Dark Night Daoist Spear,¡± he quickly withdrew his Divine Sense, eyes sparkling with excitement. This spear, unlike the Divine Craftsman cannon, was a one-time use Daoist spear that contained the power of the dark night and could conceal traces and aura. It was a top-tier assassination weapon. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Even better was that this spear didn''t require cultivation like other Daoist armors, which need to cultivate contemplative techniques to a very high realm to use; generally, they can be used by a True Immortal Cultivator with a little guidance. Shen Luo carefully stored the Dark Night Daoist Spear; it could be of great use at a critical time. He then checked the other powerful Daoist armors which were all extraordinary items, especially a flying Daoist chariot, which was a rare flight Daoist armor, with an exceptionally sturdy body and incredibly fast flight speed. After inspecting those Daoist armors, Shen Luo picked up the mystic stone box and performed a gesture. A flash of purple light passed, and a Purple Polar Ice Pearl floated out from the box, suspended in mid-air. This pearl contained extremely powerful Purple Extreme Ice Flame; if he could refine and absorb it, it would be greatly beneficial to his Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. However, the Purple Extreme Ice Flame was a hornet''s nest, exploding upon touch; it couldn''t be refined just by wanting to do so. At this moment, the coldness of the Purple Extreme Ice Flame was retracted within the pearl, not leaking out even a fraction. Chapter 1548 Chapter 1548: Chapter 1544: Abnormal Bloodline Chapter 1548: Chapter 1544: Abnormal Bloodline Shen Luo pondered for a moment, and activated the Liangyi Micro-dust Array surrounding the Cave Mansion. The scenery blurred, transforming into a boundless plain. He flicked his sleeve again, and ten Pure Yang Swords flew out from his body, suspended around him. They emitted dazzling sword light, connected to each other, and quickly formed the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array. With the two Arrays engaged, Shen Luo finally relaxed. He utilized the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and carefully observed the Purple Polar Ice Pearl before him. A moment later, he raised his hand and flicked his finger. A slender sword light descended from the sky and swept across the Purple Polar Ice Pearl, leaving a shallow crack on the crystal-clear pearl. The Purple Extreme Ice Flame inside the pearl immediately became chaotic. A stream of purple ice flame burst out from the crack, unleashing a sky-high cold air which instantly engulfed the entire Sword Array. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo did not panic. He manipulated the Golden Sword Array, causing countless golden light swords to swoop down, cleaving between the ice flame and the pearl, instantly separating them. He also activated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. A group of blue light containing extreme cold force shot out from his hand, enveloping the Purple Polar Ice Pearl and sealing the crack. The surface of the pearl flickered with purple light, rapidly absorbing the cold air within the blue light. The crack on the pearl quickly healed, a few breaths later it completely vanished, re-imprisoning the Purple Extreme Ice Flame inside. Seeing this, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at the expelled Purple Extreme Ice Flame. This cluster of ice flame suspended in mid-air was firmly confined by the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He operated the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique again, releasing a blue light that enveloped the cluster of purple ice flame. The intense purple cold air seeped out from the ice flame, transferring to his body along the blue light of the Indigo Ocean, causing strings of purple ice crystal to form around him. The power of this clump of Purple Extreme Ice Flame was limited, only freezing half of his body. Having previously been frozen by the Purple Extreme Ice, Shen Luo was not worried. While resisting further invasion of the cold air with the internal Pure Yang Sword, he also refined the Purple Extreme Ice Flame using the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. Several two-hour periods later, the purple ice on his body completely disappeared, and the Indigo Ocean blue light became significantly brighter. With a slight upturn of his lips, Shen Luo again stimulated the Golden Sword Array to crack open the Purple Polar Ice Pearl. The refining of the Purple Extreme Cold just now had consumed a considerable amount of his mana. Shen Luo took out a gourd containing Fire Lotus Pills, poured out a pill, and swallowed it. His plan was to enhance his cultivation with the Fire Lotus Pill while refining the Purple Polar Ice Pearl, making progress on both fronts. Bright golden light rose, soon covering Shen Luo''s body. Time flew by; in the blink of an eye, three years passed. The sapling in front of the Cave Mansion had now grown quite tall, and a thick layer of dust had settled on the floor inside the cave. In the Secret Chamber, Shen Luo had already emerged from the Illusion Domain of the Liangyi Micro-dust Array, with a blue jade belt around his waist, shimmering in blue light, each side embedded with a blue crystal, which looked extraordinary. His whole body surged with water-like pure gold light, each surge causing the surrounding void to tremble incessantly. As time gradually passed, the golden light around Shen Luo grew denser, forming a golden light group several meters wide, violently flickering, seemingly charging toward some bottleneck. Every flicker of the golden light group made the entire Secret Chamber shake, although there were prohibitions in place, it still gave a feeling of an imminent collapse. A moment later, the golden light group stabilized and gradually dissipated, revealing the figure of Shen Luo, his face bearing a hint of helplessness. ¡°It seems that even with the help of the Spirit-Guiding Jade Belt, it''s still not enough.¡± The voice of Fire Spirit Child rang out. ¡°The Late Stage of a True Immortal is extraordinary; naturally, it is more difficult to make a breakthrough.¡± Shen Luo touched the jade belt at his waist, yet he appeared very calm. This jade belt was refined from that piece of Attached Spirit Jade, and Fire Spirit Child had made it into a personal Magical Treasure that still retained the effect of storing mana. With the help of the Fire Lotus Pill, Undying Wood Straw Cushion, Spirit-Guiding Jade Belt, and the experience of Dream Cultivation, Shen Luo only took one year to smoothly break through to the Mid-Term of True Immortals. The effect of the Fire Lotus Pill was even beyond his expectations, and with plenty left, he did not leave his retreat, continuing his closed-door cultivation. With the strong medicinal power of the Fire Lotus Pill, Shen Luo''s cultivation level continued to soar rapidly, reaching the peak of the Mid-Term True Immortal in two years, just half a step away from the Late True Immortal Stage. He attempted several times to break through the bottleneck of the later stage, but unfortunately, all ended in failure. ¡°According to my experience, continuing to forcefully attempt a breakthrough in your situation is not advisable. It''s better to leave the retreat and travel around; perhaps a certain opportunity will enable your cultivation to successfully break through,¡± Fire Spirit Child suggested. ¡°I have the same thought. With my current strength, I still cannot contend against Che Qingtian. It''s better to continue exploring this Secret Realm. If this place really is the Immortal Tomb Ground, perhaps there are unexpected gains to be found,¡± Shen Luo said. Fire Spirit Child, who is restless by nature, had already grown impatient staying here and immediately showed joy upon hearing the words, repeatedly expressing his agreement. ¡°How is Cai Zhu now?¡± Shen Luo shifted the topic and asked. ¡°She is still in seclusion, trying to use the power of the Spirit Refining Array to attempt a breakthrough in the Witch Vein, but there''s not much Witchcraft Power inside the Spirit Refining Array; the hope is slim,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. Three years ago, Fire Spirit Child applied the probing array he mentioned to examine Nie Caizhu''s body and finally discovered the real reason her cultivation had stagnated. As Fire Spirit Child had previously speculated, Nie Caizhu''s body contained the power of a foreign race, which turned out to be the Witch Tribe Bloodline from Ancient Times. Shen Luo was genuinely surprised when he learned about this; Nie Caizhu''s parents were both ordinary people of the Human Race, but according to Fire Spirit Child, the power of the Witch Tribe Bloodline is special. Unlike the power of the Demon Race passed down generation after generation, it could skip several generations, or even dozens of generations before reappearing. The Witch Tribe Bloodline is peculiar and quite confrontational with the mana of the Human Race. Previously, when Nie Caizhu''s cultivation was still low, the Witch Tribe Bloodline did not reveal itself. Now that she had passed the Thunder Tribulation, the Witch Tribe''s power began to emerge, causing her realm to remain stagnant. Fire Spirit Child was also helpless about this and decided the best course of action was to first fully stimulate her body''s Witch Tribe Bloodline and then find a solution. However, Fire Spirit Child did not know the details of how to stimulate the Witch Tribe Bloodline and could only use the Stele Formation Device to set up the Spirit Refining Array, guiding Nie Caizhu''s Witch Tribe Bloodline with the power of Witch Clan contained within the array tools. ¡°Being gentle on the outside and resolute on the inside, let her try her best first; otherwise, she won''t be satisfied. After we leave here, I''ll search for some Ancient Witch Clan Magical Treasures to help her activate the Witch Tribe Bloodline,¡± Shen Luo said with a light sigh. ¡°Do you, Friend Shen, know where to find such Witch Weapons?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked with a tone of surprise. ¡°I have some clues about one or two Witch Weapons, all in the hands of powerful individuals,¡± Shen Luo said, referring to Li Jing''s Liuchen Whip and Yang Jian''s Three-pointed Two-edged Knife, his eyes flashing slightly. Li Jing''s Liuchen Whip is one of the Twelve Ancestral Witch Weapons known as the War God Whip, and it even contains the immensely mysterious Soul Devouring Array. It seems Li Jing is not aware of this yet. I must find an opportunity to acquire that Liuchen Whip in the future. Fire Spirit Child responded somewhat disappointedly and then fell silent. Chapter 1549 Chapter 1549: Chapter 1545: Great Advancement in Cultivation Level Chapter 1549: Chapter 1545: Great Advancement in Cultivation Level Shen Luo flicked his sleeve and collected the many prohibition formation discs inside the Cave Mansion, then quickly flew out, choosing a direction at random to make his escape. In the blink of an eye, he wandered the Boundless Sea Area for several days, encountering nothing. ¡°Tsks, this Immortal Tomb Ground is indeed astonishing in size, who knows how it came into being.¡± Fire Spirit Child was also shocked by the vastness of the Secret Realm Space. ¡°Let''s search slowly, no need to rush¡­¡± Shen Luo said casually, but abruptly stopped mid-sentence, a smile appearing on his face. ¡°What is it?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked when he saw this. ¡°It seems this place is indeed the Celestial Secret Realm. I have sensed that Bihai Rayfish,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Since I said so, it would certainly not be wrong. It seems you''ve always been half in doubt; truly short-sighted,¡± Fire Spirit Child said proudly. Shen Luo ignored Fire Spirit Child, changed his direction of escape, and headed towards the Bihai Rayfish. Half an hour later, he finally arrived near the Bihai Rayfish, and the speed of his flight suddenly slowed down by a lot. ¡°Why slow down? Hurry up and go over,¡± Fire Spirit Child asked curiously. ¡°Looks like the Bihai Rayfish has been caught by someone. I couldn''t feel it before, but now that I''m close, I can sense anger and pain from the Spiritual Communication Seal within its body,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Caught by someone? Are you referring to Che Qingtian? No, it must be Wanshui Zhenren and his group. Those guys are just a bunch of common True Immortal Cultivators with shallow foundations and weak strength. What are you worried about?¡± Fire Spirit Child huffed lightly, clearly looking down on Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie. ¡°Those guys have been in the Celestial Secret Realm for three years. This place has the Graveyard of Ancient High People. If they''re lucky to find a couple, it''s not impossible for their Cultivation level to increase greatly. It''s still better to be careful,¡± Shen Luo said, activating the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to conceal his tracks before continuing forward. Half an hour later, he finally encountered the Bihai Rayfish. What used to be a juvenile Bihai Rayfish had now grown a lot, its body as long as several ten meters, and its appearance had greatly changed as well. Two wing-shaped fins had sprouted on its neck, extending backward, and two long fleshy whiskers hung by its lips, fluttering in the wind. Its skin had also turned into a jade-like azure, looking very beautiful. The Qi energy of the fish had also greatly strengthened, having already reached the Late Mahayana Stage, not far from True Immortal. Clearly, it had swallowed a spirit embryo, and had some other extraordinary encounter; otherwise, its strength would not have advanced so drastically. The Bihai Rayfish flapped its pair of flesh wings, flying forward with incredible speed, with two people sitting on its back, precisely Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie. ¡°It seems the Bihai Rayfish has indeed fallen into their hands,¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself, urging his Escape Light to follow them from afar. Not having seen them for over three years, Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie''s appearances had not changed, but both their Cultivation levels had greatly advanced. Yan Lie had actually reached the Late True Immortal Stage, and Wanshui Zhenren had also reached the True Immortal Middle Stage. Moreover, both were filled with Treasure Light within, far surpassing their past selves, clearly having obtained quite a few Treasures. They should not be underestimated. ¡°How could this be, their Cultivation levels have advanced so much!¡± Shen Luo was shocked. With the aid of Fire Lotus Pill, he had also advanced to the True Immortal Middle Stage in three years. Yan Lie had actually reached the Late True Immortal Stage; had the two of them obtained some Ancient Immortal Elixirs? Shen Luo was about to observe them further when he sensed something and looked back. There, five streaks of Escape Light faintly appeared, swiftly pursuing, the Qi energies belonging to Tao Xiang and the others. ¡°Huh, they''ve also entered the Celestial Secret Realm? That makes sense. When Fire Spirit Child destroyed that gray space, the illusion fog''s prohibition naturally collapsed. If Tao Xiang and the others woke up in time, it''s no surprise they could enter the Celestial Secret Realm,¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly, slowing down a bit, and soon the five of them caught up. Tao Xiang and the others did not appear to have changed in appearance, yet their cultivation levels had all significantly improved. Tao Xiang had made the most progress, leaping to the Late True Immortal Stage, on par with Yan Lie. Of the four others, Tian Sanqi had also advanced to the Late True Immortal Stage, his face radiating a layer of silver luminescence, the result of either great improvement in his skills or some other reason. As for Ghost Teng Master, Liu Hong, and Li Biao, all three had reached the True Immortal Middle Stage. ¡°Just three years, and their cultivation levels have advanced so suddenly and rapidly, what exactly has happened?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brow. The sudden breakthrough of one or two individuals is conceivable, but the consistent advancement of these guys was peculiar. ¡°This matter is indeed a bit strange,¡± Fire Spirit Child also felt it was out of the ordinary. Shen Luo observed Tao Xiang and the others. All five radiated treasure light, clearly protected by treasured items. ¡°It seems this Celestial Secret Realm indeed contains a multitude of treasures; these guys have actually all obtained something,¡± he felt somewhat envious. He had come here and so far only managed to obtain some materials and the rather impractical Armor, almost dying at Che Qingtian''s hand¨Cnot as lucky as these others. Shen Luo quickly cast aside these emotions, guessing the intentions of the two groups. Yan Lie and Tao Xiang''s groups, one following the other, seemed to be engaged in a chase, yet neither side was in a rush or showed any sign of tension. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Shen Luo wondered silently. ¡°Seeing that they all advance without hesitation, and none reveal any sign of uncertainty, they must have a clear destination,¡± Fire Spirit Child commented. ¡°Oh, could it be that they know the locations of Immortal Tombs in the Secret Realm? Wanshui Zhenren once said that Donghua Freelance Immortal had entered this Celestial Secret Realm many times, leaving behind a map of Immortal Tomb locations would be quite normal,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes sparked with excitement. ¡°That''s not right though. With such a short distance between the two groups, Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie would have noticed those tailing them. If they really have a map, why not shake off Tao Xiang and the others, instead of leisurely making their way?¡± He quickly felt that something was amiss. ¡°I can''t figure it out either, but no matter what, let''s follow them first. If there indeed is an Immortal Tomb, we can take advantage behind them,¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled darkly. Shen Luo nodded slightly, pushing the power of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to its maximum, trailing far behind the group. With the Bi Hai Yao Yu at his disposal, there was no worry about losing them. The three groups silently continued their flight, and after half a month, Yan Lie and his companion finally slowed down, seeming to have reached their destination. A dark shadow loomed on the distant horizon. Although it wasn''t yet clear what it was, it was distinctly different from any ordinary island. ¡°It seems they really do have a map of the Immortal Tomb!¡± Shen Luo was secretly thrilled. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Moments later, the black shadow revealed its true form. It was a gigantic and dense Black Foggy Region, spanning hundreds of li in size, akin to a black giant beast crouching on the sea surface¨Cmurky, silent, and giving off an unfathomable aura. Within the Black Fog, there were fluctuations of powerful mana, obviously not a natural phenomenon, but a powerful prohibition. It did bear some resemblance to the Sky-covering White Mist found outside Dream World Longevity Village. Chapter 1550 Chapter 1550: Chapter 1546: Gu Xuanzi Chapter 1550: Chapter 1546: Gu Xuanzi At this moment, Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren stood in front of the black mist, but the azure stingray was nowhere to be seen. Tao Xiang and the others stood on the other side, dozens of meters apart, not fighting, but clearly wary of each other. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo didn''t approach them, stopping his figure silently from a distance. After a while, Yan Lie raised his hand and sent out a streak of radiant firelight tens of meters long. It was unclear what Magical Treasure it came from, but it was immensely powerful, sizzling the void as if scorching it, and fiercely slashed onto the Great Formation of the black mist. However, this brilliant firelight disappeared with a flash into the black mist, like a stone sinking into water, rippling waves across the mist, which quickly returned to calm. Shen Luo''s expression shifted ever so slightly. Just as the firelight vanished, he sensed a powerful devouring force within the black mist, effortlessly neutralizing the streak of firelight. It seemed that this black mist prohibition was not so simple! ¡°Indeed, it''s an ancient prohibition. We''ve come to the place of another Elder''s legacy. What happens next is up to you all,¡± Yan Lie said with a furrowed brow, not trying to continue the breakthrough but turning to speak to Tao Xiang and the others. ¡°Of course, there''s no need for you two to do anything. Just stand quietly to the side,¡± said Tao Xiang, her eyes gleaming with eagerness as she looked at the black mist in front of her. ¡°Heh heh, these two groups normally have a grudge that cannot coexist under the same sky, enemies to the death. Yet now, for the treasure here, they have joined forces. I wonder if that so-called Donghua Freelance Immortal would be so angry that he''d jump right out of his Coffin,¡± Fire Spirit Child said sarcastically. ¡°The saying goes ''everything under the sky is in motion for the sake of gain; there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.'' What''s so strange about that?¡± Shen Luo said indifferently, his gaze towards Yan Lie and the others flashing with disdain. Tao Xiang leapt and landed near the sea of black mist, muttering to herself as a cluster of dazzling Starlight rose slowly from In the Sleeve. Only through activating the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld could Shen Luo clearly see the object within the Starlight; it was a two-foot square dark purple iron plate that resembled a chessboard, adorned with densely packed Star Patterns, easily over a hundred. Each star cluster radiated an expanse of Starlight, enveloping the surroundings within tens of meters. ¡°This is the Gu Xuan star disk! It''s the personal Magical Treasure of the Freelance Cultivator Gu Xuanzi, a merchant from the end of an era. I''ve had a brief encounter with him and witnessed the marvel of this Gu Xuan star disk. I never expected he too would pass away here,¡± Fire Spirit Child, unable to observe as clearly, exclaimed in surprise hearing Shen Luo''s description of the iron plate. ¡°Gu Xuan star disk? What mysteries does this treasure possess?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Gu Xuanzi was a master of Array Techniques during the late merchant era, and the Gu Xuan star disk was refined with all his life''s dedication, a Magical Treasure of Array Techniques. Look at the numerous Star Patterns on it; each one represents an Array. Possessing this treasure is tantamount to mastering hundreds of Ancient Arrays,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Each Star Pattern is an Array! Can it be activated?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with astonishment, eagerly asking. ¡°If it couldn''t be activated, would it still be called an Array Magical Treasure? As for how many Arrays can be activated on the star disk, that depends on the controller''s expertise in Array Techniques. However, True Immortal Cultivators usually have some understanding of Arrays, and since Tao Xiang has reached the Late True Immortal Stage, she should be able to use two or three Arrays. You must be very careful when you encounter this woman later; the power of each Ancient Array is extraordinary,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Really, if an Array can be activated, then wouldn''t this Gu Xuan star disk be even more powerful than the Array Tools of the Witch Clan!¡± Shen Luo inhaled sharply and frowned. ¡°Gu Xuanzi back in the day received the Array inheritance from the Witch Clan and that''s how he managed to refine this Gu Xuan star disk. However, he was stingy to the extreme. That year, when I wanted to exchange our clan''s Artifacts Refining manual for his Array inheritance, he flat out refused. Speaking of which, in Gu Xuanzi''s Immortal Tomb, there might be Witch Weapons. Young Master Shen, later you''ll have to find a way to capture this woman; there might be unexpected gains!¡± Fire Spirit Child suddenly said, his face brightening with excitement. Shen Luo indeed had this thought, his gaze slightly flickering as he stared at Tao Xiang. Tao Xiang seemed to sense something, turning her gaze towards the place where Shen Luo was concealed. Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart, hurriedly withdrew his gaze, and quietly retreated. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Liu Hong and Li Biao asked upon seeing this. ¡°Nothing, just a misconception,¡± Tao Xiang''s gaze fluctuated for a moment, then she withdrew it and continued to stimulate the Gu Xuan star disk with her hand seals. ¡°Young Master Shen, although your mana is strong and your soul power is powerful, you are also too conspicuous, attracting attention with every move. Even though the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing conceals your tracks, you should still be cautious when facing experts. Their spiritual awareness is sharp, and they may be able to detect your presence,¡± Fire Spirit Child reminded him. ¡°I understand.¡± Shen Luo quietly exhaled and restrained the aura emanating from his body. At this moment, Tao Xiang had fully activated the Gu Xuan star disk, which burst into dazzling starlight, spinning ceaselessly and forming a starlight pillar several zhang thick, flickering with countless star runes. ¡°Go!¡± With a flick of her fingers, a beam of starlight shot downwards, striking the black mist in the sky. The black mist prohibition began to boil and tremble, as if a flood dragon was stirring up the sea within, emitting deafening roars. Tao Xiang''s fingers continued to form seals rapidly, intensifying the starlight pillar, which then shot out more than a dozen smaller beams of starlight, piercing into other surrounding areas. The rolling black mist surged even more violently, with the places hit by the smaller beams of starlight swelling up one after another, growing higher, as if the black mist prohibition was about to collapse and explode. ¡°What is this starlight array? It''s so powerful, it seems to be easily breaking the black mist Great Formation?¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise upon witnessing this. This black mist prohibition seemed very profound; even he wasn''t confident that he could break it. ¡°This is not merely the formation power within the Gu Xuan star disk, but it is the inherent ability of the disk itself. This treasure was refined from a meteor from beyond the heavens and naturally has the ability to disperse spiritual power. Through the refinement of Gu Xuanzi, this star disk now possesses the divine ability to break prohibitions,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°If meteors from beyond the heavens disperse spiritual power, then how was it possible to refine it into a magical treasure, let alone contain so many arrays within it?¡± Shen Luo found it unbelievable. ¡°That is the skill of Master Gu Xuanzi,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, his tone containing a hint of admiration. Shen Luo fell silent, feeling a sense of admiration for Master Gu Xuanzi as well. As he watched the black mist on the verge of bursting, he suddenly flicked his sleeve, and a white shadow appeared¨Cit was the Divine Rat. ¡°Do as I''ve instructed before,¡± Shen Luo took out an object, the Free and Easy Mirror, and handed it to the Divine Rat. The Divine Rat quickly nodded, sprayed out a jet of silver light, swallowed the Free and Easy Mirror into its stomach, then twisted its body and merged into the void. Originally standing in the void, Shen Luo had also disappeared without a trace at some unknown point. Chapter 1551 Chapter 1551: Chapter 1547: Lurking Chapter 1551: Chapter 1547: Lurking Near the black mist below, as Tao Xiang continuously casts spells, the bulge on the black mist prohibition grows larger and larger. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡±¡­ Accompanied by a series of deafening sounds, the black mist Array finally bursts open, scattering a large part of the thick black foggy region. A column of starlight shot from the Gu Xuan star disk makes a ¡°pfft¡± sound, piercing through the remaining black mist, creating a gap several meters in size, vaguely revealing the situation inside. A fierce gale scatters in all directions, blowing Tao Xiang and others askew, rendering them unstable in their stance. At this moment, an almost imperceptible silver shadow appears at the gap, swiftly entering into it with a ¡°swoosh¡±. A pink glow flickers over Tao Xiang''s body, immediately stabilizing her form; her fingers flick slightly, cloaking the broken gap with an invisible starlight. ¡°The Formation has been opened, let''s go inside.¡± She tells Yan Lie and the others, taking Liu Hong, Li Biao as the first ones to fly in. The others, not wanting to lag behind, also move in swiftly via flying escape technique, appearing over a giant island. ¡°Ah, so behind the black mist is an island.¡± Wanshui Zhenren thought to himself internally, as the others also look around attentively. Seeing everyone has entered, Tao Xiang forms a hand seal, the starlight on the Gu Xuan star disk flickers and disappears. Without the power of the star disk to maintain it, the gap on the black mist prohibition closes rapidly, completely disappearing within a few breaths. Tao Xiang''s eyebrows slightly furrow; right after she opened the gap, she immediately laid down the power of the Gu Xuan star disk meant to react to any escape technique crossing it, yet aside from the seven of them, the star disk''s power detected no other presence. ¡°Could it really have been my imagination, with no one else lurking around?¡± she thought to herself. Wanshui Zhenren and Yan Lie, seeing the situation below, fly off without a word, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye. ¡°I shall take my leave now too,¡± said Tian Sanqi, also flying off in another direction. The Ghost Teng Master did the same, turning into a gray cloud of smoke, disappearing from the spot. Tao Xiang didn''t mind; both groups had already found predecessors'' cave mansions in the Celestial Secret Realm, not just one or two. In such places known to contain treasured items, despite the imminent dangers, everyone still chose to act alone. Tao Xiang swings her sleeve sending out a pink glow, wrapping up Liu Hong and Li Biao, flying deeper into the island. A silver light flashes in a concealed place on the island below; the Divine Rat manifests out of thin air, spitting out a dark red round mirror, which is the Free and Easy Mirror. A flicker of light from the mirror''s surface, and Shen Luo''s figure emerges from it, still wearing the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, taking no chances. ¡°Not bad.¡± He pats the Divine Rat''s small head, rewarding it with a Refining Beast Pill and then takes the Free and Easy Mirror. This is the method Shen Luo thought of in the past three years, to sever his own connection with the Free and Easy Mirror by allowing the Divine Rat to refine it. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In this way, he can enter the Free and Easy Mirror himself, and as the Divine Rat swallows the mirror, it can carry him along to perform spatial escape techniques, smoothly passing through most prohibitions. The Divine Rat, not highly intelligent, does not care about the numerous treasures he placed inside the Free and Easy Mirror; moreover, through controlling the Divine Rat''s Spiritual Communication Seal, he can manipulate its mana to continue using the Free and Easy Mirror without missing a beat. ¡°Smart move, otherwise you would have been discovered by that Tao Xiang by now,¡± says the voice of Fire Spirit Child. Shen Luo glanced at the mid-air briefly without uttering a word, then turned his head to his right hand side¨Ctoward where the Ghost Teng Master had departed. Back at the Tianji City Trading Conference, he had wanted to capture this man but due to a series of events, he missed the chance. Now having encountered him again, he did not wish to wait any longer and had to capture him immediately to ascertain what had happened to Xie Yuxin that year. ¡°I want to capture that Ghost Teng Master and inquire about some matters. However, the island is not very large and the noise from fighting might draw the attention of others. Do you have any way to shield us?¡± Shen Luo communicated telepathically with the Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Your idea is good, as the cultivation level of the Ghost Teng Master is the weakest among these people. Capturing him could help us understand the experiences of Wanshui Zhenren and the others in recent years. As for the issue of noise, don''t worry, I will set up a prohibition to shield everything,¡± Fire Spirit Child responded. Shen Luo saw that Fire Spirit Child had misunderstood his meaning, but he did not clarify, transforming into an invisible escape light heading toward where the Ghost Teng Master was. Divine Rat, having finished eating the Refining Beast Pill, had gone ahead to track the Ghost Teng Master, although the divine sense mark he had left there had faded away after three years. As he flew, he also looked around the surrounding islands. Due to the black mist prohibition, the island was dimly lit, but this naturally did not affect Shen Luo and the others. The island was very desolate with sparse green vegetation, its landscape mostly desolate Gobi, scattered with some black stone fragments. The center of the island had more greenery, with several not-so-low mountains, looking more densely forested. Shen Luo frowned slightly, this island was too barren, unlikely any elder or high person would want to have their tomb placed here. He then shook his head, no longer considering these, and focused on chasing the Ghost Teng Master. Soon, he arrived at a desolate mountain in the northwest of the island, traced by the Divine Rat; the Ghost Teng Master was hiding in the mountain, having established a temporary cave mansion, apparently refining something. ¡°Perfect,¡± Shen Luo was silently pleased, telepathically instructing Fire Spirit Child to set up a prohibition to isolate their breaths. Fire Spirit Child emerged from the Carefree Mirror, waved his hand, and a black stone stele appeared above the desolate mountain¨Cthe Array Stele for the Spirit Refining Array. The stele spun rapidly, spreading countless black formation patterns, which quickly formed a huge hemispherical protective cover, enveloping the entire mountain. ¡°Now you can even turn the place upside down inside without the outside sensing a trace,¡± Fire Spirit Child stated, simultaneously forming a gesture. The huge protective cover slightly fluctuated, merging into the void and disappearing. ¡°Has Cai Zhu stopped cultivating?¡± Shen Luo did not show surprise at Fire Spirit Child''s action of initiating the array, having thoroughly researched the Spirit Refining Array more than two years ago. However, the fact that Fire Spirit Child brought out the Array Tools of the Spirit Refining Array meant that Nie Cai Zhu had paused her breakthrough attempt. ¡°Ah, the attempt failed. But she used up most of her mana operating the Spirit Refining Array and is now recovering,¡± Fire Spirit Child sighed lightly. Shen Luo nodded, no longer focused on that situation, and transformed into a shadow merging into the mountain toward the temporary cave mansion excavated by the Ghost Teng Master. In the center of the desolate mountain, the Ghost Teng Master had developed a cave mansion and had carelessly set up two prohibitions, mediocre at best. However, hanging above the top of the cave mansion was a gray-white banner, emitting circles of gray-white light, enveloping the entire cave mansion. Inside the cave mansion, the Ghost Teng Master was sitting cross-legged. In front of him was a black jade coffin with a dried-up, tall body lying inside, dressed in ancient, decayed armor. Though already perished, the tall body still emitted an unusually strong aura. Excitement filled Ghost Teng Master''s face; this body was found in a previous elder''s cave mansion, must have been a Taiyi stage expert before death, and still retained much of its strength. His cultivation was the method of corpse refinement, and a powerful body was immensely helpful to him. Chapter 1552 Chapter 1552: Chapter 1548 Ambush Chapter 1552: Chapter 1548 Ambush Ghost Teng Master closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his spirit, then suddenly opened them. He currently had no time to use this corpse to enhance his corpse refinement skills'' realm; he planned to refine it into a corpse doppelganger as soon as possible. Even without its prior Taiyi Realm, it would definitely possess the combat power of a True Immortal Peak. With this refined corpse, he would no longer need to fear Tao Xiang, Yan Lie, and others. He might even seize the opportunity to defeat them one by one later and plunder all the benefits. Since entering the Celestial Secret Realm, whether it was Yan Lie and his group or Tao Xiang and hers, none had taken him seriously. He would let everyone know the price of underestimating him. A trace of coldness flitted across Ghost Teng Master''s eyes as he pushed his hands forward evenly. Two streams of thick Black Qi burst from his palms, mixed with countless tiny black bugs that poured into the tall corpse, swiftly burrowing into it. Those bugs were Corpse Worms, a unique secret technique of corpse refinement belonging to Ghost Teng Master. Utilizing the power of the Corpse Worms, he rapidly injected the necessary power for corpse refinement into every part of the corpse, accelerating the process. Immediately, black patterns emerged on the corpse, quickly spreading all around. The tall corpse''s limbs began to slightly twitch, the movements growing larger. At this moment, Shen Luo had already reached the vicinity of the cave mansion. Using the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, he easily penetrated the surrounding prohibitions and observed the situation inside the cave. ¡°Is this corpse refinement? The aura of that corpse is powerful, almost comparable to the Sky Fiend Corpse King back then.¡± Shen Luo immediately wanted to take action, not willing to let the corpse refinement be completed. His sight caught a glimpse of the gray and white banner at the top of the cave mansion, causing his brow to slightly furrow. This banner had an exceptionally strong Yin Qi, far superior to the Bloodthirsty Flag in his possession. It appeared to be a top-tier Magical Treasure with sixty-four layers of prohibitions. The Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and this banner shared the same origin of power and could sense that the banner housed several strong Yin souls. There were two at the True Immortal Stage, looking ferocious, and dozens more at the Mahayana Stage. If unleashed, it would definitely be formidable, necessitating some preparation. Shen Luo pondered briefly and waved his sleeve, releasing ten crimson lights. These flew and hovered on all four sides of the cave mansion, revealing themselves as Flying Swords, emitting dazzling golden lights. The ten Pure Yang Swords quickly whirled and interconnected with their emitted sword lights, forming the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array within a few breaths. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Ghost Teng Master immediately sensed the abnormality surrounding the cave mansion and was startled, wanting to cast a spell to investigate. Just then, the prohibition around the cave mansion crackled and tore apart, and a figure enveloped in Golden Electric Arcs lunged forward. A Crimson Sword Shadow struck first, aiming for Ghost Teng Master''s neck. Ghost Teng Master was startled but did not stop the corpse refinement, shrugging his shoulder immediately. A whip-like Blood Light shot out, which was the Blood Thorn Vine, clanging against the Crimson Sword Shadow. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ghost Teng Master regained his composure and shouted fiercely. The electric arc figure was enveloped by an invisible force, his face indiscernible, and Divine Sense could not approach, yet his aura gave Ghost Teng Master a slight sense of familiarity. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The one who will kill you!¡± the electric arc figure snorted coldly. The Crimson Sword Shadow suddenly blurred, and then an identical sword shadow appeared out of thin air behind the Blood Thorn Vine, striking towards Ghost Teng Master like thunder. Ghost Teng Master was shocked, hurriedly opening his mouth to spit out two streams of black Qi, which transformed into two dark giant pythons after a somersault, colliding with the crimson sword shadow. However, a sun-like golden flame suddenly appeared on the crimson sword shadow, effortlessly devouring the two dark giant pythons, yet without any delay, it struck down on Ghost Teng Master''s body. The desiccated body of Ghost Teng Master was instantly cleaved in two, but immediately transformed into a wooden figure. Unbeknownst to when, his legs had turned into two thick green vines, burying themselves into the ground. On the other side of the cave, a green light flashed across the ground, and the figure of Ghost Teng Master spontaneously appeared, his face filled with shock and anger, as he pointed at a gray and white big banner above the cave mansion. The gray and white banner immediately started rumbling dully, dense gray fog surged out, and in the blink of an eye, it engulfed the entire cave, wrapping around Ghost Teng Master. Inside the secret chamber, a Yin wind howled fiercely, and the intense cold made one''s facial skin ache. The figure surrounded by electric arcs softly uttered a sound of surprise and raised his hand to recall the crimson sword shadow. Yet, several streams of black Qi shot out from the gray fog, twining around the crimson sword shadow like spirit snakes. From within the black Qi, a filthy Yin Qi emanated, infiltrating the interior of the crimson sword shadow. Its light rapidly dimmed, revealing its true form¨Ca brightly shining crimson flying sword. A fierce gleam flashed in the eyes of Ghost Teng Master as he pointed once again. Several more streams of black Qi shot out from the gray fog, twining persistently around the crimson flying sword, threatening to completely trap it. Seeing this, the figure surrounded by electric arcs changed the magic spell in his hands, and once more a sun-like golden flame emerged on the crimson flying sword. It incinerated all the surrounding black Qi, shooting outward swiftly. However, a blood-colored rainbow shot from the side, blocking the crimson flying sword once again¨Cit was that blood thorn vine. True Solar Fire restrains Yin Qi, but it was less effective against Magical Treasures; the flying sword was once again halted, striking against each other with clanging sounds. More black Qi shot from all directions, under the cover of the blood thorn vine, continuously targeting the crimson flying sword. Wave after wave was burnt by the golden flame on the flying sword, but stubbornly, it kept the sword pinned there. The crimson flying sword seemed to have no other tricks left, and as the surrounding black Qi increased, it gradually enveloped the flying sword, forming a black cocoon-like entity. Seeing this scene, Ghost Teng Master felt greatly relieved and coldly smirked at the figure surrounded by electric arcs. ¡°I don''t know who you are or where you come from, but if you want to face me, it seems you are tired of living. Thus, hand over your Divine Soul to become a True Immortal main soul for my Ten Thousand Demons Banner!¡± Ghost Teng Master grabbed the Ten Thousand Demons Banner and vigorously shook it. Two thick streams of gray light shot out from it, one enveloping the black jade coffin and dragging it into the dense gray fog, disappearing without a trace. The other stream of gray light suddenly surged with blackness, precisely the filthy black Qi used before. The gray light instantly turned into a gray-black color and became several times more concentrated, like a Sword of Light slashing towards the figure surrounded by electric arcs. That filthy black Qi was not only effective against Magical Treasures but also an extremely potent Yin Poison. Once it invades the body, even a True Immortal might not be able to withstand for long. The figure surrounded by electric arcs snorted coldly, an intense light emitted from the golden electric arcs on his body, releasing several bowl-thick golden lightnings, colliding with the gray-black light. The gray-black light instantly collapsed, the golden lightning also dissipating thereafter, and the dense Yin Qi around was dispersed by the explosive force of the lightning. After the electric arcs, Shen Luo looked towards the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, slightly nodding his head. This Magical Treasure was incredibly powerful. Ghost Teng Master had not used it before; it must have been acquired during these years, suitable to be used by a Ghost General. Chapter 1553 Chapter 1553: Chapter 1549: Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring the Heart Chapter 1553: Chapter 1549: Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring the Heart Ghost Vine Master showed no surprise when the grey-black Yin light was shattered; he cast a spell again to activate the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, sending out seven or eight streaks of the same grey-black Yin light, slashing towards Shen Luo. ¡°How thick the Yin Qi is! Master, let me go out and deal with this big banner!¡± Just as Shen Luo was about to make a move, Zhao Feiji excitedly called out from within the Qiankun Bag. ¡°Alright, you can use this banner later, but don''t consume too much of its power.¡± With a thought, Shen Luo waved his hand and released Zhao Feiji. As soon as Zhao Feiji appeared, he immediately opened his mouth and spewed out a burst of black and red light, which split into eight, wrapping up all the grey-black Yin light. The grey-white Yin light and the Punishing Evil Divine Light touched and immediately dispersed, turning into strands of Yin Qi, all absorbed by the Punishing Evil Divine Light. Then, Shen Luo formed a hand seal, and another Pure Yang Sword shot out¨Cit was the Pure Yang Sword with sixty-four prohibitions, striking on another side of the Black Qi Cocoon. The power of this Pure Yang Sword was astonishing. With a sound akin to ripping silk, the Black Qi Cocoon broke in response. The Blood Thorn Vine was knocked away, stabbing halfway into the Stone Wall behind it. The vine''s spiritual light dimmed significantly, evidently heavily damaged and needing time to recover. The Pure Yang Sword inside the Black Qi Cocoon flew out and intertwined with the sixty-four-prohibited Pure Yang Sword, forming a combined swords technique. Its speed increased drastically, disappearing into thin air. Seeing this, Ghost Vine Master was startled and hastily attempted to move back, but a lightning-like crimson light flashed in front of him. The two Pure Yang Swords appeared out of nowhere, swiftly crossing and slashing, giving him no chance to dodge. Ghost Vine Master, in desperation, shook the Ten Thousand Demons Banner in his hand, which expanded several times in size like a large shield right in front of him. Seeing this, Shen Luo, fearing damage to the large banner, quickly reduced most of the power of the dual swords, but they still struck the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. The surface of the banner trembled violently, the gray-white light on it flashing rapidly, managing to withstand the blow from the twin swords without any damage. Furthermore, a black light flashed on the banner''s surface, revealing a black ghost face pattern, which, like a living creature, opened a Blood Basin, fiercely sucking in. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suddenly, a whistling sound arose around, and the grey Yin Qi churned like raging waves, forming a huge vortex out of thin air. The vortex spun rapidly, emitting a strange screeching sound. A black dawn light seeped from deep within, enveloping the two flying swords with a tremendous sucking force. The two flying swords spun uncontrollably and were pulled towards the depths of the vortex. Shen Luo''s face showed a hint of surprise, but he remained calm and formed a seal toward the sky. A piercing sound of sword cries came from above, and a series of Golden Light Swords pierced through the Stone Wall of the cave mansion, striking down on the black vortex from above. A series of rapid puffs sounded; the black vortex couldn''t withstand the Golden Light Swords and was chopped up instantly, the pitch-black dawn light contracting violently before exploding. Ghost Vine Master was blown away by the explosion, stumbling back several steps before stabilizing himself, his face wearing a shocked expression as he looked upward. Through the Stone Wall pierced by those Golden Light Swords, one could faintly see a layer of dazzling golden light flickering above the cave mansion, emitting an intensely sharp Sword Qi. ¡°Sword Array! Who exactly are you?¡± Ghost Vine Master''s pupils contracted as he shouted angrily. ¡°If you have any more tricks up your sleeve, feel free to use them,¡± Shen Luo did not answer Ghost Vine Master''s question, flinging his sleeve. The two Pure Yang Swords let out a clear whistle, attacking Ghost Vine Master from left and right once again. Ghost Teng Master''s expression was extremely ugly, he hurriedly moved backward again, waving both sleeves forward. Dozens of dark shadows flew out from between the sleeves, landing on the ground¨Cthey were several corpses refined from humans and beasts. They all had dark and shiny scales on their skins, and their fingers grew curved hook-like sharp claws, gleaming with a cold and chilling light. The aura of these corpse-refined beings was thick and robust, each possessing the combat power of the Great Mahayana Stage; upon appearing, they immediately split into three groups, two of which rushed towards the two Pure Yang Swords, attempting to grab the flying swords with their bare hands. ¡°Clang, clang, clang¡±¨Ca series of loud noises ensued, their limbs were exceptionally sturdy, managing to block the radiance of the Pure Yang Swords. The last group, which had the most numerous corpses, however, stood still and did not move, remaining alert towards Shen Luo as well as Zhao Feiji. Yet, Shen Luo and Zhao Feiji stood still and did not make a move. ¡°So you underestimate me! Very well, since this is the case, let me show you the true power of this Ten Thousand Demons Banner!¡± Blood rushed to Ghost Teng Master''s cheeks as he formed seals with his hands, which moved like car wheels. The spirit patterns on the Ten Thousand Demons Banner lit up swiftly, with a strong Yin Qi fluctuation erupting from within the banner, growing stronger and stronger. Zhao Feiji, feeling this powerful Yin Qi, showed a shocked expression and dared not watch leisurely anymore. He flipped his hand to bring out the Dragon-burying Flute and played it; the sound of a hundred dragons roaring together suddenly resonated, floating towards Ghost Teng Master. ¡°It''s you! The youth with the surname Shen!¡± Ghost Teng Master, hearing this tune, immediately recalled who the figure amid the electric arcs was. He quickly covered his ears with his hands and at the same time spewed a mouthful of essence blood, integrating it into the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. The spirit patterns on the Ten Thousand Demons Banner lit up suddenly, harsh screams and wails of countless ghosts emitted from within, and an even stronger and colder Yin Qi burst forth suddenly, rushing towards the surroundings like raging waves. The sound of the Dragon-burying Flute was drowned out by the countless wails of ghosts, and the violent wave of Yin Qi impacted both Shen Luo and Zhao Feiji. Shen Luo''s body slightly moved but immediately returned to normal, a flash of surprise in his eyes. It seems this was the true power of the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, containing such strong spirit power, far surpassing his Pure Yang Sword with sixty-four prohibitions and that Starry Fan. Zhao Feiji was also affected by this potent wave of cold Yin Qi, being shaken and retreating repeatedly. The gray Yin Fog inside the cave mansion intensified, swelling like a tide, and numerous ghosts materialized out of thin air within the Yin Qi, nearly filling the entire secret chamber. These ghosts varied in kind, the largest being about seventy to eighty Zhang tall, and the smallest only a few meters long, but all were extraordinary in strength, their eyes revealing ferocity as they stared at Shen Luo. ¡°Do you want to know how many methods I can use? Then Your Excellency, taste the feeling of Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring the Heart!¡± Ghost Teng Master fully unleashed the power of the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, his fearful expression vanished, and he burst into cold laughter. Without any visible action, all ghosts rushed towards Shen Luo and Zhao Feiji. Shen Luo uttered a shout, reaching out with both hands, shooting out streams of golden lightning toward the surrounding ghosts. Zhao Feiji, on the other hand, showed a pleased expression as he once again spat out the Punishing Evil Divine Light, rolling towards those ghosts. As Shen Luo''s cultivation deepened, the power of the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns in his arms grew, and coupled with Zhao Feiji''s Punishing Evil Divine Light, in the blink of an eye, the two had slain all the ghosts. ¡°Foolish, knowing that we both possess divine abilities that restrain ghosts and yet using such an attack,¡± Zhao Feiji mocked coldly. Shen Luo, however, didn''t speak but looked around; the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld distinctly visualized the flow of Yin Qi around him, and those ghosts slain by his lightning power didn''t truly perish but transformed into wisps of Yin Qi, gathering back toward the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. Within the banner, the Yin Qi surged, containing a vast space densely packed with various kinds of ghosts, truly numbering ten thousand, legitimately qualifying it as the Banner of Ten Thousand Ghosts. The gathering ghostly Yin Qi in the banner''s space condensed, and one ghost after another gradually took form again. Chapter 1554 Chapter 1554: Chapter 1550: The Whole Story Chapter 1554: Chapter 1550: The Whole Story ¡°So that''s how it is, those ghosts and the Ten Thousand Demons Banner are closely connected. Even if they are killed by my Golden Thunder Power, they wouldn''t be completely eradicated. The Yin Qi can return to the banner and take shape again. In such a cycle, no matter how powerful the God''s Power, you would be worn down by the endless ghosts,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself as he observed the scene before him. Only those ghosts that were completely devoured by Zhao Feiji''s Punishing Evil Divine Light would vanish completely, never able to have their Yin Qi reclaimed by the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. ¡°This Punishing Evil Divine Light really is an incredible Big Miraculous Power,¡± Shen Luo glanced at Zhao Feiji with admiration. Hearing Zhao Feiji''s mockery, Ghost Teng Master just sneered and once again urged the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, releasing hundreds of ghosts from within, which rushed towards Shen Luo and him. ¡°It seems that the Ten Thousand Demons Banner''s abilities also stop here. This is the end,¡± Shen Luo muttered under his breath as he spread open his arms in the void and stimulated the thunder and lightning spiritual patterns to their ultimate potential. Boom, boom, boom! A series of thick, python-like golden lightning bolts shot out from his arms, raging around the cave mansion, instantly turning the entire cave into a world of thunder and lightning. Hundreds of ghosts were shredded in the blink of an eye, dispersing into countless streams of Yin Qi. Ghost Teng Master''s expression changed dramatically. Just as he was about to make a hand seal to do something, a figure blurred before his eyes, and Shen Luo''s figure suddenly appeared. The former''s expression turned to shock as he flew backwards, holding up the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, which radiated an intense black light in defense. The ghosts inside the banner swarmed out, including two True Immortal-level ghosts. Shen Luo opened his mouth and spat out a burst of blue ice flame, hitting the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. With a sizzling sound, the banner was instantly covered with a layer of shimmering blue ice crystals. The black Qi on it was completely frozen, hanging still in the air. The Yin Qi space inside the Ten Thousand Demons Banner was also instantly covered with ice crystals, and all the ghosts turned into blue ice sculptures, including those two True Immortal souls. ¡°Impossible!¡± Ghost Teng Master looked at this scene, his face filled with disbelief. He had possessed the Ten Thousand Demons Banner for a long time and knew better than anyone the formidable power of this banner. Its layer of seals had already reached the Perfect Boundary of sixty-four layers, more powerful than any Perfect Magical Treasures he had ever seen, and he even suspected that it might be an Immortal Artifact. Yet, such a powerful magical treasure was frozen by a mere weak blue ice flame? In the moment Ghost Teng Master was dazed, Shen Luo flicked his finger, and another burst of blue ice flame flew out, targeting his body. Ghost Teng Master shuddered into action, his body emitting a surge of black Qi in an attempt to resist. However, above his head in the void, a silver little bell appeared out of nowhere and chimed. A wave of silver ripples cascaded down, and Ghost Teng Master''s eyes became muddled. He stood frozen as if he were under a binding spell. The blue ice flame hit his body, a force of extreme cold instantly sweeping through him. With a crisp ¡°crackle,¡± Ghost Teng Master was completely frozen, encased within a small blue iceberg several meters high, his face showing a mix of fear and shock. A flicker of joy passed through Shen Luo''s eyes, the power of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique at the fifth-layer realm was indeed astonishing. This Ghost Teng Master, although skilled, had no power to resist. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Master, since you could subdue this man with a flick of your wrist, why did you continue to engage with him until now?¡± Zhao Feiji flew over at this moment, asking somewhat reproachfully. Shen Luo smiled and raised his hand, pointing toward mid air. The Golden Sword Array above the Cave Mansion roared and disintegrated, transforming into ten Flying Swords that entered into his sleeve. ¡°Already resolved?¡± Fire Spirit Child flew in from outside, controlling the Netherworld Furnace. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, are you proficient in soul searching techniques? I want to extract some information from this Ghost Teng Master,¡± Shen Luo nodded and asked through a transmitted message. ¡°I don''t know the art of soul searching, but I do know a few techniques in soul bewitching. With your cooperation, we might be able to control a True Immortal-level Divine Soul, but this Ghost Teng Master has reached the True Immortal Middle Stage; I''m afraid I''m unable to help,¡± Fire Spirit Child shook his head. ¡°If that is the case, then I will try another method,¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows slightly furrowed, but soon relaxed again. He approached the ice-sealed Ghost Teng Master, extending a palm to press on the Blue Iceberg. The upper layer of the Blue Iceberg quickly melted, and in a few breaths, the head of the Ghost Teng Master was revealed. ¡°Family name Shen, I don''t recall offending you. The previous pursuit was all due to Fangjin Pavilion and Yan Lie''s people. Why did you take action against me?¡± The Blue Ice Crystals had only deprived the Ghost Teng Master of freedom; they didn''t attack him. Once his head was freed, he immediately regained mobility and shouted anxiously. ¡°We indeed had no conflicts between us, but Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, you must be familiar with a female monk named Xie Yuxin, right?¡± Shen Luo said with a cold smile. The pupils of the Ghost Teng Master suddenly contracted to the size of pinpricks and then returned to normal, but the fleeting change in his expression did not escape Shen Luo''s eyes. ¡°It seems Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist is aware of this woman. She is a long-time friend of mine. Now do you understand why I took action against you?¡± Shen Luo spoke indifferently. Fire Spirit Child on the side showed a surprised expression; he also didn''t expect that Shen Luo had this reason for taking action against the Ghost Teng Master. ¡°I indeed know a female monk named Xie Yuxin, who came from the Eastern Great Tang. This woman heard from somewhere about a Yan Technique in the Boundless Sand Sea that can grant mortals Eternal Life and came searching for it. I had some interactions with her, but we soon parted ways, and I don''t know what happened to her afterwards,¡± the Ghost Teng Master rapidly thought and spoke quickly. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt surprised, so it was for this matter that Xie Yuxin came to the Boundless Sand Sea? His expression remained unchanged, he scoffed coldly, and with a wave of his sleeve, he pulled over an object, which was one of the corpse refinements belonging to the Ghost Teng Master. After being subdued by Shen Luo, his corpse refinements lost their control and all collapsed to the ground. ¡°Then these corpse refinements bearing the Ghost Yan Technique, where did Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist learn them from?¡± Shen Luo lifted the arm of a refined corpse, on which many intricate patterns were engraved¨Cthese were the Ghost Suppression Runes. ¡°How do you know the Ghost Technique?¡± The Ghost Teng Master was taken aback. ¡°If I am not mistaken, the scripture you are cultivating should be the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. I wonder if it was Ghost Yan who learned this skill from you, or if you learned it from him. I am well aware of the dealings between you two, and there is plenty of evidence to show your complicity!¡± Shen Luo spoke in a chilling tone, each sentence like a heavy hammer striking the heart of the Ghost Teng Master. The Ghost Teng Master froze; even though his whole body was wrapped in solid ice, beads of sweat the size of beans still appeared on his forehead. Over the years, he had carefully hidden his relationship with the Ghost Yan, confident that no one had discovered it, but now this young man had spoken it all in one breath. ¡°The body of Xie Yuxin, I have already retrieved it from Ghost Yan. If you are wise, tell me everything you know, and I can grant you a chance for reincarnation. Otherwise, I won''t hesitate to make you experience the suffering of Soul Refining, and then let your soul be utterly dispersed!¡± Shen Luo''s face revealed a frosty expression, and with a ¡°pfft¡± sound, a Red Lotus Karmic Fire appeared in his palm. Chapter 1555 Chapter 1555: Chapter 1551: Inhumanely Tragic Chapter 1555: Chapter 1551: Inhumanely Tragic Ghost Teng Master, although he has never seen the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, keenly sensed the terror of this flame. In a flash, his complexion turned ghastly, his lips moved twice, but he still showed no intention of speaking. ¡°It seems you want to taste the flavor of soul refining,¡± Shen Luo said, feeling impatient. His gaze sharpened, and a layer of ominous black light appeared on his palm, ready to strike. ¡°I am very proficient in the art of soul refining, Master, let me do it!¡± Zhao Feiji, who was beside him, joyfully exclaimed. His eyes shot out two substantial black lights that struck the Ghost Teng Master''s head. The Ghost Teng Master felt an unbearable pain in his soul, as if millions of steel needles were simultaneously piercing into the deepest part of his divine soul. Unable to endure any longer, he screamed miserably, his face distorting and deforming. ¡°Don''t rush; it hasn''t really started yet. My method of soul refining is of a slow-burning type, requiring half an hour to preheat before its power peaks, and the pain will then be ten times what it is now,¡± Zhao Feiji cackled strangely, filled with bloodlust and madness. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Ghost Clan naturally revels in bloodshed and killing, but since Shen Luo disliked such acts, he had forcibly suppressed them. Now with an opportunity to perform, Zhao Feiji felt utterly relieved. ¡°Stop, Friend Shen, I am willing to tell you everything I know, just ask this Ghost Clan daoist to stop¡­ Ah¡­¡± The Ghost Teng Master, terrified out of his wits, hurriedly changed his tone. Nevermind ten times the pain; even now, he felt as if his soul was being torn apart, no longer daring to persist toughly. Seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hand. A trace of reluctance flashed in Zhao Feiji''s eyes, and he reluctantly dispersed the black light in his eyes after dawdling for a while. The Ghost Teng Master gasped for breath, taking a while before he could catch his breath. ¡°Alright, speak quickly. Tell us everything about Xie Yuxin and Ghost Yan, and what you have experienced in the Celestial Secret Realm over the years. Not a single word should be omitted,¡± Shen Luo''s voice was chillingly cold. ¡°Master, don''t worry, I can use a secret technique to verify the truth of his words. If he has any deceitful thoughts, I will know immediately. However, Master, if he lies, you must allow me to apply the soul refining technique on him for one hour,¡± Zhao Feiji interjected. A hint of surprise flickered across Shen Luo''s eyes; he did not know whether Zhao Feiji was genuinely capable of such a secret technique or was just saying this to intimidate Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Accepted.¡± He naturally did not show his suspicion and replied expressionless. ¡°I indeed knew Ghost Yan long ago. I was originally just a common freelance cultivator in the Boundless Sand Sea. Many years ago, Ghost Yan and I discovered a cave mansion of an elder proficient in corpse refinement. The Heavenly Corpse Scripture was acquired from there,¡± the Ghost Teng Master said with a trembling body and in a weak voice. ¡°You were only at the Mahayana stage back then, weren''t you? Considering Ghost Yan''s personality, it''s surprising he didn''t kill you?¡± Shen Luo asked, sensing something amiss. ¡°After entering the cave mansion, Ghost Yan indeed wanted to kill me. However, he had just betrayed Tianji City and was severely injured by others. As I possessed a God Extinguishing Pearl capable of harming a True Immortal Cultivator, Ghost Yan weighed his options and did not kill me. Instead, he made me his subordinate and gave me one-tenth of the treasure inside the mansion. To save my life and gain the treasures inside, I agreed to his demands,¡± the Ghost Teng Master explained. ¡°What happened after that?¡± Shen Luo then nodded slightly and asked. ¡°After Ghost Yan obtained the treasures from that cave mansion, he went into seclusion there to heal his injuries, sending me out to collect various Spiritual Materials for him and also to capture nine women with innate Yin Veins. I was already under his control by then, so I had no choice but to obey. Xie Yuxin was one of the nine Yin Vein women I captured,¡± Ghost Teng Master glanced at Shen Luo and said softly. Shen Luo''s face suddenly turned extremely ugly, emitting a terrifying green light. Ghost Teng Master was so frightened by this scene that he dared not continue speaking. ¡°What is Ghost Yan doing capturing Yin Vein female cultivators? Refining the Earth Evil Corpse King?¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm his expression and asked. ¡°Probably. I''m not very clear on many things about Ghost Yan; he didn''t go into details with me,¡± Ghost Teng hesitated to say. ¡°I''ve read the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. To refine an Earth Evil Corpse King, at least a female cultivator in the Late Mahayana Stage is needed. Had Xie Yuxin already reached the Late Mahayana Stage at that time?¡± Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing this, Ghost Teng Master''s expression changed, and he stammered without being able to speak. ¡°Speak quickly!¡± Shen Luo sensed there must be some hidden secrets. He shouted like a sudden peal of thunder, using the Soul Shaking Secret Technique from Tianji City. ¡°No, her cultivation level had only reached the Late Nascent Soul Stage; it''s just that Ghost Yan had a secret technique that could stimulate the body and Divine soul of a cultivator, pouring a large amount of Elixir into them at the same time, forcefully raising their cultivation level in a short period,¡± Ghost Teng Master''s body shuddered, and he spoke involuntarily. ¡°There''s such a secret technique?¡± Shen Luo frowned upon hearing this. ¡°Yes, in Ancient Times, there was a sect called Medicine King Sect specializing in the art of Elixir refinement. This secret method was within the sect. I don''t know the details, but it''s said to involve refining various Elixirs into a large cauldron, then immersing a living person in it, and using a secret method to force the cultivator''s body to absorb the medicinal power. In one year''s time, the effect could match a hundred years of others'' cultivation, and in two to three years, a batch of cultivators could be trained up to Nascent Soul or even Mahayana Stage,¡± Fire Spirit Child communicated telepathically. ¡°There really is such a secret technique!¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help feeling somewhat tempted. ¡°You need not be envious. Such intense absorption of medicinal power is extremely painful; ordinary people cannot bear it at all. The cultivation method of the Medicine Immortal Sect is meant for refining uninformed Medicine People. I do not know if Ghost Yan uses this secret technique of the Medicine King Sect for Medicine People, but the process of rapidly raising cultivation levels in a short time is definitely very similar,¡± Fire Spirit Child continued. Suddenly, a loud bang sounded, startling both Ghost Teng and Zhao Feiji; Shen Luo had forcefully crushed a large block of blue ice, and his face once again turned ashen. Refining the Earth Evil Corpse King requires Late-stage Mahayana cultivators with intact Spiritual Wisdom, in order to later implement the method of separating the Divine Soul. In other words, Xie Yuxin endured that inhumane technique of Medicine People while her Divine Wisdom was intact. Ghost Teng Master quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Shen Luo''s murderous gaze. That year, he was curious about the means Ghost Yan used to enhance those Yin Vein women''s cultivation levels and secretly peered into the places where those women practiced. To this day, the scenes he witnessed are unforgettable. Nine female cultivators were immersed in a boiling cauldron, constantly forcefully absorbing the medicinal power within it, their bodies distorted by the powerful force of the Elixirs, and they emitted unbearably tragic screams. Although many years have passed, those eerie tragic screams still echo in Ghost Teng Master''s ears. ¡°It seems you are quite familiar with Ghost Yan''s secret technique for rapidly enhancing cultivation levels. Did you participate in it at that time?¡± Shen Luo''s blade-like gaze fell on Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Absolutely not, I was only responsible for collecting various Spiritual Materials for that Ghost Yan, and I only accidentally spied on those women''s cultivation scenes,¡± Ghost Teng Master hurriedly denied. Shen Luo looked toward Zhao Feiji who nodded slightly, causing his expression to slightly soften. Chapter 1556 Chapter 1556: Chapter 1552: Cave Heaven Sun and Moon Chapter 1556: Chapter 1552: Cave Heaven Sun and Moon ¡°Damn that Ghost Yan, he was killed by that Devil Heart Staff, it was too easy on him!¡± Shen Luo said hatefully. Ghost Teng Master, upon seeing this, had cold sweat dripping down his forehead and did not dare to interject. ¡°Did you see Xie Yuxin after that? Do you know anything about her?¡± Shen Luo took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and asked. ¡°No, after collecting materials for Ghost Yan, he sent me to another place. I also didn''t want to be controlled by him, so I hid in a distant place to bitterly cultivate until I broke through to the True Immortal Stage.¡± Ghost Teng Master hurriedly shook his head, his heart gradually easing. The reason he didn''t tell Shen Luo about Xie Yuxin before was because he was afraid that if Shen Luo knew, he would be so angry that he would make him scatter his soul, but now Shen Luo seemed to be able to control himself. Shen Luo fell silent there, deep in thought, and people like Ghost Teng and Zhao Feiji didn''t dare to speak and interrupt. ¡°That day at the Tianji City Trading Conference, I saw a big man following you, one of Xie Yuxin''s mortal subordinates, what did you do to him? Why hasn''t his appearance changed at all after over a hundred years?¡± A moment later, Shen Luo suddenly asked again. ¡°Are you talking about Zhou Tie? I did nothing to him. His body is very strange ¨C he doesn''t age on his own. I also found it curious, so I kept him close for observation.¡± said Ghost Teng Master, filled with regret. It turned out that this was why he had been targeted, he really regretted his impulsive act of bringing that death-bringing ghost with him. If Ghost Teng Master''s hands could move, he would feel like slapping himself. ¡°He doesn''t age at all? Where is he now?¡± Shen Luo, hearing this, was taken aback. ¡°He''s inside my Corpse Raising Bag at my waist. Not only does he not age, but even prolonged contact with Yin Qi has no effect on him, he''s definitely not a normal mortal.¡± Ghost Teng Master looked at his waist, where a black cloth bag was hanging. Shen Luo''s palm emitted a layer of blue light, directly reaching into the blue ice, and deftly took out that black cloth bag. The incredibly solid ice, in his hands, seemed like soft flowing water, without any obstruction whatsoever. ¡°Shen Luo, your talent in Ice Seal God''s Power is truly exceptional.¡± Fire Spirit Child could not help but admire. ¡°Just a small trick.¡± Shen Luo smiled lightly, his Divine Sense entered the black cloth bag. Inside was a space similar to a Qiankun Bag, but much larger and made with better materials, filled with a dense Corpse Air. Previously, Shen Luo did not activate the Indigo Blue Sea''s cold qi to destroy the possessions on Ghost Teng Master''s body, after all, these things were already his own. The Corpse Raising Bag contained many corpser with weaker cultivation; those of the Mahayana Stage had already been sacrificed. Besides the corpsers, in a corner of the Corpse Raising Bag''s space, Zhou Tie quietly sat there, eyes closed cultivating, and just as Ghost Teng Master said, completely unaffected by the surrounding dense Corpse Air. Seeing that Zhou Tie was unharmed, Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, but did not let him out as he still had things to ask Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Regarding that Ghost Yan, do you know anything else?¡± ¡°Brother Shen, I''ve told you everything I know about Ghost Yan. That person is cunning and deceitful, he wouldn''t disclose everything to me.¡± Ghost Teng Master said with a bitter smile. ¡°Let''s leave the matter of Ghost Yan there, tell me everything about what you, Tao Xiang, Yan Lie and others have experienced in the Celestial Secret Realm over the years.¡± Shen Luo said indifferently. ¡°We entered the secret realm back then¡­¡± Ghost Teng Master paused slightly, then went on to detail the experiences over the years, as well as the treasures others had acquired, not omitting anything. He had no connections with Tao Xiang, Yan Lie, and others, so naturally, he wouldn''t hide anything on their behalf. Even more so, Ghost Teng Master secretly hoped that Shen Luo would deal with Tao Xiang and the others as well, harboring the thought that if he couldn''t be at ease, neither could they. After listening, Shen Luo was completely taken aback. According to Ghost Teng Master, they had actually spent over a decade within the Celestial Secret Realm. ¡°How could this be? Could it be that the flow of time inside the Celestial Secret Realm is different from outside?¡± Shen Luo pondered silently. ¡°So that''s it. No wonder the Celestial Secret Realm is so vast. It seems this place has become a world of its own, with its own complete cycling of sun and moon, leading to a different flow of time compared to the Human World,¡± Fire Spirit Child suddenly realized. ¡°What are the Cycling Sun and Moon?¡± Hearing Fire Spirit Child''s exclamation, Shen Luo hurriedly asked. ¡°Young Master Shen, you have traveled the Four Directions and surely seen many secret realms. Have those secret realms ever had natural occurrences like sunrise, sunset, and the rotation of stars?¡± Fire Spirit Child countered. ¡°It seems not. Even if there were, it would be created by prohibitions and illusions,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. ¡°The cycling of sun and moon, the change of seasons, these are the operations of the Heavenly Dao. The outside Great World works this way. Ordinary secret realms are merely small spaces carved out and still rely on the outside Great World. However, if a secret realm can progress further and evolve its own sun, moon, and stars, then it can be considered an independent world, and the flow of time would indeed differ from the outside world,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°I see.¡± Shen Luo nodded slowly, his gaze toward Ghost Teng Master also flashing with understanding. No wonder Ghost Teng Master and the others had such advanced cultivation. The dense spiritual energy within this secret realm, along with over a decade of hard cultivation and some Heavenly Treasures obtained, made their significant cultivation advancement not surprising. The two communicated through mind transmission; Zhao Feiji and Ghost Teng Master did not hear them. ¡°Daoist friend Shen, everything I just mentioned is true. I dare not ask you to spare my life, but I plead for my soul to enter the Six Paths of Reincarnation for a chance at rebirth,¡± Ghost Teng Master said. ¡°Since you''ve kept your promise, I will not go back on my word. Go reincarnate in the Underworld, and in your next life, don''t commit acts that harm the natural order, or else you will face the destruction of your soul and spirit!¡± Shen Luo declared sternly, flicking a finger. A sharply intense Sword Qi penetrated the mind, causing Ghost Teng Master''s body to shudder, his breath disappearing, his head drooping as he fell, with a trace of relief on his face. Shen Luo looked up at the sky, sighing deeply. The two who harmed Xie Yuxin had both been executed; he hoped that somehow, the girl could rest in peace. ¡°Why bother keeping faith with such a heinous villain? It would have been better to consume his Divine Soul, which might have helped me advance to the True Immortal Middle Stage,¡± Zhao Feiji muttered on the side. ¡°I will arrange for your cultivation later; be patient,¡± Shen Luo glanced at Zhao Feiji. His strength was becoming increasingly fearsome; merely a casual glance made Zhao Feiji shiver all over, and he said no more. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh!¡± On the other side, Fire Spirit Child suddenly uttered lightly. Following the sound, Shen Luo saw that after Ghost Teng Master''s death, the head exposed outside rapidly transformed into a section of green wood, his hair slowly turning into branches, rapidly growing upwards, yet the ice-sealed lower half of his body remained unchanged. Chapter 1557 Chapter 1557: Chapter 1553: Revenge Chapter 1557: Chapter 1553: Revenge Shen Luo slightly pondered before deploying the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique; in an instant, blue ice crystals engulfed and once again froze Ghost Teng Master''s entire body, halting the strange mutations of the head. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It seems that this Ghost Teng Master is not human but a demon, whose true form is a tree monster. Young Master Shen, you destroyed his divine soul but left his body unharmed¨Cwhat do you intend to do with his corpse?¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Now there are still six True Immortals on this island. If Ghost Teng Master were to be killed, they would definitely notice that there are others on the island, which would greatly restrict my movements. Therefore, Ghost Teng Master cannot disappear yet,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile, reaching his hand into the blue ice crystal and placing it on Ghost Teng Master''s head, his palm emitting a faint, gloomy black light. A dark black mist enveloped Ghost Teng Master''s body, seemingly capable of sucking in a person''s divine soul. Shen Luo started chanting complex and obscure spells; the black mist swirling around Ghost Teng Master''s body grew denser and more eerie. Faint lights began to emerge in the surrounding void, soon coalescing into a fist-sized phantom of a divine soul, which turned out to be the very soul of Ghost Teng Master. Shen Luo had somehow used some method to call back the shattered soul. However, Ghost Teng Master''s divine soul lacked the slightest sense of liveliness; it was filled with an aura of deathly stillness. Shen Luo formed a hand sign and a beam of divine soul light shot from his own glabella, infusing into the interior of Ghost Teng Master''s soul phantom, and the dead aura inside Ghost Teng Master''s soul rapidly dissipated, replaced with a vibrant vitality indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person''s soul. A trace of joy appeared on his face as his right hand patted down, injecting the divine soul into the body of Ghost Teng Master. Ghost Teng Master''s eyes slowly opened, brimming with vitality, and a layer of black light immediately arose from his body, returning his head, transformed into tree bark, back to its original state. Shen Luo sized Ghost Teng Master up and nodded slightly, retracting the hand that was on Ghost Teng Master, resting it on the blue ice crystal and activating the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique. The massive ice mountain rapidly melted away and completely vanished after several breaths. The blue ice crystals on the Ten Thousand Demons Banner also all disappeared, flying back into the hands of Ghost Teng Master. Ghost Teng Master''s body landed back on the ground and gave a bow to Shen Luo, his inner mana flowing vigorously, appearing no different from before as if he had never fallen. Zhao Feiji''s eyes widened upon seeing this scene. Being of the Ghost Clan, he was ten times more sensitive to living beings and dead spirits than ordinary monks. Ghost Teng Master had clearly died, yet now he was forcefully resurrected by Shen Luo! ¡°Is this the Soul Summoning Technique? I did not expect you to be proficient in this technique,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, surprised. ¡°Soul Summoning Technique?¡± Zhao Feiji hurriedly asked. ¡°I learned it from the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. It''s just a petty trick that can cleanse the aura of death from a body, making it seem like resurrection. But the Soul Summoning Technique doesn''t last long and will fail after a few days. Nevertheless, these few days are enough for my purposes,¡± Shen Luo explained. When he first saw Ghost Teng Master, he had this plan in mind, which was why he hadn''t used his full strength to subdue Ghost Teng Master but slowly dueled using magic, figuring out the many divine techniques Ghost Teng Master knew, so that he wouldn''t give himself away when controlling Ghost Teng Master later. Zhao Feiji understood upon hearing this explanation. Shen Luo pondered briefly, raised his hand to call out the Divine Rat, asking it to sever its spiritual connection with the Free and Easy Mirror, then handed the mirror to Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Use your spell to refine this object.¡± Now that he was going to control Ghost Teng Master, it would be better to have the man refine the Free and Easy Mirror himself. Ghost Teng Master took the Free and Easy Mirror and began channeling his mana into it, causing the mirror to instantly emit a bright red light. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, retract the Spirit Refining Array; we have already delayed here for quite some time and must depart immediately to avoid others discovering any flaws,¡± Shen Luo turned to Fire Spirit Child and said. Fire Spirit Child nodded, forming a spell gesture to retract the Spirit Refining Array from outside and then, together with Shen Luo and Zhao Feiji, they slipped into the Carefree Mirror. Ghost Teng Master flicked his sleeve, collecting the nearby Mahayana Corpse Refining remnants, then raised his hand to beckon. The Blood Thorn Vines, which had been stabbed into the nearby walls, shot back to him, their blood-colored light reigniting, sweeping over every corner of the Cave Mansion, eradicating all traces of the recent battle. Having done this, he swallowed the Carefree Mirror into his stomach and then turned into a streak of black light, flying out of the Wilderness Mountain and toward the deeper parts of the island. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo shook the Corpse Raising Bag, and Zhou Tie''s figure flew out from within. Arriving at a completely unfamiliar place, Zhou Tie didn''t panic but instead, calmed down and surveyed his surroundings before his gaze settled on Shen Luo. Although there was a small person made of flames beside him, he could sense that the teenager before him was the main decision-maker of this place. ¡°Brother Zhou, it''s been a long time since we last met,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Zhou Tie looked at the young man before him with a puzzled expression. ¡°It seems Brother Zhou no longer remembers me. I am Shen Luo. We parted ways in Chang''an City that year; who would have thought it would be so many years before we met again,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°Shen Luo? Aren''t you the freelance cultivator friend of the young miss! How come Ghost Teng Master''s Corpse Raising Bag is in your hands?¡± Zhou Tie quickly recalled and widened his eyes. ¡°These past years, I''ve had some fortunate encounters, and my cultivation has made some achievements. That Ghost Teng Master has already been killed by me,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°You killed Ghost Teng Master?¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Tie was completely shocked. Back in Chang''an City, Shen Luo was but a monk at the Grain Avoidance Stage. Now, in just over a hundred years, he was able to kill Ghost Teng Master, who was at the True Immortal Stage. Could it be that Shen Luo had become a True Immortal? Although Zhou Tie was unaware of the intricacies of monks'' cultivation, he still knew very well the huge gap between the Grain Avoidance Stage and the True Immortal Stage! ¡°Thank you, Mr. Shen, for avenging my young miss!¡± It took a while for Zhou Tie to come back to his senses, then he bowed deeply, kneeling before Shen Luo. ¡°My friend Elder Brother Xie and I were good friends. These matters were simply small efforts for me, but the regret is that I failed to learn of her plight in time to come to her rescue,¡± Shen Luo sighed as he helped Zhou Tie up. Zhou Tie also fell silent. ¡°I''ve learned some of the events of that year from Ghost Teng, who said Elder Brother Xie came to the Boundless Sand Sea in search of a Yan Technique that could grant mortals immortality. Why did she look for this technique?¡± Shen Luo then asked. ¡°The young miss led a life of suffering; all that she did was for her worthless brother, Xie Xuan. Had it not been for him, she would not have met her current fate,¡± Zhou Tie suddenly said with anger in his tone. ¡°Elder Brother Xie''s brother? I recall Elder Brother Xie mentioning that her brother was harmed by a villain, his divine soul and meridians utterly destroyed, which is why she sneaked into the Refining Body Altar in hopes of stealing the Body Refining Secret Manual to restore her brother''s divine soul and meridians. She had obtained the Body Refining Secret Manual; could it be she couldn''t heal her brother''s body?¡± After some thought, Shen Luo asked. ¡°I heard from the young miss that she got that Body Refining Secret Manual from you, Mister Shen. She used the methods within the manual to fix that Xie Xuan''s body and soul. Unfortunately, Xie Xuan had been bedridden for too long. Although he awoke, his cultivation was utterly wasted. Selfish and heartless, he was not grateful at all for the years of the young miss''s life-and-death dedication for him. Instead, he constantly urged the young miss to find ways to restore his cultivation. The young miss, out of familial duty, sought far and wide for spiritual medicine and secret techniques, but Xie Xuan''s body was too badly damaged to recover,¡± Zhou Tie said, forcefully suppressing his fury. ¡°What happened after that?¡± Shen Luo frowned upon hearing this and asked. Chapter 1558 Chapter 1558: Chapter 1554: The Mystery of Immortality Chapter 1558: Chapter 1554: The Mystery of Immortality ¡°Afterward, Xie Xuan grew increasingly older, and his demands on the young lady became more and more urgent. Without any alternative, the young lady had no choice but to search desperately for life-prolonging techniques, which ultimately led her, after twists and turns, to this Boundless Sand Sea,¡± Zhou Tie said. ¡°Where did Elder Brother Xie learn about the Yan Technique in the Boundless Sand Sea that can grant immortals the ability not to die?¡± Shen Luo asked an important question. ¡°I was the one who told her. Brother Shen must have noticed that my appearance doesn''t age. In fact, I have lived for many years, so many that I can no longer remember clearly¨Ccertainly a few hundred at least¨Cand for some unknown reason, I show no signs of aging at all. My immortality seems to be related to some Yan Technique,¡± Zhou Tie said with a wry smile. ¡°You are a native of this Boundless Sand Sea? This place is indeed well-known for its practice of Yan Technique, but I have never heard of a technique that can prevent ordinary mortals from aging,¡± Shen Luo responded with a surprised look, giving Zhou Tie a quick once-over. ¡°I don''t really understand what''s going on either. These memories just surfaced from the deepest reaches of my divine soul,¡± Zhou Tie said in a low voice. ¡°There are countless miraculous and supernatural powers in this world; perhaps there really is such a wonderful Yan Technique. Brother Zhou should not take it too much to heart,¡± Shen Luo said, quietly assessing Zhou Tie''s body with his divine sense. Zhou Tie did not seem to care too much about his own origins, nodding his head before continuing, ¡°After I became conscious, I lived in the Boundless Sand Sea for a period of time, and then traveled to various places. Many years ago, I went to Great Tang and met the young lady. She did not despise me for being an undying monster and has kept me by her side ever since. Knowing about my situation, to extend Xie Xuan''s life, she brought me to the Boundless Sand Sea, but we unexpectedly fell into the clutches of Ghost Teng.¡± At the end, Zhou Tie''s face showed an expression of extreme regret. ¡°It''s unexpected that Elder Brother Xie had such a past. Brother Zhou need not grieve too much. Some time ago, I encountered Ghost Yan and fought him. Ghost Yan is dead; I took Xie Daoist friend''s body and transferred her divine soul, sending it into the cycle of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Given her character, she is sure to be reborn into a good home in her next life,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Ghost Yan is also dead? I''ve heard that Ghost Yan''s cultivation level was on the verge of reaching the Taiyi Stage, with few rivals in the whole Human Realm,¡± Zhou Tie said, forgetting his sorrow and gaping. He had just been shocked by Shen Luo''s killing of Ghost Teng Master, and here was Shen Luo, now talking about defeating Ghost Yan, whose strength was far greater than that of a freelance cultivator like Ghost Teng Master at the threshold of the True Immortal Stage! How many years had passed, and Shen Luo''s cultivation level had already reached such heights. ¡°There were other Daoist friends who joined me in that battle; on my own, I was no match for Ghost Yan,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. Zhou Tie''s expression became a little more restrained, but his eyes still held shock as he looked at Shen Luo. ¡°We are now in a secret realm, and there may be a great battle to come. Brother Zhou, you should stay here for the time being,¡± Shen Luo said without delving further into the matter. ¡°Alright, Mr. Shen, please tend to your affairs, don''t mind me,¡± Zhou Tie nodded. Shen Luo waved his hand, and a heap of lumber materialized out of thin air, rapidly assembling itself into a tower not far away in a few breaths'' time. Zhou Tie expressed his thanks and walked into the tower. Subsequently, Shen Luo flicked his hand, and a prohibition enveloped the tower. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, do you know if the undying Yan Technique that Zhou Tie spoke of really exists?¡± Shen Luo turned to look at Fire Spirit Child, who had remained silent the whole time. ¡°Of course, it exists. If I''m not mistaken, the reason Zhou Tie does not age or die is precisely because he possesses that sort of undead Yan Technique,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, eyes sparkling with interest. Shen Luo also had his suspicions and had just finished examining Zhou Tie''s body in detail, but unfortunately, he could not find any traces of the Yan Technique. ¡°Young Master Shen, try not to disturb me these few days; I would like to stay here and thoroughly investigate that Zhou Tie,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Okay, but I''m fairly acquainted with Zhou Tie, you better not let him notice,¡± Shen Luo instructed. ¡°Rest assured, he''s no different from ordinary people in every aspect except for his undying physique. How could he possibly detect my investigation?¡± Fire Spirit Child patted his chest and flew into the prohibition. Shen Luo paid him no heed and, through the eyes of Ghost Teng Master, focused on observing the situation outside. Ghost Teng Master flew swiftly towards the deeper parts of the island and soon arrived at the core area. This place was lush with trees and covered in green grass, exuding a vibrant and lively aura. Ghost Teng Master didn''t rush in rashly, but concealed his Qi and moved through the mountain forest, spreading his Divine Sense to scan the surroundings. After a while, his Divine Sense detected thumping collision sounds and grunts ahead, indicating a battle taking place, likely not involving Yan Lie and his group. ¡°There are other people on this island?¡± Shen Luo controlled Ghost Teng Master to rush over and quickly discerned the situation. Indeed, it wasn''t Yan Lie''s group. On one side of the battle were two young men dressed in beast skins; one was tall with dark red skin, wielding a bone knife carved with crimson patterns, and the other, slightly slender, held a snow-white Bone Spear. Opposite them was a towering monster donned in dark blue fur, four to five zhang tall, with a lion''s head and monkey eyes, resembling a Qilin, looking extremely fierce. It also spewed blue Poison Mist from its mouth. Despite facing two opponents, it maintained the upper hand. However, the two young men were no pushovers. Moving swiftly, their flesh bodies were extremely resilient. Even when the monster with the lion''s head slapped them away, they only bore mere white marks without shedding a drop of blood. ¡°What a formidable body, almost comparable to Magical Treasures,¡± Shen Luo praised inwardly within the Carefree Mirror. ¡°These two young men''s combat style is quite special, very similar to the Witch Clan, and that monster, I recognize it¨Cit''s a mutated Ancient Auspicious Beast with considerable strength,¡± Fire Spirit Child''s voice suddenly transmitted. ¡°Witch Clan!¡± Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise. ¡°The Witch Clan does not cultivate external forces, they only train their flesh bodies. Each individual''s body is extremely tough, and from the Qi of these two men, there''s no mistake¨Cthey are definitely from the Witch Clan,¡± Fire Spirit Child said excitedly. Shen Luo listened and felt delighted inside. Nie Caizhu was just about to awaken her Witch Tribe Bloodline, and here they had encountered people of the Witch Clan. Perhaps they could get some help from them. ¡°Weren''t you going to investigate Zhou Tie? Why are you paying attention to this now?¡± he looked at the prohibition beside him. ¡°Monitoring a mere mortal, how much effort could that take me? Young Master Shen, you are seeking Witch Weapons to help Cai Zhu awaken her Witch Clan bloodline; this is the perfect opportunity,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo was silent for a moment, then controlled Ghost Teng Master to make a move. The Blood Thorn Vine turned into a streak of Blood Light, stabbing towards the Ancient Auspicious Beast. The Ancient Auspicious Beast, almost at the strength of the Late Mahayana Stage, was highly alerted and reacted swiftly. It roared angrily and managed to dodge the Blood Thorn Vine''s strike, and its enormous paw gleamed with iron-like black light, viciously clawing at the Blood Thorn Vine. Ghost Teng Master formed a hand seal, and the Blood Thorn Vine instantly conjured up several indistinguishable false shadows, causing the Ancient Auspicious Beast some confusion. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seizing this opportunity, the Blood Thorn Vine shot past the beast''s paw and ¡°pfft,¡± pierced into the Ancient Auspicious Beast''s abdomen, going right through its back. The Ancient Auspicious Beast let out a piercing wail and struggled for a few moments before quickly losing its breath. The Blood Thorn Vine was not only terribly powerful in attack, but it also carried the secret poison concocted by Ghost Teng Master. Even True Immortal beings couldn''t last long, let alone a Great-Consummation Stage Monster. Chapter 1559 Chapter 1559: Chapter 1555 Wu Clan Tribe Chapter 1559: Chapter 1555 Wu Clan Tribe Under Shen Luo''s covert manipulation, Ghost Teng Master slowly emerged from the nearby mountain forest with a gentle smile on his face, intending to forge a connection with the two Wu Clan youths. ¡°What kind of person are you? How dare you kill my battle beast?¡± The tall, red-skinned man glared with wide eyes, shouting harshly at Ghost Teng Master. The man spoke in the language of the Wu Clan; fortunately, during these three years, Fire Spirit Child had taught Shen Luo the Wu Clan''s script and language, so Shen Luo could understand. The other Wu Clan youth also showed an angry expression, gripping the bone spear in his hand, ready to pounce at any moment. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo was startled by their words, wondering why the ancient auspicious beast, their battle beast, had been involved in a fight with them just now. ¡°I remember now, the Wu Clan people do indeed often fight with their own battle beasts. It''s said that there is a witchcraft in the Wu Clan that merges oneself with the battle beast, but both must have a high degree of compatibility. The Wu Clan doesn''t engage with spiritual pets as others do; they only know battle, nourishing battle through combat, using constant fighting to strengthen their connection with their battle beasts,¡± Fire Spirit Child suddenly recalled and belatedly said. ¡°Why didn''t you say so earlier?¡± Shen Luo said with a glare. ¡°I don''t remember when or where I read it in the classics, after so many years, who could remember clearly,¡± Fire Spirit Child replied sheepishly. Shen Luo snorted and hurriedly made Ghost Teng Master apologize in the Wu language: ¡°So it turns out this ancient auspicious beast is both your battle pets. I thought this creature was going to harm both of you, hence my reckless action, please do not blame me¡­¡± However, before he could finish speaking, a short-handled bone spear shot from the opposite side, aimed directly at his face, the forceful wind cutting like a knife. ¡°Hmph! You killed my battle beast, now pay with your life!¡± The tall Wu member leaped forward in anger, his face full of rage. The other one did the same, throwing another short spear, which transformed into a white light aimed at Ghost Teng Master''s chest, swiftly escalating to deadly violence without agreement. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed, and he quickly maneuvered Ghost Teng Master out of the way. ¡°Wu Clan has always been like this; according to their saying, any problem that can be resolved with fists should not be spoken of. Be careful, the strength of these two is not weak, don''t damage that puppet,¡± Fire Spirit Child emerged from the prohibition and warned. Although Shen Luo was somewhat displeased, he didn''t say anything further; he was actually interested in learning about the Wu Clan''s combat style and immediately began fighting with the two using Ghost Teng Master. Ghost Teng Master didn''t use any magical treasures but used his natural talents as a tree spirit, summoning countless vines and trees to entwine the two men. These two Wu Clan members had no fluctuations of Mana, but their physical bodies were extremely tough; they moved as fast as lightning and possessed astonishing strength, easily tearing apart the vines and trees with just a swing of their hands and feet. The bone knives and bone spears in their hands were inscribed with some kind of Wu Clan spirit patterns, which flashed occasionally as they swung, seemingly enhancing the weapons to an unusually sharp degree, able to withstand the Blood Thorn Vine. However, Ghost Teng Master, being in the middle stage of True Immortal, coupled with Shen Luo''s rich combat experience, soon took the upper hand, seizing the weapons from the two and using dozens of unusually thick vines to firmly bind their bodies, rendering them immobile. ¡°Let''s stop here, gentlemen. I have no intention of clashing with you; all of this has been a misunderstanding¡­¡± Ghost Teng Master said. But before he could finish speaking, the tall Wu Clan member roared angrily, his body showing crimson patterns, and suddenly expelled bursts of red flames, burning the vines on his body. Meanwhile, the other Wu Clan youth also emitted bursts of purple-black thunder and lightning, likewise tearing apart the surrounding vines. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Shen Luo''s face showed a look of surprise. ¡°This is the power of the Witch Tribe bloodline, harboring powerful God''s Power within,¡± Fire Spirit Child''s eyes also shone slightly. At the moment Shen Luo was stunned, two members of the Wu Clan had already darted into the dense forest in the distance like agile monkeys, even abandoning their weapons. Once they entered the dense forest, their breaths disappeared suddenly without a trace, and Divine Sense couldn''t detect them either, which gave Shen Luo another shock. ¡°The Wu Clan has no Mana, they can easily conceal their physical breath, and they have a witchcraft that allows them to integrate with their surroundings, making them hard to detect even by Divine Sense,¡± said Fire Spirit Child upon seeing this. Hearing this, Shen Luo''s interest in the Wu Clan grew significantly, he stored the Bone Knife and Bone Spear into the Free and Easy Mirror and manipulated Ghost Teng Master to pursue them. Although his Divine Sense could not track those two, during their brief encounter just now, he had secretly tampered with those two Wu Clan members, and he could clearly sense that they were fleeing towards the northwest part of the mountain forest. Inside the mirror, Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged, carefully examining the Bone Knife and Bone Spear in front of him. The two weapons didn''t contain much power inside, but the Witch Patterns engraved on the blades and spearheads were wrapped with a burning hot air flow; touching the handle of the knife and body of the spear felt scorching hot. Beside him, Fire Spirit Child also activated his Divine Sense to probe, and a look of disappointment soon appeared on his face. ¡°These are just two Witch enchanted weapons, aside from enhancing sharpness and toughness, there''s not much significance, the contained witchcraft power isn''t much either, not even as valuable as that Stele Formation Device, useless for Nie Caizhu.¡± Hearing this, disappointment also flashed across Shen Luo''s eyes. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At the same time, the Ghost Teng Master stealthily followed the two men''s tracks, quickly advancing for half an hour, and those men stopped in a valley beneath a large mountain. A Mountain Village was built within the valley, with a huge wooden gate blocking the valley entrance, and on each side of the gate stood two watchtowers filled with seven or eight Wu Clan Warriors holding bows and arrows, and spears. Above the valley, clouds of pitch-black smoke floated, unusually thick, and streaks of pitch-black lightning intermittently crossed within the clouds, giving an oppressively heavy sensation. Ghost Teng Master hid in the dense forest outside the valley, not revealing himself. ¡°A Wu Clan Tribe?¡± Shen Luo, through the vision of Ghost Teng Master, took in everything outside and asked. ¡°It seems there are quite a number of people; if we want to explore the island for the Immortal Tomb, asking these people would be the quickest,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Ghost Teng Master has already made enemies with them; it might not be convenient to show up,¡± Shen Luo pondered whether to have Ghost Teng Master alter his appearance, but the Wu Clan being an ancient race might possess the power to see through such Transformation Arts, which might backfire at that time. At that moment, the heavy wooden gate of the valley opened, and a tall Wu Clan Elder wearing a Bird Feather Hat walked out, holding a White Bone Staff, with a Black Round Stone inlaid on the top emitting bright Black Light, and its potent witchcraft power could be felt even from a distance. A dozen Wu Clan Warriors followed, and the two Wu Clan Youth from before were among them. Shen Luo''s heart grew cautious, feeling that this elder would be tough to deal with, and immediately instructed Ghost Teng Master to refine his technique in concealing his aura more perfectly. ¡°Guests from afar, since you have come near our tribe, please show yourselves,¡± the Wu Clan Elder looked towards the thicket where Ghost Teng Master was hiding and spoke in the external language with a faint smile. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo raised his eyebrow, this Wu Clan Elder had clearly discovered Ghost Teng Master. Although Ghost Teng Master didn''t possess treasures like Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing that could hide one''s breath, his ability to conceal his Qi was quite profound, yet he had been seen through by this elder at a glance, indicating this elder was no ordinary figure. Chapter 1560 Chapter 1560: Chapter 1556: Tomb of the Great Witch Houyi Chapter 1560: Chapter 1556: Tomb of the Great Witch Houyi ¡°I am Ghost Teng Master, encroaching upon your noble territory was unintended, I beg Your Excellency''s pardon.¡± Shen Luo controlled Ghost Teng Master to appear and gave a bow with his right hand across his chest as Fire Spirit Child had taught him the rituals of the Witch Clan. ¡°Your Excellency is familiar with our Witch Clan''s rituals?¡± The Wu Clan Elder showed a hint of surprise. ¡°I read about it in an ancient book.¡± Ghost Teng Master said impassively. ¡°Our Witch Clan has long been obliterated in the river of time, yet to think that Your Excellency could still find classics that record our history. It seems you have quite a fate with our clan. My name is Matu, I am the Chief of the White Teeth Tribe.¡± The Wu Clan Elder returned the bow. ¡°So, it is Chief Matu, a pleasure. Earlier I had some misunderstandings with two warriors of your tribe and wounded one of their battle beasts. I beseech the Chief for forgiveness, how should I compensate?¡± Ghost Teng Master sincerely spoke, while retrieving two bone knives and a bone spear, handing them back to the two Wu Clan Youth in front of him. Although the two youths still had a hostile look towards Ghost Teng Master, the anger on their faces also subsided somewhat, they extended their hands and accepted the two weapons. ¡°Since it was a misunderstanding, there''s no need for compensation. Although our Witch Clan has declined, we are not lacking a battle beast. It seems Ghost Teng Fellow Daoist isn''t alone on this island, since other Daoist friends are nearby, please reveal yourselves too.¡± Chief Matu looked sharply around with a keen gaze. ¡°Haha, Chief Matu''s divine power is impressive, to be able to detect our presence, I admire that.¡± Yan Lie''s voice sounded, a blaze of fire came from afar and fell at the entrance of the valley, revealing the figures of Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren. On another side, a pink light flashed; Tao Xiang, Liu Hong, and Li Biao also emerged. On the ground in front of the valley, a burst of yellow light flashed, and Tian Sanqi emerged from Underground. Shen Luo''s gaze darkened slightly, he was inside the Free and Easy Mirror and couldn''t conveniently invoke his Divine Sense to inspect the surroundings, he hadn''t noticed that the others had somehow arrived. The six of them were all True Immortals. Although the Wu Clan didn''t cultivate the Divine Soul, they could still sense the cultivation levels of Yan Lie and others. The warriors of the White Teeth Tribe immediately stirred and wore a wary look on their faces. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Your Fellow Daoists possess extraordinary strengths and are not nameless beings, why come to our isolated island?¡± Chief Matu also furrowed his brows, seemingly not expecting the newcomers to be so formidable. ¡°We are monks from the Boundless Sand Sea area of the Human World, who happened to enter this Secret Realm and are investigating the Cave Mansions and graveyards of some High People from the past buried here. May I ask if the Chief can give us some guidance? Upon investigating this island, we will immediately leave and won''t cause any trouble to your tribe,¡± Yan Lie said directly with a smile. In fact, they had already searched throughout the island, but other than this Wu Clan Tribe, they found nothing else. The White Teeth Tribe was large in number and not weak in strength, but aside from Chief Matu, the rest were all below the level of a True Immortal. If Yan Lie and the others'' cultivation were just as when they entered the Secret Realm, they naturally wouldn''t dare to be so unreasonable towards the White Teeth Tribe. However, their cultivation had greatly advanced over the years, and they had obtained many powerful Magical Treasures throughout the Secret Realm, their strength was no longer comparable to before, and they felt no need for subtlety, thus directly stating their purpose. ¡°Indeed you are outsiders, truth be told, there indeed lies a mausoleum on this island, belonging to my clan''s ancestor, the Great Witch Houyi,¡± Chief Matu''s gaze swept across the seven people and after a silent moment, he slowly spoke. ¡°Great Witch Houyi!¡± Yan Lie trembled. Other people were also startled, but then they showed a joyous look. ¡°Great Witch Houyi? Is it the mighty one who shot down nine suns in Ancient Times?¡± Shen Luo turned to Fire Spirit Child after hearing this. ¡°Yes, but the merits of Great Witch Houyi are not just about shooting down nine suns. During the time of Ancient Yao, when ten suns rose together, they scorched the crops and killed the plants, and the people had nothing to eat. Yakshalaya, Zhuo Tooth, Nine Infants, Great Wind, Feng Xi, Xiu Snake were all causing harm to the people. Yao then ordered Houyi to kill Zhuo Tooth in Chouhua Wilderness, slay Nine Infants on the fierce waters, capture Great Wind in Qingqiu Marsh, shoot the ten suns above and kill Yakshalaya below, sever Xiu Snake in Dongting, and trap Feng Xi in the mulberry forest. All people rejoiced and set Yao as the Heavenly Emperor,¡± Fire Spirit Child slowly said. ¡°So that''s how it is.¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized, a trace of joy flashed across his eyes. Such mausoleums of ancient mighty beings must surely contain astonishing treasures. ¡°After the fall of the Great God Houyi, he suppressed mystical artifacts within the mausoleum, hoping that brave and strong successors could inherit his divine power and treasures to benefit the Three Realms,¡± Chief Matu said calmly as he continued. ¡°Where is Houyi''s Tomb?¡± Yan Lie, unable to resist the itch in his heart, his body surged with a glowing fire, seemingly wanting to grab Chief Matu and demand answers. ¡°The Great God''s tomb chamber is nearby. Since you have arrived here, you are also fated with the Great God Houyi. Unfortunately, since it is getting late today, it is not advisable to go there now. Fellow cultivators can stay at our tribe for the night, and tomorrow I will take you to the mausoleum. Whether you can receive the legacy of the Great God depends on your own fate,¡± Chief Matu said in an even tone, as if he saw nothing. Yan Lie and others originally planned to seize him the moment he hesitated in his words, but hearing him agree so readily to lead them, they were stunned for a moment, and so were the others, with no one responding for a while. ¡°What, do you not wish to go?¡± Chief Matu looked at them. ¡°Cough, since the chief is willing to lead the way, of course, we will go. However, as a little girl, I am curious, we are after all outsiders, why would the chief agree so readily to take us there? You are of the Witch Clan, wouldn''t it be better if you inherited the power of Great Witch Houyi?¡± Tao Xiang coughed and asked in a tactful tone. ¡°We of the White Teeth Tribe are but a small tribe under the command of Great God Houyi. After the Great God perished here, he entrusted my tribe to guard this place generation after generation, awaiting the emergence of his successor. As long as they are not evil demons or the like, anyone who arrives at this island, we will lead them to the mausoleum. Our Witch Clan bloodline is too weak to bear the mighty power of Great God Houyi, how would we dare to touch it?¡± Chief Matu shook his head as he spoke. Hearing this, Tao Xiang and the others exchanged glances in secret and nodded slightly. ¡°Always making all of you stand outside is truly rude, please come into the valley,¡± Chief Matu said with a smile, turning around to lead the way, while the originally cautious Wu Clan warriors had already cleared a passageway, their faces now solemn. Yan Lie, Tao Xiang, and others exchanged glances without showing any fear, and together entered the valley. Whether it was due to the simplistic conditions of this island or the Witch Tribe people''s disregard for appearances, the constructions within the valley were very primitive. The houses were built from large stones piled up or wooden materials, quite rudimentary. The only structure in the valley that was elaborate was an altar, towering atop was a chimney-like giant stone pillar several tens of feet high. Below the stone pillar chimney, there was an object resembling a furnace, with intricate Witch text inscribed around it and the bones of many monsters being burned inside. Plumes of black smoke billowed from within the stone pillar, pouring into the heavy dark clouds in the sky. ¡°May I ask the chief, what is this?¡± Tao Xiang paused and looked at the chimney on the altar and asked. Chapter 1561 Chapter 1561: Chapter 1557: Mysterious Dark Night Chapter 1561: Chapter 1557: Mysterious Dark Night ¡°This is one of our witchcraft techniques. We burn monster corpses to gather deathly yin clouds to provide some protection for our tribe,¡± Chief Matu explained. Tao Xiang nodded slightly. Indeed, several people had found many demons residing on the island while searching. Although the White Teeth Witch Tribe seemed to have numerous warriors, there were still many vulnerable individuals, including women and children, who couldn''t withstand demons, especially when the warriors were out hunting. Having some protective objects was understandable. Shen Luo was particularly intrigued by the witch texts around the furnace and, controlling Ghost Teng Master, paused to inspect them closely. ¡°Seems like Fellow Daoist Ghost Vine has studied witch texts as well?¡±, Tian Sanqi approached and asked. ¡°Not at all, as a mere freelance cultivator, I lack deep knowledge compared to Fellow Tian from a prestigious background; I know nothing of witch texts, just found them quite mysterious and took a couple more glances,¡± replied Ghost Teng Master as he averted his gaze. Tian Sanqi nodded noncommittally and gave Ghost Teng Master another look before shifting his attention elsewhere. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo, based on what the previous encounter Ghost Teng Master had described, found out that Tian Sanqi possessed a Canghun Pearl, a magical treasure excellent at sensing qi. Could it be that this person sensed his presence? Feeling a chill in his heart, he became more vigilant and restrained his qi. The group soon reached the deeper part of the valley, where many of the tribe''s vulnerable, including women and children, lived. They curiously watched Shen Luo and others but didn''t engage in conversation. ¡°The place is modest; please do not mind,¡± Matu settled them into an empty stone house. ¡°Not at all, having a place to rest is good,¡± said Tao Xiang and others; they clearly didn''t mind. After chatting with them for a while, Matu excused himself to leave, but just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped, his face portraying annoyance, ¡°Ah, look at my memory, I forgot the most important thing.¡± ¡°What is it, Chief?¡± asked Tao Xiang. ¡°Living on this island, there''s one major taboo: do not stay in the darkness. Please, do not turn off your house lights at night, and try not to go outside at random,¡± Matu warned gravely. ¡°Not to stay in the darkness? Why is that?¡± Tian Sanqi asked in astonishment. ¡°Our island hides a strange force within its darkness; anyone enveloped by it vanishes without a trace, never to be found. I know you Fellow Cultivators are powerful, but it''s best not to attempt challenging it negligently. Over the years, too many of our people, including True Immortals, have been devoured by it,¡± Matu said somewhat fearfully. Listening to this, the group exchanged looks, momentarily lost for words. Matu didn''t linger and after advising them further, he turned and departed. ¡°Fellow Cultivators, do you believe what Chief Matu said?¡± As Matu''s figure disappeared, Tao Xiang fell silent for a moment before opening a protective cover with a flick of her sleeves and spoke. ¡°This island is quite peculiar, and the surrounding black mist prohibition is extraordinary. Perhaps what Matu described about being devoured by darkness¡­ is related to that black mist prohibition,¡± said Tian Sanqi thoughtfully. ¡°Fellow Tian speaks wisely. It''s better to believe it exists than not; anyway, Matu will take us to Houyi''s Tomb tomorrow. We''ll just make do and stay here for the night,¡± Yan Lie nodded and said. Tao Xiang naturally had no objections and slowly nodded in agreement. ¡°Since that''s the case, I still have some matters to attend to; taking advantage of the fact that it''s not dark yet, I will go out for a bit,¡± Shen Luo, controlling Ghost Teng Master, said and stepped out. Tao Xiang, Tian Sanqi, and others watched the back of Ghost Teng Master but said nothing. After Ghost Teng Master left the stone house, he briefly sensed with his Divine Sense and walked deeper into the valley, quickly arriving outside a large stone house. ¡°This is where the Clan Leader resides. Outsiders are prohibited. What do you want here?¡± Two Wu Clan Warriors stood outside, raising their hands to stop Ghost Teng Master, and sternly shouted. ¡°Would you warriors please relay a message for me? I have an important matter to discuss with the Clan Leader,¡± Shen Luo controlled Ghost Teng Master to speak, while simultaneously pulling out two Storage Magical Tools and stuffing them into the hands of the two Wu Clan Warriors. Although the Wu Clan does not cultivate the Divine Soul, they have other Secret Methods to inspect, allowing them to see inside the Storage Magical Tools; each contained several corpses of Demons with strong aura, all at the Great Mahayana Stage. The eyes of the two Wu Clan Warriors flickered, obviously desiring these corpses, but the Clan Leader had just entered the house and instructed not to be disturbed. The two glanced at each other hesitantly. ¡°It turns out to be Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist. Please, come in.¡± Chief Matu''s voice suddenly came from inside the house, and the Big Gate opened automatically. The two Wu Clan Warriors sighed in relief and cleared the path. Shen Luo nodded at them, controlling Ghost Teng Master to step inside. The inside was a spacious great hall with a small altar at the very end. Atop it stood a statue of a robust Man, carrying a large bow on his back and holding a battle saber, looking extremely formidable. Two Stone Pillars stood on both sides of the great hall, with green flames burning at the top. Not only did it not bring light, but it also made the hall look even more gloomy than outside. Shen Luo, through the vision of Ghost Teng Master, glanced at the statue of the man on the altar and frowned slightly. A strange and indescribable eerie power filled the great hall, making him feel very uncomfortable. ¡°Young Master Shen, be careful. This Wu Clan appears quite peculiar; don''t fall into their trap,¡± Fire Spirit Child warned. Shen Luo was already cautious, quietly raising his Mana, ready to react at full force if anything went wrong. Fortunately, no mishaps occurred. Chief Matu was currently sitting in front of the altar. Seeing Ghost Teng Master coming in, he turned around with a surprised look: ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, it''s almost dark, why have you come at this time? What important matter do you have?¡± S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Chief Matu, I do not mean to conceal, I have read many Wu Clan Classics and explored several Wu Clan relics. I greatly admire the Wu Clan, and due to some other reasons, I need powerful Witch Weapons to assist, so I would like to exchange some Spiritual Materials for one or two pieces from your tribe,¡± Ghost Teng Master approached Matu, glanced at the White Bone Staff in his hand, and spoke earnestly. While speaking, he took out a Storage Magical Tool and placed it in front of Chief Matu. This Storage Magical Tool contained a large amount of Precious Spirit Materials and two corpses of Demons at the True Immortal Level, which Shen Luo couldn''t remember from whose Storage Magical Tool he had collected. ¡°Exchange for Witch Weapons? I''m sorry, this Island is poor in resources and cannot be used to refine Witch Weapons. The Magical Tools we have in the tribe are passed down from our Elders, very scarce in number, each one extremely important, impossible to exchange,¡± Chief Matu glanced at the Storage Magical Tool, and shook his head in refusal. ¡°Chief, I once obtained a Battle Formation Map of the Spirit Refining Array from a Witch Tribe Altar and can also put it up for exchange,¡± Ghost Teng Master''s brow twitched, flipping his hand to take out a jade slip and the Storage Magical Tool and placed them together. The Spirit Refining Array is a Secret Array of the Wu Clan, he believed that no one in the Wu Clan would not want it. ¡°Spirit Refining Array!¡± Indeed, Chief Matu''s eyes suddenly lit up. However, right after that, he firmly shook his head again. Chapter 1562 Chapter 1562: Chapter 158: 12 Ancestral Witches Chapter 1562: Chapter 158: 12 Ancestral Witches Ghost Vine Senior slightly furrowed his brows, but inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo''s expression darkened. Seeing the way Chief Matu was, even if he raised his offer, the other party would probably not agree to the trade. But the opportunity before him was truly rare; not to mention the other witchcraft objects of the White Teeth Tribe, the Bone Staff in Chief Matu''s hands was definitely a powerful witchcraft object, containing abundant witchcraft power. Perhaps it could help Nie Caizhu unlock the Witch Tribe bloodline. He felt a sense of urgency in his heart, almost wishing he could just snatch the Bone Staff, but this was the White Teeth Tribe''s stronghold, and although he was quite powerful, he didn''t dare to act recklessly. ¡°If I were only to borrow the witchcraft object for a period of time and return it in a day or two, may I ask if the Clan Leader could agree to such a proposal? The terms of the exchange would remain the same.¡± Shen Luo considered for a moment and lowered his request. ¡°I''m very sorry, but our ancestors have left a decree: as long as a person of our tribe lives, the witch weapons must not. Our tribe''s witchcraft objects absolutely cannot fall into the hands of outsiders, even if only temporarily.¡± Chief Matu shook his head and said. Shen Luo''s brows deeply furrowed together, and Ghost Vine Senior made the same expression. ¡°If Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist truly needs a witchcraft object, there is no need to be so troubled. Tomorrow I will take you to the mausoleum of God Hou Yi. There are powerful witchcraft objects that were used by God Hou Yi stored there, which are certainly no less than this Bone Staff of mine. However, whether fellow Daoist can obtain them still depends on fate,¡± Chief Matu said. ¡°Is that true?¡± asked Ghost Vine Senior. ¡°Absolutely true. There are records in the data about God Hou Yi within our tribe.¡± Matu said. ¡°Good, thanks to the Clan Leader for the guidance,¡± thanked Ghost Vine Senior. ¡°No need for thanks. I sincerely hope that you fellow Daoists can inherit God Hou Yi''s legacy so that our White Teeth Tribe needn''t stay on this remote island any longer.¡± Matu let out a long sigh and said. Shen Luo was somewhat astonished; it turned out that there was such a reason for the White Teeth Tribe to remain here. He had thought it was the black mist prohibition around the island that blocked the White Teeth Tribe''s departure. ¡°Hopefully, among us, someone can inherit the power of God Hou Yi and allow your esteemed tribe to be liberated at an early date,¡± Ghost Vine Senior said. Matu gave a bitter smile but said nothing. ¡°Chief Matu, you just mentioned your tribe''s Classics concerning God Hou Yi. I am very eager to learn more about the affairs of the Witch Clan. May I be able to obtain these Classics?¡± Ghost Vine Senior hesitated for a moment and then asked again. ¡°That can be done,¡± Chief Matu did not refuse this time. Subsequently, Shen Luo traded the carcass of a True Immortal Monster and several Precious Spirit Materials for three Witch Clan Classics. As soon as Ghost Vine Senior received the three Classics, he immediately put them into the Free and Easy Mirror, and Shen Luo quickly began to read through them. Fire Spirit Child also flew out from the Netherworld Furnace and watched together. Ghost Vine Senior didn''t stay here any longer and stood up to take his leave. Just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped in his tracks: ¡°Chief Matu, I still have a question I would like to ask you, is the black mist prohibition near the island set by your tribe?¡± ¡°Our White Teeth Tribe is weak; how could we set up such a formidable prohibition? That black mist prohibition appeared out of the blue over a thousand years ago, and we also do not know why,¡± said Matu. ¡°Appeared over a thousand years ago? What happened at that time?¡± Ghost Vine Senior asked. ¡°We also do not know, at that time a young man named Donghua came here, also wishing to obtain the inheritance of God Hou Yi, but unfortunately, he failed in the end. Possibly, he triggered some mechanism within the mausoleum of the great god, which caused the black mist to appear around the island,¡± Matu said. ¡°Donghua? Could it be the Donghua Freelance Immortal; he is indeed a figure from a thousand years ago, it should be correct,¡± thought Shen Luo. ¡°Then, may I ask, since when did you begin noticing that one could disappear into thin air amidst darkness? Was it after the appearance of the black mist prohibition?¡± Ghost Vine Master promptly followed up with his question. ¡°After the black mist prohibition appeared, the darkness on the island began to mutate,¡± Chief Matu recalled briefly before responding. ¡°Thank you for informing me, Clan Leader.¡± Shen Luo nodded in silence, took his leave, and headed for the stone house. It was almost completely dark outside, and few people could be seen in the valley; each household in the tribe had lit their torches. Shen Luo glanced at the black mist prohibition above his head and, after a moment''s pondering, spurred his divine soul into action. As he walked, a faint black light flashed through the sleeve of Ghost Vine Master, and a Mahayana cultivated corpse from inside the Corpse Raising Bag sank into the ground, escaping towards the outside of the valley and then stopping in a mountain forest. Having done all this, Ghost Vine Master swiftly returned to the stone house. A large luminous stone was embedded on the wall inside the house, illuminating the stone dwelling brightly, while everyone else sat with closed eyes in meditation. Without uttering a sound, Ghost Vine Master walked to a corner of the house, sat down, and began to rest with eyes closed. Soon, the stone house fell into silence once again. Within the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo had already skimmed through three witch tribe classics, his expression one of deep contemplation. These three classics recorded much of the witch tribe''s history and the existence of some mighty witch beings¨Cwith Hou Yi among them, revealing to him more information about Hou Yi. Besides Hou Yi, the books also mentioned other great witches such as Kuafu, Jiufeng, Xingtian, and so on. Of course, the most detailed records were of the Twelve Ancestral Witches: the Ancestral Witch of Gold, Ruxu; the Witch of Wood, Jumang; the Ancestral Witch of Water, Gonggong; the Witch of Fire, Zhu Rong; the Witch of Earth, Hou Tu; the Witch of Ice, Xuan Ming; the Witch of Thunder, Qiang Liang; the Witch of Wind, Tian Wu; the Witch of Poison, Shebi Shi; the Witch of Darkness, Xiz; the Witch of Space, Di Jiang; and the Ancestor Witch Lord of Time, Zhu Jiuyin. Shen Luo had learned about a few Ancestral Witches before, but not in full detail. Now, at last, he had a comprehensive understanding of the illustrious Twelve Ancestral Witches. ¡°It seems each of the Twelve Ancestral Witches masters a God''s Power, and they all look quite formidable,¡± he murmured. ¡°That''s natural, the Twelve Ancestral Witches are transformed from most of the essence blood of Pangu Great God, containing the Power of the Origin of the Great Dao. The Twelve Ancestral Witches inherited this power of the Great Dao Origin. Each one of them is a powerful person with overwhelming strength. Such Primordial Powerhouses manipulate stars and crack the Earth with their God''s Powers, something beyond your imagination,¡± said Fire Spirit Child with a solemn expression. ¡°Power of the Origin of the Great Dao?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. ¡°With your current level of cultivation, it''s too early for you to understand this. You need to be at least at the Taiyi Stage, or even the Heavenly Venerate Realm before you can sense it,¡± Fire Spirit Child waved his hand and did not explain further to Shen Luo. ¡°Is this Power of the Origin of the Great Dao what the Witch Tribe bloodline is inherited from?¡± Shen Luo pressed, shifting the topic. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Correct. However, the Bloodline Power in the bodies of those from the White Teeth Tribe has nothing to do with the Great Dao Origin, at most it''s a trace of lingering power, extremely weak,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. Shen Luo nodded slightly and fell silent. The night quickly descended, and Yan Lie and the others quietly stayed inside the stone house, each closing their eyes to cultivate, and Shen Luo within the Carefree Mirror did the same. In the mountain forest outside the valley, the corpse that had been dispatched by Shen Luo earlier was moving back and forth, its scarlet eyes scanning around. At that moment, the darkness surrounding it suddenly thickened like ink, and the tall refined corpse''s figure gradually submerged into the darkness, becoming more and more blurred, until it seemed to disappear into thin air, merging completely with the night. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo abruptly opened his eyes, looking towards a certain direction outside the valley. Just now, the connection between Ghost Vine Master and that refined corpse was severed, and the presence of the corpse had vanished without a trace. ¡°Eh, truly odd, this island does possess some bizarre forces!¡± Shen Luo murmured to himself. Chapter 1563 Chapter 1563: Chapter 1559: United in Heart and Sincerity Chapter 1563: Chapter 1559: United in Heart and Sincerity The next day. Early morning, after a night of rest, led by the Wu Clan Chief Ma Tu, Ghost Vine Master and others arrived in front of Houyi''s Tomb. Ahead in the Void, stood two giant Stone Doors each ten Zhang high, unsupported on either side, resembling two lone door panels standing before them. Shen Luo, through the vision of Ghost Vine Master, looked over and saw on the left Stone Door a carving of an elegant woman wearing a golden crown, dancing with her clothes fluttering, hands raised high, holding a Circular Sun in her palms. On the other Stone Door, correspondingly carved was another slender goddess in palace dress, with a similarly graceful dance pose, fluttering sleeves, hands also held up, yet cradling a Crescent Moon in her palms. Everyone present could easily see, these two doors depicted the goddesses Xihe and Wangshu. ¡°Fellow cultivators, behind these Sun-Moon Divine Gates lies the Tomb Chamber of Hou Yi. Before you enter to face the challenges, I must remind you again that the dangers inside are immense. Without sufficient wisdom and bravery, it would be best to stop here, do not recklessly sacrifice your lives,¡± Ma Tu inclined slightly towards them and said. ¡°Thank you, Clan Leader, for the warning. We are determined to face the challenges, retrieve the Artifact, and contribute to the peace of the Three Realms,¡± Tao Xiang replied with a smile. ¡°Indeed, it''s such a waste for such treasures to lie buried in the tomb, like pearls covered in dust,¡± Liu Hong and Li Biao agreed. ¡°Clan Leader, since you have guarded this place for many years, you must know something about the tomb''s challenges. Could you share some with us?¡± Tian Sanqi bowed slightly towards Ma Tu and asked. The others also looked expectantly at the Clan Leader; evidently, everyone was concerned about the answer to this question. ¡°It''s not a secret that can''t be shared. Let me tell you. There are mainly two tests within Houyi''s Tomb Chamber, the Soul Birth Gate and the Soul Dying Gate. Once entered, various life-and-death challenges will ensue, and only by overcoming and shattering the Soul Birth Pillar and Soul Dying Pillar inside, can you pass through,¡± Ma Tu, placing a hand over his chest, returned the bow and said. ¡°After passing through, will we be able to obtain the treasures?¡± Li Biao''s eyes lit up as he quickly asked. ¡°Yes. This is a dual test of wisdom and bravery. Only true wise men and brave warriors are worthy of inheriting the treasures of God Hou Yi,¡± Ma Tu said with a look of pride. Shen Luo quietly listened to the conversation, not letting Ghost Vine Master speak, only occasionally observing the expressions of others. ¡°Fellow warriors, now that you all have the conviction and awareness needed, you may start your adventure,¡± Ma Tu bowed slightly and gestured invitingly with his hand. Everyone looked at each other for a moment, but no one stepped forward to lead. Finally, Tao Xiang signaled Li Biao with a glance, and he approached the two Big Gates. ¡°Is it just a matter of pushing hard?¡± he turned to ask the Wu Clan Chief again for confirmation. The Clan Leader shook his head, saying solemnly: ¡°Not only must you use strength, but also heart and conviction¡­¡± Hearing this, Li Biao rolled his eyes internally, muttered a curse, walked forward, pressed his hands on the two gates, feeling a slight coolness in his palms, then pushed hard inward. However, the giant door remained immovable, not showing the slightest sign of opening. He frowned slightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed, silently circulating the Mana within his body, strength began to pour into his arms, pushing hard against the Giant Gates. Yet to everyone''s surprise, the Giant Gates remained firmly shut, unmoving. ¡°Li Biao, what are you playing at, dilly-dallying around, hurry up,¡± Liu Hong frowned and scolded. Li Biao ignored him, his forehead veins bulging, his arms pressed firmly against the Stone Door, using almost all his strength, but still to no avail. Liu Hong sensed something was amiss and hurried forward, extending his arms to press against the other Stone Door, helping Li Biao to push the Giant Gates. However, he soon realized the Stone Doors were unexpectedly heavy. Even with their combined strength, they could not open it. ¡°Sometimes, unity is also a form of wisdom,¡± Ma Tu''s voice, perhaps intentionally, carried over. Seeing this, Shen Luo hesitated slightly before also controlling Ghost Vine Master to step forward. The rest pondered for a moment, eventually following suit. Several people lined up, all pressing their hands on the Stone Doors, pushing hard together. Initially, they thought that with so many people working together, it would be easily done, but unexpectedly the two Stone Doors were truly like a majestic mountain, utterly immovable. Even those who initially hesitated to put in full effort, now held nothing back, using all their strength to push against the Giant Gates. This time, the immensely heavy doors finally reacted slightly, shaking a few times. But that was all. Before long, they were all sweating profusely, some losing patience. ¡°Clan Leader, do these Stone Doors really need to be pushed with strength?¡± Wanshui Zhenren asked with a darkened face, speaking slowly. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The rest also looked towards Clan Leader Ma Tu. ¡°Well¡­ as I said, you also need sincerity!¡± Ma Tu''s expression was somewhat embarrassed, betraying a slight sense of guilt. Naturally, it was difficult for everyone to believe his nonsensical explanation, and some were already on the verge of erupting. Ghost Vine Master, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up: ¡°The patterns on these Stone Doors are a type of Yan Pattern; these two gates actually form a Yin Formation and cannot be opened with brute strength.¡± ¡°Yes, intelligence is needed,¡± Ma Tu coughed lightly, looking embarrassed. ¡°Oh, could Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist possibly open the formation?¡± Wanshui Zhenren hurriedly looked towards Ghost Vine Master and asked. ¡°I am not particularly skilled in this area, but perhaps the cultivators of the Fangjin Pavilion are familiar?¡± Ghost Vine Master pondered briefly, looking towards Tao Xiang and others. Indeed, Tao Xiang had been observing the Stone Doors closely since Shen Luo mentioned the Yin Formation, and only redirected her attention when Shen Luo named them directly. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist has keen eyesight; I hadn''t noticed the peculiar patterns on the Stone Doors before. Thankfully, you pointed it out, and I think I see a way,¡± Tao Xiang spoke after a silence. ¡°Please enlighten us,¡± Yan Lie asked with a slight frown. ¡°Actually, the solution is quite simple. The left and right Stone Doors respectively have carvings of the goddesses Xihe and Wangshu, representing the Sun and the Moon, as well as Yin and Yang. We just need to simultaneously channel these two types of energies into the doors, and they will likely open,¡± Tao Xiang analyzed. ¡°Is it that simple?¡± Tian Sanqi questioned. ¡°That''s my guess. Whether it works or not, why not give it a try?¡± Tao Xiang said. Chapter 1564 Chapter 1564: Chapter 1560: Farewell Chapter 1564: Chapter 1560: Farewell ¡°Friend Yan Lie and Brother Wan Shui are respectively masters of fire and water, each corresponding to Yin and Yang. Both of you could channel your Mana to try it, perhaps it might just work?¡± As Tao Xiang''s voice fell, Ghost Teng Master also timely spoke up. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His opinion aligned with Tao Xiang''s, and he himself possessed both Yin and Yang forces, capable of attempting to open the door alone; however, he is currently trying his best to conceal himself, unwilling to stand out. Upon hearing this, Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren hesitated briefly, then agreed. Both of them walked to the bottom of the Stone Door. Yan Lie placed his palms on the left door panel, emitting circles of faint red and yellow halos. Soon, waves of scorching heat began to rise in the air. Following that, his palm suddenly lit up, turning a bright red, as a searing power of solar flame infused into the Stone Door. A crimson glow rapidly spread from his palm over the Stone Door, following the irregular patterns and rising upwards, quickly forming an image of ascending flames. On the other hand, Wanshui Zhenren also channeled the power of Water Yin into the right Stone Door. The spiritual power fluctuations emitted by his body contrasted sharply with Yan Lie''s, only causing a faint mist to pervade the air. As the glow from his palm lit up, the Yan Pattern on the Stone Door began to shine, revealing patterns of rolling water waves. Soon, the sun held by Goddess Xihe and the moon held by Goddess Wangshu lit up with crimson and water-blue glows respectively. The entire Stone Door trembled mightily and began to slowly open inward. Seeing this, everyone was overjoyed and looked inside the door. All they could see through the Stone Door was a gray fog, unclear. Shen Luo immediately secretly channeled the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to probe inside, but still felt the interior was empty, even unable to detect any fluctuations of spiritual power. ¡°Now that the tomb door is opened, the journey ahead is for each of you to forge,¡± Ma Tu spoke. At the entrance, everyone looked at each other, still, no one willing to be the first to venture inside. Yan Lie frowned slightly, waved his hand in the void and a large fireball whooshed into the void inside the door, soon blending into the fog and then disappeared without a trace. No sound came from inside, nor any burst of firelight. Even the slight disturbance of the fog swiftly returned to normal, unaltered. Seeing this, Tao Xiang twisted her wrist, revealing a delicate round palace lantern in her palm which she casually lit, emitting a soft glow. ¡°Go,¡± she uttered softly. The round lantern floated gently, flying into the door, and quickly passed through the fog, its light also disappearing. Tao Xiang''s brow furrowed, and the others also looked towards her. ¡°The connection with the magical instrument remains uncut; there shouldn''t be any danger inside,¡± Tao Xiang said. Despite her words, she made no move to enter first. ¡°With everyone here having experienced grand scenes, this mutual wariness and unwillingness to take the first step is indeed contemptible,¡± Shen Luo, managing to control the situation, manipulated Ghost Teng Master to speak. After speaking, he took the lead and walked into the Big Gate. Seeing this, the rest wore slightly uneasy expressions but felt it inappropriate to continue idly watching. Yan Lie was the first to follow, with Wanshui Zhenren and Tian Sanqi also entering one after the other. Tao Xiang and the others followed suit when they saw this. Before they had a chance to enter the ash fog, the Stone Door behind them started to gradually close with a rumbling sound. Ghost Teng Master couldn''t help but stop and look back, only to see the last gap about to close. The Wu Clan Chief, Ma Tu, was waving at them, seemingly bidding them farewell. There was also a faint smile on his face that Shen Luo couldn''t quite make out clearly, and he felt a sense of unease in his heart. But since they had come, they would have to settle in. He didn''t think too much about it and controlled Ghost Teng Master to step through the ash fog and enter. After stepping into the ash fog, Shen Luo felt his divine sense power quickly shrouded, and it almost felt like when he had dreamt of entering Longevity Village that year, except that the fog here was not as thick and the area not as wide. He quickly passed through the layer of ash fog wall, expecting to enter a closed and cramped space, but instead, the scene before him suddenly opened up, revealing a vast White Stone Square. The fireball previously released by Yan Lie and the Palace lantern magical instrument of Tao Xiang were both floating safely ahead. Shen Luo swept his gaze into the distance and saw at the end of the square ahead, a majestic great hall stood towering, about thirty meters tall, looking like a small mountain rising from the ground. The style of this great hall was very different from the finely carved and polished style of the Great Tang; it was entirely built with White Rock, with roof eaves arching greatly, giving the front view the appearance of a curved bow, exuding an ancient and rugged beauty. The main entrance to the great hall was ten meters tall, with a sign hanging above it that read ¡°Soul Birth Gate.¡± Everyone didn''t linger too much, and quickly headed towards the front of the palace, where they felt even more the grandeur of the building. ¡°There''s also a broken stele here.¡± At this moment, Li Biao suddenly exclaimed softly. Following the sound, they saw a blue-gray Stone Stele standing on the ground quite far from the arch, about one person tall. The stele showed few signs of aging, but the upper part had been diagonally cut off. Shen Luo walked around the stele to check the back but didn''t find the other half of the broken stele. He then walked back to the front and carefully examined the text on the broken stele. On the left side of the broken stele, there were still the words ¡°Soul Lives On,¡± and on the right, the words ¡°Bringing Disaster¡± remained. ¡°It''s all just scary stuff.¡± Li Biao lightly spat and said. The original content of the stele wasn''t of much concern to everyone; they were more interested in who would take the lead. They looked at each other, with no one willing to take the initiative. It wasn''t that these people were truly afraid of death; it was just human nature when facing danger, as no one wanted to be the guinea pig paving the way for others. ¡°I''ll scout ahead.¡± Liu Hong hesitated slightly, furrowing his brows as he spoke. As soon as he finished speaking, his figure dashed upwards, glancing around. Instead of choosing to fly over the great hall, he tried to fly around to the back. However, just as the glow on his body started to move, he had not yet managed to shift horizontally and immediately groaned, falling straight from high in the air and crashing heavily to the ground. Seeing this, the others looked up into the air, and although they didn''t see any obvious prohibitions, they knew that taking a shortcut was not possible. ¡°Hey, what happened?¡± asked Li Biao as he caught up. Chapter 1565 Chapter 1565: Chapter 1561: Insect Rain Chapter 1565: Chapter 1561: Insect Rain Liu Hong climbed up from the ground, brushed off the dust on his body, and said, ¡°As soon as I went up, I felt a force suddenly press down. With my strength, I couldn''t resist at all and was confusedly knocked down. I guess there must be some prohibition.¡± ¡°Did you manage to see what the situation was like behind the great hall?¡± Tao Xiang frowned and pressed on. ¡°I couldn''t see anything, just a layer of gray mist, similar to the situation over there.¡± Liu Hong shook his head and pointed at the gray mist in the square behind him. ¡°Since it''s a trial, it won''t give us any loopholes to exploit. We might as well honestly charge through the barriers,¡± Ghost Teng Master said. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist speaks sense. We are indeed here to break through the barriers. Let''s not think about taking any sidesteps.¡± Wanshui Zhenren agreed. ¡°How about having the two fellow Daoists take the lead and scout ahead?¡± Tian Sanqi said with a forced smile. ¡°My cultivation level is inferior, and I don''t have the divine power of transformation like Friend Tian. If we need someone to scout, it''s not my turn anyway,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said with a smile. ¡°Gentlemen, I see that the City Gate is wide enough. How about we all go in together? With more people, it''s easier to deal with any unexpected situations,¡± Yan Lie suggested with a frown. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t be bothered to argue with them anymore and promptly made Ghost Teng Master respond. The rest expressed their support one after another. So, the group stood in a row, each extending their hands, and stirred up a deep mana fluctuation around them, beginning to exert their force simultaneously to push the two enormous City Gates. ¡°Boom¡­¡± With a muffled sound, the large doors gradually moved inward and opened. This scene was quite different from when the doors were previously opened. Inside the great hall, there was not a trace of mist to obstruct the view, the lighting was ample, and the hall''s furnishings were clearly visible since it was nearly empty. Several people walked into the great hall, and the palace doors behind them closed with a heavy scraping sound. Shen Luo remained vigilant and kept controlling Ghost Teng Master to walk in the middle of the group, always staying beside the others and shielding half of his body to prevent any sudden incidents. He carefully examined the ground and saw that it was covered in diamond-like patterns with many small hollow holes in the center, which didn''t seem like any Formation Pattern or the like. ¡°Did the Clan Leader trick us? Where are the Soul Birth Pillars? Aren''t these just ordinary stone pillars?¡± Liu Hong checked the pillars in the great hall and found nothing special. ¡°Perhaps there is some sort of blinding technique hidden among them,¡± Li Biao speculated. ¡°That''s easy then. Just smash them all to pieces, and if the Soul Birth Pillar is hidden among them, are we afraid that we won''t find it?¡± Liu Hong said with a laugh. ¡°Do not act recklessly. Since this great hall is part of the Soul Birth Gate Area, there must be Mechanisms to test us. If we accidentally trigger something, it would be seeking death,¡± Tian Sanqi warned. ¡°None of your business what I want to do,¡± Liu Hong couldn''t help but retort in anger. He was just joking, but Tian Sanqi''s words made him feel unwilling. Hearing this, a glint of murderous intent flashed in Tian Sanqi''s eyes, but after glancing at Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren, he held back. Shen Luo ignored them, controlling Ghost Teng Master, and carefully began to investigate the surroundings. However, wherever his gaze traveled, he found no anomalies; the entire great hall looked just like an ordinary palace, without even a hidden door. Just then, a ¡°rustle¡± sound suddenly started coming from all around. Everyone immediately became tense, hurriedly looking around, but nothing was found. Ghost Teng Master suddenly looked up and shouted loudly: ¡°Up there.¡± Hearing that, everyone also quickly looked up, only to see that the rooftop of the great hall was, at some point, densely covered with fist-sized black insects, emitting black smoke from their bodies, clearly poisonous creatures. Before the crowd could react, the poisonous insects above began to fall from the rooftop, dropping down towards them. There were so many poisonous insects that when they fell together, it was like a black rain had poured down, impossible to avoid. ¡°Everyone spread out.¡± Yan Lie roared angrily, stepping into the center of the great hall. With a single hand, he formed a magic spell, his body lighting up with a crimson glow, and suddenly he looked up and spat out a flame towards the sky. A line of fire burst from between his teeth and exploded into a sea of Heavenly Fire at high altitude, meeting the falling rain of insects. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Boom, boom, boom¡± The fire erupted with incredible speed, making roaring sounds, like a huge fire umbrella opened up above everyone''s heads, catching all the fallen poisonous insects without missing a single one. Accompanied by a series of ¡°pop, pop¡± explosive sounds, a thick stench also began to fill the great hall, causing everyone to frown. At this moment, Shen Luo noticed that the toxins from the insects, which were being burned and bursting apart above the fire, were not completely consumed by the flames but began to contaminate the fire instead. The tips of the fire umbrella had even changed into a strange light green color. Yan Lie naturally also noticed this and withdrew his figure, cutting off the line of fire at the corner of his mouth as a result. The fire in the sky continued to burn for a moment longer before extinguishing. A large number of charred insect corpses fell from above, and everyone hurriedly invoked protective measures to block them. Ghost Teng Master waved his hand, and layers of black vines surged from his body, forming a vine umbrella over his head to protect himself, while he also swallowed a Detoxifying Pill as a precaution. Seeing this, the others also each took out Elixirs or activated detoxifying magical instruments. After a few moments, the remains of the poisonous insects had finally all fallen, and the crowd looked up again. This glance made their scalp tingle; the rooftop was once again densely covered with poisonous insects, even more numerous than before and three to four times larger in size. These poisonous insects resembled spiders but only had four legs and white patterns on their backs, with the same black smoke emanating from their bodies, only much denser than the previous smaller creatures. ¡°Here they come.¡± Someone whispered. The human-head-sized black poisonous spiders also began to fall, many landing on them. Ghost Teng Master had the vine umbrella overhead, so he did not have to worry about those things falling on him, but soon, the insects that fell on the vine umbrella started to crawl down the vines, attacking his main body. Shen Luo subconsciously wanted to take out the Pure Yang Flying Sword but was afraid of being noticed by others, so he held back, controlling Ghost Teng Master to continuously wave the Blood Thorn Vines, slashing off the poisonous insects crawling on him. After several slashes, he also found that although there were many of these poisonous insects, their defense and attack power were not very strong; they were creatures that could essentially be slain with a casual strike. The others also discovered this, so the scene in the great hall gradually became a one-sided cleansing of the poisonous insects by the group of monks, and soon the ground of the great hall was covered with a layer of the insect corpses. Chapter 1566 Chapter 1566: Chapter 1562 Killing Poisonous Insects Chapter 1566: Chapter 1562 Killing Poisonous Insects ¡°Is that all? Seems a bit too simple, doesn''t it?¡± Li Biao expressed his doubts. As he spoke, he glanced uneasily to the great hall''s rooftop, only to see it empty and void of any new poisonous insects. ¡°Don''t be careless; let''s focus on finding the Soul Birth Pillar first,¡± Tao Xiang said, looking around. No sooner had she finished speaking than noises were heard again from the rooftop, much louder than before. Everyone looked up following the sound, only to see several bizarre humanoid creatures appearing on the roof beams at some point. These creatures looked like six or seven-year-old children with purple skin, completely naked, grotesquely hanging upside down from the beams. ¡°How did these things appear?¡± Ghost Vine Master exclaimed in astonishment. ¡°I have no idea. I just looked up there and saw nothing, but then they suddenly popped out,¡± Li Biao said lightly. Just then, the children turned their heads to look down at the few below. Everyone saw that their eyes were unnaturally large, pitch black without any whites, and they even had strange curved horns on their foreheads. ¡°This thing, it seems to be the legendary poisonous insect, a killer insect,¡± Wanshui Zhenren observed keenly, frowning. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, you have always been quite knowledgeable about these weird and peculiar things, do you know how to deal with these creatures?¡± Tian Sanqi suddenly asked. Ghost Vine Master might indeed know about this creature, but Shen Luo had never heard of it. ¡°I have no interest in exploring such malicious things,¡± he secretly cursed Tian Sanqi, controlling Ghost Vine Master to respond coldly. Just as he finished speaking, a chilling ¡°giggle¡± of laughter came from above, followed by those killer insects shrieking as they leapt down from the beams attacking them. Seeing this, everyone quickly dodged. One of the killer insects pounced towards Wanshui Zhenren first. Its single horn glinted with black light and suddenly shot a black poisonous spike towards him. Wanshui Zhenren waved his sleeve, creating a spiral stream of water out of thin air, which wrapped around the black spike, spinning and dissipating its forward momentum. However, following that, the water vortex completely turned pitch black and became extremely viscous, like sludge. Wanshui Zhenren quickly withdrew his sleeve, causing the ¡°sludge¡± to fall to the ground. ¡°Sssss¡± White smoke rose from the ground as the hard stone floor was instantly corroded, forming a deep pit. ¡°Such potent poison,¡± Wanshui Zhenren exclaimed in astonishment. At this time, the others were also engaged in battle with those killer insects. Yan Lie, possessed of Fire Attribute God''s Power, was fairly effective against these killer insects, so his attacks were especially fierce. Raising his hand, flames struck the killer insects. Though enveloped by flames, the killer insects were unafraid, continuing to emit a sharp scream and charging at Yan Lie, with spikes constantly shooting from their horns. Yan Lie continued to ward them off with his hands while observing that although the attacks of these creatures were not too strong, their poison was truly potent, and they had some resistance against his flames. Just as he got slightly distracted, the figure of the Poisonous Insects shrouded in flames suddenly exploded with a ¡°bang,¡± transforming into a cloud of black smoke that rushed toward him. Yan Lie was shocked and quickly retreated. Upon focusing, he saw that the black smoke densely packed with tiny insects, all the size of fireflies. ¡°So they can still transform like this.¡± As he marveled, those Poisonous Insects had already swiftly flown in front of him, instantly forming a human shape and viciously spewing something at him. He saw a thick black mist erupting from its pitch-black mouth, hitting directly on Yan Lie''s facial armor. Yan Lie cried out in agony and stepped back several paces. Tian Sanqi and Wanshui Zhenren, hearing the scream, all looked over, only to have the Poisonous Insects in front of them seize the opportunity to fiercely attack them. The divine ability to fragment and disperse left the two momentarily flustered. Forced to retreat slightly, Yan Lie was quickly pursued by the Poisonous Insects, who aimed to completely annihilate him. But just as they charged close, the already fallen Yan Lie suddenly turned back, actively pressing towards the Poisonous Insects, his face now adorned with a crimson fiery Mask. As they got slightly closer, Yan Lie suddenly exhaled a burst of golden flames from his mouth, hitting the Poisonous Insects in the face. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Poisonous Insects let out a scream like that of a baby. This burst of golden flames, clearly different from the earlier Red Flames, seemed to inherently possess a strong adhesive quality, completely enveloping the Poisonous Insects. The Poisonous Insects, roasted by the flames, were in extreme agony. They tried to disperse into countless tiny insects, but the flames forcibly restrained them, preventing them from separating. Seeing this, Yan Lie waved his hand, and a Seven-Level Pagoda burning with Black Fire spontaneously appeared, falling upon the Poisonous Insects and absorbing it inside. Soon, a crackling burning sound came from inside the Pagoda, plumes of black smoke billowed from the top of the pagoda, and the cries of the insects gradually faded until they completely disappeared. ¡°The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower has indeed ended up in your hands,¡± Tian Sanqi thought to himself upon seeing this scene. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After speaking, he grabbed the neck of a Poisonous Insects with one palm. Black Sword Qi burst forth in his palm, forming a small Sword Array Cage, enveloping it at the center. The Poisonous Insects, trapped within, had already dispersed into countless tiny insects, but still couldn''t escape and were continuously sliced and slayed by numerous Sword Qis, eventually all turning into ash. Among everyone, Ghost Teng Master, controlled by Shen Luo, was the most unoccupied, with no Poisonous Insects attacking him. He had no intention to help others and was taking this opportunity to closely observe everyone''s tactics. After looking around, he soon realized that everyone was handling the situation effortlessly, and clearly, the Poisonous Insects posed no threat to them. However, just then, a rustling sound started coming from all around. He subconsciously looked up, only to see nothing unusual in the sky. But Shen Luo suddenly noticed that a section of the beam above seemed different, faintly reflecting a metallic gloss. Previously, everyone''s vision had been continuously disturbed by the emerging insects, so no one had noticed. Yet, before Shen Luo could take a closer look, the rustling sound suddenly grew louder. Ghost Teng Master immediately looked down to the ground and saw countless black scorpions emerging from the hollow patterns, continuously climbing towards everyone. Chapter 1567 Chapter 1567: Chapter 563: Missing Chapter 1567: Chapter 563: Missing Liu Hongzheng was entangled with the killing of poisonous insects when, caught off guard, a poisonous scorpion darted up his calf and fiercely stung him. He had cast a protective spell, but it surprisingly had no effect whatsoever. With a low cry, he raised his hand, swatted the scorpion away, and stopped entangling with the murderous insects. He leaped into the air, avoiding further attack, and hovered in mid-air. Shen Luo saw his calf turn purplish-blue in an instant, and a patch of black Qi began spreading towards his thigh, clearly indicating that the toxins had already invaded. At this moment, Tao Xiang quickly flew over from the side, took out a green talisman with golden patterns from her sleeve, and stuck it on Liu Hong''s wound. The talisman flashed with light and started burning rapidly, releasing a green halo that quickly spread and enveloped Liu Hong''s entire calf. Soon, the green halo began to shrink gradually, and the black poisonous gas being enveloped also continuously contracted, gathering at the wound where the toxins were concentrated. ¡°Endure a bit,¡± Tao Xiang said to Liu Hong. Liu Hong nodded. Immediately thereafter, Tao Xiang''s fingers slid across, and a piece of flesh and blood from the wound, along with the scorpion''s stinger, was cut away. This time, Liu Hong merely clenched his teeth and grunted without making more noise. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Everyone, these scorpions contain Gu poison. Even if they haven''t stung anyone, they will continuously release Gu poison. Although everyone is protected by magical treasures and godly powers, if this continues for too long, it will inevitably be harmful rather than beneficial. For now, let''s not hold back any longer and quickly eliminate these poisonous scorpions and find the Soul Birth Pillar,¡± Tao Xiang declared loudly. After speaking, she led by example, raising her hand to pull out the Magical Xuanxing Disk. She flew into an area dense with poisonous scorpions, manipulated the Xuanxing Disk a few times, and a beam of golden light emerged from it. ¡°Starfire Array, activate!¡± she shouted crisply. The Xuanxing Disk immediately shone brightly, and a miniature octagonal array phantom flashed on it, rapidly growing several times larger, enveloping an area of tens of meters around it. Then, beams of light on the array condensed into a dazzling sea of stars above the array. Shen Luo looked up and felt that this sea of stars was somewhat similar to the starry sea connected by the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique. In the next instant, meteor-like lights continuously fell from above the array, bombarding the ground. Loud booming sounds rang continuously as sparks flew on the ground, and beams of starlight shattered the Gu-scorpions on the ground, scattering their remains. Liu Hong was tending to his injuries and remained still for the moment. Li Biao followed suit, raising his hand and a long black and green ink slab appeared out of nowhere. Its gold patterns flashed, suddenly enlarging a hundredfold, and smashed down on a poisonous insect. When the ink slab hit the ground, it thundered loudly, and the murderous insect along with a large number of Gu-scorpions were smashed into pulp. Seeing this, other people naturally felt embarrassed to continue playing safe, each pulling out their magical treasures and striking at the poisonous insects covering the ground. Yan Lie took out a snow-white octagonal fan that looked plain, adorned only with a few intermittent black lines seemingly representing the Xun position of the Eight Trigrams. As he swung his hand, a green whirlwind burst out of the fan, sweeping into the hordes of Gu-scorpions, causing a loud wind noise. Countless sharp blades densely intertwined, instantly chopping up numerous poisonous scorpions. And where the Qingfeng whirlwind passed, not only were no remnants of the poisonous scorpions left behind, even the slightest dust was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Such a Dustless Fan.¡± Wanshui Zhenren sighed lightly, raised his hand to take out a big flag, and waved it abruptly. ¡°Rustle rustle,¡± a surge of water waves swept past, instantly carrying away nearly half of the poisonous scorpions, wrapping them and rolling them to the base of the wall, forming a violently spinning black vortex. Within the vortex, the Heaven and Earth Aura clashed violently, and amidst it seemed to be a millstone, grinding those poisonous scorpions into dust. On the other side, Tian Sanqi also waved his hand, bursting out a thousand streaks of Sword Qi, slaying a large number of poisonous scorpions. After clearing the area around him, he folded his arms and looked towards Ghost Vine Master with interest. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, everyone is busily contributing, isn''t it a bit inappropriate for you to just stand by and watch?¡± Tian Sanqi looked at Ghost Vine Master and asked. Throughout this journey, he had finally noticed some clues and began to suspect this Ghost Vine Master, who was controlled by Shen Luo using a divided soul. Seeing this, Shen Luo naturally couldn''t stand by without taking action. However, to deploy a wide-range attack, he decided he could no longer use his own mystic arts and Magical Treasures that Tian Sanqi and the others had seen before. Thus, he immediately controlled the Ghost Vine to wave his hand, unfurling a sinister, black big banner with a whoosh. ¡°Just now I was merely being cautious on everyone''s behalf, now watch closely,¡± Shen Luo provocatively said to Tian Sanqi. After speaking, he cast a spell to activate the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, whereupon the aura of Yin Sha Qi surged wildly, and the rolling black Ghostly Qi burst out, forming a fog tide rushing towards the poisonous scorpions. As it passed, it sizzled with a strong corrupting effect. A large number of poisonous scorpions were submerged by the rolling black fog, initially showing no abnormalities, but soon they flipped onto the ground, unable to move. Seeing the black fog expanding towards others, everyone showed disgust and avoided it. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, you can withdraw your God''s Power now, the poisonous scorpions and the killing of poisonous insects are almost cleaned up,¡± Tao Xiang shouted to him. At her words, Shen Luo then manipulated the Ghost Vine Master to wave his sleeve robe, and all the black fog began to roll back in, returning to the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. Tian Sanqi''s eyes flashed with puzzlement as his gaze shifted away from the Ghost Vine Master. All the poisonous insects were now cleared, but the great hall still reeked of a foul odor, nearly making people want to vomit. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I don''t know where the Soul Birth Pillar is hidden, I suggest we break these columns first to see if it''s inside,¡± Li Biao, running out of patience, proposed. ¡°Not bad, if we keep waiting like this, who knows what Ghost Thing might come out,¡± Liu Hong also agreed. This time, even Tao Xiang did not oppose the two men''s suggestion. ¡°No need for such trouble.¡± Just then, the voice of the Ghost Vine Master suddenly sounded. Hearing this, everyone turned their attention toward him. ¡°Does Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist have a clever idea?¡± Wanshui Zhenren asked in a grave tone. ¡°When those poisonous insects appeared just now, I noticed some movements on the beams of the roof. It seems the Soul Birth Pillar must be hidden within them,¡± Ghost Vine Master extended a finger pointing upwards and said. Upon hearing this, everyone looked up, but they did not notice anything unusual. Chapter 1568 – 1568 1564 Oil Chapter 1568: Chapter 1564: Oil-Paper Umbrella Chapter 1568: Chapter 1564: Oil-Paper Umbrella Ghost Teng Master cleared his throat lightly and explained, ¡°Right now, nobody can see it. The Soul Birth Pillars above will only reveal signs when Poisonous Insects or Gu Scorpions appear. There is a connection between them.¡± ¡°Look quickly!¡± At that moment, Yan Lie suddenly uttered softly. Everyone hurriedly looked up, and indeed, the beam on the rooftop revealed a black gloss. But right after that, a white fog suddenly began to fill the great hall, quickly engulfing the surroundings entirely. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°What is this Ghost Thing¡­¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful.¡± As the figures of the people were one by one swallowed by the White Fog, the sounds coming from around became fainter and fainter. Shen Luo''s spirit suddenly tensed up, he released his Divine Sense, exploring in all directions. To his surprise, he discovered that the breath and soul fluctuations of the other people around him could no longer be detected, and the entire great hall seemed as if only he remained. ¡°Brother Wan Shui¡± ¡°Friend Yan Lie¡± ¡°Friend Tao Xiang¡± ¡­ Shen Luo called out their names one by one, but not a single response came back. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shen Luo was also momentarily unclear about the situation. Nevertheless, he did not panic; after all, the space in the great hall was limited. As long as he was still inside, careful exploration would surely reveal the location of the others. With a thought, he controlled the mystic arts urged by Ghost Teng Master, reaching into the Void with his palm, his fingertips rapidly extending and soon transforming into five black-green vines that fell to the ground. After touching down, the five vines, like living creatures, grew and extended, spreading in five different directions, and each vine also began to branch off, continuing to expand in more directions. In a short time, the area around Ghost Teng Master was already covered with the Ghost Vine. However, as the range of the vines'' extension grew wider, Shen Luo''s heart sank more and more. Judging by the current length of the vines, the area should have already exceeded that of the great hall, yet he had not encountered even a single person. ¡°It shouldn''t be like this; could it be that I''ve fallen into an Illusion Domain?¡± Shen Luo realized suddenly. At this thought, the divided soul he had implanted into the Ghost Vine tried to activate the Suppressing God Technique to attempt to break the illusion. But as he just began to try, a sharp pain, extremely severe, directly stimulated his divided soul. ¡°So painful¡­¡± Shen Luo felt as if his soul was being torn apart and immediately stopped. ¡°There''s definitely something wrong.¡± The intense pain, though forcing him to stop, also indirectly confirmed his guess. After a moment of silence, he already had a method to break through, but he was still somewhat hesitant. ¡°Forget it, at this moment the others must also be trapped in the Illusion Domain; no one will notice.¡± Soon, he made a decision. The next instant, the intent of this divided soul gradually faded, and using the strength of the divine soul as a guide, it returned to Shen Luo''s original body. However, in the moment before returning, he had already cast a spell to open the exit of the Free and Easy Mirror. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo took a step out, and he was in the great hall. As Shen Luo entered the great hall, he was met with a sight that took him aback. The air inside the hall was clear, without a hint of smoke, and Wanshui Zhenren and the others were all standing unharmed at their original positions. But above their heads, without exception, each was shrouded by an opened white oil-paper umbrella. From these white oil-paper umbrellas emanated strong spiritual power fluctuations, which shot directly towards everyone''s Sea of Knowledge. The people standing under the umbrellas were clearly powerless to free themselves from the control of the oil-paper umbrellas, their bodies swaying lifelessly, rocking back and forth. Seeing this, Shen Luo was about to make a move when a sudden excruciating pain surged from within his Divine Sense, almost causing him to lose his footing and stumble. A powerful surge of spiritual power penetrated the top of his skull and invaded his Sea of Knowledge. Shen Luo''s vision blurred, and he vaguely saw white fog rising up from all around. ¡°Break!¡± He shouted loudly, and the Suppressing God Technique immediately showed its divine might. The oppressive spiritual power that had forced its way into his Sea of Knowledge was instantly repelled by the Suppressing God Technique. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Once his Divine Sense had cleared, Shen Luo looked up and saw that, unknown to him, a white oil-paper umbrella had also appeared above him. He couldn''t help but feel astounded. Even with Shen Luo''s strength of Divine Soul, and despite his vigilance, he had still failed to notice how the white umbrella had appeared. No wonder the others had been caught off guard without realizing it. Shen Luo raised his hand and swung it fiercely, and a Pure Yang Flying Sword burst forth, instantly piercing through the white oil-paper umbrella. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Shockingly, from the white umbrella came a sharp and miserable scream. Before Shen Luo could recover from his shock, groups of black light flashed around him, as one after another black umbrella materialized out of nowhere, floating in the air and starting to surround him. ¡°Whoosh¡± A sharp whistling wind sounded, and all the black umbrellas began to spin rapidly, hurtling toward Shen Luo. Due to the intense and high-speed spinning, the edges of the umbrellas created powerful wind blades in the void, attacking Shen Luo from different angles. Upon witnessing this, Shen Luo immediately took out his Profound Yellow Staff and started to swing it with great speed. The wind blades kept spiraling toward him, growing more concentrated. Shen Luo was not to be outdone; his Splashy Chaotic Stick technique was also executed to its utmost, with countless staff shadows forming an indestructible City Wall, firmly protecting him within. Loud ¡°boom boom boom¡± collisions sounded continuously as one after another, the wind blades were shattered by the staff shadows. Shen Luo noticed that these black umbrellas weren''t that powerful. Spotting an opportunity, he deftly moved through the gap between three black umbrellas and jumped out of the encirclement. Using his staff as a spear, he turned around and performed a Backwards Spear Thrust, directly piercing through one of the black umbrellas. Then, with a flick of the staff, hundreds of staff shadows burst forth, tearing the black umbrella to shreds in an instant. Afterward, Shen Luo raised his hand and from within his sleeve, several Pure Yang Flying Swords flew out, each shrouded in blazing Red Flames as they swiftly sliced through the midst of black umbrellas with reckless abandon. The black umbrellas were extremely afraid of the Pure Yang Flying Swords, all trying to evade them. But as the seven Flying Swords each split into three, and a hundred sword lights of Red Flames shot out from each, the black umbrellas were left with no power to dodge and were soon pierced by the sword lights in a few moments. In a flash, all the black umbrellas hanging in the great hall turned into fireballs in mid-air, and soon they all burned to ashes. With the obstruction of the black umbrellas gone, those white umbrellas had even less fighting power. Apart from the ones shrouding Tao Xiang and the others, Shen Luo quickly got rid of the rest. Chapter 1569 Chapter 1569: Chapter 1565: Yin Yang Umbrella Chapter 1569: Chapter 1565: Yin Yang Umbrella Shen Luo approached Ghost Vine Master, raised his hand with a sword, and split open the white umbrella enveloping his head, then again sent a thread of his divine soul into Ghost Vine Master''s Sea of knowledge using a secret technique. Ghost Vine Master slowly opened his eyes and exchanged a smile with Shen Luo. Then, the gate to the Carefree Mirror Space opened once again. After taking a look around, Shen Luo stepped into it. His divided soul regained control of Ghost Vine Master''s body but did not attack those white umbrellas to release the others from control; instead, he looked up at the beam above his head. With a fierce wave of his hand, a streak of Blood Light burst forth from the center of his palm, and a section of Blood Thorn Vines instantly flew high into the air, striking the beam squarely. A ¡°crack¡± sound of fracturing echoed. The beam broke upon impact and fell from high altitude. Mid air, the illusion confounding the beam dispersed, revealing the pitch-black Soul Birth Pillar''s true form, which crashed heavily to the ground and shattered into pieces. Almost simultaneously, the entire hall shook violently, and an invisible breath spread from the Soul Birth Pillar, followed by a strong force of prohibition rising from the Underworld. ¡°As expected, it is the Soul Birth Pillar,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself with joy. At this moment, a series of shouts and exclamations rang out around him, followed by a barrage of mystic arts and God''s Power bombarding from all directions, causing the entire hall to quake immensely. Ghost Vine Master hurriedly dodged and turned to look, only to discover that the white oil-paper umbrellas that had been hovering above everyone''s heads had fallen to the ground, and they had all awakened. However, those who had suddenly come to had not yet cleared the influence of the Illusion Domain, so they couldn''t help but release their mystic arts. ¡°Gentlemen, regain your senses,¡± after a short pause, Ghost Vine Master roared. Everyone then snapped out of it, and each looked around with complex expressions, slowly coming to their senses after a long while. ¡°What has happened?¡± Tao Xiang exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Fellow Daoists, just now you were inadvertently controlled by these white umbrellas, falling into an illusion without realizing it. Fortunately, I have a secret soul protective technique that prevented complete control and allowed me to barely escape and shatter the Soul Birth Pillar,¡± Ghost Vine Master explained to everyone. Upon hearing this and seeing the broken black and white umbrellas scattered on the Ground, the crowd had no choice but to believe him. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist''s cultivation in Soul Power has actually reached such an extent? Perhaps you are not aware of the terrifying aspects of these Yang Umbrellas and Yin Umbrellas. One can capture Souls, and the other can seize Souls. Once controlled by the Yang Umbrella, or these white umbrellas, one will fall into an illusory domain, and Soul Power will be unknowingly drained. When the divine soul is dissipated, the black umbrella will shatter the physical body and completely strip the Souls. This time, Ghost Vine Daoist has truly saved everyone''s life,¡± Wanshui Zhenren could not help but speak out. After hearing these words, everyone realized just how dangerous the situation had been and was immensely relieved. ¡°Thank you, Ghost Vine Daoist Friend,¡± said Tao Xiang, bowing. The rest of the people also expressed their gratitude in turn. Tian Sanqi, although still skeptical, had to admit that the Ghost Vine Master genuinely saved him. After all, having the ability to protect himself, he could have deliberately delayed to wait until they suffered some damage to their divine souls before coming to rescue, which would have been most advantageous for him. In fact, Shen Luo did consider this, but when he thought about the upcoming challenge of the Soul Dying Gate, and if he were to face it with a group of individuals whose divine souls were damaged, unforeseeable accidents might occur, so he quickly abandoned the thought. ¡°Fellow Daoists need not be so formal, since we are companions on this journey, it is natural that we support each other; otherwise, on my own, I would not be able to pass the tests, let alone obtain Hou Yi''s Legacy,¡± Shen Luo waved his hand and said. At least before seeing the Treasure, these people should primarily cooperate. ¡°Ghost Vine Daoist Friend is truly noble,¡± Yan Lie praised. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, you said you''ve already shattered the Soul Birth Pillar, may I ask where it is?¡± Tian Sanqi asked. ¡°That should be the Soul Birth Pillar. After shattering it just now, all of you were able to escape the trap,¡± Shen Luo pointed to the broken black stone pillar on the ground and said. Only then did everyone notice that amidst several ruined black umbrellas, there was a pile of shattered black stone. After studying it for a while, they discovered that many golden round pearls were embedded in the black stone, interconnected with each other, forming an extremely intricate array. However, with the fracturing of the stone pillar, the array was naturally destroyed as well, and its original appearance could no longer be discerned. Everyone speculated that the poisonous insects, poison scorpios, and the like they encountered earlier were mostly caused by this array. ¡°Now that the Soul Birth Pillar has been dispelled, let''s go find the Soul Dying Gate and quickly break the Soul Dying Pillar,¡± Li Biao shouted. A group of people immediately dispersed to search for the entrance to the Soul Dying Gate in the great hall. However, after searching for a long time, they all came up empty-handed. After pondering for a moment, Shen Luo looked up again towards the rooftop hiding the Soul Birth Pillar, only to see that where the Soul Birth Pillar had been shattered, an octagonal mirror was revealed, its surface pitch black and not easy to see. With a thought, he immediately raised his hand and swung it, sending out a beam of black light from the center of his palm, striking the mirror above. With a ¡°hum¡± sound, a light resonance was heard. The mirror on the rooftop, hit by this surge of mana, immediately burst forth with dazzling luminance. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The angle of the mirror was inclined, and the reflected light shone on the door of the great hall, instantly forming a white whirlpool of light. ¡°It''s the exit,¡± Liu Hong exclaimed with joy. ¡°Is it actually on the Big Gate we came in through?¡± Wanshui Zhenren couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration. ¡°Let''s go, the next challenge is still waiting for us,¡± Yan Lie said. Having said that, he took a big step and was the first to step through the light vortex, vanishing from everyone''s sight. The rest of them quickly followed suit, one after another stepping in. This time, Shen Luo was the last one; before stepping into the vortex, his gaze again fell on the shattered Soul Birth Pillar, suddenly feeling a burst of inexplicable palpitations, as if a wave of anger was surging directly towards him. But it was only for an instant; the emotion disappeared without a trace. Seeing the white whirlpool about to vanish, Shen Luo also stepped forward, entering within. A bright white light appeared before his eyes, and then gradually returned to normal; Shen Luo had arrived in a whole new space. ¡°Be careful.¡± Before he could even react, he heard a loud shout. Shen Luo subconsciously dodged backwards. By the time his vision fully recovered, he saw a giant golden tail sweeping past in front of him, its tip shining with a metallic gloss, almost like the edge of a blade. As his mind steadied, he then saw that in front of him were seven or eight hundred-feet-long golden-tailed pythons, fiercely battling with the people who had entered before him. These golden-tailed pythons had bone horns on their heads, black patterns around their necks, and their tails were completely golden. Not only were they huge in size, but their speed was also incredibly fast. Different from when they entered the Soul Birth Gate, the moment everyone stepped into the Soul Dying Gate, they hadn''t even had time to react before immediately being ambushed by these creatures, all caught off guard. Chapter 1570 Chapter 1570: Chapter 1566: Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Gu Chapter 1570: Chapter 1566: Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Gu Just now, the Golden-tailed Python that missed hitting Shen Luo turned its body around and fiercely pounced towards him. As it approached, its body rose high, its Blood Basin opened wide, and it dove down aggressively towards Shen Luo. Suddenly, it let out a roar, sounding like the bellow of a bull, and instantly, rolling black smoke sprayed out from its mouth. In mid-air, it condensed and did not disperse, forming a black column rushing towards Shen Luo. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, be careful, this is a Gu Snake, its poison mist is extremely fierce,¡± warned Wanshui Zhenren. Originally intending to confront it head-on, Shen Luo immediately controlled the wrist of Ghost Teng Master upon hearing this, and took out the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, positioning it in front of him. As he activated his mystic arts, clouds of black mist billowed from the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, and the eerie sounds of ghosts howling and wolves wailing filled the air. Hundreds and thousands of various Fierce Ghosts surged out from the banner, scrambling to attack the Gu Snake first. Seeing this, the Gu Snake''s mouth condensed the black mist into a pillar of poison, sweeping across them. The thousands of ghost figures collided with it and were all dispersed, turning into ashes amidst their mournful screams. ¡°How potent the Gu poison is,¡± Shen Luo thought, startled. Ghost Teng Master immediately leaped up, swiftly dodging out of the way. For now, he could only use the mystic arts of Ghost Teng Master, which were quite limiting. Otherwise, he might have tried if the flames of the Pure Yang Flying Sword could burn off that Gu poison. However, as he leapt into the air, he saw Yan Lie holding the Dustless Fan in one hand, and spewing a golden flame from his mouth. The moment the flames flew out, with one fan of the Dustless Fan, the flame''s intensity instantly increased a hundredfold, immediately engulfing a Gu Snake. Clearly, his flames were noticeably effective against the Gu Snake. Under severe twisting of its body, a large amount of black poison mist evaporated, and soon it was reduced to a skeleton. With another wave of his Dustless Fan, Yan Lie caused the wind to sweep past, and the remnants of the Gu Snake turned into ashes, completely disintegrating. However, just as he relaxed slightly, the poison mist that emanated from the Gu Snake did not disappear, but eerily condensed into a slender python and attacked him again. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt somewhat surprised. The Gu Snake was clearly dead, yet the snake Gu could still remain and morph to harm others, showing just how profound and potent its poison was, certainly a hundred times stronger than that of the poison scorpion. Before he could fully see the outcome of that battle, a sudden piercing sound rang out; a Spider Spear, like a javelin, fiercely thrust towards the back heart of the Ghost Teng Master. Ghost Teng Master immediately dodged out of the way and turned back to see a ten-zhang tall Dark Green Poisonous Spider. It stared at him with its eight eyes filled with chilly intent. Suddenly, the abdomen of the Dark Green Spider slightly bulged, then abruptly contracted, and a stream of black poison silk burst forth from beneath it. In mid-air, it spread out, forming a pitch-black big net and enveloping the Ghost Teng Master. The Ghost Teng Master saw it and quickly dodged. However, he had just moved when suddenly two sharp spears thrust towards him from the side, blocking his left and right escape routes. Now, the Ghost Teng Master could only dodge backwards. But just then, he caught a glimpse of the spider''s back legs sinking deep into the ground, which was an ominous sign. With a sweep of his sleeves, numerous black ghost vines burst out behind him, supporting his body and fiercely pushing him forward, forcefully changing his backward movement and rushing forward instead. At the same time, the ground behind him suddenly split open, and two exceedingly sharp Spider Spears burst from the earth, aiming directly at his back heart. If not for his timely forward rush, the consequences would have been unimaginable. However, on his path forward, the pitch-black big net was already descending overhead, leaving him no room to dodge. The Ghost Teng Master crashed headfirst into the black net and was immediately wrapped up tightly like packing a dumpling. Soon, his body began emitting a hissing sound, and wisps of white smoke rose from it. Even though this body wasn''t his own, Shen Luo''s divine soul still felt a strong sense of Gu poison aggressively eroding into the body. The nature of the poison felt peculiar, as if it had its own consciousness. Each inch the poison traversed through the ¡°Ghost Vine¡± body, Shen Luo felt as if each inch of his body was like a fallen mountain and river, quickly losing sensation. If the poison were to spread throughout the body, or even if it just managed to invade the sea of knowledge, then the Gu poison could completely control this body. However, fortunately, the original divine soul of the Ghost Vine Master had perished, and now it was Shen Luo''s divided soul controlling this body. Although he couldn''t exert all the powers like the original master, he was also not burdened by the body, allowing him to handle the Gu poison more freely. Shen Luo remained calm, and while controlling the Ghost Vine Master, he waved his hand and once again summoned the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. This time, however, he didn''t use it to directly confront the enemy, but instead wrapped it around himself and the spider web. Seeing its prey getting wrapped by the black banner, the Dark Green Poisonous Spider immediately flew into a rage and swiftly attacked the body of the Ghost Vine Master with its spider spear. But just then, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner suddenly flapped open, and three black corpse refinements burst out like wild beasts, jumping onto the back of the Dark Green Poisonous Spider. The three corpse refinements swung their palms, their fingers sharp like hook claws, frantically ripping at the spider''s back and drawing streaks of blood light. Pained, the Dark Green Poisonous Spider no longer cared about the Ghost Vine Master. It retreated while swinging its spider spear at its own back, but the corpse refinements ducked and continued to rip even more fiercely. The flesh on the spider''s back was torn apart, and plumes of black poison mist gradually evaporated from its back. At that moment, one black corpse refinement, under the control of Shen Luo, burrowed into the spider''s wound and entered its body. Soon, a sound of flesh and blood being crushed came from within the belly of the Dark Green Poisonous Spider. A long gash opened in its abdomen, and the emaciated palms of the black corpse refinement pierced out from the wound. The palms pulled the wound further apart, and a hideous head fiercely emerged. The face of this corpse refinement had been eroded by the venom, almost all the features fused together, yet it didn''t lose its mobility and brutally tore open the spider''s belly and crawled out. The moment the corpse refinement landed, a large amount of venom flowed out along the horrific wound in the spider''s abdomen. Staggering a few steps, the Dark Green Poisonous Spider finally collapsed to the side, its body rapidly dissolving, while more black poison mist rose from its body. Shortly after, a giant spider Gu appeared and continued to chase after Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo controlled the ¡°Ghost Vine Master¡± to retreat and create distance while also directing the three corpse refinements to pounce towards it. However, as the corpse refinements lunged at it, their sharp hook claws simply passed through the body of the spider Gu, striking nothing. But at the same time, the heavily eroded corpse refinement instantly began to dissolve, turning into a heap of foul-smelling rotten flesh. Observing this, Shen Luo immediately retrieved the other two corpse refinements. Then, with another wave of his hand, cries of ghosts erupted from the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. Countless ethereal ghosts surged out like a tide, overwhelming the spider Gu. Each ghost viciously bit at it, only to also be corroded by the Gu poison and dissipate themselves. Despite the ferocity of the Gu poison, it ultimately could not withstand the vast number of ghosts. Finally, when the tide of ghosts receded, the spider Gu had vanished. Chapter 1571 Chapter 1571: Chapter 1567: Golden Silkworm Gu Chapter 1571: Chapter 1567: Golden Silkworm Gu Shen Luo let out a small sigh of relief, turned his head to survey the surroundings, and noticed that everyone was still engaged in fierce battles, many were wounded, but none seemed too severe. Clearly, their strengths were not insignificant. Just then, a strange, low humming sound arose from all directions, sounding somewhat like the chirping of cicadas, yet it was much more muffled, as if it were the noise of cicadas that had yet to break free from the earth. While Shen Luo puzzled over it in his heart, the humming of the cicadas grew louder and louder. Suddenly, Shen Luo''s eyes twitched, sensing something flying towards him, and he immediately tried to dodge with a swift shift of the body controlled by Ghost Teng Master. But this body wasn''t his own after all, and was a bit too slow, and in an instant, he felt a sharp pain on his cheek, as a wound ¡°pfft¡± opened up on the right side of his face. Shen Luo had no time to care about the wound, and quickly adjusted his line of sight to follow the trajectory he had just noticed, only to see a flash of translucent light, which then disappeared in the blink of an eye. But a burning pain soon emanated from his right cheek. Ghost Teng Master raised a hand to touch it, and his fingers too felt a burning pain. Looking down, he found to his surprise that his fingertips were charred black, showing signs of corrosion. He casually conjured a water mirror to look, and was immediately alarmed. Right where the wound was on his cheek, the flesh had been corroded and burnt into a terrifying hole about the size of a fist, revealing the pink tendons and bones within. ¡°Everyone be careful, there''s something very powerful here, it moves quickly and is extremely difficult to detect, but its Gu poison is exceedingly virulent,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly warned aloud. ¡°Ah¡­¡± On another side, a miserable cry from Li Biao followed soon after. ¡°It''s the Golden Silkworm Gu, everyone be cautious,¡± Tao Xiang also noticed the creature''s track and quickly spoke up. Shen Luo paid no more attention to this and instead, while maintaining his guard, began to repair the injury on his face. However, upon trying to do so, his expression inadvertently shifted slightly. Not only was the wound on his face not healing, but while the wound itself did not continue to grow or change, the Gu poison within was spreading at a rapid pace through Ghost Teng Master''s blood and mana. What worried him even more was that the earlier inadvertently inhaled Gu poison from the poisonous insects, the snake Gu, and the spider Gu had apparently been activated as well, and began to grow exceedingly active as if being summoned. Concentrating his divided soul, Shen Luo exerted his full strength with his spells to suppress it, but still felt an overwhelming sensation. These two types of Gu poison seemed to share some inexplicable connection, and were frantically converging towards each other. Although Shen Luo had not yet figured out the exact reason, he knew that he absolutely could not let them merge, as the combination of the two Gu poisons would indeed lead to uncontrollable consequences. With this thought in mind, Shen Luo discreetly opened the Free and Easy Mirror from within Ghost Teng Master''s sleeve and a round pearl quietly moved from Shen Luo''s hand to that of Ghost Teng Master. He secretly channeled his mana into the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, and faint flowing lights began to flicker on the pearl. The two types of Gu Poison wreaking havoc inside his body suddenly slowed in their spread, then began flowing towards the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead. When both converged in the palm of Ghost Teng Master, an indescribable intense pain nearly caused Shen Luo''s divided soul to lose control, almost making him cry out involuntarily. The flesh and blood in his palm dissolved almost instantly, were it not for the fused Gu toxins being absorbed by the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead immediately, his exposed bones might have also dissolved on the spot. Fortunately, at the critical moment, he firmly guarded his Divine Sense, keeping Ghost Teng Master from letting go of the bead. Only after the Gu toxins were completely absorbed did he once again deploy his secret technique, and the flesh on his palms and cheeks began to rapidly regenerate. ¡°Thankfully, I was only slightly injured just now, and I didn''t absorb too much poison; otherwise, Ghost Teng Master''s body might have been completely dissolved,¡± Shen Luo thought to himself. However, he only repaired half of the flesh on his face, leaving a terrifying wound without fully healing it. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead in hand, Shen Luo felt somewhat at ease, no longer afraid of the poison invasion, and began to focus on the battlefield for the Golden Silkworm Gu''s trace. Perhaps due to the presence of the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, for a time, neither the Dark Green Poisonous Spiders nor the Golden-tailed Pythons launched any attacks on Shen Luo. Ghost Teng Master''s gaze rapidly shifted all around and finally managed to capture the trace of the Golden Silkworm Gu. The creature was extremely small¨Ctruly the size of a cocoon¨Cbut its shape was more like a kind of miniature beetle with a body that was actually golden yellow. Due to its extreme speed, it was difficult for the human eye to clearly see its true form, making it appear almost translucent. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo was somewhat astonished; its flying posture while moving bore an uncanny resemblance to his own Thousand-mile Wing Flapping Technique, although it wasn''t for long-distance travel and thus left a trace to follow. After discovering this, he became interested, pretending to be entangled with a Gu snake while focusing on tracing the whereabouts of the Golden Silkworm Gu. After several observations, he finally determined that there were only six Golden Silkworm Gus in the entire hall. And the flight paths of these six Golden Silkworm Gus were all different, crisscrossing each other, almost dividing the interior region of the entire hall. The areas they left empty were instead filled by the Gu snakes of the Golden-tailed Pythons and the Dark Green Poisonous Spiders. Moreover, only two of the Golden Silkworm Gus were actively moving and attacking in the hall at the moment. Although the others were also moving, they did not actively attack them, but rather seemed to be lying in wait for an opportunity. Shen Luo speculated that the reason why these Golden Silkworm Gus hadn''t all mobilized to attack was to wait for the Golden-tailed Pythons and Dark Green Poisonous Spiders to deplete everyone''s Mana, and even gradually spread the poison, before they would move in to harvest lives. From this perspective, the arrangement inside the Soul Dying Gate was tighter than that within the Soul Birth Gate, almost like a precise Array¨Cif one were to barge in unprepared, it would truly be a life-and-death situation. After observing for a while, Shen Luo gradually understood the key to this arrangement¨Cit was the six Golden Silkworm Gus. As long as they were slain, the fatal threat would be eliminated in advance, and those Gu snakes and spiders would no longer be a concern. ¡°Fellow Daoists, if you wish to break through this place, would you be willing to hear my word?¡± Shen Luo, controlling Ghost Teng Master, suddenly shouted. ¡°Could it be that you''ve found the Soul Dying Pillar?¡± Tian Sanqi brandished a longsword to cut down a Spider Spear in front of her and asked. ¡°No, but if the fellow Daoists are unwilling to listen to me, in at most Half a Moment, I''m afraid it won''t be as relaxed as it is now,¡± Shen Luo confidently declared. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, what do you mean by that?¡± Wanshui Zhenren also asked from a distance. ¡°From the moment we entered the Soul Birth Gate and began slaying the Poisonous Insects, perhaps you haven''t noticed, or perhaps you''ve already realized, that even though these Insects die, the toxins within their bodies have not been completely dissipated and have spread into the Void. Although you all have magical instruments and secret techniques for protection, you have more or less inhaled some of these toxins,¡± Ghost Teng Master said. Upon hearing this, without even checking themselves, the others also knew that Ghost Teng Master''s words were true. Chapter 1572 Chapter 1572: Chapter 1568: Cooperation Chapter 1572: Chapter 1568: Cooperation ¡°I just now cleared the toxins that the Golden Silkworm Gu had introduced into my body when I discovered that once these two types of Gu poison merge, their toxicity would increase by more than a hundredfold,¡± Ghost Teng Master said. Everyone, amidst the lulls in battle, also turned their gazes toward Ghost Teng Master, and seeing the terrifying scars on his face, their hearts tightened. ¡°Are you saying, Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, that the poisonous insects we encountered earlier and the Gu snakes and spiders we are facing now were merely laying the groundwork, and that the Golden Silkworm Gu is the real killer move?¡± Yan Lie asked in surprise. ¡°Indeed, I was merely lucky before, and I had some precautions against witchcraft and poisonous insects, so I was not seriously harmed by the Golden Silkworm Gu. Hence, the Gu poison in me is not deep, and I was not killed by this stacked poison technique. However, if we continue to slay the Gu snakes and spiders, we will inevitably inhale more Gu poison, and if we are afflicted again, I''m afraid we''ll be powerless to recover,¡± Ghost Teng Master continued. Hearing this, everyone was still a bit hesitant. ¡°You may not know, but there are a total of six Golden Silkworm Gus in this hall. Only two have actually started attacking us, and the other four are just moving around. They are waiting for us to kill more of the Gu snakes and spiders. Once the timing is right, and all six Golden Silkworm Gus act together, their flying speed is extremely fast, and once they constrain our movements, we might not avoid getting injured,¡± Shen Luo, while still controlling Ghost Teng Master, urged them. At this moment, Wanshui Zhenren suddenly exclaimed. A Golden Silkworm Gu suddenly attacked him, and had Shen Luo not reminded him, and had he not been fully alert, he would have almost been bitten on the neck. ¡°That was close¡­ Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, what do you suggest we do?¡± Wanshui Zhenren dodged the attack while asking. The others also gradually began to sense the increasingly concentrated Gu poison accumulating in the void surrounding them, and unease started to seep into their hearts. ¡°My friends, I can vaguely discern the flight paths of these Golden Silkworm Gus. I can guide everyone on where to attack. If you are willing to trust my word, let''s cooperate together. As long as we slay these Golden Silkworm Gus first, the rest of the poisonous Gu will not be a problem,¡± Shen Luo controlled Ghost Teng Master, sweeping his gaze, and spoke. ¡°How do I know you won''t deliberately harm us?¡± Tian Sanqi was unwilling to trust Ghost Teng Master so easily. Upon hearing these words, before Shen Luo could say anything, Liu Hong and the two others began to express their dissatisfaction. ¡°Surnamed Tian, aren''t you being way too suspicious? If Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist really wanted to harm you, he would have just let you be controlled by the Yang Umbrella inside the Soul Birth Gate, allowing your divine soul to be extracted, and could have simply slapped you dead. Why would he bother to save you?¡± Liu Hong couldn''t help but curse. ¡°Exactly, if you don''t want to cooperate, then just get lost. Besides, if you don''t trust Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, what other ideas do you have? Let''s hear them,¡± Li Biao also chimed in. ¡°Friend Tian, after all, it was Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist who saved us earlier. Right now, I don''t think he has any reason to deliberately harm us. The trial isn''t over yet; it would be best for us to cooperate together. Moreover, Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist is just providing us with a pathway to attack, our safety still depends on our own strength. What do you think?¡± Tao Xiang also spoke. ¡°Enough, no need to persuade anymore. As long as he doesn''t cause trouble, the few of us are enough,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said coldly. ¡°Let''s just hope that when he betrays you all, you won''t count the money too happily,¡± said an exasperated Tian Sanqi, but he had no choice but to acquiesce. ¡°Okay then, everyone, time is pressing. Who knows when these Golden Silkworm Gus will launch a full-scale attack,¡± Shen Luo, controlling Ghost Teng Master, spoke. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, tell us what to do?¡± asked Yan Lie. ¡°In a moment, I will release the Ghost Tide and engage the Golden-tailed Pythons and Dark Green Poisonous Spiders with corpse refinement techniques. All of you just need to attack from the positions I designate, prioritizing the extermination of the Golden Silkworm Gu, then the remaining poisonous Gu will be negligible,¡± Ghost Teng Master said. ¡°Alright,¡± everyone replied. Seeing the situation, Shen Luo, controlling Ghost Teng Master, once again summoned the Ten Thousand Demons Banner with a wave of his hand. This time, the wailing atop the Ten Thousand Demons Banner grew louder, as rolling Ghost Fog surged forth, and tens of thousands of ghosts lunged at the poisonous Gu insects. For a moment, the entire space was filled with pervasive ghostly Qi and continuous wailing, making it unclear whether it was they who were here to face the trial, or the poisonous Gu insects instead. However, with the ghosts and refined corpses hindering them, the others finally managed to disentangle themselves and caught their breath. At this moment, Shen Luo''s divided soul was controlling the ghosts and refined corpses inside the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, while his main body peered through the Free and Easy Mirror in his sleeve, tracking the position changes of the Golden Silkworm Gu and passing down commands to his divided soul. ¡°Friend Yan Lie, directly to your north and one zhang in front, get ready¡­ attack,¡± Ghost Teng Master opened his mouth and ordered. Yan Lie concentrated intently, listening to the instructions and turned to face the north. He stared fixedly at the one-zhang point ahead in the void, but saw only emptiness, nothing in sight. However, upon hearing the command ¡°attack¡± from Shen Luo, he did not hesitate for an instant and swung the Dustless Fan abruptly. A gust of Xun Wind immediately swept towards the void. Confused within his heart, just as he thought his strike had missed, he suddenly saw a speck of Golden Light smashed into the center of the wind blast from the Dustless Fan, immediately followed by the sound of chimes as the dense wind blades tore through it. A Golden Silkworm Gu was sent careening by the wind blades but remained unshattered. ¡°The shell of the Golden Silkworm Gu is extremely tough, ordinary attacks can''t break it. Friend Yan Lie, do not be careless,¡± Shen Luo, controlling the Ghost Teng Master, spoke again to remind. Upon hearing this, Yan Lie did not hesitate. With one hand he formed a magic spell and pointed it towards the Dustless Fan, transferring Mana into it. The Xun trigram pattern on the fan lit up, and the wind burst forth in a straight line emitting a Green Wind Blade that didn''t dissipate. With the fan in hand like a green-bladed sword, he stepped forward and slashed down. The Green Wind Blade effortlessly cut through the gust of the Xun Wind and sliced the still struggling Golden Silkworm Gu in half. With a ¡°hiss¡± sound! A wisp of pale golden fog surged from the cleaved body of the Golden Silkworm Gu but quickly dissipated into the void. Everyone, upon seeing this scene, finally placed complete trust in the words of Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, what''s next?¡± Wanshui Zhenren asked. As the words were spoken, Ghost Teng Master did not respond, leading to a bout of confusion among the crowd. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Tao Xiang voiced her confusion. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°After slaying one Golden Silkworm Gu, the positions of the other Gu insects have changed, and their flight trajectories are completely different from before. Moreover, it seems that they have all been activated and started to attack,¡± Shen Luo conveyed through the mouth of Ghost Teng Master. Hearing this, everyone quickly looked around but failed to capture any trace of the Golden Silkworm Gu, only seeing a large number of ghosts vanishing into the void. ¡°Right now, we still have ghosts distracting them, but soon they will turn to attack us, what shall we do?¡± Li Biao asked. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo did not answer; he just stared attentively around, needing to quickly analyze the entirely new flight paths of the remaining five Golden Silkworm Gu. Chapter 1573 Chapter 1573: Chapter 1569: Soul Dying Pillar Chapter 1573: Chapter 1569: Soul Dying Pillar Peach Scent and the others grew increasingly anxious as Ghost Teng Master remained silent. Just as they were about to urge him on, they heard him speak again: ¡°Fellow Cultivators, every time a Golden Silkworm Gu is slain, the remaining ones not only change their flight trajectory but their speed significantly increases as well. We must have five people strike simultaneously, slaying all the Golden Silkworm Gu at once,¡± Shen Luo, controlling the Ghost Teng Master, told everyone. ¡°Slay them all at once? How could that be possible? Even you, it''s not possible to issue five commands in an instant, how could we possibly slay all the Golden Silkworm Gu simultaneously?¡± Liu Hong exclaimed in disbelief upon hearing this. ¡°Liu Hong, Daoist friend, don''t worry about it. All you need to do is to follow my commands, reach the designated locations beforehand, and when you hear the attack command, strike with all your might at the same time, remember, no holding back,¡± Ghost Teng Master spoke up. Everyone heard him speak with confidence, yet they still harbored some doubts. Shen Luo paid them no heed, continuing to control Ghost Teng Master, and started instructing everyone to their respective positions: ¡°Liu Hong, Daoist friend, go straight west and move forward ten steps. Li Biao, Daoist friend, head to the northwest side, three Zhang away from Liu Hong, facing southwest. Friend Peach Scent, please move five steps towards the southeast direction, facing south. Friend Yan Lie¡­¡± Shen Luo arranged positions one by one, finally, only Tian Sanqi was left unassigned. ¡°Why have you sent everyone away and left me behind?¡± Tian Sanqi felt isolated and couldn''t help but ask. ¡°Fellow Tian''s role is also crucial, to protect the others from other Gu poisons attacking them,¡± Ghost Teng Master replied. After a slight hesitation, Tian Sanqi decided to comply with Ghost Teng Master''s arrangement. Once everyone was in position, all were fully focused, awaiting the command from Ghost Teng Master. ¡°When you hear the word ''attack'' later, don''t hesitate; directly target the space three inches in front of you. Understood?¡± Shen Luo issued the command. ¡°Okay,¡± Everyone responded in unison, clutching their Magical Treasures, waiting for the order. Shen Luo''s gaze moved swiftly, confirming the position of each Golden Silkworm Gu. A moment later, his eyes sharply focussed, and he shouted loudly: ¡°Attack!¡± Those who had been stiff with anticipation immediately sprang into action, calling upon their mystic arts and Magical Treasures, setting off a simultaneous explosion of booming sounds. The five Golden Silkworm Gu burst at the same time, turning into five streams of golden mist drifting away. Seeing this, everyone was overjoyed. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo also let out a huge sigh of relief, as just now, trying to clearly discern the flight trajectory of the Golden Silkworm Gu, especially to find the moment they all reached their designated positions simultaneously, had exhausted nearly half of his Soul Power. Fortunately, hard work pays off for those who are diligent; under his command, everyone worked together to eliminate all the Golden Silkworm Gu. However, before they could even comprehend what had happened, the Golden-tailed Pythons and the Dark Green Poisonous Spiders around them began to collapse to the ground, dying on their own without their intervention. ¡°Is this¡­ has someone broken the Soul Dying Pillar?¡± Peach Scent asked in astonishment. ¡°No,¡± Everyone shouted in response. Under everyone''s astonished gazes, the bodies of those Golden-tailed Pythons and Dark Green Poisonous Spiders began to rapidly decay and disintegrate, while the Gu Poison inside their bodies started to escape, instantly filling the entire great hall. Shen Luo immediately understood what was happening and hastily waved his hand, recalling the remaining ghosts and refined corpses back into the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, what is this¡­?¡± Everyone subconsciously turned to Ghost Teng Master for answers. ¡°This is the last counterattack of these Gu poisons. Everyone, quickly cover your mouth and nose and protect yourselves. Only by breaking the Soul Dying Pillar immediately can we have a chance to survive,¡± Shen Luo, controlling the Ghost Teng Master, shouted loudly. After the Golden Silkworm Gu was completely eradicated, while the Gu poison in its body had not fully dissipated, the snake and spider Gu began to commit suicide to release their own Gu poison and mix it with the Golden Silkworm Gu. The toxicity of the two combined Gu poisons, although not as intense as inside the human body, was still a hundred times more powerful than when separate, and it was uncertain if anyone could endure it even with protective methods. Whether or not they could find the Soul Dying Pillar had become the key to their success in surviving. As soon as Ghost Teng Master finished speaking, everyone dared not be careless and hastily deployed secret techniques to protect themselves while also actively searching for the Soul Dying Pillar around them. At this moment, the Gu poison scattered around suddenly began to move, and from its originally dispersed state, it started to converge forwards. The rolling black mist kept gathering, and its color began to change, gradually turning dark red. The dark red poison mist condensed into a mass, shrinking to nearly half its initial size, but it still covered a considerable space. As time passed, it suddenly began expanding again. ¡°Ghost Vine, didn''t you say that killing the Golden Silkworm Gu would solve the problem? What is happening now?¡± Tian Sanqi angrily questioned. ¡°Cut the nonsense. If the two types of Gu poison merged inside your body, would you still have a chance to yell here?¡± Shen Luo, also somewhat angry, controlled the Ghost Teng Master and retorted. ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Wanshui Zhenren asked anxiously. Yan Lie, seeing the poison mist approaching, couldn''t hold back and swung his Dustless Fan. With a whoosh, a violent wind exploded. The poison mist in the center was ripped open by the fierce wind, but the mist on both sides rushed towards everyone with even greater ferocity, quickly reaching Liu Hong. He originally had a Body Protection Talisman attached to his body, and was protected by a green spiritual light outside his body, but the moment it touched the poison mist, the green light sizzled and emitted plumes of white smoke. The talisman on his chest also caught fire and self-immolated, instantly turning to ashes. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. On another side, Wanshui Zhenren formed a Water Repelling Technique, his body enveloped in a blue water curtain, which also dissolved upon contact with the Gu poison, corroding away instantly. The combined power of the Gu poison was far beyond anyone''s imagination. ¡°Stop dawdling, hurry and find the Soul Dying Pillar, or we''re all done for,¡± Tian Sanqi shouted angrily. Everyone was forced to retreat while carefully scanning the surroundings with their Divine Sense, but in such a hurry, no one could concentrate properly. Inside the sleeve of the Ghost Teng Master, Shen Luo in the Free and Easy Mirror hesitated whether to use the Spirit Eye Divine Ability. Meanwhile, others seemed to have made a discovery. ¡°Over there,¡± Li Biao suddenly pointed into the depths of the poison mist and shouted. The others quickly looked in that direction, but they could only see surging poison mist and no sight of any Soul Dying Pillar. ¡°What did you see? Don''t give random orders. Right now, time is critical, and your misleading can cost everyone''s lives,¡± Tian Sanqi reprimanded. ¡°Bullshit, I really saw it. Just now, the mist momentarily cleared there, and there really was a black pillar inside, similar to the previous Soul Birth Pillar,¡± Li Biao, now furious, retorted. Chapter 1574 Chapter 1574: Chapter 1570: 7 Statues Chapter 1574: Chapter 1570: 7 Statues Everyone listened to Li Biao speaking gravely and was somewhat indecisive for a moment. Shen Luo''s divided soul, through Ghost Teng Master''s eyes, was also carefully observing the changes over there. However, after waiting for a long time, no change was seen; instead, the surrounding poisonous mist gradually spread, compressing his living space to the limit. He was also hesitating; unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to use the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, for fear that if everyone knew he possessed such a powerful antidote and did not use it, they would turn against him on the spot. ¡°Let''s not worry about whether Daoist Li is mistaken; the situation is urgent now, it''s worth a try even if it''s wrong,¡± said Ghost Teng Master. ¡°Okay then,¡± said Yan Lie. ¡°Since it was you who discovered it, you should be the one to try,¡± Tian Sanqi said. Hearing this, Li Biao''s eyes flashed with anger, but seeing Tao Xiang also nodding at him, he had to let it go. ¡°Daoist Li, I''ll use the Dustless Fan to clear the way for you shortly. Whether we can all make a path out depends on you,¡± Yan Lie anxiously said. ¡°Understood,¡± Li Biao replied grudgingly. ¡°Everyone be careful, after this fan wave, the poison mist will surely surge over. Please use your skills to protect yourselves for a moment,¡± Yan Lie prepared and warned. Before anyone could respond, his Dustless Fan had already fiercely fanned out, sending a violent gust of wind speeding forth, carving a passageway through the poison mist. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Li Biao followed closely behind, rushing out before the poison mist could return, his figure quickly obscured by the poison mist. Other people also hurriedly activated their mystic arts, barely managing to protect themselves, as the stirred poison mist immediately spread and engulfed them. In the midst of the poison mist, the sound ¡°hiss hiss¡± echoed loudly; everyone''s defensive measures failed to hold out for long. They could only rely on their mana to keep the poison mist at bay, but unavoidably inhaled quite a bit of it. As more poison mist was inhaled, their resistance weakened, and ultimately, they only had a deadly path left. Ghost Teng Master, holding the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead, although not using mana to activate this treasure, the poison mist seemed unintentionally afraid to approach too close, making him the one who had inhaled the least poison mist among everyone. However, everyone was preoccupied with their own concerns, and Shen Luo, controlling the Ghost Teng Master, also exhibited signs of being poisoned, so no one noticed this point. Just when everyone thought their lives were over, a sudden ¡°crack¡± sound of something breaking echoed from up ahead. ¡°The gate is this way, hurry over here,¡± at this moment, Li Biao''s voice also came from within the depth of the poison mist. ¡°That''s great,¡± everyone rejoiced and hurriedly followed the sound. Upon rushing closer, they saw a round white light gate hanging lonely in mid-air, and Li Biao''s figure had disappeared. ¡°That guy is afraid of the poison gas, he must have already gone through,¡± Liu Hong, who knew him best, couldn''t help saying. ¡°Then why are we not rushing through?¡± Wanshui Zhenren urged. Just as he was about to rush into the light gate, he heard a shout from behind: ¡°Don''t rush.¡± Everyone was startled and turned back, only to see the last standing Ghost Teng Master pointing at the ground, saying, ¡°Look, do you see any remnants of the Soul Dying Pillar over here?¡± The rest quickly bowed their heads to search but found nothing. ¡°It must be the poison mist, causing everyone to have hallucinations,¡± Tao Xiang grimly said. Wanshui Zhenren was even more frightened afterwards. ¡°What are you doing? Why did you run over there, come here quickly?¡± Another shout came. This time, everyone stopped in place, daring not to act recklessly. Shen Luo, with his divided soul, was speechless inside. He had the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead in his hand and hadn''t been much poisoned. Though he could also see hallucinations, he could still discern the difference between illusion and reality. He only saw Li Biao''s figure rushing over from the side of the poison mist, grabbing Liu Hong''s sleeve, and scolding, ¡°Are you poisoned blind? Why aren''t you following me?¡± Angered, Liu Hong lifted his foot and kicked Li Biao''s butt. The latter was completely unprepared, fell flat on his face, and was stunned for a moment. However, he quickly flipped up and slapped Liu Hong on the head, cursing, ¡°What wrong medicine did you take, kid?¡± Liu Hong was hit and felt dizzy, hesitatingly asking, ¡°Isn''t it a hallucination?¡± ¡°Hallucination my ass, if we don''t leave, we will all die here,¡± Li Biao cursed and dashed toward the exit, leaving everyone behind. The others, doubting yet believing, hurriedly followed. Soon, another light gate appeared in front of everyone, but this time it was different from the previous one; beside the gate, there were two segments of a broken black stone pillar, inside which they could see the golden pearl embedded just like those in the Soul Birth Pillar. This time everyone finally relaxed and began to enter the light gate one after another. Shen Luo, controlling Ghost Teng Master, deliberately lagged behind. Just before entering the gate, he suddenly activated the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead. Instantly, multicolored lights blossomed from the bead as it started frantically absorbing the surrounding Gu poison mist, and in no time it had sucked it all into the bead. After collecting the bead, he then stepped through the white light gate. Shen Luo only felt a burst of dazzling white light before him, which then gradually dimmed. As his vision slowly returned, he realized they had directly arrived in a large circular-dome building. The light inside the great hall was very abundant, even somewhat dazzling. As everyone walked in, they involuntarily covered their eyes, somewhat unaccustomed to the sudden bright light. Shen Luo felt as if his entire body was bathed in sacred light, feeling an indescribable comfort, even the trace of Gu poison that had contaminated Ghost Teng Master''s body seemed to have been completely cleansed. Everyone else felt the same, and all were immediately delighted, thinking they had finally withstood the test and it was time to receive their reward. Shen Luo looked around and saw that the center of the great hall had a lower terrain, a relatively open area, with the ground covered with white jade stone-like slabs, transparent and bright enough to reflect people. Across this circular courtyard stood a slightly elevated platform, on which stood seven humanoid statues, men and women, old and young, each dressed in Witch Clan garments, appearing sacred and solemn. Just when Shen Luo and the others were about to step into the courtyard, sudden overwhelming breaths emerged from those humanoid statues. ¡°Are they alive?¡± Shen Luo was startled. The others also noticed the abnormality, and the nerves that had just relaxed immediately tensed up again. ¡°What are these things?¡± Liu Hong asked in surprise. ¡°They look like guardian stone statues placed here by the Witch Clan, but they have spiritual consciousness fluctuations within them, seemingly with divine souls sealed inside,¡± Tao Xiang said. ¡°How dare you trespass into Lord Hou Yi''s tomb chamber, do you know the death penalty?¡± A furious scolding voice came from the direction of the stone statues. Everyone was staring at the stone statues, and hearing the voice without seeing their mouths move only added to their confusion. Chapter 1575 Chapter 1575: Chapter 1571: Mysterious Monster Soul Chapter 1575: Chapter 1571: Mysterious Monster Soul ¡°Stop playing ghost tricks, we are the descendants who have passed the trials of the Soul Birth Gate and the Soul Dying Gate, here to receive the gifts from Hou Yi,¡± Tian Sanqi steadied himself and spoke out loud. Just as his voice fell, the eyelids of the seven guardian stone statues suddenly flipped, all opening their eyes. However, these stone statues, upon opening their eyes, still appeared stone-like without pupils, creating a somewhat eerie sight. ¡°Damn it.¡± The female stone statue in the central spoke, her voice thundering in anger. ¡°What is this nonsense, after the Soul Birth Gate and the Soul Dying Gate, there are more tests? Why didn''t the Clan Leader mention this?¡± Yan Lie said. ¡°Who cares. Why don''t we just smash all these stone statues into pieces?¡± Li Biao grinned as he suggested. Everyone was eager and prepared to start the fight, but Shen Luo felt something was amiss in his heart. Just as they were about to engage in another battle, the entire hall suddenly started shaking violently. The ground did not merely sway side-to-side, but arched upwards and then slowly descended like an Earth Dragon turning over, resembling surging water waves. ¡°Who exactly are you? Why do you want to destroy the Pillar of Souls? Could it be that you were sent by Wu Luo?¡± The central female stone statue spoke again, questioning everyone. Hearing this, a bad premonition flashed through Shen Luo''s heart. ¡°Wu Luo? Pillar of Souls? What in the world does this mean?¡± Tao Xiang frowned. ¡°Isn''t this a trial from the Yi Lingqin? What Pillar of Souls?¡± Wanshui Zhenren was also greatly puzzled. However, before everyone could figure it out, the shaking of the hall became even more intense, and the ground''s shaking was mixed with a series of dull booming sounds, making everyone increasingly uneasy. ¡°Those things have still escaped¡­¡± The female stone statue sighed mournfully. As soon as her voice fell, a series of thunderous sounds continuously exploded, and Shen Luo and the others sensed several overwhelmingly strong presences converging towards this area, all looking towards the distance. From different directions around them, six groups of dense black mist surged forward, each emitting incredibly strong Demon Power fluctuations, evidently six powerful and unpredictable Monster Souls. When they were just ten-zhang away from everyone, strange giggling sounds came from the six groups of Monster Soul black mist: ¡°Haha, finally, we have come out¡­¡± One of the Monster Souls'' black mist churned, revealing a massive dark green serpent, with flesh wings on both sides of its snake head, fluttering and producing a ¡°whoosh whoosh¡± sound. ¡°Blood Meal, I need a Blood Meal,¡± its eyes emitting a blood-red glow, it continuously flicked its crimson forked tongue, appearing extremely thirsty, and cried out in human speech. Beside it, another group of Monster Soul black mist also rolled over, revealing a giant black boar with six white sharp fangs at the corners of its mouth, drooling, and said naively: ¡°Xiu Snake, look over there, aren''t they there? The vigor of their blood is extremely strong, all are the best supplements.¡± ¡°It''s all mine, all of that is mine¡­¡± the Monster Soul known as Xiu Snake smirked, giggling. ¡°Look, Xiu Snake, you really need to change your habit of hogging the food for yourself. Back then, it was because of your gluttony that you fell into Hou Yi''s trap. After so many years, you still haven''t changed your ways, do you want to be sealed again?¡± Another group of Monster Soul black mist also started churning. Soon, a creature with a body enveloped in crimson and surrounded by clouds, a large horse with a high head, emerged, but it had a pale human face on its horse head, looking eerily like a ghost face. ¡°Yakshalaya, old man''s affairs are not your place to intervene. Dare to talk more, and I will eat you first, believe it or not?¡± Xiu Snake was unafraid as he made a threatening statement. ¡°Oblivious to what''s good for you¡­¡± the horse-bodied, human-faced monster soul ignored, shaking its head. At that time, the remaining three monster souls also surged up, revealing their true forms. One of them was also very large in size, covered in azure scales with a body like a giant deer, but on its neck grew nine strange hornless dragon heads, emanating a strong murderous intent. Another, smaller in size compared to the former, about the size of a hunting dog and resembling an eagle, however, like Yakshalaya, possessed a bizarre human face, always with a rigid smile that sent shivers down one''s spine. The last monster soul took the strangest form, humanoid but exceedingly hideous, its skin dark blue and black, with a large, disproportioned bloody mouth, sharp teeth haphazardly aligned, occasionally making ¡°kaka¡± teeth grinding sounds. After these monster souls appeared, all the stone statues in the great hall shone with white light, and intense prohibition fluctuations emanated from them, resonating subtly with the entire hall. At the same time, seven statues each burst forth with a stream of white light, falling upon the six monster souls; the one with nine heads received extra attention, as two beams of white light fell upon it. As the white light descended, a tremendous suppressing force burst forth in the hall, causing the forms of the six monster souls to involuntarily stall, their arrogant heads significantly subdued. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Roar¡­¡± Just then, the nine-headed monster soul was the first to resist. With a roar, its nine heads simultaneously spit out, a powerful mix of water and fire burst forth, scattered the white light that fell on it without interference. The ugly monster soul, however, grasped into the void with one hand and a primitive bronze shield appeared, holding a snow-white spear in the other hand, seemingly transformed from its fang, also scattering the white light. The other four monster souls displayed their capabilities as well, breaking free from the suppression of the stone statues. ¡°Haha¡­ The Pillar of Souls is destroyed, the Great Formation can no longer contain us, with just a few residual spirit statues, what can you do to me?¡± the nine-headed monster soul laughed wildly. ¡°Nevermind them, let''s take the Blood Meal, I can''t wait any longer¡­¡± Xiu Snake shouted furiously, swung its giant tail, and its form dashed, nearly instantaneously arriving in front of everyone, opening its mouth wide towards Tao Xiang to bite. Its Blood Basin opened vast, the inside dark as a demonic cavern. ¡°Seeking death¡­¡± Before Tao Xiang could act, Li Biao and Liu Hong had already intervened from left and right, attacking Xiu Snake. At this moment, the other five monster souls also initiated their attack, charging towards everyone. Despite still not completely understanding the situation, Wanshui Zhenren and the others had no choice but to brace themselves and confront the six monster souls. From the outset of the clash, both the Human Race on this side and the monster souls on the other were somewhat surprised. Wanshui Zhenren and others found that these monster souls were extremely powerful, having just broken free from suppression, their current state wasn''t ideal, otherwise, they might genuinely have been unable to contend. Yet, the monster souls were also surprised that these Blood Meals each possessed formidable Magical Treasures, causing real pain upon impact, but due to being suppressed for many years, they were severely weakened; otherwise, even with Magical Treasures, they would not have feared at all. After all, back in the day when causing chaos in the Three Realms, which one of them hadn''t experienced swallowing Magical Treasures? Chapter 1576 Chapter 1576: Chapter 1572: Deception Chapter 1576: Chapter 1572: Deception Shen Luo was controlling Ghost Vine Master to battle against the eagle-shaped monster soul, but he found himself unable to get close. That guy was always wearing a smile, and with the flapping of his double wings, wind blades surged forth, forcing Shen Luo to retreat step by step. ¡°What exactly is the origin of these creatures?¡± Shen Luo wondered with alarm in his heart. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the stone statue behind him, and suddenly he was hit by a wind blade and sent flying, landing right in front of the stone statue without deviating. Ghost Vine Master approached the stone statue of the woman and whispered, ¡°I''m sorry.¡± With that, taking advantage of everyone else not paying attention to this spot, a light surged from the Free and Easy Mirror in his sleeve, enveloping the stone statue and pulling it into the mirror. Then, Ghost Vine Master charged again and began to grapple with the eagle monster soul. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu, and Fire Spirit Child appeared in front of the stone statue. ¡°Shameless villains, do you know the grave mistake you''ve committed? Return me immediately, or once the monster soul escapes, and Wu Luo succeeds, the Three Realms will be plunged into chaos and bloodshed,¡± the stone statue angrily protested upon seeing them. ¡°We had no choice but to resort to this tactic, please forgive us. We really don''t understand what is going on here? We clearly came in to undertake a trial to receive the treasure gifted by the late Elder Hou Yi, how did we end up releasing a monster soul?¡± Shen Luo tried to keep it brief. ¡°You are not the lackeys of Wu Luo?¡± the stone statue asked. ¡°Who is Wu Luo?¡± Shen Luo frowned and asked. ¡°You¡­ Ah, indeed this place is the tomb chamber of Lord Hou Yi, and it surely contains the sacred relics he left behind. However, those relics are also the seals that suppress the six ancient demons that wreak havoc in the Human World outside,¡± the stone statue sighed and explained. ¡°Those creatures are ancient demons?¡± Shen Luo frowned. ¡°That giant snake is known as Xiu Snake, which once dominated the Ba Shu region, consuming countless humans. The hideous monster soul is a demon from the Big Swamp in the south, named Yakshalaya, also a scourge upon the land. There''s also the nine-headed demon Jiuyin, the Hongmeng demon species Fengniao, the giant wild boar, and Great Wind, each one heinous and steeped in blood debts. They were all eventually slain by Lord Hou Yi. Because their demon souls were difficult to extinguish, they were sealed and suppressed here. But now you''ve disturbed the Pillar of Souls, releasing them all,¡± the stone statue said. ¡°The Pillar of Souls, we didn''t destroy anything¡­¡± Shen Luo was in the midst of speaking when he suddenly realized what they had thought were the ¡°Soul Birth Pillar¡± and the ¡°Soul Dying Pillar¡± were not what they seemed; they must be the Pillar of Souls referred to by the stone statue. ¡°That''s not right, the descendants of the Witch Clan we met at the foot of the mountain didn''t say this. They told us there were trials left by Hou Yi here, only to select those worthy of receiving his treasure,¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but say. ¡°The descendants of the Witch Clan? What descendants of the Witch Clan?¡± the stone statue questioned. Shen Luo felt an increasingly strong sense of foreboding and recounted the encounter with the Witch Clan Tribe at the foot of the mountain. ¡°It''s impossible. Our Witch Clan was already extinct in ancient times; we are the last remaining Witch Clan people who have turned into stone statues to guard the mausoleum. How could there be any descendants of the Witch Clan?¡± the stone statue said definitively. ¡°Could it be that everything we encountered at the foot of the mountain was just an illusion?¡± This was something Shen Luo found difficult to accept. ¡°Constructing illusions on such a large scale for such a long duration is quite difficult, and all of you are very careful and cautious individuals. To not notice a single flaw nor even have the slightest suspicion is indeed terrifying,¡± Fire Spirit Child also couldn''t help but admire. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It seems that you too have fallen for Wu Luo''s illusion techniques,¡± the stone statue observed and slowly said. ¡°Who exactly is this Wu Luo?¡± Shen Luo inquired. ¡°Wu Luo is an ancient demon from the Celestial Secret Realm who is highly skilled in illusion techniques; he was originally suppressed in another desolate area within the Secret Realm. Over a thousand years ago, for some unknown reason, he broke free. Since then, he has been plotting to steal a divine weapon from Lord Hou Yi''s tomb¨Cthe Ruo Mu Divine Bow,¡± the stone statue explained. ¡°Ruo Mu Divine Bow, is that the Godly Weapon that once shot down nine suns?¡± Upon hearing this, Fire Spirit Child immediately got excited. ¡°Yes.¡± the Stone Statue said. ¡°He painstakingly used Illusion Techniques to deceive you all, just to get the Divine Bow; you must not let him succeed.¡± Nie Caizhu spoke up. As soon as her voice fell, a bright light suddenly emitted from the Stone Statue''s eyes, shining upon Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo was startled and subconsciously wanted to step forward to intervene. But before he could act, the two beams of light suddenly retracted. ¡°What did you do?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes turned cold, instantly becoming filled with killing intent. ¡°She didn''t do anything; don''t worry, I''m fine.¡± Nie Caizhu quickly grasped his hand, softly speaking. ¡°Strange, strange, your body actually contains our Witch Tribe Bloodline, and it is even that of Zhu Jiuyin''s lineage, although not yet awakened, it''s quite pure.¡± the Stone Statue said, ignoring Shen Luo. ¡°Zhu Jiuyin''s Bloodline?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows. ¡°To our Witch Clan, it is also a very unique and rare lineage; once this bloodline is awakened, one would be able to wield Time Divine Ability.¡± the Stone Statue explained. ¡°Time Divine Ability¡­ Are these words for real?¡± Shen Luo''s brows could not help but knit together. He knew very well the significance of these words; after all, Time Divine Ability is not like other elemental powers, it''s mysterious and extremely powerful. The Stone Statue did not heed Shen Luo''s inquiry, instead, it seemed to fall into deep thought. ¡°To encounter a descendant with Witch Tribe Bloodline here is also fate; I can help you activate your Witch Bloodline, do you wish for that?¡± After a moment, the Stone Statue asked. Nie Caizhu was also somewhat at a loss with this sudden news, subconsciously turning to Shen Luo with an inquiring look. ¡°What price does she need to pay?¡± Shen Luo inquired. At this moment, the Stone Statue also realized that Shen Luo was Nie Caizhu''s pillar of strength, and said: ¡°She doesn''t have to pay any price, but you must promise that once you''ve gained this power, you must do everything in your power to protect Lord Hou Yi''s Legacy, and never let it fall into Wu Luo''s hands.¡± ¡°Wu Luo has played us for fools, even without your words, I would also not allow him to succeed.¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That''s good, my current strength is truly too weak; after helping her initiate her Witch Tribe Bloodline, it is merely to awaken her bloodline initially, afterward, you will need to assist her to inherit Lord Hou Yi''s power.¡± the Stone Statue said. Hearing this, Shen Luo set his mind at ease, knowing that the Stone Statue truly intended to entrust this matter to them. Thereafter, ripples stirred in the lake of Shen Luo''s heart, the voice of the Stone Statue actually resounded in his Sea of Knowledge, telling him the method to Lord Hou Yi''s Tomb Chamber. ¡°Grateful for your trust and entrustment, we shall not fail.¡± Shen Luo bowed with his hands clasped. ¡°Alright, I am going to begin now.¡± The Stone Statue naturally could not return the gesture, only saying. After speaking, a dark red light suddenly burst from the brow of the Stone Statue, shooting directly into Nie Caizhu''s forehead, forming a bridge linking the two together. Chapter 1577 Chapter 1577: Chapter 1573: Wu Luo Descends Chapter 1577: Chapter 1573: Wu Luo Descends Shen Luo saw that Nie Caizhu and the stone statue could not finish in a short time, so he pinched a magic formula. A white fog descended from the sky, forming a light curtain of mist that engulfed their bodies. At this moment, a sharp, cackling laughter sounded from outside, piercing through the sky like metal and stone, and the Free and Easy Mirror could not block the laughter from coming in. The soul power in Shen Luo''s mind was stimulated by the laughter, trembling unconsciously, and the scenery in front of him distorted and changed, causing him to be startled and hastily operate the Suppressing God Technique to suppress his soul, restoring everything to normal. ¡°Such a terrifying illusion cultivation level, just hearing the voice can cause illusions! Could it be Wu Luo has come?¡± With this thought, Shen Luo hurriedly used the vision of Ghost Teng Master to check the situation outside. He had the Free and Easy Mirror as a barrier and almost fell into the illusion; Yan Lie, Tao Xiang, and others who directly heard the laughter were in an even worse situation, their divine souls violently shaking, and one illusion after another appeared before their eyes, like a kaleidoscope, completely unable to extricate themselves. Fortunately, over the years, their cultivation levels had greatly improved, and they had obtained one or two magical treasures to maintain their souls. They each used spells and thus finally escaped the illusions. ¡°You have some skills, thank you for helping to release the Six Great Demonic Souls, but now it''s none of your business, just stay aside!¡± The weird laughter suddenly intensified by a notch. Everyone''s ears buzzed, as if many fine needles were drilling inside, causing them to shiver involuntarily and hurriedly suppress it with their own spells. At this moment, clumps of white light bloomed from the surroundings, instantly engulfing everyone''s vision. The six people''s visions blurred and a world filled with white fog appeared, these mists still transforming incessantly, as if numerous demon tendrils were swaying, pulling at their divine wisdom. ¡°Be careful, this fog can lead people into illusions!¡± Tao Xiang, seeing the situation around her, immediately recalled her experience in Cloud Mist Mountain and urgently reminded in a deep voice. The others had already sensed the abnormality of the fog and struggled to resist. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the illusion fog here was really formidable, far surpassing that of Cloud Mist Mountain, and among the six, Wanshui Zhenren, Liu Hong, and Li Biao, who had weaker cultivation levels, began to look bewildered, obviously about to be unable to withstand the illusions around. Tian Sanqi, Yan Lie, and Tao Xiang seemed to still barely hold on. ¡°It seems this is an Illusion Array, this person can form such illusions with a flip of his hand, it must be Wu Luo.¡± Shen Luo, within the Free and Easy Mirror, was minimally affected by the illusion fog, and after looking around, he frowned and pondered. Seeing that Liu Hong and Li Biao were in bad shape, Tao Xiang hurriedly yelled, and Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud shone a bright blue-white light, forming a protective cover around the two. She glanced to the side, and the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud swiftly extended, enveloping Wanshui Zhenren in the blue-white light shield as well. The Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud had an effect of stabilizing the mind, and the three of them quickly regained their composure, having escaped the influence of the surrounding fog. ¡°Thank you,¡± Yan Lie bowed to Tao Xiang, expressing his gratitude. Tao Xiang waved her hand; now all of them were grasshoppers on the same rope, protecting one person meant increasing their collective strength. ¡°Who issued that laughter just now? What did his words mean?¡± Tian Sanqi asked urgently. Tao Xiang and Yan Lie frowned tightly, not speaking, obviously not understanding. ¡°Fellow cultivators, I just caught a Witch Tribe stone statue, and learned some things from it. Those laughs should be emitted by a demon named Wu Luo,¡± Shen Luo controlled Ghost Teng Master to speak. A silver light appeared on the top of Ghost Teng Master''s head, vaguely revealing a small silver bell inside, emitting a wave of light that isolated the surrounding fog. This small silver bell, obtained from the Nameless Wild Ghost, serves to isolate divine soul attacks to some extent. ¡°Wu Luo?¡± ¡°Wu Luo!¡± Tao Xiang and Tian Sanqi spoke at the same time, one looking puzzled, the other''s voice filled with shock. ¡°Friend Tian, do you know of Wu Luo?¡± Yan Lie looked towards Tian Sanqi. ¡°I''ve read about him in the classics. This person is an ancient demon, a major general under Chiyou''s command, but he has long ago died in the Zhulu War. How could he still be alive?¡± Tian Sanqi hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Wu Luo was under Chiyou''s command!¡± Shen Luo, hearing this news, was also greatly surprised. ¡°Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist, have you inquired about any other news? For example, what Wu Luo meant by saying we released the Six Great Demonic Souls?¡± Tao Xiang frowned slightly but quickly recovered and asked Ghost Teng Master. Shen Luo, also trapped in the illusion domain, did not hide anything and shared everything he had learned about Wu Luo from the stone statue. ¡°I don''t know why Wu Luo would illusion the White Teeth Tribe to deceive us into releasing the Six Great Demonic Souls, but this person has always been plotting to seize the Hou Yi Divine Artifact suppressed here. He certainly won''t let us go, so I suggest we join forces to break out of this illusion domain, slay Wu Luo, and then compete for the Hou Yi''s Legacy based on our own abilities!¡± Tao Xiang, Tian Sanqi, and the others were dumbfounded upon hearing Ghost Teng Master''s words, subconsciously thinking he was lying. Being individuals with powerful divine abilities, falling into such an illusion and not detecting any clues seemed impossible. However, recalling the series of events that just occurred made them feel that what Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist said was reasonable, and he had no reason to lie. ¡°What Ghost Vine Fellow Daoist says makes sense. Now that we are all trapped by Wu Luo''s illusion domain, which is extremely powerful, it will be difficult to break without our combined effort,¡± Tao Xiang was the first to speak after a moment of silence. Tian Sanqi and Yan Lie also nodded in agreement. ¡°If so, how do we break this illusion? Do any of you have any ideas?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo asked. He himself was considering methods to break the illusion array, but unfortunately, the illusion array here was extremely sophisticated, far surpassing the previous Yang Umbrella illusion, and he had no ideas yet. While controlling Ghost Teng Master to speak, Shen Luo also looked towards Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Hmph! Don''t look at me like that, the illusion array outside is very sophisticated, and I''m just an old and weak tool spirit, I have no way to break the array,¡± said Fire Spirit Child, rolling his eyes. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt a sinking feeling, even Fire Spirit Child had no solution; were they to resort to brute force? ¡°My fellow cultivators, I do have an idea that might work,¡± Yan Lie suddenly spoke. ¡°Please speak, Friend Yan,¡± Shen Luo was delighted and controlled the Ghost Teng Master to speak. ¡°I have a set of array techniques in my possession called the ''Annihilation Vajra Array,'' which is a secret array from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, capable of summoning the Silent Buddha Fire. As you know, the Buddhist Silent Zen Meditation technique restrains illusion-based divine powers; it might be able to break this illusion domain,¡± Yan Lie said. ¡°Annihilation Vajra Array! This is a famous array of Ling Mountain. I did not expect Friend Yan to possess such an array. However, as far as I know, this array requires Buddhist power to perform, and none of us have cultivated Buddhist divine techniques. Are we able to activate it?¡± Tian Sanqi said with a surprised look, immediately speaking after. Chapter 1578 Chapter 1578: Chapter 1574: Devouring Soul Chapter 1578: Chapter 1574: Devouring Soul ¡°Regarding this matter, Fellow Cultivators need not worry. I have the battle formation map of this Array. We only need nine True Immortal Cultivators to enter the Array Picture and channel their Mana into it to activate the Array''s operation and unleash the Annihilation Vajra Array,¡± said Yan Lie as he waved his sleeve. A golden Array Picture appeared around them, spreading rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, it expanded to over a hundred Zhang, with nine glowing points on it, each revealing the virtual shadow of a Vajra, and the sounds of Buddhist Chant echoed within the Illusionary Domain, pushing the surrounding White Fog far back. ¡°There are nine True Immortals required, and we only have seven people here,¡± said Tao Xiang with a frown. ¡°I have two Vajra puppets at the True Immortal Stage that can replace True Immortal Cultivators in casting spells,¡± Yan Lie waved his hand, and two streaks of golden light flew out, landing in two of the golden light points on the Array Picture, revealing two Buddhist Vajras holding magical instruments. The two Vajra puppets looked almost indistinguishable from living people, with angry eyes and circles of strong golden Buddha''s Light radiating around them. Seeing this, Tao Xiang and the others hesitated slightly before also entering a cluster of golden light within the Array Picture. They were now trapped in an Illusion Domain, with no idea when Wu Luo would attack, so they had to break through the formation as quickly as possible. Shen Luo did not hesitate either, and controlled Ghost Teng Master to also enter a cluster of golden light. Upon entering the golden light, a powerful force from the Buddhist Sect enveloped Ghost Teng Master, causing its Divine soul, which had already perished, to feel discomfort. Fortunately, this force from the Buddhist Sect did not invade it, and it was still bearable. He controlled Ghost Teng Master to run the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, causing a cool sensation to rise in his mind. ¡°Fellow Cultivators, just channel your Mana into the Array Picture. I will control the changes in the Array,¡± said Yan Lie as he landed in a golden light at the Central position, taking out a golden Round Pearl and quickly activating it with hand seals. ¡°A Relic?¡± Shen Luo immediately recognized the golden Round Pearl; he also had a Dingyuan Relic on him. The Annihilation Vajra Array Picture burst forth with a sky-high golden brilliance, and the sound of chanting from the Void resonated tenfold louder, with countless Golden Runes dancing within the golden light, dispersing all the White Fog around them. Beneath the feet of Ghost Teng Master and the other nine, a flash of golden light revealed a Golden Lotus Platform, covered in Buddhist esoteric symbols. Each of them channeled their Mana and poured it into the Lotus platform, causing the Array Picture to begin rumbling and rotating. ¡°Mahasattva, Vajra''s furious gaze, Silent Buddha Fire, refining the multitude of demons!¡± Yan Lie fully activated the Relic in front of him, loudly reciting the mantra. The Array Picture immediately began to operate fully, all the golden light flowing like water towards the Central part of the Great Formation, and in a few breaths, a Vajra Manifestation towering several dozens Zhang high, with three heads and six arms, appeared. Yan Lie threw the golden Relic in his hand out, and in a flash, it disappeared into the brow of the Vajra Manifestation, startlingly becoming embedded there. The golden Relic suddenly shone brilliantly, turning into a huge vertical Golden Eye, from which a great expanse of golden flames shot out, sweeping across the Illusionary space around it. Boom! Rumble! Rumble! The space of the Illusion Domain shook violently, with large swaths of White Fog being burned away, emitting a loud hissing noise, seemingly on the verge of collapse. ¡°Indeed effective! Fellow Cultivators, increase your Mana output!¡± Yan Lie said joyfully upon seeing this. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo and the others infused more Mana, and the fire from the Vajra Manifestation''s vertical eye intensified, continuing to burn the Illusionary space surrounding them. Waves of illusory power were being burnt by the Annihilation Vajra Array, quickly dissipated. ¡°Young Master Shen, I remember you have a Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman on you, with not much illusory power left in it. Now is a rare opportunity, you can absorb the surrounding illusory power to replenish the Talisman''s might,¡± Fire Spirit Child reminded. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately took out the Liangyi Micro Dust Talisman and handed it to Ghost Teng Master. Ghost Teng Master activated the Talisman, and the surrounding dissipating illusory power immediately began to converge towards it. Tian Sanqi, sensing the abnormal flow of illusion power nearby, showed a look of surprise on his face, briefly gave Ghost Teng Master a deep look, then looked away without saying anything. As time went by, the illusionary space around them quickly thinned, vaguely revealing the mausoleum outside. ¡°The illusionary space has revealed its flaws, everyone attack together, shatter the illusionary Array!¡± Yan Lie shouted loudly, continuing to operate the Silent Buddha Fire to burn the illusionary space, at the same time summoning a red small tower. With a whirl, the tower expanded in the wind, transforming into a huge nine-story pagoda wrapped in searing white flames, which crashed like falling meteors onto the weak spot of the illusionary space. Tao Xiang also waved her hand, summoning the Gu Xuan star disk, from which a great expanse of starlight burst forth, solidifying into a column of starlight and also striking the same spot. Muttering incantations, Tian Sanqi conjured a dark red war drum above his head. With a boom, numerous red sound waves vibrated from the drum, hitting the same area. Wanshui Zhenren, Liu Hong, and Li Biao also each brought out their magical treasures and delivered their most powerful strikes. Ghost Teng Master uttered a low shout, and with a grab through the void, a fluctuation above the piece of illusionary space occurred, and a yellow palm as large as an acre appeared out of nowhere, wrapped in a dense Corpse Air, brutally grabbing down. It was the Heavenly Corpse Divine Palm, an ultimate technique from the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. Worried about insufficient power, Shen Luo let the Sky Fiend Corpse King channel some of its strength into Ghost Teng Master''s body. The might of the Heavenly Corpse Divine Palm surged instantly, overshadowing the attacks of the others and grasping down fiercely. Yan Lie and the others showed looks of astonishment. The current Ghost Teng Master seemed different from before, having played crucial roles continuously before, and now unleashing such a powerful attack. A series of thunderous roars erupted, and the illusionary space immediately collapsed. The scene changed for everyone, and they found themselves back inside Houyi''s Tomb. The situation inside Houyi''s Tomb had changed dramatically; countless white spider silks appeared, covering nearly the entire Hall. In the center of the Hall, a huge spider web sprawled across half of the mausoleum. There were also three enormous white cocoon-like objects on the web, trembling occasionally, and from within came rumbling explosion sounds, as though something was trapped inside. Apart from these, there was nothing else in the mausoleum. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What are these spider silks? Where is Wu Luo? And where have the six great monster souls disappeared to?¡± Yan Lie''s gaze swept around, and he said solemnly. While speaking, he spread out his divine sense towards the three cocoons on the spider web, but as his divine sense touched the spider web, an illusionary force invaded. This illusionary force was extremely powerful and concentrated, utterly different from the scattered illusionary force encountered previously in the illusionary space, breaking through the defense of the Annihilation Vajra Array and invading his mind instantly. Yan Lie''s soul power surged tumultuously; he quickly ran his secret soul technique with full strength while also operating the Annihilation Vajra Array to just barely fend off that illusionary force. The others experienced the same situation when they extended their divine senses. Seeing what happened to them, Shen Luo did not spread his divine sense but instead used his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to look around. ¡°Fellow Cultivators, the three monster souls are in those cocoons, a surge of demonic Qi is devouring them, most likely that is Wu Luo. The other three great monster souls have probably already been devoured by it! This is a matter of life and death; we cannot let it succeed!¡± He made Ghost Teng Master shout out, then without waiting for others to react, he urged the Heavenly Corpse Divine Palm to strike one of the white cocoons. In the center of the yellow palm, a faint layer of red flames appeared, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, the nemesis of undead ghost creatures. A roar of fury came from the white cocoon, and a thick black light pillar shot out from within, colliding with the yellow palm. However, a flash of golden light skimmed the edge of the yellow palm, and a golden sword light streaked out, slashing across dozens of feet in a flash and striking another cocoon, executing a deceptive move. The sound of fabric tearing rang out. The white cocoon was slashed open with a large cut, thick Black Qi billowed out from it, and a dark snake head emerged, one of the heads of the Nine-Headed Serpent, struggling to burrow out. Chapter 1579 Chapter 1579: Chapter 1575 Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Chapter 1579: Chapter 1575 Heavenly Demon Silk Dance ¡°Good kid, daring to sabotage my grand plan!¡± A furious shout came from inside the black light pillar, followed shortly by a graceful pink figure shooting out. This person was also extremely fast, trailing a series of pink afterimages, and in a flash, arrived next to the fissured white cocoon, opening her mouth to spit out a white light that hit the crack in the cocoon, instantly healing it. Only then did everyone see the true face of the pink figure¨Ca woman in a pink dress, extremely beautiful, but even more eye-catching was the pervasive charm power throughout her body. At first glance, she was flirtatious and diverse, and at second glance, she was devastatingly beautiful, capable of causing chaos in the world. Beside the pink skirted woman, the void fluctuated, and eight other women appeared out of thin air. They were all stunningly beautiful and also dressed in pink skirts, exuding an endless seductive charm, and they all pounced toward Ghost Teng Master. In their pounce, the nine women danced in midair, like cranes in flight, displaying extreme grace and alluring beauty to the utmost. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo only glanced at the dance of the nine women once, and his mind immediately became dizzy, his heart demon stirring restlessly. ¡°Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array!¡± He immediately recognized that the dance of the nine women before him was the Demonic Powers used by Ghost Yan during the big battle in the Yin Yang Cave that year, and the power of the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array before him was even greater. Shen Luo hurriedly looked away and circulated the Suppressing God Technique to stabilize his mind. Ghost Teng Master, however, stood there transfixed, as if bewitched by this demonic dance. The others were about to make a move when their Divine Senses touched the spider silk in the hall and were invaded by illusion power. Although they resisted, they were still left with after-effects. At this moment, as the charm power of the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance diffused, several people''s Divine souls became restless again, hurriedly each performing suppression, unable to lend a hand to Shen Luo. At the same time, inside the black light pillar''s cocoon, a rapidly spinning black shadow emerged, bursting with an exceptionally strong Demonic Qi fluctuation, having already reached the Taiyi Stage. Within the black shadow, countless demon shadows and specters opened their Blood Basins, excitedly jostling and biting in a frenzy. Piercing wails came from within the cocoon, as the originally plump and rounded cocoon quickly shriveled, as if the Monster souls inside were completely devoured by the black shadow. The black shadow suddenly grew much larger, and the emanating Demonic Qi fluctuation also intensified by a third, pouncing toward another cocoon. At this point, Tao Xiang and the others finally suppressed the turmoil within them. ¡°Wu Luo can gain strength by devouring Monster souls! No wonder it wanted to use our power to release these six monster souls. Stop that Wu Luo quickly!¡± Tao Xiang shouted loudly, her mana pouring into the Annihilation Vajra Array. These white spider silks contained extremely strong illusion power, and the dance array of the nine enchanting women was also formidable; only the Annihilation Vajra Array could withstand it. At the same time, Tao Xiang also activated the Gu Xuan star disk; three beams of light shot out from the star disk, quickly expanding and transforming into three great arrays. The first was the starlight array, with countless star particles twinkling within, emitting a thunderous explosive sound as if to shatter everything. The second was the thunder and lightning array, with numerous silver lightning snakes intertwining inside; the third array was interwoven with wind and fire, forming massive wind-fire wheel blades. Star Sand Refining Immortal Array! Silver Serpent Thunder Array! Wind Fire Wheel Array! The three Ancient Arrays fiercely struck the white spider web, pouring their full power into the web array. There was a starlight explosion, lightning snakes moving about, wind and fire intermingling¨Ca thunderous and earth-shattering boom, and the white spider web completely shattered, with the other white silks inside the hall torn apart, and the two cocoons also shaken and flung out. A long black light shot out from the black shadow, curling towards the two cocoons. However, two flashes of Green Light struck like lightning, the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone, beating the black light to the space above the cocoons, releasing a vast expanse of Green Light, merging into a Green Light Curtain that enveloped the two white cocoons. The Green Light Curtain appeared extremely soft, like a Green curtain, surrounding the two cocoons and suddenly sinking, avoiding the sweep of Black Qi. Liu Hong and Li Biao shot over quickly, swiftly forming hand seals to cast spells. The blue light curtain swiftly deformed, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a blue bag, which enveloped the two cocoons inside, then shot away toward the distance. The dark shadow roared angrily, and like a raging wave it shot forward, its speed astonishingly fast, instantly catching up with the blue bag. A black demon claw reached out from within the dark shadow, grabbing towards the white cocoon inside the blue bag. Liu Hong''s right hand pinched in the void as if he had caught the Soul of Ink Brush, and he made a heavy stroke in the emptiness. The blue bag, originally several zhang in size, suddenly shrank to the size of a palm, and the two blue cocoons inside also became smaller. The black demon claw was originally grabbing at the blue bag, but now the bag suddenly shrank, and the demon claw fiercely grabbed at the empty space, causing the space to tremble violently and a storm to sweep through. The palm-sized blue bag, taking advantage of this storm, shot away into the distance. ¡°Good!¡± Yan Lie shouted in praise, activating the Annihilation Vajra Array Map and pouncing towards the dark shadow, the vast Silent Buddha Fire submerging it. The brilliant white flames around the nine-story pagoda intensified several times, and the nearby void was scorched into twisting black mists, lashing towards the dark shadow. This tower is called the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, it contains the Six Ding Divine Fire, capable of burning all things, and is also effective against Demonic Qi. Beside him, Wanshui Zhenren wielded the Golden Dragon Scissors, conjuring two golden dragons, head to head, tail entwined, also snipping towards the dark shadow. Tian Sanqi, on the other hand, manipulated the dark red war drum, which suddenly grew to the size of a small mountain, and struck at the nine enchanting women surrounding Ghost Teng Master. After overcoming the trial of breaking through the Illusion Array''s space, the seven people worked together with even greater tacit understanding, taking control of the entire situation in one fell swoop. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You''re seeking death!¡± An angry roar came from within the dark shadow, which abruptly enlarged a hundredfold, engulfing half of the mausoleum, its surface glistening with a liquid-like sheen. The Silent Buddha Fire, Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, and Golden Dragon Scissors ferociously hit the dark shadow. The shadow trembled slightly, forming ripples, and then both the Buddha fire and magical treasures disappeared into it, as if a clay ox had entered the sea. The blue bag wrapping the two cocoons was also enveloped by the dark shadow, unable to move and rapidly sinking into it, vanishing without a trace. The surging dark shadow did not cease, continuing to spread outward, lunging towards Tao Xiang and the others. Yan Lie, Tao Xiang, and the others were greatly shocked, hastily retreating far away, not daring to let it get close. ¡°Don''t be afraid, everyone. These are all illusions!¡± Just at that moment, a voice like a booming bell rang out, shaking the spirit, it was Ghost Teng Master''s voice. Everyone''s vision became blurry, then immediately returned to clarity. The dark shadow that covered the sky and earth all disappeared, and the magical treasures were properly floating there again, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, the dark shadow that Wu Luo turned into was nowhere to be seen as if it had vanished along with the illusion. ¡°Ah!¡± Liu Hong suddenly shouted loudly, everyone quickly followed his gaze. The blue bag that had taken away the two cocoons was floating on the other side, already restored to its previous size, and there was a big hole torn in the bag. On the white cocoon inside, dark shadows surged, clearly, that was Wu Luo taking advantage of everyone being caught in the illusion, sneaking inside again, devouring the monster soul within. Ghost Teng Master had a clear gaze, the Silver Light Bell above his head shone brilliantly, ringing loudly, having already broken free from the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array. And those nine pink skirted women all lay unconscious on the ground, the cause unknown. Chapter 1580 Chapter 1580: Chapter 1576: Wu Luo''s True Form Chapter 1580: Chapter 1576: Wu Luo''s True Form ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, while Wu Luo is devouring the monster soul, let us all strike together and heavily damage him no matter what!¡± Ghost Teng Master loudly commanded, flipping his hand to produce the Ten Thousand Demons Banner and sharply raising it. In a flash, a mighty Yin wind arose! Countless ghostly shadows surged out from the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, swarming into the green bag, engulfing the two white cocoons and frantically gnawing at the white filaments on the outside. These filaments also contained powerful illusory power; a ghost barely bit into it and immediately fell to the ground, eyes rolling back, but more ghosts surged forward, each taking a bite, rapidly thinning the two cocoons. Unnoticed by anyone, a blurry black shadow shot out from the multitude of ghostly shadows, flashing into another white cocoon and disappearing. As everyone had just been immersed in the illusion domain, and Tao Xiang and others had already left their respective positions in the Annihilation Vajra Array, the formation self-destructed. Yan Lie quickly retracted the battle formation map, knowing it was too late to form another array, thus each of them wielded their magical treasures, ferociously striking towards the white cocoon inhabited by Wu Luo. Yan Lie and others were not far from the white cocoon, and with their cultivation realm, the magical treasures hit the white cocoon almost simultaneously. Several loud crashes erupted at once, merging into a tremendous explosion. Gold, stars, white, black, and other lights surged wildly, the void twisted violently, emitting terrifying hissing sounds. The white cocoon was instantly torn apart and then vanished without a trace, as if completely evaporated, seemingly along with Wu Luo inside. Meanwhile, the other white cocoon, as if alive, flew up, darting outwards a step ahead and escaping destruction. ¡°Dead?¡± Wanshui Zhenren somewhat incredulously asked. ¡°That Wu Luo wouldn''t die so easily, he must be lurking nearby!¡± Shen Luo, controlling Ghost Teng Master, coldly shouted, looking around as his divine sense also spread out. His Ten Thousand Demons Banner fluttered longer, wrapping around another white cocoon shaken flying, instantly capturing it. The others ignored the strange behavior of Ghost Teng Master in collecting the cocoon and closely examined their surroundings. ¡°Young lad, you''re not wrong; I, Wu Luo, am an ancient demon general, how could I be killed by you juniors!¡± A harsh voice suddenly rang out, faster than the sound was a black flame demon saber, exceptionally sharp and about four to five Zhang long, appearing out of nowhere, slashing directly at the head of Ghost Teng Master. Shen Luo, only half a Zhang away from Ghost Teng Master when the bone knife approached, suddenly realized the danger, hastily controlling Ghost Teng Master to dodge aside. At the same time, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner ¡°whooshed¡± positioned above his head, the fabric emitting black light trying to block the strike of the bone knife. However, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner was not a defensive magical treasure and was immediately pierced by the bone knife, and then ¡°zzzt¡± ripped open a long tear, the contained ghosts frantically pouring out. Still, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, a treasure with sixty-four layers of prohibitions, ultimately slightly delayed the black flame demon saber for an instant. Taking advantage of the brief moment, Ghost Teng Master shifted sideways, but couldn''t completely avoid, and a deep, bone-visible slash wound was cut across his chest, blood rushing out. At the end of the black flame demon saber, a figure swiftly sketched out, revealing a five Zhang tall female demon general. This woman, not pretty by conventional standards, had broad features resembling more a man''s, yet her figure was extremely voluptuous, clad in pitch-black devil armor, with five black halos hovering around her, spouting streams of pitch-black demonic flames. The female demon general had a black flame demon saber in each hand, hanging down to her feet, creating a terrifying sight. Immeasurable Demonic Qi surged from its body, clearly reaching the Taiyi Stage, no less than Che Qingtian. ¡°This is Wu Luo?¡± Tao Xiang and the others on the other side were greatly shocked and dispersed, also very surprised. From Wu Luo''s previous ways of acting and voice, they had always thought Wu Luo was a man and never imagined her to be such a charming female demon. Seeing that her strike did not kill Ghost Teng Master, Wu Luo uttered a light yelp and almost simultaneously swept out another Bone Knife, the knife blade flashed to half a foot beside Ghost Teng Master, about to split him in two. A yellow shadow burst forth from his body, two withered yellow big hands clenched into fists and struck, with a ¡°bang¡± sound firmly blocking the knife strike, it was indeed the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Taking advantage of the situation, Ghost Teng Master twisted his form and fled from within the Bone Knife, flying away to a distance. After blocking the Bone Knife strike, the Sky Fiend Corpse King immediately turned into a yellow shadow and merged back into Ghost Teng Master''s body. Tao Xiang and the others, seeing this scene, were greatly shocked, clearly not expecting Ghost Teng Master to be able to block the attack from a Taiyi Existence. Just now the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared and immediately disappeared, they could not see clearly what it was, only feeling a strong Corpse Air, subconsciously thinking it was a corpse refinement secretly refined by Ghost Teng Master. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°A Taiyi Stage corpse refinement, seemingly mixed with techniques from Tianyan Palace, and you think such a patchwork can block me?¡± Wu Luo sneered, turning into a black shadow and shot out, instantly catching up to Ghost Teng Master, her form truly like a ghostly specter, crossed her Dual Blades and slashed down. Within the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo''s brows were tightly furrowed. Although the Ghost Teng Master was entirely under his control, after all, this wasn''t his own body, whether it was reaction speed or spell casting speed, it was considerably slower, facing a Taiyi Realm existence like Wu Luo was too strenuous, and if all else fails, he had to make an appearance himself. His thoughts swiftly rotated in his mind, but his reaction did not slow down at all, forming a hand gesture and urging, Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared again, ready to face the Dual Bone Knives. However, at this moment, a thick white light descended from the sky, enveloping Wu Luo''s body, it was Tao Xiang helping out with the Guxuan Star Disk. That pillar of white light was from some Array Techniques, Wu Luo''s movement paused because of it. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly controlled Ghost Teng Master to escape, flying out and landed beside Tao Xiang and the others. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ghost Teng Master whispered his thanks. ¡°Now all of us are in the same boat, only by joining hands do we have any chance of surviving, otherwise, we all will die here,¡± Tao Xiang said in a deep voice. Yan Lie and others flashed glances, nodding their heads, abandoning some other thoughts in their minds. ¡°A group of ants thinking they can defeat a lion? Ridiculous! Your action just now displeased me, I intended to deal with you last, but since you are so eager to seek death, then hand over your life first,¡± Wu Luo broke free from the white light pillar, looked towards Tao Xiang, her eyes shooting terrifying murderous intent. The moment her words fell, her form blurred, turning into a shadow barely visible to the naked eye as she pounced over. Tao Xiang''s complexion turned pale, she fully stimulated the Guxuan Star Disk, and a Wind and Cloud Array appeared around her, rapidly rotating. The Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud also shone brightly, growing with the wind, in an instant it grew countless times, transforming into dozens of giant ribbons that enveloped the sky and rapidly moved around her, forming a second layer of defense. Right after she finished these actions, a black shadow suddenly flashed before her eyes, Wu Luo''s figure appeared out of nowhere like a ghostly specter, the surrounding Wind and Cloud Array and countless ribbons seemingly nonexistent to her. Before Tao Xiang could react, those Dual Black Flame Demon Sabers flew out from Wu Luo''s hands, crossed and slashed toward Tao Xiang''s neck, unexpectedly using the exact same method as the earlier attack on Ghost Teng Master, obviously Wu Luo did this deliberately as a form of punishment. Chapter 1581 Chapter 1581: Chapter 1577: Revealing Oneself Chapter 1581: Chapter 1577: Revealing Oneself Tao Xiang finally reacted at this moment, attempting to dodge in great shock, but her response speed was no match for Wu Luo. Her foot had only lifted halfway when two life-taking Black Blades already arrived within half a foot of her neck. Just as this woman was about to be decapitated, a golden figure shot from the side, and the Golden Staff in his hand suddenly expanded by hundreds of times, instantly blocking in front of Tao Xiang and bursting forth with sunlight-esque Golden Light. A series of dense staff silhouettes emerged within the golden light, colliding with Wu Luo''s two Bone Knives. A thunderous ¡°boom¡± erupted, sending the golden figure flying backward, while Wu Luo was also forced back two steps. Tao Xiang escaped death and hastily retreated backward. ¡°Who?¡± Wu Luo''s body flashed with black light as she steadied herself and asked coldly, her pupils shrinking. At this moment, the golden figure also stabilized his posture and immediately swung his sleeve, releasing ten Pure Yang Swords that landed around the Mausoleum, spinning rapidly to form ten Golden Light rings and instantly set up a Sword Array. Having done all this, the golden light on the figure''s body then faded, revealing Shen Luo''s figure. ¡°You are Brother Shen who came to the shop to purchase materials that day! No, that Golden Staff Magical Treasure, you are the mysterious monk who robbed Wanshui Zhenren that day¡­ It turns out you were the one disguised, thank you for stepping in to save me.¡± Tao Xiang''s eyes widened with her expression changing several times as she recognized Shen Luo''s appearance and magical treasure. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The others also recognized Shen Luo at this moment. Wanshui Zhenren was quite happy and gestured a nod towards Shen Luo as a sign of appreciation. Yan Lie had had a clash with Shen Luo before, and it wasn''t an exaggeration to regard them as enemies. Now seeing him again, his expression was quite unnatural. As for Tian Sanqi, Liu Hong, Li Biao, they didn''t have a deep relationship with Shen Luo. After their initial surprise, they quickly returned to calmness. ¡°There''s no need for concern.¡± Shen Luo nodded slightly to Tao Xiang, his gaze still fixed on Wu Luo. This Wu Luo was powerful, and Shen Luo alone was uncertain of defeating her, so it was essential that Tao Xiang and the others couldn''t die. Moreover, Tao Xiang had once saved him before, so his intervention this time could be considered repaying a favor. ¡°Are you Wu Luo?¡± Shen Luo asked, looking at Wu Luo. This female demon''s combat style differed greatly from the previous shadow''s. The shadow had utilized Illusion Techniques, but its attacks hadn''t been very formidable, whereas this female demon was the complete opposite, which unavoidably made one suspect whether the two were the same person. ¡°Hehe, no wonder I felt that Tree Monster was a bit odd during the fight, as if there was a veil between us. It turns out it was just a puppet, and the real one fighting me was you.¡± Wu Luo glanced at Shen Luo and then at the Ghost Teng Master not far away, chuckling. This woman apparently wary of Shen Luo, did not make another move. Tao Xiang, Yan Lie, and the others had been curious why Shen Luo had appeared, and hearing this, they all turned to look at the Ghost Teng Master. Now that Shen Luo had revealed his true identity, controlling the Ghost Teng Master clearly became somewhat sluggish. Upon careful observation, Tao Xiang and the others saw through it instantly. ¡°The Ghost Teng Master turned into a puppet at the hands of Family name Shen? It seems my previous sense of someone lurking nearby wasn''t just a figment.¡± Tao Xiang''s thoughts were racing, and she felt somewhat chilled by Shen Luo''s ability to appear and disappear so mysteriously. However, they would next have to face Wu Luo, and since Tao Xiang and the Ghost Teng Master didn''t have a very close relationship, she chose not to say anything further. The reactions of the others were similar. Shen Luo could roughly guess what Tao Xiang and the others were thinking from the changes in their expressions. Seeing that they didn''t turn against him because of Ghost Teng Master, he also secretly heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Wu Luo is formidable; fighting him one-on-one, we stand no chance of victory. Next, I will lead the charge. Fellow Cultivators, seize the opportunity to entangle him, and then let''s deliver a fatal blow together,¡± Shen Luo communicated to Tao Xiang and the others through telepathy. Upon hearing this, everyone agreed. Shen Luo formed a gesture and pointed at the Golden Sword Array in mid air. The whistling sound rose sharply as two sword wheels radiated brightly. Countless Golden Light Swords shot down densely, whistling towards Wu Luo. Wu Luo had already noticed the Sword Array around her. The Bone Knife in her hand immediately swung out, whistling forth a swath of pitch-black knife shadows, radiating the fierce aura of tearing the void, colliding with the Golden Light Swords. A series of dense cracking sounds arose, and the black knife shadows actually shattered upon impact. The knife shadows, large as a small mountain, crumbled away as if they were dry weeds being swept aside, dispersing into nothingness. The dense Golden Light Swords did not stop at all and continued to strike towards Wu Luo. With snapping sounds, Wu Luo''s body vanished into thin air, letting a barrage of Light Swords miss their target. ¡°Splitting Stone Step!¡± Shen Luo immediately recognized the step technique Wu Luo used and spread out his Divine Sense, but he couldn''t detect her whereabouts at all; it was as if Wu Luo had suddenly disappeared. Shen Luo''s heart grew cautious. This kind of God''s Power that could erase one''s breath was unique to the Demon Clan; ordinary monks simply couldn''t cope with it. Fortunately, he had dealt with the Demon Clan not just once or twice and had encountered this kind of God''s Power before. He pushed the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to its limits, looking around. The Demonic Qi residing in his eyes was also stimulated, with black streaks appearing within the Green Light, and soon he made a discovery. Shen Luo raised both hands, ejecting two thick bolts of Golden Lightning, striking them at an uninhabited part of the Void nearby. Dazzling Gold Thunder burst forth, countless electric arcs danced, thunder roars, and whistling sounds interwove together. A burst of black light emerged from there, revealing Wu Luo''s figure, her face showing a surprised expression, but she quickly regained her calm and shrugged her shoulders, disappearing into thin air once again. The azure-black light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, his hands emitting powerful Golden Lightning, instantly condensing into two huge Thunderballs, thrown into the Void above. The Thunderballs entered the Void above, and the next moment, two thunderous blasts rang out. Two thick bolts of thunder descended from the heavens, striking another part of the Void. Wu Luo''s figure was revealed once again, her expression serious. It could be considered a coincidence to find her whereabouts once, but finding her twice in a row suggested that the other party could really track her. This time Shen Luo used the Palm Thunder Technique, and with his current level of cultivation, the power of the Palm Thunder was several times greater than before. Wu Luo was struck by it, stumbling heavily, attempting to stabilize her form. A flash of black light appeared beside her, and a huge Black Magic Ring popped up out of thin air, then instantly tightened, snugly trapping Wu Luo''s hands and body, which was indeed the Demonic Treasure Nine Nether. Large swathes of black light engulfed Wu Luo, rendering her unable to move. After advancing to the True Immortal Middle Stage, Shen Luo had become even more adept at controlling these Demonic Treasures. Almost simultaneously, the Golden Sword Array in mid air also shone brilliantly, with numerous Golden Light Swords whistling down like a torrential downpour, aimed at Wu Luo''s body. From the moment Shen Luo took action to now, when Wu Luo got restrained, it was all but an instant. Tao Xiang and the others wanted to lend a hand, but the exchange between Shen Luo and Wu Luo was too fast, too swift to be described as lighting fast; they couldn''t keep up at all. Fortunately, at this moment, Wu Luo was restrained, giving the Cultivators a chance to act. They hurriedly urged their Magical Treasures to strike, with treasures like Gu Xuan star disk, Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, Dark Red War Drum, Golden Dragon Scissors, and so on, all whistling in. Chapter 1582 Chapter 1582: Chapter 1578: Unpredictable Illusions and Reality Chapter 1582: Chapter 1578: Unpredictable Illusions and Reality Wu Luo, facing the onslaught from Shen Luo and others like a sudden storm, showed not a hint of fear. With a tremble of her body, she suddenly transformed into a bizarre black shadow, and then was engulfed by the sky-filled Sword of Light and Magical Treasures. But whether it was the Golden Light Sword, Gu Xuan star disk, Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, or Golden Dragon Scissors, their attacks all passed right through her without causing the slightest effect. Only the Nine Nether Demon Ring still firmly bound the intangible Wu Luo, and the Dark Red War Drum''s hit against the black shadow caused her figure to slightly wobble, yet it did not pose a major problem. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Nine Nether Demon Ring! Nine Li Battle Drum! To think that I had just been resurrected and would encounter these two Demonic Treasures, very well, all shall be taken by me!¡± Wu Luo whispered, a vast expanse of pitch-black Demonic Qi burst forth from her, forming a Black Vortex pulling in both the Nine Nether Demon Ring and the Dark Red War Drum. ¡°Sky-swallowing Technique!¡± Shen Luo immediately recognized the God''s Power Wu Luo was using right now. Recorded in the Chiyou Martial Secrets was that it could swallow all vitality when cultivated to profound depths. Although this technique was tremendously powerful, it was extremely difficult to cultivate. He had once attempted it unsuccessfully and did not expect that this woman had already accomplished it. With surprise, Shen Luo activated his Mana with all his might, attempting to recall the Nine Nether Demon Ring. Tian Sanqi''s expression was also a mix of shock and anger. His Dark Red War Drum, known as the Nine Li Battle Drum, was an ancient treasure of the Jiuli clan, a Demon Clan tribe from ancient times, capable of emitting sound wave attacks; as long as the Mana of the one activating it was sufficient, even the Void could be shattered. This drum could attack the Divine Soul, but not through sonic waves. It required a direct hit from the drum to work, and as long as the opponent''s strength did not surpass his own by too much, their Spirit would be left in a soulless, comatose state, needing a long time to recover. Previously, he had used the Nine Li Battle Drum to break the Heavenly Demon Silk Dance Array in one fell swoop, causing those nine enchanting demoness dancers to fall into an unconscious stupor, precisely by using the Divine Soul Attack of the Nine Li Battle Drum. The might of the Nine Li Battle Drum was not limited to this; if its core prohibition was activated, it could emit an inspiring sound that temporarily elevated the Cultivation level of their own monks and greatly boosted morale. However, using this power consumed a vast amount of Mana and was a self-sacrificing act; Tian Sanqi had never used it before. Every single one of these divine abilities of the Nine Li Battle Drum was extraordinary and represented his greatest gain within the Celestial Secret Realm; they absolutely could not be lost. Tian Sanqi channeled his Mana at full force, calling back the war drum. ¡°You still want to take them back? Bring them to me.¡± Wu Luo laughed heartily, opening her mouth to expel two strands of illusory black flames that wound around the Nine Nether Demon Ring and the Dark Red War Drum, rapidly permeating them. Shen Luo felt a strong Illusion Technique force invading the Nine Nether Demon Ring, quickly eroding the prohibition''s Divine Soul marks that belonged to him. His connection with the Nine Nether Demon Ring rapidly weakened as the black light on it quickly dimmed, heading towards the interior of the Black Vortex. The situation with the Nine Li Battle Drum was the same, its connection with Tian Sanqi waned, the Spiritual Light on its surface dimly entering the Black Vortex, completely severing the connection with him. ¡°Return my Magical Treasures!¡± Tian Sanqi turned pale, then like a madman lunged at Wu Luo, a silver Treasure Pearl shooting out from his body, bursting with moonlight-like Spiritual Light, striking fiercely at Wu Luo. Wherever the moonlight touched, all the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was driven away, leaving only the exceedingly pure force of the moonlight, evidently also an unusual treasure. Having lost the Nine Nether Demon Ring, Shen Luo also sank in his heart but did not lose his sense of reason. He prompted the Golden Sword Array in mid air and more Golden Light Swords descended like rain. This time, however, specks of Jin Yan, the True Solar Fire, appeared on the Light Swords, casting their heat upon Wu Luo. The Sword of Light carrying the True Solar Fire equally could not touch Wu Luo''s body, piercing through her again, and so did the Moonlight Pearl summoned by Tian Sanqi. Tian Sanqi, seemingly blinded by rage, with blood-red eyes, let out an angry roar. A flash of golden light from In the Sleeve shot out a curved treasure sword, the very Traveling Dragon Sword used before, its fierce Sword Qi stirring the Void around it. At the same time, golden sword light burst forth from his body, merging with the Traveling Dragon Sword in Unity of Man and Sword, slashing towards Wu Luo once more. Wu Luo snorted coldly, her figure turned into a black arrow that shot out, traversing horizontally through the Unity of Man and Sword form of Tian Sanqi. Tian Sanqi let out a wretched scream, the technique of Unity of Man and Sword immediately dissipated, the Spiritual Light from his entire body scattered, he covered his head with both hands and plummeted towards the ground like a stone. Shen Luo''s face showed a grave expression, flicking his sleeve he sent out a swathe of Golden Light, catching Tian Sanqi''s body, bringing him to his side. Looking at Tian Sanqi''s current condition, it was clear that his Divine Soul had been seriously damaged. Could it be that Wu Luo, after turning ethereal, was still capable of launching a Divine Soul Attack? Wu Luo did not continue attacking Everyone else, she moved away, opening her mouth to spit out two treasures, which were the Nine Nether and Jiuli Battle Drums, beginning to refine them in an unconcerned manner. Tao Xiang, Yan Lie, and others were also shocked by Wu Luo''s God''s Power, and for a time, no one dared to make a move. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, what exactly is the God''s Power that Wu Luo has cultivated? Even the True Solar Fire has no effect on her!¡± Shen Luo was shocked and sent a telepathic inquiry to Fire Spirit Child. Although True Solar Fire is not as effective as Xuanyuan''s Divine Thunder in suppressing Demonic Qi, it still has a considerable effect on suppressing Demonic Qi. This was validated before, and now it was ineffective. ¡°I remember now, this is the Demon Clan''s Undead Illusory Soul technique! This God''s Power was lost during Ancient Times, I never expected to see it again in my lifetime!¡± Fire Spirit Child was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke out loud. ¡°Undead Illusory Soul technique?¡± Shen Luo frowned, there was no record of this demonic skill in the techniques of Chiyou. ¡°It is an unparalleled skill of the Demon Clan. Once mastered, one not only possesses extremely powerful Illusion Technique and God''s Power, but also can transform the body between the ethereal and the physical states. In the ethereal state, almost all attacks are like striking an illusion, having no real effect, and when transformed into a physical entity, the physical attack power is several times stronger than in a normal state,¡± explained Fire Spirit Child. After hearing this, Shen Luo finally understood why the woman''s battle style had changed dramatically before. ¡°Such a combination of ethereal and physical is indeed difficult to deal with,¡± he said with a frown. ¡°Not quite so. Every skill has its weakness. In its ethereal state, the Undead Illusory Soul technique specializes in illusion, with weak attack power, and when transformed into a physical form, Illusion Technique and God''s Power cannot be used. It seems that Wu Luo has not cultivated the Undead Illusory Soul technique to the highest realm. Each time she transforms into one state, she has to maintain it for a Period of Time before she can transform again. This is a major weakness,¡± pondered Fire Spirit Child, then added. Shen Luo carefully recalled the previous situation upon hearing this and slightly nodded in agreement. ¡°When Wu Luo is ethereal, Demonic Qi attacks can touch her body. I remember you know many Demon Clan methods. Besides that, your Slayer''s Broken Sword should also be able to harm her, but the Slayer''s Broken Sword''s power is not great, and I''m afraid it might not be enough to kill this demon. If you are interested, you can first try fighting with this woman. If you find yourself outmatched, you must escape quickly. I do not wish to fall into the hands of the Demon Clan!¡± Fire Spirit Child continued to analyze Wu Luo''s situation, giving a final caution. After listening to all this, Shen Luo felt greatly reassured, thanked Fire Spirit Child, swiftly considered the strategies for the upcoming battle, and showed not the slightest intention of retreat. Chapter 1583 Chapter 1583: Chapter 1579: Imprisonment Chapter 1583: Chapter 1579: Imprisonment Shen Luo was not frightened by Wu Luo''s divine power, but the others began to think of retreating. ¡°This demon is too formidable, beyond our capacity to fight! Liu Hong, Li Biao, get ready. As soon as the others engage the demon, we will immediately make our escape!¡± Tao Xiang transmitted her voice to both Liu Hong and Li Biao. ¡°Retreat? But didn''t you just say we should join forces to resist the enemy?¡± Upon hearing this, Liu and Li exchanged a look, and Liu Hong couldn''t help but speak up. ¡°Times have changed. If I hadn''t said that earlier, the others would have probably fled by now. Without these guys to hold off the demon, how could we possibly have escaped?¡± Tao Xiang said without a trace of shame. Upon hearing this, Liu Hong mumbled to himself but said nothing more. ¡°Even if we want to leave, I''m afraid it''s not possible. Houyi''s Tomb seems to be located in an independent space. I''ve tried it; escape techniques are simply nonexistent here,¡± Li Biao transmitted. ¡°Ordinary escape techniques certainly won''t work. Use this secret technique to control the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone, and you can open a passageway through space,¡± Tao Xiang quickly transmitted, imparting a secret technique to Liu and Li. The two showed a look of pleasant surprise upon hearing this and hurriedly prepared to manipulate the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone. ¡°Everyone, don''t be afraid. This demon''s body might be bizarre, but its attacks are not particularly powerful. I will activate the Hunyuan Wuji Formation, the strongest prohibitive formation within the Gu Xuan star disk, to trap this demon and then let''s all strike together!¡± Tao Xiang took a step forward and transmitted her voice to the others. Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren were panicking, but upon hearing her words, their expressions lifted, and they each clenched their magical treasures. Tao Xiang''s hands moved swiftly to form magic spells, and the Gu Xuan star disk emitted a sky-piercing white light, within which countless spirit inscriptions appeared and rapidly changed. In the blink of an eye, they condensed into a huge white formation and caged down towards Wu Luo. Seeing this, Wu Luo''s eyes darkened. She was well aware of the power of the two demonic treasures, the Nine Nether Demon Ring and the Nine Li Battle Drum; Shen Luo and Tian Sanqi had only managed to unleash a fraction of their power. If she could successfully refine these treasures, eliminating Shen Luo and the others would hardly require any effort. She was currently using a secret refinement technique of the Demon Clan, which allowed her to refine demonic treasures at a speed far surpassing that of normal methods. However, the technique had one drawback: it could not be interrupted, or she would have to start all over. In just a moment more, she would have completed the refinement. Wu Luo''s gaze shifted, and with a resolute decision, she did not dodge, letting the white formation fall upon her. Her Undead Illusory Soul Technique was nearly perfected, and there were few treasures in the world that could harm her; she just needed to hold on a little longer. However, as the white formation descended, Wu Luo felt her body heavy, her Phantom Spirit Body was unexpectedly restrained by the formation, tending to become physical, and her expression suddenly filled with shock. ¡°The Hunyuan Wuji Formation can actually suppress the Undead Illusory Soul Technique! Young Master Shen, strike with all your power!¡± Fire Spirit Child''s eyes lit up, and he immediately shouted. ¡°The Hunyuan Wuji Formation has imprisoned the demon, attack now!¡± Tao Xiang also yelled loudly. Yan Lie, Wanshui Zhenren, and Shen Luo were all men with extensive combat experience. Seeing the Hunyuan Wuji Formation take effect, they needed no urging from others, and they all made their moves. Magical treasures of five colors and six varieties roared out, with the Sword Array of Pure Yang Golden Light in the midair blazing brightly, as numerous swords rained down with a howling sound. Knowing that demonic artifacts were effective against Wu Luo, Shen Luo also sacrificed the Blood-stained Flying Knife, mixing it with the sword rain. Tian Sanqi had also recovered by this time, prompting the Coiling Dragon Sword and the Baozhu Moonlight to strike at Wu Luo. ¡°Just a mere formation, you think it can trap me? Dream on!¡± Wu Luo roared angrily, no longer caring to continue refining the demonic treasures, she conjured a strange magic spell with both hands. The demonic light around her body surged, and suddenly a black light band around her burst with a bang, turning into countless sticky black shadows, instantly flooding the space for tens of feet around her. The black shadow coiled around a gigantic snake shadow; it was indeed the Xiu Snake, a cold and eerie power filled the entire black space, forming a sturdy cage that imprisoned everyone and every treasure within the black shadows. Shen Luo and his companions felt as if they were being crushed by a ten thousand Zhang''s gigantic peak, unable to move even a finger. Fortunately, their mana was still within them. They hastily channeled all their strength into their divine powers, attempting to break free from the shackles of the dark shadow. Somewhere about a dozen Zhang away, within the void, a disturbance arose, and the figures of Tao Xiang, Liu Hong, and Li Biao suddenly appeared out of thin air. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The trio had long harbored thoughts of retreat. Seeing the black light shining on Wu Luo''s body, they immediately retreated and narrowly escaped the entrapment of the dark shadow''s spatial prohibition. ¡°Quick, open the void passageway!¡± Tao Xiang shouted. Liu Hong and Li Biao had already brought out the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone. Following the secret technique taught by Tao Xiang, they cast their spells, and a swath of green light bloomed from the two treasures, intertwining with each other. Li Biao''s hands moved as though turning a car wheel, his mana roiling as he poured it into the ink stone. The spiritual light in the Azure Sky Ink Stone flashed wildly, rapidly revealing a pool of silver ink that emitted intense vibrations of the power of space, causing ripples to spread through the nearby void as if it were water. Liu Hong immediately grabbed the Soul of Ink Brush, dipped it into the silver ink, and swiftly drew in the void. In the blink of an eye, he sketched out a silver Big Gate. ¡°Open!¡± The two channeled their power into the two treasures simultaneously, and with two rays of green light striking the silver Big Gate, its radiance flickered as it gradually opened, revealing the scenery of the sea area outside. ¡°Go!¡± The three of them wore looks of joy and instantly transformed into three beams of escape light, shooting towards the gate. In that moment, a mass of black Qi emerged out of nowhere from beneath the silver Big Gate, engulfing it completely. The void gateway, which was opening, suddenly stopped in its tracks, and the previously visible scenery of the sea surface was covered with a layer of shadows. A figure burst out from the midst of the black Qi, and it was none other than Wu Luo, who had now materialized into solid form. ¡°You think you can escape? You made me lose a demon soul; hand over your divine souls now,¡± Wu Luo''s eyes were filled with ferocity. Tao Xiang''s expression turned to one of horror, as if she had been petrified by the sudden appearance of Wu Luo. However, the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud suddenly next to her erupted with intense blue and white light, transforming into hundreds of vast ribbons that swept towards Wu Luo, reaching him in no time. Tao Xiang''s expression had changed to one of cold indifference, brimming with murderous intent. Wu Luo, showing no surprise, spat out an object¨Cit turned out to be the Nine Nether Demon Ring. ¡°Boy, this Nine Nether Demon Ring is a treasured artifact of my Demon Clan, with earth-shaking power. Your way of using it is simply a waste. Although I haven''t fully refined it, let me show you the true power of the Nine Nether Demon Ring!¡± Wu Luo grabbed it with one hand, glanced at Shen Luo within the black shadow space, and swung his arm. The Nine Nether Demon Ring emitted an immense black light, and countless rings of varying sizes shot out densely from his hand, with an imposing momentum that swept through the blue and white ribbons flying towards him. The sky full of blue and white ribbons suddenly vanished, revealing the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud, which was now entangled with several pitch-black ring shadows that immobilized it completely. Meanwhile, black light flashed around Tao Xiang, and four or five rings as thick as water buckets appeared out of nowhere, striking down fiercely. Tao Xiang hadn''t expected her full-force attack to be so easily countered, but she was well-prepared. Her figure immediately retreated towards the back, her jade hands waved continuously. Numerous pink petals shot out from her sleeves, filled with a bewitching aroma that wrapped around the black rings. These pink petals seemed harmless, but in fact, they were condensed using the Mind-capturing Mystifying Dafa, capable of invading the spirit of the person controlling the magical treasures through the artifacts, which was her trump-card divine power. The black ring shadows did not dodge at all, allowing the pink petals to wrap around them. The bewildering power within the petals permeated through the ring shadows, invading Wu Luo''s body, but Wu Luo showed no reaction. Instead, black light flashed over Tao Xiang''s body, and five black ring shadows emerged out of nowhere, tightly ensnaring her body from head to toe, rendering her instantly immobile. Chapter 1584 Chapter 1584: Chapter 1580 Siege Chapter 1584: Chapter 1580 Siege Tao Xiang''s face was full of horror, and her heart was filled with regret, but now everything was too late. However, this woman was not someone who found things easy to bear. She immediately poured all her mana into the Gu Xuan star disk and once again activated the Hunyuan Wuji Formation. Perhaps it was the fear of falling that caused her mana to refine one of the important prohibitions in the Gu Xuan star disk with a might that could crumble dry branches and pull up rotten roots, thereby activating the disk at a speed far surpassing normal. A white Great Formation appeared out of thin air, caging both herself and Wu Luo within it. Wu Luo was in physical form at the moment and was more greatly affected by the Hunyuan Wuji Formation, but her strength was now far stronger than when she was in her ethereal state. She swung the Black Ghost Knife left and right. Amidst the ear-piercing screeches, swathes of black blade shadows roared out, tearing a long passageway through the Hunyuan Wuji Formation. Wu Luo executed the Splitting Stone Step, her body crackling chaotically, transforming into a black shadow that pounced towards Tao Xiang. Her original use of the Splitting Stone Step allowed her to achieve an almost instantaneous teleportation effect. Now, within the Hunyuan Wuji Formation, her speed was greatly reduced, but it was still incredibly fast. At this moment, Tao Xiang had refined the Gu Xuan star disk even further. In the blink of an eye, she once again activated the treasure, and a Great Formation composed of silver serpentine lightning bolts emerged from nowhere. It was the previously used Silver Serpent Thunder Array, now even more powerful than before. Thick snake-shaped bolts of lightning fiercely struck Wu Luo, blasting her away. Seeing this, Tao Xiang''s tightly wound heartstrings relaxed slightly as she urged on the Silver Serpent Thunder Array, bombarding the dark rings around her, attempting to break free. But at this moment, the blasted Wu Luo suddenly reached forward, her neck stretching dozens of zhang like it was without bones, passing through the Silver Serpent Thunder Array, and suddenly appearing in front of Tao Xiang. Tao Xiang didn''t even have time to show her shock before she could activate the Gu Xuan star disk, as Wu Luo was one step faster. She opened her mouth and spat out viciously. A dark, horn-shaped object shot out, emitting an extremely mournful screeching sound, brutally striking Tao Xiang''s head and resulting in an earth-shattering explosive noise. Tao Xiang''s head burst open, and her divine soul was blown to ashes and vanished. The two magical treasures, Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud and the Gu Xuan star disk, lost their controller, their spiritual light completely scattered and fell, and the surrounding Hunyuan Wuji Formation and the Silver Serpent Thunder Array also collapsed with a loud bang. From Wu Luo''s appearance to Tao Xiang''s death, it was just a matter of a blink of an eye. Liu Hong and Li Biao were just reacting at this moment, their faces showing incredibly frightened expressions as they each flew backward. If the two had acted together, perhaps they would have had a slim chance of survival. Out of fear and panic, they chose to flee separately, which immediately sounded the death knell for both of them. Wu Luo kicked out into the void with both feet, her legs also instantly stretching dozens of zhang, and in the blink of an eye, she was in front of Liu Hong and Li Biao, wrapping around their bodies like two gigantic pythons. Before Liu and Li could struggle, two narrow black shadows shot towards them, ¡°pfft¡± piercing through their bodies, which was those two Black Flame Demon Sabers. The terrified cries of Liu and Li abruptly ceased, their bodies rapidly withered, turning into two mummified corpses in an instant, as if their divine souls and essence were all drained by the bone knives. A faint black light glowed on Wu Luo''s body, and a hint of satisfaction flickered in her eyes. The consumption of her main body was not small, having used the demon soul she had just swallowed to imprison Shen Luo and the others. Now, by devouring the essence and divine souls of Liu Hong and Li Biao, she had recovered quite a bit. Wu Luo looked at Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud and the Gu Xuan star disk. Although these two objects were not Demonic Treasures, their power was not small, and she exhaled a stream of black light to swirl them towards her. However, a yellow figure flashed out of the void in front, grabbed the Gu Xuan star disk and the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud, and then immediately shot toward the distance. Wu Luo angrily recognized that yellow figure. It was Shen Luo''s Taiyi Stage refined corpse, the only thing capable of stealing away items from right under her nose. She roared furiously, her transformed body reverted back to its original form, and immediately turned into a black afterimage chasing after the Sky Fiend Corpse King. A sudden sword cry piercing the heavens came from the side, as the Golden Sword Array was activated once more, countless swords of golden light slashing at the shadowy space on the side, and numerous dazzling clusters of spiritual light burst forth from within the shadows. Caught between attacks from inside and outside, the entire shadowy figure exploded, and Shen Luo and the others were completely freed. Seeing this, the Sky Fiend Corpse King transformed into a yellow blur that vanished into Shen Luo''s body, disappearing without a trace. As Wu Luo saw that Shen Luo and the others had so quickly broken free, a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes, but he immediately regained his composure, swinging his Bone Knife and sending two black blade shadows sweeping towards the trio. Shen Luo glanced at the corpses of Tao Xiang, Liu Hong, and Li Biao with a sigh in his heart, and a flash of golden light passed through his hand, as the Profound Yellow Staff shone brightly, and a dense barrage of staff shadows met the two black blade shadows. After a earth-shattering collision, Shen Luo was sent flying backward, but the black blade shadows were also completely shattered. Golden light flashed across Shen Luo''s body, immediately stabilizing his form, his arms having transformed into astonishingly robust dragon arms as he once more performed the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Countless staff shadows enshrouded his body, once again lunging towards Wu Luo. Having grasped the ins and outs of the supernatural power used by Wu Luo, he had a lot more confidence in defeating this demon. The three sword wheels in mid-air also flashed, shooting out three waterfall-like tremendous sword rains, assaulting Wu Luo. Tian Sanqi, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren saw this scene and couldn''t help but exchange glances. Although they had just been trapped by Xiu Snake''s shadow, their divine senses had spread out, witnessing the fate of Tao Xiang and the others, and were both shocked and starting to consider retreat. However, the interior of Houyi''s Tomb formed its own space, unable to immediately escape using an Escape Technique. If they retreated now, and once Shen Luo was also killed, their last chance of survival would truly vanish. The trio were also decisive, making up their minds in an instant. The Moonlight Pearl, Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, and Golden Dragon Scissors, three treasures transformed into three grand spiritual lights, attacking Wu Luo. Wu Luo was presently in corporeal form and, despite his far superior cultivation level compared to Shen Luo and the others, he dared not recklessly clash with so many potent magical treasures. Opening his mouth, he exhaled a vast expanse of Black Qi, which revolving thunderously, congealed into a massive vortex engulfing his body¨Cthis was the Sky-swallowing Technique. Tian Sanqi, having suffered from the Sky-swallowing Technique before, promptly formed hand seals to retrieve the Moonlight Pearl. Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren, also seeing Wu Luo use this God''s Power to absorb both Tian Sanqi''s and Shen Luo''s demonic treasures, quickly retracted their own magical treasures as well. Only three streams of golden light swords continued to howl downward, striking into the Sky-swallowing Technique. However, the Black Vortex merely fluctuated slightly before completely devouring all three sword lights. Shen Luo also stopped his advance, but his expression remained calm as he pointed at the Sword Array in mid-air. The sword light in the mid-air Sword Array intensified, and another wave of Sword of Light fell down. The bodies of this wave of swords were tinged with strands of golden flames, precisely the True Solar Fire, fiercely chopping down at the Sky-swallowing Technique. Wu Luo, residing within the black qi, had a slight change in expression. The Sky-swallowing Technique did not possess the Undead Illusory Soul''s ethereal effect and could not withstand the True Solar Fire. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She waved her arm, and a black Demon Ring shot out from within the black qi, the Demonic Ring of Jiuyou. Blacks light flickered on the Demon Ring, and a vast expanse of black ring shadows howled out, striking towards the falling Sword of Light, with ten exceptionally thick ring shadows shooting out, aiming at the ten Golden Sword Wheels above the mausoleum. Chapter 1585 Chapter 1585: Chapter 1581: Immortal and Indestructible Chapter 1585: Chapter 1581: Immortal and Indestructible ¡°Brother Wan Shui, Treasure Coin!¡± Shen Luo''s lips quivered slightly as his voice transmission entered the mind of Wanshui Zhenren. Wanshui Zhenren''s body shuddered, and he immediately formed a hand seal and pointed out. A slender yellow light shot out from his body, traversed dozens of meters in a flash, and collided with the Nine Nether Demon Ring''s main body with a ¡°ding¡± sound, crisp and clear. The yellow light trembled and dissipated, revealing an ancient, yellowish-bronze coin with wings on both sides. The black light on the Demon Ring also melted away completely, its ring shadows all dissipated, and the Nine Nether Demon Ring, like a stubborn stone, fell down, swiftly swept away by Shen Luo who was prepared with a flick of his sleeve. The voice of Wu Luo, full of shock and rage, came from within the Black Vortex of the Sky-swallowing Technique; the Black Qi inside the vortex surged violently, as if about to act, but then, a vast swath of Sword light infused with True Solar Fire descended from the sky, striking down upon it. The Vortex was instantly perforated by the sword light, riddled with holes like oil splashed into boiling water, hissing loudly. The black Qi collapsed and dissipated, and the Sky-swallowing Technique was instantly broken with a single strike. The figure of Wu Luo appeared, already turned into an ethereal state, roaring lowly as she transformed into a black arrow shadow, shooting directly towards Shen Luo¨Cseemingly planning to attack Shen Luo''s divine soul just like she did against Tian Sanqi earlier. Shen Luo did not dodge, and at the moment when their figures were about to collide, he suddenly urged the Demonic Qi within his body, forming a hand seal with his left hand and shaping an ethereal claw with his right. His right arm thickened instantly, veins bulging out, and a gigantic black Demon Claw roughly the size of an arm emerged in front of him, grabbing onto the black arrow shadow. ¡°Chiyou''s Clash!¡± Wu Luo exclaimed in shock, her true body struggling to dodge to the side, but she was still grazed by the Black Demon Claw across half of her body. Her left arm was directly severed, blood spraying out, and the Demon Claw also carved several long wounds upon her. Having sustained such heavy injuries, Wu Luo''s body abruptly shifted from ethereal to corporeal, with vast amounts of blood splattering outwards, and her internal organs nearly exposed, throwing her breath into chaos. But this demon was extremely tenacious, still holding on to a breath, as copious amounts of black Demonic Qi burst out from within her body, wrapping around her as she fled into the distance. ¡°Fire Spirit Child was indeed correct; Demonic Qi can cause injury to her.¡± Shen Luo inwardly rejoiced, immediately in close pursuit. But before taking off in flight, a streak of red light shot out from his sleeve, sweeping across Wu Luo''s spilled blood, with much of it disappearing into thin air. Within the Free and Easy Mirror, Fire Spirit Child was channeling incantations, manipulating a round magical treasure¨Cthe Gu Xuan star disk. Sky Fiend Corpse King stood behind Fire Spirit Child, his hands emitting two rays of yellow light which he channeled into Fire Spirit Child''s body to enhance his mana. In terms of mastery over Array Techniques, Fire Spirit Child exceeded Tao Xiang by countless folds. As long as he could slightly refine this star disk, he could immediately unleash its powerful functions. At that moment, a streak of red light passed through the mid air, and a splash of fresh blood appeared out of nowhere. Along with the blood, there appeared a straw effigy and a miniature bow and arrows¨Cit was the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. Shen Luo''s voice transmission followed these things, reaching Fire Spirit Child''s ears. ¡°Hmph, always making me do these troublesome things.¡± Fire Spirit Child rolled his eyes in annoyance, but he still spat out a breath of red light, catching the fresh blood and the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. Yan Lie and the others, seeing Shen Luo actually inflict heavy damage on Wu Luo, could hardly believe their eyes. Ever since they engaged in battle with Wu Luo, this person seemed like the embodiment of a Ghostly Specter and Demonic God, impervious to any attack. And now, she was actually wounded! After the initial shock, the three of them snapped back to their senses, urging their Magical Treasures to strike at Wu Luo again, seizing the opportunity to strike while she was down. Feeling the pursuers approaching like lightning, Wu Luo''s eyes shone fiercely, and her hands moved quickly to cast a spell. Another black band of light around her body shattered, transforming into a shadowy figure within which a white Dog Demon appeared, the very Great Wind Demon Spirit. ¡°Be wary of her binding spell!¡± Shen Luo saw this, his pupils constricted, and he immediately stopped, shouting in a deep voice. Yan Lie and the two others also stopped their escape light and summoned their Magical Treasures for protection. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, instead of exploding, the shadowy figure merged into Wu Luo''s body. Her whole body was instantly enveloped in waves of white light, her injuries rapidly healed, and a new arm sprouted where the old one was lost. In just a moment, all of Wu Luo''s wounds had fully recovered, and the Demonic Qi she had spent in the fierce battle was replenished by a large extent. ¡°So that black light band contained such a use for the Demon Spirit.¡± Shen Luo frowned at this sight. Having consecutively activated the Golden Sword Array, his mana was now running low, and he needed to bring the battle to a swift conclusion. ¡°For causing me to lose two valuable monster souls, you all deserve death. Come and face your doom!¡± Wu Luo turned to Shen Luo and his companions, vanishing from her spot in a flicker. Startled, Yan Lie and the others hastily produced their Magical Treasures to shield their bodies. ¡°Behind us, be careful!¡± Shen Luo suddenly turned around, his eyes flashing with azure-black light, and released two thick bolts of lightning from his hands, striking hard at a certain spot behind them. Wu Luo''s figure appeared there, yelling explosively as rings of black shockwaves erupted from her mouth, shattering the two thick bolts of thunder. A ball of illusory white light also emerged from her right hand and was brutally thrown at Shen Luo and the others, arriving in front of them in an instant. A spider web-shaped Magical Treasure emerged from the white light, enlarging into a massive white net that covered almost the entire Mausoleum space and came crashing down upon them. The white massive net was virtually identical to the previous white spider web, but the illusory power enwinding it was even more potent, clearly the previous web was a transformed illusion of this Magical Treasure of Wu Luo. Shen Luo flew backward, while also activating the power of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, passing blue light over his body, instantly vanishing without a trace. Although he could react in time, Yan Lie and the others could not keep up with Wu Luo''s speed, and it seemed they would be caught by the net. A formidable illusionary force emanated from the giant net and even before it touched them, their Soul Power was thrown into chaos and the scenery in front of their eyes blurred and shifted endlessly. Seeing this, Shen Luo''s expression changed, and with a flick of his sleeve. A streak of red light shot out like lightning, landing beside the three, revealing Ghost Teng Master. This person''s body radiated an intense blood-red light, expanding rapidly, turning into a gigantic blood-red tree in an instant, with a crown touching the top of the Mausoleum space and lush foliage like a giant blood-red umbrella shielding Yan Lie and the others. The white massive net was suspended in mid-air, failing to descend upon Yan Lie and his companions. The powerful illusory force within the web surged like angry waves into the body of Ghost Teng Master, but since Ghost Teng Master had already perished, the illusionary power was useless. However, as Shen Luo had left a divided soul within Ghost Teng Master''s mind, the illusory force was transmitted through space to him. Shen Luo, currently invisible and hidden underground thanks to the powers of the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, felt the illusory force''s fierce transmission, but a blue light flashed across his chest and a blue and white ribbon shot forth, hovering around his head¨Cit was the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud, blocking the illusionary force. He valued this treasure for its ability to resist Divine Soul Attacks and had urgently refined it a bit as soon as the Sky Fiend Corpse King snatched it, which now proved to be extremely useful at a critical time. Chapter 1586 Chapter 1586: Chapter 1582: Surprise Attack Chapter 1586: Chapter 1582: Surprise Attack Shen Luo took a slight breath of relief, opened his mouth to spit out the Silver Light Bell, and struck it fiercely with the Soul Shaking Secret Technique. Wu Luo did not expect Shen Luo to have this trick up his sleeve, and to be able to vanish into thin air just the same. Caught off guard, she suddenly could not sense Shen Luo''s position, causing her brows to furrow instantly, and she was about to cast a spell to search. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, a ¡°clang¡± sound of the bell came from below, and a substantial wave of silver sonorous waves shot out, enveloping her body in an instant. The Silver Light Bell and the Soul Shaking Secret Technique, deployed with all of Shen Luo''s might, were so powerful that even someone as strong as Wu Luo felt dizzy and disoriented without any precaution. Seeing this from Underground, Shen Luo was overjoyed and immediately pushed the Golden Sword Array in Mid Air to its full extent. The ten sword wheels shone brightly all at once, countless Swords of Light poured down like a raging tide, leaving no room for evasion and directly submerging Wu Luo. At the critical moment, Wu Luo abruptly regained consciousness, realizing her situation, her expression changed drastically. She transformed into a black shadow shooting downwards, while at the same time she spit out a Black square brick above her head, spinning it rapidly. It was too late to turn into an incorporeal form, and since she had just returned to her physical body, it would take some time before she could use the Undead Illusory Soul''s Voidization Divine Power, so she had no choice but to block with a Magical Treasure. This Black square brick was engraved with Demonic Patterns and was obviously an extraordinary Demonic Treasure. As it spun, it swiftly enlarged, turning into the size of a Tower in a blink of an eye. Despite Wu Luo striving to fly downwards, the Sword of Light was even faster, whistling as it caught up, and the ground was quickly approaching below. Wu Luo thought of the location from where the sound waves had come and suddenly stopped, pointing at the Black large brick. With a ¡°boom¡±, a large expanse of Black Demon Flames burst out from the Black large brick, striking towards the surrounding rain of Golden Lights swords. However, as soon as the Black Demon Flames touched the golden sword rain, they were immediately chopped up and dissipated, and the Golden Light Swords continued to shoot downwards, striking the Black large brick, making a dense sound like raindrops. The Black large brick was immediately covered with countless sword marks, debris flying everywhere, visibly thinning at a rapid pace, and the black light of the brick dissipated even faster, evidently unable to hold out for a few more breaths. Wu Luo was shocked. She had realized the Sword Array was extraordinary, but she had not expected it to be so powerful. This Black Crystal Demon Brick was an Ancient times treasure she had refined and kept close to her. After so many years of continuous worship, its power had reached the level of ordinary Magical Treasures, yet it could not withstand the Sword Array even for a moment. Surprised as she was, she did not lose her composure, waving her hand to bring out another dark red Demonic Treasure, which turned out to be the Nine Li Battle Drum, and she began to stimulate it. Layers of dark red light burst from the surface of the drum, and the drum itself glowed with blinding brightness, like a small red sun. The Black large brick above was finally completely destroyed by the light swords and exploded into a burst of black light, disappearing as countless light swords whistled downwards. Wu Luo let out a low roar, clasping her hands together and striking towards the Nine Li Battle Drum above her head in Void. With a ¡°thud¡±, a series of immense red sound waves erupted from the drum surface, rapidly spreading in all directions, forming a protective cover several dozen feet in size. The Void around her vibrated with a humming tremor, even showing cracks, and any Golden Light Swords entering the range of the sound wave Protective Cover were shattered, rendering them unable to get close to Wu Luo by an inch. Outside the sound wave Protective Cover in a corner of the Void, Shen Luo stood silently, holding an ancient looking feather fan, which was the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. This Fan was somewhat different from before, with five additional sword-shaped Spirit Patterns on its face, each emitting a terrifying Flame fluctuation, interwoven with the power of the feathers of the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, causing the entire fan''s aura to undergo an earth-shaking change, its presence overwhelming. This is the Fire Spirit Child reforging the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan according to the previous plan over these three years, sealing five Pure Yang Swords into it. He originally wanted to take advantage of Wu Luo resisting the Sword Array to sneak an attack with the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, giving the demon a fierce blow. However, he hadn''t expected Wu Luo to be so vigilant and react so quickly, immediately using the Nine Li Battle Drum to deploy a sonic wave protective cover. Seeing the power of the sonic wave protective cover, although the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan could break through, it would take some time and would not achieve the intended effect. Using the Silver Light Bell for a surprise attack might not work either. Shen Luo cursed silently, his figure swiftly retreating, retracting the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, and his hands changing sword techniques, urging the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array to its utmost power. Since the sneak attack had failed, he would use the Sword Array to directly bombard and kill this demon. The entire mausoleum space was engulfed by dazzling golden light, everyone''s vision was a blinding golden color, they could see nothing else. Yan Lie, Wanshui Zhenren, and Tian Sanqi three people''s expressions changed drastically, they hurriedly retreated to the distance, their hearts filled with shock and awe. Shen Luo''s strength had advanced to such a degree that he alone could contend with Wu Luo, the three of them joining hands might also not be a match. Inside the Sword Array, Wu Luo''s vision was also drowned by the blinding golden light. Not only were her eyes unable to see, her Divine Sense''s perception of the surroundings was also disturbed by the golden light, becoming a blur. At that moment, the demon''s expression suddenly changed, rapidly chanting an incantation, seemingly about to use another God''s Power. Just then, countless even more piercingly shrill whistles came, as those golden swords of light all transformed into strands as thin as hairs of golden sword filaments, fiercely striking against the red sonic wave protective cover. The penetrating power of the golden sword filaments far surpassed the previous Sword of Light; the exterior of the sonic wave protective cover immediately became riddled with holes, similarly to the previously black large bricks, quickly thinning out. Although Wu Luo''s Divine Sense was blurred, she sensed the imminent danger and did not have time to continue chanting her incantations. She clenched her fists sharply, and each hand conjured a mass of black light, emitting strands of black thunder and lightning, which surprisingly caused a blinding sensation. Her hands clasped together, merging the two masses of black light into one, forming a fist-sized black light sphere, resembling colored glaze in its crystalline smoothness, with terrifying black thunder and lightning flickering within. Wu Luo spit out a mouthful of essence blood, turning into a blood-red Demonic Flame that merged into the black light sphere, the black electric light inside immediately turned into a blood-red color, and violently thrown towards the outside of the Sword Array. The blood-red light sphere exploded with an incomparable ferocity. As it touched the golden sword filaments, each and every one shattered, and a passageway dozens of feet wide and tens of feet long was blasted open in the Golden Light Sword Array. Wu Luo immediately used the Splitting Stone Step, her figure turning into a black shadow shooting outwards, and in the blink of an eye, she rushed out of the Sword Array. This series of spellcasting left Wu Luo''s complexion pale, just as she was about to catch her breath. A ¡°hum¡± of a bell rang from above, a wave of silver sound engulfed her body, it was the Silver Light Bell combined with the Soul Shaking Secret Technique. Shen Luo had observed Wu Luo''s previous spellcasting and had waited here in ambush. For a moment, Wu Luo''s eyes went blank, and before she could recover, a white Great Formation appeared out of nowhere, the Hunyuan Wuji Formation, which was no less powerful than when Tao Xiang deployed it, firmly binding the demon''s body. Next to Wu Luo, a blue shadow flashed, and Shen Luo''s figure appeared, right hand surging with Demonic Qi, already executing the strike of Chiyou, a Black Demon Claw twice as large as before instantly coalesced into shape, viciously grabbing at Wu Luo''s head, tearing five black marks through the Void. At this life-and-death juncture, Wu Luo trembled and awoke in shock, her entire body bursting with black light to resist the binding of the Hunyuan Wuji Formation, dodging sideways by a couple of feet, narrowly avoiding a fate of her brain pulp exploding, but the Black Demon Claw still fiercely latched onto her chest. With a ¡°chi-la¡± sound like the tearing of silk, Wu Luo''s Demonic Body was surprisingly severed at the chest, blood spurting out. The exceedingly hard Devil Armor and Demonic Body appeared as fragile as paper mache under the blow of Chiyou. Chapter 1587 Chapter 1587: Chapter 1583: Annihilating the Demon Chapter 1587: Chapter 1583: Annihilating the Demon Shen Luo''s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise, but his actions did not pause for a moment. A red light flashed in his left hand, and he took out the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan again, channeling his mana into it. The Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan suddenly enlarged tenfold, with its seven feathers standing erect and gleaming with flowing light. Seven different bird calls sounded, sharp, deep, cheerful, or bloodthirsty; each call was exceptionally loud, piercing through the clouds, manifesting an unparalleled might that made the entire void tremble. This was also Shen Luo''s first time using the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. A look of delighted surprise crossed his face before he fiercely fanned it towards Wu Luo. As a result, the little mana left in his body was entirely drawn out, pouring into the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan like a breached dam, quickly draining a vast majority of it. Fortunately, after absorbing a large amount of mana, the fan was finally ready. With a ¡°boom,¡± five distinct flames surged out from the surface of the fan: Red Lotus Karmic Fire, Vermilion Bird True Fire, Golden Crow True Fire, True Solar Fire, and Southern Ming Separation Fire. All the flames converged in the middle, forming a ten-plus feet long five-colored flame pillar, slamming down onto Wu Luo with force. The three black bands of light surrounding Wu Luo were hit first, shattering into pieces with a crisp sound. Three demon souls emerged, only to be instantly submerged by the five-colored flames, burned into nothingness without effecting anything. The power of the five-colored flame pillar showed no signs of weakening, continuing to hit Wu Luo, whose devil armor burst with a ''bang'', and then her entire body was engulfed by the flame pillar. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The massive flame pillar finally shattered, contracting and expanding before spreading outwards, transforming into a several tens of feet wide sea of five-colored flames, roaring tumultuously. A terrible spiritual pressure that made it hard to breathe radiated from within the sea of flames, coupled with a terrifying heat that seemed to incinerate heaven and earth. The void inside the Hall of the Mausoleum twisted violently, deforming under the scorching fire, and looked as though it was about to completely collapse. Yan Lie and the others were originally standing a hundred feet away, but the temperature there was also astonishingly high, compelling them to continue retreating farther, their expressions full of shock and horror. Shen Luo was also dumbfounded. The power of this Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan seemed too great, nearly destroying the entire mausoleum with a single fan. At this moment, a thick golden light pillar suddenly rose from the ground, piercing through the five-colored sea of flames to create a large hole, hitting the dome of the Hall above. The light pillar was over ten feet in diameter, and large golden characters the size of household jars appeared within it. Suddenly, a mysterious and ancient sound echoed in the Hall of the Mausoleum, as if it were the wonderful music of the Heavenly Realm or the moans of the Nine Netherworld Underworld. The entire space of the Hall stabilized instantly, withstanding the impact of the sea of flames. ¡°What is this?¡± Shen Luo couldn''t help but be startled upon seeing this. Suddenly, a loud ''boom'' came from below, and a dark shadow shot out from within the golden light pillar¨Cit was Wu Luo. Her demon body, which had been split in half, had astonishingly remerged, with one side of her body already scorched black and the other side covered in cracks, appearing utterly tragic. Yet, this demon was extremely tenacious. Despite such injuries, she transformed into a black light and shot towards the distance. Shen Luo would not let her escape and flicked his fingers in a spell. A yellow shadow flashed in front of Wu Luo, and the figure of the Sky Fiend Corpse King materialized out of thin air, holding a large seal heavy as a mountain, the Turn Sky Seal, smashing it down on her head. Although Wu Luo was gravely injured, she had not lost her ability to resist and spat out a breath. A great mass of Black Qi surged out, seemingly about to deploy some secret method. But at that moment, her eyes burst with a ''pop'', and two streams of blood shot out. She could not help but scream miserably, the black Qi she had gathered dispersing completely. The Turn Sky Seal whistled down, striking Wu Luo''s head. With a ''bang'', a loud noise erupted! Wu Luo''s entire body exploded, turning into a sky full of flesh and blood debris, her divine soul in the sea of consciousness completely shattered, leaving not a trace behind. Seeing this, Shen Luo took a long breath of relief and casually waved his sleeve. The Golden Sword Array in mid-air loudly dispersed, transforming into ten flying swords that reentered his sleeve, and the five-colored sea of flames below also drifted away, quickly vanishing. As the five-colored sea of flames receded, the golden light pillar also vanished. The Hall of the Mausoleum returned to tranquility once more, the ground littered with debris telling the tale of the fierce battle that had just unfolded. In midair, the Sky Fiend Corpse King retracted the Turn Sky Seal, transforming into a yellow shade that merged into Shen Luo''s body. Ghost Teng Master also flew over, holding several items in his hands, which were precisely the Soul of Ink Brush, Azure Sky Ink Stone, and the storage magical tools of Tao Xiang, Liu Hong, and Li Biao. The bodies of the three had been turned to ash by the five-colored sea of flames. Fortunately, Ghost Teng Master had collected these things before the advent of the sea of flames, otherwise these treasures would likely have been directly incinerated by it. Shen Luo nodded slightly, not examining them closely, and with a sweep of his sleeve, took Ghost Teng Master along with the several treasures into his care before slowly descending to the ground. Upon landing, his footsteps wobbled slightly, his complexion even paler than paper, and his mana consumption was extremely severe. Whether it was the Golden Sword Array, the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, or the Turn Sky Seal, all had consumed a great deal of mana. Had he not already advanced to the peak of the middle stage of True Immortals, he wouldn''t have been able to hold on until now. Shen Luo took out a green talisman from his hand, which displayed a green willow branch, precisely a Willow Dew Talisman that Nie Caizhu had put much effort into crafting over the past three years. He crushed the talisman, and a green light merged into his body. A bright green light suddenly appeared on his body, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the surroundings surged toward him like raging waves. His mana, which had been completely depleted, was restored to its original state in just a few breaths. Shen Luo inwardly praised the recovery powers of Mount Putuo, indeed unmatched in the Three Realms, even more miraculous than Ten-Thousand-Year Jade Marrow. ¡°Good job, Young Master Shen, although it''s by leveraging several treasures, that ancient demon general Wu Luo met his end at your hand, which is truly commendable,¡± laughed the Fire Spirit Child from within the Free and Easy Mirror. With his mana restored, Shen Luo also calmed down, gazing at the spot where Wu Luo perished, falling into contemplation. Is this the extent of the strength of Wu Luo, the ancient demon general? Granted, he was wielding several treasures, and had the aid of the Golden Sword Array, but Wu Luo was after all an ancient demon general, a Taiyi existence, and yet he had been continuously suppressed by him and eventually died miserably on the spot. Could it be that the demon''s injuries were not fully healed? Or was there some other reason? Just at this moment, Yan Lie, Wanshui Zhenren, and Tian Sanqi flew over. Shen Luo stopped his thoughts and looked at the three. Tian Sanqi was holding a dark red war drum, which was the Nine Li Battle Drum, and he was using his mana to refine it. When the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan attacked Wu Luo, this treasure was flung away, and happened to land next to Tian Sanqi, who took possession of it, thus it could be said to have returned to its rightful owner. ¡°I did not expect Daoist friend Shen Luo to have reached such a realm; even Wu Luo has been eliminated by you, impressive,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said with a smile. Yan Lie''s expression was somewhat unnatural, but he also offered his congratulations. ¡°It was just good fortune.¡± Shen Luo spoke indifferently. ¡°Now that the demon has been eliminated, let us see where that Hou Yi Divine Artifact is hidden,¡± said Tian Sanqi, sweeping his sleeve to put away the Nine Li Battle Drum, looking toward the stone platform below. No one knew what the stone platform was made of, such that even the five-colored sea of flames couldn''t burn it. Moreover, that golden light pillar from just now was precisely emanating from within this stone platform; most likely, the Hou Yi Divine Artifact is also hidden inside. All six of the stone statues of the Witch Clan on the stone platform had already shattered to pieces, their remnants scattered around, unknown if they were destroyed by Wu Luo while they were trapped in the illusion domain. Shen Luo nodded and approached the stone platform. He did not know where the Hou Yi treasure was hidden, and the stone statue within the Free and Easy Mirror was currently unlocking Nie Caizhu''s Witch Tribe bloodline and could not be consulted, so it seemed he needed to search for it first. He deployed his Divine Sense to probe inside, but as soon as it permeated, an invisible force emanated from deep within the stone platform, blocking his Divine Sense from exploring further. Chapter 1588 Chapter 1588: Chapter 1584: A Curse Besets ¡°It seems that the treasure really is right here.¡± Tian Sanqi said, upon seeing this, he also sensed the anomaly within the Stone Platform and waved his hand with a sword technique. The Traveling Dragon Sword shot out in quick succession, transforming into a gargantuan Golden Sword Qi over a dozen yards long, and ferociously struck atop the Stone Platform with tremendous force. The Stone Platform emitted a huge ¡°boom,¡± but remained completely unmoved. Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren lightly exclaimed in surprise, one summoned the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower and the other the Golden Dragon Scissors, joining hands in propelling their attack against the Stone Platform. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two even louder ¡°boom¡± sounds exploded, yet the Stone Platform still stood unwaveringly firm. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows, based on the results from his just now Divine Sense exploration, the material of this Stone Platform was merely the ordinary Earth Attributes Spiritual Material Yellow Rock Crystal, not known for its solidity. He wondered what kind of formidable prohibition was laid within it, that even the attacks from Tian Sanqi, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren couldn''t shake it? While he pondered, his arm swung, and the Profound Yellow Staff shot out from his hand, ¡°whoosh¡± ¨C it grew dozens of times larger in the wind, turning into a Golden Giant Stick that crashed down on the Stone Platform. With a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± the Stone Platform shattered in response, fragments of stone scattering in all directions. A black passage appeared beneath the shattered Stone Platform, leading down to an unknowably deep Passageway. Shen Luo didn''t immediately explore the black passage, standing frozen in place. That strike just now, he merely wanted to test the prohibition within the Stone Platform himself, having used only about fifty to sixty percent of his strength, yet it had shattered the Stone Platform that Tian Sanqi and the others couldn''t budge despite their full might? ¡°Judging by this situation, the prohibition placed within the Stone Platform should be the Witch Clan''s Cause and Effect Witchcraft.¡± The voice of Fire Spirit Child rang out. ¡°Cause and Effect Witchcraft?¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows lifted slightly. ¡°It''s a special kind of Witchcraft prohibition of the Witch Clan. Put simply, it is a restrictive prohibition that only allows a person who meets a certain condition to break through. No matter how others attack, it is a futile effort.¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°There''s such a God''s Power?¡± Shen Luo listened in surprise. ¡°The minds of those from the Witch Clan are quite stubborn, and it''s only they who would come up with such an inflexibly rigid prohibition. Based on my conjecture, the Cause and Effect Witchcraft set up here likely means that only those recognized by those Witch Tribe Stone Statues can break the Stone Platform. However, to sustain the operation of the Cause and Effect Witchcraft, a powerful Witchcraft Power is needed as a source. It seems that God Hou Yi''s Legacy truly lies beneath the Stone Platform.¡± Fire Spirit Child analyzed. ¡°So that''s how it is. No wonder that stone statue told me to help Cai Zhu inherit God Hou Yi''s power,¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized. Tian Sanqi, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren were also shocked at Shen Luo''s casual shattering of the Stone Platform, but the three of them quickly turned their attention to the black passage below, peering into it. The invisible force within the Stone Platform had emanated from here, blocking Divine Sense exploration and obscuring the depths, along with a nefarious, bleak breath seeping out, making even the four present True Immortals feel somewhat uncomfortable. Tian Sanqi waved his sleeve, and a streak of Golden Sword Qi shot into the passage without hindrance. ¡°It seems that the invisible prohibition only blocks Divine Sense, not people. Shall we go down and take a look?¡± Tian Sanqi retracted the Traveling Dragon Sword and looked at the other three, inquiring. Shen Luo had just ended his telepathic conversation with Fire Spirit Child and had retracted the Profound Yellow Staff, walking over. ¡°We''ve already come this far, there''s no reason to back down now, let''s go,¡± Yan Lie said with a determined look in his eyes as Shen Luo approached, taking the lead and flying into the black passage. Wanshui Zhenren and Tian Sanqi followed closely behind Yan Lie, and in the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the darkness of the passageway. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo let out a self-deprecating chuckle. It seems that Yan Lie and his two companions view his strength as formidable, almost to the extent of wanting to join forces. ¡°Young Master Shen, all three of them have gone down. Why aren''t you hurrying to follow!¡± Fire Spirit Child urged. He was also quite curious about Hou Yi''s Legacy and the Artifact. ¡°No rush, Hou Yi''s Legacy is not so easily claimed,¡± Shen Luo said unhurriedly before turning to a corner of the Hall. Placing his hand on an inconspicuous piece of blue stone, he channeled Mana into it. ¡°What are you up to now?¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but ask upon seeing this. Shen Luo did not answer, continuing to channel Mana. A few breaths later, a faint white light shone upon the blue stone, then with a ¡°crack¡± sound, the stone crumbled into powder dissipating and revealing a circular hole about half a foot in size. Shen Luo''s face showed joy as he reached in and pulled out a black Wooden Box. The Mechanism here was exactly the one that the stone statue had told him about; only by using the item inside the box could one inherit Hou Yi''s Legacy. Shen Luo opened the box to find a gray-white square jade inside¨Croughly the size of a palm¨Cengraved with a few raised Witch texts. It looked unimpressive and contained no powerful Spiritual Power, its purpose unknown. Without giving it too much thought, Shen Luo put away both the Wooden Box and the square jade, then finally slipped through the black Passage. From the Outside, the Passageway seemed bottomless, but it was actually only about a hundred yards deep with a slight curve. He soon reached the end to find a large square Hall spanning forty to fifty yards in front of him. Several fist-sized white pearls inlaid on the top of the Hall cast a milky glow, lighting up the hall. There was nothing else here, except for a grey-white Coffin placed right in the center of the Hall. Around the Coffin, the Ground was carved with many Witch texts, forming a Witch Array. This Witch Array was currently emitting a massive expanse of white light forming a column shooting upwards, enveloping Yan Lie, Wanshui Zhenren, and Tian Sanqi within it. The white light column seemed to contain powerful constraining forces, rendering their bodies motionless, as if flies trapped in amber. And judging from their limb movements, it seemed like the three were immobilized by the array as they lunged for the Coffin. ¡°Ha ha, these three guys rushed down first, and now they''ve met with such a fate, they had it coming. Young Master Shen, quickly kill them, then we can smoothly inherit Hou Yi''s Power within the coffin!¡± Fire Spirit Child laughed heartily, speaking maliciously, his eyes emitting a fierce killing intent. Shen Luo observed Fire Spirit Child with his Divine Sense but remained silent. ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and act!¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but urge again. ¡°It seems that using the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book really comes with a great cost. You only fired two arrows, Fire Daoist friend, and it has already affected you to this extent. It would be best to use this thing less in the future,¡± Shen Luo said calmly after a while. Upon hearing this, Fire Spirit Child''s expression changed as he looked at his body, then closed his eyes for a good while before reopening them. ¡°The Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book truly is sinister. Even though I have a Tool Spirit''s body, I am still afflicted by the cursed evil Qi from this treasure,¡± he said with a wry smile. ¡°Cursed evil Qi?¡± Shen Luo asked, frowning. ¡°Young Master Shen, with your profound cultivation, you should know that whenever you take a life, you will be tainted with evil Qi. This is the resentment entanglement produced at the moment life dissipates, which is the law of cause and effect set by Heaven and Earth¨Cinescapable by anyone. However, there are various types of evil Qi; depending on the means of killing, different evil Qi will emerge. For instance, killing someone with a curse yields cursed evil Qi, and the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book is one of the most vicious curse techniques in history,¡± said Fire Spirit Child, his tone returning to its usual light-heartedness as he appeared to have completely freed himself from the influence of the evil Qi. Chapter 1589 Chapter 1589: Chapter 1585: Golden Corpse ¡°Daoist friend Fire indeed has extensive knowledge and experience. From the situation just now, this curse energy is exceptionally potent, already able to influence your mind. Do you have any method to resolve it?¡± Shen Luo nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, then asked. ¡°The curse energy is indeed extraordinary. However, I was only inadvertently affected by it just now. As long as I take more caution in the future, it won''t control my mind. As for the method to resolve it, we need to consult the Buddhist Sect. The Zen meditation of the Buddhist Sect is very effective in resolving heart demons and evil spirits. That year, I happened to learn a ''Boundless Pure Land'' mental technique, which should allow me to gradually refine away this curse energy over several years,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°It''s because of me that you''re in this situation, Daoist friend Fire. I will lend you a hand. This Dingyuan Relic is an item left behind after the Dingyuan Buddha of the Western Sky Spiritual Sky passed into nirvana. Wearing it should help you resist the influence of the evil spirits,¡± Shen Luo said, taking out a golden relic and placing it inside the Carefree Mirror. ¡°A Buddhist relic? This is an excellent item that can''t be bought, even with a multitude of Immortal jades! It''s greatly beneficial to my cultivation of the Boundless Pure Land.¡± Fire Spirit Child was overjoyed and unreservedly took the item to wear. Shen Luo glanced at Yan Lie and the other two, but quickly shifted his gaze and did not attack them. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just now, he had collected Wu Luo''s fresh blood and let Fire Spirit Child use the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. He himself was also entangled by the curse energy of this evil technique, although far less intense than Fire Spirit Child. His body had just been tainted by the curse energy, which was surging violently. If he killed anyone at this moment, the curse energy might greatly increase, leading to endless troubles. Moreover, these three people were already trapped by the Witch Array and posed no threat. Ignoring the three, Shen Luo walked around the periphery of the Witch Array, examining the coffin. This hall was also filled with an invisible force, making it impossible for Divine Sense to spread, so he could only use his eyes to investigate. After walking half a circle, he suddenly stopped, his gaze lingering on the other end of the coffin. In the center of the coffin, there was a square recess with a ring of Witch text engraved around it, seemingly a small Witch Array. Shen Luo took out that square jade, which seemed to sense something and emitted a bright white light. The Witch Array around the coffin recess also emitted a wave of white light, and amid a humming vibration, it suddenly exerted a strong suction force. The square jade shot out of his hand, and Shen Luo did not stop it; it fit perfectly into the square recess without any gaps. The Witch Array around the recess greatly increased in brightness and spun rapidly, causing the entire hall to shake vigorously, with dust drifting downwards. Shen Luo ignored these, his eyes fixed on the gray-white coffin, feeling quite excited. Just at that moment, he suddenly remembered something and communicated through the stone statue in the Carefree Mirror. ¡°I''m following your method to open God Hou Yi''s coffin; has Cai Zhu''s bloodline power been activated?¡± ¡°It has already been activated, but Nie Cai Zhu has just awoken the Witch Tribe bloodline, and her body couldn''t handle this power and fainted. However, this does not affect her from inheriting God Hou Yi''s legacy,¡± the voice of the stone statue came, very faint, tinged with a feeling of impending collapse. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo finally relaxed and looked ahead. The gray-white coffin also emitted streaks of white light, and the coffin lid suddenly made a cracking sound as it slowly opened, with streaks of golden light shining from within. A grand and vast Witchcraft power emanated from within, its immense pressure still palpable from a distance, making Shen Luo feel a great sense of oppression. ¡°Indeed a great Witch from ancient times,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes brightened, and he floated up, peering into the coffin. Just at this moment, a vast amount of dense black light suddenly emerged from Tian Sanqi''s body inside the white Witch Array, spreading rapidly around him. These black qi were the exceedingly pure and unparalleled Demonic Qi, and they were exceptionally viscous, spreading rapidly within the white Witch Array like black liquid. In the blink of an eye, half of the Witch Array was tainted, and the powerful restraining forces within the Array were utterly ineffective against this Demonic Qi. The bright white light inside the Witch Array quickly dimmed, and the operation of the Array Techniques became stagnant, making creaking and squeaking noises, as if the mechanism had jammed. ¡°This is the Absolute Spirit Demonic Qi! Young Master Shen, there is something wrong with Tian Sanqi, kill him quickly!¡± Fire Spirit Child exclaimed in shock. The moment Shen Luo noticed something unusual about Tian Sanqi, without waiting for Fire Spirit Child to speak, he immediately flicked his sleeve, and two Pure Yang Swords shot out, intertwining with each other and executing the Combined Sword Technique, fiercely slashing towards this person. At this moment, he could no longer care about the curse Qi from the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. Although Shen Luo reacted extremely quickly, he was still a step too slow. By this time, Tian Sanqi''s entire body had already turned pitch black, and with a shake, he transformed into a familiar black shadow, specifically the Undead Illusory Soul transformation technique. The Combined Swords God''s Power slashed right through him without inflicting any damage. ¡°You are Wu Luo!¡± Shen Luo shouted in surprise, his right arm releasing a surge of black qi, fiercely clawing towards Tian Sanqi. The Chiyou''s Demon Claw instantly condensed and reached towards Tian Sanqi''s body. Meanwhile, his other hand formed a gesture and waved, with eight more Pure Yang Swords shooting out, joining the previous two flying swords to quickly set up the Pure Yang Sword Array. But Tian Sanqi seemed to have planned ahead, moving even faster and shooting forward, with a ¡°whoosh¡± entering the Hou Yi coffin, causing the Chiyou''s Demon Claw to grab empty air. The white Witch Array stopped operating, and Yan Lie along with Wanshui Zhenren also freed themselves from restraint, and without any hesitation, they lunged towards the gray-white coffin. Seeing this, Shen Luo became extremely anxious, disregarding the consequences, his black demon claw fiercely grabbed onto the side of the coffin. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± the gray-white coffin was sent flying, smashing against the wall of the Hall, creating an even bigger booming sound. This object, unknown in its material make-up, withstood a strike from Chiyou''s Demon Claw and yet remained undamaged. Although the gray-white coffin was unharmed, due to the severe impact, the coffin lid was still knocked flying out. Two items rolled out from inside, one being a golden skeleton and the other a Golden Great Bow, with nine Golden Arrows tied to it. The skeleton was exceptionally tall, about two or three zhang long, and though it had turned into a skeleton, it still emanated extremely powerful energy fluctuations, as if it could move mountains and seize stars. The Golden Bow and Arrows were alike, emitting immensely strong energy fluctuations, especially the nine Golden Arrows, which burned with nine balls of fire, intensely hot. Tian Sanqi, who had rushed into the coffin first, was also shaken out, but he immediately steadied himself and grabbed the Golden Bow and Arrows. But at this moment, the light from the nine hanging Golden Arrows became extremely brilliant, blinding to the naked eye, and the golden flames on them suddenly expanded rapidly, instantly turning into nine house-sized gigantic golden fireballs. These fireballs then transformed once more, turning into nine golden fire giant birds, resembling crows but with three legs, emitting a sky-high scorching breath. ¡°Are these the Golden Crow Souls?¡± Shen Luo, who was about to make a move, paused upon seeing the transformation of the Golden Arrows. Chapter 1590 Chapter 1590: Chapter 1586: Sealed ¡°Yes, the Golden Crow resides in the Ruomu tree, spreading its wings at sunrise and returning at sunset. When ten birds fly together, ten suns rise, making life unbearable for the people. Hou Yi picked Ruomu wood for a bow, shot down nine suns, and condensed the soul of the Golden Crow upon it, glowing continuously day and night. This golden bow and arrows is precisely the Ruomu Divine Bow used by Hou Yi to shoot down the suns.¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke softly. As soon as the nine souls of the Golden Crow appeared, they fiercely pecked at Tian Sanqi. Tian Sanqi''s arm burst open immediately, and he was flung backwards, flying directly towards Shen Luo. A fierce light flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and with a flip of his hand, he conjured a golden broken sword, the Slayer''s Broken Sword, unifying man and sword into a golden Sword Rainbow, slashing directly at Tian Sanqi''s body. Tian Sanqi, sensing the power of the Slayer''s Broken Sword, quickly struggled to stabilize his body, his shoulders shaking, and numerous afterimages emerged, shooting in all directions. However, Shen Luo possessed the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, especially enhanced by the Demonic Qi, which greatly improved his vision, particularly adept at observing the Divine Techniques of the Demon Clan. No matter how Tian Sanqi changed his Splitting Stone Step, he couldn''t escape Shen Luo''s eyes. The golden long rainbow shot towards the left side, fiercely slashing at a black afterimage on the left. With a ¡°Chi La¡± sound! Tian Sanqi''s legs were cut off at the knees, yet he still desperately tried to flee, abruptly crashing into the wall of the Hall, and disappeared into it, vanishing from sight. Seeing this, Shen Luo frowned, the unavailability to deploy Divine Sense here indeed made it inconvenient to probe Tian Sanqi. At this moment, Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren rushed to the other side of the coffin, Yan Lie sweeping his sleeve towards the golden corpse. ¡°How dare you!¡± Shen Luo roared, forming a seal and pointing up into the sky. The Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array had already been set up, and a swath of golden light swords whistled down, striking at Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren. Having already witnessed the power of the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array, Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren dared not to face it directly, fleeing far away as if avoiding vipers. After sending away two groups with a wave of his hand, Shen Luo''s figure flickered near the gray-white coffin, controlling Ghost Teng Master to activate the Free and Easy Mirror. A beam of red light shot out, wrapping around the golden corpse, pulling it into the world within the mirror, casting it into the White Fog Light Curtain where Nie Caizhu and the stone statue were located. ¡°Are you talking about the power of Hou Yi in this corpse?¡± Shen Luo communicated with the stone statue through transmission. ¡°This corpse is indeed the remains of God Hou Yi, all his powerful witchcraft are contained here. I will now use a spell to transfer the power inside to Nie Caizhu, letting her inherit the power of God Hou Yi,¡± said the stone statue with a somewhat fervent tone. ¡°Wait a moment, although I am not very familiar with the power of the Witch Clan, I can sense that the power contained within this corpse far exceeds the True Immortal level. Can Cai Zhu endure it with her current cultivation level?¡± Shen Luo asked hastily. ¡°Rest assured, Nie Caizhu is possibly the last descendant of our Witch Clan left in the world. I will not let anything happen to her no matter what. The power of God Hou Yi indeed far exceeds this girl''s cultivation level, but I will seal his power within her body, releasing only a small portion, it will certainly be harmless,¡± the stone statue said. ¡°Okay, then I''ll leave it to you,¡± Shen Luo finally felt relieved and said through transmission. While communicating with the stone statue, he didn''t stop his movements, once again stimulating the Free and Easy Mirror, aiming towards the Ruomu Divine Bow nearby. But as soon as the red light from the Free and Easy Mirror touched the Ruomu Divine Bow, the nine souls of the Golden Crow also looked over with hatred, their burning beaks fiercely pecking at the red light column, easily tearing it apart. A wave of scorching heat infiltrated the Free and Easy Mirror through the red light, turning the mirror suddenly as hot as a glowing red iron block. ¡°You nine feathered beasts, even attacking me, it seems you won''t behave unless taught a lesson!¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly, forming a seal with a point. The Golden Sword Array above the Hall surged once again, countless golden swords shooting out explosively and striking towards the nine Golden Crow Souls, emitting a world-shaking howl. After several previous uses, Shen Luo''s mastery of the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array became even more adept, and its power also increased. The Golden Crow Souls, unyieldingly proud, had been sealed by the Ruomu Divine Bow for years and were brimming with pent-up rage. They fearlessly faced the myriad of light swords, flapping their wings and soaring upward, with the fire of the Golden Crow furiously spreading from their bodies. The golden light swords struck the nine Golden Crow Souls and were immediately engulfed by the blazing Golden Crow Fire, rendering them completely ineffective. Shen Luo was slightly startled, but showed no hint of panic; his target was not the nine Golden Crow Souls from the beginning. A flash of green light passed over the ground next to the coffin, and the body of Ghost Teng Master emerged, grabbing the Ruomu Divine Bow. Seeing this, the nine Golden Crow Souls in mid-air screeched in shock and anger, turning around and diving towards the ground below. Shen Luo sneered coldly, a blue light flashed beside him, and he pressed out towards the void. A massive blue ice wall suddenly appeared in front of him in the void, freezing the void solidly and blocking the nine Golden Crows on the other side. The nine Golden Crow Souls pecked fiercely at the blue ice wall, the fire of the Golden Crow on their bodies crashing down like angry waves, causing the blue ice wall to tremble thunderously and rapidly melt. However, the blue ice wall, formed by the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique reaching the fifth layer of realm, stood strong even against the nine Golden Crow Souls. Beneath the ice wall, Ghost Teng Master suddenly picked up the divine bow and swiftly flew towards Shen Luo. Just then, the space beside Ghost Teng Master fluctuated, revealing Tian Sanqi''s figure with a face now resembling Wu Luo, spewing a stream of liquid-like Demonic Qi towards Ghost Teng Master¨Cthis was the soul-extinguishing Demonic Qi. ¡°I knew you would come out!¡± Shen Luo snorted coldly, a red light flashed in his hand, and the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan appeared, fiercely fanning towards Tian Sanqi. A surge of Five-Colored Flame Pillars violently shot out, striking towards Tian Sanqi''s body. Tian Sanqi, whose Wu Luo''s body had previously suffered from the power of this fan, dared not resist and swiftly dodged. The body of Ghost Teng Master took the opportunity to twist, dodging the soul-extinguishing Demonic Qi sprayed by Tian Sanqi, and with the Ruomu Divine Bow in hand, streaked towards Shen Luo, handing it over. Seeing this scene, Tian Sanqi showed a look of indignation but did not rush over to snatch it, instead turning and fleeing into the distance. Shen Luo did not pursue Tian Sanqi; he took the Ruomu Divine Bow from Ghost Teng Master, about to feel the power contained within, when suddenly the bow burst into a brilliant golden light, a torrential heat emanating from within its body and infusing into his body. The Pure Yang Sword within Shen Luo sensed this heat and began to pulse wildly, also releasing a scorching energy, clashing violently with the power of the Ruomu Divine Bow. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A round of brilliant golden sun burst forth in his hands, swiftly engulfing everything in the Hall. A thunderous ¡°bang¡± reverberated, Shen Luo''s entire body was blasted backwards spewing fresh blood, with his chest bones caving in and crackling noises echoing, he then heavily crashed into the blue ice wall behind. The blue ice wall, already cracked and precarious from the attacks of the nine Golden Crow Souls, finally shattered upon the impact of Shen Luo''s body. The Ruomu Divine Bow flew in the opposite direction, causing the nine golden arrows to be shaken out. As soon as the golden arrows left the Ruomu Divine Bow, the golden light flickering on them quickly extinguished, and the nine Golden Crow Souls, seemingly losing their power support, cried out sorrowfully and transformed into nine clusters of ethereal golden light, passing through the shattered blue ice, merging into the nine golden arrows. Chapter 1591 Chapter 1591: Chapter 1587: Illusion within an Illusion Nine golden arrows scattered, and three of them happened to fall near Shen Luo. Summoning his last breath of strength, Shen Luo activated the Free and Easy Mirror to wrap around the three arrows. The souls of the Golden Crow within the three arrows did not resist at this moment and were obediently captured. Shen Luo turned his head to look at the ground not too far away, where another three golden arrows had fallen. He was just about to use the Free and Easy Mirror to collect them when a streak of red light flashed by. Yan Lie''s figure darted out, swept up the three golden arrows with a quick flick of his sleeve, and immediately plunged back into the void, vanishing from sight. As for Wanshui Zhenren, he was already nowhere to be seen. ¡°Haha, it was not in vain that I strategized for a thousand years, the Ruomu Divine Bow is ultimately mine,¡± the sound of Tian Sanqi''s wild laughter came from the other side. With one hand holding the Ruomu Divine Bow and the other the last three golden arrows, Tian Sanqi''s laughter was unrestrained. After his crazed laughter, a black light flashed on Tian Sanqi''s body, and he too submerged into the ground and disappeared without a trace. At this moment, Shen Luo, severely injured, was powerless to prevent it and could only watch helplessly as the Demon General made off with the Divine Bow. He sighed, not too frustrated. The divine bow seemed to negate and counteract his Pure Yang Sword. Having struggled to release it after getting a hold of it earlier, even if he had seized it, he probably wouldn''t have been able to use it. Moreover, the bow had a spirit, and it seemed it did not wish to fall into his hands. Shen Luo shook his head, banishing these thoughts, and took out a Healing Pill to consume, channeling his energy to refine it. Suddenly, the entire mausoleum shook violently, cracks began to surface on the surrounding walls, growing quickly in size as if about to collapse. A light flickered in the void of the Hall, and the prohibition that had trapped his Divine Sense suddenly vanished. Shen Luo''s Divine Sense spread out, and the prohibitions inside the tomb chamber above were also gone without a trace. ¡°All of Hou Yi''s relics have been taken, and without the support of his witchcraft power, the prohibitions here are beginning to collapse. The entire mausoleum is likely to disintegrate and crumble; it would be wise for you to find a way to leave quickly,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. Shen Luo nodded, concentrating his energy to suppress his injuries, radiating a green light from his body as he stepped into the void and disappeared without a trace. On the Nameless Deserted Island, the Giant Peak where Houyi''s Tomb was located suddenly began to shake violently. Streaks of blinding white light pierced through, releasing an alarming surge of power that shook the nearby sky, rumbling ceaselessly. A few breaths later, the midsection of the Giant Peak exploded with a loud boom, and the entire mountain collapsed at its waist, numerous gigantic rocks tumbling down. In the sky halfway up the mountain, a green shadow flashed by, and the figure of Shen Luo appeared, even paler than when he was inside the tomb chamber. Although the prohibitions within Hou Yi''s Mausoleum had collapsed, the space inside had not. It took him considerable effort to emerge. Tian Sanqi, Yan Lie, and the others were already nowhere to be seen, having escaped to unknown locations. Shen Luo had no intent to seek them out, and he looked down towards the Valley where the White Teeth Tribe was located. It was completely deserted, with nothing but stubborn rocks remaining. ¡°It seems we truly fell victim to Wu Luo''s Illusion Technique, but there is something I still don''t quite understand,¡± Shen Luo said with a wry smile, then murmured to himself. ¡°What don''t you understand?¡± Fire Spirit Child flew out from the Carefree Mirror and asked. ¡°I still can''t believe that there is such an Illusion Technique that I can''t detect at all, and if Wu Luo possessed such a technique, why didn''t she use it again later in Hou Yi''s Mausoleum? The Illusion Techniques she used inside Hou Yi''s Mausoleum were quite clever, but they were far inferior compared to those of the White Teeth Tribe.¡± Shen Luo said calmly. ¡°Perhaps the White Teeth Tribe''s Illusion Technique was augmented by some kind of Magical Treasure or Array Techniques, which greatly enhanced their power of illusion.¡± Fire Spirit Child suggested. ¡°If that were the case, it would be one thing, but now when I think about it, with Wu Luo''s strength, those Poisonous Insects and Exotic Beasts inside the Gate of Life and Death couldn''t possibly have stopped her, and the Stone Statues in the Mausoleum were the same. Looking at our entire treasure exploration in Hou Yi''s Mausoleum, it seems like everyone''s actions were being manipulated. Everything about Hou Yi''s Mausoleum is probably a chess game laid out by Wu Luo. She used us to unlock the Seal because she couldn''t open it for some reason, and then she took the Ruo Mu Divine Bow.¡± Shen Luo said with a furrowed brow. ¡°You don''t have to think of Wu Luo as too terrifying just because she faked death to escape. Although I can''t figure out how she possessed Tian Sanqi, the fact that Wu Luo was defeated by you is true. Later, when we fought near Hou Yi''s Coffin, her power was much inferior to yours. Perhaps what was attached to Tian Sanqi was just a remnant Soul, barely clinging to life and just happened to pick up the flung Ruo Mu Divine Bow.¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°I hope so,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. At this moment, his expression suddenly changed. Inside the Carefree Mirror, the White Fog Light Curtain that enshrouded Nie Caizhu and the Stone Statue began to surge violently, and brilliant Golden Light penetrated from within, tearing the White Fog Light Curtain apart in the blink of an eye and revealing a sun-like dazzling golden light. Boom! Boom! Boom! S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Golden Light moved rapidly, bursting with a wave after wave of overwhelming force in all directions, the prohibitions within the Mirror Space couldn''t withstand this force and quickly collapsed, causing the entire Carefree Mirror Space to shake violently. ¡°This is bad!¡± Shen Luo cried out in alarm, Immediately taking control of Ghost Teng Master to operate the Carefree Mirror. The sphere of Golden Light appeared out of thin air in Mid Air, the vast Golden Light bursting out even more ferociously, instantly sweeping over dozens of feet around, and blasting him away as well. Shen Luo was already injured. Being struck by the Golden Light this way nearly made him spout another mouthful of fresh blood. He quickly flashed back and retreated over a hundred feet to control his injuries with his Qi. The Golden Light became more and more dazzling, almost truly like the Sun had descended, turning the entire Island into daytime. Shen Luo frowned, thinking that if Wu Luo and the others were still on the island, they would definitely notice the commotion here; it wasn''t guaranteed that they wouldn''t come over. But he couldn''t approach Nie Caizhu in her current state. He waved his sleeve, and ten Pure Yang Swords flew out from his hand, swiftly forming a Golden Sword Array around, while the Sky Fiend Corpse King also emerged, holding the Turn Sky Seal and flying opposite the Golden Light, constantly on guard in all directions. Time passed by little by little, and soon Half an Hour had gone by. Wu Luo, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren did not appear, and there were no other abnormalities in the surroundings. The Golden Light on Nie Caizhu became more and more bright, and Shen Luo couldn''t stand within a hundred feet and retreated another hundred plus feet. ¡°The Power of Hou Yi is indeed extraordinary. He was truly an Ancient great witch who could shoot down nine suns!¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but exclaim as he looked at the golden sun. Shen Luo looked at the golden sun and said nothing, inwardly worried whether Nie Caizhu could withstand such an incredible force. After another Quarter of an Hour, the Golden Light group suddenly shook, and a White Light shot out from within, rapidly expanding and quickly taking over nearly half of the Golden Light''s domain. That White Light was far less grand and powerful than the Golden Light yet entwined with a very unique Breath. As the infinite power of the Golden Light permeated into the domain of the White Light, it immediately became motionless and was then easily pushed out. ¡°Is this the Power of Time?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes lit up. Chapter 1592 Chapter 1592: Chapter 1588: Inheritance ¡°It seems to be true, even those in the Heavenly Venerate Realm might not be able to wield the Power of Time. The ancestral sorcerer bloodline is truly miraculous and incomparable,¡± Fire Spirit Child''s eyes sparkled with light. Golden and white lights shone together, then dimmed after a few breaths and soon completely vanished. Nie Caizhu''s figure appeared, suspended silently in mid-air, her eyes tightly shut, still in a state of unconsciousness. There seemed to be no significant change in her appearance, but behind her, butterfly-like wings had grown; one was golden, the other white, fluttering slightly, incredibly mysterious. At this moment, an overwhelming aura burst out from Nie Caizhu, astonishingly reaching the Late True Immortal Stage, and this aura was very odd¨Cneither wholly of the immortals nor of the witches, as if the witch tribe bloodline in Nie Caizhu''s body and the mana of the Immortal Path had fused together. The stone statue stood next to Nie Caizhu, its body covered with cracks, periodically shedding fragments, looking as if it would collapse at any moment. However, it looked at Nie Caizhu with a satisfied smile on its face, a sense of relief from fulfilling a long-standing promise. ¡°God Hou Yi, I have finally fulfilled my promise¡­¡± The statue murmured to itself as the last strand of spiritual light quickly dissipated, unable to continue standing in the void, falling towards the ground like a stubborn rock. A golden light came to its aid, supporting the statue, while Shen Luo''s figure emerged beside it. ¡°Thank you for assisting Cai Zhu in inheriting the power of God Hou Yi,¡± Shen Luo, with his hand over his chest, gave a bow in the witch tribe''s traditional way. ¡°No need for thanks. She has inherited the power of God Hou Yi and is the hope of our witch tribe. Please take good care of her in the future¡­¡± The statue said to Shen Luo. ¡°Cai Zhu is my fiancee, rest assured, I will take good care of her,¡± Shen Luo nodded and said. Upon hearing this, the statue was reassured, its spiritual light completely extinguished, and with a rumble turned into a pile of rubble. Shen Luo sighed, waved his sleeve, and sent the rubble down to the collapsed mountain peak. Perhaps there lay the bodies of its kin; in death, they could continue to be together. In the air, both the golden and white light on Nie Caizhu''s body flashed at the same time, and her tightly closed eyes slowly opened. ¡°Cai Zhu, are you alright?¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo, no longer dwelling on the statue''s fate, flew over. ¡°Cousin!¡± Seeing Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu''s face showed joy, and she soared forward to fling herself into his arms. Her golden and white butterfly wings, sensing her emotions, flashed brightly, and her speed suddenly increased tenfold, crashing forcefully into Shen Luo''s chest. While Shen Luo was waiting beside her earlier, he had been refining an elixir and was running the Great Unsealing Technique to heal his injuries, having already recovered mostly, but the force of Nie Caizhu''s collision was indeed extraordinary; he felt as if he had been struck by a meteorite, almost spitting out another mouthful of blood. ¡°How could I¡­ Cousin, are you alright?¡± Nie Caizhu paused, seemingly unaware of her own great strength, and upon seeing Shen Luo''s pale face, she asked with a mix of urgency and heartache. ¡°I''m fine, this is an injury from just now, during the contention over God Hou Yi''s artifact with Yan Lie and the others, it has nothing to do with you,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. ¡°You''ve found God Hou Yi''s artifact? Did you get it? And how come there''s this inexhaustible strength inside me, is this the power of God Hou Yi?¡± Nie Caizhu, seeing that Shen Luo was not seriously injured, let go of her worry, recalling the situation before her unconsciousness, and asked eagerly. Shen Luo smiled gently, about to answer, when suddenly the situation changed¨Caround the island, the black mist prohibition began to rumble loudly, and the black mist from all directions surged, rushing towards the interior of the island. ¡°What''s happening? Could it be that these black mist prohibitions are related to Houyi''s Tomb, and because the tomb is collapsing, the prohibitions are also changing?¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows upon seeing this. ¡°Don''t worry about the reason, just leave quickly. These black mist prohibitions are no ordinary matter! Charge toward a spot, I''ll use the Gu Xuan star disk to break the prohibition, and the two of you assist from the side!¡± Fire Spirit Child shouted, manipulating the Gu Xuan star disk with his hand gestures. Shen Luo nodded, recalled the Sky Fiend Corpse King and the ten Pure Yang Swords, and carried Nie Caizhu at full speed toward the nearest coastline. With his current speed of escape, he arrived in moments at the place near the edge of the island, where black mist prohibitions roared toward them, bringing gusts of Yin wind that contained a terror-inducing cold force, pressing against them head-on. Fire Spirit Child gave his all to activate the power of the Gu Xuan star disk, and a thick pillar of starlight shot out from above, more than twice the size of when Tao Xiang activated this treasure, striking fiercely against the black mist prohibition. The nearby black mist prohibition immediately bulged out with huge blisters, which popped with loud explosions after a few breaths, making the prohibition significantly thinner. Shen Luo''s face brightened with joy, about to urge the Pure Yang Swords to assist in breaking the prohibition with the Gu Xuan star disk, when the Black Qi from other areas of the prohibition suddenly surged over, the thinned out patch of fog thickening rapidly, restoring to its original state in just a few breaths. ¡°This¡­¡± Shen Luo was stunned, and Fire Spirit Child''s expression also changed. This situation had not occurred when Tao Xiang and the others had been breaking the prohibition. Could it be that this was caused by the prohibition going berserk at the moment? ¡°It seems that in order to break the prohibition, we need to control the flow of the black Yin Qi on the prohibition. Just cast your spells, leave this matter to me,¡± Nie Caizhu suddenly said. ¡°Do you have a way? Are you thinking of using the Power of Time?¡± Fire Spirit Child glanced over, then suddenly realized. ¡°Cai Zhu, are you now proficient in using the power of your bloodline?¡± Shen Luo hurriedly asked upon hearing this. ¡°I''m not very proficient yet, but it should be no problem to help you break the prohibition. Go ahead and cast your spells; the further forward, the thicker the black mist prohibition becomes, the harder it will be to break through,¡± Nie Caizhu said. ¡°Alright, then we''ll count on you,¡± Fire Spirit Child immediately nodded and once again urged the Gu Xuan star disk to shoot out a thick beam of starlight, smashing fiercely into the black mist prohibition. The black mist prohibition again swelled with bubbles and burst open, thinning out a large area of the black foggy region considerably. The nearby Black Qi surged once again, flowing into the thinned area of the mist. Nie Caizhu shouted sharply, and mysterious spirit patterns emerged on her white butterfly wings behind her, which suddenly expanded two to three times their size, emitting a bright white light that shone on the black mist prohibition. The previously surging black mist prohibition suddenly came to a halt right there, as if it had abruptly solidified. Fire Spirit Child and Shen Luo were also enveloped in the white light, their bodies stopped in place, just like the trapped prohibition behind them. Nie Caizhu formed a hand gesture pointing at Shen Luo and Fire Spirit Child, and the white light surrounding their bodies quickly dissipated into the surroundings, soon forming a circular open ground about thirty feet wide. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Good!¡± Fire Spirit Child regained freedom of movement, apparently completely forgetting that he had just been restrained, and exclaimed joyfully, urging the Gu Xuan star disk with his hand gestures. The pillar of starlight atop the Gu Xuan star disk suddenly split open, transforming into more than a dozen thick blades of starlight, slashing fiercely onto the black mist prohibition, once again tearing open a gap in it. Chapter 1593 Chapter 1593: Chapter 1589: A Bountiful Harvest Shen Luo seemed not to have realized that he had just been restrained, and immediately struck against the black mist prohibition without using the Pure Yang Flying Sword. Instead, he flipped his hand and took out the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, swiping it ferociously at the black mist prohibition. To prevent the black mist prohibition from causing any more trouble, he directly employed his most powerful method. Moreover, he had swapped the Pure Yang Swords sealed within the fan, ensuring that the strongest one was included, determined to break the prohibition with a single strike. With a thunderous boom, five thick flames surged out, among them a Vermilion Bird True Fire which was especially immense, emitting a soaring phoenix cry. The five strands of flames converged rapidly, transforming instantaneously into a colossal Fire Phoenix, wreathed in five types of Heavenly Fire, and charged straight at the damaged part of the black mist prohibition, striking it fiercely. Boom! Boom! Boom! The black mist prohibition burst open like paper, blowing open a big hole several tens of feet wide! A glimmer of joy flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and he turned to call out to Nie Caizhu to leave together. ¡°Let''s get out quickly, don''t waste any of Nie Caizhu''s time! With her time powers, this black mist restriction can''t stop her.¡± Fire Spirit Child grabbed Shen Luo and shot out through the big hole. The moment they flew out, the ruptured black mist prohibition was enveloped by white light of time, and the healing big hole once again halted in place. A beam of golden light shot out from the big hole immediately, revealing Nie Caizhu''s figure. The surrounding white light of time flashed and dissipated, with the black mist prohibition returning to normal and continuing to churn tumultuously. Nie Caizhu''s complexion was currently pale, and even standing in the void seemed to be a struggle. Shen Luo hastily emitted a golden light to support her body. ¡°Cai Zhu, are you alright?¡± he grasped Nie Caizhu''s hand and channeled a stream of pure Mana into her body. Nie Caizhu''s spirit revived slightly, but the paleness on her face did not fade in the slightest. ¡°Do you think time powers are that easy to wield? What she''s exhausted is the power of her bloodline, she needs to meditate and recuperate immediately,¡± reminded Fire Spirit Child. Hearing this, Shen Luo hurriedly manipulated the Free and Easy Mirror and took Nie Caizhu into it. Once inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Nie Caizhu sighed with relief, immediately sat down cross-legged, and began to regulate her breath and meditate, her complexion finally started to improve. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, seeing Nie Caizhu in this state through his Divine Sense, was deeply pained and filled with self-reproach. To think that using the time powers would consume so much, and that I am still too weak, forcing Nie Caizhu to endure all this. ¡°Young Master Shen, you needn''t worry too much. True Immortal Stage Mana is meager and cannot support the consumption of the time powers. Once your little wife breaks through to the Taiyi Stage, it won''t be like this,¡± Fire Spirit Child said upon seeing this. Shen Luo nodded his head and flicked his sleeve to take Fire Spirit Child into the Free and Easy Mirror as well, then turned into a crimson sword light and fled into the distance. In his haste, he failed to notice that the contraction of the black mist prohibition over the island below had ceased, as if someone was controlling it. Shen Luo sped through the vast sea area, and after a whole day, he finally chose a medium-sized, ring-shaped island to land on. In a secluded spot within the island''s ring-shaped harbor, he used seven Pure Yang Flying Swords to continuously excavate, and swiftly carved out a temporary cave mansion from the solid rock wall. After setting up defensive and concealment Arrays outside the mansion, Shen Luo plunged into the cave. As the Stone Door slowly closed, the interior of the cave was illuminated by the glow of luminescent stones, and his heart, which had been hanging heavy, finally settled slightly. During the previous period, he had been fighting incessantly, and even he felt unbearably tired and had long needed a proper rest. Inside the cave, Shen Luo sat cross-legged for a moment before raising his hand. With a wave, the clouds and mists above the Free and Easy Mirror churned, and a space portal gradually opened up in front of him. Behind the portal, Nie Caizhu had already been waiting for a long time, and at this moment, she naturally rushed out immediately. ¡°Cousin, how did it go?¡± Nie Caizhu''s brows were filled with worry as she hastily asked. Shen Luo took her hand and had her sit opposite him, shaking his head with a smile, ¡°It''s nothing serious, just some hidden wounds. After some more meditation and taking some Elixirs, I''ll recover very soon.¡± ¡°You always disregard your own safety. If something truly happened to you, what would I do?¡± Despite his reassurance, the worry in Nie Caizhu''s eyes did not diminish as she spoke. Hearing this, Shen Luo was not saddened but rather overjoyed. He patted her hand lightly and said with a smile, ¡°I''m fine, heh, although it was dangerous this time, the gains were also significant.¡± ¡°That''s true. Not to mention other things, just take my Witch Tribe bloodline, although it''s not fully awakened, I''ve already begun to sense its immense power.¡± Encouraged by his words, Nie Caizhu finally showed a hint of a smile. ¡°Not fully awakened?¡± Shen Luo asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, the bloodline of Zhu Jiuyin is one of the most powerful among the Ancient Witch Tribe bloodlines. It''s not so easy to fully awaken. But, I can already use a part of the bloodline power, and I believe that given some more time, I will be able to fully master this bloodline power,¡± said Nie Caizhu, nodding. ¡°Good, good. I have also gained a lot this time, let''s check together to see what we''ve got,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile and an air of excitement. His expression was clearly like that of a man who had returned home from a journey with a bulging bundle, eager to show his wife what he had gathered. Nie Caizhu nodded with a smiling face, feeling very joyous in her heart. Unlike Shen Luo, since she had started her Cultivation path, she had always been under the protection of the Sect. Though she occasionally carried out missions and engaged in battles, those times were not frequent, and opportunities to sit down and count treasures were naturally even rarer. Shen Luo smiled with his eyes and brows as he produced two Storage Rings and a Storage Bracelet, placing them on the ground. Inside these two Storage Rings were Liu Hong and Li Biao''s possessions, and the exquisite Storage Bracelet belonged to Tao Xiang; all the Storage Magical Tools of the three who had perished were now in Shen Luo''s hands. He first picked up Li Biao''s Storage Ring, refined it a bit, then waved his hand, and all sorts of contained items immediately spread out before them. There were many bottles and jars on the ground. After inspecting them one by one, Shen Luo found that there were many Elixirs for curing injuries, all of high quality. To his surprise, there was even a bottle of Fire Lotus Pill. Previously during his cultivation seclusion, the Fire Lotus Pills he had concocted were all used up. Now although the efficacy of this pill in assisting his cultivation had greatly decreased due to his tolerance, it still held some effectiveness. ¡°Li Biao, as an Elder of Fangjin Pavilion, certainly has a good stock of Elixirs. It''s a pity there are fewer Magical Artifacts,¡± Shen Luo inspected the other items and said with some regret. In Li Biao''s array of Magical Treasures, apart from that Azure Sky Ink Stone, there were no other noteworthy items. Most of them were the Magical Treasures and instruments he used previously, the best of which only had a Nine-layer restriction, which could hardly attract Shen Luo''s interest. Shen Luo organized all of Li Biao''s items into categories and set them aside. Then he picked up Liu Hong''s Storage Ring to refine. After opening his Storage Ring, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel greatly disappointed; the contents were even fewer than Li Biao''s, and the Elixirs were of lower quality. As for Magical Treasures, the two were more or less the same, both in quality and quantity. The best among them was the Soul of Ink Brush. Chapter 1594 – 1590: Dog Chapter 1594: Chapter 1590: Dog-shit Luck Shen Luo had witnessed the scene when Liu Hong and Li Biao each used these two treasures. Their power was extraordinary; however, what impressed him the most was when both of them had jointly activated the treasure, opening a passageway within the void together. The spatial power revealed in the process was very unique. If he could fully grasp its usage, it would certainly unleash immense might. Shen Luo was already contemplating refining these two Magical Treasures when his attention was abruptly drawn to a gloomy black stone on the ground. This stone was only slightly larger than a fist, pitted and marked with indentations that didn''t seem to be the result of deliberate hammering, but rather appeared to be naturally formed. Its surface was faintly glistening with a sheen. Shen Luo reached out to pick up the Black Stone, only to feel a burst of icy power emanating from it. Surprisingly, when he tried to lift it, the stone was unexpectedly heavy, almost causing him to drop it inadvertently. ¡°So heavy,¡± Shen Luo remarked with surprise. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu also grew curious and reached out to take it, only to be startled as well. ¡°What kind of stone is this? How can it be so heavy?¡± Nie Caizhu couldn''t help but exclaim in astonishment. ¡°Don''t know. I''ve never seen it before, nor have I read about it in books. But strange phenomena often accompany rare objects¡­ they''re mostly not mundane¡­¡± Shen Luo paused slightly as he spoke. He immediately waved his hand and summoned the Fire Spirit Child once more. The Fire Spirit Child was originally deep in concentration, fully engrossed in the study of the Gu Xuan star disk that had only recently come into his possession. The formations on it fascinated him so much that he had no desire to pay attention to external affairs. ¡°Young Master Shen, what is it now? Don''t you know I''m busy?¡± He said with some dissatisfaction. ¡°Fire Spirit Child Daoist friend, don''t be busy for a moment; I need your help with something,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Fire Spirit Child subconsciously clutched the Gu Xuan star disk tighter and said, ¡°You''d better not be eyeing this treasure of mine. I''m right in the thick of studying it; don''t you kill my buzz.¡± ¡°I''m not after that; there''s something else I need You to take a look at,¡± Shen Luo said with a somewhat speechless smile. ¡°What''s that thing? Let me have a look,¡± Fire Spirit Child finally relaxed, asking. Shen Luo immediately brought the black stone over for him to inspect. Fire Spirit Child''s gaze landed on the black stone, and at first, he was slightly taken aback, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, then reached out to touch it. Excitement immediately lit up his face. Seeing his eyes light up, Shen Luo''s brows immediately lifted in joy, knowing it must be something good. ¡°Good kid, where did you get this from? Isn''t this Vermilion Bird Stone?¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but exclaim. ¡°Picked it off of Liu Hong,¡± Shen Luo replied. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You lucky kid, fortune really favors you. Things just fall into place; it''s like someone hands you a pillow as soon as you feel sleepy,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with excitement, rubbing his hands together. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shen Luo asked, puzzled. ¡°Didn''t you say earlier that the Seven Pure Yang Flying Swords'' Red Fire potency is powerful but slightly lacking in sharpness?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked. ¡°Indeed, after all, they are Flying Swords, victorious through Chun Yang power, but their own sharpness is insufficient. When clashing with the enemy, their Break Defense capability is not enough, which is ultimately a flaw. If one cannot breach the enemy''s defense, the power of the flame''s burn will be significantly limited,¡± Shen Luo sighed and said. ¡°Everyone says you, young master, are lucky indeed. With this Vermilion Bird Stone in hand, divide it into seven parts and refine it into the seven Flying Swords. Thanks to the unique properties of the Vermilion Bird Stone itself, it will greatly enhance the sharpness of the swords, making their Qi originate from the same source and their sword natures compatible, significantly increasing their ability to break defenses,¡± praised Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Is that really true?¡± Shen Luo could hardly believe it. ¡°Of course, it''s true. I''ve recently had some insights into the Spirit Refining Array, and I''ve also found some interesting things in the Gu Xuan star disk. In a few days, I should be able to integrate a brand-new Array, and refining this will be just a minor addition to the process,¡± Fire Spirit Child nodded as he spoke. ¡°That would be absolutely wonderful. Right now, I have exactly three Golden Crow Souls in my possession. If your Spirit Refining Array can be perfected, would it be possible to refine them into sword spirits?¡± Hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed and said. ¡°Indeed,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, quite pleased with himself. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, how confident are you about succeeding?¡± Shen Luo asked, elated. ¡°Young Master Shen, if you don''t come and disturb me, allowing me to research properly, the success rate would be about sixty to seventy percent. As for now, well, it would be at most this much,¡± said Fire Spirit Child, raising three fingers as he did so. ¡°Alright, alright, you focus on your research, and I won''t bother you anymore,¡± Shen Luo hastily said. Hearing this, Fire Spirit Child turned to leave for the Carefree Mirror, and before going, he also took the Vermilion Bird Stone with him: ¡°This thing, I have only ever heard of its name but have never seen it before. I''ll take it and do some more research.¡± After he left, Shen Luo was still unable to conceal his delight, and Nie Cai Zhu was also happy for him. Shen Luo quickly suppressed his smile, then refined and opened Tao Xiang''s Storage Bracelet, carefully sorting through everything inside. After all, as a Late-stage True Immortal Cultivator, Tao Xiang''s Storage Bracelet naturally contained much richer contents than those of Liu Hong and Li Biao. It was mostly filled with high-grade Spiritual Materials and Immortal Medicines, each of which was Worth a lot of money. Shen Luo sorted through the Bottles and jars one by one. Just as Nie Cai Zhu, who had been watching by his side, was about to speak, her expression suddenly changed slightly, yet she said nothing. However, this subtle movement did not escape Shen Luo''s notice, and his hand just happened to stop on a white jade porcelain bottle. On the bottle, there were gilded carvings with the words ¡°Qianyuan Pill¡± engraved. He pulled out the stopper and lightly sniffed. A rich spiritual energy mixed with surging mist burst forth, rushing straight into Shen Luo''s Sea of knowledge, causing his mind to become instantly clearer and his eyes seemingly brighter. ¡°This should be of great benefit to your cultivation, right?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. ¡°The Qianyuan Elixir has a mild nature and can aid almost any cultivator''s practice, not just greatly beneficial to me,¡± said Nie Cai Zhu. ¡°You''ve recently acquired bloodline inheritance and made a breakthrough to the Late True Immortal Stage, a time when you need to stabilize your cultivation level. This Qianyuan Pill is perfect for you,¡± Shen Luo said, handing over the Elixir. Nie Cai Zhu thought for a moment, then without being pretentious, took it. Shen Luo''s smile remained undiminished as he continued to examine the items in Tao Xiang''s legacy. Soon, he came across a treasure that looked like a ribbon, the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud. This artifact''s grade was even higher than the Azure Sky Ink Stone and Soul of Ink Brush. Having already demonstrated its formidable power in Tao Xiang''s hands, it was one of the Magical Treasures that Shen Luo was most concerned about. This time, he said nothing and instead stood up, tied the ribbon to Nie Cai Zhu''s hair at the back of her head, then stepped back a few moments to look her over before praising, ¡°Not bad, it suits you well.¡± ¡°Cousin, I can''t accept this,¡± Nie Cai Zhu reached out to remove the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud ribbon from her head. Shen Luo quickly stopped her, persuading, ¡°This treasure is a Magical Treasure that enhances physical and Divine soul defenses. Although it''s extremely precious, it''s somewhat superfluous to me. After all, my body is tough, and I am protected by secret techniques for the soul. Therefore, it''s more valuable in your hands.¡± Chapter 1595 Chapter 1595: Chapter 1591: A Rare Talent ¡°Who would ever complain about having too many Magical Treasures? I¡­¡± Nie Caizhu had not finished her sentence when she was interrupted by Shen Luo''s gesture of gently caressing her cheek. ¡°This hair accessory is after all an item for women; it suits you better and looks prettier when worn on your head,¡± Shen Luo said, his expression tender. Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu showed a bashful look, momentarily at a loss for words to retort. Shen Luo chuckled and changed the subject. After inspecting and sorting all the other items, he tucked them away. The loot this time was indeed substantial, with the usable Elixirs and Magical Treasures alone being enough for an ordinary monk to accumulate over a lifetime. ¡°What are your plans next?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. ¡°First, I need to recuperate for a period of time. Once I''ve recovered my strength, we will make another trip to Tianyan Palace. I fear that the key to leaving this Secret Realm is most likely there,¡± Shen Luo said after meditating for a moment. ¡°It''s been quite some time, and both of our Cultivation levels have made progress. I imagine that he too should be stronger than before,¡± Nie Caizhu remarked. ¡°Regardless, this battle is inevitable. United, we need not fear him, but I wonder what the state of Tianji City is now,¡± sighed Shen Luo. ¡°With Little Master in charge of Tianji City, it should be fine. Furthermore, the main culprit, Che Qingtian, was also teleported into this Secret Realm with us. What can those remaining weaklings stir up?¡± Nie Caizhu said. ¡°You have a point,¡± Shen Luo replied, his face breaking into a smile. ¡°For the next few days, you should focus on healing in seclusion. I will protect you for a while,¡± said Nie Caizhu. ¡°Then I''m in your debt,¡± Shen Luo replied with a knowing smile. After chatting and laughing for a while, Nie Caizhu went to sit quietly on one side, and Shen Luo took a Healing Pill and began to meditate and regulate his breathing. Time flew by, and half a month passed in a flash. Shen Luo''s injuries had completely healed, and Nie Caizhu had returned to the Carefree Mirror to continue her Cultivation in seclusion. One day, feeling something, Shen Luo opened the Big Gate of the Carefree Mirror and saw Fire Spirit Child emerge with a face full of joy, holding the Gu Xuan star disk in his hands. ¡°Young Master Shen, I''ve finally figured it out ¨C the Spirit Refining Array. This time, it''s an improved version of the high-level Formation. You''re in luck,¡± he announced with enthusiasm, his voice preceding his arrival. Seeing his excited demeanor and brisk stride, Shen Luo couldn''t help but feel happy. ¡°What kind of improvements have been made that have pleased Fire Daoist friend so greatly?¡± Shen Luo asked knowingly, catering to his temperament. Delighted to be asked, Fire Spirit Child immediately replied: ¡°I have thoroughly researched this Gu Xuan star disk and discovered a Six-pole Soul-condensing Array within it, which harmonizes extremely well with the Spirit Refining Array. One excels at extracting and refining the Divine Soul, while the other ensures that the Essence Soul remains condensed and doesn''t scatter. Working together, they guarantee a success rate of over eighty percent.¡± ¡°Eighty percent?¡± Shen Luo was instantly overjoyed. ¡°Don''t be quick to rejoice just yet. Although I have deduced this Great Formation dozens of times, it is still the first time using it practically. I can''t complete it alone; I still need your assistance,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°No problem, just follow Fire Daoist friend''s commands,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. Fire Spirit Child nodded in satisfaction, then with a wave of his hand, a Black Stone Stele immediately materialized in front of him. Afterward, he flipped his hand and took out one black formation flag after another, surrounding the Black Stone Stele, inserting them into different positions one by one. ¡°I have always been proficient in the Demon Soul Transformation Instrument Technique, which originally could only be performed during the casting stage of Magical Weapons and Treasures, with a success rate of only thirty to forty percent. To refine it half-way through like this, the success rate is even less than ten percent. Fortunately, I obtained the Witch Clan''s Spirit Refining Array, which can match my Conversion Array, enabling me to help you complete this task.¡± As Fire Spirit Child spoke, he carved complicated and deep charm patterns into the stone slabs on the Ground. ¡°Fire Daoist friend truly is an exceptional talent, able to conceive such a wondrous Conversion Array.¡± Shen Luo, who was also not unfamiliar with Talisman and Array, watched all the way through and couldn''t help but be amazed by Fire Spirit Child''s exquisite Array. ¡°You can see the trick?¡± Fire Spirit Child stopped his action, frowned, and asked. ¡°I can vaguely make out some of it. Based on the positions occupied by these formation flags, it should stem from a kind of Juling Array, presumably to enhance the pure energy of the demon soul, while these Array of Talisman Patterns seem to originate from some kind of Soul-stealing Array, used to detain the demon soul and guide it into the magical treasures. This Juling Array and the Soul-stealing Array, one righteous and one wicked, are mutually beneficial methods, I suppose only Fire Daoist friend dares to use them this way,¡± praised Shen Luo. Hearing this, Fire Spirit Child thought Shen Luo was just flattering him, but when Shen Luo actually spoke about the essence of the Array, Fire Spirit Child''s eyes lit up. ¡°Good kid, you have a keen insight, not bad, I did indeed make use of these two Arrays,¡± he said while finishing the Array. ¡°However, Junior has a question. Although there have been changes to this Array, based on its power, it seems insufficient to achieve the reversal, transforming it from the ordinary two Arrays into a unique Conversion Array?¡± Shen Luo expressed his doubt. ¡°Of course, if my Conversion Array were that simple, the original success rate wouldn''t have been as high as thirty to forty percent; having a ten percent chance would have been quite remarkable,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with self-satisfaction. ¡°Haha, in that case, Fire Daoist friend must have some wonderful Talisman as the key to the conversion,¡± Shen Luo said with a laugh. ¡°You can guess that too? Not bad, not bad.¡± Fire Spirit Child became more pleased with Shen Luo. As he spoke, he took out two golden Talisman with vermillion patterns from his bosom, waved them in front of Shen Luo, and said with a smile: ¡°See? These are the key.¡± Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo took a close look and realized he did not recognize the two Talisman. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, please enlighten me, what are these Talisman?¡± Shen Luo asked, cupping his fists. ¡°Enlighten my ass, have you become my disciple? This is my ultimate secret, do you think I would teach you so easily? Go on, go on, stand over there, don''t disturb my Array setup,¡± Fire Spirit Child rolled his eyes and waved Shen Luo away dismissively. Shen Luo grinned and didn''t take offense, walking to the side to wait quietly. Fire Spirit Child stepped forward and placed a Talisman at two key nodes where the Ground charm patterns intersected, then extended several charm patterns from both sides of the Black Stone Stele, drawing two circular Formations. After the Formation setup was finished, Fire Spirit Child took a long breath of turbid air, obviously having expended a lot of energy. ¡°Come, we can begin now,¡± he turned and said to Shen Luo. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, why don''t you rest a while longer, we are not in a hurry, right?¡± Shen Luo tentatively said. ¡°You think I can''t handle it? Humph, you''re not in a hurry, but I am. This is the first time using the three-tiered Great Formation together, success or failure depends on this moment,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, his eyes flashing with intense light. ¡°Alright then.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo responded and quickly went to the left of the Black Stone Stele, sitting down cross-legged. Chapter 1596 Chapter 1596: Chapter 1592: Transformation (End-of-Month Outbreak, asking for monthly tickets please ^^) On the other side, Fire Spirit Child also arrived at the center of the Ring Array on the right side and took a seat cross-legged. He raised his hand and with a swing, a flash of light appeared in front of him, and the Gu Xuan star disk emerged, which he lifted and gently sent floating into the air, hovering above the Black Stone Stele. Immediately afterward, Fire Spirit Child waved both hands, moving them back and forth in the Void a few times. The grooves on the Gu Xuan star disk also seemed to be manipulated by an invisible Big Hand, spinning rapidly. A moment later, the light on the Gu Xuan star disk condensed, followed by a burst of golden light, and hundreds of golden Light Marks shot out from the disk, falling into every corner of the Secret Chamber, forming a brand new Array. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, what is this?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°It''s a Defensive Array discovered in the Gu Xuan star disk. It''s called defense, but it actually can restrain the collisions of power within the Array, making it the best choice for increasing the stability of both the Spirit Refining Array and the Conversion Array,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Does this Great Formation have a name?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Xuan Star Bundle¡­ You, Young Master Shen, shut your mouth, don''t think about prying into my Spirit Refining and Conversion Array, if you keep blabbering, don''t blame me if the conversion fails later,¡± Fire Spirit Child said irritably. ¡°Alright, alright, I won''t ask anymore, won''t ask anymore,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly waved his hands and said. ¡°When the time comes, follow my command; only release the Golden Crow Soul when I tell you. The timing cannot be too early, nor too late, or else it might lead to failure,¡± Fire Spirit Child cautioned. Shen Luo nodded, seeing the other''s serious expression, he couldn''t help but feel somewhat tense. But after speaking, both of them fell silent, staring at each other with wide eyes. After waiting for a moment, Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but yell, ¡°What are you dazing for, why haven''t you brought out your Pure Yang Flying Sword yet?¡± Feeling somewhat amused and helpless, Shen Luo hastily waved his hand, and three Pure Yang Flying Swords neatly aligned themselves in front of him. ¡°Just use one for now, in case of failure, we can''t afford to ruin all of them at once,¡± Fire Spirit Child said after a slight contemplation. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, can you be more reliable? Is there really an eighty percent success rate?¡± Shen Luo asked with a cold sweat on his back, now somewhat doubting Fire Spirit Child''s previous confidence. ¡°What are you afraid of? I''m just being cautious. If you''re not willing, then let''s use all three at once,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with a frown. ¡°Willing, very willing,¡± Shen Luo hurriedly responded. After saying so, he immediately lifted his hand, retracting the other two Flying Swords, leaving only one floating in front of him. Seeing this, Fire Spirit Child''s expression turned serious, and he waved his hands in the Void while chanting a few words. Then, he pointed a finger into the Void in front of him. The Array on the Black Stone Stele immediately shone brightly, and a surge of black light erupted forth. Fire Spirit Child''s eyes narrowed slightly, and he changed the magic spell with his hand before waving in the Void once more. In a flash, the burst of black light in the Void condensed, forming a Black Vortex. Following closely, the charm patterns carved on the Ground also lit up, with charm lights shooting up into the air, turning into a dark red cylindrical Light Pillar shooting straight into the Black Vortex. The two Rune Arrays blended with each other, maintaining a surprisingly balanced state, merging together remarkably well. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Not bad, just as I expected,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, nodding with satisfaction. Shen Luo, upon seeing this, couldn''t help but feel apprehensive. The Fire Spirit Child was clearly validating his own ideas step by step; as to whether the success rate was truly the eighty percent claimed, only heaven knew. However, there was no turning back now, even if he wanted to. ¡°Young Master Shen, send the sword into the vortex of the Array, gently, without disturbing the operation of the Array,¡± Fire Spirit Child instructed. Shen Luo nodded in response, carefully controlling the Pure Yang Flying Sword to slowly pass through the Array, descending bit by bit into the black vortex below from directly above. As the Longsword slowly fell into the vortex, it no longer needed Shen Luo''s control and was locked in place by an invisible force, directly immobilized in the center of the vortex. The Pure Yang Flying Sword, using a sliver of its spirit, became aware and began shaking violently, attempting to break free from its constraints. The originally stable black vortex and red light pillars suddenly twisted, and a series of muffled thunder-like sounds emanated from the center of the Array. The balance was on the verge of being disrupted, threatening to fail at the last moment. ¡°Young Master Shen, quickly control the Flying Sword,¡± urged Fire Spirit Child. Shen Luo hastily controlled the Flying Sword with his mind and finally stabilized it, thereby halting the disturbances in the Array. Seeing this, Fire Spirit Child flipped his palm over, revealing a red Talisman in his hand. He pinched the Talisman between two fingers, waved it in the Void, and then pointed it toward the ground in front of him. With a ¡°whoosh,¡± the Talisman Paper ignited into raging Red Flames. In a flash, a trail of Red Fire spread along the charm patterns on the ground in front of him, shooting straight into the red light column. A ¡°whoosh¡± sound echoed. The Crimson Light Pillar instantly burst into raging flames, shooting directly into the black vortex, coiling around the Pure Yang Flying Sword like a Fire Dragon. This Red Fire, of some unusual nature, burned with such extreme heat that in just a moment, the entire body of the Pure Yang Flying Sword was glowing crimson, shining brightly like fire crystal, visibly clear through the black vortex. At that moment, Fire Spirit Child suddenly floated into the air, his fingers together like a knife, carving in the air towards the Pure Yang Flying Sword. As his hand moved, a delicately crafted black knife formed within the black vortex, carving marks on the body of the sword, unmistakably the receiving charm patterns for welcoming a Tool Spirit. After the charm patterns were completed, Fire Spirit Child landed back inside the Array and said to Shen Luo, ¡°Young Master Shen, prepare yourself; we can release the Monster soul now.¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Luo immediately flipped his palm, and a golden arrow appeared in his hand. As the golden arrow materialized, an extremely scorching breath began to spread in the Void, and Fire Spirit Child could clearly feel that breath even from a distance. ¡°Young Master Shen, this Monster soul does not seem like an easy target; be careful not to let any mishap occur,¡± he couldn''t help but remind. Shen Luo was naturally aware that the Three-legged Golden Crow sealed within the arrow was not to be trifled with and was already fully alert. He saw Shen Luo place both hands together on the arrow, and a Crimson Rune engraved on the arrow shaft immediately emerged. With a thought, he pinched the place of the rune on the arrow shaft between his forefinger and thumb, rotating the Huangting Technique within him. He shouted lowly and suddenly exerted force to snap it. A crisp ¡°crack¡± sound rang out. The arrow shaft broke at the sound, and the Crimson Rune engraved upon it also flickered and then went out. The front end of the arrow, however, lit up with golden light at that moment, followed by a surge of fiery power erupting from it. Before long, the entire arrowhead was completely engulfed in a golden flame, and the illusion of a Three-legged Golden Crow emerged from within, spreading its wings and emitting a piercing scream, yet it was as hoarse and unpleasant as the caw of a crow. Chapter 1597 Chapter 1597: 1593 Persuasion Upon seeing this, Shen Luo''s eyes were filled with joy. With a raise of his hand, a surge of spiritual power enveloped the Three-legged Golden Crow. However, the moment his spiritual power touched the demon soul of the Three-legged Golden Crow, the shadow within the golden fireball seemed to be greatly violated and immediately became furious. Its wings beat once, and the golden fireball instantly expanded to double its size, emitting an immensely powerful and scorching heat wave that dissipated the spiritual power Shen Luo had released. The temperature inside the secret chamber of the cave mansion skyrocketed a hundredfold in an instant, and the surrounding rocks were ¡°crackling¡± from being roasted by the fiery heat. They evidently could not withstand it and started to crack and burst. ¡°Young Master Shen, are you up to this? If you don''t get it under control, the charm patterns on the ground will be melted by the Golden Crow''s blazing flames, and soon we''ll be sitting in lava, staring at each other,¡± Fire Spirit Child couldn''t help but cry out. Shen Luo didn''t speak, but raised his hand again. A black light flew out from within his sleeve, transforming into a black ring that descended from the sky and directly encased the Three-legged Golden Crow. The Nine Nether Ring instantly emitted black light, and a strong restraining force was also released, beginning to suppress the blazing golden flames emitted by the Three-legged Golden Crow. The Three-legged Golden Crow, being suppressed, became even more enraged. Its sharp screams became hoarser, and its wings flapped and struggled incessantly. The flames it released became increasingly intense, forcibly expanding the Nine Nether Ring to twice its size. This Nine Nether Ring is a demonic artifact of Chiyou, made of no ordinary material, and the Three-legged Golden Crow is merely a demon soul. If its true body were here, perhaps even the Nine Nether Ring would not be able to suppress it. ¡°Thinking of rebelling?¡± Shen Luo shouted in anger. With another wave of his palm, the Turn Sky Seal whistled out, transforming into a huge seal three feet square which fiercely smashed down from above, striking the top of the Three-legged Golden Crow''s head. A muffled impact rang out, sparks scattered within the golden fireball, and the struggling Three-legged Golden Crow demon soul seemed to be dazed by the hit, momentarily ceasing its resistance. ¡°Young Master Shen, now''s the chance, hurry up and send the demon soul into the vortex,¡± Fire Spirit Child saw this and promptly shouted. The timing of integrating the demon soul was very important; whether it could be successfully transformed into a Tool Spirit depended on this moment. After the Three-legged Golden Crow''s disturbance, the best opportunity was quickly passing. Hearing this, Shen Luo hurriedly spurred the Nine Nether Ring again, directly restraining the Three-legged Golden Crow as it flew towards the black vortex. But just as they were about to approach, the Three-legged Golden Crow, having regained its senses, was even more furiously enraged, beginning a struggle of unprecedented intensity. Not only did it collide with the Nine Nether Ring violently and uncooperatively, but it also released its own fire power nearly without reservation. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The incredibly scorching temperature burst forth, instantly turning the Nine Nether Ring a glowing red, and the Demonic Qi within it was being constantly consumed and evaporated, suffering significant loss. Shen Luo was pained to see this, yet the Three-legged Golden Crow seemed to be very cheerful, as if it were returned to the era of yore when it and its nine brothers dominated the sky, brazenly scorching all things with unrestrained vigor. It was originally one of the most supreme beings in the world; had it not been shot down by Hou Yi, how could it have become a mere demon soul? Its resentment towards the Human Race was as tall as a mountain peak, as deep as the abyss. Moreover, being sealed within that arrow, completely deprived of freedom, it preferred death over tasting that feeling again. ¡°It''s over, we''re going to be too late,¡± Fire Spirit Child glanced at the two Golden Runes on the ground, saw the charm patterns were already burning, and couldn''t help but sigh. Just then, a sharp sound of a sword''s cry erupted! The first Pure Yang Flying Sword that Shen Luo had nurtured and refined shot out, colliding with the struggling Three-legged Golden Crow within the Nine Nether Ring. As it drew near, a crimson light glowed brightly, and the figure of the Vermilion Bird emerged from the sword body, its double wings spread, gliding over the golden fireball. The Three-legged Golden Crow within the Golden Fireball saw this scene, first stunned, and then it flew towards the Vermilion Bird. As it approached, the Monster soul of the Three-legged Golden Crow dragged the Nine Nether Ring towards the Vermilion Bird, aiming to devour it. ¡°Refusing the toast only to drink the forfeit.¡± Shen Luo, seeing this, was immediately infuriated. He pinched a sword technique with his fingers, and the Pure Yang Flying Sword instantly reversed, accompanied by a clear whistle from the Vermilion Bird, striking the Monster soul of the Three-legged Golden Crow with a slash. With this sword, Shen Luo''s anger was not small, and his sword momentum was extremely swift, actually cleaving the Three-legged Golden Crow into two halves. However, fortunately, it was only a Monster soul, and after losing some flames, it re-fused together. After recovering, the Three-legged Golden Crow did not continue to rush towards the Vermilion Bird; instead, it stopped in place, suddenly giving up resistance. Shen Luo was somewhat puzzled but didn''t think too much, controlling the Three-legged Golden Crow to fly towards the Black Vortex, and just as the Talisman Paper on the ground was about to burn out and lose its effectiveness, it fell into it at the last moment. The Fire Spirit Child thought his efforts had almost failed, but seeing this, he was immediately overjoyed, quickly waved his hands and rapidly pinched formulas and chanted spells, beginning to control the Three-legged Golden Crow to merge into the Pure Yang Flying Sword. This time, the Three-legged Golden Crow only resisted a bit before it obediently fell into the charm patterns on the Sword body. Even the Fire Spirit Child found it strange, not knowing why it suddenly became so cooperative? Shen Luo, after reclaiming the Nine Nether Ring, looked at the Pure Yang Flying Sword floating beside him with an expression of surprise, and said curiously, ¡°Did you persuade it?¡± With a flash of flame on the Flying Sword, the Vermilion Bird appeared again, nodding at Shen Luo and circled around him. Shen Luo, through heart-sensing, broadly understood the reason. The Three-legged Golden Crow, through the sword slash just now, felt the strength of the Vermilion Bird as a Sword Spirit, and knowing that it would not be as constrained as when sealed within the Arrows, finally compromised. ¡°Well done, there are two more later, if they don''t obey, you can give them another beating.¡± Shen Luo said with praise. Hearing this, the Vermilion Bird was naturally elated, circling around Shen Luo in joy and returning to the Sword body. On the other side, the Monster soul of the Golden Crow had already fallen into the Pure Yang Flying Sword, and the two Talismans below had also burnt out at the same time, the light from the charm patterns on the ground gathered together, forming two Spiral Golden Lights that spiraled up along the Crimson Light Pillars, merging into the Black Vortex. As soon as this light entered, the Pure Yang Flying Sword that had been motionless inside the Vortex suddenly trembled, the Golden Light flashed abruptly, and was about to dash outward. The Black Vortex around it immediately closed in, attempting to cage it. However, on the Sword Edge, flames blazed brightly, and the phantom of the Three-legged Golden Crow emerged, and with a clanging sound, prohibition runes began to appear on the Sword body out of thin air. Certainly, the rank of this Pure Yang Flying Sword was climbing incrementally. As a result, Shen Luo''s refining of the Pure Yang Flying Sword had changed from complete to partial, and his control over the Flying Sword weakened a great deal. With the soul of the Golden Crow transformed into the Tool Spirit, the Flying Sword sought to escape Shen Luo''s control, struggling to fly away on its own. Just then, with a ¡°sizzling¡± noise, the flame on the Pure Yang Flying Sword surged intensely, indeed burning through the Black Vortex, and charged out in a rush. Chapter 1598 Chapter 1598: Chapter 1594: No Banquet Lasts Forever ¡°Heh heh, you''re actually trying to escape?¡± Fire Spirit Child saw this and laughed rather than getting angry. With that said, he swung his hand downward, and the Golden Array released from the Gu Xuan star disk immediately descended, caging the Pure Yang Flying Sword in the center. The Pure Yang Flying Sword crashed into the Array, emitting a metallic clashing sound, and was actually rebounded back. However, it did not give up. The Sword light around it flared greatly, as it began to shoot out crazily in all directions. In a flash, the Flying Sword seemed to illusion into ten thousand sword lights, charging left and right within the golden Defensive Array, issuing a series of metal clashing sounds, but it was ultimately unable to break through. A moment later, the Sword light gathered back together, and a Flame surged on the Sword body. The Three-legged Golden Crow emerged, flapping its golden fiery wings, poised to charge towards the outside of the golden Defensive Array. Shen Luo watched for a long while and noticed that the Layer of Seals on the Flying Sword had risen to fifty-three layers and was no longer increasing, only then did he slowly make his move. He raised his hand and a wave of Mana enveloped it, working in tandem with the activation of the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. Unlike other Magical Treasures, this Pure Yang Flying Sword was, after all, nurtured and refined by Shen Luo himself, and most of the prohibitions had already been refined, so the refining process went very smoothly. In just Half a Moment, it was completely refined. As the last Layer of Seals was refined, Shen Luo only felt a warm stream flowing from the connection between him and the Flying Sword, slowly merging into his body, integrating with a certain power in his Dantian. A faint burning pain suddenly arose from his Dantian, resembling needle pricks, making him frown involuntarily. However, soon, the needle-like pain disappeared. The Pure Yang Flying Sword then wobbled unsteadily in the Void, spinning around for a while before fluttering over to Shen Luo''s side. Shen Luo did not pay it much attention, he raised a finger in front of him, and the Flying Sword circled around his finger, seemingly having been tamed completely. Afterward, he reached out and grasped in the Void, and the Pure Yang Flying Sword landed in his hand. As his thoughts kindled, it ignited a blazing inferno, and in terms of the sheer intensity of the released heat, it was no less than that of the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit''s Flying Swords. ¡°Very good, truly remarkable!¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed in his heart and full of praise. Fire Spirit Child upon hearing this, also felt very pleased with himself. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, your Artifacts Refining skills are truly masterful and exquisite, leaving me in awe. Shall we continue refining, what do you think?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. ¡°What''s there to think about, do you really believe that Artifacts Refining doesn''t consume Mana? I need to take a break and recover, shouldn''t I?¡± Fire Spirit Child rolled his eyes as he spoke. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Shen Luo said, jokingly, as he couldn''t put down the Pure Yang Flying Sword in his hand. After resting for about Half a Moment, Fire Spirit Child began to redraw the charm patterns on the Ground and added two new Golden Runes to them. ¡°Young Master Shen, we can begin now,¡± Fire Spirit Child called out. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo immediately replied. This time, without being reminded by Fire Spirit Child, he sat down in the center of the Ring Array on his own initiative. Having learned from the first sword-refining experience, for this second attempt, Shen Luo still only took out one Flying Sword for Refinement. Just like before, the released Demon soul of the Golden Crow was just as unruly, also attempting to break free from control. However, this time not only one Vermilion Bird was involved in recruiting it, but the previously seen Three-legged Golden Crow also took action. With two Big Brothers leading the way, the Golden Crow monster soul smoothly transformed into a Sword Spirit, settling upon a Pure Yang Flying Sword and instantly boosting the sword''s Layer of Seals to fifty-four layers. The ease of this process exceeded the expectations of Shen Luo and Fire Spirit Child. The two hardly expended any effort in the Refinement, so much so that there was no need for rest, and they began the third Refinement immediately. The last Golden Crow, under the escort of three Big Brothers, completed its transformation from monster soul to Sword Spirit. The process was equally smooth and also increased the Layer of Seals to fifty-four layers. Four Flying Swords, each housing a Sword Spirit, circled beside Shen Luo. The figures of the Golden Crow and Vermilion Bird appeared, dancing joyously and energetically above and below. ¡°It''s extremely difficult for ordinary Magical Treasures to develop a Tool Spirit. For you to have four at once, and all of them the most elusive Sword Spirits, is truly impressive,¡± Fire Spirit Child, upon seeing this, couldn''t help but click his tongue and remark. Shen Luo, perceiving the subtext in his words, immediately expressed his respectful admiration: ¡°The fortune I''ve acquired is all thanks to Daoist friend''s exquisite methods. Without your help in Artifacts Refining, how could I have gained these three Sword Spirits?¡± Flattered by these words, Fire Spirit Child felt completely at ease and with a smile said: ¡°Young Master Shen, there''s no need for such complimentary words. Go ahead and take out the other swords. I will use the Vermilion Bird Stone to temper them for you, and their sharpness will be greatly enhanced.¡± ¡°Fire Daoist friend, there''s no rush at this very moment. You should rest well, and we can continue tomorrow if needed,¡± Shen Luo said hastily upon hearing this. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Young Master Shen, my helping you has two reasons. First is that I truly am devoted to this Dao, and this was a perfect practice to validate many of my concepts. Second¡­ after having helped you this time, if I wish to leave in the future, you must not stop me. What do you say?¡± Fire Spirit Child then spoke up. ¡°Fire Daoist friend wishes to leave?¡± Shen Luo said with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Not for the time being. However, all gatherings must disperse eventually. If I have other plans in the future, would you allow me to leave in peace?¡± Fire Spirit Child watched Shen Luo''s expression carefully as he spoke tentatively. ¡°That''s possible,¡± Shen Luo said without hesitation, nodding. ¡°Good, your word is enough for me,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, nodding in satisfaction. Having said this, he started to remove the previously arranged setup on the ground and began inscribing charm patterns anew, indicating he had no intention of resting. Instead, he was ready to give it his all to help Shen Luo fully complete this crafting ritual. Seeing this, Shen Luo did not say anything more. With a wave of his hand, aside from the five Flying Swords sealed within the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, the remaining eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords all lined up neatly, hovering in mid air before him. ¡°To say that the Vermilion Bird Stone is to be ''refined'' into the other Flying Swords is not quite precise; rather, it should serve as a whetstone, honing each flying sword to even greater sharpness,¡± Fire Spirit Child said while arranging the Formation. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, it must be more than just a whetstone, right? If it were that simple, the Vermilion Bird Stone wouldn''t be held in such high regard by you,¡± Shen Luo said, his brow slightly furrowed with disbelief. ¡°Of course. The Vermilion Bird Stone is an exquisite Spiritual Material from a meteorite; naturally, it''s not that simple. You''ll understand once you see it in a moment,¡± Fire Spirit Child spoke while he inscribed an ancient-looking flame pattern on the ground. Then, he waved his hand, and the Gu Xuan star disk floated up once more. The Golden Defensive Array that was prepared earlier reappeared, and he took out a crimson Golden Rune, placing it onto the flame pattern. With a toss of his hand, the Vermilion Bird Stone flew out and landed in the Central part of the Array. Soon after, Fire Spirit Child rubbed his hands together and snapped his fingers. The crimson Golden Rune on the ground ignited with a burst of Crimson Flame, instantly setting the flame pattern ablaze. A bushel of Crimson Flames ¡°whooshed¡± up from the Ground, directly enveloping the Vermilion Bird Stone and shooting it into Mid Air. As the Vermilion Bird Stone descended, it was caught by the risen flames, which propped it in Mid Air and began the refining process. Chapter 1599 Chapter 1599: Chapter 1595: Fire Poison Backlash ¡°Why are you still standing there, add more fire!¡± Fire Spirit Child saw Shen Luo standing by and watching, and reminded aloud. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo hesitated slightly, then took out the replicated Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan and waved it towards the center of the formation. The roaring Southern Ming Separation Fire immediately swept into the crimson flames. The temperature inside the formation skyrocketed instantly, and the spreading hot breath made Shen Luo lift his hand to cover his face, feeling incredibly scorching. As the flames continued to burn, the Vermilion Bird Stone suspended in the center of the formation finally began to light up red, slowly becoming translucent until it resembled a red-hot branding iron. ¡°It''s enough, place the flying swords in it,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, feeling the temperature. Without a word, Shen Luo released all eleven flying swords, which shot into the formation one after another. At that moment, Fire Spirit Child waved his hand downward, and the golden defensive formation above slowly descended, soon to cover the entire flame great formation and all the flying swords. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Shen Luo suddenly spoke up. ¡°What now?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked, turning his head in surprise. Shen Luo, somewhat awkwardly holding up the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, said, ¡°It seems they too are attracted by that formation and want to enter.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Fire Spirit Child nodded and replied. Hearing this, Shen Luo no longer hesitated and immediately took out the five flying swords sealed within the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. The five flying swords, unable to wait any longer, also dashed into the formation in a flash. Afterward, the golden defensive great formation slowly descended, encompassing all sixteen flying swords within it. ¡°Now, it''s all up to you,¡± Fire Spirit Child said to Shen Luo with a smile. ¡°What? It''s up to me?¡± Shen Luo said in surprise. ¡°Yes, the formation is already set, I only need to control it slightly, but you need to control the flying swords, continuously rubbing and sharpening them against that Vermilion Bird Stone,¡± Fire Spirit Child explained. ¡°Understood,¡± Shen Luo nodded and responded upon hearing this. After speaking, he moved with thought, and the sixteen Pure Yang Flying Swords moved accordingly. ¡°Go,¡± Shen Luo uttered a low shout. Instantly inside the great formation, a clamor of ringing sounds erupted, and streams of sword light burst forth as the sixteen flying swords competed to charge towards the now glowing hot Vermilion Bird Stone. The Pure Yang Flying Sword with the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit was quicker, reaching first. Its sword edge grazed the edge of the stone and issued a ¡°clang¡± sound, sparking a string of golden sparks. Following closely, the three Pure Yang Flying Swords with the Three-legged Golden Crow similarly approached, each grazing past the Vermilion Bird Stone and emitting three ¡°clang¡± sounds, each bringing up a flurry of sparks. Only after that did the rest of the flying swords continuously pass by, brushing against the Vermilion Bird Stone, and sending up strings of sparks. Under his precise control, one by one, the flying swords orderly polished the Vermilion Bird Stone. Moments later, Shen Luo suddenly noticed, with each collision and friction, all the sword edges of the Pure Yang Flying Swords seemed to also turn crimson due to the high temperature from the friction. His eyes slightly squinted, he couldn''t help but reveal a look of surprise. Seeing this, Fire Spirit Child showed a smug expression and asked: ¡°Young Master Shen, have you figured out the trick?¡± ¡°This¡­ under repeated collisions and polishing, it seems like something from the Vermilion Bird Stone is gradually merging into the sword edge of the Flying Swords.¡± Shen Luo hesitated. ¡°Good eyesight, that''s exactly the essence of the Vermilion Bird Stone. It''s also the key to bolster the sharpness of the Pure Yang Flying Sword,¡± Fire Spirit Child nodded and smiled. Shen Luo''s eyes narrowed, focusing intently on the sword edge being polished in the Great Formation. From the vibrational sounds emitted by all the Flying Swords, he could discern a sense of joy from the swords, seemingly enjoying the process. As the sound of the sword chants became more frequent, more semi-transparent halos leaked from the Vermilion Bird Stone and were gradually absorbed by the Flying Swords. The sword light that burst from all the Flying Swords also became more fierce. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, maybe I''m mistaken, but why do I feel that the speed of all Flying Swords has also increased, and my control over them seems much lighter?¡± Shen Luo expressed with some surprise. ¡°What''s so strange about that? Your Flying Swords have become sharper, and the Void creates less resistance to them, naturally making their speed faster when they break through the air. Naturally, your control would become lighter. Remember, a Flying Sword nurtured by oneself is different from a weapon snatched at whim. As the Flying Swords are enhanced, they will reciprocate and enhance you as well, consider it mutual improvement,¡± explained Fire Spirit Child. At this moment, the main work was in Shen Luo''s hands, so he casually observed the process. Hearing this, Shen Luo controlled the Flying Swords with even more concentration. Suddenly, the Formation rang with the whistling of swiftly soaring Flying Swords. The clanging sound of collisions was incessant, and countless sparks shot around, creating a splendid sight. With time passing by, the volume of the Vermilion Bird Stone gradually decreased, and the speed of the Flying Swords in the Formation was so fast that it became impossible to see clearly, only layers of blurred Sword Shadows and clusters of colliding sparks could be seen. At that moment, suddenly a loud ¡°BANG¡± resonated, startling Fire Spirit Child who had been resting his eyes nearby. Just as he opened his eyes to look, two more collision sounds followed. ¡°BANG, BANG¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was two Flying Swords uncontrollably colliding with the golden Defensive Array, causing the entire Formation to tremble mightily, nearly failing to maintain itself. Fire Spirit Child quickly performed Magical Tactics with his hands, attentively controlling the Gu Xuan star disk to reinforce the golden Defensive Array. ¡°Young Master Shen, what are you doing?¡± he asked, annoyed. However, when he turned to look at Shen Luo, he was shocked to find Shen Luo sitting cross-legged on the ground with his eyes tightly shut, his clothes completely soaked with sweat and his skin on his face and body turned a bright red, akin to a steamed crab. His eyebrows were deeply furrowed, showing a face full of pain, but his hands still held the Sword technique, clearly still maintaining full control over the Flying Swords. ¡°Hey, Young Master Shen, are you okay?¡± Fire Spirit Child shouted anxiously upon seeing this. At that moment, Shen Luo slowly opened his eyes, which were filled with blood silk and surrounded by a peculiar golden light pattern at the pupils, looking rather strange. He did not respond verbally, only glanced at the Flying Swords in the Formation and silently shook his head. Fire Spirit Child understood his intention, which was to persevere and refine the Flying Swords before addressing anything else. ¡°Sigh, your condition is clearly a result of the fire poison backlash, yet you''re still thinking about refining the swords. Aren''t you even more obsessed than me?¡± Fire Spirit Child sighed deeply. ¡°It''s almost done, help me¡­¡± Shen Luo said with determination, gritting his teeth. Chapter 1600 Chapter 1600: Chapter 1596: Life in Grave Danger ¡°Crazy, you''re really crazy!¡± The Fire Spirit Child said with a shake of his head, feeling helpless at the sight. Listening to the increasingly chaotic collision sounds behind him, he walked back and sat down cross-legged, beginning to fully control the Gu Xuan star disk to maintain the Array, confining all the flying swords within it. At this moment, Shen Luo felt as if a volcano was erupting in his Dantian. His veins were like flowing magma, and the extreme pain from the fire poison was continuously eroding his will, causing him to temporarily hold his breathing, so that just a slight drawing of breath could cause intolerable pain. He had not expected that just one sword refining process could cause such an intense outbreak of fire poison within his body. However, this was not without warning; after all, the Pure Yang Power in his body was already exceedingly mighty, and now that he had incorporated three Golden Crow Sword Spirits into the Pure Yang Flying Sword, this had pushed the extreme Yang energy to the verge of collapse. The current Vermilion Bird Stone that is honing the sword is also polishing the Pure Yang Power of the flying sword to an even purer state, shining bright. This finally broke through the boundary of extreme Yang, causing the fire poison to fully erupt and start to backlash against his physical body. Shen Luo had already attempted to run the Nameless Cultivation Technique, using the power of water to counteract the fire poison. However, the gap between the two was too great, utterly failing to return him to a balanced state. But now, seeing that the Vermilion Bird Stone was about to be completely depleted and the sword sharpening soon to finish, Shen Luo truly did not wish to interrupt the process halfway, so he persisted with clenched teeth. ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡± ¡°Bang¡± A series of explosive sounds from the flying swords colliding with the Array continuously sounded, indicating that Shen Luo''s control over the flying swords was getting worse and his consciousness was nearing the brink of collapse. Seeing this, the Fire Spirit Child sighed, raised his hand, and injected more mana into the Gu Xuan star disk. With a wave of his hand through the void, the golden Defensive Formation began to contract with his movements, narrowing the range of activity for the flying swords, which allowed them to collide with the Vermilion Bird Stone even more and speed up the sword honing process. Time ticked away slowly; what was only a period enough for a cup of tea felt to the Fire Spirit Child as long as a year. Finally, a sharp ¡°clang¡± sound rang out. All flying swords burst forth with sword light, having finished honing with the last bit of Vermilion Bird Stone, they shot out towards the exterior of the Array. A loud ¡°boom¡± of explosion echoed. The golden Defensive Formation released by the Gu Xuan star disk was unable to withstand the formidable force of the flying swords at this moment and was pierced through by one. The Defensive Formation shattered with a bang, and the Fire Spirit Child, experiencing backlash, let out a muffled groan and collapsed. The Gu Xuan star disk hanging in midair also fell down along with it. The Fire Spirit Child had no time to check the state of the Gu Xuan star disk, struggling to get up and rushing to Shen Luo''s side. He raised his hand just about to touch Shen Luo, but was instantly retracted from the scorching temperature radiating from Shen Luo''s body, feeling extreme shock inside. ¡°With this temperature, is he going to burst into flames?¡± However, Shen Luo showed no response to his shouts, appearing to have fallen into unconsciousness. At this time, the sixteen flying swords that were proudly circling in the void also returned one by one, converging by Shen Luo''s side. As soon as they drew near, the temperature around Shen Luo surged once again, and his clothes actually began to ignite. Seeing this, the Fire Spirit Child was at a loss for a moment, unsure of what to do. In his panic, he suddenly rolled over, scrambling to pick up the Gu Xuan star disk from the ground, hastily wiping the dust off of it, before his right hand formed a magic spell to start activating it. With his movements, the Gu Xuan star disk leisurely fluttered into the air, hovering above Shen Luo''s head. Immediately after, he parted his hands, orchestrating in the void, and light began to shine upon the star disk, bringing down a cerulean Array from the sky that transformed into a layer of blue Water Curtain, caging him within. In the central position of the Array, Shen Luo immediately felt waves of coolness assailing him, and his body began to emit white steam with a ¡°sizzling¡± sound for quite some time before he finally came to his senses again. He glanced at the Fire Spirit Child who was still fully occupied with maintaining the Great Formation, and a sense of gratitude involuntarily rose in his heart. Noticing that all the Flying Swords were still suspended outside, he did not retract them, instead ordering them all to stay far from him, situated beside the entrance of the Cave Mansion. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, thank you very much.¡± Shen Luo said to the Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Thanks for nothing! This Heavenly Water Formation is the highest tier of the Water Techniques in the Gu Xuan star disk, yet it can''t suppress your fire poison at all. Do you, lad, have any other way to save yourself? If not, you''d better hurry up and utter your last words,¡± rebuked the Fire Spirit Child. In the midst of speaking, the corners of his mouth also began to bleed, evidently also suffering from serious injuries. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo lifted his trembling arm, and light shone from the palm holding the Free and Easy Mirror, opening a Light Door. Nie Caizhu was still unaware of what had happened, and her first glance was met with the entirely scorched and naked Shen Luo, precipitating her to hurriedly turn away. However, she quickly realized that something was amiss with Shen Luo''s Breath and immediately turned back. Disregarding the differences between men and women, she stepped through the Light Door and asked anxiously, ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°He''s suffering from a backlash of fire poison, his life is in peril,¡± the Fire Spirit Child spoke succinctly, stating immediately. Upon hearing this, a flash of panic flickered through Nie Caizhu''s eyes, which quickly returned to calm, but worry remained evident between her eyebrows. She reached out to touch Shen Luo''s arm and was instantly scalded by the intense heat, yet she endured the pain, her delicate brows slightly furrowing without a sound. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, you''re also badly injured. Go back into the Carefree Mirror to heal. Leave this to me,¡± Nie Caizhu turned to the Fire Spirit Child and spoke. ¡°But he¡­¡± The Fire Spirit Child was interrupted before he could finish speaking. ¡°Don''t worry, as long as I am here, I won''t let anything happen to him,¡± Nie Caizhu said with resolute conviction. ¡°Alright then, I''ll leave it in your hands.¡± Seeing her determined expression, the Fire Spirit Child could only nod in agreement, packing up the Gu Xuan star disk and turning back into the Carefree Mirror. As the white Light Door closed, Nie Caizhu''s gaze returned to Shen Luo once more. With the suppression of the Heavenly Water Formation no longer in effect, the fire poison in Shen Luo erupted once again, and he instantly lost consciousness anew. His Mana was no longer capable of stopping the spread and outbreak of the fire poison, as the scorching power within him desired to erupt. Not only was his skin crimson red, but his body''s surface had also begun to resemble parched Earth, manifesting cracks all over. Nie Caizhu, visibly distressed by what she saw, quickly knelt by his side, placing both hands on his lower abdomen. A chilling energy seeped from her palms, directly pouring into Shen Luo''s body. ¡°Ssssss¡­¡± Streams of white vapor continuously emerged beneath her palms, and only then did Shen Luo''s body temperature slightly decrease. However, this method was clearly only a temporary solution and not a real cure. The stimulation made the fire poison in Shen Luo''s Dantian even more ferocious. Shen Luo, lost in unconsciousness, couldn''t help but let out bouts of agonized groans. Nie Caizhu watched with a dazed gaze as Shen Luo''s face contorted in pain, her eyes flashing with an indecisive hesitation that was hard to resolve. ¡°What to do? I can''t just watch my Cousin die like this. The only possible way to save him¡­ might be that one method. I¡­¡± Nie Caizhu murmured to herself, her lips quivering. Chapter 1601 Chapter 1601: Chapter 1597: Yin and Yang Complementing Each Other ¡°Uh¡± Just as Nie Caizhu hesitated, a light exclamation came from Shen Luo''s mouth. Nie Caizhu also felt a burning pain in her palm, and when she looked down, she saw that the fire in Shen Luo''s Dantian had begun to leak out. If the delay continued, the fire poison would fully erupt and burn him into ashes. ¡°Cousin, what should I do, what should I do?¡± She was so anxious that tears swirled in her eyes. At this moment, naturally, Shen Luo was unable to answer her. Not only was his physical body suffering from the scorching torture of the fire poison, but his Divine soul was also severely tormented. In the Sea of his Knowledge, fierce flames burned everywhere, trapping his tiny soul manifestation in one place, preventing him from even abandoning his body and escaping with his soul. He had previously noticed the anomaly in his fire poison, but he never expected that a single Refining Sword session would prompt such a violent outbreak of the fire poison, leading him into the current predicament. ¡°What to do? Could it really be that I have to give up on this painstakingly refined body? But even my soul is not guaranteed to escape to safety. With the slightest mistake, both soul and body may perish, and I might not even be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation,¡± worried Shen Luo as his thoughts raced urgently. He had already abandoned the naive idea that he could still preserve his body, solely hoping to ensure that his soul would not be destroyed. ¡°Rumble¡± Just then, a thunderous noise suddenly came from within Shen Luo''s Dantian. With his soul confined and his divine consciousness unable to inspect the situation in his Dantian, he could only vaguely feel a fire poison towering within his Dantian, which had grown into an Active Volcano ready to erupt. Waiting only for the moment to breach the limit, it would erupt completely, leading him toward total destruction. ¡°I can''t wait any longer; rather than sitting waiting for death, it''s better to fight desperately.¡± Shen Luo''s tiny soul sighed, his eyes suddenly blazing with light. No matter the circumstances, he would not resign to fate. Just as Shen Luo resolved to self-destruct his body before the fire poison erupted, a faint blue light suddenly pierced through the flames and shone through in the Sea of his Knowledge. Immediately after, a blurred silhouette passed through the flames, arriving in the midst of his Sea of Knowledge. Despite the silhouette appearing extremely blurred, its contours were all too familiar to Shen Luo, allowing him to recognize it instantly. ¡°Cai Zhu, how did you get in here?¡± ¡°Cousin, using a secret technique of Mount Putuo that is not passed on, I entered your Sea of Knowledge with my divine soul, for there is something important I need to discuss with you,¡± said the blurred figure, naturally with a voice no different from that of Nie Caizhu''s. ¡°Never mind that for now. My fire poison is about to become uncontrollable, so if you''re close to me, you should leave quickly. Right, take all my Flying Swords and Storage Magical Tools, the Free and Easy Mirror, and the Qiankun Bag, the farther the better,¡± Shen Luo rejoiced at hearing her voice and urged her hastily. After taking all these items away, he could self-destruct with peace of mind, and if by luck a remnant of his soul remains, he could rise again with the help of these items. And if not¡­ then they should all be left to Nie Caizhu. ¡°Cousin, listen to me, your situation is very critical right now, and I might have a way to save you, but it requires¡­¡± Nie Caizhu was interrupted by Shen Luo before she could finish her sentence. ¡°I know the situation is critical; that''s why you need to leave quickly. You should be at least a thousand miles away, ten thousand would be best, to ensure absolute safety. Don''t worry, if I''m lucky, a remnant of my soul will remain. Wait until the dust has settled, then come back and find me,¡± Shen Luo was focused on ensuring the safety of Nie Caizhu and others, completely ignoring what she had said. ¡°Cousin, what I''m saying is that I have a way to save you, you don''t need to self-destruct to survive,¡± Nie Caizhu emphasized with a heavy tone. Shen Luo finally heard her clearly this time, but quickly shook his head and said, ¡°Don''t do anything foolish. I''m well aware of the fire poison; it''s no longer suppressible. Whatever you do now is in vain; don''t throw yourself away for nothing.¡± ¡°I¡­ I don''t mean that, what I''m talking about is¡­ a dual cultivation technique, a technique of Yin-Yang complementation.¡± Nie Caizhu said, her divine soul''s phantom then turned her back to Shen Luo in embarrassment and anger. ¡°Dual cultivation technique¡­¡± Though Shen Luo was speaking with his divine soul, his throat still felt somewhat dry. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Caizhu didn''t know what to say for a moment, only feeling a sense of shame and irritation that was hard to endure. Shen Luo himself didn''t understand why he blurted out such an out-of-nowhere question, and he immediately regretted it afterwards. ¡°Why would your Mount Putuo have such a dual cultivation technique?¡± ¡°It was accidentally created by an Ancestor of our Sect, then it was sealed and forbidden by my masters. I¡­I also stumbled upon it by accident in the secret manuals of the treasury.¡± Nie Caizhu explained. Since its creation, this secret dual cultivation technique has yet to be formally named, and in the Secret Manual, it is only called the ¡°Art of Yin-Yang Complementation.¡± Nie Caizhu didn''t understand what it was at first glance, and didn''t even understand its meaning initially. But once she understood, she didn''t dare to look at it again, yet she couldn''t forget it. All this time, she had felt ashamed of it, but never thought it would become a life-saving secret technique at this moment. ¡°But we¡­¡± Shen Luo said hesitantly. ¡°Although we¡­ although we have not yet held the Union Rites, we¡­ we already have a marriage contract, and in desperate times, urgent measures can be taken. It wouldn''t count as breaking the ritual propriety,¡± Nie Caizhu said, her voice trembling as the words came out. Clearly, it was extremely difficult for her to speak such words. Shen Luo did not consider himself to be prudish, and he was not thinking about ritual propriety. Touched in his heart, he also felt somewhat apologetic to Nie Caizhu. ¡°Cai Zhu, actually I should have brought you into my home long ago¡­¡± ¡°It''s okay, later¡­ later we can make up for it,¡± Nie Caizhu whispered. Shen Luo nodded, and just as he was about to speak, flames suddenly roared up around the Sea of Knowledge, and a wave of searing heat enveloped everything, instantly knocking Nie Caizhu''s divine soul''s phantom to the ground. Her light scattered, almost disappearing. ¡°This is bad, we''re running out of time,¡± Shen Luo exclaimed. ¡°There''s enough time, Cousin, I will now impart to you the true teachings of the dual cultivation technique, commit it to your heart,¡± Nie Caizhu immediately said. ¡°Alright,¡± Shen Luo immediately responded. Nie Caizhu''s divine soul''s phantom then started reciting the dual cultivation technique. Moments later, just as her voice faded, the fiery power around them exploded once again, and her divine soul''s phantom ultimately crumbled away completely. Outside, Nie Caizhu suddenly opened her eyes, her body swayed slightly, and her complexion turned a bit pale, already drenched in sweat. She looked at Shen Luo, who was like a furnace, and enduring the heat, helped him sit up. She positioned him in a cross-legged posture, then slowly removed her clothes, revealing her pure white body like snow, and sat opposite Shen Luo. Nie Caizhu shyly crossed her arms over her body, but seeing Shen Luo''s closed eyes and contorted face, she slowly let them down. Her throat dry and feeling nervous, she gently took Shen Luo''s hands into her own, palm to palm, and brought them together. Then she slowly closed her eyes, and in her heart, she began to silently operate the secret technique''s method. Chapter 1602 Chapter 1602: Chapter 1598: Spouse (Happy New Year to all Daoist friends) As soon as the secret technique began to operate, Nie Caizhu felt a strange emotion bursting forth from her heart, like a seed sprouting and extending tender shoots, recklessly growing. In the Sea of Consciousness, Shen Luo also felt a response and immediately coordinated by operating the secret technique''s mental method. Had he not operated it, it might have been better, but once he did, Shen Luo instantly felt the burning sensation inside his body intensifying. Similarly, he also felt a strange emotion spreading within his heart. That feeling was indescribable, but it made both of them want to indulge in it. Unconsciously, a clear light emanated from Nie Caizhu''s body, and even more dazzlingly, light flowed behind her, as two splendid butterfly wings extended out, which upon fluttering, scattered glistening dust. Nie Caizhu''s expression was entranced, but her eyes remained clear. The dual cultivation secret technique she operated did not stop, and she slowly approached Shen Luo¨Cone body crimson as fire, the other skin fair as frost¨Cuntil they finally pressed closely together. It seemed a soft sigh came forth, as the butterfly wings behind Nie Caizhu came together like a colorful Feather Robe, enveloping the two within, playing a song of ice and fire. Nie Caizhu seemed like a small boat on the vast sea, tossed about for who knows how long before finally sinking into a deep slumber. When she finally woke up, she found herself already clothed neatly and was being held in the strong arms of someone, her black hair cascading down through the gap between the arms like a waterfall. She heard the strong heartbeat from that chest, and only then did her anxious heart completely relax. But at this moment, Nie Caizhu truly did not know how to face Shen Luo and could only pretend to be asleep still, though her subtle motion of snuggling closer to Shen Luo''s chest still startled him. Shen Luo, now dressed in snow-white attire, radiated a faint gloss. Despite having no changes in appearance, the aura he exuded was vastly different from before. ¡°Cai Zhu, you''re awake?¡± Shen Luo asked with a smile. Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu''s heartbeat involuntarily sped up, but she did not respond. ¡°Madam Shen, if you don''t get up soon, you might tire your husband''s waist out,¡± Shen Luo teased, seeing her reaction. At this remark, Nie Caizhu''s face ¡°whooshed¡± turned red, and she hurriedly attempted to get up. Yet, when she tried to push herself up with her arms, she felt somewhat weak and failed to do so right away. Shen Luo promptly supported her, holding her in his arms, and said softly, ¡°Cai Zhu, I''m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Why are you saying that?¡± Nie Caizhu turned her head to look at him, puzzled. ¡°Every time it is you who saves me, I''m really not doing a good job as a husband,¡± Shen Luo said. Nie Caizhu''s pretty face blushed, adding a different kind of charming allure that moved Shen Luo''s heart, and he couldn''t help but lean down to kiss her. ¡°Cai Zhu, from now on we are husband and wife, spouses. I will definitely give you the grandest wedding,¡± Shen Luo promised softly, holding Nie Caizhu''s chin in his hand. Seeing the seriousness on Shen Luo''s face, Nie Caizhu suddenly smiled radiantly. She did not care whether the wedding was grand or not; what mattered to her was Shen Luo the person, and that was everything to her. The two nestled against each other, savoring the warmth of this moment, and shared their innermost feelings. After quite some time, Shen Luo said, ¡°I don''t know if it was due to the light of dual cultivation secret technique, but not only has my fire poison been resolved, my cultivation level also seems to have improved. I feel the opportunity to break through is also near.¡± ¡°The records of the Art of Yin-Yang Complementation mention that when the cultivation levels of both practitioners are not much different, both parties gain benefits, whereas if there''s a large gap between them, the weaker one advances more,¡± Nie Caizhu said. ¡°Then it''s settled. Next, I''m afraid I''ll have to go into closed-door cultivation for a period of time. If I can break through to the Late Stage of True Immortal realm, then we can kill our way back to Tianyan Palace,¡± Shen Luo said with some excitement. ¡°I believe in you, you will definitely be able to do it,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a brilliant smile. A day later, Shen Luo once again entered closed-door cultivation, while Nie Caizhu returned to the Free and Easy Mirror to recuperate. In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. Shen Luo was seated cross-legged in the secret chamber, surrounded by a flash of golden light that almost solidified into substance. Six Golden Dragons and six Golden Elephants flew and roared around him, causing the void in the secret chamber to tremble, their imposing manner several times greater than before. Thanks to the chance of dual cultivation, he had been practicing diligently for two months and finally broke through to the Late Stage of True Immortal Realm, the extremely powerful mana circulating unrestrainedly within his body. The Huangting Technique is the Sect''s Treasure of dual cultivation of the Cultivation Body at Mount Fangcun. Each breakthrough would temper the Dantian and meridians, making them broader, and the Nine Magic Veins were tempered along with them, making his mana far more profound than other monks of the same level. Although he was at the Late True Immortal Stage, his mana was not much weaker than a Taiyi Existence. After breaking through the realm, Shen Luo did not immediately come out of seclusion but continued to consolidate his power, his cultivation now completely stable. He opened his mouth to exhale, and sixteen Pure Yang Swords shot out, spinning around his body at an incredibly fast pace. For a moment, the entire secret chamber was filled with a dense mass of red Sword Shadows. Shen Luo did not use any sword techniques, merely stimulating the might of the sixteen Flying Swords purely. The powerful and fierce Sword Qi covered the space of the secret chamber, cutting traces into the void, especially the four Pure Yang Swords with sword spirits which were astonishingly powerful, leaving faint black traces in their path. A glimmer of joy flashed across his face as the power of the sixteen Pure Yang Swords had indeed increased greatly from before, and the conditions of his other Magical Treasures must be the same. With his current strength, he felt somewhat confident in facing Che Qingtian. Shen Luo opened his mouth to inhale and swallowed all sixteen Pure Yang Swords back into his body for nourishment, then got up and stepped outside. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A red light was hovering outside, it was the Fire Spirit Child, who had appeared from the Free and Easy Mirror at some point, guarding the place for him. Shen Luo was momentarily taken aback, then remembered that the Free and Easy Mirror was now in the hands of Ghost Teng Master. Since he had been too busy with his cultivation to control it, it wouldn''t have been too difficult for Fire Spirit Child with its powers to control an unconscious corpse refinement. ¡°Oh, you''ve come out of seclusion,¡± Fire Spirit Child said with a giggle upon seeing Shen Luo. ¡°Where''s Cai Zhu?¡± Shen Luo''s face unexpectedly heated up but quickly returned to normal as he asked. ¡°She''s in the adjacent secret chamber, also in closed-door cultivation. The Art of Yin-Yang Complementation from Mount Putuo not only helped to smooth out the rampant fire poison in your body, but it also had a significant impact on her. She hasn''t come out of seclusion for these three months, seeming to be adjusting her body,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, pointing at a door to the neighboring secret chamber. ¡°Is she alright?¡± Shen Luo asked with a tense expression. ¡°She''s fine. I''ve sensed her breath with the Gu Xuan star disk, it seems calm, so there should be no problem,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, retrieving the Gu Xuan star disk with a flip of the hand. The starlight on the disk flickered, forming ripples that gently spread outward, much more effortless and natural than when Tao Xiang activated this treasure. ¡°It seems you have completely refined the Gu Xuan star disk. With your skills in Array Techniques, you should be able to unleash the true power of this treasure,¡± Shen Luo said, his expression relaxing, then he nodded. ¡°It''s presumptuous to claim I can unleash its full power, but I''m confident I can deploy seventy to eighty percent of it,¡± Fire Spirit Child said as it gently stroked the star disk, clearly valuing this treasure greatly. Shen Luo did not urge Nie Caizhu, and silently waited outside. Chapter 1603 Chapter 1603: Chapter 1599: No Trace (New Year''s Blast, Asking for Votes) ¡°Right, Young Master Shen, this thing has been repaired already, but unfortunately, it''s still missing a few yin attribute materials, so it hasn''t fully recovered. We can talk more once we leave this place.¡± After a long pause, Fire Spirit Child suddenly remembered something, waving his hand to bring out a big banner, which was the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Fire Daoist friend, but is the matter you cautioned about earlier still in order?¡± Shen Luo thanked him and asked. The Ten Thousand Demons Banner had previously been destroyed by Wu Luo. After leaving the Yi Lingqin, he had handed it over to Fire Spirit Child for repair, not expecting it to be fixed so quickly. ¡°You, young one, always bring me tough challenges. However, everything went smoothly, and I did not disturb the Ghost General while repairing the Ten Thousand Demons Banner.¡± Fire Spirit Child gave Shen Luo a glance and said. ¡°The Ghost General is at a critical moment of breakthrough and must not be disturbed. I did not intend to trouble Fire Daoist friend,¡± Shen Luo said apologetically. ¡°Alright, alright, I know,¡± Fire Spirit Child waved his hand and closed his eyes, continuing to ponder the Gu Xuan star disk. Although he had fully refined this treasure, he was still not very familiar with the many arrays inside the Gu Xuan star disk and needed to master them quickly. Shen Luo sat down cross-legged on the ground, sensing the condition of the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. The sixty-four layers of prohibition inside the banner had been fully restored, but the surface of the banner still had minor flaws due to the lack of some materials. However, this was not a big concern; he could find suitable materials once they left the place. His Divine Sense probed into the internal space of the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, where, aside from ten thousand ghosts, a mass of black light was suspended, emitting strong waves of yin Qi. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within the depths of the black light, Zhao Feiji''s figure appeared faintly, surrounded by purple-black Punishing Evil Divine Light, forming a purple-black vortex. In the center of the vortex, a nine-headed serpent shadow was imprisoned, which was the Nine Infant Demon Soul. As the purple-black vortex rotated, strands of Yin Soul essence steadily peeled off from the demon soul, integrating into Zhao Feiji''s body. During the great battle in the Yi Lingqin, amidst the chaos, Shen Luo took the opportunity to throw Zhao Feiji into the white cocoon that imprisoned the Nine Infant Demon Soul, and then brought the cocoon into the space inside the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. Zhao Feiji''s Punishing Evil Divine Light, which suppresses all yin soul ghosts, despite the Nine Infant being an ancient demon soul, was also restrained by this divine power. However, this demon, truly being from ancient times, had an incomparably resilient Divine Soul and hadn''t been completely refined yet, but there was not much left. Zhao Feiji''s body was now surging with yin Qi, in the midst of breaking through the bottleneck of the True Immortal Middle Stage. ¡°It seems it will still take some time.¡± Shen Luo retracted his Divine Sense, did not disturb Zhao Feiji, and put away the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, then continued sitting in meditation with closed eyes. Several days later, Nie Caizhu finally came out of seclusion. ¡°Cousin.¡± Seeing Shen Luo guarding outside, Nie Caizhu''s heart warmed. The newlyweds were about to embrace each other when Nie Caizhu, catching sight of Fire Spirit Child''s teasing smile, blushingly withdrew back into the secret chamber. ¡°Since you both are out of seclusion, there''s no need for me to guard here anymore. Young Master Shen, let me return to the Carefree Mirror,¡± Fire Spirit Child chuckled and said. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Fire Daoist friend.¡± Shen Luo took Fire Spirit Child back into the Carefree Mirror before entering Nie Caizhu''s secret chamber. A moment later, the two emerged together, Nie Caizhu''s cheeks still flushed, but her expression had returned to normal. Her aura had also grown significantly stronger than before. According to her, the dual cultivation had greatly benefited her, awakening much of her Witch Tribe bloodline. ¡°Cousin, what will be our next move? Shall we head to Tianyan Palace?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. ¡°Now that our strength has greatly improved, it''s time to settle accounts with Che Qingtian,¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flashed with a cold glint. The two swiftly took off, escaping in the direction of Tianyan Palace. With Shen Luo''s cultivation level having greatly improved, his Escape Technique was also substantially stronger. It only took him four or five days to reach the location of Tianyan Palace. The palace still quietly hovered in mid air, surrounded by shimmering golden light, resembling a heavenly palace. Now with his strength significantly enhanced, Shen Luo felt confident to confront Che Qingtian. Yet, he was not arrogantly overconfident; instead, he acted more cautiously. From a far distance from Tianyan Palace, he took Nie Caizhu into the Free and Easy Mirror and then used the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to stealthily approach, concealing his tracks. At this time, the area around Tianyan Palace was empty, without a single figure or the slightest lingering aura, and Che Qingtian was nowhere to be found. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, is the trace you left inside Che Qingtian''s magical treasure still there? I remember that sword was already shattered,¡± Shen Luo communicated telepathically with Fire Spirit Child. ¡°My Purple Heart Earthfire is a divine fire for Artifacts Refining. Even if Che Qingtian melted down the shattered treasures and recast them, they wouldn''t be refined away. However, that mark is indeed not nearby,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Oh, where is that mark then?¡± Shen Luo pursued further. ¡°Since just now, I''ve been using magic to sense it but haven''t found it. It''s likely that the remnant of the magical treasure is placed inside another magical treasure with sealing effects, or possibly within an Array Method Space, blocking my perception,¡± Fire Spirit Child contemplated for a moment before speaking. ¡°Array Method Space? Could it be that he has entered Tianyan Palace again?¡± Shen Luo suddenly looked towards the grand majestic palace ahead, the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. It seemed possible that Che Qingtian, familiar with Tianyan Palace, figured out a way to enter the palace again during Shen Luo''s absence. Thinking of this, he approached the palace slightly closer and began to observe meticulously. Tianyan Palace seemed to have undergone some changes; a thick and massive white light curtain had appeared around it, enveloping the entire palace within it, looking extremely stable, impervious to any attack. Shen Luo mobilized his Divine Sense to probe the white light curtain, but immediately there was a strong force that blocked him on the outside, preventing him from penetrating through. He was not surprised by this. With a thought, his Divine Sense immediately spread out, probing the situation of the entire white light curtain. A moment later, his eyebrows suddenly raised, and he swiftly flew towards the side, stopping at the other side of the white light curtain. He saw a door-sized pattern on the light curtain, approximately ten feet in size, covered with complex Yan Patterns, shimmering with a faint crystalline light. ¡°Could this be the entrance?¡± Shen Luo looked at the pattern and said. ¡°Regardless of what it is, let''s try it and see,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. Thinking the same, Shen Luo waved his sleeve and shot a ray of golden light at it. The door pattern suddenly burst forth with a massive Silver Light Door, enveloping a radius of several dozen feet. Shen Luo''s body was also enveloped by the Silver Light Door, his expression changed immediately, and he swiftly retreated backward, but it was a step too late. A huge suction force suddenly emanated from inside the silver light, wrapping around Shen Luo''s body, giving him no time to resist, and ¡°whoosh¡± swallowed him entirely. Shen Luo only felt his vision flooded with flashing silver light as if he had plunged into a massive vortex. An invisible force was wrapping around his body, swiftly pulling him in a certain direction, making it impossible to stabilize himself. After a brief contemplation, realizing that aside from his Divine Sense being unable to leave his body, there were not many other discomforts, he simply calmed down and let his body drift with the enormous tearing force surrounding him. Chapter 1604 Chapter 1604: Chapter 1600: Peace Valley Fortunately, the vortex did not last too long, and it soon stopped. Shen Luo''s vision cleared as the silver light converged, and he found himself in a place filled with lush greenery, before heavily plummeting to the ground. His physical body was incomparably sturdy; naturally, he was not injured by such a fall. He patted his shoulder and stood up, looking around. In his view were two verdant mountains; he was standing in front of them, the mountains covered with vibrant green trees, brimming with life and invigorating the spirit. It seemed there was a canyon between the twin peaks, but unfortunately, it was obscured by trees, so he couldn''t see it clearly. Although everything here appeared serene and peaceful, who knows if there are hidden dangers lying behind this tranquility? Shen Luo did not move rashly, instead, he activated his Divine Sense to probe forward, his gaze suddenly sharpening. This place was filled with the power of prohibition; his Divine Sense could only extend a few feet outside his body, similar to the situation he encountered at the Tianyan Palace. ¡°Could this be a part of Tianyan Palace?¡± Shen Luo pondered for a moment before stepping towards the interior of the valley. The view before his eyes soon widened; a beautiful valley filled with safflowers and lush green trees appeared, a majestic waterfall cascading down from a cliff like a milky way, plunging into a deep pool below, with water splashes and mist flying about, resembling a peaceful paradise. On the mountain wall near the waterfall, a cave mansion was situated, its surface faintly shimmering with the light of prohibitions, clearly inhabited. ¡°Who''s there?¡± Amid a cold shout, a white Escape Light shot out from the cave, revealing a white figure, who was Che Qingtian. Shen Luo''s expression suddenly turned extremely grave; his hand flashed with golden light as he pulled out the Profound Yellow Staff, and the Pure Yang Sword in his body was also itching to unleash a devastating ability. ¡°Wait, Shen Luo, I have no intention of fighting with you at this moment,¡± Che Qingtian said, looking at Shen Luo with an exceptionally chilling gaze, yet showing no intention to fight, and hastily waved his hand. ¡°What plot do you have in mind?¡± Shen Luo operated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld as he stared intently at Che Qingtian, asking coldly. He and Che Qingtian had fought life-threatening battles numerous times in the past, becoming irreconcilable foes. He didn''t believe for a second that Che Qingtian would suddenly change his nature, unwilling to fight him. ¡°No schemes. As for the reasons, move about this valley, and you''ll come to understand,¡± Che Qingtian snorted coldly, then turned around and flew back to the cave, shutting the door of the mansion behind him. Seeing this, Shen Luo frowned, but he did not pursue to kill into Che Qingtian''s cave. Instead, he turned and walked deeper into the valley. The valley wasn''t very large, only about ten miles in area. He quickly surveyed it broadly and reached the deepest part of the valley. There was a Square made of white jade, about twenty or thirty feet in length, with an Array situated upon it that appeared to be a Teleportation Array. However, its spirit patterns were dim, and it was not in operation. Next to the Array stood a green Stone Stele, with several lines of text emerging on it: ¡°I, Tianyan Immortal Venerable, have lived a life of unconstrained enmity and have accumulated considerable karma. Now that the Heaven and Earth Calamity is upon us, I fear I may not survive it. Yet, it would be a pity if my Yan Technique, which can pierce through Heaven and Earth, were to be extinguished with my demise. Therefore, I leave my life''s teachings at the top layer of Tianyan Palace, for the later generations who happen to enter this place during the trial period; be they Humans, Immortals, Demons, Monsters, all may participate. If one passes five challenges, they shall inherit my Skills, and to dominate the Three Realms would not be beyond reach, thus I would die without regrets.¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo showed a look of surprise, but also understood many things at once. So this was the origin of Tianyan Palace. Tianyan Immortal Venerable, whose era was unknown, judging by the title, could it be a being of the Heavenly Venerable Level? Yet from this Stone Stele, he still couldn''t make out why Che Qingtian did not fight with him. Suddenly, Shen Luo remembered the Stone Stele he saw at the entrance of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze, turned to look at the back, and as expected, there was text there too: ¡°Peace Valley is my place for peaceful cultivation, where no fighting or killing is allowed. Violators will be expelled from Tianyan Palace and shall never be allowed entry!¡± ¡°So that''s the reason.¡± Shen Luo suddenly realized. No wonder Che Qingtian was reluctant to fight with him. Once they started, regardless of the outcome, they would probably both be expelled completely and lose any chance with the Tianyan Palace. He glanced at Che Qingtian''s Cave Mansion and confidently continued his search on the two mountain peaks, but unfortunately found nothing else. Shen Luo quickly returned to the valley and looked at the Stone Stele and the nearby Teleportation Array, lost in thought. This Array seemed to be related to the trial mentioned on the Stone Stele, presumably a mechanism to transport participants to the next stage. Previously, there was no white light curtain around Tianyan Palace, but now that it had appeared, it was probably related to the trial as well. ¡°Could it be that it''s now the time for the trial? That''s why I could enter here for the second time. That''s too much of a coincidence.¡± A hint of joy flashed in his eyes. His purpose for coming here was to settle accounts with Che Qingtian, while also looking for a way to return to the outside world. He didn''t expect to stumble upon such a great opportunity. However, looking at the situation with the Teleportation Formation, it was unclear when this trial would start. Therefore, he decisively chose a spot on the mountain wall far away from Che Qingtian and carved out a Cave Mansion for himself, settling in after laying down layers of prohibition. Shen Luo then entered the Carefree Mirror and informed Fire Spirit Child and Nie Caizhu about the situation in the valley outside. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, you are well-informed. Do you know the name of Tianyan Immortal Venerable?¡± He looked at Fire Spirit Child. ¡°I haven''t heard of it.¡± Fire Spirit Child thought for a moment and then shook his head. Seeing this, Shen Luo was slightly disappointed; he had thought that Fire Spirit Child would definitely know something. ¡°Cousin, what shall we do next?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. ¡°Let''s just wait and see for now. Both you and Fire Daoist friend should not show yourselves, act only at the critical moment,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Okay,¡± Nie Caizhu replied, and Fire Spirit Child also nodded. Shen Luo then went to another place and took out an object¨Cit was a tall corpse, specifically the Taiyi Refining Corpse that Ghost Teng Master had been working on refining. He had just broken through his current level of cultivation, and the few Magical Treasures he had acquired had also been refined. Now, the only thing that could increase his strength in a short period was this Taiyi Refining Corpse. Shen Luo slapped his Corpse Raising Bag at his waist, and the figure of Ghost Teng Master appeared. So many days had passed, and the Soul Summoning Technique he had used on Ghost Teng Master had long since faded. The Corpse Air on Ghost Teng Master was now extremely dense, almost to the point of becoming substantial. Ghost Teng Master had practiced the corpse refinement technique; the Corpse Air accumulated in his body was extremely rich. Now, after his demise, the Corpse Air had burst out even more robustly, vaguely surpassing his original Cultivation Realm and approaching the Late True Immortal Stage. Because of his previous experience refining the Sky Fiend Corpse King, Shen Luo was quite proficient in the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. He then controlled Ghost Teng Master to sit beside the Taiyi Refining Corpse and pushed forward with both hands into the Void. Boom! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Two thick streams of Corpse Air shot out from Ghost Teng Master''s palms, infusing them into the Taiyi corpse, continuing with the corpse refinement technique. Although Shen Luo understood the Heavenly Corpse Scripture, his primary Skills were not of the corpse refining branch; in fact, they were quite the opposite. It was still faster for Ghost Teng Master to refine the corpse. In Peace Valley, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi was exceptionally rich, which greatly aided the corpse refinement process. Chapter 1605 Chapter 1605: Chapter 1601: Arriving One After Another In the following days, Shen Luo and Che Qingtian lived next to each other, with both parties mostly staying in their respective cave mansions and only coming out to check on the Teleportation Array. Even when they occasionally ran into each other, they did not speak. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Half a month passed like this, and a roaring wind arose at the entrance of the valley, stirring up a wild turmoil, with the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in chaos. Shen Luo and Che Qingtian almost simultaneously sensed the changes at the valley entrance and came out of their cave mansions to investigate. At the entrance of the valley, the Void surged violently, whipping up gusts of wind, with countless streaks of silver light flashing chaotically, forming a Silver Array. ¡°Is someone entering again?¡± Shen Luo''s eyes flickered. A shadow passed through the Silver Array, and a woman in black clothes appeared, surrounded by swirling Demonic Qi. It was none other than Wu Luo, although she seemed somewhat different from when she was last seen at Houyi''s Tomb. Although Divine Sense could not be used here, Shen Luo activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and easily saw through Wu Luo''s current cultivation level. She was only at the True Immortal Peak, not having reached the Taiyi Stage. It was unclear whether this was because she had not recovered her cultivation after possessing Tian Sanqi or whether she was intentionally concealing it. ¡°It''s you!¡± Wu Luo also noticed Shen Luo and a flicker of astonishment crossed her face. ¡°Who would have thought we would meet here, life is full of unexpected encounters,¡± said Shen Luo with a light chuckle. Wu Luo snorted coldly, shifting her gaze from Shen Luo to Che Qingtian on the other side. Unable to use her Divine Sense here, she couldn''t sense the true strength of Che Qingtian, but he gave her a terrifying feeling, definitely not something a True Immortal cultivator could possess. ¡°Could he be a Taiyi Cultivator?¡± She inwardly shuddered. At the same time, Che Qingtian was also observing Wu Luo, keenly aware that the newcomer was not weak, and a surge of irritation rose within him. Tianyan Palace, discovered by an ancestor of the Che family, had long been considered sacrosanct by him, and he deemed it off-limits to others. Yet now, many unwanted individuals were coming to seize it. However, any form of fighting was severely forbidden within Peace Valley, forcing him to helplessly watch these thieves roam free, which truly frustrated him. With a cold snort, Che Qingtian turned and flew back to his cave mansion without a word. Witnessing this scene left Shen Luo quite surprised. He and Wu Luo were in an adversarial relationship, which was clear to any observer. Shen Luo initially thought that Che Qingtian might collude with Wu Luo against him, but Che Qingtian had turned and left unexpectedly. Shen Luo glanced at Che Qingtian''s cave mansion, chuckled softly to himself, and flew back to his own. Wu Luo, who had been on full alert, was stunned in place after seeing Shen Luo and Che Qingtian leave one after another, somewhat puzzled by the situation. A long moment later, she stepped into the valley and, just like Shen Luo, soon found the Teleportation Array and Stone Stele deeper inside. ¡°So that''s what''s going on.¡± Wu Luo finally understood and relaxed slightly. Currently needing time to recuperate and restore her cultivation, she carved out a cave mansion on the mountain wall and closed the door to cultivate. In a blink, another half month passed, and the Teleportation Array deep in the valley finally began to show signs of activity, emitting threads of white light from its dim formation patterns. Although the changes were minor, Shen Luo and the other two almost simultaneously flew out from their cave mansions, positioning themselves strategically around the Array. ¡°Is the trial finally about to begin?¡± Excitement flickered across Shen Luo''s eyes as he gently caressed the Corpse Raising Bag at his waist. After nearly a month of preparation, the Taiyi-level corpse had been preliminarily cultivated. Although its strength was not as formidable as that of the Sky Fiend Corpse King, it nevertheless possessed the battle power of the True Immortal Peak, greatly aiding him. The white light on the Formation Pattern inside the Array slowly became brighter, emitting a humming sound, indicating it wouldn''t be long before it was fully operational. At this moment, a huge whistling sound once again came from the entrance of the Valley. ¡°Someone else is coming in?¡± Shen Luo raised his eyebrows but did not go to check. A few breaths later, two figures flew in swiftly, it was Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren. Seeing Shen Luo, Che Qingtian, and Wu Luo, Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren were surprised but then their faces showed a bitter expression. The two had arrived near Tianyan Palace several days ago. Knowing such a grand palace was a place of treasures, Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren were concerned about Shen Luo or Wu Luo also arriving here, so they didn''t rashly enter and instead hid outside the palace for a long time, wanting to observe the situation more. But just now, the white light curtain outside the palace vanished swiftly, seeing that something was amiss, they immediately entered through the pattern of the Light Door, not expecting not only Shen Luo and Wu Luo were present but also another imposing figure. Wu Luo, seeing the two, showed a hint of surprise, but quickly regained his calm. However, Che Qingtian, seeing more monks arriving, had flames of anger rising in his eyes and despite trying to suppress it, a thread of murderous intent still radiated out. As a being of the Taiyi Realm, Che Qingtian''s killing intent was extremely fierce; Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren were startled, and they stopped in their tracks. However, the two soon noticed the Teleportation Array, the nearby Stone Stele, and the inscription on it. The Stone Stele was somewhat far from them, but the vision of True Immortal cultivators was remarkable, and they could easily see the content on it, making their hearts heat up with excitement. However, all three individuals present were far superior in strength to them; excluding Wu Luo, who was their enemy, the other white-clothed man appeared to have an even stronger cultivation base and was not friendly towards them either. Yan Lie''s thoughts whirled rapidly, looking towards Wanshui Zhenren. ¡°Friend Shen, I didn''t expect you to be here too,¡± Wanshui Zhenren''s eyes flickered, greeting Shen Luo with a smile. Shen Luo was also quite surprised by the appearance of Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren, and although there were some grievances between them, they were also acquaintances after all, so he did not respond coldly but nodded. Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren saw this and were inwardly delighted, slowly descending to a position not far behind Shen Luo. Che Qingtian, seeing this scene, snorted coldly but did not pay it any more attention, concentrating wholly on waiting for the Teleportation Array to fully operate. Once at the next stage, he could make his move, intending to slay Shen Luo and the others all in one fell swoop. However, contrary to his desires, the brightness of the Array Patterns in the Teleportation Array reached a certain level then suddenly stopped there, no longer humming, as if some problem had occurred. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Che Qingtian''s face tightened, he quickly stepped forward to investigate the Array. Shen Luo and Wu Luo exchanged glances, also stepping forward immediately, uncertain whether they were worrying about the Array or Che Qingtian. The three of them scrutinized the Teleportation Array closely, yet couldn''t figure out the reason; Shen Luo even allowed the Divine Sense of Fire Spirit Child to spread from the Free and Easy Mirror to inspect the condition of the Teleportation Formation, but unfortunately, they still found no clue. ¡°Gentlemen, what are your views on this matter?¡± Che Qingtian, giving much importance to the inheritance of Tianyan Palace, had a face ashen with anger, he asked Shen Luo and Wu Luo. Although he was powerful, he was not well-versed in Array Techniques, and Teleportation Arrays were a particularly special category in the field of Arrays, involving the Power of Space, profound and intricate, only those who specialized in studying such Arrays would have some knowledge. Chapter 1606 Chapter 1606: Chapter 1602: Two Conditions ¡°I am not well-versed in Array Techniques, let alone Teleportation Arrays, I''m afraid I am unable to assist,¡± Shen Luo said reluctantly, shaking his head. ¡°Among the three of us, I was the last to arrive here. I am not familiar with the situation here, and I haven''t even heard of Tianyan Palace before, so I really don''t know the situation here. However, I do have some knowledge about Teleportation Arrays. If the two of you trust me, I can try to investigate,¡± Wu Luo said slowly. ¡°Then we shall trouble Daoist Wu,¡± Che Qingtian said, his eyes flashing with a hint of joy as he spoke hastily. ¡°Daoist Che seems quite anxious. Could it be that this Teleportation Array has a limited operational time?¡± Shen Luo looked at Che Qingtian, his expression calm yet possessing a penetrating insight. Che Qingtian felt a chill in his heart and became more wary of Shen Luo. ¡°There''s no harm in telling you two that this Teleportation Array indeed has a limited operational time; it will stop after a day,¡± he thought for a moment but eventually spoke. ¡°Daoist Wu, please take a look as soon as possible,¡± Shen Luo''s expression slightly changed as he turned to speak to Wu Luo. Wu Luo glanced at Shen Luo, not mentioning the past grievances, stepped forward, made hand signs, and chanted. A black light enveloped the Teleportation Array, slowly seeping inside. As for Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren, who had just arrived at this place, they did not understand the situation and listened quietly to the conversation between Shen Luo and the others, without the intention to interrupt. Time passed slowly, and in a blink of an eye, half a day had passed, and Wu Luo''s investigation was still ongoing. Shen Luo still seemed calm, while Che Qingtian''s eyes were tightly fixed on the Array, his expression growing increasingly anxious. Seeing Che Qingtian''s demeanor, Shen Luo was initially surprised but then realized something. Seeing Che Qingtian in this manner, it seemed he regarded Tianyan Palace as his own forbidden area. No wonder he was previously hostile not only towards himself but also towards Wu Luo, Yan Lie, and others. This mindset of Che Qingtian could be utilized. ¡°Friend Shen, I never thought that we would meet again in Tianyan Palace just after leaving Houyi''s Tomb. This place also seems to be a treasure trove; being old acquaintances, how about we join forces again to seek treasures?¡± Just as Shen Luo was contemplating, Yan Lie quietly came a few steps closer and the voice rang in his mind. ¡°How do you two plan to join forces?¡± Shen Luo turned his head to look at Yan Lie and responded telepathically. ¡°Naturally, by joining forces against the enemies. Friend Shen, although you are powerful, both Wu Luo and this white-robed monk are not easy to deal with. Perhaps they have already secretly conspired together. If the three of us join forces, we should be able to compete with those two,¡± Yan Lie immediately said. ¡°As disciples of Elder Donghua, do you know anything about this Tianyan Palace?¡± Shen Luo fell silent for a moment, asking a question that seemed unrelated to the alliance. ¡°Although our master has entered this Celestial Secret Realm multiple times, he has never been to this Tianyan Palace, so we too know nothing about this place. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have entered this place at the last moment,¡± Yan Lie replied. Shen Luo looked into Yan Lie''s eyes as if gauging the truthfulness of his words. After a moment, he took his gaze back and faintly telepathically said: ¡°Joining forces is naturally possible, but first, you two need to agree to two conditions,¡± he said. ¡°Please speak, Friend Shen,¡± Yan Lie''s eyes flashed with a hint of joy as he responded. ¡°My Bihai Ray spirit beast is in your hands, please return it to me, and the three Golden Arrows you acquired in Houyi''s Tomb, I need one of them with the Golden Crow Soul inside intact. Agree to these two conditions, and I will join forces with the two of you,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°That Bihai Ray is indeed with us; since it''s your spirit beast, we can return it to you, but those Golden Crow Arrows were obtained by me in Houyi''s Tomb after a desperate fight. Don''t you think it''s a bit excessive to demand this item, Friend?¡± Yan Lie frowned as he heard this, replying telepathically with a somber tone. He also cultivated the Fire Attribute Technique, and the three Golden Arrows contained three clusters of Golden Crow Souls, which were very useful for him, and he naturally was unwilling to part with them. ¡°To be precise, Fire Daoist friend snatched the three golden arrows from me, and those arrows were originally mine,¡± Shen Luo said calmly. Yan Lie was momentarily stunned, and Shen Luo''s words were not wrong; indeed, he had seized those arrows from the other''s hands. However, he had no intention of handing over the three Golden Crow Arrows just because of that. The mausoleum treasure hunt was all about showcasing one''s abilities, and since he had acquired the three golden arrows, they were rightly his. But at this moment, he was trying to win over Shen Luo. If he adamantly refused, the proposal for them to work together would probably be dead in the water. ¡°Of course, I wouldn''t just ask you, Fire Daoist friend, to hand over the golden arrows for nothing. Let''s use this item for the exchange,¡± Shen Luo took out an item¨Cit was the Soul of Ink Brush Magical Treasure. ¡°Brother Shen, you want to exchange this treasure for a Golden Crow Arrow? Are you sure?¡± Yan Lie asked in disbelief, confirming through a message transmission. He had seen this Soul of Ink Brush Magical Treasure with his own eyes in Houyi''s Tomb Chamber. Combined with the Azure Sky Ink Stone, it could even control the void¨Can absolute treasured item. Shen Luo using it to exchange for a golden arrow meant he was getting a great deal. ¡°Of course,¡± Shen Luo replied without any hesitation. ¡°Alright, but I''d like to modify the terms of the exchange a bit. Since you, Brother Shen, desire the Golden Crow Arrows, why not also bring out the Azure Sky Ink Stone, and I will return all three golden arrows to you,¡± Yan Lie said eagerly. ¡°Agreed,¡± Shen Luo''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, then he nodded his head, took out the Azure Sky Ink Stone as well, and handed it over together. Yan Lie also took out the three golden arrows and handed them over, along with a blue spirit beast bag. ¡°Young Master Shen, both the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone are excellent Magical Treasures; you wouldn''t just give them away to those two, would you?¡± Fire Spirit Child asked through a message transmission. Shen Luo smiled and did not respond. He took the three golden arrows, his Divine Sense entered them to sense around, and all three Golden Crow Souls were nicely intact inside, which made him very pleased. With these three Golden Crow Souls, his three Pure Yang Swords could gain three more sword spirits, greatly enhancing the power of his set of lifebound Magical Treasures. Inside the blue spirit beast bag was the Bi Hai stingray. Sensing Shen Luo''s Qi, the fish was extremely excited. Shen Luo stored the three golden arrows and the spirit beast bag inside the Carefree Mirror, then took the Bi Hai stingray out of the spirit beast bag. The gigantic body of the Bi Hai stingray appeared within the Carefree Mirror, making joyful noises, racing back and forth in the mirror space, stirring up huge whirlwinds, shaking the entire Carefree Mirror Space. Shen Luo was secretly alarmed by the might of the Bi Hai stingray. He hurriedly operated his Mana to condense a Magical Clone inside the Carefree Mirror and repeatedly shouted to stop it, barely managing to stabilize the fish. Seeing Shen Luo appear, the fish immediately rushed over, its body radiating sky-high azure light, and its massive body rapidly shrinking. A few breaths later, the Bi Hai stingray transformed into a little girl around eleven or twelve years old with azure hair, hugged Shen Luo, and wept bitterly as if a child aggrieved outside found solace upon seeing their parents. For the Bi Hai stingray, the presence it sensed at birth was Shen Luo''s Qi, and influenced by the Art of Spirit Communication, the fish directly regarded Shen Luo as its parent. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, I am concerned that Yan Lie might have tampered with the Bi Hai stingray and the three golden arrows, possibly leaving mana imprints or something. Do you have a way to check?¡± Shen Luo''s clone turned to Fire Spirit Child. ¡°Yes,¡± Fire Spirit Child replied, forming a hand seal to activate the Gu Xuan star disk, a white light caging both the Bi Hai stingray and the three golden arrows. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Outside the Carefree Mirror, Yan Lie was also excitedly putting away the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone, making this deal a joy for all parties involved. Chapter 1607 Chapter 1607: Chapter 1603: Ambush Shen Luo and Yan Lie did not attempt to conceal their actions. The valley was not big enough to hide anything, and Che Qingtian frowned upon seeing this scene. At this moment, black light suddenly flashed in Wu Luo''s hand, and the teleportation formation below also began to fluctuate violently. ¡°Friend Wu, have you found the problem?¡± Che Qingtian couldn''t care less about Shen Luo and Yan Lie and hastily asked. ¡°I found some clues. The issue with the teleportation formation is mainly due to the prohibitions inside it deteriorating over years without maintenance, causing some of the spiritual power to begin dispersing,¡± Wu Luo explained. Che Qingtian had long suspected this problem but couldn''t confirm it, nodding repeatedly upon hearing this. ¡°Prohibition''s spiritual power dispersing?¡± Inside the Carefree Mirror, Fire Spirit Child furrowed his brows. ¡°What, Fire Daoist friend, you think this isn''t the issue?¡± the Magical Clone asked upon seeing this reaction. ¡°Definitely not. If it were such a simple problem, I wouldn''t have failed to discover it just now,¡± Fire Spirit Child stated resolutely. ¡°Is that so?¡± Seeing Fire Spirit Child so certain, the Divine Clone of Shen Luo''s eyes momentarily flickered. Outside the Carefree Mirror, Shen Luo glanced at Wu Luo and remained silent. ¡°Then, Friend Wu, are you able to repair it?¡± Che Qingtian asked. ¡°For damages of this extent, of course, I can repair it. It just requires quite some time, at least two or three days, which we simply don''t have,¡± Wu Luo shook his head and said. ¡°How can that be, is there no other way, Daoist friend?¡± Che Qingtian grew anxious. ¡°There is one method, but it would require the help of everyone present,¡± Wu Luo glanced at Che Qingtian, Shen Luo, Yan Lie, and others as he spoke. ¡°What solution, Friend Wu, please feel free to mention it,¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°Repairing the teleportation formation''s prohibitions is not difficult. It can be nurtured with mana. However, given the urgent situation, we must resort to external help. I can set up a Demonic Essence Gathering Array around the teleportation formation. If everyone stands in the array and provides spiritual power, it might speed up the recovery of the prohibitions, perhaps restoring it within half a day,¡± Wu Luo explained. ¡°So that''s the case; of course, we can do that. Friend Wu, please set up the array quickly,¡± Che Qingtian relaxed and immediately said. Wu Luo nodded and took out a stack of black array banners and formation discs, quickly beginning to set them up around the teleportation formation. Shen Luo stood by, watching Wu Luo busy himself, still without saying a word. ¡°Cousin, do you think there is something questionable about this Wu Luo?¡± Inside the Carefree Mirror, Nie Cai Zhu asked. ¡°Perhaps I''m overthinking it, but to be on the safe side, Cai Zhu, Fire Daoist friend, be prepared to act as well,¡± the Magical Clone said. ¡°Okay,¡± Fire Spirit Child nodded and summoned the Gu Xuan star disk. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Cousin, I don''t have the divine powers of Senior Fire, and it''s not easy to cast spells from behind the Carefree Mirror. Let me place this Nine Heavens Immortal Silk outside first. If something unexpected happens, I can act in time,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said, offering the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk to Shen Luo. Shen Luo secretly formed a hand sign, a faint red shadow flashed beneath his feet, and burrowed into the ground, disappearing. The Nine Heavens Immortal Silk is an Earth Attribute Magical Treasure, and since divine sense was prohibited within the valley, this action attracted no attention from others. Wu Luo quickly completed setting up the formation. The array was quite large, the coverage of the formation pattern reached twenty or thirty feet, and it was complex with five array eyes, one in the center and the others at each side. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, do you see anything improper about this array?¡± Shen Luo looked at the demonic array before him, communicating with Fire Spirit Child through a transmission. ¡°I''m not very familiar with demon clan arrays, but from what I see, this indeed is a Gathering Spirit Array,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. ¡°Maybe I''m overthinking it,¡± Shen Luo nodded upon hearing this, murmuring to himself internally. Wu Luo stood at the central Array Eye, positioning Che Qingtian, Shen Luo, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren at the other four Array Eyes, each holding a formation flag of the Demonic Heart Gathering Array. ¡°Open!¡± With a low shout from Wu Luo, he activated the Demonic Heart Gathering Array. The entire Array immediately burst forth with profound black light, enveloping everyone inside it. Following Wu Luo''s instructions, Shen Luo and the others activated the formation flags in their hands. The Great Formation roared to life, quickly absorbing the Mana from their bodies and channeling it along the Formation Patterns towards the Teleportation Array. The white light of the Teleportation Array suddenly brightened and began to operate loudly again, showing signs of improvement. Che Qingtian''s face lit up with joy, just as he was about to say something, the black array flag in his hand suddenly exploded with a bang, turning into countless fine black threads that rapidly and tightly wrapped around his body. These black threads were dark, glossy, and emitted faint Black Qi, giving off a sinister aura, clearly some kind of strange and evil entity. Che Qingtian was shocked and immediately tried to counterattack with his spells, only to find that the Mana inside his body was as if solidified, unable to move even a bit. The situation was the same for Shen Luo, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren, all enveloped in a large net formed by the black threads, just like fish in a net, with their Mana restrained and unable to move or even rebuke Wu Luo. Shen Luo''s expression turned ugly; he had carefully inspected the black commanding flag several times before activating it without noticing any issues, yet despite all precautions, he still missed something. With his Mana restrained, he couldn''t even control Ghost Teng Master to open the Carefree Mirror, and both Fire Spirit Child and Nie Caizhu were unable to use their spells to affect the outside. Fortunately, Nie Caizhu was cautious in her actions, leaving her Nine Heavens Immortal Silk outside, and Shen Luo immediately communicated with Nie Caizhu using his Divine Sense. Wu Luo, seeing the four people restrained, revealed a smug smile on his face and suddenly shook the formation flag in his hand. The black light emitted by the Demonic Heart Gathering Array suddenly transformed, turning into layers upon layers of black shadows. The bodies of Shen Luo and the others sank once more, as if falling into a boundless quagmire, making their already immobilized bodies even harder to move. Seeing this, Wu Luo did not attack the four anymore but leaped into the Teleportation Array, waving his sleeve and sending a black light onto the Array. The white light within the Array shined even brighter, rapidly starting up again, and just as it was about to teleport Wu Luo, a red shadow flashed beside the Array on the ground, and a red long silk lightning-fast emerged, swiftly wrapping around Wu Luo''s body, while the other end of the long silk wrapped around Shen Luo. The white Array reached its peak operation at this moment, emitting a howling hum, and the figure of Wu Luo along with the red long silk vanished in a flash. And the figure of Shen Luo connected to the other end of the red long silk also disappeared in a flicker. Shen Luo''s vision was overwhelmed by white light, and when his sight restored, he found himself in an exceptionally spacious white hall, appearing to be the same white hall where he was first teleported into Tianyan Palace, with the Divine Prohibition in the Void also looking exactly the same. He still had fine black threads wrapped around his body, restraining his Mana, but without Wu Luo''s manipulation, the black threads were rapidly dispersing, and his Mana was starting to loosen. The Nine Heavens Immortal Silk floated around him, not taken away by Wu Luo. Knowing this place was temporarily safe, Shen Luo fully exerted his Skills, struggling to free himself from the black threads'' constraints, slowly regaining control of his restrained Mana. ¡°Ha!¡± He let out a low shout, bursts of True Solar Fire erupted from his body, burning the remaining black threads to ashes, and his Mana circulation completely returned to normal. ¡°Just now, what happened? Why was Wu Luo able to control that Teleportation Array?¡± Shen Luo waved his sleeve, muttering to himself. The situation just now was clearly Wu Luo using some tricks to leave everyone behind and entering Tianyan Palace for the trial alone, thankfully he had made preparations beforehand, otherwise, he would have also fallen into the opponent''s trap. Chapter 1608 Chapter 1608: Chapter 1604: Level 1 A white light door flickered in the void beside them, and Nie Caizhu along with Fire Spirit Child flew out from within the Free and Easy Mirror. ¡°Who knows how many years Wu Luo has spent in this secret realm? Perhaps he has been here before,¡± said Fire Spirit Child. ¡°That''s a possibility,¡± Shen Luo nodded in agreement. Despite saying so, he always felt that wasn''t the case; there seemed to be other secrets hidden about Wu Luo. ¡°Is this the Hall we were at before?¡± Nie Caizhu stored away the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and surveyed her surroundings. Upon hearing this, Fire Spirit Child was startled, glanced around, and immediately flew towards the corner of the Hall where the Stone Ball prohibition was concealed, with an unknown intention. Just at this moment, the Ground in the Central Hall began to make ¡°crack crack¡± sounds, and a Black Hole emerged once again, with a Green Snake Armor slowly rising from within, identical to the previous Armor. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As soon as the Green Snake Armor appeared, it immediately turned its gaze towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, then, with a push against the ground with its legs, it transformed into a green phantom and pounced ferociously. Nie Caizhu was about to take action when a crimson Sword Shadow, accompanied by trailing images, shot out at lightning speed, sweeping across the Green Snake Armor before she could. Shen Luo had made his move first. The Green Snake Armor had barely charged three steps when its tall figure split in two, crashing to the ground with a ¡°boom,¡± its Spiritual Light completely faded. The Ground''s Black Hole made ¡°crack crack¡± noises once again as the second Silver Wolf Armor emerged. Before the Silver Wolf Armor could launch an attack, Shen Luo raised his hand and summoned another Pure Yang Sword, creating a twin Sword formation with the previous Pure Yang Sword. The twin Swords buzzed and trembled, then suddenly vanished, reappearing in an instant before the Silver Wolf Armor and sweeping across it. The Silver Wolf Armor let out a hiss. Before it could even take a step towards him, it was cleaved neatly into two halves. Nie Caizhu''s mouth slightly opened, stunned in place. However, Shen Luo remained very calm. Wielding the Pure Yang Sword with his current Cultivation level, the Silver Wolf Armor with only the strength of an Early True Immortal was no match for him. Only the third Armor in this first trial piqued his interest; he wondered whether this Armor would still be using the Purple Extreme Ice Flame. His Indigo Ocean Divine Technique had already advanced to the Fifth Layer, and continuing to absorb the Purple Extreme Ice Flame was still beneficial. More ¡°crack crack¡± sounds echoed from the Black Hole, and the third Armor slowly emerged. This Armor was human-shaped, also the same size as a normal person, but its Weaponry was different, no longer a sword and shield but rather a pair of Black Greatswords. The Sword body of the Greatsword was covered in dark Spirit Patterns, exuding an aura starkly different from ordinary thunder and lightning, filled with a chilling air, quite similar to the Xuan Yin Thunder encountered during the Thunder Tribulation. The Armor''s boots were also unique, displaying a turquoise color, covered with roaring wind-like Spirit Patterns, as if a whirlwind was swirling around them. Shen Luo observed this third Armor, but his hand movements for casting spells didn''t slow down at all as once again he employed the twin Sword combined God''s Power. The twin Swords flashed and disappeared. A scissor-shaped, fierce Sword light suddenly appeared before the Human-shaped Armor, slashing across it. However, the Human-shaped Armor''s feet burst with a green wind, and it vanished from its spot instantaneously, making the twin Sword combined attack miss its mark. A green Phantom appeared behind Shen Luo like a ghostly specter, and two pitch-black Sword Shadows slashed towards his body, akin to two black bolts of lightning. Shen Luo was slightly startled, yet he did not panic, and with a sweep of his sleeve backward. A Blue Cold Wave surged out, engulfing an area of several dozen feet, with a roar like raging waves crashing towards the Human-shaped Armor. His mastery of the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique has already reached the Fifth Layer Realm, its power has grown by far too much compared to before, and the humanoid armor has not yet been hit by the Blue Cold Wave, yet a layer of blue ice crystals already emerged on its body, quickly thickening. In the surrounding void, streaks of ice also emerged, rapidly closing in on the humanoid armor. The humanoid armor let out a low growl, with green light blooming from its feet, quickly spreading to its entire body. A sharp whistling sound rang out, and the humanoid armor mysteriously vanished from amidst the overwhelming ice, then appeared a hundred feet away. ¡°The Wind Escape Technique!¡± Nie Caizhu''s face showed a look of surprise. Shen Luo also gasped in astonishment, a trace of something unusual flashing in his eyes. The Wind Escape Technique is not among the Five Elements Escape Techniques and is extremely difficult to master. It requires an innate talent or bloodline power related to the wind element, and very few people can grasp it. During his years of roaming the lands, he had only seen it used by a handful of monks and monsters. But once mastered, aside from the instantaneous Thunder Escape Technique capable of covering a hundred li, the speed of the Wind Escape exceeds that of the common Metal Escape, Fire Escape, and other Five Elements escape methods. The humanoid armor was able to use the Wind Escape with just a pair of Spirit Boots. If he could seize these boots for Nie Caizhu to wear, it would be an additional means for her to protect her life. ¡°What a great treasure, hand it over!¡± Shen Luo shouted lowly, both hands emitting a great blue light. Boom boom boom! An even larger Blue Cold Wave roared forth, continuing to surge towards the humanoid armor. The humanoid armor growled lowly, its body shining with intense green light once more, and it vanished into thin air again. Shen Luo huffed lightly, his hands waving to the left and right, with the blue light surging wildly. The Blue Cold Wave also grew several times larger, a force of extreme cold sweeping forth, instantly inundating the entire White Giant Hall. A loud hissing sound began! The walls and ground of the Giant Hall displayed thick sections of ice, and so did the void within; everything in the hall was frozen solid. The humanoid armor appeared tens of feet away, but the entire void had been frozen by Shen Luo, and this armor was no exception. Just as it appeared, it was frozen solid by a thick layer of ice crystals, unable to move. But the armor was not yet ready to submit. The Spirit Boots on its feet emitted streaks of green Spirit Light, trying to activate the Wind Escape Technique once again. However, affected by the cold aura of the Indigo Ocean, it was quite difficult for the green Spirit Light to operate. Shen Luo''s Indigo Ocean technique had long been cultivated to the point where it could freeze Spiritual Power; it was only due to the White Giant Hall''s vast area that the spreading of the Indigo Ocean Cold Qi was greatly diminished in effect. ¡°Spiritual Power freeze!¡± Seeing this, Shen Luo formed seals with his hands, and a wave of blue light spread towards the armor, completely freezing the surrounding Spiritual Power. The wind-attribute Spiritual Power on the green Spirit Boots also came to a halt. Shen Luo''s body emanated a layer of blue light, his figure darting forward. Wherever he went, the ice crystals melted away, completely unaffected by the solid ice around him, flashing past and arriving beside the armor. A streak of crimson sword light shot out from his sleeve, slicing across the helmet of the humanoid armor. The humanoid armor''s head and body became abruptly separated, its body''s Spiritual Light quickly dimming, and the green Spirit Light on the Spirit Boots also disappeared. Pitifully, this Late True Immortal Stage armor, before it could display its strength, was slain by Shen Luo with lightning speed, before it could even cover its ears to the striking thunder. ¡°Cousin, I didn''t expect your strength to have advanced to such a degree. Even if I were to use my Time Divine Ability, I might not be your match,¡± said Nie Caizhu, flying over through the passageway cleared by Shen Luo, offering praise. ¡°Stop flattering me, I''ve just figured out the attack methods of these armors, which is why I could easily deal with them,¡± Shen Luo said, waving his hand dismissively. Under normal circumstances, he might have sparred with this humanoid armor a few times, to fully understand all of its divine powers, but right now Wu Luo was probably breaking through in other halls, and he had no time to spar leisurely with these armors. Chapter 1609 Chapter 1609: Chapter 1605: Racing Against the Clock Shen Luo cast a spell to dissipate the chill in the Hall, and, with a raise of his hand, a golden light swept up the remnants of the Human-shaped Armor in front of him. He first took the Spirit Boots from the feet of the Human-shaped Armor; the Azure Spirit Patterns on them flickered incessantly, with the words ''Pacing Azure Cloud Boots'' engraved on the side in small characters. Shen Luo activated his Divine Sense to probe the boots and quickly found that this pair of Spirit Boots contained sixty layers of Wind property prohibitions. The prohibitions were incredibly profound, and many aspects were beyond his comprehension. ¡°What an excellent pair of Spirit Boots! Cai Zhu, put them on quickly,¡± he exclaimed admiringly, without hesitation passing the boots to Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu took the boots and suddenly threw them out, turning into two streams of Green Light that merged into Shen Luo''s body and appeared on his feet. Immediately, Shen Luo felt his feet enveloped in a powerful Wind Spirit Power, making his body extremely light as if he could ride the wind and fly at any moment. ¡°Cai Zhu, I seized these boots to bolster your strength¡­¡± Shen Luo hurriedly said. ¡°These boots require Wind property Spiritual Power to unleash their full potential. I don''t cultivate Wind property God''s Power, so they''re not very useful to me. Cousin, the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns within your arm are a perfect match for these boots. Moreover, our subsequent exploration will mainly rely on you as the powerhouse, so the stronger you are, the better,¡± Nie Caizhu interrupted Shen Luo. Shen Luo furrowed his brows, wanting to say more. ¡°Come on, Cousin, Wu Luo might have already gone to the next layer by now. Let''s not waste time on these trivial matters,¡± Nie Caizhu said. Seeing this, Shen Luo said no more, and took the pair of Greatswords from the hands of the Human-shaped Armor, sensing the Dark Thunder prohibition on it. A surge of Cold and Thunderous Power transmitted to him, causing the Soul Power in his mind to churn violently. ¡°It''s indeed the Xuan Yin Thunder; this thunder is exceedingly rare. To think that Tianyan Palace contains Magical Treasures infused with Xuan Yin Thunder. The Purple Extreme Ice Flame is the same ¨C just how many treasures does Tianyan Palace possess!¡± Shen Luo was secretly astonished, but without further contemplation, he stored the Black Greatsword and the remains of the Armor in the Free and Easy Mirror. At that moment, ripples formed in the Void, revealing a Silver Light Door. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Looks like the situation is the same as before,¡± Fire Spirit Child said as he flew over from afar. In his hand, he held a white Stone Ball the size of a human head, covered with Spirit Patterns that seemingly corresponded to the Prohibition Sphere within the wall. How Fire Spirit Child managed to extract the sphere was unknown. ¡°Cai Zhu and Fire Daoist friend, you should both go into the Free and Easy Mirror to serve as my backup,¡± Shen Luo said, glancing at the Stone Ball in Fire Spirit Child''s hand. Nie Caizhu and Fire Spirit Child didn''t object and returned to the Free and Easy Mirror. Shen Luo stepped forward. Although he had not yet refined the prohibitions inside the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots, his speed had doubled, and he disappeared into the Light Door in a flash. In Peace Valley, after Shen Luo and Wu Luo were teleported away by the Array, the black filaments around Che Qingtian and the others gradually collapsed, and it did not take long for them to break free. The trio immediately flew towards the Teleportation Formation, but, regrettably, the Formation had reverted to its previous state; the white light no longer flickered, nor did it continue to operate. ¡°Damn it, damn it!¡± Che Qingtian was in a furious rage, muttering to himself with bloodshot eyes. Seeing Che Qingtian like this, both Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren felt a twinge of fear and took a few steps back subconsciously. ¡°Looking at the current situation, it''s rather unlikely that we''ll be able to explore this Tianyan Palace,¡± Yan Lie communicated with Wanshui Zhenren through a private message. ¡°Since that''s the case, it''s best if we figure out a way to leave sooner rather than later. This white-clothed man seems to be of an extremely high Cultivation level and a bit mad. We are no match for him even if we join forces, and staying here is nothing but bad news. Do you have any method to leave this place?¡± Wanshui Zhenren replied through a private message. ¡°I did not before, but now that might not be the case,¡± Yan Lie replied with a smug smile, producing the Soul of Ink Brush and the Azure Sky Ink Stone. ¡°Is this what we just got from Shen Luo? Can these two magical treasures help us escape?¡± Wanshui Zhenren showed a surprised expression. ¡°The Azure Sky Ink Stone and Soul of Ink Brush are the life-bound magical treasures of the previous Hallmaster of Fangjin, possessing great powers to manipulate space. As long as we can properly refine these two treasures, we should be able to tear through the space here and return outside,¡± Yan Lie said, channeling his mana into the two treasures. The two treasures lit up slightly, and the white light within the teleportation array flashed in response. Che Qingtian''s expression changed drastically, and he abruptly looked over towards Yan Lie and the other person. Shen Luo''s vision blurred for a moment, and when he came to his senses, he was already in front of the five-layered Grey Tower with its gate half-open. He didn''t linger in front of the tower and after a brief investigation, flew straight into the black passageway behind the tower gate, moving quickly. Not knowing whether Wu Luo had already entered, he had to race against time to move forward. As he passed the spot where the maze map was hidden, Shen Luo''s steps faltered, and he turned to look, seeing the witch text traces still on the stone wall. ¡°It seems this is indeed the same place as before, not an illusion,¡± he muttered in relief. Knowing Wu Luo''s ability to create extremely realistic illusions, he took each step with the utmost caution. Shen Luo didn''t delay any further and continued onwards, soon reaching the Heavenly Puzzling Maze. Everything inside the maze was the same as before, and the Guiding Stele was quietly situated there. With the map of the place in his hand, Shen Luo had no worries and leaped forward into the maze. With the boost from the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots, his figure disappeared into the maze pathways in the blink of an eye. A flash of light on the walls of the black passage behind him, and a dark silhouette appeared slowly, it was Wu Luo. ¡°Shen Luo, I wouldn''t have imagined you could still keep up like this, you indeed are the person I need to be most wary of, but since you''ve been afflicted with my Black Demon Incantation, your life is now in my hands,¡± the sorcerer muttered to himself, a sinister smile appearing on his lips as he made a hand gesture. In the void at the entrance of the maze, tiny black lights appeared, so fine that they were hard to see with the naked eye. The black lights brightened and expanded rapidly, turning into five threads of silk-like black strands, each flickering with many black spots. On closer inspection, one could see that each black spot was an extremely tiny black skull head, all of them silently screaming with ferocious expressions, emitting a bone-chilling aura. Unfortunately, these black threads had already been broken, naturally by Shen Luo just now. Flames began to flicker on the severed strands and soon they vanished without a trace. Wu Luo then stepped into the Heavenly Puzzling Maze as well, his figure quickly disappearing ahead. Shen Luo followed the directions indicated on the maze map, moving rapidly. He didn''t immediately rush to the end of the maze but headed straight to the location of the Tiangong Hall. The overwhelming power of the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor still captivated him, and he had an intuition that the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor was still in the Tiangong Hall. The mighty power of the armor could face Che Qingtian head-on. As long as he got the armor, he feared no one in the Tianyan Palace. With this thought, a glint of excitement flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes, and his pace accelerated once more. Chapter 1610 Chapter 1610: Chapter 1606: Destruction Mingwang ¡°Young Master Shen, due to that Wu Luo, Che Qingtian and his people are blocked Outside, so you need not be in such a hurry. Rash actions often lead to mistakes,¡± Fire Spirit Child reminded. Hearing this, Shen Luo also realized he had rushed too quickly and slowed down his pace, saying: ¡°I don''t know why, but I always feel that things won''t be that simple. Che Qingtian regards this place as his prohibited area and won''t give it up so easily.¡± ¡°You have a point. That Che Qingtian seems rather deranged, acting as if he''s willing to do anything for the sake of Tianyan Palace. Perhaps he could catch up; however, you should still be careful,¡± said Fire Spirit Child, still slightly taken aback by his words. Shen Luo nodded his head, progressing while activating the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to survey his Surroundings. Although his speed had decreased considerably, it still took him less than half an hour to reach the Tiangong Hall. On the way, Shen Luo also encountered several roaming Armors attacking him, but these Armors posed no threat to him at all. He annihilated them with a flip of his hand and casually collected some Precious materials. The Surroundings of the Tiangong Hall, which were damaged from the previous great battle, were inexplicably restored, showing no signs of repair. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could it be that there''s someone else inside Tianyan Palace? Or does the Heavenly Puzzling Maze have a self-repairing capability?¡± Shen Luo thought of Ghost Yan''s City of Dolls, which had the ability to repair itself. He quickly shook his head and waved his sleeve. Nine Pure Yang Swords shot out, performing the Nine Swords Unity God''s Power, striking the main gate of Tiangong Hall, while also summoning the Divine Rat to sneak inside. A moment later, Shen Luo, using the previous method, successfully opened the main gate of the Tiangong Hall. Inside the great hall was empty, and he ignored it, going straight to the outer part of the Secret Chamber at the deepest part. The prohibition at the entrance of the Secret Chamber was also intact, with the black Key still inserted above, just as before. After Shen Luo opened the door of the Secret Chamber, the first thing that caught his eye was the immense Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor. He breathed a sigh of relief, his intuition had been correct, and he could sense that the Elder''s Token of Tianji City was still inside, and the secret door on the chest of the Yan Armor was also revealed there. Shen Luo leaped up, grabbed the secret door on the chest of the Destructive Mingwang Armor, and pulled it open, revealing the control room. He stepped inside, sat down on the golden chair, and began to control the Armor in the same way as before. His Cultivation level had become much stronger than when he previously controlled this Armor, and now he piloted the Destructive Mingwang with much ease. All around the colossal Armor, colorful Spiritual Light began to flicker, emitting sounds of howling; the giant form shrank rapidly, reducing to a height of several tens of meters within a few breaths. Shen Luo stimulated the Free and Easy Mirror, and a stream of red light enveloped the Destructive Mingwang, drawing it into the mirror. His Divine Sense had also improved a lot, allowing him not only to operate the Yan Armor but also to have spare strength to probe the various prohibitions inside it. The Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor was indeed powerful, but the energy consumption was also tremendous. There was a structure near the Dantian of the Yan Armor that resembled a Dantian itself, where a Smelting Spirit Array was set up. It required the input of fuel to maintain the Array''s operation to enable the Destructive Mingwang to fight. Fortunately, this Smelting Spirit Array no longer absorbed only the Armor Crystal; Immortal jade or other objects rich in Spiritual Power would suffice as well. Previously, when Shen Luo activated the Destructive Mingwang for the big battle with Che Qingtian, he had depleted most of the stored Spiritual Power in the Dantian of the Yan Armor, leaving very little remaining. He flipped his hand and took out nearly ten thousand Immortal jades, tossing them into the Dantian Array of the Destruction Mingwang like scattering beans. The Smelting Spirit Array immediately emitted a bright red light, like a raging fire burning fiercely, turning these Immortal jades into accumulated Spiritual Power. Yet it still wasn''t enough to completely replenish the Spiritual Power inside the Yan Armor. ¡°As expected of the Yan Armor of a Half-step Heavenly Venerate, the consumption is truly astonishing.¡± He chuckled, took out another five thousand Immortal jades, and tossed them in. Only then was the Spiritual Power of the Yan Armor fully restored. The restored Spiritual Power of Destruction Mingwang emitted a terrifying aura of annihilating everything once again, which even with Shen Luo''s current strength made him feel a tinge of alarm. Fortunately, this formidable power was now completely in his hands. A flicker of excitement passed through Shen Luo''s eyes, but then he quickly regained his composure, left the Carefree Mirror, and left the Destruction Mingwang inside the Carefree Mirror. This Yan Armor was his biggest trump card at the moment, to be used at the most critical time. He immediately walked out of the Secret Chamber and destroyed the prohibition outside with a single sword stroke to prevent others from discovering the secrets here. After finishing all this, Shen Luo left the Tiangong Hall, took out a map to look at it, and then flew away in a different direction. Inside this Tian Xuan Heavenly Puzzling Maze, besides the Golden Stone Pavilion and Tiangong Hall, there were two places he had not visited: the Refining Device Hall and the Spirit Beast Garden. Surely they couldn''t be empty. Having the map in hand, he naturally couldn''t miss them. Shen Luo followed the map and, a quarter of an hour later, arrived at the Spirit Beast Garden, his expression somewhat startled. The layout of the Spirit Beast Garden was similar to the Tiangong Hall, with a huge Stone Door as the entrance, but the Big Gate was half-collapsed at the moment, as if it had been destroyed by brute force, with the interior also appearing to have suffered considerable damage. He hurriedly entered. The space inside the Spirit Beast Garden was ten times larger than the Tiangong Hall, looking almost like a small Secret Realm, with a blue sky dotted with floating white clouds. The ground was dominated by two small mountains rising over a hundred feet tall, lush with flowers, trees, and plants. A stream meandered between the two mountain peaks. The scenery was very beautiful. Several black beast cages were placed throughout the Spirit Beast Garden, both on the mountains and below them, haphazardly numbering twenty or thirty. Each cage was dozens of feet in size, shiny black, and made of unknown materials that looked incredibly sturdy. Complex patterns, clearly prohibitive Spirit Patterns, were also carved around the cages. However, all the cages were now broken open with a big hole, the Spirit Patterns around them dim and without luster, clearly all destroyed. Each cage contained a dried-up carcass of a Monster, apparently the original spirit beasts of the cages. ¡°What happened here? Could someone have gotten here before me? It doesn''t seem like it.¡± Shen Luo muttered to himself. Whether it be the Big Gate of the Spirit Beast Garden, the broken parts of the cages, or the carcasses inside the cages, it all appeared to be many years old. He swept his sleeve over a carcass, his brows quickly knitting together. This carcass was nothing but an empty shell; all its Spiritual Power had disappeared, leaving it without any value. ¡°It seems to have been drained of all its essence and spirit by some kind of Spirit Devouring Divine Technique. Throw the skeleton into the Carefree Mirror, and I will take a closer look,¡± Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo flipped his hand and put the carcass into the Carefree Mirror, continuing to inspect different places in the Spirit Beast Garden. All the spirit beasts in the cages had perished, leaving behind only carcases. However, three cages were just broken with a big hole, and the inside was completely empty without any carcasses to be seen. ¡°It seems that the spirit beasts from these three cages have escaped. If my guess is correct, the carcasses of the spirit beasts in the garden are likely related to these three escaped spirit beasts,¡± voiced Fire Spirit Child from within the Carefree Mirror. ¡°Most likely so,¡± Shen Luo shared the opinion, his expression revealing a hint of regret. He had thought he would be able to rake in a large amount of treasures like in the Tiangong Hall and make a fortune, only to end up empty-handed. Chapter 1611 Chapter 1611: Chapter 1607: Take the Lead Shen Luo did not stay long in the Spirit Beast Garden, quickly leaving for the last area: Refining Device Hall. With the guidance of the map, the Heavenly Puzzling Maze seemed non-existent to him, and he soon arrived at his destination. The Refining Device Hall was similar to the previous Tiangong Hall and Spirit Beast Garden, also located in a very spacious area, consisting of four or five large stone chambers; unfortunately, this place was also empty, evidently someone had beaten him to it. However, unlike the Spirit Beast Garden, the traces of looting here were fresh, indicating that it had happened not long ago. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, can you discern anything?¡± Shen Luo transmitted his voice to Fire Spirit Child. He had already cast spells to investigate the residual aura here, but the person seemed to have intentionally hidden their tracks, erasing all traces cleanly, leaving nothing for him to discover. Fire Spirit Child, upon hearing this, did not say much. He flew out from the Carefree Mirror and summoned the Gu Xuan star disk to trigger one of the arrays on it, a milky white light pillar shot straight up, striking the ceiling of the Refining Device Hall. A series of white spirit patterns emerged from the light pillar, spreading rapidly across the ceiling''s stone wall. Fire Spirit Child did not stop casting his magic, forming hand seals and stimulating another silver array on the Gu Xuan star disk, spreading countless silver lights. With both hands forming quick seals, the light from the two silver and white arrays merged together, revealing numerous tadpole-like silver-white spirit texts that seemed alive, swiftly moving around. Seeing this, a hint of admiration flashed in Shen Luo''s eyes. Tao Xiang had also simultaneously triggered several arrays in the Gu Xuan star disk before, but these were individual actions. The fact that Fire Spirit Child could combine two detection arrays showed that his abilities were more than ten times superior to those of Tao Xiang. The white tadpoles quickly filled the entire Refining Device Hall, searching for clues everywhere, and many tadpole runes swirled even in the void. Just then, a flickering white light suddenly emerged from the depths of the Refining Device Hall. ¡°Found it!¡± Fire Spirit Child and Shen Luo hurriedly headed there, reaching a dark crimson wall. The wall was covered with numerous white tadpole runes, flickering incessantly. Just as Shen Luo was about to move forward to inspect it, Fire Spirit Child had already taken a step ahead, emitting a red light that struck a small protrusion in the corner of the dark red wall, barely noticeable at a casual glance. Boom! The dark red wall vibrated and moved sideways, revealing a door about three meters high. ¡°A secret chamber?¡± Shen Luo''s face brightened, and he stepped into it. Inside was a fiery red stone chamber, not very large, about several dozen feet in size, with a complex fiery red array engraved on the floor, which also had many slots, probably for installing Immortal jade or fire crystal stones. Currently, these slots were empty, unknown whether they were originally empty, or the installed stones had been taken by someone. At the center of the fiery red array, there was a hole about a foot in diameter, occasionally letting out small flames, emitting terrifying high temperatures. ¡°Is this an Artifacts Refining array?¡± Shen Luo looked at the fiery red array on the ground. ¡°This array is very interesting. It combines the Leaving Fire Profound Yang Array, Ninety-nine Refining Fire Array, and Dragon and Tiger Cauldron Furnace Array. Truly an ingenious creation,¡± Fire Spirit Child said, his eyes exceptionally bright as he observed the fiery red array. Shen Luo, not knowing much about arrays and even less about large refining formations, couldn''t see the marvels of this fiery red Great Formation and approached the hole to look down. Below the hole floated a black magic array, faintly showing a vortex shape, still slowly rotating. Through the black vortex, deeper down was a crimson sea of flames, countless crimson bright flames swirling within it, mixed with streaks of golden flame, emitting thunderous noises. ¡°What is this black array? Its aura is neither demonic nor of yin attribute. And these crimson, golden flames¨Care they earth flames? They don''t seem so,¡± Shen Luo furrowed his brows, feeling increasingly that the Tianyan Palace was unfathomably deep. He raised his hand, shooting out a red sword Qi, slashing it on the cave''s black magic array. The array was immediately torn with a long crack, strands of black Qi drifted from the crack, emitting a unique breath fluctuation. ¡°Witchcraft Power!¡± A silver light flashed through the void nearby, and Nie Caizhu''s figure appeared, her face full of astonishment. ¡°There is a Witch Array beneath us.¡± Shen Luo also recognized the fluctuation of the aura and pointed downwards. Nie Caizhu hurried over and looked down at the Black Magic Array. The Black Magic Array had strong restorative powers. The Spirit Patterns inside the formation flickered, the fissure quickly shrank, and soon entirely healed, the witchcraft aura that was emanating also disappeared. ¡°Such a powerful Witch Array, it can even hide its aura to this extent!¡± Nie Caizhu exclaimed with a flash in her beautiful eyes. ¡°Cai Zhu, can you tell what kind of Witch Array this is?¡± Shen Luo asked. ¡°I can''t see clearly. I only inherited the power of God Hou Yi and don''t know much about the Witch Clan. However, according to my feeling, it seems to be a summoning Witch Array, and the flames below are summoned by this formation,¡± said Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo was not surprised by her words and nodded. The Tianyan Palace is a structure suspended in mid-air, not connected with the earth''s fire; the fact that these flames were summoned is not strange. ¡°Cousin, what place is this? Why is there a Witch Array here?¡± Nie Caizhu asked. She had been consolidating her cultivation level inside the Carefree Mirror and only came out after sensing the fluctuation of witchcraft power, unaware of the current situation. ¡°Fire Daoist friend, don''t just admire the array. Check out who exactly looted the Refining Device Hall blank,¡± upon hearing this, Shen Luo remembered their purpose here, quickly explained the current situation to Nie Caizhu, then turned to the Fire Spirit Child, who was still engrossed in watching the fiery red array, and urged him in a serious tone. The Fire Spirit Child was fixated on the Ground Array, not even looking at Shen Luo, and waved his hand. Countless white tadpole runes appeared out here, forming a giant white hand that grasped in the void. Subtle black strands appeared and then gathered together, turning into a thick stream of Black Qi, which landed in front of Shen Luo. ¡°Demonic Qi!¡± Shen Luo''s pupils contracted as he immediately recognized the origin of this black qi. ¡°It seems that all of this is Wu Luo''s doing. She indeed also made it to the Heavenly Puzzling Maze,¡± Nie Caizhu said with slightly furrowed brows. She was exceedingly sensitive to Demonic Qi, able to sense where this demonic Qi came from. ¡°You haven''t been in this second layer of Tianyan Palace for long, yet Wu Luo was able to find this Refining Device Hall and looted everything inside in such a short time. It''s quite abnormal, could it be that she also has a map?¡± Fire Spirit Child finally stopped observing the array and came over. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Shen Luo''s gaze flickered, then he turned and left the place. Fire Spirit Child and Nie Caizhu did not linger either, quickly following after him. The main sites inside the maze had been swept through, and Shen Luo did not stay long, heading towards the exit of the Heavenly Puzzling Maze. An hour later, he reached the end of the maze. A white light gate floated in front, identical to the one that appeared on the first layer after defeating the Human-shaped Armor. Nie Caizhu stood by his side, while Fire Spirit Child returned to the Carefree Mirror. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo originally intended to have Nie Caizhu return to the Carefree Mirror as well, but facing the unexplored third layer of the Tianyan Palace, Nie Caizhu insisted on accompanying him. Unable to dissuade Nie Caizhu, Shen Luo had no choice but to let her follow. ¡°Cai Zhu, stay close to me,¡± Shen Luo said, leading Nie Caizhu into the light gate; their figures vanished into thin air. Chapter 1612 Chapter 1612: Chapter 1608: Surprise Attack (Major Outbreak) As soon as Shen Luo and Nie Cai Zhu entered the third layer of space, they were greeted by an intense heat wave. When they turned around, the light door behind them had already disappeared. Shen Luo looked into the distance, only to see the blazing sun hanging in the sky, releasing its scorching power freely. All he could see was an endless yellow and hazy sand sea with no signs of oases or living creatures. ¡°It looks like this place is utterly barren. There''s no trace of the heavenly and earthly spiritual Qi in the surrounding void, and Divine Sense is greatly restricted. The range I can explore is not even a hundred feet,¡± Nie Cai Zhu commented as she glanced around. ¡°I''m slightly stronger, but my Divine Sense can only explore an area of around three hundred feet. Moreover, for some reason, the consumption of divine sense power seems to be much larger than usual here,¡± Shen Luo nodded and added. ¡°Three hundred feet of distance isn''t very useful; let''s conserve our strength for now,¡± Nie Cai Zhu suggested. Shen Luo felt the same and immediately withdrew his divine sense power. At that moment, he suddenly furrowed his brows and took a few steps forward, swinging his sleeve fiercely towards the ground. ¡°Whooosh¡± A gust of wind surged out from his sleeve, swiftly creating a medium-sized tornado on the ground that picked up a large amount of yellow sand and tossed it into the distance. Where the tornado passed, a shallow pit appeared on the ground, revealing part of a black Stone Stele base. Shen Luo bent down for a closer look and noticed that the break was smooth and sharp, and the color still maintained the original texture of the stone material, showing no traces of erosion by the wind and sand or dirt stains. ¡°The break is so fresh, it seems it was cut by someone not long ago,¡± Nie Cai Zhu also came forward and frowned as she spoke. ¡°It must have been the work of someone ahead of us, who took away the whole stele. Now we have no idea which direction to go next nor any clue about what is forbidden here. This is truly infuriating,¡± Shen Luo harshly criticized. Upon hearing this, Nie Cai Zhu''s face showed a hint of hesitation as she spoke, ¡°If I exert all my strength, perhaps by using a time retracing divine power, I can restore the Stone Stele in the River of Time and see its original appearance. That way, we could know the content originally recorded on the stele.¡± Shen Luo was pleased when he heard this, but his smile quickly faded as he shook his head: ¡°No.¡± ¡°It''s alright. It''s just a trial. If I use up all my mana, you can just let me rest in the Carefree Mirror Space. It won''t be a problem,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said with a smile. ¡°No. This time retracing divine power not only consumes a huge amount of mana, but it also uses up bloodline power. Once you use it, the burden on you will be too great, and it''s not even guaranteed to succeed. It''s not worth it,¡± Shen Luo firmly shook his head. Nie Cai Zhu did not say anything more, but she felt a warmth in her heart. ¡°Then which way should we go?¡± she asked, looking up at Shen Luo. Shen Luo picked up a handful of yellow sand from the ground and gently loosened his fingers, letting the sand slowly fall from his palm to the ground without any significant fluttering. ¡°There''s no flow of heaven and earth aura in this place, and even the wind is almost unfelt. Logically, if someone had moved around here before, there should have been footprints left,¡± Shen Luo hesitated. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Could it be that they left by flying?¡± Nie Cai Zhu wondered. ¡°Unlikely. In such secret realms, there are usually prohibitions on flying in the void. No one dares to try that normally,¡± Shen Luo shook his head. While the two were speaking, Nie Caizhu''s expression suddenly changed, pointing to the distance, she said: ¡°Quick, look over there!¡± Following her direction, Shen Luo saw the sand on the ground in front of him surging like waves, swelling into several giant bulges and rolling towards them in a line. He stepped in front of Nie Caizhu and swept his hand down mightily, a powerful surge of Qi burst from his palm into the ground, causing the ground to shake violently. In an instant, a wave of sand exploded up to a height of dozens of feet, as four enormous, grey-brown figures leaped out from underground. Shen Luo glanced over and saw they were shaped like lizards but many times larger, covered with grey-brown scale armor, and their backs had raised spines, clearly the unique Sand Lizards of this region. Most peculiarly, the eyes of these Sand Lizards were all white, with no different colored pupils inside. After the four Sand Lizards burst from the ground, the two in the middle opened their mouths, spewing two clumps of yellow dense light towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Before the yellow light even came close, Shen Luo detected a pungent sulfur smell, promptly clapping his hands in the Void. A giant handprint of Green Light condensed and flew out, colliding with the two clumps of yellow light, immediately causing a loud boom. A vast flame exploded instantly, with sparks flying in all directions. At the same time, the howling sounds of wind rose from both sides as the other two Sand Lizards swung their giant tails simultaneously, sweeping towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu subconsciously wanted to spring up into the air to evade but was held down by Shen Luo grabbing her shoulder. With a wave of his hand, two Pure Yang Flying Swords burst out from either side, transforming into two Flame Giant Swords, meeting the Sand Lizards'' giant tails and instantly severing them. ¡°Don''t be careless¡­¡± No sooner had Shen Luo spoken than he saw the flames in front dissipate, and the figures of the two previously seen Sand Lizards had vanished. Without any hesitation, he immediately flipped his wrist, ready to pull out the Turn Sky Seal and hit downwards. However, during this turning of his hand, he found his palm empty; the Storage Bracelet hadn''t opened, and he couldn''t retrieve the Turn Sky Seal. ¡°Unable to open the Storage Magical Tool,¡± Shen Luo uttered softly. But before he could adapt, the sand sea beneath suddenly sank into a pit, following which the giant mouths of two Sand Lizards burst forth from the sand pit, with two light groups of yellow light already charging, aiming at Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo immediately slapped the Corpse Raising Bag at his waist, trying to summon the corpse refined by Ghost Teng Master for defense, but to his surprise, the Corpse Raising Bag was also enveloped in a prohibiting force, unable to be opened for the time being. By then, the two clumps of yellow light had melted a large amount of sand and dust and struck towards the two of them. ¡°They are trying to force us into the high skies¡­¡± At the critical moment, Shen Luo wrapped one arm around Nie Caizhu''s waist, their bodies shrinking upwards, instantly two Flying Swords appeared under their feet, catching them while the light from the sword bodies suddenly brightened. Numerous golden sword lights burst from the swords, falling into the sand pit like a sudden fierce rainstorm, immediately followed by the sounds of bones breaking and tendons snapping. By the time all sword lights had dissipated, the sand pit underground had expanded several times, filled with remnants of Sand Lizards'' limbs and claws mixed with yellow blood, a sight so nauseating that it might provoke vomiting. Chapter 1613 Chapter 1613: Chapter 1609: Journey Together Shen Luo, with Nie Cai Zhu by his side, shifted slightly and landed, then with a swift hand gesture, a streak of sword light swept across, cleaving the remaining two tail-severed sand lizards into halves. Afterward, he walked over to a severed limb of the sand lizard, lifted his toe, and flicked it upwards. The chunk of flesh was tossed high into the air before flying up into the high altitude. At first, there was nothing unusual, but once it reached a height of several hundred feet, the space around the severed corpse suddenly twisted as though an invisible force had swallowed it in one gulp, and then it disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo''s brows furrowed slightly, his thoughts flowed for a moment, and his expression couldn''t help but change subtly. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Nie Cai Zhu asked. ¡°Just now, those sand lizards were constantly trying to force us to flee by flying, and a test has indeed revealed that there is a prohibition force in the void. Furthermore, I controlled a damaged corpse refinement within the Corpse Raising Bag to attempt fleeing through the space inside the bag, and that corpse refinement disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace of breath to be sensed,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°It''s just that we can''t flee by flying. Even if we travel on foot, there would be no problem,¡± Nie Cai Zhu said with a smile. As long as she was with Shen Luo, she felt that there was nothing to fear. Shen Luo glanced at Nie Cai Zhu, then gazed at the vast desert, and took off the pair of Pacing Azure Cloud Boots he was wearing on his feet, placing them beside Nie Cai Zhu''s feet. ¡°These Pacing Azure Cloud Boots are wind attribute Magical Treasures, you wear them.¡± ¡°Ever since I absorbed the power of Hou Yi, my physique has greatly improved. Rest assured, I will make sure not to lag behind,¡± Nie Cai Zhu replied with a bright smile upon hearing this. ¡°I''m not worried about you keeping up, it''s just that there is no Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the void here, and the sun above our heads is oddly hot. In this vast desert, there are probably more creatures like sand lizards waiting to ambush. With these Spirit Boots on, your movements will be more agile, and your reactions swifter,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°And what will you do? You can''t possibly wear my lotus boots, can you?¡± Nie Cai Zhu looked at her own pink boots and laughed lightly with her hand covered her mouth. ¡°Heh, I''ll go without any,¡± Shen Luo said upon hearing this, and casually took off his socks, rolled up his trousers, and stepped barefoot onto the sandy ground. Having said that, he proceeded to remove Nie Cai Zhu''s boots without any further discussion. Although Nie Cai Zhu had already become his Spouse, she still couldn''t help feeling a bit shy. Knowing she couldn''t win against Shen Luo, she took off her pink lotus boots herself and put on the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots. As soon as the Spirit Boots were worn, their surface flashed with a brilliance, automatically adjusting to fit her delicate feet perfectly. ¡°Mm-hmm, not bad,¡± Shen Luo observed and nodded with his arms folded. ¡°Let''s go,¡± said Nie Cai Zhu with a smile on her face. The two walked hand in hand towards the deeper parts of the desert, leaving a long trail of footprints on the ground. But after they had walked far away, the sands on the ground began to flow slowly, gradually burying their footprints and the lotus boots that had been left behind. While Shen Luo and Nie Cai Zhu walked and talked, both remaining alert yet the feeling of mutual support made their journey quite pleasant. It was as though at that moment, they were not trekking across the vast desert, but walking side by side along the shores of Mount Putuo. However, the peaceful scene didn''t last long. After they hadn''t walked much farther, movements stirred from within the sand in front of them, as seven or eight huge black sand crabs emerged from beneath the sand, waving their glossy black claws and charging towards the two. The black sand crabs were not fast, but their shells were incredibly tough. Shen Luo''s sword, using only a third of his strength, failed to break through them. And the black sand crab was frantically spewing bubbles from its mouth, floating up a large swath in the void, surrounding Shen Luo and his companion in the center. Those bubbles, shimmering with a rainbow gloss, expanded rapidly under the intense sun before exploding violently, their power comparable to high-grade Burst Talismans. However, for Shen Luo and his companion, this level of power was not enough to harm them; they quickly slew all the sand crabs to the last. After a brief rest and adjustment, the two continued on their journey, the vast sand sea stretching boundlessly, as if without end. But they didn''t get far before they were stopped by a swarm of sand scorpions, creatures much smaller in size than the previous sand lizards and sand crabs but much faster. The venom on their scorpion tail barbs indeed made Shen Luo and his companion exert quite some effort. After clearing those sand scorpions, Shen Luo and his companion finally had a moment of peace, traveling more than ten li without encountering any further sand beast attacks. Nevertheless, the scorching of the fierce sun was similarly unbearable, and both felt as if they were in a furnace. As time slowly passed, they finally endured until Evening, when the sinking sun began to cool the temperature of the desert rapidly. However, with the setting of the sun, the previously silent desert gradually grew bustling, with various sand creatures becoming active, attacking Shen Luo and his companion in waves like the tide. With no escape, Shen Luo and his companion could only clear wave after wave; the night they thought they could rest turned out even more exhausting, and it wasn''t until near dawn that they finally slew the last sand python. By then, both were utterly exhausted, slumping down on the ground, leaning on each other. All around were the broken corpses of various sand creatures, mixed with blood, the smell really stinking and foul. ¡°I didn''t expect it to take so long, consuming more Mana than anticipated,¡± sighed Shen Luo. ¡°These guys were like madmen at Night, their attacks on us almost never stopping. I''m afraid we''ve killed all the sand creatures within hundreds of li,¡± said Nie Caizhu as she let out a long breath, sounding somewhat weary. Shen Luo, looking toward the horizon where the light of dawn was just beginning to break, didn''t speak and got up to skin the last slain yellow-brown sand python, dismember its bones, and started a fire to cook. The python''s outer skin was very rough and tough, but the meat inside was quite tender. He skewered two large pieces of snake meat on the bones and roasted them over the fire. Soon, they sizzled with oil, and it didn''t take long for them to take on a golden hue. The fragrance of the snake meat gradually overpowered the stench of blood in the surroundings. ¡°Have some, it should at least help replenish some blood and Qi,¡± Shen Luo said as he handed a piece of the cooked snake meat to Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu took it, brought it to her lips, bit off a little piece, chewed slightly, and her eyes lit up with a hint of surprise, ¡°Unexpectedly delicious. You should taste it too.¡± S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo grabbed another piece of snake meat and sat down beside her, beginning to eat as well. But after a few bites, Shen Luo''s expression subtly changed, pausing with the snake meat held midair. ¡°What''s wrong? Is there poison in this snake meat?¡± Nie Caizhu asked puzzlingly upon seeing this. ¡°The Devouring Element Magic Wand I gave you, did you put it in your Storage Magical Tool or have you been carrying it all along?¡± Shen Luo suddenly asked. Chapter 1614 Chapter 1614: Chapter 1610: Agitate ¡°You said this treasure was quite special, so I''ve always carried it in my sleeve pocket and never stored it in a Storage Magical Tool. What''s the matter?¡± Nie Caizhu blinked and asked. ¡°That''s just perfect.¡± Shen Luo was overjoyed. Nie Caizhu, not knowing why Shen Luo considered it ¡°good¡±, confusedly pulled the Devouring Element Magic Wand out from her sleeve and handed it to him. ¡°This place actually isn''t devoid of Heavenly and Earth Aura; it''s just extremely sparse, so sparse that we can''t even sense it. However, the Sand Beasts living here have accumulated some Heavenly and Earth Aura inside their bodies over time,¡± Shen Luo explained. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu immediately understood. At that moment, Shen Luo also stood up, holding the Devouring Element Magic Wand, and with a ''hiss'', he stabbed it into the soft underbelly of a Sand Scorpion at the joint of its armor plates. The Devouring Element Magic Wand smoothly penetrated the flesh and blood of the Sand Scorpion. Its corpse quickly withered until it turned into ashes, and the bit of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi formed from its vital essence was completely absorbed by Shen Luo. ¡°It really works, but it''s just too little,¡± Shen Luo shook his head and said. After speaking, he handed the Devouring Element Magic Wand to Nie Caizhu and said, ¡°Even a mosquito''s leg is meat; it can restore some energy.¡± ¡°You''ve been protecting me all this time, and your Mana depletion is much more severe than mine. You should go first,¡± Nie Caizhu said with a laugh, yet she shook her head. ¡°We still don''t know how far we must go, nor how many dangers lie ahead. How can I rest assured if you don''t restore more Mana?¡± Shen Luo insisted. Seeing his persistence, Nie Caizhu got up and took the Devouring Element Magic Wand. After absorbing half of the Sand Beasts'' corpses, she handed the Devouring Element Magic Wand back to Shen Luo. By the time Shen Luo had absorbed the remaining Sand Beasts'' corpses, the sun had already risen back above the ground, and the temperature around them started soaring rapidly. ¡°Let''s go, let''s keep moving,¡± Nie Caizhu saw Shen Luo standing still and urged him. ¡°Busy traveling during the day and dealing with attacks from Sand Beasts at night, I fear it will be difficult for us to keep going,¡± Shen Luo said. ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Nie Caizhu asked in surprise. ¡°Wait for me for a moment.¡± Shen Luo grinned and sat down cross-legged. He formed a magic spell with his hands, and fluctuations of Mana began to ripple around him as he started to utilize the Art of Spirit Communication. A moment later, a blue Water Hole appeared in front of them, and a huge Sand Lizard poked its head out and crawled from it. After landing, the Sand Lizard did not attack them but obediently lay down, resting its head by Shen Luo''s feet. ¡°With the Sand Lizard as our mount, our journey will be a bit easier,¡± Shen Luo said with a smile. He helped Nie Caizhu onto the back of the Sand Lizard, and controlling it, they set off once more, venturing deeper into the Great Desert. Time flew, and three days had already passed. During this period, they encountered attacks from Sand Beasts several more times, but instead of using Mana to slay them, they took turns holding the Devouring Element Magic Wand and relied solely on their physical prowess and maneuvering skills to kill the Sand Beasts. After each battle, they would choose a Sand Python to barbeque and fill their stomachs, as a way to replenish their physical strength and blood vitality. Thus, over the past three days, not only had their Mana not been completely depleted, it had even increased somewhat. At this moment, it was midday. The Sun in the sky seemed to become even more scorching, and Shen Luo held a large umbrella made from beast bones and python skin above their heads, providing shade for him and Nie Caizhu as they rode on the Sand Lizard, continuing their way forward. Nie Caizhu looked far away, her face suddenly showing delight, and she exclaimed, ¡°Cousin, look over there, does it seem like there are trees?¡± Shen Luo glanced over and saw, tens of miles away, amidst the hazy yellow desert, an oasis floated, its tender green sharply contrasting with the yellow sand, appearing strikingly out of place. He was somewhat uneasy, activated his Spirit Eye Divine Ability to take a look, and once assured it was not an illusion like Mirage City, he also smiled broadly and immediately sped towards it on the Sand Lizard. However, as they were about to approach, Shen Luo suddenly halted the Sand Lizard and even waved his hand, using the Art of Spirit Communication again to send the Sand Lizard back. ¡°What happened?¡± Nie Caizhu asked confusedly. Shen Luo''s gaze fixed ahead, he glanced left and right, then suddenly spoke out loud, ¡°We all know each other, there''s no need to hide anymore, is there?¡± As his voice fell, the oasis ahead was eerily quiet and no one appeared. Nie Caizhu also looked nervously ahead, even releasing her divine soul to probe, but still found nothing. ¡°If you don''t drink a toast, you''ll have to drink a forfeit; let''s just fulfill your desires.¡± Shen Luo said, sneering upon seeing this. With that, he raised his hand and swung it, a Pure Yang Flying Sword whizzed out, directly stabbing towards a twisted Populus tree within the oasis. With a loud ¡°boom,¡± the Populus tree burst apart, flames flying, and three figures scattered from within the flames, landing and circling Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu in the center. Nie Caizhu looked them over one by one, her expression turning solemn as she saw that the three people were Che Qingtian, Yan Lie, and Wanshui Zhenren. ¡°Heh heh, Friend Shen, haven''t seen you in a while.¡± Wanshui Zhenren said with a chuckle. ¡°You''ve certainly fled here quickly,¡± Shen Luo recalled his Pure Yang Flying Sword, sneered, and said. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I''m quite curious, how did you find us?¡± Che Qingtian looked at Shen Luo and frowned as he asked. ¡°It was naturally Brother Wan Shui who informed me ahead of time through a message. Otherwise, this place naturally suppresses divine sense power, and you all had used methods to deliberately conceal your breath, how could I possibly have noticed?¡± Shen Luo grinned and said. Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three slightly changed. ¡°Don''t listen to his nonsense. How could I possibly have informed him ahead of time? I and the two of you are allies, we should be wanting to kill him immediately,¡± Wanshui Zhenren hurriedly defended, seeing the other two looking his way. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, at this point, there''s no need to hide anymore. Haven''t we already agreed? The three of us join forces, extinguish these two, and all the Magical Treasures of Donghua Freelance Immortal that Yan Lie possesses will belong to you, and we''ll split Che Qingtian''s treasures equally,¡± Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Che Qingtian''s eyes suddenly narrowed. Seeing this, Wanshui Zhenren cursed inwardly, ¡°Idiot¡±. ¡°Yan Lie, you know me, that would not be my intention,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said to Yan Lie. A suspicious glint also flashed through Yan Lie''s eyes, but after hesitating briefly, he nodded and said: ¡°I believe you. Daoist Che, previously Shen Luo had exchanged three golden arrows and a Bi Hai Ray Fish with me using the Soul of Ink Brush and Azure Sky Ink Stone; it must be that he tampered with the Soul of Ink Brush and Azure Sky Ink Stone that allowed him to sense us beforehand.¡± ¡°Exactly, it must be so,¡± said Wanshui Zhenren upon hearing this, instantly responding joyfully. ¡°Well then, well then, if you think so, then let it be,¡± Shen Luo casually waved his hand and said. His nonchalant attitude, in turn, made Che Qingtian''s brows furrow, suspicion arising in his heart again. (Twelfth update finished, requesting monthly tickets from all Daoist friends ^^) Chapter 1615 Chapter 1615: Chapter 1611: Killing Intent ¡°Speaking of which, how did you manage to track us down here?¡± Shen Luo suddenly asked. ¡°We have to thank your Azure Sky Ink Stone and Soul of Ink Brush for that. Without the power of the Void contained in those two treasures, we wouldn''t have been able to forcefully activate the Teleportation Array at the last moment,¡± Yan Lie said with a smile. ¡°In that case, I might as well be considered a lifesaver for both of you¡­ But judging by your expressions, it seems that you aren''t here to express your gratitude?¡± Shen Luo raised an eyebrow and said. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Lifesaver? Haha, Daoist Shen really has a way with jokes. The three of us have now formed an alliance. If you know what''s good for you, you''ll surrender without a fight. Perhaps you can even keep your lives, which would save us the trouble of wasting our mana unnecessarily,¡± Wanshui Zhenren said as he seized the initiative. ¡°Brother Wan Shui, your acting is overly dramatic. If you keep this up, even I might start taking you seriously,¡± Shen Luo rolled his eyes and said feignantly. Wanshui Zhenren laughed out of irritation: ¡°At this juncture, what''s the point of playing these tricks?¡± Even though he said this, he was still somewhat worried that the other two might misunderstand him, so he struck first, attacking Shen Luo and his companion. His feet clad in the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots shone brightly with spiritual light, and in an instant, he transformed into a residual image and vanished from the spot. Shen Luo''s eyes gleamed, and the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was already in operation. He moved horizontally using the Slanting Moon Steps, twisting his body swiftly to dodge nimbly to the side, passing by Wanshui Zhenren. In his palm, he was already holding a Pure Yang Flying Sword, swinging it horizontally towards Wanshui Zhenren. Wanshui Zhenren, perhaps because he was too fast, did not manage to dodge in time and was cut in half at the waist by Shen Luo''s sword. However, although his body was cut in half, there was no blood spilling from the wound. Instead, his body twisted and changed, dispersing like water ripples and smoke. ¡°Water Moon Illusion¡­¡± Nie Caizhu muttered softly. But then Shen Luo suddenly shouted, ¡°Cai Zhu, be careful!¡± At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared behind Nie Caizhu; it was Wanshui Zhenren. He feigned an attack on Shen Luo using an illusion to distract, but his real target was Nie Caizhu. ¡°Hmph, too late ¡­¡± Wanshui Zhenren shouted aloud. In his hand, a burst of golden light flashed, and he was now wielding the Golden Dragon Scissors, aiming to strangle Nie Caizhu at the neck. As soon as Nie Caizhu noticed he used the ¡°Water Moon Illusion,¡± her hands had already formed seals. Without needing to turn her head, the hair tie at the back of her head shone with the light of Magical Treasures. Ten Thousand Miles of Clouds stretched out immediately, winding up along the Golden Dragon Scissors like a spirit snake, aiming directly for Wanshui Zhenren''s neck. Wanshui Zhenren was unalarmed, his Golden Dragon Scissors still fiercely twisting downward, as a slender yellow light shot from his waist towards his own chest. Just before the Ten Thousand Miles of Clouds reached his neck, a rustic, mottled ancient coin shot out from that thin yellow light and struck it first. The light of the Magical Treasures enveloping the Ten Thousand Miles of Clouds instantly dissipated, falling like gauze. ¡°Die.¡± The edge of Wanshui Zhenren''s Golden Scissors gleamed, swiftly twisting together. Where the golden light landed, a strand of black hair was cut and floated in mid-air, while Nie Caizhu had already activated her Pacing Azure Cloud Boots and flashed away. Seeing this situation, Che Qingtian finally felt reassured about Wanshui Zhenren. Shen Luo had already reached Nie Caizhu''s side, standing back to back with her, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°It''s okay, but it''s a pity that a Magical Treasure was lost in just one exchange,¡± Nie Caizhu shook her head and said. ¡°No worries. I can just take it back later.¡± Shen Luo''s gaze slightly condensed, his tone still relatively calm, only Nie Caizhu didn''t know that his look towards Wanshui Zhenren had already turned extremely cold, as if he was looking at a corpse. Wanshui Zhenren, having taken the Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud into his sleeve, felt Shen Luo''s gaze and couldn''t help but shiver, hurriedly calling out to the other two: ¡°Daoist Che, Yan Lie, what are you staring for, let''s join hands now.¡± Yan Lie nodded upon hearing this, didn''t say anything, but took out a Dustless Fan from his sleeve and held it in his hand. ¡°Rest assured, the two of them will surely die today.¡± Che Qingtian also took out an octagonal box from his sleeve. ¡°Why do they all still have Magical Treasures in hand, could it be they can still open their Storage Magical Tools?¡± Shen Luo noticed this and a hint of confusion arose in his heart. However, thinking that they all took out magical artifacts from their sleeves instead of summoning them directly, he then felt otherwise. In fact, the reason Yan Lie and Wanshui Zhenren had Magical Treasures at hand was because they encountered an accident during the previous teleportation and took out a few Magical Treasures to cope, thus they were carrying them closely, not storing them in Storage Magical Tools. As for Che Qingtian, he has always carried several Armor closely with him. At this moment, Che Qingtian raised his hand and waved, the octagonal box immediately obeyed and fell to the ground, the Yan Pattern on its lid flickered and with a ¡°snap,¡± it opened. Immediately after, a black light shines, and from it leaps out a tall and burly pitch-black Armor. Its appearance resembled a warrior garbed in Armor, yet the gaps between the Armor revealed strips of bright red muscles, some even extending beyond the gaps, covering the Armor. It looked like flesh and Armor were grown together. ¡°Shen Luo, you are also well-versed in the way of Armor, try my Blood Wheel King Armor and see how it is?¡± Che Qingtian sneered coldly. As soon as his voice fell, the tall black Armor had already charged towards Shen Luo, its speed seemed not fast, but the Black Long Knife in its hand flickered with black light, looking quite remarkable. In this realm, everyone''s movements were restricted, no one dared to leap high casually, fearing that a carelessness might send them flying too high, into the bounds of the array''s prohibitions above, being erased by the invisible force of prohibition. Shen Luo, in order to protect Nie Caizhu, concentrated his glance, and also had no intention of dodging; he stepped forward, switching from holding the sword with one hand to both hands, his Huangting Technique circulating within him, swinging his sword to meet the attack. The Blood Wheel King Armor also showed no weakness, swinging the Long Knife downwards. Black Sword Light and Crimson Sword Qi each drew two afterimages in midair, as if two charge banners collided together. A crisp ¡°clang¡± sound! Sword Edge collided with the Knife Edge, a massive shockwave erupted instantly, transforming into two walls of wind howling out. The Black Long Knife and the Crimson Longsword clashed, issuing a series of sharp noises, surprisingly neither made a step back, they strictly matched in strength. While the two of them were still wrestling, on the other side the roaring wind suddenly intensified, as Yan Lie had also joined in, waving the Dustless Fan in his hand, sending blades of wind slicing towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo was unambiguous, lifting his other hand towards that side, a flame igniting in his palm, three Pure Yang Flying Swords simultaneously burst through the air, heading straight for the wind blades. The three Longswords forming a triangular angle with each other, mutually supporting as they launched, all emitted sharp sword cries, their sword light bursting out, casting fiery flames like meteor showers toward Yan Lie. The flames and sword light clashed with the overwhelming wind blades, bursting out into an intense roar. The powerful cutting force of the Dustless Fan immediately shattered all the sword light, turning it into fiery dust, until it vanished completely. However, after the fiery rain, three cries still resounded. A wave of intensely fierce heat rolled up, three Golden Crow Sword Spirits simultaneously appeared, fiercely pouncing towards Yan Lie. Chapter 1616 - 1612: Confrontation Chapter 1616: Chapter 1612: ConfrontationYan Lie¡¯s perception of fire was extremely keen, and he immediately realized that the three sword spirits in front of him were not illusions made of flames, but actual Golden Crow Essence Souls, so naturally he did not dare to be careless. He continuously waved the Dustless Fan in his hands, injecting mana into the fan without pause, with the swept up wind blades heading straight for the Three-legged Golden Crow Sword Spirits. However, the Golden Crows that had turned into sword spirits were far more agile and swift than any flying swords, effortlessly flapping their wings to dodge the wind blades, charging directly towards Yan Lie. Just at that moment, a slender yellow light arrived in an instant, striking towards one of the Golden Crow Sword Spirits. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Golden Crow Sword Spirit had just managed to dodge the blow from the wind blade and had not noticed the approach of the Treasure Coin; with a "clang", it was hit, instantly losing its spiritual power as the flame was wholly retracted. The true form of the flying sword was revealed, with its golden light also dissipating, falling to the ground like common iron. However, after knocking down one flying sword, the Treasure Coin did not fly back but used the force of the collision to spring towards another Golden Crow Sword Spirit, its speed even faster than when it struck the first one. Just as it seemed the second Golden Crow Sword Spirit would be struck, suddenly a colorful light swept across, perfectly deflecting the blow to the side of the Golden Crow Sword Spirit. Taking advantage of this, the other two Golden Crow Sword Spirits slanted their flight, one to the left and one to the right, launching an assault on Yan Lie. Subconsciously, Yan Lie wanted to leap into the air to dodge, but he soon stopped himself, realizing it was already a bit late to block with the Dustless Fan. In the instant that the two Golden Crow Sword Spirits closed in, they simultaneously flapped their wings, their bodies erupting with Golden Crow True Fire, colliding with each other and bursting out like two mini suns. The force of this collision was indeed significant, and Yan Lie instantly felt the threat. At the critical moment, he tucked the Dustless Fan into his sleeve and summoned from either sleeve the Azure Sky Ink Stone and the Soul of Ink Brush, crossing them in front of him for protection while pouring mana into both to activate them. The two magical treasures resonated with each other, once again displaying their power of space, as they forcefully tore open a rift in the void right before him, ready for the two Golden Crow Sword Spirits to fall into. Regrettably, the two magical treasures had been used too frequently during this period of time, depleting too much of their void powers, and the spatial rift they created only lasted for an instant before collapsing. However, the ripples of space they generated twisted the void in front of Yan Lie, and the two golden fireballs that were about to hit him were diverted by this force, veering off to the left and right. Behind him, the Treasure Coin smashed into the colorful light and was immediately wrapped up in it. Wanshui Zhenren looked over to see that it was Nie Cai Zhu holding the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk, blocking his path. Nie Cai Zhu held the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and immediately sensed a strange prohibitive force coming from the Treasure Coin, attempting to sever her connection with the Immortal Silk. However, the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk was not being wielded externally but held in her hand, naturally not so easily severed. After a stalemate, it was the Treasure Coin that ended up at a disadvantage. "Return to me..." Seeing this, Wanshui Zhenren had no choice but to exert all his strength to urge it, causing the Treasure Coin to ripple with golden light and its wings to flutter at high speed, barely breaking free from the Immortal Silk¡¯s hold and escaping. Following closely behind the Treasure Coin, meanwhile, was Nie Cai Zhu herself. Her form light and agile, complemented by the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots, her speed was as fast as lightning, catching up to Wanshui Zhenren in almost an instant. She flicked the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk in her hand, unleashing a stream of multicolored light, wrapping around Wanshui Zhenren¡¯s waist in a bind. Wanshui Zhenren was promptly grabbed by Cai Zhu around the waist, helplessly rushing towards her. At this moment, Nie Caizhu freed one hand to grasp the Devouring Element Magic Wand, and thrust it directly towards Wanshui Zhenren. Wanshui Zhenren clenched the Golden Dragon Scissors in both hands to meet the attack, putting forth his strength to cut down, and two slashing beams of golden light immediately crisscrossed out, striking the Devouring Element Magic Wand. The immense force of the impact sent Nie Caizhu reeling back, but she nearly didn¡¯t pause at all, pressing forward again relentlessly. Seeing this, Wanshui Zhenren inwardly cursed his luck. He only knew that Shen Luo was a tough nut to crack, which is why he took the initiative to confront Nie Caizhu, hoping to leave the hard adversary for Yan Lie and Che Qingtian to deal with, thereby preserving his own strength. However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that the strength displayed by Nie Caizhu was also so ferocious. Most importantly, how could a woman who seemed so fragile possess such immense physical strength and such swift agility? Meanwhile, Shen Luo was fending off the attack from Blood Wheel King Armor, glancing from the corner of his eye at Nie Caizhu¡¯s situation; immediately with a flick of his hand, seven Pure Yang Flying Swords appeared behind him, guarding his back. Just then, the two Flying Swords containing the essence soul of the Golden Crow that had been sent to attack Yan Lie had also flown back, and they even remembered to bring back the one previously knocked down by the Treasure Coin along with them. Shen Luo grabbed the dimly lit Pure Yang Flying Sword, and with just a bit of mana operation, the Golden Crow Sword Spirit inside responded to him, swiftly re-establishing control over the Flying Sword. At that time, the Blood Wheel King Armor controlled by Che Qingtian suddenly displayed patterns all over its body, and the muscles inside its two arms wriggled, starting to extend and stretch, quickly doubling in length. It brandished a black Curved knife in each hand, swinging them towards Shen Luo. "Whoosh whoosh" The sound of slicing wind rang out as the intersecting black Curved knives advanced, and Shen Luo raised his sword to block them, dashing forward towards the Blood Wheel King Armor. But before he could get close, the howling wind sounded from behind; the Curved knives had already returned, striking towards him. Shen Luo didn¡¯t turn back; with just a flick of his finger, Flying Swords from behind swept out to block the edges of the knives. In just an instant, Shen Luo had already approached the Blood Wheel King Armor, thrusting the Pure Yang Flying Sword straight towards its chest. At that moment, however, the Blood Wheel King Armor didn¡¯t attempt to dodge; instead, it thrust its chest out to meet the Sword Edge. Caught by surprise, Shen Luo saw its chest cave in, revealing a Bloody Vortex within. Strands of muscle twisted out, actively ensnaring the Sword Edge of the Pure Yang Flying Sword, drawing it into the chasm. At the same time, the chest of the Blood Wheel King Armor further split open, ribs fracturing and separating to the sides, opening like a gaping maw ready to devour Shen Luo. Shen Luo saw this and sneered coldly. At the thought from his heart, the Pure Yang Flying Sword suddenly flared up with fire, and the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit spread its Wings, a surge of Crimson Flame and scorching heat bursting forth, ready to incinerate the Armor. However, at the instant the Vermilion Bird appeared, a sudden alertness surged in Shen Luo¡¯s heart. Che Qingtian and his companions clearly understood his abilities and would naturally be aware of the existence of the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit; they wouldn¡¯t be so careless. As expected, just as the Vermilion Bird manifested its divine power releasing the Chun Yang flame, the Bloody Vortex also spun wildly, directly drawing the roaring flames into itself. Even the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit seemed somewhat overwhelmed, seemingly on the brink of being swallowed up. Chapter 1617 - 1613: Anxious to Save People Chapter 1617: Chapter 1613: Anxious to Save PeopleShen Luo¡¯s heart was gripped with alarm, and he immediately tried to recall the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit, but at this moment, the sword spirit was already entangled by the strange power released from the bloody vortex, and it wasn¡¯t as easy to escape as he wished. Seeing this, Shen Luo had no choice but to form sword techniques with his fingers while shouting out loud. His two Pure Yang Flying Swords soared up immediately, slashing diagonally at Blood Wheel King Armor from both sides. The latter¡¯s split-open chest unfolded like wings and moved to block the flying swords from the left and the right. A sharp "clang" resounded. Sounds like that of metal clashing echoed simultaneously, as the Blood Wheel King Armor actually managed to block the Pure Yang Flying Swords with its body. However, at the very moment of the collision, the flying swords had already circled to its back and transformed into two arcs of light shooting towards Che Qingtian, who was manipulating the armor. As the flying swords drew near, interweaving sword lights erupted, and two Golden Crow Sword Spirits also transformed into golden fireballs, hurtling straight towards him. Che Qingtian, knowing he didn¡¯t possess Yan Lie¡¯s Azure Sky Ink Stone and Soul of Ink Brush, naturally didn¡¯t dare to block it head-on and had to move early to dodge. Seizing the momentary opportunity, Shen Luo didn¡¯t draw his longsword outward, but instead pressed downwards and then executed a Wildfire Sky Raising slash upward. The Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit soared into the sky in perfect sync with him, merging with the sword light to knock the Blood Wheel King Armor flying. As Shen Luo gripped his longsword, preparing to kill Che Qingtian, a sudden heavy pressure descended from above him. He looked up to see a Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower radiating immensely as it headed straight for him. The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower had now grown to the size of ten zhang, with layers of black flame coiling around it, and intense prohibition forces emanated from it. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The shadow it cast had already marked a restraining array on the ground, attempting to bind Shen Luo. Shen Luo hastily executed the Slanting Moon Steps, his feet flashing with moonlight as he aimed to dash away, but unfortunately, the restraining array had already formed, and he was intercepted after moving only about ten zhang. His eyebrows furrowed, and he fluently wielded his hands, the two flying swords that were previously chasing Che Qingtian swiftly returned, joining the other eight behind him in an ascent into the sky. Shen Luo acted naturally and with precision, the ten Pure Yang Flying Swords interweaving as he quickly arranged a Golden Sword Array to meet the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. "Boom" reverberated. The sound of their collision was like that of a mountain shattering. The immense shockwave turned into waves of violent qi, continually lashing out to the surroundings. Seeing this from afar, Wanshui Zhenren waved his hand, and the Treasure Coin transformed into a slender beam of yellow light, flying towards Shen Luo¡¯s flying swords to disrupt the Golden Sword Array. Nie Caizhu naturally would not let him succeed, having already waved the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk to intercept. Wanshui Zhenren could only curse under his breath and retrieve his Treasure Coin, continuing to engage in the struggle. But after the battle, he couldn¡¯t help but inwardly exclaim at Nie Caizhu¡¯s strength and speed which were extremely formidable, not at all like an ordinary Mount Putuo Disciple, and even comparable to some Buddhist Vajra. Limited by the few magical treasures she had on hand, Nie Caizhu, despite her physical advantage, couldn¡¯t for the time get the upper hand against Wanshui Zhenren, while Shen Luo¡¯s situation was becoming increasingly dire. The Golden Sword Array¡¯s power was extraordinary, and after holding off the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower for mere moments, it had been driven back. But Shen Luo was relentless, pressing the Golden Sword Array towards Yan Lie while wielding the Pure Yang Flying Sword against Che Qingtian. Che Qingtian was currently storing all his blades and Magical Treasures in his spatial storage, truly reluctant to engage in close combat with Shen Luo, so he had no choice but to recall the Blood Wheel King Armor to shield himself in front. "Yan Lie, what are you doing? Didn¡¯t you say that their Mana has been depleted along the way? How do they still have so much Mana to hold up until now?" Che Qingtian couldn¡¯t help but ask reproachfully. "Hell knows their Mana is so profound!" Yan Lie was equally depressed. After saying that, he took off a yellow-brown Token from his waist, the material of which was indiscernible, and lightly traced his finger over the relief of an Exotic Beast on the tokens, when suddenly a bit of fresh blood oozed from his fingertip. But soon, the light flashed on the relief of the Exotic Beast on the Token, absorbing all the blood into it, and then its eyes lit up with a bizarre glow, as if it had come to life. Before long, the sands outside the oasis were churning and surging, and whirlwinds of sand dust erupted, as a large number of Sand Beasts rushed over towards them. Seeing a dozen Sand Lizards and scores of Sand Scorpions rushing towards Nie Caizhu, Shen Luo had no choice but to give up the pursuit of Che Qingtian and, with a wave of his hand, directed the Golden Sword Array outside the oasis. At this moment, he understood that the incessant nocturnal attacks of the Sand Beasts were all Yan Lie¡¯s doing from behind the scenes. For a time, the sand seas thundered incessantly, countless golden sword lights fell like torrential rain, the Golden Rain of Salvation splashed over the Human World, and those dozens of Sand Beasts couldn¡¯t withstand even a few breaths before being completely slain. Chunks of Sand Beast flesh and blood flew about, and the sandy brown blood spattered all over the ground. The ten Pure Yang Flying Swords also seemed to have exhausted their energy, their glow dimming, no longer able to maintain the Golden Sword Array, and fell scattered to the ground. Shen Luo stumbled, barely managing to stand, and with a wave of his hand, slowly retrieved the ten Flying Swords into his body. On the other side, Nie Caizhu also noticed the anomaly here and quickly waved the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk. The multicolored splendid light rolled over like a bolt of cloth, wrapped around Shen Luo¡¯s waist, and with a pull, she attempted to bring Shen Luo to her side. "That wretch has exhausted his Mana, stop him." Che Qingtian was overjoyed upon seeing this and hurriedly shouted. The Blood Wheel King Armor that had been blocking in front of him lunged out, dashing straight towards Shen Luo. Wanshui Zhenren acted immediately upon hearing this. He didn¡¯t go straight for Shen Luo; instead, he made a beeline for Nie Caizhu. In his eyes, Shen Luo, already devoid of Mana, was no different from fish on the chopping board. At this moment, it was the best choice to take her down while Nie Caizhu was anxiously trying to save someone. Indeed, as he speculated, Nie Caizhu at this moment had eyes only for Shen Luo. Seeing that the Dual Blades of the Armor were about to strike Shen Luo, her heart filled with extreme worry, utterly disregarding her own safety and rushing towards Shen Luo, exposing her back completely. "Hehe, die." Wanshui Zhenren felt he could already see the first light of victory. In his palm, the dark water liquid condensed into a black ice blade, mixed with his Mana and a specially concocted poison, and he stabbed straight at the exposed back of Nie Caizhu. On the other side, the Dual Blades of the Blood Wheel King Armor had also entangled Shen Luo, one at the front and one at the back, slashing towards Shen Luo¡¯s heart and head respectively. Just as Wanshui Zhenren¡¯s poisoned blade was about to touch Nie Caizhu¡¯s back, her eyes suddenly lit up with an unusual glow, as the power hidden within her bloodline finally erupted again. In an instant, all Wanshui Zhenren felt was a series of water wave-like ripples emanating from Nie Caizhu¡¯s body, causing a momentary lapse in his mind. Before he could react, a dull booming sound suddenly erupted not far away. But for some reason, this booming sound was longer than usual, sounding like a continuous succession of explosions linked together without any intervals. Chapter 1618 - 1614: Three Daoist Figures Chapter 1618: Chapter 1614: Three Daoist FiguresThe next instant, Wanshui Zhenren suddenly awoke, only to see a horrifying scene unfold before him. Shen Luo, who was thought to have depleted his mana, was now surging with Demonic Qi all over his body, performing the Chiyou Strike. Under the swing of his massive fists, the flesh body of Blood Wheel King was splashing apart into disjointed limbs, utterly powerless to resist. And Nie Caizhu, who had previously been facing away from him, had now turned around, watching him with a faint smile. Wanshui Zhenren shuddered, suddenly feeling a chill over his body. He stared dumbfoundedly downwards, only to find a black short rod pierced in front of his chest, emitting a sinister black light. "What¡¯s going on?" he murmured in pain. Immediately following, the flesh and blood of his entire body began to decay at a visible speed, and the strength within him rapidly drained along the black short rod into Nie Caizhu¡¯s body. In the distance, Yan Lie and Che Qingtian watched as the flesh of Wanshui Zhenren turned into ashes bit by bit; in just a few moments, his garments and ornaments lifelessly fell to the ground. Disbelief flashed through their eyes. Unlike Wanshui Zhenren who was caught in the confusion of the moment, the two of them, as spectators, clearly understood everything that had just happened. However, they couldn¡¯t believe that Nie Caizhu had actually executed the Time Divine Ability. Though its range was extremely small, only about a few meters, it had frozen Wanshui Zhenren and the Blood Wheel King Armor almost to a halt in that instant. Actual time freeze! In that instant, Wanshui Zhenren and Blood Wheel King Armor, completely unguarded, were at the mercy of their opponent¡¯s attacks. And Shen Luo, that guy, had actually been concealing his strength. Even the appearance of mana exhaustion just now was to deceive them, and in the moment when the situation reversed, he suddenly unleashed a massive surge of Demonic Qi, shattering the body of Blood Wheel King Armor with a few punches. "Was that really Time Divine Ability?" Yan Lie hesitated. "You saw it too, that was certainly not any restriction mystic arts." Che Qingtian said with a furrowed brow. The two looked at each other, and for a moment, neither dared to continue their attack. Shen Luo retracted his Demonic Qi, by now clearly at his last gasp, the consumption of his mana almost exhausted. He took the Devouring Element Magic Wand from Nie Caizhu¡¯s hand, staggered to the remains of Wanshui Zhenren, and rummaged through the clothing to retrieve the Storage Magical Tool and other treasures like Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud and Treasure Coin from the ground, tucking them into his embrace. Then, he dumped out the ashes from the two Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on the ground and slipped them onto his feet. Yan Lie and Che Qingtian just watched as Shen Luo, swallowing several times, hesitated to make a move. "Hey, are you still going to fight? My mana is already exhausted; if you don¡¯t seize this chance now, there won¡¯t be another," Shen Luo said with a hearty laugh. As he spoke, he staggered towards the remains of the Sand Beasts, driving the Devouring Element Magic Wand into their bodies to absorb the last bits of strength from their flesh and blood. Watching his feeble state, Yan Lie and his companion were internally disturbed, unsure whether he was truly weak or, like before, merely feigning as part of a ploy to deceive them. But whether true or false, at this moment neither wished to approach and test it, all showing a hesitance on their faces. After Shen Luo absorbed some strength, with a casual wave, he performed the Art of Spirit Communication and summoned a Sand Lizard, with Nie Caizhu hopping onto its back. "I gave you a chance and you didn¡¯t take it. Since you¡¯re not attacking, then we¡¯re leaving." With that, Shen Luo controlled the Sand Lizard, turning away to leave. At this, Yan Lie and Che Qingtian became somewhat anxious and hurriedly prepared to chase after him. Yet before they could get close, a faint Demonic Qi began to emanate from Shen Luo, and Nie Caizhu beside him had her fingers pinched as if she had a magic spell ready. This startled Yan Lie and his companion, who were already suspicious, causing them to stop in their tracks. Watching Shen Luo and the other person distancing far away, although they were extremely frustrated, there was nothing they could do about it. ... At the same time, behind a distant sand dune stood three blurry figures, surrounded by darkness. This darkness was peculiar; it emitted no breath at all, and from a distance, it looked like the shadow of the sand dune. "That man in white is really something. His cultivation level seems to have reached the Middle Stage of Taiyi. But wasn¡¯t he left behind in Peace Valley? How did he catch up?" one of the blurry figures spoke, and it was Wu Luo¡¯s voice. "That man¡¯s name is Che Qingtian, and he seems to have some relation to the Tianyan Palace. It appears he is a descendant of Che Yuan. He appeared with Shen Luo at the Tianyan Palace before, but during the second layer, he was teleported out due to violating rules. Perhaps he found another way to activate that Teleportation Array," another dark silhouette said, its voice grating like two pieces of metal scraping together. "Descendants of Yuan!" Wu Luo exclaimed in surprise, seemingly familiar with Che Yuan. "What should we do now? That Shen Luo has escaped, and their mana is depleted. Should we pursue and take the chance to eliminate them?" another red silhouette asked. "No, that Shen Luo is cunning. I sense he has more tricks up his sleeve that he hasn¡¯t used yet; even if we act, we likely won¡¯t be able to kill them. It might make things worse, and that woman beside him is of great use to us; we can¡¯t afford a slip-up," the dark silhouette spoke, its eyes bright. "Correct, if I wanted to strike at that Shen Luo, I would¡¯ve done so already; why wait till now? The woman beside him carries the Witch Tribe Bloodline, and moreover, she inherited Great Witch Houyi¡¯s Power. It sounds like you plan to utilize this woman¡¯s power next," Wu Luo also said. "Descendant of the Witch Tribe! That¡¯s excellent, if we can use this girl to get that thing, we might finally be able to leave this damned place," the red silhouette said excitedly, then. "Exactly, let¡¯s go," the dark silhouette laughed, and the darkness enveloping the three figures suddenly thickened, merging into the ground. ... Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu ran frantically, only stopping after half a day. The Sand Lizard they had been using was too exhausted and had been stored away by then. "Cai Zhu, are you alright?" Shen Luo¡¯s physical body was robust, and he could still hold on. Nie Caizhu was not in a good condition; her mana was almost depleted, and despite wearing the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots, she had trouble keeping up with Shen Luo. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯m alright," Nie Caizhu replied with a forced smile. "Those guys don¡¯t seem like they will chase us any time soon; let¡¯s rest a bit," Shen Luo suggested. Nie Caizhu nodded, and sat down leaning on Shen Luo, her face showing exhaustion. Not only was her mana depleted, but she had also used the Time Divine Ability briefly earlier, which had placed a significant strain on her body. Just at that moment, the ground rumbled, and a sandstorm tens of feet high approached, filled with roars that sounded like a group of Sand Lizards. "Just when we need another Sand Beast for riding, what we think of appears!" Shen Luo joyfully leapt into the sandstorm upon seeing this. With several loud booms, the sand churned violently. Everything soon calmed down, and after a few breaths, a Sand Lizard even larger than before slowly emerged; Shen Luo sat on it, looking considerably better. Apart from this Sand Lizard for transportation, the other Sand Lizards had been killed by him using the Devouring Element Magic Wand, absorbing their vital essence, and his mana had somewhat recovered. Chapter 1619 - 1615: The Test Chapter 1619: Chapter 1615: The TestNie Cai Zhu leapt gracefully onto the back of the Sand Lizard, taking a seat beside Shen Luo, her chest heaving slightly. "Let¡¯s go." Shen Luo commanded the Sand Lizard and set forth. As the Sand Lizard traveled, Shen Luo was busy inspecting several treasures he had seized from Wanshui Zhenren. The first thing he picked up were the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, which he put on after a brief examination. He had been very curious about these Spirit Boots. According to the Fire Spirit Child, they were crafted by an Ancient Thunder God, containing supreme divine abilities. Wanshui Zhenren had previously demonstrated the powers of these boots, which were astonishingly fast, much faster than the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots. Shen Luo activated his Mana and infused it into the boots which immediately started to emit strands of purple thunder and lightning. His face showed a look of surprise. The Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots contained sixty-four layers of prohibitions and had reached the Perfection Boundary. Moreover, these prohibitions were linked one after another, although they were sixty-four layers, they were integrated as one, far superior to the other Perfection Boundary Magical Treasures he held. With the aid of these boots, Shen Luo felt unusually light, as though he could dash off into the air at any moment. However, flying was forbidden in this Third Layer of Space, so naturally, he dared not to actually soar into the air. Shen Luo soon stopped activating the Spirit Boots as his inner Mana had only recovered a little and needed to be conserved for use. He checked the other Magical Treasures one by one, with his gaze finally resting on the Treasure Coin. The Treasure Coin also contained sixty-four layers of prohibitions, also interconnected and unified, distinctly different from ordinary Perfection Boundary Magical Treasures. "Could it be that to advance further after a Magical Treasure¡¯s prohibitions reach sixty-four layers, the layers must be linked with one another?" Shen Luo thought to himself. After examining the Treasure Coin, he hesitated slightly but decided to refine and activate the treasure despite the Mana consumption. This treasure possessed the miraculous effect of knocking down the enemy¡¯s Magical Treasures, with just a bit of refinement it could be used to great effect immediately. The Sand Lizard was quite fast, carrying the two of them swiftly forward, and they had traveled for a full day and night in no time. During this time, Che Qingtian and the others did not appear, Shen Luo didn¡¯t know if they had not pursued or simply failed to catch up, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. However, without the guidance of the Stone Stele, he had no idea where the correct direction was and could only proceed based on his instincts. Ahead was still an endless sea of sand, with no sign of reaching an end, and the scenery around him remained unchanged from the beginning. Suddenly, Shen Luo had a thought and wondered if he had gone in the wrong direction. He stopped the Sand Lizard, a look of hesitation on his face, unsure whether to continue. At this moment, Nie Cai Zhu, who had been meditating with her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes and looked towards the front left. "What¡¯s wrong?" Shen Luo asked, looking over. "There was a fleeting fluctuation of witchcraft power in that direction just now," Nie Cai Zhu said. "Witchcraft power? Why would there be witchcraft power here?" Shen Luo was startled. "It was just a flicker that vanished quickly; I¡¯m not sure either." Nie Cai Zhu pondered and spoke. "No matter what it is, even a slight change is worth checking out. Let¡¯s go over there." Shen Luo said after a moment of silence, urging the Sand Lizard to move towards that direction. They traveled for half a day more and discovered nothing, nor did they find the source of that hint of witchcraft fluctuation. "It seems the sensation before was just an illusion." Nie Cai Zhu said somewhat abashed. "It doesn¡¯t matter, since we don¡¯t know where to go anyway. Changing direction might lead us to other discoveries." Shen Luo waved his hand and didn¡¯t change direction, continuing to move forward. After another half day¡¯s journey, he suddenly looked up into the distance, and at the end of the horizon, a trace of red could faintly be seen. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cai Zhu, look, what is that?" Finally noticing a bit of change, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. He pushed his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to its limits but still couldn¡¯t see clearly. "It seems to be a fire cloud," Nie Caizhu said, her eyes emitting two substantial beams of golden light. "Your eyes! Is this a kind of pupil technique?" Shen Luo asked upon seeing this. "This is the Golden Vision Divine Ability, one of the legacies of God Hou Yi, which complements his archery skills and is adept at sighting from afar. However, using this ability consumes a great deal of witchcraft power, and since I have just mastered it, I still can¡¯t control it freely," Nie Caizhu said. "Since your inner vitality has not yet recovered, and this technique consumes vitality, don¡¯t use it casually," Shen Luo said anxiously. Nie Caizhu nodded and dispelled the golden light in her eyes. The two continued towards the direction of the fire cloud, and after another two-hour period, they finally reached where the fire cloud was. The sky was filled with crimson fire clouds, like burning flames, while the ground below was indeed a scarlet sea of flames, burning fiercely and emitting an extremely hot aura. The sand lizard couldn¡¯t withstand such high temperatures, so Shen Luo released it far before approaching. "How can there be a sea of flames? Could we have taken a wrong turn?" Nie Caizhu frowned as she looked at the sea of flames before her. With her current strength, even getting close to the sea of flames was intolerably hot. "No, I actually think it¡¯s the opposite. This is exactly our destination, and it¡¯s also one of the trials of the Third Layer," Shen Luo said. "A trial? Yes, that¡¯s possible!" Nie Caizhu was taken aback, and then agreed. "Cai Zhu, use your Golden Vision Technique to see what is within the sea of flames," Shen Luo hesitated for a moment before suggesting. Although he wasn¡¯t troubled by the sea of flames before him, considering Cai Zhu¡¯s safety, it was best to probe the depths of the sea of flames to prevent any unexpected changes. "Okay," Nie Caizhu stamped her foot on the ground fiercely and leapt high into the air, her eyes shooting out two piercing beams of golden light, before quickly falling back down. "How is it?" Shen Luo asked. "There is indeed something different deep within the sea of flames. Roughly ten miles or so away, there seems to be a golden magma river with an even higher temperature than the surrounding sea of flames," Nie Caizhu said with a grave expression. "A magma river? How wide is it?" Shen Luo inwardly noted that this sea of flames was truly no ordinary feat, and then asked. "Very wide, about twenty or thirty miles. The air is so distorted within the sea of flames that I couldn¡¯t see clearly what is on the other side of the magma river," Nie Caizhu said. "We can¡¯t traverse by flying. How are we to get across a magma river that¡¯s twenty or thirty miles wide?" Shen Luo furrowed his brows, unable to come up with a plan after some thought. "Cai Zhu, you stay here, and I¡¯ll go over to the magma river to check it out," he then said. "You¡¯re going alone? It¡¯s too dangerous," Nie Caizhu said, her expression tensing up. "I have my Pure Yang Sword to protect me, which is enough to withstand the high temperature of the sea of flames. It won¡¯t take much time to go there and back, so it won¡¯t be too dangerous. Just wait here in peace," Shen Luo reassured her. Nie Caizhu knew about the capabilities of Shen Luo¡¯s Pure Yang Sword, which contained Heavenly Fire and was supported by four fire-attribute sacred bird sword spirits, so she knew it would withstand the sea of flames. Recognizing that following Shen Luo might actually require him to protect her, she did not insist. Shen Luo took a deep breath, stepped forward, and approached the sea of flames. As he did, a crimson light flashed beside him, and four Pure Yang Swords appeared, each blade emanated raging flames, which were actually the Southern Ming Separation Fire. The sword light from the four flying swords connected with each other, forming a fiery light screen, and effortlessly separated all the flames within the sea of flames. Shen Luo turned back to give Nie Caizhu a reassuring look, lightning flickered around his feet, and he swiftly swept forward with incredible speed. Chapter 1620 - 1616: Sword Spirit Crossing Fire Chapter 1620: Chapter 1616: Sword Spirit Crossing FireAlthough the Flying Sword Light Curtain blocked off the intense flames of the sea of fire, Shen Luo still felt extremely hot all over, his cheeks roasted to a bright red, and even his breathing became scorchingly hot as though he were inhaling flames. "Such formidable flames, the temperature is so high, almost comparable to some Spirit Fire!" Shen Luo was secretly astonished in his heart, and hurriedly summoned four Pure Yang Swords to merge into the surrounding light curtain to make it slightly more bearable as he sped up his advance. However, the closer he got to the front, the hotter the temperature within the surrounding sea of flames became, with the flames turning extremely viscous. After only advancing two or three miles, it became difficult to break through the surrounding intense flames with the Fiery Light Screen, and he had no choice but to slow down his pace. Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, summoning another three Flying Swords to merge into the light curtain around him. The frontal part of the Fiery Light Screen suddenly sharpened, resembling a spearhead, while both sides also became curved and smooth, quickly breaking through the sea of flames ahead and moving rapidly forward. Within the Fiery Light Screen, the sound of a phoenix¡¯s cry could be heard as the Vermilion Bird Illusion appeared, rapidly flying around Shen Luo while absorbing all the high temperatures seeping in from the outside. Shen Luo originally wanted to conserve his mana, but considering the situation, it would be better to hurry to the Lava River. Protected by eleven Pure Yang Swords and the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit, although the surrounding sea of flames was becoming increasingly fierce, they still could not stop Shen Luo. In less than Half a Moment, he forcefully broke through and arrived at the shoreside of the Lava River. The rolling Golden Magma River flowed loudly like endless thunder, and above the river, strands of golden flames appeared. Although they seemed weak, they were more terrifying than the surrounding sea of flames, directly suppressing all the flames within half a mile of the shore to less than half of the outside sea of flames. "Golden flames?" Shen Luo raised his eyebrows slightly, and flicked a finger. "Hiss," a strand of Red Sword Qi slashed towards the Golden Magma, but the golden flames within the magma suddenly surged, effortlessly burning away the Sword Qi. After a moment¡¯s contemplation, Shen Luo then urged a Golden Crow Sword Spirit to fly into the Lava River. The golden flames in the river rose up again, enveloping the Golden Crow Sword Spirit, intending to burn it once more. However, the Golden Crow Sword Spirit was not the previous Sword Qi. Its body surged with the Golden Crow Fire, which wrapped around those golden flames in return, and an intense struggle ensued between them. The struggle did not last for too long, and soon a victor was decided. The river¡¯s golden flames were formidable, but they were still inferior to the Golden Crow Fire. With the power of the Golden Crow Sword Spirit being so great, it quickly devoured all the golden flames in the river. The Golden Crow Sword Spirit seemed to have received a substantial boost, its body¡¯s flames blazing even brighter, and to Shen Luo¡¯s surprise, it even transmitted a surge of scorching mana into his body, restoring all the mana he had consumed while passing through the sea of flames and leaving a bit extra. "These golden flames actually contain mana, this is great!" Shen Luo was overjoyed, quickly summoning all three Golden Crow Sword Spirits to pounce on the Golden Magma River and devour the Jin Yan within. His mana rapidly restored, and before long, fully recuperated. The immensely vigorous mana surged within his body, making him want to look up to the sky and let out a loud roar, but he just barely held it back. The Flying Sword inhabited by the Golden Crow Sword Spirit also absorbed a large amount of Jin Yan, with the Pure Yang Power within it increasing significantly, and a Pure Yang Prohibition faintly began to form. Shen Luo was both shocked and delighted. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "These golden flames, as well as the red flames around, are very similar to the golden and red flames summoned by that Black Magic Array underneath the second layer of the Refining Device Hall. Could it be that the flames inside the Refining Device Hall are called from here? Very likely!" He looked at the flames in front of him and suddenly recalled something. Without getting lost in thought, Nie Caizhu was still waiting for him outside. With a hand motion, Shen Luo conjured a spell in the Void, and the three Golden Crow Sword Spirits merged into one, transforming into a Golden Crow over ten zhang in size that landed on the Lava River. This Golden Crow¡¯s body was almost solidified into substance, with its flames growing even richer, effortlessly fending off the golden flames rising from within the Lava River. Shen Luo leapt onto the back of the Golden Crow Sword Spirit; under the isolation of the crow¡¯s flames, he did not feel excessive heat and was delighted. He urged the Golden Crow Sword Spirit to run quickly towards the opposite shore of the river. This was a sudden inspiration he had for a crossing method; unable to fly across, this was his only option, and it seemed to be working quite well now. Shen Luo¡¯s only worry at the moment was whether there lay concealed within the lava river any ferocious beasts unique to this place. Should an attack occur now, he had no confidence in withstanding it. If he fell from the Golden Crow Sword Spirit, he would have no choice but to rise into the air and be teleported out. Fortunately, his concerns did not materialize. He traversed nearly half of the river without encountering any danger. "It seems that using this method to cross the Lava River presents no issues; it¡¯s fortunate that I¡¯ve condensed these three Golden Crow Sword Spirits," he silently rejoiced, turning back towards the path he came from, quickly exiting the Sea of Flames. "Why did it take so long? What¡¯s the situation inside?" Nie Caizhu immediately approached, asking with concern. "Good news..." Shen Luo recounted in detail the situation with the Sea of Flames and the Lava River, including the matter of crossing the river with the Golden Crow Sword Spirit. "The Golden Crow Sword Spirit is indeed formidable, truly deserving of its status as a divine fowl of ancient times. Let¡¯s hurry on, then," Nie Caizhu said with a hint of joy, urging them to move on. Shen Luo hummed in agreement but did not immediately set off. He clasped Nie Caizhu¡¯s hand and began transferring his robust mana into her. Nie Caizhu hastily channeled to absorb his energy, quickly filling up the empty space in her dantian, invigorating her spirit. "That should do." Having recovered nearly half her mana, Nie Caizhu hurriedly yelled for him to stop. Her cultivation technique was different from Shen Luo¡¯s, and she couldn¡¯t absorb all his mana. Continuing further, she worried that it might leave Shen Luo depleted. Indeed, only about half of Shen Luo¡¯s mana remained, but he would soon recover it during the crossing of the Lava River, so he was not concerned. He directly summoned the Pure Yang Sword to guard them both as they re-entered the Sea of Flames, reaching the banks of the Lava River quickly. Shen Luo raised his hand to call out the three Golden Crow Sword Spirits, condensing them once again into a Golden Crow over a dozen zhang long, taking Nie Caizhu with him as they leaped into the river. He summoned all eleven Flying Swords at the same time, activating a Sword Array to block the surrounding high temperatures. Protecting the two of them with eleven Flying Swords was honestly a bit difficult, primarily because he had sealed five Pure Yang Swords within the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, which was currently in the Carefree Mirror and temporarily impossible to summon. The Golden Crow Sword Spirit spread its wings, striding swiftly across the river while absorbing the golden flames within it. Shen Luo¡¯s mana was rapidly restored, and he tried to absorb the golden lava flames from the river with the other Flying Swords to enhance the Pure Yang Power. However, those golden flames were incredibly overbearing; only the four Flying Swords with condensed Sword Spirits were capable of absorbing them¡ªthe others were not. "The Sword Spirit is truly extraordinary. It seems I must hasten to transform the Golden Crow Soul within the three golden arrows into a Tool Spirit as well," he mused to himself, summoning the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit to join the Golden Crow Sword Spirit in devouring the local golden flames. Chapter 1621 - 1617: The Real Reason Chapter 1621: Chapter 1617: The Real ReasonA quarter of an hour later, Shen Luo and his companion successfully crossed the Lava River, and the four Sword Spirits also stopped devouring the Jin Yan. Although only a short moment had passed, the Pure Yang Power within the four Flying Swords had increased significantly. The Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit¡¯s flying sword had achieved Perfection in its prohibition, merely increasing some power in the Sword body, while within the three Golden Crow Sword Spirits¡¯ Pure Yang Swords, a Pure Yang Prohibition had astonishingly condensed, equating to several years of his normal strenuous refining. Shen Luo¡¯s Mana was fully restored, and after looking back at the Lava River, he continued to move forward. The Sea of Flames on the other side of the Lava River was almost indistinguishable from the previous ones and naturally could not stop Shen Luo. The two quickly traversed it, and a red-brown sand sea appeared in front of them, strikingly different from the previous yellow desert. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cousin, it looks like your guess was correct; this Sea of Flames and the Lava River are indeed one of the trials of the Third Layer," Nie Caizhu said while standing on top of a rather tall sand dune, her eyes shining with Golden Light as she peered into the distance with delight. "Oh, how do you know?" Shen Luo also looked in that direction but saw nothing, asking with a raised eyebrow. "A black mountain stands tens of miles ahead from here, and at the peak of the mountain, there is a white Light Door, which seems to be the same as the transfer light doors on the previous two layers," Nie Caizhu said. "You saw the transfer Light Door? That¡¯s great, we..." Shen Luo began to speak joyfully but suddenly stopped mid-sentence, turning to look behind him, falling silent. "Cousin, what¡¯s wrong?" Nie Caizhu saw that Shen Luo had abruptly halted his speech and asked curiously. "The Golden Flames within that Lava River are quite rare; it would be difficult to encounter them again once we leave this place. I want to stay a bit longer to absorb the Golden Flames and enhance the power of the Pure Yang Swords," Shen Luo said after a moment of silence. "Judging from the earlier situation, we seem to be ahead of Che Qingtian and the others. It¡¯s hard to come by such a lead, and it would seem like a pity to stop now," Nie Caizhu said in surprise. "Even if we can make it to the end and obtain the inheritance of Tianyan Immortal Venerable, it¡¯s nothing more than icing on the cake¡ªa mere addition to our profound Skills. We already have many Skills at our disposal, and one more won¡¯t make much difference. In contrast, this set of Pure Yang Swords is my Life-bound Magical Treasure, which is of utmost importance. The opportunity is rare, and I don¡¯t want to miss it," Shen Luo said calmly. "Cousin is right. I was blinded by greed, unwittingly wanting to pursue, which is indeed improper," Nie Caizhu shivered and said humbly with her head lowered. "With the inheritance of a Heavenly Venerate so close at hand, few can remain steady-hearted. I¡¯m slightly more composed only because it involves my Life-bound Magical Treasure. Cai Zhu, you don¡¯t have to be so hard on yourself," Shen Luo said as he took Nie Caizhu¡¯s hand. A sensation of width and heaviness emanated from Shen Luo¡¯s palm, bringing a sense of peace to Nie Caizhu¡¯s heart. "However, this place is close to the Third Layer¡¯s exit. If Che Qingtian and his group also cross the Sea of Flames, they will reach here too, making it easy for them to discover us. It¡¯s better to Refine the Sword a bit further away," Nie Caizhu pondered and then suggested. "I was thinking the same thing," Shen Luo nodded, and he walked with Nie Caizhu for another twenty or thirty miles before stopping. "Let¡¯s do it here," said Shen Luo, looking around, and then spoke. "Alright, then Cousin, you go ahead, I will wait for you here," Nie Caizhu said. "No, you come with me. I have figured out the details of this Sea of Flames; there¡¯s not much threat to me anymore. The situation here is peculiar, and there might be other dangers. It is safer for us to move together," Shen Luo said. "Okay!" Nie Caizhu did not wish to part from Shen Luo and readily agreed. The two re-entered the Sea of Flames and soon arrived at the riverbank. Shen Luo transferred some of his mana to Nie Caizhu, and then as before, he spurred the eleven Pure Yang Swords to protect the two of them. Four Sword Spirits shot out, landing in the Lava River and rapidly devouring the Jin Yan within. The spiritual power within the four flying swords surged rapidly, and the Pure Yang Prohibition within the three Golden Crow flying swords began to slowly condense once again. Nie Caizhu¡¯s mana had already recovered by a good amount, but she did not idle either, vigilantly scanning the surroundings, protecting Shen Luo. "Young Master Shen, what are you up to? Why have you suddenly stopped? Don¡¯t try to fool me with the excuses you use to deceive young girls; I don¡¯t believe you don¡¯t covet the inheritance of the Tianyan Immortal Venerable," said Fire Spirit Child, who had been sitting with closed eyes inside the Free and Easy Mirror, suddenly opening his eyes and chuckling. The Free and Easy Mirror was confined by the prohibition of this place, but Divine Sense was still able to pass through freely. "Fire Daoist friend, don¡¯t talk nonsense; I have not deceived Cai Zhu. Indeed, the Jin Yan of this place is rare, and I wanted to enhance the power of the Pure Yang Swords. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake, Fire Daoist friend, as I just happen to have a matter that requires your help," replied Shen Luo. "What is it? It can¡¯t be that you want to also refine the Golden Crow Souls inside the three golden arrows into Sword Spirits, right?" Fire Spirit Child took out the three golden arrows. "You really can¡¯t be fooled by anything, Fire Daoist friend. Just as well, my Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan is also within the Free and Easy Mirror, so let¡¯s seal the three Golden Crow Souls inside the flying swords of the fan." Red light flickered within the Free and Easy Mirror, and the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan flew out from deeper within, with its five Pure Yang Swords detaching and landing in front of Fire Spirit Child. "To perform the Transference of Soul and Awakening Spirit secret technique requires you, the owner of the flying swords, to be present. Now that you¡¯re outside the Free and Easy Mirror, you can only remotely control the flying swords, which increases the likelihood of failure compared to earlier," Fire Spirit Child said after a moment of silence. "I am aware of that. However, the current situation in Tianyan Palace is obscure and unclear. I must enhance my strength as soon as possible, and with you here, Fire Daoist friend, I believe it will definitely succeed," Shen Luo transmitted his thoughts. "Even with me present, success is not certain," chuckled Fire Spirit Child. "If Fire Daoist friend has any conditions for offering help, just say it directly. There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush," Shen Luo said with an easygoing smile. "Talking with a smart person really does save effort. It¡¯s very simple: tell me the real reason you suddenly stopped," Fire Spirit Child said with a laugh. "That¡¯s it? This matter has nothing to do with you, Fire Daoist friend," Shen Luo was startled, then spoke indifferently. "Of course, I know that. There¡¯s not much in the Three Realms that concerns me anymore. I¡¯m just very curious," Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes revealed a look of surprise. In his memory, this was the first time Fire Spirit Child had proposed a deal, and it was merely to satisfy his curiosity. "Telling you is no big deal. The reason I suddenly stopped is because I discovered someone was following behind Cai Zhu and myself. It¡¯s not quite right to say behind; it could also be ahead of us. In any case, someone has their eyes on us," said Shen Luo. "Is that so? How did you discover this? Divine Sense can¡¯t probe far here, and I remember that your Ghost Eye of the Netherworld is not adept at long-ranging observation," Fire Spirit Child exclaimed curiously. "If we¡¯re talking about visual acuity in this place, I¡¯m far inferior to Cai Zhu. The discovery of those people was purely by chance," Shen Luo responded casually. "Oh, how did you discover them?" Fire Spirit Child asked curiously. "Earlier, Cai Zhu mentioned she sensed witchcraft fluctuations in the sand sea. Did you hear about that, Fire Daoist friend?" Shen Luo asked instead of answering. "I heard about it. Is there something wrong with that?" Fire Spirit Child nodded. Chapter 1622 - 1618: Using Stillness to Overcome Motion Chapter 1622: Chapter 1618: Using Stillness to Overcome Motion"Originally, I also thought it was just a coincidence, but following the direction of the witchcraft fluctuations, I actually found the trial of this sea of flames and Lava River; and crossing the Lava River, it just so happens that I arrived near the teleportation light door of the Third Layer. Fire Daoist friend, do you still think it was a coincidence?" Shen Luo recounted his experiences and then asked in return. "Are you saying that the witchcraft fluctuations were deliberately released by someone to lead you to the exit of this Third Layer? All of this is just your speculation, right? You have no evidence," Fire Spirit Child was taken aback for a moment and shook his head as he spoke. "I also felt it might all be coincidences, which is why just now, when I arrived, I left behind a small surveillance trick on the spot," Shen Luo said indifferently, a flash of black Qi crossing his brow, revealing a vertical black eye - the Heavenly Demon Eye God¡¯s Power. Inside the Heavenly Demon Eye, a blurry image emerged, precisely the sand dune where Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu were conversing after just crossing the sea of flames. Near the sand dune, a bizarre darkness appeared, within which three silhouettes could vaguely be seen standing. "Eh! You really guessed it right; there are indeed people causing mischief. However, weren¡¯t just a few of you who entered Tianyan Palace? Wait, among these three people, the one in the middle looks like Wu Luo, but the other two are neither Che Qingtian nor Yan Lie. Could it be that there are others here?" Fire Spirit Child said with a light exclamation. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That person is indeed Wu Luo. I can sense the Demonic Qi on him through the Heavenly Demon Eye. As for the other two silhouettes, they are quite unfamiliar; I wonder if Wu Luo has a Spatial Treasure like the Free and Easy Mirror, bringing these two into Tianyan Palace, or if these two were already inside Tianyan Palace. In any case, their target is Cai Zhu and me. I do not know what exactly they want to do, it seems they want Cai Zhu and me to enter the next layer as soon as possible. Since that¡¯s the case, I might as well stop for a moment to see how they react," Shen Luo spoke confidently. "That makes sense. In the face of an unclear battle situation, it is quite appropriate to control motion with stillness. Young Master Shen, I¡¯ve found that your thoughts have grown increasingly meticulous, something that even many old and experienced beings might not match up to," Fire Spirit Child nodded and then his tone shifted as he spoke. "Fire Daoist friend flatters me. I¡¯ve finished explaining the reasons for stopping. Can you now help me refine those three Golden Crow Souls?" Shen Luo asked with a faint smile. "Of course," Fire Spirit Child said with a commitment, waving his sleeve and conjuring the Gu Xuan star disk. Hundreds of golden Light Marks rose from the star disk, landing in various corners of the Secret Chamber, forming a complex Array - the Xuan Star Array. The Soul Refining Array Stele also emerged, emitting a massive burst of black light, forming a Black Vortex that melded into one with the Xuan Star Array. Shen Luo, sensing this development, commanded a suspended Pure Yang Sword to fly into the two Arrays. Fire Spirit Child waved his hand and summoned the Netherworld Furnace, from which a stream of Purple Flame ¡ª the Purple Heart Earthfire ¡ª burst forth, enveloping and forging the Pure Yang Sword. ... Near the reddish-brown sand dune, Wu Luo and the other two silhouettes stood in silence, looking towards the direction of Shen Luo¡¯s location. The dark shadows around the three dissipated to reveal their true forms¡ªthe reddish figure was a Horse-faced Man with a flattened nose, small ears, and skin that was fiery red, looking extraordinarily ugly. As for the other dark silhouette, it was a Black-robed Youth with a rather delicate facial features but his face was filled with strange black lines, his eyes cold and chilling like two bottomless abysses. "The exit is clearly right ahead, so why has Shen Luo suddenly stopped?" the Horse-faced Man said impatiently. The Black-robed Youth opened his mouth to spit out a clump of black light, which materialized in front of him into a mirror about the size of a ruler. The dark silhouette made a hand gesture and tapped the black mirror, which then rippled and soon showed a blurry image - it was Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu on the other side, and despite the fuzziness of the image, it was still possible to roughly make out that Shen Luo was manipulating the four sword spirits, devouring the Jin Yan in the Lava River. "Is this a Sword Spirit? And it can devour the Golden Flame essence! Could it be a Divine Beast level Sword Spirit!" exclaimed the Horse-faced Man upon witnessing the scene. Wu Luo looked at the four sword spirits in the mirror with her eyes slightly widened in surprise. The horse-faced man could not recognize the origin of these sword spirits, but she recognized them at a glance. Not to mention the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit, those three Golden Crow Sword Spirits looked very much like the Golden Crow Souls from Houyi Shoot Sun Divine Arrows. However, transforming a monster soul into a tool spirit is extremely difficult, with a surprisingly high failure rate. Shen Luo only obtained those three golden arrows in Houyi¡¯s Tomb, yet he managed to successfully transform them into tool spirits! "Could it be that Shen Luo has actually mastered the technique of transforming monster souls into sword spirits?" Wu Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. She also had three Golden Crow Souls in her possession. If she could transform them into tool spirits, it would greatly enhance the power of three magical treasures. "Why the stop instead of continuing the journey? Why start cultivating magical treasures now?" The horse-faced man regained his composure quickly after his initial surprise and asked in a deep voice. Wu Luo¡¯s expression also returned to calm, her brows furrowed. Their group of three had tried every possible way to speed up the progress of Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, not only by guiding them in the right direction but also by delaying Che Qingtian and Yan Lie¡¯s progress as much as possible. This was to let Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu reach the fourth level as soon as possible to help them obtain a long-desired treasure. But now that Shen Luo had suddenly stopped, it really caught the trio off guard. "Could it be that the Jin Yan Primal Flame here can happen to enhance the power of his magical treasures, which is why Shen Luo stopped? After all, this flame is extremely rare," said the black-robed youth. "That¡¯s possible," the horse-faced man nodded in agreement. Wu Luo remained silent. If Shen Luo had just stumbled upon the Jin Yan Primal Flame, and had taken a fancy to it and stopped to cultivate, that would be fine. What concerned her more was the possibility that Shen Luo had noticed their tracks and was intentionally delaying the progress. "Our previous actions to guide the way were somewhat reckless; I hope he hasn¡¯t noticed," Wu Luo thought to herself, casting a dissatisfied look at the horse-faced man. This man was strong but not very bright, and he acted impulsively. He was the one who had used Witchcraft Fluctuation to guide Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. It was an overly hasty move and it was too late for her to stop it. "If only we knew it would come to this, we should have joined forces to directly abduct that woman when Shen Luo went to investigate the Sea of Flames earlier," the horse-faced man said resentfully. "What¡¯s the use of talking about that now? Let¡¯s discuss what to do next," the black-robed youth glared at the horse-faced man and snorted. "Wu Luo, what do you think?" The horse-faced man turned to Wu Luo. "I¡¯m worried that Shen Luo has already noticed our presence," Wu Luo said hesitantly after a moment. "That can¡¯t be. We¡¯ve been very careful to control our distance from them, and we¡¯ve used Old Black¡¯s Shadow Escaping to conceal our tracks without leaving any residual aura," the horse-faced man said, full of disbelief. "Are you saying that our actions when we used Witchcraft Fluctuation to guide them have led to our exposure?" The black-robed youth¡¯s eyes sharpened as he spoke. Hearing this, the horse-faced man became furious, his eyes suddenly ablaze with red light, and with a "puff," he transformed into two balls of flame, glaring at the black-robed youth and Wu Luo. Chapter 1623 - 1619: Seven Swords Chapter 1623: Chapter 1619: Seven Swords"Indeed, the marks of chiseling on this move are too obvious, and the direction it points to is exactly the exit of the Third Layer. Shen Luo is a person who is delicate and cunning with many wits, so it¡¯s hard to guarantee that he won¡¯t become suspicious." Wu Luo said coldly without paying attention to the gaze of the horse-faced man. "This matter was indeed not handled appropriately. What should we do next?" The black-robed youth also ignored the horse-faced man and asked. "Now that we have aroused his suspicion, we should no longer act against him. Given the current situation, we should first try to delay the actions of Che Qingtian and Yan Lie as much as possible. With the inheritance of Tianyan Immortal Venerable ahead, even if Shen Luo has his suspicions, he will not remain here forever." Wu Luo contemplated for a while before speaking. "That¡¯s reasonable. We can¡¯t allow Che Qingtian to get involved too, otherwise things will really become difficult to handle." The black-robed youth nodded his head in agreement and said. Seeing the two talk like this, the horse-faced man let out a cold snort, crossed his arms over his chest, and expressed no objections. With a wave of his hand, the black-robed youth summoned a shadow that once again enveloped the three of them, and then it dissipated, making the three figures disappear without a trace in the next moment. In the void near a distant sand dune, a black light flashed, and a black Demon Eye appeared, which then silently transformed into a wisp of Black Qi and scattered. ... Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged on the ground, surrounded by a layer of flame-like red light, insulating him from the high temperature of the ground. Through the Heavenly Demon Eye, he saw the scene of Wu Luo and the others escaping, and his eyebrows slightly raised. "Didn¡¯t they say one can¡¯t fly and escape in this place? How come those three can?" Shen Luo was greatly surprised, could it be that the black-robed youth has a way to bypass the prohibitions here? His eyes flickered, but he soon shook his head and focused on controlling the four Sword Spirits to absorb the golden flame within the Lava River. The man in a black robe and the horse-faced man seemed to be no easy opponents, and their strength would probably not be inferior to the current Wu Luo. The fortunes and misfortunes ahead were hard to predict, so he had to be even more cautious. The might of the four Flying Swords increased gradually, the intrinsic prohibition of the Vermilion Bird Flying Sword had already reached sixty-four layers. Absorbing the golden flame of the magma didn¡¯t bring significant change, but the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit had doubled in size and undergone considerable changes in appearance. The tail feathers became more elongated, and the feather crown on its head had grown somewhat bigger, gradually revealing the dominative aura of the Southern Sacred Beast Vermilion Bird. This Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit was originally a newly hatched little Vermilion Bird. Now, although it has transformed into a Tool Spirit, its power can still continue to grow. As for the Three Golden Crow Souls that had already reached maturity, there was no significant change in absorbing the golden flame from the river, but the might of the three Pure Yang Swords where the Sword Spirits resided soared, and another layer was added to the prohibitions. Shen Luo nodded to himself secretly, then his expression became serious and he closed his eyes. In the Carefree Mirror, Fire Spirit Child was at a critical moment in the Soul Transference and Soul Awakening secret technique. A vast red light burst out from within the Pure Yang Sword, forming a red light array with a diameter of over ten zhang, working in conjunction with the prohibitions set up by Fire Spirit Child. Countless charm patterns flickered inside, which included the Xuan Star Array and Spirit Refining Array¡¯s runes, along with many other Array Technique charm patterns never seen before. Currently unable to enter the Carefree Mirror to help, Fire Spirit Child, drawing on previous experiences of converting Tool Spirits, had made some alterations to the Soul Transference and Soul Awakening secret technique. With a sweep of his arm, Fire Spirit Child launched a Golden Arrow which shot into the red light array. Immediately, many golden charm patterns surfaced on the arrow¡¯s surface. Under the sweeping force of the red light array, it started to crackle, and after a few breaths, the tip of the arrow shone with a golden light, followed by a surge of overwhelming fiery power gushing out from it. The entire arrow burst into flames and became a mass of golden flame, and one of the Golden Crow Souls flew out from within, ready to shoot towards the Outside. Seeing this, Shen Luo, manipulating the Nine Nether Demon Ring in the Carefree Mirror, "click", locked it onto the body of the Golden Crow Soul. Now that he was outside of the Carefree Mirror and his Mana could not seep in, the Nine Nether Demon Ring¡¯s might was ordinary, but it still caused the body of the Golden Crow Soul to stagger. Fire Spirit Child immediately reacted, forming a spell gesture and pointing at the red light formation. The red light formation spun rapidly, emitting a great howling sound like a red storm, firmly trapping the Golden Crow Soul and pulling it towards the heart of the formation. The Golden Crow Soul struggled with all its might, fiercely burning the red light formation with the Golden Crow Fire, but to no avail. The fire was completely devoured the moment it touched the red light formation, and the Nine Nether Demon Ring was also suppressing its power. At this moment, with several hissing sounds of whooshing, five or six shimmering bands of light shot out from the red light formation, wrapping around the Golden Crow Soul and bundling it like a zongzi (rice dumpling). It was unknown what kind of God¡¯s Power these shimmering light bands were, they seemed almost immune to the flames around the Golden Crow Soul. With its ability to resist greatly reduced once bundled like a zongzi, the Golden Crow Soul was soon completely swallowed by the red light formation. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo, sensing this scene, felt his heart, which had been in suspense, slightly settle down. Inside the Carefree Mirror, Fire Spirit Child¡¯s hands continued to form spell gestures and the red light formation rotated even faster, lasting for two to three hours before finally stopping. A sword cry that reached for the skies emanated from within the red light formation, shooting up into the sky, causing the surrounding void to ripple. Fire Spirit Child waved his hand and a gap opened in the red light formation, from which a Pure Yang Sword flew out, its blade revealing a Golden Crow Sword Spirit, its power greatly enhanced, evidently a successful refinement. The Pure Yang Sword¡¯s layer of Seals flickered, reaching fifty-three layers. "Fire Daoist friend¡¯s moves are indeed extraordinary!" Shen Luo¡¯s voice echoed within the Carefree Mirror. "Hmph, stop with your flattery. This light formation consumes quite a bit of mana when it¡¯s active, let¡¯s start refining the second flying sword right away," Fire Spirit Child said, not swayed by the praise, reaching for another Golden Arrow. Seeing this, Shen Luo closed his mouth, stimulating the second Pure Yang Sword, sending it into the red light formation to assist Fire Spirit Child¡¯s spellcasting. Time swiftly passed, and a day flew by in no time. Now, the souls of the three golden arrows had been thoroughly refined into the three Pure Yang Swords, turning into three Golden Crow Sword Spirits that joyously raced around within the Carefree Mirror. "Many thanks to Fire Daoist friend for your assistance," Shen Luo sincerely thanked. "Since I promised you, of course, I will honor it. However, using the Soul-Sealing and Spirit-Activating secret technique for so long has taken a toll, and I need to rest for a while. Don¡¯t disturb me unless it¡¯s important," Fire Spirit Child said, his red glow somewhat dim as he returned to the Netherworld Furnace. Shen Luo thanked him again, then turned his Divine Sense towards the three Pure Yang Swords. With these three swords, the number of sword spirits he possessed reached seven, greatly increasing his strength. If all of his sixteen Pure Yang Swords were to harbor sword spirits like the soul of the Golden Crow, it¡¯s not implausible to say that, within the True Immortal Stage and even among Taiyi Stage monks, very few could match him. "The last three Golden Crow Souls are in Wu Luo¡¯s hands, and this demon happens to be here too. I must seize the three arrows, no matter what!" Shen Luo firmly resolved. The three Pure Yang Swords within the Carefree Mirror resonated with his intentions, vibrating intensely, with wisps of the Golden Crow Fire subtly rising, causing ripples to spread through the surrounding void. The inherent Ling Flame within these three swords was the Golden Crow True Fire. Now merged with the Golden Crow Soul, their power had skyrocketed. Although they only had fifty-three layers of Seals, their strength was comparable to magical treasures with sixty layers. If only these three swords could be taken out, then they could also absorb the magma Jin Yan from Outside, reaching the sixty-four-layer Perfect Boundary in a short time. Chapter 1624 - 1620: He Is Right Here Chapter 1624: Chapter 1620: He Is Right Here""" "Cousin, have you succeeded in the fusion and refinement?" Nie Caizhu noticed the change in Shen Luo¡¯s expression and walked over with joy. Shen Luo stood up from the ground and nodded his head. He did not conceal anything about what happened in the Carefree Mirror from Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu¡¯s face lit up with happiness upon hearing this, even more delighted than if her own strength had improved. She wasn¡¯t worried about Shen Luo¡¯s physical condition. After their last dual cultivation, the Pure Yang Power in his body had been greatly soothed, and the addition of three Golden Crow Sword Spirits posed no problem. Moreover, if Shen Luo encountered a situation where his Yang energy was overly exuberant again, she could still help him alleviate the crisis using the method of dual cultivation. Thinking of this, Nie Caizhu¡¯s pretty face turned slightly red. "Cousin, what should we do next? We have already been here for more than a day," she said, calming her emotions and then asking. "The power of these Flying Swords can still absorb the magma¡¯s golden flame. Give me another half a day to enhance their prohibitions up to the Perfect Boundary," Shen Luo said. Nie Caizhu was just reminding Shen Luo, not in a hurry to continue on their journey. Hearing his words, she hummed in agreement and said no more. After smiling at Nie Caizhu, Shen Luo continued to drive the four Sword Spirits outside to devour the Lava Jin Yan. Soon, another half a day passed, and the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit had grown significantly in size and completely transformed into a mature Vermilion Bird True Spirit in appearance. The might of the three Golden Crow Flying Swords was also greatly increased, with the layers of prohibitions inside reaching sixty-four layers, the Perfect Boundary. Wrapped in the roaring Golden Crow True Fire, the swords emitted a sun-like formidable power, not at all inferior to the Pure Yang Sword where the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit resided. Shen Luo made a beckoning gesture with his hand, and the four Flying Swords instantly turned into four incomparably dazzling Glorious Sword Lights zipping back. Everything along their path was split open, and the Lava River was also carved with four deep cracks by the powerful residual Sword Qi. The speed of the Flying Swords had also greatly increased, and in a flash, they arrived in front of him. Shen Luo swept his sleeve to collect the four swords into his Dantian, and immediately, the Pure Yang Power within his body surged dramatically. Flames like red light emerged from all over his body, and he seemed to be engulfed in flames. A wave of scorching heat burst out, sweeping the area for more than a dozen feet around him, flinging everything away, including Nie Caizhu who was beside him. Although he had prepared for it, the surge of the Pure Yang Power inside the four Flying Swords still caught him by surprise. Shen Luo hastily operated the Pure Yang Sword Technique with all his might. Every red light around his body faintly turned into strands of Sword Qi, and his whole being emanated a Sword Intent as if he had become an unsheathed divine sword. If monks from Little Straw Mountain saw this scene, they would be astounded and bewildered. This phenomenon, where the body transforms into a sword, occurs when one is close to reaching the peak of True Immortal and touching upon the Taiyi Realm. Time ticked away slowly, and after a quarter of an hour, the surging Pure Yang Power within Shen Luo¡¯s body was finally brought under control, and the red light around his body returned to normal. He opened his eyes and saw Nie Caizhu not far away, looking at him with concern, her raised right hand still glowing with a green light. "It¡¯s okay, I can still control this power," Shen Luo said with a smile. Nie Caizhu then let out a sigh of relief and dispersed the green light on her hand. "The swords are now fully refined, and there¡¯s no meaning in staying here. Let¡¯s move on to the Fourth Level and have a look," Shen Luo said, glancing around. The two left the Lava River and quickly returned to the sand dune where they had previously stood, moving forward again. Before long, a black mountain peak appeared ahead. This peak was entirely black, with steep and imposing slopes, like a giant black sword, exuding a majestic aura. """ At the peak of the black mountain, a white light gate stood silently, identical to the two teleportation gates they had encountered before. "Let¡¯s go." Shen Luo glanced at the distant sight and led Nie Caizhu, climbing up the mountain peak. Although unable to fly off the ground, with the physical strength of the two, climbing a mountain peak was a piece of cake. In a dozen breaths time, they had reached the peak and stepped through the light gate, disappearing from sight. Behind a distant sand dune, a surge of black light appeared, within which stood a black-robed youth. Wu Luo and the horse-faced man, however, were nowhere to be seen. "Finally taking action, huh?" A hint of excitement emerged at the corner of the black-robed youth¡¯s mouth, the black light around him intensified, and he vanished once again. ... After a blur before their eyes, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu came back to their senses and found themselves in a dark and gloomy place. The sky above was sealed by dense dark clouds, where the light was ten times dimmer than other places, constantly shrouded in what seemed like perpetual night, somewhat similar to the island where Houyi¡¯s Tomb was located. All around were ruins, or partially destroyed buildings. Judging by their layout and outlines, this seemed to be an extremely large city, with no visible end in sight. As for Divine Sense, like the previous three levels, there was also a prohibition that restricted its spread, only allowing it to extend several meters. However, unlike the Third Layer, this place had Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, albeit thin, and the strange prohibition that had restrained the Storage Magical Tool had also disappeared, much to the relief of Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu hurriedly took out an Elixir that aided in Recovering Mana and consumed it, quickly restoring her mana. Shen Luo had already fully recovered his mana and did not idle either. He took out several things, which were the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, Nine Nether Demon Ring, Profound Yellow Staff, Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, and other Magical Treasures, just in case they encountered the prohibition against Storage Magical Tools again, he wouldn¡¯t be helpless with his treasures. Of course, the three Golden Crow Flying Swords inside the Free and Easy Mirror were the first things he took out, which turned into three streaks of golden light and entered his body. With the addition of the Three Golden Crow Sword Spirits, the Pure Yang Power inside him surged once more. Having had previous experience with this, he suppressed this new power very easily. While Shen Luo was dealing with these matters, Nie Caizhu activated her Golden Vision Divine Ability to scout the surroundings. "Cousin, look over there." A flash of golden light in Nie Cai Zhu¡¯s eyes pointed towards a distant piece of ruins. In front of the ruins stood a Stone Stele, similar to the warning ones they had seen earlier, with several large characters inscribed: The Fourth Level is known as Dark City, an Ancient secret place, the exit is located at a graveyard within the city. "Dark City?" Shen Luo muttered to himself and turned to the other side of the stele, where another line of text was inscribed¡ªit was the rule of this place: Do not place oneself in darkness. "Do not place oneself in darkness? Cousin, this place is quite similar to the island where Houyi¡¯s Tomb is located." Nie Caizhu commented upon seeing this. Hearing her, Shen Luo¡¯s expression flickered in realization. The environment of this Fourth Level was quite similar to the island with the Mausoleum, including the same rule, suggesting that the dark fog Great Formation surrounding the Tomb Island might be related to this place in eight out of ten cases. He had released a refined corpse on that island, which had eerily vanished in the dark; could it have been teleported here? Shen Luo thought he was entertaining a wild notion and closed his eyes, trying to sense the location of the refined corpse using the Ghost Teng Master. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sure enough, a trace of joy flickered across his face. Although the sensation was extremely faint, the refined corpse was indeed inside the Dark City ahead. "Cousin, what¡¯s the matter?" Nie Caizhu asked. "Do you remember the refined corpse I told you about before, the one that disappeared on the Tomb Island? It is here," Shen Luo did not hide the truth and replied. Chapter 1625 - 1621: Sorcerer Attack Chapter 1625: Chapter 1621: Sorcerer Attack"Really? It seems that this island and this place indeed have some connection. But how could that island, being outside the Tianyan Palace, be related to this place?" Nie Caizhu, also a clever thinker, immediately understood the connection and spoke with slightly furrowed brows. "These matters are irrelevant. I suspect that the current location of the refined corpse is precisely the Graveyard mentioned on the Stone Stele. Even if it¡¯s not, it is significantly related to it." Shen Luo shook his head and said. "That¡¯s great, it saves us from searching blindly. The Dark City looks quite vast, and searching would be truly troublesome," Nie Caizhu happily exclaimed. Shen Luo nodded, then looked again at the Stone Stele, took out a Pure Yang Sword, and slashed horizontally at the base of the stele. A dazzling sword light flashed, and the Stone Stele was severed at its base. He waved his sleeve to produce a red light, gathering the Stone Stele into the Free and Easy Mirror. Seeing Che Qingtian doing such a thing on the third layer, he felt no guilt whatsoever in taking away the stele now. "Let¡¯s go, this place looks eerie, there might be dangers, be careful." Shen Luo wielded the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and proceeded towards the deeper parts of the Dark City. Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu wielded two Magical Treasures; one was a Magical Treasure resembling a yellow sail, and the other, surprisingly, was the Jade Purification Bottle, forming a white and yellow light shield around her body, following closely behind Shen Luo. Considering they were newcomers to the Dark City and didn¡¯t understand it, the two did not choose to fly but walked instead, passing through one ruin after another, and soon half an hour had passed. The deeper they went, the taller the surrounding buildings became, with the buildings in front of them now five or six times larger than ordinary buildings, appearing extremely magnificent. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Such large houses, are they meant for giants to live in?" Nie Caizhu couldn¡¯t help but say. Hearing this, an idea flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s mind; he seemed to have seen such enormous buildings somewhere before. As he tried to recall, two slender dark shadows silently appeared behind them in the dark, stealthily drawing closer. The shadows had no presence, blending in with the darkness and hard to notice, and quickly approached within a three-foot radius around them. One of the shadows suddenly shot up from the ground, revealing itself to be a black snake about a meter long, snapping its jaws on the yellow protective cover around Nie Caizhu, with two sharp, long, snow-white snake fangs gleaming with a strange black light faintly visible. This protective cover, transformed from the sail Magical Treasure, appeared extremely sturdy. However, under the snake¡¯s biting, it "crack" cracked, forming a big hole. The black snake did not stop, striking like lightning as it bit down on the white light shield formed by the Jade Purification Bottle. With a dull "clang" sound, the white light shield flickered fiercely but withstood the black snake¡¯s biting, and did not shatter. Only then did Nie Caizhu realize the danger, hastily wielding the Devouring Element Magic Wand, striking out as the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk also flew out, transforming into over a dozen red silk shadows swirling towards the black snake. The black snake, having missed its attack, immediately turned and fled, moving with extraordinary agility. It managed to escape through the gaps between the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and the Devouring Element Magic Wand, diving into a nearby shadow. The snake¡¯s body flashed once more, blending into the shadows and disappearing. As Nie Caizhu was attacked, another black snake also shot out from the darkness, lunging at Shen Luo, clamping fiercely onto the protective cover formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. The golden protective barrier flashed violently but did not shatter. The black snake¡¯s thin eyes gleamed fiercely, beams of eerie light shooting from its fangs as it bit down hard again. The golden protective barrier could no longer hold, "crack" was bitten into pieces by the black snake, which continued to lunge forward, biting towards Shen Luo¡¯s calf. Shen Luo¡¯s reaction was much faster than Nie Caizhu¡¯s. When the black serpent had just appeared, he noticed it and saw the protective cover formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet being shattered. His pupils constricted immediately, yet he did not panic, but casually swept his sleeves. Two Pure Yang Swords flew out of his hands, forming a combined sword style that turned into a crimson phantom, striking the black serpent first. A sound like tearing silk rang out, and the body of the black serpent was neatly cleaved in two. A "swoosh" sound! The half-body of the black serpent surprisingly remained unharmed, its speed undiminished as it lunged beside Shen Luo and bit down again. Seeing this, Shen Luo was startled, his hands flashed with golden light, and a layer of golden dragon scales immediately appeared on his skin, transforming his palms into dragon claws. He reached out with his right hand, lightning-fast, and grabbed the black serpent¡¯s head, squeezing hard. A terrifying great force squeezed down, causing the surrounding void to tremble. The black serpent¡¯s head instantly burst, and the rest of its body turned into a pool of black liquid. However, just before its death, the black serpent managed to bite a scale off Shen Luo¡¯s palm, causing him to feel intense pain immediately, as a chilling sensation penetrated into his arm and directly into his mind. Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul felt excruciating pain, as if something had fiercely bitten into it, and he quickly summoned the Silver Light Bell, striking it with soul power. With a "clang" of the bell, rings of powerful sound waves containing soul power spread out, completely dispersing the chilling force. "Cousin, are you alright?" Nie Cai Zhu, witnessing the scene, quickly asked. "It¡¯s alright. This black serpent actually contained a soul-attacking chilling force in its mouth. Be careful," Shen Luo said calmly, looking at his palm. The dragon scales in the center of his palm displayed two deep holes, the edges of which were pitch black, exactly where the black serpent had bitten. "Such powerful teeth, this dragon scale¡¯s defense is almost comparable to top-notch magical treasures, yet it couldn¡¯t hold up," Shen Luo thought with a chill in his heart, urging the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead. A faint purple light gathered above the deep holes, quickly evaporating the black Qi at the wound, restoring the color to normal. "There are fluctuations of witchcraft power around this wound; the black serpent is related to the Witch Clan," Nie Cai Zhu remarked after witnessing the entire event. "Witchcraft power? Possible. I¡¯ve once seen a Witch Clan relic in the Underworld, and its architectural style is similar to this Dark City," Shen Luo also recalled what had just flashed through his mind. "Cousin, you¡¯ve also encountered Witch Clan relics before?" Nie Cai Zhu was somewhat surprised. "I have quite some fate with the Witch Clan; I encountered quite a few matters regarding the Witch Clan. But now is not the time to talk about this. After we settle the matters here, I¡¯ll tell you in detail. For now, let¡¯s hurry forth," Shen Luo said, looking around. Nie Cai Zhu didn¡¯t ask further, and the two continued to move forward. Due to the black serpent¡¯s attack, the two of them strengthened their defenses. Shen Luo summoned four Pure Yang Swords, which circled and danced around him, forming a dense barrier of sword qi as the outermost defense, followed still by the golden light shield formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. That wasn¡¯t all; he activated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing on his body, forming a third layer of defense within the golden light shield. Nie Cai Zhu did the same; besides the Jade Purification Bottle and the sailboat treasures, she also summoned a Silver Lotus Magic Weapon, many silver lotus petals flying off it, transforming into layers of lotus petals circling around her, forming a lotus petal light curtain. Chapter 1626 - 1622: Coveting (Continuing to surge in the New Year, asking for monthly passes^^) Chapter 1626: Chapter 1622: Coveting (Continuing to surge in the New Year, asking for monthly passes^^)On the following journey, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu kept encountering peculiar dark beasts attacking them, including reptiles like snakes and scorpions, as well as beasts such as Black Wolves and black tigers, and even a group of black bats. Some of these dark beasts were even stronger than the two black snakes they had encountered, but their attack patterns were largely the same, lurking in the darkness before launching a surprise attack. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu figured out the attack patterns of these dark beasts. Although the beasts attacking them were stronger, they handled them with much more ease and were no longer in the same kind of peril as before. With a sharp whistle! A scorpion the size of a human head shot out from the darkness, its tail transforming into a black line that struck the Lotus Petal defense around Nie Caizhu, piercing through it, yet was blocked by the second layer of the Yellow Light Curtain. The scorpion, having missed its attack, immediately fled to the side, looking to escape. A Red Flying Sword shot from the side and pinned the scorpion to the Ground with a "puff" sound; it was Shen Luo who had taken action. Bright golden flames rose from the Flying Sword, enveloping and roasting the scorpion, a display of the True Solar Fire. Along the way, he had determined that among the Heavenly Fire level Lingzi flames he possessed, the True Solar Fire inflicted the most damage on these dark beasts. The scorpion let out a piercing scream and quickly turned to ashes, but its tail was preserved, containing a strange Witchcraft Power that resisted the True Solar Fire. Shen Luo, with a calm expression, waved his sleeve, and a Golden Light swept the black scorpion tail over. Incidents like this had happened many times. The ambushing dark beasts were not particularly powerful, but some part of their bodies contained strange Witchcraft Power; previously, it had been the teeth of the black snakes, and this time it was the scorpion¡¯s tail. The parts of their bodies containing the Witchcraft Power had exceptionally destructive force, capable of penetrating even a defense as strong as the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. Shen Luo was quite interested in these materials imbued with Witchcraft Power, planning to let the Fire Spirit Child see if they could be made into Magical Treasures. The two resumed their journey, walking for a Moments, when the buildings up ahead started becoming more intact, greatly obstructing their vision. "Cousin, be cautious. The number of hidden dark beasts ahead has suddenly increased, and just within my line of sight, I have already discovered more than twenty," Nie Caizhu said softly beside Shen Luo, her eyes flickering with Golden Light as she messaged him. "I¡¯ve also sensed it, but that corpse refinement is not far ahead," said Shen Luo, his eyes flickering as he spoke slowly. "Oh, could these dark beasts be the test of the Fourth Level?" Nie Caizhu guessed. "Possibly. No matter what, we can only keep moving forward," said Shen Luo, flipping his hand to bring out the Profound Yellow Staff, which began to shine with Golden Light. Nie Caizhu nodded, and the Golden Light in her eyes grew brighter as well. Behind her, there was the sound of "rustling", and golden and white butterfly wings unfolded. The White Butterfly Wings remained still, but the golden ones shone brightly, projecting a dazzling golden light from the sky, which condensed into a Golden Great Bow in her hands. Nie Caizhu gripped the Golden Great Bow, her entire skin quickly turning golden as well, changing her entire appearance. A tremendously heavy aura exploded from her. "Your Mana has fully recovered? Using Hou Yi¡¯s Power like this consumes a lot of vitality," Shen Luo remarked upon seeing this. "The Elixir I took earlier was a secret concoction from Mount Putuo, and my Mana has since returned to its full state. Cousin, you need not worry about me," said Nie Caizhu, nodding her head and emitting an unprecedented majesty in her demeanor. Even the tone of her voice had slightly changed. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze shifted, but he said nothing, striding into the dense cluster of buildings. The dark beasts hidden within the buildings flashed murderous looks, submerged themselves in shadows, and pounced towards them. Shen Luo frowned slightly, the Four Pure Yang Swords around him blazing with red light, illuminating the Surroundings brightly. However, behind even the brightest light there exists a shadow, and directly beneath Shen Luo¡¯s feet, a sliver of shadow suddenly expanded several times over. A black snake as thick as a bowl emerged, its girth several times larger than the first snake that attacked the two. It snapped its jaws onto the outermost layer of sword aura shield around him. The sword aura light curtain violently trembled, emitting a "crack-crack" fracturing sound. A golden staff appeared out of thin air above the black snake¡¯s head, ablaze with a layer of golden flames, none other than the True Solar Fire, descending swiftly to strike the snake¡¯s head. The wild force of the staff, mixed with the power of the True Solar Fire, erupted within the black snake¡¯s body. With a loud bang, the snake¡¯s body burst apart, turning into a golden light group and completely vanishing. But the crisis was far from over; it had just begun. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Stones around Shen Luo, gaps in the ground, and even shadows under his feet, seemed to come to life as they rapidly expanded. Dark beasts shot out from them, charging at Shen Luo with extraordinary speed. Each of these dark beasts was huge; none were weaker than the previous black snake. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils narrowed as his hands rotated like the wheels of a carriage, sending out a barrage of dense stick shadows, sweeping the surroundings. Having mastered the essence of Splashy Chaotic Stick, his sky-filling stick shadows now unfurled with ease, more like a flowing cloud or streaming water rather than the fearsome force of before, hitting every dark beast with precise accuracy. All of the charging dark beasts were struck down one by one. Nie Caizhu was also attacked by numerous dark beasts. The woman did not employ other techniques; her golden great bow shimmered with golden light without her drawing the bowstring as golden arrows rained down like a torrential storm, taking down all the dark beasts that were attacking. These golden arrows contain the power of Hou Yi¡¯s witchcraft, which was particularly effective against the dark beasts who also used witchcraft power. Thus, the two fought their way directly into the cluster of buildings. In the distance within a patch of shadow, stood three figures. It was Wu Luo, the black-robed youth, and the horse-faced man. "This aura is indeed the power of the Witch Clan," the black-robed youth intently watched Nie Caizhu, a fervent glint flashing in his eyes. "This woman is extraordinary. Not only has she inherited Hou Yi¡¯s witchcraft power, but she also seems to possess the Witch Tribe¡¯s bloodline, awakening the Power of Time from the Ancestral Witch Zhu Jiuyin. She cannot be underestimated," Wu Luo stated. "The Power of Time!" The black-robed youth was startled. "If this woman possesses such divine abilities, then there should be no problem in refining that treasure. However, ahead lies a den of dark beasts, and they are charging headlong into it. I fear there might be troubles. Should we offer covert assistance?" the horse-faced man suggested. "That Shen Luo is extremely cunning, with a multitude of techniques. If he has chosen to charge directly in, he must have prepared for it. Don¡¯t worry," Wu Luo said indifferently. Hearing this, the horse-faced man nodded slightly, keeping his gaze firmly fixed ahead. ... Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu quickly delved deeper into the complex of buildings. The number of dark beasts attacking them grew even more numerous, and not even the Splashy Chaotic Stick or the golden arrows could exterminate them in time. The dark beasts continued to assault the defenses around the pair. Clang, clang, clang! The sword aura protective cover around Shen Luo and the lotus petal shield around Nie Caizhu trembled violently and eventually shattered and collapsed one after another. "Cousin, there are far more dark beasts here than we anticipated. Continuing like this might exhaust us," said Nie Caizhu as her great bow shone brightly with golden light, shooting hundreds of golden arrows and clearing a large area of oncoming dark beasts. She communicated through a message. "Indeed, we need to change our strategy," Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered as he muttered to himself. (New Year¡¯s explosive updates continue, vote for us!) Chapter 1627 - 1623: The Thought of Snatching the Bow with Ease Chapter 1627: Chapter 1623: The Thought of Snatching the Bow with EaseIn the midst of Shen Luo¡¯s chant, a bright, unparalleled green light suddenly burst forth from his body, almost too dazzling to look at directly, as though a small green sun had emerged, ready to unleash some supernatural power. However, at that moment, a dark cloud that could blot out the sun and sky appeared out of nowhere from the darkness ahead, sweeping toward him with incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, it neared, and a pitch-black dragon claw the size of a house descended from the sky, aiming to grab Shen Luo. Nie Caizhu reacted extremely quickly, with a flash of golden light from the great bow in her hand, she fired a giant golden arrow a dozen feet long that pierced through the black dragon claw as if stabbing through paper. Boom! The golden giant arrow then exploded, tearing the dark dragon claw to shreds. However, five pitch-black sharp claws shot out from the dragon claw, penetrating Nie Caizhu¡¯s defenses and striking Shen Luo¡¯s protective cover of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, producing a thunderous boom like a clap of thunder. Shen Luo was sent flying backward, protected by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, unharmed, but his spellcasting was interrupted. His expression darkened, and with a spread of his five fingers, he struck out into the void. Three Chun Yang swords shot out from the tips of his fingers, transforming into three hundred-foot-long flaming Sword Rainbows, slashing at the dark cloud. Within the Sword Rainbows, the phantom of a Golden Crow could be seen, each of the three flying swords carrying the spirit of a Golden Crow, as if three ancient Golden Crows were reborn, effortlessly tearing open the dark cloud and evaporating much of it. A black flood dragon emerged from the torn cloud, over a hundred feet in length and wrapped in a strong aura of darkness, vastly superior to any of the previous dark beasts. However, the black dragon¡¯s body was somewhat damaged, clearly the work of the three Golden Crow Sword Rainbows. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A flash of golden light passed through Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes, and she once again pulled the golden great bow in her hands. The golden light surged wildly on the bow, and another giant golden arrow condensed out, many times larger than the previous one, with many mysterious golden witch texts swirling around it, shooting out with an earth-shattering force and leaving a dark streak in the void. Seeing the power of the golden arrow, the black flood dragon showed a look of shock in its eyes, quickly dodging to the side, and at the same time opening its mouth to spew out a stream of Black Qi, rolling towards the golden giant arrow. But the golden arrow was too fast, flickering past the rolling black qi, slightly changing its direction and striking the black dragon¡¯s head with unerring accuracy. With a "boom"! The black dragon¡¯s head exploded, turning into a golden sun over a dozen feet in size, forcing back all the surrounding darkness, and with golden lightning shooting out from within the sun, striking buildings below and easily destroying large sections of them. The three adjacent Golden Crow Sword Rainbows also came slashing over, cutting the black dragon¡¯s carcass into several pieces, killing it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Perhaps it was the sheer might of Nie Caizhu¡¯s arrow, or perhaps it was the killing of the black dragon, but the surrounding dark beasts were all frightened away, not attacking immediately. Shen Luo recalled the three Sword Rainbows, looking at the golden great bow in Nie Caizhu¡¯s hands with a hint of surprise on his face. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the power of the golden light arrow, for Nie Caizhu had inherited Hou Yi¡¯s Power, and though she could only exert a small part of it at the moment, killing the black dragon was to be expected. What astonished him was that the arrow was able to change direction mid-flight. This place was under a prohibition that prevented the use of Divine Sense to guide the arrow¡¯s trajectory. Controlling Magical Treasures was acceptable because they had been long cultivated with Soul Imprints within, which the prohibitions here could not isolate. That golden arrow had formed in less than half a breath¡¯s time, impossible to have formed a Soul Imprint so quickly, and Shen Luo was quite certain that the arrow did not carry any of Nie Caizhu¡¯s divine sense power. "Just now, that arrow was called Shoot the Sun Supernatural Power. As long as the target is locked by ¡¯Golden Eyes,¡¯ the arrow I shoot will automatically lock onto them, not stopping until it hits," Nie Caizhu seemed to understand Shen Luo¡¯s surprise and explained calmly through a mental message. "Hou Yi¡¯s supernatural abilities are indeed extraordinary," Shen Luo nodded slightly. "It¡¯s a pity that the Ruo Mu Divine Bow was taken by Wu Luo. The Shoot the Sun Supernatural Power combined with the Ruo Mu Divine Bow can unleash its greatest strength," Nie Caizhu said calmly. "No matter, Wu Luo is here. We will just have to find a way to retrieve that Ruo Mu Divine Bow later," Shen Luo said with a slight smile, as if claiming the Ruo Mu Divine Bow would be as easy as lifting his hand. Nie Caizhu, upon hearing these words, was momentarily startled out of her indifferent expression. Just at this moment, the darkness around them grew deeper once again as hordes of dark beasts lunged towards them anew. Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened slightly as he swept his sleeve with a flick. Eight Chun Yang swords materialized and slashed outwards in all directions, each trembling before vanishing. The next moment, countless red Sword Qi appeared out of thin air, shooting out like a tide all around them, blocking the incoming dark beasts from reaching the outside. "Take these three golden arrows. Although the Golden Crow Souls inside them have been extracted, they still contain considerable power. Combined with your Hou Yi¡¯s Power, they should be able to display tremendous might," Shen Luo took out the three golden arrows and handed them to Nie Caizhu. Earlier, the Fire Spirit Child had used a new method to extract the Golden Crow Souls while consecrating the sword spirits, preserving the three golden arrows. Nie Caizhu¡¯s indifferent face showed a hint of joy as she took the golden arrows. With another flick of his sleeve, Shen Luo enveloped the remains of the pitch-black flood dragon in True Solar Fire. In the blink of an eye, it was turned entirely into ashes, leaving only a huge black dragon claw behind where Witchcraft Power surged, its might felt even from a great distance. This pitch-black flood dragon was the most powerful dark beast they had encountered so far, its strength undoubtedly reaching the True Immortal Level. The Witchcraft Power within its claw was also extremely potent, enough to refine a high-grade Magical Treasure if judged by the standards of equivalent Spiritual Materials. Shen Luo activated the Free and Easy Mirror, storing the dragon claw inside, as dazzling green light again radiated from his body. The dark beasts around them roared angrily, doubling their fierce attacks. The surrounding red Sword Qi was struggling to hold them back. Nie Caizhu let out a shout, the Golden Great Bow in her hands bursting with eye-blinding Golden Light. Numerous Golden Light Arrows whistled out, combining with the red Sword Qi to fend off the fierce onslaught of the dark beasts. "Swift!" Shen Luo quickly chanted Spells and performed hand seals, as flashes of green light began to flicker on his body, followed by the loud whooshing of nearly a hundred beams of green light shooting out in all directions, scattering across the dense cluster of buildings. Within the depths of the buildings was a vast Square, completely submerged in dense dark clouds from which waves of Witch Clan¡¯s Power surged. Many dark beasts crouched there, greedily sucking in the black mist of the land. These dark beasts were numerous, totaling over a hundred, each with considerable strength, their emanations of dark power not inferior to those at the Great Mahayana Stage. Out of them, three dark beasts were significantly larger than the others. One was a Two-Headed Dark Tiger, another a Dark Giant Lizard, and the last and most massive one, a Black Giant Spider sprawled on the ground. The dark aura on these three beasts was exceptionally strong, reaching the True Immortal Level, not at all weaker than the pitch-black flood dragon. In the Central Region of the square, a giant tomb-like dark building stood faintly visible, the dense dark mist gushing from within it. Engulfed in a thick darkness, the building slowly rotated, as though possessing a life of its own. Just at that moment, three balls of green light descended from the sky, landing on the square. Two were close to the Central Region, and another at the edge of the square. "Roar..." From within the darkness of the tomb building came a low growl, suddenly glowing with two red light groups that appeared to be two enormous eyes filled with rage. "Swoosh" "Swoosh" "Swoosh" Three sharp whistles! Three streams of dark Tentacles shot out rapidly from inside the tomb building, coiling towards those three balls of green light. The two balls of green light closer to the tomb were immediately wrapped by the tentacles and quickly dimmed into nothingness. The third ball of green light, being farther away, was caught by the fast-moving dark tentacles just an Instant too late, and as they were about to crush it too, At that moment, the green light ball suddenly intensified and swiftly expanded, with two figures emerging from within the green light ¡ª it was Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Chapter 1628 - 1624: Split Up and Fight Chapter 1628: Chapter 1624: Split Up and FightShen Luo¡¯s gaze swept around and he immediately stimulated the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns within his arms; a thick golden lightning burst out from the palm of his right hand, while his left hand shot out a golden flame, which was the True Solar Fire. Boom! Boom! Boom! The golden lightning and the True Solar Fire struck the dark tendrils simultaneously, creating a sound like muffled thunder. However, the dark tendrils showed no signs of dissipating. Instead, the black halo on them intensified, swallowing the golden lightning imbued with the power of Heavenly Thunder and the True Solar Fire, and lunged at Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu once again. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed abruptly, and he grabbed Nie Caizhu¡¯s body, as the purple lightning within their Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots surged with light. The two turned into a bolt of purple lightning, shooting out from the edge of the dark tendrils and landing a hundred feet away. Shen Luo had already refined all the prohibitions within the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots. Their speed was even faster than he expected, truly worthy of being an ancient divine item. "Graveyard! It seems that the entrance to the next level mentioned on the Stone Stele is right here!" he said with a joyful expression as his gaze rested on the Tomb Building not far away. "Be careful, there¡¯s a very powerful Dark Beast inside!" Nie Caizhu flew out from Shen Luo¡¯s arms and said with a flash of golden light in her eyes. As her words fell, an angry roar came from the tomb building, and five more black tendrils shot out, striking at the two with lightning speed. The previous three tendrils also lashed out like giant whips, viciously attacking. The Dark Beasts within the black fog on the Square also noticed Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu and rushed towards them, flanking them with the black tendrils. At the forefront were the three True Immortal Stage Dark Beasts. Shen Luo frowned. Although the Dark Beasts were formidable, there were ways to break through them. On the other hand, those dark tendrils were truly strange; even the Heavenly Tribulation¡¯s Gold Thunder and True Solar Fire were ineffective against them, which was alarming. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Cai Zhu, I¡¯ll hold off these tendrils. You quickly deal with those three True Immortal Stage Dark Beasts!" he said to Nie Caizhu and was about to rush towards the dark tendrils. These dark tendrils seemed to contain a strange swallowing power, but such divine powers usually had their limits. He planned to use the sixteen Pure Yang Swords to generate even more Sword Qi, not believing these tendrils could swallow it all. "No, these tendrils contain witchcraft power. I¡¯ll deal with them, cousin. You take care of those Dark Beasts!" Nie Caizhu said solemnly, and without waiting for Shen Luo to respond, she turned into a beam of golden light and pounced on the eight tendrils. "Cai Zhu, you..." Shen Luo was shocked and about to say something when the Dark Beasts had already pounced on them. With no other choice, he had to meet the battle head-on. With a flick of his sleeve, eleven Flying Swords whistled out, each bursting with dazzling sword light and rolling flames, forming an exceptionally brilliant Flame Sword Rainbow. Eleven Sword Rainbows converged, with seven of them manifesting sword spirits, their might terrifying to the extreme, as if Heaven and Earth were about to be cleaved apart. The three True Immortal Dark Beasts didn¡¯t dare to face this strike head-on and quickly dodged. However, the ordinary Dark Beasts behind them didn¡¯t react as quickly and were swept by the dozen Sword Rainbows. A pitiful scream resonated as over twenty Dark Beasts were engulfed by the Sword Rainbows, turning into ashes. Upon seeing this scene, a trace of fear flashed in the eyes of the three True Immortal Dark Beasts, yet they did not flee and instead launched their attacks. The Two-Headed Black Tiger opened its mouth and spewed out two silent black sound waves, aiming straight for Shen Luo¡¯s head. The Black Giant Lizard also opened its mouth, and a pitch-black Yin wind roared out, exuding astonishing coldness. Wherever it passed, the air twisted and blurred, as if it could freeze the Void itself. The largest Black Giant Spider¡¯s belly suddenly bulged, and a black spider web shot out from underneath it, aiming straight at Shen Luo. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and his right hand swiftly formed a spell gesture. In the void ahead, an extremely cold breath surged forth, and a huge blue Ice Wall appeared out of nowhere, colliding with the attacks of the three beasts. The Black Sound Waves and pitch-black Yin Wind hit the inside of the Ice Wall, immediately vanishing without a trace, having no effect whatsoever. As for the Black Giant Spider¡¯s web, it struck the Ice Wall and was instantly frozen by the cold air seeping from within the wall, transforming into a blue Ice Net. Shen Luo formed spell gestures with both hands, and ten Pure Yang Swords scattered around him, hovering in various places above the Square, spinning rapidly to form ten Golden Sword Wheels. In the blink of an eye, the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array was set up, encompassing most of the Dark Beasts in the Square, and not a single one of the three True Immortal Dark Beasts was left out of the Sword Array¡¯s engulfment. Shen Luo formed a spell with one hand and fiercely activated the Golden Sword Array. Dazzling Golden Light instantly filled the entire Sword Array, leaving no trace of shadows. These Dark Beasts had tricky Escape Techniques, and even with Shen Luo¡¯s ability, it was difficult to detect them; however, this Shadow Escaping technique had a significant weakness - it required darkness, shadows, and such. Once the Golden Sword Array was deployed, all darkness was eradicated, and all the Dark Beasts were immediately imprisoned here. The Dark Beasts inside the Formation were greatly alarmed and unable to use their Escape Techniques, so they had no choice but to scatter and fly outwards. "Die!" Murderous intent surged in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, and his ten fingers moved rapidly to form spell gestures. The light from the ten Golden Sword Wheels suddenly intensified, and countless Golden Light Swords burst down, engulfing the bodies of those Dark Beasts. Shrill screams rang out as the weaker Dark Beasts were easily penetrated by the Swords of Light, their bodies instantly turning into ashes. Those slightly stronger did not fall immediately but were all wounded nonetheless. Only the three True Immortal Dark Beasts, sensing danger, exhaled three streams of Black Qi from their mouths, just in time to protect their bodies. This Black Qi was as dark as ink, somewhat similar to the Dark Tentacles that emerged from the Tomb Building, and when the Golden Light Swords struck it, their Sword bodies quickly dulled and then, like mud oxen into the sea, were swallowed by the Black Qi. Nevertheless, the power of the Golden Sword Array was immense, and much of the Black Qi was vaporized. The dense Golden Light Swords continued to howl down, and the protective Black Qi around the three beasts visibly thinned at a speed noticeable to the naked eye, with its complete collapse being only a matter of time. With the Dark Beasts in the area now suppressed, Shen Luo finally had a moment to spare, and his gaze swept towards Nie Caizhu to the side. Nie Caizhu pushed the power of Hou Yi to its limit, her entire being enveloped in blinding golden light, darting back and forth through the Mountain Cave faster than lightning, wielding the Golden Great Bow and clashing head-on with those black tendrils, creating a series of loud bangs, and single-handedly blocking all eight tendrils, not allowing them to advance a step further. These dark tendrils could devour all manner of supernatural abilities, yet they seemed ineffective against Nie Caizhu. "Could it be that those Dark Tentacles cannot devour the witch power of Hou Yi?" Shen Luo was pleasantly surprised by his observation but soon realized that this was not the case. Each time Nie Caizhu and the tendrils collided, a layer of white light emerged on her, which was the power of the Candle Jiuyin Bloodline within her, resisting the devouring by the Dark Tentacles. Although the white light would immediately vanish after repelling the Dark Tentacles each time, Nie Caizhu¡¯s breath still weakened rapidly, and she would not be able to sustain it for long. Chapter 1629 - 1625: Dark Beast King Chapter 1629: Chapter 1625: Dark Beast KingShen Luo was acutely aware of the toll time divine ability took on Nie Caizhu, and in urgency, disregarded the drain of his own mana to push the capabilities of the Golden Sword Array to their utmost limit. The ten groups of sword wheels shone even more brilliantly, suddenly bursting into multicolored flames ¨C these were the Heavenly Fire contained within the Pure Yang Sword. The ten groups of sword wheels instantly turned into ten small suns, and each sword of light that flew down was imbued with Spirit Fire, greatly enhancing their power by several times. The dark beasts that were struggling to hold on could no longer withstand the assault, pierced one by one by the flaming swords of light, their bodies igniting in multicolored flames, and in mere moments, all turned into ashes, leaving only three True Immortal dark beasts within the sword formation. The Black Qi on the surfaces of these three dark beasts began to collapse at a rate several times faster than before, leaving only a thin layer after just a few breaths, looking as if it would dissolve completely at any moment. The three beasts showed signs of panic, exchanged glances, and then pounced in the same direction. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly; although he didn¡¯t know what these three dark beasts were planning, they were clearly making a desperate last stand, and he could not let them have their way. The sword technique he was performing changed, and burning swords of light quickly converged, forming a sword Qi light curtain in the blink of an eye, blocking in front of the three dark beasts, isolating the Two-Headed Black Tiger Dark Beast to one side. This beast slammed into the sword qi light curtain with a "bang," its massive body being knocked back. Shen Luo was about to form another sword Qi light curtain to separate the Black Giant Lizard and the Black Giant Spider but was a step too late; the two dark beasts had already leapt together, their bodies merging like liquid, causing the Black Qi on their surfaces to swell dramatically. "The dark beasts have such a merging ability?" A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes, yet he didn¡¯t concern himself with it, pointing a finger towards the isolated Two-Headed Black Tiger. The direction of the falling burning swords shifted instantly, all striking towards the Two-Headed Black Tiger, forming a mighty sword Qi river that engulfed its figure. The body of the Two-Headed Black Tiger burst with a "puff," and then was completely shattered by the sword Qi river, with none of its body parts, infused with Witchcraft Power, left behind. Shen Luo led with a sword technique, and the direction of the sword Qi river shifted, slashing entirely onto the merged dark beast, overwhelming it. The Black Giant Lizard and the Black Giant Spider, having merged, were much more powerful, but still far inferior compared to the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array. The dense Black Qi that had just risen started to collapse and scatter rapidly again. "Roar!" "Squeak!" Two shrill screams came from within the Black Qi. The beasts performed some divine ability, and the Black Qi suddenly expanded and spun like a vortex. Although it still couldn¡¯t withstand the sword Qi river, the speed at which the Black Qi weakened was significantly reduced. Impatience flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. With a flip of his hand, he took out an object ¨C it was the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan. He aimed it at the merged dark beast and fanned it vigorously. The situation on Nie Caizhu¡¯s side was urgent, and he did not want to waste a moment¡¯s time. A "boom" resounded! Five streams of Heavenly Fire burst forth, forming a massive five-colored flame pillar, ferociously striking against the merged dark beast, burning away all the Black Qi on its surface with an overwhelming force, revealing a merged body halfway between a lizard and a spider, utterly grotesque in appearance. A sea of five-colored flames enveloped the merged dark beast, the sword Qi river roared in, slicing into the flames. Heart-wrenching screams rang out, followed by rapid weakening and disappearance. Under the combined assault of the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan and the Golden Sword Array, the merged dark beast was utterly destroyed, not leaving a trace behind. Mowing down the dark beasts on the Square as if they were mere vegetables, Shen Luo had also expended over half of his mana, his complexion turning slightly pale. However, he simply took out an Immortal Crystal and held it in his hand, absorbing the pure Spiritual Power within to recover his mana, and immediately rushed toward Nie Caizhu¡¯s location. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Accompanying his flight, the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array rumbled in that direction as well, like a golden giant maw biting towards the Tomb Building. Nie Caizhu strained to resist the dark tendrils with her Time Divine Ability, clearly struggling, but her eyes brightened at the sight of how quickly Shen Luo had dispatched the Dark Beasts in the Square. "Fire Rain Slash!" Shen Luo shouted lowly, drawing his hands through the air. Countless flaming Sword Qi rained down, covering the sky and land, aiming to completely destroy the Tomb Building with unmatched power. Within the Tomb Building, a pair of blood-red massive eyes flashed with a hint of shock and fury. The dark tendrils attacking Nie Caizhu drew back and whipped out like giant whips towards the descending sword rain, creating numerous afterimages and sweeping away the entire sky full of Sword Light. At this moment, Shen Luo could clearly see the true form of the creature within the Tomb Building. It was a monstrous entity towering over a dozen feet tall, half-human and half-lion, its neck covered with pitch-black thick manes that looked both eerie and majestic. Apart from its blood-red eyes, the lion¡¯s head also boasted two additional pairs of eyes, located one pair above and one below the first, though all were tightly closed. The space inside the Tomb Building was not small. It was a gigantic stone great hall that spanned two to three hundred feet. Next to the half-human, half-lion monster sat an ancient altar, very similar to one Shen Luo had seen in the Netherworld before. The entire altar was covered in black lines, appearing to be some sort of prohibition from the Witch Clan. At the top was a square stone platform. An old black mirror stood on the stone platform, its surface also faintly adorned with black patterns, connected and integral with the stone platform. Thick black light emanated from the Black Ancient Mirror. The eight dark tendrils outside were actually shooting out from this old mirror, and the half-human monster had one palm pressed on the mirror¡¯s surface, half of the hand seemingly absorbed into it, as if it was swallowed by the mirror. This half-human monster possessed an immense aura that had already reached the Taiyi Level, far surpassing the three True Immortal Dark Beasts outside. This creature was none other than the Dark Beast King that dominated this area and commanded an array of Dark Beasts. It had a significant connection with the ancient mirror, which allowed it to barely harness the divine might of this treasure. For this reason, the Dark Beast King¡¯s body was also integrated with the Black Ancient Mirror, unable to leave the great hall to confront the enemy, and could only helplessly watch as Shen Luo slaughtered all its subordinates. Shen Luo, witnessing this scene, was momentarily stunned. He had launched the Sword Array attack on the Tomb Building, merely trying to break open the roof to glimpse the interior situation. He did not expect the Dark Beast inside to go to great lengths to protect this great hall, which was beyond his expectations. Since the opponent cared so much about this great hall, dealing with it just got a lot easier. He formed a diagram with his hands to activate the Sword Array, and an even greater torrent of sword rain once again assaulted the Tomb Building. Sure enough, the eight tendrils waved repeatedly, bringing up gusts of wind, forming a giant black net that blocked the torrent of sword rain thoroughly. "So it¡¯s true, this great hall really is important to the Dark Beast," Shen Luo realized as his strategy proved successful, continuing to drive the Sword Array down while a yellow shadow flickered behind him, and then disappeared from sight. The Dark Beast King, while using the dark tendrils to block the sword light, was seething with rage inside. This Tomb Building was replete with prohibitions, closely connected with the altar and the ancient mirror, forming a Witch Clan Array that allowed the activation of this ancient mirror. If the building collapsed or the prohibitions were damaged, the ancient mirror would lose its effectiveness, leaving it no choice but to strive to defend against the onslaught. Just then, lightning flashed at the entrance of the great hall. A bolt of purple thunder flew in, revealing Shen Luo¡¯s figure. Without the slightest delay in his movements, Shen Luo flipped his hand and summoned the Profound Yellow Staff, exerting his full strength to launch the Splashy Chaotic Stick technique. A mountain of stick shadows hit the Dark Beast King. Before they even landed, an overwhelming heavy force that could squeeze the skies was already pressing down upon it. Outside the great hall, the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array was still running at full force, with countless sword rain striking the great hall, and Nie Caizhu also activated Hou Yi¡¯s Power, shooting numerous light arrows at the Tomb Building. The eight dark tendrils could only fully resist, unable to retract back into the hall to fend off the enemy. Chapter 1630 - 1626: Stealth Assault Chapter 1630: Chapter 1626: Stealth AssaultThe Dark Beast King, utterly constrained and enraged to the point of frenzy, suddenly lashed out with a punch towards the shadowy stick shadows in mid air. A hall-sized black fist shadow collided with the shadowy mountain of sticks. Contrary to expectation, the anticipated earth-shattering boom did not occur. Instead, as soon as the stick shadow and the pitch-black fist shadow touched, they vanished without a trace just like clay oxen disappearing into the sea. "The fist shadow also possesses that bizarre devouring power?" Shen Luo¡¯s face revealed a hint of surprise. Purple lightning flickered beneath his feet as he once again transformed into purple thunder, and in the next moment he darted to the side of the Dark Beast King. But the beast suddenly looked over and let out a sharp screech. A mass of visible black sound waves surged out furiously. As soon as it left its mouth, it erupted with the roaring and buzzing of giant waves, sweeping towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo didn¡¯t expect the beast to react so quickly, but he wasn¡¯t flustered either, reaching out with one hand into the void. A flash of red light, and a crimson-glowing longsword instantly appeared, on which the Vermilion Bird Illusion flickered¡ªit was the Pure Yang Sword of the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit. He grabbed the sword with his five fingers and gave his wrist a slight flick, immediately sending out waves of Crimson Sword Qi like mountains rolling down, fiercely slashing upon the black sound waves. These black sound waves, like the previous fist shadows, possessed a strong devouring power. The large swathes of Crimson Sword Qi disappeared upon contact with them. However, this Pure Yang Sword had previously absorbed a large amount of magma true fire, greatly increasing its power. The release of Crimson Sword Qi was simply too abundant. The black sound waves only devoured a fraction, and the remaining Sword Qi continued to cascade down towards the Dark Beast King. The entire great hall was submerged in the blindingly bright light of Sword Qi, nearly driving away all darkness. Shen Luo altered his hand seals, and suddenly, two types of red true fire surged atop the Crimson Sword Qi. One was the Vermilion Bird True Fire, which emitted an extremely high temperature that made the void in the great hall tremble; the other, though also red, had scarcely any heat to it. Within the Red Flames, countless divine souls could be seen struggling in agony, sending shivers down one¡¯s spine¡ªthis was the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. The two kinds of true fire, one Yin and one Yang, instead of clashing, complemented each other and their power increased dramatically. The beast displayed an expression of shock and anger, spewing a mouthful of pitch-black essence blood into the Black Ancient Mirror. The Black Ancient Mirror trembled with a buzzing sound, and a beam of black light shot out from within the mirror, merging into the body of the Dark Beast King. Its entire body emanated dense black light that submerged its original appearance. Countless Sword Qi slashed upon the beast, all vanishing without effect, unable to wield the slightest power. Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened, and he hastily made hand seals, pointing at the Pure Yang Sword, which flew back from amidst the sky full of Sword Qi, with the rest of Sword Qi dissipating. The black light on the surface of the Dark Beast King quickly faded away, its arms once again submerged into the Black Ancient Mirror to some extent, its expression full of exhaustion, clearly indicating the hefty toll of the spellcasting it had just performed. But at this moment, the void behind it fluctuated, and a yellow silhouette appeared out of nowhere¡ªit was the Sky Fiend Corpse King, wielding the Turn Sky Seal and smashing it forward. The Turn Sky Seal, with a flash of spiritual light, suddenly enlarged a hundredfold, turning into a hall-sized massive seal, and ferociously smashed down upon the Black Ancient Mirror on the altar. "Sky Fiend Corpse King! These Dark Beasts hide within darkness and are extremely sensitive to the perception of Qi, how did you manage to have the Sky Fiend Corpse King sneak up on them?" Inside the Carefree Mirror, Fire Spirit Child flew out from the Netherworld Furnace, revealing a look of astonishment on his face. Flames surged around him, and he appeared to have fully recovered. "Fire Daoist friend, you¡¯re awake? These Dark Beasts indeed use the power of shadow to sense Qi, and are far more proficient than other mystical powers. However, this technique has a significant drawback: it relies too heavily on the power of darkness. Once we clear away the darkness, this ability of theirs is greatly compromised," Shen Luo, sensing Fire Spirit Child¡¯s awakening, revealed a hint of joy in his eyes as he communicated telepathically. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So that¡¯s how it is; the widespread sword qi just now wasn¡¯t aimed at attacking the Dark Beast, but was a cover for your Sky Fiend Corpse King," Fire Spirit Child suddenly realized. The Dark Beast King was also shocked by how this corpse refinement had infiltrated unnoticed, wanting to make a move to stop it, but it was already too late. The Turn Sky Seal fell like a meteorite on the altar, emitting a thunderous noise that shook the earth and heavens. The entire Hall violently shook, and countless lines of black light emerged on the surrounding walls, preventing them from collapsing, with numerous fragments of stone and dust raining down. The altar itself did not shatter either, as strands of black light burst forth, resisting the stomp of the Turn Sky Seal. However, the Dark Beast King next to the old mirror was flattened, turning into a pool of black mush, and was then blasted away in the interweaving and clashing of red and black light, hitting the nearby wall. Without the Dark Beast King¡¯s control, all the light on the black ancient mirror dissipated, returning it to an ordinary mirror, and the eight dark tentacles outside the great hall also vanished in a flash. Shen Luo was surprised to see that this seemingly ordinary great hall could withstand the stomp of the Turn Sky Seal. However, he had achieved his goal of separating the Dark Beast King from the black ancient mirror, turned around, and pounced toward the pool of black mush that the Dark Beast King had become, swiftly forming hand seals. A "boom" sounded from the top of the great hall, and ten crimson sword lights penetrated through, exactly the ten Pure Yang Swords from outside, striking the black mush like lightning, rapidly rotating and coalescing once again into the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array. Although the Dark Beast King was turned into mush, it had not perished, it rapidly squirmed, about to reconstitute itself. But then, countless burning golden light swords shot down like a furious torrent, striking upon the Dark Beast King¡¯s body, instantly riddling it with a thousand holes. The rear wall was also blasted open, revealing a Big Hole with hidden black patterns within the debris. Shen Luo also rushed over, flipping his hand to take out an ancient-looking feather fan, precisely the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, and forcefully fanned it towards the Dark Beast King. A howling five-colored flame pillar shot out, striking the Dark Beast King¡¯s shattered body, blasting it away. A dull "boom" was heard, the flame pillar turned into a five-colored Sea of Flames, engulfing the Dark Beast King¡¯s body, and everything within the range of the flames were instantly incinerated. The connection between the Dark Beast King and the black ancient mirror was forcibly severed by the Turn Sky Seal, causing it to lose a great deal of vitality. Now being struck successively by the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array and the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, its body finally began to collapse, and dark forces started to seep out, soon to be completely burnt away by the five-colored flames, with its vitality rapidly depleting and on the brink of being utterly scorched to death. Naturally, the beast was not willing to die just like that, and let out an enraged roar, spewing out a stream of ink-like Black Qi. This Black Qi was identical to the black light emitted by the old mirror; the formidable power of the surrounding five-colored flames, though terrifying, was consumed as soon as it touched it, disappearing without a trace. The Dark Beast King found a moment¡¯s respite and its body quickly reformed. All six eyes on its face opened simultaneously, shooting out six beams of blood light. The blood light soon coalesced into one, forming a thick Blood-colored light pillar. The surrounding space subtly twisted, easily piercing through the five-colored Sea of Flames, and even the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array outside was pierced through with a "pfft" by the blood light. Immediately after, a shadow shot out from within the Blood-colored light pillar, revealing the body of the Dark Beast King. This series of changes was as fast as a rabbit darting out of its burrow and a falcon swooping down, so quick that even Shen Luo couldn¡¯t prevent it. Chapter 1631 - 1627: Deadly Arrow Chapter 1631: Chapter 1627: Deadly ArrowShen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted as he lightly tapped the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array with a magic spell, and the Sword Array immediately enveloped the Dark Beast King once again. His feet, adorned with the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, emitted a bright purple lightning, propelling him swiftly towards the Dark Beast King. At this moment, the Dark Beast King, without any hesitation, suddenly transformed into a black shadow and darted towards a dim corner of the great hall. Although it was a Taiyi Realm Dark Beast, today it faced a cruel fate, having suffered major damage before it could exert any strength, leaving it with merely about 20 to 30 percent of its combat power, no match for Shen Luo. However, the entire fourth level of the Tianyan Palace was filled with the power of darkness. As long as it could escape, it was confident in recovering quickly. At that time, it would show Shen Luo how formidable it was! The black light on the body of the Dark Beast King intensified, and its speed increased by nearly half, surprisingly faster than the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots. Seeing this, Shen Luo panicked. The entire fourth level was filled with dark zones. If the Dark Beast King escaped, it would be impossible to capture again, potentially leading to endless troubles. He suddenly channeled all his Mana, pouring it vigorously into the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, along with the Golden Lightning power from his arms. Rumble! The Thunder and Lightning on the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots surged wildly, with streaks of Purple Thunder blooming like brilliant fireworks, engulfing his body. With a thunderous blast, Shen Luo¡¯s figure disappeared from its original spot, instantaneously appearing right in front of the Dark Beast King in the next moment. He froze completely, unsure of what had just happened. The Dark Beast King also stood there, dumbfounded, not understanding why Shen Luo had suddenly appeared in front of it. "Did I just use the legendary Thunder Escape?" Sensing the rapidly operating Thunder and Lightning Prohibition inside the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on his feet, Shen Luo reacted first, overwhelmed with joy. The Thunder Escape Technique is the fastest and most mystical Escape Technique in the world, like the Wind Escape, it requires Bloodline Power or innate God¡¯s Powers for cultivation. It turns out that the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, similar to the Pacing Azure Cloud Boots, possess this Escape Technique. Previously, when Wanshui Zhenren possessed these boots, he had never displayed the Thunder Escape God¡¯s Power. It seems normal Mana cannot activate the contained Escape Art; it specifically requires the power of Thunder and Lightning. With excitement in his heart, Shen Luo did not delay his actions, his Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan radiating bright light, fiercely fanning again. A phoenix cry that seemed to reach the heavens rang out, followed by a gigantic Five-Color Fire Phoenix that burst forth from the fan, striking the Dark Beast King. The just-reformed figure of the Dark Beast King was once again savagely smashed, nearly halved, and then with a "boom," a surge of a Five-colored Sea of Flames emerged, engulfing its body. Unlike before, many mysterious runes appeared within this Sea of Flames, swirling continuously. These runes seemed ordinary, yet they held terrifying Spiritual Pressure, making it difficult for one to breathe, instilling fear and dread. Within the Sea of Flames, the body of the Dark Beast King rapidly disintegrated, visibly shrinking. The beast displayed a look of frightened anger, about to spray out devouring Black Qi again to isolate the surrounding flames, but a flash of black magic light passed around its body. Five Black Magic Rings emerged and wrapped around its neck and limbs, which were none other than the Nine Nether Demon Rings. The five rings abruptly tightened, deeply embedding into the flesh, freezing the body of the Dark Beast King, and its internal dark force was also confined. A piercing shriek came from above as numerous Golden Light Swords swooshed over¡ªit was the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array rushing over, piercing the body of the Dark Beast King with thousands of holes in the Sea of Flames. Shen Luo formed magic spells with his hands and pointed, two several-meter long golden sword lights streaked across the neck of the Dark Beast King, severing its head. Even so, the Dark Beast King did not perish yet. The bisected body "plopped" into two pools of liquid-like Black Qi, which merged together. Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened, he was about to activate the Golden Sword Array to completely burn away the Black Qi when suddenly a sharp pain struck his Dantian, and the Mana inside was already entirely depleted. The series of battles just now had been too intense, and he hadn¡¯t noticed the depletion of his Mana. "Not good! Mana is exhausted at such a critical moment!" He immediately took out two Immortal Crystals and absorbed the Spiritual Power within them. The Spiritual Power within the Immortal Crystals was incredibly pure, but transforming it into Mana needed time, and now there was no time to spare. With the depletion of Mana, the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array quickly dimmed, and the Five-colored Sea of Flames also loosened up. The king of the Dark Beasts, already in despair, had turned into a liquid state just wanting to barely survive a bit longer, yet it did not expect such a turn of events from Shen Luo outside, and it was overjoyed. A Blood-colored Light Pillar, much smaller than before, struggled to penetrate through the Five-colored Sea of Flames and the Pure Yang Sword Array, shooting towards the shadow in front. At this moment, with his Mana exhausted, Shen Luo could only watch helplessly as all of this unfolded, unable to stop it. Just at this moment, Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure shot into the great hall from the entrance, her eyes emitting a terrifying golden light, and the large bow in her hands burst out with a sky-reaching golden brilliance, drawn to a full moon. The bow was fitted with a Golden Arrow, but it was not a spirit arrow condensed by witchcraft power, but the Houyi Golden Arrow that Shen Luo had previously given her. "Shriek" Nie Caizhu released her hand, and the golden arrow turned into a phantom light, as if tearing open the void, emitting an extremely sharp and piercing twang as it shot through the Blood-colored Light Pillar. At the sound, the Blood-colored Light Pillar collapsed, and a black figure emerged from it, the Dark Beast King, with a hole as large as a washbasin pierced through its lower abdomen. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The body of the Dark Beast King stood stiff there, as if all its strength was drained, struggling to look down at its lower abdomen once, its six blood-red eyes showing despair, and its body burst with a bang, dissipating into a mass of Black Qi. However, a string of blood-red objects fell from the Black Qi, which were the six blood-colored eyeballs of the Dark Beast King, "bang bang" several fell to the ground. Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief, turned over his hand to put away the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan, and the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array also thunderously collapsed, transforming into ten Pure Yang swords flying into his body. He fell to the ground, his figure staggering slightly. "Cousin, are you alright?" Nie Caizhu flew over and landed beside Shen Luo. Her body¡¯s golden light also rapidly faded, returning to its original form, and her tone and expression reverted to normal. "It¡¯s just that the Mana is completely depleted, nothing else." Shen Luo took out a Restoration Pill, silently operated his Skills to refine it, and waved his hand. Nie Caizhu chanted softly, pointed at Shen Luo, a green light entered his body, it was the Healing Secret Technique from Mount Putuo: Delivering Sentient Beings. A rapidly flickering green light appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s body, Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi quickly gathering around, continuously poured into his body transforming into Mana. His Mana quickly recovered, and by the time the green light completely disappeared, his Mana had surprisingly recovered by nearly half. Nie Caizhu sensed the change in Shen Luo¡¯s aura, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, seemingly not very satisfied with the recovery of his Mana. The recovery God¡¯s Power of Mount Putuo primarily relies on drawing external Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to restore oneself or others, and since the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi here is sparse, the effectiveness of the Delivering Sentient Beings recovery is not very good. Chapter 1632 - 1628: Old Mirror Kunlun Chapter 1632: Chapter 1628: Old Mirror Kunlun"Cai Zhu, your proficiency in the Salvation of All Beings secret method has improved significantly," said Shen Luo, who was not dissatisfied, and looked at Nie Caizhu with her normal breath, happily. Salvation of All Beings mainly draws on the spiritual energy from outside to recover, but it also consumes a significant amount of the practitioner¡¯s energy. Every time Nie Caizhu used this divine ability in the past, it cost her a lot. Now that she has advanced to the Late True Immortal Stage, she can cast it with ease, and it seems to have almost no effect on her. "With my current cultivation level, it¡¯s indeed easy to perform the Salvation of All Beings," recited Nie Caizhu the spells, then cast Salvation of All Beings again. The green light flickered on Shen Luo¡¯s body, and when the effect of the God¡¯s Power faded, his mana had already recovered by a large extent. Nie Caizhu was about to perform Salvation of All Beings for the third time, but Shen Luo stopped her with a raised palm. "That¡¯s enough, Cai Zhu. You¡¯ve also consumed a lot in activating the Time Divine Ability just now. I can recover the remaining mana on my own," Shen Luo said. Nie Caizhu stopped as told and looked up at the altar inside the great hall. "Just now, we had a fierce battle with the Dark Beast, causing quite a commotion. If Che Qingtian, Wu Luo, and others have also reached the Fourth Level, they might have noticed this place by now. Cai Zhu, take that Black Ancient Mirror, and let¡¯s quickly find the entrance to the Fifth Layer," Shen Luo said. Nie Caizhu nodded, her figure moved, flying towards the altar. Shen Luo walked up to the six blood-red eyeballs and gathered them with a wave of his sleeve. These six eyeballs all emitted a strange aura, mixed with the fluctuation of Witchcraft Power. "Young Master Shen, give me those blood-red eyeballs! They seem to contain the Power of Space, an opportunity that cannot be missed," said the Fire Spirit Child excitedly from inside the Carefree Mirror. Hearing this, Shen Luo gave all six eyeballs and the Witchcraft materials previously obtained to the Fire Spirit Child. "These materials also contain powerful Witchcraft power; where did you get them from?" The Fire Spirit Child was surprised and delighted at the sight of so many materials. "I got them after slaying the Dark Beast here. Do you think these things can be used to refine Magical Treasures?" Shen Luo asked. "Of course, they can. The Netherworld Furnace currently houses a mass of Zhurong Witch Fire, which can refine Witch Clan Magical Treasures. I¡¯ve always wanted to try my hand at refining some Witch Weapons, but I lacked the proper materials. Now that there¡¯s so much here, I can finally have my fill," said the Fire Spirit Child, rubbing his hands together, with an unmistakable excitement in his tone. Shen Luo heard this and suddenly raised his eyebrows, falling into silence. "What? Do you have something else to say?" The Fire Spirit Child asked upon seeing Shen Luo¡¯s expression. "Fire Daoist friend, are you adept at refining Array Tools?" Shen Luo continued to be silent for a while, then looked up and asked. "Of course, an Artifact Refiner spends a lifetime dealing with all manner of Formation Restrictions and Arrays, refining Array Tools is just a piece of cake for us. What kind of Array Tools do you want me to refine for you?" said the Fire Spirit Child. "I once had the fortune to witness one of the ancient top ten formations, the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation, and I still remember most of the prohibitions inside the twelve-sided Array Flags. This Formation is related to the Witch Clan, and these materials are perfect for refining it. I¡¯ll write down the Array Techniques I recall; can you refine a set of All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation?" Shen Luo said. "What! You¡¯ve seen the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation? After the Zhulu War, this ancient and odd formation has vanished from the world; where did you see such a Formation?" asked the Fire Spirit Child with widened eyes, in disbelief. "A long time ago, I saw it in an Ancient Relic Site, but unfortunately, that place has collapsed and can no longer be entered. At that time, there were other divine prohibitions, making it impossible to bring the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation with me," said Shen Luo. What he didn¡¯t voice was that it wasn¡¯t just the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation; he had also seen the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation, and he even knew its location! "Young Master Shen, your luck really makes others envious. I have spent who knows how much effort searching for the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation, but to no avail. I never expected that you would stumble upon it unintentionally! Quickly, give me the details of the formation that you remember. Only after I have had a look can I determine if it can be successfully refined." Fire Spirit Child sighed and then urged him. Shen Luo took out a White Jade Slip, which contained the details of the prohibition of the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation that he remembered, and sent it to the Carefree Mirror. In the Dream World before, after obtaining the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation, he had pondered over it thoughtfully. Considering to bring it back to the real world, he deliberately memorized the prohibitions of the formation. However, the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation was too complex, and he was not an expert in Array Techniques. Despite his efforts to remember, he had still only memorized it fragmentarily. In order to prevent forgetting over time, Shen Luo had long since recorded the details of the All Heaven Gods Evil Formation in the jade slip. Fire Spirit Child immediately snatched the jade slip, his Divine Sense delving into it. His face showed a look of fascination, and he made unconscious sounds, completely immersed, as if he wouldn¡¯t rest until he had fully understood it. Seeing this, Shen Luo withdrew his Divine Sense from the Carefree Mirror and began to inspect the situation around the great hall. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He quickly scrutinized the surroundings of the great hall but found no hidden passageways or mechanisms. Then, he turned his attention to the altar and raised an eyebrow. Nie Caizhu was standing in front of the Stone Platform at the top of the altar, sending out a sheet of Golden Light with both hands, engulfing the Black Ancient Mirror. It seemed that she was refining this object. "Cai Zhu, why are you refining this ancient mirror at this moment?" Shen Luo flew to Nie Caizhu¡¯s side. "This Kunlun Mirror is connected to the Witch text on the altar. It cannot be taken unless it is refined," Cai Zhu said, continuing her spellcasting without stopping. "This item is called the Kunlun Mirror? You recognize it?" Shen Luo asked in surprise, for he had found no markings or text on this black ancient mirror. "I don¡¯t recognize it, but when my hand touched it, the name of this ancient mirror automatically surfaced in my mind. This mirror is a Witch Clan Magical Treasure; perhaps God Hou Yi or Ancestral Witch Zhu Jiuyin has seen it before," Cai Zhu explained. A flicker of peculiarity passed through Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. Fire Spirit Child had told him that the inheritance of the Witch Tribe¡¯s bloodline was different from other races, as they not only passed down power but also a wealth of knowledge. "Then you take your time refining it; leave the rest to me." He spoke briefly and started to search for a Passageway around the altar, soon making a discovery. He came to the front end of the altar and pressed down a square boulder. A series of "clack clack" mechanical sounds rang out as the boulder sunk downward. Following that, the whole front end of the altar split open, revealing a staircase leading deep underground. At the bottom of the staircase, a white light gate flickered, indicating the entrance to the Fifth Layer. Shen Luo¡¯s face lit up with joy. He looked towards Nie Caizhu, who was still refining the mirror, with clusters of Golden Light quickly seeping into the mirror. The black Witch text on the Stone Platform below gradually brightened, possibly a sign of nearing successful refinement. He did not speak to disturb Nie Caizhu, but instead sat down cross-legged, his gaze flickering incessantly. Before, when he was Outside the Dark City, his spells could sense the presence of the corpse being refined, but upon coming here, the presence of the corpse completely disappeared. "What¡¯s going on?" Shen Luo murmured to himself, then shook his head, no longer pondering the matter, and began to restore his Mana. Chapter 1633 - 1629: Seizing the Mirror Chapter 1633: Chapter 1629: Seizing the MirrorAt this moment, on the third layer of Tianyan Palace, two figures were crossing the Lava River; they were Che Qingtian and Yan Lie. Hovering above their heads was a Treasure Pagoda, engulfed in golden flames¡ªit was the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. The pagoda emitted a golden light curtain, isolating the scorching flames around them. Che Qingtian and Yan Lie had torn clothes and were half-drenched in blood, looking extremely ragged. "Damn Wu Luo, setting up a Demonic Array to ambush us. If I encounter her again, I will make her pay!" Yan Lie said hatefully. Che Qingtian was not as agitated, forming a hand seal and casting a white light that entered the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower above his head. Seeing this, a flash of anger crossed Yan Lie¡¯s eyes, but he said nothing. After Wanshui Zhenren¡¯s death at the hands of Shen Luo, Yan Lie alone was no match for Che Qingtian and was ordered around by him. The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower had also been seized by Che Qingtian for his refinement. Yan Lie was angry but dared not speak out. He deeply regretted agreeing to join forces with Che Qingtian, but it was too late now. Since a significant part of the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower was in the other¡¯s hands, even if he deliberately violated the rules to teleport away, he would lose the pagoda and had no choice but to silently suffer the bitter fruit of his past actions. A stream of golden light shot from the base of the tower, wrapping around the golden flames within the Lava River and absorbing them completely. The prohibition within the tower roared to life, and after several breaths, a golden light burst forth from inside, splitting into two and entering both their bodies. Their aura gradually strengthened, and their mana was quickly fully restored. "Thank goodness for these magma golden flames, otherwise we would¡¯ve been in real trouble," Che Qingtian said with a nod. "What should we do next?" Yan Lie glanced at the Lava River and asked. "We set off immediately. Wu Luo set this trap to delay us, which means she must be up to something. We have to catch up with them as quickly as possible!" Che Qingtian stated decisively. Yan Lie nodded in agreement, and the two of them hurried forward. Time trickled away, moment by moment. Nie Caizhu was still concentrating on refining the Black Ancient Mirror, while Shen Luo was guarding her. The entire Dark City was so eerily quiet that it made one¡¯s heart skip a beat. Although Shen Luo had managed to recuperate his mana through the consumption of Elixirs, he still felt somewhat uneasy. The rule of this city was not to stay in the darkness, which gave people the subconscious impression that danger could burst forth from the shadows at any moment, forcing them to keep their nerves taut. Just then, strange fluctuations came from the black Stone Platform on the altar, and the surface of the closely connected Black Ancient Mirror began to flake off like rust. "Is the refining complete?" While Shen Luo was puzzled, his expression suddenly changed drastically. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From behind the broken walls outside the altar, a dark silhouette suddenly burst forth, moving so fast that even Shen Luo almost failed to see it clearly. His Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was already in operation, and his figure instantly flickered, darting in front of Nie Caizhu. He flipped his wrist, gripping the Profound Yellow Staff tightly and thrusting it fiercely into the void in front of him. With a "clang" sound, sparks flew in the void. The dark silhouette was picked off by his staff and tumbled in mid-air, flipping over to land on a piece of broken wall, looking at Shen Luo with arms crossed. Shen Luo saw that it was a young man in a black robe, with two metallic Sharp Claws emitting a faint green glow on his crossed hands, eyeing him with a skeptical look. "You can see my movements?" the Black-robed Youth asked. Shen Luo didn¡¯t answer, instead focusing his gaze in front, and spreading out his Divine Sense to probe the surroundings. The Black-robed Youth didn¡¯t take offense at his silence, just staring at his eyes and saying softly, "Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, what a pity, it¡¯s not fully matured yet." As soon as the words left his mouth, a ghostly light suddenly flickered on his body. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze also jumped, subconsciously preparing to defend against an attack, but to his surprise, the black-robed youth stayed put, not moving an inch. While he was puzzled, he suddenly felt a chill on his neck and almost instinctively dodged to the side. At that moment, a slight whooshing sound passed by his ear. "Pfft" A light noise followed, and blood spurted from Shen Luo¡¯s earlobe; a piece had been directly sliced off by a blade. "Such keen insight, ordinary monks could not have avoided my strike," the black-robed youth across from him finally showed a smile, speaking with quite a bit of admiration. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed, but he didn¡¯t rashly attack. Instead, he carefully continued to guard beside Nie Caizhu. "Cousin..." Nie Caizhu transmitted her voice, a tone of great worry in her speech. "Don¡¯t be distracted, focus on refining," Shen Luo reminded. The refining of the Kunlun Mirror was not yet complete; if they were interrupted now, their efforts would be in vain. Just then, the black-robed youth opposite him flickered with a ghostly light once again. "Now¡¯s the time..." Shen Luo let out a low shout. As soon as he finished speaking, his figure moved too, moonlight scattering beneath his feet, almost instantly arriving in front of the black-robed youth. He immediately swept the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand towards the black-robed youth¡¯s head. "Hiss," a sound echoed. The black-robed youth¡¯s head shattered at the sound, but surprisingly no blood burst forth. Instead, three fresh gashes suddenly appeared on Shen Luo¡¯s neck, blood splattering. "How could this be?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before him. The black-robed youth, whose head he had smashed with his staff, now suddenly reformed his figure, his steel claws aiming straight for his heart, looking set to carve it open. Shen Luo¡¯s heart chilled, and he hastily used the Slanting Moon Steps to dodge, but then a dull sound came from above his head. Without even time to look up, he just felt an overwhelming force, mountain-like, falling from above and pressing down on him. Above him, a horse-faced man showed a smile, his arms crossed, stamping down with one foot towards Shen Luo, beneath his foot a giant crimson hoofprint emerged, wrapped in mysterious flames, its presence astonishing. Shen Luo had no way to avoid it and could only shout in anger, as he stimulated the Demonic Qi of Chiyou within his body, raising his arms in defense. A huge Chiyou¡¯s Claw appeared to block the horse-faced man¡¯s crimson hoofprint, but it couldn¡¯t stop being depressed by the powerful force. Shen Luo had no time for anything else; he lifted his long stick, deflecting the black-robed youth¡¯s impaling sharp claw. "This is bad..." He was sealed left, right, above, and below by the two men, and suddenly he had no room to pull away to help Nie Caizhu defend. Regrettably, before he could even warn her, a dark silhouette emerged from a shadowy corner, revealing itself to be none other than Wu Luo. "Little girl, hand over the Kunlun Mirror if you don¡¯t want to die," Wu Luo walked toward the altar at an unhurried pace, saying. Nie Caizhu saw Shen Luo¡¯s predicament, her heart burning with urgency, yet her face showed no change, her voice remaining calm as she said, "If you want the Kunlun Mirror, come up and take it. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t finished refining it yet, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to take it away, right?" Chapter 1634 - 1630: Early Arrangements Chapter 1634: Chapter 1630: Early Arrangements"You needn¡¯t deceive me. With the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s prohibition so refined, it¡¯s capable of breaking free from the Stone Platform¡¯s restraints, isn¡¯t it?" Unexpectedly, Wu Luo smiled as she eyed the diminishing prohibition runes on the mirror. "You¡¯ve never refined one, what would you know? If you think you can take it, then come and try." Nie Caizhu retorted coldly. "One should not refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. I¡¯ll take it then," Wu Luo paused upon hearing this, then declared. No sooner had her voice fallen than her figure soared into the air, her robes fluttering loudly, heading straight for the altar. But just as she neared the edge of the altar, a surge of charm light sprang up from the ground, followed by the shattering of a hidden Array, and a tall figure shot up from the ground with a burst of crimson light sweeping towards Wu Luo. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A whoosh sounded. That streak of crimson light suddenly intensified, blazing like the sun, its dazzling splendor lighting up the surrounding dim Void, causing all darkness to retreat. Within the red light, a massive Crimson Battle Axe swept out, bearing an incomparably scorching force towards Wu Luo. Caught off guard, Wu Luo could only retreat in time, but was still engulfed by the force of the axe, setting her robes aflame, almost completely incinerated in an instant. She herself was smashed by an immense searing force and flung backward a hundred feet through the Void. On the other side, Shen Luo¡¯s furious roar erupted, and in a flash, a surge of golden light shot up into the sky, and eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords burst out from In the Sleeve, hurtling toward the Black-robed Youth up ahead. The figure of the Black-robed Youth was torn apart by the Flying Swords and vanished on the spot. At the same time, Shen Luo swung his arm, unleashing the mighty power of Chiyou¡¯s combat to repel the Horse-faced Man above, leaping back and landing protectively in front of Nie Caizhu. "Shen Luo, it seems you¡¯ve noticed us long ago and even prepared in advance," Wu Luo said slowly as she flew back. At this moment, the figure of the Black-robed Youth reappeared beside Wu Luo, completely unharmed, while the Horse-faced Man also quickly returned. Shen Luo gazed intently at the trio without responding. In fact, he had not noticed the presence of these three earlier, and his prior concealment of the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor was simply due to a sense of insecurity about this place, a precautionary measure taken just in case. "Wu Luo, you really are like an unshakable ghost, how come you can¡¯t be killed?" Shen Luo sighed. "Enough with the nonsense, hand over the Kunlun Mirror, and I can guarantee not to strike against you within this layer," Wu Luo said calmly. "If you want the Treasure Mirror, then you¡¯ll have to see if you have the ability," Shen Luo replied undaunted, with a smile. Having said that, he held the staff in one hand and moved his other hand through the Void, guiding one Pure Yang Flying Sword after another to dance forth, arranging them into a Formation behind Nie Caizhu, setting up a Golden Sword Array. Shen Luo stood with his staff horizontal, beside Nie Caizhu, while the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor, with axe and hammer in hand, stood on her other side. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s defensive posture, Wu Luo cut short her words and shouted to the others: "If he¡¯s seeking death, let¡¯s oblige them." The Black-robed Youth didn¡¯t move, merely a flash of Black Light pulsing upon him. On the other hand, the Horse-faced Man charged forward, raising his fist and smashing it towards Shen Luo. With his punch, it was as if flames rolled in the Void, condensing into a Sea of Flames, surging crazily toward Shen Luo. Within the flames, one after another, huge crimson warhorses with black fire rising from their hooves charged towards Shen Luo with the momentum of an army. Without saying another word, Shen Luo raised his hand, and the Ten Thousand Demons Banner whistled out. "Whoosh!" The banner unfurled, and immediately, a thick ghost fog surged, with thousands of Yin Soul Ghosts pouring out like a tide, clashing with the black sea of flames. At the same time, his body suddenly fell forward without warning, his hand propping up his body with the Profound Yellow Staff, and he leaped into the air with a flip. Immediately after, he was seen stepping on the Firmament Step, moving back and forth in place, constantly swinging the Profound Yellow Staff, executing the Splashy Chaotic Stick Technique. In no time, layers of dense staff shadows flew out like snowflakes, gathering around him. A continuous shrill ringing sounded, sparks flying from metal collisions, as if an invisible shadow was constantly moving around Shen Luo, attacking. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze continuously followed the traces of the collisions, trying to locate that shadowy figure, but to no avail as the guy was too fast to even capture an afterimage. On the other side, Wu Luo made her move again, her sleeve whirling, surging with witchcraft power, turning into a gigantic hand palm, reaching directly past Shen Luo towards Nie Caizhu behind him. Standing at the forefront, the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor flashed, its stature suddenly swelling to a great height, and with a burst of crimson light from the Sun Battle Axe in his hand, he chopped out horizontally, creating a straight slash of dazzling golden light. The intense light turned into rolling flames, rushing towards Wu Luo, and instantly severing her ghostly big hand. Wu Luo¡¯s forehead creased, her sleeves suddenly rolled up, revealing a black vortex, which quickly engulfed the rolling flames of the Sun, vanishing from sight. Then, her body unfolded, and she directly lunged towards the altar. The Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor stepped forward to meet her, sweeping the Battle Axe with one strike, followed closely by the Thunder God Warhammer swinging out. The Axe¡¯s blades tore through the Void, aiming at Wu Luo, while the Great Hammer drew forth a web of black lightning, enveloping her. Wu Luo dodged all the axe blades but couldn¡¯t escape the lightning net, getting trapped under it. However, just as the black lightning approached her, a strange dark crimson incantation appeared on her body, and from it burst forth red light, creating a layer of blood garment that shielded her entirely. The black lightning struck her blood garment, only to be deflected away, unable to harm her at all. On another front, the clash between the surging Ghostly Qi and the crimson warhorses was drawing to a close, with all the horses spent, and a great number of ghosts severely wounded or dead. Amidst the thick ghost fog, a giant horse silhouette emerged. Its stature was a full thirty feet tall, its body crimson as if soaked in blood, its hooves black as ink jade, entwined with clusters of black flames, and it exuded a presence not the slightest bit inferior to the auspicious Qilin beast. "Tssss..." The warhorse¡¯s front hooves stomped the ground, and what surged out from its nostrils wasn¡¯t air, but black flames. Shen Luo had temporarily repelled the Black-robed Youth¡¯s entanglement and saw the horse¡¯s red eyes staring intently at him. Suddenly, with a heavenward neigh, it charged towards him with raised hooves. He realized at a glance that it was the true form of the Horse-faced Man, and although he was not yet clear about its true nature, the powerful aura it exuded told him it was no benevolent creature. Chapter 1635 - 1631: I’ll Block It Chapter 1635: Chapter 1631: I¡¯ll Block ItUpon seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hand to store away the heavily damaged Ten Thousand Demons Banner, then with another wave, a large seal flew out. The Turn Sky Seal soared into the high altitude, instantly emitting a radiant light. It expanded to the size of a house in the wind and smashed down directly onto the crimson battle horse. The moment the two collided, a thunderous boom erupted. The crimson battle horse was struck by the immense force and stumbled backwards, while the Turn Sky Seal¡¯s brilliance dimmed and it shrunk back into mid air, flying back to Shen Luo who then stored it back into his sleeve. Just then, a gust of wind flashed by. Shen Luo only felt as if a wisp of a formless ghost had floated past him, and when he reached out to grab it, he caught nothing. However, his chest was suddenly struck with a heavy blow, and a deep gash that revealed bone eerily appeared out of nowhere, bringing forth a spurt of blood. Before Shen Luo could comprehend what had happened, a black fire dragon suddenly attacked from directly ahead, opening its bloody maw and swallowing down on him. The scorching power exuded from the raging black flames was in no way inferior to the Vermilion Bird and the Golden Crow. Having no other choice, Shen Luo raised his hand to beckon, and the Pure Yang Flying Sword guarding behind him immediately burst forth with a dazzling golden light, blooming like a golden lotus as it spun towards him. The golden sword light mixed with the Golden Crow¡¯s crimson flames clashed with the black fire dragon, the clash resonating like thunder, and the sword light slashed in all directions, shattering the black fire dragon without any stalemate. But immediately after, the crimson battle horse appeared out of thin air above Shen Luo, its body manifesting a set of horse armor patterned with gold, engraved with an extremely ancient battle formation. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Shen Luo knew he was in trouble. Performing the Slanting Moon Steps, he attempted to dodge out of the way. "Where do you think you¡¯re going?" A low shout suddenly came. The figure of the black-robed youth abruptly appeared in front of him and, after striding a few steps left and right, unexpectedly split into seven or eight doppelgangers, caging him in the center. It was just this moment of delay when the crimson battle horse took steps in the void, descending towards the lower frontier. The armor on its body lit up with a crimson glow, appearing as if it was about to ignite, and the ancient battle formation engraved on it also seemed to come to life amidst the blood-red light. "Dong dong..." Sounds of war drums gradually rose in Shen Luo¡¯s ears, followed by the roaring of ferocious winds, neighing of horses, and the clashing sounds of blades and weapons continuously resounded. It was as if he had fallen into a battlefield formation, but his surroundings had already collapsed, surrounded by enemies on all sides. "Trapped in the battlefield formation, there¡¯s no escape." Vaguely, he seemed to hear such a voice echoing above. When he looked around again, he discovered that he was surrounded by flames and trapped within the formation. Within those flames, there faintly shimmered sword shadows and blade lights, and visions of iron horses across frozen rivers emerged, as if it truly were a battlefield. Shen Luo quickly activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to look around, but the surrounding flames and light shadows remained. With furrowed brows, he held the long stick and charged in one direction. Immediately, a large wall of fire surged over, engulfing him in the blaze. The searing heat scorched his skin and flesh to the point of bursting, proving it was not an illusion. "I have already trapped him; why haven¡¯t you seized the Kunlun Mirror yet?" At this moment, the crimson battle horse soaring in the sky spoke out to the black-robed youth below who was still enjoying the spectacle. "What¡¯s the rush? He¡¯s already trapped by you and can¡¯t free himself," the black-robed youth said while merging all his doppelgangers back into one, returning to a single being. "Cut the chatter, Wu Luo can¡¯t get away, hurry over there, don¡¯t delay the important matters." The black-robed youth, upon hearing this, said nothing further, his figure turned, and he rushed toward Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo was trapped within the formation and his Pure Yang Flying Swords had all become like headless flies, unable to meet the enemy. On the other side, the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor was being obstructed by Wu Luo and couldn¡¯t protect Nie Caizhu at the moment. Seeing the black-robed youth bearing down on her, Nie Caizhu was ready to give up on the refinement and confront the enemy first. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But just at that moment, a sharp, crane-like cry suddenly came from the void, as a huge blue bird appeared out of nowhere, flying swiftly from the distance. Covered in golden armor on its cheeks, chest, and claws, its whole body was adorned with bright blue feathers, glowing as if encompassed in blue flames. It was extremely fast, and as it swept in from afar, opening its beak to emit a golden beam shot towards the black-robed youth. The latter was quick, rolling to dodge the golden light and as he continued to pounce toward Nie Caizhu, he saw the giant bird descending from the sky with wings folded back, the light on its body flickering as it transformed into a human figure. The figure revealed was a young man with a tall and slender build, handsome features, but with long, slender eyes like those of the phoenix, at the corners of which were two deep blue marks that swept up into his hair. "Enlightened Heavenly Beast, so you¡¯ve also come to join the fray..." the black-robed youth said with a roar of anger. The young man did not reply, and with a flick of his blue embroidered robe, a blue feather-patterned longsword appeared in his palm, protecting Nie Caizhu, and said: "Quickly refine the Kunlun Mirror, I¡¯ll hold them off for you." Nie Caizhu was very surprised to hear this, but she also knew that this was not the time to ask questions. However, seeing the young man actually charging at the black-robed youth, she gritted her teeth and continued with the refinement of the Kunlun Mirror. Within the trapped formation, Shen Luo was still trying to break through the surging flames in all directions, feeling as though he was surrounded by tens of thousands of a great army and, for the moment, unable to extricate himself. A thought crossed his mind, and he suddenly remembered something, immediately flipping his hand to retrieve the Nine Nether, and waved it in a sweeping gesture. "Go." With a low shout from his mouth, a series of clanking sounds echoed incessantly. The Nine Nether Demon Ring emanated a surge of black light, countless big and small ring shadows densely shooting out, strikingly bursting through the fiery trapped formation and into the high skies. The crimson battle horse had not yet reacted when its battling armor got caught in a dark ring, the flames of light on its body instantly extinguished, and all spiritual power was sealed, unable to be activated any longer. The trap formation projecting below disappeared in an instant, and Shen Luo was finally able to break free. The moment he escaped, Shen Luo first looked towards Nie Caizhu to make sure she was safe, then, gripping his long stick, he soared into the air, heading straight for the crimson battle horse. The latter flashed with crimson light and had already returned to human form, retracted the battling armor, and managed to free itself from the Nine Nether. Fearing that the Nine Nether would again be controlled by Wu Luo, Shen Luo hurriedly retrieved it and unleashed Splashy Chaotic Stick at the horse-faced man. In a flash, the sky was filled with a barrage of stick shadows, enveloping the horse-faced man within. The horse-faced man was not to be outdone, producing a nine-ring saber wrapped in black flames, whirling it around as airtight as falling snowflakes, blocking every one of Shen Luo¡¯s stick shadows, the two of them locked in a fierce battle. Chapter 1636 - 1632: Disrupting the Situation Chapter 1636: Chapter 1632: Disrupting the SituationOn the other side, Wu Luo, who was in battle with Destructive Mingwang, made a swift charge, her body suddenly turning ethereal as she passed directly over the sharp edge of Destructive Mingwang¡¯s giant axe, unimpeded in her rush towards Nie Caizhu. However, before she could get close, a piercing shriek suddenly erupted from the void. Wave after wave of invisible sonic booms expanded throughout the altar, instantly transforming into an indescribable and strange force that pressed down in all directions. Wu Luo instantly felt her body heavy, and she was forcefully restored from her ethereal state to her physical form. While she was still in shock, a black giant hammer had already smashed down overhead, the accompanying streaks of black thunder and lightning crisscrossing, looming over her. Wu Luo raised her hand and waved, conjuring a black vortex that she placed above herself. The Thunder God Hammer hit hard, causing the void to tremble mightily. However, the shockwave was quickly swallowed by the black vortex, even the black thunder and lightning were drawn into it, until they vanished completely. On the other side, the horse-faced man, who was battling with Shen Luo, also suddenly felt an immense pressure on his body, and the speed at which he swung his long knife involuntarily slowed down. At this moment, Shen Luo was full of surprise because he too felt the presence of a mysterious power covering the surroundings, but he himself was not affected at all. Seeing the horse-faced man struggling more and more with his knife swings, the Splashy Chaotic Stick in Shen Luo¡¯s hands swung even faster. At last, the horse-faced man couldn¡¯t keep up with Shen Luo¡¯s speed and was struck in the back by the staff. With one strike came a hundred; stick shadows relentlessly pounded the horse-faced man¡¯s body, battering him back and forth like a punching bag. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, the one who felt the gravity pressure the most was the black-robed youth. Because the being exhibiting God¡¯s Power was the Enlightened Heavenly Beast right before his eyes. The blue-robed youth opened his mouth and softly chanted, releasing continuous sound waves that vibrated forth, and even though the black-robed youth did not suffer as badly as the horse-faced man, he was certainly not having an easy time. His figure was still able to move, but the speed he relied on for survival was tremendously suppressed. The black-robed youth still moved faster than the average person, but a multitude of afterimages were left in the void, no longer in that state where not even the afterimages could be discerned from the outset. As he was straining to rush towards the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, a figure suddenly fell from mid-air and crashed in front of him. The black-robed youth stopped to look, only to find that it was, to his surprise, the horse-faced man. It was then that the low howl of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast finally ceased, and the invisible sonic pressure that suppressed the four directions vanished as well. The black-robed youth paused for a brief moment, his body flashing with a black light, and he immediately launched an attack. On the other side, after injuring the horse-faced man, Shen Luo did not continue the pursuit but instead rushed to Destructive Mingwang¡¯s side, aiming to take advantage of the pressured Wu Luo and eliminate her in a collaborative attack with the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor. Unfortunately, while the God¡¯s Power of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast was strong, it was not something that could be freely utilized. By the time Shen Luo arrived close by, Wu Luo had already turned ethereal again and slipped away from under his staff. Shen Luo, however, was not flustered by this. He joined forces with the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor to encircle Wu Luo, and they quickly gained the upper hand. Yet, just as he thought victory was within reach, the situation took an unexpected turn! Two familiar figures suddenly darted from afar, none other than Che Qingtian and Yan Lie. Upon seeing Shen Luo and Wu Luo engaged in battle, both of them paused for a moment, then opted not to act rashly. Instead, they carefully observed the battle situation. "Who should we kill first?" Yan Lie asked, somewhat hesitant. "No rush, it looks like they are fighting over that Treasure Mirror, so naturally we should seize the treasure first. After that, we¡¯ll kill Shen Luo," Che Qingtian said with narrowed eyes, conveying his message telepathically. "Alright," Yan Lie nodded. Having said that, he took the lead and dashed straight towards the direction of the altar. Seeing someone else coming to snatch the Kunlun Mirror, the Horse-faced Man, regardless of his own injuries, scrambled up and charged at him. "Get lost," Yan Lie shouted angrily upon encountering someone blocking his way. With a wave of his hands, the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower whistled out, its radiance intensifying. Spinning rapidly in mid-air like a colossal top, it crashed towards the Horse-faced Man. The latter, seeing the ferocious momentum of the Treasure Pagoda, still refused to dodge. With a roar, a spurt of red light erupted from his glabella¡ªit was his essence blood igniting. Immediately after, a surge of Blood Light wrapped around him, and a crimson warhorse¡¯s true form emerged, charging against the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. There was a thunderous boom! The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower trembled violently, its flames instantly scattered by the impact. Yan Lie was also staggered by the shockwave, feeling a stifling pressure in his chest while the crimson warhorse¡¯s apparition directly collapsed and dissipated, causing the Horse-faced Man to spit blood and tumble backward through the air. Suppressing the turmoil within his organs, Yan Lie flashed forward and rushed towards the altar once again. Just as he was about to get close, a myriad of blue and white ribbons suddenly covered the sky, blocking his path. "Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud..." Yan Lie sneered, and with a flip of his hand, he took out the Dustless Fan and fiercely fanned in front of him. In a flash, there were rumbling sounds, as thick and powerful green tornadoes formed, rolling with countless wind blades, cutting the void into tattered streaks of light. The Ten Thousand Miles of Cloud was whipped by the wild wind, the long ribbons uncontrollably swaying in mid-air, unable to block Yan Lie any longer. He darted through gaps between the ribbons, intending to press forward, but his expression suddenly changed when a figure appeared before him. It turned out Shen Luo noticed Nie Caizhu was in danger, so he had no choice but to leave Wu Luo, only letting Destruction Mingwang obstruct her while he himself broke free to come to the rescue. "Friend Yan Lie, are you seeking death?" Shen Luo bit out sternly. He lifted his hand and from within the sleeve, a flash of Nine Nether Dark Light appeared, and numerous shadowy black rings flew out, attacking towards Yan Lie. Yan Lie¡¯s heart skipped a beat, swinging his Dustless Fan fiercely once again, summoning gales that scattered all the dense rings. However, before he could even feel relieved, behind the scattered rings, fiery Sword Shadows shot forth. Eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords, like eleven Fire Phoenixes, broke through the swirling wind blades and stabbed viciously at Yan Lie. Furrowing his brows, Yan Lie slapped downwards with his wrist, and in the Void, a massive tower shadow suddenly emerged, descending from the heavens with immense suppressive force. From the base of the tower, surges of profound fire erupted, pressing down towards the eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords. In a rush, Shen Luo had no time to set up the Sword Array, and could only drive the Flying Swords to pierce with all his strength. Yet, just as the Flying Swords were about to reach Yan Lie, a burst of flame sparked in his eyes as if activating some sort of life-saving divine power, causing his aura to instantly soar. The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, responding to him, also saw an abrupt increase in power. The black profound fire gushing from its base transformed into eight Fire Dragons, writhing out and ensnaring all the Flying Swords, dragging them towards the base of the tower. Chapter 1637 - 1633 Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Chapter 1637: Chapter 1633 Eight-Armed Heavenly DragonShen Luo saw that all the flying swords were about to be taken and suppressed by the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, when suddenly, a slender golden light shot out from his sleeve and struck the towering tower in midair with unsurpassed swiftness. "Treasure Coin..." Yan Lie muttered in a low voice. Almost instantly, the brilliance of the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower dimmed, the Xuanhuo Black Dragon emerging from its base quickly retracted, and the tower itself shrank at high speed, returning to a height of about one foot before falling from midair. The eleven Pure-Yang Flying Swords regained their freedom and once again charged towards Yan Lie. Knowing that the Dustless Fan could not withstand the Pure-Yang Flying Swords, Yan Lie had no choice but to summon the Azure Sky Ink Stone. However, he hesitated, worrying it would be knocked down by the Treasure Coin again, losing the initiative in that moment of hesitation. By the time he raised the Azure Sky Ink Stone to form a small mountain in front of him, a figure had already passed beneath the ink platform and arrived in front of him. Shen Luo leaped into the air, his Profound Yellow Staff spinning into a full moon, followed by a shadow of the Splashy Chaotic Stick that solidified into a massive golden stick shadow, smashing down onto Yan Lie¡¯s head. The golden stick shadow stirred up the wind and clouds, with an overwhelming celestial might crushing down, and Yan Lie was in such a panic that he had absolutely no way to defend himself. Just as Shen Luo¡¯s stick was about to smash down, a blast of black mist suddenly rose in front of Yan Lie, with a tall figure swiftly emerging from it, holding aloft a massive round shield to protect Yan Lie¡¯s head. The golden stick shadow slammed down with a thunderous roar that shook the heavens! The round shield was bombarded by the tremendous force, vibrating incessantly, and its surface burst into black light, revealing a twisted and deformed beast head sculpture that had been smashed. The golden stick shadow also burst apart, turning into a scattering of stars and fading away. Shen Luo stood in the air, his gaze piercing through the dust to see that another person had appeared, clad in a full-body set of strange black Armor that reflected a metallic gloss, his figure resembling a Buddhist Vajra, with several thick arms raising behind him, each holding various different weapons. "Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon?" Shen Luo felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, but upon closer inspection, he found something amiss; the person in the black Armor actually had eight arms. Moreover, in his eight hands, apart from holding a Treasure Vase, Golden Bell, giant sword, Giant Hammer, Shield, and Chain, he also held a Silver Mirror and a Metal Umbrella. However, just like the Six-Armed Heavenly Dragon, the Armor¡¯s ferocious dragon head, with its two Crimson Dragon Eyes that seemed alive, also exuded a terrifying ferocity. "Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon?" Shen Luo asked aloud. "Correct, you have some discernment. To die under this Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor, you can consider it a worthy death," a voice came from within the Black Armor, and it was none other than Che Qingtian. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo felt slightly uneasy in his heart, sensing something familiar about this statement. He didn¡¯t say much more, silently taking out two Elixirs to consume, holding the Profound Yellow Staff in one hand, the other hand resting behind his back, with the eleven Pure-Yang Flying Swords floating in formation behind him. Che Qingtian, clad in Black Armor with Dragon Eyes that flashed with a blood light, turned one of his eight arms. The Silver Mirror he held suddenly emitted a silver light as bright as day, intensely brilliant. The others around did not notice this beam of light, which seemed to be aimed solely at Shen Luo. Only he felt his eyes stimulated by the bright light, and by the time he thought to close his eyes, it was already too late. In an instant, his vision was filled with blinding white light, his eyes searing with unbearable pain, leaving him unable to see anything. At the same time, Shen Luo also realized that his Divine Sense had been injured, briefly losing its sensitivity, so he immediately retreated backward, relying on his judgment of his own position. Regrettably, just as he moved, he immediately felt tightness around his body, as if he had been bound by something like a Chain. Shen Luo quickly circulated the Great Unsealing Technique to heal his eyes, and after a few moments, his vision finally returned to normal. At this moment, he finally saw a crimson chain already binding him at chest level, its other end extending to one of the hands of the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon. With a fierce tug from the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon, an immense force dragged him flying toward it. In the face of this, a black giant hammer smashed down from above, imbued with a surge of black light that revealed a bear spirit about a zhang tall with an immensely terrifying True Immortal aura, poised to strike with its paws. Despite being a blunt weapon, the black giant hammer tore rifts through the void as it descended in an instant. At the thought, Shen Luo mobilized his eleven Pure-Yang Flying Swords in unison to shoot up into the sky, with a Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit leading several Golden Crow Sword Spirits, all enveloped in blazing red flames to meet the oncoming threat. "Boom" The explosive boom echoed through the void. Although the bear spirit¡¯s strength was terrifying, it was not a match for the combined strike of the sword spirits, and the black giant hammer was sent flying back upon impact. At the point of contact between the hammer and the swords, the area was scorched a glowing red by the flames. "Hah." At this moment, a loud shout erupted from Shen Luo¡¯s mouth. His body was engulfed in a burst of golden demonic Qi as the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power activated instantly, with golden scaled devil armor materializing around him as a tremendously powerful aura exploded forth. With a "bang," the chains encircling his body broke apart in response. Shen Luo pushed forward with his long stick in hand, ready to pursue, when once again a piercing white light flickered, aiming for his eyes. This time, he was prepared; he blocked it with his forearm, not giving the white light any chance to reach him. But immediately following, a dark red glint suddenly descended from the sky, shining upon Shen Luo. Shen Luo instantly felt an indescribable heavy pressure descending from above, causing his shoulders to sink and his legs to stiffen as if filled with lead, cracking the stone slabs of the earth underfoot as he sank three feet into the ground. Struggling, he looked up only to see a metal umbrella with mountain silhouettes inscribed on it, connected to one another, forming a continuous mountain range looming above him. "Try this on for size." Che Qingtian¡¯s voice, full of laughter, came through. In the next instant, the arm of the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon holding the giant sword swung down, a swath of black sword light instantly stretching a hundred feet, slashing toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo focused and saw within the black light, a single-horned giant python spirit coiling above the sword light, with venomous fangs and a blood basin mouth surging towards him. His eyes flashed with golden light and his body slightly bowed down; his left arm suddenly rose high, with surging Chiyou demonic Qi twining around, solidifying into a tremendous "Chiyou¡¯s Fist." Just as the sword light neared, the raised Chiyou¡¯s Fist powerfully hammered down, targeting the ground fiercely. "Boom" The ground shook with the sound! Centered around Shen Luo, a violent shockwave spiraled outward, and except for the tiny area where Nie Caizhu was standing, the entire altar¡¯s surface instantly shattered, with the resultant shockwave reaching a height of a hundred feet. The black sword light, though not immediately disintegrating upon the impact of the shockwave, could no longer maintain its original trajectory and involuntarily veered off course. Similarly, the metal umbrella suspended above, under the impact of this formidable force, wobbled uncontrollably from side to side, and the oppressive mountain force bearing down on Shen Luo became unstable as well. When the dust settled, where was Shen Luo¡¯s figure to be found beneath the umbrella? Chapter 1638 - 1634: Area of Darkness Chapter 1638: Chapter 1634: Area of DarknessThe Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon suddenly looked up to see Shen Luo¡¯s figure had already risen into the sky, gripping the Profound Yellow Staff which had expanded tenfold, and smashed it towards its head with excessive fury. The Long Stick pierced into the depths of the Skydome, appearing as if to stir the entire Void, as a layer of Demonic Flames began to envelop the Stick, the pressure causing continuous "rumbling" sounds in the Void, almost like thunder roaring. Che Qingtian, witnessing this event, couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain solemnity, his body surged with Black Light, and his murderous aura skyrocketed, transforming into rolling black mist spilling out from his Armor. With his arms crossed, he wielded a Sword in one hand and a Hammer in the other, striking upwards. Within the Black Light, the Bear Spirit and the One-Horned Python Sword Spirit emerged simultaneously, their auras doubling compared to before, actually reaching the Late True Immortal Stage. Both were attached to the radiance emitted by the weapons, fiercely colliding with the towering stick shadow. "Boom Boom Boom" Sounds of explosions rose in the Void, two indescribably huge forces violently erupted, the overwhelming power transformed into a storm sweeping everything, violently rolling in all directions. This time, even the altar could not escape unscathed, Nie Caizhu was also hit by this force, her figure helplessly thrown out without any defenses. The radiance bursting from the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon¡¯s Longsword and Hammer shattered instantly, with cracks appearing on the Sword body and Hammer, yet its figure did not retreat half a step. On the contrary, Shen Luo¡¯s just now strike had exhausted most of his strength, and at this moment, he had already lifted the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, his figure falling towards the Ground. Che Qingtian was surprised by the might of Shen Luo¡¯s just now strike, but his hand movements did not stop. The Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon raised another arm high up, directly above his head, clutching a Dark Blue Treasure Vase, aimed at Shen Luo. Dense charm patterns appeared on the Dark Blue Treasure Vase, with Blue Light surging from the bottle mouth, condensing into a three-foot-square Blue Vortex, with light flickering within, spinning at high speed. Within the Vortex, strands of light fluff flew out like water caltrop seaweed, swirling towards Shen Luo and entangling him. Shen Luo hastily swung his staff to fend them off, but these blue strands, like living creatures, dodged the Profound Yellow Staff and wound around his wrists and ankles. The moment the blue strands wrapped around, a strange prohibitive force spread from them, leaving Shen Luo, whose internal Mana was nearly depleted, unable to break free for a moment. Immediately afterward, the blue strands began rapidly retracting, pulling Shen Luo toward the Blue Light Vortex. At a thought from Shen Luo, eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords shot out, slashing at the blue strands. Unfortunately, Che Qingtian was well prepared for this, and before the Flying Swords could approach, Sword lights and Hammer shadows arrived to intercept all the Flying Swords. Shen Luo drew ever closer to the Blue Light Vortex, and he could clearly feel the peculiar fluctuations emanating from the inside of the Treasure Vase. With his current state, once he was sucked in, he would definitely have no chance of breaking free. "Prepare to die peacefully; this will be your end," Che Qingtian, certain of his victory, couldn¡¯t help but roar triumphantly. However, before his words finished, an abrupt change occurred! Two incredibly solid purple rays of light burst from a far distance, converging at one point, and precisely struck the Dark Blue Treasure Vase without any deviation. "Crack" A crisp shattering sound rang out, as the Dark Blue Treasure Vase was penetrated by the purple light, instantly bursting apart. The water-blue light from the bottle mouth exploded outward, and the ribbon-like blue fluff extending from it also dissipated along with it, allowing Shen Luo to escape his bindings. He quickly flew down towards the Ground. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Eyes of World Destruction..." Che Qingtian twisted his head to look back, just to see the purple light in the eyes of Destruction Mingwang gradually dimming. Black boots under his feet suddenly flashed with mysterious light, and his huge figure instantly disappeared from the spot, arriving directly in front of Shen Luo, swinging out the black giant hammer in his hand. Shen Luo hastily defended, but was smashed by the hammer, shattering the protective treasure light around his body, and was sent flying backward with blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. But before he could stabilize his figure, a shadow overhead blocked the light as Yan Lie regained control of the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, crashing it down towards him. With no way to avoid, Shen Luo could only summon back the Destruction Mingwang while simultaneously stretching the Profound Yellow Staff overhead. A muffled "boom" sounded. The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower pressed down, settling on the tip of the Profound Yellow Staff. "Fall for me." Yan Lie let out a thunderous shout, continuously channeling mana into the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, with the mysterious fire on the tower rising, and the crushing force surged so fiercely that it forced the Profound Yellow Staff to shrink and retreat. At this time, Che Qingtian had already rushed over, his longsword charged with power, charm patterns lighting up as the one-horned python re-emerged, poised to strike at Shen Luo. At the critical moment, from within the ruins not far away, a figure suddenly flew out¡ªit was Nie Caizhu. In her hands, she held a black treasure mirror, from her mouth chanting a series of strange Witch Clan language, and instantly a layer of black light expanded upon the mirror¡¯s surface, enveloping a hundred feet radius around the area. The area shrouded in black light, as if plunged into a pitch-black abyss, instantly became completely dark. Wu Luo saw the Destruction Mingwang retreating towards Shen Luo and quickly gave chase, but as soon as he saw that area of shadow covered in black light, he immediately stopped and did not continue forward. The black-robed youth battling the Enlightened Heavenly Beast also took the first chance to lift the horse-faced man by his side and quickly withdrew. "Area of darkness, she has just refined the Kunlun Mirror, and she is already able to invoke the area of darkness!" Wu Luo couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in shock. Hearing the shouts here, Che Qingtian reacted extremely quickly, his Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor¡¯s protective spiritual light immediately lit up, but it only managed to illuminate the immediate vicinity around himself. On the other side, Yan Lie, busy urging the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower to suppress Shen Luo, didn¡¯t have time to respond. A black vortex suddenly appeared under him, like a gaping maw of the abyss, engulfing him within. At the same time, the Kunlun Mirror in Nie Caizhu¡¯s hand flashed with black light, its surface showing ripples like water waves, from within which seemed to come a scream, but it quickly disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo took a breather, quickly gathered up the Destruction Mingwang and all the magical treasures, waved his hand to take the unmanned Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, and moved to Nie Caizhu¡¯s side. "Let¡¯s go." He grabbed Nie Caizhu around the waist and directly executed the Yimu Xuandun, the green light enveloping them as they vanished from the spot. Seeing the two disappear, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast¡¯s eyes flashed with a strange sheen. It then leapt up, transforming back into the shape of a blue giant bird, spread its double wings, and also vanished on the spot. With the departure of several people, in the ruins of the altar, only Wu Luo and his group remained, looking at each other in bewilderment. Chapter 1639 - 1635: Domestication and the Master Chapter 1639: Chapter 1635: Domestication and the Master"Wu Luo, didn¡¯t you say let them fight each other first so we could reap the benefits? What now? Not only did we fail to snatch the Kunlun Mirror, but we also let those two escape unscathed." The black-robed youth angrily threw down the horse-faced man and scolded. They had previously seen Che Qingtian and another causing trouble, and they even wanted to use them against Shen Luo, waiting for them to wear each other down before making a move themselves. Upon hearing this, Wu Luo¡¯s expression turned icy. He glanced at the black-robed youth but didn¡¯t offer any explanation. "Aren¡¯t you the same, claiming to be unmatched in speed and declaring that the Kunlun Mirror would be easily captured? What now?" The horse-faced man, half-lying on the ground, retorted angrily. "You dare to speak? You¡¯re nothing but trash. If it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d be just like that unlucky fellow just now; where would you be now if not for that, blaming me here?" The black-robed youth sneered and said. The horse-faced man wanted to argue back but was suddenly silenced by Wu Luo¡¯s angry reprimand: "Shut up, both of you. It¡¯s no use talking anymore. The only option we have now is to force our way through." Hearing this, the horse-faced man and the black-robed youth both calmed down. Following Wu Luo, they made their way towards the deeper part of the altar. After taking a few steps, Wu Luo suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Che Qingtian who was still standing there, and said: "Daoist Che, there is actually no direct conflict between us. How about we join forces later on? If we encounter Shen Luo and the others again, cooperation would surely be more beneficial than undermining each other, wouldn¡¯t it?" Che Qingtian did not remove his Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor, and his dragon eyes glanced at Wu Luo and his two companions. Yet, he chose to ignore them completely, turned his body, and also left the altar. Seeing this, Wu Luo did not show any change in expression, turned around and continued to lead the two towards the depths of the altar. Soon, the three of them arrived at the deepest part of the ruins, where there stood a light door. Wu Luo approached it and stepped in without the slightest hesitation. The black-robed youth and the horse-faced man couldn¡¯t help but glance back at the battlefield they had just left before stepping into the light door. ... On the outskirts of Dark City, a beam of escape light fell from the sky, and the figures of Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu appeared from within. Upon landing, Shen Luo immediately stumbled, and with a "puh," he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Full of concern, Nie Caizhu hurriedly helped him sit down on a broken stone. "How is it, are your injuries serious?" Nie Caizhu asked with concern. "It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just that my mana has been depleted too much; the injuries themselves are not too severe." Shen Luo waved his hand and said. After speaking, he took out a healing pill and a restorative elixir, consuming them one after the other, and immediately sat down cross-legged to begin refining the potency of the medicines. Seeing this, Nie Caizhu stood behind Shen Luo, pinching a magic spell with one hand, as the sound of chanting emerged from her mouth. Then, a water-blue glow illuminated around her body, enveloping Shen Luo. Accompanying the resounding sacred valley chants, streaks of golden light shone upon Shen Luo¡¯s body. His injuries began to heal rapidly, and even his vitality and strength were much restored. Nie Caizhu, seeing the effect achieved, ceased her Salvation of All Beings power and began to carefully guard the surroundings. A moment later, Shen Luo finally let out a long sigh, slowly opening his eyes. "How is it now?" Nie Caizhu hurriedly asked upon seeing this. "The injuries were not severe to begin with, and with your help, I¡¯ve fully recovered. The only issue is, it will take some time to completely replenish my mana, but it¡¯s not a big problem now." Shen Luo said with a smile. "That¡¯s good to hear." Nie Caizhu relaxed upon hearing this. "Have you completely refined the Kunlun Mirror?" Shen Luo, recalling the previous incident, couldn¡¯t help but ask. "Yes, this treasure is very compatible with me, and I can control it effortlessly." Nie Caizhu nodded her head and replied. "Then..." Shen Luo was about to say something when he suddenly called out with a cold voice, "Come out..." Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu¡¯s expression changed slightly, and she immediately looked around warily. Just now, she had been keeping her Divine Sense open to monitor her surroundings and had not noticed anyone approaching. "Daoist friend, no need to panic. If I had intended to harm you, I would not have extended a helping hand earlier." At that moment, a somewhat familiar voice arose, and a handsome Teenager dressed in a blue robe slowly made his appearance. "Is it you?" Shen Luo glanced over and recognized him as the Enlightened Heavenly Beast who had helped them against Wu Luo and the others previously. "I have some innate divine abilities, so tracking the traces of your escape was not difficult, and that¡¯s why I caught up so quickly. In order not to arouse your suspicion, I did not reveal myself earlier and waited until you were finished healing your injuries before coming here," explained the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, spreading his hands. In his words, there was an obvious release of goodwill. "Daoist friend, I thank you for lending us your aid earlier." Shen Luo stood up and cupped his hands in thanks. "No need for such courtesy. To tell you the truth, my assistance was also to stop the Shadow War Leopard and his companions," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast explained, waving his hand. "Shadow War Leopard?" Shen Luo frowned and asked. "That¡¯s the Black-robed Youth you fought earlier. The other, the Horse-faced Man, his true form is that of a Profound Fire Divine Steed. Like me, they are spirit beasts that are imprisoned here," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast explained. "If I may ask, why were you imprisoned here?" Shen Luo inquired tentatively. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Saying ¡¯imprisoned¡¯ might not be entirely accurate; it¡¯s more like we are kept here. It¡¯s just that our primordial spirit imprints are inside the Tianyan Palace, sealed away," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast explained. "In that case, you three should be in the same boat and share the same stance, so why is there enmity amongst you?" Shen Luo continued to ask with some caution. "I am somewhat different from them; I voluntarily followed Master Tianyan in the past, while they were forcibly enslaved. The Shadow War Leopard, in particular, already had a master," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast said. "Who was his master?" Shen Luo asked. "I¡¯m not sure. I only know that he was originally a spirit beast under a demon cultivator. We were previously confined in the Spirit Beast Garden until one day, more than a hundred years ago, a Demonic Artifact tore through the skies, shattering some of the seals in the Tianyan Palace, allowing the three of us to escape from the Spirit Beast Garden. I¡¯ve always felt that the owner of that Demonic Artifact is likely also the master of the Shadow War Leopard," said the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked puzzled and suddenly thought of something, asking, "Has Wu Luo ever been to the Tianyan Palace before?" "When is ¡¯before¡¯? To my recollection, he has never been here," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast shook his head and replied. "Is there any connection between Wu Luo and the Shadow War Leopard or the Profound Fire Divine Steed?" Shen Luo continued to inquire. "I¡¯m not sure," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast shook his head again. "The demon cultivator you mentioned, the original master of the Shadow War Leopard, I believe could very likely be Wu Luo," Shen Luo stated. After hearing this, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast remained silent, his face showing a contemplative expression. Chapter 1640 - 1636: The True Tianyan Palace Chapter 1640: Chapter 1636: The True Tianyan Palace"Do you still remember how Wu Luo previously schemed to ditch us and went to challenge the levels alone? I suspect the Shadow War Leopard was secretly helping him," Shen Luo said, looking at Nie Caizhu. "Now that you mention it, it¡¯s indeed highly possible," Nie Caizhu also nodded and said. "Regardless, their goal must be to seize control of the Tianyan Palace. You all should know, this Tianyan Palace is an artifact forged by Master Tianyan with his entire life¡¯s effort, its power unprecedentedly formidable. Should it fall into the wrong hands, the creatures of the Three Realms might face an unparalleled catastrophe," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast said with a solemn expression. "Currently, both Che Qingtian and Wu Luo are coveting the Tianyan Palace, both of whom are unscrupulous individuals. Once they seize the Tianyan Palace, I fear that Tianji City would be the first to suffer. I must prevent this from happening," Shen Luo said, nodding thoughtfully. "Both Daoist friends, please do your utmost to reclaim the Tianyan Palace from their hands," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast requested, his gaze sweeping over Shen Luo and his companion. "You ask us to seize the Tianyan Palace, but do you have no such intention yourself?" It¡¯s not that Shen Luo was suspiciously attributing his narrow-mindedness to others, but it truly went against common sense. After all, they had never met before, and there was neither understanding nor trust between them. "I am merely a spirit beast and do not understand the mysteries of the Yan Technique. Presumably, Master Tianyan would also not wish for the Tianyan Palace to end up in the hands of someone like me. Moreover, my spirit imprint is elsewhere, and if it were taken by others, I would become someone else¡¯s spirit pet. Without even the freedom to control myself, how could I dare to speak of controlling the Tianyan Palace? Besides, I can sense that both of you are of pure intentions, so I am willing to assist you in seizing the Tianyan Palace," said the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, shaking his head and smiling bitterly. "In that case, rest assured; we will certainly help you retrieve your spirit imprint and restore your freedom," Shen Luo said, moved by his sincere demeanor. "Thank you for that. However, if we are to prioritize, seizing the Tianyan Palace is of utmost importance," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast expressed his gratitude and suggested. The three of them agreed to form an alliance and shortly set off again. Soon, they arrived at the light door deep within the altar area; the Enlightened Heavenly Beast led the way and entered, with Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu following close behind, passing through the light door to the fifth layer. ... Emerging from the light door, the trio found themselves astonishingly on a sky-reaching giant peak. This peak soared into the sky, nearly touching the heavens, with only a hundred or so zhang separating the top of the peak from a cluster of white light, varying in depth, flickering continuously like the aurora. They were situated on a stone platform on the cliff halfway up the mountain, with meandering paths through the lush mountain forest ahead, leading to various parts of the mountain top. Looking down each branching path, they could see large buildings standing tall in the distance. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes sparked as he activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to scrutinize those buildings, his expression subtly changing. "What¡¯s wrong?" Nie Caizhu asked. "The lintels above the palace doors all bear placards, and I don¡¯t know why, but they are all inscribed with the words ¡¯Tianyan Palace¡¯," Shen Luo said, frowning. Upon saying this, he immediately released his Divine Sense, attempting to probe the reality of these great halls. The result was that as soon as his divine soul ventured forth, his mind was suddenly racked with intense pain, as if countless needles were piercing his divine soul, making it unbearable to endure. Immediately after, Nie Caizhu also showed a pained expression. "Do not try to mobilize the power of your divine soul anymore. See those white lights in the sky? That is the Divine Destruction Light, something that no magical treasures can shield against. Even if you do not deliberately operate the power of your divine sense, or even if you block your Sea of Knowledge, you can¡¯t stop this divine light. It will continuously stimulate your divine soul, and the longer the time, the harder it is to endure," explained the Enlightened Heavenly Beast beside him. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo quickly retracted his divine sense power, and the pain slightly subsided. However, when he turned to look at the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, he noticed that it appeared quite composed, which prompted him to ask: "How come you seem to be unaffected and show no obvious discomfort?" "I feel the same as you. This Divine Destruction Light cannot be shielded by any magical treasures, and here it shines everywhere all the time, no one can avoid it, hence no one can tolerate it for too long. The reason I appear normal is only because I have been here a few times before with the Shadow War Leopard and others, and have developed some endurance," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast explained. "You¡¯ve been here before?" Shen Luo asked, somewhat surprised. "To reclaim the Primordial Spirit Mark, we have tried to break through here several times before, but unfortunately, all attempts failed. One cannot stay here too long, otherwise, the divine soul will be severely damaged. The only exception is holding the Kunlun Mirror to release the area of darkness, which can block most of the Divine Destruction Light. It¡¯s for this reason that the Shadow War Leopard and Profound Fire Divine Steed were so desperate to seize this item before," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast explained. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes lit up, and with a flick of her wrist, she took out the Kunlun Mirror. She chanted softly, released the area of darkness, and immediately enveloped the three of them. After entering the area of darkness, all three visibly relaxed, and Shen Luo also noticed that the severe pain in his divine soul had greatly reduced. "Daoist friend, it would be better to mention such crucial information sooner," Nie Caizhu looked at the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, somewhat helplessly. "I apologize," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast said earnestly. As Shen Luo scanned the surroundings, he noticed no Stone Stele standing around, and then asked, "Daoist friend, do you know what the trial is on this level? And where is the inheritance of the Tianyan Palace? "I¡¯m not exactly sure what the trial here entails, but my guess would be that it¡¯s about finding the real Tianyan Palace among these many great halls," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast said. "Finding the real Tianyan Palace? It can¡¯t be that simple, can it?" Shen Luo said skeptically. "Naturally, it¡¯s not that simple. The landscapes and roads that we see before us are in a sense alive, they might change at any time. The first time I, along with the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed, made our way here, we nearly failed to return to the fourth layer due to losing our way," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast nodded. "If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s somewhat similar to a maze; we might have to go through each hall one by one," said Shen Luo after pondering for a moment. "Yes, for each great hall we check, we will mark it. No matter how the environment changes, we will no longer go through the ones we¡¯ve checked; if we examine them one by one, we will eventually find the real Tianyan Palace," Nie Caizhu said. "Right," Shen Luo nodded. "We should act immediately. I fear that after we retreated earlier, Wu Luo and his group might have entered this layer and could be searching for the Tianyan Palace," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast said. The three chose a path on the far left and hurried towards the palace at the end of the road. ... Chapter 1641 - 1637: Three Skeletons Chapter 1641: Chapter 1637: Three SkeletonsAt the same time. In the Fourth Layer Dark City, there is a concealed old mansion tucked away in a corner, where a figure is currently stepping through the threshold. This person is none other than Che Qingtian, who remains alone in the Dark City. He entered a dilapidated great hall deep inside the old mansion, and at first glance, spotted a small altar only three feet across, swiftly approaching it. Che Qingtian waved his hand, brushing off the dust on the altar, revealing a small Rune Array underneath. From his Storage Magical Tool, he took out three black crystal stones and placed them at the three apexes of the Rune Array, then fetched a silver bottle, uncorked it, and slowly poured out the silver liquid inside. The silver liquid flowed along the lines of the Array, filling all the grooves and linking the three crystal stones together. Afterward, Che Qingtian formed a Dharma Seal with both hands and began to chant a series of strange Spells. As his Chanting sound continued, the silver liquid on the altar began to tremble slightly, and soon, it surged and leapt like a living thing, covering the entire altar. Seeing this, Che Qingtian stopped chanting, and with a wave of his hand, three black Skulls with a metallic gloss materialized side by side, falling onto the altar. The silver liquid on the altar immediately surged upward rapidly, wrapping around the black Skulls. The black crystal stones placed at the three apexes also quickly liquified, merging into the silver liquid. Che Qingtian rubbed his fingers together, and a layer of ghost green bone powder like phosphorus fire sprinkled down, instantly igniting the silver liquid, causing an eerie ghost fire to flicker incessantly on the altar. The next instant, there was a clicking sound within the ghost fire, followed by a small black Skeleton leg poking out from the flames. Che Qingtian took a step back, waiting for the Things within the ghost fire to emerge. Soon, three complete black Skeleton figures stepped out of the ghost fire, standing in front of him. As the firelight on the altar gradually faded away, a light suddenly flashed in the hollow eye sockets of the three black Skeletons, but the flame within their eyes was different in each. The black Skeleton on the far left had exceptionally long Arms, drooping to its knees, its stance somewhat hunched like an old ape, with a green flame flickering in its eye sockets. The middle Skeleton was tall, standing a head and shoulders above the hunched Skeleton, and its Bones were also more robust. It stood upright, and despite being a fleshless set of dry Bones, emitted an imposing aura of a dominator. Its eyes flickered with a dark red bloodthirsty glow. The last Skeleton had a proportionate build, indistinct from the ordinary, except for the twin golden flames burning within its eye sockets. Although these three Skeletons varied in shape, each exuded Demonic Qi, and their breath reached the peak of the True Immortal realm, just half a step away from the Taiyi Realm. "Heh heh... Che Qingtian, in the end, you still come to seek our help, don¡¯t you?" mocked the imposing Skeleton, laughing eerily and without hiding its mockery. Upon hearing this, Che Qingtian snorted coldly, offering no reply. "Hong Ku, shut your mouth. Daoist Che summoned us; surely he must be in some trouble, right?" the hunched Skeleton scolded the tall Skeleton, then turned to question Che Qingtian. "You Quan Daoist friend, the current situation inside Tianyan Palace is rather complicated. Besides Shen Luo, Wu Luo has also joined in with the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed, to vie for the control of Tianyan Palace. It won¡¯t be easy," said Che Qingtian, his expression easing slightly as he spoke. Upon the mention of Shen Luo¡¯s name, the piercing golden flames in the eye sockets of the slender Skeleton on the far right visibly jumped. "Daoist Che, there¡¯s no hurry at this very moment. Will you please detail the situation of Tianyan Palace to us?" A slender skeleton spoke, its voice surprisingly that of a woman. "Daoist Jin Xiu, sure, I will tell you all about it." Che Qingtian nodded in acknowledgement, and then began to describe the current situation of Tianyan Palace to them in detail. A moment later, the three skeletons had listened to his account and all fell silent. "From this, it seems they should have already entered the fifth layer. We can¡¯t delay any longer, we must proceed at once." The hunched skeleton named You Quan mused aloud. "Good." The group immediately set off towards the light door deep behind the altar. ... Atop a mountain peak on the fifth layer, Shen Luo and his two companions stood outside a palace door of "Tianyan Palace," working to break the prohibitions placed upon it. The prohibitions on the palace door were not intricate, and Shen Luo did not take much effort to break them. He pushed with his hand, and the thick palace door creaked open inward, revealing the empty great hall within. A gust of air, old and slightly musty, rushed at their faces. Shen Luo stepped over the threshold first and walked into the great hall. The floor inside the hall was paved with blue stones, and although the area of the entire room was large, there were no furnishings inside except for several pillars supporting the great hall. Shen Luo frowned and conducted a thorough search, but it yielded nothing. "It seems that this isn¡¯t the true Tianyan Palace..." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered with a strange light. After using his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to scan around, he spoke up. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "We¡¯ve only checked the first place, how could we be that lucky?" Nie Caizhu said with a smile. "The true Tianyan Palace would probably have prohibitions at its entrance that are not so easily broken." The Enlightened Heavenly Beast commented. While they were preparing to leave, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast suddenly turned his gaze to an inconspicuous pillar in the middle of the hall. He walked over to the stone pillar in a few steps, formed a magic spell with one hand, and a water-blue light immediately shone in his palm, lightly wiping it over the pillar. That stone pillar also lit up in response, with a number of ancient runes surfacing on it. Then, under the light, it rapidly shrank, quickly turning into a Demon Subduing Pestle about a foot long. Suddenly missing a supporting pillar, the structure of the great hall amazingly did not shake in the slightest, completely unaffected. Shen Luo counted once more and found that the stone pillars in the hall were symmetrically arranged on both sides, the number exactly the same. The pillar that had transformed into the Demon Subduing Pestle had, in fact, been an excess one. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast held the stone Demon Subduing Pestle, and slowly transferred Mana into it. A series of prohibition runes immediately emerged, revealing no less than forty-nine layers in total. "Daoist friend, you¡¯re quite lucky, having discovered a magical treasure of not insignificant rank," Shen Luo observed with a smile. "Unfortunately, there is no time to refine it for now. I wonder what special abilities this magical treasure possesses?" The Enlightened Heavenly Beast pondered aloud. "Once you control Tianyan Palace and regain your freedom, the world is vast; you can refine it anywhere you choose," Shen Luo replied. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast nodded, tucked away the Demon Subduing Pestle, and the three of them stepped out of the palace door. Upon exiting the great hall and seeing the outside scene, they were immediately stunned. The path they had followed earlier had vanished without a trace, and not far from the overhanging eaves of the hall lay a dense mountain forest. Chapter 1642 - 1638: Each Harboring Their Own Thoughts Chapter 1642: Chapter 1638: Each Harboring Their Own Thoughts"Indeed, it¡¯s different now," Shen Luo came back to his senses and exclaimed in admiration. "The changes are not too significant; we can still see the platform where we started, which shows that the position hasn¡¯t shifted," said Nie Caizhu, tiptoeing to look down towards the middle of the mountainside. Shen Luo turned around to glance at the great hall and discovered that the palace door they had opened had somehow closed on its own. If not for the disappearance of the prohibition on the door, they might have thought this was a great hall yet to be explored. At this thought, Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, considering whether to continue marking this great hall. After all, if Che Qingtian or Wu Luo were to see it, it would be tantamount to helping them eliminate a wrong option. However, he soon made a decision. He raised his hand and from In the Sleeve, a Pure Yang Flying Sword shot out, carving a deep sword mark on the wall of the great hall, leaving traces of Sword Qi within it. After that, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze wandered to another great hall nearby. "Next, let¡¯s head over there." The Enlightened Heavenly Beast followed his line of sight and looked in that direction, pondered for a moment and shook its head, "That¡¯s not advisable." "Why not? That place is clearly the closest to us," asked Nie Caizhu, puzzled. "It looks close in a straight line indeed, but there is no direct Road connecting there from here. The mountain forest here isn¡¯t like other places; it¡¯s not somewhere you can just stroll through. If we rush in recklessly, there¡¯s a risk of getting lost. We should take a longer detour and head to the great hall on that mountain ridge," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast explained while pointing with its hand. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo looked up and saw that on the opposite side, further away, there stood a great hall on a lone mountain ridge, with a Narrow Mountain Path winding from the side of the ridge, passing through several forks and extending all the way here. "Alright, let¡¯s head over there," Shen Luo decided with a pat. The way forward was without troubles, and soon the three of them arrived at the great hall. However, when they finally reached it, they found that the prohibition outside the palace door had been destroyed, and after a thorough search inside the great hall, as expected, they came up empty-handed. "There¡¯s still Qi left by Wu Luo; they must have gotten here before us," Shen Luo said. "Fortunately, this place isn¡¯t the real Tianyan Palace," sighed Nie Caizhu. "Nevertheless, we must hurry up. The more great halls they reach, the greater the possibility of them finding the real Tianyan Palace," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast expressed its concern. "Indeed." Without staying too long, the three hurriedly left the great hall. Once outside, they found that the scenery had changed again. Now they appeared in a sunken area on the mountain, while conversely, another ridge had risen on the other side. However, on that newly risen ridge, there was no trace of any buildings. Shen Luo raised his hand again, marking this great hall, then chose a mountain Road and rushed towards another great hall. Time ticked by, and Shen Luo and his two companions shuttled back and forth on the narrow trails in the mountain forest, searching from one great hall to another, but they still couldn¡¯t find the true Tianyan Palace. Fortunately, protected by the Kunlun Mirror, the damage they sustained from the Divine Destruction Light was limited; otherwise, they would have been unable to hold on long ago. Just as their anxiety was mounting, they unexpectedly encountered another team in front of the fifth great hall they had found. Upon seeing Shen Luo and his two companions, Wu Luo and his team did not show the slightest bit of surprise or shock. Shen Luo¡¯s group, however, tensed up, became fully alert, and drew their weapons, readying themselves for battle. Seeing this, the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed also took out their Magical Treasures and adopted a defensive posture, but Wu Luo waved his hand, signaling them to put away their weapons. "Friend Shen, there¡¯s no rush to start fighting. Although we had some friction earlier, it¡¯s not necessarily a matter of life and death. Even if the conflicts are irreconcilable, there¡¯s no need to resolve them right now, don¡¯t you agree?" Wu Luo said. "What exactly do you want to say?" Shen Luo asked, frowning. "Friend Shen, are you interested in advancing to the Taiyi Realm?" Wu Luo asked with a smile. "What do you mean by that?" Shen Luo responded with surprise in his voice, puzzled. "I won¡¯t hide it from you, I know of a Tianyan Palace, although it is not the true Tianyan Palace, it¡¯s different from the other palaces. Inside there are numerous treasures including a piece of the legendary Immortal Treasure Jade Orchid. This item is one of the main ingredients for refining the Taiqing Pill, but as for the effects of the Taiqing Pill, I presume I need not elaborate further," Wu Luo said with a smile. Shen Luo, of course, knew of the Taiqing Pill¡ªan elixir greatly beneficial for advancing to the Taiyi Realm, comparable to a top-tier treasure. His own talent was not that great; even with the experience of training in Dreamland to assist him, it would be extremely difficult to upgrade to the Taiyi Realm. Without the help of an Immortal Pill like the Taiqing Pill, he might never reach the Taiyi Realm in his lifetime. "What do you think, Brother Shen, would you be willing to join us in breaking through the palace¡¯s prohibitions together?" Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s interest, Wu Luo quickly asked. "What are the conditions?" Shen Luo queried. "The location of the great hall is unique. I can lead you there, but from now on, you need to protect us with the Kunlun Mirror and help us break the prohibition together. After entering the great hall, the Jade Orchid is yours, and all other things belong to us. How about it?" Wu Luo proposed. "Nothing doing," Shen Luo flatly refused. "Why would you refuse such a mutually beneficial proposal?" Wu Luo asked, somewhat surprised. "Not to mention the lack of a basis of trust between us, you¡¯re just guiding the way, and yet, once there, you¡¯re only offering us the Jade Orchid while you take all other treasures? Do you think this is fair?" Shen Luo let out a cold laugh, retorting. "Friend Shen, what you do not know is that the Jade Orchid is the only treasure we can confirm exists in that great hall. As for whether there are other treasures, we can¡¯t be sure. Perhaps there¡¯s nothing else in there, and then we¡¯d come away empty-handed, so everyone is taking a risk. Furthermore, we¡¯re not just leading the way, without us presiding over the situation, you might find the great hall but be unable to open its doors," Wu Luo said with a smile, shaking his head. Seeing her confident demeanor, Shen Luo also began to hesitate. At this moment, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast suddenly transmitted its voice to him, saying: "Brother Shen, their understanding of this Tianyan Palace is greater than ours; I think we can cooperate with them. Besides, acting together with them can also prevent them from finding the real Tianyan Palace before us." Chapter 1643 - 1639: Just One Item Chapter 1643: Chapter 1639: Just One Item"I can¡¯t fully trust what you¡¯ve said. However, the idea of cooperation is not out of the question. As for the distribution of the treasure, we¡¯ll have to wait and see after getting past." Shen Luo responded with an unchanged expression on his face, looking towards Wu Luo and the other two. "Agreed," Wu Luo answered promptly upon hearing this. Shen Luo turned his head toward Nie Caizhu and nodded at her. Nie Caizhu took out the Kunlun Mirror and, after chanting a few incantations, a light flickered on the mirror with water patterns, and three shadows moved from beneath the trio¡¯s feet, merging into one large area of darkness. Wu Luo and his two companions looked at the shadow on the ground and immediately showed a troubled expression. After all, they clearly remembered the scene of Yan Lie being consumed by the area of darkness not long ago, which made them feel fearful. "If you want to avoid the harm from the Divine Destruction Light, this is the only way," Shen Luo said, seeing their reaction. With slight hesitation, Wu Luo took a step into the range of the shadows. The Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed exchanged glances and, after waiting a little while, also entered the area of darkness. After entering, the expressions on their faces didn¡¯t change much, but their eyes flickered slightly, clearly feeling the distinct difference brought about by the protection of the Kunlun Mirror. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Friend Shen has treated us with sincerity, and I will not be vague in return. Everyone, follow me," Wu Luo said, preparing to lead the way. "There¡¯s no rush. Let¡¯s explore this great hall nearby before anything else," Shen Luo said, pointing to the great hall nearby. "We¡¯ve already searched that palace; there¡¯s nothing. It would be a waste of time for you..." The Profound Fire Divine Steed rolled its eyes as it spoke. "Ah, let Brother Shen have a look. Perhaps with their discerning eyes, they might discover some hidden treasures," Wu Luo interrupted it and said. Shen Luo ignored them and still went up to explore the great hall with Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. As it turned out, the great hall was indeed empty and they found nothing. It was unclear whether it was originally like that or if Wu Luo and the others had already taken any treasures away. After coming out of the hall, Shen Luo marked the great hall with a Sword Qi signature and then followed Wu Luo and his companions towards the great hall they had mentioned. ... Under the guidance of Wu Luo and his companions, Shen Luo and the others quickly arrived in front of the Tianyan Palace door that Wu Luo had mentioned. Shen Luo stepped forward to examine it and didn¡¯t find anything noticeably different about the Tianyan Palace compared to other places. He then lifted his hand and a burst of mana burst from his palm, striking at the palace gate. With a "bang," there was a muffled sound! The palace door shook violently, and a circle of round charm patterns suddenly emerged on the heavy wooden door. Following that, the charm light brightened intensely and a fierce flame burst forth, heading straight for Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly retreated to dodge, but the flame pursued him like a shadow. With a single gesture, he drew a Water Technique hand seal and summoned a water dragon out of thin air. It met the blaze head-on, swallowing it in one gulp. However, almost instantly, the water dragon evaporated from the high temperature, turning into a cloud of White Fog and vanishing without a trace. The flame, meanwhile, did not slow down at all and continued to charge at him. Seeing this, Shen Luo took out a Pure Yang Flying Sword, ready to strike at the fiery blaze. At that moment, a figure suddenly flashed by and raised a hand to block in front of Shen Luo; a bizarre black Rune Array emerged in the palm with Black Light flickering within. It resembled a black hole, engulfing all the flames into it. After extinguishing the flames, Wu Luo slowly retracted his hand and turned around to explain to Shen Luo: "The prohibition flame on this gate cannot be extinguished by Water Techniques or fire magic; any external slashing force will trigger a violent explosion, so we can only think of a way to take it in and control it." "Thank you," said Shen Luo with a frown. "It¡¯s just a small effort, don¡¯t mind it. Before we begin breaking the seals, we need to first explore the situation inside this Tianyan Palace." Wu Luo waved her hand dismissively and said. Having said that, she flipped her wrist, and a round compass with a dark hue emerged in her palm. "Can this thing detect the condition inside the palace?" Shen Luo asked, somewhat doubtful. "This Witch Spirit compass is particularly sensitive to the Spiritual Power of Magical Artifacts. It can not only detect the number of treasures within the palace, but also reveal their shapes based on the distribution of their Spiritual Power," Wu Luo explained. As she spoke, she summoned the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed. The three of them cast spells simultaneously, directing their magic spells towards the Witch Spirit compass. As three beams of Spiritual Light flew in, the Witch Spirit compass began to hover in the air above everyone¡¯s heads. The needle on the compass spun back and forth, finally pointing towards the great hall. A beam of light shot out from the needle and landed on the great hall, and a white light pillar about three feet tall rose up on the compass. Within the white light pillar, ethereal lights flickered, and soon three black shadows emerged. Shen Luo looked intently and saw a Jade Orchid about a foot long, a Long Handled Battle Saber about three feet long, and a Giant gourd floating within the shadowy figures. After flickering for a moment, the shadows became faint and disappeared. The light pillar emanating from the compass also vanished. Wu Luo reached out to call back the compass into her sleeve, conversed briefly with the Shadow War Leopard, then turned to Shen Luo and said: "Apart from the Jade Orchid in this great hall, there is also a Magical Treasure Battle Saber and a Magical Treasure Gourd. The quantity is indeed limited. This time, we can only offer Shen Daoist the Jade Orchid. If you do not mind continuing with us afterward, upon finding other treasures, we could let Shen Daoist choose first. How does that sound?" "Let¡¯s discuss the matters of later at another time. As for these three treasures, besides the Jade Orchid, we also want one more. However, among the remaining two, you can choose first," Shen Luo pondered for a moment before saying. Upon hearing this, Wu Luo¡¯s brow inadvertently furrowed. "Such a big appetite, aren¡¯t you afraid of choking yourself? Without us, could you have broken the prohibition on this gate?" the Shadow War Leopard said angrily. "Without us, you would probably have been unable to resist the Divine Destruction Light and would have had to roll out of the Fifth Layer space in embarrassment by now," countered the Enlightened Heavenly Beast with a cold sneer. As these words came out, the corners of the eyes of the three people opposite twitched a few times as they subconsciously glanced at the shadows on the ground. "Brother Shen, we can only offer one Jade Orchid. If necessary, we¡¯ll just call off this deal. If you have a way to break the prohibition and seize the treasure, then we shall part ways here," Wu Luo said, making a gesture to leave. "One will do, that thing is of great importance to you," Nie Caizhu quickly sent a message to Shen Luo upon seeing this. "Hold on," Shen Luo suddenly spoke up. Wu Luo and the others halted and turned back to look at him. "We¡¯ll take only the Jade Orchid as well, but first, you have to give me the Dan formula for the Taiqing Pill," Shen Luo declared. Hearing these words, Wu Luo silently cursed inside, but her face showed no sign of displeasure. She smiled readily and said, "That, no problem at all." Chapter 1644 - 1640: Breaking the Ban with Five Formations Chapter 1644: Chapter 1640: Breaking the Ban with Five FormationsAfter Wu Luo finished speaking, he flipped his single hand, and a roll of Silk Book suddenly appeared in his hand, which he then tossed to Shen Luo. Shen Luo raised his hand to catch the Silk Book, unfurled it to inspect briefly, then stuffed it into his robe. It seemed like he was placing it into his sleeve, but in reality, through the Free and Easy Mirror, he sent it directly to Fire Spirit Child¡¯s hands. After Fire Spirit Child looked it over, he promptly transmitted a message to Shen Luo, confirming there was no issue with the Dan formula. "Thank you," Shen Luo expressed his gratitude with a fist and palm salute, without changing his expression. "Not at all. Next, we can work together to break the prohibition, right?" Wu Luo¡¯s smile remained on his face as he asked. "How should this prohibition be broken?" Shen Luo asked with a slightly more solemn expression. "The prohibition of this great hall is the Five Ding Bing Fire Forbidden Array. To break the Formation, five people must act together, each using one of the five different prohibition Rune Arrays to reverse the Great Formation and thus break it," said Wu Luo. "Five different prohibition Rune Arrays? Which five are they? Could you please clarify?" Shen Luo asked with a frown. "You need not worry about that, Friend Shen. I have completely mastered the formation maps of all five Rune Arrays. All we need to do is draw them on everyone¡¯s palms. At that time, everyone can simultaneously activate the Rune Arrays to break the prohibition together. However, it is important to maintain the Mana used to activate the Rune Arrays in a consistent state and avoid large fluctuations," Wu Luo continued to speak unhurriedly. Shen Luo frowned and pondered for a moment, then turned to the Enlightened Heavenly Beast and said, "Let¡¯s the two of us assist them. Cai Zhu continues to control the Kunlun Mirror to protect us from the erosion of the Divine Destruction Light." No sooner had he spoken than everyone present understood his intent; Wu Luo¡¯s expression did not change and he kept a slight smile on his lips, appearing unconcerned. "Alright," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast nodded and readily agreed. Although Nie Caizhu didn¡¯t speak, she also gave Shen Luo a slight nod, reassuring him that if there were any disturbances during the breaking of the prohibition, she would immediately activate the Kunlun Mirror to engulf Wu Luo and the other two. "Since Daoist Brother Shen has made arrangements, we shouldn¡¯t delay. Let¡¯s get started," urged Wu Luo. After saying that, he twisted his wrist and immediately took out a verdant wolf hair awl between two fingers, the pen tip gathering thick, solid Mana, and began drawing charm patterns in the palm of his hand. The entire process lasted about Half a Moment. After drawing the patterns, she then went on to draw Rune Arrays in the palms of the Shadow War Leopard, the Profound Fire Divine Steed, and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, before finally approaching Shen Luo. Shen Luo extended his open palm, and Wu Luo began drawing on it with the wolf hair awl in her hand. As Wu Luo¡¯s pen tip moved swiftly, waves of scorching heat spread from Shen Luo¡¯s palm, and he could clearly feel strands of Mana solidifying into lines, roaming and settling in his palm, forming into a Rune Array. He deliberately did not constrain this Mana, allowing it to condense in his own palm, wanting to see if it would attempt to penetrate inward through his skin. However, the result was that these Mana-formed Arrays honestly hovered in his palm without any overreaching. While Shen Luo felt somewhat relieved, he also couldn¡¯t help but be perplexed. He didn¡¯t believe that Wu Luo would play it so straightforward, but he couldn¡¯t find any other clues at the moment, so he had to leave it be for now, though he did not lessen his vigilance in the slightest. After the Rune Array was drawn, under Wu Luo¡¯s guidance, they each took their positions in different directions, all facing the palace door with the palms bearing the Rune Arrays extended. "Everyone get ready, I¡¯m going to start," Wu Luo called. Following Wu Luo¡¯s command, everyone began to infuse Mana into the Rune Arrays on their own palms. The charm pattern in Shen Luo¡¯s palm lit up abruptly, and a surge of burning heat arose immediately, from which a cluster of crimson flames shot out. Next to him, the palm charm pattern of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast also erupted with a cluster of golden yellow flames. As for the Shadow War Leopard, the Profound Fire Divine Steed, and Wu Luo¡¯s palms, flames also flared up, albeit in different colors: deep blue, ink green, and profound black, each emitting unique attribute fluctuations. "My fellow Daoists, do not be hasty. First stabilize the flames, harmonize your mana to the same level, and then direct it towards the Five Ding Bing Fire Forbidden Array," Wu Luo urged upon seeing this. Upon hearing this, everyone began to focus and control their mana, and the flames which were previously flickering in their hands gradually stabilized and started to shrink in size until all five clusters of flames became uniform. "It is ready. Now, let us all together send them into the Forbidden Array," Wu Luo shouted. Upon his command, everyone relaxed their palms forward and the five bundles of flames drifted over, floating towards the palace door. Before the flames even neared, the Forbidden magic array on the palace door sensed their approach, materializing and sending out a massive outpouring of flames towards the group. "Hold steady, do not make any sudden movements," Wu Luo bellowed. Those who originally thought the attempt to break the formation had failed, upon hearing his words, forcibly controlled their actions and forcefully met the flames with the seal-breaking flames in their palms, sending them into the Forbidden Array. Just as the Forbidden Array¡¯s flames were about to engulf them, the five differently colored flames began to swirl rapidly within the sea of flames, quickly forming a spiraling five-colored ring. The sea of flames surrounding them, not yet having spread out, was drawn in by the five-colored ring, pouring into it one after another. Before long, all flames of the Forbidden Array fell into the five-colored ring and eventually disappeared. When all the flames had vanished, a flowing gloss shimmered on the palace door, and a huge prohibition seal charm pattern gently emerged, peeling off from the door, and then turned into ashes. "The prohibition is lifted," Wu Luo stated, slowly retracting his palm. Seeing this, Shen Luo also retracted his hand into his sleeve, gently rubbing his fingers together to crush the charm pattern drawn in his palm. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Brother Shen, please," Wu Luo gestured invitingly with a wave of his hand. Shen Luo¡¯s Divine Sense had already scanned the interior of the hall, finding nothing amiss, so he immediately stepped forward and walked inside. The rest of the group also followed suit. Upon entering the great hall, everyone¡¯s gaze immediately landed on a square pond at the front, where spiritual mist diffused, exuding wisps of vapor. In the center of the pond grew a jade-green, crystal-clear Orchid Immortal Grass, merely around a foot long. It radiated with a bright luster and scattered sweet fragrance in the air. Next to a pillar on the left side of the great hall, a rustic battle saber about three feet long was slanted on the ground, seemingly covered in a thick layer of dust and appearing rather inconspicuous. In another corner, there stood a gourd about a foot tall, pitch black and glossy as if it was free of any dust. "Brother Shen, the Jade Orchid is yours, according to our agreement. As for the other two treasures, we shall..." Wu Luo looked at Shen Luo and began to speak. "Are yours," Shen Luo nodded and said. Chapter 1645 - 1641: Scheming Chapter 1645: Chapter 1641: Scheming"Refreshing." Wu Luo said with a clap and a laugh. Then she nodded towards the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed. Understanding her meaning, they each walked towards the ancient war saber and the huge black gourd. At this moment, a streak of light flashed beneath Shen Luo¡¯s feet, and his figure instantly arrived at the edge of the pond, reaching out to pluck the Jade Orchid. His movements were so swift that everyone present did not react in time, even startling the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed into unconsciously hastening their pace towards the two treasures. Just as Shen Luo¡¯s palm was about to touch the Jade Orchid, Wu Luo¡¯s figure also moved. She drifted forward like a ghostly specter and instantly left the range of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s control. With a wave of her hand, several transparent crystal threads shot out, entangling Shen Luo¡¯s outstretched palm. "Immortal-binding Spider Silk..." Before Shen Luo could resist, a strong binding force spread from the transparent threads, pulling his arm backward and then wrapping around his body. Immediately after, a colored glaze brilliance shot out, landing directly above Shen Luo¡¯s head, revealing a strangely shaped lamp, which resembled a treasure vase and was made of colored glaze. Once the lamp appeared, it started to spin rapidly. Countless facets on its surface refracted myriad beams of light, crisscrossing and transforming into a dreamlike colored glaze radiance that enveloped Shen Luo. Within the light, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes instantly became dazed. The objects before him began to distort and change, light and shadow scattered, making him feel as if he were trapped in an illusionary realm of light, unable to muster any will to resist. "Cousin..." Nie Caizhu shouted loudly upon seeing this. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast flashed with blue light and dashed forward, not towards Shen Luo, but towards the black gourd that the Profound Fire Divine Steed was about to obtain. Wu Luo let out a cold laugh and reappeared like a specter by the pond. She was in no hurry to attack Shen Luo; instead, she plucked the Jade Orchid first. As Wu Luo pulled the Jade Orchid from the pond, the previously misty waters suddenly reversed their flow towards the orchid above. As they neared it, they turned into wisps of spirit mist, seeping into the body of the Orchid Immortal Grass. "The spirit liquid reversing flow, truly a marvel. The grade of this Jade Orchid is even higher than I expected," Wu Luo said, overjoyed upon seeing this. But just then, a flash of golden light appeared within the shadow behind a stone pillar, and a figure rapidly shot out. Moving so quickly that only an afterimage was left behind, this person had reached behind Wu Luo in an instant. Before Wu Luo could react, her spine was fiercely struck by a Profound Yellow Long Staff, feeling as if her backbone was about to shatter and her internal organs were in turmoil. Spewing blood from her mouth, she was thrown out violently. The Jade Orchid she held in her hand slipped from her grip, swept away by a stream of light. Where the light gathered, there stood Shen Luo holding the Jade Orchid, not having time for a second glance before immediately storing it into his Storage Magical Tool. Wu Luo barely steadied herself and turned back to see two Shen Luos standing there. She harshly pulled on the Immortal-binding Spider Silk without delay. With a "swish" of sharp sound! The transparent crystal thread glinted with cold light, and the "Shen Luo" that was bound was immediately sliced apart. However, instead of flesh and bones, the severed corpse melted into a pool of liquid, inside which only a droplet of Shen Luo¡¯s essence blood remained¡ªand even that was instantly burnt to nothingness. Turning to look at Nie Caizhu, who had not made a move, Wu Luo realized she had fallen for her illusion technique. "When did it happen?" She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, but couldn¡¯t wipe it clean. "The moment we entered the great hall," Shen Luo replied generously. Only then did Wu Luo realize the truth. When Shen Luo had entered the hall before them, Nie Caizhu had tampered with the Kunlun Mirror and hidden his real body in the shadow of a stone pillar, creating a false body to deceive them. They were so intent on outsmarting Shen Luo that they failed to notice any signs. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just then, a sharp "clang" rang out, and a burst of emerald green light instantly lit up the entire great hall. Shen Luo turned towards the sound, only to see that the Shadow War Leopard had already pulled the war saber that was slanted on the ground, and was now holding it in mid-air. With mana infused into the blade, the dust covering it fell off like peeling stone, revealing the original glowing green color of the blade and emitting a resounding sword cry. "It¡¯s true, it really is the Hongming War Saber..." The Shadow War Leopard cried out excitedly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s brows also could not help but furrow. The Hongming War Saber was indeed famous; even Fire Spirit Child had spoken highly of it. This saber was a divine weapon from ancient times, forged in the same furnace as the Xuanyuan Sword. But when the saber was made, its saber aura soared to the heavens and its killing intent was too fierce, to the extent that it even threatened to turn on its wielder. As a result, the Yellow Emperor wished to destroy it with the Xuanyuan Sword. However, perhaps because it was forged from the same furnace, the Xuanyuan Sword was unexpectedly unable to cut it down. In the end, the Yellow Emperor had no choice but to impose a seal with a secret method and keep it preserved. It was only then that the Shadow War Leopard noticed Wu Luo had been injured by Shen Luo and hurriedly gripped the war saber, charging over. But he had only taken two steps when suddenly a muffled thud was heard, and a figure flew out sideways, nearly hitting him. The Shadow War Leopard quickly dodged, only to see that the Profound Fire Divine Steed had been thrown over, crashing heavily against a stone pillar in the hall, with blood seeping from its nose and mouth, yet still clutching tightly to the huge black gourd it held. At that moment, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast also chased after it, letting out a sharp scream. A visible soundwave immediately chased after the Profound Fire Divine Steed. The previous injuries of the Profound Fire Divine Steed had not yet healed, and it was not the match for the Enlightened Heavenly Beast at that moment, especially while holding on to the black gourd, leaving it utterly defenseless. Seeing this, the Shadow War Leopard flashed, blocking in front of him, gripping the Hongming War Saber tightly with both hands and slashing down at the soundwave. A green light shone upon the long saber as a jade-like saber light burst forth, directly cutting through the soundwave and causing it to explode apart in the middle, turning into two powerful waves of force rushing to both sides. Upon seeing that the saber was still sealed and yet not refined and could already unleash such formidable power, the Shadow War Leopard was even more overjoyed. But before he could savor the moment of joy, a hand reached out from beside him, fiercely grabbing towards the long saber in his grip. The Shadow War Leopard saw that it was Shen Luo coming to seize the saber, and immediately the blade turned, slashing horizontally towards him. Shen Luo pressed his palm against the blade edge, flipped in the air, and landed a palm strike down onto the Shadow War Leopard. The Shadow War Leopard sneered from the corner of his mouth as a black light suddenly flashed on his body. Shen Luo felt as if a shadow flitted before his eyes, and then immediately a sharp pain erupted in his chest, as he was struck by a great force and sent flying backwards. As he retreated, his sleeves fluttered and stirred up a great whooshing sound. Sword edges howled forth, and eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords shot towards the Shadow War Leopard all at once. Chapter 1646 - 1642: Heaven Helps Me Too Chapter 1646: Chapter 1642: Heaven Helps Me TooThe Shadow War Leopard swung its blade, not expecting to block Shen Luo¡¯s eleven Flying Swords, and immediately flickered aside to dodge, alighting behind a stone pillar. "Watch your step." Just as it was about to land, a sharp cry suddenly rang out. The Shadow War Leopard, heeding the warning from Wu Luo, shuddered inwardly and hastily somersaulted away. The shadow beneath its feet abruptly expanded, attempting to engulf it, but sadly its range was too limited and failed to chase down its prey. After landing, the Shadow War Leopard looked back and realized that Nie Caizhu had hidden the dark realm of the Kunlun Mirror within the shadow of the stone pillar. If it hadn¡¯t evaded in time, it might have met the same fate as Yan Lie, leaving it drenched in a cold sweat. No sooner had it avoided one calamity, than the Profound Fire Divine Steed was not so lucky on the other side. Shen Luo¡¯s eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords swept towards it, unleashing hundreds of sword lights slashing at it. Seeing that dodging was futile, the Profound Fire Divine Steed immediately raised a palm to strike forward. As its palm extended, it transformed into a jet-black horseshoe, a phantom light enshrouding it, turning into an even larger black hoof print, smashing towards the sword lights. A cacophony of collisions resounded, all sword lights shattered one after another, and the black hoof print was slashed to pieces. Blood spurted from the Profound Fire Divine Steed¡¯s arm, already wounded heavily. Recoiling from the pain, it sought to retreat and flee, but the Enlightened Heavenly Beast had already caught up. It opened its mouth and let out a low chant, with waves of sound incessantly surging out, spreading a force of invisible suppression. The form of the Profound Fire Divine Steed stagnated, a step too slow. Shen Luo, however, was unaffected, his figure swiftly appearing, reaching to snatch the Black Gourd from the hands of the Profound Fire Divine Steed. Just as the Black Gourd was about to be seized, a powerful surge of Mana violently struck, a tumultuous force like a tidal wave bursting, scattering the sound waves of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast away. At the same time, a black Short Cone also rushed from behind in a surprise attack, heading straight for Shen Luo¡¯s back. In a rush, Shen Luo had no choice but to temporarily abandon the attempted snatch of the Gourd, twisting his body to dodge the assault. Wu Luo, having unleashed this potent strike, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and involuntarily staggered, nearly tumbling down. The black Short Cone, somewhat uncontrollable, veered off, striking towards the Black Gourd cradled in the arms of the Profound Fire Divine Steed. With a "bang," an explosion resounded! Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the large Black Gourd unexpectedly burst apart, fragments scattering violently. A surge of extremely thick black smoke wafted out from the exploded Gourd, with vast waves of deathly Qi spreading along with it, as countless pale green specks darted out from within. Where the smoke pervaded, the pale green specks swelled, soon transforming into countless ash-gray souls, all clumped together, aimlessly wandering around the great hall without direction or consciousness. As more expanding green specks emerged, the great hall was almost filled with an infinite number of ash-gray souls. Shen Luo subconsciously held his breath, feeling that with the slightest effort, those ethereal soul-like smokes, flitting past him, would be inhaled through his nostrils, evoking an inexplicable sense of suffocation. "Be careful, this smoke has a soul-confusing effect," Nie Caizhu suddenly shouted in warning. No sooner had her words fallen than the sound of wild laughter emerged: "Haha... It turns out to be the Death Soul Gourd, truly Heaven is aiding me..." The speaker was none other than Wu Luo. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, the woman ignored her injuries and stood up, leaning on a stone pillar. With a flick of her sleeves, her embroidered robes billowed without wind, revealing two spiraling vortexes of black light inside. Accompanied by a "whooshing" sound of wind, the vortices in her sleeves spun rapidly, absorbing the pervasive smoke of war and the countless drifting dead souls, instantly drawing them into the vortices. Shen Luo watched intently and was surprised to find that as Wu Luo crazily absorbed these dead souls and smoke, her injuries were healing rapidly, and her breath was steadily recovering. "Cai Zhu, quickly use the Kunlun Mirror to extinguish Wu Luo," Shen Luo shouted explosively. "Okay." Nie Caizhu promptly responded and rushed towards Wu Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts shifted, and with a wave of his hand, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner unfolded immediately. The banner rustled as it unfurled, its surface lighting up with black light, and like Wu Luo, it began to frantically devour the surrounding smoke of war and dead souls. Hidden within the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, Ghost General Zhao Feiji, without any reminder from Shen Luo, began to operate his Ghost Path Skills, crazily absorbing the incoming smoke and dead souls. On the other side, Wu Luo, seeing Nie Caizhu rushing over with the Kunlun Mirror, once again swept her sleeves, drawing almost half of the smoke and dead souls in the hall into them before turning and directly fleeing the great hall. The Profound Fire Divine Steed and the Shadow War Leopard also fled right after her, while the Enlightened Heavenly Beast tried to stop them but failed. "No need to chase," Shen Luo called off both Nie Caizhu and himself. Having said that, he waved his sleeve, closed the palace door again, and vigorously drove the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, absorbing all the remaining smoke of war and dead souls. As all the billowing black smoke was drawn into the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, the banner, which was somewhat damaged before, now surged with Ghostly Qi, emanating fluctuations that were even more powerful than when it was intact. Watching the scene before him, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast hesitated to speak. "What¡¯s the matter?" Seeing this, Shen Luo asked. "Just now, we should have taken the opportunity to kill Wu Luo. With her taking away so many dead souls, she will not only fully recover from her injuries, but her strength is also very likely to increase considerably, making it even more difficult to deal with her later," said the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. "Wu Luo¡¯s strength is far beyond what we¡¯ve seen. Even when she was injured, she could unleash such a tremendous force to destroy your sonic suppression, which is enough to show she still has hidden moves. If we were to fight them to the death now, it¡¯s likely that Che Qingtian would take advantage of the situation. It¡¯s not worth it," Shen Luo explained. Hearing this, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast pondered for a moment, felt that Shen Luo¡¯s words made sense, and then let go of his concerns. "Let¡¯s take this opportunity to rest a bit longer," said Shen Luo. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast sat down cross-legged, each taking an Elixir and beginning to meditate and regulate their breath. Shen Luo did not close his eyes to meditate but quietly watched the Ten Thousand Demons Banner next to him, seemingly waiting for something. After a long time, the Ten Thousand Demons Banner suddenly emitted a strong fluctuation, awakening Nie Caizhu and the others, who were meditating, one after another. Both of them looked puzzled and cast inquiring glances at Shen Luo. Just as Shen Luo was about to explain, a puff of black mist surged out from the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, and a figure emerged from it¡ªit was Ghost General Zhao Feiji. Chapter 1647 - 1643: Guidance in the Heart Chapter 1647: Chapter 1643: Guidance in the HeartAt this moment, Zhao Feiji¡¯s whole body had his malevolent aura restrained and the ghostly Qi was not visible, whether it was his complexion or his temperament, he looked no different from an ordinary person, except that his pupils seemed to contain ancient wells of abyss, filled with rich darkness. "Congratulations, for successfully advancing to the middle stage of True Immortal. Looking at this, you are only half a step away from the later stage, right?" Shen Luo looked Zhao Feiji up and down, and spoke with great satisfaction. "It all depends on Master¡¯s support, otherwise, I would have had difficulty breaking through this mid-stage bottleneck anytime soon." Zhao Feiji clasped his hands together and bowed in gratitude. "It¡¯s our good luck and also your good fortune," said Shen Luo with a smile. "Now I can finally be of some help to Master and won¡¯t be dragging Master down." Zhao Feiji said genuinely with a flushed face. "No rush, you continue to recuperate in the Ten Thousand Demons Banner to stabilize your realm for now. I will call you out when I need your help," Shen Luo said. Zhao Feiji hesitated for a moment but nodded, then turned and went back into the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. "So Brother Shen has a strong warrior too," said the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo only smiled and didn¡¯t explain further. The trio stayed for a moment, and after Shen Luo had taken an Elixir to recuperate, they got up and left. Upon exiting the great hall, the trio found that the scenery outside had changed once again, with roads crisscrossing everywhere and they had already appeared on the right side of the mountain peak. "Where to next?" Nie Caizhu asked. Shen Luo looked into the distance, and relying on the sense of the Sword Qi he had left before, he identified several palaces that had already been explored, ruled them all out, and chose the one closest to himself. "Let¡¯s go over there first." Shen Luo pointed and said. Having said that, he took the lead and walked in that direction. But he had only taken a few steps when Shen Luo suddenly furrowed his brows and stopped in his tracks. "What¡¯s wrong?" Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, not knowing why, also stopped and looked at Shen Luo. Shen Luo did not answer, but simply took out the Free and Easy Mirror from his sleeve, activated it slightly, and opened a white light gate, through which a figure immediately emerged, it was Zhou Tie. After Zhou Tie appeared, his initially bewildered eyes suddenly lit up, and urgency appeared on his face as he turned his neck left and right, continuously surveying the surroundings. "What did you feel?" Shen Luo asked. "I don¡¯t know, but it seems like something is calling me, urging me to quickly go there," Zhou Tie said with a deeply furrowed brow and an anxious expression. Having said that, without waiting for any reaction from Shen Luo and the others, he started walking quickly forward. Shen Luo and the others exchanged glances and quickly followed. "Where are you going?" Shen Luo asked hastily. "I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know where to go, but there¡¯s a voice constantly swirling in my mind, guiding me to follow it, I must go, I must follow it," Zhou Tie continued speaking, but his feet didn¡¯t stop moving. But he quickly deviated from the path in the woods and plunged headfirst into the dense forest. Seeing this, Shen Luo and the others immediately stepped forward to intercept. "You mustn¡¯t venture inside here. Once you lose direction, it won¡¯t be a matter easily resolved in a short time," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast looked at Shen Luo and furrowed its brows as it spoke. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment and asked, "Zhou Tie, is the voice in your mind telling you to go in there?" "Yes, it¡¯s telling me to go inside, that I must go inside. Don¡¯t stop me; I need to go in. It¡¯s waiting for me." Zhou Tie wore an anxious expression and nodded repeatedly. Shen Luo¡¯s brows drew tightly together, showing some hesitation. "Could it be some trickery by Wu Luo?" Nie Caizhu asked. "It doesn¡¯t seem likely. Even if Wu Luo wanted to control him, he couldn¡¯t have infiltrated his divine soul into the Carefree Mirror. Moreover, taking such a roundabout way doesn¡¯t make much sense," Shen Luo shook his head as he spoke. "Friend Shen, think carefully. Once we get lost in the forest, even if we manage to find our way out eventually, we might delay our journey, risking others beating us to the real Tianyan Palace," said the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. "There must be a reason for this. I think we should follow him," said Shen Luo, after pondering for a long while. Having said that, he no longer obstructed Zhou Tie, letting him lead the way into the dense forest. With Shen Luo having made up his mind, the other two didn¡¯t say much more and followed Zhou Tie into the forest. Zhou Tie walked through the dense forest without any clear direction, changing direction every few dozen steps, appearing to lack any discernible pattern. Shen Luo and the other two followed Zhou Tie, turning left and right. After about half a moment, they still hadn¡¯t emerged from the mountain forest; instead, it felt as though they were encountering ghostly misdirections, endlessly circling back on themselves. "Friend Shen, we can¡¯t keep following him around aimlessly like this. We¡¯ve practically been going in circles all morning and have already made at least six rounds," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast stopped Shen Luo and said. "You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been observing as well, and Zhou Tie¡¯s path is indeed circling. However, the situation here is somewhat different, which you might not have noticed. Each time we circle, although we are still in the forest, the scenery within has slightly changed," Shen Luo brushed off the Enlightened Heavenly Beast¡¯s hand and continued following Zhou Tie, speaking as they walked. "What do you mean?" The Enlightened Heavenly Beast asked, baffled. "Have you not noticed that the trees around us are becoming denser, and their color greener?" Nie Caizhu, however, understood Shen Luo¡¯s point and pointed to the surrounding trees as she spoke. Upon hearing this, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast suddenly realized, "Are you saying, although we are going in circles, the environment around us is actually constantly changing, so in reality, we have been making progress?" "Exactly. Right now, we are in the mountain forest, unable to see what¡¯s outside, but in fact, we have been descending all along. If I¡¯m not mistaken, we should have reached halfway up the mountain," said Shen Luo. "Halfway up the mountain? But there¡¯s no palace at halfway..." the Enlightened Heavenly Beast hastily said. As soon as its words fell, Zhou Tie, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped. Shen Luo and the others also walked up to where he had halted, only to see Zhou Tie standing there, looking baffled, gaze blankly fixed on a row of towering trees ahead. "What¡¯s happening to him..." asked the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, puzzled. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, Shen Luo slightly furrowed his brows, raised a finger, and gently poked into the void in front of Zhou Tie. With a "whoosh". The group suddenly experienced a blurry moment, as if a vast curtain had been swiftly pulled open in front of them, revealing a clear and expansive scene, with all the forest trees vanishing, replaced by a flat, spacious cliff platform. On one side of the platform, leaning against the mountain wall, a palace building stood majestically. Zhou Tie took the lead and walked towards the palace. Shen Luo and the others also followed him to the front of the palace, and upon a brief investigation, they felt waves of prohibition power emanating from the palace doors. Chapter 1648 - 1644: Uninvited Guest Chapter 1648: Chapter 1644: Uninvited GuestThe palace that appeared before Shen Luo and the others was not particularly tall or grand, and its exterior had no distinguishing features, truly unremarkable. "Zhou Tie, the thing you¡¯ve been summoning, could it be inside this great hall?" Shen Luo looked at Zhou Tie and asked. Zhou Tie did not answer Shen Luo but walked straight toward the Big Gate without the slightest hesitation, taking a step into the tightly closed white door. Silvery light emerged upon the door, rippling like water waves, and Zhou Tie seemed to pass through a curtain of water, his figure disappearing into the Big Gate. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and immediately raised his hand to wave. A silver light shot out from his hand, the Divine Rat, striking the still rippling white door before Zhou Tie¡¯s figure had completely entered. However, unlike Zhou Tie, the Divine Rat was repelled by a burst of white light upon contact with the door, letting out a pitiful whimper. Nie Caizhu, who was nearby, swiftly raised her hand, emitting a gentle Spiritual Light to support the Divine Rat. "What¡¯s going on here?" She first checked the Divine Rat for any injuries, then seeing it was unharmed, turned to look at Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s face showed contemplation, and after a moment, he folded his hands to form a Sword technique, reciting Spells. Nine Pure Yang Swords shot out from his body, whirling and merging into one to form a Red Giant Sword, ten-odd zhang in size, bursting forth with tremendously powerful Sword Qi. It was the God¡¯s Power of Nine Swords United. He then pointed a finger to form a mantra, and several Heavenly Fires ignited upon the giant sword, interweaving with each other, significantly increasing the might of the giant sword, which slashed down on the white door with the force that could split mountains and seas. "Boom," An earth-shattering loud noise erupted, as crimson light engulfed the Palace¡¯s Big Gate. Moments later, the red light dissipated, revealing the situation inside. The blazing Greatsword was easily blocked by the white light on the door, with no damage done to the Big Gate behind it. "Such a powerful prohibition, if I¡¯m not wrong in my guess, this place is most likely the true Tianyan Palace," Shen Luo retracted the giant sword, showing no sign of disappointment, and spoke slowly. "Really? Cousin, why do you think so, could it be because of Zhou Tie?" Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes moved. "I have no special basis for it, just intuition. Anyway, we don¡¯t have a specific destination, so let¡¯s try to break the prohibition here first," Shen Luo spoke slowly. "Indeed, but the prohibition on this Big Gate is extremely sturdy, and even Nine Swords United couldn¡¯t shake it in the slightest. Using brute force to break the prohibition seems hopeless. Everyone, stand back, I will try with the Kunlun Mirror," Nie Caizhu nodded, summoning the Kunlun Mirror. "The Kunlun Mirror also has the effect of breaking prohibitions?" Shen Luo asked in surprise. "Within the Kunlun Mirror resides the Dark Power of Xi Zi Ancestor Witch. The essence of Dark Power is a limitless gravity that devours everything, so it naturally has its uses against prohibitions. However, the white light prohibition on the Big Gate is profound, and I¡¯m not very proficient in controlling the Kunlun Mirror, so it may not be able to break through, but let¡¯s give it a try," Nie Caizhu said. Shen Luo nodded, retreating to the side with the Enlightened Heavenly Beast for some distance. Nie Caizhu murmured words, activating the Kunlun Mirror. The surface of the mirror instantly erupted with black light, turning into a shadowy dome that covered the entire Big Gate, forming an area of darkness that surged silently. The space around the Tianyan Palace Big Gate seemed to be drawn by the area of darkness, slightly warping inward. The white light prohibition on the door kept flickering but showed no signs of weakening. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed; he was about to awaken the Fire Spirit Child in the Free and Easy Mirror, intending to borrow the Gu Xuan star disk in its hand to attempt breaking the prohibition. "Someone is coming," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast¡¯s ears twitched, and it suddenly looked towards the cliff entrance, speaking out. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly, and seeing that Nie Caizhu was still focused on casting spells and had not concealed herself, he flipped his hand to take out the Five-Flame Seven-Birds Fan and also looked in that direction. A series of footsteps sounded, and four figures appeared from afar; it was Che Qingtian accompanied by three black skeletons. Above the four individuals floated a giant purple talisman about the size of a ruler, with some kind of sinister purple flame burning on it, the exact nature of which was unknown. A thick purple light spread from the talisman, forming a deep purple light screen which withstood the Divine Destruction Light falling from the sky, emitting a series of crackling sounds. Shen Luo initially thought it was Wu Luo coming back with reinforcements but was slightly astonished to find that it was Che Qingtian who had arrived. "Shen Luo, it¡¯s you!" Che Qingtian also spotted Shen Luo, his face twisted with ferocity, and he waved his hand to release green, purple, yellow, and white swords, ready to pounce forward. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now greatly strengthened, Shen Luo had previously crossed swords with Che Qingtian and felt no fear. He glanced briefly at the three skeletons, then took out the Profound Yellow Staff, ready to engage in battle. "Both of you, hold on a moment," a black shadow suddenly appeared between them, propping up a black light screen with each hand, keeping them apart; it was one of the three skeletons. "You Quan, what are you doing? These people are my enemies, and yours too, let¡¯s kill them together!" Che Qingtian shouted fiercely, yet his advance came to a halt. Shen Luo was also quite surprised that one of the skeletons would suddenly speak and temporarily stayed his hand. "Daoist Che, regardless of whatever grievances you have between each other, the priority now is to procure the treasure. Whether to engage in combat or not, I will be the judge of that," You Quan said indifferently. "Indeed, Daoist Che, why get agitated?" Hong Ku appeared beside You Quan, chuckling hee-hee. Jin Xiu glanced at Shen Luo, with a faint flicker of golden flames in his eyes, and flew next to You Quan without speaking a word. A flash of ruthlessness briefly passed through Che Qingtian¡¯s eyes, but he forcibly suppressed it and withdrew the four big swords. Shen Luo glanced at the group and then slowly lowered the Profound Yellow Staff, curious to see what the other party intended to do next. "You must be Daoist Shen, I¡¯ve heard Che Qingtian mention you before. How did the few of you come to know that this place is the true Tianyan Palace?" You Quan looked at Shen Luo, the corners of his mouth revealing a hint of a smile. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes faintly wavered. If this You Quan skeleton spoke in such a manner, then Shen Luo¡¯s previous conjectures were not wrong; this was indeed the true Tianyan Palace. By this time, Nie Caizhu had already stopped breaking the prohibition, retrieving the Kunlun Mirror to protect the three of them. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast was even more already poised and ready, especially closely watching the three skeletons with hostility in its eyes. As a divine beast of the immortal clan, it naturally detested demonic aura and was only waiting for Shen Luo to give the word before launching into battle. "I have my methods, and you also came for the treasures of Tianyan Palace, didn¡¯t you? Protected by Gao Ming¡¯s prohibitions, no one can touch the treasures inside without breaking them. Do you want to fight first or break the prohibitions before fighting? I, Shen, am up for either!" Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts turned, he said coldly, while golden light began to shine again on the Profound Yellow Staff. Rippling fluctuations appeared beside him, as eight Pure Yang Swords simultaneously emerged around him, spinning and dancing nimbly, their powerful sword qi sweeping forth, causing the surrounding void to ripple with twisted waves. "Now that the treasure has yet to appear, it would be unwise for us to fight blindly. Why not set aside our past grievances for the moment, join forces to break the prohibition, and then each rely on our abilities to vie for the treasures inside? What do you think?" You Quan said, he-he laughing, not caring about the dominance displayed by Shen Luo. Chapter 1649 - 1645: Sincerity Chapter 1649: Chapter 1645: Sincerity"Join forces?" Shen Luo frowned, his expression unchanged. He had just acted together with Wu Luo, only to be immediately betrayed. Although he was prepared and didn¡¯t suffer much, he really had no interest in discussing any cooperation with others now. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, what You Quan said next caught his attention. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is You Quan, and these two are Hong Ku and Jin Xiu. From your appearance, it seems you know nothing about the prohibition outside Tianyan Palace. To be honest, we do know a thing or two about the prohibition here and have prepared a method to break the prohibition. However, the Divine Destruction Light here is indeed astonishing, and our Purple Spirit-forming Talisman cannot withstand it for long. Therefore, we would like to borrow the power of your Kunlun Mirror. After the door of the great hall is opened, we will each rely on our abilities to fight for the things inside. This is a win-win situation. Friend Shen, such a clever person as yourself, surely you won¡¯t refuse?" You Quan spoke confidently. "Who are you people? How do you know the method to break the prohibition here?" Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted, and he stared deeply at them, asking. "Who are you, Daoist friend Shen? What treasure are you coming here to take?" You Quan asked back instead of answering. Shen Luo and You Quan looked at each other, both remaining silent. "You speak first about the situation of the prohibition here and the method to break it. If you truly know the prohibition here, cooperating with you is not out of the question," Shen Luo said, softening his expression. "Even if Friend Shen didn¡¯t ask, I would have explained in detail. The prohibition here is known as the Supreme Profound Halo, an ancient prohibition composed of thirty-three layers of the Supreme Mystery Restriction. To break the prohibition, one must unravel it layer by layer. We have brought the method to solve it, but it requires a considerable amount of time. That¡¯s why we wanted to join forces with Your Excellency," You Quan said, his eyes brightening. "Hearing is false; seeing is believing. How about you demonstrate breaking one layer of the prohibition first?" Shen Luo gestured to Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast to step back, making space in front of the main hall¡¯s door. "Friend Shen is truly cautious! Very well, to show our sincerity, we will cast a spell to break one layer of the prohibition. Let¡¯s begin," You Quan said with a resigned smile, turning to the other two skulls. Without uttering another word, Hong Ku, Jin Xiu, and Che Qingtian quickly got busy on the open ground in front of the Main Hall. They took out formation flags and formation discs one after another, setting up a magic array. Shen Luo was not skilled in the ways of ancient prohibitions and could not make heads or tails of it after a few glances, so he redirected his gaze, pondering the current situation. The Great Formation set up by You Quan and the others was exceedingly complex and took nearly half an hour to complete. The Great Formation was square-shaped, composed of purple and black formation patterns, which seemed to be a double-layered array. Each of the four corners of the Great Formation had a star position occupied by one of the four individuals. You Quan and the others chanted as the entire array hummed into operation, emitting a thick purple-black light. So much time had passed that their Purple Talismans above their heads had shrunk by nearly half, and the purple light curtain radiating from them had also thinned considerably compared to before. "Friend Shen, do you really want to join forces with these members of the Demon Clan?" the Enlightened Heavenly Beast moved closer to Shen Luo and asked telepathically. "Do you have any better ideas, Enlightened Daoist friend?" Shen Luo glanced at the beast and replied. "No bright ideas, just that people of the Demon Clan are inscrutable and will surely plot against us in the midst of cooperation. It must be guarded against," the Enlightened Heavenly Beast reminded. "Of course. But the prohibition of the main hall is sturdy, and we simply have no assurance of breaking it on our own. For now, let us join forces with them to break through the prohibition, and then we can make further arrangements," Shen Luo communicated telepathically. Hearing this, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast said nothing more. At this moment, the four arrays were fully activated, bursting forth with a sky-reaching purple-black radiance, bathing the exterior of the great hall in a purple-black hue. The four people from You Quan suddenly opened their eyes and, while forming hand seals, simultaneously shot out four thick beams of purple-black light, striking the door of Tianyan Palace. The white light on the door seemed to have been provoked, thickening dozens of times in an instant. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the white light curtain was composed of dozens of intricate prohibitions combined, all flickering as one entity. Seeing this, You Quan changed the magic spell in his hands, and the four purple-black beams instantly split into hundreds of finer beams, striking the white light curtain, embedding into the first layer of white prohibition like nails. The luminescence of the first layer of prohibition immediately solidified, ceasing to flutter, yet it did not weaken or fade away. You Quan grinned and from his hand, he fetched an object¡ªit was a black skull which he squeezed with force. With a "bang" of a light sound, the black skull shattered, turning into a cloud of black powder that scattered into the purple-black array. The black powder immediately ignited, transforming into countless fine purple-black phosphorus fires, which, under the guidance of You Quan¡¯s hand seals, drifted towards the door prohibition, striking the outermost layer of white restriction. Whatever these purple-black phosphorus fires were, upon contact with the white restriction, they burned rapidly. In just moments, they had riddled it with myriad holes, clearly indicating that it would soon be completely neutralized. Shen Luo watched this scene with a flash of surprise in his eyes. "Eh, Corrosive Soul Phosphorus Fire!" A voice arose beside his ear; it was Fire Spirit Child. "Fire Daoist friend, have you finished interpreting the array?" Shen Luo was overjoyed and, casting his divine sense into the Free and Easy Mirror, indeed found Fire Spirit Child had awoken. "Hmm, where are you right now? The fifth layer of Tianyan Palace? How come you¡¯re mixed up with several members of the Demon Clan?" Fire Spirit Child inquired. Shen Luo did not conceal the truth and briefly recounted his encounter with Che Qingtian and individuals such as You Quan. "This Che Qingtian indeed has a problem, colluding with the Demon Clan. If you cooperate with them, you must be extremely cautious," Fire Spirit Child snorted coldly. "I understand, but at present, to break the prohibition of Tianyan Palace, cooperation is necessary. Let¡¯s not talk about that now. You just mentioned these flames are the Corrosive Soul Phosphorus Fire; is there anything particular we need to be wary of?" Shen Luo first nodded, then asked. "Not really, this fire is a supernatural power developed by a graveyard sect that specialized in tomb-robbing in ancient times, possessing the effect of corroding prohibitions. However, cultivating this supernatural power is extremely insidious. The black skull you just saw is known as the Corrosive Soul Skull, which must be refined from the cranium of a person with extreme Yin attributes. To achieve the effect of corroding the Supreme Mystery Restriction, at least a hundred such Yin skulls are needed. Moreover, during the refining process, a large number of divine souls must be added, greatly violating the natural order. Hence, shortly after this Corpse-chasing Sect emerged, it was jointly suppressed by all major sects, and all its classics and teachings were burnt. Unexpectedly, the method to refine Corrosive Soul Phosphorus Fire has been passed down," Fire Spirit Child snorted, clearly loathing the Corpse-chasing Sect. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo also furrowed his brows and his thoughts began to churn. At this time, the white restriction, under the burning of the purple-black phosphorus fire, finally completely disintegrated and was exhausted. "Friend Shen, how did it go?" You Quan turned his head to look towards Shen Luo and asked. Chapter 1650 - 1646: Imprisonment Chapter 1650: Chapter 1646: Imprisonment"Very well, fellow cultivators, continue to exert your strength to break the Array, and leave the matter of resisting the Divine Destruction Light to us," Shen Luo gathered his thoughts and nodded, giving Nie Caizhu a meaningful glance. Nie Caizhu understood, pinched a technique to stimulate the Kunlun Mirror, and more Black Qi drifted out from the mirror surface, also enveloping You Quan and the others, blocking the falling Divine Destruction Light. The four of them all relaxed a bit and continued to drive the Array, deciphering The Door Restriction. "Fire Daoist friend, what about the All Heaven Gods Evil Array you¡¯ve been pondering? Is it possible to refine a set?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t wait and transmitted his voice to ask Fire Spirit Child. "Do you think the All Heaven Gods Evil Array is some commonplace Array? This is the most ferocious Array of Ancient Times; if it could be so easily refined, could it still be called the most ferocious Array?" Fire Spirit Child rolled his eyes and said unhappily. "Then what do you mean, Fire Daoist friend?" Shen Luo asked. "The battle formation map you gave me is incomplete, but that¡¯s not a problem, as I¡¯ve already started making improvements. The main issue now is materials. This Array requires the refining of twelve All Heaven formation flags to be deployed. With the excellent Yin attribute materials inside the Free and Easy Mirror, coupled with the Witch Tribe materials you provided, it¡¯s almost enough to refine one All Heaven formation flag. We are still short of materials for the remaining eleven formation flags. Whether we can refine the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Array depends on your ability, kid," Fire Spirit Child murmured. "Only one formation flag can be refined with those Yin attribute materials inside the Free and Easy Mirror combined with the Witch Tribe materials?" Shen Luo was stunned upon hearing this. "Of course, this is the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Array!" Fire Spirit Child said lightly. Shen Luo fell silent and it took a while for him to recover before he began to smile wryly. It seemed he had underestimated the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Array. One All Heaven formation flag had almost depleted his resources, and there were still eleven formation flags to go. Where was he going to find so many Yin attribute materials? "Forget it, let¡¯s collect the materials slowly. There¡¯s no need to use this great Array immediately anyway," Shen Luo thought to himself, looking toward You Quan and the others. Time passed by, and in the blink of an eye, three days and three nights had gone by. With You Quan and the others exerting their full force in spellcasting, nearly all thirty-three layers of the Supreme Mystery Restriction on the Tianyan Palace¡¯s Big Gate had been broken through. Now only a thin layer of white light remained, leaving just two layers of prohibition. You Quan and the others fully activated the Four Directions Array, and the purple-black Light Pillars had grown much thicker compared to the beginning, nailing the outer layer of the prohibition. Each of them took out a Black Skull Head, integrated the power of the Array, and formed sheets of purple-black phosphorus fire to burn the Supreme Mystery Restriction. However, these last two layers of Supreme Mystery Restriction seemed to be much sturdier than before. After using several Skull Heads consecutively, they only managed to burn a shallow layer of the Supreme Mystery Restriction, and were still far from completely destroying it. "The Supreme Mystery Restriction is truly from an Ancient Array, extraordinary indeed. Initially, I thought there was no need for that thing, but now it seems it¡¯s unavoidable to use it," You Quan sighed softly and swept his sleeve. A streak of Blood Light flashed by, and a Blood Skeleton Head emerged in front of him, twice as large as the previous Skull Heads, and shone with an eerie Blood Light. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank, and his expression changed drastically; this Blood Skeleton Head contained strands of Demonic Qi, and not just any ordinary Demonic Qi, but the power of Chiyou. You Quan clenched his fist tightly, and the Blood Skeleton Head exploded into a cloud of blood-colored powder, merging with the Array on the ground into countless Blood phosphorus fires, striking the prohibition on the Big Gate. "Prepare yourselves, the moment the prohibition breaks, we will immediately enter!" Shen Luo transmitted his voice to Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. A look of surprise flashed across the face of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. There were still two layers left on the Big Gate¡¯s prohibition, and the final layer was surely even tougher. Was Shen Luo so confident in You Quan¡¯s ability to break through? Despite the doubts, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast still prepared to break into Tianyan Palace at any moment. The Blood phosphorus fire struck the Big Gate¡¯s prohibition, and the Supreme Mystery Restriction immediately started burning intensely, with the first layer of prohibition being dissolved in the blink of an eye. The Blood Phosphorus Fire was still more than half remaining, continuously attacking the final layer of prohibition. Suddenly, a loud noise exploded, and dazzling blood light burst forth from Big Gate, along with a wave-like torrent of power mixed within, striking everyone outside the hall. The four Array Techniques around You Quan and the others shone brightly, causing the blood light to automatically flow around from both sides upon contact. However, Shen Luo and his two companions were hit directly by the blood light, they immediately used Dharma-form to resist, yet a bizarre, cold yin breath preempted them, rushing out from the blood light and infiltrating their bodies. Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast were immediately paralyzed, unable to muster any strength, and the flow of their mana nearly froze, as their bodies were blasted backwards. Shen Luo also had this cold yin breath invade his body, his Dantian¡¯s Pure Yang Sword immediately trembled, bursting with a vast Pure Yang Power in an attempt to resist. However, this yin breath was an unknown power, easily breaking through the Pure Yang Power and invading his meridians. Shen Luo¡¯s body instantly became incredibly numb, and just as he was about to be completely incapacitated like Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, the temperature in his Dantian suddenly increased again, a scorching force erupted, it was the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword, which expelled much of the invading cold yin breath, causing his stalled mana to recover slightly. To suppress the Demonic Qi in his body, he had kept the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword warmed within his Dantian; unexpectedly, it played a role today. His eyes brightened, just as Shen Luo was about to fully activate the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword to expel the cold yin force within his body, his right hand¡¯s Meridian suddenly trembled, exerting a suction force, quickly devouring this cold yin breath. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Surprised, he immediately examined his right hand¡¯s Meridian, and soon found the source that was devouring the cold yin breath¡ªit was the Black Seed stored there. "It¡¯s this thing!" Shen Luo was astounded. This seed had remained unchanged within the Meridian, and he had nearly forgotten about it, not expecting it to move again today. As the cold yin breath rapidly diminished, Shen Luo¡¯s body steadily regained mobility. You Quan and the others saw that Shen Luo and his companions were ensnared and a glint of a smile flashed in their eyes, yet they did not make a move against them, instead lunging towards the Tianyan Palace¡¯s Big Gate. But at that moment, the ground below suddenly burst forth with sky-ascending white light, forming a White Array that enveloped the four, it was the most powerful Restraining Array within the Gu Xuan star disk, the Hunyuan Wuji Formation. The four felt as though they had sunk into a deep mire, finding it extremely difficult to move even an inch, and their fleeing figures also halted in place. "Restraining Array!" You Quan was startled. Although he did not know where the Great Formation had come from, his reaction was swift, and he bit at the White Array surrounding him. His mouth erupted with two streams of black Demonic Qi, like a massive jaw, fiercely biting into the White Array, actually crisply biting off a large piece of the Hunyuan Wuji Formation¡¯s Formation Pattern. Hong Ku and Jin Xiu followed suit, each biting off a piece of Formation Pattern. Che Qingtian did not possess the same God¡¯s Power as the others but also swept his sleeves outwards. Two Crimson Short Spears inscribed with Yan Pattern shot out, then explosively burst apart, turning into two wildly raging flames that struck upon the Hunyuan Wuji Formation. These two flames seemed powerful, yet the effect was nowhere near that of You Quan and his companions, merely cracking a few Formation Patterns. Nevertheless, the Hunyuan Wuji Formation was destroyed by almost half, appearing on the brink of collapse. Chapter 1651 - 1647: The Situation is Ominous Chapter 1651: Chapter 1647: The Situation is OminousYou Quan and the three others launched yet another fierce assault, finally shattering the Hunyuan Wuji Formation completely. Freeing themselves from the confinement, they immediately pounced towards the Big Gate of Tianyan Palace. The blood light on the Big Gate had already dissipated, and the last layer of Supreme Mystery prohibition on top was evidently burned away; the tightly closed Big Gate was slowly opening, revealing strands of Golden Light. A flicker of excitement passed through You Quan¡¯s eyes, transforming into a beam of black light shooting towards the gradually widening gap of the Big Gate, and the other three did the same. Amidst the blood light outside, Shen Luo¡¯s body was suddenly bathed in a blazing golden brilliance. He leaped up from the ground, completely recovering his ability to move. Seeing You Quan and his group about to enter the hall, urgency flashed in his eyes. He waved his sleeve backward, a streak of red light wrapping around the bodies of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast and Nie Caizhu, drawing them into the Free and Easy Mirror. At the same time, Shen Luo¡¯s arms surged with golden thunder, which spiraled into his Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots. "Boom!" Great swathes of purple thunder engulfed his body, and he vanished into thin air, escaping into the hall. Five figures almost simultaneously burst through the gate and into the great hall, which resembled a lounge with a layer of pale golden floor tiles, and on both sides of the hall were rows of oddly styled seats. At the end of the chairs sat a black desk, two to three zhang long. The chairs were just ordinary rosewood carved table and chairs, but the black desk was far from ordinary; it was dark and gleaming as though cast from millennia-old Ink Jade, clearly a treasure at first glance. The entire desk was also enveloped in a Cage of white light, through which one could see two items placed on top¡ªa Grey Small Tower and a Blood Claw Stab. The Grey Small Tower had five layers, resembling the shape of Tianyan Palace, seemingly a miniature version of it, and emanated faint Spiritual Power Fluctuations. The Claw Stab, however, was much more conspicuous, its whole body flickering with glaring Blood Light. Above the artifact hovered a Golden Broken Blade, which seemed to be part of a sword. Threads of golden light burst forth from the Golden Broken Blade, forming a Golden light shield covering the Blood Claw Stab. Above the Protective Cover, Golden Electric Arcs flashed, desperately restraining the Blood Claw Stab, yet still impressive waves of Demonic Qi leaked out from it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The five people swept their gazes over the hall, quickly discerning the situation inside, and immediately locked onto their respective targets. Che Qingtian¡¯s eyes were glued to the Grey Small Tower, whereas You Quan and the other two directed their gaze at the Blood Claw Stab. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze also fell on the Blood Claw Stab, but not at the Claw Stab itself; instead, it was drawn to the Golden Broken Blade above it. "Could this Golden Electric Arc be Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder? With this breath and this shape, could it be the other segment of the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword?" A flicker of excitement passed through his eyes. He had both love and regret for the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword; the sword could restrain Demonic Qi, even capable of eradicating Chiyou¡¯s demonic energy. Unfortunately, the broken sword¡¯s power was insufficient. It could deal with weaker Demonic Qi, but once faced with an abundance of it, the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword was powerless. This broken blade appeared to be the other half of the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword. If the two could be merged into one, this ancient Demonslaying Divine Sword might not be fully restored, but its power would surely increase significantly. Boom! The five people launched themselves simultaneously again, turning into five streaks of light rushing towards the desk. But as soon as they flew over the pale golden floor tiles, their bodies suddenly sank, as if a giant peak of ten thousand jin was pressing down on them, crashing them all to the Ground. You Quan and his team¡¯s bodies made a ¡¯crackling¡¯ noise, directly breaking several ribs from the impact, while the faces of Shen Luo and Che Qingtian also turned pale, with Che Qingtian even spitting out a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth. "Heavy gravity prohibition!" Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened, as he exerted his full strength to actuate the Huangting Technique and slowly stood up from the ground. However, the gravity suppression here was so formidable that even with his current physical strength, he felt incessant cracking and exploding within his body, as if his entire skeleton was about to be crushed. Yet, he was faring better than Che Qingtian, who was also struggling to get up but remained kneeling on the ground, unable to stand. As for the three from You Quan, their situation was even worse; the three reduced to mere skeletons could not even sit up, struggling laboriously on the ground. The four of them barely managed to activate their mana, attempting to cast an Escape Technique to leave, but the surrounding gravity suppression disrupted their spellcasting, leading to failure. Shen Luo paid no heed to the four and focused all his effort on operating the Huangting Technique. Dragon scale-like patterns began to appear on his skin, his arms transformed into dragon arms, and his legs became extraordinarily thick, resembling elephant legs. In this transformed state, Shen Luo could barely withstand the gravity suppression of this place and took steps towards the Black Desk. Che Qingtian and his group were shocked at this scene, but the gravity suppression was too strong; even if they deployed Magical Treasures to attack Shen Luo, the treasures would immediately be pressed down and immobilized. You Quan was both alarmed and angered but felt powerless. Step by step, Shen Luo advanced, and although his movements were difficult, he showed no signs of exhaustion and would soon walk out of this gravity-suppressed area. "Young Master Shen, the situation with Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast is dire. Hurry in and take a look," Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice suddenly came through. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was startled and quickly projected his Divine Sense into the Carefree Mirror. Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, even after being transferred into the Carefree Mirror, still couldn¡¯t move and stood there stiffly. That chilling breath was still surging inside their bodies, gradually invading the deepest parts of their bodies. Fire Spirit Child was circling around the two, his hands rapidly forming seals and casting spells, but to no avail. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed. The black seed within him could absorb this chilling breath, but he was still unable to control the object and perform a distance absorption. At the very least, he had to touch the two himself to do so, but under the current circumstances... At that moment, a grey light flashed over Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast¡¯s bodies, and they began to show speckles of grey, looking extremely eerie. "What is this?" Seeing the grey speckles on their bodies, Shen Luo was shocked and alarmed, casting a Doppelganger which cried out in surprise. "It seems to be Demonic Poison. Quickly give me your Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead," Fire Spirit Child said with a deeply furrowed brow. Without hesitation, Shen Luo took out the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead and threw it into the Carefree Mirror. With a low shout from Fire Spirit Child, he activated the Gu Xuan star disk to absorb the bead. At the same time, beams of green light shot out from the disk, instantly condensing into a Green Array that enveloped Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. This was the Green Brilliance Heavenly Treasure Formation on the Gu Xuan star disk, which had the effect of neutralizing poison. At this moment, the Ten Thousand Poison Mixed Element Bead also emitted waves of purple luminescence, merging into the Green Brilliance Heavenly Treasure Formation, aiding the formation in dissolving the chilling breath within their bodies. But no matter how Fire Spirit Child stimulated the Great Formation, there was no improvement in Nie Caizhu¡¯s condition; instead, those grey spots rapidly expanded, quickly covering nearly half of their bodies. Their breaths grew weaker and weaker, while the chilling breath gradually swelled. Seeing this, Shen Luo hesitated no more. His figure blurred, and suddenly he became a thin old man ¡ª Ghost Teng Master. He bent both knees and "thudded" to the ground in a kneel. Chapter 1652 - 1648: Decryption Chapter 1652: Chapter 1648: DecryptionYou Quan and the others were first startled when they saw Shen Luo stood motionless, then he suddenly transformed into Ghost Teng Master, leaving them in shock, not knowing what trick Shen Luo had played. At the same time, Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared inside the Carefree Mirror, he reached out and grabbed Nie Caizhu¡¯s shoulder, stimulated the black seed in the meridian of his right hand, and a black root from the seed slightly moved and penetrated Nie Caizhu¡¯s body. The cold breath inside Nie Caizhu¡¯s body was quickly drawn away, and the ash spots on her body also rapidly disappeared. Shen Luo¡¯s left hand simultaneously grabbed the body of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, the black roots also pierced into this beast¡¯s body. The cold breath in both of their bodies was quickly absorbed, the grey spots on their skin disappeared entirely, and their bodies returned to normal. "Young Master Shen, what method did you use to cure the two of them?" Fire Spirit Child asked in amazement. "A magical treasure, now is not the time to discuss this. Caizhu, Enlightened Daoist friend, the situation outside is changing rapidly, I cannot afford to linger here; there is a heavy prohibition in the Hall, first hide here, I will let you out when the time is right," Shen Luo quickly spoke and immediately left the Carefree Mirror. On the ground of the Hall, the figure of Ghost Teng Master flashed and transformed back into Shen Luo. The terrifying heavy force made his body tremble again, but he quickly stabilized and looked backwards. The situation in the Hall was the same as before, You Quan, Che Qingtian, and others were still sitting on the ground, unable to break free from the heavy prohibition. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo felt relieved in his heart and continued walking toward the deeper part of the great hall. At this moment, a loud "boom" sounded, and the palace door behind was shaken open, as three figures walked in, which were Wu Luo, Shadow War Leopard, and Profound Fire Divine Steed. The injuries from their previous great battle had completely recovered, and Wu Luo¡¯s breath had surged significantly, surprisingly reaching the Taiyi Stage once again. Seeing the situation inside the hall, Wu Luo and the others were taken aback. Che Qingtian saw Wu Luo and the other two appear, his heart sank, Wu Luo and his companions were his enemies, not friends, and the situation was becoming more complicated. He looked at the Grey Small Tower, his eyes flashing with deep anxiety. "Lord Wu Luo, it¡¯s you!" Seeing Wu Luo, You Quan exclaimed in surprise. Shen Luo also noticed the arrival of Wu Luo and others, and was even more surprised that You Quan and Wu Luo actually knew each other; after all, Wu Luo was an ancient demon clan member who had been imprisoned in the Celestial Secret Realm for who knows how many years, could it be that this skeleton named You Quan was also a demon leader who existed since Ancient Times? "Oh, you are You Quan? It¡¯s quite a surprise that after so many years, you are still alive," Wu Luo looked at You Quan and a flash of surprise crossed his face. "Lord Wu Luo, Demon Ancestor Lord knew that you did not fall in the Zhulu War, and people have been sent to look for you these years. It¡¯s great to meet you here, as now the Three Realms are in turmoil, it¡¯s time for our Demon Clan to rise again, Chiyou the Great and thousands of our clan members look forward to your return day and night!" You Quan glanced at Shen Luo and Che Qingtian, excitedly communicated with Wu Luo through soul transmission. "Chiyou sent you here for what? To take that Blood Claw Stab? Since when did such a treasure appear in the Demon Clan?" Upon hearing this, Wu Luo showed no sign of being moved, and looked at the Blood Claw Stab on the White Jade Case Table with a half-smiling question. "It is a treasured artifice refined by Demon Ancestor Lord many years ago, stolen by the cunning human cultivators, Demon Ancestor Lord commanded us to retrieve it here," said You Quan, the green flame in his eye sockets slightly flickering. "Oh, is that so? I see," said Wu Luo indifferently, his expression unreadable as to whether he believed it or not. Shen Luo could tell that You Quan was communicating with Wu Luo through telepathy; although he couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, it was certainly nothing advantageous for him. He turned his head and stopped paying attention, continuing to move forward. As Shen Luo approached the White Jade Case Table deeper in the great hall, Wu Luo didn¡¯t care to continue her conversation with You Quan anymore and fluttered her sleeves to cast a spell. A beam of white light flew out and entered the space above the pale golden floor tiles. This weightless white light, also affected by gravity¡¯s prohibition, slammed onto the ground with a "bang" and exploded into numerous white glimmers, dissipating away. Wu Luo felt a sinking sensation. Her physical strength was not very strong either and stepping into the area of pale golden floor tiles, her fate would probably be the same as Che Qingtian, You Quan, and the others. "This is the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power!" Shadow War Leopard looked at the floor tiles of the hall and suddenly spoke up. "You know the prohibitions here? Tell us about it," Wu Luo turned to the Shadow War Leopard and asked. "I read in one of Master Tianyan¡¯s classics that the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power was derived from his study of an ancient Profound Gold Magnetic Monument and it¡¯s not a prohibition, but something akin to Magical Treasures. These pale golden tiles are the source of the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power, and each Mysterious Gold Tile contains magnetic gravity. The gravity from a single tile might not be strong, but there are a thousand of these tiles in this great hall - nearly a thousand forces of gravity combined together. Even a Taiyi Existence cannot withstand it, and no Escape Technique can pass through, one can only rely on physical strength to pass through," said the Shadow War Leopard. "Is there a way to break this God¡¯s Power?" asked Wu Luo, her expression growing increasingly ugly. "According to that classic, the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power was originally supposed to be perfectly deployed in conjunction with another God¡¯s Power called Vajra Unbreakable Cover. It seems that there is no Vajra Unbreakable Cover on these tiles here, so breaking it is simpler. Just destroy all of these Dark Gold Floor Tiles. However, these Mysterious Gold Tiles are exceptionally sturdy, not easy to destroy," said the Shadow War Leopard with sparkling eyes. "That¡¯s good to hear there is a way to break it. Get to it quickly, Shen Luo is not far from the White Jade Case Table!" Wu Luo shouted, her sleeves producing two black Bone Knives, precisely the Black Flame Demon Saber, slashing towards the Mysterious Gold Tiles. The moment the Black Flame Demon Saber struck the Mysterious Gold Tiles, it was pulled by a terrifying force and slammed to the Ground, making a loud "clang" sound. However, the Mysterious Gold Tiles were also slashed leaving two fine cracks. Wu Luo tried to summon the Demon Blade, but unfortunately, the Dual Blades seemed cast into the Ground motionless. Without persisting further, she again produced a Magical Treasure resembling a Great Hammer and smashed towards the Mysterious Gold Tiles. Again, a "bang" sound rang as the cracks on the Mysterious Gold Tiles deepened considerably, but they still didn¡¯t shatter. A Yellow Brick Treasure fell from the sky, emanating a mountainous heavy breath, utilizing the gravity of the Mysterious Gold Tiles, a force heavier than the Demon Blade and Great Hammer struck the Mysterious Gold Tiles. This piece of Mysterious Gold Tiles finally could not withstand and completely shattered. Once the tiles shattered, the terrifying gravity immediately disappeared by half, with the remaining coming from the nearby tiles. Although still heavy, Wu Luo¡¯s three Magical Treasures could barely fly up again, returning to her hands. Seeing this, Shadow War Leopard and Profound Fire Divine Steed also immediately produced their Magical Treasures hammering the Mysterious Gold Tiles on the ground. Although the Magical Treasures fell on the Mysterious Gold Tiles and couldn¡¯t be lifted again before the tiles shattered, all three of them were True Immortals, possessing several powerful Magical Treasures, enough to continue until the tiles broke. The sounds of loud bangs were continuous, as piece by piece the Mysterious Gold Tiles were shattered, with Wu Luo and the two rapidly advancing forward. Seeing them, Che Qingtian¡¯s group followed suit, shattering the tiles under them and then moving forward as well. Shen Luo, seeing this scene, furrowed his brows, but unlike the others behind him who shattered the tiles, he gathered all his strength and quickened his pace. Chapter 1653 - 1649: The Spirit Appears and the Ghost Vanishes Chapter 1653: Chapter 1649: The Spirit Appears and the Ghost VanishesAbout a quarter of an hour later, Shen Luo finally made it through the Mysterious Gold Tile zone and was the first to arrive at the black desk. His body suddenly felt lighter as all gravity disappeared. Shen Luo took a deep breath and immediately lunged towards the black desk, his hand forming a magic gesture with a flick. Nine Sword Lights shot from his hand, instantly merging into one, transforming into a Flame Giant Sword that harshly chopped down on the White Light Shield surrounding the desk. The Light Shield dented inwards but did not shatter. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed, ready to use other methods. Suddenly, within the White Light Shield, several low rumbles of thunder erupted, soon turning into a series of booming roars, as a vibe of destroying the heavens and annihilating the earth ferociously spread out from the shield. Shen Luo¡¯s expression abruptly changed as he hurriedly halted his advance, then shot backward. But before he could get far, several bolts of White Thunder shaped like large water buckets burst out from the shield and struck him. Without thinking, Shen Luo waved his arms forward and discharged huge bolts of Gold Thunder that instantly formed a wall of Golden Light, colliding with the White Thunder. Thunderous booms resonated loudly; flashes of Golden Light and White Light were so blinding that one couldn¡¯t keep their eyes open to watch. However, the wall of Golden Light only held for half a breath before it was destroyed by the White Thunder, which even absorbed it completely. The bodies of several White Thunder serpents suddenly grew thicker as they continued to pounce towards Shen Luo. Although it was only for the duration of half a breath, Shen Luo had already reacted, waving his hand to summon the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, and a golden light curtain blocked in front of him, colliding with the White Thunder. His Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing also emitted a strong blue light, forming a thick Blue Light Shield behind the golden light curtain. Several White Thunder serpents bared their fangs and clawed at the golden light curtain, their bodies flashing with intense White Thunder. Although the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet is a defensive treasure, it had not been fully refined due to the lack of Nine Heavens Gold Essence, and the golden light curtain flickered a few times before shattering with a crackle. The bodies of the White Thunder serpents diminished slightly in size and immediately continued forward, colliding with the Blue Light Shield formed by the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing. The Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, which had the God¡¯s Power to shift attacks, allowed most of the White Thunder serpents to glide to the side after piercing nearly half of the shield, failing to hit Shen Luo. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo heaved a sigh of relief and immediately waved his sleeve, shooting out a dark red Large Seal that expanded to the size of a house¡ªit was the Turn Sky Seal¡ªcrashing down on the White Light Shield like a meteor. After enduring the attack of the Nine Swords United, the White Light Shield was already on the verge of collapse. It then shattered under the blast of the Turn Sky Seal, and the White Thunder serpents vanished with it. Without delaying a moment, Shen Luo lunged again towards the black desk. His gaze swept over the two objects on the table, then with a flick of his sleeve, a beam of Golden Light wrapped around the Grey Small Tower. The Blood Claw Stab sealed by the Golden Broken Blade still radiated such an ominous Demonic Qi that it made his heart shudder. He did not dare to casually take the Demon-Slaying Broken Blade away. With a "sizzle," as if his sleeve was being pulled by a massive force, not only was the Golden Light unsuccessful in its sweep, but a piece of his sleeve was torn off. The Grey Small Tower just sat there, not even slightly shaken. "What a heavy tower!" Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed. He activated the Free and Easy Mirror to seize the tower, to no effect as well. "Cai Zhu, try using the Kunlun Mirror to take this tower," he said, his face darkening, as he released Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast from the Free and Easy Mirror. Nie Caizhu, who had been watching the situation from inside the Free and Easy Mirror, didn¡¯t wait for Shen Luo to finish speaking before she summoned the Kunlun Mirror, casting a beam of Black Light over the Grey Small Tower. The dim spiritual light atop the small tower quickly extinguished, seemingly about to be consumed by the area of darkness. Just at this moment, the body of the tower suddenly burst forth with a surge of ash-white light, containing many spiritual patterns, which formed an ash-white light array connected with the void around it, clearly some mysterious prohibition. No matter how the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s area of darkness tried to devour it, it could not sweep it away. Instead, the black desk below the small tower suddenly began to tremble, emanating strands of ghostly light, resonating with the area of darkness. "This is... Black Witch Crystal! I¡¯ve actually missed it, failing to recognize such a treasure! Young Master Shen, quickly collect this desk, the Black Witch Crystal is a divine artifact of the Witch Clan, unrivaled in hardness, and it contains extremely refined Yin Sha Qi, which is the top material for refining Witch Weapons, and can also be used to refine All Heaven Gods Evil Array Flags. Such a large piece of Black Witch Crystal could be used to make three Du Tian Shen Sha Array Flags!" Fire Spirit Child excitedly said. Shen Luo was about to try another method of treasure collection, his eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he commanded the Free and Easy Mirror to sweep up the desk with its red light. The black desk, not being under any prohibition, was collected by the Free and Easy Mirror in one go. The grey small tower and the Blood Claw Stab suddenly hung in midair, but remained unaffected. Shen Luo observed this situation, his expression shifted, ready to do something. At this moment, Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice of alarm suddenly rang out in his mind: "Young Master Shen, watch out behind you!" Shen Luo¡¯s heart grew cold; although he didn¡¯t detect any abnormalities behind him, his legs still released a burst of starlight, and the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots also emitted thunder light, his entire person transformed into several afterimages, shooting towards several directions in front of him. Almost simultaneously, the ground behind him exploded, with several golden spikes bursting forth, hitting the afterimages with precision. The majority of the golden light passed directly through the afterimages, but one golden spike let out a loud clang as it was blocked by a golden shadow, which was Yan Lie¡¯s Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. The golden spike also revealed its true form, turning out to be an exceptionally sharp Golden Short Awl, with fine golden scales visible on its surface. Behind the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, Shen Luo looked at the Golden Short Awl, his expression subtly changed, then he flicked his sleeve towards it. A dozen or so Pure Yang Swords transformed into a swath of fine and sharp red Sword Qi, instantly striking the exploded ground, piercing it with densely packed Holes, yet there was no movement. Shen Luo furrowed his brow, about to get closer to investigate. A flash of Yellow Light passed through mid-air, and a series of extremely sharp black Sword Qi suddenly shot down, wrapped in black Thunder, causing the void to tremble, a storm of thunder and lightning ruthlessly assailing Shen Luo. Shen Luo was about to counter, when Nie Caizhu quickly activated the Kunlun Mirror, covering those black Sword Qi with darkness. All the black Sword Qi instantly vanished as if sinking into the sea, disappearing within the darkness, which immediately engulfed the area where the Yellow Light had flashed, yet there was no reaction. Shen Luo felt a chill in his heart, as this enemy was indeed as elusive as ghosts and demons, having exchanged blows several times without even getting a clear look at the opponent. He suddenly remembered something and turned to look at You Quan and the others. The several of them were quickly shattering the Mysterious Gold Tiles to advance, still a distance away from leaving the tiled area. You Quan, Hong Ku, Che Qingtian, and Wu Luo were all there, with only that Jin Xiu missing without a trace. "Could it be that Demon Clan Skeleton?" While Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts whirred, his Spirit Boots shone with thunder light and his body transformed into a bolt of purple lightning shooting towards the Golden Broken Blade and Blood Claw Stab, with a wave of golden light sweeping towards the two items first. Now that someone had already arrived here, regardless of whether it was Jin Xiu or not, it was imperative to collect the treasures of this place as soon as possible; if others arrived, the chance of acquiring the treasures would be even slimmer. As for the terrifying Demonic Qi on the Blood Claw Stab, he had no time to consider it for the time being. Chapter 1654 - 1650: A Critical Moment Chapter 1654: Chapter 1650: A Critical MomentHowever, just as Shen Luo was about to move, the nearby void fluctuated, and a black skeleton appeared out of nowhere. It was the Demon Clan Skeleton called Jin Xiu, holding two black longswords flickering with lightning, resembling two lively sword serpents, crossing and slashing towards Shen Luo. "It really is you!" Shen Luo¡¯s pupils constricted. He twisted his figure and shot out from between the two black sword shadows, striking down harshly at this skeleton with the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. The Xuanhuo Tower suddenly enlarged tenfold. From its base, a white pillar of fire shot out, containing the Six-ding Divine Fire, striking Jin Xiu. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, around Jin Xiu, a shadow of a black-yellow short ruler suddenly appeared, emitting circles of yellow light, enveloping its body, and making it vanish into thin air. "That was just the Shrinking Earth Ruler!" Shen Luo was taken aback, immediately recognizing the black-yellow short ruler as one of the two Demonic Treasures stolen by Mu Xiao in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave that year. The Shrinking Earth Ruler is a Spatial Treasure capable of manipulating the power of space and shrinking distances. Although the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power can block the Five Elements Escape Techniques, it might not block a Spatial Treasure like the Shrinking Earth Ruler. It seems that Jin Xiu used this treasure to fly over from the Mysterious Gold Tiles. As he was momentarily stunned due to the Shrinking Earth Ruler, a flash of yellow light passed through the void behind him, and Jin Xiu reappeared like a ghostly specter, thrusting two black swords towards his back. With a "clang," a loud noise of metal clashing echoed! The Enlightened Heavenly Beast appeared beside Shen Luo, a pair of blue wings flashed behind it, and it held the blue feather-patterned longsword, blocking Jin Xiu¡¯s strike for him. But in the next moment, the expression of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast changed dramatically, its body staggered backward as if intoxicated, and its face turned abnormally pale. "Daoist Brother Enlightened!" Shen Luo quickly supported the body of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, while his other hand waved the Profound Yellow Staff, tearing a black rift in the void with a whoosh. Jin Xiu twisted her twin swords, drawing two cold arcs of light, slashing towards the Profound Yellow Staff. "Brother Shen be careful, the longswords in this person¡¯s hands are strange, do not clash with them, or your divine soul will be attacked!" The Enlightened Heavenly Beast hurriedly warned. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, changing the sweep of the Profound Yellow Staff to a tap, ingeniously dodging Jin Xiu¡¯s twin swords¡¯ slash, and aiming at the opponent¡¯s shoulder. Jin Xiu was startled and hurriedly retreated. However, a black light flashed over Shen Luo¡¯s body, and a black refined corpse flew out, also holding a pair of wide black thunder swords, twisting like two black dragons towards Jin Xiu¡¯s body. Jin Xiu was about to activate the Shrinking Earth Ruler to teleport away again when the Enlightened Heavenly Beast suddenly opened its mouth and lowly chanted, waves of sound continuously emanating from its mouth, causing Jin Xiu¡¯s movements to slow down, making it too late to teleport away. "Hmph, seeking death!" Jin Xiu yelled angrily, her voice crisp, revealing a female voice. The two exotic longswords intercepted the black thunder swords, clashing with a "clang". Jin Xiu and the black refined corpse both retreated. The black refined corpse showed no abnormalities, seemingly unaffected by Jin Xiu¡¯s longswords at all. On the contrary, the flames in Jin Xiu¡¯s eye sockets flickered, and she let out a muffled groan, seeming to be injured. This refined corpse was made by Shen Luo from the body of a Taiyi Cultivist, holding a Black Greatsword, the Yin Thunder Sword from the hands of the Armored Man at the first layer of the Late True Immortal Stage. The black exotic swords in Jin Xiu¡¯s hands also contained Yin Thunder power but were far inferior to the refined corpse¡¯s Yin Thunder Greatsword. Taking advantage, the black refined corpse relentlessly slashed its twin Yin Thunder Greatswords at Jin Xiu, the crisscrossing sword shadows and fierce winds leaving deep marks on the ground, unusually solid nearby. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast also emitted waves of sound, frequently disrupting Jin Xiu¡¯s attempts to use the Shrinking Earth Ruler to escape. Helplessly, Jin Xiu could only confront them head-on, continuously being forced into retreat by the joint efforts of the black refined corpse and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. Shen Luo saw Jin Xiu being blocked and lunged again at the Blood Claw Stab, activating the Carefree Mirror to shoot out a red light pillar, wrapping around the Golden Broken Blade. Jin Xiu, seeing this, his eyes blazed with Jin Yan, opening his mouth towards the corpse refinement spewing out two streams of black light that condensed into a giant black maw, which unexpectedly clamped down on the two Yin Thunder Greatswords in the hands of the black corpse refinement. The black corpse refinement, fiercely brave, let out a low roar, and the Yin Thunder Greatswords gleamed with pitch-black Yin Thunder shaped like ferocious claws and teeth, striking towards Jin Xiu. However, inside the giant black maw, a massive suction force suddenly erupted, engulfing and swallowing all the black Yin Thunder. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast, seeing this scene, his hand-held blue light sword shone brightly, numerous blue light feathers striking towards Jin Xiu, trying to save the besieged by attacking the attacker. However, Jin Xiu, seemingly indifferent, waved his hand and threw the two black exotic swords in his hand, shooting them like meteorites towards the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast, having suffered from the black exotic swords before, hurriedly dodged to the side. Meanwhile, Jin Xiu¡¯s body was hit by many blue light feathers, breaking most of his skeleton, with only a few resilient bones still supporting his body. Jin Xiu was unconcerned about his own body, his right hand emitting a thick black light, slamming it towards the ground. The black light entered the ground and in the blink of an eye formed a Black Magic Array, with many black runes floating within, flickering with dim light. In his other hand, Jin Xiu suddenly produced an item, which was also a blood-red skull, identical to the one You Quan used to break the Door Restriction earlier, emitting Chiyou¡¯s Demonic Qi, which he crushed in one grip. The skull turned into a mass of blood light that merged into the Black Magic Array. The Spirit Pattern inside the array turned into a black-red color, and spread rapidly, covering the Mysterious Gold Tiles with a black-red Formation Pattern. Whether it was due to Chiyou¡¯s Demonic Qi or not, these black-red Formation Patterns were unaffected by the gravity of the Mysterious Gold Tiles and even partially obscured their gravitational pull. Those on the floor tiles, like Che Qingtian, You Quan, and Wu Luo, felt lighter, although still very heavy compared to usual, they were now barely able to fly and shot towards the inside. All these events, though complex, happened in a flash. Shen Luo¡¯s face looked troubled, but he didn¡¯t attempt to stop it, his Mana flowing torrentially into the Carefree Mirror, focusing on retrieving the Golden Broken Blade. Regardless of what treasures the grey small tower and Blood Claw Stab were, they had nothing to do with him. As long as he could get his hands on this Golden Broken Blade, he would be satisfied. The Golden Broken Blade trembled fiercely, as if about to vanish into the dark-red light. However, just at this moment, something unexpected occurred! The Golden Thunder Veil below suddenly brightened, streams of Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder moved rapidly, blocking the retrieval by the Carefree Mirror. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but curse silently, as expected, a prohibition was also placed on this Golden Broken Blade. Looking at the situation now, the Golden Thunder Veil needed to be broken before the Golden Broken Blade could be obtained. However, people like You Quan were not far from inside and had already flown out of the range covered by the Mysterious Gold Tiles. Che Qingtian, Shadow War Leopard, and Profound Fire Divine Steed immediately attacked the grey small tower, while Wu Luo, You Quan, and Hong Ku moved towards the direction of the Blood Claw Stab. Seeing this, Shen Luo hurriedly flipped his hand to bring out the Turn Sky Seal, operating it with all his strength. The seal whooshed and enlarged to the size of a water jar, its Spirit Patterns all shining brightly, transforming into a group of terrifying Spiritual Pressure-rich dark-red light, harshly smashing towards the Golden Thunder Veil. Chapter 1655 - 1651 Abandonment Chapter 1655: Chapter 1651 Abandonment"Stop!" The three Wu Luo thought Shen Luo was going to destroy the Blood Claw Stab. Although the Blood Claw Stab would not be so easily damaged, the aura emanating from the Turn Sky Seal was truly frightening, so the three of them simultaneously stimulated their Magical Treasures. An dark red war drum, a green war flag, and a crimson ruyi shot out, aiming for the Turn Sky Seal. A ghastly cackle suddenly sounded as a yellow figure appeared beside Shen Luo out of thin air. It was the Sky Fiend Corpse King holding a yellow treasure fan - Yan Lie¡¯s Dustless Fan - viciously fanning it towards the three Magical Treasures. A yellow storm howled forth, swelling massively in the blink of an eye to a gigantic wind column over thirty feet tall, wrapping the three Magical Treasures within it. The Dustless Wind Column was astoundingly powerful, capable of changing Heaven and Earth¡¯s colors. It was filled with countless wind blades, making the Void tremble. The three Magical Treasures were immediately blown haphazardly, whirling around with the spinning wind column. The Turn Sky Seal was unaffected, continuing to shoot down, striking the Golden Thunder Veil with full force. Boom boom boom! The Golden Protective Barrier burst open, a surge of torrential crimson Demonic Qi exploded forth, blowing away the Turn Sky Seal and the Dustless Wind Column, with Magical Treasures like the Nine Li Battle Drum scattering in all directions. The Golden Broken Blade was also shaken off, tumbling as it shot to the Outside. The Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on Shen Luo¡¯s feet shone brilliantly with thunder, and in an instant, he disappeared. In the next moment, he appeared beside the Golden Broken Blade, shooting out a ray of golden light from each hand, enveloping the Golden Broken Blade. Wu Luo, You Ming, and others, seeing Shen Luo¡¯s target was actually the Golden Broken Blade, were stunned for a moment, then immediately realized and rushed towards the Blood Claw Stab, similarly shaken off, their eyes filled with fervent desire. Shen Luo ignored the others, taking the Golden Broken Blade into his hands. Once the blade was grasped, the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword in his Dantian immediately shook violently, resonating strongly with the Golden Broken Blade. "This broken blade is indeed the other half of the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword!" Shen Luo rejoiced in his heart, expelled a stream of golden light from his mouth, swallowing the Golden Broken Blade into his body, appearing in his Dantian as well. However, the eleven Pure Yang Swords hovered around the Golden Broken Blade, completely sealing it from all sides. If anything were amiss, the Pure Yang Power of the eleven Pure Yang Swords would strike simultaneously, suppressing the Golden Broken Blade. The Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword in the Dantian shone brightly, flying toward the Golden Broken Blade. The Golden Broken Blade also shot towards the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword, and with a clang, the two pieces merged perfectly at the break, becoming a complete golden divine sword. Boom! The Demonslaying Divine Sword suddenly surged with dazzling golden light, a kind of spiritual power burst out from within, which was very similar to Pure Yang Power but a hundred times purer and hot to the touch. This spiritual power contained threads of golden thunder, being Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder, and it was several times stronger than before, no longer tiny unnoticeable threads but visible Golden Electric Arcs to the naked eye. The demonic qi harbored within Shen Luo¡¯s meridians was crushed like dry weeds, and he felt much lighter. At the same time, a vast amount of information merged into Shen Luo¡¯s mind, which was a Skill known as the Huangdi Neijing. This Skill was exceptionally exquisite, not inferior to the Huangting Technique or Chiyou¡¯s Martial Secrets, and this Skill was majestic and typified the righteous path. However, the Huangdi Neijing was not known for its great strength, but rather it focused more on recovery. If one were to master this Skill, they could achieve a body that could be called undying. "What a formidable Skill!" Shen Luo exclaimed in admiration, yet he did not attempt to cultivate it. The battle within the great hall was still ongoing. He decided to ponder over the cultivation methods after leaving this place and looked up towards the front. The struggle inside the great hall continued. Around the Grey Small Tower, Nie Caizhu, the Shadow War Leopard, the Profound Fire Divine Steed, and Che Qingtian were still fiercely vying for the treasure. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast also abandoned Jin Xiu and joined the fray. Che Qingtian, the Shadow War Leopard, and the Profound Fire Divine Steed were not working together; instead, they fought each other like sworn enemies. Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast were assisting each other, and they were not at a disadvantage, handling the situation with ease. At the location of the Blood Claw Stab, after the Golden Thunder Veil shattered, Wu Luo, You Ming, and Hong Ku rushed towards the Blood Claw Stab. Among them, Wu Luo, being the strongest, snatched the Blood Claw Stab, then immediately appeared a dozen yards away, laughing uproariously while looking up. "Lord Wu Luo, the Demon Ancestor Lord has strictly ordered that we must retrieve this item at all costs. We must leave the Celestial Secret Realm immediately. I have a way to escape from here. Let¡¯s leave this place together," You Ming said with a flicker in his eyes. "Leave the Celestial Secret Realm? This place is filled with countless graves of Immortals and abundant treasures. Now that I have obtained this Demonic Ancestor¡¯s lifebound Sacred Artifact transformed from the blood and bones of Chiyou, my strength has greatly increased. I want to take all the treasures here for myself. Who would want to leave with you?" Wu Luo laughed heartily. "You..." You Quan was greatly startled upon hearing these words and exclaimed in panic. But he stopped after only one shout, glancing around at the others as if worried about something. "Lifebound Sacred Artifact?" Shen Luo heard Wu Luo¡¯s words, and seeing You Quan¡¯s reaction, his eyes flickered slightly. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now, with the Golden Thunder Prohibition gone, the breath of the Blood Claw Stab was fully revealed, and the Demonic Qi was overwhelming. Such a level of Demonic Qi, he had only witnessed on the Blood-colored Bone Staff in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave and the Blood Color Bone Flute from the East Sea Dragon Palace. Could it be that those two Demonic Artifacts were also Chiyou¡¯s lifebound Sacred Artifacts? Seeing the changes in You Quan¡¯s expression, this lifebound Sacred Artifact seemed to be of significant importance. Shen Luo had acquired the Slayer¡¯s Broken Sword, and was initially prepared to wait and see, but given that the Blood Claw Stab was related to Chiyou, he could no longer ignore it. "Lord Wu Luo, are you intending to betray the Demon Ancestor Lord with what you just said?" You Quan shouted sternly. "What a joke. During the Battle of Zhulu that year, Chiyou abandoned me long ago. Why should I die for him?" Wu Luo sneered, and a black light flashed in his right hand as he put on the Blood Claw Stab. The blood light from the Claw Stab poured into Wu Luo¡¯s body like a tide, causing her to tremble uncontrollably. The Demonic Qi inside her body visibly swelled at an incredible pace, and the aura she emitted rapidly strengthened. Her skin gradually turned crimson, and then her entire figure swiftly faded, seemingly about to disappear. "Young Master Shen, stop Wu Luo quickly. She is using the Demonic Qi from the Blood Claw Stab to propel the Undead Illusory Soul Skill. If she completes the cultivation of this method, no one here will be her match!" Fire Spirit Child suddenly spoke up. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s feet flashed with Purple Thunder, and he vanished on the spot. The next moment, he appeared beside Wu Luo, unleashing a barrage of Flying Swords that turned into countless Sword Qi slashes towards her. However, all the Sword Qi passed right through Wu Luo, not inflicting the slightest harm on her. You Quan and Hong Ku also employed the Green War Flag and the Red Ruyi, two Demonic Treasures. A wave of green cold light and a wave of crimson Demon Fire struck Wu Luo, but the result was the same as Shen Luo¡¯s Pure Yang Sword, passing through her without any effect. "Haha, worthy of being Chiyou¡¯s lifebound Sacred Artifact, it has allowed the Undead Illusory Soul Skill to advance to such a degree. Your attacks can¡¯t even touch the hem of my garment!" Wu Luo laughed heartily. Chapter 1656 - 1652: A Battle of Wits and Bravery Chapter 1656: Chapter 1652: A Battle of Wits and BraveryYou Quan and Hong Ku¡¯s eyes flickered with light, recalling their respective Magical Treasures, seemingly somewhat fearful of Wu Luo. Shen Luo, however, did not stop his attack, once again urging countless Sword Qi towards Wu Luo. "Heh, I knew you, Shen Luo, wouldn¡¯t easily give up, but such attacks are useless against me. Why not let your helper activate the Hunyuan Wuji Formation and see if it can restrain my Phantom Spirit Body?" Wu Luo sneered coldly, not bothering to dodge, allowing the Sword Qi to slash across her body. All the Sword Qi once again passed through her body without any effect. With a look of mockery on her face, Wu Luo was about to say something when a Golden Sword Light shot out from within the sky-full of Sword Qi, its surface faintly revealing Golden Lightning, slashing towards Wu Luo¡¯s neck with the speed of thunder. Wu Luo sensed the aura of the Golden Sword Light, and her expression changed drastically. Her figure flickered as she swiftly moved to the side. A tearing sound of fabric echoed, and Blood Light suddenly appeared! Wu Luo¡¯s chest was slashed with a wound a foot long, with fresh blood gushing out, yet she had evaded at the critical moment, dodging the fate of being decapitated with one sword stroke. However, her transparent transformation was broken, and her body rapidly returned to its original state. "What was that Sword Light just now? It could actually harm my Undead Illusory Soul Body!" Wu Luo exclaimed in shock, pressing her wound as she retreated. Shen Luo did not reply, forming a gesture and pointing at the Pure Yang Sword, causing the ten Flying Swords to suddenly spread apart, landing around Wu Luo and rapidly forming the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array. "Kill!" Following Shen Luo¡¯s cold shout, countless Sword of Light accompanied by Heavenly Fire descended from the sky, enveloping Wu Luo densely like a torrential rainstorm. As for the Golden Sword Light carrying Gold Thunder, it merged back into the sky-full of Sword of Light, vanishing from sight, clearly ready to launch a lethal strike at any moment. Wu Luo¡¯s face turned grim, the Blood Light from the Claw Stab on her right hand flared greatly, passing over the wound on her chest. Countless fine Blood silk appeared on the vast wound, quickly intertwining and wriggling. The once massive wound closed in the blink of an eye. At the same time, Wu Luo¡¯s body became transparent once more, with the sky full of Sword Rain passing through without causing any harm. Shen Luo frowned; Wu Luo had healed the injury so quickly and again executed the Undead Illusory Transformation. The whole process was much faster than before, and there was no longer a Time Limit in the changes between the tangible and intangible, making her several times more difficult to deal with than before. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Amidst contemplation, his figure flickered as he flew into the Golden Sword Array, vanishing from sight. "Hiding your head while showing your tail, break for me!" Wu Luo snorted angrily and lunged towards a Golden Sword Wheel in Mid Air burning with Southern Ming Separation Fire. The Blood Light from her right hand Claw Stab flared intensely, and a house-sized Bloody Giant Claw condensed out of thin air, completely ignoring the countless descending Swords of Light, grabbing the Golden Sword Wheel and attempting to crush it fiercely. Shen Luo¡¯s figure flashed next to the Bloody Giant Claw, holding the Turn Sky Seal, and slammed it down hard against the Bloody Giant Claw. A thunderous boom that shook the heavens and the earth resounded as the Bloody Giant Claw directly exploded, dissolving into countless Blood Light particles. Shen Luo was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly noticed that the Turn Sky Seal and the Golden Sword Wheel, as well as the Pure Yang Swords within them, were stained with much Blood Light, which was quickly invading the treasures. His expression darkened as he hurriedly urged the Pure Yang Sword and the Turn Sky Seal, trying to expel the Blood Light. However, the Blood Light clung to the treasures like maggots to bones, steadfastly absorbed inside, and neither the Southern Ming Separation Fire of the Pure Yang Sword nor the immense might of the Turn Sky Seal could expel a bit of it. The Pure Yang Sword and the Turn Sky Seal emitted mournful wails, and the Spiritual Light on them rapidly dimmed. The Turn Sky Seal was a minor issue, but once the Pure Yang Sword was corroded, a flaw immediately appeared in the Golden Sword Array. At this moment, it was solely relying on the Golden Sword Array to trap Wu Luo; if the Sword Array were to be broken, capturing this demon once more would become difficult. Shen Luo hastily consecrated another Pure Yang Sword to replace the previous one, plugging the gap in the Sword Array, barely stabilizing it. At the same time, he stored the Blood Light-eroded Pure Yang Sword and Turn Sky Seal In the Sleeve, and began to operate the Pure Yang Sword Technique. A surge of flame-like red light was injected into the two treasures, with layers of flickering Red Flames appearing on the Pure Yang Sword and Turn Sky Seal. This was a technique of the Pure Yang Sword Technique called Pure Yang True Fire, which was particularly adept at Refining foreign substances within Magical Treasures. Moreover, as long as there was sufficient Mana, Pure Yang True Fire could operate for an extended period without limitation, unlike the Heavenly Fire contained within the Pure Yang Sword. Wu Luo, with a cold smile, said that the Blood Light was the purest form of Chiyou¡¯s Demonic Qi, and with profane prohibitions within the Blood Claw Stab, it¡¯s not something that could be purged at will. She turned and flew towards another Golden Sword Wheel. The light on her right hand¡¯s Blood Claw Stab surged, probing the Void. A Bloody Giant Claw reemerged, reaching for the Sword Wheel midair. The expression on Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened. Unable to take the time to dispel the Blood Light inside the Pure Yang Sword and Turn Sky Seal, he retracted them into his body. His feet flickered with Golden Lightning as he suddenly appeared before Wu Luo. A flash of black and red light, and a massive set of Yanyi Armors emerged, the Destructive Mingwang itself, with the control room door of the chest wide open. Shen Luo, transformed into a bolt of lightning, entered through the door. The Sun Battle Axe wielded by the Destructive Mingwang shone with a sun-like radiance, lighting up the Surroundings of the Void in red, as if igniting the entire space. The colossal Sun Battle Axe turned into a Phantom, unbelievably fast, and in an instant, struck the Bloody Giant Claw. A thunderous "boom" rang out! The Bloody Giant Claw was shattered once again, but the Sun Battle Axe was now tainted with the Blood Light, and its sun-like Red Flames began to fade quickly. A thought weighed down Shen Luo¡¯s heart; even the Armor was susceptible to corrosion by the Blood Light. "Shen Luo, I want to see how many more Magical Treasures you have!" Wu Luo sneered coldly and immediately dashed for the third Sword Wheel, the light on the Blood Claw Stab intensifying, forming into a Bloody Giant Claw heading straight for the Sword Wheel. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened, but now burdened with the Destructive Mingwang, he was unable to use the Thunder Escape Technique. In a rush, he propelled the Destructive Mingwang to give chase while hastily summoning the Demonslaying Divine Sword to use Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder to purge the Blood Light from within the treasures. But at this very moment, the Black Seed within the meridian of his right hand suddenly quivered. Two strands of black roots tore through the Void and pierced into the Pure Yang Sword and Turn Sky Seal, instantly absorbing all of the Blood Light within the two treasures. Shen Luo paused, then felt both shocked and joyous; he had not expected the Black Seed to be capable of absorbing the Blood Light from the tainted treasures. However, during the previous great battle at East Sea Dragon Palace, the Black Seed had absorbed the Demonic Qi from the Blood Color Bone Flute. Given that the current Blood Claw Stab and the aforementioned Bone Flute shared a similar aura, it was not surprising that the Black Seed absorbed the Blood Light from the Claw Stab. With this in mind, he immediately took out the Turn Sky Seal and looked up, throwing it out. The Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared in a flash, seized the seal in hand, and lunged at Wu Luo. Whereas Shen Luo pointed at the Sun Battle Axe, making it flash away from the Destructive Mingwang¡¯s hands, and in the next moment, reappeared in front of Shen Luo, significantly shrunken in size. He grabbed hold of the Battle Axe with his hand and stimulated the power of the Black Seed. The Blood Light on the Sun Battle Axe dimmed at a visible speed, vanishing completely within a few breaths. All these events might sound complicated, but in reality, they unfolded in the blink of an eye. The Sky Fiend Corpse King by then had also caught up to Wu Luo. The Turn Sky Seal turned into a cluster of dark red light that shot out, striking the Bloody Giant Claw like a meteor. Chapter 1657 - 1653: Ten Directions Devil Prison Path Chapter 1657: Chapter 1653: Ten Directions Devil Prison Path"Impossible!" Wu Luo was shocked to see the Turn Sky Seal recover in the blink of an eye, and wanted to avoid it with the Bloody Giant Claw, but she was a step too late. With a "boom," the Bloody Giant Claw was shattered again. The Turn Sky Seal, wielded by the Sky Fiend Corpse King, was even more powerful, not only crushing the giant claw but also repelling Wu Luo with great force. Wu Luo¡¯s face was filled with disbelief, about to cast another of her God¡¯s Power, when a golden sword light flashed out of nowhere, cutting through the air like lightning. Wu Luo couldn¡¯t dodge in time and was struck in the shoulder by the Demonslaying Divine Sword. A torrent of Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder poured out, instantly breaching her Undead Illusory Soul transformation. A red and a black huge phantom appeared, it was The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor, which forcefully struck her body. Wu Luo was sent flying, her right arm and left leg twisted out of shape, and blood spurted from her mouth. With a "bang," she crashed into a nearby Stone Wall, causing a large indentation in the wall. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo¡¯s face showed surprise; The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor could shatter the Void, yet they only managed to inflict severe injuries when hitting Wu Luo. He glanced at Wu Luo¡¯s body covered with Blood Light and had an epiphany; it seemed that this Claw Stab Blood Light was causing trouble. Surprised as he was in his heart, his actions did not delay. With a single hand gesture, he stimulated the Golden Sword Array, unleashing countless Sword of Light once more, ferociously slashing at this demon. Wu Luo, with her severely injured body, could not dodge and was immediately covered with dense bloody wounds, becoming even less able to move. Shen Luo did not stop; controlling the Sky Fiend Corpse King, he teleported in front of Wu Luo and wielded the Turn Sky Seal, aiming for her head. No matter how fierce Wu Luo¡¯s body¡¯s Blood Light was, her head would definitely not survive a hit from the Turn Sky Seal. However, the severely injured Wu Luo suddenly looked up, her right hand shining with a bright golden light, summoning a Golden Great Bow, radiating splendor and rising Immortal Qi¡ªit was the Ruomu Divine Bow. Without seeing her draw the bow, a thick Golden Arrow burst out without warning, colliding with the Turn Sky Seal. A "thunderous" explosion rocked the sky, a golden sun burst forth and, astonishingly, the Turn Sky Seal was sent flying, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King behind was also repelled! "Shen Luo, you¡¯re seeking death!" Wu Luo¡¯s expression twisted ferociously, and she spewed out a mouthful of fresh blood, pouring it into the Blood Claw Stab. The Bloody Claw Stab trembled violently, emitting a thunderous noise, and a rich crimson Demonic Qi burst forth, instantly flooding an area of dozens of feet around. Inside the Demonic Qi, countless large and small Bloody Vortexes appeared, spinning rapidly, emitting weird howls. Shen Luo and Destruction Mingwang were engulfed by this Demonic Qi, and a strange absorption force assailed them. His mana and essence blood were drawn out toward the bloody Demonic Qi, no matter how he tried to defend with his Cultivation, it couldn¡¯t be stopped. The Spiritual Power contained within the Destruction Mingwang also surged like a tide, heading towards the depths of the bloody Demonic Qi. The Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array was the same, huge amounts of spiritual energy were absorbed, and the originally radiant formation quickly dimmed down. Shen Luo¡¯s complexion greatly changed. He immediately retracted the Destruction Mingwang into the Free and Easy Mirror, and the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on his feet shone brightly, barely holding off the surrounding Demonic Qi. Then with the sound of thunder, he disappeared from his spot in an instant. The next moment, he appeared a hundred feet away, flying out of the range of the bloody Demonic Qi. The Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array disintegrated with a roar, turning into ten Flying Swords cutting through the bloody Demonic Qi, flying back to his side. Although Shen Luo reacted with godspeed, his mana was still partly drained, and his complexion turned a shade of pale. The spiritual power within Destruction Mingwang was also drained by twenty percent, and the ten Pure Yang Swords had likewise lost a considerable amount of vitality. You Quan, Hong Ku, and Jin Xiu were affected by the blood-colored Demonic Qi, fleeing to a far distance as if avoiding a plague. The black corpse refinement also abandoned Jin Xiu and flew back to Shen Luo¡¯s side. Additionally, the Grey Small Tower was covered in blood-colored Demonic Qi; the mana of Nie Caizhu and the others, as well as the spiritual power of their Magical Treasures, were all drained by the blood-colored Demonic Qi. The expressions of everyone changed drastically, scattering in all directions. The struggle within the hall came to a sudden halt, with only the thick blood-colored Demonic Qi surging in the Void. The Grey Small Tower was also enveloped by the blood-colored Demonic Qi. The surrounding ash-white Formation once again emerged, its light greatly intensified, resisting the erosion of the blood-colored Demonic Qi, causing the nearby Void to buzz and tremble. Although the ash-white Formation was mysterious, the blood-colored Demonic Qi was even more terrifying. The spiritual power of the Formation was rapidly drained, quickly dimming, much to the delight of Che Qingtian and others. The spiritual power in other parts of the great hall was also drained by the blood-colored Demonic Qi, with walls and the ground becoming dull and lightless as the contained spiritual power converged toward the depths of the blood-colored Demonic Qi. "What kind of divine ability is this? It can devour all spiritual power, even more fearsome than the Kunlun Mirror!" Shen Luo was inwardly alarmed, and while speaking, he took out Immortal Crystals to recover his mana. He also retrieved the ten Pure Yang Swords into his Dantian, using mana to nourish and heal them. "If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is the ¡¯Ten Directions Devil Prison Path¡¯ created by the Demonic Ancestor Chi You," Fire Spirit Child said with an extremely grave expression, speaking slowly. "Ten Directions Devil Prison Path?" Shen Luo was startled; Chi You¡¯s martial secrets did not record this demonic technique. "The Ten Directions Devil Prison Path is a divine ability created by Chi You, capable of devouring all forms of vitality to nourish oneself. Whether it¡¯s Spiritual Materials, Magical Treasures, or even the divine abilities used¡ªif they contain vitality, they cannot escape the plunder of this demonic technique. During the Battle of Zhulu, Chi You devoured the Yellow Emperor¡¯s army of a hundred thousand using this technique, his demonic might shocking the world. However, this divine ability is extremely difficult to cultivate; for countless years, aside from Chi You, no one else from the Demon Clan has been able to master it. It¡¯s impossible for Wu Luo to know this technique¡ªit seems to stem from the divine ability contained within the Blood Claw Stab," Fire Spirit Child explained. Before Fire Spirit Child¡¯s words had ended, the blood-colored Demonic Qi in front suddenly began to recede like the tide, vanishing in the blink of an eye. A figure emerged, and it was none other than Wu Luo. The injuries on her body were nowhere to be seen, her twisted limbs had returned to normal as if she hadn¡¯t been hurt at all, and her breath had completely recovered. The Blood Claw Stab was even more closely integrated with Wu Luo¡¯s right hand, appearing as though they had fused together. "How should we confront such a divine ability?" Shen Luo¡¯s complexion turned ugly. Being able to devour any spiritual power and also use it for healing, such an enemy was nearly invincible. "Cousin." Seeing the situation turning dire, Nie Cai Zhu flew over to Shen Luo¡¯s side. "Cai Zhu, try attacking that Wu Luo with your Kunlun Mirror," Shen Luo saw Nie Cai Zhu, his eyes suddenly lighting up, immediately transmitted his voice to her. The Kunlun Mirror was an Ancestral Witch weapon, and it also possessed an absorbing ability, perhaps unafraid of the Ten Directions Devil Prison Path. Nie Cai Zhu had complete trust in Shen Luo, and without a word, she fully activated the Kunlun Mirror. An area of darkness appeared around Wu Luo, enveloping her body within it. The darkness surged and compressed rapidly, causing the blood light around Wu Luo to dim immediately. "Witch Clan¡¯s dark divine ability? To think such a level could devour me, laughable." Wu Luo let out a cold laugh, not waiting for Shen Luo and the others to rejoice, as the Blood Claw Stab in her hand shimmered with blood light. With a "boom", a bloody vortex reappeared, confronting the domain of darkness. Chapter 1658 - 1654: Downfall Chapter 1658: Chapter 1654: DownfallThe divine powers released by the Kunlun Mirror and the Blood Claw Stab both possessed devouring capabilities, and as they clashed, it was difficult to determine a victor for the time being. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo waved one hand, summoning the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor and retreating into it. The Mingwang¡¯s eyes radiated thunderous light, and thick, ferocious purple thunder and lightning burst forth, striking Wu Luo and the Bloody Vortex with unerring precision, without affecting the area of darkness in the slightest. Simultaneously, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast also soared forth, with two enormous blue wings materializing behind it and flapping violently. A howling sound erupted as countless blue light feathers shot out, each with an exceptionally fierce aura, no less formidable than the Sword of Light from the Golden Sword Array, ruthlessly bombarding Wu Luo and the Bloody Vortex like a torrential downpour. Yu Quan and the trio¡ªChe Qingtian, the Shadow War Leopard, and the Profound Fire Divine Steed¡ªstood in the distance, quietly observing the clash between Shen Luo¡¯s group and Wu Luo, without any intention to engage, apparently waiting to see who would emerge the victor. Facing the assault from Shen Luo and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, Wu Luo chose not to face it head-on and instead, his figure flickered, vanishing into the Bloody Vortex. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed as he increased his efforts to energize the Destructive Mingwang, releasing a barrage of even more intense purple thunder and lightning onto the Bloody Vortex. It battered the vortex violently, riddled with holes, as the area of darkness unleashed by the Kunlun Mirror surged in power, looking to devour the Bloody Vortex. However, at that moment, the Bloody Vortex suddenly erupted with a rumbling thunderous noise, expanding several times over, and sharp blood lights shot out, effortlessly slicing the area of darkness into more than a dozen pieces. Nie Caizhu¡¯s expression drastically changed upon seeing this, as she continuously formed hand seals to stimulate the Kunlun Mirror, attempting to reconvene the area of darkness. But the Blood Claw Stab, releasing the formidable power of the Ten Directions Devil Prison Path, suddenly unleashed an enormous devouring force, swallowing up the scattered darkness, destructive lightning, and blue light feathers in one fell swoop. Nie Caizhu and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast were both startled and hastily retreated backward. "Shen Luo, your life ends here!" Wu Luo¡¯s bloodthirsty voice came through, as the Bloody Vortex grew even larger, resembling an eclipsing blood cloud that soared towards Shen Luo and his companions, enveloping them. Within the Destructive Mingwang, Shen Luo¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted, yet he remained composed, flipping his hand to wield. The Hammer of Thor disappeared from the Mingwang Yan Armor¡¯s hand, and in the void ahead, a giant sword tens of feet long appeared, wrapped in gold thunder¡ªit was the Magic Extinguishing Sword. At this point, he could only hope to rely on the Magic Extinguishing Sword, which was known to suppress Demonic Qi. The Destructive Mingwang reached out to grasp the Magic Extinguishing Sword, as the gold thunder on it suddenly grew several times bulkier, becoming blindingly bright. "It turns out to be the divine sword ¡¯Demonslaying¡¯. No wonder it could break through my Undead Illusory Soul technique. However, my Undead Illusory Soul is now perfected with the assistance of the Ten Directions Devil Prison Path, and all of you will die here!" Wu Luo sneered coldly, as the speed at which the Bloody Vortex pounced rapidly increased. Shen Luo, watching the rapidly approaching blood cloud, was about to motivate the Magic Extinguishing Sword to act. The laughter from Wu Luo within the vortex abruptly ceased, as the onrushing Bloody Vortex suddenly stopped, becoming chaotically disrupted. Large bubbles emerged on the surface, bursting with loud booming sounds, signaling something unexpected was happening. Shen Luo, seeing this, was astonished but didn¡¯t hesitate; he controlled the Destructive Mingwang to swing the Magic Extinguishing Sword. A Milky Way-like golden sword light roared out, striking the Bloody Vortex and sweeping away vast swaths of Demonic Qi. The Bloody Vortex was forcibly torn asunder by half. The Bloody Vortex was already violently turbulent, like an overly-stretched powder keg; struck by the light of the Magic Extinguishing Sword, it immediately exploded deafeningly. Waves of blood-red energy swept violently around, with the nearby void warping and buzzing incessantly. The Destructive Mingwang was a Yan Armor of half-step Heavenly Venerable level, immovable as a rock, but the others, caught off-guard, were all shaken back several steps by the blast. Besides the few individuals, an object was also swept away by the blast¡ªit was the Grey Small Tower, and the surrounding ashen prohibitions were surprisingly all dissipated. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Che Qingtian, the Shadow War Leopard, the Profound Fire Divine Steed, and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast were taken aback but then showed expressions of ecstasy. They transformed into four streaks of light, rushing towards the Grey Small Tower. Shen Luo paid no attention to the Grey Small Tower, his eyes solely fixated on the dispersing Blood Light, with Nie Caizhu standing guard at one side, also not participating in the struggle for the Grey Small Tower. "Eh, Young Master Shen, look at those three from You Quan," Fire Spirit Child suddenly uttered with a light surprise. Hearing this, Shen Luo turned to look aside and a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes. The three Skeletons from You Quan weren¡¯t vying for the Grey Small Tower either. They stood quietly on one side, and each of their bodies radiated a sphere of Blood Light, connected to one another, seemingly deploying some sort of God¡¯s Power. "An abnormal change in the Ten Directions Devil Prison Path, could it be the doing of these three?" Shen Luo secretly speculated in his heart. Soon, the Blood Light in front dissipated, revealing Wu Luo¡¯s figure. At this moment, her face showed a color of terror, the plump skin on her arms and cheeks had withered greatly, and the withering was still continuing. On Wu Luo¡¯s right hand, the Blood Claw Stab now surged with substantive Blood Light, looking like a bloodthirsty demon, swallowing her entire body¡¯s Qi and vitality. Shen Luo¡¯s complexion changed. He had seen a similar situation in the Black Abyss Mystical Cave before, where the Blood-colored Bone Staff drained Elder Mei and the Blood Skull Ancestor of their vitality; this Blood Claw Stab showed a similar breath to the Blood-colored Bone Staff, so it having such an ability was not surprising. Shen Luo had previously seen Wu Luo deploy the Blood Claw Stab against her enemies and thought she could control this Demonic Artifact, but he didn¡¯t expect it to end like this. However, Wu Luo was his enemy, so he did not step in to stop any of this. "Three Talents Demon Spirit Formation... You Quan, you are the one who doomed me..." Wu Luo turned towards the Blood Light on the bodies of the You Quan trio and spoke with boundless resentment. Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows raised: it indeed was the doing of the You Quan trio. "Hmph, you stole Lord Chiyou¡¯s treasured possession; you deserve such an end!" You Quan retorted coldly while fully engaging the Blood Light Array around himself. The devouring power of the Blood Claw Stab suddenly intensified, and Wu Luo¡¯s body withered at an increased rate, about to turn completely into a Corpse. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze suddenly flashed, and at the same time, he transmitted a message to Nie Caizhu and Fire Spirit Child. "It is this kind of trouble again," grumbled Fire Spirit Child. Nie Caizhu, however, wasted no words, conjuring a Golden Great Bow in her hand, and a Golden Light Arrow shot out like lightning, striking Wu Luo¡¯s right arm, then violently exploding. That Blood Claw Stab was instantly blown away, and Wu Luo¡¯s broken body was also shaken and flew off to the side. A Dark Silhouette appeared out of nowhere near Wu Luo¡¯s broken body¡ªit was Ghost Teng Master, who flicked his sleeve and sent out a red glow, rolling up the broken body of Wu Luo. At this moment, Wu Luo¡¯s core vitality had been devoured by more than half, unable to make even a slight move, and like that, she was taken away by the red light. Seeing this, the trio from You Quan was taken aback and immediately shot towards the Blood Claw Stab, but as the void around them fluctuated, countless white lights emerged out of thin air, solidifying into a Great Formation that imprisoned all three, which was again the Hunyuan Wuji Formation. A giant sword light, like a raging dragon, arrived as fast as lightning, cleaving towards the trio; it was Destruction Mingwang propelling the Demonslaying Divine Sword forward. Destruction Mingwang, at the level of a Half-step Heavenly Venerate, was already roughly similar to a monk; not only capable of using Armor as a Weapon but could also operate Magical Treasures. With Destruction Mingwang¡¯s formidable Mana, the power of the Demonslaying Divine Sword was much stronger than in Shen Luo¡¯s hands. The You Quan trio was horrified, realizing too late to break the Array around them. Just as they were about to be destroyed by the Demonslaying Divine Sword, a yellow light suddenly burst out from Jin Xiu, which was the Shrinking Earth Ruler Magical Treasure, rapidly encompassing the trio. However, the golden sword light was unimaginably swifter, slashing through the yellow light first. With a faint "swoosh," an arm bone flew out, but the yellow Escape Light also disappeared at once, with the You Quan trio vanishing without a trace. Chapter 1659 - 1655: No Escape Chapter 1659: Chapter 1655: No EscapeShen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as he activated the Eyes of World Destruction to scan his surroundings. The Armor blazed with purple light from both eyes, unleashing thick purple thunder and lightning, striking an area of void not far away. There, a yellow light flashed, and three figures from You Quan appeared, with one of them missing a left arm. The Demonslaying Divine Sword is the bane of the Demon Clan, and not just the left arm¡ªcracks appeared across the left side of You Quan¡¯s body, looking on the verge of collapse. However, You Quan paid no attention to his condition or the purple thunder striking him, muttering incantations under his breath. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Hong Ku and Jin Xiu moved swiftly to shield You Quan, expelling a cloud of black Qi filled with phosphorous fire, the Corrosive Soul Phosphorus Fire, clashing against the incoming purple lightning. In the midst of booming explosions, the black Qi churned tumultuously, appearing on the brink of collapse but ultimately holding, blocking the purple thunder. A thick Blood Light surged around You Quan¡¯s body, coalescing into a buzzing Blood Magic Array. Not far away, the surface of the Blood Claw Stab on the ground suddenly brightened with blood light, shooting towards You Quan. But at that moment, a golden sword flashed out, the very Demonslaying Divine Sword, with a "clang" it struck the Blood Claw Stab, sending it flying back to the ground. The Demonslaying Divine Sword pursued closely like a shadow, "pfft" stabbing into the ground beside the claw, its sword body radiating dazzling golden light mixed with strands of golden thunder, condensing into a golden light shield around the Blood Claw Stab¡ªcomparable to the technique the master of Tianyan Palace used to trap the claw. Only now, the Demonslaying Divine Sword was whole, making the golden light shield far more robust than before. As soon as the Blood Claw Stab hit the ground, it leaped up like a living creature, attempting to fly towards You Quan again, violently striking the inner wall of the light shield. Amidst the thunderous roars, several bolts of Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder struck the light shield, repelling the Blood Claw Stab. Seeing this, You Quan¡¯s expression changed, about to do something more when ten swords appeared above their heads, swiftly circling to form a Golden Sword Array. "Not good!" You Quan¡¯s face drastically changed. He too expelled a mass of black Qi laced with phosphorus fire, thickening the black Qi surrounding them several fold. Hong Ku and Jin Xiu also revealed shock, their hands forming swift seals, as the surrounding phosphorus fire and black Qi transformed into a hemispherical black protective cover, encompassing the three. Just as they finished this, countless Sword of Light descended from the skies, raining down on the hemisphere like a violent storm. The power of the Golden Sword Array was tremendous, surpassing the thunder strikes from the Destruction Mingwang. The hemispherical shield shuddered violently, with swathes of black Qi scattered by the sword lights, quickly thinning to the point of almost giving way. "Quick, use your Ancestral Demon Skull!" You Quan said to Hong Ku. Hong Ku waved his hand, and a Blood Skeleton appeared, identical to the ones You Quan and Jin Xiu used before, and he crushed it in his grip. A stream of Blood Light merged into the shield, which immediately turned black-red and increased in might, not only holding off the Golden Sword Array but also thickening gradually, looking set to return to its original state. Within Destruction Mingwang, Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed as he pointed towards the Golden Sword Array, making a sealing motion. All ten sword wheels in mid-air blazed with roaring flames, and the swords raining down ignited as well, their power greatly enhanced, once again beginning to chip away at the black-red shield. But as he pushed the Golden Sword Array to its limit, his mana consumption also skyrocketed. His mana reserves were already not abundant, and a shade of paleness crossed his face. A sinking feeling in his heart, Shen Luo hastened to draw spiritual energy from the Immortal Crystal while also taking out two Restoration Pills and swallowing them for refining. Yet, this degree of mana recovery was still not enough to offset the expenditure; it could only delay the time until his mana was completely exhausted. Shadows inside the control room began to move, and Nie Cai Zhu¡¯s figure burst forth. "Cai Zhu, how did you get in? This is Shadow Escaping; when did you master this technique?" Shen Luo looked at her with surprise. "I just comprehended it from the Kunlun Mirror." Nie Caizhu said while she swiftly chanted the mantra and utilized the Universal Life Providence. A green light merged into Shen Luo¡¯s body, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from the surroundings began to gather, instantly starting the recovery of his mana. Shen Luo¡¯s expression relaxed, he nodded to Nie Cai Zhu, and increased the mana he was channelling into the Sword Array. The power of the Golden Sword Array grew, many swords turned into even sharper golden threads, doubling their power, and the black and red protective cover began to quickly collapse again. Nie Caizhu stood behind Shen Luo, continuing to cast Universal Life Providence to aid his mana recovery, her eyes unspeakably bright. Now, she was the Minor Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, a person of high status admired by thousands, but deep inside, what she most wanted to do was to be by Shen Luo¡¯s side, facing even the most dreadful enemies without fear. Inside the black and red protective cover, the trio from You Quan showed no signs of alarm, their hands clasped together as they rapidly chanted Spells, and simultaneously sprayed upwards. Three thick streams of Black Qi emerged, with countless runes hidden within, pouring into the black and red cover. The cover then showcased flower-like runes that rapidly formed into a Black Magic Array. The space within the black protective cover suddenly plunged into endless darkness, as if filled with a powerful dark force, and became ten times more robust. The rapidly collapsing black and red cover immediately halted. "The Mandala Array!" Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened. "What kind of Array Technique is this?" Nie Caizhu asked with a flash in her beautiful eyes. "This is an Array from the Demon Clan, known for its strangeness and sturdiness. It¡¯s probably not going to be easy to break through," Shen Luo replied with a frown. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Sky Fiend Corpse King, and Destruction Mingwang also stepped out and pounced toward the trio from You Quan. Che Qingtian and others were currently fighting over the Grey Small Tower, and the situation could change at any moment; it was imperative for them to fight quickly and decisively on their own front. "Cousin, leave the Mandala Array to me!" Nie Cai Zhu, having fully restored Shen Luo¡¯s mana, suddenly spoke up and conjured the Kunlun Mirror. A beam of black light shot from it, piercing through the wall of Destruction Mingwang¡¯s control room and entering the Mandala Array. An area of darkness appeared out of nowhere, rapidly devouring the darkness within the Mandala Array. The dark force inside quickly thinned, and the black and red protective cover started collapsing again. "What¡¯s happening? Why is the power of the Mandala Array weakening so rapidly?" Jin Xiu cried out in shock. "It¡¯s that Kunlun Mirror!" You Quan was also startled, but he quickly realized what was happening. "Shen Luo, what skill is there in ambushing us? If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one!" Hong Ku angrily said. Shen Luo paid no mind to such provocation. He silently operated the Pure Yang Sword Technique, bringing the Golden Sword Array¡¯s power to its peak. The Sky Fiend Corpse King also appeared outside, activating the Turn Sky Seal and striking it on the black and red cover. A loud "boom" resounded as the black and red cover burst and shattered. At the same time, the sound of thunder roared, with dense Purple Thunder shooting towards the trio from You Quan, sending them flying in three different directions. And at this moment, countless Swords of Light descended, cutting towards the trio from You Quan. Jin Xiu, now far away from the other two and unable to save them, activated the Shrinking Earth Ruler to dodge and escape. Chapter 1660 - 1656: The Fisherman Profits Chapter 1660: Chapter 1656: The Fisherman ProfitsClang... A dense wave of sound descended from the sky, covering Jin Xiu, revealing a small silver bell suspended in mid-air, vibrating incessantly. Jin Xiu¡¯s mind suddenly blurred, and the hands casting the spell froze. Almost at the same time, a flash of black light passed by Jin Xiu¡¯s side, and several black Demon Rings materialized out of thin air, "clang" and were set upon various parts of his body. The Demonic Qi inside Jin Xiu was instantly restrained, and he could not move a muscle. You Quan and Hong Ku met the same fate, their bodies were adorned with several black Demon Rings, rendering them immobile. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The next moment, countless Swords of Light slashed upon the three Skeletons, effortlessly reducing them to pieces, and extinguishing the flames in their eye sockets as well. Without You Quan¡¯s summoning, the Spiritual Light on the Blood Claw Stab vanished, and it dropped to the ground with a "clatter". Shen Luo put away the Silver Light Bell and Demonic Ring of Jiuyou, sneering secretly in his heart. In today¡¯s battle, he originally didn¡¯t have the assurance of victory; Wu Luo and that Blood Claw Stab were truly terrifying, and he almost considered fleeing. However, You Quan and the other two were blinded by their greed for treasures and acted rashly to eliminate the biggest obstacle without waiting for Wu Luo to severely injure him, which enabled him to seize the moment to eradicate them all at once. Ghost Teng Master activated the Carefree Mirror to emit a beam of red light, collecting the Blood Claw Stab and Demonslaying Divine Sword before flying back to Shen Luo¡¯s side, and then disappeared into the Corpse Raising Bag in a flash. Sky Fiend Corpse King also collected the Shrinking Earth Ruler and other Magical Treasures of You Quan and the rest, and vanished in a flash as well. "It¡¯s finally over." Nie Caizhu sighed a breath of relief upon seeing this. Shen Luo did not relax, his Divine Sense diving into the Carefree Mirror. Inside the Carefree Mirror, the Fire Spirit Child was controlling the Gu Xuan star disk to set up a white Array, which was the Hunyuan Wuji Formation. But inside the Hunyuan Wuji Formation there were also two white Arrays, which also appeared to possess some kind of restraining power. The three Arrays melded together, firmly suppressing Wu Luo¡¯s withered body. "Can it hold? This person is of the Ancient Demon Clan, we absolutely cannot allow her to escape. I have important things to ask her later," Shen Luo said with a heavy tone. "Don¡¯t worry, this demon is now merely an empty husk; I can suppress her," the Fire Spirit Child confidently replied. Shen Luo was relieved to hear this. He was about to withdraw his Divine Sense when he suddenly noticed a black bracelet on Wu Luo¡¯s wrist. With a wave of his hand, he summoned it. A golden light flashed on the Carefree Mirror, and a Golden Great Bow flew out. "The Ruo Mu Divine Bow!" Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, showing a face full of ecstatic joy. "You inherited Hou Yi¡¯s Power, this bow suits you well," Shen Luo did not touch the Divine Bow, but tossed it to Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu caught the bow in one grab, without any rejection from the Ruo Mu Divine Bow. It emitted soaring golden brilliance, and her body also suddenly brightened with dazzling golden light, echoing the bow from afar. Nie Caizhu¡¯s body shook, and she sat down cross-legged, continuously forming hand seals. The Golden Light on the Ruo Mu Divine Bow fluctuated ceaselessly, as it was being rapidly refined. Shen Luo did not disturb Nie Caizhu, turning his gaze to the other side of the great hall. The struggle there continued, but the situation had already become clear. Che Qingtian, with his formidable strength, had defeated the Shadow War Leopard, the Profound Fire Divine Steed, and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. He had seized the Grey Small Tower in his hands and was now performing a ritual to refine it. The three beasts, unwilling to give up, lunged at Che Qingtian but were blocked by five or six Brass Tigers in Fierce Tiger Armor. These Brass Tigers, about two zhang tall, pounced and tore at the three beasts, their movements as quick as lightning and possessing immense strength. The three beasts didn¡¯t dare let these Brass Tigers get too close, constantly darting around to avoid them, only striking back fiercely when they could not escape. However, the Brass Tigers were bathed in shining yellow light and extremely sturdy. The attacks of the Shadow War Leopard and the others, upon hitting the tigers, did nothing but push them back a few steps, leaving not even a scratch. Shen Luo was not surprised by this; Che Qingtian¡¯s strength far surpassed that of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, Shadow War Leopard, and Profound Fire Divine Steed, so it was only natural that he obtained the Grey Small Tower. "Brother Shen, hurry and seize that Grey Small Tower! The inheritance of Tianyan Palace and our spirit imprints are all inside it. This tower is also the hub of the prohibitions for the entire Tianyan Palace. If Che Qingtian refines it, he will be able to control all the prohibitions here, and we will all die in this place!" The Enlightened Heavenly Beast, seeing that Shen Luo had killed Wu Luo, You Ming, and the others, cried out for help with a mixture of surprise and joy. Shen Luo was greatly alarmed upon hearing this and immediately urged on the Golden Sword Array, casting it over Che Qingtian. Destruction Mingwang also charged at Che Qingtian, his left hand switching from the Demonslaying Divine Sword to the Hammer of Thor, cleaving down at Che Qingtian. He did not notice that when the Golden Sword Array moved away, three streams of Black Qi emerged from the spots where You Quan and the others had fallen, quickly sinking into the ground and vanishing without a trace. ... Che Qingtian, seeing Shen Luo charge at him, changed his expression. With a flick of his sleeve, he put away the Grey Small Tower and continued to control the Brass Tigers to entangle the Enlightened Heavenly Beast and others, while his fingers flicked out in succession, conjuring up green, purple, yellow, and white Four Big Swords around himself. The White Sword actually was the Surging Snow Sword that had previously been shattered by Destruction Mingwang, but now it had been restored to its original state, presumably Che Qingtian had refurbished it during these three years. With a gesture of sword technique, the four swords spun around, their Sword light blending together, forming a four-colored Battle formation map. The Golden Sword Array shot forth, countless Golden Light Swords swooping down with a whistling slash. Che Qingtian exclaimed in shock, performing a technique on the four-colored Battle formation map, from which green, purple, yellow, and white Sword Qi erupted with different attributes: the green was soft and supple, the purple fierce and aggressive, rapidly like thunder, the yellow filled with a desolation aura, and the white cold as ice, clashing with the countless Golden Light Swords. Boom! Boom! Boom! Bursts of explosive light erupted, the four-colored Sword Qi all different yet complementing each other, completely holding off the Golden Sword Array without falling at a disadvantage. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed. His several Pure Yang Swords, which contained the Golden Crow Sword Spirit and had also absorbed a large number of Jin Yan, had become vastly more powerful than when he had first entered the Celestial Secret Realm, yet they were blocked by this Four Seasons Sword Formation. "I remember now, this is the Four Seasons Sword Formation! Over a thousand years ago in the Eastern Victorious Divine Continent, there was once a sword sect that enjoyed a period of glorious renown, known as the Four Seasons Sword Sect. They specialized in the Four Seasons Sword Technique, deriving the changes of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, which was very ingenious. Once the Four Seasons Sword Technique was cultivated to a profound level, one could cast the Four Seasons Sword Formation, powerful enough to turn heaven and earth around!" Fire Spirit Child suddenly spoke up. "The Four Seasons Sword Formation..." Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows twitched, but he didn¡¯t take it too seriously, directly controlling Destruction Mingwang to charge towards Che Qingtian, with both The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor smashing ruthlessly into the Four Seasons Sword Formation. The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor were both incredibly sturdy; despite the formidable nature of the Four Seasons Sword Formation, they could not shake these two treasures. With a ripping sound, the Four Seasons Sword Formation was torn open with a large gash, and Che Qingtian, along with his swords, was sent flying backward. Che Qingtian was furious, stabilizing the four swords with a gesture, ready to push the power of the Four Seasons Sword Formation to its limit when a Yellow Light shot out from within the Golden Sword Array, hitting the Surging Snow Sword¡ªit was a winged Yellow Copper Coin. "Treasure Coin!" Having traveled with Wanshui Zhenren, Che Qingtian naturally knew the Divine Power of the Treasure Coin. He was so shocked that he tried to collect the Surging Snow Sword back, but it was already too late. The Treasure Light of the Surging Snow Sword completely dissipated, falling from mid-air and was caught by Destruction Mingwang. With a flash of golden light, it disappeared without a trace. Chapter 1661 - 1657: One Step Ahead Chapter 1661: Chapter 1657: One Step AheadWithout the Surging Snow Sword, the Four Seasons Sword Formation instantly collapsed with a loud bang, countless Golden Light Swords streaked like lightning, shattering the dispersed sword qi of the Four Seasons and continued to blanket the sky, attacking Che Qingtian relentlessly. Che Qingtian¡¯s face turned an iron blue as his boots suddenly burst open, transforming into one wind and one fire, two rapidly spinning wheels. He vanished from the spot in mid-air and reappeared next to the light gold floor tiles in the next moment, avoiding the assault of the Golden Sword Array. But the wind and fire wheels on his feet also dissipated and vanished, leaving him barefooted. "Wind Fire Wheel Boots?" A trace of surprise flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. He had seen records of this armor in the Sky Machine Scroll, capable of conjuring wind and fire wheels, allowing one to move with nearly instantaneous speed. However, these Wind Fire Wheel Boots had extremely high demands on materials and were single-use armor; once used, they were gone, so he had not been willing to gather the materials and refine them. Now that Che Qingtian resorted to using such a precious armor to dodge, it seemed that he was almost at the end of his tether. Shen Luo immediately controlled the Destruction Mingwang to halt and turned around to pounce towards Che Qingtian again, and the direction of the Golden Sword Array shifted as well, covering Che Qingtian in a deluge of Golden Light Swords. Che Qingtian did not confront him directly, instead stepping into the area of the light gold floor tiles. A layer of ash-white light flourished beneath him, and unexpectedly, the gravity of the light gold floor tiles had no effect on him, rapidly fleeing towards the Outside. "This is bad, it seems that Che Qingtian has already refined some of the prohibitions of the Grey Small Tower! We cannot let him escape, otherwise it would be terrible," Fire Spirit Child said anxiously. "No need to worry." Shen Luo¡¯s face showed no panic, and instead, a cunning glint surfaced in his eyes. He flew out from the Destruction Mingwang, retracted the Mingwang and the Pure Yang Golden Light Sword Array with the Free and Easy Mirror, and pursued Che Qingtian. Che Qingtian had already destroyed nearly half of the light gold floor tiles, his speed on them was fairly quick. Seeing this, the Shadow War Leopard, the Profound Fire Divine Steed, and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast immediately shook off those Brass Tigers and transformed into their true forms to give chase. All three were spirit beasts; once they showed their true bodies, their physical bodies were powerful, and their speed was not much slower than Shen Luo¡¯s. Although the speed of Shen Luo, the Shadow War Leopard and others was not slow, it was far from comparable to Che Qingtian¡¯s. Che Qingtian had indeed refined part of the Grey Small Tower, completely unaffected by the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power, and crossed the light gold floor tiles area in just a few breaths, arriving at the door of the Tianyan Palace. Che Qingtian gave Shen Luo and the others a cold glance, then leaped up, fleeing into the distance. Given a bit of time, once he refined the Grey Small Tower, no matter how strong Shen Luo was, he would certainly be no match for him. But just at this moment, a rich surge of Black Sound Waves suddenly erupted from the Ground, emitting a piercing dragon¡¯s roar, the Void trembled incessantly, and hit Che Qingtian hard. Caught off guard by the sound waves, Che Qingtian showed a painful expression on his face and fell rapidly towards the Ground. However, he managed to stabilize after falling only a moment, and raised his hand to strike towards the direction of the incoming sound waves. "Whoosh" A ghostly light flashed within the black sound waves, and a black War Spear shot out like lightning, hitting Che Qingtian squarely in the chest, faster than anyone could react. The ultra-fine tip of the spear reached the throat invisibly, like a soul-reaping hand in the darkness, it was the Dark Night War Spear. Che Qingtian¡¯s complexion greatly changed, he spat out a Golden Round Shield towards the Dark Night War Spear, and with crossed arms in front of him, his arms transformed into two Giant Blades radiating golden light, covered in Yan Patterns. Before Che Qingtian could take any other action, the Dark Night War Spear had already struck the Golden Round Shield. With a faint "hiss" sound, the Golden Round Shield and the Giant Blades were pierced as easily as paper, and a bowl-sized hole was torn through Che Qingtian¡¯s chest, sending him flying back into the Tianyan Palace. Before Che Qingtian could react, a black banner appeared out of thin air at the entrance of Tianyan Palace, none other than the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. It swiftly expanded dozens of times in size, completely sealing the entrance without leaving the slightest gap. Countless black ghosts shot out from the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, charging towards Che Qingtian like raging waves. Zhao Feiji¡¯s figure emerged from inside the Ten Thousand Demons Banner, playing the Dragon-burying Flute. Dense sound waves bombarded Che Qingtian once again. Before Shen Luo entered the Tianyan Palace, he had quietly placed Zhao Feiji outside for defense, which now played an unexpected role at a critical moment. Struck harshly, Che Qingtian spewed out blood in torrents from his mouth. But after all, his cultivation level had reached the Taiyi Stage, so despite the severe injury, he had not lost the power to resist. His body flashed with black light, conjuring a set of tall, black armor out of thin air. This armor had eight arms on its back, each holding a Treasure Vase, Golden Bell, giant sword, Giant Hammer, shield, Chain, Silver Mirror, and Luo Umbrella¡ªthis was the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor. Only, the blue Treasure Vase that had been smashed by the Destruction Mingwang was now replaced by a golden small bottle, its form slightly different. The golden small bottle and the Golden Bell displayed dense Yan Patterns. Suddenly, the small bottle¡¯s mouth emitted a tremendous suction force, sweeping up the Void in front of it, and sucking in all incoming ghosts. And from within the Golden Bell emerged a wave of golden patterns, resisting the sound waves from the Dragon-burying Flute. Seeing this, Zhao Feiji¡¯s expression darkened and without hesitation, he flew backward, vanishing into the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. Although he had broken through to the True Immortal Middle Stage, he was still far too weak compared to Che Qingtian¡¯s strength and couldn¡¯t fight against him. With a move of its feet, the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon¡¯s colossal figure charged towards the entrance, while the giant sword, Giant Hammer, shield, Chain, Silver Mirror, and Luo Umbrella in its other hands shone brightly, striking fiercely onto the Ten Thousand Demons Banner. The Ten Thousand Demons Banner, despite being a Magical Treasure with sixty-four layers of prohibitions, was not designed for defense, shaking violently before exploding with a rumble. Filled with joy, Che Qingtian controlling the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon intended to escape by flight, but suddenly a yellow light surfaced in front of him in the Void. Within it was a black and yellow short ruler, the Shrinking Earth Ruler. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared out of nowhere within the yellow light, immediately throwing the Turn Sky Seal with all his might, which vanished in a flash, slamming onto the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor. The force of the Turn Sky Seal¡¯s blow was hundreds to thousands of times more powerful than Zhao Feiji¡¯s sound wave attack. With a "bang" loud noise, the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon was sent flying out, appearing above the Light Gold floor tiles. A terrifyingly heavy force acted upon the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon, causing Che Qingtian and the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor to crash down on the Light Gold floor tiles. First struck by the Turn Sky Seal, then pinned down by the Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power, Che Qingtian spat out another mouthful of blood, unable to move even a bit. A figure flickered, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared above the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor, with the Turn Sky Seal enlarging a hundredfold, transforming into a house-sized dark red giant seal, smashing down again. Great Profound Gold Magnetic Pole Power surged violently, increasing the speed of the descending Turn Sky Seal several times over. With a thunderous "boom" that shook the heavens and earth, the entire Tianyan Palace also shook violently, and the Light Gold floor tiles below shattered into pieces, with crisscross cracks appearing on the surrounding walls. The Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor was directly crushed flat, covered in numerous cracks, and completely collapsed. Streaks of fresh blood seeped out from it, clearly indicating that Che Qingtian inside the armor had been utterly flattened. Chapter 1662 - 1658: Possession Chapter 1662: Chapter 1658: PossessionShen Luo and Che Qingtian¡¯s rapid succession of exchanges, though seemingly lengthy to describe, in reality, transpired in just a few breaths¡¯ time, with Che Qingtian being defeated on the spot. The Shadow War Leopard and Profound Fire Divine Steed were stunned at this sight, halting in their tracks, their eyes revealing a hint of fear as they looked towards Shen Luo. In a flash, Shen Luo appeared beside the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon, his right hand surging with a mass of Demonic Qi, instantly solidifying into a pitch-black Demon Claw, reaching into the Armor to grab at Che Qingtian inside. Although Che Qingtian¡¯s physical body had been flattened, faint breaths of life still lingered, and he had not yet completely fallen. Shen Luo has always believed in eradicating evil completely. Even though Che Qingtian was already gravely injured, he was indeed a genuine Taiyi Existence. Only by thoroughly killing him could Shen Luo feel at peace. Before Shen Luo made his move, the house-sized Turn Sky Seal¡¯s radiance flickered rapidly, swiftly shrinking back to its original form, and flew towards the Sky Fiend Corpse King in mid-air, not blocking the attacks from Chiyou¡¯s struggle. However, at this exact moment, three wisps of Black Qi emerged from the Underworld, entering Che Qingtian¡¯s body a step ahead. Che Qingtian¡¯s tightly shut eyes suddenly snapped open, a layer of dense Black Qi covering his face, his pupils turning completely dark. The body that was flattened by the Turn Sky Seal emitted a dense crackling sound, instantly returning to its original state, and the Big Hole pierced by the Dark Night Gun also healed and disappeared. His body also surged with strands of Black Qi, with thick black and red veins appearing on his skin, making him look frighteningly ferocious. With a "rip," the Eight-Armed Heavenly Dragon Armor on the outside was easily torn apart by a black Demon Claw, which reached for Che Qingtian¡¯s head. Che Qingtian revealed a sinister smile at the corner of his mouth, his right hand moving lightning-fast, thrusting forward, emitting a burst of black light, which collided with the black Demon Claw. With a "boom," a tremendous force came surging, and the Demon Claw from Chiyou¡¯s struggle was actually sent flying. But after all, Chiyou¡¯s struggle was a supreme God¡¯s Power, Che Qingtian¡¯s purple-black right arm was clawed with a few scratches, not deep, and with Demonic Qi flowing, they quickly healed. "Demonized!" Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted, without any hesitation he flipped his hand and the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor reemerged, his feet flashing with Thunder and Lightning as he shot backward into the control room with incredible speed. Just as his body flew into the Armor, a dark silhouette appeared like a ghostly specter, a fist shrouded in a black mist fiercely struck the chest of the Destructive Mingwang, and it was none other than the demonized Che Qingtian. With a "crack," a muffled sound rang out, the Armor on the chest of the Destructive Mingwang caved in a large area, and its giant figure was sent flying backward, crashing against the Big Gate behind. Inside the control room, Shen Luo watched the deeply dented iron wall in front of him, his expression grim. The strength of the demonized Che Qingtian was shockingly powerful, had Shen Luo not made a split-second decision, he might already be a corpse by now. Although somewhat frightened, he did not lose his calm, his forehead shot out large strands of Divine Soul Crystal Thread, piercing into the Destructive Mingwang everywhere. The Sun Battle Axe and Hammer of Thor in the hands of the Destructive Mingwang burst out with brilliant Spiritual Light, sweeping and striking at Che Qingtian, leaving behind trails of afterimages. However, Che Qingtian¡¯s body flickered and he vanished into thin air, and in the next moment, he reappeared beside the Destructive Mingwang, a Demon Fist enveloped in Black Qi ferociously striking the Destructive Mingwang¡¯s arm. With a "clang," the Destructive Mingwang was sent flying once again. Che Qingtian moved like a Ghostly Specter, not waiting for Shen Luo to gain control of the Destructive Mingwang, flashing to its other side, once again punching the Destructive Mingwang and sending it flying. More than a dozen shadowy black afterimages surround the Destruction Mingwang, swirling like the wind. Fists thundered violently through the air, smashing into the Destruction Mingwang with deafening clanging reverberations. Immense power rocked the Destruction Mingwang back and forth. Fortunately, its body was extremely sturdy, leaving only fist imprints instead of crumbling apart. Shen Luo was shocked by the astonishing speed of the demonized Che Qingtian. He maneuvered his hands as if turning a car wheel, and the Divine Soul Crystal Threads emitting from his forehead suddenly increased manifold, channeling into the Destruction Mingwang. The colossal body of the Destruction Mingwang suddenly shrunk to a tenth of its size, now only two to three zhang tall, causing Che Qingtian to punch the air and rush forward. Shen Luo immediately seized the opportunity to command the Destruction Mingwang to retreat in flight. Che Qingtian quickly stabilized his figure, turning into a shadowy black afterimage as he pursued once again. Shen Luo had managed to catch his breath and shouted, "Fire Spirit Child!" Fire Spirit Child, who had long been in perfect sync with Shen Luo, activated the Gu Xuan star disk without needing further instructions, swiftly spreading white Formation Patterns to the Outside. White light flickered through the Void around Che Qingtian as the Hunyuan Wuji Formation appeared once more, attempting to prohibit his movements. "A mere little formation trying to restrain me? Break!" A raspy voice, like the grating of metal, emanated from Che Qingtian as his hands, enshrouded in Black Qi, seized the surrounding Formation Patterns and ripped them with force. With a tearing sound, the Hunyuan Wuji Formation was effortlessly ripped in two, like paper, and rendered useless. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils abruptly contracted. Che Qingtian¡¯s voice was dry and grating, yet he recognized it¡ªit was the voice of You Quan. "What¡¯s going on? I just completely slew You Quan; why is his voice emerging from within Che Qingtian?" Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank. "The three You Quans you¡¯ve just slaughtered seem to have used some sort of doppelganger possession. The Demon Clan is most proficient in such God¡¯s Powers. I just sensed a flicker of Demonic Qi Outside, and now it seems that it was Divine Souls lodged within the three You Quans," Fire Spirit Child gravely stated. Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed at the information, but his spellcasting did not slow. The eyes of the Destruction Mingwang radiated a purple brilliance as streaks of Purple Thunder tore through the Void, pelting Che Qingtian like a downpour. "What use are such attacks, Shen Luo? If you have any trump cards left, show them now," Che Qingtian¡¯s expression suddenly turned icy, bearing the voice of Jin Xiu. In the midst of speaking, he stomped his foot, becoming a vanishing afterimage as the Purple Thunder struck nothingness. The next moment, his figure flickered beside the Destruction Mingwang. "Die!" Che Qingtian, with the voice of Hong Ku, emitted a furious glare from his eyes. His hands surged with Black Qi, fingers emitting hook-like sharp black light, slicing Void with five black streaks¡ªit was indeed Chiyou¡¯s grappling attack¡ªferociously clawing towards the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s head! However, the entire body of the Destruction Mingwang suddenly flashed with Purple Thunder patterns, crackling noisily, as it swiftly dodged to the side with incredible speed, evading Che Qingtian¡¯s strike with a speed more than double than before. The Destruction Mingwang was a Half-step Heavenly Venerate level Armor, naturally not relying solely on brute force. This was an acceleration prohibition utilizing Thunder and Lightning inside the Armor, but it also drained the Divine Sense significantly and couldn¡¯t be used for an extended time. Che Qingtian uttered a soft "huh," then let out a sneering laugh, turning into a shadowy black afterimage to continue the pursuit. Shen Luo commanded the Destruction Mingwang to leap dozens of zhang before stopping. The Sun Battle Axe and Hammer of Thor slashed rapidly backwards, instantly reaching barely a zhang in front of Che Qingtian, completely catching up to his ghostly specter-like speed. The axe¡¯s light and hammer¡¯s shadow were sharp beyond compare. Che Qingtian, as if slashed all over his body, dodged in alarm. But the Destruction Mingwang immediately pursued, brandishing the Sun Battle Axe and Hammer of Thor like a tempest. Chapter 1663 - 1659: Wishful Calculation Chapter 1663: Chapter 1659: Wishful Calculation"Seeking death!" Che Qingtian roared in fury, using both hands to execute Chiyou¡¯s God¡¯s Power, clashing directly against the oncoming battle axe and battle hammer. In the following moments, a black and a purple shadow tangled in combat, fighting from inside the great hall to the outside, exploding with a series of metallic clashes, seemingly evenly matched. After an indeterminate amount of time, accompanied by a thunderous boom, both figures were repelled backwards; the Destruction Mingwang immediately steadied himself, but Che Qingtian was sent reeling back more than a dozen steps, his hands-formed Chiyou¡¯s Demonic Claws shattered significantly. Although Che Qingtian¡¯s strength had surged after his demonization, nearly reaching the peak of the Taiyi Stage, he was nevertheless a being of flesh and blood, without a suitable Demonic Treasure in hand. Going head-to-head against the Destruction Mingwang, adorned in Half-Step Heavenly Venerate Armor, he was still at a disadvantage. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast, Shadow War Leopard, and Profound Fire Divine Steed had by now also arrived outside the main hall and were startled by the scene before them. However, while it was a mix of shock and joy for the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, it was a combination of shock and terror for the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed. "Whether it¡¯s Shen Luo or Che Qingtian, neither are adversaries we can contend with. The treasures of the Tianyan Palace simply cannot fall into our hands. Let¡¯s take the opportunity to leave while they haven¡¯t decided a victor!" The Shadow War Leopard communicated telepathically to the Profound Fire Divine Steed, its eyes flickering. "Our Elemental Spirit Markings are within that tower, we simply cannot leave the Tianyan Palace. No matter where we flee to, we¡¯d have to obediently return at the call of the Tower of Tianyan; what purpose would fleeing serve now?" responded the Profound Fire Divine Steed with a bitter smile. "Don¡¯t worry about that; a few years ago when that lad with the family name Shen and Che Qingtian were transported here, an anomaly occurred in the Tianyan Palace. A special space appeared at the First Layer that seems to be connected to the outside world. If we hide there, should anyone come pursuing us with the Tower of Tianyan, we¡¯ll abandon our Elemental Spirit Markings. Even if our cultivation levels plummet, we must escape this place!" urged the Shadow War Leopard in a grave tone. "Such a place exists? That¡¯s great, let¡¯s head there immediately!" the Profound Fire Divine Steed said, overjoyed. With a flick of his sleeve, the Shadow War Leopard enveloped the Profound Fire Divine Steed in a swath of darkness, stealthily disappearing into the void. "Thinking of escape? Your Elemental Spirit Markings are already in my grasp; you are all my slaves! Come to me!" Che Qingtian suddenly looked over and reached out into the void. In his palm, an apparition of a Grey Small Tower materialized, while a white light curtain suddenly appeared before the Destruction Mingwang, blocking it on the other side. At the same time, the sound of chains "clattering" could be heard as three transparent chains shot out from within the Grey Small Tower¡ªtwo chains pierced into the void, with the third heading straight for the Enlightened Heavenly Beast and "thud", piercing into its head at unimaginable speed. Shen Luo wanted to intervene but was blocked by the white light curtain. By the time he shattered it with his axe, it was already too late. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast screamed in agony, collapsing onto the ground, seemingly suffering extraordinary harm. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Enlightened Daoist friend!" Shen Luo waved his sleeve, releasing a crimson light that wrapped around the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, attempting to bring it into the Free and Easy Mirror; yet, the transparent chain unexpectedly thwarted the absorption by the Free and Easy Mirror. Two figures were dragged out of the void, the Shadow War Leopard and the Profound Fire Divine Steed, both convulsing uncontrollably on the ground with the transparent chains having pierced into their heads. "You¡¯ve already refined our Elemental Spirit Markings? Impossible, not so quickly!" the Shadow War Leopard howled in agony. "Ordinary refining methods would indeed take a long time to refine the Tower of Tianyan, but my Demon Clan possesses the sacred refining art called the Thunderous Refinement Method, allowing us to refine Magical Treasures ten times faster than the Human Race or Beast Clans; gaining control over your three Elemental Spirit Markings is but a trifle!" Che Qingtian scoffed coldly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, as the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s towering form transformed into a beam of purple light and shot toward Che Qingtian. "You three, at all costs, hold him off!" Che Qingtian, however, did not engage with Shen Luo again, instead, his figure flickered behind the three beasts and commanded. The Shadow War Leopard, Profound Fire Divine Steed, and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast immediately leaped from the ground and pounced towards Shen Luo, completely controlled by the Grey Small Tower. The Shadow War Leopard continuously swiped with its forepaws in the Void, countless black claw shadows reaching out for Shen Luo. The Profound Fire Divine Steed burst into roaring flames, transforming into an exceptionally large flame steed, its two front hooves raised high, stomping down fiercely. Countless phantom flame horses shot out from the flames engulfing its body, forming a vast army of flame horses that thundered towards Shen Luo, producing the deafening noise of ten thousand galloping horses, shaking the Void as they passed. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast also flourished in blue light, transforming back into its true form, roaring towards Shen Luo with countless ripples filling the sky and earth, the very same sound waves that induce sluggishness. As for Che Qingtian, he sat down cross-legged on the ground, rapidly forming hand seals to refine the Grey Small Tower. "It seems Che Qingtian thinks he¡¯s not confident enough to deal with your Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor, planning to refine that small tower, take control of the Tianyan Palace prohibitions and then deal with you. You must not let him succeed!" Fire Spirit Child hastily reminded. Shen Luo didn¡¯t need the reminder from Fire Spirit Child to understand Che Qingtian¡¯s wishful thinking, and without any pause, he continued shooting towards him, the Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor in his hands sweeping fiercely across. A terrifying wave of thunder and flame swept forth, engulfing the three beasts¡¯ attacks, instantly obliterating the black claw shadows and the sluggish sound waves. The Profound Fire Divine Steed¡¯s fiery flame horses were also shattered, turning into countless flames scattering in all directions. The Shadow War Leopard, Profound Fire Divine Steed, and the Enlightened Heavenly Beast were also sent reeling, stumbling back. The Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes flashed with purple light, as thick and splendid purple lightning bolts struck towards Che Qingtian. The Profound Fire Divine Steed immediately halted its charge, snorted loudly from its nostrils, as the flames in its eyes shone even brighter. The scattered flames, which were the remnants of the collapsed flame horses, rapidly converged in front of Shen Luo, instantly forming a thick and massive flame wall around him. The purple lightning struck the wall of flame, which violently trembled, but did not shatter under the force, withstanding the lightning strike from the Eyes of World Destruction. Shen Luo showed a look of surprise, but he did not pay it much heed, the Sun Battle Axe in his hand chopped down, turning into a brilliant firelight, striking heavily upon the flame wall. The flame wall shook violently once more, ten times more intensely than before, fissures appearing and spreading throughout, on the verge of collapsing. The Profound Fire Divine Steed¡¯s body also trembled, cracks surfacing across it, seeming on the brink of disintegration. Shen Luo inwardly marveled, knowing well that the attack of the Sun Battle Axe was far more formidable than the Eyes of World Destruction and its force concentrated, which even monks at the Taiyi Stage could not withstand, yet it was blocked by the Profound Fire Divine Steed. The nearby Shadow War Leopard, seeing this, spat out a red battle flag embroidered with a sun pattern, apparently a Fire Attribute Magical Treasure. A vast expanse of crimson flames erupted from the flag, mingled with some golden flames, which seemed to be the spiritually powered flames from the magma of the Third Layer, infusing into the body of the Profound Fire Divine Steed. The Profound Fire Divine Steed swallowed all these flames, its fissured body instantly restored to its original state, and the collapsing flame wall was also completely restored. "What ability is this?" Shen Luo saw this scene and narrowed his eyes. Chapter 1664 - 1660: Killing Intent Chapter 1664: Chapter 1660: Killing Intent"If I am not mistaken, this should be the divine ability of the ancient divine beast, the Red-eyed Fire Yuan Monkey. This beast can be reborn from fire, heal its injuries by devouring flames, and the flames it emits have an immortal and indestructible effect; the flames will never extinguish as long as it has not perished. This Profound Fire Divine Steed seems to have inherited the bloodline of the Fire Yuan Monkey, though the bloodline is not pure," came the voice of the Fire Spirit Child in his mind. Upon hearing Fire Spirit Child¡¯s speculation, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered with light, yet his hands didn¡¯t hesitate as he struck out with The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor at the same time. No matter what bloodline this Profound Fire Divine Steed possessed, it was ultimately only at the True Immortal Peak and couldn¡¯t possibly withstand the full-force blow of the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor. However, at this moment, a dense ripple suddenly attacked from the side, hitting the Destruction Mingwang. It was the sound waves of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast, intensified several times from before. Shen Luo felt his head spinning, and the actions of the Destructive Mingwang also slowed several times over, allowing the Profound Fire Divine Steed to swiftly retreat several meters with the flame wall, causing the axe and hammer to miss. The Profound Fire Divine Steed opened its mouth and spewed out a thick stream of red flames into the red flame wall, which "whooshed" and spread out, instantly turning into a flame cage several dozen meters in size that appeared even more robust than the previous flame wall. One after another, chains formed from flames shot out from the cage, firmly binding the Destruction Mingwang. But the slowing sound waves also passed over the Destructive Mingwang at this moment, and the actions of Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor returned to normal. "You¡¯re courting death!" A murderous intent flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s eyes as he stopped holding back. Dazzling flames and lightning surged over The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor, shattering the flaming chains surrounding him like they were nothing. Seeing this, the Enlightened Heavenly Beast opened its mouth, ready to emit the slow sound waves to affect the Destructive Mingwang again, when suddenly the ground beside it burst open, and a surge of black sound waves roared out, engulfing the body of the Enlightened Heavenly Beast. It was the sound of the Dragon-burying Flute; the figure of Zhao Feiji also emerged. The black sound waves contained screams like the wailing of ghosts and howling of wolves. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast¡¯s mind spun, and its body uncontrollably shook, unable to emit the slow sound waves. Shen Luo infused his mana into The Sun Battle Axe and the Hammer of Thor, and struck at the red flame cage. However, a vast darkness suddenly emerged behind him, and a huge green whip lashed out from within, slicing towards the neck of the Destructive Mingwang. Wherever the green whip passed, the void was sliced into a long black seam, and a ferocious aura filled both heaven and earth erupted from within the green whip. The sky was covered with looming clouds, thunder rolling within, as if even the heavens could not tolerate this malicious aura. Shen Luo, within the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor, also keenly sensed this exceedingly vicious aura and his heart went cold as he hurriedly swung the Hammer of Thor backwards to meet the green whip, while The Sun Battle Axe continued chopping at the flame cage. Upon contact between the green whip and the Hammer of Thor, a light "snap" was heard, and the Hammer of Thor, wrapped in countless black thunder and lightning, was cleanly cut into two halves, with all the black thunder dissipating. The green whip showed no sign of stopping and continued its trajectory towards the Destructive Mingwang. "What!" Shen Luo exclaimed in shock. The Hammer of Thor was forged from dozens of tough spiritual materials and was not inferior to any Magical Treasure, yet it was cut in two in one strike ¨C what kind of treasure was this green whip? He could no longer focus on attacking the flame cage and spun his body around, with flames surging from The Sun Battle Axe as he slashed through the void. A dragon-like red axe light shot out, fiercely colliding with the green whip. Most of the power of the Destructive Mingwang was in the two weapons in its hands. With the Hammer of Thor already destroyed, The Sun Battle Axe couldn¡¯t sustain any damage. With a "hiss," the red axe light was also easily sliced through by the green whip, but the severed light suddenly exploded, turning into a sun-like radiance. The green whip, despite its unparalleled sharpness, was shaken into tremors by the blast, its momentum pausing for a moment. A yellow light flashed through the void nearby, and the figure of the Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared in a flicker, driving the Turn Sky Seal to smash towards the green whip. The green whip seemingly excelled at tearing through spiritual light, effortlessly ripping apart the red light surrounding the Turn Sky Seal and striking on its surface. A shallow cut appeared on the Turn Sky Seal, but a red crystalline light immediately shone through the ancient runes on its surface, blocking the green whip. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief, commanding the Sky Fiend Corpse King to muster all its mana, which surged into the Turn Sky Seal. The ancient runes on the Seal once again flourished, and a shadowy vision of a dark red mountain peak condensed, as the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the vicinity began to roil and rush back towards the Turn Sky Seal like angry waves. Boom! An immense force capable of crushing the void erupted, effortlessly grinding the green whip to dust. An ancient green battle saber emerged from the shattered green light, revealing itself to be the Hongming Saber, its saber aura dim as it flew backwards. "So it is this treasure. Indeed, only the formidable saber forged by Huangdi Xuanyuan possesses such divine might," Shen Luo realized, flicking his sleeve and sending out a treasure towards the outside. The form of the Shadow War Leopard appeared beside the Hongming Saber as well, a trickle of blood at the corner of its mouth, clearly injured by the Turn Sky Seal, its eyes filled with reluctance and resentment. The Hongming Saber was immensely powerful, but alas, its strength was at the peak of True Immortal, unable to unleash its full potential. "If only I could reach the Taiyi Stage, the outcome would definitely not be the same!" The Shadow War Leopard roared inwardly, its body transforming into a shadow and pouncing towards the Hongming Saber. Just at that moment, Destruction Mingwang opened his mouth and spat out a winged coin, which was the Treasure Coin, striking the Hongming Saber in a flash. The spiritual light on the Hongming Saber completely collapsed, falling from mid-air like a rock, and was caught and taken away by Destruction Mingwang with a flip of his hand. "Return my treasure!" The Shadow War Leopard, keenly aware of the Hongming Saber¡¯s power, even under Che Qingtian¡¯s control, didn¡¯t want to lose the treasure sword, its eyes turning blood-red as it transformed into a shadow and ferociously lunged at Destruction Mingwang, seemingly losing its sanity. The eyes of Destruction Mingwang glowed with purple brilliance, and a barrage of purple thunder shot out, striking the utterly defenseless shadow, tearing it apart with ease. The body of the Shadow War Leopard emerged, spewing fresh blood as it was flung backward. Shen Luo did not pursue the beast, instead commanding Destruction Mingwang to maximize the power of The Sun Battle Axe. The giant axe bloomed with the brilliance of the sun, transforming into a phantom that fiercely struck down upon the Flame Cage. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Although the Flame Cage appeared more robust than the previous flame walls, it couldn¡¯t withstand the full-force blow from Destruction Mingwang and burst explosively. The body of the Profound Fire Divine Steed split open once again, and this time, it was blown to countless pieces. Shen Luo also did not bother with the Profound Fire Divine Steed. With a series of purple afterimages, Destruction Mingwang appeared above Che Qingtian¡¯s head, the Sun Battle Axe in hand, shining like the sun, and slashed directly downwards. A huge rift tore open in the void nearby with a "sizzle" sound. Neither the Shadow War Leopard nor the Profound Fire Divine Steed mattered, preventing Che Qingtian from refining the Grey Small Tower was the urgent matter at hand! Chapter 1665 - 1661: Let Me Do It Chapter 1665: Chapter 1661: Let Me Do It""" Facing the Sun Battle Axe of Destruction Mingwang, Che Qingtian¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide, and his body emitted a dazzling greyish-white glow, faintly forming a several zhang tall Grey Tower around him. Countless white patterns emerged beneath him, forming a White Array. Following a flash of white light, he vanished into thin air. The Sun Battle Axe cleaved through the lingering white light and struck the ground below, severing a large section of the mountain cliff, causing countless giant stones to tumble down, kicking up a massive cloud of dust and debris. Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank as he observed the interior of the Tianyan Hall. The white patterns that formed the Array had spread from inside the Tianyan Hall. Could it be that Che Qingtian had already refined the Grey Small Tower? If that was the case, his chances of winning were probably slim. He had already obtained the Things he needed, so retreating now might be the better option. However, just at this moment, the White Array in mid-air suddenly expanded several times over, engulfing the Destruction Mingwang below as well. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed. He was about to command the Destruction Mingwang to dodge, but it was too late. All he saw was an intense flare of white light before him, and in the next moment, he found himself inside the Tianyan Hall, standing on the Great Xuanjin Magnetic Tiles. These Mysterious Gold Tiles had been partially destroyed by Wu Luo, the Shadow War Leopard, and Che Qingtian, and just now, they had suffered further damage from the Turn Sky Seal¡¯s strike, shattering dozens of them. However, nearly half remained intact, and the Destruction Mingwang emerged right above these undamaged tiles. A terrifying heavy gravity surged forth. Although the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor was of Half-step Heavenly Venerable Level, it was still armor, not a powerful person of half-step Heavenly Venerable status. Instantly, it "thumped" onto the ground, unable to move. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze darkened. He immediately summoned the Sky Fiend Corpse King to come in, intending to use the Turn Sky Seal to utterly destroy the tiles beneath him. The divine power of the Turn Sky Seal was very simplistic: a hard smash with overwhelming force. Yet, it was precisely such a power that was most suitable for destroying these Mysterious Gold Tiles. "Wishful thinking!" Che Qingtian let out a cold laugh from mid-air, forming a hand seal and pointing a finger. The door of the Tianyan Hall flashed with white light and "bang" closed shut, trapping the Sky Fiend Corpse King on the Outside. A chill ran through Shen Luo¡¯s heart. The Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up with numerous strands of purple thunder, ready to strike at the Mysterious Gold Tiles on the ground. However, the Mingwang Yan Armor shook violently, as if struck hard on the head. The purple thunder scattered completely, with five claw marks appearing on one side of the armor¡¯s head, revealing many Yan Patterns within. Che Qingtian was enveloped in a greyish-white radiance, floating in front of the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor, unaffected by the Great Xuanjin Magnetic Force. His hands surged with Demonic Qi, forming the Chiyou¡¯s Demonic God¡¯s Power, and once again, he struck hard on the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor¡¯s head. With a "boom", the Destruction Mingwang was hit violently by Chiyou¡¯s Demonic God¡¯s Power, and the other side of the head received five new cracks. Inside the control room, Shen Luo¡¯s expression turned anxious. The Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor was sturdy, but it couldn¡¯t sustain such beating for much longer. He still needed to rely on the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor as his trump card, so he immediately activated the Free and Easy Mirror to retrieve the armor, and his body "thumped" onto the ground. "Put away the armor? Very well, then you will die even more painfully! Hand over your life!" Che Qingtian let out a sinister laugh from Hong Ku, diving toward Shen Luo on the ground, his giant Chiyou¡¯s Demonic God¡¯s Power aimed fiercely at Shen Luo¡¯s head. Shen Luo did not panic, his body suddenly burst out with a dazzling golden-black luster; both Immortal Qi and Demonic Qi appeared at once as he instantaneously displayed the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. A formidable wave of power erupted, ten times stronger than when he had transformed using the Huangting Technique. The heavy gravity from the Mysterious Gold Tiles on the ground remained extreme, but to Shen Luo who had executed the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power, the limitation was no longer as significant. """ He flipped his hand to take out the Profound Yellow Staff, and dozens of staff shadows whistled out, colliding with Che Qingtian¡¯s Chiyou Demonic Claw. A thunderous boom erupted from the collision, the Demonic Claw was shattered, Che Qingtian was sent flying backward, and Shen Luo also staggered back several steps. After stabilizing himself, he did not stop but continued to fly backward. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Pangu Saint Body Transformation of Demon Ancestor Lord! How could you have this divine power? No, your transformation is quite different from the Saint Body Transformation of the Demon Clan¡¯s Ancestor," Che Qingtian said with the voice of You Quan, first questioning sharply, then shaking his head. "Pangu Saint Body Transformation?" Shen Luo was taken aback upon hearing this, but he had no time to pay attention and continued retreating, leaping out of the area covered by the Mysterious Gold Tiles. The Profound Yellow Staff in his hand shone brightly with golden light, and he used all his strength to unleash the Splashy Chaotic Stick, with countless staff shadows striking the Mysterious Gold Tiles. With the boost from Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, a large number of Mysterious Gold Tiles were shattered, and those left were too few to be of any significant use. Che Qingtian finally recovered, his expression suddenly darkening as he waved his sleeve. The Grey Small Tower emerged, radiating a vast expanse of grey light, and a multitude of prohibition glows surged throughout the hall. Shen Luo was engulfed by the prohibition glows, his whole body felt as if it had sunk into a deep quagmire, making even small movements feel extremely difficult. "What good does it do to destroy these Great Xuanjin Magnetic Tiles? I have already refined most of the prohibitions of the Tianyan Tower, and the entire Tianyan Palace is now under my control. Do not fantasize about escaping from me!" Che Qingtian sneered. Shen Luo fully activated the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, Golden-black waves of light vibrated outwards, shattering the surrounding prohibition glows, but more prohibition lights surged towards him, to no avail. He was about to employ the Golden Sword Array, forcibly breaking through the surrounding prohibitions. "Cousin, let me do this!" A voice suddenly rang out, belonging to Nie Caizhu from inside the Destructive Mingwang Yan Armor. Hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts moved, and with a wave of his sleeve, Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure appeared beside him, her body emitting soaring golden light, within which a deity clad in hemp clothing with bulging muscles appeared mighty, as if capable of uprooting mountains. Nie Caizhu¡¯s Ruomu Divine Bow also burst forth with sun-like golden brilliance, echoing each other, an overwhelming power erupted forth, forcing all the surrounding prohibition lights to retreat. Upon seeing this scene, Che Qingtian¡¯s face showed a look of shock. He quickly made hand gestures towards the Grey Small Tower, prompting the top of Tianyan Hall to suddenly reveal a huge thunder formation, with numerous thick white thunderbolts flashing within. Boom boom boom! Twelve thick white thunders shot out, swiftly converged together, and turned into a several-zhang thick white thunder pillar that slammed down on Nie Caizhu, as if the Thunder God of the Nine Heavens had sent down a world-annihilating blow. Undisturbed by the incoming thunder, Nie Caizhu flipped her hands to draw the Ruomu Divine Bow, and the mighty deity behind her mimicked the motion of drawing a bow and aiming an arrow. A golden light arrow, a zhang long, formed, with its body flickering with many Golden Runes. The surrounding void trembled at its presence, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi became even more frenzied, swirling like boiling hot water, with countless five-colored light spots spontaneously emerging and rushing like a tide towards the Golden Light Arrow. Chapter 1666 - 1662: Unexpected Chapter 1666: Chapter 1662: Unexpected"A celestial phenomenon triggered? Such an event can only occur when the Great Dao principles inside an Immortal Artifact are fully activated! Nie Caizhu is merely at the Late True Immortal Stage, how could she possibly fully activate the power of the Ruomu Divine Bow!" Fire Spirit Child exclaimed in shock. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s brow quirked, and he was about to ask further. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Caizhu released the bowstring, and with a heaven-shaking screech, a golden light arrow shot out. Her complexion suddenly turned pale, and she staggered slightly, as if all her vitality had been drained by that single arrow. Shen Luo quickly supported Nie Caizhu and channeled his mana into her body. The momentum of the golden light arrow was overwhelmingly majestic, tearing a long black fissure in the void it passed through, piercing through all the surrounding prohibitions, and colliding with the White Thunder Pillar. With a "boom," a shocking explosion occurred, and the unparalleled White Thunder Pillar was forcibly dispersed, turning into numerous electric arcs that scattered away. However, the golden light arrow did not stop there. It continued to strike the Thunder and Lightning Array at the top of the hall, tearing it apart as easily as paper. Breaking through tough enemies, the golden light arrow had already shrunk by nearly half, but it still shined brilliantly and exerted an intimidating presence. Then, the arrow suddenly turned and headed straight for Che Qingtian. Seeing this, Che Qingtian hastily retreated swiftly, his hands moving like car wheels as he conjured the Grey Small Tower. One after another, the bright and majestic prohibition light curtains appeared before him, colliding with the golden light arrow. After piercing through more than a dozen powerful prohibition light curtains, the golden light arrow finally exhausted its strength and dissipated completely. Che Qingtian breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes flashing fiercely as he turned to look at Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Just as he was about to conjure the Grey Small Tower, his expression changed dramatically. The Grey Small Tower in his hand somehow flew out, shooting towards the deepest part of the great hall. "My Tianyan Tower!" Che Qingtian exclaimed in disbelief, his figure immediately transformed into a dark shadow chasing after the Grey Small Tower, and with a claw-like grasp, he seized it in his hand. However, the Grey Small Tower suddenly emitted a bright light and triggered an invisible huge wave. With a "bang," it shockingly sent Che Qingtian flying backwards. Che Qingtian spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and, after staggering for a bit, managed to steady his figure. Meanwhile, the Grey Small Tower continued in its initial direction and finally landed in the deepest part of the great hall. Spinning rapidly, it swiftly enlarged, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a towering grey high tower over ten meters tall. A layer of grey-white spiritual light enveloped the high tower, preventing anyone or any Divine Sense from approaching. At this moment, all the prohibitions activated in the hall dissipated. "What¡¯s going on?" Shen Luo had planned to take the opportunity to make a move, but seeing this development, he had to stop. Che Qingtian also calmed down, his gaze flickering slightly, and he refrained from acting rashly again. At this moment, the Big Gate at the bottom of the grey high tower slowly opened, and a figure walked out from inside. It was none other than Zhou Tie, who had earlier entered this place alone. Shen Luo was immediately dumbstruck, and Che Qingtian was also greatly startled by this scene. "Who are you?" Che Qingtian did not know of Zhou Tie¡¯s existence. After regaining his senses, he immediately bellowed sharply in inquiry. "Friend Shen, thank you for bringing me here," Zhou Tie completely disregarded Che Qingtian, smiling at Shen Luo and giving a bow from afar. He looked no different from before, but the impression he gave was now utterly transformed, with an unfathomable gleam in his eyes. His body also emits bursts of Mana fluctuations, but they are not strong, only at the Nascent Soul Stage level. "Daoist friend Zhou need not be so courteous. It was just a coincidence that I brought you here that day," Shen Luo returned the bow with a gesture of his hands. At this moment, a shadow flashed behind Zhou Tie, and Che Qingtian appeared like a ghostly specter, a black claw stab shooting towards Zhou Tie¡¯s Dantian. Shen Luo was startled by this sight, his figure flickered and he was next to Zhou Tie in an instant, raising his hand to block, but it was too late. An unexpected scene occurred! Above the Void next to Zhou Tie, whites light flashed and ten white Restriction Light Curtains appeared out of nowhere, and Che Qingtian¡¯s black claw stab broke through five curtains but was abruptly stopped at the sixth. Che Qingtian was startled; his feet flashing with black light as he retreated like lightning. However, those ten Restriction Light Curtains suddenly twisted and changed, transforming into ten thick white chains that rapidly wrapped around Che Qingtian¡¯s body, tightly binding him. Che Qingtian¡¯s whole body surged with black Qi as he struggled fiercely, the white chains trembling constantly, but showing no signs of breaking. "Brother Shen, I have just been revived and cannot perfectly control the many prohibitions in Tianyan Palace, and as you have destroyed the Thunder Yuan Silent Destruction Great Formation at the top of Tianyan Hall, there are no other offensive restrictions here. I must trouble you to kill this person and remove future threats!" Zhou Tie looked towards Shen Luo. Surprised by the request, Shen Luo glanced at Zhou Tie and nodded, then flicked his sleeve. A flying sword with an awe-inspiring presence shot out, it was the very Pure Yang Sword he initially refined, which pierced through Che Qingtian¡¯s Dantian with a pfft. Che Qingtian¡¯s struggling form suddenly stopped, his mouth agape as he stood frozen. A surge of Vermilion Bird True Fire ignited on the Pure Yang Sword, quickly reducing his body to ashes, and a Storage Magical Tool fell down. "Daoist friend Shen¡¯s flying sword seems to be refined from Fire Scale Wood and also contains the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit within it, which is truly rare," Zhou Tie remarked as he observed the Pure Yang Sword. Shen Luo raised his hand to recall the Pure Yang Sword, also collecting Che Qingtian¡¯s Storage Magical Tool. As he was about to respond, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and in a flash, he appeared several tens of feet away, swiftly reaching out his right hand towards the Void. A torrent of Red Flames gushed out, the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, transforming into a lightning-fast Red Lotus Big Hand that scooped up something. The Void trembled violently, three strands of Black Qi emerged, grabbed by the Red Lotus Big Hand, revealing three Shadowy Specters within. One was the Hunched Old Man, one was the Red-haired Man, and the last one was a Young girl in a Cloak, concealing most of her face and body, only her silhouette indicating her gender. "Is this the Demon Clan¡¯s Soul Attachment Technique?" Zhou Tie exclaimed with a hint of surprise. "Soul Attachment Technique?" Shen Luo looked towards Zhou Tie. "It¡¯s a divine technique of the Demon Clan that allows part of the divine soul to be cast into another space, residing in a corpse or another¡¯s body, and is capable of exhibiting up to eighty percent of the original strength, quite exquisite indeed," Zhou Tie said, his expression one of admiration. "I was wondering how you three suddenly appeared in Tianyan Palace and then possessed Che Qingtian¡¯s body. It turns out to be thanks to this Soul Attachment Technique," Shen Luo gazed at the three strands of Black Qi. "Shen Luo, if you know what¡¯s good for you, release us now, or else prepare to have your bones crushed to ash and your soul scattered!" the Red-haired Man shouted fiercely. "You seem to be from Hong Ku, aren¡¯t you? I wonder which high-ranking expert of the Demon Clan section you belong to? Did the three of you come to this Celestial Secret Realm just for the Blood Claw Stab? If you truthfully answer some of my questions, letting you leave unharmed is not out of the question," Shen Luo said coolly, unhurried in his speech. Chapter 1667 - 1663: The Mystery of Longevity Chapter 1667: Chapter 1663: The Mystery of Longevity"Our identity, Friend Shen, you need not know. Our purpose for coming here has already been stated before, so there is no need to elaborate further. As for this bit of divine soul power, Friend Shen, you are free to destroy it as you please." The hunched old man beside him spoke, and it was clearly the voice of You Quan. The final cloaked girl had not spoken a word, simply gazing at Shen Luo. Shen Luo narrowed his eyes, remaining silent. Destroying the divine souls of the three would be too easy for him; a single sweep of the Red Lotus Karmic Fire could burn them to clean ashes. However, he was interested in the current movements of the Demon Clan and wanted to gather some information from the three, which is why he had not made a move until now. But seeing the position of You Quan now, it seems meaningless to continue the interrogation. "Fire Daoist friend, do you have any way to extract information from these three strands of divine soul?" Shen Luo communicated telepathically with Fire Spirit Child. "If it were a complete divine soul, I might be able to perform the Soul Searching Secret Technique to get some information, but not just a wisp of divine soul." Fire Spirit Child shook his head. Shen Luo sighed helplessly and the Red Lotus Karmic Fire fiercely condensed inward. "Shen Luo, you..." Hong Ku roared angrily, but before he could finish his sentence, he was turned to ashes by the Red Lotus Karmic Fire. You Quan¡¯s divine soul was also burned to destruction, leaving only the divine soul of the cloaked girl. "Your Excellency is daring indeed, to dare to interfere with the great affairs of my clan. Since so, why not destroy my divine soul as well?" The cloaked girl spoke coldly, and it was indeed the voice of Jin Xiu. "Miss Ma, although we have parted ways, we were friends after all. Now that things have come to this, there is no need for further concealment, right?" Shen Luo said indifferently. "How did you recognize me?" The young girl¡¯s body stiffened, and she responded with a cold snort, reaching up to pull down the cloak from her body, revealing her true face; it was indeed Ma Xiuxiu. She looked to have changed a lot since that year; her waist was slender, her bosom ample, and her features had completely shed the immaturity of a young girl, transforming into a woman of captivating charm. "Miss Ma, your cultivation level has greatly increased, and with a divine soul coming down, I wouldn¡¯t have recognized you either. It is just that the Dragon Scale Dart you released before exposed your identity; it carries your Qi." Shen Luo sized up Ma Xiuxiu, his eyes brightening slightly as he flipped his hand and brought out a golden dart, precisely what Jin Xiu had previously used to sneak attack him. "So that¡¯s how it is." Ma Xiuxiu responded with a cold snort. "Miss Ma, it¡¯s been many years since we last saw each other, how have you been recently?" Shen Luo asked. "Aside from the fact that every day I think about avenging my father who was killed by Your Excellency, everything else is fine." Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s face revealed a deep-seated hatred. "Your father colluded with demons to plunder the Dragon Vein¡¯s Power and slaughter the people of Chang¡¯an City, creating boundless killing karma. Although I am not a man of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, as one of the Human Race, it is my duty to resist demons." Shen Luo fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Was it really you who killed my father?" Ma Xiuxiu looked at Shen Luo and pressed for an answer. "Yes, it was indeed my own doing. If you wish to seek revenge, please feel free to find me; I ask that you please do not take it out on others." Shen Luo sighed softly and said. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Good, crush this wisp of my divine soul then. The next time we meet, it shall be a fight to the death!" Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s body trembled slightly, and after a moment of silence, she raised her head, her pitch-black eyes fixed on Shen Luo. Shen Luo looked at Ma Xiuxiu, their eyes met, and neither spoke. "You may go." Shen Luo sighed, formed a hand seal to dissipate the Red Lotus Karmic Fire, and released the strand of Black Qi. Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s face showed surprise, and after a deep look at Shen Luo, her divine soul and the Black Qi of the Soul Attachment Technique merged into the void and disappeared without a trace. Shen Luo watched the spot where Ma Xiuxiu vanished, silent. "Cousin really does have a soft spot for women; out of the three, you uniquely released her. Is that woman Ma Xiuxiu, the member of the Demon Clan you came across in Jianye City and Chang¡¯an City?" Nie Caizhu¡¯s cool voice came through. "She is the daughter of the Jing River Dragon King. Although she was tainted with Demonic Qi and became a Demon Clan member, she is not wicked by nature. If persuaded, perhaps she can still be led back to the right path." Shen Luo¡¯s expression stiffened briefly as he turned around and sheepishly explained. Nie Caizhu humphed, turning her head away from Shen Luo, clearly displeased. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt somewhat at a loss as he scratched the back of his head. "The Demon Clan is truly one of the most troublesome groups in the Three Realms, with even the Soul Attachment Technique lurking here. If it were not for Brother Shen¡¯s vigilance, it¡¯s hard to say what they would have done next. Thank you," Zhou Tie approached, breaking the awkward silence. "It¡¯s a trivial matter. But Zhou Daoist friend, why did you emerge from within this grey high tower previously? Do you and the Tianyan Immortal Venerable perhaps share a profound connection?" Shen Luo changed the subject and inquired. Nie Caizhu gave Shen Luo a glare, but she did not dwell further on the matter of Ma Xiuxiu and also looked toward Zhou Tie. "Brother Shen¡¯s conjecture is not wrong. Zhou indeed has a significant connection with the Tianyan Immortal Venerable¡ªI am a puppet created by his own hands," Zhou Tie nodded and said. "What!" Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise, and Nie Caizhu also widened her eyes. "You are a puppet? Impossible, your breathing, heartbeat, and divine soul fluctuations are no different from ordinary people," Shen Luo¡¯s expression quickly returned to calm as he categorically stated. "I am a Bone Blood Puppet refined from the flesh and bones by Tianyan Immortal Venerable, indistinguishable from ordinary people. He also sealed some of his God¡¯s Power and memories within me, which is why I can live eternally in the Human World. To say that I am the reincarnation of Tianyan Immortal Venerable wouldn¡¯t be wrong. This was his way of evading the Heaven and Earth Calamity that claims lives," Zhou Tie explained. "So that¡¯s how it is. The Tianyan Immortal Venerable really was a prodigious genius. Then, did he leave this Tianyan Palace for you, Zhou Daoist friend, to return to?" Shen Luo nodded and then asked. "No, the Tianyan Immortal Venerable left this Tianyan Palace truly wishing to find a disciple to inherit his Dao. According to his original intention, I was to be forever exiled to the Human World, and after hundreds of years, my memory would slowly recover. My arrival here is purely coincidental," Zhou Tie said. "I see. However, as you are the reincarnation of Elder Tianyan Immortal Venerable, for you to inherit this Tianyan Palace is most fitting," Shen Luo nodded in agreement. "All of this would not have been possible without Brother Shen¡¯s help. Had it not been for you holding back Che Qingtian, Wu Luo, and others, they would have already refined the Tower of Tianyan, and I would have been helpless against them. Strictly speaking, you are the inheritor chosen by Tianyan Immortal Venerable," Zhou Tie said. "I have only a rudimentary understanding of the Yan Technique; how could I possibly inherit the Tianyan Immortal Venerable¡¯s peerless Yan Technique? It would be better for Zhou Daoist friend to take charge of this Tianyan Palace," Shen Luo quickly declined. He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t tempted by the inheritance of Tianyan Immortal Venerable, but now that the entire Tianyan Palace was in Zhou Tie¡¯s hands, and although the two had some rapport, with Zhou Tie regaining his memory, who knows whether he would still consider their past kindness? Shen Luo dared not claim Tianyan Immortal Venerable¡¯s inheritance. Chapter 1668 - 164 Demon Butterfly Heart Mark Chapter 1668: Chapter 164 Demon Butterfly Heart Mark"Brother Shen is skilled in swordsmanship and the staff technique; Tianyan Palace¡¯s legacy will indeed not be fully utilized in your hands. However, since you have passed the trial of Tianyan Immortal Venerable, it would be unreasonable for there to be no reward. This Tianyan True Scripture is for you; it contains the lifelong insights of Tianyan Immortal Venerable into the Yan Technique. How much you understand from it will depend on your fate and fortune." Zhou Tie nodded, took out a white jade plate the size of a palm, and handed it to Shen Luo. "That Blood Claw Stab is an object from the Tianyan Palace, now sealed inside the Free and Easy Mirror. Should I take it out?" Shen Luo was startled but did not refuse. After thanking Zhou Tie, he took the jade plate with both hands and asked. "That item was sent here many years ago unexpectedly; it is not an object from the Tianyan Palace. Moreover, considering You Quan¡¯s eagerness for the Blood Claw Stab, keeping it here will only attract members of the Demon Clan. My strength is currently weak, so it would be better to trouble Brother Shen to take it with him." Zhou Tie hurriedly spoke with the demeanor of someone eager to discard a hot potato. "That¡¯s fine." Shen Luo nodded. The Blood Claw Stab had connections to Chiyou; he couldn¡¯t rest easy leaving it here. "Now that matters of the Tianyan Palace have concluded, we should also depart. Cai Zhu and I initially entered the Celestial Secret Realm through this Tianyan Palace; if we wish to leave, we fear we might have to pass through here. I wonder if Brother Zhou has a way to transport Cai Zhu and me out of the Celestial Secret Realm?" Shen Luo said. "Just now, when I was refining the Tower of Tianyan, I sensed a spatial rift appear in a certain part of the first layer of Tianyan Palace that seems to be connected to the outside. You and Brother Nie, as well as Che Qingtian, must have entered this Tianyan Palace through there. Through that spatial rift, you should be able to be transported out, but I have not yet fully refined the prohibitions of the first layer of Tianyan Palace; we¡¯ll need to wait a little longer." Zhou Tie said. "No problem, I have some matters to attend to anyway." Shen Luo said. ... On the third layer of Tianyan Palace¡¯s Lava River, Shen Luo sat cross-legged in the void, forming sword seals with his hands. Eleven Pure Yang Swords sped across the surface of the river, each one accompanied by a sword spirit, four more than before. The sword spirits of these four swords were three Golden Crows and one fiery steed, the Profound Fire Divine Steed itself. The Profound Fire Divine Steed¡¯s physical body had been destroyed by Destruction Mingwang earlier, leaving only its divine soul, which Shen Luo obtained from Zhou Tie and refined into a sword spirit. As for the Enlightened Heavenly Beast and the Shadow War Leopard, they were still under the command of the Tower of Tianyan. Zhou Tie¡¯s current strength was not strong and he still needed the protection of the two beasts. In fact, Zhou Tie was a direct descendant disciple of Tianyan Immortal Venerable and not an evil person. The Enlightened Heavenly Beast willingly followed, and although the Shadow War Leopard was reluctant to stay, Zhou Tie had refined the Tower of Tianyan and it had no choice but to submit. The eleven sword spirits were all devouring the golden flame on the river¡¯s surface to increase their strength. Seeing this, Shen Luo nodded, stopped forming seals, and let the swords devour the golden flame by themselves, while his figure flickered into the Free and Easy Mirror. Fire Spirit Child was still using the Hunyuan Wuji Formation to imprison Wu Luo. Wu Luo showed no signs of recovery; on the contrary, his breath was even weaker. Nie Caizhu stood by the array, constantly using restorative divine abilities on Wu Luo, trying her best to stabilize his condition. "My vital essence was devoured by that Blood Claw Stab, and I won¡¯t live much longer. You don¡¯t need to be so wary of me; just ask whatever you want." Upon seeing Shen Luo¡¯s arrival, Wu Luo spoke hoarsely. Shen Luo was slightly taken aback by this scene. He had captured Wu Luo intending to question him about the Demon Clan and the Blood Claw Stab, thinking the demon would not cooperate. He had prepared corresponding arguments and methods, but he did not expect Wu Luo to volunteer information before he even asked, which truly surprised him. "Friend Wu Luo, your attitude does indeed surprise me." Shen Luo sat down by the Array, smiling as he spoke. "If it were just you asking me, I wouldn¡¯t have said a word, but Brother Nie previously saved my life from the Blood Claw Stab and spared my divine soul from being eternally shackled by the sacred artifact, never to be transcended. Out of respect for her, I¡¯ll answer a few of your questions. Spit it out quickly if you have anything to say," Wu Luo spoke coldly. "So that¡¯s how it is. Friend Wu Luo, I heard you mention that the Blood Claw Stab is Chiyou¡¯s life-bound sacred artifact. Is that really true?" Shen Luo went straight to the point without any niceties and asked. "Of course, it¡¯s true. I knew Chiyou since ancient times and would never misidentify it, especially since the Blood Claw Stab contains Chiyou¡¯s Ten Directions Demon Prison Dao Divine Abilities. In the entire Demon Clan, only Chiyou has mastered this divine power," Wu Luo said. "Chiyou is currently sealed by the mighty ones of the Three Realms. Why would his life-bound sacred artifact appear here?" Shen Luo frowned upon hearing this and then asked. "I¡¯ve been locked up in the Celestial Secret Realm for who knows how many years and am ignorant of the outside world. How could I possibly know? This Blood Claw Stab suddenly fell here from the outside a hundred years ago. If you want to know, go investigate slowly after you get out," Wu Luo said irritably. Shen Luo didn¡¯t get angry, but after musing silently for a moment, he carefully phrased his question: "Years ago, I encountered two Demonic Artifacts outside. One was a Blood-colored Bone Staff, and the other was a Blood Color Bone Flute. By their aura, they are nearly identical to the Blood Claw Stab, and they were stored in the deepest part of the Black Abyss Mystery Cave in the Boundless Sand Sea, and inside the East Sea Dragon Palace, respectively. At the time, powerful masters from the Demon Clan also came to snatch them and took them back. In your opinion, could those two Demonic Artifacts also be Chiyou¡¯s life-bound sacred artifacts?" "What! There are two more of Chiyou¡¯s life-bound sacred artifacts? Did you see them clearly? Are they really identical to the Blood Claw Stab?" Wu Luo¡¯s expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and she asked with a serious tone. "Although my cultivation level is not high, I have some discernment and believe that I would not have mistaken them," Shen Luo nodded, speaking with certainty. "How is that possible? Chiyou has been sealed by the Yellow Emperor since ancient times, and even though he has already achieved immortality, he must be extremely weak. How could his essence and blood be split to refine three life-bound sacred artifacts?" Wu Luo murmured to herself. Seeing Wu Luo in such a state, Shen Luo knew she was onto something important and watched her closely. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Three life-bound sacred artifacts, three... Could it be..." Wu Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly widened as if she had thought of something. However, at that moment, a butterfly-like demonic pattern emerged on her brow, bursting forth with a swath of black light. "Demon Butterfly Heart Mark!" Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed, and he reached out with a grab into the void. Five streams of golden flame shot out from his fingertips, the True Solar Fire, aimed at the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark. But before the True Solar Fire could reach it, the black light of the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark dimmed and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Wu Luo¡¯s breath dissipated entirely, and her body fell to the ground, eyes still wide open. Fire Spirit Child and Nie Cai Zhu¡¯s bodies shimmered with light, also trying to use their techniques to stop the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark, but, regrettably, they were too late. "The demonic pattern just now was indeed the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark. It seems that someone noticed Wu Luo was about to reveal important news and immediately activated the Demon Butterfly Heart Mark to silence her. But when was this demonic seal planted?" Fire Spirit Child said angrily. "It must have been when You Quan and the others controlled the Blood Claw Stab to backlash using the Demonic Array. It seems that what Wu Luo thought of is extremely important." Shen Luo was not too enraged, his gaze turning towards the depth of the Free and Easy Mirror. The Demonslaying Divine Sword was slanted there, a Golden Thunder Veil forming around it, securely imprisoning the Blood Claw Stab in the middle. From Wu Luo¡¯s reaction, this Blood Claw Stab is related to very important secrets. Once we leave this place, I need to find a way to unravel it. Chapter 1669 - 1655: Leaving the Palace Chapter 1669: Chapter 1655: Leaving the PalaceAt the same time, in a certain black space, four figures shrouded in black Qi stood silently. Three of them were You Quan, Hong Ku, and Ma Xiuxiu; the fourth, however, was a short figure in a black robe. This person¡¯s hand emitted sparkling black light, and soon after, a black demon butterfly about the size of a foot materialized in their palm, which burst into countless specks of black light with a "pop". Upon witnessing this scene, You Quan and the other two let out a sigh of relief. "It¡¯s good that we made it in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable! You Quan, the three of you actually failed to bring back the Sacred Bone Claw Spike, and Demon Ancestor Lord is extremely disappointed!" the short figure said to the other three in a cold voice. "Subordinates admit their fault and ask for the Honorable One¡¯s punishment!" You Quan and the others kneeled hastily, their voices trembling as they spoke. The short figure snorted coldly, ignored the three, and took out a blood-colored Jade Symbol, which they activated with an incantation. Blood Light flickered on the Jade Symbol, and voices that fluctuated in volume came from within, unintelligible to You Quan and the others who dared not even breathe heavily. The short figure bowed halfway, nodding gently towards the Blood Light, an attitude of utmost respect. A moment later, the Blood Light on the Jade Symbol slowly faded and returned to normal. "Demon Ancestor Lord says he will give you one more chance. The Sacred Bone Claw Spike has now fallen into Shen Luo¡¯s hands, what must be done does not need me to repeat, right?" the short figure put away the Jade Symbol and said to the three. "Subordinates understand!" You Quan, overjoyed, immediately nodded. Ma Xiuxiu¡¯s lowered eyes briefly flashed a glint of light, then it disappeared at once. ... S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo had dealt with Wu Luo¡¯s affairs after death, and sat cross-legged beside the Demonslaying Divine Sword, with several treasures laid out before him, which were a dark red War Drum, a black-yellow short ruler, a bluish-green Long Knife, and a white Spider Web. These four treasured items were spoils from the recent great battle, as well as searched from the Storage Magical Tools of Che Qingtian and Wu Luo. The other things in the two persons¡¯ Storage Magical Tools were not very precious, and had been stored within the Linlang Ring, leaving only these four treasures to be carefully examined. The dark red War Drum and the black-yellow short ruler were the Nine Li Battle Drum and the Shrinking Earth Ruler, and Shen Luo had previously witnessed the Nine Li Battle Drum¡¯s divine power. As for the Shrinking Earth Ruler, he had previously taken it and had the Sky Fiend Corpse King perform a ritual to refine and use it. With some knowledge about these two Magical Treasures, Shen Luo gave them a brief look before putting them aside and turning his gaze towards the bluish-green Long Knife. This knife was none other than the Hongming Saber; although not yet refined, it exuded a ferocious aura from within and without. "What a fine knife! This saber was purely forged for slaughter, sharp beyond compare, unyielding to anything!" Shen Luo picked up the Hongming Saber, nodding in approval. "Young Master Shen, you must be careful. This Hongming Saber was forged by Huangdi Xuanyuan using a Ten Thousand Year Green Crystal from the Ruins, along with thirty-three top-level Yin attribute materials, supplemented by essence blood of a hundred thousand from the Demon Clan and essence souls of a hundred thousand from the Demon Race, intending to apply the method of using evil to control evil against the Demon Clan. However, the Hongming Saber was too sinister; after slaying each person it would absorb all of their essence blood and souls, and after killing a number of Chiyou¡¯s great generals, the saber¡¯s power greatly increased, and it even backlashed against its master. Huangdi Xuanyuan originally wanted to destroy it but, lamenting over the saber¡¯s divine might and after much consideration, he applied a seal to it, and thus it has been passed down to this day. This saber is extremely dangerous, indeed not inferior to the Blood Claw Stab. Should you use this saber in the future, you must be exceedingly cautious," warned Fire Spirit Child. "Oh, so that¡¯s the origin of the Hongming Saber." Shen Luo nodded in understanding, put down the Hongming Saber, and picked up the final treasured item, a white Spider Web. This item was obtained from Wu Luo¡¯s Storage Magical Tool. Wu Luo had previously used this treasure, which contained exceptionally strong illusion powers. If not for Ghost Teng Master sacrificing himself to block it, Shen Luo would probably have had his soul sent to the Underworld by now. Shen Luo picked up the white Spider Web and began to refine it with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. The white spider web quickly shines with threads of white light, slowly floating up as if a giant white spider is stretching its body. Streams of white mist spread out from within the spider web, forming a sea of white fog that swirls seductively, making one feel confused and enchanted with just one glance. Shen Luo quickly opened his eyes; he had roughly understood the situation of this white spider web. This object is called Immortal-binding Spider Silk, which contains powerful illusionary energy and also has the ability to bind divine powers, making it extremely effective for capturing people. "What a great treasure." A hint of joy flashed through his eyes as he swept his sleeve to collect the four magical treasures and began to cultivate their power with his mana. In Shen Luo¡¯s hand, a flash of white light suddenly produced a white jade plate, which was the Tianyan True Scripture given to him by Zhou Tie. He was quite interested in the Yan Technique, and as he ran his Divine Sense through the jade plate, his expression soon showed shock and amazement. The Yan Technique detailed in the Sky Machine Scroll was already astounding, but the content of this Tianyan True Scripture went above and beyond, with the variety of magical armors and uses of divine sense power surpassing even those of Tianji City. However, it can still be seen that the two are in the same lineage, and the Yan Technique of Tianji City must be derived from the Tianyan Palace. "Perhaps an elder from Tianji City came here before and took the Yan Technique from Tianyan Palace to the outside." Shen Luo thought to himself. He then no longer dwelled on these thoughts and focused on studying the Tianyan True Scripture. ... Three days later, in a certain great hall on the first layer of Tianyan Palace. The space here was extremely unstable, with numerous spatial rifts appearing, and sporadic void storms erupting, leaving many parts of the great hall scarred and damaged. However, this great hall seemed to be constructed of extremely sturdy materials and had not collapsed. "This is the place. I will use the Spatial Restriction in Tianyan Palace to try to connect to the outside world and send you out," Zhou Tie said as he led Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu into the hall. "Thank you for your troubles," Shen Luo expressed his gratitude. "It¡¯s just a minor matter," Zhou Tie said with a faint smile, muttering incantations. In the hall, a flash of silver light revealed a towering silver stone stele at each of the four corners, upon which countless silver runes were etched, emitting dazzling silver light, with ripples appearing in the nearby space. Zhou Tie sacrificed the Tower of Tianyan, and four beams of white light shot out from it, entering into the four stone steles. The dazzling silver light soon filled the entire great hall, with numerous silver runes condensing in the void of the hall. A moment later, a silver array spanning over a dozen feet in size was formed. "It¡¯s ready now. Both Daoist friends, please step into the array," Zhou Tie instructed. Nie Caizhu leaped into the array, landing within it. "Are you going to continue staying in this Celestial Secret Realm?" Shen Luo asked Zhou Tie, without immediately moving. "I haven¡¯t completed my cultivation and plan to continue my diligent practice here. If someday I can inherit the teachings of the Honorable One, perhaps I will go out and have a look," Zhou Tie replied with a smile. "Very well! Then I¡¯ll be waiting outside for Daoist Zhou," Shen Luo said, bowing his hand in salute before stepping into the silver array. Zhou Tie activated the silver array, and a column of silver light burst forth, enveloping the bodies of Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu in a silver rainbow. They shot into the spatial rift in the mid-air of the great hall at an incredible speed. Chapter 1670 - 1666: Chang’an Fox Chaos Chapter 1670: Chapter 1666: Chang¡¯an Fox ChaosTianji City. Supported high above by the dual palms of the towering Qingtian Mechanism, the injured Nameless Elder was seated cross-legged in the inner city square, his gaze fixed on the head of the Qingtian Mechanism, his brows furrowed, face filled with worry. At this moment, a figure quietly arrived behind him. Seeing this, the Nameless Elder hurriedly tried to stand up, but the person gestured with a wave of the hand to stop him, signalling that there was no need for formalities. "City Lord, do you think Brother Shen and the others will be able to make it back?" The Nameless Elder looked up at the person beside him and asked. "It¡¯s difficult to say; after all, we¡¯ve never encountered such a situation before. However, I believe in Friend Shen. As the saying goes, ¡¯Fortune favors the bold¡¯; he will certainly be fine," the Junior Master replied thoughtfully, shaking his head. "Right now, the entrance of the cave is still sealed by an invisible energy, making it impossible to enter and investigate," the Nameless Elder said, his brows tightly knitted, unable to hide his anxiety. "Friend Shen might very well have entered the rumored Celestial Secret Realm. As things stand, even if we wanted to rescue him, we¡¯d be powerless to do so. Sigh, if only I had left my seclusion earlier, it wouldn¡¯t have come to this," the Junior Master sighed, speaking slowly. "City Lord, it¡¯s those thieves¡¯ excessive slyness to blame, and my own carelessness," the Nameless Elder admitted guiltily. After all, while the Junior Master was in closed-door cultivation, it was the Nameless Elder who was in charge of managing all matters big and small within Tianji City. "Who knows what madness came over the Qingqiu Fox Clan to cause chaos in Chang¡¯an City and then dare to provoke us here in Tianji City from thousands of miles away¡ªthey¡¯re truly seeking death," even the Junior Master could hardly suppress his anger. "Yesterday, news came that there are still members of the Fox Clan active in Chang¡¯an. The Great Tang Dynasty Government has been thoroughly enraged, purging within a hundred miles around Chang¡¯an City. Now, not to mention fox demons, one can¡¯t even find a single living fox," the Nameless Elder reported. "With Chang¡¯an suffering such heavy losses, it wouldn¡¯t be too much even if the Qingqiu Fox Clan were to be eradicated," the Junior Master said indifferently. "This time, the Qingqiu Fox Clan has indeed incurred public wrath. The Great Tang Dynasty Government has already issued a call for heroes, inviting all sects to join forces in heading to Morning Sound Valley to campaign against the Kingdom of Qingqiu. We too have received the summons," the Nameless Elder continued. Upon hearing this, the Junior Master pondered for a moment. Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed slightly, and he quickly shifted his gaze towards the direction of the ear hole of the Qingtian Mechanism. With this glance, his brow and eyes immediately relaxed, and a hint of relieved smile appeared on his face. The Nameless Elder also sensed something, turning his head to look in that direction and immediately jumping up from the ground. "Brother Shen, Miss Nie..." In their surprised and delighted gazes, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu emerged one after another from within the cave entrance, flying towards them. "Junior Master, Nameless Elder." The two didn¡¯t expect that right after returning to Tianji City, they¡¯d see them. Joyful smiles appeared on their faces as they quickly approached. However, as they descended, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes swept over the vast area below, only to see fires and smoke rising everywhere inside Tianji City, seeming to be in the midst of turmoil. After landing, he quickly asked the Junior Master, "Elders, what has happened to Tianji City? Could it be another enemy invasion?" This abrupt question from Shen Luo left both the Junior Master and the Nameless Elder standing there stunned. "Brother Shen, what do you mean by that?" the Nameless Elder asked, puzzled. Little Master sized up Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, noting the changes in their qi. Initially surprised, he soon revealed a knowing smile. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Friend Shen, congratulations, your cultivation level has improved so remarkably. It seems you have encountered some extraordinary fortune within the Celestial Secret Realm. Miss Nie too, the breath of your qi has greatly changed from before," said Little Master. Upon hearing this, the Nameless Elder only then noticed the changes in Shen Luo. Even with his usually composed nature, he couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in astonishment. "Friend Shen, did you consume some sort of Immortal Pill or divine medicine? How has your cultivation level surged so dramatically in just three short days?" the Nameless Elder couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. As soon as his words fell, Nie Caizhu and Shen Luo were left gaping in shock. "What... Nameless Elder, what do you mean by ¡¯three short days¡¯?" Nie Caizhu asked incredulously. "What nonsense are you talking about? Of course, it¡¯s the three days since you entered the Celestial Secret Realm..." said the Nameless Elder, at a loss for words. Shen Luo¡¯s face was initially filled with surprise, but he quickly realized that the flow of time in the Secret Realm and the outside world were not the same. Although Nie Caizhu had some command over Time Divine Ability, faced with such a situation, she was still so shocked that she found it hard to believe. "Nameless Elder, you are not joking with us, are you? We were in the Celestial Secret Realm for more than just three days; it was closer to three years..." Nie Caizhu couldn¡¯t help but say. The Nameless Elder was speechless for a long moment, his face filled with confusion as he looked towards Little Master, almost ready to ask Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu directly if they had gone mad. Little Master had naturally already figured out the key to this mystery and said with a smile: "It¡¯s not strange. The Celestial Secret Realm might be a place similar to some secret realms within the Heavenly Court, where the speed of time flow is different from that in the Human World, such as the scenario where one day in heaven equates to one year on earth. It has only been three days over here, but inside, it might have already been many years." Although Shen Luo understood this in his heart, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong sense of dissonance. However, this made it easy to understand why Tianji City still looked like it had suffered an attack. "Elder, has the chaos within Tianji City been settled?" Shen Luo hastily asked. "No need to worry, those rebels and invaders who weren¡¯t captured have all been slain; not one survived to escape," the Nameless Elder regained his composure and replied. However, as he spoke, his gaze subconsciously flickered for a moment, clearly hiding something. Shen Luo hesitated, ready to inquire, but then he heard Little Master suddenly speak up, "The jade pillow has been repaired." "Repaired?" Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was immediately overjoyed. "Sort of... In any case, I¡¯ve repaired everything that I could, without keeping anything secret. However, despite several attempts, I¡¯ve been unable to activate it. Perhaps there are some deficiencies that we still don¡¯t know about, and maybe only you can activate the jade pillow to make it work?" Little Master said, furrowing his brow slightly. Shen Luo responded with a chuckle, "Actually, it wasn¡¯t that I deliberately activated the jade pillow to travel through; rather, the jade pillow itself activated and took me through the Dreamland." "In that case, it seems we can only let you sleep on it for a few nights and give it a try," Little Master mused. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes were also filled with anticipation. If he could travel through once more, he would be able to understand what exactly happened after they joined forces to slay Chiyou, which led to the alteration of the present. Chapter 1671 - 1667: Prepare for a Rainy Day Chapter 1671: Chapter 1667: Prepare for a Rainy Day"Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to see the jade pillow," Little Master said to Shen Luo with a nod. "Alright. Cai Zhu, you should head back with the Nameless Elder to rest," Shen Luo quickly responded, then added after some thought. After saying this, he followed Little Master, leaving ahead of the others. "Friend Shen, could you tell me what happened in the Celestial Secret Realm?" Little Master couldn¡¯t help but ask on the way. Shen Luo thought for a moment and decided to reveal the truth, recounting everything he saw and experienced, bit by bit, to Little Master. As Little Master listened, his expression grew increasingly grim, and by the end, he appeared utterly shocked and astounded. "Did you see Master Tianyan?" Little Master, unable to conceal the change in his expression, anxiously asked. "Indeed." Shen Luo nodded and recounted how Master Tianyan reconstructed his body and returned to the world. "As expected from one of the founders of the Yan Technique. It¡¯s a pity I had no chance to meet him," Little Master sighed. The two of them chatted while walking, paying no attention to their surroundings. They didn¡¯t even notice the greetings of passing disciples. Eventually, they arrived at a secret chamber within the inner city. "Che Qingtian... a direct descendant of the first generation City Lord, yet he ultimately veered off the righteous path. Such a tragic conclusion," Little Master lamented. "To die at the hands of Master Tianyan is at least an honorable death," Shen Luo remarked. "Friend Shen, there was something I didn¡¯t mention earlier outside, but I believe I should tell you now," Little Master said. Shen Luo immediately felt a sense of foreboding, knowing it must be something the Nameless Elder had deliberately withheld. "Please, Elder, go ahead," he said. "Elder Manbo has passed away..." Little Master said. "What? Elder Manbo... That shouldn¡¯t be possible. When we went to provide reinforcements, Elder Manbo was indeed injured, but his wounds were not severe enough to result in his death," Shen Luo said, finding it hard to believe. "You¡¯re correct. At the time, Elder Manbo did not die. After resting and recovering somewhat, he joined the battle to clear out the invaders. However, for reasons unknown, just before I emerged from seclusion last night, he inexplicably died in his secret chamber at his residence. It was only discovered after I convened the elders post-seclusion and he did not arrive," Little Master explained. "How could this happen? Elder Manbo, as a True Immortal cultivator, shouldn¡¯t have been silently assassinated," Shen Luo said, puzzled. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "There were traces of a fight in the secret chamber, but the battle was brief, leaving minimal evidence. This indicates that the assailant¡¯s cultivation level far surpassed Elder Manbo¡¯s, likely that of a Taiyi Realm cultivator. At the time, I was focused entirely on refining the jade pillow in the secret chamber, with my divine soul fully concentrated on it. The chaos in the city also hadn¡¯t been quelled, so nobody noticed anything unusual," Little Master said, a flash of sorrow flickering in his eyes before he shook his head. Hearing this, Shen Luo pondered for a moment before asking, "Were the captured survivors interrogated? Do they know anything?" "They were questioned thoroughly using every available method, but the clues were limited. The only information we could extract was that this incident is not unrelated to the Kingdom of Qingqiu. However, regarding Elder Manbo¡¯s death, those survivors knew nothing," Little Master replied. "The Kingdom of Qingqiu..." Thinking of the Grand Elder of the Kingdom of Qingqiu, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows deeply. "Let¡¯s set this matter aside for now and take a look at the jade pillow," Little Master said, waving his hand as he led Shen Luo further into the chamber. On a circular forging platform, Shen Luo saw a jade pillow with a faint yellowing hue, quietly floating above the platform. Just as Shen Luo was about to step forward for a closer look, Little Master raised his hand to stop him. Little Master lifted his hand and made a few gestures in the void. Sharp streaks of crystal light, like beaded curtains, were parted by his motions, and only then did the two approach the forging platform. "When the jade pillow was first repaired, it caused some disturbances between Heaven and Earth. To prevent the disclosure of its mysteries, I sealed it away. Now that you have returned, I¡¯ll leave it for you to handle," Little Master said as he pressed a few points on the jade pillow. The seemingly empty surface of the jade pillow suddenly lit up with a crystalline glow. A nearly imperceptible, irregular crystal layer peeled away, revealing the pillow within the void. As soon as the crystalline seal was lifted, the jade pillow began to tremble violently, with streams of light rippling across its surface. A broad, resplendent halo emerged, poised to expand outward. Shen Luo raised a hand and gently pressed it against the surface of the jade pillow. The previously agitated jade pillow instantly calmed down. The radiance emanating from its surface, which had been on the verge of spreading, dissipated in a cascade of crystalline light with a sharp "crack." "As expected, this jade pillow can only be activated by you. Go ahead and try it," Little Master said with a sigh. "Elder, have you forgotten? As I¡¯ve told you before, the dreamland traversal ability of the jade pillow is always triggered on its own; I can¡¯t actively control it," Shen Luo said, his face slightly flushed with embarrassment. "Seeing the peculiar resonance earlier between you and the jade pillow, I got a little carried away and forgot," Little Master said, smacking his forehead in realization. "But now that the restoration is complete, I believe the traversal will be triggered very soon," Shen Luo said, a mix of anticipation and apprehension on his face. "In that case, do not leave Tianji City before the next traversal is triggered. I want to know the result as soon as possible," Little Master said immediately. "Alright," Shen Luo said after a brief pause, nodding. He also hoped to have such a wise elder help him analyze the situation. After all, the events that had transpired in his life were too baffling and surreal. "By the way, Elder, I have one more request for you," Shen Luo suddenly said, as something came to mind. "What is it? Tell me," Little Master replied with a nod. "I have obtained a Dan formula for crafting the Taiqing Pill, but I lack some of the necessary materials. Could I trouble you to see if we can gather them?" Shen Luo asked, a hint of embarrassment in his voice. "Oh, planning to upgrade to the Taiyi Realm already?" Little Master said with a slight smile. "With my current level of strength, I am still far from adequate. Naturally, I must prepare ahead of time," Shen Luo sighed. "It¡¯s not a bad thing to be proactive. Let me have a look," Little Master said, extending his hand. Shen Luo promptly retrieved the Taiqing Pill formula he had obtained from Wu Luo and handed it to Little Master with both hands. After examining it closely, Little Master furrowed his brow and eventually shook his head, saying: "The Taiqing Pill is meant to assist with advancing to the Taiyi Realm. The materials listed here, from primary to supplementary, are all top-grade spiritual medicines. In particular, the main ingredients¡ªDaluo Buddha¡¯s Hand and Jade-striped Nine Aroma Worm¡ªare of celestial grade. Their worth is immeasurable and acquiring them depends entirely on chance." "I expected as much," Shen Luo said with a resigned sigh, mentally prepared for this outcome. Chapter 1672 - 1668: It’s Actually Her Chapter 1672: Chapter 1668: It¡¯s Actually Her"How about this? I¡¯ll make a copy of the dan formula here and let Tianji City search through Tianji Pavilion shops across the Three Realms. However, it might take over a hundred years to gather everything. You need to be mentally prepared," the Little Master thought for a moment and then spoke again. "It¡¯s better to have hope than none at all. Thank you, Elder," Shen Luo quickly cupped his fists in gratitude and replied. Before returning to his residence, Shen Luo first made a trip to Elder Man Bo¡¯s mansion. The place had already been cleared of all personnel, and Tianji City disciples had thoroughly sealed the entrance. However, Shen Luo¡¯s special status granted him passage without obstruction. He stepped inside the mansion and headed directly toward the secret chamber where Elder Man Bo had been attacked. Along the way, all the furnishings he saw were intact, with no signs of struggle or damage, indicating that no intruders had been here. When he entered the secret chamber, the place was in disarray, with traces of a brief skirmish and large patches of dark black blood stains remaining. Judging by these remnants, the fight had not lasted long. It seemed Elder Man Bo barely had a chance to resist, let alone send out a cry for help, before he was brutally killed. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t surprised by this. After all, Elder Man Bo was heavily injured and had been sent to rest at the Inner City mansion. Therefore, when attacked in the secret chamber, he had little strength to fight back. Since a day and night had already passed, no breath or residual energy remained detectable here. Shen Luo could glean only a few clues. After paying silent respects to Elder Man Bo, he left. Night fell. Shen Luo sat alone in the guest room, the repaired jade pillow laid on the table in front of him. The cracks from before were still clearly visible. He gently stroked the jade pillow with one hand, pondering Elder Man Bo¡¯s murder when suddenly an overwhelming wave of drowsiness swept over him. "Could it be..." Shen Luo subconsciously glanced at the jade pillow before him and murmured hesitantly. Without another word, he picked up the jade pillow, took two or three steps back to the bed, and lay down to sleep. ... Shen Luo felt his mind clouded, his eyelids weighed down as if burdened by immense pressure, making it impossible for him to open them. Just then, an unexpected clanging collision sound rang in his ears. Shen Luo struggled to open his eyes but remained powerless to do so. "Who are you? What do you want..." Then came a sharp voice questioning urgently. Shen Luo felt that this voice was intimately familiar, his desire to open his eyes growing even stronger, yet he remained unable. "Hand it over willingly, and perhaps I¡¯ll spare your life," a female voice echoed. He found this voice familiar too. "Wake up, wake up, wake up..." Shen Luo yelled frantically in his mind. Suddenly, his eyes burst open, and he was shocked to find himself standing in front of a heavy stone door. Sounds of fighting reverberated from behind the door. "Is this..." Shen Luo looked around and found the surroundings eerily familiar. As his gaze landed on the corridor in front of him, he scanned the furnishings on both sides and his eyes widened instantly, his mind snapping awake. "This is Elder Man Bo¡¯s secret chamber!" He had visited it just earlier in the day. Shen Luo felt momentarily dazed, uncertain whether he was dreaming or sleepwalking. But just then, a chilling sound of a sharp blade slicing through bones echoed from behind the stone door, accompanied by a heavy, gasping moan that resembled the sound of a bellows being pulled. Shen Luo abandoned his misgivings, threw himself against the stone door, and his body passed straight through the stone wall and into the chamber. The secret chamber was dimly lit, but Shen Luo immediately noticed a figure slumped against the stone wall. Four limbs sprawled out, neck drooping lifelessly. Beside them stood a figure cloaked entirely in a black robe, whose build suggested they were a woman. Just as Shen Luo prepared to step forward, he saw the robed woman drop into a squat, seize the hair of the slumped figure, and tilt their head up, revealing a bloodied face. "Elder Man Bo..." Shen Luo exclaimed in horror. The person against the wall turned out to be Elder Man Bo, who should have been dead since yesterday. Yet now, he was in a grim state, with his throat and bones crushed, unable to make any sound. "Hand it over, and I¡¯ll make your death quick," the black-robed woman rasped coldly, tugging at Elder Man Bo¡¯s hair. At this moment, Shen Luo realized he had again entered a dream traversal. But why had he gone back to yesterday night, the moment when Elder Man Bo was attacked, instead of a thousand years later? A flurry of questions flooded Shen Luo¡¯s mind, but he had no time to reflect now. No matter what was happening, he had to save Elder Man Bo first. The black-robed woman, appearing to run out of patience, raised her palm and struck toward Elder Man Bo¡¯s forehead. "Stop!" Shen Luo roared furiously, his anger igniting into action. His figure electrified with speed as he shot to the back of the woman, thrusting his palm toward her back. Shen Luo¡¯s palm, absent of spiritual light, passed through the woman¡¯s body, piercing her chest and ribs effortlessly. Yet, not a single bloodstain appeared. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shocked, Shen Luo realized that he was as insubstantial as a phantom, passing straight through the woman¡¯s form. He himself was not in a physical body! Before he could recover from his shock, the woman¡¯s palm struck Elder Man Bo¡¯s forehead, shattering his skull and obliterating his divine soul entirely. Despairing, Shen Luo turned his gaze to the robed woman, needing at least to uncover the identity of Elder Man Bo¡¯s murderer. When he spun around, he saw that the woman wore a black dragon-scale mask, concealing her face. "You won¡¯t heed kindness, but you will heed punishment..." she sneered lightly, flipping an undisclosed storage ring hidden under Elder Man Bo¡¯s body into her hand. As she rose, a torn sleeve fell open, revealing a snow-white arm, as smooth as lotus roots. Near her wrist was a dark red scar from five fingers, resembling a burn. "It¡¯s... Ma Xiuxiu!" Shen Luo blurted out upon recognizing the mark instantly. He vividly remembered that during the Chang¡¯an ghost calamity, when the Jing River Dragon King¡¯s divine soul was shattered, he had grabbed Xiuxiu¡¯s wrist, transferring his cultivation to her and leaving this mark. "The one who killed Elder Man Bo... It was her, Ma Xiuxiu..." Shen Luo struggled to comprehend his shock. But before he could recover, his vision suddenly darkened, plunging him into an endless void. Chapter 1673 - 1669: Holding Qingqiu Accountable Chapter 1673: Chapter 1669: Holding Qingqiu AccountableIt was unclear how much time had passed when suddenly, in the guest room of Tianji City, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he quickly sat up from the bed. Immediately afterward, he felt a sudden blackout as a wave of dizziness and exhaustion swept over him. Unable to suppress the overwhelming fatigue, he fell back onto the bed and slept again. This sleep lasted for half a day, and when he woke up again, it was already evening the next day. Shen Luo hurriedly sought out Little Master and detailed the events of last night¡¯s Dreamland traversal. "Elder, honestly, even now I¡¯m uncertain whether I truly traversed Dreamland or merely had a vivid dream," Shen Luo said, somewhat hesitantly. "Based on what you told me, this time you didn¡¯t travel to the world a thousand years later but returned to the day Elder Manbo was killed?" Little Master furrowed his brow and asked. "That¡¯s correct. Moreover, in this Dreamland, I was like a mere observer. No one could see me or sense my existence. I was like a phantom unable to interact with others," Shen Luo explained. "If that¡¯s the case, it indeed seems more like a dream." Little Master pondered aloud. "But after waking from the dream, I felt my divine soul exhausted and fell into a deep sleep again. That¡¯s quite different from my usual self, making it difficult to conclude decisively," Shen Luo shook his head. "This jade pillow is truly extraordinary. Even though I¡¯ve repaired it, I can¡¯t guarantee it is identical to its original state. If the jade pillow¡¯s god-like powers were inadvertently altered, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible," Little Master said after a long moment of thought. Hearing this, Shen Luo fell silent as well. "It seems the specifics can only be verified the next time you enter Dreamland," Little Master raised his head after a moment and said. "Understood. What are your plans next?" Little Master asked. "Next... I¡¯ll begin searching for the spiritual materials needed to refine the Taiqing Pill. I must prepare early for advancing to the Taiyi Realm. After all, strength is the true path," Shen Luo replied after some contemplation. "I happen to have something I¡¯d like to ask for your help with. I wonder if..." Little Master began to speak but was interrupted by Shen Luo. "Elder, please don¡¯t hesitate to voice your request. As long as I can offer assistance, I won¡¯t refuse," Shen Luo cupped his fists respectfully. "Here¡¯s the situation: this time, representatives from the Kingdom of Qingqiu teamed up with Che Qingtian to invade our Tianji City, leading to Elder Manbo¡¯s death and severe losses within the city. We must hold them accountable. I intend for Master Yan to lead the Tianji City disciples to confront them. However, he lacks experience and isn¡¯t as steady and reliable as you. I hope you can accompany him," said Little Master. Hearing this, Shen Luo didn¡¯t immediately agree but instead asked doubtfully, "Elder, why not have a sect elder accompany him?" "This confrontation isn¡¯t solely Tianji City seeking accountability from Qingqiu. Numerous sects across the Three Realms are also demanding answers from Qingqiu. Do you remember the fox chaos in Chang¡¯an City from before? That matter still hasn¡¯t been resolved. The Great Tang Dynasty Government and various sects that attended the Harmonious Union Conference are jointly confronting Qingqiu in Morning Sound Valley for several days now," explained Little Master. Coming back from the secret realm, Shen Luo often felt a sense of temporal displacement. Thinking carefully, it actually hadn¡¯t been long since his departure from Qingqiu. "It seems most other sects are sending their outstanding young disciples, likely intending to train the next generation of monks," Little Master continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo understood. "It appears the major sects don¡¯t take Qingqiu Fox Clan seriously," he murmured contemplatively. "This confrontation primarily concerns the Great Tang Government and Qingqiu Fox Clan. The other sects are largely tagging along, hoping to profit and make gains. However, I feel this matter won¡¯t be easily resolved. Sending Master Yan is partly to give him more experience," said Little Master. "If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll accompany him on this journey. I also want to investigate what Qingqiu Fox Clan is plotting," Shen Luo nodded in agreement. "Prepare yourself then. Set out together tomorrow," said Little Master. Shen Luo gave an acknowledgment and took his leave. After leaving Little Master, Shen Luo had just returned to his residence when Nie Caizhu knocked on his door. Shen Luo welcomed Nie Caizhu into his room. Seeing her troubled expression and hesitancy to speak, he took the initiative and asked, "Is there anything you can¡¯t say openly between us?" "I... My sect sent word for me to return. I may need to go back to Mount Putuo," Nie Caizhu hesitated before saying. "I thought it might be something serious. You¡¯ve been away from your sect for quite a while now; it makes sense to return. However, I¡¯ve just agreed to accompany Master Yan on a trip to Qingqiu, so I won¡¯t be able to escort you back to Mount Putuo," Shen Luo said apologetically. Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Nie Caizhu immediately asked, "You said you¡¯re going where?" "Qingqiu Kingdom. Why?" Shen Luo asked. "My master instructed me to lead my junior brothers and sisters to confront Qingqiu as well," Nie Caizhu said, her face lighting up with joy. "You¡¯re leading the Mount Putuo disciples?" Shen Luo exclaimed in surprise before quickly considering and finding it appropriate. "Looks like we¡¯re able to travel together again, and there will be no need for us to part ways," Nie Caizhu exclaimed with undisguised delight. Watching her radiant smile, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. ... Early the next morning. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu arrived at the inner city square, finding a massive, two-story flying boat parked there. Outside the flying boat stood over a dozen people, with Nameless Elder and Master Yan leading them. As Shen Luo approached, Nameless Elder was still giving instructions to Master Yan, whose expression was serious and silent as he nodded repeatedly. When Shen Luo drew closer, he noticed a woman sitting cross-legged among the group of Tianji City disciples behind them. Her clothes were soaked in blood, her hair disheveled, and her exposed skin covered in dried blood scabs¡ªa clear victim of torture. "Hmm..." After exchanging greetings with the crowd, Shen Luo looked closer and bent down to lift the woman¡¯s drooping head. As the disheveled hair covering her forehead slipped to either side, a face, though smeared with blood, clearly familiar to Shen Luo, was revealed¡ªnone other than Elder You Li of Qingqiu Kingdom. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, Elder You Li had a rune etched into the skin between her brows. Her eyes were slightly rolled back, devoid of life, and a complexly patterned armored ring encircled her neck. "What is this?" Shen Luo asked in confusion. "This woman¡¯s mouth is truly tight. No matter how much torture she endured, she revealed nothing. When soul-searching techniques were employed, she destroyed half her divine soul. If we hadn¡¯t sealed her Sea of Knowledge in time, she might have already self-destructed," Nameless Elder sighed. The techniques used on Elder You Li were designed specifically to prevent her from committing suicide. "Daoist Shen, I must entrust her care to you during the journey," Nameless Elder cupped his fists to Shen Luo. "I will coordinate with Daoist Yan to ensure everything is managed," Shen Luo replied with a respectful salute. "Rest assured, Nameless Elder. Should anything happen along the way, I¡¯ll defer to Brother Shen¡¯s council," Master Yan also said. "Very well, then. I won¡¯t worry about further matters. You should set out now," Nameless Elder said, smiling. After bidding farewell, the group boarded the flying boat with Elder You Li in custody and began their journey to Chang¡¯an City. Chapter 1674 - 1670: Willingly Chapter 1674: Chapter 1670: WillinglyTime flew by, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. The treasure ship from Tianji City traveled far faster than Shen Luo had initially estimated, allowing them to reach Chang¡¯an City ahead of schedule. Based on the previously calculated timeline, the numerous disciples from Mount Putuo were currently waiting for Nie Caizhu within Chang¡¯an City. On the treasure ship, Shen Luo withdrew his gaze from the majestic ancient city of Chang¡¯an and turned to Master Yan, asking, "Are you really not coming into the city for a stroll?" "No, we¡¯ll stay on the ship to rest for now. Once you¡¯ve picked up your people, we¡¯ll head to the Kingdom of Qingqiu together," Master Yan said, shaking his head. Shen Luo¡¯s rapid progress in cultivation had been a source of considerable pressure for him. During the journey here, Master Yan had remained in his room, constantly cultivating, and even now chose to stay on the ship to continue his practice. "Alright then, we¡¯ll make it quick and try not to delay any longer," Shen Luo said with a smile. After bidding farewell to Master Yan, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu made their way into Chang¡¯an City. As soon as they entered the city, Shen Luo noticed the cacophony of noise all around. Everywhere he looked, carts laden with green bricks and tiles were traversing the main avenues of the city. Clearly, the damage caused by the Fox Chaos had yet to be fully repaired. However, the faces of the city¡¯s people no longer bore the fear of the past. The bustling pedestrians going back and forth radiated a passion for life, and many wore smiles upon their faces. Seeing this, Shen Luo felt a mix of inexplicable sorrow and unexpected comfort. The two passed through the gradually revived mundanity of the city streets and arrived at an elegant courtyard in the urban area. Mount Putuo had no formal branch within Chang¡¯an City; it only maintained this single courtyard as a temporary station. Occasionally, disciples or elders visiting the city would stop here to rest. As they approached the courtyard gates, they encountered several disciples who had returned from touring the city. "Ah, it¡¯s Sister Nie! You¡¯ve finally arrived¡ªwe¡¯ve missed you so much!" A young girl, her face still bearing traces of childishness, skipped over to Nie Caizhu¡¯s side and affectionately linked arms with her. "Apologies for keeping you waiting," Nie Caizhu replied, her smile lighting up her features. The other disciples shook their heads in unison upon hearing this and then directed curious glances at Shen Luo. "Hehe, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this must be Shen Luo, Senior Brother Shen, am I right? My, how dashing you are!" the young girl giggled, scrutinized him, and remarked. "Greetings, fellow Daoists," Shen Luo cupped his fist toward the young girl and greeted the rest of the Mount Putuo disciples as well. "Hmm, not bad. You and our Sister Nie are quite the match," the young girl nodded approvingly. "Alright, Qinglin, stop your teasing and take me to see Master," Nie Caizhu said, her slight embarrassment evident as she smiled and gently scolded the girl. The group quickly entered the courtyard and headed toward its innermost area. Within a refined guest room, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu met her master, Fairy Qinglian. Fairy Qinglian had long known that Nie Caizhu would return alongside Shen Luo. Still, at the sight of the two together, her brows furrowed slightly without her realizing. "Qinglin, all of you leave for now. I need to speak privately with your Sister Nie and Shen Luo," Fairy Qinglian said. The youthful girl faintly sensed her master¡¯s displeasure. Feeling slightly sympathetic toward Sister Nie, her first thought was that she pitied Senior Brother Shen Luo even more. Without delay, she and the other disciples promptly exited the room. "Caizhu, do you know your mistake?" Fairy Qinglian suddenly asked. Hearing this, Nie Caizhu immediately dropped to her knees without the slightest hesitation. "Disciple knows her mistake," she said. Shen Luo hesitated briefly before also kneeling down. "Elder, this matter is not Caizhu¡¯s fault. The issue lies with me¡ªI encountered backlash from fire poison during my breakthrough to the late True Immortal Stage. Caizhu only performed the dual cultivation technique to save me," Shen Luo explained, fully understanding the source of Fairy Qinglian¡¯s anger. Fairy Qinglian¡¯s eyes grew colder as she cast a frosty glance toward Shen Luo, ignoring him entirely. Turning her attention to Nie Caizhu, she asked, "Did you act out of urgency, or was it fully of your own volition?" "Master, while the situation was indeed urgent, it was also of my full volition," Nie Caizhu responded without hesitation. "Elder, Caizhu is my wife¡ªmy Daoist spouse, for this life and no other. I beg of you not to punish her for this matter," Shen Luo implored. Fairy Qinglian¡¯s anger faded somewhat upon hearing this. "Stand and speak," she said, after a lengthy silence. "Thank you, Master..." "Thank you, Elder..." The two rose to their feet and spoke in unison. "Shen Luo, should you ever wrong Caizhu in the future, Mount Putuo will certainly not let you off lightly," Fairy Qinglian said coldly. Nie Caizhu felt warmth in her heart upon hearing this and smiled faintly. "I will never do so," Shen Luo immediately replied, his grin even broader than Nie Caizhu¡¯s. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You¡¯d better not dare... To think that in the blink of an eye, you¡¯ve both reached the Late True Immortal Stage. Now, with this in mind, I can rest assured about our upcoming trip to Qingqiu," Fairy Qinglian added, her expression softening further as she finally accepted Shen Luo. "Master, shall we depart immediately?" Nie Caizhu asked eagerly. "Why such haste? After all this time apart, shouldn¡¯t you share your experiences with your master first?" Fairy Qinglian gently rebuked her with a teasing look. "Much has indeed happened. If I were to recount everything to Master, I fear I¡¯d need an entire day and night," Nie Caizhu replied, her smile growing wider. "It¡¯s alright. Disciples from all sects headed toward Qingqiu¡¯s Morning Sound Valley half a month ago. They¡¯re still locked in a standoff outside the valley. You don¡¯t need to rush and can leave tomorrow after some rest," Fairy Qinglian advised. Since her master had spoken, Nie Caizhu naturally agreed readily. "This time, I need to remind you: this expedition mainly sends forth the younger generation of disciples, most of whom are at the True Immortal Stage without Taiyi Cultivators presiding. The goal is not truly to conquer Qingqiu but to give you all valuable experience," Fairy Qinglian emphasized. Nie Caizhu nodded solemnly. "Elder, are you saying this campaign focuses on training, and the Elders of each sect won¡¯t act unless absolutely necessary?" Shen Luo asked. "Correct. Unless the situation becomes one of life and death, the Elders won¡¯t intervene lightly. You must act within your limits and not force anything," Fairy Qinglian affirmed, growing increasingly pleased with Shen Luo. Her meaning was clear¡ªthe primary tension lay between the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Qingqiu Fox Clan. As a third party, they were not bound to take the matter too seriously. Should conflict erupt, they were not to recklessly sacrifice themselves. "Elder, the Qingqiu Fox Clan runs deep. There must be intricate schemes at play behind this. It seems the allied forces¡¯ campaign against Qingqiu poses no small risk," Shen Luo expressed his concerns. Chapter 1675 - 1671: Investigation Chapter 1675: Chapter 1671: Investigation"I know what you¡¯re worried about, but rest assured, traveling from Chang¡¯an City to the Kingdom of Qingqiu takes only a moment. If anything happens, we won¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. Besides, there are already several Taiyi Realm cultivators in Chang¡¯an City right now, so you don¡¯t need to worry too much," Fairy Qinglian glanced at Shen Luo and said. "Aside from you, Elder, and Elder Cheng Yaojin from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Elder Yuan Tiangang¡ªare there other Taiyi Realm cultivators?" Shen Luo asked in astonishment. "The Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing from the Heavenly Palace and Kongdu Zen Master from Hua Sheng Temple are here as well," Fairy Qinglian nodded slightly. "Five Taiyi Realm cultivators are stationed here, and they¡¯re all close to the Great Tang Dynasty Government. This must not simply be to deal with any potential incidents from the Kingdom of Qingqiu, right?" Upon hearing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows and remarked. Upon hearing this, Fairy Qinglian¡¯s gaze toward Shen Luo showed a trace of hidden approval. "You guessed correctly. The influence of the Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos has not been completely eradicated. In fact, Chang¡¯an City has not been peaceful recently. In the span of just a dozen days, several officials from the Astronomical Bureau have been successively assassinated and killed," she said. "Why assassinate officials from the Astronomical Bureau?" Shen Luo asked in confusion. "It¡¯s not clear yet. However, these Astronomical Bureau officials share one common trait: they were all engaged in underground hydrology investigations to repair Chang¡¯an City. Yuan Tiangang even divined a hexagram for this matter. Afterward, he invited a few of us to remain in Chang¡¯an City to assist with the investigation, just in case," Fairy Qinglian replied. Having heard this, Shen Luo felt a slight unease rise in his heart. But knowing that the elders were overseeing the matter, he didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. Shortly afterward, he took his leave, while Nie Caizhu stayed behind. After leaving the other garden, Shen Luo planned to meet up with Master Yan outside the city to inform him of the plan to postpone their departure to the following day. As he approached the City Gate, Shen Luo suddenly spotted a familiar figure. The person also noticed him at the same time, and the two walked toward each other. "Friend Shen..." the person spoke first. "Friend Gu..." The individual turned out to be Gu Hualing. Shen Luo scrutinized her briefly and said, "Friend Gu, judging by your hurried demeanor, do you have urgent matters to attend to?" "Heading to the Great Tang Dynasty Government," Gu Hualing nodded and replied. "What happened?" Shen Luo furrowed his brows upon hearing this and asked immediately. "Let¡¯s talk as we go..." Gu Hualing hesitated briefly and then said. Shen Luo thought for a moment, nodded, and walked side by side with her toward the government offices. "En route, I was tasked by the Underworld to assist the government in investigating the deaths of several hydrology officials from the Astronomical Bureau. Recently, I¡¯ve uncovered some clues and plan to report them to the National Master," Gu Hualing explained. "I¡¯ve heard of this matter as well. The government seems to have no updates yet. What have you uncovered?" Shen Luo asked in puzzlement. Gu Hualing paused her steps and brought Shen Luo to a secluded spot. "In investigating the deaths of the Astronomical Bureau¡¯s hydrology officials, I found something odd. They appear to have been killed because they discovered certain issues with the underground water veins of Chang¡¯an," Gu Hualing said. "What kind of issues?" Shen Luo asked. Gu Hualing turned her hand and produced a silk map. As she slowly unfolded it before Shen Luo, she explained: sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "While conducting hydrology surveys, they found multiple changes in the underground water veins and earth veins. The officials hadn¡¯t yet clarified whether these changes were due to severe damage from prior attacks on Chang¡¯an or deliberate tampering afterward, and they were killed shortly after making these discoveries." Shen Luo¡¯s gaze fell upon the map. He noticed its numerous dense and erratic lines, clearly a geomantic map of the underground water veins and earth veins in Chang¡¯an City. He began carefully studying the marked areas that had been altered. On the geomantic map, the altered earth veins and water veins were prominently marked¡ªone earth vein even extended beyond Chang¡¯an City. His gaze landed on the earth vein heading out of the city, and his pupils contracted slightly. Judging by the map¡¯s markings, the direction this earth vein led toward was none other than the Yinling Mountains. Shen Luo was clearer than anyone about what lay within the depths of the Yinling Mountains: an ancient tomb directly connected to the Netherworld. The motive behind linking the earth vein to that location was obvious. "Friend Shen, have you noticed something?" Gu Hualing, observing the change in Shen Luo¡¯s expression, asked. "Have you sent anyone to investigate where this earth vein leads, Friend Gu?" Shen Luo did not answer but pointed at the earth vein and asked instead. "Not yet. I only recently uncovered clues about the killings of the Astronomical Bureau hydrology officials. I haven¡¯t had time to thoroughly examine these altered earth veins one by one," Gu Hualing replied. "Then follow me to investigate this earth vein!" Shen Luo said decisively. His figure transformed into a crimson streak and shot toward the Yinling Mountains. Gu Hualing frowned with slight displeasure. However, being well-acquainted with Shen Luo¡¯s temperament, she knew he wouldn¡¯t act rashly. Shortly after, she leapt after him. Given their current cultivation levels, the two quickly arrived at the Yinling Mountains. "What kind of place is this? What are we doing here?" Gu Hualing asked as she scanned her surroundings. "You¡¯ll know once we go underground," Shen Luo replied. He turned over his hand to produce an Escape Earth Talisman, placed it on himself, and offered another to Gu Hualing. "I possess treasures for underground travel. I don¡¯t need such talismans," Gu Hualing declined. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pocketed the talisman, activated his own Escape Earth Talisman, and dove underground. Gu Hualing followed closely behind, and the two quickly reached the deep underground. Once Shen Luo steadied himself, he extended his Divine Sense outward, spreading it in all directions. "Are you investigating the earth veins here? No need to go through so much trouble. I have an Earth Vein Instrument, a magical treasure well-suited for sensing earth veins," Gu Hualing said as she retrieved a small yellow sphere, about the size of a fist. Covered with intricate runes crisscrossing its surface, it emanated an air of mystery. With a hand gesture, Gu Hualing activated the Earth Vein Instrument. It began revolving swiftly, releasing a layer of yellow misty radiance. Lines of yellow patterns flickered across its surface continuously. Shen Luo noticed that, as the Earth Vein Instrument operated, the spiritual power within the surrounding soil began rippling and undulating in waves that expanded outward. It indeed facilitated the examination of earth vein conditions. A moment later, the yellow light on the Earth Vein Instrument ceased, revealing a thick yellow pattern. "Follow me," Gu Hualing said as she moved forward underground. Shen Luo followed silently, and the two soon arrived at a specific location underground. At this spot, spiritual energy was densely concentrated, forming a massive earth vein that flowed beneath the ground like a giant dragon. However, the spiritual power within this earth vein felt somewhat unfamiliar in its movements, occasionally emitting low rumbling sounds. "This earth vein is the altered one, correct?" Shen Luo asked, looking toward Gu Hualing. "Indeed." Having encountered similar changes in other earth veins within Chang¡¯an City, Gu Hualing confirmed without hesitation. "Follow me," Shen Luo nodded and moved along the earth vein¡¯s path. He soon arrived at its endpoint. Up ahead, a dense shadow emerged underground, resembling an abyssal void¡ªwith its destination entirely unknown. Chapter 1676 - 1672: Secret Communication with You Ming Chapter 1676: Chapter 1672: Secret Communication with You Ming"What is this?" Gu Hualing activated her Divine Sense to probe the shadows. Yet, the darkness seemed boundless, and her Divine Sense could not reach the bottom. Shen Luo also activated his Divine Sense, delving into the shadows ahead. At the deepest point of the darkness, he faintly sensed wisps of chilling Netherworld aura, and his conjecture grew firmer. "It should be a spatial passageway," he said slowly. "A spatial passageway? Where does it lead?" Gu Hualing, being extremely intelligent, quickly grasped the implication of Shen Luo¡¯s words and asked with a grave expression. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Examine it closely. At the very bottom of the spatial passageway, you should be able to sense some faint clues," Shen Luo replied, without moving forward. Instead, he turned and began flying upward. Hearing this, Gu Hualing concentrated her Divine Sense to probe the black shadows again and soon faintly sensed some traces of aura. "This aura is very similar to the Netherworld... Could it be..." she murmured to herself. Then, realizing that Shen Luo had already left, she hastily pursued him and quickly ascended to the ground. Shen Luo stood on the ground, gazing toward the depths of the Yinling Mountains as if lost in thought. "Brother Shen, are you suggesting that this passageway leads to the Netherworld? While the Netherworld is indeed connected to various realms through passageways, those are all opened by the Six Paths Reincarnation Disk. Why does this passageway lack even a trace of the Six Paths¡¯ aura? Moreover, I¡¯ve never heard of such a passageway near Chang¡¯an City," Gu Hualing approached Shen Luo and fired off a string of questions. "It¡¯s a long story. Let us first return to Chang¡¯an City and meet with Master Yuan," Shen Luo withdrew his gaze and replied in a solemn tone before transforming into a streak of light and flying toward Chang¡¯an City. Gu Hualing stomped her foot in frustration but had no choice but to take flight and follow. In just moments, the two had returned to Chang¡¯an City and arrived at the Great Tang Dynasty Government offices. By now, Shen Luo¡¯s name was renowned within the Great Tang Government, and after asking around, they quickly learned that Yuan Tiangang was in a side hall of the premises. He and Gu Hualing headed over immediately. Standing outside the hall were two figures: one was a young girl in a yellow dress, elegant and poised like an Immortal of Yaochi¡ªit was Li Shu. The other figure was a man in a golden robe exuding noble demeanor, someone quite familiar to Shen Luo¡ªit was Zhang Chuan. Upon seeing Shen Luo, Zhang Chuan¡¯s expression darkened, though he said nothing. During the recent great battle in Chang¡¯an, Shen Luo¡¯s strength was fully revealed. Although his cultivation was only at the Early True Immortal stage, he had managed to fight the Taiyi-level Jing River Dragon King, far beyond Zhang Chuan¡¯s capabilities. Li Shu also noticed Shen Luo and her face lit up with joy. She was just about to greet him when she caught sight of Gu Hualing nearby, her expression momentarily freezing. "Princess Shu, Daoist Zhang, it¡¯s been a while. Is Master Yuan inside?" Shen Luo greeted the two with a nod before glancing toward the side hall and inquiring. "Master is inside, tending to Duke Cheng¡¯s injuries," Li Shu replied, her expression returning to normal. "Duke Cheng hasn¡¯t recovered yet?" Shen Luo asked in surprise. "No. His Grace¡¯s body is still very frail. The injuries he sustained earlier affected his very foundation," Li Shu said, her expression dimming. "With Duke Cheng¡¯s cultivation level, coupled with Master Yuan¡¯s assistance, he should recover soon. Princess Shu need not worry. I came to see Master Yuan today concerning an important matter. Would it be possible to trouble you to inform him of my presence?" Shen Luo reassured her before making his request. "Very well. Please wait here for a moment," Li Shu nodded before sparing Gu Hualing another glance and heading inside. "Brother Shen, are you well-acquainted with this Princess Shu?" Gu Hualing asked with a sly smile. "We¡¯ve met a few times. Nothing more. Why do you ask?" Shen Luo hesitated before replying. "I heard from Lu Huaming that you¡¯re engaged to Nie Caizhu from Mount Putuo. Does the Minor Sect Leader know about your habit of winning hearts everywhere you go?" Gu Hualing teased, stepping closer and transmitting her words directly to Shen Luo. "Winning hearts everywhere? I have no such habit! Princess Shu and I are merely friends. Please don¡¯t say such things, Friend Gu!" Shen Luo was startled and immediately transmitted back. Having just calmed down Qinglian Fairy¡¯s earlier fury over his dual cultivation with Nie Caizhu, Shen Luo could only shudder at the thought of another round of rumors reaching her ears. "Oh, truly?" Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s flustered expression, Gu Hualing felt thoroughly vindicated for the times Shen Luo had kept her at arm¡¯s length earlier. Feeling quite pleased, she chuckled mischievously and said no more. Standing nearby, Zhang Chuan glared resentfully at the two, their interaction stoking his anger further. He had met Gu Hualing before and even tried to curry favor with her, but she had completely ignored him. Yet now, she seemed to be getting along quite well with Shen Luo. "Li Shu, Gu Hualing, no matter who it is¡ªwhy do they favor this freelance cultivator so? Outrageous!" Zhang Chuan silently fumed with resentment. Still, he consoled himself with the progress he¡¯d made in his own cultivation. Adding to his efforts, the Heavenly Palace had recently provided him with several powerful treasures. Having stabilized his Early True Immortal stage, he believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before he reached the Early True Immortal peak. When the time came, he could attempt a breakthrough to the Middle True Immortal stage and then return to the Heavenly Palace to acquire a few more potent magical treasures. Perhaps then, he could defeat Shen Luo and finally vent his frustrations. However, as this thought crossed his mind, Zhang Chuan instinctively probed Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation level using his Divine Sense. What he found left him as if struck by lightning, frozen in place. Surging within Shen Luo¡¯s body was an extraordinary flow of mana, unmistakably at the Late True Immortal stage. "You¡¯ve reached the Late True Immortal stage?" Zhang Chuan blurted out in disbelief. Shen Luo, having little regard for Zhang Chuan, glanced at him briefly before withdrawing his gaze and saying nothing. Zhang Chuan stood there dazed, his expression like ashes. "Brother Shen, your cultivation has advanced so swiftly. Do you have any secrets to share? Would you be willing to enlighten me as well?" Gu Hualing, who had already noticed Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation changes during their trip to the Yinling Mountains, asked with a gleam in her eye. "Friend Gu, you are extraordinarily gifted. Surely you have no need for my guidance," Shen Luo replied with a forced smile, shaking his head. Gu Hualing snorted lightly and was about to tease him some more when the sound of footsteps echoed from inside the side hall. "Brother Shen, Master Yuan is ready to see you now," Li Shu said as she emerged. "Understood," Shen Luo quickly replied and stepped inside. Gu Hualing, biting her lip, followed him in. Inside the hall, Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin were seated. Cheng Yaojin¡¯s complexion was pale and clearly far from recovery. Yuan Tiangang, on the other hand, looked unchanged from before. However, with Shen Luo¡¯s improved cultivation, he could now sense that Yuan Tiangang¡¯s aura was even more vast and boundless, as lofty as the heavens and as deep as the seas. "Master Yuan, Duke Cheng," Shen Luo stepped forward and gave a bow, followed by Gu Hualing, who also offered a formal salute. "No need for such formalities. Brother Shen, your cultivation has advanced significantly¡ªexcellent, truly excellent," Yuan Tiangang said with a faint smile, his gaze sweeping over Shen Luo and Gu Hualing with a hint of satisfaction. Cheng Yaojin, still dulled by his injuries, only now extended his Divine Sense to check Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation. His copper-bell eyes widened in astonishment: "Late True Immortal stage? Shen Luo, did you consume some Immortal Pill? It¡¯s been mere days, and you¡¯ve broken through two major realms!" "It¡¯s a long story. I recently stumbled upon a Celestial Secret Realm in the Western Regions, where I encountered some fortuitous opportunities. That¡¯s how my cultivation improved," Shen Luo said concisely. The matters regarding the Celestial Secret Realm were far too bizarre and involved too many complications to share in full with Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin. Chapter 1677 - 1673: Another Entrance Chapter 1677: Chapter 1673: Another Entrance"Celestial Secret Realm!" Yuan Tiangang¡¯s eyebrows twitched upon hearing the words. "Does Master Yuan know of that secret realm?" Shen Luo asked upon seeing this. "I happened to come across it in the classics; it¡¯s known as a place of immortal burial, but I know little more about it." Yuan Tiangang shook his head and said. "A place for immortal burial, indeed an apt description." Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but think to himself. "As for the situation there, I will explain it to the two elders at length when there¡¯s leisure. I have come this time with important matters to report to the Duke and Master Yuan." He quickly regained his composure and said. "Oh? What matters? You may speak." Yuan Tiangang waved his whisk and nodded. "I just returned to Chang¡¯an City and learned from Friend Gu that the officials of the Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Hydrology Department were killed, and that some earth veins were altered. One of these altered earth veins leads to the Yinling Mountains to the northwest of Chang¡¯an City. I¡¯ve been to an ancient tomb there, and at the bottom of the tomb, there¡¯s a passageway leading to the Netherworld." Shen Luo paused here, confident that with Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin¡¯s wisdom, he needn¡¯t elaborate further. Indeed, Cheng Yaojin¡¯s face tensed upon hearing this. Yuan Tiangang, however, remained calm, showing no sign of surprise. "Could it be that Yuan Tiangang already knew about this?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but think. "This is the earth vein hydrology map that was just drawn, along with the investigation results of the case concerning the officials of the Astronomical Bureau¡¯s Hydrology Department conducted by this junior." Gu Hualing took out the hydrology map and a jade slip and presented them to Yuan and Cheng. Cheng Yaojin urgently took the hydrology map and jade slip, and his expression turned grim after a sweep of his divine sense. "Based on the situation from the previous great battle, the enemy has the ability to summon demons from underground. Now that they¡¯ve opened a passageway connecting to the Netherworld, it¡¯s very likely they intend to make a comeback, summoning ghosts from the Netherworld to attack Chang¡¯an City again. We must find a way to stop it!" Cheng Yaojin said, looking at Yuan Tiangang. "Friend Gu, you¡¯ve worked hard." Yuan Tiangang remained unperturbed, taking the earth vein hydrology map and jade slip, he glanced at them before speaking to Gu Hualing. Gu Hualing was momentarily stunned before she realized Yuan Tiangang was suggesting she leave. "In that case, I will take my leave." Gu Hualing slightly bowed, glared at Shen Luo beside her, and then walked out. Yuan Tiangang waved his sleeve, and a layer of white light enveloped the great hall. "Master Yuan, could there be more to the matter of the earth veins?" Shen Luo saw this and asked, surprise flashing in his eyes. "This matter involves a great deal, and it¡¯s a long story. I heard you were present when Mount Fangcun was attacked. Do you know the real reason Lion Camel Ridge and Demon King Fort attacked Mount Fangcun?" Yuan Tiangang¡¯s tone shifted to ask in return. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I know a bit. I heard it was to enter a place called the Divine Demon Well, and the entrance is within the Bodhi Secret Realm at Mount Fangcun." Shen Luo didn¡¯t understand why Yuan Tiangang suddenly brought up the matter of Mount Fangcun but still answered truthfully. "Exactly. The Divine Demon Well is the hub of spiritual energy and demonic energy in the Three Realms. After the Ancient God-sealing War, all races of the Three Realms combined forces to seal it, but over the years, there have been constant plots to exploit the Divine Demon Well." Yuan Tiangang said. "I can imagine that. But isn¡¯t the entrance to the Divine Demon Well within the Bodhi Secret Realm? After the great battle, the entrance should have been sealed. What does it have to do with Chang¡¯an City?" Shen Luo asked, puzzled. "There isn¡¯t just one entrance to the Divine Demon Well. There¡¯s also one here in Chang¡¯an City." Cheng Yaojin said. "What!" Shen Luo was shocked upon hearing this. He opened his mouth, subconsciously wanting to ask where the entrance to the Divine Demon Well was, but he forcibly swallowed his words. The secrets of such importance must be kept strictly confidential and cannot be casually spread. "So, Master, you mean that the previous unrest in Chang¡¯an City and the current changes to the earth veins are all someone¡¯s attempt to open the entrance to the Divine Demon Well?" Shen Luo steadied his mind and asked. "Yes, but they likely haven¡¯t found the location of the entrance yet. Previously, they drove the imprisoned monsters beneath Chang¡¯an City to attack the people, attempting to use the blood sacrificial method to probe the entire city but were thwarted. Now I suppose they are attempting the same old trick." Yuan Tiangang said. "Didn¡¯t the previous demon attack on the city occur because the Jing River Dragon King tried to destroy the Great Tang Dragon Vein and claim it for himself?" Shen Luo expressed his surprise. "That was just the surface reason. I investigated thoroughly afterward and found a blood sacrifice array engraved deep underground in Chang¡¯an City, capable of polluting the earth veins with essence blood and resentment, as well as probing everything within the city. The Jing River Dragon King was merely used by others. Fortunately, the slaughter was stopped in time that day, and the blood sacrifice array was halted halfway." Yuan Tiangang said. "That¡¯s good to hear." Shen Luo¡¯s expression relaxed. "Even so, whether the blood sacrifice array has begun probing or to what extent remains unknown. Our only option now is to strive to guard the entrance to the Divine Demon Well. I have summoned experts from various factions here precisely for this purpose." Yuan Tiangang said. "Master Yuan speaks rightly, but regardless, the earth vein leading to the Yinling Mountains must be severed or sealed." Shen Luo said. "You needn¡¯t worry. Upon hearing of this matter just now, I already dispatched someone to handle it." Yuan Tiangang replied with a faint smile. Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. "So you¡¯ve already sent people there, that¡¯s good." Cheng Yaojin said. "The two elders have told me these things because you need my service?" Shen Luo looked at them and asked. "Indeed, given the current situation..." Yuan Tiangang began to say. But just as he spoke halfway, the ground suddenly shook violently, and loud rumbling sounds pierced through the surrounding white light and transmitted inside. Yuan Tiangang abruptly stood up and vanished into thin air, the white light in the hall dissipating accordingly. Shen Luo immediately shot towards the outside, just as Cheng Yaojin was about to stand, his body suddenly froze, and tendrils of black light appeared in his eyes. "Heh heh, the Heavenly Fox Heart-taking Technique is indeed mysterious; no one even noticed my presence." A cold, sinister laugh emerged from Cheng Yaojin¡¯s mouth, and wisps of Black Qi surged from his body, flowing towards the ground. Shen Luo flashed to mid-air outside a side hall, his expression drastically changing. The once bright sky was now covered by a thick Black Cloud, with meteor-sized fireballs descending like rain upon various parts of Chang¡¯an City. These fireballs were bright and vivid, appearing not like ordinary fire. Upon reaching the ground, they violently exploded, obliterating everything within hundreds of feet around them. Amid the thundering roars, fires ignited throughout Chang¡¯an City. Countless houses and buildings collapsed as cries of anguish filled the air. In a mix of shock and anger, Shen Luo¡¯s feet emitted a dazzling lightning light, vanishing from his spot and reappearing under a fireball hundreds of feet away, with a wave of his sleeve. A golden tower materialized¡ªnone other than the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. Its base emitted a large area of golden light, enveloping the fireball. The massive fireball rapidly shrunk, disappearing with a "whoosh" into the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower not only contained the Six Ding Divine Fire but also housed a Mysterious Fire Space, capable of capturing all the world¡¯s flames. Sparks flew from Shen Luo¡¯s feet once more as he reappeared beneath another fireball, summoning the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower to absorb the flame. Chapter 1678 - 1674: Fox Chaos Continues Chapter 1678: Chapter 1674: Fox Chaos Continues"Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower? How did such a treasure fall into your hands?" Just as Shen Luo was about to continue collecting other flames, nearby golden light flashed, and a tall figure appeared out of thin air¡ªit was Pagoda Heavenly King Li Jing, whose fiery gaze landed on the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. While speaking, Li Jing summoned a Purple Thunder Drum Magical Treasure, which shot out and erupted with tens of thousands of rays of thunderous light, completely stopping all the fireballs falling within several miles of the vicinity. A streak of escape light also shot out from within the city at this moment, accompanied by the roaring brilliance of magical treasures, blocking the majority of the fireballs¡ªthese were masters from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Mount Putuo, and Hua Sheng Temple. Fairy Qinglian from Mount Putuo and Kongdu Zen Master from Hua Sheng Temple were present too. Within Chang¡¯an City, the sound of resounding dragon chants filled the air; in the east, green light burst forth, and an Azure Dragon¡¯s shadow soared skyward. From the west, a thunderous tiger¡¯s roar shook the heavens, and a White Tiger¡¯s shadow materialized in the void, exuding an overwhelming aura of suppression and slaughter. Soon afterward, a Vermilion Bird Divine Bird appeared in the south, while in the north, a Black Tortoise Divine body manifested. In the central sky, an intricate weave of densely packed charm patterns glimmered and radiated brilliantly like starlight. It was the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array, enveloping all of Chang¡¯an City and intercepting every descending fireball. Shen Luo let out a sigh of relief upon witnessing this sight. With so many masters present and bolstered by the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array, no matter how formidable the attack, it could be repelled. The only concern now was whether the enemy would emerge from underground as they had done last time. Suddenly, the Black Tortoise¡¯s shadow in the midair dove down, disappearing into the ground in a flash. The ground immediately roared deeply and emitted dazzling yellow light, as indestructible as metal and stone! "So the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array has such transformations as well?" Shen Luo was greatly amazed. "Rest assured, Yuan Tiangang foresaw that enemies would soon attack Chang¡¯an City again. The residents in the city have already been properly relocated, and only a few were harmed during the arrival of fireballs," Li Jing said. Hearing this, Shen Luo completely set his mind at ease. "Your name is Shen Luo, correct? I just asked you a question, but you haven¡¯t answered me yet," Li Jing once again looked at the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower with a hint of fervor in his gaze. "Reporting to Heavenly King Li, I obtained this treasure while exploring a secret realm," Shen Luo said after giving Li Jing a respectful bow. "A secret realm..." Li Jing showed a sign of surprise as he muttered to himself. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze fell on Li Jing¡¯s waist, where a black iron whip hung¡ªit was none other than the Six Chen Whip. This artifact, originally the War God Whip, belonged to Ancestor Witch Emperor Jiang, and housed the Soul Devouring Array, capable of refining and obliterating an opponent¡¯s divine soul. After reverting essence to origin, it assimilated into the wielder¡¯s being with endless utility. Shen Luo had long coveted this artifact but had never had the opportunity since Li Jing, as a celestial general of the Heavenly Court, seldom descended to the mortal realm. Now that they had met here, Shen Luo was determined not to let this chance slip away. "Heavenly King Li, could it be that this Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower has some connection with you? It was an incidental acquisition on my part. If the Heavenly King desires it, I shall offer it to you with both hands," Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts surged as he lifted the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower and handed it over. "This Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower was forged by Taishang Laojun using First Mountain Red Copper and other celestial-grade spiritual materials, refined within the Eight Trigrams Furnace for eighty-one days, containing the Six Ding Divine Fire with infinite uses. You¡¯re giving it to me?" Hearing this, Li Jing¡¯s expression showed a trace of surprise. Li Jing did indeed desire the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. After advancing to Taiyi Stage, the next hurdle was reaching the Heavenly Venerate Stage¡ªa chasm that had stymied countless Taiyi cultivators, even after thousands of years of diligent cultivation. Li Jing himself had been stuck at the Heavenly Venerate bottleneck for countless years, unable to surpass it, much like others. Fortunately, some years ago, he discovered a method to break through the Heavenly Venerate bottleneck, requiring the aid of three genuine spiritual treasures. His own Exquisite Pagoda could count as one, but he had yet to acquire the other two. The qualities of Shen Luo¡¯s Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower rivaled those of his Exquisite Pagoda, making it an ideal choice. "What the Heavenly King might not know is that, though this treasure is exceptional, its properties do not align with the cultivation techniques I practice, and I have never been able to exploit its true potential. I originally intended to trade it for something more suitable, and now that I¡¯ve encountered the Heavenly King, perhaps this tower has found its rightful master. As the saying goes, a treasured sword belongs in the hands of a hero; please accept this tower," Shen Luo said respectfully. "You flatter me. This Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower was indeed the possession of an old friend of mine. Since you can¡¯t fully unleash its power, I will take it off your hands. However, I won¡¯t take the belongings of the younger generation for free. What do you want in exchange for this treasure? A handy magical treasure, or perhaps a fitting elixir? My collection is reasonably diverse; I should be able to fulfill your request," Li Jing concealed his excitement beneath a calm exterior. Hearing this, Shen Luo was secretly delighted. After maneuvering so much, he had finally managed to ensnare Li Jing. "To be honest, I follow the path of cultivating both the body and mana. Some years ago, I accidentally acquired a tremendously powerful whip technique, but I¡¯ve never had a suitable iron whip magical treasure to pair with it," Shen Luo glanced at the Six Chen Whip hanging at Li Jing¡¯s waist and adopted a somewhat embarrassed expression. Li Jing¡¯s smile froze, and he turned his gaze toward his waist and the Six Chen Whip, falling silent. This whip was a gift from his Master Du E Venerate during his youth when he had gone to Western Kunlun to study. Though its grade wasn¡¯t especially high, its power was barely adequate. Its most noteworthy trait was its peerless sturdiness, never having been damaged. Over the years, as his cultivation level soared, Li Jing had long since outgrown the need for the whip. However, when he had finished his training and was about to leave Western Kunlun, Du E Venerate had instructed him to never let the Six Chen Whip leave his side. Thus, even now, he kept it with him. He hadn¡¯t expected Shen Luo to request this very item. "Should I give it or not? It seems Shen Luo has set his sights on this whip. If I refuse, I might not secure the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower today." Various thoughts twirled in Li Jing¡¯s mind as he made his decision swiftly. He had already thoroughly studied the Six Chen Whip. It was merely a mid-grade magical treasure, a trivial object. His master¡¯s words might have been nothing more than a casual remark. "So you¡¯ve taken a fancy to my Six Chen Whip. This artifact is forged from Mixed Gold Profound Iron and weighs thousands of pounds¡ªindeed suitable for someone cultivating both body and mana. Take it if you wish," Li Jing said, handing over the whip. Shen Luo¡¯s heart surged with excitement as he accepted the whip and passed the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower to Li Jing. The two men each took their respective treasures, both grinning with satisfaction. "Young Master Shen, the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower you¡¯ve been using is immensely powerful, and the Six Ding Divine Fire contained within it is especially rare. Why on earth would you trade it for this Six Chen Whip?" Fire Spirit Child asked in annoyance. "I¡¯ll explain this to you later," Shen Luo replied with a sly smile, offering no further detail. The situation in the city had stabilized by now, and Shen Luo looked around briefly, preparing to bid Li Jing farewell and leave. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, the ground below violently shook once again as a massive black light pillar tore through the ground¡¯s layer of yellow brilliance and shot skyward, roaring like thunder and mad lightning. The two quickly dodged to the side, appearing a hundred feet away, narrowly avoiding the black light pillar¡¯s impact. The black light pillar gathered and condensed swiftly into the colossal shadow of a black fox, its blood-red eyes gleaming, with nine enormous fox tails waving menacingly behind it¡ªit was none other than the giant fox from the prior chaos in Chang¡¯an. Chapter 1679 - 1675: Heading to Qingqiu Chapter 1679: Chapter 1675: Heading to Qingqiu"What¡¯s going on? Wasn¡¯t the ground sealed by the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array? Why is this fox shadow appearing again!" Shen Luo said in disbelief. As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly widened. Through the black fox shadow, Shen Luo could barely make out the figure of someone sitting cross-legged inside¡ªit was Cheng Yaojin. "Step back!" Li Jing¡¯s face turned ashen; clearly, he too had noticed Cheng Yaojin within the fox shadow. With a wave of his hand, he threw out the Purple Thunder Drum. The drum erupted with thunderous light, instantly transforming into a giant drum a hundred feet in size, smashing down toward the black fox shadow. "The Heavenly Thunder Drum? Heh, if this artifact were in Randeng Daoist¡¯s hands, I might be wary of it. But with just your meager cultivation, Li Jing, how much of its power can you harness?" The black fox shadow sneered, two fox tails sweeping through the air to coil around the Heavenly Thunder Drum, holding it suspended in mid-air, unable to descend a fraction. Li Jing¡¯s expression drastically changed. He gripped the sword at his waist, prepared to draw it, but a black fox tail lashed out, delivering two heavy blows that sent both Li Jing and Shen Luo flying. Shen Luo soared dozens of feet before he could steady himself, spitting out a mouthful of blood, his heart filled with terror. A gentle force suddenly surged from behind, countering the immense impact and allowing him to regain his footing. The figure of Yuan Tiangang appeared in the air above the black fox¡¯s head. His whisk emitted a myriad of silver lights, descending like an Earth-Net to enshroud everything below. The black fox, however, did not react to this sight. It began chanting ancient, archaic spells aloud. Four black shadows shot forth from the black fox¡¯s body, each radiating a terrifying aura comparable to Li Jing¡¯s. The four figures were engulfed by dark shadows, concealing their faces. Only faint outlines could be discerned¡ªone wielded a staff, another held a blade, one carried a black basin, and one suspended a round pearl above their head. All of them shouted in unison. Four streaks of black light cleaved through the silver-threaded net. A faint ripping sound echoed as the net shattered, and the Heavenly Thunder Drum was struck by a black beam, flung away with a loud "bang." Yuan Tiangang swiftly withdrew, retreating a safe distance. Li Jing appeared behind the drum, raised his hand, and caught it. "No wonder all my deployments over recent days were immediately detected, and I couldn¡¯t catch the troublemaker wreaking havoc within Chang¡¯an City. So, you¡¯ve been lurking inside Duke Cheng¡¯s body all along," Yuan Tiangang glanced briefly at the four mysterious black shadows before shifting his gaze to the black fox shadow. He spoke slowly. "How could my clan¡¯s secret techniques be fathomed by a mere mortal monk like you? Last time, I failed to destroy this Chang¡¯an City. Now that my true form has descended and I have strong allies to assist me, I will for sure blood-sacrifice this city, finding the entrance of the Divine Demon Well!" The black fox shadow laughed maniacally, its nine tails sweeping in all directions. A tidal wave of darkness erupted from its body, accompanied by countless ghostly wails and howls. A dense swarm of ghosts and demons surged from the darkness, spreading out to rampage everywhere. Shen Luo¡¯s expression drastically changed. With a flip of his hand, he retrieved the Profound Yellow Staff. Sixteen Pure Yang Swords materialized around him, and he charged forward to attack. Just then, his vision blurred, and when he regained his senses, he found himself already outside Chang¡¯an City. Nearby, beams of light flickered through the void, and figures materialized one after another¡ªthey were disciples from Mount Putuo and Tianji City. Nie Caizhu and Master Yan were among them, their faces full of confusion. At that moment, strands of white light began converging in the void in front of the group, forming into a white shadow¡ªYuan Tiangang. "National Master, why did you send us outside? With demons attacking Chang¡¯an City, we should join the fight too!" Shen Luo immediately stepped forward to inquire. "The battle within Chang¡¯an City does not require you juniors. You must immediately head to Qingqiu Mountain and handle the situation there," Yuan Tiangang said calmly. The group was stunned upon hearing this. With the black fox summoning so many demons and ghosts, the situation was far worse than last time. Surely no amount of manpower could be too much to help defend the city. "What does Master Yuan mean by this? Chang¡¯an City is teeming with demons, and our strength is not insignificant¡ªwhy suddenly send us to Qingqiu Mountain?" Master Yan asked with clasped hands. "Now is not the time for explanations; you¡¯ll understand later. Remember my words¡ªno more reinforcements will be sent to Qingqiu Mountain from any faction. You must resolve the issues there on your own," Yuan Tiangang replied, his figure flickering before disappearing. The group looked at each other, momentarily speechless. "What should we do now?" Nie Caizhu glanced at Chang¡¯an City with visible anxiety. Fairy Qinglian was still inside the city, and Nie Caizhu viewed her as a motherly figure, deeply worried for her safety. But the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array isolated all sound from within the city, making it impossible to discern what was happening inside. "Master Yuan possesses extraordinary divination powers; his foresight far surpasses ours. Since he has made this arrangement, there must be a purpose behind it. We should do as he says and head to Qingqiu Mountain," Shen Luo said after a moment¡¯s consideration. "Brother Shen¡¯s words make sense," Master Yan nodded. Nie Caizhu continued staring at Chang¡¯an City in silence. "Caizhu, Fairy Qinglian has formidable strength. With Heavenly King Li, Zen Master Kongdu, and National Master Yuan all present, they surely have the ability to handle the demons inside the city. Staying here may only waste time and risk harm to ourselves." Shen Luo advised. "Alright, let¡¯s go to Qingqiu Mountain." Nie Caizhu withdrew her gaze and agreed. With their plan settled, the group set off immediately. Master Yan summoned his flying boat made of armor, ferrying everyone toward Qingqiu Mountain. ... Two days later. Master Yan and the others piloted the treasure ship flying boat, yet before reaching Morning Sound Valley, over a dozen escape lights streaked toward them, blocking their way. The group of figures was clad in armor and wielded weapons, their attire differing widely, suggesting they hailed from various sects. "The area ahead is close to the battlefront. Ordinary outsiders are prohibited from entering," the leading figure, dressed in the Inner Sect Disciple robes of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, approached and shouted. Hearing the voice, Shen Luo and the others stepped out from the vessel, moving to the bow of the flying boat. "We are disciples of Tianji City and Mount Putuo, here to subdue the Kingdom of Qingqiu. If we are allies, do not block us," Master Yan said in a commanding tone. The lead figure scrutinized the group, his eyes suddenly lighting up as he asked, "Could it be Senior Shen Luo?" "Indeed, I am Shen Luo," Shen Luo replied promptly upon being named. "They¡¯re one of us." Upon hearing this, the leading monk immediately gestured for his companions to stand aside, clearing a passage for the treasure ship flying boat. Shen Luo and his companions expressed their gratitude, and the flying boat descended slowly toward the valley entrance. The area outside Morning Sound Valley was covered with banners and packed with sprawling encampments, resembling the maneuvers of the Tang Dynasty Army. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After landing, Shen Luo and the others escorted Elder You Li toward the central military tent. Before reaching the entrance, they could already hear a commotion inside. "As leaders of your respective sects, how dare you leave your posts without permission? What do you take this for?" Shen Luo furrowed his brows upon hearing the reprimand, finding the voice somewhat familiar. "Oh, come on! We just wanted to scout out some intel in the valley and planned to return after. Besides, you all have been managing the troops just fine, haven¡¯t you?" This voice sounded even more familiar¡ªit was Bai Xiaotian. Chapter 1680 - 1676: Can’t Count Anymore Chapter 1680: Chapter 1676: Can¡¯t Count Anymore"Alright, stop arguing for now. This time, we haven¡¯t come back empty-handed. We¡¯ve discovered that at least six formations have already been activated within this valley, so we cannot recklessly attack." At that moment, Lu Huaming¡¯s voice rang out. Before Shen Luo and his group could enter, a hearty laugh suddenly echoed from inside the tent: "Haha! Fellow Daoists, if you¡¯re not coming in, are you planning to eavesdrop outside?" Shen Luo¡¯s group hadn¡¯t deliberately concealed their aura, though he had temporarily suppressed his cultivation to appear as an Early True Immortal. Upon entering the tent, Shen Luo immediately saw Seven Kills, whose face was still clouded with residual anger, and Jiang Shentian, whose face was plastered with a smile. "Shen Luo, you rascal, where have you been? Earlier, we thought you were in Qingqiu Kingdom, and it forced us to exercise caution, preventing us from launching a large-scale attack," Bai Xiaotian said as he gave Shen Luo¡¯s shoulder a playful smack with his folding fan. "Looks like you¡¯ve spent your days indulging in romance and leisure." Lu Huaming glanced at Nie Caizhu beside Shen Luo and teasingly remarked. The tense atmosphere inside the tent suddenly eased significantly. "What are you talking about? I left Qingqiu Kingdom to go to Tianji City long ago. Upon hearing of your movements, I quickly returned with Brother Yan from Tianji City and Brother Nie from Mount Putuo," Shen Luo explained with a smile. After speaking, he glanced around the tent and noticed the presence of many middle and small sect disciples, though none from the major sects. Mount Fangcun was still recuperating, Divine Wood Forest had just emerged into the world, and Dragon Palace had experienced recent turmoil¡ªall understandable reasons for their lack of participation. However, it was surprising that Pansi Cave, a direct victim of Chang¡¯an¡¯s calamity, hadn¡¯t dispatched anyone. "Jiang Daoist, Seven Kills Daoist, could you gather the representatives from each sect? There are some matters I need to discuss with everyone," Shen Luo turned to them, speaking with a resolute tone. Jiang Shentian nodded and took the lead to step outside, while Seven Kills hesitated briefly before following him. Moments later, over a dozen figures came into the tent. Shen Luo recognized them from the Yanhe Conference; they were the leaders and elders of various middle and small sects. "Everyone, the reason I¡¯ve gathered you here today is to discuss postponing the attack on the Qingqiu Fox Clan," Shen Luo bowed to the group and said. Upon hearing this, not only did the gathered crowd express surprise, but even Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian revealed astonished expressions. The room fell silent, and the atmosphere grew heavy. "We know you¡¯re a disciple of Mount Fangcun and contributed during the chaos at the Yanhe Conference, but the main conflict here lies between the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Qingqiu Fox Clan. It¡¯s not your place to take charge," an old Daoist from Pine Wind View furrowed his brows and remarked. "You¡¯re suggesting retreat? After all the effort we¡¯ve expended to assist the Great Tang, are we simply here to play games?" another person scoffed in dissatisfaction. "Do you even understand what the Qingqiu Kingdom did? And yet you¡¯re here yelling about retreat¡ªit must be easy for you," another person sneered. The tent erupted into clamor as more and more expressed their discontent with Shen Luo. Shen Luo frowned, realizing the matter was far from straightforward. "Since the Great Tang Dynasty Government is leading this charge, we should let Lu Daoist weigh in," someone insisted. At these words, all eyes unanimously landed on Lu Huaming. Lu Huaming lowered his head in contemplation for a moment, then looked at Shen Luo and spoke: "This time, the disaster that befell Chang¡¯an left the people gravely harmed. The Great Tang Government and Feathered Spirit Guards suffered significant losses as well; this can¡¯t¡ªnor should it¡ªbe brushed aside." "You misunderstand. I¡¯m not suggesting that we stop holding the Qingqiu Fox Clan accountable, only that I wish to directly confront the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom face-to-face before making any decisions," Shen Luo clarified upon hearing this. "Brother Shen, are you unaware? When we first arrived, we were indeed planning to negotiate with them. However, while their envoys openly parleyed with us, promising to provide an explanation, agents from behind launched sneak attacks and assassinations. Both Bai Xiaotian, Seven Kills Daoist, and I were ambushed. Elder Zhao from Dragon Sun Mountain and Elder Lin from Water Abyss Gate tragically lost their lives during one such attack," Lu Huaming explained. "Hmph! After killing Elder Lin, there¡¯s no way this matter can be settled so easily," another chief elder from Water Abyss Gate said angrily. "The Great Tang Dynasty Government may choose to back down, but we at Dragon Sun Mountain will never relent. We must fight them to the death," a burly man from Dragon Sun Mountain roared. "What about the envoy? Was the Qingqiu Kingdom¡¯s ruler¡¯s stance conveyed at all?" Shen Luo hesitated for a moment and asked. Just as the words left his mouth, an old man in a gray robe pushed his way through the crowd and pointed at Shen Luo indignantly: "The Qingqiu Kingdom¡¯s stance? Is this what you mean?" As he spoke, he tore open the front of his robes to reveal his chest, which was riddled with blackened scars resembling writhing worms, with faint traces of black lines still moving beneath the skin. "Elder Lu was lucky," Lu Huaming explained. "The envoy had refined poison within their body. When they detonated themselves, several nearby individuals were injured by the explosion. Elder Lu was the only one to survive, but even so, he¡¯s unable to purge the residual toxins inside." Hearing this, Shen Luo finally understood the numerous calamities that had transpired during this time. Faced with such a series of tragic events, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of anger. However, when he thought about Little Fox Misu, he hesitated. In his impression, the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom had been unwilling to incite conflict. Why were they sending such an envoy? Did she herself even know about this? "Enough! You¡¯re not in charge here. There¡¯s no need for us to follow your commands. The Qingqiu Fox Clan has been colluding and conspiring; not one among them is innocent. We should launch an attack immediately and annihilate them completely!" The burly man spoke vehemently, his murderous intent palpable. "Yes, annihilate them completely." "The sun is shining brightly today; it¡¯s the perfect time. Let¡¯s go! Eradicate the Qingqiu Fox Clan!" In an instant, the tent was filled with cries demanding battle, and the atmosphere grew increasingly bloodthirsty. "Fellow cultivators, no matter what happens, once war breaks out, both sides will suffer more casualties. This is the last thing any of us want. Let me enter Qingqiu Kingdom to meet their ruler face-to-face before we make any decision," Shen Luo said after a brief pause. "No way," Bai Xiaotian immediately opposed. "I also disagree," added Lu Huaming firmly. "Previously, Bai Xiaotian and I infiltrated Morning Sound Valley just to search for you, and we nearly didn¡¯t make it out alive. The situation within is incredibly perilous; you absolutely cannot take this risk." Seeing no alternative, Shen Luo could only transmit a message to the two of them: "The Qingqiu Fox Clan didn¡¯t just attack Chang¡¯an; they also targeted Tianji City. When you combine this with the earlier misfortunes at Mount Fangcun, don¡¯t you sense some hidden connection behind all of this?" "You mean..." Bai Xiaotian hesitated after hearing Shen Luo. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1681 - 1677 Assault by the Enemy Chapter 1681: Chapter 1677 Assault by the Enemy"The situation is likely more complicated than it appears on the surface. I suspect the shadow of the Demon Clan lineage of Chiyou is behind this..." Shen Luo continued via voice transmission. Hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, Lu Huaming recalled the reminders from the National Master and his Master Cheng Yaojin before they set out, hesitation surfacing on his face. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A moment later, he raised his hand slightly, signaling everyone to quiet down. Once the voices in the central command tent subsided, he turned to Shen Luo and said: "We can suspend the attack for now, but you must not risk entering the Kingdom of Qingqiu to prove their innocence. They must provide proof themselves and offer everyone an explanation." As soon as these words were spoken, objections erupted within the tent. "Lu Daoist, while this campaign against the Kingdom of Qingqiu is spearheaded by your Great Tang Dynasty Government, if you issue reckless commands, we cannot promise compliance," Seven Kills frowned and said coldly. "The Qingqiu Fox Clan has never shown any remorse. If they truly wished to avoid war, they would prove their innocence themselves. Brother Shen, I fear your efforts will be in vain," Jiang Shentian sighed and said. "Unacceptable. We¡¯re currently forcing them into a corner with great momentum. How can we stop now? Stopping now would only give them a chance to recover and organize a counterattack against us," Elder Lu firmly objected. Just as everyone was embroiled in debate, a rumbling noise suddenly sounded from outside the tent. The expressions of Shen Luo and the others changed instantly. They rushed out of the tent, only to see that the previously dim sky was now dyed crimson. Hundreds, even thousands, of fiery-red fireballs, resembling a volcanic eruption, came shooting toward them from the direction of the valley. A rain of fire poured down over the sky, the scene magnificent and overwhelming. "Enemy attack!" Lu Huaming shouted sharply. As his voice fell, the rain of fire descended heavily. Enormous fireballs exploded on impact, scattering debris everywhere. In an instant, the entire encampment turned into a sea of flames. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" A series of deafening explosions reverberated as shards of fiery rock burst apart midair like countless flying daggers, riddling the surrounding structures with holes and destruction. The monks, only just reacting, hastily activated their protective magical treasures, lighting up their defensive treasure glows. Yet even so, anguished screams could still be heard from every corner, plunging the camp into utter chaos. Lu Huaming leapt out first, his hand sweeping forward to unleash hundreds of streams of sword light, shattering the incoming fiery projectiles into dust. The other monks promptly joined in, quickly stabilizing the situation. The fiery rain persisted for several dozen breaths before gradually dwindling to nothing. Everyone stared at the devastated camp, with flames and smoke rising all around, their faces all turning ashen. Just moments ago, they had been deliberating whether to grant the Qingqiu Fox Clan a chance. Who could have expected the Fox Clan to deliver such a resounding slap across their faces in response? Even Shen Luo felt a nameless fury rising within him. He could not fathom where the Qingqiu Fox Clan found the audacity to defy so many sects. Not even major sects like Mount Fangcun or Mount Putuo would dare take such a stance, would they? "Daoist Shen, as you can see, it¡¯s not that we are unwilling to give them a chance; it¡¯s that they clearly do not desire such a chance. Since that¡¯s the case, we have no choice but to completely crush their Mountain Gate and their pride¡ªeither they admit their wrongdoing and submit, or they face total annihilation," Seven Kills said with a grim smile. With that, he turned resolutely and began striding toward the valley. "Brother Shen, it seems you¡¯ve truly been deceived by them. When dealing with demons, one cannot afford compassion like a Bodhisattva¡¯s. To vanquish evil requires the wrath of a Vajra," Bai Xiaotian added. "Brother Lu..." "Brother Shen, there¡¯s no room left for compromise," Shen Luo was interrupted by Lu Huaming just as he began to speak. Jiang Shentian shook his head and said slowly, "If there is to be peace, it must come after we¡¯ve fought and subdued them. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way to justify it to everyone else." Indeed, at this point, seeking a peaceful resolution was no longer viable. Shen Luo gazed in the valley¡¯s direction and saw Seven Kills¡¯ figure soaring into the sky. Seven Kills raised his hand high. In his palm, a flash of black light revealed a small black seal the size of a palm. The seal bore no coiled dragon, no tiger motif, nor any other ferocious beast, but instead the sculpture of a curved-horned Qing Niu. The bull pressed its four hooves tightly to the ground, its head lowered, with its two curved horns meeting at their sharp edges. Its round eyes glared ahead with concentrated ferocity, its muscles meticulously chiseled, exuding raw and primal power. As Seven Kills lifted the seal higher, the small black seal began ascending into the sky until it pierced through the clouds and disappeared from view. Moments later, muffled thunder began to rumble from the depths of the clouds. High above, fierce winds surged as countless clouds started converging over their position. The skydome appeared veiled by a thick black quilt. Shen Luo looked up and through the dark clouds. He vaguely discerned a shadowy image of an ox-headed, humanoid demon looming above the celestial mist. Its figure bore a noticeable resemblance to the Bull Demon King. However, while it towered over a hundred feet high and radiated a vast and imposing aura, it ultimately fell short of rivaling the true might of the Bull Demon King. "Is this the inheritance of Daoist Seven Kills?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t resist asking Lu Huaming. "It¡¯s the Founding Ancestor of Demon King Fort¡ªno, more specifically, the Great Strength Bull Demon King, the acclaimed first master of the Demon King Fort," Lu Huaming explained. Shen Luo, hearing this, remembered the Dreamland where he had encountered the Bull Demon King. During that time, most of the major sects in the world had already been annihilated, leaving only remnants of resistance. It was no wonder the Bull Demon King had never spoken of his past. "Isn¡¯t the current sect master of Demon King Fort the King of Demons?" Shen Luo recalled the bald man he had seen in Chang¡¯an and inquired further. "That happened after the Bull Demon King stepped back from the spotlight and elevated him to the position," Lu Huaming replied. As the two conversed, the rumbling thunder grew increasingly intense. Around them, the winds fell completely still, and an eerie silence fell across Morning Sound Valley and its surroundings. Suddenly, from beyond the sea of clouds, Seven Kills¡¯ thunderous voice echoed, "Jiang Shentian, might I request your aid in breaking through this Fox Clan formation?" Jiang Shentian¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise at the unexpected plea. The Demon King Fort and the Heavenly Palace had always been at odds. That Seven Kills, such a prideful man, would voluntarily seek his help was truly unheard of. "Well, the sun really must be rising in the west today," Jiang Shentian muttered but did not refuse. He ascended and vanished into the sea of clouds. What they discussed remained unknown, but it didn¡¯t take long for golden light to bloom within the roiling dark clouds. Emerging from within was a towering golden pagoda over a hundred feet tall, piercing through the swirling mist to appear beside the demonic bull¡¯s colossal shadow. "Demonic Seal Overturning Heaven, Heaven-Shaking Technique." "Exquisite Pagoda, Divine Suppression." Two thunderous voices, as mighty as crashing storms, reverberated from the depths of the skydome, spreading through the void. In the next instant, the dense black clouds churned violently as if the heavens themselves were about to part. Within the skies, two colossal circular voids emerged¡ªone spewing black light, the other radiating golden light. Boundless demonic energy and radiant divine power descended simultaneously. A massive black ox hoof and a radiant seven-level golden pagoda pressed down toward Morning Sound Valley below. Chapter 1682 - 1678: Counterattack Chapter 1682: Chapter 1678: Counterattack"Boom rumble rumble..." A continuous series of deep thunderclaps echoed, and the collapsing skydome, pressed by immense force, kept caving in. Above the entire valley, a colossal golden formation emerged. On the formation, charm patterns intertwined, with streams of shimmering light flickering across, radiating an unfathomably powerful force of prohibition. The black colossal hoof and the golden treasure pagoda descended simultaneously from opposite sides, smashing onto the massive golden rune array, erupting into an earth-shaking roar. A burst of golden light exploded into the skies, transforming into vast, ocean-like ripples that swept in all directions. Amid the rumbling sounds, the stone walls on both sides of the valley shattered, sending countless clouds of dust flying. Billowing waves of air surged from the valley entrance, resembling a colossal, muddied earthen dragon, charging straight into the allied army¡¯s camp. "Don¡¯t just stand there¡ªdefend yourselves!" Lu Huaming roared with a burst of urgency. The Tang Dynasty Government disciples at the forefront, seemingly well-rehearsed, immediately responded to the command. They synchronized their mystic arts, chanted the same magic spell, and pressed their palms forward. One after another, massive white light handprints flew out and formed an array in front of them. Seeing this, the other monks quickly joined in, conjuring countless palm imprints that coalesced into a defensive array, blocking the torrents of dust and waves surging from the valley entrance. The howling gale raged for a long while before gradually subsiding, and the dust clouding the sky started to dissipate. Shen Luo cast his gaze over the valley. The once lush greenery was no longer visible¡ªwhat remained were fragmented cliffs and splintered trees. The valley¡¯s former streams were severed, forming scattered pools of varying sizes. At this moment, the dense clouds in the high altitude cleared, and the figures of Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills began descending slowly from above. "The defensive array of Morning Sound Valley is broken; we can launch the assault now," Seven Kills declared coldly, his eyes sharp, and the menacing aura around him had yet to dissipate. "There are still smaller formations and traps in the valley that might not have been fully neutralized. We must remain cautious during the attack," Jiang Shentian advised, his tone filled with caution. "I didn¡¯t expect you to bring the Exquisite Pagoda," Shen Luo remarked, looking towards Jiang Shentian. In his dream traversal, this pagoda had been handed to Shen Luo by the remnant soul of Li Jing, so he was naturally quite familiar with the treasure. "Although Master intended for us to temper ourselves, he ultimately wasn¡¯t reassured and allowed me to temporarily use the Exquisite Tower. Unfortunately, my capabilities are limited, and I can¡¯t unleash its full might," Jiang Shentian replied. "This isn¡¯t the time for reminiscing. While their grand formation is temporarily hard to repair, we should mobilize and attack," Seven Kills reminded, his voice resolute. After a brief hesitation, Lu Huaming¡¯s determination shone through his gaze. "Fellow Daoists, I kindly ask the leaders of the respective sects to restrain your disciples, and according to the prearranged plan, launch a joint assault on Morning Sound Valley to strike the Kingdom of Qingqiu," Lu Huaming ordered with a commanding shout that echoed throughout the camp. The various sect disciples, already brimming with battle enthusiasm, responded with deafening war cries, their desire for combat barely containable. "Kill!" With a resounding roar, the disciples under their respective leaders charged into the valley. Leading the army was Shen Luo and his group, tasked with scouting ahead to warn and guide the forces behind, while guarding against potential ambushes from the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Due to his familiarity with the Kingdom of Qingqiu from a prior visit, Shen Luo naturally had a better grasp of the terrain. However, the earlier attacks that shattered the formations had destroyed the original paths in the valley, forcing him to rely on memory to lead the way forward. Along the way, they came across countless Qingqiu villages reduced to ruins. Occasionally, they spotted fox corpses buried in the dirt or the human-formed remains of the Fox Clan. These were either the primary operators of the valley¡¯s trap formations or scouts gathering intelligence, all meeting tragic deaths. Shen Luo sighed inwardly, unable to fathom what madness possessed the Qingqiu Fox Clan to invite such calamity upon themselves. Halfway through the journey, they still hadn¡¯t encountered a single member of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, nor had they triggered any traps. This made the group wonder if the Fox Clan had already retreated entirely within the city, too afraid to resist outside. Just as everyone began to let their guard down slightly, seven to eight figures suddenly flew out from the high altitude. They formed a circular formation, surrounding a disheveled figure who clutched a green-purple staff while chanting incantations. The figure¡¯s long robe billowed against the wind, making a snapping sound. From their body radiated waves of immense power. "Su Chuan..." Shen Luo hesitated briefly, recognizing the figure as one of the elders of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. "O slumbering ancestral souls, heed my plea and unleash the wrath of the Celestial Fox!" Su Chuan finished his chant and let out a prolonged howl. His staff pointed towards the village below. In an instant, an enormous circular light array manifested above everyone¡¯s heads. Within it, crimson clouds ignited, burning brighter and brighter. Clusters of crimson flames emerged one after another, plummeting fiercely towards the ground below. "Lotus Wonderful Method, Indigo Blue Sea!" A crisp shout rang out just then. Nie Caizhu took the lead, unleashing a blue light and a burst of intense cold. In an instant, a tidal wave of water roared upwards, surging towards the falling flames. The blue flooding wave surged upward, freezing the flames almost instantaneously. But within a few breaths, bursts of white steam surged forth, and the frozen tidal wave began to thaw. The crimson flames resumed their downward trajectory, although their momentum weakened slightly. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Sweeping Thousands of Troops!" At this moment, another sharp cry rang out. Lu Huaming formed a sword seal with his hands, and a beam of sword light shot straight into the sky. After ascending ten fathoms, the sword light exploded, transforming into countless raining swords that collided with the flames. A dense sound resembling a storm of pear blossoms echoed, as countless sword lights crisscrossed in the air, shattering the descending flames into fragments. "Vajra Guardian, Great Compassion Palm!" Soon after, another solemn Buddhist chant resonated. A golden Buddha shadow towering like a mountain rose from the ground. Its left hand formed the Lotus mudra, while its right hand launched a praj?¨¡ palm towards the oblique sky. "Boom rumble rumble..." A series of deafening explosions followed, and the already fragmented flames were completely dispersed by the enormous palm strike. Su Chuan hovered in mid-air, his eyes turning blood-red. With both hands clutching the staff, his hair floated wildly, and his body emitted overwhelming waves of power. He began chanting again without pause. With a faint "whoosh," the figures encircling him suddenly ignited with blazing flames, taking a resolute stance to complete some kind of sacrificial ritual. "Roar..." Along with a beastly roar, waves of searing and ferocious energy radiated from the ritual array they had summoned. Soon after, a colossal flaming head emerged from the skydome above, gazing down at Shen Luo and his group below. Shen Luo instantly recognized it¡ªit was the fire giant he had encountered at the Fox Clan¡¯s altar that day. Immediately, his heart clenched with shock. "Be cautious¡ªthis is the guardian of the Fox Clan¡¯s altar, immensely powerful," Shen Luo warned swiftly. Before his voice faded, a resounding "rumble rumble" came from above. Raising their heads, everyone saw an enormous flaming giant blade descending directly towards them from the sky. Chapter 1683 - 1679: Kill and Retreat Chapter 1683: Chapter 1679: Kill and RetreatThe enormous flame sword blade sliced through the air, immediately shattering the void with immense pressure that felt tangible, pressing down on everyone¡¯s shoulders. The disciples in the allied army, whose strength was lacking, felt a suffocating pressure. At the same time, nearly a thousand disciples of the Qingqiu Fox Clan attacked from both sides of the fire giant. They were completely unaffected by the pressure, rushing into the allied army and engaging in chaotic battle. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo exhaled lightly and flipped his hand to take out the Profound Yellow Staff. He stepped forward without any fancy moves, simply raising the staff with one arm to meet the giant flame blade head-on. "Shen Luo..." Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian shouted in unison, intending to help, but saw a flash of black light on the arm holding the staff, which instantly transformed into a giant arm, gripping the enormous Profound Yellow Staff to block the flame blade. A loud explosion rang out. Where the sword blade and the staff clashed, flames erupted, and the giant flame blade shattered directly. The exploding flames scattered like a meteor shower, presenting an incredibly beautiful scene that left Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian dumbfounded. "Good kid, earlier you said this thing was extremely fierce, and now, in an instant, you¡¯ve broken its giant sword. Are you fooling us?" Bai Xiaotian couldn¡¯t help but say. Lu Huaming was also shocked, only now realizing that Shen Luo¡¯s aura had already reached Late True Immortal Stage. "Shen Luo, how have you cultivated? It hasn¡¯t been that long since we last met, and you¡¯re already at Late True Immortal Stage?" he couldn¡¯t help but shout. This shout drew the attention of Bai Xiaotian, Jiang Shentian, and Seven Kills to Shen Luo. "Now is not the time to discuss this, let¡¯s focus on the enemy first. It seems the fire giant is weaker because it was summoned outside the altar. I can handle it alone; you go help the others," Shen Luo said and flew directly towards the fire giant. Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian exchanged a glance, then turned around to fight into the fox clan¡¯s army. "Ten Directions Unrivaled, Dragon Slashing Jue." With a loud shout, the longsword in Lu Huaming¡¯s hand shot out, emitting a clear whistle as the bursting sword light expanded a hundredfold, transforming into a giant Sword of Light that enveloped the sword body, heading straight for a fox clan elder. "I¡¯m in too, Vajra Guardian." Bai Xiaotian shouted explosively. Then, he raised his hand to make a Flower-picking Finger, chanting sounds resonated from his mouth, and a colossal golden Buddha reappeared behind him, moving with his actions to strike a palm at the fox clan army. "Nine Heavens Spiritual Movement." Nie Caizhu danced gracefully, with water-blue light emanating from her body and spreading in all directions. As this spiritual light spread, more than half of the allied monks felt a warmth enveloping their bodies, with even some replenishment to their mana that had been consumed. The morale of the entire allied army soared, beginning large-scale assaults on the Qingqiu Fox Clan. After Shen Luo blocked You Li¡¯s strike with the power of Chiyou, electric threads enveloped the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on his feet, and with a flash of light, he surged like a ghostly specter, advancing towards the fire giant. He gripped the staff with both hands, swiftly swinging it to project gold-yellow staff shadows flying in the air, enlarging continuously. Each strike on the fire giant¡¯s body produced a deep explosion. A series of flames exploded on the fire giant¡¯s body, with sparks scattering everywhere. Seeing the situation, Su Chuan immediately urged the fire giant to spew out flames from both hands, once again conjuring two red flame long knives, rotating to chop down the staff shadows projected by Shen Luo. A series of explosions erupted, and every staff shadow was blocked. Seeing this, Shen Luo sneered, waved his hand again, and ten Pure Yang Flying Swords flew from his sleeve, bypassing the fire giant to strike at Su Chuan in the rear. The fire giant swung dual knives to slash at the flying swords, but Shen Luo wouldn¡¯t give him the chance, as he had already surged forward swiftly, swinging the Profound Yellow Staff with a diagonal strike to push him back. Seeing the approaching ten Pure Yang Flying Swords, Su Chuan flashed a fierce glint in his eyes. Snow-white light burst from behind him as nine snow-white long tails suddenly emerged, aiming to strike the flying swords. Those fox tails, having undergone countless refinements, were already no different from magical treasures. Even before they struck, the fox hairs shot like countless crystal needles. However, the Pure Yang Flying Swords, empowered by the sword spirits, were already enlightened. Blazing flames surged on the sword bodies to counter the crystal needles. A chaotic "ding-ling" of sounds echoed as countless fox hairs shot at the Pure Yang Flying Swords only to be swiftly incinerated by the flames. Yet many pierced through the flames, targeting the embattled allied forces and fox clan. Instantly, cries of pain erupted, and many were affected and injured. After being slightly hindered, the Pure Yang Flying Swords continued slashing towards Su Chuan, while his tails, enveloped in spiritual light, slapped down, their immense force stirring a gale. All ten Pure Yang Flying Swords were repelled, unable to get closer. However, the diversion provided by the ten Pure Yang Flying Swords allowed Shen Luo with his incredible speed to get behind the fire giant, delivering a crushing blow to its head from above. A thunderous crash resounded as though thunder had erupted. The entire Profound Yellow Staff glowed crimson, as if freshly forged, embedding directly into the fire giant¡¯s skull, shattering half of its head with countless flames bursting in all directions, scattering across the valley. All those engaged in battle, witnessing this, gasped in astonishment. The members of Tianji City positioned at the rear of the army were not idle, controlling armor to fight against the fox clan, while only Master Yan controlled the heavily injured Elder You Li, watching the battle in front. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s power having risen to such height, he remembered how Little Master had high hopes for Shen Luo early on, deeply admiring his Master¡¯s discerning judgment. The allied forces originally outnumbered the Qingqiu Fox Clan slightly, and seeing Shen Luo firmly suppressing You Su Chuan, their morale surged even further, gradually pushing back the fox clan monks. "Retreat," You Su Chuan shouted decisively upon seeing this. The Qingqiu Fox Clan monks felt a great relief and began retreating deeper into the valley. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Seeing this, the allied forces were unwilling to let them escape and furiously pursued them even more. Instead of fleeing, You Su Chuan descended while reclaiming the fire giant with its smashed head from Shen Luo, positioning it to block the allied forces¡¯ pursuit. As everyone closed in on him, a vicious glint flickered in You Su Chuan¡¯s eyes. He formed a weird technique with both hands, leaping into the fire giant¡¯s body. An immediate, terrifying howl erupted. Within the fire giant, You Su Chuan was engulfed in flames, his flesh and blood incinerating and melting, merging with the blood flames, and becoming one with the fire giant. Chapter 1684 - 1680: Setting Out Again Chapter 1684: Chapter 1680: Setting Out AgainThe fire giant was originally an intangible entity, but with Su Chuan¡¯s flesh and bones supporting it, its aura quickly surged, elevating from the late True Immortal stage to the True Immortal peak, only half a step away from Taiyi. Its body suddenly bowed forward as a deafening roar erupted from its blood-red mouth. Torrents of crimson flames spewed forth, transforming into a fiery tide that surged toward the allied forces. More than ten monks at the front were caught off guard and instantly swallowed by the flames. With just a few faint crackling noises, they didn¡¯t even have time to scream before they were reduced to ashes. The crowd panicked and retreated in fear, momentarily clogging up the path, leaving them unable to escape further. As the raging flames swept closer, seemingly about to engulf everyone, a solemn Buddhist chant suddenly resonated. Several figures dressed in white drifted down and landed in front of the crowd. It was Bai Xiaotian leading a group of Hua Sheng Temple disciples who had positioned themselves to shield everyone. "Vajra Body Protection." Several low chants sounded simultaneously, and massive golden Buddha figures emerged one after another. Each pushed their palms forward, creating the image of golden mountain peaks advancing in unison, blocking the surging fiery tide like an impenetrable wall. "Stay calm! Retreat in an orderly manner!" Lu Huaming roared. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The crowd finally steadied their formation and swiftly retreated toward the rear. But shortly after, the sound of "crack, crack" echoed as the palms of the golden Buddha figures turned searing red from the flames, their surfaces splitting apart and beginning to falter and crumble. "This won¡¯t hold! It¡¯s burning through! Retreat immediately!" Bai Xiaotian shouted in urgency. The Hua Sheng Temple disciples heard this and also retreated in haste. However, as soon as the golden palm seals dissipated, the raging flames came surging back with even greater ferocity. "Lotus Wonderful Method, Indigo Blue Sea!" A crisp cry rang out. A radiant blue light shot skyward, accompanied by an intensely cold aura that rapidly expanded. Immediately, a towering wave of water surged upward, rolling toward the roaring flames. This blue wave was far more powerful than the previous one, amplifying its strength tenfold. As the extreme cold spread, it locked the flames in an incredible spectacle of fire encased in ice. With this sudden intervention, the crowd finally had the chance to retreat in an orderly fashion. But the flames were no ordinary fire. Within moments, waves of white steam rose, melting the frozen water and allowing the crimson flames to surge downward once more, albeit with significantly diminished momentum. A dozen disciples of the Great Tang Dynasty Government, led by Lu Huaming, simultaneously unleashed their swords. Sword Qi roared into the sky, scattering the fiery tide into fragmented bursts. Now fully merged with Su Chuan¡¯s essence, the fire giant had transformed. Horns protruded from its head, while massive fiery tails emerged from its back. It had become a true fire demon. With twin long blades in its hands, it swung them in arcs towards the front. The blades radiated glowing, hundred-foot-long arcs that sliced through the void, descending with an overwhelming force far greater than before. It was clearly the demon¡¯s ultimate technique. At that moment, two figures dashed from left and right simultaneously to intercept the incoming blade arcs. "Brother Jiang, Seven Kills Daoist, don¡¯t confront it directly! It¡¯s too dangerous!" Lu Huaming shouted in alarm, intending to rush forward and assist. But suddenly, a voice rang from above, "Brother Lu, no need." Lu Huaming looked up to see Shen Luo hovering in mid-air with a staff in hand. Before him, ten Pure Yang Flying Swords had formed a sword array. The sword bodies radiated dazzlingly bright golden light, resembling a brilliant sun suspended in the sky. Soon after, two deafening booms erupted! A golden treasure pagoda rose abruptly, blocking the leftward blade, while a phantom image of a bull demon appeared out of thin air to stop the blade on the right. The fire demon¡¯s twin swords were halted, and it roared furiously. Crimson molten flames bubbled in its mouth as it prepared to spew them forth once more. But at that moment, the blazing golden sun descended from the sky, slicing toward its head. The Golden Crow Fire, far more intense than the demon¡¯s flames, enveloped by razor-sharp Sword Qi, exploded upon contact with the fire demon¡¯s head. Thousands of sword rays erupted, filling the valley with Sword Qi. The fire demon¡¯s head was swiftly sliced apart as though by a sharply serrated blade, its skull splitting effortlessly down the middle. The cleaving extended deeper with each ray, cutting from the head to the neck, and from the neck to the chest, ultimately cleaving the fire demon completely in two. Yet, the fire demon, being on the verge of Taiyi-level power, diminished the Sword Qi with equal speed during the cutting process. By the time the cleavage reached its chest, the golden sword array¡¯s energy was spent. The open gash at its lower chest began to close again, transforming into a gaping wound resembling a massive blood-red maw attempting to swallow the flying swords altogether. Shen Luo wasn¡¯t about to let this happen. The Pure Yang Flying Swords darted upward, escaping from the blood maw. Within the demon¡¯s split, the mangled figure of Su Chuan¡¯s body was revealed, reduced to crystalline bones that glowed faintly. His melted eyes were gone, replaced by sinister blood pits that stared unblinkingly forward. Shen Luo¡¯s Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots propelled him in a flash to the spot. His tightly gripped Profound Yellow Staff, having accumulated energy, radiated an intense heat like a molten iron rod. "Elder Su Chuan, it is time for you to move on," Shen Luo roared. With a full swing of the Profound Yellow Staff, it traced a scarlet arc in the void and slammed down on Su Chuan¡¯s skull with ferocious force. "Bang!" echoed a resounding explosion. Su Chuan¡¯s head burst apart on impact, scattering fragments of bone everywhere. His divine soul disintegrated in the blast, vanishing without a trace. The fire demon also disintegrated with the destruction of its head, scattering into embers that gradually extinguished. The valley fell silent momentarily before erupting in jubilant cheers. The allied forces, along with the Qingqiu Fox Clan, had achieved a decisive victory in their first large-scale clash. As Shen Luo landed and returned, he found Bai Xiaotian and others staring at him with displeased expressions. "Shen Luo, how did you suddenly reach the late True Immortal stage? Speak honestly!" Bai Xiaotian demanded, breaking the silence. Shen Luo froze briefly at the question, sneaking a glance at Nie Caizhu, unsure of how to respond. Nie Caizhu, noticing his gaze, blushed instantly. How on earth could he explain this? He couldn¡¯t possibly reveal that he achieved it through Mount Putuo¡¯s secret dual cultivation technique! "Everyone, please don¡¯t push Brother Shen. He attained this level because of Master¡¯s secret teachings during his time in Tianji City. He also trained within our secret realm, a rare opportunity that led to his success," Master Yan interjected. Master Yan mistakenly assumed Shen Luo was unwilling to disclose certain matters about Tianji Palace, hence offering this explanation on his behalf. "Ah, so it was due to guidance from a High Person. No wonder... Haha, Brother Shen¡¯s improvement is a blessing for us all. With a victory already in hand, let¡¯s take a moment to rest before pursuing further," Lu Huaming chimed in, sensing Shen Luo¡¯s unease but choosing not to delve deeper, only teasing lightly. After taking some time to recover, the allied forces resumed their journey, marching toward the Kingdom of Qingqiu. Chapter 1685 - 1681: Stubborn Denial Chapter 1685: Chapter 1681: Stubborn DenialMeanwhile, in a secret chamber within the Qingqiu Royal City. "What did you say? Elder Su Chuan was slain this quickly?" A female cultivator in a black robe, with striking features, heavily struck her silver staff against the ground, speaking with a hint of surprise. "Reporting to the Great Elder, among the enemy forces, there is a late-stage True Immortal cultivator with exceptional methods. Working together with others, they managed to slay Elder Su Chuan," a Fox Clan elder cautiously replied. The black-robed woman was none other than Qingqiu¡¯s Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su. "Enough, dead is dead, it was all part of the plan anyway. By the way, are you absolutely certain there are no Taiyi-level cultivators hiding among the enemy?" Chief Strategist You Su pondered for a moment before asking again. "None, there¡¯s not the slightest reaction on the Dharma Plate. Of the current enemy forces, the highest cultivation level identified is that late-stage True Immortal cultivator," the Fox Clan elder held up the Dharma Plate and replied. "What are these people plotting? They actually sent only a bunch of juniors to attack our Qingqiu Kingdom?" An Eagle Hook Nose Elder in the hall spoke up. "Elder Su Xiao, isn¡¯t it obvious? The various sects either treat us as a sharpening stone to train their next generation of cultivators, or they¡¯re deliberately testing the waters. Once these precious juniors suffer casualties, those old-timers will intervene. However, this time, they might not get the chance..." Chief Strategist You Su shook her head with a smirk. "Things have escalated to this extent, why would they still bother with all these convoluted schemes?" Su Xiao seemed perplexed. "Hmph! The Immortal and Human Clans are the most hypocritical of all, constantly proclaiming themselves as the righteous path of the Three Realms, pretending to be fair and just in everything they do, when in reality they¡¯re even more duplicitous than the Demon Clan. Since they wish to play this game of deceit before force, we won¡¯t hesitate to make them pay a painful price." Chief Strategist You Su sneered. "A feast delivered to the doorstep, there¡¯s no reason not to enjoy it." Su Xiao also revealed a cold, grim smile. In the great hall, seven or eight Fox Clan elders joined in with the laughter. However, what was odd was that despite it being the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s council, the Qingqiu King was nowhere to be seen. ... In Chaoyang Valley, the allied forces of various sects were repeatedly harassed by the Qingqiu Fox Clan. However, the attacks were far weaker than before, causing only minor casualties as the army pressed forward, arriving at the imposing royal city deep within the valley. Outside the city were makeshift tents originally set up for those migrating back to the city, but they now stood empty. Scattered boxes and belongings littered the area, as if a recent calamity had struck. With Qingqiu City clearly in sight, the allied forces were euphoric. A string of victories along the way had inflated their confidence, making them believe they could easily shatter this fox clan stronghold that had stood for more than a thousand years. "Qingqiu King, why do you not show yourself?" Lu Huaming roared, his voice as loud as a bell, echoing through the valley. On the city walls, a significant number of Fox Clan cultivators stood, each glaring with hatred at the invading enemy. Several Fox Clan elders stood in the center, their faces clouded with gloom. "Elder Hei Li, where has the King gone? Why has she been absent these past few days?" An elderly woman with silver hair, leaning on a purple wooden walking stick, asked softly with a face full of concern. Beside her, a short-bearded black-robed man with handsome features furrowed his brows silently, his gaze fixed on the allied forces, particularly Tianji City¡¯s group. "Alas, who would have thought that Qingqiu Kingdom, with its thousand-year legacy, would fall to such a state..." the elderly woman sighed. "What kind of state?" A cold voice suddenly sounded. Turning around, they saw a towering Eagle Hook Nose Elder striding toward them, his face devoid of concern, instead brimming with an intense killing intent. "Elder Su Xiao..." The group immediately composed themselves and saluted as he approached. "The King isn¡¯t here, and you can¡¯t even defend your own homeland?" Su Xiao stepped into the center of the group, scoffing coldly. "With Elder Su Xiao¡¯s arrival, naturally there is no cause for worry." The elder with the highest cultivation among them, at the late-stage True Immortal level, was still overshadowed by Su Xiao¡¯s early-stage Taiyi cultivation. "Do not forget, this is Qingqiu Kingdom, our territory. How can we allow them to run rampant?" Su Xiao cast a cold gaze around, reprimanding them. "Is Qingqiu Kingdom without leadership?" Lu Huaming shouted again. "You insolent brat, barking at the gates. Why don¡¯t you send the elders of your sect instead?" Su Xiao sneered and retorted. His voice, seemingly unremarkable, carried waves of deadly power akin to a demonic melody, surging forth. Wherever it reached, disciples from the various sects clutched their heads in agony, their faces contorted in pain. Shen Luo coldly snorted as a surge of soul power radiated outward, clashing soundlessly against the fatal melody and neutralizing it rapidly. Su Xiao, realizing his divine soul attack had been countered, appeared startled. Upon identifying Shen Luo as the one who intervened, a flicker of surprise crossed his face¡ªthis young man¡¯s soul power was on par with his own. Little did he know, Shen Luo had barely exerted himself, holding back his full strength. "The Qingqiu Fox Clan wreaked havoc in Chang¡¯an, harmed innocents, and implicated various sects. The evidence is irrefutable. I, as a junior, have come to Qingqiu seeking justice and truth. Why should it require the intervention of my sect¡¯s elders? Does justice depend on seniority as well?" Lu Huaming sneered and declared loudly. "You keep claiming to have ironclad evidence¡ªwhere is it?" Su Xiao mocked. "The shadow of the Heavenly Fox was witnessed by the core disciples of every sect on the day of the incident." Lu Huaming replied. "The shadow of the Heavenly Fox... Ha! A mere shadow can prove it originated from the Qingqiu lineage? Why not assert it came from the Jade Fox lineage of Jilei Mountain? Such flimsy evidence¡ªhow laughable!" Su Xiao burst into laughter. "If the Heavenly Fox¡¯s shadow isn¡¯t sufficient evidence, what about this?" Lu Huaming retorted with a cold smile. With a wave of his hand, a crystal orb the size of a fist appeared in his palm. It shimmered briefly before projecting a vast image into the air. The image depicted the chaos caused by the Fox Clan during their second assault on Chang¡¯an after the Grand Assembly, with Qingqiu Fox Clan members clearly visible in the footage. "The Grand Assembly¡¯s incident was sudden, leaving the Astronomical Bureau no time to record imagery. What explanation do you have for the subsequent attack? Can you still claim it wasn¡¯t the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s doing?" Lu Huaming questioned loudly. "Enough talking! Just charge in and deal with them," someone in the allied forces shouted. "Attack the city! Wipe out the Fox Clan!" Another voice echoed. Voices of fury surged like waves, threatening to engulf the Qingqiu stronghold. "Daoist friends, calm yourselves. We are here not to exact revenge or slaughter but to seek justice¡ªto bring the truly malevolent to justice." Lu Huaming spoke up to contain the situation. His words had a slight calming effect, but the clamor persisted, with calls for blood still breaking through the noise. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1686 - 1682: Hidden Illusion Array Chapter 1686: Chapter 1682: Hidden Illusion Array"Apart from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, our Tianji City also has a score to settle with your Qingqiu Fox Clan." At that moment, Master Yan¡¯s voice rang out from the front of the formation. "Oh? And what does this have to do with your Tianji City?" Su Xiao frowned upon hearing this, casting a quick glance at the people of Tianji City, his gaze faintly revealing a hint of confusion. "Not long ago, people from your Qingqiu Fox Clan colluded with traitors from Tianji City to attack us, causing heavy casualties among our disciples and elders. Even Elder Manbo, one of the Five Great Elders, was assassinated. You tell me, does this have anything to do with us?" Master Yan said coldly. As he spoke, he kicked out Elder You Li, who was already covered in wounds. When Su Xiao first saw Elder You Li, he didn¡¯t even recognize her, as her aura was incredibly weak¡ªalmost indiscernible unless one paid close attention. "You Li..." Behind Su Xiao, Hei Li cried out with urgency, instantly confirming her identity. This made Su Xiao, who had wanted to deny everything, choke on his words and inwardly curse this fool. He only knew that Chief Strategist You Su had earlier dispatched Elder You Li on some mission, but he didn¡¯t know it was to Tianji City, or what she had done there. "You people from Tianji City dare to arrest the elders of our Qingqiu Kingdom without permission and even falsely accuse them? Utterly shameless! Release Elder You Li at once!" Su Xiao reprimanded in a fury. When Master Yan heard this shameless accusation and thought of Elder Manbo¡¯s death, his heart burned with rage. "Good, good, truly shameless! Since Qingqiu Kingdom has no intention of discussing this reasonably, then neither shall we. Today, we shall break into Qingqiu City and annihilate your Fox Clan." He roared, spinning his wrist as a dark red metal sphere appeared in his palm, poised to be thrown. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. "Shen Luo, what are you doing?" Master Yan, unprepared for the interference, showed an angry expression and glared at Shen Luo. "Master Yan, you¡¯ve fallen into their trap." Shen Luo shouted gravely, activating the Suppressing God Technique as he unleashed a powerful surge of divine sense power. Master Yan felt a sharp pain between his brows, and a hint of bewilderment flickered in his eyes. The unexplainable rage in his mind cooled instantly, leaving him with an empty, hollow sensation. "Brother Shen, what¡¯s happening to me?" Master Yan asked, puzzled. "That Su Xiao¡¯s previous divine soul attack was merely a decoy, a precursor to his illusion technique. Everything he¡¯s been saying to you was to manipulate your emotions and ignite your fury," Shen Luo said with a frown. "Control emotions, illusions?" Master Yan asked, still confused. "You think illusions only deceive the eyes? That is a grave mistake. Illusions often deceive more than just the five senses¡ªthey can manipulate emotions and memories. Their Fox Clan specializes in this," Shen Luo explained. Only then did Master Yan fully realize the situation. Looking around, he found that much of the allied army had already fallen under the influence, screaming for battle and nearly impossible to hold back. At that moment, the old Daoist from Pine Wind View could no longer contain himself. He raised his hand and swung it toward the city gate. A pine-patterned ancient sword rang out as it was unsheathed. Its sword body rippled with waves of green light, rapidly expanding in mid-air as it shot out with a sharp whistle. Shen Luo frowned and attempted to stop it, but it was already too late. The enormous pine-patterned ancient sword crashed into Qingqiu City¡¯s gate. However, instead of the anticipated collision sound, a flash of ethereal light appeared, and the sword vanished without a trace, as though sinking into the sea. The old Daoist from Pine Wind View was startled at the sight. He tried to recall the ancient sword, but found that his connection to it had been completely severed. As the flying sword disappeared, a gentle breeze suddenly blew through the valley, originating from within the city and scattering outward. "This is bad..." Shen Luo sighed softly. Everyone immediately caught a faint whiff of floral fragrance, and one by one, their eyes began to cloud over. "What¡¯s the point of fighting? It¡¯s all pointless, all pointless..." The old Daoist¡¯s voice carried a hint of sorrow. He spread his arms and sat down on the ground, entirely defeated. "Why did you kill me? Why did you kill me?" A disciple from Dragon Sun Mountain shouted in terror, frantically swinging his weapon and striking indiscriminately. Many of his fellow disciples were injured, yet they appeared utterly unaware, showing no reactions whatsoever. Soon, chaos erupted across the allied army, spreading rapidly. Small skirmishes intensified into bigger conflicts. Aside from a few individuals who remained unaffected, most were consumed by the disorder, with minor disputes escalating into full-blown fights. Shen Luo had long activated the Suppressing God Technique, but at this point, it was impossible to awaken the others. "What¡¯s going on?" Nie Caizhu, being a late-stage True Immortal cultivator with a strong divine soul, was unaffected. Not far away, Lu Huaming¡¯s eyes lit up with golden light marks, while Seven Kills radiated a potent killing intent. Both soon regained clarity. "What did they do?" Lu Huaming asked in astonishment. "The Fox Clan likely set up an illusion array near the city walls. We failed to notice it and fell under its influence," Shen Luo replied, his brows furrowed as his gaze darted about, trying to locate the hidden formation. Just then, red light exploded beneath their feet. A surge of immense divine soul energy erupted from the underground array. Even Shen Luo felt an overwhelming murderous aura flooding his consciousness. His eyes instantly filled with blood. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However, the Suppressing God Technique formed a copper wall and iron bastion within his Sea of Knowledge, blocking the invading intent from entering his mind. Unfortunately, others weren¡¯t as fortunate. In an instant, the entire allied army descended into chaos, with nearly all members¡¯ eyes reddened, turning on each other in vicious combat. Lu Huaming¡¯s gaze showed a flicker of struggle, and his eyes quickly began glowing red. Nie Caizhu was still resisting strongly with her divine sense power. Her eyes alternated between flashing red and clearing, clearly struggling to maintain control. Jiang Shentian and Bai Xiaotian were in a similar state, able only to resist partially, but unable to suppress the effect entirely. Master Yan summoned a mechanical armor shaped like a giant iron-eating beast and donned it, seemingly shielding him from the influence, as he focused on stopping Tianji City disciples from slaughtering each other. As Shen Luo hesitated over what to do, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. The person¡¯s blood-red eyes burned brighter than anyone else¡¯s, and the intense killing intent emanating from him almost solidified, making Shen Luo¡¯s heart tighten. "Daoist Seven Kills..." Shen Luo inwardly exclaimed, realizing the danger. Behind him, eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords aligned themselves in a defensive formation. To Shen Luo¡¯s surprise, Daoist Seven Kills did not attack but instead said, "As expected, only Friend Shen remains completely unaffected." Chapter 1687 - 1683: Breaking the Formation Alone Chapter 1687: Chapter 1683: Breaking the Formation Alone"Seven Kills Daoist friend, are you completely unharmed as well?" Shen Luo asked in surprise. "As long as my mind is filled with enough killing intent, my target won¡¯t easily be twisted by anyone. Anyone who tries to manipulate my divine soul only makes me more determined to eliminate the Qingqiu Fox Clan," Seven Kills said coldly. "I see." Shen Luo nodded. "Friend Shen, you go and find a way to break the array. My killing intent can no longer be suppressed; I must go and create some chaos." Leaving these words, Seven Kills¡¯ figure soared into the sky. In the next instant, a rolling Blood Cloud gathered above the skydome, layers of Demonic Qi surging like waves. A black seal took the shape of a mountain and fell from the Blood Cloud, crashing down towards the city walls of the Kingdom of Qingqiu. Seeing this, Su Xiao frowned and instructed Hei Li behind him: "Go bring back that useless You Li." After saying that, his figure flashed and disappeared, appearing in mid-air, delivering a palm strike with one hand towards the black mountain peak, using sheer force to lift the mountain peak formed by the demonic seal. But immediately after, a figure descended from the sky within the Blood Cloud, landing heavily on the demonic seal with both feet. A tremendous pressure pushed down through the black mountain peak, forcing Su Xiao¡¯s figure to drop slightly. Scanning upward with his divine soul, he realized that the aura bursting from Seven Kills at this moment was already at the Late True Immortal Stage level. However, as an Early-stage Taiyi monk, he was naturally not afraid. A layer of green light burst from his palm, spreading over the black mountain peak. The mountain peak, formed by the demonic seal, began to shrink slowly within the green light. Seeing this, Seven Kills immediately waved his hand to retrieve the demonic seal. With a twist of his wrist, a bronze bow shaped like Ghost wings appeared in his palm, and a black arrow filled with Ghostly Qi formed on its own. "Breaking Kill." A light chant escaped Seven Kills¡¯ lips, and blood light entwined around the nocked arrow, gathering demonic qi, ghostly qi, and killing intent, erupting with an immensely powerful aura. Su Xiao immediately felt himself locked on by a formidable qi presence, his gaze flickering slightly. A sharp whistling "whiz" sound erupted. The Hundred Ghosts Demonic Bow exploded at close range, the arrow transforming into a black light, piercing through the air like a ghostly murmur, speaking words of life-taking intent. Su Xiao dared not be careless, immediately dodging aside. Who would have thought that the arrow, as if it had eyes, adjusted its direction to chase after him. Su Xiao was forced to move rapidly, constantly changing directions to evade the arrow. However, no matter how he dodged, the arrow continued relentlessly, closing in rather than widening the gap after several attempts. With no option left, Su Xiao had to use an underground escape technique to hide below. A loud "boom" exploded! The Hundred Ghosts arrow struck the underground, exploding violently. But immediately after, Su Xiao¡¯s figure shot out from the ground, with only slightly damaged clothing but no injuries at all, heading straight for Seven Kills. Elder Hei Li on the city wall flashed and leapt from the city wall, his figure like lightning, charging straight into the chaotic formation. He didn¡¯t intentionally fight anyone, only hurriedly dodging others¡¯ frenzied attacks, quickly approaching the prone figure on the ground, which was hardly distinguishable from a corpse. Coming near, seeing the vacant eyes and body full of scars, Elder Hei Li¡¯s heart was filled with uncontrollable anger. But he knew now was not the time for revenge. The urgent task was to take Elder You Li back. So he grabbed the latter and slung him over his back, intending to escape. However, just as he turned, a giant sword as broad as a doorboard fell from the sky, barring his way. This sword had a golden edge, a pure black blade that emitted a powerful oppressive force, as if reigning over and domineering the world. "Kunwu Sword..." Elder Hei Li was startled. "Where do you intend to take her?" came a questioning voice. An iron-eating beast, three zhang in height, appeared before him, holding the doorboard-like giant sword in one hand, swinging it horizontally at him. A burst of golden sword light erupted, and just the sweeping Sword Qi pushed him back several zhang. Elder Hei Li knew that inside the Iron-eating Beast Armor was Master Yan, who had escorted Elder You Li here. Heart full of anger, his eyes flashed with hesitation, wondering whether to rescue the person first or kill the escort first? However, he soon made a decision. As Master Yan was personally taught by the Master of Tianji City and also possessed the Magical Treasure Kunwu Sword, even as a junior, he couldn¡¯t be subdued quickly. But if one could destroy his protective Armor, he wouldn¡¯t evade Illusion Techniques. With this thought, Elder Hei Li released Elder You Li. He rotated both hands, and snake-like short swords appeared in each palm, emitting black light that reflected a crystalline gloss, evidently not ordinary Magical Treasures. While battles raged all around below the city walls, Shen Luo¡¯s figure had already arrived outside the city wall. He raised his hand to press into the void, his palm feeling an unseen resistance. Apparently, there was an invisible array barrier in front of him. Shen Luo frowned slightly, grasping a Pure Yang Flying Sword, thrusting its body forward into the void. A sharp "zheng" echo rang out. The sword tip stopped in the void, unable to progress further. Shen Luo began applying more force, with harsh screeching gradually emanating. At the sword tip, a point of searing firelight emerged, and the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire began to unleash its power. In the void, a five-colored Crystal Wall gradually surfaced. Shen Luo observed the area where the Crystal Wall extended for a moment, nodding inwardly. He stepped back a few paces, channeling his Mana rapidly, raising the hand wielding the Pure Yang Flying Sword high, like a commander rallying an army. The other ten Pure Yang Flying Swords swiftly flew over, landing in his hand one by one. Soon, eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords merged as one. "Break." With a low murmur from Shen Luo, the combined strength of eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords thrust forward. Sharp sword cries resounded in succession, though only a single sword light erupted from Shen Luo¡¯s hand, the Fox Clan on the city wall felt as if a blazing sun arose before them, waves of scorching heat surging. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In their daze, it seemed they saw a mystical Vermilion Bird spread its wings ahead, followed closely by several Golden Crows, and then the Profound Fire Divine Steed charging majestically, its momentum terrifying. With a loud "boom", an explosive sound echoed! The prohibition in the void before Shen Luo shattered like a mirror, scattering countless crystal lights and shaking the entire city. As the illusory light exploded, the city wall behind revealed engraved runes and embedded formation discs, clearly exposing the array¡¯s core. Seeing this, Shen Luo naturally wouldn¡¯t allow the array a chance to repair. With a sweep of his Longsword, hundreds and thousands of Sword Lights burst forth, striking the city wall, slicing it to ruins. Chapter 1688 - 1684: The Artifact Appears in the World Chapter 1688: Chapter 1684: The Artifact Appears in the WorldThe hidden illusion array was broken, and the strange aura shrouding the surroundings dissipated accordingly. However, when Shen Luo turned around to look, he found that the chaotic situation on the battlefield remained unchanged, and the various clashes continued. The minds of everyone affected had not yet recovered. But what comforted him was that the higher-cultivation individuals like Lu Huaming had regained their mental clarity. At this moment, they were taking action to pacify the chaotic crowd. High above, Su Xiao saw Shen Luo break the Bewildering Array of Emotional Turmoil, but wasn¡¯t surprised. He said indifferently, "Their hearts are bewitched, already in chaos; breaking the array won¡¯t change that." Having said that, his expression suddenly stiffened slightly, as if receiving a transmission from someone, and his face changed instantly. Immediately afterward, he struck a palm to force Seven Kills back, then turned sharply and waved his hand behind him. At this moment, Qingqiu City Gate suddenly opened, and the Qingqiu Fox Clan cultivators surged out like a tidal wave, charging at the allied forces of various sects. The cultivators of various sects, still embroiled in chaotic combat, were unprepared, and significant casualties resulted instantly. Seeing that he could not stop the disorder within the allied forces, Lu Huaming leapt forward, landing directly in the midst of the Fox Clan army. The longsword in his hand burst out with a rainbow-like sword light, cutting down Fox Clan members effortlessly as if slicing fruit, attempting to halt their advance. Bai Xiaotian also hurriedly flew up to assist. Nie Caizhu saw this and immediately prepared to unleash the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique to freeze everyone in place but was stopped by Shen Luo. At this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s wrist turned, and a peculiar, ancient battle drum appeared in his arms. "Nine Li Battle Drum..." Nie Caizhu, upon seeing this artifact, immediately understood Shen Luo¡¯s intention and couldn¡¯t help but smile knowingly. Shen Luo took a deep breath, then activated the mana within his body, starting to strike the drum in his arms. "Boom, boom-boom..." Rhythmic drumbeats resounded, mixed with Shen Luo¡¯s mana and divine soul, rippling outward in waves. The cultivators of various sects caught up in the chaos suddenly froze. Although their actions stopped, the fury in their hearts surged, and their eyes filled with a desire for battle. "Boom-boom, boom-boom, boom-boom-boom..." The drumbeats grew louder and more urgent. The cultivators previously embroiled in discord now uniformly turned their gaze toward the Qingqiu Fox Clan ahead. "What¡¯s happening?" The Qingqiu Fox Clan elders atop the city wall were visibly shocked. But before they could figure it out, the cultivators of various sects began shouting battle cries and charged toward the Qingqiu Fox Clan cultivators. What was initially intended to be a surprise assault on the sect cultivators turned into utter confusion for the Qingqiu Fox Clan. The situation had shifted far too quickly! Thus began another round of chaotic clashes below the city wall. Compared to the astonishment and bewilderment of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, the cultivators of various sects seemed emotionally charged, as if fueled by adrenaline. Each possessed an inexplicable urge to fight, feeling that not killing would leave them unsatisfied! Lu Huaming and others, possessing strong cultivation, were not easily influenced by the drum¡¯s incantation. Initially bewildered, they soon realized that Shen Luo¡¯s "leisurely" drumming at the rear was the cause. Understanding this, they focused on calming their stirring emotions and managed to compose themselves. Then, they flew toward the city wall to join the fray. The Qingqiu Fox Clan elders atop the city wall had no choice but to engage in combat, abandoning observance to clash with the cultivators of various sects. For a time, deafening cries of battle and clamor resounded outside Qingqiu City, punctuated by thunderous blasts. Elsewhere, Master Yan, engaged in combat with Elder Hei Li, had already abandoned his Iron-eating Beast Armor and switched to a Late True Immortal-level Corpse King Armor for the battle. Meanwhile, he wielded the giant Kunwu Sword to assist from the side. With the joint effort of Master Yan and the Corpse King Armor, Elder Hei Li was overwhelmed, unable to lift his head from the pressure. High above, Su Xiao observed the unfolding situation below and realized it was entirely different from what he had anticipated. Filled with regret, he muttered under his breath, "I should have dealt with Shen Luo first." "Old bastard, dare to lose focus?" At that moment, an angry shout rang out. Following this, a sharp howling erupted as a ghostly green arrow shot forth from the distance, piercing through the void and arriving directly before Su Xiao¡¯s forehead. At the final moment, a pair of Jade Armored Gloves appeared in his hand, and he clasped the arrow¡¯s shaft just as it was about to hit. The ghostly green arrow shaft quivered incessantly, its tail feathers trembling as though unwilling to accept being stopped. "Bang!" Suddenly, the arrow shaft exploded, releasing a dense burst of ghostly Qi that surged toward Su Xiao¡¯s eyes. Su Xiao closed his eyes instantly, but his eyelids burned with searing pain¡ªthe green ghostly Qi carried poison potent enough to alarm even a True Immortal. He instinctively retreated, his mind sounding an alarm about an imminent assault from behind. Su Xiao roared, and nine enormous green fox tails extended rapidly from his back, spreading out like a peacock¡¯s display to form a screen as protection. From behind, a golden flying dragon soared majestically forward, crashing fiercely into the nine mighty tails. "Boom!" The colossal impact sounded like mountains colliding. Su Xiao¡¯s body shook from the immense force. Behind him, there was a vortex of shattered light and intense tearing force as if attempting to rip apart his tails. However, relying on his Taiyi body, Su Xiao¡¯s nine massive tails radiated energy that resisted the tearing force. As their lights dimmed, the tails extended tenfold in size and fiercely swept backward. The golden flying dragon struck by the tails shattered its illusory glow, transforming into a green longspear entwined with golden dragons. The spear flew back and landed in Jiang Shentian¡¯s grasp. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Su Xiao, enduring the discomfort in his eyes, turned and exclaimed upon seeing this, "Flying Dragon in the Sky?" "You fox demon, even you recognize this cherished spear?" Jiang Shentian remarked as he raised the longspear, which emitted a faint dragon chant. "Hmph, legend has it that this golden dragon was originally a treasure from Samantabhadra Bodhisattva for subjugating demons. After tempering, it was reforged into a spear. Unexpectedly, it ended up in your hands¡ªwhat a waste of brilliance," Su Xiao retorted, rubbing his eyes. Before he finished speaking, another disruption to the Heaven-and-Earth Aura occurred behind him. Turning again, Su Xiao saw Seven Kills wielding a black dragon-embossed longspear, thrusting it toward him. This spear measured two zhangs long, with a crescent blade resembling a cold star. As it stabbed forward, the void twisted around it, imposing an overwhelmingly oppressive force upon Su Xiao, leaving him no chance to dodge. "Punishment Sky Reverse¡ªyour Immortal and Demon sects are truly wealthy. Such artifacts are handed to disciples like toys. Since you¡¯ve delivered it to me, I¡¯ll accept it reluctantly," Su Xiao remarked with a smirk instead of anger. As the spear thrust toward him, Su Xiao snorted coldly, charging ahead instead of dodging. Both of his hands reached out at once, revealing Jade Armored Gloves resembling dragon scales, glimmering faintly with golden streaks. Angling slightly, he dodged the spearhead¡¯s sharpness. His fingertips trailed along the spear from its tip to mid-shaft. As the gloves rubbed against the gun body, a cascade of sparks erupted. Chapter 1689 - 1685: The Limit Chapter 1689: Chapter 1685: The Limit"Hand it over." Su Xiao let out a low growl, his hand forming into a claw as he suddenly grasped the spear shaft, intent on snatching the Punishment Sky Reverse from Seventh Killer¡¯s grasp. Seventh Killer¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Killing intent surged within his body, and red light instantly emanated from the spear shaft. Dozens of coiling dragon phantoms, each several feet long, burst forth from the gun body, forcibly prying Su Xiao¡¯s hand away. Su Xiao frowned as the loosened spear swung back and struck his chest heavily, sending him staggering backward. Immediately afterward, from behind him, the Flying Dragon in the Sky spear swept in horizontal strikes, pinning him in the center with attacks from both sides. Su Xiao¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, only to see golden light erupt above his head. A golden pagoda had unknowingly descended to suppress him. He truly did not expect the Heavenly Palace disciples and Demon King Fort disciples to cooperate so seamlessly. In truth, neither Jiang Shentian nor Seventh Killer had anticipated their coordination to be so flawless. "Kid, aren¡¯t you underestimating Taiyi Cultivators a bit too much?" At this moment, Su Xiao¡¯s expression suddenly shifted, his tone teasing. As his words fell, a burst of radiant green light erupted around him. An overwhelmingly massive green fox Dharma-form suddenly emerged, its hundred-foot-tall figure instantly forcing Jiang Shentian and Seventh Killer to retreat. The Green Fox Dharma-form raised its head and let out a thunderous roar, ejecting a torrent of green light from its mouth like an inverted waterfall into the sky, directly striking and flinging away the golden pagoda. Freed from its suppression, the giant fox swiftly swiped at Jiang Shentian with its claw. The enormous claw imprint stirred up several gusts of green wind, sweeping across the battlefield and throwing both Fox Clan and Allied cultivators alike into the air. Jiang Shentian narrowly evaded, his brows furrowing deeply at the scene before him. Shen Luo, witnessing this from afar, tightened his brows and stopped drumming, ceasing his efforts to ignite the Allied cultivators¡¯ fervor. If their recklessness continued, it would only lead to more needless deaths and injuries. When the war drums fell silent, the Allied cultivators finally shook off their frenzied state and immediately sank into fear. The massive green fox was still wreaking havoc with its claws, leaving deep trenches across the valley floor. These trenches were filled with shattered limbs and remains of cultivators from various sects. Seventh Killer ascended into the air, then plummeted down from the skies, the Punishment Sky Reverse in his hand erupting in blood-red light with hundreds of coiling dragon phantoms accompanying it, assaulting the giant fox Dharma-form. The Fox Dharma-form suddenly raised one massive claw to meet the strike head-on. "Boom!" The explosive crash echoed loudly! In the high sky, green brilliance shattered. The fox Dharma-form¡¯s claws exploded apart, and Seventh Killer was sent flying. "To break through my Dharma-form... not bad. Sadly, the gap in cultivation cannot be bridged by mere talent." Su Xiao sneered, raising the fox leg of his Dharma-form to stomp fiercely on the cultivators below. "Let me try..." Just then, a hearty laugh rang out from above. Su Xiao instinctively looked up to find Shen Luo, now hovering alone in mid-air. He held neither a sword nor a staff, but instead grasped a three-foot-long blade. The blade was none other than the Hongming Saber, forged in the same furnace as the Xuanyuan Sword. Shen Luo had already fully refined this saber and now infused it with mana. As he did so, a sharp cry of a skylark pierced the skies, and light cascaded fluidly from the blade as it unleashed radiant sword glow, magnified a hundredfold. "Su Xiao Elder, prepare yourself!" Shen Luo shouted lowly, gripping the Hongming War Saber tightly with both hands and swinging it downward toward Su Xiao Elder. Where the sword glow swept across, layers of void fractured, revealing black fissures that emitted terrifying space ripples accompanied by peculiar humming sounds. Su Xiao immediately noticed the extraordinary nature of this strike, quickly raising his hands high while the giant fox Dharma-form rapidly regenerated its shattered arm, crossing to shield the area above its head. Simultaneously, within the Dharma-form, a pitch-black round shield adorned with a beastly pattern silently materialized in front of Su Xiao¡¯s true body. The exotic beast¡¯s twin eyes glinted fiercely, releasing dense glimmers to protect him. The blade glow severed the void, crashing downward. With a deafening blast, the fox Dharma-form¡¯s sizable arm instantly exploded. The emerald blade light sliced through the Dharma-form¡¯s limb like cutting tofu, striking the pitch-black beast-patterned shield. A second blast roared shortly thereafter. A faint lion¡¯s roar seemed to emerge from the shield, as if a ferocious beast sought to break free from its surface. But before it could emerge, it was cleaved in two, the shield shattering along with it. Su Xiao¡¯s heart sank in horror, unable to fathom the unparalleled sharpness of this blade. Hastily, he channeled his remaining mana to his jade-armored gloves, slapping them onto the blade glow. A third shattering blast occurred, his jade-armored gloves unable to endure for long before their plates were all shattered. The emerald blade glow sliced through his left shoulder, gleaming with blood as it severed half of his shoulder. The residual glow pressed forward, eventually slicing into the City Wall. "Boom" The thunderous explosion erupted at the City Wall, its overwhelmingly sharp and imposing strike cutting diagonally through the wall. The tower eaves collapsed and half of the wall crumbled, leaving a gaping fissure. Su Xiao forcefully suppressed the domineering blade energy coursing through his left-shoulder wound, his eyes brimming with disbelief as he stared at Shen Luo. Seeing Shen Luo smiling at him, his hands once again raised the blade, unmitigated fear finally flickered in Su Xiao¡¯s eyes. This man truly had the capability to end him. A surge of vigilance arose in Su Xiao¡¯s heart. After a moment of hesitation and internal struggle, he chose to evade rather than confront, his figure turning as he fled toward the city interior. The remaining Qingqiu Fox Clan disciples on the City Wall saw their elder retreat from battle and promptly followed suit, flying away. Yet before they could catch up, Su Xiao¡¯s enormous fox tail suddenly swung out. A wave of tremendous force sent the escaping elders flying back. Below the City Wall, cultivators from various Allied sects saw Shen Luo demolish the City Gate and force Su Xiao into retreat. The Qingqiu Fox Clan elders were visibly afraid, leaving the Allied forces emboldened. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Kill, kill them all!" Someone shouted loudly, prompting the Allied cultivators to charge at Qingqiu City once more. Inside and outside the City Gate, Qingqiu Fox Clan disciples without orders for withdrawal were like headless flies¡ªdirectionless, without any resistance. The Allied cultivators overwhelmed them, slashing through countless in an instant. In the air, Shen Luo attempted to intervene but, just as he opened his mouth, blood seeped from the corners of his lips. If Su Xiao had delayed his departure, he would have noticed Shen Luo¡¯s trembling hands barely steadying the blade. Indeed, while the Hongming Saber possessed unparalleled blade energy, forcibly wielding it had overstrained Shen Luo, leaving residual blade energy to backlash against its master. This was Shen Luo¡¯s first time fully exerting the saber¡¯s power since refining it. The earlier strike nearly emptied his mana reserves, with its retaliatory blade energy crashing violently through his organs. He sheathed the Hongming Saber, slowly descending from the air. Nie Caizhu instantly noticed something amiss and swiftly came to him, inspecting his injuries. Chapter 1690 - 1686: Confrontation Chapter 1690: Chapter 1686: Confrontation"It¡¯s all right." Shen Luo comforted Nie Caizhu while taking out an elixir, swallowing it, and sitting back down, closing his eyes to regulate his qi. On the other side, Master Yan had already defeated Elder Hei Li, who not only failed to rescue Elder You Li but also ended up sacrificing himself. Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills led their troops, charging into Qingqiu City. Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian glanced in their direction from afar before also joining the vanguard of the battle. Moments later, a sudden sound of a roaring gale echoed through the air. Shen Luo hastily opened his eyes to see a massive windstorm raging from within Qingqiu City. It whipped up clouds of dust and rubble, raging outward toward the city outskirts. Amidst the chaotic winds were shrieks caused by allied cultivators being thrown out of the city by the turbulent forces of the gale. With a series of crashing noises, figures rained down from the high altitude as though dumplings in a pot, landing chaotically in various postures across the ground. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon after, Bai Xiaotian and others were also forced out of the city by the fierce winds. Upon closer inspection, Shen Luo was surprised to find that, though these people had sustained minor injuries, none of them were gravely wounded or killed. He quickly stood up from the ground and gazed toward the direction of the city. There he saw a white-clad figure suddenly darting out of Qingqiu City. Her snow-white long hair cascaded freely, adorned with a uniquely crafted crystal crown on her head. Her beauty was elegant without excess allure, her demeanor regal¡ªshe was none other than the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. Shen Luo stared intently at her. Her brows were tightly knit, and her eyes were filled entirely with astonishment and sorrow. After a brief period of confusion among the allied cultivators, they finally climbed to their feet, regained their footing, reformed their formation, and glared angrily at the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom slowly descended from high altitude, standing alone outside the city gate, facing the allied forces. Behind her lay innumerable corpses of Qingqiu Fox Clan members, blood flowing freely like rivers. The remaining Fox Clan cultivators, seeing their lord finally emerge, cowered behind the collapsed city gate, none daring to step forward. One Fox Clan elder made a move to approach but was stopped by someone beside him. "Hmph, where was she earlier? A dignified Taiyi Realm cultivator scared into hiding by mere juniors¡ªif she¡¯d shown up sooner, we wouldn¡¯t have lost so many of our disciples and followers!" the elder gritted his teeth. "The Lord... she..." The other person tried to defend her but was at a loss for words. Even he couldn¡¯t comprehend why the Lord had not emerged earlier to lead the battle. If she had cooperated with Elder Su Xiao, perhaps the losses among their kin would not have been so devastating. Looking at the countless corpses on the ground, he hesitated to take another step. Such thoughts were not uncommon among the Fox Clan. When they looked at their lord now, their eyes no longer carried reverence but were instead filled with suspicion or even hatred. The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom did not turn back; she knew there was no one behind her, and she knew she had come too late. But there was nothing she could do. Since the early morning of the previous day, she had been deceived by the Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su, to enter a secret chamber under the guise of an assembly. There, she had been trapped by a specially crafted array. Just now, when the formidable array unexpectedly weakened, she was finally able to escape. But by the time she¡¯d arrived, she was met with the current disastrous situation. "Everyone, may I request that we pause our weapons and allow me to say a few words?" the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom began to speak. Her tone was calm, without panic and devoid of the oppressive presence typical of Taiyi cultivators. Instead, it carried a certain earnestness. "Lord, what more is there to say at this point?" Lu Huaming sighed deeply, responding. Lu Huaming understood that the blood feud between the allied factions and Qingqiu Kingdom had escalated to such an extent that mere words of defense would be futile in resolving it. "Stop wasting words with them! They¡¯re full of lies¡ªcharge into Qingqiu and annihilate the Fox Clan!" someone shouted from the ranks. "Kill, kill, kill..." ... The allied cultivators shouted with enthusiasm, yet given the opponent¡¯s status as a Taiyi cultivator¡ªlikely one at the middle stage¡ªand considering the abilities she had displayed earlier, no one dared to charge forward recklessly. "Friend Shen, would you be willing to help convince everyone to hear me out?" the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom turned her gaze to Shen Luo and asked. After a brief hesitation, Shen Luo finally spoke: "Everyone, I¡¯ve always hoped to converse with the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom and uncover the reasons behind this Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos. Now that the lord has revealed herself, whether to attack or not does not need to be decided in this moment. Why not listen to her first?" Among the crowd, some wished to voice their objections, but recalling Shen Luo¡¯s earlier feat of slicing through Su Xiao and collapsing half a city wall, they swallowed their retorts. Seeing no opposition, Shen Luo turned to nod at Lu Huaming. "In that case, Lord, please proceed," Lu Huaming said to the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. "Regarding the recent Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos¡ªwhile there is yet no definitive evidence¡ªit seems likely to have truly been orchestrated by members of the Qingqiu Fox Clan," the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom began, her first words shocking both the allied cultivators and the remaining Fox Clan members. They had expected their lord to defend the Fox Clan, yet she had instead admitted to the chaos outright. "In that case, annihilating your Qingqiu Kingdom is hardly unjustified, wouldn¡¯t you say?" Lu Huaming frowned and said. "Though members of the Qingqiu Fox Clan have indeed committed crimes, the fault does not lie with the entire population. The blame rests on a few malicious conspirators. Yet regardless, they are still citizens of Qingqiu, my kin. As the ruler of Qingqiu Kingdom, I cannot evade responsibility," the Lord¡¯s expression dimmed as she spoke. "May I ask, Qingqiu¡¯s Lord, why your Fox Clan sent envoys thousands of miles away to Tianji City to ally with traitors and conspire to murder Tianji City elders and disciples?" At this moment, a stern voice interjected. As he spoke, Master Yan stepped forward, throwing the severely injured Elder You Li and immobilized Elder Hei Li to the ground. The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom¡¯s gaze shifted at his words, falling upon the two figures at her feet. A flash of astonishment again crossed her face as she turned to glimpse toward Qingqiu City¡¯s interior, seemingly intending to look through its structures toward the Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su. Moments later, she returned her gaze, her expression calm once more. Whether she knew or was ignorant of the covert actions of the Qingqiu Fox Clan hardly mattered anymore. "Everyone, the Qingqiu Fox Clan has indeed committed grave errors. Your desire for vengeance is understandable. However, I implore you to recall the contributions of the Qingqiu Fox Clan in resisting the Demonic God Chiyou. We stood by your side in battle as allies to defend the world. Please, spare Qingqiu¡¯s Fox Clan from complete destruction," she pleaded. Her voice echoed with sorrow throughout the valley, reaching the white clouds above. It seemed addressed not only to the allied forces present but also to the sect masters and elders behind their disciples. As an early-stage Taiyi cultivator nearing perfection, unyielding resistance from her alone might thwart the allied forces within Morning Sound Valley, perhaps even resulting in casualties too great for the intruders to bear. But what would follow? Certainly, this battle would push Qingqiu¡¯s Fox Clan into opposition against the forces of the entire world. It would provoke retaliation from the allied elders even fiercer than today, ultimately spelling annihilation for the entire Fox Clan of Qingqiu. Chapter 1691 - 1687: Making Amends Through Disbandment Chapter 1691: Chapter 1687: Making Amends Through Disbandment"The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom speaks lightly. Are the people of Chang¡¯an and the disciples of Tianji City not living beings? Who will compensate for their lives?" Lu Huaming asked coldly. "Since I am the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, I shall atone with my death," the Lord of Qingqiu said calmly, her expression devoid of any emotion, as if discussing someone else¡¯s life and death. Hearing this response, everyone was stunned. "Your Majesty, some matters cannot be resolved simply by death. Moreover, this concerns the destiny of the entire Qingqiu Fox Clan. Why has the Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su, not shown herself?" Shen Luo¡¯s expression tightened, his tone carrying a hint of reluctance. His voice, amplified by the power of his divine soul, echoed throughout Qingqiu City. The fox clan members who had been silently accusing and cursing the Lord of Qingqiu from behind now found themselves harboring the same question¡ªwhy had the Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su, been so reluctant to appear? "The Lord is willing to atone with death; perhaps there were truly unspeakable difficulties that prevented her from appearing earlier?" someone hesitated and said. "The Great Elder has always denied that our Qingqiu Fox Clan was involved in the Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos, claiming that other races coveted the treasures of our Qingqiu Fox Clan and used it as an excuse to incite conflict, urging us to defend our homeland. The Lord, on the other hand, has constantly sought to resolve disputes through dialogue. Now that we¡¯re fighting desperately, why hasn¡¯t the Great Elder appeared?" a clan elder spoke up. "That¡¯s right. Please, bring the Great Elder out to preside over the situation," another elder shouted loudly upon hearing this. The surrounding elders exchanged glances, then also joined their voices. "Call for the Great Elder to take charge." "Call for the Great Elder to take charge..." At this, the gathered people of the Qingqiu Fox Clan within the City Gate began voicing their demands, their cries echoing again and again within Qingqiu City. Yet there was no response, no appearance. Those outside the city waited for a long time. Those inside the city waited for a long time. In the end, all were disappointed. The Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su, clearly had no intention of showing up. The Lord of Qingqiu seemed to have anticipated this, a trace of a bitter smile appearing on her face as she looked toward Shen Luo. "Friend Shen, I can only blame myself for failing to uncover the truth earlier. Now that things have escalated to this point, there is no way to turn back. The Great Elder has deliberately placed me in this inferno; she will not appear. I only ask that after my death, you prevent the various factions from slaughtering Qingqiu City. Could you?" The sound of the Lord of Qingqiu¡¯s voice echoed in Shen Luo¡¯s sea of knowledge, stirring turmoil in his heart. "Your Majesty, perhaps I could try persuading them to allow you to bear an apology in chains as you journey to Chang¡¯an City, temporarily delaying the conflict. What do you think?" Shen Luo responded through divine transmission. "It¡¯s no use. If I take a single step toward Chang¡¯an, the Great Elder will immediately plan more attacks to fan the flames even higher. Only with my death can the rage of the various factions be quelled, and only then will she truly seize full power. When the Qingqiu Kingdom falls into her hands, she will no longer wager the lives of Qingqiu Fox Clan members as chips in a gamble." The Lord of Qingqiu continued her transmission. "What does she truly want? Just to force you to your death and seize power?" Shen Luo questioned further. "In terms of scheming, I am far inferior to her. I cannot discern her greater objectives, but at this point, the only thing I can do for the Qingqiu Fox Clan is to face death with calm acceptance." The Lord of Qingqiu finished speaking, a trace of sorrow appearing on her face. At this moment, the sound of softly shuffling footsteps arose behind her. It was the Qingqiu Fox Clan members approaching her direction. The allied cultivators from various sects became instantly alert, raising their weapons and readying for defense. "Stay where you are," the Lord of Qingqiu commanded in a low voice. The footsteps of all the Qingqiu Fox Clan members halted immediately. "Your Majesty..." they called softly and hesitantly. The Lord of Qingqiu did not turn to look at them, not even once. Instead, with a wave of her hand, she erected a barrier, keeping them all confined within the city. "Today, I, as the Lord of Qingqiu, shall willingly disintegrate my body and end my life here. I hope all grudges between you and my Qingqiu Fox Clan can be resolved, and that you will withdraw from the Morning Sound Valley," the Lord of Qingqiu declared as her figure ascended into midair. The allied cultivators exchanged uncertain glances, none knowing what to say. A dignified ruler of a nation and leader of a clan, now dissolving her own body and life to atone. How could they still have any justification to continue attacking Qingqiu Kingdom? Moreover, both Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian had no intention of exterminating an entire clan, so they silently acquiesced to the act. "Elder..." Shen Luo, still filled with reluctance, called out aloud. But the Lord of Qingqiu smiled serenely at him, shaking her head gently. "Chief Strategist You Su, from this moment forward, the Qingqiu Fox Clan is in your hands. If you cause the nation to collapse and the extinction of the race, even after my soul fades into the afterlife, I will return to settle scores with you, unending." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After these words, three white flames ignited atop her head. Though her physical body remained unharmed, her divine soul had already self-immolated, gradually dissipating into the void. "No! Mother, no!" At this moment, a hoarse cry of mourning rang out from beyond the valley. A snow-white figure darted through the valley¡¯s perimeter, racing toward the Lord of Qingqiu suspended midair. The allied cultivators from various sects were startled and immediately readied to intercept. "Tu Xue... Do not act," Shen Luo shouted quickly, recognizing the woman, and stopped the others. Upon his command, everyone refrained from acting. Tu Xue sped toward them, her figure swift as lightning, catching the now soulless body of the Lord of Qingqiu midair. One hand pressed against her forehead, channeling mana from her palm in an attempt to extinguish the three burning soul-flames. But as soon as her hand touched the flames, a searing pain tore through her. Her jade-like hand was immediately scorched by the flames, revealing exposed muscle and bone. Even so, she did not relent, continuously channeling her mana to try and suppress the burning flames. However, how could the self-immolation flames of a Taiyi Realm cultivator be subdued by a True Immortal Cultivator? Tears streamed down her face as she watched helplessly while the flames atop the Lord of Qingqiu¡¯s head glimmered weaker and weaker. "Mother..." she cried in a voice that tore at the soul. Yet, in her arms, her mother looked upon her with a hint of contentment. Using her final strength, she tried to lift her hand to wipe away the tears on her daughter¡¯s face but could only weakly drop it halfway. The Lord of Qingqiu, self-dissolved, passed on. ... Within the secret chamber of the great hall in Qingqiu City. "Great Elder, this..." The clan elders stood before a light curtain in the void, watching the events outside the city unfold. "Even Tu Shanxue has returned..." Chief Strategist You Su muttered to herself, ignoring them. "Haven¡¯t we gone too far?" one elder asked, guilt written on their face. "To accomplish great things, sacrifices are inevitable. This is but another log added to the flame to light the dark night. The blood and Qi lost by the tribe¡¯s earlier casualties was insufficient to summon the fox spirits of past generations. The Lord¡¯s death has served a purpose as well." Chief Strategist You Su finally spoke. Her heartless words left the great hall in silence. "Prepare yourselves. It¡¯s our time to step forward," Chief Strategist You Su ordered, unbothered by the reactions of the others, and spoke slowly. Chapter 1692 - 1688 Compensation Chapter 1692: Chapter 1688 CompensationOutside the city, Tu Shanxue cradled the corpse of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, descending slowly. In the instant Tu Shanxue landed, the once perfectly preserved remains of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom began to wither and decay bit by bit, gradually turning to dust that merged entirely with the earth. Only the storage bracelet on her wrist fell into Tu Shanxue¡¯s hand. Tu Shanxue stared blankly as her mother vanished into smoke before her eyes. Clutching the storage bracelet, she stood frozen in place, letting the wind in the valley gradually dry the trails of tears on her face. It was only then that Shen Luo realized Tu Xue was the daughter of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, the rightful heiress of Qingqiu, and that her true name was Tu Shanxue. Conflicted and torn, he wanted to step forward and offer words of comfort, but for the moment, he didn¡¯t know how to begin. To be met with such a sudden tragedy, no one could possibly accept it. "How dare you! To force our Lord of Qingqiu to her death..." At that moment, an enraged voice suddenly rang out as seven or eight figures leapt out from the city and landed on the city wall, each wearing expressions of hatred as they glared at the people below. Shen Luo raised his head and saw at once the Chief Strategist You Su standing at the center, leaning on a silver rod with a look of dominion over the scene. Beside her, Su Xiao, who had departed earlier, stood again among them. The fury within him ignited in an instant. Though he still lacked concrete evidence, in his heart, he was already certain that the Chief Strategist You Su was the mastermind behind this series of conspiracies. She was the one most deserving of death as atonement. However, with the Lord of Qingqiu¡¯s prior entrustments, Shen Luo did not wish to provoke further conflicts and forcibly suppressed his anger. When he caught sight of Tu Shanxue standing ahead of them with her back turned, her shoulders trembling slightly, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of sorrow. The Allied Forces of Various Sects had no plan either, leaving the scene in utter silence. After all, with the Lord of Qingqiu now dead by dissolution in front of them, they could no longer justify further invasion. After deliberating for a long while, Lu Huaming stepped forward and said: "Now that the Lord of Qingqiu has sacrificed her life in atonement, the turmoil of the Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos is considered resolved. From this moment, the Great Tang Dynasty Government and the Qingqiu Fox Clan have no alliance, nor any grievances or entanglements. We hope the Qingqiu Fox Clan will conduct itself wisely and stop committing unrighteous acts." The other factions, having originally come under the pretext of addressing the Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos, hesitated upon hearing the Great Tang Government declare its withdrawal of aggression against Qingqiu Kingdom. "It¡¯s true that the Lord of Qingqiu has atoned with her death, but this can only absolve the Qingqiu Fox Clan of capital punishment. The damages caused to Chang¡¯an City and our factions must still be compensated," shouted a stern elder from the Allied Forces. "Agreed! The Qingqiu Fox Clan must take responsibility for the losses and provide reparations," someone immediately echoed. Soon, such calls for reparations from Qingqiu Kingdom grew more vocal, even Lu Huaming was unable to suppress them. Many sects had suffered little to no losses during the Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos but had joined in opportunistically, hoping to reap rewards from the attack on Qingqiu Kingdom. Now, if they were to retreat empty-handed, they would leave with nothing, naturally unwilling to accept that outcome. As the cries for reparations grew louder in the valley, the Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. "You all want reparations, to ruin my Qingqiu City and pillage it to your heart¡¯s content, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s the real reason behind this grand coalition against Qingqiu Kingdom, isn¡¯t it?" she suddenly shouted aloud. This sudden outburst shook the entire valley. The cultivators of the Allied Forces flinched as pangs of unease struck their hearts, and even Tu Shanxue, immersed in her grief, was startled awake. She turned her head to glance at the cultivators of various sects, her gaze sweeping over every one of them, as though she were committing each face to memory. When her eyes passed over Shen Luo, they paused momentarily before moving away. Then, clutching the storage bracelet left by her mother, she began walking toward Qingqiu City. The Qingqiu Fox Clan members at the city gate saw this and quickly stepped aside, creating a clear passageway for her. Even some elders who were familiar with her tried to approach with words of solace, but they were driven back by the hatred burning in her eyes, silencing them entirely. Chief Strategist You Su glanced at Tu Shanxue¡¯s departing figure, then turned her gaze back to the valley. Her next words left everyone present in shock: "Everything you seek is within Qingqiu City. If you desire it, come and take it..." The peace bought with the Lord of Qingqiu¡¯s life¡ªshe clearly cared nothing for it. "Great Elder, what do you mean by this?" someone from the crowd below cried out, discontented. "We no longer wish to fight. Too many have already died," voices of dissent echoed within the Fox Clan. Chief Strategist You Su ignored these protests. Clutching her silver staff tightly in one hand, she raised the other before her, closed her eyes, and began chanting in a soft voice. That eerie chant, like the murmurs of a demon, reverberated throughout the valley. "Hoo..." A faint wind, carrying a slightly metallic scent, blew out from the gate of Qingqiu City, brushing past the bodies of the sect cultivators. Shen Luo frowned deeply, overcome with an ominous foreboding. As he was about to warn Lu Huaming, he saw the entire Morning Sound Valley suddenly erupt with ghostly green flames rising from the ground. Above in the skydome, shadowy clouds gathered, blotting out the sun and plunging midday into blackened night. An indescribable deathly qi began to spread through the valley. And then, a horrifying scene unfolded! Amidst the hiss and rustle rising from all directions, the previously fallen fox clan cultivators began swaying and staggering as they rose from the ground. Some had already broken, some were missing heads, some wielded empty hands, while others still gripped weapons. Yet now, all of them seemed to have been revived, standing up from where they had perished. "This is..." Everyone was stunned into silence by what they saw. "What¡¯s going on?" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Hmph! Parlor tricks..." A bold cultivator from the Allied Forces strode forward toward a headless fox corpse, raising his blade and slashing down in anger. The long knife cut diagonally across the corpse¡¯s neck but failed to sever it in one stroke, instead becoming lodged in its right abdominal ribcage. Headless as it was, the corpse drove its longsword precisely into the cultivator¡¯s heart. A Taoist priest stepped forward hastily, waving a hand as a fire talisman ignited, transforming into a surge of red flames that engulfed a dozen corpses instantly. Yet the charred corpses, devoid of sensation or pain, continued their advance step by step, unbothered by the burning of their flesh and blood. Seven Kills let out a cold snort, his Xingtian Reverse in hand sweeping outward. A crescent-shaped blade arc rushed forward, slicing through the undead fox corpses and shattering them into countless fragments. Chapter 1693 - 1689: 10,000 Silent Foxes Annihilation Chapter 1693: Chapter 1689: 10,000 Silent Foxes AnnihilationThe allied forces were greatly invigorated upon witnessing Seven Kills¡¯ actions. Who cares what kind of demons or ghosts they are? As long as they are all smashed into dust, how can they continue to wreak havoc? However, at that very moment, green light began to emerge from the fragmented corpses, and ghostly spirits started rising continuously from underground. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze swept across the surroundings, and his brows involuntarily furrowed tightly. He realized that not only were evil spirit foxes emerging from the shattered corpses, but ghostly flames were also appearing densely around the ground. Within them were countless ghostly spirits so numerous that it made one¡¯s scalp tingle. Only then did the fox clan members who had not yet retreated inside the city gate show expressions of terror. Someone shouted, "This is... the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation! Great Elder, this is a terrible sin you¡¯ve committed..." Upon hearing this, every member of the fox clan present looked shocked, yet none dared to echo the outburst. When Seven Kills heard this name, his expression couldn¡¯t help but shift slightly. His gaze immediately turned toward the depths of the skydome, where faint green light flickered within the dense clouds. At this moment, only a few hundred members of the allied forces remained, but they were already surrounded by thousands of fox spirit evil ghosts pressing in on them. Some, gripped by fear, tried to flee by flying into the sky. Yet, as soon as seven or eight figures took off, someone below shouted, "Come down quickly! Do not fly into the air." But before the words had fully fallen, two or three people had already rushed into the dark clouds above. Within the dense cloud, green light instantly flickered. Whatever was inside was unclear, but screams of agony soon rang out, followed by a rain of blood that spilled downward. "This is the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation. That scoundrel has summoned the dead fox spirits from generations past who have not yet reincarnated. Even above the Nine Heavens, souls are sealed, making it dangerous to trespass." Seven Kills loudly warned. Those who remained suspended in mid-air but hadn¡¯t yet ascended higher immediately sought to descend upon hearing the cry. However, from within the dark clouds, a pair of lantern-sized green eyes suddenly appeared. A gigantic fox paw emerged, cloaked in eerie green flames, and swept through the air, turning three individuals into pulpy flesh. Everyone gazed upward to see the enormous face of a fox, at least a hundred feet in size, emerging from the dark clouds. Its mouth curled into a chilling grin, exuding an aura that reached the mid-stage of Taiyi, leaving those who sensed it frozen with dread. Upon realizing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression also grew grim. "Sizzle... Sizzle..." At that moment, from the direction of Morning Sound Valley¡¯s entrance, the abrasive sound of massive objects dragging across the ground suddenly filled the air. Shen Luo turned his gaze toward the sound and saw two colossal malevolent spirits with human bodies and fox heads, each over a hundred feet tall, clad in ethereal armor. One dragged a massive bronze axe, while the other gripped an enormous yellow halberd, as they approached menacingly. Behind them, countless fox clan evil spirits clad in armor followed, resembling an ancient battlefield army approaching from a distant era. They carried an aura of savagery and death, encroaching closer with each step. The allied forces of various sects finally realized that they were not the masters of this battle. Those who had previously demanded compensation now only thought of escape. Unfortunately, the skydome was sealed by the Taiyi-level fox spirits, and countless fox clan evil spirits continuously emerged from underground. No one dared attempt an underground escape either. Jiang Shentian¡¯s gaze turned icy as he raised his hand. With a wave, the Exquisite Pagoda once again appeared in his palm. He pushed it upward with one hand, letting the pagoda fly into mid-air. Its surface erupted with golden light as bursts of golden flames shot out from within, striking the innumerable fox spirit army. The flames from the pagoda descended into the fox spirit army, instantly engulfing hundreds of evil spirits. Within the raging flames, horrific wails and screams echoed as these spirits were incinerated into ash on the spot. "These are nothing more than wandering ghosts. What¡¯s so frightening about them?" Jiang Shentian snorted coldly. His decisive attack immediately bolstered the confidence of the many cultivators. "Buddhist salvation, the Mantra of Great Compassion." Dozens of Hua Sheng Temple disciples came forward, sitting cross-legged in unison and activating their sect¡¯s mystical skills, beginning to chant. "Hmm, crossing over restless souls is what we excel at," Bai Xiaotian said with a grin. As his words landed, the dozens of Hua Sheng Temple disciples radiated bright Buddha¡¯s Light. The chanting from their mouths turned into swirling characters of scripture, forming a wall of runes that advanced toward the fox spirit army. As the rune barrier swept forward, the fox spirit evil ghosts retreated, seemingly unwilling to be released from purgatory. Some even flailed their limbs, sending green ghost flames to resist the barrier. "Buddhist salvation, the Mantra of Great Compassion," Bai Xiaotian said with a shake of his head, appearing helpless. As his words fell, the chanting of the Hua Sheng Temple disciples suddenly changed. The golden barrier of scripture transformed into a massive rune, radiating brilliant light. Where the golden light shone, it was like the sun melting snow: hundreds of fox spirit evil ghosts vanished at once. The disciples of other sects gained a surge of morale at the sight and immediately joined the fight, clashing fiercely with the fox spirit evil ghosts. In an instant, the valley was again alive with explosions and deafening roars. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo¡¯s attention remained fixed on Chief Strategist You Su atop the city wall. She showed no intention of entering the fray, which stirred doubt in his heart. "Who knows how many years these fox spirit souls accumulated? If we remain trapped here and everyone¡¯s mana is eventually depleted, we¡¯re as good as dead," Nie Caizhu said worriedly. "Indeed. We must find a way to get everyone out," Lu Huaming added. After thinking for a moment, Shen Luo spoke, "Those among us with strong mana will open the path up front, driving toward the valley¡¯s exit. The other sects¡¯ cultivators should follow closely behind. Those skilled in fire and thunder techniques will guard the flanks, and the Tang Dynasty Government cultivators will guard them with flying swords. Additionally..." Shen Luo paused mid-sentence, turning to look at Master Yan. "We disciples of Tianji City will deploy and control the armor to cover the rear," Master Yan immediately understood and said. "Good, I¡¯ll stay behind with you," Shen Luo said, a faint smile surfacing as he nodded. "Then Daoist Seven Kills and I will lead up front," Jiang Shentian promptly remarked. Seven Kills didn¡¯t speak, merely nodding silently to signal his agreement. After their plan was settled, Lu Huaming went off to issue orders. Seeing that someone had taken the lead, the disciples from various sects naturally followed their command without objection. Thus, the attacking sect cultivators all retreated, while the surrounding fox spirit evil ghosts closed in like a relentless tide. Dozens of Mount Putuo disciples soon gathered at the front line, chanting "Indigo Blue Sea" in unison. Streams of shimmering blue energy surged out like a curtain of water, engulfing the nearby fox spirits, freezing them in place with waves of icy cold. The Tang Dynasty Government disciples drew their longswords, unleashing a rain of sword energy that sliced the frozen fox spirits into fragments. Only then did the other cultivators get a moment to catch their breath. Among the sects, only the Xuanhuo Sect and Shangyang Gate specialized in fire elemental techniques; the rest only practiced fire techniques as a secondary discipline. As for thunder elemental techniques, there wasn¡¯t a single practitioner among them, except for a disciple of the Qingfu Sect who carried some thunder-based talismans. Thus, Lu Huaming stationed them on the flanks of the formation, protected by disciples of the Tang Dynasty Government and the Demon King Fort. The central area was occupied by disciples from Hua Sheng Temple and Mount Putuo, who used Buddhist methods to create a protective array that encompassed everyone. Soon enough, the group formed a spindle-shaped battle formation within the valley. Chapter 1694 - 1690 Taiyi Fox Spirit Chapter 1694: Chapter 1690 Taiyi Fox SpiritJiang Shentian and Seven Kills each held a long spear, arriving at the forefront of the Shuttle Ship Array. The Hua Sheng Temple disciples stood at the center, chanting a protective incantation. Waves of golden light spread out, forming a massive Golden Bell that enveloped the area, emanating bursts of Buddha¡¯s Light. On both sides were cultivators from various sects skilled in fire-based mystic arts and lightning-based talismans, while at the rear were disciples of Tianji City led by Shen Luo and Yan Wushi, guarding the retreat. Shen Luo glanced at Elder You Li, already lifeless, then shifted his gaze to Elder Hei Li, who was still firmly restrained. "What should we do with them?" "The dead one doesn¡¯t matter, but the living one might still be of use," Yan Wushi replied indifferently. While speaking, he raised his hand, summoning a humanoid armor standing about two zhang tall before him. Yan Wushi turned his palm, taking out a peculiar talisman, then affixed it to Elder Hei Li before casually hoisting him up. With the activation of his mana, the humanoid armor¡¯s abdomen opened into a black void, where streaks of blue charm patterns started glowing. Yan Wushi, without the slightest expression, threw Hei Li inside, the black void immediately sealing shut. A muffled groan came from the armor¡¯s abdomen, followed by anguished moans echoing within. Under the talisman¡¯s effect, Elder Hei Li¡¯s mana was continually being drained and absorbed by the armor, causing its charm patterns to brighten and radiating powerful mana fluctuations. Yan Wushi waved his hand, sending the armor ahead of the group, charging straight toward the approaching fox spirit evil ghosts. Its dual-wielded long knives ignited with flames, and it strode boldly into the layers of fox spirits, slashing freely. Large swathes of fox spirits were struck by the fiery blades, disintegrating into countless green light particles that scattered into the void. The armor¡¯s offensive outbreak acted like a fuse, igniting the fervor of the fox spirit army¡¯s assault. Innumerable green apparitions surged in from all directions like tidal waves. The cultivators from Xuanhuo Sect and Shangyang Gate, seeing this, felt their scalps tingling and began frantically casting mystic arts. Wave after wave of intense flames descended from mid-air, bombarding the fox spirit evil ghosts accompanied by significant suppression effects, quickly scattering patch after patch of them. The Qingfu Sect cultivators dared not slack off either, summoning their talismans to unleash streaks of thunderbolts, striking down the fox spirit evil ghosts as the whole team shifted toward the valley entrance. From afar, Shen Luo observed that the Qingqiu Fox Clan cultivators stationed atop the city wall showed no intention of joining the battle. He surmised that these fox spirit evil ghosts were likely forcefully conscripted, their attacks seemingly indiscriminate. As long as the Taiyi-level cultivators didn¡¯t intervene, their chances of surviving and escaping would significantly increase. While he was contemplating this, the ground behind them suddenly surged, as though something underground was stealthily moving, causing an elevated bulge to scatter numerous fox spirit evil ghosts. Shen Luo didn¡¯t have time to investigate. He immediately swept his hand through the void, summoning the Hongming War Saber once more. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a single arm raising the saber, he infused it with his mana, causing the blade to emit a sharp, clear cry before slashing down toward the swelling earth. "Clang!" A resonant blade cry echoed, as a hundred-zhang-long saber light swept through Heaven and Earth Aura, crashing into the ground, shaking the entire valley with tremendous force, stirring up billowing dust clouds. Where the blade¡¯s edge fell, a gully several zhang wide, yet seemingly bottomless, extended from the valley floor all the way beneath Qingqiu City before halting. "A fine blade," Elder Su Xiao remarked with unbridled admiration from atop the city wall. "Once they¡¯re dead, that blade will be yours," Chief Strategist You Su responded coolly. "Thank you, Great Elder," Su Xiao promptly expressed gratitude. "Great Elder, if you truly intend to kill them all, the sects will undoubtedly rise in fury. We..." Another elder voiced concerns. "Afraid of what? I have my plans," You Su smirked disdainfully and said. After Shen Luo¡¯s strike, despite holding back compared to his previous full-powered saber attack, his mana recovery was heavily depleted. He sheathed his saber and turned toward the rear with focused attention. Suddenly, the turbulent ground erupted. A massive, fiery red shadow leapt out from below, unfurling in the sky to reveal a form spanning a hundred zhang. It was a fox spirit whose aura had already reached Taiyi-level, its nine towering tails swaying behind like clusters of crimson flames. Nevertheless, its eyes gleamed with eerie green fire, indicating it was no longer a living creature. On its chest, an unmistakable long scar opened, revealing faint green glimmers, evidently inflicted by Shen Luo¡¯s earlier saber strike. The massive fire-red fox swept its tails, unleashing a fierce gale mixed with crimson flames, engulfing the allied forces. The disciples of Tianji City hurriedly activated their individual armors, sending them airborne to intercept. Among them, a giant turtle-shaped armor radiating deep blue hues spewed a torrential surge of water, colliding against the sea of flames. As water and fire clashed, dense white mist billowed forth, but the water was swiftly evaporated by the flames. The turtle armor was engulfed in fire and instantly exploded into fragments. Immediately following, a winged tiger armor soared up. Its wings whipped fierce gusts from its sides, dispersing the weakened flames at last. But just as relief began spreading among the group, the fire-red fox lunged forward. Its colossal claws gripped the winged tiger armor, ripping it apart effortlessly with a single pull. Shen Luo, witnessing this, could only raise his arm and point from a distance. Eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords erupted forth, transforming into golden-red sword lights that targeted the massive fire-red fox. Nonetheless, though the fire-red fox bore the form of a fox spirit, its body was unnaturally tough. The sword lights merely glanced off like insect bites, barely scratching its defense. Even the eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords themselves only managed to chip away at its flames, incapable of breaching its physical body. Shen Luo wanted to unleash the Hongming Saber again but lamented the overwhelming mana depletion. Even forcibly activating it might fail to generate sufficient damage. However, fixating on the unhealed wound on the fox¡¯s chest, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes suddenly gleamed with an idea. Due to the strategic deployment of the team, their defense against the fox spirit army¡¯s attacks remained organized, with their overall movement steadily advancing through the Morning Sound Valley. Still, the cultivators of Xuanhuo Sect and Shangyang Gate had severely exhausted their mana, while Qingfu Sect¡¯s lightning talismans were completely depleted. Meanwhile, the fox spirit army approaching from the valley entrance was about to clash head-on with them. Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills noted two towering, humanoid fox-headed specters up ahead, both exceeding a hundred zhang in height. Exchanging glances, they shot forward together to confront them. Before drawing near, Jiang Shentian had already hurled the Exquisite Pagoda, enlarging it to a hundred zhang high and smashing it toward the fox spirit wielding a bronze giant axe. Seven Kills, equally coordinated, summoned a demonic seal, hurtling it toward the fox spirit holding a brass giant rake. Utilizing the Method of Heaven and Earth, both transformed their forms to match their hundred-zhang adversaries, charging into battle with their respective foes. Chapter 1695 - 1691: Can’t Kill Anymore Chapter 1695: Chapter 1691: Can¡¯t Kill AnymoreWithout Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills clearing the path ahead, the cultivators from various sects now had to confront the onrushing Fox Spirit Army directly. The pressure heightened instantly. Just as the Fire Sect Cultivators and Qingfu Sect Cultivators were on the verge of being unable to hold their ground, a series of crisp "clang" sounds rang out. The disciples of the Tang Dynasty Government unsheathed their swords in unison. Sword lights split into reflections: one into ten, ten into a hundred, a hundred into a thousand. Streams of light and sword shadows shot out rapidly. Everywhere they passed, they pierced right through the foreheads of the Fox Spirit Evil Ghosts with astonishing precision. Everyone looked over and saw that it was Lu Huaming leading the disciples to form a Sword Array. Directed by his intent, the formation unleashed such formidable power. In the blink of an eye, hundreds to nearly a thousand Fox Spirit Evil Ghosts were annihilated, transforming into countless green specks of light that floated upwards. The Sword Array was sharp and deadly, but its consumption was equally immense. Wave after wave passed, and after several rounds, the disciples of the Tang Dynasty Government were visibly exhausted, their pace slowing down. Yet the Fox Spirit Evil Ghost Army seemed endless, continuously surging toward them without respite. At that moment, a soothing chanting sound resounded. Disciples from Mount Putuo activated the divine technique "Salvation of All Beings," radiating a gentle glow from their bodies that spread to the surroundings. Bathed in this light, the cultivators from various sects immediately felt their vitality surge. The exhaustion from earlier battles and spellcasting was swept away, and their spirits were invigorated. "Buddha¡¯s compassion..." Another round of Buddhist chanting echoed from the disciples of Hua Sheng Temple. Gentle gold-colored Buddha¡¯s Light spread outward, instantly making everyone feel their Qiao acupoints open up. The Heaven and Earth Aura in the surroundings accelerated its flow into their bodies, greatly replenishing their mana. Motivated by this, the cultivators¡¯ morale rose sharply once more. By this point, the elders and disciples from middle and smaller sects finally realized the vast gap between themselves and the first-tier sects like the Tang Dynasty Government and Hua Sheng Temple. In the rear, Shen Luo also noticed his mana recovery had greatly improved. Feeling reassured, he surged forward once more to confront the Fire Fox Evil Spirit. Gripping his Pure Yang Flying Sword, he advanced close to the Fire Fox Evil Spirit for combat. Meanwhile, ten additional Pure Yang Flying Swords formed a formation mid-air, gathering momentum for the Golden Sword Array. At this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots beneath his feet flashed repeatedly with electric light. His figure accelerated suddenly and appeared above the Fire Fox¡¯s head in an instant, slashing his sword downward toward its skull. The Fire Fox instinctively tilted its head up and raised an arm to block Shen Luo¡¯s attack. "Now¡¯s the time." Seeing the gaping wound on its exposed chest, Shen Luo¡¯s face lit up with joy. Feigning an attack with his sword, he abruptly retreated. The Golden Sword Array surged with brilliance and struck toward the wound on the Fire Fox¡¯s chest. However, at this moment, the seemingly mindless Fire Fox Evil Spirit acted purely on combat instinct. Nine of its tails thrust forward like flower petals closing, forcibly blocking the Golden Sword Array. At the same time, one of the Fire Fox¡¯s giant claws swung heavily down toward Shen Luo. Moving nimbly through the void, Shen Luo evaded the strike with extreme agility and lunged directly toward the Fire Fox¡¯s chest. The Fire Fox Evil Spirit, seeing this, had no choice but to divert a tail to strike at Shen Luo. But for some unknown reason, Shen Luo made no effort to dodge and charged straight ahead. Just as he was about to collide with the tail, a figure suddenly darted in from the side, taking the blow meant for Shen Luo. With a loud "smack," the figure was sent flying away. Seizing the opening, Shen Luo slipped into the Fire Fox¡¯s chest. The Pure Yang Flying Sword in his hand stabbed directly into the wound made earlier by the Hongming Saber, sinking in to the hilt. Once inside the Fire Fox¡¯s body, the Pure Yang Sword Qi erupted instantly. The Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit spread its wings and transformed into a colossal flaming bird, unleashing the Vermilion Bird Divine Fire without reservation. Flames raged inside the Fire Fox Evil Spirit, burning it ferociously from within. Though formidable on the outside, the Fire Fox Evil Spirit¡¯s core was nurtured by the ghostly netherfire. It could not withstand the Pure Yang Flying Sword rampaging inside, and its strength rapidly drained away. Its nine tails gradually lost their power as well. The remaining ten Pure Yang Flying Swords seized the opportunity to break through, piercing into the Fire Fox¡¯s body. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, the calls of the Golden Crow and Vermilion Bird reverberated. Pure Yang Sword Light intertwined, and the Fire Fox Evil Spirit, unable to resist, was ultimately obliterated. The vast spiritual entity collapsed. Aside from the ghostly flames that were entirely consumed by the Pure Yang Flying Sword, the remaining fiery light shimmered as countless specks and drifted toward the depths of the sky. Raising his head, Shen Luo glanced at the sky. Amidst the dense, oppressive clouds, flashes of green light flickered, stirring unease within him. There was no time to overthink. Shen Luo cast his gaze downward toward the stone wall in the distance. He caught sight of the mechanical construct that had just shielded him. It was now nearly shattered, and its damaged abdomen revealed Elder Hei Li¡¯s battered and bruised body. Lying motionless on the ground, his fate was uncertain. Shen Luo caught up with the retreating cultivators from various sects, realizing they were now nearing the exit of Morning Sound Valley. "Brother Yan, that was excellent teamwork earlier," Shen Luo said with a smile. "Brother Shen, you¡¯re truly reckless. If I hadn¡¯t recalled that construct in time, you¡¯d be in serious trouble right now," Master Yan shook his head with a trace of exasperation. "It seems the elders like Chief Strategist You Su won¡¯t intervene personally. The danger behind us has lessened. I¡¯ll rely on you and the others to watch over them; I¡¯ll head to the front to assist," Shen Luo chuckled, cupping his hands in respect. "Always the diligent one. Stay safe," Master Yan returned the gesture with a nod. With a swift movement, Shen Luo darted to the forefront of the group, where he saw the Exquisite Pagoda emitting a radiant glow. Below it, a Fox Spirit wielding a giant axe was being suppressed. Jiang Shentian¡¯s Long Spear pierced cleanly through the massive creature¡¯s head. The Fox Spirit¡¯s form disintegrated, scattering into countless green specks of light that drifted skyward. The crowd erupted into cheers and applause for him. On another front, Seven Kills¡¯ battle was nearing its conclusion as well. Radiating a ferocious killing aura, the Punishment Sky Reverse technique forced the Fox Spirit armed with the Yellow Halberd into a continual retreat. They were now almost at the valley entrance of Morning Sound Valley. The victories of these two individuals greatly inspired the cultivators. By this point, the assembly no longer minded the consumption of their mana. Standing against the endless tides of Fox Spirit Evil Ghosts, they fought without fear. Hurling themselves at the Fox Spirit Army with relentless attacks, they annihilated swathes of the enemy and pushed toward the final barrier. At that moment, Shen Luo began to sense something was amiss. Above them, the dark clouds grew heavier and lower, emanating a suffocating sense of oppression. His gaze turned to the green specks of light drifting upward into the sky. Activating the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, he peered into the depths of the clouds. But just as he directed his gaze upward, two massive beams of green light suddenly shot out from within the dark clouds. Like solid eyes, they scanned over the entire Allied Army. "This isn¡¯t good. Stop killing them!" Shen Luo suddenly realized the danger. Unfortunately, his fervent cry failed to halt the cultivators¡¯ actions. At the forefront, Seven Kills had already executed a perfect strike, slicing down the colossal Fox Spirit before him. As countless green specks of light floated into the sky and entered the thick, ominous cloud layer, an incomparably dreadful aura began descending over the Earth. Chapter 1696 - 1692: Thunderous Baptism by Fire Chapter 1696: Chapter 1692: Thunderous Baptism by Fire"Booming rumble" Suddenly, the sound of thunder rang out, and within the dark clouds, two gigantic vortices formed. Two colossal fox claws shot forth from within, not attacking anyone, but instead, like two massive pillars, they positioned themselves on the left and right sides of the valley entrance. Immediately after, an enormous green fox head emerged from the dark clouds, its blood-stained maw blocking the valley entrance entirely, sealing off everyone¡¯s path forward. "No wonder those old foxes from Qingqiu didn¡¯t come out themselves. They deliberately let us slay those fox spirits, allowing their residual souls to ascend into the air to be absorbed by this fox spirit," Lu Huaming exclaimed angrily. "When we finally were about to leave the valley, this fox spirit made its move. We¡¯re almost depleted, while its strength soars from absorbing so many fox spirit remnants. At this rate, we stand no chance," Bai Xiaotian said, unable to hold back his frustration. Upon hearing this, the cultivators from various sects, whose heroic fervor had been ignited earlier, felt it dim considerably. After sensing the overwhelming breath of the fox spirit ahead, far surpassing the Taiyi middle stage, their hearts sank into despair. "Lu Daoist, Bai Daoist, where are the elders of your sects? At this point, don¡¯t hold back anymore. If they don¡¯t come forth now, we¡¯re really going to face total annihilation," shouted an elder of the Xuanhuo Sect loudly. The other cultivators immediately snapped to attention, shouting urgently as well. The reason they dared to join this risky mission was their belief that sects like the Tang Dynasty Government and Hua Sheng Temple would never let a mere few disciples lead the charge in such a dangerous campaign against an entire race. They had always assumed that elders from the Tang Dynasty Government, Hua Sheng Temple, or even Demon King Fort and Heavenly Palace were lurking in the shadows, waiting to step in when the disciples faced mortal peril. But how could they have known that even if such reinforcements did exist, they were now genuinely unable to come to their aid? Lu Huaming, having already heard news from Shen Luo, was naturally aware that neither his Master nor the National Master could spare a hand. He couldn¡¯t reveal the grim truth and could only say: "Fellow cultivators, it¡¯s not yet the end of our resources. Have all of you lost your fighting spirit already?" "Lu Daoist, can¡¯t you see? The fox spirit blocking our path is at the Taiyi middle stage. Even combined, we are not its match. How are we supposed to fight it?" The others had entirely lost hope. "Whether we can win or not, we won¡¯t know until we try." Shen Luo snorted coldly and said. "Exactly." Jiang Shentian echoed immediately. Seven Kills remained silent but stood resolutely beside Shen Luo with his spear. These outstanding young cultivators knew well that at this moment, someone needed to step forward and lead, or everyone would succumb to despair and end up as lost souls in the fox spirit¡¯s maw. As they spoke, the group had already closed the distance to the valley entrance by less than a hundred feet. The enormous fox spirit¡¯s mouth suddenly illuminated with a green flame, erupting like a dam-breaking tide. The flame transformed into a straight beam of fire, rushing toward everyone. "Booming rumble" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The sound of thunder erupted through the valley as the green flame swept forth, shattering the void in its wake. Seeing this, everyone was struck with fear, feeling the shadow of death looming overhead. "Lotus Wonderful Method, Indigo Blue Sea." At that moment, Nie Caizhu led the Mount Putuo disciples forward with a sharp cry. Before the Mount Putuo disciples appeared streaks of azure light. A surge of freezing energy instantly soared, followed by a gigantic wave of water shooting skyward, rushing toward the fiery beam. The blue wave surged upward and collided with the green flame. In the instant they met, the freezing power sealed the flames. However, within mere breaths, the green flame broke free from the frozen wave, surging once more toward the group. "Vajra Guardian, Great Compassion Palm." Immediately, a series of Buddhist chants rang out. Golden palm prints flew forward, converging into a mountain-sized golden seal that collided with the green flame beam. "Boom!" The golden palm seal shattered into pieces with an explosive sound, yet the green flame, though dimmed significantly, pressed onward relentlessly. "Sweeping Thousands of Troops." At that moment, a fierce shout sounded. Lu Huaming led the Tang Dynasty Government disciples forward with their swords. Streaks of sword light pierced the sky, shooting upwards to a height of ten feet before transforming into countless raindrops of sword energy, slicing into the flames. A storm of densely-packed collisions erupted, with countless sword lights intertwining and slicing the green flame beam into scattered fragments, turning it into dispersed fireballs. Even the most disheartened among the group found themselves spurred into action, striking the remnants of the flames until they were extinguished. Yet, as soon as they managed to fend off this attack, an even more despairing sight emerged before them. The enormous fox head blocking the exit revealed a vast green vortex spinning furiously within its blood-stained maw. A massive, irresistible suction force surged outward. The valley was instantly swept into chaos, filled with flying sand, whistling winds, and panic. Those who had been charging toward the valley entrance now scrambled to retreat, seeking to escape the pull of the vortex. The sheer number of people made escape chaotic; those in the front turning back were blocked by those in the rear, leaving the group in disarray. "No, no..." A desperate scream rang out as a disciple from the Xuanhuo Sect lost their footing. Pulled into the vortex by the suction force, they hurtled uncontrollably into the giant maw and were instantly torn to pieces, their Divine Soul unable to escape. A furious roar followed, and the suction at the Taiyi-level fox spirit¡¯s mouth intensified, pulling three more cultivators to their deaths. As the suction force grew ever stronger, the entire allied army began inching closer to the valley entrance as a group. It would take only moments before all of them were swallowed by the fox spirit. "What do we do? I don¡¯t want to die..." someone shouted in panic. "Someone save me! Tang Dynasty Government, Hua Sheng Temple elders, where are you..." "It¡¯s over. We¡¯re finished..." Amidst the chaotic cries, the group was now less than ten feet from the fox spirit¡¯s maw. The closer they drew, the stronger the suction became, pulling them closer to their doom. Even Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills could do nothing to turn the tide. Just then, a slender figure suddenly flew out from the crowd, placing herself between everyone and the frontlines. Her presence emitted waves of peculiar energy, creating a water-like fluctuation in the air. In the eyes of the group, they felt as though time had slowed; only one figure, flashing with lightning beneath her feet, moved swiftly toward the slender silhouette. "Thanks for your effort..." Shen Luo spoke softly to Nie Caizhu, who was radiating her time manipulation power, before raising his hand. The Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor appeared before him, and he gripped the Sun Battle Axe in one hand, brandishing it downward toward the fox spirit. The battle axe immediately erupted with radiant light. Flames as bright as the sun surged forward, hurtling toward the giant fox maw. The fox¡¯s twin Eyes of World Destruction flared with purple light, releasing thick bolts of lightning that intertwined with the raging flames, all rushing toward the fox spirit¡¯s maw. As the attack reached its target, the two forces collided. Lightning and fire, booming thunder resounded through the heavens and earth! Chapter 1697 - 1693: No Retreat (Happy New Year) Chapter 1697: Chapter 1693: No Retreat (Happy New Year)The immense explosive force transformed into an overwhelming and indomitable power, sweeping in all directions, causing the entire valley entrance to collapse. The fox spirit¡¯s half-face was blown apart, and its spell of devouring was interrupted. Nie Caizhu¡¯s time witchcraft could no longer be sustained either, and the energy fluctuations emanating from her body dissipated instantly. The formidable fox spirit became furious, opening its mouth wide as it attempted to bite down on Shen Luo. However, the Destruction Mingwang arrived just in time, intercepting the attack on Shen Luo. At the same time, thunderous roars erupted, and Shen Luo, whose body had transformed into the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, gripped the Hongming War Saber with his giant arm of Chiyou. His figure leapt over the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s head, striking down at the fox spirit¡¯s head. A long, emerald-green blade of light erupted, carrying nearly all of Shen Luo¡¯s remaining strength, and finally landed. As a mere spirit without flesh and blood, the fox spirit was split by the blade of light. Its massive form tore apart at the center with a colossal rift, unable to sustain itself any longer, and collapsed. This time, the scattered green fragments began evaporating like water vapor, dissipating into the heavens and earth. Over the Morning Sound Valley, the dark clouds dispersed, and sunlight reappeared. The body of the Destruction Mingwang vanished, while Shen Luo¡¯s figure plummeted from the sky, caught in Nie Caizhu¡¯s embrace. Amid a brief moment of shock, the crowd erupted into ecstatic cheers. The joy of surviving the ordeal washed over everyone as they finally escaped from the Morning Sound Valley and returned to the camp. ... Meanwhile, in Qingqiu City, a group of Fox Clan elders were astonished to discover the sudden vanishing of the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation. Some were in disbelief. "A mere group of True Immortal cultivators¡ªhow could they possibly break the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation?" Su Xiao remarked. "It¡¯s possible that there¡¯s a Taiyi Realm cultivator hidden among them; we just weren¡¯t aware," someone speculated. "That¡¯s impossible. If there were a Taiyi cultivator in hiding, how could the Great Elder have failed to notice?" another elder refuted. Standing to the side, the Chief Strategist You Su remained silent, immersed in deep contemplation, and did not participate in the discussion. "Great Elder, regardless, they¡¯ve suffered heavy losses this time. Why don¡¯t we seize this opportunity to charge out of the valley and annihilate them completely?" Su Xiao suggested with a frown. "No rush. Though their losses are severe, our Fox Clan has similarly expended a significant amount of vitality. Acting now would risk merely chasing down a desperate foe, provoking them to fight to the death. Besides... let them face the wrath of the Fox Ancestor first. If we kill them all now, who would take the brunt later?" The Chief Strategist You Su shook her head as she responded. "Well then... could they seize this moment to flee?" an elder asked. "Why did those middle and small sects join this campaign against us in the first place? Wasn¡¯t it to gamble for greater benefits? Yes, they¡¯ve lost much already, but abandoning the battle now would mean losing everything entirely. Only by pressing forward¡ªtoppling Qingqiu City¡ªcan they recover their losses. As for premier sects like the Great Tang Dynasty Government, they won¡¯t retreat either for the sake of reputation and prestige," You Su explained with a smirk. Upon hearing this, everyone was filled with awe and respect. ... Elsewhere, outside the valley, the camp indeed erupted in a dispute as You Su had predicted. But ultimately, the coalition army chose not to retreat, preparing to wait for reinforcements to destroy the Qingqiu Fox Clan once and for all. Shen Luo did not take part in these discussions. Having exhausted himself too severely earlier, he was under Nie Caizhu¡¯s watch as he rested to recover from his injuries. Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian, along with others, sent out messages to their own sects before entering secluded cultivation to restore their strength. ... At night. Qingqiu City fell into a deathly silence, devoid of its usual vitality. The corpses within Morning Sound Valley had yet to be collected, transforming the once peaceful and beautiful place into something grim and haunting. A solitary moon hung high in the sky, radiating a cold, pale light. A white silhouette, swaying uncertainly like a fragile thread of silk, wandered through the pitch-black streets of the city, step by step heading toward the Fox Clan¡¯s altar. The usually heavily-guarded altar stood unguarded on this day, and the figure met no resistance as she entered. Kneeling on the central platform, she lowered herself onto the altar. The moonlight shone on her face, cloaking her features in a hazy glow. It lent an eerie beauty to her visage, though her expression was suffused with sorrow. She was none other than Tu Shanxue, who had just experienced the devastating loss of her mother. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As she entered the altar, its array was triggered. The charm patterns on the ground lit up, and clusters of flames soared upward to form a colossal fire dragon that coiled around her in the central space. "Audacious junior! How dare you trespass upon the altar? Do you know your crime?" The fire dragon¡¯s massive head extended forward, glaring down at the woman and speaking in a voice steeped in authority. Tu Shanxue offered no reply. Instead, she raised her head silently, locking eyes with the fire dragon in defiance. Seeing this, the fire dragon seemed to grow enraged, spewing forth scorching breath that blew Tu Shanxue¡¯s robes and sent her hair streaming. It dried the tears on her face as it swept past her. Tu Shanxue felt the heat and terrifying pressure. The sadness in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an ever-deepening hatred. The fire dragon noticed the transformation in her gaze and astonishingly retreated, spiraling back into the ground until it vanished entirely. The solitary moon above slowly became obscured by heavy clouds, while shadows on the ground crept upward, draping themselves over Tu Shanxue¡¯s slender shoulders. ... Meanwhile, in the secret chamber of a great hall within the city, all remaining Fox Clan elders of True Immortal Stage or higher had gathered, numbering nearly twenty in total. Among them were two scarcely-seen Taiyi Realm elders¡ªthought to have long since perished¡ªwho had earlier used a formation to imprison the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. It was also they who, when the situation spiraled out of control, were ordered to loosen the formation, allowing the Qingqiu Kingdom Lord to resolve the chaos, ultimately being forced to atone with their lives. Naturally, the one orchestrating it all was none other than the Great Elder, Chief Strategist You Su. At this moment, she stood at the heart of the gathering, basking in the combined reverence of a Great Elder and ruler, her demeanor increasingly imperious. "Great Elder, the coalition forces suffered grievous losses this time. Next, their sect elders may take action directly. How should we respond?" a Fox Clan elder asked cautiously. "What is there to fear? Everything we¡¯ve done is under the direction of the Ancestor. The Ancestor will provide guidance," one of You Su¡¯s followers replied before she could speak. "The ever-turning wheel of time has already begun its silent revolution, though the beings of the Three Realms remain oblivious to the changes. The Human Race and Immortal Clan have enjoyed the fruit of overthrowing the Demonic God Chiyou for far too long. They believe order is eternal, that they can lord over the Three Realms and relegate us to eternal subjugation," You Su said slowly, her words casting an eerie silence over the hall. She gripped a silver walking stick, striking it against the ground with every step. The sharp, ringing sound echoed beneath the vast night sky. (Daoist friends, Happy New Year! Wishing you health and happiness in the coming year^^) Chapter 1698 - 1694: 3 Pieces of Fox Spirit Jade Chapter 1698: Chapter 1694: 3 Pieces of Fox Spirit Jade"The Three Realms have enjoyed peace for too long; only chaos can birth a new order. This time, our Qingqiu Fox Clan must no longer serve as anyone¡¯s vassal," declared Chief Strategist You Su. Her words were immensely stirring, igniting the blood of even those elders who had previously pledged loyalty to the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. "Great Elder, can we truly accomplish this with just the Qingqiu Lineage?" someone hesitated to ask. "Hmph! Do you think we Qingqiu Fox Clan are the only ones dissatisfied with the current order? Do you believe the Dragon Clan, forcibly subdued by the Human Race and the Immortal Clan, truly wishes to remain tools for conjuring clouds and summoning rain?" Chief Strategist You Su sneered coldly, throwing back the question. "The Dragon Clan, too, wants rebellion?" the man asked in astonishment. In his eyes, the Dragon Clan had always been the most steadfast allies of the Human Race in those bygone days. "The mighty Jing River Dragon King, beheaded by a mere mortal in his dream¡ªdo you think the Dragon Clan harbors no resentment? The venerable Crown Prince of the West Sea Dragon King, forced to be a monk¡¯s steed, trudging eighty-one thousand miles¡ªdo you think the Dragons feel no humiliation? The illustrious Third Prince of the East Sea Dragon Palace, skinned and disemboweled by Li Jing¡¯s son¡ªdo you truly think the Dragon Clan bears no grudges?" This time, it was Su Xiao who spoke up. "I once infiltrated the ghostly abyss of the Underworld, finding the remnant soul of the Jing River Dragon King. Together, we disrupted the Great Tang Dragon Vein, inciting catastrophe in Chang¡¯an. Now, we¡¯ve redirected the world¡¯s attention to Qingqiu. Could such efforts possibly be without purpose? Today, as the allied factions besiege our Qingqiu Fox Clan, do you think other Demon Clans won¡¯t feel as if their doom is imminent?" Chief Strategist You Su interjected seamlessly. "But this time, it was our mistake to begin with¡ªtheir actions are not without justification..." an elder hesitated. "Justified, you say? No matter. The Human Race¡¯s exponential growth has long driven us to this precipice. Over centuries, they¡¯ve claimed nearly all fertile lands of the Human World, forcing us demons to retreat into mountain forests and remote valleys. But even this isn¡¯t enough; they hunt, imprison, skin us, dismantle our bones, devour our flesh, drink our blood. If we¡¯re speaking of justification for vengeance, is ours not the more compelling case?" Su Xiao¡¯s tone grew ruthless. "The world likes to stand upon moral high ground, feigning pity for the weak. Our country¡¯s ruler has already taken her life in repentance, yet they press forward, seeking to annihilate Qingqiu. Do you think the other Demon Clans, or even the Demon Clan itself, will see this and simply remain indifferent?" Chief Strategist You Su spoke serenely, her tone calm, deliberate. "They will only see the Human and Immortal Clans as exploiters who never relent, drunk on their own power. Once seeds of rumors spread, the Demon Clans and Demon Clan will grow paranoid. This fragile state of peace will melt away like glacier runoff into an avalanche. When that time comes, the power structure of the world will shift dramatically, and our Qingqiu Fox Clan will have its chance to rise." When Chief Strategist You Su finished, everyone finally understood the purpose of her actions. "Great Elder, before that time arrives, can our Qingqiu Fox Clan really withstand the wrath of the Human and Immortal Clans?" someone still voiced doubts. "I know what you fear, but such fears are unnecessary. The Qingqiu Fox Clan is not fighting alone¡ªwe have allies of our own. Besides, have you forgotten? We are not like the Jade Fox Clan; we do not specialize in illusions, but in offensive combat and killing," Chief Strategist You Su continued. When they heard this, the crowd finally fell silent. If there had been differences among them in the beginning, by now they had become united in purpose. It was a pity, however, that the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom had tried to quell the various factions¡¯ anger through her death, transitioning power to satisfy Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s ambitions. Little did she know, Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s schemes could never be contained by her death alone. ... In the deep night, after the elders dispersed, Chief Strategist You Su slowly walked out of the great hall and toward the altar outside. Tu Shanxue was slowly stepping out from the altar site. Upon seeing Chief Strategist You Su, a trace of hatred flickered in her eyes. She was no fool¡ªshe understood that her mother¡¯s death was inseparable from the Great Elder standing before her. "Xiaoxue, I know you hate me. But it¡¯s all right. One day, you¡¯ll understand that everything I¡¯ve done is right," Chief Strategist You Su said, her gaze unwavering and her tone calm. She knew well that although Tu Shanxue was the daughter of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, her views on the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s plight were strikingly aligned with her own. "What do you want to say?" Tu Shanxue replied coldly. "Tomorrow, I¡¯ll announce that you will succeed as the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. The future of the Fox Clan will be yours to steer. My life and death¡ªyours to decide," Chief Strategist You Su said plainly. Tu Shanxue frowned slightly at her words, clearly surprised. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don¡¯t be puzzled. When it comes to foresight, you surpass both me and your mother. I trust you¡¯ll make the right choices. The future of the Qingqiu Lineage is in your hands," Chief Strategist You Su said confidently. "You have a Fox Spirit Jade in your possession, don¡¯t you? Hand it over," Tu Shanxue said, her expression unchanged. "Why do you want the Fox Spirit Jade?" Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s expression shifted slightly, hesitant. "You know very well what I want it for, don¡¯t you?" Tu Shanxue raised an eyebrow, disdainful of her feigned ignorance. "To accomplish that, three Fox Spirit Jades are needed¡ªmissing even one won¡¯t suffice. I do have one, and your mother had another. But the third... That year, Wanyan, that treacherous woman, colluding with the Human swordsman Han Jianghang, took it and left the Fox Clan. It¡¯s been lost ever since, and despite my efforts over many years, I couldn¡¯t recover it," Chief Strategist You Su explained. Tu Shanxue flipped her hand, and the storage bracelet left to her by her mother sparkled. Two Fox Spirit Jades appeared in her palm¡ªone of them obtained by trading Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood with Shen Luo. Seeing her reveal two Fox Spirit Jades, Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s eyes momentarily lit up, but only a moment later, her expression turned grave. "Are you truly prepared for this? The price to be paid¡ªis it something you can bear?" Chief Strategist You Su frowned and asked. Tu Shanxue gave no reply, merely coldly watching the pretense of concern in the Great Elder before her. "Very well. Since your mind is made up, I have nothing more to say. Take it," Chief Strategist You Su sighed, seemingly helpless, as she produced the final Fox Spirit Jade and handed it to Tu Shanxue. The latter raised her hand, summoning the jade into her palm. The three Fox Spirit Jades clinked together with a crisp sound, and streaks of luminous light simultaneously passed over their surfaces. Saying nothing more, Tu Shanxue turned and made her way back toward the altar. Behind her, Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s voice called out, "This is only the Mountain Protection Altar. To do what you intend, you must go to the Ancestor Spirit Altar." Tu Shanxue paused and turned to look back at Chief Strategist You Su. "The Ancestor Spirit Altar has been sealed for many years, and few in the clan even know of its existence." With that, Chief Strategist You Su tossed her a rhombus-shaped jade token and gestured toward the mountain peak behind Qingqiu City. Grasping the token, Tu Shanxue leapt into the air, flying straight toward the mountain summit. Watching the silhouette of Tu Shanxue fading into the distance, the expression on Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s face remained unreadable. After a long silence, she shook her head and said, "It seems she¡¯s much quicker than I anticipated." Chapter 1699 - 1695: What is a Demon? Chapter 1699: Chapter 1695: What is a Demon?Outside a courtyard in Qingqiu City, a figure silently leapt over the wall. Without taking to the skies, a flash of flowing light shimmered across his body, and he transformed into the appearance of Su Xiao, striding purposefully toward the City Gate, his demeanor and actions identical to Su Xiao¡¯s. Along the way, he passed several patrol units of fox soldiers. No one dared check his identity, allowing him to swagger out Outside the City unhindered. After sneaking through the Valley for a while, the flowing light on "Su Xiao" shimmered again, revealing his true form¡ªHu Bugui. He turned back to glance at Qingqiu City deeper in the Valley, a layer of ash-gray light enveloping him. Without hesitation, he headed out of the Valley. ... Tu Shanxue leapt to the summit, where she found only wild grass and scattered stones, with no sign of the altar. Her brows furrowed slightly as she flipped her palm to produce the Jade Tag given by Chief Strategist You Su, preparing to activate it. Suddenly, a glow erupted from the Jade Tag and, in an instant, it flew from her hand, transforming into a streak of flowing light that shot toward a specific point at the peak. Seeing this, Tu Shanxue immediately followed the light. After flying a little over ten zhang, her vision suddenly blurred, and the scenery before her shifted. She had inexplicably appeared atop a Huge Altar of pure White Jade. Around the altar stood towering, thick White Jade Stone Pillars, each carved with intricate Spiral charm patterns. Atop every Stone Pillar burned a Ten Thousand Year Lamp, its fire faint yet unwavering. On the Ground of the altar was an engraved relief of a massive nine-tailed celestial fox. The nine-tailed celestial fox crouched low, poised to strike, its nine disproportionately large fox tails intertwining behind it. The aura it emitted was imposing, no less intimidating than a tiger descending a Mountain. On the wall at the far end of the altar was another engraved relief mural. Tu Shanxue observed it briefly and recognized it as depicting the Fox Ancestor joining the Yellow Emperor in the campaign against Chiyou during That Year. After studying it for a few Moments, Tu Shanxue solemnly approached the altar. She produced three pieces of Fox Spirit Jade and located three grooves on the Ground, placing them in one by one. Once the Fox Spirit Jades were in position, Tu Shanxue retreated from the altar and waited for a while, but there was no visible reaction. As she hesitated, the central area of the altar¡¯s Ground suddenly Split apart. Amid rumbling sounds, a fox statue, as tall as a grown person, slowly rose from Underground. At that moment, the three pieces of Fox Spirit Jade immediately emitted white Spiritual Light, converging upon the celestial fox statue. Soon after, the charm patterns on the surrounding dozen or so White Jade Stone Pillars lit up one after another, and the Ten Thousand Year Lamps atop them flared brilliantly, illuminating the entire altar. The celestial fox statue¡¯s eyes flashed with Spiritual Light, and its surface became shrouded in a haze. At a single glance, Tu Shanxue discerned the emergence of a larger, ethereal celestial fox outside the statue. She instinctively recognized it as the Spirit of the Fox Ancestor and immediately knelt in reverence. "Junior Tu Shanxue humbly pleads for the Ancestor to return to life," Tu Shanxue said respectfully. "You dare disturb the ancestral spirit? Do you know your guilt?" the ethereal celestial fox asked accusingly. "Ancestor, please forgive this unworthy descendant. The Qingqiu Fox Clan now faces the peril of extinction. I earnestly beseech the Ancestor to return to life and rescue the clan," Tu Shanxue said fervently. As her words fell, a beam of light suddenly sprang from the brow of the ethereal celestial fox, enveloping Tu Shanxue. Tu Shanxue¡¯s heart trembled. An inexplicable sensation washed over her, as though every part of her being had been laid bare. "You seek revenge?" the ethereal celestial fox quickly inquired. "Yes." Tu Shanxue did not hesitate, replying through gritted teeth. All pretense of acting for the survival of the Fox Clan was gone. Perhaps in the past, she had sought the Fox Spirit Jade for the sake of grander plans, but now it had all changed. After the forced, tragic disintegration of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, her sole purpose became revenge. The ethereal celestial fox spoke again: "Bringing me back to life may not be possible, but aiding you in vengeance is within reach. The question is, what are you willing to sacrifice for it?" "I am willing to give everything," Tu Shanxue said, looking up, her eyes filled with unwavering hatred. "Your resolve is commendable. Your emotions, untainted. I can assist you," the ethereal celestial fox said approvingly, fixing its gaze firmly on hers. "Thank you, Ancestor," Tu Shanxue said immediately with gratitude. "Do not be so hasty to thank me. I have a question for you: What is a demon?" "A demon is a branch of the wicked," Tu Shanxue answered. "That is a falsehood. A demon is the transformation of a beast. Compared to humans and spirits, beasts possess immense, raw power¡ªand it is uncontrollable. Their strength originates from the purity of their essence¡ªemotion. No living being can transcend emotion, making this power unrivaled. Yet beasts lack reason, driven by the emotions they embody, their actions dictated by instinct. The Ancestors of Beasts were formed from the myriad emotions of Pangu. Each beast tribe embodies a distinct and pure emotion, absorbing spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth to take form, thus becoming demons," the ethereal celestial fox explained. Tu Shanxue was deeply shocked. She had never before heard of such origins. "Since demons stem from beasts and ultimately from Pangu, they carry unparalleled power within them. However, most of this power has been sealed away or severed through the ages, leaving only fragments," the ethereal celestial fox continued. "What kind of power? Does it relate to emotions?" Tu Shanxue immediately asked. "This power is the might of intense emotion¡ªwhat surviving demon clans call the ¡¯Revert Ancestry power,¡¯" the ethereal celestial fox said. "Please bestow this power upon me, Ancestor," Tu Shanxue said without hesitation. "Once you accept the Revert Ancestry inheritance, your reason will be overwhelmed by emotions, potentially consumed entirely. What replaces it is immense power, but you will grow increasingly beast-like, displaying more animalistic traits," the ethereal celestial fox said. "As long as I can exact my revenge, I will give anything¡ªeven my life!" Tu Shanxue was nearly unhinged in her determination for vengeance. "The essence of our fox clan¡¯s emotion is ¡¯jealousy,¡¯ which gives rise to dissatisfaction, greed, hatred, and other feelings. The purer the emotion, the greater the power you obtain, yet the faster you will lose yourself. Are you truly willing to embrace this?" the ethereal celestial fox asked for the final time. "I am willing." As Tu Shanxue¡¯s words fell, the ethereal celestial fox radiated a red glow. It detached from the stone statue and poured directly into her head from above. "Boom!" It was as though a clap of thunder had erupted in Tu Shanxue¡¯s Sea of Knowledge. Her vision turned blood-red as an obsessive "jealousy" sprouted within her heart like a seed, quickly taking root and growing into a towering tree that all but consumed her reason. Tu Shanxue tilted her head back, her slender, jade-like neck gleaming under the Moonlight. Her eyes became suffused with crimson, and her elongated ears doubled in size as fine fur began to sprout from her face and body. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Her expression twisted with mania¡ªsharp canine teeth emerged in her mouth, yet her lips curved into a satisfied smile. She could feel an endless surge of energy within her, surging violently as though it would explode from her Dantian. Chapter 1700 - 1696: Plotting Chapter 1700: Chapter 1696: Plotting"Haha, this is exactly what I want! Such power belongs to all of our Fox Clan, so let¡¯s all join together! Haha, hahaha..." Tu Shanxue seemed like a different person. Although she hadn¡¯t completely lost her sanity, she was already showing signs of madness. She walked a few steps to the Fox Ancestor Statue, pressed her hand firmly onto it, and immediately, a strange chant emanated from her mouth. In an instant, the Fox Ancestor Statue seemed to have been stained with blood, glowing with a dark red light. The ground and stone pillars around the altar also turned dark red. "Come, embrace the inheritance of Revert Ancestry power together." She shouted loudly. From the altar atop the mountain, a muffled thunderous sound rumbled and a red halo rapidly spread out from the mountain peak, extending toward the Kingdom of Qingqiu. Everywhere the light passed, whether an elder of the Fox Clan or an ordinary citizen, their eyes glowed red, their fur grew wildly, and they could no longer maintain their human form. The animalistic traits on their bodies became increasingly prominent. At the same time, the aura emanating from each one of them also surged rapidly, growing immensely stronger. However, unlike Tu Shanxue, their mana was not strong enough, so when this Revert Ancestry power swept over them, their rationality collapsed instantly, leaving them entirely mindless. In no time, the previously silent Qingqiu City became a boiling chaos. Countless half-fox, half-human Fox Demons roared toward the sky like a pack of wolves, turning the scene utterly chaotic. ... "It has finally begun..." At a remote location at the foot of Qingqiu Mountain, a grey-clothed man looked toward the mountain peak, murmuring to himself with excitement. The man¡¯s face was concealed under a black veil, making his appearance unrecognizable. His tall physique was surrounded by swirling aura, indicating a high level of cultivation. After speaking, the grey-clothed man used the Earth Escaping Technique to dive into the ground, heading toward the depths of the earth. Soon, he reached the deepest area of the mountain. The space ahead suddenly brightened, revealing a massive cave. This cave was vast in scale, stretching hundreds of feet in size. Jagged, bamboo shoot-shaped peculiar rock formations dotted the space, resembling a natural cavern. At the center of the cave stood a black platform about a hundred feet wide, which appeared to be an enormous tree stump. Its thick roots extended deep into the ground, connecting to the earth veins beneath. The stump¡¯s upper surface was unnaturally flat and engraved with intricate black formation patterns, forming a complex array that hummed as it operated at high speed. Chief Strategist You Su, two Taiyi Fox Clan members, over a dozen True Immortal elders, and a group of Great Mahayana Stage Fox Clan members were present, sitting cross-legged within the black array. Mi Su was also there, lying quietly asleep on a small bed not far away. Inside the cave, everyone had a blood-colored jade pendant hanging around their necks, emitting a soft blood-light, the nature of which was unknown. Chief Strategist You Su sat cross-legged at the center of the stump, her hands weaving seals as if spinning a car wheel. Before her stood a Nine-Tailed Spirit Fox Ancestor Statue, whose outward appearance was identical to the one at the Ancestor Spirit Altar, yet it radiated a completely different aura. This statue stood solidly here but exuded an ethereal feeling, as though it wasn¡¯t entirely physical. As Chief Strategist You Su performed her incantations, wisps of phantom-like black light continuously flowed out from the Fox Ancestor Statue, into the black array below. The black array rapidly absorbed the phantom black light from the statue, channeling it through the roots below, merging it into the earth veins. Threads of black light floated outward, extending to unknown distances. Embedded in the chest of the Fox Ancestor Statue was a bowl-sized black round pearl, shimmering with countless flickering water-like reflections that formed ever-changing images: a black giant fox wielding nine tails, fiercely battling several immortal-like monks. If Shen Luo were present at this moment, he would immediately recognize this as the situation within Chang¡¯an City. The eyes of the Fox Ancestor Statue gleamed constantly, and its expression shifted at intervals, matching the black giant fox depicted within the pearl¡ªan almost inseparable connection. "Tu Shanxue has begun summoning the Fox Ancestor Spirit." The grey-clothed man, standing before the tree stump, spoke. As his words fell, the red halos emanating from the Ancestor Spirit Altar pierced through the mountain wall, spreading to this location, touching the bodies of the gathered Fox Clan. But the blood jade pendants they wore suddenly radiated brightly, forming blood-red spherical light shields that engulfed their bodies. When the red halos struck the blood-red shields, they slid off as if sea waves hitting a reef, leaving the Fox Clan in the cave unaffected by the Fox Ancestor¡¯s light. The grey-clothed man showed no signs of having a blood-red shield, but as the red ancestral halos swept across him, his aura remained completely unchanged. "Good!" Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s eyes snapped open as she shouted, and with a quick motion, she slashed her finger across the void, conjuring a vividly bright blood-colored rune. In a flash, it landed on the brow of the Fox Ancestor Statue. The black light from the Fox Ancestor Statue instantly intensified several folds, becoming thick and treacly, ceasing to flow outward. The other Fox Clan members immediately altered their method of activating the array, causing the formation on the tree stump to halt momentarily before reversing its rotation, spinning at an even faster pace. The entire tree stump emitted layers of black light, its roots gently pulsating as if alive, exuding an enormous aura stretching to the heavens. The tree stump transformed into a majestic cosmic tree, connecting to the skydome above and the Underworld below, encompassing all of the Nine Provinces beneath its dominion¡ªtruly arrogant and invincible. At the base of the stump, black light erupted with a monstrous suction force, drawing the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi like a tidal wave. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The earth veins beneath Qingqiu Mountain reacted similarly, not only channeling all the spiritual energy toward the stump but also reversing the outflowing black light, funneling it back into the tree stump and ultimately into the Fox Ancestor Statue. ... Countless miles away, within Chang¡¯an City, earth-shaking booms echoed ceaselessly, shaking the ground and reverberating across the sky. The fierce battle still raged on. The Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array that had enveloped the entire city had now shrunk to less than one-tenth of its original size, enclosing only a small region in the city¡¯s west. However, the light curtain of the array had grown several times thicker, and the Four Symbols phantoms almost appeared solid. Within the great formation, Yuan Tiangang, Li Jing, Kongdu Zen Master, and Fairy Qinglian had transformed into four streaks of lightning-like phantasms, battling tirelessly against the black giant fox and four mysterious figures. Their radiant auras collided furiously. All of their cultivation levels surpassed Taiyi, every gesture sending shockwaves that could shatter the heavens and split the earth. Buildings within the array entirely crumbled, and pitch-black fissures riddled the ground, extending deeply into an unseen abyss. Though the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array shielded the surroundings, the tremors from their clashes still spread outward, leaving nearly half of the Chang¡¯an City west district in ruins. The ordinary people within Chang¡¯an City had gathered in the eastern area of the city, while some had even fled outside the city, anxiously awaiting the end of this unparalleled battle. Chapter 1701 - 1697: Black Giant Fox Chapter 1701: Chapter 1697: Black Giant FoxWithin the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array, only Yuan Tiangang, the Black Giant Fox, and eight others remained. The ordinary demons and ghosts had already vanished without a trace, whether slain or escaped. The disciples of the Great Tang Dynasty Government and other sects had also gathered outside the array at this time, but their numbers had been reduced by more than half. The remaining cultivators from various sects all sat cross-legged at the array¡¯s eye, channeling mana into the array to resist the violent aftershocks of the battle inside. Several True Immortal cultivators held formation flags, mobilizing the phantom representations of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise. They unleashed innumerable attacks¡ªgreenwood blades, golden edges, flames, and water-thunder¡ªcovering the skies as they descended upon the Black Giant Fox and the other five figures. Though Yuan Tiangang¡¯s side was one person short, the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array¡¯s power was overwhelmingly strong, equivalent to that of a Taiyi-level combat force. Thus, Yuan Tiangang and his allies did not fall into a disadvantage. At this moment, Yuan Tiangang was surrounded by three treasures¡ªnamely the Gan Jiang and Mo Ye swords, the Wordless Scripture, and the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book¡ªas he fiercely clashed with the Black Giant Fox. "With the four of you possessing such remarkable strength, you are undoubtedly not ordinary cultivators. Why do you side with the Qingqiu Fox Demon and oppose my Great Tang?" Li Jing, holding the Heavenly Thunder Drum, fired serpentine arcs of lightning to fend off the dark silhouette wielding the black rod. The dark silhouette responded with a cold, cruel laugh, saying nothing. It swung the black rod, conjuring hundreds of shadowy arcs with ease, obliterating the lightning-dragon strikes entirely. Nearly half of the shadow arcs rebounded in retaliation, sweeping toward Li Jing¡¯s body. Li Jing remained composed. He formed a hand seal and conjured forth a golden treasure pagoda that appeared before him out of thin air, shielding him from the incoming rod shadows¡ªthe Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. After several days, he had already refined the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower extensively, allowing it to exert eighty percent of its full power. With a thunderous "bang," the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower endured a strike from the black rod. Its golden surface merely flickered, and the pagoda didn¡¯t even tremble in the slightest. The dark figure¡¯s black rod abruptly extended a hundredfold, twisting like a living entity. It slithered serpentine, bypassing the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower¡¯s defense to lash at Li Jing from behind, the force undiminished. Li Jing quickly sidestepped, evading the attack and retaliated with the Heavenly Thunder Drum. Kongdu Zen Master floated a golden alms bowl Magical Treasure before him, emitting radiant golden light imbued with boundless Buddhist power to resist the dark silhouette holding a black basin. Both the golden alms bowl and the black basin exhibited swallowing abilities. Golden light and black qi intertwined and bit at one another, unable to determine a winner. Meanwhile, Fairy Qinglian wielded thirty-two petal-shaped Magical Treasures, forming a sophisticated Lotus Sword Array as she battled against the last two figures armed with a black ancient blade and a dark-purple round pearl Magical Treasure. The majority of the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array¡¯s attacks concentrated around Fairy Qinglian, assisting her in repelling the final two dark silhouettes. "No matter who you are, if you dare to make a move against the Divine Demon Well, the only outcome awaiting you is relentless pursuit by the Three Realms and its factions!" Li Jing roared furiously, raising the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower overhead. Golden light cascaded downward, surrounding his body protectively. The Heavenly Thunder Drum emitted massive bolts of lightning, coalescing into a colossal thunder sword tens of meters in length, which appeared instantly before the dark silhouette and slashed down mercilessly. The dark silhouette couldn¡¯t evade in time and hastily positioned its rod horizontally to block. With a resounding clang of metal, the dark silhouette was struck and sent flying along with its rod. After several days of intense combat, both sides had discerned the depths of each other¡¯s divine powers. The outcome now relied on who could endure longer. Having Fairy Qinglian on Yuan Tiangang¡¯s side was a key advantage. Known throughout the world for her ability to restore divine powers at Mount Putuo, she greatly exceeded Nie Caizhu in this regard. During the Tianyan Palace battle, Shen Luo had achieved victory precisely because Nie Caizhu was by his side, constantly replenishing his mana. This time, Fairy Qinglian¡¯s expertise in recovery surpassed Nie Caizhu¡¯s by far. Thanks to Fairy Qinglian¡¯s presence, Yuan Tiangang, Li Jing, and the others adopted this strategy, which was now proving effective. The tide of the battle was slowly shifting in their favor. Li Jing¡¯s eyes gleamed with hope, and he prepared to pursue the enemy further. Suddenly, the ground shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck. "Ha, it¡¯s finally here!" The Black Giant Fox¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement as it unleashed bloodlight several meters long, aimed straight at Yuan Tiangang. The bloodlight contained countless unpredictable and illusory projections, exuding a terrifying aura of illusion techniques. Yuan Tiangang dared not confront it head-on, dodging to the side. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Black Giant Fox landed on the ground and thrust one of its tails into the earth like a burrowing dragon. With a thunderous rumble, streaks of black light emerged from underground, surging along the fox¡¯s tail into its body. The Black Giant Fox¡¯s form solidified rapidly, and its aura grew even stronger. Yuan Tiangang¡¯s expression darkened as he summoned the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book. A colossal white scroll materialized out of thin air and descended fiercely upon the Black Giant Fox. A terrifying wave of heavy mana immediately enveloped the Black Giant Fox, causing ripples to spread across the void. Li Jing, seeing this, forwent his attack on the dark silhouette wielding the rod. The Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower shot out, traversing hundreds of meters in an instant to appear above the Black Giant Fox¡¯s head. It transformed into an enormous golden pagoda, over a hundred meters tall. Flipping his palm, Li Jing caused the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower to invert. The pagoda emitted countless white flames, fiercely striking toward the Black Giant Fox. The Black Giant Fox smirked coldly, standing upright on its hind legs as its furry front paws clawed at the void. With a deafening thunderclap, two enormous phantom claws¡ªeach spanning several acres¡ªmaterialized and met the Demons Suppression Heavenly Book and the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower head-on. "Boom!" The white scroll and the massive golden pagoda trembled and halted, effortlessly supported mid-air by the colossal claw projections. Before Yuan Tiangang and Li Jing could react, the Black Giant Fox flicked its eight tails, leaving behind afterimages as it vanished abruptly. The next moment, the eight tails appeared out of thin air in front of the two men, striking them mercilessly. The fox tails carried an overwhelming force akin to a mountain, causing the surrounding void to tremble and emit sharp, piercing wails. With two muffled booms, Yuan Tiangang and Li Jing were sent flying. Though Yuan Tiangang¡¯s cultivation level was profound and he quickly steadied himself, avoiding injury, Li Jing fared much worse. The protective golden light around him was shattered by more than half, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The Black Giant Fox did not pursue the two, instead turning its attention to the eastern part of the city. Its blood-red eyes glowed brilliantly as it tilted its head back and opened its mouth. A strange, devouring force shot out from the Black Giant Fox¡¯s mouth, penetrating through the Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array and sweeping across all of Chang¡¯an City. In East City, ordinary people¡¯s minds buzzed as their faces contorted in pain before gradually becoming blank. Invisible streams of emotional energy burst forth like a tide, surging toward the Black Giant Fox¡¯s mouth and merging into its body. Yuan Tiangang and the nearby cultivators were also affected by this devouring force. Their emotional energy inevitably flowed out, though they could bear it, thanks to their strong cultivation and soul power, which far exceeded that of ordinary people. "Devouring the Power of Seven Emotions! This is a divine power possessed only by the Ancestral Beast. Are you the Fox Clan Ancestor?" Li Jing¡¯s face showed shock and disbelief. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1702 - 1698: The Power of the Fox Ancestor Chapter 1702: Chapter 1698: The Power of the Fox AncestorThe black giant fox did not respond to Li Jing¡¯s words, instead letting out a wild laugh as its speed of devouring the Seven Emotions increased rather than diminished. "Stop it quickly! Ordinary citizens have fragile divine souls¡ªtoo much emotional energy being consumed will damage their wisdom!" Fairy Qinglian exclaimed. Kongdu Zen Master¡¯s expression also changed drastically, and he hurled the golden alms bowl in his hand toward the black giant fox. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yuan Tiangang remained calm, casting a glance toward the direction of Qingqiu Mountain before transforming into a stream of light and charging at the black giant fox. Four black figures shot back and intercepted Yuan Tiangang and the others. Meanwhile, deep within Tianji City¡¯s earth veins, a mass of black light emerged. Following a surge of changes, it transformed into a black fox¡¯s head, which opened its mouth and emitted a power of absorption. The emotional energy of Tianji City¡¯s inhabitants surged outward, pouring into the black fox head, though its speed of devouring the Seven Emotions was far slower than in Chang¡¯an City. In Jianye City¡¯s earth veins, black light flickered, and a massive fox head surfaced as well... Across the populous cities of Southern Sub-Central Continent and West Niu Hezhou Continent, giant fox heads appeared underground, devouring the emotional energy of the city¡¯s inhabitants. ... In the underground cave beneath Qingqiu Mountain, black light flashed wildly on a tree stump as torrents of emotional energy swarmed out, pouring into the Fox Ancestor statue. "With this much emotional energy¡ªthough most of it is mixed emotions¡ªit is sufficient for the Fox Ancestor to truly awaken! The grand event is complete! Haha, haha!" Chief Strategist You Su laughed maniacally, his face showing a crazed expression as he formed a hand seal and pointed. The Fox Ancestor statue shot out from the stump with a "whoosh," transforming into black light that soared upward, instantly appearing in the Ancestor Spirit Altar, merging with the Fox Ancestor statue within the altar. At this moment, Tu Shanxue was bearing the immense burden of the Ancestor Spirit¡¯s power and failed to notice the changes to the Fox Ancestor statue. Within the altar, the blood-red light of the Fox Ancestor statue abruptly intensified severalfold, sending out more concentrated red radiance. Tu Shanxue, who had initially controlled the power of the Fox Ancestor, now revealed an expression of pain. Her body swelled and transformed again, and her aura surged fiercely, soon reaching Taiyi Peak, with faint signs of nearing the Heavenly Venerate Realm. Yet Tu Shanxue¡¯s expression was highly unstable, alternating between agonized groans and eerie laughter, appearing to teeter on the edge of madness. The blood-red light emanating from the Fox Ancestor statue soon spread across Qingqiu City, and Fox Clan members in the city experienced the same swelling transformation as Tu Shanxue. Threads of blood-red light appeared on their skin, and their aura skyrocketed. But at that moment, the bodies of many weaker Fox Clan members suddenly ruptured, spraying blood as they dropped lifelessly to the ground, evidently unable to withstand the surging power of the Fox Ancestor. As these Fox Clan members perished, the blood-red light left their bodies and extracted all their vitality, flying toward the underground cave. Even the stronger Fox Clan members experienced unstable aura fluctuations, seemingly on the verge of exploding and dying as well. "Disastrous! The collected emotional energy is too excessive and too chaotic¡ªit truly won¡¯t work!" Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s expression shifted as he flipped his hand to retrieve a silver-patterned disk, forming a hand seal to activate it. A vast silver array suddenly appeared within the void of the underground cave, layers of silver patterns rapidly spreading, instantly enveloping the entirety of Qingqiu Mountain. All the surviving Fox Clan members across Qingqiu Mountain vanished into thin air, reappearing the next moment inside the underground cave, including Tu Shanxue at the Ancestor Spirit Altar. This woman now displayed alternating expressions of joy and rage, her eyes chaotic, clearly fully controlled by the power of the Fox Ancestor, showing no reaction to being transported to the underground cave. Chief Strategist You Su stomped on the tree stump below him, making the black magic array on the stump emit dazzling light. Countless root-like strands of black light shot out from the stump, piercing into the bodies of those Fox Clan members who were on the brink of collapse. The chaotic aura of these Fox Clan members suddenly found an outlet, surging wildly toward the black tree stump, circulating within it. Astonishingly, the chaotic energy was significantly calmed. Chief Strategist You Su joined forces with the Fox Clan members within the array, forming hand seals to activate the black magic array, redirecting these energies back into the bodies of the Fox Clan members outside. Through this repeated cycle, the Fox Clan members transported in began to gradually stabilize, no longer exploding and dying. The same held true for Tu Shanxue. Her body was pierced with dozens of tree roots, with the chaotic power of the Fox Ancestor conducting back and forth between her and the black tree stump, slowly restoring her sanity from its crazed state. At that moment, blood-red light flashed continuously on the cave walls as the blood-colored light groups formed from the fallen Fox Clan members outside darted into the underground cave, chaotically flitting about like headless flies. Seeing that Tu Shanxue and the other Fox Clan members had stabilized, Chief Strategist You Su produced a fist-sized, bone-white round pearl seemingly crafted from skeletal remains, forming a hand seal and pointing at it. The white bone pearl emitted a layer of blood-red glow as the blood-colored light groups in the cave shot over, whirling and dancing around the pearl. Chief Strategist You Su muttered incantations as he formed another hand seal and pointed toward the white bone pearl in his hand. The blood-colored light groups darted out like swallows returning to their nests, merging into the bodies of Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s faction of Fox Clan members in the cave. Their bodies immediately grew dense fur, reverting to beast-like ancestral forms like the Fox Clan members outside. Yet despite their transformations, the Fox Clan within the cave retained bright and intelligent gazes, showing no signs of losing their minds. Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s expression relaxed slightly at this sight, as if relieved. "Thank you, Great Elder. Absorbing the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power through this method is much safer indeed!" The Fox Clan members within the black array looked elated, expressing their gratitude to Chief Strategist You Su. "It¡¯s just a small trick. Keep running the array and quickly help these clansmen adapt to the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power within their bodies!" Chief Strategist You Su said sternly. "Understood!" The Fox Clan members responded solemnly, continuing to run the black magic array. "I must focus on calming the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power within their bodies and cannot attend to other matters. What happens outside, I leave to Your Excellency to handle." Chief Strategist You Su turned to a grey-clothed man beside him and spoke. "As you wish," the grey-clothed man replied, blending into the ground and vanishing. Everyone inside the cave was wholly absorbed in the black magic array, paying no attention to Mi Su seated nearby. His eyes were now streaked with blood-red light, resembling the state of ancestral reversion yet showing no signs of beast-like transformation. Meanwhile, atop Qingqiu Mountain at the Ancestor Spirit Altar, the Fox Ancestor statue, left unattended, gradually dimmed in its red glow. However, the blood-red radiance emitted by the statue previously did not dissipate and instead continued spreading like rippling water waves, extending beyond Qingqiu City toward even farther regions. ... At this moment, within the allied forces¡¯ stationed place, Shen Luo paced back and forth in his residence, his expression heavy. The allied cultivators and the Qingqiu Fox Clan had become bloodthirsty in their mutual slaughter; neither side seemed willing to stop. A massive battle seemed inevitable. Shen Luo had limited goodwill toward the Qingqiu Fox Clan to begin with. After the relentless battles, both sides had torn through any remaining facade of civility. Now, he felt no sympathy for them. Yet from the attack on Chang¡¯an City to the events in Tianji City, and now the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s sudden assault on allied cultivators, an unseen hand seemed to be orchestrating this entire sequence of events. Unless he uncovered this hidden mastermind, Shen Luo could not feel at ease. Moreover, Yuan Tiangang had sent him to Qingqiu Mountain for a reason he needed to discern. At that moment, Shen Luo¡¯s brow twitched as his figure blurred and vanished, entering the Free and Easy Mirror. Chapter 1703 - 1699: Spatial Marking Chapter 1703: Chapter 1699: Spatial MarkingDeep within the space of the Free and Easy Mirror. The Netherworld Furnace roared and rumbled, its base wrapped in a blazing white flame¡ªnone other than the Six Ding Divine Fire from the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower. After Shen Luo obtained the Xuanhuo Tower in Tianyan Palace, he extracted half of its Six Ding Divine Fire. This flame is said to be the best for artifact refining. Legend has it that Taishang Laojun¡¯s Eight Trigrams Furnace used this very flame to forge countless divine weapons and treasures. After discovering that Shen Luo possessed the Six Ding Divine Fire, Fire Spirit Child immediately requested a portion to use for refining treasures. The spirit patterns on the Netherworld Furnace flickered quickly, radiating brilliant rays of light that bathed the surrounding space within a radius of a dozen zhang in a crimson hue. Fire Spirit Child hovered above the furnace. A trace of weariness crossed his face, but there was even more excitement there. "Finished refining the treasure? Why did it take so long this time?" Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared beside the Netherworld Furnace. Glancing at it, he asked. Fire Spirit Child glared at Shen Luo irritably and cast a spell, pointing at the furnace. The furnace lid floated upward, and twin rays of brilliance, one purple and one green, shot out, swirling and dancing within the Free and Easy Mirror¡¯s space. They emitted bursts of cheerful, clear cries. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. He raised his hand, releasing a suction force, pulling the two rays of brilliance toward him. As they drew closer, their true forms were revealed¡ªone was a purple banner, and the other, a green short ruler. The purple banner was none other than the Blood Essence Banner. On it, an embroidered white skull design could be seen. Even though it hadn¡¯t yet been fully consecrated, a purple radiance emanated faintly from within. Bathed in this purple glow, Shen Luo¡¯s body instantly warmed. The surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi converged toward him, pouring into his meridians, accelerating both his mana and the flow of his blood and Qi. "What divine ability is this?" he asked, surprise showing on his face. Fire Spirit Child had long told him of the abilities of the Blood Essence Banner. In terms of attributes, the banner was classified as a water-attributed magical treasure. Its defensive capabilities were extraordinarily strong, far surpassing those of the Bloodthirsty Flag and even the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet he currently owned. The banner could also be used offensively. As a supreme treasure of the blood path, the Blood Essence Banner could unleash the ultimate power of blood-source energy, dissolving all things. However, this ability to draw Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi into one¡¯s body, accelerating mana and blood flow, was something Fire Spirit Child hadn¡¯t mentioned before. "The Six Ding Divine Fire truly lives up to its reputation as the most suitable spiritual flame for artifact refining. This treasure refinement is the most successful one in all the years I¡¯ve been practicing. Not only does this Blood Essence Banner carry sixty-four layers of prohibition, but these prohibitions have already begun to merge into one, laying a solid foundation for a future upgrade to an immortal artifact," Fire Spirit Child said, his face flickering with irrepressible excitement. His comment seemed off-topic at first, but it answered Shen Luo¡¯s unspoken question. "So, a top-tier magical treasure reaching perfection with sixty-four layers of prohibition must merge those prohibitions into one before advancing to an immortal artifact?" Shen Luo¡¯s brow arched as he asked. "Precisely. Achieving this is no small feat, requiring immense time and painstaking effort for gradual refinement. For any other artifact refiner, even under optimal conditions, it would take at least several years," Fire Spirit Child said with no small measure of pride. "Thank you for your effort, Fire Daoist friend." Only then did Shen Luo understand why this treasure refinement had taken so long. He expressed his sincere gratitude. "After the prohibitions of the Blood Essence Banner merged, it gave rise to a new divine ability that I¡¯ve named ¡¯Blood God Possession.¡¯ It enables the absorption of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi into the body, significantly boosting one¡¯s strength for a short period. The effects of Blood God Possession are closely tied to the cultivation level of the banner¡¯s user. With your current cultivation, your strength can increase by thirty percent," Fire Spirit Child continued. "What a useful ability! But after using Blood God Possession, are there any hidden risks?" Shen Luo asked, delighted but cautious. "There are no risks. Blood God Possession consumes only Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi and has no adverse effects on the person using it," Fire Spirit Child assured him. If Shen Luo had been merely pleased earlier, now he was thrilled. A thirty-percent increase in strength could tip the scales of almost any battle. Moreover, since the technique posed no risks, as long as one¡¯s mana reserves remained adequate, Blood God Possession could theoretically be used endlessly. "Your artifact refining truly reaches divine levels, Daoist friend. I¡¯m impressed," Shen Luo said, full of admiration. "Heh, just a small matter. I also refined the Shrinking Earth Ruler once more¡ªit¡¯s now nothing like it was before," Fire Spirit Child said, a hint of pride in his expression. Shen Luo took the Shrinking Earth Ruler and began consecrating it. Before long, an exclamation of surprise escaped his lips. When Shen Luo first obtained the Shrinking Earth Ruler at Tianyan Palace, he had attempted to consecrate it, but the process was quite challenging and had taken him a long time to barely refine one layer of prohibition. Now, as he consecrated the Shrinking Earth Ruler, the task proved much easier. Without exerting much effort, the first and second layers of prohibition already showed signs of loosening. "Pure spatial treasures are exceedingly rare¡ªthere are only a handful across the Three Realms. Most spatial treasures are formed by merging other attributes with spatial spiritual materials. The Shrinking Earth Ruler you previously had was no exception, forged by incorporating Earth Mysterious Crystal. Since you haven¡¯t cultivated any earth-related divine abilities or skills, refining the Shrinking Earth Ruler was naturally difficult for you. However, I¡¯ve now integrated the Soul of Ink Brush and Azure Sky Ink Stone into the Shrinking Earth Ruler, replacing the Earth Mysterious Crystal with Profound Wood. With your mastery of Yimu Immortal Escape, refining the Shrinking Earth Ruler has become much easier," Fire Spirit Child explained, sensing Shen Luo¡¯s confusion. "I see. Much appreciated, Fire Daoist friend." Shen Luo nodded in realization, also understanding why the Shrinking Earth Ruler¡¯s appearance had changed so significantly. He poured all his energy into refining the artifact. Before long, he had already refined four to five layers of prohibition, gaining preliminary control over the Shrinking Earth Ruler. He channeled his mana into it. A green glow enveloped his body, and he vanished into thin air, reappearing in the room outside the Free and Easy Mirror. The Shrinking Earth Ruler possessed the ability to traverse space, rendering spatial treasures like the Free and Easy Mirror incapable of containing him. "Not bad," Shen Luo remarked with a pleased expression. He cast another spell, activating the treasure again. Green light flickered around him as he disappeared once more. At a mountain pit dozens of li away from Morning Sun Valley, the void rippled with a green shadow, and Shen Luo¡¯s figure emerged out of thin air. Clenching his fist, he muttered to himself: "Even with only a preliminary refinement of the Shrinking Earth Ruler, I can teleport forty to fifty li in one jump. Once it¡¯s fully refined, teleporting a hundred li might not be out of reach!" Moreover, unlike the Yimu Immortal Escape technique, which could be blocked by many prohibitions, there were very few methods in existence that could prevent such a spatial treasure as the Shrinking Earth Ruler from functioning. In other words, with the Shrinking Earth Ruler, most places within the Three Realms would no longer be able to obstruct him. He could come and go as he pleased. The thought sent a surge of excitement through Shen Luo¡¯s heart. "By fusing the Soul of Ink Brush and Azure Sky Ink Stone into the Shrinking Earth Ruler, its spatial power has greatly increased. I¡¯ve also added a spatial marking ability, inspired by your Yimu Immortal Escape formation," Fire Spirit Child continued. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Spatial marking? Like this?" Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he activated the green glow of the Shrinking Earth Ruler, pointing forward into the void. A green pattern materialized in front of him, swiftly merging into the void and vanishing from sight. The green pattern seamlessly melded with the space, leaving almost no trace of its presence. Without the Shrinking Earth Ruler, even with his current divine sense power, Shen Luo would have been unable to detect it. Chapter 1704 - 1700: Green Light Chapter 1704: Chapter 1700: Green Light"That¡¯s right. As long as this mark is placed in advance, within a thousand-mile radius, activating the Shrinking Earth Ruler will allow one to arrive instantly. Moreover, I incorporated ancient hidden runes into this spatial mark, enabling it to merge almost perfectly with the void. If a Taiyi Cultivator is unaware beforehand, they will also find it difficult to detect," Fire Spirit Child said proudly. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this and was about to attempt this ability when a black shadow suddenly emerged behind him in the void. His expression changed abruptly as he flicked backward several zhang, a flash of blood light sweeping past his head. The Blood Essence Banner appeared, transforming into a layer of crimson light curtain that shielded his entire body. "It¡¯s me, cousin." Nie Caizhu¡¯s voice came from within the black shadow, and a slender figure silently emerged. "Caizhu? How did you find me here?" Shen Luo breathed a sigh of relief and put away the Blood Essence Banner. To avoid being discovered by others, he had concealed his presence using the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing and had detected no probing prohibitions in the surroundings. Yet Nie Caizhu had managed to locate him. "It¡¯s the profound usage of this Kunlun Mirror. Earlier, when we were ambushed by the Qingqiu Fox Clan, Mount Putuo disciples suffered great losses. To prevent a second attack, I used the Kunlun Mirror to set up a detection divine technique around the camp," Nie Caizhu said, flipping her hand to reveal the Kunlun Mirror and performing a hand seal gesture. In the surrounding void, faint, slender black shadows appeared silently, interwoven like a web, stretching into the distance and seemingly enveloping the entire camp. "What kind of detection divine technique is this?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes moved as he asked. "It is the ¡¯Dark Shadow Sky Net,¡¯ a witchcraft divine power within the Kunlun Mirror. It has potent sensing capabilities; whether through stealth techniques, Five Elements Escape Techniques, or spatial treasures, as long as one passes through the Dark Shadow Sky Net, they will be detected," Nie Caizhu explained. "The Witch Clan was indeed a dominant force in ancient times. But why can¡¯t I sense any aura from these dark nets at all?" Shen Luo nodded in approval but then asked. "The Dark Shadow Sky Net is condensed from the dark forces of Xi Zi Ancestor Witch. So long as it is nighttime, no one can detect its presence¡ªnot even Taiyi Existence," Nie Caizhu replied. "The Kunlun Mirror is truly incredible," Shen Luo remarked with admiration. "Indeed, this Kunlun Mirror is far more refined than any magical treasure I¡¯ve obtained before. The more I refine it over these days, the more unfathomable its potential becomes," Nie Caizhu said, a look of uncontrollable joy appearing on her face as she gently stroked the ancient mirror in her hand. "By the way, cousin, why have you come here in the deep night? The escape technique you just used is quite mysterious¡ªso much so that the Dark Shadow Sky Net almost failed to sense you," she then asked. "Nothing much. Fire Spirit Child has re-refined the Shrinking Earth Ruler, and I was testing its effect," Shen Luo said, raising his hand to reveal the Shrinking Earth Ruler. Nie Caizhu looked at the completely transformed Shrinking Earth Ruler and was about to speak when she suddenly turned like lightning toward the distance. "Who¡¯s hiding there? Come out!" she shouted sharply. As her voice rang out, her right hand flashed with golden light, and the Ruo Mu Divine Bow materialized. A golden light arrow left her hand and vanished in an instant, striking the void tens of zhang away. The arrow pierced through the void and into it. With a deafening "boom," a golden sun erupted in that spot, its immense power causing the surrounding void to quiver as if boiling water. A gray figure was forced out of the void, its form unsteady and staggering. "It¡¯s him..." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with green light as if recognizing the identity of the gray figure. "Who goes there!" "It¡¯s a spy from the Qingqiu Fox Clan!" Several furious shouts erupted from the Allied Forces of various sects, and powerful streaks of escape light shot toward the gray figure. The commotion caused by Nie Caizhu¡¯s earlier attack was too large, prompting an immediate reaction from the experts among the allied forces. Shen Luo, seeing this, pondered for a moment and then activated the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing, masking his presence. Although Nie Caizhu found Shen Luo¡¯s behavior curious, she did not intervene. Among the several streaks of powerful escape light, the green and black streaks moved the fastest, arriving before the gray figure in the blink of an eye. They were none other than Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills. The divine spears "Flying Dragon in the Sky" and "Punishment Sky Reverse" in their hands crossed and slashed at the gray figure, tearing two gashes into the surrounding void with a harsh ripping sound. The gray figure was taken aback and thrust out both palms, shooting two ball-like gray light clusters from his palms at the two divine spears. With two thunderous "bangs," the gray light clusters exploded, forcing Flying Dragon in the Sky and Punishment Sky Reverse slightly apart. Twisting his body, the gray figure wriggled like a nimble fish through the gap between the two divine spears, fleeing into the distance like lightning. "You won¡¯t escape!" Seven Kills roared furiously, and the Punishment Sky Reverse in his hand erupted with chilling black light. A powerful vortex of air currents formed around it with a loud "woo," shooting forward and instantly reaching the fleeing gray figure¡¯s back. During the daylight battle, the Demon King Fort disciples had suffered heavy casualties, and Seven Kills harbored deep hatred for the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Though the gray figure was only a spy and had gleaned no intelligence, Seven Kills still wasn¡¯t willing to let him go. Just as Punishment Sky Reverse was about to pierce through the gray figure, a green light flashed behind the figure, and several black claw lights slashed at Punishment Sky Reverse. With a loud "boom," an overwhelming black light burst forth, sending waves of air rippling outward like a tempest. White whirlwinds shot into the sky, leveling mountains and uprooting dense forests as they roared in all directions. Punishment Sky Reverse was sent hurtling backward at an even faster speed. Seven Kills reached out to catch it, his frame forced backward several steps by a massive force before steadying himself. "Demonic Qi!" His pupils contracted sharply. In the spreading black light ahead, Seven Kills sensed a pure Demonic Qi, even stronger than his own. Jiang Shentian arrived at that moment, summoning a dazzling golden light group¡ªthe Exquisite Pagoda, Li Jing¡¯s treasure. Suspended in midair, it vibrated gently. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A golden radiance shone across the void, dispersing the surrounding black light and violent gusts, as though the turmoil had been but a fleeting dream. However, the gray figure was already gone. Jiang Shentian frowned deeply, and his Divine Sense swiftly expanded, covering a radius of tens of li in an instant, probing for lingering traces of aura. Yet all traces seemed to have been meticulously erased. Apart from knowing the opponent had used Demonic Qi, there was no other clue left behind. "What was that green light just now? I sensed spatial power within it. It seems someone used a spatial treasure to rescue the gray figure. Seven Kills Daoist, do you recognize that green light?" Jiang Shentian asked, looking at Seven Kills. "No," Seven Kills replied slowly, shaking his head. Lu Huaming, Bai Xiaotian, and other experts from various sects also flew over at this moment, their faces heavy with concern. They had heard Jiang Shentian¡¯s words, yet none of them recognized the green light either. "Brother Nie, you were the first to detect that gray figure. Did you discover anything?" Jiang Shentian recalled something and turned toward Nie Caizhu in the distance, only to freeze in shock. The spot was completely empty. Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure had vanished at some unknown moment. Chapter 1705 - 1701: Secret Talk Chapter 1705: Chapter 1701: Secret Talk"Brother Nie just performed the Shadow Escape Technique to leave, possibly chasing after that green light," Bai Xiaotian said. He was the last to arrive among the group. Seeing no opportunity to act, he didn¡¯t keep his focus entirely on the fight ahead, and his eyes happened to catch Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure escaping. "That gray shadow¡¯s strength is not to be underestimated, and the one who saved him is even more extraordinary. Isn¡¯t it too dangerous for Brother Nie to chase after them alone?" Jiang Shentian said grimly. The others were also somewhat worried, but Nie Caizhu was nowhere to be seen. The Shadow Escape Technique was extremely mysterious and completely untraceable, leaving them helpless. "Regardless, we can¡¯t just stand here idly. Immediately send people to search around for Brother Nie and those two," Jiang Shentian said after a moment of silence. Cultivators from various sects swarmed out, searching around the stationed area. ... Deep within the stationed area, in Shen Luo¡¯s room, a green light flashed, and Shen Luo and the gray figure appeared out of thin air. "Thank you, Brother Shen, for saving me. Otherwise, I fear I¡¯d have truly died at the hands of the cultivators from various sects. What is this place?" the gray figure said with lingering fear, the gray light dissipating from his body, revealing himself as Hu Bugui. "My residence within the Alliance Army," Shen Luo said calmly. "Why did you bring me here? If I get discovered, I¡¯ll be doomed!" Hu Bugui gasped in cold air and nervously looked around. "At the moment, the cultivators from all sects are probably searching for us nearby. This place seems dangerous, but they won¡¯t find it for a while. You risked so much coming to find me¡ªyou must have something important to say. I want to know quickly, so keep it brief," Shen Luo waved his hand and asked. "That¡¯s true. In fact, I¡¯ve been covertly investigating in the Kingdom of Qingqiu these past days and uncovered something very significant..." Hu Bugui nodded and began speaking. Just at that moment, a surge of black light erupted within the room. Hu Bugui¡¯s expression changed drastically. He subconsciously spat out a silver light, striking the black light with lightning speed. The black light thickened and transformed with a "buzz" into a black domain several feet wide. The overwhelming silver light stopped inside, revealing its true form¡ªa crescent-moon-like silver fine sword. Hu Bugui pinched a technique to recall the flying sword, but it was like a tiny insect caught in a spider¡¯s web, tightly ensnared by the black domain. Its connection to him was rapidly weakening, as though the black domain was trying to devour it. In a surge of anger, Hu Bugui¡¯s five fingers shimmered with gray light, and he reached for the black domain again. Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared suddenly before the black domain, dispersing the five streaks of gray claw light with a flick of his sleeve. He urgently said, "We¡¯re all on the same side, Brother Hu, Cai Zhu, don¡¯t fight!" "Brother Hu? Is this the Hu Bugui you mentioned?" Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure slowly emerged within the black domain. "Yes, although Brother Hu is also of the Fox Clan, he is not aligned with the Kingdom of Qingqiu. He came to Qingqiu Mountain with me that day. After I headed to Tianji City, Brother Hu stayed here to gather intelligence¡ªhe¡¯s not an enemy," Shen Luo affirmed with a nod. Hu Bugui scrutinized Nie Caizhu briefly, then lowered his hand. "Even so, this person is still a fox demon. To bring him to your residence is far too risky. During daylight, you spoke up for the Qingqiu Fox Clan, and many in the alliance already believe you¡¯re partial to the Demon Race. There¡¯s been plenty of murmurs behind your back. It¡¯s only because of your significant contributions in the great battle that no one has said anything openly. If it¡¯s discovered that you¡¯ve been associating with someone from the Fox Clan, others will likely seize the opportunity to make trouble," Nie Caizhu transmitted her thoughts. "I appreciate your concern. I¡¯ll be more careful in the future," Shen Luo replied softly after a moment of silence. Nie Caizhu, knowing Shen Luo always kept his word, felt somewhat at ease. With a bowed gesture toward Hu Bugui, she said, "So it¡¯s Fox Friend. My cousin has mentioned you before. My earlier actions were reckless; please do not take offense." Speaking of which, she performed a technique to disperse the area of darkness, returning the silver fine sword to Hu Bugui. Although Hu Bugui didn¡¯t hear the content of Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu¡¯s transmissions, he could guess most of it. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Now that the Qingqiu Fox Clan was at loggerheads with the major sects, his visit to Shen Luo indeed posed trouble for him. Yet apart from Shen Luo, he had no one else to turn to for help. "Not at all. It was I who acted inappropriately earlier¡ªBrother Nie, I ask for your forgiveness," Hu Bugui quickly returned a bow. "Time is pressing; let¡¯s forgo formalities. Brother Hu, quickly tell us what important clues you¡¯ve uncovered during your investigation in the Kingdom of Qingqiu," Shen Luo said with a shake of his sleeves, enshrouding the entire room in golden light. Nie Caizhu activated the Kunlun Mirror, unleashing a surge of black light that enveloped the entire room, isolating it from external probing. "You talk; I¡¯ll go outside and keep watch for you," she said briefly, vanishing into the black light. "After you left, the situation in the Kingdom of Qingqiu became highly turbulent. The faction supporting the Lord of Qingqiu was completely suppressed, and the Lord¡¯s power was long since hollowed out. The person effectively in charge now is Chief Strategist You Su. The Lord¡¯s forced suicide earlier was simply inevitable," Hu Bugui explained. "I see. No wonder the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s attitude toward cultivators from various sects has abruptly turned so hostile," Shen Luo mused, narrowing his eyes. "Chief Strategist You Su is deep and calculating. I¡¯ve been covertly investigating the attack on Chang¡¯an and her involvement over the past few days, and I made major progress. But just as I was about to probe further, the trail suddenly went cold," Hu Bugui added. Shen Luo furrowed his brows. Based on this, the suspicion around Chief Strategist You Su was growing stronger. "There¡¯s something else, and you definitely wouldn¡¯t have expected this: the previous Fox Clan attacks on outside cultivators weren¡¯t ordered by the Lord of Qingqiu¡ªsomeone else was behind it!" Hu Bugui revealed another major piece of news. "Chief Strategist You Su?" Shen Luo asked. "I haven¡¯t confirmed this yet, but her suspicion is the strongest," Hu Bugui said after pausing. "The situation is already clear; further investigation isn¡¯t necessary. The Kingdom of Qingqiu is essentially under Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s control now. Apart from her, who else could command the Qingqiu Fox Clan?" Shen Luo said, shaking his head. Hu Bugui privately agreed with this assessment, letting out a soft sigh and nodding. Shen Luo fell silent, pondering deeply. For Chief Strategist You Su to launch such extensive attacks at this critical moment, could it be that she had already learned about the absence of reinforcements from the various sects? "From your observations, does the Qingqiu Fox Clan intend to continue its war against the allied forces?" he asked immediately. "Very likely. The Lord¡¯s suicide has ignited the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s fury. If Chief Strategist You Su secretly fuels the flames, war could very well break out again," Hu Bugui said. Shen Luo silently sighed. Everything was developing in a worsening direction. He alone could hardly stem the tide. Yuan Tiangang tasked him with properly handling the Qingqiu Mountain matter, but now it seemed that hope was faint. "When the Lord of Qingqiu committed suicide, Tu Shanxue also returned to Qingqiu Mountain. Her strength is remarkable¡ªwhat is she doing now?" Shen Luo suddenly asked, recalling something. "Tu Shanxue? That I¡¯m not sure of¡ªperhaps standing vigil for the Lord?" Hu Bugui said after a brief hesitation. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo frowned silently. He had interacted with Tu Shanxue once in Chang¡¯an City, and based on his understanding, the girl was shrewd and resolute. Witnessing her mother being forced to die by the cultivators of various sects, she likely wouldn¡¯t remain indifferent. He could only hope she truly was merely mourning the Lord. Chief Strategist You Su was troubling enough on her own¡ªif Tu Shanxue got involved as well, the situation would be even more tangled. "Brother Shen, you¡¯ve met Tu Shanxue before?" Hu Bugui asked, his eyes glinting slightly. Chapter 1706 - 1702 of the Yellow Emperor Sutra Chapter 1706: Chapter 1702 of the Yellow Emperor Sutra"During the time of the Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos, I had brief contact with this woman inside Chang¡¯an City," Shen Luo did not hide this from Hu Bugui. "Tu Shanxue was also in Chang¡¯an at that time! What was she doing there?" Hu Bugui murmured almost imperceptibly. "Fox brother, what did you say?" Shen Luo did not catch his words. "Nothing," Hu Bugui shook his head hurriedly. "Since this woman is the daughter of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, it seems that during the recent Chang¡¯an Fox Chaos, she most likely participated." Shen Luo spoke solemnly, not paying much attention to the matter. "It shouldn¡¯t be. As far as I know, Tu Shanxue left Qingqiu Mountain earlier to search outside for a certain important item lost by the Qingqiu Fox Clan," Hu Bugui said. "Oh? Do you happen to know what it was?" Shen Luo recalled the white jade stone Tu Shanxue had taken and asked. "That, I do not know," Hu Bugui shook his head. Shen Luo withdrew his gaze and began to ponder. "Brother Shen, besides informing you of the situation in Qingqiu Mountain, I came today to ask for your help with another matter," Hu Bugui hesitated before speaking. "What is it? Please speak freely, Fox brother," Shen Luo asked. Hu Bugui opened his mouth but suddenly showed an expression of pain, his whole body convulsing as he collapsed onto the ground. His muscles swelled rapidly, green fur appeared on his skin, and his ears elongated. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly bent down to examine him. Hu Bugui¡¯s body showed no signs of poisoning or being attacked by a strange technique. However, the demon power within him inexplicably surged and expanded rapidly. With no other options, Shen Luo infused mana into Hu Bugui, protecting several key meridians. "His fox clan bloodline power seems to have been stimulated by something, and it¡¯s growing stronger at a rapid pace," Nie Caizhu¡¯s form materialized and said. Her Witch Tribe bloodline had already awakened, making her sensitivity to bloodline power far greater than Shen Luo¡¯s. "This fox kid is indeed experiencing bloodline turbulence, but this is not ordinary turbulence¡ªthis is the Revert Ancestry phenomenon!" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice echoed in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. "What is Revert Ancestry?" Shen Luo trusted Fire Spirit Child¡¯s insights deeply and immediately transmitted his question. "This must start from the origin of the Demon Race. Several Demon Race ancestors were said to have been derived from the body of Pangu Great God, possessing vast godly powers. In ancient times, they were renowned figures across the Three Realms. Unfortunately, they¡¯ve all disappeared today," Fire Spirit Child sighed. "Who were the Demon Race ancestors?" Shen Luo, hearing such ancient secrets, couldn¡¯t help but feel intrigued and asked. "I only know of the Ape Ancestor, Cow Ancestor, Fox Ancestor, and Phoenix. As for others, I am ignorant," Fire Spirit Child replied. "Four Demon Ancestors... Fire Daoist friend, please continue," Shen Luo muttered, prompting Fire Spirit Child. "The Demon Race relies on bloodline inheritance, passed down generation after generation. Their bloodlines have long diverged from their ancestors¡¯ origins, but the Ancestor Bloodline is still inscribed in the deepest parts of their bodies. If certain conditions arise, such as consuming some Heavenly Treasure highly beneficial to bloodline power, the Demon Race bloodline can evolve, gradually aligning with their Ancient Demon Ancestors. This phenomenon is called Revert Ancestry," Fire Spirit Child explained. "As you say, this sounds like a good thing?" Shen Luo¡¯s expression lit up with joy. "It has its pros and cons. The advantage is that if the body can adapt to the Revert Ancestry phenomena, the bloodline power will increase significantly, greatly aiding future cultivation. However, if one cannot endure it, they¡¯ll suffer an explosive death," Fire Spirit Child added. "Explosive death! Do you think Fox Bugui can endure it?" Shen Luo, shocked, quickly asked. "I don¡¯t have a deep understanding of the Demon Race¡¯s Revert Ancestry. I only saw some records in an ancient text long ago. According to the text, survival depends entirely on the individual¡¯s mental resilience and whether their meridians can withstand the shock of bloodline reversion," Fire Spirit Child shook his head. "Resilience, meridians..." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered before pressing his other palm on Hu Bugui¡¯s head. Green light began to emanate from Shen Luo¡¯s hands, exuding an aura brimming with vitality, distinct from the Huangting Technique. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This was a skill Shen Luo had obtained from the Demonslaying Divine Sword, known as the "Yellow Emperor Sutra." It comprised two Chapters, the Spirit Coffin Chapter for tempering the body and the Suwen Chapter for refining the divine soul. Recently, Shen Luo had been studying the "Yellow Emperor Sutra." Although he hadn¡¯t yet cultivated it to a profound level, the sutra contained methods to stabilize the divine soul and meridians; it was worth a try. Green crystalline light threads appeared in Hu Bugui¡¯s mind, while faint green illumination surfaced across his meridians, greatly alleviating his pain, and stabilizing his aura. "Huh? What kind of skill is this? How could you stabilize this fox kid so effortlessly?" Fire Spirit Child asked in surprise. "This is a skill I acquired from the Demonslaying Divine Sword called the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra.¡¯ It has potent restorative effects and methods to stabilize the divine soul and meridians. Have you heard of this skill before, Fire Daoist friend?" Shen Luo asked. "¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯? Is it truly the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯? Are you certain you¡¯re not lying?" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s eyes widened abruptly, becoming unusually excited. "Of course, I¡¯m not lying. Is this skill particularly special?" Shen Luo asked curiously. "Since the end of the Zhulu War and Yellow Emperor¡¯s ascension, the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯ has been lost to the Human World. To think it has reappeared in the world¡ªthis is incredible, absolutely incredible!" Fire Spirit Child seemed ecstatic, murmuring fervently. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze flickered; from Fire Spirit Child¡¯s words, it seemed this "Yellow Emperor Sutra" was no ordinary technique. "Brother Shen, you must never let outsiders know you¡¯ve acquired the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra,¡¯ or it will bring disaster!" Fire Spirit Child suddenly warned with a solemn transmission. "I haven¡¯t mentioned this to anyone else. But why must it be kept secret? Does the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯ involve some great mystery?" Shen Luo transmitted back while continuing his protection of Hu Bugui¡¯s divine soul and heart meridians. "The ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯ has been lost since ancient times, so you wouldn¡¯t know. This skill¡¯s origins are shrouded in mystery. Some say it was created by Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor, while others claim it came from the Divine Queen Mother of the West, who passed it to Yellow Emperor. The Yellow Emperor defeated Chiyou with the aid of this skill," Fire Spirit Child explained. Shen Luo was stunned to hear this and hadn¡¯t expected the "Yellow Emperor Sutra" to have such a grand history. "The sutra comprises two Chapters: Spirit Coffin for refining the body and Suwen for refining the spirit. You just mentioned its powerful restorative effects¡ªthose are merely glimpses of its true power. When cultivated to the ultimate level, the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯ can forge an immortal, undying body," Fire Spirit Child¡¯s tone carried fervent excitement. "An immortal body? Like Wu Luo¡¯s Undead Illusory Soul Technique?" Shen Luo asked. "The Undead Illusory Soul Technique only uses illusion techniques to exploit loopholes. How could it compare to the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯? The immortality achieved through the sutra is genuine. No matter the injury, even if the body is severed into pieces, it can be reassembled and fully restored," Fire Spirit Child stated. "True immortality..." Shen Luo was deeply moved, involuntarily sucking in a breath of cold air. Chapter 1707 - 1703: 6 Tails Chapter 1707: Chapter 1703: 6 Tails"Immortality is merely an accessory divine power of the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯. The true wonder of this skill lies in its ability to simultaneously nourish the body and the soul, increasing their degree of fusion," Fire Spirit Child continued. "What is the use of that? When advancing to the Great Mahayana Stage, isn¡¯t the body and soul already integrated as one?" Shen Luo asked curiously. "Achieving the Great Mahayana Stage is indeed marked by the integration of the spirit, body, and heaven, but that is only a preliminary fusion, far from the Perfect Boundary. Perfect soul-body fusion is the goal pursued by every cultivator, which greatly benefits cultivation. Reaching that realm, one¡¯s body and mind become transparent, spiritual contemplation becomes sharp, and whether comprehending skills and powers or channeling spiritual energy for cultivation, it becomes countless times faster than before," Fire Spirit Child explained. "It seems somewhat similar to a special constitution like the Dao Body?" Shen Luo asked again. "The so-called Dao Body, firstly, due to numerous meridians, allows faster cultivation speed than ordinary people. But more importantly, their physical body and soul have an inherently high degree of compatibility," Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo nodded slightly, gaining a deeper understanding of the Dao Body¡¯s enhancement in cultivation. "A high degree of soul-body fusion not only benefits ordinary cultivation but is even more important when breaking through realm bottlenecks. The higher the cultivation level, such as the Taiyi Stage and the Heavenly Venerate Stage, the more highly fused the body and soul need to be when one seeks to break through the realms," Fire Spirit Child explained. "I see." Shen Luo, who had experience breaking through to the Taiyi Stage and Heavenly Venerate Stage, reflected and found it indeed as Fire Spirit Child had said. "Your cultivation level is approaching the True Immortal Peak. Focusing more on cultivating this ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯ will greatly assist you in advancing to the Taiyi Stage. With this divine skill and the Taiqing Pill, advancing to the Taiyi Stage should pose no major obstacle," Fire Spirit Child said. "Thank you for the reminder, Fire Daoist friend, I understand," Shen Luo replied solemnly. "Friend Shen, the ¡¯Suwen Chapter¡¯ of the ¡¯Yellow Emperor Sutra¡¯ expounds on the method of soul cultivation, which is also greatly beneficial to a tool spirit like myself. I wonder if you could impart the ¡¯Suwen Chapter¡¯ to me?" Fire Spirit Child hesitated and spoke with some awkwardness. "Of course, Fire Daoist friend has assisted me greatly during this time. Such a minor skill, take it," Shen Luo did not hesitate and imparted the content of the ¡¯Suwen Chapter¡¯ of the Yellow Emperor Sutra to Fire Spirit Child. Fire Spirit Child closed his eyes and began contemplating as soon as he received the contents of the ¡¯Suwen Chapter¡¯, a layer of lustrous firelight appearing over his body. Shen Luo did not disturb him, focusing his spiritual power to protect Hu Bugui¡¯s meridians. With Shen Luo¡¯s assistance, Hu Bugui¡¯s trembling eased significantly, and he managed to sit cross-legged, circulating his power to resist the impact of the bloodline regression. Time passed by little by little, and soon half an hour had elapsed. The anomaly in Hu Bugui¡¯s body finally ceased, and the bloodline regression began to recede, all his body hair disappeared, and it seemed he had survived this catastrophe. His breath did not grow much stronger, but the Bloodline Power within his body became much more intense. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Fire Spirit Child also opened his eyes. "As expected of the Yellow Emperor Sutra, it has the supernatural power to recreate heaven and earth. The damaged divine soul from when I was initially refined into a tool spirit has actually recovered by nearly half!" Fire Spirit Child exclaimed. "Was Fire Daoist friend¡¯s divine soul damaged?" Shen Luo asked upon hearing this. "Alas, whenever one is refined into a tool spirit, the divine soul is more or less damaged. I was originally refined by Guang Chengzi into the Netherworld Furnace¡¯s tool spirit, and that brute¡¯s clumsy technique caused my divine soul to collapse nearly half. I have been unable to repair it all these years, and my artifacts refining skills have not been fully displayed. Now, with the Yellow Emperor Sutra, there¡¯s hope for my divine soul¡¯s recovery. Young Master Shen, thank you," Fire Spirit Child sighed and expressed his gratitude. "There¡¯s no need to be polite, Fire Daoist friend. The restoration of your divine soul power is beneficial to me as well," Shen Luo said. "Young Master Shen, although almost all of the tool spirits of your Pure Yang Sword set were refined by me, their divine souls were also inevitably damaged. Once you have mastered the Yellow Emperor Sutra, you can cast spells to restore the soul power of those tool spirits, which will be beneficial to enhancing the flying swords¡¯ power," Fire Spirit Child added. "Thank you for the reminder, Fire Daoist friend," Shen Luo nodded and said, looking towards Hu Bugui. The Bloodline Power within Hu Bugui¡¯s body had already calmed down by more than half, and the anomaly in his body was receding. At this moment, behind Hu Bugui, a flash of spiritual light appeared, revealing six cyan fox tails in the form of shadows, which swayed before merging back into his body. "Six-tailed Heavenly Fox! This Hu Bugui indeed has some fortune; after this ordeal, the Bloodline Power within him has reached the level of six tails, and the Taiyi is promising in the future," Fire Spirit Child praised. Knowing that Fire Spirit Child¡¯s vision was sharp and his words were not spoken lightly, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel happy for Hu Bugui. "It¡¯s strange. As far as I know, only treasures containing original power within the Divine Demon Well can purify demon race bloodlines and cause regression. Yet, Hu Bugui doesn¡¯t have the breath of original power within him. How could there suddenly be a bloodline regression?" Fire Spirit Child suddenly said. "The Divine Demon Well..." Shen Luo¡¯s gaze narrowed. The Fox Clan was searching for the entrance to the Divine Demon Well in Chang¡¯an City, and Hu Bugui¡¯s sudden bloodline regression ¡ª could there be a connection between these two matters? "Moreover, Hu Bugui¡¯s bloodline regression isn¡¯t intense, easily suppressed by you. This person doesn¡¯t seem to be a purebred Fox Demon, perhaps... a human-demon hybrid," Fire Spirit Child stated. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo was stunned upon hearing this, about to inquire further when Hu Bugui let out a breath and opened his eyes. "Brother Hu, are you alright?" Shen Luo halted his inquiry and turned to Hu Bugui. "I¡¯m fine now. It must have been Friend Shen who assisted me, correct? Thank you," Hu Bugui expressed his gratitude. "Young Master Shen, this sudden bloodline regression of Hu Bugui is quite unusual; you should ask about the reason," Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice echoed. "It¡¯s a small matter, not worth mentioning. But Brother Hu, what just occurred within you? From what I¡¯ve observed, it seems to be the legendary bloodline regression?" Shen Luo¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he inquired. He was quite curious about the matter and would have asked even if Fire Spirit Child had not mentioned it. "Brother Shen¡¯s eyesight is as keen as a torch; it is indeed bloodline regression," Hu Bugui nodded in agreement, but a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. "I heard from an elder that a demon race¡¯s bloodline regression requires the original spiritual objects within the Divine Demon Well to trigger it. Does Brother Fox have such treasures?" Shen Luo continued to ask. "Does it require going to the Divine Demon Well to induce bloodline regression? I have never been there, nor do I possess anything from the Divine Demon Well," Hu Bugui said, somewhat horrified. Observing Hu Bugui¡¯s expression, Shen Luo found no pretense in his words and furrowed his brows. "If it¡¯s not the original spiritual power within the Divine Demon Well, then what is the reason?" Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Fire Spirit Child had a similar expression, murmuring to himself. "Then why did Brother Hu suddenly experience this?" Shen Luo asked in confusion. "Just now, it seemed that an invisible force penetrated my Shadow Power and seeped into here, and Friend Fox¡¯s bodily mutation might be related to this event," Nie Caizhu suddenly spoke. "Brother Hu, have you felt any anomalies before?" Shen Luo asked in surprise, looking at Hu Bugui. Chapter 1708 - 1704: At All Costs Chapter 1708: Chapter 1704: At All Costs"Brother Nie, what you said reminds me of something. Just now, I did feel a force invading my body, coming from Qingqiu Mountain." Hu Bugui said after recalling. "Qingqiu Mountain? Could there have been some unexpected event?" Shen Luo, hearing this, looked in the direction of Qingqiu Country, lost in thought. "Cousin, do you want to investigate?" Nie Caizhu, understanding Shen Luo¡¯s temperament, asked. "A bloodline reversion is no trivial matter; it would not happen for no reason. Something major must have occurred within the Qingqiu Fox Clan. If I don¡¯t investigate, I won¡¯t have peace of mind. But don¡¯t worry, Cai Zhu, I¡¯ll proceed carefully." Shen Luo replied. "I¡¯ll go with you. Having the Kunlun Mirror will make dealing with many things much easier." Nie Caizhu shook her head and said. Shen Luo did not object. He knew Nie Caizhu¡¯s outward gentleness masked her inward firmness. Once she made a decision, it wouldn¡¯t change. If he refused to let her accompany him, she might secretly follow him anyway. "This matter began because of me, so I¡¯ll go with you as well." Hu Bugui said. "Very well. We¡¯re unfamiliar with Qingqiu Country, so Brother Hu can guide us along the way. But Brother Fox, what was the matter you needed my assistance with, as you mentioned earlier?" Shen Luo nodded, then asked. "We¡¯ll talk about it later. Let¡¯s head to Qingqiu Mountain first." Hu Bugui shook his head, a sense of urgency in his expression. Shen Luo took note of this but did not press further. He raised his hand to grasp the shoulders of the other two. A dazzling green light bloomed from his body, enveloping all three of them. When the green light dissipated, they were already outside Qingqiu City. The entire perimeter of Qingqiu City was covered by a massive blue prohibition. Countless azure cloud-like patterns could vaguely be seen above, shifting like swimming fish¡ªprofound and mysterious in appearance. Crossing this barrier with the Shrinking Earth Ruler wasn¡¯t difficult, but Shen Luo worried that the prohibition might sense the infiltration and alert its protectors, so he halted his movement. "This is the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array, the national protective formation of Qingqiu Country. Not only is its defensive capability astonishing, it also has strong sensory abilities. Forcibly breaking through will undoubtedly alert the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Follow me." Hu Bugui led Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu to a secluded, uninhabited corner near Qingqiu City, turned his hand, and produced a green talisman, then began casting a spell to activate it. A cluster of green light enveloped the three of them. Ethereal and buoyant, it resembled a patch of azure cloud. Leading the way, Hu Bugui stepped forward. When they touched the blue light curtain, they silently melded into it. The Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array showed no signs of an alarm or anomaly. Hu Bugui let out a sigh of relief, seeming not entirely confident about the green talisman. The three of them continued forward, quickly crossing the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array and entering the city. "What kind of talisman is this? It broke through the prohibition so easily?" Nie Caizhu asked in amazement. "This is the Azure Yuan Breaking Boundary Talisman. I stole it from Qingqiu Country¡¯s secret treasury. My time here hasn¡¯t been wasted." Hu Bugui said smugly. Shen Luo glanced at Hu Bugui without commenting, his gaze sweeping over the city. Soon, his brows furrowed as he leaped to land in front of a house¡¯s door. Flames flickered inside the house, and food was laid out on the dining table, as though a meal had just been in progress. However, there wasn¡¯t a single person inside. He touched the food on the table with his hand. It still retained some warmth, indicating that the residents had just left not long ago. Shen Luo released his Divine Sense. His expression changed drastically, and he appeared in another nearby house in an instant. Inside lay two corpses of Qingqiu Fox Clan members, their bodies entirely shriveled and grayish in color. The corpses appeared so fragile, they looked like they¡¯d crumble into ash with a touch. Shen Luo crouched down to examine them. The corpses had been completely drained of their vitality, resembling the results of the Ten Directions Devil Prison Path¡¯s energy-draining techniques. Nie Caizhu and Hu Bugui also darted over. Upon seeing the corpses on the ground, their expressions shifted drastically, especially Hu Bugui. His face turned unusually grim, and hints of an ironish tinge appeared in his complexion. "There are no signs of a struggle. It looks like they were killed in one strike." Nie Caizhu glanced around and said. "It seems something is indeed wrong in Qingqiu Country. Let¡¯s go further in to take a look." Shen Luo suggested. Hu Bugui immediately darted deeper into the city, with Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu following closely behind, utilizing their Divine Sense to scan their surroundings. The houses throughout the city were all devoid of inhabitants. Every home had one or two Qingqiu Fox Clan members¡¯ corpses, all shriveled and corpse-like. Shen Luo, having visited Qingqiu City before, had a rough idea of the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s population. With a quick mental estimation, he found that these corpses accounted for roughly half of the clan¡¯s numbers. "How could this happen? Could the Qingqiu Fox Clan have been exterminated? Impossible! With the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s strength, even if cultivators from all Three Realms gathered, it wouldn¡¯t be wiped out silently like this!" Hu Bugui said, a deep pain evident in his gaze. "Brother Fox, the situation here remains murky. It¡¯s unwise to make hasty conclusions. Let¡¯s head to the Royal Palace. There might be clues there." Shen Luo looked at Hu Bugui and suggested. "You¡¯re right, Brother Shen. I acted impulsively." Hu Bugui took a deep breath, steadying his emotions, and responded. The three of them soared skyward, heading for the Royal Palace. ... "Someone has infiltrated Qingqiu City!" A voice echoed in a dark space underground, distinctly female. "Who is it?" Another voice, older and more hoarse, asked. Brilliant crystalline light emerged in the darkness, condensing into a translucent mirror that illuminated the surroundings, revealing three silhouettes. One was the tall grey-clothed man seen earlier with Chief Strategist You Su, while the other two were smaller figures also clad in grey, their faces obscured. One of the shorter grey-clothed figures formed a hand seal and pointed at the mirror, causing an image of Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu, and Hu Bugui to appear within. "It¡¯s him! I thought we¡¯d need to use the Fox Clan¡¯s power to crush those cultivators outside to capture him. Who¡¯d have thought he¡¯d deliver himself to us! Excellent, this saves us the effort!" The tall grey-clothed man stared intently at Shen Luo, clearly excited. "What now?" The grey-clothed figure controlling the mirror asked, her voice that of the woman. "At all costs, capture Shen Luo!" The old voice commanded decisively. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But we promised the Qingqiu Fox Clan to help awaken the Fox Ancestor. If we engage Shen Luo here, it might affect the Ancestor¡¯s resurrection." The female grey-clothed figure said cautiously, her tone tinged with concern. "Our cooperation with the Fox Clan is purely for mutual benefit. We are using their power to capture Shen Luo. Now that he¡¯s appeared before us, once he¡¯s captured, our so-called agreement will become meaningless!" The old voice let out a cold laugh. "Even so, but..." The female grey-clothed figure started to say but stopped. "What¡¯s this? Are you hesitating because of the past? Don¡¯t forget your current identity!" The tall grey-clothed figure abruptly turned his head, his cold and sharp gaze cutting through her black veil like a knife. "Understood..." The female grey-clothed figure trembled and lowered her head. "Prepare to act." The old voice ordered as the three figures blurred and disappeared. ... Chapter 1709 - 1706: Strange Occurrences Chapter 1709: Chapter 1706: Strange OccurrencesAt the edge of Qingqiu City, a flash of green light streaked across the void, and the figures of Shen Luo and his two companions emerged, their complexions somewhat pale. "What was that blood-colored beast that surged out from the black fog just now? Absolutely terrifying. Judging by its aura, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a divine power of the Qingqiu lineage," Hu Bugui said, clutching his chest, still shaken. "The black fog carries traces of demonic Qi, so it should be a power of the Demon Clan," Shen Luo said slowly. "Demonic Qi? Could the Qingqiu Fox Clan really be colluding with the Demon Clan? Or perhaps members of the Demon Clan abducted the entire Fox Clan from Qingqiu City?" Nie Caizhu remarked in a grave tone. "Relying solely on one prohibition to make any conclusions is premature. Whether the Qingqiu Fox Clan deliberately hid themselves or were abducted, the situation is far from ordinary. With just the three of us, reckless investigation is not the wisest choice," Shen Luo replied. "You¡¯re right¡ªwe should head back and inform the others first. Investigating together would be better," Nie Caizhu agreed. However, Hu Bugui gazed in the direction of the royal palace in silence. "Fox Friend, Qingqiu City is no longer safe ground. You should leave with us as well. If you stay inside my Free and Easy Mirror, the cultivators of various sects won¡¯t detect you," Shen Luo suggested. "You are both correct, but if we all leave, the enemy will act even more brazenly. How about this? You return outside to inform the other cultivators of the situation here, and I¡¯ll stay and continue the investigation. Perhaps I might uncover some clues," Hu Bugui said after a moment of hesitation, looking up. "Brother Fox, forgive my bluntness, but despite your strong abilities, staying here alone will do little good. If you encounter the culprits who abducted the entire Qingqiu Fox Clan, you¡¯ll only be sending yourself to your death," Shen Luo advised. Hu Bugui said nothing, his expression resolute, clearly showing no intention of changing his mind. "Since Fox Friend has made up his mind, I won¡¯t press further. Here, take this specially crafted Communication Paper Kite with you," Shen Luo said, producing a silver-white paper kite and handing it over. This Communication Paper Kite was refined by Fire Spirit Child using leftover materials from a Small Teleportation Charm. It is far superior to ordinary ones and can bypass most prohibitions. Hu Bugui accepted the paper kite, offered Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu a slight nod in thanks, then turned around and flew back toward the royal palace. Shen Luo didn¡¯t dare linger for long. He grabbed Nie Caizhu, activated the Shrinking Earth Ruler, and transformed into a streak of green light, shooting into the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array. Their movements had already been exposed, so there was no need to worry about being detected by the array. The green light hesitated briefly before passing through the curtain of light and disappearing into the void without a trace. ... At the allied forces¡¯ station, in a spacious room, Lu Huaming, Bai Xiaotian, Seven Kills, Master Yan, and other sect leaders gathered in silence. Nie Caizhu had disappeared, and the representative from Mount Putuo was a round-faced young girl in the late Mahayana stage. "We¡¯ve scoured the area within a hundred li and found no suspicious clues. It seems the thief has fled far away," Jiang Shentian said as he entered from outside. "Any leads on our Sect Master¡¯s daughter?" the round-faced girl asked as she stood up. "None," Jiang Shentian replied with a glance at her, shaking his head. A trace of anxiety appeared on the young girl¡¯s face as she furrowed her brows deeply. "Friend Nie¡¯s strength is considerable; Brother Lin, you don¡¯t need to worry," Jiang Shentian reassured. The round-faced girl said nothing, but the worry in her expression didn¡¯t diminish in the slightest. "By the way, where is Brother Shen? With such a major incident and Friend Nie missing, why isn¡¯t he here?" Bai Xiaotian suddenly remarked. "I just sent someone to check, but Brother Shen isn¡¯t in his room, and we don¡¯t know where he went," Jiang Shentian stated. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Shen Luo was always vigilant, so it was unlikely he hadn¡¯t noticed the prior conflict. His current disappearance¡ªit couldn¡¯t be that he and Nie Caizhu went to pursue Fox Clan spies together? "Additionally, my scouts detected something strange within Qingqiu City. There¡¯s no sign of activity¡ªwhat exactly is the Fox Clan up to?" Jiang Shentian continued. The faces of those in the room all shifted upon hearing this. "Should we send some people to infiltrate Qingqiu City and investigate?" Lu Huaming suggested. "The entire Qingqiu City is now enveloped by a formidable prohibition, seemingly the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array. Breaking through will not be easy, and even if successful, it will alert the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Unless we can find a method of breaking the prohibition without drawing their attention, sneaking in will likely end in failure," Jiang Shentian replied, shaking his head. "Good, you¡¯re all here," said a voice as a shadow emerged from the ground and rapidly spread apart, revealing Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. The people in the room were initially startled, but upon recognizing Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, they relaxed. "Sect Master¡¯s daughter, you¡¯re finally back," said Mount Putuo¡¯s round-faced girl with a sigh of relief, quickly walking over and grabbing Nie Caizhu¡¯s sleeve. "I¡¯m fine, see? I came back safely," Nie Caizhu said, patting the young girl¡¯s head. "Brother Shen, Friend Nie, where have you two been? You worried us greatly," Bai Xiaotian chastised. "Someone infiltrated this area just now. Cai Zhu and I secretly pursued them and didn¡¯t have time to notify you all. Please forgive us," Shen Luo explained, clasping his hands as a gesture of apology. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "No matter. Brother Shen, did you discover anything during the chase?" Jiang Shentian immediately asked. "Cai Zhu and I pursued the culprits all the way into Qingqiu City and uncovered significant findings," Shen Luo replied. "You entered Qingqiu City? What did you discover?" Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to them. Shen Luo recounted what he had witnessed in Qingqiu City but deliberately omitted any mention of Hu Bugui. Upon hearing about the sudden disappearance of the entire Qingqiu Fox Clan, everyone furrowed their brows deeply. "The strength of the Qingqiu Fox Clan is immense. Even the most formidable experts couldn¡¯t possibly abduct all of them silently and without a trace. So, I believe the Qingqiu Fox Clan must have hidden themselves voluntarily," Bai Xiaotian suggested first. "If they hid themselves, then how do you explain the Fox Clan corpses near the city and the Blood Shadow Demon Array in front of the royal palace? The Fox Clan wouldn¡¯t slaughter half their own people, would they?" Lu Huaming countered. Bai Xiaotian couldn¡¯t find an explanation and fell silent. Others began debating heatedly¡ªsome leaned toward internal Fox Clan issues, while others suspected external factors. "Whether it¡¯s voluntary concealment or forced abduction, Qingqiu Mountain is now defensively vulnerable. This is the perfect chance for us to advance and investigate the underlying cause directly," Seven Kills suddenly proposed. "What Daoist Seven Kills said makes sense. Instead of guessing the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s situation, we should head there ourselves. According to my earlier probing, while all the people have vanished, everything else in the city remains," Shen Luo agreed immediately. Hearing that, the others began to feel tempted. Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s heritage had spanned countless ages, and their accumulated resources rivaled those of any major sect. With their sudden disappearance, it would be the ideal time to seize their wealth. Seeing the mood shift among the group, Shen Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had already expended tremendous effort convincing them to take the initiative to enter the city. Hopefully, Hu Bugui was still safe at this moment. Chapter 1710 - 1705: Dark and Gloomy Chapter 1710: Chapter 1705: Dark and GloomyThe three of them, Shen Luo, quickly sneaked close to the Royal Palace and found the Big Gate slightly open, leaving a gap just enough for a person to pass through. All along the way, the originally heavily guarded castle was devoid of any people, the guards that should have been everywhere vanished without a trace, and an inexplicable deep darkness filled the area, giving a sense of unfathomable eeriness. "Cousin, be careful, there¡¯s something strange in the Royal Palace," Nie Caizhu looked towards the pitch-black palace door, speaking in a low voice. "Cai Zhu, have you noticed something?" Shen Luo¡¯s gaze focused as he sent a message asking. "No, just a sense that the darkness in the Royal Palace gives me a feeling of unease," Nie Caizhu said after a moment of silence. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo nodded slightly. He knew Nie Caizhu had a far superior sense of the darkness using the Kunlun Mirror compared to ordinary monks. He dared not be careless; immediately he sent a wisp of Divine Sense to probe inside. But as soon as his Divine Sense entered the Royal Palace, the darkness inside pounced like a ferocious beast, swallowing that wisp of Divine Sense in one bite. Shen Luo¡¯s complexion paled slightly but quickly returned to normal. "As expected, there¡¯s a problem," he said coldly. At that moment, the darkness within the Royal Palace suddenly intensified several-fold and surged towards the outside, dozens of giant dark tentacles shot out from within, with just a slight wave, a loud explosive sound filled the void, and dozens of pale white gusts swept in. Then, those dark tentacles somehow immediately spanned a distance of more than ten feet, appearing in front of the three and lightning-fast, violently striking down. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed dramatically; he couldn¡¯t care about revealing their whereabouts. His hands formed a seal and pointed out, several hundred dazzling red Sword Qi suddenly blossomed, condensing into a red sword mountain, with an extremely astonishing momentum, slashing towards those dark tentacles. Nie Caizhu¡¯s Kunlun Mirror shot out a wide black light, which flashed into a hundred-foot-long black Flood Dragon, stretching its claws to block more than a dozen tentacles. Hu Bugui also summoned a white whip covered with countless bright blades, the whip shadow roaring horizontally, seemingly like white pythons winding around, entangling seven or eight dark tentacles. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Bang, bang, bang! The attacking dark tentacles all exploded, turning into countless Black Qi drifting around. "Demonic Qi..." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed; these scattered Black Qi actually contained Demonic Qi. But this Demonic Qi was very concealed, and there were special things mixed in, undetectable by ordinary monks. "Could it be that the Qingqiu Fox Clan is really colluding with the Demon Clan in secret?" Shen Luo inwardly thought. Before he could think further, the darkness again changed inside the palace, dozens of black Spear Shadows shot out, emitting a piercing shriek and attacking the three, causing a shocking void vibration. Shen Luo summoned the Blood Essence Banner, and amidst the sound of sea waves, a thick blood-colored light curtain blocked in front of the three. Those black Spear Shadows struck the blood-colored curtain hard, only penetrating a little into the curtain¡¯s surface before being stopped. Seeing this, Shen Luo was secretly delighted. The defense of the Blood Essence Banner exceeded his expectations, truly deserving of being praised by the Fire Spirit Child as a pinnacle Blood Dao treasure. He was about to activate the Blood Essence Banner to test its Blood Source power, when a black light shot from the side, coiling around those black Spear Shadows and spreading wide. A pitch-black light domain appeared, enveloping all the black Spear Shadows within it, which trembled slightly and disappeared silently inside the domain. In the deeper part of the Royal Palace, the tall Grey-clothed Person stood within a giant magic array, with a dozen black formation flags spinning around him. This person¡¯s hands formed seals, and the Black Magic Array quickly operated; the surrounding darkness surged, and hundreds more black Sword Shadows formed and shot towards Shen Luo and the others outside, albeit slightly slower, showing a hint of decline. On either side of the palace underground, two figures lay in ambush, the other two grey-clothed individuals, slowly surrounding Shen Luo and the others from behind. The two were enveloped in a mist-like black light, isolating all breath. "The prohibition inside the hall is waning. I¡¯ll block these sword shadows, while you two take the opportunity to sneak inside and investigate!" Hu Bugui showed a joyful expression, spitting out. A white silk web Magical Treasure shot out, with a flash of spiritual light transforming into a giant white net covering dozens of feet, intertwined with many silvery lightning bolts, encompassing all the black Sword Shadows within. The white thunder net appeared flimsy, yet when the menacing black Sword Shadows struck, it only quivered violently before stabilizing. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s feet flashed with lightning, about to escape into the Royal Palace, when Nie Caizhu¡¯s Kunlun Mirror suddenly had two grey shadows pass over it. "Not good, there¡¯s someone lurking below, this is a trap, retreat quickly!" Nie Caizhu exclaimed. Shen Luo¡¯s expression dramatically changed, shooting out two beams of Golden Light from his hands, wrapping around Nie Caizhu and Hu Bugui, pulling them to his side. At the same time, on his feet, the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots burst with purple lightning, transforming into a purple lightning bolt and disappearing into the void. The two grey-clothed men below heard Nie Caizhu¡¯s shout, their expressions changed, knowing their ambush failed, and they immediately formed seals without hesitation, casting spells. The originally thin black air around suddenly thickened rapidly, forming a black Fog Wall in an instant, blocking all sides. Countless black runes surged within the Fog Wall, appearing to be a mysterious prohibition. Inside the black Fog Wall, a dazzling purple lightning flashed, and the three figures of Shen Luo staggered out, their Thunder Escape Technique unexpectedly blocked. The surrounding black fog emitted rumbling sounds, undergoing another transformation; countless blood shadows emerged out of thin air, instantly forming a blood-red toad the size of a small mountain. An endless ferocious Qi soared, enveloping the three. Shen Luo¡¯s ears echoed with thunderous roars, his body pressed down by a suffocating enormous force, finding it difficult to move, and within this enormous force, contained a formless chilling Sha force, easily invading his body, rendering the Blood Essence Banner and protective Spiritual Power useless. Shen Luo felt his entire body numb instantly, his Mana operation weakening by more than half, inwardly feeling bad. The same happened to Nie Caizhu and Hu Bugui, paralyzed by the Sha force of the blood-red toad. "What kind of God¡¯s Power is this?" Shen Luo exclaimed with both shock and anger, fully operating the Huangting Technique, his Dantian¡¯s sixteen Pure Yang Swords glowing brightly, an abundant Pure Yang Power flowing throughout his body, resisting the Yin Sha force of the blood-red toad, restoring most of his Mana operation. "Go!" He fully activated the Shrinking Earth Ruler, the dazzling green light enveloping the three, escaping into the void. A green shadow flashed inside the black Fog Wall, forcibly breaking through, disappearing completely with a flash. "Damn it! Just one step short!" The three grey-clothed people revealed themselves, shouting angrily. ... Chapter 1711 - 1707: The Surge of Blood Waves Chapter 1711: Chapter 1707: The Surge of Blood WavesDriven by huge interests, cultivators from various factions quickly gathered and flew towards Qingqiu City, soon arriving outside the city. The Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array suddenly began to rotate rapidly at this moment, and the light curtain thickened several times over, as if someone was controlling this great formation. "Friend Shen, didn¡¯t you say there was no one in the city? How come someone¡¯s controlling the formation!" A disciple from the Demon King Fort immediately questioned. "I only said the Qingqiu Fox Clan had all disappeared, never mentioned that there was no one inside the city. Whether the Qingqiu Fox Clan has hidden away or been captured, there must be enemies inside the city who won¡¯t easily let us walk in unabated," Shen Luo glanced at the person and said calmly. The person¡¯s expression froze, left speechless. Shen Luo ignored the person, took out a Communication Paper Kite, and attempted to communicate with Hu Bugui, but Hu Bugui did not respond for a long time. "Just as Brother Shen said, there are still enemies inside the city. They are currently only using the formation prohibitions to block us and have not shown themselves, probably because they can¡¯t spare their doppelgangers. Everyone should join forces to break the great formation, and everything will become clear!" Bai Xiaotian said following up. Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement, raising various Magical Treasures to bombard the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array. With a loud rumbling, the blue light curtain trembled violently, and spiritual light splintered in all directions. However, the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array was exceptionally sturdy and showed no signs of breaking for the moment. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo frowned. The Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array might not be easily broken in a short time, and delaying might pose great danger to Hu Bugui. "It seems breaking the prohibition will take some time. I have a way to lead a few of you inside first, while the rest remain outside to slowly crack the prohibition. What do you all think?" Shen Luo said to Bai Xiaotian, Lu Huaming, and the others. "Brother Shen, what magic do you have? Quickly show us." Master Yan said delightedly. Lu Huaming, Jiang Shentian, and others also looked over with anticipation. Shen Luo looked at Nie Caizhu, who nodded understandingly and activated the Kunlun Mirror. A beam of black light shot from the mirror, spreading out instantly, forming an area of darkness about a dozen feet in size, enveloping Lu Huaming, Jiang Shentian, Master Yan, Bai Xiaotian, and Seven Kills. The five of them had slight changes in their expressions and instinctively wanted to take action. "Don¡¯t resist," Nie Caizhu¡¯s voice came. Bai Xiaotian and the others paused, holding back their mana. In the next moment, their vision suddenly went dark, and they fell into a lightless world, unable to sense anything, speak, or move. Their hearts were greatly alarmed, but fortunately, this situation did not last long and ended after a few breaths. Bai Xiaotian and the other five regained their sight and found themselves inside Qingqiu City. "Brother Shen, a great technique, as expected, breaking through the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array." Bai Xiaotian said happily. "It¡¯s just a minor trick not worth mentioning. As for our next move, should we split up or act together?" Shen Luo shifted the topic and asked. "This place is mysterious and unpredictable; we better not split up arbitrarily. Let¡¯s check the palace first," Jiang Shentian pondered briefly and said. The others nodded in agreement. Shen Luo had the same intention and immediately led them to fly towards the Palace of Qingqiu, arriving there within a few breaths. The palace was still in its previous state, with darkness surging inside the halls like a venomous snake waiting to devour, yet there was no trace of Hu Bugui. Shen Luo spread out his Divine Sense to search nearby but found nothing, not even a trace of Hu Bugui¡¯s breath. "Could he have already been captured by the enemies inside the hall?" He worried silently. "Is this the eerie blood shadow Friend Shen mentioned? Let me try with my ¡¯Hundred Ghosts¡¯," Seven Kills said, looking towards the depths of the palace and conjuring a bronze bow that looked like a ghostly wing. He pulled the bowstring, and a black arrow brimming with ghostly qi shot forth, piercing into the palace¡¯s darkness. Everyone had come here to face the enemies, so they didn¡¯t stop Seven Kills¡¯ action and each gripped their Magical Treasures on guard. A loud explosion came from inside the palace, and the darkness inside surged wildly, letting out a soul-piercing angry roar, causing Shen Luo and the others to experience a moment¡¯s dizziness. Before they could react, a torrent of blood-red water gushed out from inside the palace. The blood water smelled extremely foul, spreading rapidly upon emerging, transforming the surrounding void into a vast blood sea, with turbulent blood waves crashing towards Shen Luo and the others. Shen Luo¡¯s heart turned grim, he waved his hand, summoning four big swords, each in green, purple, yellow, and white, the Four Seasons Greatsword of Che Qingtian. He grabbed the white sword, which burst with dazzling white light, chilling air overflowing, faintly freezing the void. The other three swords were the same, each releasing glorious sword light. Shen Luo swung the white sword through the blood sea in a slash, shooting out vast streams of four-color Sword Qi that spun into a grand Four Seasons Sword Array, clashing with the incoming blood waves. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the grand sword qi was undone like facing a nemesis, and even nearly half of the sword array in direct contact with the blood sea disintegrated like paper, turning into green smoke and disappearing, while the rest shattered explosively. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly. Due to insufficient time, he had only mastered half of the Four Seasons Sword Formation, yet its power was not small, and it was unexpectedly ineffective against the blood sea. The blood waves continued to howl forward, and Shen Luo shouted lowly, his body flashing with golden light and blood light, with the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and Blood Essence Banner appearing, forming a gold and a blood light curtain around him. The golden light curtain was quickly eroded and shattered by the blood water, but the blood light curtain formed by the Blood Essence Banner stood firm like a mountain, lightly trembling without any cracks despite the blood waves¡¯ impacts. Moreover, the light of the Blood Essence Banner surged, with threads of blood light penetrating from the blood sea being swiftly absorbed by the Blood Essence Banner. "This blood sea seems to be formed by Blood Killing Water, and your Blood Essence Banner contains the power of blood origin, how can it be corroded by mere Blood Killing Water." Fire Spirit Child¡¯s boastful voice sounded. Hearing this, Shen Luo felt reassured and looked towards the others around him. White Xiaotian and the others each used their God¡¯s Power or Magical Treasures, or performed secret techniques, and managed to withstand the blood sea. "As expected, these major sects¡¯ people are not simple," Shen Luo thought silently, his right hand shining with blue light as he swung his sleeve. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A stream of blue cold light struck the blood sea, the Indigo Ocean Divine Technique, freezing the void in its path. However, this blood sea was seemingly unaffected by the Indigo Ocean¡¯s cold, showing no sign of freezing. At this moment, the situation inside the blood sea changed again, with seven blood shadows shooting out from it, revealing themselves as seven massive blood dragons, charging towards Shen Luo and the seven others. Each of these blood dragons was twenty or thirty feet long with distinct scale armor and sharp dragon claws, their entire bodies filled with blood-colored murderous qi. They resembled the gigantic beast shadows that had appeared before, arriving in a flash in front of Shen Luo and the seven others, launching fierce strikes with either claw swipes or devouring bites. Chapter 1712 - 1708: Procrastination Chapter 1712: Chapter 1708: ProcrastinationShen Luo intended to test the Blood Essence Banner¡¯s defensive power once more. He channeled his mana into it, and the blood-colored light curtain suddenly thickened several times, clashing head-on with the blood dragon¡¯s claw that was rushing in. With a thunderous boom, the blood-colored light curtain trembled violently a few times before stabilizing swiftly, showing no signs of breaking. "As expected of the Blood Essence Banner, its defensive strength far surpasses the current Thousand Cup Golden Goblet by several times," Shen Luo nodded quietly to himself. With a flip of his hand, he retrieved a black magic ring¡ªnone other than the Nine Nether Demon Ring¡ªand gave it a fierce wave. The magic ring emitted a dazzling black light, releasing dozens of massive black rings that howled towards the blood-colored giant dragon. However, the blood-colored dragon seemed to possess considerable spiritual wisdom. It dodged to the side, evading the attack, while simultaneously opening its massive maw. Amid a deafening dragon chant, an exceptionally large blood-colored light pillar shot out, colliding with the shadowy black rings. The Nine Nether Demon Ring was not known for its offensive power, so the black ring shadows were instantly scattered to bits and pieces. The blood-colored light pillar did not stop and shot straight towards Shen Luo, suddenly igniting into crackling flames mid-flight, transforming into a pillar of blood-colored fire that struck fiercely against the blood-colored light curtain before him. With a thunderous crash, the blood-colored flame pillar exploded, sending Shen Luo and the blood-colored light curtain hurtling backward. Yet, the light curtain remained steadfast, unbroken. However, the flames clinging to the Blood Essence Banner¡¯s light curtain began burning vigorously, quickly absorbing the spiritual power within the blood-colored light curtain. Shen Luo frowned slightly, retracting the Four Seasons Greatsword with a quick motion. Forming a hand seal, he summoned four Pure Yang Swords, which shot through the blood-colored light curtain, their sword light flaring brilliantly. With a loud blast, the four flying swords burst apart, transforming into four streams of crimson sword silk that struck the blood flames. These sword threads were as fine as hair, with traces of golden and crimson flames on their surfaces¡ªthe True Solar Fire and Golden Crow Fire. They wrapped around the blood flames and twisted forcefully. With a crisp tearing sound, most of the blood flames were shredded into countless fragments of blood-colored embers. At that moment, the Blood Essence Banner emitted a sudden surge of light. A blood light, as solid as substance, beamed outwards, enveloping the scattered embers. The embers struggled momentarily but were swiftly absorbed into the blood light. The radiance of the Blood Essence Banner shone even brighter as a result. A trace of delight flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. The blood light just now was another God¡¯s Power of the Blood Essence Banner, the Force of Blood Origin. Being of the same provenance as the blood flames, it could devour their energy. Meanwhile, the crimson sword threads didn¡¯t halt after shredding the flames. They continued charging towards the blood-colored giant dragon. The blood-colored dragon seemed to fear those threads, dodging agilely. Yet suddenly, from the void beside it, a dozen black ring shadows emerged out of nowhere and clanged onto the dragon¡¯s body, tightening abruptly. The dragon¡¯s massive body froze instantly, unable to move. It was then pierced through by the countless crimson sword threads. The crimson sword threads constricted once more, and the blood-colored dragon let out a mournful wail. Its enormous body was torn into countless fragments before transforming into a massive wave of dispersing blood light. The beam of blood light emitted by the Blood Essence Banner descended again, wrapping around the remnants of the blood-colored dragon and refining the blood Dao energy within. At the same time, Shen Luo formed a hand seal with his fingers, sending out five more Pure Yang Swords, which merged with the four flying swords outside. With a thunderous sword chant, a crimson giant sword, over a hundred feet long, materialized. Its sword body was entwined with various celestial flames, emitting a terrifying wave of sword qi that caused the surrounding void to tremble violently. This sword technique was the Pure Yang Sword Technique: Nine Swords Unity. "Strike!" Shen Luo pointed forward with his hand seal, and the crimson giant sword shot forward like lightning. Its horrific wave of sword qi made one¡¯s hair stand on end as it slashed down fiercely onto the Blood Sea. With a deafening boom, the Blood Sea was cleaved open by the massive sword, creating a gigantic fissure as the sharp sword qi surged forward, further splitting the sea apart. Yet, from within the Blood Sea surged a viscous and tough force, swiftly wrapping back around and eroding the sword qi. Though the fissure extended slightly forward, the power of the Nine Swords Unity was completely worn down, and the Blood Sea ceased to split further. Not only that, countless blood-colored tendrils shot forth from it, winding towards the crimson giant sword. The situations of the others were no better than Shen Luo¡¯s. While the Blood Sea¡¯s assault couldn¡¯t truly harm them, they, too, found no way to deal with this vast expanse of blood. "Everyone, if my guess is correct, someone is using this Blood Sea to bind us while carrying out some kind of operation in secret. We must find a way to resolve this issue and push into the depths of the Royal Palace. I have a hunch the enemy is inside!" Shen Luo recalled the crimson giant sword with a hand seal, evading the entangling tendrils as he transmitted his voice to the group. "Friend Shen is right. However, this Blood Sea is no easy foe. Does anyone have a solution?" Bai Xiaotian said. The group appeared troubled, momentarily silent. Shen Luo himself had no effective means to deal with the Blood Sea. While the Blood Essence Banner was a pinnacle treasure of the blood Dao, it couldn¡¯t combat such a vast Blood Sea effectively. Their only options were the Pure Yang Sword Array or overwhelming strikes like the Turn Sky Seal. "Fire Daoist friend, does your Gu Xuan Star Disk hold any formation that could restrain this Blood Sea?" Shen Luo transmitted his voice to Fire Spirit Child. "This Blood Sea covers too wide an area. Besides, I am currently but a Tool Spirit and cannot fully unleash the Star Disk¡¯s potential. It¡¯s beyond my ability to handle," Fire Spirit Child replied. Hearing this, Shen Luo frowned, continuing to wield the Pure Yang Giant Sword to fend off the blood-colored tendrils while pondering a solution. "I may have a set of magical treasures capable of restraining this Blood Sea," Seven Kills suddenly transmitted. "Truly?" Lu Huaming¡¯s face lit up with joy, and the others turned to look as well. "Of course. However, I¡¯ll need assistance from two others to activate it. Brother Yan and Brother Jiang, stay to help me, while Friend Shen, Nie Caizhu, Bai Daoist friend, and Lu Daoist friend, the four of you seize the opportunity to venture into the depths of the Royal Palace to track down the enemy. How does that sound?" Seven Kills continued transmitting. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Agreed," Jiang Shentian replied immediately, with Master Yan also expressing his consent. None of Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu, or the others objected either. At that moment, the Blood Sea suddenly shifted, surging into tides several times larger than before, crashing towards the seven of them like tsunamis. "Why has the attack intensified all of a sudden? Could it be that someone inside overheard our transmissions?" Shen Luo¡¯s heart grew tense. "You four, retreat!" Seven Kills shouted, flicking his sleeve to release an object¡ªan exquisite crimson box containing five small flags in gold, green, blue, red, and yellow, each glimmering with spiritual light and clearly extraordinary. Shen Luo, Nie Caizhu, and the others retreated swiftly, but they all caught a clear glimpse of the Five-Color Flag Box. "The Five-Color Flag Box? A secret treasure of Mount Fangcun, renowned for steadying the winds and stabilizing the earth¡ªindeed highly suitable for dealing with this Blood Sea," Fire Spirit Child exclaimed in astonishment. "The Five-Color Flag Box... truly remarkable," Shen Luo murmured, his eyes glinting as he gazed at the crimson box. Chapter 1713 - 1709: Black Passage Chapter 1713: Chapter 1709: Black PassageFacing the surging blood-colored waves, Seven Kills showed no trace of fear. His hands moved like spinning car wheels, forming seals, as he sprayed out a mouthful of pure mana, merging it into the Five-Color Flag Box. The five small colored flags inside the box immediately shot out, scattering abruptly in different directions, landing in five spots around the Blood Sea. With a soft "puff," they pierced into the void. Golden, green, blue, red, and yellow beams of light radiated from the commanding flags, accompanied by countless flashing five-colored spiritual symbols that rapidly connected with one another. Within moments, a massive five-colored light formation coalesced into shape, enveloping the entirety of the Blood Sea. The blood-colored waves slammed fiercely against the light formation, causing it to shudder violently. Cracks emerged across the formation, and large sprays of blood surged forth, yet the majority of the Blood Sea remained confined within its bounds. "I can barely control three of the Command Flags. The remaining two are up to you¡ªquick!" Seven Kills spread his five fingers, releasing three streaks of black light that infused into the golden, green, and blue flags. Master Yan and Jiang Shentian flashed forward, darting to the red and yellow Command Flags, channeling their mana into them. The five Command Flags erupted in dazzling brilliance, emanating sounds akin to dragon roars and tiger growls. Countless multi-colored light specks appeared within the five-colored light formation, streaming toward its center. In the blink of an eye, the five-colored light formation burst into radiant splendor. Not only did the fractures fully mend, but layers of light curtains also emerged, expanding the formation¡¯s coverage over twice its original size, securely trapping the entirety of the Blood Sea. "The power within this Blood Sea is exceedingly immense. We aren¡¯t sure how long we can contain it¡ªyou better hurry!" Seven Kills barked at Shen Luo and the other three. "Rest assured!" Shen Luo replied, as purple lightning surged under his feet and he shot toward the depths of the palace. Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and Lu Huaming quickly followed, disappearing into the palace¡¯s darkness. All outside noises instantly vanished, and the four seemed to have entered a sealed-off space. Shen Luo activated his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld and scanned the surroundings, yet he was unable to penetrate the surrounding darkness. His gaze flickered briefly as he unleashed his Divine Sense. Almost immediately, his mind reeled in unbearable pain; his Divine Sense was swiftly devoured by the dense darkness around him, just as before. Nonetheless, within the split second, Shen Luo managed to survey the interior of the hall and promptly withdrew his Divine Sense while employing the techniques within the Yellow Emperor Sutra to nurture his Divine Soul, bringing a soothing coolness to his mind. At that moment, the darkness inside the palace intensified exponentially, and countless exotic beasts¡ªblack tigers, black wolves, giant pythons¡ªemerged from within, baring their fangs and claws as they lunged toward the group. Shen Luo formed a seal with his fingers and waved, summoning nine Pure Yang Swords that spiraled around him, flying in a dance-like motion. The sharp and unstoppable Sword Qi slashed through the air, cutting into the surrounding darkness. Bai Xiaotian flipped his hand and summoned a folding fan magic treasure embroidered with a majestic depiction of a dragon riding clouds¡ªa Dragon-Painting Fan. He wielded it toward one side with a powerful sweep. With piercing sounds, a wave of golden radiant light surged forth like a furious tide, containing several colossal golden dragons clawing at the dark exotic beasts. Lu Huaming had already drawn Frost Cold Nine Realms and slashed across the void. A hundred-foot-long blue Sword Qi tore through the air, exploding with an overwhelmingly forceful momentum that resembled the eruption of a volcano¡ªunstoppable as it surged forward, overshadowing the attacks of Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. The three worked together seamlessly, effortlessly obliterating all the dark exotic beasts that had attacked. However, the surrounding dark energy showed no signs of diminishing. Following a low rumble, countless black light arrows shot forth. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Caizhu flipped her hand and summoned the Kunlun Mirror, preparing to act, when Shen Luo¡¯s voice resounded in her mind: "Caizhu, focus on locating the enemy¡¯s whereabouts. Leave the dark energy to us." Her eyebrows twitched subtly, and her figure vanished into the Kunlun Mirror. The Kunlun Mirror transformed into a black disk and melted into the surrounding darkness, disappearing from sight. Shen Luo once again commanded the nine Pure Yang Swords, unleashing dense streams of Sword Qi to shred through the surrounding black light arrows. Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming joined in, extracting and obliterating every single arrow. Just then, Shen Luo¡¯s expression hardened; he keenly perceived that the shattered light arrows transformed into threads of dark energy, merging back into the surrounding darkness. A third wave of attacks was already brewing. "This is similar to the Ten Thousand Demons Banner¡ªit absorbs scattered energies to launch repeated attacks. Ordinary strategies won¡¯t suffice against this," Shen Luo mused swiftly, flipping his hand to summon an azure-blue treasured fan. Encircled by magnificent starlight, it was none other than the Starry Fan. The moment Bai Xiaotian saw Shen Luo summon the Starry Fan, his expression froze, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the artifact as if entranced. Shen Luo, too occupied to notice Bai Xiaotian¡¯s unusual behavior, activated the Huangting Technique, radiating dazzling golden light. He swiftly formed the Three Stars Demolishing Demons Dharma Seal with his fingers and pointed toward the sky. The Starry Fan in his hand erupted with even greater starlight, surging around the area like a roaring galaxy, pushing back the surrounding darkness within tens of feet. The darkness in this place possessed yin attribute divine powers, which were precisely countered by the Three Stars Demolishing Demons Technique. Moreover, the Starry Fan, as a starry artifact, significantly boosted the effectiveness of the technique. Shen Luo had long wanted an excuse to test the fan¡¯s power, and today, the chance finally arrived. A vast cascade of starlight burst forth suddenly, illuminating the night sky so brilliantly that it seemed as though it had transformed into daylight. Sensing the celestial phenomenon above, Shen Luo¡¯s face revealed astonishment as he looked at the Starry Fan with delight in his eyes. The Starry Fan had amplified the Three Stars Demolishing Demons Technique to such an astounding level! "Three Stars Demolishing Demons!" Shen Luo quickly suppressed his shock and concentration; with a vigorous swing of the treasured fan in his hand, he unleashed its formidable power. BOOM! Massive beams of starlight descended from the heavens, pouring into the palace¡¯s darkness and forming a vast ocean of starlight where countless starry projections flickered. It was like the night sky had collapsed onto the ground, shredding through all the darkness within the palace. Shrill cries erupted as innumerable shadowy figures emerged within the palace, attempting to flee outside, but the immense radiance of the starlight had sealed the palace entirely. Those shadows could only struggle fruitlessly in torment before swiftly vaporizing under the piercingly brilliant starlight, reducing to wisps of green smoke that dissipated. Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming were also immobilized by the starry power¡¯s grip, each internally shaken by its overwhelming force. The palace¡¯s dark energy began to evaporate rapidly. Within a few breaths, the entire palace was cleared of the oppressive darkness save for a shadow entrenched in the depths of its floor, stubbornly resisting the surrounding starry onslaught. Seeing the scene before him, Shen Luo raised his brows and brought his hands together to form a sealing spell. The ocean of starlight filling the palace froze abruptly, transforming into an immense Star Seal Array Diagram. With a sharp "crack," the black shadow in the palace depths exploded, dispersing into smoke and revealing a concealed Black Magic Array beneath. Within the array, endless black qi surged, faintly forming a black passageway to an unknown destination. Chapter 1714 - 1710: Enshrouded in Mist Chapter 1714: Chapter 1710: Enshrouded in Mist"Three-Star Seal!" Shen Luo¡¯s hand seal transformed once again, and the Star Seal Array Diagram suddenly descended to the ground, enveloping the black magic array within. The black magic array flickered and shattered over half of its structure. The scattered black lights also completely halted and were thoroughly sealed. The darkness within the hall remained, yet the eerie aura had already dissipated. In some location beneath the royal palace, three grey-clothed individuals were gathered, surrounded by a layer of grey prohibition that concealed their aura fluctuations. The tall grey-clothed person still had the black array banners floating around him, though most were shattered and collapsed, no longer forming a formation. "Who would have thought Shen Luo had cultivated Mount Fangcun¡¯s Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique to such a level? With one strike, he destroyed the Dark Erosion Profound Array," the figure said in a deep voice, retracting and stowing away the damaged array with a sweep of his sleeve. The other two had nine bloody banners hovering around them, radiating a liquid-like, viscous blood light that surged outward. It was evident the source of the blood sea outside originated here. "What do we do now? Too many people have come; we can¡¯t wipe them all out. If we continue fighting, our identities will likely be exposed," the grey-clothed woman said, glancing at the grey-clothed elder beside her. "Let¡¯s leave. We¡¯ve held off these people long enough for Chief Strategist You Su. That¡¯s sufficient. It¡¯s up to them to handle the rest now," the elder decisively said after a moment of contemplation, forming a hand seal and pointing outward. The blood light on the nine bloody banners suddenly retracted, and the blood sea within the royal palace receded like a tide and vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye. The grey-clothed elder swept his sleeve to collect the nine banners and turned to dive further underground. The grey-clothed woman and the tall grey-clothed person, already intent on leaving, followed closely behind. None of the three noticed the faint shadows rippling in the void nearby, revealing a black ancient mirror that silently pursued them downward. Outside the royal palace, the sudden disappearance of the blood sea startled the three members of Seven Kills. "Did Friend Shen and his team break the blood sea prohibition?" Jiang Shentian asked with a look of joy. "We¡¯ll know once we go inside and take a look," Seven Kills said, stowing away his five-colored flag box and transforming into a streak of black light, flying forward. Jiang Shentian and Master Yan exchanged a glance and immediately followed. Inside the royal palace, Shen Luo¡¯s face briefly flashed pale, but he took a deep breath and quickly regained his composure. The power of the Three-Star Demonic Extermination surged dramatically, but the mana consumption also increased substantially. "Was that Mount Fangcun¡¯s Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique just now? Brother Shen¡¯s execution of it unleashed such terrifying might. I suspect that within Mount Fangcun, aside from Ancestor Bodhi, no one could match you," Lu Huaming said as he walked over. "Brother Lu flatters. The Three-Star Demonic Extermination merely sealed this black magic array; it didn¡¯t kill a single enemy. We must remain vigilant," Shen Luo calmly replied. Lu Huaming nodded in agreement, activating his divine sense to scan the surroundings. Shen Luo didn¡¯t idle either. Flipping his hand, he retrieved a purple round pearl¡ªthe Canghun Pearl, a treasure discovered through Tian Sanqi¡¯s investigations. Within the Celestial Secret Realm, Tian Sanqi had perished when possessed by Wu Luo. Afterward, the Canghun Pearl fell into Wu Luo¡¯s possession, and Shen Luo retrieved it from Wu Luo¡¯s storage magical tool after defeating him. He performed a spell to stimulate the Canghun Pearl, which emitted a faint purple glow tinged with a dreamlike aura, scanning various parts of the great hall before halting shortly after. With the collapse of the black magic array, no abnormalities remained nearby. Though traces of mana were still lingering in the hall, there was no sign of the source. Even the Canghun Pearl failed to track anything. Shen Luo furrowed his brows. This situation suggested the enemies had departed cleanly and efficiently, using highly skilled methods to erase their tracks, leaving him utterly helpless. Meanwhile, Nie Caizhu had been missing for some time. The Kunlun Mirror, which housed the Dark Shadow Sky Net¡ªa divine technique unparalleled in its investigative capabilities¡ªwas no less effective than the Canghun Pearl. He wondered whether she had discovered any clues. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At that moment, a rushing sound echoed as the three members of Seven Kills flew in from outside. "How did you get here? Is the blood sea outside resolved?" Lu Huaming asked in surprise, looking toward the trio. "The blood sea suddenly vanished. Was it not your doing?" Seven Kills asked, also in astonishment. "Friend Shen just used a divine technique to destroy a black magic array here, but we haven¡¯t yet located the blood sea prohibition outside," Lu Huaming replied, shaking his head. "How strange. What¡¯s the current situation?" Seven Kills inquired. "Both the blood sea outside and the black magic array within are controlled by someone in the shadows. It¡¯s likely they deemed their situation hopeless and fled stealthily," Lu Huaming explained. "That seems to be the case. Have you uncovered any clues during your investigation? Hmm, where is Brother Nie?" Seven Kills asked, puzzled. "Still nothing. Brother Nie is adept at tracking, so Friend Shen dispatched her to trace the enemy¡¯s whereabouts. We¡¯re not sure if she¡¯s made any progress," Lu Huaming answered. "In that case, let¡¯s search the palace carefully. Perhaps we¡¯ll make some discoveries," Jiang Shentian suggested. The group nodded and dispersed to search. Worried for Nie Caizhu¡¯s safety, Shen Luo moved first, heading deeper into the palace. Though Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s royal palace wasn¡¯t large, its architecture was extensive, with each structure spanning multiple levels. Many buildings included underground secret chambers. While not as grand or opulent as the Great Tang Imperial City, it exuded the Fox Clan¡¯s unique charm at every turn. Not in the mood for admiration, Shen Luo searched rapidly, carefully combing both the surroundings and the underground, pushing his divine sense to its limits. The Canghun Pearl was also deployed, searching for any concealed prohibition. After a brief search, his eyebrows suddenly rose¡ªthere was a faint aura of prohibition within a nearby side hall. The prohibition was extremely subtle; without his strong divine sense and the Canghun Pearl, it would have been almost impossible to detect. With no other leads, Shen Luo swiftly headed over, arriving before a green stone gate, his gaze emitting two beams of green light. Under the investigative power of the Netherworld Ghost Eye, numerous white formation patterns surfaced on the door¡ªa densely layered network with seemingly infinite complexity, appearing exceedingly intricate and challenging to break. He didn¡¯t attempt to unravel the formation but instead directly activated the Shrinking Earth Ruler to force his way through. A flash of green shadow struck the green stone gate. The prohibition on the door flared with strands of white light, struggling to resist the shadow. Yet the shadow resembled a burrowing pangolin, ultimately breaking through. Shen Luo felt his vision blur, and in the next moment, he found himself inside a spacious secret chamber. The chamber, upon a single sweeping glance, spanned twenty to thirty feet in size and was filled with racks, stone tables, and other storage spaces. The racks and tables were piled high with minerals, spirit wood, spirit grass, and various spiritual materials, each radiating dazzling brilliance, mesmerizingly vibrant. Shen Luo froze briefly. This seemed to be Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s treasure chamber. While he hadn¡¯t intended to search for treasure, it appeared he had stumbled upon it unintentionally. However, now that he was here, he certainly wouldn¡¯t hold back. With a flick of his sleeve, a streak of golden light shot out, sweeping toward a nearby jade table that held a collection of minerals brimming with spiritual energy. But as the golden light approached, white light suddenly burst forth around the jade table. A crystalline, jade-like light shield materialized, blocking the golden light from advancing further. Chapter 1715 - 1711: The Ins and Outs Chapter 1715: Chapter 1711: The Ins and OutsShen Luo raised an eyebrow but wasn¡¯t surprised. Since this was a treasure hiding place, the defenses were naturally strict. He flicked his finger, and a red flying sword shot out like lightning, slashing fiercely at the white light shield. With a crisp "crack," a shallow mark was left on the white light shield, while the Pure Yang Sword was rebounded. A trace of surprise flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes. The Pure Yang Sword was already formidable, and its sharpness had been significantly enhanced after integrating with the Vermilion Bird Stone. Yet, it couldn¡¯t shake this barrier. Clearly, this shield was no ordinary prohibition. His guess was correct. Before infiltrating with others, Chief Strategist You Su had activated the restrictions on many critical areas of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. This treasure vault was the most important of all, and every restriction within had been pushed to its maximum power. This seemingly ordinary white light shield was actually an ancient restriction known as the Primordial Barrier. It was incredibly robust and couldn¡¯t be broken through ordinary means. Shen Luo tried several other techniques, but none could break the light shield. Frowning, he shook his head and stopped trying, turning to walk outside. His wealth was already immeasurable, and although the treasures in the Qingqiu treasure vault were precious, they didn¡¯t hold much weight in his eyes. Finding Nie Caizhu and Hu Bugui was more important at the moment. After taking a few steps, the corner of his eye caught a somewhat familiar red glimmer, prompting him to turn his head. He immediately stopped in his tracks, his face lighting up with joy. In a flash, he appeared in front of that red glimmer. The red glimmer turned out to be two pieces of fiery Spirit Wood. One was several feet long and as thick as a thigh, while the other, though slightly smaller, wasn¡¯t much thinner. Both pieces emitted a flame-like crimson glow¡ªit was unmistakably Fire Scale Wood. The age of these two pieces of Fire Scale Wood was on par with the ones Tu Shanxue had traded to him before, undoubtedly reaching the ten-thousand-year grade. They lay quietly on a stone table, radiating a scorching aura even through the light shield. Shen Luo¡¯s three sets of Pure Yang Sword Arrays had yet to be fully refined, as he had been searching for Fire Scale Wood to forge new flying swords. He hadn¡¯t expected to find some here. The abundant amount of Fire Scale Wood here could easily forge over a dozen Pure Yang Sword Embryos. Using the plentiful Six Ding Divine Fire he had collected in the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower, those sword embryos could be upgraded to become Pure Yang Swords. With an additional dozen Pure Yang Swords, his strength would see a significant boost, and the second set of the Pure Yang Seven Kills Sword Array might even be completed. At this thought, Shen Luo was secretly delighted. With a flip of his hand, he summoned nine Pure Yang Swords and performed the Nine Swords Unity technique, transforming them into a single red giant sword. He then swung it fiercely at the white light shield surrounding the Fire Scale Wood. With a resounding "boom" akin to a thunderclap, a massive crack was left on the white light shield. Yet, the shield still didn¡¯t shatter. Shen Luo frowned and summoned a green treasure sword with a flip of his hand¡ªthe Hongming Saber. With a single-handed wave, the Hongming Saber turned into a green streak, striking the crack in the shield fiercely. With a tearing sound, the white light shield split into two halves. Shen Luo nodded slightly. The Hongming Saber had lived up to its reputation, although Fire Spirit Child had warned that the blade was sinister and shouldn¡¯t be overused. With a flick of his sleeve, Shen Luo unleashed a surge of golden light, sweeping up the two ten-thousand-year Fire Scale Wood pieces. He then extended his Divine Sense to explore the rest of the treasure vault but, unfortunately, found no more Fire Scale Wood. Seeing this, Shen Luo didn¡¯t linger further. He retrieved his Pure Yang Sword and Hongming Saber, then used the Shrinking Earth Ruler to break through the treasure vault¡¯s restrictions, appearing outside the Green Stone Gate. Standing there was Bai Xiaotian, with several treasures floating before him as he seemed to be attempting to crack the restrictions on the door. "Brother Shen, it¡¯s you..." Bai Xiaotian looked at Shen Luo with surprise, his gaze flickering oddly as it lingered on the Shrinking Earth Ruler in Shen Luo¡¯s hand. Shen Luo raised his brow. During his earlier rescue of Hu Bugui, he had inevitably revealed the aura of the Shrinking Earth Ruler. That was why, when bringing everyone into Qingqiu City earlier, he had Nie Caizhu use the Kunlun Mirror to conceal everyone. Still, it seemed the truth had come out now. However, upon further thought, Shen Luo realized that Hu Bugui wasn¡¯t exactly a secret that needed to be strictly kept. "The one who approached the stationed place earlier was named Hu Bugui, a disciple of Pansi Cave and a friend of mine. Though he¡¯s also of the Fox Clan, he is not a member of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. He¡¯s been gathering intelligence around Qingqiu Mountain these past days. When he approached the stationed place earlier, he was trying to share what he had uncovered with me, but it led to a string of misunderstandings when Cai Zhu spotted him," Shen Luo explained concisely. "Hu Bugui? I¡¯ve heard of him¡ªan outstanding junior disciple of Pansi Cave. So, he was Brother Shen¡¯s agent in Qingqiu Mountain," Bai Xiaotian said, his expression softening as he became less guarded, knowing Shen Luo¡¯s character. "Not quite an agent. He chose to stay of his own volition, possibly for other reasons. Nonetheless, Hu Bugui harbors no ill will toward the sects," Shen Luo clarified. "Did he manage to uncover anything significant?" Bai Xiaotian pressed. Shen Luo didn¡¯t hold back and shared the intelligence Hu Bugui had gathered, leaving Bai Xiaotian alarmed. "Where is Hu Bugui now?" Bai Xiaotian asked with a deep breath. "When Cai Zhu and I infiltrated this place earlier, Hu Bugui led the way. Afterward, we returned to the stationed place to request reinforcements, and Hu Bugui chose to stay behind to continue gathering intelligence. Strangely, he seems to have vanished now. I fear he may have been captured by the enemy," Shen Luo said, his tone tinged with concern. "If Hu Bugui dared to stay, he must have some means of protecting himself. Brother Shen, you needn¡¯t worry," Bai Xiaotian reassured. "I hope so," Shen Luo replied, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, with a slight nod. "Brother Shen, you just entered this door. What¡¯s inside?" Bai Xiaotian asked, coughing lightly to shift the mood as he sensed the heavy atmosphere. "Behind the door is the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s treasure vault. Unfortunately, the treasures inside are sealed by powerful prohibitions. I managed to break through one and took two urgently needed Spirit Woods, but taking everything would take a long while," Shen Luo said openly. Bai Xiaotian was first overjoyed upon hearing this but soon smiled bitterly. Their primary task now was to investigate the situation of the Qingqiu Fox Clan; there was no time to slowly collect treasures. "That¡¯s about the gist of it. I must go find Cai Zhu and Hu Bugui. I¡¯ll take my leave first," Shen Luo said before swiftly flying off. Just as he flew out of the hall, a whistling sound came from behind him. "Brother Shen, wait a moment." It was Bai Xiaotian, chasing after him with a peculiar expression. "Brother Bai, is there something else?" Shen Luo paused in mid-air, looking puzzled. "Brother Shen, the treasure fan you used earlier to assist in performing the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique¡ªwhat is its name, and where did you acquire it?" Bai Xiaotian asked. "That object is called the Starry Fan. I happened upon it accidentally in a secret realm. Brother Bai, do you recognize this treasure?" Shen Luo inquired in return. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Starry Fan? This fan gives me a sense of familiarity, as though I¡¯ve seen it before. Could Brother Shen allow me to examine it?" Bai Xiaotian hesitated for a moment before cupping his hands and making the request. Chapter 1716 - 1712: The Half-Fox Chapter 1716: Chapter 1712: The Half-FoxShen Luo¡¯s expression revealed a trace of surprise upon hearing Bai Xiaotian¡¯s words. For cultivators, Magical Treasures are of utmost importance, and especially one as powerful as the Starry Fan. Even though his relationship with Bai Xiaotian was good, making such a request seemed abrupt. "I understand that this request may be too much, but starting several years ago, I often dreamed of a Starlight Treasure Fan resembling Shen Brother¡¯s Starry Fan by eighty percent. Although I don¡¯t know why such an item keeps appearing in my dreams, it is incredibly significant to me. No matter what, I must carefully inspect that Starry Fan again. I¡¯d be grateful if Brother Shen could help me fulfill this wish," Bai Xiaotian said earnestly. Shen Luo felt relieved upon hearing this. He was well aware of Bai Xiaotian¡¯s character, someone who was neither deceitful nor a liar. If Bai Xiaotian had actually dreamt of the Starry Fan, it must truly hold particular significance for him. Although the Starry Fan was indeed a rare treasure, Shen Luo did not regard it with extraordinary importance. Just as he was about to take it out to give Bai Xiaotian, a deafening collision of Mana and angry shouts suddenly came from ahead. "It¡¯s Brother Lu!" Shen Luo¡¯s expression froze. He dropped the idle talk about Magical Treasures with Bai Xiaotian and sped forward. In the blink of an eye, he landed before a secluded hall. Before he could enter, the half-open Big Gate of the hall suddenly shattered with a boom. Lu Huaming¡¯s body flew out, his chest covered in several long wounds bleeding profusely, while a Yellow Rock Shield suspended before him had one portion forcibly torn apart. "Brother Lu!" Shen Luo hurriedly caught Lu Huaming. "Roar!" A beast¡¯s roar echoed from the hall. A blood-red blur shot out, its body enveloped in a Blood Cloud, its true form obscured, directly pouncing at the two of them. A potent Demon Qi emanated from the blood blur, reaching the Late True Immortal Stage. "Take care of Brother Lu!" Shen Luo handed Lu Huaming to Bai Xiaotian, who followed him close behind, and darted forward to confront the blood blur, waving his sleeve. A dense swarm of crimson Sword Qi erupted, engulfing the space dozens of feet ahead, all slashing toward the bloody figure. The blood blur showed no intention of dodging, directly crashing into the Sword Qi with its body. A rapid cracking series of sounds rang out¡ªsomehow, the Pure Yang Sword Qi shattered under its force as it advanced toward Shen Luo. A massive crimson claw reached out from within the Blood Cloud, accompanied by hazy afterimages, grasping at Shen Luo¡¯s head. "Brother Shen, be careful! That beast¡¯s body is incredibly tough. Do not engage it in close combat..." Lu Huaming¡¯s weak voice came from behind. Shen Luo had already noticed the blood blur¡¯s robust physique. With no hesitation, he immediately recited a magic spell and summoned the Blood Essence Banner to shield himself, pushing its aura to maximum power. The Blood Essence Banner emitted wave-like ripples of Blood Light surging layer upon layer, accompanied by the sound of roaring tides, as if hiding a vast sea within its surface. The crimson claw struck fiercely against the Blood Essence Banner, producing a thunderous boom. The surrounding Void quivered violently, yet the Blood Essence Banner barely trembled before stabilizing without sustaining any damage. Lu Huaming¡¯s face showed astonishment. The bloody figure¡¯s claw had demonstrated immense destructive power, capable of tearing apart his Yellow Rock Shield with ease. Yet this Blood-red Banner of Shen Luo¡¯s remained completely intact. What kind of treasure was this? Shen Luo¡¯s magic spell rapidly switched. The Blood Essence Banner expanded outwards, and its face emitted a stronger glow, radiating layer upon layer of rippling Blood Light. A claw-shaped beacon of Blood Light shot out from the banner and instantly struck the bloody figure, forcing it back in recoil. When refining the Blood Essence Banner, Shen Luo had sought advice from Fire Spirit Child based on Mount Putuo¡¯s "Boundless Waves," granting the banner the ability to unleash similar God¡¯s Powers. Shen Luo then swiftly waved his sleeve again. Two Pure Yang Swords shot forth like thunder, striking the blood blur with explosive speed. A duo of metallic sounds rang out¡ªthe two Pure Yang Swords were deflected upon impact. Shen Luo frowned, quickly reciting another spell to stabilize the swords¡¯ movement. His gestures shifted rapidly. The two swords trembled, transforming into scarlet threads of Sword Qi that encircled the blood blur, twisting fiercely. With a sharp tearing noise, the Blood Cloud surrounding the bloody figure¡¯s body was completely shredded, revealing its form¡ªa humanoid fox-like demon. "A member of the Fox Clan?" Shen Luo¡¯s face showed a hint of astonishment. The humanoid fox demon¡¯s body was unharmed by the Sword Qi. It let out a furious roar and stomped its feet against the ground, creating two Big Holes as the impact propelled it into a blood-red blur, charging forward once more. Unfortunately, Shen Luo had already discerned the demon¡¯s speed. Activating the Blood Essence Banner, he swiftly maneuvered it into position, unleashing waves of cascading Blood Light to repel the demon again. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the humanoid fox demon struggled to regain its footing, black light flashed at its waist. A Black Magic Ring materialized out of thin air, trapping the demon¡¯s body¡ªthe Demonic Ring of Jiuyou. The Demonic Ring of Jiuyou ignited with pitch-black Demonic Flames as it abruptly contracted, embedding itself deep into the demon¡¯s flesh. Simultaneously, a Silver Little Bell appeared above the demon¡¯s head, its ringing resonating in waves of sound that disoriented Divine Souls. The humanoid fox demon¡¯s eyes grew dazed and its movements stiffened. Yet moments later, an overwhelming glow of Blood Light surged from its body, restoring its Divine Wisdom as it fought fiercely to break free from the Demonic Ring of Jiuyou¡¯s confinement. At that precise moment, a green saber shadow appeared beside the demon, flashing like lightning past its neck. The humanoid fox demon¡¯s struggle instantly halted, its head tilting and rolling to the ground as a torrent of fresh blood spurted forth. The towering figure collapsed with a booming sound, its breath completely extinguished. Witnessing this, Lu Huaming¡¯s eyes flashed with a hint of shock. Shen Luo¡¯s strength had risen to such heights? He had slain the demon that injured him in merely three moves! Fortunately, Lu Huaming still had backup methods left unused, or he might have truly felt disheartened. Shen Luo raised his hand and summoned the green saber shadow to him¡ªit was the Hongming Saber. The blade carried a cluster of Blood Light containing a faintly transparent little fox, the soul of the slain demon. Its expression bore immense terror as it struggled futilely to escape, only to be gradually absorbed into the blade. The Hongming Saber emitted a satisfied hum as its surrounding aura darkened slightly. The previously jade-like green blade now carried a faint bloodened glow. Shen Luo¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly. The Hongming Saber was indeed eerie¡ªit could devour the Divine Souls and essence blood of its victims. However, given the dire situation, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t dwell on it. He swiftly flew toward Lu Huaming and asked, "Brother Lu, where did this monster come from?" "I don¡¯t know," Lu Huaming responded, shaking his head after collecting himself. "I was searching in that hall when the ground suddenly erupted with a surge of Silver Light, and then the monster appeared out of nowhere." Shen Luo frowned deeply upon hearing this. Just then, the ground not far from the trio lit up brightly with another surge of Silver Light. A new blood-red figure appeared¡ªa humanoid fox demon, identical to the one before. Throughout Qingqiu City, bursts of Silver Light flashed intermittently, producing blood-red figures one after another¡ªall humanoid fox demons. "What in the world is happening?" The expressions of Shen Luo and his companions all changed dramatically. ... Chapter 1717 - 1713: The Blocking Fox Chapter 1717: Chapter 1713: The Blocking FoxIn the underground cave beneath Qingqiu Mountain, Chief Strategist You Su twirled his ten fingers skillfully, driving the silver round disk magical treasure before him. The massive silver array enveloped the stabilized Qingqiu Fox Clan, continuously teleporting them away. In just a few breaths, all the Qingqiu Fox Clan members affiliated with Tu Shanxue had been sent away; only Tu Shanxue herself remained. Her eyes were shut tight, a cluster of black light circling her brow. She was unconscious, yet her breath had stabilized. "My Nightmare Technique can barely suppress her divine soul anymore¡ªsend her away immediately!" The three grey-clothed figures standing on the opposite side of the silver round disk magical treasure were tense. The centrally positioned grey-clothed elder barked in a deep voice. As his voice fell, he performed a hand seal, his fingertips flickering with a cluster of black light that resonated with the black light hovering over Tu Shanxue¡¯s brow. Chief Strategist You Su remained silent, performed a hand seal, and motioned to the silver round disk in mid-air. A beam of silver light descended, enveloping Tu Shanxue¡¯s body. Tu Shanxue¡¯s figure shuddered briefly and vanished, reappearing atop Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s Ancestor Spirit Altar. She sat cross-legged in front of the Ancestral Spirit Statue. The black light on her brow dissipated with a flash. Her eyelids quivered a few times before she gradually opened her eyes. ... Within the royal palace, Shen Luo and his two companions were startled by the sudden developments around them, momentarily frozen in place. Not far away, a humanoid fox hybrid locked eyes on Shen Luo¡¯s trio and immediately lunged towards them. However, this hybrid¡¯s strength paled compared to the previous one, with a cultivation level only at the Great Mahayana Stage. Bai Xiaotian casually waved the Dragon-painting Fan. "Swish!" A golden tempest roared forth, sweeping the half-fox demon away with ease. Yet, more half-fox hybrids surged from all directions. Among them, a half-fox demon at the late True Immortal Stage appeared, its strength comparable to the initial monstrous foe. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I understand now! These half-fox monsters are the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡ªthey¡¯ve mutated due to the bloodline regression!" Fire Spirit Child suddenly exclaimed from within the Free and Easy Mirror. "Shen Luo, if you don¡¯t want to perish, leave immediately! The few of you are no match for the entire Qingqiu Fox Clan!" A jolt of alarm struck Shen Luo¡¯s heart. Without hesitation, he grabbed Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian, activating the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots. A streak of purple lightning enveloped the trio, shooting out towards Qingqiu City¡¯s outskirts. Furious roars resounded ahead from the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Their faces were contorted with bloodthirsty hatred, and a torrent of magical treasures and secret techniques surged towards them like an overwhelming tide. Yet, the purple lightning darted with breathtaking speed and maneuverability, weaving through the relentless attacks unscathed. Just then, a blinding blood-red light erupted ahead. A tremendous shockwave rippled outward, blasting away many nearby Qingqiu Fox Clan members. A late True Immortal Stage fox figure had barreled through the air, sending twin strikes into the void with both hands. On either side of the purple lightning, blood-red glows flashed by. Two colossal, blood-colored palms the size of small mountains suddenly appeared, colliding with force akin to a volcanic eruption. A cold snort emerged from the purple lightning. The light flared dramatically, its speed doubling instantly as it darted past just before the colossal palms fully descended. Within the purple lightning, a flash of brilliance emanated from Shen Luo¡¯s Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots. The lightning¡¯s trajectory abruptly shifted, shooting past the late True Immortal Stage fox figure. Infuriated, the fox figure roared continuously, giving immediate chase. Yet, the purple lightning¡¯s direction shifted unpredictably, leaving the fox far behind in mere moments. Though the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s strength had grown dramatically, their spiritual wisdom had dulled noticeably. Their attacks were stiff and clumsy. For an ordinary True Immortal Cultivator, these might pose real danger. However, Shen Luo had unparalleled divine sense and wielded the ancient flying treasure¡ªCloud Chasing Lightning Boots¡ªmaking such assaults trivial threats. While Shen Luo¡¯s trio fled outward, Seven Kills, Master Yan, and Jiang Shentian were also encircled by the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s abrupt appearance. The three hastily attempted to flee, though they lacked swift movement techniques. After covering some distance, they were continually intercepted, struggling desperately to hold on. Shen Luo took in their plight, furrowing his brows slightly. Having rescued Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming had already stretched him to his limits, leaving no room for assisting Seven Kills and company. Fortunately, the three seemed to be holding out, sustaining themselves for the time being. "Shen Luo, your group is already at a disadvantage in strength. If those three fall, there will be no hope left. You must rescue them quickly!" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice rang out urgently. "Understood." Shen Luo responded in a low voice, pushing the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots to their absolute limit. While evading the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s attacks ahead, he flew outward with all his might. "Fire Daoist friend, earlier when Hu Bugui suddenly experienced bloodline regression, was it due to the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s current mutation? But didn¡¯t you previously say regression either leads to success or results in death by body explosion? Why have these foxes turned out like this?" Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul communicated with Fire Spirit Child mid-flight. "My understanding of demon clan¡¯s regression phenomenon is limited¡ªI can¡¯t be certain. However, the only explanation I can think of for so many foxes undergoing regression together is the awakening of the Fox Ancestor." Fire Spirit Child snorted in response. "Fox Ancestor! How powerful is he?" Shen Luo exclaimed, startled. "In ancient times, the Fox Ancestor¡¯s cultivation had reached the peak of Heavenly Venerate Realm, mere steps away from the Great Heavenly Venerate Realm¡ªeternal and indestructible, equal to the heavens themselves. However, the Fox Ancestor perished in the ancient era. If resurrected, how much of his strength remains intact would be unpredictable. Exercise extreme caution." Fire Spirit Child warned. Shen Luo¡¯s heart grew heavier upon hearing this revelation. The Qingqiu Fox Clan might be formidable, but with the half-step Heavenly Venerate Mingwang Armor in his possession, Shen Luo felt confident. Yet the sudden emergence of Fox Ancestor tightened the strings of his heart. At this moment, the purple lightning finally broke through the encirclement of fox demons, leaving no obstacles in their path. Shen Luo¡¯s body was surrounded by intense purple rays, activating the Thunder Escape Technique. Carrying Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming meant the preparation for casting Thunder Escape took longer¡ªit couldn¡¯t match his effortless swiftness when solo. Given the enemies crowded around earlier, interference was unavoidable. Now, free from threats, Shen Luo immediately unleashed the Thunder Escape power. With a thunderous explosion, the trio vanished, reappearing moments later at Qingqiu City¡¯s outskirts amidst a flash of lightning. Outside the city, the cultivators of various sects were still attacking the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array, breaking the prohibition nearly halfway. However, upon witnessing the chaotic situation within the city, they were all taken aback and halted their efforts. "Elder Shen, what has occurred within the city?" A disciple from Tianji City asked through the light curtain. Shen Luo ignored the query, performing a hand seal and activating the Shrinking Earth Ruler. A beam of green light enveloped Bai Xiaotian and Lu Huaming, aiming to send them outside. Suddenly, an unforeseen disaster struck! A streak of blood-red lightning shot from the side, moving with extraordinary speed. Shen Luo summoned the Pure Yang Sword to block the attack, but it pierced through in an instant, striking the green light of the Shrinking Earth Ruler. "Boom!" The emerald light shattered instantaneously, and Shen Luo¡¯s trio were forcibly hurled away. A blood-red Qingqiu fox figure emerged from nearby. Its body was drastically larger than the others, its aura immeasurably deep, having reached the Taiyi level. Chapter 1718 - 1714: Rescue Chapter 1718: Chapter 1714: RescueThe fox clan member who suddenly appeared ahead to attack Shen Luo and the others didn¡¯t seem to have undergone deep transformation. His facial features were still discernible, and it was unmistakably Su Xiao. However, compared to before, Su Xiao¡¯s aura had surged wildly, shockingly reaching the peak of the Middle Stage of Taiyi, just a step away from the Late Stage. "Su Xiao! It seems everything was indeed as Fire Daoist Friend said¡ªthese half-fox monsters are transformed Qingqiu Fox Clan members!" Shen Luo steadied his footing, his gaze sinking as he stared at Su Xiao ahead, feeling slightly worried about Mi Su. Judging from the current situation, the Qingqiu Fox Clan members who had suddenly vanished likely all fell into a half-crazed state. Mi Su¡ªwho knows whether she has become like this too? "Be cautious. Although this person has reverted to his ancestry, his spiritual wisdom hasn¡¯t deteriorated much. He¡¯s very different from the other fox clan members we fought earlier," Fire Spirit Child advised. Shen Luo nodded solemnly, flipping his hand to summon the Profound Yellow Staff and preparing to lunge forward. Suddenly, Su Xiao¡¯s figure flickered and vanished, reappearing ghost-like before the weakest aura¡ªLu Huaming. A blood-clad fox claw extended toward his chest, aiming to rip his heart out. "Brother Lu!" Shen Luo¡¯s mind reeled as the lightning glow of the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots on his feet erupted, propelling him forward with full strength to rescue. Even completely healthy, Lu Huaming wouldn¡¯t be Su Xiao¡¯s match¡ªlet alone injured, while Su Xiao¡¯s strength had skyrocketed. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s expression also shifted dramatically as he transformed into a streak of golden light, shooting toward Lu Huaming. Despite Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian¡¯s concerted efforts, they couldn¡¯t match Su Xiao¡¯s speed. Just halfway through their charge, Su Xiao¡¯s fox claw had already touched Lu Huaming¡¯s body. At that moment, Lu Huaming¡¯s expression was unnervingly calm. He stood with his head slightly lowered, seemingly uninterested in everything happening around him. Yet, the instant Su Xiao¡¯s blood claw made contact, a bone-chilling sword light burst forth, slashing toward the blood claw. As Fire Spirit Child had noted, Su Xiao hadn¡¯t entirely lost his divine wisdom and retained the sharp judgment of a Taiyi Cultivator. Upon seeing this, he twisted the direction of his claw strike, the blood light intensifying further. With a muffled "boom," an enormous blood claw manifested out of thin air, savagely grasping at the eerie sword light. Before the claw even touched the sword light, five streak-like blood rays had already curled from its fingertips, leaving long black scars in the void. However, with a faint "snap," the massive blood claw was sliced cleanly in half, and one of Su Xiao¡¯s forelimbs was severed instantly, spraying blood everywhere. A thunderous roar erupted; Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared out of thin air next to Lu Huaming, the golden glow of the Profound Yellow Staff in his hand surging wildly. Shadows of the staff rained down onto Su Xiao¡¯s body. With a deafening "rumble," Su Xiao was sent flying backward, his entire body shrouded in trembling blood light, though he appeared largely unscathed. Shen Luo refrained from pursuing Su Xiao and instead turned to Lu Huaming. At that moment, Lu Huaming raised his head, and his expression had changed. His eyes were crimson, his breathing ragged, his demeanor overflowing with rage. An aura far surpassing his previous strength erupted from him, causing nearby Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi to churn chaotically. He had shockingly reached the peak of the True Immortal Realm. The wounds on his chest revealed blood lions that were rapidly healing. Lu Huaming¡¯s sword, Frost Cold Nine Realms, let out an unceasing dragon chant, surging straight toward the Nine Heavens. Brilliant icy light radiated from the blade, resembling the blazing sun in the sky, making it impossible to look directly at. "Brother Lu, what¡¯s happening?" Shen Luo called out in astonishment, staring at the drastically transformed Lu Huaming. He suddenly remembered an incident many years ago in Chang¡¯an¡ªafter drinking, Lu Huaming underwent a similar transformation, his strength soaring inexplicably. "Leave Su Xiao to me and Bai Daoist Friend; Brother Shen, you go rescue Seven Kills and Master Yan!" Lu Huaming told Shen Luo sharply, then fused himself with the sword, transforming into a beam of icy light hundreds of feet long that surged toward Su Xiao with overwhelming fury. Bai Xiaotian seemed entirely unsurprised by Lu Huaming¡¯s transformation and nodded toward Shen Luo before following closely behind. Chanting swiftly, Bai Xiaotian pointed repeatedly, and Lu Huaming was suddenly enveloped in a layer of golden armor¡ªthe Vajra Body Protection from Hua Sheng Temple. Shen Luo glanced at the two, suppressing his questions for now, and quickly redirected his focus. "Fire Daoist Friend, activate all the restrictions inside the Free and Easy Mirror. Conceal everything within¡ªespecially the Demonslaying Divine Sword and Blood Claw Stab!" He shot toward the city while transmitting his voice to Fire Spirit Child. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You intend to use the Free and Easy Mirror to save those people? That¡¯s risky¡ªnot to mention the Demonslaying Divine Sword, the Blood Claw Stab is connected to the Demonic Ancestor Chi You. No one can know about this!" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s expression shifted slightly as he warned. "I understand, but there¡¯s no other way now. Quickly take action!" Shen Luo replied as thunderous lightning erupted from his feet, and his entire figure vanished with a deafening crack. In the northwest corner of Qingqiu City, Master Yan was surrounded by dozens of Qingqiu Fox Clan members, including two True Immortal Fox Clan members. Although these were not as powerful as the two Late True Immortal Stage fox clan members that had previously surrounded Shen Luo and his companions, they were still at the Middle Stage of the True Immortal Realm. A torrent of magical treasures, spells, and close-range attacks rained down like waves, overwhelming Master Yan from all directions. At the moment, Master Yan was hiding inside an Azure Tiger Armor. The armor stood three meters tall, covered with densely engraved azure spirit patterns that emitted green whirlwinds, suggesting it was a high-level armor. Surrounding the Azure Tiger Armor were over a dozen Earth Yellow Turtle Armors, circling rapidly around Master Yan and forming a thick yellow light curtain. The defensive capability of these turtle armors was immense. Even under the tidal wave of attacks, the yellow light curtain barely held its ground, temporarily showing no signs of collapse. However, Master Yan could do little beyond self-protection. Multiple attempts to break through had failed. More and more fox clan members converged, pushing Master Yan into despair. He was on the verge of gritting his teeth and unleashing his secret treasure to forcefully break out. Above him, thunder suddenly roared¡ªpurple lightning streaked across, and Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared out of thin air. "Human... monk, kill..." The surrounding fox clan members immediately noticed Shen Luo, roaring furiously as they charged at him. Without sparing them a glance, Shen Luo murmured incantations and swept his sleeve, releasing intense blue light from his palm. A domain of extreme cold rapidly expanded, engulfing the surrounding hundred-foot space in an instant, forming a blue light field where countless blue runes danced like a shimmering realm. Everything within the field froze instantly, turning all fox clan members¡ªincluding the two True Immortal foxes¡ªinto blue ice sculptures. The light field, named Indigo Cold Realm, was an unparalleled divine technique that could only be performed when Indigo Blue Sea cultivation reached the Fifth Layer. Shen Luo had merely scratched its surface and had far from mastered it. Yet the fox clan members here¡ªthe strongest only at the Middle Stage True Immortal Realm¡ªstood no chance against it. However, the fox clan members¡¯ bodies contained a blood-red power that even this level of cold could not freeze entirely. Chapter 1719 - 1715: Seizing the Gun Chapter 1719: Chapter 1715: Seizing the Gun"That power must be the Fox Ancestor¡¯s strength, there¡¯s truly some substance to it," Shen Luo thought to himself. Even though the Indigo Blue Sea couldn¡¯t completely freeze the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power, for now, these foxes wouldn¡¯t be able to break free anytime soon. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Luo formed a magic seal and shot out a beam of red light, wrapping it around the Green Tiger Armor where Master Yan was situated. Currently, Shen Luo had refined his control over the chilling energy of the Indigo Blue Sea. Even though Master Yan and the nearby armor were within the Indigo Cold Realm, they had not been frozen into ice sculptures. Master Yan was overjoyed upon seeing this, and the Green Tiger Armor opened its mouth, emitting a burst of green light. All the surrounding Turtle Armor transformed into yellow spheres that flew back into the mouth of the Green Tiger Armor. The red light Shen Luo had released rolled back and flashed, enveloping both the Green Tiger Armor and Master Yan, drawing them into the Free and Easy Mirror. The fox clans scattered in other areas saw what had happened here and darted over as swiftly as lightning. Shen Luo paid them no heed. The purple thunder on his Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots burst forth brilliantly. Now that he was alone, the Thunder Escape Technique was much faster than when performed with three people earlier. With a thunderous boom, he vanished, leaving the fox clan¡¯s attempts to capture him in vain. Hundreds of feet away, in a square, Jiang Shentian was also surrounded by a group of fox demons. He donned a set of Purple Gold Armor, with a helm engraved with a golden dragon coiled amidst clouds, and dragon shadows rippling across the golden armor¡¯s surface. It was unmistakably an Immortal Treasure. The attacks from the surrounding fox demons landed on the armor but were immediately repelled and couldn¡¯t harm Jiang Shentian in the slightest. With the protection of this Immortal Battle Armor, Jiang Shentian focused solely on offense, wielding his Divine Spear "Flying Dragon in the Sky" in wild, sweeping arcs to keep the fox clan at bay. His situation wasn¡¯t too dire; charging through would not be impossible. However, among the fox clan surrounding him, there was a True Immortal Peak-level Black Fox, whose divine wisdom remained largely intact. Holding a black three-pronged trident, the Black Fox displayed formidable strength. Every time Jiang Shentian attempted to break through, the Black Fox blocked him, driving him to frustration yet unable to find a solution. Just then, a sound of thunder echoed, and Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared nearby. Before the surrounding fox clan could react, Shen Luo waved both hands, sweeping out a wave of blue light that expanded into the Indigo Cold Realm, engulfing all the nearby fox demons, including the Black Fox. The Black Fox¡¯s expression changed drastically, as black light surged wildly from its tail. Six pitch-black fox tails appeared, and its entire figure transformed into a shadow that darted outward like lightning, its speed astonishingly fast. Shen Luo¡¯s face showed a hint of surprise as he altered his magic spell, causing the freezing energy in the Indigo Cold Realm to explode violently. All the fox demons were instantly frozen into ice sculptures. Though the Black Fox reacted quickly, it couldn¡¯t fully escape. Half of its body froze into an ice block, but its immense strength allowed it to drag its frozen body as it fled and disappeared. Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted in surprise, but he didn¡¯t chase the Black Fox. Instead, with a flick of his sleeve, he shot out a beam of red light that encircled Jiang Shentian and pulled him into the Free and Easy Mirror, then immediately used the Thunder Escape Technique to rush to Seven Kills¡¯s location. Seven Kills had already noticed Shen Luo rescuing Master Yan and Jiang Shentian. Proud and stubborn, he was reluctant to let someone, especially a peer, intervene. That said, the surrounding fox demons were far too overwhelming. Although he had been fighting ferociously, fatigue had set in. At this critical moment, there was no space for pride. Watching Shen Luo arrive to aid him, he felt a sense of relief internally. "Flying Sand and Rolling Stones!" Seven Kills unleashed the reverse magic power of Xingtian in his hands, causing endless spear shadows to sweep out like a sandstorm, blasting all the surrounding fox demons away. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo had originally planned to use the Indigo Blue Sea to clear the fox demons around Seven Kills. Unexpectedly, Seven Kills fought back fiercely on his own, saving Shen Luo some trouble. From his waist, Shen Luo released a beam of scarlet light that wrapped around Seven Kills¡¯s body, intending to pull him into the Free and Easy Mirror as well. "Friend Shen, your strength is indeed formidable. However, treating the brave warriors of my tribe as mere pawns, coming and going as you please, isn¡¯t this too dismissive of the Qingqiu Fox Clan?" A cold voice suddenly whispered near Shen Luo¡¯s ear, like someone murmuring behind him, accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance threading through the air. Shen Luo¡¯s hair stood on end. The Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots shone brightly, and his legs flashed with Starlight and Moonshadow. The surrounding air burst apart in explosive pops. Utilizing the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, Slanting Moon Steps, Body Shifting and Shadow Changing, Splitting Stone Steps, and other techniques, Shen Luo disappeared in an instant and reappeared several hundred feet away. The red beam encircling Seven Kills shattered as well. A graceful figure appeared where Shen Luo had originally stood. It was none other than Tu Shanxue. However, her appearance had drastically changed. White fur sprouted on her arms, snowy fox ears adorned her head, and she wore a blood-red battle armor etched with black patterns. Her figure was seductive, her presence commanding, akin to a cold and proud fox queen. Tu Shanxue¡¯s expression flickered, seemingly caught off guard by Shen Luo¡¯s astonishing speed. A pitch-black spear shadow suddenly appeared behind her, flashing as it thrust straight at her heart and Dantian. Its speed was truly lightning-fast, as Seven Kills seized the moment of her distraction to launch a sneak attack. "Seven Kills Daoist, stop...!" Shen Luo shouted in alarm from a distance. Although Shen Luo had only had brief contact with Tu Shanxue, he could keenly sense that her current strength far surpassed even Wu Luo and others in Tianyan Palace. Seven Kills might stand no chance of success with his ambush. Tu Shanxue raised her jade-like hand effortlessly, and inexplicably, her fingers pinched the tip of the reverse spear, the Xingtian weapon. The spear froze in place like iron, immovable despite Seven Kills exerting himself to drive it forward. "What?" Seven Kills gasped, his face pale with terror. "Oh, a disciple of the Demon King Fort? This Demon Spear is quite fine," Tu Shanxue remarked, glancing at Seven Kills casually. Her fingers lightly tugged on the spear. Immediately, the spear trembled violently, like a raging dragon struggling to break free. Seven Kills roared angrily, black light pouring forth from his body as he desperately clung to the spear, trying to reclaim it. Yet, a peculiar softening energy emanated from the spear, instantly dissolving his erupting demonic qi like melting snow. The spear slipped from his grasp and fell into Tu Shanxue¡¯s hand. The Xingtian Demon Spear, imbued with spirit, emitted black light and struggled hard, trying to escape. However, white light flashed as Tu Shanxue clenched her fingers tightly, and the Xingtian Demon Spear seemed stricken, immediately falling docile. Seven Kills¡¯s complexion turned pale as the Divine Sense Mark he had left on the spear was forcibly erased, making his divine soul feel as if it had been slashed with a blade. He groaned and staggered back. "Impressive, truly a fine spear!" Tu Shanxue muttered, holding the Xingtian Demon Spear horizontally. Suddenly, the spear emitted a sharp clang, its black demonic light flaring up once more, shooting out dozens of feet, and producing a horrifying whistle like a demonic dragon roaring to the heavens. Its might was tenfold greater than when wielded by Seven Kills. She lightly shook the spear in her hand, and the black light converging atop the weapon condensed into a hundred-feet-long black spear shadow, crackling with massive black lightning bolts darting around its surface. The surrounding void trembled violently under its overwhelming power. Chapter 1720 - 1716: Escape Chapter 1720: Chapter 1716: Escape"Come, you try taking one of my strikes too!" Tu Shanxue swung her arm, sending a colossal pitch-black spear shadow crashing down toward Seven Kills. From the moment Tu Shanxue seized the spear to the instant the spear shadow fell, though seeming complex, it actually transpired in a mere blink under Tu Shanxue¡¯s overwhelming strength. Seven Kills¡¯ face changed color. He hurriedly opened his mouth and spat out a ball of blood light, which transformed into a necklace¡ªa necklace strung together with nine bloody skulls. The skulls emitted piercing shrieks and instantly enlarged a hundredfold. Each one grew to a size of five or six zhang, shimmering in crystalline blood-red hues, wrapped in endless strands of black Qi, exuding potent waves of demonic Qi rivaling Shen Luo¡¯s Pure Yang Sword. The blood-colored skull necklace shot outward, filling the air with the wails of ghosts, spewing out nine thick streams of blood light that intertwined and struck toward the colossal black spear shadow. But as soon as the two met, the nine blood lights shattered inch by inch, utterly incapable of resisting the spear shadow. Seven Kills¡¯ pupils contracted. He opened his mouth again and sprayed out a mouthful of essence blood, which fused into the skull necklace. The nine skulls radiated immense blood light, merging together into a gargantuan blood-colored skull the size of a small mountain, glimmering with a metallic sheen and appearing indestructible. The colossal black spear shadow roared forward and smashed directly onto the blood-colored skull. With a thunderous "boom," the blood-colored skull crumbled into fragments, splattering countless blood-colored shards. This skull necklace, named the Bloody Skull Necklace, was a deeply treasured and cultivated demonic artifact of Seven Kills. Countless efforts had gone into refining it, yet now destroyed, Seven Kills coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood, his breath noticeably weakened. The colossal black spear shadow paused momentarily before continuing downward, seemingly about to kill Seven Kills on the spot. However, at that moment, a bloody banner shot forward from the front, rippling with wave-like blood light, positioning itself before the black spear shadow. The bloody banner emitted muffled snapping sounds as its bloody light broke apart continuously, yet still firmly resisted the black spear shadow. A streak of purple lightning flashed beside Seven Kills, causing his figure to disappear. The bloody banner ceased resisting and instead pursued the streak of lightning. Tu Shanxue¡¯s eyes turned icy. She swung her arm, and Punishment Sky Reverse shot out fiercely, instantly catching up with the purple lightning and piercing it through. The purple lightning "crackled" and vanished, revealing a flash of blood light. Shen Luo and Seven Kills stumbled awkwardly out, with Shen Luo¡¯s right arm shredded, spraying blood. Despite this, he paid no mind to the injury, activating the Great Unsealing Technique. A flash of light appeared at his severed arm, and a fresh new arm instantly grew in place. "Substitution Technique?" Tu Shanxue frowned slightly, beckoning with her jade-like hand. Black light flashed on the distant Punishment Sky Reverse as it flew back, whistling past Shen Luo and Seven Kills overhead. Seeing this, Shen Luo quickly formed a hand seal and pointed. A streak of yellow light shot forth, revealing faint shadows of a coin within it. It struck Punishment Sky Reverse in a flash. The black light on Punishment Sky Reverse instantly dissipated, falling down like a lump of unrefined iron. Seven Kills froze for a moment but immediately reacted, soaring into the sky to grasp Punishment Sky Reverse, his face brimming with joy at recovering the treasure. The yellow light also returned, shooting into Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve. "The Treasure Coin! This treasure had long disappeared from the world, yet it is in your possession!" Tu Shanxue¡¯s face showed surprise as she stared at Shen Luo and spoke in a deep voice. Shen Luo ignored her question and once again grabbed Seven Kills, transforming into a massive purple streak of lightning that shot into the distance. "Don¡¯t think of escaping!" Tu Shanxue snarled angrily, chasing immediately. But suddenly, the surrounding void trembled with a deep rumble as countless ink-like black shadows appeared, enveloping her figure while spewing vast black rays like black mist. In an instant, a black light array over a hundred zhang formed, with countless eerie black shadows darting within it. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A powerful force of confinement erupted from the light array, causing the nearby void to solidify as though impenetrable walls surrounded it. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze shifted. Recognizing the black light array¡¯s origins, he immediately activated the Free and Easy Mirror, drawing Seven Kills into it. Beside him, a flicker of shadow appeared, and a black ancient mirror emerged spontaneously¡ªthe Kunlun Mirror. Nie Caizhu¡¯s smiling face flashed across its surface. Shen Luo grabbed the mirror and a burst of dazzling purple lightning radiated from him, causing his form to vanish on the spot. Just as Shen Luo disappeared, the black light array enveloping Tu Shanxue swelled outward. Needle-thin streaks of white light pierced the array, shooting out. The black light array made a sharp "rip," and two white fox claws tore through it, pulling fiercely to the sides! The black light array shattered with a resounding explosion, revealing Tu Shanxue¡¯s figure. But neither Shen Luo, Seven Kills, nor the person responsible for deploying the black light array could be seen. "Running fast, but you won¡¯t escape," Tu Shanxue chuckled lightly and let out a long, resonant howl with her head tilted back. Whoosh... The Qingqiu Fox Clan in the city heard the sound, their blood-red eyes lighting up with excitement, and they all converged toward the source. At the outskirts of Qingqiu City, Su Xiao, who was fiercely battling Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian, had his blood-red vision grow bright. Without hesitation, he abandoned the two and shot toward the city. Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian exchanged glances, puzzled about what was happening. Just then, a streak of purple lightning suddenly appeared nearby, and Shen Luo¡¯s figure materialized. "Brother Shen..." Lu Huaming began to speak. "Now isn¡¯t the time for conversations¡ªleave here first. Cai Zhu," Shen Luo said anxiously, lightly tapping the Kunlun Mirror in his hand. "Understood," Nie Caizhu¡¯s voice resonated from within the mirror, as black light shot out, enveloping Lu Huaming and Bai Xiaotian and drawing them into the Kunlun Mirror. Shen Luo then activated the Shrinking Earth Ruler, transforming into a ruler-shaped streak of green light that pierced through the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array with some difficulty, landing amidst the monk army outside the city. "Elder Shen..." Many monks surrounded him. Shen Luo acknowledged them with a brief nod. Then, putting away the Shrinking Earth Ruler, he flicked his sleeve outward. A red and black dual ray of light shot out, forming two light doors in mid-air. Nie Caizhu, Lu Huaming, Bai Xiaotian, Jiang Shentian, Seven Kills, and Master Yan emerged, staggering slightly before steadying themselves. Seeing that they had reached their own forces outside the city, the group all breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Brother Shen. If not for your assistance, we would surely have perished inside," Jiang Shentian said gratefully, clasping his hands toward Shen Luo. Aside from Nie Caizhu, the others also expressed their thanks to Shen Luo. "Now that we share a common enemy, this is a duty I should fulfill. There¡¯s no need to thank me. The Qingqiu Fox Clan within the city has begun to gather around Tu Shanxue. She appears to have some control over these half-crazed fox clansmen, and it¡¯s likely they¡¯ll attack soon. Our priority now is to discuss a plan," Shen Luo said seriously, waving his hand dismissively. Chapter 1721 - 1717: Arrangements Made in Advance Chapter 1721: Chapter 1717: Arrangements Made in Advance"Tu Shanxue?" Jiang Shentian, Master Yan, Lu Huaming, and Bai Xiaotian¡ªall four of them had not encountered Tu Shanxue earlier. Hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, they looked visibly confused. "She¡¯s the daughter of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, the one who appeared when the Lord of Qingqiu took their own life. Because of this, she harbors extreme hostility toward us. Now that she has appeared, it seems it¡¯s to avenge her mother. Based on my observations just now, she appears to have undergone a Revert Ancestry process and seems to have inherited the power of the Fox Ancestor. Her strength now is worlds apart from before and certainly not someone to be underestimated," Shen Luo explained, taking the opportunity to brief everyone about the current situation of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. "Revert Ancestry! No wonder those fox clan members turned into what they are. But the revival of the Fox Ancestor¡ªthat¡¯s no small matter. Daoist Shen, are you sure about this?" Jiang Shentian¡¯s expression changed as he asked urgently. Everyone else, all elite students of their respective sects, had varying degrees of knowledge about the demon race¡¯s Revert Ancestry phenomenon and glanced at Shen Luo. "Though I¡¯m not entirely certain, I¡¯d say there¡¯s a seventy to eighty percent chance," Shen Luo replied calmly. "If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯re in serious trouble. The Fox Ancestor was a Heavenly Venerable level ancient demon from ancient times¡ªfar beyond what we can contend with!" Jiang Shentian¡¯s face darkened as he blurted. "A Heavenly Venerable level demon!" The others gasped in shock. The ordinary disciples nearby, upon hearing this, were visibly stricken with fear. Shen Luo glanced reproachfully at Jiang Shentian. He had revealed the existence of the Fox Ancestor to promote a clearer understanding of the current crisis, but Jiang Shentian¡¯s public outburst about its overwhelming strength was nothing short of demoralizing. Realizing his error, Jiang Shentian quickly shut his mouth. "Everyone, there¡¯s no need to despair. Although the Fox Ancestor was a terrifying and powerful ancient monster, it had already fallen in ancient times. While I don¡¯t know what methods the fox clan used to bring it back to life, its strength must have been severely diminished. Judging from my recent exchange with her, Tu Shanxue¡¯s strength is, at most, at the Taiyi Late Stage. Hope is not entirely lost," Shen Luo coughed slightly and reassured them. Hearing this, the fear on the ordinary disciples¡¯ faces eased somewhat. "This place¡ªQingqiu City¡ªis not safe. Everyone, retreat back to the station for now," Seven Kills instructed. "The station only has some basic defensive works¡ªhow useful could they possibly be? I know of a better place: Xiangyang Town," Lu Huaming, who had remained silent all this while, suddenly suggested with an almost cheeky grin. The group found his suggestion peculiar and his demeanor even more so¡ªhow could Lu Huaming still find something to smile about in such a dire moment? "Xiangyang Town? What would we do there?" Bai Xiaotian, however, seemed unsurprised by Lu Huaming¡¯s suggestion and asked openly. "There¡¯s a military garrison stationed at Xiangyang Town, with quite a few experts among their ranks who can lend us aid. Furthermore, there¡¯s an ancient array set up around the town. If activated properly, it could fend off the Qingqiu Fox Clan," Lu Huaming said with an unaffected smile. As Shen Luo studied Lu Huaming, he recalled the latter¡¯s unusual anger during his earlier clash with Su Xiao, and a thought seemed to occur to him. "An array around Xiangyang Town? How come I¡¯ve never heard of it?" Bai Xiaotian asked, stunned. "It¡¯s a secret array laid down years ago by Master Yuan. Of course, not even the stationed military at Xiangyang Town knows about it. I only found out because Master Yuan summoned me before I headed to Qingqiu Mountain. He entrusted me with all thirty-six array flags for this great formation and instructed me to only use them in the most critical moment¡ªlike now." Lu Huaming still showed no sign of concern. Shen Luo felt a bit relieved upon hearing this. As expected, Yuan Tiangang had planned ahead. Yuan Tiangang¡¯s divination skills were peerless, his strategies far-reaching. Since he had arranged for this array, it was bound to serve great purpose. With this thought, much of Shen Luo¡¯s burden dissipated. "Since Xiangyang Town has an array set up by Master Yuan, it¡¯s trustworthy. Let¡¯s head there immediately," he said decisively. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo had rescued everyone present except for Nie Caizhu. Since he spoke, no one opposed the suggestion, and besides, there was no better alternative, so they all nodded in agreement. The group departed at once and soon reached Xiangyang Town. The military garrison at Xiangyang Town had already spotted their arrival; over a dozen Mahayana stage monks flew out to intercept them, led by a black-robed general. The man appeared youthful, carried a broad-backed greatsword on his back, and was at the True Immortal Stage. However, he wore a white blindfold over his eyes, seemingly a blind man. "What brings you all to Xiangyang Town so suddenly?" the black-robed general asked solemnly. "General Pei Min, the situation at Qingqiu Mountain has become critical. The Qingqiu Fox Clan has undergone a collective Revert Ancestry phenomenon, enhancing their strength greatly, and even the Fox Ancestor has appeared. This power far exceeds what we can contend with, so we¡¯ve come here seeking refuge and aid," Lu Huaming stepped forward, clearly acquainted with the general. As he spoke, his eyes occasionally darted toward Qingqiu Mountain with a trace of dread in them. Shen Luo, observing Lu Huaming closely the entire time, raised an eyebrow slightly, as if noticing another subtle change in Lu Huaming¡¯s demeanor. "A Revert Ancestry phenomenon! And the Fox Ancestor! But if that¡¯s the case, the forces here at Xiangyang Town alone are far from sufficient to hold off the Qingqiu Fox Clan," the black-robed general said gravely, though he quickly regained his composure. "The Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s current power is indeed unmatched. On our own, it¡¯s nearly impossible to fend them off. Fortunately, there¡¯s an ancient defensive array secretly set up near Xiangyang Town by Master Yuan. With its protection, we might stand a chance," Lu Huaming said, though his body trembled slightly, and the fear on his face deepened further. "A defensive array near Xiangyang Town? Why am I completely unaware of this?" The black-robed general hesitated and asked. "I told you, it¡¯s a secret installation. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know! Do you think Master Yuan needs your approval for his actions?" Lu Huaming¡¯s body shook again as the fear on his face suddenly gave way to a burst of anger. "I wouldn¡¯t dare," the black-robed general immediately cupped his fists apologetically, his expression shifting. "Lu Daoist, are you alright?" Jiang Shentian asked, unable to suppress his concern as he observed Lu Huaming¡¯s strange behavior. Everyone else noticed Lu Huaming¡¯s unusual state and exchanged varied glances. "I¡¯m fine! The Qingqiu Fox Clan will soon be here. If we don¡¯t activate the Six-Gate Golden Lock Array right away, we¡¯ll all perish. Stop wasting time on petty matters!" Lu Huaming lashed out angrily again. "What¡¯s wrong with Lu Daoist? His emotions are fluctuating wildly. Could he have fallen into demonic possession?" Jiang Shentian speculated aloud, transmitting his thoughts to the others except for Lu Huaming and Pei Min. "Brother Lu¡¯s emotions may be volatile, but his breath remains steady. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s demonic possession," Shen Luo transmitted in response. "Ahem, there¡¯s no need to worry, everyone. Lu Daoist hasn¡¯t fallen into demonic possession. He¡¯s using a special divine ability called the ¡¯Seven Emotions Heart Sword,¡¯ which disrupts his emotions," Bai Xiaotian explained in a cough, also transmitting his words. "Seven Emotions Heart Sword? What kind of art is that?" Shen Luo, who specialized in sword-based divine powers, asked curiously. "I don¡¯t know the specifics, but I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a sword technique that harnesses the power of the seven emotions. While using it, one cycles through joy, anger, sorrow, thought, grief, fear, and shock," Bai Xiaotian replied, shaking his head. "Harnessing the seven emotions..." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes glimmered with interest. Chapter 1722 - 1718: 6 Golden Locks Chapter 1722: Chapter 1718: 6 Golden LocksLu Huaming ignored everyone, waved his sleeve, and thirty-six yellow flags appeared before him, each radiating dazzling spiritual light. The ground near Xiangyang Town immediately began to rumble and shake. Beams of golden light surged out from the earth, forming a massive Array in the blink of an eye, enveloping the entire town and extending twenty or thirty miles around it. "This formation is called the Six Doors Golden Lock Array, renowned for its sturdy defense. As long as the six Array Eyes are guarded, no matter how many enemies come, they won¡¯t be able to break through. Here¡¯s the method to operate the Array¡ªfamiliarize yourselves with it quickly," Lu Huaming said coldly, waving his sleeve to send seven jade slips flying towards Shen Luo, General Pei, and five others, his tone still laced with restrained anger. Shen Luo paid no mind to Lu Huaming¡¯s tone and immersed his Divine Sense into the jade slip, quickly reading through its contents. The operation of the Six Doors Golden Lock Array was not overly complex. It only required twenty to thirty cultivators with a basic understanding of Array Techniques to maintain its functionality. Since all those who came to Qingqiu Mountain were elites from various factions, many were well-versed in Arrays, so operating it posed no challenge. Others soon finished reading as well, their expressions relaxing noticeably. "Xiangyang Town was originally set up to monitor the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Everyone, please enter the town freely. If you require anything, don¡¯t hesitate to speak up," General Pei said after reading the jade slip, stepping aside to clear the path. The group immediately led their respective troops into Xiangyang Town, distributing their sects¡¯ Array-expert disciples according to the formation plan within the Six Doors Golden Lock Array. Only Shen Luo and Lu Huaming remained in mid-air. Shen Luo studied the grand formation before him carefully, releasing his Divine Sense outward and nodding slightly after a moment. Although not an expert in Array Techniques, Shen Luo had some insight. This formation was indeed exceptional, drawing on the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi of over a hundred miles and integrating with the land itself to bolster its strength. Even for him, dismantling this formation wouldn¡¯t be a simple task. It seemed it could indeed play a significant role. "The Six Gates Golden Lock? It is indeed an ancient formation. The cultivator who arranged it is quite skilled, but there are still flaws here. A few positions and structures are somewhat unreasonable, especially the points connecting to the Earth Veins. They¡¯ve merely followed the diagrams mechanically, without adapting to the actual terrain. The connection with the Earth Veins is rather tenuous," Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice suddenly chimed in. Hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered. He immediately probed the formation¡¯s connection to the Earth Veins with his Divine Sense. With his exceptionally potent Divine Sense, he quickly discovered a slight roughness in the connection points. Shen Luo glanced briefly at Fire Spirit Child. Judging purely by skill in Arrays, it seemed Fire Spirit Child had the upper hand. "Such flaws could be fatal in a great battle, Shen, my boy. Ask that Lu Huaming for the main formation diagram, and I¡¯ll put in some effort to help you refine it," Fire Spirit Child continued. Shen Luo hesitated but, considering the upcoming battle, decided to follow Fire Spirit Child¡¯s advice and requested the formation diagram from Lu Huaming to make adjustments. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Friend Shen, are you also proficient in Array Techniques? I too feel this Six Doors Golden Lock Array is somewhat unstable. But are you really capable of adjusting it? You won¡¯t make it worse, will you?" Lu Huaming suddenly looked concerned, muttering in hesitation. "Is this the emotion of ¡¯worry¡¯? The Seven Emotions Heart Sword is truly troublesome; it makes communication difficult," Shen Luo frowned. "It won¡¯t. I have a friend who is a master-level expert in Arrays. With his guidance, I will modify the formation¡ªthis will only strengthen it," Shen Luo assured patiently. "Fine... fine then..." After hesitating briefly, Lu Huaming finally handed over a yellow jade disk about the size of several feet, etched with intricate formation patterns. Time was pressing. Shen Luo accepted the jade disk, thanked Lu Huaming, and immediately descended underground. Having limited knowledge of Array Techniques himself, Shen Luo handed the formation diagram to Fire Spirit Child for adjustments. Meanwhile, he sat cross-legged in a certain location underground, holding an Immortal Crystal to recover the mana he had expended during the previous battle. "Cousin." A shadow emerged, revealing Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure. "Caizhu, where did you go during the last battle? Did you find any useful information?" Shen Luo asked, opening his eyes without surprise at Nie Caizhu¡¯s arrival. "Yes. I tracked down the enemies who had used prohibitions to ambush us earlier in the palace, then followed them to a secret underground location. I didn¡¯t see much but confirmed that everything happening on Qingqiu Mountain, including the Revert Ancestry matter, is orchestrated by that Chief Strategist You Su," Nie Caizhu replied. "As expected." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes chilled. Chief Strategist You Su had yet to show himself, obviously scheming from the shadows. While dealing with Tu Shanxue, precautions against this cunning fox were also necessary. "That secret location is in an underground cave..." Nie Caizhu carefully described the situation inside the underground cavern. However, the cave was warded with prohibitions, and with someone like Chief Strategist You Su¡ªan expert at the Taiyi level¡ªpresent, Nie Caizhu could only glimpse briefly before retreating. She had seen little, apart from a massive black tree stump and Chief Strategist You Su casting spells using a black magic array atop it. "A tree stump..." Shen Luo murmured in thought, finding no immediate clues from Nie Caizhu¡¯s description. "Who were the ones using the dark prohibition and the Blood River to attack us earlier?" he asked next. "Three men in gray robes. Their faces were hidden, but judging by their aura, they seem connected to the Demon Clan," Nie Caizhu said, taking out the Kunlun Mirror. The mirror reflected the silhouettes of the three gray-robed figures. "The Demon Clan..." Shen Luo was unsurprised. At that moment, both their expressions shifted as they turned toward the direction of Qingqiu Mountain. Tremendous rumbling roared from afar, and even deep underground, faint tremors could be felt¡ªthe Qingqiu Fox Clan had finally launched its attack. "Let¡¯s go!" The two flew upward, emerging from the ground in the blink of an eye to hover mid-air. Lu Huaming had already fully activated the Six Doors Golden Lock Array. The thirty-six yellow flags had been sent flying, landing at the locations of the six Array Eyes, forming six golden light wheels. Cultivators from various factions had also taken their positions within the formation. Bai Xiaotian, Master Yan, Seven Kills, and others floated in mid-air, their faces grave as they looked toward the approaching tide of the Fox Clan army from the direction of Qingqiu Mountain. "The key to the Six Doors Golden Lock Array lies in the six Array Eyes. As long as the Array Eyes remain intact, the entire formation will hold. We have eight individuals here who can be considered experts. Let Shen Daoist, Nie Daoist, Seven Kills Daoist, myself, Jiang Daoist, and Yan Daoist each guard an Array Eye. Bai Daoist and General Pei will coordinate in the center, providing support wherever the defense weakens. Does this arrangement sound reasonable?" At this moment, Lu Huaming had entered the state of "thought," his mind unusually sharp and clear. "Brother Lu¡¯s arrangement is very reasonable. However, I have additional help and can guard two Array Eyes myself. Caizhu, as you excel at mana recovery, you should assist Bai Brother in the central support," Shen Luo suggested. Nie Caizhu, knowing that Shen Luo had powerful allies like the Sky Fiend Corpse King and Zhao Feiji¡ªboth at the True Immortal level¡ªnodded in agreement. Protecting two Array Eyes was indeed well within his capabilities. None of the others objected, and they each took positions at one Array Eye. Shen Luo also flew to one of the Array Eyes and waved his sleeve. A mass of black Qi descended onto a nearby Array Eye, revealing a black corpse refinement. It was not the Sky Fiend Corpse King, but the True Immortal Peak corpse refinement crafted by Ghost Teng Master. Chapter 1723 - 1719: Melee Chapter 1723: Chapter 1719: MeleeThe power of this refined corpse is not weak, and its body has even reached the Taiyi Realm, with room for improvement. Since leaving the Tianyan Palace, Shen Luo has not given up on the sacrificial refinement, continuing to cultivate it secretly using the secret methods recorded in the Heavenly Corpse Scripture. His current wealth surpasses Ghost Teng Master by an unknown amount. With the accumulation of various precious resources, the power of the black refined corpse has advanced further, already nearing the level of a Half-Step Taiyi. The black refined corpse abruptly opened its eyes, shooting two fierce black-red beams, and with a flip of its hand, took out its two black greatswords. The sword bodies faintly revealed several slender black lightning traces of Xuan Yin, exuding an extraordinary aura. While Shen Luo summoned the refined corpse, he also raised his hand to summon a mass of water. He inserted his palm into it, performing the Technique of taming beasts and summoning spirits, which instantly formed a Spirit Communicating Water Hole, from which the figure of the Mirror Fiend leaped out. He had been trapped in the Celestial Secret Realm for several years, yet only a few days had passed in reality. Compared to before, the Mirror Fiend hadn¡¯t changed much. "Greetings, Master!" The Mirror Fiend gathered its robes and bowed. "Skip the formalities; there¡¯s going to be a great battle next. Stay here and lend me a hand," Shen Luo said quickly. "Yes." The Mirror Fiend saw the approaching Qingqiu Fox Clan and, with a change of expression, immediately agreed. In the next moment, the Qingqiu Fox Clan flew over in masses, densely covering half the sky, their numbers appearing several times that of the Allied Forces of Various Sects. In the last great battle, the Qingqiu Fox Clan participated with their fox warriors, but now the entire clan was mobilized. Every male, female, old, and young participated in the battle. The Qingqiu Fox Clan, facing Xiangyang Town and the Six Gates Golden Lock Array, launched an attack without any pause or hesitation, like a crimson angry tide enveloping the sky as it came. Pei Min, positioned in mid-air within the array, snorted coldly at the scene. With a single-hand flip, he took out a faint yellow formation disc and injected mana into it. Suddenly, a startling fluctuation radiated from the ground in front of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, and three yellow-colored arrays appeared out of thin air. White light flickered in the center of these arrays, and three stone platforms resembling altars emerged, each holding a gigantic artifact: a red gourd, a purple bowl, and a blue flag. "The Tiangang Three Treasures!" Bai Xiaotian, standing nearby, exclaimed with surprise upon seeing the three artifacts. The Tiangang Three Treasures are not relics from ancient times; on the contrary, they appeared not long ago. They were specially crafted by the Great Tang¡¯s Astronomical Bureau a century ago to resist the Demon Clan during the disaster of demons. Although immensely powerful, they can only be used once. They achieved numerous feats in the disaster of demons, yet the cost of crafting these treasures was exorbitant. Even the Great Tang¡¯s national power couldn¡¯t produce them in large quantities; only twenty to thirty sets were made. After the disaster ended, production ceased entirely. Unexpectedly, a set was found here in Xiangyang Town. At this moment, a thunderous roar erupted from the rear of the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s great army. A blood-red giant claw, covering half the sky, rose out of thin air, swiftly reaching over the fox army, clawing towards the Tiangang Three Treasures. Pei Min¡¯s face changed sharply. He hurriedly flipped his hand to take out three round pearls¡ªone red, one purple, one blue¡ªand forcefully crushed them. The Tiangang Three Treasures were activated with a clear cry, releasing three terrifying waves of mana. However, they clearly needed more time to be fully activated. "It¡¯s Tu Shanxue making a move..." Shen Luo murmured, eyes narrowing, from the other side of the Six-Gate Golden Lock Array. He flipped his hand to take out a golden cannon several meters long, precisely the enhanced version of the Divine Craftsman Cannon obtained from within Tianyan Palace. He had noticed the sudden apparition of the Tiangang Three Treasures. Although unfamiliar with the three objects, they were significant enough to compel Tu Shanxue to take action personally. Shen Luo activated his Nerve Movements like Lightning technique, shooting dozens of Divine Soul Crystal Threads from his brow into various parts of the Divine Craftsman Cannon. Gold light soared from every part of the Divine Craftsman Cannon, unleashing a terrifying wave of mana. Ripples also stirred within the Six Gates Golden Lock Array. With a "boom," a large white light pillar roared out, instantly crossing several miles before slamming into the blood-red giant claw with a flicker. A white sun appeared out of nowhere, emitting a terrifying spiritual pressure that shattered the blood-red giant claw, completely destroying it. Seeing this, Pei Min was overjoyed and fully activated the Tiangang Three Treasures. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Red spiritual light radiated from the red gourd, rapidly brightening until it reached a critical point, at which the gourd abruptly enlarged several times and exploded with a "bang." Countless crimson sand and gravel roared out, flames blazing atop them, forming a fire cloud several hundred feet long that slammed into the front of the fox army. The bodies of those fox soldiers immediately ignited, transforming into flaming figures in the blink of an eye. The purple bowl did likewise. Purple light on the surface surged wildly, blasting out a tremendous wave of thunder and lightning as it suddenly shot up, vanishing into the clouds. The clouds suddenly thickened several-fold, and the sky seemed to turn into a pitch-black cauldron¡¯s bottom. Thick lightning bolts darted through the dark clouds and then all struck down. The green flag also expanded wildly, turning into a giant flag several hundred feet high. With a booming roar, it merged into the void. Countless blue wind blades, as large as doors, appeared in midair. After a piercing whistle, they all shot out, striking the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s great army. The sounds of explosions, thunder, and raging winds filled the sky, and the previously imposing Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s great army was thrown into disarray. Under the combined slaughter of flames, lightning, and wind blades, the front lines of the fox soldiers were wiped out in the blink of an eye. Although these exterminated fox soldiers made up less than ten percent of the Qingqiu great army, the offensive of the Qingqiu Fox Clan greatly faltered, while the cultivators of various sects and the stationed troops in Xiangyang Town¡¯s morale soared. Numerous magical treasures shot out from within the Six Gates Golden Lock Array, striking the rear of the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s army, causing a bloodstorm. However, the Qingqiu Fox Clan quickly stabilized their positions and immediately counterattacked. Both sides engaged in a fierce battle, the thunderous collisions of mana and cries of combat audible over a hundred miles. Although the human side was outnumbered, the Six Gates Golden Lock Array was extremely powerful. Between flashes of white light, it blocked nearly half of the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s attacks, with cultivators of various sects and the soldiers of Xiangyang Town holding off the other half of the attacks. It seemed impossible to determine a victor for the time being. On the rear of the fox army, a huge blood cloud floated, with flags fluttering above it. It appeared not to be an ordinary cloud of condensed mana, but a flying magical instrument. Dozens of figures stood upon it, led by a stunningly cold beauty: Tu Shanxue. This woman gently retracted her right hand, which still bore traces of blood light, her gaze upon the direction of Xiangyang Town flickering subtly. "It¡¯s Shen Luo again! This person is truly a significant enemy of our Qingqiu Fox Clan. We should have killed him when he first came to Qingqiu Fox Clan!" Su Xiao, standing to Tu Shanxue¡¯s left, said angrily. On Tu Shanxue¡¯s right side was a short-bearded man in a black robe, none other than Elder Hei Li, previously captured by Master Yan, seemingly still alive. Judging from his aura, Elder Hei Li was the black fox that had previously escaped from Shen Luo¡¯s Indigo Cold Realm. This demon had been severely injured by Shen Luo using the Indigo Cold Realm, yet now he showed no signs of injury, his aura even improving, reaching the level of a Half-Step Taiyi. The blood light in their eyes had mostly faded, indicating they had regained their normal faculties. Apart from Su Xiao and Elder Hei Li, twelve other Qingqiu Fox Clan elders stood on the blood cloud, all true immortals, with the lowest among them being at the True Immortal Middle Stage, and at least three at the Late True Immortal Stage. The bloodthirsty killing gleam in these people¡¯s eyes had similarly diminished, and they appeared to have regained their normal rationality. Chapter 1724 - Title - 1720: Resisting Chapter 1724: Chapter Title Chapter 1720: Resisting"The attack just now seems to have been a trick involving armor and contraptions, something we hadn¡¯t seen him use before. This man¡¯s abilities are truly diverse, and his own strength is impressive as well. He¡¯s not someone that¡¯s easy to deal with," the man in black calmly said. "He¡¯s merely a late-stage True Immortal cultivator, depending on one or two powerful magical treasures. How much could he possibly achieve? Elder Hei Li is usually bold¡ªcould it be that after narrowly escaping death earlier, he¡¯s suddenly become timid?" Su Xiao mocked, glancing at Elder Hei Li with disdain. Elder Hei Li¡¯s face abruptly changed, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. "Princess, allow me to capture Shen Luo and kill him as an offering to the country¡¯s ruler!" Su Xiao ignored Elder Hei Li and instead turned to Tu Shanxue, clasping his hands and speaking earnestly. "Elder Su Xiao, your ambition is commendable, but Elder Hei Li has a point. This man has quite a few tricks up his sleeve. We cannot afford to be careless." Tu Shanxue replied. Su Xiao furrowed his brows but didn¡¯t press further. "The most important task right now is to break this formation. This array is remarkable. From what I can see, it has six array eyes, and Shen Luo along with some True Immortal cultivators are guarding those positions. Everyone, attack together, eliminate those stationed there, and destroy the array eyes!" Tu Shanxue commanded with a wave of her hand. "Understood!" The Fox Clan elders replied in unison and transformed into streaks of escape light, shooting out. Elder Hei Li also flew out, heading directly toward the array eye guarded by Master Yan. "Princess, with Shen Luo over there..." Su Xiao hesitated, refraining from moving as he asked. "Leave Shen Luo to me. I will handle him personally!" Tu Shanxue¡¯s gaze flickered as she looked toward Shen Luo¡¯s position and spoke. "Understood." Su Xiao reluctantly agreed, transforming into a streak of blood light as he rushed toward Lu Huaming¡¯s location. He had fought with Lu Huaming earlier without reaching a decisive outcome; now it was the perfect chance to settle their unfinished battle. The light of Tu Shanxue¡¯s armor shimmered, and her entire body became one with the void. ... Within the Six-Gate Golden Lock Array, Shen Luo and the others saw more than a dozen True Immortal elders from Qingqiu Mountain shooting toward them. All of their expressions grew dark. The number of Qingqiu Mountain True Immortals exceeded expectations¡ªalmost double their own. Today, it would be a fight to the death. "I don¡¯t need you here right now. Go help guard the other array eyes," Shen Luo said gravely, transmitting a message to the Mirror Fiend before flicking his sleeve. "Understood, Master. Please take care." The Mirror Fiend grasped the dire situation and replied before flying toward a nearby array eye where Master Yan was stationed. Meanwhile, the void around Shen Luo rippled, and the figures of the Sky Fiend Corpse King, Zhao Feiji, and the Blue Ocean Ray from inside the Free and Easy Mirror appeared. The Blue Ocean Ray transformed into her human form¡ªa young girl with sea-blue hair, appearing about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her aura approached the True Immortal Stage limitlessly. "The same goes for all of you. Go help guard the other array eyes," Shen Luo said in a low voice. The three figures immediately melded into the surrounding Six-Gate Golden Lock Array, moving to assist others. "A Taiyi Stage corpse refinement? Your techniques truly are varied." A light laugh suddenly rang out as Tu Shanxue¡¯s ghostly figure appeared above Shen Luo, using the Flower-picking Finger to point toward a specific position in the void nearby. A streak of pink light shot out, penetrating the void with a soft sound. With a thunderous rumble, an eruption of pink brilliance surged forth like a volcano from that spot, forcing the Sky Fiend Corpse King, Zhao Feiji, and the Blue Ocean Ray to stumble backward before finally steadying themselves. Not only that, but the pink light transformed into three massive flowers that enveloped their figures, radiating an immense restraining force. The three of them found themselves completely immobilized. The void beneath Shen Luo trembled as another enormous pink flower materialized, descending toward him. His expression changed drastically as lightning flickered from his feet, transforming him into a streak of violet lightning that narrowly escaped the approaching flower¡¯s enveloping grasp. However, the pink flower immediately started pursuing him closely, sticking to him like a shadow. "Indigo Cold Realm!" Shen Luo suddenly radiated brilliant blue light, conjuring a blue domain that trapped the pink flower inside. Chilling energy permeated the domain, instantly freezing the pink flower into an ice sculpture, halting all movement. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Sighing in relief, Shen Luo quickly retrieved five Pure Yang Swords and flicked his arm. Dense, frigid sword Qi materialized, forming a crimson sword mountain that roared forward to strike Tu Shanxue, tearing through the void violently. Facing such a formidable technique, Tu Shanxue¡¯s expression grew visibly serious. Without evading, she opened her mouth and released a spray of pink light to counter the crimson sword mountain. With a sharp crack, the pink light was cleaved open, but half of the sword mountain turned pink as though it had been corroded, and much of its cohesive mass scattered. Before Shen Luo could stabilize the sword mountain, Tu Shanxue reached out into the void with her right hand and conjured a bloody giant claw that crushed the crimson sword mountain completely. Five Pure Yang Swords reemerged, spinning as they fell and retreated backward, their sword bodies tainted with pink light and their crimson sword glow visibly dimmed. The bloody giant claw didn¡¯t stop and continued toward Shen Luo, aiming directly for him, with its fingertips glowing frightfully with blood light. Shen Luo flicked his sleeve to retrieve the airborne swords and then summoned the Profound Yellow Staff, fully engaging the Huangting Technique. Golden light burst forth as his arms transformed into dragon-like limbs and his legs into elephant-like ones. The Profound Yellow Staff shone intensely as countless staff shadows clashed with the bloody giant claw. However, Tu Shanxue¡¯s current strength far exceeded Shen Luo¡¯s. The blood light on the claw flickered briefly before tearing through the staff shadows and grabbing onto the Profound Yellow Staff itself. A colossal force overwhelmed Shen Luo, sending him hurtling backward uncontrollably. His grip failed, his body went numb, and blood spilled from his mouth. Utterly shocked, Shen Luo reeled from the realization. During their brief skirmish in Qingqiu City earlier, Tu Shanxue had displayed strength only at the Taiyi Peak¡ªhe had even described her as Late Taiyi Stage to rally morale. Now, amidst direct confrontation, Shen Luo truly understood her power¡ªit was far beyond Taiyi Peak, likely reaching Half-step Heavenly Venerate Realm. Tu Shanxue showed no intention of holding back. Her other hand radiated bloody light as she extended it forward. Behind Shen Luo, another blood-colored giant claw appeared, colliding with the one in front to execute a two-sided pincer attack. Shen Luo¡¯s feet erupted with lightning, propelling him to dodge to the side. However, his injuries slowed him down, allowing him to barely escape between the two claws. He hurriedly activated the Huangting Technique to suppress his internal damage. At that moment, a sudden thought flashed through Shen Luo¡¯s mind, prompting him to simultaneously activate the Huangdi Neijing. Among the golden light enveloping his body, faint strands of green appeared. The surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rapidly gathered into him, mending his internal organs at a pace visible to the naked eye. "The recovery effect of the Huangdi Neijing is truly remarkable!" Shen Luo rejoiced inwardly. Chapter 1725 - 1721 Blood God Possession Chapter 1725: Chapter 1721 Blood God PossessionAt this moment, a flash of blood-red light streaked through the void ahead, and two massive blood-colored claws grabbed out simultaneously. The void trembled with a deafening roar, suddenly dimming. Yet Shen Luo had already caught his breath, and his mana had resumed normal circulation. He once again unleashed the Indigo Cold Realm, causing the Indigo Blue Sea¡¯s cold brilliance to sweep across a span of dozens of feet. The two blood-colored claws were enveloped by the realm, instantly coated in a layer of blue ice. Though the claws carried the power of the Fox Ancestor and were not completely frozen, their movements significantly slowed, posing no serious threat. Shen Luo dodged with ease, forming intricate seals with his hands and executing an extraordinarily unusual magic spell to activate the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. From his dantian, golden and black light surged forth. His body expanded multiple times its original size¡ªone half of his figure turned pitch black, while the other half gleamed golden, densely covered with golden scales and demonic patterns. With a thunderous "boom," an immensely powerful magical fluctuation rippled out¡ªten times stronger than before. The surrounding void vibrated, and the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi roiled wildly into chaos. Tu Shanxue revealed a faint trace of surprise on her face. With a flip of her delicate hand, a white feather fan appeared in her palm, adorned with a faintly visible image of a celestial maiden. She swung it through the void at Shen Luo with deceptive ease and speed. Seven or eight white wind blades howled forth. These wind blades looked ordinary, yet their aura was peculiarly ambiguous¡ªneither purely celestial nor purely demonic. The hidden destructive power was alarming, effortlessly severing the surrounding Array Techniques¡¯ light and carving long black marks into the void as they slashed toward Shen Luo. The wind blades moved exceedingly fast, flashing to his front in an instant, seemingly alive as they aimed at various parts of his body. Behind him, the Array Eye he guarded trembled violently, as though it was on the verge of shattering. "The Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan!" Shen Luo instantly recognized the white feather fan in Tu Shanxue¡¯s hands¡ªit was the same Magical Treasure, Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan, which Ghost Yan had wielded during the former great battle in the Black Abyss Mystery Cave. Even Little Master had been injured by this fan, only shielding against it using the Wind-fixing Bead. On that day, Ghost Yan had fallen, and Puppet City vanished into the spatial rift, with Ghost Yan¡¯s treasures all obliterated. Unexpectedly, this Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan had ended up in Tu Shanxue¡¯s possession. However, Shen Luo was no longer the insignificant novice who had just entered the True Immortal Stage back then. Without the slightest fear, he unleashed dazzling golden and black light from the Profound Yellow Staff, transforming it into a frenzied golden-black dragon that swiftly circled around him. A wave of destructive power surged outward, churning the void, and instantly shredded the incoming white wind blades into pieces. In the next moment, lightning flashed beneath Shen Luo¡¯s feet as he darted toward Tu Shanxue at an overwhelming speed, the Profound Yellow Staff fracturing into countless shadow-like projections that rained down relentlessly. Shen Luo gathered all his mana and pushed the Splashy Chaotic Stick Technique to its utmost limit. Layers upon layers of staff shadows emerged from every direction around Tu Shanxue, converging toward the center, leaving no room for escape. Tu Shanxue¡¯s face stiffened slightly. With a swift swing of the Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan in the void, an immense pillar of white tornado emerged around her, formed entirely from countless tiny white wind blades spinning and cutting with deadly speed. The void buzzed and trembled intensely, and below, sand and stones flew wildly, as though Heaven and Earth were about to change color. The golden-black staff shadows clashing with the tornado pillar were instantly pulverized, failing to even graze Tu Shanxue¡¯s garments. Shen Luo, however, remained undeterred. He abruptly swung his right hand backward, sending a streak of green blade light shooting forth like lightning¡ªit appeared near the Sky Fiend Corpse King and his two companions in the blink of an eye. This blade was none other than the Hongming Saber. The saber flickered and split into three streams of green sword glow, slicing into the pink flowers beneath the three figures of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Sharp "hiss hiss hiss" sounds echoed as the three pink flowers shattered. The Sky Fiend Corpse King and his two companions regained their mobility, and the Hongming Saber, instead of returning, landed in the hands of the Sky Fiend Corpse King. "Don¡¯t mind me here¡ªgo help the others!" Shen Luo commanded loudly. At that moment, the great battle had fully erupted. True Immortal Elders of the Qingqiu Fox Clan had started engaging with the guardians of other Array Eyes. The Six Doors Golden Lock Array¡¯s defenses proved effective against ordinary fox clan members but were barely able to obstruct True Immortal Cultivators. Lu Huaming and others were perilously close to defeat. Hearing Shen Luo¡¯s words, the Sky Fiend Corpse King, Zhao Feiji, and the Vast Ocean Skate Fish transformed into three streaks of Escape Light, shooting toward other battlefields. Tu Shanxue finally realized she had fallen into Shen Luo¡¯s trap. Her Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan flared in brilliance, and she swung it fiercely outward. The surrounding tornado pillar intensified in white light before suddenly exploding, transforming into a cascade of countless white wind blades that obliterated the remaining black-gold staff shadows as if they were mere feeble twigs. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But before Tu Shanxue could escape, blood-colored lightning flashed in front of her. Shen Luo¡¯s figure materialized out of thin air, with a blood-red banner suspended above his head¡ªthe Blood Essence Banner. A blood-colored figure descended from the banner, merging into his body in a flash. Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi surged toward him like a tidal wave, and Shen Luo¡¯s aura dramatically strengthened. The golden-black spiritual light on his body shone even more brightly, engulfing a hundred feet of surrounding space. "So this is the power of the ¡¯Blood God Possession.¡¯ Truly a formidable divine power!" Shen Luo felt the newfound surge in strength, his heart elated. Tu Shanxue sensed Shen Luo¡¯s skyrocketing aura, and her slender brows furrowed slightly. Despite Shen Luo¡¯s current power, she was still superior, but eliminating him would not be a quick task. Every moment the battle dragged on meant more fox clan members would perish. At this thought, Tu Shanxue suppressed her urge to kill Shen Luo and transformed into a blood-red shadow, shooting toward another Array Eye. Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted slightly upon seeing this. Lightning erupted from his feet as he once again intercepted Tu Shanxue. "Miss Tu Xue, our fight hasn¡¯t reached a conclusion, and you want to leave already? I¡¯ve heard Your Excellency is the Qingqiu Princess. Could it be that, like your pathetic ruler mother, you are also cowardly and timid? Truly, like mother, like daughter¡ªboth failures!" He chuckled lightly, his voice dripping with disdain. In the depths of his gaze, a flicker of eerie green light emerged. "You¡ªsaid¡ªwhat?" Tu Shanxue¡¯s attempt to escape halted abruptly as she spoke each word chillingly, her eyes frozen with murderous intent. "Your mother, as a ruler, had her authority stripped by her elders. Isn¡¯t that pathetic? Faced with a crisis that could annihilate her people, she failed to find a proper solution and ended up driven to suicide. Isn¡¯t that failure?" Shen Luo sneered. Each word stabbed like a dagger to Tu Shanxue¡¯s heart, tearing at her reasoning. "Shut up!" She gritted her teeth, barely controlling her emotions, and said with clenched teeth. The Monster Ancestor represented emotional chaos, wreaking havoc on divine wisdom. Though Tu Shanxue had now mastered the power of the Fox Ancestor, this power was overwhelmingly immense. Her original cultivation level as a True Immortal rendered her soul power weak, leaving her divine wisdom hanging by a thread. If she lost control and erupted, the consequences would be unimaginable. ... Deep within the underground cave of Qingqiu Mountain, Chief Strategist You Su stared at a water mirror reflecting the figures of Shen Luo and Tu Shanxue, their conversation clearly transmitted. "This is bad. Tu Shanxue seems to be losing control of herself," one of the Taiyi Fox Clan members said. "That Shen Luo¡¯s insight is indeed sharp¡ªhe saw through Tu Shanxue¡¯s weakness at a glance," Chief Strategist You Su remarked with a faint tinge of admiration in his eyes. "What now? Should we assist Tu Shanxue?" another Taiyi Fox Clan member asked. "No need. Let us observe for the time being," Chief Strategist You Su shook his head and replied, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his lips. In the distance, three grey-clothed men also watched the mirror¡¯s imagery. One of them fixed his gaze on Shen Luo, his expression flickering slightly. Chapter 1726 - 1722: Cunning and Far-Sighted Chapter 1726: Chapter 1722: Cunning and Far-Sighted"Your mother not only failed but was utterly foolish. She thought her own death would ease relations between the Qingqiu Fox Clan and the various sects of the Three Realms. And now? Because of her demise, the Qingqiu Fox Clan has irreversibly become mortal enemies with the sects. She truly died for nothing¡ªit¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen someone so foolish!" Shen Luo gazed at Tu Shanxue and sighed inwardly but continued to sneer coldly. "Shut up!" Tu Shanxue¡¯s eyes surged with bloodlight, her fists clenched tightly, her body trembling uncontrollably, seemingly on the brink of collapse. "Not just your mother¡ªyou¡¯re no different. You¡¯re destined to be a failure too! The Qingqiu Fox Clan is fated to be exterminated here today!" Shen Luo burst into laughter. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! It¡¯s all because of you human cultivators¡ªtoday you¡¯ll all die!" Tu Shanxue¡¯s eyes erupted with a fierce bloodlight as the flames of hatred in her heart finally exploded, and her expression took on a manic intensity. Behind her, a brilliant bloodlight flared, and nine blood-red fox tails suddenly emerged. Each tail was surrounded by an ominous bloodlight, and they attacked Shen Luo with an unstoppable force. Seeing this, Shen Luo was secretly pleased; he had vaguely discerned Tu Shanxue¡¯s external strength concealing inner weakness¡ªstrong in Qi but frail in spirit. Intentionally provoking her with those words earlier and employing the confusion spell from the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld was all to ignite her anger and ensure she stayed in this place. Tu Shanxue¡¯s strength was overwhelming¡ªapart from him, no one present could possibly contend with her. In Shen Luo¡¯s hands, the Profound Yellow Staff erupted with radiant light, and he fully unleashed the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Countless golden-black staff shadows materialized once more, colliding forcefully with Tu Shanxue¡¯s fox tails. The sound of earth-shattering explosions rang out, as the two locked in fierce combat. Violent gales howled through the void, accompanied by deafening roars. While Tu Shanxue¡¯s strength was superior to Shen Luo¡¯s, her physical body was not particularly resilient, making their battle appear unexpectedly evenly matched. The others within the array looked on from afar, utterly shocked¡ªespecially the Qingqiu Fox Clan members. Of all present, they knew Tu Shanxue¡¯s strength best; she had already reached the Half-step Heavenly Venerate realm. Yet Shen Luo could actually hold her off! At that moment, the Six Doors Golden Lock Array suddenly emitted rumbling sounds as its operational speed dramatically increased. Clusters of starlike silver light appeared throughout the array, akin to stars falling from the night sky into the mortal realm. "What¡¯s going on?" Everyone within the array was stunned. Beneath Xiangyang Town, Fire Spirit Child had already corrected every flaw in the setup of the Six Doors Golden Lock Array and was now seated cross-legged at an underground location. Suspended before him were two discs¡ªone was the formation disc for the Six Doors Golden Lock Array, and the other was the Gu Xuan star disk, stacked over each other. An array diagram lit up on the Gu Xuan star disk, as starlike rays surrounded the whole disk, giving off a sense of profound mystery¡ªits nature as a formation was indiscernible. The starlight from the Gu Xuan disk intertwined seamlessly with the yellow glow surrounding the Six Doors Golden Lock Array disc. Fire Spirit Child moved his hands like spinning car wheels, sending thread after thread of magic incantations into the two formation discs. The starlight and yellow glow gradually integrated completely, indistinguishable from one another. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Merging Starshine Suppressing Demon Formation with the Six Doors Golden Lock Array without preparation¡ªit really is a challenge." Fire Spirit Child exhaled lightly, rubbed his brow, and spoke aloud. On the ground, within the Six Doors Golden Lock Array, the starlike dots suddenly erupted with dazzling silver light, filling the entire array within moments. Everyone¡¯s vision was completely obscured. The silver starlight carried a peculiar prohibitive force that caused piercing pain to the Qingqiu Fox Clan members within the array. The silver light hurt them significantly and severely restricted their Divine Sense, only allowing it to extend a mere ten or so zhang. Shen Luo and the others, however, were far less affected. Deep beneath Qingqiu Mountain, the water mirror controlled by Chief Strategist You Su was likewise flooded with countless silver rays, rendering it completely opaque. "What¡¯s happening?" Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s expression changed sharply as he stood up abruptly. Other Qingqiu Fox Clan members showed visible unease. Fire Spirit Child stretched his back, leaned against a nearby boulder, and reclined casually, a trace of cold amusement tugging at his lips. "Spying from the shadows like a sneaky old witch¡ªa truly sickening spectacle. Young Master Shen, this is all the help I can offer." He chuckled disdainfully and glanced upward, muttering to himself. "The Mystical Spirit Mirror is being blocked? Impossible! Could this be the work of some cultivators from the sects who have noticed our presence?" In the depths of Qingqiu Mountain, a Taiyi Fox Clan member looked toward Chief Strategist You Su with a worried expression. "Don¡¯t panic. This location is extremely secretive, and we haven¡¯t leaked any traces. It¡¯s unlikely anyone has noticed us. The current situation should be a unique effect of the array beneath Xiangyang Town." Chief Strategist You Su, though faintly uneasy, maintained a calm exterior. "What should we do now?" another Fox Clan elder asked. "No need to fret¡ªI can still discern Tu Shanxue¡¯s situation. The plan remains largely unaffected; all you need to do is be prepared." Chief Strategist You Su smiled faintly, exuding confidence. Seeing Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s composure, the others felt reassured. ... Within the Six Doors Golden Lock Array, Shen Luo immediately realized it was Fire Spirit Child¡¯s handiwork upon noticing the array¡¯s sudden changes. "Thank you." He murmured softly and continued executing the Splashy Chaotic Stick. Sixteen Pure Yang Swords materialized around him, whirling and slashing at Tu Shanxue in a direct confrontation. At another node of the array, Demon King Fort¡¯s Seven Kills was engaged in a fierce battle with two Qingqiu Fox Clan elders¡ªone clad in green and the other in gold. The Green Robed Fox Clan elder was at the True Immortal Middle Stage and wielded a pair of silver swords, while the Golden Robed elder, surprisingly at the Late True Immortal Stage, carried a nine-ring golden blade, each strike carrying the power to cleave mountains and seas. Despite this, Seven Kills¡¯ cultivation was deeper, and his Punishment Sky Reverse weapon was terrifyingly powerful. Even against two opponents, he remained evenly matched. Suddenly, silver starlight descended. The two fox Clan elders visibly winced in pain, their movements faltering amidst the clash with Seven Kills. Seven Kills broke into a delighted smile as a fiery gleam flashed in his eyes. Black flames emerged all over his body at various points, yet no harm came to him¡ªinstead, he seemed utterly at ease. "Trouble! It¡¯s Demon King Fort¡¯s Flame Harnessing Wind! Protect yourselves quickly!" The Golden Robed Fox Clan elder¡¯s expression shifted dramatically. Despite the pain, he endured it long enough to unleash golden light from the nine-ring blade. Around him, solid-looking golden sword shadows danced in a protective ring. The Green Robed Fox Clan elder hastily activated his demon power, the twin silver swords in his hands glowing as if preparing to unleash a supernatural skill. However, as a fiery glint streaked past him, Seven Kills ghostly figure instantly appeared behind the Green Robed elder, with much of the black flames on his body already extinguished. The Green Robed Fox Clan elder¡¯s abdomen¡ªthe location of his dantian¡ªwas punctured with a bloodstained hole the size of a bowl. He struggled to lower his head for one despairing look before collapsing, his breath extinguished entirely. "Elder Qingyan! Human scum, die!" The Golden Robed Fox Clan elder roared, his eyes bloodshot, as he furiously slashed at Seven Kills with his nine-ring golden blade. Golden sword shadows surged forth like a ferocious storm, surrounding Seven Kills with waves of sharp, dazzling light that seemed overwhelmingly destructive. Chapter 1727 - 1723: Pincer Attack Chapter 1727: Chapter 1723: Pincer Attack"Flying Sand and Rolling Stones!" The black light of Xingtian¡¯s Reverse flickered in Seven Kills¡¯ hands as he unleashed the martial arts divine power of the Demon King Fort. Countless spear shadows clashed with the golden blade shadows. The black spear shadows shattered entirely. Seven Kills staggered back, but the golden blade shadows were also repelled completely. Seven Kills panted slightly, his breath visibly unstable. Having fought continuously with the Fox Clan before, his strength was greatly depleted. After arriving in Xiangyang Town, he hadn¡¯t been able to restore his vitality. The ¡¯Fanning Fire with the Wind¡¯ divine power just now consumed a lot of vitality, and at this moment, he was barely holding on. "Surrender your life!" The golden-robed Fox Clan saw this and rejoiced, darting towards Seven Kills like a bolt of lightning. At that moment, the void behind this fox fluctuated, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s figure appeared out of nowhere, accompanied by a dark red giant seal the size of a palace, the Turn Sky Seal, which smashed down towards the golden-robed Fox Clan. The golden-robed Fox Clan¡¯s face changed dramatically, hastily raising his hand. A small black bell flew out. The bell rapidly expanded. After a light sound, it turned into a massive black bell blocking overhead. A layer of dim black radiance rolled down, enveloping his body. The surrounding silver starlight was immediately isolated outside. The painful expression on the golden-robed Fox Clan¡¯s face disappeared, but the influence on his divine sense couldn¡¯t be dispelled. The fox hurriedly threw out the nine-ring golden blade in his hand, spraying a burst of mana onto it. The top of the nine-ring golden blade shone brightly, and a golden tiger phantom emerged, exuding a sharp aura that made one¡¯s heart tremble, opening its bloody mouth to spit towards the mid-air Turn Sky Seal. A golden light pillar several zhangs thick shot out, within which a massive golden blade phantom faintly appeared, striking at the base of the Turn Sky Seal. But what kind of treasure is the Turn Sky Seal, especially when urged by the Sky Fiend Corpse King, a Taiyi existence? It easily shattered the golden light pillar, smashing onto the black bell. With a resounding "bang," the black bell shattered into countless black fragments, and the Turn Sky Seal continued to smash down without any delay. Seeing this, the golden-robed Fox Clan¡¯s expression changed dramatically. He slashed his wrists, spraying two streams of fresh blood that merged into the nine-ring golden blade. Flame-like gold light surged from the nine-ring golden blade, merging into the golden tiger phantom in a flash. The golden tiger phantom solidified instantly, growing to over a dozen zhangs tall, its massive head emanating waves of golden halo, charging towards the Turn Sky Seal. With a loud "clang," the colossal body of the golden tiger was crushed halfway, almost turning into a golden pancake. However, the Turn Sky Seal was barely held aloft, not completely landing. The golden-robed Fox Clan lay beside the golden pancake, not being struck by the Turn Sky Seal, and breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to do something, a streak of emerald knife light flitted past him. The golden-robed Fox Clan¡¯s eyes widened, his body froze there, and the next moment, his head tilted and rolled to the ground. The emerald knife light returned to the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s hand, turning into the Hongming Battle Saber, its blade stained with a group of blood light and the divine soul of the golden-robed Fox Clan, rapidly devoured by the Hongming Saber. Instantly, another beam of blood light was added to the saber, intensifying its murderous aura. "Who are you?" Seven Kills saw this scene, his pupils narrowed, and he asked in a deep voice. The Sky Fiend Corpse King didn¡¯t answer Seven Kills¡¯ question, flicked its sleeve to retract the Turn Sky Seal, Hongming Saber, and the storage magical instrument of the golden-robed Fox Clan, transforming into a yellow shadow disappearing into the surrounding silver starlight. Seven Kills¡¯ expression darkened, pinching a spell as he was about to point at the big flag within the array eye behind him. These formation flags could to some extent control the nearby array. The Sky Fiend Corpse King was a Taiyi existence, and although it helped him kill the Fox Clan Elder, without knowing its origin, he couldn¡¯t rest easy. "Daoist friend Seven Kills need not worry, that person just now was my cousin¡¯s Taiyi refining corpse, not an enemy." A figure flew out from the formation, landing near Seven Kills¡ªit was Nie Caizhu. "So that¡¯s how it is." Hearing this, Seven Kills finally felt at ease, but a complex light flickered in his eyes. Shen Luo not only had astonishing strength himself, but the refining corpse he created also possessed Taiyi-level combat strength. Nie Caizhu watched the changes in Seven Kills¡¯ expression and chuckled inwardly. In her impression, no matter which sect¡¯s genius hero they were from, upon encountering Shen Luo, they would show such an expression. Nie Caizhu then recollected her thoughts, recited spells under her breath, and waved her jade hand to cast a spell. A willow leaf-shaped green light entered Seven Kills¡¯ body, and the Heaven and Earth aura rolled over, rapidly restoring the vitality consumed within Seven Kills. "Thank you, Daoist friend Nie." Seven Kills¡¯ face relaxed and he cupped his hands towards Nie Caizhu in gratitude. Nie Caizhu waved her hand and immediately rushed to other array eyes to restore the monks on her side. ... At another nearby array eye, Master Yan sat in command, also engaged in a fierce battle with two Fox Clan Elders, one of whom was Elder Hei Li. Elder Hei Li had an irreconcilable feud with Master Yan, his face full of resentment. He didn¡¯t even use magical treasures to resist the surrounding silver starlight and continuously launched various dark attribute attacks madly at Master Yan, wishing to grind him to ash. Sixteen groups of golden light floated around Master Yan, which seemed to greatly restrain Elder Hei Li¡¯s dark divine powers. No matter how fiercely he attacked, they were easily blocked by those golden lights. The other Fox Clan elder was a True Immortal Middle Stage red-haired elder, with an overhead dark red alms bowl forming a red light shield to block the surrounding silver starlight, holding a crimson big banner in hand with a fire dragon pattern on it. Each time the red-haired elder wielded the banner, a dragon-shaped flame would shoot out towards Master Yan, causing even the void to tremble with burning ferocity, exuding a great power. Besides the sixteen groups of golden light around Master Yan, there was also a blue mysterious turtle amulet armor, seemingly a True Immortal armament. It swayed its head and tail, emitting streams of blue water light, blocking the red-haired elder¡¯s attack. After a while longer, Master Yan¡¯s face turned faintly pale, his breathing heavy. Having fought fiercely several times before, his mana was also running low. Although the amulet armor provided cover, Master Yan¡¯s fatigue was already caught by Elder Hei Li, laughing provocatively as he slapped his hand on the back of his head. A piercing sharp cry rang out, and an entirely jet-black giant skeleton eerily appeared. This skeleton was seven to eight zhangs tall, with bones pitch black like ink jade, entwined with much blood mist. Upon appearing, it howled skywards, spitting blood light, as a terrifying murderous aura surged into the sky. Seeing this scene, Master Yan¡¯s expression focused, and from his forehead shot sixteen beams of crystal light, piercing into the sixteen groups of golden light surrounding him. The golden lights surged instantly, countless golden runes swarming out, condensing into sixteen golden demon-subduing staff shadows, accompanied by the resonant sound of Buddhist chants echoing in the nearby void. "What is this..." Elder Hei Li, seeing this scene, couldn¡¯t help but be startled. At that moment, the sixteen demon-subduing staff shadows quivered, suddenly ejecting scorching golden light, turning into sixteen afterimages striking towards the black skeleton and Elder Hei Li. Before the demon-subduing staff shadows arrived, an immense invisible force pressed from all directions. Elder Hei Li felt his body heavy, as if a ten-thousand-zhang-high giant peak pressed upon him, his face turned cold instantly, a stream of black cloud emerged from his body surface. With a wave of his sleeve, it condensed into streams of black sword shadows facing those golden staff shadows. The black skeleton became blurred instantly, transforming into a black shadow, circumventing the sixteen golden staff shadows as it charged towards Master Yan, its massive bone claw fiercely grasping down. The red-haired elder also leapt forward, appearing behind Master Yan in a flash, pincer-attacking him together with the black skeleton. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1728 - 1724: Exhausted Chapter 1728: Chapter 1724: ExhaustedMaster Yan did not panic in facing the pincer attack from the Red-haired Elder and the Black Skeleton, suddenly turning to look at the nearby blue turtle armor, his eyes suddenly shooting out two terrifying crystal lights, while swiftly chanting spells. A white light shot from the center of his brows, instantly merging into the blue turtle armor. The turtle armor suddenly blossomed with a white pillar of light, shooting straight up to the sky and emitting circles of white light waves around it. If Shen Luo were present, he would surely recognize at a glance that this was Tianji City¡¯s unique mysterious technique: Shining Bright, which can ignore the enemy¡¯s mind and direct all attacks to a specific target. The direction of the Black Skeleton and the Red-haired Elder¡¯s sudden charge changed unexpectedly, turning towards the turtle armor, their massive bone claws and dragon-shaped flames striking it simultaneously. With a "rumble" sound, the turtle armor exploded, shattering into countless fragments, and the white pillar of light dissipated. "How is this possible!" The Red-haired Elder finally awoke from his inexplicable change of target, his face full of doubt and shock. The Black Skeleton, with low Spiritual Wisdom, also showed confusion in its blood-red eyes. At this moment, the nearby void flashed with light, and the sixteen clusters of golden light around Master Yan appeared in the surroundings, forming a golden circle, enclosing the Red-haired Elder and the Black Skeleton inside. The sixteen clusters of golden light rapidly dispersed, revealing sixteen golden humanoid armors donned with golden kasayas, resembling Western Buddhas. The sixteen Buddha armors emitted bright golden light, the Buddhist chanting sound in the surrounding void becoming ten times stronger, flooding a hundred-feet radius in golden Buddha¡¯s light, Buddha shadows layering upon each other, golden characters dancing, surprisingly forming a Golden Light Array. The Black Skeleton and the Red-haired Elder, shrouded by the Golden Light Array, were suddenly immobilized, just like flies trapped in amber. The crystal light in Master Yan¡¯s brow flickered again, and the foreheads of the sixteen Buddhas all split open, shooting out clusters of golden flames, giving an impression of being crystal clear, engulfing the bodies of the Black Skeleton and the Red-haired Elder. "The Sixteen Buddhas refined by the eighth City Lord of Tianji City, Wufangzi!" Elder Hei Li saw this scene, his complexion changing dramatically, obviously recognizing this armor set. He immediately waved his sleeve, a giant black palm appearing out of nowhere, fiercely striking the sixteen golden staff shadows, completely deflecting them aside, reciting spells quickly. Behind Elder Hei Li, black light flickered, and six pitch-black fox tails emerged, his form also transforming into a half-man half-fox state, turning into a black shadow lightning towards Master Yan¡¯s rear three-foot range in an instant. Master Yan sensed the situation behind him, his expression suddenly changing. Controlling the sixteen Buddhas was already his limit; he couldn¡¯t summon other armors to face the enemy. His gaze fierce, just as he was about to risk damaging his Divine Soul to forcibly urge another armor, his expression suddenly shifted, ceasing his magic incantation. The silver light near Elder Hei Li suddenly surged, a thick blue crystal light shot out, swiftly enveloping Elder Hei Li. Elder Hei Li¡¯s flying speed immediately halted, the void around him revealing a mirror-like blue light. Meanwhile, faint blue light emerged inside the golden array of the sixteen Buddhas, instantly converging into a blue mirror surface, the surrounding gold flames completely scattering without attacking this mirror. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Elder Hei Li¡¯s face changed drastically, but before he could act, his vision blurred, realizing himself appearing inside the golden array of the sixteen Buddhas. A tremendous imprisoning force enveloped him, rendering Elder Hei Li also immobile. Master Yan saw this scene, raising his eyebrows, a surprised look on his face. "This is my Mirror Surface Teleportation divine power! Don¡¯t daze, quickly use your Yin Array to kill them, I¡¯ll assist you!" A blue figure flew out from the nearby silver light, it was the Mirror Fiend. A white ice pearl floated above her head, emitting shadows fending off the surrounding silver starlight, pointing at the blue ancient mirror in her hand. A blue light emerged from the ancient mirror, enveloping Master Yan, flickering rapidly. The nearby void rippled as two illusions of Master Yan appeared, looking no different from the original, exuding mana waves, showcasing the Mirror Fiend¡¯s mirror avatar divine power. The two clones of Master Yan looked at the golden light array, crystal light flickering across their brows, strands of Divine Soul Crystal Thread shooting out, hitting the sixteen Buddha armors, causing the Buddha¡¯s light array to surge dramatically. As the Mirror Fiend¡¯s cultivation level gradually increased, her mirror avatar divine power became even more miraculous, the avatars being able to basically execute all the divine powers possessed by the original, even high-level powers like the Lightning Thoughts Formula. Master Yan was again taken aback but didn¡¯t ask much, fully activating the Sixteen Buddha Yin Array, more golden flames shooting out from the Buddha armors, engulfing the three, including Elder Hei Li, forming a sea of golden flames. This golden flame was the colored glaze Buddha flame of the Buddhist Sect, extremely powerful, especially effective against demon forces. Under the raging Buddha fire, the bodies of the Black Skeleton and the Red-haired Elder quickly turned to ashes, but Elder Hei Li, having reached the Half-Step Taiyi Realm, opened a black light shield with countless demon shadows flashing within, still struggling to hold on. Master Yan¡¯s face grew even paler than before, yet his spellcasting remained steady, his hands weaving magic spells as the range of the Sixteen Buddha Yin Array swiftly shrank by more than half, the golden sea of flames within also contracting, becoming more condensed. The black light shield around Elder Hei Li trembled violently, rapidly thinning and on the brink of collapse. Elder Hei Li grew anxious, a ruthless gleam shooting from his eyes, his six fox tails suddenly merging into the black light shield, his hands emanating blood light, also merging into the shield. The breath of the black light shield skyrocketed, expanding rapidly, in the blink of an eye transforming into a huge black sphere several feet in size, the surrounding colored glaze Buddha fire surprisingly unable to affect it. "Darn, the opponent is trying to forcibly break the array!" The Mirror Fiend¡¯s expression changed. But she did not possess powerful attack divine powers, so she had to look towards Master Yan, however, Master Yan at this moment was almost exhausted, maintaining the Sixteen Buddhas Yin Array was his limit, incapable of deploying any other methods. Suddenly, a golden remnant shadow flashed before them, a thick golden light arrow descended from the sky, piercing through the golden array like stabbing through paper, penetrating the black ball around Elder Hei Li. A sharp whistling sound rang out, nearly rupturing the eardrums of Master Yan and the Mirror Fiend. The two quickly looked up, seeing an unobtrusive figure standing in mid air, it was Nie Caizhu wielding the Ruomu Divine Bow. "Explode!" Nie Caizhu grasped the void with her left hand, uttering a low command. The golden arrow piercing the black ball exploded violently, also tearing apart the black ball, exposing Elder Hei Li¡¯s body, now mangled, yet not fallen. The Sixteen Buddhas Yin Array shook violently, yet did not break. Master Yan hastily gathered his last bit of mana, urging the array to operate, countless colored glaze Buddha flames surged forward, reducing the remnant body of Elder Hei Li to ashes, completely perishing. Only then did Master Yan set his mind at ease, his Dantian utterly empty, collapsing onto the ground. The Sixteen Buddhas Yin Array disintegrated with a roar, retransforming into sixteen Buddha armors, flying back beside Master Yan. Chapter 1729 - 1725: Fierce Fight Chapter 1729: Chapter 1725: Fierce FightNie Caizhu saw Master Yan collapse to the ground and quickly used the divine technique "Crossing Lifelong." A green light pierced into Master Yan¡¯s body, forming a green halo around him that pulsated rapidly. The Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the surroundings converged like tides, merging into his body and transforming into mana. Master Yan¡¯s mana quickly recovered. By the time the effect of "Crossing Lifelong" wore off, his mana had already regained nearly half, and he turned over and stood up, ready to express his gratitude. Nie Caizhu cast "Crossing Lifelong" again and, without waiting for its effect, immediately shot toward the next array eye. "I must also support other places. Daoist Yan, take care," the Mirror Fiend said to Master Yan before transforming into a blue figure and flying into the surrounding silver starlight. The two doppelgangers of Master Yan gradually dissipated and disappeared shortly after. Master Yan stared at the vanishing doppelgangers with flickering thoughts. For most monks, using the Mirror Fiend¡¯s divine ability to create avatars could at best slightly increase their combat strength, and its overall significance was rather limited. However, this was not the case for Master Yan. The prohibition on Yanyi armors differs greatly from typical magical treasures. It has a unique master-recognition trait that, when controlled, only accepts a single Divine Soul Crystal Thread and refuses to respond to others. This ensures the safety of the Yanyi armors, preventing external influences during operations. However, this trait has a downside. Once used by a particular Yan master, the armor¡¯s power depends entirely on the master and cannot be commandeered by others. The Mirror Fiend¡¯s doppelgangers, just now, had Divine Soul traits identical to Master Yan¡¯s, which astonishingly allowed them to influence the Sixteen Buddhas Yanzhen. The power a Yanyi armor can wield depends, on one hand, on the master¡¯s control skills, and on the other, on the master¡¯s soul strength. Since external assistance is futile, every bit of soul strength is extraordinarily precious to Yan masters. Master Yan could sense that the soul strength of those two mirror-image doppelgangers was roughly one-tenth of his own. If he could gain an extra 20% of soul strength and use it properly, he could enhance the power of the Sixteen Buddhas Yanzhen by half. Moreover, judging by the Mirror Fiend¡¯s earlier display, creating two doppelgangers was clearly not her limit. If more doppelgangers could be summoned, he might be able to multiply the power of the Yanyi armors several times over. "I heard Shen Luo mention that the Mirror Fiend is his spiritual pet. Such a shame..." Master Yan¡¯s expression shifted, and he sighed softly. He immediately rallied his spirits and continued guarding the array eye. ... At the array eye Lu Huaming was guarding, blue, yellow, and blood-colored figures intertwined in fierce combat. The forms and appearances of the combatants were indiscernible amidst the chaos, overshadowed by deafening sounds of clashing. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The fierce battle abruptly ceased as the blood-colored figure fell from mid-air. The figure was Su Xiao, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his body tainted with multiple wounds, appearing battered and exhausted. Opposite him, two silhouettes emerged¡ªit was Lu Huaming and the Sky Fiend Corpse King. "Judging by Your Excellency¡¯s aura, you seem to be a master of the Corpse Demon lineage. Why are you assisting these human cultivators?" Su Xiao asked with a grim expression, his voice thunderous. The Sky Fiend Corpse King ignored him, transforming into a yellow shadow and launching another attack. The Turn Sky Seal spun rapidly, expanding to the size of a palace, crashing down like a descending meteor. On the side, Lu Huaming transformed back into a state of "wrath," his face enraged as he drove Frost Cold Nine Realms forward. Azure sword qi twisted like dragons and snakes, unleashing countless blue sword shadows that blanketed the heavens, surging toward Su Xiao like an endless sword curtain. "Since you seek death, I shall oblige!" Su Xiao¡¯s eyes flashed with fury as blood radiated from his body. He unleashed all the demon power within him and the power of the Fox Ancestor obtained through ancestral reversion. Blood shimmered in his eyes as seven blood-colored fox tails appeared behind him. Each tail emitted horrifying waves of demon power. Su Xiao formed incantations with both hands, causing the seven blood-colored fox tails to transform into seven massive crimson arms, which simultaneously struck viciously at the Sky Fiend Corpse King and Lu Huaming. The void ahead of the two roared as seven blood-colored giant palms, each as large as a mountain, appeared out of thin air. They collided fiercely with the Turn Sky Seal and the boundless sword shadows. After a cataclysmic explosion, the myriad sword shadows dissipated entirely. Lu Huaming, along with his sword, was hurled away, while the Turn Sky Seal remained steadfast, locked in a stalemate with the seven giant palms. Waves of red blood glow clashed violently. Su Xiao¡¯s lips curled into a conspiratorial sneer as his hand seals changed. The seven blood-colored giant palms suddenly exploded, transforming into six blinding spheres of blood light which then merged together. Amidst thunderous echoes, a bloody vortex appeared out of nowhere. Enveloping the Turn Sky Seal, it expanded to several acres in size. The Sky Fiend Corpse King hurried to summon the Turn Sky Seal back. However, the bloody vortex rotated like rolling tides, releasing a colossal force that firmly imprisoned the Turn Sky Seal, rendering it immovable. "Without that seal, let¡¯s see what tricks you have left!" Su Xiao laughed manically, his expression faintly deranged. The seven blood-colored palms behind him clenched into fists, slamming furiously into the void toward the Sky Fiend Corpse King. Above the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s head, blood light flickered, and seven house-sized blood fists suddenly materialized, crashing downward. A torrential force descended from the skies, pressing the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s body down. The nearby void twisted slightly, emitting resounding hums as if it was about to collapse. The Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s eyes flashed with peculiar light as his bent body suddenly emitted a layer of sparkling yellow radiance. In the next instant, his figure became ethereal, passing straight through one of the blood fists and shooting rapidly toward Su Xiao. "Voidization Divine Power!" Su Xiao raised an eyebrow, a hint of disdain appearing at the corner of his mouth as he formed seals with both hands. The seven arms behind him glowed and reverted into fox tails, each shooting a thick beam of blood light that merged into one, forming a massive blood-colored light group that fell into his hands. Su Xiao also spat out a mouthful of blood flames that melded into the blood-colored light group, causing it to rumble and condense into a blood-colored demon spear several meters long. The spear burned with blood-colored flames, existing precariously between the real and the illusory. Its tip split into two, each engraved with a ferocious fox head, exuding an eerie malevolence. Su Xiao¡¯s expression turned savage. With a flick of his wrist, the blood-colored demon spear let out a piercing shriek and shot forward. The blood light flashed, and the grotesque spear appeared before the Sky Fiend Corpse King with lightning speed, stabbing downward. Behind the Sky Fiend Corpse King, golden light sparkled as golden wings emerged from nowhere, radiating dazzlingly and instantly vanishing from the spot, leaving the demon spear to strike empty air. "Heavenly Assassin Golden Wings!" Su Xiao exclaimed in surprise, then quickly opened his mouth to emit a sharp screech. The blood-colored demon spear spun rapidly, returning to him like a flash. But the Sky Fiend Corpse King moved faster, materializing behind Su Xiao and unleashing five streaks of golden claws with devastatingly sharp energy aimed at Su Xiao¡¯s head. The golden wings also fired countless sword-like golden rays, enveloping Su Xiao¡¯s body entirely. Chapter 1730 - 1726: The Defeat is Set Chapter 1730: Chapter 1726: The Defeat is SetSu Xiao faced the ambush from the Sky Fiend Corpse King and though he lost the initiative, he showed not the slightest panic. Behind him, seven blood-red fox tails danced violently, sweeping away the golden claws and golden light entirely. Swish swish! Two fox tails shot out like venomous dragons from a cave, ablaze with blood-colored flames, tightly wrapping around the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s body and firmly restraining him. The Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s Voidization Divine Power proved completely ineffective in the face of the fox tail¡¯s blood flames. At that moment, the blood-colored Demon Spear shot back like a streak. Su Xiao grabbed it firmly, an ominous glint flashing in his eyes. With a whirl, the Blood Demon Spear turned into a fleeting shadow, driving fiercely toward the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s head. Just then, a piercing sword whistle echoed. A streak of blue sword light swept in, driven by the Frost Cold Nine Provinces Divine Sword under Lu Huaming¡¯s control, who had just been repelled. However, it was clearly too late. Lu Huaming¡¯s gaze turned fierce. He opened his mouth and spat out a mass of essence blood and vitality, blending it into the Frost Cold Nine Provinces. The sword light of Frost Cold Nine Provinces suddenly erupted with brilliance, its speed soaring by nearly half. In the blink of an eye, it arrived in front of Su Xiao. The sword body trembled lightly due to its extreme velocity, carrying an inexhaustible aura of earth-shattering determination and slashing toward Su Xiao¡¯s neck. Su Xiao¡¯s face darkened. The Blood Demon Spear in his hand quivered slightly, releasing a blood-colored spear shadow that intercepted Frost Cold Nine Provinces. Meanwhile, the radiance on the Blood Demon Spear dimmed considerably and continued to spear toward the Sky Fiend Corpse King like lightning. The Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s expression remained impassive. He opened his mouth, spitting out a green saber streak tinged with blood light, which collided fiercely with the Blood Demon Spear. "Crack." A soft sound resounded as the Blood Demon Spear shattered into two pieces. The green saber shadow did not slow; instead, it accelerated further, slicing past Su Xiao¡¯s neck. At the same moment, Lu Huaming¡¯s Frost Cold Nine Provinces met the blood-colored spear shadow. Contrary to expectation, there was no earth-shaking explosion¡ªthe blood-colored spear shadow dissolved into a drifting mass of blood light. Lu Huaming¡¯s expression froze for a moment, but then he saw Su Xiao¡¯s head tilt and fall, lifeless and devoid of it breath. The green saber light returned to the Sky Fiend Corpse King¡¯s hand, manifesting as the Hongming Saber. Su Xiao, a Taiyi existence, possessed immensely enriched essence blood and divine soul. The Hongming Saber absorbed his essence blood and divine soul, its blade radiating an augmented blood glow that almost submerged half its body. The aura of death surrounding the saber surged dramatically. The Hongming Saber emitted an excited hum, green saber light pulsating and interweaving with threads of blood light, exuding a horrifying sense as though it sought living souls to devour. Lu Huaming sensed the aura emanating from the Hongming Saber, furrowing his brows and retreating several yards in a flash. The Sky Fiend Corpse King seemed utterly indifferent to the fiendish blade in his hand, flipping it to sever Su Xiao¡¯s right arm. Under the entwining blood glow, Su Xiao¡¯s right arm instantly shriveled and turned into a skeletal fragment, shocking Lu Huaming once again. The Sky Fiend Corpse King paid it no heed. He removed a white jade ring from the skeletal hand, then summoned the Turn Sky Seal, which transformed into a golden shadow and vanished into the surrounding silver light. ... With the deaths of Su Xiao, Elder Hei Li, and other fox clan elites one after another, the pressure on the array eye significantly decreased. Shen Luo saw this and finally allowed his tense heart to relax. Just a little while longer to hold on, and once the Sky Fiend Corpse King, Nie Caizhu, Mirror Fiend, and other invading True Immortal fox clan members were all slain, the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s defeat would be inevitable. Although Tu Shanxue possessed formidable strength, her descent into madness posed little considerable threat. With Shen Luo¡¯s current divine powers, he had confidence in holding off even longer if necessary. But at that moment, a mass of black light abruptly emerged from the center of Tu Shanxue¡¯s forehead, releasing a devouring force that swiftly consumed the blood hue in her eyes. Her gaze regained clarity soon after. Shen Luo¡¯s face displayed astonishment as he observed the scene. "What just happened?" Tu Shanxue murmured to herself, suddenly realizing something as her gaze shifted to her palm. There, over a dozen blood-colored light spots flickered, though most had already dimmed lifelessly. "Elder Su Xiao, Elder Hei Li have fallen? Impossible!" Tu Shanxue exclaimed sharply. "Nothing is impossible. The Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s defeat is foregone. Surrender now!" Shen Luo¡¯s figure lunged forward, descending countless staff shadows overhead. Tu Shanxue raised her gaze sharply, the light radiating from her nine blood-red fox tails intensifying. At the fringes of the fox tails, blade-like blood light emerged, appearing indestructible. She formed a hand seal and pointed, making the nine fox tails blur in an instant, then transform into ten, then a hundred, before erupting into thousands of blood-tinged phantoms, sweeping violently in all directions. A cacophony of crackling explosions rang out, as all the staff shadows were shattered entirely, and Shen Luo himself was struck by several blood-tinged phantoms, knocked down to the ground and sent staggering backward. His gaze darkened; with clarity restored, Tu Shanxue indeed grew far more difficult to contend with. Shen Luo activated his divine powers, flashes of black and golden light coursing over his body, stabilizing his stance immediately. His feet erupted in thunderous light as he prepared to leap skyward, but his arm suddenly grew heavy. A fox tail had emerged from beneath the ground, tightly coiling around the Profound Yellow Staff. Shen Luo gasped in shock, urgently attempting to pull it back, only to find the Profound Yellow Staff seemingly fused with the fox tail, utterly immovable despite his current strength. A streak of blood light flashed across his field of vision, and Tu Shanxue suddenly appeared like a ghost, her blood-colored palm striking toward his chest. Before her palm even landed, a terrifying force descended upon him, constricting his breath and causing the surrounding void to hum ominously. Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted repeatedly; he paused his footstep, and a blood-colored banner manifested before him¡ªthe Blood Essence Banner¡ªwhich unfurled with a snap, forming a thickly layered blood-colored light curtain, with innumerable wave-like phantoms flickering across its surface. Tu Shanxue¡¯s palm collided with the Blood Essence Banner, resulting in a resounding "boom." The blood-colored light curtain sank deeply inward, the phantom waves trembling uncontrollably and emitting intense rattling sounds, straining precariously. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Witnessing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression relaxed slightly, his lips moved silently as he chanted incessantly. The nine Pure Yang Swords surrounding him instantly fused into one, creating an enormous red giant sword spanning dozens of meters, its blade encircled by flames of various colors. It descended fiercely toward the fox tail constraining the Profound Yellow Staff. A symphony of sword whistles erupted in the surrounding void, the flames on the sword colliding explosively with thunderous reverberation, displaying an overwhelming aura of devastation. With a sharp "rip," the blood fox tail was severed cleanly, freeing the Profound Yellow Staff. Yet the Flame Giant Sword did not pause, continuing its trajectory toward Tu Shanxue¡¯s striking arm. Tu Shanxue¡¯s expression tightened. Her other hand released the Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan and clenched into a fist. Blood light burst forth, and in an instant, her fist collided with the Flame Giant Sword. "Boom!" A blood-red sun appeared mid-air, luminous beyond belief, accompanied by distinct waves of shock ripples. The Flame Giant Sword was struck into retreat, shattering back into nine flying swords, their gleams dimmed significantly. Shen Luo felt an immense shock travel from the nine Pure Yang Swords to his body, mingled with eerie reverberations. His entire body trembled violently, internal organs felt as if punctured by countless needles, and blood seeped out from all seven facial orifices, blurring his five senses. He hastily retreated, activating the Huangdi Neijing. The excruciating pain within him dissipated swiftly, restoring his senses to normalcy. Chapter 1731 - 1727: The Black Patterns Chapter 1731: Chapter 1727: The Black Patterns"To think you could withstand my Wave-shaking Sacred Fist!" Tu Shanxue¡¯s face showed surprise, but she swiftly pursued him. In the blink of an eye, she caught up with Shen Luo and fiercely swung the Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan. A roaring sound erupted instantly, countless white wind blades swept across the sky, shredding all the surrounding light of the Six-Gate Golden Lock Array, surging forward like a raging tide. Shen Luo stood with the Array Eye behind him not far away, unable to retreat further. His right hand flared with blue light, and the Indigo Cold Realm manifested with a flash. The white wind blades entered the Indigo Cold Realm and were mostly frozen immediately. However, the formidable power contained within them was astonishing; they did not cease entirely and continued shooting forward, slicing into the Indigo Cold Realm. The entire Indigo Cold Realm flickered crazily with blue light, trembling violently as if it couldn¡¯t hold out any longer. "The power of the Fox Ancestor is truly formidable. On my own, I really can¡¯t match it," Shen Luo, already exhausted of strategies, sighed inwardly. He retreated into the Array Eye, pulling back the Indigo Cold Realm along with him. "You won¡¯t escape!" Tu Shanxue immediately chased after him. The white light of the Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan flared as she swung it with fierce force again. A large swath of white wind blades shot out once more, shrieking as they hurtled toward their target. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze remained calm as he waved his sleeve forward. A deafening thunderclap exploded before him as a colossal armor appeared¡ªit was none other than the Destruction Mingwang. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Sun Battle Axe flared with fiery light, forming a sea of fire dozens of feet wide. As the giant axe cleaved downward, it collided with the incoming white wind blades. Amid the continuous booming sounds, most of the white wind blades were shattered like dry twigs. The rest were consumed by the sea of fire. The remaining force of the Sun Battle Axe did not diminish, and it continued slashing toward the onrushing Tu Shanxue, tearing open a lengthy crack in the void. "A Heavenly Venerable-level armor!" Sensing the aura of Destruction Mingwang, Tu Shanxue halted, her expression growing serious. Nine blood-red fox tails lashed out again, clashing head-on with the Sun Battle Axe. Boom¡ªboom¡ªboom! A series of earth-shattering explosions reverberated, causing violent ripples in the void, which seemed as if it might entirely collapse any moment. Waves of storms swept outward. Shen Luo, forming a hand seal, withdrew the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power and flew into the control chamber within the chest of Destruction Mingwang. His brow emitted crystalline light that fused into the surrounding walls. Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes surged with purple lightning as massive bolts of thunder shot through the void, striking Tu Shanxue. Tu Shanxue hadn¡¯t anticipated that Destruction Mingwang possessed this kind of divine power. She attempted to cast a spell in defense but was too late. Blood light rolled and surged across her body, forming a blood-colored light curtain ahead. Yet the Destroyer Lightning effortlessly tore through the blood-colored light curtain, slamming into Tu Shanxue and creating a forest of purple lightning that engulfed her completely. The surrounding void buzzed and trembled intensely, as if on the brink of destruction and collapse. Tu Shanxue¡¯s figure was nowhere to be seen, seemingly turned to ash. But at that moment, two beams of light burst from within the lightning forest: one was a dark blood light, and the other was a shimmering pink light, blending together to form a light domain hundreds of feet wide. Within the two-colored light domain, the blood light barely flickered, while the pink light coalesced into countless dreamy illusions, rotating like kaleidoscopes, mesmerizing the soul. The awe-inspiring lightning forest rapidly dissipated within the two-colored light domain, vanishing completely within a few breaths. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank, alarms blaring in his mind as he immediately controlled Destruction Mingwang to retreat backward. The light domain ahead suddenly surged in brilliance, doubling in size and enveloping Destruction Mingwang within. Destruction Mingwang felt as though he had sunk into a swamp, unable to move. Inside the armor, Shen Luo¡¯s vision blurred, bombarded by endless illusions. Even his powerful soul struggled to resist. At the critical moment, Shen Luo quickly operated the Suppressing God Technique from Mountain Buzhou. In his mind, the soul power condensed into the spectral outline of Mountain Buzhou, causing the illusions to promptly disperse. He formed a hand seal and pointed forward. Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes once again unleashed scorching bolts of thunder, striking at the surrounding pink domain, scattering much of the two-colored domain and reducing its binding force significantly. Destruction Mingwang¡¯s body radiated intense light as it flew backward, seemingly about to escape entirely, when three pink fox tails shot out from the depths of the domain, instantly reaching beside him and wrapping around his body. A long green blade suddenly appeared, streaked with threads of blood light, radiating terrifying murderous intent as it slashed down onto the three fox tails. With a soft tearing sound, the three fox tails were severed cleanly, allowing Destruction Mingwang to shoot out of the two-colored light domain, landing a hundred feet away. The figure of Sky Fiend Corpse King appeared beside the green blade light, grasping the light, which transformed into a streak that fused into Destruction Mingwang and merged with Shen Luo¡¯s body. Shen Luo retrieved the Hongming Knife, its radiating murderous aura causing his brows to knit. Just then, the two-colored light domain ahead gradually dissipated, revealing a tall figure¡ªit was Tu Shanxue. Her body emitted strips of pink light intertwined with the previous blood light, her aura now far more immense, though her complexion had paled significantly. "Very well. I didn¡¯t expect your armor to be this strong, forcing me to elevate the power of Fox Ancestor to its limits and risk forcibly merging it with my bloodline! Fortunately, the Ancestors protected me, allowing me to succeed. Now that the power of Fox Ancestor is completely mine, I¡¯ll make you the first offering to its strength!" Tu Shanxue spoke coldly as the two-colored light flared around her body. An aura far surpassing what had come before erupted. Even the silver starlight within the Great Formation could not defend against it. Within the Six-Gate Golden Lock Array, everyone felt this terrifying aura, their expressions changing. For the Human Race, faces turned solemn, while the Fox Clan erupted in joy. "That¡¯s from Cousin¡¯s side..." Nie Caizhu, not far from Shen Luo, immediately shot toward the source of the aura. Shen Luo¡¯s expression turned grave as he controlled the Destruction Mingwang to retreat backward, frantically thinking of a strategy. At that same moment, an anguished scream suddenly sounded ahead. The two-colored light on Tu Shanxue began to violently clash and dim simultaneously. Her aura similarly waned quickly, her figure collapsing to the ground. "How is this possible? I clearly had complete control over the power of Fox Ancestor. Why...why is this happening?" Tu Shanxue roared in disbelief. Inside and outside Xiangyang Town, the blood light on the Fox Clan members rapidly dimmed, their aura diminishing sharply, leaving them fatigued. Shen Luo stared in astonishment, halting Destruction Mingwang, unsure of what had occurred. A streak of golden light suddenly shot over, revealing Nie Caizhu¡¯s figure. Her delicate face also showed surprise at the scene. At this moment, an abrupt change transpired on the battlefield. No one had noticed that a black formation pattern had silently appeared beneath Tu Shanxue¡¯s feet, emanating waves of spatial fluctuations. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze flickered as he noticed this and hastily pursued her. But black light had already shot upward from the array on the ground, enveloping Tu Shanxue¡¯s body. Before Shen Luo could get closer, Tu Shanxue¡¯s figure vanished from the spot, and the black charm patterns on the ground ignited suddenly, turning to ash in an instant, leaving no trace behind. Chapter 1732 - 1728: Utilization Chapter 1732: Chapter 1728: UtilizationAlmost simultaneously, atop the mountain behind Qingqiu City, a black light array shot into the sky from the Fox Ancestor Altar, and Tu Shanxue¡¯s figure emerged from within. The moment she appeared, Tu Shanxue saw Chief Strategist You Su standing not far outside the array, silver rod in hand. Evidently, it was she who had used the teleportation array to summon her back here. "Great Elder, you..." Tu Shanxue had just opened her mouth to speak, but before she could finish, several red chains abruptly shot up from the ground around her, binding her wrists and ankles. Red light shimmered on the chains, and a thin layer of intricate charm patterns surfaced. They emanated waves of prohibitive energy. Tu Shanxue struggled instinctively, but immediately, a crackling sound burst from the chains. Dark red lightning surged out of them and struck her body relentlessly. "Ah..." Tu Shanxue¡¯s eyes widened in an instant, so wide they seemed about to tear. The electric currents felt as if they pierced through her muscles and bones, even her internal organs seared with unbearable pain. When the excruciating pain subsided, the little remaining strength in her body seemed to be sealed. She collapsed weakly onto the ground. "You Sufin, why are you here?! What are you trying to do by restraining me?" Tu Shanxue demanded angrily. Hearing this, Chief Strategist You Su hesitated for a moment. It had been many years since anyone called her by that name. Today, it came from the lips of a junior. She didn¡¯t seem bothered, instead she chuckled and said: "Little Xue, after all, you are just a cultivator at the True Immortal Stage. Your capacity to bear the power of the Ancestor is limited, and the influence you can wield is equally constrained. It¡¯s better if you transfer this power to me. I will fulfill your dream of revenge." "You old hag! If you were so eager to inherit the power, why did you give me the Fox Spirit Jade? You were using me all along?" Tu Shanxue¡¯s realization hit, and she roared in fury. "Hah! Not so foolish after all. The Ancestor¡¯s power is boundless, but the damage it wreaks on the host¡¯s body is equally devastating. Not just anyone can withstand it. Your mother and I discovered a way to summon the Fox Ancestor a century ago. We never used it, wary of the backlash. But after years of research and some outside guidance, I created the Transfer Technique," You Sufin sneered. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The Transfer Technique? You mean..." Tu Shanxue began to understand. "Precisely. First, one person inherits the power of the Fox Ancestor and endures the backlash. Then, the power is transferred to a second host. With your body serving as a filter, the primal wildness of the power is greatly mitigated before it reaches me, reducing the risk considerably." You Sufin laughed as she spoke. Tu Shanxue¡¯s heart sank. Brilliant as she was, she¡¯d long suspected that her mother¡¯s death was deeply linked to You Sufin, yet she had feigned ignorance. Inheriting the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power had been both a means to avenge herself against the sects and a strategy to take the power first, then settle the score with You Sufin. She had anticipated the problems of backlash and made preparations, yet she hadn¡¯t foreseen that all of this would fall into You Sufin¡¯s scheme. "You wish me to pave the way for you? Let¡¯s die together!" Tu Shanxue¡¯s face twisted suddenly, and a low, suppressed growl erupted from her throat. In that instant, a violent surge of power exploded from her body. The corners of her eyes sharpened to slender slits, her pupils burned crimson like blood, and her body sprouted dense fur. The signs of reverting to her ancestry became increasingly pronounced. "Hmph, don¡¯t waste your strength. You can¡¯t break free of this Restraining Array," You Sufin sneered with contempt. Raising the silver rod in her hand, she lightly pointed it into the void. A point of silver light shot out from the rod¡¯s tip and struck the altar formation. Immediately, crackling sounds erupted, and streams of purple lightning far stronger than before surged out, striking Tu Shanxue¡¯s body. Her entire figure billowed black smoke as she crumpled onto the ground once more. "All of this is for the Qingqiu Fox Clan; you should understand," You Sufin said calmly as she slowly stepped toward the altar. She stopped before Tu Shanxue, her gaze turning icy. A low chanting sound began to echo from her lips. As her incantation continued, the surrounding stone pillars and the central Fox Ancestor Statue on the altar began to radiate light. Yet this time, no phantom of the fox clan appeared. "Come now, entrust the Fox Clan¡¯s future to me," You Sufin declared. She raised the silver rod in her hand and pressed it against Tu Shanxue¡¯s forehead. In the next moment, a light array shot skyward from the altar. The power of the Fox Ancestor within Tu Shanxue gushed out like a broken dam, pouring into You Sufin through the radiance of the silver rod. You Sufin raised her head and let out an ecstatic, piercing howl. The vast and ocean-like power surged into her dantian, her body radiating bursts of flickering light. Her aura swelled rapidly and relentlessly. At the same time, the eyes of the Fox Ancestor Statue flashed with red light, and its gaping mouth seemed to display a voiceless, eerie smile. A red energy wave expanded from the altar at astonishing speed. On the battlefield in Xiangyang Town, the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s strength plummeted suddenly. The sect cultivators, though uncertain of the cause, seized the opportunity to launch a counterattack. The Qingqiu Fox Clan suffered defeat after defeat and were swiftly driven out of Xiangyang Town. Pei Min, Lu Huaming, and others sensed the anomaly in Tu Shanxue¡¯s power and immediately gave the order to pursue. The sect cultivators unleashed the Six-Gate Golden Lock Array in unison, charging directly into the Fox Clan¡¯s forces. The Sky Fiend Corpse King and others wreaked havoc among the ranks, leaving only seven or eight True Immortal cultivators in the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Severely weakened and losing their reversion power, they could not withstand the onslaught, leading to scenes of relentless slaughter and bloodshed. In mere moments, the Qingqiu Fox Clan lost twenty percent of their army. "Don¡¯t stop! Exterminate all of these foxes!" Pei Min roared as he drew the greatsword from his back¡ªan enormous green blade. Its dazzling emerald light enveloped him as he charged recklessly into the Fox Clan¡¯s forces. Each of his sword strikes unleashed hundreds of streaks of Sword Qi, each as vivid and green as flowing water. In the air, they congealed into a dozen or so massive green lotuses the size of houses. The Sword Lotuses possessed immense binding power, freezing everything in their range. The air itself seemed to harden like steel. The Qingqiu Fox Clan members within were left bleeding from all seven orifices, their bodies involuntarily drawn toward the Sword Lotuses only to be shredded into blood mist by the merciless Sword Qi. "The Heavenly Sword Technique! It¡¯s the Divine Art of the Sword Immortal Li Taibai from the Previous Dynasty!" Lu Huaming, detaching himself from the array eye in pursuit, watched the scene from afar, his face alight with excitement. He held nothing back, casting every divine ability of the Great Tang Dynasty Government against the Fox Clan army, raising waves of carnage. Seven Kills, Master Yan, and Jiang Shentian also exited the array to join the pursuit, each unleashing their full strength. Surveying the carnage before him, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s expression showed a trace of pity as he softly murmured a Buddhist mantra under his breath. Chapter 1733 - 1729 Conspiracy Chapter 1733: Chapter 1729 Conspiracy"Brother Bai, do not harbor any misplaced compassion. At this point, the Qingqiu Fox Clan and us have become irreconcilable enemies. If we fail to annihilate them today, our sects, and possibly the entire Human Race, will face their bloody revenge in the future!" Lu Huaming¡¯s cold voice rang out. Bai Xiaotian was taken aback by these words and fell silent. At that moment, waves of blood-red ripples emanated from Qingqiu Mountain Peak. The declining aura of the Qingqiu Fox Clan stabilized entirely, then surged again. "Kill!" The Qingqiu Fox Clan roared furiously, launching a desperate counterattack against the allied forces. However, the reversion phenomenon on their bodies grew increasingly severe. Many Fox Clan monks had completely transformed into Fox Demons, using sharp claws and fangs to viciously tear and bite, resembling wild beasts that feasted on raw flesh and blood. Their offensive was even fiercer than before. Lu Huaming, Seven Kills, and others were shocked, hurriedly ordering the disciples of the various sects to switch to a defensive formation, ensuring stability without falling into a disadvantage. ... On the altar atop Qingqiu Mountain, You Suzhen¡¯s power continued to grow. The fox fur on Tu Shanxue¡¯s body began to recede gradually, her appearance slowly restoring to its original form, though her eyes still burned with intense blood-red light. Yet, at this very moment, a green light suddenly flashed behind her. A short ruler abruptly tore through the void, bringing two figures to appear out of nowhere. "Shen Luo..." You Suzhen immediately spotted Shen Luo, who had materialized seemingly out of thin air, and her expression changed sharply. When Shen Luo saw the scene before him, a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes. He was somewhat puzzled¡ªwhy were they fighting amongst themselves? Earlier, while battling Tu Shanxue, he had already planted a Shrinking Earth Ruler mark on her. When she disappeared suddenly, he suspected a change of circumstances and hurriedly brought Nie Caizhu along to pursue her. Unexpectedly, the sight before him was something completely unforeseen. Nonetheless, regardless of his surprise, Shen Luo could clearly tell that whatever You Suzhen was scheming, it was undoubtedly sinister. "Destroy the array!" He transmitted the message to Nie Caizhu, and with the crackle of thunder from the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots under his feet, he disappeared instantly, only to reappear behind You Suzhen in the next moment. A golden sword rainbow slashed down upon her. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Behind Nie Caizhu, spiritual light flashed as two pairs of wings¡ªone golden and one white¡ªmanifested. The Ruo Mu Divine Bow appeared in her hand, and a massive golden arrow whistled forth, targeting the dark red chains extending from the ground. At that moment, the void rippled behind You Suzhen, and three grey-clothed individuals leapt out. One of them wielded a dark green longsword, blocking the crimson sword rainbow with a resounding clang. Another swung an arm, releasing a snake-shaped white streak of light that shot forth¡ªa white snakebone soft whip. In a flash of movement quicker than lightning, it struck Shen Luo. The last surged past Shen Luo outright, abruptly flashing before Nie Caizhu. His right hand blurred into a shadow, unexpectedly grasping the golden giant arrow. His left hand struck forth into the void, launching a massive black fist shadow that flickered into sight. "Bang!" "Bang!" Two loud sounds echoed as Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu were both sent flying, landing near the altar¡¯s right side, almost pressed against the mountain wall. However, before they could steady themselves, green light suddenly flared beneath their feet. Deadly fox spirit evil ghosts erupted from the underground, lunging madly toward the duo. Shen Luo seized Nie Caizhu¡¯s wrist with one hand while gripping the golden sword rainbow with the other. With a sweep through the air, the sword released bursts of golden flames ten feet long, instantly exterminating nearly a hundred fox spirits. Nie Caizhu also summoned the Kunlun Mirror, projecting a black light wall behind them that blocked the incoming fox spirit evil ghosts. "Hurry away! Chief Strategist You has set prohibitions here!" Two figures, one red and one black, emerged from the ground¡ªit was Fire Spirit Child and Zhao Feiji. After saying this, Fire Spirit Child immediately flew into Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve and entered the Carefree Mirror. Zhao Feiji did not enter the mirror. Instead, he pulled out the Dragon-Burying Flute and began to play. The sharp, piercing sound of the flute filled the air, causing the surrounding fox spirit evil ghosts to suddenly freeze in place. They then turned en masse to rush toward You Suzhen. The Dragon-Burying Flute¡ªits power to control ghostly entities! Shen Luo grabbed Zhao Feiji and placed him into the Qiankun Bag without bothering to look at how You Suzhen would counter. The light from the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots beneath his feet flickered, and the two soared into mid-air, prepared to flee far away. But just then, green light surged from the ground, and a colossal humanoid fox spirit emerged, standing twenty or thirty feet tall, resembling a small mountain. It radiated eerie light that swept across the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots. The thunderous glow on the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots vanished completely, as if melting snow exposed to the sun. The enormous fox spirit opened its mouth and let out a sharp screech, effortlessly drowning out the sound of the Dragon-Burying Flute. All the controlled fox spirit evil ghosts instantly reawakened and fused with the massive fox spirit. In the blink of an eye, they formed a tough, impenetrable array¡ªthe Wanhu Extinguishing Formation¡ªtrapping Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu at its center. "This is..." Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted when he saw the visage of the fox spirit. On the ground, Tu Shanxue, who was already powerless to resist, suddenly burst into tears, for the fox spirit was none other than her mother¡ªthe Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. "This woman is utterly despicable! The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom had already perished, yet her soul was forcibly bound to perform the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation. Now, there¡¯s no chance for her to reincarnate or transcend!" Nie Caizhu remarked sorrowfully upon seeing this. "Using the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom¡¯s soul as the primary spirit, this array will be nearly impossible to break." At this moment, Shen Luo had no time to sympathize with others¡ªhe was consumed with worry about their predicament. If You Suzhen successfully acquired the ancestral fox power, the consequences would be unimaginable. He immediately activated the Shrinking Earth Ruler to forcibly breach the array¡¯s space and escape. Just then, the three grey-clothed individuals chased after them once more, simultaneously opening their palms. Each held a dark red crystal skull that shot forth, encircling the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation. The three crystal skulls glimmered with sinister light, emitting an aura of dark red brilliance that enveloped the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation like a mantle. At the moment of contact, the two began to merge seamlessly. The Shrinking Earth Ruler¡¯s radiance flashed briefly before extinguishing entirely. Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted slightly¡ªspace had been completely sealed, preventing the ruler from breaking free. "Thank you, Daoist friends. Going forward, the Fox Clan will unite with you to pursue our shared grand ambitions." You Suzhen, seeing this, relaxed completely and expressed her gratitude. "You Su Daoist, you¡¯re too kind. As allies, such words are unnecessary. Besides, we¡¯ve long awaited the chance to kill these two. Once we slay them, the treasures they carry must belong to us." One of the grey-clothed individuals spoke, her voice unmistakably feminine. "Naturally." You Suzhen instantly agreed. The three grey-clothed individuals nodded without further commentary, their eyes fixed on the array suspended in mid-air. Within the massive formation, the fox spirit evil ghosts swirled around Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu like fish swimming in water. Although devoid of sentience, they instinctively feared Shen Luo¡¯s Pure Yang Sword along with the True Solar Fire it bore. Chapter 1734 - 1730: No Retreat Left Chapter 1734: Chapter 1730: No Retreat LeftAt this moment, You Sufin was busy fully concentrating on absorbing the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power from Tu Shanxue¡¯s body, leaving no time to control the Fox Spirit Evil Ghosts within the great formation to attack. The task of killing Shen Luo was completely entrusted to the three grey-clothed men. The three men simultaneously formed magic seals with their hands, pointed distantly into the void, and each began activating their respective Crystal Skulls. Blood-red light surged intensely from the skulls, while black vortexes swirled within their eye sockets, seemingly ignited with black demon fire inside. Shen Luo paid no heed to the actions of the three grey-clothed men. A flash of light appeared before him, revealing the destructive Mingwang Yan Armor. Its Eyes of World Destruction glowed purple, condensing into tangible purple lightning bolts that burst forth and blasted directly toward the array barrier. "Boom!" A deafening explosion rang out! The colossal lightning struck the inner walls of the array barrier, obliterating numerous fox spirits along the way. However, the restraining array merely trembled violently and showed no signs of breaking. Shen Luo¡¯s heart tightened. His right hand, gripping the Pure Yang Sword, moved again. Eight flying swords shot out, merging with the Pure Yang Sword in his hand. Crimson sword light immediately burst forth and intensified several times in radiance. In his other hand, a green shadow flickered as he retrieved the Hongming Saber, intending to launch slashing strikes while simultaneously having the Destructive Mingwang attack again, hoping to breach the array¡¯s barrier. But just then, the black vortexes within the eye sockets of the three Crystal Skulls erupted with billowing black flames, which penetrated through two layers of the merging formation in an instant, surging toward them. Within the flames, Shen Luo smelled a familiar Chiyou aura and was alarmed, realizing that this demon fire was extraordinary. The demon fire surged forth, encountering the Fox Spirit Evil Ghosts within the formation. Instead of burning through them, it clung to their bodies, adorning them with a layer of demon fire armor. In an instant, all the fox spirits within the great formation were clad in black demon flames. They no longer feared the Pure Yang Sword and swarmed toward Shen Luo. Seeing this, Shen Luo swung his longsword in a horizontal slash. The sword light extended tens of yards, striking the demon flame-clad fox spirits. Yet where the sword edge landed, only the foremost fox spirits were shattered by the sword light, while the ones in the rear were merely pushed back without completely dissipating. At the same time, behind him, a horde of demon flame-clad fox spirits surged toward Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu¡¯s Kunlun Mirror flashed repeatedly with black light, unleashing wave after wave of black energy that repelled many fox spirits. However, the fox spirits clad in demon flames possessed far superior speed and responsiveness compared to before. Despite the surging black energy waves, many dodged past and closed in on Nie Caizhu, their eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty hunger. "Strike!" Nie Caizhu shouted delicately. The long silk in her other hand unfurled, stirring up immortal energy and transforming into layers of colorful radiance that extended a hundredfold, entangling and throwing the Fox Spirit Evil Ghosts aside. She flicked her wrist to retract the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk, only to find that it bore multiple scorch marks. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of distress. This treasure was a gift from her master and had always been cherished. Unexpectedly, just a brief contact with the black demon flames had severely damaged the magical treasure, diminishing the spiritual aura radiating from its surface. As she fumed inwardly, Shen Luo suddenly shouted, "Watch out!" A menacing spirit with the aura of a True Immortal Peak, bearing a fox head and human body, burst out from within the black waves of light. Its body was clad in demon flame armor, wielding a long spear forged from demon flames, which pierced through two fox spirits¡¯ chests as it lunged toward Nie Caizhu¡¯s heart. Nie Caizhu used her Immortal Silk for protection, which rose instantly into the air and formed a net to block the demon flame spear. However, the spear¡¯s thrust was not only swift but also cunningly angled, piercing through the silk¡¯s defense as it aimed directly for Nie Caizhu¡¯s chest. Just then, a gilded cup appeared out of thin air in front of Nie Caizhu¡¯s chest. Its surface glimmered, and it immediately radiated dazzling golden light that enveloped Nie Caizhu entirely. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The spear struck the golden sphere formed by the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, producing a sharp screech but failing to penetrate. The fox-headed spirit stepped forward and forcefully drove its spear again, attempting to pierce through this defense. At that moment, a shadow flashed behind it, accompanied by the resonant hum of a blade. The Hongming Saber emanated green radiance, fluid like emerald waters, slicing across the spirit¡¯s back in an instant. A faint "pfft" sound followed. The blade severed the fox spirit¡¯s body, splitting it into two halves. The spirit let out a mournful cry as its bifurcated body was engulfed by the green blade¡¯s aura, swallowed entirely. The saber¡¯s presence grew increasingly menacing. "Are you okay?" Shen Luo hastily stepped in front of Nie Caizhu, his Pure Yang Sword and Hongming Saber unleashing myriad sword shadows and blade lights that slaughtered the surrounding fox spirits, clearing a large area. "I¡¯m fine, but this black flame is truly unusual. It carries a potent force of corruption and contamination. Just a brief contact has significantly eroded both my Nine Heavens Immortal Silk and your Thousand Cup Golden Goblet." Nie Caizhu frowned. Shen Luo retrieved the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet for inspection and found a section blackened. The weapons in his hands, however, remained unaffected. The Pure Yang Sword contained True Solar Fire that restrained demonic qi, and the Hongming Saber could directly devour the demon flame fox spirits. "These fox spirits are not ordinary, and the demon flames on them bear Chiyou¡¯s aura. They are highly dangerous¡ªdo not touch them!" Shen Luo warned gravely. "We need to escape quickly. If we remain trapped here until that old fox completes the inheritance, none of us will be able to leave." Nie Caizhu said anxiously. "This Wanhu Extinguishing Formation is vastly different from what we encountered before. I tried using the Eyes of World Destruction from the Destructive Mingwang Armor but failed to break through. Even the Shrinking Earth Ruler couldn¡¯t help us escape¡ªthe chances of breaking free easily seem slim." Shen Luo replied. As his words fell, hordes of fox spirits clad in demon flames surged toward them again. This time, unlike their previous assault, the fox spirits advanced as a united wave, attacking like a tidal flood aiming to drown out the two with sheer numbers. The pair quickly unleashed their full power. Sword light and blade auras flashed furiously; black waves of energy surged like tides. No matter how fiercely they defended, the overwhelming assault began to overtake them. Their relentless efforts could only stave off the attack momentarily as the surrounding fox spirits pushed their encirclement tighter, leaving them with no room for escape. Nie Caizhu narrowed her eyes. The white butterfly wings on her back began to glow as she prepared to unleash her Time Divine Ability to shift the tides of the battle. "Not yet, Cai Zhu!" Shen Luo hastily stopped her and summoned the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet once more. The golden shine from the goblet expanded into a spherical curtain of light that enveloped the two, while radiating outward to repel the demon flame fox spirits. The Hongming Saber and Pure Yang Sword danced wildly, crimson flames sparking along the sword¡¯s body¡ªthe Red Lotus Karmic Fire that restrained all ghostly entities. Sword qi and blade light spread out like the opening fan of a peacock, slashing at the fox spirits nearby. Meanwhile, yellow light and dark shadows flickered as Sky Fiend Corpse King and Zhao Feiji appeared, attacking relentlessly. The corpse king spewed corpse flames from its mouth, while Zhao Feiji emitted sound waves through his flute to eliminate the fox spirits nearby. The black demon flames were blocked by the golden sphere from the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, while Shen Luo and the summoned entities attacked freely, slaughtering vast numbers of fox spirits and ghostly creatures in an instant. Chapter 1735 - 1731: Taking a Different Path Chapter 1735: Chapter 1731: Taking a Different PathNie Caizhu saw the scene before her and quickly withdrew her Time Divine Ability. Flipping her hand, she summoned the Ruo Mu Divine Bow, unleashing countless golden light arrows that roared outward, piercing the surrounding fox spirits and ghosts. Shen Luo¡¯s strategy was simple: annihilate these fox spirits with full force. Although they didn¡¯t know how many fox spirits and ghosts Master Su had gathered, if they continued slaying without restraint, no matter how many fox spirits there were, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop their rampage. At that time, the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation would naturally break. Outside the formation, three grey-clothed men saw this and their faces darkened. After exchanging quick glances with one another, their magical spells immediately transformed. The fox spirits and ghosts ceased their attacks completely, retreating swiftly and merging into the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation¡¯s light curtain. Shen Luo frowned at this sight. In that moment, black fox spirit phantoms appeared on the light curtain of the great formation. They opened their mouths and continued spewing black demon fire, launching wave after wave toward the golden light shield of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. This time, the demon fire was slightly different; it appeared much thicker and adhered firmly to the light shield as soon as it touched it. "Ssss..." Sounds of corrosion echoed repeatedly from the golden light shield, as its gleaming light was devoured. The shield¡¯s brilliance rapidly faded into darkness. Suspended mid-air, the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet also quivered continuously, darkening visibly before their eyes. Seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hand. "Swish¡ª" The sound of banners unfurling rang out as a completely purple banner rose proudly in the wind, planted firmly before him and Nie Caizhu. The banner bore a clear depiction of a snow-white skull¡ªit was none other than the Blood Essence Banner. The moment the banner struck the ground, the skull on its surface seemed to suddenly open its eyes. Two hollow sockets lit up ominously, and blood light erupted across the banner¡¯s surface. A river of blood flowed forth from the Blood Essence Banner, encircling Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, replacing the golden light shield to block the surrounding demon fire. The radiance of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet had almost completely dissipated, its previous resplendence now utterly tarnished. It fell down like a piece of stubborn, blackened iron. Shen Luo swiftly reached out to catch it, his expression remaining calm. If this magical treasure had been contaminated by any other substance, he might have found it troublesome. However, since it was corrupted by demonic qi¡ªspecifically Chiyou¡¯s demonic qi¡ªhe wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest. Summoning his thoughts, Shen Luo¡¯s mana surged within him, gathering toward the black seed in the meridians within his arm. Back at Tianyan Palace, Shen Luo had accidentally used this black seed to absorb the Chiyou¡¯s demonic qi that had stained a magical treasure. Now that the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet was similarly tainted, the black seed should theoretically counteract it again. The black seed shot out its roots, piercing into the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. Yet, it remained utterly unmoving, showing no signs of change or absorbing the demonic qi within the goblet. "How could this be?" Shen Luo¡¯s heart filled with bewilderment. Both instances involved Chiyou¡¯s demonic qi¡ªwhy was it impossible to absorb this time? At that moment, crackling sounds erupted from the surroundings as black demon fire rapidly suppressed the blood light from the Blood Essence Banner. It seemed ready to completely overwhelm it. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo had no choice but to abandon the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, focusing his attention entirely on maintaining the Blood Essence Banner. Only then did he manage to stabilize the blood light. Though the banner¡¯s quality and power far exceeded that of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, it still struggled against the pervasive corruption of the strange demon fire. While the rate of contamination had slowed, black spots continued to appear bit by bit on its surface. Shen Luo frowned deeply. The fact that the black seed couldn¡¯t absorb Chiyou¡¯s demonic qi had truly caught him off guard, and his mind raced to find a solution. Just then, Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice rang out from within the Carefree Mirror: "Young Master Shen, the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation is already nearly indestructible. At this moment, it¡¯s shrouded by the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation. Together, the two formations are nearly impossible to break. If you want to find a way out, you must sever the connection between them. Once one of them is broken, the other won¡¯t be a problem." "I know that these are merged formations and breaking their connection is essential. However, this demon fire is exceptionally foul, and the great formation is solid as iron. Without a specific countermeasure, it¡¯s extremely difficult to break," Shen Luo replied, his brow furrowed. "This demon fire, combined with the fox spirits, possesses dual attributes of strange and fierce power. Ordinary methods are ineffective. Why not try utilizing that girl¡¯s Witch Clan power?" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice suggested again. "Indeed! This demon fire possesses exceptional corrosive power against magical treasures and mana. Witchcraft power might resist it!" Shen Luo said with a nod. "Elder Fire Spirit, I have already tried earlier. Yet with my Witch Clan power, I was still unable to resist it," Nie Caizhu replied helplessly. As her voice faded, Fire Spirit Child from within the Carefree Mirror fell silent as well. After a brief pause, his voice emerged again: "Your Witch Clan power isn¡¯t weak¡ªit just lacks the force to fully counter the demon fire. Young Master Shen, don¡¯t you have the Six Chen Whip? I recall you mentioning that this weapon is the War God Whip, an ancestral artifact of the Witch Clan belonging to Di Jiang. Unlike the Kunlun Mirror, its offensive power is immense. Why not lend it to Miss Nie and see if she can draw out its embedded Witch Clan power?" "Alright." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes brightened as he decisively agreed. If the Six Chen Whip could transform into the War God Whip, with its power and the Soul Devouring Array within it, it held great potential to break the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation. With this thought in mind, Shen Luo immediately opened the Carefree Mirror space, sending Nie Caizhu and the Six Chen Whip together into the bamboo tower. Nie Caizhu worried that Shen Luo, alone, would struggle against the great formation¡¯s assault, and her emotions were restless. "Don¡¯t worry about me¡ªI can handle it. You two should hurry and try," Shen Luo reassured her, seemingly having guessed her concerns. "Alright." Nie Caizhu calmed herself and replied firmly. Inside the bamboo tower, Fire Spirit Child furrowed his brow as he approached Nie Caizhu. "Miss Nie, I¡¯ll activate the Mysterious Witch Fire inside the Netherworld Furnace to assist you. Just focus on attempting to communicate with the Six Chen Whip and try to mobilize the Witch Clan power contained within it. Understand?" Nie Caizhu silently nodded and sat cross-legged, closing her eyes to regulate her breathing. Fire Spirit Child watched and nodded in approval. Both these juniors had outstanding temperaments and could rely on one another and remain calm in the face of such dire circumstances. Without further ado, he pulled out the Gu Xuan star disk, manipulating it until a starlight-condensed formation rose within the bamboo tower. Soon after, the charm patterns on the Netherworld Furnace lit up, and a strange golden-black flame surged forth under Fire Spirit Child¡¯s chanting. Fire Spirit Child raised his hand as the Six Chen Whip, which had originally rested across Nie Caizhu¡¯s knees, floated upward and landed inside the Netherworld Furnace. "Activate the Witchcraft power within you and channel it into the Six Chen Whip," Fire Spirit Child commanded lowly. Nie Caizhu responded by spreading her five slender fingers, her palm releasing a stream of golden light that poured into the Six Chen Whip. The whip started trembling and emitted faint traces of black light from its surface. Chapter 1736 - 1732: Something’s Not Right Chapter 1736: Chapter 1732: Something¡¯s Not Right"It works! Good!" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, and he activated the Mysterious Witch Fire within the Netherworld Furnace, wrapping it tightly around the Six Chen Whip. Outside the Free and Easy Mirror, large dark spots had already emerged on the Blood Essence Banner, clearly eroded severely by Demon Fire. If this continued, it would surely follow the same fate as the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, and he waved his hand to retrieve the Blood Essence Banner. The surging Blood River immediately vanished, leaving a large wave of Demonic Flames without obstruction, which quickly surged toward him. However, Shen Luo raised his hand and pointed toward the void. Ten Pure Yang Flying Swords instantly shot forth, weaving rapidly through the air, and in the blink of an eye, they formed a Golden Sword Array, rising in mid-air like a blazing sun that enveloped Shen Luo¡¯s body. From the outside, only a ball of golden light could be seen. Within the Golden Sword Array, the Three-legged Golden Crow Sword Spirit could be faintly seen spreading its wings and spiraling. Yet, it did not actively attack the Demonic Flame Fox Spirit and instead expanded the influence of the sword light to the utmost, continuously releasing Golden Crow True Fire to burn the surroundings. "The Sword Array!" The three grey-clothed men outside saw this and their expressions darkened in unison. They immediately intensified the Demonic Array, causing more black Demonic Flames to spew forth, which rapidly coalesced into a black sea of flames, enveloping Shen Luo and the Golden Sword Array in an intense furnace-like burn. The deep rumbling sound of explosions erupted continuously. Boosted by the Golden Sword Array, the Golden Crow True Fire became significantly more potent. Though the black Demonic Flames were immensely powerful, the Golden Crow True Fire still managed to keep them entirely at bay. Moreover, the blazing heat of the Golden Crow Flames, imbued with Pure Yang Power, burned away much of the corruptive Demonic Qi within the black flames and greatly slowed their erosion of the Golden Sword Array compared to before. Seeing this, Shen Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief and sent both the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner into a bamboo house within the Free and Easy Mirror. This was his designated place to store the Blood Claw Stab and the Demonslaying Divine Sword. The Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner appeared next to the Demonslaying Divine Sword. As Shen Luo¡¯s thoughts activated, two streams of golden thunder surged from the Demonslaying Divine Sword and struck the two treasures. A roaring peal of thunder exploded, and the golden electric light dissipated. The Demonic Qi on the two treasures was greatly weakened, and they began to emit pure spiritual light once more. "Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder truly lives up to its reputation as the bane of all Demonic Qi. It works marvelously!" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up as he continued to activate the Demonslaying Divine Sword, launching two additional streams of golden thunder that further dissipated the Demonic Qi from the treasures significantly. After seven or eight consecutive blasts of thunder, the Demonic Qi on the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner had nearly entirely scattered. However, the Demonslaying Divine Sword, which had just been pieced back together, had not yet fully restored its internal vitality. The repeated activation of Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder had dimmed the sword¡¯s golden light considerably, as well as the golden light shield encasing the Blood Claw Stab. Shen Luo¡¯s expression darkened as he observed this, yet he did not halt his actions. He intended to continue summoning Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Thunder to fully purge the Demonic Qi within the two treasures. At that very moment, an unexpected anomaly occurred! A radiant blood light suddenly burst from the Blood Claw Stab within the golden light shield, as if it had come alive. The Blood Claw Stab emitted rippling halos of indistinct light, and a power of invisible suction pulsed forth, pulling the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner into the air to revolve around it. Soon after, an extraordinary spectacle unfolded. The final traces of Demonic Qi within the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner began to strip away on their own, transforming into coiling black silk threads that wriggled and slithered into the Blood Claw Stab. The Blood Claw Stab glowed brighter red, as if savoring sweet nectar, emitting joyful hums that resonated faintly. However, in the next instant, the blood light on the Blood Claw Stab rapidly dimmed, returning to its original state. Shen Luo was stunned; everything had happened far too quickly, and by the time he reacted, it was all over. He swiftly moved the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner away from the Blood Claw Stab and channeled his mana into the Demonslaying Divine Sword. The golden light shield instantly surged and locked the Blood Claw Stab securely within. The Blood Claw Stab made no response to any of this, lying quietly within as if nothing unusual had just transpired. Nonetheless, the purified Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and Blood Essence Banner proved that everything just witnessed was indeed real. "Does the Blood Claw Stab have the ability to devour Demonic Qi?" Shen Luo, now calmer, restored the golden light shield to its previous dim state and activated his meridians, sending a wisp of Demonic Qi toward the Blood Claw Stab. The Blood Claw Stab immediately responded, glowing with bright blood light as it effortlessly absorbed the thread of Demonic Qi. "It truly can devour Demonic Qi!" Shen Luo felt a surge of joy within. However, considering the Blood Claw Stab contained Chiyou¡¯s Ten Directions Devil Prison Path divine abilities, its ability to consume Demonic Qi was to be expected. He summoned back the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet and the Blood Essence Banner, finding that all traces of Demonic Qi within had completely vanished. Although their innate spiritual essence had been slightly damaged, this was a minor issue that could be resolved through further refinement. Shen Luo retrieved the two treasures, and with his gaze now free of hesitation toward the surrounding Demonic Flames, quietly sat in meditation. The clash between the Golden Sword Array and the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation continued unabated. Though the Golden Sword Array was formidable, the black sea of flames around it proved even stronger. With the relentless consumption of the Golden Crow True Fire, the affected range of the Golden Sword Array steadily shrank, soon dwindling to less than three zhang in diameter. Yet within the array, Shen Luo remained motionless. "Hmph, what kind of trickery is this? Stop holding back and push the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation to its maximum!" barked the tall grey-clothed figure, growing impatient at the sight. Upon hearing the command, the three grey-clothed men simultaneously intensified their power, causing the three Crystal Skulls surrounding the formation to glow even brighter. The flames they released surged dramatically. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In an instant, the black sea of flames grew far denser, and within mere breaths, the Golden Sword Array¡¯s range was compressed drastically. The encroaching Demonic Flames were now less than three zhang from Shen Luo. The raging Demonic Flames clawed and surged menacingly as Shen Luo furrowed his brows deeply. He could now distinctly feel streams of Demonic Qi infiltrating him through the Golden Sword Array. This meant that the Pure Yang Flying Swords themselves had begun succumbing to Demonic Qi invasion. Two of the Pure Yang Swords closest to the surrounding Demonic Flames grew increasingly dim, wisps of black quickly spreading across their sword bodies. Seeing this, Shen Luo waved his hand, causing two Pure Yang Flying Swords to emerge from his sleeve, replacing the compromised swords, and delivering them to the Blood Claw Stab to have their Demonic Qi absorbed. With the replenishment of the Pure Yang Swords, the Golden Sword Array burst forth with golden brilliance once again, driving the Demonic Flames back to three zhang away. But the flames swelled furiously and soon compressed the sword array once more within three zhang. Moments later, the Golden Sword Array glimmered brightly again, once again forcing the Demonic Flames back. "That kid is behaving strangely..." remarked one of the three grey-clothed men, whose voice sounded aged and solemn. "No need to worry. Use the divine treasure bestowed upon us by the Great God to refine him," declared another tall grey-robed man. The moment his words fell, a drop of gleaming gold essence blood flew from his fingertip and landed on the Crystal Skull before him. The Crystal Skull radiated with blood light, and correspondingly, the central flames of the formation erupted into ferocity, completely engulfing the fox spirit within, reducing it to ash. The fox spirit¡¯s transformed essence fused with the flames, interlinking the power together, and in a flash, the black and red-tinged sea of flames surged forth. Its strength far exceeded that of the previous simple black flames, causing the surrounding void to tremble and contort under the scalding intensity. Chapter 1737 - 1733: War God Whip Chapter 1737: Chapter 1733: War God WhipAs the power of the demonic flames intensified, the golden sword array grew increasingly unstable under its enveloping and refining flames, showing signs of imminent collapse and desperate struggle. The three grey-clothed men noticed this and their eyes revealed satisfaction, as this was the situation they had expected. Immediately, they poured more effort into activating the demonic array. On the altar, You Suzin watched this unfold and felt a surge of joy in her heart. Her gaze fell upon Tu Shanxue within the array, a hint of ferocity flashing in her eyes. Tu Shanxue¡¯s breath declined significantly, but her silver teeth remained clenched as pink light flickered across her body, desperately pulling on the power of the Fox Ancestor within her. Though this effort was ultimately futile, as the power of the Fox Ancestor continued to flow into You Suzin¡¯s body, it managed to slightly delay its rate of loss. "Even now, you still resist like cornered prey!" You Suzin exclaimed angrily. Tu Shanxue did not respond, her gaze firmly fixed on the golden sword array within the demonic flames. Ironically, given the current circumstances, Shen Luo was her only hope. Based on her understanding of Shen Luo, a man of deep thought and versatile methods, he would never willingly perish within the demonic array. He was bound to act, and if she could hold out until he broke free, she might yet find a thread of survival. But under the relentless surges of black-red demonic flames, the golden sword array grew increasingly shaky, appearing on the verge of collapse. "Could it be that even he has no solution..." Tu Shanxue¡¯s heart sank further. But in truth, within the golden sword array, Shen Luo was methodically replacing the Pure Yang Flying Swords that had been corrupted, using the blood claw stabs to siphon off the demonic qi from the contaminated swords before returning them to the array. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The weakening display of the golden light curtain was partly due to him replacing the swords and partly deliberate on his part¡ªto deceive the three grey-clothed men and buy more time. However, as time went on, the three grey-clothed men started to sense something amiss. They realized that, although the golden sword array appeared to weaken continuously, it remained resilient and could not be thoroughly broken. "You must expend the true blood in your hands without reservation! Inject it all into the array and extinguish him completely!" the tall grey-robed man shouted loudly. The other two, hearing this, flicked their fingers, each releasing a drop of golden essence blood onto the crystal skull. The flames within the demonic array transformed entirely from black to red, their scorching power and contaminating force multiplying several times. Shen Luo¡¯s pressure immediately surged, and the golden light curtain of the sword array compressed rapidly. Within moments, six Pure Yang Flying Swords had been polluted by demonic qi, leaving him struggling to replace them in time. His face showed signs of anxiety as his Divine Sense entered the Free and Easy Mirror space. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, in the bamboo tower, the Netherworld Furnace was ablaze, with the Fire Spirit Child above sweating profusely as he stared intently at the furnace. Next to the furnace sat Nie Caizhu cross-legged, her face pale, her body swaying faintly forward and back, seemingly close to exhaustion and barely holding herself together. Yet her silver teeth remained clenched, her brows tightly knit, as she forced herself to channel her remaining Witch Clan power into the furnace. "It¡¯s done." At that moment, the Fire Spirit Child¡¯s brows suddenly rose as he called out loudly. With his words, a burst of spiritual light shot up from the Netherworld Furnace, blowing the lid off entirely. An ancient and unadorned iron whip emerged slowly from the furnace, its cyan body circled by nine black round bands. Near the handle appeared a strange bird-head relief carving, with blood-red eyes that seemed almost lifelike. "It¡¯s the War God Whip! It really worked..." The joy of the Fire Spirit Child was uncontrollable, and he couldn¡¯t help but shout excitedly. Nie Caizhu glanced at the now-transformed Six Chen Whip, sensing the unique fluctuations emanating from it. Her heart surged with happiness, but her vision blurred, and she finally collapsed, falling asleep from exhaustion. The Fire Spirit Child hurriedly examined her and found that she had merely exhausted her Witch Clan power and physical stamina, putting him at ease. "Young Master Shen, take the magical treasure without delay!" At this moment, the Fire Spirit Child could no longer worry about anything else and urgently called out. Outside the Free and Easy Mirror, Shen Luo had endured for a long time and was nearing his limit. He immediately opened the Free and Easy Mirror space, and the War God Whip shot out, landing in his hand. A peerless and ferocious aura burst forth, as though born for slaughter. The black radiance flickered, resonating with blood-thirsty roars akin to wild beasts licking blood. Shen Luo¡¯s face revealed delight as he raised his hand abruptly, abandoning his purely defensive posture. The golden sword array no longer concealed its true strength and erupted in ten thousand rays of golden light, instantly forcing the surrounding red flames back by dozens of feet. Leaping into the air, Shen Luo gripped the War God Whip in a single hand, pouring the mana from his body into the whip. Its golden veined patterns shone brilliantly, and an immense surge of Witch Clan power spread out. The sheer wave of energy made the surrounding demonic flames retreat like a tide. "What kind of magical treasure is that? Why does it exude Witch Clan power?" the tall grey-clothed man exclaimed in shock. "Why did he wait until now to use such a magical treasure?" a grey-clothed woman questioned in confusion. "What¡¯s the point of asking now? Quick, activate the demonic array fully and kill him at once! If he breaks the array, things will become extremely troublesome," the grey-clothed elder shouted hurriedly. Without hesitation, the three poured their efforts into the crystal skull, causing all the demonic flames within the array to converge and rush toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo, however, had abandoned all thought of defense. His eyes narrowed as he locked onto the direction of the tall grey-clothed man leading the array and charged forward. The golden sword array spun furiously before him, disregarding any concerns over contamination by demonic qi. The array¡¯s Golden Crow True Fire combined with its Sword Qi, transforming into a high-speed rotating saw blade. Within the scarlet sea of flames, it forcibly carved a path forward. "Stop him!" the grey-clothed woman shouted sharply. In the direction Shen Luo was charging, the tall grey-clothed man moved directly to the forefront of the array, raising a hand and pressing it onto the crystal skull. In an instant, green smoke rose. The tall grey-clothed man¡¯s hand pressing on the skull¡¯s cranium had its flesh and blood dissolved instantly, bubbling up into pink foam that was absorbed completely by the skull, leaving only a pale bony claw locked in place. "Kill." Pain flickered in the eyes of the tall grey-clothed man, but with gritted teeth, he forced out a single word. The crystal skull immediately absorbed blood, becoming semi-transparent and emitting a blinding glow from its eye sockets. Simultaneously, Shen Luo saw the blood-red flames before him part to the sides, leaving an open path down the center. From its depths, a towering blood-fox skeleton appeared. Its body lacked flesh entirely, its glistening white bones shining like jade, with crimson flames sprouting at every joint. The sight was both eerie and chilling. Chapter 1738 - 1734: The Power of Taiyi Chapter 1738: Chapter 1734: The Power of TaiyiThe towering White Bone Blood Fox faced Shen Luo, who was charging straight at him, without any intention of evading. A flash of red light appeared in his eyes, and two intensely condensed blood flames erupted instantly, shooting forward rapidly. A muffled "bang" echoed. The Golden Sword Array was struck by the blood flames and exploded in an instant. Ten Pure Yang Flying Swords were blasted away with immense force. Shen Luo attempted to gather them back with his mind, but for a moment, he couldn¡¯t succeed. Half of the Pure Yang Flying Swords scattered around were contaminated by Demonic Qi, showing large black spots on their surfaces. "What incredibly strong invasive power!" Shen Luo marvelled inwardly, but his movements didn¡¯t falter in the slightest. He still swung his whip forward fiercely. After scattering the Golden Sword Array, the White Bone Blood Fox grew even more imposing. Behind it, raging blood flames coalesced into giant fox tails that lashed past its body, whipping toward Shen Luo. At this moment, Shen Luo was fully focused on accumulating his power. If interrupted, his momentum would falter, and it would likely be impossible to break through the Great Formation again. Without dodging in the slightest, he charged forward directly. Just as he was about to be surrounded by the fox tails, the figure of the Destruction Mingwang reappeared. With a sudden swing of the Sun Battle Axe in his hand, the blade lit up with blazing red light, as though it were searingly transparent, and slashed upward diagonally. The enormous axe blade swept across and immediately severed three fox tails. Shen Luo leapt through the void left behind, his War God Whip gathering golden light, forming a massive whip shadow, which he prepared to swing fiercely toward the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation. But then, yet another unexpected event occurred! The curled-up head of the Blood Fox suddenly stretched forward, opening its massive jaws to devour Shen Luo at lightning speed. The abyssal mouth was filled with surging blood flames, blocking Shen Luo¡¯s path. "Boom!" With a thunderous roar, two bolts of purple lightning shot from the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes and struck into the mouth of the White Bone Blood Fox. The head of the White Bone Blood Fox reared back, and with a soft "pop," a massive opening burst open in the back of its skull. A shadowy figure unexpectedly passed through its mouth and arrived at the edge of the array. The towering grey-clothed man guarding that area still had his hand attached to the crystal skull, but his heart screamed, "Not good!" In the next instant, an earth-shaking roar resounded! The enormous whip shadow of the War God Whip struck down upon the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation, unleashing an indescribably terrifying wave of energy. The Witch Clan¡¯s power within expanded instantly, infused with a prohibitive force specifically designed to annihilate divine souls, surging like a volcanic eruption. "Boom!" With a deafening explosion, the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation shattered completely. Countless phantom fox spirits burst apart, transforming into innumerable green starlights scattering in every direction. Taking advantage of this, Shen Luo swept back all the Pure Yang Flying Swords, sending them into the Carefree Mirror. Using the Blood Claw Stab, he helped absorb the Demonic Qi tainting them and swallowed an elixir to replenish his mana. As the Wanhu Extinguishing Formation collapsed, the outer Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation also trembled violently. Although it wasn¡¯t directly breached, the crystal skull sustaining the offensive clash cracked apart instantly. The delicate fusion between the two formations¡¯ essence was also disrupted. With only the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation remaining, it was naturally incapable of trapping Shen Luo any longer. Yet Shen Luo didn¡¯t immediately break the formation. Instead, he activated his War God Whip once again. A horrifying black vortex emerged, enveloping the scattered phantom fox spirits. It was the Soul Devouring Array within the War God Whip. The vortex unleashed a horrifying devouring power, shredding and consuming all nearby phantom fox spirits in an instant until none remained. The bird-head carving on the War God Whip¡¯s handle suddenly seemed to come alive, opening its mouth and spitting out a tiny white pearl the size of a thumb. This was the pure essence of soul power refined from the utter annihilation of the fox spirits and ghosts through the Soul Devouring Array, returning to its origin. The white pearl shot into Shen Luo¡¯s forehead and merged with his soul. Shen Luo¡¯s forehead immediately throbbed with pain as his Soul Power surged, increasing by nearly half. "The Soul Devouring Array truly lives up to its name!" Shen Luo thought with delight. Trading the Qiankun Xuanhuo Tower for this treasure had been well worth it. His divine soul had already been nearing the peak of the True Immortal Realm, and with this improvement, he could faintly sense an invisible gate¡ªthe bottleneck to the Taiyi Stage. Once broken through, his Soul Power would reach an entirely new level. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze flickered as the War God Whip turned into a streak of black light and shot out of his hand. The surrounding Soul Devouring Array resembled a giant maw that could devour the heavens and earth, pouncing on the remaining phantom fox spirits. The lingering phantom fox spirits in the formation were swiftly annihilated, completely refined. Only a blurred figure stubbornly stood within the black vortex, resisting the vortex¡¯s devouring force. Shen Luo was slightly surprised and prepared to disperse the figure with a wave of his hand. However, the blurred figure¡¯s face became clear¡ªit was the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. "Please... stop You Sufin... save my daughter..." The Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom pleaded with Shen Luo before succumbing to the Soul Devouring Array, dissolving into a sphere of green light that merged within. The bird-head carving on the War God Whip¡¯s handle opened its mouth once more, spitting out another white pearl that fused into Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul. This white pearl contained even more Soul Power than the previous one. Shen Luo¡¯s Soul Power increased again, this time by over half, completely unlocking the gate to the Taiyi Stage. Waves of immense Soul Power erupted from his mind, almost tangible, creating ripples in the surrounding void that far exceeded the power of an ordinary Taiyi Cultivator. "You Sufin... Chief Strategist You Su..." Shen Luo murmured as he sensed the full refining process of the Soul Devouring Array, a look of melancholy crossing his face. The Soul Devouring Array¡¯s refinement of Soul Power was extremely wasteful due to the need to peel away emotions, memories, and other elements. Retaining even ten percent of the divine soul was considered fortunate. The abundance of Soul Essence just obtained was because the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom hadn¡¯t resisted at all, even actively stripping away emotions and memories from her divine soul. This act was essentially self-destruction of the three souls and six spirits, forever forfeiting the chance for reincarnation. The War God Whip¡¯s devouring and refining process ended in just two or three breaths. The three grey-clothed figures outside hadn¡¯t even reacted before everything was concluded. "What just happened? What kind of divine ability was that black vortex?" the grey-clothed woman exclaimed. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tall grey-clothed man didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he opened his mouth and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the White Bone Blood Fox. The White Bone Blood Fox, whose head had been pierced by the Eyes of World Destruction, flared with blood light again and opened its jaws to bite at Shen Luo once more. This time, Shen Luo didn¡¯t even turn around. He could already feel the extraordinarily dense killing intent. His body suddenly twisted, facing the White Bone Blood Fox, and bellowed, "Begone!" With this furious roar, the vast ocean-like Soul Power rippled out mixed with soundwaves, immediately stunning the viciously attacking White Bone Blood Fox. It froze in place, completely immobilized. Meanwhile, the tall grey-clothed man controlling the fox outside the array had his entire arm turned to stark white bone. His vacant eyes glazed over, and two streams of serpentine blood flowed from his ears. Even he had suffered severe soul shock. "Such immense Soul Power... This level must¡¯ve already surpassed the Taiyi Realm... No, it¡¯s even stronger than an ordinary Taiyi Cultivator..." the grey-clothed elder cried out in shock. Chapter 1739 - 1735: Feint to the East, Strike in the West Chapter 1739: Chapter 1735: Feint to the East, Strike in the WestShen Luo let out a furious roar and swung the War God Whip in his hand downward, striking squarely on the crown of the White Bone Blood Fox¡¯s head. A resounding "bang" echoed! The White Bone Blood Fox¡¯s head instantly shattered, fragments scattering in all directions. Shen Luo turned swiftly, stowing away the War God Whip and exchanging it for the Hongming Saber. The Hongming Saber, having just devoured numerous fox spirits and ghosts, now bore a blade completely transformed from emerald green to a red-black hue, surging with dense, almost tangible black death energy. He glanced at the radically altered Hongming Saber, but without delay, he moved closer to the Grey-clothed man whose arm had turned to White Bones. Mana surged into the Hongming Saber as he slashed down toward the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation. A massive streak of black-red light erupted, unleashing an immeasurable force of malice and bloodlust. The space within a hundred-foot radius trembled as if collapsing. Shen Luo stared in astonishment at the Hongming Saber in his hand. The power it was emitting now was more than three times what it was earlier. What was happening? The black-red streak cleaved onto the Demonic Array faster than his thoughts raced. A crisp "crack" sounded, and the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation, along with its Crystal Skull, shattered like paper, collapsing with a thunderous explosion. The immense shockwave spread outward like a wall of energy, sending the three Grey-clothed men flying. The Tall Grey-clothed Person, who had endured Shen Luo¡¯s focused attack, coughed up blood, sustaining severe injuries. Shen Luo finally broke out of the formation. With a wave of his hand, over a dozen Pure Yang Flying Swords hovered behind him, their demonic qi entirely purged, leaving them unaffected. On the altar, Tu Shanxue broke into a smile upon witnessing this scene. "Breaking out of the formation! But it¡¯s too late." A flicker of surprise flashed in You Sufin¡¯s eyes, which quickly turned into a sneer as a white-light palm emerged from his hand, pressing toward Tu Shanxue¡¯s forehead, releasing an overwhelming suction force. The residual power of the Fox Ancestor within Tu Shanxue rushed out in torrents. Her body reverted to human form, the ancestral traits fading completely. Her face turned pale, and her gaze grew lifeless. Seeing this, and recalling the plea of the remnants of Qingqiu Kingdom, Shen Luo activated the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, their glow flashing as he propelled himself toward Master Su¡ªYou Sufin¡ªat lightning speed. The three Grey-clothed men steadied themselves forcefully before immediately flashing forward to chase Shen Luo. Their movements were bizarre, their bodies shifting unpredictably within a shroud of black mist. Their speed rivaled that of the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, quickly closing in to surround Shen Luo. But at this moment, the glow from Shen Luo¡¯s Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots surged, a subtle scattering of moonlight seeming to appear around him. Utilizing the Slanting Moon Steps, he deftly twisted his body and suddenly changed direction, darting straight toward the Tall Grey-clothed Person. The other two Grey-clothed men realized then that Shen Luo¡¯s true intention was to kill the injured man first, and hastily pursued after him as well. However, Shen Luo pushed the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots to their limits, reaching an extraordinary speed. Coupled with his close proximity to the Tall Grey-clothed Person, he was already there ahead of the others. The Hongming Saber in his hand flashed with blade light as it swung downward. The blade, which had been black-red, suddenly reverted to emerald green, its aura dropping back to its original level. As the saber light erupted, dazzling beams split the void. The Tall Grey-clothed Person, who had sacrificed his entire arm to power the Profound Fire Demon Killing Formation and was wounded by Shen Luo¡¯s War God Whip earlier, was now completely defenseless. His eyes filled with terror. He wanted to escape, but it was too late. At the critical moment, the other two Grey-clothed men arrived, positioning themselves on either side of him in defense. One threw a punch, while the other pressed their palm, emitting fist force and palm wind to intercept the saber glow. A deafening "boom" sounded! The fist force and palm wind collided with the emerald green saber light, shattering it effortlessly. The three Grey-clothed men were momentarily relieved, but an instant later, a streak of golden light followed. Ten Pure Yang Flying Swords, cleared of demonic qi, assembled into a Golden Sword Array that enveloped them, forming a cage with interwoven sword light and sword qi, trapping them in the center. "Damn it, we¡¯ve been tricked again!" Only then did the three realize that Shen Luo¡¯s earlier saber strike had been intentionally weakened as a ruse to lure them in and trap them. His true target remained You Sufin. Driven by urgency to rescue Tu Shanxue, Shen Luo refrained from exhausting his strength. Now freed, he ignored the trio entirely and turned to rush toward You Sufin. You Sufin smirked mockingly at Shen Luo¡¯s approach. Despite not fully draining Tu Shanxue of the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power, she had already absorbed the majority of it. Compared to Tu Shanxue¡¯s earlier transformation, she had merely gained a younger and more beautiful appearance, without any overt ancestral beastification. Seeing Shen Luo swing his saber toward her, You Sufin raised one hand and lightly flipped it. A ripple of dark red light surged from her palm, forming a massive crimson fox claw imprint that stood in the void. Shen Luo¡¯s Hongming Saber unleashed blade light with at least seventy percent power, its brilliance flowing like aurora as it sliced toward the crimson fox claw, emitting a piercing metallic shriek. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The blade, which had yet to encounter an obstacle it couldn¡¯t cut through, was stopped dead by her single hand. Shen Luo frowned as he observed the Hongming Saber¡¯s contact with the crimson fox claw. Threads of crimson light stretched densely, their seemingly delicate yet incredibly durable forms sparking constantly where they clashed with the blade, refusing to snap. "She blocked the Hongming Saber with ease. Her strength must have already reached Taiyi Late Stage..." Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted, instantly comprehending her power. But he knew retreat was not an option; rescuing Tu Shanxue took precedence. "Break for me!" Shen Luo roared, intensifying his force. The Hongming Saber vibrated with dissatisfaction, its blade light growing brighter as it cut downward toward the crimson fox claw. Just then, Tu Shanxue, who had seemed weak and powerless, suddenly sprang up from the ground, struggling desperately to break free of the chains binding her. However, the chains were linked to the Earth itself, deeply embedded in her flesh and blood at her arms and ankles, making escape impossible for the moment. At that instant, spatial ripples emerged beside the formation. A figure clad in white appeared, releasing a blinding saber light that struck the chains binding Tu Shanxue. A crisp "snap" sounded, severing the sturdy chains. The figure stooped and scooped up Tu Shanxue, then teleported out of the formation, streaking away like lightning. With this, the transmission of the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power between Tu Shanxue and You Sufin was decisively severed. "How dare you..." You Sufin¡¯s fury surged, her aura exploding outward. Immense force erupted from the crimson fox claw, sending both the Hongming Saber and Shen Luo flying backward. Simultaneously, she rapidly turned and swung a palm toward the fleeing white figure. The white figure reacted swiftly, activating the Earth Escaping Technique to disappear into the ground as soon as her aura surged. However, her palm strike still landed, its immense force slamming into his back, resulting in the sound of cracking bones. "Ugh!" The figure spat blood onto Tu Shanxue, the white light around him dissipating completely to reveal his true appearance. Shockingly, it was none other than Hu Bugui, who had disappeared for so long! Chapter 1740 - 1736: Human or Demon? Chapter 1740: Chapter 1736: Human or Demon?Hu Bugui spat out a mouthful of blood, his breath growing unstable, yet he still gritted his teeth and endured the wounds to complete the Earth Escape Technique. His figure, wrapped in a yellow halo, shrank into the ground and disappeared. Su Zhen wanted to pursue, but Shen Luo once again blocked her path. "You..." Su Zhen snarled angrily. Shen Luo watched her furious expression, his heart tightening slightly. The aura radiating from Su Zhen at that moment had already far surpassed the Taiyi Late Stage. The overwhelmingly oppressive power, almost material in form, could rival that of a Half-step Heavenly Venerate Realm. However, to buy time, Shen Luo did not choose to retreat. Beside him stood the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor, holding the Hongming Saber in one hand and the Sun Battle Axe in the other, standing vigilant. Shen Luo himself retrieved the War God Whip and held it in his hand. With his greatly enhanced Soul Power at this moment, controlling the Destruction Mingwang was far smoother than before. He no longer needed to enter the control chamber and could operate the armor from outside. Su Zhen¡¯s eyes flashed with fury as she realized catching up to Tu Shanxue was now impossible. All her hatred turned to Shen Luo, her eyes narrowing slightly as killing intent solidified around her. "Die!" Su Zhen shouted furiously, raising her palm and striking at Shen Luo. A massive, blood-red palm print instantly pressed into the void above Shen Luo, causing it to collapse and weigh down upon him. Shen Luo dared not take it head-on, but when he tried to dodge, he discovered that the surrounding space seemed frozen. His Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots and Slanting Moon Steps couldn¡¯t escape from the area covered by the palm print. Left with no choice, the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor stepped forward. The long knife and battle axe in its hands crossed to resist upward, facing the crimson palm print. A muffled "boom" echoed. Shen Luo watched as the body of the Destruction Mingwang shuddered intensely, dust cascading from its form. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The tremendous force shook the entire mountain cliff, triggering deafening rumblings outside the altar and splitting the ground into a spiderweb-like crack. The Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor¡¯s legs had already pierced into the rock like sharp blades. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise at this sight. The force of the crimson giant palm was far weaker than he had anticipated. After all, he had once fought against Chiyou and understood the battle strength of the Heavenly Venerate Realm well. After a brief contemplation, he understood. It was likely because Su Zhen had just acquired this power, and her original physique couldn¡¯t fully adapt to it, so she couldn¡¯t unleash the complete force. Realizing this, Shen Luo gained a measure of confidence. In the eyes of the Destruction Mingwang, purple lightning flickered as the Eyes of World Destruction activated, shooting two bolts of purple lightning straight at Su Zhen. Su Zhen noticed the attack and immediately swung her silver cane in front of her. The two bolts of purple lightning struck the silver cane directly, producing a loud roar. The charm patterns on the cane lit up instantly, and a silver shield emerged on its surface, blocking the shockwave from the purple lightning blast. The silver shield shattered on impact, and the residual power of the Eyes of World Destruction dissipated completely. Shen Luo, clutching the War God Whip, was about to close in on Su Zhen, when his movements froze abruptly, his eyes full of vigilance as he gazed toward the Golden Sword Array. Just as his gaze shifted, a resounding "bang" broke the silence! The Golden Sword Array exploded with light, scattering all the flying swords as it was forcefully broken from within. From the prison-like sword formation, three grey-clothed figures emerged¡ªthe grey-clothed elder briefly glanced at Shen Luo and Su Zhen, then decisively ordered, "Go." As soon as his words fell, he ignored the two of them and led his companions to perform an escape technique, disappearing instantly. Shen Luo was deeply astonished, unable to fathom their motives, only assuming they were chasing after Hu Bugui and Tu Shanxue. Su Zhen, meanwhile, remained unperturbed, merely letting out a disdainful snort before actively launching an attack on Shen Luo. With her cultivation skyrocketing, her speed had increased dramatically¡ªshe took just one step, shrinking the distance, and instantly appeared before Shen Luo, striking a palm at his chest. Shen Luo, naturally, dared not take the blow head-on; moonlight scattered beneath him as he dodged swiftly. However, just as he sidestepped, Su Zhen¡¯s figure had already closed in again, her palm still crashing down. Shen Luo realized evasion was impossible and summoned the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet before him, its radiant golden light illuminating the space. Su Zhen¡¯s palm struck the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, unleashing a powerful spiritual pressure¡ªgolden light retracted, absorbing the force, only to reach its limit immediately. With a deafening "bang," two cracks appeared on the surface of the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet, and all its spiritual light dispersed, its internal prohibitions clearly destroyed. Thanks to this treasure¡¯s buffer, Su Zhen¡¯s attack was greatly weakened, and the explosive aftermath merely sent Shen Luo flying back. Shen Luo¡¯s sturdy body remained unscathed¡ªhe waved his sleeve to collect the broken goblet and leveraged his momentum to retreat, pulling away from Su Zhen. Su Zhen was unwilling to let him escape and immediately pursued. Suddenly, purple lightning flashed ahead¡ªbolt after massive bolt crashed down, tearing the void apart. The Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor had flown in. Even Su Zhen felt apprehensive about this half-step Heavenly Venerate Armor and swiftly dodged aside. Shen Luo leapt onto the armor¡¯s vicinity, forming seals with both hands as golden-black light erupted skyward from his body. Once again, he activated the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power. The disparity in strength between him and Su Zhen was truly immense¡ªhis ordinary human form simply couldn¡¯t withstand her. Only by activating the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power could he hope to hold his own. Although Su Zhen had seen Shen Luo in this form before, witnessing this half-human, half-demon body again still gave her pause. "Are you Human Race or Demon Clan?" she asked in confusion, sensing Chiyou¡¯s Demonic Qi on Shen Luo. Shen Luo did not answer, calculating his next move quickly. From their prior exchanges, he could clearly feel that Su Zhen¡¯s strength surpassed even Tu Shanxue¡¯s¡ªhe and the Destruction Mingwang together might still fall short. The conflict in Xiangyang Town was ongoing¡ªif Su Zhen reached that place, it would spell calamity for the Allied Forces of Various Sects. Furthermore, the Fox Clan faction aligned with Su Zhen had yet to make an appearance. This person was cunning¡ªwho knew what schemes lay in wait? "Enough¡ªHuman or Demon, you¡¯re an enemy either way," Su Zhen snorted coldly, wielding her silver rod and sweeping a wave of dark red light directly toward Shen Luo. Chapter 1741 - 1737: Petty Tricks Chapter 1741: Chapter 1737: Petty TricksFacing You Sujin¡¯s attack, Shen Luo¡¯s gaze focused, and he immediately gripped the War God Whip, slashing straight down. A streak of Black Light burst forth from the War God Whip, clashing with the dark Red Light, producing a thunderous roar. The dark Red Light was forcibly shattered, but Shen Luo was also jolted backward. The Destruction Mingwang also lunged forward, the Sun Battle Axe cleaving down towards You Sujin, splitting the Void with a loud tear. You Sujin raised her Silver Rod horizontally to block, with an explosive thunderous boom, the red and silver lights burst open, tearing huge cracks in the nearby Ground. Shen Luo did not take the opportunity to jointly attack You Sujin, instead patting the Qiankun Bag at his waist, releasing a streak of Black Light that immediately flew rapidly towards Xiangyang Town. Lu Huaming and the others were still unaware of the situation here, and of the Fox Clan under You Sujin¡¯s command, they needed to be informed. "Trying to send a message? Think again!" You Sujin immediately sensed Shen Luo¡¯s intention, her Silver Rod suddenly surging with a rapidly whirling blinding Silver Halo, explosively erupting, sending a rolling wave of Qi flying, knocking the Destruction Mingwang away. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She herself staggered back two steps, but quickly steadied herself, reaching out with her left hand into the Void. Five streaks of Red Light shot out from her hand, tearing and distorting the large area of Void ahead, trapping Ghost General Zhao Feiji, who had just flown out less than a Hundred Feet, motionless in Mid Air. You Sujin¡¯s five fingers suddenly clenched, causing the distortion of the Void to worsen, and Zhao Feiji felt an irresistible force pressing down on him, his body seemingly about to be crushed into ash. At this moment, a piercing shriek descended from the Sky, the Hongming War Saber seeming to fall from the Nine Heavens, immediately slashing the Void, creating a chasm between You Sujin and Zhao Feiji. Within the Void, five streaks of dark Red Light were severed amidst the lightning, freeing Zhao Feiji who immediately continued fleeing into the distance. "Don¡¯t go!" You Sujin, unwilling to relent, reached out again. However, beside her, a figure suddenly launched a surprise attack with a giant axe hacking down directly, the blade shining with sunlight-like brilliance, spewing a scorching Breath. The Void was filled with resounding booms, You Sujin¡¯s technique was immediately interrupted, and she could only raise a palm to meet the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s Sun Battle Axe. The red light in her palm self-wove into a red light Round shield, which shuddered violently under the full power of the Sun Battle Axe, causing the red light to flicker and disperse, while the battle axe of the Destruction Mingwang was similarly knocked back. With this delay, Zhao Feiji had already disappeared into the distance. "You¡¯re seeking death!" Anger flashed in You Sujin¡¯s eyes, and she pointed her Silver Rod towards the Destruction Mingwang. A piercing screech rang out, a dazzling red line shot out from the top of the rod, vanishing into the Void in a flash. Shen Luo¡¯s face suddenly darkened, immediately manipulating the Destruction Mingwang to retreat quickly. The next moment, the red line appeared about a Zhang away from the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s forehead, shooting directly at it. Under Shen Luo¡¯s control, the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes glowed with purple lightning, emitting a Doomsday Thunderbolt. The two beams of light collided in the Void, erupting with a violent explosion! Amidst the "boom" sound, the Doomsday Thunderbolt was actually suppressed by the dark red line, rapidly pushed back. Although Shen Luo had anticipated the extraordinary nature of You Sujin¡¯s strike, he hadn¡¯t expected it to be this formidable, urging his thoughts immediately. The Sky Fiend Corpse King flickered into appearance beside the Destruction Mingwang, wielding the Turn Sky Seal to strike from the side, hitting the red line. With a "clang" sound of metal clashing, the Turn Sky Seal, now as large as a house, emitted a piercing red light from its bottom, violently trembling as it was blasted backward. You Sujin showed a look of surprise, raising her Silver Rod seemingly to do something again, but behind her, a clap of thunder sounded, Shen Luo¡¯s figure appeared out of nowhere, now wielding the Profound Yellow Staff, descending a dense canopy of staff shadows. She snorted angrily, red light once again emanating from her palm, which self-wove into a red light Round shield, easily blocking the attack of the Profound Yellow Staff. However, this time Shen Luo¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t meant to injure You Sujin, he waved his sleeve, suddenly a dazzling Golden Light burst forth, it was the Golden Sword Array, emitting countless strands of Golden Sword Light, like a cloud of gold falling towards her. The Sword light and Sword Qi erupting from the Golden Sword Array, like sunlight itself, continuously fell on You Sujin. "Trivial tricks." You Sujin sneered disdainfully, immediately dodging like a Ghostly Specter to the side. However, white light flickered on the Ground, a White Array appeared at some point, erupting with a powerful prohibition force, firmly imprisoning You Sujin¡¯s laterally shifting body, rendering her immobile. No sooner said than done, the Golden Sword Array enveloped downwards, wrapping You Sujin within. You Sujin¡¯s expression slightly changed, urgently deploying a protective God¡¯s Power, a Treasure Light bursting out from her body, actually condensing into the shape of a red Spiritual Fox, blocking all the Sword light and Sword Qi. Shen Luo¡¯s eye twitched slightly, his right hand grasping the Void, releasing a streak of Demonic Qi, transforming into a large Black Demon Claw, clawing hoarsely towards You Sujin, a strike using the ¡¯Chiyou¡¯s Grapple¡¯ God¡¯s Power. With his left hand, he formed a Sword technique, transforming the Sword Qi shot from the Golden Sword Array into more penetrating golden sword threads, striking the red Spiritual Fox. The Destruction Mingwang also lunged forward, shooting streaks of Purple Thunder from its eyes, penetrating the Golden Sword Array towards You Sujin. Beside them, the Sky Fiend Corpse King also wielded the Turn Sky Seal, aiming and slamming it down at You Sujin. Under the multiple attacks, You Sujin¡¯s protective Treasure Light trembled violently, rapidly collapsing. You Sujin¡¯s expression truly changed, urgently maintaining the Fox-shaped protective Treasure Light around her, flipping out a Snow White Silver Mirror from her palm, reflecting it towards the approaching Golden Sword Array. The surface of the mirror blazed, countless Silver Lights surged out like a snowstorm, instantly shrouding half the Sky, engulfing the Golden Sword Array, and the Destruction Mingwang, Shen Luo, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King were also enveloped in the silver snowstorm. "In a blizzard, even the blazing sun can be obscured." You Sujin softly intoned. As her voice fell, the sky-filling snowstorm suddenly thickened by several folds, and abruptly reversed, pulling the Sky Fiend Corpse King, Shen Luo himself, the Golden Sword Array, and even the Destruction Mingwang towards that Silver Treasure Mirror. Shen Luo shouted loudly, his entire body radiating a dazzling black and golden light, the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation¡¯s body swelling by another three degrees, especially his arms becoming extremely robust, bursting with terrifying power, punching fiercely into the Void around him. The Destruction Mingwang and the Golden Sword Array¡¯s power similarly surged, striking in all directions. An overwhelming shockwave immediately rolled outwards, instantly scattering all the silver snowstorm around, but the surrounded You Sujin was no longer in sight. Chapter 1742 - 1738: Disfigured Chapter 1742: Chapter 1738: DisfiguredShen Luo¡¯s face turned faintly ashen; he had just gone to great lengths to corner Su Zhen, deploying every powerful technique at his disposal, intending to strike him down or severely injure him with one decisive blow. Yet, Su Zhen had effortlessly escaped. "Su Zhen is unexpectedly so powerful..." Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank as he made a gesture to disperse the Golden Sword Formation. Whether it was the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor, or the Golden Sword Formation, they all consumed immense energy. Even though Shen Luo¡¯s mana was more robust than a typical Late True Immortal cultivator and his soul power had just broken through to the Taiyi level, it could not be sustained for long. Suddenly, a streak of silver light shot forth from the side, wrapping around the ten Pure Yang Swords transformed from the Golden Sword Formation, dragging them away into the distance¡ªseeming to be the same silver blizzard from moments ago. At this moment, the silver blizzard¡¯s power was immense; Shen Luo found it difficult to stabilize the Pure Yang Swords as ten swords were swiftly swept away. His expression darkened, and he immediately urged Destruction Mingwang to leap forward, the Sun Battle Axe in his hand blazing with fire as he swung it down toward the blizzard. Just then, ripples appeared in the void nearby, resembling water waves. A giant scarlet hand emerged out of nowhere, grasping the Sun Battle Axe, immobilizing it instantly. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank, but he didn¡¯t panic. His hands deftly formed a seal and pointed. Destruction Mingwang¡¯s other arm suddenly blurred, swinging forcefully, and the Hongming Knife in its grasp turned into a streak of green knife light that shot out. A hazy figure materialized beside the silver blizzard, slashing through it with a sharp sound. The silver blizzard was instantly severed, exploding into shards as the ten Pure Yang Swords freed themselves and flew back toward Shen Luo. From beside the scarlet giant hand, the void emitted a thunderous roar, which continued to churn violently. A massive Immortal Fox Dharma Body suddenly emerged, towering almost to the altar¡¯s summit. Within the Dharma Body¡¯s void stood a figure¡ªit was Su Zhen. An incomparably overwhelming aura erupted from the Giant Fox Dharma Body, sending Shen Luo, Destruction Mingwang, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King flying backward. Stumbling, Shen Luo managed to steady his footing and collected the returning Pure Yang Flying Sword and Hongming Knife, gazing incredulously at Su Zhen. The Giant Fox Dharma Body surrounding Su Zhen was, without a doubt, the same one that had attacked Chang¡¯an City that day. Though the colors were slightly different, the terrifying, heart-pounding pressure was identical¡ªsomething Shen Luo could never forget or mistake. Moreover, Shen Luo had finally noticed an even more shocking truth. Although he had severed the connection between Su Zhen and Tu Shanxue, the aura on Su Zhen was still growing inexplicably. It seemed poised to cross the threshold into the Heavenly Venerate Realm definitively. At that moment, Destruction Mingwang¡¯s external spiritual light dimmed rapidly, signifying the depletion of the Immortal Jade stored within. Shen Luo frowned, flicked his sleeves, and withdrew Destruction Mingwang. Not only had Destruction Mingwang run out of vitality, but Shen Luo¡¯s own mana reserves were dangerously low. However, Nie Caizhu remained unconscious inside the Free and Easy Mirror and incapable of aiding him in recovery. His only option was to keep an Immortal Crystal at hand, extracting mana from it¡ªa mere drop in the bucket. "Young Master Shen, do not blindly fight recklessly! Pay attention to the altar behind Su Zhen. The Fox Clan Ancestral Spirit Statue atop it is the key to this battle. That object has been continuously gathering an unknown power of emotions and channeling it into that old fox," Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice suddenly echoed from within the Free and Easy Mirror. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unlike Shen Luo, who was immersed in battle, Fire Spirit Child observed the battlefield¡¯s dynamics. His deeper understanding of arrays allowed him to quickly notice what was amiss. "Emotion power?" Shen Luo glanced faintly at the Fox Ancestor Statue, which glimmered softly. He quietly unleashed his Divine Sense, probing past Su Zhen toward the Fox Ancestor Statue. Sure enough, he detected waves of unique energy emanating from it, merging into Su Zhen¡¯s body. These currents were immeasurably subtle, distinct from Heaven and Earth Aura. Without Fire Spirit Child¡¯s reminder, Shen Luo could never have detected them. Shen Luo covertly activated the Canghun Pearl, carefully exploring the energy. He quickly sensed numerous faces within it, each wearing different expressions¡ªsome joyful, some sorrowful, some enraged, and some vicious¡ªan overwhelming variety of emotions pressed down on him like a tide. Startled, Shen Luo hastily withdrew his Divine Sense. Despite his cautious investigation of the Fox Ancestor Statue, Su Zhen still sensed it. "To think you could uncover the problem with the Ancestral Spirit Statue¡ªimpressive. Then, today I shall ensure you do not leave here alive. Prepare to die!" Su Zhen sneered coldly, taking a step forward as his figure suddenly vanished into a crimson light. In the next moment, ripples surged before Shen Luo as Su Zhen and the Giant Fox Dharma Body materialized ghost-like. The Dharma Body¡¯s enormous claw swept down, carrying a bloody gale overhead. Shen Luo had already been wary of Su Zhen¡¯s every move. As soon as Su Zhen stirred, a surge of lightning erupted beneath Shen Luo¡¯s feet, propelling him into the void in a flash to evade the Giant Fox Dharma Body¡¯s strike, reappearing hundreds of feet away outside the altar. Following the earlier battle, though the Ancestral Spirit Altar remained sturdy, it was now riddled with cracks, on the verge of collapse. The void darkened where Shen Luo had stood mere moments ago, followed by a flash as an area of light exploded violently. The ground trembled with a booming sound, leaving a handprint-shaped crater about an acre in size, unfathomably deep. The edges of the imprint shimmered as smooth as glass¡ªa testament to the immense force and speed of the tremendous strike, terrifying in appearance. Witnessing this scene, Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted, and he flew backward further. "The Demon Race is, in fact, the manifestation of the emotions of Pangu Great God. This power of emotions is their source of strength. The Fox Clan embodies the power of jealousy. For thousands of years, they¡¯ve harbored resentment toward the Human and Immortal Races occupying the Blessed Lands and Caves of the Three Realms and flourishing endlessly. The cumulative envy and bitterness are boundless¡ªfar beyond what a mere True Immortal cultivator like you can withstand," Fire Spirit Child quickly explained from the Free and Easy Mirror, observing the external situation. "Daoist friend, what do you mean by this? Are you suggesting I run away?" Shen Luo frowned deeply. Despite Su Zhen¡¯s overwhelming strength, placing Shen Luo at a disadvantage, he had never considered fleeing in the face of battle. "Not exactly. While I don¡¯t know how the Qingqiu Fox Clan resurrected their Fox Ancestor, they clearly haven¡¯t revived it completely. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t need to rely on these external emotional forces. If you can destroy that Ancestral Spirit Statue, you should be able to break Su Zhen¡¯s Fox Clan Dharma Body," Fire Spirit Child suggested. Shen Luo¡¯s spirits lifted. If he could shatter the colossal Dharma Body, Su Zhen, though formidable, would no longer be invincible. At that moment, crimson light flickered in front of him as Su Zhen controlled the Giant Fox Dharma Body to charge once more. Seeing this, lightning erupted under Shen Luo¡¯s feet as he disappeared in a flash, vanishing into the void again. Chapter 1743 - 1739 The Chasm Chapter 1743: Chapter 1739 The Chasm"Don¡¯t think the same trick will work twice." Su Zhen let out a cold snort and waved her hand. A streak of silver light shot out from her hand and embedded itself in the forehead of the giant fox Dharma-form. It was none other than the snow-white silver mirror, which caused dazzling layers of red light to surge around the forehead, converging from all directions towards the mirror. The snow-white silver mirror emitted a cracking sound before violently collapsing and shrinking, transforming into a silver vertical eye. A thin streak of silver light shot out from the vertical eye, piercing into a nearby void. The void trembled fiercely, erupting with a blizzard of silver light. Shen Luo¡¯s staggering silhouette emerged, his face pale and ghastly. Without hesitation, he transformed into a golden light and fled into the distance. Su Zhen sneered coldly and stretched her left hand into the void. The giant fox Dharma-form mimicked her action. The space around Shen Luo, who was flying, rippled suddenly, and five thick streaks of red light marks appeared out of thin air, firmly grasping his body. "Enough playing. You can go die now!" Su Zhen¡¯s eyes gleamed with a chilling light as the giant fox Dharma-form clenched its fists. The five red light marks converged tightly, resembling an unparalleled divine weapon, slicing Shen Luo¡¯s body into pieces. Yet what was left of his corpse transformed suddenly into clusters of blue water-like mirror light, which scattered and disappeared¡ªit was the Mirror Fiend¡¯s mirror avatar. Su Zhen¡¯s expression changed slightly, letting out a soft "Hmm." She remained calm and composed, though. Red light flickered beneath her feet, and she and the giant fox Dharma-form vanished simultaneously. At this very moment, thunder flashed before the Ancestor Spirit Altar, and Shen Luo¡¯s figure emerged out of nowhere. The War God Whip in his hand erupted with terrifying black light as he fiercely smashed it toward the Fox Ancestor Statue. "Bang!" A loud explosion echoed as the Fox Ancestor Statue shattered into countless fragments that scattered in all directions. Shen Luo froze in astonishment, standing there dumbfounded. Had the statue truly been destroyed with a single, simple strike? But in the next instant, alarm bells blared in his heart as a sudden palm wind struck from behind. Shen Luo felt an incomparably powerful spiritual pressure erupting behind him. Before he could react, he was sent flying by a massive palm strike, crashing directly into a nearby mountain wall. "Boom!" A deafening explosion resounded, and half the mountain peak collapsed from Shen Luo¡¯s impact. Dust and debris filled the air, and falling rocks rained down like a storm. In the ruins, Shen Luo struggled to sit up. His internal organs were severely damaged, multiple meridians fractured, and innumerable bones broken¡ªall that remained of his body resembled a battered sack of rags. Had he not already activated the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, relying on his original physique to withstand the strike, he would likely have burst apart and perished on the spot. Still, destroying the statue made the suffering worthwhile. He activated the Huangdi Neijing with all his strength, his mana rising instinctively and transforming into mist-like dots that merged throughout his body. Indeed, the Huangdi Neijing possessed the unfathomable power of Heaven and Earth, rapidly healing all damaged areas while alleviating the excruciating pain. Shen Luo immediately got to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and intended to grin in satisfaction¡ªbut his smile froze. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the dust dissipated, he saw the altar in front of the mountain wall standing completely unharmed, with the Fox Ancestor Statue similarly unblemished, devoid of any damage. "An illusion?" Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted sharply as he realized it instantly, his face turning ashen. He had indeed forgotten what the Fox Clan excelled at. While the Qingqiu Fox Clan was not as proficient in illusions as the Jilei Mountain Jade Fox Clan, the illusions conjured by an ancient fox nearing the strength of Heavenly Venerate were far beyond Shen Luo¡¯s ability to discern. "Boy, such an important thing¡ªdid you really think I wouldn¡¯t guard it? How does it feel? Despairing, isn¡¯t it? Even after exhausting all your efforts, willing to trade injury for success, you still failed utterly. Do you see it now? This is the disparity between us, an insurmountable chasm!" The giant fox Dharma-form stood near the altar as Su Zhen mocked him with laughter. Although she taunted him, Su Zhen inwardly held a newfound respect for Shen Luo¡¯s strength. The fact that her earlier strike hadn¡¯t outright killed him had been somewhat unexpected. Shen Luo¡¯s face was desolate, as if Su Zhen¡¯s words had shattered all his confidence. "You¡¯re indeed powerful and cunning, driving even the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom into a dead end step by step. I am no match for you! But the enmity between humans and foxes is undeniable. Even though Shen has no ability to defeat Your Excellency, I will fight you to the bitter end!" he said coldly as weak flashes of gold and black light flickered over his body, seemingly preparing to retaliate. However, Shen Luo¡¯s face suddenly turned bright red, and the gold and black light flared only briefly before dissipating in an instant. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggering back two steps and using the nearby stone wall to stabilize himself. Su Zhen¡¯s expression became even more ridiculing, her lips parting to say something¡ªbut her face abruptly shifted. "You cunning brat! How dare you play tricks to stall for time in front of me? Go die!" She roared in fury as the giant fox Dharma-form swung its massive claws in a crushing blow. Waves of monstrous tidal force descended, creating cyclonic shockwaves that swept the surroundings. Shen Luo¡¯s despair disappeared in an instant; his gaze sharpened with lethal coldness as he flicked his sleeve. A yellow shadow appeared beside him¡ªit was the Sky Fiend Corpse King. With a swift hold of Shen Luo, the Corpse King dodged the devastating strike at the last moment, narrowly avoiding certain death. Shen Luo¡¯s injuries remained too grave; even though delaying Su Zhen with conversation had allowed him to recover somewhat, the time was far too brief, leaving him far from fully healed and incapable of free movement. Su Zhen¡¯s hand turned over to summon the silver rod. At the top of the rod, blood light surged outward, condensing into a blood-red beam that shot forward faster than before, arriving in the blink of an eye before Shen Luo. The Sky Fiend Corpse King didn¡¯t even have time to summon the Turn Sky Seal, instead using all its strength to throw Shen Luo aside and shield himself in front of the blood-red beam. A sizzling sound pierced the air as a massive hole was blasted through the Corpse King¡¯s chest. The flesh around the wound blackened as if scorched, and the Corpse King hurtled backward, flung far away. "Haha, even your Taiyi Refining Corpse is gone. What else do you plan to use now to defend yourself?" Su Zhen sneered grimly, her tone now akin to a cat playing with a cornered mouse. She injected more mana into the silver rod. Another streak of blood light shot from the tip of the silver rod, vanishing in a flash as it appeared directly before Shen Luo. Shen Luo tried to move sideways to evade, but the agonizing pull from his damaged organs made him inhale sharply, slowing his movement¡ªhe was about to be pierced by the blood-red beam. At that critical moment, a streak of sword light descended from the heavens, revealing a wide-bladed giant sword, like an enormous, steadfast shield, blocking Shen Luo from harm. The sword¡¯s body was bright silver, inscribed with two ancient-character markings: "Kunwu." "Boom!" A resonant reverberation erupted. The blood-red beam struck the wide-bladed giant sword, causing it to tremble violently as an overwhelming force swept out, sending Shen Luo hurtling backward. In that instant, the wide-bladed giant sword¡¯s surface erupted with profound silver light, forming a silver vortex that swallowed the blood beam completely. A streak of escape light descended from the sky. Within the escape light, a figure stretched out their hand and grasped the Kunwu Sword. It was none other than Master Yan. Chapter 1744 - 1740 Half-step Heavenly Venerate Chapter 1744: Chapter 1740 Half-step Heavenly VenerateMaster Yan waved his arm, and the Kunwu Sword¡¯s tip unleashed a vortex of silver light. The earlier blood light shot out from the vortex, instantly appearing in front of Su Zhen. Su Zhen was startled. She didn¡¯t have time to manipulate the Giant Fox Dharma to block the attack. Instead, her silver rod radiated dazzling light as she swept it forward, striking the blood light. With a deafening clash of metal, the blood light scattered from the blow, but Su Zhen was also forced back. Master Yan moved both hands swiftly, and golden light flickered repeatedly in front of him. Twelve Buddha Armors manifested one after another, each radiating brilliant golden light as they charged at Su Zhen. At that moment, two figures descended from the mid-air. Leading them was Bai Xiaotian, who intercepted the flying Shen Luo with an outstretched hand. From his palm, a golden halo surged out and entered Shen Luo¡¯s body. The injured parts of Shen Luo¡¯s body sprouted innumerable strands of blood silk, rapidly intertwining and merging. Accompanied by the Huangdi Neijing, his internal injuries healed at an observable pace. "Brother Yan, Brother Bai, why are you here?" Shen Luo¡¯s pale complexion quickly regained color as he asked. "Master, I brought them here. The battle at Xiangyang Town has already been settled. The Qingqiu Fox Clan has been defeated. I sensed your situation here was dire, so I brought them over for reinforcements," another figure rushed to Shen Luo¡¯s side¡ªit was Ghost General Zhao Feiji. "The Fox Clan defeated? Impossible! I¡¯ve already sent my troops to support Xiangyang Town. How could they have lost?!" Su Zhen¡¯s furious voice echoed. She was currently trapped within the Twelve Buddha Light Formation, preparing to break the formation. Upon hearing Zhao Feiji¡¯s words, she halted her spellwork and expanded her Divine Sense toward Xiangyang Town, quickly enveloping an area spanning hundreds of li. Su Zhen¡¯s expression darkened. The situation was just as Zhao Feiji stated¡ªthe Qingqiu Fox Clan had indeed been defeated. Her subordinates from the Fox Clan were nowhere to be found. Watching this unfold, Shen Luo¡¯s brows furrowed. He transmitted his thoughts to the Fire Spirit Child, "Was this your doing?" "How could it be? I¡¯m merely a Tool Spirit; I don¡¯t have that level of God¡¯s Power!" The Fire Spirit Child immediately denied it. Shen Luo nodded slightly. Capturing or confining all of Su Zhen¡¯s subordinate Fox Clan members was indeed beyond the Fire Spirit Child¡¯s capability. "Su Zhen! This presence... what¡¯s going on?" Bai Xiaotian, hearing Su Zhen¡¯s voice, only then noticed the situation on the other side. His face shifted as he cried out in alarm. "She absorbed the power of the Fox Ancestor from Tu Shanxue. Right now, she¡¯s drawing the Power of Seven Emotions from that Fox Ancestor Statue as well. Her strength is nearing the Heavenly Venerate Realm," Shen Luo explained via transmitted thought. "Heavenly Venerate Realm!" Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan gasped audibly. "There¡¯s no need to worry, gentlemen. I have a Half-Step Heavenly Venerate-level Yan Armor at hand. It should be enough to hold Su Zhen temporarily. The crucial task now is to destroy that Fox Ancestor Statue and stop her from growing stronger," Shen Luo continued, his injuries already mostly healed with Bai Xiaotian¡¯s assistance. "Half-Step Heavenly Venerate Yan Armor!" Master Yan¡¯s eyes widened. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Back during the great battle at Xiangyang Town, Master Yan had been fully focused on his formation¡¯s Array Eye and hadn¡¯t noticed Shen Luo summoning the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor. "Brother Shen, are you referring to that human-shaped Yan Armor? If it truly possesses Half-Step Heavenly Venerate-level combat power, then we will proceed according to your plan. Let¡¯s join forces and destroy that statue!" Bai Xiaotian nodded, recalling the Destruction Mingwang earlier. Master Yan also nodded in agreement. Su Zhen calmed down at this moment. Regardless of where her subordinates had gone, if she could eliminate the leading figures among these sects¡¯ cultivators, the battle would still be a victory for the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Her figure shot out from within the Giant Fox Dharma, lunging forward to strike at Master Yan. The Giant Fox Dharma followed closely behind, its claws radiating blade-like beams that slashed down upon Shen Luo and Bai Xiaotian. Master Yan remained fully alert, anticipating Su Zhen¡¯s move. Yet even so, her speed caught him off guard. In haste, he could only reverse the Kunwu Sword to block in front of him, positioning himself behind the sword and using it as a protective shield against Su Zhen¡¯s assault. Su Zhen¡¯s palm struck the Kunwu Sword, and the immense force of impact sent Master Yan flying backward. Seeing this, Shen Luo rushed forward, wielding the War God Whip to sweep across and intercept Su Zhen, halting her pursuit. At the same time, Shen Luo gestured behind him. With a burst of dazzling light, the Destruction Mingwang Yan Armor appeared, its radiant power fully restored. It had grown several times larger, now resembling the scale of the Giant Fox Dharma. The Sun Battle Axe erupted with radiant firelight akin to the sun, slashing horizontally toward the Giant Fox Dharma. The Giant Fox Dharma appeared highly intelligent, immediately altering the direction of its claws to meet the Sun Battle Axe head-on. Two massive explosions boomed as Su Zhen and the Giant Fox Dharma were both temporarily blocked. "I¡¯ll hold her off! You must hurry to destroy the Ancestral Spirit Statue, but beware of the prohibitions there," Shen Luo transmitted to Master Yan and the others. Having been struck directly by Su Zhen¡¯s attack earlier, Master Yan understood the vast gap between their abilities. Engaging her directly would be getting himself killed. Without hesitation, he flew toward the altar. Bai Xiaotian, having shared a deep bond with Shen Luo over many years, understood him instinctively. Without any doubt of Shen Luo¡¯s judgment, he transformed into a white light and shot toward the altar. Zhao Feiji, however, did not follow behind the two. He flipped his hand to retrieve the Dragon-burying Flute, and from his Dantian, a black flame ignited, spreading rapidly across his body as he raised the flute to his lips and began to play. An ethereal melody drifted out, forming visible sound waves in mid-air that floated toward Su Zhen. Su Zhen, seeing Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian already arriving outside the altar, displayed an expression of urgency in her eyes. "Get lost!" She roared, unleashing a giant fox claw from the void that pressed down heavily toward Shen Luo. Shen Luo refused to retreat a single step. Ignoring whether it might harm his body, he forcefully drew out all the Mana and Demonic Qi within himself, funneling it into the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. The golden-black radiance over his body intensified instantly. The golden demonic patterns on his surface squirmed and intertwined like living creatures, showing signs of merging into one. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank. The Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power he had mastered could harmonize Mana and Demonic Qi, but the two had remained distinct. His transformation had always resulted in half his body as a demon and the other half as immortal. Now, as they began to merge, it was uncertain whether this development was a blessing or a curse. He couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on the matter, though. Shen Luo infused the Xuan Yang Demonic Force into the War God Whip, which erupted with a surge of black light and struck fiercely toward the massive fox claw. A thunderous explosion shook the earth! Shen Luo was sent flying through the air, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood. Su Zhen was also pushed back two steps. On the other side, the Giant Fox Dharma and the Destruction Mingwang clashed fiercely. The Destruction Mingwang¡¯s power had reached its peak, with spiritual light thickening several times over its surface. The Sun Battle Axe radiated writhing, flame-like snakes that distorted the nearby void, seemingly on the brink of melting it. Another deafening crash ensued. The Destruction Mingwang was pushed back, but the Giant Fox Dharma had been effectively blocked. Chapter 1745 - 1741: At the Point of Life and Death Chapter 1745: Chapter 1741: At the Point of Life and DeathAt this moment, Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian had already reached the ancestral spirit statue. Master Yan gripped the Kunwu Sword, channeling his entire strength, and slashed fiercely at the Fox Clan ancestral spirit statue. The immense sword body lit up with radiant spirit patterns, emanating a dazzling golden sword radiance that descended with overwhelming force. A deafening explosion accompanied the strike, and half the mountain peak shuddered in response. However, amidst the swirling dust, Master Yan¡¯s Kunwu Sword was rebounded violently. A hemispherical dark crimson prohibition light curtain appeared on the altar, shielding the ancestral spirit statue like an overturned ocean bowl. Master Yan stared at the sudden emergence of the prohibition, his expression darkening as he inwardly noted its complexity. On one side, Bai Xiaotian was about to act when the ancestral spirit statue within the prohibition suddenly had its eyes flash with red light. The corners of its lips curled upwards as if mocking their attack. Before the two could strike again, several dark crimson rays of light burst forth from the surface of the stone pillars on the altar, shooting crazily toward them. Master Yan quickly raised his sword to block the assault, but as the red light struck the sword body, it emitted a series of "sizzling" noises accompanied by corrosive white smoke, causing him a pang of anguish. "Vajra Body Protection!" Bai Xiaotian shouted forcefully. Golden light emanated from his and Master Yan¡¯s bodies, rapidly enveloping them in a layer of Vajra Dharma-form, barely resisting the red light¡¯s attack. This was the Mount Putuo defensive secret technique "Vajra Body Protection," which could add impenetrable Buddhist Vajra protection to oneself and one¡¯s allies. Immediately afterward, Bai Xiaotian flipped his hand and summoned a golden Demon Subduing Pestle, which he abruptly shook. The sound of a thunderbolt rang out! Amidst dazzling radiance, a golden giant pestle phantom, over a hundred feet long and imbued with overwhelming might, descended from the sky like a divine weapon. It struck the prohibition light curtain in an instant. At the same time, Master Yan leaped to another side, his Kunwu Sword releasing dozens of feet of dazzling sword light that slashed at the prohibition surrounding the statue like an opening giant sword. The prohibition light curtain, under the immense pressure, sank inward deeply. Strained by the combined force, it began to contract and deform, seemingly on the verge of collapse. Just as the two believed their attacks were effective, the contracting prohibition light curtain suddenly expanded. A tremendous force erupted, propelling Bai Xiaotian backward. Witnessing this, You Sufin¡¯s expression relaxed slightly. She raised her hand and struck into the void. Two crimson light blades shot forth, targeting Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian. Yet, two black whip shadows flew from the front and shattered the crimson light blades instantly¡ªShen Luo appeared again, shielding You Sufin. "Since you¡¯re tired of living, allow me to fulfill your wish!" You Sufin¡¯s gaze filled with murderous intent as she transformed into a flashing shadow, lunging toward Shen Luo. Her arms rapidly enlarged, transforming into two enormous fox claws, muscles bulging and taut. They appeared even more cruelly powerful than Shen Luo¡¯s arms, with ten iron-hook-like claws projecting icy light. With a sound akin to tearing, they aimed directly for Shen Luo¡¯s chest. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils contracted as the War God Whip in his hand morphed into layers of whip shadows to protect him. Behind him, a yellow shadow flickered¡ªit was the Sky Fiend Corpse King who had recovered. The Turn Sky Seal spun rapidly, expanding to the size of a house, and ruthlessly smashed toward You Sufin. You Sufin sneered lightly. One of her fox claws enveloped in layers of red light, reached out directly toward the Turn Sky Seal. With a resounding metallic clash, sparks flew as the Turn Sky Seal was forcefully knocked away. Meanwhile, You Sufin¡¯s other fox claw targeted the dense whip shadows. Her fingertips emanated five crimson light blades that shredded the whip shadows like paper, sending the War God Whip flying. Shen Luo quickly retreated, but amid the fierce wind, two blurred fox claws appeared before him, plunging at his chest as though celestial weapons striking. Startled, Shen Luo hastily brought his fists to meet the claws, punching forward. A thunderous collision echoed. Shen Luo¡¯s fists throbbed with immense pain, revealing wounds deep enough to expose the bone. His entire body was flung away, crashing heavily against the stone wall near the altar, generating a booming sound. The already battered altar finally reached its limit under this impact and completely collapsed with a deafening roar. Though Shen Luo¡¯s formidable Xuan Yang Demon Transformation form granted him incredible resilience, he only suffered minor flesh wounds. Yet, his mind teetered on the brink of dizziness. Before he could recover, his limbs suddenly tightened as crimson fox tails coiled tightly around him. A ghostly shadow flashed before him¡ªYou Sufin appeared again, clutching his shoulder with one claw and his leg with the other. Her appearance had transformed dramatically. Her body expanded significantly, her legs and torso becoming unnaturally sturdy, her eyes glowing vibrant crimson. Behind her, nine crimson fox tails swirled ferociously, creating an intimidating scene reminiscent of an ancient beast god¡¯s descent. "Die!" You Sufin snarled viciously, her eyes flashing with savagery as her arms swung. Shen Luo¡¯s entire skeletal structure creaked menacingly, threatening to shatter as if he were about to be torn apart. Overwhelmed, he frantically activated the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power to grasp You Sufin¡¯s arm forcefully, battling in sheer desperation. Yet, You Sufin¡¯s strength now resembled an unyielding tidal wave; Shen Luo¡¯s arms were effortlessly pushed aside, and the black-gold radiance enveloping his body was almost completely shattered. "So this is the strength of a Heavenly Venerate-stage Fox Clan member! Am I truly going to perish here? No! I have so much left to accomplish¡ªI refuse to die here!" His heart sank, but he roared defiantly as his gaze turned blood-red, his body igniting in roaring black flames. Suppressing the sixteen Pure Yang Swords within his Dantian, he activated the Chiyou Martial Secrets and unleashed the demonic qi hidden within his meridians, channeling it entirely into his Xuan Yang Demon Transformation form. Xuan Yang Demon Transformation was a divine power he had derived through the Yin-Yang Dual Qi Bottle¡¯s forces, fusing demonic qi with mana¡ªa balance between celestial and demonic energy. Normally, each transformation required the energies to remain meticulously balanced, with Shen Luo only drawing on a portion of the demonic qi. In this life-and-death crisis, he disregarded the risks of losing control over the transformation; staying alive was the priority now. With this resolve, Shen Luo¡¯s body emitted crackling detonations everywhere as the wounds on his fists healed instantly. His fingers transformed into pitch-black claws, etched with intricate black patterns that seemed utterly indestructible. But the transformation didn¡¯t cease there. The Chiyou Martial Secrets began spinning uncontrollably within him, drawing Yin Sha vitality from all directions into his form. The demonic qi in Shen Luo¡¯s body surged rapidly. His figure expanded yet again, his entire skin covered in dark purple demonic patterns, even the celestial half of his body shared in this grotesque transformation, resembling pitch-black devil armor. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. An immense aura erupted from him, vastly surpassing his previous level of power, yet surprisingly stable. Chapter 1746 - 1742: Offense and Defense Transposition Chapter 1746: Chapter 1742: Offense and Defense TranspositionThe series of transformations that occurred on Shen Luo¡¯s body seemed intricate, but everything transpired in the blink of an eye. Su Zhen¡¯s expression changed slightly. At this moment, she realized that Shen Luo¡¯s body had become several times tougher, making it impossible to tear him apart with her strength. Before she could react further, Shen Luo let out a fierce howl. His two arms shot out like black serpents, twisting around and clasping Su Zhen¡¯s arms in a reverse grip. His fingertips erupted with two strands of pitch-black claw light. A ripping sound rang out as two deep wounds, so deep that the bones could be seen, appeared on Su Zhen¡¯s arms. Fresh blood splattered. A slender strand of red light shot out from Shen Luo¡¯s waist, rapidly coiling around the small glob of blood flowing from Su Zhen¡¯s arm before quickly retracting, unnoticed by anyone. Enraged, Su Zhen shook her arms to act, but suddenly, a soft melody of flute music arose in her mind. It was like the lullaby sung by a mother, causing her eyes to turn misty, her body to tremble slightly, and her actions to pause. Although Shen Luo¡¯s eyes turned blood-red, he still retained his rationality. He glanced at Zhao Feiji in the distance, then twisted his body and shot outward like a slippery eel, escaping Su Zhen¡¯s grasp and slipping through the fox tail. Instead of fleeing, he flickered behind Su Zhen and reached out viciously toward her head, leaving streaks of black scars in the void. At that moment, a flash of red light passed through Su Zhen¡¯s eyes, instantly restoring her clarity. Her gaze grew sharp and decisive, and without thinking, her arm moved like a blur to intercept Shen Luo¡¯s sharp claws. With a loud "bang," the blows of their sharp claws collided thunderously. Shen Luo¡¯s body trembled and was sent recoiling backward, while Su Zhen staggered back several steps. The two were evenly matched. Being evenly matched with a True Immortal cultivator was something Su Zhen could not tolerate. Her figure transformed into a phantom, darting at Shen Luo. With a swift motion of both hands, over a hundred red claw shadows descended with whistling sounds, sealing him in. Behind her, nine crimson fox tails surged wildly, igniting with a flickering crimson flame that appeared far different from ordinary flames as they swept toward Shen Luo¡¯s body. The eerie fox tail flames made Shen Luo wary, and he dared not touch them recklessly. His feet erupted with a burst of thunderous light as he activated Splitting Stone Step. A series of intense explosive sounds reverberated as his figure transformed into a black shadow and vanished from his original spot instantly. Su Zhen¡¯s attacks all missed their target. The Splitting Stone Step imposed rigorous demands on physical toughness. The sudden surge in Shen Luo¡¯s strength, brought on by the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, had drastically increased his physical resilience, enabling him to execute the Splitting Stone Step at unprecedented speed. With an angry snort, Su Zhen¡¯s eyes shot out two streaks of red light, scanning her surroundings to locate Shen Luo. Just then, the soft flute melody once again infused Su Zhen¡¯s mind, causing her actions to pause once more. Shen Luo¡¯s figure flickered and reappeared behind Su Zhen. His fingertips fired two black claw lights, slicing toward Su Zhen¡¯s neck from both sides. In the distance, the Giant Fox Dharma, noticing Su Zhen in peril, threw off the entanglement of Destruction Mingwang and immediately lunged forward. But Destruction Mingwang¡¯s eyes flashed with thunderous light as thick purple lightning surged across his body, invoking the semblance of the Thunder God as his speed doubled. He crashed violently into the Giant Fox Dharma. With a thunderous explosion, the two massive figures soared out of the altar and tumbled toward the mountainside. The immense impact trembled Su Zhen¡¯s body, allowing her to regain her clarity at the critical moment and roar fiercely. This roar hardly resembled that of a fox¡ªit was more like the bellow of a raging tiger descending the mountain, with a sweeping sound wave coursing outward. Shen Luo bore the brunt of the attack, his expression contorted in pain. The claw light aimed at her neck diverted, swiping across her arm instead and carving out two fresh wounds. Almost simultaneously, a flash of red claw shadow appeared before his eyes and struck him brutally on the chest. With a deafening boom! Shen Luo¡¯s entire figure was sent flying, slamming into the nearby mountain wall of the altar and collapsing that part of the structure. Su Zhen did not pursue Shen Luo but turned abruptly toward Zhao Feiji in the distance. Opening her mouth, she unleashed another surge of roaring sound waves that obliterated the flute melody of the Dragon-burying Flute and slammed into Zhao Feiji. With a cry of agony, Zhao Feiji was sent flying, the black flames on his body instantly extinguished, his eyes losing their luster as he crashed into the chaotic stone pile behind him and fell unconscious. Su Zhen snorted coldly, ignoring Zhao Feiji entirely. She transformed into a crimson shadow and pursued Shen Luo. Her right hand clawed into the void, her palm emanating silver light, summoning the Snow White Silver Mirror out of thin air. Countless silver-white snowflakes burst forth, engulfing Shen Luo¡¯s form, his vision immediately filled with snowflakes, leaving him blind and disoriented. As he prepared to cast a spell to break free from the silver snowstorm, a silver light shot out from the snow ahead¡ªa silver wand that resembled a longsword, its sharp aura surging, aiming straight for Shen Luo¡¯s heart. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed as his hands suddenly formed a peculiar hand seal. A crystalline glow radiated from his brow, and his entire body shimmered with white light, rocketing upward to the sky. His figure became blurry and indistinct, and moments later, Destruction Mingwang abruptly appeared where he had been, gripping the Sun Battle Axe before his chest to intercept Su Zhen¡¯s strike. Meanwhile, Shen Luo himself materialized halfway up Qingqiu Mountain, standing not far from the Giant Fox Dharma, whose expression was filled with astonishment. This was an armor-secret technique recorded in the Tianyan True Scripture, known as "Offense and Defense Transposition," allowing instantaneous position swapping with one¡¯s controlled armor. However, executing this God¡¯s Power required a high degree of soul power, with a minimum threshold of the Taiyi Stage, and consumed significant resources. Without the marked improvement in his Soul Power, Shen Luo would not have been able to utilize this technique. He flipped his hand and summoned the Shrinking Earth Ruler, grasping it tightly. The ruler emitted a surge of green light, engulfing Shen Luo¡¯s body. ... With a resounding muffled bang! The silver wand unleashed a beam of light no thicker than a thumb, piercing through the Sun Battle Axe and striking Destruction Mingwang¡¯s chest, eliciting a second explosion! The silver light burst across Destruction Mingwang¡¯s chest, shattering his breastplate and blasting open a hole. His body involuntarily recoiled backward, but he managed to fling the Sun Battle Axe toward Su Zhen. Su Zhen¡¯s expression shifted as she nimbly dodged to the side. Unexpectedly, Destruction Mingwang suddenly closed in, discarding the Sun Battle Axe, and opened his arms wide to deliver a fierce embrace. Su Zhen¡¯s heart sank, and she hurriedly evaded, narrowly avoiding the bizarre attempt to trap her. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this moment, dazzling green light erupted somewhere on Destruction Mingwang¡¯s right arm, revealing a faint green rune within. Shen Luo¡¯s figure suddenly materialized, his War God Whip transforming into a dark shadow and striking down fiercely, targeting Su Zhen¡¯s head. Su Zhen, taken aback, dodged to the side. However, she couldn¡¯t fully avoid the strike and was hit directly on the shoulder by the War God Whip. With a deafening boom! Su Zhen¡¯s entire figure was sent flying, plunging toward the base of the peak. Chapter 1747 - 1743: From Desperation Comes Hope Chapter 1747: Chapter 1743: From Desperation Comes HopeShen Luo did not pursue the falling Su Zhen but turned his gaze towards Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan in the distance. The two were still attacking the light curtain near the Ancestral Spirit Statue, but the curtain was far too resilient. The attacks from the Fox Ancestor Statue grew more intense, leaving the two not only unable to make progress but also suffering multiple injuries, with their Magical Treasures and armors severely damaged. Shen Luo furrowed his brows tightly together. While he seemed to hold the upper hand for now, it was merely due to his secret technique catching Su Zhen off guard. Su Zhen was unlikely to fall for the same trick a second time. Moreover, the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power he was using was unstable, and his mana was nearly depleted. He didn¡¯t know how much longer he could hold out. A quick resolution was necessary. With that thought, Shen Luo waved his sleeve, sending out two beams of light, one blue and one gold, which landed near Bai and Yan. "Use this!" he called out from afar. Bai Xiaotian quickly raised his hand to catch the blue light, which turned out to be a folding fan about a foot long¡ªthe Starry Fan. Master Yan also waved his hand and caught the golden light. The golden light expanded mid-air before finally landing beside him. It was a golden cannon. "The Divine Craftsman Cannon?" Master Yan¡¯s expression revealed his surprise after recognizing the object. The first thought that crossed his mind was that the Divine Craftsman Cannon was a secret treasure of Tianji City, never passed on to outsiders. How could Shen Luo possess such a weapon? His surprise turned to a slight frown. The light curtain surrounding the Ancestral Spirit Statue was unbelievably sturdy. While the Divine Craftsman Cannon was powerful, he doubted it could break through. However, the moment Master Yan¡¯s hand touched the cannon, his expression immediately shifted. This cannon was entirely different from the ones he had encountered before¡ªthe aura it emanated was far more powerful. "If we use this cannon, perhaps we truly can blast through the altar¡¯s prohibition. Bai Daoist friend, could you protect me for a moment while I refine this Magical Treasure?" Master Yan suppressed his doubts and excitement as he shouted at Bai Xiaotian. Yet when he turned to look at Bai Xiaotian, he saw him gripping the folding fan with a heavy expression, standing motionless and offering no response. Master Yan was puzzled, and seeing that he couldn¡¯t get a reaction, he immediately flew back a hundred feet and summoned the Sixteen Buddha Armors to form a protective barrier. He then began refining the extraordinary Divine Craftsman Cannon. Having used the Divine Craftsman Cannon before, he was familiar with its internal prohibitions. It would take him only a short time to refine it to a usable state. At this moment, Bai Xiaotian, holding the blue folding fan, felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity within it. When he unfurled the fan, a pale blue vortex-like nebula appeared on the fan¡¯s surface. Just a glance drew him into its depths, as if his spirit was directly transported into it. From an outsider¡¯s view, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes were glowing blue, as though he had fallen into an Illusion Domain. A closer look, however, revealed an entire star system reflected within his pupils. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow at their respective states but did not disturb them. Instead, he flew towards the base of the mountain alongside Destruction Mingwang. Su Zhen and the Giant Fox Dharma-form ascended to meet him, and the two sides clashed in mid-air, each pairing off to engage in fierce battles. Within the Carefree Mirror, Nie Caizhu¡¯s body was enveloped by a green array. Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi surged from all sides, pouring into her body. It appeared to be a recovery array. Fire Spirit Child hovered above the array, activating its operation while occasionally glancing at a silver light door in the air. Through it, the external situation was clearly visible, and his brows were furrowed in concern. Shen Luo, wielding the War God Whip in his left hand and the Profound Yellow Staff in his right, unleashed a torrent of whip and staff shadows, battling Su Zhen to a standstill. Neither side appeared to have the upper hand. But with his sharp perception, Fire Spirit Child could see through Shen Luo¡¯s fa?ade. Although he appeared strong, his mana was nearly depleted. Yet as a Tool Spirit, he could only rely on the limited spiritual power stored within the Netherworld Furnace and could not intervene in a battle of this magnitude between Shen Luo and Su Zhen. Meanwhile, the Mirror Fiend was also present but possessed even less strength and could offer no assistance. At this critical moment, Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyelids fluttered as she slowly awakened. "Daoist Nie, you¡¯ve finally woken up! Quickly use Mount Putuo¡¯s supernatural powers to help Shen Luo recover his mana. He¡¯s nearly at his limit!" Fire Spirit Child shouted in delight. "What!" Startled awake by his words, Nie Caizhu¡¯s initially dazed expression turned sharp. She glanced at the silver light door in mid-air, then immediately formed a hand seal and began casting a spell. A beam of green light shot into the silver light door. On the mountainside of Qingqiu Mountain, Shen Luo, Su Zhen, and the others fought fiercely, turning the area into chaos. The clash between Destruction Mingwang and the Giant Fox Dharma-form was especially intense, with every punch and kick shaking the Void and causing Heaven and Earth to collapse. The aftermath of their battle obliterated everything in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the battle between Shen Luo and Su Zhen was on a slightly smaller scale but no less intense. The two pushed their movement techniques to their limits, their phantom-like figures intertwining in rapid succession as the echoes of their collisions filled the air. Their exchange came to an abrupt halt. Shen Luo was struck and sent flying, stumbling several steps before barely stabilizing himself, breathing heavily. His Magic Rune Battle Armor was covered in scars, the most prominent being five claw marks that nearly tore through the armor. He looked battered and exhausted, his mana completely depleted. The Xuan Yang Demon Transformation began to falter, its black-gold radiance fading, and wisps of demonic energy peeled away from his body. "I don¡¯t know how you forged this God¡¯s Power, capable of merging mana and demonic energy, but your realm is too low to unleash its true potential. Time to die!" Su Zhen sneered coldly, swinging the silver rod. A dense barrage of rod shadows shot forth, faintly converging into a massive phantom of a mountain made of rods. It enveloped Shen Luo and the surrounding area for miles, its aura overwhelmingly oppressive. With no mana left, Shen Luo could only rely on his formidable physical strength, swinging the War God Whip and Profound Yellow Staff to shatter the incoming rod shadows one by one. But more shadows continued to bear down, making it increasingly harder for him to fend them off. "Is today truly the day I fall?" Even with his unyielding will, the depletion of his mana induced a moment of doubt. At that moment, a ripple in the Void behind Shen Luo heralded Su Zhen¡¯s ghostly appearance. The silver rod emitted a sharp, sword-like brilliance, the same attack that had pierced the Sun Battle Axe before, and it was now aimed directly at his Dantian. Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted dramatically. He quickly performed the Splitting Stone Step to dodge sideways, but not entirely in time. The silver rod grazed his abdomen, leaving a long wound that bled freely. Just then, a silver light door appeared on his body, and a wisp of green light shot out from it, merging into him. A layer of green light immediately enveloped Shen Luo as nearby Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rapidly gathered, filling his empty Dantian. It was like a refreshing spring revitalizing parched earth. The black-gold brilliance on his body reignited, shining with renewed radiance. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1748 - 1744: Vast Stars Chapter 1748: Chapter 1744: Vast StarsChapter "Cai Zhu!" Shen Luo¡¯s face lit up with joy, and the heavy weight on his heart finally lifted. The spiritual light on the War God Whip and the Profound Yellow Staff also shone brightly, striking the illusory silver staff mountain. With a resounding explosion, the staff mountain illusion shattered completely, turning into a drift of silver light. "Impossible!" Su Zhen realized Shen Luo¡¯s mana was exhausted, which was why she struck fiercely. Who would have thought he¡¯d rise again! "Damn human boy, so troublesome!" Despite having a sliver of admiration for Shen Luo¡¯s resilience, she hesitated not at all, her silver staff once again transforming into countless shadows, attacking. The snow-white silver mirror hovered above her head, spewing out a torrent of silver-white snowflakes. Behind Su Zhen, nine fox tails swept out, the red phosphorus fire on them leaving her body, transforming into red clouds of fire, enclosing Shen Luo. At this moment, Shen Luo¡¯s mana had already half-recovered, and with Nie Caizhu continuously using restorative divine techniques within the Carefree Mirror, full recovery was near. He no longer hesitated to expend his energy, unleashing the Splashy Chaotic Stick and War God Whip¡¯s divine power with all his might. Sixteen Pure Yang Swords also shot out from his body, forming the Golden Sword Array once more, enclosing Su Zhen. Both sides no longer held back, and the clash between them became even more fierce. Spheres of light and flame burst continuously between them, resembling a flurry of fireworks exploding simultaneously. The violent airflow roared madly in all directions, lifting gusts of wind that shot upwards. The scale and intensity of their battle were no less than that of the Destruction Mingwang and the Giant Fox Dharma-form beside them. Amidst the fierce battle, Shen Luo didn¡¯t notice that as he continuously used his mana, the Huangdi Neijing inside his body began to operate automatically. The wound on his abdomen glowed with green light, healing rapidly. Green patterns appeared on his skin, and the originally unstable Xuan Yang Demon Transformation divine power gradually stabilized. Within the altar at the peak of Qingqiu Mountain, Bai Xiaotian still stood amidst a vast starry sky. The countless stars around him seemed to revolve gently with him at the center. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The feeling was so wondrous that he couldn¡¯t help but immerse himself in it. For some unknown reason, his mind spontaneously filled with the prohibitions and divine transformations within the Starry Fan, feeling inexplicably familiar. Time passed unknowably until a sudden cannon boom echoed, causing the entire void to tremble! Immersed in the mystical starry sky, Bai Xiaotian snapped awake, glancing at the folding fan in his hand in surprise, discovering that the treasure had already been refined by him. The layer of nebula outside Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body suddenly began to shrink, flying back into the Starry Fan, while a large amount of starlight flowed into his body. When the starlight completely vanished, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s aura underwent a significant change, with his cultivation realm advancing greatly. His cultivation had already reached the middle stage of the True Immortal realm, but he suddenly broke through the bottleneck to the late stage. However, a closer examination would reveal that this aura was unstable and fluctuating. "Brother Bai, stop dawdling and lend a hand," came an urgent shout from nearby. Bai Xiaotian hurriedly turned his head to see Master Yan again attacking the prohibitions around the Ancestral Spirit Statue. The Kunwu Sword transformed into a silver rainbow dozens of feet long, slicing towards the Ancestral Spirit Statue with the momentum of a thunderbolt; the sixteen Buddha Armors also attacked from all sides, various Buddhist divine techniques falling upon it. Yet, these attacks barely affected the Ancestral Spirit Statue. The dark red light curtain trembled slightly but withstood it all. Master Yan followed closely behind the sixteen Buddha Armors, constantly shifting his position to avoid the red light emitted from the statue¡¯s eyes, trying to get as close as possible. However, the Ancestral Spirit Statue seemed to possess its own Spiritual Wisdom, with the red light from its eyes becoming more intense, striving to prevent Master Yan¡¯s approach. Seeing this, Bai Xiaotian immediately flew over to help, channeling mana into the Starry Fan. A dazzling blue light lit up in the vortex of the Starry Fan, as if countless stars surged forth, enveloping him entirely. A vast and boundless aura rippled from the nebula, causing both Shen Luo and Su Zhen, who were fighting below, to pause and look over. "What is that?" Su Zhen sensed a hint of threatening aura. Shen Luo immediately recognized the aura of the Starry Fan, though he didn¡¯t expect the treasure in Bai Xiaotian¡¯s hands to emit such a terrifying aura. Although Su Zhen knew well the might of the prohibitions near the Ancestral Spirit Statue, she dared not risk it, forming a seal to point at the snow-white silver mirror above her head. The silver mirror emitted a brilliant spiritual light, shooting out a massive silver snowstorm, instantly covering a range of several hundred feet, engulfing Shen Luo. Shen Luo¡¯s face sank as the light from the War God Whip and Profound Yellow Staff intensified, sweeping fiercely around him. An immense wave of energy immediately swept outwards, extinguishing the silver snowstorm instantly wherever it passed. He froze in surprise, realizing the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation¡¯s power seemed to have increased significantly¡ªbecause of the mana recovery? At this moment, Su Zhen transformed into a shadow, rushing towards the mountain peak. Shen Luo had no time to explore the changes in his body, channeling his mana and demonic Qi into the Cloud Chasing Lightning Boots, while performing the Splitting Stone Step. ... Within the peak altar, Bai Xiaotian swung the Starry Fan, fanning towards the Ancestral Spirit Statue. A vast expanse of starlight surged out, rushing towards the statue. In the sky above, lines of starlight fell, merging within. With a rumbling sound! A massive starlight gate appeared out of nowhere, situated before the Ancestral Spirit Statue, with countless nebulae swirling and surging within, like a miniature night sky. "Stellar Gate!" This divine power contained within the Starry Fan served as both defense and suppression. The red light emitted from the Ancestral Spirit Statue¡¯s eyes was mostly absorbed by the Stellar Gate, disappearing from sight. Seeing this, Master Yan was overjoyed, appearing next to the Stellar Gate in a flash, and with a wave of his hand, a golden cannon appeared above him¡ªit was the enhanced Divine Craftsman Cannon. All the spirit patterns on the cannon lit up, and with a roar, a white light column shot out from the muzzle, emitting a fearsome spiritual pressure, striking the red light curtain on the altar in an instant, where blinding white light exploded. The red light curtain shook violently and thinned by nearly half, revealing its weakness. However, the charm patterns on the stone pillars around the Ancestral Spirit Statue blazed brightly, and the red light curtain quickly steadied, its thickness rapidly restoring. The statue¡¯s eyes¡¯ red light intensified, launching a more ferocious attack, with nearly half of the red light breaking free from the Stellar Gate¡¯s confinement, attacking Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian. Bai Xiaotian let out a soft "Huh," quickly giving both himself and Master Yan the "Vajra Body Protection" divine power, the Starry Fan in his hand slashing out like a broadsword. Dozens of radiant starlight blades shot out, slashing towards the stone pillars near the Ancestral Spirit Statue. This Divine Craftsman Cannon, whenever fired, would deplete its internal armor crystal¡¯s spiritual power and couldn¡¯t be used consecutively. Master Yan quickly replaced the armor crystals while urging the Kunwu Sword and the sixteen Buddha Armors, with countless sword radiances and golden light raining on the red prohibition light curtain. Amidst the intense explosions, the stone pillars near the Ancestral Spirit Statue were completely shattered, and the armors¡¯ attacks struck hard against the light curtain, causing it to shake violently once more. Chapter 1749 - 1745 Countermeasures Chapter 1749: Chapter 1745 Countermeasures"Stop!" Outside the altar, a red shadow flickered, and Su Zhen¡¯s figure emerged, her face filled with fury and shock as she saw the violently quaking red light curtain. She dashed forward with all her strength, trailing illusions behind her. Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian¡¯s faces sank with alarm upon witnessing the scene. Shen Luo had promised earlier to hold off Su Zhen. Now that this demon had appeared here, could it mean Shen Luo had fallen? Both of them had personally experienced Su Zhen¡¯s power before and dared not be reckless. They immediately abandoned the red light curtain and rushed toward Su Zhen. At that very moment, a flash of lightning flickered before them, and the void resounded with dense bursts of crackling. Shen Luo¡¯s figure suddenly materialized out of thin air. "I told you I¡¯d stop her, and I will! You don¡¯t need to intervene¡ªdestroy that Ancestral Spirit Statue as quickly as possible!" he shouted, shaking the War God Whip and the Profound Yellow Staff in his hands. The air thundered continuously as mountainous golden and black afterimages of the staff appeared in the void, surging toward Su Zhen with earthshaking momentum. Before the staff¡¯s shadows even approached, the suffocating, overwhelming force warped and hummed through the void as if carrying the might to split heaven and earth. Blocked by Shen Luo once more, Su Zhen was consumed with the urge to flay him alive. But facing the encroaching staff shadows, she could only halt her advance. She raised her silver rod to meet the staff¡¯s shadows in mid-air, while the nine fox tails behind her spiraled upward. Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of deafening explosions erupted. Golden, black, silver, and red lights clashed chaotically like four titanic beasts locked in battle. Waves of explosive energy rippled outward in all directions, instantly forming towering white hurricanes that shot into the sky. The nearby void quivered wildly, riddled with pitch-black cracks. Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian were stunned by the sight and immediately lunged toward the Ancestral Spirit Statue. The Divine Craftsman Cannon had already been reloaded with armor crystals. Master Yan stationed himself not far from the statue, and streaks of Divine Soul Crystal Threads shot out from the center of his brow. The Spirit Patterns on the cannon flared once more, and a thick beam of white light blasted toward the red curtain, vanishing in the blink of an eye as it struck. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes glimmered like starlight as he soared gracefully into the air, heading straight for the altar. Facing the dense barrage of red light hurtling toward him, he maneuvered with an astonishing agility, darting through the void like a Rain Swallow, evading every strike. In a flash, he reached the altar¡¯s formation. "A Thousand Stars Shining, break it for me!" Bai Xiaotian roared. He swung his folding fan sharply, unleashing a torrent of starlight from the Starry Fan. It was as if countless tiny meteors surged out from the swirling vortex on the fan¡¯s surface, relentlessly battering the red light curtain. Already significantly damaged by the Divine Craftsman Cannon, the barrier of red prohibition could no longer withstand this bombardment. With a series of explosions, it shattered into pieces. A massive red glow erupted around the altar, transforming into a pulsating wave of energy that forced Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan backward. "Well done! Quickly, destroy the statue!" Shen Luo, sensing the situation at the altar, was overjoyed and shouted encouragingly. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Su Zhen was struck dumb by what she witnessed, her face contorting in shock and anger. "How dare you!" she roared furiously, turning toward the Ancestral Spirit Statue and taking a deep inhale. A surge of visible emotions poured forth from the statue, rushing into Su Zhen¡¯s body. Her red radiance intensified dramatically, and her form swelled to several times her size, transforming into a towering half-human, half-fox beast over hundreds of feet tall. However, her eyes dimmed into a dark, blood-red hue, filled with madness, eerily reminiscent of Tu Shanxue earlier. With a thunderous swing of her massive claws, Su Zhen aimed at Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan. Even before the claws reached them, the crushing presence of an overwhelming force, as if it could obliterate Qingqiu Mountain, descended upon them. Both Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian coughed blood, collapsing to the ground. Their armor and magical treasures were also pinned beneath the oppressive force, immobilized completely. Yet in the void beside the Ancestral Spirit Statue, a flash of spiritual light revealed Shen Luo once more. The War God Whip turned into a black shadow, mercilessly lashing toward the statue. Su Zhen showed no response to this¡ªthere was even a faint smile on her lips as she silently chanted some incantations. Catching this from the corner of his eye, Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate. The War God Whip continued its fierce descent. But just as the whip was about to strike the statue, its two tiny eyes suddenly flared with dazzling green light. In that instant, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes glazed over with a foggy green shimmer, his body freezing mid-motion. "Brother Shen..." Bai Xiaotian struggled to lift his head, shouting hoarsely. But Shen Luo didn¡¯t react; he stood immobilized, the War God Whip paused in its mid-swing. Realizing what had happened, Bai Xiaotian immediately understood. "Brother Shen has fallen prey to her illusion technique!" "Brother Shen, wake up!" Master Yan, on the other side, also grasped Shen Luo¡¯s plight. He activated Tianji City¡¯s Soul-shaking Divine Technique, blending divine soul vibrations into a roar to snap Shen Luo out of it. But this normally effective measure against mind-control spells yielded no results this time. "Shen Luo has fallen victim to my Qingqiu Clan¡¯s Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique, powered by the Fox Ancestor¡¯s strength! At such close range, even a Heavenly Venerate cannot escape its effects! And you think your paltry soul-shaking methods can wake him?" Su Zhen laughed uproariously, releasing her pent-up frustration in a torrent of smug satisfaction. As she laughed, her hands clawed the air, summoning looming red phantom claws that surrounded Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan, trapping them and lifting them into the air. Despite their desperate struggles, the duo found themselves as powerless as ants trying to shake a towering tree, unable to break free. "You¡¯ve made me go through all this trouble, even resorting to the Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique. Letting you die like this is far too generous! Die!" Su Zhen scowled viciously at Shen Luo, letting loose an enraged growl before spitting out a silver light. The silver rod shot out like a bolt of lightning, piercing through Shen Luo¡¯s chest with a sickening squelch, leaving a bloody hole. "Brother Shen!" Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan¡¯s faces turned ashen with horror. However, Shen Luo¡¯s body flickered with blue light and dissolved with a splash into a shimmering pool of water, dispersing into the air. Almost simultaneously, the void beside the Ancestral Spirit Statue rippled, and a golden staff emerged, striking the statue with immense force. With a resounding "boom," the statue shattered into countless fragments, which scattered in all directions. Su Zhen¡¯s expression changed dramatically, stunned beyond belief. She froze, unable to stop what had already unfolded. "I was already struck by one illusion when I first approached this statue. Do you think I¡¯d fall for it a second time without preparation?" Shen Luo¡¯s figure emerged from behind the golden staff, a cold smile curling on his lips. Realizing the deception, Su Zhen¡¯s rage boiled over, but before she could act, the red glow around her body started to flicker erratically. Her face turned to one of sheer terror. She immediately sat cross-legged, forming intricate seals with her hands, desperately deploying some divine ability, paying no attention to Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan. The red claw shadows binding Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan dissolved. Free at last, they staggered away from Su Zhen, retreating to safety. At this moment, an unexpected turn of events occurred. From beneath the Ancestral Spirit Statue, a surge of crimson, blood-like light erupted, splitting into countless fine threads that wrapped around the shattered fragments of the statue, pulling them back together. The shards flew back to their original positions, reassembling the statue in an instant. Though it was riddled with cracks and appeared unstable, it stood tall once more. Chapter 1750 - 1746: The Tables Turn Chapter 1750: Chapter 1746: The Tables TurnShen Luo looked at the fully restored Ancestral Spirit Statue, and was initially startled, but quickly reacted. In an instant, his thoughts whirled, and his figure shot forward like a streak of lightning. The Profound Yellow Staff in his hand swung up again, striking fiercely toward the statue. But just as the Profound Yellow Staff was less than ten feet away from the statue, the hollow eyes of the statue suddenly surged with green light. Two clusters of green radiance emerged, and rings of green waves rippled outward in all directions. Having just witnessed firsthand the terrifying nature of the statue¡¯s pupil technique, Shen Luo didn¡¯t dare to continue attacking. He immediately retreated backward and closed his eyes, yet he was still just a moment too late. His vision flickered with green light. "Buzz..." A tremendously powerful force of illusion instantly seeped into his mind and invaded his divine soul. Countless hallucinations played out in Shen Luo¡¯s consciousness¡ªscenes from the past and future, flashing before him one by one with a mix of authenticity and deception. Before he could employ any countermeasures, most of his soul had already been deeply entrapped, fluctuating uncontrollably. His control over his body became sluggish, causing his retreat speed to drop significantly. His steps faltered, stumbling as if he were intoxicated. Alarm surged in Shen Luo¡¯s heart. He hurriedly concentrated on preserving the remaining strength of his soul and fully activated the Suppressing God Technique of Buzhou. A majestic presence of Buzhou Peak manifested in his mind, emanating a towering aura that suppressed all evil forces, barely holding off the corrosive invasion of the illusionary power. "Such an incredibly fearsome soul-enthralling pupil technique!" Shen Luo felt immensely relieved that his soul power had recently grown significantly, stepping into the Taiyi level. Otherwise, his entire being would have likely been fully controlled by the technique, sinking into an abyss of no return. Although he could barely resist the illusion¡¯s power from the Ancestral Spirit Statue, his body was still affected. His limbs "thudded" to the ground, occasionally convulsing as if completely trapped within the illusionary technique. Su Zhen watched the chain of dramatic shifts unfold, her emotions oscillating between shock and delight. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. She had been utterly despairing; this Ancestral Spirit Statue was not only the vessel through which the power of the Fox Ancestor descended but also the key artifact the Qingqiu Fox Clan had placed across various cities in the Four Continents to secretly gather the Power of Seven Emotions for their prohibition techniques. If this artifact were destroyed, not only would the power of the Fox Ancestor become chaotic, but the transmission of the Power of Seven Emotions throughout the territories would cease, resulting in unimaginable consequences. Who could have foreseen that the shattered statue would, with no warning whatsoever, suddenly reassemble itself and even unexpectedly knock Shen Luo down through illusionary means! Su Zhen was almost moved to tears of joy and froze for a moment before snapping back to her senses. Her massive figure immediately shifted, pouncing toward the Fox Ancestor Statue. Behind her, nine fox tails extended and wrapped layer upon layer around the statue, finally allowing her a moment of relief. "Hahaha! The Fox Ancestor protects! The Fox Ancestor protects! I never expected the Ancestral Spirit Statue to possess such miraculous abilities of fragmentation and reassembly. It seems fate hasn¡¯t turned against me!" Su Zhen burst into incoherent laughter. On the side, Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan were equally stunned by the sequence of events unfolding before them. Unlike Su Zhen¡¯s joy, their faces were grim at this moment. Shen Luo had clearly seized the upper hand earlier, and Su Zhen had been on the brink of defeat, yet the situation abruptly took such a drastic turn! Now it appeared Shen Luo had truly succumbed to the illusion technique of the Fox Ancestor Statue, completely losing his ability to fight. The two of them alone were absolutely no match for Su Zhen. Master Yan discreetly drew out a Communication Talisman, trying to contact Lu Huaming and others at the foot of the mountain for assistance. Nearby, Bai Xiaotian had initially intended to seek aid from below as well, but upon noticing Master Yan¡¯s actions, he held back. His gaze shifted to the collapsed Shen Luo. His eyes glimmered slightly, and he suddenly raised the Starry Fan above his head, swinging it downward while rapidly chanting spells. A semi-transparent starlight surged forth from the Starry Fan. Bai Xiaotian¡¯s entire figure vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind. Su Zhen immediately sensed the disturbance, snapped her head in his direction, and unleashed a fierce strike with glowing red hands into the void. The space in front of Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian darkened instantly. Two massive fist projections, as large as houses, materialized in a flash and roared toward them like thunderbolts. Master Yan sought to summon armor for defense, but it was too late. One fist projection struck him fiercely, causing him to spit blood and be sent hurtling out of the altar¡¯s glow, vanishing into the night. The other fist projection slammed into where Bai Xiaotian had previously stood, producing a thunderous sound. That patch of space rippled violently like disturbed water, accompanied by surging waves of ferocious air currents. Yet beyond this, there was nothing else¡ªa peculiar absence of Bai Xiaotian. A shadow flickered across Su Zhen¡¯s face, but she quickly detected something and turned her gaze toward Shen Luo ahead in the distance. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes remained tightly shut, yet his body rose from the ground and flew swiftly away, turning more and more transparent in the process. By now, nearly half of his form had vanished. "Invisibility Technique? Hmph, you won¡¯t escape me!" Su Zhen sneered coldly, extending a hand forward and grasping into the void with her fingers. Five massive scarlet streaks shot forth, their speed extraordinary, appearing before Shen Luo in a mere flicker. However, rather than aiming directly at Shen Luo, they struck a position just above him like streaks of lightning. A sharp cry echoed from that area, followed by seven or eight shimmering star-blades materializing in mid-air and flying forth to intercept the five scarlet streaks. Explosions of spiritual light burst forth like fireworks, spreading through a radius of tens of feet. A staggering figure appeared amidst them¡ªit was Bai Xiaotian, coughing blood as he was sent flying backward. The star-blades were another godly ability of the Starry Fan: the Destructive Star Slash. Though the technique carried considerable might, it still fell short of fending off Su Zhen¡¯s full-strength attack. Bai Xiaotian was struck by one of the scarlet streaks, taking a blow to his chest and sustaining serious injuries on the spot. With Bai Xiaotian¡¯s control disrupted, Shen Luo¡¯s form reverted to normal, tumbling downward from the air. "Die!" Su Zhen fixed her frosty, murderous gaze on Shen Luo, raising her arm decisively. The Silver Wand had unknowingly returned to her grip, a flash of silvery light gleaming from its head. A streak of sword-like silver energy surged forth, its brilliance too dazzling to behold, disappearing into the void. In the next moment, silver light flashed in front of Shen Luo, and a spray of fresh blood erupted. The streak of silver energy pierced straight through Shen Luo¡¯s chest, leaving the Magic Rune Battle Armor shredded with a bowl-sized hole. Shen Luo¡¯s body was sent flying again, striking against a nearby mountain wall before sliding lifelessly to the ground. "Tch! Even mere True Immortal cultivators are proving irksome to deal with," Su Zhen muttered, her brows furrowing tightly. Although Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan appeared gravely injured, she could clearly tell both were seasoned veterans. In the moment of imminent peril, each had cast spells to shield their vital organs, preventing their demise. As for Shen Luo¡ªdespite the seemingly fatal wound that she herself had inflicted, with his aura waning rapidly, there was still no sign of his death. Clearly, he had employed some sort of life-preserving technique. "The others can wait for now. But you... I won¡¯t risk letting you live. Be obliterated!" Su Zhen, wary of Shen Luo above all, swung her arm fiercely. The Silver Wand transformed into a streak of silver light, launching straight toward Shen Luo¡¯s head, prepared to end his life for good. Just when Su Zhen believed victory was within her grasp, an astonishing scene unfolded before her eyes! Chapter 1751 - 1747: Joining Forces to Defeat the Enemy Chapter 1751: Chapter 1747: Joining Forces to Defeat the EnemyJust as the silver wand was less than an inch away from Shen Luo¡¯s forehead, his seemingly lifeless body, which had been sprawled like soft mud on the ground, suddenly moved! In an instant, his feet sparked with lightning, spraying out two thick bolts of thunder backward, blasting two large pits into the ground. Using this force, his body darted swiftly to the side, narrowly dodging the silver wand¡¯s thunderous strike at the critical moment. His tightly closed eyes snapped open, revealing bright and sharp pupils. In truth, long before being struck by the silver light, Shen Luo had preemptively used the Great Unsealing Technique to move his heart to another location, thereby avoiding serious injury. His motionless state was a calculated ploy to deceive You Sufin into dropping her guard, while also buying time to resist the illusory power assaulting his mind. Only a short while ago had he barely managed to suppress it. "Impossible!" You Sufin exclaimed in shock for the second time. After all, that was her invincible Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique. Even a Taiyi existence wouldn¡¯t necessarily escape its grasp, so how could an insignificant late-stage True Immortal cultivator like Shen Luo withstand it? Yet upon recalling Shen Luo¡¯s numerous, inexplicable actions thus far, she couldn¡¯t entirely rule out the possibility. After all, in this Great World, no miracle was too strange, and beings blessed with extraordinary fate and opportunities had appeared throughout history. Clearly, she had underestimated him far too much! Frustration welled up inside You Sufin, but bound to the Ancestral Spirit Statue, she could not retreat. Raising her right hand, red light surged forth from her palm, and she struck toward Shen Luo through the Void. In mid-air, red light flashed, followed by a deafening boom, as a blood-red fox claw the size of a palace emerged out of thin air and crashed downward with destructive might. The silver wand also spun in the air before transforming into a dazzling streak of silver light, speeding toward Shen Luo once more. Lightning flared around Shen Luo¡¯s feet as he dodged the silver light in a blur, his form shifting and rising to reclaim a standing position. With a single lift of his hand, a streak of crimson light suddenly ascended from before him, spreading open to reveal the Blood Essence Banner, shielding him from the blood-red fox claw¡¯s power. At the same time, the Blood Essence Banner flared with blood light. A crimson figure emerged and ascended into the air before diving down sharply, merging back into Shen Luo¡¯s body¡ªthis was the Blood God Possession Technique. All around, Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushed swiftly toward Shen Luo, condensing into a visible vortex. The horrifying wound in his chest sprouted tender flesh, quickly regenerating sinew and bone. Within moments, he was fully restored. Although the Blood God Possession Technique didn¡¯t possess direct healing capabilities, its ability to summon spiritual energy provided a significant boost for curing injuries. Shen Luo¡¯s aura surged by threefold. Before You Sufin could react, he swept his sleeve outward. Sixteen Pure Yang Flying Swords emerged from his robe in sequence, each bursting forth with soul-piercing Sword Qi, flooding the altar in a frenzied rain toward You Sufin. In an instant, the altar was engulfed with unparalleled, cutting Sword Light¡ªits momentum was breathtakingly shocking. You Sufin, unable to teleport and dodge, let out a sharp yell. Her hands ignited with dazzling red light as she repeatedly struck forward. Countless red claw-like shadows appeared densely packed, colliding fiercely with the Sword Light in a thunderous chain of earth-shaking booms. Though the sixteen Pure Yang Swords carried immense power, they were no match for You Sufin¡¯s strength at this moment. After just a few breaths, the Sword Light was shattered entirely. You Sufin¡¯s eyes flashed with a killing intent. Just as she was about to unleash another technique, Shen Luo¡¯s figure darted like lightning out from the remnants of Sword Light. In a split second, he closed the distance between them. His right arm rose high, the War God Whip surging with a massive black light pillar, resembling a raging black dragon, and swept viciously toward You Sufin¡¯s head. You Sufin¡¯s frustration boiled over. Her entire being flared with wild red light as she clawed at the Void. Two colossal red claws, the size of millstones, appeared out of thin air. One claw effortlessly seized the War God Whip, while the other, streaming countless after-images, aimed mercilessly at Shen Luo¡¯s head. Shen Luo roared, punching out with his left fist. A thick black-golden light pillar shot forth, leaving ripples through the Void as it collided head-on with the red claw. "Bang!" A deafening boom burst forth in mid-air, like two mountain peaks crashing together. The nearby Void emitted tearing ripples and screeches. Both the black-golden light pillar and the red claw shattered simultaneously. Shen Luo staggered backward, but You Sufin remained steady, unshaken. "Now¡¯s the moment!" Shen Luo showed no signs of disappointment but instead roared suddenly. You Sufin¡¯s expression shifted. She urgently scanned her surroundings with her Divine Sense, expanding it broadly¡ªbut detected no abnormalities. "Tricks!" Her gaze turned icy, subconsciously assuming Shen Luo was bluffing. Red light flared in her hands, preparing to act again. But at that instant, her eyes suddenly burst open with a crack, gushing out two streams of blood in horror. "Ah!" A chilling scream escaped You Sufin¡¯s lips. The red light around her wavered violently, dissipating by more than half in an instant. Without letting her make any further moves, a sharp whistling noise pierced the air. The War God Whip, enshrouded in pitch-black light, roared forward, scoring dark marks through the Void as it lashed brutally against You Sufin¡¯s shoulder. "Boom!" You Sufin¡¯s towering form was flung backward, her nine tightly wrapped fox tails loosening from the Ancestral Spirit Statue to reveal its figure. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up as he swept his sleeve outward, opening a Light Door behind him. A woman¡¯s silhouette leapt out¡ªit was Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu held the Ruo Mu Divine Bow, her arms drawing it into a perfect arc, a golden arrow gleaming with resplendent light on the bow, spilling boundless radiance. "No..." You Sufin¡¯s fading consciousness grasped the situation, letting out a desperate scream. Nie Caizhu cared little for her plea. As You Sufin¡¯s cry echoed, she released the bowstring. The golden arrow exploded forward, carrying with it a space-piercing sound that plunged straight into the forehead of the Fox Clan Ancestral Spirit Statue. "Boom!" A golden explosion dawned over the altar, spreading radiant cracks across the Ancestral Spirit Statue until it shattered completely. Shen Luo darted forward, appearing beside the statue and fully activating the Netherworld Ghost Eye Technique, shooting blades of green light from his eyes, locked onto the statue. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Black beams coalesced at his fingertips into menacing demon claws, targeting the bloodlight fragments gathered within the crumbling statue. This technique was none other than ¡¯Chiyou¡¯s Strike.¡¯ Yet, much to Shen Luo¡¯s surprise, no remnants of bloodlight emerged from within the statue this time. Engulfed by the Sun-like golden radiance of the arrow, the ancestral statue disintegrated, scattering fragments far and wide¡ªit had been utterly obliterated. Suddenly, from the statue¡¯s remnants emanated a peculiar red ripple, surging outward across all directions. The wave brushed against You Sufin, causing the red aura on her body to churn like boiling water. Her Fox Ancestor¡¯s power rapidly destabilized within her. Snow-white fox fur sprouted rapidly on her face, only to shed in an instant. Her elongated pointed ears grew and retracted, while her cultivation level, teetering on the brink of the Heavenly Venerate Realm, began plummeting swiftly¡ªmirroring Tu Shanxue¡¯s previous predicament. Shen Luo¡¯s heart leapt with joy at the sight, but he dared not relax for an instant, transforming into a streak of lightning as he lunged toward You Sufin... Chapter 1752 - 1748 Little Fox Appears Chapter 1752: Chapter 1748 Little Fox AppearsOutside Xiangyang Town, Lu Huaming, Seven Kills, Jiang Shentian, and Pei Min were commanding cultivators from various sects and the forces of Xiangyang Town in pursuit of the remnants of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. All the True Immortal-level members of the Qingqiu Fox Clan had already been slain, though the credit didn¡¯t belong to the four commanders. Seven Kills glanced at a black silhouette mercilessly slaying members of the fox clan not far away¡ªit was Shen Luo¡¯s Half-Step Taiyi Refining Corpse. Nearly all the True Immortal fox clan members were killed by that corpse. The black refining corpse moved like a ghostly specter, its speed lightning-fast, its body indestructible. The two greatswords in its hands unleashed fearsome Yin Thunder that attacked Divine Souls, leaving the True Immortal fox clan members unable to endure more than a few exchanges before being swiftly slain. Without the leadership of the True Immortals, the ordinary fox clan members could no longer pose any significant threat, and soon they collapsed like a crumbling mountain. However, the Qingqiu fox clan members still bore the power of the Fox Ancestor within their bodies. Though they were in retreat, they continued to resist the allied armies tenaciously, prolonging the battle. Lu Huaming and the others had already received transmissions from Master Yan and were growing anxious. Yet, the allied army¡¯s advantage depended on their presence as True Immortals. If they left now, the current strength of the allied forces might not be able to suppress the fox clan. At that moment, an almost imperceptible red ripple spread rapidly in all directions from Qingqiu Mountain. As it passed through the area outside Xiangyang Town, all members of the fox clan shuddered, their breath swiftly weakening. Soon, they couldn¡¯t even fly and collapsed in disarray on the ground. "What¡¯s going on? Did someone use poison?" Jiang Shentian raised a hand to halt the pursuit and said cautiously, spreading his Divine Sense. "It¡¯s not poison. Don¡¯t you sense it? The immense aura emanating from Qingqiu Mountain is fading fast. It seems that Friend Shen and the others resolved the enemy and destroyed the source of the revert ancestry phenomenon of the Qingqiu fox clan. That¡¯s why these fox clan members suddenly weakened to this extent!" Lu Huaming turned towards Qingqiu Mountain with a calm expression. Those nearby heard this and were all overjoyed. "Heaven has aided us! Now that the leaders of the Qingqiu fox clan have been mostly eliminated, and the strength of the ordinary fox clan members has greatly diminished, let¡¯s annihilate them completely and avenge our fallen comrades!" someone shouted. "Yes, kill all these monsters!" someone else immediately responded. Without waiting for Lu Huaming and the others to speak, the cultivators from various sects, their fury unleashed, charged forward with myriad magical treasures and weapons raining down on their foes. At that moment, ripples appeared in the surrounding void, and a thick mist of grayish-white fog emerged out of nowhere, enveloping all the Qingqiu fox clan members. The magical treasures of the allied cultivators struck the fog but vanished without a trace, as if sinking into the sea. Lu Huaming and the other four¡¯s expressions changed instantly, and they prepared to act. But the grayish-white fog came and went quickly, retracting and disappearing in the blink of an eye. The Qingqiu fox clan members on the ground vanished along with the dissipating fog, leaving only the magical treasures of the cultivators flying around aimlessly. "What happened?" "Who dares act from the shadows? Show yourself immediately!" Lu Huaming and the others exchanged puzzled looks but maintained their wary stances. The fog had come and gone without a trace, leaving no clues behind. ... At the altar atop Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s peak, Shen Luo rushed towards You Sufin, his War God Whip fully charged and swung down upon her. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a loud "bang"! Her body flew backward like a meteor, crashing into the mountain cliff. Her clothing at the shoulder shredded in large patches, and fresh blood spewed from her mouth. Her face, already pale to the extreme, grew even whiter. Remarkably, her head remained unharmed. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed. In the critical instant just now, You Sufin had managed to suppress the uncontrollable power of the Fox Ancestor within her, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike. Earlier, when the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power rampaged through Tu Shanxue¡¯s body, she immediately lost all ability to move. You Sufin¡¯s condition was even worse, yet she was still able to act¡ªindeed worthy of being a Taiyi Late Stage cultivator. "Go!" Shen Luo¡¯s mind raced through these thoughts, though his expression showed little change. You Sufin¡¯s aura had already greatly diminished, and the rampaging power of the Fox Ancestor continued to hobble her. Even though she was Taiyi Late Stage, she had no chance of reversing the situation. With a flick of his sleeve, the War God Whip transformed into a stream of black light, streaking straight towards You Sufin¡¯s face to strike her vital point. You Sufin, pale-faced but still holding onto a shred of strength, moved sideways to evade. However, an enormous black vortex suddenly emerged from the War God Whip, forming the Soul Devouring Array, which engulfed everything within a radius of ten feet. You Sufin was caught in the vortex, her Divine Soul feeling as though it was being gnawed by countless insects, her face twisted in pain, and her dodging slowed. A streak of black light shot out from the vortex, piercing her chest in an instant and sending her crashing to the ground, creating a large pit with a loud bang. The Soul Devouring Array roared, and the Divine Soul power within You Sufin¡¯s mind spilled out uncontrollably like a flood breaching a dam. Her last shred of physical strength utterly collapsed. Sternness flickered in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes as he pressed a hand seal and pointed sharply. A streak of black light shot out from the War God Whip like a poisonous snake, heading straight for You Sufin¡¯s head. Suddenly, a flash of white light appeared in front of You Sufin, accompanied by a loud "clang"! The black light shattered, and the War God Whip was forcefully hurled away from her body. Nie Caizhu arrived at this moment and, seeing the scene, grew anxious. They had painstakingly cornered You Sufin. If she escaped now, all their prior efforts would be for nothing. Nie Caizhu flipped her palm, releasing two golden lightning-shaped arrows from the Ruo Mu Divine Bow. The arrows shot out swiftly, appearing three feet away from You Sufin¡¯s head and Dantian in a flash, moving far faster than the golden arrows from before. While the sharp whistling of the arrows echoed through the air, two figures appeared¡ªBai Xiaotian and Master Yan. Their Divine Senses had already swept over the scene, and their Kunwu Sword and Starry Fan transformed into sharp streaks of light, crossing to strike at You Sufin. Moreover, the void in front of You Sufin flashed with another streak of white light. Several loud "clang" sounds followed as the Kunwu Sword and Starry Fan were flung back, while the two golden arrows from the Ruo Mu Divine Bow shattered, scattering into golden specks floating in the air. "Who¡¯s hiding here? Show yourself!" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes gleamed with green light as he sharply clawed at the void with both hands. Bolts of golden lightning shot out, striking a section of the void near You Sufin. Amidst another flash of white light, a petite, slender figure revealed itself. "It¡¯s you?" Shen Luo narrowed his eyes into slits as he recognized the person. The newcomer wasn¡¯t anyone unfamiliar¡ªit was the long-missing Little Fox Misu. She appeared much older this time, around sixteen or seventeen years of age. Her beauty had fully matured, with radiant eyes and delicate features, her graceful figure stirring awe in the onlookers. It seemed as though Heaven and Earth themselves had concentrated their divine essence to create her. Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and Master Yan¡¯s expressions all shifted as they flew to Shen Luo¡¯s side, summoning their magical treasures and preparing for battle. Chapter 1753 - 1749 Trapped Chapter 1753: Chapter 1749 TrappedMi Suzhen tilted her head slightly, casting a glance at Shen Luo, her gaze devoid of its usual lively intimacy, replaced entirely by icy coldness, as though she had transformed into a different person. The aura around her had undergone a drastic transformation compared to earlier; while not quite as profound as Master You Su, she had nonetheless reached the Taiyi Realm Late Stage. Furthermore, imbued in this aura was unmistakably the shadow of the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power. "So that¡¯s how it is. You¡¯ve also inherited the power of the Fox Ancestor, just like Master You Su and Tu Shanxue. No, something¡¯s different. They rely solely on their innate demon power to forcibly accommodate the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power, creating an imperfect fusion. But you¡ªyours is a seamless fusion with the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power. Who exactly are you?" Shen Luo asked calmly, though waves of turmoil surged within his heart. "Oh-ho, worthy of being chosen by Yuan Tiangang. Quite an impressive pair of eyes you¡¯ve got there," Mi Su smiled faintly, her lips curving in a way that seemed to melt the ice into spring waters, radiating a seductive charm. Despite Shen Luo¡¯s resolute mind, the display caused a faint ripple within him, a momentary disturbance that left his heart guarded and alarmed by the sheer strength of the Charm Heart Power. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Yet, his Suppressing God Technique did not automatically activate to defend himself, indicating Mi Su hadn¡¯t wielded any sort of enchanting divine power¡ªperhaps it was merely an innate seductive essence? Mi Su¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Shen Luo as she lifted a hand and clawed at the void. In an instant, Master You Su¡¯s figure rose from the bottom of the pit and hovered in mid-air before dropping at her feet. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed abruptly, his figure instantly streaking forward like lightning. In his grasp, the War God Whip radiated an ominous black light, which he suddenly jolted. A deafening thunderclap boomed across the sky! Amidst an eruption of black light, a phantom whip spanning a hundred feet descended from the heavens and, in the blink of an eye, struck downward like a divine weapon. Shen Luo had fought back-to-back battles with two individuals possessing the power of the Fox Ancestor, relying on Nie Caizhu¡¯s magic to recuperate. Even so, he was utterly drained in both body and soul. He refused to allow a third Fox Ancestor Heavenly Venerate to emerge. Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and Master Yan understood Shen Luo¡¯s resolve. As they followed close behind, they simultaneously attacked¡ªgolden arrows, sword qi, and starlight were unleashed toward Mi Su and Master You Su. Mi Su glanced at the four of them, her expression virtually unchanged. She stamped her foot on the ground and extended her empty hand while forming incantation gestures. The ground before Shen Luo and the others suddenly surged with a gray-white light curtain, perfectly thwarting their magical treasure assaults. A succession of thunderous explosions ensued, piercing beams of light scattering outward. The War God Whip, along with Nie Caizhu¡¯s, Bai Xiaotian¡¯s, and Master Yan¡¯s magical artifacts, were all deflected back upon impact. Although the gray-white light curtain quivered violently, it exhibited no signs of fracturing. Instead, its radiance flared as it swiftly expanded outward like a wide-spread net. The four seasoned combatants immediately dispersed upon observing this, but emerald flames flickered twice in Mi Su¡¯s eyes¡ªa trace of the Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique wielded earlier by the Ancestral Spirit Statue. A ripple of green light spread outward, catching the four off guard and dizzily enveloping their minds, causing their fleeing trajectories to halt. As the gray-white barrier closed in, it formed into a domain spanning dozens of feet wide, trapping Shen Luo and the other three inside. Within the confines of the cage, flashes of gray light materialized, clouds of ash-white mist rapidly thickening, in the blink of an eye altering the surroundings. Though Mi Su¡¯s Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique was inferior to the Ancestral Spirit Statue, Shen Luo activated his Suppressing God Technique, and a crystal brilliance flashed upon his brow, instantly restoring his clarity. Nie Caizhu and the other two, with soul power far weaker than Shen Luo¡¯s, remained dazed and disoriented. Shen Luo¡¯s expression grew heavy. Without further regard for Nie Caizhu, he immediately summoned the Shrinking Earth Ruler to escape outward. Outwardly composed, Shen Luo was inwardly more anxious and infuriated than anyone else. After all the effort expended to defeat Master You Su, another enigmatic figure like Mi Su had emerged! Whether Mi Su seized the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power from within Master You Su or employed some method of recovery, the consequences would be catastrophic. Shen Luo had to break the formation and intervene immediately to foil this small fox¡¯s plans! Yet, as the Shrinking Earth Ruler began emitting green light, it instantly dimmed and dissipated¡ªthe spatial power here was entirely sealed. Shen Luo¡¯s face alternated between tension and uncertainty as he flipped his hand and summoned the Profound Yellow Staff. Surrounding him, sixteen Pure Yang Swords materialized, ready to brute force their way through the formation. At this moment, Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice echoed in his ear, "Young Master Shen, hold on. This gray-white barrier can restrict spatial power; it¡¯s no ordinary formation prohibition. Reckless brute force won¡¯t work. Allow me to investigate it first." Feeling remorseful, Shen Luo quickly fought to calm his agitated state and withdrew his magical treasures. Ripples of transparency emanated outward from the Free and Easy Mirror, scanning the surroundings. Shen Luo simultaneously activated the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to survey his surroundings while unleashing the Soul Shaking Secret Technique, roaring aloud toward Nie Caizhu and the other two: "Wake up!" The voice rolled forth like a tidal wave, deeply shaking Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and Master Yan¡¯s bodies, causing them to snap awake one after another. "Where is this place? Could Mi Su have transported us to another location?" Bai Xiaotian asked, looking around in shock. "No need to panic¡ªwe¡¯re still in the same place. These gray mists are merely changes to the prohibition," Shen Luo explained. When he first regained consciousness, the mist hadn¡¯t yet become as dense, allowing him a faint view of the outside. "These fox clan members are nothing if not relentless. Defeating Master You Su wasn¡¯t enough¡ªthey¡¯ve sent another mysterious little fox, overwhelming us with unpredictable tactics. What now?" Bai Xiaotian breathed out in relief and asked. Nie Caizhu, knowing Shen Luo¡¯s Shrinking Earth Ruler ability, turned her gaze toward him expectantly. "This barrier is profoundly intricate, even spatial artifacts cannot escape. I¡¯m probing its weak points as we speak. You all may also attempt your own divine powers," Shen Luo said after glancing at Nie Caizhu. The three others shared a determined look and began employing their respective techniques. Shen Luo pushed the Ghost Eye of the Netherworld to its limits, revealing threads of demonic qi within his vision. Amid the blue radiance, streaks of black light enhanced his observational capabilities. Regrettably, his knowledge of formation techniques was meager¡ªhis investigation yielded nothing, exacerbating his impatience. The demonic qi within him surged, and streaks of blood-red light appeared in his eyes as feelings of rage and violence climbed unbidden. "Not good!" Shen Luo immediately realized and tried to suppress the demonic qi within himself by activating the Huangting Technique, but its effects proved insufficient. Suddenly, the green patterns on his body abruptly lit up, immediately suppressing the surging demonic qi. "Huangdi Neijing?" Shen Luo expressed elation. He hadn¡¯t expected that the Huangdi Neijing could suppress demonic qi! However, considering Huangdi Xuanyuan¡¯s enmity against Chiyou, it was reasonable for the Huangdi Neijing to bear such effects. Taking a deep breath, Shen Luo fully activated the Huangdi Neijing, allowing the green spirit patterns to spread rapidly, covering every inch of his figure. Under the influence of the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, the interplay between the green patterns and black demonic marks created a harmonious balance, enriching one another mutually. The blood-red glow in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes dissipated completely, along with the violent emotions¡ªhe now possessed an extraordinary calmness, almost indifferent to the surrounding threats. The transformations within Shen Luo occurred within a split second. By now, Nie Caizhu and the others had also completed their investigative efforts. However, the grim expressions on their faces revealed their failure to uncover any insight into the surrounding prohibitions. Chapter 1754 - 1750: 2 Chances Chapter 1754: Chapter 1750: 2 ChancesShen Luo had not placed much hope in Nie Caizhu and the others, and was about to transmit a message to ask Fire Spirit Child if there had been any progress on his side, when Fire Spirit Child¡¯s somewhat excited voice suddenly sounded: "I know, I know! This is the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array. No wonder it can seal the entire void! But what¡¯s strange is that the Dayan Heavenly Array is an unparalleled formation from ancient times; the range it covers shouldn¡¯t be so limited." "The Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array!" Shen Luo¡¯s heart suddenly sank as he heard this. He had once read about this formation in an ancient text detailing mysterious and extraordinary events. It was said to be a rare formation originating from the Heavenly Realm, capable of combining the spiritual power of earth veins with celestial conditions to create infinite variations for those trapped within. It possessed incredibly strong entrapping powers. Although it wasn¡¯t listed among the ten greatest arrays, it was still regarded as a first-rate ancient marvel. "Then Fire Daoist friend, do you have a method to break the formation?" Shen Luo asked urgently. "Hah, if it were the full version of the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array, even if I could break it, it would require at least ten days to half a month. Fortunately, the array before us isn¡¯t fully established. Putting it plainly, it¡¯s a crippled version, and breaking it won¡¯t be too difficult." Fire Spirit Child said confidently. "Time is pressing. Please act as quickly as possible, Fire Daoist friend." Shen Luo¡¯s heart relaxed slightly, and he urged. "Although this Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array is incomplete, it¡¯s still not something I, as a mere Tool Spirit, can independently break. Luckily, there¡¯s a Minor Yan Heavenly Array stored within the Gu Xuan star disk. I will use the method of one array to counter another, exposing a flaw in this crippled Dayan Heavenly Array. When the time comes, you and the others can attack the weak spot together to break through it." Fire Spirit Child said unhurriedly. "Understood." Shen Luo quickly agreed. As his words fell, silver light flashed behind him, and the Gu Xuan star disk shot forth. A chessboard-like white array swiftly expanded outward and collided with the surrounding gray-white light barrier, beginning to fuse into it. The two forces clashed violently, issuing an unending series of deafening explosions. The gray-white mist upon the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array began to churn furiously. The other three people noticed the activity and turned their gazes towards Shen Luo. "Cousin, have you found the array¡¯s flaw?" Nie Caizhu asked joyfully. "More or less. Listen to my instructions in a moment and combine efforts to break the array." Not wanting too many to know of Fire Spirit Child¡¯s existence, Shen Luo took it upon himself to shoulder the explanation and nodded slightly. Nie Caizhu and the other two were delighted, each raising their Magical Treasures. Within the Carefree Mirror, Fire Spirit Child quickly formed hand seals. Half of the white chessboard array had already merged into the surrounding gray-white light barrier, the turbulence of the mist growing more chaotic, accompanied by increasingly loud sounds resembling the cries of thousands of birds. Fire Spirit Child abruptly clasped his hands into a Dharma seal and uttered in a low voice, "Break!" The white chessboard array surged with dazzling white light before shattering into countless chess piece-shaped peculiar runes, which all fused into the surrounding gray-white light barrier. The mist upon the gray-white light barrier completely dissipated, leaving its surface dotted with points of white light. They resembled stars in the night sky, radiating brilliant splendor. The entire Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array hummed intensely, gradually thinning. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes gleamed as he flipped his hand and brought forth the Profound Yellow Staff and War God Whip. The white light points on the barrier flickered unpredictably, their rhythm accelerating from slow to fast. Finally, with a thunderous boom, all the white radiance soared tenfold, and the gray-white barrier trembled violently. "Upper left corner, hurry!" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s urgent voice sounded. Shen Luo looked up and saw a dim region in the upper left corner, faintly isolated from the surrounding spiritual light. "Everyone, strike with me to break the array!" He raised the Profound Yellow Staff and War God Whip, unleashing brilliant golden and black light, which surged upwards like a flood dragon from its cave towards the weak spot. Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and Master Yan also activated their Magical Treasures, following closely behind Shen Luo. A succession of thunderous booms sounded akin to explosive storms, and the gray-white barrier quaked violently. ... "It seems I¡¯ve underestimated you. So quickly, you¡¯ve found this array¡¯s weakness. Fine." Mi Su glanced at the violently trembling gray-white light barrier before frowning. She withdrew her gaze, chanting under her breath, and placed one hand on Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s top of the skull. Her palm emanated a dazzling red light. The chaotic power of the Fox Ancestor within Chief Strategist You Su rushed toward Mi Su¡¯s hand as her palm absorbed it. As the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power weakened, the pain within Chief Strategist You Su diminished. She struggled to open her eyes. "You¡¯re... Su¡¯er... How are you here? What are you doing...?" She gazed at Mi Su¡¯s figure, her face full of astonishment. "Initially, I had hopes that you or Tu Shanxue might raise the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s banner. Unfortunately, neither of you lived up to expectations. Though my body is still far from its ideal state, I have no choice but to reclaim this power." Mi Su said coolly. "Reclaim the power? You¡¯re not Su¡¯er! Could it be..." Chief Strategist You Su seemed to realize something, her eyes reflecting disbelief. Mi Su gave no response this time. Her fingertips flared with red light as a red vortex materialized in her palm, rotating thunderously. The Fox Ancestor¡¯s power drained at a drastically accelerated pace. In Mi Su¡¯s palm, the red light condensed into a fist-sized dark red bead. Within the bead, the faint silhouette of a nine-tailed immortal fox danced, exuding an overwhelmingly powerful Spiritual Pressure. As the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power was entirely absorbed, Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s figure underwent drastic changes. Her skin lost its luster, moisture rapidly drained away, and she visibly shriveled before their eyes. "Su¡¯er... No, Ancestor, grant me... one more... opportunity...," Chief Strategist You Su rasped weakly, barely audible. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯ve already given you two opportunities: once when I allowed you to use Tu Shanxue to reduce the backlash from the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power, and again when I helped you piece together the shattered Ancestral Spirit Statue. You failed both times. Don¡¯t blame me for being merciless." Mi Su replied calmly, her fingers tightening. The red vortex in her palm swirled into a haze, extracting every last wisp of the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power. The breath of life within Chief Strategist You Su vanished entirely, leaving behind a withered corpse that collapsed softly to the ground. At that exact moment, with a deafening "boom," the gray-white light barrier shattered nearby, and Shen Luo and the other three emerged. "Not bad. You broke the array in just one incense stick¡¯s time. Unfortunately, you¡¯re still too late." Mi Su said with a slight smile. Nie Caizhu and the other three, upon witnessing this scene, wore expressions as dark as a frozen pool. Shen Luo¡¯s demeanor remained calm, but a hint of gloom flashed deep within his gaze. He was about to strike when Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice quietly sounded in his mind: "Young Master Shen, my Minor Yan Heavenly Array has now integrated into the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array. With just a little more time, I¡¯ll be able to reverse the control of this prohibition. Buy me some time." Chapter 1755 - 1751: 3 Questions Chapter 1755: Chapter 1751: 3 Questions"Mi Su, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be the true Fox Ancestor, correct?" Shen Luo, hearing Fire Spirit Child¡¯s words, calmly dispersed the mana he had gathered. He raised his hand to stop Nie Caizhu and the other two, who were about to make their moves, before speaking in a low voice. "Oh, and what makes you think this way, Friend Shen?" Mi Su glanced over and asked indifferently. "First, your breath is entirely different from that of Chief Strategist You Su and Tu Shanxue. The power of the Fox Ancestor in you shows no sign of turbulence. To control this power so perfectly, who else could achieve this besides the Fox Ancestor herself?" Shen Luo slowly explained. "Makes sense. And second?" Mi Su¡¯s lips curved slightly as she continued asking. "I¡¯ve personally experienced the power of the Fox Ancestor. It is invincible, untamed, and extremely hard to control. Earlier, Chief Strategist You Su relied on a great formation to extract the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power from Tu Shanxue¡¯s body. That formation was destroyed during the recent battle. Yet, without external assistance, you easily took away Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s power. This once again proves your absolute mastery over the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power." Shen Luo continued speaking. "And third, because your refined corpse and ghost pet were hiding in the shadows, listening to my earlier conversation with Chief Strategist You Su, isn¡¯t that right?" Mi Su sneered slightly and stamped her foot sharply on the ground. "Boom!" "Boom!" Two loud explosions followed as the distant ground suddenly burst apart, sending two crimson light pillars shooting into the sky. Two figures emerged with the red light¡ªit was the Sky Fiend Corpse King and Zhao Feiji. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed as he witnessed this scene. "All this talking¡ªis it just to stall for time until Lu Huaming and the others from the mountain come to the rescue, while also trying to refine the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array? I can sense a force swiftly gaining control over the formation." Mi Su said leisurely. Shen Luo was startled inside, realizing all his calculations had been laid bare by Mi Su, though his expression remained composed. "Composure in the face of danger, steady as a mountain, and skillful at leveraging every power in your grasp¡ªno wonder Tu Shanxue and Chief Strategist You Su were no match for you. Pity, such a pity, that you are not of the Qingqiu Fox Clan." Mi Su remarked approvingly as she observed Shen Luo¡¯s calm demeanor. "Mi Su, you flatter me. Since you¡¯ve seen through all my arrangements, let¡¯s settle this with true strength!" Shen Luo said lightly as the War God Whip and Profound Yellow Staff in his hands began to shimmer, accompanied by the emergence of sixteen Pure Yang Swords. Nie Caizhu and the other two also readied their magical treasures, prepared to strike upon Shen Luo¡¯s command. Though Mi Su appeared enigmatic, her breath was only at the Taiyi Late Stage, far inferior to Tu Shanxue or Chief Strategist You Su. Hence, the four were unafraid. "I have had enough today. I have no interest in continuing this battle with you." Mi Su said dismissively, waving her hand. Shen Luo looked surprised, while Nie Caizhu and the other two were equally stunned but secretly relieved. "What do you mean by this, Your Excellency?" Shen Luo asked, his brows slightly furrowed. "In this clash between the Qingqiu Fox Clan and your various sects, it is the Qingqiu Fox Clan that has lost. Since the outcome is already determined, why engage in futile combat? Let us part ways here¡ªuntil we meet again." Mi Su said calmly, turning to leave. "Wait a moment. You still haven¡¯t answered my question. Are you the Fox Ancestor?" Shen Luo reacted swiftly, with thunder light flashing under his feet as he moved to block Mi Su. Nie Caizhu and the others jumped in fright at the sight. The Fox Ancestor¡¯s power had already fallen into Mi Su¡¯s hands. Taking it back was nearly impossible. Although Mi Su appeared to be at the Taiyi Late Stage, there was no telling what other formidable methods she might possess. Her willingness to cease fighting was a fortunate turn of events¡ªwhy provoke her to anger? Shen Luo¡¯s intention to block her baffled the others. Although they didn¡¯t approve of Shen Luo¡¯s actions, they didn¡¯t voice their discontent. Instead, they flew closer to him. "Bold of you. I said I didn¡¯t want to fight anymore, but I wouldn¡¯t mind killing a few overreaching fools." A trace of murderous intent flickered in Mi Su¡¯s eyes. "I¡¯ve fought enough for today. Answer me a few questions, and I¡¯ll clear the path for you." Shen Luo appeared unperturbed by Mi Su¡¯s intent and spoke calmly. "You really think I wouldn¡¯t kill you?" Mi Su¡¯s face turned cold as a grim aura engulfed her, her garments fluttering without wind, and a wave of intense killing intent engulfed the four. Nie Caizhu, Bai Xiaotian, and Master Yan felt their hearts tighten and instinctively gripped their magical treasures as their mana surged to its peak. "There¡¯s no need to push yourself. I may not know if you¡¯re truly the Fox Ancestor, but forcibly extracting the Fox Ancestor¡¯s power from Chief Strategist You Su has drained a large portion of your vitality. You¡¯re nothing but a shell right now¡ªstop putting on an act." Shen Luo scoffed coldly. Nie, Bai, and Yan looked surprised and scrutinized Mi Su closely. "Ha, good insight. Indeed, my vitality is running low, but dealing with you junior cultivators is still effortless." Mi Su¡¯s eyes narrowed as she replied coldly. "Of course, Your Excellency¡¯s cultivation is profound. If you¡¯re determined to leave, even if the four of us join forces, we might not block you. But it won¡¯t be easy for you to leave unscathed either." Shen Luo said calmly. Mi Su¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and she remained silent. "I won¡¯t press the matter further. As long as Your Excellency answers three questions, I¡¯ll clear the path. How does that sound?" Shen Luo asked. "Fine. Given the slight favor you¡¯ve shown toward this body, I¡¯ll answer a few questions. Go ahead and ask." Mi Su glanced at Shen Luo as she slowly withdrew her killing intent. "First question: Are you truly the Fox Ancestor?" Shen Luo fixed his gaze firmly on Mi Su as he asked. Mi Su let out a faint snort, just about to answer. "Wait. How can we trust that what you say is true? Mi Su, before answering, you should take a Heart Demon Oath to ensure honesty." Master Yan suddenly interrupted. Bai Xiaotian and Nie Caizhu nodded in agreement. "We of the Fox Clan never take Heart Demon Oaths. If you doubt my words, then let us settle this in combat." Mi Su¡¯s lips curved lightly as she dismissed Master Yan¡¯s suggestion with a hint of disdain. "Although today is the first time I¡¯ve met Friend Mi Su, I can see that Your Excellency is not someone who speaks in contradictions. There¡¯s no need for oaths. Please, Friend Mi Su, go ahead and answer my question." Shen Luo raised a hand to stop Master Yan, speaking calmly. His Ghost Eye of the Netherworld excelled in observing subtle details, allowing him to judge whether someone¡¯s words were truthful based on their expressions and eye movements. After being imbued with demonic qi, its power had significantly increased. Even if Mi Su¡¯s cultivation had reached the Taiyi Late Stage, Shen Luo was confident in discerning her lies. "The Fox Ancestor perished during ancient times. I am her reincarnation." Mi Su glanced at Shen Luo unexpectedly and replied with a calm tone. "The reincarnation of the Fox Ancestor¡ªso that¡¯s how it is." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit with a sudden realization. Under the scrutiny of his Ghost Eye of the Netherworld, he confirmed that Mi Su wasn¡¯t lying. "Were the two attacks on Chang¡¯an City and everything happening now on Qingqiu Mountain orchestrated by Your Excellency?" Shen Luo continued to ask. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1756 - 1752: Return to Where We Came From Chapter 1756: Chapter 1752: Return to Where We Came From"If I say no, you probably won¡¯t believe me, right?" Mi Su chuckled and asked in return. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes gleamed with green light. Mi Su wasn¡¯t lying, but it seemed she was withholding quite a bit. "Fine, one last question: why are you doing all this?" He took a deep breath and asked again. As his voice faded, Mi Su¡¯s smile vanished, and her eyes sharpened like knives as she stared at Shen Luo for a long while before speaking gravely: "Why do you ask me why? Isn¡¯t it because of the greed of you humans and immortals and the corruption of the Three Realms¡¯ order? My Qingqiu Fox Clan was once a crucial force in resisting Chiyou¡¯s Demon Clan, and now we¡¯re relegated to a corner and reduced to subservience to the Human Race? Based on what?" "When have the Human and Immortal Clans ever oppressed your Qingqiu Fox Clan? The Great Tang Dynasty Government stationed troops in Xiangyang Town merely as a precaution. As far as I know, they have largely refrained from entering Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s territory." Shen Luo frowned and said. "That¡¯s just one side of the story. The Human and Immortal Clans have long harbored deep suspicion and animosity toward my Qingqiu Fox Clan and the entire Demon Race. Oppression and bullying are ubiquitous. Now, the resources of the entire Three Realms are firmly in your hands, while we demons are forced to survive in barren lands, constantly enduring the hunts of your two clans¡¯ monks. How could we not seek vengeance for such a grudge?" Mi Su retorted coldly. "So you colluded with the Demon Clan, slaughtered the people of Chang¡¯an City, and attempted to unseal the Divine Demon Well? As far as I know, once the Divine Demon Well is unsealed, the Demon Race may indeed be revitalized, but the Demon Clan will also use the opportunity to grow stronger, possibly even affecting Chiyou¡¯s seal. If Chiyou breaks free, the Three Realms will again plunge into chaos and suffering. Are you really willing to do this?" Shen Luo pressed urgently. Mi Su remained silent. She gazed distantly in the direction of Chang¡¯an City, her eyes seeming to pierce through the void. Moments later, she withdrew her gaze. "I have answered your three questions already. This one is not among them!" She shook her head lightly, formed a spell with her fingers, and pointed into the void. Then, she retreated, her body merging into a cloud of gray-white mist and vanishing without a trace. ... On the mid-slope of Qingqiu Mountain, the gigantic Fox Dharma-form entangled by the Destruction Mingwang suddenly lit up, and its massive body abruptly exploded. A powerful shockwave sent the Destruction Mingwang flying. "Whoosh! Whoosh!" A piercing sound erupted! A dense array of red silk-like rays shot forth from the center of the explosion like tens of thousands of arrows. In mere moments, the nearby mountain wall was riddled with countless holes, and the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s body was peppered with holes. Most of the protective spiritual light around him dissipated, leaving him sitting on the ground, unable to move. ... In Chang¡¯an City, tens of thousands of miles away, the massive black fox-shadow shrouding the sky suddenly and inexplicably collapsed. The suffocating and oppressive aura also disappeared without a trace. The four mysterious black shadows within the city were stunned by the sight and immediately disengaged from the battlefield, fleeing in different directions. Yuan Tiangang saw this and did not pursue them. His tense expression finally relaxed somewhat. "Daoist Yuan, what happened? Why did they retreat?" Li Jing and Fairy Qinglian, along with others, returned from their respective battlefields and asked. Yuan Tiangang looked around and walked a few steps using Firmament Step before forming hand seals and calculating. "The battle at Qingqiu is over. The Fox Clan has suffered a crushing defeat, but the Qingqiu Fox Ancestor has already been resurrected. It won¡¯t be long before it fully recovers." A moment later, he opened his eyes and spoke. The others were first elated upon hearing this, but their faces quickly turned grim at the mention of the Fox Ancestor¡¯s resurrection. ... Shen Luo watched Mi Su vanish without giving chase. He waved his hand, recalling the War God Whip, Profound Yellow Staff, and Pure Yang Sword into his body. Nie Caizhu and the other two had no intention of reigniting conflict and did not intervene, their tense expressions easing. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A yellow shadow flickered across the ground, and the Sky Fiend Corpse King flew over, burrowing into Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve. "Master." Zhao Feiji approached, handing over Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s Silver Rod and Snow White Silver Mirror, as well as a storage magical tool he had taken from her corpse, to Shen Luo. Mi Su had left in such haste that she had forgotten to take Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s storage magical tool. Since You Su had been defeated almost entirely by Shen Luo alone, Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan naturally had no objections to Zhao Feiji handing the items over. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the three items before casually putting them away. He then looked at Zhao Feiji. "Is your body alright?" "It¡¯s fine. All I did was burn some of my natal Yin Qi. With my Punishing Evil Divine Light, I can make up for it later by devouring a few True Immortal ghosts." Zhao Feiji replied. Shen Luo nodded and, with a wave of his hand, stored Zhao Feiji into the Qiankun Bag. After finishing this, he extended his Divine Sense into the Free and Easy Mirror. Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, the Mirror Fiend sat cross-legged, faint blue light surrounding him. However, an air of violent malice lingered between his brows. Beside the fiend was a straw effigy and a set of golden bow and arrows¡ªthe Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book. Fire Spirit Child sat cross-legged in front of the Mirror Fiend, holding a golden relic¡ªthe Dingyuan Relic¡ªand chanting incantations. Seven-colored Buddha¡¯s light rose in circles around the relic, and a golden beam shot into the Mirror Fiend¡¯s brow, fending off the malicious energy between his eyes. Chief Strategist You Su had suffered a critical blow during the earlier pivotal moment, engineered by Shen Luo who had secretly collected her blood and used the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book to curse her through the Mirror Fiend. However, the use of the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Book always left the user tainted with cursed malice. The Mirror Fiend was no exception. "Mirror Fiend, how are you feeling now?" Shen Luo transmitted his voice and asked. "Better. I felt agitated earlier, but after practicing the ¡¯Boundless Pure Land¡¯ technique taught by Elder Fire Spirit Child, I feel much calmer. Master, you needn¡¯t worry." The Mirror Fiend opened his eyes and replied. "That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t have a second Buddha relic like this one, but I do have an artifact called ¡¯Compassion,¡¯ also a sacred Buddhist treasure. Wear it on you, and it should somewhat counteract the malice." Shen Luo, relieved, took out a golden disc magical treasure and sent it into the Free and Easy Mirror, where it landed in the Mirror Fiend¡¯s hand. This golden disc was something he had found in Yan Lie¡¯s storage magical tool, though its origins were unknown. "Thank you, Master, for the treasure!" The Mirror Fiend grasped the golden disc, feeling a surge of warmth washing over him. The malice clouding his mind lessened significantly, and he expressed his gratitude joyfully. "Fire Daoist friend, I¡¯ll trouble you to continue guiding the Mirror Fiend." Shen Luo turned to Fire Spirit Child and said. "Rest assured, leave it to me." Fire Spirit Child gestured reassuringly to Shen Luo and resumed channeling power through the Dingyuan Relic. Knowing Fire Spirit Child¡¯s capabilities, Shen Luo felt reassured and withdrew his Divine Sense. "Cousin, you said that unsealing the Divine Demon Well could lead to Chiyou breaking free. Is that true?" At this moment, Nie Caizhu walked over and softly inquired. "It¡¯s merely my speculation. The Divine Demon Well has the miraculous ability to reconstruct a physical body and purify bloodlines, which is crucial for the Demon Race given their mixed blood. It could eliminate the sole obstacle preventing them from advancing to the Heavenly Venerate Realm. However, members of the Demon Clan face no such roadblocks in their cultivation paths. Yet, they risk everything to help the Demon Race unseal the Divine Demon Well repeatedly. There must be a deeper motive. I suspect it involves Chiyou¡¯s seal." Shen Luo replied with a slight shake of his head. Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan, hearing this for the first time, were utterly stunned. Chapter 1757 - 1753: Fusion Chapter 1757: Chapter 1753: Fusion"Judging by Mi Su¡¯s demeanor, she will likely continue to target the Divine Demon Well. Having now been embroiled in this matter, I am certain we will meet again in the future. This woman¡¯s strength is extraordinary¡ªnext time we encounter her, I must proceed with utmost caution." Shen Luo sighed softly, gazing in the direction where Mi Su had disappeared, as he silently mused to himself. Yet for now, although the journey was fraught with complications, they had emerged victorious in the Battle of Qingqiu Mountain, fulfilling Yuan Tiangang¡¯s trust. Shen Luo exhaled lightly, performed a hand seal, and dispelled his Xuan Yang Demon Transformation. His towering figure reverted to its original form. Having employed the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power for an extended battle, he was poised to circulate mana and brace himself against the inevitable post-transformation weakness. To his surprise, as time passed, his body showed no conspicuous signs of abnormality¡ªit remained imbued with power, and the Demonic Qi coursing through his meridians had increased only minimally. "Hmm? What¡¯s happening?" Shen Luo was startled and suddenly recalled how, during the earlier battle, the Huangdi Neijing had autonomously activated without his control. This technique excelled in consolidating one¡¯s foundation and restoring vitality. Could his current state be linked to the Huangdi Neijing? At this thought, he felt a surge of joy. Just as he prepared to delve into his body¡¯s changes, four streaks of escape light rushed up from below the mountain and landed nearby, revealing the figures of Lu Huaming, Jiang Shentian, and Seven Kills. The last figure was Shen Luo¡¯s Half-Step Taiyi Corpse Refinement, which immediately transformed into a streak of black light and returned to Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve upon landing. As their eyes swept across the sword marks and staff imprints scattered across Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s summit, the three men silently marveled, awestruck by the remnants of countless fierce battles. Lu Huaming quickly regained his composure and was about to inquire about the situation when his gaze fell on the lifeless body of Chief Strategist You Su nearby. He gasped aloud, "Chief Strategist You Su!" Jiang Shentian and Seven Kills also noticed the corpse, their faces tinged with astonishment. Having previously investigated the Qingqiu Fox Clan, they were well aware that Chief Strategist You Su was the clan¡¯s foremost expert, her cultivation reaching the Taiyi Late Stage Realm. In this battle at Qingqiu Mountain, she had been their greatest concern. However, she had never appeared until now¡ªand had unexpectedly perished here. "Could it be... that you were the ones who killed her?" Lu Huaming turned to Shen Luo and the others. Shen Luo shook his head and recounted the events of the battle in brief. Lu Huaming was not prepared to hear so much had transpired at this location, including the Fox Ancestor¡¯s reincarnation. In comparison, what they had experienced during their confrontation with the Fox Clan in Xiangyang Town seemed utterly insignificant. Fortunately, it was all over now. "Why did you all come here? What¡¯s the situation like in Xiangyang Town?" Bai Xiaotian asked. Lu Huaming, not withholding any information, explained how the Qingqiu Fox Clan had suddenly vanished en masse. "White mist? Could it also be Mi Su¡¯s doing?" Bai Xiaotian¡¯s gaze sharpened. "Based on your description of Mi Su¡¯s divine powers, it is highly likely her handiwork," said Lu Huaming, his brows knitting tightly. "The Qingqiu Fox Clan has now formed a mortal enmity with the various sects. As the reincarnation of the Fox Ancestor, Mi Su not only rescued the entire Fox Clan but will also inevitably cause unimaginable chaos in the future." Hearing this, Shen Luo recalled the vanishing Fox Clan members under Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s faction. If Mi Su had indeed taken them away, as he suspected, the Qingqiu Fox Clan had likely escaped unscathed. This meant he had thoroughly offended the Fox Clan, and he would need to tread cautiously in the future as he navigated the world. Just then, Shen Luo sensed something, and he looked down the mountain. Streaks of escape light were speeding toward them from the distance¡ªthey were cultivators from various sects. With the Fox Clan retreating and the Ten Thousand Miles of Azure Cloud Array now dissolved, the cultivators poured into Qingqiu City to scour its structures. Having occupied this place for untold years, the Qingqiu Fox Clan had no doubt amassed countless resources and treasures. Lu Huaming, Seven Kills, and Jiang Shentian, tempted, all bid farewell and flew toward Qingqiu City. "Master Yan, Brother Bai, the treasures in Qingqiu City are being looted as we speak. Why don¡¯t you two also have a look? I¡¯ll remain here and recuperate briefly. You¡¯ve all been through much hardship this time; surely, you can¡¯t leave empty-handed." Shen Luo turned to Master Yan and Bai Xiaotian, urging them. Shen Luo himself had already acquired several pieces of Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood from the Fox Clan¡¯s secret treasury and was indifferent to other possessions. "Shen Luo, what kind of person do you take me for? I am, after all... at least half a monk, you know?" Bai Xiaotian retorted with a glare. "Fine, I¡¯ll be off then." Master Yan, more straightforward, transformed into a streak of escape light and descended the mountain. "Monk, if you don¡¯t go now, the Hua Sheng Temple disciples will likely get into scuffles with others." Shen Luo remarked with a smile. Bai Xiaotian hesitated momentarily before replying, "Your body... Are you certain you¡¯ll be fine if I don¡¯t stay?" "Don¡¯t worry; isn¡¯t Cai Zhu here with me?" Shen Luo reassured him with a shake of his head and a smile. "Very well, I¡¯ll go then," Bai Xiaotian nodded and headed toward the mountain¡¯s base. Soon, only Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu remained atop Qingqiu Mountain. Shen Luo turned to regard Chief Strategist You Su¡¯s corpse, sweeping it into his sleeve with a flick before storing it in his Corpse Raising Bag. Chief Strategist You Su had died due to her Fox Ancestor Power being forcibly extracted and the resultant backlash. Her inherent demon power remained intact, making her corpse an ideal material for refining, far more valuable than most magical treasures or instruments. Over the past few days, Shen Luo¡¯s skills in corpse refinement had seen modest improvement as he continually refined his Half-Step Taiyi Corpse Refinement. This was a golden opportunity to display his burgeoning expertise. "Cai Zhu, this battle must have been exhausting for you. Aren¡¯t you heading down to claim some spoils?" Shen Luo asked, looking at Nie Caizhu. "Countless lives were lost in this war. Every item in Qingqiu City reeks of blood¡ªthere is nothing worth taking," Nie Caizhu said, shaking her head. Seeing this, Shen Luo said no more. He sat cross-legged, quietly channeling the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. He chose not to go down, not only because he lacked interest in the Fox Clan¡¯s treasures but also because he wished to analyze the recent changes his body had undergone while the memories of the battle were still vivid in his mind. In the life-and-death moments during the battle, Shen Luo had recklessly used Chiyou¡¯s Martial Secrets to stimulate the Demonic Qi within himself, significantly enhancing the power of the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. Subsequently, the Huangdi Neijing had instinctively fused into the technique, leading to substantial transformation in his Divine Power. The Xuan Yang Demon Transformation was his own creation, yet it carried numerous imperfections. In contrast, Chiyou¡¯s Martial Secrets and the Huangdi Neijing were meticulously crafted techniques of unparalleled refinement. If he could integrate them into the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation, it would compensate for its deficiencies, elevating its power to an entirely new level. And from today¡¯s battle, it seemed feasible¡ªafter all, the Xuan Yang Demon Transformation Divine Power, Chiyou¡¯s Martial Secrets, and the Huangdi Neijing had demonstrated surprising compatibility. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Suppressing his rising excitement, Shen Luo drew in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and activated all three techniques simultaneously. Black, gold, and green rays of light emanated from his body, swirling around him in slow rotation. Nearby, Nie Caizhu also sat cross-legged, keeping watch for Shen Luo as his Protector. Chapter 1758 - 1754 Cooperation Chapter 1758: Chapter 1754 CooperationWhile Shen Luo was contemplating, the cultivators of various sects, having narrowly escaped death, rushed into the treasure-filled city like ravenous wolves. One after another, they frantically competed for the city¡¯s resources and treasures. Some lost their sanity entirely, disregarding the camaraderie forged in their previous alliance and nearly causing conflicts in their greed. Fortunately, Lu Huaming and others worked hard to restrain their sect disciples, preventing major disputes from breaking out. As the cultivators shared the spoils of war, hundreds of li away on a mountain peak near Qingqiu Mountain, Mi Su sat cross-legged on a rock, her eyes closed. Her hands were pressed together before her chest, holding the dark red bead between her palms as she continuously absorbed its energy. A moment later, she slowly opened her eyes, and the bead gradually fused into her chest, vanishing completely. The aura emanating from Mi Su surged, noticeably stronger than before. She had reached the peak of the Taiyi Realm, just a step away from the Heavenly Venerate Realm. She stood up and gazed into the distance toward Qingqiu City, her eyes flickering subtly. At that moment, a shadow suddenly coalesced behind Mi Su. Its form became clear¡ªit was the dark silhouette wielding a staff that had appeared earlier within Chang¡¯an City. Somehow, it had traversed tens of thousands of li to arrive at Qingqiu Mountain. "Congratulations, Daoist friend, on reclaiming your true self," the shadow cackled, clasping its hands in a gesture of congratulations toward Mi Su. "Reclaiming one¡¯s true self? I haven¡¯t even recovered to the Half-Step Heavenly Venerate Realm. What¡¯s there to celebrate?" Mi Su seemed unsurprised by the shadow¡¯s appearance. Her expression betrayed neither joy nor annoyance as she responded indifferently. "When the spirit returns to its origin, and the qi reunites with form, regaining peak strength will be but a matter of moments. Daoist friend, why downplay your accomplishments?" The shadow chuckled sinisterly. "Our collaboration is over. Why have you sought me out again?" Mi Su cast a cold glance at the shadow, her tone detached. "Over? You used the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array to channel the Earth Vein¡¯s power, gathering enough of the Power of Seven Emotions from across the land to break free of the seal and achieve full resurrection. And yet, we still haven¡¯t located the entrance to Chang¡¯an City¡¯s Divine Demon Well!" The shadow¡¯s smile faded, and it snorted coldly. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Is that so? I¡¯ve already shaken the foundations of Chang¡¯an City¡¯s Four Symbols Heaven-Time Array. With your famed eyesight, you still can¡¯t locate the entrance to the Divine Demon Well? Are your once-proud eyes truly this useless?" Mi Su smirked faintly, her tone half-mocking. "Fine. I admit I¡¯ve already found the entrance to the Divine Demon Well in Chang¡¯an City. But, unfortunately, Yuan Tiangang sealed it at the last moment. We¡¯ll need careful planning to break the seal. Now that you¡¯ve just awakened, you need pure vitality to replenish yourself. Are you interested in joining forces with me again?" A chilling glint flashed across the shadow¡¯s eyes as it changed the topic. "The last time Chang¡¯an City¡¯s defenses were lax, we seized the opportunity for an easy victory. After the recent upheaval, the Great Tang will undoubtedly fortify its security, much like Mount Fangcun. With Yuan Tiangang stationed there, entering Chang¡¯an City with just the two of us would be courting death," Mi Su replied languidly. "With just us two, perhaps. But the Divine Demon Well has attracted the interest of countless members of the Demon Race. Forming a capable team won¡¯t be difficult," the shadow countered. "There¡¯s no need for that. The Qingqiu Fox Clan has suffered greatly this time, and I still need time to restore my strength. I can¡¯t spare the energy for this matter right now," Mi Su shook her head after some thought. "The Three Realms are on the brink of chaos. Only by advancing to the Heavenly Venerate Realm will you stand a chance. Though you¡¯ve reclaimed the power of your past life, your resurrected body is that of an ordinary member of the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Your bloodline power isn¡¯t especially pure. Relying solely on the power of the Fox Ancestor to break through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm gives you less than a fifty-percent chance of success. Are you sure about your decision?" The shadow¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, displeasure flickering in its tone. Mi Su seemed shaken by the shadow¡¯s words, silence overtaking her as she pondered deeply. "The matter you two are discussing intrigues us as well. Would you mind letting us join?" At that moment, spatial ripples trembled in the void, and three new figures emerged. They were the grey-clothed men who had once aided Master You Su. Mi Su merely furrowed her brows slightly upon seeing them, showing no hint of surprise. "You three intend to claim the Divine Demon Well for yourselves?" The shadow snorted coldly, its hostility toward them evident in its tone. "The Human and Immortal Clans have controlled the Divine Demon Well for far too long. It¡¯s time for new masters," the grey-clothed elder replied with a faint smile. "Unlike Fox Daoist Friend, I have no interest in cooperation with the likes of you. Do as you please," the shadow flatly refused without hesitation. "Why reject us outright, elder? Wouldn¡¯t it be wiser to hear us out before deciding?" The grey-clothed elder replied patiently, unfazed by the shadow¡¯s blunt response. "Seeing as they¡¯ve revealed themselves now, they must have some plan in mind. Why not hear them out first, Brother Yuan?" Mi Su interjected, her gaze shifting subtly. The shadow gave Mi Su a glance but chose not to comment further. The grey-clothed elder flicked his sleeve, releasing a thick plume of black fog that enveloped everyone present. A moment later, the fog dissipated without a sound, and the figures within it vanished without a trace. ... On a mountain peak behind the Kingdom of Qingqiu, Shen Luo had ceased his previous attempts. The Chiyou Martial Secrets and the Huangdi Neijing were monumental and profound techniques. Integrating them into the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power would require years, if not decades, of careful exploration. Achieving a breakthrough in mere moments was impossible. However, through his latest attempt, Shen Luo could sense that merging these three techniques was indeed feasible. Beside him on the ground lay the massive Yan armor he had retrieved earlier from the mountainside¡ªit was none other than the Destruction Mingwang. Shen Luo extended his Divine Sense, carefully inspecting the Yan armor¡¯s condition. The Destruction Mingwang was currently his most crucial asset in battle; there was no room for mistakes. Unfortunately, the Yan armor had suffered significant damage, particularly in the areas that had blocked previous attacks for him. Several parts of its body had been pierced through, and the intense activation of its power had further strained its internal prohibitions. Fortunately, these damages hadn¡¯t affected the Yan armor¡¯s core structure and could be repaired. During his time in Tianyan Palace, Shen Luo had acquired a vast collection of Yan armor materials, along with the complete refinement methods for the Destruction Mingwang recorded in the Tianyan True Scripture. Although Fire Spirit Child wasn¡¯t a Yan master, his artifact-refining skills were unparalleled. Repairing the Destruction Mingwang seemed feasible with his help. With that thought, Shen Luo felt a weight lift from his chest. Lu Huaming and the others were still scouring Qingqiu City for treasures, a task that wouldn¡¯t conclude anytime soon. Shen Luo took this moment to retrieve the magical treasures and storage artifacts belonging to Master You Su, Su Xiao, and their allies for a detailed inspection. He started with the magical treasures and quickly uncovered their secrets. Among these treasures, the most exceptional were Master You Su¡¯s Silver Rod and Snow White Silver Mirror, known as the "Jade Radiance Staff" and the "Snowflake Illusion Mirror." Both artifacts contained prohibitions numbering sixty-four layers, the pinnacle of perfection. The Jade Radiance Staff was incredibly sturdy, rivaling his own Profound Yellow Staff. Its composition was unknown, and its internal prohibitions bore some resemblance to the Pure Yang Sword, focusing on sharp and offensive capabilities. When all sixty-four prohibitions were unleashed simultaneously, the sheer destructive force was unimaginable. No wonder it had been able to pierce the Destruction Mingwang¡¯s body in a single blow. The Snowflake Illusion Mirror, on the other hand, specialized in illusion and entrapment techniques. Inside the mirror, a unique spatial realm radiated with dense silver-white light and an array of intricate runes. Even with his knowledge, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t fully comprehend the prohibitions within. Moreover, deep within the spatial realm of the mirror, something else seemed to be hidden. Unfortunately, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t see clearly without first refining the artifact. As for the treasures of the others, they were fairly ordinary by comparison. Given his current cultivation level and expertise, they no longer held much appeal for him. Chapter 1759 - 1755 Great Dao Principles Chapter 1759: Chapter 1755 Great Dao PrinciplesShen Luo carefully put away each of the magical treasures, inspecting the other things within several storage magical tools, and soon a hint of joy appeared on his face. The Qingqiu Fox Clan truly lived up to its reputation as a great clan passed down since ancient times, with abundant resources. Each of these storage magical tools was worth a fortune, especially the storage magical tool of Chief Strategist You Su, containing over hundreds of thousands of immortal jade alone. In the earlier great battle, to activate the power of Destruction Mingwang, more than a hundred thousand immortal jade were consumed, front and back, but now it has all been replenished, with a huge surplus as well. As for other precious materials, there were extremely many. Shen Luo did not care much for ordinary materials, but one thing surprised him delightfully. With a flick of his sleeve, a purple crystal stone about the size of a human head, inscribed with many mysterious thunderbolt-like patterns, exuded an ancient aura. "I didn¡¯t expect to find such a large piece of Immortal Spirit Thunderstone here; now there¡¯s hope for repairing the Hammer of Thor." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. The Hammer of Thor had been broken by the Hongming Saber earlier, and due to the lack of suitable materials, it had never been repaired. The Immortal Spirit Thunderstone and the Hammer of Thor share the same origin, making it the best material for repairing this treasure. "Immortal Spirit Thunderstone! This is a celestial stone unique to the Heavenly Realm, collected by a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers dispatched by the Heavenly Court tens of thousands of years ago to forge the Heavenly Punishment Platform. Since then, it rarely remains in the world; who would have thought there would be a piece here!" Fire Spirit Child remarked, clicking his tongue at the aura of the Immortal Spirit Thunderstone. "What kind of place is the Heavenly Punishment Platform?" Shen Luo asked. "The Heavenly Punishment Platform is a mysterious location of the Heavenly Court, capable of gathering the power of thunder and lightning between heaven and earth, and releasing it at specific times, like the power of the Thunder Tribulation that descends when a lower realm monk breaks through to the True Immortal Stage, it originates from the Heavenly Punishment Platform," Fire Spirit Child explained. "I didn¡¯t realize the Heavenly Court had such wondrous places." Shen Luo showed a surprised expression. "As much as I hate to admit it, the Heavenly Court is indeed the most wondrous place among the Three Realms, a place where the Heavenly Dao converges. In the future, if you have the chance, you can go there more and take a look; it could greatly benefit your cultivation," Fire Spirit Child said. Having heard this, Shen Luo suddenly developed a bit of curiosity about the Heavenly Court, but soon he refocused, looking at the Immortal Spirit Thunderstone in his hand. "Fire Daoist friend, are you confident in using this thunderstone to repair the Hammer of Thor?" he asked. "I have thoroughly researched the Hammer of Thor during this time. The hammer was broken by the Hongming Saber because that saber is too sharp, but the internal prohibition of the Hammer of Thor isn¡¯t severely damaged. If I had top-quality lightning attribute spiritual materials, I would have already repaired it. Now with this piece of Immortal Spirit Thunderstone, repairing this treasure is a cinch," Fire Spirit Child confidently assured. "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Fire Daoist friend." Shen Luo sent the Immortal Spirit Thunderstone into the Free and Easy Mirror. Just as he was about to withdraw his divine sense, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Fire Daoist friend, earlier you mentioned the Hongming Saber. After consecutively slaying several people in the previous great battle, its power suddenly increased dramatically, emitting attacks far beyond normal, but after one strike, it returned to its usual state. Why is that?" "Is that so? Let me take a look at the Hongming Saber." Fire Spirit Child¡¯s tone carried a hint of surprise, and he said. Shen Luo sent the Hongming Saber into the Free and Easy Mirror, and Fire Spirit Child received the saber and began a meticulous inspection. Seeing that it wouldn¡¯t end quickly, Shen Luo continued to examine the few storage magical tools in his hand. By the time he finished his inspection, Fire Spirit Child had also finished checking. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Haha, so that¡¯s it, I understand now! It turns out that the prohibition Emperor Xuanyuan set up back then was like this, seems like the old man couldn¡¯t bear to destroy such a treasure sword." Fire Spirit Child laughed heartily and then sighed. "What exactly is going on? Don¡¯t just sit there sighing to yourself, explain it to me too," Shen Luo transmitted his voice to ask. "This is a long story, and it has to start with Immortal Artifacts. You should remember I mentioned to you before that the Hongming Saber can devour the essence blood and souls of the slain to constantly enhance its power, correct?" Fire Spirit Child said. "Of course, I remember." As he heard the matter concerning Immortal Artifacts, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with peculiar brilliance, and he nodded. "Then do you know what an Immortal Artifact is?" Fire Spirit Child asked in return. "This... I¡¯m not quite sure, I only know that Immortal Artifacts surpass the existence of magical treasures." Shen Luo was puzzled as to why Fire Spirit Child turned the topic to this, but he still answered. "And do you know how to elevate a magical treasure to an Immortal Artifact?" Fire Spirit Child continued to ask. "Why are you rambling on about these things?" Shen Luo said with some impatience. "These matters are closely related to the explanation I need to give you; without understanding these, even if I said the reason for the Hongming Saber¡¯s alteration, you wouldn¡¯t be able to comprehend it," Fire Spirit Child said. "Regarding the process of a magical treasure ascending to an Immortal Artifact, I¡¯m not very clear either, I only know that in order to elevate a magical treasure to an Immortal Artifact, it¡¯s required to integrate the sixty-four layers of prohibition within the treasure into one, and this was something you told me," Shen Luo said after a moment of silence. "Correct, actually, the reason for integrating the prohibitions within the magical treasure is to allow the treasure to more conveniently birth the principles of the Great Dao," Fire Spirit Child said. "The principles of the Great Dao?" Shen Luo¡¯s gaze flickered. "The so-called principles of the Great Dao refer to the profoundness contained within all things between heaven and earth. Comprehending even a sliver of it, whether it¡¯s for our monks¡¯ cultivation or for infusion into a magical treasure, the benefits are unimaginably massive. Actually, Immortal Artifacts are magical treasures that contain the principles of the Great Dao." Fire Spirit Child¡¯s eyes gleamed with a longing expression as he spoke. "According to what you say, the Hongming Saber is an Immortal Artifact, and its ability to devour the essence blood and souls of living beings to grow is the divine power of the Great Dao Principles contained within it?" Shen Luo pondered for a moment and then said. "You aren¡¯t dim-witted after all! Exactly so, such vile Great Dao Principles are exceedingly rare. From ancient times till now, few Immortal Artifacts can compare with it. If left unchecked, once the Hongming Saber¡¯s power breaches a certain limit, it would develop spiritual wisdom, possibly even transforming, and becoming an extraordinarily fierce demon saber." Fire Spirit Child said. "If that¡¯s the case, it indeed is troublesome. However, what kind of prohibition did Emperor Xuanyuan cast inside the Hongming Saber? Please spit it out instead of teasing me like a storyteller," Shen Luo said. "No patience at all, huh? I don¡¯t know what kind of prohibition Emperor Xuanyuan placed in the Hongming Saber either, but I only know that this prohibition only sealed the core essence of the Hongming Saber, yet didn¡¯t seal this saber¡¯s Great Dao Principles. Currently, the Hongming Saber still retains its ability to devour others¡¯ essence blood and souls, but this blood soul power can¡¯t truly merge into the core essence of the saber; it can only be stored inside the blade, to be unleashed when activated ¡ª the more blood soul power accumulated, the more potent the attack." Fire Spirit Child rolled his eyes but still explained. "So that¡¯s how it is, why did Emperor Xuanyuan make such complications? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer just to completely seal this saber?" Shen Luo nodded slightly, then said. Chapter 1760 - 1756: Divine Tree Chapter 1760: Chapter 1756: Divine Tree"The Great Dao Principles of the Hongming Saber fall under the category of Devouring. Such godly powers are highly spiritual; if completely sealed, it would be akin to starving a living being, harming the saber¡¯s spiritual essence and potentially causing its total destruction," Fire Spirit Child explained. "I see," Shen Luo said. He inwardly thought that Huangdi Xuanyuan must have been a great lover of treasures. "Initially, I assumed that the hostility of the Hongming Saber remained because the seal left by Huangdi Xuanyuan was loosening. Now it seems Huangdi Xuanyuan was far more clever than anticipated. Since the saber¡¯s intent has been sealed, the surface layer of hostility should be manageable for you. You no longer need to hold back; feel free to use the saber as you wish," Fire Spirit Child said as he returned the Hongming Saber to Shen Luo. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted. He had long admired the power of the Hongming Saber, yet held back due to Fire Spirit Child¡¯s caution. Things were now different. He stored the Hongming Saber within himself and began refining it with the Innate Treasure-refining Technique. Afterward, Shen Luo checked the other treasures on him. The Profound Yellow Staff and Blood Essence Banner were slightly damaged, but nothing serious. Several Pure Yang Flying Swords had lost some spiritual essence, though their substance was unharmed; with proper nurturing, their vitality could be restored. In this recent battle, the most severely damaged artifact was the Thousand Cup Golden Goblet. The internal prohibition had completely collapsed. Fortunately, the various materials within the goblet retained their spirituality, making its refinement feasible. With Fire Spirit Child around, this task wouldn¡¯t be difficult. However, the goblet still lacked the most crucial Nine Heavens Gold Essence. Since Shen Luo now possessed the more powerful Blood Essence Banner as a defensive artifact, he temporarily decided not to refine the goblet. Once these trivial matters were resolved, Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, releasing a stream of golden light to envelop the nearby Destruction Mingwang and send it into the Carefree Mirror. Closing his eyes, he prepared to resume his cultivation. "Hmm, Young Master Shen, what¡¯s this thing?" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. Shen Luo opened his eyes and extended his divine sense into the Carefree Mirror. In Fire Spirit Child¡¯s hand was a dark, unremarkable object. It resembled a stone but bore subtle wooden textures, its aura distinctly peculiar. "Where did you get this thing?" Shen Luo asked in surprise. "I didn¡¯t get it. This thing came along with the Destruction Mingwang when you just sent him into the Carefree Mirror. Didn¡¯t you notice yourself?" Fire Spirit Child rolled his eyes. Shen Luo froze for a moment before scanning the surroundings. He quickly spotted another similar black object on the ground not far away and immediately flicked his sleeve to bring it into his hand. This thing felt warm to the touch, firm yet slightly pliable¡ªentirely unlike stone. He activated his divine sense to investigate it carefully. Though odd, its aura stirred an inexplicable sense of familiarity within him. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With a brief moment of recollection, Shen Luo suddenly realized where he had seen this before. "This is a fragment of the ancestral spirit statue!" "Ancestral spirit statue!" Fire Spirit Child exclaimed. Without delay, the space within the Carefree Mirror cracked open. Leaping out, he hurried to the shattered Fox Clan ancestral spirit statue and fixed his gaze intently on the residual base of the sculpture. Nie Caizhu, disturbed by Fire Spirit Child¡¯s sudden movement, glanced curiously at Shen Luo. But Shen Luo raised a finger, gesturing for her to remain silent. "It¡¯s true! These are fragments of the World Tree!" Fire Spirit Child suddenly slapped his thigh with enthusiasm, blurting out seemingly nonsensical excitement. "World Tree?" Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted upon hearing those words. It wasn¡¯t his first time encountering mention of this object. At the Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast hosted by Wuzhuang View, someone had swapped a segment of it for Wuzhuang View¡¯s Immortal Fruit¡ªa piece only about a foot long. This wood hailed from the Ancient Divine Woods and was now nearly extinct. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter it here. "No wonder I felt something odd about the aura of this fox statue even when looking through the space of the Carefree Mirror. As I suspected, this thing was carved from the wood of the World Tree!" Fire Spirit Child said gleefully. "I¡¯ve seen a fragment of the World Tree before, and it was very different from this one, both in appearance and aura," Shen Luo commented as he approached. The World Tree fragment he¡¯d seen in Wuzhuang View was a yellowish-brown and exuded spiritual power of earth attributes. In contrast, the fragment before him contained extraordinarily pure yin energy. "The World Tree is a unique Spirit Wood among Heaven and Earth, capable of housing all forms of vitality. Depending on the essence it absorbs, its aura can vary," Fire Spirit Child explained dismissively without looking back. "Capable of housing all vitality!" Shen Luo¡¯s mind stirred. The fragment in his hand bore yin energy of incredible purity, yet showed no signs of dispersing. It seemed indistinguishable from naturally occurring yin-attribute Spirit Wood¡ªcould it truly have absorbed such energy to transform? He found it difficult to believe. Activating the Wind and Thunder Spirit Patterns on his arms, he imbued the statue fragment with surges of lightning power. The golden lightning, being a natural counter to yin energy, swiftly dissipated the black hue of the fragment. Moreover, a suction force emerged from the fragment, absorbing the golden lightning. Specks of golden thunder light began to surface and spread swiftly across its surface. A moment later, the fragment in Shen Luo¡¯s hand underwent an extraordinary change, transforming into a piece of golden Spirit Wood, its surface occasionally flashing with slender arcs of golden electricity. "How wondrous!" Shen Luo marveled. His awe extended not only to the fragment¡¯s ability to absorb golden lightning but also to its capacity; the small shard alone had accommodated nearly ten percent of his mana-generated lightning. Nie Caizhu, observing the fragment in Shen Luo¡¯s hand, gazed at it intently, hesitating to speak. "Save your surprise. The World Tree is said to have connected the Human Realm and the Heavenly Realm during ancient times. Such abilities are well within reason," Fire Spirit Child remarked. "The World Tree connecting the Human Realm and the Heavenly Realm!" Shen Luo looked up at Fire Spirit Child. The Heavenly Realm, situated far beyond the Nine Heavens, remained a distant mystery to Shen Luo. Even as a True Immortal, he dared not explore it rashly without guidance. That the World Tree could reach such a place¡ªit aligned with the classics describing the tree as a bridge between Heaven and Earth! "Indeed! However, this is something I¡¯ve only read in ancient records. It is said that at the dawn of creation, the Immortal Clan, Human Race, and Demon Clan all lived within the Human Realm. Later, when the Pillar of Heaven collapsed, the skydome shattered, floods ravaged the land, and countless celestial disasters unfolded. The Great Goddess Nuwa mended the skydome with Five-Colored Stones, finally pacifying the calamities. Yet the upheaval disrupted the Earth Veins in the Human Realm, causing spiritual energy to gradually dwindle while turbid energy flourished. Humans and Demons could tolerate turbid energy, but the Immortal Clan, born from the source of spiritual energy, found it inhospitable. They sought refuge and discovered the Connecting Heaven Wood within Mount Kunlun. Climbing its heights, they uncovered the existence of the Heavenly Realm. It was only then that the tree earned the title of World Tree," Fire Spirit Child explained wistfully. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu listened intently to Fire Spirit Child¡¯s recounting of these ancient secrets, filled with wonder and newfound knowledge. "Does the World Tree within Mount Kunlun still exist today?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask. Chapter 1761 - 1757: Deep in the Underworld Chapter 1761: Chapter 1757: Deep in the Underworld"Back in ancient times, that World Tree was chopped down by someone and no longer exists." Fire Spirit Child sighed and shook his head. Shen Luo, upon hearing this, also sighed regretfully. Such a sky-reaching tree, unable to witness it firsthand, is truly lamentable. "Who was it that cut down the World Tree?" Nie Caizhu asked. "That I do not know." Fire Spirit Child shook his head and replied. Shen Luo remained silent, his gaze flickering, as if deep in thought. After saying this, Fire Spirit Child no longer paid attention to the two of them, searching the surroundings for fragments scattered from the Ancestral Spirit Statue, and piled them on the statue¡¯s base, while his hands continued to form seals, as if he was performing some kind of God¡¯s Power. "What are you doing?" Shen Luo asked curiously upon seeing this. "I just find it strange why the Qingqiu Fox Clan would use the World Tree to forge the Ancestral Spirit Statue." Fire Spirit Child said. "The World Tree can accommodate any vitality, whether it hosts the power of the Fox Ancestor or contains other forces; it has great utility. With the financial power of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, gathering fragments of the World Tree to forge this Ancestral Spirit Statue is no big deal." Shen Luo said. "Perhaps, but earlier when I manipulated that Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array, I faintly sensed there was something unusual about this statue. To be safe, I decided to cast a spell to investigate." As he spoke, Fire Spirit Child finished his secret technique, and a ball of red light shot from his fingertips, enveloping all the statue fragments. On those fragments, many Red Threads immediately appeared, merging with each other and, in the blink of an eye, forming half of the statue. Most of the Ancestral Spirit Statue was completely destroyed by Nie Caizhu using the Ruo Mu Divine Bow, leaving only these fragments. Fire Spirit Child signaled Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu to stay quiet; he bent his right finger and sent a red beam into the half statue, making it ripple with waves of red light, resembling some special investigation God¡¯s Power. Fire Spirit Child then moved to the damaged base of the statue, lay on the ground, intently listening to something. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu watched this scene and waited beside him. "Cousin, can you give me two pieces of these World Tree fragments later?" Nie Caizhu suddenly transmitted to Shen Luo. "Of course, but why do you need World Tree fragments?" Shen Luo asked. "Besides specializing in Five Elements Technique and Healing Secret Technique, our Mount Putuo excels in a special Gem Secret Technique, refining various strange gems using special materials and essence blood. These gems can be embedded in Magical Treasures to increase their power. The World Tree is an Ancient Divine Wood, possessing magical ability to store vitality, making it an excellent material for crafting Wood Attribute Gemstones." Nie Caizhu said with gleaming eyes. "Gem Secret Technique?" Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted, recalling the Mount Putuo disciples he had encountered before, whose Magical Treasures were indeed embedded with some strange Treasure Pearls that enhanced their power. He originally thought it was a unique refining secret method from Mount Putuo, but it turned out to be the Gem Secret Technique. "Alright, once things here are done, I¡¯ll give you some World Tree pieces. But can others use these special gems?" Shen Luo asked. The Gem Secret Technique had piqued his interest. "The Gem Secret Technique doesn¡¯t require our sect¡¯s Skills as a foundation; as long as one understands the incantations, outsiders can use them." Nie Caizhu hesitated briefly, glanced around, and discreetly handed a green jade slip to Shen Luo. Shen Luo took it and immersed his Divine Sense into it. The jade slip contained numerous gem refinement methods and activation techniques; each gem had different effects, some enhancing attack, some defense, and others increasing speed for Spirit Boots and Flying Boats. Besides these common gems that amplify the power of the Magical Treasures themselves, there were rare gems that endowed new abilities to the treasures, such as a Combo Gem which, when embedded, had a fifty percent chance of causing additional damage with every attack; and a Spirit Absorbing Gem that could absorb the opponent¡¯s Spiritual Power during battle, subtly reducing their power. This Gem Secret Technique, unlike Talismans or Magical Treasures, was novel and intriguing even to Shen Luo. Unfortunately, the gem refinement process was very complex and time-consuming, and he was too busy to attempt it himself. Luckily, the gems could be crafted by others, and he could simply recognize them with a blood drop and use them. Shen Luo planned to keep only a few World Tree fragments for personal research, and give the rest to Nie Caizhu to refine gems; maybe she could craft one or two that are truly useful. "Cousin, Mount Putuo values this Gem Secret Technique greatly. You should not tell others that you understand this technique, to avoid trouble." Nie Caizhu transmitted again. "I am merely curious about the Gem Secret Technique; since Mount Putuo values it highly, you shouldn¡¯t have shown it to me." Shen Luo frowned slightly. "You¡¯re not an outsider. Viewing it doesn¡¯t matter. Besides, I am Mount Putuo¡¯s Minor Sect Leader; even if the sect knows, they wouldn¡¯t do anything to me." Nie Caizhu didn¡¯t care. Since they merged their cultivation, in her heart, Shen Luo¡¯s position surpassed that of Mount Putuo. Shen Luo shook his head and immediately put the jade slip away. At this moment, Fire Spirit Child rose from the ground, looking excited. "Fire Daoist friend, have you discovered anything?" Shen Luo asked promptly. "Just as I expected, there is something below that resonates with the Ancestral Spirit Statue; a special relationship exists between them. However, a strong and chaotic Spiritual Power Fluctuation below prevents clear investigation." Fire Spirit Child said. "There¡¯s really something underground!" Shen Luo¡¯s gaze focused. "Underworld..." Nie Caizhu¡¯s expression shifted, seemingly recalling something. "Since there¡¯s something unusual below, let¡¯s go down together and take a look." Shen Luo suggested. Neither Fire Spirit Child nor Nie Caizhu opposed. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo swept his sleeve to collect them, along with the World Tree fragments, into the Free and Easy Mirror, then quietly reached the mountain¡¯s foot, performed the Escape Ground Technique, and vanished underground. Following Fire Spirit Child¡¯s directions, he traveled deeply through Qingqiu Mountain¡¯s Underworld, finally reaching the destination. Shen Luo suddenly felt emptiness beneath his feet, as if penetrating a layer of array, entering a massive Underground Cave. As he descended, he immediately stabilized his form and looked around. This Underground Cave was large, nearly a thousand feet wide; though underground, it was quite bright, and the inside of the cave was visible at a glance. All around the Stone Wall, arm-thick roots spread everywhere, crisscrossing like countless intersecting roads, converging toward a main vein. The main vein was a gigantic root over ten feet thick, stretching for hundreds of feet, extending into a wall, and burrowing into a fissure, seemingly not the primary root. All the black roots connected to the center of the cave, where a massive black tree stump protruded from the Ground, resembling a flat, giant black High Platform, covered in countless complex Formation Patterns, appearing to be a vast Array. Unfortunately, the stump was riddled with intersecting blade and sword scars, destroying most of these Formation Patterns, and the Fox Ancestor Statue originally on the stump was intentionally shattered by someone. Chapter 1762 - 1758 The Reason Chapter 1762: Chapter 1758 The Reason"Cousin, this is the underground cave I previously tracked the three grey-clothed men into," Nie Caizhu transmitted to Shen Luo. Shen Luo nodded slightly upon hearing this and looked towards the giant black tree stump. The material of this tree stump was identical to that of the ancestral spirit statue on the mountain top. He was secretly startled and hurriedly investigated further, and discovered that this black tree stump was indeed the World Tree. Shen Luo gasped. Even a small piece of the World Tree is priceless, able to be exchanged for Celestial Fox Saliva and Wind and Thunder Immortal Dates, such treasures. Here lies the entire root of a World Tree¡ªimagine the things it could be exchanged for! Nie Caizhu also recognized the black tree stump, her face showing shock. However, since this was her first encounter with the World Tree today, she wasn¡¯t very aware of its value and soon regained her composure. "Senior Fire, didn¡¯t you say the World Tree grows in Kunlun Mountain? Why is there one here, even if it¡¯s just the root?" Nie Caizhu looked at Fire Spirit Child. "There isn¡¯t just one World Tree. Judging by the small size of this root, this one is merely a sapling, far inferior to the towering giant of ancient Kunlun Mountain," Fire Spirit Child said. Nie Caizhu nodded thoughtfully at his words. "I wondered why the ancestral spirit statue is so closely connected to the lower region. It turns out there¡¯s this World Tree root underground, but unfortunately, all life has been cut off," Fire Spirit Child said as he flew to a nearby black root, gently stroking it. Shen Luo also recovered at this moment and walked to one of the broken tree roots, just about to reach out to touch it when he suddenly looked towards a portion of the cave stone wall not far away. "Who goes there? Come out!" He shouted loudly, shaking his sleeve. With a loud whoosh, countless flashes of crimson sword light appeared, slicing onto the stone wall. The entire stone wall shattered and collapsed, sending up a cloud of dust as a figure shot out¡ªit was Hu Bugui. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It¡¯s you!" Shen Luo¡¯s face showed a hint of surprise when he saw who it was. Hu Bugui¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t good either, his cheeks pale and bloodless, his breath erratic and unstable. An enormous white ring was entwined around him, the ring glowed with a dim white light, with edges like fiery blades, an unknown mystical artifact. "Brother Shen, your response was so swift. I was just about to reveal myself but couldn¡¯t make it in time. If not for this Wind-Fire Circle Protective Body, I would¡¯ve been nearly cut by your sword," Hu Bugui said with a smile. "Brother Hu, what are you doing here?" Shen Luo asked after glancing at Hu Bugui. "I was severely injured by a blow from Chief Strategist You Su, and cultivators of various sects are everywhere on the mountain. I happened to find this place and hid in this cave to recover. Why are you here? Is the battle outside over? What was the outcome?" Hu Bugui asked with a wry smile. "Chief Strategist You Su has already perished, but most of the Qingqiu Fox Clan were rescued by a mysterious person, their whereabouts unknown," Shen Luo said calmly. "Chief Strategist You Su has already perished! Who could have defeated her?" Hu Bugui was greatly shocked by this news. "She was not defeated by us; her internal Fox Ancestor¡¯s power became chaotic, and she severed her own life force," Shen Luo shook his head and said. "So, she brought it upon herself. Brother Shen, how did you discover this cave?" Hu Bugui sighed and then asked. "I sensed something unusual in the underground here from the mountain top, so I came to check. Are you here alone? Where is Tu Shanxue, whom you rescued before?" Shen Luo looked around, a hint of green light flashing in his eyes. "This woman is extremely cunning. Her injuries were much less severe than they appeared. Just now, while I was healing, she sneaked away," Hu Bugui said with a look of frustration. "Is that so?" Shen Luo smiled slightly, then flicked his finger suddenly. A Pure Yang Sword shot out, flashing to Hu Bugui¡¯s front in an instant, sweeping towards his right hand, leaving trails of afterimages. Hu Bugui was greatly frightened and hurriedly dodged back, but the Pure Yang Sword was even faster, its fierce sword radiance entwining his right sleeve like a serpent. With a tearing sound, Hu Bugui¡¯s sleeve was shredded, and a mass of green light burst out, a figure falling from within¡ªTu Shanxue. "Qiankun Sleeve?" Nie Caizhu murmured in surprise. Meanwhile, Fire Spirit Child paid no attention to the events, instead flying onto the World Tree stump, observing the interwoven formation patterns on it. Tu Shanxue remained unconscious, unresponsive to her surroundings, her black hair turned white, appearing extremely weak. Her breathing was also unstable and continued to weaken. If left unchecked, she would soon perish on the spot. Shen Luo glanced at Hu Bugui¡¯s sleeve, then his gaze fell onto Tu Shanxue, his eyes cold. "Brother Shen, Tu Shanxue¡¯s meridians are almost completely shattered, her cultivation level nearly abolished by ninety percent. Please show mercy and spare her life," Hu Bugui¡¯s expression changed dramatically as he blocked Tu Shanxue. "Tu Shanxue is one of the masterminds of the Qingqiu Mountain incident. Countless lives in the Allied Army were lost to her hands. Brother Hu, you¡¯re of Fox Clan blood, yet you¡¯re also a disciple of Silk Cave. Why protect this woman so fervently?" Shen Luo withdrew the Pure Yang Sword with a wave of his hand and asked. "Tu Shanxue is too severely injured. Without the supplement of demon power, she won¡¯t last long. Brother Shen, could you permit me to heal her while I explain my reasoning?" Hu Bugui pleaded as he looked at Tu Shanxue¡¯s increasingly weak breath. Shen Luo was silent for a moment before nodding. Hu Bugui thanked him and immediately sat behind Tu Shanxue, pressing her shoulders with both hands, continuously channeling his mana into her body. However, Tu Shanxue was too badly injured, and Hu Bugui himself was also seriously wounded, his remaining mana insufficient for effective healing. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered briefly. He appeared beside Hu Bugui in a flash, and a green light shot from his fingertips, quickly striking several points on his chest and lower abdomen, finally settling on Hu Bugui¡¯s back heart, infusing pure mana like a torrent. Hu Bugui¡¯s chaotic aura immediately stabilized, and his pale cheeks regained some color. "Thank you, Brother Shen, for your assistance." Hu Bugui breathed a sigh of relief, thanked Shen Luo, and then pressed his fingers on several points on Tu Shanxue¡¯s chest and abdomen. These locations were hidden acupoints recorded in the Huangdi Neijing, known for their miraculous healing effects. Although Hu Bugui didn¡¯t understand the Huangdi Neijing, as he infused his own mana into them, Tu Shanxue¡¯s breath gradually stabilized and stopped deteriorating. "A mere effortless move. Now state your reasoning, for I can help save her, or I can finish her," Shen Luo said coldly. Earlier, Shen Luo had helped Tu Shanxue because the Lord of Qingqiu took the initiative to refine the divine soul power. Now that Tu Shanxue had escaped from Chief Strategist You Su, both were no longer indebted, resuming their hostile stance. Chapter 1763 - 1759: Going Far Away Chapter 1763: Chapter 1759: Going Far AwayUpon hearing this, Hu Bugui showed a slightly troubled expression, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "Brother Shen, you should already know the story of a thousand-year Fox Demon woman from the Qingqiu Fox Clan who fell in love with a Human Race swordsman. That Fox Demon woman was named Tu Shanwanyan, and the Human Race swordsman was named Han Jianghang. They... are my biological parents." "Are you a half-demon born from the union of a human and a fox?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed. The Fire Spirit Child had previously speculated that Hu Bugui¡¯s Fox Clan bloodline was impure and guessed that he might be a half-demon, and indeed it was so. "That¡¯s right. That year, this matter stirred quite a commotion in the Kingdom of Qingqiu. Many Fox Clan Elders strongly opposed it, even wanting to kill my father to stop this forbidden love between human and demon. However, in the end, it was the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom who stood firm against all objections, allowing my parents to leave Qingqiu Kingdom safely." Hu Bugui said. "Then why did you become a disciple of Pansi Cave?" Shen Luo asked. "After my parents left the Kingdom of Qingqiu, some other incidents occurred, and they both eventually passed away. I drifted about, and finally, became a disciple under Pansi Cave. As for why I want to rescue Tu Shanxue, partly it¡¯s to repay the kindness of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom, and partly because she is my cousin." Hu Bugui explained. "Cousin? So, your mother..." Shen Luo showed a look of surprise. "Yes, my mother, Tu Shanwanyan, was indeed the biological sister of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom." Hu Bugui nodded. "I see." Shen Luo nodded. It turned out there was such a relationship between Hu Bugui and Tu Shanxue; no wonder he was determined to save her even at the cost of his life. "Before my mother died, she instructed me, no matter what, to repay the kindness of the Lord of Qingqiu Kingdom. Following you to Qingqiu Mountain mainly for this reason." Hu Bugui said. "You are quite calculating. Then why reveal this proactively? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might become displeased and kill Tu Shanxue with a sword?" Shen Luo coldly snorted. "I deceived you before, Brother Shen. Now that I wish to plead with you, naturally, I need to be open about past matters. Besides, Brother Shen is sharp-minded. Even if I didn¡¯t say it, you would have guessed these things, right?" Hu Bugui faintly smiled bitterly and said. Shen Luo¡¯s expression was stern, and he didn¡¯t answer this. "Brother Shen, Tu Shanxue¡¯s cultivation level is already half-crippled, and she is powerless to seek revenge against the Human Race. Could you spare her?" Hu Bugui clasped his hands and pleaded. "Although her meridians are shattered and she¡¯s severely injured, she¡¯s not beyond recovery. With Tu Shanxue¡¯s disposition, as long as there¡¯s a slight chance, she¡¯ll plan to regain her strength and seek revenge against various sects. How will you restrain her?" Shen Luo asked. "I will take her far from the Central Earth Datang. As long as I have breath, I will stop Tu Shanxue¡¯s revenge. Brother Shen, she¡¯s my only relative left; please show mercy, considering our past friendship." Hu Bugui gritted his teeth and said. "Since you say so, fine... take her and go." Shen Luo pondered for a long time and finally spoke. "Thank you, Brother Shen, thank you." Hu Bugui was overjoyed upon hearing this and said. "Today I show mercy only for your sake. However, if she appears within the Tang Dynasty in the future, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless." Shen Luo said coldly. "I understand." Hu Bugui¡¯s heart shivered, and he quickly said. Afterwards, he gave Shen Luo a deep bow, picked up the still unconscious Tu Shanxue, and was about to use the Escape Technique to leave. "Wait a minute, I have something to ask of you, Brother Hu." Shen Luo suddenly spoke. "What is it?" Hu Bugui¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he halted, secretly on guard. "When Tu Shanxue wakes up, please, Brother Hu, help me find out from her where she obtained that Weaver Girl¡¯s Fan Magical Treasure from?" Shen Luo said. "Just this? Rest assured, Brother Shen, as soon as Tu Shanxue awakens, I will ask her about this." Hu Bugui was taken aback and immediately agreed. "Much obliged." Shen Luo clasped his hands and said. Fearing that Shen Luo would change his mind, Hu Bugui dared not linger and immediately used the Escape Technique to leave. "Cousin, why did you let Tu Shanxue go? You¡¯ve obstructed her multiple times, forming a deep grudge. If she recovers her cultivation in the future, she might seek revenge." Nie Caizhu walked over and said. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Tu Shanxue¡¯s cultivation is indeed half-crippled. There¡¯s little chance she will fully recover. Furthermore, when she possessed the power of the Fox Ancestor before, she couldn¡¯t do anything to me. Now that this power has fallen into Mi Su¡¯s hands, even if Tu Shanxue¡¯s original cultivation were to return, she would still be no match for me." Shen Luo shook his head and said. "Cousin, your strength is formidable; Tu Shanxue naturally poses no threat. But there is still the Spring and Autumn Pavilion behind you. If she targets the pavilion, the consequences could be dire." Nie Caizhu looked worried. "Tu Shanxue¡¯s temperament is fierce, but she¡¯s not one to indiscriminately blame others. She¡¯ll settle her grudge with me and won¡¯t harm others. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have risked releasing her. Besides, Hu Bugui and I are, after all, friends, and he is a disciple of Pansi Cave. Granting him this favor today is not unreasonable." Shen Luo explained. Nie Caizhu gently nodded and said nothing further. "Fire Daoist friend, have you discerned anything? What kind of array is set up here?" Shen Luo looked at the World Tree stump and leapt onto it. "The formation pattern has been too damaged for me to discern clearly, but what¡¯s left does give off the feeling of a Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array." Fire Spirit Child said. "The Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array! Could it be that the source of this array is here? No wonder there¡¯s no trace of formations on the Qingqiu mountain peak, yet Mi Su could summon the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array with a wave of her hand." Shen Luo suddenly realized. Nie Caizhu also flew over and closely inspected the prohibition underfoot. "The Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array is a Feng Shui Array capable of manipulating the Earth Veins. Coupled with the World Tree here, I finally understand where all that Power of Seven Emotions came from." Fire Spirit Child said in sudden realization. "Where did it come from?" Shen Luo asked, still unclear on the matter. "Naturally collected from large Human Race cities. Among the Three Realms¡¯ beings, the Human Race¡¯s emotional power is the most abundant. To seek Power of Seven Emotions, acquiring it from the Human Race is best. Now it seems the reason the Fox Clan attacked Chang¡¯an, Tianji, and other cities must have been to place devices in the underground Spiritual Vents of those cities to collect the Seven Emotions!" Fire Spirit Child said. "Why do it so overtly? Couldn¡¯t they place them secretly?" Nie Caizhu asked. "Setting up devices to collect Seven Emotions in the Earth Veins is not just placing something; it requires establishing a connection with the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array here to transfer the collected Power of Seven Emotions back. This can cause disturbances in the Earth Veins, easily attracting attention." Due to Shen Luo¡¯s relationship, Fire Spirit Child answered Nie Caizhu¡¯s questions without hesitation. Shen Luo looked thoughtful upon hearing this, as the Qingqiu Fox Clan was well-prepared for their plan, successfully keeping everyone in the dark. Unfortunately, they realized it too late, making it more troublesome to deal with the Fox Ancestor. Chapter 1764 - 1760 Devour Chapter 1764: Chapter 1760 Devour"What should we do next? This place is too large. Should we send people to explore it thoroughly?" Nie Caizhu asked. "Since the Qingqiu Fox Clan has destroyed the array here, it seems they intend to abandon this place, so they won¡¯t leave any clues. Sending people to investigate would be futile," Shen Luo shook his head and said. Finding clues is secondary. The most important thing is that if others learn of the existence of the World Tree, they won¡¯t be able to monopolize the huge benefits before them. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Caizhu understood Shen Luo¡¯s meaning and did not oppose. The giant tree roots before them were quite tempting; after all, these many World Trees as materials could refine countless top-quality wood attribute gemstones. The three exchanged looks silently and immediately began digging up the roots of the World Tree. Shen Luo formed a sword technique with his hands, and several fierce sword qis slashed repeatedly at a thick root on the side. "Puff," "puff," with a series of dull sounds, the root before them was only cut about half a foot deep, less than a fifth of its entirety. Shen Luo raised an eyebrow; the World Tree was even more solid than he had anticipated. Relying on sword qi alone to cut through it would be difficult. He swept his sleeve and released all sixteen Pure Yang Swords, transforming them into sixteen dazzling sword rainbows that slashed down fiercely. After a series of deafening "boom" sounds, the several-zhang-long thick root was cut down. Shen Luo swept it up with his sleeve and absorbed it into the Free and Easy Mirror, then immediately turned to the next tree root. On the other side, Nie Caizhu took out a two-foot golden wheel, appearing to be a pure gold magical treasure with gleaming, sharp gears at the edge, looking extremely sharp. At this moment, the golden wheel slashed a section of the tree root, rapidly rotating and cutting, and the root was already cut more than halfway through. Meanwhile, Fire Spirit Child directly activated a gold attribute array inside the Gu Xuan star disk, sending out golden knife shadows that all slashed at a section of the tree root nearby. In moments, all three of them had harvested several segments of the roots. However, the World Tree before them was too vast, and the parts the three had cut down were just a drop in the ocean. Extracting the entire root would take countless years. The three looked at each other in dismay; they had already lingered here for a long time. Lu Huaming and others probably had finished searching Qingqiu City. Staying any longer might provoke suspicion from others. "In any case, the World Tree is still here. Why don¡¯t we leave for now and return for it later?" Nie Caizhu suggested. Shen Luo had no better solution, so he nodded in agreement. "The World Tree is a rare treasure of the Three Realms. Although situated deep underground, it might still be discovered by others. Let me cast a sealing divine power to enclose this wood¡¯s breath before we leave," Fire Spirit Child said. "Good, thank you, Fire Daoist friend." Shen Luo was worried about this matter and smiled upon hearing his words. "Casting this sealing secret technique alone is a bit testing. Young Master Shen, lend me a hand," Fire Spirit Child said, forming a seal to activate the Gu Xuan star disk, from which a white array soared out and enclosed the World Tree. He sat cross-legged above the Gu Xuan star disk, continuously forming seals. Four white light doors appeared at the front, back, left, and right of the World Tree. One of them happened to be beside Shen Luo, situated on a freshly cut tree root stub. "Just channel your mana into the other two light doors," Fire Spirit Child swung his sleeve, and two red lights poured into two nearby light doors, saying this. Shen Luo nodded, placing his right palm on the light door before him, while his left hand pointed and shot a golden light into another nearby light door. The white array immediately lit up, countless palm-sized white runes extended out, quickly spreading over the World Tree roots like living creatures, erasing the World Tree¡¯s breath wherever they passed. Shen Luo inwardly praised Fire Spirit Child¡¯s formidable technique and continued to use his mana to assist him. Just then, the black seed nestled in Shen Luo¡¯s right hand meridians suddenly trembled, and a black root shot out, piercing into the World Tree root. "Crack, crack" This segment of the World Tree root suddenly shattered, disintegrating into chaos-colored gas, which was entirely absorbed by the black seed. The black seed grew slightly larger, trembling violently, as if a being starved for eons suddenly received a delicious feast. All of its black roots shot forth, embedding into the main trunk of the World Tree roots. Wherever the black roots took hold, the main trunk of the World Tree quickly fragmented and collapsed, turning into masses of chaos gas that surged into the black seed. The black seed swiftly grew larger, sprouting more black roots, with even a black bud appearing at the top now. "Young Master Shen, what are you doing?" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s expression changed drastically. Nie Caizhu also looked astonished. "It¡¯s not what I want..." Shen Luo was at a loss for words. He wanted to control the black seed in his meridian, but this seed was now trembling violently, ignoring him entirely. The black roots continued to devour the chaos gas that the World Tree had turned into, growing ever larger. Within a few breaths, the black bud blossomed into a black seedling. Two round leaves grew from it, also appearing pitch black and gradually growing larger. Seeing this scene, Shen Luo was left dumbfounded. Just then, the two black leaves gently trembled, releasing a massive amount of spiritual power that surged into Shen Luo¡¯s body, not only replenishing all the vitality consumed during the previous great battle but also causing his whole body¡¯s meridians to swell and bulge. Shen Luo was taken aback and, disregarding other matters, immediately sat down cross-legged, operating the Huangting Technique to absorb this spiritual power. This spiritual power was not only vast but also extremely pure. Under its influence, his cultivation level advanced rapidly, reaching the peak of the Late True Immortal Stage within moments. At this moment, the World Tree roots originally rooted in the Underground Cave had completely disappeared, with even the smaller roots not escaping, being entirely devoured by the black seed, leaving no trace. The black seed underwent drastic changes, transforming into a bizarre black seedling with two round leaves unfurling, the black roots thickening several times and even embedding into the Void, as though piercing through space. Shen Luo sensed the changes in the black seed, feeling a sense of unease. Earlier, when the black seed sprouted roots, he suspected it might germinate and grow, but he didn¡¯t expect everything to happen so quickly, uncertain whether it was good or bad. "Young Master Shen, what happened just now?" Fire Spirit Child, having put away the Gu Xuan star disk, flew over. "Cousin, are you okay?" Nie Caizhu also came over. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment but decided to tell the two about the black seed. Nie Caizhu, being the Minor Sect Leader of Mount Putuo, had come across many secrets in the Mount Putuo classics, but she had never seen any information about the black seed. Fire Spirit Child was also unfamiliar with this object and carefully examined the seedling formed from the black seed, yet found no clue. Shen Luo felt disappointed; sharing the matter of the black seed with the two was partly to be truthful with his companions and partly in hope of gaining some information about the black seed from them. It turned out they knew nothing about it either. Chapter 1765 - 1761: Return to the Owner Chapter 1765: Chapter 1761: Return to the Owner"I may not know what that Black Seed is, but after it devoured the roots of the World Tree, part of the vitality merged into your body. This shows that for now, that thing poses no harm to you," said Fire Spirit Child after contemplating for a while. "Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s the case." Shen Luo sighed lightly. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The only pity is that with the World Tree being devoured, the plan to refine the Dutian Divine Array has to be greatly delayed again," Fire Spirit Child continued. "Dutian Divine Array? Fire Daoist friend, you mean the roots of the World Tree can be used to refine the formation flags of the Dutian Divine Array?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing this. "The World Tree had been lying dormant underground within the Qingqiu Fox Clan for many years, amassing a large amount of yin energy of the monster clan, making it the top-tier yin attribute material. Naturally, it could be used to refine the formation flags of the Dutian Divine Array. There was so much of it just now; I thought this time we could refine a set of the most top-tier Dutian Divine Arrays, but it¡¯s a pity it was all ruined by that Black Seed. With the amount we currently have at hand, at most, we can only refine three or four ordinary formation flags." Fire Spirit Child said rather regretfully. "Cousin, you want to refine the Dutian Divine Array? Do you have the battle formation map of this array in hand?" Nie Caizhu, who was nearby, was very shocked upon hearing this. "I once stumbled upon the battle formation map of this array in a Secret Realm," Shen Luo explained vaguely. "The Dutian Divine Array is known as the first fiendish formation of ancient times, with overwhelming power. If it could be refined, the benefits would be unimaginable. Here, take my World Tree too," Nie Caizhu briefly pondered and handed over three roots of the World Tree. "Cai Zhu, you still want to use this to craft gemstones, I can¡¯t take it." Shen Luo shook his head and did not accept it. "I still have one root of the World Tree in my hands, enough for me to craft gemstones. There¡¯s no need to be so polite with me," Nie Caizhu smiled. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo finally accepted the black roots, threw them all into the Free and Easy Mirror, and handed them over to Fire Spirit Child to handle. With the matter of the World Tree resolved, the three of them did not linger at the underground cave and returned to the peak of Qingqiu Mountain. Lu Huaming and others were at this moment looking around anxiously. Upon seeing Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu appear, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Brother Shen, where did you and Brother Nie go..." Lu Huaming stopped mid-sentence, staring at Shen Luo with a somewhat dazed expression. The others also noticed the change in Shen Luo¡¯s aura, their expressions filled with disbelief. How could it be, in such a short time, Shen Luo went straight from just entering the Late True Immortal Stage to the True Immortal Peak, it was simply incredible! "Cai Zhu and I found a hidden stronghold of the Qingqiu Fox Clan near Qingqiu Mountain. There, I obtained a precious elixir, and with luck, my cultivation made a breakthrough after taking it," Shen Luo briefly explained. Upon hearing it was due to the elixir, despite still finding it a bit unbelievable, since Shen Luo wasn¡¯t willing to say more, they naturally wouldn¡¯t press further. "The effects of such an elixir that can make one¡¯s cultivation advance rapidly are good, yet it may lead to unstable foundations. Brother Shen needs to be cautious in this aspect," Jiang Shentian reminded. "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Jiang. Have you and the others finished your matters?" Shen Luo thanked him and glanced towards the base of the mountain. The cultivators of various sects had already retreated from Qingqiu Mountain, each setting up their camps. As for the soldiers in Xiangyang Town, they had already returned to the town. Pei Min was also nowhere to be found here. "The matters of Qingqiu Mountain are considered settled for now. We each plan to return to our respective sects to report back. Will Brother Shen be heading back to Chang¡¯an City with me?" Lu Huaming asked. "I will head to Chang¡¯an later. But I previously had consecutive great battles with Tu Shanxue and Chief Strategist You Su, accumulating many hidden injuries within my body. Traveling immediately isn¡¯t conducive to recovery. Here, the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy of Qingqiu Mountain is abundant, so I plan to rest and recover a bit here before heading back to Chang¡¯an City." Shen Luo¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, and he shook his head. "Very well, then I will return to Chang¡¯an City first. Brother Shen, take care. To all of you, it has been an honor to fight by your side. The green mountains remain, the long rivers flow, until we meet again," Lu Huaming nodded, loosely clasped his fists towards the few around, and turned into a sword light flying towards the base of the mountain. Seven Kills and Jiang Shentian also took their leave one after the other, but Bai Xiaotian and Master Yan did not depart immediately. "Brother Bai, Brother Yan, do you still have something pending?" Shen Luo looked at the two. "Brother Shen, this Starry Fan is very important to me, could I continue to borrow it for a while longer?" Bai Xiaotian took out the Starry Fan with a bit of embarrassment. The power of this Starry Fan was far beyond his expectations. At the critical moment earlier, Shen Luo had lent this treasure to him. Now the crisis was over, and he still wanted to keep borrowing it, it felt a bit improper indeed. "This fan was something I acquired from a Secret Realm, and it¡¯s not compatible with the skills I cultivate; it is of little use to me. Brother Bai, since you can use it well, consider it a gift," Shen Luo smiled slightly, unconcerned as he spoke. "Really... Thank you, Brother Shen! I don¡¯t have a fine Magical Treasure to exchange with you now, but once I return to Hua Sheng Temple, I will surely find some Treasured items to give you!" Bai Xiaotian¡¯s body stiffened, his lips trembling slightly as he spoke. He no longer hesitated, tightly gripping the Starry Fan, his entire bloodline seemingly pulsating, and his breathing grew somewhat heavier. "I am not that interested in Magical Treasures. If Brother Bai wishes to repay me, please help me find some Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, Heavenly fire-level flames, and Nine Heavens Gold Essence," Shen Luo said with a slight smile, seeing Bai Xiaotian¡¯s expression. "Alright." Bai Xiaotian¡¯s eyes showed determination. Whether it was the Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, the Heavenly fire, or the Nine Heavens Gold Essence, they were all extremely precious items, but he agreed without any hesitation. He then slightly acknowledged Nie Caizhu and Master Yan and left. "Brother Shen, that Divine Craftsman Cannon made its way back to its owner," Master Yan took out that enhanced Divine Craftsman Cannon, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes, but handed it over. Shen Luo accepted it without being overly courteous, taking it in and storing it away. "Brother Shen, where did you find this Divine Craftsman Cannon?" Master Yan asked. "In Tianyan Palace..." Shen Luo did not conceal it, recounting the process of obtaining this Divine Craftsman Cannon in Tianyan Palace. "Tianyan Palace! I cannot believe there is a place exceeding Tianji City in terms of Yan Technique in this world, that half-step Heavenly Venerate Armor was also obtained there?" Master Yan, who hadn¡¯t heard of Tianyan Palace from Little Master, asked with flickering eyes. "Yes. Speaking of Tianyan Palace, there is something I neglected. This is a jade slip I obtained in Tianyan Palace, recording some knowledge of Yan Technique. I only have a rough understanding of Yan Technique, so it is of little use to me. I give it to you, Brother Yan," Shen Luo took out a jade slip and handed it to Master Yan. On the jade slip were parts of the Tianyan True Scripture and the previously obtained Tianji lower volume. Shen Luo had initially promised to return the Tianji lower volume to Tianji City, but unfortunately, never had the chance. Now, using Tianyan Palace as an excuse, he could finally fulfill this wish. Of course, he did not directly transcribe the Tianji lower volume, as doing so would be recognized by Tianji City at once. Instead, he mixed its contents in reversed order with those from the Tianyan True Scripture to ensure foolproof results. Chapter 1766 - 1762: No Outcome Chapter 1766: Chapter 1762: No OutcomeMaster Yan listened to Shen Luo¡¯s words, was initially slightly stunned, and curiously took the jade slip from Shen Luo¡¯s hand. As soon as his Divine Sense swept over it, his face immediately revealed an extremely joyful expression. The knowledge recorded on the jade slip about Yan Techniques was profoundly mysterious and could compensate for many current shortcomings in Tianji City¡¯s Yan Techniques; its value to Tianji City was self-evident. "Brother Shen, these Yan Techniques are too precious; I feel unworthy to accept them..." Master Yan hesitated for a moment but ultimately handed the jade slip back. "Now the chaos in the Three Realms is about to begin, and the Demon Clan is restless. It¡¯s precisely the time when all sects need to cooperate and help each other. If these Yan Techniques can help Tianji City, that would be even better. If Brother Yan feels embarrassed to accept this jade slip, just like Brother Bai, then help me gather some Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, Heavenly Fire, and Nine Heavens Gold Essence when you have time." Shen Luo smiled and shook his head, not accepting the jade slip Master Yan handed over. "Alright, I will inform the City Lord about this matter and won¡¯t let you down, Brother Shen." Master Yan heard this and immediately said. The materials Shen Luo requested, although precious, the knowledge of Yan Techniques on the jade slip is truly the priceless treasure for Tianji City, which Little Master should understand. "Thank you." Shen Luo nodded slightly. Master Yan stepped back a few steps, solemnly cupped his hands towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu, and then turned to leave. On the mountain top, only Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu were left. "Cousin, your body has no hidden injuries, why did you deceive them? Are you staying here because you have other matters?" Nie Caizhu asked softly. "Cai Zhu knows me well. I plan to go and explore the Underground Cave once more." Shen Luo chuckled lightly and said. "It seems cousin has discovered other clues inside the cave?" Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes brightened and asked. "No, I just plan to try exploring with the jade pillow." Shen Luo shook his head and said. Regarding the matter of the Dreamland with the jade pillow, he did not hide it from Nie Caizhu; he had already told her earlier. "But cousin, haven¡¯t you yet fully mastered the jade pillow?" Nie Caizhu seemed puzzled. "Precisely because of this, I need to take the opportunity to explore a bit." Shen Luo said. "Then cousin, please be very careful. Although the Qingqiu Fox Clan has already retreated, they may still have a chance to return here." Nie Caizhu nodded and cautioned. "I understand. You also need to be cautious on your way." Shen Luo nodded. A moment later, Nie Caizhu left with the Mount Putuo disciples, instead of heading to the Southern Sea, she went towards Chang¡¯an City. Shen Luo briefly thought and understood that Nie Caizhu was going to Chang¡¯an City to meet up with Fairy Qinglian. He did not linger at the mountain top and soon returned to the Underground Cave, flipping his hand to take out the jade pillow. "Young Master Shen, do you really intend to use this jade pillow? This item involves space-time principles, the Great Dao Principles are unpredictable, and the backlash is formidable beyond measure. The jade pillow contains the extremely rare space-time principle, frequent use might cause damage I cannot predict." Fire Spirit Child flew out from the Carefree Mirror and said. Shen Luo was surprised at the words, recalling those times when he previously attempted to enter Dreamland and each time he perished in the dream, returning to reality would reduce his lifespan. He knew about this situation before, but did not understand why it was so. Now, hearing Fire Spirit Child, he seemed to understand a bit. "Despite the risk, it should be attempted. This jade pillow holds many mysteries I have not yet mastered, and previously entering Dreamland also left many unresolved doubts." Shen Luo pondered for a moment and said. Previously, he had already traveled through Dreamland in Tianji City. With his current cultivation level, it did not seem to cause any effects on his body. Fire Spirit Child was merely reminding Shen Luo, as he was also extremely curious about the jade pillow¡¯s God¡¯s Power to travel through space-time. Then he and Shen Luo began to research together. Several days later. The white jade pillow quietly floated within a silver-white array, Fire Spirit Child casting a spell with both hands, the silver-white array whirring and rotating, countless white runes swarming into the jade pillow. Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the other side of the array, shooting two beams of Golden Light from his palms into the white jade pillow. Tiny crystalline brilliance appeared on the jade pillow, but that was all. No matter how Shen Luo and Fire Spirit Child activated it, there was no change. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems this method cannot truly activate the jade pillow." Shen Luo sighed and said. By this time, it had been about four or five days since Nie Caizhu and others left, and during this period, he and Fire Spirit Child used various methods to try to activate the jade pillow, unfortunately with no effective results. "The prohibition inside the jade pillow still inactive?" Fire Spirit Child asked. "Yes, still slow-moving, lukewarm state." Shen Luo somewhat helplessly nodded. The research over the past few days was not entirely fruitless; using his previous Dreamland experiences with the jade pillow, Shen Luo could already preliminarily perceive the prohibition inside the jade pillow. Strangely, only he could sense the presence of this prohibition; the Artifact Refinement Master Fire Spirit Child, however, could not perceive it at all. This inevitably made Shen Luo secretly speculate whether the jade pillow had the notion of recognizing a master. "Young Master Shen, continuing to fumble around isn¡¯t the way, I do have a somewhat immature idea, see if you think it¡¯s feasible?" Fire Spirit Child suddenly spoke. "Fire Daoist friend has a good idea, feel free to say it." Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. Over the past few days, he had grown increasingly admiring of Fire Spirit Child¡¯s cultivation level regarding prohibitions; all kinds of probing methods were emerging one after another. If it weren¡¯t for Fire Spirit Child¡¯s assistance, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to clearly sense the prohibition inside the jade pillow now. "I have a Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, created by the Three Xiao Immortals, three great figures of the Jie Sect, which can emit vibration sound waves; it can explore the heavens above and search the depths below, regarded as the best secret technique for probing in antiquity, especially adept at detecting formation prohibitions. Since I¡¯ve learned this technique, I¡¯ve never failed in probing prohibitions or formations. Although the prohibition inside the jade pillow involves space-time principles, I am confident I can glimpse a thing or two." Fire Spirit Child said. "Fire Daoist friend actually has such means, then quickly perform it." Shen Luo said gladly. "The Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique is marvelous and profound. To perform this technique, there are a few conditions that must be met, the most crucial of which is the need to personally sense the condition of the prohibition clearly; the clearer, the better. However, the prohibition inside the jade pillow, I can¡¯t perceive it at all." Fire Spirit Child spread his hands, somewhat perplexed, and said. "Then what do you mean, Fire Daoist friend?" Shen Luo frowned slightly and asked. "This Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique is deep and mysterious. Even someone with extremely high talent needs a long time to learn it. The prohibition inside the jade pillow involves space-time principles, which further requires cultivating it to the Perfect Boundary to be possible." Fire Spirit Child said. "Fire Daoist friend, no need to beat around the bush, just say what you want me to do." Shen Luo said calmly. Chapter 1767 - 1763: The Reason Chapter 1767: Chapter 1763: The Reason"I have here an empathic arcane technique that can merge the soul waves of two people into one. This means that in a combined state, the five senses and divine soul detection, among other perceptions, will also be linked. In this way, I can use Friend Shen¡¯s perception to detect the prohibition inside the jade pillow and apply the wonderful sound arcane technique to explore the prohibition within the jade pillow," Fire Spirit Child said with a dry laugh. Shen Luo heard this and fell into silence. Seeing this, Fire Spirit Child did not rush him either. One must understand that the divine soul is the most important thing to a monk and is extremely fragile. There are many methods that can harm the divine soul, and each monk endeavors to protect it as much as possible, let alone completely open one¡¯s divine soul to accept another person¡¯s secret technique. "I need to see the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique and the Empathic Arcane Technique first before I can make a decision," Shen Luo finally said after a while. Fire Spirit Child was not surprised by this. He took out a jade slip and handed it to Shen Luo. Shen Luo released his divine sense into the jade slip and quickly reviewed the two secret techniques, feeling quite shocked in his heart. Both secret techniques were extremely exquisite and profound and could open his eyes significantly. If he could master them, the benefits would be self-evident; Fire Spirit Child¡¯s previous description was not overstated. After marveling in his heart, Shen Luo did not linger on the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique. Instead, he focused entirely on the Empathic Arcane Technique. This technique, as Fire Spirit Child had previously described, required completely opening one¡¯s divine soul to accept another¡¯s merger, a risk that goes without saying. He and Fire Spirit Child had been together for a long time and had considerable trust in each other. He hadn¡¯t hidden many secrets from Fire Spirit Child. However, even so, he couldn¡¯t completely trust enough to fully open his divine soul to him. In today¡¯s delicate situation in the world, although he bore many treasures that allowed him to transcend ranks to face enemies, in many aspects, he still felt quite powerless. Only this mysterious and unpredictable jade pillow seemed to possess great miraculous power that spanned ancient and modern times, making him feel that if he could control it, he might change something. Unfortunately, this treasure seemed to have lost its ability to traverse the future, strangely turning into traveling back to the past. Perhaps only by delving into the prohibitions it contained could he hope to understand what had happened. "I can assist you in performing this technique, but I will divide my divine soul, allowing one half to accept your empathic arcane technique," Shen Luo said after mulling it over for a long time. "Half of your divine soul? That would greatly reduce the effect of the empathic arcane technique, affecting the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique¡¯s exploration," Fire Spirit Child frowned and said. "We¡¯ll see how much we can explore," Shen Luo said indisputably. By allowing half of his divine soul to accept Fire Spirit Child¡¯s empathic arcane technique, even if Fire Spirit Child had any ulterior motives, the other half of his divine soul could retaliate with spells. "Very well." Fire Spirit Child didn¡¯t say anything further, sitting cross-legged beside Shen Luo, closing his eyes while chanting ancient spells, with both hands forming palms, reaching towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo also sat cross-legged, extending his hands to meet Fire Spirit Child¡¯s palms. Fire Spirit Child¡¯s lips moved slightly as he chanted continuously. Moments later, the spells sped up abruptly, and he suddenly opened his eyes, from which two crystalline beams shot out, swiftly piercing into Shen Luo¡¯s forehead and vanishing into his mind. At this moment, Shen Luo naturally operated a divided soul secret technique from the Sky Machine Scroll, dividing the divine soul in his mind. One half met the two crystalline beams, while the other half of the divine soul suddenly transformed into a form of Mountain Buzhou, appearing as steady as a rock. Fire Spirit Child¡¯s hands quickly formed seals, and the crystalline beams shooting from his eyes became increasingly strong, gradually merging thoroughly with half of Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul. In no time, a ring-shaped talisman flashed on Shen Luo¡¯s wrist, with the same thing appearing in a flash on Fire Spirit Child¡¯s wrist. Shen Luo felt a jolt in his mind, receiving many new pieces of information from Fire Spirit Child¡¯s five senses and divine sense exploration. The world in Fire Spirit Child¡¯s eyes was vastly different from what he saw. Everything appeared in a reddish hue, with countless red light spots in the void, the free-floating fire vitality. Shen Luo realized his sensitivity to fire vitality increased tenfold. If he were to use the various Heavenly Fires within the Pure Yang Sword now, their power would certainly far exceed normal. "The empathic arcane technique has such effects; this feeling is indeed wondrous." He contemplated, while remaining alert to the crystalline beams shot into his mind from Fire Spirit Child, secretly calculating other uses for the empathic arcane technique. After their divine souls were connected, Fire Spirit Child sensed the mysterious prohibition within the jade pillow, his eyes showing an unusual brilliance as both hands quickly formed seals. "Whoosh" A white light shot from his fingertip, entering the jade pillow. If magnified ten thousand times, one would find it was composed of countless white ripples. After merging into the jade pillow, it immediately spread out, integrating with the internal prohibition. Shen Luo kept a close eye on Fire Spirit Child¡¯s actions and, seeing this, sighed in relief. It seemed Fire Spirit Child had no intention of secretly harming him; he was only exploring the prohibition within the jade pillow. It appeared Shen Luo was overly suspicious. Nonetheless, he did not lower his guard. After a few breaths, waves of special oscillations were relayed back from the jade pillow into Fire Spirit Child¡¯s body. These oscillations contained a mass of chaotic and complex information, like a flood of information, which Fire Spirit Child closed his eyes to sort out. Shen Luo also perceived this information, but having yet to cultivate the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, he could not comprehend what this information represented. Half an hour later, Fire Spirit Child opened his eyes and exhaled, his expression appearing somewhat complex. "Is the exploration complete?" Shen Luo asked. "Yes, it¡¯s finished," Fire Spirit Child said, dispersing the white light on his fingertips, which also ended and dissipated the empathic technique with Shen Luo. The crystalline beams that lingered in Shen Luo¡¯s mind dissipated entirely, and he hastily explored that half of his divine soul, finding no issues, finally putting his mind at ease. "What were the results? Any discoveries?" He looked at Fire Spirit Child and asked. "Quite a few discoveries; based on the exploration results, there are three possible reasons why the prohibition inside the jade pillow cannot be activated. The first is the absence of the correct method to activate the prohibition; the second is due to damage to the prohibition," Fire Spirit Child slowly said. "And what is the third possible reason?" Shen Luo urged as Fire Spirit Child paused. "The third reason is that there is insufficient energy within the jade pillow to activate the prohibition," Fire Spirit Child said. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This jade pillow transported me into a dream not long ago; it has been stored in my Linlang Ring during this period. The chance of internal prohibitions being damaged is minimal. As for the lack of the correct activation method, while that possibility cannot be ruled out, previously, when the jade pillow took me into a dream, no spells were used, so this may not be the key reason, or the likelihood is low," Shen Luo said with a slight frown. "Then there is only one reason left: the jade pillow lacks sufficient energy," Fire Spirit Child nodded and said. Chapter 1768 - 1764 Jade Pillow Energy Storage Chapter 1768: Chapter 1764 Jade Pillow Energy StorageShen Luo agreed with the Fire Spirit Child¡¯s judgment. "Given the current situation, the priority is to find out what kind of power is needed to use the jade pillow to exhibit the Enter Dream Traversal power." Fire Spirit Child said after a brief contemplation. "When you just probed the prohibition within the jade pillow, did you find the energy contained inside?" Shen Luo asked. "I can vaguely sense a bit. The prohibition inside the jade pillow is mysterious, isolating most of the energy¡¯s breath. From what I can sense, the energy inside the pillow is not the usual Five Elements Spiritual Power." Fire Spirit Child replied. "If it¡¯s not spiritual power, then what kind of power is it?" Shen Luo asked curiously. "It seems to be... the power of starlight." Fire Spirit Child said after pondering for a moment. "The power of starlight? That indeed seems possible." Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed, and he nodded slowly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What makes you think so?" Fire Spirit Child asked curiously. "Don¡¯t forget, this jade pillow is mine. Although I don¡¯t have your strong sensing abilities, having the jade pillow with me for a long time gives me some intuition." Shen Luo laughed. Previously, after entering a dream through the jade pillow, he had vaguely felt that the jade pillow seemed to be connected to the starry sky in some way. "Then let¡¯s go out and test it." Fire Spirit Child nodded and suggested. Without a second thought, Shen Luo and Fire Spirit Child immediately left the cave and soon arrived on the surface. It was deep night, and the starry sky was brilliant, with abundant starlight power. Fire Spirit Child placed the jade pillow on a piece of open ground and, after gazing at the starry sky for a while, summoned the Gu Xuan star disk and activated a Star Array on it. A mass of starlight several meters in size immediately engulfed the jade pillow on the ground. As the stars flickered in the night sky, a vast amount of star power was attracted by the Star Array on the Gu Xuan star disk, converging in strands, and under Fire Spirit Child¡¯s control, it quickly penetrated into the jade pillow. Upon seeing this, Shen Luo also activated the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique, but without completing it, he summoned only the star power of the night sky, merging it into the Gu Xuan star disk¡¯s Array. "It really works, I can feel the jade pillow absorbing the starlight power!" Fire Spirit Child said excitedly. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo also extended his Divine Sense, cautiously sensing the jade pillow, and soon detected strands of starlight power merging into it. He was pleased, and using both hands, quickly formed a series of seals, and moments later, pointed one finger at the jade pillow. A weak white light shot from his fingertip into the jade pillow, it was the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, although compared to when the Fire Spirit Child used it just now, the effect was lesser by several times. Soon, circles of faint white ripples emanated from the jade pillow, and Shen Luo extended five fingers, quickly making calculations. This Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique was extremely profound, incorporating mana operation, Divine Sense change, Array Techniques, Yi Studies, formulas, melodies, and more than a dozen complex and mysterious powers, fused together. With Shen Luo¡¯s current Cultivation Realm, operating mana and changing Divine Sense was naturally not a problem, and he had minor involvement in Array Techniques as well. In his early years, due to weak health, he self-studied medicine and researched innate Yi theory, and he was also mildly skilled in mathematics. Regarding melodies, he had researched it to practice some of Tianji City¡¯s sound wave secret techniques. Therefore, although Shen Luo was a beginner in the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, he could still exert some power. "Tsk tsk, the use of the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique is not bad, but the mutable calculations are not sophisticated enough, for example, the change in the Xun hexagram, the true Xun hexagram, the initial line is yin, the second line changes to yang..." Fire Spirit Child pointed out many shortcomings in Shen Luo¡¯s calculations. With Fire Spirit Child¡¯s guidance, the operation of the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique by Shen Luo became increasingly proficient, and he faintly sensed the energy fluctuations inside the jade pillow. "Hehe, your understanding is indeed good, Young Master Shen. With just moments of work, you¡¯ve begun to understand the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, and it seems you are qualified to inherit this ultimate skill." Fire Spirit Child praised. Shen Luo focused on sensing the jade pillow, completely ignoring Fire Spirit Child¡¯s praise. Regarding the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, even Shen Luo couldn¡¯t come close to matching Fire Spirit Child, and it was impossible for him to sense the star power in the pillow so quickly. However, Fire Spirit Child was inferior to Shen Luo in one aspect, which was sensing the prohibition inside the jade pillow. As the master of the jade pillow, Shen Luo could keenly sense the prohibitions inside the pillow, and it was by this advantage that he reluctantly sensed the energy fluctuations within the pillow. He fully operated the Three Xiaos Mystic Sound Technique, progressively more clearly probing the energy fluctuations inside the jade pillow¡ªit was indeed star power. As the star power from the night sky descended, he could sense the star power within the jade pillow slowly increasing. Shen Luo was secretly delighted and continued to perform the Three-Star Demonic Extermination Technique, assisting the star light Array in drawing the star power from the night sky. Half an hour later, both Shen Luo and Fire Spirit Child raised their brows as the jade pillow abruptly stopped absorbing. "Could it be that the energy within the jade pillow is already full?" The duo immediately tried to stimulate the jade pillow, but the prohibitions within still remained lukewarm. "What is going on? Could it be that our previous assumptions were incorrect?" Shen Luo frowned. "It shouldn¡¯t be wrong..." Fire Spirit Child also furrowed his brows deeply, carefully probing, but unfortunately found no issues. The entire night passed swiftly and during this period Shen Luo and Fire Spirit Child tried various methods, all to no effect, leaving them somewhat disheartened. Although Shen Luo did not see any hope, he had no intention of giving up, continuing to rack his brains to come up with various methods to try and activate the jade pillow, only to find no progress by the time the next night descended. Just when Shen Luo was somewhat inclined to give up, he suddenly keenly noticed that the jade pillow surprisingly began absorbing the star power from the night sky again. "It has started again!" "It seems our conjecture was correct, and the prohibition within the jade pillow can only absorb a limited amount of star power each day, needing to be accumulated gradually, not achieved overnight." Reminded by Shen Luo, Fire Spirit Child also noticed this and pondered for a while before speaking. Shen Luo agreed deeply on this matter. Finding a breakthrough, the two immediately became invigorated. In the following days, they took the jade pillow outside every night to absorb the star power. After seven or eight days like this, the jade pillow could no longer absorb any trace of star power. From these observations over the days, Shen Luo also figured out some patterns in the jade pillow¡¯s absorption of star power. Firstly, the jade pillow could only autonomously absorb starlight power in clear night skies where stars could be seen. If the sky was shrouded with clouds or if it was underground, it couldn¡¯t absorb. Furthermore, storage magical tools like the Linlang Ring did not hinder the jade pillow¡¯s absorption of star power. Secondly, the jade pillow could not absorb the stored star power in starry magical treasures like the Gu Xuan star disk. Thirdly, before Shen Luo and the Fire Spirit Child attempted to activate the jade pillow, a lot of star power was already stored inside. Based on the amount of star power absorbed each day, it was calculated that it would take about thirty days for the power in the jade pillow to be depleted and then refilled. Having clarified these points, Shen Luo took the fully-charged jade pillow to the Underground Cave to attempt activating the prohibition inside. This time, as an invisible ripple shot out from the jade pillow, Shen Luo¡¯s body was enveloped beneath it, and he suddenly felt a strong sense of drowsiness surge up. "Return to three days ago, return to three days ago..." He silently chanted a few phrases in his heart, soon laying his head down and falling into a deep sleep. Chapter 1769 - 1765: The Eve of Fox Chaos Chapter 1769: Chapter 1765: The Eve of Fox ChaosAfter an unknown period of time, Shen Luo slowly awoke, still in the underground cave, with Fire Spirit Child, Zhao Feiji, the Sky Fiend Corpse King, and others quietly standing nearby. "How long did I sleep?" Shen Luo shivered awake and quickly asked. "Not even half a moment. Seeing your condition, could it be that you didn¡¯t return to the past?" Fire Spirit Child frowned and said. "Indeed, I didn¡¯t return to the past, just had a nap. It shouldn¡¯t be. Just now, the jade pillow¡¯s change was exactly the same as last time before entering the dream in Tianji City." Shen Luo couldn¡¯t believe it, sitting cross-legged, trying to sense the jade pillow. The star power inside was not diminished, still in full state. His expression eased a bit, it seemed that if not entering dreams and traveling, the star power within the jade pillow would not be consumed. "Master, you might as well recount the details of this attempt, and we can all discuss it together. Perhaps we can find out where the problem is," Zhao Feiji suggested. Shen Luo nodded, recounting everything that had just happened in detail. Upon hearing this, Zhao Feiji and Fire Spirit Child were deep in thought. "I heard you mention your dream entry in Tianji City before, compared to this attempt, there¡¯s one aspect that¡¯s different." Fire Spirit Child quickly raised his head and said. "What¡¯s different?" Shen Luo immediately looked over. "Last time in Tianji City, before entering the dream and traveling, you were thinking about investigating the murder of Elder Manbo, and the time and place you traveled to were very specific. However, this time before sleeping, you only thought about returning to three days ago, without mentioning specific reasons, making the purpose somewhat vague. I don¡¯t know much about the space-time principles, perhaps only with more specific guidance can one successfully lead a travel." Fire Spirit Child said. "Makes sense." Shen Luo nodded pensively, once again activating the prohibition within the jade pillow. An invisible wave surged, and he once again grew drowsy. "Check the prohibition set by Master Su here... Check the prohibition set by Master Su here..." Shen Luo kept repeating the thought in his mind, falling into sleep. He only felt an unusual heaviness in his body, as if under the weight of a mountain, his eyes couldn¡¯t open, but his consciousness was gradually awakening, with several voices coming through. "How is the layout of the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array going?" An old voice sounded. "It¡¯s basically completed. I¡¯m ordering people to make sensory beads connected to the great formation. By then, I will trouble the three of you to arrange for people to bury them in the underground spiritual veins of Chang¡¯an, Tianji, and other cities, waiting for the opportunity." A woman¡¯s voice replied. "This voice is Su Zhen!" Shen Luo¡¯s still hazy consciousness cleared completely. He was now standing in the underground cave, with Fire Spirit Child, Zhao Feiji, and others nowhere to be seen. The cave¡¯s interior had changed significantly, with the long-missing World Tree quietly sitting there, hundreds of Fox Clan individuals busy inscribing formation runes on the tree stumps. "Successfully traveled!" Shen Luo rejoiced, flipping through the air like a youth. The jade pillow had repeatedly allowed him to travel through time, going to the future, but each crossing was beyond his control, leaving him anxious. Now he had finally mastered the time-travel power of the jade pillow, allowing him to use it whenever he wanted in the future. Shen Luo quickly took a deep breath, calming his emotions, and looked towards the side of the tree stump. There stood several figures, led by a person in white clothes, who was Su Zhen. Beside her stood three figures: a hunched old man, a tall burly man, and a young woman. Shen Luo¡¯s pupils shrank; the young woman was none other than Ma Xiuxiu, and although the other two had unfamiliar faces, their silhouettes were extremely familiar, likely You Quan and Hong Ku, who were with Ma Xiuxiu in the Celestial Secret Realm. The three of them wore gray robes, the same attire that those three members of the Demon Clan had worn before when they fought him. "No wonder I found the previous three familiar, turns out it¡¯s you three..." Shen Luo sneered slightly. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Apart from Ma Xiuxiu and the other two, there was another person present. Shen Luo frowned deeply, this person had a dragon head, also an old acquaintance, the Jing River Dragon King. "So this person is here too. It seems it¡¯s now before the Derivative and Conference." He silently noted. "Brother Ao, I¡¯ll leave Chang¡¯an City to you," You Quan said, looking at the Jing River Dragon King. "Rest assured, Daoist You Quan, I will not let Lord Chiyou down! Last time, it was Yuan Tiangang who stood in the way, which allowed the Emperor Tang to escape disaster. This time, not only do I want to extract the Great Tang Dragon Qi, but I also intend to slay all the Li family of the Tang Dynasty and Yuan Tiangang, to repay my gratitude for the aid Lord Chiyou provided back then!" The Jing River Dragon King solemnly said. "The experts of the Li Tang court and the Great Tang Dynasty Government have already been planned to be gradually lured away by us. Currently, within Chang¡¯an City, there¡¯s only Yuan Tiangang and some True Immortal Elders, which theoretically shouldn¡¯t pose much of a hindrance to you. However, Yuan Tiangang¡¯s cultivation has reached the Heavenly Venerate Realm, and he is within Chang¡¯an City, so Brother Ao must be extremely careful," You Quan advised. "Rest assured, Daoist You Quan, I have prepared for this day for over a century, with foolproof strategies to deal with Yuan Tiangang." The Jing River Dragon King confidently said. "That¡¯s good." You Quan nodded. "Father, Chang¡¯an City is about to hold the Derivative Conference. Quite a few experts from other sects will head to Chang¡¯an City. According to the spies we placed in the Eastern Sea, that Shen Luo has also left the East Sea Dragon Palace for Chang¡¯an City. Although his cultivation level isn¡¯t high, he has many tricks and is extremely intelligent. If you encounter him while in Chang¡¯an City, you must be cautious," Ma Xiuxiu reminded. "Hmph, that boy back then only wounded me by relying on Yuan Tiangang¡¯s power, merely a minor figure on his own. If I don¡¯t meet him, so be it, but if I do, it¡¯s just as well to settle the old score of that one sword." The Jing River Dragon King said dismissively. Seeing this, Ma Xiuxiu was about to say something. The Jing River Dragon King had already slightly cupped his hands towards the others, turning into a streak of golden light and flying toward Chang¡¯an City. "With Brother Ao taking care of Chang¡¯an City, we¡¯ll divide and conquer the remaining places. Daoist Ma, I¡¯ll leave Tianji City to you. Be sure to kill that Elder Manbo and seize the Beiming Giant Scale from him!" You Quan said to Ma Xiuxiu. "I understand, and I certainly won¡¯t fail!" Ma Xiuxiu said earnestly. Shen Luo¡¯s expression slightly changed upon hearing this. So, Ma Xiuxiu attempted to assassinate Elder Manbo for this. Just what is this Beiming Giant Scale? It¡¯s significant enough for Ma Xiuxiu to take such risks, infiltrating Tianji City to kill and steal treasures? He drew closer to them, hoping to gather more information, but unfortunately, You Quan shifted the topic and didn¡¯t mention it further. "As for Baoxiang Country and Biqiu Nation, I¡¯ll leave them to me and Hong Ku," You Quan said. Hong Ku nodded in agreement, and soon, the three of them also transformed into black light, shooting off in separate directions. Before long, only Su Zhen remained in the area, standing with hands clasped behind her back, looking at the bustling Fox Clan on the roots of the tree. Seeing this, Shen Luo knew he wouldn¡¯t hear any more useful information. He flew up to the roots of the World Tree, committing the prohibition formation patterns to memory. However, it wasn¡¯t long before he suddenly felt darkness envelop him, and he quickly fell into slumber. Chapter 1770 - 1766: Awakening Chapter 1770: Chapter 1766: AwakeningWhen Shen Luo awakened once more, he found himself back in reality, with Fire Spirit Child and Zhao Feiji and others standing before him. "It looks like this time you succeeded in traveling back?" Fire Spirit Child hurriedly asked. "Yes, thanks to Fire Daoist friend¡¯s reminder," Shen Luo took a deep breath and said, relieved. Fire Spirit Child and Zhao Feiji heard that Shen Luo had truly completed a time travel, excitement blooming on their faces. The Three Realms possess countless celestial laws and wonders, but time travel is unparalleled, never even heard of, and in their lifetime, they actually witnessed such a feat! "Did you see anything important this time?" Fire Spirit Child quickly calmed down and asked. Shen Luo did not waste words; he immediately recounted everything he saw in the dream, without concealing anything. The dialogue in Dreamland about You Sufin, Ma Xiuxiu, and others was brief yet packed with immense information, changing the expressions of Fire Spirit Child and Zhao Feiji repeatedly as they listened. "Fire Daoist friend, do you know about this Beiming Giant Scale?" Shen Luo asked Fire Spirit Child after finishing his account. "Beiming Giant Scale? Haven¡¯t heard of it. When mentioning Beiming, could it refer to the Beiming Sea? That¡¯s an extremely cold sea north of Northern Ju Lu Continent. Beiming Giant Scale, literally, might refer to the scales of a giant beast within that sea," Fire Spirit Child shook his head and said. Shen Luo frowned slightly, seeing the expressions of You Quan, Ma Xiuxiu, and others. The Beiming Giant Scale seemed significant, with fears of another conspiracy involved. But Fire Spirit Child didn¡¯t even know about this thing, so at present, it¡¯s impossible to deduce the Demon Clan¡¯s purpose. Shen Luo then took out a jade slip, his Divine Sense immersed in it, and a moment later, he transcribed the Formation Patterns seen in Dreamland. "These are the Formation Patterns I saw on the World Tree stump in the dream. Due to time constraints, I only remembered parts. Can you tell if it¡¯s the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array? Can you discern other information from it?" Shen Luo handed the jade slip to Fire Spirit Child. The clues of the Beiming Giant Scale couldn¡¯t be pursued further; now the only thing to track is these prohibition runes. Fire Spirit Child took the jade slip, his Divine Sense immersed in it. A moment later, he opened his eyes, nodding: "That¡¯s right, it is the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array, though there seem to be other formation patterns mixed in. With such little content, it¡¯s hard to discern anything else for now." Shen Luo showed a trace of disappointment on his face; this way, all clues were entirely broken. Manifesting magic to examine the jade pillow in his hand, the Star Power within had been completely depleted; wanting to enter the dream and travel again would require waiting until one month later. The situation outside is urgent now; no matter what can¡¯t afford to delay another month here. The group then thoroughly inspected the cave, finding no unusual place, and so did not linger here any longer, heading towards Chang¡¯an City. ... In a place in the Three Realms stands a verdant mountain peak, where countless fresh green bamboos grow, painting a heavy green brushstroke between Heaven and Earth. The mountain peak is majestic, stretching endlessly, and the bamboo sea extends to the horizon. A strong wind blew, raising waves within the bamboo forest, layers upon layers moving, issuing a loud rushing sound, akin to the huge waves that arise on the mighty ocean, broadening one¡¯s chest. Deep within the bamboo forest on the mountain peak, lies a Tower, where Tu Shanxue lay quietly, still unconscious, her breath having calmed considerably but still showing no signs of awakening. Hu Bugui sat nearby, eyes closed in meditation. His injuries have fully recovered, and his breath has faintly strengthened by threefold. Hu Bugui¡¯s hands made a seal, performing some unknown God¡¯s Power, surrounded by layers of misty spiritual light, within which six green fox tails appeared, moving like six nimble arms. "The power of the Fox Ancestor is indeed miraculous, not only purifying the Bloodline Power in me but also greatly enhancing my cultivation level. Sadly, the absorbed Fox Ancestor¡¯s power was too little at that time; otherwise, I could directly reach the Late True Immortal Stage," Hu Bugui opened his eyes, saying somewhat regretfully. At that moment, his body suddenly shook, a spiral of green patterns appeared all over him, looking very mysterious, and small green runes appeared and gently flashed on the six fox tails. These runes are quite different from ordinary runes; each shines a dripping green, a layer of gold and silver fine patterns attached to the surface, slightly flashing while the surrounding void seems to twist into a blur. Instantly, centered around Hu Bugui, Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi from within ten miles around crazily poured into the six fox tails. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The six fox tails had already stopped moving, as the green runes on them quickly converged, forming six whip-like green patterns in an instant. The surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi ceased gathering, but trembled buzzing, issuing sharp roaring sounds as if worshiping an infinitely noble existence. "What are these runes?" Hu Bugui watched the continuous changes in his body with surprise. "Those are law runes. To think you, a half-demon, have such talent, initially awakening Law Powers with my minimal bloodline strength," a voice sounded behind him. Before the voice fell, the void behind him flashed a cluster of white light, a figure emerged out of thin air¡ªMi Su. "It¡¯s you!" Hu Bugui¡¯s expression changed dramatically, the six fox tails behind him instinctively shot forward, instantly wrapping around Mi Su. Six green whips entwined Mi Su, everything within dozens of feet around stopped, seemingly completely frozen. Mi Su¡¯s body¡¯s spiritual light flows along his skin, completely halting. "It seems you¡¯ve awakened restrictive law powers, pretty good. Pity your mana is too weak." Mi Su¡¯s body blossomed with dazzling white light. The six green whips entwined on Mi Su¡¯s body issued cracking sounds, breaking one after another, transforming into countless green runes merging back into Hu Bugui¡¯s six fox tails. Hu Bugui retreated a few steps, severely injured, spitting a mouthful of fresh blood. At this moment, a white light ring from nearby void shot out like an electric, descending upon Hu Bugui. Hu Bugui forcefully subdued the rampant mana within his body, attempting to dodge, but the void before his eyes suddenly emerged with white ripples, within which appeared a pair of white eyes, emitting an unusual magical power. His entire spirit was captivated, leaving him stiff in place. The white light ring fell, encircling Hu Bugui. "Fox Ancestor, your power has just recovered and should not be used rashly. Whatever the matter, leave it to your subordinate to handle," the void where the white light ring shot from fluctuated, a white-clothed girl¡¯s figure appeared. This girl bore twin ears on her head, appearing to be part of the Qingqiu Fox Clan, wearing thick glasses on her nose bridge, holding a thick book in one hand and a white jade pen in the other, initially giving off a silly impression. But on closer inspection, one could find that the white-clothed fox woman¡¯s eyes were deep beyond measure, revealing two slowly rotating vortices, seemingly capable of sucking one¡¯s Divine Soul deeply inside. Chapter 1771 - 1767 Rescue Chapter 1771: Chapter 1767 Rescue"Quickly retract the Pupil Technique, your Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique has been cultivated to an extremely high realm, but not to perfection. You cannot control its power. This Hu Bugui¡¯s cultivation level is insufficient, if controlled by you for a long time, it will harm the divine soul. The talents in the Qingqiu Fox Clan are sparse nowadays, every talented person must be cherished," Mi Su said, looking at Hu Bugui who stood motionless in front of her. "Yes." The White Clothed Fox Woman closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, the strange vortex inside had vanished. Hu Bugui¡¯s body trembled, his eyes regained clarity. Upon seeing Mi Su and the White Clothed Fox Woman, his heart sank, and he immediately struggled desperately. But the white halo surrounding him also emitted a powerful prohibitive force, fixing his body in place, unable to move an inch, even opening his mouth was extremely difficult. The White Clothed Fox Woman paid no attention to Hu Bugui, walked to Tu Shanxue¡¯s side, a trace of pity flashing in her eyes, she touched Tu Shanxue¡¯s forehead with her jade-like pen. A surge of pure demon power poured into it, yet it was like a clay ox entering the sea, showing no signs of improvement for Tu Shanxue. "Tu Shanxue has been stripped of the power of the Fox Ancestor by You Sufin, her innate vitality grievously damaged, with meridians beginning to break and wither. You cannot wake her like this," Mi Su also stepped over and said. The White Clothed Fox Woman trembled slightly upon hearing this, yet did not stop her hand, continuously channeling demon power into Tu Shanxue¡¯s body. "Silly child..." Mi Su gently shook her head, sighing lightly. The White Clothed Fox Woman kept injecting mana, her cheeks gradually turned pale, breathing heavily, yet Tu Shanxue still showed no signs of waking. "Stop, you are at the verge of breaking through the Taiyi Stage, do not damage your vitality." Tu Shanxue frowned and swept her sleeve. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The White Clothed Fox Woman involuntarily ceased her spellcasting, retreating three steps backward. "I implore the Fox Ancestor to save her," the White Clothed Fox Woman knelt down in front of Mi Su. "My cultivation level has yet to recover, such wounds can only be healed by using the Sun and Moon Dao Fruit, else they cannot be remedied. Are you truly willing to use this fruit on Tu Shanxue, which is your hope for advancing to the Heavenly Venerate Realm?" Mi Su said solemnly. "It¡¯s my debt to her," the White Clothed Fox Woman replied without hesitation. "Nonsense, the insidious nature of You Sufin, and the risks of inheriting the power of the Fox Ancestor¡ª you¡¯ve already told Tu Shanxue. It was her lack of firm resolve, blinded by hatred, refusing to heed advice, that led to the current circumstances. How is any of this your fault?" Mi Su retorted. The White Clothed Fox Woman lowered her head, remaining silent. "Tonger, you are unlike Tu Shanxue, wise and composed, with keen insight. In the entire Qingqiu Fox Clan, you alone have seen through my identity. The future hope of the Qingqiu Fox Clan rests upon you, do not act impulsively," Mi Su said softly. "As the Eldest Princess of the Fox Clan, I failed to prevent the conflicts between the Qingqiu Country and the various factions, watched helplessly as Mother was killed, Tu Shanxue grievously wounded. These are my karmic consequences. If I cannot save Tu Shanxue, my heart will indeed give rise to a great heart demon, hindering my breakthrough to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, or even the Taiyi Stage," the White Clothed Fox Woman said as she lifted her head. "Eldest Princess of the Qingqiu Fox Clan? You are Tu Shantong! Tu Shanxue¡¯s sister! I completely forgot about you earlier!" Hu Bugui exclaimed with widened pupils upon hearing this, visibly shocked. Scenes related to Tu Shantong emerged from nowhere in his mind, many involving direct interactions with Tu Shantong on Qingqiu Mountain. Hu Bugui felt his scalp go numb, recalling everything¡ª he was unfamiliar with the Qingqiu Fox Clan, able to gather information about the Qingqiu Fox Clan and You Sufin thanks to Tu Shantong¡¯s help. The last time the two met was in a dark great hall, seemingly exchanging information. As Hu Bugui was about to leave, a changing white light appeared before his eyes, causing him to fall into unconsciousness immediately. "What did you do to me? You made me completely forget you!" Hu Bugui said with a solemn tone. "Tu Shantong¡¯s Heaven Confounding Pupil Technique has reached the peak. Coupled with the power of laws awakened in her eyes, she can manipulate the divine soul upon meeting eyes, making the other forget someone¡¯s existence, it¡¯s incredibly simple," Mi Su said indifferently. "This is my God¡¯s Power, Mirror Flowers Water Moon. I originally intended to use you to thwart You Sufin¡¯s plot, but unfortunately, it fell through. I could only use Mirror Flowers Water Moon to escape Qingqiu Mountain. Because of me, you¡¯ve faced danger multiple times, I apologize for that," Tu Shantong said, bowing to Hu Bugui. "Such a divine power exists in this world?" Hu Bugui was shocked beyond measure. After Mi Su and Tu Shantong finished explaining, they no longer paid attention to Hu Bugui, staring into each other¡¯s eyes. Tu Shantong and Mi Su held each other¡¯s gaze, eyes firm, without any hesitation. "Since you¡¯ve made your decision, let it be," Mi Su said coldly. Then, with a flip of her hand, she retrieved a walnut-sized green spirit fruit, covered with mysterious, profound patterns. The green spirit fruit flew from Mi Su¡¯s palm, propelled by an invisible force, arriving at Tu Shanxue¡¯s mouth. Mi Su flicked her hand lightly, Tu Shanxue¡¯s mouth opened, the green spirit fruit flashed and entered her mouth. "Thank you, Fox Ancestor!" Tu Shantong hurriedly expressed her gratitude upon seeing this. Mi Su¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ignoring Tu Shantong, and simply formed a spell, shooting out a blanket of white light that encompassed Tu Shanxue¡¯s body. "Strange, Tu Shanxue¡¯s Eight Gates of Life and Death show signs of vitality infusion; this ancient healing secret technique has long been lost. Apart from me, who else would know it?" Mi Su suddenly murmured in surprise. "The Eight Gates of Life and Death! Tu Shanxue has always been with Hu Bugui; he should know," Tu Shantong¡¯s eyes shot forth rays of strange light, then she looked at Hu Bugui beside her and said. Upon hearing this, Hu Bugui¡¯s eyes glimmered subtly. The places Mi Su pointed out were precisely the ones Shen Luo taught him previously¡ªthe same points of the healing finger technique that surprised him with such storied origins. Mi Su¡¯s eyes also shifted slightly without saying more, and with fingers like swords, she tapped several times on Tu Shanxue¡¯s chest and abdomen, replicating the technique Shen Luo used for Hu Bugui¡¯s healing. With the gentle green light spreading quickly from Tu Shanxue¡¯s mouth throughout her body, her originally languid breath recovered swiftly, and her pale face gradually regained its color. Tu Shantong¡¯s eyes gleamed excitedly, once again expressing grateful thanks to Mi Su. "Let¡¯s go," Mi Su gestured, waved her sleeve, enveloping the entire tower in a haze of gray-white mist. "What are you doing?" Hu Bugui shouted in surprise and anger. Mi Su ignored his cries, and the gray-white mist quickly thickened, engulfing everything nearby. When the mist dispersed, the tower and the four people inside had vanished completely, as if they had never existed... Chapter 1772 - 1168: Government Official Changes Command Chapter 1772: Chapter 1168: Government Official Changes CommandAt this moment, in Chang¡¯an City, inside a long narrow meeting hall of the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Fairy Qinglian, Li Jing, Kongdu Zen Master, and others were seated on both sides. Besides three of them, there stood a heroic golden-armored youth. This person carried a pale golden war spear on his back, his aura fused completely with the spear, inseparable from one another. Fairy Qinglian was meditating with her eyes closed, while Li Jing repeatedly rubbed the Seven Treasures Exquisite Pagoda in his hand. Kongdu Zen Master lowered his head, clasped a hand in front of him, and fiddled with the prayer beads. The golden-armored youth stood motionless, his exceptionally bright eyes looking outside the door, flashing with an intimidating sharpness. No one spoke in the hall, and the atmosphere was rather dull. At this moment, footsteps were heard from outside, and Yuan Tiangang walked in with a heavy expression. Everyone in the hall turned their gaze towards the source of the footsteps. "Master Yuan, how is Duke Cheng¡¯s injury?" Li Jing stood up and was the first to ask. The others also looked towards Yuan Tiangang. Cheng Yaojin was controlled by the fox tribe using a secret technique and served as the vessel for the black giant fox. Fortunately, Yuan Tiangang had already broken through to the Heavenly Venerate Realm and during the great battle, managed to enter the black giant fox and rescue Cheng Yaojin. Otherwise, given Cheng Yaojin¡¯s physical condition at the time, he wouldn¡¯t have lasted until the end. Even though Cheng Yaojin was saved by Yuan Tiangang, he suffered severe injuries and had been recuperating these past few days. "The situation is very bleak. Duke Cheng was already severely injured and had nearly half of his original strength absorbed by the black giant fox. He is now on the brink of exhaustion," Yuan Tiangang shook his head slightly and said. "Is there really no way?" the golden-armored youth asked anxiously. "Master Hutu is currently attending to Duke Cheng. We must do all we can and leave the rest to fate," Yuan Tiangang sighed. Several people in the hall exchanged glances, including Fairy Qinglian, all remaining silent. Master Hutu is a revered figure of the Tang Royal Family, particularly skilled in healing and rescuing people. Even Mount Putuo, known worldwide for its medical recovery techniques, dared not claim superiority over him. "It all depends on Duke Cheng¡¯s fortune. Even if he survives by chance, his strength might be greatly reduced. After discussing with His Majesty, we¡¯ve decided that Xue Li will command the Great Tang Dynasty Government," Yuan Tiangang said, looking at the golden-armored youth. "Amitabha. Duke Cheng, being a blessed person, will surely be protected by the heavens and should be unharmed. With Daoist Friend Xue stationed over the Great Tang Dynasty Government, the turmoil after the Fox Chaos should calm down. I congratulate you now, Daoist Friend," Kongdu Zen Master chanted a Buddhist saying and addressed the golden-armored youth. Fairy Qinglian and others also congratulated the golden-armored youth. Xue Li remained calm, evidently already aware of this matter, and after briefly clasping his fists towards the others, sat down again with them. "Today, I invited everyone for two reasons: firstly, to witness Xue Li assuming command over the Great Tang Dynasty Government. Secondly, to discuss with you all how to handle the Qingqiu Fox Clan. I presume everyone is aware of the outcome of the Battle of Qingqiu Mountain. Though the Qingqiu Fox Clan was defeated, a large portion of their strength remains, especially since the Fox Ancestor has been resurrected and should not be underestimated," Yuan Tiangang said as he sat down. "The Qingqiu Fox Clan dared to attack major cities, slaughter various sect elders and disciples, and numerous civilians. Their crimes are unforgivable. I suggest we unite our sects to issue a bounty hunting order. No matter where the Qingqiu Fox Clan hides, we must ferret them out and completely annihilate them to avenge this great vendetta!" Li Jing spoke first, with fervor. "Amitabha, to pursue them to extinction seems somewhat inappropriate. According to the information I¡¯ve obtained, the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s assault on various sects was orchestrated by You Sufin. Now that this demon has been executed, most of the fox clan members were deceived by him and do not deserve death. Moreover, since the Fox Ancestor has been resurrected, dealing with the Qingqiu Fox Clan isn¡¯t so simple," Kongdu Zen Master said with palms together. "Zen Master Kongdu, you¡¯re mistaken. There is an inherent rift between the Demon Race and our Human and Immortal Clans. For such deviant demons, there¡¯s no need for compassion. Only through the total eradication of the Qingqiu Fox Clan can we eliminate future threats. If you¡¯re worried about dealing with the Fox Ancestor, the Heavenly Court can dispatch heavenly soldiers and generals to the lower realm to capture this fierce ghost!" Li Jing said forcefully. Fairy Qinglian, Kongdu Zen Master, and the golden-armored youth¡¯s expressions all changed. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The major sects within the Three Realms are numerous. The Great Tang Dynasty Government, Hua Sheng Temple, Mount Putuo, Wuzhuang View, and Mount Fangcun all have profound Daoist arts, excel on the battlefield, compete in showcasing their prowess, and are evenly matched. Yet, all the major sects know that they are far inferior to the Heavenly Court, and even united, they may not be its match. The only place that can contend with the Heavenly Court is the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain. However, since Tang Sanzang retrieved the Western Scriptures, the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain has nearly isolated itself, rarely intervening in external matters, and it¡¯s been a long time since someone from the Western Heavenly Buddha Gate appeared in the Human World. Unlike the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain, the Heavenly Court has frequently interfered in lower realm affairs in recent years, with intentions seemingly inclined towards extending its reach to the lower realms. The resources of the Human Realm are limited, already divided among the major sects as well as the Demon and Devil Clans. The major sects have long noticed the Heavenly Court¡¯s actions and are secretly vigilant. Once the Heavenly Court¡¯s great army descends to the lower realm, it¡¯s uncertain that it won¡¯t remain in the Human Realm, encroaching on the influence range of the various sects. With this thought, Fairy Qinglian, Kongdu Zen Master, and the golden-armored youth all looked a bit unnatural. "Daoist Friend Li¡¯s words make sense, but the situation within the Three Realms has changed. Not only the Qingqiu Fox Clan but other demon clans are also becoming increasingly distant from our Human and Immortal Clans. Since the Heavenly Court¡¯s great army is about to descend to sweep away the group of monsters, we might as well eradicate the other demon clans too and restore peace to Heaven and Earth. What does Daoist Friend Li think?" Yuan Tiangang spoke calmly and smiled slightly. "This..." Li Jing¡¯s expression changed. The demon clan¡¯s power in the Human Realm is formidable. Not to mention others, just the three unrivaled Demon Kings at Lion Camel Ridge alone warrant careful reception even when they arrive in the Heavenly Court since there¡¯s the shadow of the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain behind those three. As for other demon clan forces, such as Flower Fruit Mountain, Jilei Mountain, Pansi Cave, and others, they shouldn¡¯t be underestimated either. Li Jing wouldn¡¯t dare recklessly boast about sweeping the demon clans of the Human Realm, as any one of those demon forces would be enough to give him a hard time if they came knocking. Everyone saw Li Jing in a predicament, and Fairy Qinglian and others silently rejoiced. "Since Daoist Friend Li finds this matter inappropriate, let¡¯s discuss it again," Yuan Tiangang said lightly. ... At the same time, Shen Luo was rushing towards Chang¡¯an City with all his might. With his current speed, he would reach Chang¡¯an City in less than a day. Chang¡¯an City had experienced several great battles, and this world¡¯s largest city had become strewn with scars. Yet, due to the Great Tang¡¯s strong national power, reconstruction had already begun in various parts of the city, even exuding an air of vibrant vitality. Upon seeing this sight, Shen Luo felt sad, but a sense of pride also welled up within his heart. Although Chang¡¯an City was half-destroyed, with the national strength of the Great Tang, it would only take a few years to restore its former glory as a grand metropolis. He was about to proceed to the Great Tang Dynasty Government when a voice came from afar. "Could it be Friend Shen up ahead?" Shen Luo halted and looked over, only to see a black-robed youth flying towards him from afar, dressed in the attire of Tianji City. It was that Disciple of Tianji City, Zhou Ming, the one who had received him during his two visits to Tianji City. "So it¡¯s Daoist Friend Zhou. Why are you in Chang¡¯an City?" Shen Luo asked with a slight expression of surprise. Chapter 1773 - 1769: Bestowal of Rewards Chapter 1773: Chapter 1769: Bestowal of Rewards"I am here specifically for Friend Shen. The things he gave to Elder Yan were considered extremely important by the City Lord after he saw them, and he has gathered some materials that Friend Shen needs from the inventory of Tianji City and sent me to deliver them to Chang¡¯an City." Zhou Ming took out a storage magical tool shaped like a ring and respectfully handed it over with both hands. Shen Luo didn¡¯t expect Tianji City to be so efficient. He took the storage ring, his divine sense penetrated it, and he found three treasures inside. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The first item was a white spirit insect, its body crystal clear as if carved from white jade, with nine white spirit patterns faintly visible within. "Jade-striped Nine Aroma Worm!" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. His cultivation level had already reached the True Immortal Peak, and he was preparing to advance to the Taiyi stage. He hadn¡¯t expected Tianji City to deliver one of the main ingredients for the Taiqing Pill so quickly. The second item was a golden stone about the size of a bowl, shimmering with dazzling golden light, almost blinding to the eyes. "Nine Heavens Gold Essence!" Shen Luo showed an expression of surprise and delight. Tianji City had surprisingly found Nine Heavens Gold Essence, and of such a large size. Combined with the Gold Essence found in previous times, it was already enough for the Profound Yellow Staff to be upgraded. As his cultivation improved, the power of the Profound Yellow Staff had somewhat lagged behind. With so much Nine Heavens Gold Essence now, the staff¡¯s power would certainly increase again. The third item was a jade casket the size of a human head. Shen Luo took out the jade casket and opened it, inside were various materials packed tightly. These were the other auxiliary materials for the Taiqing Pill. These auxiliary materials weren¡¯t too precious, but collecting them all was troublesome and would take considerable time. Tianji City¡¯s help in gathering these materials was indeed a significant aid to him. Shen Luo stored the three items in the Linlang Ring, satisfied, he exhaled lightly; now all that was missing was the main material, the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand. "The City Lord said these items, though precious, are not sufficient to repay Friend Shen for his kindness to Tianji City. Our disciples are collecting other materials you need, and should they find any, they will be sent immediately." Zhou Ming spoke again. "These materials are already enough, please convey to Young Master City Lord that there¡¯s no need to exhaust efforts searching for other materials. I offered those things to Tianji City not in exchange for these precious materials." Shen Luo said solemnly. "You are generous, Friend Shen, I will relay your words to the City Lord, but as to what the City Lord does, I¡¯m not sure." Zhou Ming said, somewhat stunned. The two continued chatting for a while, mostly discussing the recent battle situation in Chang¡¯an City. Shen Luo headed towards the Great Tang Dynasty Government, while Zhou Ming went to the stationed place of Tianji City in Chang¡¯an City. Just upon arriving at the Great Tang Dynasty Government, as he landed at the entrance, a figure greeted him¡ªit was Lu Huaming. "Brother Shen, it really was you; I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Have your injuries healed?" Lu Huaming asked, happily inspecting Shen Luo. His expression was filled with genuine joy, looking odd, but his aura fluctuated without any abnormalities. Moreover, the aura Lu Huaming emitted was multiple times more aggressive than before, and approaching within several yards of him caused painful skin pricks. "The Seven Emotions Sword Technique! Its power is several times stronger than on Qingqiu Mountain. But why use this sword technique inside the Great Tang Government?" Shen Luo found it strange but didn¡¯t inquire further, instead he asked: "I¡¯ve already recovered. Brother Lu, what did you mean by ¡¯it was you¡¯? Did you know I was coming today?" "It was Master Yuan who sent a message to me this morning, instructing me to wait at the entrance of the Great Tang Government to welcome you." Lu Huaming replied. Shen Luo could tell Lu Huaming was not lying, yet he was still at Qingqiu Mountain in the morning. Yuan Tiangang actually knew he was coming to Chang¡¯an City, indicating that his divination abilities became even more extraordinary after advancing to the Heavenly Venerate Realm. "Master Yuan¡¯s godlike powers are vast, I do have matters to discuss with either Master Yuan or Duke Cheng, please trouble Brother Lu to introduce me." Shen Luo said, pondering countless thoughts. "My master was seriously injured in the previous battle, and is currently bedridden. The main affairs of the Great Tang Government are now handled by Lord Xue Li, who is discussing matters with Master Yuan in the inner hall, I will take you there." Lu Huaming said with a sad expression. "Duke Cheng was injured? I have recently cultivated a healing god¡¯s power, its effects are quite good, perhaps it might help Duke Cheng." Shen Luo said hurriedly. He was naturally referring to the Huangdi Neijing, possessing this skill gave him confidence that no injury could completely defeat him. Cheng Yaojin has been taking good care of him over the years, now that Cheng Yaojin is in trouble, Shen Luo naturally wants to put forth his utmost efforts. "I thank you on behalf of my master, Brother Shen. Though now Master Yuan has already invited the Healing Saint to attend to him, there¡¯s no need for Brother Shen to worry. First, I¡¯ll take you to meet Xue Li and Master Yuan." Lu Huaming shook his head and led Shen Luo deeper into the Great Tang Government. Seeing this, Shen Luo said no more, and the two soon arrived inside a great hall. Yuan Tiangang was quietly seated inside the hall, his whole aura appeared exceedingly ethereal as if he were a cloud, a mist, ready to vanish at any moment. Beside him stood a golden armor youth, his aura intensely sharp; though he stood there, in Shen Luo¡¯s spiritual perception, he was a spear capable of piercing the skydome, radiating brightly in stark contrast to Yuan Tiangang. "This person must be Xue Li, certainly a Taiyi Stage expert. Who knew the Great Tang Government harbored such individuals; truly a place of hidden talents." Shen Luo thought to himself. "National Master, Lord Xue Li." Lu Huaming cupped his hands, giving a bow. Shen Luo looked at the golden armor youth for a moment and also cupped his hands in salute. "Little Friend Shen, your excursion to Qingqiu has been laborious, you did not disappoint me." Yuan Tiangang said with a smile. "Thanks to everyone¡¯s efforts united, we luckily did not disgrace the mission." Shen Luo said. "Friend Shen has no need for modesty. I have heard from Lu Huaming and other disciples of the Great Tang Government about your performance in the battle at Qingqiu Mountain; none deserves more credit than you." Xue Li said, his face icy. "Master Yuan and Daoist Friend Xue over-rate me. I merely did what a citizen of the Great Tang should." Shen Luo responded. "Hehe, that Little Friend Shen has such a heart, I, Yuan, am greatly comforted. The Great Tang Dynasty always rewards merits; Lu Huaming, Bai Xiaotian, and others have already received rewards. Such meritorious service from Little Friend Shen must be rewarded, feel free to straightforwardly request any reward you desire." Yuan Tiangang said. "Brother Shen, Bai Brother, Miss Nie, and others have received court rewards, so you need not be polite." Lu Huaming added from the side. "Since Master Yuan speaks this way, I will boldly ask for a precious spiritual material, the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand." Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s mind whirled, and he said. "The Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand? This is an immortal materials, the Great Tang Government¡¯s treasure vault may not necessarily have it. I will send someone to check, if it is not there, Xue will make arrangements elsewhere, certainly won¡¯t let Friend Shen down." Xue Li showed a surprised look, then said, raising his hand to summon someone. "No need for trouble, I will help find it for Friend Shen." Lu Huaming volunteered. "Alright, then I trouble you." Xue Li nodded. Lu Huaming walked out swiftly, transforming into a streak of escape light shooting off into the distance. Chapter 1774 - 1770 Sword’s Whistle Chapter 1774: Chapter 1770 Sword¡¯s Whistle"Thank you, Master Yuan and Lord Xue," Shen Luo was delighted and thanked Yuan Tiangang and the others. If he could obtain the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand from the Great Tang Dynasty Government, he could start refining the Taiqing Pill, which would bring him one step closer to the Taiyi Stage. The three in the hall engaged in idle conversation. Xue Li, though stern in appearance, was eloquent, exuding a convincing power, and as they conversed for a few moments, most of Shen Luo¡¯s wariness towards him dissipated. "I heard from Lu Huaming that after the battle in Qingqiu, your internal injuries flared up, and you stayed there to recuperate, which delayed your return to Chang¡¯an City by a few days. Looking at you now, you seem fine," Yuan Tiangang expressed concern. "Thanks to the National Master¡¯s blessings, I have fully recovered," Shen Luo replied, cupping his hands. "Lu Huaming has already told me some details about the Battle of Qingqiu Mountain, but his knowledge about many aspects of the battle, especially regarding You Sufin and the Fox Ancestor, is not very clear. I¡¯d like to hear you describe it in detail," Yuan Tiangang shifted the conversation and asked. "Yes." Shen Luo did not hide anything and explained all the details about the two demons. Of course, he cleverly avoided any mention of personal secrets involving things like the Fire Spirit Child, Hongming Saber, or the World Tree Roots. Yuan Tiangang pondered silently after hearing all this. "The strength of the Qingqiu Fox Clan far exceeds our expectations. National Master, you are adept at the art of divination; surely you calculated the existence of the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array long ago, knowing that the source of the black giant fox in Chang¡¯an City was at Qingqiu Mountain. Was that why you instructed us to fight bravely at Qingqiu Mountain?" Shen Luo glanced at Yuan Tiangang and asked. On his way to Chang¡¯an City, Shen Luo had reviewed all the battles at Qingqiu Mountain with the Fire Spirit Child and concluded that the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array was the core of all the Qingqiu Fox Clan¡¯s arrangements. Both the Fox Ancestor¡¯s Dharma-form that appeared on Qingqiu Mountain and the black giant fox within Chang¡¯an City were manifestations of the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array. Fortunately, Yuan Tiangang and the others managed to restrain most of the power of the Dayan Immeasurable Heavenly Array, or else, even if Shen Luo and his companions were twice as strong, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to match the Qingqiu Fox Clan. Shen Luo had just learned from Zhou Ming about the battle¡¯s situation here in Chang¡¯an City during the Qingqiu great battle. According to Zhou Ming, Yuan Tiangang¡¯s actions and words at the time seemed to imply he was well aware of what was happening at Qingqiu Mountain. "How could that be? Divination has its limits; it cannot unveil everything. I merely deduced that the giant fox within Chang¡¯an City was connected to the Qingqiu Fox Clan, which is why I urged both sides to join forces in a battle. As long as one side emerged victorious, the Qingqiu Fox Clan would find it hard to escape defeat," Yuan Tiangang replied with a laugh. "I see," Shen Luo nodded, though he didn¡¯t quite believe Yuan Tiangang¡¯s evasive explanation. "Master Yuan, I have come to report something important to you. After Lu Huaming and the others left Qingqiu Mountain, I conducted a private investigation and uncovered many things..." He steadied himself and disclosed the information he had uncovered, including the things he saw by traveling back in time using the jade pillow. Yuan Tiangang was already aware of the jade pillow¡¯s matters, and now that his strength was sufficient, there was no need for secrecy. "The Little Master has indeed repaired your jade pillow. I see that the time-space principle and god¡¯s power contained within it enable temporal travel¡ªa truly miraculous item," Yuan Tiangang expressed surprising amazement. "So this is the reason! No wonder the Qingqiu Fox Clan suddenly attacked various cities. Their purpose was to gather emotional energy! The Demon Clan indeed took part in this," Xue Li, standing beside, remarked with a flash of insight in his eyes. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Behind him, the golden war spear buzzed and trembled twice, as if it couldn¡¯t wait to leap out and strike. "The Demon Clan¡¯s motive for participating in the Fox Chaos in Qingqiu remains unclear for now. However, have either of you heard of the Beiming Giant Scale, which You Quan mentioned?" Shen Luo asked. The reason he brought this up was to help the Great Tang Dynasty Government monitor the Demon Clan¡¯s movements. If the Demons were to act in the future, they could make timely responses. Another reason was to seek information from the two concerning the Beiming Giant Scale. "Beiming Giant Scale? I haven¡¯t heard of such a thing." Yuan Tiangang shook his head after some thought. Xue Li frowned, apparently unfamiliar with it as well. Shen Luo felt a sinking feeling upon seeing this. The Beiming Giant Scale was indeed rare; even beings as knowledgeable as the Fire Spirit Child and Yuan Tiangang hadn¡¯t heard of it. Discovering its origins might prove challenging. "Could it be that we are overthinking it, and the Beiming Giant Scale is not a proper name but merely a random nickname used by You Quan and his associates?" Xue Li suddenly suggested. "Lord Xue Li makes a good point. If it is just a nickname, I do have a theory that fits," Yuan Tiangang said, lightly patting his palm. "What is it?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, eager to ask. "Since the Beiming Giant Scale has the name ¡¯giant scale,¡¯ it should be quite large. The words ¡¯Beiming¡¯ should relate to the Beiming Sea. I once read in a classic record of the Beiming Sea about an exotic beast called the ¡¯Beiming Kun.¡¯ It is incredibly large, covered in strange scales that are resistant to lightning and fire, and has long dwelled within the Beiming Sea. It has been sighted in the Eastern Sea as well. The Beiming Giant Scale possibly refers to the scales of this creature," Yuan Tiangang proposed. "Very likely," Fire Spirit Child agreed, suspecting that the Beiming Giant Scale was related to the Beiming Sea. Shen Luo nodded slowly, just about to inquire more about the Beiming Kun. Suddenly, a vast sword howl came from the distance, accompanied by a gentle trembling of the ground. The howl carried an extremely sharp sword intent, causing Shen Luo¡¯s sixteen Pure Yang Swords to stir restlessly within him. With a slight change in expression, he turned his gaze towards the direction of the sword howl. The source wasn¡¯t far, definitely within the Great Tang Dynasty Government¡¯s premises. "Alas, the Duke has finally taken this step," Yuan Tiangang also looked that way and sighed. Xue Li¡¯s expression turned grim as his figure turned into a streak of golden light and vanished instantly. "Was this Duke Cheng¡¯s doing?" Shen Luo asked in astonishment. Yuan Tiangang didn¡¯t reply but flicked his sleeve, casting a white light that enveloped both him and Shen Luo, as formation patterns quickly spread within the white light. Suddenly everything blurred in front of Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, and he found himself near a tower, with Xue Li and another white-haired old man standing outside, both looking very solemn. From the tower rose a thick white beam of light, piercing straight into the sky. Shen Luo¡¯s Divine Sense spread out, and he quickly understood the situation inside the tower. Two figures were seated within, none other than Cheng Yaojin and Lu Huaming. Lu Huaming was entangled in several strands of golden light, as if restrained. Facing him, Cheng Yaojin appeared exceptionally aged. His once pitch-black hair and beard had turned white, his once robust muscles now looking soft and weak, without a trace of strength, yet his eyes gleamed brightly. Cheng Yaojin¡¯s right hand rested on Lu Huaming¡¯s head, continuously unleashing countless golden runes, injecting them into Lu Huaming¡¯s body. Lu Huaming¡¯s whole body was enveloped in bright white light, with the Frost Cold Nine Realms floating above his head, humming and vibrating. The towering white beam of light was precisely triggered by the Frost Cold Nine Realms. Chapter 1775 - 1771: A Glimmer of Hope Chapter 1775: Chapter 1771: A Glimmer of Hope"How did Duke Cheng become like this! What is he doing?" Shen Luo exclaimed upon seeing Cheng Yaojin in such a state. "Duke Cheng was controlled by the Fox Clan in the previous great battle. His Dao foundation has completely collapsed; he¡¯s burning out. Before his death, he is passing on his life vitality, along with many years of cultivation insights, to Lu Huaming." Yuan Tiangang said, clasping one palm in respect. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed. His Divine Sense swept over the two of them, and his figure flickered to appear beside Cheng Yaojin inside the tower, pointing with his right hand. Eight crystalline green lights shot from his fingertip, simultaneously entering the eight healing acupuncture points at Cheng Yaojin¡¯s waist and abdomen, which were the Eight Gates of Life and Death. Outside the tower, Xue Li and the white-haired old man observed this scene, and their expressions both changed. Xue Li was fine, having some understanding of Shen Luo, but the white-haired old man was furious. "Impudent, who are you? Stop immediately!" he shouted angrily, sweeping his sleeve. Eighty-one silver lights densely shot out from his sleeve, surprisingly eighty-one silver needles, swiftly attacking Shen Luo¡¯s entire body, making no sound and having no Qi fluctuation. At this moment, a white light flashed in front, and all the silver needles were swept aside¡ªYuan Tiangang had made his move. "Master Hutu, please stop. This is Daoist Friend Shen Luo, a friend of the Great Tang Government, not an enemy." Yuan Tiangang said. "I can naturally see that this person has no harmful intentions towards the Duke, but the Duke is performing the technique of transferring power and cannot be disturbed; otherwise, not only will he surely die, but Lu Xianzhi¡¯s divine soul will also suffer a severe injury!" Hutu said urgently. "Master Hutu, rest assured. Though Friend Shen is not old, his cultivation level has already reached a profound realm, and he is always steady in nature. He surely saw that Duke Cheng was transferring power. Since he made a move, he will definitely not harm the Duke or Lu Huaming." Yuan Tiangang said calmly, casually sending the eighty-one silver needles back before Hutu. Hutu showed a hesitant look, glanced at Shen Luo, but still waved his sleeve, retracting all the silver needles. Inside the tower, Shen Luo naturally saw early on that what Cheng Yaojin was doing could not be disturbed by external forces. He cautiously operated the Huangdi Neijing, transforming the eight green lights into strands of mist, entering Cheng Yaojin¡¯s body without hindrance and causing no impact. The green light was filled with vigorous vitality, revitalizing Cheng Yaojin, who struggled to lift his head and glance at Shen Luo. "Shen Luo, you came as well. I thought we wouldn¡¯t meet again, haha..." Cheng Yaojin said hoarsely. "Duke, please stop for now. I have a method that might save your life. Close your eyes, concentrate, and regulate your breath!" Shen Luo said in a muffled voice. "I can feel it. The skill you¡¯re using right now is extraordinary; it seems to have miraculous effects for healing. But I¡¯m most aware of my own body. Not only my flesh but my soul power has been completely drained too. It¡¯s only by the force of will cultivated over many years that I¡¯ve preserved the last wisp of vitality. Even if Shennong came back to life, he couldn¡¯t save me; don¡¯t waste your efforts." Cheng Yaojin said. Shen Luo¡¯s heart skipped a beat hearing these words. He had not yet cultivated the Huangdi Neijing to a profound level. If it were merely restoring physical injuries or healing soul damage, he might still have some confidence, but to restore both at the same time, he was indeed incapable at this stage. Forcing the technique might affect the Duke¡¯s power transfer. "Friend Shen, could the skill you are using now be the Huangdi Neijing? Please forgive my abruptness, but allow me to share control of half your mana!" Yuan Tiangang¡¯s voice sounded in Shen Luo¡¯s ear. Shen Luo had not understood what Yuan Tiangang meant by this when suddenly half of his body and mana were out of his control, his left hand lifting in the void, an invisible force enveloping Cheng Yaojin¡¯s body. Cheng Yaojin¡¯s soul in his mind was shaken, and a wisp of soul essence was forcibly extracted. "Friend Shen, please use your skills to protect this wisp of soul essence; Duke Cheng may yet have a slim chance of survival." Yuan Tiangang¡¯s voice echoed again in Shen Luo¡¯s ear. Shen Luo was overjoyed upon hearing this, and, with a shift in gaze, he invoked the soul-protecting technique from the Huangdi Neijing, enveloping the wisp of soul essence. A white light emerged from Cheng Yaojin¡¯s head and swiftly entered Shen Luo¡¯s body. Shen Luo¡¯s vision blurred, and he found himself back outside the tower, with control of his body restored. He frowned slightly, a hint of frustration passing through his heart. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At Qingqiu Mountain, he had fought consecutively against Tu Shanxue and You Sufin, who wielded the power of the Fox Ancestor. He felt that his strength had reached quite a high level, yet he was still powerless under Yuan Tiangang. However, Shen Luo quickly adjusted his mindset, looking at Yuan Tiangang, and transmitted, "Master, just now..." "Friend Shen, say nothing now," Yuan Tiangang transmitted back. Shen Luo raised his eyebrows, falling silent. Inside the tower, Cheng Yaojin wore a slight smile, gold light from his right hand becoming even more intense, pouring into Lu Huaming¡¯s body. A crystalline light also shot from his brow, pouring into Lu Huaming¡¯s mind. Cheng Yaojin¡¯s body rapidly became transparent, his meridians and flesh seemingly extracted completely by some secret technique. Meanwhile, Lu Huaming¡¯s aura grew more and more immense, his facial expression changing rapidly from joy to sorrow, precisely encompassing the seven emotions of the Seven Emotions Sword Technique: joy, anger, worry, contemplation, sadness, fear, and surprise. Shen Luo was probing the situation of the two when suddenly Lu Huaming¡¯s tightly shut eyes opened, with a dazed light shooting from his pupils, an exceptionally immense divine sense power erupting from his mind. Shen Luo had used the Soul Devouring Array within the War God Whip to break through to the Taiyi Level of soul power. However, compared to Lu Huaming¡¯s divine sense, he was still weaker. "Lu Huaming¡¯s divine sense power is so strong!" he was secretly shocked, then raised his eyebrows. In his perception, Lu Huaming¡¯s divine sense power was peculiar, containing seven different types of soul power, some as fiery as flame, others as gentle as water, changing unpredictably. As their divine senses collided, Lu Huaming¡¯s divine sense wrapped around, seemingly intent on merging into Shen Luo¡¯s. Shen Luo experienced dizziness in his mind, his hands and feet dancing uncontrollably, his face showing various emotional changes like sadness, joy, and contemplation. Shocked, he quickly retracted his divine sense and performed the Suppressing God Technique, managing to control his body with his facial expressions returning to normal. "After many years of cultivation, Lu Huaming¡¯s Seven Emotions Sword Technique has finally reached the realm of mastering the seven emotions. The effort was not in vain." Yuan Tiangang showed excitement. "What does Master Yuan mean by this?" Shen Luo asked with a shift in expression. Yuan Tiangang¡¯s expression slightly froze, hesitating to speak. "Pardon my abruptness," Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind, giving a chuckle and showing a row of white teeth. "Friend Shen is not an outsider, no need to hide anything. You should already know some things about the Seven Emotions Sword Technique from Brother Bai, right?" Yuan Tiangang said with a slight gleam in his eyes. "Correct. Brother Bai said this sword technique can master the seven emotions, unleashing the body¡¯s potential to manifest strength far beyond oneself." Shen Luo replied. Chapter 1776 - 1772: Summoning the Soul Chapter 1776: Chapter 1772: Summoning the Soul"These words are indeed not false, but the true power of the Seven Emotions Sword Technique does not lie in this. This sword technique was created by an elder of the Underworld who comprehended the Six Paths of Reincarnation. When cultivated to a profound level, it can communicate with the Wheel of Reincarnation, summon past life memories, and even powers," Yuan Tiangang said. "Past life¡¯s power? Does that mean Brother Lu¡¯s past life was extraordinary?" Shen Luo said, his eyes flashing with a peculiar light. "Friend Shen truly has a keen mind. Lu Huaming¡¯s past life was a remarkable great swordsman," Yuan Tiangang glanced at Shen Luo and said. Shen Luo nodded and did not pursue the matter further. Yuan Tiangang and Cheng Yaojin had invested a lot of effort to assist Lu Huaming in cultivating the Seven Emotions Sword Technique, surely for a significant purpose. Although his relationship with the Great Tang Dynasty Government was close, it was not appropriate to pry into others¡¯ privacy. Cheng Yaojin¡¯s body had already become completely transparent, like a colored glaze figure, and his hands suddenly formed a peculiar Dharma Seal. A "boom" sounded on his body surface, and clusters of colored glaze flames appeared, burning fiercely as his body rapidly shrank. A beam of golden light shot out from within him, merging into Lu Huaming¡¯s body. His cultivation level suddenly soared, reaching the True Immortal Peak within moments, just half a step away from the Taiyi Stage. At this moment, Cheng Yaojin¡¯s body finally burned out and turned into nothingness. Lu Huaming¡¯s cultivation no longer increased, and the few beams of golden light on his body also dissipated, releasing the restraints. Although Lu Huaming was restrained just now, his five senses were still present, and he heard the conversation between Shen Luo and Yuan Tiangang nearby. "Master..." He was in tears, kneeling down at the place where Cheng Yaojin disappeared, unable to hold back his sobbing. Yuan Tiangang sighed silently, waved his sleeve, a flash of white light, and the figures in front of the tower vanished without a trace. ... Shen Luo¡¯s vision blurred, finding himself inside the previous great hall, with Yuan Tiangang standing not far in front of him, but Xue Li and that Hu Tu did not appear. "Master Yuan, just now when Duke Cheng transmitted power, you borrowed my hand to extract a wisp of his soul, saying the Duke could be saved, is it true?" Shen Luo hurriedly asked before Yuan Tiangang could speak. "Naturally true." Yuan Tiangang faintly smiled and waved his sleeve in front of him. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A red round pearl the size of a fist emerged out of thin air, with a cluster of crystalline light inside¡ªit was the wisp of soul just extracted. He then took out a green talisman, crushed it, and the talisman turned into countless scattered green lights. "Friend Shen, continue using the Huangdi Neijing to protect this wisp of soul," Yuan Tiangang said. Shen Luo nodded, raised a hand to point forward, a green light shot from his hand, wrapping the soul inside the red round pearl. Seeing this, Yuan Tiangang¡¯s hands moved like car wheels, numerous magic spells formed into shapes of grass and trees, merging into the round pearl. "This is the Hundred Herbs Soul Summoning Technique! How does Yuan Tiangang know it?" Inside the Free and Easy Mirror, Fire Spirit Child exclaimed in surprise. Hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with a gleam. As Yuan Tiangang cast the spell, countless green lights from the talisman also gathered into the round pearl, merging, making the soul inside the red pearl gradually larger, with its breath fluctuating increasingly stronger. Seeing this, Shen Luo showed a look of astonishment. "Fire Daoist friend, you just said Yuan Tiangang used the Hundred Herbs Soul Summoning Technique. What is marvelous about this technique?" He communicated with Fire Spirit Child through his mind. "The Hundred Herbs Soul Summoning Technique is a secret technique passed down from the ancient Shennong lineage, adept at gathering scattered divine souls. It¡¯s said that even if the soul is shattered, as long as the spell is cast in time, it can be summoned back," Fire Spirit Child said. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with interest and he continued to circulate the Huangdi Neijing to guard the soul. Time passed little by little, and soon half an hour had passed. The soul in the red round pearl had grown several times larger, forming into a small divine soul figure, whose face looked just like Cheng Yaojin, but its eyes remained closed, showing no signs of awakening. "Master Yuan indeed possesses profound abilities. Duke Cheng presumably used some kind of sacrificial secret technique, his soul already scattered, yet the master was able to reconsolidate his soul!" Shen Luo cupped his hands and said. "It¡¯s just a minor skill, the mere soul summoning technique is nothing compared to Friend Shen¡¯s Huangdi Neijing." Yuan Tiangang said with a light laugh. "The master flatters, is Duke Cheng¡¯s soul now unharmed?" Shen Luo smiled calmly and asked. "I¡¯ve done my best to summon back his scattered soul, and his life has been preserved for now, but to revive him will require further planning," Yuan Tiangang said. "That¡¯s wonderful," Shen Luo said, letting out a sigh of relief. Cheng Yaojin had done him a great favor, and with the hope of revival now, he naturally felt glad. "Friend Shen, I ask that you keep the matter regarding Duke Cheng confidential for the time being, and not mention it to anyone, especially Lu Huaming," Yuan Tiangang said. "Why is this?" Shen Luo asked, puzzled. "Lu Huaming¡¯s Seven Emotions Sword Technique is not yet perfected. Sorrow can accelerate the progress of this divine power. Once the time is right, I shall inform him of this matter," Yuan Tiangang explained. "I understand," Shen Luo nodded and said. "Thank you, Friend Shen," Yuan Tiangang expressed gratitude, shaking his sleeve. A white light curtain appeared around the great hall, enveloping the surroundings, making all sounds outside disappear. "Did the master bring me here to ask about something?" Shen Luo saw this and asked, raising his eyebrows. "Speaking with Friend Shen is always efficient, yet I brought you here to discuss an important matter. What does Friend Shen think of the current situation in the Three Realms?" Yuan Tiangang asked with a slight smile. "Recently, the Demon Race has been quite active, and the Ancient Demon Ancestor is involved. The Demon Clan is also restless, their goal should be the Divine Demon Well," Shen Luo said, his eyes flashing. "Friend Shen sees correctly. To my knowledge, you¡¯ve been involved in several events related to the Divine Demon Well. How much do you understand about it?" Yuan Tiangang asked. "The Divine Demon Well is said to be the hub of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi and Demonic Qi, highly attractive to the Demon Race with impure bloodlines. It¡¯s said that the pure demonic energy in this well can assist them in purifying their bloodline power and stepping into the Heavenly Venerate Realm," Shen Luo said truthfully, unsure why Yuan Tiangang was testing him on this. "Indeed, the Divine Demon Well does possess this ability, and ordinary demons who gain its power will greatly increase their strength." Yuan Tiangang nodded and said. "Does this well have any use for us humans?" Shen Luo asked upon hearing this. "Certainly, the well contains the purest spiritual power. Human cultivators can use this spiritual power to refine the body and purify mana, providing a significant boost in breaking through bottlenecks. However, since we humans were created by the Great Goddess Nuwa and lack the inherited bloodline power of the Demon Race, the Divine Demon Well is auxiliary for us, not a necessity." Yuan Tiangang explained. Chapter 1777 - 1773: Well Guardian Chapter 1777: Chapter 1773: Well Guardian"I once heard You Sufin say that the Human and Immortal Clans have dominated the Divine Demon Well for so many years, and the Demon and Monster Clans are extremely discontent about it. Previously, the Demon Race of Lion Camel Ridge colluded with the Demon King Fort to attack Mount Fangcun, attempting to enter the Divine Demon Well from there. This attack on Chang¡¯an City is also related to the Divine Demon Well. Forgive me for being blunt, how many entrances does the Divine Demon Well have?" Shen Luo asked. Yuan Tiangang steered the topic towards the Divine Demon Well. He was also very curious about this well, and took the opportunity to inquire about some hidden matters. "There are three entrances to the Divine Demon Well. One is within the Bodhi Secret Realm, another is in Chang¡¯an City. Mount Fangcun is almost sealed now, with the Heavenly Court, Lingbo City, and Wuzhuang View all dispatching heavy troops to guard it, ensuring nothing goes wrong. The entrance within Chang¡¯an City has already been sealed by me with magic. The Heavenly Court, Hua Sheng Temple, Tianji City, and Mount Putuo have also promised to send disciples to guard Chang¡¯an City, making it far from easy for the Demon Race to reattack here." To Shen Luo¡¯s surprise, Yuan Tiangang actually answered his question. "And what about the third entrance?" Shen Luo, surprised, pressed on without further politesse. "The third entrance was originally at the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain. However, a hundred years ago, when the Demonic Tribulation descended, that entrance suddenly disappeared and went missing. Over the years, the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain has been secretly searching for that lost entrance to the Divine Demon Well, but have yet to find it." Yuan Tiangang replied with a shake of his head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression remained calm, but his heart was a tumultuous sea of turmoil, and he regretted asking about the Divine Demon Well. Yuan Tiangang, skilled at scheming and planning, would certainly not disclose such confidential matters without reason. He looked up at Yuan Tiangang, who maintained a calm demeanor, yet his lips bore a subtle, enigmatic smile. "The entrance to the Divine Demon Well should be a kind of existence similar to a spatial passageway. Can such things also disappear?" Shen Luo scoffed internally, opting to continue probing Yuan Tiangang¡¯s intentions. "Those entrances are indeed akin to spatial passageways, but these objects possess a strong spirituality. It is not impossible for them to be relocated by powerful spatial forces." Yuan Tiangang said. "Could it have been done by the Demon Race or the Demon Clan?" Shen Luo pondered, but quickly dismissed the thought. If the entrance to the Divine Demon Well had fallen into the hands of the Demon Clan or the Demon Race, they would not recklessly defy the world and attack Mount Fangcun and Chang¡¯an City. "Do many people know about the lost entrance to the Divine Demon Well at Ling Mountain?" Shen Luo asked. "Not many people know about this matter. Back when all three entrances to the Divine Demon Well existed, the three major powers each utilized the power of their respective entrances to refine three space talismans, which could detect the location of the entrances when activated. After the entrance at Ling Mountain went missing, they sent people to inform me and requested my help in finding it. Unfortunately, the situation in the Great Tang has been unstable, and I haven¡¯t had the leisure to assist." Yuan Tiangang said, turning his hand over to reveal a silver-white talisman, intricately etched with mysterious runes. With a slight shake, a wave of silver-white light rippled out, causing the surrounding void to fluctuate distinctly. "Master Yuan informing me of this, could it be to have me assist in finding the entrance to the Divine Demon Well at the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain?" Shen Luo pondered and finally understood Yuan Tiangang¡¯s intention. At the same time, a sense of calm settled in his heart. Mere searching for the entrance to the Divine Demon Well seems not too challenging. "Young Master Shen, you should not underestimate this task. There are no impenetrable walls in the world; the lost entrance to the Divine Demon Well at Ling Mountain may not be unknown to the Demon and Monster Clans. If you go searching, you might find yourself in confrontation with them again. Furthermore, finding the entrance to the Divine Demon Well is a great accomplishment with potentially rich rewards from the Western Heavenly Spiritual Mountain. If this were easy, Yuan Tiangang would have dispatched someone long ago; how could it fall onto your shoulders?" Fire Spirit Child¡¯s faint voice echoed in Shen Luo¡¯s mind. "Indeed. Now the Demon and Monster Clans both have their sights set upon the Divine Demon Well. Though their ultimate goals remain unknown, the Divine Demon Well is the source of earthly spiritual energy and must not fall into hands with sinister intentions. The Great Tang Dynasty Government has endured numerous hardships, its strength greatly diminished, and our sect bears the burden of guarding the entrance at Chang¡¯an City. There¡¯s hardly any excess strength to search for the lost Divine Demon Well entrance. Friend Shen Luo, being free, powerful, and blessed with strong fortune, I would like to trouble you to make this journey." Yuan Tiangang said. "To be honest, I have already reached the peak of the Late True Immortal Stage, and now I need to focus on breaking through to the Taiyi Stage, so I may not be able to assist Master Yuan in this matter." Shen Luo pondered for a moment after hearing this, then shook his head and replied. "It does no harm. My request for your assistance doesn¡¯t mean to embark right away in search. Pay attention while going out after you successfully breakthrough to the Taiyi Stage, and search whenever you can." Yuan Tiangang said. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo appeared surprised; the conditions seemed too lenient. If he intended to be perfunctory, Yuan Tiangang wouldn¡¯t be able to coerce him. "The Divine Demon Well contains the world¡¯s purest spiritual power and demonic energy, which can assist in breaking through various major bottlenecks on the path of cultivation, even the Heavenly Venerate bottleneck. Thanks to the entrance to the Divine Demon Well beneath Chang¡¯an City, I successfully broke through to the Heavenly Venerate Stage with the help of the well¡¯s spiritual power." Yuan Tiangang continued. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo showed some sign of being moved but still remained silent. "Furthermore, within the Divine Demon Well, the two forces of immortality and demon operate in profound ways. Deep inside the well, it contains extreme transformations of these two forces. Rumor has it that in ancient times, Xuanyuan Huangdi and Demon Emperor Chi You entered the Divine Demon Well and comprehended the Huangdi Internal Classic and the martial secrets of Chi You, two unparalleled skills. Young Friend Shen Luo, you carry the two forces of immortality and demon and are already exploring the divine power of blending these two forces. If you can enter the Divine Demon Well, it will undoubtedly be greatly beneficial." Yuan Tiangang remarked with a slight smile after scrutinizing Shen Luo for an instant. Shen Luo¡¯s heart trembled; the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power was his biggest trump card, and Yuan Tiangang had immediately seen through it. With shock, he was also deeply tempted. Yuan Tiangang¡¯s words indeed scratched an itch. Recently, Shen Luo¡¯s priority had been the fusion of the Huangdi Internal Classic and Chi You¡¯s martial secrets, to perfect the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power, but progress was scarce. If the Divine Demon Well truly contains the extreme transformations of the two forces, that would greatly benefit the perfection of the Xuan Yang Demonic Transformation Divine Power. "Moreover, Young Friend Shen Luo, you are unaware that the entrance to the Divine Demon Well harbors prohibitions naturally derived from the Heavenly Dao. With the talisman in my hand, you can slip in, and upon dropping your essence blood into the prohibition, you would become the Guardian of the Well and can freely enter and exit the entrance to the Divine Demon Well thereafter." Yuan Tiangang spoke again. "Guardian of the Well? Master Yuan, are you the Guardian of the Well for the underground entrance to the Divine Demon Well in Chang¡¯an City?" Shen Luo suddenly raised his head. Yuan Tiangang did not speak but raised his right hand, where mysterious black and white runes floated above his palm. The rune had the shape of a door frame, entwined with black and white energies, emanating a slight ripple of spatial force. Chapter 1778 - 1774 - : Condensed Incense Chapter 1778: 1774 Chapter: Condensed Incense"Since Master Yuan is so open with me, it would be unreasonable not to agree. I¡¯ll take on this matter," Shen Luo said, looking at the black and white runes, after a moment of silence, and accepted the silver-white talisman. "Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Friend Shen," Yuan Tiangang said calmly, though a subtle sense of relief flickered in his eyes, as if he had laid down a heavy burden. The two chatted for a little while longer. Shen Luo asked Yuan Tiangang about the entrance to the Well of Demons and Gods, as well as information about the Beiming Kun, before taking his leave. A young man in white, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, stood outside the door, seemingly waiting specifically for Shen Luo. Seeing Shen Luo come out, he immediately stepped forward to greet him. "Elder Shen, I am Bai Feng, entrusted by Master Yuan to arrange accommodations for you," the young man in white said respectfully. "In that case, I trouble you," Shen Luo hadn¡¯t yet received the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand and thus did not refuse. ... As night fell, a translucent figure silently slipped into the depths beneath Chang¡¯an City, quickly approaching the underground spiritual vein. It was Shen Luo, who used the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to conceal his presence. He extended his divine sense, carefully probing the earth veins. Shen Luo continued to stay in Chang¡¯an City, waiting for the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand and also seeking the emotional power-collecting magical instrument hidden in the city¡¯s earth veins by the Qingqiu Fox Clan. He was very interested in the Demon Race¡¯s method of gathering the power of emotions. The Tianyan True Scripture contained similar Ghost Yan¡¯s armor, among which several required the power of emotions and were amazingly powerful. However, Master Tianyan was not skilled in collecting emotional power, and each gathering required enormous money and time. Obtaining the Demon Race¡¯s method would compensate for this weakness. Moreover, since the Monster Ancestor was a being of condensed emotional power, while the Qingqiu Fox Clan could gather emotion power, it¡¯s likely other Monster Ancestors could do the same. Understanding this method beforehand would be beneficial. Additionally, according to Fire Spirit Child¡¯s hypothesis, this item was likely created from the World Tree. The World Tree in his possession was too little to refine the Du Tian Shen Sha Array Flags, so collecting more of the World Tree would be beneficial. Deep in thought, he searched through the Chang¡¯an City earth veins with his divine sense but found nothing. "It¡¯s really strange, why is there nothing?" Shen Luo furrowed his brow, guessing that maybe the item had been taken by someone when the Qingqiu Fox Clan withdrew, or perhaps discovered and taken by the Great Tang Dynasty Government a long time ago. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Unwilling to give up, he searched again but still found nothing. Though dissatisfied, he had no choice but to accept reality and turned to leave. Just then, the black seed within his meridian stirred, sending a root piercing into some place in the earth veins. His brows lifted in realization, and he swiftly reached out with his right hand into the void. A golden dragon claw emerged from nowhere, gripping the place where the roots pierced with force. With a "screech," the grip crumbled, and a head-sized wooden orb rolled out from inside. The orb was gray-white, engraved with dense runes, seemingly forming some kind of array. The black root was tangled on top of the orb, but the golden hand grabbed the gray-white orb in its grasp first. "Hidden here, if not for the black seed sensing a kindred breath, I would have missed it," Shen Luo murmured joyfully to himself, closely examining the gray-white orb, his expression gradually calming. This gray-white orb was indeed made of the World Tree, but its spiritual power was not Yin Qi; rather, it was a more ethereal energy. Shen Luo had sensed this breath from the Ancestral Spirit Statue on Qingqiu Mountain, which was the power of emotions. "Using this to collect emotional power, the energy inside changing from Yin Qi to emotional power makes sense. It¡¯s just unfortunate it can¡¯t be used for refining the Du Tian Shen Sha Formation," he sighed with regret, then carefully inspected the markings on the gray-white orb. "Indeed, the array pattern on this thing is a mysterious array capable of devouring emotional power and seems to be a secret Fragrance Condensing Prohibition of the Ancient Fragrance Divine Dao. The Fragrance Divine Dao has been extinct since ancient times, yet this prohibition has been passed down," Fire Spirit Child said happily inside the Carefree Mirror. "Fragrance Divine Dao?" Shen Luo asked. "It was an ancient sect, not large in scale, but its legacy allowed it to collect the power of ordinary people¡¯s faith. The sect¡¯s disciples were keen on preaching among the common folks, using their faith to enhance their cultivation. Their cultivation method was unique and quite renowned in ancient times," Fire Spirit Child explained. Shen Luo nodded, caressing the orb with some delight. With this item, it would be much easier for him to collect emotional power. Having obtained what he desired, Shen Luo did not linger and ascended, quickly returning to his residence. However, Shen Luo did not notice that a more ethereal figure was silently standing in the void not far away; it was Bai Feng, who had arranged the residence for Shen Luo during the day. He watched Shen Luo¡¯s silhouette disappear, remaining silent. A moment later, Bai Feng¡¯s figure also vanished. ... Two days later, at Shen Luo¡¯s residence. A jade box on the table held an unusual spirit fruit. At the edge of the fruit grew verdant green leaves, and in the center was a golden, wondrous fruit, shaped like a plump hand. Shen Luo¡¯s face lit up with joy, for this was indeed the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand. Unable to find this spiritual item within the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Yuan Tiangang and Xue Li had orchestrated its acquisition from the Heavenly Palace. "This is indeed the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand, already over three thousand years old, more than adequate for refining a Taiqing Pill," Fire Spirit Child said after examining the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand a few times in the room. Shen Luo had only ever read about the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand in the classics and had never seen one in person. Hearing Fire Spirit Child¡¯s confirmation, he felt relieved. "Now that I have the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand, I can go on to refine the Taiqing Pill," he said happily. "Young Master Shen, don¡¯t take it amiss, but refining the Taiqing Pill requires Jade Orchid, and the amount you possess is not much, only enough for one attempt. You must enlist the best alchemy master, for if it fails, everything will be in vain," Fire Spirit Child warned. Without Fire Spirit Child¡¯s reminder, Shen Luo had long since considered this issue. Among the major sects in the Human Realm, Mount Putuo was most adept at alchemy. Also, the Fire Lotus Pill Black Bear Demon brought him last time was of superior quality. When thinking of refining the Taiqing Pill, Mount Putuo came to his mind first. "No worries, I already have a choice for an alchemist," Shen Luo smiled calmly. Half a day later, two escape lights, one blue and one red, flew away from Chang¡¯an City into the distance, namely Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu had previously led Mount Putuo disciples to Chang¡¯an City to join with Fairy Qinglian and had remained there since. When Shen Luo visited Mount Putuo¡¯s stationed place in Chang¡¯an City and asked Nie Caizhu for help with the alchemy, she readily agreed and personally led Shen Luo back to Mount Putuo for alchemy. Chapter 1779 - 1775: The Ancestor Brings a Message Chapter 1779: Chapter 1775: The Ancestor Brings a Message"Wait a moment, Cai Zhu, I want to go somewhere first." Shen Luo had just exited Chang¡¯an City and halted his escape light, looking towards the Yinling Mountains. "Cousin, do you want to explore the ancient tomb within the Yinling Mountains?" Nie Caizhu had already learned about the Yinling Mountain Tomb from Shen Luo. "The souls of the military buried deep within the Yinling Mountain Tomb are a vast treasure. Originally, these things were securely buried underground, but recently the Qingqiu Fox Clan and those demons attacked Chang¡¯an City and entered the tomb. I¡¯m worried that those military souls might have been discovered." Shen Luo nodded and said. "In that case, let¡¯s go have a look." Nie Caizhu agreed. Shen Luo had already told Nie Caizhu about the Soul Devouring Array within the War God Whip, so Nie Caizhu deeply understood the importance of those military souls and was quite anxious. The two immediately headed towards the Yinling Mountains, and with their escape light, it only took moments to reach the location of the ancient tomb. Shen Luo led Nie Caizhu directly into the deepest layer of the tomb, his face instantly turning ashen. The star pillars sealing those military souls underground were all damaged, shattered, and scattered on the ground. The souls within the star pillars were completely gone, not even a trace of Yin Qi remained. "It seems my intuition was correct; these military souls were indeed taken away by someone before us." Shen Luo remained silent for a while, his expression returning to normal, he spoke with a bitter smile. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Judging by the traces of damage on these pillars, it happened recently. I just don¡¯t know who did it." Nie Caizhu picked up a piece of the broken pillar and said. Shen Luo took a deep breath to calm himself down, activated the Canghun Pearl to sense the breath on the broken pillar, raising his eyebrow. There was a residual demonic Qi on these shattered pillars. "A work of the Demon Clan?" Shen Luo was not surprised by this, the Qingqiu Fox Clan was already working with the Demon Clan; what he wanted to know was which member of the Demon Clan did it. He glanced at the Linlang Ring, but unfortunately, the jade pillow had just been used; it was far from being full of power, making it impossible to traverse and see the specific situation. "Since the military souls are already gone, staying here is pointless, let¡¯s go." Shen Luo¡¯s demeanor had returned to calmness, he shook his head and said. Once the jade pillow is filled with star power, it won¡¯t be difficult to investigate who is responsible for this place. He and Nie Caizhu soon left the area. ... Outside Chang¡¯an City, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu walked side by side. Fairy Qinglian had already led other Mount Putuo disciples back to the Southern Sea, while Nie Caizhu planned to accompany Shen Luo to Mount Fangcun, then together head to Mount Putuo. Walking side by side, they came to a small roadside tea stall outside the city, initially not wanting to stop, but were called out by the elderly stall owner: "Two customers, take a rest, come and have a cup of tea at this old man¡¯s stall." Shen Luo was startled by the invitation, a slight smile playing at his lips as he led Nie Caizhu to sit at a battered wooden table. Seeing no one else around, Shen Luo smiled and said, "Great Sage, why do you stop us here, and in such a manner?" Upon hearing this, the dark-skinned old man, who was about to pour them some tea, froze in place, placing the teapot beside the table. "Good kid, haven¡¯t seen you for a few days, your divine sense power has greatly improved, to see through my seventy-two transformations so easily?" The stall owner stopped his disguise and directly admitted. "It¡¯s just that the aura of the Great Sage is too distinctive, so I dared to make a bold guess. If the Great Sage was dead set on denying, I wouldn¡¯t dare confirm it, and would probably just assume I¡¯d mistaken you." Shen Luo said with a smile. Nie Caizhu, on the other hand, hadn¡¯t noticed it, and only realized what was happening after hearing their conversation. "Great Sage, to be honest, we were planning to return to Mount Fangcun to return the Map of Mountains and Rivers to Bodhi Ancestor. Since you stop us midway, you must have something to discuss, right?" Shen Luo asked. "I came to see you precisely under Ancestor¡¯s commission, to retrieve the Map of Mountains and Rivers." Sun Wukong, still in the form of an elderly stall owner, sat across from Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. "That¡¯s perfect... just, after returning, kindly tell Ancestor that due to urgent matters with the Qingqiu Fox Clan, the junior couldn¡¯t help but attend to them first, hence the delay in returning the map to Mount Fangcun promptly." Shen Luo said apologetically. "The matters in the Kingdom of Qingqiu, the Great Tang Dynasty Government has already communicated with Mount Fangcun, Ancestor is aware of it, no worries." Sun Wukong waved the cattail fan in his hand, smiling as he spoke. "That¡¯s good then." Shen Luo showed a bright smile. Raising his hand, he was about to take out the Map of Mountains and Rivers when a dark-skinned big hand covered his own. Shen Luo looked puzzled, only to see Sun Wukong smiling and shaking his head at him. "Just teasing you, I¡¯m actually on my way back to Flower Fruit Mountain, Ancestor asked me to pass a message to you, that¡¯s why I came to Chang¡¯an City." Sun Wukong raised an eyebrow at him and said. "What did Ancestor say?" Shen Luo asked, confused. "Ancestor said that now everyone thinks the Map of Mountains and Rivers is on Mount Fangcun, and that¡¯s what we publicly claim too, so no one knows it¡¯s with you. So, the map is safer left with you for now." Sun Wukong said. "How can this be? Such a treasure is safer in Ancestor¡¯s own care rather than in my hands." Shen Luo said in surprise. "My opinion aligns with Ancestor¡¯s. Recently, Chang¡¯an City and Tianji City were both attacked; this serves as a wake-up call for all sects, the turmoil in the Three Realms is even more severe than the outside world anticipates. Mount Fangcun, being prominent and having suffered quite a blow before, actually isn¡¯t safer with the map within the sect than it is with you." Sun Wukong continued. "If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll temporarily keep it." Shen Luo, hearing this, thought it made sense, and immediately said. "But honestly, your significant progress has truly surprised me, you seem ready to upgrade to the Taiyi Realm soon?" Sun Wukong couldn¡¯t help but remark. "It¡¯s not that easy, that¡¯s why I¡¯m planning to visit Mount Fangcun, then Mount Putuo to find someone to help refine a Taiqing Pill to aid my cultivation breakthrough." Shen Luo shook his head with a smile. "Having a Taiqing Pill is indeed good, but more important is your own comprehension; upgrading to the Taiyi Realm differs from other stages..." Sun Wukong spoke halfway and suddenly stopped. Shen Luo thought he might hear some crucial guidance from Sun Wukong, but the conversation abruptly halted, leaving him somewhat frustrated. Although Shen Luo had previously broken through to the Taiyi Realm in Dreamland, his extraordinary talent there differed somewhat from reality; besides, such experience is more precious than pearls, who would dislike having more of it? "Great Sage, you can¡¯t leave people hanging like this..." Shen Luo said with a bitter smile. "This... it¡¯s not that I intentionally withheld information, it¡¯s just that everyone¡¯s comprehension of the Taiyi Realm differs, telling you too much might sometimes backfire and affect you." Sun Wukong explained. "I see." Shen Luo realized. "But given your temperament and current state, I don¡¯t see any issue." Sun Wukong smiled. "Then I gratefully accept your blessing, Great Sage." Shen Luo smiled and clasped his fists. "Alright, I¡¯ve conveyed the message, I should be going." After bidding farewell, Sun Wukong leapt into the air, flipped in midair, and vanished among the clouds. "So fast..." Both Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. Now without needing to head to Mount Fangcun, they directly turned in the direction of the Southern Sea, steering the spirit boat swiftly towards it. Chapter 1780 - 1776 Alchemist Chapter 1780: Chapter 1776 AlchemistTime flew by, and it was already one month later. Outside the Purple Bamboo Forest of Mount Putuo, smoke was swirling, and a Black Bear Demon was lounging under the shade of a tree with a gourd of elixir, swinging his legs in a carefree manner. He picked up a glittering golden Jin Gui Pill, carefully observing it in the sunlight filtering through the tree branches, looking more pleased with each glance. "Brother Black, you¡¯re in a good mood!" A voice suddenly came from the side. The Black Bear Demon heard a familiar voice, clenched the golden pill tightly, and turned his head to look to the side. Against the light, the newcomer¡¯s face was blurry, but the Black Bear Demon recognized him at a glance. "Haha, Brother Shen, what brings you here!" The Black Bear leaped up from the ground, a little excitedly shouted. The newcomer was none other than Shen Luo. "I came back from Chang¡¯an... with Cai Zhu," Shen Luo said. "Brother Shen, I heard that you and Cai Zhu have already become spouses?" The Black Bear Demon chuckled. "That¡¯s right." Shen Luo nodded, admitting generously. "When will you hold a conference to celebrate the forming of your union?" The Black Bear Demon asked. "Cai Zhu was taken by her Master to cultivate in seclusion as soon as she returned, so we haven¡¯t discussed it yet. But I probably won¡¯t stay here long; if the timing isn¡¯t right, we¡¯ll have to postpone it," Shen Luo said. "That doesn¡¯t matter." The Black Bear Demon touched his belly, nodding agreeingly. "I came to find you because it¡¯s been a while since we met, and there¡¯s also something I¡¯d like to ask Brother Black to help with," Shen Luo said. "What is it, Brother Shen? Just say the word," the Black Bear Demon¡¯s expression turned serious as he asked. "Brother Black, do you remember that alchemy master I asked to help me refine the Fire Lotus Pill?" Shen Luo asked. "What, did something happen to the elixir?" The Black Bear Demon tensed up. "No, no. I want to ask Brother Black to introduce me again and see if you can ask him to help refine another pill." Shen Luo waved his hand quickly. "Why, was the Fire Lotus Pill not enough last time?" The Black Bear Demon asked curiously. "This time, I want to ask the master to help refine the Taiqing Pill," Shen Luo said with a smile. "Oh, it¡¯s the Taiqing Pill..." The Black Bear Demon nodded, mumbling to himself. As soon as he finished speaking, his expression changed, quickly looking Shen Luo up and down, "The Taiqing Pill is for assisting in upgrading to the Taiyi Realm. Brother Shen, you can¡¯t mean..." Previously, Shen Luo had suppressed his breath and quietly approached the Black Bear Demon, so he didn¡¯t notice Shen Luo¡¯s change in cultivation level. "Yes, I¡¯m preparing to seclude myself for the Taiyi Realm upgrade," Shen Luo nodded and said. "Wow, Brother Shen, how did you achieve this level of cultivation so quickly?" The Black Bear Demon was greatly surprised. "Some fortunate encounters, really don¡¯t know how to explain," Shen Luo said helplessly. "Before, I pestered Elder Yu Lin to help me refine a batch of Jin Gui Pills, costing quite a bit. The last time, she helped just because of those two Nine-petaled Earth Core Fire Lotus. So this time, I¡¯m not sure if she would help," the Black Bear Demon pondered without digging further. "Brother Black, rest assured, I still have some Nine-petaled Earth Core Fire Lotus left. Elder Yu Lin and Brother Black will not work in vain," Shen Luo said immediately. "Brother Shen, with that, I feel confident. We shouldn¡¯t delay; I¡¯ll take you to see her right away," the Black Bear Demon chuckled and clapped his hands with a laugh. "Thanks a lot," Shen Luo smiled. The Black Bear Demon led the way ahead, taking Shen Luo around the back mountain of Luojia Mountain along the Purple Bamboo Forest. They traveled through the mountain forest until they reached a small valley with no human traces or building distributions before stopping. An unusual light flashed in Shen Luo¡¯s eyes, and at a glance, he saw an array array lit up on the valley¡¯s ground, and further in, there were also rune arrays engraved on both sides of the mountain walls. "This Elder Yu Lin seems to have profound achievements in formation and rune drawing," Shen Luo sincerely praised. The Black Bear Demon heard this, a peculiar expression flashed in his eyes, rubbed his hands, and said, "Uh... Brother Shen, wait a moment while I give a shout." With that, he really shouted out, "Yulin Immortal, the Black Bear comes to visit, requesting an audience." His voice echoed like a bell, rolling through the valley... After waiting for a long time with no response, the Black Bear Demon had to speak again, calling out loudly: "Yulin Immortal, the Black Bear comes to visit, requesting an audience." This time, before his voice faded away, a woman¡¯s voice came from within: "Pah, Black Dog Bear, what¡¯re you up to again? Weren¡¯t you always rolling into the valley relying on your thick skin? Now why¡¯re you howling with a loud voice outside?" Upon hearing this, even the Black Bear Demon¡¯s old dark and wrinkled face turned red with embarrassment, wishing he could dig a hole to crawl into. Shen Luo laughed in his heart and couldn¡¯t help but say, "So, Brother Black, you¡¯re so familiar with this Yulin Immortal." "Yulin Immortal, I¡¯m not here to pester you for alchemy today, but a Daoist friend has come a long way, impressed by your reputation, seeking your help with alchemy," the Black Bear Demon said sheepishly, shouting toward the valley. "Black Dog Bear, don¡¯t push your luck. Just helped you with Jin Gui Pills some days ago, and now you¡¯re helping another shady friend with alchemy? Do you really think I¡¯m your personal alchemy master?" Yulin Immortal snapped angrily. "Yulin Immortal, it¡¯s not a shady friend; do you remember the Fire Lotus Pill I asked you to refine before? It was at the request of this Friend Shen, the Nine-petaled Fire Lotus last time was given by him." The Black Bear Demon confessed quickly, feeling too embarrassed to keep quiet. "What do you want to refine this time?" After a silent moment in the valley, Yulin Immortal¡¯s voice came out again. "This time, it¡¯s the Taiqing Pill that we need your help to refine," Shen Luo loudly replied. As soon as his voice fell, an Escape Light came swiftly from the valley, directly crossing the barrier at the valley entrance, landing in front of Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Where the Escape Light fell, stood a beautiful woman in a snow-white feather robe, her long phoenix eyes squinting slightly, sizing up Shen Luo with a slight frown. "If you want me to help you refine the Taiqing Pill, do you have the Dan formula?" Yulin Immortal asked. "Please take a look, Immortal." Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate, flipping his hand to take out the Dan formula, presenting it with both hands. "You¡¯re quite straightforward..." Yulin Immortal¡¯s eyes showed a hint of appreciation, nodding as she said. With that, she took the Taiqing Pill Dan formula and carefully examined it. Chapter 1781 - 1777: Conditions Chapter 1781: Chapter 1777: Conditions"That¡¯s right, the Dan formula itself isn¡¯t the problem, and it¡¯s indeed the Taiqing Pill formula, but..." Yulin Immortal spoke halfway, hesitating. "What is it?" Shen Luo immediately asked. "The materials required to refine the Taiqing Pill, none are anything but extremely rare Heavenly Treasures, can you really gather them all?" Yulin Immortal raised an eyebrow and looked at Shen Luo. "I¡¯ve already gathered all the materials needed in the formula. If the immortal doesn¡¯t believe me, you may check them first." Shen Luo said while raising his hand with a wave. In front of him, Spiritual Light flickered in the void, and materials like the Daluo Buddha¡¯s Hand and Jade-striped Nine Aroma Worm appeared one by one, hovering in the void, radiating a glossy sheen. Vigorous Spiritual Power surged forth, creating visible ripples in the air. The Black Bear Demon nearby stared with wide eyes, his tongue involuntarily hanging out, almost drooling. Yulin Immortal, upon seeing this, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a look of envy. "Immortal, if you help refine the Taiqing Pill, I¡¯m willing to offer two Nine-petaled Earth Core Fire Lotuses as a thank-you." Seeing the situation, Shen Luo took the opportunity to say. As soon as he finished speaking, unexpectedly, Yulin Immortal said, "Collect your materials and Dan formula, I can¡¯t help you refine this Taiqing Pill." "Why is that?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask in surprise. "I won¡¯t hide it from you, the Taiqing Pill is an elixir needed to upgrade to the Taiyi Realm, and the difficulty of refining it is enormous. I¡¯ve never successfully refined it in the past, and your materials are limited, only enough to attempt two batches. Any failure will waste all the materials, and I¡¯m not confident in assured success." Yulin Immortal stated candidly without hiding. However, her gaze didn¡¯t leave those materials as she spoke, so it wasn¡¯t hard to see that she was still somewhat eager to try. Upon hearing her words, Shen Luo also showed a hint of hesitation. After all, gathering the materials for the Taiqing Pill was indeed not easy. Seeing this, Yulin Immortal said no more and turned to walk into the Valley. At this point, the Black Bear Demon was the first to get anxious, hastily shouting, "Yulin Immortal, haven¡¯t you always claimed to be the number one in alchemy at Mount Putuo, why back down today?" "Black Dog Bear, what did you say?" Yulin Immortal snapped back, turning angrily. "Yulin Immortal, not to speak of anything else, but in terms of alchemy, I¡¯ve always thought you were the best." The Black Bear Demon suddenly looked scared under her glare, "Hehe," he chuckled awkwardly, giving a thumbs up. "I dare not comment on the Immortal¡¯s level of alchemy, but success and failure in alchemy are normal. Since I am willing to entrust the Immortal, I am prepared for failure. Please, Immortal, feel free to refine without concern for the outcome." Shen Luo pondered for a moment, then spoke up. Hearing this, Yulin Immortal¡¯s expression softened slightly, yet she still did not respond. "Yulin Immortal, I forgot to introduce him. This Daoist friend¡¯s family name is Shen, his name is Luo." The Black Bear Demon suddenly remembered something and quickly said. At first, Yulin Immortal showed no reaction, but soon her expression changed. "Are you that Shen Luo?" Her question seemed abrupt. However, Shen Luo immediately grasped the implication, the one who had taken Nie Caizhu away? "I am he." Shen Luo nodded helplessly. Upon hearing this, Yulin Immortal couldn¡¯t help but scrutinize Shen Luo, eventually saying, "I can help you refine the Taiqing Pill..." "Thank you, Immortal." Shen Luo immediately clasped his hands in gratitude. "Don¡¯t rush to thank me. To refine the Taiqing Pill for you, I need your help with something first." Yulin Immortal stopped him and said. "Please, Immortal, tell me." Shen Luo said with a slight frown. "It is said that three thousand miles deep in the Southern Sea, a Great Ravine exists, where a peculiar tribe thriving on both water and fire resides. I need you to help me fetch one hundred Water-Fire Ming Pills from their tribe as a reward for refining the Taiqing Pill for you, how about that?" Yulin Immortal proposed. Hearing this, Shen Luo was about to agree, but the Black Bear Demon extended his hand to stop him. "Yulin Immortal, isn¡¯t this request a bit..." The Black Bear Demon said seriously, looking at her. "Black Dog Bear, shut up." Yulin Immortal directly rebuked. "I..." The Black Bear Demon wanted to speak but silenced himself under Yulin Immortal¡¯s stern glare. "I do not insist on this matter, only if you can accomplish it will I help you refine; if not, don¡¯t keep asking." Yulin Immortal looked at Shen Luo and said. "Alright, it¡¯s a deal." Shen Luo nodded. Seeing him agree, Yulin Immortal gave a slight smile at the corner of her mouth and turned back into the Valley. "Sigh, Brother Shen, why did you agree like that? Just now, had I kept pressing a bit longer, she would have surely agreed to help you directly." The Black Bear Demon said helplessly, resigned. "Brother Black, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve ventured through many dangerous places. Since Yulin Immortal requires these... Water-Fire Ming Pills, I¡¯ll gather them for her. One thing in exchange for the other; this avoids favorable debts." Shen Luo replied with a carefree smile. "Ah, Brother Shen, it¡¯s not about danger. You don¡¯t know, that..." "Black Dog Bear, if you dare speak another word, don¡¯t ever think of asking me to refine a single Elixir for you again." Before the Black Bear Demon could finish, Yulin Immortal¡¯s warning voice echoed from the Valley. The Black Bear Demon¡¯s face fell, and he indeed spoke no further. "Alright, Brother Black, I appreciate your good intentions. Regarding the Water-Fire Ming Pills, I¡¯ll look into it myself, so don¡¯t worry about me." Seeing this, Shen Luo said with a smile. "Sigh, well, best of luck to you then." The Black Bear Demon shook his head, sighed. The two then left the Valley, heading toward the front of Luojia Mountain. On the way, Shen Luo asked, "By the way, Brother Black, Yulin Immortal¡¯s breath doesn¡¯t seem like that of an ordinary monk from Mount Putuo, does it?" "You¡¯re not mistaken, Yulin Immortal she... she¡¯s not of the Human Race, like me, she counts as a Demon." The Black Bear Demon explained. "As I guessed, only, I wonder what her true form is?" Shen Luo asked. "That..." The Black Bear Demon hesitated, scratching the back of his head. "If it¡¯s inconvenient then don¡¯t say it." Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind, smiling as he spoke. "Brother Shen, this time around, I¡¯ve received a decree, I can¡¯t accompany you to the Great Ravine." The Black Bear Demon said, a bit embarrassed. "It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll go alone." Shen Luo waved his hand with a smile. "There are many Demon Race beings entrenched there, including some powerful Demons not under the control of the South Sea Dragon Palace. Be cautious on your journey, and don¡¯t force it if it¡¯s too difficult." The Black Bear Demon warned, his tone a bit more solemn. "Don¡¯t worry, Brother Black, I¡¯ll be careful." Shen Luo cupped his hands in thanks. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1782 - 1778 Southern Sea Seeking Elixirs Chapter 1782: Chapter 1778 Southern Sea Seeking ElixirsOne day later, above the sea area outside Mount Putuo Island, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu stood facing the wind, their eyes meeting. "Cai Zhu, no need to see me off; I¡¯ll be back in a few days." Shen Luo reached out to gently move a strand of hair from Nie Caizhu¡¯s cheek and said. "Although I¡¯ve made considerable progress in cultivation before, the foundation was not solid. When I returned this time, Master found several hidden dangers upon close inspection and strongly ordered me to go into seclusion for consolidation, or else I would definitely go with you." Nie Caizhu said with some guilt. "This is all my fault. I always ask you to help me, causing you to break through hastily without time to stabilize your cultivation. This time, take good care and stay in seclusion for a while." Shen Luo said with even more guilt. "This is the Big Ravine Marine Map I collected from within the sect. Take it with you and take care." Nie Caizhu urged. Shen Luo took a jade slip from her hand, smiled in agreement, then bid farewell, riding his sword across the sky, far into the distance. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Nie Caizhu watched Shen Luo¡¯s departing figure from afar, about to turn back when a ripple of green light suddenly spread beside her, and the figure of Fairy Qinglian appeared by her side. "At first, I underestimated him; his growth is indeed unexpected." Fairy Qinglian said. "Master has good judgment in choosing a disciple, and I am no less in choosing him." Since becoming Shen Luo¡¯s wife, Nie Caizhu was no longer as shy as before. Hearing Fairy Qinglian¡¯s recognition of Shen Luo, she was genuinely happy as well. "I don¡¯t know what your Uncle Feather Lin is thinking this time, insisting that he go collect the Water-Fire Beading Pill?" Fairy Qinglian retracted her gaze and said. "Is it dangerous?" Nie Caizhu asked nervously upon hearing this. "With his current cultivation level, there won¡¯t be any danger, but the process won¡¯t be easy." Fairy Qinglian shook her head and said. Nie Caizhu, hearing this, lowered her head and said nothing more. "Silly girl, Master has already said there is no danger. Don¡¯t worry. Perhaps when he completes the task and returns, you¡¯ll still be in seclusion." Fairy Qinglian gently patted her disciple¡¯s head and said. "Mm, I¡¯ll cultivate well in seclusion and come out as soon as possible." Nie Caizhu nodded. The master and disciple then returned together to Luojia Mountain. ... Above the Southern Sea, the water waves were surging to the sky. Shen Luo rode his sword, flying amidst the clouds, one hand holding the jade slip to sense and the other identifying the water area¡¯s location. The Southern Sea¡¯s expanse is next only to the Eastern Sea, with gentle waters and countless islands scattered like stars; in terms of scenery, it¡¯s the most beautiful among the Four Seas. Shen Luo flew southward for over two thousand miles when suddenly, he saw a vast cloud mass hanging in the clear sky ahead, not blocking half the sky like a city wall but rather like a gigantic pot lid covering the front. The closer he got, the larger and more massive the circular cloud appeared, with faint thunder booming within, giving a strong oppressive feeling. "Why is it different from what Cai Zhu¡¯s jade slip says? This Big Ravine doesn¡¯t seem like a good place?" Shen Luo wondered. According to the contents recorded in the jade slip, this Big Ravine is actually a special circular island in the Southern Sea. What makes it special is that this string of circular islands is actually an entire ring mountain range, consisting of a total of ten peaks rising above the sea, encircling each other. Between each pair of the eight peaks, there¡¯s a gap, allowing the surrounding sea water to flow into the center of the ring mountain range. Because the center is a deep unknown great ravine, the flowing sea water forms four waterfalls with great height differences. In terms of scenic wonders, the Big Ravine is indeed a place of extraordinary beauty. And the Water-Fire Beading Pill that Shen Luo seeks is a spiritual material used both in artifacts refining and alchemy, produced by a peculiar aquatic clan named the "Water Eater Tribe" that lives in the depths of the great ravine within the ring mountain range. While it might not be extraordinarily precious compared to items like the Nine-petaled Earth Core Fire Lotus, it¡¯s definitely not insignificant, as it is rarely found in circulation, extracted annually by Pearl Divers who venture deep into the ravine and then sold. The Pearl Divers have always kept the method of obtaining Water-Fire Beading Pills secret, never revealing it to outsiders. Shen Luo plans to find the Pearl Divers to purchase the pills and see if he can gather enough before deciding whether to personally venture into the depths of the great ravine for pearl diving. Seeing the Big Ravine right ahead, Shen Luo chose the largest island among them, "Bivalve Island," to land on. The island¡¯s periphery was a white sand beach, and walking inward for dozens of yards, there were clusters of coconut groves. Further in, there were dense mountain forests, with glimpses of building eaves here and there. Whether due to the cloud mass overhead, the island¡¯s atmosphere felt somewhat stifling. Shen Luo passed through the coconut groves until he saw a town ahead and hadn¡¯t seen a single person on the island. Only after entering the town did he finally see a few passersby moving to and fro within, although still looking somewhat desolate. He briefly observed, finding that the architectural style here was completely different from the Great Tang, mostly consisting of rail-style two-story wooden houses with wide and sloping eaves and rooftops mostly covered with wooden planks and thatch rather than tiles. Shen Luo stopped a passerby to inquire about the location of a shop and went straight there. It was a commercial street dozens of yards long, the most prosperous place on the island, with dense shop buildings on both sides and more pedestrians compared to elsewhere. At the street entrance, Shen Luo picked a relatively large shop-front and walked inside. Immediately, a middle-aged man dressed as a shopkeeper came up to Shen Luo, cupped his hands in welcome, and said, "Honored guest, please come in, please come in." After entering, Shen Luo glanced around and saw shelves lining the walls, filled with a dazzling array of various magical artifacts and instruments, of various kinds. There were bottled elixirs, boxed spiritual materials, and various talismans, but none of them appeared top-tier enough to catch Shen Luo¡¯s eye. "Shopkeeper, do you have Water-Fire Beading Pills?" Shen Luo withdrew his gaze and asked directly. Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper was visibly startled, showing a peculiar expression. "What¡¯s the matter?" Shen Luo frowned and asked. "Customer, you¡¯re here at an unfortunate time. Our shop¡¯s Water-Fire Beading Pills have already sold out." The middle-aged shopkeeper showed a hint of smile and shook his head with some apology. Hearing this, Shen Luo did not delay and immediately turned to head out of the shop to another one. However, he didn¡¯t notice that the shopkeeper behind him continuously stared at his departing back with a face full of confusion. Chapter 1783 - 1779 Ban on Sale Chapter 1783: Chapter 1779 Ban on SaleIn another shop, a graceful woman welcomed Shen Luo. Upon hearing that Shen Luo wanted the Water-Fire Elixir, the woman showed the same expression as the previous middle-aged shopkeeper and informed Shen Luo that the Water-Fire Elixir was already sold out. Though puzzled, Shen Luo did not ask further and turned to leave the store. However, when he inquired at thirteen subsequent shops, the results were all the same: the "Water-Fire Elixir" was sold out and not a single one could be bought. Arriving at the sixteenth shop, Shen Luo saw an old man approaching and directly asked: "Shopkeeper, your store wouldn¡¯t happen to be out of Water-Fire Elixir as well?" The slumped figure of the old man paused slightly, then he smiled and said, "Our Bao Zhai Hall still has some stock, but it cannot be sold to the customer." Upon hearing this, Shen Luo¡¯s brows slightly raised. "What does the shopkeeper mean by this? Clearly there is stock, yet you refuse to sell. How is that any way to run a business?" Shen Luo asked. "It looks like the customer has come from afar and is not yet aware? Recently, the Southern Sea Dragon Palace suddenly sent envoys to the Great Ravine and purchased all the Water-Fire Elixir from the Ten Islands here, ordering that none may be sold to outsiders in the near future." The old man hesitated briefly and said to Shen Luo. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo frowned tightly. It was one thing for them to buy up the Water-Fire Elixir, but forbidding shops to privately sell to others was too overbearing, wasn¡¯t it? "Why does the Southern Sea Dragon Palace act in this manner?" Shen Luo asked in confusion. "Well... we are not aware of that either, perhaps it is related to the unusual phenomenon recently occurring in the Great Ravine." The old man shook his head with a deep meaning and said. Seeing this, Shen Luo lightly brushed his hand over the counter, where several pieces of Immortal Jade appeared under his palm. "Shopkeeper, indeed I am not from here and have just arrived, so I am not very familiar with certain circumstances. I hope you might help guide me a bit," Shen Luo said with a smile. Seeing the Immortal Jade, the old man¡¯s eyes immediately shone. He reached out a hand while saying, "Indeed, indeed, I have some information, not guidance, just hoping to assist the noble guest." "Please, shopkeeper, do tell." Shen Luo did not rush to move his hand, but said. "Well... although the Great Ravine is a scenic spot within the Southern Sea, besides Water-Fire Elixirs and Ink Jade Coral, there are not many other resources. Thus, the Southern Sea Dragon Palace has always looked down on this place and rarely interferes. Just recently though, for some reason, the Southern Sea Dragon Palace suddenly gathered a large number of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, while collecting Water-Fire Elixirs and temporarily sealing off the Great Ravine, forbidding anyone else from entering. Rumor has it that some rare treasures might have surfaced below." The old man paused slightly and said. After hearing this, Shen Luo subtly moved his hand back and let out two pieces of Immortal Jade while still keeping several pieces pressed underneath, and continued to ask: "Then, what is the mysterious phenomenon the shopkeeper mentioned about the Great Ravine?" The old man first put away the two Immortal Jades safely, then beamed with a smile and said: "The guest should have seen it too; never before has there been a situation of dark clouds covering the sky above the Ten Islands of the Great Ravine. At least while I¡¯ve been here for nearly a hundred years, I¡¯ve never seen it nor heard of such a thing. But several days ago, this place suddenly gathered dark clouds. No wind, no rain, only at the early hours each morning does thunder sound a few times, very punctual and very strange." Shen Luo listened and felt somewhat disappointed but still let his hand go, giving the remaining pieces of Immortal Jade to the old man. "I can see the guest is a generous nobleman. As long as you guarantee not to leak the information, I am willing to secretly sell the remaining Water-Fire Elixirs to the noble guest," the old man collected the Immortal Jade cheerfully, hesitated for a moment, and then said in a low voice. "Really?" Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was suddenly overjoyed. "How dare I deceive? However, things of rarity are precious, and now the price of Water-Fire Elixirs isn¡¯t low. How many would the noble guest like to buy?" the old man asked with a smile. "What¡¯s the price?" Shen Luo asked. The old man raised three fingers, shaking them, and said, "Three hundred Immortal Jade per pill." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Upon hearing this price, Shen Luo was first stunned, then did some calculations, needing about one hundred pills in total, approximately thirty thousand Immortal Jade, which was completely manageable for him. Seeing Shen Luo pondering silently, the old man thought he found the price too high and explained further, "Guest, it¡¯s not that I falsely reported a high price. The truth is, the item is now in scarce supply, and the price has surged several times. I truly haven¡¯t asked for much." After hearing this, Shen Luo returned to his senses, feeling somewhat speechless. The price of these Water-Fire Elixirs actually was much lower than he expected. He initially thought that the Yulin Immortal would have him search for items of a value no less than the Nine-petaled Earth Heart Fire Lotus. "Since the market price is as such, it does not matter. I need one hundred Water-Fire Elixirs. I hope the shopkeeper can prepare them for me," Shen Luo said. "What? One hundred?" the old man exclaimed, his voice raising slightly. "Is there... difficulty in that?" Shen Luo asked in confusion. "The guest isn¡¯t joking with me, right? The Ten Islands of the Great Ravine only produce less than eighty Water-Fire Elixirs a year. How can you openly ask for one hundred? Even if the Southern Sea Dragon Palace hadn¡¯t bought them, you would need to order at least two years in advance to gather enough." After confirming that Shen Luo wasn¡¯t joking, the old shopkeeper explained. "Is the production of Water-Fire Elixirs so low?" Shen Luo was greatly surprised. "The guest may not know, the Water-Fire Elixirs are crystallized formations from the Water Absorption tribe in the Great Ravine, gathered from the fire veins underwater which are hard to digest and form over years in their stomach before being expelled. When expelled, their stomachs make a sound like rolling thunder, giving them the name Water-Fire Elixir. As they live in the deeper Great Ravine and are very timid, most expelled Water-Fire Elixirs are in very hidden locations, making it difficult for pearl divers to find them, thus the production is extremely low." The old man continued explaining. "I see..." Shen Luo slowly said. "So, the guest seems to have made the trip in vain, one hundred Water-Fire Elixirs are difficult to gather." The old shopkeeper shook his head. "I¡¯ll take as many as your store has left," Shen Luo thought for a moment and said. "We only have three here, if the guest wants them, I will fetch them for you." The old man said. "Much obliged." Shen Luo cupped his hands. The old man turned and left, but instead of taking from the shelf, he went into the inner room, and moments later came out holding a purple wooden box. He came to the counter, opened the box, revealing three round crystals the size of watermelon seeds. Inside, their color was crimson like fire, covered in a layer of transparent crystal resembling ice, truly living up to the name Water-Fire. Seeing there was no issue with the items, Shen Luo paid the Immortal Jade and collected them. The old shopkeeper held the full purse of Immortal Jade, counted them with delight, and then stored them securely. After bidding farewell, Shen Luo intended to try other stores and try his luck again. Just as he was about to lift the curtain to leave, the voice of the old shopkeeper suddenly came from behind: "Guest, please wait." Chapter 1784 - 1780 Zhu Mang 7 Chapter 1784: Chapter 1780 Zhu Mang 7Shen Luo heard a voice, turned around, and saw the old shopkeeper quickly walking up to him, somewhat mysteriously slipping a note into his hand. "Customer, even if you wander all over the Ten Islands today, it¡¯s absolutely impossible to collect a hundred Water-Fire Ming Pills. However, if you follow the address I¡¯ve given you to find this person, you might still have a chance," the old man whispered into Shen Luo¡¯s ear. Hearing this, Shen Luo was overjoyed, thanked him once more, and then turned to leave. Upon leaving the shop, Shen Luo opened the note and saw written on it: Falling Sunset Island, Shuiyu Village, Zhu Mangqi. He gently rubbed the note with his fingers, turning it to ash, but didn¡¯t immediately follow its directions to find the person. Instead, he patiently continued his search, visiting shops one by one. It wasn¡¯t until evening that Shen Luo had visited every shop, with the only gain being the three Water-Fire Ming Pills secretly sold to him by the old shopkeeper. At this point, Shen Luo gave up on the idea of trying his luck on other islands and decided to head to Falling Sunset Island to look for the person mentioned by the old shopkeeper. The evening glow over the sea was vastly different from usual, painting the vast sea area in bright hues from afar. The horizon where water meets sky wasn¡¯t distinct, as if heaven and earth merged into a giant canvas. Against the backdrop of the evening glow, Shen Luo sped towards the westernmost Falling Sunset Island. This island was noticeably smaller than Bivalve Island, with only one town where people gathered to live, but there were quite a few scattered villages. Shen Luo, after much effort and asking for directions, found Shuiyu Village. After asking around, he learned that Zhu Mangqi was a somewhat famous pearl diver on the island. There were many pearl divers across the ten islands, almost all of whom acted in collective teams because diving into the Great Ravine was dangerous, ranging from as few as three to five people to as many as a dozen, partnering up to brave the task. However, Zhu Mangqi was an exception, always going alone into the sea to dive for pearls, refusing to cooperate with others. It was said that he had once partnered with others but was betrayed and almost lost his life in the Great Ravine. Following the directions given by the villagers, Shen Luo made his way to a secluded spot deep within the village, where beneath a grove of coconut trees, he saw a two-story wooden stilt house, dark inside without a hint of light. Before he got close, a strong smell of alcohol hit him, causing him to subconsciously rub his nose, realizing he had found the right place. "Master Zhu Mangqi, are you home?" Shen Luo called loudly outside the building. The wooden house was silent, with no response. "Master Zhu Mangqi..." Shen Luo tried again, but still, no one answered. As he released his Divine Sense and was about to start probing, a door on the second floor of the wooden house suddenly creaked open. A man reeking of alcohol, in coarse cloth, staggered out holding a wine pot. He wasn¡¯t tall, somewhat skinny, with a face full of bluish-black stubble, looking about thirty or forty years old, squinting and looking at Shen Luo with a frown. "Who... who, who¡¯s calling..." He mumbled and reached out for the railing outside the corridor, but before he could finish saying "I," he stumbled and fell from the second floor. Shen Luo slightly moved aside, allowing the man to land with a face-first thud beside him on the ground. The soft sandy soil outside the house prevented injury, but his landing position was quite inelegant, with his head buried in the sand and his bottom raised high, yet the wine pot in his hand was held aloft, unbroken. Shen Luo stood by and waited for a moment. Without the man getting up, he instead heard the sound of uneven snores. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Well, he¡¯s indeed a drunkard," Shen Luo remarked speechlessly. After a brief hesitation, Shen Luo waved his hand, allowing a wave of mana to sweep over the man. The bearded man, still lying on the ground with his bottom in the air, suddenly jerked, pulling his head out of the ground and sitting up straight. "Master Zhu Mangqi, you¡¯re awake?" Shen Luo said with a smile. The man turned his head drowsily, looking disgruntled at Shen Luo, and asked, "Is it great to know magic? Who told you to meddle and dispel my drunkenness?" Hearing this, Shen Luo was left speechless. In fact, he had realized that Zhu Mangqi was a Great Mahayana Stage cultivator, quite a remarkable cultivation level for a pearl diver. "I was introduced by the shopkeeper of Bao Zhai Hall, who said you might have Water-Fire Ming Pills here," Shen Luo replied with a smile. "No, no, hurry up and get out," Zhu Mangqi seemed even more enraged upon hearing this, giving Shen Luo a sideways glance and turning to go back inside the house. Seeing this, Shen Luo could only say, "I was reckless earlier, unaware that you were intentionally getting drunk. I apologize." Zhu Mangqi didn¡¯t respond, merely rubbing his lower back as he pushed open the door to the wooden building. Just as he was about to close the door, Shen Luo, his eyes darting, said, "Friend Zhu, could it be that you¡¯re angry about the South Sea Dragon Palace¡¯s blockade of the Great Ravine, which is why you¡¯re drinking in seclusion at home? If that¡¯s the case, I happen to have some Immortal Brew here. Would you care to share a drink with me?" Upon hearing this, Zhu Mangqi hesitated for a moment, a look of hesitation crossing his face, then he "crash" closed the door. Shen Luo was a bit speechless, turned over a pot of Immortal Jade Brew, opened the bottle mouth, and let the fragrance of the wine waft out. After a while, the door of the wooden house creaked open, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s voice came out, "Come in and talk." Shen Luo smiled and walked straight in. Inside, the lights were lit, and the two sat across an Eight Immortals Table. With a wave of Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve, a pair of white jade wine cups appeared on the table, and he poured the Immortal Brew for both of them. Zhu Mangqi didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, raising the cup and downing it in one go. As the liquor slid down his throat, it felt chilling cold, but once it reached his stomach, it immediately seemed to ignite, releasing a scorching power that not only warmed his stomach but even made his Dantian feel full. Seeing Zhu Mangqi¡¯s change in expression, Shen Luo inwardly chuckled and immediately refilled his cup. This time, Zhu Mangqi held the cup, reluctant to drink it. "Friend Zhu, drink up. This brew will greatly benefit you, and you don¡¯t have to worry about excessive nourishment," Shen Luo reminded. After hearing this, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s eyes flickered before he drank it all in one go. Shen Luo didn¡¯t rush to speak. After drinking a cup himself, he accompanied Zhu Mangqi with another, then poured each another cup. After a few cups, Zhu Mangqi finally couldn¡¯t sit still any longer, covering his cup with one hand to stop Shen Luo from pouring more, and asked: "If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯re from the Dragon Palace, right?" "Why do you say that, Friend Zhu?" Shen Luo didn¡¯t rush to deny it, asking back. "In the Southern Sea, only you Dragon Race people waste things like that, drinking this Immortal Brew as if it were seawater," Zhu Mangqi snorted, saying. Chapter 1785 - 1781 Targeting the Dragon Palace Chapter 1785: Chapter 1781 Targeting the Dragon Palace"Judging by Friend Zhu¡¯s words, it seems there¡¯s quite a dissatisfaction towards the Dragon Palace?" Shen Luo chuckled and asked. "Are you truly not from the South Sea Dragon Palace?" Upon hearing this, Zhu Mangqi hesitated again. "I¡¯m not, I¡¯m just here to buy the Water-Fire Beading Pill." Shen Luo shook his head and said. "Hmph, I don¡¯t have any Water-Fire Beading Pill left, they were all snatched away by those bastards from the South Sea Dragon Palace." Zhu Mangqi replied bitterly upon hearing that. Shen Luo frowned upon hearing this. "Why do they want to gather so many Water-Fire Beading Pills?" Shen Luo poured him another cup and asked. Zhu Mangqi didn¡¯t speak, he stared straight at Shen Luo. "I¡¯m really not from the South Sea Dragon Palace, think about it, if they already stole your Water-Fire Beading Pills, why would they go out of their way to send me to deceive you?" Shen Luo said speechlessly. "That¡¯s true..." Zhu Mangqi nodded and said. After saying that, he went on to explain the whole story to Shen Luo. After listening, Shen Luo learned that the Great Ravine¡¯s seabed seemingly has some treasure about to emerge, and the South Sea Dragon Palace wants to claim it as their own, so they sealed the Great Ravine, forbidding other monks from entering. However, there¡¯s an Yan Sui Fire Vein at the bottom of the Great Ravine blocking the Dragon Palace¡¯s way. To pass through it, a dragon boat refined from the Water-Fire Beading Pill is required. "The Dragon Palace¡¯s intention is to refine a grand treasure ship dragon boat, needing a huge quantity of Water-Fire Beading Pills, so they scoured the Ten Islands of the Great Ravine completely. Relying on their power, humph, what else!" Zhu Mangqi grew angrier as he spoke, gulping down cup after cup. "So that means there¡¯s hardly any Water-Fire Beading Pill left on these Ten Islands?" Shen Luo pondered upon hearing that. "None left, the Dragon Palace¡¯s threats and inducements have been employed, everyone is just trying to scrape by in the Southern Sea, who really dares to openly resist such a colossus as the South Sea Dragon Palace? In this area of the Southern Sea, better to offend Mount Putuo than the Dragon Palace." Zhu Mangqi sighed. With another cup of immortally brewed wine in his belly, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s cheeks turned red, already showing signs of drunkenness. He never suppressed his drinking usually using mana to indulge himself this time. However, the Immortal Brew¡¯s potency was extraordinary, impossible to suppress, so he drank himself into a stupor. "So, to obtain the Water-Fire Beading Pill, the only way is to get them from the Dragon Palace?" Shen Luo rubbed his chin, asking. "Isn¡¯t that obvious? Right now, they¡¯re the only ones who have it." Zhu Mangqi slurred, his tongue already somewhat thick. After finishing, he looked up at Shen Luo and asked, "Do you intend to make a move against the Dragon Palace?" "Just unfamiliar with the place, makes it tricky," Shen Luo thought aloud. "Fair enough! If you truly dare to challenge the Dragon Palace, count me in!" Zhu Mangqi suddenly stood up, beating his chest dramatically, declaring to Shen Luo. Shen Luo chuckled, "Well, we have an agreement then..." Just as the words fell, Zhu Mangqi collapsed onto the table, snoring away deeply. This time, Shen Luo chose not to use mana to dissipate his drunkenness, instead poured himself another drink, drinking alone. By the next day, as the sun was high in the sky, Zhu Mangqi only then shrugged off his intoxication and, upon hearing of last night¡¯s events from Shen Luo, froze like a wooden chicken. "Friend Zhu, it¡¯s too late for remorse now." Shen Luo remarked with a cheeky smile. "Who said I was going to back out? I¡¯ve never gone back on my word spoken at the drinking table." Zhu Mangqi slapped his thigh, glaring. "That¡¯s good then." Shen Luo responded with a hearty laugh. However, after the boldness faded, Zhu Mangqi cautiously asked, "By the way, who are you really? Do you truly dare to oppose the South Sea Dragon Palace?" "I am a disciple of Mount Putuo, ordered by my elders to collect Water-Fire Beading Pills. As it¡¯s a command, I can¡¯t disobey it." Shen Luo thought for a moment and casually fabricated a reason. In truth, with Nie Caizhu being a Mount Putuo disciple, and himself as her spouse, claiming to be from Mount Putuo could be seen as plausible. "No wonder you have the courage, alright, I¡¯ll recklessly lend you a hand, lead the way." Zhu Mangqi said as he raised an eyebrow at Shen Luo. "Friend Zhu, what do you mean by this?" Shen Luo saw him glance at the wine cups on the table but feigned ignorance. "We¡¯re off to a big adventure, can¡¯t we have some drinks to boost morale?" Zhu Mangqi said with rightful boldness. "Drinking is fine, but Friend, you mustn¡¯t get drunk again." Shen Luo smiled as he spoke and took out another bottle of Immortal Brew. With that, he set to pour Zhu Mangqi a drink. Zhu Mangqi snatched the wine pot, opened it, and deeply inhaled before grinning at Shen Luo, "Concerned it¡¯ll delay us, let¡¯s save it for after the task as congratulatory wine." Saying this, he stowed the pot of Immortal Brew into his pouch. Seeing this, Shen Luo acted as though he didn¡¯t notice, saying nothing. "Friend Zhu, so we¡¯re ready to head out?" Shen Luo stood up, ready to leave. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What¡¯s the rush? Let¡¯s discuss compensation first. I¡¯ll help you find the Water-Fire Beading Pill, what¡¯s in it for me?" Zhu Mangqi reached out to stop him, asking with a smile. "Well, that depends on how much Immortal jade Friend Zhu desires?" Shen Luo countered. Zhu Mangqi contemplated before speaking, "Immortal jade is certainly good, but what I want more is your Immortal Jade Brew, money can¡¯t buy it." "Friend Zhu, have you noticed the wondrous effects of this Immortal Brew?" Shen Luo asked with a smile. "Ah, friendships flourish in unspoken truth." Zhu Mangqi said, hand on hip. Immortal Jade Brew is indeed spirit wine, crafted from extraordinary materials. For Shen Luo, it was no longer useful, but for a Mahayana cultivator like Zhu Mangqi, it was still greatly beneficial. "Honestly, I¡¯m low on Immortal Jade Brew, what you took earlier was my last bottle." Shen Luo stated. Upon hearing this, a hint of disappointment showed in Zhu Mangqi¡¯s eyes. "However, I do have an auxiliary elixir suitable for Great Mahayana Stage cultivation. If you¡¯re willing to assist, I can offer it as a reward." Shen Luo said, changing his tone. "Truly?" Zhu Mangqi exclaimed in joy upon hearing this. Ever since reaching the early Mahayana stage, constrained by his own talent, his cultivation level remained stagnant for over a century, leading to indifference and a liking for alcohol, thus becoming a laid-back pearl diver in the Southern Sea¡¯s Great Ravine. Without further ado, Shen Luo flicked his hand, a golden-yellow elixir flew out from his hand. Zhu Mangqi hurried to catch it, just a whiff of its fragrance left him feeling inexplicably refreshed, his face beamed with joy. "Thank you, Elder, for your generous gift." At this point, he deduced that someone who could casually give such an elixir must possess a cultivation level beyond the early Mahayana stage, perhaps already at the late Mahayana stage. Yet, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s shallow perspective could only discern Shen Luo as having reached the early Mahayana stage himself. "Alright, no need to be so formal. I am Shen Luo, if you wish, just call me Friend Shen." Shen Luo waved casually and said. Zhu Mangqi assumed Shen Luo was intentionally keeping his cultivation level hidden and silently nodded. "So, are we ready to go now?" Shen Luo asked. "No problem, let¡¯s go." Zhu Mangqi laughed and nodded. Chapter 1786 - 1782: Pearl Gathering Team Chapter 1786: Chapter 1782: Pearl Gathering TeamShen Luo and Zhu Mangqi immediately left Falling Sunset Island and headed straight towards Qingxu Island. Qingxu Island is the second largest island among the Ten Islands of the Big Ravine, second only to Bivalve Island, and is also a gathering place for pearl divers. The reason is none other than that this island has a unique terrain with a direct Earth¡¯s Heart Passage that leads to the deep sea area where the Water Absorption tribe thrive, allowing one to evade many water demon attacks in the Great Ravine. Shen Luo transformed his appearance and, with Zhu Mangqi, arrived at the place connecting the southern part of Qingxu Island and Hongye Island. From afar, they could hear the roaring sound of water and saw, between the two islands, a hundred feet long waterfall surging with white water waves, falling into the abyss of the Great Ravine below. The Great Ravine is not simply a sea area surrounded by a ring of islands. The ten surrounding islands are elevated, and the area encircled in the center is an enormous Heavenly Pit, with seawater accumulating at its bottom depths. Between the Ten Islands, there are four waterfalls, endlessly pouring the seawater of the Southern Sea into it. However, for millennia, the water level of the Great Ravine has shown no change, never becoming full. The entrance to the Earth¡¯s Heart Passage is not too far from the waterfall. When the two arrived, they saw an archway several feet high on a mountain wall, with obvious signs of artificial embellishment outside, and carved above it were numerous fish and dragon patterns. Outside the doorway, however, were stationed many shrimp soldiers and crab generals, clearly people from the Southern Sea Dragon Palace. Before Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi could get close, they were stopped by a group of Dragon Palace shrimp soldiers. "Who dares to trespass here? Have you got a death wish?" the leading red-headed shrimp soldier shouted. Zhu Mangqi couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit anxious upon seeing this. "We are pearl divers, ordered by the Dragon Palace to collect Water-Fire Beading Pills in the Great Ravine," Shen Luo replied, maintaining his composure as he approached and spoke. Zhu Mangqi cast a sidelong glance at Shen Luo, who was lying without any hesitation, and secretly admired him, thinking he truly was a Mount Putuo disciple. "Ordered by the Dragon Palace? Do you have a decree from the Dragon King?" the red-headed shrimp soldier asked suspiciously. Of course, Shen Luo didn¡¯t have such a thing. He was about to make up another excuse when he suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. "Greetings, Crown Prince," the other shrimp soldiers suddenly stood at attention and spoke in unison. Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi hurriedly turned around, just in time to see a tall man in golden armor approaching them, escorted by a group of guards. He had prominent dragon horns on his head, golden scale patterns on his cheeks, and a fierce aura in his eyebrows. Seeing this, Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi had no choice but to cup their hands and step back. "Who is that?" Shen Luo transmitted a voice to Zhu Mangqi, asking. It took a while before Zhu Mangqi timidly transmitted a voice back, "That¡¯s Ao Zhan, the eldest son of the South Sea Dragon King." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Originally, they planned to sneak in with a bluff, but they didn¡¯t expect to run into him here. Ao Zhan ignored everyone and walked past them. Only then did Shen Luo notice that among the Dragon Palace guards, there were also some Human Race members, all with unpleasant expressions. Just as they were halfway through, Ao Zhan suddenly turned around and asked, "What are these two here for?" "Reporting to your highness, they claim to be ordered by the Dragon Palace to collect Water-Fire Beading Pills," the red-headed shrimp soldier immediately replied. "Are you also pearl divers summoned here?" Ao Zhan asked. "Yes," Shen Luo replied immediately, his eyes darting. "What¡¯s your name?" Ao Zhan frowned slightly. "Shen Jiacheng," Shen Luo said. Zhu Mangqi couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow, thinking to himself that this guy really lies without hesitation. "Zhu Mangqi," he replied honestly. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to make up a false name, but the Human Race members mixed in with the Dragon Palace guards were all pearl divers, most of whom he had met before, and naturally, they all knew him. "Oh, so you¡¯re Zhu Mangqi?" Ao Zhan raised his eyebrows and said. "You know me?" Zhu Mangqi asked a foolish question. "They say you¡¯re the best pearl diver, capable of finding Water-Fire Beading Pills that others can¡¯t," Ao Zhan said, pointing at the group of pearl divers. Zhu Mangqi sighed inwardly, not knowing whether to be happy or worried. "You¡¯ve come at the right time, come with me," Ao Zhan said. And so, Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi inexplicably joined this team, following Ao Zhan¡¯s group into the cave entrance. As soon as they entered the cave entrance, the light ahead dimmed, but after walking inside for a while, Shen Luo¡¯s vision gradually adapted to the surrounding lighting, and there were also blue lights appearing on the cave walls around him, illuminating the surroundings. Shen Luo immediately noticed that a downward-sloping cave passage appeared ahead, extending to the edge of his vision. The group traversed this passageway, walking for about one hour before a bright light finally appeared ahead, seemingly the exit of the cave. As Shen Luo followed everyone out of the cave entrance, they found themselves in a huge underground cave, which was brightly lit with hundreds of Dragon Palace people inside. And in the central area of the cave, a blue treasure ship over ten feet long was docked prominently. This treasure ship was very peculiar, not resembling an ordinary sailboat, but rather similar to a flying shuttle, with a simple-style pavilion on it. After carefully examining it, Shen Luo discovered that not only the ship¡¯s body but also the pavilion on it were all inscribed with charm patterns, connected to each other to form a giant rune array. And at the intersecting nodes of those rune lines, Water-Fire Beading Pills were embedded, totaling more than three hundred. While he was distractedly observing his surroundings, suddenly a figure flew down from the treasure ship, landing in front of everyone. Sensing spiritual power fluctuations, Shen Luo turned to see that the person was none other than the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin. "Greetings, Father King," Ao Zhan immediately saluted upon seeing this. Everyone else followed suit in saluting. "The protective ship formation requires a total of three hundred and sixty-five Water-Fire Beading Pills, and more than fifty are still missing. How is your progress?" Ao Qin seemed in a bad mood, coldly asking. "Reporting to Father King, we have already scoured the entire Southern Sea for Water-Fire Beading Pills and can¡¯t find any more in the short term. However, I have gathered all the pearl divers from the Ten Islands. With their help, we should be able to collect enough Water-Fire Beading Pills," Ao Zhan said, sweat beading on his forehead. "Given the sudden situation, it¡¯s not your fault for not gathering enough. You¡¯ve already tried your best. Next, let these pearl divers search as quickly as possible. As long as they can retrieve Water-Fire Beading Pills, they¡¯ll be rewarded," Ao Qin said, frowning slightly. "Rest assured, Father King, I will personally lead the team this time and will not fail the mission," Ao Zhan thumped his chest in assurance. "Good," Ao Qin finally showed a satisfied expression. Afterwards, he cast his gaze over Shen Luo and the others but didn¡¯t say anything, turning back to the treasure ship. Chapter 1787 - 1783 Going into the Sea Chapter 1787: Chapter 1783 Going into the SeaAfter Ao Qin left, Zhu Mangqi couldn¡¯t help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. "Friend Shen, this time you¡¯ve really gotten us into trouble. We haven¡¯t even stolen the Water-Fire Beading Pill from the Dragon Palace, and now we¡¯re being caught to do hard labor, having to help them find the Water-Fire Beading Pill," he transmitted to Shen Luo, his tone somewhat gloomy. "What are you afraid of? Since we¡¯re here, we might as well be at ease," Shen Luo replied, completely unconcerned. "You sure are easygoing," Zhu Mangqi felt speechless. "Don¡¯t you want to see what they¡¯re up to, and what treasure they¡¯re after? We originally didn¡¯t have this opportunity, but isn¡¯t it just right now?" Shen Luo countered. "Well... curiosity is there, but don¡¯t lose your life because of curiosity; that would be quite unfortunate," Zhu Mangqi sighed. "Don¡¯t worry, with me here, I won¡¯t let you lose your life," Shen Luo comforted. In his heart, Zhu Mangqi muttered, "Do you really think you¡¯re a True Immortal or Taiyi Immortal? A nameless junior cultivator from Mount Putuo, with such a big mouth!" Shen Luo naturally didn¡¯t know Zhu Mangqi¡¯s thoughts and continued to persuade, "Let¡¯s take it step by step, follow them for now." While the two were whispering, Ao Zhan once again mobilized everyone: "Listen up, this underwater mission is of great importance. Anyone who can find the Water-Fire Beading Pill will be rewarded with two hundred Immortal jade per pill, and you¡¯ll receive the Aquatic Order from the South Sea Dragon Palace, gaining our protection. We will never break our word." "Great!" "We¡¯re in!" With those words, everyone had no choice but to express their stance. "Let¡¯s go." Ao Zhan commanded, and everyone followed him towards the other end of the Underground Cave. Soon, everyone came to a cave entrance, several dozen feet in size, through a winding passageway. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Before stepping out of the cave, Shen Luo could already feel waves of warm air coming from ahead. As they approached, he found that outside the cave entrance, there was a patch of light blue sea water. Interestingly, the water level was significantly higher than the cave entrance, completely submerging it. Shen Luo suddenly became interested. After a brief investigation, he discovered there was a layer of array prohibition between the cave entrance and the sea water, keeping the sea water at bay and preventing it from flooding into the cave interior. "Next, you will pair up in groups of two to enter this Hot Bath Sea to search for the Water-Fire Beading Pill. You must find at least twenty pills within a maximum of one day. If found, everyone will be rewarded, but if the count is insufficient... hmph, you know what the consequences will be," Ao Zhan said, employing both intimidation and allure. Everyone responded and began passing through that layer of array into the sea water. However, before entering the water, most of them took a water-blue bead from their sleeves and held it in their mouths. Upon entering the sea, a layer of pale blue light curtain appeared around them, as if applying the Water Repelling Technique, pushing the surrounding sea water away to create a survival space. "What¡¯s that thing?" Shen Luo transmitted to Zhu Mangqi, surprised. "An imitation magical instrument created from Avoid Water Bead, allowing monks who aren¡¯t adept at Water Techniques to freely move in water for half an hour to one hour. Once the spiritual light dissipates, they must return to land, absorb the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, and restore the water-repelling ability," Zhu Mangqi replied. After speaking, he too took out a bead and held it in his mouth, preparing to pass through the array and enter the water. "Give me one too," Shen Luo quickly stopped him, discreetly reaching out his hand. "You don¡¯t even have one of these; why are you even joining in?" Zhu Mangqi was stunned, feeling somewhat speechless. But, despite his words, he still took out another bead and handed it to Shen Luo. After all, they were already on the same ship; the two were like grasshoppers tied to the same string. "Hehe, thanks... By the way, have you used this one?" Shen Luo asked. Zhu Mangqi gave him a sidelong glance, didn¡¯t answer, and turned around to dive into the sea. Naturally, Shen Luo didn¡¯t need this item, but not using it might expose the fact that he¡¯s not a pearl diver. So, he had no choice but to secretly clean it, holding it in his mouth. After that, he too passed through the array and dove into the sea. As soon as he entered the sea, Shen Luo immediately felt warmth around him, with a heavy pressure from the surrounding sea water pressing towards him. But soon, without him needing to deliberately activate it, the round pearl in his mouth emitted a blue light, pushing away the sea water and the layer of pressure. Shen Luo roughly estimated, based on the pressure alone, that his current location was likely deeper than the Dragon Palace, probably within an ocean trench. While pondering, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s voice suddenly came to his mind: "I say, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up and follow!" Shen Luo quickly dove downward, soon catching up to Zhu Mangqi, who was somewhat impatient ahead. By this time, he looked around and saw other pearl divers already scattering to other areas. "Friend Zhu, you¡¯re familiar with this place, lead the way," Shen Luo transmitted with a smile. "Are we really going to be laborers for them?" Zhu Mangqi said gloomily. "We¡¯re already here, so let¡¯s not waste time here. Let¡¯s find the Water-Fire Beading Pill first," Shen Luo said. "If we could find what you need, we wouldn¡¯t have to take risks anymore, but it¡¯s better to just imagine that," Zhu Mangqi said. Shen Luo also knew that within such a short time, finding a hundred Water-Fire Beading Pills was a tall order; even finding five or six would require great luck. Probably only by going to that treasure ship could they be "picked" in full. "Alright then, follow me," Zhu Mangqi said, then led Shen Luo to dive deeper into the water. Soon, they reached the seabed, where Shen Luo discovered that the seabed was not flat but formed a giant sloped area, extending towards a distant place, with very complex underwater terrain filled with uneven rocks. The pearl divers from just now were currently wandering along that slope, searching and flipping through jagged underwater rocks, trying to find hidden Water-Fire Beading Pills. "The seabed situation is really complex," Shen Luo marveled. "Otherwise, why do you think the water descendants of the Dragon Palace don¡¯t look for the Water-Fire Beading Pills themselves, and have us pearl divers assist? Isn¡¯t it because most of us live here for generations and are more familiar with this place?" Zhu Mangqi said. Nevertheless, Zhu Mangqi showed no intent to stop but continued swimming towards the slope. "Haven¡¯t we reached it yet?" Shen Luo asked. "The usual place where the Water Absorption tribe discharges the Water-Fire Beading Pills is actually here, but this area has already been searched countless times; it¡¯s certain that not many can be found," Zhu Mangqi replied. "Then where are we supposed to go?" Shen Luo asked. "We need to go to the Fire Zhuo Sea, deeper than this Hot Bath Sea, which is closer to the place where the Water Absorption tribe lives and reproduces; there¡¯s still some chance there," Zhu Mangqi said. Chapter 1788 - 1784: Venturing into Danger Chapter 1788: Chapter 1784: Venturing into Danger"The deeper you go into this sea area, the higher the water temperature gets. Is it because the Yan Sui Fire Vein is right beneath us?" Shen Luo asked. "That¡¯s right, beneath the Fire Zhuo Sea lies the Purgatory Sea, and at the seabed of the Purgatory Sea is the Yan Sui Fire Vein," Zhu Mangqi answered. After hearing this, Shen Luo didn¡¯t say much more and just followed Zhu Mangqi as they descended. The deeper they went towards the seabed, the more holes appeared on the sloping continental rocks, with strings of scorching bubbles occasionally gurgling up from them. Meanwhile, the surrounding water temperature grew increasingly hot, almost indistinguishable from boiling water. Shen Luo now saw that the color of the sea water ahead had changed from light blue to a slightly reddish orange, forming a clear distinction from the upper layer. He guessed that this must be the Fire Zhuo Sea that Zhu Mangqi mentioned. After reaching this sea area, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s descent noticeably slowed, and like the pearl divers, he began to slowly search among the seabed rocks. The rocks were riddled with holes, with crisscrossing gaps incomparably complex and irregular, making the search for the tiny Water-Fire Beading Pill truly akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Relying on his sharp eyesight, Shen Luo searched for a long time on the seabed but found nothing. In contrast, Zhu Mangqi had a small gain, actually finding one. "Friend Zhu, do you have any unique secret methods to teach me? This way of searching is too difficult," Shen Luo relayed his voice. "No secret method, just familiarity," Zhu Mangqi replied without even glancing at him. Shen Luo was speechless and continued to search on the seabed. Time trickled away, and Shen Luo gradually calmed his mind, beginning to release the power of his divine sense to search around. However, the Water-Fire Beading Pill was not particularly strong in magical aura, making this method naturally not very effective. At that moment, Shen Luo suddenly remembered something and quickly said to Zhu Mangqi, "It seems we¡¯ve been diving and searching here for nearly one hour, hasn¡¯t it?" As soon as he finished speaking, the light from the round pearl in his mouth suddenly started to retract. The sea water, which had been pushed away, suddenly pressed towards him, and in his urgency, Shen Luo hurriedly executed the Water Repelling Technique, enveloping himself once more. Seeing this from a distance, Zhu Mangqi quickly came over and, seeing that Shen Luo was unharmed, calmed down. "I usually travel alone, and this time I was truly careless. Fortunately, you, Friend Shen, have a foundation in Water Techniques; otherwise, you might have been harmed," Zhu Mangqi said with some guilt. At this time, Shen Luo¡¯s attention was on the water-repelling light curtain around Zhu Mangqi. The light blue water curtain had not dissipated and still appeared stable. "What¡¯s going on with yours? Why hasn¡¯t it disappeared?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask. Upon hearing this, Zhu Mangqi stuck out his tongue, revealing that the round pearl at its tip was somewhat different, with fine charm patterns on it, which were almost invisible unless looked closely with good eyesight. "Although my Avoid Water Bead is also an imitation, it includes an additional refinement, allowing it to absorb my mana as a supplement and provide longer protection," Zhu Mangqi explained through conveyed sound, retracting his tongue. "I see, that¡¯s one of the reasons you¡¯re better at pearl diving than others?" Shen Luo nodded and said. "It seems things aren¡¯t working out here; we might need to delve deeper into the Purgatory Sea where the Water Absorption Tribe resides," Zhu Mangqi said, his expression turning serious. "Is there danger?" Shen Luo asked. "The area is near the Yan Sui Fire Vein, with exceptionally high water temperatures. Besides the Water Absorption Tribe, not many creatures can survive in that sea layer," Zhu Mangqi said. "Can we definitely find the Water-Fire Beading Pill there?" Shen Luo asked. "Yes, back when I first came to the Great Ravine, I took a risk and descended into the Purgatory Sea. In a hidden strait, I saw a large number of Water-Fire Beading Pills. However, due to inadequate Dao-Practice, I couldn¡¯t enter and was injured by a water demon," Zhu Mangqi nodded and said seriously. "Alright, let¡¯s try our luck at that strait then," Shen Luo laughed. Zhu Mangqi felt a bit frustrated seeing Shen Luo¡¯s fearless demeanor. "Shen Luo, you¡¯re a Pudie Immortal Master listed in the Putuo Mountain clans, different from us freelance cultivators. You may not have faced life-threatening perils, so don¡¯t assume that the Purgatory Sea is easy to access. Be careful, or you might lose your life there. Don¡¯t blame me for not warning you in advance," Zhu Mangqi warned earnestly. "Alright, I know you¡¯re worried that I¡¯m like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger. But let me tell you, I¡¯m actually a late-stage Mahayana Cultivator, and this journey is to seek opportunities to breakthrough. So when there¡¯s danger, it is necessary to face it head-on," Shen Luo said, trying to suppress a smile seeing Zhu Mangqi¡¯s serious face. "I guessed as much. Since you¡¯re aware, let¡¯s go. But let me say in advance, if anything happens and there¡¯s danger, I¡¯ll flee first without waiting for you. Don¡¯t blame me," Zhu Mangqi sighed. "I assuredly won¡¯t blame you," Shen Luo pounded his chest in affirmation. Seeing Shen Luo¡¯s heedless attitude, Zhu Mangqi said no more and started diving towards the deeper ocean trench. After approximately a quarter of an hour had passed, the sloping continental shelf ahead of them abruptly ended in a neat cliff. Below that cliff, the color of the sea water changed again, now becoming orange-red. Even within the Water-Repelling Technique¡¯s light curtain, Shen Luo could smell a scorching and pungent odor. After a brief pause, Zhu Mangqi exchanged a glance with Shen Luo and then plunged downward from the cliff. Shen Luo quickly followed him down. Upon entering the water, the surrounding temperature dramatically rose. Despite having the protective imitation Avoid Water Bead, Zhu Mangqi¡¯s skin turned visibly red. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo showed little reaction, as this level of temperature was no big deal to him. After a short time, they finally reached the seabed. Based on Zhu Mangqi¡¯s previous description, Shen Luo had expected the place to be bleak, yet surprisingly, vast expanses of vibrant red coral covered the seabed. These corals had semi-transparent glosses and swayed gently from side to side under the sea waves, looking stunningly beautiful like real flames. However, Zhu Mangqi seemed very wary of these corals, advising cautiously: "Be careful, these are Flame Corals. Do not make contact with them; they contain an intense fire poison that is extremely fierce." Shen Luo agreed verbally but didn¡¯t care much in his heart, thinking that compared to the fire poison he possessed, this was insignificant. Chapter 1789 - 1785 The People of the Water Absorption Tribe Chapter 1789: Chapter 1785 The People of the Water Absorption TribeShen Luo followed Zhu Mangqi through the Flame Coral area and, from a distance, saw a region of grayish-white sea rocks that looked very different from elsewhere, with varying elevations and circular holes of different sizes scattered across. "That¡¯s the settlement of the Water Absorption tribe," Zhu Mangqi explained. "If it¡¯s their settlement, why can¡¯t I see a single person from the Water Absorption tribe?" Shen Luo asked in puzzlement. "I don¡¯t know. Last time I came, the young ones of the Water Absorption tribe were all playing outside," Zhu Mangqi looked around for a moment, also showing a face of confusion. "Something seems off; I can¡¯t sense their breath," Shen Luo swept his Divine Sense over and found that the settlement inside seemed empty of any living creatures. "Forget it; let¡¯s not worry about that for now. Let¡¯s find the Water-Fire Beading Pill first," Zhu Mangqi stopped Shen Luo, who was about to investigate further. Shen Luo turned back and saw Zhu Mangqi sweating profusely, with bluish-purple lips, knowing he couldn¡¯t last too long underwater, so he nodded. Then, following Zhu Mangqi, they bypassed the Water Absorption tribe¡¯s settlement and dived into another patch of Flame Coral, most of which was already dead, forming a forest, with grayish-white coral reefs. The two twisted and turned within, finally reaching the outside of a strait. "Zhu brother, you really are something, finding such a hidden place?" Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but praise. The place, called a strait, was more like a seabed fissure, at most a yard wide at the widest, wedged in a fissure within the Coral Forest, where ordinary people would find it hard to discover. "Just luck, hurry and see if there¡¯s any stock inside," Zhu Mangqi chuckled, saying. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was the first to dive in. Soon, his voice came out, "Zhu Mangqi, are you kidding me? It¡¯s spotless here, not a trace of the Water-Fire Beading Pill?" "Impossible..." Zhu Mangqi¡¯s expression changed instantly, and he rushed in quickly. But when he looked inside, he was dumbfounded; there was really nothing there. "How could this be? Last time I came, I clearly saw them, piled up inside like a small mountain, that high," Zhu Mangqi gestured to his waist level, shouting. "Could you have remembered it wrong, somewhere else?" Shen Luo raised his eyebrows. "No mistake, it¡¯s right here," Zhu Mangqi was certain it was this place. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo suddenly frowned, and with a palm slap onto Zhu Mangqi¡¯s shoulder. Zhu Mangqi only felt a strong force rushing in, but without pain, he flew out of the strait, crashing into a cluster of coral reefs, falling down. This recoil almost dislodged the Round Pearl from his mouth. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His eyes narrowed, about to curse, but he saw a crimson, massive tentacle suddenly slam down from above the strait. With a "boom" muffled sound. Enormous force crashed down, directly splitting the strait, and the collapsing rocks mixed with shattered coral reefs, engulfed the canyon completely. The raised dust mixed with seawater, completely obscuring Zhu Mangqi¡¯s sight. He was initially stunned, then cursed "darn it," but ignored the Eight-legged Sea Monster appearing above, rushing toward the collapsed strait. But just before he got close, a surge of Water Waves came rushing from the collapsing strait, and a figure swiftly emerged from it. Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi almost collided head-on. Luckily, Shen Luo reacted quickly, grabbing Zhu Mangqi¡¯s shoulder with one hand, rotating their bodies, allowing both to leap back simultaneously, stabilizing their stance. "Brother Zhu, didn¡¯t you say in case of danger, you¡¯d escape first?" Shen Luo laughed. "It¡¯s no time for joking. Look at that big guy, it¡¯s a genuine True Immortal Realm Water Demon," Zhu Mangqi had no mood for jokes, angrily said. Shen Luo turned back, finding a gigantic sea monster, body length far more than a Hundred Feet, resembling an octopus, covered with scars left by Flame Burns, waving eight crimson tentacles, reaching for them. "Run quickly, it¡¯s too late if you don¡¯t!" Zhu Mangqi turned to run, shouting to Shen Luo. Shen Luo, however, stood still. He merely lifted his fingers with a slight wave, and nine Pure Yang Flying Swords immediately flew out, surrounding him. "Cang clang," a series of sword hums, hundreds of Sword lights crisscrossing out. The surrounding sea water suddenly condensed, seemingly sliced by those Sword lights, halted briefly, followed by Blood Light bursting, as the flailing eight tentacles were all cut by the Sword lights, turning into countless severed limbs. "Go," Shen Luo waved his hand. A sharp phoenix cry resounded, the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit enveloping a Pure Yang Flying Sword soared straight up, even in water, the fire still raging, rushing directly towards the Eight-legged Sea Monster. The Eight-legged Sea Monster opened its mouth, suddenly spewing a blue light straight out, fiercely colliding with the Pure Yang Flying Sword. However, Pure Yang Flying Sword¡¯s momentum was fierce, the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit spread its wings and charged forward, relentlessly pushing back the blue light, albeit with slightly reduced speed, charging towards the Eight-legged Sea Monster. The Eight-legged Sea Monster, in response, did not dodge at all, charging head-on towards the flying sword. With a "boom"! Pure Yang Flying Sword pierced the Eight-legged Sea Monster¡¯s head but failed to penetrate completely, merely splashing a blood flower, before its momentum exhausted, recalled by Shen Luo. Shen Luo, somewhat surprised, looked over, seeing the Eight-legged Sea Monster forced back by the Sword¡¯s momentum a hundred feet, at the moment showing a burned scorch mark on its head, with a visible not shallow wound, but healing at a visibly fast pace. "Surprisingly tough, huh." As Shen Luo planned to attack again, a Water Descendant, not even one percent of its size, suddenly rushed out, blocking in front of it. Standing less than three feet tall, not humanoid, looked more like a large seahorse, entirely crimson, with human-like arms, also covered with Bone Armor. "A Water Absorption tribe member?" Seeing its pair of clear blue eyes full of resentment, Shen Luo subconsciously halted his action. Behind it, the Eight-legged Sea Monster shimmered all over, rapidly shrinking, directly transforming into a short-haired youth, appearing in its early twenties. The young one¡¯s skin was entirely crimson, seemingly taller than that of the Water Absorption tribe¡¯s children, with a more mature aura, with eyes reflecting more mature temperament. He raised a hand to stroke the child¡¯s head, pushing it behind him, then turned to face Shen Luo head-on. By the looks, having an air of ¡¯come at me if you have something¡¯ attitude. Chapter 1790 - 1786 Found It Chapter 1790: Chapter 1786 Found It"What¡¯s going on?" Shen Luo looked at the young boy and child ahead, then turned to ask Zhu Mang Qi. Zhu Mang Qi was rubbing his waist, still shaken by the fluid and effortless sword technique Shen Luo had just demonstrated, and hadn¡¯t recovered yet. Upon hearing the question, he shook his head in confusion, indicating that he didn¡¯t know either. Just as Shen Luo turned back, he saw the short-haired boy move, intending to initiate an attack. "Hey, don¡¯t rush to attack, are you people of the Water Filament Clan?" Shen Luo hurriedly extended his hand and shouted to stop him. "Where did you take our clan members?" Soon, the voice of the short-haired boy came over. "Your clan members... could it be..." Shen Luo was about to speak, but quickly realized that it was most likely the South Sea Dragon Palace again. "Did monks from the South Sea Dragon Palace take your clan members away?" Shen Luo asked. Upon hearing this, the short-haired boy stopped, while the child from the Water Filament Clan timidly peeked out from behind him to observe Shen Luo. "I¡¯m not with them, don¡¯t misunderstand." Shen Luo collected all his flying swords and said reassuringly. The short-haired boy, transformed from the eight-legged sea monster, remained cautious, while the Water Filament Clan child floated out from behind him and asked Shen Luo, "Do you know where they took our clan members?" "Why did they take your clan members?" Shen Luo shook his head and asked back. This time it was the Water Filament Clan child¡¯s turn to shake his head; he also didn¡¯t know why those people suddenly invaded his home and took his family. He happened to be playing with the eight-legged sea monster and was not in the clan, narrowly escaping the calamity. "It probably has something to do with the secret treasure under the Yan Sui Fire Vein. People of the Water Filament Clan thrive in water and endure fire, so it likely relates to them crossing the Yan Sui Fire Vein to retrieve the treasure." Zhu Mang Qi walked over to Shen Luo, glanced at the Water Filament Clan child, and said. "Is it for the Water Fire Pills?" Shen Luo asked. "Probably not. The Water Filament Clan only has one Water Fire Pill discharge period per year, and each time only one pill is produced. Even if they were taken captive temporarily, they wouldn¡¯t be able to produce the Water Fire Pills immediately." Zhu Mang Qi shook his head. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo pondered thoughtfully. "Who exactly are you?" The eight-legged sea monster asked. "We are pearl gatherers, searching for the Water Fire Pills." Zhu Mang Qi replied. Upon hearing this, the eight-legged sea monster¡¯s expression darkened again. Knowing he wasn¡¯t a match for Shen Luo, he didn¡¯t attack but instead took a defensive stance, quietly shielding the Water Filament Clan child behind him again. "You don¡¯t need to be nervous; we mean no harm and are definitely not allied with the Dragon Palace. I can try to help you find your clan members." Shen Luo laughed and explained. Upon hearing this, the Water Filament Clan child¡¯s clean eyes sparkled with excitement and he prepared to move forward. The eight-legged sea monster quickly stopped him, shaking his head, indicating that humans shouldn¡¯t be trusted. But upon learning that Shen Luo could help find his family, the Water Filament Clan child couldn¡¯t care about anything else, taking out a pile of round pearls from his pouch, which fell straight to the ground with a clatter. Zhu Mang Qi was taken aback by the sight; the quantity of Water Fire Pills the child took out and dropped on the ground was already a hundred or so. Seeing this, Shen Luo remained calm, stepping forward, bending down, and picking up the scattered Water Fire Pills one by one, stopping at the twentieth pill. He raised the Water Fire Pills in his hand and said to the Water Filament Clan child, "These will be the deposit. I will help you find your clan members, but if successful, you¡¯ll have to give me eighty more as a reward." Upon hearing this, Zhu Mang Qi wanted to say something but was stopped by Shen Luo¡¯s gesture. The Water Filament Clan child stared at this scene, looking puzzled and uncertain. Shen Luo didn¡¯t say anything further, turned around, and left with Zhu Mang Qi. The two gradually ascended from the seabed, and Zhu Mang Qi¡¯s voice resonated in Shen Luo¡¯s Sea of Knowledge, "Brother Shen, what are you thinking? We could have gotten enough Water Fire Pills just now, why step into this mess?" "There¡¯s no choice; some things are just intolerable! Besides, I still have some scores to settle with the old Dragon King of the South Sea." Shen Luo said. Back then, regarding the Dragon Palace incident, the Three Sea Dragon Kings betrayed and framed the Eastern Sea, causing the old Dragon King¡¯s death and Ao Hong almost being trapped. Shen Luo, as a friend involved, harbored resentment naturally. Moreover, the Dragon Kings of the South Sea, West Sea, and North Sea are highly likely to have fallen into Demonic Path, and their behavior is odd. Shen Luo wouldn¡¯t be at ease without thoroughly investigating. "You, guy, are becoming harder to understand." Zhu Mang Qi said slowly. He was now convinced that Shen Luo was at least a True Immortal Stage monk but still didn¡¯t believe he had the capability to confront the South Sea Dragon Palace. "Don¡¯t worry, when we return, I¡¯ll think of a way to stay; you take the reward and leave, and don¡¯t let yourself get dragged too deeply into this." Shen Luo reassured with a smile. "What nonsense are you talking about, without me helping you explain your identity, you¡¯ll be exposed within no time." Zhu Mang Qi said subconsciously. Just when he finished speaking, he regretted it, not because he boarded a pirate ship willingly but because he recalled Shen Luo was a genuine True Immortal predecessor, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Shen Luo didn¡¯t mind, and the two quickly ascended, returning to the cave. The other pearl gatherers had already returned, with what they found being negligible, and were being scolded harshly by Ao Zhan. The twenty-seven Water Fire Pills needed were only five. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I¡¯ll give you two more hours. If you still can¡¯t gather enough Water Fire Pills, you¡¯ll all die." Ao Zhan said angrily. Everyone¡¯s words made them tremble with fear, each heart sinking into despair. They had exhausted themselves diving for pearls, yet had no rewards, and risked losing their lives, naturally feeling both angry and scared at heart. At this moment, Shen Luo added the three Water Fire Pills he¡¯d bought earlier from Bao Zhai Hall into his palm, just as he was about to speak, Zhu Mang Qi swiftly grabbed them. "Crown Prince, we found them, we found Water Fire Pills." Zhu Mang Qi¡¯s voice came from the back of the crowd, and everyone turned their heads upon hearing to look at him. "How many?" Ao Zhan also cast a scrutinizing glance at him, asking. "Twenty... twenty-three pills." Zhu Mang Qi recounted the Water Fire Pills in his hand and shouted loudly. The crowd gasped in disbelief, and even Ao Zhan couldn¡¯t help but change expressions, striding quickly towards him. The crowd immediately opened a path, allowing Ao Zhan to reach Zhu Mang Qi. Zhu Mang Qi opened his palm, and the twenty-three Water Fire Pills lay on top of each other in his palm, shining brightly. "They¡¯re really Water Fire Pills!" "So many!" "It¡¯s truly worthy of Zhu Mang Qi!" The pearl gatherers couldn¡¯t care about Ao Zhan being present and exclaimed in shock. Chapter 1791 - 1787: Nowhere to Be Found Chapter 1791: Chapter 1787: Nowhere to Be FoundAo Zhan looked at the twenty-three Waterfire pearls in Zhu Mangqi¡¯s palm, his expression instantly changing from overcast to clear, revealing a hint of joy. The other pearl divers, upon seeing Zhu Mangqi again, felt that he was radiating the Savior¡¯s holy light, and their past jealousy and resentment towards him dissipated in that moment. Shen Luo watched this scene and smiled knowingly. Indeed, if he, a stranger, suddenly came forward claiming to have found twenty-three Waterfire pearls at once, it would definitely arouse others¡¯ suspicion and doubt. But if the best pearl diver Zhu Mangqi announced the news, the result would be very different. The noise outside soon alerted the treasure ship, and the South Sea Dragon King Ao Qin descended from above and inquired: "What is the commotion?" "Reporting to Father King, the Waterfire pearls have been gathered." Ao Zhan exclaimed excitedly. Ao Qin was pleased upon hearing this. When he learned that twenty-three of the twenty-eight Waterfire pearls came from Zhu Mangqi, his face was full of smiles, but he still remembered to ask, "Where did you find them?" "It was a pearl hiding area I discovered earlier in the deeper Purgatory Sea. I initially thought scarcity was precious and didn¡¯t excavate all at once. Now, having seen the Dragon King¡¯s saintly countenance, I dared not keep them private." Zhu Mangqi replied, giving the answer he had calculated on his way back. "Such merit deserves a rich reward." Ao Qin praised him, seeing no deceit in his expression. After speaking, Ao Qin called over the artifact refiners, instructing them to take the Waterfire pearls and embed them onto the ship¡¯s hull for the final refinement work. "Ao Zhan, take them back and reward them greatly, especially him." Ao Qin pointed at Zhu Mangqi as he instructed. "Yes." Ao Zhan bowed and responded. Everyone else then turned to leave, but only Zhu Mangqi and Shen Luo remained motionless. "Your Majesty the Dragon King, I do not wish for rewards, but have one request." Zhu Mangqi suddenly spoke. "Let¡¯s hear it..." Ao Qin, overjoyed, indicated for Ao Zhan to take the others away first and then gestured for Zhu Mangqi to continue. "The two of us are freelance cultivators, drifting without destination, and wish to join under the Dragon Palace¡¯s wing, to follow the Dragon King and Crown Prince." Zhu Mangqi, having received Shen Luo¡¯s voice transmission earlier, bowed immediately. Shen Luo quickly followed suit and bowed. Ao Qin did not immediately agree but scrutinized Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi while pondering silently. Shen Luo had long restrained his breath. His divine soul was powerful, his divine sense comparable to a Taiyi cultivator, so even Ao Qin couldn¡¯t easily detect any flaws. "To be honest, I have been stuck at the Early Mahayana Stage for many years. Knowing that relying on myself to break through is likely hopeless in this life, only by joining the Dragon Palace and making more contributions do I have a chance. Your Majesty the Dragon King, I am somewhat skilled in pearl diving; amongst the pearl divers on the Ten Islands of the Great Ravine, I am the only one able to venture into the Purgatory Sea, and I¡¯m certain I can help Your Majesty gather more Waterfire pearls." Zhu Mangqi, seeing Ao Qin silent for a while, immediately added. Upon hearing this, Ao Qin¡¯s expression changed, smiling, "This time, we are indeed going to the Purgatory Sea. Since you¡¯ve been there, you can be of use. You both can stay on the ship and lend a hand." "Thank you, Your Majesty." Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi were overjoyed upon hearing this and thanked him promptly. "Rest assured, as long as you are willing to devote yourself to the Dragon Palace, the palace will not mistreat you. The Early Mahayana Stage is merely a small bottleneck. With the Dragon Palace¡¯s resources, it¡¯s certain we can help you overcome it." Ao Qin smiled, not forgetting to win their loyalty. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At this time, Ao Zhan returned, and they boarded the Dragon Palace¡¯s treasure ship together. Shen Luo followed at the very end, keeping his head down, feigning humility and fearfulness, which everyone assumed was normal for Zhu Mangqi¡¯s small follower and didn¡¯t pay him much attention. Once on board, Shen Luo noticed that while the treasure ship seemed spacious, the interior space was indeed limited. Runes were everywhere on the ship, the hull was specially reinforced, and seven or eight Dragon Palace monks stood inside, all at the True Immortal Stage. "You¡¯ve been to the Purgatory Sea, are you familiar with the Yan Sui Fire Vein?" Ao Qin asked casually. Zhu Mangqi did not respond immediately to this and transmitted the question to Shen Luo. Knowing that fabricated answers wouldn¡¯t fool Ao Qin, Shen Luo advised him to speak truthfully and not to deceive. "Your Majesty the Dragon King, I dare not deceive you; though I¡¯ve been to the Purgatory Sea, I only dare to seek Waterfire pearls amongst those Coral Seas and wouldn¡¯t dare go deeper into the Yan Sui Fire Vein¡ªthat would be seeking death." Zhu Mangqi replied. Ao Qin nodded, the answer not surprising him. "No matter, this time you two can gain experience." Ao Qin shook his head and smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhu Mangqi replied earnestly and fearfully. Everyone continued talking as they moved towards the front end of the cabin. Shen Luo noticed that a large portion of space at the rear of the cabin was enclosed, and a forbidden magic array was arranged there, suggesting that the people of the Water Absorption Tribe might be imprisoned there. At that moment, several artifact refiners rushed back from outside the ship and reported to Ao Qin, "Your Majesty, the Waterfire pearls have been arranged, and you can try refining the treasure ship now." Ao Qin, delighted upon hearing this, immediately led everyone out of the cabin and onto the ship¡¯s exterior. He quickly walked to the lower frontier of the bow, raising his hand and pressing onto a charm pattern formation engraved there. Very soon, golden lines lit up on the surface of that formation, radiating from the central point, extending across the bow and to each corner of the treasure ship. Ao Qin¡¯s overwhelming Mana began extending along these golden lines, swiftly refining the treasure ship. Shortly thereafter, a ripple of golden light surged across the ship, signifying its complete refinement by Ao Qin. With a casual flick of his sleeve, the entire treasure ship shimmered with golden glow, shrinking rapidly into a sparkling light and swept into Ao Qin¡¯s sleeve in the blink of an eye. "Not on the ship?" Shen Luo observed, his gaze flickering slightly. Since the treasure ship could be casually stowed by Ao Qin, it suggested that there were no living beings on board, revealing that the captured people of the Water Absorption Tribe were not on the ship. Though the possibility that they had been killed by Ao Qin for refining or other purposes could not be ruled out. Upon this thought, Shen Luo felt a bit uneasy. As an alternative, he resorted to transmitting to Zhu Mangqi, advising him to directly inquire about the whereabouts of the Water Absorption Tribe. With a dry throat, Zhu Mangqi hesitated for a long time before nervously speaking, "Congratulations to Your Majesty for refining the treasure ship." "It¡¯s also thanks to your pearl diving efforts that we could complete the task so quickly." Ao Qin nodded and said. "Your Majesty, when I was pearl diving in the Purgatory Sea earlier, I approached the settlement of the Water Absorption Tribe but didn¡¯t see any tribe members. For this reason, I have some doubts, and I boldly wish to ask Your Majesty, hoping for pardon." Zhu Mangqi swallowed and said. "Speak." Ao Qin, hearing this, furrowed his brow slightly as he said. "Could it be that Your Majesty has captured the members of the Water Absorption Tribe?" Zhu Mangqi asked bravely. "Why are you asking this?" Ao Qin¡¯s voice turned slightly cold as he asked. Beside him, Ao Zhan¡¯s expression also became unpleasant. Chapter 1792 - 1788 Coercion Chapter 1792: Chapter 1788 CoercionZhu Mangqi saw this and felt bitter inside, cold sweat dripping from his back, thinking that Shen Luo was going to get him killed. He took a deep breath and continued: "This... Your Majesty also knows that we pearl divers have always lived by the Water-Fire Beading Pill released by the Water Absorption Tribe, so naturally, we are more concerned about them..." The more Zhu Mangqi spoke, the more his voice became almost inaudible. Hearing this answer, Ao Qin was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Haha... Once you join the Dragon Palace, why would you still need to dive for pearls?" "Yes, yes, I was just not thinking straight for a moment, I forgot, forgot..." Zhu Mangqi hurriedly said. After this conversation, Shen Luo still couldn¡¯t get a definite answer and suddenly felt somewhat restricted. "What should we do, should we keep asking?" Zhu Mangqi transmitted his voice to Shen Luo. "Forget it, if we ask more, they¡¯ll get suspicious. Since they¡¯ve captured the Water Absorption Tribesmen, they¡¯re probably of some use. Since the situation is unclear, let¡¯s follow along for now," Shen Luo frowned slightly and replied. "Father King, the anomalies in the Great Ravine haven¡¯t changed. It seems the time to enter the Yan Sui Fire Vein isn¡¯t ripe yet. How about we wait a bit longer?" At this moment, Ao Zhan suddenly asked. As soon as he finished speaking, the entire cave suddenly shook violently. Fragments of stone and sand continuously fell, and rumbling sounds emanated from the passageway. "It seems even Heaven is helping us. This is a chance to unify the Four Seas that cannot be missed," Ao Qin, seeing this, was not worried but even delighted, waving his big hand. As he finished speaking, rolling seawater gushed from the passageway to the Hot Bath Sea, clearly showing the prohibition that blocked the seawater had been torn apart by the tremor. "Move out." Ao Qin ordered, stepping on the waves directly, automatically opening a Water Avoiding Barrier, and entered the passageway. The other True Immortal Stage Dragon Palace Water Descendants hurriedly followed, but Ao Zhan did not set out immediately and instead followed behind Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi. Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi exchanged a glance, each holding the imitation Avoid Water Bead and diving headfirst. As soon as they emerged from the passageway and entered the Hot Bath Sea, Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi were immediately hit by a rising underwater current, involuntarily drifting upward. At this moment, Ao Zhan came out from behind, rolled his sleeves, and two streams of water wrapped around their ankles, pulling them back down. Afterward, they were dragged by Ao Zhan aboard the Dragon Palace Treasure Ship. On the Treasure Ship, Golden Pattern charm patterns all lit up, and the Water-Fire Beading Pill embedded all around shone brightly, spreading out to form a gigantic spindle-shaped light curtain enveloping the entire ship. Ao Zhan brought Shen Luo and Zhu Mangqi aboard the ship to see Ao Qin and others standing at the bow, casting spells to arrange something. When they got closer, they saw at the front of the ship, eleven tall figures resembling seahorses, each nearly ten feet long, were the missing Water Absorption Tribesmen. But now, golden chains tied around their necks connected them to the ship, clearly used as labor to pull the Treasure Ship. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Qin looked indifferently at the Water Absorption Tribesmen below, seeing their glaring eyes, and reminded them: "Your tribesmen are in my hands. If you don¡¯t want them to suffer, be obedient. Once the task is complete, you will be freed." The eyes of the Water Absorption Tribesmen met, all looking at the person in the center. Seeing his dejected nod, they turned their heads and chose to comply. "That¡¯s right, move out," Ao Qin ordered. The eleven Water Absorption Tribesmen glowed, and the Water Waves surged in front of them, breaking the rising current, swiftly diving towards the seabed with the Treasure Ship, moving very quickly. Seeing this, Shen Luo finally felt some relief, as long as the Water Absorption Tribesmen were alive, there was a chance to rescue them. Now, all that was needed was the right opportunity. The Dragon Palace Treasure Ship quickly descended, soon passing through the Hot Bath Sea and the Fire Zhuo Sea, entering the Purgatory Sea. Shen Luo glanced outside, noticing that the seawater had become much more turbid than before, with the color changing from orange-red to crimson. And the large coral reefs on the seabed below had turned gray, evidently dead. At this moment, Ao Qin issued another order. The eleven Water Absorption Tribesmen ceased to dive with the Treasure Ship and instead changed direction, speeding away. Shen Luo, suppressing his Divine Sense fluctuation, could feel intense Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi emanating from the direction the ship was heading, surging like waves crashing against the coast. As the Treasure Ship sailed forward, the seawater ahead no longer remained calm, with currents colliding, causing rumbling thunderous roars. The eleven Water Absorption Tribesmen were evidently skilled in manipulating water, always finding the best path within the chaotic currents, guiding the gigantic Treasure Ship nimbly through the flows, moving steadily towards the Yan Sui Fire Vein. With the ship¡¯s rocking, Shen Luo appeared unstable, swaying on the ship and almost sliding to one side of the deck, grabbing the side just in time to steady himself. The Dragon Palace Monks glanced at him, their eyes showing mockery but didn¡¯t pay much attention. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze, however, sneaked toward the stern, vaguely glimpsing two small figures in the chaotic currents, seemingly the Water Absorption Tribes¡¯ children and the eight-legged Sea Monster, trailing from afar. Before he could see clearly, a massive current suddenly rushed in, hitting the massive hull, sending it hurtling nearly a hundred feet off course before it stabilized. As Shen Luo crawled up from the other side of the deck and looked back, they were no longer visible in the chaotic currents. "It¡¯s best if they don¡¯t follow," Shen Luo thought silently. Suddenly, the Water Absorption Tribesmen¡¯s roar came from the front, and Shen Luo quickly looked forward, only to see a massive underwater current surge upward like a dragon drawing water, overturning the eleven Water Absorption Tribesmen, driving the Treasure Ship upward. Shen Luo quickly grabbed the ship¡¯s side, leaning on the stern rail to avoid bumping into the light curtain outside the ship. In contrast, the Dragon Palace Monks who mocked him were flung upward, struggling to control their stance. Standing at the front, Ao Qin raised his hand with a virtual press, Golden Light surged from his palm, pressing the ship¡¯s raised bow down to forcibly break through the current and stabilize again. As his Mana continuously released, ripple-like waves surged on the ship, and strong Spiritual Pressure spread in all directions, calming the rocking hull. The eleven Water Absorption Tribesmen also stabilized, pulling the Treasure Ship to continue forward. Chapter 1793 - 1789: Difficult to Control Chapter 1793: Chapter 1789: Difficult to ControlThe Great Ravine Sea Area has completely changed now, the sea water ahead dyed crimson. Even across the treasure ship¡¯s prohibitions, everyone onboard could feel the scorching heat drawing near, their expressions growing more tense by the moment. Shen Luo, seeing that the traces of the young children of the Water Absorption tribe and the Eight-legged Sea Monster had already vanished, withdrew his gaze, turning to look forward from the prow of the ship. Amidst the chaotic and tangled currents, even under the powerful mana suppression of the South Sea Dragon King, they were difficult to calm, and occasionally, various sizes of rotten sea creature carcasses floated up from the sea. Most of these were already white skeletons, while others were very large, with flesh still attached to the bones; however, they appeared heavily corroded and radiated a greyish-white hue. Ao Qin, gazing at the scene before him, showed no sign of surprise, but seemed rather exhilarated. After about a quarter of an hour, Shen Luo suddenly noticed that the trajectory of the treasure ship began to veer off uncontrollably to the right. At the same time, he observed that the previously rampant chaotic currents had disappeared, replaced by several regulated, massive currents veering right. He stood up, walked slowly to the prow, looked far into the distance, and witnessed a shocking scene. Amidst the vast sea area, a colossal vortex had formed, with a towering, crimson fiery pillar soaring upwards, rushing towards the Great Ravine sea surface. At that moment, anyone watching from the Ten Islands around the Great Ravine would see the central inner sea, as if a Pillar of Heaven had been inserted and stirred, causing tumultuous waves. At the center of the waves, a blazing flame burst forth, like a flamboyant crimson lotus blooming, its extreme heat raising the entire sea area to boiling point, with white bubbles rolling everywhere and thick smoke billowing. Having circled above the Great Ravine for a long time, the black lead clouds rolled with thunder and flashed with lightning, pouring down a torrential rain, creating a rare scene of marvel. Meanwhile, residents of the Ten Islands were amazed, though they dared not approach the coast, they rushed to higher points on the islands, watching through the rain. In the deep sea of the Great Ravine, the treasure ship drawn by eleven people of the Water Absorption tribe was caught in whirlpool currents, surging wildly in increasingly tumultuous waters as they tried to stabilize the ship¡¯s course. But the increasingly powerful force of the waves was beyond what they could contend with, even with the aid of the South Sea Dragon King to suppress it. Everyone could see from afar the vortex¡¯s center, that towering flame wall rolling with blazing waves that left their mouths dry and throats parched as they swallowed nervously. "Father King, the eruptive power of the Yan Sui Fire Vein is even stronger than we anticipated, can they hold on?" Ao Zhan looked at the people of the Water Absorption tribe, brows furrowed with worry. Ao Qin did not reply, his expression turning somewhat grave. At that moment, the charm patterns outside the treasure ship all glowed brightly, each Water-Fire Beading Pill radiating dazzling brilliance, their prohibition light curtains facing harsh tests. Shen Luo¡¯s face naturally filled with terror, but internally he calmly analyzed the power of the Yan Sui Fire Vein, based on sheer heat alone, it seemed nearly equal to the Golden Crow True Fire. Given the enormous scale of this fire vein, if he fell into it without timely escape, he might be facing life-threatening peril; yet at present, he was more worried about the lives of those eleven Water Absorption tribespeople. Though the Water Absorption tribe lived long in the Purgatory Sea, often dealing most with the Yan Sui Fire Vein and possessing some resistance to it, under the current explosive fiery state, they might not hold out much longer. While contemplating, sudden changes occurred ahead, as a giant whale skeleton, mountain-like in size, hurtled through the chaotic sea, heading directly towards the eleven people of the Water Absorption tribe. "This is bad!" Shen Luo thought to himself, seeing the tribespeople unable to evade. At this moment, he set aside any further concealment, intending to rescue these eleven first, then confront Ao Qin if necessary, to force him to free the others. Just as he prepared to act, suddenly a golden light flashed, and a Golden Dragon phantasm roared the Dragon Chant, bursting through the treasure ship¡¯s light curtain, directly colliding with the giant whale skeleton. A thunderous "boom" sounded. The giant whale skeleton exploded violently, bones splintering everywhere, while the Golden Dragon phantasm evaporated in the void. The eleven Water Absorption tribespeople evaded disaster, yet were disturbed by this sudden burst of power, causing a momentary panic, leading the entire treasure ship to sway erratically. "You careless fools, stabilize it." Ao Qin suddenly shouted! As his words fell, his cultivation breath erupted instantaneously, reaching the peak of the True Immortal. With the advantage of being in the Southern Sea, this power was immeasurably vast, bordering on the Taiyi Realm. Shen Luo recalled during his last visit to the East Sea Dragon Palace, among the three other Dragon Kings besieging the East Sea Dragon King, Ao Qin hid his power most deeply, without revealing his full might, confirming this assertion now. As this breath spread, the Water Absorption tribespeople suddenly felt as if oppressed by mountains, unable to struggle or move, forced to drift with the currents along with the treasure ship. "Father King, we¡¯re almost there." Ao Zhan suddenly shouted. Everyone on the ship tightened their spirits, seeing the enormous flame wall already within a hundred feet. Ao Qin held onto the prow, leaning forward to glance down, seeing beneath the massive fire pillar a fire vein of magma stretching from the underworld, appearing in black cracks due to the surging flames being spewed out. "The entrance is right there, turn it for me." Ao Qin bellowed. Immediately, the eleven Water Absorption tribespeople twisted their positions, attempting to turn towards the fire pillar below. However, having drawn so close to the giant fire pillar, the whirlpool¡¯s spiral force surrounding it was exceedingly strong, making it impossible for them to simply change direction. Seeing this, Ao Qin once again wielded his mana, golden light converging on him, another Golden Dragon phantasm emerged from atop his head, stretching several dozen feet long as it charged at the massive fire pillar, trying to use the recoil to aid the tribe in changing course. Regrettably, this time, before the Golden Dragon crossed the prohibition¡¯s light curtain, it began to burn with raging flames, turning to ashes within moments, while the entire treasure ship continued being drawn straight towards the fire pillar. Shen Luo saw that the scales on the eleven Water Absorption tribespeople had changed from their original crimson color to a somewhat transparent bright red, many edges turning blood red, showing signs of melting. Even they were close to being unable to hold on any longer. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1794 - 1790: Rescue Chapter 1794: Chapter 1790: Rescue"No, it can¡¯t turn!" Zhu Mangqi shouted in panic. At this moment, there was a sudden loud crash at the stern of the ship. Everyone hurriedly turned around and was surprised to find that an octopus-like sea monster, as large as a hundred feet, with eight incredibly thick tentacles, was piercing through the protective screen and tightly clinging to the hull. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Just when they thought it was a monster attack, they were shocked to find that the eight-legged sea monster, with burn marks all over its body, was actually pulling the treasure ship in the opposite direction, struggling, helping them to escape the grip of the giant fire column. "They actually followed us..." Shen Luo also noticed that the young child of the Water Absorption tribe was surprisingly on top of the eight-legged sea monster¡¯s head. But even with the help of this eight-legged sea monster, it only slightly delayed the time of being sucked away, and such strength was ultimately not enough to help them out of the current predicament. "Your Majesty Dragon King, the power of eleven people from the Water Absorption tribe is not enough, so release all of them. If they pull together, they definitely can." At this time, a voice suddenly sounded. Everyone looked over to see that it was Shen Luo, whom they had been ignoring, who spoke up. "Father King, he¡¯s right." Ao Zhan immediately said. Ao Qin thought for a moment and said, "At this point, I guess they can¡¯t escape." After speaking, he glanced at Shen Luo, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes, but the situation was urgent, leaving him no time to ponder, so he immediately waved his sleeve. A charm pattern lit up on the hull, followed by a rune array bursting with light at the bow, revealing figures of Water Absorption tribe people, all bound by chains connected to the hull. "If you don¡¯t want to die, then put all your strength into pulling the treasure ship," Ao Qin shouted loudly. The hundred or so people of the Water Absorption tribe outside the bow wailed continuously, but could only swim with all their might, finally managing to twist the bow¡¯s direction and forcibly drag the treasure ship toward a crack in the Yan Sui Fire Vein. The Dragon Palace monks on board were overjoyed at the sight, finally breathing a sigh of relief. "Your suggestion was meritorious, there will be rewards when we return," Ao Qin said to Shen Luo. "Thank you, Your Majesty." Shen Luo clasped his fists in thanks, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. The giant treasure ship, under the pull of the Water Absorption tribe, plunged headlong towards the seabed, less than ten feet away from the pitch-black crack. At this moment, a sudden howling sounded. More than ten golden sword lights burst forth, shooting swiftly past from behind the treasure ship. Ao Qin and the others watched in astonishment as the sword lights swept past their eyes, unable to stop them in the rush, only able to watch helplessly as the dozen or so flying swords passed through the treasure ship¡¯s prohibition light curtain, heading towards the bow. "You..." Ao Qin¡¯s voice was a mix of shock and anger just as a series of frenzied sword clanging began to sound! The "clang clang clang" of chains breaking sounded continuously thereafter. The hundred or so people of the Water Absorption tribe had not figured out what had happened, but were jubilant to find that the chains binding them broke simultaneously, and they were free. The leader of the Water Absorption tribe let out a whale-like sound, the first to abandon the treasure ship and flee into the distance, followed by the rest, not daring to linger. The treasure ship suddenly lost its pull and, due to inertia, did not stop immediately but continued diving towards the seabed, but was deflected under the attraction of the giant fire column, the stern tilting uncontrollably in its direction. The eight-legged sea monster attached to the stern of the treasure ship and the Water Absorption tribe child could not escape in time and were dragged along. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s body flashed suddenly as he rushed out of the treasure ship¡¯s protective screen, one hand supporting the massive body of the eight-legged sea monster, while the other made a fist and punched towards the giant fire column. His arm with the fist swelled rapidly in the sea water, the power of Chiyou revealed, striking the fire column. "Boom!" A loud explosion sounded! Shen Luo¡¯s arm was instantly wrapped in flames, the searing pain causing him to gasp in shock. The immense force of repulsion followed, pushing them, along with the treasure ship, away, distancing them from the giant fire column. However, the fire clinging to Shen Luo did not extinguish, instead burning upwards along his body. In just a few breaths, Shen Luo¡¯s clothes on one side burned away, his skin melted, and his flesh and blood were dissolved by the flames, soon to reveal bare bones. In unbearable agony, Shen Luo suddenly felt the burning area drop in temperature, and upon looking, found that two tendrils of the eight-legged sea monster had wound around him, wrapping him up and shielding him from the flames. Enduring the searing pain, Shen Luo quickly retracted his flying swords and took out the Shrinking Earth Ruler. Just as he was about to activate it, the bow of the treasure ship plunged into the black crack, a powerful pulling force drawing the entire ship through, into the crack. "Boom" Shortly after entering the black crack, a muffled crash was heard. The out-of-balance treasure ship fell and hit the ground, skidding more than ten feet before finally stopping. At the stern, the eight-legged sea monster had already returned to human form, holding the Water Absorption tribe child in its arms. However, its arms and cheeks were covered in severe burns, scabbing over at a speed visible to the naked eye, forming scars. Then, Shen Luo also stood up from the ground, his entire arm along with his shoulder and half his chest burnt by the Yan Sui Fire Vein¡¯s flames, exposing ghastly white bones. But at this moment, his mana was abundant, and the Great Unsealing Technique wildly active, rapidly restoring his burnt and melted flesh, leaving the eight-legged sea monster and the Water Absorption tribe child beside him stunned. The damage to his flesh and blood was not difficult to repair, but Shen Luo was somewhat surprised that the arm burnt by the Yan Sui Fire Vein was incredibly numb; if he closed his eyes, he couldn¡¯t even feel the existence of that arm. Shen Luo looked up, seeing a layer of semi-transparent crystal stone a hundred feet above, with a nearly transparent light film beneath it, separating the space above and below. Surveying the surroundings, he found they were in a vast underwater cave. With the light from above the Yan Sui Fire Vein, the cave was well-lit, allowing a general view of the space, appearing to be several hundred feet in radius, not too large. Red patterns laced the surrounding walls, as if Yan Sui Fire Vein¡¯s magma was flowing through, making the temperature within the space extremely high. At this moment, Ao Qin and the Dragon Palace monks jumped down from the treasure ship ahead. "Hmph, good kid, hid well, but still got caught by you." Ao Qin glared at Shen Luo angrily. Beside him, Ao Zhan held a golden long knife, the blade resting against Zhu Mangqi¡¯s neck. Zhu Mangqi wore a pained expression, not daring to move. Chapter 1795 - 1791 Measurement Wood Chapter 1795: Chapter 1791 Measurement Wood"Release him, and I¡¯ll take them away from here immediately. We go our separate ways." Shen Luo said. "Release him? Shen Luo, you¡¯re making it sound so easy?" Ao Qin sneered and said. Just now, eager to save someone, Shen Luo didn¡¯t continue to hide his cultivation aura, and now it had naturally been recognized by him. Shen Luo no longer pretended, and his aura erupted instantly, a majestic spiritual pressure unfolded immediately, transforming into an invisible force pressing down on the Dragon Palace people. "Late True Immortal..." Ao Qin suddenly became unsettled. If not remembering wrongly, when they last encountered each other at the East Sea Dragon Palace, Shen Luo was merely at the Early True Immortal stage, how could he have become a late-stage True Immortal cultivator in such a short amount of time? The other Dragon Palace monks, upon witnessing this, also became visibly uneasy. Shen Luo¡¯s lips curled slightly; this was the effect he wanted, creating an oppressive force with his own cultivation level, hopefully making them release the hostages because he¡¯d already achieved his goal of saving the People of the Water Absorption Tribe, and didn¡¯t truly want to engage in a life-and-death battle with the South Sea Dragon Palace. "What kind of illusion is this?" Ao Qin asked coldly. "Do you think I¡¯m bluffing?" Shen Luo asked coldly. "Whether it¡¯s an illusion or not, you¡¯re merely a late-stage True Immortal cultivator, do you really think I¡¯m afraid of you?" Ao Qin said with a glint in his eyes as he looked at Shen Luo¡¯s arm, which had flesh growing over white bones. With that, he nodded towards Ao Zhan. Ao Zhan, already afraid of being punished by Ao Qin for bringing Shen Luo into the team, now seeing his signal, a fierce light flashed in his eyes, and the blade immediately swept horizontally, ready to sever Zhu Mangqi¡¯s head. Zhu Mangqi felt a chill on his neck and sighed inwardly: "My fate is sealed..." However, in the next instant, Ao Zhan¡¯s knife-wielding hand froze in place, as a dark silhouette suddenly emerged from his shadow, holding a black Ghost Knife to his throat. "When did this happen..." Ao Qin was shocked when he noticed. "Release him." Ghost General Zhao Feiji coldly said. Ao Zhan instantly felt a chill on his neck, his skin prickling, and he had no choice but to move his blade away. Zhu Mangqi was momentarily stunned, not reacting in time. "Go." Zhao Feiji whispered. Zhu Mangqi felt a kick on his backside, stumbling forward. Almost simultaneously, two golden dragon claws suddenly emerged from the ground, one reaching for Zhao Feiji and the other for Zhu Mangqi. Zhao Feiji didn¡¯t hesitate at all, slashing at Ao Zhan¡¯s neck with his knife, while leaping upward, grabbing at Ao Zhan¡¯s hair as if to take his head. *Clang...* A series of sparks flew as the dragon scale-shaped pendant hanging around Ao Zhan¡¯s neck suddenly lit up, transforming into a golden light, blocking the ghost knife. On the other side, Zhu Mangqi couldn¡¯t possibly evade the suddenly appearing dragon claw, and just as it was about to crush his leg, Shen Luo swept by him, crouching and slamming a palm into the ground. From the palm of Shen Luo¡¯s hand burst a brilliant golden light, which too conjured a golden dragon claw imprint, crashing against the other. A resounding explosion erupted, and Zhu Mangqi was sent flying, only to be caught midair by a tendril and pulled back. As he regained his footing, he looked at Shen Luo¡¯s back and found it hard to believe, muttering: "Ah, underestimated, truly underestimated..." The sound of explosions subsided up ahead, and Shen Luo and Zhao Feiji retreated simultaneously, standing side by side. Shen Luo slightly turned his body; his arm, previously numbed from the burns, was now throbbing with acute pain, which intensified the more mana he channeled. Ao Qin¡¯s gaze fell on Shen Luo, revealing a hesitant look in his eyes. At this moment, the surrounding space suddenly shook violently, and a powerful wave of spiritual power surged forth. Shen Luo and the others, sensing that power, were all shocked, their gaze simultaneously turning towards the direction behind the treasure ship. "Kill them." Ao Qin shouted harshly, leaping into the air, heading straight to the back of the treasure ship. "Protect them well, I¡¯m going to take a look." Shen Luo hesitated slightly, and said to the Ghost General. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Understood." Zhao Feiji replied, retreating in front of Zhu Mangqi and the others. Shen Luo then charged towards the large group of Dragon Palace monks chasing after them. With a wave of his fingers, over a dozen Pure Yang Flying Swords shot out, transforming into streaks of sword light, slashing into the crowd. The Dragon Palace monks conjured magical treasures to defend, yet could not withstand the attack and were completely repelled. Shen Luo had no intention of entangling with them; after injuring them, he swiftly dashed through them, chasing after Ao Qin and his son. Behind him, the sound of the Dragon-burying Flute quickly echoed. Shen Luo¡¯s injured arm twitched uncontrollably, the intense pain caused by the movement of mana made cold sweat stream down his face. But at this moment, he couldn¡¯t afford to worry about his injury because he had sensed the aura of the Ancestral Dragon from the spiritual power surge just now. If it were an ordinary object, he could ignore it, but since the remnant soul of the Ancestral Dragon still resided within Ao Hong¡¯s body, he had to find out what exactly Ao Qin sought here. After passing the treasure ship, Shen Luo immediately saw that, a few hundred feet ahead, the walls were densely woven with web-like fire veins, concentrating towards a peculiar stone platform on the ground. The stone platform was shaped like a lotus, consisting of fifteen petals, each crystal clear and crimson, with two winding dragon horns standing in the center of the flower bud, from which the Ancestral Dragon¡¯s aura clearly emanated. "Ancestral Dragon Horns, indeed it is the Ancestral Dragon Horns!" Ao Qin, already near the stone platform, was overwhelmed with excitement upon seeing the object clearly, exclaiming repeatedly. Ao Zhan also had a dry throat and rejoiced immensely. For years, they had exhausted themselves searching for the relics of the Ancestral Dragon, and now having finally found the most crucial Ancestral Dragon Horns today, how could they not be overjoyed to the point of inexpressible excitement? An ancient saying goes: Without the Dragon Horns, no dragon can soar. This doesn¡¯t mean that without dragon horns, a dragon cannot fly, but rather emphasizes the importance of this item for the Dragon Clan. Dragons with or without the horns on the head are entirely different levels of beings, especially since these are the horns of the Ancestral Dragon. "Why would the Ancestral Dragon¡¯s Horns be here?" Shen Luo pondered upon seeing this, filled with confusion. In contemplation, Ao Qin had already arrived before the lotus platform, his eyes locked onto the two crimson-gold winding dragon horns, allowing no distraction. Without giving Shen Luo time to deliberate, Ao Qin had already started, raising a palm to grab at the dragon horns atop the lotus platform from a distance. Chapter 1796 - 1792: Gain an Inch, Want a Mile Chapter 1796: Chapter 1792: Gain an Inch, Want a MileAo Qin¡¯s arm just barely reached into the Red Lotus Platform when an unbearably scorching aura spread out from the Lotus Petal. The surging heat wave rose up, rushing straight towards Ao Qin¡¯s arm. "Ah..." A miserable cry echoed out, and Ao Qin¡¯s sleeve instantly turned to ashes. The dragon scales on his arm were scorched a bloody red and couldn¡¯t even touch the Dragon Horn before withdrawing. Shen Luo saw this and showed a look of joy. His figure spread out as he used the Slanting Moon Steps, rushing towards the Red Lotus Platform with extreme speed. Seeing Shen Luo coming to snatch the treasure, Ao Qin couldn¡¯t care about the treasure and immediately swung his palm horizontally, a Void Dragon Claw appearing and rushing straight at Shen Luo. Shen Luo raised a fist, suddenly blasting towards the Dragon Claw, the two colliding fiercely with a booming sound. The Golden Dragon Claw dissipated upon impact, and Shen Luo was also knocked back by the claw. "Shen Luo, do you really want to be an enemy of my South Sea Dragon Palace?" Ao Qin shouted harshly. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It really is too coincidental. Every time Daoist Ao Qin doesn¡¯t pay attention, I just happen to come across it. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of your bad luck or my misfortune." Shen Luo grinned as he spoke. "Shen Luo, let me tell you, this Yan Sui Fire Vein only erupts rarely, giving us a chance to enter here. But its time is limited. Once the magma recedes, this place will be filled again with Yan Sui Fire Slurry, and none of us will escape death." Ao Qin suppressed his anger and said coldly. "Then, Daoist Ao, don¡¯t waste any more effort. Let me take the Ancestral Dragon Horn, and let¡¯s retreat quickly, okay?" Shen Luo laughed and asked. "Don¡¯t push your luck!" Ao Qin¡¯s face stiffened, and rage almost burst from his eyes. "Father King, why say so much to him? You go and take the treasure; I¡¯ll stop him," Ao Zhan said with furrowed brows. "You fool, stop showing off." Ao Qin scolded upon hearing this. After scolding, he said to Shen Luo, "What do you want exactly? As long as you don¡¯t interfere this time, consider it a favor from my South Sea Dragon Palace. You can choose any three treasures from our Dragon Palace Treasure Vault. How about that?" "A guy who can betray even his own Big Brother, would you dare to trust in an alliance with him?" Shen Luo mercilessly exposed without any courtesy. "You..." Before Ao Qin could get angry, Ao Zhan, beside him, already held a peculiar long spear in his hand, resembling an ancient tree with twisted branches, its spearhead bent like lightning, thrusting towards Shen Luo. His arms gripped the Gun body tightly, and his entire body infused its Mana into it. The Gun body¡¯s electricity shot up from where he held it, directly into the gun¡¯s spear tip. "Zzzz la la" A burst of electrical light shot out from the spear tip, transforming into a massive electric light that struck towards Shen Luo. As Shen Luo was about to dodge, the electric light expanded instantly, transforming into several dazzling Silver electric arcs that spread out, like an Array, directly enveloping him. Shen Luo had no way to dodge. A Blood-colored light suddenly brightened in front, and a Blood Essence Banner appeared out of thin air, releasing a dazzling Blood Light, transforming into an expanding Light curtain, crashing towards the Silver electric arc. A series of loud explosive sounds continuously erupted, as the Silver electric light and Blood-colored light intertwined and collided fiercely. "Father King, leave this guy to me. Let him taste the power of the famous gun ¡¯Thunderbolt¡¯ properly. I won¡¯t allow him to interfere with you." Ao Zhan said resolutely and loudly. Ao Qin felt relieved seeing this scene. He immediately turned around, coming once again before the Red Lotus Platform, and waved his hand to take out a Silver-white Triangular Flag, infusing a strand of Mana into it. In a moment, the Triangular Flag expanded tenfold in the wind, the Flag surface spreading out a swath of snowflake-like Ice Crystal. He held the Triangular Flag, and with a wave towards the Red Lotus Platform, countless snowflake Ice Crystals danced out, rushing towards the Red Lotus Platform wrapped in a Cold Stream. The scorching heat wave and Cold Stream ice and snow clashed, white mist billowed up instantly. The originally brightly-colored Red Lotus Platform, instead of being cooled by the ice, seemed to be inspired, with a cluster of Crimson Flames igniting on its surface. As the flames rose, the falling Cold Stream Ice Crystal was instantly evaporated, and the Triangular Flag also ignited in raging fire in an instant, reduced to ash in no time. Seeing this, Ao Qin¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but reveal an anxious look. He shifted his gaze to the Stone Wall Behind the Lotus Platform, where crimson Fire Pulse connected to the Lotus Platform, seemingly being the source of the platform¡¯s power. His eyes flickered with thought, and he instantly got an idea. With a flick of the wrist, he grasped a Golden Axe and approached the Rock Wall. The dragon scales on his arm lifted; pure Mana gathered in his right arm, infused into the Golden Axe, causing the axe to tremble slightly, emitting low humming sounds. Ao Qin¡¯s eyes flashed brightly, swinging the Golden Axe suddenly, chopping fiercely towards the Mountain Wall. The Golden Axe radiated intensely, a sharp light burst forth, descending straight towards the crimson Fire Pulse on the Mountain Wall. "Clang" A sound of metal and stone clashing rang out, the Golden Light splintered, fire and sparks scattered. The Mountain Wall, which appeared ordinary, didn¡¯t shatter immediately under the tremendous axe power; instead, several Fire Pulses were cut off, and the fire pulse within seemed to lose its power support, with magma gradually cooling down. Seeing the effect, Ao Qin was overjoyed and swung the axe horizontally at the Mountain Wall again. On the other side, amidst the crisscrossing electric-bloody Light curtain, Shen Luo showed no trace of worry, only looking a bit melancholic at his yet unrecovered arm. The burn from the Yan Sui Fire Vein was indeed unusual, not only was recovery extremely slow, but the damage to the meridians was severe. Even though the arm¡¯s flesh and blood had been reconstructed, Mana flowing through still caused immense pain. Shen Luo also realized that the time limit mentioned by Ao Qin just now wasn¡¯t false; prolonged time indeed posed significant danger. He pondered for a moment, then clenched his injured fist slightly, feeling gradually accustomed to that heart-penetrating pain, he gritted his teeth and punched out. A Punch burst forth into the sky, bombarding the encircling Silver Thunder, and exploded instantly. Shen Luo¡¯s gaze passed over Ao Zhan, taking a look at the Lotus Platform and Ao Qin. His brows slightly furrowed. Feeling ignored, Ao Zhan¡¯s fury was hard to suppress, shouting "Seeking death," he lunged directly at Shen Luo. His Long Spear thrusted straight towards Shen Luo¡¯s face, the Silver lightning poised to burst forth. However, Shen Luo, wielding a Profound Yellow Staff with one hand, was already sweeping horizontally. The Gun body radiated intensely, and a powerful aura erupted instantly. Though Ao Zhan¡¯s Thunderbolt Gun was not of low grade, it still couldn¡¯t compare to the Profound Yellow Staff. Moreover, his cultivation level was much lower than Shen Luo¡¯s. At the moment of spear collision, he felt an unmatched force crashing down like a mountain. His spear tip barely emitted a trace of electricity before it was shattered by the Gold Light of the staff¡¯s shadow amidst a burst of noise. Ao Zhan, along with the spear, flew backward, heading straight for the Stone Wall behind. Chapter 1797 - 1793 Collapse Chapter 1797: Chapter 1793 CollapseThe South Sea Dragon King watched as his son was crashing towards the mountain wall, yet he didn¡¯t discard the golden axe in his hand. Most of the fiery veins on the stone wall had already been cut by him, and just one or two more chops would sever them completely. At this point, he wasn¡¯t willing to delay for even a moment and directly abandoned Ao Zhan, continuing to swing the axe at the mountain wall. "Boom" The sound of Ao Zhan¡¯s body hitting the mountain wall and Ao Qin¡¯s axe striking sounded simultaneously. The veins of fire were almost entirely cut, with only a few remaining, and it was just the last chop needed to completely sever them. "No..." Shen Luo shouted loudly when he saw Ao Qin raising the golden axe again. However, Ao Qin ignored him at that moment, the axe in his hand glowing with golden light, descending toward the last remaining fiery veins. With a bang, all the fiery veins were severed, cooling one after another. In an instant, the entire Underground Cave fell silent, even the continuous "rumbling" sound of fiery vein eruptions above seemed to gradually fade at this moment. Ao Qin didn¡¯t care. He immediately turned back to the red lotus platform and reached out to grab the Ancestral Dragon Horns. But just as his hand reached out, the red lotus platform below suddenly burst into radiance, and a bunch of crimson flames rose from the lotus petal, instantly burning his arm into a dissolved mass of flesh and blood. "Fool!" Shen Luo cursed upon seeing this. Shen Luo had long realized that the red lotus platform was the key to forming the Yan Sui Fire Vein here. The tree-shaped veins of fire on the wall were not a confluence but a source dispersing. Thus, cutting off the fiery veins wouldn¡¯t cool down the red lotus platform but would instead trigger a change above in the Yan Sui Fire Veins. "Ah..." Ao Qin let out a scream. Even though he hadn¡¯t figured out what was happening, he relied on sheer determination, forcefully grabbing the Ancestral Dragon Horns with a white-bone hand and yanking them from the center of the lotus platform. As he yanked out the Ancestral Dragon Horns, the flames on the platform followed, continuing to launch at Ao Qin. Shen Luo was not idle either. As he pointed forward, eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords shot out, with the Vermilion Bird and Golden Crow Sword Spirits simultaneously emerging, and they spread their wings to charge into the fire. Ao Qin, distracted by the red fire of the platform, had no time to block, and the eleven flying swords successively struck his arm. Already reduced to white bones and scorched by the Yan Sui Fire Veins, the arm was severed by the sword light, and the two Ancestral Dragon Horns fell down in the air. Despite the unbearable pain, Ao Qin grabbed forward with his other hand, securing one of the Ancestral Dragon Horns, while the other was carried by a flying sword escorted by the Vermilion Bird Sword Spirit, darting through the air towards Shen Luo. The two Ancestral Dragon Horns separated in two directions, and the flames from the platform split as well, flying up left and right before chasing in both directions. Ao Qin flipped himself away, storing the Ancestral Dragon Horns in his Storage Ring, while Shen Luo took the Horn from the Pure Yang Flying Swords and stored it away as well. For a moment, the two suspended flames seemed to lose their targets simultaneously, circled around, and then recombined back into the red lotus platform. The color of the lotus platform dimmed, and it no longer emitted scorching waves. "Quick, take that lotus platform," Ao Qin called urgently. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ao Zhan heard this, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes, but still fulfilled the Dragon King¡¯s order, flipping up and reaching for the dark red lotus platform. But just as he moved, the entire Underground Cave suddenly shook violently, and the layer of obstruction above unexpectedly shattered at this moment, with the fiery veins that hadn¡¯t yet cooled flowing down through the cracked rock crevices below. Ao Zhan gritted his teeth, ignoring the fiery veins about to pour on him, still risking his life to seize the red lotus platform. Unfortunately, Shen Luo was still a step ahead of him. Ten Pure Yang Flying Swords formed into a sedan chair, lifting the red lotus platform, with ten Golden Crow Sword Spirits surrounding it, supporting its backward flight, directly retreating towards Shen Luo. Shen Luo, while escaping at full speed, opened the Carefree Mirror Space, directly storing it within the Bamboo Tower. To be safe, he also left the ten Pure Yang Flying Swords inside, allowing the Golden Crow Sword Spirit to guard alongside. Shen Luo crossed the treasure ship to the other side, seeing Zhao Feiji still fighting against the Dragon Palace Monks, while the Eight-legged Sea Monster protected the Water Absorption tribe¡¯s children, fighting while retreating. And above their heads, the lava from Yan Sui Fire Veins was already dripping down along the previous crack; in other areas of the dome, there were many places breaking, with molten lava seeping through. Shen Luo protected himself with the Blood Essence Banner, wielding a stick single-handedly, and charged through, knocking away the Dragon Palace Monks blocking him, waving at Zhao Feiji, mentally signaling him before bringing him back into the Qiankun Bag. The two Eight-legged Sea Monsters and Zhu Mangqi saw Shen Luo rushing over, and happiness filled their eyes. "Quick, get in..." Shen Luo waved his hand again, a Door of Light from the Free and Easy Mirror opening before them. Zhu Mangqi hesitated not for a moment, jumping into the Door of Light immediately, not wanting to stay any longer in this ghostly place. However, the Eight-legged Sea Monster and the Water Absorption tribe¡¯s children did not move, causing Shen Luo to shout incessantly: "Hurry, leave here now." He shouted while pointing up at the rocky dome above. The Eight-legged Sea Monster understood, quickly hugging the Water Absorption tribe¡¯s child, and astonishingly heading directly towards the crack. Shen Luo paused, realizing that the area had been submerged by fiery lava, was about to shout a warning, suddenly remembered how the Eight-legged Sea Monster shielded him earlier, realizing he could withstand some of the fire veins. But before he could relax, a rumbling sound of collapse echoed, and the dome above them finally succumbed, collapsing completely. Massive boulders, mixed with fiery veins, began crashing down. The path for the two Eight-legged Sea Monsters was blocked, a boulder wrapped in lava was about to hit them when Shen Luo¡¯s figure flashed over. He quickly stowed away the Free and Easy Mirror, and his long stick began to spin rapidly, using a Splashy Chaotic Stick maneuver. In a flash, countless stick shadows flew out like snowflakes, instantly breaking the falling rocks into pieces. At the same time, Ao Qin and Ao Zhan had returned to the scene, calling the Dragon Palace People to maneuver the treasure ship, beginning to ascend in an attempt to escape to safety. "Kill them, don¡¯t let them escape," Ao Qin hysterically shouted. Upon hearing this, everyone on the treasure ship cast their mystic arts, and immediately, rays of mystic arts light shot rapidly toward Shen Luo¡¯s position. Chapter 1798 - 1794: Escaping Purgatory Chapter 1798: Chapter 1794: Escaping PurgatoryFacing the dense attacks, Shen Luo¡¯s Splashy Chaotic Stick showed no mercy, scattering the shadows of the sticks flying around, yet such actions inevitably impeded his movement, turning his escape attempt into mere wishful thinking. Just then, a giant tendril suddenly extended from beside Shen Luo, its massive suction cup firmly attached to the treasure ship, forcibly dragging the freshly launched treasure ship towards the ground with a strong pull. The treasure ship jolted fiercely and crashed down with a roar. Dust rose from the stern, the hull cracked, dozens of Water-Fire Beading Pills fell off, and the protective array enveloping the ship also broke open a huge gap, unable to maintain perfection. "Evil beast, seeking death!" Ao Qin, filled with rage, wheeled the golden axe in his hand towards the eight-legged sea monster. The golden axe blazed brightly, spinning rapidly in mid-air, transforming into a sharp, unmatched circular blade, heading straight for the eight-legged sea monster. Witnessing this, Shen Luo had to halt his Splashy Chaotic Stick¡¯s movements, shifting sideways to intercept, striking the golden axe with his stick. With a "clang," the golden axe was immediately knocked back. But at this moment, rocks and lava from above came crashing down, already unstoppable. Suddenly, Shen Luo felt a tightness at his waist, followed by tendrils wrapping around him, dragging him upwards. As he was about to be engulfed by Yan Sui Fire Slurry, his body was entirely wrapped inside the eight-legged sea monster, plunging into darkness. About several breaths later, accompanied by an unbearable heat, light finally showed before his eyes, and the massive tendrils encasing him gradually loosened. Shen Luo hurriedly escaped, only to discover he was back in the Purgatory Sea. He quickly utilized the Water Repelling Technique to envelop himself. The temperature of the Purgatory Sea was hotter than before, and Shen Luo, sweeping his gaze, noticed the eight-legged sea monster before him had its skin turned ash-gray, covered with large wax-yellow blisters, and it was already unconscious, looking extremely pitiable. Just as Shen Luo was about to carefully examine his injuries, a muffled explosion sound suddenly came from the seabed below, and a magma fire wave surged up from the seabed, rolling forward. He had to hold up the eight-legged sea monster with one palm, hugging the Water Absorption Tribe child with the other hand, and employing Water Techniques, he shot towards the sea surface like riding water dragons. The magma fire wave kept chasing closely behind, and Shen Luo could only flee without resting. However, the eight-legged sea monster was still in its demon form, being excessively large and cumbersome, Shen Luo used all his strength, yet his speed was ultimately insufficient, and he was about to be caught by the magma fire wave. But suddenly, a shadow swiftly swam from afar, gathering to block behind Shen Luo and opening a distance from the magma fire wave. Turning his head, Shen Luo realized that he was surrounded by the Water Absorption Tribe people. They took the eight-legged sea monster and the Water Absorption Tribe child from Shen Luo¡¯s hands, escorting them all the way to the surface. ... Shen Luo finally returned to the sea surface, and before he could celebrate, he was shocked to find that of the Ten Islands of the Big Ravine around him, nine had vanished, leaving only the tallest and largest Bivalve Island, along with a small portion of island mountains exposed above the water. While the sea area he was in was still rising with thick mist from the water surface. Approaching the edge of Bivalve Island, Shen Luo found the Water Absorption Tribe people gathering around. The Water Absorption Tribe child gestured to his tribesmen, using a unique low hum to communicate for a while, and Shen Luo finally understood that they were discussing his rescuing them. The leader of the Water Absorption Tribe gently stroked the child¡¯s head fondly, folding his arms over his chest, nodding heavily at Shen Luo, and the other tribesmen followed suit. Yet their bodies were stiff, more like shaking entirely in water rather than nodding. "Thank you, Human Race," the leader of the Water Absorption Tribe spoke, expressing thanks in human language. "No need, it was a promise between me and him," Shen Luo pointed at the Water Absorption Tribe child and said. The child immediately stepped forward, handing a large handful of Water-Fire Beading Pills to Shen Luo. Shen Luo didn¡¯t hesitate, collecting them all. "Is he alright?" Shen Luo glanced at the eight-legged sea monster and asked. "Just seriously burned, it¡¯s not too big a problem, we¡¯ll take good care of him," the Water Absorption Tribe leader said. "After this eruption, I fear your home has been destroyed. What are your plans? Offending the South Sea Dragon Palace, they won¡¯t easily let this go either," Shen Luo said. The Water Absorption Tribe people listened, their expressions somewhat dim. They were truly the victims of this incident, yet ultimately, they are also the ones left with no home. "Our Water Absorption tribe has lived chasing fire for generations, and now that the Yan Sui Fire Vein is destroyed, we must migrate away, regardless of whether home exists," the Water Absorption Tribe leader said. "If that¡¯s the case, I do have a recommendation for a place," Shen Luo pondered for a moment before speaking. "We are willing to listen in detail," the Water Absorption Tribe leader inquired. "In the East Sea waters, there is the Zhu Rong Basin, known as the isolated area of the East Sea, filled with lava volcanoes, extremely hot, yet although many fire fierce beasts reside inside, I reckon you will survive well there," Shen Luo said. "It sounds like a good place to go," the Water Absorption Tribe leader¡¯s eyes showed a hint of joy as he spoke. Hearing this, Shen Luo immediately took out a navigation chart, marking the location of the Zhu Rong Basin clearly and handed it to the Water Absorption Tribe people. "Here are some elixirs for healing injuries, please help me deliver them to him," Shen Luo took out a white jade porcelain bottle and handed it to the Water Absorption Tribe leader, saying. The Water Absorption Tribe leader accepted it, both parties exchanged thanks without speaking further, and they went their separate ways. Seeing the Ten Islands destroyed, Shen Luo lost the desire to take Zhu Mangqi back to see and directly rose with the wind, intending to return him to Mount Putuo. When he flew into the high altitude, he realized the whole area of the Big Ravine was shrouded in thick fog and smoke, completely obscuring the view inside. He turned, ready to ride his sword back to Mount Putuo, when two escape lights flew towards him. "Shen Luo..." A distant call reached, and an escape light arrived first, revealing the figure of Black Bear Demon. After him, the figure that appeared from the approaching escape light surprised Shen Luo, as it was none other than Yulin Immortal. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why have you come?" Shen Luo asked in surprise. "Brother Shen, what kind of trouble did you stir here causing the residents of Ten Islands of the Big Ravine to flee, saying the islands sank?" Black Bear Demon glanced at the smoky sea below, frowned as he asked. Yulin Immortal beside him also showed a face of confusion. "Well... it¡¯s a long story, let¡¯s leave first and talk on the way," Shen Luo said. "Alright." Black Bear Demon and Yulin Immortal exchanged glances and nodded. The trio transformed into rainbows again, heading towards Mount Putuo. Chapter 1799 - 1795 Falling into Mortal Desires Chapter 1799: Chapter 1795 Falling into Mortal DesiresWhen Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon returned to Mount Putuo, Shen Luo had already recounted most of the events that had transpired. "I didn¡¯t expect so much to happen in these two short days," the Black Bear Demon couldn¡¯t help but say. Beside them, Feather Immortal Yulin also wore a look of disbelief. "I always knew the Water-Fire Beading Pills were hard to obtain, thinking you¡¯d just have some trouble, yet I didn¡¯t expect such twists and turns," she said, furrowing her brows, with a hint of guilt. "Immortal, there¡¯s no need for that. If not for this ordeal, we wouldn¡¯t have encountered the Water Absorption tribe¡¯s predicament, and being able to rescue them certainly counts as a blessing earned," Shen Luo said, waving his hand with a smile. What he didn¡¯t say was that he had also seized an Ancestral Dragon Horn and the Red Lotus Platform from Ao Qin, gaining quite a haul; he just wasn¡¯t sure what had become of those from the South Sea Dragon Palace, buried deep under the Yan Sui Fire Vein seabed, which might spell disaster for them. "Immortal, these are the Water-Fire Beading Pills obtained this time; I haven¡¯t counted thoroughly, but a hundred should suffice," Shen Luo said, taking out all the Water-Fire Beading Pills given by the Water Absorption tribe. Feather Immortal Yulin took them, glanced over, and concluded with a satisfied nod: "Not just a hundred pieces, at least one hundred and thirty, enough to refine the Taiqing Pill." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Refine the Taiqing Pill?" Shen Luo asked with some surprise. This Feather Immortal Yulin had him search for the Water-Fire Beading Pills to assist in refining the Taiqing Pill. "After all, the Taiqing Pill aids in upgrading to the Taiyi realm, and even I am not entirely confident in successfully refining it, so I must prepare thoroughly beforehand. Although the Water-Fire Beading Pills are not medicinal spiritual materials, they are immensely useful in balancing the water-fire yin-yang changes in the cauldron," Feather Immortal smiled. "Are they used as fuel?" the Black Bear Demon asked in surprise. "Sort of, hence why so many Water-Fire Beading Pills are needed," Feather Immortal Yulin nodded. "I see, I¡¯m truly grateful for your efforts, Immortal," Shen Luo expressed his gratitude. "No worries," Feather Immortal Yulin waved her hand. "If you¡¯d said it like that earlier, you wouldn¡¯t have embarrassed me in front of Brother Shen, making me feel awkward for quite a while," the Black Bear Demon complained, looking at Feather Immortal Yulin. "After telling me his identity, I decided to help; I couldn¡¯t let him down, especially since he¡¯s Cai Zhu¡¯s spouse. I couldn¡¯t help him find the Water-Fire Beading Pills myself, so it also served as a little test for him," Feather Immortal Yulin replied. "No wonder Cai Zhu has so much face," the Black Bear Demon sighed. "Black Bear, if you¡¯re afraid of embarrassment, then take less upon yourself next time. I¡¯m not your private alchemist; mess with me again and I¡¯ll brew a cauldron of poison pills to kill you," Feather Immortal Yulin said with a cold glance. "Understood, understood..." the Black Bear Demon quickly shrank his neck, looking sheepish. "The Taiqing Pill refining cycle is uneven; it can be completed in as few as seven days or take several months. Today I will retreat to focus on refining the pill. As always, the success rate is fifty-fifty, depending on your luck," Feather Immortal Yulin said to Shen Luo. "I understand; Immortal should go ahead and refine without worry," Shen Luo replied. "To refine the Taiqing Pill, a hundred Water-Fire Beading Pills are sufficient. You can keep the rest. With the Water Absorption tribe migrating away, Water-Fire Beading Pills are scarce in the South Sea and their value will only rise," Feather Immortal Yulin said. "Immortal, please keep the remaining Water-Fire Beading Pills. I¡¯ve already felt awkward asking you to help refine the Taiqing Pill, it wouldn¡¯t be right to ask for a favor without a return. Besides, the Water-Fire Beading Pills are of little use to me and keeping them would be wasted. Immortal, please accept them without refusal. Additionally, I¡¯d like to offer two Nine-petaled Earth Heart Fire Lotuses as compensation. I hope Immortal will not decline." Shen Luo said earnestly. Saying this, he took out the Earth Heart Fire Lotuses, presenting them with both hands. Seeing this, Feather Immortal Yulin, unable to refuse, took them, said goodbye, and left. As she left, Shen Luo noticed the Black Bear Demon still staring at her departing figure, a silly smile creeping across his face. "Brother Black, I think you¡¯re falling for her," Shen Luo teased. "Brother Shen, don¡¯t say that, don¡¯t say that!" the Black Bear Demon¡¯s dark face instantly crumpled, somewhat embarrassed. "I think Feather Immortal Yulin is quite unusual toward you," Shen Luo continued. "Really?" the Black Bear Demon¡¯s eyes instantly brightened, eagerly asking. But after speaking, he hesitated and muttered to himself: "To be honest, I¡¯m a member of the Demon Race. Although Mount Putuo disciples are generally respectful, that sense of estrangement cannot be hidden. Feather Immortal Yulin belongs to the Crane clan, and we¡¯re both of the Demon Race, so we naturally get along better." "Brother Black, let me ask you¡ªhow many monks in Mount Putuo can freely go to the valley to ask Feather Immortal Yulin for help in alchemy?" Shen Luo asked with a change in tone. The Black Bear Demon counted on his fingers but couldn¡¯t come up with many, his face instantly broke into a smile. "Go ahead and enjoy it..." Shen Luo patted his shoulder, chuckling. Afterward, he strode off toward his residence, leaving the Black Bear Demon behind grinning foolishly. ... In the evening, Shen Luo sat alone in his room meditating, tending to his injuries. His arm burned by the Yan Sui Fire Vein still throbbed with needle-like pain whenever mana flowed through, though it had eased much compared to the earlier battle. After a long time, he ceased the hand gestures and stood up from the straw cushion, waving his hand to open the Carefree Mirror Space, planning to examine the Red Lotus Platform stored within. However, as soon as the light door opened, a figure suddenly rushed out, hurling curses at Shen Luo: "Family name Shen, trying to burn me to death? Suddenly throwing such a thing in here?" Shen Luo glanced over and saw Fire Spirit Child holding the Gu Xuan star disk, his beard and hair bristling with anger. The Gu Xuan star disk glowed with flowing light, with streams of blue light from the formation disc gathering into a complex blue light array in mid-air. At the center of the array, ten Pure Yang Flying Swords crisscrossed like a canopy, holding the Red Lotus Platform, which faintly flickered with red light, like starlight breathing, glowing bright then dim. "What¡¯s going on here?" Shen Luo feigned ignorance, asking. "What do you think is going on, casually throwing such a dangerous object like the Yan Sui Fire Crystal into my home? You ask what¡¯s going on?" Fire Spirit Child fumed, his face showing no sign of pleasantness. "Yan Sui Fire Crystal, what¡¯s that?" Shen Luo quickly changed the subject, feigning confusion. Chapter 1800 - 1796 Spring and Autumn Pavilion Offering Chapter 1800: Chapter 1796 Spring and Autumn Pavilion Offering"Yan Sui Fire Crystal is an extremely rare fire attribute spiritual material and a top-tier material coveted by all artifact refiners." Although Fire Spirit Child was angry, he subconsciously explained to Shen Luo. "Top-tier material!" Shen Luo exclaimed in shock. "Do you know that this kind of thing is generally born only in deep sea fire veins, taking thousands of years to form, enduring constant seabed pressure? Once it leaves the deep sea, without special preservation methods, it becomes extremely dangerous?" Fire Spirit Child retorted angrily. "This... I really didn¡¯t know." Shen Luo responded awkwardly. "You..." Fire Spirit Child was speechless for a moment, raising his hand to point at him but unable to speak. At this moment, a head suddenly poked out from the door of the Carefree Mirror Space, looking around cautiously. "I was so focused on healing that I almost forgot about you." Upon seeing this, Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but smack his forehead. He walked forward, grabbed Zhu Mangqi¡¯s collar, and pulled him out. "Shen... Elder." Zhu Mangqi stammered, a bit fearful. After all, he was just a Mahayana monk, having witnessed Shen Luo¡¯s true methods earlier, recalling his previous words and actions with Shen Luo, now he felt both regret and fear. "Brother Zhu, no need for that, just call me Brother Shen." Shen Luo said with a wry smile, leading him to sit at the table inside. "Brother Shen, if you have matters to discuss, I won¡¯t disturb you. I¡¯ll head back to Falling Sunset Island first." Zhu Mangqi said, barely touching the chair before quickly standing up. "Brother Zhu, my apologies. All the Ten Islands of the Great Ravine have already sunk." Shen Luo replied upon hearing this. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What?" Zhu Mangqi said in disbelief. "Falling Sunset Island is gone." Shen Luo said with a bitter smile. "So where are we now?" Zhu Mangqi looked around and asked. "This is Mount Putuo." Shen Luo said. Upon hearing this, Zhu Mangqi realized that Shen Luo was not joking and fell silent. "Brother Zhu, even if the islands were still there, you wouldn¡¯t be able to return. The Dragon Palace monks might still trouble you." Shen Luo patted his shoulder and said. "I know, but it¡¯s a pity about the family¡¯s wine..." Zhu Mangqi sighed and said. "What are your plans after this?" Shen Luo asked. "No real plan; I went to the Great Ravine just to kill time, with no hope for cultivation. Now... I¡¯ll just find another place to continue, no big deal." Zhu Mangqi said with a carefree smile. Shen Luo hesitated briefly and said, "How about I find a place for you, maybe not riches, but I can guarantee you won¡¯t be without wine." "Where?" Zhu Mangqi instantly became interested and asked. "Within Great Tang, in Chunhua County of Dengzhou, there¡¯s a Spring and Autumn Pavilion, a small cultivation sect. I can write a letter on your behalf, letting you serve as a leisurely sect offering there. How about it?" Shen Luo asked. Zhu Mangqi, upon hearing this, seemed hesitant and did not immediately reply. "Is there anything you¡¯re worried about? Speak freely." Shen Luo asked with a smile. "Will I be able to drink the Immortal Jade Brew you gave me there?" Zhu Mangqi asked. "What are you thinking? There¡¯s not that much Immortal Jade Brew, but there should be regular spiritual medicine brewed wine." Shen Luo thought he was worried about something important and felt speechless upon hearing this. "Forget it; if there isn¡¯t any, there¡¯s none. Just getting a sect to provide for me isn¡¯t bad." Zhu Mangqi laughed. "Then rest here for two days, and set off afterward." Shen Luo said. "No, no... I¡¯d better depart immediately. Brother Shen, you have a sect for support; I don¡¯t have the courage to stay in Southern Sea any longer." Zhu Mangqi waved quickly. Shen Luo thought for a moment and did not insist. He immediately took out a special talisman paper and drew a talisman on it, then placed it inside an envelope. "Just take this letter, find Pavilion Master Qin Ming at Spring and Autumn Pavilion, show him the letter, and he¡¯ll take you in." Shen Luo said. "That¡¯s all? No need for any token or anything?" Zhu Mangqi hesitantly asked as he took it. "This letter carries a strand of my divine soul, which will explain everything to him. Don¡¯t worry." Shen Luo explained. "Alright. Thank you, Brother Shen." Zhu Mangqi said happily. After bidding farewell, he was about to leave immediately. After sending him off from Mount Putuo, Shen Luo returned to his residence. Fire Spirit Child was still waiting for him inside, though he looked much calmer. "Young Shen, I always thought you were someone with deep schemes, but I didn¡¯t expect you to have this side." Fire Spirit Child teased. "Fire Daoist friend, has your temper cooled?" Shen Luo said nonchalantly. "What¡¯s the use of not cooling? What can I do about you?" Fire Spirit Child said helplessly. "That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. Fire Daoist friend, tell me: is it suitable to refine Pure Yang Flying Sword with the Yan Sui Fire Crystal?" Shen Luo asked with a smile. Fire Spirit Child didn¡¯t answer immediately but started pondering. "Logically, the Yan Sui Fire Crystal is definitely top-tier fire attribute spiritual material; using it to refine Pure Yang Flying Sword would ensure high quality, but... this Yan Sui Fire Crystal is quite special." Fire Spirit Child changed his tone and said. "Why? Is there any flaw?" Shen Luo asked in confusion. "No, the purity of this Yan Sui Fire Crystal is exceptionally high. When I say it¡¯s special, I don¡¯t mean it¡¯s bad, but rather it¡¯s too good, almost wasted on refining Pure Yang Flying Sword." Fire Spirit Child said. No matter how good a spiritual material is, it¡¯s only valuable if it¡¯s useful to oneself. If it¡¯s left unused, then isn¡¯t it just like a wooden stick? Shen Luo paused, refraining from speaking much despite the complaints in his heart. "Your eleven Pure Yang Flying Swords have sword spirits like the divine bird Vermilion Bird and the solar Golden Crow, each rare, correct?" Fire Spirit Child said. "Yes." Shen Luo nodded. "What if I told you that the Yan Sui Fire Crystal might also birth an intellectual spirit body, which could be used as a sword spirit?" Fire Spirit Child suddenly asked. Shen Luo was shocked upon hearing this, recalling the earlier scene when they contested Ao Qin for the Ancestral Dragon Horns, where two flames from the Yan Sui Fire Crystal pursued them. At that time, he found it odd; those flames seemed to have intelligent spirit bodies. Now, with Fire Spirit Child¡¯s hint, he realized it might be true. Chapter 1801 - 1797: The First Drop of Blood Chapter 1801: Chapter 1797: The First Drop of BloodFire Spirit Child observed the changes in Shen Luo¡¯s expression and knew Shen Luo understood it now, but immediately poured cold water on him. "Don¡¯t get too excited just yet. The spirit in the Yan Sui Fire Crystal has only begun to have a consciousness; it hasn¡¯t truly formed yet. Whether it can break through that boundary to become a true tool spirit depends on fate," Fire Spirit Child said. "Even the slightest chance is enough to bring joy." Shen Luo looked at the Yan Sui Fire Crystal as if a landlord gazing at a chicken that laid golden eggs for him, his face full of affection. "Then should it still be used for refining swords?" Fire Spirit Child asked. "No need, no need..." Shen Luo shook his head repeatedly. For refining swords, you can basically just use Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, but sword spirits are rare treasures. "Since you won¡¯t be refining swords, I have a method. You can try nurturing the Yan Sui Fire Spirit," Fire Spirit Child suggested. "Please teach me, Daoist friend." Shen Luo immediately responded. Fire Spirit Child glanced at him and slowly said, "The Yan Sui Fire Crystal has been nurturing itself over ten thousand years. From an energy standpoint, it¡¯s already sufficient. What is lacking is that touch of spirit transformation, and you need to help accomplish that." "How?" Shen Luo frowned. "Communicate with it," Fire Spirit Child replied. "How to communicate? Do you mean I should talk to it or use divine soul exchange? But it doesn¡¯t have the ability to communicate yet," Shen Luo asked, surprised. "If it had that ability, you wouldn¡¯t need to transform it. I mean, every seven days, you should spend an hour to refine a drop of your heart¡¯s blood, then infuse your divine soul into it. Use the True Solar Fire from the Pure Yang Flying Sword to merge it into the Yan Sui Fire Crystal," Fire Spirit Child continued. "Will that work?" Shen Luo asked in doubt. "Cold doesn¡¯t freeze in just one day, nor is this something that can be completed overnight. You might need to spend ten years, decades, or even hundreds of years to succeed," Fire Spirit Child replied. "If it¡¯s just one drop of heart¡¯s blood every seven days, that¡¯s fine. How will I know it has succeeded?" Shen Luo continued to ask. "Once you can feel its response, success is not far away. This method is slow and uncertain, but if it succeeds, the spirits will have a strong bond with you, making it easy and without resistance to refine them into sword spirits," Fire Spirit Child explained. "Them? The spirits? Fire Daoist friend, are you saying more than one Yan Sui Fire Spirit could emerge?" Shen Luo asked in surprise. "The shape of the Yan Sui Fire Crystal depends on fate. This piece resembles a lotus platform, with fifteen petals, and it¡¯s highly likely to produce up to fifteen spirits. However, it¡¯s also possible only one will emerge, and that depends on your fortune," Fire Spirit Child slowly explained. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Even if there¡¯s only one, it¡¯ll be good." Shen Luo nodded with pleasure upon hearing this. After saying this, he was about to try it immediately. "Alright, give it a try. I¡¯ll assist from the side and help stabilize this Yan Sui Fire Crystal. It¡¯s still quite unstable now," Fire Spirit Child thought for a moment and said. "Thank you." Shen Luo clasped his fists to thank him, immediately sat cross-legged, and began to gather his heart¡¯s blood calmly. About half a moment passed, Shen Luo raised his right hand with two fingers, while a drop of golden blood slowly gathered at the tip of his forefinger¡ªit was his heart¡¯s blood. "It¡¯s ready. Send it over," Fire Spirit Child reminded him, watching from the side. Shen Luo flicked his finger lightly, and the drop of golden-red heart¡¯s blood shot forth, passing through the Formation of the Gu Xuan star disk, landing upon the Yan Sui Fire Crystal with a "clink." A "hiss" was heard, as green smoke rose from the golden blood, which instantly penetrated the Yan Sui Fire Crystal, and then no reaction followed. "That¡¯s all?" Shen Luo asked, surprised. "Use the True Solar Fire to burn it a bit," Fire Spirit Child quickly suggested. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo, with a thought, made the Pure Yang Flying Sword supporting the Yan Sui Fire Crystal erupt in a golden flame, enveloping the entire red lotus platform. In the golden flames, the blood not only wasn¡¯t obscured but appeared even more conspicuous, and the Yan Sui Fire Crystal became transparent in the firelight. Shen Luo could even see with the naked eye a cluster of crimson flames gently swaying within the Yan Sui Fire Crystal, gradually engulfing his heart¡¯s blood. In an instant, the golden blood vanished completely, yet the flames swayed even more energetically, seemingly joyous. Yet soon, the flames dimmed down, and the entire Yan Sui Fire Crystal gradually lost its transparency, though the True Solar Fire continued to burn it. After a while, Shen Luo felt it was futile and withdrew the True Solar Fire. "Don¡¯t be disheartened. It wasn¡¯t meant to succeed in one go. Just nurture it slowly," Fire Spirit Child consoled upon seeing this. "That¡¯s all I can do." Shen Luo hadn¡¯t hoped for immediate success anyway and nodded. Just then, Fire Spirit Child¡¯s expression suddenly changed, staring intently at the red lotus platform. Shen Luo immediately tensed up, gazing toward it. "Isn¡¯t this interesting?" Fire Spirit Child suddenly grinned, with undisguised joy. "What¡¯s the matter?" Shen Luo asked, still somewhat confused. "You¡¯re really lucky. Just absorbing a drop of your heart¡¯s blood, the Yan Sui Fire Crystal stabilized," Fire Spirit Child said, waving his hand to dispel the Forbidden magic array of the Gu Xuan star disk. Exposed outside, the Yan Sui Fire Crystal remained unchanged, without any Spiritual Power Fluctuations spilling out. "I was worried I¡¯d have to constantly control the Gu Xuan star disk to stabilize it. Didn¡¯t expect it to calm itself. This suggests the spirit¡¯s spirituality is quite strong. I believe it won¡¯t take long to produce a genuine tool spirit," Fire Spirit Child said happily. Shen Luo felt joy upon hearing this, immediately waved his hand to collect all the Pure Yang Flying Swords, then summoned the Yan Sui Fire Crystal into his hand, cautiously touching it. The Yan Sui Fire Crystal emitted a warmth that wasn¡¯t scalding, indeed much more stable now. "Alright, keep it with you; refine a drop of heart¡¯s blood into it every seven days," Fire Spirit Child advised. "I won¡¯t forget," Shen Luo nodded, putting the Yan Sui Fire Crystal away. Seeing he didn¡¯t need to assist anymore, Fire Spirit Child waved his hand and returned to the Free and Easy Mirror. Shen Luo sat at the table for a while, flipped his hand to take out the Ancestral Dragon Horns, placing it on the table for closer examination. The Horns were deep red, with ancient tree-like patterns, not looking very conspicuous, yet it undeniably held a faint aura of the Dragon Clan. Perhaps suppressed by some seal, it appeared very weak. Shen Luo attempted to channel Mana into it, but no reaction occurred, so he gave up. He planned to take it to Eastern Sea next time, handing it to Ao Hong, as the residual soul of the Ancestral Dragon within him could surely unravel its mysteries. But no matter how much research now, it¡¯s probably useless. Chapter 1802 - 1798: The Pill is Formed Chapter 1802: Chapter 1798: The Pill is FormedIn a flash, forty-nine days have passed. Early morning, Shen Luo was sitting cross-legged in his room, with a Yan Sui Fire Crystal floating before him. Ten Pure Yang Flying Swords circled around, engulfed in blazing flames, refining a drop of golden blood into the fire crystal. As the fire crystal gradually absorbed the drop of essence blood, the True Solar Fire on the Pure Yang Flying Swords also gradually extinguished. At this moment, Shen Luo was surprised to find that the flame within the Yan Sui Fire Crystal had unknowingly split into fifteen weak flames, each resting on a lotus petal. "Does this mean that fifteen tool spirits might be born in the future?" Shen Luo pondered silently. Just as he was about to call the Fire Spirit Child to have a look together, a voice suddenly called from outside. "Hey, Brother Shen, Brother Shen..." Hearing it was the Black Bear Demon¡¯s voice, Shen Luo quickly stored the Yan Sui Fire Crystal, stood up, and went out to greet him. As soon as they met, Shen Luo saw the joy in his eyes and asked, "Brother Black, what good fortune has come your way to make you so happy?" "Come, come, Fairy Yulin has asked me to find you, saying the thing has been refined." The Black Bear Demon grabbed Shen Luo¡¯s sleeve and turned to leave. "The Taiqing Pill has been refined?" Hearing this, Shen Luo was also overjoyed and quickly followed the Black Bear Demon to the valley. The last time they came, they couldn¡¯t enter the valley, but today they found all prohibitions open for them. The two of them went straight to a cauldron house in the valley. Entering the cauldron house, the Black Bear Demon walked in effortlessly, leading Shen Luo straight into the alchemy room. Inside was a three-tiered gilded cauldron with a faint mist of colored radiance rising from it. Fairy Yulin gently waved a snow-white feather fan in her hand. Her face was pale, showing some fatigue. However, seeing Shen Luo and the Black Bear Demon enter, her eyes shone brightly, filled with satisfaction and joy. "Daoist friend Shen, you¡¯re in luck. This batch of Taiqing Pills was refined in just forty-nine days. I initially thought it would take at least three months even if they could be finished." Fairy Yulin said with a smile. "My small fortune is nothing compared to your high skills and alchemical arts, Fairy. It¡¯s you who created this wonder. You¡¯ve really worked hard this time, Fairy." Shen Luo cupped his fists, deeply bowing in salutation. Fairy Yulin did not refuse the gesture. After accepting the salute, she waved the feather fan toward the cauldron again. A white whirlwind entered the lowest chamber of the cauldron, causing the flames within to blaze intensely, and denser white mist burst from the cauldron top, swirling into clouds. "The pills are indeed finished, but how many pills this batch will yield, we still do not know." Fairy Yulin said. "Even if there is just one, I would be satisfied." Shen Luo said sincerely. "Just one? Wouldn¡¯t that ruin my reputation?" Fairy Yulin joked. As soon as she finished speaking, the lid of the cauldron, which had been trembling violently, suddenly flew up high. Three golden shimmering pellets shot out of the cauldron, soaring into the thick white clouds above. In an instant, the white mist was parted, and a peculiar fragrance spread out. The colorful clouds coalesced into a circular rainbow, encircling the three elixirs at its center. Seeing this, Shen Luo was delighted. He raised his hand to make a grasping motion in the void, and an invisible force reached out, coiling around the three elixirs and drawing them back to hover before him. After the elixirs were repositioned, the natural phenomena above the cauldron began to dissipate. The three elixirs in front of Shen Luo gradually cooled down as well, their golden light slowly fading, revealing a jade-like translucence, colored like green glass. And within the elixirs, fine strands of golden threads crisscrossed, creating a splendid display. The Black Bear Demon also couldn¡¯t help but lean forward to closely observe the elixirs in Shen Luo¡¯s hand, silently wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth. "Three pills, not bad, just as I expected." Fairy Yulin coughed lightly twice and said. "That¡¯s already excellent, thank you, Fairy." Shen Luo thanked profusely. "Alright, no need to be so polite. Just treat Cai Zhu well in the future." Fairy Yulin waved her hand and said. "Cai Zhu is my spouse, I naturally won¡¯t let her down." Shen Luo smiled and said. "The Taiqing Pills are refined, do you plan to enter seclusion for a breakthrough next?" Fairy Yulin nodded and asked. "That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been at the bottleneck of the Late True Immortal Stage for a long time. It¡¯s time to attempt a breakthrough." Shen Luo said. "You, your cultivation speed is really enviable yet frightening at the same time. Thinking back to when we first met, what realm were you in? Now, you¡¯re about to become a Taiyi Realm cultivator. Should I call you Elder Shen as soon as you emerge from seclusion?" The Black Bear Demon teased. "Breaking through to Taiyi is no easy feat." Shen Luo shook his head with a bitter smile. "Advancing to Taiyi is indeed not simple. Besides the Taiqing Pills, more preparations are needed. You must not be disturbed by external factors and must complete it all in one go." Fairy Yulin stated. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don¡¯t worry about it, Brother Shen. You just focus on your seclusion, and I¡¯ll protect and guard your path." The Black Bear Demon patted his chest, promising. Just as Shen Luo was about to decline the offer of such trouble, Fairy Yulin interjected: "This time, you really can¡¯t be careless. With the Black Bear Demon helping guard, you¡¯ll peacefully breakthrough. Also, you need to find the Senior Sister Sect Master to have her open the forbidden ground for your seclusion." "Alright, I will go request from Elder Green Lotus." Shen Luo considered for a moment after hearing this and said. "Before that, remember to fully heal your previous injuries, make sure not to bring any hidden wounds into seclusion." Fairy Yulin glanced at Shen Luo¡¯s previously injured arm and reminded him. "I know that, the earlier injuries have mostly recovered. Next, I¡¯ll adjust a bit more and will attempt the breakthrough when in peak condition." Shen Luo nodded. After leaving the cauldron house, Shen Luo went to find Fairy Qinglian, who, upon hearing his request, agreed without hesitation to allow Shen Luo to use a forbidden ground named "White Robe Cave" in the back mountain of Mount Putuo for seclusion. Shen Luo later found out that the White Robe Cave was once a place where Guanyin Bodhisattva secluded for cultivation. Ordinary disciples of Mount Putuo would not have the chance to enter, only core elders or their direct legacy disciples were eligible for seclusion cultivation inside. This made it clear that Shen Luo was no longer considered an outsider by Mount Putuo. After recuperating for seven days, Shen Luo, dressed in a white robe and accompanied by the Black Bear Demon, arrived at the White Robe Cave in the back mountain. After handling some matters, Shen Luo entered the White Robe Cave for seclusion, while the Black Bear Demon stayed outside the cave, reverting to his old role as a guardian. Upon Shen Luo¡¯s entry into the White Robe Cave, a stone door at the cave¡¯s entrance slowly descended, activating the protection array. A golden stream of light illuminated from the stone door, extending into the floor and walls inside the cave, drawing complex golden lines of a formation, casting a faint glow that lit up the entire White Robe Cave. At the center of the golden array, a stone lotus platform was also connected by golden lines, emanating a dim white Chapter 1803 - 1799 Crossing the Thunder Tribulation Chapter 1803: Chapter 1799 Crossing the Thunder TribulationShen Luo slowly walked into the center of the stone lotus platform and sat cross-legged. The moment he settled down, he felt a strange force spreading around him, with the faint sound of the "Purifying Heart Mantra" chanting in his ears, making him involuntarily quiet down. With his mind tranquil, Shen Luo began to adjust his breathing, gradually relaxing his whole state. After a long time, Shen Luo flipped his palm and took out a Taiqing Pill, putting it into his mouth and swallowing it directly. As the elixir entered his stomach, a warm current immediately rose from his Dantian. Despite the obstruction of flesh and clothing, a green light could be seen emerging from his Dantian, swirling silently to form a green misty vortex. Once the vortex formed, an invisible wind stirred within the White Robe Cave, and the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi began to congeal and gradually gather towards the vortex at Shen Luo¡¯s Dantian. Shen Luo was not unfamiliar with this feeling. It was the power-gathering phase before breaking through a cultivation bottleneck, a familiar sensation before every breakthrough. He immediately activated the skills of the Yellow Court Sutra, beginning to reveal the true power of the Seventy-two Changes. "The way of all things, the extreme change of all, the path of all things, the great journey in evolution, different names from the same source, called the profound, the ultimate profound, the gate to all mysteries..." The sound of Daoist chanting echoed thunderously in Shen Luo¡¯s mind, in stark contrast to his experiences in the Dreamland, as the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi entering from his Dantian began to seep into his bones and meridians, surging back to his limbs and bones. He could feel the spiritual energy that was flowing into his body was continuously washing and scrubbing his bones and muscles, slowly unlocking the restraints deeply held within him. Gradually, Shen Luo felt a clarity in the Sea of Knowledge, his ears slightly twitch, as if hearing the roar of rolling thunder. He looked up at the top above, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the mountain rock. "This time doesn¡¯t seem as spectacular as in the Dreamland!" Shen Luo¡¯s mind was slightly stirred. At the same time, the Black Bear Demon guarding outside the cave was about to sit cross-legged when suddenly heard a dull thunder sound coming from high up, the sound repressed like a beast¡¯s low growl. He looked up at the sky, slowly backing away until he reached a spot that couldn¡¯t be obstructed by the mountain peak of the White Robe Cave, and then saw thick dark clouds stacking down layer by layer above the Nine Heavens, incomparably heavy. An indescribable Heavenly pressure released from it, with golden thunder light flickering amidst the depths of the clouds, like a raging exotic beast about to unleash its unstoppable heavenly might. The Black Bear Demon instinctively grabbed a wine gourd and gave himself a big gulp, somewhat regretting impulsively coming to help Shen Luo as the guardian. "Don¡¯t worry, the Body Tempering Divine Thunder for advancement to Taiyi is not much different from the Heavenly Tribulation, as long as you don¡¯t interfere with Shen Luo crossing the tribulation, it won¡¯t harm others by mistake, so there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about." At this time, a figure floated over. The Black Bear Demon turned to look, finding Fairy Qinglian hovering in the Void behind him, asking concernedly: "Can Friend Shen hold on?" "The Body Tempering Divine Thunder is originally for aiding in refining the physique, it¡¯s crucial for Taiyi Realm cultivators, whether he can withstand it means how solid his foundation in Taiyi Realm is, so regardless of holding on or not, he must hold on." Fairy Qinglian said. After speaking, she looked at the celestial anomaly in the sky again, sighing inwardly: "Just from this display of a celestial anomaly, it is quite extraordinary." After her words fell, Fairy Qinglian had already floated away. The Black Bear Demon watched as a golden light rose in the thick dark clouds above, then a golden python leapt out from within, instantly flying into the mountain top of White Robe Cave, disappearing from sight. Yet, inside the cave, suddenly resounded with booming noises, causing the entire mountain peak to tremble violently. The real Thunder Tribulation had begun. ... "Boom Boom Boom" Inside White Robe Cave, the sound was earth-shattering, as a golden python suddenly emerged above Shen Luo¡¯s head, striking down upon his top of the skull, instantly transforming into dazzling golden thunder light, bouncing and scattering throughout the cave. This time, Shen Luo did not use any Magical Treasures to obstruct the Gold Thunder, but purely used his flesh to receive the thunder and lightning, wanting to use the power of the Thunder Tribulation to cleanse his essence and temper a body even greater than during Dreamland traversal. Only by doing so could he, in the future, when closer to the Heavenly Venerate Realm, have the opportunity to further advance from hundred feet away. The moment the lightning poured into the body, Shen Luo felt his Divine Sense was almost paralyzed by the lightning, the current instantly piercing through his flesh and bones, golden electric threads flowing within his bones and meridians, erupting with scorching power. His flesh began to disintegrate amid the interwoven electric lights, yet suddenly a green light arose from the Dantian, starting to gushing out, roaming through his limbs and body. That was the power of the Taiqing Pill, only truly triggered when struck by the Thunder Tribulation. Shen Luo endured the intense pain, looking up to see, through the mountain peak, high above, witnessing clouds surrounding strips of snow-white lightning, fiercely coiling around, seemingly rapidly gathering. Amidst a thunderous sound "boom", white clouds carrying lightning congealed into four towering hundred-feet white Thunder Cloud Pillars, densely engraved with numerous thundercloud patterns, with a statue of an Evil Deity, with disheveled hair and face resembling a ghost, bearing wings on its back standing at the top, which did not seem unfamiliar to Shen Luo. Scenes of Dreamland traversal breakthrough to Taiyi Realm he had faced were now replaying like a revolving lantern in his mind. The experiences and lessons absorbed then had given him more sure-footed confidence to handle the inevitably intensifying Thunder Tribulation ahead. Shen Luo even crazily called out in his heart: "Let the storm of thunder come more fiercely!" Above the Nine Heavens, only the frenzied roaring thunder replied to him! ... This thrilling Thunder Tribulation lasted for three days and three nights. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The entire Mount Putuo was shaken for three days and three nights by the constant explosions of thunder, most disciples in the sect had never personally witnessed the Heavenly Tribulation of the elders breaking through to the Taiyi realm, many had not even seen the Heavenly Tribulation when breaking through to True Immortal. Thus, the incessant clashing thunder over these three days and nights brought them immense shock. During this time, quite a number of people came to the vicinity of White Robe Cave, wanting to feel the mighty power of Thunder Tribulation up close, besides some deeply cultivated elders, most were driven away by the Black Bear Demon. Nie Caizhu, originally in closed seclusion, was awakened by the commotion, upon exiting the seclusion and learning it was Shen Luo crossing the Taiyi Thunder Tribulation, she could no longer calm down to continue secluded cultivation. She also joined the Black Bear Demon, becoming a guardian outside White Robe Cave for Shen Luo. On the fourth day at dawn, as the light broke through the horizon, the thunder above the Nine Heavens finally ceased, everyone was stunned by the final spectacle of intertwined nine strands of golden thunder, descending like a thunder formation. Quite a few Elders, upon seeing this thunder formation appear, immediately determined the life and death of the person crossing the tribulation inside, believing that he was doomed, impossible to survive such a degree of Thunder Tribulation. Even the Black Bear Demon was unsettled, believing that even with his body¡¯s toughness, he could certainly not survive, not even endure till the end of that thunder formation, and had already turned to ash. Only Nie Caizhu remained, though the worry on her face did not diminish, her eyes consistently sparkled with firm light, she always believed, Shen Luo would undoubtedly succeed in crossing the tribulation, complete transformation... Chapter 1804 - 1800: Fall Chapter 1804: Chapter 1800: FallAt the same time, the golden array pattern within the White Robe Cave had disappeared, and the entire cave was pitch black. A nauseating smell of charred flesh lingered everywhere. There was no sign of Shen Luo¡¯s body on the dim ground, only a formless mass of flesh lying there. This mass of flesh was covered by a layer of charred black shell, with wisps of white smoke rising from it, appearing to be about seven or eight-tenths cooked, even if not completely done. But just at this moment, the mass of flesh suddenly moved. With a crisp "crack," the sound echoed particularly clearly in the empty cave. Immediately, the shell on the surface of the black flesh cracked, and a gap opened, revealing a jade-like green light. "Crack... crack..." The sound of cracking continued, and the initial gap began to spread like a spider web, with each fissure emitting a bright green glow. Suddenly, a large gap opened in the black shell, and an arm as white as jade reached out from the flesh shell. It was thin like a skeletal hand, yet transparent like warm jade, with golden bones faintly visible inside. After the arm reached out, it pressed against the ground, and then a bony spine suddenly rose up, shattering the black flesh shell completely. A very skinny naked figure sat up from within, none other than Shen Luo. At this moment, he looked like a famine-stricken refugee, his whole body thin like skin and bones, yet his skin exuded a faint translucent gloss, and the bones revealed inside seemed as if coated with a layer of gold, glimmering with a golden light. At his Dantian, the last ingested Taiqing Pill was still glowing with a faint emerald green light. Shen Luo struggled to lift his head, suddenly wrinkled his nose, and took a sharp breath. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a flash, the wind around surged fiercely, with streams of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi rushing into his nostrils, causing his body to swell rapidly, soon becoming as large as a water jar. As Shen Luo exhaled again, white mist slowly escaped from his lips, and his swollen body began to shrink quickly, gradually returning to its original appearance. His eyes shone like stars, with a sparkling brightness, and with a casual wave of his hand, a green Daoist robe donned onto his body, bringing him very close to the immaculate, flawless glazed physique. Shen Luo didn¡¯t dwell too much on the changes in his body. He needed to make the most of his recent breakthrough to Taiyi, as the concentrated spiritual energy of this place, coupled with the still-open pores around him, allowed him to further consolidate his cultivation level. He sat back down cross-legged, waved his hand to sweep away the remaining meat shell scraps in front, and then formed a hand seal with both hands, his body beginning to glow with a radiant light. The next instant, Shen Luo was stunned. The spiritual energy between Heaven and Earth around him surged madly towards his body under his guidance, and his Dantian consumed it, insatiably, relentlessly devouring the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. "It¡¯s so much faster than before!" Shen Luo sighed with emotion. He used to draw in Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi faster than others, and now it was almost twice as fast as before. Shen Luo sank his thoughts, focusing completely, continuing to wildly devour the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. ... A day passed in the blink of an eye. At midnight, Shen Luo suddenly awoke from his state of absorbing Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. At this moment, his body was steadily radiating spiritual power fluctuations of the early-stage Taiyi, though the absorption of the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi still continued, not yet fully complete. Shen Luo¡¯s expression changed slightly, he glanced downward at the ground, and then slowly closed his eyes again. His divine soul journeyed inward from his Little World to his Dantian, where the last suspended Taiqing Pill was still exerting its medicinal power, assisting Shen Luo in absorbing and transforming the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi. Shen Luo¡¯s divine soul paused briefly, then extended downward, reaching into the Underworld. Just as the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi had almost been absorbed completely by him, a peculiar, slightly chilly spiritual energy had unexpectedly surfaced from the Underworld, gathering towards his body as well. Following this stream of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi downward with his Divine Sense, Shen Luo soon discovered a quite thick Underground Spiritual Vein, extending deep beneath Mount Putuo. "This is... Mount Putuo¡¯s Underground Spiritual Vein?" Shen Luo felt a tightness in his heart. The reason a piece of land could become a Blessed Land and Cave, a dojo for immortals and spirits, naturally relied on the land being extraordinary, with remarkable geomancy, and whether an underground Spiritual Vein was present was a crucial factor. The Underground Spiritual Vein was also one of the key elements for Mount Putuo to be a foundational stronghold of its sect. Shen Luo subconsciously wanted to stop drawing from the Underground Spiritual Vein, as after all, it was detrimental to the interests of Mount Putuo. However, just as this thought emerged in him, an anomaly occurred within his body. The black seed that had always remained quiet within his Meridian suddenly became active. Its black root silently pierced through the Void, embedding itself into the Underground Spiritual Vein of Mount Putuo. As soon as the black root entered the Underground Spiritual Vein, the black seed began to emit a black light within Shen Luo¡¯s body. Immediately, the spiritual power within the Underground Spiritual Vein flowed uncontrollably along the root, crazily surging into Shen Luo¡¯s body, at a speed astonishingly ten times faster than his normal mana absorption. As Shen Luo¡¯s internal mana grew rapidly, the spiritual power within Mount Putuo¡¯s Underground Spiritual Vein began to deplete quickly, causing the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi throughout Mount Putuo to become violently unstable. All over Mount Putuo, people were alarmed. No one knew what had happened, and panic spread among the populace. Outside the White Robe Cave, Nie Caizhu, already anxious over Shen Luo¡¯s prolonged absence, suddenly sensed the change in the surrounding Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, which made her expression change slightly. Nie Caizhu suspected it might be related to Shen Luo, but since she wasn¡¯t a Taiyi Cultivator, she couldn¡¯t be sure. As she hesitated whether to enter the White Robe Cave to check the situation, she suddenly noticed a figure swiftly approaching from a distance, landing outside the White Robe Cave in the blink of an eye. "Master." Nie Caizhu quickly greeted. "We¡¯ll talk later." Fairy Qinglian bypassed Nie Caizhu directly and arrived at the entrance of the White Robe Cave. She waved her hand, directly breaking the prohibition of the Cave Mansion, and stepped inside. It is most taboo to be suddenly interrupted during secluded cultivation. If the person in seclusion is at a critical moment, it might even endanger their life. Thus, Nie Caizhu and the Black Bear Demon were both startled and hurriedly followed her inside. "Shen Luo, stop now." Fairy Qinglian¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, with a tone of urgency. Shen Luo was still immersed in the joy of the Meridian Seed, madly absorbing the power of the spiritual vein, and did not immediately stop his actions. Chapter 1805 - 1801: Strongest in the Same Realm Chapter 1805: Chapter 1801: Strongest in the Same RealmFairy Qinglian saw the situation, her eyes focused, and her figure instantly turned into a lotus shadow, appearing directly behind Shen Luo. She raised a palm and gently tapped Shen Luo¡¯s head, a surge of mana was immediately transferred into Shen Luo¡¯s body, interrupting the flow of his own mana. Only then did Shen Luo awaken from the previous state of meditation. "Fairy Qinglian." Shen Luo saw the few people suddenly appearing in front of him and finally realized what had happened. As his mana operation halted, the Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the underground spiritual vein of Mount Putuo also stopped being absorbed by his newly sprouted seed, and the chaotic state of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi throughout Mount Putuo gradually returned to normal. "Shen Luo, do you know you¡¯ve committed a grave mistake?" Fairy Qinglian gazed at Shen Luo, speaking. "Junior acknowledges the mistake." Shen Luo nodded immediately. "Nevermind, can¡¯t entirely blame you. Just ascended to the Taiyi Realm without a guide; some things you don¡¯t know are understandable." Fairy Qinglian remarked, her expression softening slightly. "Please, Elder, kindly enlighten me." Shen Luo, hearing this, knew there was something he was unaware of, and immediately inquired. Fairy Qinglian glanced at Shen Luo, then at Nie Caizhu and the Black Bear Demon behind him, then spoke: "What did you feel just now when breaking through the realm?" "Nothing particularly special, except my physical body becoming more solid. Also, it seems the speed of absorbing Heavenly Spiritual Qi has increased a lot." Shen Luo pondered for a moment, replying. He actually knew all this except for the incomprehensible direct absorption of the underground spiritual vein. But concerning that mysterious seed, he couldn¡¯t directly ask. "Well said, in the Taiyi Realm pursuit of a flawless body of colored glaze, the flesh and bones are forged like Gold Branch Jade Leaves, strong and firm like magical treasures." Fairy Qinglian paused momentarily before continuing: "Due to this, the meridian dantian in the human body undergoes qualitative enhancement; during cultivation, the speed of absorbing Heavenly Spiritual Qi skyrockets. Correspondingly, Taiyi cultivators needing an enormous amount of spiritual energy for advancement can¡¯t be satisfied by using elixirs alone; more Heavenly Treasures containing Heavenly Spiritual Qi are needed." "Elder, could it be my previous absorption of the underground spiritual vein was caused by an excessively fast swallowing speed, making the surrounding Heavenly Qi inadequate?" Shen Luo, hearing this, had some guesses but felt something was off and continued asking. Upon hearing this, both the Black Bear Demon and Nie Caizhu were stunned, finally understanding what had occurred and why Fairy Qinglian abruptly entered the White Robe Cave, disrupting Shen Luo¡¯s retreat. "Indeed. When monks first upgrade to the Taiyi stage, this situation typically doesn¡¯t occur. Only with continuous cultivation advancement, even reaching the middle or later stage of Taiyi, will direct absorption of the underworld spiritual vein¡¯s power happen. Hence, you¡¯re extraordinarily unique." Fairy Qinglian said. "Master, won¡¯t he have any hidden concerns?" Nie Caizhu asked worriedly. "No, this isn¡¯t a bad circumstance; it indicates his foundation upon initially reaching Taiyi is exceptionally solid. Although future cultivation advances may be slower, within the same realm, a stronger individual than him is rare." Fairy Qinglian replied. Nie Caizhu, hearing this, immediately turned her worries into joy. Yet, Shen Luo was apprehensive, as the actual entity directly absorbing the underground spiritual vein wasn¡¯t him but that mysterious seed hidden in his meridians. However, the spiritual power absorbed by the seed was directly fed back into his body, seemingly indistinguishable from his own absorption. "So that¡¯s how it is." Shen Luo slowly said. "Now close your eyes and feel any anomaly in the spiritual energy absorbed just now?" Fairy Qinglian instructed. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Following the instruction, Shen Luo closed his eyes to examine the spiritual energy absorbed into his body. After repeated checks without finding anomalies, he discerned from Fairy Qinglian¡¯s tone and demeanor that this "normalcy" might actually be abnormal. Sure enough, observing Shen Luo¡¯s peculiar expression, Fairy Qinglian opened her mouth: "Don¡¯t worry, the peculiarity in your spiritual energy is normal. Though more intense, the Heaven and Earth Aura within the spiritual vein is affected by its environment, making the spiritual energy more chaotic and mixed. You absorbed it extensively without refining it; anomalies are natural." Silently hearing, Shen Luo felt even stranger. Was it due to that mysterious seed? "Certainly, I didn¡¯t filter or purify the spiritual vein energy; the initial absorption by the spirit seed must have purifying effects, resulting in this state." Shen Luo pondered internally. "Remember, although spiritual veins are beneficial, don¡¯t be overly greedy. Don¡¯t absorb too much at once. Within your body, refine it internally, purifying it before absorption; otherwise, it¡¯ll be harmful." Fairy Qinglian warned. "Junior understands." Shen Luo replied calmly. Secretly joyful, Shen Luo thought if the spirit seed indeed filtered impurities, he could absorb as much spiritual vein energy as desired. "Additionally, Shen Luo, an underground spiritual vein is a sect¡¯s foundation. Don¡¯t extract randomly; otherwise, it could form deadly enmity and bring about fatal calamity." Fairy Qinglian then cautioned. "This... Junior understands. This incident happened suddenly; please forgive me, Elder." Shen Luo cupped his fists. "Ignorance isn¡¯t sin. By the way, congratulations on successfully advancing to the Taiyi Realm. With such speed and aptitude, your future achievements won¡¯t be low. Just keep your original intention and don¡¯t forget your purpose." Fairy Qinglian said seriously. "Merely luck; Junior is far from a true mighty monk. Though many can¡¯t be guaranteed, keeping my heart¡¯s intent unchanged won¡¯t waver." Shen Luo replied steadfastly. Fairy Qinglian nodded, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes, saying: "Good. Here is a bottle of Three Thousand Foundation Pills, my collection over many years. Use them to consolidate your foundation and stabilize your realm." Speaking, she swiftly retrieved a white jade porcelain bottle with a swan neck and handed it to Shen Luo. "Thank you, Elder, for the generous gift." Shen Luo took it, bowing respectfully. Simultaneously, Fairy Qinglian¡¯s utterance echoed in the Sea of Knowledge: "Watching the Three Realms grow more chaotic, your diligent cultivation impresses me greatly. Now that Cai Zhu is your spouse, once chaos arises again, ensure her safety." Silently, Shen Luo nodded heavily. Fairy Qinglian soon departed. Despite Nie Caizhu and the Black Bear Demon having many questions, they couldn¡¯t delay Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation and left swiftly. Shen Luo re-closed the White Robe Cave and consumed a Three Thousand Foundation Pill gifted by Fairy Qinglian. Mount Putuo¡¯s surrounding Heavenly Spiritual Qi was excessively absorbed by him. Despite ample spiritual energy in the underground spiritual veins, further absorption wasn¡¯t possible; this bottle of Three Thousand Foundation Pills became Shen Luo¡¯s greatest aide in replenishing his dantian and solidifying his cultivation Chapter 1806 - 1802: Innate Spiritual Object Chapter 1806: Chapter 1802: Innate Spiritual ObjectTime flew by, and three days had passed. After three days, Shen Luo, having consumed half a bottle of Three Thousand Foundation Pills, was finally brimming with mana, completely stabilizing his early-stage Taiyi cultivation. He even felt better than when he broke through in Dreamland. However, he didn¡¯t rush to leave seclusion. Instead, he continued to stay in the White Robe Cave, opened the Carefree Mirror Space, summoned the Fire Spirit Child, and recounted the previous events to him. "Is there really such a strange occurrence? No way, you have to try again. Let me see." Fire Spirit Child¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Shen Luo raised his arm, the power surged within his Meridian, and his arm immediately emitted a white light. His skin and flesh became transparent, soon revealing the form of the seed on the golden bones above. The two leaves slightly swayed, appearing much larger than before, and the divisions on one root had also increased significantly, gently swaying with the flow of mana. "What are you standing around for? Continue..." Fire Spirit Child urged with wide eyes. "Continue what?" Shen Luo looked confused. "Of course, continue absorbing the underground spiritual vein, or what else are you showing me?" Fire Spirit Child said matter-of-factly. "No, no, touching the Mount Putuo underground spiritual vein again, not to mention Fairy Qinglian, even Cai Zhu will be mad at me," Shen Luo quickly waved his hand and refused. Fire Spirit Child pursed his lips, looking regretful, then leaned in closer to carefully examine Shen Luo¡¯s arm. "Send some mana in, stimulate it, and let me see," Fire Spirit Child said. Shen Luo hesitated for a moment, then directed some of his mana into the Black Seed. Suddenly, the spiritual seed flashed with Black Light, vaguely emitting a weak breath that quickly disappeared again. Fire Spirit Child¡¯s eyes flickered, as if shocked, hesitantly saying, "Try it once more..." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shen Luo immediately stimulated with mana again, and the Black spiritual seed flashed Black Light once more, emitting a small breath. After observing, Fire Spirit Child paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, muttering, "Impossible, impossible, how can this be..." "What on earth is happening?" Shen Luo asked with a frown. "Recite to me again how you acquired this seed," Fire Spirit Child earnestly said. Shen Luo had to patiently recount it once more. "Shen Luo, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this thing is likely one of the innate spiritual items left from when Heaven and Earth first opened. It is the legendary Chaos Black Lotus seed. If this item can truly grow, it may be able to refine all vitality in the world," Fire Spirit Child pondered for a long time, then said. "Refining all vitality in the world... Fire Daoist friend, are you sure you¡¯re not joking with me?" Shen Luo narrowed his eyes and asked. "When have you ever seen me more serious than now?" Fire Spirit Child replied with a serious expression. "Then this time, I¡¯ve really stumbled upon a treasure," Shen Luo said with great delight. "Don¡¯t be so quick to rejoice. Since the opening of Heaven and Earth, the Stellar Shift, Vast Ocean and Mulberry Fields, this world has changed so much, and the environment is vastly different from ancient times. It is already extremely difficult for this Chaos Black Lotus seed to sprout in today¡¯s environment. Although it has grown roots now, it¡¯s still a long way from true growth," Fire Spirit Child said. "Stop beating around the bush and just tell me how I can make it continue to grow," Shen Luo straightforwardly asked. "Since this thing is a product from the opening of the ancient Heaven and Earth, I fear that only the innate vitality that filled the world at that time can further spur its growth," Fire Spirit Child said. "Since the creation of Heaven and Earth, countless ages have passed, and innate vitality has long scattered and vanished or converted into ultimate treasures of innate nature. Where can it be found now? If that¡¯s the case, does it mean there¡¯s no chance?" Shen Luo frowned and said. Upon hearing this, Fire Spirit Child was also at a loss for a good solution for a moment. "No, if what you say is true, then why this time has the leaf of the seed grown significantly larger, and even the roots have thickened considerably. Isn¡¯t that counted as growth?" Shen Luo suddenly thought of something and quickly said. "I can¡¯t really say for sure either. It might be that the changes this time have something to do with the state you were in when you advanced to Taiyi," Fire Spirit Child pondered. "How so?" Shen Luo furrowed his brows and asked. "Your transformation in advancing to Taiyi, to some extent, is also a grand refining of Heaven and Earth, a bit of transforming the acquired into the innate, a return to simplicity. In that state, your body was able to emit innate power, and it might be that power which prompted the change in the Chaos Black Lotus seed," Fire Spirit Child analyzed calmly. "So, does that mean I have to advance to Heavenly Venerate again and undergo another transformation from acquired to innate to possibly let it continue growing?" Shen Luo said, feeling speechless. "Even that may not be enough..." Fire Spirit Child added fuel to the fire. Shen Luo fell into silence, beginning to carefully recall the previous instances when the Chaos Black Lotus seed had shown its effects. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh and said, "No, what you said isn¡¯t right." "What¡¯s not right?" Fire Spirit Child was startled by him. "In the past, this Chaos Black Lotus seed also displayed wonderful powers, only it devoured Chiyou¡¯s power, which contained the most pure innate demonic Qi. If we go by that logic, either you have it wrong, and this thing isn¡¯t an innate spiritual seed at all, or the growth of this Chaos Black Lotus doesn¡¯t shy away from absorbing either innate spiritual energy or innate demonic Qi," Shen Luo said, pointing at the Chaos Black Lotus within his arm. "What you say isn¡¯t without possibility..." Fire Spirit Child hesitated. "No matter what, we¡¯ll know by testing it," Shen Luo smiled broadly and said. With that, he waved his hand and retrieved the Blood Claw Stab from the Carefree Mirror, which was a demonic artifact of Chiyou, likely still containing traces of innate demonic Qi. Thus, Shen Luo, with a thought, brought the Blood Claw Stab close to his left wrist, using his divine soul and mana to simultaneously stimulate the Chaos Black Lotus seed. Fire Spirit Child also widened his eyes, focusing intently on that area. They saw the Black seed suddenly move slightly, and that Black breath once again emanated, and the root growing from below it, like an incredibly delicate little hand, reached outside Shen Luo¡¯s body. It did not pierce Shen Luo¡¯s skin but seemed to stretch out from the Void, directly striking the Blood Claw Stab. The moment the two made contact, the Blood Claw Stab visibly shook, causing Shen Luo¡¯s body to involuntarily tremble. Immediately afterward, strands of visible black demonic Qi flowed out from the Blood Claw Stab, showing no signs of dispersing or vanishing, all adhering to the Chaos Black Lotus¡¯s root, crawling along it into Shen Luo¡¯s body. Chapter 1807 - 1803: Immortal Couple Chapter 1807: Chapter 1803: Immortal Couple"There really is quite a lot!" Shen Luo¡¯s mind tightened slightly, but he remained motionless, letting the pure and unparalleled Chiyou demonic qi enter his body through the roots. However, at the moment the demonic qi entered his body, Shen Luo didn¡¯t sense anything unusual. All the demonic qi was tightly bound by the Chaos Black Lotus roots, not harming Shen Luo in the slightest, directly entering the Black Seed instead. With the Chiyou demonic qi completely drawn away, the breath emitted from the Blood Claw Stab weakened slightly, the change was not obvious, but the originally threatening aura felt by Shen Luo had greatly diminished. At the same time, the seed of the Chaos Black Lotus changed again, the crack at its top split open, and a small shoot emerged, stretching out another slender leaf, becoming three leaf petals. "Haha, it really works..." Shen Luo was overjoyed. "Shen... Daoist friend, don¡¯t be happy too early..." At this moment, Fire Spirit Child, who was already dumbfounded, stutteringly spoke. "What¡¯s wrong?" Shen Luo asked with a frown. "Since this Chaos Black Lotus is an innate spiritual object, it is certainly not an ordinary item. As it continues to grow, it will gradually develop self-awareness." Fire Spirit Child explained. "What do you mean by this? Could it be that the Chaos Black Lotus will develop spiritual awareness and contend with me?" Shen Luo immediately grasped the key in Fire Spirit Child¡¯s words and asked with a frown. "Correct. Moreover, if you nurture it with innate spiritual energy, the result of your spiritual awareness contention is uncertain. But if you feed it with innate demonic qi, the spiritual awareness it develops will definitely be more formidable. Once it grows, if you cannot control it, it may even devour you instead." Fire Spirit Child explained. "Why didn¡¯t you say anything sooner? Are you trying to set me up deliberately?" Upon hearing this, Shen Luo was secretly startled. "Hmph, how was I supposed to know you would randomly create something that could really make this innate spiritual object grow further?" Fire Spirit Child said helplessly. "So what should we do now? Should we transplant it before it develops?" Shen Luo asked. "It struggled to find an environment where it could thrive and survive. How could it be easily transplanted? Even if you exhaust yourself and damage your body to remove it, where could you transplant it? Once removed, the Chaos Black Lotus would surely die." Fire Spirit Child explained. His tone contained rare concern for Shen Luo, yet he clearly had some reluctance towards the demise of the Chaos Black Lotus. "If it is absolutely necessary, that is the only way." Shen Luo¡¯s gaze focused as he spoke. "I actually have a solution that benefits both sides, worth a try." Fire Spirit Child hesitated before speaking. "If you have one, speak quickly." Shen Luo urged with a frown. "You can consider this Chaos Black Lotus as a magical treasure, try refining it. If you can truly refine it successfully, all crises will be resolved." Fire Spirit Child said. "Though this method is absurd, it might not be impossible. Once the Chaos Black Lotus develops spiritual awareness, wouldn¡¯t it be equivalent to an innate spiritual treasure? Then refining it would naturally follow." Shen Luo pondered. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, determined to refine the Chaos Black Lotus to fully control it. Fire Spirit Child saw Shen Luo no longer pursuing his responsibility, so he timely changed the subject and said: "Friend Shen, during your stay at Mount Putuo, I haven¡¯t been idle. I¡¯ve been refining the formation flags for the Du Tian Shen Sha¡¯s great formation. Just yesterday, I completed the ninth one and can already set up half of the Du Tian Shen Sha formation." "Really? Quickly show me." Shen Luo was immediately overjoyed. Fire Spirit Child raised his hand, and the nine Du Tian Shen Sha banners stood up one by one, neatly arranged before Shen Luo. Looking at the nine banners, Shen Luo was delighted, and for a moment, could not blame Fire Spirit Child. "Fire Daoist friend, your artifact refining skills are impeccable, you are indeed impressive." Shen Luo spoke, giving a thumbs up. Fire Spirit Child smiled proudly, put away the nine Du Tian Shen Sha banners, and returned to the Free and Easy Mirror. Shen Luo then tidied up a bit and walked out of the White Robe Cave. As he arrived outside the cave, he was truly shocked. Outside the cave door, there were densely packed hundreds of people, including many sect elders from Mount Putuo. "I was fortunate to borrow your treasured land for retreat, thank you all." Shen Luo bowed to everyone. After that, he straightened up, walked directly to Nie Caizhu¡¯s side, took her hand, and left. Wherever he passed, everyone made way, full of praise and admiration behind. "Truly a match made in heaven..." The Black Bear Demon couldn¡¯t help but admire. On the road, Nie Caizhu¡¯s face flushed red. Although they were already married as spouses, being like this in front of so many elders and disciples in such a public way still embarrassed her. "Cai Zhu, speaking of which, I still owe you a ceremony for becoming Daoist partners, according to the cultivators¡¯ customs, we should inform our friends, teachers, and the world." Shen Luo noticed her embarrassment and said with a smile. "As long as you¡¯re by my side, what ceremony, I don¡¯t care." Nie Caizhu said softly. Shen Luo opened his mouth, hesitating to speak. "Now is not a good time, Master says the Three Realms are becoming increasingly unstable, and you always find yourself in the center of chaos. I think... I think the ceremony should wait until everything calms down." Nie Caizhu said. Just like ordinary women, she said she didn¡¯t care about the ceremony, but how could she truly not care? She was just considerate, understanding Shen Luo¡¯s situation, and empathetic to his concerns. "Alright." Shen Luo nodded and they held each other¡¯s hands tightly. ... Several days later. Shen Luo went to bid farewell to Fairy Qinglian, planning to leave Mount Putuo. "Why is it every time something important comes up? You just broke through to Taiyi; why not stay a few more days?" Fairy Qinglian frowned. "Thank you, Immortal, for your kindness, but I have some personal matters to attend to, so I won¡¯t intrude any longer." Shen Luo said. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Are you going too?" Fairy Qinglian looked at Nie Caizhu beside Shen Luo and asked. "I hope Master will grant permission." Nie Caizhu nodded and said. "Since Shen Luo returned, you¡¯ve been spending more days drifting outside than cultivating in the sect, how can that be proper?" Fairy Qinglian pretended to be angry. "Master, although I travel outside, I have not neglected cultivation. Didn¡¯t you also praise me for the significant gains and progress in cultivation during my travels?" Nie Caizhu smiled and said. Fairy Qinglian thought for a moment, realizing it was indeed the case but could only sigh inwardly, "young women can¡¯t be kept." Ultimately, she could only give some advice before allowing the two to leave. Chapter 1808 - 1804: The Change of Yin Ridge Chapter 1808: Chapter 1804: The Change of Yin RidgeBefore the ancient tomb of the Yinling Mountains, a mass of green light emerged, swiftly spreading out to form a Green Array, with two figures flashing out from it¡ªShen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Their expressions changed instantly as they appeared. Before their eyes, the entire Yinling Mountain was shrouded in dense White Fog. This fog was eerily cold, and almost all flora had frozen and died, a layer of white frost overtaking the stones on the ground. "The last time we came here, there was no Yin Fog like this. It¡¯s only been a month, how has this place become so filled with Yin Sha?" Nie Caizhu looked around in surprise and said. "This ancient tomb once claimed countless lives of the great army of the past dynasty, and deep underground lies a Yin Vein leading to the Netherworld, inherently making it a top Yin Sha place in the world. However, the terrain here naturally creates a formation that confines ninety percent of the Yin Qi underground, with only less than ten percent leaking out. Judging by this scene, the underground tomb palace has undergone some changes, causing a massive leak of Yin Qi." Shen Luo said slowly. After advancing to the Taiyi Stage, his divine sense power drastically increased, enhancing his perception tenfold. Coupled with the Taiyi Stage¡¯s ability to communicate with the Earth Veins, one sweep of his Divine Sense was enough to detect the source of this place¡¯s Yin Qi. Only, something seemed to be concealing everything deep within the tomb palace, even beyond his abilities to clearly discern. "Could it be related to that cave?" Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes glimmered. "Perhaps, let¡¯s go check it out." Shen Luo held Nie Caizhu¡¯s delicate hand, and green light flashed over them, causing them to vanish once more. When Nie Caizhu¡¯s vision cleared, they had appeared in the Cave at the deepest layer of the ancient tomb. The broken seal Stone Pillars still lay scattered about just like the day they came, only above the Cave a Massive Dark Cloud had appeared at some unknown time, moving restlessly as if alive, emitting rumbling sounds. The Earth Veins of the entire tomb palace were disturbed, with countless Yin Qi drawn to the Dark Cloud, gathering madly, most Yin Qi being absorbed by the Dark Cloud, leaving the remainder scattered within the Yinling Mountains, which triggered the White Fog. "What is this?" Nie Caizhu looked surprised, raising one hand. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Whoosh" A long crimson shadow shot out from her sleeve, it was the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk, curling towards the Dark Cloud. But just as the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk touched the Dark Cloud, a massive wave of cold Qi attacked, freezing the Silk into an ice stick, falling like a stone from the sky. Nie Caizhu¡¯s face turned pale, as the cold Qi inside the Dark Cloud invaded her body through the Silk, her protective Spiritual Power seemingly ineffective, threatening to freeze her completely. At this moment, a hand pressed on her shoulder, injecting a vast and mighty warmth into her body, easily sweeping away the invading cold Qi and melting the ice on the Nine Heavens Immortal Silk¡ªit was Shen Luo, stepping in to help. "What kind of Monster are you, hiding in the shadows? Show yourself!" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes shot out two slender Green Lights, and his five fingers gripped the Void. Five gleaming Crimson Sword Lights stabbed into the Dark Cloud, spinning wildly. After advancing to the Taiyi Stage, with unmatched Mana as his support, he finally unleashed the full power of the Pure Yang Sword, the five Sword Lights within were blazing with fiery might, capable of slicing through the Void and incinerating anything in their path. The Dark Cloud in mid-air, impressive with Yin Qi, was breached as if by dry chunks, with majority being shredded, seemingly on the verge of complete destruction. At that instant, from deep within the Dark Cloud came a booming sound, and an enormous azure claw emerged, resembling eagle talons, yet somewhat like Dragon Claws, covered in massive azure scales, gripping the five Sword Qi. The sharp Sword Qi slashed against the azure scale armor, surprisingly leaving only shallow white marks. The azure claw tightly clenched, crushing the five Sword Qi to pieces. Shen Luo¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes shone two unusual Green Lights, and his five fingers gripped the Void. Five crimson Pure Yang Swords appeared out of nowhere. With a shake of his arm, the five flying swords vanished. In the next moment, fluctuations rippled in the Void above the azure claw, and five massive Hundred Feet long Sword Lights appeared in a flash. With a rumbling sound, golden flames wound around the surface of the Sword Lights, vanishing as they cleaved upon the azure claw. The azure claw¡¯s scale armor shattered, torn with five long wounds, numerous scales severed, flying scattered. A cry of pain echoed from the void behind the giant claw, green light burst forth from the claw tips like thundering lightning, astonishingly repelling all five Sword Lights. Without pause, the azure claw descended rapidly, directly seizing Shen Luo¡¯s head, leaving behind five long rifts in the Void, an imposing force that threatened to crush the sky descending upon him. Shen Luo felt not a hint of fear, waving his sleeve upward. The Turn Sky Seal shot forth from his hand, instantly expanding to the size of a Palace-sized giant seal, colliding with the azure claw. "Boom!" The vicious claw energy of the azure claw was completely shattered, the sharp claw edge also crushed, the azure claw forcibly rebounded upwards, retreating into the Dark Cloud once more. "Using the Turn Sky Seal with the Mana of the Taiyi Stage, truly exhilarating." Shen Luo thought joyfully. Previously wielding the Turn Sky Seal, this ancient Treasured item, felt laborious like a child swinging a Great Hammer. But now, having advanced to the Taiyi Stage, with doubled Mana and divine sense, wielding the Turn Sky Seal felt natural and effortless. "Shatter for me!" He gestured and pointed towards the Void, causing ancient runes on the Turn Sky Seal to radiate with light, releasing a dark red square Light Pillar that shot out, leaving numerous long rifts in the void, vanishing as it struck the remaining Dark Cloud. A crashing sound emerged from within the cloud, suggesting something had shattered, the remaining Dark Cloud completely dissolved, dispersing as wisps of Black Qi and vanishing. Furthermore, the dark red Light Pillar merely shattered the Dark Cloud, without impacting the Cave¡¯s top, demonstrating an exquisite level of control. With the disappearance of the Dark Cloud, Yin Qi within the Cave ceased gathering, returning everything to normal. "Cousin, what was that just now?" Nie Caizhu exhaled in relief, asking. "I don¡¯t know either, it seemed like some kind of gigantic beast. If it were merely strong, that would be one thing, but its ability to appear and disappear so mysteriously is truly rare." Shen Luo said, furrowing his brow as he retracted the Turn Sky Seal and the five Pure Yang Swords. "That thing seems to be devouring the Yin Qi of this place, could it be some kind of Yin Beast?" Nie Caizhu speculated. "Not sure, perhaps." Shen Luo said indifferently. "Fire Daoist friend, what do you think?" He sent the inquiry towards the Fire Spirit Child via sound transmission. "The Three Realms are filled with all sorts of strange beasts, what I recognize is merely a drop in the Vast Ocean." Fire Spirit Child shook his head. Hearing this, Shen Luo did not delve further, waving his arm. Six Black Big Flags flew out from the sleeve, covered in ancient Demonic Patterns, each bearing a humanoid monster image, some with human bodies and snake tails, seven arms on their backs, others with human heads and dragon bodies, entirely Crimson. The Big Flags fell throughout the Cave, with countless pitch-black Demonic Qi surging out, engulfing the entire Cave in an instant, forming a black Demonic Array that covered the entire Cave. Suddenly, ferocious roars sounded within the Cave, causing the nearby Void to tremble, some Spirit Power-laden minerals within the Cave were affected by the Black Demonic Qi, the Spirit Power inside swiftly dissipated, absorbed completely by the Black Demonic Qi. Chapter 1809 - 1805: The Reason Behind the Pillar’s Shattering Chapter 1809: Chapter 1805: The Reason Behind the Pillar¡¯s Shattering"Is this the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation?" Nie Caizhu curiously looked at the imposing black demonic array surrounding her, quickly shifting her gaze to the large banner with a human head and dragon body emblazoned all over with crimson patterns. This very pattern represents the ancestral witch lord of time, Zhu Jiuyin, which resonates subtly with the witchcraft power within Nie Caizhu¡¯s body. "I leave this array for you to control, be wary of that cyan giant claw attacking again." Shen Luo flicked his sleeve, sending a pitch-black formation disk in front of Nie Caizhu. These six black big flags were precisely what the Fire Spirit Child had refined earlier for the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation. Although this formation has not been fully refined, as long as there are six evil gods formation flags, a half-formation can be deployed. Even if it¡¯s only half of the formation, the power of the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation already vastly surpasses his previous Liangyi Micro-dust Array. "Leave it to me." Nie Caizhu was eager to experience the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation and replied excitedly, taking the formation disk and starting the spell. The All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation can summon the power of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, which Nie Caizhu activated smoothly. Black demonic qi roared along the edges of the cave, where the stone walls and demonic qi met and instantly vanished, forming an indestructible black demonic curtain around it. Seeing this, Shen Luo sat cross-legged on the ground, flipped his hand and took out an item, which was the white jade pillow. During this period at Mount Putuo, he spent time each day replenishing the star power inside the jade pillow, which was now fully charged. The souls within the sealed jade pillars here are what he values greatly; in the Dream World, he absorbed these souls using the War God Whip, significantly enhancing his soul power, thus reaching the Heavenly Venerate Realm. Such substantial benefits being taken from him, Shen Luo was determined to investigate the matter thoroughly. He activated the prohibition within the jade pillow, and sleepiness immediately clouded his mind. "Return to the time when the sealed jade pillars here were shattered... return to the time they were shattered..." He kept chanting this idea, soon falling into slumber. Nie Caizhu had long heard from Shen Luo about the magical use of the jade pillow for time travel. Observing this, she carefully sensed Shen Luo¡¯s state, feeling slightly nervous. Shen Luo¡¯s breathing became almost imperceptible, his mana flow nearly ceased completely, and his soul power stopped operating. However, unlike mana, the soul power in Shen Luo¡¯s mind was extremely faint, seemingly absorbed by the jade pillow. "It seems the jade pillow has transported cousin¡¯s soul to the past." Nie Caizhu thought to herself. In this state, Shen Luo was utterly defenseless. Nie Caizhu pushed the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation to its extreme, making sure the surroundings were flawlessly defended, preventing that cyan giant claw from attacking again. Having done this, she looked towards the ground around her, flicking a finger. A beam of white light shot out, swiftly circling the area and gathering seven or eight cyan scales, which had just been sliced off the cyan giant claw by Shen Luo¡¯s Pure Yang Sword. Nie Caizhu took out a white short rod, tapping it on a cyan scale, which emitted white light along with numerous tadpole-like white runes. The white short rod suddenly burst into dazzling spiritual light, mixed with multicolored silk threads. "What astounding spiritual power, and it¡¯s very compatible with those World Trees." Nie Caizhu¡¯s face lit with joy, collecting all these scales into her palm. She sat cross-legged, quickly forming hand seals with both hands. A chaotic-colored fog appeared out of nowhere, enveloping the cyan scales, slowly merging them together. ... When Shen Luo awoke, he was greeted by the same underground cave as before. At this moment, the sealed jade pillars were still intact, unlike the Dream World a thousand years later, these sealed jade pillars were perfectly preserved, with the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation engraved upon them largely unharmed, its star spiritual light flickering ceaselessly. However, the starlight was exceptionally dim, the entire underground cave drowned in black fog, suppressing the power of the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation firmly. This black fog differed from the demonic qi of the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation, laden with gloomy ghostly qi, filled with the sounds of mournful ghost wails and countless powerful shadows drifting about, appearing to be a formidable Ghost Array. "What sort of Ghost Array is this, capable of suppressing the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation!" Shen Luo thought in shock, flying towards the center of the Ghost Array, soon reaching the central position, his expression changing subtly. Only to see at the center of the Ghost Array, suspended a giant bone-white flag, dozens of meters in size, entirely made of white bones, with a huge "Summon" character written on its surface, shining in dazzling bone-white light, causing the surrounding black Ghost Array to shake with the white light on the flag. Shen Luo suddenly felt dizzy, hurriedly flying backwards several meters, relieved only then. "What is this flag? It even affects me, who can traverse through time!" He was astonished, looking towards the top of the great flag. Currently standing there were two figures, casting spells to activate the giant flag. Shen Luo recognized the pair, thoroughly surprised. The pair stood side by side; the one on the left wore a bamboo hat, surrounded by black qi, was the demon wind who had often opposed Shen Luo before. Since awakening in Chang¡¯an, Shen Luo had clashed with the demon clan several times and hadn¡¯t encountered demon wind again, thinking they had perished in the great battle of The disaster of demons, never expecting them to still be alive and well. The other person was unfamiliar, clad in a black robe, face obscured, under three feet tall, apparently a child. Shen Luo gave the two a glance and swiftly shifted his sight to the star runes on the sealed jade pillars, recording quickly. These star runes were formation patterns from the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation, whose power could rival the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation; during the Dream, the sealed jade pillar here had collapsed partially, failing to acquire the formation patterns of the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. Now that these jade pillars were mostly intact, he wouldn¡¯t miss this rare opportunity. At that very moment, three hundred sixty-five jade pillars suddenly burst with starlight, mounting a massive counterattack, pushing back the black ghostly qi. Shen Luo saw this, showing a slight surprise. "Hehe, the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation is indeed extraordinary, having such power without anyone controlling it. Seems using that thing is unavoidable." Demon Wind said, spitting out a black-red round pearl, the size of an egg, exuding a dark and fierce black-red light. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He held the pearl with one hand, muttering obscure spells, and suddenly a flash of blinding brilliance shot out countless black-red fine needles, striking the three hundred sixty-five sealed jade pillars around, deeply embedding into them. The starlight that just illuminated the jade pillars dimmed once more, as a layer of black-red light spread across them, and the star formation patterns quickly faded away. In just a few breaths, all three hundred sixty-five sealed jade pillars transformed into black-red, the patterns upon them disappearing. Seeing this, Shen Luo¡¯s expression grew grim. "That¡¯s enough," Demon Wind halted the spell in his hand, saying aloud. The short figure beside him, hearing this, incanted spells, forming seals with his hands. Concentrated ghostly qi in the surrounding Ghost Array surged, and with a "swoosh" sound, emerged a massive white bone ghost creature, towering over ten meters tall. Chapter 1810 - 1806: East Sea Abyss Chapter 1810: Chapter 1806: East Sea AbyssShen Luo looked at the towering White Bone Ghost before him, a trace of surprise appearing on his face. This Ghost had twin horns on its head, wore an exquisitely crafted battle armor, held a massive bone shield in its left hand, and a giant battle axe with pitch-black flames in its right. Its aura was overwhelmingly immense, comparable to a Taiyi existence. As soon as the White Bone Ghost appeared, it immediately lunged at the nearest Sealed Jade Pillar, slashing its fiery battle axe fiercely upon it. The Jade Pillar exploded with a resounding boom, making the ethereal form of Shen Luo¡¯s ears buzz, and causing the entire Underground Cave to tremble violently. A surge of resentful energy and ghost power congealed into a tangible Black Qi, sweeping towards all directions. The nearby Ghost Array shook violently, almost on the verge of collapse. The dwarf-like figure standing on the White Bone Giant Banner was instead delighted upon seeing this, his ten fingers rapidly moving like a Car Wheel as he chanted incantations. "Zzzz~" The White Bone Giant Banner unleashed a substantial Black Light Pillar, merging into the surrounding Ghost Array. The operation speed of the Ghost Array suddenly accelerated tenfold, completely trapping all the Army Souls. The White Bone Giant Banner swelled with the wind, enveloping those Army Souls, an immense suction force emerging from within, devouring all the Army Souls like a whale swallowing water. Shen Luo glanced sideways, realizing this White Bone Banner was somewhat similar to his previous Ten Thousand Demons Banner, but the power was worlds apart. The Ten Thousand Demons Banner, whether in Yin Qi or momentum, was far inferior to the White Bone Giant Banner before him. The White Bone Ghost immediately lunged at another Sealed Jade Pillar, swinging its black battle axe down fiercely, smashing this pillar as well, releasing countless Army Souls. The demon wind and the dwarf-like figure drove the surrounding Ghost Array and White Bone Giant Banner, capturing the released Army Souls again. In less than half a moment, all the Sealed Jade Pillars were destroyed, and the ghosts within were entirely absorbed by the White Bone Giant Banner. "Finally done, I never expected so many Army Souls to be hidden here, truly heaven¡¯s aid," the dwarf-like figure said joyously. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "The spy assisting the Qingqiu Fox Clan discovered this Cave by chance back then, truly an unexpected joy," the demon wind mentioned. "However, the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation here is extremely difficult to deal with. Luckily, we borrowed the Ten Thousand Ghosts Rotation Array and the Black Blood Ghost Needle from the Rooster Lord, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have managed here," the dwarf-like figure said, once again offering up that black-red Round Pearl. The fragments of the Jade Pillar emitted numerous black-red fine needles, all shooting back into the Round Pearl. "Speaking of which, did you remember all the formation patterns of the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation? That old monster, the Rooster Lord, lent us the Ten Thousand Ghosts Rotation Array and the Black Blood Ghost Needle to get the Zhou Tian Star Battle Formation. We can¡¯t afford to offend that old thing," the demon wind asked. "I¡¯ve remembered everything, you can rest assured when I handle things," the dwarf-like figure said, patting a storage bag at his waist. "That¡¯s good then," the demon wind sighed with relief. Shen Luo, hearing the conversation between the two, was secretly shocked. Have the Twelve Demons of the Demon Clan already begun to gather? If they truly assemble the Twelve Demons, it might really recreate the tragic world of a Thousand Years Later. "The matters here have concluded, I must make a trip to the East Sea Abyss, let us part ways here," the dwarf-like figure said, pointing at the White Bone Giant Banner with a spell. The giant banner swiftly shrank, turning into a white light and merging into his sleeve in a blink. After doing all this, this person¡¯s body transformed into a black shadow and vanished into the Void. The demon wind watched the dwarf-like figure leave, his figure flickering slightly and disappearing without a trace. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flashed with a strange look, immediately tracking the dwarf-like figure. The true identity of the demon wind, he knew long ago, was the Western Paradise Huang Mei Monk, but he didn¡¯t recognize the dwarf-like figure. From their conversation just now, it seemed the dwarf-like figure held a significant position in the Demon Clan and appeared to be one of the Twelve Demons as well. However, the Twelve Demons in the Dream World did not include this person, making it essential to investigate this person¡¯s identity. But at that moment, Shen Luo¡¯s vision darkened, the time limit for travel had been reached, causing him to lose all consciousness. After an unknown amount of time, Shen Luo gradually awoke, finding he had already returned to reality. "Cousin, did you find out who destroyed these Sealed Jade Pillars?" Nie Caizhu immediately looked over. Shen Luo nodded, briefly recounting everything he had witnessed after entering the Dream. "It indeed was the Demon Clan who destroyed this place," Nie Caizhu stated. "Young Master Shen, you mentioned that dwarf-like figure wielded a White Bone Banner, easily capturing those ghosts?" Firelight flickered, and Fire Spirit Child appeared. "Indeed, the White Bone Banner was able to influence me across time, Fire Daoist friend, you are a Master Weapon Refiner. Can you identify what that White Bone Giant Banner is?" Shen Luo asked Fire Spirit Child. "If I¡¯m not mistaken, that item should be the ancient treasured ¡¯Soul-capturing Banner,¡¯ that possesses a God¡¯s Power for capturing souls. From my observation, the jade pillow¡¯s time travel transmits your Divine soul, and though under the protection of the jade pillow¡¯s power it is immune to most physical attacks, the Soul-capturing Banner contains a soul-capturing Law that even the jade pillow¡¯s power cannot fully immunize," Fire Spirit Child explained. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo looked at Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu nodded and shared her observations during Shen Luo¡¯s Dream entry. "From this, it seems my Divine soul indeed traveled, which is why it was affected by the Soul-capturing Banner. However, that Soul-capturing Banner seems somewhat similar to the Ten Thousand Demons Banner I acquired before," Shen Luo contemplated. "The Ten Thousand Demons Banner is actually an imitation of the Soul-capturing Banner, but it only contains a few fragmentary laws, and its primary God¡¯s Power is concentrated on controlling ghosts, lacking the inherent fluidity of the Soul-capturing Banner," Fire Spirit Child remarked. "I see. Will the Soul-capturing Banner refine those gathered souls after capturing them?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes glinted, he inquired further. "That it won¡¯t. The soul-capturing Law within the Soul-capturing Banner primarily collects souls and does not refine them. Moreover, from what you previously recounted, it seems that dwarf-like figure intends to use these Army Souls for something, so they shouldn¡¯t be harmed for now," Fire Spirit Child assured. Upon hearing this, Shen Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His cultivation level had now reached the Taiyi Stage, and to advance to the Heavenly Venerate Stage in the future, the power of those Army Souls would be essential, thus he must reclaim them no matter what. "Cousin, are you thinking of heading to that East Sea Abyss to track the dwarf-like member of the Demon Clan?" Nie Caizhu, perceptively understanding Shen Luo¡¯s intentions, asked. "Those Army Souls are crucial to me, and since that dwarf-like figure mentioned planning something in the East Sea Abyss, the Demon Clan is the public enemy of the world, and I cannot be indifferent, especially now that I am already at odds with them," Shen Luo stated firmly. Nie Caizhu¡¯s eyes flickered with a hint of concern, seemingly reluctant for Shen Luo to take such a risk. "Very well, after advancing to the Taiyi Stage, achieving further improvement with mere arduous cultivation is insufficient. Exploring more and gaining insights are more valuable," Fire Spirit Child advised. "I¡¯ve also had this intuition after advancing my cultivation," Shen Luo agreed, looking at Nie Caizhu with resolved eyes. "Since both cousin and Fire Daoist friend said so, let¡¯s head to the East Sea and take a look," Nie Caizhu decided. "Rest assured, Cai Zhu, I won¡¯t recklessly endanger my own life," Shen Luo reassured Nie Caizhu, holding her hand. The decision made, Shen Luo put away the All Heaven Gods Evil Great Formation and Fire Spirit Child, and together with Nie Caizhu, headed towards the East Sea. Chapter 1811 - 1807 Instant Kill Chapter 1811: Chapter 1807 Instant KillAfter several days of travel, Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu finally arrived at the Eastern Sea. While the Great Tang was in chaos due to the Qingqiu Fox Clan, the Eastern Sea remained as peaceful as ever. A brilliant sun hung high in the sky, and the azure sea stretched to the horizon, with a gentle, warm, and moist breeze blowing, refreshing the body and mind. "It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been to the Eastern Sea. It seems nothing has changed here." Shen Luo smiled faintly. Nie Caizhu had recently been confined with Shen Luo in the Celestial Secret Realm, and after leaving there, she had been rushing around fighting battles, her heartstring taut and never relaxed. Seeing the scenery in front of her, her mood lifted. "Cousin, do you know where the East Sea Abyss is? The Southern Sea, where Mount Putuo is located, is adjacent to the Eastern Sea. I¡¯ve read many geographical records concerning the Eastern Sea, but none mentioned anything about the East Sea Abyss." Nie Caizhu looked at Shen Luo. "I¡¯m not sure either, but someone should know." Shen Luo said, glancing to the southeast. "Cousin, are you suggesting we go to the East Sea Dragon Palace and ask? You¡¯re right; the East Sea Dragon Palace oversees the Eastern Sea, so they should know where the East Sea Abyss is." Nie Caizhu understood Shen Luo¡¯s meaning and nodded slightly. Thus, the two transformed into two escape lights and headed toward the East Sea Dragon Palace. The outskirts of the Eastern Sea Region were sparsely populated, but the deeper sea was rich in resources, with many sects. After entering the sea, although Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu did not take the sea route of the Luo Star Archipelago, the number of monks on the way gradually increased. Occasionally, they saw several people, or even teams of more than ten monks. However, these monks were all hurried, some even carrying injuries. Upon seeing Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu from afar, they immediately fled warily. After encountering several such episodes, Shen Luo frowned. "What¡¯s going on?" Nie Caizhu also sensed something was wrong. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems the Eastern Sea is only peaceful on the surface, with underlying disturbances. Let¡¯s find someone to inquire." Shen Luo suggested. The two continued flying forward, where intense sounds of collisions came from, along with faint explosive roars and dazzling flashes, indicating a battle was underway. Shen Luo extended his Divine Sense, revealing surprise in his eyes. "So, it¡¯s him. What a coincidence." A smile curved on his lips as he quickened his pace and reached the site of the battle within a few breaths. On the sea surface, six figures were fiercely fighting, their clashes stirring the sea below into massive waves rushing in all directions. Among them, four were clad in scale armor with fish heads and human bodies; they were demon race members, all at the Great Mahayana Stage, wielding green water tridents that unleashed groups of blue water thunder with considerable power. The remaining two were from the human race, one a gray-haired teenager in brocade clothing, skillfully using an earthy yellow turtle shell shield to fend off two fish-headed demon attacks with flickering yellow light. The last was a middle-aged man in a black robe, standing back to back with the teenager. This man did not use any Magical Treasures, but a thick purple mist filled the area within a dozen yards around him, producing a loud buzzing sound, made up of countless purple flying ants. These flying ants spat out many purple electric arcs to ward off attacks from the other two fish-headed demons. The middle-aged man in black robe had reached the Great Mahayana Peak, just a step away from advancing to the True Immortal Stage. The gray-haired teenager was also at the late Mahayana Stage, superior to the four fish demons. However, the fish demons had numerical advantage and were adept at water control, seizing the upper hand, leaving the black-robed man and the gray-haired teenager at a disadvantage, seemingly about to be defeated. At this moment, a spiritual light flashed in mid-air, revealing a man and a woman¡ªShen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Nie Caizhu, calm, merely glanced at them, but Shen Luo wore a sinister smile. The six in combat immediately noticed Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu¡¯s sudden appearance and were taken aback. The black-robed man¡¯s gaze fell on Shen Luo, a look of delight emerging on his face as he shouted, "Friend Shen, it¡¯s me, Yuan Qiu, come save me!" Despite his changed appearance, the black-robed man still bore a slight resemblance to the Yuan Qiu of that year. The four fish demons, shocked by these words, let their water tridents emit a great blue light, launching hundreds of enlarging blue water thunders from four directions toward Yuan Qiu and the gray-haired youth, apparently intending to kill them before Shen Luo could act. Yuan Qiu and the gray-haired youth were about to mobilize their insect swarm and shield to defend. "How dare you!" Shen Luo¡¯s face darkened as he flicked his finger. Four dazzling sword lights flew out, piercing the bodies of the four fish demons in a flash. The four fish demons had no time to react before being engulfed in flames and transformed into ash along with their Magical Treasures, completely vanishing from this world, and the blue water thunders heading for Yuan Qiu and the gray-haired youth also disappeared. Seeing this, both Yuan Qiu and the gray-haired youth displayed a trace of shock. These fish demons of Bi Long Pool, known for their single attack tactics using Water Gange Divine Thunder, had extraordinarily tough bodies capable of resisting the Magical Treasure assaults of a True Immortal Cultivator, yet in Shen Luo¡¯s hands, they were as fragile as ants, instantly vanquished. Yuan Qiu quietly unfurled his Divine Sense to gauge Shen Luo¡¯s cultivation level, but felt as though his probe landed in emptiness, unable to sense Shen Luo¡¯s realm, filling his heart with dread. He had lingered in the East Sea Dragon Palace for a period, encountering many at the late True Immortal Stage, but none gave him this impression. This inability to detect cultivation level, he had only experienced with a few individuals like the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang. "Friend Shen, your cultivation... have you already reached the Taiyi Stage?" Yuan Qiu asked, stammering. "Yuan Qiu, since parting in Chang¡¯an City, I didn¡¯t expect you to flee to the East Sea. Some time ago at the Wuzhuang View¡¯s Hundred Fruit Immortal Feast, I had a meeting with Brother Ao Hong, and he mentioned you quite a bit." Shen Luo did not answer but said coolly. Yuan Qiu¡¯s face stiffened upon hearing this. To escape from the disaster of demons, he had sought refuge in the East Sea Dragon Palace, divulging many secrets about Shen Luo to earn Ao Hong¡¯s trust. "Friend Shen, forgive me; I was forced by circumstances that day, and..." Yuan Qiu explained awkwardly. Shen Luo snorted coldly, his expression stern. Seeing this, Yuan Qiu dared not speak further, and the atmosphere became tense. At that moment, the gray-haired teenager approached, bowed to Shen Luo, and said, "Thank you, Elder, for saving us. Otherwise, we might not have escaped today¡¯s calamity." His words slightly eased the tension in the atmosphere. Yuan Qiu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, casting a grateful glance at the gray-haired youth. "A trivial matter, considering your attire, are you an acolyte of One Medicine House, one of the Four Major Business Alliances of the East China Sea?" Shen Luo did not truly intend to chastise Yuan Qiu, glanced at him, then turned to the gray-haired youth. "Elder, you have sharp eyes. I am Du Tian of One Medicine House." The gray-haired youth replied. "So it is Daoist Du. Why were you besieged by these fish demons?" Shen Luo nodded slightly, asking. Chapter 1812 - 1809: The Fraud Chapter 1812: Chapter 1809: The FraudUpon seeing the Blue Water Yaksha appear, Shen Luo knew it was not appropriate to charge ahead while hidden, so he stopped. "Heh, Friend Shen, we just parted ways, yet I didn¡¯t expect to see you again so soon. I wonder what brings you to the East Sea Dragon Palace this time?" Blue Water Yaksha looked at Shen Luo and his companion with a smile full of curiosity and asked. "I am here to return an important item." Shen Luo patted the Linlang Ring and replied. "I see, please, both of you come inside for some tea." The Blue Water Yaksha¡¯s face lit up with joy upon hearing this, as if aware that Shen Luo had borrowed the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl, leading the two into the Dragon Palace. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu followed the Blue Water Yaksha to a side hall, where two coral maids served the Dragon Palace¡¯s special spiritual tea. "Is Brother Ao Hong at the East Sea Dragon Palace?" Shen Luo directly asked after sipping some tea. "He is here. His Majesty is currently handling palace affairs in the True Dragon Palace. Please wait a few moments here, and I will go invite the Dragon King over." After speaking, the Blue Water Yaksha excused himself and left. Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu quietly waited while enjoying their tea, yet after some time, no one had come. "Cousin was right; the East Sea Dragon Palace does indeed lack efficiency." Nie Caizhu smiled helplessly. "Just right, I can use this opportunity to ask Yuan Qiu about something." With a wave of his sleeve, the figure of Yuan Qiu appeared. "Is this the East Sea Dragon Palace?" Yuan Qiu, upon seeing the surroundings, looked surprised. "It seems Daoist Yuan is quite familiar with the East Sea Dragon Palace, recognizing the place with just a glance." Shen Luo said with a faint smile. "Friend Shen, it was my fault for revealing your secret. If you choose to kill or punish me, I will have no complaints." Yuan Qiu smiled wryly, closed his eyes, and put on a look of resignation, ready to accept any fate. Shen Luo couldn¡¯t help but let out a bemused smile and flicked a sharp ray with his fingers. Yuan Qiu¡¯s knees buckled, and he sat down on the ground, yet his face showed a mischievous grin. "I won¡¯t make you do anything else. Back when I was unconscious in Chang¡¯an City, how did you escape from the spatial treasure you hid in? What strange occurrences happened in that spatial treasure?" Shen Luo snorted and asked. At that time, when the jade pillow shattered, Yuan Qiu hid in the Heavenly Book Space. Shen Luo was eager to know what transformations occurred in the Heavenly Book Space when the jade pillow broke. Perhaps something could be inferred about some mysteries of the jade pillow from this incident. "That golden space? I was meditating inside at the time, when the entire space suddenly grew chaotic and exploded open, revealing a passageway that almost engulfed the entire space. I was swept in with no resistance, lost consciousness, and when I awoke, I found myself in the Eastern Sea region." Yuan Qiu recalled the events from many years past without any reservation. Hearing this, Shen Luo furrowed his brows slightly. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He wasn¡¯t surprised by the fracture of the golden space, but the appearance of a spatial passageway was somewhat unexpected. "What exactly did the spatial passageway look like?" Shen Luo pursued further. "It wasn¡¯t anything particular, composed of countless streams of golden light, faintly showing some golden charm patterns within..." Yuan Qiu recalled carefully and described the general appearance of the spatial passageway. "Anything else to add?" Shen Luo pondered for a moment and asked again. "Not much else... Oh, right, before I lost consciousness, there seemed to be a ray of golden crystal light that followed me into that spatial passageway." Yuan Qiu hesitated before saying. "Golden crystal light! Did you see clearly?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately asked. "I¡¯m not sure, I was in a semi-unconscious state at the time and could have been seeing things. After waking up in the Eastern Sea, I searched around but found nothing." Yuan Qiu shrugged with both hands open. Shen Luo nodded slightly and stopped questioning. "By the way, Friend Shen, what brings you to the East Sea Dragon Palace?" Yuan Qiu glanced around cautiously and asked. "I borrowed something from Ao Hong earlier, and now I plan to return it, while also consulting him about some matters." Shen Luo casually replied, still contemplating the mysteries of the Heavenly Book Space. "Ao Hong... Since Friend Shen is meeting an old friend, I shall not disturb you further. Please return me to the spatial treasure from just now." Yuan Qiu¡¯s face flashed a peculiar expression as he spoke. "Why, have you offended Ao Hong and dare not meet him?" Shen Luo glanced at him sideways. "How could that be? I met Friend Ao Hong in the martial world, and though we don¡¯t share life-and-death camaraderie like you do, we are friends nonetheless, so why wouldn¡¯t I dare meet him..." Yuan Qiu chuckled dryly. "In that case, just stand by the side." Shen Luo said calmly. Yuan Qiu opened his mouth to say something more, but footsteps could already be heard approaching from outside. Yuan Qiu grew anxious at the sound, but now it was too late to hide; he could only cower behind Shen Luo. A tall figure entered the hall, it was indeed Ao Hong. Now donned in a Purple-Gold Dragon Robe and wearing the Mysterious Moon Dragon Crown, he exuded more regal majesty than before, and his cultivation level had advanced significantly, almost reaching the Taiyi Realm. "Haha, Brother Shen, long time no see, you are even more impressive than before. This must be Brother Nie from Mount Putuo; I have heard Brother Shen mention you before, a pleasure to meet you..." Ao Hong said with a beaming smile upon seeing Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. Shen Luo was about to stand up to reciprocate the greeting when Ao Hong suddenly paused, his gaze shifting to Yuan Qiu behind Shen Luo, with his expression turning exceptionally grim. His expression shifted, glancing between Yuan Qiu and Ao Hong as if understanding something. "Daoist Ao Hong, long time no see." Yuan Qiu awkwardly smiled and stood up straight. "So it was you, Yuan Qiu! After deceiving the East Sea Dragon Palace out of so many precious materials, you actually dare to return? Such audacity!" Ao Hong said coldly. "Daoist Ao Hong, there¡¯s no need to be so angry. I had some private matters to attend to which is why I left the East Sea Dragon Palace. It was never my intention to abscond with treasure. I¡¯m here now with Friend Shen to fulfill a previous agreement. Here are ten Green Blood Gu; the remaining twenty will be ready within a month." Yuan Qiu forced a smile and handed over a green wooden box. Shen Luo, upon hearing this, finally understood why Yuan Qiu didn¡¯t wish to meet Ao Hong; it turned out he had deceived the East Sea Dragon Palace¡¯s spiritual materials. Previously, when this person followed him, he seemed to act appropriately, but it turned out his nature was that of a swindler. What surprised Shen Luo even more was that Yuan Qiu had actually managed to refine the Green Blood Gu, and could casually produce two or three dozen of them. His expertise in Gu Techniques had advanced to such a level? This Gu, recorded in the Medicine Immortal Collection as a seventh-grade Gu worm, has the ability to accumulate and return the life-blood power of its host when needed, even effective for True Immortals. It is especially valuable for the Demon Race, who focus on cultivating their physical bodies. While Shen Luo pondered this, Ao Hong took the wooden box, opened it for a glance, and his dark expression finally lightened a bit. Chapter 1813 - 1808 Demon Alliance Chapter 1813: Chapter 1808 Demon Alliance"Report to the elder, today my Daoist friend Yuan and I came to this sea area to search for a precious herb. Unexpectedly, we encountered these fish demons from Bi Long Pool. We couldn¡¯t escape in time and were entangled by them. If it weren¡¯t for the elder¡¯s timely appearance, the two of us would hardly have escaped." Du Tian said. "It was merely a chance encounter, yet these fish demons wanted to kill you. Why is that?" Shen Luo showed a surprised expression. "Friend Shen, are you not aware of the current situation in the Eastern Sea?" Yuan Qiu interjected in astonishment. "I¡¯ve been in Chang¡¯an City these recent days and haven¡¯t come to the Eastern Sea. Has something major occurred here?" Shen Luo asked. "That¡¯s how it is. The situation here in the Eastern Sea started more than a month ago when the Ten Thousand Waters Gate hunted down a Blue-line Flood Dragon..." Yuan Qiu said with a forced smile. "Ten Thousand Waters Gate..." Shen Luo¡¯s expression shifted slightly. He had visited the Eastern Sea several times and was quite familiar with its situation, knowing that the Ten Thousand Waters Gate was a major sect in the Eastern Sea, besides the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace and Daughter Village. It was the largest human sect power, with several True Immortals stationed within, though not quite comparable to the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Mount Putuo, and other major factions, it was not far off. Daughter Village was a hidden sect that generally did not interfere in the Eastern Sea region¡¯s affairs, and the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace paid no heed to human cultivators, making the Ten Thousand Waters Gate implicitly the leading human sect in the Eastern Sea region. "A True Immortal elder from the Ten Thousand Waters Gate collaborated with disciples within the sect to jointly hunt a Blue-line Flood Dragon at the True Immortal Stage. The Eastern Sea¡¯s Flood Dragon clan, which had always been low-key and patient, suddenly launched a full-scale attack, directly invading the Ten Thousand Waters Gate. Within half a day, they broke through the sect protection formation, the Bi Hai Tian Bo Formation, and slaughtered nearly a thousand people of the Ten Thousand Waters Gate without leaving a single survivor!" Yuan Qiu continued, with a flash of fear in his eyes. "The Flood Dragon clan? To my knowledge, the Eastern Sea¡¯s Flood Dragon clan is indeed not weak, but I didn¡¯t think they had such capabilities to wipe out the Ten Thousand Waters Gate in one fell swoop." Shen Luo said, frowning. "I do not know the details, but after destroying the Ten Thousand Waters Gate, the Flood Dragon clan united with several other large demon clans in the Eastern Sea region, forming an organization called the Demon Alliance. They wield the momentum gained from destroying the Ten Thousand Waters Gate to attack other human sects in the Eastern Sea area, undefeated in every battle. Nowadays, nearly half of the human sects in the Eastern Sea region have been wiped out. The Demon Alliance, at its peak, claims to expel all human cultivators from the Eastern Sea and turn the entire Eastern Sea into a country of demons." Yuan Qiu continued. "Expel all human cultivators from the Eastern Sea? The Demon Alliance boasts so arrogantly, but they may be overestimating themselves. Although the Eastern Sea is quite far from the Central Region, the Great Tang Dynasty Government, Hua Sheng Temple, and Tianji City have not directly intervened here, the many precious spirit materials of the Eastern Sea are essential to them. If the Demon Alliance truly wreaks havoc excessively, once several major sects get involved, how can the Demon Alliance resist? Furthermore, the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace will not stand by and watch this happen." Nie Caizhu said with a cold laugh. "The influence of the Demon Alliance is far more complex than it appears. This time, when human cultivators were expelled, we, the Four Great Merchant Alliances, were also affected. We once joined forces to fight them but were tragically defeated; the Demon Alliance contains a Taiyi Realm giant demon." Du Tian said. "A Taiyi Realm giant demon?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes sharpened upon hearing this. The Taiyi Realm represents the pinnacle of combat power in the Human Realm. Regardless of the sect, as long as there is a Taiyi existence, it will rank among the top forces in the Human Realm. The presence of a Taiyi Realm demon in the Demon Alliance is certainly not to be underestimated. "Do you know anything else about this Demon Alliance?" Shen Luo asked after a moment of silence. "Although the Demon Alliance has recently been flourishing, they reveal very little about themselves and are extremely mysterious. We don¡¯t know more news." Yuan Qiu shook his head. Hearing this, Shen Luo nodded and did not continue to question the two. "Friend Shen, what brings you to the Eastern Sea this time? If you need my help, Yuan will not refuse." Yuan Qiu, seeing the atmosphere had calmed a lot, said in a flattering manner. Judging by Shen Luo¡¯s demonstrated means, he likely had already reached the Taiyi Realm. If they could further establish a connection, the benefits would surely be substantial. "Cai Zhu and I came to the Eastern Sea this time to find a place." Shen Luo said. "Finding a place? I have spent many years in the Eastern Sea and am very familiar with the various terrains and power distributions here. Leave this matter to me." Yuan Qiu said, patting his chest. "Since Daoist Yuan says so, come with me then." Shen Luo said with a faint smile and swept his sleeve. A golden light wrapped around Yuan Qiu, pulling him into the Free and Easy Mirror. "Daoist Friend Du, I still have things to do, so we must part here." Shen Luo then nodded to Du Tian, and with Nie Caizhu, turned into two long rainbows heading towards the East Sea Dragon Palace. Du Tian watched Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu leave. After a flash of light in his eyes, he turned into a yellow light and soon disappeared into the distance. ... "Cousin, why did you bring along that Yuan Qiu? Although we have some history with him, his cultivation level is too low, merely having him around increases the risk." Flying swiftly, Nie Caizhu asked in confusion. "I brought Yuan Qiu for another matter..." Shen Luo communicated through a slight movement of his lips. "I see. Do you really think the changes in the Eastern Sea are related to that Demon Alliance?" Nie Caizhu nodded, the topic turning as she asked. "This matter seems to be known to everyone, so it should be true. It¡¯s just puzzling when a Taiyi Realm great demon emerged among the Eastern Sea demon clans." Shen Luo said slowly. "Cousin, you needn¡¯t trouble yourself thinking about it. The matters concerning the Demon Alliance, the East Sea Dragon Palace surely knows very well. Once we get there, we will understand clearly." Nie Caizhu said. "Indeed." Shen Luo responded affirmatively and stopped overthinking, concentrating on flying forward. Within the East Sea Dragon Palace, a flash of gold and white light was seen, revealing two figures: Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. "What thieves dare to trespass into the East Sea Dragon Palace?" Two shrimp soldiers immediately rushed over. Shen Luo did not intend to make things difficult for these two guards, so with a flick of his sleeve, he immobilized the two shrimp soldiers and flew straight inside. "Cousin, it¡¯s inappropriate to directly break in like this. We should first report our intentions and wait outside." Nie Caizhu said. "There¡¯s no need. The Dragon Palace¡¯s rules are extensive; waiting for them to report might take forever before we get to see Ao Hong. This is more efficient." Shen Luo shook his head. Now, having reached the Taiyi Realm, he need not bother with too many formalities. Seeing this, the other guards nearby all angrily charged forward. Shen Luo, fed up with entangling with these shrimp soldiers, was about to activate the Soft Smoke Luo Brocade Clothing to conceal himself and Nie Caizhu and enter the Dragon Palace to find Ao Hong on his own. "Stop!" A loud voice rang out, halting the shrimp soldiers in their tracks. It was the Blue Water Yaksha. "These two are esteemed guests of the East Sea Dragon Palace, do not be rude!" the Blue Water Yaksha commanded. "Yes, yes..." The shrimp soldier guards repeatedly responded and retreated bowing their bodies. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 1814 - 1810: The Most Yin and Dark Place Chapter 1814: Chapter 1810: The Most Yin and Dark Place"You have only one month. If you default again, I will no longer consider our prior friendship!" Ao Hong glanced at Yuan Qiu and spoke coldly. "Understood, understood." Yuan Qiu shrank his neck and retreated behind Shen Luo. "You can actually refine the Green Blood Gu?" Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered, communicating with Yuan Qiu via sound transmission. "Due to my incomplete divine soul, my cultivation has advanced extremely slowly over the years, so I spent most of my time refining Gu. It¡¯s quite strange: ever since I woke up, every Gu refinement has gone smoothly, with the success rate far exceeding previous times. Not to mention seventh-grade Gu, even eighth-grade Gu I can now refine." Yuan Qiu replied proudly. Shen Luo¡¯s heart was moved upon hearing this, as eighth-grade Gu could be useful even to Taiyi existences. There¡¯s an opportunity to inquire more carefully. "I have some transactions with this Daoist friend Yuan Qiu; I apologize for letting you witness this." Ao Hong turned towards Shen Luo and Nie Caizhu. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Not at all." Shen Luo shook his head slightly, his expression calm. Nie Caizhu was not very familiar with Ao Hong and Yuan Qiu, standing by Shen Luo silently. "Brother Ao, I have come this time to return the Sink Blood Nine Dragons Pearl which I borrowed earlier; please take a look." Shen Luo gathered his thoughts, took out a white jade box, and handed it over. Ao Hong already knew Shen Luo¡¯s intention, reached to receive the jade box, opened the lid, and a surge of dragon Qi immediately poured out. There lay the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl quietly in the center of the jade box, its dragon Qi causing the nearby water vapor to churn endlessly, almost unchanged from when it was borrowed, with minimal loss of spiritual power. "Daoist friend Shen is indeed trustworthy." Ao Hong breathed a sigh of relief, closed the lid, put away the jade box, and his gaze on Shen Luo carried a hint of gratitude. The Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl is a treasure of the East Sea Dragon Palace. Many within the Dragon Palace did not agree with borrowing it to outsiders, whispering privately and even expressing some complaints. Now that the treasure is returned intact, Ao Hong¡¯s burdened heart can finally be at ease. "Brother Ao generously lent the pearl, aiding me greatly, and I naturally will return it whole." Shen Luo said. "Speaking of, how has Brother Shen¡¯s treasure refining progressed?" Ao Hong asked with curiosity. "With the assistance of the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl and another treasure, it has already been successfully refined." Shen Luo nodded. "That¡¯s good." Ao Hong nodded, not pursuing the details of the treasure. Next, they spoke some idle chatter, discussing the situation in Chang¡¯an City and Qingqiu Mountain. "Besides returning the Sink Blood Nine Chi Pearl, I have a few matters I wish to consult Brother Ao about." Shen Luo shifted the topic, stepping into the main issue. "Brother Shen, feel free to speak your mind." Ao Hong also adopted a serious expression. "On the way to the Dragon Palace, I happened to encounter Yuan Qiu fighting several Fish Demons. After inquiries, I learned that a force called the Demon Alliance has emerged in the East Sea, causing quite a stir, even claiming to clear the East Sea region of all human cultivators. Could this be true?" Shen Luo asked. "Indeed there is such a thing. The Demon Alliance¡¯s origins are mysterious, seemingly appearing out of thin air, and now most of the East Sea Demon Race has joined. It even sent an invitation to our East Sea Dragon Palace." Ao Hong said coldly. "Truly bold, I assume Brother Ao has no intention to join this alliance, right?" Shen Luo probed. "Hmph, our East Sea Dragon Palace is a rightful deity position appointed by the Heavenly Court; how could it join such a nonsensical demon alliance? However, the East Sea Dragon Palace has been substantially weakened by prior upheavals, and momentarily has no time to deal with the Demon Alliance." Ao Hong snorted and said. The East Sea Dragon Palace has always been the overlord of the Eastern Sea. With Ao Hong newly in power, the Demon Alliance¡¯s invitation is not only an affront to the authority of the East Sea Dragon Palace but also an insult to him personally. "Why not report this to the Heavenly Court, asking them to handle it?" Nie Caizhu interjected. If the East Sea Demon Alliance¡¯s influence grows further, it might affect Mount Putuo, and she planned to report this to the sect shortly. "Naturally, it has been reported long ago, but the Heavenly Court has not responded." Ao Hong sighed. "The Heavenly Court might be busy with other matters; surely instructions will come later. Brother Ao need not worry." Shen Luo said. He was not surprised by this; the Well of Demons and Gods in Mount Fangcun and Chang¡¯an City¡¯s entrances were both attacked, with various disturbances caused by the demon race and potential resurgence of the Fox Ancestor. The Heavenly Court is busy handling these incidents, unless the Demon Alliance causes a severe disturbance, the Heavenly Court might not respond. "I hope so." Ao Hong¡¯s eyes flashed with worry. "Besides the Demon Alliance, there¡¯s another matter I wish to consult Brother Ao about. Does Brother Ao know of a place called the East Sea Abyss?" Shen Luo shifted the topic again, asking. He realized he should not intervene too much, as the demon alliance has little to do with him; even if the alliance expands, it cannot harm Great Tang. "East Sea Abyss? I have heard my father mention it before; it¡¯s said to be a legendary place in the East Sea, the most Yin and dark location in the Eastern Sea." Ao Hong was taken aback before answering. "Does Brother Ao know its location within the East Sea?" Shen Luo felt a secret delight and hurriedly asked. "I have not heard my father speak of that, it seems even he does not know where the East Sea Abyss is located." Ao Hong shook his head. Upon hearing this, the slight joy that Shen Luo had just felt also dispersed. "Then has Brother Ao heard of the Beiming Giant Scale?" He shifted his thoughts, unwilling to give up, and asked again. "Beiming Giant Scale? What¡¯s that? A name of a spiritual material?" Ao Hong¡¯s face carried a hint of bewilderment. Seeing Ao Hong¡¯s expression that did not seem feigned, Shen Luo¡¯s heart sank completely. He had hoped to inquire about some clues regarding the East Sea Abyss and the Beiming Giant Scale in his visit to the East Sea, but it turns out he was being wishful. If Ao Hong doesn¡¯t know where the East Sea Abyss is, where should it be sought? "Haha, Young Master Shen, this Ao Hong may have become the East Sea Dragon King, but essentially he¡¯s still just a naive young lad; you ask him about these ancient secrets, how much could he possibly know!" A deep voice suddenly echoed in the hall. Nie Caizhu and Yuan Qiu were taken aback upon hearing this. "Old monster, what nonsense are you spouting?" Ao Hong wasn¡¯t surprised, instead rebuked with a sunken face. "Boy, there¡¯s no place for you to speak; stay silent." A red light flashed across Ao Hong¡¯s brow, a fist-sized red dragon head emerged, precisely the Ancestral Dragon Soul, coldly snorted. Upon seeing this, Ao Hong seemed to want to say something but ultimately remained silent. "Ancestral Dragon Elder? Could it be that Elder knows about the East Sea Abyss and the Beiming Giant Scale?" Shen Luo was pleasantly surprised and stood up to pursue the question. "Nonsense! I am the Ancestral Dragon; although I might not know everything about the Three Realms, the East Sea is my ancestral home, and I am familiar with every corner." The Ancestral Dragon Soul spoke proudly. "Please guide me, Elder." Shen Luo cupped his hands and said. "Guide you? I am in my current predicament because of you; why should I guide you?" The Ancestral Dragon Soul sneered at him. "What conditions does Elder require to provide guidance? Feel free to speak." Shen Luo smiled slightly, speaking calmly. The Ancestral Dragon Soul emerging and speaking at this moment certainly indicates there is something he wants. Chapter 1815 - 1811 Half a Dragon Horn Chapter 1815: Chapter 1811 Half a Dragon Horn"Young man, your strength has progressed rapidly and has already reached the Taiyi Realm. I can take you to the East Sea Abyss, but you must first agree to two things. First, after this matter is finished, release me from Ao Hong¡¯s mind and find a body for me to possess and reincarnate." As expected, the Ancestral Dragon Soul quickly said. Ao Hong¡¯s expression slightly changed upon hearing this. "You and Ao Hong¡¯s divine soul have already merged into one; once you separate, he will undoubtedly be severely injured, possibly even falling completely." Shen Luo frowned and said. Actually, during this period, he has deeply studied the Huangdi Neijing and made considerable progress, using this skill as a foundation to separate the Ancestral Spirit Soul without issue. However, the name of the Huangdi Neijing is too renowned, and unless absolutely necessary, he does not want more people to know he mastered this divine skill. "Rest assured, I have already devised a method during this time to leave his body without harming Ao Hong. However, this method is quite difficult to execute and requires the help of someone at the Taiyi Realm." The Ancestral Dragon Soul promptly said. "Brother Ao, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Shen Luo asked, seeing Ao Hong¡¯s change in expression. Although the Ancestral Dragon Soul is a threat, its vision and knowledge are also a great treasure vault. Once it leaves Ao Hong¡¯s body, it will not be able to return. "If I can get rid of the Ancestral Dragon Soul without harm, I would wish for nothing more." Ao Hong immediately replied. The Ancestral Dragon Soul lodged within him is always a hidden danger; if it can be eliminated, it is naturally great. "Alright, I agree to this condition. What about the second matter?" Shen Luo, seeing no objections from Ao Hong, nodded slightly to the Ancestral Dragon Soul. "I sense you have an object on you with my original power; take it out and give it to me." The Ancestral Dragon Soul¡¯s eyes became burning hot as it looked at Shen Luo. "Are you talking about this thing?" Shen Luo raised his eyebrow, flipping his hand to take out the Ancestral Dragon Horn. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, this was transformed from one of my dragon horns in the past! Hurry and give it to me!" The Ancestral Dragon Soul showed deep excitement on its face. Ao Hong, watching the Ancestral Dragon Horn from the side, also revealed an incomparably joyous expression. Shen Luo had no particular attachment to the Ancestral Dragon Horn and was about to throw it over. "Brother Shen, do not easily give this item to the Ancestral Dragon Soul; leave at least half! Rest assured, the Ancestral Dragon Soul is even more eager to leave than I am. Even if you don¡¯t give him anything, he will not abandon the deal with you." Ao Hong¡¯s sudden voice sounded in his mind. Shen Luo¡¯s eyes flickered deep within, stopping the Ancestral Dragon Horn, and said calmly: "This Ancestral Dragon Horn was obtained with much effort, and it¡¯s quite bold for Your Excellency to ask for it so readily." "This thing originally belonged to me!" The Ancestral Dragon Soul roared. "Daoist friend, what kind of reasoning is this? While the Ancestral Dragon Horn indeed used to be yours, it has been lying on the Southern Sea¡¯s seabed for so many years. First, you were not nearby to watch over it, and second, there was no proof of ownership established, so how can you claim it¡¯s yours?" Shen Luo said, playing with the item in his hand. The Ancestral Dragon Soul was furious, yet now he was just a remnant soul, completely unable to do anything to Shen Luo. His only leverage was the location of the East Sea Abyss. "What do you want?" The Ancestral Dragon Soul suppressed his anger and said indignantly. "I have other uses for the Ancestral Dragon Horn, so I can only give you half." Shen Luo said. "Fine." The Ancestral Dragon Soul gritted his teeth and agreed with extreme reluctance. Shen Luo smiled slightly, flipped his palm, and swung. A crimson sword light cleaved the Ancestral Dragon Horn in two; half of the Ancestral Dragon Horn flew before the Ancestral Dragon Soul. The Ancestral Dragon Soul opened its mouth to bite the half horn, swallowing it, and disappeared back into Ao Hong¡¯s head. Ao Hong immediately formed several spells with his hands and spat out a ball of golden light, which merged into his forehead. A golden rune instantly appeared on his brow, revealing nine golden dragons surrounding it, seemingly a sealing secret method. The Ancestral Dragon Soul¡¯s presence completely vanished, sealed entirely by the golden seal. Shen Luo watched this scene, hesitating to speak; the Ancestral Dragon Soul had only responded concerning the East Sea Abyss, yet did not mention the Beiming Giant Scale. However, it was not a concern; he could ask the Ancestral Dragon Soul later. "This is the Nine Dragon Soul Sealing Technique of my East Sea Dragon Palace, able to temporarily seal the Ancestral Dragon Soul, isolating him from perceiving the outside world. Brother Shen, can you let me see the remaining half of the dragon horn?" Ao Hong briefly explained the origin of the symbol on his brow and eagerly looked at the remaining half of the Ancestral Dragon Horn in Shen Luo¡¯s hand. "Brother Ao also needs this item?" Shen Luo said while handing over the dragon horn. "To be honest, Brother Shen, my cultivation has reached the Late True Immortal Stage Peak, just half a step away from the Taiyi Realm. The Ancestral Dragon¡¯s power within the Ancestral Dragon Horn can help me take the final step." Ao Hong excitedly caught the Ancestral Dragon Horn and said. Only now did Shen Luo comprehend, yet did not regret handing over the horn. "Brother Shen, could you let go of this item? Brother Ao is willing to use many treasures from the Dragon Palace in exchange for it, letting you choose as you wish." Ao Hong carefully inspected the dragon horn in his hand and spoke more joyfully. "This item is not of great use to me. Since Brother Ao needs it, take it. As for the exchange, I don¡¯t need other treasures. Please help me gather some Ten Thousand Years Fire Qilin Wood, Nine Heavens Gold Essence, and Heavenly Fire-level flames." Shen Luo said. He had already asked Hua Sheng Temple and Tianji City to help collect these three treasures, but his demand for them was high, the more the better. "Okay, I¡¯ll instruct others immediately, ensuring not to disappoint Brother Shen." Ao Hong, upon hearing this, was slightly stunned and agreed without hesitation. "Thank you very much." Shen Luo nodded slightly. "I need to refine this segment of the Ancestral Dragon Horn before the seal expires, taking at least seven days, no more than half a month. Please stay in the Dragon Palace during this time." Ao Hong said. Shen Luo was not in a hurry, exchanged glances with Nie Caizhu, and agreed. Ao Hong quickly became engrossed in refining the Ancestral Dragon Horn and hastily instructed his bodyguards to arrange accommodations for Shen Luo and the other two, then immediately went into closed cultivation. ... The residence provided for Shen Luo and the other two was the same as the last stay in the East Sea¡¯s Other Garden, with Ao Hong ordering three Cave Mansions. Standing at the entrance of the Cave Mansion, Shen Luo waved his sleeve, sending a string of green lights to the surroundings, which unfolded into several layers of prohibitive light curtains. "Cousin, are you going into closed cultivation?" Nie Caizhu asked upon witnessing this. "I plan to refine several magical treasures, which may take a few days." Shen Luo said. "Refining treasures? Do you... don¡¯t worry and focus on refining; I¡¯ll stand guard for you outside." Nie Caizhu easily understood Shen Luo¡¯s intention to refine certain items and said. "Guard is unnecessary; we¡¯re in the East Sea Dragon Palace, where there is no danger. I¡¯ll have Zhao Feiji be the guard. Cai Zhu, your cultivation has already reached the True Immortal Stage peak. You should practice diligently and strive to advance to the Taiyi Realm soon." Shen Luo shook his head and said. Chapter 1816 - 1812: Heard of Soul Threads Chapter 1816: Chapter 1812: Heard of Soul Threads"I know, it¡¯s just that the Taiyi Realm is not something that can be reached just because one desires it." Nie Caizhu sighed gently, speaking despondently. How could she not want to advance to the Taiyi Realm? After coming out from the Celestial Secret Realm, Fairy Qinglian saw that Nie Caizhu¡¯s cultivation had reached the True Immortal Peak and immediately prepared several methods and elixirs to help her break through to the Taiyi Realm, but, regrettably, none were successful. "I¡¯ll think of a way later to see if I can help you break through." Shen Luo pondered and spoke. Standing aside, Yuan Qiu heard Shen Luo¡¯s words, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. How difficult it is to advance to the Taiyi Realm! Shen Luo dares speak such boasting words. Is he bragging in front of a woman, or does he really have the ability? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting." Nie Caizhu, extremely trusting of Shen Luo, said with delight upon hearing the words and flew into her cave. "I¡¯ll go rest first too." Yuan Qiu, somewhat fearful of Shen Luo, coughed dryly and flew towards his cave. "Wait a moment." Shen Luo suddenly spoke up. "Does Brother Shen have something else?" Yuan Qiu¡¯s eyelid twitched, pausing his steps. "Let¡¯s talk at your cave." Shen Luo led the way, flying towards Yuan Qiu¡¯s residence. Yuan Qiu, unclear of the reason, could only brace himself and follow. After entering Yuan Qiu¡¯s cave, Shen Luo waved his hand, laying down a layer of prohibition around the room, isolating it from the outside sounds. "Brother Shen, what is it? Feel free to speak your mind." Yuan Qiu asked cautiously with a slight thrill in his heart upon seeing this. Without a word, Shen Luo turned his hand and took out a book, tossing it over. Yuan Qiu instinctively caught it, scanning it briefly, and immediately his face showed a look of great joy. This book was none other than the complete version of the Medicine Immortal Collection he had yearned for all these years. He enthusiastically delved into it, seemingly forgetting Shen Luo was right beside him, and only after a long time did he come to his senses, lifting his head from the classics. "Brother Shen, according to our agreement that day, I was to stay by your side, assisting you for a hundred years before you would give me this Medicine Immortal Collection, although the time from that year¡¯s agreement has passed a hundred years, I haven¡¯t stayed by your side, why..." Yuan Qiu hesitated to speak. "I¡¯ve been slumbering in Chang¡¯an City for a hundred years, so you can¡¯t be blamed for not fulfilling the agreement. This Medicine Immortal Collection is something I can do without, so I¡¯ll give it to you." Shen Luo said calmly. "Thank you, Brother Shen." Yuan Qiu¡¯s body trembled lightly, genuinely grateful. His Gu techniques had already become quite accomplished, but because he didn¡¯t have the complete Medicine Immortal Collection, there were several aspects of the Medicine Immortal Sect¡¯s Gu refining techniques that he could never thoroughly comprehend. Now that he had obtained the complete version of the Medicine Immortal Collection, all these key points were mastered. Once he thoroughly understands them, his Gu techniques can progress even further. "These are just small matters, but compared to your Gu techniques, your cultivation progress is indeed much slower." Shen Luo scrutinized Yuan Qiu with eyes, speaking. "My situation, Brother Shen, you know best. When Yuan Qiu perished, it was by relying on the residual soul power within my life Gu that I controlled this body, and the divine soul was incomplete. Over the years, by relying on resources, I¡¯ve barely managed to advance to the Great Mahayana Peak. To go further, it seems impossible." Yuan Qiu showed a touch of melancholy. "With an incomplete divine soul, indeed there is no hope for the Great Path, but if you could restore your soul, there might still be a possibility." Shen Luo said. "Restore the soul? Only the soul-restoration techniques of Sage Nuwa can accomplish that. Such heaven-defying arts, where could I find them?" Yuan Qiu shook his head and sighed. "I have a method, though not as miraculous as the legendary soul-restoration techniques, it should slightly adjust your state. If you trust me, I can cast the spell to try." Shen Luo spoke. The Suwen Chapter of Huangdi Neijing includes a secret method to repair the divine soul, which should resolve Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul issue. "Are these words true?" Yuan Qiu abruptly stood up, his lips trembling as he asked. "I don¡¯t have full confidence either, it¡¯s merely an attempt, do or don¡¯t, you decide." Shen Luo spoke calmly. The excitement on Yuan Qiu¡¯s face gradually faded away, and he fell into silence. The divine soul is extremely fragile, and any means used on it involves great risks, not to mention that his divine soul is inherently incomplete and far more fragile than a normal person¡¯s. Since Shen Luo said there isn¡¯t full confidence, there¡¯s a risk of failure. But if he doesn¡¯t do it, he will never advance to the True Immortal Stage. Yuan Qiu¡¯s expression was indecisive. Over the years, he had put in countless efforts to repair his divine soul, consuming numerous precious elixirs and Immortal Fruits previously embezzled spiritual materials from the Dragon Palace and fled, all to exchange for a precious Spirit Fruit from One Medicine House. That Spirit Fruit indeed had excellent effects. After taking it, his appearance changed from an old man to his current middle-aged look, but he clearly knew that the most fundamental divine soul issue had not improved at all. If it were only the divine soul issue, it might be tolerable. Yuan Qiu¡¯s current life is quite good, and as a Great Mahayana Peak Gu Master, he receives respect wherever he goes. But now, there¡¯s a bigger issue confronting him: lifespan. This body originally has little lifespan left. Despite all his efforts to fill the gap over the past hundred years, it¡¯s still a drop in the bucket. If things continue like this, he only has fifty or sixty years left before his life ends in seated transformation. Rather than sitting and waiting for death, why not make a desperate gamble, defying the heavens! "Then, I¡¯ll trouble Brother Shen!" Yuan Qiu gritted his teeth and cupped his hands to speak. Shen Luo motioned for Yuan Qiu to sit in front of him, placing one hand on his head, with his palm glowing with a bright green light, enveloping Yuan Qiu¡¯s head. Yuan Qiu only felt his divine soul being like soaking in warm water, very comfortably warm. "It seems that Shen Luo indeed has some skills." His confidence in Shen Luo increased a bit. Shen Luo circulated Huangdi Neijing, a gentle power infused into Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul, mending the wounds of his divine soul. Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul was critically incomplete, and if a normal person¡¯s complete soul equals a full moon, then Yuan Qiu¡¯s soul is like a half-moon, with riddled holes, making repairs significantly challenging. Fortunately, as Yuan Qiu is only a Great Mahayana Stage Cultivator, with a two-major realm difference from Shen Luo, the gap in soul power even greater, any anomaly can be suppressed. Shen Luo took a deep breath and vigorously operated Huangdi Neijing, inserting dozens of jade-green soul threads into the damaged space of Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul. This is a secret technique recorded in the Suwen Chapter, the Su Wen Soul Threads. He directed his soul power into these Su Wen Soul Threads, transforming instantly into pure divine soul power, integrating into Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul. Only soul power can repair the divine soul, and the art of restoring the soul is certainly a sacrificial gesture of benefiting others at one¡¯s own cost. Even if someone possesses the capability to repair divine souls, they would never easily use it. However, with Shen Luo possessing the Soul Devouring Array, any lost divine soul could be rapidly restored, so he had no such concerns. The Su Wen Soul Threads wove through and repaired the wounds within Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul bit by bit. Time passed gradually, very soon over half a day had gone by. Shen Luo gently exhaled, his face slightly pale, withdrawing his hand from Yuan Qiu¡¯s head. Yuan Qiu sat cross-legged with eyes closed, wisps of white smoke curling from the top of his head, his cheeks glowing softly. This spell was remarkably successful, with ninety percent of Yuan Qiu¡¯s divine soul repaired, leaving the remaining ten percent to be restored slowly by his own adjustment and meditation.